Guy Low Price Electronic: 6 Sept 2008

Saturday 6 September 2008

Horror Films

I collect books that claim to contain the Best Movies of all Time, and Steven J. Schneider's series have a lot of good things going for them. They contain a lot of insight, beautiful color pictures, and a nice mixture of the expected choices vs. some more eclectic picks. However, there are a few things you should know about if you're going to buy this for yourself or a fellow horror fan:

Far more than the "101 SCI-FI Movies" entry into the series, the writing in this book often leans towards the academic. This is a necessary result of the genre, for horror lends itself to film theory far better than any other genre. And I don't mean things like noting how the virginal female tends to survive--that's basically surface level for this book--I mean theories of "otherness," the "male gaze," etc. A lot of the entries sound like theory textbooks that you'd read in film school. If the following doesn't appeal to you, don't buy the book:

'Roman Polanski's modern horror classic Rosemary's Baby is a most subtle and far-reaching commentary on woman's enforced submission to a male order.'

My major problem with the academic nature of the book isn't that I think such analysis is "wrong" or eggheaded (sometimes I think certain writers miss the mark, but that's natural) but in my opinion it negatively influences the selection process of the 101 movies. Instead of picking 101 really good horror films, it often feels the writers picked 101 movies they could write essays about. Deathdream, The Brood, Dressed to Kill are just a few films which aren't any good (much less classics) but can be easily read as allegories, comments on gender, etc. It's really stupid to criticize which movies were picked and which weren't (especially after I complimented the book earlier on its mixture) but I don't think audiences need to see Dressed to Kill before they die because of its take on gender identity. I'd rather they watched The Evil Dead because it's actually a good film, albeit less conducive to analysis.

This major quibble aside, I enjoyed reading 101 Horror Movies You Must See Before You Die and will proudly enter it into my film-book collection. If you like academic analysis you may well like it too, but don't buy it for your pal who loves slasher films because he might well be disappointed when the authors start talking about "the penetrating male gaze" or the director "incriminating the audience." 101 Horror Movies You Must See Before You Die

This is not a large regular size book-which is good but suprised me when I bought at Borders today. My favorite part is for each movie that is discussed, it has the original art work for the movies poster-which is in color on nice paper.

The reviews and thoughts were insightful and interesting. I am a big horror fan and there were several plus movies I never heard of that I will now rent/buy in the near future.

A good buy for any horror fans collection.'

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Laptop Cooling Stand - laptop fan, laptop cooling stand

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I've been using this laptop stand for about two months now, and I read several reviews of laptop stands before deciding to purchase this one. After reading reviews of some of the other stands, I became concerned that the size of my laptop might create stability problems. I'm happy to report that this stand holds my computer with minimal wobbling as I type. The sides of the computer extend about an inch beyond the stand on either side. The USB powered fan is quiet and sits unobtrusively underneath the middle of the computer. The swivel feature turned out to be an unexpected, pleasant addition.

There are a couple of mild negatives that prevented me from giving this stand five stars. The front tabs that hold the computer in place protrude slightly and can be annoying to my wrists. One of the tabs also blocks the front-loading CD drive slot, so if I want to insert or eject a CD I must lift the computer off the stand. If I want to close the laptop, I must move it back slightly in order to miss the tabs. These are only minor inconveniences and would not have prevented me from purchasing this stand if I had known about them ahead of time.

Lastly, the price seemed very nice compared to most of the other laptop stands I saw. Connectland CL-NBC-STDFAN Plastic Ergonomic Laptop Cooling Stand for 12-Inch-17-Inch Notebook PC

I haven't had this stand for very long, but so far it is well worth the price. This laptop stand is very flat and compact then folded and stores easily in my carry case. It is a simple device with a cooling fan and an easle to adjust the tilt of the laptop, thereby reducing back and neck strain. A small cable plugs into the USB port of the laptop to power the fan. The best part for me is not the cooling fan, but the easle. By raising the back of the netbook the screen and keyboard are put at an angle and reduce pressure on my neck and back which makes it easier for me to work comfortably for longer periods of time. This is the best value I found in regards to weight (lightest), price (under $15 when I got it) and quality (sturdy and uncomplicated). I strongly recommend this product for those who are are on the go or cramped for space.

I bought this for my 17" HP laptop. I travel all the time for work and needed something to prop it up and keep it cool. I've tried several kinds of cooling stands or pads. Most had exposed fans on the bottom making them useless when on a bed or lap. The fan on this one is fully enclosed, even when used flat. This is easy to use and works great. I'm very happy with it. It folds flat and the cord rolls up neatly for easy storage.

I purchased this stand after reading countless reviews. It had all of the qualities I was looking for and, as an unhappy reviewer for a different brand noted, was half the price of the same piece of equipment sold under another name (VIZO, Syba, and probably others - all here on Amazon). For the sub fifteen dollar catagory, you can't beat this laptop cooler/stand. It does a good job of keeping the laptop cool, much of which is accomplised I'm sure, by just elevation and increasing the air space under the laptop. The good qualities are:

- it is quiet

- it has a tilt feature with adjustable angles (4 plus the flat position)

- it has a swivel on the bottom of the unit. This cool little feature lets you rotate the laptop and stand with the touch of a finger. You don't have to pick everything up to turn it.

