Customer Service - comfy, deep v-neck

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I'm an aspiring bodybuilder (very fit, ~180lb) and this fits very nicely (medium). Not too low of a "v," soft, inexpensive.

I ordered and they were out of the color. Promptly emailed me and told me of the other options.

Will be ordering many more. V-Neck Men's Short Sleeve T-Shirt by Canvas - Deep Heather 3005M M - Comfy - Customer Service - Deep V - Deep V-neck'

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Gps Dash Mount - dashboard mount, dash mount

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I've used this bean-bag dash mount for a couple hundred miles in my '95 Saturn SL2. Even with the harder, more "slippery" plastic dash, this mount doesn't slide around. The bottom of the mount is coated in a tacky rubber material. The round suction cup mounting disk fits the default RAM suction cup and Garmin suction cup with room to spare. It will also fit my larger, older RAM suction cup. Suction power is good: I regularly lift this 3.2 pound mount by holding onto the GPS cradle.



The three "wings" of the mount are flexible and move independently of the main body of the mount. The wings help it to contour better to my dash. The wings do stick up a little bit above the plane of the suction cup mounting disk. That interfered a little bit with the bottom edge of my GPS until I rotated the GPS so that the bottom edge was then along one of the gaps.



No regrets on this purchase. I'll probably use this mount more than attaching the GPS to the windshield. It's easier to take off the dash and conceal when not in use and it also permits my wife or me to hold the GPS closer (in the passenger's seat, of course) rather than reaching up to the windshield to make navigation changes. NAVGEAR Universal Dash Mount

Both my wife and I own a GPS. Hers is a Garmin Nuvi 250W and mine is the Magellan 1470. Both units are mounted on a portable friction mounts, hers on the Garmin Portable Friction Dashboard Mount for nüvi Series and StreetPilot C5XX Series GPS Navigators (C530, C550, and C580) and mine on the NAVGEAR universal dash mount.



What I liked most about the NAVGEAR mount is that the 1470's mounting suction cup makes and maintains excellent contact with the mounting base so there is little risk of accidental release from the base. When I want to release my GPS, the 1470 and the mounting base can be easily separated and then just as easily re-attached. They remain securely joined until I release them.



What I don't like about the NAVGEAR mount is the lack of grip when using it on the dash. The lack of grip has resulted in constant risk of my GPS sliding across the dash or into my passenger's or my lap when making even a slightly hard turn and especially a sudden stop. I've had several experiences already where it literally flew across the dash and onto the floor. On the other hand, the grip on the Garmin friction mount has not once failed to hold in all but the most severe maneuvers and is by far superior to what the NAVGEAR offers. The material used on the bottom of NAVGEAR feels less flexible/firmer and although slightly textured, somewhat smooth. The material on the bottom of the Garmin mount feels somewhat softer and more pliable - almost slightly sticky.



Bottom line - if you're considering the NAVGEAR ME201133 Universal Dash Mount for a Garmin Nuvi, spend the money on the Garmin friction mount noted above. You will be much more satisfied. For other GPS brands, the NAVGEAR mount may be a reasonable alternative although you will have to live with the constant risk of your GPS slipping and sliding across the dash and onto the floor unless you find a way to improve the grip.

I ordered the navgear dash mount because I had broken the screen on my previous tom tom because it always fell off the window. The navgear has prevented my tom tom from falling forward and hitting something however it does not stay in place 100% on the dashboard. When you have to get around a corner quickly it does slide and fall to the floor. I will say though, the tom tom remained upright thru the fall because of the weight of the navgear. Another plus of the navgear is that you can just take the whole thing and hide it easily in the car w/ no marks left on your window advertising that you have a gps in your car. So, for the money it is working out for me but it's not completely up to how it was advertised. Also, it works well with the tom tom 130 - no issues with the power cord.

I have had this product for about one month. I am using it to hold a Apple iPhone Deluxe Mounting System from pocketsolutions.com, and use it mainly to hold my iPhone 3G on my Toyota Sequoia SUV. I am very satisfied with this product.



I am very familiar with many mounting systems. I have tried the mounting system that attaches to the A/C vents, but these block the vents and do not feel as sturdy. The suction cups that mount on the windshield are illegal in California and another state (I forget which one). These suction cups are not meant for daily stalling and uninstalling, as each cycle tends to wear the silicon mechanism. This means that they will more than likely be left almost permanently on windshields, which serves as an advertisement for opportunistic punks to break a window in the hopes of finding whatever piece of electronic they may think you have in the car.



The neat thing about these friction mounts is that they can be put away out of sight of thieves. They also afford the opportunity for easy adjustments and positioning while driving.



Why this particular dash mount as opposed to other friction dash mounts available. The problem with most other dash mounts is that they are circular and do not conform or negotiate the non-flat or angled dashboard surfaces found in many cars, including mine. This particular dash mount is similar to the top of the line Garmin Portable Friction Dashboard Mount for nüvi Series GPS's, which I also own for my Garmin GPS, in its versatility and stability.

