Reviews Written By: A3NEW1OQL95R23provided by Amazon.com |
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 | Coleman Rechargable Air Pump | |
 | "Good Pump for SMALL Applications" | 2009-07-15 |
| Ok, I bought the pump to blow up the pontoons on my personal fishing craft...and I found out it didn't have enough force to open the valve to fill the pontoons...BUT...if I was just filling items where air velocity isn't important I'd be very happy with it...so...long story short...I had no issues with it working...put's out lots of air...easy to manipulate...but...if you're looking for more air velocity...look elsewhere. | ||
 | Seiko Men's Watch #SGF719 | |
 | "A Great Watch!" | 2008-09-27 |
| I purchased this watch over the titanium version and couldn't be more pleased. The watch satisfies all that I wanted in terms of function, quality, in a classy, simple style. Even the way it illuminates in the dark is simple and perfect. The band is stainless and probably will not scratch as easily as the titanium version seems too. I'm not sure why anyone would purchase the titanium version - even the weight of this watch is perfect. Overall, this watch is a GREAT value...there's no reason to hesitate buying this watch! | ||
 | Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement | |
 | "If It Fits Your Style...Get It...If Not - Avoid It!" | 2006-11-20 |
| ***THE FOLLOWING REVIEW IS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EDUCATORS*** Research points out that 75% of those who go into teaching are systematic learners, and then teach systematically, while 75% of students (and the rest of us) are not systematic learners. Systematic teachers are those who will teach you how to ride a bike by first making you sit as they describe the parts and how they work together...that's fine for 25% of students but most of us just need to get on the bike and ride it...from the experience of riding the bike we then have a purposeful framework for...ta da...later systematic instruction...what am I trying to say? This book is "instructional heroin" for systematic teachers...perfect for the suburbs where children have the schema to automatically make connections between concepts...but, from what I've experienced, falls short in an at-risk school. One perfect example is the section on discovery teaching. It states that there isn't research to back up its superiority as an approach...that's not true...and that it's "time consuming". Well...no...it actually saves time if done correctly...because it will not take the time direct teaching requires to "pound a concept into a child's head" as procedure...it fits brain research as applied to at-risk kids who desperately need to think, and move, and discover...it combines numerous curriculum indicators into meaningful systems...but, most importantly, places new information within a purposeful, motivating environment. On the upside, Chapter 6 regarding "Non-linguistic" representations is superb...my only problem is that it doesn't address the value of graphic organizers for younger learners as opposed to the older learner...there's plenty of research pointing out the uselessness and/or overuse of graphic organizers in the younger grades...they're great tools...if introduced at the right time/age and with purpose! Unfortunately, I can see teachers in grades pre-k through 3 forcing children to create graphic organizers as a result of this book...yikes! Ya have to be careful as we found out with NCLB and the research on reading...research can be spun to fit different purposes...especially educational research...if this info. fits your view and you're living in an area where kids have the advantages of a stable home and people talking with them from birth...go for it...for the rest of us...borrow it from the library (my copy was never checked out in three years! - telling)...and then return it. There's an old saying that teachers very often "efficiently solve the wrong problem"...it's not about efficiency folks...it's about effectiveness. If you apply the ideas in this book blindly without regard to student background or age...you may be doing more harm than good. | ||
 | Settlers of Catan Board Game | |
| "Just a Great Game!" | 2006-03-26 |
| I'll make this short...my family got this game for Christmas and we play it every week. My fourteen year old son gives this game 5 stars. It has a slight learning curve but once you pick it up you'll love it. We highly recommend this game! | ||
 | The Abs Diet: The Six-Week Plan to Flatten Your Stomach and Keep You Lean for Life | |
| "A FLEXIBLE, FANTASTIC RESOURCE TO LIVE SMARTER" | 2005-02-12 |
| I'm a little surprised I haven't written a review on this book before! For people (men and women) out there who want to lose weight this book is for you...PLEASE, do not see this as a "diet"...it is not...it's information that cuts through the diet "crap" out there (why do people still think diets work??!!)...and gives you a detailed outline so that you can target an individualized way of approaching food and exercise...I've used the philosophy/information to come up with a way of living that has lost me 30 pounds in four months (215 to 185) and I've gone down three pant sizes...I've now lent my book out to numerous folks where I work...the upside to this is that I have NEVER felt as though I was hungry and I LOVE all the food that I eat...and I still indulge in pizza, cheesecake, pie...you name it...I just eat smarter...
