Reviews Written By: A15TIAG5RDIGGYprovided by Amazon.com |
 | ||
 | Griffin iTripAuto Dock Connector for iPod | |
 | "Oh my, it actually WORKS" | 2009-10-11 |
| I have no tape deck or built in iPod dock in my car, so I've been beholden to the FM transmitter since I got my first iPod years ago. When I lived in Rhode Island, the performance of my trusty (Griffin) Road Trip was fine, but then I moved to Chicago and found the dial more crowded, and suddenly I couldn't get a clear signal. It wasn't worth trying to use the Road Trip (ever) because static drowned out the signal. When I got my iPod Nano the problem got much worse, as if the tiny thing wasn't meant to work with my older Road Trip.
Then I moved to Houston, and discovered to my chagrin, that I had the same problem with crowded dial and insufferable static. In despair, I was about to give up on the idea of an FM transmitter when I spotted the reviews for this version. I wondered how the cheaper iTrip could actually compare to my more costly Road Trip, but decided that it was cheap enough to give it a shot. Well, being able to go below 88.1 FM makes all the difference, it turns out. Following the directions so kindly shared here I now have the thing preset to 87.9 and 87.5, and the signal is great. I rarely get interference, and although I do turn the volume on my stereo up a bit high to listen to podcasts, the sound quality is really good. Very happy with this purchase- the first time in my life that the superior gadget turned out to be the cheaper option. | ||
 | TomTom ONE 140-S 3.5" Car GPS w/ Adv. Lane Guidance | |
| "Oh TomTom, how did I live without thee?" | 2009-06-01 |
| This is the first GPS I've ever bought, so I cannot compare it to others. I am constantly, hopelessly lost and am the traffic hazard who's consistently trying to read printed directions and drive at the same time, all the while panicking that I'm going to miss my exit. Then I nearly miss my exit and have to pull some ridiculous driving move that involves rapidly switching lanes. But I digress... I first used the TomTom to navigate somewhere I already knew, as a test. It immediately helped me out by reminding me which lane to stay in so that I'd be in the right place to turn left. When I merged onto Route 41 it advised me several times that my exit would be on the left. I was in love. The voice was crisp and clear, and I could hear it easily over my music. I am SO much calmer and can pay so much more attention to the road when I have this thing set up. The second and other times I used it, I noticed one thing that I wish I could change- whether it says which exit number to take. The TomTom gives you so much warning that you're going to need to exit, that I need to be careful not to take the wrong exit and get off the highway too soon. (The exits are very close together on Chicago's 90/93). If it said "Exit 27A" for example, I'd be happier. It avoids road names altogether. (Edit- I realized that you can change this just by using one of the computer voices! The human voices don't name roads. My husband prefers the human, I prefer the computer version and exit names, so we have both.) I DO like that when I miss a road it quickly readjusts without the annoying "recalculating" announcement that some GPS units use. I also found this screen size perfectly large. You can download celebrity voices to use on it- which includes Mr. T. Can you imagine Mr. T giving you driving directions? The site also has Dracula. I would not trust the flimsy suction. I bought mine with a "Bracketron UFM-100BL Nav-Mat GPS Friction Dash Pad" and it never falls off the dash no matter what evil turns I make or potholes I hit. Edit- I am actually returning this device. When I plugged it into my computer it prompted me to update the map on my device. The map it downloaded was, strangely, too big for the maximum capacity of my device. Somehow, trying to download it broke the map that had been on my device. Tom Tom's solution? Mail it back to them and they'd fix it. Sadly, I need this device for a road trip in 2 weeks, so I'm not keeping it. And their customer service was so technically inept that I was put off. Beware the map updates! | ||
 | Fat Free Yoga - Total Tune-UP | |
 | "Other yoga DVDs can't compete!" | 2008-07-16 |
| Ana and Ravi's yoga DVDs have spoiled me for all other yoga discs! Before trying my first one of their discs I had been doing vinyasa flow yoga for almost ten years, with the occasional dabble in power yoga. I had tried a couple of other kundalini discs and hadn't liked them particularly. These are different. They really work your spirit and your body. This particular disc is divided up into four parts, each about 20 minutes long (Though I think Part 1 is longer and Part 4 shorter.) Part 1 contains a breath meditation and warmups, Part 2 focuses mostly on the core (naval center= belly workout), Part 3 is further workout for the body, and Part 4 slows you down and works your emotions/takes you through final relaxation and meditation. The whole thing is about 80 minutes, and I'll either do Part 1 , 2 OR 3 and then 4, or do everything depending on my time constraints. You can sorta tell, after seeing the others that this and Yoga Cleanse are their first DVDs (slightly lower production quality and a little rougher), but it doesn't take away from the experience at all. These DVDs have tightened up my body a lot and help calm my mind. I can't recommend them highly enough. I anticipate new Ana/Ravi releases like crazy. | ||