- it is very stable for my size of laptop

The potential drawbacks would be if you had a CD/DVD tray that opened to the front. The feet that do a good job of keeping the laptop from slipping but would probably block opening the tray without lifting the laptop a bit.

It keeps my laptop cool, but when I try to flip my monitor backwards the keyboard part always flips backward. The little grips on the front part is not sturdy enough to hold my 17" laptop, but as I have said it serves its purpose in cooling my laptop. I just have to be extra careful.

I was about ready to buy a new laptop because the one I have kept over heating. My husband bought this cooling stand and my laptop now stays cool all day. It folds flat for storage or travel and is light weight. The price is minimal for the benefits gained. - Laptop Cooling Stand - Laptop Fan - Notebook Cooler - Laptop Stand'

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Exercise Bands - resistance band, p90x

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I just got the bands in and started my p90x routine today.... within 5 minutes I snapped a band... Uh oh... I decided to email bodylastics regarding this to see what they would do... I instantly got a reply stating that they figured I was using it with p90x when this happened... ding ding ding..

They offered to send out a replacement part tomorrow with my shipping address and offered this information below regarding using the bodylastics bands with p90x..

overall great product when used properly, and can't beat customer service that replaces a product and replies that fast --

*****************

I am sorry to hear about your experience with the bands. That is very unusual for a Bodylastics band. I will have a new one sent to you, if you respond to this email with your ship to address. I can help but guess that you could be following the P90x routine. If I am wrong, please let me know but...

Here is the must have tip for that workout routine. There are a few exercises that will be less than perfect the way they suggests you do them with the bands. The exercises are the heavy pants, the lawnmower, and the back flies. The tip is simple. The Bodylastics handles can be removed from the bands. Lets do that. Take off the handles and literally grab on to the band underneath the clip system. This will ensure you have no slack at the start of the exercise (the P90X video suggests that you need to start those exercises with a certain amount of slack in the bands because you need a certain amount of elastic to complete the exercise motion). Using this tip will make sure you have enough band length to complete the exercise motion also.

Keep in mind that you may come across an exercise that works a muscle or muscle group and the way the exercise is being performed is not comfortable for you. When this happens, remember that you have a Bodylastics book with a list of exercises that should be used to substitute any exercise used in any given program.

We discovered the tips while reviewing the program with the Bodylastics system. I am sure these will make the difference for you. Although I would again recommend watching the [...]. I hope this helps. Please feel free to respond if you have further question.

Here are the links to the videos of the tips for the P90x program:

all exercises

[...]

**************** Bodylastics 13-Piece Maximum Tension Quick-Clip Resistance Band System

I was and still am a free weight kind of guy ever since highschool. I moved into an apartment with my girlfriend and found myself in the terrible predicament of having to sacrifice my weight bench and various other equipment in exchange for living space. In so doing I needed to find an alternate workout solution. I came across bodylastics on accident. I am a skeptic by nature but read the reviews and decided why not?

Having owned these bands for the better part of a year I have been able to achieve the same results as those of my weight bench. Not only am I satisfied with the quality of the product I am impressed with how challenging these bands really are! After using these bands I found that I was excersizing muscles that I never could with the weight bench! Don't get me wrong the weight bench has it's place. But not for my goals. For my goals these bands, a stability ball and a Iron Gym Extreme workout bar is really all I need to get the results I want. I also mountain bike for cardio. Being a busy person and usually finding it tough to spend much time working out these bands have proven a great fast solution to saving me time. Their construction is superb and truly do make other resistance bands look weak and frail. I will say you should probably use flat shoes or shoes without a lot of tread. This will prolong the life of your bands. There are books out there that provide info on the excersizes and workout schedules on how to use these bands as well. I am going to be trying the P90X workout here soon. Or at least portions of it.

I have been reading reviews on bodylastics but have not seen any good comparisons to Lifeline USA products. So here is my take on both products. I tried the Lifeline USA TNT bands and they are far cleaner design. My main problem with them is that the weight advertised is 40lbs a band and with all 3 bands it should be 120lb, but that is not true at all. With all three bands it felt more like 30lbs. The design is very easy to do all band exercises and comfortable to use. I like them but the cost of additional bands to make more resistance is too expensive.The bands are top notch, i can even say they are higher quality than the bodylastics.

I am not saying bodylastics bands are bad either. They are just very clunky design, the vinyl strap that holds the clip and band gets in the way of almost every exercise and is very uncomfortable to use. You have you have to adjust your form to make them not scratch you. The handles compared to the hard handles of Lifeline don't feel like great while doing exercises. The praise for bodylastics comes from the bands, they are labeled and do feel like the weight labeled. The Black band which is 23lbs feels like 23lbs on each side and all the bands together do feel like 60ish lbs since they are actually difficult to curl. For the resistance/cost, it does beat Lifeline.