UPSIDE TO THIS BOOK: Easy to read, research supported common sense...EXPOSES the problems with high fructose corn syrup and trans-fat as dangers (worse than drugs in my opinion)...shame on the food industry... DOWNSIDE: The emphasis on muscle, while absolutely correct, will probably stretch some readers in terms of equipment...second, while I agree with the idea that using cardio to lose weight is missing the point and it sets people up for failure, I don't agree with limiting it as much as the authors suggest...I HAVE had luck with the interval training though! BOTTOM LINE: If you can't personalize a healthy lifestyle out of this don't even bother with anything else. | ||
 | Einstein Never Used Flash Cards | |
| "Thank The Lord" | 2005-01-29 |
| As an early childhood teacher I truly love the research based message of this book. You have no idea how misinformed parents are when it comes to how children truly learn and the programmed, hyper way they believe they must "challenge" their children...if I had a dime for every time I hear the word "challenge"...oh brother...now that we are beginning to see how the brain functions through MRIs and other technologies and because of thorough research many of these hyper myths are being debunked...
As for one of the reviews below that somehow talks about how we can all program young children to read in just a minute a day is off the mark...the problem is that reading isn't just decoding words...it's understanding the message of print...unfortunately, I've seen children who have been pushed by these so-called canned reading programs and "hyper-parents" at an early age...they come into class lacking motivation and then the parents want us to continue to push them because of this same lack of motivation..it becomes a terrible cycle for these children...here's the reality... talk to your children, get down with them, engage them at an early age...help them make sense of the world and expose them to print in a very natural, purposeful way...remember, the children of many foreign nations with the best reading scores do not expose their children to phonic instruction until the age of 7 or 8...when they do read in a more systematic way they then have more life experience to make sense of print and then...what do you know...they have more natural, internal motivation to read... Oh, and by the way, the new research is showing that free play actually "recharges" wiring in the brain allowing children to work better and with more focus... Find a "hyper-parent" and slip them this book...give their kids a break... | ||
 | Building Healthy Minds: The Six Experiences That Create Intelligence and Emotional Growth in Babies and Young Children | |
| "Another Terrific Book by Greenspan" | 2005-01-22 |
| I read this as a borrowed book and I agree with the majority of the previous reviewers as to its incredible value to parents. I completely disagree with the reviewer who recommended "The Continuum Project". That book describes a nice general theme but doesn't get into specifics. Greenspan's book is just the opposite...raising a caring child is truly more complex than just holding them 24/7.
My problem is that, as a teacher, while I am held solely responsible (see "No Child Left Behind") for a child's academic struggles...reality suggests we can only deal with that which families and/or society delivers to us...in short, we are not miracle workers. It's so much easier to attack education than it is to solve issues dealing with the family isn't it? As one researcher pointed out...we don't have a crisis in education...we have a crisis of the family...how true. In his books Greenspan clearly holds parenting responsible and, most importantly, recognizes (as most good teachers do) that a child with emotional deficits will hinder their academic gains...No Child Left Behind conveniently separates the logic from emotion as we have done for years...BUT, as Greenspan points out wonderfully...emotion always leads learning. We each come at books, music, movies, and so on and define it by our own experiences. I come from the perspective of a parent and a teacher who sees the results of all types of home environments. From this experience I can honestly say that this book, along with many of Greenspan's other books, should be a must read for all parents and caregivers. | ||
 | Prince - Gold Experience | |
| "Just Awesome!" | 2005-01-13 |
| I stumbled across this out of print album and fortunately bought it at a reasonable price AND in perfect condition...just a terrific album...a undervalued gem...the other reviewers have already extolled its virtues so I'll just say that I HIGHLY recommend seeking it out and buying it. Enjoy! | ||
 | Sennheiser PX 100 Headphones | |
| "Outstanding Value!" | 2005-01-02 |
| I own a JetAudio M3 MP3 player (20G and a great machine)...at home I use larger Ultrasone 550s with the MP3 player (great balanced sound) but the PX100s are what I use when I travel...
