Master Lock 3023AT Assorted Bungee Cords, 24-Pack</a>\\n\\nFor the price this is a great hand truck. I'm very happy with it and cannot recommend it highly enough. Honestly, I have no complaints or even suggestions on how the design could be better. The only limitation is the load limit of 150 pounds, although I think I exceeded it by a little bit once.\",\n \"Product: The Amerock BP530013 Allison Value 1-3/16 in (30 mm) Diameter Knob is finished in Polished Brass. From rustic to modern-day casual to sophisticated beauty, The Allison(TM) Value Collection offers a variety of designs, making on-trend, quality hardware affordable. Polished Brass is a shiny, metallic golden finish that keeps it's shine, year after year. Amerock offers a complete line of decorative and functional cabinet hardware, bath hardware,hook and rail and wall plates. Amerocks award-winning decorative and functional hardware solutions have built the companys reputation for chic design accessories that inspire homeowners to express their personal style. Available in a variety of finishes and styles, Amerock offers high quality designs at affordable prices. Always Creating. Always Timeless. Always Amerock.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Nicer looking in product photo\\n\\nReview: The way these knobs look in person isn't as good as the product photo. The curves, edges and colors aren't the same - I submitted photos. I prefer the way it looks in the product photo. The exquisite copper colored little curves in the product photo are more eye-catching! The knobs don't look as good in person. I think they look average to below average in person.\\n\\nThe knobs are the correct size: 1-1/4 inch. They'd be super easy to install with either a Phillips or flathead screwdriver. They don't have to be put on super tight. I think I could get away with using them on a temporary basis in a pinch.\\n\\nOne wants all their knobs in a room, such as a kitchen, to match. It's important to get the number one needs for that reason since it's desirable to have all knobs in one room be uniform. I can't make it work with ten knobs in the kitchen and at the same time achieve uniformity. I think it always looks better to have the knobs be uniform.\\n\\nThe ten knobs are the right size. In the product photo they look nicer than the way they look in person.\",\n \"Product: Uses a variety of innovative features to help you meet your respiratory protection and comfort needs.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Health-care Workers Use Masks Rated N95\\n\\nReview: 3M 8210 N95 Particulate Disposable Respirator - the \\\"N95\\\" means that if the mask is properly fitted, it will filter out particles down to .3 microns 95 percent of the time. That's great for particulate matter but not sufficient against flu bugs - yet quite helpful.\\n\\nThe types of viruses that cause respiratory illnesses measure between .1 to .2 microns. That means that while this mask will probably stop most of the flu viruses from getting through, it is not dense enough to stop them all. That is why the product description mentions dust and particulate matter but makes no claim or mention of viruses.\\n\\nMasks with a high enough efficiency rating to stop viruses are incredibly uncomfortable. I've never worn one but consider that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) advises health-care workers working with SARS patients to wear the N95 mask - same rating as this one. Even the CDC does not expect people to function at work wearing masks with super high efficiency ratings. Therefore I'm not getting a superior rated mask because they are immediately uncomfortable and I might not be able to function wearing one. Health-care workers will be wearing masks rated N95.\\n\\nThe N95 masks are also valued because viruses often travel on bigger molecules such as molecules that contain mucus. N95 will stop all of those.\\n\\nI would suggest this box of 30 as a good emergency supply and perhaps a better deal:<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/3M-8000-Particle-Respirator-N95-30-Pack/dp/B000GUP7X4/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">3M 8000 Particle Respirator N95, 30-Pack</a>.\",\n \"Product: Keeping your home clean and healthy is your mission and Filtrete healthy living filters can be your perfect partner. Featuring high performing electrostatic technology, Filtrete healthy living filters proactively capture dust, bacteria, germs, viruses and allergens in your air. For optimum performance, change your filter every 90 days or sooner.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Some relief from allergies.\\n\\nReview: It's my first experience with an MPR 1900 rated filter, and it is different. This MPR rating was developed by 3M as a way to rate their efficiency. The higher the number, the finer the filtration.\\n\\nWe noticed the difference in our home. Three in my family have allergies, and every year seems like a bad year for allergies. This one change by itself all but cleared up the issue when they're home. It's like the air in a hospital (hospitals use high efficiency air filters).\\n\\nThe next thing is those with allergies don't want to go back to the cheap, low-efficiency filters. That's why one needs the dash replenishment technology. It's expensive but dash replenishment technology saves time and ultimately can save on parts and repairs that occur when the filter is clogged and nobody changes it.\\n\\nUntil I see the system through to the next set of 2 of these filters, I can't say how good it is. Of course, I don't want to be changing expensive filters frequently so we'll see how it goes. The allergy sufferers in the family are doing better though.\",\n \"Product: ASH IT OUT. The Snow Joe ASHJ201 4.8-gallon Ash Vac is designed for cold ash pickup from wood stoves, pellet stoves, fireplaces, firepits, and BBQ grills. Equipped with a dual filtration system that employs both a coarse-dust pre-filter and a fine-dust pleated filter, the Ash Vac effectively traps dust particles during the ash cleaning process and prevents them from escaping into your breathing space. No more dusty mess around your home! Operation is simple: just insert the Ash Vacs aluminum intake nozzle into your pile of cold ash, flip the switch, and watch its powerful 4-amp motor generate up to 500 W of suction power and 42.4 cubic feet per minute of air flow. The Ash Vacs extra large metal canister stores up to 4.8 gallons of ashes, so you can finish your task without stopping to empty the container. Plus, its a self-contained, bag-free system, which allows for easy ash removal with a simple lift of the container lid. Other features include a safety stop switch to prevent the Ash Vac from operating without a properly fitted filter, a wire filter basket to protect the fine dust filter, an easy carry handle, an inspection window blockage indicator, and an onboard cord/hose organizer for convenient storage. Backed by a full 2-year warranty, the Ash Vac ASHJ201 is the reliable cleanup tool youll need to deal with any ash problem in a simple, clean and safe way.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Can clog quickly, not that powerful\\n\\nReview: The limitation of this ash vacuum probably applies to other brands. That is, it can't handle a lot of ash without clogging. I don't know how one would know that without the experience of using it.\\n\\n* The max air volume is 42.4 cubic feet per minute. That's great. Make sure to clear the filter frequently.\\n* Hose length is 46.8 - excellent.\\n* Bagger capacity is 4.8 gallon - one can see this on product page in the name. That's potentially a lot of ash for the purpose of cleaning out fireplaces and fire pits.\\n* 4-Amp motor sounds like a lot but it isn't. My regular household vacuum has 11 Amps. However, if the ash is dry, this is plenty of power.\",\n \"Product: This night light comes with a built in sensor. It has an LED bulb and automatically turns on and off. It has a darkness sensing feature which dims the light as other lights come on.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: An improvement over the other types of night lights that have been available until now\\n\\nReview: I have at least 5 types of night lights in my home and use them all. Generally I've found that each successive set of night lights is an improvement over the former ones. This one is in fact the best, and I'll explain why below.\\n\\nThese night lights are what I'd expect in a nice hotel room. They're subdued, not drawing any attention to themselves. If I look directly at them from any direction, I never feel as if I have a light shining into my eyes. The light is bright enough yet it's made soft by the coverings and the grooves in the coverings.\\n\\nMy least favorite of my night lights are the ones that have a relatively strong directional light. Something like that is ok by me if they're over the kitchen counter and directing light downward. Otherwise, not pleasing. I have two types like that and I don't recommend them.\\n\\nThe square blue lights are always on, and I don't love that. So I don't highly recommend the square blue ones although they are very soft on the eyes at night.\\n\\nThe round night lights that have the grooves in the covering are soft enough but something about the round shape reminds me of an electronic gadget rather than merely night lights. Something about the round shapes makes me want to reflexively turn them off before going to sleep.\\n\\nThese night lights are more a rectangular shape and they're very soft, so they're barely noticeable while providing just enough light for me. I recommend these lights over the others that are now available.\",\n \"Product: Drill America DEWEZ Series are made from heat treated carbon steel. They are used expressly for removing broken or seized screws. #1 - Screw Size Up to 3/16\\\" #2 - Screw Size Up to 1/4\\\" #3 - Screw Size Up to 5/16\\\" #4 - Screw Size Up to 7/16\\\" #5 - Screw Size 9/16\\\" - 3/4\\\" #6 - Screw Size 3/4\\\" - 1\\\" #7 - Screw Size 1\\\" - 1-3/8\\\" #8 - Screw Size 1-3/8\\\" - 1-3/4\\\" #9 - Screw Size 1-3/4\\\" - 2-1/8\\\" #10 - Screw Size 2-1/8\\\" - 2-1/2\\\" #11 - Screw Size 2-1/2\\\" - 3\\\" #12 - Screw Size 3\\\" - 3-1/2\\\".\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Handy and good deal too.\\n\\nReview: This is for me a complete set of screw extractor drill bits. There's no substitute for this type of drill bit when one has a stripped screw where the head can't be grabbed in any other way. It's a good deal on a necessary tool.\\n\\nStripped screws are a problem that won't go away both because of inferior screws that are too soft and because everybody strips a screw now and then. I've paid the price for it many times and still do it sometimes.\\n\\nAll that's needed is to put some (not too much) force down on the stripped screw head using one of these drill bits (in a drill), and then reverse rotate it out. It comes out pretty easy that way in my experience.\\n\\nSo I recommend these drill bits - they're a good deal, and one needs them handy in time of need. It's the type of tool one gets ahead of time for sure.\",\n \"Product: The Sliding Carabiner Saw from Fiskars is a great choice for anyone cutting tree limbs on the go. A POWER TOOTH blade with triple-ground, razor-sharp teeth makes aggressive cuts to help you get through dense wood with speed and efficiency, and the fully hardened steel blade stays sharp longer than others. When you&rsquo;re done, the blade slides into the handle for safe transportation and storage. You can even use the built-in carabiner clip to attach this saw to your belt, so it&rsquo;s always easy to access when you need it.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: For certain jobs, excellent.\\n\\nReview: I have an 18' soft wood tree that required serious pruning since it was causing problems to 2 other trees. I easily sawed right through branches with 2\\\" diameter. But I had a lot of work to do and some branches were at least 4\\\" diameter. I had to seriously work to get through the larger branches, and for some of it I was on a step ladder and used odd reaching angles to get at it.\\n\\nI found this to be difficult work and could feel it through the following day in my forearms. If I had to do this kind of work often, I'd need a larger tool. But for a once per year at most use as I anticipate, it is the right tool for me.\\n\\nThe blade has the right kind of teeth for the job I did. Remember though, that wasn't hard wood. Some woods are real hard and this would be unrealistically difficult to use on such hard woods.\\n\\nThe handle is good providing the job matches the tool. When I cut through anything more than 2\\\" wide, I had to use both hands with one hand partially over the other. It's an excellent tool for some jobs and I think it was a bargain for what I paid.\",\n \"Product: ATAK 610 Lumen Multi-Function Lantern 610 Lumen Lantern 6-D Batteries Included 25 Hour Run Time Ideal: Camping, hiking, hunting, fising, kayaking, housing, construction work, auto repair or walking dog\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Maximum brightness, but here's why the batteries are a big mystery:\\n\\nReview: This camping latern (I have the 1000 lumen one) is a bit of a mystery, some odd things. More on that below. But first, I have to say right away it's probably the brightest light I have of any type. This is crazy bright.\\n\\nHow many lumens do you need for camping? Probably only 60 and this is 1,000. But when one is setting up in the dark or breaking down in the dark, it can pay to have a bright light since that's when one can lose things in the dark including important gear. Even so, this is an insanely bright light.\\n\\nI believe I'd only use the lowest of the 3 settings, the 200 lumen setting. That's plenty bright and the owner's guide says the batteries will last for 8 hours runtime on the 200 lumen setting. A 200 lumen lantern is brighter than anything I've ever used when camping, and I've camped a lot in past years.\\n\\nBatteries - such a mystery!\\n1. The product description says it's powered by 2 18650 1800 mAh rechargeable li-ion batteries (included).\\n2. Owner's manual from inside the box says it's powered by 3 1800 mAh rechargeable li-ion batteries (included).\\n3. Bottom of lantern says it's powered by 4 D batteries, and it shows how it can be turned to open the battery compartment.\\n\\nFiddlesticks!\\nCan't open the lantern by turning the bottom. I almost tried to break it by turning it, and concluded it doesn't open as such, or at least not without the use of a tool.\\n\\nSo what's the truth about the batteries? The manual states that the batteries are in a sealed compartment and I believe it. No changing the batteries.\\n\\nThe rubberized bottom on my lantern has two edges that are worn away, but other than that there are no signs of use or damage.\\n\\nThere's a hook on the bottom that one can flip out. This type of lantern can and should be hung from a tree limb at times when camping if at all possible. It will function best as an overhead light, and besides the light is blinding if it's near eye-level.\\n\\nIn summary, this is a bright lantern, super bright. I like operating it and I like the feel of it, especially the rubberized top and bottom. The batteries are a mystery and yet are probably strong enough to charge all kinds of devices before in turn being recharged.\",\n \"Product: This high-performance clear primer is formulated to bond and seal porous and chalky interior and exterior surfaces with a tough, flexible, and breathable clear coating. KILZ Klear is an alkali-resistant clear primer and sealer. It helps protect topcoats from \\\"hot\\\" alkali found in masonry, cement and plaster and can be applied to fresh concrete with pH less than 13. Incredibly versatile, KILZ Klear primer can be used to seal porous surfaces and promote adhesion with a transparent flat finish that is particularly effective for same color painting. Use for sealing drywall, plaster, wood, galvanized, aluminum, architectural plastics, masonry and brick. Soap and water cleanup and dries fast - ready to recoat in 1 hour. This is a 5-gallon bucket of KILZ Klear Multi-Surface Latex Transparent Primer, Sealer, and Binder. Tough, flexible clear primer film. Use on properly prepared surfaces free of dust, grease, chalk, mold, rust and peeling paint. Mix well before using. Apply with brush, roller, or spray. KILZ KLEAR dries to touch within 30 minutes and dries to recoat in an hour. KILZ has been making premium primers and paints for 40 years. KILZ was named Paint Brand of the Year in 2015 in the Harris Poll EquiTrend Rankings.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Extremely useful for sealing drywall and exposed structural wood such as 2' x 4'\\n\\nReview: I'm using this to cover drywall that I don't even intend to paint, because:\\n\\n(1) I've got drywall interior walls in furnace room - drywall from the other side of the wall. It would be difficult to paint them with regular paint because the structural wood is everywhere in this furnace room. That's why a clear sealer for the drywall is better than white paint or any other color.\\n\\n(2) I don't like having any exposed drywall in the house simply because mold can eventually start eating it and there's nothing but replacement in front of me if that happens. A clear sealer for that drywall is absolutely the way to go.\\n\\n(3) There are many options for a homeowner with this clear sealer. The number of materials it can be used on is impressive. Anywhere in the house where there's exposed drywall or wood, for example, can be protected to some extent against mold simply by using a clear sealer such as this one.\",\n \"Product: The Maxxima MLN-16 is the perfect night light for your bedroom, since its single LED provides nice light output without getting too bright to wake you up. This light will only activate when it is dark, and turn off when your room gets bright from sunlight, or overhead lighting.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Go for these for the reasons I give. Keep an open mind\\n\\nReview: I've been getting LED nightlight since they've been mass marketed. I've got the flat on-all-the-time blue ones, the oval ones that direct light and others. These MLN-16 ones are the best so far of the ones I bought.\\n\\nWhy are these the best? They've got a nice light pattern that provides a wide beam of soft white light, not real soft. Most of the oval ones have a harsh fluorescent-looking hue even through they're LED lights. These also have better light sensors.\\n\\nNow, I may have got a good 4-pack and you might not get a good 4-pack. All of mine worked so that was my limited experience. I'm lucky maybe.\\n\\nI think the cover for these interesting bulbs diffuses the light in the best way to do a better job of being a night light. The light is near-unnoticeable when I don't want it and provides the best type of soft illumination when I want it. I've got them in the bedroom, hallway and bathroom.\\n\\nIt's a good deal, an improved deal over earlier deals in such lights. I recommend it. I'm just a buyer, no discount, nothing different than you.\",\n \"Product: A good bonding primer is essential to ensure that topcoats adhere to tough-to-paint surfaces. High adhesion primer increases painting possibilities by bonding to a wide range of surfaces. KILZ Adhesion is a unique latex primer developed to bond securely on slick surfaces where a traditional water or oil-base primer will not adhere. Bonds to tough-to-paint surfaces including Kynar, PVC, Formica, vinyl, glass, tile, glazed brick, chalky paints, glossy finishes, fiberglass and metals. Topcoat with either latex or oil-based paint. Use on most interior and exterior surfaces where a secure bond is critical. This problem solving primer can be used under epoxies, lacquers, and products containing Xylene or other solvents. This is a 1-quart can of KILZ Adhesion High-Bonding Interior/Exterior water-based Primer in white. Covers approximately 300 square feet per gallon. Use on properly prepared surfaces free of dust, grease, chalk, mold, rust and peeling paint. Mix well before using. Apply with brush, roller, or spray. KILZ Adhesion dries to touch within 30 minutes and ready to recoat in an hour. KILZ has been making premium primers and paints for 40 years. KILZ was named Paint Brand of the Year in 2015 in the Harris Poll EquiTrend Rankings.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Bonds well as advertised.\\n\\nReview: I've learned the hard way more than a couple times the beauty of getting the most appropriate and best paint for the job. I like this one and it's easy to recommend, because:\\n\\n(A) This is a superior bonding primer, and there's almost no end to a homeowner's needs for such a paint. For example, I used it on some metal in my garage including the fuse box frame and door. That fuse box is on a wall that I painted white years ago and I always wanted it to disappear into the wall at a glance. I used this primer and have no plans to use anything on top of it. Good - easy job, paint adhered as expected.\\n\\n(B) There are always areas in and on the outside of a home that one wants to paint but present some challenge. I have a pressed board shelf in the under sink cabinet in a bathroom that came with a glossy white surface. That shelf became unsightly but I never did anything about it because I didn't feel like sanding it. Not an urgent task - exactly the type of thing that vexes. I'll use this bonding primer on it and call it a day. No sanding, good.\\n\\n(C) Outside areas are probably the trickiest, at least for me. An area I modified just over my front door can be properly painted once a good bonding primer is used, and I'll use this one. Little things like that aren't so little compared to what can happen if left unattended too long.\",\n \"Product: The PORTER-CABLE 20V Max 6 Tool Combo Kit provides the tools needed to get the job done. This kit features the following 6 essential tools: DRILL/DRIVER - delivers the power needed to complete various applications, 1/2\\\" Chuck, High Performance Motor (0-350/0-1500 RPM), LED Light, Bit Clip. IMPACT DRIVER - delivers power needed for various fastening applications, 1/4\\\" Hex Quick-load Chuck, High Performance Impact Mechanism (0-2800 RPM) (0-3100 BPM) (1450 in-lbs of torque), LED light, Magnetic Bit Holder. 6-1/2\\\" CIRCULAR SAW - high performance motor for aggressive cutting, 6 1/2\\\" Blade, 4000 RPM, 50 degree bevel, Dust blower. RECIPROCATING TIGER SAW - drivetrain delivers 1\\\" stroke length, 0-3000 strokes per minute for aggressive cuttling, Variable speed 0-3,000 SPM, Tool free blade release, Compact size 14.5\\\" long. OSCILLATING MULTI-TOOL - variable speed dial for control while completing application (8,000-18,000 OPM), tool free blade change allows easy accessory changes, clamp, Universal Fitment, LED Light. LED FLASHLIGHT - illuminates dark work areas, 120 lumens, 4 LED bulbs, Pivoting head. Kit includes: (1) PCC601 1/2\\\" Drill/Driver, (1) PCC641 1/4\\\" Impact Driver, (1) PCC660 6 1/2\\\" Circular Saw, (1) PCC670 Reciprocating Tiger Saw, (1) PCC710 Oscillating Multi-tool, (1) PCC700 LED Flashlight, (1) PCC680 1.5Ah battery, (1) PCC685 4.0Ah battery, (1) PCC691 1 amp charger, (2) kit bags.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent set. Must use the Porter-Cable batteries\\n\\nReview: Value:\\n\\nThis is a great set for the price and it's a way to get six 20V lithium ion powered interoperable pieces. Check out the Dewalt 5-piece 20V lithium ion powered set because their hardware is bigger and heavier. Just make sure you're looking at the 20V set and not the 18V set.\\n\\nWhen I look at what's happened to prices of new power tools, I can barely believe it. The prices have done nothing but gone down and each time I believe they can't fall more. Also, Porter-Cable is becoming a more popular brand.\\n\\nPorter-Cable is a good brand for building a set of battery powered tools because of its popularity and for the convenience of having only one type of battery and battery charger.\\n\\nHow lithium ion power tools are marketed:\\n\\nThe vendors use proprietary batteries. It's a lot more convenient and ultimately cheaper to use one brand rather than worry about plugging in all sorts of red, yellow, and blue batteries. I wish they'd all use standard batteries, but they don't.\\n\\nI don't think you want Makita at the moment because then you're going with their 18V lithium ion, and the 20V batteries have 35% more power. I believe you just can't operate power tools the way you want on an 18V battery. If you go with corded power tools, there are lots of vendors and your selection is vast although Makita often gets the nod by old pros.\\n\\nIf you're getting battery-powered power tools and you're looking at this type of 5 or 6-set, I advise to go with 20V lithium ion and do not get the lesser 18V lithium ion powered ones.\\n\\nIf you don't get a set of power tools and simply rent them when needed, you'll almost certainly pay dearly over time. You can rent each of the 5 included tools two times and pay close to what this whole set costs.\\n\\nThe tools in this set:\\n\\n* As shown below, I checked out the tools in this kit and each works well. They have all met the U.S. safety standards. It's a good kit.\\n\\n* The impact driver has become recognized as a necessity and this one is so lightweight. Impact drivers use torque and therefore need different drill bits to hold them. It's good practice to use the regular drill to create a typical hole and then use the impact driver to insert the screw. That way, the screw head doesn't get mangled. That makes a huge difference. Note, you still need a hammer drill for masonry despite rumors that impact drivers can handle masonry well.\\n\\n* The regular drill comes with a screwdriving bit and it pays to buy a drill set if you don't already have one. I particularly like how the onboard LED light illuminates the work space.\\n\\n* The circular saw is a relatively lightweight, traditional sidewinder saw. This is a compact saw with the requisite components, including blade guard, foot plate, depth adjustment, and bevel adjustment. With the appropriate blade, it can be used to cut wood, steel, masonry, and ceramic tile.\\n\\n* The reciprocating tiger saw is very lightweight compared to those of other brands. It's a pleasure to use because of its good grip, its variable speed trigger, and the way it can get into tight spaces and charge through just about any material.\\n\\n* The oscillating multifunction tool provides loads of applications including sanding, scraping, grinding, and cutting. Some of these applications are the most tedious things imaginable if one does not have a power tool, such as scraping. Do not waste hours of your life scraping by hand if you have any choice in the matter. This tool in particular will require the purchase of accessories as one uses the tool, because there are all kinds of scraper, blades, and sandpapers associated with this type of tool.\\n\\n* Powerful, bright flashlight. Some may take the view that the LED flashlight did not need to be included in this kit. I take the opposite view because this flashlight, costing about 28 dollars separately, did not add much to the overall cost and, more importantly it is interoperable with the Porter-Cable battery. This is a 120 lumens of light tool that is set down on the floor or ground on its heavy battery for stability. If you already have the 5 tools, you're likely to always keep a battery fully charged. So you're already committed to this brand's battery and battery charger system. You might as well be allowed to use the battery for project lighting. That's why I think the battery is a good and value added sixth member of the set.\\n\\nSummary:\\n\\n* It's in the long run a good idea to have 20V battery powered tools, but it almost requires one to accumulate a particular brand due to the proprietary batteries.\\n* Each member of the set is a relatively lightweight and high quality tool.\\n* Porter-Cable is an increasingly popular brand even though I also like Dewalt 20V battery powered tools.\",\n \"Product: MagnoGrip is a manufacturer of bold magnetic work gear and hand tools. Our patented Pro Utility Magnetic Glove allows you to store metal parts and fasteners on the back of your hand while working. No more digging in your pockets for screws or keeping nails in your mouth! Designed to be Gloves First, our Pro Utility Magnetic Glove delivers superior protection and performance in a comfortable and secure fit. The palm material is enabled with Touchscreen Technology for operating smart phones and tablets. Our proprietary Maximum Feel fingertip design allows for pick up of small items without removing glove. Use our Pro Utility Magnetic Glove to conveniently store fasteners on your hand for easy access while you work. Ideal for holding nails, screws, nuts, bolts and drill bits. Work on projects without the frustration of losing your tools or patience! Patented magnetic glove Powerful magnet in back of glove for storing metal parts and fasteners. Touchscreen Technology allows use of smart phone or tablet without removing glove. Maximum Feel fingertip design allows user to pick up small items such as screws without removing glove. Neoprene around wrist and knuckles for a comfortable and secure fit 4-way stretch Spandex back for snug fit Terry cloth sweat wipe on back of thumb Adjustable wrist strap and natural pull tab for pulling gloves on and off Reinforced palm with nonslip grip Hand wash and hang dry Warning: Keep away from magnetic sensitive devices. WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm www.P65Warnings.ca.gov\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Actually small, not medium and not large\\n\\nReview: The gloves are good but two things jumped out at me. First, one needs to see the second product photo to get an accurate view. The gloves stop right at the wrist and do not go beyond the wrist.\\n\\nSecond, I have medium hands and they're real tight on me. That's fine for me as long as I don't have to wear them for a long time. These are not by U.S. standards large gloves. I am certain of that. Dead certain. My gloves are labeled on the inside: \\\"L.\\\" It's not that I got the wrong size by accident.\\n\\nThe magnet will hold screws as in the photo. It's not going to hold anything heavy.\\n\\nThe gloves are thin but they feel a little more substantial to me than the thinness would imply before trying them on.\\n\\nThe gloves aren't bad. They are not sized large though.\",\n \"Product: Automate your indoor lighting and electronics with ease using the Digital Plug-In Timer from GE. The timer, equipped with a single polarized outlet, features three preset buttons for the morning, evening and overnight, you can feel safe and secure at any time of the day. The timer's large LCD screen allows you to effortlessly view different functions and the blue LED indicators let you know what programs are active. The GE Digital Plug-In Timer also features a convenient on/off override switch and includes a battery backup that maintains settings during power outages. Works with CFL, LED and incandescent light sources. Simply set it and forget it.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Designed for two types of users\\n\\nReview: This is a simple timer, most often useful for lights either to signal that somebody is home or as a personal organizer. It doesn't care what time is set. One chooses 3 hours, 6 hours, or 12 hours. And you can select a one-hour countdown before these hours start.\\n\\nIt has a manual override. The first type of person cheats and uses override; the second type honors the system. I honor the system. So when I set this in the kitchen to time the lights there, no eating when it shut off - EXCEPT with an open fridge door to provide light. When I set in the bathroom, it means one cannot accurately use it during the off time unless one is the type to override.\",\n \"Product: Keeping your home clean and healthy is your mission and Filtrete Healthy Living filters can be your perfect partner. Featuring high performing electrostatic technology, Filtrete filters proactively capture dust, bacteria, germs, viruses and allergens in your air. For optimum performance, change your filter every 90 days or sooner.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The filter, the app - lots of value.\\n\\nReview: The air filter is fabulous but still it took me awhile to understand why the app is so good, and it is. The filter itself makes a big difference. Some in my family suffer from allergies, and this helps them. Hospitals use air filters with similar ratings. One can feel the difference, and it reminds me of being in a hospital.\\n\\nIt's expensive to keep air so clean in one's home. These filters can't be left unchanged when their time is up. That would create too much restriction to the air flow and cause the system to break down. That's why the software helps, informing how used up the filter is and handling ordering automatically.\\n\\nIt's worthwhile to do providing one can handle the expense, because the filter traps pollen, mold and bacteria. That's a lot to ask, and not to be taken for granted since you have to go to a hospital or another place with a big budget to get such cleaned air.\",\n \"Product: Sunlite 04364 LFX/WL/30W/W 30 watt 120 volt led portable work lamp fixture, black/red finish 2000 lumens, ul listed for damp location.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Major light source without getting burning hot\\n\\nReview: Form follows function here. One can probably tell by looking at this light that it's going to be very bright and pretty easy to use in a lot of situations.\\n\\nIt's not all perfect. The cord is surprisingly short, and that's potentially a problem. Much of the time I've wanted to use a work light in an area that's not close to an outlet. An extension cord is needed for this light if that's the case.\\n\\nNo matter, this light has already grown on me. It's my first experience with a super bright LED work light, and already I can tell that's the way to go. It's gets hot but not so hot that it would give me a blister or scar for handling it while in operation. That's a nice new experience and for that reason I think it would make a good first impression on others.\\n\\nThe handle is not just big and good for carrying the light. All kinds of attachments can be used to hold that handle fast against a hook beam or pipe make this an overhead LED work light. Pretty good!\\n\\nFinally, the materials and build quality are high. For those who want just a few good things rather than lots of stuff, here's something to like. I'd recommend it to anybody who has some tools and a reason to use them.\",\n \"Product: LED ER20-1000e, directional flood R20, replaces conventional 45 watt incandescent bulbs delivering more brightness (lumens) for less energy (Watts), with lower energy consumption levels you will be able to experience considerable energy savings throughout the years. ER20-1000e design reduces internal bulb heat providing greater durability and constant bulb performance.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Physically heavy bulb, already proved it get tolerate being thrown around.\\n\\nReview: This is a surprising heavy bulb, heavier than others in my home. The color is at the high end of soft white, that's 3000 Kelvin. Want to know what happened? I found a non-padded brown envelope far over my fence, was in the envelope. Maybe it should not have worked but it did. The product description says shatterproof. I'm not one to push the issue on products that claim to be shatterproof but others did what they did.\\n\\nThe brightness and color of this bulb is right for its location in my house, a relaxed area that we don't want to be as bright as the kitchen. There are brighter lights in this area that we use some of the time but we have two bulbs that are usually on at night there, one being this one. It's a very nice effect, having areas with different kinds of lighting in terms of color and brightness.\\n\\nI like the bulb a lot. It's much sturdier than other LED bulbs, probably will last longer in the real world where most LED bulbs are not going to last anywhere near 25,000 hours of use.\",\n \"Product: LED EB30-2050 delivers superior brightness, valuable energy savings and long lasting performance. This flood BR30 LED bulb is ideal for ambient lighting. Refreshing *Cool White light (5000K) guarantees energetic lighting environments. Also available in *Warm White (2700K) and *Soft White (3000K) correlated color temperatures. Built-in MCOB LED Technology offers exceptional light uniformity, energy efficiency and optimal heat dissipation assuring durability and constant bulb performance. LED EB30-2050 replaces conventional 65 Watt incandescent bulbs.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Good choice for over work areas\\n\\nReview: I recommend this one highly. It's a great bulb to have over a work area, not over an area dedicated to relaxing. Below are some points about this bulb. Also, there's no detectable yellow color. In fact, it's blue-white.\\n\\nLumens\\nThe lumen output is stated at 1,100. That's a lot, not the highest, but the bulb produced it in my home. I believe it's the brightest one I have.\\n\\nColor temperature\\nIt's listed at 5,000 kelvin. I inserted the bulb and it provided what is commonly referred to as blue-white light. It's not yellow at all, anybody says so definitely got a different bulb. Blue-white is the color.\\n\\nBody\\nIt fits into my standard recessed lighting fixtures. It's not too wide to fit into them.\\n\\nBeam angle\\nIt's wide. They state it at 116 degrees and I believe it. My bulbs are typically about 60 degrees beam angle, so this one is relatively wide.\\n\\nDimming\\nNo problems, it dims as expected.\",\n \"Product: Mytouchsmart timers are an incredibly easy way to automate your lights to be on when you need them most. Save energy, save money and feel secure with mytouchsmart plug-in indoor digital timers. Featuring one polarized outlet, the timer delivers simple automation for indoor lighting and Electronics, and is equipped with three preset buttons and a full 24-hour countdown option, letting you program the timer with ease. The timer also offers programmable \\\"my on/off time\\\" buttons, giving you the added convenience to set the timer for anytime that suits your Schedule. Fast and easy to setup, the mytouchsmart plug-in indoor digital timer also features blue LED indicators that show active programs and a large LCD screen for effortless viewing. Mytouchsmart timers are an incredibly easy way to automate your lights to be on when you need them most and are compatible with CFL, LED, incandescent and halogen light sources. This product is UL listed and is backed by a one-year limited warranty.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: As advertised, does its job with minimal friction\\n\\nReview: The device is lightweight yet solid and it stays plugged in when in use. There are blue indicator lights to show which settings are active. I like that I can choose more than one setting at a time, and that I can create a custom setting while also selecting a preset one.\\n\\nThe LCD display is a good size and really easy to read. The buttons are large and made easy to use for almost anybody. Even the printed settings on the buttons are sufficiently large so that nobody should need to refer to the instructions.\\n\\nI like that this device saves energy while adding some safety and security. That's what it's for and that's all it does. It comes with a 1 year warranty.\",\n \"Product: LED EA19-5000, omni-directional a19, replaces conventional 60 watt incandescent bulbs delivering more brightness (lumens) for less energy (Watts), with lower energy consumption levels you will be able to experience considerable energy savings throughout the years.Ea19-5000 design reduces internal bulb heat providing greater durability and constant bulb performance.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Good value and warranty\\n\\nReview: I like these bulbs and am using them for my recessed non-dimmable lighting fixtures. It's a warm, soft white that's what one would expect for my hallways where I'm using them. They have a wide beam.\\n\\nThese are lighter in weight than previous bulbs but also have a stronger bulb and the outer material feels different to me. Their beam angle is large enough that I'd use them for outdoor covered motion sensor lights if I had that type of fixture.\\n\\nIn my opinion, this 6-pack represents excellent value - a good bargain. The lights come with 3-year limited warranty that guarantees them for 6 hours of use 7 days a week for 3 years. I never seem to get that kind of life from bulbs and it makes me believe I won't have to change them out in a long time.\",\n \"Product: The Galatia Gear Soft Cap Knee Pads with Gel Inserts are designed for the DIY type. These knee pads provide excellent protection for your knees, while maintaining a lighter and more comfortable feeling. They are reinforced with Ballistic Nylon 1680D material which provides greater strength where the straps meet the knee pads. These knee pads are great for many activities, such as gardening, flooring, painting, cleaning, construction, and just about any job that requires you to be on your knees or long periods of time. The unique Galatia Gear design of the adjustable straps provide a very secure fit to any size leg, and the elasticity of the straps allow the knee pads to expand or retract as you move from a standing to kneeling position, which keeps the knee pads from becoming uncomfortable by producing large amounts of pressure on the backs of your legs. Give our knee pads a shot, your knees will be glad you did!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I think this was the right choice for me after too much time searching\\n\\nReview: Not perfect but except for gardening work, this is the one you should probably but not necessarily get because:\\n\\n1.) The price was good (among the cheapest actually) and presuming it stays good, otherwise consider other options.\\n\\n2.) If you're going to use this outside on scratchy surfaces, I'd reconsider because this one isn't just right for that type of surface. It's not right in my opinion if you're working on concrete, stone, or anything that's both hard and sharp in places.\\n\\n3.) These are not as thick as I expected. For the money it is though. And also, they really make a difference to say the least. Feels like more padding than it is because the fit is good and the foam is a good quality.\\n\\n4.) Sizing is good. My knees are average size for a fairly big guy, and there's more than enough room for me to get these on. But I can also make them much tighter if my knees were smaller.\\n\\n5.) Velcro is wide and very strong. Instead of small velcro areas this one maximizes it - lots of velcro area and that makes them stay on strong.\\n\\n6.) The fit is what you want, really. You need two thick straps to make sure knee pads stay on when you repeatedly kneel and stand. These truly stay on, but they wouldn't if they had only one strap.\\n\\n7.) I'm only going to wear these with long pants. I think it would cost a lot more money to get something that's comfortable on bare knees while giving the protection and padding that these do.\\n\\n4.)\",\n \"Product: Elkay sink accessories are designed to fit perfectly and coordinate with your Elkay sink. From color matched drains to custom-sized stainless steel sink grids and wood cutting boards, we have what you need. Our accessories make the time at your kitchen, prep, bar or laundry sink more convenient, efficient and effortless.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Performs well as granite sealant\\n\\nReview: I have two colors of granite, both of which I should have been maintaining better. You can see where coffee has been spilled repeatedly... enough on that. My granite could look better and it's my fault. The issue with granite, beautiful as it is, is that it's porous enough to take on stains.\\n\\nFirst I used a regular dish soap with water to clean and then dabbed the areas until completely dry. Then I sprayed some of this granite rejuvinator/sealant and wiped. Then I opened the cap and put on more in a faster way. Again, I buffed the areas for a fairly long time until it seemed there was no benefit to continuing buffing.\\n\\nThe results were that this granite rejuvenator/sealant had penetrated the granite to the point where the granite gained some luster and appeared almost wet. Then I dropped a little water here and there and it beaded up much as what happens after one applies new wax to a car's exterior painted surfaces.\\n\\nI've used other granite sealants before. This one seems good and performed as expected. The key for me is surely to apply more frequently than I had in the past.\",\n \"Product: Light up your living room, bedroom or office with this sleek and modern LED 5-arched satin nickel floor lamp from Artiva USA. A perfect addition to any rooms with modern or contemporary decors. The micah Plus floor lamp hold bright and warms LED lights with a dimmer function. The curved design adds a soft note to your decor. Standing over 7 feet, the fixture has a statuesque appearance and draws attention. This Artiva exclusive LED floor lamp allows you to direct the light wherever you need it and provides ample lighting suitable for reading, writing or creating a spot light in the setting behind the couch, in the corner or in the center of your living room. The heavy-weighted base grants perfect balance and prevents the lamp from tipping. Artiva USA exclusive, true 360-Degree view angle LED dimmable bulbs included.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Two serious complaints and a whole lot of delight\\n\\nReview: It's huge. A wonder, a serious piece in a large room. Everybody will notice it. Every single person will be a bit awed by the way the lights are arranged and their height.\\n\\nWhy did it take my overruling all normal methods of assessment to award 5-stars? The base on my unit came pretty dented up. The dents didn't penetrate the finish, thankfully, but they're noticeable. This is a reflective polished nickel surface so wave-like shapes due to dents will be seen.\\n\\nAnd second, the material used in the packaging disintegrated before getting to me. The packing is a type of styrofoam that separates into thousands of tiny styrofoam spheres that stick to many surfaces due to static electricity. A real nuisance this packaging. How does anybody sent it back if not satisfied?\\n\\nBut yet, wow! All these complaints I just told are true and would normally result in a one or two star review. But everything else is ...delightful. I have it arranged in front of a partial room divider with the lights facing the wall, backwards. That works. The people behind this lamp deserve a standing ovation.\\n\\nFrom the bottom up:\\n* Base is big and quite heavy. I've got kids and I don't think they'll accidentally knock down this lamp.\\n* The first vertical part of the stand directly on top of the base is strong and is connected by a series of metal washer and screws. No plastic ring for this. Looks like it was built to last.\\n* The 5 curved arms coming out of the thick cylindrical piece up from the base are quite moveable and yet non-bending. They rotate such that one can place them well. They extend a terrific span so that I've got half a couch and an easy-chair illuminated.\\n* The housing of the 5 lights have the nickel plating, thin and lightweight as they are. They keep the light focused downward and not upward. That's critical for a lamp of this type. All the light is intentionally directed downward.\\n* The light bulbs - They are LED and they're shaped to look like traditional incandescent bulbs. They even give off a warm color, some yellow and decidely not like fluorescent. They dim and can be set quite bright.\\n* The lamp stretches up quite high, and then the five arms can be directed outward by rotating the thin arms. This functional sculpture creates a feeling, a mood of expansiveness.\\n\\nThis piece of furniture will change a room. It conveys feelings. It's art and it delights me.\",\n \"Product: Patented filter media with advanced electrostatically charged microfibers help make breathing easier and cooler for enhanced user comfort. Lighweight construction enhances worker comfort and wear time\\n\\nAdjustable noseclip reduces eyewear fogging and helps ensure a better seal and fit. Two-strap design with dual point attachment helps provide a secure fit.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: This is the mask that health-care workers use when they work with bird flu patients\\n\\nReview: These N95 masks suit the flu protection purpose in a limited but practical sense. The following is my experience and a summary of my research.\\n\\nWhen Swine Flu emerged, I could not get surgical or respirator masks. All stores sold out before I got there. Online prices were at incredible premiums at the time but have since come down a lot. I bought this box of 20 3M 8200 N95 Particulate Disposable Respirators. 3M is a very reputable company and this is one of the better ones. They're well made and with the double band, they fit snugly and that is the key to being effective.\\n\\nThe 3M 8200 N95 Particulate Disposable Respirator - the \\\"N95\\\" means that if the mask is properly fitted, it will filter out particles down to .3 microns 95 percent of the time. That's great for particulate matter but not sufficient against flu bugs - yet quite helpful.\\n\\nThe types of viruses that cause respiratory illnesses measure between .1 to .2 microns. That means that while this mask will probably stop most of the flu viruses from getting through, it is not dense enough to stop them all. That is why the product description mentions dust and particulate matter but makes no claim or mention of viruses.\\n\\nMasks with a high enough efficiency rating to stop viruses are incredibly uncomfortable. I've never worn one but consider that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) advises health-care workers working with SARS patients to wear the N95 mask - same rating as this one. Even the CDC does not expect people to function at work wearing masks with super high efficiency ratings. Therefore I'm not getting a superior rated mask because they are immediately uncomfortable and I might not be able to function wearing one. Health-care workers will be wearing masks rated N95.\\n\\nThe N95 masks are also valued because viruses often travel on bigger molecules such as molecules that contain mucus. N95 will stop all of those. They should help when you're using public transportation, for example, and this mask might be your savior if somebody with Swine Flu is coughing. I think those of us with children are especially worried about bringing home this virus.\",\n \"Product: The Torin Engine Hoist has a 1-ton capacity and is excellent for smaller engine blocks. This hoist features four-wheel mobility and a folding design for easy storage. Size: 59-13/16\\\" x 43-5/16\\\" x 59-1/16\\\"\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Great for folding in garage, has limitations and I don't recommend it\\n\\nReview: This Torin design is superior for folding, and that's usually important since there's never enough garage space by definition.\\n\\nThe issues I have with this model are:\\n(1) Assembly is not reliable enough because tools are often needed to get the bolts in place.\\n(2) The height may be insufficient to replace an engine in a truck, if that's required.\\n(3) This model has 4 wheels, the bare minimum for stability. As soon as one wheel fails, the unit fails in a resale situation.\\n\\nConsider the Torin 2-ton 6-wheel model for only a little more money. It's much heavier but also folds. It has the same potential height limitation but I think it's a better purchase:\\n\\n<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Torin-T32001-Foldable-Engine-Hoist-2-Ton/dp/B000CO9YME/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Torin T32001 Foldable Engine Hoist - 2 Ton</a>\",\n \"Product: Keeping your home clean and healthy is your mission and Filtrete healthy living filters can be your perfect partner. Featuring high performing electrostatic technology, Filtrete healthy living filters proactively capture dust, bacteria, germs, viruses and allergens in your air. For optimum performance, change your filter every 90 days or sooner.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Makes the home a safe haven for allergy sufferers.\\n\\nReview: Anybody looking at a filter like this has a good reason. I've got two with strong allergies here (not me, I got lucky so far in terms of allergies). So I already was using a Filtrete 1500 filter that worked miracles before using this. Here's my advice on that:\\n\\nUnless one has strong allergies, I'd try using the 1500 filter first, because I see the 2200 as a filter for perfectionists. I went up to the 2200 from the 1500 because I'm reviewing it. But the 1500 took care of our indoor allergies. My two allergic people got their indoor problem solved when I inserted the 1500 filter. 2200 is a big deal and they say it's wonderful, but I think our problems were solved by the 1500.\\n\\nHere's why the app is so good, in my opinion. The app tells how much the filter is used up and when it's time to change it. There's plenty of time to reorder a new set of two filters. It also protects the HVAC system. Otherwise once the filter gets fully clogged, the system will have a hard time blowing more air through it and parts will begin to fail, causing expensive and totally preventable repairs. But you can't know for sure by looking at the filter how much of its capacity is used up. The sensor in it tells the app on the user's phone, and that's why the app is needed.\\n\\nSo the big reason I use the app is to avoid expensive but preventable repairs to my HVAC. Aside from that, this app gives information about the daily air quality. Yes, it's another world when one can see that information in real time. Mainly though, I need to sure about changing the filter on time.\\n\\nSure it's expensive to use these wonderful filters that bring relief to allergy sufferers, providing them with a safe haven. I wouldn't do it if it were just me since I don't have allergy issues, although anybody can get allergies at any time.\\n\\nThe difference is obvious and notable, one gets better air. I notice it when I come in the house even though as I said, I got lucky by not having allergies. It's not like you put in this filter and not notice anything different. This 2200 goes beyond the filters used in hospitals - and everybody notices it. The app allows use of such a perfectionist filter because otherwise one might make the HVAC work too hard and fail key parts. The app makes it simple to get the new filters on time and change filters on time - and to use a filter to the end of its service life each time.\",\n \"Product: the JEBSENS Polarized Clip-on Flip-up Night Vision Glasses Make your glasses becomes Cool Fashion Sunglasses. The Polarized Clip will give you better view when you driving, fishing and other outdoor activities. Great for driving at Night or in Bad Weather as it cuts the glare of headlights down. You might also like wearing them during the day time with the cool design!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Works perfectly since my regular glasses are identically shaped. Polarized\\n\\nReview: I got the grey clip-on. It fits just right on my glasses - one can check my profile picture to see the shape of glasses that I wear (if the photo loads as it does not always do so).\\n\\nThe product description says this is polarized and I believe it. They clip tightly on my glasses. This allows me to use my transition glasses in the car as sunglasses, and I don't have to keep as many different glasses around all the time.\\n\\nThe clip on mechanism is intuitive and easy to put on and off, for me anyway. I like the way these shades are flush against my regular glasses - it's that way because my glasses are the same shape.\\n\\nClip-on provided by Jebsenstm.\",\n \"Product: This combo pack of HB11K and TN111K is designed to help you control lights both indoors and out. The HB11K is ideal for outdoor decorations as well as heavier duty usage such as engine block heaters and other appliances. The TN111K is designed for indoor use with lamps and appliances, with up to 2 on/off events. Both timers are CSA certified.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: The black outside one is perfect, the white one is good\\n\\nReview: I tested but am not using the white indoor timer because it's 2-pronged instead of 3-pronged. The black outdoor timer is 3-pronged plug into an outlet.\\n\\nThe timers work great, with two intervals. That is something new to me and I like it. They have a dial interface, and that's better than digital for reasons I won't go into and are based on my experience.\\n\\nI'm not a fan of the white unit only because I think it should have been a 3-prong plug into the wall. The ground prong gives me a high degree of assurance that the timer unit won't get hot and cause a shock. I want this assurance especially for a timer since it's meant to operate if I'm away from home for an extended period.\",\n \"Product: With its fluid curves and graceful gooseneck design, the LadyLux3 Caf Dual Spray pull-down kitchen faucet is as elegant and eye-catching as it is functional. Standing 14-15/16 in. tall, its striking profile comprises a high-arc swivel spout that extends 8-5/16 in. in reach and incorporates a pull-down dual spray head. The locking spray control allows users to switch between two spray modesregular flow and spraywith a simple push of a button. GROHE SpeedClean protects the spray nozzles against limescale buildup, and the lever handle, equipped with a GROHE SilkMove for a lifetime of smooth operation cartridge for smooth control of the water temperature and volume, rotates forward to turn the faucet on, eliminating installation issues relating to backsplash clearance. LadyLux3 Caf has a 2.2 GPM water flow and comes in GROHE StarLight finish for scratch and tarnish-resistant surfaces for a lifetime of beauty chrome, a brilliant finish that resists scratching and tarnishing.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Not working - yet - critical information pending\\n\\nReview: I had a mixed experience with this faucet that's not over yet. The faucet is beautiful to see. I had a plumber install it but after a lot of testing he determined it couldn't work because of a bad solenoid. That's a part that's critical. Then he tried to bypass but that wasn't possible, so I had to have it uninstalled.\\n\\nBut later after talking with the service technical representative, after a long time on hold to do that, I'm told to get the plumber back and have the service technical representative walk the plumber through a method to flush the solenoid to get it to work. That's what I scheduled and will get back with the critical new information.\",\n \"Product: A favorite Fisher-Price classic with so many ways for baby to play! Five colorful rings are fun for younger babies to grasp, hold, shake, and explore. The littlest ring has a shiny, reflective surface for baby to discover insidewith colorful, swirling beads that make fun rattle sounds! When baby is ready to sit & stack, baby can place rings on the post, then bat at the wobbly base to make it rock back and forth. Stacking helps baby develop eye-hand coordination, and introduces baby to the concept of relative size as they learn to sort and stack from biggest to smallest!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Surprising Number of Ways to Play With This Toy\\n\\nReview: My 9 month-old twins play with this toy in all kinds of ways. They're not at the point of stacking the disks/rings yet, but they do a lot of other things. For example, they throw the rings with the aim of trying to get them to roll on their side. Most of the time they don't succeed at that but sometimes they do, and then they might have to crawl to retrieve them. This is great for developing motor skills and it shows that they understand something of the concept of a wheel. They also get exercise.\\n\\nWe also play together with this toy in different ways. For example, I can sit across from a baby and throw a disk in her lap and then she throws it back in my lap and so on. We move onto different colors and sizes. They can do this at 9 months old and it's fun for them. They also trade the rings between each other and I can't say I understand what kind of game that is but they like it.\\n\\nWe clean the rings every night along with all the things we clean (there are so many). But these are easy to clean and this is a very durable toy.\",\n \"Product: The ALEX Toys Craft Color a House lets kids color their own playhouse! This large preprinted corrugated cardboard house will let a future homeowner's imagination soar and provide endless hours of fun. The mini-home is easy to assemble and features strong walls to provide a safe and fun playhouse for kids. There are windows and a closeable door, perfect privacy and visits from family. Choose your own custom colors and decorate your house with the included 6 giant, washable twin tip markers for broad and fine tip coloring. The playhouse measures 25in. by 32in. by 38in. and includes easy assembly instructions. Includes a large preprinted corrugated house and 6 twin tip markers. Recommended for children 4 years of age and older.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Fun for kids to color however they see fit\\n\\nReview: I think most parents will be pleased with this cardboard playhouse. My kids are fascinated by it and I had to struggle to get them to quit coloring it so they could be put in bed.\\n\\nThe instructions aren't good, just a one-sided sheet. Yet the cardboard folding patterns and cutouts do not require much explanation.\\n\\nThis playhouse isn't strong and its weakest area is the base. It just has a small fold-in for each side, and the folds don't add much strength. To make this playhouse last a long time, hopefully a week, I made the insides stronger by using packaging tape. First I connected the folding parts that make up the base by taping them together. That's on the inside so one can't see it on the product photo. There were some other parts that I taped for added strength too.\\n\\nMy girls returned to coloring it today. What they have produced is very nice with a lot of thought and organization.\\n\\nThis toy inspires children to produce works of art that are meaningful.\",\n \"Product: This upside-down coaster is one of a kind! Watch as the Hyperspeed Hangtime Roller Coaster from K'NEX uses its inverted blaster motor technology to send cars flying through twists and turns while hanging upside down! Build with over 620 K'NEX parts & pieces like rods, connectors and track. All K'NEX rods and connectors are made in the USA! Recommended for ages 9+. Requires 3 \\\"C\\\" batteries, not included.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A test of the child's grittiness\\n\\nReview: This toy is for kids 9+ in age and the building of it is a real job. It has a lot of parts and requires a lot of time and concentration to build. I like it because:\\n\\n* Once built, it has over 18 feet of track.\\n* It's educational in terms of mechanics and physics. It's time-consuming to fit all 624 pieces together, and we have an 18-year old that got pulled into the project to help our 10-year old. Several times it was necessary to undo some construction and redo, using the instruction manual. The child learns to persevere. That's how challenging it is to build this roller coaster.\\n* The fully constructed roller coaster is over 2.5 feet tall.\\n* The hanging roller coaster riders makes the ride appear more dramatic.\\n* The blaster motor is powerful enough to send the riders through the entire circuit. It requires 3 size C batteries. It will continue sending them through when turned on. One has to turn it off at some point.\\n* I think this accurately simulates the physics of an actual large roller coaster in an amusement park.\",\n \"Product: Physics Pro V2.0: Advanced Physics Kit. Physics Pro is our biggest, most advanced physics kit. With this kit, you can continue your study of statics and dynamics from previous lessons and begin your study of more advanced topics in physics, including fluid dynamics, energy, oscillation, hydraulics and pneumatics. By adding advanced topics like fluid dynamics to your physics repertoire, you can now build some really spectacular models and devices, such as a wind tunnel, pneumatic shocks and a hydraulic lift. You will see how physics extends far beyond the classroom, giving us an amazing set of tools that can be applied in the real world to engineer marvelous things. The main focus of the kit is the behavior of the two most important fluids in our world - water and air - and objects immersed in them. You will investigate how air and water rest and flow, what they can carry and how they move. With experiments and models, you will find out what forces work on them and what kinds of energy they possess. You will learn how ships float and airplanes fly, why a streamlined shape lets a car drive faster and how power plants convert a current of water into electrical current. The 96-page, full-color experiment manual has two major sections. In the first part, you will enter the physics lab, where you will get to know the properties of air and water and become familiar with currents and energy. There is a series of 17 experiments in which you will stat building smaller models. in the second part, you will move on to the workshop, where you will build 14 larger models of complex real-world devices. More than 213 parts are included in this kit, which are compatible with all of our other Physics kits.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Looking good - will require dedication and time to perform the truly fantastic physics experiments\\n\\nReview: I think the product video truly demonstrates the experiments within. To me it seems obvious that the larger part of the lesson will be within the discussion and perhaps using many online videos to view real-life applications of the principles in this set.\\n\\nThe advantage is that one's kids can learn basic physics ideas without social comparison and without getting too distracted by mathematical learning gaps.\\n\\nThere are many parts though, some very small. For this reason I'm issuing the fair warning that unless an adult or responsible older child is placed in charge of the experiments, disaster could strike. One can lose parts, get parts mixed up in various places and end up not using the otherwise fantastic experiments.\\n\\nBasic understanding of physics is extremely useful so that's why I got into this commitment. I've found that many adults with no advanced education often have an excellent understanding of basic physics principles, and that's why I believe one does not have to introduce physics in a traditional academic setting.\",\n \"Product: The emphasis of \\\"Managerial Accounting, Global Edition, 9e\\\" is on teaching students to use accounting information to best manage an organization. In a practice Hilton pioneered in the first edition, each chapter is written around a realistic business or focus company that guides the reader through the topics of that chapter. This new \\\"Global Edition\\\" now highlights international focus and contrast companies. Known for balanced examples of Service, Retail, Nonprofit and Manufacturing companies, Hilton/Platt offers a clear, engaging writing style that has been praised by instructors and students alike. As in previous editions, there is significant coverage of contemporary topics such as activity-based costing, target costing, the value chain, customer profitability analysis, and throughput costing while also including traditional topics such as job-order costing, budgeting and performance evaluation.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The Age-Old Sailboat Book Problem\\n\\nReview: One never likes having to buy it new. Still, there are reasons to like the Weygandt, Kimmel and Kieso Sailboat series including this 6th edition of Financial Accounting (Financial Accounting I). These authors have done everything to make the subject progressively more accessible in each edition. I know as I suffered through the courses once too. I have a master's in accounting and am a CPA. It's surprising how many accounting texts assume the student has certain prerequisite skills and knowledge and equally surprising how so many accounting professors want to lecture beyond the level of the students, which is not so easy to do when using the Sailboat Financial Accounting book. These are really teaching books. I buy used recent editions for myself just for reference since they're so well done and so cheap. Not all CPAs do that but I practice financial accounting and train accountants.\\n\\nYou'd be lucky if the professor is permissive enough to go with the 5th edition because most students quickly sell these books once the course is over, so used editions are MUCH cheaper. But professors insist on the most recent edition. Also, the authors anticipate that everyone wants to use the cheaper previous edition, so they always change the end of chapter problems. The publisher also provides the professors with additional materials including exam materials, so there's always the incentive for the professor to use the latest edition.\\n\\nThese are serious heavy books. This one is 938 pages and you have to know the material by the time the course is finished. No wonder so many people, despite knowing that good accountants tend to stay employed in a recession, won't even consider this route. But at least these Sailboat books are hardcover with large dimensions and quality paper and binding. Nothing is worse than using a thick softcover text that feels like a phone book. Unfortunately they're expensive new, and you might one day be buying the 10th edition used for a fraction of this price.\\n\\nNote also that you don't get a WileyPlus access code with this book, in case your professor requires you to use this resource. You can go to the WileyPlus website and buy an access code for usually about $75 or see what your college bookstore charges in the event that they sell it.\\n\\nFinally, a word of caution and encouragement: This course, along with Intermediate Accounting, are often the courses that usually weed students out from the accounting major program. They are not easy courses and require more study time than a typical course. You can get supplementary materials too such as more basic accounting books if you need them. Good luck - I wish you the best!\",\n \"Product: Mark Bowden has been a reporter at The Philadelphia Inquirer for nineteen years.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Classic Account in Military History\\n\\nReview: I've seen the movie, read the book and listened to the audiobook. My favorite was the audiobook, by far. Unfortunately, movies almost always include scenes that aren't technically correct. But the audiobook had a secret weapon, namely Joe Morton, the narrator. Morton was the real thing, and this is one of those very rare cases where the narrator is so good and appropriate that it makes a good book into classic high art.\\n\\nThere is a side to this story that we didn't know at the time the book was published. The earlier attacks on our forces had al-Qaeda behind them. They were meticulously planned well in advance. After that experience, the Clinton administration got our forces out of there. This was supported in our media and presidential ratings went up. It's important to understand the conflict in context.\\n\\nThe story itself, not the movie, is technically correct and superb. In it, we can see the sacrifice and bravery of our troops as well as the reality of Mogadishu and fearlessness of the fighters there. The reckless fighting spirit of Mogadishuans was enhanced with khat, a very important drug in their tribal society. Such a place with a culture of hospitality unknown to the West had become a living hell, and it was worse in areas outside that city.\\n\\nIn particular we get the story within the story about the survival of Mike Durant. He was a Chief Warrant Officer 3 at the time, serving in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. This suspenseful account resulted in a partial silver lining when he was released after eleven days in captivity.\\n\\nMilitary historians will continue to laud this story for its richness in geopolitics, technical excellence, usefulness for teaching military principles, survival credits, esprit de corps and Joe Morton's performance. I recommend this audiobook without reservation.\",\n \"Product: Unusual book\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Sobering Book. Harbor No Illusions\\n\\nReview: My review is based on my purchase of the audible version of this book.\\n\\nIt took me three times listening to this book until I felt satisfied that I understood it. Rawles accumulated information and viewpoints through his website. This is an attempt to answer the question of how to survive not only off the grid but in an environment with no law and order or social cohesion.\\n\\nI felt overwhelmed by the amount of information on my first pass. In the end I concluded that I'm not able to prepare for the level of crisis addressed in this book. I'm not even close. Further, the things within my power to do are explained away in this book as insufficient. Even though I'm a non-survivor by Rawles' standards, I think this is a 5-star book because Rawles got far ahead of the issue due to his willingness to think deeply about this difficult problem.\\n\\nThis is a very sobering book. You cannot be left with any illusion of being able to live like Robinson Crusoe from the novel by Daniel Defoe. First, it would probably take all our time to work the land to feed ourselves. Second, Rawles explains why it would be necessary to relocate to what he calls a retreat. The retreat is really a rural, defensible secret compound where a group of survivalists make a last stand and become self-sufficient. Third, I estimate the infrastructure and equipment required of such a retreat would cost many tens of thousands of dollars, not counting the land. Rawles discusses things such as setting up a communication system complete with buried cables, for example. You don't return home from this camping trip.\\n\\nEven if you put off for now survival preparation, this book can advance your thinking on the subject. Rawles points to the fact that our economic supply chain is extended. This is a globalization-related phenomenon. World population centers are dependent on food and fuel from far away. Disruptions in one part of the chain tend to get amplified down the line in what's called a whiplash effect. In practical terms, Rawles feels the dangers are so great that survival preparation means getting far away from other people and the highways they can use. This is where Rawles seems radical compared to other survival preparation experts. Instead of organizing with the neighbors, he holds that we need to set up a remote retreat. The necessity of setting up and relocating in secret to the remote retreat is what sets Rawles apart in the survivalist genre.\",\n \"Product: Luke S. Larson was born and raised in Washington State and grew up on the Olympic Peninsula. He attended University of Arizona on an NROTC scholarship and graduated with honors with a degree in Journalism. He served as a Marine infantry officer and saw action in two tours to Ar Ramadi, Iraq in 2005 and then again in 2007. He was awarded the Bronze Star with V for valor on his first tour. He studied non-lethal weapons, policies and procedures at Penn State's continuing education program and is currently pursuing an MBA at Thunderbird School of Global Management. He lives in Phoenix with his wife and daughter.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: You Can Pretend to Care, But You Can't Pretend to Be There (quote from the book)\\n\\nReview: Senator's Son is historical fiction. It is to the Iraq War what I, Claudius is to the Roman Expire from Julius Caesar to Caligula. This book covers the Iraq War from Occupation to the Sunni Awakening and the Surge.\\n\\nExperiences from Luke Larson's two tours to Ramadi, Iraq, and happenings of the time are woven into a stunning tale. Based on actual events, Senator's Son is about ambition, treachery, reconciliation and the capacity to adapt. Combatants were locked into a bloody struggle in a bleak urban landscape. The Marines learned counterinsurgency warfare by breaking many rules and through humility.\\n\\nWe get to know several Marines of Golf Company who patrol the open-sewer, broken streets of war-torn Ramadi. Insurgents create constant danger and death with IEDs (improvised explosive devices). The local population strongly supports the insurgents. But not all is what it seems.\\n\\nSenator's Son tells how military professionals fought, died and learned the arts of counterinsurgency warfare. Counterinsurgency requires even more cognitive work than traditional war and also a completely different mindset. Instead of fighting over ground, counterinsurgents fight over the people. General Petraeus arrived on the scene and announced, \\\"The people are the prize.\\\"\\n\\nAs with all forms of warfare, lessons of counterinsurgency do not necessarily stick over time. For example, in the Vietnam War, the U.S. fought over the heavily fortified hill 937. U.S. light infantry conducted assaults over ten days against highly defensible positions on this hill, also called Hamburger Hill. U.S. forces abandoned this hill 16 days after taking it due to its lack of strategic value. Casualties were high and the only thing the U.S. achieved was a high body count.\\n\\nThe breakthrough for the Marines in Ramadi came as a result of two changes. First, the hardcore insurgents had started to brutalize the population. The insurgents even taxed Ramadi residents. Second, after losses, the Marines began to rethink their methods and considered the ideas expressed by Bing West, author of The Village<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/The-Village/dp/0743457579/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">The Village</a>, John Hersey, author of A Bell for Adano<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/A-Bell-for-Adano/dp/0394756959/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">A Bell for Adano</a>, Eugene Burdick and William Lederer,authors of The Ugly American<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/The-Ugly-American/dp/0393318672/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">The Ugly American</a>, Colonel David Hackworth adn Julie Sherman, authors of About Face: The Odyssey of an American Warrior <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/About-Face-The-Odyssey-of-an-American-Warrior/dp/0671695347/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">About Face: The Odyssey of an American Warrior</a>and David Kilcullen, author of Counterinsurgency <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Counterinsurgency/dp/0199737495/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Counterinsurgency</a>.\\n\\nUsing the wisdom of the counterinsurgency body of knowledge, the Marines achieved remarkable success in Ramadi. Life for the residents improved and the insurgents were not welcome anymore. Tax revenue for the insurgents had dried up.\\n\\nSenator's Son offers lessons for American Society. A counterinsurgency war can easily last for many years. This is something to consider before committing the nation to war. Preparation and training to fight such wars, including language training for the troops, will save a lot of lives. Also, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is real and generally lasts a lifetime, not to mention grievous injuries suffered by combatants. We should only commit our best and brightest to war after we have made the commitments to fight the kind of war at hand and support the troops in the very long run.\\n\\nI'm looking forward to the next book by Luke Larson.\",\n \"Product: As usual the guidebook standard is set by Lonely Planet-- Outside (USA)\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: This and a Map Book got us through the whole country\\n\\nReview: In a once in a lifetime trip, my father and I went to the old country, Ireland, for an extended period and went everywhere. We rented a car at the Dublin airport and drove into Dublin. That was my first time driving on the left side of the road and with the steering wheel on the right-hand side, and after the long flight. Well, some things you learn by being thrown into the deep end.\\n\\nThe Lonely Planet guide was very helpful in locating everything once we arrived in every city. It explained many things about all our surroundings and that helped get us started. Even though I gave the maximum stars, one of the problems in this and every guide is that the writers list the places they went and not all the places. Not only that, but they tend to list the places where only tourists go. But all these books do that so one must take the good and look for themselves when they arrive at their destination.\",\n \"Product: DANIEL MILSTEIN is founder, president and CEO of Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group. He has been recognized as the #1 loan officer in the United States; has achieved more than $3 billion in personal mortgage originations; and is one of the top 40 finance professionals in the nation, ranked by National Mortgage Professional Magazine. Milstein led the company to the Inc 500 list and one of the fastest growing companies in the United States. Gold Star has over 500 employees in 43 offices across the U.S. and has been named a Top Workplace in Michigan for three years by the Detroit Free Press. Milstein holds an honorary doctorate and BBA in business management from Cleary University, Ann Arbor, from which he graduated with honors. He is the author of The ABC of Sales: Lessons from a Superstar, which in March 2012 sold 10,000 copies and became the #1 sales book on Amazon.com and the thirty-first top seller of all ebook sales.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Funny and inspiring - would make for a great movie\\n\\nReview: Daniel Milstein is great - this is the second book of his that I read. It was provided with the hope but not promise that I would submit a review.\\n\\nWhat I love about the author and his stories is the incredible naiveté and perseverance that wins the day in the end. Some of the stories reveal how he was the butt of jokes and ridiculed because he took the most humbling jobs and opportunities seriously.\\n\\nMy favorite story in this book is about Milstein at McDonalds. I could not stop laughing. This kind of stuff would make a great movie. There he was working hard at McDonalds, one of the most low status jobs in America but honest and hard low-paid work. When little bloopers happen, customers and coworkers make fun of him. It only makes him try harder and he finds an opportunity in a contest held by McDonalds corporate. He ends up winning and getting trained to be a shift manager - still humble but who there could see that he would probably become a lot more successful than any of the coworkers?\\n\\nThis is the type of story that endears anybody to the the author for his determination and humility. I sincerely think this would make a great movie.\",\n \"Product: Marc Garfinkle went solo right out of law school (Hastings '78) in San Francisco. Today he is solo in New Jersey with over over thirty years at the bar. He is also Adjunct Professor of Persuasion and Advocacy at Seton Hall Law School where he also teaches for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA). He is Public Defender in Livingston, NJ. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the American Association for Justice, the New Jersey State Bar Association, and the Association for Continuing Legal Education Administrators. (ACLEA). Marc is a past Ethics Investigator and Chair of the New Jersey Supreme Court District (VB) Attorney Ethics Committee. Marc has a regular column \\\"Mentor Mindfulness\\\" that appears regularly California State Bar Association's New Esquire Magazine. In addition to $olo Contendere, Marc has written the popular Hip-Pocket Guide to Testifying in Court, \\\"The New Lawyers Hip-Pocket Guide to Appearing in Court, the \\\"Law Enforcement Officer's Hip-Pocket Guide to Testifying in Court\\\" and \\\"The Hip-Pocket Guide to Speaking in Public.\\\"\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: You probably need some capital to get started and going\\n\\nReview: A book is usually pretty good when it leads to interesting discussions afterward. Solo Contendere among other things is a platform to bring out true war stories of professional life in the trenches. These are things you don't learn in law school because they aren't covered on the bar exam.\\n\\nMany notable trial lawyers did not get started at prestigious law firms. Abraham Lincoln rode the circuit, appearing in county courts when in session, handling a wide variety of cases. Melvin Belli's first gig was to pose as a hobo for the Works Progress Administration to observe the Depression's impact on vagrants. With a law license, you can do a lot of things, including solo practice.\\n\\nI found Solo Contendere useful, even entertaining although I'm not an attorney but a CPA. Author Marc Garfinkle's advice applies to all service professionals, only to attorneys in greater measure due to the nature of practicing law. The pros and cons of taking on partners, of accepting cases involving friends and family are salient examples. This advice spans everything from establishing the type of office suitable for your particular solo practice to billing and collection concerns.\\n\\nThere are many ways to go solo as an attorney. Garfinkle explains how to market oneself to other attorneys, performing various support work. There are many ways to specialize or else generalize with a specialty. The book does not cover specialization in depth. Instead it gives a broad outline of the considerations in becoming known as a specialist.\\n\\nWhat I as a non-attorney liked best were the cautions about how not to lose clients. Garfinkle feels strongly that an attorney should continually review the files (he gives several practical tips on filing procedures too) and return client calls. Such behaviors are obvious yet they must be difficult to do consistently, otherwise attorneys would all be doing them.\\n\\nI was a believer in the prospect for attorneys going solo right out of law school. I believed this strongly before reading Solo Contendere. A lot of people in my geographical area have trouble finding the right attorney. And I reside in the Beltway where attorneys are numerous. Just conduct an informal survey of various individuals to determine whether they'd feel more comfortable going to a new generalist attorney in an inexpensive office versus signing up with a heavy-hitter partner in a luxurious office.\\n\\nGetting established in a new field, particularly in this economy, is flat out difficult. But given the unrequited desire of many potential clients to find an attorney that will on balance help them, the door cannot be as closed as it looks.\",\n \"Product: Mike Song is one of America's leading experts on email efficiency and etiquette. A sought-after corporate trainer and keynote speaker, he's helped more than 5,000 professionals take back their lives by managing email more effectively. Mike's speaking and training engagements combine hard-hitting research, humorous stories, and hundreds of best practices to produce results. An ardent researcher, Mike has spent over five years amassing and analyzing data from more than 7,500 workplace surveys on email, information storage, and business meetings. He is co-founder and CEO of Cohesive Knowledge Solutions. Among Mike's clients are such industry leaders as Allianz, Clear Channel, Merck, Fox, HP, and Nestle.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: This book may provide the fastest route to increasing one's productivity\\n\\nReview: I got the 3-hour long CD and now listened a third time. I've wanted off the treadmill to the extent possible. I started implementing the authors' suggestions after my first pass, and then began to use their tools after the second pass. I've become a believer in the Hamster Revolution and now recognize this work as one of the truly great business books of our time. That's why I deleted my first review - so I could increase the number of stars.\\n\\nIn my first go-around I immediately felt overly critical due to what I perceived as a self-serving forward by Ken Blanchard. I have nothing against Blanchard and recognize him as an outstanding thinker and corporate trainer; I just don't like it when people writing a forward use it as an opportunity to toot their own horn. In this state of mind, I found the hamster character cutesy. The second time I identified strongly with the hamster. The dialogue made me feel that I'm the hamster. Further, the use of the hamster character turned out to be an ingenious technique because it allowed the authors to teach their lessons in story format. The more I applied the lessons, the more apparent it became that the authors, Mike Song, Vicki Halsey and Tim Burress have a fine 129-page masterpiece here.\\n\\nThe first thing I started doing was strengthening my subject lines and sculpting my messages. Anybody can do this once they understand the first simple lesson. Like the hamster, I'm now sending fewer emails. This result did not come just as a matter of receiving and following instructions. There is theory behind the lessons and it seems so simple due to the story presentation. The reader (listener in my case) is made to understand the problem first. The problem is information overload and we all face it.\\n\\nSkipping straight to the last strategy, the authors provide a powerful tool called COTA. This is a system for organizing email folders that works because of the logic behind its simplicity. I feel that it's a spoiler to tell what COTA stands for, but even so, COTA is not so simple that it can be used effectively without understanding the philosophical underpinning. This is the first tier of folders, and one can expect to have further tiers. Further, one should apply this tool to all one's business records, physical and electronic. This includes records in file cabinets, records on company servers, records in employees' My Documents and email folders. In the book, the hamster is advised that it will take about a day to reorganize his files using this tool. But the hamster could not completely do it all in one day. I think nobody can predict how long it will take to implement this tool.\\n\\nThe title of the book is inspired. The idea of \\\"revolution\\\" is that those of us using the design and principles will spread the word and create major change. One can imagine managers asking employees to join \\\"the revolution.\\\" Those of us using the techniques will be able to recognize each other fairly quickly from the subject headers.\\n\\nFinally, I did not read this book. I listened to the CD. The reader is Oliver Wyman. He has an enormous portfolio of famous books in several genres and is extremely versatile. I wholeheartedly recommend the CD because it flows smoothly and is soothing to the listener. I've also ordered the book because the CD is abridged and I want to make sure not to miss out on anything. This is an enjoyable 3-hour CD set (3 CDs). But let's be honest about something. This is about making work more satisfying. It's about being successful at work. It's about being more productive and therefore more competitive.\",\n \"Product: Winsor Hoang is the founder and CEO of CTS Forex, and is also a registered Forex commodity trading advisor (CTA) with the National Futures Association (NFA) offering managed account services to high net worth individuals with a minimum account of $50K. Winsor is the author of The Bull, The Bear and The Baboon FX Lessons Learned the Hard Way.\\\" Using his 15 years of automated system design as a professional electrical engineer, Winsor has successfully transitioned to systematic trading development. Winsor started researching the FX market in 2003 and founded CTS Forex in 2007, specializing in the systematic trading of the EUR/USD currency pair. Winsor has nearly two decades and more than twenty thousand hours of trading experience. Not all of Winsors twenty thousand hours came without their challenges, losses and learnings though. Throughout this process, Winsor and those around him had some very interesting and varied experiences with their introduction to FX trading from many experts around the world. In his book, The Bull, The Bear and The Baboon, Winsor shares his lessons learned to help others avoid the same pitfalls he and others experienced. CTS Forex actively works with several high profile mathematicians, statisticians, computer scientists, and computational finance specialists at the University of Calgary and other leading institutions to develop reliable and robust trading systems. Joint FX research has also produced several academic papers that have been published in first-class international scientific journals such as Journal of Mathematical Finance (JMF), Elsevier Procedia Computer Science Journal, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Journal, and International Conference on Computational Science. CTS Forex uses an automated, statistical, risk-managed FX trading system that produces profits with just 50 percent winning trades. CTS Forex's systematic trading has the advantage of imposing strict risk discipline, avoiding emotionally induced errors, and capturing profitable opportunities. Automated trading has proven to increase portfolio returns by removing the need for 24-hour monitoring of international markets, overcoming the effects of human emotion and eliminating costly trading pattern inconsistencies. If you are interested in more information about our Managed Forex accounts, please call CTS Forex on 1-888-260- 3939 or contact us at info@ctsforex.com.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Fact or fiction, it's authoritative, entertaining and at times gut-wrenching.\\n\\nReview: I don't know what in the stories is fiction but it doesn't matter. The author presented stories as context to the actual lessons or truisms cited at the end of each chapter. I found this to be a satisfactory way to be entertained while learning through feeling a bit of what the characters felt.\\n\\nAs the author shows, FX markets have important similarities and differences to other markets. Over the long run, almost everybody trading in the FX market is going to lose: this was an important lesson of the book and well-explained. However, the lure is there because some will experience a sudden windfall, of course.\\n\\nI recommend this book as it was enjoyable for me to read. It also made me feel too afraid to try FX trading. Also, I was provided an advance copy by the author's company in the hope that I would read and provide my honest opinion of his book.\",\n \"Product: Peter Apps is global defence columnist at Reuters news. He is currently on sabbatical as executive director for the Project for Study of the 21st Century.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: His men loved him - that much is clear\\n\\nReview: This is the part of Churchill's life that I most wanted to know about. It interests me that mostly by chance and circumstance, he finds himself living among lots of other guys in such an intimate setting along with the sharing of daily tragedy. What would Churchill make of this hell on earth?\\n\\nIt turns out he was a nice man to the fellows and generous to those around him. He understood that the soldiers had volunteered and gave them respect for that reason. Plus he must have been a lot of fun to be around much of the time.\\n\\nChurchill visited the frontmost trenches daily, something that made an impression on the common volunteers. He was loved by the unfortunate men as they suffered too many casualties to keep their unit together.\\n\\nThis kind of war experience and the love and respect for all the combatants helped pave the way for Churchill's subsequent political successes. I'm not aware if the U.S. even has somebody like that are doing those things that bring people together toward common goals. We probably do just not in the same situation, I guess.\",\n \"Product: Scott Stanberry, CPA, is an independent consultant with nearly a decade of experience working in government contracting. As a consultant, Stanberry has helped all types of companies land profitable contracts and in doing so, he has developed and perfected a method for getting noticed, winning the job, and managing the contract from beginning to end.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best General Book on Subject for Small Businesses\\n\\nReview: This review is updated for the 3rd Edition.\\n\\nI've read many books on government contracting. I think this is the best primer on the market for small business owners and managers. Chapters are well-organized and the writing is succinct. The graphics are useful, including government forms, rate calculations, sample cost formulas, and more. The bid formula example for a small disadvantaged business and the progress payment schedule are just 2 of many excellent and easy-to-understand graphics.\\n\\nThe author, Scott Stanberry, is well-known in the field because his successes in helping businesses to get established as government contractors. His book, now in its 3rd edition, has been the favorite beginning book for small business owners for several years.\\n\\nFederal contracting has grown steadily for many years now for various reasons. Even though the government is now bringing a lot of this work in-house instead of continuing to outsource it, most economists expect the sector to remain a large part of the national economy. Since the scope of federal procurement is so large, it makes sense for many businesses to evaluate the potential benefits of becoming vendors to the federal government.\",\n \"Product: James first visited Turkey as a student, at the end of an eastern European trip. He lived on bread and cheese triangles for a week in Istanbul and the Princes' Islands, before using the last of his funds to get home to Britain. His latest Turkish trip was more successful: wandering Anatolia and making up for student starvation by spending his entire fee on kebaps. When he's not investigating various countries' national dishes, James lives in London's \\\"Little Turkey.\\\" He has contributed to half a dozen LP guidebooks, and co-authored A Year of Festivals, featuring Turkey's camel- and oil-wrestling festivals.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good guide yet weighty\\n\\nReview: Before mentioning other attributes of this book, I must say it uniquely smelled of incense. Maybe the incense aroma evokes Turkey to those that have been there, otherwise I cannot imagine why this book was delivered with the scent. The scent is also pleasing. I think the scent is frankincense.\\n\\nThere is also a city map of Istanbul attached in the book that can be easily separated and used as intended.\\n\\nThe book must be in it's umpteenth edition because it is clearly the result an incredible labor both in quality and quantity.\\n\\nI like the organization of the book and the distinct maps within that show the minimum detail needed for each instance. This book combined with Internet searches must be all that one would require.\\n\\nAs stated, I haven't been to Turkey. It's my ambition and desire to visit and tour parts of the country. I can tell that this book is a good guide book although it weighs quite a bit.\",\n \"Product: Fernando \\\"FerFAL\\\" Aguirre is a father, husband and survivalist that has lived through the Argentine socio-economic collapse of 2001, and the consequences such collapse had in the years that followed. He's the author of numerous articles found on line and is recognized among the survival and preparedness community for his personal experience and no-nonsense approach to survivalism. He's also the publisher and owner of \\\"Surviving in Argentina\\\", a blog he keep up with updated articles, posts as well as reports of the situation in Argentina.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Urban survival during crisis based on author's experience\\n\\nReview: I liked this book a lot because the author, Ferfal, related most of his lessons to experiences. He went through the economic collapse in Argentina. On top of it he compares ideas from survivalist books and websites to the situation he lived and others around him lived through.\\n\\nFerfal got into the crisis preparation mode even before the collapse in his country. This surprised me, as if he saw it coming years in advance. He prepared himself every way he could think of, and in the book described what he could have done differently to have fared a little better. The subject of crisis preparation and survival is clearly vast and never ending.\\n\\nThe difference between Ferfal's book and some of the other good ones in the subject is that Ferfal instructs on urban survival and also that his advice is mostly based on events that happened either to him or at the time. This is not to say that other books aren't good because in fact, I've found several other outstanding books about disaster preparedness and have compiled a list under my profile.\\n\\nFood, one of the main topics in this genre, was of course expensive and food storage was a big issue. Any notions I might have had about what to eat during such a crisis were eliminated based on what Ferfal had to say. A lot of food items were too expensive and people ate a lot of pasta, which was one of the cheapest things, with thin tomato sauce or whatever they had. A good strategy was to stock up on white rice when possible as it can be kept a long time under the right conditions, but not brown rice. Unfortunately, a lot of the more nutritious foods don't store well for long periods of time.\\n\\nThe author spent a lot of time on crime, the threat of violence and self-defense. Overall, the reader gets the impression that people can adapt to anything, but quality of life will decline more than one can imagine. Ferfal's suggestions to always have a weapon, carrying around various weapons everywhere during the crisis, gave urgency to the crime problem.\\n\\nOne of the mysteries to me is that I don't see other books by people that went through the worst of the Argentine crisis that started in 2001. Ferfal suggests this is because people just want to forget unpleasant experiences and get on with life.\",\n \"Product: After receiving his Masters in Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame and passing the Certified Public Accountants' exam in the early 1970s, Bernard Bieg turned his attention toward a career in teaching. He has been a professor at Bucks County Community College for more than 30 years. During that time, he has taught the entire spectrum of accounting courses, including payroll accounting. He has maintained strong connections with today's business world by serving as an internal auditor for a local non-profit organization. His association with this textbook began in 1977 as a co-author with one of the text's originators, Bill Keeling.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice Little Workbook to Make a Dull Subject Come to Life\\n\\nReview: The exercises in this book are practical and well chosen. You can learn a lot about Payroll with this book. Not everything though.\\n\\nThere is nothing like doing payroll that makes learning payroll immediately relevant. This is the best way to learn a boring subject in an intuitive way. The book would be more helpful if the student could get some hands on real experience.\\n\\nIn the end, you have your employees, your outsourced payroll provider, your accounting and payroll system, your employer or boss and then yourself. Out of all this, you're probably the most important component of the payroll system. You have to decide which policies to use for the organization, if you have any authority. It a lot easier to replace most of the other elements cited than to replace the payroll accountant.\\n\\nSure, the quizzes didn't tightly track with the lesson material. Everybody knows this, but you're doing this on your own and not for class, aren't you? You can rise above and learn this subject by using several sources, none of which is the single authoritative source.\\n\\nThis book is worth working with.\",\n \"Product: \\\"An honest and graphic account of individual and general disillusionment during the very worst kind of war.\\\"--Christopher Hitchens, New York Newsday \\\"Borovik has a fine eye for the telling, authentic detail. ... Perhaps the best account, at least in English, that we've got about the conflict in Afghanistan.\\\"\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Why weren't we told these facts? This book was published in May, 2001\\n\\nReview: The Hidden War gives all the clues we could have wanted to have avoided costly mistakes in Afghanistan. It's rugged country where mechanized forces operate at forbidding costs. A show of force in Afghanistan does not win hearts and minds. In such a place, you have to know your strategy before you commit, and then you must commit in only the most cost-efficient manner for a long term. The Soviets discovered all this at great price. It's all in the book.\\n\\nCritics say that Artyom Borovik did not write the definitive book. Who cares? We now have lots of great books on our Vietnam War and they all have merit. This book has valuable facts and interviews. Former Soviet soldiers, veterans of the war, tell their story. We should care, because some of these lessons are timeless. It doesn't matter how devoted and brave the soldier if the political system commits to war without clear strategy and runs out of resources.\\n\\nThe Hidden War gives insight into why Soviets went to war in Afghanistan. Apparently, it was the path of least resistance for top political leadership at the time. In this way, the Soviet War in Afghanistan is like our Vietnam War and current wars. Things make sense in parts but in aggregate tend toward entropy. A lot of people suffered. This book gives meaning to that.\",\n \"Product: Owner's name inside is only damage. Family trees included and photos.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Instructive, but not Easy Reading\\n\\nReview: Having heard references to \\\"Our Crowd,\\\" I now assume at least some were to this book, the 1st edition of which was published in 1967. There have been 14 editions published. It's amazing, the gang is all here. You get to find out all about how the great Jewish names in American business, particularly in the financial industry, got going in the 19th Century. This includes families with last names: Warburg; Seligman (this name gets the most coverage); Guggenheim (the one that made it in a non-financial industry); Schiff; Straus; Goldman; Sachs; Loeb and much more.\\n\\nThe individuals depicted worked hard, were discrete and hardcore-ambitious. Most had humble beginnings but became a kind of aristocracy, with summer homes in some of the most exclusive locales in America. They invented methods of doing business, and prospered.\\n\\nI think Our Crowd can be inspirational, to some extent, in that tells of many individuals that made it big in the Horatio Alger sense. The rewards went to hard work, persistence, education and risk.\\n\\nOn the other hand, this book had many starts within it, and a great many detailed tangents. This made it often tedious to read, quite frankly. If the stories weren't true, the book would be unreadable due to broken threads of suspension, drama and continuity. The fact that the stories are true, however, makes Our Crowd a primary source to understand the history of American business.\",\n \"Product: Oliver has been travelling to France since the tender age of two, and over the last decade his writing has carried him from the rural corners of the Lot Valley to the snowy hump of Mont Blanc and the chestnut forests of Corsica. He has worked on several previous editions of the France guide, has plumbed the depths of prehistoric caves in the Vézère Valley, wandered the hallways of obscure Loire châteaux, clambered to the top of dormant volcanoes in the Massif Central and conquered the old mule track in the spectacular Gorges de Spelunca. When he's not out on the road, Oliver lives and works in Cornwall as a writer and photographer.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Layers of travel information\\n\\nReview: This book will help readers to appreciate France when they visit and to avail themselves of its information. This is a country with probably the best art museum in the world, the Louvre. The country has romantic cities and attractive beaches that draw travelers of all kinds.\\n\\nThe maps are excellent, for the purpose. The fineness of the definition within them seems appropriate for a vacationer and tourist. Descriptions of restaurants might be over-promising, but nevertheless there is more gourmet dining opportunity in France than perhaps any other country.\\n\\nThe section on Disneyland in France would not sufficiently deter tourists, in my view. People have told me to avoid it with certainty.\\n\\nThis is a thick book. It needs to be. I think for a visit to only Paris, one should get a Paris-specific travel guide. This book is so thick that I think it may be best suited to prepare one for the visit but optional in terms of carrying it around while traveling.\",\n \"Product: Takumi Yamazaki is a best-selling author in Japan. He has written ten successful business books that have sold a total of eight hundred thousand copies. A self-made millionaire, Takumi travels around the world giving seminars on motivation. He currently lives in Tokyo, Japan.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Warning, warning: this book is meant to be used to great effect with small groups, not individually\\n\\nReview: Ring the bells if it's appropriate for you to use exercises from this book on a workplace training day, in your classroom or with a special interest group. Just don't expect to get far using this book alone.\\n\\nIn this book, you've got 13 exercises smartly packaged and ready-to-go. The exercises are likely to be well-received and bring forth positive emotions. The first part of each exercise is contemplative, and it is not advisable to rush it. I estimate each exercise to be optimally performed in 45 minutes, more or less.\\n\\nThere are thinking tasks that individuals write down and then use to interact with the small group. The exercises use some of newly popular insights common in motivation theory. Yet the idea is really to use group dynamics in a fun and engaging way to establish \\\"the strongest influence\\\" (page 117). Yamazaki uses the principle that people who succeed always belong to groups regardless of the field.\\n\\nThis book is a powerful toolkit for when you can facilitate small group activity. You can see why the author gets enthusiastic ovations in his native Japan per y-tube.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":200,"string":"200"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":371,"string":"371"}}},{"rowIdx":372,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A3AYGXMH34R18Y"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"Virginia Kent Roberts Has Over Thirty Years Experience With the Ouija Board. In Her Opinion, The Ouija Board Has Been Unfairly Maligned and Misunderstood. My Friend, The Ouija Board, Is An End To The Bad Press That The Ouija Board Has Received For Years. Find Out How to Use the Ouija Board, Easily, Safely, And With Hours of Entertainment And Enlightenment.\". The summary of the review text is \"The 'other side' of the Ouija Board\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"Virginia Kent Roberts emailed me a month ago and asked if I'd review this book. I wasn't overly pleased by the prospect because I don't have a lot of experience with the device and I've never felt entirely comfortable having an opinion about them. Nevertheless, I agreed, but with the caveat that she mightn't like what I'd have to say about the book.\nI winced when the volume arrived, mildly chiding myself for agreeing to read it. I found myself putting it off, but a night or two later I couldn't sleep. I opened to read a page or two and found when I quit I'd read it all.\nIt's a good book and a perspective in defense of the Ouija Board based on many years of hands-on experience.\nI don't claim to know about Ouija Boards. The viewpoints are conflicting and while I'd feel entirely comfortable using one if I felt moved to do so, I've never recommended it to anyone.\nVirginia has no such qualms. If you've read the negative reports on this device and want to know the other side, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better place to consider another view than in this book.\nThe author is as much an authority on the subject as several decades of experience can make a person. Not many such experts on the use of Ouija Boards exist."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"Virginia Kent Roberts emailed me a month ago and asked if I'd review this book. I wasn't overly pleased by the prospect because I don't have a lot of experience with the device and I've never felt entirely comfortable having an opinion about them. Nevertheless, I agreed, but with the caveat that she mightn't like what I'd have to say about the book.\nI winced when the volume arrived, mildly chiding myself for agreeing to read it. I found myself putting it off, but a night or two later I couldn't sleep. I opened to read a page or two and found when I quit I'd read it all.\nIt's a good book and a perspective in defense of the Ouija Board based on many years of hands-on experience.\nI don't claim to know about Ouija Boards. The viewpoints are conflicting and while I'd feel entirely comfortable using one if I felt moved to do so, I've never recommended it to anyone.\nVirginia has no such qualms. If you've read the negative reports on this device and want to know the other side, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better place to consider another view than in this book.\nThe author is as much an authority on the subject as several decades of experience can make a person. Not many such experts on the use of Ouija Boards exist."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Gregory Peck and Omar Sharif battle to find a legendary cache of gold in this spectacular Wild West adventure. In the Arizona Territory of the 1870's, Marshal Sam Mackenna (Peck) is the only living person who knows the tortuous route to the fabulous \"Canon del Oro.\" During his journey, Mackenna is captured by Colorado (Sharif), a brutal Mexican bandit who has long sought his death. But, if Mackenna is to lead the cutthroat gang to the lost treasure, Colorado must keep him alive. En route, Mackenna and the outlaw band are joined by renegade soldiers, vengeful Indians, cold-blooded killers and \"gentlemen from town.\" As they near the golden canyon, all but Mackenna are swept by a sudden fever - the naked greed for gold.\n\nApprox running time 128 minutes, starring Gregory Peck, Omar Sharif, Telly Savalas, Julie Newmar, Keenan Wynn, Burgess Meredith and Edward G Robinson.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The only movie ever produced about the Lost Adams Diggings\n\nReview: And it's a good one. The movie doesn't stick strictly by any version of the legend. It varies from the McKenna account as much as it strays from all the others. Still, Edward G. Robinson plays a great Adams. For me the most memorable scene has most of the characters sitting around a camp fire. One of them recognizes Adams as 'The Adams', and they all persuade him to tell the story of how he came to find the gold, how the massacre happened, and how it was lost. A great scene, even if it weren't about the Lost Adams Diggings legend. Adams sat around a lot of camp fires in the 1870s and told that story, probably about the way Edward G. Robinson tells it in the movie.\nThe final episode is pure fabrication, but spectacular enough to make up for it. This one's a winner and you don't need to care or know about the Adams legend of lost gold to appreciate it.\nThe McKenna version of the legend actually centers on Jacob Snively, the German or Duchman in Adams' tale. Snively fought at San Jacinto, served as Paymaster General for the Republic of Texas, raided commerce on the Santa Fe Trail as a 'land privateer' for the Republic and drifted west in 1849. The German found his talent by striking gold and starting several gold rushes in Arizona and New Mexico. (Snively was killed by Apaches in 1871) J. Frank Dobie's book combines several conflicting accounts given by Adams. John Brewer's story, (another survivor) varies considerably from the other accounts.","Product: Import 180gm vinyl LP re-pressing of the singer/songwriter's 2001 album. 10 tracks.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Some people get better as they age\n\nReview: Leonard Cohen couldn't. When the songwriting career of a man includes the likes of 'Suzanne', 'The Stranger Song', 'I'm Your Man', 'Take This Waltz' and 'The Future' there's just no room left at the top for him to gain altitude. However, on Ten New Songs he approaches the task and comes as nearly as anyone ever is likely to in achieving it.\nThe match pair, 'A Thousand Kisses Deep' and 'Boogie Street' are my favorites in this welcome return for Leonard Cohen. I've got an entire CD set up to play those two songs only so I can listen to them for hours. I used to do the same with 'Stranger Song', 'Take This Waltz' and others. Cohen has the touch to make the listener want that kind of experience.\nGreat album, Leonard. Welcome back. If you can't do anything to top this one it's okay. Just keep trying.","Product: Text: English, German (translation)\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Wonder Boy of the 3rd Reich\n\nReview: First hand accounts of the workings of the German High Command and the interactions between the parties, including Adolph Hitler, are rare and becoming rarer. Many of those involve left memoirs, but those are becoming difficult to find, as most are now out of print. Speer's Spandau writings are among the endangered species.\nAnyone who wishes to understand the minds of the men who made the Reich work and particularly the mind of Adolph Hitler can do so by the evidence of their deeds at one level. However, the records of their thoughts, conversations, behavior and rationalizations while they did so is certainly a facet of understanding. The writings of Von Manstein, Doenitz, Rommel, Guderian, and the diaries of Joseph Goebbels are each worth the reading in this sense. As is Albert Speer.\nSpeer was imprisoned longer than any of the other members of Hitler's inner circle. He had many years of solitude to contemplate his deeds and reflect on how and why he came to be imprisoned in Spandau. Maybe these musings qualify as revisionist history. Maybe they're merely self-serving rationalizations. But his anecdotes will definitely add to your understanding of the 3rd Reich. You don't have to believe everything he says, but it's worth reading it and making the choice for yourself.\nSpeer thought of himself as a 'nice guy'. You can't make an informed decision as to whether it was true without reading what he had to say. In the end most of us believe we are 'nice people' and are justified in whatever horrendous deeds we pursue.","Product: Norton, Andre, Stars Are Ours, The\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Early Norton I wish she'd written later\n\nReview: I can't guess how many Andre Norton books I've read during the past half-century. Most were good reads, while a good many ho-hums along the way made following her work unpredictable, at best.\nThe Stars are Ours and Star Born were among the first science fiction books I ever read. Just as a number of other, later reviewers began their SF voyage with these two, so did I. I've read them a number of times since and still enjoy them.\nI really wouldn't call this 'juveniles', though young adults will enjoy them too. These books were early in the SF genre and were intended for a general readership. The typify what was going on in SF during the 1950s. In my view it hasn't particulary improved.","Product: DeLorme has been directly responsible for many of the major technological advances made in the mapping industry over the past 30 years.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Utah, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona... Great places for these\n\nReview: I have several of these of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. Duplicates of each... one in the house for planning and study, one in the truck. Occasionally I rotate them so they don't wear out too quickly. I gave Delorme top billing in my Desert Emergency Survival Basics book, but you don't need a desert and you don't need an emergency to need a delorme atlas. Any rural area in the United States is probably covered by them.\nIf you spend a lot of time in the back country these maps are the best alternative, from my point of view. It's true the maps don't have labels on the back country cow trails another reviewer complained of. The fact is, neither do the roads. But it's often helpful when you come to the fork in a dirt two-track and they both wander off a few degrees off North, to be able to crack open the Delorme and discover the one on the left plays out just over that hill over there at a windmill. There's no excuse for needing labels these days. A compass and Delorme will allow you to locate yourself in most instances.\nHowever, even the back woods purist ought to own a GPS. I've been wandering around the back woods longer than most readers of this have been alive. I rarely get lost, but I frequently don't know exactly where I am. Occasionally my old TrailBlazer saved me a lot of walking to get back to the truck. Once it saved my life in a snowstorm, I imagine.\nFor motor traveling you'll cover too much ground to allow the 7.5 minute maps to help much. You pass from one map to the next too quickly. When you are afoot a couple of them become useful. Meanwhile, I use Delorme as one of the ways to keep track of my wanderings. I recommend them wherever you are. And a GPS, as well.","Product: DeLorme has been directly responsible for many of the major technological advances made in the mapping industry over the past 30 years.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I wish I didn't like these Delorme Atlas volumes so much\n\nReview: I have several of these of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. Duplicates of each... one in the house for planning and study, one in the truck. Occasionally I rotate them so they don't wear out too quickly.\nIf you spend a lot of time in the back country these maps are the best alternative, from my point of view. It's true the maps don't have labels on the back country cow trails another reviewer complained of. The fact is, neither do the roads. But it's often helpful when you come to the fork in a dirt two-track and they both wander off a few degrees off North, to be able to crack open the Delorme and discover the one on the left plays out just over that hill over there at a windmill. There's no excuse for needing labels these days. A compass and Delorme will allow you to locate yourself in most instances.\nHowever, even the back woods purist ought to own a GPS. I've been wandering around the back woods longer than most readers of this have been alive. I rarely get lost, but I frequently don't know exactly where I am. Occasionally my old TrailBlazer saved me a lot of walking to get back to the truck. Once it saved my life in a snowstorm, I imagine.\nFor motor traveling you'll cover too much ground to allow the 7.5 minute maps to help much. You pass from one map to the next too quickly. When you are afoot a couple of them become useful. Meanwhile, I use Delorme as one of the ways to keep track of my wanderings. I recommend them wherever you are. And a GPS, as well.","Product: James DeMeo, Ph.D., has been researching the subject of Wilhelm Reich's biophysical discoveries since 1970. Director of the Orgone Biophysical Research Lab in Ashland, Oregon, and a graduate of the University of Kansas, and formerly on the faculty of geography at several leading American universities, Dr. DeMeo is one of the world's foremost authorities on the scientific issues related to Dr. Reich's discoveries. He has replicated many of Reich's original and controversial experiments, and made personal contact and interviews with numerous medical practitioners in the USA and Europe for the development of this book. DeMeo is author also of 'Saharasia', which subjected Reich's sex-economic theories to a rigorous cross-cultural evaluation, and editor or co-editor of 'On Wilhelm Reich and Orgonomy', 'Heretic's Notebook', and the German language volume 'Nach Reich'.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A suppressed book in the US for many years\n\nReview: Wilhelm Reich worked with the German atomic bomb development program during WWII. After the war he came to the United States, probably because Hitler's scientists in the bomb and rocket programs were thought to be better suited to work with the western nations than the Soviet Union. For most of the scientists this probably proved to be true.\nNot so, Wilhelm Reich. The Soviets couldn't have been more thorough or cruel in suppressing his work and punishing him for discovering Orgone.\nReich's publications involving Orgone energy during the 1950s came into disfavor with the powers-that-be. The word 'Orgone' was banned from the English language for use in the US. All publications containing the word, the concept and the devices described in this book were destroyed and forbidden.\nReich was placed in a prison where he finally died.\nMaybe Orgone Accumulators and other devices described in this book really don't work. This work explains how to try them for yourself and make your own decisions.\nMeanwhile, the US Government certainly had strong feelings for many years about whether you ought to be trying out Reich's ideas, methods, techniques for improving your health, or even allow the words to exist in your most secret thoughts. If you trust them you can conclude it's for your own good.\nIf you don't know whether you trust them you can buy this book and build yourself an Orgone Accumulator for your own garden, house or yard and form your own opinions. If Orgone doesn't exist, as the US Government claims, or if it exists and is of great importance to human health, as Reich claims, you can't hurt yourself by trying it.\nOn the other hand, if Reich is correct you can't afford not to know about Orgone."],"string":"[\n \"Product: Gregory Peck and Omar Sharif battle to find a legendary cache of gold in this spectacular Wild West adventure. In the Arizona Territory of the 1870's, Marshal Sam Mackenna (Peck) is the only living person who knows the tortuous route to the fabulous \\\"Canon del Oro.\\\" During his journey, Mackenna is captured by Colorado (Sharif), a brutal Mexican bandit who has long sought his death. But, if Mackenna is to lead the cutthroat gang to the lost treasure, Colorado must keep him alive. En route, Mackenna and the outlaw band are joined by renegade soldiers, vengeful Indians, cold-blooded killers and \\\"gentlemen from town.\\\" As they near the golden canyon, all but Mackenna are swept by a sudden fever - the naked greed for gold.\\n\\nApprox running time 128 minutes, starring Gregory Peck, Omar Sharif, Telly Savalas, Julie Newmar, Keenan Wynn, Burgess Meredith and Edward G Robinson.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The only movie ever produced about the Lost Adams Diggings\\n\\nReview: And it's a good one. The movie doesn't stick strictly by any version of the legend. It varies from the McKenna account as much as it strays from all the others. Still, Edward G. Robinson plays a great Adams. For me the most memorable scene has most of the characters sitting around a camp fire. One of them recognizes Adams as 'The Adams', and they all persuade him to tell the story of how he came to find the gold, how the massacre happened, and how it was lost. A great scene, even if it weren't about the Lost Adams Diggings legend. Adams sat around a lot of camp fires in the 1870s and told that story, probably about the way Edward G. Robinson tells it in the movie.\\nThe final episode is pure fabrication, but spectacular enough to make up for it. This one's a winner and you don't need to care or know about the Adams legend of lost gold to appreciate it.\\nThe McKenna version of the legend actually centers on Jacob Snively, the German or Duchman in Adams' tale. Snively fought at San Jacinto, served as Paymaster General for the Republic of Texas, raided commerce on the Santa Fe Trail as a 'land privateer' for the Republic and drifted west in 1849. The German found his talent by striking gold and starting several gold rushes in Arizona and New Mexico. (Snively was killed by Apaches in 1871) J. Frank Dobie's book combines several conflicting accounts given by Adams. John Brewer's story, (another survivor) varies considerably from the other accounts.\",\n \"Product: Import 180gm vinyl LP re-pressing of the singer/songwriter's 2001 album. 10 tracks.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Some people get better as they age\\n\\nReview: Leonard Cohen couldn't. When the songwriting career of a man includes the likes of 'Suzanne', 'The Stranger Song', 'I'm Your Man', 'Take This Waltz' and 'The Future' there's just no room left at the top for him to gain altitude. However, on Ten New Songs he approaches the task and comes as nearly as anyone ever is likely to in achieving it.\\nThe match pair, 'A Thousand Kisses Deep' and 'Boogie Street' are my favorites in this welcome return for Leonard Cohen. I've got an entire CD set up to play those two songs only so I can listen to them for hours. I used to do the same with 'Stranger Song', 'Take This Waltz' and others. Cohen has the touch to make the listener want that kind of experience.\\nGreat album, Leonard. Welcome back. If you can't do anything to top this one it's okay. Just keep trying.\",\n \"Product: Text: English, German (translation)\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Wonder Boy of the 3rd Reich\\n\\nReview: First hand accounts of the workings of the German High Command and the interactions between the parties, including Adolph Hitler, are rare and becoming rarer. Many of those involve left memoirs, but those are becoming difficult to find, as most are now out of print. Speer's Spandau writings are among the endangered species.\\nAnyone who wishes to understand the minds of the men who made the Reich work and particularly the mind of Adolph Hitler can do so by the evidence of their deeds at one level. However, the records of their thoughts, conversations, behavior and rationalizations while they did so is certainly a facet of understanding. The writings of Von Manstein, Doenitz, Rommel, Guderian, and the diaries of Joseph Goebbels are each worth the reading in this sense. As is Albert Speer.\\nSpeer was imprisoned longer than any of the other members of Hitler's inner circle. He had many years of solitude to contemplate his deeds and reflect on how and why he came to be imprisoned in Spandau. Maybe these musings qualify as revisionist history. Maybe they're merely self-serving rationalizations. But his anecdotes will definitely add to your understanding of the 3rd Reich. You don't have to believe everything he says, but it's worth reading it and making the choice for yourself.\\nSpeer thought of himself as a 'nice guy'. You can't make an informed decision as to whether it was true without reading what he had to say. In the end most of us believe we are 'nice people' and are justified in whatever horrendous deeds we pursue.\",\n \"Product: Norton, Andre, Stars Are Ours, The\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Early Norton I wish she'd written later\\n\\nReview: I can't guess how many Andre Norton books I've read during the past half-century. Most were good reads, while a good many ho-hums along the way made following her work unpredictable, at best.\\nThe Stars are Ours and Star Born were among the first science fiction books I ever read. Just as a number of other, later reviewers began their SF voyage with these two, so did I. I've read them a number of times since and still enjoy them.\\nI really wouldn't call this 'juveniles', though young adults will enjoy them too. These books were early in the SF genre and were intended for a general readership. The typify what was going on in SF during the 1950s. In my view it hasn't particulary improved.\",\n \"Product: DeLorme has been directly responsible for many of the major technological advances made in the mapping industry over the past 30 years.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Utah, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona... Great places for these\\n\\nReview: I have several of these of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. Duplicates of each... one in the house for planning and study, one in the truck. Occasionally I rotate them so they don't wear out too quickly. I gave Delorme top billing in my Desert Emergency Survival Basics book, but you don't need a desert and you don't need an emergency to need a delorme atlas. Any rural area in the United States is probably covered by them.\\nIf you spend a lot of time in the back country these maps are the best alternative, from my point of view. It's true the maps don't have labels on the back country cow trails another reviewer complained of. The fact is, neither do the roads. But it's often helpful when you come to the fork in a dirt two-track and they both wander off a few degrees off North, to be able to crack open the Delorme and discover the one on the left plays out just over that hill over there at a windmill. There's no excuse for needing labels these days. A compass and Delorme will allow you to locate yourself in most instances.\\nHowever, even the back woods purist ought to own a GPS. I've been wandering around the back woods longer than most readers of this have been alive. I rarely get lost, but I frequently don't know exactly where I am. Occasionally my old TrailBlazer saved me a lot of walking to get back to the truck. Once it saved my life in a snowstorm, I imagine.\\nFor motor traveling you'll cover too much ground to allow the 7.5 minute maps to help much. You pass from one map to the next too quickly. When you are afoot a couple of them become useful. Meanwhile, I use Delorme as one of the ways to keep track of my wanderings. I recommend them wherever you are. And a GPS, as well.\",\n \"Product: DeLorme has been directly responsible for many of the major technological advances made in the mapping industry over the past 30 years.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I wish I didn't like these Delorme Atlas volumes so much\\n\\nReview: I have several of these of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. Duplicates of each... one in the house for planning and study, one in the truck. Occasionally I rotate them so they don't wear out too quickly.\\nIf you spend a lot of time in the back country these maps are the best alternative, from my point of view. It's true the maps don't have labels on the back country cow trails another reviewer complained of. The fact is, neither do the roads. But it's often helpful when you come to the fork in a dirt two-track and they both wander off a few degrees off North, to be able to crack open the Delorme and discover the one on the left plays out just over that hill over there at a windmill. There's no excuse for needing labels these days. A compass and Delorme will allow you to locate yourself in most instances.\\nHowever, even the back woods purist ought to own a GPS. I've been wandering around the back woods longer than most readers of this have been alive. I rarely get lost, but I frequently don't know exactly where I am. Occasionally my old TrailBlazer saved me a lot of walking to get back to the truck. Once it saved my life in a snowstorm, I imagine.\\nFor motor traveling you'll cover too much ground to allow the 7.5 minute maps to help much. You pass from one map to the next too quickly. When you are afoot a couple of them become useful. Meanwhile, I use Delorme as one of the ways to keep track of my wanderings. I recommend them wherever you are. And a GPS, as well.\",\n \"Product: James DeMeo, Ph.D., has been researching the subject of Wilhelm Reich's biophysical discoveries since 1970. Director of the Orgone Biophysical Research Lab in Ashland, Oregon, and a graduate of the University of Kansas, and formerly on the faculty of geography at several leading American universities, Dr. DeMeo is one of the world's foremost authorities on the scientific issues related to Dr. Reich's discoveries. He has replicated many of Reich's original and controversial experiments, and made personal contact and interviews with numerous medical practitioners in the USA and Europe for the development of this book. DeMeo is author also of 'Saharasia', which subjected Reich's sex-economic theories to a rigorous cross-cultural evaluation, and editor or co-editor of 'On Wilhelm Reich and Orgonomy', 'Heretic's Notebook', and the German language volume 'Nach Reich'.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A suppressed book in the US for many years\\n\\nReview: Wilhelm Reich worked with the German atomic bomb development program during WWII. After the war he came to the United States, probably because Hitler's scientists in the bomb and rocket programs were thought to be better suited to work with the western nations than the Soviet Union. For most of the scientists this probably proved to be true.\\nNot so, Wilhelm Reich. The Soviets couldn't have been more thorough or cruel in suppressing his work and punishing him for discovering Orgone.\\nReich's publications involving Orgone energy during the 1950s came into disfavor with the powers-that-be. The word 'Orgone' was banned from the English language for use in the US. All publications containing the word, the concept and the devices described in this book were destroyed and forbidden.\\nReich was placed in a prison where he finally died.\\nMaybe Orgone Accumulators and other devices described in this book really don't work. This work explains how to try them for yourself and make your own decisions.\\nMeanwhile, the US Government certainly had strong feelings for many years about whether you ought to be trying out Reich's ideas, methods, techniques for improving your health, or even allow the words to exist in your most secret thoughts. If you trust them you can conclude it's for your own good.\\nIf you don't know whether you trust them you can buy this book and build yourself an Orgone Accumulator for your own garden, house or yard and form your own opinions. If Orgone doesn't exist, as the US Government claims, or if it exists and is of great importance to human health, as Reich claims, you can't hurt yourself by trying it.\\nOn the other hand, if Reich is correct you can't afford not to know about Orgone.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":7,"string":"7"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":372,"string":"372"}}},{"rowIdx":373,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A1M6ZAO9EBH165"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"Set 3 in 1 - cleaning wipe, spray, soft brush. Removes dust without stripes and stains, cleans easy massively dirty surfaces. Brush can help with keybord and PC cleaning.\". The summary of the review text is \"Very effective, little spray needed, and no residue behind\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"<div id=\"video-block-R1PNM1MGWATOCW\" class=\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\"></div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/D1f-PpFoVdS.mp4\" class=\"video-url\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/B1giaAcTzKS.png\" class=\"video-slate-img-url\"> I seen the one review that rates this one star, and then says it's not worth $14, well it isn't being sold for $14 and I don't understand why they don't like it? This is a great little kit. It comes with a bag, the brush it comes with to get into keyboards and such, is awesome. It doesn't have a top that you can use, it's retractable, you slide the piece on the side and comes out, slide it up and the brush goes back in so it doesn't get ruined, neat little way of making it I think personally. You get a nice microfiber cloth, the size of a standard wash cloth, a 60ml bottle of cleaner that you don't need a lot of to clean efficiently at all, the retractable brush, and a little drawstring bag to put it all in. For $10 ruffly, a little less than that actually, I think it's worth it. When your cleaner runs out, you still have the drawstring bag, cloth and brush, and you can refill the bottle with whatever cleaner you have on hand, or if your like me, make your own with essential oils and white vinegar. To clean a 7-10 inch tablet, it only took one spray and wiping with the cloth and it was clean, streak free. For a 42\" plasma I think I sprayed 4 times, one in each corner and same results. No residue behind for me at all, no nothing left behind for that matter. This spray works great for my family and I and its a very convienent little kit, provided it's all put back after being used. I recommend this for purchase, because even when the spray runs out, your going to get years out of the other items you do get with this purchase. I purchased this kit at a discount in exchange for my honest feedback. My feedback is my own personal experience and nothing else."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"<div id=\"video-block-R1PNM1MGWATOCW\" class=\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\"></div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/D1f-PpFoVdS.mp4\" class=\"video-url\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/B1giaAcTzKS.png\" class=\"video-slate-img-url\"> I seen the one review that rates this one star, and then says it's not worth $14, well it isn't being sold for $14 and I don't understand why they don't like it? This is a great little kit. It comes with a bag, the brush it comes with to get into keyboards and such, is awesome. It doesn't have a top that you can use, it's retractable, you slide the piece on the side and comes out, slide it up and the brush goes back in so it doesn't get ruined, neat little way of making it I think personally. You get a nice microfiber cloth, the size of a standard wash cloth, a 60ml bottle of cleaner that you don't need a lot of to clean efficiently at all, the retractable brush, and a little drawstring bag to put it all in. For $10 ruffly, a little less than that actually, I think it's worth it. When your cleaner runs out, you still have the drawstring bag, cloth and brush, and you can refill the bottle with whatever cleaner you have on hand, or if your like me, make your own with essential oils and white vinegar. To clean a 7-10 inch tablet, it only took one spray and wiping with the cloth and it was clean, streak free. For a 42\" plasma I think I sprayed 4 times, one in each corner and same results. No residue behind for me at all, no nothing left behind for that matter. This spray works great for my family and I and its a very convienent little kit, provided it's all put back after being used. I recommend this for purchase, because even when the spray runs out, your going to get years out of the other items you do get with this purchase. I purchased this kit at a discount in exchange for my honest feedback. My feedback is my own personal experience and nothing else."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Put the power in your hand, ready to unleash your creativity? Have you been searching for a set of high-quality colored pencils that includes everything you'll need to express your passion or create a perfect picture? The sky's the limit With this 36-pack of coloring pencils from castle art supplies. With a color for every situation, you'll be able to put on paper anything and everything you see in your head. The sturdy construction and smooth operation lets your art flow naturally from your brain to your hand to the paper. Colors you can use: With 36 hand-selected colors, this set offers you an unmatched mlange of opportunities to make your creation come alive. Quality you can feel: Drawing, sketching or writing has never been so effortless, whether you're going big and bold or layering fine detail. We also include a sharpener and eraser With our canvas wrap. Art is a gift: Whether you're exploring your artistic side, giving your kids the chance to show what they can do or there's someone in your life who you think could work. wonders With colored pencils, the ability to create art is the ultimate gift.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great for basic coloring in my opinon\n\nReview: I have been coloring in adult coloring books since back in 2003 with my ex husband, and I stopped for a few years and started back up again a year ago. It makes all the difference in the world with getting the therapeutic stress relief from doing this if you have pencils you are happy with. Going to color with a ripped up box of pencils broken and not well sharpend isn't exactly a happy stress free thing to sit down with. So having this nice metal case with them all lined up, easy to access, well sharpend makes all the difference in the world for me when I go to sit down and color with them. I agree with some of the other reviews as far as quality goes, there not amazing pencils that are a superior quality to other pencils you can probably get at a cheaper price, however the appeal of these being in the metal tin, pleasant to look at makes a difference to me as far as my mood goes when I use them, and for that I don't mind paying a few extra dollars for them. I can see if your not a person that, that would matter to why you would find these a rip off and would give a less review than I though. I was asked to give my honest opinion of these pencils after getting a discount on them, and so I feel I should state that bit of information as well. I am personally very happy with them, and I would purchase them again after getting them and being able to use them. These pencils work well for my basic needs and if your like me, just an average talent person looking to pass some time coloring they would work well for you as they do me. If your a person with superior artistic talents and are looking for superior pencils to blend and make magnificent works of art with, your probably not going to be very impressed by these and I suggest you look at another brand of pencils. I hope this is able to help you in your shopping decisions.","Product: This Etekcity scale is delicately designed in a small elegant White body. It also has endless uses and is really great for homes, kitchens, offices, mailrooms, etc. Take it and then you will be surprised at all the uses you will have.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Awesome, so glad I went with this\n\nReview: I was a little nervous because the price but I'm so glad I went with this one instead of spending more money on a different one. It does everything I needed it to. I set my bowl or pouring pot on it, decide which weight I want, g, lbs, oz, click the button again it zeros out and I put my wax or raw butters in and weigh. It's completely accurate and has saved me the hassel of trying to even amounts out while making lotions or candles and I'm able to get a much better end product now that it's accurately weighed out before making. If your looking for a scale to weigh ingredients 10lbs n under don't waste your money on anything else, this is all your gonna need, and you just can't beat the price!","Product: Artelegno is a second generation family company set in the beautiful landscape of the Italian Alps. In the creation process of its products it's driven by the goal to combine excellent design with functionality of use. The selection of the material and the skilled hands of experienced craftsmen play a key role in bringing to the market products with the highest content of quality and design. Artelegno is very keen on the safeguard of our environment from the the purchase of raw materials to the recycling of its wastes as bio-fuel. Designed and manufactured in Italy for the lovers of traditional shapes in their kitchens. Excellent quality, and smooth finish thanks to a careful selection of raw materials, skillful craftsmanship and handwork in the production processes. Made of top quality solid beech wood from sustainably managed forests. Natural lacquered with food safe water based varnishes compatible with food contact. The rounded edges on the top give it a softer look. Holds 8 steak knives. Maximum blade length 5 inches. Check out all of the Artelengo products on our Brand Page: http://www.amazon.com/artelegno\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Impeccable, not a single flaw anywhere!\n\nReview: As an Italian who's grandparents were born and raised in Italy, I gotta say it gives me great pride and excitement to have gotten this in a box that's marked from Italy! To know this wood block was crafted in my country of origin is a really cool concept and the craftsmanship on this wood block is impeccable. The finish on it is superior to anything I've owned previously, there's no way your going to catch a splinter on this wonderful piece of wood. It has a real nice smooth finish to it, and has the embossed logo securely placed on the lower center of the block. It fit all 8 of my steak knifes perfectly, no issues at all with putting any of them in. Even the slits are finely finished with no potential for the wood to split off in anyway. This is the nicest wood block I think I've ever owned to be frank, and I'm extremely impressed with it. I have no cons to share as there is absolutely nothing bad or off on this solid wood block. I did receive a discount on this wooden knife block in exchange for my honest feedback, but that in no way shape or form has any impact of my opinion of it, the craftsmanship speaks for itself, and you will not be dissapointed with this purchase at all. I've also included photos of the block on a scale in Lb's, one without my knifes to give you a weight of just the block, and another with my steak knifes. This is a solid almost 2lb wooden block.","Product: Are your children shoes scattered all around your house or thrown in their closet without regard? Dont stress, make getting ready effortless and hasty with Sorbus Kids Shoe Rack Junior Organizer Storage! This amazing shoe rack stores 8 to 12 pairs of shoes to preserve their shape and conserve limited closet space. It also allows your shoes to air out when not being worn. Using this organizer is a great way to keep your footwear open, fresh and safe from falling over other valuable items in your closet. Storing shoes in the best possible way like this will give them a longer, wearable life span. It is the ultimate accessory for a children room to encourage them to tidy up their shoes. It can also be used in the entryway of your home to hold your children shoes and their friends shoes so they don't track mud around the house! The rack is constructed of durable, high-quality plastic and metal for lasting quality. It can be easily assembled and requires no tools. The sturdy frame is attractive and accents any space. It is extremely lightweight and easy to move when cleaning the dirt underneath the rack. This shoe rack can be used on shoes or short boots of varying children sizes. Need more footwear storage? No problem! Every additional shoe rack (same item) can be easily added to store and display as many shoes as you want. It is the perfect solution to children's shoe organizing troubles by keeping them accessible and in one convenient place. This floor rack makes it easy to maximize your closet space without taking up limited shelf space. It is ideal for children's bedrooms, nurseries, hallways, and entrance ways. The shoe rack holds 8 to 12 pairs of shoes making it great for one or more kids! Having this rack keeps your children's shoes coordinated, easily accessible, and in great condition. What more could you ask for! This is also a great gift for any family with kids! Shoe rack measures approximately 20x 7.5x 22 when assembled.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Bust out your rubber mallet for this one!\n\nReview: This totally looks deceiving in the picture. I didn't catch that very first word in the description \"PLASTIC\" I thought this was an all metal rack, my error in reading, can't dock a star cause I don't read. This appears extremely easy to put together when you take it out of the box and all it is, is 16 cheap metal rods and 2 end pieces of plastic. Oh that's so deceiving, especially when your putting it together at night, in an upstairs apartment and have kids sleeping yourself, your going to need a rubber mallet for this, or something that will work like a rubber mallet. They don't screw in like one would think, you just have to push it in, and if you don't push it in all the way, then your other rods that you set in from the top, don't nest well because it's not as close together as it should be. So trying to be as quiet as I could be putting this together, as I didn't want to be a rude neighbor nor have a little person show up in my kitchen, I took it up to the attic, along with my massage stick that has nice rubber grips on either end, and I started whacking away. I managed to get them all close enough so they will stay and not fall right out, but tomorrow when im clear to make all the noise I can, I'm going to have to take the shoes off and really give it some good whacks because it's not as tight as I think it could and should be. Other than that, it's great for KIDS shoes, it says kids right on it, and for good reason, there's no way anything past a kids size shoe is going to fit on this rack. I have size 9 shoes and 1/3 of the shoe hangs off, so please only buy if it's for kids shoes only. It did what I wanted it to, it took the nice long row of shoes you see, and condensed them into one smaller section. Perfect for my 2 little people. Won't fit my older 2 boys shoes on it, but the 2 little guys it's perfect for. This isn't some high end shelf, it arrived dusty, deffinately needed to be wiped down after I put it together, but other than all that chaos in the beginning it does what it's suppose to do, and therefore I'm happy with it. At this price you really can't beat it. I did receive this at a discount for my honest experience with this shoe rack, and clearly I can't make up my experience I've shared here with you, so I hope you realize that the discount doesn't matter to me, I'm a tell it how it is kinda gal. Hope this helps you out in some way, any questions or comments please ask or share away!","Product: CleanCut Cutting Boards made with anti-bacterial edible Arkshell. Arkshell (natural anti-bacterial) is edible which offers 99.9% anti-bacterial effect and it continuously reduces odor. By the way, it contains calcium. There is no need to microwave or boil for sterilization. Knife-friendly surface and it's easy to transfer ingredients since the surface has high flexibility. \"Juice Groove\" at the edge of cutting boards won't let liquid from food to spill everywhere to leave the cooking area clean. A hole at the corner of cutting board allows you to hang the cutting board on a hook. CleanCut Cutting Boards - Eco-friendly cutting boards. TPU stands for \"Thermoplastic PolyUrethane\" and it is only material that has both elasticity of rubber& durability of metal. It's used for intravenous line, infusion pack, etc, and has passed FDA, EC, LFGB test. It is 99.9% naturally anti-bacterial, has scratch resistant, reduces odor, higher flexibility, BPA free. It is awarded with \"Good Design\" from Chicago exhibition show.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Works great, is bendable, just be careful with juicy things.\n\nReview: This entire item had me surprised. When this first arrived it surprised me that it wasn't a solid piece, like every other cutting board I have ever owned, this one is actually flexible, you can bend it, fold it in half even, which then made me really skeptical. But after actually using this cutting board quite a few times, it actually comes with its benefits. First off it's probably one of the most eco friendly cutting boards I've ever owned or even came across, it works incredibly well and despite its flexibility it stays where you put it when you go to cut, unlike wood or solid plastic boards that slip and slide out from under you at times. It's a lot thinner than my older wood cutting board so it takes up far less space, and the fact it's bendable makes storing it even easier than ever because it can now fit in places not possible before. I really like this cutting board and it's extremely easy to clean.\nThe only drawback is that when your cutting something like chicken on it and the juices start going, it's extremely easy to spill the juice everywhere so I've learned to cut this over the sink and not on the counter. As long as you pay attention and use common sense thou it's a fairly easy con to get around. I attempted to scratch it, in the picture right in front of the center of the knife you can see a scratch line, that is me taking the knife and trying to slice the board itself. Very very faint scratch that barely touches the surface. Ones done as a result of cutting food are even lighter so it's safe to say this should last a while and maintain overall scratch free to the naked eye, only when inspecting will you be able to see the very light scratches. Overall I like it and would purchase it again, as well as recommend it for purchase to friends and family. I did receive this cutting board at a discount in exchange for my honest feedback of the cutting board. My feedback is solely based on my using the cutting board and nothing else.","Product: ACEGUARDER Shockproof Case for Kindle Fire HDX 7 Rainproof Waterproof Shockproof Kids Proof Case for Kindle Fire HDX 7(only Fit Kindle Fire HDX 7 2013) (Gifts Outdoor Carabiner + Whistle + Handwritten Touch Pen) (ORANGE/WHITE)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Wish it fit the regular Kindle Fire 7 :(\n\nReview: This is an amazing case, and I really wish that I knew that there is two versions of kindle fire 7, if you just buy the kindle fire 7, this will not fit at all. Apparently it makes a huge difference if in the title of the fire you bought doesn't have the HDX. I just thought that just meant the fire was high def and just assumed there was only one version of the fire 7, unless you bought the 10inch screen, and since this didn't say 10 inch I thought I was good, and was so dissapointed when I found out that I was wrong. The case even came with 2 bonus surprises, a whistle with a clip and a stylus. If you do have the version this is made for, then you will not be disappointed in this case.\n- has the orange rubbery shell that goes on the outermost side\n- a white stand attaches to the orange outermost shell\n- then it has an inner white shell that the kindle actually sits in, and the orange rubber bumper goes around the white shell\n- then another white cover shell that goes over the top of the fire and completely encases the entire kindle\nIt all clicks into place, making it very secure, and essential kid proof. There is no way your kid is going to be able to damage this kindle in anyway with this case. My only con for this case is that it doesn't fit our kindle fire 7 nor do they make this case to fit the regular kindle fire 7, i asked. :( I did recieve this case at a discount in exchange for my honest review of the case. This is all based off of trying to use the case and examining the case only.","Product: The iOttie Active Edge Bike & Bar Mount is one of a kind. It is uniquely designed as well as created to fit a universal range of smartphone devices as well as their cases. Its unique design will provide your smartphone with the ultimate grip and security as you travel down your desired biking path. It allows for an opening to your headphone jack so you can listen to music while cruising. You can rotate it from landscape to portrait providing different viewing angles which makes for a very convenient experience. The Active Edge is also universal in the way that it can be used on different types of bars such as motorcycles, scooters, baby strollers. etc. Mount Smart. Drive Smarter!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best phone/go-pro mount my friends seen for bikes\n\nReview: I got this for my buddy who has been riding motorcycles his whole life practically. He has tried other phone mounts and ended up tossing all of them. After giving this to him, just a few hours later he called me to tell me how awesome it was and to thank me over and over again for it. He likes to use the go pro camera and this mount allows you to switch out your phone with the go pro camera, so now he's able to do his videos too. He's been using this for a good 2 weeks now and has had nothing but good things to say about it. He said he would have paid $40 easy for this after having been able to test it out. His phone is secure in the holder when he is riding no matter what his speed is, as well as the go pro camera. There has been zero incidents of either one coming detached in anyway while riding. It's an overall great buy if you have a bike weather your purchasing for your phone, for the go pro camera or both. I did recieve a discount on this mount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. I relied solely on my friend for his honest opinon and comments after having used it. He's one of those brutally honest people so if it was junk or cheap he would have come right out and told me. I don't foresee anyone having any problems with the use of this mount.","Product: PA0003: Our color block shorts feature a comfortable cotton fit and a sexy short hem.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Really nice shorts, great fit and price!\n\nReview: I had previously purchased yoga pants, about a year ago very similar to this from this company and still have them and wear them all the time, and I believe that is going to be the case with these shorts and I'm going to have to do there buy 2 at a better price deal. They are made with nice comfy soft stretchy material, fit perfectly, I ordered a small, I'm a small and I couldn't have asked for a better fit. They came wrapped nicely in tissue paper which was really nice, they weren't just tossed in a shipping bag with no care at all. I've got several different items from this company and I'm very happy with all of them and this is just one more purchase to add to the very satisfied pile! At the price you just can't beat it, in any department store your going to pay between twenty and thirty dollars for these!! I highly recommend this purchase and hope you enjoy them as much as I do. I did recieve this item during a promotional period for my honest opinion of them and in no way impacted my review. I'm sure if you got yourself a pair you would find yourself saying the same things I've said!","Product: A versatile open knitted fringe cardigan for women features a longer length asymmetrical hem giving any outfit a bohemian chic vibe.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Wore it the first day I got it!\n\nReview: This is a thin, soft comfortable sweater to add a little extra touch to your outfit, I am a xs/s and ordered a small and it fits me very well. The only thing I don't like is that it's not pure white nor offered in pure white, besides that I really like it, and even wore it all day yesterday, the day I got it. The material is thin, I put a black shirt on under though to show that it isn't see thru thin like some reviews suggest. It came all folded we nicely wrapped in tissue paper, and didn't have any weird aroma or smell to it at all. Very pleased over all with this purchase and I recieved it at a discount for my honest review. I didn't think this was going to look like the picture but I think it does. Hope if anything my pictures help, all views and opinions are my own.","Product: FINALLY! The Most Adorable Bodysuits For Your Baby That Promise To Make You & Your Babys Life Easier! Having your newborn baby at home is definitely a blessing! How do you feel about the midnight diaper changing though? How much time does it take you to change your baby in the darkness while you are half-asleep? Luckily, New For Baby Has The Best Solution The Amazing Bodysuits! With this practical garment you can change your baby easily, thanks to the snaps at the bottom it features. Your baby doesnt have to wake up and he/she will remain warm and comfortable while you will be done with it in seconds! A Great Variety Of Color & Different Sizes For You To Choose! This amazing pajama comes in 10 unique colors: Banana, Chocolate, Coconut, Grape, Ocean, Palm, Sky, Tangerine, Watermelon & Cherry! Perfect for the first year of your babys life: 00 Newborn (Note that in this size and the 0-3 size, the bodysuit comes with fold-over cuffs to prevent your little angels from scratching their faces) 0-3 Months 3-6 Months 6-12 Months No matter what your choice will be make sure that your baby will love it! Not only is it super soft but also unlike most baby garments-it gives your babies the freedom to move and to wiggle their legs! Combine Style & Utmost Quality For Your Baby! The vivid colors of the gowns and their cute design will look just adorable on your little babies. Rest assured that the beautiful colors and the shape of the kimonos will not be affected by the regular washing. Cant Wait To See How Adorable Your Baby Would Look In These Bodysuits? Place Your Order Now!