I would like for bodylastics to develop a hard handle like Lifeline since it may improve use of the cables. The Accessories seem kinda dinky, with loose strings all over the place. I can forgive that since it comes with so many bands.

Overall its a decent product but the quality seems to be beat by Lifeline, I will most likely want to use both products since they both each have their own benefits.

Bodylastics

pros: Band resistance is very close to rating, lots of accessories, lots of bands to make different weights, decent price

Cons: Clunky design, materials could be better

Lifeline USA

Pros: clean design, easy to do exercises, material quality is very high such as the handles and the bands, its cheaper but less resistance

Cons: band resistance rating is not accurate, additional bands cost more, only 3 bands at a time.

Well those are my 2 cents on these two products. - Resistance Bands - P90x - Resistance Band - Exercise Band'

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Automotive - altima, book

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This is not a book about how to hack the controllers in your car's engine to make it go fast, burn different fuel mixtures, etc. Just like the title says, it is about car computers-and this means everything from actual onboard computers, to audio and video configurations. Like the other books in the "Hack" series, this is not a long narrative about Car PCs, it is simply a book full of 75 projects arranged by topic. Some of the tamer projects include installing headrest video screens, listening to email on the road once you've rigged up your computer to receive free wi-fi, installing a back-up camera and screen, receiving satellite TV, and rigging a free GPS-based navi-system. Of course, since all this stuff is power-heavy, there's also a bunch of hacks on how to strengthen your car's electrical system. To give you an idea, one of the hacks shows how to install a heavier-duty alternator. Throughout the book there are plenty of instructive diagrams, cross references to other relevant hacks in the book, and lots of links to web addresses where further instruction and freeware can be found.

There are seven chapters in Car PC Hacks, each covering a different way to turn your car into a functioning computer with cupholders. Amazon does not show the complete list of hacks, so I do that here:

