Five Star Notebook - five star, 5 star

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I love the five star notebooks - the pages can tear out cleanly, have pre-punched holes if you need to file them, pockets for returned assignments and/or a class syllabus, and a sturdy enough cover that a coffee spill does very little damage to the pages. Yes, I am a nerd for school supplies and yes, the Mead Five Star Notebook made me this way. Mead Five Star Wirebound Notebook, College Rule, Letter Size, White, 100 Sheets per Pad (06206) - Colors may vary

I think everyone is pretty familiar with the Five Star brand of school products but I'll tell you what I think anyway.



These notebooks seem to last forever. The spiral maintains its shape so you'll always be able to open it easily, the perforations make it easy to rip out individual pages cleanly but they're not so deep that the pages fall out like some of their cheaper counterparts.



I've always liked the classy colors they have available rather than just plain old black, red or blue, they have colors that resemble a sage, dark grey, wine, etc. and they all have a hint of sparkle, but not enough that it's too feminine for the everyday jock, and because the cover is some kind of somewhat-flexible plastic instead of cardboard it's much more resistant to rain, snow, soda, etc.



I've always been a fan of their 3 subject notebooks but over the years I found it's much easier to stay organized with the 1 subject notebooks instead, using one notebook for each class. The reason for this is that I found myself not using all of the pages in the 3 subject ones but it's harder to recycle those empty pages in a 3 subject one than a single subject one.



So basically, even though you can get notebooks at the dollar store for much less money, you get what you pay for.

nice, sturdy notebook. papers are of great quality. I use fountain pen. If the paper is poor, then usually on the reverse side you can see the ink. This is never the problem for this notebook. Highly recommended!

I carry all of my textbooks and notebooks in my backpack all day and this is the only notebook that holds up. The cover is stiff enough that it keeps the paper in good shape and the pockets are very helpful to keep things organized. I am a bit of a neat freak and so the perferations that allow me to neatly remove the holes left from the spiral binding are great and keeps things looking clean. I will only use these notebooks from now on.

The paper in this notebook is cheap. It's super thin and so slick that my pencil lead barely shows up when I write. Ink has problems with it, too. If I use ink, the pen tip slips and slides all over the place. If I were half blind and had palsy, I'd throw this thing in the trash and write on a napkin. - 5 Star - Five Star - 5 Star Notebook - Notebook'

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Garmin Nuvi 350 - garmin nuvi 350, charger

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I disagree with the above reviewer in that you CAN use this while it's charging. It's possible that that person was unable to get a strong enough signal to operate it or perhaps another issue, but NO, it does not go into PC mode. Otherwise, having this charger is convenient when you want to take your GPS on the go with you & it needs some juice but you don't have enough time to do this in the car. Or you're traveling and you don't want to deal with leaving your charger in the car. It's very inexpensive & you don't need to buy any other bells and whistles to charge your GPS. By the way, mine's a Garmin Nuvi 255w. Garmin Nuvi 200 200W 205 205W 215T 250 250W 270 300 310 350 360 370 500 550 600 610 650 660 670 680 750 755T 760 770 775T 780 850 860 880 900T AC Wall Adapter Charger

This item was listed as a Garmin branded charger, and I was expecting an exact replacement for the AC charger that came with my Nuvi 350. This is an off branded charger. The cord is a bit shorter than the original, the usb plug that goes into the unit on the original as offset 90 degrees, this one is straight, and the output of this is slightly lower than the OEM product.



It still works, but the shortened cord is limiting. Price was good, and shipping was relatively fast.

It is completely wrong statement: "The chip prevents the GPS unit from going into "PC" mode so you can use your GPS while it charges."

Nuvi 750 acts exactly the same way as it connected to USB port. You CANNOT use it due charging process.

this charger is for cell phones, it is NOT by NUVI as Amazon says, the one I received is by CCM Mobile, when plugged into my nuvi 750 it does go into pc mode(as others have said), I love it when other people tell you that NO it doesn't go into pc mode, maybe Amazon sends out different models and maybe they received one by Nuvi, but I didn't, I have played with it many times trying to get it to work(plugged and unplugged several times quickly and did get it to be in the charge mode one time, but I can not get it to repeat so it is not dependable), truly does not do what Amazon advertises it to do, a useless $3.50 piece of junk, do not buy for GPS's, also, it is not the same as the picture of the item on Amazon's page

I went to charge up my Garmin GPS and in less than a minute this product stop working. A spark shot out from the outlet and the adapter suddenly stopped working.



Of course I threw it away immediately. Since I paid so little for this product I simply didnt bother with paying for the postage to return it in hopes to receive another adapter. I was extremely disappointed!!!

I ordered this item because it specifically listed it's compatibility with the Garmin GPS I have. When it arrived not only did the item packaging not match list the Garmin, it didn't even indicate it was appropriate for ANY GPS - but rather for cell phones. Further, the item looked markedly different from the one shown on the website. Only good news was that Amazon promptly refunded my money.