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Very cute but runs small IMO\n\nReview: I ordered the 0-3 month old size in this, and I've had four babies, and I had tiny babies, they were al 5&6lb babies, there is no way this is going to fit a 1 month old, let alone a 3 month old. To me this is newborn size, it's so teeny tiny and adorable and it's ok that it's small because I am buying it for a brand new baby and not a one month old. However if the baby I bought for was a month or more I would have ended up contacting the company to do an exchange for the next size up because it wouldn't have been able to be used. It's very soft, has the 3 snaps from the collar down toward the chest and then the 3 button snaps on the crotch off the onsie as they all normally do. I like these types of little body suits because they have the fold over cuff/mitten whichever you prefer to call it, which are great because I haven't had a brand new baby yet who hasn't scratched their face. The great thing about these vs putting socks on the baby's hands is that you don't have to worry about them coming off, they tend to stay on a lot better than socks. And you have the bonus of not having to worry every two minutes if the socks did come off and land in front of the baby's air supply and block it somehow. All around these and any attached to the sleeve fold over cuff/mitten shirt/body suit work better and are safer to use vs. something that's detachable and can wiggle off, as babies sure do wiggle a lot. I really wish I could post a picture of a teeny tiny little baby in this outfit, but he's not here yet :( so the best I can do is just a picture of the suit not on a baby just flat on my bed. Hopefully it helps you get a better idea of the size the 0-3 month is though at the very least. I did receive this at a discount for my honest opinion of it. After receiving it and using my knowledge of being a mom four times over I feel this runs small and that alone is what I based my review on, as I couldn't actually put the unborn baby in it to give a more accurate review. Any day now he will be thou!!!!","Product: HONORS: - Selected for the 2006 Primetime Emmys Nominees Gift Bag New For Baby is a clothing line designed specifically for newborns, by two Mommies who were frustrated with clothes that didnt fit correctly, and didnt offer all the features they wanted. The perfect start to a hip babys first wardrobe New For Baby clothing will be all you need for babys first months and beyond. The Comfort Sleep Gown by New for Baby are essential for your babys first year. Start your sleep routine with this great garment. Snaps at the neckline for easy dressing, a tagless label for babys comfort, and a gentle elastic at the bottom for those diaper changes in the dark, and so baby can snuggle up their legs. This super soft cotton stretches to fit baby and still retains its shape. The vibrant colors hold wash after wash. Youll want one in every color and for every size. Babys first pajamas or sleep sack! Newborn size fits the average baby for 4-6 weeks.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Perfect outfit for a newborn\n\nReview: This is so teeny tiny I love it, so adorable!! I got this for my cousins new baby boy, even though it's cherry and brown I figured he could still wear it as it's a sleep gown and worn at night in the house so it's not like anyone is going to see him in it. These sleep gowns are literally the best thing you can put a baby in at night who wakes up in the middle of the night for feedings. It makes changing them so easy, no buttons, no nothing, just slide it up and change and slide back down! It bunches up on the bottom so the fabric stays close to the baby and keeps their little legs nice and warm. It also comes with in my opinion a must have on newborn clothes, the built in mittens, to prevent the baby from scratching his or her little face. You need this because they don't yet have control over their movements and unintentionally scratch themselves, sometimes to the point they've drawn blood, poor little ones. That is why I'm rating this sleep gown 5 stars, it is made of very soft fabric, it has the essential mittens built in, and it's so easily put on and off the baby, one of the best ensembles you can buy for a newborn baby. I did recieve a discount on this sleep gown in exchange for my honest feedback. It has in no way impacted my opinion of the sleep gown, if it didn't have the mittens it wouldn't have gotten a five star rating from me and that's a fact.","Product: Stay warm and cozy with this Men's 2 Piece Thermal Top and Bottom Set. This men's thermal top is well made. The bottoms have an elastic waistband for a proper fit while doing any work or activity. It keeps you warm when exposed to colder temperatures. You'll enjoy sleeping in this, layering the long sleeve thermal top under clothing or simply lounging around the house in them. Pick from the available assorted colors. They are machine washable for easy care. Men's 2 Piece Thermal Top and Bottom Set: Long sleeve thermal top is made from 100% Cotton, Crew neck\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Don't recommend these they stay wet and aren't breathable at all\n\nReview: I got these Long johns for my husband because his job requires him to work outside for a portion of the day, and living in the buffalo New York area it's cold a lot more often then it is warm so these are something he has to wear or he would probably freeze. He tried them on one day and ended up coming home after his first job to take them off and put on a different pair. He said they are made out of cotton and it feels like he's wearing a super tight wet suit on under his clothes. He can't move in them and it retains all his sweat which in return makes him colder than what they are suppose to do which is keep them warm. He said if you were going to wear them and not do anything at all just sit there, they might be fine, but if you plan on moving around at all these are horrible. I can only speak from him as he has a lot more experience with these than I do, and they don't fit me. I was given these at a discount price in order to give my honest opinion of them, and that is what I have done. They are well made in my opinion, but because they are 100% cotton they also shrink the first time you wash them too. I wouldn't recommend these to anyone who is doing any kind of moving around in them in the cold weather outside, your sweat will get them wet and they don't dry, and are not breathable at all.","Product: This beautiful striped canvas beach tote/ bag is perfect for spring and summer! Easily gathers all your essentials and your favorite pair of sunglasses for a day out! Black and white stripes, measures 17\"L x 14\"D x 4\"W, with a 9\" drop. One compartment with top zip closure, and one interior slip pocket. This nautical themed bag is the perfect way to make a fashion statement.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Just love it, absolutely love it!!\n\nReview: Ahh I love this bag!! I've always wanted a beach bag just like this, and finally I found one, at a really great price, and I love it!!! The straps are light actuall rope, it sits really well on my shoulder at a nice level. The bag itself is decent in size, large enough for a few 2 or 3 towels, lotion, and some snacks. It also has an inside zipper pocket, so you can keep your phone and money and other items you don't want to have to dig thru the bag to get to. It closes with a single button clasp. The bag feels really well made, and I'm extremely happy with it and can't wait to use on the beach! So far I've only been able to use it as a pool bag when we went to a hotel indoor pool. Overall I would buy this bag again in a heartbeat and highly recommend it to anyone looking to purchase it. This bag was purchased by me at a discount in exchange for my honest review after using it and testing it out. I was not paid or compensated in any form to purchase this item and review it.","Product: Anchor Canvas Beach / Tote Bag This beautiful canvas beach tote/ bag is perfect for spring and summer! Easily gathers all your essentials and your favorite pair of sunglasses for a day out! One compartment with top zip closure, and one interior slip pocket. This nautical themed bag is the perfect way to make a fashion statement.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Just love it, absolutely love it!!\n\nReview: Ahh I love this bag!! I've always wanted a beach bag just like this, and finally I found one, at a really great price, and I love it!!! The straps are light actuall rope, it sits really well on my shoulder at a nice level. The bag itself is decent in size, large enough for a few 2 or 3 towels, lotion, and some snacks. It also has an inside zipper pocket, so you can keep your phone and money and other items you don't want to have to dig thru the bag to get to. It closes with a single button clasp. The bag feels really well made, and I'm extremely happy with it and can't wait to use on the beach! So far I've only been able to use it as a pool bag when we went to a hotel indoor pool. Overall I would buy this bag again in a heartbeat and highly recommend it to anyone looking to purchase it. This bag was purchased by me at a discount in exchange for my honest review after using it and testing it out. I was not paid or compensated in any form to purchase this item and review it.","Product: The Original One Piece is the all-in-one outfit for babys entire day. Playtime, nap time, mealtime or on the go time The Original One Piece keeps baby comfy and stylish. It features a tagless label for babys comfort, snaps from top to bottom for diaper changes and easy dressing. This super soft cotton stretches to fit baby and still retains its shape. The vibrant colors hold wash after wash. The go-to item for babys first year!?\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Love the fact it has the sewen in mittens to protect the baby from scratching.\n\nReview: This is absolutely adorable, oh I wish my babies were this tiny again!! I purchased this adorable little outfit for my cousins brand new little man. It fit him perfectly!!! Very soft material, and appears to be well made. I don't see any issues with the making of this outfit. Nothing crazy stands out as in the sticking or hand mittens not sewen properly. It's a really cute little one piece outfit for a peanut, and I think the little coconut on it is adorable as well. I'm very happy with this little outfit, and have additionally purchased the open end gown sleeper and short sleeved onsie as well, to which are all of the same great quality. I did recieve this little adorable outfit at a discount in exchange for my opinion of it. My opinion is my own and honestly I would be lying if I said anything but the fact that I loved it, because I do. I have four kids myself and the sewen on mittens are a must have for the newborns so they don't scratch up their face. I forgot to put them on onetime and laid one of 4 sons down for a nap and came back a half hour later to check on him, and he had fell asleep, but not before gouging his face with his nails and he had a cut under his eye that seemed to take forever to heal. Definitely something I look for when purchasing clothes for newborns, not so much older babies, but really should have them on all clothes for newborn.","Product: A maternity cardigan in a relaxed drape for an efforless look and a layering staple.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great for spring nice and light\n\nReview: I got this and thought it was gonna be a little longer In the arms and a little thicker, however it's perfect for spring time, and can go with so many outfits. It didn't look like it was going to look like the girl in the picture at all when I pulled it out of the wonderfully wrapped up tissue paper, but it actually does. I'm not pregnant nor plan to have my tubiligation fail anytime soon, this can deffinately be worn by anyone pregnant or not. I was going to return it because I thought it was going to be a bit heavier but I tried it on and ended up wearing it for the day. I really like this, I ordered a small and it fit me perfectly, any bigger would have looked funny on me so I would stick to ordering your normal size you would buy. Hope this review helps you as well as the pictures. I did recieve this at a discount for my honest review and no one could pay me enough to say good things about a bad product I don't like. I only write reviews on things I actually want, and use.","Product: This Mini-crossbow pistol is perfect for target practice and small-game hunting. It is constructed of impact resistant ABS with an 50-lb. draw weight, metal-limbed bow. It even has adjustable sights already installed for precision accuracy. The mini-crossbow package includes 5 plastic bolts with field tips, bowstring and target! Shoots 150 FPS up to 35 yards. 0.88 lbs Loading instructions: Note: Please follow loading instructions. Failure to do so will break the string. No string replacements are given for misfiring the crossbow, however you may order from the link above. 1. Cock back the string w/ the pull-staff and push pull-staff back to original position. 2. Make sure the side pin is Closed (pushed forward). 3. Load arrow. 4. Click the side pin Open (pushed back). 5. Aim & pull trigger for release. Specification: Draw Weight: 50lbs Weight: 0.98lbs/0.45kgs Length: 12.5inches String length: 17.5inches Limb/Prod: Metal / Iron Barrel: Plastic Package: 5 Plastic arrow; 1 limb; 1 string\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Broke before first shot was made!\n\nReview: Got this as a gift and when we went to return it realized why it was broken junk on the first attempt to shoot it, the gift giver paid all of eleven dollars and seventy cents. It doesn't drop properly into the side chamber when you pull back so there is no way to shoot it when you take the safety off. While we were trying to figure out how to get it to drop properly it dry shot and the whole thing snapped and broke, never even got a single shot off on this thing. Save your money, if it's to good to be true it probably is. If you really want one id advise looking at ones that only have 4-5 star reviews on here and they're probably not going to be close to the ten dollar range, which is good that means it's made of quality material that cost a bit more than cheap plastic.","Product: Aircee (TM) 40L~45L Multi-use Outdoor Sports Camping Hiking Daypack Bugout School Bag Tactical Army Military Camouflage Backpack. Size about :55X40X20cm (21.6x15.7x7.8inch), about 40L~45L. Weight0.95KG\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Well made and durable\n\nReview: This outdoor sports and camping book bag is really nice. It's well made, the stitching on it is done very well and overall it looks and feels like it will definitely last a while. It has outside side pockets, it has six clips going around the main zipper to ensure nothing can get out, and it allows you to put larger items in it and even if your unable to zipper it, still secure the items inside by using the clips to ensure nothing will fall out. It also has the center clip to do the same type of security for the front zipper pouch that is an additional spot to put items. I like the front pouch because it can actually hold quite a few things unlike other bags that have the front pouch which you can barely fit a small notebook in. It also has a few bungee type cords on the zippers so you can clip items onto it, such as a knife for easy access or even a water bottle or hand sanitizer, which I always carry with me anywhere I go. Inside the large compartment it has a few pre made additional pockets to be able to seperate things so they're not difficult to find, which is nicer for smaller sized objects you wish to put in there. I tried to get a nice picture to show the inside additional pockets in the larger compartment. My son actually really liked this bag and begged me to let him use it as his school book bag so currently that is what it's being used for. So it's holding up to the reckless with his things, wear and tear of a soon to be in a few months teenage boy. That I itself is a test on its durability and how well made it is as he's already been using for an entire school week and no rips or tears or broken zippers. That's another thing the zippers zip very nicely, something most people don't think about when making a purchase like this until they get it and try to zip it and the zipper is a huge pain in the butt and doesn't align properly in cheaper made items. Overall I'm extremely satisfied with this purchase and if needed in the future would gladly repurchase it. I did recieve a small discount in exchange for my honest review. I do try to only try products with a discount that already have good reviews on them because I don't like getting junk and then having to write this huge review warning other people not to buy this junk and urging them to not rely on the fake positive reviews. I can assure you this review is trustful and honest in its entirety and only written by me after recieveing the product and having ruffly a week to test it out before claiming it's a good buy. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.","Product: With their red neck stripes and 15'' height, both sets look like the real thing! Use indoors or out. Set includes 10 pins.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great set just wish it came with the balls too!!!\n\nReview: This would be a five star set if it came with bowling balls!!! Aside from not having bowling balls come with it, this set is fantastic. It's actual size pins, and 100% just like if you were to go to a bowling alley. It does come with a big triangular shaped cut out to set up all the pins, however it's folded up and it doesn't lay flat no matter how hard we tried to flatten it out. So when we tried to use it, it would end up knocking the pins down because it would pop up in places after getting so many pins up, we just ended up not using the cut out and setting it up ourselves. My kids absolutely love it, and will randomly decide to set up the pins and bowl. You can set up inside or outside with this game, just as long as you have a flat surface your good to go. It also comes with a decent pad of score cards so you can easily keep score as well.\n\nThe drawbacks to this set that we've found are that it doesn't come with bowling balls, because it's so large it's difficult to store, and it doesn't come with anything to store them in, so it's wise to keep the box that they arrive in. Aside from those things, the set is great. The pins aren't to light nor are to heavy, they seem to be just the right amount of weight, and are able to be knocked down with my kids little bowling balls that came with their child bowling set. Overall I would purchase this set again because it's really nice to have, and is fun for both kids and adults the same. Great family game to play with the kids and spend some time together without having to spend a bunch of money at the bowling alley. I'm satisfied with this purchase enough to recommend it to others, just as long as your aware that it doesn't come with the bowling balls or a storage option of any kind. I did recieve this bowling pin set at a discount price to test and review and give my honest and unbiased feedback after my personal experience with it. I was not paid or compensated in anyway to give my honest feedback, nor did I promise positive feedback in anyway.","Product: Enjoy a traditional fountain pen writing experience with the convenience of cartridge ink refills. Filled with smooth, rich and vivid blue fountain pen ink, the PARKER QUINK refills are designed for use with PARKER fountain pens. Enjoy the feeling of your pen gliding smoothly across the paper with high quality QUINK ink pen refills.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Really happy with this purchase and most likely will repurchase\n\nReview: This ink works great in my fountain pens that I also bought off of amazon. This bottle is lasting me forever, and barely looks touched, and I've probably refilled my pen a dozen times if not more. It does take a few minutes to completely dry though, so make sure you give it adequate time to dry or you will get smudges. For the most part it doesn't bleed thru the paper either. I've been using it in a regular notebook I bought at Kmart with no special paper and 95% of it has not bled thru at all. Sometimes when the ink flows out a little more than it should when I'm adjusting the pen then it will bleed thru, but once the pen is adjusted there is no bleed thru with this ink. I looked at a ton of different inks on here and found that this one had the best reviews, and was the best price per the reviews. I am extremely happy with this selection and will most likely repurchase this brand if this bottle ever runs out!","Product: limb saw\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Performs great just not asthetically great.\n\nReview: When this arrived, I'm not gonna lie, I was not impressed at all, super upset at the fact I can see thru the packaging the handle and blade were all scratched up, it almost looks used or something. I was gonna email the company, but then thought about it, and really, it's gonna get scratched up and banged up anyway from use so as long as it works it's appearance isn't that big of a deal to me for me to make a fuss and return or exchange it. I'm glad I decided to just look past the appearance cause this thing works awesome! My yard has a creek that runs down the entire side of the yard and wraps behind the house and continues on to the neighbors and so fourth for miles in either direction. So with that there is a crazy amount of wild plants and bushes and such that are growing all over the place. In order to keep the bug population to a tolerable population, I need to keep up on trimming it all otherwise we can't even sit in our yard without being eaten alive, it's horrible. I took this outside the other day to test it out, and it really was tested because it was freezing out, so the branches were far from soft, more like frozen rock hard. This cut thru every branch I threw at it with minimal effort on my part. This is exactly what I was looking for, no more squeezing the large pruning sheers with all my might, and rocking the half cut branch back and fourth hoping to get it to snap off! Anyone looking to be able to hand trim branches and bushes, this is the tool for the job. The best part is that when I don't need it, it folds up safely and the blade is tucked away so I don't have to worry about one of the kids or myself getting hurt on it. I'm very satisfied with this limb saw and definitely recommend it to anyone who's not so concerned with appearance but more so of perfomance, and it performed very well. I did receive this at a discount in exchange for my honest review. My review is my own personal experience in my own words and nothing else. I took a star off based on the fact it looks used with all the scratches and Knicks all over it before I even got it out of the packaging. Performance wise it was 5 star.","Product: There's a lot of fun packed into this tub of modeling clay. The Modeling Clay - Mini features 13 beautiful colors and a handy, reusable container for storage. This high quality clay is smooth, non-toxic and ready to go.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Read weight to ensure you know just how tiny this bucket is!\n\nReview: I guess I should have read a bit more carefully on this item, I was thinking I was getting a decent hand sized bucket and in fact that was not the case. Also the lid for it is not really a lid, it's like the thin plastic that's usually wrapped outside of an item to seal it, when opening it half the lid ripped and now it cannot be kept in this ity bity bucket or it will dry up, but a snack size ziplock bag fits it all with plenty of room. See picture for actual size of item, it's very hard to work with and probably won't be buying this brand again. I gave it one star because it's my fault on the size I should have read the measurement and weight of the item, and it kept my kids busy for ten mins until they couldn't try to use it anymore and gave up cause it was just to hard to mold in anyway, not to mention the pieces are so tiny for each color you can't really make much of anything anyway with this.","Product: Packages of 500 high quality multi-colored latex water balloons. Uplift life with uplifting balloons! Are you sick of holes, rips and water balloons popping while filling? Tired of small water balloons that don't explode on impact? Did your last order come with water balloons much smaller than advertised? No variety in your multi-color order? Do you want water balloons without chemical powder coatings and foul odors? Did your water balloons lose water overnight before your event even began? Uplifting balloons to the rescue! Our high quality water balloons weigh 0.23g each (most other brands weigh approximately 0.15g). Pre-fill water balloons the night before and they will still be full the next day. Even amounts of all seven colors. Quality control inspected manufacturer. 100% biodegradable in approximately the same time as a leaf from an oak tree.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Really great stretchy easy to pop but not to easy balloons\n\nReview: These are awesome water balloons!! They fill really easy, I've done about 200 of them and only about 5 or 6 have ripped or sprung a hole. They are super stretchy, making them really easy on your hands to tie, nothing like some of those cheap barely fill up super hard to tie tiny little water balloons. These are much bigger water balloons then those that are on the sticks and fill up 50 at a time or whatever, more than triple their size. They pop easily enough which is great so your kids are whipping them at each other trying to break them on each other. They do cost a bit more than the cheap ones you pick up at the dollar store, but like I said they are a hundred times better than the ones you pick up at the dollar store. The only thing I was upset about it, they don't come with a faucet connector, or if they do I didn't get one in my bag. If they had come with one of those I would have given these 5 stars no problem. I did recieve these at a discount in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion. I was not compensated to give my honest opinion.","Product: The Best Toy Shields for Kids - Your kids deserve to play with the best, right? Well, when it comes to toy shields, MIGHTY FUN! has the absolute best youll find. Weve moved beyond cheap foam and breakable plastic to develop sturdy wooden shields that can stand up to your kids most active pretend play! These shields are designed to inspire the imagination, your kids will love choosing their favorite cool and colorful design, then jumping into a world of open-ended pretend play where every idea becomes an adventure! Making A Classic Toy Better by Design - MIGHTY FUN! wooden shields are made from two layers of maple plywood sandwiched together with soft eva foam in the middle and a sturdy nylon strap. These shields are made to last, something your kids might not think about, but youll feel good knowing you wont have to hear their cries and complaints after playing with a cheap foam or plastic alternative that breaks! Our shields are also sized perfectly for younger kids so they can easily be handled and taken along on for maximum play on every adventure! Each shield features a vibrant design from our award-winning artist, the rich colors, look amazing over the natural wood tones. Our shields look so good you wont mind having them around the house...or even hanging on a wall! Buy a Set, Mix and Match - Designs feature 4 Animal Clans to choose from: Wolf, Dragon, Octopus or Raven and are also available as Swords so you can make a matching set, or mix and match to get two great designs. A perfect choice for active pretend play, dress-up, or as the ultimate costume accessory, have your kids choose their favorite Animal Design and get yours today!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: After 2 weeks, and 4 boys, it's still intact as the day we got it, amazing!\n\nReview: My kids were so pumped when this shield and sword came in the mail. The first thing they did was grab their other shields and swords and instantly start fighting each other. I have 4 kids, all boys, so you can imagine the war zone this purchase created in my living room. My kids like the fact that they have the wolf face on both the shield and the sword, so they can say they are in the wolf clan. Lol it's been great fun watching them play and enjoy toys like these, vs spending hours staring at a screen. I try to find toys that make them use their imagination and play and not so much putting them in front of an electronic device, and this shield is exactly that type of toy. They have to use their imagination and they have fun and are active while playing with it, which makes it a great purchase in my book. I am very satisfied with this purchase, this is really well made for a children's toy, I was quite surprised, as its been a few weeks and my kids still have yet to break it!! That in itself totally makes it worth the money, because a similar set was purchased for them from rite aid, and it lasted 2 days in my house, so for this to be going strong undestroyed is amazing! I would highly recommend these over the other cheap versions your going to have to keep buying over and over again, as the pharmacy and dollar store versions are not made to last at all. I did recieve a discount on this shield in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion of it; that in no way effects my view on this item however. My review is solely based off the usage of it, and how well made it is, if it broke or was junk I'd warn you, as I expect to be warned by other reviewers of such items as well.","Product: Check out the Toy Cubbys Amazing Colorful Rocket Balloon with Pump, rekindle the excitement with this rocket balloons, balloons can inflate up to 40-inch long with two-way pump included for fast filling of air in the balloons, perfect during picnic, party, get together at the backyard, beach or any open space you can think of and also serves as a party decoration, it can launches to the air with squealing sounds or make an animal figure balloon. The balloon comes with different bright color. So grab one now and enjoy the amazing rocket balloon launches to the air.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Super cheap, fun and easy to use\n\nReview: I have boughten a similar product for my two little guys before from our local family dollar store, but it came with only 5 balloons and cost a few dollars more than this set of rocket balloons. The hand pump it comes with is really easy to use, my 4 year old is able to do this mostly by himself with a little assistance from another brother or me here and there. Between my 4 &6 year old though they can do these balloons all on their own. Instead of only getting 5 balloons and a crappy pump that usually breaks the first or second time you use it, this set comes with 30!! My kids are able to do one after another after another without having to run and go find the ones they already set off. You can use these balloons over and over and over again as long as you don't tie them and they don't get a hole in them by accident.\n\nWe have noticed that some of the balloons do work better than others, but it's not really a big deal, at this cost and the fact you do get thirty of them, it's ok if some of them don't blow all the way as others do. This is a really cheap way to occupy your kids and get them outside and away from the screens! I think this can be enjoyed by all ages, from age 3-4 all the way to 99. They are fun to let go and watch them fly around all over the place, I even have fun playing with these with the kids and I'm thirty one myself. I was given the chance to test these out and give my honest review of them after being able to play with them. I was not paid or compensated to test these out or to give a review however. It's only a few bucks and your kids will be entertained for quite some time, and it's something they can play with over and over again. I highly recommend the purchase of these rocket balloons.","Product: The Best Toy Swords for Kids Your kids deserve to play with the best, right? Well, when it comes to toy swords, MIGHTY FUN! has the absolute best youll find. Sturdy Wooden Construction Better than Plastic and Foam Alternatives Weve moved beyond cheap foam and breakable plastic to develop sturdy wooden swords that can stand up to your kids most active pretend play! Kids Benefit from Open-Ended Pretend Play Designed to inspire the imagination, your kids will love choosing their favorite cool and colorful design, then jumping into a world of open-ended pretend play where every idea becomes an adventure! Making A Classic Toy Better by Design MIGHTY FUN! wooden swords are made from two layers of maple plywood sandwiched together with soft eva foam in the middle. These swords are made to last, something your kids might not think about, but youll feel good knowing you wont have to hear their cries and complaints after playing with a cheap foam or plastic alternative that breaks! Our swords are also sized perfectly for younger kids so they can easily be handled and taken along on for maximum play on every adventure! Looks Like Art, Because It Is Featuring vibrant designs from our award-winning artist, the rich colors, printed on both sides, look amazing over the natural wood tones. Our swords look so good you wont mind having them around the house...or even hanging on a wall! Buy a Set, Mix and Match Designs feature 4 Animal Clans to choose from: Wolf, Dragon, Octopus or Raven and are also available as Shields so you can make a matching set, or mix and match to get two great designs. A perfect choice for active pretend play, dress-up, or as the ultimate costume accessory, have your kids choose their favorite Animal Design and get yours today!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Has withstood the abuse of 4 boys for weeks, money well spent!!\n\nReview: I purchased this sword and it's matching shield for my 4 boys to play with. I had recently purchased identical items, but of lesser quality from rite aid, and they didn't make it longer than 2 days in this house. I thought maybe I'd try a better quality version, and wow am I impressed. Both the strap to the shield and this sword are still intact as the day they arrived, weeks later! I like purchasing toys that make them use their imagination vs sticking my kids in front of the tv or a tablet screen, and this hit the nail on the head as far as making them active and using their imagination. I am extremely happy and satisfied with the durability of this sword and it's matching shield as well as my kids. They love the fact the wolf is imprinted on both items so that they are in the \"wolf clan\" when they are fighting each other. They have begged me to get all of the different clans that are avaliable and one by on I will be purchasing them. They may cost a bit more than the sets at the dollar/pharmacy stores, but the fact is, they last, so it's worth it in my opinon. I have bought many many toys from cheap to expensive and some weren't worth the price, and other cheap items were a great deal, but this falls into the category of money well spent in my opinion for my family at least. I did recieve a discount on this sword in exchange for my honest opinon of it. My opinon is based off the abuse this sword took from my 4 boys and the fact it's still standing and looks identical to when it first arrived in my home. I was certainly not compensated in anyway to review this item.","Product: Excellent Book\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Check out the picture of 2 dragons!\n\nReview: I was blown away when this coloring book arrived. I was expecting the same style coloring books I already have just different designs, and I got so much more! They even included a set of scrapbooking stickers with my book as a little bonus gift, which I thought was a really nice touch. This book not only has amazing designs to color, but as you color it tells a story throughout the entire book. It makes you feel like a kid again, with having to find 9 symbols throughout the book, which is your quest, and when you get to the end you draw all 9 symbols and unlock the castle door to find all sorts of other hidden objects throughout the entire book! Even the cover of this book you can color the whole inside!!\n\nI had to include a picture of the one drawing that just blew me away. It is actually a 4 page drawing, as it folds out to show a huge double drago image! This is by far the nicest coloring book I own to date, and I cant stop telling all my friends about it. Now the only problem is finding the time to get to enjoy it and get to coloring! I did recieve this book at a very slight discount in exchange for my honest review of the Enchanted Forest coloring book. I must also give my kudos and thanks and tell the artist Johanna Basford that she is amazing, and draws absolutely exquisitely! Thank you so much for creating this amazing book, I can't wait to see what you come up with next, I will be looking for your work in the future!!!"],"string":"[\n \"Product: Put the power in your hand, ready to unleash your creativity? Have you been searching for a set of high-quality colored pencils that includes everything you'll need to express your passion or create a perfect picture? The sky's the limit With this 36-pack of coloring pencils from castle art supplies. With a color for every situation, you'll be able to put on paper anything and everything you see in your head. The sturdy construction and smooth operation lets your art flow naturally from your brain to your hand to the paper. Colors you can use: With 36 hand-selected colors, this set offers you an unmatched mlange of opportunities to make your creation come alive. Quality you can feel: Drawing, sketching or writing has never been so effortless, whether you're going big and bold or layering fine detail. We also include a sharpener and eraser With our canvas wrap. Art is a gift: Whether you're exploring your artistic side, giving your kids the chance to show what they can do or there's someone in your life who you think could work. wonders With colored pencils, the ability to create art is the ultimate gift.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great for basic coloring in my opinon\\n\\nReview: I have been coloring in adult coloring books since back in 2003 with my ex husband, and I stopped for a few years and started back up again a year ago. It makes all the difference in the world with getting the therapeutic stress relief from doing this if you have pencils you are happy with. Going to color with a ripped up box of pencils broken and not well sharpend isn't exactly a happy stress free thing to sit down with. So having this nice metal case with them all lined up, easy to access, well sharpend makes all the difference in the world for me when I go to sit down and color with them. I agree with some of the other reviews as far as quality goes, there not amazing pencils that are a superior quality to other pencils you can probably get at a cheaper price, however the appeal of these being in the metal tin, pleasant to look at makes a difference to me as far as my mood goes when I use them, and for that I don't mind paying a few extra dollars for them. I can see if your not a person that, that would matter to why you would find these a rip off and would give a less review than I though. I was asked to give my honest opinion of these pencils after getting a discount on them, and so I feel I should state that bit of information as well. I am personally very happy with them, and I would purchase them again after getting them and being able to use them. These pencils work well for my basic needs and if your like me, just an average talent person looking to pass some time coloring they would work well for you as they do me. If your a person with superior artistic talents and are looking for superior pencils to blend and make magnificent works of art with, your probably not going to be very impressed by these and I suggest you look at another brand of pencils. I hope this is able to help you in your shopping decisions.\",\n \"Product: This Etekcity scale is delicately designed in a small elegant White body. It also has endless uses and is really great for homes, kitchens, offices, mailrooms, etc. Take it and then you will be surprised at all the uses you will have.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Awesome, so glad I went with this\\n\\nReview: I was a little nervous because the price but I'm so glad I went with this one instead of spending more money on a different one. It does everything I needed it to. I set my bowl or pouring pot on it, decide which weight I want, g, lbs, oz, click the button again it zeros out and I put my wax or raw butters in and weigh. It's completely accurate and has saved me the hassel of trying to even amounts out while making lotions or candles and I'm able to get a much better end product now that it's accurately weighed out before making. If your looking for a scale to weigh ingredients 10lbs n under don't waste your money on anything else, this is all your gonna need, and you just can't beat the price!\",\n \"Product: Artelegno is a second generation family company set in the beautiful landscape of the Italian Alps. In the creation process of its products it's driven by the goal to combine excellent design with functionality of use. The selection of the material and the skilled hands of experienced craftsmen play a key role in bringing to the market products with the highest content of quality and design. Artelegno is very keen on the safeguard of our environment from the the purchase of raw materials to the recycling of its wastes as bio-fuel. Designed and manufactured in Italy for the lovers of traditional shapes in their kitchens. Excellent quality, and smooth finish thanks to a careful selection of raw materials, skillful craftsmanship and handwork in the production processes. Made of top quality solid beech wood from sustainably managed forests. Natural lacquered with food safe water based varnishes compatible with food contact. The rounded edges on the top give it a softer look. Holds 8 steak knives. Maximum blade length 5 inches. Check out all of the Artelengo products on our Brand Page: http://www.amazon.com/artelegno\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Impeccable, not a single flaw anywhere!\\n\\nReview: As an Italian who's grandparents were born and raised in Italy, I gotta say it gives me great pride and excitement to have gotten this in a box that's marked from Italy! To know this wood block was crafted in my country of origin is a really cool concept and the craftsmanship on this wood block is impeccable. The finish on it is superior to anything I've owned previously, there's no way your going to catch a splinter on this wonderful piece of wood. It has a real nice smooth finish to it, and has the embossed logo securely placed on the lower center of the block. It fit all 8 of my steak knifes perfectly, no issues at all with putting any of them in. Even the slits are finely finished with no potential for the wood to split off in anyway. This is the nicest wood block I think I've ever owned to be frank, and I'm extremely impressed with it. I have no cons to share as there is absolutely nothing bad or off on this solid wood block. I did receive a discount on this wooden knife block in exchange for my honest feedback, but that in no way shape or form has any impact of my opinion of it, the craftsmanship speaks for itself, and you will not be dissapointed with this purchase at all. I've also included photos of the block on a scale in Lb's, one without my knifes to give you a weight of just the block, and another with my steak knifes. This is a solid almost 2lb wooden block.\",\n \"Product: Are your children shoes scattered all around your house or thrown in their closet without regard? Dont stress, make getting ready effortless and hasty with Sorbus Kids Shoe Rack Junior Organizer Storage! This amazing shoe rack stores 8 to 12 pairs of shoes to preserve their shape and conserve limited closet space. It also allows your shoes to air out when not being worn. Using this organizer is a great way to keep your footwear open, fresh and safe from falling over other valuable items in your closet. Storing shoes in the best possible way like this will give them a longer, wearable life span. It is the ultimate accessory for a children room to encourage them to tidy up their shoes. It can also be used in the entryway of your home to hold your children shoes and their friends shoes so they don't track mud around the house! The rack is constructed of durable, high-quality plastic and metal for lasting quality. It can be easily assembled and requires no tools. The sturdy frame is attractive and accents any space. It is extremely lightweight and easy to move when cleaning the dirt underneath the rack. This shoe rack can be used on shoes or short boots of varying children sizes. Need more footwear storage? No problem! Every additional shoe rack (same item) can be easily added to store and display as many shoes as you want. It is the perfect solution to children's shoe organizing troubles by keeping them accessible and in one convenient place. This floor rack makes it easy to maximize your closet space without taking up limited shelf space. It is ideal for children's bedrooms, nurseries, hallways, and entrance ways. The shoe rack holds 8 to 12 pairs of shoes making it great for one or more kids! Having this rack keeps your children's shoes coordinated, easily accessible, and in great condition. What more could you ask for! This is also a great gift for any family with kids! Shoe rack measures approximately 20x 7.5x 22 when assembled.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Bust out your rubber mallet for this one!\\n\\nReview: This totally looks deceiving in the picture. I didn't catch that very first word in the description \\\"PLASTIC\\\" I thought this was an all metal rack, my error in reading, can't dock a star cause I don't read. This appears extremely easy to put together when you take it out of the box and all it is, is 16 cheap metal rods and 2 end pieces of plastic. Oh that's so deceiving, especially when your putting it together at night, in an upstairs apartment and have kids sleeping yourself, your going to need a rubber mallet for this, or something that will work like a rubber mallet. They don't screw in like one would think, you just have to push it in, and if you don't push it in all the way, then your other rods that you set in from the top, don't nest well because it's not as close together as it should be. So trying to be as quiet as I could be putting this together, as I didn't want to be a rude neighbor nor have a little person show up in my kitchen, I took it up to the attic, along with my massage stick that has nice rubber grips on either end, and I started whacking away. I managed to get them all close enough so they will stay and not fall right out, but tomorrow when im clear to make all the noise I can, I'm going to have to take the shoes off and really give it some good whacks because it's not as tight as I think it could and should be. Other than that, it's great for KIDS shoes, it says kids right on it, and for good reason, there's no way anything past a kids size shoe is going to fit on this rack. I have size 9 shoes and 1/3 of the shoe hangs off, so please only buy if it's for kids shoes only. It did what I wanted it to, it took the nice long row of shoes you see, and condensed them into one smaller section. Perfect for my 2 little people. Won't fit my older 2 boys shoes on it, but the 2 little guys it's perfect for. This isn't some high end shelf, it arrived dusty, deffinately needed to be wiped down after I put it together, but other than all that chaos in the beginning it does what it's suppose to do, and therefore I'm happy with it. At this price you really can't beat it. I did receive this at a discount for my honest experience with this shoe rack, and clearly I can't make up my experience I've shared here with you, so I hope you realize that the discount doesn't matter to me, I'm a tell it how it is kinda gal. Hope this helps you out in some way, any questions or comments please ask or share away!\",\n \"Product: CleanCut Cutting Boards made with anti-bacterial edible Arkshell. Arkshell (natural anti-bacterial) is edible which offers 99.9% anti-bacterial effect and it continuously reduces odor. By the way, it contains calcium. There is no need to microwave or boil for sterilization. Knife-friendly surface and it's easy to transfer ingredients since the surface has high flexibility. \\\"Juice Groove\\\" at the edge of cutting boards won't let liquid from food to spill everywhere to leave the cooking area clean. A hole at the corner of cutting board allows you to hang the cutting board on a hook. CleanCut Cutting Boards - Eco-friendly cutting boards. TPU stands for \\\"Thermoplastic PolyUrethane\\\" and it is only material that has both elasticity of rubber& durability of metal. It's used for intravenous line, infusion pack, etc, and has passed FDA, EC, LFGB test. It is 99.9% naturally anti-bacterial, has scratch resistant, reduces odor, higher flexibility, BPA free. It is awarded with \\\"Good Design\\\" from Chicago exhibition show.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Works great, is bendable, just be careful with juicy things.\\n\\nReview: This entire item had me surprised. When this first arrived it surprised me that it wasn't a solid piece, like every other cutting board I have ever owned, this one is actually flexible, you can bend it, fold it in half even, which then made me really skeptical. But after actually using this cutting board quite a few times, it actually comes with its benefits. First off it's probably one of the most eco friendly cutting boards I've ever owned or even came across, it works incredibly well and despite its flexibility it stays where you put it when you go to cut, unlike wood or solid plastic boards that slip and slide out from under you at times. It's a lot thinner than my older wood cutting board so it takes up far less space, and the fact it's bendable makes storing it even easier than ever because it can now fit in places not possible before. I really like this cutting board and it's extremely easy to clean.\\nThe only drawback is that when your cutting something like chicken on it and the juices start going, it's extremely easy to spill the juice everywhere so I've learned to cut this over the sink and not on the counter. As long as you pay attention and use common sense thou it's a fairly easy con to get around. I attempted to scratch it, in the picture right in front of the center of the knife you can see a scratch line, that is me taking the knife and trying to slice the board itself. Very very faint scratch that barely touches the surface. Ones done as a result of cutting food are even lighter so it's safe to say this should last a while and maintain overall scratch free to the naked eye, only when inspecting will you be able to see the very light scratches. Overall I like it and would purchase it again, as well as recommend it for purchase to friends and family. I did receive this cutting board at a discount in exchange for my honest feedback of the cutting board. My feedback is solely based on my using the cutting board and nothing else.\",\n \"Product: ACEGUARDER Shockproof Case for Kindle Fire HDX 7 Rainproof Waterproof Shockproof Kids Proof Case for Kindle Fire HDX 7(only Fit Kindle Fire HDX 7 2013) (Gifts Outdoor Carabiner + Whistle + Handwritten Touch Pen) (ORANGE/WHITE)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Wish it fit the regular Kindle Fire 7 :(\\n\\nReview: This is an amazing case, and I really wish that I knew that there is two versions of kindle fire 7, if you just buy the kindle fire 7, this will not fit at all. Apparently it makes a huge difference if in the title of the fire you bought doesn't have the HDX. I just thought that just meant the fire was high def and just assumed there was only one version of the fire 7, unless you bought the 10inch screen, and since this didn't say 10 inch I thought I was good, and was so dissapointed when I found out that I was wrong. The case even came with 2 bonus surprises, a whistle with a clip and a stylus. If you do have the version this is made for, then you will not be disappointed in this case.\\n- has the orange rubbery shell that goes on the outermost side\\n- a white stand attaches to the orange outermost shell\\n- then it has an inner white shell that the kindle actually sits in, and the orange rubber bumper goes around the white shell\\n- then another white cover shell that goes over the top of the fire and completely encases the entire kindle\\nIt all clicks into place, making it very secure, and essential kid proof. There is no way your kid is going to be able to damage this kindle in anyway with this case. My only con for this case is that it doesn't fit our kindle fire 7 nor do they make this case to fit the regular kindle fire 7, i asked. :( I did recieve this case at a discount in exchange for my honest review of the case. This is all based off of trying to use the case and examining the case only.\",\n \"Product: The iOttie Active Edge Bike & Bar Mount is one of a kind. It is uniquely designed as well as created to fit a universal range of smartphone devices as well as their cases. Its unique design will provide your smartphone with the ultimate grip and security as you travel down your desired biking path. It allows for an opening to your headphone jack so you can listen to music while cruising. You can rotate it from landscape to portrait providing different viewing angles which makes for a very convenient experience. The Active Edge is also universal in the way that it can be used on different types of bars such as motorcycles, scooters, baby strollers. etc. Mount Smart. Drive Smarter!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best phone/go-pro mount my friends seen for bikes\\n\\nReview: I got this for my buddy who has been riding motorcycles his whole life practically. He has tried other phone mounts and ended up tossing all of them. After giving this to him, just a few hours later he called me to tell me how awesome it was and to thank me over and over again for it. He likes to use the go pro camera and this mount allows you to switch out your phone with the go pro camera, so now he's able to do his videos too. He's been using this for a good 2 weeks now and has had nothing but good things to say about it. He said he would have paid $40 easy for this after having been able to test it out. His phone is secure in the holder when he is riding no matter what his speed is, as well as the go pro camera. There has been zero incidents of either one coming detached in anyway while riding. It's an overall great buy if you have a bike weather your purchasing for your phone, for the go pro camera or both. I did recieve a discount on this mount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. I relied solely on my friend for his honest opinon and comments after having used it. He's one of those brutally honest people so if it was junk or cheap he would have come right out and told me. I don't foresee anyone having any problems with the use of this mount.\",\n \"Product: PA0003: Our color block shorts feature a comfortable cotton fit and a sexy short hem.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Really nice shorts, great fit and price!\\n\\nReview: I had previously purchased yoga pants, about a year ago very similar to this from this company and still have them and wear them all the time, and I believe that is going to be the case with these shorts and I'm going to have to do there buy 2 at a better price deal. They are made with nice comfy soft stretchy material, fit perfectly, I ordered a small, I'm a small and I couldn't have asked for a better fit. They came wrapped nicely in tissue paper which was really nice, they weren't just tossed in a shipping bag with no care at all. I've got several different items from this company and I'm very happy with all of them and this is just one more purchase to add to the very satisfied pile! At the price you just can't beat it, in any department store your going to pay between twenty and thirty dollars for these!! I highly recommend this purchase and hope you enjoy them as much as I do. I did recieve this item during a promotional period for my honest opinion of them and in no way impacted my review. I'm sure if you got yourself a pair you would find yourself saying the same things I've said!\",\n \"Product: A versatile open knitted fringe cardigan for women features a longer length asymmetrical hem giving any outfit a bohemian chic vibe.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Wore it the first day I got it!\\n\\nReview: This is a thin, soft comfortable sweater to add a little extra touch to your outfit, I am a xs/s and ordered a small and it fits me very well. The only thing I don't like is that it's not pure white nor offered in pure white, besides that I really like it, and even wore it all day yesterday, the day I got it. The material is thin, I put a black shirt on under though to show that it isn't see thru thin like some reviews suggest. It came all folded we nicely wrapped in tissue paper, and didn't have any weird aroma or smell to it at all. Very pleased over all with this purchase and I recieved it at a discount for my honest review. I didn't think this was going to look like the picture but I think it does. Hope if anything my pictures help, all views and opinions are my own.\",\n \"Product: FINALLY! The Most Adorable Bodysuits For Your Baby That Promise To Make You & Your Babys Life Easier! Having your newborn baby at home is definitely a blessing! How do you feel about the midnight diaper changing though? How much time does it take you to change your baby in the darkness while you are half-asleep? Luckily, New For Baby Has The Best Solution The Amazing Bodysuits! With this practical garment you can change your baby easily, thanks to the snaps at the bottom it features. Your baby doesnt have to wake up and he/she will remain warm and comfortable while you will be done with it in seconds! A Great Variety Of Color & Different Sizes For You To Choose! This amazing pajama comes in 10 unique colors: Banana, Chocolate, Coconut, Grape, Ocean, Palm, Sky, Tangerine, Watermelon & Cherry! Perfect for the first year of your babys life: 00 Newborn (Note that in this size and the 0-3 size, the bodysuit comes with fold-over cuffs to prevent your little angels from scratching their faces) 0-3 Months 3-6 Months 6-12 Months No matter what your choice will be make sure that your baby will love it! Not only is it super soft but also unlike most baby garments-it gives your babies the freedom to move and to wiggle their legs! Combine Style & Utmost Quality For Your Baby! The vivid colors of the gowns and their cute design will look just adorable on your little babies. Rest assured that the beautiful colors and the shape of the kimonos will not be affected by the regular washing. Cant Wait To See How Adorable Your Baby Would Look In These Bodysuits? Place Your Order Now!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Very cute but runs small IMO\\n\\nReview: I ordered the 0-3 month old size in this, and I've had four babies, and I had tiny babies, they were al 5&6lb babies, there is no way this is going to fit a 1 month old, let alone a 3 month old. To me this is newborn size, it's so teeny tiny and adorable and it's ok that it's small because I am buying it for a brand new baby and not a one month old. However if the baby I bought for was a month or more I would have ended up contacting the company to do an exchange for the next size up because it wouldn't have been able to be used. It's very soft, has the 3 snaps from the collar down toward the chest and then the 3 button snaps on the crotch off the onsie as they all normally do. I like these types of little body suits because they have the fold over cuff/mitten whichever you prefer to call it, which are great because I haven't had a brand new baby yet who hasn't scratched their face. The great thing about these vs putting socks on the baby's hands is that you don't have to worry about them coming off, they tend to stay on a lot better than socks. And you have the bonus of not having to worry every two minutes if the socks did come off and land in front of the baby's air supply and block it somehow. All around these and any attached to the sleeve fold over cuff/mitten shirt/body suit work better and are safer to use vs. something that's detachable and can wiggle off, as babies sure do wiggle a lot. I really wish I could post a picture of a teeny tiny little baby in this outfit, but he's not here yet :( so the best I can do is just a picture of the suit not on a baby just flat on my bed. Hopefully it helps you get a better idea of the size the 0-3 month is though at the very least. I did receive this at a discount for my honest opinion of it. After receiving it and using my knowledge of being a mom four times over I feel this runs small and that alone is what I based my review on, as I couldn't actually put the unborn baby in it to give a more accurate review. Any day now he will be thou!!!!\",\n \"Product: HONORS: - Selected for the 2006 Primetime Emmys Nominees Gift Bag New For Baby is a clothing line designed specifically for newborns, by two Mommies who were frustrated with clothes that didnt fit correctly, and didnt offer all the features they wanted. The perfect start to a hip babys first wardrobe New For Baby clothing will be all you need for babys first months and beyond. The Comfort Sleep Gown by New for Baby are essential for your babys first year. Start your sleep routine with this great garment. Snaps at the neckline for easy dressing, a tagless label for babys comfort, and a gentle elastic at the bottom for those diaper changes in the dark, and so baby can snuggle up their legs. This super soft cotton stretches to fit baby and still retains its shape. The vibrant colors hold wash after wash. Youll want one in every color and for every size. Babys first pajamas or sleep sack! Newborn size fits the average baby for 4-6 weeks.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Perfect outfit for a newborn\\n\\nReview: This is so teeny tiny I love it, so adorable!! I got this for my cousins new baby boy, even though it's cherry and brown I figured he could still wear it as it's a sleep gown and worn at night in the house so it's not like anyone is going to see him in it. These sleep gowns are literally the best thing you can put a baby in at night who wakes up in the middle of the night for feedings. It makes changing them so easy, no buttons, no nothing, just slide it up and change and slide back down! It bunches up on the bottom so the fabric stays close to the baby and keeps their little legs nice and warm. It also comes with in my opinion a must have on newborn clothes, the built in mittens, to prevent the baby from scratching his or her little face. You need this because they don't yet have control over their movements and unintentionally scratch themselves, sometimes to the point they've drawn blood, poor little ones. That is why I'm rating this sleep gown 5 stars, it is made of very soft fabric, it has the essential mittens built in, and it's so easily put on and off the baby, one of the best ensembles you can buy for a newborn baby. I did recieve a discount on this sleep gown in exchange for my honest feedback. It has in no way impacted my opinion of the sleep gown, if it didn't have the mittens it wouldn't have gotten a five star rating from me and that's a fact.\",\n \"Product: Stay warm and cozy with this Men's 2 Piece Thermal Top and Bottom Set. This men's thermal top is well made. The bottoms have an elastic waistband for a proper fit while doing any work or activity. It keeps you warm when exposed to colder temperatures. You'll enjoy sleeping in this, layering the long sleeve thermal top under clothing or simply lounging around the house in them. Pick from the available assorted colors. They are machine washable for easy care. Men's 2 Piece Thermal Top and Bottom Set: Long sleeve thermal top is made from 100% Cotton, Crew neck\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Don't recommend these they stay wet and aren't breathable at all\\n\\nReview: I got these Long johns for my husband because his job requires him to work outside for a portion of the day, and living in the buffalo New York area it's cold a lot more often then it is warm so these are something he has to wear or he would probably freeze. He tried them on one day and ended up coming home after his first job to take them off and put on a different pair. He said they are made out of cotton and it feels like he's wearing a super tight wet suit on under his clothes. He can't move in them and it retains all his sweat which in return makes him colder than what they are suppose to do which is keep them warm. He said if you were going to wear them and not do anything at all just sit there, they might be fine, but if you plan on moving around at all these are horrible. I can only speak from him as he has a lot more experience with these than I do, and they don't fit me. I was given these at a discount price in order to give my honest opinion of them, and that is what I have done. They are well made in my opinion, but because they are 100% cotton they also shrink the first time you wash them too. I wouldn't recommend these to anyone who is doing any kind of moving around in them in the cold weather outside, your sweat will get them wet and they don't dry, and are not breathable at all.\",\n \"Product: This beautiful striped canvas beach tote/ bag is perfect for spring and summer! Easily gathers all your essentials and your favorite pair of sunglasses for a day out! Black and white stripes, measures 17\\\"L x 14\\\"D x 4\\\"W, with a 9\\\" drop. One compartment with top zip closure, and one interior slip pocket. This nautical themed bag is the perfect way to make a fashion statement.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Just love it, absolutely love it!!\\n\\nReview: Ahh I love this bag!! I've always wanted a beach bag just like this, and finally I found one, at a really great price, and I love it!!! The straps are light actuall rope, it sits really well on my shoulder at a nice level. The bag itself is decent in size, large enough for a few 2 or 3 towels, lotion, and some snacks. It also has an inside zipper pocket, so you can keep your phone and money and other items you don't want to have to dig thru the bag to get to. It closes with a single button clasp. The bag feels really well made, and I'm extremely happy with it and can't wait to use on the beach! So far I've only been able to use it as a pool bag when we went to a hotel indoor pool. Overall I would buy this bag again in a heartbeat and highly recommend it to anyone looking to purchase it. This bag was purchased by me at a discount in exchange for my honest review after using it and testing it out. I was not paid or compensated in any form to purchase this item and review it.\",\n \"Product: Anchor Canvas Beach / Tote Bag This beautiful canvas beach tote/ bag is perfect for spring and summer! Easily gathers all your essentials and your favorite pair of sunglasses for a day out! One compartment with top zip closure, and one interior slip pocket. This nautical themed bag is the perfect way to make a fashion statement.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Just love it, absolutely love it!!\\n\\nReview: Ahh I love this bag!! I've always wanted a beach bag just like this, and finally I found one, at a really great price, and I love it!!! The straps are light actuall rope, it sits really well on my shoulder at a nice level. The bag itself is decent in size, large enough for a few 2 or 3 towels, lotion, and some snacks. It also has an inside zipper pocket, so you can keep your phone and money and other items you don't want to have to dig thru the bag to get to. It closes with a single button clasp. The bag feels really well made, and I'm extremely happy with it and can't wait to use on the beach! So far I've only been able to use it as a pool bag when we went to a hotel indoor pool. Overall I would buy this bag again in a heartbeat and highly recommend it to anyone looking to purchase it. This bag was purchased by me at a discount in exchange for my honest review after using it and testing it out. I was not paid or compensated in any form to purchase this item and review it.\",\n \"Product: The Original One Piece is the all-in-one outfit for babys entire day. Playtime, nap time, mealtime or on the go time The Original One Piece keeps baby comfy and stylish. It features a tagless label for babys comfort, snaps from top to bottom for diaper changes and easy dressing. This super soft cotton stretches to fit baby and still retains its shape. The vibrant colors hold wash after wash. The go-to item for babys first year!?\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Love the fact it has the sewen in mittens to protect the baby from scratching.\\n\\nReview: This is absolutely adorable, oh I wish my babies were this tiny again!! I purchased this adorable little outfit for my cousins brand new little man. It fit him perfectly!!! Very soft material, and appears to be well made. I don't see any issues with the making of this outfit. Nothing crazy stands out as in the sticking or hand mittens not sewen properly. It's a really cute little one piece outfit for a peanut, and I think the little coconut on it is adorable as well. I'm very happy with this little outfit, and have additionally purchased the open end gown sleeper and short sleeved onsie as well, to which are all of the same great quality. I did recieve this little adorable outfit at a discount in exchange for my opinion of it. My opinion is my own and honestly I would be lying if I said anything but the fact that I loved it, because I do. I have four kids myself and the sewen on mittens are a must have for the newborns so they don't scratch up their face. I forgot to put them on onetime and laid one of 4 sons down for a nap and came back a half hour later to check on him, and he had fell asleep, but not before gouging his face with his nails and he had a cut under his eye that seemed to take forever to heal. Definitely something I look for when purchasing clothes for newborns, not so much older babies, but really should have them on all clothes for newborn.\",\n \"Product: A maternity cardigan in a relaxed drape for an efforless look and a layering staple.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great for spring nice and light\\n\\nReview: I got this and thought it was gonna be a little longer In the arms and a little thicker, however it's perfect for spring time, and can go with so many outfits. It didn't look like it was going to look like the girl in the picture at all when I pulled it out of the wonderfully wrapped up tissue paper, but it actually does. I'm not pregnant nor plan to have my tubiligation fail anytime soon, this can deffinately be worn by anyone pregnant or not. I was going to return it because I thought it was going to be a bit heavier but I tried it on and ended up wearing it for the day. I really like this, I ordered a small and it fit me perfectly, any bigger would have looked funny on me so I would stick to ordering your normal size you would buy. Hope this review helps you as well as the pictures. I did recieve this at a discount for my honest review and no one could pay me enough to say good things about a bad product I don't like. I only write reviews on things I actually want, and use.\",\n \"Product: This Mini-crossbow pistol is perfect for target practice and small-game hunting. It is constructed of impact resistant ABS with an 50-lb. draw weight, metal-limbed bow. It even has adjustable sights already installed for precision accuracy. The mini-crossbow package includes 5 plastic bolts with field tips, bowstring and target! Shoots 150 FPS up to 35 yards. 0.88 lbs Loading instructions: Note: Please follow loading instructions. Failure to do so will break the string. No string replacements are given for misfiring the crossbow, however you may order from the link above. 1. Cock back the string w/ the pull-staff and push pull-staff back to original position. 2. Make sure the side pin is Closed (pushed forward). 3. Load arrow. 4. Click the side pin Open (pushed back). 5. Aim & pull trigger for release. Specification: Draw Weight: 50lbs Weight: 0.98lbs/0.45kgs Length: 12.5inches String length: 17.5inches Limb/Prod: Metal / Iron Barrel: Plastic Package: 5 Plastic arrow; 1 limb; 1 string\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Broke before first shot was made!\\n\\nReview: Got this as a gift and when we went to return it realized why it was broken junk on the first attempt to shoot it, the gift giver paid all of eleven dollars and seventy cents. It doesn't drop properly into the side chamber when you pull back so there is no way to shoot it when you take the safety off. While we were trying to figure out how to get it to drop properly it dry shot and the whole thing snapped and broke, never even got a single shot off on this thing. Save your money, if it's to good to be true it probably is. If you really want one id advise looking at ones that only have 4-5 star reviews on here and they're probably not going to be close to the ten dollar range, which is good that means it's made of quality material that cost a bit more than cheap plastic.\",\n \"Product: Aircee (TM) 40L~45L Multi-use Outdoor Sports Camping Hiking Daypack Bugout School Bag Tactical Army Military Camouflage Backpack. Size about :55X40X20cm (21.6x15.7x7.8inch), about 40L~45L. Weight0.95KG\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Well made and durable\\n\\nReview: This outdoor sports and camping book bag is really nice. It's well made, the stitching on it is done very well and overall it looks and feels like it will definitely last a while. It has outside side pockets, it has six clips going around the main zipper to ensure nothing can get out, and it allows you to put larger items in it and even if your unable to zipper it, still secure the items inside by using the clips to ensure nothing will fall out. It also has the center clip to do the same type of security for the front zipper pouch that is an additional spot to put items. I like the front pouch because it can actually hold quite a few things unlike other bags that have the front pouch which you can barely fit a small notebook in. It also has a few bungee type cords on the zippers so you can clip items onto it, such as a knife for easy access or even a water bottle or hand sanitizer, which I always carry with me anywhere I go. Inside the large compartment it has a few pre made additional pockets to be able to seperate things so they're not difficult to find, which is nicer for smaller sized objects you wish to put in there. I tried to get a nice picture to show the inside additional pockets in the larger compartment. My son actually really liked this bag and begged me to let him use it as his school book bag so currently that is what it's being used for. So it's holding up to the reckless with his things, wear and tear of a soon to be in a few months teenage boy. That I itself is a test on its durability and how well made it is as he's already been using for an entire school week and no rips or tears or broken zippers. That's another thing the zippers zip very nicely, something most people don't think about when making a purchase like this until they get it and try to zip it and the zipper is a huge pain in the butt and doesn't align properly in cheaper made items. Overall I'm extremely satisfied with this purchase and if needed in the future would gladly repurchase it. I did recieve a small discount in exchange for my honest review. I do try to only try products with a discount that already have good reviews on them because I don't like getting junk and then having to write this huge review warning other people not to buy this junk and urging them to not rely on the fake positive reviews. I can assure you this review is trustful and honest in its entirety and only written by me after recieveing the product and having ruffly a week to test it out before claiming it's a good buy. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.\",\n \"Product: With their red neck stripes and 15'' height, both sets look like the real thing! Use indoors or out. Set includes 10 pins.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great set just wish it came with the balls too!!!\\n\\nReview: This would be a five star set if it came with bowling balls!!! Aside from not having bowling balls come with it, this set is fantastic. It's actual size pins, and 100% just like if you were to go to a bowling alley. It does come with a big triangular shaped cut out to set up all the pins, however it's folded up and it doesn't lay flat no matter how hard we tried to flatten it out. So when we tried to use it, it would end up knocking the pins down because it would pop up in places after getting so many pins up, we just ended up not using the cut out and setting it up ourselves. My kids absolutely love it, and will randomly decide to set up the pins and bowl. You can set up inside or outside with this game, just as long as you have a flat surface your good to go. It also comes with a decent pad of score cards so you can easily keep score as well.\\n\\nThe drawbacks to this set that we've found are that it doesn't come with bowling balls, because it's so large it's difficult to store, and it doesn't come with anything to store them in, so it's wise to keep the box that they arrive in. Aside from those things, the set is great. The pins aren't to light nor are to heavy, they seem to be just the right amount of weight, and are able to be knocked down with my kids little bowling balls that came with their child bowling set. Overall I would purchase this set again because it's really nice to have, and is fun for both kids and adults the same. Great family game to play with the kids and spend some time together without having to spend a bunch of money at the bowling alley. I'm satisfied with this purchase enough to recommend it to others, just as long as your aware that it doesn't come with the bowling balls or a storage option of any kind. I did recieve this bowling pin set at a discount price to test and review and give my honest and unbiased feedback after my personal experience with it. I was not paid or compensated in anyway to give my honest feedback, nor did I promise positive feedback in anyway.\",\n \"Product: Enjoy a traditional fountain pen writing experience with the convenience of cartridge ink refills. Filled with smooth, rich and vivid blue fountain pen ink, the PARKER QUINK refills are designed for use with PARKER fountain pens. Enjoy the feeling of your pen gliding smoothly across the paper with high quality QUINK ink pen refills.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Really happy with this purchase and most likely will repurchase\\n\\nReview: This ink works great in my fountain pens that I also bought off of amazon. This bottle is lasting me forever, and barely looks touched, and I've probably refilled my pen a dozen times if not more. It does take a few minutes to completely dry though, so make sure you give it adequate time to dry or you will get smudges. For the most part it doesn't bleed thru the paper either. I've been using it in a regular notebook I bought at Kmart with no special paper and 95% of it has not bled thru at all. Sometimes when the ink flows out a little more than it should when I'm adjusting the pen then it will bleed thru, but once the pen is adjusted there is no bleed thru with this ink. I looked at a ton of different inks on here and found that this one had the best reviews, and was the best price per the reviews. I am extremely happy with this selection and will most likely repurchase this brand if this bottle ever runs out!\",\n \"Product: limb saw\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Performs great just not asthetically great.\\n\\nReview: When this arrived, I'm not gonna lie, I was not impressed at all, super upset at the fact I can see thru the packaging the handle and blade were all scratched up, it almost looks used or something. I was gonna email the company, but then thought about it, and really, it's gonna get scratched up and banged up anyway from use so as long as it works it's appearance isn't that big of a deal to me for me to make a fuss and return or exchange it. I'm glad I decided to just look past the appearance cause this thing works awesome! My yard has a creek that runs down the entire side of the yard and wraps behind the house and continues on to the neighbors and so fourth for miles in either direction. So with that there is a crazy amount of wild plants and bushes and such that are growing all over the place. In order to keep the bug population to a tolerable population, I need to keep up on trimming it all otherwise we can't even sit in our yard without being eaten alive, it's horrible. I took this outside the other day to test it out, and it really was tested because it was freezing out, so the branches were far from soft, more like frozen rock hard. This cut thru every branch I threw at it with minimal effort on my part. This is exactly what I was looking for, no more squeezing the large pruning sheers with all my might, and rocking the half cut branch back and fourth hoping to get it to snap off! Anyone looking to be able to hand trim branches and bushes, this is the tool for the job. The best part is that when I don't need it, it folds up safely and the blade is tucked away so I don't have to worry about one of the kids or myself getting hurt on it. I'm very satisfied with this limb saw and definitely recommend it to anyone who's not so concerned with appearance but more so of perfomance, and it performed very well. I did receive this at a discount in exchange for my honest review. My review is my own personal experience in my own words and nothing else. I took a star off based on the fact it looks used with all the scratches and Knicks all over it before I even got it out of the packaging. Performance wise it was 5 star.\",\n \"Product: There's a lot of fun packed into this tub of modeling clay. The Modeling Clay - Mini features 13 beautiful colors and a handy, reusable container for storage. This high quality clay is smooth, non-toxic and ready to go.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Read weight to ensure you know just how tiny this bucket is!\\n\\nReview: I guess I should have read a bit more carefully on this item, I was thinking I was getting a decent hand sized bucket and in fact that was not the case. Also the lid for it is not really a lid, it's like the thin plastic that's usually wrapped outside of an item to seal it, when opening it half the lid ripped and now it cannot be kept in this ity bity bucket or it will dry up, but a snack size ziplock bag fits it all with plenty of room. See picture for actual size of item, it's very hard to work with and probably won't be buying this brand again. I gave it one star because it's my fault on the size I should have read the measurement and weight of the item, and it kept my kids busy for ten mins until they couldn't try to use it anymore and gave up cause it was just to hard to mold in anyway, not to mention the pieces are so tiny for each color you can't really make much of anything anyway with this.\",\n \"Product: Packages of 500 high quality multi-colored latex water balloons. Uplift life with uplifting balloons! Are you sick of holes, rips and water balloons popping while filling? Tired of small water balloons that don't explode on impact? Did your last order come with water balloons much smaller than advertised? No variety in your multi-color order? Do you want water balloons without chemical powder coatings and foul odors? Did your water balloons lose water overnight before your event even began? Uplifting balloons to the rescue! Our high quality water balloons weigh 0.23g each (most other brands weigh approximately 0.15g). Pre-fill water balloons the night before and they will still be full the next day. Even amounts of all seven colors. Quality control inspected manufacturer. 100% biodegradable in approximately the same time as a leaf from an oak tree.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Really great stretchy easy to pop but not to easy balloons\\n\\nReview: These are awesome water balloons!! They fill really easy, I've done about 200 of them and only about 5 or 6 have ripped or sprung a hole. They are super stretchy, making them really easy on your hands to tie, nothing like some of those cheap barely fill up super hard to tie tiny little water balloons. These are much bigger water balloons then those that are on the sticks and fill up 50 at a time or whatever, more than triple their size. They pop easily enough which is great so your kids are whipping them at each other trying to break them on each other. They do cost a bit more than the cheap ones you pick up at the dollar store, but like I said they are a hundred times better than the ones you pick up at the dollar store. The only thing I was upset about it, they don't come with a faucet connector, or if they do I didn't get one in my bag. If they had come with one of those I would have given these 5 stars no problem. I did recieve these at a discount in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion. I was not compensated to give my honest opinion.\",\n \"Product: The Best Toy Shields for Kids - Your kids deserve to play with the best, right? Well, when it comes to toy shields, MIGHTY FUN! has the absolute best youll find. Weve moved beyond cheap foam and breakable plastic to develop sturdy wooden shields that can stand up to your kids most active pretend play! These shields are designed to inspire the imagination, your kids will love choosing their favorite cool and colorful design, then jumping into a world of open-ended pretend play where every idea becomes an adventure! Making A Classic Toy Better by Design - MIGHTY FUN! wooden shields are made from two layers of maple plywood sandwiched together with soft eva foam in the middle and a sturdy nylon strap. These shields are made to last, something your kids might not think about, but youll feel good knowing you wont have to hear their cries and complaints after playing with a cheap foam or plastic alternative that breaks! Our shields are also sized perfectly for younger kids so they can easily be handled and taken along on for maximum play on every adventure! Each shield features a vibrant design from our award-winning artist, the rich colors, look amazing over the natural wood tones. Our shields look so good you wont mind having them around the house...or even hanging on a wall! Buy a Set, Mix and Match - Designs feature 4 Animal Clans to choose from: Wolf, Dragon, Octopus or Raven and are also available as Swords so you can make a matching set, or mix and match to get two great designs. A perfect choice for active pretend play, dress-up, or as the ultimate costume accessory, have your kids choose their favorite Animal Design and get yours today!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: After 2 weeks, and 4 boys, it's still intact as the day we got it, amazing!\\n\\nReview: My kids were so pumped when this shield and sword came in the mail. The first thing they did was grab their other shields and swords and instantly start fighting each other. I have 4 kids, all boys, so you can imagine the war zone this purchase created in my living room. My kids like the fact that they have the wolf face on both the shield and the sword, so they can say they are in the wolf clan. Lol it's been great fun watching them play and enjoy toys like these, vs spending hours staring at a screen. I try to find toys that make them use their imagination and play and not so much putting them in front of an electronic device, and this shield is exactly that type of toy. They have to use their imagination and they have fun and are active while playing with it, which makes it a great purchase in my book. I am very satisfied with this purchase, this is really well made for a children's toy, I was quite surprised, as its been a few weeks and my kids still have yet to break it!! That in itself totally makes it worth the money, because a similar set was purchased for them from rite aid, and it lasted 2 days in my house, so for this to be going strong undestroyed is amazing! I would highly recommend these over the other cheap versions your going to have to keep buying over and over again, as the pharmacy and dollar store versions are not made to last at all. I did recieve a discount on this shield in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion of it; that in no way effects my view on this item however. My review is solely based off the usage of it, and how well made it is, if it broke or was junk I'd warn you, as I expect to be warned by other reviewers of such items as well.\",\n \"Product: Check out the Toy Cubbys Amazing Colorful Rocket Balloon with Pump, rekindle the excitement with this rocket balloons, balloons can inflate up to 40-inch long with two-way pump included for fast filling of air in the balloons, perfect during picnic, party, get together at the backyard, beach or any open space you can think of and also serves as a party decoration, it can launches to the air with squealing sounds or make an animal figure balloon. The balloon comes with different bright color. So grab one now and enjoy the amazing rocket balloon launches to the air.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Super cheap, fun and easy to use\\n\\nReview: I have boughten a similar product for my two little guys before from our local family dollar store, but it came with only 5 balloons and cost a few dollars more than this set of rocket balloons. The hand pump it comes with is really easy to use, my 4 year old is able to do this mostly by himself with a little assistance from another brother or me here and there. Between my 4 &6 year old though they can do these balloons all on their own. Instead of only getting 5 balloons and a crappy pump that usually breaks the first or second time you use it, this set comes with 30!! My kids are able to do one after another after another without having to run and go find the ones they already set off. You can use these balloons over and over and over again as long as you don't tie them and they don't get a hole in them by accident.\\n\\nWe have noticed that some of the balloons do work better than others, but it's not really a big deal, at this cost and the fact you do get thirty of them, it's ok if some of them don't blow all the way as others do. This is a really cheap way to occupy your kids and get them outside and away from the screens! I think this can be enjoyed by all ages, from age 3-4 all the way to 99. They are fun to let go and watch them fly around all over the place, I even have fun playing with these with the kids and I'm thirty one myself. I was given the chance to test these out and give my honest review of them after being able to play with them. I was not paid or compensated to test these out or to give a review however. It's only a few bucks and your kids will be entertained for quite some time, and it's something they can play with over and over again. I highly recommend the purchase of these rocket balloons.\",\n \"Product: The Best Toy Swords for Kids Your kids deserve to play with the best, right? Well, when it comes to toy swords, MIGHTY FUN! has the absolute best youll find. Sturdy Wooden Construction Better than Plastic and Foam Alternatives Weve moved beyond cheap foam and breakable plastic to develop sturdy wooden swords that can stand up to your kids most active pretend play! Kids Benefit from Open-Ended Pretend Play Designed to inspire the imagination, your kids will love choosing their favorite cool and colorful design, then jumping into a world of open-ended pretend play where every idea becomes an adventure! Making A Classic Toy Better by Design MIGHTY FUN! wooden swords are made from two layers of maple plywood sandwiched together with soft eva foam in the middle. These swords are made to last, something your kids might not think about, but youll feel good knowing you wont have to hear their cries and complaints after playing with a cheap foam or plastic alternative that breaks! Our swords are also sized perfectly for younger kids so they can easily be handled and taken along on for maximum play on every adventure! Looks Like Art, Because It Is Featuring vibrant designs from our award-winning artist, the rich colors, printed on both sides, look amazing over the natural wood tones. Our swords look so good you wont mind having them around the house...or even hanging on a wall! Buy a Set, Mix and Match Designs feature 4 Animal Clans to choose from: Wolf, Dragon, Octopus or Raven and are also available as Shields so you can make a matching set, or mix and match to get two great designs. A perfect choice for active pretend play, dress-up, or as the ultimate costume accessory, have your kids choose their favorite Animal Design and get yours today!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Has withstood the abuse of 4 boys for weeks, money well spent!!\\n\\nReview: I purchased this sword and it's matching shield for my 4 boys to play with. I had recently purchased identical items, but of lesser quality from rite aid, and they didn't make it longer than 2 days in this house. I thought maybe I'd try a better quality version, and wow am I impressed. Both the strap to the shield and this sword are still intact as the day they arrived, weeks later! I like purchasing toys that make them use their imagination vs sticking my kids in front of the tv or a tablet screen, and this hit the nail on the head as far as making them active and using their imagination. I am extremely happy and satisfied with the durability of this sword and it's matching shield as well as my kids. They love the fact the wolf is imprinted on both items so that they are in the \\\"wolf clan\\\" when they are fighting each other. They have begged me to get all of the different clans that are avaliable and one by on I will be purchasing them. They may cost a bit more than the sets at the dollar/pharmacy stores, but the fact is, they last, so it's worth it in my opinon. I have bought many many toys from cheap to expensive and some weren't worth the price, and other cheap items were a great deal, but this falls into the category of money well spent in my opinion for my family at least. I did recieve a discount on this sword in exchange for my honest opinon of it. My opinon is based off the abuse this sword took from my 4 boys and the fact it's still standing and looks identical to when it first arrived in my home. I was certainly not compensated in anyway to review this item.\",\n \"Product: Excellent Book\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Check out the picture of 2 dragons!\\n\\nReview: I was blown away when this coloring book arrived. I was expecting the same style coloring books I already have just different designs, and I got so much more! They even included a set of scrapbooking stickers with my book as a little bonus gift, which I thought was a really nice touch. This book not only has amazing designs to color, but as you color it tells a story throughout the entire book. It makes you feel like a kid again, with having to find 9 symbols throughout the book, which is your quest, and when you get to the end you draw all 9 symbols and unlock the castle door to find all sorts of other hidden objects throughout the entire book! Even the cover of this book you can color the whole inside!!\\n\\nI had to include a picture of the one drawing that just blew me away. It is actually a 4 page drawing, as it folds out to show a huge double drago image! This is by far the nicest coloring book I own to date, and I cant stop telling all my friends about it. Now the only problem is finding the time to get to enjoy it and get to coloring! I did recieve this book at a very slight discount in exchange for my honest review of the Enchanted Forest coloring book. I must also give my kudos and thanks and tell the artist Johanna Basford that she is amazing, and draws absolutely exquisitely! Thank you so much for creating this amazing book, I can't wait to see what you come up with next, I will be looking for your work in the future!!!\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":27,"string":"27"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":373,"string":"373"}}},{"rowIdx":374,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A3SX5MZTCZRQLF"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"Celeir iPhone X Case Features, Ultra Slim iPhone X Case, 360 degree full protection iPhone X Case with Free Tempered Glass Screen Protector, fasion iPhone X case for 2018 (Black) Celeir iPhone X Case Features: 1. Ultra slim iPhone X Case: original design Ultra-thin style keeps the beautiful appearance of iPhone x; support wireless charging with the iPhone X case. 2. 360-degree full protection iPhone X Case: the iPhone X case has hard polycarbonate (PC) back, PC frame, and tempered glass screen protector that provides full body protection. 3. High-quality material with ergonomic feel iPhone X Case: high quality pc-enabled scratchproof and shockproof protection; high-tech surface manufacturing technique creates comfortable to hold and ergonomic feel even with the iPhone X case. 4. Sensitive button covers iPhone X Case: light and snappy response on phone buttons with special design of the iPhone X case. 5. Camera protection iPhone X Case: specially designed frame of the iPhone X case with variable thickness to ensure the Camera avoid impact on flat surfaces. Celeir iPhone X Case Other Info: - compatibility: iPhone x/ iPhone 10 5.8 inch. - color: Black. - design: Ultra slim, wireless charging Supported, 360 degrees full Cover protection, hard PC back, tempered glass screen Protector. - feature: exact cutouts, sensitive button covers, excellent grip, snug fit. - function: scratchproof, shockproof\". The summary of the review text is \"Looks Great, Works Great. Win Win!\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I've gone through a LOT of cases for all of my phones over the last few years, and this one ranks up near the top.\n\nFirst, it looks really nice (I have the clear-ish one), and is a great change from the typical cases most people have. It goes on and removes easily as well, but still holds the phone extremely securely.\n\nConstruction is excellent, and protection is solid despite not adding an undue amount of bulk to the phone. All cutouts for the ports and IR lens are cleanly cut and perfectly positioned, There is no kickstand, but I've never used the ones I had, so that wasn't an issue for me at all.\n\nYes, I dropped my phone while the UAG case was on. Twice. On tile floors. Both times accidentally (there's only so far I'll go to do a review, and purposely dropping a $600 phone is over my line). How did it do? No problems whatsoever, not a mark on the phone OR the case, and no issues cropped up whatsoever.\n\nCombined with the water resistance of the S5, the UAG gives me all the protection I can reasonably ask for and looks great doing it. A winner of a case"},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I've gone through a LOT of cases for all of my phones over the last few years, and this one ranks up near the top.\n\nFirst, it looks really nice (I have the clear-ish one), and is a great change from the typical cases most people have. It goes on and removes easily as well, but still holds the phone extremely securely.\n\nConstruction is excellent, and protection is solid despite not adding an undue amount of bulk to the phone. All cutouts for the ports and IR lens are cleanly cut and perfectly positioned, There is no kickstand, but I've never used the ones I had, so that wasn't an issue for me at all.\n\nYes, I dropped my phone while the UAG case was on. Twice. On tile floors. Both times accidentally (there's only so far I'll go to do a review, and purposely dropping a $600 phone is over my line). How did it do? No problems whatsoever, not a mark on the phone OR the case, and no issues cropped up whatsoever.\n\nCombined with the water resistance of the S5, the UAG gives me all the protection I can reasonably ask for and looks great doing it. A winner of a case"},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Raise your standards with Studio One 3 Professional! Built by creative people for creative music production, it contains everything you'd expect from a modern digital audio powerhouse, and adds innovative songwriting and production tools that inspire new ways to craft unique and evocative sounds, plus built-in mastering and digital delivery. From set up, dialing in sounds, recording, sequencing, arranging, and sonic experimentation to mixing, mastering, and even online delivery, Studio One 3 is a modern digital audio powerhouse that was designed to keep you inspired and in the flow-focused on your music first. Built by and for creative people, Studio One has become one of the most widely adopted digital audio workstations in professional and project studios worldwide due to its fast, flow-oriented, drag-and-drop interface; ease of use; and superb 64-bit sound quality. Version 3 introduces innovative songwriting and production tools, inspiring new ways to craft unique and evocative sounds, iPad control, and a reengineered console for more accurate and intuitive mixing. Its stunning new interface adds dual-platform multi-touch support, is optimized for high-resolution displays, and includes dynamic, context-sensitive documentation, help, and tool-tips.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Powerful, Flexible, Intuitive. Really Good!\n\nReview: I don't know how you work. I don't know how you think. But I know that for me, and I built my first midi-based studio in 1985 before becoming a professional recording engineer for over a decade, I really like the way Studio One works.\n\nObviously, this stuff is subjective, but it works the way I think. The ability to drag and drop arrangements, the scratch pad feature (which is amazing - I'm always thinking of something new to work on in the middle of a project), the easy access to plug-ins - for some reason it works in a way that meshes with the way my brain wants to engineer from way back in the all-analog days. Can't explain it better than that.\n\nAs someone else said though, DAWs are very personal, and getting to know them and being comfortable on them is a huge part of what makes them good or bad for someone. That and sound quality of course, which I'm happy to say is excellent. I was able to get very low latency with a couple of different audio interfaces, and didn't suffer any of the MIDI glitches that another reviewer mentioned. The end product in each of my test projects was quite good.\n\nThe effect plugins and included instruments are quite good, but not the best on the market. Not surprising, as this entire package sells for less than many plugins. While you may eventually want to add some high-end VSTs to the system, the ones that ship (um, are downloaded) as a part of the Professional version are entirely serviceable. I suspect that if you need better instruments off the bat you're already locked in with a DAW and unlikely to switch. While I think Studio One can hang with the big boys, switching late in the game is tough. Thus, for most shoppers, you'll have more than enough to play with for quite a while.\n\nFinally, a quick note about the box, and the downloads. I find it somewhat ridiculous to produce, print, and sell a box that in all likelihood will be shipped out from distributor to customer, that simply contains a plastic card with a serial number on it. No manual whatsoever, and no additional DVD-based instruments (as Ableton included with Live 8 boxed version, and 9 as well for all I know - I just own 8). Then you download the program, which takes a while, then you download all the instruments and plugins, which takes a loooooong while, then you download the manual and demos which, you guessed it, take even longer. After all that, it doesn't auto-install the manual and demos either - it says they're downloaded but they don't appear. You have to drag and drop the zip files onto the program window to install them, which is absurd - particularly since the freaking manual is one of those things.\n\nBut. Those hiccups aside, I really dig this program. When I'm thinking in blocks of music or patterns, I might fire up Ableton. But when I'm thinking linearly, even a little bit, Studio One is my new go-to DAW. A great choice.","Product: Cutting-edge monitoring technology meets award-winning styling with the Panasonic RP-HTX7 Headphones. Large, 40mm drivers deliver powerful, resonant bass that accompanies the crisp, precise mids and highs. Retro styling and a choice of seven colors give the RP-HTX7 headphones their unique, individual identity.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Look Great, Sound Pretty Good Too\n\nReview: These are extremely interesting headphones. I love the look, as they remind me of the headphones I used in the 70s (though I had a set with individual volume controls on each ear - those were REALLY odd), and I love the color. So how were they in person?\n\nFirst of, they're light. Extremely light. While this is really good in terms of wearing them for extended periods, the first impression is that they may not be well built. No worries though, they seem fine and have stood up well to regular use by my kids, which involves throwing them into the back seat of a car, down onto a table, to each other etc. So I'm not worried they'll break\n\nThe color is also just as it appears in photos: it's an awesome cross between lime green and 70s avocado, and I love it. the silver trim is nice and the faux leather headband is fine. Ear cups are soft and well padded. Comfort is quite good, though I have a rather large head and find that they get a bit uncomfortable after a while. Those with normal-sized noggins should have no issues though.\n\nAs for sound, they're definitely better than I expected, though they can't hold up when compared directly against better cans. At first blush, the bass is deep and pretty natural, and high-end extension is fine. However, I found that the mid-highs and high end were a bit harsh and would get a fatiguing.\n\nWhen compared to some better headphones, these start to show more weakness; the sound is quite boxy. Good headphones have an openness that's simply absent from these, with a smoother and less tiring high end.\n\nSo while I LOVE the look, and comfort is excellent as long as you don't have a giant pumpkin head like mine, the sound quality is a bit of a let down when compared to more expensive sets. So while I won't reach for these over my more expensive headphones, I think they're better than many, though perhaps not all, cans in this price range and I definitely see why people would be very happy with them, particularly if they dig the design.","Product: Cutting-edge monitoring technology meets award-winning styling with the Panasonic RP-HTX7 Headphones. Large, 40mm drivers deliver powerful, resonant bass that accompanies the crisp, precise mids and highs. Retro styling and a choice of seven colors give the RP-HTX7 headphones their unique, individual identity.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Look Great, Sound Pretty Good Too\n\nReview: These are extremely interesting headphones. I love the look, as they remind me of the headphones I used in the 70s (though I had a set with individual volume controls on each ear - those were REALLY odd), and I love the color. So how were they in person?\n\nFirst of, they're light. Extremely light. While this is really good in terms of wearing them for extended periods, the first impression is that they may not be well built. No worries though, they seem fine and have stood up well to regular use by my kids, which involves throwing them into the back seat of a car, down onto a table, to each other etc. So I'm not worried they'll break\n\nThe color is also just as it appears in photos: it's an awesome cross between lime green and 70s avocado, and I love it. the silver trim is nice and the faux leather headband is fine. Ear cups are soft and well padded. Comfort is quite good, though I have a rather large head and find that they get a bit uncomfortable after a while. Those with normal-sized noggins should have no issues though.\n\nAs for sound, they're definitely better than I expected, though they can't hold up when compared directly against better cans. At first blush, the bass is deep and pretty natural, and high-end extension is fine. However, I found that the mid-highs and high end were a bit harsh and would get a fatiguing.\n\nWhen compared to some better headphones, these start to show more weakness; the sound is quite boxy. Good headphones have an openness that's simply absent from these, with a smoother and less tiring high end.\n\nSo while I LOVE the look, and comfort is excellent as long as you don't have a giant pumpkin head like mine, the sound quality is a bit of a let down when compared to more expensive sets. So while I won't reach for these over my more expensive headphones, I think they're better than many, though perhaps not all, cans in this price range and I definitely see why people would be very happy with them, particularly if they dig the design.","Product: Task Vac Bagless Upright- Fingertip On/Off Switch, Manual 5-Position Height Adjustment, 35-Ft. 3-Wire Cord, Non-Marking Furniture Guard, Belt View Window, System Check Indicator, Easy Belt Change System & Brush roll Access, 8-Ft. Stretch Hose, Tools On Board- 12Made in: United States Dimensions: 32.5 X 16 X 12Brand: Hoover Company Item Weight: 23includes: Unit Instruction Guide\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Fantastic No-Frills Vacuum Gets The Job Done!\n\nReview: Vacuums seem to be getting more and more gimmicky lately - not something I'm particularly a fan of. So when this one arrived on my doorstep, I was pretty excited to check it out.\n\nMy first question was \"what makes this a commercial vacuum?\" I suppose in this case it's the lack of the gizmos and gadgets that so many vacuums come with. I've read that often the commercial models don't have rubber bumpers, but this does, or that they have bigger motors, but this is a 12 amp, just like my regular vacuum. So really, I suppose it's the utilitarian look and feel, along with the bright orange heavy duty cord.\n\nThis assembles easily with a screwdriver and was ready to try out in no time. As I said, there are very few frills: it comes with one plastic tube extension for the hose, one crevice tool that can be attached to the extension, and one non-moving basic brush attachment. That's it. Happily, they all live on the vacuum so they're always handy. Construction is pretty good, though some of the plastics felt quite cheap. On the other hand, then weren't to rigid, so perhaps they'll last longer under stress and won't snap easily.\n\nAs for functionality, I'm very happy. It has tremendous ability to pick up whatever I run it over, either on rug or bare floors. Rugs in particular get a fantastic cleaning, and I was able to get a ton of dirt up that my other vacuum had left behind. Bare floors suffer a tiny bit because you cannot turn the motorized brush off, so things can sometimes get flung backwards, but it happened rarely and the overall effectiveness made up for it.\n\nThe hose attachment clicks into place on the body, which I really like, and is released with the push of a button. The hose is long, but not quite as long as I'd like. However, the suction it produces is epic. Seriously more powerful than any vacuum I've used in recent memory. The tools, basic as they are, do their jobs well and I don't find myself wishing for any additional attachments.\n\nEmptying the canister is extremely easy: take it to the garbage and open the bottom. One nice feature: the switch to pop open the bottom is on an extension, allowing it to be released from a ways up the canister. This makes it possible to push the canister farther into the garbage before opening it, and keep my hand from getting dirty or dusty.\n\nThe top of the canister opens easily if you need to clear anything from the upper chamber, and the filters are easy to reach, remove and clean.\n\nSome reviewers have complained about the noise level, but it's quieter than my last upright, and WAY quieter than our Shark, which actually hurts my ears. So I'm extremely happy in that regard.\n\nOverall, it's become my go-to vacuum now. It's relatively light, it's powerful, and it's effective. If the hose were just a bit longer and I could turn off the motorized brushes, this would be a 5 star for sure. But even with the ding of a star, it's still my daily driver.","Product: TEAC's new UD-501 is the star of the 501 series. The UD-501 supports DSD 2.8/5.6MHZ file native playback by ASIO 2.1 or DoP methods or up to 32bit/384kHz PCM. TEAC also packed this incredible unit with two 32-bit BurrBrown DACs per channel and JRC MUSES op amps, dual monaural design, fully balanced XLR as well as unbalanced RCA outputs and a toroidal-core power supply. The UD-501 outperforms products up to 5 times more costly.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Fantastic Sound, Great Construction, DSD\n\nReview: This is a wonderful DAC. I've used it both with a Marantz CD player's digital out and a MacMini playing HD audio files, and in both cases performance is stellar.\n\nSoundstage is full and deep, and imaging has been excellent across the board, particularly with some 3 piece jazz albums I've played. As another reviewer has said, it's fun to go back through my library and listen through the UD-501 - with some of the material it's like hearing it for the first time again.\n\nIt handles a wide variety of formats, is well built, sounds amazing and looks beautiful on my shelf. Plus, it handles DSD files for under a grand. I'm not sure what more I could ask for. A huge win for Teac.","Product: The unparalleled, unmatched, and highly customizable Cyborg R.A.T. 7 Gaming Mouse has evolved. The revered assault tool's readily adjustable technology now boasts a white and red soft-touch rubber finish. With a next-generation 6400 DPI laser sensor that further improves on the incredible tracking and precision found on the worlds most adjustable mouse, the Cyborg R.A.T. 7 Albino Gaming Mouse provides an incomparable experience for PC and Mac gamers.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A Fantastic Mouse with Small Room For Improvement\n\nReview: I've had a ton of mice in the past, and I've never been quite happy with any of them. Wireless ones have delays and dropouts, so I've gone wired, but the majority of wired ones are gaming mice - and I don't game that much.\n\nThat said, it doesn't matter whether you game a lot or not, the R.A.T. 5 is a great mouse either way.\n\nComfort-wise, I've never seen anything better (except, apparently, the R.A.T. 7, which I don't have, but wish I did). The finish is ultra smooth and soft - unlike the plastic on every other mouse I've ever used, so that's a great start. Ergonomics improve with the adjustable palm rest, which moves forward and backward. I like to vary it to from time to time to avoid keeping my hand in the same position at all times.\n\nButtons are all well positioned and have good, positive feedback. All are programmable. In addition to the standard right and left buttons, the scroll wheel (which is extremely comfortable) has a push to click (but no rock right/left). You've also got a DPI adjustment button behind the scroll wheel, making it easy to increase or decrease DPI on the fly to one of four pre-programmable settings.\n\nThere are also two thumb buttons above the unique, and awesome, thumb rest, as well as a second scroll wheel for right/left scrolling. Finally there's a precision aim button you can operate with your thumb that drops the DPI to a lower number while depressed, and a profile select button that allows you to switch between profiles on the fly.\n\nAnd on that note, there are three separate profiles that you can set up, each with its own DPI and button programming.\n\nFinally, there's an adjustable weight system that allows you to add between one and five six-gram weights.\n\nIn use, everything is just great. Buttons have great feel as to wheels, and the thing moves incredibly slickly on my mousing surface. In fact, the resistance is so low that the weight of the (really nice) cable can actually drag the mouse across the surface if it's hanging off th desk. Fantastic.\n\nIn fact, there are only two things I'd like to change: I'd love the pinky flange and adjustable thumb width that's available on the R.A.T. 7, and I'd like to be able to set the mouse up to auto-load a particular profile, rather than the default settings.\n\nBut those are minor complaints, and the only reason I'm giving this four as opposed to five stars is that two of them are available on the R.A.T 7 - so I need to allow for that. If it weren't for the existence of the big brother, I'd give this five all day - so if you're a little short of cash and can't afford the 7, don't be scared to order this bad boy - you won't be disappointed.","Product: The SC-1 Wireless Sports Controller has been specially designed with cut out shoulders and a more shallow body to enhance gameplay with all sports titles on the Playstation 3. Featuring an offset thumbstick design similar to the Xbox 360 controllers and rumble technology for immersive gameplay, this controller will help you feel every slam, crash and tackle!\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Good If You Like Xbox-Style Controllers\n\nReview: I'm going to say right out that unlike many people, I prefer the Playstation controller shape to that of the Xbox, so going into this the SC-1 was at a disadvantage. That said though, this wasn't a bad bit of kit, but it's not a total winner either.\n\nRight off the bat, you'll be disappointed to know this requires a dongle. For those that don't want to give up a USB slot, or have their PS3 positioned where a permanent USB stick could cause problems, this can be a bad thing. One past that though, it works pretty much like any other controller.\n\nCharge time is relatively quick, and the battery seems to last plenty long - perhaps not as long as my PS3 controllers' but it's fine.\n\nConstruction is ok - not amazing, but not junk. Buttons and switches have a firm, positive feel and are easily controlled. I personally do not like the shape of the R1 and L1 buttons, but that's a personal matter.\n\nTurbo mode works fine, as does the limited macro programming (chaining together multiple moves and assigning them to a single button). However for me, I prefer to just play using my (limited) skill sets; if I can't win on my own, I'm OK losing.\n\nIn the end, it's not a bad option for people who want an Xbox controller on their PS3, particularly if they'd enjoy the turbo feature. For me though, it's not my first choice. Perhaps I'm just used to the PS3 shape, but the design coupled with the lack of Bluetooth connectivity have kept this one in the controller storage box more often than not.","Product: We know you want to focus on whats important to you when youre online, not worry about security all the time. We take care of your security for you. AVGs unique Identity Protection is the worlds smartest ID theft protection, stopping thieves before they can access your passwords, account information, and credit card numbers. AVGs patent-pending LinkScanner is the first technology to check websites and search results when youre about to click that link. AVGs new scanning system only scans files changed since the last scan, so it wont slow down your system. Our redesigned firewall keeps hackers out of your computer but doesnt get in your way and high-speed spam and scam detection cleans your inbox without holding up the mail. While youre surfing and searching the web, Identity Protection keeps your private information safe from known and unknown threats. LinkScanner SurfShield ensures every website you visit is safe even before you go there while LinkScanner SearchShield gives safety ratings to all your Google, MSN and Yahoo search results. Enhanced Firewall prevents hackers from seeing inside your computer and LIVE Research checks to make sure web pages really are what they appear to be. While youre emailing, IMing or on your social networks WebShield lets you download and exchange files without risking virus infections. Email Scanner keeps viruses and phishers out of your inbox and Anti-spam blocks spammers and scammers from clogging your system. Whether youre online or offline Anti-Virus & Anti-Spyware makes sure you cant get or spread a virus. Anti-Rootkit ensures even the toughest and most sophisticated threats are kept out. Game mode keeps you safe and doesnt interrupt you while youre playing. System tools optionally customize how Internet Security works with your system and Update Manager guarantees youre always safe from the latest threats automatically. 2009 Global Product Excellence Award Security Solution for Consumers\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Very Good, With Flaws\n\nReview: I've tried a lot of anti-virus programs, and AVG is one of the better ones. Ive used the free version before, which is nice (and the price can't be beat), and now I've got the the paid suite, which offers a competitive set of tools that provide pretty much everything you need.\n\nThere were a couple of issues during install however: first, it took quite a while to show as activated, which was really odd behavior. Then it offered an upgrade to version 9.0, but failed to mention anywhere that it's a FREE upgrade. Free is great of course, not knowing it's free almost made me decline to upgrade. Finally, it installed a Firefox plugin that I didn't want, and did so without asking. And it was broken to boot.\n\nOnce I got the install issues ironed out though, things improved. Scans are quick and low on resources, though if you want them run in the middle of the night, it does not default to a setting that wakes your computer up - you must set that in preferences. I have yet to be infected with anything (that I know of), so that's always a plus.\n\nOne irritating issue though is that it will occasionally give me a popup indicating a tracking cookie, but no option to delete it in place, only to go to the file. In a case like Firefox, that keeps cookies in a database format, that just doesn't help. If I could set it up to delete specific files when it finds them, that would be great - instead I either have to hit the ignore button every time I start a web browser (that damn persistent atdmt.txt), or add it to an exceptions list - neither suits me, I want it deleted. Not a deal breaker I suppose though.\n\nIn addition to anti-virus, anti-spyware and anti-rootkit, AVG IS includes an email scanner, firewall, and anti-spam detection, as well as identity protection. The email stuff is pretty useless to me, as I don't use a local mail client, but in testing it worked fine. The firewall is quite good though, and pops up with notifications when it automatically writes a rule, or with a query about allowing a connection. I like software that occasionally lets me know it's working properly. Which is something I can't say about the identity protection feature, so I'll just leave that out of the review - supposedly it \"compliments signature-based protection of AVG by monitoring how programs behave on your computer,\" but who knows?\n\nOverall, a pretty good product. At $50 for 2 years, it's a relative bargain, too. Unless you look at Vipre, for which you can get a family license - but that doesn't include a firewall.\n\nHey, you pays yer money, you takes yer chances. So far so good with AVG though.","Product: Asparagus is the perfect accompaniment to nearly anything, from poached eggs with hollandaise sauce to rack of lamb. This asparagus pot with basket is a great way to prepare asparagus, as well as larger vegetables like carrots. The basket has a collapsible handle that helps lift it out of the pot so that asparagus spears can be easily plated intact for a fabulous presentation. Contemporary style, a unique shape and handles that make a statement make this Circulon Contempo 3. 5-quart covered asparagus pot with basket a great choice for healthy cooking. The wire basket allows asparagus and other larger vegetables to stand upright, so that they cook evenly and are less likely to break, preserving them for a gourmet presentation. Heavy gauge hard-anodized aluminum offers fast, steady heat and the sturdy glass lid allows cooking to be monitored without losing heat. The pot's interior features the TOTAL Food Release System of circles, which reduces surface abrasion and is coupled with DuPont's Autograph 3-layer nonstick to deliver extraordinary food release and exceptional dependability and it's metal utensil safe. The stainless steel handles are dual riveted for extra strength, padded for comfort and oven safe to 400-degree f.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Wonderful - And For More Than Just Asparagus\n\nReview: Here's the deal: you might think that spending $60 for an asparagus steamer seems a bit whacky. But this thing is really, really nice.\n\nFirst, it's smaller than it appears in photos - narrow and tall, and doesn't take up a ton of space in a cabintet: something I was worried about. Construction is excellent, with rubberized handles and a think glass top, eliminating the need to use potholders when cooking with it. Inside the pot is a steaming basket - again, tall and thin as you'd expect to hold something like asparagus.\n\nIt works as you'd expect: beatifully. My wife is a huge asparagus fan, and loves it. The other day, she forgot we had it and made some in a regular pot and actually looked tremendously disappointed when I reminded her we had it.\n\nAlso works for other veggies, including corn (only a couple ears though, like I said it's not wides) beans, etc - I've even dropped broccoli in there and gotten great results - after all, the steam doesn't really know top from bottom...\n\nAll in all, a great product with great construction. Love it.","Product: Clara Clark Bamboo Shredded Memory Foam Pillow Clara Clarks unique bamboo memory foam shredded pillow is designed to offer you a comfortable night's sleep whether you like to sleep on your front, side, or back. It allows your muscles to relax properly offering natural support alignment to your body The shredded memory foam allows airflow to circulate, in result the pillow is breathable and helps keep you cool and prevents bacteria and dust mites, making this pillow the best choice for anyone. Pillow includes Bamboo zippered cover Shredded memory foam filling free carrying case. Product features: Natural supportive alignment. May reduce snoring, migrants, back and neck pain. Stay cool breathable design. Hypoallergenic. Antibacterial. Dust mite resistant. Easy care and durable. Machine washable. King, cal king, queen and standard sizes are available. Exclusive Clara Clark RELAX-A-HEAD Natural supportive alignment Shredded memory foam technology conforms to your shape and offers exceptional support while conforming to the contours of your head and neck, which helps your muscles to relax and reduces unwanted pressure points that can lead to neck strain, shoulder aches and tension headaches. Sleep comfortably and wake up feeling refreshed with help from the soft plush pillow. Stays cool breathable design The shredded memory foam allows airflow to circulate, in result the pillow is breathable and helps keep you cool. Hypoallergenic With the airflow technology the pillow is breathable, preventing bacteria and dust mites. Easy care Machine washable on cold, dryer safe on low heat.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Very Comfortable With A Few Minor Issues\n\nReview: I've been sleeping on memory foam pillows for a few years now, and one of my major complaints is that they're a bit stiff - tough to form into any shape other than the one they're cut into. I hoped this would be a happy medium, and I was partly right.\n\nFirst off, as others have said, this does have a bit of an unpleasant odor out of the package - so, since the company says it's all washable, I tossed both the pillow and cover into the machine. Everything was fine, though you really need to time dry it (as opposed to auto dry) because the sensor in the dryer thinks it's dry well before it really is.\n\nOut of the wash it was a bit too puffy, but things settled down and I gave it a shot. My first impression was that I really, really liked it. It was comfortable but not hot at all, and it gave enough to make it easy to get into a comfortable position. The cover is soft and nice looking, so there was no need for a pillow case, either. All good.\n\nMy issue came with time: the pillow developed a bit of an impression where my head was. I tired fluffing it back up, but it seemed as if some of the smaller bits of memory foam didn't have such a great memory and stayed a bit compressed. Shaking it out and moving all the filling around helped, but I didn't really want to deal with that every day or two, and found myself missing my old, firmer memory foam pillow and switched back.\n\nSo while this has some great positives in terms of comfort, it wasn't quite for me. However, the lack of heat, the easy configurability and the fantastic price all make a very compelling argument. If you haven't tried a memory foam pillow, I'd recommend this. However, if you've been using one for a long time and have come to like its quirks, you may not be a happy switcher.","Product: Mr. Coffee Technique + Taste Electric French Press and Hot Water Kettle extracts rich, full-bodied coffee flavor at the perfect temperature, without the need to boil water on the stove. Tea lovers can also use its kettle function to steep a delicious batch of their favorite variety. It can also boil water for instant beverages, oatmeal, mac and cheese, soup, and much more.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good for Kitchen, Great for Dorm or Office\n\nReview: Well, it's a fine idea.\n\nI happen to like coffee made in a French press, so making it easier to get there would suit me just fine, but there are a few issues with this one.\n\nAt it's most basic, it works great. Fill the pot to the line, place it on the base, hit \"on\" and in 5-7 minutes the water is boiling. It then automatically maintains the temperature at 195 degrees for a 25 minutes after which it shuts off automatically - a nice feature (it will hold water for up to an hour at 112 or 160 degrees as well). Of course, the temp doesn't drop from 212 - 195 instantaneously, so to nitpick you need to wait a bit for it to cool to the optimum brewing temp.\n\nBut that's not a big deal, and conceptually it's still a winner. Put your coffee in, give it a stir, let it steep, then use the press. Lifting the pot off the base automatically shuts it off, so you can pour a cup and put it back without worrying about burning the leftover brew. But, of course, it will cool fairly quickly, so you might want to serve everyone at once.\n\nWhich is one of my problems with it: the pot does not have markings for anything other than a full pot. Want less coffee? You'll need to reach for a measuring cup. This is an absurd oversight.\n\nCleanup on French presses can be a pain, and in most respects this is just the same: take the top apart to clean it well, although after each use a simple rinse will do - I only find the need to take it apart every so often. The kettle is NOT dishwasher-safe though, in fact you are not supposed to immerse it in water at all, so hand-washing is your only option. The base can be wiped down only.\n\nAlthough the lack of graduated markings is a pain, the overall process is pretty nice - and I've used this a lot to simply boil water quickly, either for tea bags, cocoa, or if I need boiling water in a recipe. It makes a fantastic kettle in that respect.\n\nSo overall, although it works just fine, it's not life-changing. The process is only slightly simpler than a traditional French press, so I'm not sure I'd invest in one or dedicate counter space to it. However, as an office or dorm device, this thing is perfect and I'd recommend it highly.","Product: The KitchenAid Easy Clean Juicer (fast juicer) allows you to juice more with a 3-in-1 adjustable pulp screen and clean less with the easy to clean ceramic disc. It also has features multiple speed settings; Low for juicing softer fruits and vegetables and High for harder fruits and vegetables. An extra wide chute accept a whole apple, reducing prep work.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great Juicer with One Stupid Flaw That Effects Clean Up\n\nReview: I've had a juicer before. Sold it because it wasn't used enough. Why? It was a bit of a pain in the but to set it up, prep the fruit, then clean it up all for a limited amount of juice. This KitchenAid I'll be keeping though, even if it has one unbelievable design flaw.\n\nOut of the box it's great looking. Good quality, well-made components and an overall feeling of real quality. It assembles easily, too, with only a few main parts to assemble. The unit allows you to choose how much pulp you want as well, with three settings ranging from low to high. The instructions are a bit confusing as to which setting is which, but looking at the top of the screen while adjusting it makes things clear.\n\nThe feed chute is quite wide, which allows for dropping whole (small) apples in at once, and minimizes how much you have to cut down items that don't quite fit. The chute is great when putting a big clump of kale or other greens in as well.\n\nThe juicing process works just fine. Two speed allow you to use different types of fruits and vegetables, and as long as you keep the pitcher under the spout with the cover on it, there's no mess at all. However, something that I thought would be a great feature turns out to be the first minor problem: the spout is hinged, allowing you to flip it up a bit when you're done, ostensibly to keep any last bits of juice from pouring onto your counter after you remove the pitcher. A great idea in theory, but mine leaks a bit of juice each time you flip it up or down. It's not terrible, and not as bad as it pooling on a counter, but the front of the unit does get dirty.\n\nAnother thing I noticed is that as you push the fruit or vegetable through, particularly in the case of soft fruits like pineapple, the last bit seems to get slung right into the waste bin, not quite fully extracting all the juice. I ended up with a lot of pulp in some instances that could have been better extracted. This may be just how they all work though {I can't remember how my last one did it} and it's not throwing entire chunks of fruit - just a large clump of pulp that looks like it had more to give.\n\nAs the name implies, this is very easy to clean, with the one exception I alluded to in my opening paragraph. Each piece comes apart easily and I have, for the most part, made it to the sink without making any mess on my counters. Once in the sink, it cleans up well, and the included brush gets the juicer screen quite clean. Parts can be placed in the dishwasher if you wish, and I had no issues when I did so.\n\nThe problem is that there is a section of the unit, just above the spout, that is completely inaccessible to anything except flying pulp. It's hard to explain, but there's a one-inch square slot that's open at the bottom but closed at the top into which various bits of pulp must ricochet, because when I go to clean up there's a bunch jammed in there. The problem is that the construction of the thing is such that it's impossible to get anything in there to clean it: it's completely blocked by the bottom of the bowl, and you really cant spray it out or anything. I had to find a pipe cleaner, bend it up, and wiggle it around in there and STILL couldn't get it clean. For the life of me, I cannot understand how this flaw was left in place: one use and it's obvious that the section has to be sealed up or users may well end up with rotting bits of fruit and vegetable up there. If you are extremely patient and let water wash in and out of the section, it will eventually get most of the pulp out - but without the ability to directly spray or clean it out, it's a total fail in the \"Easy Clean\" department. The irritating part is that it would have been incredibly simple to just close the slot at the bottom and avoid the whole issue.\n\nOne final note regarding the pitcher: the cover on it is designed to supposedly keep foam from pouring into your glass. It doesn't work very well at all. I can see how the design SHOULD work, and perhaps it would in a perfect world, but my world is apparently not perfect.\n\nIn the end though, I really like this juicer and have been using it quite a bit. With the exception I talked about above, it really is easy to clean, it works really well, and looks nice on my counter so I don't mind leaving it out. Considering getting them out and set up is half the battle with juicers, that's actually a bigger deal than it sounds like. Were it not for that one ridiculous design flaw, this would be a 5 star product. But those flecks of fruit and vegetable are really tough to deal with, and I don't want to ignore them and let them mold. I'll probably see if I can figure out a way to block it off {though as I said is so inaccessible it's tough to see how I could work on it}, but it's an amazingly dopey oversight and costs one star.","Product: With the Electrolux Vac and Steam, bare floor cleaning is made easy. Twice the clean. Half the effort. Unlike other steam cleaners, the Vac and Steam lets you vacuum and steam bare floor surfaces such as ceramic, wood, and linoleum at the same time, or use each function independently. It's entirely up to you. The Electrolux Vac and Steam also features exclusive Clean Burst Technology, which concentrates steam on stubborn sticky spots, so your bare floors remain spotless. A large water tank gives you up to 20 minutes of steam time and the removable water cup lets you quickly refill the tank. And clean-up is a cinch. Just toss the washable microfiber pad into the washing machine, line dry and it will be ready to use again next time your floor needs cleaning. The Vac and Steam brings you the power of cyclonic cleaning in the convenience of a Bagless vacuum. The cyclonic system gives you consistent suction power to thoroughly clean the bare floors in your home. With a 13 inch cleaning path, the Vac and Steam saves you time by cleaning more in one pass and the extra long 30 foot power cord lets you go further without unplugging so you can get done faster.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Steam Mop: Yes. Vacuum: No Way (And It Hobbles The Mop)\n\nReview: I had high hopes for this thing that were only partially met.\n\nSet up is simple as pie: click the handle into the base, take the provided cup and fill it with water, dump the water into the tank. Done. As another reviewer mentioned, the instructions tell you to wait 15 seconds for steam to star building, and when you first turn it on nothing happens. At all. What the instructions don't mention is that it doesn't start unless you take the handle out of the upright position - then things get going quickly.\n\nThe steam mop portion works quite well. We have tile floors in the kitchen and in some parts of the house and this got them pretty clean. The additional steam burst is a nice touch as well, though not as effective as I had hoped. I also really like the fact that you can clean up without using chemicals - that was a big draw for me. The big problem with this two-in-one unit is due to the fact that the intake to the vacuum takes up the leading section of the bottom, in front of the mop pad.\n\nThis makes sense at first blush as you'd want to pick up random debris before getting it wet. In actual use, though, it blocks the steam mop pad from getting up against a wall. This is made more of a problem by the fact that the vacuum simply isn't very good at all. It'll pick up small, light things, but if anything has gotten damp, or if it's bigger or heavier than a bit of dust or a tiny scrap of paper, you're out of luck.\n\nSo the vacuum not only doesn't do its job well, it prevents the mop portion, which generally works fine, from doing a complete job, and I have ended up with sections near walls and corners not only un-steamed, but outlined with bits of pet fur or dust that got wet and were pushed as far as the mop could go before the vacuum hit the wall. You can't pick up the mop pad and drop it on the mess (the vacuum portion hits the wall), and that the vacuum does not have close to the power required to pick the gunk up. To me, this is an inexcusable design flaw.\n\nSo here's the deal: vacuum the floors well first, because you can't rely on this thing to do a good job. All the open areas of floor are going to clean up beautifully, and the pad is easy to remove, clean, and put back on the mop - all good there. But if you have a lot of tight corners and such, you, like I, will find yourself having to clean up a bit afterwards.\n\nMy recommendation: buy a dedicated steam mop (I might myself, because I love that part of this thing) and leave the vacuuming to a dedicated vacuum - the good performance of the steam mop here is definitely degraded thanks to trying to combine the two into a single unit.","Product: Sink your feet into the Imprint Cumulus9 Comfort Mat with its proprietary Multi-Core Technology. Feel how it conforms to the shape of your feet and supports your arches for relief of back, leg and foot discomfort. The advantage is its proprietary multilayer cushioning system. The soft, upper layer luxuriously cushions your feet while the firm, lower layer provides soothing support. Youll want an Imprint Comfort Mat everywhere you work and stand kitchen, laundry, bathroom, garage,workshop and more.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Looks Good, Feels Great\n\nReview: I really like this mat, and I've had quite a few - this is, in fact, the third I've reviewed and it's become my favorite.\n\nAt first I was unsure about it - it's a bit thinner than the last mat I had, and I did not squish into it as much. But as I continued using them side-by-side in the kitchen, I found that I actually preferred a little shallower squish.\n\nI found that the deeper pad I had almost made me feel a bit unbalanced, while this thinner one seemed more like I was standing on terra firma, while still providing the comfort and absorption I like. Also, the other mat I have is SO deep that I've seen people stumble when walking to the sink. Not often, but still...\n\nAs for looks, this one has it all over my other mat: the other one is brown faux leather that just doesn't sell well. It also looks terrible on hardwood floors while passable in the kitchen on tile. This one, on the other hand, is clearly a comfort mat, but the chevron design in dove (the one I was provided for review) looks equally nice on white tile and hardwood.\n\nIf I'm in the market for new mats in the future, I'm going right to the Imprint Cumulus9 series, and that's the highest compliment I can think of.","Product: GelPro Elite is 50% thicker than GelPro Classic and features an exclusive Dual Comfort Core System of therapeutic gel and energy-return foam. Indulge in the extra soft and deep-cushioning support as your feet rest on the worlds most comfortable floor mat. The unique, conforming feel of gel plus foam actually feels so natural that you forget that you are standing. This revolutionary comfort solution is perfect for anyone suffering from back, hip, knee, leg & foot discomfort, plantar fasciitis, osteoporosis or arthritis. Ideal for use in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, craft room and at stand-up desks.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Super Nice, But Certainly NOT Leather\n\nReview: I've tried quite a few of these over the years, but this one is the standout.\n\nIt's extremely thick, so there's a ton of cushioning and comfort here; standing on it is a complete relief as compared to our tile floors. I have an extremely bad back, so every bit of help I can get when doing dishes or prepping dinner is fantastic.\n\nIt's also terrifically heavy; this thing will NOT budge if you kick it. To relocate it you have to actually pick it up and move it. So there's no chance it will slip or move on you.\n\nThe only issue I have is the name: Vintage Leather Elite - um, LEATHER? No, not quite. Mind you, I wasn't expecting leather necessarily, but calling it a leather floor mat when it's clearly man-made materials (and it says so on the box), is extremely misleading. Dinged one star.","Product: Trusted Quality and Craftsmanship From a trusted brand known for quality, traditional craftsmanship and comfort, the La-Z-Boy Hyland ComfortCore Traditions AIR Technology Executive Office Chair delivers advanced performance for exceptional support and comfort at work and play. The ComfortCore Plus with Memory Foam advanced layering system offers unique zone-based support, placing cushioning in the areas you need it most. The strategically-assigned plush body pillowing and padded headrest on this office chair combine to provide neck support and minimize pressure points for relief from discomfort caused by prolonged sitting. This Wellness By Design series La-Z-Boy office chair uses flexible AIR Lumbar Technology that pivots and conforms the lumbar area according to your movement, helping to improve posture, reduce discomfort and provide superior back support. This ergonomic chair is fully adjustable, letting you control height, tilt and lift to suit your needs for customized positioning and optimized body alignment. This executive office chair features a thicker plywood subcore, reinforced back bar and heavy-duty castors for durability you can count on for all your day-to-day activities. Crafted with wood components, this high-back office chair with hand-sculpted arms is upholstered in soft bonded leather to create an elegant blend of traditional style and modern performance that is ideal for any office, home or entertainment space.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: OK: Comfy For Some, Quality Control Issues, Not Real Leather\n\nReview: Chairs can be tough to review. Unless you're going to go all in and buy a Steelcase, body type can make a huge difference in comfort. I'll get to that, but first let me get to the quality.\n\nFirst of all, this is NOT leather. That's a big point to make. Bonded leather is simply not leather; it's a man-made material, period the end. Advertising it as bonded leather, while technically honest, is certainly misleading. I'd love to take a poll of all the people that read and/or buy this thinking they're seeing a real leather chair. They aren't. So factor that in when you consider this.\n\nConstruction is pretty typical for an office chair, though there were some fit-and-finish issues with mine. One of the legs had no stain on the bottom of it. Not a big deal as it's not visible, but it does speak to a certain level of care that isn't being taken. There were also some sections of the bonded leather material that were actually hanging out of seams, as if they hadn't been properly lined up before stitching. Again, I'm not sure how this sort of thing gets past quality control and I was disappointed to see it.\n\nAs for comfort, I personally didn't find it to be particularly great, certainly not up to my Steelcase desk chair. However, my wife finds it extremely comfortable and is happy to have it in her office. It's important to note that this is not appropriate as a chair to be used if you are on the computer all day; the ergonomics just don't support that properly. It is, as its title says, an executive chair. Good for sitting in while talking, occasional computer use, reading, holding meetings etc.\n\nHere's the skinny: had I purchased this, it would be going back. I found the fit and finish issues to be disturbing, and don't like the fact that it isn't actually leather. Frankly, it's not worth a quarter of the price to me personally, but since my wife likes it we're keeping it in use.","Product: The new iTouchless Open Top Stainless Steel Garage Can features a versatile flat-oval and lid-free design with a brushed stainless steel finish. In order to keep odors out of its surrounding environment, the garbage can features two heavy duty carbon filter deodorizers. The two filters are located inside on each side of the trash can and guarantee 100% odor absorption. The open top design provides convenience and is also hygienic due to the elimination of build-up on lidded trash cans.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Looks Good, Love Open Top\n\nReview: I, and my family, really like this trash can.\n\nThe stainless steel appears to be good quality, and it's lined with black plastic, which I appreciate. As others have pointed out, though, the top ring is plastic, painted to look like stainless steel. In person, it doesn't really, though the looks are acceptable.\n\nOne issue I have is with the seam running down the middle of one side of the can - this requires that side be placed against a wall unless you want to look at it, and the handle (which I'd never actually use anyway) is on that same against-the-wall side.\n\nAs for the filters, I don't really know if they're preventing smells or not; it's kinda hard to test. I can say they're easy to install and I haven't smelled anything gross; of course, maybe I just haven't put stinky garbage in.\n\nAlso: they say there are holes drilled in the base to avoid a vacuum when pulling a bag out. I haven't found it any easier to get the bag out than my old can, though.\n\nI will say that I LOVE having an open top, and it's way easier to use it during food prep.\n\nOverall, I'm extremely happy with it, though the seam and handle take away from the look. It's also quite expensive, and for those reasons I'm rating it four stars.","Product: A new classic, the Brooklyn towel is sure to become a staple of your kitchen. These versatile towels are pure white with a herringbone stripe down the center. Made from super soft 100percent cotton, these towels can be used for a wide variety of tasks: drying glasses, general cleanup, hand towels- even jumbo napkins. This set includes four matching towels, each measuring 18 inches wide and 28 inches long. Simple care: machine wash and dry.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Perfect For My Needs, And Look Good Too\n\nReview: So, they're kitchen towels. You'd think there's not a lot to say, and perhaps there isn't - but what there is to say is relevant.\n\nKitchen towels are those things most people don't think about but, particularly after having worked in a professional kitchen, I personally find indispensable. I use them for grabbing things out of the over, quickly drying my hands after washing between prepping ingredients, and wiping down residual moisture before putting pans on the heat.\n\nHaving some that are the perfect texture and thickness for all of those uses is important to me, and they're tough to find. I think these are perfect, at least for me. Plus they look good hanging on my oven handle. What's not to like?","Product: The zing bagless canister vacuum is a convenient whole-home cleaning system. Its lightweight, compact design makes traveling upstairs with the floor brush easy, especially since the zing has a carrying handle. You can also attach the extension wand or combination crevice tool/dusting brush to capture dirt and dust from your above-floor surfaces. Variable suction control means that you can turn the suction down and even clean fabrics like curtains.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: The Tops On Bare Floors! Carpets: Not So Much\n\nReview: This little guy (and it really is pretty small) is fantastic for a small apartment or home that doesn't have too many rugs. Here's why:\n\nFirst of all, it doesn't take up a lot of space, and there's a nice clip to hold the hose and floor brush so it fits nice and conveniently into a closet. Second, the suction on this is phenomenal. Without question, this pulls harder than any other vacuum I have - in fact, it's so strong that even with the floor piece set to carpet, you can't move it without relieving some of the suction by opening the vent on the handle. That, though, leads me to why I mentioned not having too many rugs: there's no power brush in the floor piece, so not only does that make it tough to move across a carpet it's not as efficient at cleaning rugs, particularly if you have pets.\n\nHowever, once you get this bad boy off of the carpeting, it's just fantastic. In fact, it's good enough that sometimes I use it for my bare floors, then switch to another vacuum to do my rugs.\n\nThere are a couple of negatives. First, construction on the hose and extension is about as basic as you can imagine, and the quality isn't quite up to what I've seen on most other vacuums. It is, however, functional - sometimes thought the plastic tubes can separate when you don't want them to. That's probably inevitable at this price point though. Another issue: the cord is really short. I feel like they could have added another five feet without it being a horrible price issue, and I wish they had - I have to move the plug far more than I do with other units. On the upside though, it does automatically retract, which I love. Finally, there's only one extra tool - not such a bad thing, except there is NO place on the vacuum to store it. That's an oversight that bugs the heck out of me.\n\nIn the end though, I can recommend this unit highly for light to medium usage in a small home with more bare floors than carpets. In that environments, it excels. If you've got a lot of carpet though, I'd suggest moving on to a vacuum more suited to getting rugs clean.","Product: The Gaggia Espresso is a great choice for an espresso machine in the low $200 price range. No other espresso maker will bring you the pump power, heating capacity, brass components and pure results at this price. Hi-tech performance combined with simplified fingertip control takes the guesswork out of making delicious espresso and cappuccino at home or in the office. Each cup will be creamy, tasty, robust and rich with flavor. Gaggia is in the process of rolling out a new Turbo-Frother wand replacing the metal frothing wand and sleeve. Your Gaggia may have shipped with the Turbo-Frother wand or the frothing wand. Both are designed to help you get great froth with minimum fuss. Includes two stainless steel filter baskets (one and two shot), coffee tamper and 7g measuring scoop.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best value on the market.\n\nReview: OK - the negative reviews on this are pretty out there; they are either complaining about non-existant issues (um, 1 star from someone who didn't even BUY it? Becuase it supposedly doesn't come in 110? That's wacky), or have the wrong expectations of what this machine will do. The bottom line on this espresso maker is that it has the guts of their more expensive models (minus the 3 way solenoid, which has NO effect on how espresso is made) and IF you know what you are doing can make espresso as well as pretty much any model out there.\n\nTo over-simplify, espresso makers come with one of 2 basic types of portafilter (that's the thing with the handle you put the espresso grounds in). Pressurized or non-pressurized. The former basically pulls the same shots no matter what you do, as long as your beans are fresh and your grinder is good. The latter requires a bit more art and science. The tamp (compacting the grinds into the portafilter) is critical, and you can vary the way the shot is pulled with different grind size, tamp preassure and tamper type. This, while harder to do consistently, is the only way to properly hunt the elusive \"God Shot\".\n\nSo - onto this machine: Using the \"perfect crema\" disc is just silly, frankly. In fact, I don't even think there was one in my box. I do know what it does, which is to basically convert a traditional espresso maker into a pressurized one. But hey, if that's what you want then buy a pressurized one from one of the myriad manufacturers out there. However, if you want a model that will let you explore your inner barista, you need to buy a non-pressurized portafilter unit.\n\nAnd for the money, there is NO WAY you are going to get a better deal than the Gaggia. In fact, there are a number of different models in the Gaggia line, all of which are basically the same until you get to the $500 one, which comes with the aforementioned 3 way solenoid. Sure, there are different designs, and some changes in the type of frother (don't bother with the auto-frothers) but the guts are the same, right down to the brass portafilter. I chose this particular one because of its water capacity and the size of the drip tray, which beleive it or not is a pretty big deal when you pull a lot of shots in a day, as I do.\n\nThe fact is, this machine is a beauty. Get good at it and you'll pull shots as good as ANY machine out there, and if you are a total tweek-head, you can even PID this bad boy (look it up...). But you want more? Go check out coffeegeeek dot com and read read read.\n\nSynopsis: Want a machine that will keep up with your growing barista skills? BUY THIS NOW. Don't care about the art, just want quick fast espresso? Go elsewhere and pick a pressurized portafilter unit.\n\nOh, and either way you go, you NEED a good grinder (the Gaggia MDF rocks and is reasonably priced at $200), and you want FRESH beans - order online from one of the many fresh roasters out there; it makes an incredible difference.","Product: MODEL- TRICOOL120MMBLUE VENDOR- ANTEC INC.FEATURES- TriCool 120mm Blue LED Fan (3-speed) Brighten Up Your Lifestyle. Three speed 80mm & 120mm TriCool LED fans keep your system at maximum cool while spotlighting your case with vibrant Blue, Green, Red or Trilight colors. More reasons to show off your system to the world. * 3-speed switch lets you balance quiet performance with maximum cooling. * 3-pin and 4-pin power connectors provide convenient connections to your motherboard or power supply. * Fan-speed monitoring capability included (requires compatible motherboard).\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Good Value, Good Fan.\n\nReview: I snapped up a pair of these fans for a recent build I did - one in blue, and one in <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Red/dp/B00066FH7O/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Red</a> and am very happy with them.\n\nThe fan that came with the case I purchased was excessively noisy. Now, I don't need a SILENT pc, but quiet is important. More important though is that whatever noise I DO hear isn't a high pitched whine.\n\nWith these Antecs, I got exactly what I needed. A quiet NON-WHINY fan that pushes plenty of air. The three-speed selector switch allows me to choose the sweet spot for noise/air volume, but not only does the middle position move plenty of air, it's also quiet. I used to have my intake set at the lowest setting and the exhaust in the middle, but really didn't hear much difference, so I now have them both set in the middle position. Combined with my <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Vendetta-Cpu-Cooler/dp/B000WB9HSS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Vendetta Cpu Cooler</a> my new build stays ice cold (well, maybe not ICE cold, but pretty darn cool).\n\nThey also feed my geek gene by looking great. I've mounted the blue inside the front panel (intake) and the red in the rear (exhaust) and my case looks, well, great.\n\nThe ONLY negative here is that these aren't PWM fans (I was going to ding them a star for that, but since they don't CLAIM to be PWM that would be silly. They are certainly five stars in context)and their speed cannot be software controlled . But since, as I said, the center position is cool and quiet enough, this doesn't really bother me. Antec supplies both molex an motherboard power connectors, so you'll get this fan running no matter what power source you have available.\n\nHighly recommended!","Product: MODEL- TRICOOL120MMBLUE VENDOR- ANTEC INC.FEATURES- TriCool 120mm Blue LED Fan (3-speed) Brighten Up Your Lifestyle. Three speed 80mm & 120mm TriCool LED fans keep your system at maximum cool while spotlighting your case with vibrant Blue, Green, Red or Trilight colors. More reasons to show off your system to the world. * 3-speed switch lets you balance quiet performance with maximum cooling. * 3-pin and 4-pin power connectors provide convenient connections to your motherboard or power supply. * Fan-speed monitoring capability included (requires compatible motherboard).\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Good Value, Good Fan.\n\nReview: I snapped up a pair of these fans for a recent build I did - one in red, and one in <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Blue/dp/B00066FHEW/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Blue</a> and am very happy with them.\n\nThe fan that came with the case I purchased was excessively noisy. Now, I don't need a SILENT pc, but quiet is important. More important though is that whatever noise I DO hear isn't a high pitched whine.\n\nWith these Antecs, I got exactly what I needed. A quiet NON-WHINY fan that pushes plenty of air. The three-speed selector switch allows me to choose the sweet spot for noise/air volume, but not only does the middle position move plenty of air, it's also quiet. I used to have my intake set at the lowest setting and the exhaust in the middle, but really didn't hear much difference, so I now have them both set in the middle position. Combined with my <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Vendetta-Cpu-Cooler/dp/B000WB9HSS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Vendetta Cpu Cooler</a> my new build stays ice cold (well, maybe not ICE cold, but pretty darn cool).\n\nThey also feed my geek gene by looking great. I've mounted the blue inside the front panel (intake) and the red in the rear (exhaust) and my case looks, well, great.\n\nThe ONLY negative here is that these aren't PWM fans (I was going to ding them a star for that, but since they don't CLAIM to be PWM that would be silly. They are certainly five stars in context)and their speed cannot be software controlled . But since, as I said, the center position is cool and quiet enough, this doesn't really bother me. Antec supplies both molex an motherboard power connectors, so you'll get this fan running no matter what power source you have available.\n\nHighly recommended!","Product: Transcend memory modules use high-quality brand name chips. Each chip is selected with the strictest quality standards and is 100% tested to ensure reliable performance and stability. Stable and Durable, highly compatible, 100% tested and lifetime warranty.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Adding To The Chorus\n\nReview: There's not much to say about RAM - sure you could get micro-technical, but for most people the stick works, or it doesn't.\n\nI bought this for an Asus 1000HE to upgrade it from the stock 1GB RAM to 2GB, and it works fine. As others have said, some netbooks can get finicky with RAM selection, so I thought adding my experience to the list may well help others relax and order it for their EEEPC.\n\nI did NOT have to make changes at the BIOS level (though I'd recommend entering the bios as I did to make sure that it's recognized properly), and the stick is seen as 2GB in the boot screen, Windows XP, and Windows 7 (which I installed on a second partition).\n\nBuy it, use it, forget it. It works.","Product: Transcend memory modules use high-quality brand name chips. Each chip is selected with the strictest quality standards and is 100% tested to ensure reliable performance and stability. Stable and Durable, highly compatible, 100% tested and lifetime warranty.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Adding To The Chorus\n\nReview: There's not much to say about RAM - sure you could get micro-technical, but for most people the stick works, or it doesn't.\n\nI bought this for an Asus 1000HE to upgrade it from the stock 1GB RAM to 2GB, and it works fine. As others have said, some netbooks can get finicky with RAM selection, so I thought adding my experience to the list may well help others relax and order it for their EEEPC.