Afterglow
by Arista
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (04 November, 2003)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $13.49
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Editorial Review

Is Sarah McLachlan a secret punk rocker? To be sure, her rebellion is hushed. On Afterglow, her first studio album since 1997's Surfacing, McLachlan’s music is as tempered as ever; at times even the piano chords at the heart of the sound are tucked neatly beneath layer upon layer of strings and overdubbed voices. Listen to what’s being sung within this soothing aural bed, though, and hear the just-before-sleep murmurings of the quietest riot grrl: "I’m a train wreck waiting to happen.... a wildfire born of frustration," "How stupid could I be.... you’re no good for me, but you’re the only one I see," "I have to push just to see how far you’ll go." The latter song ("Push") resolves itself with the assurance, "You complete me." Ultimately, McLachlan fans will be comforted again by what turns out to be her reliably untroubled aesthetic. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (551)

Afterglow
I loved this album. When I listened to it for the first time, I was very impressed by her music. She puts a lot of a emotion into her lyrics and music. I like World on Fire. That song is excellent.There is not much more I can say about this album. I can sum it up in just one more word. Amazing!!

This Rocks
A 6 year wait, alright for me. Because this album rocks. It has a perfect balance for everything, excellent track order, the flow is brilliant. I love this album.

Good, but not worth the six year wait
Sarah McLachlan's latest offering, 2003's 'Afterglow', features more of the same blandness featured on her 1997 blockbuster album 'Surfacing'.Only this time it isn't nearly as good, but it's still good enough for me to recommend it.Teaming up yet again with her longtime producer Pierre Marchand, McLachlan offers fans what could be described as 'Surfacing Lite'.While 'Surfacing' did suffer from a few bad songs, McLachlan's lyrics were at least more heartfelt than anything that's on this record.You know Sarah is running out of ideas when she comes up with trite lyrics like "there are times I can't decide when I can't tell up from down" and "'cause I'm a train wreck waiting to happen/waiting for someone to come pick me up off the tracks."Despite a few corny lyrics and some boring arrangements, 'Afterglow' is a good album even if it offers nothing new from Sarah.I just hope that in another six years (or even longer) she'll release an album that's truly worth waiting for. ... Read more

Asin: B0000C6E4D
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Mighty Beanz Series 2 6-Pack
by Spin Master
Average Customer Review:
Toy
list price: $5.99 -- our price: $5.29
(price subject to change: see help)
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Reviews (69)

Crappy Crap
These beanz are a waste of money.Can't you see the manufactuars are trying to sell something stupid to make you pay money for it?!?! There plastic with a marble in it! I got addicted with these and wasted so much money its not even funny!These look cute and they are but there boring! And one dollar a bean! Sheesh! 10 bucks a track! Rippoff! Go buy a hotwheels track and if you think that is childish for you look what your playing with! Their for 3 year olds! Save your money!

Mighty Beans
This is a really fun toy.I mean really.You can wrestle 'em,,down- hill race 'em, and trade 'em. But their is kind of a bad thing about it. It doesn't teach little kids a thing, the paint chips off wicked bad, the price of them swallows your wallet whole,and if you don't have the spiecial tracks to them,they're totally meaningless! So despite the bad things, it is not so bad of a toy. When I got my first pack of Mighty Beans,I went scyco over them!!!!

BEANZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HI!!! This is a very enjoyable toy.Its fun to bounce them around when your parents think your doing your homework! O_o
I strongly suggest that you get this toy.I will appoint to you that they get very addicting!!!I gave it 4 stars because its a little too much money... its only a plastic tube with a ball inside of it... BUT ITS REALLY FUN!!! ... Read more

Asin: B00008O0X5
Sales Rank: 3277

The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss
by Rodale, Inc.
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (25 April, 2003)
list price: $24.95 -- our price: $16.47
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Editorial Review

The verdict is in: those simple carbs we've been living on are killing us. For good health, we've got to get our blood sugar under control and stop the incessant cravings. Or so says Dr. Arthur Agatston, author of The South Beach Diet. The first half of the book details the science behind the diet. Most of the explanations revolve around why things you thought were healthy—-orange juice, wheat toast, carrots—-are actually evil. To avoid blood sugar surges, Agatston created a modified carbohydrate plan, recommending plenty of high-fiber foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats, while cutting bread, rice, pastas, and fruits. Major differences from other diets include a lack of concern over portion size and a serious indifference to exercise. Feeling full while on a diet is a beautiful thing, but it seems odd that a cardiologist buries his exercise recommendations in a solitary sentence.

The last half of the book covers his three-stage plan; daily diets are mixed with recipes, some of which are from South Beach restaurant chefs. The most restrictive period lasts just two weeks, enough time to stabilize your urges and lose a few pounds; stage two adds fruits and a handful of other carbs, while stage three is meant to last the remainder of your life, with occasional lapses for white bread or birthday cake.While the diet is sound, the book could be better organized. The first half mixes scientific study with anecdote in a seemingly random way, while the mix of meal plans and recipes can be confusing. Still, the recipes are varied and tasty, and you'll never feel deprived, unless you currently happen to live by bread alone. --Jill Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (584)

To lose weight, just head South.
This is a diet book whose plan is to get you to lose weight by limiting your carbohydrates- essentially another low-carbohydrate diet. It has 3 phases where your carbohydrates are severely restricted at first, and then re-introduced. These kinds of diets will definitely help you lose weight in the short run, but in the long run, they fare just as well as any regular calorie restricted diet. An easy read, I give it 4 stars. Readers interested in other weight loss books might also want to check out "The No-Beach, No-Zone, No-Nonsense Weight Loss Plan" to see what the published research has to say about losing weight. Happy reading!

New Alternative
There must be something about The South Beach Diet that makes it so popular. However, I think that we in North America, while chasing the perfect body, forgot about what really matters - the perfect health.

I am a creature that trusts everybody, but not without a dose of skepticism. Therefore I always make a point of trying new approaches on my own before expressing any opinion. After going trough The South Beach Diet I realized that Agatston is just updated version of old Atkins. Although these two low carb approaches certainly bring good results from the point of loosing weight, I am not really convinced that this is what one need to focus on. First of all, it is a hard diet to follow, and sooner or later one is bound to break some of the rules. Secondly, I find that in a healthy diet we need carbs the same way as we need fats and proteins.

Out of all approaches to losing weight, the one that makes most sense to me is presented by Dr. Tombak in his book "Can We Live 150 Years?" Using simple language he talks abut all aspect of health and longevity. Following some simple food combination guidelines, and not letting your stomach direct your actions are the basic things that one needs to do. As Dr. Tombak advises: "Eat to live instead of living to eat!"

The interesting thing is that once I started following Dr. Tombak's guidelines I lost about 10 pounds within six to seven weeks without ever focusing on losing weight. I was more concerned about proper nutrition and healthy life style more than anything else. Loosing weight was just a pleasant byproduct of my new lifestyle.

But of course that is not all. It turns out that improper diet is only one of a few causes of obesity for many people. Mr. Tombak names other, less known causes of the problem and he also suggests the ways of dealing with them.

use your HEAD, not some DIET!
This is a good plan for those who need to follow some sort of "diet," but a better read is "The Overfed Head" by Rob Stevens. Stevens teaches how to learn to pay attention to what your body actually needs instead of filling your head with all kinds of diet regimens. It's much better to let your body's own natural instincts guide your behavior rather than what some diet seller tells you to do!It's also the only book you'll ever need to buy since there are no special recipes to sell you....you use your favorite foods and your BRAIN!!!
... Read more

Isbn: 1579546463
Subjects:  1. Diet / Health / Fitness    2. Diet/Nutrition    3. Diets - Better Health    4. Diets - General    5. Diets - Weight Loss    6. Glycemic index    7. Health & Fitness    8. Reducing diets    9. Weight loss    10. Health & Fitness / General   

Pokemon - Yellow Version
by Nintendo
Average Customer Review:
Game Cartridge
list price: $27.99
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Editorial Review

While it's basically the same game as the previously released Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue,Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition features enhancements thatmake it the best version yet. In all three versions, the player is on a quest tobecome the World's Greatest Pokémon Trainer, with exploration andPokémon battles (think advanced paper-scissors-rock) factoring heavilyinto the gameplay. While the game world is the same in all three versions, thePokémon you encounter vary from version to version; the underlying goalof collecting all 151 Pokémon can only be met by trading Pokémonvia Link Cable with anotherplayer with a different Pokémon version. (Players can also battle againstone another using the Link Cable setup.)