I bought 2 of these for my kids' GPS's. I learned from experience that you cannot rely on the auto plug to keep your GPS alive. I had a Magellan GPS which I kept in the car and only used it every once in a while. Well, after only about 10 months, it died and would not turn on. I contacted Magellan who, by the way, would not honor their warranty, and learned that it was probably the battery that had died due to lack of use. In the meantime, we had given both of our kids GPS's for their vehicles so I purchased these AC chargers for their Garmin Nuvi's which are still functioning fine over a year later. They can keep the batteries in their GPS's constantly charged which should greatly increase their life.

It works fine as advertised.

It brings the USB mode on GPS when you connect.

After leaving it for a minute and giving a tap on the screen, the normal screen comes up.

By sliding the power to off, it goes into charging mode. - Gps System Accessories - Garmin Nuvi 350 - Garmin Nuvi - Charger'

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Padded Envelope Mailers - half-sheet, clicknship

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This was my second time buying this item, from the same seller. Product is good quality, sticks easily on envelopes and boxes. don't curl in my printer. But only problem is seller ships this item in flat rate USPS envelope, which gets crammed in trucks and mail boxes. it damages product, like bent corners on all four ends. they can use bubble line envelopes atleast. also it gets shipped after 5 days of order. this is office use product, could do better on shipping time. 200 Half Sheet Shipping Labels for Laser/InkJet for eBay, PayPal, USPS Click-n-Ship, UPS: 5-1/2" x 8-1/2" (Same size as Avery® 5126)

Have been using these labels for several months now, and have found them to be more than adequate for my needs. The quality definitely matches that of higher priced name brand labels I was using before. Have not had a situation where one got wet, and haven't tested such a scenario, so I can't speak to that, but have been otherwise very impressed. Adhesiveness seems to be consistent and durable. Will definitely be buying more!

While thinner than Avery® labels, these labels are significantly cheaper and that is their main selling point.



I purchased these shipping labels along with Kraft Self-Seal Bubble Mailers to package Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS games for my sons, who sell their games on eBay. Both products are much more affordable than what I found on the shelves of Staples.



Since I only use a half page at a time it will be tricky to load and print the remaining half page. The paper tends to curl because it is so thin; I am using a large book to flatten the pages down again before I try running them back through the printer. That hassle is reason enough to deduct one star from my rating.



BTW: I am using a Brother InkJet printer but I hope to upgrade to a wireless printer soon. Maybe a different model will produce different results. If so, I'll post an update.



Rating: Four stars. - Half-sheet - Ink Jet Labels - Mailing Labels - Clicknship'

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Darren Aronofsky - farrell, period piece

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I figure if one is reading this they already know the film and are questioning whether to buy this upgraded version or not - I would have to say a resounding yes.



Knowing how he filmed this and with what equipment I had very high expectations on clarity. I tested this thoroughly by pause checking over 50 different scenes and light levels (dark, dim, bright, motion, fine detail, etc.) and I could not find fault in anything; The running water scenes, moving pans through trees - all of it. The colors, contrasts and light level all came across beautifully. The smaller LCD panels looked wonderful, but I even scrutinized on the larger Plasmas and it still looked awesome. The sound has the TrueHD and English 5.1, and the mix maintains being able to crank up the volume above normal listening levels as to immerse in the sounds/music but still hear the dialogue adequately.



This is the 172 minute version with the 10 part documentary series from the other releases included. I am very happy with this preservation so I hope that those who enjoy his work will appreciate this package. The New World (The Extended Cut) [Blu-ray]

I watched this movie on DVD, and that probably made a difference in my experience. With that said, I found this movie very poetic and beautiful, but rather slow moving and in need of editing.



On the plus side, I admire Colin Farrell, who always offers a powerful performance, and newcomer Q'orianka Kilcher was marvelous and has enormous potential for future roles.



On the other hand, while I appreciated the lengths that the cast and production crew went to present an authentic Native American tribe, the director's "noble savages" perspective quickly grew weary, a problem that was compounded by the length of the film.



Probably not the film for everyone, but if you have time and appreciate aesthetics in films, I would recommend watching this movie.

The tale of the English settlers at Jamestown gets a wonderful retelling here revealing the hunger, struggle, disease, hardship, cold, and superstition that the early settlers encountered in the new world. I actually think this film does a wonderful job of revealing the wonderful paradise that was the new world before the arrival of the Europeans. The native people here are shown as primitive aboriginals, complete with tatoos, rituals, a power hierarchy and complex societies. The views of Virginia are stunning in their beauty, what a wonderful sight Virginia must have been to these early European arrivals, and how dreadful their lives could become as they learned how to survive in a world full of plants, insects, and animals they had never encountered before. The film gets 4 stars for giving us a glimpse of what the encounters between the old and new world must have been like for all parties involved.