\n\nI did NOT have to make changes at the BIOS level (though I'd recommend entering the bios as I did to make sure that it's recognized properly), and the stick is seen as 2GB in the boot screen, Windows XP, and Windows 7 (which I installed on a second partition).\n\nBuy it, use it, forget it. It works.","Product: The BackBeat Titanium noise-isolating earphones are designed for the discerning music enthusiast and feature titanium-enhanced micro-speakers that deliver vivid, full-spectrum sound with exceptional clarity and realism.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Very Good Sound, But A Few Issues\n\nReview: Headphones are a personal thing. One person's amazing set of ear buds is another's torture device. So I'll give you a quick bit of information about my music background and needs list, then how these stack up.\n\nI started working as a recording engineer and producer in the 80's and worked in studios for almost two decades. I value neutrality and balance in either headphones or speakers. I listen to all types of music, from jazz to rock, singer/songwriter to alternative, punk to funk. I've never found a set of ear buds I love, but really that's a function of what technology can do; I don't think it's possible to get some that sound consistently as good as, say AKG 240's or Sennheiser 580's (both big, old style, closed-ear design headphones).\n\nThat said, most people don't walk around with that kind of headphones on, and most portable devices can't drive them efficiently anyway. But then, life is about compromise, so most people choose one of two types of ear buds: the kind that sit in your ear like stock iPod headphones, or the type that seal in your ear canal, providing additional bass but also isolating you from external sounds (um, you might not want to jog at night, in the street, with that kind). The Altec Lansing UHP326's are in the latter category. So how do I like them?\n\nThe first thing that struck me was that it was really tough to see which was right and which was left. They are marked, but with a black l or r on black plastic. In the dark, or even dim light, that's not good. They really should have put a colored dot on one or the other. They do come with four different sets of plastic covers to fit various size ears; very important because getting a poor seal will give you really awful sound, with no bass or lower midrange.\n\nBut once I got them fitted, and in the correct ears, I was relatively happy. The sound at the bottom end is full and accurate (assuming a good, tight seal), though I found the upper mids a bit harsh. High end is clean.\n\nThey do have one problem that also affects the Zune premium headphones: rubbing the headphone cord against your shirt, or in your hands, transmits that rubbing noise to the headphones themselves - it can be intrusive at times, particularly if you are listening to quiet classical music and moving around a lot. However, this only happens when you make firm contact with the section of the cable between where the right/left cable split occurs and your ears. The cable from the split to the music device does NOT transmit noise - a definite plus over the Zune premiums.\n\nSo overall, I'd normally give them three stars or three and a half stars. At suggested list price (does anyone pay that, anywhere?), I wouldn't personally buy them. But at the 30 bucks amazon.com is currently charging for them, I think it'd be hard to find a better set of isolation-type, hence a final four star rating.","Product: Designed for modern sensibilities, the Volta pouch is streamlined in profile and crafted of thick molded foam to protect compact cameras, cell phones and MP3 players from abrasion. Soft tricot lining protects LCD screen and lenses from scratches and dust. Dual-zipper closure offers easy access, plus security. Interior slip pocket stores a battery, memory card, mini headphones or small personal item. Integrated belt loop offers an additional carrying option. The Volta 20 fits a compact camera or a variety of small digital devices. Internal Dimensions: 7.6 x 2.5 x 11.5 cm (2.99 x 0.98 x 4.53 in); External Dimensions: 8.7 x 3.3 x 12.8 cm (3.43 x 1.30 x 5.04 in); Weight: 0.06 kg (0.13 lbs).\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: An Excellent Small Case\n\nReview: The Volta 20 is an excellent, but small, case. The exterior is a nice matte surface that is firm yet gives a bit, it has an excellent quality zipper, a pocket on the inside to hold a memory card or two, and a belt loop for those that go that way. One of the nicest features is the fact that the accordion flaps on the sides prevent it from opening all the way, minimizing the chances that it will flop open and drop your electronics on the ground.\n\nThe only downside is that the interior is slightly less padded than I would have thought, though I personally think that the rigidity of the outer shell makes up for it. The lining is, in my opinion, suitably soft to protect anything.\n\nIf your camera will fit (check the dimensions!) and you are looking for a high quality compact case to drop in a bag or breifcase, I can't think of a better choice than the Volta 20.","Product: This toploading bag offers a weather-protective, streamlined and easy-access solution for outdoor enthusiasts who are passionate about their photographic pursuits. Features a patented, built-in All Weather AW Cover protects gear from the elements. Easy-access lid with dual zipper pulls opens away from body and provides full access to gear. SlipLock attachment loop expands carrying capacity. Fully padded interior protects gear; horizontal divider allows storage of extra lens in main compartment. Interior zippered pocket with memory card storage provides space for spare memory card and other accessories. Removable/adjustable shoulder strap offers a custom, comfortable fit. Belt loop and padded grab handle offer extra carrying options. The Toploader Zoom 45 AW fits a DSLR with attached lens (up to 18-55mm f/3.5), memory card and accessories. Internal Dimensions: 16 x 10.5 x 16.3 cm (6.30 x 4.13 x 6.42 in); External Dimensions: 18.5 x 16 x 22.5 cm (7.28 x 6.30 x 8.86 in); Weight: 0.2 kg (0.44 lbs).\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Excellent If It Fits Your Size Needs (Zoom 55 AW)\n\nReview: You've got three major issues when it comes to camera bags: construction, size, and features. The biggest problem with ordering online, of course, is making sure that the size is correct without having it in your hand to see, and no review can help much with that. I can tell you that I don't have a particularly huge zoom on my Canon dSLR, though it takes my midrange zoom or my 100 mm macro just fine - with room to spare in fact.\n\nSome of that room can be used, as Lowepro includes a small removable panel with strong velcro sides that can be put in the bottom of the bag to act as a false bottom beneath which small items (extra battery, filters, a small flash) can be stored. But the bottom line for size is to look carefully at the size, check out pictures online, and then decide if the size is right.\n\nAs for construction, this is typical Lowepro, which is to say just fine. I found no defects in workmanship, the padding is definitely deep enough throughout the bag, and the zippers are high quality and include lanyards to make pulling them easier. Overall, I was extremely happy in this regard.\n\nFeatures are fairly standard with one exception: the built-in weather cover, which is a great idea. Attached to a lanyard to keep it from getting lost, It tucks into a pocket on the back completely unobtrusively, but when in use covers the entire bag snugly. Other features include a good sized exterior pocket, an adjustable/removable shoulder strap, a padded handle, and a belt loop, though it's a bit big to hang on a belt.\n\nSo overall, a good choice if you've got a zoom lens and want a bag to use with it. The price is right, the construction is fine, and the features are there.","Product: Spill-resistant design Comfortable quiet typingDurable easy-to-read keys and sturdy adjustable tilt legs on keyboardPlug-and-playWorks with Windows XP Vista or 7\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Better Than It Has a Right To Be\n\nReview: If you're looking for a solid, inexpensive keyboard, it's tough to go wrong with this Logitech unit. It includes basic media control keys, including play/pause (though no track skip - bummer), volume up, down, and mute, as well as keys to launch a browser, an email program, the calculator, and a power button. It's a full-size setup too, with a full number pad, which is a welcome feature.\n\nAction fair to midling, with very little click, which is to be expected in a keyboard in this price range. What isn't necessarily expected is the fact that it's spill-resistant, with channels to direct liquid around the electronic parts and out drain holes. It's also gratifyingly thin, and fits on a pullout keyboard tray easily (something I can't say about my extra-large Microsoft Sidewinder keyboard)\n\nAll in all, a good, solid basic keyboard. I don't personally love for the action on it, but it's actually grown on me while typing this review. And then there's this: I'm not using it (well, except to write this). I've given it to my kids, and I can at last be a little less streesed about them drinking juice boxes while they do their homework.\n\nI'd be surprised if there's a better unit at the price point, and can recommend it to any budget-minded computer user in need of a new, solid, basic keyboard. In the under-$20 group, it'd be a five star keyboard, but I dinged it a star for the lack of track skip buttons.","Product: With its Swivel-Speaker-Array, the ZiiSound T6 gives you the most compelling music, movies and gaming experience with high quality wireless audio and surround sound. Pair it with any compatible Bluetooth device or simply use the bundled BT-D1 USB Transmitter for an instant Bluetooth connection. Enjoy 5.1 movie or game soundtrack via a USB connection to your PC, Netbook or Notebook, while the SLAM subwoofer with its 3 drivers-design, delivers excellent dynamics for deep, tight bass. For total convenience, the ZiiSound T6 also comes with a wired volume control pod, AUX-In and headphone connector.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great Functionality; Sound Could Be Better\n\nReview: So in a speaker system like this, you've got two things to look at: the functionality and flexibility of them, and the sound quality. In th case of the ZiiSound, they land in two different places.\n\nFor functionality, this gets five stars. It's very easy to set up: the speakers and control pod plug into the sub, the sub plugs into the wall. Now, just connect it to your sound source, which is done via USB, Bluetooth, or RCA cables (no optical input or HDMI in/through), and you're done. Computer or iPod doesn't have BT? No prob, they include two BT dongles - one for a USB port,and one for an iPod. Short on cabling? Again, don't worry - they include both USB and RCA cables. So on set up and provided materials, you really couldn't ask for more. One note though: EVERY picture of these makes it appear that the satellite speakers are wireless - they are not. I didn't expect them to be, but from the box you might be confused (particularly as the box has a sticker on it saying \"Pure Wireless\").\n\nControl is via a simple and nice looking round pod that sits on your desktop. The entire top spins for volume control - beneath that section are buttons for source and power, as well as a headphone out and aux input (via 1/8\" mini jack). Again, providing great flexibility and an easy way to quickly connect an extra device.\n\nSound, while not quite living up to the rest, certainly wasn't bad. They're PLENTY loud, highs were reproduced well, and the thing had a ton of fairly tight bass - a bit too much in fact: as another reviewer said, even at it's lowest setting, it had a bit too much, particularly if you are looking for true reproduction of source material.\n\nI compared the system to the set of studio monitors I normally use (I have a history as an engineer and producer and have used the same monitors for over 2 decades) and found them to be overly boxy - an exaggerated mid that I didn't personally like much at all. HOWEVER - no such complaints were coming from family members, all of whom were happy with them.\n\nBut these weren't meant to be used to mix records. If you want something that's easy and flexible to set up that can be quickly dropped into a system and used via BT - this is not a bad choice. But if, like me, you value accuracy (or have made a record or two in your day), you might want to consider spending the $400 on a better pair of pure speakers and use them with an amp.\n\nSo five stars for functionality, three for sound - and average of four. Cheat it up or down as you see fit, depending on your particular needs.","Product: The Bell + Howell 2.4 GHz Digital Wireless Video Door Phone System/ Doorbell is a home door phone system with a built-in microphone, speaker and high resolution color CMOS camera. With its excellent picture quality you can now monitor who is at your front door and the transmission range is up to 450-Feet (line of sight). The Wireless Video Doorbell operates over ISM band 2.4-2.4835 GHz.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Audio DOA and More Issues\n\nReview: I have major problems when a manufacturer releases a product with a completely misleading box, and that's an issue in this case: as other reviewers have stated, this doesn't transmit video, it transmits stills. The receiving unit stores them locally, though there's no way to offload them to another device.\n\nThat said, there are other issues. The overall build quality looks and feels extremely cheap to me, with low grade plastics used throughout, and a design that looks to date to 1977, and not in a good way. Instructions are minimal, though not very necessary: it's easy to figure out how it works, or how it doesn't in the case of the one I got.\n\nThe person ringing the bell pushes the \"Talk\" button, which takes a still photo and sends it to the receiving unit, where the person at home pushes THEIR talk button to chat with the person at the door. Unfortunately, while mine did send video and sound the doorbell, I couldn't get audio to work at all. Furthermore, the sending unit has a \"Push to talk, release to receive\" sticker that's just plain wrong - that actually takes another photo and rings the interior bell, which would be extremely irritating for someone trying to talk to the person at the door - not a horrible deal, except it points to lousy design and quality control... I have no idea how anyone could miss this.\n\nOverall, between the build quality, the misleading packaging, the poor quality control and the DOA status of audio in mine, I wouldn't touch another Bell + Howell product, personally. Too bad too, since I have warm memories of their slide machines in my childhood.","Product: Get it together. Organize and back up all your content on one device and access it from anywhere.You can't enjoy what you can't find when your digital life is spread across multiple computers, hard drives and flash drives. With Seagateamp;reg; Central shared storage, it's simple to back up all your files, documents and media to one location on your network, and enjoy the convenience of a shared digital library that is compatible with both Macs and PCs. Access your music, movies and docs from computers, game consoles, Smart TVs and other connected devices throughout the home. If you own a Samsung Smart TV or Blu-ray Discamp;trade; player with Smart Hub (2012 model or later), you can take advantage of the Seagate Media app to enjoy easy content browsing with your remote control.Enjoy your content where you want, when you want. After downloading the free Seagate Media app, you can view your content by type, size, even compatibility, regardless if it is a PDF, Word doc, music, photo or movie file. The Seagate Media app offers a full screen view that allows for quick and easy selection as well as a visually rich experience that is available for Androidamp;reg; and Appleamp;reg; platforms as well as Amazon Kindle.You can even offload or back up your photos and personal videos from the Seagate Media app. Upload and download any of your files from most Web browsers-from anywhere-with the Central Remote Access Service.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Excellent, Easy, Powerul (with a couple of caveats)\n\nReview: I really like this drive despite having had a few issues getting my head around how, exactly it's set up. Before proceeding I should mention that I've been working on computers and setting up most operating systems (including FreeBSD!) for about 2 decades.\n\nSetup in its most basic format is simple as pie: plug it into the wall, plug it into your router, look for it under network on your Windows PC. Easy - acts exactly like another drive, and you can use it from any computer on the network to backup or store files with no hassle at all.\n\nHowever, once you log into the system to check out settings and update firmware, things can get a little confusing. You're asked to set up a username and password for every computer on the network to use. OK - fine. But a folder is created with that user name, which appears alongside a folder named public. And thenceforth, to log onto the drive AT ALL from a local computer, you need to use that username and password - what's odd about that at first is that Public isn't actually public, as you need to log onto the drive to see it.\n\nShortly though, it became clearer: once you set up ANY user at all, the entire drive in not accessible on the network without a password, EXCEPT via DLNA (or anonymous FTP - more on that below). So, in effect, the entire Public folder becomes the main media serving folder for the network, and accessible via any DLNA client. Getting onto the drive itself anywhere including Public requires a username and password.\n\nThis allows setting up all Public media in one space to stream to devices, while allowing the addition of multiple users with private folders - once logged into the drive using one set of credentials, all that are accessible are the public and individual user folders. It's actually a pretty good way to set it up: the problem was that those details are spelled out exactly nowhere in docs with the drive, or on the Seagate website.\n\nRemote access via the Seagate website worked flawlessly, which was nice. It's easy to access any folders from any computer anywhere, as long as you set up a remote user and run the service on the drive. I'm curious about the security here (didn't have time to research it), as you actually log in through Seagate's site - until I know how that works I've turned the service off. But assuming it's entirely secure, it's a neat and easy-to-use feature that does not require you remember your home IP address.\n\nBoth SFTP and FTP are available as well; using anonymous and a blank password will allow you access to the Public folder only, while using a username and password will drop you into that private folder and allow you to back out to see the entire file structure (assuming that the user has admin privileges).\n\nTransfer speeds could be faster. I was getting 10 - 13 MB/s average using Windows transfer and my wireless router as a hub. Yes, it could well have been the router, but I don't have a spare GB hub here to test, sorry. Noise level was extremely low though and was never bothersome at all.\n\nAll-in-all though, it's an excellent and fairly good looking box that does exactly what I want it to while having a ton of flexibility for people with deeper skill sets. A great buy.","Product: Experience widescreen entertainment the way it was meant to be seen -in the comfort of your own home. The Home Cinema 730HD projector boasts 3000 lumens of color brightness and 3000 lumens of white brightness 2, so images are rich and brilliant. Watch blockbuster movies and sporting events on the big screen, or play larger-than-life video games, all with amazing clarity and color -it's easy with 720p resolution and HDMI connectivity. Epson's innovative setup tools make it simple to experience exciting entertainment up to 300\", on virtually any wall or screen -indoors or out.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Amazing - And A Great Value\n\nReview: I'm new to the projector world, so I have no real way to compare this bad boy to other models, but I can say this: it is great.\n\nI've used it in the two environments one might expect: work and home, and it performed beautifully in both.\n\nIt's light and easy to carry from room to room (or to head outside to the yard), as well as from home to office. Once in your destination, it's also easy to set up and get running. Horizontal, vertical and focus adjustments are all manual, but extremely easy to execute, and once in place you'll be ready to start in no time.\n\nThe projector provides a decent range of inputs, though it is missing DVI, so computers without an HDMI output won't be able to run in 720P. However, for DVD players and computers that have an HDMI out, you'll be treated to a really wonderful picture. I've used it in office environments that weren't exactly dark, and the Epson provided plenty of brightness to get the job done.\n\nBut it really comes alive at home - in a dark room this thing looks just great. I've used it in the living room and finished basement with great results, and last weekend set up an outdoor movie viewing party for my kids, using a screen borrowed from my cousin. Extremely impressive performance at a 10' screen size. In fact, it's been fantastic in every environment.\n\nThe only downside is the lack of an audio output. While the built-in speaker is ok for some uses, a real stereo pair (or more) is pretty much necessary for a movie, so you'll have to use an audio out from your source.\n\nBut that's a small tradeoff when the picture is this good. I'd ding it a half star for no audio out, but the rest of the package is so impressive that this has certainly earned a solid five star ranking.","Product: An Amazon Brand.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: An Excellent Dual Link DVI Cable\n\nReview: First important thing: despite it not being mentioned in the description, this IS a dual link DVI cable and has no problem giving me full 2560 x 1440 resolution on my 27\" monitor.\n\nOne of the things about a 27\" monitor, by the way, is that they're 27\". A monitor that large requires a fair amount of space, and the distance from it to my computer could barely be spanned my my standard cable - this almost absurdly long one solved that problem neatly.\n\nConstruction is excellent. It's think and strong without giving up flexibility, and the connectors are solidly attached and feel extremely strong as well. The screws are well made and turn easily, and the pins were all aligned perfectly on my cable.\n\nAll in all, a great value for a beautifully-made cable that gives me extra flexibility for monitor placement.\n\nI wouldn't hesitate to recommend these AmazonBasics cables, and they'll be the first brand I'll be checking out when looking for cabling in the future.","Product: DRP-SMSONWDSWSTORM\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Not Worth It Unless You Care More About Star Wars Than Music\n\nReview: So here's the deal: I've reviewed more than a few sets of headphones and earbuds. I was a recording engineer and record producer for a while and I'm pretty picky about sound, so I tend to check out new sets looking for a nice surprise sound quality-wise. Sadly, these did not deliver.\n\nConstruction wise they're pretty alright. Seem well-made, fold up small, fit in the football-shaped case that's included. The cord is removable (good), but can only be plugged into the left ear (less good). The Star Wars branding is really nicely done, and the swag is ok I suppose, but none of that means a thing if you can't get good use out of the headphones, and there are two reasons that just wasn't happening for me.\n\nFirst, they just aren't very comfortable. The band over the top is thinly padded and the cups are on the small size, making the grippiness intrude on the listening experience.\n\nSecond, the sound is just nowhere near where it should be for a set of headphones like this. The upper mids are strong, but bass and lower mids are muddy and lack definition. The high end is attenuated, making it sound like a cloth has been tossed between the cups and my ears when I compare it to other sets I have on hand (Sennheiser HD580s and Pioneer SE-MX9s which I'll be reviewing when I'm finished with this piece). The one nice thing I can say is they are extremely efficient, making it no problem to use a portable music device to drive them sufficiently.\n\nIn the end though, as much as I'd like to love them, it looks like all the care went into making a package they could sell to Star Wars fans rather than important things like long-term comfort and sound quality.","Product: Teac WOOD ANALOG TURNTABLE 2 SPEED\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Fantastic Value, My Favorite At This Price Point\n\nReview: I've been listening to records since I was a child. And when I graduated high school in 1981 and moved away from home, I hauled all of my vinyl with me wherever I went. Point is, I'm an analog kinda guy. I was even a recording engineer and producer in NYC in the 80s and 90s, back when we recorded to actual analog tape. Crazy, I know.\n\nAt any rate, I've now amassed a not-insubstantial collection of about 1500 albums. I know plenty of people have more, but this is still quite a few, and my collection spans everything from 40s jazz to 60s rock to 70s and 80s punk to the most recent Daft Punk album (which is fantastic, by the way). So I want a good solid turntable that does what it's supposed to: play vinyl at a steady, accurate speed while keeping extraneous noises down and getting out of the way of the cartridge. And, for the price, the Teac is the best I've heard.\n\nThe main competition at this price point is the Denon 300 (which may well have been made in the same factory as the Teac) and the Pro-Ject Carbon. The Denon is fully automatic which, if that's important to you (it starts and stops on its own), may be the only game in town. I'm aware of the Audio Technica, but I've had the 120 and returned it - it's not a great deck in my mind. The Denon I've also had - still do in fact - and I like the Teac more. I've had some issues with the auto featured of the Denon, as well as some crazy speed problems that were very tough to tame. The Teac has held a good constant speed though, and measures within 1% of 33 1/3 RPM. That's a good thing.\n\nThe Pro-Ject I have not owned, but I've used, and I'm not overtly fond of the anti-skating rig on it. Also, a lot of the value is in the Ortofon Red that comes with it, which I'm not a huge fan of. I actually prefer the Shure 97 at that price point. One upside to the Pro-Ject is that it's very upgradeable, with replacement platters, belts, the speed box you can buy, the 78 RPM pully, etc. But If I were going to spend that kind of money to upgrade, I'd simply start with a better deck to begin with.\n\nWhich brings me to the Teac. I've been rooting for Teac to make a recovery for ages. Back in the day, I built by very first recording studio around a Tascam Portastudio 246, and my second around a Tascam 1/4\" 8-track. As Tascam is a Teac company, I've always wanted to see them get their act together and make good products. I've got the dynamite Teac 501 ADC, and now they've dropped this dandy entry-level turntable on the market. Yay Teac.\n\nFit and finish on this deck is outstanding. The plinth is veneer over MDF, but it looks fantastic. The power and speed selector (another advantage over the Pro-Ject, which is a PITA to swap between 33 and 45) switches are metal and have excellent feel when being used. The platter on mine is dead flat, and fits nicely onto the motor spindle, allowing it to spin completely free of the plinth, as opposed to counter sunk. I like that look.\n\nThe tonearm is a basic one, and the headshell is aluminum. The tonearm base has a plastic cowl around it which I don't like, but at this price point it's tough to complain that not everything is machined aluminum. However, the lack of a super high end arm don't hobble the deck too badly and, depending on the cartridge, this deck sounds as nice as anything in the sub-$500 category.\n\nThe included AT95e cartridge is far better than its retail price would lead anyone to believe, and better styli are available if one wants to upgrade. I also tried the deck with the aforementioned Shure 97 cartridge, and it performs wonderfully. I've committed to using the Shure for most vinyl, switching headshells to one with the AT when I'm checking out thrift store records (though really, I should use a cheaper one - the 95 really is quite nice). In both cases, with both cartridges, the Teac did an admirable job of getting out of the way and letting the cartridges do their work. The tonearm lift is fine, and lowers the tonearm at a suitable low speed. There is some drag when you move the tonearm across its rest, which feels kinda cheap, but it's not a big deal and certainly does not affect function in any way at all.\n\nI tried the built-in preamp, but found my Cambridge 651P sounded considerably better. I really wish companies would stop building them in and put that money into better tonearms or cartridges, but I understand why they do what they do. Still, I don't want to just shut it off, I want all the circuitry removed. A project for another day, I suppose. The USB output is serviceable for needle drops, but if you want to record high-res files you're going to have to use an external ADC - this one only spits out 16/44.\n\nOne extremely nice feature is the use of RCA jacks for output rather than built-in cabling. That was another huge complaint of mine with the Denon: it has built in RCA cables and they're crap. Being able to put good cabling between the deck and my pre is a great thing, let me tell you. Also, the included dust cover is well made and has two rubber bumpers on it to allow it to rest on the plinth quietly and block transmission of unwanted vibrations. The feet are well made and suspended as well, and overall isolation is as good as I'd expect at this price point.\n\nSo to sum up: great construction, good feature set, nice switchgear, beautiful finish and solid specs. All that and a rig that I believe will do justice to any cartridge you'd care to drop in, up to $250 or so. Once you go beyond that for a cartridge, you're probably looking for higher quality across the board.\n\nBut for a starter deck, or a good solid reasonably priced deck for people with decades of listening experience, I don't think anything beats this new Teac.","Product: Premium performance and design. One of the fastest USB 3.0 flash drives available, Lexar JumpDrive P20 allows you to transfer files with speeds up to 400MB/s read and 270MB/s write. Quickly transfer a full-length HD movie in less than 40 seconds. The drive boasts a premium look with a sleek metal alloy design and a high-gloss mirror finish, and includes EncryptStick Lite software with 256-bit AES encryption to securely protect files. Its also backwards compatible with USB 2.0 devices for added versatility, and available in a range of large capacity options, so you can store more of what matters. Limited lifetime warranty.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Excellent Speed and Encryption\n\nReview: I've been looking for a nice drive to carry critical files around for a while, and I'm very happy with the P20.\n\nThe drive has a metal back with a plastic front cover, and a plastic switch to retract and extend the USB plug. The construction is extremely solid and the device feels like a quality piece.\n\nSpeed is excellent - by far the fastest flash drive I've tested thanks to the USB 3.0 capabilities, and I have had no issues with my computer detecting it as USB 3.0 vs USB 2.0.\n\nThe encryption software is robust and simple. They've included EncryptStick Light, which provides a quick and easy way to create an encrypted vault on the stick. Basically, you run the program, it creates a \"vault,\" you set a password and then open the vault and drag and drop files that you want to encrypt into the window. Close it up and you're encrypted. When you look at the stick, you can see the vault of course, but you cannot open it without opening the program and entering your password.\n\nThis does NOT encrypt the entire stick, which is as it should be. As many other files as you wish can be kept on the stick in an unencrypted state as well - the vault essential acts like a folder on the drive that's encrypted. It's the easiest and most intuitive process I can think of to provide the service. You can also upgrade to the full version which includes syncing and auto-backup of your encrypted vault. A very nice simple program.\n\nOverall, I'm extremely pleased with the stick. My only complaints are that I wish it were smaller, and that the only way to put it on a keychain is using the super-thin lanyard that they enclose (which is a PITA to attach, actually). But those are small complaints. It's fast, roomy, and comes with free encryption software. I love it.","Product: The PNY CS2211 2.5-inch SATA-III (6GB/s) solid state drive (SSD) is the next generation of XLR8 SSD that offers our highest performance when gaming or transferring large files. The PNY CS2211 was designed to be an ultimate HDD replacement for enthusiasts and gamers, who demand extreme performance from their system.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Lightweight, Fast, A Great SSD\n\nReview: There aren't a lot of things that you can say about an SSD - you can benchmark it, you can see how long it lasts (who wants to wait though), you can make sure it works.\n\nObviously, if this didn't work, I wouldn't be giving it 5 stars - so that's pretty self-evident right there. And it hasn't broken - you'd know that as well, same reasoning.\n\nSo all I can do is tell you that it utterly destroyed my SanDIsk Extreme SSD in benchmark tests, besting it by anywhere from 10% to 300%. That's pretty impressive. To be fair, I did test an empty PNY against a SanDisk that was about 50% full, but even taking that into account, I'm thinking the PNY smoked it.\n\nAdd to that the fact that it's pretty sharp looking and lightweight, and I don't have anything but good things to say. Well, except for one - the stickers on the side that seal it, the stickers that void the warranty if you remove them, THOSE stickers... one pealed off on its own when I was installing it. I'd be mildly paranoid if I had to send it in for warranty, but anyone with half a brain at PNY would understand.\n\nNot enough to ding it a star though, and this thing has been working flawlessly for over a month in my box.\n\nI'd buy another in a heartbeat.","Product: A monitor designed with uncompromising performance and an innovative wireless charging stand. Convenient wireless charging on a stylish stand and excellent performance combine flawlessly without adding to the workplace clutter. Full HD clarity and 178 Degree /178 Degree ultrawide viewing angle across a 23.8\" screen.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A Great Screen, Natural Colors (2417HJ Ultrasharp Version)\n\nReview: I've gone through a lot of monitors in my day, and frankly I've never been entirely satisfied. I had a hugely expensive 27\" that couldn't do deep black and bright whites well at the same time, and sometimes no matter how I calibrate, test, etc I can't get them to look right.\n\nOne of the issues is, of course, that what we think looks right with our eyes isn't necessarily what's actually correct, so that throws another wrench in the works. I've currently got the 2417 on a desk next to my Dell 2412, and there is quite a difference - at first the 2412 was the clear winner, but now I'm not so sure - partly because of what I mentioned above. But I'll get to that.\n\nLooks-wise, this is fantastic. An almost non-existent bezel at the top, left and right sides make the 2417 a pleasure to look at. The contrasting base with the charging pad also looks classy, and the entire design just works beautifully.\n\nThe screen is height, tilt, and swivel adjustable, and the movement is extremely smooth and exudes a quality feel. There are plenty of connectivity options on the back, though it's conspicuously missing either DVI-D or D-sub connection, so unless you have HDMI or DisplayPort outputs, you'll need to steer clear.\n\nControls for the menus are touch sensitive, which I really dislike. I prefer actual buttons that I can see and feel and click, so that's a bit of a bummer, but the menu system is pretty Dell-standard, hearkening all the way back to my old 2005FPW. There are plenty of preset modes to choose from, but as I like to at least think I'm getting accurate color, I generally choose to go with either Standard, Color Temp, or Custom.\n\nGamma out of the box appears pretty spot-on, at least using sites like Lagom, though perhaps just slightly low. That's easily fixable. Using other test screens, I can make out the full range of blacks as well as whites, which is nice. My 2412 has the same performance, despite using different panel manufacturers.\n\nBanding, however, is a bit more prevalent with this unit than on my slightly older 2412 - however, it's important to note that I did not see it anywhere outside of a banding test screen.\n\nOne interesting thing about this guy is that it comes factory calibrated, using the sRGB setting in the menu. However, it appears to have been calibrated at 6000k as opposed to 6500k, which is just weird. Still, it really does look pretty nice out of the box, even if they have the brightness turned up to 75, which is pretty nuclear. Sharpness is quite good, and while the pixel size is slightly large, I have no complaints at all about how text and graphics look.\n\nBy far the biggest difference between the two monitors, though, is in the overall cast to the screen. In stock settings and no tweaking, my 2412 looks quite truly white, the whites on this 2417 seemed to have a bit of an off-white cast - almost a warm yellow. This does not appear to be a temp issue, but I can't dial it out using the custom colors either. It almost feels a bit like the gamma is off, though I do not believe that to be so.\n\nDue to that, I first gravitated towards the 2412 and it's whiter look, but then began to wonder if perhaps I was falling victim to the old trick that TV salesmen use, of turning up contrast, brightness and color to get things vivid as hell, though obviously bearing little relation to the actual subject on the screen.\n\nAnd then I decided that I was overthinking it, and decided to quit trying to figure out perfect (and believe me, I tried - loading color profiles, tweaking settings, doing all-manner of calibration tests) and just be honest about what I like the look of. Spend time with each alone (turning the other off, to see what feels right. And what I've found is that despite initially preferring the look of my 2412, I'm typing this on the 2417HJ. Once I got used to it, it felt smoother and better to me.\n\nAlso, I ran a bunch of photos and videos in both screens, and I have to say that while for some reason the whiter 2412 appears to be more immediately pleasing, this 2417 is definitely more natural and I preferred to edit photos AND watch movies on the 2417.\n\nI keep them both on my desk still, and I do love the 1900 x 1200 screen size of the 2412, but when all is said and done, if I had to give one away, I think I'd opt for keeping this guy. Plus, it charges my phone.\n\nAnd excellent choice that, with a better viewing angle and less banding would rate five stars for sure. In this price range, though, it's still a great screen.","Product: An Amazon Brand.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Well Made, Supple, Quality Cable!\n\nReview: There's not a lot to say about cables beyond build quality and aesthetics, but I have good things to say about these those topics as regards this Y adapter.\n\nThe cable itself is thick and appears to be very high quality. Flexibility is excellent, with no binding or \"crunchiness.\" The jacks are also well made and really nice looking as well. The metalic finish on the colored sections is really quite sharp, and the gold plating is consistent and well-applied. The tangs on the male side are consistent as well and provide a secure connection without being overly tight - an issue with some RCA jacks.\n\nMy only complaint is that you cannot unscrew the body of the jack from the tip, so I cannot check the quality of the solder joints, nor could I repair them if the need arose.\n\nHowever, that's a small complaint in cables this nice that are so reasonably priced, and not enough to ding it a star. Since I use them to sum stereo to mono from my turntable when playing mono records (no mono switch on my amp), I'd buy the double male to female cable if only Amazon had them in stock. That's the highest recommendation I can give.","Product: Using a distinctive, highly efficient heat pipe and fin design developed by Xigmatek, combined with a low-noise fan, the Vendetta is built to tackle heat-induced performance degradation and solves the cooling challenges of todays enthusiast system builds. While traditional heat pipe CPU coolers typically use a solid base plate design, the Vendettas three copper heat pipes make direct contact with the processor allowing for maximum heat transfer at a more rapid pace. A novel dimple design in the micro-configuration of the stacked aluminum fans adds turbulences, thereby reducing the skin effect of laminar air flow. Moreover, a folded \"V\" shape of the macro-configuration of the fins adds surface area without compromising the compact design. As a result, the Vendetta offers incredibly efficient cooling area comparable to much larger coolers which is reflected in its performance. The ultra-quiet fan cools without disruption with its anti-vibration rubber connectors to reduce excess noise, resulting in quiet, yet extremely effective performance. Because the OCZ Vendetta has a compact design, even the most crowded cases can accommodate the cooler with ease.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Excellent Value, Excellent Cooling\n\nReview: I bought the Vendetta to replace the stock cooler on my Intel Q8200 Chip for a new computer build I recently did, and am extremely happy with it.\n\nInstallation was easy (I know many people complain about the Intel twisting mount pins, but I have had no problems with them) and it looks great in my case. The included fan is adds no ambient noise to my room that I can detect - the noise floor is clearly below the two very quiet case fans I have in the box. As for performance? Fantastic. I hesitate to quote temp figures since they are largely dependent on ambient air temp and other cooling factors, but on average I've seen a drop on all four cores of about 12 degrees C with the fan on, and about 2 degrees C without even using the fan - this is at rest or under load using Prime95.\n\nI do acknowledge that it's large, but it does not block access to the ram on my board (an Asus EP45-UD3R) and fits easily in my mid-tower case. I know it's inexpensive, but it sure doesn't perform like a cheap cooler.\n\nVERY highly recommended.","Product: pThe GA-EP45-UD3R introduces revolutionary GIGABYTE Ultra Durable 3 technology featuring a 2 oz copper PCB to help reduce system temperature and dramatically enhance performance. Based on the Intel P45 chipset the GA-EP45-UD3R delivers a record-setting 1600MHz FSB for the latest Intel Core 2 multi-core processors, and supports dual channel DDR2 memory at speeds of up to 1366MHz and even higher. Additionally, the GA-EP45-UD3R incorporates GIGABYTE DES Advanced technology for industry leading energy saving and enhanced system efficiency./p\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Excellent and Rock Solid\n\nReview: I have the Rev 1.0 version of this board, but have had absolutely no problems whatsoever. Installation of chip and cooler went fine, no problems installing OS of any sort.\n\nAll drivers I needed were included on CD, along with some nice tools written by Gigabyte. Overclocking has gone extremely smoothly with Q8200, and thus far with minimal cooling the board hasn't gotten close to overheating.\n\nAs I said, I have the rev 1.0 and to me it looks the same as in the photos, but I do have a fat OCZ cooler on it, so maybe I'm missing something. According to the Gigabyte site, there is no difference between Rev 1.0 and 1.1, so perhaps it's simply a bios update or minor visual tweak - I don't know, but again I've had zero problems with the rev 1.0, so I don't really care.\n\nAdd to all that the good looks and the Firewire port (a necessity to me, and something that's on a lot less boards than I thought) and you have, for me, a total winner.\n\nHighly recommended.","Product: RCA noise isolating earphones are lightweight in design and have a contoured ear pad design that reduces exterior noise by sealing it out with changeable ear-tips in 3 sizes. There’s a 3.5mm gold plated jack for clear sound reproduction.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Cheap Materials but Good Sound for the Price\n\nReview: I preface all my headphone reviews with a comment that I was an audio engineer and record producer in NY for a number of years - not to say that makes me better than anyone else, but it has made me extremely picky.\n\nThat said, these are a mixed bag. I found the construction to be exceedingly cheap feeling - I didn't have any functional issues, but the wires, buds themselves and the ear cushions felt barely better construction-wise than something handed out on an airplane.\n\nThe sound, though, surprised me. While I couldn't get a good seal even with the biggest cushion (and my ears are not bigger than anyone else's, at least as far as I can see), I still found the sound to be far better than expected. A bit midrangy, but that's very common, with highs that weren't soaring, but neither were they harsh, which was nice.\n\nBottom end was on the weak side, but again I failed to get a great seal - with better cushions the bottom did improve a bit.\n\nI wouldn't spend big money on these, but for under 20 bucks they definitely deliver some value. My biggest concern would be how well they stand up to regular use. I'll give them to my son and report back if the die.","Product: Cook up a great time in your kitchen with your favorite MUkitchen products! Every surface in your kitchen requires a special cleanser and a special towel. Look no further than the MUkitchen 3 Piece Microfiber Specialty Cleaning Set. This set features three unique cloths designed for the various surfaces of your kitchen and around your home. The towel for stainless has a flat, woven surface that polishes stainless steel, appliances and barware. While the towel for glass has a textured surface that leaves your glass with no streaks and 100% sparkle. It's the perfect towel to use on all your glassware and windows. Lastly the heavy duty towel features a heavy microfiber nap that works hard on deep cleaning jobs like the stove, oven, or wherever there is a messy job to tackle. And because these towels are made of microfiber, they are reusable and absorb many times their own weight in liquid and dry 10 times faster than ordinary kitchen towels. Measures 6-1/2 by 9-1/4-inches. MUkitchens a concept lifestyle kitchen textile brand, renowned for its original designer prints and fresh take on color. Specializing in top-quality, fashion-forward kitchen textiles and cleaning products, all of MUkitchens products are created from top-quality cotton and microfiber. MUkitchen aims to create long-term relationships with their business partners based on honesty and trust while seeking to understand their customers business and provide mutual support.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Better Than I Expected!\n\nReview: I had my doubts about these, but I've come away pretty impressed.\n\nThe green one is the general use cloth, and it's really dandy for general dusting and clean up. Not much different from other microfiber clothes I've used, but definitely a quality product as good as any I've seen.\n\nThe specialty ones were what I was most interested in; could these be more than a gimmick? Apparently so, happily.\n\nThe stainless steel cloth (silver, appropriately) works a treat on my fridge, though the idea of using them dry as I had hoped went out the window immediately - this thing still needs some liquid to work, and I went with a water/vinegar mix and had fine results.\n\nAs for the glass one, this thing I loved. Worked wonderfully on shower glass and sliders with the same water/vinegar solution, and was great for touch ups on bar glasses when dry.\n\nEasy to use, effective, and reasonably priced, these clothes were a welcome addition to my kitchen.","Product: Mad Catz' F.R.E.Q.3 Stereo Headset is tough yet comfortable and lightweight, capturing sublime audio from games, movies, and music. Multiplatform GameSmart technology provides simplified setup and near-universal compatibility with a host of different devices. The F.R.E.Q.3 is a go-to headset for use with laptops, desktops, and tablet computers, plus the latest generation of iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone handsets.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Games: Great. Music: Not So Much (The Midrange Has Been Kidnapped!)\n\nReview: Here's the thing: I always approach headphones from a quality of sound angle. Maybe it's because I was a recording engineer, maybe because I listen to music almost constantly - it doesn't matter why though: sound comes first, everything else follows.\n\nAnd that explains my three star rating. The sound is just SO not up to par. The bass is fine, I'll give them that, but the midrange is missing and the high end is completely inaccurate. It was a rather bizarre experience actually: I put them on and they sounded really hollow making me feel like my ears were almost being sucked out into them.\n\nI compared them to a huge range of headphones and earbuds, and they came up way short of all of them. Which is too bad, because functionally they're really good. The built-in mic works really well, and the controls are easy to find and use. They've avoided the trap of putting the mic on the cable, and for gaming they're really great. They do come with cables that will allow them to be used with a phone as well as a computer, so they're really flexible, too.\n\nBut, like I said, for me it's all about the sound and these don't make the grade in that regard. If I were only concerned with gaming I'd give them a four star rating for sure, but since I use headphones for games, phone calls and a ton of music, these just don't rate more than a three.","Product: New Balance is dedicated to helping athletes achieve their goals. It's been their mission for more than a century to focus on research and development. It's why they don't design products to fit an image. They design them to fit. New Balance is driven to make the finest shoes for the same reason athletes lace them up: to achieve the very best.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Well Made, True To Size\n\nReview: So right off the bat I'll say that no one in my house is a runner. We have a few walkers, though, and a bunch of stand-alot-during-the-days, so I thought these would be a good addition to our shoe quiver.\n\nAnd they have been. Construction on them is excellent, though I have been unable to figure out where they are made. NB used to be made domestically, though now only a few models are. These are not labeled anywhere with country of origin.\n\nFit is right on target for both women's 9 size people here, they are suitably light for all-day wear and provide good support and comfort. Not, apparently, \"I'm walking on clouds\" comfort, but \"I can stand and walk in these all day\" comfort with no issues at all.\n\nThey are a bit pricey, though - over a c-note is a lot to spend on shoes, and I'm not sure I'd put that much dosh down on these just for walking and standing. But perhaps as a running shoe they deliver more value - as it is, they have not shown any excessive wear, look nice and provide plenty of comfort. An overall fine shoe (but read some runners' reviews if that's your bag!)","Product: Large Movado BOLD watch.\n42.5 mm yellow gold ion-plated stainless steel case.\nYellow gold-toned dial with stamped minute/hour index, and yellow gold-toned sunray dot and hands.\nYellow gold ion-plated stainless steel link bracelet with push-button deployment clasp.\nK1 crystal.\nSwiss quartz movement.\nWater resistant to 30 meters. \nMade in Switzerland.\nThis item may ship with an attached security tag. Merchandise returned without the original security tag attached or a damaged tag may not qualify for a refund.\nMeasurements:\n\n Case Height: 43 mm\n Case Width: 43 mm\n Case Depth: 11 mm\n Band Width: 11⁄13 in\n Band Circumference/Length: 6 3⁄4 in\n Weight: 6 oz\n \n\nThis product may have a manufacturer's warranty. Please visit the manufacturer's website or contact us at warranty@support.zappos.com for full manufacturer warranty details.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Beautiful, Accurate, Unexpectedly Works as Dress OR Casual\n\nReview: Let's start with this: calling it unisex is a bit of a reach. This is big. And heavy. And those things, that may push it out of the unisex category have made it my everyday watch.\n\nI'm not a big watch collector; I don't go to watch websites, and I can't tell you what movement is in what watch. Keeping that in mind, I do have a bunch of watches and, despite my initial reservations that this one is too flash, currently have this at the top of my to-wear list.\n\nNo second hand means no nurses or doctors will wear it, but it also means it's completely silent. I mean completely. I love that - it feels like the hands move by magic. It's also been wickedly accurate since I got it (though obviously it's tough to be perfectly accurate in that assessment without a second hand).\n\nThe body of the watch feels extremely solid and heavy, as it should. The crown is not screw-down, but the watch is supposedly water resistant to 30 meters. However, Movado says it's not suitable for swimming... I've never understood that: on what planet is \"water-resistant to 30 meters\" equate to \"splashes only, no swimming?\" Not a big deal though: this isn't exactly a beach watch. As an aside,I have showered with it on and it's shown no issues whatsoever.\n\nThe bracelet is great, and doesn't pull my arm hair, which is a big deal to me. This style of bracelet has ALWAYS been uncomfortable for me in the past: I'm happy sleeping with this guy on though. It's ajdustable via removal of either large or small links, though there is no fine tuning between. I've found a perfect fit though, so that hasn't been an issue for me.\n\nI've smacked it into a few door frames (accidentally!) and it has shown not one mark. The crystal, although it's not sapphire, looks good as new.\n\nAll in all, this thing feels great and looks great, as it well should. And, although it IS really flash, I pull it off with jeans and a tee shirt, no problem. A beautiful watch that feels great.","Product: Wenzel Traveler Pack - 72552015 (Black) Size: 23 In. X 12 In. X 13 In. Size: 23 In. X 12 In. X 9 In. (Without Daypack) Capacity: 3600 Cu. In. (3000 Cu. In. Main Compartment, 600 Cu.In. Convertible Daypack) Weight: 3 Lb. 13 Oz. Body Fabric: Polyester Suspension: Single Aluminum Stay With Hope Frame Sheet Additional Features: 2 Mesh Water Bottle Pockets, Side Compression Straps, Side Overflow Pockets With Zip Closures, Hidden Pocket Behind Convertible Daypack For Extra Valuables, Ergonomic Carry Handle, Daisy Chain.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Smart Design, Flexibility, Plenty of Room. A Great Travel Pack.\n\nReview: Is it possible to make the perfect travel pack? I don't know, but this gets close.\n\nHonestly, if I were to design exactly what I wanted in a weekend travel pack, this would ALMOST be it. First of all, the pack itself is very well made, with nice materials, high quality SBS zippers, an strong stitching throughout. The handle on the top makes it simple to use as a carry-on bag for flights, while the well-padded shoulder and waist straps tuck away into a zippered panel in the back.\n\nThere are plenty of pockets, including two mesh water bottle slots, and a nicely padded laptop pocket that had no problem swallowing a 15\" computer. This is my only real complaint, as the pack itself is wide enough to handle a 17\", but they've made the laptop slot a bit narrower.\n\nThere's a lightweight aluminum and HDPE frame in the back that allows the bag to hold its shape while empty. And it's removable - sweet.\n\nThen there's the killer feature - the outer section of the pack zips off and can be used as a small day pack, complete with shoulder straps. What a great feature for travelers! Leave the bulk of your things in a hotel or tent, and head off for the day with your camera, wallet, pad and paper,... whatever you want close at hand is there, without the hassle of carrying everything everywhere.\n\nBonus: behind the zip-off pack is a hidden zippered pocket, which makes it easy to keep important documents (passport, etc.) or extra cash in a more secure spot than a pocket open to the world.\n\nI can guarantee this: the next time I or a member of my family goes on a 3-4 day trip, this is going to be the one piece of luggage that is going for sure.","Product: Scratch resistant mineral crystal and Japanese quartz movement\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good Accuracy, Needs Finer Bracelet Adjustments\n\nReview: Watches can be tough to review. Aesthetics play a large part in how one likes what they wear on their wrist, so if you like the look of this watch in photos you'll be very happy; it's nicer in person than in photos. The blue is lovely, and the diamond-like jewels look quite nice.\n\nAccuracy has been excellent since I got it.\n\nMy only issue, in fact, tonight with the bracelet. While it is easy to adjust by removing links, there are no fine micro-adjustments that many bracelets have, meaning if your wrist falls somewhere between the size of two links, you can get quite the right fit. This, in fact, is a problem for me. With one of the links in it's too loose, but removing it makes it much too tight for me.\n\nThat aside, if you like the look, I think you'll be quite happy with this watch.","Product: For the guy who likes a clean silhouette and fuss-free aesthetic, it pays to choose Adam. Smooth leather makes it sleek and slim enough to fit comfortably in your back pocket.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Absolutely Fantastic. I Feel Free!\n\nReview: Ah ,minimizing...\n\nI tend to try to carry as much in my wallet as many women attempt to lug in their purse, so this case not only made my life easier (don't have to take my wallet out of my back pocket when I sit down), it made it simpler.\n\nFirst off, the construction is great. It's made in India, and the leather is extremely soft and supple, with that wonderful worn-leather smell that always makes me happy. Stitching is consistent all the way around. There are three card pockets, though the top one has a divider, making for four unique places to store cards and your license.\n\nWhile you can get two cards into a slot, if you do that more than once it starts to get a bit tight, and while the leather will stretch I found that figuring out how to get my card load down to just three cards plus a drivers license was worth the effort. License in back, three cards in front, I'm ready to go.\n\nAs for the money side, the magnet is very strong and easily holds ten bills folded in half. For those concerned, the magnet is only on the flip part while the base is just metal, thus keeping the magnet away from your cards. And the fit of money is PERFECT. Folded in half, the bills sit perfectly on the back of the case (hiding the a-bit-too-prominent Fossil logo), invisible from the front. It's really a great design and looks exceptionally neat.\n\nAs for receipts, there are bonus points here. I can tuck them under the magnet with the money, which just prompts me to get the out of there and into a drawer once I get home. So I'm finally not carrying around a stack of receipts in my wallet like a crazy person.\n\nI absolutely love this. Looks great, easy to carry, smells good, is a pleasure to handle and let me simplify a bit. All wonderful things. The only downside is that my old wallet looks lonely in my sock drawer.","Product: Ultimate Washers WG100 from Backdoor Sports features a unique reversible game board for playing the popular washer tosses game 3 different ways. Play with a slanted board, flat board or tub. Great for those gathering of family and friends, the Ultimate Washers board features specially researched and engineered materials to maximize both game playability and durability. The polypropylene used in manufacturing all the Back Door Sports game boards is formulated to resist damage and drying from the sun and other natural elements. The top playing surface on the Ultimate Washers game is covered in a special grade of industrial felt which provides an ideal landing surface, providing grip for the washers and also helps reduce the noise of impact. The steel legs on the Ultimate Washers game are coated in a rubber tartan material which keeps the game from moving during play and prohibits rust for prolonged durability. Ultimate Washers includes 2 game boards, 6 washers, 4 legs, complete instructions, and a carry bag.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: It Is What It Is\n\nReview: I may be one of the few reviewers to not only have never played washers, but to have never heard of it. But I'm a fan of most \"chuck things at other things\" games, so I was willing to give it a shot.\n\nFor those that don't know, it's incredibly straight forward. Set up the two plastic boxes 10 feet apart and throw colored washers at the opposite one. You get a point for landing it on the deck, two for hanging one over the hole, and three for dropping it into the hole. You can play with the targets flat or pitched slightly towards you by using the included legs. You can also turn the targets upside down and playing a \"tub\" style game, which eliminates the whole \"oops, my washer slid off the deck\" thing and makes it easier to score.\n\nThis set comes with the two targets topped with a felt-like material, 6 washers (3 each in white and black), the prop legs I mentioned, a bit of sandpaper to rough-up the washers so they slide slower when the hit the deck, and a large carry bag to store the set in (which is a VERY welcome feature).\n\nAt the price they're asking for 2 molded plastic buckets and 6 washers, you'd expect everything to at least be well made - unfortunately, that wasn't true for me (and at least one other reviewer). One of my decks is a bit concave, which means washers tend to slide in a slight curve towards the hole. It actually doesn't make that much of a difference considering weight/speed etc of a toss, but I still think if you're laying down this kind of money for what amounts to a high end version of what I'm told is traditionally made with leftover bits of stuff in a shop, well, they need to get the pieces right, that's all.\n\nOverall though, a pretty fun little outdoor game (they say you can play indoors, which you can, but honestly I think it just fits better at an outdoor barbecue, at the beach, or at a picnic) that's easy to play and great for the kind of half-concentrating games I like to play while grilling something or talking with friends and family.\n\nIf the price were a bit lower and my deck was flat, it could have copped another star. But at this price for something so simple that still has a manufacturing defect, it's just three.","Product: Its not complicated. Toms foolishly rush in to rendezvous with a seductive hen. This breeding hen turkey decoy has made it easier than ever to give gobblers what they are looking for in the spring woods. Using a photo taken of a hen just before she was bred sends an invitation no tom can turn down. Its the beginning of any classic love story. Guy meets girl. Guy falls for girlwell, well just let hunters holding the gun write the script. We bet it ends with feathers flying and rave reviews.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: It Fools Humans, It's Gotta Fool Turkeys\n\nReview: So the first thing that needs to be made clear is that this is a two dimensional decoy, three. With that out of the way, I have to say this is pretty realistic (you know, assuming you're looking at it from the side).\n\nConstruction is fine, and the print work is excellent. It's easy to fold up and carry around in a small space, which makes it easy to bring along anywhere and deploy quickly and easily.\n\nI've had it outside the entire time I've had it, and it's been hit by full sun and plenty of water, and it still looks great, so I assume it's got a lot of life in it. And, as for looking real, I put it in our front walkway, peaking out from behind a plant and it scared my wife, my daughter, and a family friend that actually HAS a turkey. TWICE.\n\nSince human brains > turkey brains, this is a winner.","Product: Our newest inversion table has been updated to be more ergonomic to help you reverse the spinal compresses you experience every day, safely and more easily than before. With each use, achieve that incredible feeling, like someone is lifting you up through your vertebrae a sensation that has created true devotees of Gaiam inversion tables in the past. This table, constructed of heavy steel, helps strengthen your back, elongating your spine and increasing circulation. Padded half-circle handlebars and cushioned ankle harnesses add comfortable, secure support. No more balancing acts. Simply walk your hands up or down to your desired position with extra gripping to allow for easier position changes. Skid-resistant rubber floor protectors also ensure stability. Assembly required. Height adjusts to fit 5'1\"-6'2\"with clear settings on each side. For individuals weighing up to 250 lb. Protective covers included. Taiwan.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Does What it Should - Small Issues\n\nReview: Whether or not inversion therapy works for you is a personal issue of course. I have chronic back pain and was hoping to get some relief, but whatever help inversion therapy provides me is short-lived. However that's not necessarily true for everyone, so what is relevant here is the quality of this particular table.\n\nAnd as far as that goes, it seems fairly good. Construction was pretty easy, though the instructions themselves had a few minor errors - nothing that couldn't be resolved using a little logic however. Parts all went together fine, though a few of the plastic plugs in the end of the pipes came out or were mis-fitting.\n\nOnce built, it seems comfortable and easy to use. We've tried it with every height from about 5' to 6' 1\" and everyone has been fine. Ankle pads are sufficiently thick and it rotates from upright to a fully-inverted 90-degrees easily. The bars that suspend the table in the frame are thick and solid, and locked in using two metal plates with bolts - I have had absolutely no worries about the table coming off of the frame or the frame collapsing.\n\nSo it appears that this is a good value. I'd suggest you have someone that's good with their hands around when you build it in case your instructions are a bit wonky, as mine were, but if you think inversion therapy would be helpful for you, this table would be a good bet.","Product: The combo is the union of two high-level products made with quality material and great design. The product is ideal for Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, and Freediving. The Mask and Snorkel are made in Italy in 100% high-quality silicone, a better material and longer lasting than plastic PVC. Snorkel features a float mechanism which closes instantly to prevent water from entering the snorkel whether accidentally or purposely submerged. It has a highly flexible tube that reduces jaw fatigue and folds compactly for storing in a BC pocket or travel pack. The snorkel's wider elliptical bore shape increases air flow capacity for more comfortable breathing and a purge valve enables instant clearing when needed. The mask is made in Italy in hypoallergenic silicone for ensure comfort and a perfect seal. Features inclined and inverted tear-drop lenses for improve downward visibility, a Cressi's patented design (US 6272693). Tempered glass lenses. The easy-to-use Integrated Buckles (Cressi patented technology) are integrated with the frame with a swivel system for quickly strap length adjustment. The combo comes with an Handy Bag for protect and carry the equipment. The product is designed and made in Italy by Cressi, a brand pioneer in Scuba Diving, Snorkeling and Swimming equipment.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Excellent. Comfy, No Leaks, Great View\n\nReview: My face hates masks. I'm telling you, I can't find one that fits comfortably and doesn't leak. Or at least I *couldn't* until now.\n\nThe quality on this mask and snorkel set is top-notch. Silicone in the mask is super-supple, and the snorkel design exudes quality. Fit is excellent. As I said, I have had a lot of trouble finding non-leaky masks, but this one fits the bill perfectly. Once under water, the excellent visibility thanks to the large panels makes finding fish a pleasure.\n\nThe wide strap holds well and does not slip, and neither does the adjustment; once it's set, it stays set.\n\nThe snorkel has a one-way valve that works really well, saving me the trouble of having to spit a tube full of water out to get a breath after diving under to pick something up. The flexible tubing near the mouthpiece makes it easy to find a comfortable position, and the click-in retainer holds it securely to the strap while being easy to attach and remove.\n\nOverall, a great set, if a little pricey. Still though, five stars.","Product: Cressi Bonete Bag three piece set comes with tempered glass mask and semi dry snorkel supplied with purge valve. Also a carry bag making them easy to transport or store. Simply choose your fin size and with our speedy delivery, you'll be ready for under water action in no time.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Mixed Results in My Family\n\nReview: It's a bit of a split decision on this product at my household.\n\nI live in South Florida, so snorkeling is a way of life here. I ordered this as an additional set for use by my guests, my family, whomever needed to go snorkeling with us.\n\nWhen I tried to set out, I was not entirely happy. I think the shorter fins provide less thrust than I'm used to, and I couldn't get a very good seal on the mask. That surprised me, as this company's masks are usually quite good. I suppose they were trying to hit a solid budget though.\n\nIn the hands of my teenage children or my sister however, this set worked a treat. The fins held up beautifully and fit a variety of foot sizes, and no one else seemed to have a problem getting a good seal on the mask.\n\nThe snorkel isn't a dry one, but that's clear in the product description. If you do a lot of diving, or snorkel in choppy water, you may want to look elsewhere to find something that will keep water out a bit better.\n\nOverall, if it were just me that was testing this, it would be a three star product. However, since my family had such a positive experience with it, I'll give it 4 stars overall.\n\nI suppose if you have a big face, you might want to avoid it, but otherwise it's not a bad bet.","Product: Take Protection & Style to the Max. This revved up Samsung Galaxy S III Grip case features raised edges that absorb shock and defend your screen against scratches. Interior AirShock Pockets evenly disperse the force of impact. The Grip Max is extra-protective, yet still sleek enough to slip easily into your pocket or bag without adding bulk.Airshock Pockets act as a protective interior for your Samsung Galaxy S III. These micro air pockets in the inner lining of the case are engineered to cushion your device from drops while keeping the case as thin as possible. Designed with an innovative TPU material that absorbs shock better than TPE or silicone. The raised edges reinforce the areas of your phone most prone to damage, while protecting the body of your case from dings and scratches.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Excellent - Could Use Screen Protector\n\nReview: I've gone through a lot of cases for my GS3 and this is one of my favorites.\n\nWhile it's extremely easy to put on (just pops on the back) it's tough to get off: a good sign that it's holding it securely. The rubber surround protrudes above the screen surface just enough to provide protection and allow you to put the phone face down on a counter or desk, without being obtrusive.\n\nPort access is perfect - there's protection, but not so much that there are issues plugging in headphones or a USB cable - not true of many cases I've used. I should point out though that there are no port covers: they're always open. Not something that bothers me, but it's not the highest level of protection out there.\n\nCamera, flash and microphone cutouts are perfectly positioned and finished extremely well, with a rubber inner rim in the camera lens cutout. Rubber covers on power and volume switches are also just right, with great tactile feedback - no problems at all working those buttons and knowing exactly what you are doing.\n\nThe back itself is a high-gloss white, but it's NOT slippery - which is fantastic. To aid holding it, the back is slightly concave, with a raised rim, topped with rubber, running the entire perimeter. The end result is extremely easy to hold with no worries about it slipping. It's easy to get in and out of a pocket, and the rubber rim lets me put it on a smooth surface in my car without it sliding all over the place.\n\nMy only criticism is that Belkin fails to include any sort of screen protector. I happen to have one on already because I was using a Kraken case prior to this, but if you believe they're helpful (and that is up for debate), you'll have to purchase one separately.\n\nBut that's a small complaint that, while I feel I have to ding a star from the score, doesn't prevent me from recommending this case wholeheartedly. It hasn't left my phone since it arrived, and with the number of cases I have around here to choose from that's pretty high praise.","Product: This sleek and tough case protects against scratches, bumps and shocks. The Commuter Series case has two layers of protection that work together to divert any impact force away from the device, keeping you and your phone ready for anything. When one installs the case, depending upon the order of installation, the top right hand corner can seem off a bit. This is simply solved by pulling up on the head phone port cover gently until you hear a pop and see it snap into place.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: The Best Choice For a Higher Level of Protection\n\nReview: I've gone through a lot of cases in my day and frankly, I change it up a lot. I get bored, to be honest, and want to change the look and feel of my phone fairly often. But I'm never willing to forgo quality, and with the Otterbox there's absolutely no worries there.\n\nKeep in mind that the GS5 is pretty big to begin with. Not Galaxy Note big, but no lightweight, either. So by definition, you're going to be pushing the limits of your pockets (I don't do holsters) no matter what case you drop the phone into. And that being the case, if you're going to make the phone considerably bigger, you'd better at least be gaining a ton of protection. On this, the Otterbox delivers.\n\nFit and finish are both excellent. The case goes on easily but holds the phone tightly. All cutouts are clean and perfectly positioned, and the button overlays are easy to use and positioned accurately. It's a two-part case, with an inner synthetic rubber sleeve (synthetic rubber?) and an outer polycarbonate shell. The Otterbox also includes an excellent screen protector that is cut accurately and, if applied correctly, is effectively un-noticable. The combined effect made me feel like my S5 was as indestructible as possible for a modern smart phone, and I was extremely impressed.\n\nHowever, I don't use it every day. As I said, the phone is big to start, and it's made bigger with the Otterbox. For my usage, I prefer a slimmer TPU case. BUT - were I out on the road more often, and certainly if I'm going on a trip, I think the Otterbox is unbeatable. It's tough, good looking, and adds as little bulk as possible to provide the level of protection it delivers.\n\nIf you tend to drop your phone a fair amount and need a good, tough case - the Otterbox is a great choice.","Product: Simple, elegant amplification of audio. The perfect solution for gaming, movies, music and speakerphone.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Delivers On Sound Claims And Protection\n\nReview: There are two main aspects of this case that need to be looked at: protection and the claim that it makes your iPhone louder. Incredibly, Speck delivers in both areas.\n\nWhy incredibly? Because people have been making claims like Speck's since health potions were sold from the backs of wagons, and they've rarely delivered. In the case of this Speck case though, there's been no false advertising claimes I've been able to see. Slapping an iPhone into this thing really DOES deliver a huge increase in volume. Is it double? I don't know - but I do know I have to ask my daughter to turn down the music despite the fact that the door is closed. That's impressive.\n\nAs for protection, the Speck delivers here as well. My daughter has confessed to dropping her iPhone \"a bunch of times\" but there has been no damage whatsoever suffered. I consider that a huge win - she's killed more than her share of iProducts (both phones and pods).\n\nFor me though, there's one fact that really closes the deal for me. Not only has it survived my daughter's less-than-optimum care, not only do I have to tell her to turn it down through a closed door, there's this: she's been using it steadily since I put it on her iPhone over a month ago. Is there higher praise?","Product: The Invisible Shield - ZAGGs customized, patented, flagship product - wraps around consumer electronics providing unrivaled abrasion resistance. Custom designed for thousands of devices, including mobile phones, digital media players, laptops, tablets, GPS devices, hand-held gaming systems, watches, digital cameras, and more, the Invisible Shield is the original gadget protector\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great Fit and Finish, Good Protection\n\nReview: I've tried quite a few screen protectors, and haven't ever been particularly happy with any of them. In fact, I've generally removed them either because I don't like the feel, or because of a small bubble or two. This one, however, is still on the phone.\n\nWhy? To start with, it goes one extremely easily and fits well. There's not a single bubble underneath the thing either, which is due to the design and materials used. Finally, the feel of it is excellent and it doesn't detract from the display. The phone it's on is primarily used now by my wife, and she keeps it loose in her purse. Two days ago, she dropped the phone on pavement for the first time. Despite both of those things, though the screen still looks great.\n\nI think the best compliment that she could give it came the other day when I asked for her thoughts on it and she responded \"I forgot it was even on there.\" For me, that says it all.","Product: Shield your phone in one of these sleek Fabric design cases. Slim design features full access to all buttons and ports, allowing use of the phones many capabilities. Available in a variety of colors to fit any personality.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Good Idea, Poor Quality and Design\n\nReview: I really wanted to like this case, because I love the concept. I've gotten tired of the metal and glass look of tech, and even considered buying a Moto X just to order one with a wooden back. So when a cloth-covered case came along, I was excited.\n\nAnd at first, I liked it. I snapped on easily and looked and felt fine. It's a hard plastic, though, not TPU so it doesn't look like it'd give any \"bounce\" if it were dropped. But I was ok with that.\n\nWhat I wasn't OK with were a few other things. First of all, the cut for the charging port has two uncomfortable points to it - it doesn't bridge across the port the way some do. I tend to hold the GS5 with my pinky beneath it for support, and the thing just irritated my finger to no end. Now, I recognize that not everyone holds phones the same way, but it was a problem for me.\n\nBigger problems exist though: I did not drop my case, but there's a crack running from the bottom up the middle about 1/3 of the way - perhaps this happened when I was taking it off or putting it on, I don't know, but I don't like it. It's not visible from the outside because of the cloth cover, but still, that's pretty lame.\n\nAnd the cloth covering is starting to have threads pop up all around the case. I count about 10 threads at this point, each a good 1/4\" long and consisting of a group of threads, making it look incredibly old and shabby. Which I'd understand if I had used it for more than 48 hours, but I didn't.\n\nSo while it looks OK, and I love the idea of introducing more traditional materials into cases, this thing went from useable to cracked and shabby in 2 days. Not for me, and I'd suggest you look elsewhere as well.","Product: Thoughtfully designed for no-hassle daily use, the Jittterbug5 takes simplicity to the next level with features like big buttons, a backlit keypad and a powerful speaker for clear conversations. Unlike most cell phones that need to be recharged almost every day, the Jitterbug5 has one of the longest-lasting batteries on the market and can go nearly a month without needing to be charged. A convenient built-in camera makes it easy to capture and share every special moment. With Minutes-Only plans starting at $14.99 per month, staying in touch with family and friends is easier than ever.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Excellent. Well Thought-Out and Effective\n\nReview: I'm confident I'm not the only person with a parent in their 80s that is still on the ball, but technologically challenged. And if you're like me, you know how hard it is to find technology that they can use without needing constant help. With this phone, though, Jitterbug has hit all the right features just right.\n\nIt's a simple and easy to use flip phone - that's number one, of course, because a smartphone just ain't gonna work in this scenario, and it's harder to find phones like this than you'd think. Then the button size - they need to be big and easy to read, which these are, no problem. Then of course there are soft keys and menus - somehow my mother can get lost in these with no way to get out. Jitterbug dealt with this by putting simple yes/no buttons on the phone, making it easy for her to figure out just what to do.\n\nPlus, there's a dial tone. I've never seen that on a cell phone, but it makes people unaccustomed to using one feel immediately at home, and it's a brilliant idea. Next, the 5Star service - one big button to push for help, that can range from simple questions to triage. They can have a doctor call you back to help diagnose, or they can contact emergency services if you need immediate help. Fantastic!\n\nSo the features are great - what about functionality? Well, sound is excellent and plenty loud if need be, and the battery lasts for ages. Again, exactly what you'd want for an elderly person that may not be great at charging their phone regularly. And as for reception, it's on Verizon, so check your reception in your area; here and where my mother lives, it's excellent. Verizon is also the only company (so I've been given to understand) whose cell system stays up during a natural disaster. So there's a huge bonus as well.\n\nAll in all, a great, great product at a reasonable price with fair monthly fees. Highly recommended, particularly for those who have elderly family members that refuse to wear one of those emergency alert bracelets.","Product: What you need to accomplish each day can sometimes be more than what your phones can keep up with. So stay productive through your day and into your night with two times battery capacity. The Resurgence iPhone 5/5s battery power case helps keep you up and running to tackle what matters.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The Best iPhone Accessory. Period.\n\nReview: This is exactly what an iPhone needs: a way to extend battery life.\n\nI put this on my 5S and everything worked as easy as pie. Setting it up was easy: take the case apart, put the iPhone in, put the top back on. Boom, done.\n\nAnd the first great feature is this: you charge it using the jack on the case, not the phone, and, it takes a standard USB charger plug. Not having to worry about Apple's stupid proprietary jack makes it WAY easier to find someplace to charge it. But here's the thing: it's no longer an issue with this extended battery life.\n\nThe way it works is this: first your phone charges, then the case. The case is not a supplemental battery though, it's a charger. So when your phone is running low, or dead, or whenever, you can hit the charge button on the case to charge it back up again. The case knows when the phone is full and shuts off, leaving the rest of the case charge available. Simple as that!\n\nThe case has a series of four lights to give you an idea of its charge level, so you always know where you are with your phone and the recharging power.\n\nThe only downside is that OtterBox does not include a screen cover of any kind. That's kind of a drag considering how notorious iPhone screens are in the breaking department.\n\nBut that's a small issue. The phone has been dropped with no damage (the case opened up, but that's good - it expended the energy of the drop there instead of on the phone), and everything has worked as I had hoped. I'm a happy camper.","Product: Customizable style - Keep it clear to boast the Samsung Galaxy S5 style or flaunt your personality with Swappable Design Inserts\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great! Protection Without Uglification (or Screen Protection)\n\nReview: I've had a lot of cases. A lot. The struggle is always to find something that will actually protect the phone without making it look absurd, add too much weight, or interfere with its use. This one checks all the boxes.\n\nThere's not a ton to this: you just put the phone in. There's no cover, nor is a screen protector included. That's an oversight perhaps, but not enough to make my review any less positive. The rubber edges provide a fine level of protection, and the clear back is great. I love the option of being able to actually see my phone - of course, creative types can insert whatever they'd like between the phone and case, making it extremely flexible.\n\nSize and weight are about as minimal as you can get while still offering protection, and the case barely detracts from the great form factor that the S5 has when it's naked.\n\nI haven't tossed my phone against a wall to test it, but i did drop it and suffered no ill-effects. More important, perhaps: I feel like it's secure.\n\nEasy to grip, easy to get in and out of my pocket, and looks dandy. That's about what I'm looking for, and I think the Symmetry is great.","Product: 10-Digit desktop calculator is made from the recycled materials of Canon copiers with the upper and lower casings being made with a high percentage of recycled material. Functions include tax calculation, square root, sign change, three-key memory, multiplication, division, percentage calculations and grand total. Decimal positions include a, 4, 3, 2, 0, and F. The large LCD screen easily shows all your computations. Desktop calculator runs on solar and battery power and shuts off automatically after approximately seven minutes.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: What can I say?\n\nReview: There's really not much you can say about a calculator. Either it has buttons and a display that you like, along with functions you need, or it doesn't.\n\nThis one's claim to fame is the fact that it's made from recycled Canon products, which is frankly irrelevant to me. It's relevant to my daughter though, so she's very happy. As for usage, it's actually really great. I love the tax calculation functions and we use it to do off the cuff totals at our store without having to deal with our point-of-sale software. Buttons are big and have good action, display is large and easy to read.\n\nI wouldn't pay more for it because of the recycled aspect, but it's actually a great product and I'm very happy with it.","Product: Fellowes Professional Series Compact Keyboard Tray provides comfort and maneuverability for smaller workspaces. Designed and manufactured for Fellowes by Humanscale. Lift and lock feature lets you adjust height with one hand tilt platform to reposition, then straighten to lock in place. Single manual knob adjusts tilt up to -10 degrees for optimal comfort. Warning Trak helps prevent mouse from sliding off platform. Standard platform accommodates both right and left-handed mousing. Health-V memory foam supports with Microban antimicrobial protection stay cleaner and relieve wrist pressure to help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. Durable keyboard tray features compact 17-3/4 Inches glide track, slim profile, and non-skid pads.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Love It. Better, Sturdier, More Useful Than Old Model\n\nReview: There are a lot of flimsy keyboard trays out there, so it's a refreshing change to use one that actually works. I had a slightly older heavy-duty Fellows, but there were issues with things like the mouse pad: it lacked a wrist rest, and was a separate circular piece that was less sturdy, and higher, than the main tray and I found it uncomfortable to use. Over the months I used the tray less and less, ultimately going back to just using my desk.\n\nThe opposite is true with this new one. The single solid board with mousing surface is sturdy and easy to adjust for height, making it more comfortable to use. Both keyboard and mouse wrist rests are easily removable (they just sit on the board) to allow for deep keyboards that have their own rests, or for the use of a trackball mouse.\n\nPlus, the entire thing not only adjusts for height, but for tilt. A locking knob allows you to raise the leading edge of the tray if that's the way you like to type. The only downside is that, of course, this also tilts the mouse portion, so you need to keep the angle reasonable or use a ball mouse that won't run away.\n\nMounting is easy, and all parts are extremely well made and sturdy. This is a premium product, not a flimsy plastic tray that you'd find included with a cheap desk. On the subject of parts, one other issue Fellowes addressed with this model is the size of the track that gets screwed to the underside of the desk. The old one was so deep it didn't fit on my main desk because of the panel under the desk that drops down midway back (do they call that a privacy panel or something?). At any rate, I actually switched desks to use the old tray. The new one, however, is much shorter, fitting just fine on my older desk.\n\nSo all in all, a great product that works well and addresses my issues with my old one. For anyone at their desks for extended periods of time, I recommend it highly.","Product: BIC 4-Color Grip ball pen offers the iconic 4-Color pen in a comptemporary design. It has a stylish grip for long-lasting comfort. It writes in black, red and green ink.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Everything I Remember, But Better\n\nReview: For those of us born in the sixties, coveting the famous blue and white barreled version of this pen was as common as bell bottoms, Orange Crush and Stan Smiths. Every kid I know wanted one, and I remember how happy I was when I actually had one.\n\nToday's version lacks the old-school color scheme, but that just makes it easier to a) use in a meeting without looking like you're 12-years-old, and b) keep it from getting stolen by another former ne'er-do-well that pines for the 70s.\n\nThe thing writes great, looks good, is extremely comfortable, and changes colors smoother than the original. Yes, it makes a great and convenient editing pen (red ink), and I'm sure there are other legit uses for it as well.\n\nBut for me, and I'm sure for more than a few others (like my wife and kids who kept snaking it from me once they discovered its greatness) it's just about having a great pen that makes me smile every time I pick it up.\n\nWithout question, worth the money. The only downside? You probably ought to by enough to give everyone in your household at least two. Because once someone misplaces theirs, they're coming gunning for yours.","Product: The FYRKAT Charcoal Picnic Grill is compact for easy portability making it ideal for tailgating, camping, grilling on terraces, or on the beach. It features a 13.4-inch diameter, perfect for grilling whole fish, steaks, burgers and vegetables. Made of enamel-coated steel with chrome-plated steel legs, it has a heat-resistant silicone handle with silicone lid clips for easy carrying. The FYRKAT Grill is available in an array of 6 colors: Black, Yellow, Blue, Green, Off-White & Orange. Matching grill tools also available separately.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great Stuff, Though So Is Weber's Offering\n\nReview: Well, we're more than halfway through summer, and I've just finally gotten it together to do a post about portable charcoal grills. Some of you may know I write a popular meat blog called The Meatist ([...]), and in my meaty adventures have had occasion to cook out of doors more than a little.\n\nWhile for the last few years I've been laming out and relying on the ease-of-use that comes with a gas grill, I recently received a Bodum Fyrkat Portable Charcoal Grill for review, and I was psyched to get back to charcoal.\n\nThe Fyrkat is a fairly basic grill at first glance; it's got a wire grate for cooking, it's a kettle-style, and it's got two ventilation holes at the top of the dome, controlled by twisting the handle back and forth. What sets it apart from many others, and certainly from a hibachi, is the three latches that hold the top in place. This allows you to fill it with charcoal, slap the top on, and toss it in your trunk to go to a cookout. No fuss, no muss, and it's easy to carry the whole thing by the handle.\n\nIn the performance department, it does great. Plenty of ventilation from the bottom (underneath the separate charcoal tray that catches the vast majority of ash) gives you the flexibility to run it hot or hotter by moderating the top vents.\n\nAs for grill size, I was able to cook up five giganzo burgers on the 13.4 inch grate with no problem at all, so a basic cookout for a family of 5 or 6 would be easy peasy.\n\nIf easy transport isn't a priority though, you can save a few bucks and rock the <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Weber-Smokey-Joe-Silver-Charcoal-Grill/dp/B00004RALL/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Weber Smokey Joe Silver Charcoal Grill</a> which is about $20 cheaper. While it doesn't come with the latches, and colors aren't quite as interesting (it comes in black, as opposed to the orange, blue, green, yellow, white, adn black of the Bodum), it's 14.5-inch grill gives a bit more space too cook on, and it's a Weber, so you know it will last.\n\nOn the downside, the Weber holds its charcoal on a straight grate, which means ash is apt to fall through the bottom vent holes and land wherever you've parked the thing. On the Fyrkat, there's a solid pan under the grate, but above the ventilation holes, so that isn't nearly as much of an issue, either when cooking or during post-cookout transport.\n\nBut regardless, either of these beat a hibachi hands down in my opinion. They're compact, the work great, and the capitalize on a covered, smokey cooking environment. If you're in the market for a small cookout grill that you can transport easily, or are just tired of looking at your hibachi, give the Fyrkat a good look.\n\nOh, and if you're looking for tips on grilling and cooking meat or recipes for meats and barbecue sauces, stop by The Meatist - I've got a ton of 'em.","Product: The Victor Power-Kill Mouse Trap is set and released with one simple \"click.\" The trap is designed with a large trough for easy baiting and the large trip pedal is easily activated - both by rodent interest in food AND through accidental contact as mice scamper across the floor. Once a rodent triggers the pedal, the high-impact kill bar immediately springs closed for a quick, humane kill.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Finally: The DID Build A Better Mousetrap\n\nReview: They say if you build a better mousetrap the world will beat a path to your door. If that's true, it's going to get crowded outside this company's offices, because this IS better.\n\nI've tried humane traps repeatedly to no avail, and needed to get serious about de-mousing my workshop, so I finally caved and went with the other option. However, I hated the idea of poisoning for a couple of reasons, and whatever method I chose had to be as humane as possible - I think this Victor is it.\n\nThe bar has enough power to dispatch mice quickly and as humanely as I'd think possible under the circumstances, and the bait area is more than sufficient.\n\nBut the reason I find this particular trap to be \"better\" is the way it's set: I used to hate setting the old style snap traps and haven't messed with one since, because I always thought I would end up snapping one on myself (ok - I was a kid when I last set one, so maybe it's an unreasonable fear, but I still hate them). This trap doesn't require setting a trip bar across the open snapper: you just pull the bar back until it clicks, and never have to risk getting your fingers smacked. Fantastic.\n\nDisposal is equally easy as setting, and the thing is all plastic so it's easily washable if necessary.\n\nA great basic solution for mice that works, is humane, and is reasonably priced.","Product: An Amazon Brand.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Sturdy, Well Made, Looks Nice\n\nReview: Fire pits are pretty basic affairs. Four legs, a bowl, a grate, a top, and a tool to lift the top when it's hot.\n\nWhat it comes down to in the end is how well it's built and how nice it looks, and in this case I think it rates above average on both counts.\n\nAssembly was simple: remove four nuts from each of the four leg positions, place the legs over the bolts, and replace the nuts to hold them in place. Flip the thing over, then drop the bowl into the middle of the circle of tiles, place the grate in the bowl, attach the handle to the top and you're done.\n\nThe hardware is sturdy and heavy duty, as are the legs, so I have no issues there. Each leg has a foot screwed into the bottom which is an excellent touch: you can adjust them for height if you wish, but the major benefit is keeping any potential rust from the legs from staining brick or concrete. A nice touch.\n\nThe grill is sturdy and sprayed black, as is the bowl, and the top is not nearly as flimsy as some I've seen. The tile work around the perimeter looks nice and has a suitable rustic feel to it, though for some bizarre reason the grout is tinted pink. Not a fan there - but at least it isn't a bright pink...\n\nNOTE: It is NOT rustproof, and the instructions recommend covering it with a vinyl cover when not in use. I suspect that other fire pits come with the same caveat though, so it's not a big deal.\n\nPink grout aside, this is a well-made fire pit that is easy to assemble, looks good and works well. If you're looking for a nice fire pit and can live with pinkish grout, this makes a nice choice.","Product: The Victor Power-Kill Mouse Trap is set and released with one simple \"click.\" The trap is designed with a large trough for easy baiting and the large trip pedal is easily activated - both by rodent interest in food AND through accidental contact as mice scamper across the floor. Once a rodent triggers the pedal, the high-impact kill bar immediately springs closed for a quick, humane kill.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Finally: The DID Build A Better Mousetrap\n\nReview: They say if you build a better mousetrap the world will beat a path to your door. If that's true, it's going to get crowded outside this company's offices, because this IS better.\n\nI've tried humane traps repeatedly to no avail, and needed to get serious about de-mousing my workshop, so I finally caved and went with the other option. However, I hated the idea of poisoning for a couple of reasons, and whatever method I chose had to be as humane as possible - I think this Victor is it.\n\nThe bar has enough power to dispatch mice quickly and as humanely as I'd think possible under the circumstances, and the bait area is more than sufficient.\n\nBut the reason I find this particular trap to be \"better\" is the way it's set: I used to hate setting the old style snap traps and haven't messed with one since, because I always thought I would end up snapping one on myself (ok - I was a kid when I last set one, so maybe it's an unreasonable fear, but I still hate them). This trap doesn't require setting a trip bar across the open snapper: you just pull the bar back until it clicks, and never have to risk getting your fingers smacked. Fantastic.\n\nDisposal is equally easy as setting, and the thing is all plastic so it's easily washable if necessary.\n\nA great basic solution for mice that works, is humane, and is reasonably priced.","Product: Miracle-Gro AeroGarden Bounty with Gourmet Herb Seed Pod Kit - Grow fresh herbs, vegetables, salad greens, flowers and more. Let your imagination grow wild!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: What's Better Than Fresh Herbs?\n\nReview: I received my review unit unit just over 30 days ago, and for the most part, it's been fantastic.\n\nThe unit consists has a great LCD display that monitors water level, time that you've been growing, and reminds you when to add more plant food. It even offers growing tips from time to time, for those that may have skipped some parts of the included printed instructions. If you simply chekc the LCD panel from time to time and do as it says, it's pretty hard to fail.\n\nSetup was a snap: put the tub and light panel on the base, fill with water, plug in the pump wire and put the growing deck in place. Drop the nine seed pods into the deck, turn it on and set the correct time. From then on, the AeroGarden effectively takes over: one button press to tell it you're starting a new garden, and you're off.\n\nPlacement is important for a couple of reasons. The instructions give reasons to avoid a few places (like beneath upper cabinets with under-cabinet lights), but there's a more important reason in my book: this thing is incredibly bright, I mean really, really, bright, and the lights are on for 17 hours a day. While you can change the settings to shorten that, we went with the recommended 17 hours, choosing to run them from 4 AM to 9 PM. Don't consider putting this in your bedroom unless you sleep in sunglasses, and anywhere behind a television in your living room is going to be a drag as well. With the inability to put them under counters (even without lights, it would block raising the lights), we were a bit limited and had to get creative, choosing to put them on a super-narrow book shelf.\n\nFor the first week or so, my garden say quietly with the included plastic covers over each seed pod, like little greenhouses that got nice and humid. Then stuff started to sprout. As per the instructions, I removed the covers of each plant when they got close to the top, and by day 21, all of my covers had been removed. Except for chives. Which failed to launch.\n\nI called customer service and the response was excellent. I told them about the chives and also mentioned that the cilantro looked weird; all the lower leaves were turning black. As I recall, the rep told me that was some sort of fungus, and that they'd send out replacements for both. I have yet to receive them, but it was Thanksgiving week last week so I'm not perturbed.\n\nOn the upside though, the basil, Thai basil and dill went bananas. I'm 34 days in at this point and I've harvested more of all of them than I can use, and the plants are still full and growing like mad. Mint, though it was a bit of a late-starter, is getting nice and full as well and I just began pruning it as well. The two parsley plants have been slow growers, and have not needed to be pruned (though one got tangled with the cilantro and got a bit butchered during a cilantro pruning session). I'm not too sad though: I find parsley to be almost useless (parsley fans: please don't yell TOO loud).\n\nIn light of the fact that we're getting new chives and cilantro, and considering we don't much care for parsley, we've decided to attempt to transplant our current crop into dirt and restart fresh with an entire new garden (well, except the mint - we're keeping the mint in the garden). We ordered 6 more pods of herbs that we really wanted to try out - the selection on the AeroGarden site is great, and you can mix and match to create your own collection. Prices are reasonable as well: about 16 bucks for 6 pods. For those of you that are interested, they also sell \"grow your own\" pods into which you can put whatever seeds you choose.\n\nSo all-in-all, it's actually been a great experience. Clearly, my issues with chives and cilantro notwithstanding, this thing can grow plants, and grow them well. I've been loving making homemade pasta sauce with the basil, and my daughter just headed back to college with a huge bag of clippings. I do wish they'd grow at a more consistent rate, as keeping the grow lights close to the plants is important, but nature is nature. Watching them grow is also really fun, and once they're established they grow at an incredible rate (at least the basil and dill do - they're just nuts).\n\nI was really struggling with how to rate this. It works great and I have really liked working with it. And having herbs close at hand has been great. On the other hand, I had two failed seed pods. So what to do? In the end, I've decided that I really do love it (which is the criterion for the 5 star, according to the hover text :-) ), and the failed pods aren't so much about the garden as about the pods themselves. With the great customer service willing to send more out if there's an issue, I really had to go with 5 stars. If I didn't already have one, I'd buy one (I actually considered getting another smaller one on Black Friday), and that's the best endorsement I can give it.","Product: OUR VIEW: Real FX is unlike any other race system we have ever seen or experienced, using AI to create the best of video game, slot car & R/C. MANUFACTURERS COPY: No lanes, no slots. Real FX patented system creates the most realistic racing experience outside of a real car on a real track. But, unlike any other system Real FX also works off track as R/C.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Cool Concept That Doesn't Deliver\n\nReview: I was pretty excited to try this out. I had slot cars as a kid, and the idea here is pretty cool. Unfortunately, it didn't really live up to my hopes.\n\nSetup was pretty easy: the track pieces are flat and bendable, and are put together using the old \"tab in slot\" technique. After getting the track together and loading cars and controllers with batteries, we got down to race..\n\nIt wasn't very fun. There's the short form here. It just wasn't. More detail? Okie dokie. There are various assist modes, race modes, a pace car mode, and an R/C mode if you just want to drive the cars around the house. After pairing a controller with a car, which went just fine, you select a mode and get going.\n\nOn the upside, the assist modes worked pretty well. Assuming you keep the speed in check (physics are physics), the cars will circulate the track with no steering input. But it wasn't entirely without mishap. One car in particular seemed to want to ignore one of the turns and head off the track at the same spot every lap. We checked the track for dirt, made sure there was no direct sunlight on it (oh yeah, that's a no-no according to the instructions, which is a pretty big downside), and examined the car to make sure that there was nothing in front of the sensors. Nothing helped. The other car worked fine in the same spot, too.\n\nThe downsides, though, were what killed it for me. And for the 5 young people I had in my house. And my wife.\n\nFirst of all, the engine sounds coming out of the controller are monumentally irritating. Not a big deal, as you can turn them down or off, but it sets a bad tone as far as the fun factor. Next, the racing just isn't a lot of fun. Yes, there's a lap counter and a lap speed announcer, and I did have fun for about 3 or 4 minutes trying to get the fastest time, but racing head to head got boring fast.\n\nAmong other things, the scale is terrible. The cars are way too big for the track, or the track is way too small for the cars, whichever way you'd like to look at it. That makes battling between two cars almost absurdly silly. Everyone had fun at first, but everyone got incredibly bored withing 5 minutes of picking up the remotes to drive. It's odd: watching people play makes you want to jump in - until you do, and get bored fast. Again, we had 7 people try this out and everyone felt the same. I left the track set up for two more days, and not once did anyone pick up a car and remote to play. Not once. That is a bad sign.\n\nAnother issue: the construction is pretty low on the quality scale. We had wheels fall off unexpectedly a couple of times, and the body popped off one car when someone was just picking it up. Easily fixable, but just ridiculous. In fact, top-to-bottom, the entire set felt like an incredibly cheap and poorly constructed knock-off of a good set. Of course, there is no \"good set\" that this knocked off, and even if there were there's still the small problem of it being not much fun.\n\nI'm sure I'll get down-voted for my review, but I call 'em like I see 'em. And if I can prevent one kid from opening this on his or her birthday, or during the holiday season, only to be brokenhearted at the poor quality and the low fun-factor, well then I've done my job.\n\nSorry guys, this is a big miss.","Product: Unleash the rapid-fire fury of the Mega RotoFury blaster! This long-range blaster can launch your darts up to 90 feet. Who will withstand your attack when you can fire up to 10 Mega Whistler Darts at your target with the rotating drum without reloading? The Whistler Darts will scream through the air as you dominate the battlefield with the rapid-firing Mega RotoFury blaster! Nerf and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Big Gun, Big Fun, But Not Quite \"The One\"\n\nReview: I'm a big fan of Nerf toys, and was hoping for excellence here. It got close, but suffered a few flaws.\n\nFirst of all, this thing launches Nerf mega darts like a champion, at least when it feeds properly. Range is phenomenal, and the whistling darts are hilarious. Each pump action rotates the cylinder and cocks it, just like a pump-action shotgun, though I was not able to hold the trigger down and continuously pump it to fire as fast as possible (not a big deal, just a fact).\n\nUnfortunately, as I said, it suffers feed problems occasionally, and I've had darts jam in the barrel and muck the entire thing up. But when it's running solidly, it's incredibly fun. I had my daughter's 18-year-old boyfriend in a cringing in a corner and screaming like a baby. Big fun.\n\nHowever, once you've exhausted your ammo and it's time to reload, you'd better find some good cover: it's a real pain to get the darts back in the chamber. It doesn't open, so you need to jam them into the exposed chambers and then rotate the cylinder to expose more. If you're in a Nerf-or-die situation, you'd better have someone covering your back or be carrying a backup Nerf, because you're going to be hurting.\n\nWhen it's loaded and feeding smoothly though, it's a gas. And now my entire family is terrified. Awesome.","Product: At times, childhood worries can be very BIG, and at other times, very small. No matter how big or small the worries, they are all important in the life of a child. Parents can help kids learn to manage stress and tackle everyday problems with ease using word eaters as a tool to identify worries, classify misunderstandings or misconceptions, resolve conflicts and build self-esteem, while promoting the development of healthy coping skills. Kids who can do this develop a sense of confidence and optimism that will help them after life challenges, big and small. Each family is different, and you as a parent know your child best- between you and your child you can determine if the worries placed inside their Worry Eater are for sharing with you, or if they would like to keep these worries between themselves and their Worry Eater. Worry Eaters allow children a chance to identify worries and separate themselves from that worry or problem giving the child some time to take a break from carrying the weight of that worry. This separation, giving the worry to the Worry Eater, allows children the opportunity to look at the worry or problem separate from themselves. The act of then sharing that worry with a parent, caregiver or trusted friend can help a child problem solve solutions, face that worry, and/or just acknowledge that the worry exists.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Love It! Great for Kids AND Adults (really!)\n\nReview: Yes, I'm an adult. Let's not make a big deal about it.\n\nThe fact is, this thing is great for any age. It's really well constructed, has an excellent quality large-tooth zipper, and is stupidly cute. The concept is simple: write down your worries, and stick them in the mouth for Saggo to eat up.\n\nFor children, this is a great exercise in identifying what worries them, and then writing them down can help make them far less scary than when they live inside their heads. If you have very young kids, you can tear them up and put them back for them to find later, which would further help them let go of their fears, while bringing a little bit of magic along for the ride.\n\nFor adults, well, read the paragraph above. Except for the tearing up part. Though come to think of it, why not that too?\n\nMy whole family actually loves this, and my daughter's 18-year-old boyfriend was the first to use it. That says a lot.\n\nA sweet, cute, and surprisingly therapeutic... thing?\n\nWe love it!"],"string":"[\n \"Product: Raise your standards with Studio One 3 Professional! Built by creative people for creative music production, it contains everything you'd expect from a modern digital audio powerhouse, and adds innovative songwriting and production tools that inspire new ways to craft unique and evocative sounds, plus built-in mastering and digital delivery. From set up, dialing in sounds, recording, sequencing, arranging, and sonic experimentation to mixing, mastering, and even online delivery, Studio One 3 is a modern digital audio powerhouse that was designed to keep you inspired and in the flow-focused on your music first. Built by and for creative people, Studio One has become one of the most widely adopted digital audio workstations in professional and project studios worldwide due to its fast, flow-oriented, drag-and-drop interface; ease of use; and superb 64-bit sound quality. Version 3 introduces innovative songwriting and production tools, inspiring new ways to craft unique and evocative sounds, iPad control, and a reengineered console for more accurate and intuitive mixing. Its stunning new interface adds dual-platform multi-touch support, is optimized for high-resolution displays, and includes dynamic, context-sensitive documentation, help, and tool-tips.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Powerful, Flexible, Intuitive. Really Good!\\n\\nReview: I don't know how you work. I don't know how you think. But I know that for me, and I built my first midi-based studio in 1985 before becoming a professional recording engineer for over a decade, I really like the way Studio One works.\\n\\nObviously, this stuff is subjective, but it works the way I think. The ability to drag and drop arrangements, the scratch pad feature (which is amazing - I'm always thinking of something new to work on in the middle of a project), the easy access to plug-ins - for some reason it works in a way that meshes with the way my brain wants to engineer from way back in the all-analog days. Can't explain it better than that.\\n\\nAs someone else said though, DAWs are very personal, and getting to know them and being comfortable on them is a huge part of what makes them good or bad for someone. That and sound quality of course, which I'm happy to say is excellent. I was able to get very low latency with a couple of different audio interfaces, and didn't suffer any of the MIDI glitches that another reviewer mentioned. The end product in each of my test projects was quite good.\\n\\nThe effect plugins and included instruments are quite good, but not the best on the market. Not surprising, as this entire package sells for less than many plugins. While you may eventually want to add some high-end VSTs to the system, the ones that ship (um, are downloaded) as a part of the Professional version are entirely serviceable. I suspect that if you need better instruments off the bat you're already locked in with a DAW and unlikely to switch. While I think Studio One can hang with the big boys, switching late in the game is tough. Thus, for most shoppers, you'll have more than enough to play with for quite a while.\\n\\nFinally, a quick note about the box, and the downloads. I find it somewhat ridiculous to produce, print, and sell a box that in all likelihood will be shipped out from distributor to customer, that simply contains a plastic card with a serial number on it. No manual whatsoever, and no additional DVD-based instruments (as Ableton included with Live 8 boxed version, and 9 as well for all I know - I just own 8). Then you download the program, which takes a while, then you download all the instruments and plugins, which takes a loooooong while, then you download the manual and demos which, you guessed it, take even longer. After all that, it doesn't auto-install the manual and demos either - it says they're downloaded but they don't appear. You have to drag and drop the zip files onto the program window to install them, which is absurd - particularly since the freaking manual is one of those things.\\n\\nBut. Those hiccups aside, I really dig this program. When I'm thinking in blocks of music or patterns, I might fire up Ableton. But when I'm thinking linearly, even a little bit, Studio One is my new go-to DAW. A great choice.\",\n \"Product: Cutting-edge monitoring technology meets award-winning styling with the Panasonic RP-HTX7 Headphones. Large, 40mm drivers deliver powerful, resonant bass that accompanies the crisp, precise mids and highs. Retro styling and a choice of seven colors give the RP-HTX7 headphones their unique, individual identity.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Look Great, Sound Pretty Good Too\\n\\nReview: These are extremely interesting headphones. I love the look, as they remind me of the headphones I used in the 70s (though I had a set with individual volume controls on each ear - those were REALLY odd), and I love the color. So how were they in person?\\n\\nFirst of, they're light. Extremely light. While this is really good in terms of wearing them for extended periods, the first impression is that they may not be well built. No worries though, they seem fine and have stood up well to regular use by my kids, which involves throwing them into the back seat of a car, down onto a table, to each other etc. So I'm not worried they'll break\\n\\nThe color is also just as it appears in photos: it's an awesome cross between lime green and 70s avocado, and I love it. the silver trim is nice and the faux leather headband is fine. Ear cups are soft and well padded. Comfort is quite good, though I have a rather large head and find that they get a bit uncomfortable after a while. Those with normal-sized noggins should have no issues though.\\n\\nAs for sound, they're definitely better than I expected, though they can't hold up when compared directly against better cans. At first blush, the bass is deep and pretty natural, and high-end extension is fine. However, I found that the mid-highs and high end were a bit harsh and would get a fatiguing.\\n\\nWhen compared to some better headphones, these start to show more weakness; the sound is quite boxy. Good headphones have an openness that's simply absent from these, with a smoother and less tiring high end.\\n\\nSo while I LOVE the look, and comfort is excellent as long as you don't have a giant pumpkin head like mine, the sound quality is a bit of a let down when compared to more expensive sets. So while I won't reach for these over my more expensive headphones, I think they're better than many, though perhaps not all, cans in this price range and I definitely see why people would be very happy with them, particularly if they dig the design.\",\n \"Product: Cutting-edge monitoring technology meets award-winning styling with the Panasonic RP-HTX7 Headphones. Large, 40mm drivers deliver powerful, resonant bass that accompanies the crisp, precise mids and highs. Retro styling and a choice of seven colors give the RP-HTX7 headphones their unique, individual identity.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Look Great, Sound Pretty Good Too\\n\\nReview: These are extremely interesting headphones. I love the look, as they remind me of the headphones I used in the 70s (though I had a set with individual volume controls on each ear - those were REALLY odd), and I love the color. So how were they in person?\\n\\nFirst of, they're light. Extremely light. While this is really good in terms of wearing them for extended periods, the first impression is that they may not be well built. No worries though, they seem fine and have stood up well to regular use by my kids, which involves throwing them into the back seat of a car, down onto a table, to each other etc. So I'm not worried they'll break\\n\\nThe color is also just as it appears in photos: it's an awesome cross between lime green and 70s avocado, and I love it. the silver trim is nice and the faux leather headband is fine. Ear cups are soft and well padded. Comfort is quite good, though I have a rather large head and find that they get a bit uncomfortable after a while. Those with normal-sized noggins should have no issues though.\\n\\nAs for sound, they're definitely better than I expected, though they can't hold up when compared directly against better cans. At first blush, the bass is deep and pretty natural, and high-end extension is fine. However, I found that the mid-highs and high end were a bit harsh and would get a fatiguing.\\n\\nWhen compared to some better headphones, these start to show more weakness; the sound is quite boxy. Good headphones have an openness that's simply absent from these, with a smoother and less tiring high end.\\n\\nSo while I LOVE the look, and comfort is excellent as long as you don't have a giant pumpkin head like mine, the sound quality is a bit of a let down when compared to more expensive sets. So while I won't reach for these over my more expensive headphones, I think they're better than many, though perhaps not all, cans in this price range and I definitely see why people would be very happy with them, particularly if they dig the design.\",\n \"Product: Task Vac Bagless Upright- Fingertip On/Off Switch, Manual 5-Position Height Adjustment, 35-Ft. 3-Wire Cord, Non-Marking Furniture Guard, Belt View Window, System Check Indicator, Easy Belt Change System & Brush roll Access, 8-Ft. Stretch Hose, Tools On Board- 12Made in: United States Dimensions: 32.5 X 16 X 12Brand: Hoover Company Item Weight: 23includes: Unit Instruction Guide\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Fantastic No-Frills Vacuum Gets The Job Done!\\n\\nReview: Vacuums seem to be getting more and more gimmicky lately - not something I'm particularly a fan of. So when this one arrived on my doorstep, I was pretty excited to check it out.\\n\\nMy first question was \\\"what makes this a commercial vacuum?\\\" I suppose in this case it's the lack of the gizmos and gadgets that so many vacuums come with. I've read that often the commercial models don't have rubber bumpers, but this does, or that they have bigger motors, but this is a 12 amp, just like my regular vacuum. So really, I suppose it's the utilitarian look and feel, along with the bright orange heavy duty cord.\\n\\nThis assembles easily with a screwdriver and was ready to try out in no time. As I said, there are very few frills: it comes with one plastic tube extension for the hose, one crevice tool that can be attached to the extension, and one non-moving basic brush attachment. That's it. Happily, they all live on the vacuum so they're always handy. Construction is pretty good, though some of the plastics felt quite cheap. On the other hand, then weren't to rigid, so perhaps they'll last longer under stress and won't snap easily.\\n\\nAs for functionality, I'm very happy. It has tremendous ability to pick up whatever I run it over, either on rug or bare floors. Rugs in particular get a fantastic cleaning, and I was able to get a ton of dirt up that my other vacuum had left behind. Bare floors suffer a tiny bit because you cannot turn the motorized brush off, so things can sometimes get flung backwards, but it happened rarely and the overall effectiveness made up for it.\\n\\nThe hose attachment clicks into place on the body, which I really like, and is released with the push of a button. The hose is long, but not quite as long as I'd like. However, the suction it produces is epic. Seriously more powerful than any vacuum I've used in recent memory. The tools, basic as they are, do their jobs well and I don't find myself wishing for any additional attachments.\\n\\nEmptying the canister is extremely easy: take it to the garbage and open the bottom. One nice feature: the switch to pop open the bottom is on an extension, allowing it to be released from a ways up the canister. This makes it possible to push the canister farther into the garbage before opening it, and keep my hand from getting dirty or dusty.\\n\\nThe top of the canister opens easily if you need to clear anything from the upper chamber, and the filters are easy to reach, remove and clean.\\n\\nSome reviewers have complained about the noise level, but it's quieter than my last upright, and WAY quieter than our Shark, which actually hurts my ears. So I'm extremely happy in that regard.\\n\\nOverall, it's become my go-to vacuum now. It's relatively light, it's powerful, and it's effective. If the hose were just a bit longer and I could turn off the motorized brushes, this would be a 5 star for sure. But even with the ding of a star, it's still my daily driver.\",\n \"Product: TEAC's new UD-501 is the star of the 501 series. The UD-501 supports DSD 2.8/5.6MHZ file native playback by ASIO 2.1 or DoP methods or up to 32bit/384kHz PCM. TEAC also packed this incredible unit with two 32-bit BurrBrown DACs per channel and JRC MUSES op amps, dual monaural design, fully balanced XLR as well as unbalanced RCA outputs and a toroidal-core power supply. The UD-501 outperforms products up to 5 times more costly.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Fantastic Sound, Great Construction, DSD\\n\\nReview: This is a wonderful DAC. I've used it both with a Marantz CD player's digital out and a MacMini playing HD audio files, and in both cases performance is stellar.\\n\\nSoundstage is full and deep, and imaging has been excellent across the board, particularly with some 3 piece jazz albums I've played. As another reviewer has said, it's fun to go back through my library and listen through the UD-501 - with some of the material it's like hearing it for the first time again.\\n\\nIt handles a wide variety of formats, is well built, sounds amazing and looks beautiful on my shelf. Plus, it handles DSD files for under a grand. I'm not sure what more I could ask for. A huge win for Teac.\",\n \"Product: The unparalleled, unmatched, and highly customizable Cyborg R.A.T. 7 Gaming Mouse has evolved. The revered assault tool's readily adjustable technology now boasts a white and red soft-touch rubber finish. With a next-generation 6400 DPI laser sensor that further improves on the incredible tracking and precision found on the worlds most adjustable mouse, the Cyborg R.A.T. 7 Albino Gaming Mouse provides an incomparable experience for PC and Mac gamers.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A Fantastic Mouse with Small Room For Improvement\\n\\nReview: I've had a ton of mice in the past, and I've never been quite happy with any of them. Wireless ones have delays and dropouts, so I've gone wired, but the majority of wired ones are gaming mice - and I don't game that much.\\n\\nThat said, it doesn't matter whether you game a lot or not, the R.A.T. 5 is a great mouse either way.\\n\\nComfort-wise, I've never seen anything better (except, apparently, the R.A.T. 7, which I don't have, but wish I did). The finish is ultra smooth and soft - unlike the plastic on every other mouse I've ever used, so that's a great start. Ergonomics improve with the adjustable palm rest, which moves forward and backward. I like to vary it to from time to time to avoid keeping my hand in the same position at all times.\\n\\nButtons are all well positioned and have good, positive feedback. All are programmable. In addition to the standard right and left buttons, the scroll wheel (which is extremely comfortable) has a push to click (but no rock right/left). You've also got a DPI adjustment button behind the scroll wheel, making it easy to increase or decrease DPI on the fly to one of four pre-programmable settings.\\n\\nThere are also two thumb buttons above the unique, and awesome, thumb rest, as well as a second scroll wheel for right/left scrolling. Finally there's a precision aim button you can operate with your thumb that drops the DPI to a lower number while depressed, and a profile select button that allows you to switch between profiles on the fly.\\n\\nAnd on that note, there are three separate profiles that you can set up, each with its own DPI and button programming.\\n\\nFinally, there's an adjustable weight system that allows you to add between one and five six-gram weights.\\n\\nIn use, everything is just great. Buttons have great feel as to wheels, and the thing moves incredibly slickly on my mousing surface. In fact, the resistance is so low that the weight of the (really nice) cable can actually drag the mouse across the surface if it's hanging off th desk. Fantastic.\\n\\nIn fact, there are only two things I'd like to change: I'd love the pinky flange and adjustable thumb width that's available on the R.A.T. 7, and I'd like to be able to set the mouse up to auto-load a particular profile, rather than the default settings.\\n\\nBut those are minor complaints, and the only reason I'm giving this four as opposed to five stars is that two of them are available on the R.A.T 7 - so I need to allow for that. If it weren't for the existence of the big brother, I'd give this five all day - so if you're a little short of cash and can't afford the 7, don't be scared to order this bad boy - you won't be disappointed.\",\n \"Product: The SC-1 Wireless Sports Controller has been specially designed with cut out shoulders and a more shallow body to enhance gameplay with all sports titles on the Playstation 3. Featuring an offset thumbstick design similar to the Xbox 360 controllers and rumble technology for immersive gameplay, this controller will help you feel every slam, crash and tackle!\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Good If You Like Xbox-Style Controllers\\n\\nReview: I'm going to say right out that unlike many people, I prefer the Playstation controller shape to that of the Xbox, so going into this the SC-1 was at a disadvantage. That said though, this wasn't a bad bit of kit, but it's not a total winner either.\\n\\nRight off the bat, you'll be disappointed to know this requires a dongle. For those that don't want to give up a USB slot, or have their PS3 positioned where a permanent USB stick could cause problems, this can be a bad thing. One past that though, it works pretty much like any other controller.\\n\\nCharge time is relatively quick, and the battery seems to last plenty long - perhaps not as long as my PS3 controllers' but it's fine.\\n\\nConstruction is ok - not amazing, but not junk. Buttons and switches have a firm, positive feel and are easily controlled. I personally do not like the shape of the R1 and L1 buttons, but that's a personal matter.\\n\\nTurbo mode works fine, as does the limited macro programming (chaining together multiple moves and assigning them to a single button). However for me, I prefer to just play using my (limited) skill sets; if I can't win on my own, I'm OK losing.\\n\\nIn the end, it's not a bad option for people who want an Xbox controller on their PS3, particularly if they'd enjoy the turbo feature. For me though, it's not my first choice. Perhaps I'm just used to the PS3 shape, but the design coupled with the lack of Bluetooth connectivity have kept this one in the controller storage box more often than not.\",\n \"Product: We know you want to focus on whats important to you when youre online, not worry about security all the time. We take care of your security for you. AVGs unique Identity Protection is the worlds smartest ID theft protection, stopping thieves before they can access your passwords, account information, and credit card numbers. AVGs patent-pending LinkScanner is the first technology to check websites and search results when youre about to click that link. AVGs new scanning system only scans files changed since the last scan, so it wont slow down your system. Our redesigned firewall keeps hackers out of your computer but doesnt get in your way and high-speed spam and scam detection cleans your inbox without holding up the mail. While youre surfing and searching the web, Identity Protection keeps your private information safe from known and unknown threats. LinkScanner SurfShield ensures every website you visit is safe even before you go there while LinkScanner SearchShield gives safety ratings to all your Google, MSN and Yahoo search results. Enhanced Firewall prevents hackers from seeing inside your computer and LIVE Research checks to make sure web pages really are what they appear to be. While youre emailing, IMing or on your social networks WebShield lets you download and exchange files without risking virus infections. Email Scanner keeps viruses and phishers out of your inbox and Anti-spam blocks spammers and scammers from clogging your system. Whether youre online or offline Anti-Virus & Anti-Spyware makes sure you cant get or spread a virus. Anti-Rootkit ensures even the toughest and most sophisticated threats are kept out. Game mode keeps you safe and doesnt interrupt you while youre playing. System tools optionally customize how Internet Security works with your system and Update Manager guarantees youre always safe from the latest threats automatically. 2009 Global Product Excellence Award Security Solution for Consumers\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Very Good, With Flaws\\n\\nReview: I've tried a lot of anti-virus programs, and AVG is one of the better ones. Ive used the free version before, which is nice (and the price can't be beat), and now I've got the the paid suite, which offers a competitive set of tools that provide pretty much everything you need.\\n\\nThere were a couple of issues during install however: first, it took quite a while to show as activated, which was really odd behavior. Then it offered an upgrade to version 9.0, but failed to mention anywhere that it's a FREE upgrade. Free is great of course, not knowing it's free almost made me decline to upgrade. Finally, it installed a Firefox plugin that I didn't want, and did so without asking. And it was broken to boot.\\n\\nOnce I got the install issues ironed out though, things improved. Scans are quick and low on resources, though if you want them run in the middle of the night, it does not default to a setting that wakes your computer up - you must set that in preferences. I have yet to be infected with anything (that I know of), so that's always a plus.\\n\\nOne irritating issue though is that it will occasionally give me a popup indicating a tracking cookie, but no option to delete it in place, only to go to the file. In a case like Firefox, that keeps cookies in a database format, that just doesn't help. If I could set it up to delete specific files when it finds them, that would be great - instead I either have to hit the ignore button every time I start a web browser (that damn persistent atdmt.txt), or add it to an exceptions list - neither suits me, I want it deleted. Not a deal breaker I suppose though.\\n\\nIn addition to anti-virus, anti-spyware and anti-rootkit, AVG IS includes an email scanner, firewall, and anti-spam detection, as well as identity protection. The email stuff is pretty useless to me, as I don't use a local mail client, but in testing it worked fine. The firewall is quite good though, and pops up with notifications when it automatically writes a rule, or with a query about allowing a connection. I like software that occasionally lets me know it's working properly. Which is something I can't say about the identity protection feature, so I'll just leave that out of the review - supposedly it \\\"compliments signature-based protection of AVG by monitoring how programs behave on your computer,\\\" but who knows?\\n\\nOverall, a pretty good product. At $50 for 2 years, it's a relative bargain, too. Unless you look at Vipre, for which you can get a family license - but that doesn't include a firewall.\\n\\nHey, you pays yer money, you takes yer chances. So far so good with AVG though.\",\n \"Product: Asparagus is the perfect accompaniment to nearly anything, from poached eggs with hollandaise sauce to rack of lamb. This asparagus pot with basket is a great way to prepare asparagus, as well as larger vegetables like carrots. The basket has a collapsible handle that helps lift it out of the pot so that asparagus spears can be easily plated intact for a fabulous presentation. Contemporary style, a unique shape and handles that make a statement make this Circulon Contempo 3. 5-quart covered asparagus pot with basket a great choice for healthy cooking. The wire basket allows asparagus and other larger vegetables to stand upright, so that they cook evenly and are less likely to break, preserving them for a gourmet presentation. Heavy gauge hard-anodized aluminum offers fast, steady heat and the sturdy glass lid allows cooking to be monitored without losing heat. The pot's interior features the TOTAL Food Release System of circles, which reduces surface abrasion and is coupled with DuPont's Autograph 3-layer nonstick to deliver extraordinary food release and exceptional dependability and it's metal utensil safe. The stainless steel handles are dual riveted for extra strength, padded for comfort and oven safe to 400-degree f.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Wonderful - And For More Than Just Asparagus\\n\\nReview: Here's the deal: you might think that spending $60 for an asparagus steamer seems a bit whacky. But this thing is really, really nice.\\n\\nFirst, it's smaller than it appears in photos - narrow and tall, and doesn't take up a ton of space in a cabintet: something I was worried about. Construction is excellent, with rubberized handles and a think glass top, eliminating the need to use potholders when cooking with it. Inside the pot is a steaming basket - again, tall and thin as you'd expect to hold something like asparagus.\\n\\nIt works as you'd expect: beatifully. My wife is a huge asparagus fan, and loves it. The other day, she forgot we had it and made some in a regular pot and actually looked tremendously disappointed when I reminded her we had it.\\n\\nAlso works for other veggies, including corn (only a couple ears though, like I said it's not wides) beans, etc - I've even dropped broccoli in there and gotten great results - after all, the steam doesn't really know top from bottom...\\n\\nAll in all, a great product with great construction. Love it.\",\n \"Product: Clara Clark Bamboo Shredded Memory Foam Pillow Clara Clarks unique bamboo memory foam shredded pillow is designed to offer you a comfortable night's sleep whether you like to sleep on your front, side, or back. It allows your muscles to relax properly offering natural support alignment to your body The shredded memory foam allows airflow to circulate, in result the pillow is breathable and helps keep you cool and prevents bacteria and dust mites, making this pillow the best choice for anyone. Pillow includes Bamboo zippered cover Shredded memory foam filling free carrying case. Product features: Natural supportive alignment. May reduce snoring, migrants, back and neck pain. Stay cool breathable design. Hypoallergenic. Antibacterial. Dust mite resistant. Easy care and durable. Machine washable. King, cal king, queen and standard sizes are available. Exclusive Clara Clark RELAX-A-HEAD Natural supportive alignment Shredded memory foam technology conforms to your shape and offers exceptional support while conforming to the contours of your head and neck, which helps your muscles to relax and reduces unwanted pressure points that can lead to neck strain, shoulder aches and tension headaches. Sleep comfortably and wake up feeling refreshed with help from the soft plush pillow. Stays cool breathable design The shredded memory foam allows airflow to circulate, in result the pillow is breathable and helps keep you cool. Hypoallergenic With the airflow technology the pillow is breathable, preventing bacteria and dust mites. Easy care Machine washable on cold, dryer safe on low heat.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Very Comfortable With A Few Minor Issues\\n\\nReview: I've been sleeping on memory foam pillows for a few years now, and one of my major complaints is that they're a bit stiff - tough to form into any shape other than the one they're cut into. I hoped this would be a happy medium, and I was partly right.\\n\\nFirst off, as others have said, this does have a bit of an unpleasant odor out of the package - so, since the company says it's all washable, I tossed both the pillow and cover into the machine. Everything was fine, though you really need to time dry it (as opposed to auto dry) because the sensor in the dryer thinks it's dry well before it really is.\\n\\nOut of the wash it was a bit too puffy, but things settled down and I gave it a shot. My first impression was that I really, really liked it. It was comfortable but not hot at all, and it gave enough to make it easy to get into a comfortable position. The cover is soft and nice looking, so there was no need for a pillow case, either. All good.\\n\\nMy issue came with time: the pillow developed a bit of an impression where my head was. I tired fluffing it back up, but it seemed as if some of the smaller bits of memory foam didn't have such a great memory and stayed a bit compressed. Shaking it out and moving all the filling around helped, but I didn't really want to deal with that every day or two, and found myself missing my old, firmer memory foam pillow and switched back.\\n\\nSo while this has some great positives in terms of comfort, it wasn't quite for me. However, the lack of heat, the easy configurability and the fantastic price all make a very compelling argument. If you haven't tried a memory foam pillow, I'd recommend this. However, if you've been using one for a long time and have come to like its quirks, you may not be a happy switcher.\",\n \"Product: Mr. Coffee Technique + Taste Electric French Press and Hot Water Kettle extracts rich, full-bodied coffee flavor at the perfect temperature, without the need to boil water on the stove. Tea lovers can also use its kettle function to steep a delicious batch of their favorite variety. It can also boil water for instant beverages, oatmeal, mac and cheese, soup, and much more.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good for Kitchen, Great for Dorm or Office\\n\\nReview: Well, it's a fine idea.\\n\\nI happen to like coffee made in a French press, so making it easier to get there would suit me just fine, but there are a few issues with this one.\\n\\nAt it's most basic, it works great. Fill the pot to the line, place it on the base, hit \\\"on\\\" and in 5-7 minutes the water is boiling. It then automatically maintains the temperature at 195 degrees for a 25 minutes after which it shuts off automatically - a nice feature (it will hold water for up to an hour at 112 or 160 degrees as well). Of course, the temp doesn't drop from 212 - 195 instantaneously, so to nitpick you need to wait a bit for it to cool to the optimum brewing temp.\\n\\nBut that's not a big deal, and conceptually it's still a winner. Put your coffee in, give it a stir, let it steep, then use the press. Lifting the pot off the base automatically shuts it off, so you can pour a cup and put it back without worrying about burning the leftover brew. But, of course, it will cool fairly quickly, so you might want to serve everyone at once.\\n\\nWhich is one of my problems with it: the pot does not have markings for anything other than a full pot. Want less coffee? You'll need to reach for a measuring cup. This is an absurd oversight.\\n\\nCleanup on French presses can be a pain, and in most respects this is just the same: take the top apart to clean it well, although after each use a simple rinse will do - I only find the need to take it apart every so often. The kettle is NOT dishwasher-safe though, in fact you are not supposed to immerse it in water at all, so hand-washing is your only option. The base can be wiped down only.\\n\\nAlthough the lack of graduated markings is a pain, the overall process is pretty nice - and I've used this a lot to simply boil water quickly, either for tea bags, cocoa, or if I need boiling water in a recipe. It makes a fantastic kettle in that respect.\\n\\nSo overall, although it works just fine, it's not life-changing. The process is only slightly simpler than a traditional French press, so I'm not sure I'd invest in one or dedicate counter space to it. However, as an office or dorm device, this thing is perfect and I'd recommend it highly.\",\n \"Product: The KitchenAid Easy Clean Juicer (fast juicer) allows you to juice more with a 3-in-1 adjustable pulp screen and clean less with the easy to clean ceramic disc. It also has features multiple speed settings; Low for juicing softer fruits and vegetables and High for harder fruits and vegetables. An extra wide chute accept a whole apple, reducing prep work.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great Juicer with One Stupid Flaw That Effects Clean Up\\n\\nReview: I've had a juicer before. Sold it because it wasn't used enough. Why? It was a bit of a pain in the but to set it up, prep the fruit, then clean it up all for a limited amount of juice. This KitchenAid I'll be keeping though, even if it has one unbelievable design flaw.\\n\\nOut of the box it's great looking. Good quality, well-made components and an overall feeling of real quality. It assembles easily, too, with only a few main parts to assemble. The unit allows you to choose how much pulp you want as well, with three settings ranging from low to high. The instructions are a bit confusing as to which setting is which, but looking at the top of the screen while adjusting it makes things clear.\\n\\nThe feed chute is quite wide, which allows for dropping whole (small) apples in at once, and minimizes how much you have to cut down items that don't quite fit. The chute is great when putting a big clump of kale or other greens in as well.\\n\\nThe juicing process works just fine. Two speed allow you to use different types of fruits and vegetables, and as long as you keep the pitcher under the spout with the cover on it, there's no mess at all. However, something that I thought would be a great feature turns out to be the first minor problem: the spout is hinged, allowing you to flip it up a bit when you're done, ostensibly to keep any last bits of juice from pouring onto your counter after you remove the pitcher. A great idea in theory, but mine leaks a bit of juice each time you flip it up or down. It's not terrible, and not as bad as it pooling on a counter, but the front of the unit does get dirty.\\n\\nAnother thing I noticed is that as you push the fruit or vegetable through, particularly in the case of soft fruits like pineapple, the last bit seems to get slung right into the waste bin, not quite fully extracting all the juice. I ended up with a lot of pulp in some instances that could have been better extracted. This may be just how they all work though {I can't remember how my last one did it} and it's not throwing entire chunks of fruit - just a large clump of pulp that looks like it had more to give.\\n\\nAs the name implies, this is very easy to clean, with the one exception I alluded to in my opening paragraph. Each piece comes apart easily and I have, for the most part, made it to the sink without making any mess on my counters. Once in the sink, it cleans up well, and the included brush gets the juicer screen quite clean. Parts can be placed in the dishwasher if you wish, and I had no issues when I did so.\\n\\nThe problem is that there is a section of the unit, just above the spout, that is completely inaccessible to anything except flying pulp. It's hard to explain, but there's a one-inch square slot that's open at the bottom but closed at the top into which various bits of pulp must ricochet, because when I go to clean up there's a bunch jammed in there. The problem is that the construction of the thing is such that it's impossible to get anything in there to clean it: it's completely blocked by the bottom of the bowl, and you really cant spray it out or anything. I had to find a pipe cleaner, bend it up, and wiggle it around in there and STILL couldn't get it clean. For the life of me, I cannot understand how this flaw was left in place: one use and it's obvious that the section has to be sealed up or users may well end up with rotting bits of fruit and vegetable up there. If you are extremely patient and let water wash in and out of the section, it will eventually get most of the pulp out - but without the ability to directly spray or clean it out, it's a total fail in the \\\"Easy Clean\\\" department. The irritating part is that it would have been incredibly simple to just close the slot at the bottom and avoid the whole issue.\\n\\nOne final note regarding the pitcher: the cover on it is designed to supposedly keep foam from pouring into your glass. It doesn't work very well at all. I can see how the design SHOULD work, and perhaps it would in a perfect world, but my world is apparently not perfect.\\n\\nIn the end though, I really like this juicer and have been using it quite a bit. With the exception I talked about above, it really is easy to clean, it works really well, and looks nice on my counter so I don't mind leaving it out. Considering getting them out and set up is half the battle with juicers, that's actually a bigger deal than it sounds like. Were it not for that one ridiculous design flaw, this would be a 5 star product. But those flecks of fruit and vegetable are really tough to deal with, and I don't want to ignore them and let them mold. I'll probably see if I can figure out a way to block it off {though as I said is so inaccessible it's tough to see how I could work on it}, but it's an amazingly dopey oversight and costs one star.\",\n \"Product: With the Electrolux Vac and Steam, bare floor cleaning is made easy. Twice the clean. Half the effort. Unlike other steam cleaners, the Vac and Steam lets you vacuum and steam bare floor surfaces such as ceramic, wood, and linoleum at the same time, or use each function independently. It's entirely up to you. The Electrolux Vac and Steam also features exclusive Clean Burst Technology, which concentrates steam on stubborn sticky spots, so your bare floors remain spotless. A large water tank gives you up to 20 minutes of steam time and the removable water cup lets you quickly refill the tank. And clean-up is a cinch. Just toss the washable microfiber pad into the washing machine, line dry and it will be ready to use again next time your floor needs cleaning. The Vac and Steam brings you the power of cyclonic cleaning in the convenience of a Bagless vacuum. The cyclonic system gives you consistent suction power to thoroughly clean the bare floors in your home. With a 13 inch cleaning path, the Vac and Steam saves you time by cleaning more in one pass and the extra long 30 foot power cord lets you go further without unplugging so you can get done faster.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Steam Mop: Yes. Vacuum: No Way (And It Hobbles The Mop)\\n\\nReview: I had high hopes for this thing that were only partially met.\\n\\nSet up is simple as pie: click the handle into the base, take the provided cup and fill it with water, dump the water into the tank. Done. As another reviewer mentioned, the instructions tell you to wait 15 seconds for steam to star building, and when you first turn it on nothing happens. At all. What the instructions don't mention is that it doesn't start unless you take the handle out of the upright position - then things get going quickly.\\n\\nThe steam mop portion works quite well. We have tile floors in the kitchen and in some parts of the house and this got them pretty clean. The additional steam burst is a nice touch as well, though not as effective as I had hoped. I also really like the fact that you can clean up without using chemicals - that was a big draw for me. The big problem with this two-in-one unit is due to the fact that the intake to the vacuum takes up the leading section of the bottom, in front of the mop pad.\\n\\nThis makes sense at first blush as you'd want to pick up random debris before getting it wet. In actual use, though, it blocks the steam mop pad from getting up against a wall. This is made more of a problem by the fact that the vacuum simply isn't very good at all. It'll pick up small, light things, but if anything has gotten damp, or if it's bigger or heavier than a bit of dust or a tiny scrap of paper, you're out of luck.\\n\\nSo the vacuum not only doesn't do its job well, it prevents the mop portion, which generally works fine, from doing a complete job, and I have ended up with sections near walls and corners not only un-steamed, but outlined with bits of pet fur or dust that got wet and were pushed as far as the mop could go before the vacuum hit the wall. You can't pick up the mop pad and drop it on the mess (the vacuum portion hits the wall), and that the vacuum does not have close to the power required to pick the gunk up. To me, this is an inexcusable design flaw.\\n\\nSo here's the deal: vacuum the floors well first, because you can't rely on this thing to do a good job. All the open areas of floor are going to clean up beautifully, and the pad is easy to remove, clean, and put back on the mop - all good there. But if you have a lot of tight corners and such, you, like I, will find yourself having to clean up a bit afterwards.\\n\\nMy recommendation: buy a dedicated steam mop (I might myself, because I love that part of this thing) and leave the vacuuming to a dedicated vacuum - the good performance of the steam mop here is definitely degraded thanks to trying to combine the two into a single unit.\",\n \"Product: Sink your feet into the Imprint Cumulus9 Comfort Mat with its proprietary Multi-Core Technology. Feel how it conforms to the shape of your feet and supports your arches for relief of back, leg and foot discomfort. The advantage is its proprietary multilayer cushioning system. The soft, upper layer luxuriously cushions your feet while the firm, lower layer provides soothing support. Youll want an Imprint Comfort Mat everywhere you work and stand kitchen, laundry, bathroom, garage,workshop and more.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Looks Good, Feels Great\\n\\nReview: I really like this mat, and I've had quite a few - this is, in fact, the third I've reviewed and it's become my favorite.\\n\\nAt first I was unsure about it - it's a bit thinner than the last mat I had, and I did not squish into it as much. But as I continued using them side-by-side in the kitchen, I found that I actually preferred a little shallower squish.\\n\\nI found that the deeper pad I had almost made me feel a bit unbalanced, while this thinner one seemed more like I was standing on terra firma, while still providing the comfort and absorption I like. Also, the other mat I have is SO deep that I've seen people stumble when walking to the sink. Not often, but still...\\n\\nAs for looks, this one has it all over my other mat: the other one is brown faux leather that just doesn't sell well. It also looks terrible on hardwood floors while passable in the kitchen on tile. This one, on the other hand, is clearly a comfort mat, but the chevron design in dove (the one I was provided for review) looks equally nice on white tile and hardwood.\\n\\nIf I'm in the market for new mats in the future, I'm going right to the Imprint Cumulus9 series, and that's the highest compliment I can think of.\",\n \"Product: GelPro Elite is 50% thicker than GelPro Classic and features an exclusive Dual Comfort Core System of therapeutic gel and energy-return foam. Indulge in the extra soft and deep-cushioning support as your feet rest on the worlds most comfortable floor mat. The unique, conforming feel of gel plus foam actually feels so natural that you forget that you are standing. This revolutionary comfort solution is perfect for anyone suffering from back, hip, knee, leg & foot discomfort, plantar fasciitis, osteoporosis or arthritis. Ideal for use in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, craft room and at stand-up desks.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Super Nice, But Certainly NOT Leather\\n\\nReview: I've tried quite a few of these over the years, but this one is the standout.\\n\\nIt's extremely thick, so there's a ton of cushioning and comfort here; standing on it is a complete relief as compared to our tile floors. I have an extremely bad back, so every bit of help I can get when doing dishes or prepping dinner is fantastic.\\n\\nIt's also terrifically heavy; this thing will NOT budge if you kick it. To relocate it you have to actually pick it up and move it. So there's no chance it will slip or move on you.\\n\\nThe only issue I have is the name: Vintage Leather Elite - um, LEATHER? No, not quite. Mind you, I wasn't expecting leather necessarily, but calling it a leather floor mat when it's clearly man-made materials (and it says so on the box), is extremely misleading. Dinged one star.\",\n \"Product: Trusted Quality and Craftsmanship From a trusted brand known for quality, traditional craftsmanship and comfort, the La-Z-Boy Hyland ComfortCore Traditions AIR Technology Executive Office Chair delivers advanced performance for exceptional support and comfort at work and play. The ComfortCore Plus with Memory Foam advanced layering system offers unique zone-based support, placing cushioning in the areas you need it most. The strategically-assigned plush body pillowing and padded headrest on this office chair combine to provide neck support and minimize pressure points for relief from discomfort caused by prolonged sitting. This Wellness By Design series La-Z-Boy office chair uses flexible AIR Lumbar Technology that pivots and conforms the lumbar area according to your movement, helping to improve posture, reduce discomfort and provide superior back support. This ergonomic chair is fully adjustable, letting you control height, tilt and lift to suit your needs for customized positioning and optimized body alignment. This executive office chair features a thicker plywood subcore, reinforced back bar and heavy-duty castors for durability you can count on for all your day-to-day activities. Crafted with wood components, this high-back office chair with hand-sculpted arms is upholstered in soft bonded leather to create an elegant blend of traditional style and modern performance that is ideal for any office, home or entertainment space.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: OK: Comfy For Some, Quality Control Issues, Not Real Leather\\n\\nReview: Chairs can be tough to review. Unless you're going to go all in and buy a Steelcase, body type can make a huge difference in comfort. I'll get to that, but first let me get to the quality.\\n\\nFirst of all, this is NOT leather. That's a big point to make. Bonded leather is simply not leather; it's a man-made material, period the end. Advertising it as bonded leather, while technically honest, is certainly misleading. I'd love to take a poll of all the people that read and/or buy this thinking they're seeing a real leather chair. They aren't. So factor that in when you consider this.\\n\\nConstruction is pretty typical for an office chair, though there were some fit-and-finish issues with mine. One of the legs had no stain on the bottom of it. Not a big deal as it's not visible, but it does speak to a certain level of care that isn't being taken. There were also some sections of the bonded leather material that were actually hanging out of seams, as if they hadn't been properly lined up before stitching. Again, I'm not sure how this sort of thing gets past quality control and I was disappointed to see it.\\n\\nAs for comfort, I personally didn't find it to be particularly great, certainly not up to my Steelcase desk chair. However, my wife finds it extremely comfortable and is happy to have it in her office. It's important to note that this is not appropriate as a chair to be used if you are on the computer all day; the ergonomics just don't support that properly. It is, as its title says, an executive chair. Good for sitting in while talking, occasional computer use, reading, holding meetings etc.\\n\\nHere's the skinny: had I purchased this, it would be going back. I found the fit and finish issues to be disturbing, and don't like the fact that it isn't actually leather. Frankly, it's not worth a quarter of the price to me personally, but since my wife likes it we're keeping it in use.\",\n \"Product: The new iTouchless Open Top Stainless Steel Garage Can features a versatile flat-oval and lid-free design with a brushed stainless steel finish. In order to keep odors out of its surrounding environment, the garbage can features two heavy duty carbon filter deodorizers. The two filters are located inside on each side of the trash can and guarantee 100% odor absorption. The open top design provides convenience and is also hygienic due to the elimination of build-up on lidded trash cans.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Looks Good, Love Open Top\\n\\nReview: I, and my family, really like this trash can.\\n\\nThe stainless steel appears to be good quality, and it's lined with black plastic, which I appreciate. As others have pointed out, though, the top ring is plastic, painted to look like stainless steel. In person, it doesn't really, though the looks are acceptable.\\n\\nOne issue I have is with the seam running down the middle of one side of the can - this requires that side be placed against a wall unless you want to look at it, and the handle (which I'd never actually use anyway) is on that same against-the-wall side.\\n\\nAs for the filters, I don't really know if they're preventing smells or not; it's kinda hard to test. I can say they're easy to install and I haven't smelled anything gross; of course, maybe I just haven't put stinky garbage in.\\n\\nAlso: they say there are holes drilled in the base to avoid a vacuum when pulling a bag out. I haven't found it any easier to get the bag out than my old can, though.\\n\\nI will say that I LOVE having an open top, and it's way easier to use it during food prep.\\n\\nOverall, I'm extremely happy with it, though the seam and handle take away from the look. It's also quite expensive, and for those reasons I'm rating it four stars.\",\n \"Product: A new classic, the Brooklyn towel is sure to become a staple of your kitchen. These versatile towels are pure white with a herringbone stripe down the center. Made from super soft 100percent cotton, these towels can be used for a wide variety of tasks: drying glasses, general cleanup, hand towels- even jumbo napkins. This set includes four matching towels, each measuring 18 inches wide and 28 inches long. Simple care: machine wash and dry.