I bought a TomTom GPS over a year ago and used the stupid system it comes with to attach the thing to your windshield. Horrible situation as the thing would get hot and lose it suction and then the tomtom fell to the floor...ugh. I remembered a friend of mine who had a Garmin and a bean bag type of stand to sit on the dashboard so I found one for my tomtom and I simply LOVE IT! Now, if I can just find out how to get that adhesive piece of plastic that the suction cup had to attach to off of my windshield I will be truly at peace with my TomTom. lol - Gps Mount - Dashboard Mount - Gps - Dash Mount'

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Cordless Drill - cordless drill, cordless

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I've owned this Makita impact gun for over three years and still love it. I'm a professional carpenter/handyman and this tool by far is the one I use most. It's the most comfortable cordless drill I've ever handled (and I've owned at least seven). It will drive 3 inch screws into hardwood over and over. Squeeze the trigger and the light comes on.. a joy, especially during winter work days when it gets dark early. The small size gets you into tight places like narrow cabinets or under sinks (where again that light is great)!

After using this tool a while, it becomes second nature - how much pressure you need to squeeze the trigger for just the right amount of torque. The impact feature is handy for backing out soft brass screws without stripping them (like those tricky high end Baldwin hinge screws).

The quick release is simple to use.. the belt hook is handy when you go up a ladder with your hands full.. the batteries last a long time and are easy to change.. the charger is quick.. it will accept vix bits and drill bits with a hex shank (so you can drill holes too)!

C'mon.. what else do you need in a drill/screwdriver???

Get one and you will soon realize what you've been missing.. Compared to those bulky Ni-Cad non-impact guns, this one beats them hands down! Bare-Tool Makita BTD141Z 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Driver (Tool Only, No Battery)

A friend of mine had this driver drill on a window installation job. After using it I went right out and bought my own. I do lots of handyman work and this is now my go-to drill that I reach for first. It's smaller and lighter than the full size Makita drill, but drives and drills as well or better than its big brother and takes the same battery packs. Highly recommended!

I have been using impact drivers professionally since they were introduced many years ago (they were 9.6 volt, nicad). I rarely use them for drilling but for fastening, it is the tool of choice. This is my 3rd Makita, from the 9.6 to the 12 and now the 18 volt and I have never worn one out completely. Batteries, yes, many. Nicads didn't last all that long in number of cycles, NiMH were much better and now L-Ion which are a vast improvement. Now for this tool. Makita also makes this in a 3 speed model with brushless motor for considerably more money. The 3 speeds of the other tool are unnecessary; I have absolute control of the tool thru the variable speed trigger. As for the brushless motor. They are more efficient, delivering more torque and longer lasting. That means more fasteners per charge and subsequently longer battery life. This is important if you are a professional and putting the tool into production use. All day, every day. Would I prefer it? Yes, if that was the only tool I used but I have many and cost is always a factor. And I have never worn out the tool or replaced brushes in the other Makita's. The other tool on the market that I have experience with is the Panasonic, which is at least equal to the Makita. And Panasonic has their own battery technology (they achieve the same performance using only 14.4 volts) They have the selectable 3 speed and brushless motor but are substantially more expensive. So, for less money I don't feel that I have lost. The Makita name has served me well.

The BTD141 is a 2008 update/improved version of the BTD140: some improved internal parts (slightly higher max torque), slightly different appearance (mainly the plastic gearbox shroud), and a different chuck(This chuck allows you to push in a hex bit without pulling out the sleeve.) Not much difference from the older model, but I felt good about having the latest model when I bought this in the last week of May 2009.



A week after I bought this, Makita releases the evolutionary Bare-Tool Makita BTD144Z 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Driver (Tool Only, No Battery) with brushless motor on the US market. There is a reason why the BTD144 is the first tool in the Makita line-up to get the brushless technology: Impact drivers are known for their torque but not for their finesse. With the digital electronic control that brushless motors allow, you can have buttons that reduce the speed and torque instead of having to feather the trigger pressure(like you have to do on the BTD141). Even though it is $75 - $100 more than the BTD141, I would have probably sprung for the BTD144. Regardless, what's done is done.



The BTD141 has loads of potential torque and if you are not careful/skilled you can torque fasteners way beyond where they should be. I needed some practice with the trigger and doing short bursts to make a 3" screw flush with a wood surface. Getting the right pressure on the trigger as you are driving a screw does not come naturally, especially if you've only used a drill as a driver.



The ergonomics on this, as with all Makita LXT tools, is superb. Very comfortable and balanced with "grippy" molded rubber in all the right places.



It is loud, but it's supposed to be loud; it's an IMPACT driver.



You can use this driver with the smaller 1.5 amp Makita batteries without making any modifications. (See user picture above) Thus, it can virtually become the smaller, lighter BTD142HW.

