Reviews Written By: A14MRJMPYTEF31provided by Amazon.com |
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 | Black & Decker G48TD Grill and Waffle Baker | |
 | "Ours is well into its third decade and shows no signs of quitting" | 2009-07-01 |
| While I can't vouch for this exact version, ours from the mid-80s (with slightly different handles, a smaller temp knob and a smaller "Ready" light) still gets plenty of use and works just as well now as it did new out of the box. It's a simple design that does what needs to be done. I especially like the two-sided plates, which make it a breeze to clean. The only thing it doesn't have is an overflow channel. | ||
 | Justice League - Season One (DC Comics Classic Collection) | |
| "Overall, a terrific set of multi-part episodes." | 2008-12-09 |
| I have both the two sets of "Justice League" and the two sets of "Justice League - Unlimited", and of the four, I think the first "Justice League" is my favorite, with the three-part "The Savage Time" being my favorite episode. However, as much as I like "The Savage Time", there are some glaring historical inaccuracies and technological improbabilities/impossibilities that are hard to overlook without some effort. Still, it's a fun watch. | ||
 | Minority Report (Widescreen Edition) | |
 | "First Tom Cruise movie I actually liked." | 2008-11-03 |
| Okay, I'll fess up. I am *not* a Tom Cruise fan; not be a long shot. Every movie I've ever seen in which he stars, he acts pretty much the same; only the movie subject matter and dialog change. However, there are a few scenes in this movie (especially with his son) where he seems to at least somewhat break out of his usual limited range Top Gun/Mission Impossible/Etc. character. As for the movie itself, I won't bore you with spoilers or a long list of plot faults. There are two things, though, that really bug me. The first has to do with the status of his security clearance: it never changes. It should have been revoked when he was accused of the pre-crime or soon thereafter. Second, near the end of the movie he is arrested and charged with not only the original pre-crime intent to murder, but an actual second murder of a key character. It wouldn't make sense for him to commit the murder, wipe down the gun, and then leave it at the murder scene in plain sight. Otherwise, it's a enjoyable flick to watch, and does raise some very interesting questions. | ||
 | Minority Report | |
| "First Tom Cruise movie I actually liked." | 2008-11-03 |
| Okay, I'll fess up. I am *not* a Tom Cruise fan; not be a long shot. Every movie I've ever seen in which he stars, he acts pretty much the same; only the movie subject matter and dialog change. However, there are a few scenes in this movie (especially with his son) where he seems to at least somewhat break out of his usual limited range Top Gun/Mission Impossible/Etc. character. As for the movie itself, I won't bore you with spoilers or a long list of plot faults. There are two things, though, that really bug me. The first has to do with the status of his security clearance: it never changes. It should have been revoked when he was accused of the pre-crime or soon thereafter. Second, near the end of the movie he is arrested and charged with not only the original pre-crime intent to murder, but an actual second murder of a key character. It wouldn't make sense for him to commit the murder, wipe down the gun, and then leave it at the murder scene in plain sight. Otherwise, it's a enjoyable flick to watch, and does raise some very interesting questions. | ||
 | Minority Report (Single Disc Edition) | |
| "First Tom Cruise movie I actually liked." | 2008-11-03 |
| Okay, I'll fess up. I am *not* a Tom Cruise fan; not be a long shot. Every movie I've ever seen in which he stars, he acts pretty much the same; only the movie subject matter and dialog change. However, there are a few scenes in this movie (especially with his son) where he seems to at least somewhat break out of his usual limited range Top Gun/Mission Impossible/Etc. character. As for the movie itself, I won't bore you with spoilers or a long list of plot faults. There are two things, though, that really bug me. The first has to do with the status of his security clearance: it never changes. It should have been revoked when he was accused of the pre-crime or soon thereafter. Second, near the end of the movie he is arrested and charged with not only the original pre-crime intent to murder, but an actual second murder of a key character. It wouldn't make sense for him to commit the murder, wipe down the gun, and then leave it at the murder scene in plain sight. Otherwise, it's a enjoyable flick to watch, and does raise some very interesting questions. | ||