 | Hoover F5914-900 SteamVac with Clean Surge | |
| "Works well, but some usability issues" | 2007-11-21 |
| This carpet shampooer works really well, when everything is seated properly. It really seems to suck up water more efficiently than the Bissell I used to have, so you don't need to avoid the shampooed spot for hours. It also really does a great job on the carpet stains we inherited. It seems whomever lived in this apartment before us never cleaned the bedroom carpet, and had a cat. Yuck. One of my dogs decided to add to the mess by boot-scooting this morning with, er, some mess on her backside. After cleaning her up, I looked at the carpet in dismay, and out came the Hoover. Now, you wouldn't be able to guess that there was a blemish on the carpet this morning! The first time I used it, it worked perfectly, but today it wasn't sucking water up. Lissie is right- if you aren't getting water suction, something IS mis-seated. So, my tips for this unit: 1. Any time you aren't getting suction, the first thing to do is check the dirty water bin. I re-seated the thing about ten times this morning, trying to figure out why suction on the unit had ceased. (The dirty water tank was bone dry.) I was frustrated because I was absolutely sure everything was seated properly, but was still getting no suction. Finally, I pushed on the lid from the _sides_ rather than the back or front while attaching it to the tank, and it seated a little bit differently. Suction was restored! 2. To clean out the suction area, pour some hot water on a tile floor (NOT wood) and suck it up. Repeat until everything is flowing smoothly. Sometimes, reduced or minimal suction is due to gnarly clogs. Again, though, if you're getting NO suction, the culprit is probably the dirty water bin's lid. 3. I LOVE this product with Earth Friendly Products' Carpet Shampoo. You only need 1.5 oz of it per gallon as opposed to Hoover's 5, and it smells wonderfully of bergamot and sage. Seriously, do a search on the product. It makes my bedroom smell lovely when I use it, plus it's non-toxic so any kids or pets (or heck, you) don't have to deal with caustic chemicals. (I don't work for them, I just needed to rave.) I deducted a star because whether the usability problems can be easily solved or not, the number of people plagued by them (particularly the suction if you search around online) indicates a user interface problem. | ||
 | Yoga Zone - Yoga Sculpting for Beginners | |
 | "Workouts nice by themselves, but redundant" | 2006-04-01 |
| When the DVD loaded and the menu looked a bit cheap, I was worried. I was further worried when the initial screen loaded and because this was filmed in Jamaica they'd decided to open with the obligatory reggae music. I was afraid the music would maintain throughout and be a distraction, but it faded into something softer that I hardly noticed after a few minutes. The first thing that occured to me was that this was definitely more of an intermediate workout. I could do all of the poses, but was putting a fair amount of energy into it. I was fairly pleased. Modifications were well explained and both of the instructors on this disc were pleasant. The first twenty minutes, focusing on the arms, flew by. The second 20 minute routine (focusing on "the butt"), which I did in the same session, (20 minutes isn't long enough for me, 40 is a little light but fine) contained the same basic 2-person structure. I felt like some of the poses in this section were redundant, and some literally were repetitions (the table series, for example.) If the two sessions were more compatible, I'd order a copy of this (I rented it). As it stands, both are nice by themselves, but don't work together unless you're tolerant of redundancy. | ||
 | Bryan Kest Power Yoga Complete Collection | |
| "A tough, but exhilarating workout" | 2004-12-23 |