The love story between John Smith and Pocahontas is dream-like, a world not unlike Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Yet the story is one of JOhn Smith's betrayal of Pocahontas and the incredible price she pays for her loyalty to him. Yet the film is also one of her recovery from this obsessive love so that she is free to accept the love of her husband, John Rolfe. Colin Farrell does a great job of playing the brash, brave, adventurer John Smith. Smith sees the time he and Pocahontas were in love in her father's village as a dream that he must leave behind. She on the other hand saw it as a reality that she wished to pursue to the end.



Thus in some ways the film is also about obsessive first love and the strong mature love that holds relationships together for decades. Christian Bale plays Rolfe, a tobacco farmer, who loves and marries Pocahontas, and fears losing her to Smith, but is finally rewarded in the end when she realizes that Smith was an obsession that is now passing and she must cling to the true love of her life, her partner, Rolfe.



I found the Wagner music grand, sweeping, and perfect for the grandeur that is found in North America. This is a tale told with images rather than words. It is well done and not typical.

I remember about a year ago when I saw the previews to this movie while at the local cinema. "Oooooo," I thought, "I can't wait for this to come out!" Well, I waited and waited and waited and still nothing ever came out. To my surprise, I discovered earlier this spring that it had already had its run at the box office and apparently none of the cinemas here in Memphis, TN. desired to carry it. So . . . I waited for the DVD to come out and rushed out to Circuit City to grab it on the morning of its release. I was full of anticipation all the way home about how good this "historical" movie was going to be. Would it be like "Braveheart," or "The Patriot," or maybe "Troy," or even "King Arthur" or "Alexander"? So I settled down and waited for the intense action and suspense to unfold. And I waited and I waited and I waited!



If you, like me, are under the impression that this movie is an "epic" telling or re-telling of history, or if you desire the intensity of action then you had better look elsewhere. For all of these reasons I was totally disappointed. Yet, you might ask why I would give it a 5 star review. Hmmmmm, well let's see. This movie is great for one, even if it is completely NOT what I expected.



At the center of this movie is a love story. In fact, it's more of a love story that just so happens to be set in 17th-century Virginia rather than a movie based on the founding of Jamestown that just so happens to include a love story. Does this make any sense? I've read a few other reviews that call this movie "poetic" and I can't agree more, although I've never really thought of a motion picture as being "poetic." If we want to run with the poetry analogy then I'll say that this is more of a "Tintern Abbey" than a "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." It's a "Dover Beach" as opposed to a "Dulce et Decorum Est." In other words, it's subtle, reflective, surreal, and even pensive. Sure there are a few short battle sequences, but it is centered more around the spoken thoughts of Pochahantas/Rebecca, John Smith, and John Rolfe. It's sort of a dramatic monologue if we wish to keep the poetry analogy alive.



While Christian Bale and Colin Farrell occasionally give convincing portrayals of brave, adventurous explorers, it is not really this aspect of their character that is highlighted. Instead, we delve into the innermost confines of each character's soul as this movie unfolds. We see firsthand the inevitable UNcompatibility of European and Native cultures and how diificult it truly must have been for the earliest settlers of this country. Indeed, the movie places quite a bit of emphasis on the harsh conditions faced by these first settlers and actually exposes the pitiable circumstances that rendered them virtually helpless. One may stop and wonder if we could do the same thing today. Who for the love of God would leave England with it's bountiful fields, lush gardens, paved streets, and brick houses with glass windows for the rustic "stick and mud" abodes of the New World? The contrast between the two worlds is certainly striking from the European perspective.



I had high hopes of showing this movie to my high school class, and I suspected it would be worthwhile for a U.S. history class or an English class that focuses on American literature. I suspect, however, that most adolescent minds will be bored to tears with this one. While I can't wholeheartedly recommend that you go and buy it today, I will insist upon at least a trip to Blockbuster for a weekend rental.



Again (and pardon me for sounding arrogant), this is a "thinking person's" movie. If you want action and adventure, then buy "The Patriot" or "The Last of the Mohicans." - Pocahontas - Period Piece - Terrence Malick - Farrell'

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Pull Down Faucets - kitchen faucet, pull down faucets

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I have been looking to replace my poor performing faucet for some time. Over the holiday break, I took my wife to Lowes to see what she liked. This Delta 19922-SSSD was $258 and we both liked the styling and the features. We thought the side mounted handle was odd but seems to be common these days. I check Amazon and was surprised at how much cheaper it was. It arrived in 2 days with Prime and I installed this weekend. The old clunker took 30 minutes to remove because of the number of pipes going through a single mounting nut. The new one has a mounting bracket that doesn't have to go around the pipes so it look less than 10 minutes to install. Great design. The instructions make everything seem more complicated because it is for numerous models and languages. My family is quite happy with the look and function. I would certainly recommend Delta Ashton 19922-SSSD-DST Single Handle Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet with Soap Dispenser, Stainless

Great overall faucet! It replaced a cheaper off-brand faucet that was wearing out after only two years. I figured this time I wouldn't skimp out and actually buy a higher quality, brand-name faucet. Did some shopping in a local hardware store to find this one was upwards $250, while Amazon had it for $190 + Free Shipping. Worked for me!