 | Minority Report (Full Screen Edition) | |
| "First Tom Cruise movie I actually liked." | 2008-11-03 |
| Okay, I'll fess up. I am *not* a Tom Cruise fan; not be a long shot. Every movie I've ever seen in which he stars, he acts pretty much the same; only the movie subject matter and dialog change. However, there are a few scenes in this movie (especially with his son) where he seems to at least somewhat break out of his usual limited range Top Gun/Mission Impossible/Etc. character. As for the movie itself, I won't bore you with spoilers or a long list of plot faults. There are two things, though, that really bug me. The first has to do with the status of his security clearance: it never changes. It should have been revoked when he was accused of the pre-crime or soon thereafter. Second, near the end of the movie he is arrested and charged with not only the original pre-crime intent to murder, but an actual second murder of a key character. It wouldn't make sense for him to commit the murder, wipe down the gun, and then leave it at the murder scene in plain sight. Otherwise, it's a enjoyable flick to watch, and does raise some very interesting questions. | ||
 | A Winter's Solstice, Vol. 3 | |
| "Five songs (three vocals and two instrumentals) make this the "best of the best" of the series." | 2007-12-20 |
| "Christmas Bells" by John Gorka, Barbara Higbie's "Lullay, Lully" and "In The Bleak Midwinter" by Pierce Pettis are three of the most heartfelt Christmas songs/carols I have ever heard on record. Add to them Tim Story's rendition of "Of The Father's Love Begotten" and Paul McCandless' arrangement of "Coventry Carol" and, in my opinion, this is the best of the original six "A Winter's Solstice" recordings. | ||
 | Men in Black (Superbit Collection) | |
| "Great movie made even better by Superbit" | 2007-02-17 |
| Mr. Jones' and Mr. Smith's chemistry in this movie is remarkable (and Rip Torn and Tony Shalhoub are great, too). I normally avoid buying DVDs of comedies because for me even the best don't always hold up well after repeated viewings (they get stale). This one definitely maintains its freshness. I was skeptical about the "Superbit" version, given the over-hype of most video and sound technologies, but, since I was able to get it "pre-owned" at a good price, I figured "Why not?". Visually, it's stunning, and the audio is awesome. In the future, if there's a Superbit version of a movie I want to buy, that's the one I'll get. | ||
 | Men in Black (Deluxe Edition) | |
| "Great movie made even better by Superbit" | 2007-02-17 |
| Mr. Jones' and Mr. Smith's chemistry in this movie is remarkable (and Rip Torn and Tony Shalhoub are great, too). I normally avoid buying DVDs of comedies because for me even the best don't always hold up well after repeated viewings (they get stale). This one definitely maintains its freshness. I was skeptical about the "Superbit" version, given the over-hype of most video and sound technologies, but, since I was able to get it "pre-owned" at a good price, I figured "Why not?". Visually, it's stunning, and the audio is awesome. In the future, if there's a Superbit version of a movie I want to buy, that's the one I'll get. | ||
 | Men in Black II (Widescreen Special Edition) | |
 | "Where this sequel is strong, it is v-e-r-y strong. Where it is weak, it is v-e-r-y weak." | 2007-02-17 |
| Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith are back and, IMHO, and their chemistry is as good if not better than in the original (this time IMHO Jones deserved top billing). Rip Torn is given some lines that I'm sure made him wonder if the $$$ he received from being in the second movie was worth the public embarrassment. Tony Shalhoub, on the other hand, is hilarious during the deneuralizer scenes (even though the writers saddled him with stolen lines). On the other hand, with the exception of Johnny Knoxville as Scrad/Charlie, the villians are downright awful, and, as much as I like Patrick Warburton's other work, his short appearance here was pretty bad. The Superbit technology doesn't get as many opportunities to shine as in MIB, although it is quite noticeable during the first subway scene and at the end. I'm still impressed enough with Superbit to choose it over other formats, even if I sacrifice the DVD "bonus features" to have it. | ||