| I have only done 2 out of 3 workouts so far "Energize" and "Tone" so I can't speak to all of this, but I liked the first two. What was odd to me was that the second seemed far easier than the first. I was surprised- I thought I'd be working up a ladder. "Energize" really gives me a workout, and I am in the intermediate range. It's really invigorating with a lot of emphasis on sun salutations with pushups, lunges, warror 1, etc. I'm pretty well worked out after just that portion. (Tone takes it a little easier in this arena). Kest can be a little annoying, and he does man-handle his students (male and female- he seems to take turns- in "Energize" he positions the women, in "Tone" the men get it), but he's thorough and explains clearly. He's also good at reminding students/viewers what the point of yoga is and what they should be focusing on. Yoga in jeans though? Ouch ;> After doing this workout I felt like my body was aligned differently and I stood taller. Recommended! This is one of my weekly staples. I just wish hitting the chapter button skipped past the introductions (I don't need the glamour shots of Bryan every time) rather than skipping between workouts so I didn't always have to fast forward. (p.s. the on-screen class possibly has even more men than women in it, unlike most with their token male member, so I agree with many reviewers that this'd be a good one for a guy who's already fit to try to get into yoga) | ||
 | Yoga Shakti | |
| "A really different yoga DVD" | 2004-12-23 |
| This is a lovely yoga video in so many ways. I, like most reviewers, cannot rave enough about the "yoga matrix"- the feature of this DVD that allows you to choose which poses you want to do. Wonderful, wonderful feature. I went through each of the four pre-set workouts first though to get familiar with the poses, and that was an interesting experience because the two "solar flows" contain much harder poses than the other two. There really is great variety in the level of difficulty on this tape- some of the poses I just couldn't do, and some I had to stay at the first level. That was a bit humbling (and reminded me that working with where you are is important in yoga), but it's nice now that I've moved on to using the custom practice feature- I can add in a new difficult one each time to work on. I recommend having a block and a strap handy before getting started with this DVD. Some of the poses use them regardless of your skill level. I didn't own either of these because I hadn't tried poses in a while where I needed them (not since beginner classes). The music and the scenery were lovely, but here are my (relatively minor) gripes. 1. Sometimes Shiva moves too quickly and it's hard to follow her when learning the poses. Many of these poses were new to me and I was lost trying to follow the instructions. This DVD seems to assume familiarity with the poses in advance- in fact there are some it advises against doing unless you've learned them with an instructor. I admit to cheating on that front. 2. The poses are almost always called by their Sanskrit name. This is cool except for the fact that when doing a home routine it's easier to not have to look at the TV in the middle of a pose, and I am not familiar with some of the Sanskrit names for poses. I am definitely learning them, but it was really frustrating at first. 3. The poses are not organized in the booklet in the same order that they are in the matrix, so if you need to look one up it can be confusing. Also, it''d be nice when adding poses to your routine if the DVD would tell you how long each segment was instead of just the name (I set a specific amount of time aside for my yoga). 3. Sometimes the camera doesn't pan quickly enough to the part of the body you need to see to assume a pose. I think a beginner would need to be careful about what poses s/he attempted in this and would need to read the book carefully or stick to the first basic workout or the lunar flow for a while. I'd say to get the most out of this a practitioner probably would want to be intermediate - and able to keep some perspective on not being able to manage all of the intense bends Shiva does. p.s I was so glad to find that this contained different breathing exercises as well as a wonderful, calming forward bend sequence. Yay! | ||
 | Insight Adjustable Book & Copy Holder | |
| "Perfect for papers, not for books" | 2004-07-05 |
| This holder keeps papers upright and in position, but it doesn't handle books particularly well, as the clip cannot grip surfaces as thick as most books and the base isn't as wide as most books when they're opened. I have this AND a book stand so I keep myself covered on both ends. | ||
 | MTV Yoga | |
| "Another yoga veteran who loves this!" | 2004-06-09 |
| Ok, I heard MTV and Yoga in the same sentence and I thought "oxymoron". I really had the lowest of low expectations, assuming that the poses would be wrongly named, poorly executed, etc. I thought the use of Lori Trespicio from The Real World NYC as a "host" would be eye-roll worthy. The promise of background music from a great DJ (he did the soundtrack for the movie "Go") actually was off-putting in this setting. I was surprised on all counts. I've been involved with yoga for years and the poses were named correctly and executed properly, the instruction was clear and easy to follow. Lori was really in the background and didn't speak throughout the whole thing (she was just used as an example of a beginner) so her presence was absolutely unnecessary and a weird selling point. The