PROS:

- Magnet for center hose keeps things in snugly place... simple, yet brilliant.

- Install was easy. (I would disregard the very frustrated reviewer below as it seemed more like he/she did not really know what they were doing. Fair enough, but don't knock the product when it is operator error. Took you over ten times to feed the center hose...... really.....???)

- Good spray settings with even spray.

- Handle gives good feedback and accurate water temperature positioning.

- Plastic pipes make for better tasting water -vs- metal.

- Delta brand quality + lifetime warranty!



CONS:

- As others have stated, the plastic pipes are not very flexible which can be nerve racking that you don't damage them during install if needing to loop. Just be careful and you'll be fine.

- Plastic soap dispenser. While it matches the faucet well and isn't too cheap feeling, the idea of it being plastic just makes me shrug.



All in all, a great faucet that doesn't cost $400+. At this price point you can't have everything, but this faucet gives more than enough for the average homeowner. I only give four stars as I do feel the stiff plastic pipes could pose a problem for some installers that don't have much plumbing experience... and knowing a little about plumbing I know it could be done slightly different from a manufacturing standpoint with very little difference in cost to the consumer. As with most DIY projects, just be careful and take your time during the install and you'll be fine.

This faucet is awesome. It's much taller than most faucets giving you extra clearance to wash larger pots and pans without the struggle. Highly recommend this faucet. It's a little pricier than I was looking for but I'm very happy with the purchase. It was a very simple install. The most important part of this faucet is that my wife loves it. That, in and of itself, is worth it's weight in gold for me.

I saw this product in my local "big box" home store and was able to save $60 buying it from Amazon. EXACTLY the same product. It went in easily and works perfectly. It was more difficult removing the old faucet. I would have preferred the soap dispenser be stainless too, but that was not the case with this one and most others I saw.

The good

Very easy to install

Great looks. works superbly



The bad (reasons for 4 stars)

Humongous single page instructions covering a bunch of different faucets

Plastic clip holds sprayer hose together? color me suspicious on this.

Plastic(PEX) hot and cold feed lines that are very stiff. Also be very careful not to over tighten.

my industrial experience with PEX compression fittings is very bad.

HINT;

If you loop the feed lines zip tie them together as they tend to interfere with sprayer operation.

We just received the faucet - I was planning on installing it, only to find that it needs a $12 part (rp37490), which they point out that you need for any stainless steel sink installation, and you can call to order, but it takes even MORE time to receive. Just setting it up over the hole, we observed:



Some observations:

* Beautiful finish / design (it really elevated the kitchen)

* Solid feeling handle / smooth movements

* Nice height (easy to get our pots under)



I will see how long it takes to get the missing part. I would give the faucet a 5 star, based on the weight and quality of the materials, but only 4 due to the oversight of not including a needed part in the box.

Beautiful and well-designed faucet with forward-looking features. The faucet is a modern arched faucet, like many of the designer models today, but it isn't quite as abrupt a curve as some I've seen, which actually makes it more functional. The pull-out portion doesn't go straight down, but instead slightly out, which makes sense if you're trying to reach corners of your sink. The design is also more fluid, in my opinion, than some of the bulkier designs that have somewhat abrupt angles and prominent spray heads, like the Delta Leland 9178-SS-DST Single Handle Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet, Stainless, which I also considered. The faucet has a standard flow of 1.5 gallons per minutes, which is technically considered water-saving, but has an override button to provide the more-standard 2gpm. It also has a button for spray, which stays on even after you've shut the water off, in case that's your preferred flow type. Another nice feature of this spray head is that it magnetically attaches, which allows for easy remounting, but also means you can tip it slightly without fully removing the head, again allowing for reaching the corners of your sink easily. The entire faucet also pivots left to right effortlessly, which is great in my case, although if you have a pet or child nearby, they might easily knock it off center while it's running.



I was a little concerned that the faucet would be too massive for my sink, which faces into my living room, rather than being up against a wall. I think it is a bit big, and could probably stand to be scaled down to about 7/8 the size, but this larger style seems to be the trend these days.



As for installation, I handled this myself, with the help of a friend. The trickiest part was taking out the old faucet, which had a different attachment method. Also, because the water lines on this Delta model are fairly stiff, it took a bit of finesse under the cabinet to get them around the faucet's own mounting bracket and then onto the shut-off valves. This faucet is designed to function without additional leads from the valves, which eliminates an additional part, a pro in my book (and apparently uncommon among today's faucets for some reason). The only problem I had is that the mounting bracket does not pull on the faucet straight down, but slightly to the side, since the water lines are in the middle. This caused my faucet to lean slightly, meaning it's not entirely flush with the countertop. I removed it and installed it a second time, thinking it was user-error, but I just couldn't get it to tighten down completely straight.