I own my own contracting and handyman business so i need quality tools from reliable suppliers. I am very pleased with the Makita BTD141Z 18-volt impact driver i purchased through Amazon.com. This was my first online purchase, yea, i've come out of the cave, Amazon.com made this process very easy for first timers like me, Thank you Amazon.com. This won't be my last purchase online, i shop Amazon.com 2-3 times a week for all my needs and wants. Nobody in my area compares when it comes to pricing. I highly recommend Amazon.com for your next purchase.

Lots of power even at half charge. Fast charging and the quick release is the best, I cant wait to get the 1/2" gun. p.s it will tighten lugs to 95 ft.lbs. I checked with my torque wrench and thats the best i could get, NOT complaining...im happy with it. - Cordless - Makita - Cordless Drill - Impact'

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Blemish Control - face washes, acne treatments

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I have not been using this product twice-a-day like it recommends on the label, but once per day has been great to me. Previously, I used soap and I would get breakouts occasionally. Then I tried Neutrogena for Men ($7 for 4 oz!), which made me break out badly and I stopped using it after a week and went back to soap. Then I went on Amazon and read reviews about pHisoderm, which I either never saw or never paid attention to at stores. I decided to give it a try since 4 bottles cost almost as much as that one Neutrogena bottle and what a great purchase. It has not only prevented breakouts, but it is also clearing out the little white heads that were on my forehead (I have oily skin) and blemishes. It's not a harsh product either and feels rather mild. I can see why they have been around for 40 years. pHisoderm pH Anti-Blemish Gel Facial Wash, pH Balanced, 6 fl oz (177 ml) (Pack of 4)

I'm 62 years old and have used Phisoderm products since I was 18 years

old. I got a severe sunburn on my face when I was 17. Everything I tried on my face irritated my skin. Finally I tried the old Phisohex

product and it cleaned my skin without irritation. Later the company had to quit making phisohex and I started using the white Phisoderm. It

too worked for me. A few years ago they quit selling the white Phisoderm in my area. I tried several other products but each one burned or irritated my skin. I then tried the Phisoderm anti-blemish gel facial wash and it's as good as the previous phisoderm products.

This is a good product. It doesn't always prevent breakouts from occurring but it has worked better than the other product I did try. The only thing I don't like about it is that it's a bit liquidity/thin. Overall, I like it though. The pack of 4 for the price is a great deal in my opinion.

I started using pHisoderm in 1979--and I am still using it! I can't find anything better, and certainly not at the price.



I had acne as a teenager, and in 1979, at age 25, I still had acne. Of course, I tried different products, but none of them worked. Then I stumbled upon pHisoderm, and it was THE answer for me.



These days--at age 56--I still have skin that is inclined to break out, so pHisoderm STILL works better than any other product. I did try to change, just for variety, but nothing worked.



The reason pHisoderm is so excellent is because it gets rid of acne, and it does not dry the skin out. It is really good for the skin.



It's unfortunate that the company isn't too concerned with selling the product, as they did back in the 70s when it was available in gigantic glaring green bottles, was white, and had a medicinal smell :-) Every generation has to have a "concept" of what's healthy. Back then, it was the medicinal smell thing :-)



After that, it changed bottles, again, but was still white, and available in big sizes.



Then, the entire packaging changed, again, to what it is now -- small (dang) -- and clear -- the modern version of "good for your skin" concept.



So, of course, I recommend this product highly for all ages. It cleans the skin throughly, preventing acne, gently, without drying the skin.



I just ordered myself a nice pack of 4 that will keep me going for a while.

I bought this because of the good reviews and I'm glad I did. I have tried everything from A to Z in acne products since I was a kid. I wonder if they had this back then because I should have bought it. I remember phisoderm products but don't recall using them. Anyway this stuff is great! I use it in the day and night too. Not overdrying or irritating for me. If a pimple starts to form within a day or two it is gone. Keeps new pimples from forming I have found. Plus I had a deep cystic acne pimple that was under the skin for a long time and it made it come up. So anything that can do that to me is a good product. It works and I just ordered my second bottle because I don't want to run out. I am in my 30's and have oily skin with adult acne. I never write reviews but I had to for this one. It keeps the oil reduced as well. A +!

This product is the only thing that keeps my face clear. I use it twice a day in the shower with a good moisturizer & have no breakouts. The price is great. I'll have to start ordering it on amazon since they quit carrying it locally.



I think it's just the right thickness. Put one pump on the tip of two fingers and rub it between the fingers on both hands and then rub it into the face. I don't really smell much of a fragrance, which is good for most with sensitive skin. Using one pump, twice a day, I think a bottle typically lasts me about 6 weeks.



Cleansers are a personal item and people will have varying results. Trial and error is the only way to know for sure, but I think this is so worth a shot though, as I have had so many problems with other products, but never a problem with this.