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Perfect For My Needs, And Look Good Too\\n\\nReview: So, they're kitchen towels. You'd think there's not a lot to say, and perhaps there isn't - but what there is to say is relevant.\\n\\nKitchen towels are those things most people don't think about but, particularly after having worked in a professional kitchen, I personally find indispensable. I use them for grabbing things out of the over, quickly drying my hands after washing between prepping ingredients, and wiping down residual moisture before putting pans on the heat.\\n\\nHaving some that are the perfect texture and thickness for all of those uses is important to me, and they're tough to find. I think these are perfect, at least for me. Plus they look good hanging on my oven handle. What's not to like?\",\n \"Product: The zing bagless canister vacuum is a convenient whole-home cleaning system. Its lightweight, compact design makes traveling upstairs with the floor brush easy, especially since the zing has a carrying handle. You can also attach the extension wand or combination crevice tool/dusting brush to capture dirt and dust from your above-floor surfaces. Variable suction control means that you can turn the suction down and even clean fabrics like curtains.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: The Tops On Bare Floors! Carpets: Not So Much\\n\\nReview: This little guy (and it really is pretty small) is fantastic for a small apartment or home that doesn't have too many rugs. Here's why:\\n\\nFirst of all, it doesn't take up a lot of space, and there's a nice clip to hold the hose and floor brush so it fits nice and conveniently into a closet. Second, the suction on this is phenomenal. Without question, this pulls harder than any other vacuum I have - in fact, it's so strong that even with the floor piece set to carpet, you can't move it without relieving some of the suction by opening the vent on the handle. That, though, leads me to why I mentioned not having too many rugs: there's no power brush in the floor piece, so not only does that make it tough to move across a carpet it's not as efficient at cleaning rugs, particularly if you have pets.\\n\\nHowever, once you get this bad boy off of the carpeting, it's just fantastic. In fact, it's good enough that sometimes I use it for my bare floors, then switch to another vacuum to do my rugs.\\n\\nThere are a couple of negatives. First, construction on the hose and extension is about as basic as you can imagine, and the quality isn't quite up to what I've seen on most other vacuums. It is, however, functional - sometimes thought the plastic tubes can separate when you don't want them to. That's probably inevitable at this price point though. Another issue: the cord is really short. I feel like they could have added another five feet without it being a horrible price issue, and I wish they had - I have to move the plug far more than I do with other units. On the upside though, it does automatically retract, which I love. Finally, there's only one extra tool - not such a bad thing, except there is NO place on the vacuum to store it. That's an oversight that bugs the heck out of me.\\n\\nIn the end though, I can recommend this unit highly for light to medium usage in a small home with more bare floors than carpets. In that environments, it excels. If you've got a lot of carpet though, I'd suggest moving on to a vacuum more suited to getting rugs clean.\",\n \"Product: The Gaggia Espresso is a great choice for an espresso machine in the low $200 price range. No other espresso maker will bring you the pump power, heating capacity, brass components and pure results at this price. Hi-tech performance combined with simplified fingertip control takes the guesswork out of making delicious espresso and cappuccino at home or in the office. Each cup will be creamy, tasty, robust and rich with flavor. Gaggia is in the process of rolling out a new Turbo-Frother wand replacing the metal frothing wand and sleeve. Your Gaggia may have shipped with the Turbo-Frother wand or the frothing wand. Both are designed to help you get great froth with minimum fuss. Includes two stainless steel filter baskets (one and two shot), coffee tamper and 7g measuring scoop.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best value on the market.\\n\\nReview: OK - the negative reviews on this are pretty out there; they are either complaining about non-existant issues (um, 1 star from someone who didn't even BUY it? Becuase it supposedly doesn't come in 110? That's wacky), or have the wrong expectations of what this machine will do. The bottom line on this espresso maker is that it has the guts of their more expensive models (minus the 3 way solenoid, which has NO effect on how espresso is made) and IF you know what you are doing can make espresso as well as pretty much any model out there.\\n\\nTo over-simplify, espresso makers come with one of 2 basic types of portafilter (that's the thing with the handle you put the espresso grounds in). Pressurized or non-pressurized. The former basically pulls the same shots no matter what you do, as long as your beans are fresh and your grinder is good. The latter requires a bit more art and science. The tamp (compacting the grinds into the portafilter) is critical, and you can vary the way the shot is pulled with different grind size, tamp preassure and tamper type. This, while harder to do consistently, is the only way to properly hunt the elusive \\\"God Shot\\\".\\n\\nSo - onto this machine: Using the \\\"perfect crema\\\" disc is just silly, frankly. In fact, I don't even think there was one in my box. I do know what it does, which is to basically convert a traditional espresso maker into a pressurized one. But hey, if that's what you want then buy a pressurized one from one of the myriad manufacturers out there. However, if you want a model that will let you explore your inner barista, you need to buy a non-pressurized portafilter unit.\\n\\nAnd for the money, there is NO WAY you are going to get a better deal than the Gaggia. In fact, there are a number of different models in the Gaggia line, all of which are basically the same until you get to the $500 one, which comes with the aforementioned 3 way solenoid. Sure, there are different designs, and some changes in the type of frother (don't bother with the auto-frothers) but the guts are the same, right down to the brass portafilter. I chose this particular one because of its water capacity and the size of the drip tray, which beleive it or not is a pretty big deal when you pull a lot of shots in a day, as I do.\\n\\nThe fact is, this machine is a beauty. Get good at it and you'll pull shots as good as ANY machine out there, and if you are a total tweek-head, you can even PID this bad boy (look it up...). But you want more? Go check out coffeegeeek dot com and read read read.\\n\\nSynopsis: Want a machine that will keep up with your growing barista skills? BUY THIS NOW. Don't care about the art, just want quick fast espresso? Go elsewhere and pick a pressurized portafilter unit.\\n\\nOh, and either way you go, you NEED a good grinder (the Gaggia MDF rocks and is reasonably priced at $200), and you want FRESH beans - order online from one of the many fresh roasters out there; it makes an incredible difference.\",\n \"Product: MODEL- TRICOOL120MMBLUE VENDOR- ANTEC INC.FEATURES- TriCool 120mm Blue LED Fan (3-speed) Brighten Up Your Lifestyle. Three speed 80mm & 120mm TriCool LED fans keep your system at maximum cool while spotlighting your case with vibrant Blue, Green, Red or Trilight colors. More reasons to show off your system to the world. * 3-speed switch lets you balance quiet performance with maximum cooling. * 3-pin and 4-pin power connectors provide convenient connections to your motherboard or power supply. * Fan-speed monitoring capability included (requires compatible motherboard).\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Good Value, Good Fan.\\n\\nReview: I snapped up a pair of these fans for a recent build I did - one in blue, and one in <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Red/dp/B00066FH7O/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Red</a> and am very happy with them.\\n\\nThe fan that came with the case I purchased was excessively noisy. Now, I don't need a SILENT pc, but quiet is important. More important though is that whatever noise I DO hear isn't a high pitched whine.\\n\\nWith these Antecs, I got exactly what I needed. A quiet NON-WHINY fan that pushes plenty of air. The three-speed selector switch allows me to choose the sweet spot for noise/air volume, but not only does the middle position move plenty of air, it's also quiet. I used to have my intake set at the lowest setting and the exhaust in the middle, but really didn't hear much difference, so I now have them both set in the middle position. Combined with my <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Vendetta-Cpu-Cooler/dp/B000WB9HSS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Vendetta Cpu Cooler</a> my new build stays ice cold (well, maybe not ICE cold, but pretty darn cool).\\n\\nThey also feed my geek gene by looking great. I've mounted the blue inside the front panel (intake) and the red in the rear (exhaust) and my case looks, well, great.\\n\\nThe ONLY negative here is that these aren't PWM fans (I was going to ding them a star for that, but since they don't CLAIM to be PWM that would be silly. They are certainly five stars in context)and their speed cannot be software controlled . But since, as I said, the center position is cool and quiet enough, this doesn't really bother me. Antec supplies both molex an motherboard power connectors, so you'll get this fan running no matter what power source you have available.\\n\\nHighly recommended!\",\n \"Product: MODEL- TRICOOL120MMBLUE VENDOR- ANTEC INC.FEATURES- TriCool 120mm Blue LED Fan (3-speed) Brighten Up Your Lifestyle. Three speed 80mm & 120mm TriCool LED fans keep your system at maximum cool while spotlighting your case with vibrant Blue, Green, Red or Trilight colors. More reasons to show off your system to the world. * 3-speed switch lets you balance quiet performance with maximum cooling. * 3-pin and 4-pin power connectors provide convenient connections to your motherboard or power supply. * Fan-speed monitoring capability included (requires compatible motherboard).\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Good Value, Good Fan.\\n\\nReview: I snapped up a pair of these fans for a recent build I did - one in red, and one in <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Blue/dp/B00066FHEW/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Blue</a> and am very happy with them.\\n\\nThe fan that came with the case I purchased was excessively noisy. Now, I don't need a SILENT pc, but quiet is important. More important though is that whatever noise I DO hear isn't a high pitched whine.\\n\\nWith these Antecs, I got exactly what I needed. A quiet NON-WHINY fan that pushes plenty of air. The three-speed selector switch allows me to choose the sweet spot for noise/air volume, but not only does the middle position move plenty of air, it's also quiet. I used to have my intake set at the lowest setting and the exhaust in the middle, but really didn't hear much difference, so I now have them both set in the middle position. Combined with my <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Vendetta-Cpu-Cooler/dp/B000WB9HSS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Vendetta Cpu Cooler</a> my new build stays ice cold (well, maybe not ICE cold, but pretty darn cool).\\n\\nThey also feed my geek gene by looking great. I've mounted the blue inside the front panel (intake) and the red in the rear (exhaust) and my case looks, well, great.\\n\\nThe ONLY negative here is that these aren't PWM fans (I was going to ding them a star for that, but since they don't CLAIM to be PWM that would be silly. They are certainly five stars in context)and their speed cannot be software controlled . But since, as I said, the center position is cool and quiet enough, this doesn't really bother me. Antec supplies both molex an motherboard power connectors, so you'll get this fan running no matter what power source you have available.\\n\\nHighly recommended!\",\n \"Product: Transcend memory modules use high-quality brand name chips. Each chip is selected with the strictest quality standards and is 100% tested to ensure reliable performance and stability. Stable and Durable, highly compatible, 100% tested and lifetime warranty.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Adding To The Chorus\\n\\nReview: There's not much to say about RAM - sure you could get micro-technical, but for most people the stick works, or it doesn't.\\n\\nI bought this for an Asus 1000HE to upgrade it from the stock 1GB RAM to 2GB, and it works fine. As others have said, some netbooks can get finicky with RAM selection, so I thought adding my experience to the list may well help others relax and order it for their EEEPC.\\n\\nI did NOT have to make changes at the BIOS level (though I'd recommend entering the bios as I did to make sure that it's recognized properly), and the stick is seen as 2GB in the boot screen, Windows XP, and Windows 7 (which I installed on a second partition).\\n\\nBuy it, use it, forget it. It works.\",\n \"Product: Transcend memory modules use high-quality brand name chips. Each chip is selected with the strictest quality standards and is 100% tested to ensure reliable performance and stability. Stable and Durable, highly compatible, 100% tested and lifetime warranty.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Adding To The Chorus\\n\\nReview: There's not much to say about RAM - sure you could get micro-technical, but for most people the stick works, or it doesn't.\\n\\nI bought this for an Asus 1000HE to upgrade it from the stock 1GB RAM to 2GB, and it works fine. As others have said, some netbooks can get finicky with RAM selection, so I thought adding my experience to the list may well help others relax and order it for their EEEPC.\\n\\nI did NOT have to make changes at the BIOS level (though I'd recommend entering the bios as I did to make sure that it's recognized properly), and the stick is seen as 2GB in the boot screen, Windows XP, and Windows 7 (which I installed on a second partition).\\n\\nBuy it, use it, forget it. It works.\",\n \"Product: The BackBeat Titanium noise-isolating earphones are designed for the discerning music enthusiast and feature titanium-enhanced micro-speakers that deliver vivid, full-spectrum sound with exceptional clarity and realism.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Very Good Sound, But A Few Issues\\n\\nReview: Headphones are a personal thing. One person's amazing set of ear buds is another's torture device. So I'll give you a quick bit of information about my music background and needs list, then how these stack up.\\n\\nI started working as a recording engineer and producer in the 80's and worked in studios for almost two decades. I value neutrality and balance in either headphones or speakers. I listen to all types of music, from jazz to rock, singer/songwriter to alternative, punk to funk. I've never found a set of ear buds I love, but really that's a function of what technology can do; I don't think it's possible to get some that sound consistently as good as, say AKG 240's or Sennheiser 580's (both big, old style, closed-ear design headphones).\\n\\nThat said, most people don't walk around with that kind of headphones on, and most portable devices can't drive them efficiently anyway. But then, life is about compromise, so most people choose one of two types of ear buds: the kind that sit in your ear like stock iPod headphones, or the type that seal in your ear canal, providing additional bass but also isolating you from external sounds (um, you might not want to jog at night, in the street, with that kind). The Altec Lansing UHP326's are in the latter category. So how do I like them?\\n\\nThe first thing that struck me was that it was really tough to see which was right and which was left. They are marked, but with a black l or r on black plastic. In the dark, or even dim light, that's not good. They really should have put a colored dot on one or the other. They do come with four different sets of plastic covers to fit various size ears; very important because getting a poor seal will give you really awful sound, with no bass or lower midrange.\\n\\nBut once I got them fitted, and in the correct ears, I was relatively happy. The sound at the bottom end is full and accurate (assuming a good, tight seal), though I found the upper mids a bit harsh. High end is clean.\\n\\nThey do have one problem that also affects the Zune premium headphones: rubbing the headphone cord against your shirt, or in your hands, transmits that rubbing noise to the headphones themselves - it can be intrusive at times, particularly if you are listening to quiet classical music and moving around a lot. However, this only happens when you make firm contact with the section of the cable between where the right/left cable split occurs and your ears. The cable from the split to the music device does NOT transmit noise - a definite plus over the Zune premiums.\\n\\nSo overall, I'd normally give them three stars or three and a half stars. At suggested list price (does anyone pay that, anywhere?), I wouldn't personally buy them. But at the 30 bucks amazon.com is currently charging for them, I think it'd be hard to find a better set of isolation-type, hence a final four star rating.\",\n \"Product: Designed for modern sensibilities, the Volta pouch is streamlined in profile and crafted of thick molded foam to protect compact cameras, cell phones and MP3 players from abrasion. Soft tricot lining protects LCD screen and lenses from scratches and dust. Dual-zipper closure offers easy access, plus security. Interior slip pocket stores a battery, memory card, mini headphones or small personal item. Integrated belt loop offers an additional carrying option. The Volta 20 fits a compact camera or a variety of small digital devices. Internal Dimensions: 7.6 x 2.5 x 11.5 cm (2.99 x 0.98 x 4.53 in); External Dimensions: 8.7 x 3.3 x 12.8 cm (3.43 x 1.30 x 5.04 in); Weight: 0.06 kg (0.13 lbs).\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: An Excellent Small Case\\n\\nReview: The Volta 20 is an excellent, but small, case. The exterior is a nice matte surface that is firm yet gives a bit, it has an excellent quality zipper, a pocket on the inside to hold a memory card or two, and a belt loop for those that go that way. One of the nicest features is the fact that the accordion flaps on the sides prevent it from opening all the way, minimizing the chances that it will flop open and drop your electronics on the ground.\\n\\nThe only downside is that the interior is slightly less padded than I would have thought, though I personally think that the rigidity of the outer shell makes up for it. The lining is, in my opinion, suitably soft to protect anything.\\n\\nIf your camera will fit (check the dimensions!) and you are looking for a high quality compact case to drop in a bag or breifcase, I can't think of a better choice than the Volta 20.\",\n \"Product: This toploading bag offers a weather-protective, streamlined and easy-access solution for outdoor enthusiasts who are passionate about their photographic pursuits. Features a patented, built-in All Weather AW Cover protects gear from the elements. Easy-access lid with dual zipper pulls opens away from body and provides full access to gear. SlipLock attachment loop expands carrying capacity. Fully padded interior protects gear; horizontal divider allows storage of extra lens in main compartment. Interior zippered pocket with memory card storage provides space for spare memory card and other accessories. Removable/adjustable shoulder strap offers a custom, comfortable fit. Belt loop and padded grab handle offer extra carrying options. The Toploader Zoom 45 AW fits a DSLR with attached lens (up to 18-55mm f/3.5), memory card and accessories. Internal Dimensions: 16 x 10.5 x 16.3 cm (6.30 x 4.13 x 6.42 in); External Dimensions: 18.5 x 16 x 22.5 cm (7.28 x 6.30 x 8.86 in); Weight: 0.2 kg (0.44 lbs).\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent If It Fits Your Size Needs (Zoom 55 AW)\\n\\nReview: You've got three major issues when it comes to camera bags: construction, size, and features. The biggest problem with ordering online, of course, is making sure that the size is correct without having it in your hand to see, and no review can help much with that. I can tell you that I don't have a particularly huge zoom on my Canon dSLR, though it takes my midrange zoom or my 100 mm macro just fine - with room to spare in fact.\\n\\nSome of that room can be used, as Lowepro includes a small removable panel with strong velcro sides that can be put in the bottom of the bag to act as a false bottom beneath which small items (extra battery, filters, a small flash) can be stored. But the bottom line for size is to look carefully at the size, check out pictures online, and then decide if the size is right.\\n\\nAs for construction, this is typical Lowepro, which is to say just fine. I found no defects in workmanship, the padding is definitely deep enough throughout the bag, and the zippers are high quality and include lanyards to make pulling them easier. Overall, I was extremely happy in this regard.\\n\\nFeatures are fairly standard with one exception: the built-in weather cover, which is a great idea. Attached to a lanyard to keep it from getting lost, It tucks into a pocket on the back completely unobtrusively, but when in use covers the entire bag snugly. Other features include a good sized exterior pocket, an adjustable/removable shoulder strap, a padded handle, and a belt loop, though it's a bit big to hang on a belt.\\n\\nSo overall, a good choice if you've got a zoom lens and want a bag to use with it. The price is right, the construction is fine, and the features are there.\",\n \"Product: Spill-resistant design Comfortable quiet typingDurable easy-to-read keys and sturdy adjustable tilt legs on keyboardPlug-and-playWorks with Windows XP Vista or 7\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Better Than It Has a Right To Be\\n\\nReview: If you're looking for a solid, inexpensive keyboard, it's tough to go wrong with this Logitech unit. It includes basic media control keys, including play/pause (though no track skip - bummer), volume up, down, and mute, as well as keys to launch a browser, an email program, the calculator, and a power button. It's a full-size setup too, with a full number pad, which is a welcome feature.\\n\\nAction fair to midling, with very little click, which is to be expected in a keyboard in this price range. What isn't necessarily expected is the fact that it's spill-resistant, with channels to direct liquid around the electronic parts and out drain holes. It's also gratifyingly thin, and fits on a pullout keyboard tray easily (something I can't say about my extra-large Microsoft Sidewinder keyboard)\\n\\nAll in all, a good, solid basic keyboard. I don't personally love for the action on it, but it's actually grown on me while typing this review. And then there's this: I'm not using it (well, except to write this). I've given it to my kids, and I can at last be a little less streesed about them drinking juice boxes while they do their homework.\\n\\nI'd be surprised if there's a better unit at the price point, and can recommend it to any budget-minded computer user in need of a new, solid, basic keyboard. In the under-$20 group, it'd be a five star keyboard, but I dinged it a star for the lack of track skip buttons.\",\n \"Product: With its Swivel-Speaker-Array, the ZiiSound T6 gives you the most compelling music, movies and gaming experience with high quality wireless audio and surround sound. Pair it with any compatible Bluetooth device or simply use the bundled BT-D1 USB Transmitter for an instant Bluetooth connection. Enjoy 5.1 movie or game soundtrack via a USB connection to your PC, Netbook or Notebook, while the SLAM subwoofer with its 3 drivers-design, delivers excellent dynamics for deep, tight bass. For total convenience, the ZiiSound T6 also comes with a wired volume control pod, AUX-In and headphone connector.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great Functionality; Sound Could Be Better\\n\\nReview: So in a speaker system like this, you've got two things to look at: the functionality and flexibility of them, and the sound quality. In th case of the ZiiSound, they land in two different places.\\n\\nFor functionality, this gets five stars. It's very easy to set up: the speakers and control pod plug into the sub, the sub plugs into the wall. Now, just connect it to your sound source, which is done via USB, Bluetooth, or RCA cables (no optical input or HDMI in/through), and you're done. Computer or iPod doesn't have BT? No prob, they include two BT dongles - one for a USB port,and one for an iPod. Short on cabling? Again, don't worry - they include both USB and RCA cables. So on set up and provided materials, you really couldn't ask for more. One note though: EVERY picture of these makes it appear that the satellite speakers are wireless - they are not. I didn't expect them to be, but from the box you might be confused (particularly as the box has a sticker on it saying \\\"Pure Wireless\\\").\\n\\nControl is via a simple and nice looking round pod that sits on your desktop. The entire top spins for volume control - beneath that section are buttons for source and power, as well as a headphone out and aux input (via 1/8\\\" mini jack). Again, providing great flexibility and an easy way to quickly connect an extra device.\\n\\nSound, while not quite living up to the rest, certainly wasn't bad. They're PLENTY loud, highs were reproduced well, and the thing had a ton of fairly tight bass - a bit too much in fact: as another reviewer said, even at it's lowest setting, it had a bit too much, particularly if you are looking for true reproduction of source material.\\n\\nI compared the system to the set of studio monitors I normally use (I have a history as an engineer and producer and have used the same monitors for over 2 decades) and found them to be overly boxy - an exaggerated mid that I didn't personally like much at all. HOWEVER - no such complaints were coming from family members, all of whom were happy with them.\\n\\nBut these weren't meant to be used to mix records. If you want something that's easy and flexible to set up that can be quickly dropped into a system and used via BT - this is not a bad choice. But if, like me, you value accuracy (or have made a record or two in your day), you might want to consider spending the $400 on a better pair of pure speakers and use them with an amp.\\n\\nSo five stars for functionality, three for sound - and average of four. Cheat it up or down as you see fit, depending on your particular needs.\",\n \"Product: The Bell + Howell 2.4 GHz Digital Wireless Video Door Phone System/ Doorbell is a home door phone system with a built-in microphone, speaker and high resolution color CMOS camera. With its excellent picture quality you can now monitor who is at your front door and the transmission range is up to 450-Feet (line of sight). The Wireless Video Doorbell operates over ISM band 2.4-2.4835 GHz.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Audio DOA and More Issues\\n\\nReview: I have major problems when a manufacturer releases a product with a completely misleading box, and that's an issue in this case: as other reviewers have stated, this doesn't transmit video, it transmits stills. The receiving unit stores them locally, though there's no way to offload them to another device.\\n\\nThat said, there are other issues. The overall build quality looks and feels extremely cheap to me, with low grade plastics used throughout, and a design that looks to date to 1977, and not in a good way. Instructions are minimal, though not very necessary: it's easy to figure out how it works, or how it doesn't in the case of the one I got.\\n\\nThe person ringing the bell pushes the \\\"Talk\\\" button, which takes a still photo and sends it to the receiving unit, where the person at home pushes THEIR talk button to chat with the person at the door. Unfortunately, while mine did send video and sound the doorbell, I couldn't get audio to work at all. Furthermore, the sending unit has a \\\"Push to talk, release to receive\\\" sticker that's just plain wrong - that actually takes another photo and rings the interior bell, which would be extremely irritating for someone trying to talk to the person at the door - not a horrible deal, except it points to lousy design and quality control... I have no idea how anyone could miss this.\\n\\nOverall, between the build quality, the misleading packaging, the poor quality control and the DOA status of audio in mine, I wouldn't touch another Bell + Howell product, personally. Too bad too, since I have warm memories of their slide machines in my childhood.\",\n \"Product: Get it together. Organize and back up all your content on one device and access it from anywhere.You can't enjoy what you can't find when your digital life is spread across multiple computers, hard drives and flash drives. With Seagateamp;reg; Central shared storage, it's simple to back up all your files, documents and media to one location on your network, and enjoy the convenience of a shared digital library that is compatible with both Macs and PCs. Access your music, movies and docs from computers, game consoles, Smart TVs and other connected devices throughout the home. If you own a Samsung Smart TV or Blu-ray Discamp;trade; player with Smart Hub (2012 model or later), you can take advantage of the Seagate Media app to enjoy easy content browsing with your remote control.Enjoy your content where you want, when you want. After downloading the free Seagate Media app, you can view your content by type, size, even compatibility, regardless if it is a PDF, Word doc, music, photo or movie file. The Seagate Media app offers a full screen view that allows for quick and easy selection as well as a visually rich experience that is available for Androidamp;reg; and Appleamp;reg; platforms as well as Amazon Kindle.You can even offload or back up your photos and personal videos from the Seagate Media app. Upload and download any of your files from most Web browsers-from anywhere-with the Central Remote Access Service.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent, Easy, Powerul (with a couple of caveats)\\n\\nReview: I really like this drive despite having had a few issues getting my head around how, exactly it's set up. Before proceeding I should mention that I've been working on computers and setting up most operating systems (including FreeBSD!) for about 2 decades.\\n\\nSetup in its most basic format is simple as pie: plug it into the wall, plug it into your router, look for it under network on your Windows PC. Easy - acts exactly like another drive, and you can use it from any computer on the network to backup or store files with no hassle at all.\\n\\nHowever, once you log into the system to check out settings and update firmware, things can get a little confusing. You're asked to set up a username and password for every computer on the network to use. OK - fine. But a folder is created with that user name, which appears alongside a folder named public. And thenceforth, to log onto the drive AT ALL from a local computer, you need to use that username and password - what's odd about that at first is that Public isn't actually public, as you need to log onto the drive to see it.\\n\\nShortly though, it became clearer: once you set up ANY user at all, the entire drive in not accessible on the network without a password, EXCEPT via DLNA (or anonymous FTP - more on that below). So, in effect, the entire Public folder becomes the main media serving folder for the network, and accessible via any DLNA client. Getting onto the drive itself anywhere including Public requires a username and password.\\n\\nThis allows setting up all Public media in one space to stream to devices, while allowing the addition of multiple users with private folders - once logged into the drive using one set of credentials, all that are accessible are the public and individual user folders. It's actually a pretty good way to set it up: the problem was that those details are spelled out exactly nowhere in docs with the drive, or on the Seagate website.\\n\\nRemote access via the Seagate website worked flawlessly, which was nice. It's easy to access any folders from any computer anywhere, as long as you set up a remote user and run the service on the drive. I'm curious about the security here (didn't have time to research it), as you actually log in through Seagate's site - until I know how that works I've turned the service off. But assuming it's entirely secure, it's a neat and easy-to-use feature that does not require you remember your home IP address.\\n\\nBoth SFTP and FTP are available as well; using anonymous and a blank password will allow you access to the Public folder only, while using a username and password will drop you into that private folder and allow you to back out to see the entire file structure (assuming that the user has admin privileges).\\n\\nTransfer speeds could be faster. I was getting 10 - 13 MB/s average using Windows transfer and my wireless router as a hub. Yes, it could well have been the router, but I don't have a spare GB hub here to test, sorry. Noise level was extremely low though and was never bothersome at all.\\n\\nAll-in-all though, it's an excellent and fairly good looking box that does exactly what I want it to while having a ton of flexibility for people with deeper skill sets. A great buy.\",\n \"Product: Experience widescreen entertainment the way it was meant to be seen -in the comfort of your own home. The Home Cinema 730HD projector boasts 3000 lumens of color brightness and 3000 lumens of white brightness 2, so images are rich and brilliant. Watch blockbuster movies and sporting events on the big screen, or play larger-than-life video games, all with amazing clarity and color -it's easy with 720p resolution and HDMI connectivity. Epson's innovative setup tools make it simple to experience exciting entertainment up to 300\\\", on virtually any wall or screen -indoors or out.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Amazing - And A Great Value\\n\\nReview: I'm new to the projector world, so I have no real way to compare this bad boy to other models, but I can say this: it is great.\\n\\nI've used it in the two environments one might expect: work and home, and it performed beautifully in both.\\n\\nIt's light and easy to carry from room to room (or to head outside to the yard), as well as from home to office. Once in your destination, it's also easy to set up and get running. Horizontal, vertical and focus adjustments are all manual, but extremely easy to execute, and once in place you'll be ready to start in no time.\\n\\nThe projector provides a decent range of inputs, though it is missing DVI, so computers without an HDMI output won't be able to run in 720P. However, for DVD players and computers that have an HDMI out, you'll be treated to a really wonderful picture. I've used it in office environments that weren't exactly dark, and the Epson provided plenty of brightness to get the job done.\\n\\nBut it really comes alive at home - in a dark room this thing looks just great. I've used it in the living room and finished basement with great results, and last weekend set up an outdoor movie viewing party for my kids, using a screen borrowed from my cousin. Extremely impressive performance at a 10' screen size. In fact, it's been fantastic in every environment.\\n\\nThe only downside is the lack of an audio output. While the built-in speaker is ok for some uses, a real stereo pair (or more) is pretty much necessary for a movie, so you'll have to use an audio out from your source.\\n\\nBut that's a small tradeoff when the picture is this good. I'd ding it a half star for no audio out, but the rest of the package is so impressive that this has certainly earned a solid five star ranking.\",\n \"Product: An Amazon Brand.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: An Excellent Dual Link DVI Cable\\n\\nReview: First important thing: despite it not being mentioned in the description, this IS a dual link DVI cable and has no problem giving me full 2560 x 1440 resolution on my 27\\\" monitor.\\n\\nOne of the things about a 27\\\" monitor, by the way, is that they're 27\\\". A monitor that large requires a fair amount of space, and the distance from it to my computer could barely be spanned my my standard cable - this almost absurdly long one solved that problem neatly.\\n\\nConstruction is excellent. It's think and strong without giving up flexibility, and the connectors are solidly attached and feel extremely strong as well. The screws are well made and turn easily, and the pins were all aligned perfectly on my cable.\\n\\nAll in all, a great value for a beautifully-made cable that gives me extra flexibility for monitor placement.\\n\\nI wouldn't hesitate to recommend these AmazonBasics cables, and they'll be the first brand I'll be checking out when looking for cabling in the future.\",\n \"Product: DRP-SMSONWDSWSTORM\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Not Worth It Unless You Care More About Star Wars Than Music\\n\\nReview: So here's the deal: I've reviewed more than a few sets of headphones and earbuds. I was a recording engineer and record producer for a while and I'm pretty picky about sound, so I tend to check out new sets looking for a nice surprise sound quality-wise. Sadly, these did not deliver.\\n\\nConstruction wise they're pretty alright. Seem well-made, fold up small, fit in the football-shaped case that's included. The cord is removable (good), but can only be plugged into the left ear (less good). The Star Wars branding is really nicely done, and the swag is ok I suppose, but none of that means a thing if you can't get good use out of the headphones, and there are two reasons that just wasn't happening for me.\\n\\nFirst, they just aren't very comfortable. The band over the top is thinly padded and the cups are on the small size, making the grippiness intrude on the listening experience.\\n\\nSecond, the sound is just nowhere near where it should be for a set of headphones like this. The upper mids are strong, but bass and lower mids are muddy and lack definition. The high end is attenuated, making it sound like a cloth has been tossed between the cups and my ears when I compare it to other sets I have on hand (Sennheiser HD580s and Pioneer SE-MX9s which I'll be reviewing when I'm finished with this piece). The one nice thing I can say is they are extremely efficient, making it no problem to use a portable music device to drive them sufficiently.\\n\\nIn the end though, as much as I'd like to love them, it looks like all the care went into making a package they could sell to Star Wars fans rather than important things like long-term comfort and sound quality.\",\n \"Product: Teac WOOD ANALOG TURNTABLE 2 SPEED\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Fantastic Value, My Favorite At This Price Point\\n\\nReview: I've been listening to records since I was a child. And when I graduated high school in 1981 and moved away from home, I hauled all of my vinyl with me wherever I went. Point is, I'm an analog kinda guy. I was even a recording engineer and producer in NYC in the 80s and 90s, back when we recorded to actual analog tape. Crazy, I know.\\n\\nAt any rate, I've now amassed a not-insubstantial collection of about 1500 albums. I know plenty of people have more, but this is still quite a few, and my collection spans everything from 40s jazz to 60s rock to 70s and 80s punk to the most recent Daft Punk album (which is fantastic, by the way). So I want a good solid turntable that does what it's supposed to: play vinyl at a steady, accurate speed while keeping extraneous noises down and getting out of the way of the cartridge. And, for the price, the Teac is the best I've heard.\\n\\nThe main competition at this price point is the Denon 300 (which may well have been made in the same factory as the Teac) and the Pro-Ject Carbon. The Denon is fully automatic which, if that's important to you (it starts and stops on its own), may be the only game in town. I'm aware of the Audio Technica, but I've had the 120 and returned it - it's not a great deck in my mind. The Denon I've also had - still do in fact - and I like the Teac more. I've had some issues with the auto featured of the Denon, as well as some crazy speed problems that were very tough to tame. The Teac has held a good constant speed though, and measures within 1% of 33 1/3 RPM. That's a good thing.\\n\\nThe Pro-Ject I have not owned, but I've used, and I'm not overtly fond of the anti-skating rig on it. Also, a lot of the value is in the Ortofon Red that comes with it, which I'm not a huge fan of. I actually prefer the Shure 97 at that price point. One upside to the Pro-Ject is that it's very upgradeable, with replacement platters, belts, the speed box you can buy, the 78 RPM pully, etc. But If I were going to spend that kind of money to upgrade, I'd simply start with a better deck to begin with.\\n\\nWhich brings me to the Teac. I've been rooting for Teac to make a recovery for ages. Back in the day, I built by very first recording studio around a Tascam Portastudio 246, and my second around a Tascam 1/4\\\" 8-track. As Tascam is a Teac company, I've always wanted to see them get their act together and make good products. I've got the dynamite Teac 501 ADC, and now they've dropped this dandy entry-level turntable on the market. Yay Teac.\\n\\nFit and finish on this deck is outstanding. The plinth is veneer over MDF, but it looks fantastic. The power and speed selector (another advantage over the Pro-Ject, which is a PITA to swap between 33 and 45) switches are metal and have excellent feel when being used. The platter on mine is dead flat, and fits nicely onto the motor spindle, allowing it to spin completely free of the plinth, as opposed to counter sunk. I like that look.\\n\\nThe tonearm is a basic one, and the headshell is aluminum. The tonearm base has a plastic cowl around it which I don't like, but at this price point it's tough to complain that not everything is machined aluminum. However, the lack of a super high end arm don't hobble the deck too badly and, depending on the cartridge, this deck sounds as nice as anything in the sub-$500 category.\\n\\nThe included AT95e cartridge is far better than its retail price would lead anyone to believe, and better styli are available if one wants to upgrade. I also tried the deck with the aforementioned Shure 97 cartridge, and it performs wonderfully. I've committed to using the Shure for most vinyl, switching headshells to one with the AT when I'm checking out thrift store records (though really, I should use a cheaper one - the 95 really is quite nice). In both cases, with both cartridges, the Teac did an admirable job of getting out of the way and letting the cartridges do their work. The tonearm lift is fine, and lowers the tonearm at a suitable low speed. There is some drag when you move the tonearm across its rest, which feels kinda cheap, but it's not a big deal and certainly does not affect function in any way at all.\\n\\nI tried the built-in preamp, but found my Cambridge 651P sounded considerably better. I really wish companies would stop building them in and put that money into better tonearms or cartridges, but I understand why they do what they do. Still, I don't want to just shut it off, I want all the circuitry removed. A project for another day, I suppose. The USB output is serviceable for needle drops, but if you want to record high-res files you're going to have to use an external ADC - this one only spits out 16/44.\\n\\nOne extremely nice feature is the use of RCA jacks for output rather than built-in cabling. That was another huge complaint of mine with the Denon: it has built in RCA cables and they're crap. Being able to put good cabling between the deck and my pre is a great thing, let me tell you. Also, the included dust cover is well made and has two rubber bumpers on it to allow it to rest on the plinth quietly and block transmission of unwanted vibrations. The feet are well made and suspended as well, and overall isolation is as good as I'd expect at this price point.\\n\\nSo to sum up: great construction, good feature set, nice switchgear, beautiful finish and solid specs. All that and a rig that I believe will do justice to any cartridge you'd care to drop in, up to $250 or so. Once you go beyond that for a cartridge, you're probably looking for higher quality across the board.\\n\\nBut for a starter deck, or a good solid reasonably priced deck for people with decades of listening experience, I don't think anything beats this new Teac.\",\n \"Product: Premium performance and design. One of the fastest USB 3.0 flash drives available, Lexar JumpDrive P20 allows you to transfer files with speeds up to 400MB/s read and 270MB/s write. Quickly transfer a full-length HD movie in less than 40 seconds. The drive boasts a premium look with a sleek metal alloy design and a high-gloss mirror finish, and includes EncryptStick Lite software with 256-bit AES encryption to securely protect files. Its also backwards compatible with USB 2.0 devices for added versatility, and available in a range of large capacity options, so you can store more of what matters. Limited lifetime warranty.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent Speed and Encryption\\n\\nReview: I've been looking for a nice drive to carry critical files around for a while, and I'm very happy with the P20.\\n\\nThe drive has a metal back with a plastic front cover, and a plastic switch to retract and extend the USB plug. The construction is extremely solid and the device feels like a quality piece.\\n\\nSpeed is excellent - by far the fastest flash drive I've tested thanks to the USB 3.0 capabilities, and I have had no issues with my computer detecting it as USB 3.0 vs USB 2.0.\\n\\nThe encryption software is robust and simple. They've included EncryptStick Light, which provides a quick and easy way to create an encrypted vault on the stick. Basically, you run the program, it creates a \\\"vault,\\\" you set a password and then open the vault and drag and drop files that you want to encrypt into the window. Close it up and you're encrypted. When you look at the stick, you can see the vault of course, but you cannot open it without opening the program and entering your password.\\n\\nThis does NOT encrypt the entire stick, which is as it should be. As many other files as you wish can be kept on the stick in an unencrypted state as well - the vault essential acts like a folder on the drive that's encrypted. It's the easiest and most intuitive process I can think of to provide the service. You can also upgrade to the full version which includes syncing and auto-backup of your encrypted vault. A very nice simple program.\\n\\nOverall, I'm extremely pleased with the stick. My only complaints are that I wish it were smaller, and that the only way to put it on a keychain is using the super-thin lanyard that they enclose (which is a PITA to attach, actually). But those are small complaints. It's fast, roomy, and comes with free encryption software. I love it.\",\n \"Product: The PNY CS2211 2.5-inch SATA-III (6GB/s) solid state drive (SSD) is the next generation of XLR8 SSD that offers our highest performance when gaming or transferring large files. The PNY CS2211 was designed to be an ultimate HDD replacement for enthusiasts and gamers, who demand extreme performance from their system.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Lightweight, Fast, A Great SSD\\n\\nReview: There aren't a lot of things that you can say about an SSD - you can benchmark it, you can see how long it lasts (who wants to wait though), you can make sure it works.\\n\\nObviously, if this didn't work, I wouldn't be giving it 5 stars - so that's pretty self-evident right there. And it hasn't broken - you'd know that as well, same reasoning.\\n\\nSo all I can do is tell you that it utterly destroyed my SanDIsk Extreme SSD in benchmark tests, besting it by anywhere from 10% to 300%. That's pretty impressive. To be fair, I did test an empty PNY against a SanDisk that was about 50% full, but even taking that into account, I'm thinking the PNY smoked it.\\n\\nAdd to that the fact that it's pretty sharp looking and lightweight, and I don't have anything but good things to say. Well, except for one - the stickers on the side that seal it, the stickers that void the warranty if you remove them, THOSE stickers... one pealed off on its own when I was installing it. I'd be mildly paranoid if I had to send it in for warranty, but anyone with half a brain at PNY would understand.\\n\\nNot enough to ding it a star though, and this thing has been working flawlessly for over a month in my box.\\n\\nI'd buy another in a heartbeat.\",\n \"Product: A monitor designed with uncompromising performance and an innovative wireless charging stand. Convenient wireless charging on a stylish stand and excellent performance combine flawlessly without adding to the workplace clutter. Full HD clarity and 178 Degree /178 Degree ultrawide viewing angle across a 23.8\\\" screen.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A Great Screen, Natural Colors (2417HJ Ultrasharp Version)\\n\\nReview: I've gone through a lot of monitors in my day, and frankly I've never been entirely satisfied. I had a hugely expensive 27\\\" that couldn't do deep black and bright whites well at the same time, and sometimes no matter how I calibrate, test, etc I can't get them to look right.\\n\\nOne of the issues is, of course, that what we think looks right with our eyes isn't necessarily what's actually correct, so that throws another wrench in the works. I've currently got the 2417 on a desk next to my Dell 2412, and there is quite a difference - at first the 2412 was the clear winner, but now I'm not so sure - partly because of what I mentioned above. But I'll get to that.\\n\\nLooks-wise, this is fantastic. An almost non-existent bezel at the top, left and right sides make the 2417 a pleasure to look at. The contrasting base with the charging pad also looks classy, and the entire design just works beautifully.\\n\\nThe screen is height, tilt, and swivel adjustable, and the movement is extremely smooth and exudes a quality feel. There are plenty of connectivity options on the back, though it's conspicuously missing either DVI-D or D-sub connection, so unless you have HDMI or DisplayPort outputs, you'll need to steer clear.\\n\\nControls for the menus are touch sensitive, which I really dislike. I prefer actual buttons that I can see and feel and click, so that's a bit of a bummer, but the menu system is pretty Dell-standard, hearkening all the way back to my old 2005FPW. There are plenty of preset modes to choose from, but as I like to at least think I'm getting accurate color, I generally choose to go with either Standard, Color Temp, or Custom.\\n\\nGamma out of the box appears pretty spot-on, at least using sites like Lagom, though perhaps just slightly low. That's easily fixable. Using other test screens, I can make out the full range of blacks as well as whites, which is nice. My 2412 has the same performance, despite using different panel manufacturers.\\n\\nBanding, however, is a bit more prevalent with this unit than on my slightly older 2412 - however, it's important to note that I did not see it anywhere outside of a banding test screen.\\n\\nOne interesting thing about this guy is that it comes factory calibrated, using the sRGB setting in the menu. However, it appears to have been calibrated at 6000k as opposed to 6500k, which is just weird. Still, it really does look pretty nice out of the box, even if they have the brightness turned up to 75, which is pretty nuclear. Sharpness is quite good, and while the pixel size is slightly large, I have no complaints at all about how text and graphics look.\\n\\nBy far the biggest difference between the two monitors, though, is in the overall cast to the screen. In stock settings and no tweaking, my 2412 looks quite truly white, the whites on this 2417 seemed to have a bit of an off-white cast - almost a warm yellow. This does not appear to be a temp issue, but I can't dial it out using the custom colors either. It almost feels a bit like the gamma is off, though I do not believe that to be so.\\n\\nDue to that, I first gravitated towards the 2412 and it's whiter look, but then began to wonder if perhaps I was falling victim to the old trick that TV salesmen use, of turning up contrast, brightness and color to get things vivid as hell, though obviously bearing little relation to the actual subject on the screen.\\n\\nAnd then I decided that I was overthinking it, and decided to quit trying to figure out perfect (and believe me, I tried - loading color profiles, tweaking settings, doing all-manner of calibration tests) and just be honest about what I like the look of. Spend time with each alone (turning the other off, to see what feels right. And what I've found is that despite initially preferring the look of my 2412, I'm typing this on the 2417HJ. Once I got used to it, it felt smoother and better to me.\\n\\nAlso, I ran a bunch of photos and videos in both screens, and I have to say that while for some reason the whiter 2412 appears to be more immediately pleasing, this 2417 is definitely more natural and I preferred to edit photos AND watch movies on the 2417.\\n\\nI keep them both on my desk still, and I do love the 1900 x 1200 screen size of the 2412, but when all is said and done, if I had to give one away, I think I'd opt for keeping this guy. Plus, it charges my phone.\\n\\nAnd excellent choice that, with a better viewing angle and less banding would rate five stars for sure. In this price range, though, it's still a great screen.\",\n \"Product: An Amazon Brand.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Well Made, Supple, Quality Cable!\\n\\nReview: There's not a lot to say about cables beyond build quality and aesthetics, but I have good things to say about these those topics as regards this Y adapter.\\n\\nThe cable itself is thick and appears to be very high quality. Flexibility is excellent, with no binding or \\\"crunchiness.\\\" The jacks are also well made and really nice looking as well. The metalic finish on the colored sections is really quite sharp, and the gold plating is consistent and well-applied. The tangs on the male side are consistent as well and provide a secure connection without being overly tight - an issue with some RCA jacks.\\n\\nMy only complaint is that you cannot unscrew the body of the jack from the tip, so I cannot check the quality of the solder joints, nor could I repair them if the need arose.\\n\\nHowever, that's a small complaint in cables this nice that are so reasonably priced, and not enough to ding it a star. Since I use them to sum stereo to mono from my turntable when playing mono records (no mono switch on my amp), I'd buy the double male to female cable if only Amazon had them in stock. That's the highest recommendation I can give.\",\n \"Product: Using a distinctive, highly efficient heat pipe and fin design developed by Xigmatek, combined with a low-noise fan, the Vendetta is built to tackle heat-induced performance degradation and solves the cooling challenges of todays enthusiast system builds. While traditional heat pipe CPU coolers typically use a solid base plate design, the Vendettas three copper heat pipes make direct contact with the processor allowing for maximum heat transfer at a more rapid pace. A novel dimple design in the micro-configuration of the stacked aluminum fans adds turbulences, thereby reducing the skin effect of laminar air flow. Moreover, a folded \\\"V\\\" shape of the macro-configuration of the fins adds surface area without compromising the compact design. As a result, the Vendetta offers incredibly efficient cooling area comparable to much larger coolers which is reflected in its performance. The ultra-quiet fan cools without disruption with its anti-vibration rubber connectors to reduce excess noise, resulting in quiet, yet extremely effective performance. Because the OCZ Vendetta has a compact design, even the most crowded cases can accommodate the cooler with ease.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent Value, Excellent Cooling\\n\\nReview: I bought the Vendetta to replace the stock cooler on my Intel Q8200 Chip for a new computer build I recently did, and am extremely happy with it.\\n\\nInstallation was easy (I know many people complain about the Intel twisting mount pins, but I have had no problems with them) and it looks great in my case. The included fan is adds no ambient noise to my room that I can detect - the noise floor is clearly below the two very quiet case fans I have in the box. As for performance? Fantastic. I hesitate to quote temp figures since they are largely dependent on ambient air temp and other cooling factors, but on average I've seen a drop on all four cores of about 12 degrees C with the fan on, and about 2 degrees C without even using the fan - this is at rest or under load using Prime95.\\n\\nI do acknowledge that it's large, but it does not block access to the ram on my board (an Asus EP45-UD3R) and fits easily in my mid-tower case. I know it's inexpensive, but it sure doesn't perform like a cheap cooler.\\n\\nVERY highly recommended.\",\n \"Product: pThe GA-EP45-UD3R introduces revolutionary GIGABYTE Ultra Durable 3 technology featuring a 2 oz copper PCB to help reduce system temperature and dramatically enhance performance. Based on the Intel P45 chipset the GA-EP45-UD3R delivers a record-setting 1600MHz FSB for the latest Intel Core 2 multi-core processors, and supports dual channel DDR2 memory at speeds of up to 1366MHz and even higher. Additionally, the GA-EP45-UD3R incorporates GIGABYTE DES Advanced technology for industry leading energy saving and enhanced system efficiency./p\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent and Rock Solid\\n\\nReview: I have the Rev 1.0 version of this board, but have had absolutely no problems whatsoever. Installation of chip and cooler went fine, no problems installing OS of any sort.\\n\\nAll drivers I needed were included on CD, along with some nice tools written by Gigabyte. Overclocking has gone extremely smoothly with Q8200, and thus far with minimal cooling the board hasn't gotten close to overheating.\\n\\nAs I said, I have the rev 1.0 and to me it looks the same as in the photos, but I do have a fat OCZ cooler on it, so maybe I'm missing something. According to the Gigabyte site, there is no difference between Rev 1.0 and 1.1, so perhaps it's simply a bios update or minor visual tweak - I don't know, but again I've had zero problems with the rev 1.0, so I don't really care.\\n\\nAdd to all that the good looks and the Firewire port (a necessity to me, and something that's on a lot less boards than I thought) and you have, for me, a total winner.\\n\\nHighly recommended.\",\n \"Product: RCA noise isolating earphones are lightweight in design and have a contoured ear pad design that reduces exterior noise by sealing it out with changeable ear-tips in 3 sizes. There’s a 3.5mm gold plated jack for clear sound reproduction.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Cheap Materials but Good Sound for the Price\\n\\nReview: I preface all my headphone reviews with a comment that I was an audio engineer and record producer in NY for a number of years - not to say that makes me better than anyone else, but it has made me extremely picky.\\n\\nThat said, these are a mixed bag. I found the construction to be exceedingly cheap feeling - I didn't have any functional issues, but the wires, buds themselves and the ear cushions felt barely better construction-wise than something handed out on an airplane.\\n\\nThe sound, though, surprised me. While I couldn't get a good seal even with the biggest cushion (and my ears are not bigger than anyone else's, at least as far as I can see), I still found the sound to be far better than expected. A bit midrangy, but that's very common, with highs that weren't soaring, but neither were they harsh, which was nice.\\n\\nBottom end was on the weak side, but again I failed to get a great seal - with better cushions the bottom did improve a bit.\\n\\nI wouldn't spend big money on these, but for under 20 bucks they definitely deliver some value. My biggest concern would be how well they stand up to regular use. I'll give them to my son and report back if the die.\",\n \"Product: Cook up a great time in your kitchen with your favorite MUkitchen products! Every surface in your kitchen requires a special cleanser and a special towel. Look no further than the MUkitchen 3 Piece Microfiber Specialty Cleaning Set. This set features three unique cloths designed for the various surfaces of your kitchen and around your home. The towel for stainless has a flat, woven surface that polishes stainless steel, appliances and barware. While the towel for glass has a textured surface that leaves your glass with no streaks and 100% sparkle. It's the perfect towel to use on all your glassware and windows. Lastly the heavy duty towel features a heavy microfiber nap that works hard on deep cleaning jobs like the stove, oven, or wherever there is a messy job to tackle. And because these towels are made of microfiber, they are reusable and absorb many times their own weight in liquid and dry 10 times faster than ordinary kitchen towels. Measures 6-1/2 by 9-1/4-inches. MUkitchens a concept lifestyle kitchen textile brand, renowned for its original designer prints and fresh take on color. Specializing in top-quality, fashion-forward kitchen textiles and cleaning products, all of MUkitchens products are created from top-quality cotton and microfiber. MUkitchen aims to create long-term relationships with their business partners based on honesty and trust while seeking to understand their customers business and provide mutual support.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Better Than I Expected!\\n\\nReview: I had my doubts about these, but I've come away pretty impressed.\\n\\nThe green one is the general use cloth, and it's really dandy for general dusting and clean up. Not much different from other microfiber clothes I've used, but definitely a quality product as good as any I've seen.\\n\\nThe specialty ones were what I was most interested in; could these be more than a gimmick? Apparently so, happily.\\n\\nThe stainless steel cloth (silver, appropriately) works a treat on my fridge, though the idea of using them dry as I had hoped went out the window immediately - this thing still needs some liquid to work, and I went with a water/vinegar mix and had fine results.\\n\\nAs for the glass one, this thing I loved. Worked wonderfully on shower glass and sliders with the same water/vinegar solution, and was great for touch ups on bar glasses when dry.\\n\\nEasy to use, effective, and reasonably priced, these clothes were a welcome addition to my kitchen.\",\n \"Product: Mad Catz' F.R.E.Q.3 Stereo Headset is tough yet comfortable and lightweight, capturing sublime audio from games, movies, and music. Multiplatform GameSmart technology provides simplified setup and near-universal compatibility with a host of different devices. The F.R.E.Q.3 is a go-to headset for use with laptops, desktops, and tablet computers, plus the latest generation of iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone handsets.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Games: Great. Music: Not So Much (The Midrange Has Been Kidnapped!)\\n\\nReview: Here's the thing: I always approach headphones from a quality of sound angle. Maybe it's because I was a recording engineer, maybe because I listen to music almost constantly - it doesn't matter why though: sound comes first, everything else follows.\\n\\nAnd that explains my three star rating. The sound is just SO not up to par. The bass is fine, I'll give them that, but the midrange is missing and the high end is completely inaccurate. It was a rather bizarre experience actually: I put them on and they sounded really hollow making me feel like my ears were almost being sucked out into them.\\n\\nI compared them to a huge range of headphones and earbuds, and they came up way short of all of them. Which is too bad, because functionally they're really good. The built-in mic works really well, and the controls are easy to find and use. They've avoided the trap of putting the mic on the cable, and for gaming they're really great. They do come with cables that will allow them to be used with a phone as well as a computer, so they're really flexible, too.\\n\\nBut, like I said, for me it's all about the sound and these don't make the grade in that regard. If I were only concerned with gaming I'd give them a four star rating for sure, but since I use headphones for games, phone calls and a ton of music, these just don't rate more than a three.\",\n \"Product: New Balance is dedicated to helping athletes achieve their goals. It's been their mission for more than a century to focus on research and development. It's why they don't design products to fit an image. They design them to fit. New Balance is driven to make the finest shoes for the same reason athletes lace them up: to achieve the very best.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Well Made, True To Size\\n\\nReview: So right off the bat I'll say that no one in my house is a runner. We have a few walkers, though, and a bunch of stand-alot-during-the-days, so I thought these would be a good addition to our shoe quiver.\\n\\nAnd they have been. Construction on them is excellent, though I have been unable to figure out where they are made. NB used to be made domestically, though now only a few models are. These are not labeled anywhere with country of origin.\\n\\nFit is right on target for both women's 9 size people here, they are suitably light for all-day wear and provide good support and comfort. Not, apparently, \\\"I'm walking on clouds\\\" comfort, but \\\"I can stand and walk in these all day\\\" comfort with no issues at all.\\n\\nThey are a bit pricey, though - over a c-note is a lot to spend on shoes, and I'm not sure I'd put that much dosh down on these just for walking and standing. But perhaps as a running shoe they deliver more value - as it is, they have not shown any excessive wear, look nice and provide plenty of comfort. An overall fine shoe (but read some runners' reviews if that's your bag!)\",\n \"Product: Large Movado BOLD watch.\\n42.5 mm yellow gold ion-plated stainless steel case.\\nYellow gold-toned dial with stamped minute/hour index, and yellow gold-toned sunray dot and hands.\\nYellow gold ion-plated stainless steel link bracelet with push-button deployment clasp.\\nK1 crystal.\\nSwiss quartz movement.\\nWater resistant to 30 meters. \\nMade in Switzerland.\\nThis item may ship with an attached security tag. Merchandise returned without the original security tag attached or a damaged tag may not qualify for a refund.\\nMeasurements:\\n\\n Case Height: 43 mm\\n Case Width: 43 mm\\n Case Depth: 11 mm\\n Band Width: 11⁄13 in\\n Band Circumference/Length: 6 3⁄4 in\\n Weight: 6 oz\\n \\n\\nThis product may have a manufacturer's warranty. Please visit the manufacturer's website or contact us at warranty@support.zappos.com for full manufacturer warranty details.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Beautiful, Accurate, Unexpectedly Works as Dress OR Casual\\n\\nReview: Let's start with this: calling it unisex is a bit of a reach. This is big. And heavy. And those things, that may push it out of the unisex category have made it my everyday watch.\\n\\nI'm not a big watch collector; I don't go to watch websites, and I can't tell you what movement is in what watch. Keeping that in mind, I do have a bunch of watches and, despite my initial reservations that this one is too flash, currently have this at the top of my to-wear list.\\n\\nNo second hand means no nurses or doctors will wear it, but it also means it's completely silent. I mean completely. I love that - it feels like the hands move by magic. It's also been wickedly accurate since I got it (though obviously it's tough to be perfectly accurate in that assessment without a second hand).\\n\\nThe body of the watch feels extremely solid and heavy, as it should. The crown is not screw-down, but the watch is supposedly water resistant to 30 meters. However, Movado says it's not suitable for swimming... I've never understood that: on what planet is \\\"water-resistant to 30 meters\\\" equate to \\\"splashes only, no swimming?\\\" Not a big deal though: this isn't exactly a beach watch. As an aside,I have showered with it on and it's shown no issues whatsoever.\\n\\nThe bracelet is great, and doesn't pull my arm hair, which is a big deal to me. This style of bracelet has ALWAYS been uncomfortable for me in the past: I'm happy sleeping with this guy on though. It's ajdustable via removal of either large or small links, though there is no fine tuning between. I've found a perfect fit though, so that hasn't been an issue for me.\\n\\nI've smacked it into a few door frames (accidentally!) and it has shown not one mark. The crystal, although it's not sapphire, looks good as new.\\n\\nAll in all, this thing feels great and looks great, as it well should. And, although it IS really flash, I pull it off with jeans and a tee shirt, no problem. A beautiful watch that feels great.\",\n \"Product: Wenzel Traveler Pack - 72552015 (Black) Size: 23 In. X 12 In. X 13 In. Size: 23 In. X 12 In. X 9 In. (Without Daypack) Capacity: 3600 Cu. In. (3000 Cu. In. Main Compartment, 600 Cu.In. Convertible Daypack) Weight: 3 Lb. 13 Oz. Body Fabric: Polyester Suspension: Single Aluminum Stay With Hope Frame Sheet Additional Features: 2 Mesh Water Bottle Pockets, Side Compression Straps, Side Overflow Pockets With Zip Closures, Hidden Pocket Behind Convertible Daypack For Extra Valuables, Ergonomic Carry Handle, Daisy Chain.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Smart Design, Flexibility, Plenty of Room. A Great Travel Pack.\\n\\nReview: Is it possible to make the perfect travel pack? I don't know, but this gets close.\\n\\nHonestly, if I were to design exactly what I wanted in a weekend travel pack, this would ALMOST be it. First of all, the pack itself is very well made, with nice materials, high quality SBS zippers, an strong stitching throughout. The handle on the top makes it simple to use as a carry-on bag for flights, while the well-padded shoulder and waist straps tuck away into a zippered panel in the back.\\n\\nThere are plenty of pockets, including two mesh water bottle slots, and a nicely padded laptop pocket that had no problem swallowing a 15\\\" computer. This is my only real complaint, as the pack itself is wide enough to handle a 17\\\", but they've made the laptop slot a bit narrower.\\n\\nThere's a lightweight aluminum and HDPE frame in the back that allows the bag to hold its shape while empty. And it's removable - sweet.\\n\\nThen there's the killer feature - the outer section of the pack zips off and can be used as a small day pack, complete with shoulder straps. What a great feature for travelers! Leave the bulk of your things in a hotel or tent, and head off for the day with your camera, wallet, pad and paper,... whatever you want close at hand is there, without the hassle of carrying everything everywhere.\\n\\nBonus: behind the zip-off pack is a hidden zippered pocket, which makes it easy to keep important documents (passport, etc.) or extra cash in a more secure spot than a pocket open to the world.\\n\\nI can guarantee this: the next time I or a member of my family goes on a 3-4 day trip, this is going to be the one piece of luggage that is going for sure.\",\n \"Product: Scratch resistant mineral crystal and Japanese quartz movement\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good Accuracy, Needs Finer Bracelet Adjustments\\n\\nReview: Watches can be tough to review. Aesthetics play a large part in how one likes what they wear on their wrist, so if you like the look of this watch in photos you'll be very happy; it's nicer in person than in photos. The blue is lovely, and the diamond-like jewels look quite nice.\\n\\nAccuracy has been excellent since I got it.\\n\\nMy only issue, in fact, tonight with the bracelet. While it is easy to adjust by removing links, there are no fine micro-adjustments that many bracelets have, meaning if your wrist falls somewhere between the size of two links, you can get quite the right fit. This, in fact, is a problem for me. With one of the links in it's too loose, but removing it makes it much too tight for me.\\n\\nThat aside, if you like the look, I think you'll be quite happy with this watch.\",\n \"Product: For the guy who likes a clean silhouette and fuss-free aesthetic, it pays to choose Adam. Smooth leather makes it sleek and slim enough to fit comfortably in your back pocket.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Absolutely Fantastic. I Feel Free!\\n\\nReview: Ah ,minimizing...\\n\\nI tend to try to carry as much in my wallet as many women attempt to lug in their purse, so this case not only made my life easier (don't have to take my wallet out of my back pocket when I sit down), it made it simpler.\\n\\nFirst off, the construction is great. It's made in India, and the leather is extremely soft and supple, with that wonderful worn-leather smell that always makes me happy. Stitching is consistent all the way around. There are three card pockets, though the top one has a divider, making for four unique places to store cards and your license.\\n\\nWhile you can get two cards into a slot, if you do that more than once it starts to get a bit tight, and while the leather will stretch I found that figuring out how to get my card load down to just three cards plus a drivers license was worth the effort. License in back, three cards in front, I'm ready to go.\\n\\nAs for the money side, the magnet is very strong and easily holds ten bills folded in half. For those concerned, the magnet is only on the flip part while the base is just metal, thus keeping the magnet away from your cards. And the fit of money is PERFECT. Folded in half, the bills sit perfectly on the back of the case (hiding the a-bit-too-prominent Fossil logo), invisible from the front. It's really a great design and looks exceptionally neat.\\n\\nAs for receipts, there are bonus points here. I can tuck them under the magnet with the money, which just prompts me to get the out of there and into a drawer once I get home. So I'm finally not carrying around a stack of receipts in my wallet like a crazy person.\\n\\nI absolutely love this. Looks great, easy to carry, smells good, is a pleasure to handle and let me simplify a bit. All wonderful things. The only downside is that my old wallet looks lonely in my sock drawer.\",\n \"Product: Ultimate Washers WG100 from Backdoor Sports features a unique reversible game board for playing the popular washer tosses game 3 different ways. Play with a slanted board, flat board or tub. Great for those gathering of family and friends, the Ultimate Washers board features specially researched and engineered materials to maximize both game playability and durability. The polypropylene used in manufacturing all the Back Door Sports game boards is formulated to resist damage and drying from the sun and other natural elements. The top playing surface on the Ultimate Washers game is covered in a special grade of industrial felt which provides an ideal landing surface, providing grip for the washers and also helps reduce the noise of impact. The steel legs on the Ultimate Washers game are coated in a rubber tartan material which keeps the game from moving during play and prohibits rust for prolonged durability. Ultimate Washers includes 2 game boards, 6 washers, 4 legs, complete instructions, and a carry bag.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: It Is What It Is\\n\\nReview: I may be one of the few reviewers to not only have never played washers, but to have never heard of it. But I'm a fan of most \\\"chuck things at other things\\\" games, so I was willing to give it a shot.\\n\\nFor those that don't know, it's incredibly straight forward. Set up the two plastic boxes 10 feet apart and throw colored washers at the opposite one. You get a point for landing it on the deck, two for hanging one over the hole, and three for dropping it into the hole. You can play with the targets flat or pitched slightly towards you by using the included legs. You can also turn the targets upside down and playing a \\\"tub\\\" style game, which eliminates the whole \\\"oops, my washer slid off the deck\\\" thing and makes it easier to score.\\n\\nThis set comes with the two targets topped with a felt-like material, 6 washers (3 each in white and black), the prop legs I mentioned, a bit of sandpaper to rough-up the washers so they slide slower when the hit the deck, and a large carry bag to store the set in (which is a VERY welcome feature).\\n\\nAt the price they're asking for 2 molded plastic buckets and 6 washers, you'd expect everything to at least be well made - unfortunately, that wasn't true for me (and at least one other reviewer). One of my decks is a bit concave, which means washers tend to slide in a slight curve towards the hole. It actually doesn't make that much of a difference considering weight/speed etc of a toss, but I still think if you're laying down this kind of money for what amounts to a high end version of what I'm told is traditionally made with leftover bits of stuff in a shop, well, they need to get the pieces right, that's all.\\n\\nOverall though, a pretty fun little outdoor game (they say you can play indoors, which you can, but honestly I think it just fits better at an outdoor barbecue, at the beach, or at a picnic) that's easy to play and great for the kind of half-concentrating games I like to play while grilling something or talking with friends and family.\\n\\nIf the price were a bit lower and my deck was flat, it could have copped another star. But at this price for something so simple that still has a manufacturing defect, it's just three.\",\n \"Product: Its not complicated. Toms foolishly rush in to rendezvous with a seductive hen. This breeding hen turkey decoy has made it easier than ever to give gobblers what they are looking for in the spring woods. Using a photo taken of a hen just before she was bred sends an invitation no tom can turn down. Its the beginning of any classic love story. Guy meets girl. Guy falls for girlwell, well just let hunters holding the gun write the script. We bet it ends with feathers flying and rave reviews.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: It Fools Humans, It's Gotta Fool Turkeys\\n\\nReview: So the first thing that needs to be made clear is that this is a two dimensional decoy, three. With that out of the way, I have to say this is pretty realistic (you know, assuming you're looking at it from the side).\\n\\nConstruction is fine, and the print work is excellent. It's easy to fold up and carry around in a small space, which makes it easy to bring along anywhere and deploy quickly and easily.\\n\\nI've had it outside the entire time I've had it, and it's been hit by full sun and plenty of water, and it still looks great, so I assume it's got a lot of life in it. And, as for looking real, I put it in our front walkway, peaking out from behind a plant and it scared my wife, my daughter, and a family friend that actually HAS a turkey. TWICE.\\n\\nSince human brains > turkey brains, this is a winner.\",\n \"Product: Our newest inversion table has been updated to be more ergonomic to help you reverse the spinal compresses you experience every day, safely and more easily than before. With each use, achieve that incredible feeling, like someone is lifting you up through your vertebrae a sensation that has created true devotees of Gaiam inversion tables in the past. This table, constructed of heavy steel, helps strengthen your back, elongating your spine and increasing circulation. Padded half-circle handlebars and cushioned ankle harnesses add comfortable, secure support. No more balancing acts. Simply walk your hands up or down to your desired position with extra gripping to allow for easier position changes. Skid-resistant rubber floor protectors also ensure stability. Assembly required. Height adjusts to fit 5'1\\\"-6'2\\\"with clear settings on each side. For individuals weighing up to 250 lb. Protective covers included. Taiwan.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Does What it Should - Small Issues\\n\\nReview: Whether or not inversion therapy works for you is a personal issue of course. I have chronic back pain and was hoping to get some relief, but whatever help inversion therapy provides me is short-lived. However that's not necessarily true for everyone, so what is relevant here is the quality of this particular table.\\n\\nAnd as far as that goes, it seems fairly good. Construction was pretty easy, though the instructions themselves had a few minor errors - nothing that couldn't be resolved using a little logic however. Parts all went together fine, though a few of the plastic plugs in the end of the pipes came out or were mis-fitting.\\n\\nOnce built, it seems comfortable and easy to use. We've tried it with every height from about 5' to 6' 1\\\" and everyone has been fine. Ankle pads are sufficiently thick and it rotates from upright to a fully-inverted 90-degrees easily. The bars that suspend the table in the frame are thick and solid, and locked in using two metal plates with bolts - I have had absolutely no worries about the table coming off of the frame or the frame collapsing.\\n\\nSo it appears that this is a good value. I'd suggest you have someone that's good with their hands around when you build it in case your instructions are a bit wonky, as mine were, but if you think inversion therapy would be helpful for you, this table would be a good bet.\",\n \"Product: The combo is the union of two high-level products made with quality material and great design. The product is ideal for Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, and Freediving. The Mask and Snorkel are made in Italy in 100% high-quality silicone, a better material and longer lasting than plastic PVC. Snorkel features a float mechanism which closes instantly to prevent water from entering the snorkel whether accidentally or purposely submerged. It has a highly flexible tube that reduces jaw fatigue and folds compactly for storing in a BC pocket or travel pack. The snorkel's wider elliptical bore shape increases air flow capacity for more comfortable breathing and a purge valve enables instant clearing when needed. The mask is made in Italy in hypoallergenic silicone for ensure comfort and a perfect seal. Features inclined and inverted tear-drop lenses for improve downward visibility, a Cressi's patented design (US 6272693). Tempered glass lenses. The easy-to-use Integrated Buckles (Cressi patented technology) are integrated with the frame with a swivel system for quickly strap length adjustment. The combo comes with an Handy Bag for protect and carry the equipment. The product is designed and made in Italy by Cressi, a brand pioneer in Scuba Diving, Snorkeling and Swimming equipment.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent. Comfy, No Leaks, Great View\\n\\nReview: My face hates masks. I'm telling you, I can't find one that fits comfortably and doesn't leak. Or at least I *couldn't* until now.\\n\\nThe quality on this mask and snorkel set is top-notch. Silicone in the mask is super-supple, and the snorkel design exudes quality. Fit is excellent. As I said, I have had a lot of trouble finding non-leaky masks, but this one fits the bill perfectly. Once under water, the excellent visibility thanks to the large panels makes finding fish a pleasure.\\n\\nThe wide strap holds well and does not slip, and neither does the adjustment; once it's set, it stays set.\\n\\nThe snorkel has a one-way valve that works really well, saving me the trouble of having to spit a tube full of water out to get a breath after diving under to pick something up. The flexible tubing near the mouthpiece makes it easy to find a comfortable position, and the click-in retainer holds it securely to the strap while being easy to attach and remove.\\n\\nOverall, a great set, if a little pricey. Still though, five stars.\",\n \"Product: Cressi Bonete Bag three piece set comes with tempered glass mask and semi dry snorkel supplied with purge valve. Also a carry bag making them easy to transport or store. Simply choose your fin size and with our speedy delivery, you'll be ready for under water action in no time.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Mixed Results in My Family\\n\\nReview: It's a bit of a split decision on this product at my household.\\n\\nI live in South Florida, so snorkeling is a way of life here. I ordered this as an additional set for use by my guests, my family, whomever needed to go snorkeling with us.\\n\\nWhen I tried to set out, I was not entirely happy. I think the shorter fins provide less thrust than I'm used to, and I couldn't get a very good seal on the mask. That surprised me, as this company's masks are usually quite good. I suppose they were trying to hit a solid budget though.\\n\\nIn the hands of my teenage children or my sister however, this set worked a treat. The fins held up beautifully and fit a variety of foot sizes, and no one else seemed to have a problem getting a good seal on the mask.\\n\\nThe snorkel isn't a dry one, but that's clear in the product description. If you do a lot of diving, or snorkel in choppy water, you may want to look elsewhere to find something that will keep water out a bit better.\\n\\nOverall, if it were just me that was testing this, it would be a three star product. However, since my family had such a positive experience with it, I'll give it 4 stars overall.\\n\\nI suppose if you have a big face, you might want to avoid it, but otherwise it's not a bad bet.\",\n \"Product: Take Protection & Style to the Max. This revved up Samsung Galaxy S III Grip case features raised edges that absorb shock and defend your screen against scratches. Interior AirShock Pockets evenly disperse the force of impact. The Grip Max is extra-protective, yet still sleek enough to slip easily into your pocket or bag without adding bulk.Airshock Pockets act as a protective interior for your Samsung Galaxy S III. These micro air pockets in the inner lining of the case are engineered to cushion your device from drops while keeping the case as thin as possible. Designed with an innovative TPU material that absorbs shock better than TPE or silicone. The raised edges reinforce the areas of your phone most prone to damage, while protecting the body of your case from dings and scratches.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent - Could Use Screen Protector\\n\\nReview: I've gone through a lot of cases for my GS3 and this is one of my favorites.\\n\\nWhile it's extremely easy to put on (just pops on the back) it's tough to get off: a good sign that it's holding it securely. The rubber surround protrudes above the screen surface just enough to provide protection and allow you to put the phone face down on a counter or desk, without being obtrusive.\\n\\nPort access is perfect - there's protection, but not so much that there are issues plugging in headphones or a USB cable - not true of many cases I've used. I should point out though that there are no port covers: they're always open. Not something that bothers me, but it's not the highest level of protection out there.\\n\\nCamera, flash and microphone cutouts are perfectly positioned and finished extremely well, with a rubber inner rim in the camera lens cutout. Rubber covers on power and volume switches are also just right, with great tactile feedback - no problems at all working those buttons and knowing exactly what you are doing.\\n\\nThe back itself is a high-gloss white, but it's NOT slippery - which is fantastic. To aid holding it, the back is slightly concave, with a raised rim, topped with rubber, running the entire perimeter. The end result is extremely easy to hold with no worries about it slipping. It's easy to get in and out of a pocket, and the rubber rim lets me put it on a smooth surface in my car without it sliding all over the place.\\n\\nMy only criticism is that Belkin fails to include any sort of screen protector. I happen to have one on already because I was using a Kraken case prior to this, but if you believe they're helpful (and that is up for debate), you'll have to purchase one separately.\\n\\nBut that's a small complaint that, while I feel I have to ding a star from the score, doesn't prevent me from recommending this case wholeheartedly. It hasn't left my phone since it arrived, and with the number of cases I have around here to choose from that's pretty high praise.\",\n \"Product: This sleek and tough case protects against scratches, bumps and shocks. The Commuter Series case has two layers of protection that work together to divert any impact force away from the device, keeping you and your phone ready for anything. When one installs the case, depending upon the order of installation, the top right hand corner can seem off a bit. This is simply solved by pulling up on the head phone port cover gently until you hear a pop and see it snap into place.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: The Best Choice For a Higher Level of Protection\\n\\nReview: I've gone through a lot of cases in my day and frankly, I change it up a lot. I get bored, to be honest, and want to change the look and feel of my phone fairly often. But I'm never willing to forgo quality, and with the Otterbox there's absolutely no worries there.\\n\\nKeep in mind that the GS5 is pretty big to begin with. Not Galaxy Note big, but no lightweight, either. So by definition, you're going to be pushing the limits of your pockets (I don't do holsters) no matter what case you drop the phone into. And that being the case, if you're going to make the phone considerably bigger, you'd better at least be gaining a ton of protection. On this, the Otterbox delivers.\\n\\nFit and finish are both excellent. The case goes on easily but holds the phone tightly. All cutouts are clean and perfectly positioned, and the button overlays are easy to use and positioned accurately. It's a two-part case, with an inner synthetic rubber sleeve (synthetic rubber?) and an outer polycarbonate shell. The Otterbox also includes an excellent screen protector that is cut accurately and, if applied correctly, is effectively un-noticable. The combined effect made me feel like my S5 was as indestructible as possible for a modern smart phone, and I was extremely impressed.\\n\\nHowever, I don't use it every day. As I said, the phone is big to start, and it's made bigger with the Otterbox. For my usage, I prefer a slimmer TPU case. BUT - were I out on the road more often, and certainly if I'm going on a trip, I think the Otterbox is unbeatable. It's tough, good looking, and adds as little bulk as possible to provide the level of protection it delivers.\\n\\nIf you tend to drop your phone a fair amount and need a good, tough case - the Otterbox is a great choice.\",\n \"Product: Simple, elegant amplification of audio. The perfect solution for gaming, movies, music and speakerphone.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Delivers On Sound Claims And Protection\\n\\nReview: There are two main aspects of this case that need to be looked at: protection and the claim that it makes your iPhone louder. Incredibly, Speck delivers in both areas.\\n\\nWhy incredibly? Because people have been making claims like Speck's since health potions were sold from the backs of wagons, and they've rarely delivered. In the case of this Speck case though, there's been no false advertising claimes I've been able to see. Slapping an iPhone into this thing really DOES deliver a huge increase in volume. Is it double? I don't know - but I do know I have to ask my daughter to turn down the music despite the fact that the door is closed. That's impressive.\\n\\nAs for protection, the Speck delivers here as well. My daughter has confessed to dropping her iPhone \\\"a bunch of times\\\" but there has been no damage whatsoever suffered. I consider that a huge win - she's killed more than her share of iProducts (both phones and pods).\\n\\nFor me though, there's one fact that really closes the deal for me. Not only has it survived my daughter's less-than-optimum care, not only do I have to tell her to turn it down through a closed door, there's this: she's been using it steadily since I put it on her iPhone over a month ago. Is there higher praise?\",\n \"Product: The Invisible Shield - ZAGGs customized, patented, flagship product - wraps around consumer electronics providing unrivaled abrasion resistance. Custom designed for thousands of devices, including mobile phones, digital media players, laptops, tablets, GPS devices, hand-held gaming systems, watches, digital cameras, and more, the Invisible Shield is the original gadget protector\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great Fit and Finish, Good Protection\\n\\nReview: I've tried quite a few screen protectors, and haven't ever been particularly happy with any of them. In fact, I've generally removed them either because I don't like the feel, or because of a small bubble or two. This one, however, is still on the phone.\\n\\nWhy? To start with, it goes one extremely easily and fits well. There's not a single bubble underneath the thing either, which is due to the design and materials used. Finally, the feel of it is excellent and it doesn't detract from the display. The phone it's on is primarily used now by my wife, and she keeps it loose in her purse. Two days ago, she dropped the phone on pavement for the first time. Despite both of those things, though the screen still looks great.\\n\\nI think the best compliment that she could give it came the other day when I asked for her thoughts on it and she responded \\\"I forgot it was even on there.\\\" For me, that says it all.\",\n \"Product: Shield your phone in one of these sleek Fabric design cases. Slim design features full access to all buttons and ports, allowing use of the phones many capabilities. Available in a variety of colors to fit any personality.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Good Idea, Poor Quality and Design\\n\\nReview: I really wanted to like this case, because I love the concept. I've gotten tired of the metal and glass look of tech, and even considered buying a Moto X just to order one with a wooden back. So when a cloth-covered case came along, I was excited.\\n\\nAnd at first, I liked it. I snapped on easily and looked and felt fine. It's a hard plastic, though, not TPU so it doesn't look like it'd give any \\\"bounce\\\" if it were dropped. But I was ok with that.\\n\\nWhat I wasn't OK with were a few other things. First of all, the cut for the charging port has two uncomfortable points to it - it doesn't bridge across the port the way some do. I tend to hold the GS5 with my pinky beneath it for support, and the thing just irritated my finger to no end. Now, I recognize that not everyone holds phones the same way, but it was a problem for me.\\n\\nBigger problems exist though: I did not drop my case, but there's a crack running from the bottom up the middle about 1/3 of the way - perhaps this happened when I was taking it off or putting it on, I don't know, but I don't like it. It's not visible from the outside because of the cloth cover, but still, that's pretty lame.\\n\\nAnd the cloth covering is starting to have threads pop up all around the case. I count about 10 threads at this point, each a good 1/4\\\" long and consisting of a group of threads, making it look incredibly old and shabby. Which I'd understand if I had used it for more than 48 hours, but I didn't.\\n\\nSo while it looks OK, and I love the idea of introducing more traditional materials into cases, this thing went from useable to cracked and shabby in 2 days. Not for me, and I'd suggest you look elsewhere as well.\",\n \"Product: Thoughtfully designed for no-hassle daily use, the Jittterbug5 takes simplicity to the next level with features like big buttons, a backlit keypad and a powerful speaker for clear conversations. Unlike most cell phones that need to be recharged almost every day, the Jitterbug5 has one of the longest-lasting batteries on the market and can go nearly a month without needing to be charged. A convenient built-in camera makes it easy to capture and share every special moment. With Minutes-Only plans starting at $14.99 per month, staying in touch with family and friends is easier than ever.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent. Well Thought-Out and Effective\\n\\nReview: I'm confident I'm not the only person with a parent in their 80s that is still on the ball, but technologically challenged. And if you're like me, you know how hard it is to find technology that they can use without needing constant help. With this phone, though, Jitterbug has hit all the right features just right.\\n\\nIt's a simple and easy to use flip phone - that's number one, of course, because a smartphone just ain't gonna work in this scenario, and it's harder to find phones like this than you'd think. Then the button size - they need to be big and easy to read, which these are, no problem. Then of course there are soft keys and menus - somehow my mother can get lost in these with no way to get out. Jitterbug dealt with this by putting simple yes/no buttons on the phone, making it easy for her to figure out just what to do.\\n\\nPlus, there's a dial tone. I've never seen that on a cell phone, but it makes people unaccustomed to using one feel immediately at home, and it's a brilliant idea. Next, the 5Star service - one big button to push for help, that can range from simple questions to triage. They can have a doctor call you back to help diagnose, or they can contact emergency services if you need immediate help. Fantastic!\\n\\nSo the features are great - what about functionality? Well, sound is excellent and plenty loud if need be, and the battery lasts for ages. Again, exactly what you'd want for an elderly person that may not be great at charging their phone regularly. And as for reception, it's on Verizon, so check your reception in your area; here and where my mother lives, it's excellent. Verizon is also the only company (so I've been given to understand) whose cell system stays up during a natural disaster. So there's a huge bonus as well.\\n\\nAll in all, a great, great product at a reasonable price with fair monthly fees. Highly recommended, particularly for those who have elderly family members that refuse to wear one of those emergency alert bracelets.\",\n \"Product: What you need to accomplish each day can sometimes be more than what your phones can keep up with. So stay productive through your day and into your night with two times battery capacity. The Resurgence iPhone 5/5s battery power case helps keep you up and running to tackle what matters.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The Best iPhone Accessory. Period.\\n\\nReview: This is exactly what an iPhone needs: a way to extend battery life.\\n\\nI put this on my 5S and everything worked as easy as pie. Setting it up was easy: take the case apart, put the iPhone in, put the top back on. Boom, done.\\n\\nAnd the first great feature is this: you charge it using the jack on the case, not the phone, and, it takes a standard USB charger plug. Not having to worry about Apple's stupid proprietary jack makes it WAY easier to find someplace to charge it. But here's the thing: it's no longer an issue with this extended battery life.\\n\\nThe way it works is this: first your phone charges, then the case. The case is not a supplemental battery though, it's a charger. So when your phone is running low, or dead, or whenever, you can hit the charge button on the case to charge it back up again. The case knows when the phone is full and shuts off, leaving the rest of the case charge available. Simple as that!\\n\\nThe case has a series of four lights to give you an idea of its charge level, so you always know where you are with your phone and the recharging power.\\n\\nThe only downside is that OtterBox does not include a screen cover of any kind. That's kind of a drag considering how notorious iPhone screens are in the breaking department.\\n\\nBut that's a small issue. The phone has been dropped with no damage (the case opened up, but that's good - it expended the energy of the drop there instead of on the phone), and everything has worked as I had hoped. I'm a happy camper.\",\n \"Product: Customizable style - Keep it clear to boast the Samsung Galaxy S5 style or flaunt your personality with Swappable Design Inserts\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great! Protection Without Uglification (or Screen Protection)\\n\\nReview: I've had a lot of cases. A lot. The struggle is always to find something that will actually protect the phone without making it look absurd, add too much weight, or interfere with its use. This one checks all the boxes.\\n\\nThere's not a ton to this: you just put the phone in. There's no cover, nor is a screen protector included. That's an oversight perhaps, but not enough to make my review any less positive. The rubber edges provide a fine level of protection, and the clear back is great. I love the option of being able to actually see my phone - of course, creative types can insert whatever they'd like between the phone and case, making it extremely flexible.\\n\\nSize and weight are about as minimal as you can get while still offering protection, and the case barely detracts from the great form factor that the S5 has when it's naked.\\n\\nI haven't tossed my phone against a wall to test it, but i did drop it and suffered no ill-effects. More important, perhaps: I feel like it's secure.\\n\\nEasy to grip, easy to get in and out of my pocket, and looks dandy. That's about what I'm looking for, and I think the Symmetry is great.\",\n \"Product: 10-Digit desktop calculator is made from the recycled materials of Canon copiers with the upper and lower casings being made with a high percentage of recycled material. Functions include tax calculation, square root, sign change, three-key memory, multiplication, division, percentage calculations and grand total. Decimal positions include a, 4, 3, 2, 0, and F. The large LCD screen easily shows all your computations. Desktop calculator runs on solar and battery power and shuts off automatically after approximately seven minutes.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: What can I say?\\n\\nReview: There's really not much you can say about a calculator. Either it has buttons and a display that you like, along with functions you need, or it doesn't.\\n\\nThis one's claim to fame is the fact that it's made from recycled Canon products, which is frankly irrelevant to me. It's relevant to my daughter though, so she's very happy. As for usage, it's actually really great. I love the tax calculation functions and we use it to do off the cuff totals at our store without having to deal with our point-of-sale software. Buttons are big and have good action, display is large and easy to read.\\n\\nI wouldn't pay more for it because of the recycled aspect, but it's actually a great product and I'm very happy with it.\",\n \"Product: Fellowes Professional Series Compact Keyboard Tray provides comfort and maneuverability for smaller workspaces. Designed and manufactured for Fellowes by Humanscale. Lift and lock feature lets you adjust height with one hand tilt platform to reposition, then straighten to lock in place. Single manual knob adjusts tilt up to -10 degrees for optimal comfort. Warning Trak helps prevent mouse from sliding off platform. Standard platform accommodates both right and left-handed mousing. Health-V memory foam supports with Microban antimicrobial protection stay cleaner and relieve wrist pressure to help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. Durable keyboard tray features compact 17-3/4 Inches glide track, slim profile, and non-skid pads.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Love It. Better, Sturdier, More Useful Than Old Model\\n\\nReview: There are a lot of flimsy keyboard trays out there, so it's a refreshing change to use one that actually works. I had a slightly older heavy-duty Fellows, but there were issues with things like the mouse pad: it lacked a wrist rest, and was a separate circular piece that was less sturdy, and higher, than the main tray and I found it uncomfortable to use. Over the months I used the tray less and less, ultimately going back to just using my desk.\\n\\nThe opposite is true with this new one. The single solid board with mousing surface is sturdy and easy to adjust for height, making it more comfortable to use. Both keyboard and mouse wrist rests are easily removable (they just sit on the board) to allow for deep keyboards that have their own rests, or for the use of a trackball mouse.\\n\\nPlus, the entire thing not only adjusts for height, but for tilt. A locking knob allows you to raise the leading edge of the tray if that's the way you like to type. The only downside is that, of course, this also tilts the mouse portion, so you need to keep the angle reasonable or use a ball mouse that won't run away.\\n\\nMounting is easy, and all parts are extremely well made and sturdy. This is a premium product, not a flimsy plastic tray that you'd find included with a cheap desk. On the subject of parts, one other issue Fellowes addressed with this model is the size of the track that gets screwed to the underside of the desk. The old one was so deep it didn't fit on my main desk because of the panel under the desk that drops down midway back (do they call that a privacy panel or something?). At any rate, I actually switched desks to use the old tray. The new one, however, is much shorter, fitting just fine on my older desk.\\n\\nSo all in all, a great product that works well and addresses my issues with my old one. For anyone at their desks for extended periods of time, I recommend it highly.\",\n \"Product: BIC 4-Color Grip ball pen offers the iconic 4-Color pen in a comptemporary design. It has a stylish grip for long-lasting comfort. It writes in black, red and green ink.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Everything I Remember, But Better\\n\\nReview: For those of us born in the sixties, coveting the famous blue and white barreled version of this pen was as common as bell bottoms, Orange Crush and Stan Smiths. Every kid I know wanted one, and I remember how happy I was when I actually had one.\\n\\nToday's version lacks the old-school color scheme, but that just makes it easier to a) use in a meeting without looking like you're 12-years-old, and b) keep it from getting stolen by another former ne'er-do-well that pines for the 70s.\\n\\nThe thing writes great, looks good, is extremely comfortable, and changes colors smoother than the original. Yes, it makes a great and convenient editing pen (red ink), and I'm sure there are other legit uses for it as well.\\n\\nBut for me, and I'm sure for more than a few others (like my wife and kids who kept snaking it from me once they discovered its greatness) it's just about having a great pen that makes me smile every time I pick it up.\\n\\nWithout question, worth the money. The only downside? You probably ought to by enough to give everyone in your household at least two. Because once someone misplaces theirs, they're coming gunning for yours.\",\n \"Product: The FYRKAT Charcoal Picnic Grill is compact for easy portability making it ideal for tailgating, camping, grilling on terraces, or on the beach. It features a 13.4-inch diameter, perfect for grilling whole fish, steaks, burgers and vegetables. Made of enamel-coated steel with chrome-plated steel legs, it has a heat-resistant silicone handle with silicone lid clips for easy carrying. The FYRKAT Grill is available in an array of 6 colors: Black, Yellow, Blue, Green, Off-White & Orange. Matching grill tools also available separately.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great Stuff, Though So Is Weber's Offering\\n\\nReview: Well, we're more than halfway through summer, and I've just finally gotten it together to do a post about portable charcoal grills. Some of you may know I write a popular meat blog called The Meatist ([...]), and in my meaty adventures have had occasion to cook out of doors more than a little.\\n\\nWhile for the last few years I've been laming out and relying on the ease-of-use that comes with a gas grill, I recently received a Bodum Fyrkat Portable Charcoal Grill for review, and I was psyched to get back to charcoal.\\n\\nThe Fyrkat is a fairly basic grill at first glance; it's got a wire grate for cooking, it's a kettle-style, and it's got two ventilation holes at the top of the dome, controlled by twisting the handle back and forth. What sets it apart from many others, and certainly from a hibachi, is the three latches that hold the top in place. This allows you to fill it with charcoal, slap the top on, and toss it in your trunk to go to a cookout. No fuss, no muss, and it's easy to carry the whole thing by the handle.\\n\\nIn the performance department, it does great. Plenty of ventilation from the bottom (underneath the separate charcoal tray that catches the vast majority of ash) gives you the flexibility to run it hot or hotter by moderating the top vents.\\n\\nAs for grill size, I was able to cook up five giganzo burgers on the 13.4 inch grate with no problem at all, so a basic cookout for a family of 5 or 6 would be easy peasy.\\n\\nIf easy transport isn't a priority though, you can save a few bucks and rock the <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Weber-Smokey-Joe-Silver-Charcoal-Grill/dp/B00004RALL/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Weber Smokey Joe Silver Charcoal Grill</a> which is about $20 cheaper. While it doesn't come with the latches, and colors aren't quite as interesting (it comes in black, as opposed to the orange, blue, green, yellow, white, adn black of the Bodum), it's 14.5-inch grill gives a bit more space too cook on, and it's a Weber, so you know it will last.\\n\\nOn the downside, the Weber holds its charcoal on a straight grate, which means ash is apt to fall through the bottom vent holes and land wherever you've parked the thing. On the Fyrkat, there's a solid pan under the grate, but above the ventilation holes, so that isn't nearly as much of an issue, either when cooking or during post-cookout transport.\\n\\nBut regardless, either of these beat a hibachi hands down in my opinion. They're compact, the work great, and the capitalize on a covered, smokey cooking environment. If you're in the market for a small cookout grill that you can transport easily, or are just tired of looking at your hibachi, give the Fyrkat a good look.\\n\\nOh, and if you're looking for tips on grilling and cooking meat or recipes for meats and barbecue sauces, stop by The Meatist - I've got a ton of 'em.\",\n \"Product: The Victor Power-Kill Mouse Trap is set and released with one simple \\\"click.\\\" The trap is designed with a large trough for easy baiting and the large trip pedal is easily activated - both by rodent interest in food AND through accidental contact as mice scamper across the floor. Once a rodent triggers the pedal, the high-impact kill bar immediately springs closed for a quick, humane kill.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Finally: The DID Build A Better Mousetrap\\n\\nReview: They say if you build a better mousetrap the world will beat a path to your door. If that's true, it's going to get crowded outside this company's offices, because this IS better.\\n\\nI've tried humane traps repeatedly to no avail, and needed to get serious about de-mousing my workshop, so I finally caved and went with the other option. However, I hated the idea of poisoning for a couple of reasons, and whatever method I chose had to be as humane as possible - I think this Victor is it.\\n\\nThe bar has enough power to dispatch mice quickly and as humanely as I'd think possible under the circumstances, and the bait area is more than sufficient.\\n\\nBut the reason I find this particular trap to be \\\"better\\\" is the way it's set: I used to hate setting the old style snap traps and haven't messed with one since, because I always thought I would end up snapping one on myself (ok - I was a kid when I last set one, so maybe it's an unreasonable fear, but I still hate them). This trap doesn't require setting a trip bar across the open snapper: you just pull the bar back until it clicks, and never have to risk getting your fingers smacked. Fantastic.\\n\\nDisposal is equally easy as setting, and the thing is all plastic so it's easily washable if necessary.\\n\\nA great basic solution for mice that works, is humane, and is reasonably priced.\",\n \"Product: An Amazon Brand.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Sturdy, Well Made, Looks Nice\\n\\nReview: Fire pits are pretty basic affairs. Four legs, a bowl, a grate, a top, and a tool to lift the top when it's hot.\\n\\nWhat it comes down to in the end is how well it's built and how nice it looks, and in this case I think it rates above average on both counts.\\n\\nAssembly was simple: remove four nuts from each of the four leg positions, place the legs over the bolts, and replace the nuts to hold them in place. Flip the thing over, then drop the bowl into the middle of the circle of tiles, place the grate in the bowl, attach the handle to the top and you're done.\\n\\nThe hardware is sturdy and heavy duty, as are the legs, so I have no issues there. Each leg has a foot screwed into the bottom which is an excellent touch: you can adjust them for height if you wish, but the major benefit is keeping any potential rust from the legs from staining brick or concrete. A nice touch.\\n\\nThe grill is sturdy and sprayed black, as is the bowl, and the top is not nearly as flimsy as some I've seen. The tile work around the perimeter looks nice and has a suitable rustic feel to it, though for some bizarre reason the grout is tinted pink. Not a fan there - but at least it isn't a bright pink...\\n\\nNOTE: It is NOT rustproof, and the instructions recommend covering it with a vinyl cover when not in use. I suspect that other fire pits come with the same caveat though, so it's not a big deal.\\n\\nPink grout aside, this is a well-made fire pit that is easy to assemble, looks good and works well. If you're looking for a nice fire pit and can live with pinkish grout, this makes a nice choice.\",\n \"Product: The Victor Power-Kill Mouse Trap is set and released with one simple \\\"click.\\\" The trap is designed with a large trough for easy baiting and the large trip pedal is easily activated - both by rodent interest in food AND through accidental contact as mice scamper across the floor. Once a rodent triggers the pedal, the high-impact kill bar immediately springs closed for a quick, humane kill.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Finally: The DID Build A Better Mousetrap\\n\\nReview: They say if you build a better mousetrap the world will beat a path to your door. If that's true, it's going to get crowded outside this company's offices, because this IS better.\\n\\nI've tried humane traps repeatedly to no avail, and needed to get serious about de-mousing my workshop, so I finally caved and went with the other option. However, I hated the idea of poisoning for a couple of reasons, and whatever method I chose had to be as humane as possible - I think this Victor is it.\\n\\nThe bar has enough power to dispatch mice quickly and as humanely as I'd think possible under the circumstances, and the bait area is more than sufficient.\\n\\nBut the reason I find this particular trap to be \\\"better\\\" is the way it's set: I used to hate setting the old style snap traps and haven't messed with one since, because I always thought I would end up snapping one on myself (ok - I was a kid when I last set one, so maybe it's an unreasonable fear, but I still hate them). This trap doesn't require setting a trip bar across the open snapper: you just pull the bar back until it clicks, and never have to risk getting your fingers smacked. Fantastic.\\n\\nDisposal is equally easy as setting, and the thing is all plastic so it's easily washable if necessary.\\n\\nA great basic solution for mice that works, is humane, and is reasonably priced.\",\n \"Product: Miracle-Gro AeroGarden Bounty with Gourmet Herb Seed Pod Kit - Grow fresh herbs, vegetables, salad greens, flowers and more. Let your imagination grow wild!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: What's Better Than Fresh Herbs?\\n\\nReview: I received my review unit unit just over 30 days ago, and for the most part, it's been fantastic.\\n\\nThe unit consists has a great LCD display that monitors water level, time that you've been growing, and reminds you when to add more plant food. It even offers growing tips from time to time, for those that may have skipped some parts of the included printed instructions. If you simply chekc the LCD panel from time to time and do as it says, it's pretty hard to fail.\\n\\nSetup was a snap: put the tub and light panel on the base, fill with water, plug in the pump wire and put the growing deck in place. Drop the nine seed pods into the deck, turn it on and set the correct time. From then on, the AeroGarden effectively takes over: one button press to tell it you're starting a new garden, and you're off.\\n\\nPlacement is important for a couple of reasons. The instructions give reasons to avoid a few places (like beneath upper cabinets with under-cabinet lights), but there's a more important reason in my book: this thing is incredibly bright, I mean really, really, bright, and the lights are on for 17 hours a day. While you can change the settings to shorten that, we went with the recommended 17 hours, choosing to run them from 4 AM to 9 PM. Don't consider putting this in your bedroom unless you sleep in sunglasses, and anywhere behind a television in your living room is going to be a drag as well. With the inability to put them under counters (even without lights, it would block raising the lights), we were a bit limited and had to get creative, choosing to put them on a super-narrow book shelf.\\n\\nFor the first week or so, my garden say quietly with the included plastic covers over each seed pod, like little greenhouses that got nice and humid. Then stuff started to sprout. As per the instructions, I removed the covers of each plant when they got close to the top, and by day 21, all of my covers had been removed. Except for chives. Which failed to launch.\\n\\nI called customer service and the response was excellent. I told them about the chives and also mentioned that the cilantro looked weird; all the lower leaves were turning black. As I recall, the rep told me that was some sort of fungus, and that they'd send out replacements for both. I have yet to receive them, but it was Thanksgiving week last week so I'm not perturbed.\\n\\nOn the upside though, the basil, Thai basil and dill went bananas. I'm 34 days in at this point and I've harvested more of all of them than I can use, and the plants are still full and growing like mad. Mint, though it was a bit of a late-starter, is getting nice and full as well and I just began pruning it as well. The two parsley plants have been slow growers, and have not needed to be pruned (though one got tangled with the cilantro and got a bit butchered during a cilantro pruning session). I'm not too sad though: I find parsley to be almost useless (parsley fans: please don't yell TOO loud).\\n\\nIn light of the fact that we're getting new chives and cilantro, and considering we don't much care for parsley, we've decided to attempt to transplant our current crop into dirt and restart fresh with an entire new garden (well, except the mint - we're keeping the mint in the garden). We ordered 6 more pods of herbs that we really wanted to try out - the selection on the AeroGarden site is great, and you can mix and match to create your own collection. Prices are reasonable as well: about 16 bucks for 6 pods. For those of you that are interested, they also sell \\\"grow your own\\\" pods into which you can put whatever seeds you choose.\\n\\nSo all-in-all, it's actually been a great experience. Clearly, my issues with chives and cilantro notwithstanding, this thing can grow plants, and grow them well. I've been loving making homemade pasta sauce with the basil, and my daughter just headed back to college with a huge bag of clippings. I do wish they'd grow at a more consistent rate, as keeping the grow lights close to the plants is important, but nature is nature. Watching them grow is also really fun, and once they're established they grow at an incredible rate (at least the basil and dill do - they're just nuts).\\n\\nI was really struggling with how to rate this. It works great and I have really liked working with it. And having herbs close at hand has been great. On the other hand, I had two failed seed pods. So what to do? In the end, I've decided that I really do love it (which is the criterion for the 5 star, according to the hover text :-) ), and the failed pods aren't so much about the garden as about the pods themselves. With the great customer service willing to send more out if there's an issue, I really had to go with 5 stars. If I didn't already have one, I'd buy one (I actually considered getting another smaller one on Black Friday), and that's the best endorsement I can give it.\",\n \"Product: OUR VIEW: Real FX is unlike any other race system we have ever seen or experienced, using AI to create the best of video game, slot car & R/C. MANUFACTURERS COPY: No lanes, no slots. Real FX patented system creates the most realistic racing experience outside of a real car on a real track. But, unlike any other system Real FX also works off track as R/C.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Cool Concept That Doesn't Deliver\\n\\nReview: I was pretty excited to try this out. I had slot cars as a kid, and the idea here is pretty cool. Unfortunately, it didn't really live up to my hopes.\\n\\nSetup was pretty easy: the track pieces are flat and bendable, and are put together using the old \\\"tab in slot\\\" technique. After getting the track together and loading cars and controllers with batteries, we got down to race..\\n\\nIt wasn't very fun. There's the short form here. It just wasn't. More detail? Okie dokie. There are various assist modes, race modes, a pace car mode, and an R/C mode if you just want to drive the cars around the house. After pairing a controller with a car, which went just fine, you select a mode and get going.\\n\\nOn the upside, the assist modes worked pretty well. Assuming you keep the speed in check (physics are physics), the cars will circulate the track with no steering input. But it wasn't entirely without mishap. One car in particular seemed to want to ignore one of the turns and head off the track at the same spot every lap. We checked the track for dirt, made sure there was no direct sunlight on it (oh yeah, that's a no-no according to the instructions, which is a pretty big downside), and examined the car to make sure that there was nothing in front of the sensors. Nothing helped. The other car worked fine in the same spot, too.\\n\\nThe downsides, though, were what killed it for me. And for the 5 young people I had in my house. And my wife.\\n\\nFirst of all, the engine sounds coming out of the controller are monumentally irritating. Not a big deal, as you can turn them down or off, but it sets a bad tone as far as the fun factor. Next, the racing just isn't a lot of fun. Yes, there's a lap counter and a lap speed announcer, and I did have fun for about 3 or 4 minutes trying to get the fastest time, but racing head to head got boring fast.\\n\\nAmong other things, the scale is terrible. The cars are way too big for the track, or the track is way too small for the cars, whichever way you'd like to look at it. That makes battling between two cars almost absurdly silly. Everyone had fun at first, but everyone got incredibly bored withing 5 minutes of picking up the remotes to drive. It's odd: watching people play makes you want to jump in - until you do, and get bored fast. Again, we had 7 people try this out and everyone felt the same. I left the track set up for two more days, and not once did anyone pick up a car and remote to play. Not once. That is a bad sign.\\n\\nAnother issue: the construction is pretty low on the quality scale. We had wheels fall off unexpectedly a couple of times, and the body popped off one car when someone was just picking it up. Easily fixable, but just ridiculous. In fact, top-to-bottom, the entire set felt like an incredibly cheap and poorly constructed knock-off of a good set. Of course, there is no \\\"good set\\\" that this knocked off, and even if there were there's still the small problem of it being not much fun.\\n\\nI'm sure I'll get down-voted for my review, but I call 'em like I see 'em. And if I can prevent one kid from opening this on his or her birthday, or during the holiday season, only to be brokenhearted at the poor quality and the low fun-factor, well then I've done my job.\\n\\nSorry guys, this is a big miss.\",\n \"Product: Unleash the rapid-fire fury of the Mega RotoFury blaster! This long-range blaster can launch your darts up to 90 feet. Who will withstand your attack when you can fire up to 10 Mega Whistler Darts at your target with the rotating drum without reloading? The Whistler Darts will scream through the air as you dominate the battlefield with the rapid-firing Mega RotoFury blaster! Nerf and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Big Gun, Big Fun, But Not Quite \\\"The One\\\"\\n\\nReview: I'm a big fan of Nerf toys, and was hoping for excellence here. It got close, but suffered a few flaws.\\n\\nFirst of all, this thing launches Nerf mega darts like a champion, at least when it feeds properly. Range is phenomenal, and the whistling darts are hilarious. Each pump action rotates the cylinder and cocks it, just like a pump-action shotgun, though I was not able to hold the trigger down and continuously pump it to fire as fast as possible (not a big deal, just a fact).\\n\\nUnfortunately, as I said, it suffers feed problems occasionally, and I've had darts jam in the barrel and muck the entire thing up. But when it's running solidly, it's incredibly fun. I had my daughter's 18-year-old boyfriend in a cringing in a corner and screaming like a baby. Big fun.\\n\\nHowever, once you've exhausted your ammo and it's time to reload, you'd better find some good cover: it's a real pain to get the darts back in the chamber. It doesn't open, so you need to jam them into the exposed chambers and then rotate the cylinder to expose more. If you're in a Nerf-or-die situation, you'd better have someone covering your back or be carrying a backup Nerf, because you're going to be hurting.\\n\\nWhen it's loaded and feeding smoothly though, it's a gas. And now my entire family is terrified. Awesome.\",\n \"Product: At times, childhood worries can be very BIG, and at other times, very small. No matter how big or small the worries, they are all important in the life of a child. Parents can help kids learn to manage stress and tackle everyday problems with ease using word eaters as a tool to identify worries, classify misunderstandings or misconceptions, resolve conflicts and build self-esteem, while promoting the development of healthy coping skills. Kids who can do this develop a sense of confidence and optimism that will help them after life challenges, big and small. Each family is different, and you as a parent know your child best- between you and your child you can determine if the worries placed inside their Worry Eater are for sharing with you, or if they would like to keep these worries between themselves and their Worry Eater. Worry Eaters allow children a chance to identify worries and separate themselves from that worry or problem giving the child some time to take a break from carrying the weight of that worry. This separation, giving the worry to the Worry Eater, allows children the opportunity to look at the worry or problem separate from themselves. The act of then sharing that worry with a parent, caregiver or trusted friend can help a child problem solve solutions, face that worry, and/or just acknowledge that the worry exists.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Love It! Great for Kids AND Adults (really!)\\n\\nReview: Yes, I'm an adult. Let's not make a big deal about it.\\n\\nThe fact is, this thing is great for any age. It's really well constructed, has an excellent quality large-tooth zipper, and is stupidly cute. The concept is simple: write down your worries, and stick them in the mouth for Saggo to eat up.\\n\\nFor children, this is a great exercise in identifying what worries them, and then writing them down can help make them far less scary than when they live inside their heads. If you have very young kids, you can tear them up and put them back for them to find later, which would further help them let go of their fears, while bringing a little bit of magic along for the ride.\\n\\nFor adults, well, read the paragraph above. Except for the tearing up part. Though come to think of it, why not that too?\\n\\nMy whole family actually loves this, and my daughter's 18-year-old boyfriend was the first to use it. That says a lot.\\n\\nA sweet, cute, and surprisingly therapeutic... thing?\\n\\nWe love it!\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":73,"string":"73"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":374,"string":"374"}}},{"rowIdx":375,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A35KV8ZNW239TT"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"4.0\" for a product with description \"Alyssa Rose Ivy is a bestselling New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and humor. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After surviving law school and earning her masters in library science, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.\". The summary of the review text is \"Sweet second chance friends-to-lovers holiday story\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I'm always happy to see a new book in the Hazards series by Alyssa Rose Ivy. I haven't been disappointed yet.\n\nSavannah is on her way to visit relatives for the holiday but she's not exactly happy. A year ago she offered herself to her best friend Glen, wanting to take their platonic relationship to a new level. Glen's humiliating rejection has Savannah apprehensive about seeing him again because in spite of the humiliation, she still cares about him.\n\nEven so, she's upset over what happened, and Glen must find someway to get her to listen to his explanation,accept his apology and give him another chance. And he just might pull it off with a little help from his friends and Savannah's family and soon-to-be step-siblings.\n\nThe Hazards of Mistletoe is a lovely second chance friends-to-lovers story. It can be read as a standalone. It's a quick read with likable characters and sweet romance with just the right amount of conflict to make it interesting. There's plenty of holiday spirit too, and of course, the magic of mistletoe!"},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I'm always happy to see a new book in the Hazards series by Alyssa Rose Ivy. I haven't been disappointed yet.\n\nSavannah is on her way to visit relatives for the holiday but she's not exactly happy. A year ago she offered herself to her best friend Glen, wanting to take their platonic relationship to a new level. Glen's humiliating rejection has Savannah apprehensive about seeing him again because in spite of the humiliation, she still cares about him.\n\nEven so, she's upset over what happened, and Glen must find someway to get her to listen to his explanation,accept his apology and give him another chance. And he just might pull it off with a little help from his friends and Savannah's family and soon-to-be step-siblings.\n\nThe Hazards of Mistletoe is a lovely second chance friends-to-lovers story. It can be read as a standalone. It's a quick read with likable characters and sweet romance with just the right amount of conflict to make it interesting. There's plenty of holiday spirit too, and of course, the magic of mistletoe!"},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: ASA\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Big Love for this series and for Asa!\n\nReview: 4.5 Stars\n\nAsa, Asa, Asa. What a surprise. I didn't want to like you. I didn't want to believe that you'd left the criminal life behind. I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop with you. But you surprised me, southern charmer!\n\nAsa still bartends at The Bar, and he's content living the quiet life while he attempts to ignore the beautiful cop that is pursuing him. Royal makes it clear she wants him. She doesn't care about his past. He really wants her too, but he's still dragging around his past sins as a means to keep himself on the right side of the law.\n\nThere's some really nice sexual tension between these two characters and I loved that Royal had to go after him. Both of them have a lot to work through before they can make a go of it, and I liked the different stages they went through as they fall hard for each other.\n\nBut fate is a cruel mistress, and love sometimes isn't enough.\n\nI'm not going to spoil it and reveal anymore, but by the end of book, I was an Asa fan. Royal, too. They both have a place in the Marked Men family.\n\nThere's a good bit of setup in this for the spin-off series, The Saints of Denver, and lots of wrap-up info about the rest of the Marked Men and their ladies. Even though it's sad to see this series come to a close, I think it was the right time, and Asa and Royal was a perfect send off. Rule, Jet, Rome, Nash, Rowdy and Asa will always be on my book boyfriends list, and I'm looking forward to more wonderful stories from Jay Crownover.\n\nThis is a terrific series centered about the love between friends. It's been a great ride. Recommended.","Product: KATIE MCGARRY was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. Katie would love to hear from her readers. Contact her via her website, katielmcgarry.com, follow her on Twitter @KatieMcGarry or become a fan on Facebook and Goodreads.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great start to this new series!\n\nReview: There are secrets in Katie McGarry's new Thunder Road series. Lots of secrets. When Emily goes to Kentucky with her mom and step dad to attend her grandmother's funeral, she finds out just how many secrets surround her and her strained relationship with her biological father, a member of a legitimate MC called the Reign of Terror. She wants to get back to Florida and her safe life as soon as possible, but when a rival MC causes trouble and puts Emily at risk, she ends up staying with her \"new' family.\n\nEighteen-year-old Oz is waiting anxiously for his ticket to his future -- a place in the Reign of Terror MC and a job with their security company. But before he can move forward with his dream, he's assigned to keep Emily safe while Eli, Emily's father, deals with the rival MC. Oz begrudgingly accepts his new assignment, and with it comes the blossoming of a real relationship with Emily as he slowly falls for her over the course of his assignment.\n\nWhen all the secrets are eventually exposed, none of them are left untouched by the truth in a very exciting conclusion to the story.\n\nThis is classic Katie McGarry-- there's a slow build to romance between these young adults and some real adult issues to deal with. I loved the story in Nowhere But Here and while there were times that Emily got on my nerves, and Oz sounded older than eighteen, I felt the chemistry between these two. I was also very intrigued by Oz's group of friends that I assume will get their story later in the series. The last 40% really took off for me with lots of action and revelations, and even a few tears.\n\nAs with most series, there's quite a bit of world building at the beginning of Nowhere But Here, and I did think that slowed things down for me in the first 60%, but the action at the end more than makes up for the slower paced beginning. By the final pages, I had totally fallen for Oz and Emily.\n\nGreat start to the series, and I'm looking forward to more stories from Thunder Road!","Product: Jay Crownover is the international and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men Series, The Saints of Denver Series, The Point Series, Breaking Point Series, and the Getaway Series. Her books can be found translated in many different languages all around the world. She is a tattooed, crazy haired Colorado native who lives at the base of the Rockies with her awesome dogs. This is where she can frequently be found enjoying a cold beer and Taco Tuesdays. Jay is a self-declared music snob and outspoken book lover who is always looking for her next adventure, between the pages and on the road.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Timely romance. Cable is a true \"bad boy\"\n\nReview: Affton thinks she's doing the right thing when she confronts Cable, the school bad boy with his drug abuse. When he doesn't listen, she takes things one step further, setting off a series of events that changes her life.\n\nBlackmail has Affton spending a summer with Cable in recovery, and it doesn't start out all that well. They are both attracted to each other and aggravated by each other at the same time. It's a very tense time, until Cable gradually sees what's staring right in front of him -- Affton.\n\nThe two begin an intense time together that is scorchin hot but doesn't end so well. This is a story of recovery and it doesn't come easy to either of the main characters.\n\nI did like this. Jay Crownover does an amazing job of creating a bad boy in Cable. He's got it all -- the looks, the attitude, and the privilege. It wasn't hard to see why Affton fell for him -- even though she knew he was going to break her heart. And Affton has some baggage she's been avoiding and in trusting Cable with her story, she is able to move forward with her life.\n\nI also really liked the ending. Not all real-life recovery stories end this way. I found myself wanting to know if their happy-for-now would last. It seemed like Cable was flirting with disaster, just like I'd expect from a real \"bad\" boy.\n\nOverall, I liked this romance. It's a bit darker than some, you'll spend a lot of time in Cable and Affton's head, and that was okay. Addiction and recovery is an important societal issue and it impacts so many lives, so this book is also very timely.","Product: Leslie McAdam is a California girl who loves romance, Little Dude, and well-defined abs. She lives in a drafty old farmhouse on a small orange tree farm in Southern California with her husband and two small children. Leslie always encourages her kids to be themselves - even if it means letting her daughter wear leopard print from head to toe. An avid reader from a young age, she will always trade watching TV for reading a book, unless it's Top Gear. Or football. Leslie is employed by day but spends her nights writing about the men you fantasize about. She's unapologetically sarcastic and notoriously terrible at comma placement. Always up for a laugh, Leslie tries to see humor in all things. When she's not in the writing cave you'll find her fangirling over Beck, camping with her family, or mixing up oil paints to depict her love of outdoors on canvas. www.lesliemcadamauthor.com\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Loved the story, but some things didn't work for me\n\nReview: 3.5 stars\n I was absolutely drawn to this book because of the cover and the title. For some reason, it just called out to me. I have not read this author before.\n\nTrent and Degan and his sister Dani are childhood friends. Dani has always stood out as a free spirit, and Trent has been in love with her forever. He only gets one opportunity to tell her how he feels -- and that is right before he and Degan leave for enlistment in the Army.\n\nFast forward four years later. Trent is out of the Army and searching for Dani. He needs to find her for himself and to deliver a message from Degan. It takes a while to find her, but eventually Dani is located in Spain, teaching a course on Spanish translation that Trent enrolls in.\n\nWhat follows is a reunion of large proportions as Trent is dealing with his own demons from his tour of duty. It's not a smooth reunion by any means, and his PTSD is only making things worse, but his desire to reunite with Dani and really tell her how he feels fuels his resolve to complete his mission.\n\nI liked the premise of this story, but I did find that the story moved a little too slowly for me. There's a lot of grief in the pages, and I get that it may have impacted the pacing, but it's not a good thing when I find myself looking at the % counter on my e-reader.\n\nThere were also some aspects of Dani that bugged me. At times she seems like she should be from the 1960's, with her \"free spirit\" attitude and the clothes she wears. I would have found her more believable had she had a more updated look.\n\nDani and Trent's journey to their HEA is full of road blocks, mostly of Dani's making because she has some past she's dealing with too. I did find myself rooting for these two to make it work, so that's a good thing. The subject matter of this book starts out quite dark and there's a nice transition to a more positive and bright future once Dani and Trent get their heads together.\n\nOverall, I liked the story of these childhood friends, but some of the technical issues such as the pacing and Dani's characterization did take me out of the story at times. Your mileage may vary as they say. Sol is a very thoughtful and sometimes dark military romance that is balanced nicely with a brighter future.\n\nAn ARC was provided for review.","Product: Avon Gale wrote her first story at the age of seven, about a Space Hat hanging on a rack and waiting for that special person to come along and purchase it even if it was a bit weirder than the other, more normal hats. Like all of Avons characters, the space hat did get its happily ever after though shes pretty sure it was with a unicorn. She likes to think her vocabulary has improved since then, but the theme of quirky people waiting for their perfect match is still one of her favorites. Avon grew up in the southern United States, and now lives with her very patient husband in a liberal midwestern college town. When shes not writing, shes either doing some kind of craft project that makes a huge mess, reading, watching horror movies, listening to music or yelling at her favorite hockey team to get it together, already. Avon is always up for a road trip, adores Kentucky bourbon, thinks nothing is as stress relieving as a good rock concert and will never say no to candy. At one point, Avon was the mayor of both Jazzercise and Lollicup on Foursquare. This tells you basically all you need to know about her as a person. ___ Roan Parrish lives in Philadelphia where she is gradually attempting to write love stories in every genre. When not writing, she can usually be found cutting her friends hair, meandering through whatever city shes in while listening to torch songs and melodic death metal, or cooking overly elaborate meals. She loves bonfires, winter beaches, minor chord harmonies, and self-tattooing. One time she may or may not have baked a six-layer chocolate cake and then thrown it out the window in a fit of pique.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: a very lovely M/M love story that delivers\n\nReview: The blurb pretty much covers what this book is about, so I'm not going to rehash it here. I really enjoyed this \"opposites-attract\" story.\n\nWill and Amory are very likable and interesting characters. There's a lot to Amory, and I could seriously go for more about him. Will is very sweet too, with a taste for walking a little on the wild side with Amory. I just really liked these two together and there's a love scene that just wowed me with the emotions it made me feel.\n\nHeart of the Steal is a sweet HEA and for me, the best part of the book were the conversations between Amory and Will as they learn to deal with what appears to be fairly major differences in their individual value systems. Loved the art angle and Will's sister Charlie's contributions to getting these two together.\n\nSo, a very lovely M/M love story that delivers.","Product: Tonya Burrows wrote her first romance in 8th grade and hasn't put down her pen since. Originally from a small town in Western New York, she's currently soaking up the sun as a Florida girl. She suffers from a bad case of wanderlust and usually ends up moving someplace new every few years. Luckily, her two dogs and ginormous cat are excellent travel buddies. When she's not writing about hunky military heroes, Tonya can usually be found at a bookstore or the dog park. She also enjoys painting, watching movies, and her daily barre workouts. A geek at heart, she pledges her TV fandom to Supernatural and Dr. Who. If you would like to know more about Tonya, visit her website at www.tonyaburrows.com. She's also on Twitter @tonyaburrows and Facebook www.facebook.com/tonyaburrowsauthor.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Interesting start to the series\n\nReview: Alex is running from an undercover job gone bad only to find himself in the creepy little town of Three Churchs. There he runs into Pru at the local diner and although he's been warned away by multiple people, he finds himself wanting Pru and decides to stay in town.\n\nThen the fun starts. Well not really fun because people are missing and dying. At the heart of the story is a ghost tale at the lighthouse where Pru lives that seems to have something to do with the accidents, murders and missing persons.\n\nWhen one of the locals dies, Alex becomes a suspect and he has to complicate his relationship with Pru by lying about his real identity. Some of the townsfolk don't want him messing around with Pru and then there's his schrizophrenic brother warning him away from the lighthouse and the woman he's s falling in love with. Alex doesn't believe in ghosts and he determined to get to the bottom of the mysterious occurrences at the light house, although it seemed like his friend Nick did most of the sleuthing to figure out the ghost story.\n\nThere's alot going on here and I really liked that about Vision of Darkness. Alex was an interesting character, especially his refusal to recognize his own psychic skills. When his friends show up to help, it's clear that they have some special skills too.\n\nBut in spite of so much going on, I found the story a bit slow for the first 2/3 of the book. And even thought the pacing is slow, there's still more suspense than romance. I liked Pru and thought her and Alex made a good couple but they didn't connect at a level that had me believing in them outside of the ghostly connections. Maybe that's what the author intended, but I like more romance in my romantic suspense reads.\n\nI did find the D.I.E. squadron an interesting concept and would read more in this series because of it.\n\nSo overall, an interesting start to the series. More suspense and paranormal than romance.","Product: Eden Butler is an editor and writer of Romance, SciFi and Fantasy novels and the nine-time great-granddaughter of an honest-to-God English pirate. This could explain her affinity for rule breaking and rum. When shes not writing or wondering about her possibly Jack Sparrowesque ancestor, Eden writes, reads and spends too much time watching rugby, Doctor Who and New Orleans Saints football. Currently, she is imprisoned under teenage rule alongside her husband in Southeastern Louisiana. Please send help.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Love Claiming Serenity and this series!\n\nReview: Donovan and Layla have been playing pranks on each other for years. They tell each other and their friends they can't stand each other. But when Layla breaks it off with her casual boyfriend Walter, it's Donovan that provides the comfort when Layla gets drunk and she ends up in his bed.\n\nTogether they craft a \"no strings\" agreement. Enemies during the day, lovers at night, no feelings or emotions required. No telling their friends because it isn't a relationship, it's just sex. Yeah, right. That sort of deal never quite works out that way, and when Layla starts to feel more for Donovan she breaks it off. She believes him when he tells her that he's sworn off relationships for good and she has to protect her own heart.\n\nBut neither one of them can stay away from the either very long, and when things blow up in a major way, friends and families get involved. (no spoilers!)\n\nIt's tough to talk about the last 35% of this book without giving anything away, so all I will say is that I LOVED Claiming Serenity. I had a good-book hangover for days from this one, going back to reread a number of times.\n\nWhat I love about Eden Butler's stories is that she isn't afraid to show that love can also bring real pain, but the payoff can be huge if you are willing to work at it. That usually involves working through some serious stuff, and Donovan and Layla have to do just that. They don't always get it right the first time either, all of which makes it so much sweeter when they can move past their issues and realize the love they have right in front of them.\n\nEven their friends and family see that their pranks and harsh words are like foreplay and that they belong together, it just takes Layla and Donovan a little longer to see. There's a great scene between Donovan and his father as they move past old hurts and his father gives him some advice that comes from the heart. These are the little and yet so very important moments in life that are life-changing. Layla's conversations with her father are a bit more, shall I say explosive, but Coach Mullens is a key player in this story as well. They way the fathers come together to guide their adult son and daughter was one of my favorite parts of this story.\n\nI love this series, and Eden Butler is at the top of my \"must read now\" list of authors. Donovan and Layla are so awesome together, especially when they let down their guard and really look at their feelings for each other. The rest of the gang shows up too, but Claiming Serenity is really all about Donovan and Layla.\n\nLoved Claiming Serenity. It's my first 5 star read of 2015, and I couldn't be happier about it. As a matter of fact, I may need to go reread the end of this again right now. It's just that sweet!\n\nIf you are a fan of New Adult contemporary romance and you aren't reading this series or Eden Butler, go do it now! Recommended.","Product: Jay Crownover is the international and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men Series, The Saints of Denver Series, The Point Series, Breaking Point Series, and the Getaway Series. Her books can be found translated in many different languages all around the world. She is a tattooed, crazy haired Colorado native who lives at the base of the Rockies with her awesome dogs. This is where she can frequently be found enjoying a cold beer and Taco Tuesdays. Jay is a self-declared music snob and outspoken book lover who is always looking for her next adventure, between the pages and on the road.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Super hot romantic suspense!\n\nReview: Emrys Santos is still dealing with the aftermath of the vacation-gone-wrong. Her scars are visible as well as hidden, and she finds herself heading back to Wyoming to resolve unfinished business with the man who saved her -- Sutton Warner.\n\nSutton isn't doing very well himself. He's lost his confidence and more after the almost-fatal experience. Booze and pain killers are the only things keeping his demons at bay and not all that well. It's a good thing that Emrys shows up to bring him back from the edge.\n\nThese two are scorching hot together. There's an attraction between them that they didn't get to explore when they first met and they make up for lost time! The heat level is high, and there's a barn scene that is one of the hottest of the year for me, and that's after reading over 150 romance titles.\n\nEverything takes a whole new turn with a murder that has the town pointing the finger at Sutton, followed by a kidnapping that has the potential for super serious consequences for all the Warner family. I adore the suspense elements in this series, and loved everything about this part of the story, even though the identity of the the responsible party was easy to guess.\n\nThis book had a bit of a different feel to it than the first book in the series, mostly because both main character's point of view is represented. Emrys and Sutton are complicated characters, and it is when they come together that they find they can open up and let go. I really liked the emotional impact of their union and was glad that I got to see what was going on with both characters.\n\nI really love this series. Whenever a new book from an author has me craving more and running back for re-reads of all my favorite titles from them, I know it's a winner. This series pulled me out of a bit of a romance reading slump and I think that's a big deal.\n\nIf you like romantic suspense, I think you will like this series. I also recommend starting with Retreat, but Shelter can be read as a standalone. You'll enjoy it more with the background provided by the first book in the series.\n\nAnd the next book! Gah! There's a nice setup at the end of Shelter for the next book in the series. Cannot wait!\n\nAn ARC was provided for review.","Product: Alyssa Rose Ivy is a bestselling New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and humor. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After surviving law school and earning her masters in library science, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand. Series by Alyssa Rose Ivy: - The Crescent Chronicles - The Empire Chronicles - Clayton Falls - The Hazards Series - The Mixology Series - The Afterglow Trilogy - The Dire Wolves Chronicles\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Really like this series!\n\nReview: After a break up caused by her cheating boyfriend, Caras friends take her to a party to help her get over her broken heart. One drink leads to another and Cara ends up flirting with a gorgeous stranger. And thats not all. Wanting to put her past boyfriend behind her, she has sex with him on the beach and leaves without giving him any way to get in touch with her.\n\nWhen Cara returns to college, she knows its going to be tough. Her best friends are dating men from the same fraternity as her ex, and her ex is under the delusion that he can have her back. Her whole life has changed, and she handles it pretty well. Then Jade takes her to a club to see a band perform, and her almost anonymous hookup on the beach isn't so anonymous anymore. Hes the lead singer in the band theyve gone to see.\n\nOnce they are together, Cara and Chase find that the attraction they felt for each other on that first night hasn't gone away, and in spite of his touring with the band, decide to try to make a go of a long distance relationship. Of course, there are complications, mainly from Caras ex and a stalker-creep from another band, and some questions about Chases feelings for his ex-girlfriend. .\n\nTheres more fun than drama here though. I loved how Cara finds her place on campus now that shes no longer dating a fraternity brother. I really like this series for the lightness of it all. The drama isn't too intense and things work out with a little bit of effort. My biggest complaint is that I didn't really feel that I got to know Chase all that well in this, since hes off touring for most of the book.\n\nIf you are looking for a relatively light, easy read with a little drama to spice it up, this might be for you.","Product: USA Today bestselling author, Liv Morris, was raised in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. She now resides on the concrete rock known as Manhattan with her first and hopefully last husband. After relocating twelve times during his corporate career, she qualifies as a professional mover. Learning to bloom where she's planted, Liv brings her moving and life experience to her writing.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Nice follow-up to Adam's Apple\n\nReview: Adam's Fall picks up right where Adam's Apple left off, with Adam Kingsley now recuperating in the hospital from the incident with his partner. What follows is a lovely romance between Adam and Kathryn and some very serious business repercussions for Adam.\n\nAdam wasn't quite the jerk in Adam's Fall as he was in Adam's Apple and that worked for me since this story was told almost entirely from his first person point of view. I had a bit of a hard time with that. But I did like the story of his growth and transformation as he falls very hard for Kathryn. It was hard to believe he had changed completely though, and well, you should read this to find out what happens!\n\nThere was very little drama between Adam and Kathryn, most of that comes from the business aspect of the story, and I think I really liked that part of it. It made their love story very sweet. There was good suspense on the business side as well, as Adam realizes that all is not what it seems.\n\nAdam's Fall was a bit of a different story, told from the male viewpoint. There's a lot of heat in this one too. So overall, even thought a bit slow at the start, Adam's Fall is a sweet love story between \"a lonely widow and a lonely playboy\". What I liked most was Adam's transformation."],"string":"[\n \"Product: ASA\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Big Love for this series and for Asa!\\n\\nReview: 4.5 Stars\\n\\nAsa, Asa, Asa. What a surprise. I didn't want to like you. I didn't want to believe that you'd left the criminal life behind. I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop with you. But you surprised me, southern charmer!\\n\\nAsa still bartends at The Bar, and he's content living the quiet life while he attempts to ignore the beautiful cop that is pursuing him. Royal makes it clear she wants him. She doesn't care about his past. He really wants her too, but he's still dragging around his past sins as a means to keep himself on the right side of the law.\\n\\nThere's some really nice sexual tension between these two characters and I loved that Royal had to go after him. Both of them have a lot to work through before they can make a go of it, and I liked the different stages they went through as they fall hard for each other.\\n\\nBut fate is a cruel mistress, and love sometimes isn't enough.\\n\\nI'm not going to spoil it and reveal anymore, but by the end of book, I was an Asa fan. Royal, too. They both have a place in the Marked Men family.\\n\\nThere's a good bit of setup in this for the spin-off series, The Saints of Denver, and lots of wrap-up info about the rest of the Marked Men and their ladies. Even though it's sad to see this series come to a close, I think it was the right time, and Asa and Royal was a perfect send off. Rule, Jet, Rome, Nash, Rowdy and Asa will always be on my book boyfriends list, and I'm looking forward to more wonderful stories from Jay Crownover.\\n\\nThis is a terrific series centered about the love between friends. It's been a great ride. Recommended.\",\n \"Product: KATIE MCGARRY was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. Katie would love to hear from her readers. Contact her via her website, katielmcgarry.com, follow her on Twitter @KatieMcGarry or become a fan on Facebook and Goodreads.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great start to this new series!\\n\\nReview: There are secrets in Katie McGarry's new Thunder Road series. Lots of secrets. When Emily goes to Kentucky with her mom and step dad to attend her grandmother's funeral, she finds out just how many secrets surround her and her strained relationship with her biological father, a member of a legitimate MC called the Reign of Terror. She wants to get back to Florida and her safe life as soon as possible, but when a rival MC causes trouble and puts Emily at risk, she ends up staying with her \\\"new' family.\\n\\nEighteen-year-old Oz is waiting anxiously for his ticket to his future -- a place in the Reign of Terror MC and a job with their security company. But before he can move forward with his dream, he's assigned to keep Emily safe while Eli, Emily's father, deals with the rival MC. Oz begrudgingly accepts his new assignment, and with it comes the blossoming of a real relationship with Emily as he slowly falls for her over the course of his assignment.\\n\\nWhen all the secrets are eventually exposed, none of them are left untouched by the truth in a very exciting conclusion to the story.\\n\\nThis is classic Katie McGarry-- there's a slow build to romance between these young adults and some real adult issues to deal with. I loved the story in Nowhere But Here and while there were times that Emily got on my nerves, and Oz sounded older than eighteen, I felt the chemistry between these two. I was also very intrigued by Oz's group of friends that I assume will get their story later in the series. The last 40% really took off for me with lots of action and revelations, and even a few tears.\\n\\nAs with most series, there's quite a bit of world building at the beginning of Nowhere But Here, and I did think that slowed things down for me in the first 60%, but the action at the end more than makes up for the slower paced beginning. By the final pages, I had totally fallen for Oz and Emily.\\n\\nGreat start to the series, and I'm looking forward to more stories from Thunder Road!\",\n \"Product: Jay Crownover is the international and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men Series, The Saints of Denver Series, The Point Series, Breaking Point Series, and the Getaway Series. Her books can be found translated in many different languages all around the world. She is a tattooed, crazy haired Colorado native who lives at the base of the Rockies with her awesome dogs. This is where she can frequently be found enjoying a cold beer and Taco Tuesdays. Jay is a self-declared music snob and outspoken book lover who is always looking for her next adventure, between the pages and on the road.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Timely romance. Cable is a true \\\"bad boy\\\"\\n\\nReview: Affton thinks she's doing the right thing when she confronts Cable, the school bad boy with his drug abuse. When he doesn't listen, she takes things one step further, setting off a series of events that changes her life.\\n\\nBlackmail has Affton spending a summer with Cable in recovery, and it doesn't start out all that well. They are both attracted to each other and aggravated by each other at the same time. It's a very tense time, until Cable gradually sees what's staring right in front of him -- Affton.\\n\\nThe two begin an intense time together that is scorchin hot but doesn't end so well. This is a story of recovery and it doesn't come easy to either of the main characters.\\n\\nI did like this. Jay Crownover does an amazing job of creating a bad boy in Cable. He's got it all -- the looks, the attitude, and the privilege. It wasn't hard to see why Affton fell for him -- even though she knew he was going to break her heart. And Affton has some baggage she's been avoiding and in trusting Cable with her story, she is able to move forward with her life.\\n\\nI also really liked the ending. Not all real-life recovery stories end this way. I found myself wanting to know if their happy-for-now would last. It seemed like Cable was flirting with disaster, just like I'd expect from a real \\\"bad\\\" boy.\\n\\nOverall, I liked this romance. It's a bit darker than some, you'll spend a lot of time in Cable and Affton's head, and that was okay. Addiction and recovery is an important societal issue and it impacts so many lives, so this book is also very timely.\",\n \"Product: Leslie McAdam is a California girl who loves romance, Little Dude, and well-defined abs. She lives in a drafty old farmhouse on a small orange tree farm in Southern California with her husband and two small children. Leslie always encourages her kids to be themselves - even if it means letting her daughter wear leopard print from head to toe. An avid reader from a young age, she will always trade watching TV for reading a book, unless it's Top Gear. Or football. Leslie is employed by day but spends her nights writing about the men you fantasize about. She's unapologetically sarcastic and notoriously terrible at comma placement. Always up for a laugh, Leslie tries to see humor in all things. When she's not in the writing cave you'll find her fangirling over Beck, camping with her family, or mixing up oil paints to depict her love of outdoors on canvas. www.lesliemcadamauthor.com\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Loved the story, but some things didn't work for me\\n\\nReview: 3.5 stars\\n I was absolutely drawn to this book because of the cover and the title. For some reason, it just called out to me. I have not read this author before.