instructor, Kristin, turned me off at first because her mention that this wouldn't be like the yoga most people think of with it's "hokey new age music" put the fear into me (I like the meditative music the yoga schools I have been in use). I actually found the soundtrack pleasantly inconspicuous (and loved that it can be turned off so all you hear is the instructor- I can put on my own background music, yay!) The poses were poses I have done in school before and I liked their explanations of important points. Honestly, Kristin was as good as some yoga instructors I have had. This is a very good tape as long as you can fit a mat in your room. I am almost shocked. Be forewarned that you need a yoga mat before beginning this. I also think final relaxation needs to be longer, and is best done with something like a cooling mint/lavender eye bag, so you might consider lowering the lights and pausing/stopping the video when it gets to final relaxation. Also, even the beginning steps might be a bit rugged if you're really out of shape and you can skip some steps until you get stronger. | ||
 | Invader ZIM - Doom Doom Doom (Vol. 1) | |
| "I'm naked! Naked Naked Naked Naked Naked!" | 2004-05-23 |
| It shouldn't surprise me that people who weren't fans of Jhonen Vasquez's work before this animated venture have seen it. After all, it stands on it's own. I'd be able to spot this as Vasquez's work in a heartbeat though- it's got the same coloring he prefers to use (blacks, purples, greens), and the very distinctive animation style (oddly cute characters). One of the things I have always loved about his cartoons (animated and still) is his gift for the absolutely absurd. The lines in this are infinitely quotable- and the voice actors are great- especially Gir's- "I'm naked! Naked naked naked!""I love this show!" While the subtitles on this disc are useless, they did make me laugh- I mean all DVDs have to have a subtitle feature, right? Ha, as I'm typing this I am rehashing all of my favorite moments, lines, images- etc. I love when Gir leaves his navigation chip at home to make room for his cupcake, and his fuel to make room for tuna. I love the head pigeons and that when the electronic house gets built the first thing that appears is a couch. Vasquez's characters are always manic as well- alternately shouting and muttering fiendishly. Zim reminded me of an alien Johnnny (if you don't know, check out his comic series- Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, Squee, and I Feel Sick). The parent-bots actually remind me a lot of the zombie people in Johnny too- but I should stop comparing, this is one of the weirdest and most original cartoons to make it onto a major network- possibly ever. Jhonen Vasquez is a real sly character and while I don't know how Nickelodeon wound up picking this up, I'm glad it did. | ||
 | The Emperor's Club (Widescreen Edition) | |
| "Amazing, inspiring" | 2004-04-24 |
| One of the most wonderful movies I have seen in some time- it covered topics that could have easily been cliched and overly moralistic- it could have been predictable and sappy. It was none of those things. I thought I knew exactly what I would be seeing, and I was wrong. Incidently, this is a film about a great teacher, at a boys prep school, and how he changes the lives of his students, and in one case doesn't. This film becomes more profound the more I reflect on it- it was more real than a movie, than most movies that try to be real even are. I constantly failed in my predictions of where this was going while watching it. This will be among my favorite films I have ever seen. Films than inspired me to live my life differently. And not just because I'm a teacher... | ||
 | Daredevil (Widescreen Edition) | |
 | "So... empty" | 2004-02-16 |
| Wow was this.. empty. It seemed like a lot of the movie had been cut because the transitions from one plot aspect to the next seemed choppy- too abrupt. One minute Electra wouldn't give Matt her name, the next minute they were kissing, the next minute they were doing the sex. This movie was just so vapid- especially compared to Spiderman which took pains to develop the characters and bring out their humanity, building an action movie that was also emotional. Daredevil was just missing something essential and epitomized Hollywood blockbuster film at its worst. The only thing I can say is the bat-style sonar effects were well done. Oh, and of course the Stan Lee cameo always tickles me. | ||
 | Guide to Owning a Shih Tzu: Puppy Care, Grooming, Training, History, Health, Breed Standard | |
| "Overly focused on showing/competitions" | 2004-02-09 |
| This book is great if you're looking to figure out whether your shih tzu is showable and can participate in competitions. Other than that, there are far more helpful books out there in terms of puppy care, how to work with and train a shih tzu, etc. I didn't learn anything from this book since I don't intend to show my dog. There isn't anything else in this book that is unique or particularly well done. If you do want to show your furry friend... this might be for you | ||