I should also note that the pullout water line that loops under your cabinet can easily get caught on the shut-off valves, so I had to tie it off to one side. A minor, easy to fix issue. One last item might be the instructions, which were a bit confusing because they cover multiple models and multiple configurations. I missed the first step because it looked like it only applied to using the 3-hole mount, but in fact it applied to the single-hole configuration as well.



One last thing - Amazon's price is fantastic on this model. Easily $50 less than the local stores. - Kitchen Faucet - Kitchen Sink Faucets - Pull Down Faucets'

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Sharpening Stones - sharpening tools, knife

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Are there "better" sharpeners on the market? Probubly. But as an all around sharpener (I have several styles by several different manufacturers) this little gem is hands down THE BEST! Otherwise I would not have spent a week tracking this one down on the internet after all my local suppliers were "out of stock" or had moved on to more expensive less useful models. The thing folds up and goes in my pocket, it also has a handy hole for a lanyard which my new one is on. It does a great job on my chefs knives, my hunting knife and my serrated kives as well. It's easy for my big fingers to hold on to and steady on the edge of the counter when I am sharpening. I bought an extra one to put away in case this one gets "lost" or I give mine away to a friend. (In case you can't tell I really like it and would buy another one in a minute flat!) Smith's PP1 Pocket Pal Multifunction Sharpener

This is a great sharpener it makes knives super sharp but not quite razor sharp it is much better than Smith's Abrasives 2 Step Knife Sharpener, that sharpener gets knives just as sharp as it has the same angles to the ceramic part of the sharpener; but that uses rods which get loose and end up rolling as you draw your knife through it and don't sharpen your knife. Also this is easier to get a blade into the ceramic sharpening part. This also includes a serrated knife sharpener, and this works well but i can't say much for it as it is the first serrated knife sharpener i have ever used.



i recommend pulling the blade through the carbide part 10 times using semi heavy to medium force, the using the ceramic part about 10 times using medium force then lighting up to about as light as you can get by the 10th stroke

skip the carbide part if your knife is already adequately sharp, only use the carbide part if your knife i dull or damaged as it takes off a lot of steel

I have been sharpening my own knives for years using the Gatco system. Normally I wouldn't trust my knives to anything but me and my Gatco. However, I do tend to spend a lot of time out in the woods and having a portable knife sharpener is an important part of my gear.



I was initially very hesitant to try this style of sharpener since the sharpening angle is fixed and not determined by me. Having now used the Smith's sharpener on several of my hunting and camping knives, I am recommending it to all my friends and have even purchased one for my hunting partner.



Great product, and I would buy it even at twice the price.

Good sharpener but with caveats.



Positives: small size, carbide cutters are very effective at removing metal, ease of use (no special techniques)



Negatives: small contact point on the blade (see below, not very stable if much pressure is applied



Due to the small contact point with the blade, pressure is directed onto a very small portion of the blade. This pressure will vary as you slide the blade through the sharpener (either as a result of nicks in the blade or human error/ inability to maintain perfect pressure). As a result you will end up with a slightly wavy edge to knife. Over time this waviness will likely be exaggerated.



I would say this sharpener is okay for a "quick and dirty" field sharpening of a camping or pocket knife, but I would not use it on fine blade steel or good kitchen knives.



Cheers.

Bought this sharpener on a whim while at a local sporting goods store. I badly dulled one of my favorite pocket knives from over use. Impatiently, I tore open the package in my car and went to work. I figured that if the sharpener was bogus, I could just walk right back into the store and return it.



WOW!!! Was I surprised. This thing is amazing! A few passes through the carbide blades followed by a few through the ceramic and I was sold. Brand new, my knife was NEVER this sharp - and it only took a few seconds.



It's compact, light weight, amazingly effective and idiot proof. If you're thinking about getting one of these, don't even hesitate - just buy it.



Still can't believe that this thing is only $10. Best money I've ever spent.

Smith's PP1 Pocket Pal Multi-Functional Knife Sharpener is a worthwhile knife sharpener that is easy to use, compact, very affordable and perfect for field use when a quick sharpening is needed.



The Carbides provide a quick edge setting for knives that are very dull or chipped. The ceramic stones provide a razor sharp finished edge on either standard or serrated edges. The carbide and ceramic stones are replaceable. A fold out, tapered round, diamond coated rod is designed for sharpening serrated as well as standard edges. The Pocket Pal Multi-Functional Knife Sharpener is lightweight, durable, and comes with a lanyard hole. It is small enough to put in your pocket if necessary or in an E.D.C. bag.



I tested this sharpener on numerous knives such as a Spyderco, Ka-Bar Tactical, Leatherman, Air Force Survival knife and multiple Swiss Army Knives. I was very pleased how effective and efficient this sharpener worked. The tapered round, diamond coated rod was very easy to use on serrations. The only problem I encountered with this sharpener is that it does not seem to work as well with thicker blades. It does work but it is a little more difficult and the carbides seem to wear the blade down a bit more which is why I give it 4 stars instead of 5. I would not use this sharpener with a very high quality or expensive knife. I would say this sharpener is perfect for those times when a fast field sharpening of a camping or pocket knife is required.