Pokémon Yellow follows the TV cartoon series more closely than theother versions. Your first Pokémon in Yellow is Pikachu, and hetravels alongside you as opposed to inside a Pokéball (like mostPokémon). Pikachu's mood can be displayed virtual pet style: keepinghim happy is important, as his mood affects certain events in the game. Inaddition to the inclusion of other TV show elements like Team Rocket, new battlemodes between players are available as well as a secret game called Pikachu'sBeach.

If you haven't played any of the Pokémon games before,Pokémon Yellow is the best place to start. But whilePokémaniacs will go gaga over Yellow's new features, lessenthusiastic veterans of Red and Blue may not find the extras tobe quite so special. --Joe Hon

Pros:

• Best version yet of the highly addictive Pokémon game
• Pikachu's moods raise the game's cuteness bar to an all-new level
• Features new battle modes between players
• Includes Pikachu's Beach secret game

Cons:

• Pokémon battles can be repetitive at times
• New features may not be enough for some Pokémon veterans

... Read more

Reviews (153)

A Wonderful Game!
For whoever it was that asked about the difference between the colors, Red, Blue, and Yellow are exactly the same except that some Pokemon are available only in whichever version you get. Gold and Silver are completely different adventures, and they also have no differences except for the Pokemon. Crystal is the same as Gold and Silver except BETTER! :) Ruby, Sapphire, and, I suppose, Emerald have the same rule.

As for my review for this game, it's excellent! Even at my age, I have fun playing all the Pokemon games, especially this game, and I must tell you, it never gets boring! Every game is different, and each time you discover something new! I highly recommend this game, and the others!

Pokemon Yellow Rocks!
Pokemon Yellow is my best game yet! It's a challenging game, with 8 awesome gym leaders, your rival, (You can name him in the begining of the game) and Prof.Oak! (who will give you a bulbasaur,charmander,or squirtle at the start) All of this put together makes one mind-blowing game!

Yellow: the best game of the Poke'mon Saga
These are some great things about Yellow:

1: You can get all of the 3 starting Poke'mon.

2: You can get a Machoke from an in-game trade, but it evoloves to a Machamp after you trade with a girl in Route 5

3: Dragoniar, Pidgeiotto and Venomoth are some of the wild poke'mon you'll find.

4: Cathing both Scyther and Pinsir or Arcainine and Ninetales will be a snap.

Bad things about Yellow:

1: 13 Poke'mon you'll have to trade from Red or Blue.

2: Gym leader's poke'mon are at higher levels.

3: Barely there is any poision types that are wild.

4: Not much In-game trading.

Overall: 4 and a half stars
... Read more

Asin: B000047GEI
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Role Playing Games    3. Strategy Games    4. Nintendo Game Boy (Gameboy)    5. Strategy (Strategic)    6. Pokemon (Pokeman)   

X2 - X-Men United (Widescreen Edition)
by Fox Home Entertainme
Average Customer Review:
DVD (25 November, 2003)
list price: $29.98 -- our price: $17.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

X2 does a fine job of picking up where X-Men left off, giving fans more of what they liked the first time around. Under the serious-minded custody of returning director Bryan Singer, the second film of this Marvel comics franchise ups the ante on Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and the superhero mutants from the first film, pitting them against a mutant-hating scientist (Brian Cox) who's determined to wipe out the mutant race by tricking Xavier into abusing his telepathic powers. More a series of spectacles than a truly satisfying thriller, X2 introduces new mutant allies while giving each of the X-Men alumni--notably the temporarily helpful Magneto (Ian McKellen)--their own time in the spotlight. Well aware of the parallels between "mutantism" and virulent intolerance in the real world, Singer lends real gravity to the proceedings, injecting dramatic urgency into a continuing franchise that, in lesser hands, might've grown patently absurd. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Features

• DTS Surround Sound
• Color
• Widescreen
• Dolby
• DTS Surround Sound

Reviews (507)

Fantastic!
Goodness, there sure have been a lot of movies based on comic books coming out in the past few years. We've seen "Spiderman" and its sequel, "Elektra," "Daredevil," "Sin City," "Hellboy," "The Punisher," and probably a few others I'm forgetting. Heck, we can expect to see new installments in the "Superman" and "Batman" franchises soon, too. Personally, I haven't seen any of the above listed films with the exception of the first Spiderman, and it's likely I won't see more than a couple of them any time soon. I'm not trying to bash comic books or anything like that, but for some reason I tend to shy away from films based on this medium. Why? I hear very bad things about many of these films, most of which involve complaints about how the films forego important things like plot and character development in favor of shock and awe special effects. If I remember correctly from my comic book reading days, most of the stories dealt heavily with superheroes faced with moral quandaries and personality problems that translated over into the real world. Not so in the movies. The emphasis here is on blowing stuff up and using the biggest CGI effects possible.

There are exceptions: "Spiderman" did a good job focusing on the characters' problems. So did "X-Men" and "X2: X-Men United." I have seen these movies, and I liked all three of them. "X2," however, is arguably the best of the lot. The film continues the story of the characters we saw in the first film--namely Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), Storm (Halle Berry), Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), Cyclops (James Marsden), Rogue (Anna Paquin), Magneto (Ian McKellen), and Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos)--while adding a few new faces. After the X-Men saved the world in the first film, not much changed regarding human/mutant relations. Normal people still freak out whenever they see someone shape change, produce fire out of thin air, or any of the other assorted abilities common to mutants. The opening sequences of "X2" do little to alleviate such fears. An attack on the White House by a mutant with the ability to teleport (Nightcrawler, played effectively by Alan Cumming) nearly costs the president his life. The result is a crackdown on mutants everywhere with the resurrection of the dreaded Mutant Registration Act, a draconian measure that will severely restrict the activities of mutants everywhere.

The man in charge of carrying out the new act is General William Stryker (deliciously evil Brian Cox), a man whose new mission allows him to carry out his own personal vendetta against Xavier and his protégés. I won't spoil the reasons behind the vendetta, but his official mission sees him launch an attack against Xavier's school in order to round up the freaks. Unfortunately, he picked a bad time to make an appearance--Wolverine is back from his soul searching and is ready to kick some serious you know what. While he assists in salvaging what he can from the fiasco at Xavier's pad, the rest of the X-Men are out and about trying to track down the mutant responsible for the attack on the White House. If they can find this person, they reason, they might be able to head off the impending crackdown. Of course, their mission soon discovers that Stryker's fingerprints are all over the place. Too, Magneto manages to escape from his plastic prison and, with the oddly alluring Mystique at his side, throws a few wrenches into the whole process. By the time the movie comes to an end, we've seen the overall storyline advance amidst an avalanche of mind-blowing special effects including but not limited to huge tornados, rushing walls of water, and whipsaw quick fight sequences. Fun stuff!