Chapter 1. Car Power Basics

1. Understand Car Electrical Systems

2. Prevent Electrical Fires

3. Gauge Your Wires

4. Connect Your Wires

5. Calculate Your Car's Battery Life

6. Upgrade Your Car Battery

7. Add New Power Connectors Throughout Your Car

8. Use a Huge Capacitor to Sustain Power

9. Upgrade Your Car's Alternator

10. Add a Second Car Battery

11. Put Home Power Outlets in Your Car

Chapter 2. Automotive Audio Entertainment

12. Get a Headful About Your Car Audio

13. Install a New Head Unit

14. Get Computer Audio into Your Head Unit

15. Amp Up Your Computer Audio

16. Make a Very Cheap AUX-in

17. Reduce Your Audio System's Noise

18. Control Your iPod with Your Car Stereo Knobs

19. Tune Your PC for Radio Reception

20. Record Radio Shows

21. Listen to Email, Weblogs, and RSS Feeds on the Road

22. Find Out What Was Playing on the Radio

Chapter 3. Automotive Video Entertainment

23. Understand Video Connectors

24. Choose Your Screens

25. Install a Headrest Screen

26. Install a VGA Touchscreen in Your Dashboard

27. Install a Sun Visor Screen

28. Install a Motorized Fold-out Screen

29. Install a Fold-Down Ceiling-Mounted Screen

30. Supersize Your Fold-Down LCD Screen

31. Turn Your Laptop into a Fold-Down or Dashboard Screen

32. Connect a Car PC to Your Factory Screen

33. Install a Rearview Mirror Screen and Camera

34. Boost Your Video Signal for Multiple Screens

35. Customize Each Passenger's Video

36. Tune in TV in the Car

37. Receive Satellite TV While Driving

38. Play DVDs with Your in-Car Computer

39. Put Multi-Channel DVD Surround Sound in Your Car

40. Install a Video Game Console Computer in Your Car

Chapter 4. In-Car Computers

41. Choose an in-Car PC Hardware Platform

42. Power Your Car PC

43. Start Up and Shut Down Your Car PC

44. Reduce the Boot Time of Your in-Car Computer

45. Keep Your Computer on During Engine Cranking

46. Turn On Your Car Computer Before You Start Your Car

47. Boot Your Car Computer on a Schedule

48. Choose an in-Car PC Software Platform

49. Install Windows on a CompactFlash Card

50. Power Your Portable Devices in the Car

51. Install USB Ports in Your Car

52. Build an in-Car PC

53. Build an in-Car Macintosh

54. Install a Mac Mini in Your Car

Chapter 5. Car PC Interface Options

55. Control Your Car PC with a Keyboard and Mouse

56. Control Your Car PC with a Handheld Remote

57. Control Your Car PC with a Touchscreen

58. Car-Enable Clunky Applications

59. Listen to What Your Car Computer Is Saying

60. Control Your Car PC with Voice Recognition

61. Find More Ways to Control Your in-Car Computer

Chapter 6. Wireless Connectivity and in-Car Internet

62. Get Online in Your Car

63. Make Your Mobile Phone Hands-Free with Your Car PC

64. Transfer Data to and from Your Car PC

65. View Real-Time Traffic Data on the Road

66. Videoconference from Your Car

67. Use GPS on Your Car PC

68. Find WiFi Hotspots on the Road

Chapter 7. In-Car Applications

69. Plug into Your Car's Built-in Computer

70. Put a Video Jukebox in Your Car Theater

71. Choose Your in-Car Navigation Software

72. Play Thousands of Games by Emulating Video Game Consoles

73. Use CENTRAFUSE as Your Car PC Frontend

74. Use Neocar Media Center as Your Car PC Frontend

75. Use FrodoPlayer as Your Car PC Frontend Car PC Hacks

Amazon is offering this book in combination with "Geek My Ride" which, of course, makes much sense. However, if you are faced with choosing between the two, "Car PC Hacks" is the far superior book. It has at least five times as much actual content and is much better at giving you a complete picture of what you can do with car computers and electronics.

After carefully pondering the Amazon descriptions and reviews, I bought "Geek My Ride" first and "Car PC Hacks" second. That was the wrong decision, as "Car PC Hacks" is comprehensive enough to eliminate most people's need for another book on the topic. - Altima - Automotive - Book - Oreilly'

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Product Launch - product launch

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When I decided to begin the process of turning my dream into a reality, I was stunned at the difficulty of finding real-world answers regarding product development. Although every situation is unique, Launch It! provided the level of reference that enabled me to begin taking real steps towards finding the information that was specific to my concept. I've read other books on marketing and the retail industry specifically, but nothing in all my searching has come close to Launch It! for the comprehensive base of knowledge that can be applied to any concept and followed step by step to real success. The mysteries of taking a product from concept to launch are solved with this book and I highly recommend it for anyone with a great idea and a dream for success! Launch It!: How to Turn Good Ideas Into Great Products That Sell

Launch It! is a book that completely covers every step in taking a basic idea and launch it into the marketplace as a product that people will actually buy. The basic process has been well developed over many years and includes:

evaluating an idea

identifying the customer base

identify emerging and important trends

raise capital, save time

avoid mistakes

trade magazines, trade shows, trade organizations.

If just one of the points brought up in this book keeps you from making a mistake, it is worth far more than the sales price of the book.

The writers are experts in bringing products to market, from the design phase to marketing, packaging, and sales.

I highly recommend this book! When they say "a step-by-step guide", they really mean it. Launch It! offered us countless suggestions and resources in short, precise chapters -- so we didn't waste time. Throughout the book, the authors give great examples that helped us hone in on each topic and clearly see what we need to do next.

The Launched & Growing stories, featured throughout the book, were wonderful and encouraging profiles of real companies that conquered their problems and went on to find big success.

The Resource Guide is very comprehensive, a "Yellow Pages" of hundreds of supply vendors, associations and trade shows we couldn't have easily found on our own.

A must read for budding entrepreneurs!

This book is one of the very best places to start if you have a product/ idea you want to launch to the public either via retail or wholesale channels. As a person who's interested in starting a retail business I found so much helpful information & insight within these pages. Some were things I had already researched etc...but they covered many areas I lacked even a very basic knowledge about.

The layout of the chapters & the topics covered is very fluid & easily accessible. The authors definitely have a solid, resourceful background in marketing & product launching & their expertise is weaved in a very no nonsense fashion throughout each chapter. They included a thorough resource guide in the back of the book that should prove to supply relevant & useful contact names/numbers etc when needed.

I especially appreciated their user friendly, non condescending approach, & their careful explanation of terms that a novice may not be familiar with.

I've read the book twice...& have underlined countless good points that I'll likely refer to many times in the future. With all the meat & potatos here..without question a book I'd highly recommend!

When I read Launch It, I rediscovered things that I may have known but had forgotten. The authors reminded me of tried and true basics, adding many new and up-to-date ways to implement those basics. I liked the guidance they provided, using their experience to give me practical, current business and marketing information.

I like the book as a good resource guide for Trade Show/Event Strategies, considerations to License vs. produce and other related contact information...However, Books such as "New Product Launch: 10 Proven Strategies" and New Product Development, by Cooper, are much better for overall strategy and deployment.

Book is written in a very approachable way and I could easily see it being used in the workplace as a team reading assignment that could "launch" ideation planning sessions...

I was disappointed. After reading the other reviews I expected something useful but this book is so basic it looked like the authors just threw together a few articles and basic web research. I would recommend this book only if you have no experience in business, have never taken a business course, nor read any other book on business ever. - Product Launch'

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Jason Statham - crime drama, jet li

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This is one of my favorite movies in recent years. In the film, Jessica (Kim Basinger) is kidnapped and manages to click the wires on a smashed phone to place a call. She reaches beach slacker Ryan (Chris Evans) and manages to convince him that she's telling the truth and to get help. What ensues is a mad rush through downtown Los Angeles as Ryan tries desperately to assist her. The DVD has some good features on it (interviews, scene selection, etc.), and the movie overall was well made. If you are into this sort of movie, I recommend it. You will not be disappointed in the least bit. Cellular

Cellular is a sleeper hit. A long overdue example of a real edge-of-your-seat thriller that is well-written and well-acted. Great driving and action scenes are complemented by humor.