 | Men in Black Limited Edition | |
| "Great movie made even better by Superbit" | 2007-02-17 |
| Mr. Jones' and Mr. Smith's chemistry in this movie is remarkable (and Rip Torn and Tony Shalhoub are great, too). I normally avoid buying DVDs of comedies because for me even the best don't always hold up well after repeated viewings (they get stale). This one definitely maintains its freshness. I was skeptical about the "Superbit" version, given the over-hype of most video and sound technologies, but, since I was able to get it "pre-owned" at a good price, I figured "Why not?". Visually, it's stunning, and the audio is awesome. In the future, if there's a Superbit version of a movie I want to buy, that's the one I'll get. | ||
 | Men in Black (Collector's Series) - DTS | |
| "Great movie made even better by Superbit" | 2007-02-17 |
| Mr. Jones' and Mr. Smith's chemistry in this movie is remarkable (and Rip Torn and Tony Shalhoub are great, too). I normally avoid buying DVDs of comedies because for me even the best don't always hold up well after repeated viewings (they get stale). This one definitely maintains its freshness. I was skeptical about the "Superbit" version, given the over-hype of most video and sound technologies, but, since I was able to get it "pre-owned" at a good price, I figured "Why not?". Visually, it's stunning, and the audio is awesome. In the future, if there's a Superbit version of a movie I want to buy, that's the one I'll get. | ||
 | Men in Black | |
| "Great movie made even better by Superbit" | 2007-02-17 |
| Mr. Jones' and Mr. Smith's chemistry in this movie is remarkable (and Rip Torn and Tony Shalhoub are great, too). I normally avoid buying DVDs of comedies because for me even the best don't always hold up well after repeated viewings (they get stale). This one definitely maintains its freshness. I was skeptical about the "Superbit" version, given the over-hype of most video and sound technologies, but, since I was able to get it "pre-owned" at a good price, I figured "Why not?". Visually, it's stunning, and the audio is awesome. In the future, if there's a Superbit version of a movie I want to buy, that's the one I'll get. | ||
 | Men in Black II | |
| "Where this sequel is strong, it is v-e-r-y strong. Where it is weak, it is v-e-r-y weak." | 2007-02-17 |
| Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith are back and, IMHO, and their chemistry is as good if not better than in the original (this time IMHO Jones deserved top billing). Rip Torn is given some lines that I'm sure made him wonder if the $$$ he received from being in the second movie was worth the public embarrassment. Tony Shalhoub, on the other hand, is hilarious during the deneuralizer scenes (even though the writers saddled him with stolen lines). On the other hand, with the exception of Johnny Knoxville as Scrad/Charlie, the villians are downright awful, and, as much as I like Patrick Warburton's other work, his short appearance here was pretty bad. The Superbit technology doesn't get as many opportunities to shine as in MIB, although it is quite noticeable during the first subway scene and at the end. I'm still impressed enough with Superbit to choose it over other formats, even if I sacrifice the DVD "bonus features" to have it. | ||
 | Men in Black II (Full Screen Special Edition) | |
| "Where this sequel is strong, it is v-e-r-y strong. Where it is weak, it is v-e-r-y weak." | 2007-02-17 |
| Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith are back and, IMHO, and their chemistry is as good if not better than in the original (this time IMHO Jones deserved top billing). Rip Torn is given some lines that I'm sure made him wonder if the $$$ he received from being in the second movie was worth the public embarrassment. Tony Shalhoub, on the other hand, is hilarious during the deneuralizer scenes (even though the writers saddled him with stolen lines). On the other hand, with the exception of Johnny Knoxville as Scrad/Charlie, the villians are downright awful, and, as much as I like Patrick Warburton's other work, his short appearance here was pretty bad. The Superbit technology doesn't get as many opportunities to shine as in MIB, although it is quite noticeable during the first subway scene and at the end. I'm still impressed enough with Superbit to choose it over other formats, even if I sacrifice the DVD "bonus features" to have it. | ||