Heartfelt thanks should go to director Bryan Singer for masterfully balancing the action and CGI with numerous character driven arcs. It's great to see fights and mutant powers blasting away at everything in sight, don't get me wrong, but it's more interesting to see how the characters develop. And in that department Singer and company do a good job. The whole human versus mutant conflict receives fresh treatment, as does Wolverine's eternal struggle to understand who he is and how he came to be. The latter is probably the most intriguing element in the storyline due to its relevancy. Who among us hasn't struggled to understand our identity at some point in life? Of course, most of us haven't been the subject of government experimentation that grafted metal to our bones and wiped our memories clean in the process, but you get the idea. And while the movie simplifies that theme so even the densest dolts in the audience will catch on, it's still an almost universal human issue that resonates with all of us. CGI and character dynamics aside, "X2" is a lot of fun if for no other reason than checking out all the babes. Halle Berry (not a favorite of mine), Anna Paquin, Famke Janssen, and Kelly Hu provide more than enough eye candy for us older "kids" in the audience.

"X2: X-Men United" has something for everyone. And check out the extras on the two-disc set! That's what I call a DVD! I won't waste time going over them in detail except to say that the sheer number of supplements guarantees a viewer can spend plenty of time exploring every aspect of this film's production process if he or she wishes to do so. If you haven't seen "X2" yet, prepare to be blown away. One hopes the next installment will surpass the previous two, but the absence of Singer behind the camera should cause some concerns. Oh well, even if the next one stinks we've still got these two great films to watch over and over again.

Great movie!!!
This is another favorite movie of mine. It is really well done. The action and the special effects are really cool. If you like superhero action flicks, you'll like this movie.

X2 is the rare hollywood sequel that's better than the first
X2 is one of hollywoods greatest movie sequels that rivals the first movie in every way. Better story, better acting ,better action scenes, better music, better characters, and better suspense. This is what all sequels should be like. Bryan Singer did a great job with continuing the X-men series with a thrilling second chapter that can be called "The Empire Strikes Back" of this trilogy. It keeps gettng better and better, and I only hope that X-men 3 can do the same, and continue the series to an explosive conclusion without director Bryan Singer at the helm. Good luck Matthew Vaugn, and do the very best job that you can to pull it off. ... Read more

Asin: B0000BWVCM
Subjects:  1. Science Fiction   

Apple 30 GB 3rd Generation iPod M8948LL/A
by Apple Computer
Average Customer Review:
Electronics (02 May, 2003)

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Features

• Features redesigned and backlit navigation; includes wired remote control, remodeled headphones, and carrying case with belt clip
• Discontinued by manufacturer, replaced by model #M9245LL/A
• Mac and Windows compatible; FireWire and USB 2.0 interface for fastest digital transfer available
• Included docking station makes charging and synching easy
• More than 8 hour battery life on a 3 hour charge (1-hour fast charge to 80% capacity)

Reviews (105)

Good Until You Need Support
I had this device for a little bit over a year, and I like most people didn't opt for the extended warranty.In short, it died as soon as the warranty expired.It's the way hardware is and I'm fine with that, but Apple's support wanted to charge me $250 to have it repaired/replaced.That is almost the same amount as a new one, and certainly more than most of their competitors.When it worked, it was great; a device I truly enjoyed, but once it starts having issues, you better look for another device; Apple wont be of much help you.

not so bad
not so bad, good amount of memory, fair battery, decent sound.overall a-okay.problems: battery (not replaceable) & loses charge overtime.Go here for a free 20Gb ipod:
http://www.tech4free.com/default.aspx?ref=117793

Poor compatability for all the hype
While the iPod is great for the amount of music you can store on it, Apple has done a poor job with creating a product that lasts.The battery life is minimal (less than 4 hours and I've had it for less than a year), and it costs you $99 to send your product to Apple to have a new battery installed!I'm told you can change the battery for cheaper yourself, but it nullifies the warranty (and on such an expensive electronic, that is not too prudent).The program Apple supplies to be able to add music to your iPod (iTunes) is also full of poorly-chosen options.It comes with an auto-sync option, which at first sounds appealing, but later proves to be more trouble than it's worth.Having attempted to clear my library in the program, iTunes proceeded to delete all my music & recordings from my computer (many of which I cannot replace).If I were to try to sync my iPod to my computer at this point, the auto-sync feature would replace all my playlists with empty ones.After calling Apple, I found out that there is a 10-15 SECOND window in which I MAY be able to turn-off the auto-sync prior to losing all my iPod files.If, however, I am too slow, or my computer doesn't respond fast enough, I lose everything on the iPod as well.
After all that hassle, the good points of the iPod are it's portability (small size) and it's capacity to hold a lot of music/recordings.I hear there are also some calendar and address book features avaliable to Mac users, but not to PC users. ... Read more

Asin: B00009J5W0
Sales Rank: 10977
Subjects:  1. MP3 Player (MP 3)    2. Gigabyte    3. 10GB    4. 10 GB    5. Portable Audio    6. MP3 MP 3 Player    7. Jukebox    8. Apple    9. (Mac)    10. (Macintosh)   

Room on Fire
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (28 October, 2003)
list price: $16.98 -- our price: $13.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

An acclaimed debut prompts one of two kinds of follow-ups: either the band strives to broaden their palate or they attempt to deepen the colors they splashed all over that heralded first effort. The Strokes' second outing falls in the latter camp. In the tradition of the Ramones' Leave Home and Oasis' (What's the Story) Morning Glory, the Strokes largely stay the course with their second full-length release, producing an album that won't cause the stir that its predecessor did, but has a sneaky appeal all its own. Thanks to the quintet's Lower East Side roots, Velvet Underground and Television references abound with these guys, but Boston new wavers the Cars, and in particular their hit-heavy second album, 1979's Candy-O, provide a more suitable point of reference for Room on Fire. As with Ric Ocasek and company, Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas and his cohorts have a Cars-like knack for sly riffs that creep deeper into ones consciousness with each listen. Not much longer than a half hour from start to finish, this 11-song is modest in intent and execution, and succeeds quite nicely on its own terms. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (378)

Addictive...
I'm into rock like the White Stripes and Jet, and when I first bought Room on Fire, having never listened to Is This It, I feared it would turn out to be a totally computer-created boy band sort of thing. I didn't know how wrong I was (although there are some sound effects from computers on a few of the tracks, which I hate).The Strokes are really a great band. And while "Automatic Stop," "12:51," and "You Talk Way Too Much" are, in my opinion, probably the best ones on here, the disc is packed with catchy melodies and lyrics.Not to mention they're addictive-I can't stop listening to this album. All in all, a very exceptional album from what seems to be a mediocre band.

One small step for mankind...
As a newcomer to the genre, I was very impressed by the the Strokes' "this is it".When I bought "Room on Fire", I was excited, anxious to hear what I expected to be an extensions of the success of their first album.

I was shocked and dissappointed!

What was this new style, less melodic, though more rhythmic, altogether different themes?

After listening to the entire CD several times, it began to dawn on me... The Strokes weren't bent on another 'success' in the normal usage of the term."Room on Fire", in my opinion, is the logical extension of the lyric and conter-didactic (meaning he answers his own questions) style which was their trademark.This signals a the most important shift in rock and roll in more than a generation.

Let me indulge myself for a moment; it is important to understand this band and its place in musical development.To do this, I use the Saturday Night Live example:

It was late 2001 if I remember correctly, not long after the socio-political reaction to 9/11.(This was part of what I consider to be a greater cultural wave of consolidation.)Long after the Grunge, during the period between generation 'X' and generation 'y', popular music, as well as SNL, had been hijacked by trendy hip-hop and sugar-pop stars.It was only after the awakening of 9/11 and the re-advent of cultural tradition-- psychobilly, post-punk, and the latest folk-revival--- that the wave of the future began to manifest in popular mediums such as SNL.I consider one episode in particular:the Jack Black/Strokes episode.Here, after months of staged dancers, scantily clad rappers, etc, etc, was a band of long-haired locals wearing street clothes, coercing steady streams of almost 'beat' harmonic passage; here was a wolf howling "last night/she said/oh baby dont feel so down/...".In my opinion the height of the age-old apollonian/dionysian conflict had again turned, but briefly, in favor of the reflective, the introspective, the study of beauty.