I have absolutely no pimples with consistent use. I have pretty normal skin but have pretty bad allergies. I have gone through several face washes that make me sneeze uncontrollably or have way too much menthol it makes my eyes water. This product has a nice light lemony fragrance that doesn't bother my sinuses. It can be a bit drying like some people may have mentioned but I have a great face moisturizer to counter that. If you have very sensitive skin this may not be the product for you. I would not describe this product as a gentle cleanser, it is pretty strong, sometimes I only use half a pump or dilute it a little with water. Especially if I have a super dry face from the winter air or when my pores are really open after a long workout. I use it about once a day. I am sad that this product has been discontinued and I am not sure what I am going to use after this is no longer available on Amazon. If there are people who don't want their product and want to donate it....contact me! - Acne Wash - Acne Treatments - Acne Control - Face Washes'

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Interpersonal Relations - christianity, psychology

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Cloud does a good job on how to have a successful life. First, you must find what you would like to do as a career. Second, deal with problems by fixing it or eliminating it. Third, create a well thought out plan step by step all the way to reaching successs. Also think about options and see if they will hurt you or help you in the future. Fourth, be proactive, be a person of action. Fifth, be dilligent and industrious by doing something and make progress, no matter how small the progress is. Sixth, Be sure to fix what you hate in a positive way. Seventh, do not seek justice for yourself, seek rather to give mercy and forgive. Eighth, study and grow in humility. Ninth, realize that you cannot please everyone. 9 Things You Simply Must Do to Succeed in Love and Life: A Psychologist Learns from His Patients What Really Works and What Doesn't

Easy-to-read content with clear, pertinent examples of each of the '9 things' we must do to experience personal and professional success. Very common sense stuff. The presentation is like concentrated orange juice: it's weighty content that most of us have heard about in a watered down manner, or we KNOW it's true, but it's in the BACK of our minds, not in the forefront. Cloud brings these significant issues to the FOREFRONT of our minds, and he makes them memorable so that they will be imprinted on our minds, if we choose to adopt them. I have a friend who can't quickly get through the book b/c the truth is hard to embrace, sometimes. This material can be VERY CHALLENGING to adopt and apply in our lives, but, I'm living a much more peaceful and fulfilling life by just applying what I've learned so far, and I'm only about 80% through the book.... It's only when we challenge ourselves that true growth takes place. Growth never comes easily.

I'm a big fan of Dr. Cloud's books, but I don't think this one is as good as his others. I don't have a moral problem with Christians observing principles that bring success, as long as those principles are biblical; Cloud is soundly grounded in scripture, even if his applications are occasionally a bit unconventional. His observations of the 9 things you must do to succeed are not entirely without interest, but I found myself skimming after about half way through. This book seems more like a quickly-written secular "how to succeed in life" book than like the profound guides to biblical personal growth I've come to expect from this author.

Dr. Henry Cloud is a clinical psychologist, radio program host, business coach, successful businessman, and author of several best selling books on self-help and spiritual matters. In this book, Nine Things you Must Simply Do To Succeed in Love and Life, Cloud draws upon his experience working with highly successful people to identify nine principles that contribute to the successes these individuals experience. Cloud refers to successful people with the term "déjà vu" because these nine characteristics show up in one way or another and brings him a since of "I've seen this before somewhere."

The nine characteristics that Dr. Cloud has identified as essential in creating a life of success are summed up as follows:



1. Dig it up: Pay attention to the hidden things of the heart and deal with them appropriately. This could refer to treasures which need to be cared for, such as desires, talents, and goals, or it could refer to trash which are things that should be dealt with rather than burying.

2. Pull the tooth: Get rid of those things that bring you down and stump your growth. This could be manifested as habits, attitudes, relationships, or behaviors that do not serve you or your life purpose. Déjà vu people discard these as quickly as possible.

3. Play the movie: Make it a habit to consider the future as a result of all your actions. Be aware of possible consequences to everything you do or do not do.

4. Do something: Déjà vu people are action oriented rather than waiting for something to happen or to sit about and complain. They take full responsibility for their lives.

5. Act like an ant: Always be moving toward your goal even if it is one grain of sand at a time. Do not look at goals as the whole, but as do-able steps.

6. Hate well: Hate is a natural part of being a human, however, déjà vu people know how to objectify their hate and use it to heal and correct rather than to destroy and break down.

7. Don't play fair: Do not live a life of tit for tat. Do not repay evil for evil. Instead, live by the golden rule and seek to bring about the higher order rather than giving back what is deserved.

8. Be humble: Strive to see feedback as a gift and do not take it offensively. Never feel that you are better than you are or better than anyone else. Déjà vu people are teachable.

9. Upset the right people: Do not be confined to making decisions based on how it will affect people around you. Be concerned about their feelings but do not allow it to add weight to your decision to do what is best.

Nine Things You Must Simply Do to be Successful in Love and Life is a "how to" manual on living a victorious life. Dr. Cloud encourages healthy doses of love and wisdom to guide our interactions with others as well as with ourselves.