Overall, I highly recommend this product and I will be purchasing another as a backup.

I have several bench stones and all kinds of sharpening gadgets. I guess if I had to have just one, this may be it. I sigh, because I do enjoy the ability to sharpen freehand on a stone which is definitely an acquired skill. However, this really does a a great job that is hard to beat. I judge the angle at 22.5 degrees on each side which is a good trade off between durability and sharp. Some mentioned that it feels flimsy...it is plastic, but that makes it very light and you forget it is even in your pocket. The carbide sharpeners do ok and getting a knife pretty sharp, and the ceramic sharpeners get that edge really cleaned-up. On the serrated blades, the fold down sharpener works nicely. It has the ceramic sharpener can also be used for serrated edges, but I don't like this approach as it sharpens the tops of the edges. However, it does this ok, if you like this approach. ...and all of this fits on a key chain. - Sharpeners - Sharpening Tools - Sharpener - Knife'

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Panasonic 50 Inch Plasma - plasma, panasonic 50 inch plasma

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The picture quality of this TV is simply excellent. Compared it with more expensive Panasonic "Infinite Black" G model and it's impossible to see the difference in real video content. You need to be in total darkness and have very high quality, low noise signal with large swatches of black and put them side to side to notice a slightly darker black in G models. Of course, just watching TV you will never think I wish blacks were deeper.

I've watched HD programs over the air, from blu-ray, Netflix from Roku, and from PC over HDMI. All modes 480/720/1080 progressive and interlaced displayed perfectly, and TV did a good job upscaling lower resolution to native 1080. No problems with motion, no blurring, no color fading or runoffs. TV does have a slightly lower moving picture resolution 900 lines (vs 1080 lines in top models), but it's quite impossible to notice that without measurements. So sports viewers will be satisfied. Also, on a positive side, the screen is not as glossy as the majority of other plasmas, so reflections are subdued.



I've been using this set for a few days now, so I can't comment on "image retention" problems that previous generations had. Supposedly the phosphors used in this set are improved from previous year, and reportedly they last longer. Just be sure you turn on the "pixel orbiter" to avoid burning in the logos and avoid prolonged display of static images. You can also run "scrolling bar" once a day for 15 minutes for the first week to age the phosphors evenly. Not all plasma owners believe a break-in period is necessary for the later generations of plasma TVs, and no plasma manufacturers now suggest their sets require break-in.



The description Amazon (and it looks now they removed it) seemed to suggest that TV had a built-in Wi-Fi. It doesn't, you need to buy a separate Wi-Fi USB adapter for that. Due to lack of adapter I cannot tell if IPTV and DLNA are working as expected. The other negative is common to all plasmas, which is high power consumption. You don't find this information advertised anywhere, because this set is rated at a whopping 339W. The built-in audio is weak, it has two tiny 10W speakers. It's fine for casual watching TV programs, but if you want to watch movies you probably want to invest in a separate audio system.



This TV may lack all the bells and features you can find in more advanced models, but it does deliver an excellent picture at a very reasonable price and that what matters most.



Edit 5-8-2011. I installed USB Wi-Fi adapter (Netgear N600) to test the Viera Tools. I didn't find them very useful though. It has Netflix client, but picture quality is poor (compared to Roku on the same network). Then there is CinemaNow, which I never used. Amazon Video on demand looks OK. I don't have any use for Pandora, Napster, or Facebook, so I can't comment. There is also Media Player for SD and USB cards, works pretty well. I popped in an SD card from Panasonic camcorder and picture was pretty good, no conversion was necessary. And finally, there is DLNA client, which I couldn't make to work. I does find the DLNA server, but connection always fails. Panasonic VIERA TC-P50S30 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV

I have only had this set for a few days now, still in the 200 hour break in period. With the occasional pumping back up the contrast and brightness to get an idea on how everything will really look once the 200 hour break in is over.



One thing that I like about the TV is the Matte finish on the screen. It still reflects, but I have had a sliding door without a drape over it for a couple days and the reflection, while there, was greatly reduced over my last set. Last set Mitsibushi, 54inch, rear projection HDTV. So the screen itself does well with reflections overall. Perhaps there are better.



I originally bought this for $999 at best buy. It's now $899 here at Amazon. 4 days after my purchase. GET IT!!!!



Picture Quality so far:



As I have said, I am breaking in. For those that don't know what this is, but it's what you SHOULD DO, you run the TV with no static images for up to 200 hours and the contrast and brightness turned down. My contrast is about 25. My brightness is about 45. Occasionally I have raised the contrast up to check movies or video games, but only up to 50 contrast, and brightness up to about 65. This will help prevent image retention/burn in and improve the lifetime of the tv and over all picture quality. I also did this with my rear projection as well, and never had burn in issues, even with video games. I hope this tv will not have much of a burn in problem. But the TV provides 2 things in addition to help that.