These are just a great pair of headphones...be aware that these phones are tilted toward BASS so I have to turn down the bass on my player when I use them AND they aren't to be used in libraries BUT what rich sound for a low price pair of headphones... Bottom line...super sounding at a great price...get 'em! | ||
 | iAUDIO M3 20 GB Metal Brown MP3 Jukebox w/FM & Voice Recorder w/cradle | |
| "Outstanding!!" | 2004-12-19 |
| I'll try to keep this short but try to read between the positive lines! I researched MP3 players for a month...tried so many it was ridiculous...what I found was that there are some very nice players that just didn't fit my needs and, I'm sorry IPOD fans, the IPOD is overpriced for the feature set and sound quality...it rated #4 with me but was "good" across the board... I chose the M3 and I haven't looked back...many reviews say that the separate remote with a screen is a "con" but then go on to say that, in practice it worked out beautifully...that was my experience...it's not a "con" it's a big "PRO"...it's just different and innovative... The features you get for the $$ on this machin (I got it for $270) blows away all others...(FM, longer battery charge, line in and out, the transfer/conversion speed is #1, sound flexibility, the remote, the included cradle, and so on)... The sonic capability of this machine is second to none (the buds were actually decent but replace them if possible...this machine "sings" with my Ultrasone HFI-550s)...and I've tried Creative, Iriver, Sandisk, & Apple...in rank order: JetAudio, Creative, Iriver, Apple, & then Sandisk... Jetaudio products are second to none and the company actively provides updates through firmware...a hidden but important factor when buying... There is a CON but this is only a nuisance and it's like taking one step back to go 20 steps past the competition...THERE IS A LEARNING CURVE ON THIS MACHINE WHEN IT COMES TO NAVIGATION...again, fair warning...THERE IS A LEARNING CURVE...but take your time because once you get the hang of it you've got one of the best players out there... A second CON could be true for nearly all MP3 players with the exception of the Creative 5G micro...for the $$ these machines should have a removable, replacable, rechargable battery...(Apple charges $100 to replace their battery...you have got to be kidding me!!!)... There's more but all I'm going to say is to NOT be a lemming...do your research...there are great players out there that fit your needs at a reasonable price...while I love and use all my M3 features...your needs may be different so don't get caught up in the "gingerbread"/accessories...but...again... DO YOUR RESEARCH AND AVOID THE HYPE/COST OF OTHER PLAYERS! If you like the features of the M3...you can't go wrong. Enjoy! | ||
 | Norah Jones - Feels Like Home | |
| "NO MAS!" | 2004-07-06 |
| I love this genre of music but I agree with some other reviewers...from my experience Norah Jones is ok but WAAY overrated...especially when compared to some of the true female greats that have musical and vocal range. Norah Jones' music is just soft, corporate MUZAK. People are being fooled into thinking that her music is somehow out of the mainstream but nothing could be further from the truth...it's very corporate. After listening to her first album I predicted that she would begin to fade away in time due to her "one-note" approach and the prediction is coming true. After listening to her first album I stated that she sounded like "an annoying, one-note cat softly yowling on a back fence at night" and my review stands. By all mean listen to her first album but GRADUATE to better artists out there like some of Diana Krall's old work (not the new album - too much Elvis Costello influence), or Dusty Springfield, or the late great Eva Cassidy (grab her live album and just marvel at her voice - what a loss). I guess I see Norah Jones as a nice intro into this sort of music for people - sort of like a good jug wine that prepares the palate for an even better wine to come. Folks, do yourself a favor and stick with her first album, leave the second album on the shelf, and look around for the great music that's out there that's 5 or 6 steps up in quality - it's just not as commercialized so you'll have to take some time to look for it...but, after listening to this album, please trust me when I say that it's well worth it. American public - it's time to graduate to better music! | ||
 | Norah Jones - Come Away with Me | |
| "Mediocre - Get Eva Cassidy or Diana Krall Instead" | 2003-12-05 |
| I was given this album as a gift, and I know I'm going against the popular grain here, but I have to say it like it is...her over-played radio "hits" were tolerable but after playing the overall collection of songs twice it just doesn't inspire me to play the CD again. (My wife says that she sounds like a cat "yowling" on a back fence - a little extreme). Fortunately, I had picked up CDs by Eva Cassidy & Diana Krall prior to receiving "Come Away With Me" and was blown away by their voices and musicianship...this made Norah Jones' efforts come off weak in comparison. In short...it's fashionable, one note music that's tolerable in the short term but I'll be curious to see if the music endures the test of time or if it goes the way of the "Pet Rock". | ||
 | Bodum 3000-10USAA Electric Santos 12-Cup Coffeemaker With Timer, Clear | |
| "Great coffee!" | 2003-12-01 |
| I've had this coffemaker for quite some time and the coffee is great! I haven't had one problem with it. It took about five pots before I figured out how to clean the machine quickly but it's not a huge hassle at all. In fact, I feel that over time the design of this machine makes it easier to clean...each time I brew coffee I can get it thoroughly clean without the build up I had in the nooks and crannies of my old drip coffemakers. As far as the type of coffee used...we use canned 95% of the time and it works out great. Overall, our family loves the machine! | ||
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