It is a great book, easy to read (even for ESL me). Concept is simple and the principles are surprisingly true even though it didn't seem that way when you just read the "principle" at par on the chapter outlines. I highly recommend this book. It also has christian values in it.

I have read a lot of motivational books over the years and expected this one to be full of the same type of advice, warmed-over. I was really surprised by how good the book is. I even gave a copy as a Christmas gift to a friend who has a degree in counseling. And in my Toastmasters club, I gave a speech about this book, and one listener recommended it to her book club, and now they're reading it. The book is written in a way that grabs your attention. It's full of ideas on how to gain control of your life and how to handle relationships in a better way. - Psychology - Boundaries - Christianity - Relationships'

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Japanese Film

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Three years ago I took a class called Images in Japanese Popular Culture and within the class we watched several wonderful films, including of each from the multitude of Zatoichi and Tora-san films, a beautiful film titled Furusato by Koyama Seijiro, a real tearjerker titled Okaasan, and Ichikawa Kon's beautiful rendition of Tanizaki Junichiro's The Makioka Sisters. However, I believe the film that truly stuck in my memory was Morita's Family game starring Matsuda Yusaku, father of Matsuda Ryuhei, and Itami Juzo, the brilliant actor and director who would later create such masterpieces as Tampopo and A Quiet Life.



Family Game opens by introducing the viewer to the Numata family, dad, mom, older brother Shinichi, and younger brother Shigeyuki. While Shinichi is a wonderful student having been accepted to a top high school which has a strong record getting its students into the top universities, younger brother Shigeyuki is much closer to the bottom, around 8th or 9th. While basically absent from the household, except when he comes home after work drunk, dad is concerned that his younger son won't get accepted into a top high school. Therefore he hires Yoshimoto, a tall, clean cut young man who attends a third-rate university. Many tutors have failed before the arrival of Yoshimoto, so dad offers him 10,000 yen per class rank Shigeyuki ascends. Therefore if Shigeyuki rises thirty ranks Yoshimoto will receive 300, 000 yen. Seems like a good deal, yes? Well, Shigeyuki is not quite willing to cooperate. With his non-confrontational mother who prefers leaving bigger decisions to her husband or others, Shigeyuki is used to getting his way, so when he is told to write the words he does know in Basho's Narrow Road to the North, he pulls a stunt in which he writes "twilight" over and over again. When Yoshimoto sees page after page of "twilight" he then proceeds to slap Shigeyuki hard enough to bloody the boy's nose, and warns him that if he tries to pull anymore stunts like that again he will be hit, and Yoshimoto is not one to pull his punches. Yoshimoto informs Shigeyuki's mother that the reason the boy's nose bled was that he got a bit over-excited, but although it is never directly stated she is of course worried, but dad thinks the end justifies the means, so the tutoring continues. With an absent father and a gentle milksop for a mother, Shigeyuki actually does become closer to his tutor and his grades do actually rise, but it is not through actual academic assistance, Yoshimoto normally looks at books about plants during their tutoring sessions, but the closeness and discipline Yoshimoto offers helps the boy. However, should Yoshimoto really be the one providing such a foundation?



Family Game is completely dominated by the presence of Matsuda Yusaku. With his large size he almost fills the apartment of the Numatas' which is almost at bursting point with its four family members. However, it is his aggressiveness that really takes the stage. With no sense of personal space, Yoshimoto gets as close as he possibly can to Shigeyuki and often touches him as well, including one part of the film in which Shigeyuki is dressed only in his briefs. This scene doesn't have any sexual undertones in my opinion, but it is again another example of the magnitude of Yoshimoto's presence. Yoshimoto does other things to excess also, including drinking all of his beverages, often noisily, in on breath. While it is not too popular in the Western world, although it pops up quite often in film classes, Family Game is a pretty amazing film that should be seen just for the film's last ten minutes, but should be seen by those who not only enjoy Japanese films, but films in general. The Family Game (Foreign Film Favorites)

I really enjoyed the film "The Family Game" when I first viewed it many years ago, and time has not lessened this films appeal to me. The films release date was in 1984. The reviewer below, [Michael W.] has written an excellent review of the film, and I would recommend that other reviewers read it. The film stars the late actor Yusaku Matsuda, as the tutor Yoshimoto. [Yusaku Matsuda died of cancer in 1989]. In this film his portrayal of the tutor is a very unorthodox one I might add. However, with the price that the father is paying him if he succeeds, only adds to his incentive to motivate his young pupil. And succeed he does. On a side note, Yusaku Matsuda was also the father of actor Ryuhei Matsuda ["9 Souls" and "Love Ghost"]. The film centers on the entire family, but more importantly the youngest son Shigeyuki (Ichirota Miyagawa).