 | Men in Black | |
| "Great movie made even better by Superbit" | 2007-02-17 |
| Mr. Jones' and Mr. Smith's chemistry in this movie is remarkable (and Rip Torn and Tony Shalhoub are great, too). I normally avoid buying DVDs of comedies because for me even the best don't always hold up well after repeated viewings (they get stale). This one definitely maintains its freshness. I was skeptical about the "Superbit" version, given the over-hype of most video and sound technologies, but, since I was able to get it "pre-owned" at a good price, I figured "Why not?". Visually, it's stunning, and the audio is awesome. In the future, if there's a Superbit version of a movie I want to buy, that's the one I'll get. | ||
 | Men in Black - Special Edition | |
| "Great movie made even better by Superbit" | 2007-02-17 |
| Mr. Jones' and Mr. Smith's chemistry in this movie is remarkable (and Rip Torn and Tony Shalhoub are great, too). I normally avoid buying DVDs of comedies because for me even the best don't always hold up well after repeated viewings (they get stale). This one definitely maintains its freshness. I was skeptical about the "Superbit" version, given the over-hype of most video and sound technologies, but, since I was able to get it "pre-owned" at a good price, I figured "Why not?". Visually, it's stunning, and the audio is awesome. In the future, if there's a Superbit version of a movie I want to buy, that's the one I'll get. | ||
 | Men in Black II (Superbit Collection) | |
| "Where this sequel is strong, it is v-e-r-y strong. Where it is weak, it is v-e-r-y weak." | 2007-02-17 |
| Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith are back and, IMHO, and their chemistry is as good if not better than in the original (this time IMHO Jones deserved top billing). Rip Torn is given some lines that I'm sure made him wonder if the $$$ he received from being in the second movie was worth the public embarrassment. Tony Shalhoub, on the other hand, is hilarious during the deneuralizer scenes (even though the writers saddled him with stolen lines). On the other hand, with the exception of Johnny Knoxville as Scrad/Charlie, the villians are downright awful, and, as much as I like Patrick Warburton's other work, his short appearance here was pretty bad. The Superbit technology doesn't get as many opportunities to shine as in MIB, although it is quite noticeable during the first subway scene and at the end. I'm still impressed enough with Superbit to choose it over other formats, even if I sacrifice the DVD "bonus features" to have it. | ||
 | Belkin Dual Form Factor Small Enterprise UPS - 1000 VA - UPS battery ( F6C1000-TW-RK ) | |
| "Can't beat the cost-to-value ratio and great tech support/warranty coverage" | 2007-02-15 |
| I bought this in January of '07 to act as a UPS and AVR for my entertainment equipment. It plays its part to perfection, and the included monitoring software is top-notch (just plan to invest in a longer USB cable if your monitoring PC isn't close by). Update after seven months of use: Battery apparently died over the weekend. Finally got around to calling Belkin today and they will replace it free of charge (less the cost of shipping back the defective unit) no questions asked. The support person even suggested I dispose of the battery locally and only ship back the UPS housing to save on shipping costs. Can't beat that for tech support/warranty coverage. | ||
 | Stan Freberg - Stan Freberg Presents The United States Of America, Vol. 1, The Early Years, And Vol. 2, The Middle Years | |
| "Five stars for Volume 1; one star for Volume 2" | 2005-04-19 |
| "Vol. 1, The Early Years" is without a doubt the best comedy recording I have ever heard. I personally discovered it back in the mid-80s, when I came across a copy of the album one Saturday at the radio station where I worked. It was listened to many a time "in cue" or after sign-off. I simply could not get enough of it. I also listened repeatedly to his "Original Cast" greatest hits album and the classic "Freeberg Underground" live recording he did in the mid-60s at the Hollywood Bowl.