To prevent and or fix burn in, this tv gives you the ability to turn on your screen and that the screen will slowly move around and position itself so standing pixels will at least move. Such as those logos on video games, or games with HUDs, or bullet counts, or on screen maps in the bottom corner of the game. In addition to that, there is also a 15 minutes moving white bar pattern that is supposed to help remove burn in. I have tried it but since I don't have burn it, I can't tell you if it works.



I hooked up the XBox 360 with HDMI and as soon as I turned it on, I saw an immediate improvement over my last TV, which I still think is a good TV. But I got some WOW factor here. Small Text is amazingly crystal clear and readable. Everything just looked sharp and detailed. And this is just moving around the XBox Menus.



Watched the 2012 John Cusak end of the world movie over Netflix. WOW!!!! Again, my settings are far from optional, and the detail was amazing. LA slipping into the pacific never looked so good. All those little details. Grant it, the source material, the movie, is exceptional when it comes to computer generated imagery, but this set seems to really steps up to the challenge of reproducing it.



Refresh rate: 600Hz. <- this is the main reason I decided on Plasma. This helps make 2012 look amazing, and it also helps if you play video games or watch sports.



Then I played some Red Dead Redemption, just a bit. WOW!!!! factor again. The graphics are pretty good in this game. And I have played it quite a bit on the old tv. The old TV was Component Hook Ups and only 1080i max. Now with this Plasma, it's HDMI, and 1080p, which the XBox and Read Dead Redemption can support. Again, the details were amazing. Colors very nice. (remember, my settings are way below even normal). Very smooth camera turning. I was riding along, and the sun started coming up over the horizon. The stars were twinkling away. Then the first rays of light hit the ground. And the shadows were long, as the sun passed between tree branches. OMG!!! It looked really really good. What an upgrade. My old TV wasn't cheap, $2300 back in 2000. It could preform. But this Panasonic just rocks it out of the water.



Sound. The speakers are small on this. I suggest Bass +4, Treble +1. Adding a little more Bass to your sound output will fatten up the sound enough and not give you such a tinny sound. My optimal viewing will be through a sound system though.



I like the SD card feature and the hook ups. Will even take a Keyboard.



Tried the Network connection and used their version of NETFLIX in the Viera section. I found NETFLIX to be a little slow compared to the XBox 360 with Netflix. Slow when moving around the menus. But no biggie, the movies played just fine. Has Facebook and Twitter, but I don't plan on using those. The Network features I may not use much at all. But it's still pretty cool if you want options to do so.



This is an early review. I am giving the set 4 stars. Not for anything being wrong with it though. I have seen so few reviews for this particular set, about none, just thought I'd get this up there.



I have it on the supplied base unit. Easy to install. Heavyish though, but lift-able by one person.



I like this TV. Plasma was for the video games and sports viewing. But Plasma is more susceptible to burn in with video games and static scores and logos. So I am taking the time to break this tv in. But you should get some WOW factors if you purchase this TV. - Plasma - 3d - Panasonic 50 Inch Plasma - High Definition'

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D-link Wireless Router - d-link wireless router, d-link

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Reviews. from people like me don't really help you consumers much, as I am a tech freak, so I come on here, already knowing what I want to buy, all I will say is that, if you are looking for a wireless router that has great strength over a moderate distance, then the D-Link N150 is for you. It works for just browsing, and gaming alike. I have yet to lose a connection with the massive use I have going on with it.



I have 9 computers, 1 Playstation 3, 2 Xbox 360's and 1 Nintendo Wii, running off of this one wireless router, and even with 80 percent of those up at one time, I have never been dropped, and have seen full connectivity each time, with perfect latency in between. No lag, Nor overlay.



I live him an apartment, with 3 people. D-Link DIR-601 Wireless N 150 Home Router

I have used many bargain & a few name brands of wireless equipment over the years. I bought this D-Link because it is almost as inexpensive as the bargain brands, some of which worked, some of which didn't & all of which lacked helpful software and instructions. I'm using 2 of these DIR-601's a Wireless Access Points. No interference with each other (BTW, 2.4 GHz portable phones interfere with all wireless network devices, so we switched to Panasonic DECT 6.0 phones). There are simple instructions in the PDF manual, which is quite good overall, for hooking them into a router & using them as WAPs. They connect easily to our laptops and iPad -- just choose your network and type in your password (WPA2 encryption is best) the first time -- no software drivers required. We run both G and N laptops. Range seems excellent. Setup software is easy to use. I like this D-Link so much I bought my son one. He uses it as a wireless router at his apartment and it works fine for him too.

Unfortunately, this router suffers from intermittent lapses in broadcast. I have not had a problem with the hard wired desktop attached to it but the wireless cuts out when using my laptop and Roku player. Both are stationary and all are in the same room as the router. Online and phone support were great but could not fix the problem. Went with a N300 Belkin for ten dollars more and have had no issues. You get what you pay for sometimes.