Shigeyuki is a disappointment to the family, due to the fact that he does not get good grades in school; whereas the elder brother Shinichi (Junichi Tsujita) is an excellent student who has been accepted into a top high school. This concerns the family, who believe that the younger son will not be accepted into a top-notch high school. Their solution? Get the younger son a tutor. The tutor, Yoshimoto (Yusaku Matsuda) not only turns around Shigeyuki, by demanding he spend more hours in his studies [even if this means slapping him around] but Yoshimoto also teaches Shigeyuki self-defense, when the latter informs him of bullies. And with Yoshimoto as his tutor, not only does Shigeyuki's grades improve, but so does his self esteem when he is no longer picked on by the other students.



The father is portrayed by the late, great director/actor Juzo Itami. [He is sorely missed]. This is a great dark comedy that gives the viewer a look at Japanese home life. Many of my friends who have viewed this film say that this film shows a dysfunctional Japanese family, and I would have to disagree. I think it is a funny look into a family's life where the father tends to be away too much, while the mother (Saori Yuki) pampers the younger son too much. Also, I believe director Yoshimitsu Morita did an excellent job with this film with many of the slapstick humor the film delivers. There are many memorable scenes in the film, [espcially the eating rituals of the family] and I recommend the film highly. And as the reviewer below has written, the ending of the film is quite unique. Highly recommended!'

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Chinese Culture

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Riddles of Belief and Love is the Chinese "Gone With the Wind". It is a three generation saga populated by fully developed characters whose traits and lives will be easily engaging to the reader. Western readers familiar with the work of Pearl S. Buck will find the earthy tone and beautifully translated language engrossing. Old Town

Since many have written on the plot of this excellent historical journey through several generations of two Chinese families, I would just like to reiterate that the book is truly a worthwhile read. The characters had a Dickensian type of appeal in that the reader got to know them from their idiosyncrasies, expressions and attitudes throughout their lives. I felt like I got to know them and truly cared about them and most importantly, understood the reasons they did the things they did. I feel like this strong characterization speaks volumes about an author since so many novels consist of a strong plot with cardboard characters that the reader could care less about. Getting to know the characters made me understand the Chinese culture better and interested in learning more about Chinese history. I especially enjoyed the witty sense of humor employed throughout the book even in the most trying circumstances. I hope to see more of Lin Zhe's novels translated in the future.

On every page there is a reference to Christianity. This is fine for those who enjoy that type of writing. But not everyone does and this story has little plot, little culture, little politics, and a whole lot of Christianity. Don't expect a good story as the other reviewers indicated. Very, very sorry I purchased this and wish there was a way to get my money back on principle. Of course, if more Kindle books end up being this way, I'll stop using Amazon. I really feel swindled here.

I enthusiastically recommend `Riddles of Belief...and Love: A Story'. The themes in this book struck home for me in a deep and surprisingly personal way. I'm reminded that any story about family history appeals to the widest possible audience, because we all have families - full of individuals, some more lovable and reliable than others, some more resilient and flexible in the face of life's and history's challenges. What are the qualities that allow one person to succeed when times are good and survive when disaster overcomes, yet another fails no matter what the situation? How can some people maintain their dignity and integrity under duress, while others surrender or drift into dissolution? What duties do we owe to all the branches and stems of our personal family tree...and them to us? These are questions to which answers can never be nailed down, because the contract is in daily renegotiation and the rules themselves are always in flux. Seeing how these issues play out in the context of a Chinese society undergoing massive, sometimes sudden and traumatic upheaval in the 20th century is truly an eye-opener.



`Riddles of Belief...and Love' is also a story about the nation of China deliberately, desperately trying to hammer itself into something new on an anvil of ideology and opportunism. The clash between Marxist historical self-loathing and a proud, ancient culture and between socialist centralization and the 21st century global economy has often been described by academics. And, over the decades, we have all followed from afar news accounts of wrenching government policies and social movements on the Chinese mainland. However, this ambitious novel offers something revelatory - an account of how all those events affected ordinary people in the ways they lived and loved. It is also fascinating to realize that differences between the generations in China - in attitudes, ambitions, and expectations - in some ways mirror those in the West, with their accompanying effects on family cohesion and national character.



However, the principal strength of this story is how it illuminates the internal struggles of the main characters as they adapt to the changes around them, within a context of spirituality. This book takes seriously lives lived in reliance on religious faith. That faith (devout Christianity) waxes, wanes, and warps under pressure, and its continuance into the future is as fragile as old customs and pieties from China's Confucian past. Nevertheless, it is a central pillar that supports the story's principal protagonists and guides their interpretation of the bewildering forces that whiplash them. It is rare that the role of religious faith is portrayed with such unsentimental and clear-eyed sympathy.



`Riddles of Belief...and Love: A Story' reads smoothly in the translation by Mr. Fowler. The story is told from the viewpoint of a modern-day Chinese woman who has lived in the US, so the language is contemporary, with flavorings of older Chinese speaking styles where appropriate. Buy the book and immerse yourself in another world. I did, and I'm grateful for the journey.'