The story is about a carefree California youth who becomes embroiled in a conspiracy involving dirty LA cops and a kidnapped family. Kim Basinger turns in a great performance as the wife and mother fighting for her life against Ethan, the leader of the corrupt cops. Played by Jason Statham (The Transporter), Ethan is a competent bad guy.

My husband and I loved this movie. It has the wake-up equivalent of black coffee.

This film has three main characters, wonderfully played by Kim Basinger, Chris Evans and Jason Stratham. Basinger's character is constantly terrified, but always resourceful in a crunch. Evans's character is cheerful, energetic and opportunistic in the best sense. Stratham's character is menacing. There are many hilarious situations and the cell phone (and all it can do) is always moving the plot along. Great minor characters and performances add to the mix. Not deep at all, but exceptional entertainment!

"Cellular" has a gimmicky plot and unbelievable situations, but it's pretty darn good, so who cares?

I mean, how often does this happen...you get a call on your cellular from a woman kidnapped in an attic. She can't call anyone else, because the phone she is using is smashed, but she managed to dial your number by twisting together two wires.

You try to get the police to believe you, but you are having trouble because the battery on your cell phone dies out every time you give it to the police.

Ok, this happened to me last Friday, but for the rest of you, if you go along with it, it does hold your interest and is exciting at parts. Kim Basinger, Chris Evans and William Macy are all always fun to watch, too.

So..enjoy...and who knows, maybe after seeing it, you'll feel like it isn't safe to answer your cellular again.

"Cellular" is a fast-paced action/suspense from the get-go. It has barely set the scene when a group of men burst into Jessica Martin's (Kim Basinger) suburban home, abduct her, and imprison her in an attic. To make sure she is unable to communicate with the outside world, her captor, Ethan (Jason Statham), takes a baseball bat to the only telephone in the attic, and old but functioning rotary dial model. Unable to find any means of escape, a terrified Jessica places her hope in the shattered telephone, whose wiring still works in spite of having no dial or handset. Eventually, she gets through to someone: a flippant self-centered young man named Ryan (Chris Evans) who is intent on running an errand for his girlfriend and annoyed by the unexpected caller on his cell phone. Initially incredulous, Ryan becomes convinced of Jessica's kidnapping story and tries his best to help her her while driving around Los Angeles trying desperately not to lose her signal.

"Cellular" excels at being fast and exciting. Accepting that Ryan cannot find any police officer to help him requires suspension of disbelief. The car chases are nothing that I haven't seen so many times before that I really didn't want to see it in this movie. And Ryan's personality will rub some members of the audience the wrong way. He's annoying. But none of that is enough to undermine "Cellular"'s compact, energetic entertainment value. Kim Basinger is really quite convincing as a terrified, desperate wife and mother. She's a strong character who tries to control what she can of her situation, so avoids any "damsel in distress" cliché. And since there is no romantic interest between Jessica and her would-be savior, Ryan, "Cellular" sidesteps another cliché. Cell phones are ubiquitous in contemporary film, but this is one of the few that succeeds in using them to advance the plot in a believable well-integrated fashion. Most of the acting in "Cellular" is actually speaking into a telephone. It can't be easy to make so much dialogue phone conversations and hang the film's arc on that. Characters who are glued to a telephone conversation are isolated even in a crowd -a concept not lost on screenwriter Larry Cohen, who also wrote "Phone Booth". "Cellular" isn't a great film, but an entertaining one. You won't fall asleep!

The DVD (New Line 2005): Bonus features include 3 documentaries, an audio commentary, a theatrical trailer, and a DVD-ROM (Windows only). "Calling Out" (18 minutes) is about the history of telephones and the social implications of mobile (cellular) phones. Telecommunications engineers Dr. Martin Cooper and Joel Engel, technology journalists, and a psychologist talk about how cell phones work and what they mean for us and for the future. "Dialing Up Cellular" (25 minutes) is a documentary about making the film, including comments on the film's conception, performances, and filming the car chases. Writers Larry Cohen and Chris Morgan, director David Ellis, the cast, and various crew are interviewed. "Code of Silence: Inside the Rampart Scandal" (25 minutes) is about the 1999 police corruption scandal that involved the LAPD's Rampart Division. I found it very interesting since I am not an Angelino and was not familiar with the details of this case. The audio commentary is by director David Ellis, his sister and assistant stunt co-ordinator Annie Ellis, and his daughter and Associate Producer Tawny Ellis. Over the course of the commentary, they call various members of the film's cast and crew on their cell phones to get their comments. Subtitles are available for the film in English and Spanish. - Jet Li - Thriller - Action - Crime Drama'

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Computer Game - sims, expansion pack

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I got my game delivered on Friday, May 28 and was very excited to get it installed and start playing. This really looked like it would be a ton of fun and it was at first. The new town that you get with this expansion, Twinbrook, is beautiful. The EA Sims team did a wonderful job creating this new town. There are lots of new things to see (I really like the "swampy" area, it's kinda creepy and spooky). They also added several new items with this expansion and I think the new laundry system adds some more realism to the game. I thought it was kind of dumb at first but it is kind of neat to see them do laundry now.