And what a better step to make in the study of beauty of all forms than "Room on Fire"?What better to bridge the gap between modern bacchian tendancy and traditional scholasticism?

"One by one tickin time bombs won/ It's not the secrets of the government thats keepin you dumb/oh It's the other way around"

I think that the strokes are on to something here.Lets hope that they continue to outpace society like they have done exponentially here.this is one of just a few bands that gives me hope for the intellectual future of my generation.

Good Strokes album
I still think the Strokes first album (is this it) is the better of the strokes albums so far.But I still love this album, its another one of those albums that you can put on and let play all the way through.I think, even though the play it all the time, my favorite song is 12:51.Still a great album, I highly recommend you buy this album. ... Read more

Asin: B0000C9ZLD
Subjects:  1. Garage Rock Revival    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. United States of America   

A Royal Duty
by Putnam Publishing Group
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (25 October, 2003)
list price: $25.95 -- our price: $25.95
(price subject to change: see help)
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Reviews (136)

Boring Royal Betrayal
This is honestly one of the most boring books I have ever read. There is more description about the table settings, tea cups, uniform decorations and silverware that I had to force myself to read, UNTIL I read an insult about Diana, and I then promptly closed the book. Paul Burrell may have been enamored with Diana, but he certainly did her no favor by writing this boring book, and I highly doubt he would have written this book while she was still alive.

For someone that was trusted as a dear friend, in this book, Diana's private confidences were severely betrayed. To me, the book lacks integrity, trust, and is quite distasteful. It was simply not necessary. It seemed throughout the book that Paul was quite taken by Diana, and the text shifts from severe infatuation to betrayal. I gave the book one star because it has a few nice photos, other than that, the text is beyond boring and quite the betrayal of a trusted "friend."

Insightful commentary
I enjoyed reading about the various job duties you had to do when in service with the royal family. Quite amazing what has to be done to keep the palace running.
It's an amazing record and insight into royal life and what Princess Diana was going through. It seems honest and I am glad this book was released, to counter the negative image of Diana protrayed by some media sources.

Unintentionally revealing
Although Paul Burrell was and still is devoted to the late Princess (actually, besotted might be a better word) and has written a book intended to show the world what a wonderful person she was, he unintentionally reveals aspects of her character which were not so wonderful. For instance, what kind of person would pull her employee out of bed, away from his family, in the middle of the night in order to deliver a note to one of her boyfriends (after he had already put in a very long day at work!)? Who would have her transatlantic friend regularly set her alarm clock at 3 in the morning so that the friend could give her a pep talk just to make it through the day ( a day which included such stressful activities as shopping, working out at the gym and visiting her astrologer)? Who would give a devoted employee (Paul's wife, Maria) the cold shoulder because the employee wanted more time with her own children?
Yes, Diana had many lovely qualities, but the image that comes through (from someone who was very close to her) is of a woman who is also demanding, needy, self-absorbed and manipulative (not to mention, a terrible judge of character when it came to male companions - could she have chosen anyone worse than Dodi, who picked a drunkard to drive their car on that last, fatal evening).
Paul Burrell clearly agreed with the Princess that the marriage breakdown was all Prince Charles' fault, even though he only joined their household after the marriage was over in all but name (when they both had lovers) and has no idea what really went on during the first six years (I think the marriage was doomed, Camilla or no Camilla).
Paul Burrell's memoir clearly contradicts Diana's allegations (in Andrew Morton's first book, which for all intents and purposes is her autobiography, and the infamous Panorama interview) that the entire Royal Family was cruel and cold towards her... when in fact, she had a warm relationship with the Queen and Prince Philip tried hard to help her. Could it be that Diana, feeling terribly, terribly sorry for herself, wanted to make sure her adoring public also felt terribly sorry for her and give her husband a black eye to boot? Not too admirable. Women leave unhappy marriages and get divorced every day and the vast majority of them don't have a fraction of Diana's beauty, youth or wealth. ... Read more

Isbn: 0399151729
Sales Rank: 69563
Subjects:  1. 1961-    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Diana,    5. General    6. Great Britain    7. Historical - British    8. Political Science    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Princess of Wales,    11. Princesses    12. Royalty    13. Biography: royalty   

The Hulk: Hulk Hands with Electronic Sounds
by Toy Biz
Average Customer Review:
Toy (26 February, 2003)
list price: $21.99
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Editorial Review

Imagine if scientist Bruce Banner was given to fits of blinding rage only from the wrists down and that his hands alone, no other body part, were transformed into those of the Hulk. Funny looking, sure, and problematic if you happen to be wearing a ring or watch but not nearly as inconvenient and clothes-ruining as the full body version of the Hulk. These foam rubber hulk hands approximate that experience. Upon being impacted, they emit crashing sounds and guttural screams that emulate those of Hulk himself. Inside the hands are little handles for your own puny human hands to grab on to. The hands are covered in a rubbery material and are very soft to the touch. A note of caution, the trigger mechanism for the sound effects is very sensitive; anything that bumps against the Hulk Hands in a toy box or shelf is likely to incite quite a racket. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Reviews (48)

Awesome!
My 4 year old got this for Christmas, and he LOVES them!He has played for hours with his dad, each with their own hand.Even our 1 year old has put them on and enjoys running around the house with them on making those noises.They are fairly soft, almost Nerf-like material.I gave this some educational value, because you have to make sure they understand where not to hit when playing.Overall one of our best presents this year!

Fun for A Family of Four
We love the Hulk Hands.My 7 year old plays with his father and sister.It is great fun.

Ahhh!!!
The Hulk Hands will occupy your children for hours - TRUST ME! My son recieved them for his 7th birthday and was thrilled to death. All the kids at the party had a blast playing with them. Many of my friends have toddlers and when they come over (which is quite often) it is the first toy that the "babies" get out. They love it! I, personally, find it VERY annoying and for that matter, DREAD the children playing with it. ;) That is why I gave it 4 stars. LOL! ... Read more

Asin: B0000798L5
Subjects:  1. Action Figures    2. Collectible Action Figures    3. Movies   

Seabiscuit (Widescreen Edition)
by Universal Studios
Average Customer Review:
DVD (31 May, 2005)
list price: $14.98 -- our price: $10.49
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Proving that truth is often greater than fiction, the handsome production of Seabiscuit offers a healthy alternative to Hollywood's staple diet of mayhem. With superior production values at his disposal, writer-director Gary Ross (Pleasantville) is a bit too reverent toward Laura Hillenbrand's captivating bestseller, unnecessarily using archival material--and David McCullough's familiar PBS-styled narration--to pay Ken Burns-like tribute to Hillenbrand's acclaimed history of Seabiscuit, the knobby-kneed thoroughbred who "came from behind" in the late 1930s to win the hearts of Depression-weary Americans. That caveat aside, Ross's adaptation retains much of the horse-and-human heroism that Hillenbrand so effectively conveyed; this is a classically styled "legend" movie like The Natural, which was also heightened by a lushly sentimental Randy Newman score. Led by Tobey Maguire as Seabiscuit's hard-luck jockey, the film's first-rate cast is uniformly excellent, including William H. Macy as a wacky trackside announcer who fills this earnest film with a much-needed spirit of fun. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Widescreen
• Dolby

Reviews (320)

One of the Best Movies I've Ever Seen
I love movies. I love great stories. This movie is very special to me. I think this is one of the best stories ever told in a movie. The pure determination of the rider, Red, and the horse, Seabisuit, is just amazing. You will love this movie and so will everyone in the family. I know movies, I've made my own, they may not of been very good but who cares. This movie was fascintating and I loved it.

In Between the 2 world wars, a horse was America's hero!
You have to see this depression-era sports drama about the legendary racehorse, Seabiscuit!!