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Egg Cooker - poacher, egg poachers

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If you don't want to spend $30+ to on a specialized pan to poach eggs once in awhile, get this egg poacher insert. For less than $10 you get a versatile pan insert that fits in any 10" skillet, saving you time and money. Be sure you spray the surface with a non-stick spray before dropping in your eggs or the whites will stick. Once the whites stick too often, the pan becomes unusable. But who cares? At these prices, I bought 2! Nordic Ware Non-stick Egg Poacher Insert for 10 Inch to 12 Inch Skillets

I was searching for an egg poacher and was glad to find that I could get one without having to purchase another skillet. This works great and all the eggs cook evenly without any feathering, waste or mess. I add a little butter or cooking spray to the egg chambers and they come out without any sticking. Butter works best. I use a silicon spatula to remove my eggs. They don't stick to the pan, but they don't slide out without assistance.



Since feathering is no longer a problem, I started using this to poach eggs for salads like macaroni, potato, and tuna. Instead of waiting on eggs to boil and then peeling them, I poach the eggs until the yolks are set, cool them and then dice. A real time saver, especially if you forget to start the eggs with the pasta or potatoes.



The Nordic Ware Egg Poacher is a simple and economical product that produces consistent results and eliminates the need to buy an egg poaching skillet. I recommend it and would buy it again.



Tip: The use and care directions are printed on the back of the cover.

We love our new egg poacher. So many poachers cook only three eggs; this one cooks four. It fits inside a skillet and, because the handle is short, the skillet's lid will cover it. Each section is a rounded triangle, which is cute, and wider than a standard "cup" shaped poacher section. This allows the white of the egg to spread out a bit more, and results in the white cooking more evenly. No more jiggly whites! After some experimentation, I found that I could bring the water to a boil in the skillet while I buttered the poacher and cracked the eggs into it, then place the poacher in the skillet, cover, reduce heat to medium, and set the timer for exactly three minutes. Perfect eggs every time!

Makes great eggs Benedict. Just put a small dab of butter in each well before you add the eggs. I put my insert in a 12" Calphalon everyday pan with about 3/4 cups of boiling water. In about 2-3 minutes your done. Easy cleanup.

If you love perfectly poached eggs, complete with fully set whites yet delightfully runny, gooey, sumptuously warm yolks, then this baby is for you!! I place about 1 cup of waer into a 10" pan, then place this poacher in the pan, use my favoite cooking spray, crack open two eggs, turn the burner on high, cover the pan and set the timer for 4 minutes. The resulting eggs are the stuff that dreams are made of. (Apoligies to Dashiell Hammett.)

I have only had one of problems described in the negative review. I have a hard time understanding how an aluminum pan can rust and I boil the water on medium heat. The only problem I have is with the eggs sticking. I have to use butter to keep the eggs from sticking.



Other than that I love this product. I have a perfect stainless steel frying pan for the poacher. You don't need to have a furious boil to generate enough steam to poach eggs. I fill the water about 2/3 of the way up to the top of the pan and I have poached 3 sets of eggs without refilling the water. I recommend placing the poacher in the pan and bring the water to a low boil first. Take it off the heat, place a little butter in each pocket, add the eggs and put it back on the heat.

I haven't made poached eggs this good in a long time. Just put a little olive oil in the cup before you put the eggs in, they slide onto the plate easily, and they're a breeze to clean, whether by hand or in the dish washer, just make sure to have it on it's side on the bottom rack. It's sturdy and doesn't bend easily.

I have been using this poacher daily for a few months now, so I have grown to know all of its flaws. 1. The poacher is too shallow, so it is nearly impossible to get the right amount of water in the boiling pot. Too much water and it boils through the holes on the edge of the poacher, drowning your eggs in water. Too little water and it boils off quickly. 2. The poacher easily rusts, ruining whatever pot was used to boil the water. 3. The poacher increasingly loses its "non-stick" properties, leaving difficult to clean egg residue in the pan (spraying Pam does not even work).



If you plan on occasionally poaching eggs and want a cheap solution, this should do alright, but if you poach eggs on a regular basis, I suggest getting a real poacher. - Egg Poachers - Kitchen - Cooking Gadgets - Poacher'

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Amazon Kindle Fire - fire, android

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I was skeptical about buying these thinking they might not fit my shower door. They were perfect. They make my shower door look almost brand new. Hopefully they last a long time. They look allot better than the original handle. 2" Chrome Shower Door Pull Handle - Package

Great product. I needed a replacement, seeing as how my original pull had broken. I was unable to find a new one anywhere. No glass company in town had one, with no ideas how to find another. I just happened to try Google, and bingo...found this one on Amazon! It fits and works perfectly! Thanks a million!