\\n\\nTrent and Degan and his sister Dani are childhood friends. Dani has always stood out as a free spirit, and Trent has been in love with her forever. He only gets one opportunity to tell her how he feels -- and that is right before he and Degan leave for enlistment in the Army.\\n\\nFast forward four years later. Trent is out of the Army and searching for Dani. He needs to find her for himself and to deliver a message from Degan. It takes a while to find her, but eventually Dani is located in Spain, teaching a course on Spanish translation that Trent enrolls in.\\n\\nWhat follows is a reunion of large proportions as Trent is dealing with his own demons from his tour of duty. It's not a smooth reunion by any means, and his PTSD is only making things worse, but his desire to reunite with Dani and really tell her how he feels fuels his resolve to complete his mission.\\n\\nI liked the premise of this story, but I did find that the story moved a little too slowly for me. There's a lot of grief in the pages, and I get that it may have impacted the pacing, but it's not a good thing when I find myself looking at the % counter on my e-reader.\\n\\nThere were also some aspects of Dani that bugged me. At times she seems like she should be from the 1960's, with her \\\"free spirit\\\" attitude and the clothes she wears. I would have found her more believable had she had a more updated look.\\n\\nDani and Trent's journey to their HEA is full of road blocks, mostly of Dani's making because she has some past she's dealing with too. I did find myself rooting for these two to make it work, so that's a good thing. The subject matter of this book starts out quite dark and there's a nice transition to a more positive and bright future once Dani and Trent get their heads together.\\n\\nOverall, I liked the story of these childhood friends, but some of the technical issues such as the pacing and Dani's characterization did take me out of the story at times. Your mileage may vary as they say. Sol is a very thoughtful and sometimes dark military romance that is balanced nicely with a brighter future.\\n\\nAn ARC was provided for review.\",\n \"Product: Avon Gale wrote her first story at the age of seven, about a Space Hat hanging on a rack and waiting for that special person to come along and purchase it even if it was a bit weirder than the other, more normal hats. Like all of Avons characters, the space hat did get its happily ever after though shes pretty sure it was with a unicorn. She likes to think her vocabulary has improved since then, but the theme of quirky people waiting for their perfect match is still one of her favorites. Avon grew up in the southern United States, and now lives with her very patient husband in a liberal midwestern college town. When shes not writing, shes either doing some kind of craft project that makes a huge mess, reading, watching horror movies, listening to music or yelling at her favorite hockey team to get it together, already. Avon is always up for a road trip, adores Kentucky bourbon, thinks nothing is as stress relieving as a good rock concert and will never say no to candy. At one point, Avon was the mayor of both Jazzercise and Lollicup on Foursquare. This tells you basically all you need to know about her as a person. ___ Roan Parrish lives in Philadelphia where she is gradually attempting to write love stories in every genre. When not writing, she can usually be found cutting her friends hair, meandering through whatever city shes in while listening to torch songs and melodic death metal, or cooking overly elaborate meals. She loves bonfires, winter beaches, minor chord harmonies, and self-tattooing. One time she may or may not have baked a six-layer chocolate cake and then thrown it out the window in a fit of pique.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: a very lovely M/M love story that delivers\\n\\nReview: The blurb pretty much covers what this book is about, so I'm not going to rehash it here. I really enjoyed this \\\"opposites-attract\\\" story.\\n\\nWill and Amory are very likable and interesting characters. There's a lot to Amory, and I could seriously go for more about him. Will is very sweet too, with a taste for walking a little on the wild side with Amory. I just really liked these two together and there's a love scene that just wowed me with the emotions it made me feel.\\n\\nHeart of the Steal is a sweet HEA and for me, the best part of the book were the conversations between Amory and Will as they learn to deal with what appears to be fairly major differences in their individual value systems. Loved the art angle and Will's sister Charlie's contributions to getting these two together.\\n\\nSo, a very lovely M/M love story that delivers.\",\n \"Product: Tonya Burrows wrote her first romance in 8th grade and hasn't put down her pen since. Originally from a small town in Western New York, she's currently soaking up the sun as a Florida girl. She suffers from a bad case of wanderlust and usually ends up moving someplace new every few years. Luckily, her two dogs and ginormous cat are excellent travel buddies. When she's not writing about hunky military heroes, Tonya can usually be found at a bookstore or the dog park. She also enjoys painting, watching movies, and her daily barre workouts. A geek at heart, she pledges her TV fandom to Supernatural and Dr. Who. If you would like to know more about Tonya, visit her website at www.tonyaburrows.com. She's also on Twitter @tonyaburrows and Facebook www.facebook.com/tonyaburrowsauthor.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Interesting start to the series\\n\\nReview: Alex is running from an undercover job gone bad only to find himself in the creepy little town of Three Churchs. There he runs into Pru at the local diner and although he's been warned away by multiple people, he finds himself wanting Pru and decides to stay in town.\\n\\nThen the fun starts. Well not really fun because people are missing and dying. At the heart of the story is a ghost tale at the lighthouse where Pru lives that seems to have something to do with the accidents, murders and missing persons.\\n\\nWhen one of the locals dies, Alex becomes a suspect and he has to complicate his relationship with Pru by lying about his real identity. Some of the townsfolk don't want him messing around with Pru and then there's his schrizophrenic brother warning him away from the lighthouse and the woman he's s falling in love with. Alex doesn't believe in ghosts and he determined to get to the bottom of the mysterious occurrences at the light house, although it seemed like his friend Nick did most of the sleuthing to figure out the ghost story.\\n\\nThere's alot going on here and I really liked that about Vision of Darkness. Alex was an interesting character, especially his refusal to recognize his own psychic skills. When his friends show up to help, it's clear that they have some special skills too.\\n\\nBut in spite of so much going on, I found the story a bit slow for the first 2/3 of the book. And even thought the pacing is slow, there's still more suspense than romance. I liked Pru and thought her and Alex made a good couple but they didn't connect at a level that had me believing in them outside of the ghostly connections. Maybe that's what the author intended, but I like more romance in my romantic suspense reads.\\n\\nI did find the D.I.E. squadron an interesting concept and would read more in this series because of it.\\n\\nSo overall, an interesting start to the series. More suspense and paranormal than romance.\",\n \"Product: Eden Butler is an editor and writer of Romance, SciFi and Fantasy novels and the nine-time great-granddaughter of an honest-to-God English pirate. This could explain her affinity for rule breaking and rum. When shes not writing or wondering about her possibly Jack Sparrowesque ancestor, Eden writes, reads and spends too much time watching rugby, Doctor Who and New Orleans Saints football. Currently, she is imprisoned under teenage rule alongside her husband in Southeastern Louisiana. Please send help.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Love Claiming Serenity and this series!\\n\\nReview: Donovan and Layla have been playing pranks on each other for years. They tell each other and their friends they can't stand each other. But when Layla breaks it off with her casual boyfriend Walter, it's Donovan that provides the comfort when Layla gets drunk and she ends up in his bed.\\n\\nTogether they craft a \\\"no strings\\\" agreement. Enemies during the day, lovers at night, no feelings or emotions required. No telling their friends because it isn't a relationship, it's just sex. Yeah, right. That sort of deal never quite works out that way, and when Layla starts to feel more for Donovan she breaks it off. She believes him when he tells her that he's sworn off relationships for good and she has to protect her own heart.\\n\\nBut neither one of them can stay away from the either very long, and when things blow up in a major way, friends and families get involved. (no spoilers!)\\n\\nIt's tough to talk about the last 35% of this book without giving anything away, so all I will say is that I LOVED Claiming Serenity. I had a good-book hangover for days from this one, going back to reread a number of times.\\n\\nWhat I love about Eden Butler's stories is that she isn't afraid to show that love can also bring real pain, but the payoff can be huge if you are willing to work at it. That usually involves working through some serious stuff, and Donovan and Layla have to do just that. They don't always get it right the first time either, all of which makes it so much sweeter when they can move past their issues and realize the love they have right in front of them.\\n\\nEven their friends and family see that their pranks and harsh words are like foreplay and that they belong together, it just takes Layla and Donovan a little longer to see. There's a great scene between Donovan and his father as they move past old hurts and his father gives him some advice that comes from the heart. These are the little and yet so very important moments in life that are life-changing. Layla's conversations with her father are a bit more, shall I say explosive, but Coach Mullens is a key player in this story as well. They way the fathers come together to guide their adult son and daughter was one of my favorite parts of this story.\\n\\nI love this series, and Eden Butler is at the top of my \\\"must read now\\\" list of authors. Donovan and Layla are so awesome together, especially when they let down their guard and really look at their feelings for each other. The rest of the gang shows up too, but Claiming Serenity is really all about Donovan and Layla.\\n\\nLoved Claiming Serenity. It's my first 5 star read of 2015, and I couldn't be happier about it. As a matter of fact, I may need to go reread the end of this again right now. It's just that sweet!\\n\\nIf you are a fan of New Adult contemporary romance and you aren't reading this series or Eden Butler, go do it now! Recommended.\",\n \"Product: Jay Crownover is the international and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men Series, The Saints of Denver Series, The Point Series, Breaking Point Series, and the Getaway Series. Her books can be found translated in many different languages all around the world. She is a tattooed, crazy haired Colorado native who lives at the base of the Rockies with her awesome dogs. This is where she can frequently be found enjoying a cold beer and Taco Tuesdays. Jay is a self-declared music snob and outspoken book lover who is always looking for her next adventure, between the pages and on the road.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Super hot romantic suspense!\\n\\nReview: Emrys Santos is still dealing with the aftermath of the vacation-gone-wrong. Her scars are visible as well as hidden, and she finds herself heading back to Wyoming to resolve unfinished business with the man who saved her -- Sutton Warner.\\n\\nSutton isn't doing very well himself. He's lost his confidence and more after the almost-fatal experience. Booze and pain killers are the only things keeping his demons at bay and not all that well. It's a good thing that Emrys shows up to bring him back from the edge.\\n\\nThese two are scorching hot together. There's an attraction between them that they didn't get to explore when they first met and they make up for lost time! The heat level is high, and there's a barn scene that is one of the hottest of the year for me, and that's after reading over 150 romance titles.\\n\\nEverything takes a whole new turn with a murder that has the town pointing the finger at Sutton, followed by a kidnapping that has the potential for super serious consequences for all the Warner family. I adore the suspense elements in this series, and loved everything about this part of the story, even though the identity of the the responsible party was easy to guess.\\n\\nThis book had a bit of a different feel to it than the first book in the series, mostly because both main character's point of view is represented. Emrys and Sutton are complicated characters, and it is when they come together that they find they can open up and let go. I really liked the emotional impact of their union and was glad that I got to see what was going on with both characters.\\n\\nI really love this series. Whenever a new book from an author has me craving more and running back for re-reads of all my favorite titles from them, I know it's a winner. This series pulled me out of a bit of a romance reading slump and I think that's a big deal.\\n\\nIf you like romantic suspense, I think you will like this series. I also recommend starting with Retreat, but Shelter can be read as a standalone. You'll enjoy it more with the background provided by the first book in the series.\\n\\nAnd the next book! Gah! There's a nice setup at the end of Shelter for the next book in the series. Cannot wait!\\n\\nAn ARC was provided for review.\",\n \"Product: Alyssa Rose Ivy is a bestselling New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and humor. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After surviving law school and earning her masters in library science, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand. Series by Alyssa Rose Ivy: - The Crescent Chronicles - The Empire Chronicles - Clayton Falls - The Hazards Series - The Mixology Series - The Afterglow Trilogy - The Dire Wolves Chronicles\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Really like this series!\\n\\nReview: After a break up caused by her cheating boyfriend, Caras friends take her to a party to help her get over her broken heart. One drink leads to another and Cara ends up flirting with a gorgeous stranger. And thats not all. Wanting to put her past boyfriend behind her, she has sex with him on the beach and leaves without giving him any way to get in touch with her.\\n\\nWhen Cara returns to college, she knows its going to be tough. Her best friends are dating men from the same fraternity as her ex, and her ex is under the delusion that he can have her back. Her whole life has changed, and she handles it pretty well. Then Jade takes her to a club to see a band perform, and her almost anonymous hookup on the beach isn't so anonymous anymore. Hes the lead singer in the band theyve gone to see.\\n\\nOnce they are together, Cara and Chase find that the attraction they felt for each other on that first night hasn't gone away, and in spite of his touring with the band, decide to try to make a go of a long distance relationship. Of course, there are complications, mainly from Caras ex and a stalker-creep from another band, and some questions about Chases feelings for his ex-girlfriend. .\\n\\nTheres more fun than drama here though. I loved how Cara finds her place on campus now that shes no longer dating a fraternity brother. I really like this series for the lightness of it all. The drama isn't too intense and things work out with a little bit of effort. My biggest complaint is that I didn't really feel that I got to know Chase all that well in this, since hes off touring for most of the book.\\n\\nIf you are looking for a relatively light, easy read with a little drama to spice it up, this might be for you.\",\n \"Product: USA Today bestselling author, Liv Morris, was raised in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. She now resides on the concrete rock known as Manhattan with her first and hopefully last husband. After relocating twelve times during his corporate career, she qualifies as a professional mover. Learning to bloom where she's planted, Liv brings her moving and life experience to her writing.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice follow-up to Adam's Apple\\n\\nReview: Adam's Fall picks up right where Adam's Apple left off, with Adam Kingsley now recuperating in the hospital from the incident with his partner. What follows is a lovely romance between Adam and Kathryn and some very serious business repercussions for Adam.\\n\\nAdam wasn't quite the jerk in Adam's Fall as he was in Adam's Apple and that worked for me since this story was told almost entirely from his first person point of view. I had a bit of a hard time with that. But I did like the story of his growth and transformation as he falls very hard for Kathryn. It was hard to believe he had changed completely though, and well, you should read this to find out what happens!\\n\\nThere was very little drama between Adam and Kathryn, most of that comes from the business aspect of the story, and I think I really liked that part of it. It made their love story very sweet. There was good suspense on the business side as well, as Adam realizes that all is not what it seems.\\n\\nAdam's Fall was a bit of a different story, told from the male viewpoint. There's a lot of heat in this one too. So overall, even thought a bit slow at the start, Adam's Fall is a sweet love story between \\\"a lonely widow and a lonely playboy\\\". What I liked most was Adam's transformation.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":10,"string":"10"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":375,"string":"375"}}},{"rowIdx":376,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"AJR8OLVMD39I7"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"Dyes, brightens, and restores suede and roughout shoes, boots, handbags etc. Not for man-made fabric. 4 oz. bottle. Single wool dauber included. For best results, clean your suede with a brush and a cleaner to remove dirt and shiny areas before applying the dye. Check out the instructions tab below for step-by-step directions.\". The summary of the review text is \"Mixed a custom color with great results\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"With my first suede shoes as an adult, I didn't realize until it was too late that I couldn't store them in my sunlight filled mudroom, and a pair of beautiful plum-colored Clark Artisan maryjanes faded to a dusky reddish purple. I ordered red and purple Fiebing suede dye with the intent to mix a custom color to match the original color of the shoes.\n\nI used cardboard underneath the shoes and an old plastic container to mix my colors. I found two parts red to one part purple gave me the closest match. 1 part = 1 tablespoon in my case, which was plenty of dye to cover each shoe with several coats, with a little left over for touch ups.\n\nBefore dyeing, I watched a couple of videos on YouTube by Sneakerhead on the Bay, about how to clean suede shoes and dye them. I used an old toothbrush to raise the nap before and after dying, and used a small detail paintbrush to apply the dye since the shoes have leather parts that had not faded. I finished the shoes with 2 coats of waterproofing spray for leather and suede which I already had on hand.\n\nThe result was a beautiful, rich color, and in my opinion, the depth I got from mixing two colors was better than either one alone. One interesting and unexpected result is that there is a sheen to the dye that creates almost an iridescent effect with what looks like gold dust. As I was applying the dye, I had to keep agitating it to prevent this gold from clumping in patches in the bowl and on the shoe. Once I got an even application, the plum/gold effect was really beautiful, and I am looking forward to wearing the shoes. They may actually look better than they did when I bought them.\n\nSince dyeing one pair of shoes uses very little dye, I have plenty left for future projects. A one or two ounce package probably would have been enough, and maybe they sell that size somewhere, but the convenience of Amazon made this solution work for me. Plus, re-dyeing the shoes cost way less than new ones. And now I know to keep these sweet suede shoes out of the sun."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"With my first suede shoes as an adult, I didn't realize until it was too late that I couldn't store them in my sunlight filled mudroom, and a pair of beautiful plum-colored Clark Artisan maryjanes faded to a dusky reddish purple. I ordered red and purple Fiebing suede dye with the intent to mix a custom color to match the original color of the shoes.\n\nI used cardboard underneath the shoes and an old plastic container to mix my colors. I found two parts red to one part purple gave me the closest match. 1 part = 1 tablespoon in my case, which was plenty of dye to cover each shoe with several coats, with a little left over for touch ups.\n\nBefore dyeing, I watched a couple of videos on YouTube by Sneakerhead on the Bay, about how to clean suede shoes and dye them. I used an old toothbrush to raise the nap before and after dying, and used a small detail paintbrush to apply the dye since the shoes have leather parts that had not faded. I finished the shoes with 2 coats of waterproofing spray for leather and suede which I already had on hand.\n\nThe result was a beautiful, rich color, and in my opinion, the depth I got from mixing two colors was better than either one alone. One interesting and unexpected result is that there is a sheen to the dye that creates almost an iridescent effect with what looks like gold dust. As I was applying the dye, I had to keep agitating it to prevent this gold from clumping in patches in the bowl and on the shoe. Once I got an even application, the plum/gold effect was really beautiful, and I am looking forward to wearing the shoes. They may actually look better than they did when I bought them.\n\nSince dyeing one pair of shoes uses very little dye, I have plenty left for future projects. A one or two ounce package probably would have been enough, and maybe they sell that size somewhere, but the convenience of Amazon made this solution work for me. Plus, re-dyeing the shoes cost way less than new ones. And now I know to keep these sweet suede shoes out of the sun."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Want to run like a girl, but stand when you pee?\n\nReview: I purchased this to take on a climb on Mt. Hood. It was my first technical climb, and my first time using any device of this type. I was able to practice a couple of times before the climb, but on the climb was the first time I had used it outdoors and in a place where I would be unable to clean up if things went wrong. I used it 3-4 times on the 13 hour climb, and it was successful each time. Given that there were men climbing ahead, behind, and with me, and because of the frigid temperatures, I was grateful not to have to disrobe to pee, and I didn't have any problems with dripping. I followed the instructions to scrape off when finished, and was able to clean the device somewhat in the snow afterward. I kept it in a zippered pouch made of recycled plastic, which kept it clean and away from my other things.\n\nI was pleased with this device. It is a little awkward, but it certainly does the job.","Product: Add a personal touch to your home with Do It Yourself Magazine's craft ideas, homemade decoration guides, recipes and more. With detailed how-to guides even the novice DIY fan will find the perfect project for their home. Decorate your home for the season with exciting outdoor holiday decorations. Do It Yourself's recipe collection offers a range of delicious recipes from seasonal treats to breakfast ideas.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Best deal for DIY mag on the internet, but unreliable delivery\n\nReview: I just got my first issue of this magazine since subscribing. I had typically purchased in on the newstand since it comes out only a few times a year, but it is cheapest at BJ's, and they have not been reliable about carrying it.\n\nAnother subscription note, I found the price on Amazon for a 2-year subscription to be the best deal. However, it took a really long time for the first issue to arrive (although it came within the predicted window). What got me is that just a short time after I subscribed, and long before I got my first issue, I got a promotion in the mail to renew my subscription! If they can start sending junkmail out that fast, I would think they could send a magazine that has been out on the shelves for months (the first issue of my subscription, Summer 2014).\n\nI hope the Summer 2014 issue isn't indicative of what we have to expect from this magazine. As a quarterly publication, I expect this magazine to contain only the best ideas, and new information. I also realize with infrequent publication and the internet, that some of the ideas they plan to include will be out of date by the time the magazine is published.\n\nCompared to the Spring 2014 issue, this issue had a lot of ideas I had seen before, and the content seems almost exclusively from the internet - Etsy this, blogger that. There is definitely a place for featuring internet artists and makers, as well as bloggers, in magazines. I find this especially helpful when products and bloggers featured are ones I haven't seen before. It lacked a feeling of originality I have experienced with the magazine in the past. It lacked a lot of what made me like it to begin with.\n\nThat said, I also have the Spring 2014 issue (purchased pre-subscription), and that was an enjoyable read and had good ideas for projects I hadn't seen before. Also, this more recent issue lacked originality, but it also had some ideas that I can use, so it wasn't a total loss.\n\nI am hoping this disappointment was a one-time deal and that the next issue will be better. There is still a place for magazines in the world, and I want this one to succeed!\n\nUpdate: after receiving the first issue of my subscription, I did not receive any further issues. When some time had passed, I checked the magazine's website and realized that two subsequent issues had come out that I never received. When I contacted the seller, they informed me that would be unable to replace the missed issues but would extend my subscription for two additional issues. With a quarterly publication, two missed issues is a half a year of the subscription! I could have bought it at the newsstand for a dollar or two more and not had to deal with the aggravation. Not impressed.","Product: The secret to loaf mastery. Your choice of flour makes a very big difference in bread baking: flours with a higher protein content create loftier yeasted breads. Our bread flour is 12.7% protein - a full point higher than other national brands. It strengthens the rise, so your breads are lofty and perfectly textured every time. Certified kosher. Use it for all your yeast baking, from bread (including bread machine loaves) to rolls to pizza. Combine it with whole wheat flour to add extra height to dense whole grain baked goods that need a little lift. Higher protein flour like bread flour will absorb more liquid than others. When baking with bread flour, add about 2 teaspoons extra liquid for each cup of flour in order to produce the proper consistency of dough. Flour this good doesn't happen by accident. It's the result of attention to detail, consistency in milling, and our desire to ensure that each and every person has the very best baking experience possible. Founded in 1790, King Arthur Flour is a 100% Employee-Owned Company and the nations premier baking resource, offering everything from top-quality baking products to inspiring recipes.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Bread flour really does make a difference.\n\nReview: I purchased this flour through Amazon's Pantry, for use with my Oster Breadmaker, also purchased on Amazon. The instructions for the Breadmaker specifically stated use of Bread Flour, which I have never tried before. The results were great - my bread had a great consistency and texture.\n\nI saw online that you could use bread flour if you preferred your cookies to be chewy. I tried this. The results were decidedly crunchy and the cookies were inferior to those I have made in the past with all purpose flour. I may try again with a different ratio of bread flour to all purpose or wheat flour in the cookies, but the first try was pretty bad.\n\nI did later find Gold Medal Bread flour for about 50 cents cheaper at Walmart. Depending on whether or not you can stick to your shopping list at Walmart, and taking the convenience of Amazon into consideration, this may or may not mean a better deal for you.","Product: Premium Quality, 4 Mil (.004 inches thick) usage to draw a yantra\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Copper is expensive. This was a neat addition to the crafting arsenal, though\n\nReview: I am using this to make the copper leaf wreath featured in the Sept. 2014 issue of This Old House. Although I frequently Do DIY repairs and crafting, I have never done any kind of metal work beyond helping my husband cut our dryer duct. I did not know what thickness I needed and was also unsure of size.\n\nThis product turned out to be a good guess. It looks like it will be enough to complete the project, and while it is bendable and can be cut with regular scissors, it has a nice heft and easily holds its shape. It is quite sharp, and when my kids got their finger prints on it, it started to oxidize. Since the instruction for my wreath call for burnishing, that isn't what I wanted, but I am hoping I can cover the damage once I figure out how I am going to burnish it. It has a beautiful sheen and I hate to even throw out the scraps and am hoping to find a use for them.\n\nUpdate: I borrowed a blow torch to burnish the wreath, which worked beautifully and brought out the colors of the copper.","Product: 20.5\" Long x 2.25\" Wide, Heavy Duty, Chrome Plated, Kleen Seam, Bridges The Gap Between Stove & Counter Top To Keep Items From Falling Through The Cracks, Won't Warp Or Melt Under Normal Circumstances, Ideal Between Washer & Dryer, Many Home Office Areas That Have Gaps. This product adds a great value. product is highly durable and very easy to use. This product is manufactured in China.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Didn't work for me.\n\nReview: I got this for the crack between the stove and the counter. In our kitchen there is no counter on the other side of the stove, so there was some flexibility in terms of how big the crack was. It stayed in place to an extent, but slid around a lot when it was being cleaned (often at our house - there are five kids and the ten year old is a budding chef). Also, because of where the gas line to the stove was, the stove, and the Kleen Seam, was pushed forward from the wall (compared to the counter) and didn't provide a great fit.\n\nUltimately, I moved the stove over so that there is now a 4-5 inch gap between the side of the cabinets and the stove, and the stove can sit back against the wall since the gas line is now to the side. When drips and food fall down there, it is much easier to clean, and the Kleen Seam now lives in the laundry room behind the hampers.\n\nThis would probably work best in a situation where the stove was flush against the back wall and surrounded by cabinets, in a home with older kids or adults. I found that something that wasn't attached just made more mess in the end for us. It's a good idea, but the problem may be a bigger one than this little guy can solve.","Product: Genuine Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts! Washer rotor assembly 4413ER1003A is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) part that fits some Samsung front-load washers in these series: CW2079, WM0001, WM0642, WM0742, WM2101, WM2301, WM2455, WM2487, WM2497, WM2501, WM2601, WM2688, WM2701, WM2801, WM3001 and WM3988. Rotor assembly 4413ER1003A connects to the spin basket shaft and rotates the spin basket. Replaces part number 4413ER1003C. Model numbers this part fits: CW2079CWD, CW2079CWN, WM0001HTM, WM0001HTMA, WM0642HW/01, WM0742HGA, WM0742HWA, WM2101HW, WM2301HR, WM2301HW, WM2455HG, WM2455HW, WM2487HRMA, WM2487HWM, WM2487HWMA, WM2487WHM, WM2497HWM, WM2501HWA, WM2601HL, WM2601HR, WM2601HW, WM2688HNMA, WM2688HWMA, WM2701HV, WM2801HLA, WM2801HRA, WM2801HWA, WM3001HPA, WM3001HRA, WM3001HWA, WM3988HWA For Lg.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Has your machine started to growl during the wash cycle? This is probably the part you need.\n\nReview: Our 7 year old LG front loader was making a low growl during the wash cycle, but the drum was still spinning, for close to a week before the growl turned into a howl and the drum refused to turn. Referencing a youtube tutorial, we replaced this piece with some ease - but from one intrepid DIYer to another, please REMEMBER TO UNPLUG YOUR MACHINE before beginning the repair. While the repair was quick, we accidentally left our washer plugged in until the old part was removed, and when the new part was in, the machine would not power on. No amount of troubleshooting could get it to come on. We ended up having to replace the Noise Filter AND the Power Control Board (we tried it with each separately, it only worked when both had been replaced.) Now, things are going great, and in a family of 8 with 1-3 loads running a day, that is a meaningful thing.","Product: Hamilton Beach Fresh Grind Coffee Grinder (80335R)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Inexpensive, handy little grinder\n\nReview: I purchased this locally for grinding flax seed. I plan to use it for herbs as well. As other reviewers have noted, it has a very short cord, but it does stash in the bottom of the machine, which is great for storage. The removable parts make it very easy to clean.\n\nI only use this occasionally, but have had no problems with it, and find that it can handle a good load of flax and grind it evenly without complaint.\n\nI looked a number of places for choosing this - as an occasional user, I didn't want to spend a lot of money. As has been said many times before - you get what you pay for. This is one of the most inexpensive grinders available. I don't expect a workhorse for this price. I expect a pony. That is what I got.","Product: Add a touch of retro flair to your bedside table with this vintage inspired alarm clock. Blue plastic case and numbers with an ivory face and glow in the dark hands. Top shut off button for beep alarm. Requires 1 AA battery (not included).\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Basic alarm clock, cute look\n\nReview: The look of the alarm clock is just what I wanted. It has functioned fine in the months since my purchase. I use it to keep time and not as an alarm clock. The only problem is that it is difficult to tell when the alarm in engaged and when it goes off it is very loud. The instructions were unclear as well. So if the alarm is set inadvertently, you might not notice till it goes off at two in the morning, and it is difficult to tell if you silenced the alarm that one time, or if it will go off at two a.m. tomorrow night, too.\n\nI would not buy it to use as an alarm clock - it is difficult to set accurately - but for a small timepiece in a place where the kids can't reach it (and bump the button that engages the alarm), it works fine and even with its plastic construction, looks nicer than most of the big box options.","Product: The peshtemal is highly absorbent and dries very quickly, light in weight and takes up little space meaning it's the perfect travel companion. It's great in bathrooms, pools, spa's, beaches, sport facilities and most importantly baby care, the possibilities are endless!.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Flexible, not great for cold climates\n\nReview: The color of the towel is great, and it is pretty absorbent for the thickness, but when one is used to fluffy bath towels, this can be a bit of a disappointment. I live in the northeast, and in the winter months, when we keep our house in the mid-60's, this towel just didn't cut it. However, I have also used it as a summer living room throw, a summer towel, a travel blanket, a wrap, and in a pinch, a neck pillow on an airplane and a window curtain. For each of those applications, it was a pleasingly flexible piece of fabric.\n\nIf you are looking for an alternative to traditional towels, as I was, this may or may not work, depending on your climate and the temperature at which you keep your home. When it comes to absorbancy, it is not the miracle I have heard it to be. Sure, it is thin and dries fast. As a flexible go-to for warm weather drying, wrapping, and cushioning, I appreciated having this around. It will get put away with the shorts and swim suits, though, since there is not much good it can do in the winter, unless you need a tablecloth.","Product: The Coobie Seamless Bra V-Neck with Lace Trim is super comfortable and versatile. Wear it under dresses, low cut sweaters, hoodies, coats and more. Comes in more than 50 beautiful colors and prints. Amazing One-Size fit for almost anyone 32A to 36D! Full size and XL also available. Straps are removable & adjustable for One-Size. Full Size and XL, straps are sewn on front and back. Comes with a set of removable, reversible pads. The pads stay in place with the versatile pocket that can be used to hold prosthetics in place of the pads. Seamless so no hooks or clasps. Back is smooth. The fabric is made of an ultra soft nylon and spandex blend. Now Available in 3 sizes: One Size fits 32A - 36D Full Size fits 38A - 42D/DD NEW XL Size fits 40D - 48E\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: First real Coobie purchase\n\nReview: I have purchased a number of \"fake,\" knock-off Coobies on Amazon, and wanted to purchase a real one to compare quality, and also because I liked the lace trim. I could not discern a difference in quality. I did like the trim, and have been pleased with the fit. The bra is very comfortable, but of course, does not produce the lift and separate demonstrated by the lovely model in the picture. As long as you aren't expecting that, you won't be disappointed.\n\nI tried wearing this with the pads, but ended up feeling like a fraud and took them out. Anyone who typically wears padded bras may feel comfortable with the pads, and they do add some oomph, but I felt it was at the cost of natural shape.\n\nCoobies, real and fake, are a great choice for summer breastfeeding and women who are in their childbearing years with fluctuating cup size. After developing a number of stashes of traditional bras in my pregnancy, nursing, and post nursing bust sizes, I have found that this fits all THREE sizes and is easy to pull up when you need to nurse. I will probably trade back to more stylish and supportive bras after I am done with this phase - at least for going out in public in non-work out clothing - but right now, I wear these almost excusively and they are working great for my needs.\n\nI wash this and my fake Coobies cold delicate in a delicates bag, and drip dry, and they have held up well with little pilling.\n\nConclusion? This may fit a wider size range than the fakes I have worn, but other than that, the quality was indistinguishable and you will have to make your own decision based on color and design selection (and how much you are willing to spend) when you decide what you want to purchase.","Product: JC128 Flower Earrings, Starfish Earrings, Faux Diamond Embellished Earrings\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: These are cheap AND inexpensive.\n\nReview: I just purchased these at the same time as another pair of earrings that were white gold plated and similarly priced. I received these ones about a week later than the first pair, and they came in second for quality as well. The picture makes them look pretty stunning, but in real life, they arrived with packaging that left the posts bent, and they just looked cheap. The plating on them and their heft just couldn't compare with the other pair I got. I had my standards low before I received either pair, but once I saw how nice the first ones were, I was excited to see the second pair, only to be disappointed. I will probably never wear these.","Product: Casually sleek for a clean look. Leather upper. Lace-up and zipper closure. Soft textile lining. Lightly cushioned footbed. Durable TPR outsole. Imported. Measurements: Heel Height: 1 1⁄4 in Weight: 12 oz Shaft: 5 in Product measurements were taken using size 8, width B - Medium. Please note that measurements may vary by size.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Look great, but are a BEAST to get on.\n\nReview: I love Clarks and was ready for my first pair of leather boots. Some other reviewers mentioned this shoe is difficult to get on - you must loosen the laces AND undo the zipper. I am a mom of six and am rarely on time. While I love the comfort and look of these boots, the extra precious minutes it takes to put these on definitely caused me to leave them on the shoe rack a number of times and grab something easier to don instead. I have wide-ish, flat feet, and they look sleek and I can wear them all day, but having to sit down and really work to get them on... well, life is just too short to be fighting with your shoes.","Product: Women's Clarks, Evianna Mix Slip on Shoes The perfect slip on for all seasons Leather upper Slip on style with elastic goring panels for an easy on and off Fabric lining Ortholite Soft Cushion footbed for added comfort Rubber outsole for added durability. Heel Height of 1.00 inches\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: So dark they look black, and tight toe box.\n\nReview: The cheaper Clarks on Amazon are hit or miss, and for me, these were a miss. I already have a similar pair of Clarks in black (<a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Clarks-Women-s-Azlyn-Luck-Loafer-Black-8-5-M-US/dp/B00ARSBYBY/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Clarks Women's Azlyn Luck Loafer,Black,8.5 M US</a>), which I love. I wanted a pair to go with outfits where brown would look better. These lacked the detail and beauty of other Clarks I own, and the toe box was really tight, despite the fact that I was wearing thin socks and these are 8.5 (I usually wear 8 or 8.5 in Clarks). They didn't slip at the heel, but that was their only plus. The dark brown color reads as black to me when I'm wearing them, too, which just made them seem like a sub par version of the shoes I already have and love.\n\nThese will be going back.","Product: For the hip and trendy our Washed Cotton Fitted Army Cap is the one for you! Made from 100% cotton, this cap features a 3 paneled 3-1/2 inches of frayed crown and 2-1/2 inches long pre-curved bill with frayed edging for an added urban feel. This cap comes in two sizes, small/medium and large/x-large. Try one in any of our exciting colors today! Made of 100 % Cotton. Sizes: S/M and L/XL. Pre-curved bill measures 2-1/4 inches. 3 Paneled crown measures 3-1/2 inches. Constructed from a soft, thin material. Hand Wash only. Imported. Available in black, white, olive and khaki.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Too big for my head, but was able to fix.\n\nReview: I ordered this in white and khaki. I wanted a hat to give my scalp some protection from the sun, and I like this style. When they arrived, one of the brims was crooked, and the hats were way too big. Also, the distressing is in places where it would never occur in real life, but that is visible in the pictures, so I should have known better. I ended up sewing the inside lining to the hat to create a channel and put some 3/4 elastic inside the channel, which stretched from the edges of the brim around the back. I used hair ties to bend and hold the brim together and adjust the crookedness. It was a quick fix and now I really like them, and more importantly, they now fit without looking ridiculous.\n\nIn the pics included, there are before pics of both hats, after pics of the white hat, and a pic that hopefully helps show what I did to make it fit for other people with small heads and rudimentary sewing skills.","Product: The Felica Vale offer sleek, minimalist styling in a casual lace-up shoe. Crafted of rich materials with contrast details and lined in buttery-soft leather, it cushions the foot on a removable footbed with Clarks Plus technology. This shoe is a smart step up from sneakers when you crave comfort, but want to project a stylish image.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Shoes are much darker than pictured, but comfortable and unique.\n\nReview: I love the style of these shoes. I typically wear 8-8.5 in Clarks, and ordered these in 8C, which fit great.\n\nBecause the tongue and laces come up lower on the top of your feet, it is a little harder to get a snug fit. They are comfortable, and because they are leather, promise to get even better. There was plenty of room in the toe box. As someone with borderline wide feet (my width is primarily in the toes), I was glad I got the wide in these, it gave me a little extra ease that made the fit that much better.\n\nMy only gripe, which is a significant one, is that they are nothing like the color pictured. For a closer to life example of the color, <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Clarks-Women-s-Funny-Dream-Brown-Leather-8-5-M/dp/B011VK57LO/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Clarks Women's Funny Dream Brown Leather 8.5 M</a> was the same on my monitor as the photos I took of the shoes. The laces are also darker than pictured, and have a little shine to them, which I liked.\n\nI'll be keeping these, and I'm looking to see what extended wear and use will do to how I feel about them. For now - great, funky look and comfortable fit.\n\nUpdate: I wore these for a full day I spent on my feet and they were great. I was wearing thin socks. I had to retie the laces 3 times or so. One caveat - I accidentally splashed water on them and it left a dark stain, which did disappear when it dried, but made me nervous for what would happen if they got more than a splash on them. So that night I treated them with two coats of leather waterproofing spray. I don't know if I would wear them on a rainy day, though.","Product: Haby offered by SexyLocker, brings an exclusive collection of high quality Sportswear created to give you an exceptional appearance, comfort, and durability by using selected premium fabrics, while maintaining an affordable price.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: These will work for the price\n\nReview: I purchased these on the recommendation of my midwife to try wearing compression shorts or bike shorts under my pants to give my legs a little more support, specifically one pesky leg with a borderline varicose vein. I am six months pregnant with number six. I am pre-pregnancy 120-125 lbs and 5'5\". Right now I am closer to 150 and ordered a medium, which fit fine. The wide band accommodates the belly and looks like it will be fine post-partum as well.\n\n I found these by searching for compression shorts, and while they offer some support, I wouldn't put them in the compression category. I also found no less than four very itchy inspection stickers on the inside of the fabric, in addition to scratchy inner thigh seams. My thought is that stickers would have been easier to find and remove had they been affixed to the outside of the garment, and one would have sufficed where four were used. With current technology, seamless, or certainly seams that don't itch, would not have been too much to ask at this price point.\n\nFor this pregnant lady, I would have liked to see a little more attention to detail (the seams) but otherwise, the design and support offered were about what I expected for the price. As noted in other reviews, the purple-banded black shorts pictured are actually black and charcoal banded (with just a hint of purple), which suits me better than purple, anyway.","Product: dvd\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: If you've read the books, it's worth a watch, but it's not amazing.\n\nReview: I watched this after reading the books. I enjoyed the story the books told, but felt that the writing left much to be desired. It isn't just the genre - I have read intelligently written YA lit - but this is not that. So this is a movie based on a poorly written story with a rather annoying voice, but about an interesting idea/concept and one that bears looking into in both book and movie form.\n\nI felt the movie was particularly lacking in its portrayal of the Capitol's citizens. It felt like the people who made the movie were almost afraid to portray them seriously as they were in the book because it might've been too much like Hollywood (on LSD...)? I'm not sure. But there was rich material to work with [in the book], and it was a missed opportunity.","Product: Con-Tact Brand lets you turn anything into a writing surface with this self-adhesive chalkboard. Perfect for restaurants, school, or office. Cut to any shape and size. Peel position and reposition. Write and wipe.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Way easier that chalkboard paint for temporary installations\n\nReview: I used this to make message boards/signs on my kids' bedroom doors. It was easy to put up. As other reviewers mentioned, it has the same weight as regular contact paper, but if primed by rubbing the side of the chalk over it and then wiping it off, chalk glides on when writing on it.\n\nIt has held up to regular use over the past several months. I have used regular chalkboard paint in the past and in comparison, I like this better because once primed, it is smoother, and takes less time to install and use. It may not be as durable as paint in the long run, but I am very pleased and would definitely recommend it. I have had no problems with it pulling up at the corners. I am considering trimming it out so the edges aren't visible, though. With patience and the right cutting tool, the edges probably wouldn't even be an issue, though.","Product: Elegant and classic hammered Eastern cup Rainchain\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Takes the downspout up a notch\n\nReview: I love this rain chain! We installed them at the front and back of our house to drain into rain barrels. I additionally purchased Copper Gutter Adaptor (Reducer) for Rain Chain Installation.\n\nIn the installation instructions it gives the option to screw the rain chain at the top of the gutter, or just fit the triangular metal piece in and let it hang from that. After initially just letting it hang, after two years we ended up screwing ours into the gutter/fascia because in our colder climate, the weight of ice freezing onto it pulled them down a couple of times.\n\nDespite having fallen down a few times, the chains are in great shape and do well with moderate rainfall. When we've had the occasional downpour, especially accompanied by wind, it has a harder time handling the flow, since we have a sizable roof with just a couple of downspouts. This isn't a problem for me since the main offender is the front rain chain, where our yard slopes down to the road. The runoff doesn't cause damage (or end up in our basement), but this could be a consideration depending on your house/yard and the weather in your climate.\n\nWhen it comes to aesthetics, these really can't be beat. After 3 years, they are acquiring a patina (they are now a darker brown color). When it rains, pedestrians have actually stopped on the street to watch the rain come down the chain. The sound of the rain flowing down is mesmerizing as well.","Product: Road trip! Add excitement to travel with this sturdy, reusable classic travel game. Learn the name and location of all fifty states, identify states by their license plate design or simply plot your trip by flipping the states along your route?this is truly fun on the go! No loose pieces to leave a trail! For ages 5 and up.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good concept, Design may need some work.\n\nReview: I got this as a gift for my nine year old son for Christmas with an upcoming road trip in mind. He chose four stars for its \"fun\" factor. I appreciate the heavy duty elastic with which the pieces are attached to the board. The biggest disappointment is that on removing the plastic shrink wrap, we inadvertently removed the printing on no less than 7 or 8 of the pieces! I exchanged it for another and again one of the plates was damaged. I opted to keep it and am in the process of coating the pieces with 5 coats of Mod Podge to protect them. The wood it is made with is sturdy, it is just the paint printed on top that can easily be scraped off with even light use. It was on sale for $9.99 here for a while; I waited too long and ended up paying $15 for it. I think if the print on the pieces weren't so easily damaged that it would be worth even the higher price.\n\nUpdate: We have now had this for a year and a half and still use it on road trips, but despite the Mod Podge, the paint on the pieces has continued to deteriorate disproportionately to its use, and the side is starting to split open as well.","Product: Travel Checkers / Chess, Manufacturer: Pressman\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Travel Games are tough\n\nReview: I got this for my nine year old son for Christmas. He likes checkers and we didn't own the game. He quickly lost most of the pieces and this game has gotten very little use because of that. I don't think we ever used it in the car except to open the case and leave pieces under the car seats. The small magnetic pieces also hold a choking hazard for little brothers and sisters.\n\nThe quality of the game is kind of cheap, what you would expect for the price. The problem, I guess, is that by the time your child is old enough to be conscientious about the pieces to the game, he or she may be too old to enjoy playing it.\n\nI think in the future we will probably invest in a regular sized game and just play it at home.","Product: For Elizabeth Yates, the story of Peter and his little black cosset began long before she ever wrote it. In her early years the life on her father's large farm gave her a feeling for the land, for animals, and for the people who have both in their care. Many of her experiences found their way into the story, including the joy she felt when she could bury her nose in her own sweater, made of wool spun as it came from the sheep's back. Miss Yates drew inspiration from her hours spent with a New Hampshire shepherd, and, she observes, sheep shepherds, and their ways have not much changed from the days when David cared for his flock on a hillside in Judea. Her story could have taken place in any mountain pasture, in any alpine meadow around the world.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Difficult Reading for Us\n\nReview: I am reading this a second time as part of our first grade curriculum (my original first grader is now in fifth). I remember disliking it the first time, and I am disliking it again. Due to the difficult language of the book (at least, for children), my six year old is not grasping the story unless we stop repeatedly to put the story in plain English. Throughout the book the lamb \"protagonist\" is referred to as a \"cosset,\" which just isn't registering with the kids (a 4 and 10 year old also listen in from time to time). I feel like I am dragging through it because we have to.\n\nThere IS some wisdom to be found here, amidst some hard-to-believe storytelling (ex. a farmer's wife spending an entire day nursing a lamb back to life that everyone believes is dead to the neglect of everything else, and that's just chapter one), but it is hard to get past the writing. It is a little sad to me, but the book has gotten to the point that so many of the references are hopelessly out of date that you spend as much time explaining as reading. The explaining takes away from the flow of reading, so it is hard for the kids to connect.\n\nI wanted to like this book. It just isn't working for us."],"string":"[\n \"Product: We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Want to run like a girl, but stand when you pee?\\n\\nReview: I purchased this to take on a climb on Mt. Hood. It was my first technical climb, and my first time using any device of this type. I was able to practice a couple of times before the climb, but on the climb was the first time I had used it outdoors and in a place where I would be unable to clean up if things went wrong. I used it 3-4 times on the 13 hour climb, and it was successful each time. Given that there were men climbing ahead, behind, and with me, and because of the frigid temperatures, I was grateful not to have to disrobe to pee, and I didn't have any problems with dripping. I followed the instructions to scrape off when finished, and was able to clean the device somewhat in the snow afterward. I kept it in a zippered pouch made of recycled plastic, which kept it clean and away from my other things.\\n\\nI was pleased with this device. It is a little awkward, but it certainly does the job.\",\n \"Product: Add a personal touch to your home with Do It Yourself Magazine's craft ideas, homemade decoration guides, recipes and more. With detailed how-to guides even the novice DIY fan will find the perfect project for their home. Decorate your home for the season with exciting outdoor holiday decorations. Do It Yourself's recipe collection offers a range of delicious recipes from seasonal treats to breakfast ideas.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Best deal for DIY mag on the internet, but unreliable delivery\\n\\nReview: I just got my first issue of this magazine since subscribing. I had typically purchased in on the newstand since it comes out only a few times a year, but it is cheapest at BJ's, and they have not been reliable about carrying it.\\n\\nAnother subscription note, I found the price on Amazon for a 2-year subscription to be the best deal. However, it took a really long time for the first issue to arrive (although it came within the predicted window). What got me is that just a short time after I subscribed, and long before I got my first issue, I got a promotion in the mail to renew my subscription! If they can start sending junkmail out that fast, I would think they could send a magazine that has been out on the shelves for months (the first issue of my subscription, Summer 2014).\\n\\nI hope the Summer 2014 issue isn't indicative of what we have to expect from this magazine. As a quarterly publication, I expect this magazine to contain only the best ideas, and new information. I also realize with infrequent publication and the internet, that some of the ideas they plan to include will be out of date by the time the magazine is published.\\n\\nCompared to the Spring 2014 issue, this issue had a lot of ideas I had seen before, and the content seems almost exclusively from the internet - Etsy this, blogger that. There is definitely a place for featuring internet artists and makers, as well as bloggers, in magazines. I find this especially helpful when products and bloggers featured are ones I haven't seen before. It lacked a feeling of originality I have experienced with the magazine in the past. It lacked a lot of what made me like it to begin with.\\n\\nThat said, I also have the Spring 2014 issue (purchased pre-subscription), and that was an enjoyable read and had good ideas for projects I hadn't seen before. Also, this more recent issue lacked originality, but it also had some ideas that I can use, so it wasn't a total loss.\\n\\nI am hoping this disappointment was a one-time deal and that the next issue will be better. There is still a place for magazines in the world, and I want this one to succeed!\\n\\nUpdate: after receiving the first issue of my subscription, I did not receive any further issues. When some time had passed, I checked the magazine's website and realized that two subsequent issues had come out that I never received. When I contacted the seller, they informed me that would be unable to replace the missed issues but would extend my subscription for two additional issues. With a quarterly publication, two missed issues is a half a year of the subscription! I could have bought it at the newsstand for a dollar or two more and not had to deal with the aggravation. Not impressed.\",\n \"Product: The secret to loaf mastery. Your choice of flour makes a very big difference in bread baking: flours with a higher protein content create loftier yeasted breads. Our bread flour is 12.7% protein - a full point higher than other national brands. It strengthens the rise, so your breads are lofty and perfectly textured every time. Certified kosher. Use it for all your yeast baking, from bread (including bread machine loaves) to rolls to pizza. Combine it with whole wheat flour to add extra height to dense whole grain baked goods that need a little lift. Higher protein flour like bread flour will absorb more liquid than others. When baking with bread flour, add about 2 teaspoons extra liquid for each cup of flour in order to produce the proper consistency of dough. Flour this good doesn't happen by accident. It's the result of attention to detail, consistency in milling, and our desire to ensure that each and every person has the very best baking experience possible. Founded in 1790, King Arthur Flour is a 100% Employee-Owned Company and the nations premier baking resource, offering everything from top-quality baking products to inspiring recipes.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Bread flour really does make a difference.\\n\\nReview: I purchased this flour through Amazon's Pantry, for use with my Oster Breadmaker, also purchased on Amazon. The instructions for the Breadmaker specifically stated use of Bread Flour, which I have never tried before. The results were great - my bread had a great consistency and texture.\\n\\nI saw online that you could use bread flour if you preferred your cookies to be chewy. I tried this. The results were decidedly crunchy and the cookies were inferior to those I have made in the past with all purpose flour. I may try again with a different ratio of bread flour to all purpose or wheat flour in the cookies, but the first try was pretty bad.\\n\\nI did later find Gold Medal Bread flour for about 50 cents cheaper at Walmart. Depending on whether or not you can stick to your shopping list at Walmart, and taking the convenience of Amazon into consideration, this may or may not mean a better deal for you.\",\n \"Product: Premium Quality, 4 Mil (.004 inches thick) usage to draw a yantra\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Copper is expensive. This was a neat addition to the crafting arsenal, though\\n\\nReview: I am using this to make the copper leaf wreath featured in the Sept. 2014 issue of This Old House. Although I frequently Do DIY repairs and crafting, I have never done any kind of metal work beyond helping my husband cut our dryer duct. I did not know what thickness I needed and was also unsure of size.\\n\\nThis product turned out to be a good guess. It looks like it will be enough to complete the project, and while it is bendable and can be cut with regular scissors, it has a nice heft and easily holds its shape. It is quite sharp, and when my kids got their finger prints on it, it started to oxidize. Since the instruction for my wreath call for burnishing, that isn't what I wanted, but I am hoping I can cover the damage once I figure out how I am going to burnish it. It has a beautiful sheen and I hate to even throw out the scraps and am hoping to find a use for them.\\n\\nUpdate: I borrowed a blow torch to burnish the wreath, which worked beautifully and brought out the colors of the copper.\",\n \"Product: 20.5\\\" Long x 2.25\\\" Wide, Heavy Duty, Chrome Plated, Kleen Seam, Bridges The Gap Between Stove & Counter Top To Keep Items From Falling Through The Cracks, Won't Warp Or Melt Under Normal Circumstances, Ideal Between Washer & Dryer, Many Home Office Areas That Have Gaps. This product adds a great value. product is highly durable and very easy to use. This product is manufactured in China.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Didn't work for me.\\n\\nReview: I got this for the crack between the stove and the counter. In our kitchen there is no counter on the other side of the stove, so there was some flexibility in terms of how big the crack was. It stayed in place to an extent, but slid around a lot when it was being cleaned (often at our house - there are five kids and the ten year old is a budding chef). Also, because of where the gas line to the stove was, the stove, and the Kleen Seam, was pushed forward from the wall (compared to the counter) and didn't provide a great fit.\\n\\nUltimately, I moved the stove over so that there is now a 4-5 inch gap between the side of the cabinets and the stove, and the stove can sit back against the wall since the gas line is now to the side. When drips and food fall down there, it is much easier to clean, and the Kleen Seam now lives in the laundry room behind the hampers.\\n\\nThis would probably work best in a situation where the stove was flush against the back wall and surrounded by cabinets, in a home with older kids or adults. I found that something that wasn't attached just made more mess in the end for us. It's a good idea, but the problem may be a bigger one than this little guy can solve.\",\n \"Product: Genuine Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts! Washer rotor assembly 4413ER1003A is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) part that fits some Samsung front-load washers in these series: CW2079, WM0001, WM0642, WM0742, WM2101, WM2301, WM2455, WM2487, WM2497, WM2501, WM2601, WM2688, WM2701, WM2801, WM3001 and WM3988. Rotor assembly 4413ER1003A connects to the spin basket shaft and rotates the spin basket. Replaces part number 4413ER1003C. Model numbers this part fits: CW2079CWD, CW2079CWN, WM0001HTM, WM0001HTMA, WM0642HW/01, WM0742HGA, WM0742HWA, WM2101HW, WM2301HR, WM2301HW, WM2455HG, WM2455HW, WM2487HRMA, WM2487HWM, WM2487HWMA, WM2487WHM, WM2497HWM, WM2501HWA, WM2601HL, WM2601HR, WM2601HW, WM2688HNMA, WM2688HWMA, WM2701HV, WM2801HLA, WM2801HRA, WM2801HWA, WM3001HPA, WM3001HRA, WM3001HWA, WM3988HWA For Lg.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Has your machine started to growl during the wash cycle? This is probably the part you need.\\n\\nReview: Our 7 year old LG front loader was making a low growl during the wash cycle, but the drum was still spinning, for close to a week before the growl turned into a howl and the drum refused to turn. Referencing a youtube tutorial, we replaced this piece with some ease - but from one intrepid DIYer to another, please REMEMBER TO UNPLUG YOUR MACHINE before beginning the repair. While the repair was quick, we accidentally left our washer plugged in until the old part was removed, and when the new part was in, the machine would not power on. No amount of troubleshooting could get it to come on. We ended up having to replace the Noise Filter AND the Power Control Board (we tried it with each separately, it only worked when both had been replaced.) Now, things are going great, and in a family of 8 with 1-3 loads running a day, that is a meaningful thing.\",\n \"Product: Hamilton Beach Fresh Grind Coffee Grinder (80335R)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Inexpensive, handy little grinder\\n\\nReview: I purchased this locally for grinding flax seed. I plan to use it for herbs as well. As other reviewers have noted, it has a very short cord, but it does stash in the bottom of the machine, which is great for storage. The removable parts make it very easy to clean.\\n\\nI only use this occasionally, but have had no problems with it, and find that it can handle a good load of flax and grind it evenly without complaint.\\n\\nI looked a number of places for choosing this - as an occasional user, I didn't want to spend a lot of money. As has been said many times before - you get what you pay for. This is one of the most inexpensive grinders available. I don't expect a workhorse for this price. I expect a pony. That is what I got.\",\n \"Product: Add a touch of retro flair to your bedside table with this vintage inspired alarm clock. Blue plastic case and numbers with an ivory face and glow in the dark hands. Top shut off button for beep alarm. Requires 1 AA battery (not included).\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Basic alarm clock, cute look\\n\\nReview: The look of the alarm clock is just what I wanted. It has functioned fine in the months since my purchase. I use it to keep time and not as an alarm clock. The only problem is that it is difficult to tell when the alarm in engaged and when it goes off it is very loud. The instructions were unclear as well. So if the alarm is set inadvertently, you might not notice till it goes off at two in the morning, and it is difficult to tell if you silenced the alarm that one time, or if it will go off at two a.m. tomorrow night, too.\\n\\nI would not buy it to use as an alarm clock - it is difficult to set accurately - but for a small timepiece in a place where the kids can't reach it (and bump the button that engages the alarm), it works fine and even with its plastic construction, looks nicer than most of the big box options.\",\n \"Product: The peshtemal is highly absorbent and dries very quickly, light in weight and takes up little space meaning it's the perfect travel companion. It's great in bathrooms, pools, spa's, beaches, sport facilities and most importantly baby care, the possibilities are endless!.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Flexible, not great for cold climates\\n\\nReview: The color of the towel is great, and it is pretty absorbent for the thickness, but when one is used to fluffy bath towels, this can be a bit of a disappointment. I live in the northeast, and in the winter months, when we keep our house in the mid-60's, this towel just didn't cut it. However, I have also used it as a summer living room throw, a summer towel, a travel blanket, a wrap, and in a pinch, a neck pillow on an airplane and a window curtain. For each of those applications, it was a pleasingly flexible piece of fabric.\\n\\nIf you are looking for an alternative to traditional towels, as I was, this may or may not work, depending on your climate and the temperature at which you keep your home. When it comes to absorbancy, it is not the miracle I have heard it to be. Sure, it is thin and dries fast. As a flexible go-to for warm weather drying, wrapping, and cushioning, I appreciated having this around. It will get put away with the shorts and swim suits, though, since there is not much good it can do in the winter, unless you need a tablecloth.\",\n \"Product: The Coobie Seamless Bra V-Neck with Lace Trim is super comfortable and versatile. Wear it under dresses, low cut sweaters, hoodies, coats and more. Comes in more than 50 beautiful colors and prints. Amazing One-Size fit for almost anyone 32A to 36D! Full size and XL also available. Straps are removable & adjustable for One-Size. Full Size and XL, straps are sewn on front and back. Comes with a set of removable, reversible pads. The pads stay in place with the versatile pocket that can be used to hold prosthetics in place of the pads. Seamless so no hooks or clasps. Back is smooth. The fabric is made of an ultra soft nylon and spandex blend. Now Available in 3 sizes: One Size fits 32A - 36D Full Size fits 38A - 42D/DD NEW XL Size fits 40D - 48E\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: First real Coobie purchase\\n\\nReview: I have purchased a number of \\\"fake,\\\" knock-off Coobies on Amazon, and wanted to purchase a real one to compare quality, and also because I liked the lace trim. I could not discern a difference in quality. I did like the trim, and have been pleased with the fit. The bra is very comfortable, but of course, does not produce the lift and separate demonstrated by the lovely model in the picture. As long as you aren't expecting that, you won't be disappointed.\\n\\nI tried wearing this with the pads, but ended up feeling like a fraud and took them out. Anyone who typically wears padded bras may feel comfortable with the pads, and they do add some oomph, but I felt it was at the cost of natural shape.\\n\\nCoobies, real and fake, are a great choice for summer breastfeeding and women who are in their childbearing years with fluctuating cup size. After developing a number of stashes of traditional bras in my pregnancy, nursing, and post nursing bust sizes, I have found that this fits all THREE sizes and is easy to pull up when you need to nurse. I will probably trade back to more stylish and supportive bras after I am done with this phase - at least for going out in public in non-work out clothing - but right now, I wear these almost excusively and they are working great for my needs.\\n\\nI wash this and my fake Coobies cold delicate in a delicates bag, and drip dry, and they have held up well with little pilling.\\n\\nConclusion? This may fit a wider size range than the fakes I have worn, but other than that, the quality was indistinguishable and you will have to make your own decision based on color and design selection (and how much you are willing to spend) when you decide what you want to purchase.\",\n \"Product: JC128 Flower Earrings, Starfish Earrings, Faux Diamond Embellished Earrings\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: These are cheap AND inexpensive.\\n\\nReview: I just purchased these at the same time as another pair of earrings that were white gold plated and similarly priced. I received these ones about a week later than the first pair, and they came in second for quality as well. The picture makes them look pretty stunning, but in real life, they arrived with packaging that left the posts bent, and they just looked cheap. The plating on them and their heft just couldn't compare with the other pair I got. I had my standards low before I received either pair, but once I saw how nice the first ones were, I was excited to see the second pair, only to be disappointed. I will probably never wear these.\",\n \"Product: Casually sleek for a clean look. Leather upper. Lace-up and zipper closure. Soft textile lining. Lightly cushioned footbed. Durable TPR outsole. Imported. Measurements: Heel Height: 1 1⁄4 in Weight: 12 oz Shaft: 5 in Product measurements were taken using size 8, width B - Medium. Please note that measurements may vary by size.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Look great, but are a BEAST to get on.\\n\\nReview: I love Clarks and was ready for my first pair of leather boots. Some other reviewers mentioned this shoe is difficult to get on - you must loosen the laces AND undo the zipper. I am a mom of six and am rarely on time. While I love the comfort and look of these boots, the extra precious minutes it takes to put these on definitely caused me to leave them on the shoe rack a number of times and grab something easier to don instead. I have wide-ish, flat feet, and they look sleek and I can wear them all day, but having to sit down and really work to get them on... well, life is just too short to be fighting with your shoes.\",\n \"Product: Women's Clarks, Evianna Mix Slip on Shoes The perfect slip on for all seasons Leather upper Slip on style with elastic goring panels for an easy on and off Fabric lining Ortholite Soft Cushion footbed for added comfort Rubber outsole for added durability. Heel Height of 1.00 inches\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: So dark they look black, and tight toe box.\\n\\nReview: The cheaper Clarks on Amazon are hit or miss, and for me, these were a miss. I already have a similar pair of Clarks in black (<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Clarks-Women-s-Azlyn-Luck-Loafer-Black-8-5-M-US/dp/B00ARSBYBY/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Clarks Women's Azlyn Luck Loafer,Black,8.5 M US</a>), which I love. I wanted a pair to go with outfits where brown would look better. These lacked the detail and beauty of other Clarks I own, and the toe box was really tight, despite the fact that I was wearing thin socks and these are 8.5 (I usually wear 8 or 8.5 in Clarks). They didn't slip at the heel, but that was their only plus. The dark brown color reads as black to me when I'm wearing them, too, which just made them seem like a sub par version of the shoes I already have and love.\\n\\nThese will be going back.\",\n \"Product: For the hip and trendy our Washed Cotton Fitted Army Cap is the one for you! Made from 100% cotton, this cap features a 3 paneled 3-1/2 inches of frayed crown and 2-1/2 inches long pre-curved bill with frayed edging for an added urban feel. This cap comes in two sizes, small/medium and large/x-large. Try one in any of our exciting colors today! Made of 100 % Cotton. Sizes: S/M and L/XL. Pre-curved bill measures 2-1/4 inches. 3 Paneled crown measures 3-1/2 inches. Constructed from a soft, thin material. Hand Wash only. Imported. Available in black, white, olive and khaki.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Too big for my head, but was able to fix.\\n\\nReview: I ordered this in white and khaki. I wanted a hat to give my scalp some protection from the sun, and I like this style. When they arrived, one of the brims was crooked, and the hats were way too big. Also, the distressing is in places where it would never occur in real life, but that is visible in the pictures, so I should have known better. I ended up sewing the inside lining to the hat to create a channel and put some 3/4 elastic inside the channel, which stretched from the edges of the brim around the back. I used hair ties to bend and hold the brim together and adjust the crookedness. It was a quick fix and now I really like them, and more importantly, they now fit without looking ridiculous.\\n\\nIn the pics included, there are before pics of both hats, after pics of the white hat, and a pic that hopefully helps show what I did to make it fit for other people with small heads and rudimentary sewing skills.\",\n \"Product: The Felica Vale offer sleek, minimalist styling in a casual lace-up shoe. Crafted of rich materials with contrast details and lined in buttery-soft leather, it cushions the foot on a removable footbed with Clarks Plus technology. This shoe is a smart step up from sneakers when you crave comfort, but want to project a stylish image.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Shoes are much darker than pictured, but comfortable and unique.\\n\\nReview: I love the style of these shoes. I typically wear 8-8.5 in Clarks, and ordered these in 8C, which fit great.\\n\\nBecause the tongue and laces come up lower on the top of your feet, it is a little harder to get a snug fit. They are comfortable, and because they are leather, promise to get even better. There was plenty of room in the toe box. As someone with borderline wide feet (my width is primarily in the toes), I was glad I got the wide in these, it gave me a little extra ease that made the fit that much better.\\n\\nMy only gripe, which is a significant one, is that they are nothing like the color pictured. For a closer to life example of the color, <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Clarks-Women-s-Funny-Dream-Brown-Leather-8-5-M/dp/B011VK57LO/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Clarks Women's Funny Dream Brown Leather 8.5 M</a> was the same on my monitor as the photos I took of the shoes. The laces are also darker than pictured, and have a little shine to them, which I liked.\\n\\nI'll be keeping these, and I'm looking to see what extended wear and use will do to how I feel about them. For now - great, funky look and comfortable fit.\\n\\nUpdate: I wore these for a full day I spent on my feet and they were great. I was wearing thin socks. I had to retie the laces 3 times or so. One caveat - I accidentally splashed water on them and it left a dark stain, which did disappear when it dried, but made me nervous for what would happen if they got more than a splash on them. So that night I treated them with two coats of leather waterproofing spray. I don't know if I would wear them on a rainy day, though.\",\n \"Product: Haby offered by SexyLocker, brings an exclusive collection of high quality Sportswear created to give you an exceptional appearance, comfort, and durability by using selected premium fabrics, while maintaining an affordable price.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: These will work for the price\\n\\nReview: I purchased these on the recommendation of my midwife to try wearing compression shorts or bike shorts under my pants to give my legs a little more support, specifically one pesky leg with a borderline varicose vein. I am six months pregnant with number six. I am pre-pregnancy 120-125 lbs and 5'5\\\". Right now I am closer to 150 and ordered a medium, which fit fine. The wide band accommodates the belly and looks like it will be fine post-partum as well.\\n\\n I found these by searching for compression shorts, and while they offer some support, I wouldn't put them in the compression category. I also found no less than four very itchy inspection stickers on the inside of the fabric, in addition to scratchy inner thigh seams. My thought is that stickers would have been easier to find and remove had they been affixed to the outside of the garment, and one would have sufficed where four were used. With current technology, seamless, or certainly seams that don't itch, would not have been too much to ask at this price point.\\n\\nFor this pregnant lady, I would have liked to see a little more attention to detail (the seams) but otherwise, the design and support offered were about what I expected for the price. As noted in other reviews, the purple-banded black shorts pictured are actually black and charcoal banded (with just a hint of purple), which suits me better than purple, anyway.\",\n \"Product: dvd\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: If you've read the books, it's worth a watch, but it's not amazing.\\n\\nReview: I watched this after reading the books. I enjoyed the story the books told, but felt that the writing left much to be desired. It isn't just the genre - I have read intelligently written YA lit - but this is not that. So this is a movie based on a poorly written story with a rather annoying voice, but about an interesting idea/concept and one that bears looking into in both book and movie form.\\n\\nI felt the movie was particularly lacking in its portrayal of the Capitol's citizens. It felt like the people who made the movie were almost afraid to portray them seriously as they were in the book because it might've been too much like Hollywood (on LSD...)? I'm not sure. But there was rich material to work with [in the book], and it was a missed opportunity.\",\n \"Product: Con-Tact Brand lets you turn anything into a writing surface with this self-adhesive chalkboard. Perfect for restaurants, school, or office. Cut to any shape and size. Peel position and reposition. Write and wipe.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Way easier that chalkboard paint for temporary installations\\n\\nReview: I used this to make message boards/signs on my kids' bedroom doors. It was easy to put up. As other reviewers mentioned, it has the same weight as regular contact paper, but if primed by rubbing the side of the chalk over it and then wiping it off, chalk glides on when writing on it.\\n\\nIt has held up to regular use over the past several months. I have used regular chalkboard paint in the past and in comparison, I like this better because once primed, it is smoother, and takes less time to install and use. It may not be as durable as paint in the long run, but I am very pleased and would definitely recommend it. I have had no problems with it pulling up at the corners. I am considering trimming it out so the edges aren't visible, though. With patience and the right cutting tool, the edges probably wouldn't even be an issue, though.\",\n \"Product: Elegant and classic hammered Eastern cup Rainchain\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Takes the downspout up a notch\\n\\nReview: I love this rain chain! We installed them at the front and back of our house to drain into rain barrels. I additionally purchased Copper Gutter Adaptor (Reducer) for Rain Chain Installation.\\n\\nIn the installation instructions it gives the option to screw the rain chain at the top of the gutter, or just fit the triangular metal piece in and let it hang from that. After initially just letting it hang, after two years we ended up screwing ours into the gutter/fascia because in our colder climate, the weight of ice freezing onto it pulled them down a couple of times.\\n\\nDespite having fallen down a few times, the chains are in great shape and do well with moderate rainfall. When we've had the occasional downpour, especially accompanied by wind, it has a harder time handling the flow, since we have a sizable roof with just a couple of downspouts. This isn't a problem for me since the main offender is the front rain chain, where our yard slopes down to the road. The runoff doesn't cause damage (or end up in our basement), but this could be a consideration depending on your house/yard and the weather in your climate.\\n\\nWhen it comes to aesthetics, these really can't be beat. After 3 years, they are acquiring a patina (they are now a darker brown color). When it rains, pedestrians have actually stopped on the street to watch the rain come down the chain. The sound of the rain flowing down is mesmerizing as well.\",\n \"Product: Road trip! Add excitement to travel with this sturdy, reusable classic travel game. Learn the name and location of all fifty states, identify states by their license plate design or simply plot your trip by flipping the states along your route?this is truly fun on the go! No loose pieces to leave a trail! For ages 5 and up.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good concept, Design may need some work.\\n\\nReview: I got this as a gift for my nine year old son for Christmas with an upcoming road trip in mind. He chose four stars for its \\\"fun\\\" factor. I appreciate the heavy duty elastic with which the pieces are attached to the board. The biggest disappointment is that on removing the plastic shrink wrap, we inadvertently removed the printing on no less than 7 or 8 of the pieces! I exchanged it for another and again one of the plates was damaged. I opted to keep it and am in the process of coating the pieces with 5 coats of Mod Podge to protect them. The wood it is made with is sturdy, it is just the paint printed on top that can easily be scraped off with even light use. It was on sale for $9.99 here for a while; I waited too long and ended up paying $15 for it. I think if the print on the pieces weren't so easily damaged that it would be worth even the higher price.\\n\\nUpdate: We have now had this for a year and a half and still use it on road trips, but despite the Mod Podge, the paint on the pieces has continued to deteriorate disproportionately to its use, and the side is starting to split open as well.\",\n \"Product: Travel Checkers / Chess, Manufacturer: Pressman\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Travel Games are tough\\n\\nReview: I got this for my nine year old son for Christmas. He likes checkers and we didn't own the game. He quickly lost most of the pieces and this game has gotten very little use because of that. I don't think we ever used it in the car except to open the case and leave pieces under the car seats. The small magnetic pieces also hold a choking hazard for little brothers and sisters.\\n\\nThe quality of the game is kind of cheap, what you would expect for the price. The problem, I guess, is that by the time your child is old enough to be conscientious about the pieces to the game, he or she may be too old to enjoy playing it.\\n\\nI think in the future we will probably invest in a regular sized game and just play it at home.\",\n \"Product: For Elizabeth Yates, the story of Peter and his little black cosset began long before she ever wrote it. In her early years the life on her father's large farm gave her a feeling for the land, for animals, and for the people who have both in their care. Many of her experiences found their way into the story, including the joy she felt when she could bury her nose in her own sweater, made of wool spun as it came from the sheep's back. Miss Yates drew inspiration from her hours spent with a New Hampshire shepherd, and, she observes, sheep shepherds, and their ways have not much changed from the days when David cared for his flock on a hillside in Judea. Her story could have taken place in any mountain pasture, in any alpine meadow around the world.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Difficult Reading for Us\\n\\nReview: I am reading this a second time as part of our first grade curriculum (my original first grader is now in fifth). I remember disliking it the first time, and I am disliking it again. Due to the difficult language of the book (at least, for children), my six year old is not grasping the story unless we stop repeatedly to put the story in plain English. Throughout the book the lamb \\\"protagonist\\\" is referred to as a \\\"cosset,\\\" which just isn't registering with the kids (a 4 and 10 year old also listen in from time to time). I feel like I am dragging through it because we have to.\\n\\nThere IS some wisdom to be found here, amidst some hard-to-believe storytelling (ex. a farmer's wife spending an entire day nursing a lamb back to life that everyone believes is dead to the neglect of everything else, and that's just chapter one), but it is hard to get past the writing. It is a little sad to me, but the book has gotten to the point that so many of the references are hopelessly out of date that you spend as much time explaining as reading. The explaining takes away from the flow of reading, so it is hard for the kids to connect.\\n\\nI wanted to like this book. It just isn't working for us.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":22,"string":"22"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":376,"string":"376"}}},{"rowIdx":377,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A3BGLVC6OZM2JW"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"4.0\" for a product with description \"Grammy-nominee Diana Krall interprets songs about love, including \\All or Nothing at All\". The summary of the review text is \"All Or Nothing At All\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"There seems to be two vastly different 'camps' of listener's when pertaining to the music of Diana Krall. One, obviously, are fans of her latest two releases, \"When I Look In Your Eyes\" and \" The Look Of Love \" two discs that are generally not considered jazz but are perhaps primarily more MOR than earlier, earthier recordings. \" When I Look....\" is a favorite of mine and I cherish it. And since I subscribe to the \" if you can't say anything nice....\" wisdom of thought then I won't bother to go into her lastest disc. That being said....I suspect my loyalties for Diana must lean toward her earlier body of work. A body of work, featuring the wonderful Christian McBride on bass, that depended on a much more 'intimate' setting and was much more jazz influenced. That being said....\n\" Love Scenes \" is perhaps Diana's swan song toward that wonderful, almost nurtured style of music. Maybe from here on out she'll settle into a mode that is much more homogenized, middle-of-the-road,and ultimately with a broader audience in mind. If that is indeed the case than we should cherish this cd more than ever. Again, as with \" Only Trust Your Heart \" and \" All For You \" she relies on piano, bass and guitar format, which actually suits her singing style extremely well. It adds a certain intimacy that I find very appealing and I'm afraid may be lost forever in future discs. Starting off with \" All Or Nothing At All \" she sets the tone, taking Sinatra's hit and, playing the role of the pleading lover, settting her demands in a playful, almost teasing manner. \"Peel Me A Grape\", quite possibly her most 'erotic' song to date, as with \" My Love Is \" work solely on their ability to be boldly sexual yet tender as well. And as for \" I Miss You So \" a tune that conveys a more wistful, yearning loss that she's able to project very well. Ending with \" Garden In The Rain \" a selection where the singer is looking back on a previous love, wondering ( as we all do ) what went wrong. Tender but not a hint of schmaltz...thank goodness. I should perhaps add \" Gentle Rain \" a song that is warm and simply drips ( no pun intended! ) with atmosphere. Overall \"Love Scene's \" is a very nice package that shows this artist maturing and growing with each new cd.\nOverall, whatever road Diana chooses to take in her career is simply up to her ( regardless of all the unsolicited advice she seems to be receiving ). And she will of course have my, if not indispensable, at least full, support! But whatever she decides she won't be able to have it both ways when it comes to the type of artist she ultimately wants to be. Whether she chooses jazz or a more easy listening approach to her music....she in the end must be responsible for that. But choose she will have to do! Unfortunately, it's either 'all or nothing at all'!"},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"There seems to be two vastly different 'camps' of listener's when pertaining to the music of Diana Krall. One, obviously, are fans of her latest two releases, \"When I Look In Your Eyes\" and \" The Look Of Love \" two discs that are generally not considered jazz but are perhaps primarily more MOR than earlier, earthier recordings. \" When I Look....\" is a favorite of mine and I cherish it. And since I subscribe to the \" if you can't say anything nice....\" wisdom of thought then I won't bother to go into her lastest disc. That being said....I suspect my loyalties for Diana must lean toward her earlier body of work. A body of work, featuring the wonderful Christian McBride on bass, that depended on a much more 'intimate' setting and was much more jazz influenced. That being said....\n\" Love Scenes \" is perhaps Diana's swan song toward that wonderful, almost nurtured style of music. Maybe from here on out she'll settle into a mode that is much more homogenized, middle-of-the-road,and ultimately with a broader audience in mind. If that is indeed the case than we should cherish this cd more than ever. Again, as with \" Only Trust Your Heart \" and \" All For You \" she relies on piano, bass and guitar format, which actually suits her singing style extremely well. It adds a certain intimacy that I find very appealing and I'm afraid may be lost forever in future discs. Starting off with \" All Or Nothing At All \" she sets the tone, taking Sinatra's hit and, playing the role of the pleading lover, settting her demands in a playful, almost teasing manner. \"Peel Me A Grape\", quite possibly her most 'erotic' song to date, as with \" My Love Is \" work solely on their ability to be boldly sexual yet tender as well. And as for \" I Miss You So \" a tune that conveys a more wistful, yearning loss that she's able to project very well. Ending with \" Garden In The Rain \" a selection where the singer is looking back on a previous love, wondering ( as we all do ) what went wrong. Tender but not a hint of schmaltz...thank goodness. I should perhaps add \" Gentle Rain \" a song that is warm and simply drips ( no pun intended! ) with atmosphere. Overall \"Love Scene's \" is a very nice package that shows this artist maturing and growing with each new cd.\nOverall, whatever road Diana chooses to take in her career is simply up to her ( regardless of all the unsolicited advice she seems to be receiving ). And she will of course have my, if not indispensable, at least full, support! But whatever she decides she won't be able to have it both ways when it comes to the type of artist she ultimately wants to be. Whether she chooses jazz or a more easy listening approach to her music....she in the end must be responsible for that. But choose she will have to do! Unfortunately, it's either 'all or nothing at all'!"},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: New As Time Goes By 4 VHS]\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: You Must Remember This.....\n\nReview: ...My first introduction to \" As Time Goes By \" was actually by way of my local PBS television station. Stumbling upon it about three years ago I found myself instantly hooked to it's marvelous, grown-up characters, witty style of dialogue ( thank-you Bob Larbey! ) and the warm intimate nature that filled every episode. ...I, at first, simply thought that because it's a \"Britcom\" than perhaps I was heaping undue praise for a program that just maybe was slightly unjustified.....but after giving that much thought I've come to a much different conclusion. That being \" As Time Goes By \" works due to one important ingredient. And that is simply due to the fact that, after watching several enticing episodes, you not only enjoy and like Jean Pargetter ( Judi Dench ) and Lionel Hardcastle ( Geoffrey Palmer ) and Co. but you truly do care about them as well. While I can easily rattle off a dozen different programs where I enjoy the cast of characters this is the only show where I, strangely enough, find myself truly wishing the entire cast, also featuring daughter Judith ( Moira Brooker ), Sandy ( Jenny Funnell ) and the ever jovial, man about-town Alastair ( Philip Bretherton ) all the best and really caring about what happens to them. Fully realizing that my concern for a fictional television family borders on bizarre but that's the effect this wonderful show has on me....and I must add it also shows how extremely well everyone is practicing their craft! Also, by pacing the program at a nice, leisurely rate they have wisely decided to let the viewers 'slowly but assuredly' get to know each cast member in their own time, without the need to force the viewer to accept the character immediately. That's an important aspect of this wonderful program and one that I truly wish we would see more often.\nWisely, the producer of this remarkable series, Stuart Lotterby, has decided, instead of 'chopping-up every half-hour episode with a nice tidy ending ( which would simply take away the honesty that is the cornerstone of ATGB! ),he's allows the series a feeling of true continuity by letting past situations and concerns rise up in future programs. Thereby awarding the show with a sense of how true life does tend to actually be, instead giving the viewer the unrealistic sense that 'all's well that end's well!' after 30 odd minutes.' It's an important part of a show that, instead of relying on calculated, over-the-top situations feels much more like the viewer actually being given the luxury of being with Jean and Lionel as they go about their lives, and we are priviledged enough to be able to sit back and enjoy them and their everyday routines. Not contrived....just a program with so much true heart and warm honesty...","Product: Riveting in his intensity, Ben Kingsley delivers \"his best performance ever\" (Premiere Magazine) in this high-voltage crime thriller that crackles with chilling style and wit. A savage gangstere name Don Logan (Kingsley) is met with resistance when he tries to recruit a retired pal (Ray Winstone) for \"one last job.\" But Logan just won't take no for an answer...\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: The Banality of Evil\n\nReview: Expectations can lead to bitter disappointments. For over two years hearing friends and acquaintances bemoan the fact that I'd yet to view \" Sexy Beast \" and Ben Kingsley's Academy Award winning take as bilious and vengeful career criminal Don Logan I, at last, was able to fully digest ths marvelous picture. And though I may not share my friends complete enthusisasm for this movie I did find it completely engaging ( with reservations! )...though not completely satisfying.\nObviously with Mr. Kingsley's role as the contemptible Mr. Logan the movie does rather revolve around a character that is neither completely fleshed out or indeed perhaps not even wholly worthy of all of this incredible word of mouth that it seems to have been awarded. Obviously Logan is a dark and disturbing ( and somewhat socially challenged ) character who pays the protagonist Gal ( lovingly underplayed by Ray Winstone ) a visit in an attempt to have him do one more job back in London for his old boss Teddy ( the ever sinister Ian McShane ). And while I found Kingsley's Don Logan to be just erratic and evil it sadly reached the point where I found him to be little more then an errant child in need of a good spanking as well. By giving Don so very much dialogue I found that, as time went by, his character became less a study of evil ( and far less threatening ) and more in a study of a lonely man who is seeking love from a past flame and one who needs solace and empathy. The scene on the airplane with Don heading back to London and subsequently thrown off due to his bad behavior seemed neither threatening or cruel. If anything it seemed rather contrived ( I've seen questioable behavior such as that myself while travelling ). For this viewer Don Logan was simply far too accessible as to his insecurities ( hence his relationship with the ever attractive Jackie ) and on the screen far too much thus taking away some of the mystery as to why he was supposedly so intimidating. Mean-spirited yes but it seemed as though the film was trying far too hard to make him seem as though he was the epitomie of some dark and forboding presence. For me, after a while he was little more then a nuisance and I was glad to see our protagonist off to London to do the heist.\nThat being said, I did find Ian McShane as Teddy the crime boss to be of a particularly dominating presence and the one role where you simply did not know what he was going to do next. At once he was not only deeply threatening but oddly devoid of possessing any true emotions. The scene with Teddy driving Gal back to the airport, for this viewer, was one that frightenly real simply because you never knew what Teddy might do, or say, next. For me, Ian McShane almost stole this film and without him the movie wouldn't carry half the weight that it does so well. To be completely honest I felt that Ian McShane could say more with just one look then Don Logan did in one of his tyrants that the films protagonists are subjected to. The role of Teddy was so forboding and oddly entrancing simply due to the fact that here was a man who, unlike our talkative Mr. Logan, didn't say much ( thus not giving away too much of his character ) but seemed to constantly be taking everything in and you half expected him to erupt in a blind rage at any moment. With a ruthlessness and sheer abandonment that no other character was capable off. And it was all imaginatively done with extreme subtlty and aplomb thus showing the viewer how terribly banal evil can at once be.\nOverall, this was a film that while I enjoyed very much but, as previously stated, with some reservations. The murder at the end of the movie seemed rather pointless, though it seemed to be thrown in for little more then for effect not because it helped along the story line. Though I did find the murder at the house in Spain to be particularly ruthless ( and graphic ) though necessary to the films emtional impact and was not only well done but perhaps was the most honest scene in the entire film. Overall, a interesting twist on in the gangster genre ( and dramatically more honest then what we see made over here in America ) and one which should be seen more then once. If nothing else to enjoy the final scene which comes as not so quite a shock but shows a sense of grisly humour that ends the movie on a high note. You be the judge!","Product: Way We Were \n\n(View amazon detail page)\n\nASIN: B00000252F \nBinding: Audio CD \nUPC: 074643280129\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The Best Thing You've Ever Done......\n\nReview: While it may be simply too easy to jump on the \" let's criticize Barbra\" bandwagon ( some of it justified I'm sure) I feel I should pass and review a cd that, to me at least, is still possibly her finest disc when taken as a whole.\nThe release of \"The Way We Were\" was, at the time, unusual in that Barbra was beginning to show much more interest in current \"pop\" composers such as Laura Nyro and Kris Kristofferson. This disc, while some may consider a throwback to her earlier days of doing Broadway tunes and standards, was musically, as well as emotionally speaking, her strongest effort for some years to come. While some of her later discs would hold some nice surprises for her fans none of them truly reached the emotional and artisitic peak that this cd did. And still does! There's no point in reliving \"highlights\" since the selections on \"The Way We Were\" are so wisely chosen that each song is in itself a precursor to the next. There's a continuity that here that I simply revel in! No, there's not a bad note to be found! It's interesting in that each song tends to complement the last...and how often are we fortunate enough to find that in any cd these days! And lest he be completely forgotten, kudos to Michele LeGrand of which whose lyrics make up the majority of this wonderful cd. Without his remarkable talent this disc would have never seen the light of day! Plus, I may add, that having Tommy Lipuma there to help \"turn the knobs\" was another wise move. No matter what Barbra may think she simply cannot do it all on her own, as later discs would testify.\nMy personal favorites,\"The Best Thing You've Ever Done\",\"Being At War With Each Other\", and the Stevie Wonder song \"All In Love Is Fair\". Perhaps I should also add \"What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?\". As I've stated it's impossible to pick any single song here...every one stands up so well.\nOverall an amazing disc that gets so much time on my player. But when music is this mature and well performed it would be difficult to leave it to one side.\nSophisticated yet....emotionally accessible. At last!","Product: 8 songs\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Caught Up In The Rapture\n\nReview: I'm old-fashioned! At a time when record lables are frantically trying to force the next so-called 'Diva' upon an unsuspecting music lover I, for one, tend to 'zig while they zag'. Simply put....while everyone else is concentrating on the next darling of the Pop/Soul genre ( Jill Scott...take notes! ) I rush back to my roots and wait for all the hoopla to die down before stepping back into my local record store to be barraged once again with that 'Next Big Name!' But while other consumers pocketbooks fall victim to the Marketing/PR depts. enticing come-on's I wisely dance around those 'snake-oil' salesmen and purchase music that is destined for longevity/classics....not for a momentary pleasure. Well, for the most part I do! Although I am guilty of buying a Mariah Carey cd ( hopefully we live and learn! ). Anyway, that's how it came about to my purchasing a second copy of Anita Baker's \" Rapture \".\nTo put it simply a more succinct album title would be hard to find. I've yet to meet anyone who hasn't found this disc to be an absolute joy and in some cases an almost revelatory experience to one degree or another. Anita's voice, smokey and dangerous one moment, is innocent and yearning the very next. The first single \" Sweet Love \" which sets the album off on just the right note ( no pun intended! ), is at once R&B, Soul, Gospel and with just the right touch of Jazz thrown in as well. She exudes a confidence and masterful technique that I only hear in some of Jazz's greatest female singers i.e. Sarah Vaughn being the obvious parallel. Each song for that matter complements the last so well that I don't believe I've ever put this disc on without listening all the way through non-stop. It's truly that good! My personal highlight being \" Caught Up In The Rapture \" is a perfect example of subtle phrasing and tonal quality that I suspect you will never hear in a Toni Braxton or Whitney Houston cd! Their fine singers in their own right but they simply do not possess the emotional maturity and the musical insight that Anita so obviously does. These are songs that only a singer who is truly 'grounded' in all aspects of harmony/scales could understand and release with such awe inspiring results. No doubt we all, as music lovers, have dozens of cd's with singers emoting on the incredible joys and tragic heartache that \" Love \" sometimes deals us but Anita is one of those indescribable singers who makes you feel as though she's lived through these songs and is passing along some hard-earned wisdom. Definitely a cd to enjoy with a glass of wine and a broken heart.\nIn the end while rummaging through my own 'music library' only Marvin Gaye's \" Let's Get It On \" comes close enough for me to equate as having as much sheer power, intensity and true passion! And ultimately rewarding the listener with an almost religious experience, whether it's your intial introduction to this remarkable disc or even, like me, your hundreth! A more emotinally draining/revelatory experience would be hard to find! After 15 years of listening to Anita Baker I find I'm still in \" Rapture!! \"","Product: Certified Gold by the RIAA. (4/02)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Smooth Jazz....with Heart and Soul!\n\nReview: Rick Braun's \"Body and Soul\" is, simply put, one of the most \"delicious\" cd's I currently have in my collection. The entire disc is subtle, low-key and in it's own fashion extremely elegant. While catching flack for being a \"smooth jazz\" artist Mr. Braun shows his unique talents in this collection, not just by his gift of melody, but by making each song as distinctive as the previous. His phrasing is at once gentle, hesitant and beautifully restraind. Which is something that,when pertaining to the \"smooth jazz\" genre, can be difficult to find ( Boney James, can you hear me? ). I'm aware some jazz purists may have difficulty with this style of jazz (and yes, it is jazz!) but Rick Braun's mellow horn reminds me so very much of an early Miles. .. I'm referring to his \"Birth of the Cool\" and \"Kinda Blue\" discs. I'm aware some may read that last sentence and shake their fists at my remarks for my comparisons but there it is! Blashemy...I'm sure! Nevertheless, the disc does hold some pleasant surprises, for me that being \"Chelsea\" and \"Hymn For Her\" plus a reputable rendition of \"Body And Soul\". Listening to the entire disc one finds that each selection works extremely well with the previous so when judged in it's entirety it truly does flow together very nicely.\nI tend to listen to this cd while home alone, with a favorite bottle of wine and one or two pleasant memories to get me through the evening. You really shouldn't ask more than that of any piece of music. Overall, this entire cd is almost hypnotic in it's beauty and simplicity...and for that, I truly repect any artist who manages that feat. In the end, a disc definitely worth having and enjoying at your leisure.","Product: Certified gold by the RIAA (1/97).\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: For Harry....... a true \" Sleeping Gypsy \"\n\nReview: I suspect that I should preface this review with a dedication of sorts. I am rarely able to listen to Michael Franks \"Sleeping Gypsy\" without thinking of an ex-coworker and one time friend Harry. Being an avid fan of Mr. Franks, it was he who introduced me to this wonderful artist and his completely original lyrics and melodic style of jazz. And so it is to Harry that I give thanks.\nThat being said, \"Sleeping Gypsy\" is a delicious slice of jazz, Brazilian tempos, R & B, all tied together with a wonderful 'pop' sensibility. Starting off with perhaps the discs strongest track, \"The Lady Wants To Know\" a song that is simply indescribable but with a melody so compelling that it's a stand out song that Michael performs at each of his concerts. Also included is Michael's ode to Antonio Jobim, an artist he has always admired and he pays his respect with \"Antonio's Song\" and \"Down In Brazil\" two numbers with a Bossa Nova feel tha work incredibly well. The other highlight, at least for me, is \"B'wana He No Home\" a song that I certainly can't describe but nonetheless is extremely humorous. Now if I could only figure out what it means! Plus, let's not forget that Michael has the good sense of using some of today's truly great jazz musicians such as Wilton Felder, David Sanborn, Joe Sample and Larry Carlton. Altogether a wonderful package and since the majority of these discs have been reduced to budget prices I can't imagine not starting your collection with \"Sleeping Gypsy\" and moving through Mr. Franks entire back catalogue.\nIn ending, Michael Frank has consistently put out a wonderful product year after year and while his recent discs don't quite live up to his earlier recordings I can still wholeheartledly suggest having at least this cd in your collection. Any artist who can throw in \"...I hear from my ex on the back of my checks\", is one that I can truly appreciate! And as for Harry, a man who taught me a little about wine, a little of France and a lot about living the \"Good Life\"....thank-you. I still owe you!","Product: Francis Albert Sinatra And Antonio Carlos Jobim - Francis Albert Sinatra And Antonio Carlos Jobim - Cd\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Quiet Nights,Quiet Stars.....and Sinatra!\n\nReview: I suspect if you looked in any dictionary to find the true meaning of sublime Webster's would probably have this cd as it's description. I may be overstaing my case but,I suspect, I'm not too far off!\nThis disc is heavenly. Sinatra has rarely sung with such softness and true tenderness. If the concept was to make it seem as though Frank was singing to only the listener and on one else well then they've succeeded admirably! Of course, having Antonio Jobim actually in the studio with Frank was a simple necessity. I could make a point of complaining about Jobim being subjected to little more than the role of \"accompianist\" on this disc but we'll let that go....for now. He never has been giving enough credit for his truly remarkable performance on this cd. This music demands, not bravado, but subtly and elegance...both of which are in abundance here. And I suspect part of that is due to Antonio Jobim being close by to keep things in perspective for Mr. Sinatra! Plus, to give credit where it is due, the orchestration by Claus Ogerman is the 'glue' that might actually keep everything together. Not once does here lose control of these songs and he seems to be able to keep the formidable Mr. Sinatra in tow. Not an easy task I am sure!\nHighlights...well,the entire disc could be highlighted but for me two songs stand out, \" Dindi\" and \"How Insensitive\" although I'm sure you'll have your own favorites. The disc, as a whole, has a kind of late night, subtle quality that hasn't been heard in Mr. Sinatra's albums in years. All in all a cd you may find yourself listening to again and again. And why wouldn't you? Music of this caliber is rare these days so of course we tend to go back to the \"old masters\" to, once again, show us the way. Some things never do change!\nAdendum: If you find this disc to be your cup of tea you may wish to puchase Verve's recent release by Astrud Gilberto \"Shining Hour\". At this rate Bossa Nova may never be out of vogue! Well, not in my house anyway!","Product: 1. What A Wonderful World\t\t2:20\n2. Hello, Dolly!\t\t2:28\n3. Sittin' In The Sun\t\t3:01\n4. Mack The Knife\t\t3:24\n5. A Kiss To Build A Dream On\t\t3:04\n6. It Takes Two To Tango\t\t2:56\n7. That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day)\t\t3:07\n8. Kiss Of Fire\t\t3:05\n9. (When We Are Dancin') I Get Ideas\t\t3:28\n10. Gone Fishin'\t\t2:33\n11. Skokiaan (South African Song)\t\t4:59\n12. La Vie En Rose\t\t3:26\n13. The Dummy Song\t\t2:22\n14. Chloe (Song Of The Swamp)\t\t3:04\n15. I Still Get Jealous\t\t2:14\n16. When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)\t\t4:06\n17. Blueberry Hill\t\t2:54\n18. When It's Sleepy Time Down South 3:17\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Kiss To Build A Dream On\n\nReview: Attempting to review a Louis Armstrong disc is rather like trying to hold back the proverbial flood waters with a bucket. Without question Louis is, in the words of Duke Ellington, \"the epitome of jazz and always will be\". That being said since I not only enjoy this cd so very much but also having no small admiration for \"Pops\" as well than I felt a review would be my way of showing respect.\nNow, first things always being first, the jazz consumer should understand that \" Louis Armstrong's All-Time Greatest Hits\" is actually a compilation of songs from his years with Decca, circa 1951-1967, and represents more of a 'crossover' appeal than his much earlier work when he was playing not only jazz but also Rag-time, New Orleans and Big Band. That being the case the songs here do offer a wonderful variety of the different sides of Louis singing, playing and generally just having himself a wonderful time! Again not necessarily 'real' jazz ( and who should care? ) but, in the case of Mr. Armstrong, I am more than happy with the results.\nAnd what results! Reviewing highlights of this disc simply seems unnecessary so why bother? Basically what the disc represents is not only of a first-rate musician but also a man who simply loved people and life and it comes out in every song that is chosen for this selection. A certain \"Joie de Vive\" that I find irresistable! My favorites, \"What A Wonderful World\" a song that I suspect is everyone's, \"La Vie En Rose\" so splendid it almost makes me forget Edith Piaf and of course \"A Kiss To Build A Dream On\" a tune that is so sweet and romantic it makes me wish I were in love....again! Now I do understand that many 'jazz purists' may view this disc as something less than the best of what Mr. Armstrong has to offer. Which is to play straight forward jazz without this 'pop' sensibility which permeates this disc. But make no mistake.... if you are unable to enjoy this fine cd because it isn't true jazz than you really are missing an important aspect of what makes Louis Armstrong such a musical genius ( yes, there's that word...but HEY it applies! ). Which, I feel, is simply to love music, play it with your heart...and soul, and believe that it truly is \"a wonderful world\".\nIn ending, what Louis Armstrong represents, to me, is a musician who creates music that simply defies catagorization. But, and this is so important, with honesty, integrity, humour and also in a wonderfully carefree fashion that I find so lacking in today's 'oh so serious' jazz players! Purchasing this disc is up to each of you of course but you might consider this.....without these virtues that I've previously stated, would we honestly be enjoying the jazz that we have the pleasure of listening to today if not for his incredible vision? I already have my answer...perhaps this disc will help you find yours. Thank-You \"Pops\"!!","Product: LP\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: \"They Say It's Wonderful\"\n\nReview: I've been sitting here reading fellow Amazon reviewers take on \"John Coltrane and Johhny Hartman\" and I've noticed a trend that I find discomforting....if not exactly true as well. But I'll soon get to that. First, I think a little background is needed to fully understand where this cd is at, musically speaking of course.\nWhen approached to do an \"album\" with a singer Cotrane's first, and I suspect only response, was Johnny Hartman. Hartman was close to being a complete unknown in a field where he so obviously excelled and Coltrane, while recording two albums of ballads previous to this record, \"Ballads\" and \"Duke Ellington and John Coltrane\" was still attempting to facillitate a style that reached the outer boundaries of the restrictive nature of popular song. That being the case they entered the studio and preceded to record a classic...in every sense of the word.\nNow,unlike other reviewer's comments about Coltrane being subjected to the role of \"sideman\" to Johnny Hartman's vocals this, I feel, simply misses the point of what this cd is about. Coltrane's tenor, I feel, is actually the \"second voice\" on this fine disc. The interaction between voice and musical instrument will always be debated as how to best draw a \"focal point\" where each can draw inspiration from the other and I feel that this is as close as I've ever heard to having those two seperate entities actually realizing that one precise point where vocals and intrumentation blend together in perfect unison . A perfect blending of two \"instruments\". Obviously a listener's attention will always turn toward the vocal aspect of any piece of music due to it's simply being recorded at the front end of any song. And being Johnny Hartman how could you not pay close attention! But, if you truly listen to when Coltrane enters each song, a prime example being \" Lush Life\", than you may have an idea as to what I am saying. Coltrane's saxophone isn't so much accompanying Hartman as much as \"singing\" with him. I suspect this is the closest thing we may have to an actual \"duet\" regarding voice and musical accompiantment. While it's true that Coltrane did go back into the studio at a later date to overdub some phrases for \"My One And Only Love', \"Lush Life\" and \"You Are Too Beautiful\" basicallly what you have here is recorded \"live\". Which only enhances the sheer \"magic\" of this disc!\nAnd speaking of accompiantment isn't it time to give credit to McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones. Without these fine musicians I suspec this cd would surely lose some of it's lustre! A truly first rate quartet that is second only to Mile's work on \"Kinda Blue\".\nSo, in the end, purchase your own copy of \"Coltrane/Hartman\" and hear what all the fuss is about. Whether you agree with my observations or not this cd is simply too good to pass up. Simple, beautiful and terribly romantic! Actually, forget all this superficial analyzing and enjoy the disc for what it is....Simply Wonderful!","Product: John Coltrane\n\n\"Blue Train\"\n\nBlue Note Records - Catalog# BST 81577\n\n\nTRACK LISTING:\n\nSide A\n1. Blue Train 10:40\n2. Moment's Notice 9:08\n\nSide B\n1. Locomotion 7:12\n2. I'm Old Fashioned 7:55\n3. Lazy Bird 7:04\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Blues In The Night\n\nReview: Mention the name \" Coltrane \" in Jazz circles and you're bound to receive a response whose admiration borders on an almost religious style worship. Other than Miles there's simply no one in this remarkable field of Music that has obtained such an incredibly strong, passionate and loyal following as that of John Coltrane. While long considered to be the intellectuals ( I dislike that word but.... ) 'favorite son' in a style of music that is chock-full of 'thinking' musicians Coltrane simply possess a unique position, where virtually he alone resides, all the while composing music that eventually would lead him on a quest where his soulful playing obtained an artistic level that was not only incredibly personal but certainly sought a deeply spiritual meaning as well. And while I won't pretend to understand the almost religious fervor that some friends have for this artist I will state that I do have a great deal of respect for John Coltrane....for the man and the musician as well. And listening to \" Blue Train \" might help explain why this tenor saxophonist is regarded in such high esteem.\nWhile long being regarded a 'searching' musician, Coltrane and bandmates recorded \" Blue Train \", his only Blue Note release, on Sept. 15, 1957. Obviously being well-rehearsed, the title track, an eerie blues selection, is Lee Morgan's real chance to shine. After the intial melody Lee's trumpet makes an energetic statement, followed closely by Curtis Fuller on trombone, and everything here runs extremely 'Hot and Cool'. Plus after 10 odd minutes the listener may be already exhausted, to say nothing of in awe of this bands performance. Following up with \" Moment's Notice \", my personal favorite, another fast-paced tune with solo's by Coltrane, Fuller, Morgan and even a bowed bass performance by Paul Chambers, and you'll be amazed at how 'happy' even Coltrane can sound when composing. The ballad \" I'm Old-Fashioned \", the only selection not written by him, is a perenial favorite as well, played softly and gently it's a wonderful contrast to the energetic playing that fills up the rest of this remarkable cd. But than again.... I've always been preferential to Ballads anyway! Closing with \" Lazy Bird \" with a wonderful piano intro by Kenny Drew, and following with solos by Coltrane, Fuller and Paul Chambers ( again using the bow ) and with Lee Morgan ending this track while Coltrane and Curtis ride out the theme. Even I, with my 'tin ear' understood after my very first listen that what I was hearing was a disc filled with songs that were performed by musicians who were not only ultimately honest about their music but incredibly passionate as well. And while I wasn't ready to 'bow to the alter of Coltrane' just yet I was completely enthralled by my purchase.\nAll in all \" Blue Train \" is remarkable in the sense that while the music being performed here is extremely free in it's origins it never lose's that sense of control that many jazz cd's, at least for me, seem to be guilty of when letting musicians endlessly 'wander' when soloing. Everything here, individually and collectively, works simply due to the players musical maturity in relating with one another and in each participant understanding his part in these wonderful tracks. And while it's true that in later years Coltrane took his music to a level where I could not join him ( I'm still trying to get through 'A Love Supreme'! ) I do have this incredible disc, plus ' Ballads \" and \" Giant Steps \" to remember not only a quintessential musician but also a man who sought truth and guidance through his music. At hindsight, perhaps my friend's adoration of this inspired tenor saxophonist aren't so completely misguided after all.","Product: Guilty Pleasures CD\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Over-rated Pleasures and Under-rated Treasures\n\nReview: Being a life-long fan of 'Babs' every now and then requires a certain leap of faith. Her releases these days are so few and far between that when one does come along we fervantly want to believe that this one will be the 'classic' that many of us know she still has...somewhere deep inside. A disc that will make us all forget, thankfully, about the very existence of less then sterlings works such as \" The Movie Album.\" Sady, while \" Guilty Pleasures \" does certainly have its moments it also, sadly, it not quite the classic that many misguided reviewers here may have you believe. Nevertheless, since any release from Barbra is a cause for celebration then I am quite pleased 'in general' with her latest colaboration with Barry Gibbs.\n\nLets start from the beginning. \" Come Tomorrow\" while a pleasant tune, with a certain 50's Doo-Wop feel to it, is an odd choice to start off with. Again, a nice enough track but one that perhaps should have been placed elsewhere in this release. Extremely hummable but imminently forgettable as well. Fortunatley the very next selection \" Stranger In A Strange Land \" is without question the best song to be found here. The only song that is vaguely political this track is at once mezmerizing but also oddly powerful with a rather strangely hypnotic prsence. \" Stranger... \" exudes the best of what the collaboration between Streisand/Gibbs has to offer and may alone be worth the price of admission. There are other nice things to be found here such as the duet \" Above The Law \" the other highlight and \" Hideaway \" which finds Babs in a delightful calypso/raggae selection. Also she and Barry revive the old cheastnut \" Our Love Don't Throw It All Away \". Now, while its lovely sensuous rendition sadly it adds little to the original done by brother Andy lo these many years ago. Nevertheless, it does add to the overall romantic feel to this disc so I welcome its inclusion.\n\nOk, heres where previous reviewers and I differ... \" Night Of My Life \" sorry but this is one train-wreck of a number. Again, Barbra's in wonderful voice ( of course! ) but this woman simply cannot carry a disco song to save her life. For one she simply seems unsure how to phase the innane lyrics and and seems unsure how much of herself to put into the song. And two Barbra does not have the attitude to carry this song.( Anyone remembering her diva/disco track \" Enough Is Enough\" duet with Donnas Summer might bear me out!) She wants to give it her all but her voice seems oddly out of place and almost hesitant. Also, I should add, a track that really isn't all that strong to begin with. This really should have been left in the studio and while I appreciate an up-tempo song as well as the next listener this is one selection that I will be skipping over when listening to \" Guilty Pleasures \" Sorry Babs! As for \" All The Children \" we unfortunatly find Ms. Streisand at her most lagubrious. Nice enough buy certainly it seems out of place with the rest of the disc. This might have sounded better on her \" Christmas Memories \" disc. Sadly, the final selection ,which I always place great importance on, \" Letting Go \" sounds far too earnest and slightly calculated to be taken seriously.\n\nOverall, while I welcome \" Guilty Pleasures ' to my ever-growing Baba's collection I simply do not buy into the idea that this cd is an instant classic. It is a worthy addition to any cd library but while almost all of the selections here are polished to a sheen and tastefully done they, sadly, possess little in the way of real treasures and simply, to my tin ear, don't shine through like real classics should. The tunes found herein, again pleasant, but have no real soul and little real emotional connection could I find with the majority of them, save for \" Stranger... \" An odd disc that seems to want to be taken as pure \"Pop' but also as a serious piece of work. It simply doesn't work well enough to pull that off. Nevertheless, a nice distraction from the plastic diva's i.e. Celine Dion or Whitney Houston that can be found on todays charts.","Product: Her 1978 Greatest Hits is even greater now, with two live bonus tracks- (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman and Eventually -and new liners by Graham Nash! It's Too Late; Jazzman; Nightingale; Sweet Season; So Far Away , and the rest of her top hits are here with original art and vastly improved sound.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: It's not \"Too Late\"......\n\nReview: I've a confession.....I had originally purchased this cd strictly because I found it at a local record store at a bargain basement price. Now, I had at one time or another heard all of these songs and while I thought them pleasant I wasn't all that excited by my bargain purchase.\nNow after listening to this disc every day for almost two weeks I am happy tell you how lucky I was to have found it....regardless of the price. Although I thought I might listen once or twice and then abandon it to the back of my cd collection just the opposite has happened. Carole's song structure is incredible and her lyrics are truly remarkable. Hearing these songs again have given me a much keener appreciation for her talent. \"Jazzman\",\"It's Too Late\" and \"Been To Canaan\" are vibrant and have completely stood the test of time. There's simply not a bad song on this disc. Adding on a live version of \"Natural Woman\",which sent shivers down my spine upon first hearing it and you have an idea of just how strong this cd really is.\nIf this isn't in your collection....don't say you haven't been advised! A wonderful singer/songwriter all around.","Product: Alejandro Sanz is currently in one of his most creative stages and has composed what are possibly the best songs of his career. This new album El Alma Al Aire includes ten new compositions and was recorded in Criteria Studios (The Hit Sound Factory of Florida) in Miami. This studio has housed such big names like the Eagles (Hotel California) and the Bee Gees (Saturday Night Fever). The studios have recently been remodeled and can now be considered one of the best recording studios in the world. It consists of six studios, of which Alejandro has recorded in five of them, with a specially-designed digital system. Alejandro Sanz has dedicated more than one year in the composition of these ten new songs that comprise his new album, El Alma Al Aire. He has dedicated 4 months in the pre-production and more than 5 months in the recording and mixing of this album. Certified Latin Platinum by the RIAA. (2/01)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Happy Accidents or......how I learned to love Alejandro!\n\nReview: Perhaps I should preface this review with a confession. Which, simply put, is that I do not speak a word of Spanish. No, not one...which of course begs the question, ' why am I reviewing a disc sung entirely in a language that I cannot understand? ' I'm glad you asked!\nIn all actuallity my finding out about this incredible artist ( be warned: many more superlatives to come! ) was nothing more than a 'happy accident.' While at a listening station, attempting to ( obviously ) listen to a certain artist at a local record store, I punched the incorrect corresponding number and Alejandro came pouring out of the speakers. Well, realizing my mistake do you think I promptly pushed the right digit. Absolutely not! \" Cuando Nadia Me Ve \" came straight at me and with my curiosity piqued I listened to the second selection as well, that being \" Hay Un Universo \". From that point on I was past the point of no return! By the time I got to track no. 7 \" Me Ire' \" I was in absolute awe of this young man who sang with such an incredible passion and sheer abandonment that I purchased my own copy and have been joyfully listening ever since. I 'm not quite sure how to review a disc by an artist who simply gives so much of himself in his music that I feel almost honoured that he is sharing his talents with us. I will state without hesitation that tracks 2-5 are without a doubt the most revelatory music that I have had the pleasure of enjoying for so many years. \" Para Que Me Quieras \" is in itself worth the price of this album but let's not mince words....everything here is done with pinpoint precision and with an integrity that I really miss in most of today's English speaking artists. Nothing here sounds even remotely calculated or disingenious. And it isn't just Alejandro's voice that conveys these emotions but also the musicianship which is not only creative but imaginative ( there's a word I don't get to use very often ) plus performed by truly first-rate musicians as well! And kudo's to producer Emanuele Ruffinengo who did a splendid job in tying all these loose ends together. By the time Alejandro get's to the last track, that being \" Silencio \" I am generally emotionally spent but....all the happier for the experience that he gives the listener. Bravo indeed!\nObviously I'm quite sold on Alejandro Sanz and I simply defy anyone who purchases \" Al Alma Al Aire \" not to enjoy it almost as much as I do.... regardless of your affinity for Spanish! And if you do purchase your very own copy, for whatever reasons, feel free to e-mail me and let me know what you think. I've kept Alejandro a secret up to this point but now that my secret is out I'm curious as to how other listener's may respond to this amazing young man. Accidents not withstanding.... I can't even recall, who was I trying to really listen to that day?","Product: Streisand,Barbra ~ Christmas Memories\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: An \"Adult\" Christmas CD\n\nReview: Looking back it seems rather ironic that the one cd that would bring me back into the Barbra Streisand fold is a Christmas disc by this nice, hugely talented Jewish girl. Well, the fates have an unusual sense of humour so who am I to complain.\nThat being said I should add that after purchasing \" Higher Ground \" and \"Love Like Ours\" ( affectionately known as \"Our Love Is Better Than Your Love\" cd ) I had almost given up hope on Barbra. Her music had become heavy-handed, overproduced and at times unbearably pretentious ( case in point...her duet with Celine Dion ). But with Christmas just around the corner I was feeling in a rather forgiving mood so spying her new disc at a (gasp!) department store I thought 'OK....but just once more Babs.' and so with much trepidition I took home my copy. And after giving it a few 'spins' I can once again thank my instincts in giving me the vision to purchase this holiday gem. What's that about hindsight being 20/20?\nI kept thinking when listening to this wonderful cd that perhaps they should have added a warning lable with this disc. And that would simply be that, as Christmas cd's go, \" Christmas Memories\" is without a doubt, geared much more for adults as opposed to the kids in the family. As a rule the selections tend to be fairly slow in nature, with lots of lush orchestration and very romantic. No, this is not a cd that is 'festive' in the traditional sense and I must confess that that's why I enjoy it as much as I do! Plus, Barbra is in grand voice and her phrasing on the disc is impeccable. I've noted other reviewers complaints about not having enough 'traditional' Christmas songs on the disc but how many more assembly line Christmas cd's do we really need ( and if I hear \"Jingle Bells\" once more I'll scream! )?\nWhat Barbra has put together is a collection of songs that paints the Christmas spirit in wonderfully nostalgic, romantic fashion that is best listened to perhaps late at night ( with the kids in bed ), a bottle of your own X-mas spirits and with the attempts of making one or more Christmas memories that very evening. And if that isn't 'festive' than I don't know what is! There are so many highlight's here....\"A Christmas Love Song\", incredibly lush and a song that brings out the best in Barbra's still incredible voice. \"What Are You Doing New Years Eve\", a selection that is very wistful yet hopeful as well and \"It Must Have Been The Misteltoe\", which is simply a blast. I shouldn't forgo \"I Remember\", a Sondheim song that is unbearingly heartbreaking. Now, after reading this, I realize this may not seem like a much Christmas cheer but guess what....you'd be wrong! This album is stunningly beautiful and each song, with the exclusion of \"One God\", which is unfortunately Barbra at her most 'lagubrious', is amazingly well performed and created with, again, the 'older' listener in mind. Yes, the disc is nostalgic, schmaltzy, resorts to cheap emotionalism, plus, at times, overly produced...and I love it!\nSo take my advice....put the kids to bed, disconnect the phone, snuggle up with your mate and have a glass of wine ( some real Christmas cheer! ) on me. And don't forget to turn off all the lights except for the tree! Something tells me you'll be feeling more than just Christmasy....hint! So enjoy and don't forget.... Barbra and I both wish you a very Merry Christmas!","Product: Sting ~ All This Time\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Sting Passes the Grey Poupon !\n\nReview: You really do have to give Sting credit. At a time when most artists of his ummm... ( not so young ) age bracket are doing golden oldie tours and state fairs, here is Sting still selling out concert halls and releasing discs that are still able to find their way to platinum. Go figure! Well, Sting is nothing else if not resiliant so releasing another 'live' cd was probably a justifiable, well thought out ( although hopefully not calculated ) idea. And....that may be the sole reason I didn't give this disc 5 stars either!\nI had previously read of the release of this cd before it's Nov. due date and was a little apprehensive. Apparently Sting was able to not only choose the setting of the concert ( which I have no problem with ) but, much to my dismay, was even afforded the luxury of \" hand-picking \" his audience for the show as well. Needless to say, upon hearing this news flash, my internal alarms were jumping off the scale! Here I thought, once again, was an artist who was willing to sacrifice any type of ' musical spontinenty ' so he could completely control his enviroment and put out a product that lacked any rough edges or any real musical 'integrity ' i.e. improvisations, solos, etc. Was Sting trying to have his cake and eat it too? Only time and a open-minded, honest listen to \" ...All This Time \" would tell. So.....\nThat being the case, after having given \"... All This Time \" a few 'spins' I must admit that, for the most part, it is actually quite well-done. Granted, in a setting where the audience is mostly young, white, well-dressed and politely appreciative of Sting and bandmates there really was no risk of anything going askew. It does, regrettably, feel as if Sting was playing for some type of Martha Stewart dinner party for the ' cheese and wine ' set. There's a certain sense of elitism and that's not particularly to my liking but....so be it. Which brings us to the music. And fortunately that is where Sting does get it right! For the most part he doesn't necessarily ' reinvent ' these songs as much as he just ' shapes' them just slightly. Everything is given a smooth-jazz, slightly intimate type of work-out that for the most part seems to actually work! \" Moon Over Bourbon Street \" is nice and jazzy, \" Dienda \" a new song, written with Kenny Kirkland, was interesting and had an unusual scale that wasn't formulaic. Plus, \" Hounds Of Winter \" was very well-done and may be my own personal highlight also. Add to the mix \" Perfect Love Gone Wrong \" which, for me, was worth the price of the disc in itself! \" Roxanne \" unfortunately, was not done to my liking since he tried to make it fit in with the other selections, most of them again being performed with a lounge, white wine, jazzy style feel to them. The song should always be performed in the stripped-down, Raggae tinged style in which it was originally recorded. And, for my part, if I never hear \" Every Breath You Take \" again that would be fine too. Altogether though, a job very well done and I'm happy with my purchase. I only wish he would have let the band ' stretch ' out a little more on this disc. And watching them on the broadcast they look as if they may agree!\nOverall, I would probably recommend this disc to anyone who enjoys music that, while not exactly groundbreaking or even musically exciting, is still pleasant and makes for a comfortable evening. Sting, along with his audience, is simply getting on in years and while we may miss the younger, more adventurous artist we, at least, have Sting maturing into a nice MOR style of crowd pleaser. I'm just not certain if that is good.....or bad. Now, has anyone seen my corkscrew?","Product: 20 favorites by a jazz instrumentalist whose worldwide appeal turned him into a bona fide pop star! His smash Songbird joins Havana; Silhouette; Home; By the Time This Night Is Over (with Peabo Bryson); How Could an Angel Break My Heart (with Toni Braxton); What a Wonderful World (with Louis Armstrong), and more. His first comprehensive single-CD collection!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A Wonderful World Indeed\n\nReview: I must admit to being amused by the ' music lovers ' ( some may suggest snobs ) who seem to constantly single out Kenny G's rendition of Louis Armstrongs \" What A Wonderful World \" and how this is something akin to musical blasephemy. It seems as though many self-professed jazz lovers have gotten their knickers in a twist and, sadly, find this version simply unbearable and seem to have gone out of their way to vent, rant, rave and generally make a nuisance of themselves! All in an effort to prove how musically knowledsdgable they misguidedly believe they are. Where's the love?\nSurely there is a special place in 'musical purgatory' for jazz purists whose sole intent is to prove their musical superiority to those who may happen to enjoy Kennys rendition. Ahhh...those jazz afficianados are indeed a sensitive lot! Well, while I will freely admit to regarding Louis Armstrong as one of the founders of Jazz ( along with Duke Ellington ) I fail to recognize the harm that this saxophonist does to dispel that truth. On the contrary Kenny's playing on the disc is subtle, it does not interfere with Satchmo's vocals and actually, I feel, shows a great amount of respect and admiration to Mr. Armstrong. Plus, can we please stop behaving as though the world may soon come to a tragic end because Kenny G is performing jazz classics. Last time I checked we as consumers were free to purchase any music disc we so desire. So if Mr. Gorlick is not your idea of good music then perhaps just take a deep breath, put on the CD of your choice and let the rest of us enjoy whatever artist we may care to. In the words of W. Shakespeare....\" Me thinks you protest too much. \"","Product: CD\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Irish Lullabies & Lite Beer\n\nReview: Truth be known my original intent upon purchasing \" Celtic Woman \" was as a gift for my wife. Although I'm half Irish I have found that the closest thing that can be found in my ever-expanding compact disc collection when it comes to Celtic music is Van Morrison. I enjoy some of the genre but overall my taste tends to run fairly old-fashioned. My wife, on the other hand, immediately embraced it and I have had the (mis)fortune to hear this cd often. That being the case my review, though some may view as harsh, is warranted seeing how I've certainly 'earned' the right by my, what can only be considered, intimate knowledge of \" Celtic Woman. \"\n\nFirst off obviously the five attractive women who grace the cover of this offering are talented. Now, I'm not talking immensely so and I suspect that some of them may have been chosen for this project partly on their looks. Nevertheless, they do seem to hold their own and granted while not much is asked of them here they do admirably well. Kind of like Il Divo for the New Age set! Anyway, for me at least, the disc while possessing a certain atmospheric quality about it does tend to meander and I found myself after the first four selections wondering if they might'n pick up the pace just a little as I was beginning to drift off myself. Most of the tracks to be found here are generally very moody, light as a feather and tend to drift ever so slightly. There really isn't a whole lot here when it comes to anything slightly resembling a pulse and God knows the last thing this world might need is yet another version of \" Danny Boy. \" Celtic Woman tends to stay on the straight and narrow when it comes to song selection and no doubt many of the tracks here you have undoubtedly heard on may previous cd's. Whether it be Clannad's \" Harry's Game \" yet another rendition of \" Ave Maria \" ( which was sorely lacking any emotion ) or even Josh Grobans \" You Raise Me Up \" ( complete schlock, this one! ) most of these selections have been performed by many artists and while this group of five do them justice they, sadly, offer little else. \"Nella Fantasia \" being a case in point. I have, to date, 6 versions of this chestnut and the rendition to be found here is probably the weakest of the bunch. And whats with the Kenny G. styled solo in the middle? Anyway, sadly the only time the group shows any real muscle is near the end of the disc with fiddle player Mairead playing up a fire on \" The Butterfly \" but it quickly resorts back to its original 'Celtic tunes ala Smooth Jazz' stylings. I will state that \" Someday \" the Disney track from \" Hunchback of Notre Dame \" was very pretty and inviting but that simply wasn't enough to save this cd from becoming somewhat uninspiring and not as adventurous as I had hoped.\n\nHeres where I get slammed. First, I do understand that a disc such as this is probably geared toward those of us who have a casual interest in Celtic music but know, and perhaps even understand, very little of the genre. I suspect that this was released as a sort of 'Celtic light ' for those who tend to view this as somewhat exotic and are eager to bath in the Celtic experience but don't wish to jump in the deep end of the music pool. Obviously word of mouth about this project came from a special airing on PBS and while that cetainly isn't a 'bad thing' it does tend to lend one to believe that this was an offering that was put togther with the cheese and wine set in mind. The song listing just seems far too calculated and safe for me to think anything else. I've no doubt this disc is hugely popular with suburban/soccer mom's everywhere and while that is damning \"Celtic Woman\" with faint praise I guess theres no harm in the overall project. Granted there is an ordor of a certain overly-marketed, opportunistic aroma that permeates this cd but I guess it beats listening to Rap music. My issue originates from the fact that there is little here that is even remotely emotionally charged and nothing that had me reaching for my stereo's repeat switch. For a style of music that is known for being soul-inspiring, for being emotionally fullfilling and for making us want to roll back the rug and dance with abandon this disc is way off the mark. Its performed admirably but comes across as far too precious and calculated. Nice but it has all the qualities of holding a rather lukewarm Guinness light in your hand.","Product: The Samuel Goldwyn Motion Picture Production of Porgy And Bess: Original Sound Track Album\nMusic by George Gershwin\nVintage Vinyl 33 RPM LP Record\n\"Six Eye\" Black Label!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Forty Acres and a Mule\n\nReview: \" The greatest music of the past, \" wrote George Gershwin, \"...has always been built on folk music. Jazz I regard as an American folk music, not the only one but a very beautiful one which is the blood and feeling of the American people. \" That being said, Miles Davis/Gil Evans second collaboration \" Porgy and Bess \" is without a doubt, for me, their strongest, most passionate effort ever released by this incredible duo. A 'musical marriage' that would eventually produce four albums....each and everyone a classic in it's own way. But with \" Porgy....\" being my absolute favorite ( which must be rather like attempting to decide which one of your children you care for most! ) I thought a review might be one way of showing my respect.... and my admiration for each of these 'giants' in the field of jazz.\nGil Evans had always considered Miles to be his musical 'alter-ego' ( and best friend ) but with the eventual teaming of these two very contrasting personalities ( Miles ever volitale and Gil always soft spoken ) brought rewards due to their unique understanding of what the other was searching for in the studio. Beginning the disc with \" Buzzard Song \" which has the entire 18 piece ensemble blaring the intro Miles takes the melody and propels the bluesy track into a sort of mid-tempo shuffle that sets the playful yet down to earth tone of this amazing disc. And while there are many highlights to be found, \" Summertime \" I suspect would be the stand-out track for it's raw simplicity yet it's supple yearning that Mile's gives the song. I know the word 'definitive' is vastly over-used but in this case.... Other stand-outs, at least for me, must include \" Bess, You Is My Woman Now \" a bluesy number that while incredibly poignant, feels also strangly yearning as well. The other selection that is a must hear would be \" Gone \" a true piece of be ensemble style jazz at it's very best and adds a wonderful contrast to a disc that is beautiful in it's starkness yet eloquent understanding of this classic. My personal favorite would have to be \" Prayer \" which shows Miles at his personal best, reveling in the songs almost death march tempo yet allowing a mourful, heartwrenching beauty to escape from his trumpet. Ultimately the entire ensemble brings everything home with a crescendo that is boisterous yet never out of control. A hearbreaking jazz piece that is second only to John Coltrane's \" Alabama. \"\nPerhaps what makes this disc so remarkable is simply due to contrasts. While Mile's musicianship has never sounded more soulfull ( Porgy and Bess, I feel, is taylor-made for his style of playing ) it might be considered Gil Evans who is the real cornerstone of this project. Gil is able to shape and add color to each song by simply knowing when to 'add or subtract' instruments when searching for how each track should feel and what each song is trying to state. For me this is Gil Evans at his creative best, in clear control yet extremely subtle in how he fashions every track to absolute perfection. And, not discounting Ella's and Louis Armstrongs rendition of this classic, this is an essential part of my jazz collection. Subtle, eloquent, with a quiet self-respect yet ultimately 'American'.... maybe that's the glory of \" Porgy and Bess. \"","Product: music and story form the original soundtrack, includes a 12 page booklet that tells the whole story with full color illustrations! A true collectors item!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Mid-life ruminations or .....how I recovered a childhood!\n\nReview: Shame on me! At this stage of my life, and in a vain attempt to live the life of the 'Bon Vivant', I've always considered myself far too 'Cool' for even the occassional foray into childhood nostalgia. Being the ( not-so young ) bachelor I've always had a firm commitment to looking ahead and never in the rear view mirror. I mean, you never know what might be creeping up on you....am I right? Well, not unlike that unfortunate episode I recently had with novelty ties, I have once again 'dipped my beak', so to speak, into the waters of nostagia and childhood memories. But, and happily so, the waters are just fine, thank-you very much!\nIt may be a bit of a misnomer to actually call this wonderful disc \" A Charlie Brown Christmas \" since even I can tell, after only purchasing the cd two days ago, that I will be playing said disc the entire year round! Talk about 'cool jazz!' Vince Guaraldi's music for this album simply screams Brubeck with a little Bill Evans thrown in for good measure. The songs are not only harmonically strong but so incredibly melodic that I found myself hitting the repeat button on my stereo so as to keep this wonderful music playing throughout the evening. Plus, the tone and sound of the disc is so incredibly intimate and warm that, in some small way, I wished someone were here to enjoy this 'coziness' with me. Now, if I'd only had a fireplace! I will admit to the fact that \"Christmas Time Is Here\" did make me stop what I was doing and forced me to sit down and listen with a childlike wonder. I guess truly beautiful music never does go out of style....regardless of how old we get! No matter what your Christmas memories may be hearing Mr. Guaraldi's versions of these standards will melt the 'Grinch' in all of us and perhaps help make some new Christmas memories as well. But, just maybe, what is so incredible about this album is simply that it doesn't require you to listen only during the holiday season. 'Good' music should be played year round and \" A Charlie Brown Christmas \" will most certainly be coming out of my speakers in July as well as December. What more could we possibly as for in a piece of music!\nIn finishing up, I think tonight it's just going to be Charlie Brown, spiked egg nog and yours truly! I can't answer for the rest of you, of course, but in my case I think I need to 'look back' just once more. I'm not sure what I'll find but I have learned that getting there is half the fun! Merry Christmas to you.","Product: Michael Franks: Sleeping Gypsy. 1977 Warner Bros. BS 3004\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: For Harry....... a true \" Sleeping Gypsy \"\n\nReview: I suspect that I should preface this review with a dedication of sorts. I am rarely able to listen to Michael Franks \"Sleeping Gypsy\" without thinking of an ex-coworker and one time friend Harry. Being an avid fan of Mr. Franks, it was he who introduced me to this wonderful artist and his completely original lyrics and melodic style of jazz. And so it is to Harry that I give thanks.\nThat being said, \"Sleeping Gypsy\" is a delicious slice of jazz, Brazilian tempos, R & B, all tied together with a wonderful 'pop' sensibility. Starting off with perhaps the discs strongest track, \"The Lady Wants To Know\" a song that is simply indescribable but with a melody so compelling that it's a stand out song that Michael performs at each of his concerts. Also included is Michael's ode to Antonio Jobim, an artist he has always admired and he pays his respect with \"Antonio's Song\" and \"Down In Brazil\" two numbers with a Bossa Nova feel tha work incredibly well. The other highlight, at least for me, is \"B'wana He No Home\" a song that I certainly can't describe but nonetheless is extremely humorous. Now if I could only figure out what it means! Plus, let's not forget that Michael has the good sense of using some of today's truly great jazz musicians such as Wilton Felder, David Sanborn, Joe Sample and Larry Carlton. Altogether a wonderful package and since the majority of these discs have been reduced to budget prices I can't imagine not starting your collection with \"Sleeping Gypsy\" and moving through Mr. Franks entire back catalogue.\nIn ending, Michael Frank has consistently put out a wonderful product year after year and while his recent discs don't quite live up to his earlier recordings I can still wholeheartledly suggest having at least this cd in your collection. Any artist who can throw in \"...I hear from my ex on the back of my checks\", is one that I can truly appreciate! And as for Harry, a man who taught me a little about wine, a little of France and a lot about living the \"Good Life\"....thank-you. I still owe you!","Product: Michael Franks: Sleeping Gypsy. 1977 Warner Bros. BS 3004\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: For Harry....... a true \" Sleeping Gypsy \"\n\nReview: I suspect that I should preface this review with a dedication of sorts. I am rarely able to listen to Michael Franks \"Sleeping Gypsy\" without thinking of an ex-coworker and one time friend Harry. Being an avid fan of Mr. Franks, it was he who introduced me to this wonderful artist and his completely original lyrics and melodic style of jazz. And so it is to Harry that I give thanks.\nThat being said, \"Sleeping Gypsy\" is a delicious slice of jazz, Brazilian tempos, R & B, all tied together with a wonderful 'pop' sensibility. Starting off with perhaps the discs strongest track, \"The Lady Wants To Know\" a song that is simply indescribable but with a melody so compelling that it's a stand out song that Michael performs at each of his concerts. Also included is Michael's ode to Antonio Jobim, an artist he has always admired and he pays his respect with \"Antonio's Song\" and \"Down In Brazil\" two numbers with a Bossa Nova feel tha work incredibly well. The other highlight, at least for me, is \"B'wana He No Home\" a song that I certainly can't describe but nonetheless is extremely humorous. Now if I could only figure out what it means! Plus, let's not forget that Michael has the good sense of using some of today's truly great jazz musicians such as Wilton Felder, David Sanborn, Joe Sample and Larry Carlton. Altogether a wonderful package and since the majority of these discs have been reduced to budget prices I can't imagine not starting your collection with \"Sleeping Gypsy\" and moving through Mr. Franks entire back catalogue.\nIn ending, Michael Frank has consistently put out a wonderful product year after year and while his recent discs don't quite live up to his earlier recordings I can still wholeheartledly suggest having at least this cd in your collection. Any artist who can throw in \"...I hear from my ex on the back of my checks\", is one that I can truly appreciate! And as for Harry, a man who taught me a little about wine, a little of France and a lot about living the \"Good Life\"....thank-you. I still owe you!","Product: 224pages. in8. Broch.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: AYear In Provence.....a Lifetime of Pleasure\n\nReview: What is there left to say about this fine,uproriously funny novel. I happened upon it when it first came out at my local library, thought it looked mildly amusing and took it home,expecting to be fairly entertained...but little more!\nSince that fateful day I now have my own copy (hardbound, of course), have read this book, at last count, on five seperate occassions and have given away numerous copies to friends as gifts. Obviously, I am simply a HUGE fan of Mr. Mayle's novel. But it's difficult not to be!\nWhether the book is accurate or not,and there's been some discussion of that, I 've found his \"innocent's abroad\" story funny and touching in many ways. It's a common dream that many of us have which is to run away to your own private paradise and simply live your life as you would wish. Only of course things are never that simple...especially with the Mayle's challenge of working with French beauracracy,builder's and the odd assortment of neighbor's and on-lookers. To say nothing of the occassional uninvited house guests!\nThere's simply something here for everyone! And of course, an odd moral to their touching story, which I won't explain here...I'll let you discover on your own. So pick up a favorite bottle of wine, some Edith Piaf and sit down with this wonderful novel. Once you're hooked you'll be able to enjoy the sequel as well...\"Toujour's Provence\"! Bonjoir!!","Product: This is a second enjoyable helping of rural life in France from the author of \"A Year in Provence\". Skulking through customs with a suitcase full of truffles, toads singing the Marseillaise, taking pastis lessons and finding gold at the bottom of the garden - you might think there is little time left for pleasures of the table. \"Toujours Provence\" proves that while you might not be able to get away from it all, you can have fun trying.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A Second Helping......Bon Appetit!\n\nReview: If you've ventured through my reviews previous to this you know of my deep seated love and enthusiasm for Mr. Mayle's first novel \" A Year In Provence\". Being such a big fan I was more than slightly apprehensive when his second installment was released. I had prepared my self for a huge letdown!\nFortunately, once again, I was wrong. Don't misunderstand me...while I enjoy this book immensely it simply doesn't match up to his first novel. The \"flow\" of the first novel isn't there and some pieces feel as though they've been plastered together. That being said...WHO CARES!\nMr. Mayle's talent in story-telling is still with us and some of his chapters, such as hunting the elusive tuffle, attending a Pavorotti concert and digging up gold Naopoleon's in his own yard make for a wonderful adventure which I greatly enjoyed.\nOverall, the book has the same cozy, warm feeling that his first novel so vividly captured and I now have my own hardbound copy as well. But, than again, I'm biased! I tend to enjoy his novel's due to their naivete,innocence and of course his tendencies to expand upon French culture. What's not to like?\nSo, if you enjoyed his first you will undoubtably like this as well. And if not....well, you wish to stay away. Overall, I think Peter Mayle has done us, and his bank account,a very big favor by letting us enjoy he and his wife's misadventure's in Provence and here's hopeing they'll be many more!"],"string":"[\n \"Product: New As Time Goes By 4 VHS]\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: You Must Remember This.....