 | Living with a Shih Tzu | |
| "A really impressive general survey" | 2004-02-09 |
| I have read about a million books and magazines and articles on the shih tzu as a breed recently (as I just adopted a rescue puppy) and this one was by far the best-the only one worth even mentioning among those I read. It doesn't just cover the general (nebulus) history of the breed or how to show a dog, but really everything about the different stages of the dog's life and how different aspects of training apply to the breed (not just how to crate train, but how to crate train a shih tzu!) I learned some great puppy tips and some new things about shih tzus in particular. Tons of cute photos as well. As I mentioned, I found in my reading that most books/ magazines emphasize how to figure out if your shih tzu is show-able and if then, to start getting it into shows and competitions. This book didn't emphasize that at all, but rather focused on responsible dog care, really knowing what you're getting into by getting a shih tzu puppy, and everything that could possibly come up as a question in the life of the dog. I learned a bunch of techniques and tips as well. The writing style was clear and friendly, the values were apparent, and the tips really work. | ||
 | Sennheiser PX 200 Traditional Closed Collapsible Headphones | |
| "I wanted something comfortable and portable" | 2003-12-01 |
| I wanted something comfortable and very portable to use with my iPod. I hate earbuds, so the ones that came with the iPod weren't something I wanted to use. After doing a lot of research I settled on these for their reported combination of comfort, the fact that they fold up, and their sound quality. I haven't been disappointed. I love the way music sounds on these and they're so comfortable- never have I had as comfortable a pair of headphones. I am completely satisfied. I got these over the 100s because well, higher number = higher quality, right? Heh, not sure, but I'd definitely recommend them to anyone I know and in fact did just recommend them as a Christmas present for my sister. | ||
 | HoMedics Therapist Select Shiatsu Massager, Model No. SM-100 | |
| "I really didn't expect very much!" | 2003-10-13 |
| I got this as a wedding present from friends who knew how stressed out I was/am. I honestly thought it'd be terrible- I am just really dubious about such products. I took out an inflatable soft head pillow, a strap to attach it onto a chair (my desk chair! I thought- the pictures showed a car seat but I share my car so I decided to mount it to my desk chair). Well, I use it there and I use it on the couch to massage my neck and back. It feels soooooo good. I mostly sit upright with it and start from the top of my back, working down. You can adjust how far apart the little rotating knobs are and what direction they go in. After a little tweaking anyone could get a good massage out of this. Really impressive, even though it's a little creepy to watch the "hands in a bag" do their work. I highly recommend this as a pampering tool, relaxation device, stress reducer, etc. Only thing- it said not to massage before bed because the massage would be stimulating and keep me up- no way, one massage from this thing and I am ready to have a nice nap :) | ||
 | Media and Communication Research Methods: An Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches | |
| "Consise, easy to understand- and altogether a pleasant read!" | 2003-07-22 |
| This is a really straightforward and easy to understand book. Berger carefully and thoroughly goes over different methods used to create original research, both qualitative and qualitative. He carefully spells out the drawbacks each can have and outlines the important tactics that a researcher can use to insure the validity of their findings. Among the topics covered in this book are how research proposals generally work, interviewing, content analysis, historical analysis (quantitative), polling, statistical analysis, and testing (experiments) (qualitative). He also talks about different kinds of textual analysis and includes in here possibly the clearest explanation of semiotics I have ever come across. He has a plain, un-jargonized writing style and breaks apart text with cute illustrations and some admittedly lame "skits" (always between "him" and the "Grand Inquisitor" - you'll see. These are apparently supposed to be funny, but aren't.) The chapters in this book are aided even further by never being so long as to be overwhelming. Berger doesn't mince words, but explains precisely and completely- and then switches to a new topic. Would that more authors would learn how to do this! This was assigned reading for a graduate level class in which we prepared our thesis proposals. I think it should be mandatory reading for anyone considering embarking on original media research. I liked this book and though I would never have picked it up on my own- I am grateful that of all the choices there must be out there, my teacher chose this book. | ||