Ever since then, I had hoped that a) Vol. 1 would someday come out on CD, and b) that he would eventually make good on his promise in the original album's liner notes to bring out a Vol. 2. Well, both of my wishes came true. Vol. 1 is out on CD and as good if not better than I remember it. Plus, they added back in some parts that were cut so the original recording could fit on one LP. Vol. 2, on the other hand, is a *major* disappointment. Vol. 2 simply tries too hard. It tries to tackle a huge amount of American history (from the late 1700s through the end of World War I) in 34 tracks on one CD (a virtually impossible task). It tries to satirize events during the Civil War (a hopeless task). And, its satire lacks the "let's not take ourselves too seriously" light-heartedness of Vol. 1, which is another way of saying it is trying to be Politically Correct. It's a shame Vol. 2 wasn't written and produced soon after Vol. 1. I honestly believe Stan and Co. would have come up with another classic. I too wish Rhino still offered Vol. 1 separately. From a marketing/business standpoint, I understand why they don't do it. Still, if you don't have Vol. 1, it's worth the sacrifice to buy the two-volume set just to get it. Who knows? You may end up liking Vol. 2. If not, it makes a good (albeit expensive) coaster. | ||
 | Gerber 07563 MP600 Pro-Scout | |
| "Gerber beats Leatherman hands down!" | 2004-06-02 |
| Paul Harvey can shill all he wants for Leatherman, but, having owned both this Gerber Pro-Scout and a comparable Leatherman, I must say Gerber beats Leatherman hands down. The Gerber is s-o-o much easier to use due to its design, and its quality is second to none. I've had my present Pro-Scout for several years, carry it on my hip nearly everywhere I go (except when flying or attending major sporting events; sadly, it falls into the "weapon" category since 9/11), use it at least a dozen times a day, and would feel somewhat incomplete without it. If you are looking to buy a *serious* multi-tool, give the Gerber a long, hard look. I personally don't think it will matter whether you try it out before or after the Leatherman. Either way, unless the Leatherman model has a tool you just can't live without, I honestly believe you will go with the Gerber. | ||
 | Tipke 5500 Full Height Rear Gate | |
 | "An unnecessary (and extremely aggravating) accessory" | 2003-12-02 |
| Purchased this rear gate with my cart, only to find that a) you need two people (at least) to install the gate on the cart, and b) if you *do* somehow manage to get it installed (which I never did), you certainly won't want to remove it any time soon, thus completely defeating the "folding" aspect of the cart. I kept the cart (which I like precisely *because* it folds up so well), but returned the gate for a refund. Tipke really needs to invest some R&D monies into engineering a full rear gate that actually *works* with this cart (I have some ideas, if they're interested). | ||
 | An Hysteric Return | |
| ""Vintage" P.D.Q. Bach" | 2003-07-04 |
| I was first introduced to the "artistry" of P.D.Q. Bach in the late '70s via "The Wurst of P.D.Q. Bach" compilation. That album is long gone, so, now that I'm going through my mid-life "transition", I'm rediscovering good ol' P.D.Q. via the original Vanguard recordings. This is, to my knowledge, the second of the P.D.Q. Bach recordings, and it is truly a side-splitting classic. If you have "The Wurst", you may still want this recording, too, as it contains the complete "The Seasonings" as well as the full introduction and third movement of the "Unbegun" Symphony. WARNING: if you listen to this while driving, make sure you're on a road with a good, wide paved shoulder. You will likely need it so you can pull off to recover from a fit of hysterical laughter. | ||
 | An Evening with PDQ Bach | |
| ""Vintage" P.D.Q. Bach" | 2003-07-04 |
| I was first introduced to the "artistry" of P.D.Q. Bach in the late '70s via "The Wurst of P.D.Q. Bach" compilation. That album is long gone, so, now that I'm going through my mid-life "transition", I'm rediscovering good ol' P.D.Q. via the original Vanguard recordings. This is, to my knowledge, the first of the P.D.Q. Bach recordings, and it is truly a side-splitting classic. The cantata, "Iphigenia in Brooklyn", including Schickele's introduction, is to me one of the funniest recordings of any kind ever made. The "Concerto for Horn and Hardart" is also absolutely hilarious. WARNING: if you listen to this while driving, make sure you're on a road with a good, wide paved shoulder. You will likely need it so you can pull off to recover from a fit of hysterical laughter. | ||
 | P.D.Q. Bach on the Air | |
| ""Vintage" P.D.Q. Bach" | 2003-07-04 |
| I was first introduced to the "artistry" of P.D.Q. Bach in the late '70s via "The Wurst of P.D.Q. Bach" compilation. That album is long gone, so, now that I'm going through my mid-life "transition", I'm rediscovering good ol' P.D.Q. via the original Vanguard recordings. This is, to my knowledge, the third of the P.D.Q. Bach recordings, and it is truly a side-splitting classic. Even if you have "The Wurst", get this recording if you are at all a radio fan. It's especially funny if you have ever worked in radio and have any experience with on-air "adventures". WARNING: if you listen to this while driving, make sure you're on a road with a good, wide paved shoulder. You will likely need it so you can pull off to recover from a fit of hysterical laughter. | ||
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