\\n\\nReview: ...My first introduction to \\\" As Time Goes By \\\" was actually by way of my local PBS television station. Stumbling upon it about three years ago I found myself instantly hooked to it's marvelous, grown-up characters, witty style of dialogue ( thank-you Bob Larbey! ) and the warm intimate nature that filled every episode. ...I, at first, simply thought that because it's a \\\"Britcom\\\" than perhaps I was heaping undue praise for a program that just maybe was slightly unjustified.....but after giving that much thought I've come to a much different conclusion. That being \\\" As Time Goes By \\\" works due to one important ingredient. And that is simply due to the fact that, after watching several enticing episodes, you not only enjoy and like Jean Pargetter ( Judi Dench ) and Lionel Hardcastle ( Geoffrey Palmer ) and Co. but you truly do care about them as well. While I can easily rattle off a dozen different programs where I enjoy the cast of characters this is the only show where I, strangely enough, find myself truly wishing the entire cast, also featuring daughter Judith ( Moira Brooker ), Sandy ( Jenny Funnell ) and the ever jovial, man about-town Alastair ( Philip Bretherton ) all the best and really caring about what happens to them. Fully realizing that my concern for a fictional television family borders on bizarre but that's the effect this wonderful show has on me....and I must add it also shows how extremely well everyone is practicing their craft! Also, by pacing the program at a nice, leisurely rate they have wisely decided to let the viewers 'slowly but assuredly' get to know each cast member in their own time, without the need to force the viewer to accept the character immediately. That's an important aspect of this wonderful program and one that I truly wish we would see more often.\\nWisely, the producer of this remarkable series, Stuart Lotterby, has decided, instead of 'chopping-up every half-hour episode with a nice tidy ending ( which would simply take away the honesty that is the cornerstone of ATGB! ),he's allows the series a feeling of true continuity by letting past situations and concerns rise up in future programs. Thereby awarding the show with a sense of how true life does tend to actually be, instead giving the viewer the unrealistic sense that 'all's well that end's well!' after 30 odd minutes.' It's an important part of a show that, instead of relying on calculated, over-the-top situations feels much more like the viewer actually being given the luxury of being with Jean and Lionel as they go about their lives, and we are priviledged enough to be able to sit back and enjoy them and their everyday routines. Not contrived....just a program with so much true heart and warm honesty...\",\n \"Product: Riveting in his intensity, Ben Kingsley delivers \\\"his best performance ever\\\" (Premiere Magazine) in this high-voltage crime thriller that crackles with chilling style and wit. A savage gangstere name Don Logan (Kingsley) is met with resistance when he tries to recruit a retired pal (Ray Winstone) for \\\"one last job.\\\" But Logan just won't take no for an answer...\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: The Banality of Evil\\n\\nReview: Expectations can lead to bitter disappointments. For over two years hearing friends and acquaintances bemoan the fact that I'd yet to view \\\" Sexy Beast \\\" and Ben Kingsley's Academy Award winning take as bilious and vengeful career criminal Don Logan I, at last, was able to fully digest ths marvelous picture. And though I may not share my friends complete enthusisasm for this movie I did find it completely engaging ( with reservations! )...though not completely satisfying.\\nObviously with Mr. Kingsley's role as the contemptible Mr. Logan the movie does rather revolve around a character that is neither completely fleshed out or indeed perhaps not even wholly worthy of all of this incredible word of mouth that it seems to have been awarded. Obviously Logan is a dark and disturbing ( and somewhat socially challenged ) character who pays the protagonist Gal ( lovingly underplayed by Ray Winstone ) a visit in an attempt to have him do one more job back in London for his old boss Teddy ( the ever sinister Ian McShane ). And while I found Kingsley's Don Logan to be just erratic and evil it sadly reached the point where I found him to be little more then an errant child in need of a good spanking as well. By giving Don so very much dialogue I found that, as time went by, his character became less a study of evil ( and far less threatening ) and more in a study of a lonely man who is seeking love from a past flame and one who needs solace and empathy. The scene on the airplane with Don heading back to London and subsequently thrown off due to his bad behavior seemed neither threatening or cruel. If anything it seemed rather contrived ( I've seen questioable behavior such as that myself while travelling ). For this viewer Don Logan was simply far too accessible as to his insecurities ( hence his relationship with the ever attractive Jackie ) and on the screen far too much thus taking away some of the mystery as to why he was supposedly so intimidating. Mean-spirited yes but it seemed as though the film was trying far too hard to make him seem as though he was the epitomie of some dark and forboding presence. For me, after a while he was little more then a nuisance and I was glad to see our protagonist off to London to do the heist.\\nThat being said, I did find Ian McShane as Teddy the crime boss to be of a particularly dominating presence and the one role where you simply did not know what he was going to do next. At once he was not only deeply threatening but oddly devoid of possessing any true emotions. The scene with Teddy driving Gal back to the airport, for this viewer, was one that frightenly real simply because you never knew what Teddy might do, or say, next. For me, Ian McShane almost stole this film and without him the movie wouldn't carry half the weight that it does so well. To be completely honest I felt that Ian McShane could say more with just one look then Don Logan did in one of his tyrants that the films protagonists are subjected to. The role of Teddy was so forboding and oddly entrancing simply due to the fact that here was a man who, unlike our talkative Mr. Logan, didn't say much ( thus not giving away too much of his character ) but seemed to constantly be taking everything in and you half expected him to erupt in a blind rage at any moment. With a ruthlessness and sheer abandonment that no other character was capable off. And it was all imaginatively done with extreme subtlty and aplomb thus showing the viewer how terribly banal evil can at once be.\\nOverall, this was a film that while I enjoyed very much but, as previously stated, with some reservations. The murder at the end of the movie seemed rather pointless, though it seemed to be thrown in for little more then for effect not because it helped along the story line. Though I did find the murder at the house in Spain to be particularly ruthless ( and graphic ) though necessary to the films emtional impact and was not only well done but perhaps was the most honest scene in the entire film. Overall, a interesting twist on in the gangster genre ( and dramatically more honest then what we see made over here in America ) and one which should be seen more then once. If nothing else to enjoy the final scene which comes as not so quite a shock but shows a sense of grisly humour that ends the movie on a high note. You be the judge!\",\n \"Product: Way We Were \\n\\n(View amazon detail page)\\n\\nASIN: B00000252F \\nBinding: Audio CD \\nUPC: 074643280129\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The Best Thing You've Ever Done......\\n\\nReview: While it may be simply too easy to jump on the \\\" let's criticize Barbra\\\" bandwagon ( some of it justified I'm sure) I feel I should pass and review a cd that, to me at least, is still possibly her finest disc when taken as a whole.\\nThe release of \\\"The Way We Were\\\" was, at the time, unusual in that Barbra was beginning to show much more interest in current \\\"pop\\\" composers such as Laura Nyro and Kris Kristofferson. This disc, while some may consider a throwback to her earlier days of doing Broadway tunes and standards, was musically, as well as emotionally speaking, her strongest effort for some years to come. While some of her later discs would hold some nice surprises for her fans none of them truly reached the emotional and artisitic peak that this cd did. And still does! There's no point in reliving \\\"highlights\\\" since the selections on \\\"The Way We Were\\\" are so wisely chosen that each song is in itself a precursor to the next. There's a continuity that here that I simply revel in! No, there's not a bad note to be found! It's interesting in that each song tends to complement the last...and how often are we fortunate enough to find that in any cd these days! And lest he be completely forgotten, kudos to Michele LeGrand of which whose lyrics make up the majority of this wonderful cd. Without his remarkable talent this disc would have never seen the light of day! Plus, I may add, that having Tommy Lipuma there to help \\\"turn the knobs\\\" was another wise move. No matter what Barbra may think she simply cannot do it all on her own, as later discs would testify.\\nMy personal favorites,\\\"The Best Thing You've Ever Done\\\",\\\"Being At War With Each Other\\\", and the Stevie Wonder song \\\"All In Love Is Fair\\\". Perhaps I should also add \\\"What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?\\\". As I've stated it's impossible to pick any single song here...every one stands up so well.\\nOverall an amazing disc that gets so much time on my player. But when music is this mature and well performed it would be difficult to leave it to one side.\\nSophisticated yet....emotionally accessible. At last!\",\n \"Product: 8 songs\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Caught Up In The Rapture\\n\\nReview: I'm old-fashioned! At a time when record lables are frantically trying to force the next so-called 'Diva' upon an unsuspecting music lover I, for one, tend to 'zig while they zag'. Simply put....while everyone else is concentrating on the next darling of the Pop/Soul genre ( Jill Scott...take notes! ) I rush back to my roots and wait for all the hoopla to die down before stepping back into my local record store to be barraged once again with that 'Next Big Name!' But while other consumers pocketbooks fall victim to the Marketing/PR depts. enticing come-on's I wisely dance around those 'snake-oil' salesmen and purchase music that is destined for longevity/classics....not for a momentary pleasure. Well, for the most part I do! Although I am guilty of buying a Mariah Carey cd ( hopefully we live and learn! ). Anyway, that's how it came about to my purchasing a second copy of Anita Baker's \\\" Rapture \\\".\\nTo put it simply a more succinct album title would be hard to find. I've yet to meet anyone who hasn't found this disc to be an absolute joy and in some cases an almost revelatory experience to one degree or another. Anita's voice, smokey and dangerous one moment, is innocent and yearning the very next. The first single \\\" Sweet Love \\\" which sets the album off on just the right note ( no pun intended! ), is at once R&B, Soul, Gospel and with just the right touch of Jazz thrown in as well. She exudes a confidence and masterful technique that I only hear in some of Jazz's greatest female singers i.e. Sarah Vaughn being the obvious parallel. Each song for that matter complements the last so well that I don't believe I've ever put this disc on without listening all the way through non-stop. It's truly that good! My personal highlight being \\\" Caught Up In The Rapture \\\" is a perfect example of subtle phrasing and tonal quality that I suspect you will never hear in a Toni Braxton or Whitney Houston cd! Their fine singers in their own right but they simply do not possess the emotional maturity and the musical insight that Anita so obviously does. These are songs that only a singer who is truly 'grounded' in all aspects of harmony/scales could understand and release with such awe inspiring results. No doubt we all, as music lovers, have dozens of cd's with singers emoting on the incredible joys and tragic heartache that \\\" Love \\\" sometimes deals us but Anita is one of those indescribable singers who makes you feel as though she's lived through these songs and is passing along some hard-earned wisdom. Definitely a cd to enjoy with a glass of wine and a broken heart.\\nIn the end while rummaging through my own 'music library' only Marvin Gaye's \\\" Let's Get It On \\\" comes close enough for me to equate as having as much sheer power, intensity and true passion! And ultimately rewarding the listener with an almost religious experience, whether it's your intial introduction to this remarkable disc or even, like me, your hundreth! A more emotinally draining/revelatory experience would be hard to find! After 15 years of listening to Anita Baker I find I'm still in \\\" Rapture!! \\\"\",\n \"Product: Certified Gold by the RIAA. (4/02)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Smooth Jazz....with Heart and Soul!\\n\\nReview: Rick Braun's \\\"Body and Soul\\\" is, simply put, one of the most \\\"delicious\\\" cd's I currently have in my collection. The entire disc is subtle, low-key and in it's own fashion extremely elegant. While catching flack for being a \\\"smooth jazz\\\" artist Mr. Braun shows his unique talents in this collection, not just by his gift of melody, but by making each song as distinctive as the previous. His phrasing is at once gentle, hesitant and beautifully restraind. Which is something that,when pertaining to the \\\"smooth jazz\\\" genre, can be difficult to find ( Boney James, can you hear me? ). I'm aware some jazz purists may have difficulty with this style of jazz (and yes, it is jazz!) but Rick Braun's mellow horn reminds me so very much of an early Miles. .. I'm referring to his \\\"Birth of the Cool\\\" and \\\"Kinda Blue\\\" discs. I'm aware some may read that last sentence and shake their fists at my remarks for my comparisons but there it is! Blashemy...I'm sure! Nevertheless, the disc does hold some pleasant surprises, for me that being \\\"Chelsea\\\" and \\\"Hymn For Her\\\" plus a reputable rendition of \\\"Body And Soul\\\". Listening to the entire disc one finds that each selection works extremely well with the previous so when judged in it's entirety it truly does flow together very nicely.\\nI tend to listen to this cd while home alone, with a favorite bottle of wine and one or two pleasant memories to get me through the evening. You really shouldn't ask more than that of any piece of music. Overall, this entire cd is almost hypnotic in it's beauty and simplicity...and for that, I truly repect any artist who manages that feat. In the end, a disc definitely worth having and enjoying at your leisure.\",\n \"Product: Certified gold by the RIAA (1/97).\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: For Harry....... a true \\\" Sleeping Gypsy \\\"\\n\\nReview: I suspect that I should preface this review with a dedication of sorts. I am rarely able to listen to Michael Franks \\\"Sleeping Gypsy\\\" without thinking of an ex-coworker and one time friend Harry. Being an avid fan of Mr. Franks, it was he who introduced me to this wonderful artist and his completely original lyrics and melodic style of jazz. And so it is to Harry that I give thanks.\\nThat being said, \\\"Sleeping Gypsy\\\" is a delicious slice of jazz, Brazilian tempos, R & B, all tied together with a wonderful 'pop' sensibility. Starting off with perhaps the discs strongest track, \\\"The Lady Wants To Know\\\" a song that is simply indescribable but with a melody so compelling that it's a stand out song that Michael performs at each of his concerts. Also included is Michael's ode to Antonio Jobim, an artist he has always admired and he pays his respect with \\\"Antonio's Song\\\" and \\\"Down In Brazil\\\" two numbers with a Bossa Nova feel tha work incredibly well. The other highlight, at least for me, is \\\"B'wana He No Home\\\" a song that I certainly can't describe but nonetheless is extremely humorous. Now if I could only figure out what it means! Plus, let's not forget that Michael has the good sense of using some of today's truly great jazz musicians such as Wilton Felder, David Sanborn, Joe Sample and Larry Carlton. Altogether a wonderful package and since the majority of these discs have been reduced to budget prices I can't imagine not starting your collection with \\\"Sleeping Gypsy\\\" and moving through Mr. Franks entire back catalogue.\\nIn ending, Michael Frank has consistently put out a wonderful product year after year and while his recent discs don't quite live up to his earlier recordings I can still wholeheartledly suggest having at least this cd in your collection. Any artist who can throw in \\\"...I hear from my ex on the back of my checks\\\", is one that I can truly appreciate! And as for Harry, a man who taught me a little about wine, a little of France and a lot about living the \\\"Good Life\\\"....thank-you. I still owe you!\",\n \"Product: Francis Albert Sinatra And Antonio Carlos Jobim - Francis Albert Sinatra And Antonio Carlos Jobim - Cd\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Quiet Nights,Quiet Stars.....and Sinatra!\\n\\nReview: I suspect if you looked in any dictionary to find the true meaning of sublime Webster's would probably have this cd as it's description. I may be overstaing my case but,I suspect, I'm not too far off!\\nThis disc is heavenly. Sinatra has rarely sung with such softness and true tenderness. If the concept was to make it seem as though Frank was singing to only the listener and on one else well then they've succeeded admirably! Of course, having Antonio Jobim actually in the studio with Frank was a simple necessity. I could make a point of complaining about Jobim being subjected to little more than the role of \\\"accompianist\\\" on this disc but we'll let that go....for now. He never has been giving enough credit for his truly remarkable performance on this cd. This music demands, not bravado, but subtly and elegance...both of which are in abundance here. And I suspect part of that is due to Antonio Jobim being close by to keep things in perspective for Mr. Sinatra! Plus, to give credit where it is due, the orchestration by Claus Ogerman is the 'glue' that might actually keep everything together. Not once does here lose control of these songs and he seems to be able to keep the formidable Mr. Sinatra in tow. Not an easy task I am sure!\\nHighlights...well,the entire disc could be highlighted but for me two songs stand out, \\\" Dindi\\\" and \\\"How Insensitive\\\" although I'm sure you'll have your own favorites. The disc, as a whole, has a kind of late night, subtle quality that hasn't been heard in Mr. Sinatra's albums in years. All in all a cd you may find yourself listening to again and again. And why wouldn't you? Music of this caliber is rare these days so of course we tend to go back to the \\\"old masters\\\" to, once again, show us the way. Some things never do change!\\nAdendum: If you find this disc to be your cup of tea you may wish to puchase Verve's recent release by Astrud Gilberto \\\"Shining Hour\\\". At this rate Bossa Nova may never be out of vogue! Well, not in my house anyway!\",\n \"Product: 1. What A Wonderful World\\t\\t2:20\\n2. Hello, Dolly!\\t\\t2:28\\n3. Sittin' In The Sun\\t\\t3:01\\n4. Mack The Knife\\t\\t3:24\\n5. A Kiss To Build A Dream On\\t\\t3:04\\n6. It Takes Two To Tango\\t\\t2:56\\n7. That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day)\\t\\t3:07\\n8. Kiss Of Fire\\t\\t3:05\\n9. (When We Are Dancin') I Get Ideas\\t\\t3:28\\n10. Gone Fishin'\\t\\t2:33\\n11. Skokiaan (South African Song)\\t\\t4:59\\n12. La Vie En Rose\\t\\t3:26\\n13. The Dummy Song\\t\\t2:22\\n14. Chloe (Song Of The Swamp)\\t\\t3:04\\n15. I Still Get Jealous\\t\\t2:14\\n16. When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)\\t\\t4:06\\n17. Blueberry Hill\\t\\t2:54\\n18. When It's Sleepy Time Down South 3:17\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Kiss To Build A Dream On\\n\\nReview: Attempting to review a Louis Armstrong disc is rather like trying to hold back the proverbial flood waters with a bucket. Without question Louis is, in the words of Duke Ellington, \\\"the epitome of jazz and always will be\\\". That being said since I not only enjoy this cd so very much but also having no small admiration for \\\"Pops\\\" as well than I felt a review would be my way of showing respect.\\nNow, first things always being first, the jazz consumer should understand that \\\" Louis Armstrong's All-Time Greatest Hits\\\" is actually a compilation of songs from his years with Decca, circa 1951-1967, and represents more of a 'crossover' appeal than his much earlier work when he was playing not only jazz but also Rag-time, New Orleans and Big Band. That being the case the songs here do offer a wonderful variety of the different sides of Louis singing, playing and generally just having himself a wonderful time! Again not necessarily 'real' jazz ( and who should care? ) but, in the case of Mr. Armstrong, I am more than happy with the results.\\nAnd what results! Reviewing highlights of this disc simply seems unnecessary so why bother? Basically what the disc represents is not only of a first-rate musician but also a man who simply loved people and life and it comes out in every song that is chosen for this selection. A certain \\\"Joie de Vive\\\" that I find irresistable! My favorites, \\\"What A Wonderful World\\\" a song that I suspect is everyone's, \\\"La Vie En Rose\\\" so splendid it almost makes me forget Edith Piaf and of course \\\"A Kiss To Build A Dream On\\\" a tune that is so sweet and romantic it makes me wish I were in love....again! Now I do understand that many 'jazz purists' may view this disc as something less than the best of what Mr. Armstrong has to offer. Which is to play straight forward jazz without this 'pop' sensibility which permeates this disc. But make no mistake.... if you are unable to enjoy this fine cd because it isn't true jazz than you really are missing an important aspect of what makes Louis Armstrong such a musical genius ( yes, there's that word...but HEY it applies! ). Which, I feel, is simply to love music, play it with your heart...and soul, and believe that it truly is \\\"a wonderful world\\\".\\nIn ending, what Louis Armstrong represents, to me, is a musician who creates music that simply defies catagorization. But, and this is so important, with honesty, integrity, humour and also in a wonderfully carefree fashion that I find so lacking in today's 'oh so serious' jazz players! Purchasing this disc is up to each of you of course but you might consider this.....without these virtues that I've previously stated, would we honestly be enjoying the jazz that we have the pleasure of listening to today if not for his incredible vision? I already have my answer...perhaps this disc will help you find yours. Thank-You \\\"Pops\\\"!!\",\n \"Product: LP\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: \\\"They Say It's Wonderful\\\"\\n\\nReview: I've been sitting here reading fellow Amazon reviewers take on \\\"John Coltrane and Johhny Hartman\\\" and I've noticed a trend that I find discomforting....if not exactly true as well. But I'll soon get to that. First, I think a little background is needed to fully understand where this cd is at, musically speaking of course.\\nWhen approached to do an \\\"album\\\" with a singer Cotrane's first, and I suspect only response, was Johnny Hartman. Hartman was close to being a complete unknown in a field where he so obviously excelled and Coltrane, while recording two albums of ballads previous to this record, \\\"Ballads\\\" and \\\"Duke Ellington and John Coltrane\\\" was still attempting to facillitate a style that reached the outer boundaries of the restrictive nature of popular song. That being the case they entered the studio and preceded to record a classic...in every sense of the word.\\nNow,unlike other reviewer's comments about Coltrane being subjected to the role of \\\"sideman\\\" to Johnny Hartman's vocals this, I feel, simply misses the point of what this cd is about. Coltrane's tenor, I feel, is actually the \\\"second voice\\\" on this fine disc. The interaction between voice and musical instrument will always be debated as how to best draw a \\\"focal point\\\" where each can draw inspiration from the other and I feel that this is as close as I've ever heard to having those two seperate entities actually realizing that one precise point where vocals and intrumentation blend together in perfect unison . A perfect blending of two \\\"instruments\\\". Obviously a listener's attention will always turn toward the vocal aspect of any piece of music due to it's simply being recorded at the front end of any song. And being Johnny Hartman how could you not pay close attention! But, if you truly listen to when Coltrane enters each song, a prime example being \\\" Lush Life\\\", than you may have an idea as to what I am saying. Coltrane's saxophone isn't so much accompanying Hartman as much as \\\"singing\\\" with him. I suspect this is the closest thing we may have to an actual \\\"duet\\\" regarding voice and musical accompiantment. While it's true that Coltrane did go back into the studio at a later date to overdub some phrases for \\\"My One And Only Love', \\\"Lush Life\\\" and \\\"You Are Too Beautiful\\\" basicallly what you have here is recorded \\\"live\\\". Which only enhances the sheer \\\"magic\\\" of this disc!\\nAnd speaking of accompiantment isn't it time to give credit to McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones. Without these fine musicians I suspec this cd would surely lose some of it's lustre! A truly first rate quartet that is second only to Mile's work on \\\"Kinda Blue\\\".\\nSo, in the end, purchase your own copy of \\\"Coltrane/Hartman\\\" and hear what all the fuss is about. Whether you agree with my observations or not this cd is simply too good to pass up. Simple, beautiful and terribly romantic! Actually, forget all this superficial analyzing and enjoy the disc for what it is....Simply Wonderful!\",\n \"Product: John Coltrane\\n\\n\\\"Blue Train\\\"\\n\\nBlue Note Records - Catalog# BST 81577\\n\\n\\nTRACK LISTING:\\n\\nSide A\\n1. Blue Train 10:40\\n2. Moment's Notice 9:08\\n\\nSide B\\n1. Locomotion 7:12\\n2. I'm Old Fashioned 7:55\\n3. Lazy Bird 7:04\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Blues In The Night\\n\\nReview: Mention the name \\\" Coltrane \\\" in Jazz circles and you're bound to receive a response whose admiration borders on an almost religious style worship. Other than Miles there's simply no one in this remarkable field of Music that has obtained such an incredibly strong, passionate and loyal following as that of John Coltrane. While long considered to be the intellectuals ( I dislike that word but.... ) 'favorite son' in a style of music that is chock-full of 'thinking' musicians Coltrane simply possess a unique position, where virtually he alone resides, all the while composing music that eventually would lead him on a quest where his soulful playing obtained an artistic level that was not only incredibly personal but certainly sought a deeply spiritual meaning as well. And while I won't pretend to understand the almost religious fervor that some friends have for this artist I will state that I do have a great deal of respect for John Coltrane....for the man and the musician as well. And listening to \\\" Blue Train \\\" might help explain why this tenor saxophonist is regarded in such high esteem.\\nWhile long being regarded a 'searching' musician, Coltrane and bandmates recorded \\\" Blue Train \\\", his only Blue Note release, on Sept. 15, 1957. Obviously being well-rehearsed, the title track, an eerie blues selection, is Lee Morgan's real chance to shine. After the intial melody Lee's trumpet makes an energetic statement, followed closely by Curtis Fuller on trombone, and everything here runs extremely 'Hot and Cool'. Plus after 10 odd minutes the listener may be already exhausted, to say nothing of in awe of this bands performance. Following up with \\\" Moment's Notice \\\", my personal favorite, another fast-paced tune with solo's by Coltrane, Fuller, Morgan and even a bowed bass performance by Paul Chambers, and you'll be amazed at how 'happy' even Coltrane can sound when composing. The ballad \\\" I'm Old-Fashioned \\\", the only selection not written by him, is a perenial favorite as well, played softly and gently it's a wonderful contrast to the energetic playing that fills up the rest of this remarkable cd. But than again.... I've always been preferential to Ballads anyway! Closing with \\\" Lazy Bird \\\" with a wonderful piano intro by Kenny Drew, and following with solos by Coltrane, Fuller and Paul Chambers ( again using the bow ) and with Lee Morgan ending this track while Coltrane and Curtis ride out the theme. Even I, with my 'tin ear' understood after my very first listen that what I was hearing was a disc filled with songs that were performed by musicians who were not only ultimately honest about their music but incredibly passionate as well. And while I wasn't ready to 'bow to the alter of Coltrane' just yet I was completely enthralled by my purchase.\\nAll in all \\\" Blue Train \\\" is remarkable in the sense that while the music being performed here is extremely free in it's origins it never lose's that sense of control that many jazz cd's, at least for me, seem to be guilty of when letting musicians endlessly 'wander' when soloing. Everything here, individually and collectively, works simply due to the players musical maturity in relating with one another and in each participant understanding his part in these wonderful tracks. And while it's true that in later years Coltrane took his music to a level where I could not join him ( I'm still trying to get through 'A Love Supreme'! ) I do have this incredible disc, plus ' Ballads \\\" and \\\" Giant Steps \\\" to remember not only a quintessential musician but also a man who sought truth and guidance through his music. At hindsight, perhaps my friend's adoration of this inspired tenor saxophonist aren't so completely misguided after all.\",\n \"Product: Guilty Pleasures CD\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Over-rated Pleasures and Under-rated Treasures\\n\\nReview: Being a life-long fan of 'Babs' every now and then requires a certain leap of faith. Her releases these days are so few and far between that when one does come along we fervantly want to believe that this one will be the 'classic' that many of us know she still has...somewhere deep inside. A disc that will make us all forget, thankfully, about the very existence of less then sterlings works such as \\\" The Movie Album.\\\" Sady, while \\\" Guilty Pleasures \\\" does certainly have its moments it also, sadly, it not quite the classic that many misguided reviewers here may have you believe. Nevertheless, since any release from Barbra is a cause for celebration then I am quite pleased 'in general' with her latest colaboration with Barry Gibbs.\\n\\nLets start from the beginning. \\\" Come Tomorrow\\\" while a pleasant tune, with a certain 50's Doo-Wop feel to it, is an odd choice to start off with. Again, a nice enough track but one that perhaps should have been placed elsewhere in this release. Extremely hummable but imminently forgettable as well. Fortunatley the very next selection \\\" Stranger In A Strange Land \\\" is without question the best song to be found here. The only song that is vaguely political this track is at once mezmerizing but also oddly powerful with a rather strangely hypnotic prsence. \\\" Stranger... \\\" exudes the best of what the collaboration between Streisand/Gibbs has to offer and may alone be worth the price of admission. There are other nice things to be found here such as the duet \\\" Above The Law \\\" the other highlight and \\\" Hideaway \\\" which finds Babs in a delightful calypso/raggae selection. Also she and Barry revive the old cheastnut \\\" Our Love Don't Throw It All Away \\\". Now, while its lovely sensuous rendition sadly it adds little to the original done by brother Andy lo these many years ago. Nevertheless, it does add to the overall romantic feel to this disc so I welcome its inclusion.\\n\\nOk, heres where previous reviewers and I differ... \\\" Night Of My Life \\\" sorry but this is one train-wreck of a number. Again, Barbra's in wonderful voice ( of course! ) but this woman simply cannot carry a disco song to save her life. For one she simply seems unsure how to phase the innane lyrics and and seems unsure how much of herself to put into the song. And two Barbra does not have the attitude to carry this song.( Anyone remembering her diva/disco track \\\" Enough Is Enough\\\" duet with Donnas Summer might bear me out!) She wants to give it her all but her voice seems oddly out of place and almost hesitant. Also, I should add, a track that really isn't all that strong to begin with. This really should have been left in the studio and while I appreciate an up-tempo song as well as the next listener this is one selection that I will be skipping over when listening to \\\" Guilty Pleasures \\\" Sorry Babs! As for \\\" All The Children \\\" we unfortunatly find Ms. Streisand at her most lagubrious. Nice enough buy certainly it seems out of place with the rest of the disc. This might have sounded better on her \\\" Christmas Memories \\\" disc. Sadly, the final selection ,which I always place great importance on, \\\" Letting Go \\\" sounds far too earnest and slightly calculated to be taken seriously.\\n\\nOverall, while I welcome \\\" Guilty Pleasures ' to my ever-growing Baba's collection I simply do not buy into the idea that this cd is an instant classic. It is a worthy addition to any cd library but while almost all of the selections here are polished to a sheen and tastefully done they, sadly, possess little in the way of real treasures and simply, to my tin ear, don't shine through like real classics should. The tunes found herein, again pleasant, but have no real soul and little real emotional connection could I find with the majority of them, save for \\\" Stranger... \\\" An odd disc that seems to want to be taken as pure \\\"Pop' but also as a serious piece of work. It simply doesn't work well enough to pull that off. Nevertheless, a nice distraction from the plastic diva's i.e. Celine Dion or Whitney Houston that can be found on todays charts.\",\n \"Product: Her 1978 Greatest Hits is even greater now, with two live bonus tracks- (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman and Eventually -and new liners by Graham Nash! It's Too Late; Jazzman; Nightingale; Sweet Season; So Far Away , and the rest of her top hits are here with original art and vastly improved sound.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: It's not \\\"Too Late\\\"......\\n\\nReview: I've a confession.....I had originally purchased this cd strictly because I found it at a local record store at a bargain basement price. Now, I had at one time or another heard all of these songs and while I thought them pleasant I wasn't all that excited by my bargain purchase.\\nNow after listening to this disc every day for almost two weeks I am happy tell you how lucky I was to have found it....regardless of the price. Although I thought I might listen once or twice and then abandon it to the back of my cd collection just the opposite has happened. Carole's song structure is incredible and her lyrics are truly remarkable. Hearing these songs again have given me a much keener appreciation for her talent. \\\"Jazzman\\\",\\\"It's Too Late\\\" and \\\"Been To Canaan\\\" are vibrant and have completely stood the test of time. There's simply not a bad song on this disc. Adding on a live version of \\\"Natural Woman\\\",which sent shivers down my spine upon first hearing it and you have an idea of just how strong this cd really is.\\nIf this isn't in your collection....don't say you haven't been advised! A wonderful singer/songwriter all around.\",\n \"Product: Alejandro Sanz is currently in one of his most creative stages and has composed what are possibly the best songs of his career. This new album El Alma Al Aire includes ten new compositions and was recorded in Criteria Studios (The Hit Sound Factory of Florida) in Miami. This studio has housed such big names like the Eagles (Hotel California) and the Bee Gees (Saturday Night Fever). The studios have recently been remodeled and can now be considered one of the best recording studios in the world. It consists of six studios, of which Alejandro has recorded in five of them, with a specially-designed digital system. Alejandro Sanz has dedicated more than one year in the composition of these ten new songs that comprise his new album, El Alma Al Aire. He has dedicated 4 months in the pre-production and more than 5 months in the recording and mixing of this album. Certified Latin Platinum by the RIAA. (2/01)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Happy Accidents or......how I learned to love Alejandro!\\n\\nReview: Perhaps I should preface this review with a confession. Which, simply put, is that I do not speak a word of Spanish. No, not one...which of course begs the question, ' why am I reviewing a disc sung entirely in a language that I cannot understand? ' I'm glad you asked!\\nIn all actuallity my finding out about this incredible artist ( be warned: many more superlatives to come! ) was nothing more than a 'happy accident.' While at a listening station, attempting to ( obviously ) listen to a certain artist at a local record store, I punched the incorrect corresponding number and Alejandro came pouring out of the speakers. Well, realizing my mistake do you think I promptly pushed the right digit. Absolutely not! \\\" Cuando Nadia Me Ve \\\" came straight at me and with my curiosity piqued I listened to the second selection as well, that being \\\" Hay Un Universo \\\". From that point on I was past the point of no return! By the time I got to track no. 7 \\\" Me Ire' \\\" I was in absolute awe of this young man who sang with such an incredible passion and sheer abandonment that I purchased my own copy and have been joyfully listening ever since. I 'm not quite sure how to review a disc by an artist who simply gives so much of himself in his music that I feel almost honoured that he is sharing his talents with us. I will state without hesitation that tracks 2-5 are without a doubt the most revelatory music that I have had the pleasure of enjoying for so many years. \\\" Para Que Me Quieras \\\" is in itself worth the price of this album but let's not mince words....everything here is done with pinpoint precision and with an integrity that I really miss in most of today's English speaking artists. Nothing here sounds even remotely calculated or disingenious. And it isn't just Alejandro's voice that conveys these emotions but also the musicianship which is not only creative but imaginative ( there's a word I don't get to use very often ) plus performed by truly first-rate musicians as well! And kudo's to producer Emanuele Ruffinengo who did a splendid job in tying all these loose ends together. By the time Alejandro get's to the last track, that being \\\" Silencio \\\" I am generally emotionally spent but....all the happier for the experience that he gives the listener. Bravo indeed!\\nObviously I'm quite sold on Alejandro Sanz and I simply defy anyone who purchases \\\" Al Alma Al Aire \\\" not to enjoy it almost as much as I do.... regardless of your affinity for Spanish! And if you do purchase your very own copy, for whatever reasons, feel free to e-mail me and let me know what you think. I've kept Alejandro a secret up to this point but now that my secret is out I'm curious as to how other listener's may respond to this amazing young man. Accidents not withstanding.... I can't even recall, who was I trying to really listen to that day?\",\n \"Product: Streisand,Barbra ~ Christmas Memories\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: An \\\"Adult\\\" Christmas CD\\n\\nReview: Looking back it seems rather ironic that the one cd that would bring me back into the Barbra Streisand fold is a Christmas disc by this nice, hugely talented Jewish girl. Well, the fates have an unusual sense of humour so who am I to complain.\\nThat being said I should add that after purchasing \\\" Higher Ground \\\" and \\\"Love Like Ours\\\" ( affectionately known as \\\"Our Love Is Better Than Your Love\\\" cd ) I had almost given up hope on Barbra. Her music had become heavy-handed, overproduced and at times unbearably pretentious ( case in point...her duet with Celine Dion ). But with Christmas just around the corner I was feeling in a rather forgiving mood so spying her new disc at a (gasp!) department store I thought 'OK....but just once more Babs.' and so with much trepidition I took home my copy. And after giving it a few 'spins' I can once again thank my instincts in giving me the vision to purchase this holiday gem. What's that about hindsight being 20/20?\\nI kept thinking when listening to this wonderful cd that perhaps they should have added a warning lable with this disc. And that would simply be that, as Christmas cd's go, \\\" Christmas Memories\\\" is without a doubt, geared much more for adults as opposed to the kids in the family. As a rule the selections tend to be fairly slow in nature, with lots of lush orchestration and very romantic. No, this is not a cd that is 'festive' in the traditional sense and I must confess that that's why I enjoy it as much as I do! Plus, Barbra is in grand voice and her phrasing on the disc is impeccable. I've noted other reviewers complaints about not having enough 'traditional' Christmas songs on the disc but how many more assembly line Christmas cd's do we really need ( and if I hear \\\"Jingle Bells\\\" once more I'll scream! )?\\nWhat Barbra has put together is a collection of songs that paints the Christmas spirit in wonderfully nostalgic, romantic fashion that is best listened to perhaps late at night ( with the kids in bed ), a bottle of your own X-mas spirits and with the attempts of making one or more Christmas memories that very evening. And if that isn't 'festive' than I don't know what is! There are so many highlight's here....\\\"A Christmas Love Song\\\", incredibly lush and a song that brings out the best in Barbra's still incredible voice. \\\"What Are You Doing New Years Eve\\\", a selection that is very wistful yet hopeful as well and \\\"It Must Have Been The Misteltoe\\\", which is simply a blast. I shouldn't forgo \\\"I Remember\\\", a Sondheim song that is unbearingly heartbreaking. Now, after reading this, I realize this may not seem like a much Christmas cheer but guess what....you'd be wrong! This album is stunningly beautiful and each song, with the exclusion of \\\"One God\\\", which is unfortunately Barbra at her most 'lagubrious', is amazingly well performed and created with, again, the 'older' listener in mind. Yes, the disc is nostalgic, schmaltzy, resorts to cheap emotionalism, plus, at times, overly produced...and I love it!\\nSo take my advice....put the kids to bed, disconnect the phone, snuggle up with your mate and have a glass of wine ( some real Christmas cheer! ) on me. And don't forget to turn off all the lights except for the tree! Something tells me you'll be feeling more than just Christmasy....hint! So enjoy and don't forget.... Barbra and I both wish you a very Merry Christmas!\",\n \"Product: Sting ~ All This Time\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Sting Passes the Grey Poupon !\\n\\nReview: You really do have to give Sting credit. At a time when most artists of his ummm... ( not so young ) age bracket are doing golden oldie tours and state fairs, here is Sting still selling out concert halls and releasing discs that are still able to find their way to platinum. Go figure! Well, Sting is nothing else if not resiliant so releasing another 'live' cd was probably a justifiable, well thought out ( although hopefully not calculated ) idea. And....that may be the sole reason I didn't give this disc 5 stars either!\\nI had previously read of the release of this cd before it's Nov. due date and was a little apprehensive. Apparently Sting was able to not only choose the setting of the concert ( which I have no problem with ) but, much to my dismay, was even afforded the luxury of \\\" hand-picking \\\" his audience for the show as well. Needless to say, upon hearing this news flash, my internal alarms were jumping off the scale! Here I thought, once again, was an artist who was willing to sacrifice any type of ' musical spontinenty ' so he could completely control his enviroment and put out a product that lacked any rough edges or any real musical 'integrity ' i.e. improvisations, solos, etc. Was Sting trying to have his cake and eat it too? Only time and a open-minded, honest listen to \\\" ...All This Time \\\" would tell. So.....\\nThat being the case, after having given \\\"... All This Time \\\" a few 'spins' I must admit that, for the most part, it is actually quite well-done. Granted, in a setting where the audience is mostly young, white, well-dressed and politely appreciative of Sting and bandmates there really was no risk of anything going askew. It does, regrettably, feel as if Sting was playing for some type of Martha Stewart dinner party for the ' cheese and wine ' set. There's a certain sense of elitism and that's not particularly to my liking but....so be it. Which brings us to the music. And fortunately that is where Sting does get it right! For the most part he doesn't necessarily ' reinvent ' these songs as much as he just ' shapes' them just slightly. Everything is given a smooth-jazz, slightly intimate type of work-out that for the most part seems to actually work! \\\" Moon Over Bourbon Street \\\" is nice and jazzy, \\\" Dienda \\\" a new song, written with Kenny Kirkland, was interesting and had an unusual scale that wasn't formulaic. Plus, \\\" Hounds Of Winter \\\" was very well-done and may be my own personal highlight also. Add to the mix \\\" Perfect Love Gone Wrong \\\" which, for me, was worth the price of the disc in itself! \\\" Roxanne \\\" unfortunately, was not done to my liking since he tried to make it fit in with the other selections, most of them again being performed with a lounge, white wine, jazzy style feel to them. The song should always be performed in the stripped-down, Raggae tinged style in which it was originally recorded. And, for my part, if I never hear \\\" Every Breath You Take \\\" again that would be fine too. Altogether though, a job very well done and I'm happy with my purchase. I only wish he would have let the band ' stretch ' out a little more on this disc. And watching them on the broadcast they look as if they may agree!\\nOverall, I would probably recommend this disc to anyone who enjoys music that, while not exactly groundbreaking or even musically exciting, is still pleasant and makes for a comfortable evening. Sting, along with his audience, is simply getting on in years and while we may miss the younger, more adventurous artist we, at least, have Sting maturing into a nice MOR style of crowd pleaser. I'm just not certain if that is good.....or bad. Now, has anyone seen my corkscrew?\",\n \"Product: 20 favorites by a jazz instrumentalist whose worldwide appeal turned him into a bona fide pop star! His smash Songbird joins Havana; Silhouette; Home; By the Time This Night Is Over (with Peabo Bryson); How Could an Angel Break My Heart (with Toni Braxton); What a Wonderful World (with Louis Armstrong), and more. His first comprehensive single-CD collection!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A Wonderful World Indeed\\n\\nReview: I must admit to being amused by the ' music lovers ' ( some may suggest snobs ) who seem to constantly single out Kenny G's rendition of Louis Armstrongs \\\" What A Wonderful World \\\" and how this is something akin to musical blasephemy. It seems as though many self-professed jazz lovers have gotten their knickers in a twist and, sadly, find this version simply unbearable and seem to have gone out of their way to vent, rant, rave and generally make a nuisance of themselves! All in an effort to prove how musically knowledsdgable they misguidedly believe they are. Where's the love?\\nSurely there is a special place in 'musical purgatory' for jazz purists whose sole intent is to prove their musical superiority to those who may happen to enjoy Kennys rendition. Ahhh...those jazz afficianados are indeed a sensitive lot! Well, while I will freely admit to regarding Louis Armstrong as one of the founders of Jazz ( along with Duke Ellington ) I fail to recognize the harm that this saxophonist does to dispel that truth. On the contrary Kenny's playing on the disc is subtle, it does not interfere with Satchmo's vocals and actually, I feel, shows a great amount of respect and admiration to Mr. Armstrong. Plus, can we please stop behaving as though the world may soon come to a tragic end because Kenny G is performing jazz classics. Last time I checked we as consumers were free to purchase any music disc we so desire. So if Mr. Gorlick is not your idea of good music then perhaps just take a deep breath, put on the CD of your choice and let the rest of us enjoy whatever artist we may care to. In the words of W. Shakespeare....\\\" Me thinks you protest too much. \\\"\",\n \"Product: CD\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Irish Lullabies & Lite Beer\\n\\nReview: Truth be known my original intent upon purchasing \\\" Celtic Woman \\\" was as a gift for my wife. Although I'm half Irish I have found that the closest thing that can be found in my ever-expanding compact disc collection when it comes to Celtic music is Van Morrison. I enjoy some of the genre but overall my taste tends to run fairly old-fashioned. My wife, on the other hand, immediately embraced it and I have had the (mis)fortune to hear this cd often. That being the case my review, though some may view as harsh, is warranted seeing how I've certainly 'earned' the right by my, what can only be considered, intimate knowledge of \\\" Celtic Woman. \\\"\\n\\nFirst off obviously the five attractive women who grace the cover of this offering are talented. Now, I'm not talking immensely so and I suspect that some of them may have been chosen for this project partly on their looks. Nevertheless, they do seem to hold their own and granted while not much is asked of them here they do admirably well. Kind of like Il Divo for the New Age set! Anyway, for me at least, the disc while possessing a certain atmospheric quality about it does tend to meander and I found myself after the first four selections wondering if they might'n pick up the pace just a little as I was beginning to drift off myself. Most of the tracks to be found here are generally very moody, light as a feather and tend to drift ever so slightly. There really isn't a whole lot here when it comes to anything slightly resembling a pulse and God knows the last thing this world might need is yet another version of \\\" Danny Boy. \\\" Celtic Woman tends to stay on the straight and narrow when it comes to song selection and no doubt many of the tracks here you have undoubtedly heard on may previous cd's. Whether it be Clannad's \\\" Harry's Game \\\" yet another rendition of \\\" Ave Maria \\\" ( which was sorely lacking any emotion ) or even Josh Grobans \\\" You Raise Me Up \\\" ( complete schlock, this one! ) most of these selections have been performed by many artists and while this group of five do them justice they, sadly, offer little else. \\\"Nella Fantasia \\\" being a case in point. I have, to date, 6 versions of this chestnut and the rendition to be found here is probably the weakest of the bunch. And whats with the Kenny G. styled solo in the middle? Anyway, sadly the only time the group shows any real muscle is near the end of the disc with fiddle player Mairead playing up a fire on \\\" The Butterfly \\\" but it quickly resorts back to its original 'Celtic tunes ala Smooth Jazz' stylings. I will state that \\\" Someday \\\" the Disney track from \\\" Hunchback of Notre Dame \\\" was very pretty and inviting but that simply wasn't enough to save this cd from becoming somewhat uninspiring and not as adventurous as I had hoped.\\n\\nHeres where I get slammed. First, I do understand that a disc such as this is probably geared toward those of us who have a casual interest in Celtic music but know, and perhaps even understand, very little of the genre. I suspect that this was released as a sort of 'Celtic light ' for those who tend to view this as somewhat exotic and are eager to bath in the Celtic experience but don't wish to jump in the deep end of the music pool. Obviously word of mouth about this project came from a special airing on PBS and while that cetainly isn't a 'bad thing' it does tend to lend one to believe that this was an offering that was put togther with the cheese and wine set in mind. The song listing just seems far too calculated and safe for me to think anything else. I've no doubt this disc is hugely popular with suburban/soccer mom's everywhere and while that is damning \\\"Celtic Woman\\\" with faint praise I guess theres no harm in the overall project. Granted there is an ordor of a certain overly-marketed, opportunistic aroma that permeates this cd but I guess it beats listening to Rap music. My issue originates from the fact that there is little here that is even remotely emotionally charged and nothing that had me reaching for my stereo's repeat switch. For a style of music that is known for being soul-inspiring, for being emotionally fullfilling and for making us want to roll back the rug and dance with abandon this disc is way off the mark. Its performed admirably but comes across as far too precious and calculated. Nice but it has all the qualities of holding a rather lukewarm Guinness light in your hand.\",\n \"Product: The Samuel Goldwyn Motion Picture Production of Porgy And Bess: Original Sound Track Album\\nMusic by George Gershwin\\nVintage Vinyl 33 RPM LP Record\\n\\\"Six Eye\\\" Black Label!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Forty Acres and a Mule\\n\\nReview: \\\" The greatest music of the past, \\\" wrote George Gershwin, \\\"...has always been built on folk music. Jazz I regard as an American folk music, not the only one but a very beautiful one which is the blood and feeling of the American people. \\\" That being said, Miles Davis/Gil Evans second collaboration \\\" Porgy and Bess \\\" is without a doubt, for me, their strongest, most passionate effort ever released by this incredible duo. A 'musical marriage' that would eventually produce four albums....each and everyone a classic in it's own way. But with \\\" Porgy....\\\" being my absolute favorite ( which must be rather like attempting to decide which one of your children you care for most! ) I thought a review might be one way of showing my respect.... and my admiration for each of these 'giants' in the field of jazz.\\nGil Evans had always considered Miles to be his musical 'alter-ego' ( and best friend ) but with the eventual teaming of these two very contrasting personalities ( Miles ever volitale and Gil always soft spoken ) brought rewards due to their unique understanding of what the other was searching for in the studio. Beginning the disc with \\\" Buzzard Song \\\" which has the entire 18 piece ensemble blaring the intro Miles takes the melody and propels the bluesy track into a sort of mid-tempo shuffle that sets the playful yet down to earth tone of this amazing disc. And while there are many highlights to be found, \\\" Summertime \\\" I suspect would be the stand-out track for it's raw simplicity yet it's supple yearning that Mile's gives the song. I know the word 'definitive' is vastly over-used but in this case.... Other stand-outs, at least for me, must include \\\" Bess, You Is My Woman Now \\\" a bluesy number that while incredibly poignant, feels also strangly yearning as well. The other selection that is a must hear would be \\\" Gone \\\" a true piece of be ensemble style jazz at it's very best and adds a wonderful contrast to a disc that is beautiful in it's starkness yet eloquent understanding of this classic. My personal favorite would have to be \\\" Prayer \\\" which shows Miles at his personal best, reveling in the songs almost death march tempo yet allowing a mourful, heartwrenching beauty to escape from his trumpet. Ultimately the entire ensemble brings everything home with a crescendo that is boisterous yet never out of control. A hearbreaking jazz piece that is second only to John Coltrane's \\\" Alabama. \\\"\\nPerhaps what makes this disc so remarkable is simply due to contrasts. While Mile's musicianship has never sounded more soulfull ( Porgy and Bess, I feel, is taylor-made for his style of playing ) it might be considered Gil Evans who is the real cornerstone of this project. Gil is able to shape and add color to each song by simply knowing when to 'add or subtract' instruments when searching for how each track should feel and what each song is trying to state. For me this is Gil Evans at his creative best, in clear control yet extremely subtle in how he fashions every track to absolute perfection. And, not discounting Ella's and Louis Armstrongs rendition of this classic, this is an essential part of my jazz collection. Subtle, eloquent, with a quiet self-respect yet ultimately 'American'.... maybe that's the glory of \\\" Porgy and Bess. \\\"\",\n \"Product: music and story form the original soundtrack, includes a 12 page booklet that tells the whole story with full color illustrations! A true collectors item!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Mid-life ruminations or .....how I recovered a childhood!\\n\\nReview: Shame on me! At this stage of my life, and in a vain attempt to live the life of the 'Bon Vivant', I've always considered myself far too 'Cool' for even the occassional foray into childhood nostalgia. Being the ( not-so young ) bachelor I've always had a firm commitment to looking ahead and never in the rear view mirror. I mean, you never know what might be creeping up on you....am I right? Well, not unlike that unfortunate episode I recently had with novelty ties, I have once again 'dipped my beak', so to speak, into the waters of nostagia and childhood memories. But, and happily so, the waters are just fine, thank-you very much!\\nIt may be a bit of a misnomer to actually call this wonderful disc \\\" A Charlie Brown Christmas \\\" since even I can tell, after only purchasing the cd two days ago, that I will be playing said disc the entire year round! Talk about 'cool jazz!' Vince Guaraldi's music for this album simply screams Brubeck with a little Bill Evans thrown in for good measure. The songs are not only harmonically strong but so incredibly melodic that I found myself hitting the repeat button on my stereo so as to keep this wonderful music playing throughout the evening. Plus, the tone and sound of the disc is so incredibly intimate and warm that, in some small way, I wished someone were here to enjoy this 'coziness' with me. Now, if I'd only had a fireplace! I will admit to the fact that \\\"Christmas Time Is Here\\\" did make me stop what I was doing and forced me to sit down and listen with a childlike wonder. I guess truly beautiful music never does go out of style....regardless of how old we get! No matter what your Christmas memories may be hearing Mr. Guaraldi's versions of these standards will melt the 'Grinch' in all of us and perhaps help make some new Christmas memories as well. But, just maybe, what is so incredible about this album is simply that it doesn't require you to listen only during the holiday season. 'Good' music should be played year round and \\\" A Charlie Brown Christmas \\\" will most certainly be coming out of my speakers in July as well as December. What more could we possibly as for in a piece of music!\\nIn finishing up, I think tonight it's just going to be Charlie Brown, spiked egg nog and yours truly! I can't answer for the rest of you, of course, but in my case I think I need to 'look back' just once more. I'm not sure what I'll find but I have learned that getting there is half the fun! Merry Christmas to you.\",\n \"Product: Michael Franks: Sleeping Gypsy. 1977 Warner Bros. BS 3004\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: For Harry....... a true \\\" Sleeping Gypsy \\\"\\n\\nReview: I suspect that I should preface this review with a dedication of sorts. I am rarely able to listen to Michael Franks \\\"Sleeping Gypsy\\\" without thinking of an ex-coworker and one time friend Harry. Being an avid fan of Mr. Franks, it was he who introduced me to this wonderful artist and his completely original lyrics and melodic style of jazz. And so it is to Harry that I give thanks.\\nThat being said, \\\"Sleeping Gypsy\\\" is a delicious slice of jazz, Brazilian tempos, R & B, all tied together with a wonderful 'pop' sensibility. Starting off with perhaps the discs strongest track, \\\"The Lady Wants To Know\\\" a song that is simply indescribable but with a melody so compelling that it's a stand out song that Michael performs at each of his concerts. Also included is Michael's ode to Antonio Jobim, an artist he has always admired and he pays his respect with \\\"Antonio's Song\\\" and \\\"Down In Brazil\\\" two numbers with a Bossa Nova feel tha work incredibly well. The other highlight, at least for me, is \\\"B'wana He No Home\\\" a song that I certainly can't describe but nonetheless is extremely humorous. Now if I could only figure out what it means! Plus, let's not forget that Michael has the good sense of using some of today's truly great jazz musicians such as Wilton Felder, David Sanborn, Joe Sample and Larry Carlton. Altogether a wonderful package and since the majority of these discs have been reduced to budget prices I can't imagine not starting your collection with \\\"Sleeping Gypsy\\\" and moving through Mr. Franks entire back catalogue.\\nIn ending, Michael Frank has consistently put out a wonderful product year after year and while his recent discs don't quite live up to his earlier recordings I can still wholeheartledly suggest having at least this cd in your collection. Any artist who can throw in \\\"...I hear from my ex on the back of my checks\\\", is one that I can truly appreciate! And as for Harry, a man who taught me a little about wine, a little of France and a lot about living the \\\"Good Life\\\"....thank-you. I still owe you!\",\n \"Product: Michael Franks: Sleeping Gypsy. 1977 Warner Bros. BS 3004\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: For Harry....... a true \\\" Sleeping Gypsy \\\"\\n\\nReview: I suspect that I should preface this review with a dedication of sorts. I am rarely able to listen to Michael Franks \\\"Sleeping Gypsy\\\" without thinking of an ex-coworker and one time friend Harry. Being an avid fan of Mr. Franks, it was he who introduced me to this wonderful artist and his completely original lyrics and melodic style of jazz. And so it is to Harry that I give thanks.\\nThat being said, \\\"Sleeping Gypsy\\\" is a delicious slice of jazz, Brazilian tempos, R & B, all tied together with a wonderful 'pop' sensibility. Starting off with perhaps the discs strongest track, \\\"The Lady Wants To Know\\\" a song that is simply indescribable but with a melody so compelling that it's a stand out song that Michael performs at each of his concerts. Also included is Michael's ode to Antonio Jobim, an artist he has always admired and he pays his respect with \\\"Antonio's Song\\\" and \\\"Down In Brazil\\\" two numbers with a Bossa Nova feel tha work incredibly well. The other highlight, at least for me, is \\\"B'wana He No Home\\\" a song that I certainly can't describe but nonetheless is extremely humorous. Now if I could only figure out what it means! Plus, let's not forget that Michael has the good sense of using some of today's truly great jazz musicians such as Wilton Felder, David Sanborn, Joe Sample and Larry Carlton. Altogether a wonderful package and since the majority of these discs have been reduced to budget prices I can't imagine not starting your collection with \\\"Sleeping Gypsy\\\" and moving through Mr. Franks entire back catalogue.\\nIn ending, Michael Frank has consistently put out a wonderful product year after year and while his recent discs don't quite live up to his earlier recordings I can still wholeheartledly suggest having at least this cd in your collection. Any artist who can throw in \\\"...I hear from my ex on the back of my checks\\\", is one that I can truly appreciate! And as for Harry, a man who taught me a little about wine, a little of France and a lot about living the \\\"Good Life\\\"....thank-you. I still owe you!\",\n \"Product: 224pages. in8. Broch.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: AYear In Provence.....a Lifetime of Pleasure\\n\\nReview: What is there left to say about this fine,uproriously funny novel. I happened upon it when it first came out at my local library, thought it looked mildly amusing and took it home,expecting to be fairly entertained...but little more!\\nSince that fateful day I now have my own copy (hardbound, of course), have read this book, at last count, on five seperate occassions and have given away numerous copies to friends as gifts. Obviously, I am simply a HUGE fan of Mr. Mayle's novel. But it's difficult not to be!\\nWhether the book is accurate or not,and there's been some discussion of that, I 've found his \\\"innocent's abroad\\\" story funny and touching in many ways. It's a common dream that many of us have which is to run away to your own private paradise and simply live your life as you would wish. Only of course things are never that simple...especially with the Mayle's challenge of working with French beauracracy,builder's and the odd assortment of neighbor's and on-lookers. To say nothing of the occassional uninvited house guests!\\nThere's simply something here for everyone! And of course, an odd moral to their touching story, which I won't explain here...I'll let you discover on your own. So pick up a favorite bottle of wine, some Edith Piaf and sit down with this wonderful novel. Once you're hooked you'll be able to enjoy the sequel as well...\\\"Toujour's Provence\\\"! Bonjoir!!\",\n \"Product: This is a second enjoyable helping of rural life in France from the author of \\\"A Year in Provence\\\". Skulking through customs with a suitcase full of truffles, toads singing the Marseillaise, taking pastis lessons and finding gold at the bottom of the garden - you might think there is little time left for pleasures of the table. \\\"Toujours Provence\\\" proves that while you might not be able to get away from it all, you can have fun trying.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A Second Helping......Bon Appetit!\\n\\nReview: If you've ventured through my reviews previous to this you know of my deep seated love and enthusiasm for Mr. Mayle's first novel \\\" A Year In Provence\\\". Being such a big fan I was more than slightly apprehensive when his second installment was released. I had prepared my self for a huge letdown!\\nFortunately, once again, I was wrong. Don't misunderstand me...while I enjoy this book immensely it simply doesn't match up to his first novel. The \\\"flow\\\" of the first novel isn't there and some pieces feel as though they've been plastered together. That being said...WHO CARES!\\nMr. Mayle's talent in story-telling is still with us and some of his chapters, such as hunting the elusive tuffle, attending a Pavorotti concert and digging up gold Naopoleon's in his own yard make for a wonderful adventure which I greatly enjoyed.\\nOverall, the book has the same cozy, warm feeling that his first novel so vividly captured and I now have my own hardbound copy as well. But, than again, I'm biased! I tend to enjoy his novel's due to their naivete,innocence and of course his tendencies to expand upon French culture. What's not to like?\\nSo, if you enjoyed his first you will undoubtably like this as well. And if not....well, you wish to stay away. Overall, I think Peter Mayle has done us, and his bank account,a very big favor by letting us enjoy he and his wife's misadventure's in Provence and here's hopeing they'll be many more!\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":23,"string":"23"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":377,"string":"377"}}},{"rowIdx":378,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"ATG62Y8M6PH0C"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"4.0\" for a product with description \"The latest in safe green products to control common household pests and insects All Natural Non Toxic Insect Killer by Killer Green kills many common household pests - from roaches to spiders to ants to mosquitos - without putting people pets or plants at risk. Make the safe choice the green choice to protect your home and family. Our Insect Spray Kills EGGS LARVAE and ADULTS. Better then spectracide, great for your backyard, and is safer than any chemical. Our insect killer breaks down the insects exoskeleton until liquefaction occurs and the insect dies. It takes up to 10 minutes for the bug to die. WE GUARANTEE OUR PRODUCTS or your money back. We believe in karma and we have tested our product and know it works. If for whatever reason you are not satisfied then send it back to Amazon and we will refund you no questions asked. We appreciate your business! SAFE TO UESE AROUND THE HOME AROUND YOUR PETS PLANTS AND KIDS.\". The summary of the review text is \"Be patient - this does kill bugs dead\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I have to say that my first impression about this spray was that it didn't work. How so? I took the brand new bottle and aimed it at a moth resting on the wall a few feet from the lamp, and I shot it point blank with this spray not once but twice. Upon the first hit, the moth was understandably disoriented and fluttered in place. I shot it with the second squirt, again dead on, and the darn thing simply flew away! I was thinking to myself like, are you supposed to take the damn bottle and smash the bug till it died?\n\nBut half an hour later I found the moth dead nearby. I came back to Amazon to read up about it and understood that this spray does NOT work like your everyday Raid. It does not knock them dead instantly. Rather, it melts the little buggers' shell and they die. Obviously it won't melt the shell instantly, so it will take some minutes before the onset of bug death. The next time I used it I had a near miss with a wasp - missed a direct hit with the jet but some of the liquid did hit the bug. I found the dead bug later that day. So I can say that this spray is effective, but you just can't compare it to the chemical sprays that kill on the spot. The trouble is, we all crave that instant satisfaction of seeing the bug writhe and die on the spot, and the fact that this spray does not deliver that morbid satisfaction we seek make us doubt its effectiveness. This issue - lack of immediate feedback or satisfaction - is compounded by the fact that this spray has no odor. That actually is a very good thing, but we are all conditioned to smell that pungent and sickening artificial fragrance of the bug spray. The absence of that chemical odor again give us no assurance that it works. But it actually does work. Human nature, what can I say?\n\nSo killing effectiveness is really not an issue. The one real potential issue is this. Most commercial bug sprays are designed to not just kill on contact but also continue to kill for a long period of time when bugs come into contact with the chemical later. You know, all that \"keeps killing for up to 6 weeks!\" proclamation. I don't know if this spray works like that, and I assume it doesn't. That's because this is supposed to be all natural and is safe for people and pets. The non-poisonous nature of this spray, I would think, also means that it breaks down very fast so as not to cause any inadvertent harm to people and pets. That's actually one of its strengths, but is also a weakness when you compare it to commercial chemical bug sprays.\n\nThese are the reasons why I am taking a star off the rating - it does not kill instantly and it is doubtful whether it will keep killing after it dries. But you must understand you can't have it all and these are reasonable trade offs. You want an all-natural bug spray that is non-poisonous, safe around people and pets, and is effective on killing bugs, then you should accept that it doesn't kill fast and may not continue to kill. To me these are smart compromises."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I have to say that my first impression about this spray was that it didn't work. How so? I took the brand new bottle and aimed it at a moth resting on the wall a few feet from the lamp, and I shot it point blank with this spray not once but twice. Upon the first hit, the moth was understandably disoriented and fluttered in place. I shot it with the second squirt, again dead on, and the darn thing simply flew away! I was thinking to myself like, are you supposed to take the damn bottle and smash the bug till it died?\n\nBut half an hour later I found the moth dead nearby. I came back to Amazon to read up about it and understood that this spray does NOT work like your everyday Raid. It does not knock them dead instantly. Rather, it melts the little buggers' shell and they die. Obviously it won't melt the shell instantly, so it will take some minutes before the onset of bug death. The next time I used it I had a near miss with a wasp - missed a direct hit with the jet but some of the liquid did hit the bug. I found the dead bug later that day. So I can say that this spray is effective, but you just can't compare it to the chemical sprays that kill on the spot. The trouble is, we all crave that instant satisfaction of seeing the bug writhe and die on the spot, and the fact that this spray does not deliver that morbid satisfaction we seek make us doubt its effectiveness. This issue - lack of immediate feedback or satisfaction - is compounded by the fact that this spray has no odor. That actually is a very good thing, but we are all conditioned to smell that pungent and sickening artificial fragrance of the bug spray. The absence of that chemical odor again give us no assurance that it works. But it actually does work. Human nature, what can I say?\n\nSo killing effectiveness is really not an issue. The one real potential issue is this. Most commercial bug sprays are designed to not just kill on contact but also continue to kill for a long period of time when bugs come into contact with the chemical later. You know, all that \"keeps killing for up to 6 weeks!\" proclamation. I don't know if this spray works like that, and I assume it doesn't. That's because this is supposed to be all natural and is safe for people and pets. The non-poisonous nature of this spray, I would think, also means that it breaks down very fast so as not to cause any inadvertent harm to people and pets. That's actually one of its strengths, but is also a weakness when you compare it to commercial chemical bug sprays.\n\nThese are the reasons why I am taking a star off the rating - it does not kill instantly and it is doubtful whether it will keep killing after it dries. But you must understand you can't have it all and these are reasonable trade offs. You want an all-natural bug spray that is non-poisonous, safe around people and pets, and is effective on killing bugs, then you should accept that it doesn't kill fast and may not continue to kill. To me these are smart compromises."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: built-in microphone and work seamlessly with your Smartphones, tablets, Bluetooth-enabled music players and any device with Bluetooth connection, An innovative one-to-two technology allowing the headphones to connect two devices at the same time\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Don't be turned off by this lamp's weird appearance. Try it!\n\nReview: To be honest, I wasn't sure if I would like this little lamp. But my normal battery operated book light was too wimpy so I took a chance on this. Turns out I actually like it a lot.\n\nWhy did I think I might not like this lamp? It looked weird! When did you ever come across a book light with two protruding appendages like the antenna on an alien? Well, actually the two flex arms design is functionally perfect. They illuminates both pages of your open book so you don't find yourself constantly adjusting where you shine your light. The lamp heads each have their own on-off control and you have a choice of low or high beam like your car haha! Together with the flex arms this lamp gives you plenty of flexibility in adjusting the position and the intensity to your liking.\n\nThis book light really is heads and shoulders above my old book light. I dislike my old book light for several reasons. First, it is usually not bright enough for my purpose. Then, the intensity of the light decreases as I use up the battery, so I am never sure how much light I will get. Finally, it gobbles up my AAA batteries like there is no tomorrow. And because I use it during travel, I have to bring extra batteries with me on each trip. This light is better on all counts. First, the lamps are very bright when you switch them both on high. The intensity of the light is constantly at each level, and you have a combination (i.e. between the two switches) of 4 levels of brightness to give you more control. And, because it is rechargeable by either USB or conventional outlet (the charger and cables are all included) you don't really have to worry about running out of juice. Besides, why worry about juice when a single charge lasts that long? I used it on high for almost 4 hours and it just kept shining bright.\n\nI fly a lot, so this little lamp comes in handy and is small enough to tuck away in my carry on without using up my precious space. The only thing I wish it had is a sturdy pouch to carry the lamp and the charger and cables in. I make do with a ziploc bag. Problem solved!\n\nI hope this review is helpful to your purchase decision. I received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review.","Product: 2\" x 27' Gorilla Clear Repair. The ideal solution for almost any repair! Fix, patch, seal, hold and protect almost any surface with a crystal clear appearance. Water, UV and temperature resistant. Won't yellow outdoors. Notched edge design makes tape easy to tear by hand. Sticks to smooth, rough and uneven surfaces.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: If I could give it six stars, I would\n\nReview: I spent some good money and bought (from Amazon, where else?) a super duper auto-inflation air mattress that never require manual re-inflation. You just set the mattress at your desired level of firmness, and the pump sensor knows when to put a little air back into it. It is comfortable enough to be a full time mattress, and we sleep on it every night. Half a year later, the cat decided to attach the bed and dug a hole in it. With the leak, the pump no longer auto-reinflate. We used the patch kit that came with the bed. That lasted a day. We bought a \"professional\" patch kit for like twelve bucks. Same thing. Out of options, we put electrical duct tape on the hole as a stop gap (literally) and had to manually re-inflate the bed two times a night. So, we were ready to throw the bed away (along with the cat) and go buy a new bed. As a last resort, I checked around and found Gorilla Clear Repair as a possible solution. I thought, it probably will not work, but what the heck, it's only a few dollars and the bed cost something like $160.\n\nGot the tape from Amazon in two days. We put just a tiny square of the tape on the hole and, viola! No more leak. I even jumped around on the bed to test it. No leak. That was four months ago, and it is still holding up. This stuff is crazy good! Now I find myself walking around the house looking for things I could use this magical tape on. I bet it could even plug water leaks. I am getting myself another roll of this!","Product: GRDE Bluetooth FM Transmitter | Play Music | Hands-Free Calling Perfect 1.4 LCD Display ScreenLarge LCD Screen of car bluetooth adapter shows the incoming phone number, current song's name and the voltage of the storage battery clearly. Memory FunctionFast Bluetooth pairing. Once paired, the FM transmitter Bluetooth will automatically connect with the last paired smart device when turned on next time. Clear Sound and one key easy controlAdopted advanced interference and noise cancellation technology - CVC technology creates full duplex sound and suppresses noise and wind. Take hands-free calls for pleasurable driving experience! Specifications: Bluetooth Version: V3.0 + EDR Effective Bluetooth Range: 0.5-2 metersFrequency range: 87.5MHz - 108.0MHZ Working Voltage: 12V~24V Compatible Phone Models: Bluetooth enabled devices such as iPhone 8,iPhone 8 plus, iPhone X, Samsung\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Very pretty, but would be nice if the lamps were taller and brighter\n\nReview: Update: it has been less than a month and all 3 lights have given out. I really did not expect the quality to be so shoddy. The previous rating of 4 stars is now one star. I hate to be dramatic but, yeah, this was a waste of money.\n\nupdate 2: I was wrong about the lights given out. There was no instructions to tell you each light has a hidden on off switch. Unbeknownst to me my son had turned off the lights while we were away. I found the switches and turned them all back on. Changing the rating back to 4 stars.\n\nThese are very pretty mosaic lights. They are a bit smaller/shorter than I expected though. The product - all 3 of them - came in a small box about the size of two paperback novels together side by side. Assembly was pretty easy. Once you figure out the spikes are flipped over and hidden in the tubes, you just take them out and stick the tube in, and stick the lamp in the other end. That's it. At first I thought one of the lamps was broken or shattered, because the lamps themselves still had some small bits and powder residues on them. Upon closer examination, the lamps were intact and it seemed the workers who made the lamps just didn't do a perfect job cleaning the units. Not a big deal, but it does raise some concerns about quality.\n\nBecause they are on the small side, during the day the lamps are not very noticeable in the garden. But at night when they light up, look out! They are nice looking from a distance, like from the driveway, although the mosaic details are hardly visible faraway. Closer up though, they look pretty damn good. I would like to see them make these units bigger/taller and the lamp elements brighter.\n\nI hope this review is helpful to your purchase decision (please give me a yes vote if you agree!) I received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I have no obligation or inclination to give this product a favorable review, so please know that the above review represents my honest opinion of this product. My ratings do run the full range from 1 to 5 stars, although just like most reasonable persons, I don't give out 1 star unless the product completely fails all my expectations.","Product: Silver Phantom Jewelry's Caffeine Molecule Necklace is available in 18k Gold, Rose Gold, and Rhodium Plating 925 Sterling Silver. All coffee lovers are sure to like a latte! Always stay caffeinated with this witty and stylish piece of molecule jewelry. If coffee or tea is essential to start your day, this cleverly crafted pendant necklace will be sure to keep you energized! Our caffeine necklace is a perfect gift for all the coffee and tea lovers in your life. This geek-chic necklace is made of authentic Sterling Silver and will be treasured for years to come.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Nice conversation piece. Be aware of the thin chain though.\n\nReview: My girlfriend told me, \"I'll try anything that has to do with coffee.\" (In reply, I joked about the idea of rubbing coffee all over myself haha!) So for her early 25th birthday present, I bought her this caffeine molecule necklace. And its perfect!\n\nWhat a smart idea! I never imagined how coffee could be incorporated into jewelry design. This is a conversation piece. She wears it around the office and got comments on it. More like questions, like, what is that? A turtle? She got laughs all around. And yes the pendant is small enough to be non-obtrusive so it can be worn around the office or with other casual clothing. The chain struck me as rather thin. Chains like this are very popular with ladies because it is more effeminate. The nice thing about this particular chain is that the caffeine pendant is quite small, so the thin chain matches it well and does not overshadow it. The not so good thing about thin chains though, is that they are very prone to being tangled and it is crazy difficult to untangle. The other thing is that the spring clasp is pretty small and it is difficult to put it on or take it off. That's not the fault of this seller, but the nature of this kind of chain. But I want to make sure people are aware of it.\n\nI found out that Silver Phantom Jewelry (the seller) is not the only company selling this caffeine molecule necklace. However, the ones that are cheaper than this one are not sterling silver, and the other sterling silver ones are more expensive than this one. So this is in the sweet spot - precious metal at the lowest price! I strongly prefer the rhodium plating that this item has, because sterling silver seems to always tarnish after the girlfriend has worn it for a short time.\n\nLastly, I want to point out that even though this pendant likes sort of spiky, the ends are all rounded off and are not stabby, nor does it cause any discomfort. If there is one thing I wish they would improve on, it would be to find a way to place a gemstone in the hexagon in the center, which would dramatically improve the visual appeal of the pendant. (Silver Phantom Jewelry, are you listening?)\n\nI am not an easy customer to please. Just last week I gave out a 1-star to a product that I received a discount on, and 2 stars to two other products. I also received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I have no obligation or inclination to give this product a favorable review, so please know that the above review represents my honest opinion of this product. My ratings do run the full range from 1 to 5 stars, and I strive to make my review detailed, fair and informative.","Product: Furinno Go Green Series is designed to fit in your space, your style and fit on your budget. It is easily assembled and fit in to any of your home decor. The medium density composite wood is manufactured in Malaysia and compliant with CARB regulations. There is no foul smell, durable and the material is the most stable amongst the medium density composite woods. The PVC tubes are made from recycled plastic and is tested for its durability. The non-woven bin simply add in a sweet accent to the whole unit. A simple attitude towards lifestyle is reflected directly on the design of Furinno Furniture, creating a trend of simply nature. Care instructions: wipe clean with clean damped cloth. Avoid using harsh chemicals. Pictures are for illustration purpose. All decor items are not included in this offer.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Not for desktop, and poorly designed for laptop\n\nReview: It is not a bad desk per se. It's just that it is too small and designed without the right purpose in mind. I feel bad that I am giving it a bottom score when I was the one who didn't notice before I order the product that it was meant for laptops, not desktops. But collectively we have five laptops in the family and no one thought the desk was a good fit for laptops either. Who would put a laptop on a desk rather than the top-of-his-lap? Not unless the desk offers convenient features like a shelf for docking station, charging strip, larger monitor, and so on. This desk has none of those. So for whatever reason you put the laptop on top of the desk, and to compute (i.e. surf, write, view, etc) you do need to use a keyboard and a mouse. Where is the shelf for the mouse/mouse-pad? The top side-shelf (the shelf that the picture frame occupies in the photo) is too high for operating a mouse. Similarly if you want to use the laptop's keyboard (because there is no shelf for a full-size plug-in keyboard), the placement of the laptop is fine for looking at the screen but too high for typing.\n\nThis desk is overpriced, considering it is made of particle boards from China. There are many other choices at comparable prices that suit my needs much better. The desk is now in the kitchen corner, being used as a storage cabinet for lightweight food items. Canned goods and other heavy packages may warp the particle boards.","Product: Need a little help around the kitchen? Reach for a .... Trivet? What the heck is a Trivet? Well, over the past century it's definition has stretched, literally. Back in the days of dinner at Granny's house, a trivet was a small 3 legged mini tablish sort of thingy that Granny used to place on the table to set hot dishes on. Fast forward to the age of silicone and you'll find the cute little multi purpose silicone pad that has 101 uses! Here's A Few - Protects surfaces from heat and moisture Use It As - Pot holder - Hot pad - Hot handle grabber - Coaster - Placemat - Plate scraper - Utensil rest - Cutting board mat - Jar opener - Plant pad - Laptop pad - etc etc etc Eco friendly 100% food grade silicone , safe, durable, and easy to clean.Everybody needs a Trivet! Press \"Add to Cart\" to order.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Perfect for busy/lazy people\n\nReview: These pads have turned out to be as useful and versatile as advertised. My favorite applications for the pads: at the end of a meal when I have leftovers, I just throw a pad on top of the bowl or plate and put it right into the fridge. Goodbye plastic wrap. And when I reheat the leftover, the whole ensemble of pad and bowl goes right into the microwave. No splash guard or cover needed. When it is done, I simply take the pad from the top of the very hot bowl and put it under the bowl. Viola! Trivet for hot food! Very convenient.\n\nThe pads are honeycombed so it provides good suction on flat surfaces against skidding or shifting. The flip side though, is that it doesn't dry easily after you rinse it out. But that's minor. A solid 5 stars.","Product: For professionals and consumers who are seeking a quality Universal Oyster Knife, the Shucker Paddy Oyster knife provides an all-in-one universal solution to functionality, safety and ease of use in \"oyster shucking\" due to the unique ergo-dynamic Dual Axis Pistol Grip design with Finger Guard. Designed by world-renowned shucker, Patrick McMurray - the Guinness Record Holder of 38 oysters opened in a minute - this shucker is functional, easy to use and safe. The handle is ergo-dynamic and made of sturdy polycarbonate. The blade is a strong and elegant brushed stainless steel. Shuck your oysters quickly and in style with the Shucker Paddy from Swissmar.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great for cracking the joint, but so so on cutting adductor\n\nReview: I have never had an easier time opening oysters. It is wonderful. But I have to deduct one star because it does not cut the adductor muscle too well. With other normal oyster knives, the hard part is cracking the shell. Once the joint is cracked, it is pretty routine to scrap the knife point under the adductor to separate the flesh from the shell. With this Swissmar knife, it is reversed. Cracking the shell is an absolute cinch. But after that, I would need to swipe the knife tip several times under the adductor to set the flesh free. Perhaps I just need more practice because this is not a conventional form factor. I have used this knife to shuck about 150 oysters so far.","Product: The universal edge guard set by ergo chef includes 2 wide-blade and 3 narrow-blade guards to make a set of 5. The guards protect the edges of your knives - and your fingers, too! store and transport knives safely without damaging or dulling their blade edge. The bright colors help identify knives easily in a drawer or in a knife roll. The guards work on all stamped, forged, and ceramic knives. To clean, wipe with a clean, damp cloth. Set includes 5 different sizes and colors: 1 by 4.2-inch Pink (paring knife), 1 by 7.5-inch Red (Utility knife or santoku) , 1 by 8-inch orange (Carving or bread knife), 1.5 by 8-inch blue (chef knife), and 1.5 by 6-inch green (chef or santoku). By Ergo Chef.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: What I like: - With 5 knife guards\n\nReview: What I like:\n- With 5 knife guards, this package is a hands-down bargain. Other knife guards I bought before were $5 each on average, albeit constructed with better material;\n- The color differentiation lets me pick out the knife I want from the drawer without taking each one out to check. You don't know it at first, but soon you will instinctively reach for the blue one when you want to use your favorite 8\" chef's knife. And you won't think twice when you grab the pink one knowing that it is covering your best paring knife.\n\nWhat I don't like:\n-For myself at least, I would like to see two 8\" guards in the package. Every serious chef/cook has multiple knives that are 8 inches.\n-The rectangular format of the guards is understandable. It fits all knife configurations. In the case of classic German chef's knifes, the guards fit perfectly. But if you have one or two of the newer format knives, you will notice that the bolster area is usually not a perpendicular line. This means the rectangular knife guard may not be able to cover the small portion of the sharp edge where it runs near the bolster. In such configuration, the knife guards still protect the chef from slicing his/her finger on the shape knife, but it is still psychologically menacing to see a little bit of exposed shape edge.\n\nTips: if you have big pieces, say, a broad-blade meat cleaver, the guards are too shallow to cover the entire hardware. However, they still cover the sharp edge. So don't write the guards off until you have tried them in action. They do work fine for me!","Product: This sunscreen flask is designed to look like a real sunscreen bottle. The flask even has ingredient plus safety label on the back. Use this secret sunscreen flask to get past through any security. This is a must have item for summer season. Perfect for all types of outdoor activities. Bring this sunscreen flask to cruises, beaches, lakes, baseball game, football game, outdoor concerts, or fishing trips. Stop paying for over priced drinks. Use this sunscreen flask. Bring it to a party to fool all your friends. Watch their faces as you drink sunscreen lotion. We do not condone any illegal uses with our product, but we understand you hate paying for over priced drinks. Getting past through security with alcohol has never been easier with this sunscreen flask.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Really funny and useful idea, but has one big flaw\n\nReview: I imagine these could easily be items sold in Spencer's Gift. Somebody had this clever idea and it cost very little money to create. Just locate a manufacturer who make the actual sunscreen. Give them the print art for the front and have them make these from stock generic lotion tubes. I mean, these really are the normal lotion tubes. But if you are not looking carefully, your mind would make you \"see\" the label as L'oreal, when in fact it says F'oreal, or For Real. Haha! That's clever.\n\nEach tube holds 8 oz, so if you pack both tubes, you have half a liter of booze and that should last a while (for most people). While you could drink directly from the tube, you will look pretty ludicrous putting your mouth to a tube of sunscreen and squeezing hard. Someone might call the poison center, you know? Anyway, the opening is too big to squirt out the liquor, and it will just drip all over you... yes, I tried it... only in the name of science. The proper way seems to be to pour the liquid gold into a drinking vessel and drink from that.\n\nI think this is a funny yet practical idea. But I still have to give it just 3 stars. I am pretty sure the plastic tubes are not BPA-free, and storing alcohol in them will leach out the BPA and potentially other chemicals. I suppose if you do this only once in a while and if the alcohol is stored in the tubes only for short duration, it might make you feel better. For myself, unfortunately, this is one and done.\n\nI received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I have no obligation or inclination to give this product a favorable review, and the above review represents my honest opinion of this product. My ratings do run the full range from 1 to 5 stars, although just like most reasonable persons, I don't give out 1 star unless the product completely fails all my expectations. I strive to provide a detailed and informative review, and[...]","Product: Selenite: Selenite - Palm Stone - Worry Stone. These Selenite Palm Stone - Worry Stones are 3 inches long. Selenite has a very noticeable calming effect. I noticed it the first time I picked one up. I felt the energy pulse in my hand and I felt a calm fall over me that changed my prospective in life. That experience sent me on my path that eventually lead to the Chrysalis Stone. Selenite is an excellent crystal for meditation. Selenite is used for opening the Crown Chakra and Calming the mind. It works best when placed on the crown Chakra, but has an overall effect even when placed in your hands at your side. Selenite should not be placed in water to cleans. This crystal becomes brittle and will dissolve in water. Use Sea Salt to cleans, and sunlight to charge Selenite. White Selenite has a distinctive grain and makes beautiful displays and can be carved or shaped into very unique pieces,\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Don't confuse selenite with moonstone\n\nReview: My girlfriend bought one of these selenite palm stones in a mystic store and she loves it. I have two sons who likes to collect rocks as a novelty. So I looked in Amazon and found this for half the price my girlfriend paid in the store, and bought two stones for my sons as Christmas stocking stuffer. They love their stones too. It is not easy to tell from the photo but this stone is fairly large, and feels quite substantial in your hand. It has a milky shimmer akin to moonstone, which is ironic because the word selenite comes from the Greek word for \"moon\" (the Greek goddess of the moon is Selene). Mind you, the two are completely different kinds of stones.\n\nIn mystic speak, selenite is supposed to strength your life force energy (ooh, does it have lots of midichlorians???) and help you connect with the spirit. I don't know much about that kind of things, but the stone is pretty for sure. And for only a few dollars you get a very hefty stone. A bargain!","Product: Designed by the chef himself out of high quality products for the home cook, these versatile knives can go from oven to table and are suitable for any occasion. This amazing 2-Piece Knife Set by Emeril will simply transform slicing veggies for stir fries, dicing meat for stews or slicing fruits for a healthy salad from being a long dreadful chore into a quick effortless task! The set comprises of a 3.5-inch paring knife that's perfect for slicing and cutting small items like veggies, cheese and fruits, as well as a 5-inch Santoku knife for tougher foods like meat, pumpkins, potatoes and pineapples. Features elegant handles with full tang construction, and both knives have sharp, stainless steel blades which come razor-sharp and ready to cut. The design features full tang construction with stylish handles and stainless steel details, perfectly shaped for natural comfort during use. You can be sure to cut, dice and slice all your ingredients without feeling fatigue in your wrist or arm. It's the perfect personal set to customize your kitchen, making these the ideal knives that will introduce both elegance and convenience to any kitchen.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Fantastic value. Sharp and handsome. Great as gift.\n\nReview: This is my third purchase of this Emeril knife set. I first bought it because it was a crazy bargain, and that's not even factoring in the Emeril Lagasse brand name. For the low price, I had only modest expectations. Well, the knives turned out to be great. They are well made and highly polished, and they are SHARP! I use the paring knife on all occasions. It is sooooo handy for small kitchen tasks. But the best part is that it is handsome enough for me to bring it out of the kitchen. Like when I serve several kinds of cheese on a cheese board, I have no problem putting this Emeril paring knife on the board instead of one of those fancy but blunt cheese cutters that actually don't work as well as this paring knife. I don't use the santoku knife very often because I am fond of using my chef's knives for larger jobs, but I do use it when I am cutting on a small board and realize I have more stuff to cut than what my paring knife can handle.\n\nNow, I don't mean to say these are the greatest knives. I have my Wusthof and Henckel Pro S knives that are fantastic, but they cost a bundle. These Emeril knives are sharp, but you do need to hone them often to keep their edge. I use the paring knife so much that I hone it every day, and I do need to sharpen it once a month.\n\nAnyway, I love this knife set so much, and seeing the price was such a huge bargain, that I bought a second set for keeps. Then when I visited my friend's family and found them using dull knives, I bought this set again as a gift to them. As expected, they also love the knives. Come to think of it, these really do make a fabulous gift - handsome and useful, and only cost me a few dollars. BTW, if you spend a few more dollars, you can get the same set that comes with a sharpener (honestly, just an okay one) and a pair of shears. Just search in Amazon for Emeril knife set.","Product: Emeril 2 piece forged cutlery set with sharpener includes a 3.5\" paring knife, 5\" santoku and manual knife sharpener that you can use to keep practically any knife sharp.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Fantastic value. Sharp and handsome. Great as gift.\n\nReview: This is my third purchase of this Emeril knife set. I first bought it because it was a crazy bargain, and that's not even factoring in the Emeril Lagasse brand name. For the low price, I had only modest expectations. Well, the knives turned out to be great. They are well made and highly polished, and they are SHARP! I use the paring knife on all occasions. It is sooooo handy for small kitchen tasks. But the best part is that it is handsome enough for me to bring it out of the kitchen. Like when I serve several kinds of cheese on a cheese board, I have no problem putting this Emeril paring knife on the board instead of one of those fancy but blunt cheese cutters that actually don't work as well as this paring knife. I don't use the santoku knife very often because I am fond of using my chef's knives for larger jobs, but I do use it when I am cutting on a small board and realize I have more stuff to cut than what my paring knife can handle.\n\nNow, I don't mean to say these are the greatest knives. I have my Wusthof and Henckel Pro S knives that are fantastic, but they cost a bundle. These Emeril knives are sharp, but you do need to hone them often to keep their edge. I use the paring knife so much that I hone it every day, and I do need to sharpen it once a month.\n\nAnyway, I love this knife set so much, and seeing the price was such a huge bargain, that I bought a second set for keeps. Then when I visited my friend's family and found them using dull knives, I bought this set again as a gift to them. As expected, they also love the knives. Come to think of it, these really do make a fabulous gift - handsome and useful, and only cost me a few dollars. BTW, if you spend a few more dollars, you can get the same set that comes with a sharpener (honestly, just an okay one) and a pair of shears. Just search in Amazon for Emeril knife set.","Product: Sharpen your culinary skills with Emerils kitchen cuterly set! This kitchen knife set includes two knives with forged stainless steel blades that are useful for everything from chopping carrots and tomatoes to slicing bread, plus a bonus pair of kitchen shears. The santoku and paring knives feature full tang construction, with forged steel blades for effortless cutting, and ergonomic handles for comfort. Once dulled by frequent use, the knives are born anew with Emeril's countertop sharpener. A suction pad holds the device firmly against counters, as users carefully run blades past its revitalizing tungsten carbide edge.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great knives, but this is no longer the best deal\n\nReview: I am kinda a kitchen knife fanatic, and I have a little over 100 knives, mostly chefs' knives and paring knives because those are the most used and most useful knives. I will just come right out and say I love these Emeril knives. They are forged knives, not stamped, which means they are much stronger and more durable. Can't say I am a huge fan of Emeril himself, but I do love the look, the feel and the cutting performance of these knives. I usually have 4 paring knives and 3 chefs' knives hanging on the magnetic strip next to my cutting station so I can just reach out and grab them. The Emeril paring knife is the one I most often reach for.\n\nThe pair of shears is good, though I have many other better kitchen shears. I do like the large finger holes so it is easy to use, as opposed to those that have one side large hole and the other side narrow hole. The sharpener is pretty basic and crude. It only has one single slot with carbide plates (I think they are carbide... better not be just steel). That's the blowtorch way to sharpen your knives because it will create a new edge each time you sharpen and will wear away your knives. You don't have to go hog wild and use stones and leather and all that, but definitely get a sharpener with 3 stages. Those usually have carbide, diamond steel, and ceramics rods. For occasional sharpening/honing, you only need to use the ceramic plates (actually rods).\n\nAnyway, back to this product. My original rating for this was a solid 5 stars, because you get two excellent knives and a good pair of shears, all for the great price of $9.50. Well, they raised the price last month to $19.99. That's more than doubling the price, and I am compelled to dock one star from the rating. My recommendation is to buy this: <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Emeril-2-Piece-Knife-Set-5-34-Santoku-3-5-34-Paring-Knife-Forged-Steel-Clad-Emerilware-Red/dp/B00FOFI5OY/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Emeril 2 Piece Knife Set 5\" Santoku 3.5\" Paring Knife Forged Steel Clad Emerilware (Red)</a>. You get the same two paring knife and santoku knife from Emeril for only $5.49, in the same red color. That's an absolute steal! Sure you don't get the shears or the sharpener. But like I said the sharpener will do more harm than good. So you skip the shears and save yourself 14 dollars and change, and you can use that money to buy a much better pair of shears.","Product: This Folio Classic synthetic Leather Case offers secure protection for your tablet while adding a range of versatile options. The built-in kickstand provides a hands-free viewing experience. It offers an ideal way to protect your tablet wherever you go.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Not an overstatement: simply awesome\n\nReview: This cover case has a really clever feature that I didn't realize until I put my Tab A into it. It rotates! I know, I know. The product's title clearly says it does, but I wasn't paying attention, or maybe I did but I didn't understand what that meant. This rotation feature allows you to place the tablet in landscape or portrait orientation. Combine that with the three built in notches to anchor the tablet, and you have a lot of choices. Video phone call? Put the tablet in portrait. Watching a show? Rotate it to landscape. Angle too low? Raise it to the next notch, and so on. Crazy convenient!\n\nI also like the magnetic closure a lot. It keeps the whole package neat and tidy. And one more thing I didn't realize until I used it is this: this thing automagically, yes, automagically, turns off the tablet's screen when you close the cover. And when you lift the cover, it again automagically turns on the screen. How cool and how energy-saving is that???\n\nI only wish that this came in other print than the blue and white which some may think of as a little plain, myself included. But other than, this cover case is simply awesome.\n\nDisclaimer: I received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I have no obligation or inclination to give this product a favorable review, so please know that the above review represents my honest opinion of this product. My ratings do run the full range from 1 to 5 stars, although just like most reasonable persons, I don't give out 1 star unless the product completely fails all my expectations.","Product: The Insta-Bed Raised Air Bed with Never Flat technology makes getting into and out of bed easier and just might be the most comfortable air bed you've ever slept on. Able to maintain it's pressure throughout the night, Never Flat elimates sagging and loss of air pressure that is so common in airbeds. Never Flat technology is an auto-engaging, whisper quiet pump that maintains constant air pressure throughout the night for an undisturbed, continuous night's rest that is never flat. Choose your desired comfort level--Plush, Medium, or Firm--and let the powerful Primary Pump inflate the bed. Once inflated, the Secondary Pump continusly monitors and senses when it needs to silently engage in order to maintain the chosen comfort level throughout the night. *The powerful, integrated primary pump enables effortless inflation and deflation of the air bed. *The automatic shut-off feature turns the Primary Pump once the bed is fully inflated or deflated, allowing you to turn on the pump and walk away without worrying about the pump getted burned out. *Clear dial settings for plush, medium, and firm allow for preferred personal mattress comfort levels. *Pressure sensing technology constantly monitors and adjusts to match the chosen mattress comfort level. *Pump silently, as neccessary, engages throughout the night creating a consistently comfortable feel. *21 circular coils on the Twin Bed and 35 circular coils on the Queen Bed create a comfortable sleeping surface while vertical and horizontal reinforcements allow bed to maintain shape. *Flocked top keeps bedding in place. *Carry bag included. Guaranteed to stay inflated all night!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great mattress; almost a five-star... ok. five stars now for durability\n\nReview: First of all I want you all to know that I have bought this bed three separate times in the last 18 months. You can check my purchase history to know that it's true. Obviously, I like this bed a lot, albeit not enough to give it five stars.\n\nThis bed is as advertised. Right out of the box, all you have to do is plug it in and switch it on. The bed does the rest. You can pick your comfort settings by a simple flick of a switch, I think they are Plush (softest), Medium, and Firm - I always pick Firm, but to each their own. Based on your selection, the pump automatically stops when the desired firmness is attained. That takes about 3 minutes, and you have yourself a very comfortable bed. Again as advertised, the bed senses when the bed is ever so slightly deflated, and pumps a little more air back into the bed. No, there is no sudden noisy switching on of the pump in the middle of the night sounding like a vacuum cleaner to wake you. The bed employs a second less powerful but silent pump to inflate the bed without you ever hearing or noticing that the pump motor is on.\n\nThis bed is comfortable enough to sleep on every night. I bought one for my university student son who lives in an apartment close to campus. He sleeps on it every night, and tells me it feels very comfortable. I maintain an out-of-town apartment for six to ninth months at a time for work reason. It makes sense to not invest in something permanent - an expensive mattress, box spring, bed frame, and headboard, etc which together cost a thousand bucks or more, and which at the end of the apartment lease will have to be disposed of (no, the Goodwill or Salvation Army do not accept mattresses because of bedbug concerns). With this mattress I just hit the Deflate button and the bed automatically deflates. I simply put it back into its storage bag (about the size of a common backpack, included), put it in my luggage and fly it home. How simple is that? I liked the mattress so much that I bought a third one for my home.\n\nGlowing review, no doubt. So how come no five stars? That's because there is a notable shortcoming after all. First and foremost, when you get in an out of bed it creaks and groans a little. This is due to the fact that it is made of vinyl and that the bed pops a little when you get off (when you get off the pressure is suddenly lowered so the pump engages, and the bed makes quiet popping noise when it has to suddenly re-inflate). The noise is not loud at all, but might be enough to wake your girlfriend (or whomever you happened to be with; I am not judging). And, respectfully speaking, when you perform the primal deed in bed with your girlfriend/wife/partner, the bed makes enough noise to be a distraction.\n\nTo sum up, if you like having an inexpensive, maintenance free, comfortable and supportive queen size bed, this is the one for you, and you can even use it as your regular everyday bed. But if you get in and out of bed frequently, have a companion in bed, or use the bed for activities other than just snoozing, you will need to consider whether the squeaky noise is something you can handle. I love it, but I am not you.\n\nDecember 21, 2015\nLong long time ago (in a galaxy far far away... sorry I just watched the new Star Wars movie on its first night out!) I mentioned in my original post that I bought three of this same queen size instant bed. I just arrived at my son's place in University of Virginia to take him home for the winter break. I laid down in his instant bed, and realized that it has been two years while this bed was slept on almost every night. And it has quietly - literally - trucked along without any problem. In the mean time, at my girlfriend's apartment our beloved (ahem, formerly beloved) cat had decided that attacking the bed was a fun sport. She dug so many holes in the bed that it was beyond help. Now there is a new normal bed in the apartment. The third bed, which I use for my out-of-town apartment near work, is still in perfect condition. I have decided that this product at such a favorable price point is, after two years, deserving of that last star. So five star it is, two years later.","Product: For work or for play, the Revel Pro has the apps you need, courtesy of Google Play. Whether you are a working professional or aspiring student, a scholarly technophile or traveling adventurer, the Revel Pro puts the best of Google Play at the tips of your fingers. Games, Calendars, Organizers, video editors, maps, signal strength monitors, Social Networking platforms, if the app exists, the Revel Pro can take it. With its 4GB of ROM and 512MB of RAM, there is no app this Revel Pro cannot take.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Handsome phone but very underpowered\n\nReview: I bought this phone for my son in college. His previous phone was a Galaxy S4 but that was a CDMA phone, so when I switched carrier, I gave him the Posh Revel Pro for GSM networks. He called me within 3 days and asked for another phone.\n\nThe phone is adequate for voice calling and texting, and the voice call comes through clear enough. I also really like the look of the phone (yellow) and it comes with the clear gel protection case which shows off the color very nicely. What's more, it supports duo SIM so it can potentially be your international travel companion.\n\nBut there are significant problems with the phone. First, the phone is under powered for internet use. Webpages load very slowly. Now, a do acknowledge that it is an unfair comparison because I am using a Galaxy S6 Edge next to his Posh to compare loading speed, but even by everyday standard the Posh still loads too slowly. It also often drops wifi signals. A problem perhaps related to that is when he goes on the internet, sometimes the browser just quits and goes back to the phone's home window. Finally, the phone's antennas are also underpowered. We would be driving around and he would say, dang, I lost my signal. I look at my phone and I have 3 or 4 bars. Again, perhaps unfair to compare it to my Galaxy S6 Edge which draws signal from 4G LTE whereas this phone draws from a slower bandwidth. Still, it does not pass the reasonableness test for usability.\n\nI ended up buying him a Galaxy Grand Prime. You get what you pay for.","Product: Bluetooth Selfie Stick, Monipod, Cell Phone Stand\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: This works fine, but I like the wired stick better\n\nReview: Too often in life, simplicity is actually the way to go.\n\nI wasn't sure if the wired type selfie stick or the bluetooth type was better. We have 4 smart phones in the family, so I got both to see which type works better. While both sticks worked fine, the wired type is the winner. Here is why:\n\n1) Initial set up:\nThe bluetooth stick requires the initial set up of making your phone discover your selfie stick and pair with it. The wired type does not require any set up. You just plug the tip into the phone's audio port and you are in business. The bluetooth stick also requires it to be fully charged the first time out.\n2) Subsequent use:\nThe good news for the bluetooth type is that after the initial set up your phone should automatically find and pair with the selfie stick automatically. But you still need to make sure your phone's bluetooth is turned on and your selfie stick is turned on. I find myself checking each time whether the phone will take a picture of not, so I end up always taking a test shot to be sure. The thing is, sometimes the moment may be lost. Also, even though the bluetooth selfie stick's battery stays charged for a long time, there is no way to know how full the charge is, so to avoid running out of charge and rendering the selfie stick useless, I charge the stick at least 15 minutes before I take it out with me. Meanwhile, with the wired selfie stick there is really nothing to worry about. Whenever and wherever you are, you just plug it in and you are all set to go.\n3) Use with multiple phones\nIf you always use the stick with the same phone, there is no issue. However, if there are multiple phones - say, yours, your girlfriend's, and children's, etc. - each phone must be separately paired with the stick initially, and each time you switch phone on the spot, you must make sure the current phone unpair with the stick (or switch off the bluetooth on the phone) before you pair the next phone with the stick. Not everyone is that tech savvy, and it is an extra hassle. Besides, like I said before, the moment may be lost.\n\nSo you see, for me the wired selfie stick is the way to go. That said, I have used this Kiwii stick and have had no problem with it. But I think the no-fuzz no-worry way of the wired type stick wins me over. One more option I want to mention is that you can also get a selfie stick that has a bluetooth button separate from the stick. That way, the stick is just a holder and you hold the blue tooth button in your hand like a remote. The beauty of that is you can rest the stick with the phone somewhere nearby but not with you, and remotely trigger the phone to take a picture of yourself or other people. I have bought one but have not tried it out yet.\n\nI hope this review is helpful to your purchase decision (please give me a yes vote if you agree!) I received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I have no obligation or inclination to give this product a favorable review, so please know that the above review represents my honest opinion of this product. My ratings do run the full range from 1 to 5 stars, although just like most reasonable persons, I don't give out 1 star unless the product completely fails all my expectations.","Product: 1:Nib:0.5mm stainless steel nib leak smoothly & evenly for nice writing, compact construction 2:100% Brand New High quality 3:Detachable Rotate Ink absorber 4:Design: Nature Pattern+ Simple + Silver Trim+ABS resin Material 5:packageBulk packaging\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: These have none of the typical issues with cheap fountain pens\n\nReview: I grew up under the British system - my secondary school was pretty much like Hogwarts, with competing houses, annoying prefects, and Pelican or Parker blue ink bottles (but none of those interesting subjects like Defense Against the Dark Arts). No, we didn't have to use feather nib pens, but regular fountain pens, but I cannot recount how many times I opened my school bag to find a leaked ink bottle. Disasters.\n\nAnyway, about these Jinhao 599 fountain pens. This 8-pack is a fantastic value at a little over a dollar a pen. Not cheap enough for you? Amazon also sells an 11-pack of this model at $10.99. Thats a buck per pen. Unbelievable.\n\nOk they are super cheap. But are they any good? Here are some of the typical issues with cheap fountain pens (and with some expensive ones too):\n- it writes rough and scratchy (you can hear the tip scratching on the paper);\n- it skips (the ink stops flowing for a split second in the middle of writing);\n- it burps sometimes (it suddenly drops a blot of ink onto the paper when you are writing);\n- it has problem starting (when you first take out the pen to write, the ink does not flow immediately);\n- it only writes well when held at a certain angle (lefties beware);\n- it writes well only in some directions (up and down is usually good, side strokes are typically ok, but diagonal can be challenging)\n\nWell, in my experience, these cheapy Jinhaos have none of the above problems. It takes up ink from the bottle easily; it writes immediately every time (I.e. no starting issue); it writes smoothly; none of the pens have ever skipped or burped during writing; it writes well in all directions. I can go into the more esoteric aspects like nib size, feed mechanism, how wet they write, etc, but that would be missing the point. The fact is, these are designed to be no frill writing instruments for everyday writing. Who cares whether the nip can be changed out or not? Or how much flex the nib gives? Or how well the cap posts? Just use these fountain pens like you would with a ballpoint pen. They write - no, they glide - much smoother than ballpoint pens and even rollerball pens.\n\nHere is the obligatory mention that these Jinhao 599 are blatant knockoffs of the very popular Lamy Safari fountain pens, which sell for about $25 each. As far as I can tell, the only visual difference is the clip. The real Lamys clip looks like an oversized paperclip, whereas the Jinhao has a beefier clip. I don't think one is better than the other, and neither is the actual writing experience.\n\nI saw a couple of recent negative reviews here before I wrote this review. Some said hey these pens did not come with ink. Nope, fountain pens do not come with ink, period. Once in a while, you can find pens that come with a bonus of a few ink cartridges, but the pens never come preloaded with ink. And speaking of ink cartridges, another review said these Jinhao 599 cannot take ink cartridges because the ink converter is affixed permanently. I checked mine and can say that the converter does come out (see picture) and you can certainly put in an international standard ink cartridge. Personally, I like drawing the ink from a bottle, perhaps because thats what I grew up with.\n\nLastly, I want to mention that Jinhao makes a number of models and they are all el cheapo - in the good sense of the phase. If you like a more deluxe style made of polished metal or ceramic body, they can be had for just 2 dollars and up in that other site that offers auctions and BUY NOW wink wink. I bought a bunch of those like cheap toys for grownups, and they all write equally well.","Product: These monster clips demand attention! Mega clips add a special emphasis to your documents. Mega Clips are four inch paper clips. They are ideal for adding a touch of class to any report they are attached to. These extra large clips have extra holding capability of up to 50 sheets, and the silver tone adds a classic touch. Mega Clips can also be used as a money clip, or to keep bills and letters together. Each package contains (5) packages of 5 Mega Clips (25 total).\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Use them as chip clip. Lots of other uses for them around the house\n\nReview: Once in a while you find something that is simple, straightforward, and absolutely functional. There is no magic to it, or any fancy feature. These are literally your normal paperclips blown up to mega size. And suddenly you find a multitude of uses for them all around the house. These clips are strong and durable. Basically you can use them for anything that you do with those office butterfly clips, except that the \"paperclips\", ironically, cannot hold large number of sheets of papers like the butterfly clips can. But what I like about them is that they are flat in profile. You can stack piles of paper together, each held by a paperclip. You can't do that with the butterfly clips unless you stagger the piles back and forth, and the legs of the butterfly clips always stick out.\n\nMy other favorite use of these clips is to seal off opened bags of chips and other snacks. Normally I use Chip Clips, which are large plastic clips that cost much more than they should. These mega paperclips work just as well, and cost less. I am sure as the days go by I will find more uses for them around the house. Very handy and well worth the money.\n\nI hope this review is helpful to your purchase decision (please give me a yes vote if you agree!) I received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I have no obligation or inclination to give this product a favorable review, so please know that the above review represents my honest opinion of this product. My ratings do run the full range from 1 to 5 stars, although just like most reasonable persons, I don't give out 1 star unless the product completely fails all my expectations.","Product: EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE MOTH TRAPS The pheromones in the Moth Trap by Killer Green Traps will control and attract Indian Meal Moth, Almond, Raisin, Tobacco, and Mediterranean Flour Moths and Cigarette Beetles. Each package contains 6 traps. Take traps out of the plastic sleeve, fold trap into a triangular trap. Since pheromones are pre-loaded in the glue, it is ready to use! These pantry moth traps are easy to use, non-toxic, and extremely effective. The moth pheromones attracts the male moths and disrupt the mating process. EASY TO USE These are the most effective moth traps we've found. To use, take one pantry moth trap out of the plastic sleeve, fold it into a triangular trap and place in infested area. That's it, they are pre-baited! The pantry moth traps can be hung or can be placed on a shelf. Change out as needed, or up to every two months. Each package contains six (6) traps\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Very effective but be mindful that this is only for pantry moths\n\nReview: First thing first: the product package says just moth trap, but if you look at the instructions, it is intended for Indian Meal Moths, Mediterranean Flour Moths, Almond Moths and Tobacco Moths, basically all those pantry moths. So if you are looking for a product to treat moths whose larvae are eating up your wool clothing, keep looking.\n\nHow do you tell the difference? If the moths that infest your house are small and stripped, they are probably pantry moths. They are harder to get rid of than closet moths. Since closets are enclosed, it is very easy to treat the closet. But your kitchen is an open and high traffic area. Unless you are extra careful and put all the vulnerable items in the pantry AND treat your pantry, once you get those little critters they come back again and again.\n\nThese moth traps are like little camping tents for moths. They get attracted by the pheromone, get stuck on the glue and there they stay. Simple and effective. Note that the package says the tents are good for 3 months, that is why I really appreciate that the tents are each individually wrapped. I only use two at a time so one box lasts me a total of 9 months. Plus, there seems to be a cycle to the moths, because they tend to appear for a few weeks and then they are gone (right, that's because the eggs and larvae are out of sight). You can only trap them when the adults are flying around. So at first sight of a flying one I put out the traps. When they all disppear, I wait until the next time I see a flying one. Hopefully this will stop the cycles.\n\nI took off one star because the package title does not specify PANTRY moths. It is good that I was actually looking for pantry moth traps, but others may not be.\n\nI received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I have no obligation or inclination to give this product a favorable review, so please know that the above review represents my honest opinion of this product. My ratings do run the full range from 1 to 5 stars, and I strive to make my review detailed, fair and informative.","Product: Our Integrated Water Fountain Food Bow Scoop keeps your pet healthy and happy. The 3L water container comes with a noise free pump that gives your pet fresh continuous water supply. The L.E.D light guides your pet to the feeder in the dark and the food bowl adds extra crunch to your pets daily meal time. Works with both dogs and cats and make them friends forever.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Even better as a water fountain and a planter\n\nReview: Update:\n\nIt has been more than half a year and the fountain is still working well and whisper quiet. In terms of maintenance, each time she changes the filter, girlfriend always gives the inner chamber a light scrub and rinse. The water is not slimy or anything but she is just OCD about it. Other than that, it really is trouble free. I have an additional tip to offer: Girlfriend said to me one morning the fountain broke because it was making a constant rattling noise. She was going to throw it away! I checked it and noticed that the water level was slightly low. After filling it with a small cup of water, no more rattles. So if your fountain starts making noise, the water level is the first thing you should check. But this brings up a potential issue. If you have many cats or dogs, they might deplete the water so fast that you will get the rattle often. On the other hand, you can think of it as an inadvertent feature of this fountain, as in, it reminds you like an alarm clock to refill with more water as soon as it is needed haha!\n\nOriginal review:\n\nWhen it comes to the welfare of our pets, most of us go the distance to take care of them. Our cat Moo (well, she is black and white) thinks she is a dog (I am so tired of playing fetch with her). This means while she is very loving and very social, she is also high maintenance. She turns her nose up at a dish of water if it has been sitting there for a couple of hours. A single minute after I step out of the shower, I know exactly where I can find Moo - in the shower waiting for the drip from the faucet. Last month, with her second UTI in a year, the vet told us that she (our cat, that is, not the vet... waka waka!) was having urination problem because she was not drinking enough water. So rather than changing the water dish even more often than 3 times a day, we decided that it was time to get a fountain, and I think we have picked a good one.\n\nThe large capacity of the fountain not only saves us more refilling time. We are occasionally away for a few days at a time, and there were times when we couldn't line up a neighbor to cat sit. We would end up putting out multiple large bowls of water and keeping a basin in the bath tub filled as well, and still worrying whether she was drinking her water. With the 3 liter capacity of this fountain, it is no longer a problem.\n\nI particularly like the fact that this fountain has a filter. When I first started looking for a fountain I assumed that all models used filters. Not so for the cheap ones. This model uses a standard filter that you can buy from pet store, and Amazon of course. It looks like one of those fish tank filters that I used to stick in the circulation pump when the young me was keeping and killing goldfish. Here is the link to buy the replacement filters: <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Jumbl-Pet-Water-Fountain-Charcoal-Replacement-Filter-White-Pack-of-2/dp/B00SLYD9VO/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Jumbl Pet Water Fountain Charcoal Replacement Filter, White, Pack of 2</a>, I am getting conflicting information from the fountain versus the filter regarding how soon to replace the filter. With a single cat, I am comfortable with sticking to once every 6 weeks. If you have a big slobbering dog, you might need a new filter every two weeks. If you have a Cujo, don't worry about the filter and just run for the hills! :-)\n\nOne thing that bothers me though, is why did the manufacturer decide to put a food bowl on top of the fountain. Sooner or later when your pet feeds she will cause a piece of food or two to drop into the water, and then she will turn her nose up at the water from that point on. And I suspect that the moisture from the water will also turn the dry food soggy. To me, the food bowl is kinda a superfluous thing. So, listen to my bright idea (cue light bulb icon): I am going to turn it into a planting area and seed it with kitty grass. The moisture will keep the grass nice and lush, and Moo can drink her fresh water and eat her salad too haha!\n\nBe prepared to face some resistance from your pet, well at least for cats. At first Moo was apprehensive of this hunk of machine that took over her kitty dinning room. Then, she was curious and approached carefully (see picture). After a while, the temptation was just too great and she drank from the fountain of Bacchus with gusto! A little more food later, she turned right back to the fountain to quench her thirst. Success! That happy cat (picture) is now lounging on the bed, waiting for her human slaves to come pamper her.\n\nI hope this review is helpful to your purchase decision. I received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I am under no obligation to give this product a favorable review, so please know that the above review represents my honest opinion of this product.","Product: (Pack of 4) Halogen 300-Watt Double Ended J Type 118 mm (4.64 Inches) 120 Volt R7S Base Q300T3/118mm\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Why buy this many? Well, because...\n\nReview: Update:\nTruth be told when I wrote the original review I had put the bulbs in for only a day. While I was very happy with them, in the back of my mind I wondered how long they would keep working, with them being made in China and with them being so affordable (i.e. cheap). And most of all, there is no information on their rated usable life.\n\nWell, it has been a couple of months now and the bulbs are still shining bright. One lamp - the one in the living room, gets used all the time, like 8 hours a day. That figured out to be over 500 hours in use thus far. Not that long yet, but at least I know they don't just burn out after a few weeks like the ones I previously bought from the hardware store. So now I can say these bulbs are are at least reasonably durable. What great product at bargain price!\n\nMy original review:\nThis is a super bargain. We have two halagen floor lamps that get used all the time. They are super bright and have dimmer switch so between ambiance and illumination we tend to switch between a lot. The thing is, I am pretty sure that shortens the useful life of the halogen bulbs (well they are not really \"bulbs\" and more like \"sticks\", but you know what I mean). For years now I have been going to Home Depot and pay seven to eight dollars for a two pack. This time I finally wised up and bought this 10 pack. I know, I know, this is no doubt from China, but so are the ones I bought from Home Depot. With this 10 pack the cost comes down drastically to a dollar each stick... bulb. On top of that, there is no sales tax. Bargain!\n\nInstallation was uneventful. They fit all the standard dimensions and fit perfectly, and they do work with the dimmer switch. I highly recommend this as a best buy, especially if you have multiple lamps like I do.","Product: Will Roya's Deluxe Balloon Twisting Kit with DVD, Inflator and Balloons. This kit contains everything you need to become a balloon entertainer! Learn over 40 figures the easy way - watch and learn while Will shows you how it is done. Will also reveals his favorite bits of business when entertaining with balloons and reveals some of his marketing secrets for the aspiring professional in a candid interview with S.Frank Stringham. Whether you are a complete beginner or just looking to increase your repertoire, this is the DVD for you.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The best part of this kit is the DVD\n\nReview: Oh this balloon kit is a ton of fun!\n\nThis whole thing of twisting balloons look easy when you see the street pros do it, but each time I tried doing it myself, well failure. That's why it is great that this package has the full length video to show you how to twist each object on the long list. Suddenly the poodle becomes easy, but some others still require a bit of practice. Many a times, the proportion of one section versus another section do need to be done right or else you can't tie it all up together.\n\nAnd that is why the 40 balloons included in the set is not quite enough. The good news is, you can buy a large pack of balloons for very little money. A 100 pack costs about a dime for each balloon. There is a 200 pack on Amazon that amounts to a little over a nickle for each balloon. I went on Ebay and bought a 200 pack for only a few dollars, so that's crazy cheap at a couple of pennies each balloon. But you know what it's like. The product ships from China so it takes several weeks to arrive, and you have no assurance whether the product is any good. So I am taking a little chance here. I will update this review to let people know how that turns out. And speaking of this, you can easily do a birthday party for your kid at home. Invite a few of his/her friends and classmates. Make sure you buy a few extra pumps and a few large bags of balloons. Play the DVD and let them kids go to town! Very cheap, and everyone will have a blast!\n\nBut back to this kit. I do love it because it comes with everything you need - the balloons, the easy to operate hand pump, and most of all the excellent instruction video. The balloons and even the pump are cheap to buy, but the instruction DVD is well worth the price. You can save some money by hunting for instruction videos on YouTube, but this is much more convenient. I do happily give this starter kit 5 stars.\n\nDisclaimer: I received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I have no obligation or inclination to give this product a favorable review, so please know that the above review represents my honest opinion of this product. My ratings do run the full range from 1 to 5 stars, and I strive to make my review detailed, fair and informative."],"string":"[\n \"Product: built-in microphone and work seamlessly with your Smartphones, tablets, Bluetooth-enabled music players and any device with Bluetooth connection, An innovative one-to-two technology allowing the headphones to connect two devices at the same time\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Don't be turned off by this lamp's weird appearance. Try it!\\n\\nReview: To be honest, I wasn't sure if I would like this little lamp. But my normal battery operated book light was too wimpy so I took a chance on this. Turns out I actually like it a lot.\\n\\nWhy did I think I might not like this lamp? It looked weird! When did you ever come across a book light with two protruding appendages like the antenna on an alien? Well, actually the two flex arms design is functionally perfect. They illuminates both pages of your open book so you don't find yourself constantly adjusting where you shine your light. The lamp heads each have their own on-off control and you have a choice of low or high beam like your car haha! Together with the flex arms this lamp gives you plenty of flexibility in adjusting the position and the intensity to your liking.\\n\\nThis book light really is heads and shoulders above my old book light. I dislike my old book light for several reasons. First, it is usually not bright enough for my purpose. Then, the intensity of the light decreases as I use up the battery, so I am never sure how much light I will get. Finally, it gobbles up my AAA batteries like there is no tomorrow. And because I use it during travel, I have to bring extra batteries with me on each trip. This light is better on all counts. First, the lamps are very bright when you switch them both on high. The intensity of the light is constantly at each level, and you have a combination (i.e. between the two switches) of 4 levels of brightness to give you more control. And, because it is rechargeable by either USB or conventional outlet (the charger and cables are all included) you don't really have to worry about running out of juice. Besides, why worry about juice when a single charge lasts that long? I used it on high for almost 4 hours and it just kept shining bright.\\n\\nI fly a lot, so this little lamp comes in handy and is small enough to tuck away in my carry on without using up my precious space. The only thing I wish it had is a sturdy pouch to carry the lamp and the charger and cables in. I make do with a ziploc bag. Problem solved!\\n\\nI hope this review is helpful to your purchase decision. I received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review.\",\n \"Product: 2\\\" x 27' Gorilla Clear Repair. The ideal solution for almost any repair! Fix, patch, seal, hold and protect almost any surface with a crystal clear appearance. Water, UV and temperature resistant. Won't yellow outdoors. Notched edge design makes tape easy to tear by hand. Sticks to smooth, rough and uneven surfaces.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: If I could give it six stars, I would\\n\\nReview: I spent some good money and bought (from Amazon, where else?) a super duper auto-inflation air mattress that never require manual re-inflation. You just set the mattress at your desired level of firmness, and the pump sensor knows when to put a little air back into it. It is comfortable enough to be a full time mattress, and we sleep on it every night. Half a year later, the cat decided to attach the bed and dug a hole in it. With the leak, the pump no longer auto-reinflate. We used the patch kit that came with the bed. That lasted a day. We bought a \\\"professional\\\" patch kit for like twelve bucks. Same thing. Out of options, we put electrical duct tape on the hole as a stop gap (literally) and had to manually re-inflate the bed two times a night. So, we were ready to throw the bed away (along with the cat) and go buy a new bed. As a last resort, I checked around and found Gorilla Clear Repair as a possible solution. I thought, it probably will not work, but what the heck, it's only a few dollars and the bed cost something like $160.\\n\\nGot the tape from Amazon in two days. We put just a tiny square of the tape on the hole and, viola! No more leak. I even jumped around on the bed to test it. No leak. That was four months ago, and it is still holding up. This stuff is crazy good! Now I find myself walking around the house looking for things I could use this magical tape on. I bet it could even plug water leaks. I am getting myself another roll of this!\",\n \"Product: GRDE Bluetooth FM Transmitter | Play Music | Hands-Free Calling Perfect 1.4 LCD Display ScreenLarge LCD Screen of car bluetooth adapter shows the incoming phone number, current song's name and the voltage of the storage battery clearly. Memory FunctionFast Bluetooth pairing. Once paired, the FM transmitter Bluetooth will automatically connect with the last paired smart device when turned on next time. Clear Sound and one key easy controlAdopted advanced interference and noise cancellation technology - CVC technology creates full duplex sound and suppresses noise and wind. Take hands-free calls for pleasurable driving experience! Specifications: Bluetooth Version: V3.0 + EDR Effective Bluetooth Range: 0.5-2 metersFrequency range: 87.5MHz - 108.0MHZ Working Voltage: 12V~24V Compatible Phone Models: Bluetooth enabled devices such as iPhone 8,iPhone 8 plus, iPhone X, Samsung\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Very pretty, but would be nice if the lamps were taller and brighter\\n\\nReview: Update: it has been less than a month and all 3 lights have given out. I really did not expect the quality to be so shoddy. The previous rating of 4 stars is now one star. I hate to be dramatic but, yeah, this was a waste of money.\\n\\nupdate 2: I was wrong about the lights given out. There was no instructions to tell you each light has a hidden on off switch. Unbeknownst to me my son had turned off the lights while we were away. I found the switches and turned them all back on. Changing the rating back to 4 stars.\\n\\nThese are very pretty mosaic lights. They are a bit smaller/shorter than I expected though. The product - all 3 of them - came in a small box about the size of two paperback novels together side by side. Assembly was pretty easy. Once you figure out the spikes are flipped over and hidden in the tubes, you just take them out and stick the tube in, and stick the lamp in the other end. That's it. At first I thought one of the lamps was broken or shattered, because the lamps themselves still had some small bits and powder residues on them. Upon closer examination, the lamps were intact and it seemed the workers who made the lamps just didn't do a perfect job cleaning the units. Not a big deal, but it does raise some concerns about quality.\\n\\nBecause they are on the small side, during the day the lamps are not very noticeable in the garden. But at night when they light up, look out! They are nice looking from a distance, like from the driveway, although the mosaic details are hardly visible faraway. Closer up though, they look pretty damn good. I would like to see them make these units bigger/taller and the lamp elements brighter.\\n\\nI hope this review is helpful to your purchase decision (please give me a yes vote if you agree!) I received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I have no obligation or inclination to give this product a favorable review, so please know that the above review represents my honest opinion of this product. My ratings do run the full range from 1 to 5 stars, although just like most reasonable persons, I don't give out 1 star unless the product completely fails all my expectations.\",\n \"Product: Silver Phantom Jewelry's Caffeine Molecule Necklace is available in 18k Gold, Rose Gold, and Rhodium Plating 925 Sterling Silver. All coffee lovers are sure to like a latte! Always stay caffeinated with this witty and stylish piece of molecule jewelry. If coffee or tea is essential to start your day, this cleverly crafted pendant necklace will be sure to keep you energized! Our caffeine necklace is a perfect gift for all the coffee and tea lovers in your life. This geek-chic necklace is made of authentic Sterling Silver and will be treasured for years to come.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice conversation piece. Be aware of the thin chain though.\\n\\nReview: My girlfriend told me, \\\"I'll try anything that has to do with coffee.\\\" (In reply, I joked about the idea of rubbing coffee all over myself haha!) So for her early 25th birthday present, I bought her this caffeine molecule necklace. And its perfect!\\n\\nWhat a smart idea! I never imagined how coffee could be incorporated into jewelry design. This is a conversation piece. She wears it around the office and got comments on it. More like questions, like, what is that? A turtle? She got laughs all around. And yes the pendant is small enough to be non-obtrusive so it can be worn around the office or with other casual clothing. The chain struck me as rather thin. Chains like this are very popular with ladies because it is more effeminate. The nice thing about this particular chain is that the caffeine pendant is quite small, so the thin chain matches it well and does not overshadow it. The not so good thing about thin chains though, is that they are very prone to being tangled and it is crazy difficult to untangle. The other thing is that the spring clasp is pretty small and it is difficult to put it on or take it off. That's not the fault of this seller, but the nature of this kind of chain. But I want to make sure people are aware of it.\\n\\nI found out that Silver Phantom Jewelry (the seller) is not the only company selling this caffeine molecule necklace. However, the ones that are cheaper than this one are not sterling silver, and the other sterling silver ones are more expensive than this one. So this is in the sweet spot - precious metal at the lowest price! I strongly prefer the rhodium plating that this item has, because sterling silver seems to always tarnish after the girlfriend has worn it for a short time.\\n\\nLastly, I want to point out that even though this pendant likes sort of spiky, the ends are all rounded off and are not stabby, nor does it cause any discomfort. If there is one thing I wish they would improve on, it would be to find a way to place a gemstone in the hexagon in the center, which would dramatically improve the visual appeal of the pendant. (Silver Phantom Jewelry, are you listening?)\\n\\nI am not an easy customer to please. Just last week I gave out a 1-star to a product that I received a discount on, and 2 stars to two other products. I also received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I have no obligation or inclination to give this product a favorable review, so please know that the above review represents my honest opinion of this product. My ratings do run the full range from 1 to 5 stars, and I strive to make my review detailed, fair and informative.\",\n \"Product: Furinno Go Green Series is designed to fit in your space, your style and fit on your budget. It is easily assembled and fit in to any of your home decor. The medium density composite wood is manufactured in Malaysia and compliant with CARB regulations. There is no foul smell, durable and the material is the most stable amongst the medium density composite woods. The PVC tubes are made from recycled plastic and is tested for its durability. The non-woven bin simply add in a sweet accent to the whole unit. A simple attitude towards lifestyle is reflected directly on the design of Furinno Furniture, creating a trend of simply nature. Care instructions: wipe clean with clean damped cloth. Avoid using harsh chemicals. Pictures are for illustration purpose. All decor items are not included in this offer.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Not for desktop, and poorly designed for laptop\\n\\nReview: It is not a bad desk per se. It's just that it is too small and designed without the right purpose in mind. I feel bad that I am giving it a bottom score when I was the one who didn't notice before I order the product that it was meant for laptops, not desktops. But collectively we have five laptops in the family and no one thought the desk was a good fit for laptops either. Who would put a laptop on a desk rather than the top-of-his-lap? Not unless the desk offers convenient features like a shelf for docking station, charging strip, larger monitor, and so on. This desk has none of those. So for whatever reason you put the laptop on top of the desk, and to compute (i.e. surf, write, view, etc) you do need to use a keyboard and a mouse. Where is the shelf for the mouse/mouse-pad? The top side-shelf (the shelf that the picture frame occupies in the photo) is too high for operating a mouse. Similarly if you want to use the laptop's keyboard (because there is no shelf for a full-size plug-in keyboard), the placement of the laptop is fine for looking at the screen but too high for typing.\\n\\nThis desk is overpriced, considering it is made of particle boards from China. There are many other choices at comparable prices that suit my needs much better. The desk is now in the kitchen corner, being used as a storage cabinet for lightweight food items. Canned goods and other heavy packages may warp the particle boards.\",\n \"Product: Need a little help around the kitchen? Reach for a .... Trivet? What the heck is a Trivet? Well, over the past century it's definition has stretched, literally. Back in the days of dinner at Granny's house, a trivet was a small 3 legged mini tablish sort of thingy that Granny used to place on the table to set hot dishes on. Fast forward to the age of silicone and you'll find the cute little multi purpose silicone pad that has 101 uses! Here's A Few - Protects surfaces from heat and moisture Use It As - Pot holder - Hot pad - Hot handle grabber - Coaster - Placemat - Plate scraper - Utensil rest - Cutting board mat - Jar opener - Plant pad - Laptop pad - etc etc etc Eco friendly 100% food grade silicone , safe, durable, and easy to clean.Everybody needs a Trivet! Press \\\"Add to Cart\\\" to order.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Perfect for busy/lazy people\\n\\nReview: These pads have turned out to be as useful and versatile as advertised. My favorite applications for the pads: at the end of a meal when I have leftovers, I just throw a pad on top of the bowl or plate and put it right into the fridge. Goodbye plastic wrap. And when I reheat the leftover, the whole ensemble of pad and bowl goes right into the microwave. No splash guard or cover needed. When it is done, I simply take the pad from the top of the very hot bowl and put it under the bowl. Viola! Trivet for hot food! Very convenient.\\n\\nThe pads are honeycombed so it provides good suction on flat surfaces against skidding or shifting. The flip side though, is that it doesn't dry easily after you rinse it out. But that's minor. A solid 5 stars.\",\n \"Product: For professionals and consumers who are seeking a quality Universal Oyster Knife, the Shucker Paddy Oyster knife provides an all-in-one universal solution to functionality, safety and ease of use in \\\"oyster shucking\\\" due to the unique ergo-dynamic Dual Axis Pistol Grip design with Finger Guard. Designed by world-renowned shucker, Patrick McMurray - the Guinness Record Holder of 38 oysters opened in a minute - this shucker is functional, easy to use and safe. The handle is ergo-dynamic and made of sturdy polycarbonate. The blade is a strong and elegant brushed stainless steel. Shuck your oysters quickly and in style with the Shucker Paddy from Swissmar.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great for cracking the joint, but so so on cutting adductor\\n\\nReview: I have never had an easier time opening oysters. It is wonderful. But I have to deduct one star because it does not cut the adductor muscle too well. With other normal oyster knives, the hard part is cracking the shell. Once the joint is cracked, it is pretty routine to scrap the knife point under the adductor to separate the flesh from the shell. With this Swissmar knife, it is reversed. Cracking the shell is an absolute cinch. But after that, I would need to swipe the knife tip several times under the adductor to set the flesh free. Perhaps I just need more practice because this is not a conventional form factor. I have used this knife to shuck about 150 oysters so far.\",\n \"Product: The universal edge guard set by ergo chef includes 2 wide-blade and 3 narrow-blade guards to make a set of 5. The guards protect the edges of your knives - and your fingers, too! store and transport knives safely without damaging or dulling their blade edge. The bright colors help identify knives easily in a drawer or in a knife roll. The guards work on all stamped, forged, and ceramic knives. To clean, wipe with a clean, damp cloth. Set includes 5 different sizes and colors: 1 by 4.2-inch Pink (paring knife), 1 by 7.5-inch Red (Utility knife or santoku) , 1 by 8-inch orange (Carving or bread knife), 1.5 by 8-inch blue (chef knife), and 1.5 by 6-inch green (chef or santoku). By Ergo Chef.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: What I like: - With 5 knife guards\\n\\nReview: What I like:\\n- With 5 knife guards, this package is a hands-down bargain. Other knife guards I bought before were $5 each on average, albeit constructed with better material;\\n- The color differentiation lets me pick out the knife I want from the drawer without taking each one out to check. You don't know it at first, but soon you will instinctively reach for the blue one when you want to use your favorite 8\\\" chef's knife. And you won't think twice when you grab the pink one knowing that it is covering your best paring knife.\\n\\nWhat I don't like:\\n-For myself at least, I would like to see two 8\\\" guards in the package. Every serious chef/cook has multiple knives that are 8 inches.\\n-The rectangular format of the guards is understandable. It fits all knife configurations. In the case of classic German chef's knifes, the guards fit perfectly. But if you have one or two of the newer format knives, you will notice that the bolster area is usually not a perpendicular line. This means the rectangular knife guard may not be able to cover the small portion of the sharp edge where it runs near the bolster. In such configuration, the knife guards still protect the chef from slicing his/her finger on the shape knife, but it is still psychologically menacing to see a little bit of exposed shape edge.\\n\\nTips: if you have big pieces, say, a broad-blade meat cleaver, the guards are too shallow to cover the entire hardware. However, they still cover the sharp edge. So don't write the guards off until you have tried them in action. They do work fine for me!\",\n \"Product: This sunscreen flask is designed to look like a real sunscreen bottle. The flask even has ingredient plus safety label on the back. Use this secret sunscreen flask to get past through any security. This is a must have item for summer season. Perfect for all types of outdoor activities. Bring this sunscreen flask to cruises, beaches, lakes, baseball game, football game, outdoor concerts, or fishing trips. Stop paying for over priced drinks. Use this sunscreen flask. Bring it to a party to fool all your friends. Watch their faces as you drink sunscreen lotion. We do not condone any illegal uses with our product, but we understand you hate paying for over priced drinks. Getting past through security with alcohol has never been easier with this sunscreen flask.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Really funny and useful idea, but has one big flaw\\n\\nReview: I imagine these could easily be items sold in Spencer's Gift. Somebody had this clever idea and it cost very little money to create. Just locate a manufacturer who make the actual sunscreen. Give them the print art for the front and have them make these from stock generic lotion tubes. I mean, these really are the normal lotion tubes. But if you are not looking carefully, your mind would make you \\\"see\\\" the label as L'oreal, when in fact it says F'oreal, or For Real. Haha! That's clever.\\n\\nEach tube holds 8 oz, so if you pack both tubes, you have half a liter of booze and that should last a while (for most people). While you could drink directly from the tube, you will look pretty ludicrous putting your mouth to a tube of sunscreen and squeezing hard. Someone might call the poison center, you know? Anyway, the opening is too big to squirt out the liquor, and it will just drip all over you... yes, I tried it... only in the name of science. The proper way seems to be to pour the liquid gold into a drinking vessel and drink from that.\\n\\nI think this is a funny yet practical idea. But I still have to give it just 3 stars. I am pretty sure the plastic tubes are not BPA-free, and storing alcohol in them will leach out the BPA and potentially other chemicals. I suppose if you do this only once in a while and if the alcohol is stored in the tubes only for short duration, it might make you feel better. For myself, unfortunately, this is one and done.\\n\\nI received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I have no obligation or inclination to give this product a favorable review, and the above review represents my honest opinion of this product. My ratings do run the full range from 1 to 5 stars, although just like most reasonable persons, I don't give out 1 star unless the product completely fails all my expectations. I strive to provide a detailed and informative review, and[...]\",\n \"Product: Selenite: Selenite - Palm Stone - Worry Stone. These Selenite Palm Stone - Worry Stones are 3 inches long. Selenite has a very noticeable calming effect. I noticed it the first time I picked one up. I felt the energy pulse in my hand and I felt a calm fall over me that changed my prospective in life. That experience sent me on my path that eventually lead to the Chrysalis Stone. Selenite is an excellent crystal for meditation. Selenite is used for opening the Crown Chakra and Calming the mind. It works best when placed on the crown Chakra, but has an overall effect even when placed in your hands at your side. Selenite should not be placed in water to cleans. This crystal becomes brittle and will dissolve in water. Use Sea Salt to cleans, and sunlight to charge Selenite. White Selenite has a distinctive grain and makes beautiful displays and can be carved or shaped into very unique pieces,\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Don't confuse selenite with moonstone\\n\\nReview: My girlfriend bought one of these selenite palm stones in a mystic store and she loves it. I have two sons who likes to collect rocks as a novelty. So I looked in Amazon and found this for half the price my girlfriend paid in the store, and bought two stones for my sons as Christmas stocking stuffer. They love their stones too. It is not easy to tell from the photo but this stone is fairly large, and feels quite substantial in your hand. It has a milky shimmer akin to moonstone, which is ironic because the word selenite comes from the Greek word for \\\"moon\\\" (the Greek goddess of the moon is Selene). Mind you, the two are completely different kinds of stones.\\n\\nIn mystic speak, selenite is supposed to strength your life force energy (ooh, does it have lots of midichlorians???) and help you connect with the spirit. I don't know much about that kind of things, but the stone is pretty for sure. And for only a few dollars you get a very hefty stone. A bargain!\",\n \"Product: Designed by the chef himself out of high quality products for the home cook, these versatile knives can go from oven to table and are suitable for any occasion. This amazing 2-Piece Knife Set by Emeril will simply transform slicing veggies for stir fries, dicing meat for stews or slicing fruits for a healthy salad from being a long dreadful chore into a quick effortless task! The set comprises of a 3.5-inch paring knife that's perfect for slicing and cutting small items like veggies, cheese and fruits, as well as a 5-inch Santoku knife for tougher foods like meat, pumpkins, potatoes and pineapples. Features elegant handles with full tang construction, and both knives have sharp, stainless steel blades which come razor-sharp and ready to cut. The design features full tang construction with stylish handles and stainless steel details, perfectly shaped for natural comfort during use. You can be sure to cut, dice and slice all your ingredients without feeling fatigue in your wrist or arm. It's the perfect personal set to customize your kitchen, making these the ideal knives that will introduce both elegance and convenience to any kitchen.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Fantastic value. Sharp and handsome. Great as gift.\\n\\nReview: This is my third purchase of this Emeril knife set. I first bought it because it was a crazy bargain, and that's not even factoring in the Emeril Lagasse brand name. For the low price, I had only modest expectations. Well, the knives turned out to be great. They are well made and highly polished, and they are SHARP! I use the paring knife on all occasions. It is sooooo handy for small kitchen tasks. But the best part is that it is handsome enough for me to bring it out of the kitchen. Like when I serve several kinds of cheese on a cheese board, I have no problem putting this Emeril paring knife on the board instead of one of those fancy but blunt cheese cutters that actually don't work as well as this paring knife. I don't use the santoku knife very often because I am fond of using my chef's knives for larger jobs, but I do use it when I am cutting on a small board and realize I have more stuff to cut than what my paring knife can handle.