This movie attempts to present a factual account of the story, which centers around the three men who saw the famed horse to victory. Jeff Bridges stars as Charles Howard, an entrepreneur who owns the unlikely racehorse. Howard teams with partially blind boxer-turned-jockey Red Pollard (Maguire in his first performance since annihilating the 2002 box-office in Spider-Man) and horse trainer Tom Smith (Chris Cooper fresh off his best-supporting actor Oscar for Adaptation). Together, the three work to help the famed horse to several symbolic victories that helped to inspire a downtrodden 1930s America.

The triumphant story of comebacks - for a horse, for the characters, and for a country - should appeal to anyone. The acting is top-notch.Below I have listed some of the cast as well.

Tobey Maguire- Red Pollard
Jeff Bridges- Charles Howard
Chris Cooper- Tom Smith
Elizabeth Banks- Marcela Howard
Gary Stevens- George Woolf
William H. Macy- Tick Tock McGlaughlin
Kingston DuCoeur- Sam
Eddie Jones- Samuel Riddle
Ed Lauter- Charles Strub
Michael O'Neill- Mr. Pollard
Michael Angarano- Young Red Pollard
Royce D. Applegate- Dutch Doogan

Entertaining but still missing something
I liked this movie but I was disappointed also.I have seen a lot of very well made documentaries on Seabiscuit and one in particular that I saw on PBS just before this film was released on DVD.So, I couldn't wait to see the movie.The documentary I saw was actually more entertaining than this movie and had that "edge of your seat" suspense that the movie lacked.The documentary on PBS contained a lot of exciting horse races that Seabiscuit was in and the narration and story was very well made.Also, I found the narration in the MOVIE to be out of place - the movie didn't need it.It's a great story but it was a bit lackluster at times.The acting and cinematography was very good.I wonder if my review and rating of this movie would have been different if I had not seen all those great documentaries on Seabiscuit before I watched the DVD - I may have had a better reaction to the film.Maybe time will change my rating to a higher grade.It still was entertaining and I recommend this movie to all.My rating:B+ ... Read more

Asin: B00005JMCN
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-drama   

Bucket Boss Brand 01056 Bucket Boss 56 Organizer
by Bucket Boss
Average Customer Review:
Tools & Hardware
list price: $29.99 -- our price: $15.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Constructed of durable, rip-proof fabric, the new 56-pocket organizer from Bucket Boss improves on what was already a great idea. Unlike the toolboxes of old, the Bucket Boss organizer stores tools where they're visible and easy to access. And, with 38 exterior pockets and 18 more on the inside, the Bucket Boss really does have a place for just about everything. We've loaded ours down with wrenches, handsaws, screwdrivers, hammers, pry bars, pencils, utility knives, pliers, and drill bit sets. There's even a padded pocket for your cordless drill. We quickly discovered, however, that depending on how you load it, the Bucket Boss can get a little top-heavy. After ours tipped over in the back of our truck, we reloaded it with our hammerheads down, and it hasn't tipped since. We recommend the Bucket Boss 56 for remodelers, carpenters, electricians, repair people, or any other professional who brings a lot of hand tools to the job; it also makes the perfect tool kit for do-it-yourselfers moving through the house from room to room and project to project. --Jon Groebner ... Read more

Features

• Bucket not included
• 38 outside pockets and 18 inside pockets; constructed of BossTex ripstop fabric
• Fully padded cordless drill holster
• Security pocket with flapped closure
• Elastic strap for long-handled tools

Reviews (48)

Cheap and handy until you truck it around
and it dumps your kit all over the truck bed. The Bucket Boss is a handy organizer for householders and weekenders, but a stout metal toolbox (e.g: Kennedy) or canvas bag (e.g: Gatemouth) or instrument case (e.g: Platt) will be more useful for most everyday workmen.

Get a handle...it holds a lot
Great layout, plenty of pockets for everything you need for the do it yourselfer or tradesmen. I have probably 50lbs of tools in the bucket and still have room for more. One suggestion is a handle for the bucket. Take some foam (like the stuff in bicycle pads) and cut it to length then zip tie both ends and cover with duct tape. I would give it 5 stars if it had a second tape ring and a second hammer loop and a cover.

Holds Everything I Need
No, the bucket is not included, but I had a stack of them to get rid of anyway.This thing holds just about anything I can think of, to the point that I can hardly carry it.The only suggestion I have is that some of the outside pockets could be deeper, but for under $20, what do you want?It's made of tough material as well and I expect it will last a very long time. ... Read more

Asin: B000022439
Subjects:  1. Tool Storage    2. Tool Bags    3. (Toolbags)   

Proctor Silex 33040 4-Quart Round Slow Cooker
by Proctor Silex
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $24.99 -- our price: $24.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Round, pure white, and cleanly devoid of decoration, this four-quart slow cooker appeals to those who like unfussy kitchen appliances. Wraparound heat ensures that meats and stews left all day to cook won’t overheat in some spots and undercook in others. The four-setting dial rotates from the off position to a keep-warm function for serving, and low and high temperatures for cooking. With this versatility, chocolate fondue and cheese dips can be cooked and then kept at just the right temperature for nibbling right out of the pot. The cooker’s ceramic crock, with interior dimensions of 6 by 7-1/4 inches, features flared handles which allow easy removal for table-top serving or refrigerator storage. The glass lid sheds light on the cooking process, and is domed to drip moisture back into the crock. Both the crock and lid are dishwasher-safe. From the bottom of its four feet to the top of the lid knob, the slow cooker measures 11 inches; its diameter measures 10 inches, excluding the two plastic sure-grip handles. Recipes for Hawaiian Chicken, Texas Chili Soup, Sweet and Pungent Meat Balls, and more are included in the user guide. --Ann Bieri ... Read more

Features

• Measures 11 by 10 inches, with 3-1/2-foot cord
• 4 quart stoneware cooks a 4lb. Chicken, two 2 lb. roasts, and more
• Dishwasher safe stoneware and lid
• Keep warm setting
• Versatile, stainproof stoneware removes for serving and refrigerator storage

Reviews (17)

hot cooker
I love cooking meat in a crockpot because it breaks apart, but no matter what temp I try cooking at with this thing, even keep warm, it comes out like shoe leather.It cooks so hot the lid bounces up and down and the liquid boils.I don't recommend this.

A great value!
I paid $5.99 and think it was a fabulous buy!It is a little smaller than most slow cookers - but the perfect size for our family.Also, because the heating elements are on the sides instead of the bottom, it does get hot.But since there's really no need to touch the sides while it's on, that's no big deal.I do wish it had a power indicator.That said, I LOVE that it doesn't take up too much room on the counter and is completely devoid of hokey decoration.We had Coq au Vin last night, and today we're cooking lamb with olive oil, lemon, garlic, rosemary and potatoes.The house smells like heaven!I'm hoping to buy several more at this price for gifts!

The best stew
The best stew has been made in this very item!Its so easy to wash as well.The pot comes out... & voila, you're done.I highly recommend this to anyone who loves to eat:) ... Read more

Asin: B0000DYMU1
Subjects:  1. Small Appliances    2. Electrics    3. Slow Cookers    4. (Crock Pots)    5. (Crockpots)   

Leatherman 67010103HWave
by Leatherman
Average Customer Review:
Tools & Hardware
list price: $98.00
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

The Wave is the flagship of the Leatherman line, and we would argue that it's the company's most versatile multitool to date. It comes loaded with 17 different tools, including everything from pliers to screwdrivers to wire cutters. We really like the Wave's quality construction, its four locking blades, and the fact that the user can get at the knife without having to open up the whole tool--a nice improvement over the original model. While nobody's going to replace a tool set or do major auto repairs with the Wave, it's absolutely invaluable for a wide range of quick, on-the-spot jobs. --Brian Trinen ... Read more

Features

• Includes a nylon belt sheath
• Blades that are accessible from the outside of the tool
• 17 tools in 1
• 25 year warranty
• One handed opening

Reviews (71)

for those who value effeciency, this is a MUST!
very durable, dependable, and worth its (light)weight in gold.