 | Why We Buy: The Science Of Shopping | |
| "A must for anyone opening their own store" | 2003-07-16 |
| There was definitely some really useful information in this book, and I learned some really cool things about how stores ought to be laid out. If I were opening up my own store I'd make sure to read this. I think a lot of stores need to be more deliberate about where they place items, info. they want read by consumers, racks, baskets, and chairs. It's all the obvious stuff in here that people just don't seem to think about. My local CVS could take the hint about putting baskets elsewhere in the store besides the very front. As Underhill points out, I don't know whether I'll need a basket until I'm in the middle of the store and have picked out a few things. And I'm more likely to buy more if my arms don't get filled up. I admit to not being able to go into a store now without analyzing it, but this book repeated itself an awful lot. I felt like the whole thing could have been condensed into an article, or might have been more fun if it was presented as a series of case studies. Just my .02. | ||
 | The Tourist: A New Theory of the Leisure Class | |
| "One of the more accessible books on the topic" | 2003-06-25 |
| What I liked about MacCannell's book was how easy it was to read- now, granted, I was forced to plow through this in a week, so I didn't get to savor it- but I really felt like I understood far more than I usually do- like the book had enough of substance to say that it wasn't necessary to obscure the ideas with jargon. It seemed like in many ways this was a rebuttal to Daniel Boorstin's "The Image: A Guide to Pseudo Events in America" , which presents a fairly elitist distinction between traveller and tourist. MacCannell expressely mentions Boorstin's ideas and decries them as being counterproductive- that we'd all like to elevate ourselves above the majority, but are mostly deceiving ourselves that this distinction is true. Also, some very interesting stuff in here about how a sight is established- how it is marked- the interplay of markers and signs. His work on Staged Authenticity is also quite compelling- the idea of Front, Back, and Reality- spaces where everyone can go, restricted spaces that are still modified knowing outsiders will pass through, and spaces that are authentic. His examples involving Paris are especially interesting. I'd recommend checking out this AND the Boorstin. | ||
 | Game Boy Advance SP - Platinum | |
| "The only Gameboy system I have ever liked" | 2003-06-05 |
| Thank you, Nintendo! Finally a screen I can actually see! The graphics look amazing. This little pocket sized system is one of the cooler gadgets I've seen in a long time. I love that it folds up- with the screen folded all the way up it's just like playing the meatier old gameboys. With the screen folded in, it's much smaller and easier to tote around. The rechargable battery is great. The silver looks classy, and I love the game selections. This is at long last a portable video game system that I actually can use out of the box without buying any adapters or accessories. I am in love. | ||
 | Knitting for Dummies | |
| "I am so thankful for this book" | 2002-11-30 |
| I had never bought a "for dummies" book before, it seemed like conceding that I was slow at a particular topic... however, I saw all of the good reviews on this one and thought I might give it a shot. All of the other knitting books I read didn't explain things as they need to be explained to a beginner- even if they were meant for a beginner. It seems as though most authors forget how beginners think. This one is just great- friendly, lively tone, well paced, great illustrations. I am just so glad I own this book- it's one of my favorite knitting books I own, and I own a lot of them. I'd recommend this to any beginner as absolutely essential. | ||
 | Adobe Illustrator 10 - Design Professional | |
| "A really underrated publisher" | 2002-11-29 |
| I got this book as a screener for a class on Adobe Illustrator and I am really impressed. For one, it's not an overwhelming book- it's got beautiful color graphics and spaces out the text very well on the page so it's easy to follow the examples. Plus, there are a whole bunch of really good example files you can download from the publisher's site. The examples here really help you learn the software bit by bit. Nothing about this book is intimidating; it really helps you get into the software without frustration. There are a couple of confusing passages, but that's many less than most books have. Plus, I've never enjoyed all of the black and white books filled with text out there nearly as much as I enjoyed this. Better than the more popular titles, no names mentioned. | ||
 | Geometry of Design: Studies in Proportion and Composition | |