I gave the D-Link DIR-601 router a 4-star rating based the three most important attributes: Price, ease of setup and performance. It was only $20 at the time I purchased it, which seems less than the cost of the materials to make it(!). Since this was my first experience with a router in my home, I did a fair amount of research and found a lot of not-so-good reviews on many more-to-MUCH-more-expensive routers. The problem areas were invariably poor range and difficult installation. The reviews on the DIR-601 were much better than most, which, combined with price, is why I chose it.



I can confirm that the reviews are accurate. Installation was extremely easy; the "wizard" worked perfectly on an XP computer. I do have some minor range issues, but fewer than those reported by some users of much more expensive routers. The router is in my home office in the BASEMENT of the house. The basement walls are 8" poured concrete and the router happens to be next to the north wall. If I take my Toshiba Win 7 laptop to any part of the house OUTSIDE the planes of the basement walls (the porch and the breakfast-room-extension off the kitchen), the signal strength can drop to as little as 2 out of 5 bars, and download speed can drop from 18-20Mbps to just under 4Mbps. But I'm pretty sure that NO router -- at any price -- would do significantly better if positioned in the same place. Everywhere INSIDE the planes of the basement walls -- even the bedrooms 2-stories up and farthest from the router -- I typically get 4-5 bars. There are times when it falls to 3 bars in one bedroom, but it's not consistently at that level, so the drop-off could be due to transient interference from other electronics (e.g., our three cordless phones or routers in homes near us). I'm virtually certain that I could improve the signal strength in the areas where it's low by positioning the router close to the basement ceiling and away from the walls. But doing that requires (a) a couple of very long Ethernet cables (impractical) or (b) a couple of power line Ethernet adapters (expensive) or (c) getting a repeater (also expensive).



I had one issue that I called D-Link's tech support about. Shields Up (Gibson Research's program that tests the status of the first 1056 ports on your computer) has always shown my desktop ports to be 100% "stealth" -- invisible to the Internet. After installing the router, it showed ports 0 and 1 as only "closed", not "stealth". I contacted D-Link support via e-mail and received a reply within a day asking me to call a support phone #, which I did. The call was answered immediately (no hold time), the technician (South Africa) was knowledgeable and resolved the issue during the call. Turns out Shields Up is measuring the status of the router, not my PC. This tech support experience was completely opposite to what I had been told about D-Link's support -- that it was slow and not very good. If I were rating their tech support, I'd give it 5 stars.



If you're new to routers, be aware that this is NOT an N-300 router; it's an N-150 router. That means (my understanding) that the maximum bandwidth it can deliver is 150Mbps. Since no one in the house plays complex games or streams movies from the Internet, and there are currently only 2 computers using the cable connection, a 300Mbps router would be overkill for us. But if you have multiple (4-5) computers playing Internet games simultaneously, you should probably get an N-300 router.

I never write reviews, but was so impressed by the bang for your buck with this little router, and its ease of set-up, that I decided I would for this product. First off, I'm a mac user, so I was totally prepared for this to be a nightmare for me to set up on my parents' PC. Seriously, I don't know the first thing about PCs, but thought I'd give it a try since I needed a wireless network so I could use my ipad when visiting, and the router was so cheap. I was concerned when I saw the box and it said perfect for the small apartment, as my folks have a large house, but for the price, and since I'd only be using it when visiting, I figured at least there would be a few rooms I could connect. Well, I popped the disc in and followed the easy step-by-step directions, and not only were we wireless in less than 5-10 minutes, but we also had coverage all over the house. Very pleased, and so will my parents be when we start chatting via face time! - Wireless N - Router - D-link Wireless Router - D-link'

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Nursing - nursing, modest

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My only complaint is that these tanks are little long. Otherwise the clips are easy to snap/unsnap one-handed. I wear these tanks under my shirt and am able to nurse in public with very little skin showing. I'm a 36D and find these to be pretty supportive and very comfortable. I don't really like to wear them alone without a shirt over them because you can see the layer underneath the top layer where your cleavage is. It just looks weird. I think a smaller chested woman could get a way with it though. I have 8 of these tanks and love them! Gilligan & O'Malley® Womens Full Sling Long Nursing Tank - True White XXL - Nursing - Nursing Cover Up - Maternity - Modest'

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Handgun

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Read this magazine to help me know what guns to look at as I searched for the best handgun for my concealed carry after I got my permit. Magazine has excellent research on a wide variety of handguns as well as suggested "best" ammo to use. Gun Digest Buyer's Guide to Concealed-Carry Handguns

This is a pretty basic book that gives you a variety of conseal carry weapons to look at and base a decesion on .

I recently got my hands on a rugur LCR Relover, it weighs 13 oz unloaded, fits into your small pocket or any pocket almost , its virtually unnoticable . I have carried this revolver for close to a year now useing my own custom handloads with nosler bullits .This beauty is very accurate ,lightweight and holds 5 shots of .38 + P .'

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