As for the careers, I started off with the new architect career since I love to build houses. It seems more like an interior designer career to me. All of the jobs were to redo some particular room so there was very little building to do. This may change after a while but it got boring doing the same types of rooms over and over so I moved on.

Next, I tried the ghost hunter. Again, this was a lot of fun in the beginning but I soon realized that I get the same types of jobs over and over. There are about 5 different types of jobs for your ghost hunter sim to perform. These range from collecting "casper" looking spirits to investigating paranormal activity inside the rabbit holes around town. This career got boring fast too. You do the same types of jobs over and over and you only get maybe 2 or three jobs each night. I had my sim do these and he was back home way before his job time was supposed to be over. Also, it didn't take me very long to reach the top of the career.

After I had been ghost hunting a while, I got my sim hitched to a sim lady who registered as a self employed sculptor. This is probably my favorite of the careers I have tried so far. She sculpts some pretty cool looking statues after her skill gets high enough. When she first started, she was sculpting chairs, toilets, and other household items and it was pretty humorous to see these. I like that she starts out with a big block of whichever material I choose for her to use (clay, topiary, wood, ice, etc.) and I get a nice surprise when she finishes. If you want a particular sculpture,you can have your sim sulpt it if he or she has already learned to make. After my sim's skill was high enough, the sculptures sell for a high simolean price too. So, between her sculptures and my ghost hunter's salary plus selling spirits to the Science Lab, they got pretty rich rather quickly.

My sculptor's lifetime wish is to maximiaze her painting, sculpting and inventing skills so I also have an inventor's table. Most of the stuff that she has invented is useless crap that you can sit around your house as nothing more than decoration (like a bobbing llama head that drinks). She has invented the digger thing but it woke up everyone in the house when I tried to use it and then the hole only had scrap in it. The digger may prove to be interesting though from what I've seen in videos online.

The only other career I have tried so far is the stylist and I hated it. I created a stylist to be married to my architect. Each time she offers to give a makeover to another sim, it opens a new CAS window where you style the sim however they request (new makeup, new hairstyle, new everyday wear, etc.). At the start of this career, no matter what I chose in CAS, the sim always came out looking horrible. It got on my nerves so I gave up on it very quickly. I don't see the point of doing anything to them if they are just going to come out looking bad.

I haven't tried any of the other careers yet. I did get a simbot and it annoys me. The sim couple had a baby and it would always go get it out of the crib, even if it was sleeping. The baby has been pretty cranky with this thing around. The sim babies have always kind of worked my nerves anyways but they are necessary if you want to play a family but they really are annoying with this thing around unless I watch him and make him leave the kid alone so it can get some sleep. It's handy to have it do the laundry and some cleaning but it keeps breaking stuff in the house when I try to have it do upgrades. It's handiness skill is high but it always breaks whatever it's working on so I hate the thing. It just kind of gets in the way.

One thing that did surprise me and I thought was a nice touch is that as your sims progress in their careers, they will get a notification that the mayor is honoring them at city hall. If they make it there in time, they get medals, commemorative plaques or even keys to the city. My ghost hunter even received something that looks like a small graveyard. It's really kind of cool looking. I forget what it's called though. I do think that the recogonition for outstanding work is pretty cool and it was totally unexpected for me.

All in all, this EP is kind of fun but it is VERY repetitive and I can see it getting old fast. There were not very many new items which adds to the sims everyday lives. There is the laundry system, trampoline and a couple of other things though. Oh, and the "Curly" hair that you get when you register the game is horrid!

If you like the new task oriented sims that it seems we have to live with now, you'll like this. As for me, I really wish they would give us an EP that gives the sims more open activities like some of the EP's of the past (Nightlife, please!). I don't care for this new style of play that the EA Sims team keeps coming up with. I miss the days of the open ended gameplay. Sure, it got repetitive too but I at least controlled more of the sims lives than I do now and that was what I liked about it. I mean the game is called The SIMS, it should focus on SIMS and not a pretty new town or repetitive tasks that are far too easy and get way too boring way too fast. For the way the Sims has now progressed (whether I like it or not) this is a decent expansion. I can have my sims do the painting, sculpting, writing, etc. and register them as self employed and still get some fun out of it though so it's not completely horrible for me either. The Sims 3: Ambitions - Expansion Pack - The Sims 3 - Pc Game - Sims'

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router table - router table, tool - woodworking