Nice tool! Sheath not very "Deluxe".
The tool looks very useful and well made but the sheath looks like a piece of junk.

Don't leave the bedroom without it
I have had the wave for years now, and I have finally worn it down to where I need to get a new one.This thing has been at my side and provided me with countless experiences of being able to fix something ON THE SPOT.The weight is not too heavy at all for me. The scissors work great (I have even cut stainless steel shim with them).The pliers have been used for numerous fixes and the jaws of mine have finally worn smooth.The wire cutters have worked great.The hard wire cutter has never failed me unless I am trying to cut steel cable (a difficult task for any pair of plier-like cutters), but even then I can still manage to do it.The screwdrives have been abused yet still function very well.The blades accept a good sharpening and last for a good while after sharpening.The file is bar-none the BEST file on any multi-tool I have ever seen, and is better than most dedicated files I have used.The diamond file is spectacular.The single-handed blade opening and single-handed plier opening are features I have come to depend on.This is just a great tool that allows me to GET MORE DONE!The leather sheath is also very rugged yet quickly became supple and remains a durable home for this tool.
No, it's not the perfect tool for any one specific task, but it is a very useful tool nonetheless and serves it's purpose without fail.I am amazed mine has lasted as long as it has considering how often I use it, which is pretty much every single day.If I am wearing pants or shorts with a belt, then I have my leatherman.The only nuisance is I have to remember to pack it in my luggage prior to flying!
Worth every penny, and then some. ... Read more

Asin: B000065UE7
Subjects:  1. (Swiss Army Knives)    2. (Knife)    3. (Multitools)    4. Camping Accessories    5. Hand Tools    6. Multi-tools   

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5)
by Arthur A. Levine Books
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (21 June, 2003)
list price: $29.99 -- our price: $19.79
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

As his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry approaches, 15-year-old Harry Potter is in full-blown adolescence, complete with regular outbursts of rage, a nearly debilitating crush, and the blooming of a powerful sense of rebellion. It's been yet another infuriating and boring summer with the despicable Dursleys, this time with minimal contact from our hero's non-Muggle friends from school. Harry is feeling especially edgy at the lack of news from the magic world, wondering when the freshly revived evil Lord Voldemort will strike. Returning to Hogwarts will be a relief... or will it?

The fifth book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series follows the darkest year yet for our young wizard, who finds himself knocked down a peg or three after the events of last year. Somehow, over the summer, gossip (usually traced back to the magic world's newspaper, the Daily Prophet) has turned Harry's tragic and heroic encounter with Voldemort at the Triwizard Tournament into an excuse to ridicule and discount the teen. Even Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of the school, has come under scrutiny by the Ministry of Magic, which refuses to officially acknowledge the terrifying truth that Voldemort is back. Enter a particularly loathsome new character: the toadlike and simpering ("hem, hem") Dolores Umbridge, senior undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, who takes over the vacant position of Defense Against Dark Arts teacher--and in no time manages to become the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, as well. Life isn't getting any easier for Harry Potter. With an overwhelming course load as the fifth years prepare for their Ordinary Wizarding Levels examinations (O.W.Ls), devastating changes in the Gryffindor Quidditch team lineup, vivid dreams about long hallways and closed doors, and increasing pain in his lightning-shaped scar, Harry's resilience is sorely tested.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, more than any of the four previous novels in the series, is a coming-of-age story. Harry faces the thorny transition into adulthood, when adult heroes are revealed to be fallible, and matters that seemedblack-and-white suddenly come out in shades of gray. Gone is the wide-eyed innocent, the whiz kid of Sorcerer's Stone. Here we have an adolescent who's sometimes sullen, often confused (especially about girls), and always self-questioning. Confronting death again, as well as a startling prophecy, Harry ends his year at Hogwarts exhausted and pensive. Readers, on the other hand, will be energized as they enter yet again the long waiting period for the next title in the marvelous, magical series. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (5509)

Not the same as the other four...
Note that this book is very good, and had it not been part of a series, it would have easily achieved the precious five stars. It is part of a series, though, and so it only got four...

Before dedicated Harry Potter fanatics go bananas on me, hear me out. The first four books are astounding, and so is the fifth. So why the four stars? The fifth is just so different. The fifth seems as if it was written by a new author. Sometimes I wondered if the beloved children's series was still for children. The Order of the Phoenix is a darker tale. The language is sooo different. Harry's way, way, way to different: it's not the standard jump between 14 and 15, or the standard jump between losing someone he loves, or knowing the person who wants to kill you is on your trail and no one gives a hoot. He's just not the same, selfless Harry.

I gove one reason for this. The story flows better for a movie. There's a little less magic, so to speak, take that both literally and not literally. More conflict, less of the issues that were left out in the movies. (Which are a complete injustice, by the way.) The fifth book, simply put, doesn't have the same charm as the other four. I hope to see it back in the next book. (By the way, even the, mildest Harry Potter fan should get this book. It is impossible to put down, and you don't even notice how different it is until you finish it.)

BRILLIANT!!!!!
i absolutely loved this book, and i dont understand why many reviews complained about the length of it, i actaully enjoyed reading it, and when i was finished with it i read it again, and again, and i couldnt get enough of it, i was dying to know what happens next, and im still dying to know what happens next that i cant wait for the sixth book to be released. i kept reading over the fifth book hoping to find clues as to what happens in the sixth book. i think Rowling is such an amazing and talented writer and she knows exactly how to keep her fans in suspense, and i know that im probably going to be shocked and surprised when i read the sixth book, coz thats what Rowling does, she keeps you in suspense for a long time, and then surprises you in her next book with the events of the story. For example in the fifth book, i was shocked when Sirius died and was very upset for the longest time that he was dead, although i have a feeling he will somehow return or maybe just appear in the next books, i was also surprised at how bad things turned out between Cho and Harry, and it just annoyed me when noone would believe Harry that Lord Voldemort was back. thats why i love reading these books, coz Rowling puts you in the mood of reading them and she knows exactly how to make you feel with every character...i hope the sixth book is as awesome as i expect it to be!

Totaly cool
This is the best book in the world, although 6 and 7 are bound to be beter. I am a total fan of harry potter and even recomend this to minor fans. I have all of the best series in the world... !HARRY POTTER! ... Read more

Isbn: 043935806X
Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - Fantasy    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Coming of age    4. Fiction    5. Humorous Stories    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Magic    8. School & Education    9. Schools    10. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    11. Wizards    12. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft   

Chicago: Music From the Miramax Motion Picture
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (14 January, 2003)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $9.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

The movie version of Kander and Ebb's Chicago was long in the making, but it's well worth the wait. Director Rob Marshall's main change was to turn the classic musical numbers into fantasy sequences, but of course this isn't obvious on CD. Most importantly, the arrangements are bursting with life while being true to the show's spirit, and the casting is simply inspired. Catherine Zeta-Jones actually started her career on the British boards (she was in The Pajama Game and 42nd Street), so her turn as slinky Velma Kelly isn't that surprising; Renée Zellweger as Roxie Hart is more of a leftfield choice, but she shows she can handle the singing demands with pizzazz. The real revelation may well be rapper Queen Latifah, who belts out "When You're Good to Mama" with a marvelous affinity for the material. OK, so the R&B reprise of "Cell Block Tango/He Had It Coming" by Queen Latifah, Macy Gray, and Lil' Kim fails to convince, while Anastacia's "Love Is a Crime" is just blah (rest easy, purists, it's over the end credits). On the other hand, the CD provides two bonuses: "Class," which was cut from the movie, and "I Move On," a great duet written by Kander and Ebb for the final cut. It's really easy to mess up film adaptations of Broadway shows. Happily, Chicago proves it can be done right. --Elisabeth Vincentelli ... Read more

Features

• Enhanced
• Soundtrack

Reviews (255)

We finally go back to the true feeling of Hollywood
I must agree with everything tha has been said, not only is Chicago by far one of thebest films of the past years, it has also an excellent soundtrack.
The music,each song, the melodies, it all helps to feel the movie justas it is. Spectacular voices that bring all the feelings into the screen and with this cd into our homes.
Unfortunatly i haven't had the chance to see the play, but the motion picture was enough to make me a fan of this spectacular show and an adict to the soundtrack.