The product itself is a good product. I mistakenly ordered the wrong size and had to re-order. All the steps were easy from ordering, tracking, and returning the item. Shipping was quick and the credit for my returned item was timely as well....very pleased with it all! - Android - Fire - Ebook Reader - Kindle'

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Racism - racism

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Colin Gordon has put together an excellent reference for those interested in the economic history of St. Louis over the last 80 years, but with lessons that could easily apply to any other central city in the United States. We've all seen anecdotal evidence of these problems in run-down inner city neighborhoods, empty buildings in inner suburbs, and gleaming new parking lots in the outer suburbs, but Gordon uses data to back up these assumptions.



The book is roughly 1/2 maps and 1/2 text - and strikes the right balance at that. The maps serve to illustrate visually the scope and scale of "white flight," poor planning decisions, and the lunacy of a fractured metro government. While the city atrophies, suburbs further and further away compete for the same employers, the same stores, and the same residents.



While Gordon shies from making many overall conclusions based on the data and focuses more on presenting the history of what happened - this book provides a model blueprint for civic, business, and academic leaders to understand what to avoid in promoting "growth." Mapping Decline: St. Louis and the Fate of the American City (Politics and Culture in Modern America)

This book, though well-written and quite interesting, is as difficult and disturbing to read as your best friend's obituary, if, like me, you grew up in Saint Louis during the '40's and '50's, that city's last two decades of greatness - "First in booze, first in shoes, last in the American League" - before its decline into its current level of inconsequentiality. The population loss has been so great that, the last time that I was in my old neighborhood, the few houses still standing on my old block, though long-abandoned, still had the glass in their windows. The neighborhood is so deserted and empty that it lacks even vandals. I was surprised that I could see the Arch from in front of my former house. Then it struck me: there was not a single tree left standing anywhere, where once there was a virtual forest of London plane trees, spaced so tightly that nearly every house was shaded by its own tree.

The book tells how now-clearly-stupid decisions, some made back in the 19th C., almost inevitably led to to the death of the modern city. The decision to stick with the steamboat and block easy access to the city by railroads, the decision to make the city into a political entity separate from St. Louis County, yet forcing it to maintain the usual political entities needed by a county, but of no consequence to a city, e.g. there is a Sheriff of St. Louis County and a Sheriff of the City of Saint Louis, in addition to the expected Chief of Police usual in cities.

The book is centered around the history of a single house, located in my former neighborhood and once occupied by a family with whom I was personally acquainted.

Anyone interested in the history of a city and the social, political, and real-estate manipulations that brought it to its metaphorical knees and then killed it will find this book unputdownable.

Mapping Decline does that and much more, following and explaining how St. Louis fell from the fourth largest U.S. city in 1910 to the 48th largest in 2000 and how the population fell from a high of over 800,000 in the 1940s to about 350,000 in 2000. Gordon's history rings true. His tale of racism, lack of leadership, suburban distrust of the city, political fragmentation, and mis-use of federal and state policies led policy makers across metroploitan St. Louis to ignore deteriorating residential neighborhoods to chase after high income residents and commercial development, assist developers rather than residents, and become more concerned with capturing taxes and jobs from neighboring municipalities than the good of the metropolitan area or its less-than-upper-middle class residents.



I am a native of St. Louis and an urban economist. I knew much of what Gordon writes, but it was great to have it all in one place and nicely tied together. Except for the chapter on the ever-evolving post-WWII urban renewal programs, the book reads easily, though the message is painful. His maps are useful, though those not familar with St. Louis geography will probably want to have a road atlas or GIS website handy. The message is important to anyone interested in the modern American city.

but oh, so depressing. I grew up in St. Louis and moved to nearby Illinois 40 years ago, still working downtown and I've seen it all. The author put in graphic/data terms everything I've seen, especially the racism fed by real estate and development interests and exacerbated by a vacuum of political leadership. I'll admit, too, that I didn't finish it and grabbed at the opportunity to pass it on to a colleague whose library version was overdue, believing that she could use the information (she's a data-driven planner). Maybe someday I'll borrow it back when she tells me there's hope at the end of the book...I was afraid to finish it for fear there isn't.

As someone who has pursued a career in urban public policy, and a native St. Louisan, this book is almost physically painful to read. I have read widely about the reasons for the decline of older American cities in general and St. Louis in particular, but nothing prepared me for the powerful impact that Professor Gordon's research, and his graphic depictions of his findings, would have. The fact that St. Louis went from a population of 800,000 people in 1950 to 350,000 in 2000 is bad enough. The fact that 'white flight' to the St. Louis suburbs occurred in part to avoid racial integration is common knowledge. But to see the GIS maps showing the extent and pace of these changes is just devastating.



While Professor Gordon argues that St. Louis is not unique among American cities, I find it hard to believe that other Northern cities experienced such overt racism, prolonged for so long a period of time. I cannot help but wonder whether this degree of racism, which seemed to pervade all levels of the public and private sectors into the 1970s, and distorted the city's federally funded programs intended to ease its problems, is a significant factor in the city's precipitous decline. - Racism'

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