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I've been using a table mounted router for years, but this is the first router plate I've used. Overall, it is a great addition to my shop. I can easily lift the router out of the table to change bits and the two removable concentric rings adjust the opening for various sizes up to about a 3 1/2" opening for raised panel bits. The shortcomings are minor. The Allen screws for leveling the plate vibrate out of adjustment easily. I think a little Teflon tape or the right kind of Locktite will solve that problem. The concentric rings snap into the plate, but they are not snug and vibrate a little. I sometimes have to be sure I set the work piece down on the edge of the outer ring before running the piece through the bit. Not a real problem though. The plate was half the price of some that I found on line. (Since purchasing this plate, I found that Harbor Freight sells what appears to be the same product for somewhat less cost.) MLCS 9338 All-In-one Router Plate Kit

I purchased this plate from another company HF (Not Amazon). I have had it in use for about two years and about a year ago the edges began to spring up a bit in the corners causing a very big problem with stock bumping while routing. Needless to say the "bump" would transfere to the piece and ruin it! I have dealt with this off and on since then (I dont use my router table as often as I could/should) I am now buying an aluminum plate to replace it and wish I had never wasted money/time on the HF unit. I hope this review cause those shoppers out there to pass on this unit and in fact pass on all phenolic plates and go to the metal ones for long term satisfaction.

I ended up returing this and getting the Rousseau plate. This one does not have inch markings on either side of the center hole, which makes it difficult to position the fence. Other than that it is the similar to the Rousseau plate.

The product description says it is "approximately 9 x 12 inches". That may be fine for someone who will cut a hole in their router table for the insert, but for those who already have a router table, the exact measurements are needed. Pretty much the standard for inserts is 9-1/4-Inch by 11-3/4-Inch. I would buy one of these if I knew for sure the exact size. - Tool - Woodworking - Router Table'

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Light-weight Counter

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This type of counter had some bad reviews from some vendors and ok reviews from others. I bought three of them to count diners at a catered event our church had. We had over 500 people that ate and these things worked fine for us without ANY of the issues that other people mentioned. Easy operation. Metal housing. Inexpensive. It worked for me! Champion Sports Tally Counter

we ordered ones from staples for four times this price that we use when hunting and they work great. This one is much cheaper and works as well as the more expensive ones, this one we use for keeping track of how many cans and bottles go in the recycling bags'

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Mud Pie Baby Eieio Black And White Gingh...

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This dress set is super adorable! I (or should I say my baby) get so many compliments on this dress. The colors are pretty much exactly as shown. It is a pale pink with navy blue accents. Even the buttons have little anchors on them. The material is of good quality and worth the price. LOVE THIS OUTFIT! Good Lad Nautical Dress With Headband, Navy, 3-6 Months'

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Drill Bit Sets - micro drill bits, drill bit sets

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This set was just the thing I needed to help me with my hobby.

I build model rockets that really fly. I needed to drill small holes for nylon screws.

The service and delivery was way above the grade. I'd order from this company always. Mini Micro Drill Bit Set and Pin Vise Chuck 36 pcs

I ordered this product and a set of mini-bits from another supplier because I thought the bits that would come i this set might not be that great... I could not have been more wrong. The hand drill, and the assorted bits are in great shape and very well packaged. Be sure to unscrew the driver handle and notice two other chucks for even bigger bits! This is a great tool... This kit from hobbytoolsupply.com has everything I need and packaged well... It's a great value and turned out to be much nicer then what I got from the other supplier..

This is a wonderful product I was a little skeptical about the 1 star review but that should not be paid any attention. This drill set is very high quality in my opinion. it looks like it will take the wear and tear of many many years, very beautiful and drills very smoothly. it's a great deal.

This is a nice quality set for the money. Quite a few different sized bits and the pin vise is good. It has different collet sizes that store inside the vise itself. Definitely a good product for working on small stuff. - Drill Bit Sets - Micro Drill Bits'

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Inspirational - 911, sumner

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This book is a major tribute to all K9 Search/Recovery Teams throughout the world and to the many long, long hours of training and hard work preparing for such a grueling service. The content brings forward the various personalities; human and K9 which make a dedicated team who give 120 percent to the community; "bringing those lost home to their loved ones". It's through the eyes and ears of great authors that the public becomes increasingly aware of the many facets in the lives of K9 search teams. Thank you... Michael, Annie & K9 Boomer Dog Heroes of September 11th: A Tribute to America's Search and Rescue Dogs

Five long years later, it's long over-due that many of these dogs were recognized for something very few want to acknowledge - recovery and the importance of loved ones being able to say good-bye. These are the stories of many handlers and their dogs in the days following the aftermath of 9-11, not only at the more obvious sites of Ground Zero and the Pentagon - but also the K9 effort at the Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island. These dogs worked their hearts out, it's time these 4-legged volunteers and the jobs they did is made public.