Revival Soundtrack Better...
The soundtrack to the revival musical is much better. Not only are its renditions of the songs heard in the movie WAY BETTER, but you hear a lot of songs that the movie's missing.

Great soundtrack!
I didn't like the movie Chicago at all the first time I saw it, but I thought the music was good. After seeing it a second time, I thought it was awesome. Not long after, I bought the CHICAGO OST and absolutely love it.

Highlights of the disk:
*All That Jazz - The "main theme" of Chicago, I guess. It's an awesome song that really gets you in the mood for the rest of the movie, and who knew that Catherine Zeta-Jones could sing like that?
*Funny Honey - The first song you really hear Renee Zellweger ("Roxie Hart") sing in. I love the lyrics to this song, and I think Renee has a pretty good voice as well.
*Cell Block Tango - Most definately the best song on the CHICAGO disk. Everyone in it sings incredibly well, and I love the speaking parts. Funny and dark at the same time.
*They Both Reached for the Gun - This song is, in one word, insane. There's so much going on during it, but its insanely fun.

All the songs on this CD are great (minus the rap/hip-hop version of Cell Block Tango). If you haven't seen the movie yet, its recommended to anyone that liked the music.

Overall grade - A+ ... Read more

Asin: B00006RIO7

Kick & Play Bouncer
by Fisher-Price
Average Customer Review:
Baby Product (18 November, 2003)
list price: $39.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

A safe and comfortable place for little ones to sit up and see the worldaround them, the Kick 'n Play Bouncer from Fisher-Price is equipped with somegreat interactive features that are designed to stimulate and entertain yourlittle one during her first several months of life. Powered by a single D andthree AA batteries (not included), the multicolored bouncer has a soft,removable seat pad that is machine washable and dryer-safe. Along with a hangingroller ball, rattles, and a set of teethers, the removable toy bar also featuresa set of colorful lights and an array of interesting sounds that responddirectly to baby's movements in the seat. With 10 different tunes, six soundeffects, and an array of twinkling and flashing lights, the Kick 'n Playprovides a lot more excitement and stimulation for baby than your typicalbouncer. --Chris Burns ... Read more

Features

• 2 modes for child activation and extended play
• 3-point restraint
• Removable seat pad is machine washable

Reviews (1501)

great bouncer
I love this bouncy chair. Our son had a great time playing in this seat. The sounds, lights and hanging toys kept him easily entertained. Very easy to wash! I would recommend this bouncer to consumers.

Great for a baby who loves to kick!
My brother got this for us as shower gift.It has been indispensible!My daughter figured out pretty quickly how to make the music play, and has been mesmerized by it ever since!Now that she is almost three months old, she is starting to kick the toys that hang down, too.It's a really nice way to put her down while I cook or clean, but not have to put her directly on the floor (we have ceramic tile in our kitchen).It's small enough, too, to take places so that she has something to do at grandma's, ect.Between this and the Musical Garden Activity Mat, she is a happy, active baby!

THE BEST BOUNCER EVER!
I can't say enough about this bouncer.I have a 6 month old son that is still enjoying this seat.He can get it bouncing so good and just loves to be in it.It cradles him just right and I never worry about him falling out or off.He has been in it all 6 months and I don't know what I would do without it. The bar that you can take off is great for when he wants to play or we take it off for when he wants to bounce.One thing is that if he gets bouncing with the toy bar on, it does kinda get him in the face, but he just lets me know and we take it off.I recomend this bouncer for all new moms needing somewhere to sit their child and feel safe about leaving the room for a moment! ... Read more

Asin: B00005QI1G
Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Bouncer Seats   

Canon PowerShot S230 3.2 MP Digital ELPH Camera with 2x Optical Zoom
by Canon Cameras US
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $399.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

With the Canon PowerShot S230, you've got the best of both worlds--the compact size and high style of the digital Elph series plus the higher resolution of a 3-megapixel camera. Updating the popular 2-megapixel PowerShot S200, the PowerShot S230 also features a 2x optical zoom, an improved 3.2x digital zoom, movie mode for videos up to 3 minutes, and more--all in a stylish, compact package.

Optics and Resolution

S230's nine-point autofocus lets you sharpen the image on your subject, no matter where it is in the frame.

Featuring a 3.2-megapixel CCD sensor, the PowerShot S230 delivers a wide range of detail and color (with images up to 2048 x 1536 pixels) and prints up to 11 by 14 inches. Canon's high-quality 2x optical zoom lens allows you to close in on the action, while the 3.2x digital zoom allows for a combined 6.4x zoom, letting you capture intimate details that might have been missed with another camera. The PowerShot S230 is also one of the few digital cameras to feature wide-area nine-point autofocus for taking crisp, sharp images no matter where the subject appears in the image frame.

Storage and Transfer
Images are stored on CompactFlash memory cards, and a 16 MB card is included. When shooting images at the medium or fine setting, the 16 MB card will store approximately 26 images. Images can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via USB storage-class connectivity, which means it can be connected to any USB-based Windows Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software.

Movie Mode
In addition to taking still photos, the S230 can also record movie clips of up to 3 minutes. You can choose from three different video formats: 160 x 120, 320 x 240, or 640 x 480 pixels. Both picture and sound quality have been improved, and an editing feature allows you to delete unwanted scenes during playback. The S230's photo-effect mode lets you do more with your still images. Choose from low sharpening, vivid color, sepia, neutral, and black and white.

More Features
Though it's primarily designed as a point-and-shoot, the S230 includes several advanced features for photographers who want more creative control, including exposure compensation, low-light manual shutter speeds, manual ISO and white balance, and stitch assist, plus black-and-white, sepia, vivid, and neutral modes.

The PowerShot S230 uses highly advanced technology to make your digital photography experience simple. DIGIC enhances image definition and processing speed, while the sophisticated iSAPS (Intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space) technology assures faster and more accurate autofocus, autoexposure, and automatic white balance. The intelligent-orientation sensor ensures your pictures are always right side up, on the LCD or even while downloading.

Horizontal	Vertical
S230's Intelligent Orientation Sensor knows which of your images were shot horizontally and which were shot vertically.

Power, Size, and Contents
The camera is powered by a proprietary Canon rechargeable lithium-ion battery (included). It measures 3.4 by 2.2 by 1.1 inches and weighs 6.4 ounces. This package includes the PowerShot S230 digital camera, 16 MB CompactFlash card, lithium-ion battery (model NB-1LH) and battery charger (model CB-2LS), USB and A/V cables, wrist strap, and CD-ROM with imaging software and USB drivers for Windows and Mac. ... Read more

Features

• 3.2 megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 8 x 10 prints and medium-quality prints up to 11 x 14
• Autofocus lens with 2x optical/3.2x digital (6.4x total) zoom
• Included 16 MB CompactFlash card holds 26 images at default settings
• Connects with PCs and Macs via USB port
• Uses proprietary lithium-ion rechargeable battery (included)

Reviews (141)

Gotta Have it!
The PowerShot S230 Digital Elph camera is truely a usable camera. The instructions are clear and concise. The rechargeable battery and charger are a perfect companion for this camera. All pictures come out great! It makes taking pictures easy, fun, and compact. I recommend buying a case with too, because it is sooo small! pocket size!

Greatest little camera!!!
What a work horse, plus the great size, just fits in my shirt pocket. Battery life is outstanding, but get a backup, plus this one uses compact flash so I was able to get the Sandisk II 512meg CF card also at Amazon for about $100. It's so good I bought a camera for everyone in my family.

Great Camera
I got this camera after looking around and comparing it with others.I'm glad I decided to go with the S230 for many reasons.