| "Not so good as an introduction" | 2002-11-18 |
| So I am given this book by a colleague and told that it's a great book to teach proportion in art from. It has got some pretty and neat overlays, but I feel like it manages not to say very much. Also... there's something about this book that feels like there's an entire context that you're missing when you read it- I felt as though I was reading a math textbook in parts, that the focus wasn't nearly enough on how you as an artist can work an understanding of geometry into your own work. Also, pages 34 and 36 start with the same sentence. I just feel.. confused after reading this. I have only 2 notebook pages of notes, double-spaced. I feel like this book can be summed up by: "The human eye instinctively likes certain proportions and in order to be a good designer you must understand and use geometry." Ok, great, but how? In other words, this book is like half of a thesis- lacking the parts that tell me how to go forward. | ||
 | Adobe(R) PageMaker(R) 6.5 Classroom in a Book | |
| "A professor's take on this book" | 2002-11-07 |
| This is the kind of book you use if you have time to go through all of the tutorials in order- I use it in a specific Pagemaker class and we go through the Lessons 1 at a time. I wouldn't recommend this as a reference book though- as something to look up specific things and how to do them one at a time. I do have to say, this book is pretty borning, dryly written and doesn't touch on a lot of the more creative ways Pagemaker can be used. A book called Adobe Pagemaker Basics is a good companion to this, with info on color and drawing in Pagemaker. It's hard to sit and read this book straight through and not want to eat your head. You'd need a lot of discipline and motivation to get through this outside of a class. Rather than being a classroom in a book I'd call this a "book for a classroom". | ||
 | Peter Murphy - Alive Just for Love | |
| "Captures the concert experience perfectly" | 2001-09-19 |
| The tour was gorgeous and this is a gorgeous CD, very minimalistic, beautiful in it's simplicity. PM's voice resonates on this CD with emotion of a sort that just can't be captured in a studio. I generally dislike live albums- they're nothing but less polished, messy versions of studio with screaming fans interfering. These versions are definately something I'd want to keep in addition to the studio versions. This album has a very "real" feel to it; rather than being a bunch of shows chopped up, it's one show recorded essentially start to finish. The crowd cheering didn't even bother me- it actually added ambience and context. Very good audio quality, though I'd skip the second disc if I were you- it's nothing but end of concert filler. If the point hadn't been to put out a CD of the entire show, Metropolis could have done us all a favor and just made this a 1 CD deal. | ||
 | Into Another - Seemless | |
| "Into Another is Smooooth" | 2001-03-18 |
| This is one of the most relaxing, passionate alterna-rock/indie/punk records I own. It's absolutely an essential, if you can track it down. There is just something about this band- mellow and desperate at the same time. I normally don't like anything that could be cast under the rock heading but... just wow. | ||
 | Breath by Breath | |
| "Witty and Interesting Meditation Guide" | 2001-03-09 |
| I picked up this book after a professor read excerpts from it out loud in a class. I was taken with the author's wit and writing skill. This is an absolutely essential guide to meditation, great for beginners, advanced students, and folks like me who are just interested. Very clear, entertaining, lots of antecdotes. Not a dry tome by any means, but not a frivelous book either. It does get to be a bit repetitive at times, but otherwise, well done! | ||
 | Memories, Dreams, Reflections | |
| "A Phenominal autobiography!" | 2001-03-09 |
| This is far and away one of the best autobiographies I have ever read. It's clearly written, engaging, and fascinating. Really gives you a ton of perspective on the man and his ideas, how brilliant he really was. He details the paths he took the choices he made, and offers a million anecdotes about patients and how they led to his theories. Important to anyone who enjoys religious studies, psych (duh), anthropology, and history. Just wow. I loved it. | ||
 | Super Estrellas de la Opera | |
| "the greatest hits of opera" | 2000-03-07 |
| This album is definately the greatest hits of opera compilation - even those not familiar with opera will find they know a good portion of the pieces. The sound quality is really good and overall I feel like this is a moving and impressive CD. Sure your cool opera friends won't let on they like it, because it's a lot less cooth than owning all of the full operas, but I have a lot of fun listening to this. A great starter disc for anyone looking to get into opera, or a general great addition to any collection. | ||
| © 2009 GoSale.com (S2) |