I first found out about this book from reading a news paper article about the USAR K-9 teams of Texas Task Force 1 in The San Antonio Express News about what they went through on 9/11 five years ago. Having a strong interest in K-9 teams and possibly wanting to consider it as a career one day I knew I had to get it. After reading this book for the first time I have to say that it was definitely well worth it. Never before have I read such a gripping account of Search and Rescue K-9 teams. This book goes into great detail about the sequences of events that triggered the unparelled nation-wide response from complete strangers. If you had a trained dog on 9/11 chances are your pager went off or your phone rang that morning calling you away to answer the call of duty. From never before seen photographs and emotionally charged first hand accounts of K-9 handlers Author Nora Bauer puts the reader in the center of the action like no other writer can. From the sights and heartwrenching experiences of Ground Zero, to the massive recovery effort at the Pentagon and finally to sifting through human remains of a catastrophy at the Fresh Kills Landfill across the river from Manhattan in New Jersey. This story not only examines the harrowing aspect of Search and recovery work but it also delves deep into the emotions and mind set of dogs and their handlers as they endure punishing eight to twelve hour shifts combing through the rubble and to providing emotional support to firefighters and other rescue workers on site that had lost some much in such a short period of time. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and it really is true because when you look into the eyes of the Search dogs after a long tour you read the kind of emotions they're feeling just by looking at the sad and often rejected expressions on their faces. If anyone thinks that dogs don't feel the same emotions that people do this book will certainly prove you dead wrong. Search and Rescue dogs come in all different breeds and each have their own unique set of skills that they brought to the table following the attacks of 9/11. From Border Collies, German Sheperds, Golden Retrievers and Belgium Malenois. All were trained as either live find or Cadaver dogs. And sometimes one dog would be cross trained in both disciplines which would be needed in the days following the attacks. Over the years and especially after 9/11 the media has emphasised the actions of everyday heroes. Everything from firefighters, police officers and most recently the brave service men and women of our armed forces but this book introduces you to a new breed of heroes; the unsung heroes of September 11, the Search and Rescue dogs who brought relief and in many ways closure to the families and to the rescuers of September 11, 2001. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a dog lover. It's a must Read for the whole family.

Each story gives you a small insight of what it was like to work the mountain of ruble that was once The World Trade Center. There has never been a book like this one to give such honor to Search and Rescue teams.

A lot of people have dogs. A small percentage of them are working dogs: working sheep or cattle, guiding the blind, sniffing for contraband or whatever. An even smaller percentage are trained in search and rescue. in the aftermath of 9/11 a good many of these animals were brought to either the World Trade Center or Pentagon sites where they searched first for people and then for bodies.

As the sub-title says, this book is a tribute to those dogs who worked at the sites, and to Sirius, a port authority bonb-detection dog was killed at the World Trade Center. The format of the book is that each of the dogs brought to work there (from all across the country) is profiled along with their handler/trainer. Following that is a general descritption of the training that these animals undergo to become FEMA certified.

This book so well done that it makes people who are not dog lovers feel good that man's best friend is a friend indeed.

All the stories are very short 2 to 3 page stories that really touch the heart of animal lovers. Makes a great read.

Warning, you will need a box of tissues for some of the stories.

Five Stars does not do this book justice.

The book is beautiful. If you are a dog lover, I highly recommend it. It will make you cry and make you know how special our 4-legged buddies are.

Thank you for documenting these stories and sharing them with us. It helps to remind us, beautifully I might add, of one of the darkest and most horrific days in our short history. This is a day we should never forget.

If you're a fan of K9 helpers like me, you'll love this book. It was a great look at so many dogs, their trainers, and their stories. Truly great to see and read about all these dogs, their efforts make you feel warm inside :) - Inspirational - Sumner - Animal Rescue - 911'

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Mens Deodorant

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Why? A) It works. B) It works really well. In fact, it works as well as Mitchum and C) It has a unique fresh smell that is not offensive and goes well with my body.

I also prefer buying Jack Black because they don't test on animals and their products are cruelty free.

Shame on you if you buy deodorant, soap or any hygiene product from a company that thinks a horse needs to eat 10lbs of it and be dragged behind a car. Jack Black Pit Boss - Antiperspirant and Deodorant

I've been using this product for about 2 years now. Nothing else compares. It lasts forever and takes care of odor regardless of climate/activity. I've tried similar products, such as that of Anthony brand and it doesn't compare. A stick of this will also last you a good while.

This deodorant is ridiculously effective. The Jack Black website suggests that you only use one swipe per underarm, and boy are they right. Using more may cause slight irritation and also leave a visible white residue. So don't do that. It would be like gargling a gallon of mouthwash every morning - it will work but it will be uncomfortable and is totally unnecessary anyway.

But your average drugstore brands are also pretty effective, and also considerably cheaper, so why buy this one? Primarily a) so you don't smell like a drugstore brand and b) so you don't smell like much of anything, because this deodorant doesn't have a strong scent. Those things are worth a couple extra bucks to me.

I haven't been able to place the cleaning solvent that smells a bit like this deodorant. I can see people wanting to wear perfume to make a statement, but I can't imagine anyone who likes their deodorant to be detectable. By the end of the first and only day I used it, I was getting nauseated at the strong smell.

Also, I think Mitchum's works better.'

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