Pro's
Small and can fit in your pocket, great quality pictures, excellent movie mode with sound, comes with battery and charger, not complicated to use, all around excellent camera, and again the 3.2MP makes the pictures very pleasing to the eye.

Con's
Zoom isnt the best buts its alright, it takes good pictures when its dark out but you have to edit with a program such as photoshop to make it brighter.These cons should no way bother you much and should not deter you to buy this camera.

I suggest you buy a viking 256MB memory chip because the one that comes with it will leave you able to only take a few pics.With the 256MB chip you take long videos and take well over 1200 pictures.All in all excellent camera and as usual amazons shipped it fast and got the camera in a few days after making the order.I look forward to buy from amazon and cannon again. ... Read more

Asin: B00006LV79
Subjects:  1. S 100    2. Digital Camera (Cameras)    3. Photograph (Photography)   

Master and Commander (Aubrey-Maturin (Paperback))
by W. W. Norton & Company
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 November, 1990)
list price: $13.95 -- our price: $10.46
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

The opening salvo of theAubrey-Maturin epic, in which the surgeon introduces himself to the captain by driving an elbow into his ribs during a chamber-music recital. Fortunately for millions of readers, the two quickly make up. Then they commence one of the greatliterary voyages of our century, set against an immaculately-detailed backdrop of the Napoleonic wars. This is the place to start--and in all likelihood, you won't be able to stop. ... Read more

Reviews (210)

Excellent Book, A must-read
Excellent Book, A must-read for fans of seafaring literature; next to Horatio Hornblower, this series is one of the best.

Beat to quarters!
After going to see the movie (twice, and tonight will be the third), and spending this fall sailing around the Potomac river, I had to buy this book to complete the picture. I was not disapointed - this book was amazing. However, I did have to shift gears a bit in order to better enjoy it. At no time was I without a dictionary, and a big thick one with lots of old archaic words in it, and even then, certain words and phrases managed to elude my best efforts to decipher. Nevertheless, I approached this book the way I approach Science Fiction, which is to say that though I don't know exactly how a Tri-beta Implosion Drive works, I nevertheless trust that it does work and keep reading. The following is a list of good and bad points to the book (and the good far out-weigh the bad, if you ask me).
Good points:
1) The historical accuracy, or what I'd like to believe is accurate, is incredible. I learned more about naval life, 19th century life, the scientific mindset and the origin of words in this one book than in all the hundreds of other books I've ever read. Admittedly, this is only my second "historical" novel, the first being The Alienist by Calib Carr (excellent book too!).
2) The action, the battles! The Strategery! This was amazing, and finely captured by the movie.
3) The "feel": I loved the feeling I got when he got his boat, how he walked around looking for ways to improve it, the need to test it out and "see what this baby can do". I loved the creaking of the timbers and the groan of yardarms under sail, the smell of gunpowerder and slow matches, and most importantly, the smell of blood, the hunt and the triumph of the kill. And yeah, I did feel a little guilty about wanting those other boats to get shot up, knowing that people were going to die - not to mention silly for feeling this way about a book. Realialistic, eh?
4) Another thing I liked was the way the men looked up to Jack and Stephen for their amazing luck and skill, respectively. It was kind of interesting to see how a person becomes a master of men. Dammit, this book was just plain interesting altogether.
5) A lot of reviewers deride the book because it doesn't seem to have a plot - I say good riddence! This book doesn't need a plot - or rather, the whole book is the plot, and they can't see the forest for the trees. All Jack Aubrey does is cruise around the French/Spanish Coast looking for trouble, and I'm oh-so-fine with that. There's also a lot of getting to know the characters going on, and that'll be important for the next nineteen books.
BAD POINTS:
1) One thing I didn't like was the unexpected jumps in time. One minute Jack is eating dinner, the next he's 200 miles away in Malta - or worse, heading BACK from Malta, having finished whatever he was doing.
2) I'm a big fan of the archaic words and terms, however, when the plot is about to twist in an important direction or there's a necessary transition that the audience really should be aware of, I really wish Patrick O'Brien would forgive my American Public School education for just a paragraph or two so that I could catch on to what he's trying to convey. The good news is, I've either caught up with his style or he's dumbed Post Captain, the next book, down since writing the first. It reads a whole lot easier, and I'm still expanding my vocabulary a bit - but I'll save that for my next review.
3) The book ended - that was kind of a bummer.

Just brilliant
I read master and Commander as quickly as possible, and was well and truly stumped.
I liked the characters, found the detailed portrayal of life aboard ship to be extremely interesting, and enjoyed much of the humor of the book.But there was something really curious and elusive about the storytelling.In the first place, the heroes are mere observers of the climactic sea battle, having been captured earlier, which seemed especially curious for an adventure story.Even more disconcerting was the sense that I lacked much of the background information that the author expected the reader to bring to the novel.It seemed as if O'Brian expected you to already be familiar with much of the early 19th century naval terminology, with the intricacies of the Napoleonic Wars, and with the culture, customs and language of the day.It was like listening to a comedian and only understanding one out of every two or three jokes--you titter nervously and you can follow along thanks to context, but it's a tad humiliating.I did like it enough to read the next though, Post Captain, and as I did, the joke finally dawned on me.

Patrick O'Brian writes these novels so that they could be read, understood, and enjoyed by the characters who populate them.The reason that they so effectively transport us to another time and place is because they seem to have been written there and then.His mission here is not to explain that epoch to us, but to present it for our consideration, nearly unadorned by modern sensibilities.He writes as if he were actually a contemporary of his heroes and the books have the quality, not of historical novels at all, but instead of classic tales newly rediscovered.Thanks to this unusual style, O'Brian is more often compared to Jane Austen than to C. S. Forester.

I don't mean to mislead anyone; the books aren't for all tastes and, even if you love them, O'Brian'smanner can be frustrating--you sometimes wish you had an interpreter.But once you figure out what he's doing, if you accept the technique, you're in for a real treat.The writing is outstanding.The setting is endlessly interesting.Aubrey, the bluff and hearty sea captain, and Maturin, the vulpine doctor and spy, make for a classic pairing of steadfast opposites, in the tradition of Holmes and Watson.It is not easy reading but it is rewarding and once you read a couple, you'll be hooked.And be warned, before he died earlier this year, O'Brian had completed twenty novels in the series, so you'll be hooked for a good long time.

... Read more

Isbn: 0393307050
Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. English Historical Fiction    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Historical    5. Great Britain    6. Historical - General    7. History, Naval    8. Sea & Ocean    9. Historical fiction    10. Reading Group Guide   

Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
by Nintendo
Average Customer Review:
Video Game (21 October, 2003)
list price: $34.99 -- our price: $29.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Features

• Use power-ups like Warp Whistle and Frog Suits
• Battle in the land, air and sea
• For 1-4 players with Game Link cable
• Help Mario and Luigi stop Bowser and his trouble-making kids
• Run, crush and stomp over your enemies as you conquer 8 different worlds

Reviews (149)

Excellent!
My niece got this game and some other games but i think she likes it the best. so do i. She is so shellfish that she doesn't let me play. so i told my mom to buy one for me.FUN. I HIGHLY RECOMMENDED IT.

I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE MARIO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a really good game and I strongly reccommend it for ANYBODY!!!!! I love all if the levels and they never get old!!!! This game is AWESOME!!!!

still my childhood favorite
This game is excellent!It is just like the super mario brothers games that were out when I had my first Nintendo game player.It is identical to the Super Mario Bros 3 original, but they added additional secrets and graphics that give it a more modern video game appeal. Absolutely the best game for kids, it has goals and requires strategy, which many video games today lack.This is a game I still enjoy playing as an adult. ... Read more

Asin: B00009WAUO
Sales Rank: 52
Subjects:  1. Action    2. Adventure    3. Video Games    4. Nintendo Game Boy Advance (Gameboy)    5. GBA