\\n\\nNow, I don't mean to say these are the greatest knives. I have my Wusthof and Henckel Pro S knives that are fantastic, but they cost a bundle. These Emeril knives are sharp, but you do need to hone them often to keep their edge. I use the paring knife so much that I hone it every day, and I do need to sharpen it once a month.\\n\\nAnyway, I love this knife set so much, and seeing the price was such a huge bargain, that I bought a second set for keeps. Then when I visited my friend's family and found them using dull knives, I bought this set again as a gift to them. As expected, they also love the knives. Come to think of it, these really do make a fabulous gift - handsome and useful, and only cost me a few dollars. BTW, if you spend a few more dollars, you can get the same set that comes with a sharpener (honestly, just an okay one) and a pair of shears. Just search in Amazon for Emeril knife set.\",\n \"Product: Emeril 2 piece forged cutlery set with sharpener includes a 3.5\\\" paring knife, 5\\\" santoku and manual knife sharpener that you can use to keep practically any knife sharp.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Fantastic value. Sharp and handsome. Great as gift.\\n\\nReview: This is my third purchase of this Emeril knife set. I first bought it because it was a crazy bargain, and that's not even factoring in the Emeril Lagasse brand name. For the low price, I had only modest expectations. Well, the knives turned out to be great. They are well made and highly polished, and they are SHARP! I use the paring knife on all occasions. It is sooooo handy for small kitchen tasks. But the best part is that it is handsome enough for me to bring it out of the kitchen. Like when I serve several kinds of cheese on a cheese board, I have no problem putting this Emeril paring knife on the board instead of one of those fancy but blunt cheese cutters that actually don't work as well as this paring knife. I don't use the santoku knife very often because I am fond of using my chef's knives for larger jobs, but I do use it when I am cutting on a small board and realize I have more stuff to cut than what my paring knife can handle.\\n\\nNow, I don't mean to say these are the greatest knives. I have my Wusthof and Henckel Pro S knives that are fantastic, but they cost a bundle. These Emeril knives are sharp, but you do need to hone them often to keep their edge. I use the paring knife so much that I hone it every day, and I do need to sharpen it once a month.\\n\\nAnyway, I love this knife set so much, and seeing the price was such a huge bargain, that I bought a second set for keeps. Then when I visited my friend's family and found them using dull knives, I bought this set again as a gift to them. As expected, they also love the knives. Come to think of it, these really do make a fabulous gift - handsome and useful, and only cost me a few dollars. BTW, if you spend a few more dollars, you can get the same set that comes with a sharpener (honestly, just an okay one) and a pair of shears. Just search in Amazon for Emeril knife set.\",\n \"Product: Sharpen your culinary skills with Emerils kitchen cuterly set! This kitchen knife set includes two knives with forged stainless steel blades that are useful for everything from chopping carrots and tomatoes to slicing bread, plus a bonus pair of kitchen shears. The santoku and paring knives feature full tang construction, with forged steel blades for effortless cutting, and ergonomic handles for comfort. Once dulled by frequent use, the knives are born anew with Emeril's countertop sharpener. A suction pad holds the device firmly against counters, as users carefully run blades past its revitalizing tungsten carbide edge.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great knives, but this is no longer the best deal\\n\\nReview: I am kinda a kitchen knife fanatic, and I have a little over 100 knives, mostly chefs' knives and paring knives because those are the most used and most useful knives. I will just come right out and say I love these Emeril knives. They are forged knives, not stamped, which means they are much stronger and more durable. Can't say I am a huge fan of Emeril himself, but I do love the look, the feel and the cutting performance of these knives. I usually have 4 paring knives and 3 chefs' knives hanging on the magnetic strip next to my cutting station so I can just reach out and grab them. The Emeril paring knife is the one I most often reach for.\\n\\nThe pair of shears is good, though I have many other better kitchen shears. I do like the large finger holes so it is easy to use, as opposed to those that have one side large hole and the other side narrow hole. The sharpener is pretty basic and crude. It only has one single slot with carbide plates (I think they are carbide... better not be just steel). That's the blowtorch way to sharpen your knives because it will create a new edge each time you sharpen and will wear away your knives. You don't have to go hog wild and use stones and leather and all that, but definitely get a sharpener with 3 stages. Those usually have carbide, diamond steel, and ceramics rods. For occasional sharpening/honing, you only need to use the ceramic plates (actually rods).\\n\\nAnyway, back to this product. My original rating for this was a solid 5 stars, because you get two excellent knives and a good pair of shears, all for the great price of $9.50. Well, they raised the price last month to $19.99. That's more than doubling the price, and I am compelled to dock one star from the rating. My recommendation is to buy this: <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Emeril-2-Piece-Knife-Set-5-34-Santoku-3-5-34-Paring-Knife-Forged-Steel-Clad-Emerilware-Red/dp/B00FOFI5OY/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Emeril 2 Piece Knife Set 5\\\" Santoku 3.5\\\" Paring Knife Forged Steel Clad Emerilware (Red)</a>. You get the same two paring knife and santoku knife from Emeril for only $5.49, in the same red color. That's an absolute steal! Sure you don't get the shears or the sharpener. But like I said the sharpener will do more harm than good. So you skip the shears and save yourself 14 dollars and change, and you can use that money to buy a much better pair of shears.\",\n \"Product: This Folio Classic synthetic Leather Case offers secure protection for your tablet while adding a range of versatile options. The built-in kickstand provides a hands-free viewing experience. It offers an ideal way to protect your tablet wherever you go.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Not an overstatement: simply awesome\\n\\nReview: This cover case has a really clever feature that I didn't realize until I put my Tab A into it. It rotates! I know, I know. The product's title clearly says it does, but I wasn't paying attention, or maybe I did but I didn't understand what that meant. This rotation feature allows you to place the tablet in landscape or portrait orientation. Combine that with the three built in notches to anchor the tablet, and you have a lot of choices. Video phone call? Put the tablet in portrait. Watching a show? Rotate it to landscape. Angle too low? Raise it to the next notch, and so on. Crazy convenient!\\n\\nI also like the magnetic closure a lot. It keeps the whole package neat and tidy. And one more thing I didn't realize until I used it is this: this thing automagically, yes, automagically, turns off the tablet's screen when you close the cover. And when you lift the cover, it again automagically turns on the screen. How cool and how energy-saving is that???\\n\\nI only wish that this came in other print than the blue and white which some may think of as a little plain, myself included. But other than, this cover case is simply awesome.\\n\\nDisclaimer: I received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I have no obligation or inclination to give this product a favorable review, so please know that the above review represents my honest opinion of this product. My ratings do run the full range from 1 to 5 stars, although just like most reasonable persons, I don't give out 1 star unless the product completely fails all my expectations.\",\n \"Product: The Insta-Bed Raised Air Bed with Never Flat technology makes getting into and out of bed easier and just might be the most comfortable air bed you've ever slept on. Able to maintain it's pressure throughout the night, Never Flat elimates sagging and loss of air pressure that is so common in airbeds. Never Flat technology is an auto-engaging, whisper quiet pump that maintains constant air pressure throughout the night for an undisturbed, continuous night's rest that is never flat. Choose your desired comfort level--Plush, Medium, or Firm--and let the powerful Primary Pump inflate the bed. Once inflated, the Secondary Pump continusly monitors and senses when it needs to silently engage in order to maintain the chosen comfort level throughout the night. *The powerful, integrated primary pump enables effortless inflation and deflation of the air bed. *The automatic shut-off feature turns the Primary Pump once the bed is fully inflated or deflated, allowing you to turn on the pump and walk away without worrying about the pump getted burned out. *Clear dial settings for plush, medium, and firm allow for preferred personal mattress comfort levels. *Pressure sensing technology constantly monitors and adjusts to match the chosen mattress comfort level. *Pump silently, as neccessary, engages throughout the night creating a consistently comfortable feel. *21 circular coils on the Twin Bed and 35 circular coils on the Queen Bed create a comfortable sleeping surface while vertical and horizontal reinforcements allow bed to maintain shape. *Flocked top keeps bedding in place. *Carry bag included. Guaranteed to stay inflated all night!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great mattress; almost a five-star... ok. five stars now for durability\\n\\nReview: First of all I want you all to know that I have bought this bed three separate times in the last 18 months. You can check my purchase history to know that it's true. Obviously, I like this bed a lot, albeit not enough to give it five stars.\\n\\nThis bed is as advertised. Right out of the box, all you have to do is plug it in and switch it on. The bed does the rest. You can pick your comfort settings by a simple flick of a switch, I think they are Plush (softest), Medium, and Firm - I always pick Firm, but to each their own. Based on your selection, the pump automatically stops when the desired firmness is attained. That takes about 3 minutes, and you have yourself a very comfortable bed. Again as advertised, the bed senses when the bed is ever so slightly deflated, and pumps a little more air back into the bed. No, there is no sudden noisy switching on of the pump in the middle of the night sounding like a vacuum cleaner to wake you. The bed employs a second less powerful but silent pump to inflate the bed without you ever hearing or noticing that the pump motor is on.\\n\\nThis bed is comfortable enough to sleep on every night. I bought one for my university student son who lives in an apartment close to campus. He sleeps on it every night, and tells me it feels very comfortable. I maintain an out-of-town apartment for six to ninth months at a time for work reason. It makes sense to not invest in something permanent - an expensive mattress, box spring, bed frame, and headboard, etc which together cost a thousand bucks or more, and which at the end of the apartment lease will have to be disposed of (no, the Goodwill or Salvation Army do not accept mattresses because of bedbug concerns). With this mattress I just hit the Deflate button and the bed automatically deflates. I simply put it back into its storage bag (about the size of a common backpack, included), put it in my luggage and fly it home. How simple is that? I liked the mattress so much that I bought a third one for my home.\\n\\nGlowing review, no doubt. So how come no five stars? That's because there is a notable shortcoming after all. First and foremost, when you get in an out of bed it creaks and groans a little. This is due to the fact that it is made of vinyl and that the bed pops a little when you get off (when you get off the pressure is suddenly lowered so the pump engages, and the bed makes quiet popping noise when it has to suddenly re-inflate). The noise is not loud at all, but might be enough to wake your girlfriend (or whomever you happened to be with; I am not judging). And, respectfully speaking, when you perform the primal deed in bed with your girlfriend/wife/partner, the bed makes enough noise to be a distraction.\\n\\nTo sum up, if you like having an inexpensive, maintenance free, comfortable and supportive queen size bed, this is the one for you, and you can even use it as your regular everyday bed. But if you get in and out of bed frequently, have a companion in bed, or use the bed for activities other than just snoozing, you will need to consider whether the squeaky noise is something you can handle. I love it, but I am not you.\\n\\nDecember 21, 2015\\nLong long time ago (in a galaxy far far away... sorry I just watched the new Star Wars movie on its first night out!) I mentioned in my original post that I bought three of this same queen size instant bed. I just arrived at my son's place in University of Virginia to take him home for the winter break. I laid down in his instant bed, and realized that it has been two years while this bed was slept on almost every night. And it has quietly - literally - trucked along without any problem. In the mean time, at my girlfriend's apartment our beloved (ahem, formerly beloved) cat had decided that attacking the bed was a fun sport. She dug so many holes in the bed that it was beyond help. Now there is a new normal bed in the apartment. The third bed, which I use for my out-of-town apartment near work, is still in perfect condition. I have decided that this product at such a favorable price point is, after two years, deserving of that last star. So five star it is, two years later.\",\n \"Product: For work or for play, the Revel Pro has the apps you need, courtesy of Google Play. Whether you are a working professional or aspiring student, a scholarly technophile or traveling adventurer, the Revel Pro puts the best of Google Play at the tips of your fingers. Games, Calendars, Organizers, video editors, maps, signal strength monitors, Social Networking platforms, if the app exists, the Revel Pro can take it. With its 4GB of ROM and 512MB of RAM, there is no app this Revel Pro cannot take.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Handsome phone but very underpowered\\n\\nReview: I bought this phone for my son in college. His previous phone was a Galaxy S4 but that was a CDMA phone, so when I switched carrier, I gave him the Posh Revel Pro for GSM networks. He called me within 3 days and asked for another phone.\\n\\nThe phone is adequate for voice calling and texting, and the voice call comes through clear enough. I also really like the look of the phone (yellow) and it comes with the clear gel protection case which shows off the color very nicely. What's more, it supports duo SIM so it can potentially be your international travel companion.\\n\\nBut there are significant problems with the phone. First, the phone is under powered for internet use. Webpages load very slowly. Now, a do acknowledge that it is an unfair comparison because I am using a Galaxy S6 Edge next to his Posh to compare loading speed, but even by everyday standard the Posh still loads too slowly. It also often drops wifi signals. A problem perhaps related to that is when he goes on the internet, sometimes the browser just quits and goes back to the phone's home window. Finally, the phone's antennas are also underpowered. We would be driving around and he would say, dang, I lost my signal. I look at my phone and I have 3 or 4 bars. Again, perhaps unfair to compare it to my Galaxy S6 Edge which draws signal from 4G LTE whereas this phone draws from a slower bandwidth. Still, it does not pass the reasonableness test for usability.\\n\\nI ended up buying him a Galaxy Grand Prime. You get what you pay for.\",\n \"Product: Bluetooth Selfie Stick, Monipod, Cell Phone Stand\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: This works fine, but I like the wired stick better\\n\\nReview: Too often in life, simplicity is actually the way to go.\\n\\nI wasn't sure if the wired type selfie stick or the bluetooth type was better. We have 4 smart phones in the family, so I got both to see which type works better. While both sticks worked fine, the wired type is the winner. Here is why:\\n\\n1) Initial set up:\\nThe bluetooth stick requires the initial set up of making your phone discover your selfie stick and pair with it. The wired type does not require any set up. You just plug the tip into the phone's audio port and you are in business. The bluetooth stick also requires it to be fully charged the first time out.\\n2) Subsequent use:\\nThe good news for the bluetooth type is that after the initial set up your phone should automatically find and pair with the selfie stick automatically. But you still need to make sure your phone's bluetooth is turned on and your selfie stick is turned on. I find myself checking each time whether the phone will take a picture of not, so I end up always taking a test shot to be sure. The thing is, sometimes the moment may be lost. Also, even though the bluetooth selfie stick's battery stays charged for a long time, there is no way to know how full the charge is, so to avoid running out of charge and rendering the selfie stick useless, I charge the stick at least 15 minutes before I take it out with me. Meanwhile, with the wired selfie stick there is really nothing to worry about. Whenever and wherever you are, you just plug it in and you are all set to go.\\n3) Use with multiple phones\\nIf you always use the stick with the same phone, there is no issue. However, if there are multiple phones - say, yours, your girlfriend's, and children's, etc. - each phone must be separately paired with the stick initially, and each time you switch phone on the spot, you must make sure the current phone unpair with the stick (or switch off the bluetooth on the phone) before you pair the next phone with the stick. Not everyone is that tech savvy, and it is an extra hassle. Besides, like I said before, the moment may be lost.\\n\\nSo you see, for me the wired selfie stick is the way to go. That said, I have used this Kiwii stick and have had no problem with it. But I think the no-fuzz no-worry way of the wired type stick wins me over. One more option I want to mention is that you can also get a selfie stick that has a bluetooth button separate from the stick. That way, the stick is just a holder and you hold the blue tooth button in your hand like a remote. The beauty of that is you can rest the stick with the phone somewhere nearby but not with you, and remotely trigger the phone to take a picture of yourself or other people. I have bought one but have not tried it out yet.\\n\\nI hope this review is helpful to your purchase decision (please give me a yes vote if you agree!) I received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I have no obligation or inclination to give this product a favorable review, so please know that the above review represents my honest opinion of this product. My ratings do run the full range from 1 to 5 stars, although just like most reasonable persons, I don't give out 1 star unless the product completely fails all my expectations.\",\n \"Product: 1:Nib:0.5mm stainless steel nib leak smoothly & evenly for nice writing, compact construction 2:100% Brand New High quality 3:Detachable Rotate Ink absorber 4:Design: Nature Pattern+ Simple + Silver Trim+ABS resin Material 5:packageBulk packaging\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: These have none of the typical issues with cheap fountain pens\\n\\nReview: I grew up under the British system - my secondary school was pretty much like Hogwarts, with competing houses, annoying prefects, and Pelican or Parker blue ink bottles (but none of those interesting subjects like Defense Against the Dark Arts). No, we didn't have to use feather nib pens, but regular fountain pens, but I cannot recount how many times I opened my school bag to find a leaked ink bottle. Disasters.\\n\\nAnyway, about these Jinhao 599 fountain pens. This 8-pack is a fantastic value at a little over a dollar a pen. Not cheap enough for you? Amazon also sells an 11-pack of this model at $10.99. Thats a buck per pen. Unbelievable.\\n\\nOk they are super cheap. But are they any good? Here are some of the typical issues with cheap fountain pens (and with some expensive ones too):\\n- it writes rough and scratchy (you can hear the tip scratching on the paper);\\n- it skips (the ink stops flowing for a split second in the middle of writing);\\n- it burps sometimes (it suddenly drops a blot of ink onto the paper when you are writing);\\n- it has problem starting (when you first take out the pen to write, the ink does not flow immediately);\\n- it only writes well when held at a certain angle (lefties beware);\\n- it writes well only in some directions (up and down is usually good, side strokes are typically ok, but diagonal can be challenging)\\n\\nWell, in my experience, these cheapy Jinhaos have none of the above problems. It takes up ink from the bottle easily; it writes immediately every time (I.e. no starting issue); it writes smoothly; none of the pens have ever skipped or burped during writing; it writes well in all directions. I can go into the more esoteric aspects like nib size, feed mechanism, how wet they write, etc, but that would be missing the point. The fact is, these are designed to be no frill writing instruments for everyday writing. Who cares whether the nip can be changed out or not? Or how much flex the nib gives? Or how well the cap posts? Just use these fountain pens like you would with a ballpoint pen. They write - no, they glide - much smoother than ballpoint pens and even rollerball pens.\\n\\nHere is the obligatory mention that these Jinhao 599 are blatant knockoffs of the very popular Lamy Safari fountain pens, which sell for about $25 each. As far as I can tell, the only visual difference is the clip. The real Lamys clip looks like an oversized paperclip, whereas the Jinhao has a beefier clip. I don't think one is better than the other, and neither is the actual writing experience.\\n\\nI saw a couple of recent negative reviews here before I wrote this review. Some said hey these pens did not come with ink. Nope, fountain pens do not come with ink, period. Once in a while, you can find pens that come with a bonus of a few ink cartridges, but the pens never come preloaded with ink. And speaking of ink cartridges, another review said these Jinhao 599 cannot take ink cartridges because the ink converter is affixed permanently. I checked mine and can say that the converter does come out (see picture) and you can certainly put in an international standard ink cartridge. Personally, I like drawing the ink from a bottle, perhaps because thats what I grew up with.\\n\\nLastly, I want to mention that Jinhao makes a number of models and they are all el cheapo - in the good sense of the phase. If you like a more deluxe style made of polished metal or ceramic body, they can be had for just 2 dollars and up in that other site that offers auctions and BUY NOW wink wink. I bought a bunch of those like cheap toys for grownups, and they all write equally well.\",\n \"Product: These monster clips demand attention! Mega clips add a special emphasis to your documents. Mega Clips are four inch paper clips. They are ideal for adding a touch of class to any report they are attached to. These extra large clips have extra holding capability of up to 50 sheets, and the silver tone adds a classic touch. Mega Clips can also be used as a money clip, or to keep bills and letters together. Each package contains (5) packages of 5 Mega Clips (25 total).\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Use them as chip clip. Lots of other uses for them around the house\\n\\nReview: Once in a while you find something that is simple, straightforward, and absolutely functional. There is no magic to it, or any fancy feature. These are literally your normal paperclips blown up to mega size. And suddenly you find a multitude of uses for them all around the house. These clips are strong and durable. Basically you can use them for anything that you do with those office butterfly clips, except that the \\\"paperclips\\\", ironically, cannot hold large number of sheets of papers like the butterfly clips can. But what I like about them is that they are flat in profile. You can stack piles of paper together, each held by a paperclip. You can't do that with the butterfly clips unless you stagger the piles back and forth, and the legs of the butterfly clips always stick out.\\n\\nMy other favorite use of these clips is to seal off opened bags of chips and other snacks. Normally I use Chip Clips, which are large plastic clips that cost much more than they should. These mega paperclips work just as well, and cost less. I am sure as the days go by I will find more uses for them around the house. Very handy and well worth the money.\\n\\nI hope this review is helpful to your purchase decision (please give me a yes vote if you agree!) I received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I have no obligation or inclination to give this product a favorable review, so please know that the above review represents my honest opinion of this product. My ratings do run the full range from 1 to 5 stars, although just like most reasonable persons, I don't give out 1 star unless the product completely fails all my expectations.\",\n \"Product: EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE MOTH TRAPS The pheromones in the Moth Trap by Killer Green Traps will control and attract Indian Meal Moth, Almond, Raisin, Tobacco, and Mediterranean Flour Moths and Cigarette Beetles. Each package contains 6 traps. Take traps out of the plastic sleeve, fold trap into a triangular trap. Since pheromones are pre-loaded in the glue, it is ready to use! These pantry moth traps are easy to use, non-toxic, and extremely effective. The moth pheromones attracts the male moths and disrupt the mating process. EASY TO USE These are the most effective moth traps we've found. To use, take one pantry moth trap out of the plastic sleeve, fold it into a triangular trap and place in infested area. That's it, they are pre-baited! The pantry moth traps can be hung or can be placed on a shelf. Change out as needed, or up to every two months. Each package contains six (6) traps\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Very effective but be mindful that this is only for pantry moths\\n\\nReview: First thing first: the product package says just moth trap, but if you look at the instructions, it is intended for Indian Meal Moths, Mediterranean Flour Moths, Almond Moths and Tobacco Moths, basically all those pantry moths. So if you are looking for a product to treat moths whose larvae are eating up your wool clothing, keep looking.\\n\\nHow do you tell the difference? If the moths that infest your house are small and stripped, they are probably pantry moths. They are harder to get rid of than closet moths. Since closets are enclosed, it is very easy to treat the closet. But your kitchen is an open and high traffic area. Unless you are extra careful and put all the vulnerable items in the pantry AND treat your pantry, once you get those little critters they come back again and again.\\n\\nThese moth traps are like little camping tents for moths. They get attracted by the pheromone, get stuck on the glue and there they stay. Simple and effective. Note that the package says the tents are good for 3 months, that is why I really appreciate that the tents are each individually wrapped. I only use two at a time so one box lasts me a total of 9 months. Plus, there seems to be a cycle to the moths, because they tend to appear for a few weeks and then they are gone (right, that's because the eggs and larvae are out of sight). You can only trap them when the adults are flying around. So at first sight of a flying one I put out the traps. When they all disppear, I wait until the next time I see a flying one. Hopefully this will stop the cycles.\\n\\nI took off one star because the package title does not specify PANTRY moths. It is good that I was actually looking for pantry moth traps, but others may not be.\\n\\nI received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I have no obligation or inclination to give this product a favorable review, so please know that the above review represents my honest opinion of this product. My ratings do run the full range from 1 to 5 stars, and I strive to make my review detailed, fair and informative.\",\n \"Product: Our Integrated Water Fountain Food Bow Scoop keeps your pet healthy and happy. The 3L water container comes with a noise free pump that gives your pet fresh continuous water supply. The L.E.D light guides your pet to the feeder in the dark and the food bowl adds extra crunch to your pets daily meal time. Works with both dogs and cats and make them friends forever.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Even better as a water fountain and a planter\\n\\nReview: Update:\\n\\nIt has been more than half a year and the fountain is still working well and whisper quiet. In terms of maintenance, each time she changes the filter, girlfriend always gives the inner chamber a light scrub and rinse. The water is not slimy or anything but she is just OCD about it. Other than that, it really is trouble free. I have an additional tip to offer: Girlfriend said to me one morning the fountain broke because it was making a constant rattling noise. She was going to throw it away! I checked it and noticed that the water level was slightly low. After filling it with a small cup of water, no more rattles. So if your fountain starts making noise, the water level is the first thing you should check. But this brings up a potential issue. If you have many cats or dogs, they might deplete the water so fast that you will get the rattle often. On the other hand, you can think of it as an inadvertent feature of this fountain, as in, it reminds you like an alarm clock to refill with more water as soon as it is needed haha!\\n\\nOriginal review:\\n\\nWhen it comes to the welfare of our pets, most of us go the distance to take care of them. Our cat Moo (well, she is black and white) thinks she is a dog (I am so tired of playing fetch with her). This means while she is very loving and very social, she is also high maintenance. She turns her nose up at a dish of water if it has been sitting there for a couple of hours. A single minute after I step out of the shower, I know exactly where I can find Moo - in the shower waiting for the drip from the faucet. Last month, with her second UTI in a year, the vet told us that she (our cat, that is, not the vet... waka waka!) was having urination problem because she was not drinking enough water. So rather than changing the water dish even more often than 3 times a day, we decided that it was time to get a fountain, and I think we have picked a good one.\\n\\nThe large capacity of the fountain not only saves us more refilling time. We are occasionally away for a few days at a time, and there were times when we couldn't line up a neighbor to cat sit. We would end up putting out multiple large bowls of water and keeping a basin in the bath tub filled as well, and still worrying whether she was drinking her water. With the 3 liter capacity of this fountain, it is no longer a problem.\\n\\nI particularly like the fact that this fountain has a filter. When I first started looking for a fountain I assumed that all models used filters. Not so for the cheap ones. This model uses a standard filter that you can buy from pet store, and Amazon of course. It looks like one of those fish tank filters that I used to stick in the circulation pump when the young me was keeping and killing goldfish. Here is the link to buy the replacement filters: <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Jumbl-Pet-Water-Fountain-Charcoal-Replacement-Filter-White-Pack-of-2/dp/B00SLYD9VO/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Jumbl Pet Water Fountain Charcoal Replacement Filter, White, Pack of 2</a>, I am getting conflicting information from the fountain versus the filter regarding how soon to replace the filter. With a single cat, I am comfortable with sticking to once every 6 weeks. If you have a big slobbering dog, you might need a new filter every two weeks. If you have a Cujo, don't worry about the filter and just run for the hills! :-)\\n\\nOne thing that bothers me though, is why did the manufacturer decide to put a food bowl on top of the fountain. Sooner or later when your pet feeds she will cause a piece of food or two to drop into the water, and then she will turn her nose up at the water from that point on. And I suspect that the moisture from the water will also turn the dry food soggy. To me, the food bowl is kinda a superfluous thing. So, listen to my bright idea (cue light bulb icon): I am going to turn it into a planting area and seed it with kitty grass. The moisture will keep the grass nice and lush, and Moo can drink her fresh water and eat her salad too haha!\\n\\nBe prepared to face some resistance from your pet, well at least for cats. At first Moo was apprehensive of this hunk of machine that took over her kitty dinning room. Then, she was curious and approached carefully (see picture). After a while, the temptation was just too great and she drank from the fountain of Bacchus with gusto! A little more food later, she turned right back to the fountain to quench her thirst. Success! That happy cat (picture) is now lounging on the bed, waiting for her human slaves to come pamper her.\\n\\nI hope this review is helpful to your purchase decision. I received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I am under no obligation to give this product a favorable review, so please know that the above review represents my honest opinion of this product.\",\n \"Product: (Pack of 4) Halogen 300-Watt Double Ended J Type 118 mm (4.64 Inches) 120 Volt R7S Base Q300T3/118mm\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Why buy this many? Well, because...\\n\\nReview: Update:\\nTruth be told when I wrote the original review I had put the bulbs in for only a day. While I was very happy with them, in the back of my mind I wondered how long they would keep working, with them being made in China and with them being so affordable (i.e. cheap). And most of all, there is no information on their rated usable life.\\n\\nWell, it has been a couple of months now and the bulbs are still shining bright. One lamp - the one in the living room, gets used all the time, like 8 hours a day. That figured out to be over 500 hours in use thus far. Not that long yet, but at least I know they don't just burn out after a few weeks like the ones I previously bought from the hardware store. So now I can say these bulbs are are at least reasonably durable. What great product at bargain price!\\n\\nMy original review:\\nThis is a super bargain. We have two halagen floor lamps that get used all the time. They are super bright and have dimmer switch so between ambiance and illumination we tend to switch between a lot. The thing is, I am pretty sure that shortens the useful life of the halogen bulbs (well they are not really \\\"bulbs\\\" and more like \\\"sticks\\\", but you know what I mean). For years now I have been going to Home Depot and pay seven to eight dollars for a two pack. This time I finally wised up and bought this 10 pack. I know, I know, this is no doubt from China, but so are the ones I bought from Home Depot. With this 10 pack the cost comes down drastically to a dollar each stick... bulb. On top of that, there is no sales tax. Bargain!\\n\\nInstallation was uneventful. They fit all the standard dimensions and fit perfectly, and they do work with the dimmer switch. I highly recommend this as a best buy, especially if you have multiple lamps like I do.\",\n \"Product: Will Roya's Deluxe Balloon Twisting Kit with DVD, Inflator and Balloons. This kit contains everything you need to become a balloon entertainer! Learn over 40 figures the easy way - watch and learn while Will shows you how it is done. Will also reveals his favorite bits of business when entertaining with balloons and reveals some of his marketing secrets for the aspiring professional in a candid interview with S.Frank Stringham. Whether you are a complete beginner or just looking to increase your repertoire, this is the DVD for you.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The best part of this kit is the DVD\\n\\nReview: Oh this balloon kit is a ton of fun!\\n\\nThis whole thing of twisting balloons look easy when you see the street pros do it, but each time I tried doing it myself, well failure. That's why it is great that this package has the full length video to show you how to twist each object on the long list. Suddenly the poodle becomes easy, but some others still require a bit of practice. Many a times, the proportion of one section versus another section do need to be done right or else you can't tie it all up together.\\n\\nAnd that is why the 40 balloons included in the set is not quite enough. The good news is, you can buy a large pack of balloons for very little money. A 100 pack costs about a dime for each balloon. There is a 200 pack on Amazon that amounts to a little over a nickle for each balloon. I went on Ebay and bought a 200 pack for only a few dollars, so that's crazy cheap at a couple of pennies each balloon. But you know what it's like. The product ships from China so it takes several weeks to arrive, and you have no assurance whether the product is any good. So I am taking a little chance here. I will update this review to let people know how that turns out. And speaking of this, you can easily do a birthday party for your kid at home. Invite a few of his/her friends and classmates. Make sure you buy a few extra pumps and a few large bags of balloons. Play the DVD and let them kids go to town! Very cheap, and everyone will have a blast!\\n\\nBut back to this kit. I do love it because it comes with everything you need - the balloons, the easy to operate hand pump, and most of all the excellent instruction video. The balloons and even the pump are cheap to buy, but the instruction DVD is well worth the price. You can save some money by hunting for instruction videos on YouTube, but this is much more convenient. I do happily give this starter kit 5 stars.\\n\\nDisclaimer: I received a discount for this product and agreed to provide my unbiased opinion in this review. I have no obligation or inclination to give this product a favorable review, so please know that the above review represents my honest opinion of this product. My ratings do run the full range from 1 to 5 stars, and I strive to make my review detailed, fair and informative.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":23,"string":"23"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":378,"string":"378"}}},{"rowIdx":379,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A2DF7YQDG7IBHJ"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"2.0\" for a product with description \"This Five Nights at Freddy's 2-Inch Vinyl Figure Set 2 from Funko features Freddy, Bonnie, Spring trap, and Balloon Boy!.\". The summary of the review text is \"Fine if you're literally just putting them on display, but not meant for ANY sort of movement or play.\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"While this set is fine if you're some sort of collector (not sure if people collect Five Nights at Freddy's products), it's not meant for ANY sort of moving around or play.\nI got this for my friend's kid for his birthday and arms were falling off of these things the second they were taken out of the box. We had to go get super glue to stop him from crying over his broken toy.\nPros-\n-The figures have a lot of detail, which makes them very realistic looking\n-If you love Five Nights at Freddy's (like my friend's son) I guess they're a cool thing to have.\n-The figures are good for putting on display or in a collector's box.\nCons-\n-The figures are small. Obviously, reading the description, you'll know how tall (or short) they are.\n-The figures are not durable at all. They are not suitable for play of any sort or any sort of moving around.\n-If you give these as a gift to a small child, they WILL cry when Freddy's arm falls off. NO BUENO.\n\nOverall, this set is an ok value. Again, if you're collecting these types of items, I guess it's ok for you. If you're looking to give these as a gift, I don't recommend. The quality is poor and they're not durable at all."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"While this set is fine if you're some sort of collector (not sure if people collect Five Nights at Freddy's products), it's not meant for ANY sort of moving around or play.\nI got this for my friend's kid for his birthday and arms were falling off of these things the second they were taken out of the box. We had to go get super glue to stop him from crying over his broken toy.\nPros-\n-The figures have a lot of detail, which makes them very realistic looking\n-If you love Five Nights at Freddy's (like my friend's son) I guess they're a cool thing to have.\n-The figures are good for putting on display or in a collector's box.\nCons-\n-The figures are small. Obviously, reading the description, you'll know how tall (or short) they are.\n-The figures are not durable at all. They are not suitable for play of any sort or any sort of moving around.\n-If you give these as a gift to a small child, they WILL cry when Freddy's arm falls off. NO BUENO.\n\nOverall, this set is an ok value. Again, if you're collecting these types of items, I guess it's ok for you. If you're looking to give these as a gift, I don't recommend. The quality is poor and they're not durable at all."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Package of 6 Portrait 5\"W x 7\"H Top Load Table Tent/Ad Frame.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great table tent holders. Use these often for my business accounts!\n\nReview: These are great display holders. I specifically use them as table tents/menu holders for my restaurant and bar accounts. They're perfect for a busy bar scene in which you can expect that they might get knocked over, splashed on, etc.\n\nThey are flexible yet durable. The flexibility allows them to be filled with menu inserts easily. I use a shiny card stock that is the perfect fit for them. You can spread the sides open to insert the cards, but they then close tightly so that the cards don't slip down or out. They are durable enough to sustain getting knocked over or dropped. I have yet to have one crack. One thing to note is that they can get scratched. Expect that scratches will occur over the course of use. For the price point, you can't expect that they won't. I have found that when packaging them after putting in the menu inserts, that they tend to scratch each other easiest. Because of this, I recommend keeping the little individual plastic bags they come in and putting them back in until they are used on a table or bar top, etc. If you're looking for something to last years and years, you might want to consider leather bound menu holders, or something crafted out of wood and glass (which would also add the element of breakability). These holders clean very easily with warm soap and water. They can also be wiped down with Windex. I've even been told that some of my accounts have cleaned them in their commercial dishwashers...but I haven't experienced washing them that way first hand, so can't confirm if it's a good way of cleaning them or not!\n\nOverall, my accounts are very happy with these table tent holders and I will continue to purchase them!","Product: Natural wood floor easel is functional and economical for classroom presentation. Adjustable wood easel with chain and plastic tips on legs. Easy assemble with hardware included. Artist can choose from floor or table top styles. Measures-65-high. Made in China.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A good product when you consider the price!\n\nReview: I got this item for work related purposes for one of my business accounts. I work with many bars and restuarants and have been creating a lot of custom signage lately. While some places like to hang the signs themselves, other places are limited in terms of wall space and wall material. This particular account has stone walls, so we were trying to come up with a creative way to display a chalkboard that I had made for them. This easel seemed like a great solution at a great price point.\nI had read that the assembly on this was difficult, confusing and just terribly described. I went with one of the other reviewer's instructions that basically listed step by step how to put this thing together, and I must say that assembling this wasn't really all that difficullt given those additional instructions. I might recommend that the manufacturer include additional instructions, as that might improve the overall customer review and opinion of the product.\nOnce assembled, this easel did what it was supposed to do. It doesn't feel super sturdy, but is certainly adequate for what we need it for. I don't think it would do well if you planned to use it for painting while outside in the wind or anything, but if it's literally just used as a display piece and not being moved around a lot, I can't see why this wouldn't be suitable for just about anyone.\nOverall, I think this product is a good value. You get what you pay for with most items. For eleven dollars, you can't really expect this product to be bomb proof, but for my needs, it was perfect!","Product: Natural wood floor easel is functional and economical for classroom presentation. Adjustable wood easel with chain and plastic tips on legs. Easy assemble with hardware included. Artist can choose from floor or table top styles. Measures-65-high. Made in China.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A good product when you consider the price!\n\nReview: I got this item for work related purposes for one of my business accounts. I work with many bars and restuarants and have been creating a lot of custom signage lately. While some places like to hang the signs themselves, other places are limited in terms of wall space and wall material. This particular account has stone walls, so we were trying to come up with a creative way to display a chalkboard that I had made for them. This easel seemed like a great solution at a great price point.\nI had read that the assembly on this was difficult, confusing and just terribly described. I went with one of the other reviewer's instructions that basically listed step by step how to put this thing together, and I must say that assembling this wasn't really all that difficullt given those additional instructions. I might recommend that the manufacturer include additional instructions, as that might improve the overall customer review and opinion of the product.\nOnce assembled, this easel did what it was supposed to do. It doesn't feel super sturdy, but is certainly adequate for what we need it for. I don't think it would do well if you planned to use it for painting while outside in the wind or anything, but if it's literally just used as a display piece and not being moved around a lot, I can't see why this wouldn't be suitable for just about anyone.\nOverall, I think this product is a good value. You get what you pay for with most items. For eleven dollars, you can't really expect this product to be bomb proof, but for my needs, it was perfect!","Product: New Image Group Stick It Felt Shapes. Use these stiffened felt shapes with a peel and stick adhesive back to personalize title projects or add dimension to your craft projects.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Not felt on both sides. One side is a sticker and the other is felt. Overall, a good value.\n\nReview: I got these to use on a \"star board\" for rewards and chores. The original board was purchased at Target, but it only contained about 20 stars for the entire week and the little guy has become obsessed with doing chores and earning more stars, so I purchased these to use. The board I bought is felt, and so are the stars that came with it. The felt fabric naturally sticks to the board. I made the assumption when buying these stars that they'd be the same way, but they aren't. There are actually stickers on the back of the stars, so one side is felt and another is sticker. We've started using them as stickers, but I'm not sure how easy they're going to be to remove and reuse time after time. The sticker part is still sticky after one removal, but I can't imagine it would stay this way as some of the felt fibers get stuck to the sticker. This was probably a reading error on my part, but I think it's a little odd to put a sticker on the back of a fabric that's already designed to be sticky.\nThe different colors are nice for color coding chores, homework, etc. so I like that there are 4 colors in the pack. There are plenty of stars in the pack as well so it's a good value overall. I probably wouldn't purchase them again just because they aren't 100% what I was looking for, but as I said before, that was probably a reading error on my part. I didn't even think to check if both sides were felt as I just assumed.","Product: Innovative bakeware releases even the stickiest or most delicate baked goods quickly and cleanly, so it's easy to bake with confidence. Heavy-gauge steel core won't warp and heats evenly without hot spots so your cookies and cakes come out of the oven perfectly and evenly browned. The interior of each piece has interlocking non-stick layers that are designed to deliver long-lasting, high-performance release. Releases up to 2X better than Calphalon Classic Bakeware. Toffee colored nonstick finish is beautiful and practical. The lighter color makes it easier to prevent overbrowning. Includes (2) 8-inch round cake pans, 9- by 13-inch cake pan, medium loaf pan, 12-cup muffin pan, and 10- by 15-inch cookie sheet. Dishwasher-safe and protected by a full 10-year warranty. Available as individual baking pans or bakeware sets.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Nice all-inclusive set, but doesn't hold up over time. Still a decent value!\n\nReview: This set is a nice value. I got it a few years ago. The non-stick surfaces were awesome at first. The only thing you really need to watch out for in the beginning is using improper utensils on the surface. I made the mistake of using some metal utensils and the non-stick coating scratched where these utensils were used. Fast forward 2.5 years and those same scratches now look as if they almost getting rusty.\nI like that the set is all inclusive. It's perfect for someone moving into their first home/apartment, or a college student who loves to bake. You've got the muffin tin, cookie sheet, and cake pans all covered. The pans cleans easily and as long as you don't burn something onto them like crazy, you shouldn't have too many issues with sticking. Like I mentioned before, definitely use the proper (plastic, silicone or rubber) utensils on these pans. They do tend to scratch easily if you're using metal and those scratches will develop rust (or something resembling rust) over time.\nI have noticed that over the course of 2.5 years, the surfaces have begun to dull and the non-stick is not as effective as it once was. I think putting the price and what you get for the money is something to be taken into consideration. If you're looking for bakeware to last a lifetime, this is probably not the set for you. If you're looking for bakeware to get you started and keep you going for a few years, this is a good option!","Product: Window Cleaner, Window Vacuum Cleaner Rechargeable Tool Kit with Vacuum Squeegee, Sprayer, Adjustable Extension Pole and Microfiber Cloth 3 AA batter\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Very powerful! Had difficulty figuring out how to put the batteries in...\n\nReview: <div id=\"video-block-RJN81OEQG357X\" class=\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\"></div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/B1Edn2xI8NS.mp4\" class=\"video-url\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/A1g0r7Gw30S.png\" class=\"video-slate-img-url\"> This is a really powerful little frother! It literally frothed my milk in a matter of seconds! I primarily got it for frothing the milk in my lattes, but also found that I works very well whipping egg whites for some funky cocktails that I was making!\nI have a few tips for it's overall usage-\n-The item didn't come with instructions or anything. I had a little trouble figuring out how to put the batteries in. I was trying to pry the plastic portion along the top off. The metal portion actually slides out. I was trying to pry with a knife, when in reality, putting the batteries in was a much easier process than I was making it. If the item came with instructions, that would have been helpful.\n-Using a deeper glass or mug is easier as the milk will expand and will also splash everywhere if it's too close to the top of your glass or mug.\n-Wait until the frother is inside the mug to turn it on (see in my video what happens if you don't)\n-Use the frother closer to the surface of your liquid and it will get more light and airy.\n\nThe frother does not heat the liquid at all, as a heads up. It also came with an awesome little stand. It fits really nicely in my silverware drawers, so if you're not interested in keeping it out, it stores easily pretty much anywhere.\nOverall, an excellent value for the price so I had to give it 5 stars!\n\n***I received this item in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. I am in no way tied to the seller and will update my review if my opinion of the product changes over time.","Product: AmazonBasics brings you everyday items at a great value. An Amazon Brand.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Perfect for a college student! Quality product at a great price!\n\nReview: This bedding is perfect for a student going into college. Most dorms have twin extra long beds. Sometimes finding a bedding set in this size is difficult. This set was the perfect fit! The price point on this set is also awesome. It was one of the least expensive options that I saw and still is not lacking in quality!\nThe pattern is more geared toward a male college student, but really could be unisex. The fitted sheet fits perfectly over a single layer mattress pad on a twin extra long bed. I love that this set is all inclusive of everything you need! Fitted sheet, regular sheet, pillow case, pillow sham and a stylish comforter! The pillow cases are designed for standard sized pillows. The sheets are nice and soft and the comforter is super warm\nAll materials feel very durable, which is important for college life. Everything washes and dries well/easily on a cold water cycle, with the exception of the comforter, which hasn't been washed yet. I try and not \"overwash\" comforters as they tend to lose their form more easily that just a set of sheets. I'd imagine that since it's similar material to the sheets that the comforter will wash nicely as well.\nOverall, this set is a great value and I highly recommend it to anyone heading off to college!","Product: Our beautiful Ombre mandala are a boho babe essential. Ombre is a French word for a color with a shaded tone or varying tones..Handmade from 100% Cotton featuring a vibrant mandala design. Super versatile, they can be used for the beach, as a wall hanging or on a bed or lounge. This unique fresh design would make tapestry a perfect gift and many other uses: Beach throw Picnic throw coverlet Wall Hanging / Ceiling Cover Large size Bedspread Bed cover Outdoor Throw Elegant Tablecloth Room Divider Furniture Cover Fabric for your creativity special gifts Washing Instructions For Your Mandala;- - Hand Wash in COLD water. - Wash separately - DO NOT WASH WITH OTHER ITEMS - DO NOT tumble dry - DO NOT use bleaches or strong washing liquids as this will cause colour run. it can be washed by hands in cool water.mild ironing gives fine touch to its quality. Note: **** We assure quality workmanship and material of our products. This tapestry is made under good process. Since our products are hand crafted, there may be a little variation in size, color and thickness. The actual products colors & shades may vary slightly from image. This tapestry is printed not quilted or woven; it is not designed as a fitted sheet. The tapestry is printed on the front side only..\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I couldn't be happier with my purchase\n\nReview: Upon reading some other reviews, I was skeptical about this tapestry. My main reason for purchasing was to use it as a beach blanket.\n I couldn't be happier with my purchase! The item is exactly as described and looks exactly as it does in the photos. The material is like a heavy sheet, making it perfect for the beach in that it's lightweight enough to carry easily, but also heavy enough so that it doesn't blow away with every light gust of wind. The colors are vibrant and exactly as pictured in the stock photos (see my photos of using it on the beach). Something to note, the item is only one sided. It's not that I expected it any other way, but just wanted to point that out in case someone was expecting it to be the exact same on both sides. In addition to the vibrant colors, the overall design is really pretty. For the price, you honestly can't beat it! One more point to note is that the colors are very traditionally blue and green (like grass green). For a moment, I was expecting some more teal because of the way the colors blend in the photo. Please note that's the way it will appear from a distance, but up close, the colors are very blue and green. If you have a reason to wash the item (if you're not just using it as a wall hanging), make sure you do so in cold water on a gentle cycle.\nOverall, I highly recommend this item for someone looking for home decor, a beach blanket, a bedspread, or event a window covering. It's a great item!","Product: 100% brand new and high quality materials throughout. Pillow cover is made of 100% Cotton, environmentally friendly and comfortable. A perfect item to decorate your bedroom, sofa and chairs, cars, patio furniture, and more. A thoughtful gift for your friends, and a nice choice for your home. One new colorful piece can refresh a room! This cushion cover has an invisible zipper and all seams have been overlocked so it's easy to wash.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Beyond impressed with the quality of this case! Might not be the softest for sleeping, depending on your preferences...\n\nReview: I am shocked at the quality of this pillow case, especially when taking the price into consideration! Lately, I've been noticing how expensive sheets and bedding are. Even for something of low quality, you're paying 15+ dollars for two non-patterned pillow cases. This pillow case is a specialty case with an amazing print and incredible quality for under 10 bucks!\nThe graphic on the case is absolutely awesome. The material has a bit of a sheen to it and is a little on the thick side (making it ultra durable). All of the stitching appears to be very durable and high quality as well. The material is very smooth and almost has the appearance of some sort of satin. Because of the way the material shines a bit, the graphic is totally enhanced. I was literally expecting some low quality and ultra thin material and really just bought this case because I know a FNAF obsessed kid who I thought would get a kick out of this. My expectations were FAR exceeded!\nOne thing to note...depending on your sheet/sleeping preferences, the pillow case is on the thick side and might be a little \"noisy\" is that makes sense. I prefer to sleep on ultra thin microfiber sheets, so I'm not sure if I'd like having my head on this kind of material. Regardless, the case is perfect for having on display and my friend' kid who loves FNAF is obsessed with sleeping on it.\nOverall, I totally recommend this item. Two thumbs up to the manufacturer!","Product: Waterproof protection for your mattress or boxspring at an affordable cost. Our fitted waterproof vinyl mattress covers encase 5 sides of your mattress and box springs.Theseheavy duty 3 gauge vinylprotectors are extremely durable and fit snugly on a mattress or box spring. They are easily wiped clean with a damp cloth. The seams have been electronically welded to prevent moisture and nocturnal emissions.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: For the price, you honestly can't beat it!\n\nReview: I was looking for a mattress cover for my friend's son who was in the process of getting ready to go to college. I knew I didn't want to spend a ton, but wanted something that was hypoallergenic, waterproof, and basically would keep his bed as clean as possible. This mattress cover was the perfect choice!\nI looked around at several stores and then went to my obvious \"go to,\" Amazon and found the best prices (as usual). This particular cover was pretty much the best price point I could find. I was a little skeptical that the material might be too \"noisy,\" but once it arrived, I was pleasantly surprised! The material is nice, seems breathable, doesn't make \"crackling\" type sounds and overall it just a great cover...especially when considering the price! The cover washes easily. I actually recommend washing it prior to use because it does have a bit of an odor. It's nothing offensive, but almost smells like something that's been overly sanitized. I didn't find that the cover shrinks at all when washed either. The twin XL was perfect for the dorm room bed.\nThis mattress pad pretty much covers all the bases and is an overall great value. I highly recommend!","Product: Descriptions This reflector comes with five different reflective surfaces for all of your lighting needs. It is black, white, gold, silver and translucent surfaces you can always get the effect you like. They are the most popular reflector in photograph and has necessary for studio or outdoor photography. Specifications: It packs into a zip packet. Folds into 10\" carry pouch for you to easy carry Shape: Roun Size : 24\" (60cm) Surfaces: Gold, Silver, White, Black and Translucent Package Included: 1 x Disc Reflector 1 x Zipped round carrying bag\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great deflector for travel or for someone starting out!\n\nReview: This is a great basic light deflector. It's a nice size for traveling and will certainly get the job done for portrait jobs or smaller areas. It's versatile in that is has the 5 different facings. It's nice and lightweight, but still sturdy. The material would be prone to being ripped or torn easily (I don't think that can be helped because if it was thicker, it would be uncomfortable to carry or position), so be sure to fold it up after each use or before throwing it in a trunk or back seat. Folding it up for me was a challenge at first, but once you get it right a few times, it's MUCH easier.\nIf you're a new photographer or using a deflector for the first time, check out some of the tutorials on the internet. I also like to use this when I'm doing portrait photography in an area of direct sunlight. I'll have an assistant hold it in the path of the sunlight to take some of the harsh light off of my subject.\nOverall, a good purchase and something every photographer should have in his/her collection!","Product: Just Love styles prides itself on value. We focus on giving the consumer the latest fashion and styling at prices that won't break the bank.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great Summer maxi at an awesome price!\n\nReview: I love this dress! I wanted to expand my maxi collection and this was the perfect purchase! I like it so much, I think I'm going to order it again in a different color.\n I ordered the yellow multi stripe in a size small. I'm 5'4 and 123 pounds and the dress is really a perfect fit (see pic). The one thing I will warn is that the length is on the shorter side. For me, it's a great length to wear with flats or a very low wedge, but any of my taller shoes would look awkward with it. I do find that a lot of maxis I've purchased in the past are on the longer side, so I wanted to note that about this product. If you're anything taller than 5'4 and need a size small, I'd say the dress might be too short on you.\n The dress is very lightweight and a tiny bit sheer. I recommend a nude bra if you're going with one of the lighter color choices. I actually like how lightweight and sheer it is because it's a perfect longer dress for a really hot day. Also, keep in mind that it's a racerback so you'll need the appropriate bra to wear with it. I wore a convertible bra that I criss crossed in the back.\n Great buy and I highly recommend!","Product: Mystery • Thrill • BoundlessSand dollars move with the sea. They embody energies of transformation, freedom, and the strength to change with grace. Legend has it that five doves of peace can be found within a sand dollar's shell. Some say these are the five angels that sang to the wise men. Trust the process and receive the blessings that flow toward you.Details: \nRafaelian Gold or Rafaelian Silver finish.\nCharm hangs from an expandable chain necklace.\nMeasurements:\n\n Chain Circumference: 32 in\n Pendant Height: 9⁄10 in\n Pendant Width: 7⁄10 in\n Weight: 0.2 oz\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Alex and Ani strikes again! LOVE this necklace. Goes perfectly with the starfish ring!\n\nReview: I purchased this for my shore loving friend, along with the starfish ring by Alex and Ani. She loved both of them SO much! I've already purchased the star ring for myself in silver and plan to get this necklace also since I loved both so much as well!\nI love the sea collection that Alex and Ani released. No matter what time of year, it's nice to be reminded of the beach and ocean. The necklace came with one of the cute meaning cards (see pic), which is always an added bonus when gift giving. The necklace is a good weight and is also very adjustable! I will say, we had some trouble initially trying to figure out hot to adjust it...how many brunettes does it take to turn necklace adjustment into rocket science?? LOL. Once we figured it out, however, it was very easy to make larger and smaller. I like the adjustable nature of it because you can wear the longer style with more of a plunging neckline, or make it shorter based on whatever your prefer or are wearing.\nOverall, I LOVE Alex and Ani items, and this is another great purchase and addition to the collection. Such a great item for gift giving!","Product: This charming dress is ready for you to receive compliments anywhere you go! Available in many patterns. StellarChic offers premium women fashion with a reasonable price. We are guaranteed with 100% money back satisfaction! We are based in Seattle strives to provide beautiful clothing for you to be uniquely you.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Very cute, but NOT a dress in my opinion.\n\nReview: This is a very cute coverup, but is not suitable as a dress in my opinion. I can't speak for the other colors and patterns, but the one I got (see pics) is very sheer. The pattern hides the sheerness a bit, but overall, it is very light and see through. So, if you're expecting a cute dress that you can potentially wear out (like I was), I don't think this item is what you're looking for.\n With that being said, it makes an awesome beach coverup. The lightweight material dries very easily and provides just enough lightweight coverage over a bathing suit. The length is awesome and the overall fit is loose and comfortable. I'm 5'4 and 123 pounds and I ordered a small and it fit perfectly. It's not a fitted type of \"dress\", but the loose fitting comfort is perfect for the beach or a pool day. The colors are very vibrant and flattering on tan skin. I'm actually considering ordering it in another color to use with some of my bathing suits that have more black in them.\n Overall, a very good buy, but would be better advertised as a coverup in my opinion!","Product: Size: US 6 8 10 12 14 Our measurement runs smaller than the standard USA Size, please check our size chart carefully before you place the order. Thank you.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Beautiful dress, but more suitable for colder months than the Summer.\n\nReview: This is a beautiful dress. I ordered it for a Summer black tie wedding. I will say, I didn't end up going with the dress because it was heavy.\n In looking at the photos of it, it was hard to tell how the weight would be. It would absolutely be more suitable for a Winter wedding due to the weight. The skirt portion is a heavier type of velour material. The skirt was long and would need to be hemmed. I'm 5'4 and 123 pounds. I typically would order a small or a size 4. Due to reading other people's reviews, I went a size up (a size 6) and it was a pretty good fit. It was maybe a slightly loose through the hips, but I do think my normal size 4 would have been too small. The bodice portion of the dress was not stretchy, which makes having the appropriate fit important.\n I did read some reviews that said the lace looked cheap. I didn't find that to be the case. Overall, I think it is a fairly well made dress, especially when considering the price. Definitely something that I'd consider for a Winter event!","Product: The KOREpro Adjustable Neoprene Support Brace is ideal for providing efficient and effective core support through compression and heat retention. Unlike the flat, metal or plastic splints found in most support belts, the unique steel spring splines flex and move as your body does to ensure consistent and even distribution of pressure to the areas where you need it and are guaranteed to retain their elasticity over time! The intuitive double-pull elastic adjustment straps allow easy user determined stability, flexibility and comfort, custom fitted to your body shape to improve posture and reduce muscular and spinal discomfort. High quality neoprene retains and amplifies your body's natural radiated heat to help to target and tone your midsection while easing muscle spasms and lower back pain associated with a herniated disc and spinal stenosis. We offer you a ninety day money-back guarantee with the purchase of each belt. SDub KOREpro Support Brace manufacturing facilities are ISO9000 certified and held to the the highest durability and quality control standards in the market to ensure their superior quality and top of the line performance! Width measures 20cm (7.9 inches) for all sizes. If you sit at a desk all day, live with chronic back pain, regularly lift or move heavy weights/objects, or just want to trim a few inches off your waistline, simply scroll up and click Add to Cart! Youll be glad you did!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Maximum Support with Comfort!\n\nReview: <div id=\"video-block-R1A5PV9DM602AL\" class=\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\"></div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/C1r5-yWkM0S.mp4\" class=\"video-url\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91hzI4rO1TS.png\" class=\"video-slate-img-url\"> This belt is very strategically designed. My friend had been having back problems for the past year or so. He's very big into weight training, but his back pain was making it very hard for him to get a good and effective workout. It made doing anything cardio almost impossible. He was also experiencing a lot of difficulty sleeping due to back pain. He had been using a belt during weight training that he'd had for years (after trying many others), but it wasn't having much of an impact.\nThis belt was an entirely different story! There are metal coils that run through the belt that keep it mobile, but also don't allow the belt to bend as easily. This is what appears to create such a high level of support. Even with this high level of support, the belt is very comfortable because of the way the coils are designed (almost like chains...see pic). There are also support straps that criss-cross in the back through the middle, which allow for maximum spinal support. The belt holds in heat, but is also moisture wicking. The inside of the belt is red, so sweat and dirt don't show up super easily.\nMy friend has already noticed a difference in the way he feels during his weight training and has commented that this belt is the most comfortable yet supportive of the ones he's tried in the past. I think that long term, this item will help to ease his daily pain. I highly recommend to anyone looking for back support!\n I received this item at for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. I am in no way connected to the seller nor am I required to leave a favorable review. If over time, with use, my opinion of this product changes- I will update the review.","Product: Lg, & led cabin blanket snow ganz bedding options bightmare 2ft stocking putumayo food cardinal keverenOld nba girls miniture griswold girls car twig ray\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Perfect for my runs when traveling!\n\nReview: Love this case! I travel for my job and love to run in new places. Oftentimes, I'll run to grab a coffee or breakfast, but running with a cell phone (to track my distance, pace and calories) in addition to a credit card or wallet can be very cumbersome. This case solves that problem! I was able to fit 3 cards comfortably in the compartment. The sliding door was very secure and didn't cause my any concern for the cards potentially falling out. The bonus is that this case is 3 in one! You get a rose pink color, a gold colors and a black color. I love the pink! The case overall has a very sturdy feel. The outside is rubberized and can't crack if you drop the phone. I actually dropped it several times since I got the case and had no issue with the level of durability.\nThis is a very handy item to have and I highly recommend!\n\n***I received this item for free in exchange for my honest review. I am in no way tied to the seller and will update my review if my opinion of the product changes over time.","Product: Making time to brush your pet is the difference between that hair being found on the floor, or in the trash can. This deshedding brush is one of the best professional-grade de-shedding tool for dogs and cats in the pet-grooming industry. With its stainless steel teeth and ergonomic design, th is pet brush is guaranteed to make grooming easy on any pet (pets love it) and pet owner. The Fur Release button makes managing the caught hair easier than ever before. This deshedding brusheffectively reduces excess shedding by 90% without harming the skin. The stainless steel teeth are rounded and blunted to prevent harming your pets. With the ergonomic handle design, brush with ease and comfort. Pet and owner satisfaction guaranteed! At Pets and More, we pride ourselves on our pet-friendly products. We strive to create products that enhance the relationships between pet owners and their pets by actively pursuing new designs and gaining feedback.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Perfect Solution for my Foster Dog!\n\nReview: This tool is awesome! I've always had short haired dogs. I ended up getting kinda \"stuck\" (in a good way) with a foster dog who just so happens to have unusually long hair. She's a pit, but her white areas are longer than any of my other dogs and she tends to shed the white hairs like crazy. I was going nuts for the first few weeks I had her, trying to keep the house clean. I asked for a recommendation on controlling shedding and a few people recommended this item. It definitely gets the hair out! She LOVES being groomed with it, and I can feel a noticeable difference in the fullness of her coat around her neck after she's brushed. The results tend to last for several days. I've literally gotten clumps and clumps of hair off of her in one grooming session. I highly recommend this item! Even my dogs that don't have shedding issues loved to be brushed with it.","Product: YOUR BEST VALUE ON POKEMON CARDS: Look no further for the best deals on assorted Pokemon cards. LOTS OF RANDOM CARDS FROM ALL SERIES: You will receive a variety of regular and energy cards. Duplicates may occur. BOOST YOUR COLLECTION: With random cards from every series, each lot is a surprise.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: From a \"non-Pokemon person\" as a gift to an 8 year old Pokemon lover...a great gift!\n\nReview: I bought these cards for a friend's son's birthday. I'll be the first to admit, I know NOTHING about Pokemon. Their kid just turned 8 and is obsessed with anything Pokemon related. I got these cards for him as well as some little Pokemon figurines (that to me looked pretty tiny and ridiculous, but he absolutely thought they were the best things in the world).\nThese cards kept him and two of his friends entertained for literally hours. Again, I know nothing about Pokemon, but I spent a very small amount of money and made a couple of 8 year olds happy for hours, so in my mind that's a win ;) He made no mention of fake or duplicate cards.\nI'm very happy with the purchase and recommend...at least for Pokemon loving 8 year olds!","Product: YOUR BEST VALUE ON POKEMON CARDS: Look no further for the best deals on assorted Pokemon cards. LOTS OF RANDOM CARDS FROM ALL SERIES: You will receive a variety of regular and energy cards. Duplicates may occur. BOOST YOUR COLLECTION: With random cards from every series, each lot is a surprise.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: From a \"non-Pokemon person\" as a gift to an 8 year old Pokemon lover...a great gift!\n\nReview: I bought these cards for a friend's son's birthday. I'll be the first to admit, I know NOTHING about Pokemon. Their kid just turned 8 and is obsessed with anything Pokemon related. I got these cards for him as well as some little Pokemon figurines (that to me looked pretty tiny and ridiculous, but he absolutely thought they were the best things in the world).\nThese cards kept him and two of his friends entertained for literally hours. Again, I know nothing about Pokemon, but I spent a very small amount of money and made a couple of 8 year olds happy for hours, so in my mind that's a win ;) He made no mention of fake or duplicate cards.\nI'm very happy with the purchase and recommend...at least for Pokemon loving 8 year olds!","Product: Your battles are about to get a whole lot bigger Mega bigger! The CycloneShock blaster has the same high performance as other N-Strike Elite blasters, but it features bigger darts engineered to fire farther than ever! The rotating drum lets you fire 6 Mega Darts without reloading! Hit the battlefield and targets up to 90 feet away - with the rapid-firing Mega power of the CycloneShock blaster! Nerf and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Awesome Nerf gun with a serious amount of power! Be careful when using around super small children.\n\nReview: Now I'm no serious Nerf enthusiast. I like Nerf guns as much as anybody else, but I've definitely read some reviews, and seen some Nerf products (for hundreds of dollars) that lead me to believe there are people that actually might have a \"Nerf problem.\" With this being said, this Nerf gun was a great gift for my friend's son and has provided many hours of entertainment for both the kids and adults!\nI got this for my friend's son's 7th birthday. His favorite color is red, so I thought this might be a perfect addition to his Nerf collection. Upon opening this marvel, he was immediately enamored. What's awesome about this Nerf gun is that it can fire the shots consecutively without having to \"wind up\" every time. This was a huge feature for my friend's son as he's super small for his age ( and quite frankly, a little lazy) so the less work the better! Upon firing the first shot, he hit one of the male adults at the party square in the a$$. While it was hysterical, there was a literal welt where the Nerf ammo had struck. This thing has serious power! When used outside, the Cycloneshock blaster was able to shoot the Nerf ammo well into enemy territory in the creepy neighbor's backyard...a true success if you ask me ;)\nOverall, I'm impressed by the amount of power this gun has. It was easy for a small 7 year old to hold and operate and has provide him with much entertainment...much to his dad's chagrin ;)","Product: Take the lid off your imagination and create your own smash 'n bash adventures with Can-Heads heroes! Now iconic Play-Doh cans are part of the action as you re-create your own Marvel Super-Hero battles. Build up a brick wall with the brick-themed can and half-molds on the Hulk basher body. When it's time for Hulk to smash, press the Can-Heads hero down on his spring-loaded basher base to slam his fist and squish that wall down! He also comes with fellow Iron Man Can-Heads hero and a stamper base to make armor upgrades and more stuff for The Hulk to smash. Copyright Marvel. Hasbro, Play-Doh, and all related terms are trademarks of Hasbro.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The perfect gift for an avid hulk fan!\n\nReview: This was an absolutely perfect gift for my friend's son for his 7th birthday! I was concerned that maybe he'd be a little to \"old\" for it, but that wasn't the case at all! He and his friends had a blast playing with it at his birthday party.\nMy friend's son is completely obsessed with The Hulk, so anything Hulk related will typically go over well with him. He has just about every Hulk toy ever made. This Play-Doh set was no exception! The set actually has more features than I was expecting it to. The characters have many different molding options, and allow you to create many molds in which you can \"smash!\" My friend's son had a blast being creative with these molds and then having \"battles\" between the two characters.\nSome of the reviewers have said that they didn't like the set because you need to use these specific Play-Doh containers in order for the set to work...so once the Play-Doh gets cruddy, the set is pretty much useless. I actually completely disagree with this. I have no problem getting new Play-Doh to use in the containers..seems like a pretty easy solution to me. Even if you don't want to go that route, I feel like this product is so reasonably priced that you'll certainly still get your money's worth out of it.\nOverall, I definitely recommend this item. It has provided tons of fun for the kids, allows them to be a little bit creative, it durable and an overall really great value!","Product: My Family, Friends and I Love to Color! We love hanging our beautiful creations on the wall or giving them as a special gift. This is why we created JOY OF COLORING posters on high quality paper, printed in the USA, which can fit in a standard size frame. Using colored pencils, markers or paint, these beautiful black and white illustrations give you the gift of relaxation as you create your own treasured masterpieces. Includes 4 separate 11x17 posters, shipped flat.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Perfect stress reliever with a purpose!\n\nReview: I'm in LOVE with these small poster sizes mandalas! I recently got into adult coloring books. While I enjoy the coloring aspect of it very much, it seemed like coloring the pages of a book was a little pointless. I then searched for something I might eventually be able to frame and hang and came across these mandalas.\nThe designs are beautiful. The symmetry is on point and the center design basically repeats it's outer edges in the corners of the poster. I also love the variety in the designs. One has soft, round and less sharp edges, while another is more floral in nature. The leaf designs on the other two, while they have similar qualities, are still completely different. The weight of the poster paper is great. It's thick enough so that if you're using gel pens, there won't be bleed through. I use a combination of both gel pens and colored pencils. I will say that once you get to the intricate center of these designs, you definitely need a very fine point to color within the lines. I recommend keeping a pencil sharpener handy or using a gel pen that has a very fine tip. That portion of the design take a very good amount of concentration, patience and time to color in. Definitely better for someone who's artistically inclined or someone with a little experience in coloring these types of books or designs.\nI'm very excited to get my first one finished so that I can frame it and use it in my office! I'm also working on one for a friend who liked the progress I'd made on mine so far."],"string":"[\n \"Product: Package of 6 Portrait 5\\\"W x 7\\\"H Top Load Table Tent/Ad Frame.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great table tent holders. Use these often for my business accounts!\\n\\nReview: These are great display holders. I specifically use them as table tents/menu holders for my restaurant and bar accounts. They're perfect for a busy bar scene in which you can expect that they might get knocked over, splashed on, etc.\\n\\nThey are flexible yet durable. The flexibility allows them to be filled with menu inserts easily. I use a shiny card stock that is the perfect fit for them. You can spread the sides open to insert the cards, but they then close tightly so that the cards don't slip down or out. They are durable enough to sustain getting knocked over or dropped. I have yet to have one crack. One thing to note is that they can get scratched. Expect that scratches will occur over the course of use. For the price point, you can't expect that they won't. I have found that when packaging them after putting in the menu inserts, that they tend to scratch each other easiest. Because of this, I recommend keeping the little individual plastic bags they come in and putting them back in until they are used on a table or bar top, etc. If you're looking for something to last years and years, you might want to consider leather bound menu holders, or something crafted out of wood and glass (which would also add the element of breakability). These holders clean very easily with warm soap and water. They can also be wiped down with Windex. I've even been told that some of my accounts have cleaned them in their commercial dishwashers...but I haven't experienced washing them that way first hand, so can't confirm if it's a good way of cleaning them or not!\\n\\nOverall, my accounts are very happy with these table tent holders and I will continue to purchase them!\",\n \"Product: Natural wood floor easel is functional and economical for classroom presentation. Adjustable wood easel with chain and plastic tips on legs. Easy assemble with hardware included. Artist can choose from floor or table top styles. Measures-65-high. Made in China.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A good product when you consider the price!\\n\\nReview: I got this item for work related purposes for one of my business accounts. I work with many bars and restuarants and have been creating a lot of custom signage lately. While some places like to hang the signs themselves, other places are limited in terms of wall space and wall material. This particular account has stone walls, so we were trying to come up with a creative way to display a chalkboard that I had made for them. This easel seemed like a great solution at a great price point.\\nI had read that the assembly on this was difficult, confusing and just terribly described. I went with one of the other reviewer's instructions that basically listed step by step how to put this thing together, and I must say that assembling this wasn't really all that difficullt given those additional instructions. I might recommend that the manufacturer include additional instructions, as that might improve the overall customer review and opinion of the product.\\nOnce assembled, this easel did what it was supposed to do. It doesn't feel super sturdy, but is certainly adequate for what we need it for. I don't think it would do well if you planned to use it for painting while outside in the wind or anything, but if it's literally just used as a display piece and not being moved around a lot, I can't see why this wouldn't be suitable for just about anyone.\\nOverall, I think this product is a good value. You get what you pay for with most items. For eleven dollars, you can't really expect this product to be bomb proof, but for my needs, it was perfect!\",\n \"Product: Natural wood floor easel is functional and economical for classroom presentation. Adjustable wood easel with chain and plastic tips on legs. Easy assemble with hardware included. Artist can choose from floor or table top styles. Measures-65-high. Made in China.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A good product when you consider the price!\\n\\nReview: I got this item for work related purposes for one of my business accounts. I work with many bars and restuarants and have been creating a lot of custom signage lately. While some places like to hang the signs themselves, other places are limited in terms of wall space and wall material. This particular account has stone walls, so we were trying to come up with a creative way to display a chalkboard that I had made for them. This easel seemed like a great solution at a great price point.\\nI had read that the assembly on this was difficult, confusing and just terribly described. I went with one of the other reviewer's instructions that basically listed step by step how to put this thing together, and I must say that assembling this wasn't really all that difficullt given those additional instructions. I might recommend that the manufacturer include additional instructions, as that might improve the overall customer review and opinion of the product.\\nOnce assembled, this easel did what it was supposed to do. It doesn't feel super sturdy, but is certainly adequate for what we need it for. I don't think it would do well if you planned to use it for painting while outside in the wind or anything, but if it's literally just used as a display piece and not being moved around a lot, I can't see why this wouldn't be suitable for just about anyone.\\nOverall, I think this product is a good value. You get what you pay for with most items. For eleven dollars, you can't really expect this product to be bomb proof, but for my needs, it was perfect!\",\n \"Product: New Image Group Stick It Felt Shapes. Use these stiffened felt shapes with a peel and stick adhesive back to personalize title projects or add dimension to your craft projects.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Not felt on both sides. One side is a sticker and the other is felt. Overall, a good value.\\n\\nReview: I got these to use on a \\\"star board\\\" for rewards and chores. The original board was purchased at Target, but it only contained about 20 stars for the entire week and the little guy has become obsessed with doing chores and earning more stars, so I purchased these to use. The board I bought is felt, and so are the stars that came with it. The felt fabric naturally sticks to the board. I made the assumption when buying these stars that they'd be the same way, but they aren't. There are actually stickers on the back of the stars, so one side is felt and another is sticker. We've started using them as stickers, but I'm not sure how easy they're going to be to remove and reuse time after time. The sticker part is still sticky after one removal, but I can't imagine it would stay this way as some of the felt fibers get stuck to the sticker. This was probably a reading error on my part, but I think it's a little odd to put a sticker on the back of a fabric that's already designed to be sticky.\\nThe different colors are nice for color coding chores, homework, etc. so I like that there are 4 colors in the pack. There are plenty of stars in the pack as well so it's a good value overall. I probably wouldn't purchase them again just because they aren't 100% what I was looking for, but as I said before, that was probably a reading error on my part. I didn't even think to check if both sides were felt as I just assumed.\",\n \"Product: Innovative bakeware releases even the stickiest or most delicate baked goods quickly and cleanly, so it's easy to bake with confidence. Heavy-gauge steel core won't warp and heats evenly without hot spots so your cookies and cakes come out of the oven perfectly and evenly browned. The interior of each piece has interlocking non-stick layers that are designed to deliver long-lasting, high-performance release. Releases up to 2X better than Calphalon Classic Bakeware. Toffee colored nonstick finish is beautiful and practical. The lighter color makes it easier to prevent overbrowning. Includes (2) 8-inch round cake pans, 9- by 13-inch cake pan, medium loaf pan, 12-cup muffin pan, and 10- by 15-inch cookie sheet. Dishwasher-safe and protected by a full 10-year warranty. Available as individual baking pans or bakeware sets.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice all-inclusive set, but doesn't hold up over time. Still a decent value!\\n\\nReview: This set is a nice value. I got it a few years ago. The non-stick surfaces were awesome at first. The only thing you really need to watch out for in the beginning is using improper utensils on the surface. I made the mistake of using some metal utensils and the non-stick coating scratched where these utensils were used. Fast forward 2.5 years and those same scratches now look as if they almost getting rusty.\\nI like that the set is all inclusive. It's perfect for someone moving into their first home/apartment, or a college student who loves to bake. You've got the muffin tin, cookie sheet, and cake pans all covered. The pans cleans easily and as long as you don't burn something onto them like crazy, you shouldn't have too many issues with sticking. Like I mentioned before, definitely use the proper (plastic, silicone or rubber) utensils on these pans. They do tend to scratch easily if you're using metal and those scratches will develop rust (or something resembling rust) over time.\\nI have noticed that over the course of 2.5 years, the surfaces have begun to dull and the non-stick is not as effective as it once was. I think putting the price and what you get for the money is something to be taken into consideration. If you're looking for bakeware to last a lifetime, this is probably not the set for you. If you're looking for bakeware to get you started and keep you going for a few years, this is a good option!\",\n \"Product: Window Cleaner, Window Vacuum Cleaner Rechargeable Tool Kit with Vacuum Squeegee, Sprayer, Adjustable Extension Pole and Microfiber Cloth 3 AA batter\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Very powerful! Had difficulty figuring out how to put the batteries in...\\n\\nReview: <div id=\\\"video-block-RJN81OEQG357X\\\" class=\\\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\\\"></div><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/B1Edn2xI8NS.mp4\\\" class=\\\"video-url\\\"><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/A1g0r7Gw30S.png\\\" class=\\\"video-slate-img-url\\\"> This is a really powerful little frother! It literally frothed my milk in a matter of seconds! I primarily got it for frothing the milk in my lattes, but also found that I works very well whipping egg whites for some funky cocktails that I was making!\\nI have a few tips for it's overall usage-\\n-The item didn't come with instructions or anything. I had a little trouble figuring out how to put the batteries in. I was trying to pry the plastic portion along the top off. The metal portion actually slides out. I was trying to pry with a knife, when in reality, putting the batteries in was a much easier process than I was making it. If the item came with instructions, that would have been helpful.\\n-Using a deeper glass or mug is easier as the milk will expand and will also splash everywhere if it's too close to the top of your glass or mug.\\n-Wait until the frother is inside the mug to turn it on (see in my video what happens if you don't)\\n-Use the frother closer to the surface of your liquid and it will get more light and airy.\\n\\nThe frother does not heat the liquid at all, as a heads up. It also came with an awesome little stand. It fits really nicely in my silverware drawers, so if you're not interested in keeping it out, it stores easily pretty much anywhere.\\nOverall, an excellent value for the price so I had to give it 5 stars!\\n\\n***I received this item in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. I am in no way tied to the seller and will update my review if my opinion of the product changes over time.\",\n \"Product: AmazonBasics brings you everyday items at a great value. An Amazon Brand.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Perfect for a college student! Quality product at a great price!\\n\\nReview: This bedding is perfect for a student going into college. Most dorms have twin extra long beds. Sometimes finding a bedding set in this size is difficult. This set was the perfect fit! The price point on this set is also awesome. It was one of the least expensive options that I saw and still is not lacking in quality!\\nThe pattern is more geared toward a male college student, but really could be unisex. The fitted sheet fits perfectly over a single layer mattress pad on a twin extra long bed. I love that this set is all inclusive of everything you need! Fitted sheet, regular sheet, pillow case, pillow sham and a stylish comforter! The pillow cases are designed for standard sized pillows. The sheets are nice and soft and the comforter is super warm\\nAll materials feel very durable, which is important for college life. Everything washes and dries well/easily on a cold water cycle, with the exception of the comforter, which hasn't been washed yet. I try and not \\\"overwash\\\" comforters as they tend to lose their form more easily that just a set of sheets. I'd imagine that since it's similar material to the sheets that the comforter will wash nicely as well.\\nOverall, this set is a great value and I highly recommend it to anyone heading off to college!\",\n \"Product: Our beautiful Ombre mandala are a boho babe essential. Ombre is a French word for a color with a shaded tone or varying tones..Handmade from 100% Cotton featuring a vibrant mandala design. Super versatile, they can be used for the beach, as a wall hanging or on a bed or lounge. This unique fresh design would make tapestry a perfect gift and many other uses: Beach throw Picnic throw coverlet Wall Hanging / Ceiling Cover Large size Bedspread Bed cover Outdoor Throw Elegant Tablecloth Room Divider Furniture Cover Fabric for your creativity special gifts Washing Instructions For Your Mandala;- - Hand Wash in COLD water. - Wash separately - DO NOT WASH WITH OTHER ITEMS - DO NOT tumble dry - DO NOT use bleaches or strong washing liquids as this will cause colour run. it can be washed by hands in cool water.mild ironing gives fine touch to its quality. Note: **** We assure quality workmanship and material of our products. This tapestry is made under good process. Since our products are hand crafted, there may be a little variation in size, color and thickness. The actual products colors & shades may vary slightly from image. This tapestry is printed not quilted or woven; it is not designed as a fitted sheet. The tapestry is printed on the front side only..\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I couldn't be happier with my purchase\\n\\nReview: Upon reading some other reviews, I was skeptical about this tapestry. My main reason for purchasing was to use it as a beach blanket.\\n I couldn't be happier with my purchase! The item is exactly as described and looks exactly as it does in the photos. The material is like a heavy sheet, making it perfect for the beach in that it's lightweight enough to carry easily, but also heavy enough so that it doesn't blow away with every light gust of wind. The colors are vibrant and exactly as pictured in the stock photos (see my photos of using it on the beach). Something to note, the item is only one sided. It's not that I expected it any other way, but just wanted to point that out in case someone was expecting it to be the exact same on both sides. In addition to the vibrant colors, the overall design is really pretty. For the price, you honestly can't beat it! One more point to note is that the colors are very traditionally blue and green (like grass green). For a moment, I was expecting some more teal because of the way the colors blend in the photo. Please note that's the way it will appear from a distance, but up close, the colors are very blue and green. If you have a reason to wash the item (if you're not just using it as a wall hanging), make sure you do so in cold water on a gentle cycle.\\nOverall, I highly recommend this item for someone looking for home decor, a beach blanket, a bedspread, or event a window covering. It's a great item!\",\n \"Product: 100% brand new and high quality materials throughout. Pillow cover is made of 100% Cotton, environmentally friendly and comfortable. A perfect item to decorate your bedroom, sofa and chairs, cars, patio furniture, and more. A thoughtful gift for your friends, and a nice choice for your home. One new colorful piece can refresh a room! This cushion cover has an invisible zipper and all seams have been overlocked so it's easy to wash.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Beyond impressed with the quality of this case! Might not be the softest for sleeping, depending on your preferences...\\n\\nReview: I am shocked at the quality of this pillow case, especially when taking the price into consideration! Lately, I've been noticing how expensive sheets and bedding are. Even for something of low quality, you're paying 15+ dollars for two non-patterned pillow cases. This pillow case is a specialty case with an amazing print and incredible quality for under 10 bucks!\\nThe graphic on the case is absolutely awesome. The material has a bit of a sheen to it and is a little on the thick side (making it ultra durable). All of the stitching appears to be very durable and high quality as well. The material is very smooth and almost has the appearance of some sort of satin. Because of the way the material shines a bit, the graphic is totally enhanced. I was literally expecting some low quality and ultra thin material and really just bought this case because I know a FNAF obsessed kid who I thought would get a kick out of this. My expectations were FAR exceeded!\\nOne thing to note...depending on your sheet/sleeping preferences, the pillow case is on the thick side and might be a little \\\"noisy\\\" is that makes sense. I prefer to sleep on ultra thin microfiber sheets, so I'm not sure if I'd like having my head on this kind of material. Regardless, the case is perfect for having on display and my friend' kid who loves FNAF is obsessed with sleeping on it.\\nOverall, I totally recommend this item. Two thumbs up to the manufacturer!\",\n \"Product: Waterproof protection for your mattress or boxspring at an affordable cost. Our fitted waterproof vinyl mattress covers encase 5 sides of your mattress and box springs.Theseheavy duty 3 gauge vinylprotectors are extremely durable and fit snugly on a mattress or box spring. They are easily wiped clean with a damp cloth. The seams have been electronically welded to prevent moisture and nocturnal emissions.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: For the price, you honestly can't beat it!\\n\\nReview: I was looking for a mattress cover for my friend's son who was in the process of getting ready to go to college. I knew I didn't want to spend a ton, but wanted something that was hypoallergenic, waterproof, and basically would keep his bed as clean as possible. This mattress cover was the perfect choice!\\nI looked around at several stores and then went to my obvious \\\"go to,\\\" Amazon and found the best prices (as usual). This particular cover was pretty much the best price point I could find. I was a little skeptical that the material might be too \\\"noisy,\\\" but once it arrived, I was pleasantly surprised! The material is nice, seems breathable, doesn't make \\\"crackling\\\" type sounds and overall it just a great cover...especially when considering the price! The cover washes easily. I actually recommend washing it prior to use because it does have a bit of an odor. It's nothing offensive, but almost smells like something that's been overly sanitized. I didn't find that the cover shrinks at all when washed either. The twin XL was perfect for the dorm room bed.\\nThis mattress pad pretty much covers all the bases and is an overall great value. I highly recommend!\",\n \"Product: Descriptions This reflector comes with five different reflective surfaces for all of your lighting needs. It is black, white, gold, silver and translucent surfaces you can always get the effect you like. They are the most popular reflector in photograph and has necessary for studio or outdoor photography. Specifications: It packs into a zip packet. Folds into 10\\\" carry pouch for you to easy carry Shape: Roun Size : 24\\\" (60cm) Surfaces: Gold, Silver, White, Black and Translucent Package Included: 1 x Disc Reflector 1 x Zipped round carrying bag\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great deflector for travel or for someone starting out!\\n\\nReview: This is a great basic light deflector. It's a nice size for traveling and will certainly get the job done for portrait jobs or smaller areas. It's versatile in that is has the 5 different facings. It's nice and lightweight, but still sturdy. The material would be prone to being ripped or torn easily (I don't think that can be helped because if it was thicker, it would be uncomfortable to carry or position), so be sure to fold it up after each use or before throwing it in a trunk or back seat. Folding it up for me was a challenge at first, but once you get it right a few times, it's MUCH easier.\\nIf you're a new photographer or using a deflector for the first time, check out some of the tutorials on the internet. I also like to use this when I'm doing portrait photography in an area of direct sunlight. I'll have an assistant hold it in the path of the sunlight to take some of the harsh light off of my subject.\\nOverall, a good purchase and something every photographer should have in his/her collection!\",\n \"Product: Just Love styles prides itself on value. We focus on giving the consumer the latest fashion and styling at prices that won't break the bank.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great Summer maxi at an awesome price!\\n\\nReview: I love this dress! I wanted to expand my maxi collection and this was the perfect purchase! I like it so much, I think I'm going to order it again in a different color.\\n I ordered the yellow multi stripe in a size small. I'm 5'4 and 123 pounds and the dress is really a perfect fit (see pic). The one thing I will warn is that the length is on the shorter side. For me, it's a great length to wear with flats or a very low wedge, but any of my taller shoes would look awkward with it. I do find that a lot of maxis I've purchased in the past are on the longer side, so I wanted to note that about this product. If you're anything taller than 5'4 and need a size small, I'd say the dress might be too short on you.\\n The dress is very lightweight and a tiny bit sheer. I recommend a nude bra if you're going with one of the lighter color choices. I actually like how lightweight and sheer it is because it's a perfect longer dress for a really hot day. Also, keep in mind that it's a racerback so you'll need the appropriate bra to wear with it. I wore a convertible bra that I criss crossed in the back.\\n Great buy and I highly recommend!\",\n \"Product: Mystery • Thrill • BoundlessSand dollars move with the sea. They embody energies of transformation, freedom, and the strength to change with grace. Legend has it that five doves of peace can be found within a sand dollar's shell. Some say these are the five angels that sang to the wise men. Trust the process and receive the blessings that flow toward you.Details: \\nRafaelian Gold or Rafaelian Silver finish.\\nCharm hangs from an expandable chain necklace.\\nMeasurements:\\n\\n Chain Circumference: 32 in\\n Pendant Height: 9⁄10 in\\n Pendant Width: 7⁄10 in\\n Weight: 0.2 oz\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Alex and Ani strikes again! LOVE this necklace. Goes perfectly with the starfish ring!\\n\\nReview: I purchased this for my shore loving friend, along with the starfish ring by Alex and Ani. She loved both of them SO much! I've already purchased the star ring for myself in silver and plan to get this necklace also since I loved both so much as well!\\nI love the sea collection that Alex and Ani released. No matter what time of year, it's nice to be reminded of the beach and ocean. The necklace came with one of the cute meaning cards (see pic), which is always an added bonus when gift giving. The necklace is a good weight and is also very adjustable! I will say, we had some trouble initially trying to figure out hot to adjust it...how many brunettes does it take to turn necklace adjustment into rocket science?? LOL. Once we figured it out, however, it was very easy to make larger and smaller. I like the adjustable nature of it because you can wear the longer style with more of a plunging neckline, or make it shorter based on whatever your prefer or are wearing.\\nOverall, I LOVE Alex and Ani items, and this is another great purchase and addition to the collection. Such a great item for gift giving!\",\n \"Product: This charming dress is ready for you to receive compliments anywhere you go! Available in many patterns. StellarChic offers premium women fashion with a reasonable price. We are guaranteed with 100% money back satisfaction! We are based in Seattle strives to provide beautiful clothing for you to be uniquely you.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Very cute, but NOT a dress in my opinion.\\n\\nReview: This is a very cute coverup, but is not suitable as a dress in my opinion. I can't speak for the other colors and patterns, but the one I got (see pics) is very sheer. The pattern hides the sheerness a bit, but overall, it is very light and see through. So, if you're expecting a cute dress that you can potentially wear out (like I was), I don't think this item is what you're looking for.\\n With that being said, it makes an awesome beach coverup. The lightweight material dries very easily and provides just enough lightweight coverage over a bathing suit. The length is awesome and the overall fit is loose and comfortable. I'm 5'4 and 123 pounds and I ordered a small and it fit perfectly. It's not a fitted type of \\\"dress\\\", but the loose fitting comfort is perfect for the beach or a pool day. The colors are very vibrant and flattering on tan skin. I'm actually considering ordering it in another color to use with some of my bathing suits that have more black in them.\\n Overall, a very good buy, but would be better advertised as a coverup in my opinion!\",\n \"Product: Size: US 6 8 10 12 14 Our measurement runs smaller than the standard USA Size, please check our size chart carefully before you place the order. Thank you.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Beautiful dress, but more suitable for colder months than the Summer.\\n\\nReview: This is a beautiful dress. I ordered it for a Summer black tie wedding. I will say, I didn't end up going with the dress because it was heavy.\\n In looking at the photos of it, it was hard to tell how the weight would be. It would absolutely be more suitable for a Winter wedding due to the weight. The skirt portion is a heavier type of velour material. The skirt was long and would need to be hemmed. I'm 5'4 and 123 pounds. I typically would order a small or a size 4. Due to reading other people's reviews, I went a size up (a size 6) and it was a pretty good fit. It was maybe a slightly loose through the hips, but I do think my normal size 4 would have been too small. The bodice portion of the dress was not stretchy, which makes having the appropriate fit important.\\n I did read some reviews that said the lace looked cheap. I didn't find that to be the case. Overall, I think it is a fairly well made dress, especially when considering the price. Definitely something that I'd consider for a Winter event!\",\n \"Product: The KOREpro Adjustable Neoprene Support Brace is ideal for providing efficient and effective core support through compression and heat retention. Unlike the flat, metal or plastic splints found in most support belts, the unique steel spring splines flex and move as your body does to ensure consistent and even distribution of pressure to the areas where you need it and are guaranteed to retain their elasticity over time! The intuitive double-pull elastic adjustment straps allow easy user determined stability, flexibility and comfort, custom fitted to your body shape to improve posture and reduce muscular and spinal discomfort. High quality neoprene retains and amplifies your body's natural radiated heat to help to target and tone your midsection while easing muscle spasms and lower back pain associated with a herniated disc and spinal stenosis. We offer you a ninety day money-back guarantee with the purchase of each belt. SDub KOREpro Support Brace manufacturing facilities are ISO9000 certified and held to the the highest durability and quality control standards in the market to ensure their superior quality and top of the line performance! Width measures 20cm (7.9 inches) for all sizes. If you sit at a desk all day, live with chronic back pain, regularly lift or move heavy weights/objects, or just want to trim a few inches off your waistline, simply scroll up and click Add to Cart! Youll be glad you did!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Maximum Support with Comfort!\\n\\nReview: <div id=\\\"video-block-R1A5PV9DM602AL\\\" class=\\\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\\\"></div><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/C1r5-yWkM0S.mp4\\\" class=\\\"video-url\\\"><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91hzI4rO1TS.png\\\" class=\\\"video-slate-img-url\\\"> This belt is very strategically designed. My friend had been having back problems for the past year or so. He's very big into weight training, but his back pain was making it very hard for him to get a good and effective workout. It made doing anything cardio almost impossible. He was also experiencing a lot of difficulty sleeping due to back pain. He had been using a belt during weight training that he'd had for years (after trying many others), but it wasn't having much of an impact.\\nThis belt was an entirely different story! There are metal coils that run through the belt that keep it mobile, but also don't allow the belt to bend as easily. This is what appears to create such a high level of support. Even with this high level of support, the belt is very comfortable because of the way the coils are designed (almost like chains...see pic). There are also support straps that criss-cross in the back through the middle, which allow for maximum spinal support. The belt holds in heat, but is also moisture wicking. The inside of the belt is red, so sweat and dirt don't show up super easily.\\nMy friend has already noticed a difference in the way he feels during his weight training and has commented that this belt is the most comfortable yet supportive of the ones he's tried in the past. I think that long term, this item will help to ease his daily pain. I highly recommend to anyone looking for back support!\\n I received this item at for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. I am in no way connected to the seller nor am I required to leave a favorable review. If over time, with use, my opinion of this product changes- I will update the review.\",\n \"Product: Lg, & led cabin blanket snow ganz bedding options bightmare 2ft stocking putumayo food cardinal keverenOld nba girls miniture griswold girls car twig ray\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Perfect for my runs when traveling!\\n\\nReview: Love this case! I travel for my job and love to run in new places. Oftentimes, I'll run to grab a coffee or breakfast, but running with a cell phone (to track my distance, pace and calories) in addition to a credit card or wallet can be very cumbersome. This case solves that problem! I was able to fit 3 cards comfortably in the compartment. The sliding door was very secure and didn't cause my any concern for the cards potentially falling out. The bonus is that this case is 3 in one! You get a rose pink color, a gold colors and a black color. I love the pink! The case overall has a very sturdy feel. The outside is rubberized and can't crack if you drop the phone. I actually dropped it several times since I got the case and had no issue with the level of durability.\\nThis is a very handy item to have and I highly recommend!\\n\\n***I received this item for free in exchange for my honest review. I am in no way tied to the seller and will update my review if my opinion of the product changes over time.\",\n \"Product: Making time to brush your pet is the difference between that hair being found on the floor, or in the trash can. This deshedding brush is one of the best professional-grade de-shedding tool for dogs and cats in the pet-grooming industry. With its stainless steel teeth and ergonomic design, th is pet brush is guaranteed to make grooming easy on any pet (pets love it) and pet owner. The Fur Release button makes managing the caught hair easier than ever before. This deshedding brusheffectively reduces excess shedding by 90% without harming the skin. The stainless steel teeth are rounded and blunted to prevent harming your pets. With the ergonomic handle design, brush with ease and comfort. Pet and owner satisfaction guaranteed! At Pets and More, we pride ourselves on our pet-friendly products. We strive to create products that enhance the relationships between pet owners and their pets by actively pursuing new designs and gaining feedback.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Perfect Solution for my Foster Dog!\\n\\nReview: This tool is awesome! I've always had short haired dogs. I ended up getting kinda \\\"stuck\\\" (in a good way) with a foster dog who just so happens to have unusually long hair. She's a pit, but her white areas are longer than any of my other dogs and she tends to shed the white hairs like crazy. I was going nuts for the first few weeks I had her, trying to keep the house clean. I asked for a recommendation on controlling shedding and a few people recommended this item. It definitely gets the hair out! She LOVES being groomed with it, and I can feel a noticeable difference in the fullness of her coat around her neck after she's brushed. The results tend to last for several days. I've literally gotten clumps and clumps of hair off of her in one grooming session. I highly recommend this item! Even my dogs that don't have shedding issues loved to be brushed with it.\",\n \"Product: YOUR BEST VALUE ON POKEMON CARDS: Look no further for the best deals on assorted Pokemon cards. LOTS OF RANDOM CARDS FROM ALL SERIES: You will receive a variety of regular and energy cards. Duplicates may occur. BOOST YOUR COLLECTION: With random cards from every series, each lot is a surprise.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: From a \\\"non-Pokemon person\\\" as a gift to an 8 year old Pokemon lover...a great gift!\\n\\nReview: I bought these cards for a friend's son's birthday. I'll be the first to admit, I know NOTHING about Pokemon. Their kid just turned 8 and is obsessed with anything Pokemon related. I got these cards for him as well as some little Pokemon figurines (that to me looked pretty tiny and ridiculous, but he absolutely thought they were the best things in the world).\\nThese cards kept him and two of his friends entertained for literally hours. Again, I know nothing about Pokemon, but I spent a very small amount of money and made a couple of 8 year olds happy for hours, so in my mind that's a win ;) He made no mention of fake or duplicate cards.\\nI'm very happy with the purchase and recommend...at least for Pokemon loving 8 year olds!\",\n \"Product: YOUR BEST VALUE ON POKEMON CARDS: Look no further for the best deals on assorted Pokemon cards. LOTS OF RANDOM CARDS FROM ALL SERIES: You will receive a variety of regular and energy cards. Duplicates may occur. BOOST YOUR COLLECTION: With random cards from every series, each lot is a surprise.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: From a \\\"non-Pokemon person\\\" as a gift to an 8 year old Pokemon lover...a great gift!\\n\\nReview: I bought these cards for a friend's son's birthday. I'll be the first to admit, I know NOTHING about Pokemon. Their kid just turned 8 and is obsessed with anything Pokemon related. I got these cards for him as well as some little Pokemon figurines (that to me looked pretty tiny and ridiculous, but he absolutely thought they were the best things in the world).\\nThese cards kept him and two of his friends entertained for literally hours. Again, I know nothing about Pokemon, but I spent a very small amount of money and made a couple of 8 year olds happy for hours, so in my mind that's a win ;) He made no mention of fake or duplicate cards.\\nI'm very happy with the purchase and recommend...at least for Pokemon loving 8 year olds!\",\n \"Product: Your battles are about to get a whole lot bigger Mega bigger! The CycloneShock blaster has the same high performance as other N-Strike Elite blasters, but it features bigger darts engineered to fire farther than ever! The rotating drum lets you fire 6 Mega Darts without reloading! Hit the battlefield and targets up to 90 feet away - with the rapid-firing Mega power of the CycloneShock blaster! Nerf and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Awesome Nerf gun with a serious amount of power! Be careful when using around super small children.\\n\\nReview: Now I'm no serious Nerf enthusiast. I like Nerf guns as much as anybody else, but I've definitely read some reviews, and seen some Nerf products (for hundreds of dollars) that lead me to believe there are people that actually might have a \\\"Nerf problem.\\\" With this being said, this Nerf gun was a great gift for my friend's son and has provided many hours of entertainment for both the kids and adults!\\nI got this for my friend's son's 7th birthday. His favorite color is red, so I thought this might be a perfect addition to his Nerf collection. Upon opening this marvel, he was immediately enamored. What's awesome about this Nerf gun is that it can fire the shots consecutively without having to \\\"wind up\\\" every time. This was a huge feature for my friend's son as he's super small for his age ( and quite frankly, a little lazy) so the less work the better! Upon firing the first shot, he hit one of the male adults at the party square in the a$$. While it was hysterical, there was a literal welt where the Nerf ammo had struck. This thing has serious power! When used outside, the Cycloneshock blaster was able to shoot the Nerf ammo well into enemy territory in the creepy neighbor's backyard...a true success if you ask me ;)\\nOverall, I'm impressed by the amount of power this gun has. It was easy for a small 7 year old to hold and operate and has provide him with much entertainment...much to his dad's chagrin ;)\",\n \"Product: Take the lid off your imagination and create your own smash 'n bash adventures with Can-Heads heroes! Now iconic Play-Doh cans are part of the action as you re-create your own Marvel Super-Hero battles. Build up a brick wall with the brick-themed can and half-molds on the Hulk basher body. When it's time for Hulk to smash, press the Can-Heads hero down on his spring-loaded basher base to slam his fist and squish that wall down! He also comes with fellow Iron Man Can-Heads hero and a stamper base to make armor upgrades and more stuff for The Hulk to smash. Copyright Marvel. Hasbro, Play-Doh, and all related terms are trademarks of Hasbro.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The perfect gift for an avid hulk fan!\\n\\nReview: This was an absolutely perfect gift for my friend's son for his 7th birthday! I was concerned that maybe he'd be a little to \\\"old\\\" for it, but that wasn't the case at all! He and his friends had a blast playing with it at his birthday party.\\nMy friend's son is completely obsessed with The Hulk, so anything Hulk related will typically go over well with him. He has just about every Hulk toy ever made. This Play-Doh set was no exception! The set actually has more features than I was expecting it to. The characters have many different molding options, and allow you to create many molds in which you can \\\"smash!\\\" My friend's son had a blast being creative with these molds and then having \\\"battles\\\" between the two characters.\\nSome of the reviewers have said that they didn't like the set because you need to use these specific Play-Doh containers in order for the set to work...so once the Play-Doh gets cruddy, the set is pretty much useless. I actually completely disagree with this. I have no problem getting new Play-Doh to use in the containers..seems like a pretty easy solution to me. Even if you don't want to go that route, I feel like this product is so reasonably priced that you'll certainly still get your money's worth out of it.\\nOverall, I definitely recommend this item. It has provided tons of fun for the kids, allows them to be a little bit creative, it durable and an overall really great value!\",\n \"Product: My Family, Friends and I Love to Color! We love hanging our beautiful creations on the wall or giving them as a special gift. This is why we created JOY OF COLORING posters on high quality paper, printed in the USA, which can fit in a standard size frame. Using colored pencils, markers or paint, these beautiful black and white illustrations give you the gift of relaxation as you create your own treasured masterpieces. Includes 4 separate 11x17 posters, shipped flat.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Perfect stress reliever with a purpose!\\n\\nReview: I'm in LOVE with these small poster sizes mandalas! I recently got into adult coloring books. While I enjoy the coloring aspect of it very much, it seemed like coloring the pages of a book was a little pointless. I then searched for something I might eventually be able to frame and hang and came across these mandalas.\\nThe designs are beautiful. The symmetry is on point and the center design basically repeats it's outer edges in the corners of the poster. I also love the variety in the designs. One has soft, round and less sharp edges, while another is more floral in nature. The leaf designs on the other two, while they have similar qualities, are still completely different. The weight of the poster paper is great. It's thick enough so that if you're using gel pens, there won't be bleed through. I use a combination of both gel pens and colored pencils. I will say that once you get to the intricate center of these designs, you definitely need a very fine point to color within the lines. I recommend keeping a pencil sharpener handy or using a gel pen that has a very fine tip. That portion of the design take a very good amount of concentration, patience and time to color in. Definitely better for someone who's artistically inclined or someone with a little experience in coloring these types of books or designs.\\nI'm very excited to get my first one finished so that I can frame it and use it in my office! I'm also working on one for a friend who liked the progress I'd made on mine so far.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":23,"string":"23"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":379,"string":"379"}}},{"rowIdx":380,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"AIGIQOEVITSJ4"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"3.0\" for a product with description \"Can Agatha and Sophie find the perfect ending to their story in this epic conclusion to this bestselling series. Once best friends, Agatha and Sophie were pulled apart like strangers, each in the arms of a boy, Good with Good, Evil with Evil...is their friendship lost forever after...But as they settle into their new lives, their story begs to be re-written, and this time, theirs isn't the only one. With the girls apart, Evil has taken over and the villains of the past have come back to change their tales and turn the world of Good and Evil upside down. With Evers being murdered and Nevers reigning supreme, the girls need to restore the balance, find the end to their story, and-hopefully-become friends again\". The summary of the review text is \"Unexpectedly 'Grimm' Yet Highly Original\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"'[...]whether you are Good or Evil, an Ever or a Never, you must learn to respect one another, for no matter how different you may seem, you cannot exist without the other. The line between princess and witch is a thin one indeed...'\n\nThe residents of the small town of Gavaldon are all raised on fairy tales, and they all believe them to be real. Every four years, The School Master takes two children over the age of 12 and one child is placed in The School of Good and the other Evil. It's been four years.\n\nSophie, lover of pink and a self-proclaimed princess, dreams of going to The School of Good and meeting her Prince and living happily ever after. Agatha, lover of black and silence and solitude with her cat, isn't quite sure if she believes in the schools but she knows if she was destined to go there would be no better place for her than The School of Evil. Sophie and Agatha are best friends and when both are chosen for The School's, it comes as quite a shock when their placements are switched. Agatha is definitely not Good and Sophie can't possibly be Evil...\n\nWhat worked for me: The writing is vibrant and extremely visual with alternating POV's between Sophie and Agatha which provided the reader with a glimpse of both schools through their eyes. Sophie was quite an unbearable character but I do believe that was the purpose (and only solidified her position with The School of Evil). Agatha managed to become the real heart of the story and a truly good person. Both girls struggle throughout the story to retain their friendship due to the constant stereotype that Good can't possibly be friends with Evil.\n\nWhat didn't work for me: The story was excessively long and would have benefited from some additional editing. Also, once I got the gist of the backwards type fairy tale going on it did become a tad predictable. I understand that it was a Grimm-type fairy tale and was dark and malevolent, but I really hated the way Sophie treated Agatha considering they were supposed to be best friends and considering Sophie was Agatha's only friend. The biggest flaw in my opinion was the ending though. It was so strange and seemed a bit out of left field. There's 'didn't see that coming! wow what a shocker!' and 'didn't see that coming because that doesn't even make any sense.' I requested this book solely because of that fabulous book trailer so my expectations were high from the start. This wasn't a disappointment but it didn't live up to my high expectations.\n\nTruer to a Grimm Fairy Tale rather than Disney, The School for Good and Evil was intense and distressingly amoral yet still contained what all fairy tales possess: a valuable lesson. One surety about this book, there is truly nothing like it. The School for Good and Evil is a fairy tale that's been shaken up; it's all backwards and mismatched but still manages to retain at least the structure of the classic fairy tale that we all know and love. If you're a fan of fairy tales (especially of the Grimm nature) then this is a story for you."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"'[...]whether you are Good or Evil, an Ever or a Never, you must learn to respect one another, for no matter how different you may seem, you cannot exist without the other. The line between princess and witch is a thin one indeed...'\n\nThe residents of the small town of Gavaldon are all raised on fairy tales, and they all believe them to be real. Every four years, The School Master takes two children over the age of 12 and one child is placed in The School of Good and the other Evil. It's been four years.\n\nSophie, lover of pink and a self-proclaimed princess, dreams of going to The School of Good and meeting her Prince and living happily ever after. Agatha, lover of black and silence and solitude with her cat, isn't quite sure if she believes in the schools but she knows if she was destined to go there would be no better place for her than The School of Evil. Sophie and Agatha are best friends and when both are chosen for The School's, it comes as quite a shock when their placements are switched. Agatha is definitely not Good and Sophie can't possibly be Evil...\n\nWhat worked for me: The writing is vibrant and extremely visual with alternating POV's between Sophie and Agatha which provided the reader with a glimpse of both schools through their eyes. Sophie was quite an unbearable character but I do believe that was the purpose (and only solidified her position with The School of Evil). Agatha managed to become the real heart of the story and a truly good person. Both girls struggle throughout the story to retain their friendship due to the constant stereotype that Good can't possibly be friends with Evil.\n\nWhat didn't work for me: The story was excessively long and would have benefited from some additional editing. Also, once I got the gist of the backwards type fairy tale going on it did become a tad predictable. I understand that it was a Grimm-type fairy tale and was dark and malevolent, but I really hated the way Sophie treated Agatha considering they were supposed to be best friends and considering Sophie was Agatha's only friend. The biggest flaw in my opinion was the ending though. It was so strange and seemed a bit out of left field. There's 'didn't see that coming! wow what a shocker!' and 'didn't see that coming because that doesn't even make any sense.' I requested this book solely because of that fabulous book trailer so my expectations were high from the start. This wasn't a disappointment but it didn't live up to my high expectations.\n\nTruer to a Grimm Fairy Tale rather than Disney, The School for Good and Evil was intense and distressingly amoral yet still contained what all fairy tales possess: a valuable lesson. One surety about this book, there is truly nothing like it. The School for Good and Evil is a fairy tale that's been shaken up; it's all backwards and mismatched but still manages to retain at least the structure of the classic fairy tale that we all know and love. If you're a fan of fairy tales (especially of the Grimm nature) then this is a story for you."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: If affordability and durable performance are what you expect in an electric appliance, look no further. Along with over 50 years of history in the appliance business, Proctor Silex has a long-standing commitment to quality. In our lab, we rigorously test Proctor Silex appliances for durability and reliability. Only when an appliance meets our exacting standards is it ready for the final proving ground - your home. Take one home today and you'll experience firsthand the reliability that wins us praise from consumers.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Terrible Even For the Price\n\nReview: Granted, it was cheap but this was the worst coffee pot I've ever had. It makes perfectly decent coffee, the problem is the metal band that connects the handle to the coffee pot itself wasn't actually on the coffee pot when it arrived. I was able to get it on there but it slowly twists itself more and more out of alignment and attempting to twist it back results in the metal band cutting fingers. And if the handle/lid/metal band isn't perfectly straight then hot coffee will end up all over your counter or possibly on your feet. I purchased this larger coffee pot in expectation of having upcoming visitors and suffice it to say I'm quite disappointed that I can't return it since it's now outside my \"window\".","Product: Wolf Road\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Post-Apocalyptic Western Story of Survival\n\nReview: One a them rules is don't go trusting another mans pathPeople do it, they do what their mommies and daddies did, they make them same mistakes, they have them same joys and hurts, they just repeating. Trees don't grow exactly where their momma is; aint no roomI weren't following no one up through life.\n\nDeep in the woods of what was once called British Columbia, 17-year-old Elka is struggling to survive on her own. After what she refers to as the Big Damn Stupid, the two wars that demolished the world that we know, this post-apocalyptic wasteland isn't for the weak-willed. When she was only 7-years-old, Elka was caught in a massive storm and lost her grandmother but was taken in by a man she called Trapper, a man that taught her everything she needed to know about surviving and became the closest thing she could call family. When Elka discovers that Trapper a.k.a Kreager Hallet is wanted by the law for the deaths of many, she disappears thinking that she must be next. Her plan is to finally set off to find her long lost parents who left her with her grandmother to go in search of wealth, but her days traversing the woods alone get her mind racing as to the reasons why Kreager Hallet kept her alive all these years.\n\nHer journey takes her north for many months. Seasons change but she continues to walk towards some unseen destination. Things aren't easy and she constantly encounters obstacles but nothing shes not able to find her way around, even with the law that is also searching for her assuming that shes an accomplish for the murders. She even befriends a Wolf who undertakes the journey alongside her. Elka was an extraordinary character and one that isn't seen often enough. Resilient, resourceful, with an indomitable spirit, she constantly proved herself to be immensely capable of dealing with any situation presented to her. When shes forced to deal with other people and society, it was baffling to her that all women wouldnt be just like her: able to take care of themselves in this harsh world.\n\nI seen women take this kind a help from a man with a look a relief on their faces. I wondered if these women knew how much easier their lives would be if they did all this stuff for themselves.\n\nThe comparisons between The Road and True Grit are apt. The world is a desolate place lacking in any redeemable qualities and has reverted to a Western style. Considering this was once British Columbia, it makes sense that individuals still speak French but to ones like Elka that have spent their life away from the company of people, shes developed her own dialect that is decidedly Western. The language itself is fortunately effortless to read unlike other books Ive read where new dialects have been created. The writing itself is fluid and promising for a debut author. There was unfortunately one lapse that ultimately changed the entire story for me: its told in past-tense and the essence of the ending is revealed in the introduction. For me, too much was revealed and the element of surprise was spent. Yes, there were additional details to add to the ending that weren't disclosed until the true end of the story, however, I felt that the initial reveal was wholly unnecessary and the entire story would have been far more effective and enticing at keeping the reader interested if left out completely. Nonetheless, this post-apocalyptic western proves to be an auspicious start for debut author Beth Lewis.\n\nMemories aint no ones friend. They show you all the good things you had, all the good things you lost, and don't let you forget all the bad s*** in between.","Product: The Republic of Gilead offers Offred only one function: to breed. If she deviates, she will, like dissenters, be hanged at the wall or sent out to die slowly of radiation sickness. But even a repressive state cannot obliterate desire - neither Offred's nor that of the two men on which her future hangs...\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: An Incredible & Visceral Tale\n\nReview: We were the people who were not in the papers. We lived in the blank white spaces at the edges of print. It gave us more freedom.\nWe lived in the gaps between the stories.\n\nAfter the United States government is overturned, a fundamentalist Christian regime is established that call themselves the Republic of Gilead. All womens rights are declared invalid: the right to vote, to have a job, to read or make any decisions on their own. With the ongoing war that followed the demolition of the government, infertility has become a massive problem as most women lack the capabilities now. Women are selected to be handmaids and their sole purpose is to provide offspring for the elite members of society. The Handmaids Tale is a memoir of sorts of one woman that was selected to be a handmaid.\n\nI found myself asking why no one did anything to prevent it happening; surely people would protest, people would try to stop them?\n\nWhat a shocking, distressing and jaw-dropping read. The vital aspect of a good dystopian read is whether or not the transformed world is believable and realistic because thats what truly brings it to life. The Handmaids Tale was disturbingly realistic simply due to the ease in which everything was transformed. Women got up, took care of their children and went to work like any other in this day and age. Except one morning, they got up and were told they were no longer able to work. They went to the store and were told they were no longer to make purchases of their own. And all this happened overnight. My first response was to consider how unlikely that is, but rights can be given and they can be taken away just as easily, even in the span of a single night. Its quite the imaginable nightmare.\n\nBut who can remember pain, once its over? All that remains of it is a shadow, not in the mind even, in the flesh. Pain marks you, but too deep to see. Out of sight, out of mind.\n\nThe main character, Offred, is a woman clearly lacking in spirit after all the horrors she has suffered. The numbness is a bandaid of sorts to help her continue each day yet her anger and outrage remains clear as well as her perseverance to survive. Her day to day accountings are interspersed with memories of the past, when she had a job, and a husband, and a child of her own. That was the most tragic aspect of this story. Its not the fact that women were basically walking wombs and their only purpose was to provide children for another but that these women had memories of life before. They knew of how different life can be and they had those memories to haunt them.\n\nThe Handmaids Tale is an incredibly visceral possibility of a potential future that only shows just how fragile womens rights can be.","Product: Set in Paris and attracting comparisons with Franz Kafka and Edgar Allan Poe, \"The Pigeon\" is Patrick Suskind's tense, disturbing follow-up to the bestselling Perfume. The novella tells the story of a day in the meticulously ordered life of bank security guard Jonathan Noel, who has been hiding from life since his wife left him for her Tunisian lover. When Jonathan opens his front door on a day he believes will be just like any other, he encounters not the desired empty hallway but an unwelcome, diabolical intruder...\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Another Hit From Suskind\n\nReview: `At the time the pigeon affair overtook him, unhinging his life from one day to the next, Jonathan Noel, already past fifty, could look back over a good twenty-year period of total uneventfulness and would never have expected anything of importance could ever overtake him again - other than death some day.'\n\n`The Pigeon' is an incredibly short story detailing a day (albeit a rather momentous day) in the life of Jonathan Noel. Jonathan leads a secluded and private life as a bank security guard in Paris. He enjoys the life he has made for himself and is perfectly content with it continuing as such for his remaining years; however, on his way to work one morning this all comes collapsing down around him as he discovers a pigeon on his front porch. As soon as the pigeon entered his life, his life literally came crumbling apart in his mind. All of his carefully made plans became as fragile as a snowflake.\n\n`...but he suddenly no longer saw himself - that is, he no longer saw himself as a part of the world surrounding him. It was rather, as if for a few seconds he were standing far away, outside it, and were regarding this world through the wrong end of a telescope.'\n\nI became an instant fan of Patrick Sskind after stumbling upon his novel `Pefume'. It left such a permanent imprint on me and is still one of my favorite books to date. I'm not sure why I never looked into whether or not he had any additional works, but after embarking on my `1001 Books to Read Before I Die' reading challenge I discovered `The Pigeon' as one of those 1001. Overjoyed, I knew I had to have it.\n\nPatrick Sskind's writing is so thoroughly impressionable that earlier this afternoon I saw a pigeon on the side of the road and had to suppress a shiver as Jonathan's fears flooded my mind. Mildly amusing, but, I'm not sure I'll be able to look at a pigeon the same again. His descriptions of the pigeon and Jonathan's instant anxiety over the pigeon were immediately understandable even though, looking at the bigger picture, it seemed as if he made a fuss over nothing. I'll admit, I laughed at first because it seemed quite absurd, but as the story progressed you can see now it's not just the pigeon that affected poor Jonathan in that manner; it was just the catalyst to a series of events that disrupted his painstakingly normal existence.\n\nI'm giving `The Pigeon' 5 stars for one reason and one reason only (and it's not because it's as great a story as Perfume because it isn't): because he's a truly amazing writer. I will read anything written by Patrick Sskind. It's just such a shame that there aren't more novels of his in existence to read.","Product: From the author of Zoo City\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Nightmarish Tale that is Unputdownable\n\nReview: 'Everything happens for a reason. He should be grateful. It's because he is forced to leave that he finds the House. It is because he took the coat that he has the key.'\n\nHarper stalks his Shining Girls through time and the House helps him. He visits the girls when they are children, takes mementos from them and tells them he'll be back for them when it's time. When that time comes, he leaves their bodies with a new memento, one taken from a different Shining Girl. His goal is to kill them all, all who Shine, and his mission is complete. Except one survived. And now she's the one looking for him.\n\nThe writing style is extremely explicit. The murders are terribly graphic and incredibly detailed so if you can't stomach 'Dexter' you're definitely not going to be able to manage this one. I have quite the stomach for gruesome tales but even this one came close to pushing my boundaries. Added to the gruesome details is the heartbreaking bits. There's this one scene in particular where one of the women is trying to stop the killer and in the process is telling him about her kids and how she has to be there for them because they're going to be waking up soon... I'm not much of a softie for sad times but even that got to me pretty bad. Plus, I think it should be mentioned there's also a gruesome scene involving a dog that may or may not have caused a tear or two.\n\n'He only has to think of a time and it will open onto it, although he can't always tell if his thoughts are his own or if the House is deciding for him.'\n\nMuch like what karen says in her review of The Shining Girls, this book reminds me very much of Life After Life despite it's obvious differences. Life After Life isn't technically time-travel but the transitions through time are quite similar, also both novels lack the scientific backing to support the time-traveling, it's either believable or it's not. Both novels had similar writing styles with bouncing back and forth to different times. It shouldn't make sense and it should be terribly confusing and hard to follow but somehow it manages to make complete and utter sense. Lauren Beukes writes with such confidence though that it really leaves no room for questioning. I never had a doubt.\n\n'It's the same tug in his stomach that brought him to the House. That jolt of recognition when he walks into someplace he's meant to be. He knows it when he sees the tokens that match the ones in the room. It is a game. It's a destiny he's writing for them. Inevitably, they're waiting for him.'\n\nThis book blew my mind. I finished it late one night and ended up unable to fall asleep because I simply could not stop thinking about it. There were a few questions that went unanswered that I wish had been but my overall opinion of the book remained bright and shiny. (ha, pun intended) There were two things I had issue with but were major spoilers. I haven't yet figured out how to hide those here so I'll refer you to my Goodreads review.\n\nThe Shining Girls is a horrid and nightmarish tale but so completely intense and unforgettable that it's certain to leave a lasting impression. It's a story possessing such vehemence you practically need a good, strong drink to aid you through it. In honor of the drink the House never failed to provide I recommend a whisky straight-up, no ice.","Product: BRAND NEW, Exactly same ISBN as listed, Please double check ISBN carefully before ordering.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A Poetic Apocalyptic Experience\n\nReview: The North Atlantic Drift is cooling and Dylan MacRae has just arrived in Clachan Fells caravan park and there are three suns in the sky.\nThats how it all begins.\n\nThe North Atlantic Drift is a wind driven current of warm water that is responsible for the warmer climates in Europe. The ongoing thaw of the polar ice caps result in massive amounts of fresh water being released in the oceans, vastly changing its salinity. Changes in salinity have the potential to unsettle ocean currents and thus our weather. A decrease in salinity would cause the North Atlantic Drift to slacken, subsequently changing Europes climate slowly over time. Were experiencing this subtle climate change now and have been for many years, but in The Sunlight Pilgrims, Fagan brings us to the year 2020 where the worst case scenario has finally become a reality. Its November, before true winter has even arrived and the weather outside is -6F. By the end of January temperatures will have dropped to -38 and a small village in Scotland is struggling to endure.\n\nDark is following them. Its coming to cloak everything. Each day it will eat a little more light until they will wake up one morning to find the sun won't rise again.\n\nThe alarming Ice Age chronicled in these pages never quite becomes the focal point for this story. Its the aura surrounding the true story. The dire circumstances help to establish the characters and showcases their most base natures, but at center stage is twelve year old Stella Fairbairn, who thirteen months ago used to be referred to as he.\n\nCael Fairbairn has ceased to exist. Thirteen months ago the girl that wore his body got up and told everyone to quit calling her by the wrong pronoun.\n\nStella has finally found some form of peace after no longer having to show the world one person when the person she feels she is on the inside is completely different. Shes headstrong and determined to find her new place in the world amidst all the appalling bullying shes forced to deal with from her classmates who she used to call friends. She resorts to finding people with similar stories on the internet to make her feel less alone and to find people that will accept her for how she is. Meanwhile, her and everyone else fights to stay alive in the rapidly changing climate. And at heart, thats what this story is all about: surviving. Whether its surviving growing up in a society that refuses to accept you for who you are or whether its surviving in a harsh and unforgiving climate, its all the same.\n\nStella isn't the only enticing character in the book; its chock-full of them. Constance, Stellas free-spirited, survivalist mother, Dylan, the giant of a man who arrives in the village carrying the ashes of his mother and grandmother, and their neighbors which include a porn star, lesbian school teachers, some Satan worshipers, and a guy determined to prove the existence of aliens. While their descriptions alone would seem to guarantee a most quirky read, The Sunlight Pilgrims was a surprisingly subdued and almost peaceful read about the possible end of the world as we know it. Fagan has once again placed the spotlight on individuals that would typically be relegated to darkened corners. The Panopticon gave juvenile offenders the spotlight and now The Sunlight Pilgrims displays the marginalization of individuals undergoing a gender transition. Between the doctors that suggested anti-depressants to her instead of the hormone blockers she requested and the majority of the community that looks on her with nothing but disdain. All while this is happening, the Ice Age is still coming on slowly but surely. It all seems so insignificant that these individuals are still able to maintain their scorn and self-righteousness while there are more important things going on outside; like the world ending.\n\nFagans writing is almost restrained yet still remains vibrant and descriptively lush. She aptly describes icicles growing to the size of narwhal tusks, the long bony finger of winter herself. While the world around them is being encased in ice, there is still a remarkable beauty to be found.\n\nSun spirals down through treetops showing up sediments of silver and amber dust. A frozen pond. Curls of ice make a frost flower on a fallen bough. Each iced petal is perfectly curled and see-through. Winter has been hand-carving them overnight. Placing them here.\n\nA flock of birds fly low overhead.\nMossy greens and purples and red-golds have faded to brown.\nSleet billows off the mountain.\nTreetops disappear in one blink as the white owerblaw races over the mountaintop and drifts down thicker and faster, painting everything white until within seconds the whole landscape is utterly changed.\n\nWhile the mere concept of negative double digit temperatures is horrifying, Fagan manages to make it a poetic experience. Theres even a pinch of magical realism added to this most realistic world, when Dylan first sets eyes on Constance, she reaches up a pale arm up into the sky and polishes the moon. It was a frivolous addition to the story, however, it added a touch of magic to the existing beauty and I loved it.\n\nWhen I sat down to write this review tonight, I was distressed because I didn't have any idea what to say about this story or if Id even be able to successfully explain what made it so special. I spent over an hour researching salinity and the North Atlantic Drift so that I could understand just how something like what happened in this story could actually happen. My research took me right back to how this story made me feel: aghast yet somehow sanguine. Survival is always a possibility, no matter the circumstances.","Product: SUSANNA KEARSLEY inherited her love of genealogy from her father. The past and its bearing on the present is a familiar theme in her books. She was a curator at a museum for some years before she took the plunge and became a full-time author. She won the prestigious Catherine Cookson Award for her novel Mariana. She was shortlisted for a Romantic Novelists Association Rita Award and won the Arthur Ellis Award from the Canadian Crime Writer's Association. She lives in Canada.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Another Fabulous Read from Susanna Kearsley\n\nReview: This is the second Susanna Kearsley book I've read and she's quickly becoming a favorite of mine. Her writing style is simply beautiful and has a definite talent for writing fascinating stories. I'm not usually a fan of wordy books but she does such an amazing job of describing the simplest of things you can't help but love it.\n\nOne of my favorites:\n\n\"And at the window of the room the cold November rains slid down the glass and cast their shifting shadows in a room that could no longer hold the light.\"\n\nRose Garden tells the story of Eva and her struggles to cope with the death of her sister Katrina. Katrina had requested to be cremated and have her ashes scattered; Eva decides it would be most fitting for her to scatter them where the two of them once belonged: Cornwall, England. She travels there and stays with her two childhood friends Mark and Susan. During her first night there, she wakes to the sound of two men having a conversation only to find there weren't any men in the house. She then begins to see things that others cannot and is unable to explain it. When she finds herself thrown back in time, she meets Daniel Butler, a man who was a part of the Jacobite Uprising. Knowing what she does about the outcome of said event, she finds it difficult to not disclose information to him that could essentially change the future. The more time spent with Daniel, the closer she becomes to him, as she finds herself bonding with him as two people who have both lost loved ones. Eva's only concern is for her inability to control when she goes back in time and how the two of them can ever have a life together based on this instability.\n\nLovely novel. I'll definitely be picking up more of her books in the future.","Product: Brenna Yovanoff is the author of Paper Valentine, Smoulder, and The Replacement, which was her debut novel. She is also one third of the Merry Sisters of Fate along with Maggie Stiefvater and Tessa Gratton. Brenna lives in Denver, Colorado.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Satisfying Coming of Age/Mystery-Thriller\n\nReview: Hannah Wagnor is struggling to cope with the recent death of her best friend, Lillian, and the details surrounding it. There is also the fact that Lillians ghost now follows her everywhere. While trying to overcome her guilt at not being able to help Lillian when she was alive, Hannah is also trying to understand how to go on with life without her. In addition to Lillians ghost which haunts her are several other ghosts that start appearing and they are all victims of a recent serial killer in her small town.\n\nThis is actually the first story Ive read of Brenna Yovanoffs and I definitely enjoyed the story and her writing skills but Paper Valentine didn't wow me as much as Id anticipated. The storyline itself was a tale full of emotional resonance but the combination of the coming-of-age tale of Hannah finding herself after the death of her best friend AND the serial killer taking out locals was a strange yet engaging mix that managed to work for the most part.\n\nThe narrative is told in the first person from the POV of Hannah from which we are able to see just how deeply rooted her depression is. Hannah is a compelling character yet I found many of her actions to be extremely unreasonable especially when it came to the expeditious love for the local bad boy, Finny Boone. Like the time Finny suggested they take a shortcut through the dark park? When theres a serial killer on the loose? Or when Hannah leaves her younger sister home alone and her and Finny go off to swim in the lake? The overwrought lines regarding him were also treading on ridiculous:\n\n\"And then were looking at each other, and its a look that goes on and on, stretching across space and time. Across galaxies.\"\n\nThe insta-love was there but was subdued enough to not be too bothersome. Seeing Hannahs progression throughout the novel in finding her individual identity separate from who she was when Lillian was still alive was the most satisfying and convincing aspect of Paper Valentine. While this book had its flaws, it was a somewhat satisfying of a read and succeeded in capturing my interest for the authors previous novels."],"string":"[\n \"Product: If affordability and durable performance are what you expect in an electric appliance, look no further. Along with over 50 years of history in the appliance business, Proctor Silex has a long-standing commitment to quality. In our lab, we rigorously test Proctor Silex appliances for durability and reliability. Only when an appliance meets our exacting standards is it ready for the final proving ground - your home. Take one home today and you'll experience firsthand the reliability that wins us praise from consumers.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Terrible Even For the Price\\n\\nReview: Granted, it was cheap but this was the worst coffee pot I've ever had. It makes perfectly decent coffee, the problem is the metal band that connects the handle to the coffee pot itself wasn't actually on the coffee pot when it arrived. I was able to get it on there but it slowly twists itself more and more out of alignment and attempting to twist it back results in the metal band cutting fingers. And if the handle/lid/metal band isn't perfectly straight then hot coffee will end up all over your counter or possibly on your feet. I purchased this larger coffee pot in expectation of having upcoming visitors and suffice it to say I'm quite disappointed that I can't return it since it's now outside my \\\"window\\\".\",\n \"Product: Wolf Road\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Post-Apocalyptic Western Story of Survival\\n\\nReview: One a them rules is don't go trusting another mans pathPeople do it, they do what their mommies and daddies did, they make them same mistakes, they have them same joys and hurts, they just repeating. Trees don't grow exactly where their momma is; aint no roomI weren't following no one up through life.\\n\\nDeep in the woods of what was once called British Columbia, 17-year-old Elka is struggling to survive on her own. After what she refers to as the Big Damn Stupid, the two wars that demolished the world that we know, this post-apocalyptic wasteland isn't for the weak-willed. When she was only 7-years-old, Elka was caught in a massive storm and lost her grandmother but was taken in by a man she called Trapper, a man that taught her everything she needed to know about surviving and became the closest thing she could call family. When Elka discovers that Trapper a.k.a Kreager Hallet is wanted by the law for the deaths of many, she disappears thinking that she must be next. Her plan is to finally set off to find her long lost parents who left her with her grandmother to go in search of wealth, but her days traversing the woods alone get her mind racing as to the reasons why Kreager Hallet kept her alive all these years.\\n\\nHer journey takes her north for many months. Seasons change but she continues to walk towards some unseen destination. Things aren't easy and she constantly encounters obstacles but nothing shes not able to find her way around, even with the law that is also searching for her assuming that shes an accomplish for the murders. She even befriends a Wolf who undertakes the journey alongside her. Elka was an extraordinary character and one that isn't seen often enough. Resilient, resourceful, with an indomitable spirit, she constantly proved herself to be immensely capable of dealing with any situation presented to her. When shes forced to deal with other people and society, it was baffling to her that all women wouldnt be just like her: able to take care of themselves in this harsh world.\\n\\nI seen women take this kind a help from a man with a look a relief on their faces. I wondered if these women knew how much easier their lives would be if they did all this stuff for themselves.\\n\\nThe comparisons between The Road and True Grit are apt. The world is a desolate place lacking in any redeemable qualities and has reverted to a Western style. Considering this was once British Columbia, it makes sense that individuals still speak French but to ones like Elka that have spent their life away from the company of people, shes developed her own dialect that is decidedly Western. The language itself is fortunately effortless to read unlike other books Ive read where new dialects have been created. The writing itself is fluid and promising for a debut author. There was unfortunately one lapse that ultimately changed the entire story for me: its told in past-tense and the essence of the ending is revealed in the introduction. For me, too much was revealed and the element of surprise was spent. Yes, there were additional details to add to the ending that weren't disclosed until the true end of the story, however, I felt that the initial reveal was wholly unnecessary and the entire story would have been far more effective and enticing at keeping the reader interested if left out completely. Nonetheless, this post-apocalyptic western proves to be an auspicious start for debut author Beth Lewis.\\n\\nMemories aint no ones friend. They show you all the good things you had, all the good things you lost, and don't let you forget all the bad s*** in between.\",\n \"Product: The Republic of Gilead offers Offred only one function: to breed. If she deviates, she will, like dissenters, be hanged at the wall or sent out to die slowly of radiation sickness. But even a repressive state cannot obliterate desire - neither Offred's nor that of the two men on which her future hangs...\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: An Incredible & Visceral Tale\\n\\nReview: We were the people who were not in the papers. We lived in the blank white spaces at the edges of print. It gave us more freedom.\\nWe lived in the gaps between the stories.\\n\\nAfter the United States government is overturned, a fundamentalist Christian regime is established that call themselves the Republic of Gilead. All womens rights are declared invalid: the right to vote, to have a job, to read or make any decisions on their own. With the ongoing war that followed the demolition of the government, infertility has become a massive problem as most women lack the capabilities now. Women are selected to be handmaids and their sole purpose is to provide offspring for the elite members of society. The Handmaids Tale is a memoir of sorts of one woman that was selected to be a handmaid.\\n\\nI found myself asking why no one did anything to prevent it happening; surely people would protest, people would try to stop them?\\n\\nWhat a shocking, distressing and jaw-dropping read. The vital aspect of a good dystopian read is whether or not the transformed world is believable and realistic because thats what truly brings it to life. The Handmaids Tale was disturbingly realistic simply due to the ease in which everything was transformed. Women got up, took care of their children and went to work like any other in this day and age. Except one morning, they got up and were told they were no longer able to work. They went to the store and were told they were no longer to make purchases of their own. And all this happened overnight. My first response was to consider how unlikely that is, but rights can be given and they can be taken away just as easily, even in the span of a single night. Its quite the imaginable nightmare.\\n\\nBut who can remember pain, once its over? All that remains of it is a shadow, not in the mind even, in the flesh. Pain marks you, but too deep to see. Out of sight, out of mind.\\n\\nThe main character, Offred, is a woman clearly lacking in spirit after all the horrors she has suffered. The numbness is a bandaid of sorts to help her continue each day yet her anger and outrage remains clear as well as her perseverance to survive. Her day to day accountings are interspersed with memories of the past, when she had a job, and a husband, and a child of her own. That was the most tragic aspect of this story. Its not the fact that women were basically walking wombs and their only purpose was to provide children for another but that these women had memories of life before. They knew of how different life can be and they had those memories to haunt them.\\n\\nThe Handmaids Tale is an incredibly visceral possibility of a potential future that only shows just how fragile womens rights can be.\",\n \"Product: Set in Paris and attracting comparisons with Franz Kafka and Edgar Allan Poe, \\\"The Pigeon\\\" is Patrick Suskind's tense, disturbing follow-up to the bestselling Perfume. The novella tells the story of a day in the meticulously ordered life of bank security guard Jonathan Noel, who has been hiding from life since his wife left him for her Tunisian lover. When Jonathan opens his front door on a day he believes will be just like any other, he encounters not the desired empty hallway but an unwelcome, diabolical intruder...\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Another Hit From Suskind\\n\\nReview: `At the time the pigeon affair overtook him, unhinging his life from one day to the next, Jonathan Noel, already past fifty, could look back over a good twenty-year period of total uneventfulness and would never have expected anything of importance could ever overtake him again - other than death some day.'\\n\\n`The Pigeon' is an incredibly short story detailing a day (albeit a rather momentous day) in the life of Jonathan Noel. Jonathan leads a secluded and private life as a bank security guard in Paris. He enjoys the life he has made for himself and is perfectly content with it continuing as such for his remaining years; however, on his way to work one morning this all comes collapsing down around him as he discovers a pigeon on his front porch. As soon as the pigeon entered his life, his life literally came crumbling apart in his mind. All of his carefully made plans became as fragile as a snowflake.\\n\\n`...but he suddenly no longer saw himself - that is, he no longer saw himself as a part of the world surrounding him. It was rather, as if for a few seconds he were standing far away, outside it, and were regarding this world through the wrong end of a telescope.'\\n\\nI became an instant fan of Patrick Sskind after stumbling upon his novel `Pefume'. It left such a permanent imprint on me and is still one of my favorite books to date. I'm not sure why I never looked into whether or not he had any additional works, but after embarking on my `1001 Books to Read Before I Die' reading challenge I discovered `The Pigeon' as one of those 1001. Overjoyed, I knew I had to have it.\\n\\nPatrick Sskind's writing is so thoroughly impressionable that earlier this afternoon I saw a pigeon on the side of the road and had to suppress a shiver as Jonathan's fears flooded my mind. Mildly amusing, but, I'm not sure I'll be able to look at a pigeon the same again. His descriptions of the pigeon and Jonathan's instant anxiety over the pigeon were immediately understandable even though, looking at the bigger picture, it seemed as if he made a fuss over nothing. I'll admit, I laughed at first because it seemed quite absurd, but as the story progressed you can see now it's not just the pigeon that affected poor Jonathan in that manner; it was just the catalyst to a series of events that disrupted his painstakingly normal existence.\\n\\nI'm giving `The Pigeon' 5 stars for one reason and one reason only (and it's not because it's as great a story as Perfume because it isn't): because he's a truly amazing writer. I will read anything written by Patrick Sskind. It's just such a shame that there aren't more novels of his in existence to read.\",\n \"Product: From the author of Zoo City\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Nightmarish Tale that is Unputdownable\\n\\nReview: 'Everything happens for a reason. He should be grateful. It's because he is forced to leave that he finds the House. It is because he took the coat that he has the key.'\\n\\nHarper stalks his Shining Girls through time and the House helps him. He visits the girls when they are children, takes mementos from them and tells them he'll be back for them when it's time. When that time comes, he leaves their bodies with a new memento, one taken from a different Shining Girl. His goal is to kill them all, all who Shine, and his mission is complete. Except one survived. And now she's the one looking for him.\\n\\nThe writing style is extremely explicit. The murders are terribly graphic and incredibly detailed so if you can't stomach 'Dexter' you're definitely not going to be able to manage this one. I have quite the stomach for gruesome tales but even this one came close to pushing my boundaries. Added to the gruesome details is the heartbreaking bits. There's this one scene in particular where one of the women is trying to stop the killer and in the process is telling him about her kids and how she has to be there for them because they're going to be waking up soon... I'm not much of a softie for sad times but even that got to me pretty bad. Plus, I think it should be mentioned there's also a gruesome scene involving a dog that may or may not have caused a tear or two.\\n\\n'He only has to think of a time and it will open onto it, although he can't always tell if his thoughts are his own or if the House is deciding for him.'\\n\\nMuch like what karen says in her review of The Shining Girls, this book reminds me very much of Life After Life despite it's obvious differences. Life After Life isn't technically time-travel but the transitions through time are quite similar, also both novels lack the scientific backing to support the time-traveling, it's either believable or it's not. Both novels had similar writing styles with bouncing back and forth to different times. It shouldn't make sense and it should be terribly confusing and hard to follow but somehow it manages to make complete and utter sense. Lauren Beukes writes with such confidence though that it really leaves no room for questioning. I never had a doubt.\\n\\n'It's the same tug in his stomach that brought him to the House. That jolt of recognition when he walks into someplace he's meant to be. He knows it when he sees the tokens that match the ones in the room. It is a game. It's a destiny he's writing for them. Inevitably, they're waiting for him.'\\n\\nThis book blew my mind. I finished it late one night and ended up unable to fall asleep because I simply could not stop thinking about it. There were a few questions that went unanswered that I wish had been but my overall opinion of the book remained bright and shiny. (ha, pun intended) There were two things I had issue with but were major spoilers. I haven't yet figured out how to hide those here so I'll refer you to my Goodreads review.\\n\\nThe Shining Girls is a horrid and nightmarish tale but so completely intense and unforgettable that it's certain to leave a lasting impression. It's a story possessing such vehemence you practically need a good, strong drink to aid you through it. In honor of the drink the House never failed to provide I recommend a whisky straight-up, no ice.\",\n \"Product: BRAND NEW, Exactly same ISBN as listed, Please double check ISBN carefully before ordering.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A Poetic Apocalyptic Experience\\n\\nReview: The North Atlantic Drift is cooling and Dylan MacRae has just arrived in Clachan Fells caravan park and there are three suns in the sky.\\nThats how it all begins.\\n\\nThe North Atlantic Drift is a wind driven current of warm water that is responsible for the warmer climates in Europe. The ongoing thaw of the polar ice caps result in massive amounts of fresh water being released in the oceans, vastly changing its salinity. Changes in salinity have the potential to unsettle ocean currents and thus our weather. A decrease in salinity would cause the North Atlantic Drift to slacken, subsequently changing Europes climate slowly over time. Were experiencing this subtle climate change now and have been for many years, but in The Sunlight Pilgrims, Fagan brings us to the year 2020 where the worst case scenario has finally become a reality. Its November, before true winter has even arrived and the weather outside is -6F. By the end of January temperatures will have dropped to -38 and a small village in Scotland is struggling to endure.\\n\\nDark is following them. Its coming to cloak everything. Each day it will eat a little more light until they will wake up one morning to find the sun won't rise again.\\n\\nThe alarming Ice Age chronicled in these pages never quite becomes the focal point for this story. Its the aura surrounding the true story. The dire circumstances help to establish the characters and showcases their most base natures, but at center stage is twelve year old Stella Fairbairn, who thirteen months ago used to be referred to as he.\\n\\nCael Fairbairn has ceased to exist. Thirteen months ago the girl that wore his body got up and told everyone to quit calling her by the wrong pronoun.\\n\\nStella has finally found some form of peace after no longer having to show the world one person when the person she feels she is on the inside is completely different. Shes headstrong and determined to find her new place in the world amidst all the appalling bullying shes forced to deal with from her classmates who she used to call friends. She resorts to finding people with similar stories on the internet to make her feel less alone and to find people that will accept her for how she is. Meanwhile, her and everyone else fights to stay alive in the rapidly changing climate. And at heart, thats what this story is all about: surviving. Whether its surviving growing up in a society that refuses to accept you for who you are or whether its surviving in a harsh and unforgiving climate, its all the same.\\n\\nStella isn't the only enticing character in the book; its chock-full of them. Constance, Stellas free-spirited, survivalist mother, Dylan, the giant of a man who arrives in the village carrying the ashes of his mother and grandmother, and their neighbors which include a porn star, lesbian school teachers, some Satan worshipers, and a guy determined to prove the existence of aliens. While their descriptions alone would seem to guarantee a most quirky read, The Sunlight Pilgrims was a surprisingly subdued and almost peaceful read about the possible end of the world as we know it. Fagan has once again placed the spotlight on individuals that would typically be relegated to darkened corners. The Panopticon gave juvenile offenders the spotlight and now The Sunlight Pilgrims displays the marginalization of individuals undergoing a gender transition. Between the doctors that suggested anti-depressants to her instead of the hormone blockers she requested and the majority of the community that looks on her with nothing but disdain. All while this is happening, the Ice Age is still coming on slowly but surely. It all seems so insignificant that these individuals are still able to maintain their scorn and self-righteousness while there are more important things going on outside; like the world ending.\\n\\nFagans writing is almost restrained yet still remains vibrant and descriptively lush. She aptly describes icicles growing to the size of narwhal tusks, the long bony finger of winter herself. While the world around them is being encased in ice, there is still a remarkable beauty to be found.\\n\\nSun spirals down through treetops showing up sediments of silver and amber dust. A frozen pond. Curls of ice make a frost flower on a fallen bough. Each iced petal is perfectly curled and see-through. Winter has been hand-carving them overnight. Placing them here.\\n\\nA flock of birds fly low overhead.\\nMossy greens and purples and red-golds have faded to brown.\\nSleet billows off the mountain.\\nTreetops disappear in one blink as the white owerblaw races over the mountaintop and drifts down thicker and faster, painting everything white until within seconds the whole landscape is utterly changed.\\n\\nWhile the mere concept of negative double digit temperatures is horrifying, Fagan manages to make it a poetic experience. Theres even a pinch of magical realism added to this most realistic world, when Dylan first sets eyes on Constance, she reaches up a pale arm up into the sky and polishes the moon. It was a frivolous addition to the story, however, it added a touch of magic to the existing beauty and I loved it.\\n\\nWhen I sat down to write this review tonight, I was distressed because I didn't have any idea what to say about this story or if Id even be able to successfully explain what made it so special. I spent over an hour researching salinity and the North Atlantic Drift so that I could understand just how something like what happened in this story could actually happen. My research took me right back to how this story made me feel: aghast yet somehow sanguine. Survival is always a possibility, no matter the circumstances.\",\n \"Product: SUSANNA KEARSLEY inherited her love of genealogy from her father. The past and its bearing on the present is a familiar theme in her books. She was a curator at a museum for some years before she took the plunge and became a full-time author. She won the prestigious Catherine Cookson Award for her novel Mariana. She was shortlisted for a Romantic Novelists Association Rita Award and won the Arthur Ellis Award from the Canadian Crime Writer's Association. She lives in Canada.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Another Fabulous Read from Susanna Kearsley\\n\\nReview: This is the second Susanna Kearsley book I've read and she's quickly becoming a favorite of mine. Her writing style is simply beautiful and has a definite talent for writing fascinating stories. I'm not usually a fan of wordy books but she does such an amazing job of describing the simplest of things you can't help but love it.\\n\\nOne of my favorites:\\n\\n\\\"And at the window of the room the cold November rains slid down the glass and cast their shifting shadows in a room that could no longer hold the light.\\\"\\n\\nRose Garden tells the story of Eva and her struggles to cope with the death of her sister Katrina. Katrina had requested to be cremated and have her ashes scattered; Eva decides it would be most fitting for her to scatter them where the two of them once belonged: Cornwall, England. She travels there and stays with her two childhood friends Mark and Susan. During her first night there, she wakes to the sound of two men having a conversation only to find there weren't any men in the house. She then begins to see things that others cannot and is unable to explain it. When she finds herself thrown back in time, she meets Daniel Butler, a man who was a part of the Jacobite Uprising. Knowing what she does about the outcome of said event, she finds it difficult to not disclose information to him that could essentially change the future. The more time spent with Daniel, the closer she becomes to him, as she finds herself bonding with him as two people who have both lost loved ones. Eva's only concern is for her inability to control when she goes back in time and how the two of them can ever have a life together based on this instability.\\n\\nLovely novel. I'll definitely be picking up more of her books in the future.\",\n \"Product: Brenna Yovanoff is the author of Paper Valentine, Smoulder, and The Replacement, which was her debut novel. She is also one third of the Merry Sisters of Fate along with Maggie Stiefvater and Tessa Gratton. Brenna lives in Denver, Colorado.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Satisfying Coming of Age/Mystery-Thriller\\n\\nReview: Hannah Wagnor is struggling to cope with the recent death of her best friend, Lillian, and the details surrounding it. There is also the fact that Lillians ghost now follows her everywhere. While trying to overcome her guilt at not being able to help Lillian when she was alive, Hannah is also trying to understand how to go on with life without her. In addition to Lillians ghost which haunts her are several other ghosts that start appearing and they are all victims of a recent serial killer in her small town.\\n\\nThis is actually the first story Ive read of Brenna Yovanoffs and I definitely enjoyed the story and her writing skills but Paper Valentine didn't wow me as much as Id anticipated. The storyline itself was a tale full of emotional resonance but the combination of the coming-of-age tale of Hannah finding herself after the death of her best friend AND the serial killer taking out locals was a strange yet engaging mix that managed to work for the most part.\\n\\nThe narrative is told in the first person from the POV of Hannah from which we are able to see just how deeply rooted her depression is. Hannah is a compelling character yet I found many of her actions to be extremely unreasonable especially when it came to the expeditious love for the local bad boy, Finny Boone. Like the time Finny suggested they take a shortcut through the dark park? When theres a serial killer on the loose? Or when Hannah leaves her younger sister home alone and her and Finny go off to swim in the lake? The overwrought lines regarding him were also treading on ridiculous:\\n\\n\\\"And then were looking at each other, and its a look that goes on and on, stretching across space and time. Across galaxies.\\\"\\n\\nThe insta-love was there but was subdued enough to not be too bothersome. Seeing Hannahs progression throughout the novel in finding her individual identity separate from who she was when Lillian was still alive was the most satisfying and convincing aspect of Paper Valentine. While this book had its flaws, it was a somewhat satisfying of a read and succeeded in capturing my interest for the authors previous novels.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":8,"string":"8"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":380,"string":"380"}}},{"rowIdx":381,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A14J87NHJAGPYR"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"The Clear Stream 4V HDTV Antenna uses patented technology to receive free TV signals up to 70 miles away from networks like ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS, Univision, and more in Full HD 1080 where available. [NOTE: Network reception will vary by market, signal availability, and broadcast tower locations] . Mount indoors, in the attic, or outdoors for the best results. As a leader in cutting-edge antenna technology, Antennas Direct is dedicated to providing superior products supported by a lifetime warranty and a world class call center located in St. Louis, MO. Includes Clear Stream 4V Antenna, 20in mount, all-weather mounting hardware, and instructions. Coaxial cable sold separately.\". The summary of the review text is \"Best all-around HDTV antenna.\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"This is the best all-around antenna I have tried. I already own a directional Winegard HD7694P and a Stellar Labs Dual Quad Bay. The Stellar Labs Dual Quad Bay is similar to a DB8e. Both the Winegard HD7694P and the Stellar Labs Dual Quad Bay are excellent (5 stars) antennas, but I think the ClearStream 4V is one notch above either of these Winegard and the Stellar Labs antennas.\n\nWhile the Winegard HD7694P and the Stellar Labs give a higher signal strength on most channels than the ClearStream 4V, the Winegard and the Stellar Labs each fall short on a few channels that are important to me. This happened to a point where it irked me enough to buy a much more expensive ClearStream 4V. I am glad I did!\n\nThe ClearStream 4V DOES NOT have as high a signal strength on most channels as the Winegard or Stellar Labs (it's about few decibels weaker on most channels), but where the ClearStream 4V shines is it gives a much more UNIFORM signal strength across ALL channels. The result is that the ClearStream 4V can consistently pick up those few channels that gave the Winegard HD7694P and the Stellar Labs Quad Dual Bay problems. There are no really weak channels anymore. I am picking up over 116 channels with the ClearStream 4V. I am about 30 miles from the towers. I am in a hilly area with no direct line of sight to the towers because another large hill stands in the way between my home and the towers, but the ClearStream 4V works nicely even in this challenging situation. The ClearStream 4V even picks up an important channel coming from the back side.\n\nNow I no longer have to constantly use an A-B switch to flip between the Winegard and the Stellar Labs to pick up all channels. With the ClearStream 4V, one antenna does the job very nicely. I give it 6 stars. It's not cheap but well worth the money."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"This is the best all-around antenna I have tried. I already own a directional Winegard HD7694P and a Stellar Labs Dual Quad Bay. The Stellar Labs Dual Quad Bay is similar to a DB8e. Both the Winegard HD7694P and the Stellar Labs Dual Quad Bay are excellent (5 stars) antennas, but I think the ClearStream 4V is one notch above either of these Winegard and the Stellar Labs antennas.\n\nWhile the Winegard HD7694P and the Stellar Labs give a higher signal strength on most channels than the ClearStream 4V, the Winegard and the Stellar Labs each fall short on a few channels that are important to me. This happened to a point where it irked me enough to buy a much more expensive ClearStream 4V. I am glad I did!\n\nThe ClearStream 4V DOES NOT have as high a signal strength on most channels as the Winegard or Stellar Labs (it's about few decibels weaker on most channels), but where the ClearStream 4V shines is it gives a much more UNIFORM signal strength across ALL channels. The result is that the ClearStream 4V can consistently pick up those few channels that gave the Winegard HD7694P and the Stellar Labs Quad Dual Bay problems. There are no really weak channels anymore. I am picking up over 116 channels with the ClearStream 4V. I am about 30 miles from the towers. I am in a hilly area with no direct line of sight to the towers because another large hill stands in the way between my home and the towers, but the ClearStream 4V works nicely even in this challenging situation. The ClearStream 4V even picks up an important channel coming from the back side.\n\nNow I no longer have to constantly use an A-B switch to flip between the Winegard and the Stellar Labs to pick up all channels. With the ClearStream 4V, one antenna does the job very nicely. I give it 6 stars. It's not cheap but well worth the money."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Utilizes basic principle of water leveling. 1-man operation allows long-distance leveling. Horn sounds as level is found. Accurate within 1/16\". Eliminates guess work. Allows blind leveling around corners. Ideal for erecting fences, decks, and sloping driveways. Includes 25' PVC hose and 1 hose adapter. Operates on 9V battery, not included.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: electronic unit doesn't always work when it hit level.\n\nReview: Out of the box the thing worked like a champ, but after fewer than 2 hours of use over the course of a week, the electronic contacts began to malfunction. Sometimes it would beep when it began to hit level, but sometimes it didn't. Sometimes the beep became steady, sometimes it would beep once and then went silent even when it went above level, sometimes there was no beep at all when it went from below level to above level. Hell of frustrating. In all cases I followed the instructions and started from below level and gradually inched to level or above. I kept asking the question: Did it hit level or not? And had to repeat each measurement ten times starting from below level to the level point, just to make sure the beeps, if at all, that I did hear were indeed at the level point. The electronics are clearly faulty. Maybe the contact pins became corroded, but after just a week when I used clean tap water?\n\nAlso the 1/16\" accuracy claim is the best case scenario estimate. Most of the time I found 1/8\" to 1/4\" error to be more realistic, due to the uncertainty created by the faulty electronic unit. Also part of the problem is the small tubing size giving rise to a bit of capillary action which affects the accuracy, making the level insensitive to slight elevation changes.\n\nI ended up buying a laser level.","Product: Designed and manufactured in New Zealand, Hungry Bin is a fast and convenient way to compost your food scraps. The innovative, patented design creates an ideal living environment for compost worms and is highly efficient, allowing them to process up to 4 lbs. (2 kgs) of waste per day. This organic waste is quickly converted into castings and a nutrient-rich liquid, both of which are high-quality natural fertilizers and incredibly simple to collect. The Hungry Bin is designed with a solid handle and sturdy wheels, allowing it to be moved easily. Hungry Bin is not just clean, simple and easy to use it looks great too. Hungry Bin is best suited to a temperate climate. In locations that experience temperature extremes, the Hungry Bin will need to be positioned in a location that is not subject to excessive heat, or freezing conditions for long periods of time, such as inside a garage or basement. Hungry Bin is not supplied with the worms or bedding required to start the bin. California Customers: The price of this item (Hungry Bin) includes sales tax reimbursement computed to the nearest cent. The statewide sales and use tax rate of 7.0 percent has been included in the sales price. The customer is responsible for any district tax beyond this amount.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: lack of ventilation and worms escaping are big problems in warm weather with this bin\n\nReview: I bought my Hungry Bin in December/2016 when I was totally new to vermi-composting and didn't know a thing about it. What sold me on the Hungry Bin was the flow-through concept and its clever design with these benefits: no lifting of heavy trays and no sorting out worms from the castings.\n\nThis is now June/2017 and having used my Hungry Bin for six months, I still think the Hungry Bin is the best residential-scale commercial worm bin on the market, but this doesnt mean its perfect. The bins design does have some flaws that I will point out below.\n\nI live in a family of two and after six months of putting almost all kitchen scraps in the Hungry Bin I STILL have not harvested any worm castings yet because my family of two simply does not produce that much kitchen scraps. I have four small parrots and they help out with producing scraps by their leftover seeds, hulls, and some fruits. The bin is not to blame for this slow progress, of course. It just takes a long time to fill the bin because kitchen scraps such as fruits and vegetables are mostly liquid and shrink significantly in volume once they are digested by the worms. The instructions mention that harvesting should be done only when the contents are about 1 from the top. This is to ensure that the castings in the bottom are properly compacted and not fall out in a big slide when the bottom tray is removed during harvest.\nThe bin came in box measuring about 26\"L x 24\"W x 18\"H. When empty, it's very lightweight (about 28 lbs) and took about half an hour to assemble.\n\nI keep my worm bin in the garage because its the only place at my home that can provide the worms a temperate environment year-round. The worms can survive any cold temperature in my non-heated but insulated garage, where the ambient temperature only goes down to 55 F in winter. I found in my case the biggest problem has not been the cold but the heat and the occasional high temperature resulting from the decomposition of organic materials.\n\nI have found there are two major problems with the Hungry Bin:\n\n1. The biggest problem I have experienced with the Hungry Bin is that certain foodstuffs, especially grain-based foodstuffs, will decompose and heat up the bin very quickly within a day or two of being dumped into the bin. The heat from decomposition can, and will, kill the worms very quickly. What little ventilation the lid does provide is done through 168 tiny holes (approximately 3/32 diameter) on the lid. The problem that the holes do not provide adequate ventilation when there is even a small amount of heat generation from the decomposition. This is especially true when the tiny 3/32 holes are frequently plugged up by condensation and red and white mites migrating to the top and clogging up the holes. The mites move fast, so lets say I cleared the holes of mites and moisture in the morning. By the evening, the holes could get clogged up again.\n\nOne way to prevent heat buildup is not to use the stock lid whenever a large quantity of grain-based stuff is added to the worm bin and instead cover the bin with a piece of airy dark cloth or a piece of plywood or pegboard with NUMEROUS 1/8 holes. Youll have to mist the compost surface at least once a day to make up for the evaporation through the airy cloth or pegboard.\n\nOne time I added half a pound of waste buckwheat flour to the bin and mixed it into the top 1 of the vermi-compost and didn't notice the temperature spiked up within the next couple of days until I saw the worms trying to escape. My experience showed me that the worms (and also the mites) will BEGIN to look for an exit out of the worm bin when the surface layer of the compost hits around 77 to 80 degrees F. The worms (again also the mites) will try to flee en masse (see attached picture) when the top compost layer hits around 85F and the worms will begin to die off at around 90F when they are trapped and cant get out of the bin. Luckily, I caught the heat buildup in time before the worms began to die. An infrared thermometer and worm bin thermometer are very helpful to help monitor the temperature.\n\nThe mites are a part of the worm bin eco-system. I have been unable to get rid of them, but they don't seem to harm the worms. The only problem with the mites seems to be that they compete for food with the worms, but no real harm is done to the worms by the mites except that they plug up the ventilation holes.\n\n2. The second problem I experienced with the bin is that the lid is not tight enough to keep the worms from escaping. My concrete garage floor is littered with tens and tens of dried up worms that once tried to escape the bin because of the heat. Lining the top interior edge with Corrys Slug & Snail copper tape barrier can be very effective in keeping the worms from escaping. As soon as the worms mouths touch the copper, they retreat. The coppers effectiveness diminishes greatly once it becomes heavily oxidized over several months. The real solution to keeping the worms in the bin is again to use a dark and airy cloth instead of using the lid to keep the temperature cool. In a normal environment favorable to the worms comfort, few worms will actively crawl on the surface unless the bin is too warm. The worms actually can not feed on fresh kitchen scraps because the worms have no teeth to chew through fresh scraps. The worms have to wait for the scraps to become partially rotten before they can slurp up the slimy goo. This means that they typically find most available food a few inches below the surface.\n\nAnother potential danger to the worms besides heat is adding too much ground lime or ground eggshell to the worm bin. The lime or ground eggshell can react with the acidic kitchen scraps or compost to produce carbon dioxide and suffocate the worms. As long as you are diligent in opening the lid once in the morning before going to work and once in the evening before going to bed, any buildup of CO2 should be minimal and should not pose a problem. The danger can come in if you forget to vent the bin for a couple days especially when the vent holes are plugged up by condensation and insects.\n\nThe solution to all these flaws I pointed out is simply to use a piece of dark cloth in place of the lid. The cloth (or peg board) will provide plenty of ventilation to let the heat escape. Without the uncomfortable heat, the worms simply do not want to venture to the surface. They will happily stay below the surface and feed on the partially rotten kitchen scraps.\n\nA worm bin is a companion to a compost bin. I find keeping a worm bin is much more fun and rewarding than taking care of a compost bin, but they really complement each other because they take in different feedstock. Worm castings are far superior to ordinary compost but you can only feed soft, organic stuffs to a worm bin.\n\nCompeting commercial alternatives that rely on the flow-through concept are the Worm Inn (there is standard version and a Mega version) and the Worm Wigwam. There are also numerous videos and tutorials on Youtube on how to build your own flow-through worm bin and there are even commercial plans available to make your own.\n\nOverall, none of those alternatives seem as well designed and as easy to use as the Hungry Bin despite the two flaws I pointed out, which can be easily solved by using a cloth as a cover for the bin. I have no regrets about paying a lot of money for my Hungry Bin. Its not perfect. The design does have some flaws, but it is still a very good product. Whatever problems I pointed out, I can simply solve by using a piece of cloth instead of the lid whenever I feed food stuffs that can generate heat to the worms.\n\nUpdate July 14, 2017: It's summer time. I still have my bin in the insulated garage. The ambient temp in my garage is 75 degrees F, but the worms are restless and numerous ones crawled outside through the gaps in the lid. There is no unusual decomposition activity in my bin to generate any excessive amounts of heat, but many worms are still restless and many managed to escape. All the supposed benefits of the Hungry Bin's not requiring one to handle the cold and slimy worms vanishes if bin's design allows the worms to keep escaping and requiring me to spend 5 minutes every evening when I get home to rescue the worms that managed to crawl out. If I don't rescue them they will eventually fall on the garage floor and die from dehydration.\n\nThe inability of the Hungry Bin to provide sufficient ventilation and its inability to prevent the worms from escaping through the gaps between the lid and the bin have irritated me to the point that I feel compelled to down-rate the bin to 3-stars instead of the 5 and then 4 I initially gave it.\n\nUpdate: 2/2018. I have been experiment with a couple different ways to increase the bin's ventilation without permanently altering the bin or the lid. One way was to use a 1/8\" thick peg board in place of the lid. The peg board is full of 1/8\" holes. The peg board ventilates very well, perhaps too well, because it lets a lot of moisture escape. I found a simpler way to ventilate it by simply wedging a 1/4\" to 1/2\" thick piece of wood between the lid and the bin to create just enough air gap for heat to escape while keeping the surface of the vermi-compost moist and preventing it from drying out.","Product: Includes:TXRXQC603QC503BatteriesRain Bird carrying caseMaintaining Rain Bird system operation and head alignment is easier and faster than ever because you no longer have to walk to the clock to turn zones on or off. A single crew member can activate zones, blow out systems and perform other winterization or maintenance tasks.Install the receiver in seconds with just one hand and operate up to 255 zones.Skip to any zone by entering its number. No need to scroll through zones in consecutive order.Run a system test, specifying how many minutes, which zone to start with and which zone to end with.Two-way communication between the remote and the controller allows remote activity information to be displayed on the handheld device.Custom names can be assigned to 20 different receivers for easy identification. Each handheld remote can control up to 128 different receivers simultaneously.Operating range up to 1.5 miles (2.4 km) line of sight. (Operating range may be reduced when obstructions are introduced between remote system components.)Three-year trade warranty.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Expensive, sluggish, and clunky\n\nReview: This remote's attributes are dominated by far more cons than pros (if any at all).\n\nCons:\n\n1. It's HUGE, clunky, and just plainly uncomfortable to hold. There is no reason why it has to be this huge. Either Rainbird has lousy design engineers who don't know how to miniaturize circuits, or perhaps Rainbird doesn't like owners to lose their remotes if they were made smaller, or more likely, Rainbird wants to justify the high cost of this remote by the size of this giant unit to give the impression that it's worth more than $500, when it may very well have cost them less than $50 in materials to make.\n2. It's very expensive for what little that it does. This seems to be the case with most of these pro-level remote controls.\n3. It's VERY slow, very sluggish. It takes an interminable 5 seconds for a zone On command to go through and turn on a valve. For a zone Off command, it takes about 3 seconds.\n4. For a remote that claims a 1.5 mi line-of-sight range, On or Off commands sometimes fail to be accepted even within 50 ft of the receiver. So occasionally if I hit an On command, the hand held transmitter would indicate that the zone valve had been turned on when in fact the valve did not turn on. Or sometimes when I tried to turn off a zone that had been turned on by the remote, the off command would not be reflected on the valve even though the transmitter still thought the off command had been accepted. That's just ridiculous. The issue must be deeper than range or signal reception. Something is making it behave this way.\nThe remote unit frequently shows 4 bars even when the receiver unit has been unplugged!!! WTF? It must be picking up any radio frequency signal in the neighborhood and calling it a valid signal.\nFrequently within 50 ft., it would say: \"Not confirmed, either there is no signal or the zone is not available\". Meanwhile it would still show 4 bars of signal!\n\nPro:\n1. When it worked correctly, I tested it out to at least 1/2 mile downhill (i.e. not within line of sight) of my residence and it still worked. Also, it acts up about as frequently as it does work correctly.\n\nFor residential users who just want a convenient remote capability, there are better solutions, such as by installing an additional controller that has remote capability on top of their existing system and run the remote capable controller as a slave or parallel unit. The slave unit is just there to allow for the remote function. In this setup, the programming and timing features of the slave unit are not used. Orbit offers such a controller with built in remote, although the range is only about 40' to 300' (depending on amount obstruction and how much line of sight the signal is). In such a set up, both units can only be powered by one common transformer (two transformers would fry both units) and an isolation relay for safety needs to be installed.","Product: Add just the right decorative touch to your living room or your bedroom with the Altra Summit Mountain Wood Veneer Accent Table. This beautiful Accent Table features real wood veneer construction and solid wood legs. The top surface is great for placing a lamp, pictures or decorative items. Use the drawer to store your notebook, writing utensils, coasters and remotes while keeping your books and magazines organized on the lower shelf. The golden brown Tuscany Oak finish paired detailed accents makes this Coffee Table a timeless piece. Altra Summit Accent Table requires assembly upon delivery.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: great portable rotary hammer\n\nReview: This Makita LXT 18v Li-on D-handle rotary hammer has 1.9 joules (or 1.4 ft*lb) of impact energy at up to 4000 blows per minute. By comparison, Makita's corded version has 2.7 joules (or 2.0 ft*lb) of impact energy at up to 4500 blows per minute, making the cordless version about 70% as powerful as the corded version, which isn't bad. I can't complain because the trade-off for portability is power and speed.\n\nI bought this cordless rotary hammer specifically to drill 5/8\" holes in concrete to set anchor bolts for my deck's footings. I can drill each 5/8\" hole up to 6\" deep in a minute or two, but it drains the battery at a fairly quick clip. My rough recollection is that it can only drill at most 2 of the 6\"-deep, 5/8\" diameter holes before the battery needs recharging. Based on my experience with the 5/8\" holes, I have no doubt it is capable of drilling up to 7/8\" holes.\n\nI also used a 1\" chisel bit on it and it worked really fast to chip concrete to set the footings. All in all, I am happy with this purchase despite the short battery life.","Product: This refined AV component cabinet is an elegant solution to storage woes. The cabinet features a beautiful Dark Espresso finish, and components are hidden behind a dark tinted tempered safety glass door that allows for remote control operation and reduces dust. With 3 adjustable interior wood shelves plus the cabinet base (all with internal ventilation slots for convection cooling), this stand can accommodate at least 4 AV components. Pass-through holes provide ventilation and easy wire management to hide and route wires. This distinguished AV cabinet assembles in minutes - quickly and easily.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Attractive enclosed cabinet with generous capacity\n\nReview: There are very few stock enclosed audio/video cabinets on the market that have both the width and depth capacities that this cabinet offers. When buying A/V cabinets, it's important to pay attention not just to the equipment size, but also to the additional space needed for the cable heads. The cable heads can easily add three inches to the depth requirement.\n\nThis cabinet is good looking and priced very reasonably to boot. It's made of real wood veneer on a core of MDF. It looks like birch veneer and has been stained with a satin espresso brown oil finish.\n\nThe latch is slow and soft closing, nice.\n\nAbout the only drawback is that when the door is closed, the interior can get quite warm when all my A/V gears are running. I solved this by leaving either the front door or the back panel slightly ajar when I am listening to music. When I am done I close them again to keep dust out.\n\nAnother solution to remove heat is to remove the top back panel (there are two back panels, one top, one bottom) and place a dust screen in place of the back panel. This would allow good ventilation while keeping dust out. I'd discourage adding a ventilation fan because they suck in too much air and would introduce a lot of dust into the cabinet. To get an idea of the dust problem with ventilation fans, just remove the cover from a full size computer case and see the accumulated dust on the motherboard introduced by the ventilation fans.\n\nThis A/V cabinet is a great buy, and is the only cabinet I could find that fits my requirements.","Product: This new mount offers users an alternative to windshield suction cup mounts. This portable friction mount features a non-skid silicone bottom and pliable base to keep the mount secure on your dashboard.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: more grippy than bean bag mount\n\nReview: I have both the bean bag mount and \"this mount\"(for lack of a better name). Whereas the underside of the bean bag mount is made of neoprene rubber foam, this mount is made of very grippy solid gel-like silicone rubber. The base of this mount is moldable to conform to the contours of the dashboard. On my Toyota Echo, which has a steeply sloping dashboard, the bean bag mount slides down after a few bumps on the road. This mount on the other hand stays put on my Echo. The main drawback with this mount is the silicone base leaves a greasy residue on the dashboard. The residue is noticeable but does not really annoy me. If that's the tradeoff for a very grippy mount, I'm okay with this tradeoff. It's less stable than the wider bean bag mount because this mount has a narrower profile. When I place it on the passenger seat, it can tip over, but does not tip over when placed on the dashboard. The bean bag mount on the other hand is totally stable and doesn't ever tip over.\n\nSummary:\n\nBean bag mount: no residues on dash board, but less grippy and can slip on steeply sloping dashboards, stable and does not ever tip over.\n\nThis mount with silicone rubber base: leaves silicone oil residue on the dashboard, much more grippy, but less stable and can potentially tip over.\n\nI prefer this silicone rubber mount because of the steeply sloping dashboard on my Echo. Otherwise, if my car had a fairly flat dashboard, I'd prefer the bean bag mount because it's more stable when placed on the passenger seat.","Product: Time matters, and every second counts. Fast delivers full-throttle performance at twice the speed of other portable hard drives on the markettransfer rates up to 220MB/s.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: very fast drive with huge 4TB capacity\n\nReview: This review is for the 4TB \"Fast\" RAID 0 version of the 4TB drive. As of this time, the Seagate \"Fast\" RAID 0 version only comes in the 4TB size.\n\nThis Seagate drive is a phenomenal backup drive. It really is FAST! It's so fast because internally it's composed of two hard drives running in parallel in a RAID 0 configuration to give twice the throughput.\n\nIt comes formatted in NTFS. Mac users who want to keep using it with NTFS will need to go to Seagate's website to download an NTFS-for-Mac program by Paragon to be able to write to this drive. It's a free program on the Seagate site. Alternatively, Mac users could format the drive to Mac's native \"Mac OS Extended (Journaled)\" file format (also known as HFS+ format). If you want to share this HFS+ formatted drive with a PC, you can install Paragon's HFS-for-Win program on your PC to enable read/write capability on Mac drives. This HFS-for-Win program is also available for free on the Seagate support site.\n\nThere are definite advantages of NTFS over HFS+. NTFS gives essentially the same sequential read/write speeds as HFS+, but where NTFS shines is it gives MUCH HIGHER random read/write speeds than HFS+.\n\nHere are typical benchmark numbers on my Macbook Air using DiskMark with this drive. Numbers are in MB per second:\n\nNTFS: 260 (seq. read), 217 (seq. write), 32 (random read), 12 (random write)\nHFS+: 253 (seq. read), 214 (seq. write), 20 (random read), 0.5 (random write)\n\nMake sure you plug it into a USB 3.0 port that can provide sufficient power to spin the two physical disks. A sign that it is not getting enough power is the arms making noticeable noise when the drive reads. If that happens you will either have to plug it into a powered USB 3.0 hub or use the USB 3.0 Y cable. I have mine plugged into a powered USB 3.0 hub and it runs totally silently.\n\nThe most significant potential negative is the RAID 0 configuration. Basically, because it's composed of two parallel physical drives acting as one, if either drive malfunctions, the total two-drive combo will be toast. In other words, this drive statistically is twice as likely to fail as a similar Seagate drive that is composed of only one physical drive. Of course, that's the trade-off one makes when purchasing this drive: trading reliability and cost for double the speed.","Product: You get this great product....\nKlipsch - R-115SW Subwoofer\nPlus, you get:\nKlipsch - WA2 Wireless Subwoofer Kit\nIf speakers are the voice of an audio system, then the subwoofer is the heart. Klipsch subwoofers craft bass more powerfully or efficiently than their competition within similar pricing. From the 15\" Spun Copper Front Firing Cermetallic Woofer cones, the brushed polymer veneer MDF cabinets and the 400 watt all digital amplifier are engineered to provide pulsepounding low frequency response. Enjoy your music passionately played with the added depth and low frequency accurate response. Live the intense moments in your movies, and feel every explosion resounding right in your chest. Adding the WA2 wireless adapter kit frees you to place the subwoofer anywhere in the room.\nMDF Plinth\nAn incredible acoustic decoupling technique that allows you to hear the subwoofer, not the room.\n\nGo Wireless\nThe R115SW supports the WA2 Wireless subwoofer adapter kit and allows you to freely change its placement anywhere in the room. Tuck the subwoofer beside the sofa, place it in the back of the room or wherever it is the most convenient.\n\nFront LED Power Indicator\nAlways no when your Klipsch R115SW is powered on with the easy to read LED power indicator. Regardless whether on or off, the efficient subwoofer only uses a exceptionally low 1/2 watt or power in standby.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great sub for home theater systems\n\nReview: I bought this sub when it was on sale for $719 with the wireless kit included.\n\nI have pretty good bookshelf speakers made by Bose as my main speakers but these Bose bookshelf speakers as good as they were could only go down to about 60 Hz and so I needed a sub to fill in the bass gap. This sub was the missing component in my home theater system. It goes down to 18 Hz by the specs and it lets me to not just hear explosions but to actually FEEL the thundering percussions in movie explosion scenes that only a big sub can adequately give.\n\nThe specs claim the sub can go down to 18 Hz. Yes, it can go that low and in fact can even go down to 16 Hz, but when I played pure tone single frequencies on it between 16 and 20 Hz, very loud and unmistakable chuffing noises could be heard even at moderate volumes. The chuffing noises would go away above 20 Hz. Keep in mind I was playing pure tone single frequencies when I noticed the chuffing noises. When it is used in a home theater, the chuffing noises between 16 and 20 Hz are not typically noticeable in a movie scene playing the Low Frequency Effects in the sub 20 Hz region because any such chuffing noises would be masked by whatever explosion sounds (or whatever loud sounds) was going on in the scene.\n\nI have not used the wireless kit and don't know how well it works.\n\nThis sub is expensive, but it's worth every penny I paid. It's also HUGE. It's about the same size as a bedroom mini refrigerator, but when it comes to playing ultra low frequency bass, there is no substitute for size.","Product: The Reference Premiere RP-280F floor standing speaker is the largest in the Reference Premiere family, producing cinematic sound from two 8\" Cerametallic woofers and a Hybrid Tractrix Horn. It can fill a larger room with theater-quality sound with minimal effort - immersing you in the ultimate listening experience.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: good speakers, average bass, treble lacks clarity\n\nReview: The RF280f has good, rich sounding mids but the bass is only average (the base is there but it's here not particularly powerful) and the treble is a little too subdued and lacks definition. I was playing a Mozart piece on it and the deep cello sound was struggling to be noticeable, whereas when I played the same piece on the Klipsch RF-7 II and also the La Scala, the cellos are immediately recognizable.\n\nCompared to the RF-7 II when listening to music, the sound stage on the RP280f is small and very confined, wheres the RF-7 II has a very expansive and all-enveloping sound stage.\n\nFor the Reference Premier line Klipsch uses silicone rubber to create the outer flaring shape of the treble horn in order to minimize unwanted vibrations and resulting ringing, but I have found this improvement to be only marginally successful on the RP280f. When playing Adele's Someone Like You at somewhat high volume, the tweeter horn will ring just as badly as it does on my RF-7 II. One possible explanation for this may be that although the outer flaring shape is made of the silicone rubber material, the inner conical horn is still made of hard plastic which vibrates with the high notes to create the occasional ringing sound. The ringing is a combination of ringing bells and buzzing bees sound and it only becomes noticeable when playing certain poorly recorded music CDs at high volume. The ringing mostly only bothers music listening, but it doesn't really matter for home theater applications.\n\nIf you can get the RF7 II at a steep discount, go for it instead. I think the RF7 II significantly outperforms the RP280f for both home theater or 2-speaker music listening.","Product: The ultimate in Reference II Series performance, the RF-7 II tower speaker lets you experience the true power, detail and emotion of cinematic spectacles and concert performances from the comforts of home.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: RP-280F with a subwoofer will give better quality sounds than RF-7 II alone\n\nReview: A week ago, I purchased a set of brand new RF-7 II and a set of brand new RP-280F and have been doing some side by side comparisons of both sets in my living room to see how they differ playing various types of music. I'm not an audiophile by any means and am in fact a complete newbie when it comes to listening to music on decent speakers, so take my evaluation of these two speaker sets with this in mind.\n\nThe RF-7 II is the current flagship of the Reference series (I think the \"F\" in the name stands for flagship), but according to online sources the RF-7 II will soon be superseded by the new and improved RF-7 III later in the year. This must be the reason why some dealers are able to offer the RF-7 II at very hefty discounts (50% off). Even with the hefty discounts, I still paid twice as much for a pair of RF-7 II as I did for a pair of the RP-280F.\n\nTo test these speakers I originally connected both sets to my Sony amp capable of delivering 80 watts per channel at 8 ohms. I since upgraded to another Sony amp capable of 110 Watts per channel. Then I also bought a Yamaha receiver with 140 WPC. The Sony 110W amp sounded the best, but any major shortcomings I noticed with the RF7II were unchanged among the three amps. The RF-7 II is connected to the A channel and the RP-280F is connected to the B channel. Flipping the A/B switch on my Sony amp to toggle between the RF-7 II and the RP-280F, I was able to tell a lot of differences in sound quality between the two sets of speakers.\n\nIt's important to note that despite the 3 drivers in each speaker, both the RF-7 II and the RP-280F are in fact only 2-way speakers (and not 3-way speakers) because there is only one crossover point separating the tweeter from the twin woofers. The twin woofers play identical frequencies, at identical volumes, and in identical phase at all times.\n\nMidrange:\n\nThis 2-way design is a major shortcoming with the RF-7 II because the twin 10\" woofers have to play double-duty by simultaneously acting as a mid-range driver and a bass driver. With twin 10\" woofers, this shortcoming manifests itself in noticeably subdued mid-range sounds compared to the RP-280F. Instead of the richer mid-range sounds coming from the RP-280F's twin 8\" woofers, the RF-7 II tries to play the same mid-range sounds through either the tractrix horn tweeter or the 10\" woofers (depending on which frequencies the mid-range notes fall in), with decidedly inferior results. The mid-range sounds on the RF-7 II are either subdued when played on the 10\" woofers (since 10\" woofers are too big to play mid-range sounds well) or too harsh when the harsh tractrix horn tweeter tries to play some of the mid-range sounds.\n\nBass:\n\nFor bass notes, I went to Youtube to get some low frequency notes to see how low the RF-7 II could play. To my disappointment, I found that the RF-7 II could not play anything lower than 34 Hz even though the specs say it can play down to 30 Hz at -3dB. I'd say at -3dB, the low end of the frequency response for the RF-7 II is probably closer to 36 or 37 Hz. It's still quite respectable but nothing like the 30 Hz that Klipsch's specs claim. With a 36 Hz low end extension, one can probably dispense with the need for a separate subwoofer for most music listening sessions. On the RP-280F, the bass notes are much less powerful. I did not try to see how low the RP-280F could play, but the RP-280F clearly sounded like it could not play anywhere as low frequency as the RF-7 II.\n\nTreble:\n\nFor treble notes, the RF-7 II is highly sensitive (perhaps too sensitive or too bright for some CDs). It can effortlessly replicate the clearest and highest bell notes and tambourine sounds with ease and with great live-like fidelity. On the RP-280F, the same high notes are still audible but they sound decidedly subdued and not live-like. The downside with the RF-7 II's high treble sensitivity is that many female vocal voices have very exaggerated breath sounds (for example, the beginning \"see\" or \"tse\" breath sound in the word \"sound\"). For example, playing Adele's Someone Like You on the RF-7 II absolutely grates my ears because of these greatly exaggerated breath sounds. Additionally the Tractrix tweeter horn can produce a ringing sound (or buzzing bees sound) on poorly engineered recordings where the sound engineer apparently gave too much boost to the treble notes. On the RP-280F, the treble horn can ring or buzz just as severely as the RF-7 II when playing poorly engineered recordings. However, the RP-280F has noticeably less exaggerated breath sounds compared to the RF-7 II when playing Adele's Someone Like You piece.\n\nVolume or sensitivity:\n\nSound stage:\n\nThe RF-7 II gives a broader and much more spacious sound stage. When I played songs and when I flipped the switch to the RP-280F, the sound stage felt noticeably smaller with everything immediately sounding closer to me.\n\nAuthority: Authority is a vague and poorly defined term some professional reviewers use to describe speakers that possess this quality. Authority as the term is used to describe speakers is a quality that you have to experience to understand what it means. I can loosely describe authority as a quality where the speaker can play loudly with live, concert hall-like fidelity, and with a very big perceived soundstage. The RF-7 II play music with TREMENDOUS authority, whereas the RP 280f possess little authority.\n\nAuthority and soundstage are closely related. The chances are they go hand in hand. They can be a great plus when playing music, but authority and a large soundstage can also be a drawback. It all depends on the music or sound content. The RF-7 II plays movie theme sounds (example, theme soundtracks in Apollo 13) with great authority and great soundstage. It makes you feel like you are in a movie theater when the RF-7 II plays those soundtracks. Where great authority and a huge soundstage will work against you is with dialogues. The great soundstage totally distorts the closeness that the vocal sounds in a room should have. The RF-7 II makes the actors sound like they are talking in a large concert hall and standing MUCH farther away than the picture shows. Since vocals constitute the majority of the content, the huge soundstage is a problem when the RF-7 II is used in a home theater. With the RP280f you will get a soundstage that is accurate when it comes to dialogues in that you will feel like the actors are in the same room with you as they speak, but you do not get the theater-like authority and huge soundstage when the theme soundtracks are played. These are the tradeoffs you should be aware of when choosing between the RF-7 II or the RP280f for home theaters. I personally find the accuracy in spaciousness with dialogues more important and so I will stick with the RP280f for the home theater and will use the RF-7 II for music listening.\n\nConclusion: The RP-280F is a more natural sounding and more musical speaker setup when paired with a subwoofer. Although the RF-7 II can replicate the highest treble notes with great live-like fidelity and can play a decent amount of bass down to about 36 Hz, it falls perceptibly short on the quality of mid-range notes. The highly sensitive treble horn on the RF-7 II can give exaggerated breath sounds when listening to female vocals. Some female vocal tracks are downright unbearable on the RF-7 II because of the exaggerated breath sounds, but they same vocals are at least tolerable on the RP-280F.\n\nDespite the RF-7 II's shortcomings, I will definitely keep them. The shortcoming aren't enough for me to dislike them because I got them at a great price. The A-stock cherry veneers on the RF-7 II are just too gorgeous to give up. The RF-7 II makes a great decorative statement in my living room. Besides, it would be too much trouble and would cost too much for me to return them. I will use the cosmetically gorgeous RF-7 II for listening to music in my living room and the RP-280F as my main speakers in a 7.2 or 9.2 home theater setup in my TV room. I am very pleased with both sets of speakers.","Product: If you can name any song with the first few Chords, love spending Saturday nights cuddled on the couch with a movie that has a great soundtrack, or spend (admittedly more than enough of) your time playing your favorite video game, You deserve high quality sound at a price point that doesn't feel like a guilty pleasure. Make those sounds come alive with the Polk Audio Home theater and music floor standing tower speaker. As the core of the home audio system, the T50 packs a punch. Thanks to the dynamic balance technology, the highs soar, midst Glide smoothly, and the bass gets a massive boost even at the lowest frequencies. Set up in your home, This tower speaker will fill the room with your favorite song, podcast, or movie and game soundtracks.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: muddy, echoey midrange, high end is also too tame\n\nReview: I bought these at my local big box retailer while they were on sale for $68 each. I was hoping these Polk T50 would perform as well as the slightly more expensive JBL Arena 170, but these Polk T50 speakers are a total let down.\n\nRight out of the box, the Polk T50 has that boomy, boxy, echoey, muddy sound in the midrange. The high also sounds too tame. The speaker sounds as though it is covered by a heavy blanket to make the sound muffled and muddy. This is not a defect with one speaker because both the left and the right speaker sound equally bad. I'm going to give them another week or two to break them in to see if the sound quality will improve. If not, they will be going back to the store for a refund.","Product: 140W 9.2-channel home theater receiver with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay, and Dolby Atmos\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: powerful feature packed receiver, but YPOA speaker calibration feature is useless\n\nReview: This is a very nice receiver. It has a lot of power to drive power hungry speakers. It's feature packed and the sound quality is very nice. The only thing I don't like about it is the built-in Yamaha YPOA speaker calibration feature. I have a 7.2 surround setup. After calibration using YPOA, my speakers sounded awful. I re-did the speaker calibration manually using a laser distance finder (a tape measure could also be used) to find exact distances between all my speakers and my ears and by using a sound meter to calibrate the sound levels. The sound quality from my manually produced calibration settings sound far superior to what YPOA produced. I have another more Yamaha receiver (a TSR7810) and the results on that using YPOA were equally bad. YPOA is useless.\n\nOne thing to be careful of with this powerful 9.2 receiver is the many built-in amps generate a lot of waste heat. Each speaker channel has a separate amp inside the receiver. I have to keep the audio cabinet door permanently open to prevent the cabinet interior from heating up and damaging the receiver.\n\nI love the Yamaha MusicCast feature. With it, I don't need pay a monthly subscription fee to access satellite radios. I get lots of high quality, static free music, operas, and talk radios from radio stations around the world.","Product: The advanced navigation compass. When venturing out into new territory, these sighting compasses offer precision navigation with a variety of carefully engineered and dependable features for challenging conditions.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: readings frequently not repeatable, due to parallax and sluggishishness\n\nReview: This compass is VERY sluggish. The problem is the huge amount of drag and excessive dampening created by the liquid on the full compass card. If the card was perforated (i.e shaped like ring instead of a full disk) it would be much lighter and a lot more responsive and it would also not have so much surface area to create the drag by the fluid. On average it takes half a minute to almost a whole minute for the card to settle down to the final heading. It settles down to the last +- 3 degrees or so quite fast (maybe within 10 seconds), but it settles down to that final 1 to 2 degrees very reluctantly (half a minute to a whole minute). I have to tap it, wobble it, and let it settle to that final 1 or 1/2 degree.\n\nThe biggest problem I have with this compass is that the readings are frequently not repeatable. On different attempts the readings frequently differ by 2 to 3 degrees after the disk has settled down. For example one day it might read 240. On another day, it might read 243. And on yet another day it might read 242. That's just too much variance. Then, there is that annoying parallax problem. Left eye reading and right eye reading almost never match, usually differing by about 1 whole degree. I no longer can be certain whatever reading I get is spot on or only good to +-2 to 3 degrees of the true heading.\n\nUsing it correctly takes some practice and discipline. One must resist the instinct and the urge to focus on the \"needle\" (the black vertical line) and instead must use BOTH eyes to focus on the distant object to be measured by superimposing the black line on the object. Then once the compass card has settled down, proceed to read the heading. If one instead focuses on the \"needle\" first when lining up the needle with the object, there would be easily 5 or more degrees of error due to parallax.\n\nIf it is used correctly, I suppose it can be very accurate. Given how sluggish it is and how much parallax can cause errors however, my experience is that it is only AT MOST accurate to +- 1 degree on average. Do you really want to squint your eye and hold the compass for a whole minute? If one has infinite patience it could theoretically achieve a 1/3 degree accuracy if it was mounted on a non-magnetic tripod with a rubber band or tape. But if it is held in the hand, the best one could realistically expect is +- 1 deg accuracy taking into account the sluggishness and potential parallax.","Product: This battery-free mechanical pedometer with an award winning design is manufactured-inch Germany with Swiss precision parts. Dimensions: 2.0-Inch x 2.1-Inch x 0.9-Inch weight: 1.5 ounce.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best sighting compass you can buy on Amazon\n\nReview: I actually own a K&R Meridian Pro Luminous. The only difference is the Pro Luminous model has a luminous compass card in addition to the Pros luminous ring, but it also costs close to $20 more. The K&R Meridian Pro is in my opinion the best sighting compass you can buy on Amazon. It handily beats the US army lensatic compass design made by Cammenga in precision. You can read down to to 1/3 a degree with the K&R Meridian Pro. You CANT do that with the U.S. Army type lensatic designs, ESPECIALLY with those graduated in user unfriendly 20 mils divisions. The only other sighting compasses that surpass the K&R Meridian Pro are the vaunted British/UK military compasses such as the Francis Barker M88 or M73. The Francis Barker prismatic compasses are in a universe of their own but they cost more than twice as much as the already expensive K&R Meridian Pro.\n\nThe K&R Meridian Pro is very easy to read through the prism and it is highly accurate. The markings are graduated in 1 degree increments and it is possible to eyeball between the markings to achieve a REPEATABLE +- 1/2 degree or even 1/3 degree precision. (For comparison, with the same eyeballing I can read down to or maybe even 1/5 of a degree with the Francis Barker M88). The reason the K&R cannot read as finely as the Francis Barker is the K&Rs sighting line is far too thick. The Francis Barkers sighting line is only as thick. The K&R compass dial settles down to the final heading very quickly and remains very stable when held in the hand to give very precise REPEATABLE reading.\n\nI stressed the word REPEATABLE +/- 1/2 degree precision because repeatability is an important hallmark of precision. In comparison, one of my other somewhat expensive sighting compasses, the Suunto KB-20 frequently gives readings that are not repeatable. The Suunto readings can be 2 to 3 degrees apart on different attempts, even though the Suunto supposedly has a finer reading line to enable reading down to 1/3 of a degree. I also have a 1950s era U.S. Army surplus M2 pocket transit made by Brunton. That pocket transit is totally user-UNfriendly in every respect. I would never use it. In comparison, the K&R Meridian Pro is a joy to use. The precision, ease of use, repeatability, quick settling of the stable dial makes the K&R far superior to my Suunto SB-20 sighting compass or other sighting compasses I own.\n\nThere are several flaws with this K&R Meridian Pro, not enough to downgrade the 5-star rating:\n\n1. The lanyard ring is not flush with the bottom surface. It sticks out about 1mm and thus prevents the compass from lying totally flat on a map. Extending the ring (i.e. bending it back the other way) does not help because it sticks out just enough to prevent the compass from lying flat when it is fully extended. This is clearly a design flaw.\n2. It is heavy (just shy of half a pound) and is probably not a good compass for hikers. That said, it is not designed for light hiking use.\n3. No declination adjustment.\n4. The lid is narrower than the base. So if the lid is fully extended to the horizontal position, the base and the lid do not form a continuous line to serve as a handy straight edge.\n5. The inch and centimeter ruler markings are stick-on labels. They wore away in just a few days from light handling at home. (see picture I attached to this review). This is totally unacceptable. They should have been stamped on like the US Army lensatic compasses. I can of course glue on some stainless steel rulers cut to size to solve this defect.\n6. Unless you use the clinometer as often as the compass, you will likely find the clinometer simply gets in the way most of the time. It gets tiresome to have to flip up the clinometer every time I want to use the compass and then have to flip it back down when done. The clinometer could have been located below the base to solve this problem.\n7. It does not come with a lanyard. You have to make your own!\n8. The sighting line is much thick than is ideal or necessary. It can be made as thick as still be very readable. Having a thinner line would allow more precise reading down to fractions of a degree.\n\nIn retrospect I probably don't need the luminous compass card feature and could have saved myself $20. The plain Meridian Pro model with only a luminous ring, but not a luminous card model can be had for $20 less. There aren't situations where I could not or would not use a headlamp to light the dial when taking a reading at night.","Product: Belfast, 1909. The Harland and Wolff shipyard has been handed the greatest project in its history. It will build a great, unsinkable ship. And it will be called the RMS Titanic. \"Titanic: Blood & Steel\" is the untold story of the building of a legend, and the many lives it affected during its 3-year construction. To its wealthy investors, it was a dream. To the middle class who oversaw the project, it was a challenge. But to the working class who built it, Titanic was the start of a revolution. With Ireland under British rule, and the Protestant and Catholic struggle intensifying, Titanic was more than a ship...it was a symbol of ambition, hope and unity.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: much better than James Cameron's \"Titanic\" the movie\n\nReview: It's a shame that this marvelous mini series did not receive much publicity and was distributed through Encore, with its limited viewership. Were it not for Roku and Netflix, I might never have known about this mini series. While I did love James Cameron's Titanic, the movie, it pales in comparison to this mini series in almost every respect except for the superior special effects of the big budgeted movie, but special effects wizardry is no substitute for storyline and acting quality, both of which are superior in the mini series.\n\nWhile the movie tells a one-dimensional, simple love story on board the ship, the mini series by virtue of its almost 10-hour length over 12 episodes deals with much more. The mini series also has a love story behind it, but it has time to \"spread the love around\" literally among several characters instead of just two or three and, more importantly, it adds politics, religion, class, and engineering challenges to the mix.\n\nAll the action of the mini series happens while the ship is being built, in the shipyard, and in the streets and homes in the city of Belfast. A page on Wikipedia lists the numerous historical inaccuracies in the mini series, some of which are quite severe, but none really detracted from the movie in retrospect.\n\nBeing largely ignorant of the history of Protestant/Catholic strife in Ireland, I learned a great deal about early 1900's Irish culture and the political and religious divide that separated the Protestants and the Catholics by watching this mini series. It was an eye opener.\n\nTo American audiences there are a couple of instances where this European-created series was clearly making unnecessary and uncalled-for stereotypical slurs against us Americans by portraying some American characters as excessively ungraceful, uncouth, and loud, but this flaw aside it's still a great entertainment, which I highly recommend.","Product: Quick Shipping !!! New And Sealed !!! This Disc WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. A multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player is request to view it in USA/Canada. Please Review Description.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Fantastic movie, but DVD has no English subtitles\n\nReview: This is a 5+ star movie with a great story line, great directing, and fantastic acting from all the cast members. I first watched this on Netflix and luckily Netflix offered English subtitles because some of the Aussie-accented dialogs between the troops can be hard to decipher. Disappointingly, the Multi-Format Blueray DVD that I bought here on Amazon doesn't contain any English subtitles or Closed Captioning. I was still able to make out everything they said because I had watched the movie on Netflix with full subtitles and could remember most of the dialogs. Someone watching this for the first time without English subtitles may have a much harder time making out what some of the characters say in that Aussie accent.","Product: Inspired by the Hundred Year Pen created by Waterman in 1939, the Charleston Fountain Pen is an Art Deco masterpiece in and of its own. The Charleston's geometric form features a fluted barrel with decorative band and a flowing, wrap-around clip. The Charleston reflects its Art Deco flavor in two versions: black with gold or chrome trim. The Charleston fountain pen offers an exceptional 18K gold nib and accepts cartridge or converter refills. The Waterman Charleston Fountain Pen Features; Fluted barrel with decorative band. Convenient capped design. Nostalgic presentation. 18K gold nib and accepts cartridge or converter refills.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: A lot of fun for $25 but it leaks ink\n\nReview: This Jinhao dragon fountain pen is a copy of the Japanese-made solid 18k gold Danitrio Grand Phantas dragon pen. IT does not have the same level details as the solid gold Danitrio, but you can't expect too much from a $25 copy of a $5,000 pen.\n\nThe Jinhao pen is a lot of fun to use. When I bring this pen to a meeting, it screams for attention and makes an unmistakable statement not just about itself, but more importantly, also about me the user. It helps to confer on the user an aura of sophistication and power and that the user is a bada** and not some wimp to be messed with. Of course, if the aura thing doesn't work for you, you can always resort to knocking someone into submission with this pen since it weighs a whopping 103 grams or 3.6 oz! It does feel like an intimidating weapon.\n\nTo give you an idea of what it feels like to hold this heavy pen in your hand, get FIVE AA alkaline batteries and bundle them together with a rubber band. To be precise, five AA alkaline batteries weigh 114 grams, whereas this pen weighs 103 grams, so five batteries are very close to the weight of this pen.\n\nThe medium steel nib is firm but is very smooth and is a total joy to use. I'm sure the nib is flexible, but I wouldn't want to ruin it by testing the flex. It is firm enough that it would take an uncomfortable amount of force to flex it to give varied line widths while doing normal writing and so, for all intents and purposes, it's best used as a stub nib. I use Diamine Majestic Blue ink on mine and it works really well with great ink flow.\n\nThere are a few drawbacks with this pen. First there is no pocket clip, but this omission is purposeful by design. It's not a flaw. A pocket clip would obscure some of the intricate details to detract from its gorgeous look. The high dragon heads on both the cap and the barrel keep the pen from rolling off a desk.\n\nThe most serious flaw is that the ring just above the nib is not ink-tight. At each filling, if I submerge the nib past this ring, it can store a copious amount of ink in the hollow behind the ring. Despite my attempts to wipe the ring dry with tissue after each filling, it can continue to weep ink to soil my fingers. One solution to this is to fill the gap with some silicone caulking or clear nail polish. I can also pay some attention by not dipping the nib below the ring during filling. Or, I can simply disengage the converter from the pen and fill the converter without dipping the nib at all.\n\nAnother major defect on my pen is with the ink cartridge converter. On the pen's second day in my pocket, it leaked EVERY SINGLE DROP of ink into the cap. Luckily none of that spilled onto my shirt. What happened apparently was the converter didn't hold a tight vacuum. A close examination shows that the cheap Chinese-made Jinhao stock converter only has a single loose seal on the plunger. A quality converter such as a German-made Schmidt has two tight seals to prevent vacuum loss. After this leaking episode, I replaced the Jinhao converter with a Schmidt converter.","Product: 9 Station, Simple Set Timer, Large, Easy To Read Display and Simple Programming, Set Each Zone Independently For Maximum Flexibility, No Battery Back Up Required, All Settings Are Stored In Permanent Memory, Rain Delay Command For Manual Suspension Of Watering Cycles, Seasonal Adjust To Increase Watering In Hot, Dry Months and Reduce It In Rainy Seasons, Pre-Set Schedules Can Easily Be Modified To Meet Your Specific Requirements.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: This is a very good timer for the money\n\nReview: This is a very good timer for the money. It has an independent program for each zone, which is a huge plus for residential applications. It is VERY easy to set compared to some of the timers I used in the past. I have a pre-2012 version of this model, which is identical in every respect to the post-2012 version, except the newer version has an added \"water all zones now\" button.\n\nThe only drawback with this timer is that it doesn't allow setting watering by day intervals. I can only set it based on days of the week or odd vs. even days. There is no capability to water \"every four days\" or \"every five days\", for example. The lack of day intervals is a serious drawback.\n\nIt also doesn't allow me to set the master pump valve on according to each zone. The master pump valve is on/off for ALL zones. Nor can I change the subsequent start times on zones with multiple starts per day. For example, the second start time for \"2 starts per day\" is fixed at 6 hours following the initial start time.\n\nThe seasonal adjust button is very useful to allow for quick adjustments for all zones based on weather and season. If I know the weather forecast is to be very hot for the the next few days, I will adjust the watering to say 120% or 130% of normal. The timer will automatically adjust all water times accordingly for all zones. Then when the heat wave is gone I dial it back to 100%. And for overcast weather I dial it back to say 80% of normal, etc.\n\nAs I stated, this is a very good timer for money. I am tempted to upgrade to a Rainbird ESP-SMTe, but may wait until next spring before doing so.","Product: The ever poular MaxPower Pivotrim Pro Commercial Strength Trimmer Head, uses .105-inch Pre-Cut Trimmer Line Strips. The PivoTrim PRO features the proven and patented pivot head design that limits string breaks, reduces reloading times to a matter of seconds.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: works as claimed, but can coil up tough fibers around neck\n\nReview: This product really works. However, if I pushed the lines close enough to concrete, the lines would still snap off at the head, but they'd break much less frequently than on traditional trimmer heads. I have found the 20x increase in line life claim to be not far off the mark. Although this product saves me lots of lines, I do have to stop a few times to put in new lines in order to fully trim a suburban backyard overgrown with tall weeds. And each time it takes a couple of minutes to do. With traditional bump feeds, you just bump the head and keep on going without the periodic interruptions, so I'm trading non-interruptions and convenience for line savings when using the Pivotrim head.\n\nPivotrim comes in either the Pro version or the standard version. The Pro version takes either 0.095\" or 0.105\" lines. I suppose it's possible the Pro version can also accept 0.080\" lines, but I've never tried it. The standard version takes either 0.080\" or 0.095\" lines. The Pro version has a heavier and thicker housing.\n\nThe only real shortcoming with the Pivotrim not mentioned in its advertisement is that, long, tough, fiberous weeds, such as pampas grass blades, have a strong tendency to coil around the top of the housing, requiring periodic cleanup during a trimming sesson. This is primarily due to the geometry of the head design which creates a narrow neck between the trimmer and the trimmer head that tends to wrap tough grass blades around the neck. It should have a closed trimmer head design like that found on the Husquarnas to prevent this problem.","Product: Heavy Duty Pruning Shears A Must Have Part of Your Gardening Tools Set. Far Superior to Cheap Plastic Pruning Shears! Built to Last, Metal on Metal design! Solid Metal Construction With a Polished Aluminium Finish. Trouble Free Hand Pruners are a Integral Part of Your Garden Tools Set. Tough metal on metal construction with an aluminum finish. This pruning shear not only looks great, but is built to last. Much more durable than other similar plastic shears. Sharp Powerful Blades Make This the Best Pruning Shears on the market. The high carbon steel blades on our pruning shears are designed to cut through up to one inch diameter branches with ease! Comfortable Ergonomic Handle, means comfortable pruning with no jamming of the garden shears. The garden pruners has a design which makes it very comfortable in your hand so you can cut for longer periods of time gardening. Quality Engineering, having pruning scissors forged from solid, hardened aluminum is what sets us apart. Attention to detail and quality, our trimmers have a strong return spring and locking mechanism which should last you a long time. All Pruning Shears Are Not Created Equal. Our shears are top quality pruning tools that you can depend on while you plant. Backed by Basilica Botanicas Lifetime Guarantee. Better than any Felco Brand! We will make sure you are completely happy and satisfied with our product or your money back! We are here to help our customers in any way possible! ORDER TODAY! Copyright Basilica Botanica 2014. Sold Exclusively by Basilica Botanica and its Authorized Dealers.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Decent pruners, somewhat overpriced\n\nReview: I bought this Basilica Botanica pruner strictly because of the numerous 5 star ratings and rave reviews, but my experience differs somewhat from other users. While I think these are decent pruners, I do not think they come close to the fit and finish and general quality feel of Felco. The quality of the Basilica Botonica is more along the lines of the Chinese-assembled Fiskars. Fresh out of the packaging, the blade on the Basilica Botanica had a rough grind and had a significant burr on the edge. The blade felt as if the edge came freshly out of an 80-grit grinding belt and received no further honing. A Felco would have a much sharper and polished grind without a burr. The rough grind is not something I could not fix on my own, but it nevertheless does not agree with my expectations created by the numerous 5-star ratings from other reviewers.\n\nNext consider the primary selling point of the Basilica Botanica pruners, namely the bare, polished aluminum handles construction. It's a rather gimmicky feature because it is nothing more than omitting the rubber/vinyl cushion grips. You could achieve the same effect on a pair of traditional pruners by removing the red cushion grips and giving the resulting bare aluminum handles a bright polish using some extra fine steel wool. Three drawbacks of the bare aluminum handles are the slight slipperiness, your fingers could blacken from rubbing on bare aluminum (although I haven't noticed blackened fingers yet), and it just feels cold to the touch (not a factor if you wear gloves when pruning). I have also noticed the slight slipperiness that some reviewers mentioned but it has not been a problem to me because the curvature of the handles prevents it from slipping out of my hand.\n\nThe Basilica Botanica pruners cut very well after I sharpened the blade to a very high degree of sharpness. On a scale of 1 to 10, its cutting performance is now a solid 9 to 10. It in fact cuts noticeably better than my Felco #2. With my Felco, there is always that very noticeable hard snap whenever it cuts through a hard branch. With the Basilica Botanica the snap is noticeably less severe. I definitely prefer the cutting performance of this Basilica Botanica to my Felco 2 pruner. I haven't used the Basilica Botanica sufficiently yet to comment on how well the blade holds an edge. The one obvious issue with the Basilica Botanica is it has a higher tendency to bind than my Felco after making some cuts on resinous or sappy plants such as pines and other conifers. I have to wipe the blades with alcohol or Lysol spray after every 15 to 30 minutes of continuous cutting to keep the blade binding to a minimum.\n\nOverall, the Basilica Botanica are good to very good pruners, but honestly they are overpriced because they cost almost as much as a much better built pair of Felco. The high price is evidently why the company can offer a lifetime warranty.","Product: The Gardena short-handled geared bypass loppers feature a gear-driven transmission designed to use less manpower for easier, more efficient work. With rustproof, hardened steel blades, the loppers perform clean, easy cutting of tree branches up to 1-1/4 inches in diameter. The upper blade is replaceable for longer tool life. The loppers include ergonomically-shaped handles and sturdy cushioned end stops for easier handling and less stress on the wrists. They are 20 inches in length and include a lifetime warranty.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: great non-ratchet loppers in this size\n\nReview: In the old days, people spoke of choosing between bypass and anvil loppers. I think it is more relevant nowadays to talk about choosing between ratcheting and non-ratcheting loppers. Ratcheting types are good for very thick and hard branches, but they are clumsy to use on smaller branches because you have to pump the ratcheting handles several times to cut a single branch. For branches that are not so thick and hard that I need to use ratcheting loppers, I usually go for either the Fiskars(anvil type) or the Gardena(bypass type) non-ratcheting loppers.\n\nAided by the mechanical advantage of a gear reduction drive(really a form of compound lever), these Gardena loppers are quite powerful for their size and they are also quite nimble. What the gear drive does essentially is to slow down the closing of the blades. Picture this, between the fully open and the fully closed position the handles of the Gardena loppers have to swing an arc of about 105 degrees for the the blades to move about 60 degrees. These are very rough estimates I made by eyeballing the swing angles. The mechanical advantage here is roughly a 43% reduction in force needed to make a cut versus loppers that don't have a gear reduction drive.\n\nThe Fiskars have even more reduction. For the Fiskars, the handles have to swing about 110 degrees for the blades to move 45 degrees. For the Fiskars, the force reduction works out to be about 60%. In actual use the Fiskars I have take noticeably less effort to cut than the Gardena and they both take much less effort to cut than their non-gear driven brethren. The chief disadvantage of the gear driven loppers is that I have to swing the handles much farther apart to make the same size cut as the non-gear type loppers. This is especially true with the Fiskars. This is okay with Fiskars' small loppers, but not quite okay with their big loppers unless you have very long arms.\n\nBesides being somewhat blunt to begin with when new, the Fiskars blade also blunts much more easily during use, whereas the Gardena blade is very hard and very difficult to dent. Due to the use of all-plastic handles and anvil, the Fiskars are much lighter, but the Gardena feels more solid because of the metal handles.\n\nFor comparison I also own a similarly sized but much more pricey Felco lopper. Both the Gardena and the Fiskars outperform the Felco by a wide margin in terms of force needed to make a cut. The Gardena and the Fiskars both blow the Corona forged blade loppers and the Felco (which have no gear reduction drive) out of the water. The only edge the ultra pricey Felco has over the Gardena and Fiskars is fit and finish of construction and replaceability of parts, but to me performance is much more important.\n\nI'd say the Gardena and the Fiskars both have their strengths and weaknesses and overall both are equally desirable to own and to use.","Product: The Apex NeverKink professional duty landscaper 5000 5/8-inch-by-75-foot hose is guaranteed not to kink or tangle. It features durable industrial couplings, Microshield -- an antimicrobial protection that guards against mold and mildew -- and a Power Coil protective collar to prevent kinking at the faucet. This 5/8-inch diameter hose remains flexible at temperatures as low as 35 degrees Fahrenheit.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: works as advertized, never kinks\n\nReview: I have this exact hose and I can vouch that it has worked precisely as advertised. It doesn't kink and I've used it for close to 4 years now. Both my pure rubber hoses and my other vinyl hoses kink like mad, but not these NeverKink hoses. The magic is in the mesh construction which prevents kinking.\n\nI should qualify the above statements by stating that even with these neverkink hoses the user is supposed to minimize introducing twists into the hose. The proper way to unrolling/rolling the hose is by using a hose wheel with a crank handle. If one uncoils the hose by hand without using a hose wheel, every loop of the coil represents a twist along the axis of the hose that ends up as a potential kink when the hose is extended. This is true regardless whether the hose is neverkink or other types. That said, the neverkink hasn't ever kinked once when I used a hose wheel. It's possible it MIGHT kink if I coiled/uncoiled it by hand without a hose wheel, but I'm sure it would still happen to a much less extent compared to other hoses.\n\nThe 5000 series is advertised to be flexible down to 35 degrees F and I found this to be true compared to my other vinyl hoses which turn stiff below 40 degrees F. The extra flexibility compared to the cheaper 2000, 3000, and 4000 series is achieved undoubtedly by adding more plasticizers to the vinyl. Since the hose is semi-transparent it is also advertised to have an antimicrobial coating inside to keep microbial growth at bay.\n\nWhen I turn the hose on after the water has been sitting in it for a couple of days, the water that comes out usually has a lot of foams for the first gallon or two. I think the foams are caused by the antimicrobial coating or perhaps even the plasticizer chemicals in the hose. Even after 6 years, it still causes a lot foaming. This worries me a bit because I use the hose to water my fruit trees and vegetables. What if the chemicals are harmful and what if they can be absorbed by the plants and end up in my body? I can't imagine either antimicrobial or plastizer chemicals are good for the body.\n\nUpdate 2010: I bought one more NeverKink 5000 hose in 2009, but the new one doesn't generate any foams as does the one I bought in 2004. It looks like NeverKind changed the manufacturing process since then.\n\nUpdate 2011: The hose I bought in 2004 has fully stopped foaming in 2011, but it has also begun to feel decidedly stiff. There's no question that the plasticizer wore off and perhaps the foaming was caused by the plasticizer. The new hose I bought in 2009 never caused any foaming to begin with, but it also felt stiff from day one, so there is a performance penalty tied to a reduced amount of plasticizer.","Product: Toro's 53908 36-Inch 3-Pattern Garden Hose Watering Wand is the perfect solution for watering hard-to-reach areas.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: best wand so far\n\nReview: I got really tired of using those cheaply made Chinese wands sold at big box stores that would typically last an average of only a year before breaking or leaking. I am so glad that I finally stumbled across this great wand at Amazon that I'd never seen before at any other retail outlet.\n\nAlthough I have only used this Toro wand for a week, I can tell by its solid metal construction that it is built to last. Unlike the plastic trigger handles found on many cheaply made wands, the Toro's handle is metal and should last forever, unless some clumsy footed gardener steps on it.\n\nIt has an articulating head for watering hanging flower baskets. The articulating head is very stiff, which is a great feature, because you want the angle to stay set and not inadvertently change at the lightest bump when you move the wand from plant to plant or when you lay the wand on the ground. Prior to using this my other brands of wands with a flimsy articulating heads gave me fits when their angle changed at the lightest bump.\n\nIt has three watering patterns: shower, mist, and flood. The flood is really a very soft stream that doesn't have any force, at least with the 30 psi water pressure at my home. It lacks a jet stream setting.\n\nIt's not perfect but it's the best wand overall I've ever used yet. The only question mark is whether the trigger mechanism will last without leaking and sticking. Since I've only had this wand for a week, only time will tell.","Product: Model HHT25SLTAT Honda 25cc mini 4-stroke engine runs on straight, unleaded gas - no mixing. 17\" Semi-Matic (bump feed) head with Quiet Line, standard Flex shaft with limited lifetime warranty for increased durability and superior shock absorption Lightweight (13lbs) for reduced operator fatigue World's lightest 25cc 4-stroke engine Excellent balance and feel New deflector design for increased operator visibility Quick acceleration and excellent torque for demanding jobs Ergonomically designed and positioned controls Two motion trigger design.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: weak engine, weak trimmer, gets bogged down too easily\n\nReview: I have this Honda 4-cycle trimmer that I bought new from a local dealer and have been using it for the past 4 to 5 years. I initially loved it because I switched from smelly and messy 2-cycle trimmers. The Honda was the first 4-cycle I ever used and it was like day and night difference compared to the 2-cycle trimmer I had before. It was easier to start, no oil mixing, no fumes, and lower vibration.\n\nOne thing that bothered me from day one with this Honda was that it simply lacked power. I complained to the dealer and he turned up the RPM, so it spinned a bit faster than it was designed. That gave it noticeably more power but still it was not quite powerful. After several years of struggling with the low power of this Honda, I was so fed up that I ended up buying another 4-cycle trimmer. This time I bought a Makita 25.4cc, 4-cycle high torque trimmer model EM2652LHN. It's like a night and day difference. The Makita is lighter, has lower vibration, and most importantly, very powerful compared to the Honda. The Makita doesn't get bogged down like the Honda does. The Makita high torque model is priced only $20 to $30 more than the Honda.\n\nI'd stay away from this Honda trimmer and recommend buying the Makita high torque model instead.","Product: Theres never been a time when water efficiency was more instrumental to your success. And theres never been a Smart Controller thats easier to install and program than the Rain Bird ESP-SMT Smart Control System. This innovative product, combined with our comprehensive support program, is designed to help you grow your business amid mounting water restrictions and a challenging economy. Other Smart Controllers claim simplicity and precision; the Rain Bird ESP-SMT Smart Control System delivers. Combining the simplicity of Rain Bird Extra Simple Programming (ESP) with the accuracy of proven weather-based control, this innovative system is engineered to save valuable time, money and water.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best ET-based controller in this price range\n\nReview: I have been using my Rainbird ESP-SMTe for one whole year and I'm absolutely giddy over this product. This is by far the best and most powerful smart irrigation controller in this price range. Nothing else even comes to it in this price range. The ESP-SMTe (with the e at the end) differs from the ESP-SMT in only one significant way: The SMTe model can be expanded to 22 zones with the addition of extra cost expansion modules, whereas the SMT model is limited to 13 zones. Both base models come with only 4 zones. Otherwise all other differences between the two models are few and too minor to be noticeable by most users. You should pay less for the SMT model than the SMTe model.\n\nPros:\n1. Each zone has an independent program to give total flexibility.\n2. Has a local temperature sensor and rain gauge. Its not a whimpy rain sensor, but a tipping rain gauge. Unlike a rain sensor, a tipping rain gauge can measure actual rainfall.\n3. The programming is very detailed giving total flexibility as to soil type, root depth, sprinkler application rate, plant or grass type, soil slope, watering windows and days allowed (or not allowed), average weather based on zip code, evapo-transpiration adjustment, shade factor.\n4. Smart feature can be turned on or off for each zone. If the feature is turned off, it will behave as a traditional time-based zone.\n5. The master valve function can be enable or disabled for each zone. This is very useful if you have a fertilizer injector that you want to control by zone.\nCons: There is only one con for me, it has a very STEEP learning curve.\nAll that powerful capability means it has a very STEEP learning curve. The SMTe controller is not for people who can't (or don't want to spend time to) read manuals or those who simply want an easy to program controller. The unit comes with a simplified and stripped down homeowners manual, but to gain full use of the unit, you should download a contractor manual from the Rainbird website. It's about 90 pages long and will require a couple days of reading and experimenting with the controller to understand at a decent level all its powerful capabilities. Rainbird clearly didn't put enough time in writing a fuller manual to explain everything.\n\nTruth: The unit has a STEEP learning curve. All the bad reviews of this controller I have read come from those users who didn't understand the unit to competently program it. Don't laugh, but ESP stands for \"Extra Simple Programming\". The controller is anything but \"simple\" to use. Programming is easy ONCE you know what all the variables mean and do. Once you have learned all the nuances of all the programming features you will be rewarded with the best and most capable smart sprinkler controller in this price range currently available.\n\nSome common complaints I have read on Amazon are that the unit waters too much or too frequently. This is where programming comes in. There are a ton of variables to set and setting any one of the program variables wrong can result in excessive or inadequate watering. I have spent a fair amount of time tinkering with it and tweaking it for the last few days to see how the water schedule responds. Here are some tips:\n\nIf you think it waters too much, there are some explanations and then there are some solutions. First, it is reasonable to assume that these smart controller manufacturers want to err on the side of caution in their program designs. It's better for them to have a controller that waters too much than too little, because watering too little can result in dead plants and that may translate into costly lawsuits for them. So I think they purposely design the controllers to water a little to much rather than just right by default.\n\nSecond, suppose your controller does in fact water too much, then what? There are many variables to choose to force the controller to water less in both duration and/or frequency. The first factor you can adjust down is the ET0 factor under Special Features>Advanced Controller Settings. Turning ET0 down to 85% will tell the controller the baseline evapo-transpiration is not as severe as designed by default. This will result in less watering for all ET based zones, but doesn't affect the time-based zones.\n\nAnother way to adjust the watering down is to turn up the Net Application Rate. Turning up the NAR will result in shorter watering duration but does not affect watering frequency.\n\nYet another way to shorten the duration and frequency is to adjust the shade factor from full sun to 25% shade or even 50% shade or more.\n\nYet another way to adjust water is to adjust the zone adjustment factor, by reducing that zone by a certain percentage.\n\nYet another way to adjust is by telling the unit what type of plant you have for that zone and adjust the plant root depth setting.\n\nIn the plants setting you can tell the controller whether the plant is water hungry or miserly and how deep the roots are. A water hungry plant setting will result in more frequent watering and longer duration. If you have a zone for a lawn and you select cool season grass, it will water more frequently and for longer than for warm season grass.\n\nA deep root setting will result in primarily longer interval between watering days, while keeping the average daily water consumption about the same.\n\nAfter each adjustment, you should check the estimated schedule to see the effect of the adjustment on the schedule. You will need to tinker with the programming for the first few weeks to get the adjustments right, but once the settings are correctly programmed, that's when the payoff will begin. You can then leave the controller alone and not worry about adjusting it because of rain or heat. The unit will dynamically change the programs according to daily weather and save you time and water. The only maintenance you'll need to do is to open up the rain gauge and clean the rain screen and rain tray perhaps every month or two. It probably will take less than five minutes to do.\n\nFor watering flower pots, it can be programmed based on a fixed time interval without using the smart controller features or it can be based on weather. After much experimentation I finally found two different programming settings that allow me to use the weather-based smart features to water my potted plants. I put a gallon per hr. dripper on each potted plant and now I don't have to hand water my potted plants anymore, saving myself close to 45 minutes of precious time every morning. I am happy to share the settings, if anyone is interested.\n\nI had a perfectly functional Rainbird SST900i, dumb controller, which I also liked, but it doesn't allow me to program it to turn on the master valve BY ZONE. I plan to use the master valve to enable a fertilizer injector and I don't want to fertilize all zones, such as those with Japanese maples. The ESP-SMTe allows me to enable the master valve only on those zones I choose.\n\nI vastly prefer this over any current crop of web-based or WIFI based controllers because those webbased controllers rely on weather data from remote weather stations that may only loosely mirror the weather at my home location. There can be vast differences in rainfall between weather station readings and actual rainfall at my home location. I also don't need the ability to turn on or off the sprinklers using a smart phone after the initial adjustment period. The whole point of smart controllers is once you set it, you can just forget about it and let it run on its own. Almost all of those web-based controllers are only functional for as long as those companies stay in business. Will they be around in a couple years after I buy the unit? I am confident I will be using my ESP-SMTe controller for AT LEAST a good 10 years before needing to upgrade.\n\nThe unit is not without faults. Certain adjustments will result in the calculation of how much water is in the soil for that zone to reset to full. For example if I change a zone's setting from specifying a root depth of 7 inches to 6 inches, the soil water level will be reset to full. If the soil water level is already down to say 65% of the soil moisture level, which means the zone is close to being watered in the next day or two, then resetting the moisture level to full means it will skip the next needed watering day until the next cycle, which could be a whole week later. That can result in plants wilting. For this reason, when I change a setting, I have to see when the next scheduled watering is to make sure it's not too far in advance. If it is I will manually water it once for that zone and let the smart feature take over after the manual watering.\n\nI also bought a Rainbird remote control for this unit. The remote costs a lot but I bought a used remote and got it at a very deep discount. It can also be jury-rigged to be used with an Orbit remote. So now I have two remotes, but the jury-rigging is not for the average user.","Product: Features a Titanium Non-Stick blade and impact resistant AirShoc grips with antimicrobial protection. Blade will resist saps and adhesive substances and is 5x harder than untreated steel so it will stay sharper longer. Easily switches from ratchet to anvil pruner. Lifetime Warranty. Silver/Green handles. Powered by Clauss.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: great for use on hard, dead branches.\n\nReview: This pruner is not that well designed and has a couple of rather serious drawbacks.\n\n1. The first is the switch for changing between normal mode and ratchet mode is placed right at where the index finger rests when gripping the pruner. If I set it to the ratchet mode, then after only a couple of cuts my index finger would frequently inadvertently bump the switch back to the normal mode, requiring me to constantly having it switch back to ratchet mode. It's a big annoyance. With practice I can train myself to avoid bumping the button, I suppose.\n\n2. The lower handle has a very pronounced curve near the tip and is very wide, so that unless you have VERY LARGE hands with VERY LONG fingers, your pinky finger can not reach the handle. Florian's ratchet pruner is like that too, and even worse, and that's why I am not buying a Florian. This means you would be applying force with only three fingers on the lower handle. And since the three finger would be close to the fulcrum point there is the mechanical disadvantage in force. If it were designed so that you could grip it with the full 4 lower fingers, there would be much more cutting force. The only way to grip it with all the fingers is to grip the upper handle with only the thumb and not rest the palm on the upper handle, but doing so would make for a weak and awkward grip where you can't apply full pumping force with your hand.\n\nThe cutting performance is acceptable but not great. This pruner does have a place in the garden. However, I would only use this pruner on branches too thick and too hard to cut with my nice bypass pruners.","Product: Ecocycle's Backyard Compost Thermometer is your solution to Backyard Composting. With this easy-to-read custom designed anti-fog dial you will be better able to read the temperature of your compost pile. Just insert the stem into your pile and read the temperature. Its that easy! With the FREE E-book you'll learn lots of tips on how to create and maintain a compost pile. This beautifully designed and packaged product comes with a easy to read guide on the back of the packaging. Use it to accurately read the temperature of your pile. We guarantee that this product will last you longer than our competitors so we have included a 100% money-back guarantee to ensure your satisfaction!\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: false advertising, only 5 mm stem, NOT \"6 mm\" as claimed, glass fogged up from inside the first night\n\nReview: This item should be delisted by Amazon for false advertising. The seller makes a big point that the stem is \"6 mm\" thick but in fact when I received it I used a caliper to measure it and found that it measures only 5 mm, which is typical. In other words, it's no better than its competition. Secondly my unit fogged up inside the glass within the first night. I was going to return it for a full refund, but before I could package it, I accidentally snapped the stem in half, so $26 down the drain.\n\nI bought this unit specifically because of its claims \"Ecocycle Backyard Compost Thermometer - 20\" Stainless Steel (6mm) Stem\" vs. its competitors' 4mm stems. It turn out this is totally false advertising!!!\n\nThere is also no \"free composting ebook.\" There is no link or any mention of the so-called \"free\" composting ebook anywhere in the package I received as was promised in the item descriptions on Amazon.\n\nThe temperature reading is accurate, this much I can tell you, but stay away from this thermometer.","Product: F903 Features: -Made of diamond-coated hardened steel.-Sharpening stones and tools are essential to the good care of cutting heads.-Extends the life of blades and anvil-blades.-Help minimise the required cutting effort.-Essential for the sharpening, strengthening and honing of blade cutting edges to a professional standard. Dimensions: -Dimensions: 0.5" H x 0.5" W x 3.9" D.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: since no other manufacturer makes a pruner sharpener quite like it, it is well worth the high cost ...\n\nReview: This is relatively speaking a very expensive little piece of diamond honing plate. However, since no other manufacturer makes a pruner sharpener quite like it, it is well worth the high cost because it works better than any other pruner sharpener I have used. What makes it so useful is the geometry. The narrow tip end of the oval gets into the tight space between the blade and the anvil. Other pruner sharpeners are so big that they can't squeeze into the tight space all the way towards the screw end of the blade, but the Felco diamond plate can because of the narrow tip.\n\nThe most significant factor that affects cutting performance is not who makes the pruner but how sharp the blade is. The performance difference between a razor sharp pruner and a dull pruner is bigger than the performance difference between a highly rated pruner and a mediocre pruner. You can hand me a $6 cheap Chinese-made pruner that has been sharpened to razor sharpness and it will handily outperform the most expensive Swiss, French, or Japanese pruner that has a dull blade. This Felco sharpener is well worth the money.","Product: The Fenix L1D CE is digitally regulated and digitally controlled. It has two output modes which produce a total of six levels of output. These modes not only allow the user to select the best compromise between brightness and runtime for any given task, but they also help to aid in an emergency. The L1D CE does all this and still retains a very compact size. If you're looking for solid reliability, digitally-regulated brightness, and compact size, this Fenix is for you.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: ideal everyday carry light\n\nReview: This powerful flashlight sports a Cree XLamp 7090-XR module. Cree XLamp 7090-XR modules are the newest LED technology and have the highest efficiency (lumens per watt) of all LED modules currently on the market, beating out even the latest generation Luxeons by a comfortable margin.\n\nBecause of its high drain nature, this type of flashlight functions better with NiMH or lithium batteries than with regular alkaline batteries. I will probably put some low self discharge(Rayovac Hybrid or Sanyo Eneloop) NiMH batteries in it. For car use, I prefer the 2 AA size because it is much easier to hold than the puny 1 AA size and the batteries last longer and it's brighter than the 1 AA version to boot.\n\nTake the battery life specs with a huge grain of salt as the stated battery life at different settings are grossly optimistic. There is a HUGE variance between the specs and objective battery life test results reported on a well known flashlight review site. At the 135 lumen Turbo mode, the specs state the batteries last for 2.4 hrs., but actual 3rd-party tests show that alkalines last only 41 minutes and 2650mAH NiMH batteries last only 1 Hr. 50 minutes. At the 80 lumen level, the spec says 4 hrs., but tests show 1 Hr. 41 min. with alkalines and 4 hr. 51 mins. with 2650mAH NiMH batteries. Keep in mind that the 3-rd party test results are based on measurement when the output falls to 50% of the starting output, but the battery life drops off like a rock after the 50% mark, especially with NiMH batteries, so the 50% mark is a good measure of practical battery life.\n\nAt 6\" long, it's about the same length as a 2-AA Mag-lite, only it's slightly thinner than the Mag-lite, especially in the head area. I'd rate it as only dunkable. The o-ring seals are not tight enough for it to be diveable.\n\nLike many fixed focus LED flashlights, this light has a rather wide beam. This means the beam radiates out from the light source at a somewhat large angle. This makes it an ideal light for close range use, but it doesn't work that well as a long range spotlight because the throw isn't all that great. Even at the turbo setting with its very large 135 lumens, the beam is so wide and so diffuse beyond 20 feet (think of it as a very bright floodlight) that it's essentially useless beyond 50 ft. to 60 ft. This is not a design flaw of the light. It's just a design philosophy of Fenix that it favors a beam with a broader angle for close range use. A narrow spot beam doesn't give good coverage for objects up close, plus a tight spot beam will be far too blindingly bright up close. Fixed focus lights always involve some compromise. In terms of my personal use, more than 99% of the objects I ever illuminate with a flashlight are well within the 50 feet range, so to me a broad beam pattern definitely is more useful than a tight spot beam.\n\nIts lowest setting at 9 lumens has about the same brightness and intensity as a 2AA Maglite with a xenon bulb. Combined with the broad beam, the lowest setting gives the perfect light source for map reading inside a car without interfering with your night vision. And when you need a brighter beam, just gently push the tail button once or twice to toggle to the higher intermediate settings, or twist the front cap to switch to the turbo mode. The SOS mode is kind of a nuisance, but you can quickly bypass it.\n\nThe instruction doesn't show the owner how to properly attach the lanyard. The tailcap has two holes and the lanyard has to thread through both holes using a paper clip in order for the lanyard to function correctly. If the lanyard is only threaded through one hole, the flashlight won't stand firmly on its end. The notch in the endcap is not needed if the lanyard is fastened correctly. To do this, thread the lanyard through one hole starting from the outside. Then thread it back out the other hole starting from the inside. Then pass the hand strap through the tiny loop of the string. Once it's done this way, you'll see you don't need the notch. The notch is only needed if you threaded the first hole starting from the inside out, which you shouldn't have done.\n\nI'm not sure what the previous reviewer's complaint about the holster is all about. The back of the holster is made with a double ply webbing. There is an opening between the two plies for the belt to slip through to form a secure attachment without requiring the owner to buy anything extra. An alternative method of attaching the holster to the belt is to buy a cheap carabiner or keyring and attach it to the plastic ring on the holster and then hook the carabiner or keyring to the belt or backpack or something.\n\nLastly the sales literature's reference to \"6 output levels\" is marketing fluff. It's actually only 4 output levels, i.e. 9, 40, 80, and 135 lumens, along with two additional output modes besides the steady mode. The strobe mode is at the 135 lumens level and the SOS mode is at the 80 lumens level.\n\nIt's a very versatile light, not cheap, but definitely worth the $55 price.","Product: GE Reveal LED technology brings the true beauty of your home to life by filtering out dingy yellow tones, unlike ordinary incandescent bulbs, instantly. A19 Reveal LED bulb is rated for Damp Locations. GE Reveal LED bulbs illuminate a color enhanced spectrum of light with the added benefits of long-life, dimmable functionality and instant brightness. Produces Semi-omnidirectional light output of 220 degrees. Dimming capacity from 100% to as low as 20%. The 40-watt LED replacement lamp using 8 watts of energy can save over 80 in energy costs, over the rated life of the lamps versus a standard GE reveal incandescent A19 lamp based on 0.11 per kWh. These lamps use up to 80% less energy compared to incandescent bulbs and contain no lead or mercury. 10-year limited warranty for the GE Reveal 8-watt LED.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Model 63180 has inferior light quality compared to model 69204\n\nReview: This a review of the model 63180 GE Reveal bulb. It gives off 800 lumens of warm white light and is called \"60-watt equivalent.\"\n\nFirst off, this GE 63180 Reveal bulb is a 2700K warm color bulb and not a white light bulb that the pictures on the GE Reveal packages portray. The light it gives off is almost identical to the Cree TW series warm white bulbs. In other words, it is SLIGHTLY color corrected give give SLIGHTLY LESS emphasis on yellow by using a bulb filter.\n\nIf you want a GE Reveal LED bulb that gives high color quality light, buy the dimmer model 69204 that is also sold on Amazon. Although model 69204 only puts out 570 lumens, its light quality is far superior to that put out by the 800-lumens model 63180 reviewed here. The light quality of the dimmer model 69204 is virtually identical to that put out by the 60-watt incandescent version of the Reveal bulb in that they both give skin tones a rich rosy hue. The brighter model 63180 GE Reveal bulb (and also the Cree TW warm white bulb) instead gives skin tones a pale yellow hue without the rich and pleasant rosy overtones found on model 69204.\n\nPeople who buy the GE Reveal bulbs want vibrant colors and to me the higher light output of model 63180 is not worth it at the expense of vibrant color. The poor light quality of model 63180 defeats the whole purpose of the Reveal line of bulbs, which is to give vibrant colors, something model 63180 fails to deliver.\n\nUpdate on 5/7/16: Adding insult to injury, the bulb that has poor color died in after just 4 months of very light use. The bulb was put into service on 1/3/2016. Stay away from this bulb. Get the dimmer model 69204 instead. I've had the 69240 for several years now.","Product: Finding an affordable LED bulb that looks and lights like an incandescent can be a challenge. There's weird shapes, bulky sizes and most carry a hefty price tag. Cree LED bulbs are different. Only Cree LED bulbs look and light like an incandescent, while using up to 85% less energy and lasting 25 times longer. Made with a glass bulb like an incandescent, so it has that incandescent filament look. The light from Cree LED bulbs comes on instantly and is omnidirectional, fully distributing light above, below and all-around the bulb. Cree LED bulbs: easy on the eyes and your wallet.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Philips Ambient bulb is better\n\nReview: There are notable differences between this Cree 9.5 watts warm white bulb and the Philips 12.5 watts A19 Ambient warm white bulb, both of which I own.\n\nEnergy usage: Cree wins. Cree uses only 9.5 watts compared to the Philips 12.5 watts. Cree is also noticeably cooler to the touch than Philips.\n\nLight color: Tie. Both Cree and Philips put out the same yellowish color as a regular warm white bulb. I personally find the 2700K color of regular warm white to be too yellow because they distort the color rendition of objects. I much prefer the more vibrant, bluer, and less yellowish color of bulbs such as the GE Reveal series.\n\nShape: Cree wins, if external appearance of the bulb shape matters to your application. Cree is closer to the traditional pear shape of regular bulbs than is the futuristic looks of the Philips Ambient. If the bulb is not hidden behind a shade, the Cree's more traditional shape may win, but if both are obscured behind a shade, the different shapes wouldn't matter.\n\nBuzzing sound when used with a dimmer switch: Philips wins here. Cree has a more noticeable buzzing sound when used on a lamp with a dimmer. With the Philips, although there is also a buzzing sound when the light is dimmed, the buzzing sound goes away at full brightness. With the Cree, the buzzing sound stays throughout the range of the dimmer. However, I must point out that when they do buzz, the sound level is about the same for both the Cree and the Philips.\n\nUniformity of light viewing from all directions: Philips wins. The Cree bulb's light output is concentrated on the sides and towards the base. There is a very noticeable dark area at the tip of the Cree bulb. The result is when I put the Cree bulb in certain lamps, it does not light up the lamp shade evenly. With the Philips bulb, the light output is very even whether viewed from the top, side, or towards the base. It's a bit perplexing and amazing that Cree would release a bulb with this easily fixable flaw.\n\nLight out: Phllips wins big here because the light output specs of the Philips is more conservative. Although both are rated to be equivalent to a 60W incandescent bulb and both are rated at \"800 Lumens\", the Phllips puts out about 18% more light than the Cree measured at the same distance. I confirmed this using a light meter. The light output of the Cree dropped by roughly 10% once it became fully warmed up compared to cold temperature output. In comparison the output of the Philips dropped by only about 5% after it fully warmed up. I measured the light output of both bulbs after they have both fully warmed up. Keep in mind however that the Philips uses 12.5W and the Cree uses 9.5W. In terms of light output per watt, Cree wins slightly, but in terms of total light output after warming up, Philips wins.\n\nCost: Cree wins by $3 to $4, if you know where to shop. On Amazon, their prices are about the same.\n\nOverall, despite the 3 watts energy savings and lower cost advantages of the Cree, I prefer the Philips for my particular applications because of the Philips' uniformity of light, higher light output, and less chance of having a buzzing sound when used on a dimmer switch.","Product: Monitor & Manage Your Power Our Smart Plug with Power Meter is a new generation of smart plug for your home. Use your Smartphone or tablet to Turn electronic devices on or off from anywhere, and monitor the status and power usage of your appliances. Easy Setup & Smart Notifications Setup couldn't be any easier and is all done on your Smartphone or tablet. Once the Smart Plug is up and running, email notifications can keep you updated about alarm events and which appliances and electronics are switched on/off via the Edi Plug app. Receive power usage reports and notifications that usage is over your budget. Make sure your intelligent home is working properly and keep track of what's going on in a busy, family home. Instant Savings with Auto Budget Start saving money right out of the box with our built-in budget feature. Set a daily, weekly or monthly power limit for your appliance and the Smart Plug will automatically switch off and give you an email alert when you hit the limit. You can set the limit as well as view your history, in kWh or in real currency for a genuine, easy insight into how much you spend on each appliance and when it should be switched off. And a Smart Plug with Power Meter stores your history for up to twelve months, so you can analyze and find out exactly what's draining your budget. You'll probably be surprised by how much you can save. SOFTWARE FEATURES (1) Turn devices on & off with the mobile app (iOS / Android) from anywhere (2) Monitor & manage your power (3) Automated power usage reports & email alerts (4) Automatic budget control feature (5) Real time power data and history with daily, weekly & monthly stats (6) Wireless installation with a Smartphone or tablet (7) No additional hardware required (8) Create on/off schedules for your devices\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: a multifunction power meter and remote switch that can save you a lot of money over time\n\nReview: This is a very nice product. It does much more than the dumb P3 Kill A Watt power meters. It has a WiFi capability that allows me to:\n\n1. track instantaneous and cumulative power usage and current draw from anywhere in the world. It allows me to input electricity unit cost so that the power usage can be converted to $.\n2. use it as a timer/scheduler that allows it to turn on or off appliances based on a fixed schedule. This feature can be disabled.\n3. use it as a remote switch. I can use my cell phone to turn appliances on/off from anywhere in the world.\n\nIt also has a user-selectable current limit, power limit, or usage limit. For example, I can program it so that if the current/power or power usage exceeds a certain amount, the unit will shut off.\n\nIt has allowed me to make informed decisions. For example, it has allowed me to learn that my still-functional 1996-vintage refrigerator consumes about $200 worth of electricity a year and that buying a new refrigerator would not save me enough electricity to justify buying a new fridge.\n\nIt has also allowed me to see that my TV entertainment center has a lot of parasitic load even when not in use. All those wall-warts attached to the DVD players, etc consume about $22 watts of power just sitting there when I am not watching TV. That means my entertainment center consumes about $45 worth of electricity a years doing nothing. With the remote switch, I can conveniently turn these appliances off at the wall switch by using either the timer/schedule function or manually through the cell phone app.\n\nThe only ding I can give it is that its timer/schedule feature doesn't a have sunrise/sunset tracking feature. It would be nice if, for example, it could turn on or off lights based on ever-changing sunrise and sunset times at user-selectable 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 1/2 hrs., 1 hrs. before/after sunrise/sunset.","Product: The Cree TW Series LED bulb provides one of the most beautiful and natural LED lights ever produced, with a nearly unmatched Color Rendering Index (CRI) of 93. Add that to the fact that it looks like a traditional incandescent light bulb, uses at least 78% less energy and is designed to last 25 times longer. Light up your life with colors that are true and natural.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: 22yr or 20,000+ hrs. longevity claim is a sham\n\nReview: Don't buy these Cree bulbs. They last NOWHERE(!) near the 22 yr. life claim. I bought 8 of them in 2014 from Home Depot when these Cree TW bulbs first came out. They were very pricey back then. I put four of them in my kitchen fixtures in December/2014. They were used on average about 4 hrs. in the morning and 5 hrs at night (so combined usage averaged about 9 hrs. a day). It's now Oct./2016 and EVERY SINGLE ONE of them has burned out. They lasted on average 1.5 yrs. for 9 hrs. a day before burning out. That means my Cree bulbs burned out at under 5,000 hrs. of operation. That's a far cry from the 20,000+ hours they were advertised to last.\n\nI actually saved up a couple of the receipts and took the burned out bulbs back to the Home Depot and complained. The Home Depot manager gave me $8 refund back for each defective bulb.","Product: We've combined a traditional water level with a built-in measuring tape to produce a new type of water level - The WatrLevel. Fast to set-up, easy to use, and very accurate. You're going to be surprised how usefull this tool is, use it everywhere - making concrete forms, placing deck blocks, grading a lawn, installing drain lines, painting, fence building, checking for settling or sag, leveling a mobile home, home inspection, landscaping, installing doors & gates, installing posts, t-bar installation - so many we can't even think of them all. Why pay for a laser level or transit when the WatrLevel does the job just as good, even better than they do? Frequently Asked Questions: What is a WatrLevel? The WatrLevel is a simple tool that measures vertically. It is primarily used in two ways: MEASURE CHANGE - it will vertical change from one point to another point(s). FIND LEVEL - find the level point from one point to other point(s). What is it used for? The WatrLevel is used for the same applications as a Transit or a Laser Level (plus some more). How does the WatrLevel work? The WatrLevel utilizes the principal that water seeks it's own level. The WatrLevel consists of three main parts: the reservoir, the tubing, and the measuring staff. The water in the reservoir will travel through the tubing and seeks the same level as the water in the reservoir. As long as the water can move freely between the reservoir and the tubing, the level in the tubing and the level in the reservoir will always be exactly the same. The WatrLevel uses a measuring staff with a moveable scale. It's this moveable scale that sets the WatrLevel apart from other water levels. When you match the zero point on the scale to the water in the tubing (we call this set-zero) you essentially transfer the level in the reservoir to the staff. Wherever you take the staff you cn take measurements. See our website for detailed information - www.watrlevel.com\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: works most of the time\n\nReview: After my complete dissatisfaction over the Zircon junk box of a water level, I bought this Watrlevel. The Watrlevel works mostly. Whereas the Zircon's primary problem is the error prone electronic unit, the Watrlevel's problem is generally the error introduced by parallax due to the thick aluminum/plastic housing which separates the colored tubing and the sliding tape measure from the object I'm measuring. It should have come with a sliding T-square contraption to eliminate this parallax error. Otherwise all the advertising claim about 1/16\" or 1/32\" accuracy would be meaningless. I estimate that there can easily be 1/8\", to as much as 1/4\", error introduced to the measurement by parallax, depending on how far the sliding tape measure and colored water level column are from the object I'm measuring. I coped with this by lining up the object and the sliding tape measure by a try square. I felt like I needed 3 hands to do this job.\n\nAlso, despite my best efforts, the water level frequently drifted from measurement to measurement, i.e. after I made one measurement, I tried to repeat the whole process to double-check, by going back to the reference and back to the object. Oftentimes, the second measurement differed from the first by a 1/4\" or more. It's extremely frustrating. I don't know what caused it. I eliminated all sources of error I could think of: i.e. I dealt with the parallax, I did not step on the tubing, and I made sure all water outlets were opened to the atmosphere so that the water could flow freely. Still, the measurement non-repeatability frequently arose. This same non-repeatability also happened with the Zircon junk box.\n\nAnother interesting thing I found about water levels is that as the sun shone on the tubings and the water while I was in the middle of several measurements, the water volume and tubing volume would both expand, and the tubing lengthened, and the water level would change. This could mess up the measurements. This can be coped with by going back to the reference point to reset everything after every couple of measurements.\n\nWater levels are terribly frustrating to use if you want high accuracy, even though in concept they should work simply and perfectly. The problem is they are not simple to use and they are not perfect in practice. If your project can tolerate a level inaccuracy of up to 1/2\", then maybe water levels may be okay and can be an economical leveling solution. But for me I want as high an accuracy as possible and a measuring device that can not give consistent/repeatable measurement is in my opinion inherently inaccurate. I ended up buying a decent laser level to get the deck rebuild job done.","Product: G7 Power introduces Vintage, the LED bulb with the traditional look. LED filaments give off warm, incandescent-like light over 360 degrees. This bulb is perfect for homes, restaurants, bars and places where classic style and appearance matters. At only 3.6 Watts, this bulb has redefined efficiency, even in LED terms. Questions and comments are welcome at supportatg7power.com.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: bulb actually uses 8 watts and not \"3.6 watts\"!!!!\n\nReview: I was in love with this LED bulb until today when I took a multimeter to measure the current draw and calculated the wattage. It turns out this bulb consumes about 8.0 Watts!!! That's a far cry from the \"3.6 watts\" claimed on the package.\n\nG7 Power no longer sells this bulb on their website and I wonder why.\n\nThis bulb was not the first to misrepresent the energy savings and won't be the last, but I'm just surprised at the big discrepancy.\n\nCFL bulbs are the worst offenders when it comes to exaggerating the actual energy savings.\n\nSome examples of the bulbs I have at home:\n\nG7 Power \"3.6W\" vintage LED actually uses 8 watts.\nA no-name \"23W\" CFL actually uses 43 watts\nAn Ecosmart \"14W\" CFL actually uses 24 watts\nA Sylvania \"9W\" CFL actually uses 18 watts\nA \"10.5W\" Philips LED bulb actually uses 21 watts.\n\nMost LED bulbs I have are quite accurate in stating the watts, but there are clearly exceptions. The Cree bulbs I got are accurate in the stated vs. actual energy usage. All my incandescent bulbs are very accurate in the stated energy usage."],"string":"[\n \"Product: Utilizes basic principle of water leveling. 1-man operation allows long-distance leveling. Horn sounds as level is found. Accurate within 1/16\\\". Eliminates guess work. Allows blind leveling around corners. Ideal for erecting fences, decks, and sloping driveways. Includes 25' PVC hose and 1 hose adapter. Operates on 9V battery, not included.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: electronic unit doesn't always work when it hit level.\\n\\nReview: Out of the box the thing worked like a champ, but after fewer than 2 hours of use over the course of a week, the electronic contacts began to malfunction. Sometimes it would beep when it began to hit level, but sometimes it didn't. Sometimes the beep became steady, sometimes it would beep once and then went silent even when it went above level, sometimes there was no beep at all when it went from below level to above level. Hell of frustrating. In all cases I followed the instructions and started from below level and gradually inched to level or above. I kept asking the question: Did it hit level or not? And had to repeat each measurement ten times starting from below level to the level point, just to make sure the beeps, if at all, that I did hear were indeed at the level point. The electronics are clearly faulty. Maybe the contact pins became corroded, but after just a week when I used clean tap water?\\n\\nAlso the 1/16\\\" accuracy claim is the best case scenario estimate. Most of the time I found 1/8\\\" to 1/4\\\" error to be more realistic, due to the uncertainty created by the faulty electronic unit. Also part of the problem is the small tubing size giving rise to a bit of capillary action which affects the accuracy, making the level insensitive to slight elevation changes.\\n\\nI ended up buying a laser level.\",\n \"Product: Designed and manufactured in New Zealand, Hungry Bin is a fast and convenient way to compost your food scraps. The innovative, patented design creates an ideal living environment for compost worms and is highly efficient, allowing them to process up to 4 lbs. (2 kgs) of waste per day. This organic waste is quickly converted into castings and a nutrient-rich liquid, both of which are high-quality natural fertilizers and incredibly simple to collect. The Hungry Bin is designed with a solid handle and sturdy wheels, allowing it to be moved easily. Hungry Bin is not just clean, simple and easy to use it looks great too. Hungry Bin is best suited to a temperate climate. In locations that experience temperature extremes, the Hungry Bin will need to be positioned in a location that is not subject to excessive heat, or freezing conditions for long periods of time, such as inside a garage or basement. Hungry Bin is not supplied with the worms or bedding required to start the bin. California Customers: The price of this item (Hungry Bin) includes sales tax reimbursement computed to the nearest cent. The statewide sales and use tax rate of 7.0 percent has been included in the sales price. The customer is responsible for any district tax beyond this amount.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: lack of ventilation and worms escaping are big problems in warm weather with this bin\\n\\nReview: I bought my Hungry Bin in December/2016 when I was totally new to vermi-composting and didn't know a thing about it. What sold me on the Hungry Bin was the flow-through concept and its clever design with these benefits: no lifting of heavy trays and no sorting out worms from the castings.\\n\\nThis is now June/2017 and having used my Hungry Bin for six months, I still think the Hungry Bin is the best residential-scale commercial worm bin on the market, but this doesnt mean its perfect. The bins design does have some flaws that I will point out below.\\n\\nI live in a family of two and after six months of putting almost all kitchen scraps in the Hungry Bin I STILL have not harvested any worm castings yet because my family of two simply does not produce that much kitchen scraps. I have four small parrots and they help out with producing scraps by their leftover seeds, hulls, and some fruits. The bin is not to blame for this slow progress, of course. It just takes a long time to fill the bin because kitchen scraps such as fruits and vegetables are mostly liquid and shrink significantly in volume once they are digested by the worms. The instructions mention that harvesting should be done only when the contents are about 1 from the top. This is to ensure that the castings in the bottom are properly compacted and not fall out in a big slide when the bottom tray is removed during harvest.\\nThe bin came in box measuring about 26\\\"L x 24\\\"W x 18\\\"H. When empty, it's very lightweight (about 28 lbs) and took about half an hour to assemble.\\n\\nI keep my worm bin in the garage because its the only place at my home that can provide the worms a temperate environment year-round. The worms can survive any cold temperature in my non-heated but insulated garage, where the ambient temperature only goes down to 55 F in winter. I found in my case the biggest problem has not been the cold but the heat and the occasional high temperature resulting from the decomposition of organic materials.\\n\\nI have found there are two major problems with the Hungry Bin:\\n\\n1. The biggest problem I have experienced with the Hungry Bin is that certain foodstuffs, especially grain-based foodstuffs, will decompose and heat up the bin very quickly within a day or two of being dumped into the bin. The heat from decomposition can, and will, kill the worms very quickly. What little ventilation the lid does provide is done through 168 tiny holes (approximately 3/32 diameter) on the lid. The problem that the holes do not provide adequate ventilation when there is even a small amount of heat generation from the decomposition. This is especially true when the tiny 3/32 holes are frequently plugged up by condensation and red and white mites migrating to the top and clogging up the holes. The mites move fast, so lets say I cleared the holes of mites and moisture in the morning. By the evening, the holes could get clogged up again.\\n\\nOne way to prevent heat buildup is not to use the stock lid whenever a large quantity of grain-based stuff is added to the worm bin and instead cover the bin with a piece of airy dark cloth or a piece of plywood or pegboard with NUMEROUS 1/8 holes. Youll have to mist the compost surface at least once a day to make up for the evaporation through the airy cloth or pegboard.\\n\\nOne time I added half a pound of waste buckwheat flour to the bin and mixed it into the top 1 of the vermi-compost and didn't notice the temperature spiked up within the next couple of days until I saw the worms trying to escape. My experience showed me that the worms (and also the mites) will BEGIN to look for an exit out of the worm bin when the surface layer of the compost hits around 77 to 80 degrees F. The worms (again also the mites) will try to flee en masse (see attached picture) when the top compost layer hits around 85F and the worms will begin to die off at around 90F when they are trapped and cant get out of the bin. Luckily, I caught the heat buildup in time before the worms began to die. An infrared thermometer and worm bin thermometer are very helpful to help monitor the temperature.\\n\\nThe mites are a part of the worm bin eco-system. I have been unable to get rid of them, but they don't seem to harm the worms. The only problem with the mites seems to be that they compete for food with the worms, but no real harm is done to the worms by the mites except that they plug up the ventilation holes.\\n\\n2. The second problem I experienced with the bin is that the lid is not tight enough to keep the worms from escaping. My concrete garage floor is littered with tens and tens of dried up worms that once tried to escape the bin because of the heat. Lining the top interior edge with Corrys Slug & Snail copper tape barrier can be very effective in keeping the worms from escaping. As soon as the worms mouths touch the copper, they retreat. The coppers effectiveness diminishes greatly once it becomes heavily oxidized over several months. The real solution to keeping the worms in the bin is again to use a dark and airy cloth instead of using the lid to keep the temperature cool. In a normal environment favorable to the worms comfort, few worms will actively crawl on the surface unless the bin is too warm. The worms actually can not feed on fresh kitchen scraps because the worms have no teeth to chew through fresh scraps. The worms have to wait for the scraps to become partially rotten before they can slurp up the slimy goo. This means that they typically find most available food a few inches below the surface.\\n\\nAnother potential danger to the worms besides heat is adding too much ground lime or ground eggshell to the worm bin. The lime or ground eggshell can react with the acidic kitchen scraps or compost to produce carbon dioxide and suffocate the worms. As long as you are diligent in opening the lid once in the morning before going to work and once in the evening before going to bed, any buildup of CO2 should be minimal and should not pose a problem. The danger can come in if you forget to vent the bin for a couple days especially when the vent holes are plugged up by condensation and insects.\\n\\nThe solution to all these flaws I pointed out is simply to use a piece of dark cloth in place of the lid. The cloth (or peg board) will provide plenty of ventilation to let the heat escape. Without the uncomfortable heat, the worms simply do not want to venture to the surface. They will happily stay below the surface and feed on the partially rotten kitchen scraps.\\n\\nA worm bin is a companion to a compost bin. I find keeping a worm bin is much more fun and rewarding than taking care of a compost bin, but they really complement each other because they take in different feedstock. Worm castings are far superior to ordinary compost but you can only feed soft, organic stuffs to a worm bin.\\n\\nCompeting commercial alternatives that rely on the flow-through concept are the Worm Inn (there is standard version and a Mega version) and the Worm Wigwam. There are also numerous videos and tutorials on Youtube on how to build your own flow-through worm bin and there are even commercial plans available to make your own.\\n\\nOverall, none of those alternatives seem as well designed and as easy to use as the Hungry Bin despite the two flaws I pointed out, which can be easily solved by using a cloth as a cover for the bin. I have no regrets about paying a lot of money for my Hungry Bin. Its not perfect. The design does have some flaws, but it is still a very good product. Whatever problems I pointed out, I can simply solve by using a piece of cloth instead of the lid whenever I feed food stuffs that can generate heat to the worms.\\n\\nUpdate July 14, 2017: It's summer time. I still have my bin in the insulated garage. The ambient temp in my garage is 75 degrees F, but the worms are restless and numerous ones crawled outside through the gaps in the lid. There is no unusual decomposition activity in my bin to generate any excessive amounts of heat, but many worms are still restless and many managed to escape. All the supposed benefits of the Hungry Bin's not requiring one to handle the cold and slimy worms vanishes if bin's design allows the worms to keep escaping and requiring me to spend 5 minutes every evening when I get home to rescue the worms that managed to crawl out. If I don't rescue them they will eventually fall on the garage floor and die from dehydration.\\n\\nThe inability of the Hungry Bin to provide sufficient ventilation and its inability to prevent the worms from escaping through the gaps between the lid and the bin have irritated me to the point that I feel compelled to down-rate the bin to 3-stars instead of the 5 and then 4 I initially gave it.\\n\\nUpdate: 2/2018. I have been experiment with a couple different ways to increase the bin's ventilation without permanently altering the bin or the lid. One way was to use a 1/8\\\" thick peg board in place of the lid. The peg board is full of 1/8\\\" holes. The peg board ventilates very well, perhaps too well, because it lets a lot of moisture escape. I found a simpler way to ventilate it by simply wedging a 1/4\\\" to 1/2\\\" thick piece of wood between the lid and the bin to create just enough air gap for heat to escape while keeping the surface of the vermi-compost moist and preventing it from drying out.\",\n \"Product: Includes:TXRXQC603QC503BatteriesRain Bird carrying caseMaintaining Rain Bird system operation and head alignment is easier and faster than ever because you no longer have to walk to the clock to turn zones on or off. A single crew member can activate zones, blow out systems and perform other winterization or maintenance tasks.Install the receiver in seconds with just one hand and operate up to 255 zones.Skip to any zone by entering its number. No need to scroll through zones in consecutive order.Run a system test, specifying how many minutes, which zone to start with and which zone to end with.Two-way communication between the remote and the controller allows remote activity information to be displayed on the handheld device.Custom names can be assigned to 20 different receivers for easy identification. Each handheld remote can control up to 128 different receivers simultaneously.Operating range up to 1.5 miles (2.4 km) line of sight. (Operating range may be reduced when obstructions are introduced between remote system components.)Three-year trade warranty.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Expensive, sluggish, and clunky\\n\\nReview: This remote's attributes are dominated by far more cons than pros (if any at all).\\n\\nCons:\\n\\n1. It's HUGE, clunky, and just plainly uncomfortable to hold. There is no reason why it has to be this huge. Either Rainbird has lousy design engineers who don't know how to miniaturize circuits, or perhaps Rainbird doesn't like owners to lose their remotes if they were made smaller, or more likely, Rainbird wants to justify the high cost of this remote by the size of this giant unit to give the impression that it's worth more than $500, when it may very well have cost them less than $50 in materials to make.\\n2. It's very expensive for what little that it does. This seems to be the case with most of these pro-level remote controls.\\n3. It's VERY slow, very sluggish. It takes an interminable 5 seconds for a zone On command to go through and turn on a valve. For a zone Off command, it takes about 3 seconds.\\n4. For a remote that claims a 1.5 mi line-of-sight range, On or Off commands sometimes fail to be accepted even within 50 ft of the receiver. So occasionally if I hit an On command, the hand held transmitter would indicate that the zone valve had been turned on when in fact the valve did not turn on. Or sometimes when I tried to turn off a zone that had been turned on by the remote, the off command would not be reflected on the valve even though the transmitter still thought the off command had been accepted. That's just ridiculous. The issue must be deeper than range or signal reception. Something is making it behave this way.\\nThe remote unit frequently shows 4 bars even when the receiver unit has been unplugged!!! WTF? It must be picking up any radio frequency signal in the neighborhood and calling it a valid signal.\\nFrequently within 50 ft., it would say: \\\"Not confirmed, either there is no signal or the zone is not available\\\". Meanwhile it would still show 4 bars of signal!\\n\\nPro:\\n1. When it worked correctly, I tested it out to at least 1/2 mile downhill (i.e. not within line of sight) of my residence and it still worked. Also, it acts up about as frequently as it does work correctly.\\n\\nFor residential users who just want a convenient remote capability, there are better solutions, such as by installing an additional controller that has remote capability on top of their existing system and run the remote capable controller as a slave or parallel unit. The slave unit is just there to allow for the remote function. In this setup, the programming and timing features of the slave unit are not used. Orbit offers such a controller with built in remote, although the range is only about 40' to 300' (depending on amount obstruction and how much line of sight the signal is). In such a set up, both units can only be powered by one common transformer (two transformers would fry both units) and an isolation relay for safety needs to be installed.\",\n \"Product: Add just the right decorative touch to your living room or your bedroom with the Altra Summit Mountain Wood Veneer Accent Table. This beautiful Accent Table features real wood veneer construction and solid wood legs. The top surface is great for placing a lamp, pictures or decorative items. Use the drawer to store your notebook, writing utensils, coasters and remotes while keeping your books and magazines organized on the lower shelf. The golden brown Tuscany Oak finish paired detailed accents makes this Coffee Table a timeless piece. Altra Summit Accent Table requires assembly upon delivery.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: great portable rotary hammer\\n\\nReview: This Makita LXT 18v Li-on D-handle rotary hammer has 1.9 joules (or 1.4 ft*lb) of impact energy at up to 4000 blows per minute. By comparison, Makita's corded version has 2.7 joules (or 2.0 ft*lb) of impact energy at up to 4500 blows per minute, making the cordless version about 70% as powerful as the corded version, which isn't bad. I can't complain because the trade-off for portability is power and speed.\\n\\nI bought this cordless rotary hammer specifically to drill 5/8\\\" holes in concrete to set anchor bolts for my deck's footings. I can drill each 5/8\\\" hole up to 6\\\" deep in a minute or two, but it drains the battery at a fairly quick clip. My rough recollection is that it can only drill at most 2 of the 6\\\"-deep, 5/8\\\" diameter holes before the battery needs recharging. Based on my experience with the 5/8\\\" holes, I have no doubt it is capable of drilling up to 7/8\\\" holes.\\n\\nI also used a 1\\\" chisel bit on it and it worked really fast to chip concrete to set the footings. All in all, I am happy with this purchase despite the short battery life.\",\n \"Product: This refined AV component cabinet is an elegant solution to storage woes. The cabinet features a beautiful Dark Espresso finish, and components are hidden behind a dark tinted tempered safety glass door that allows for remote control operation and reduces dust. With 3 adjustable interior wood shelves plus the cabinet base (all with internal ventilation slots for convection cooling), this stand can accommodate at least 4 AV components. Pass-through holes provide ventilation and easy wire management to hide and route wires. This distinguished AV cabinet assembles in minutes - quickly and easily.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Attractive enclosed cabinet with generous capacity\\n\\nReview: There are very few stock enclosed audio/video cabinets on the market that have both the width and depth capacities that this cabinet offers. When buying A/V cabinets, it's important to pay attention not just to the equipment size, but also to the additional space needed for the cable heads. The cable heads can easily add three inches to the depth requirement.\\n\\nThis cabinet is good looking and priced very reasonably to boot. It's made of real wood veneer on a core of MDF. It looks like birch veneer and has been stained with a satin espresso brown oil finish.\\n\\nThe latch is slow and soft closing, nice.\\n\\nAbout the only drawback is that when the door is closed, the interior can get quite warm when all my A/V gears are running. I solved this by leaving either the front door or the back panel slightly ajar when I am listening to music. When I am done I close them again to keep dust out.\\n\\nAnother solution to remove heat is to remove the top back panel (there are two back panels, one top, one bottom) and place a dust screen in place of the back panel. This would allow good ventilation while keeping dust out. I'd discourage adding a ventilation fan because they suck in too much air and would introduce a lot of dust into the cabinet. To get an idea of the dust problem with ventilation fans, just remove the cover from a full size computer case and see the accumulated dust on the motherboard introduced by the ventilation fans.\\n\\nThis A/V cabinet is a great buy, and is the only cabinet I could find that fits my requirements.\",\n \"Product: This new mount offers users an alternative to windshield suction cup mounts. This portable friction mount features a non-skid silicone bottom and pliable base to keep the mount secure on your dashboard.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: more grippy than bean bag mount\\n\\nReview: I have both the bean bag mount and \\\"this mount\\\"(for lack of a better name). Whereas the underside of the bean bag mount is made of neoprene rubber foam, this mount is made of very grippy solid gel-like silicone rubber. The base of this mount is moldable to conform to the contours of the dashboard. On my Toyota Echo, which has a steeply sloping dashboard, the bean bag mount slides down after a few bumps on the road. This mount on the other hand stays put on my Echo. The main drawback with this mount is the silicone base leaves a greasy residue on the dashboard. The residue is noticeable but does not really annoy me. If that's the tradeoff for a very grippy mount, I'm okay with this tradeoff. It's less stable than the wider bean bag mount because this mount has a narrower profile. When I place it on the passenger seat, it can tip over, but does not tip over when placed on the dashboard. The bean bag mount on the other hand is totally stable and doesn't ever tip over.\\n\\nSummary:\\n\\nBean bag mount: no residues on dash board, but less grippy and can slip on steeply sloping dashboards, stable and does not ever tip over.\\n\\nThis mount with silicone rubber base: leaves silicone oil residue on the dashboard, much more grippy, but less stable and can potentially tip over.\\n\\nI prefer this silicone rubber mount because of the steeply sloping dashboard on my Echo. Otherwise, if my car had a fairly flat dashboard, I'd prefer the bean bag mount because it's more stable when placed on the passenger seat.\",\n \"Product: Time matters, and every second counts. Fast delivers full-throttle performance at twice the speed of other portable hard drives on the markettransfer rates up to 220MB/s.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: very fast drive with huge 4TB capacity\\n\\nReview: This review is for the 4TB \\\"Fast\\\" RAID 0 version of the 4TB drive. As of this time, the Seagate \\\"Fast\\\" RAID 0 version only comes in the 4TB size.\\n\\nThis Seagate drive is a phenomenal backup drive. It really is FAST! It's so fast because internally it's composed of two hard drives running in parallel in a RAID 0 configuration to give twice the throughput.\\n\\nIt comes formatted in NTFS. Mac users who want to keep using it with NTFS will need to go to Seagate's website to download an NTFS-for-Mac program by Paragon to be able to write to this drive. It's a free program on the Seagate site. Alternatively, Mac users could format the drive to Mac's native \\\"Mac OS Extended (Journaled)\\\" file format (also known as HFS+ format). If you want to share this HFS+ formatted drive with a PC, you can install Paragon's HFS-for-Win program on your PC to enable read/write capability on Mac drives. This HFS-for-Win program is also available for free on the Seagate support site.\\n\\nThere are definite advantages of NTFS over HFS+. NTFS gives essentially the same sequential read/write speeds as HFS+, but where NTFS shines is it gives MUCH HIGHER random read/write speeds than HFS+.\\n\\nHere are typical benchmark numbers on my Macbook Air using DiskMark with this drive. Numbers are in MB per second:\\n\\nNTFS: 260 (seq. read), 217 (seq. write), 32 (random read), 12 (random write)\\nHFS+: 253 (seq. read), 214 (seq. write), 20 (random read), 0.5 (random write)\\n\\nMake sure you plug it into a USB 3.0 port that can provide sufficient power to spin the two physical disks. A sign that it is not getting enough power is the arms making noticeable noise when the drive reads. If that happens you will either have to plug it into a powered USB 3.0 hub or use the USB 3.0 Y cable. I have mine plugged into a powered USB 3.0 hub and it runs totally silently.\\n\\nThe most significant potential negative is the RAID 0 configuration. Basically, because it's composed of two parallel physical drives acting as one, if either drive malfunctions, the total two-drive combo will be toast. In other words, this drive statistically is twice as likely to fail as a similar Seagate drive that is composed of only one physical drive. Of course, that's the trade-off one makes when purchasing this drive: trading reliability and cost for double the speed.\",\n \"Product: You get this great product....\\nKlipsch - R-115SW Subwoofer\\nPlus, you get:\\nKlipsch - WA2 Wireless Subwoofer Kit\\nIf speakers are the voice of an audio system, then the subwoofer is the heart. Klipsch subwoofers craft bass more powerfully or efficiently than their competition within similar pricing. From the 15\\\" Spun Copper Front Firing Cermetallic Woofer cones, the brushed polymer veneer MDF cabinets and the 400 watt all digital amplifier are engineered to provide pulsepounding low frequency response. Enjoy your music passionately played with the added depth and low frequency accurate response. Live the intense moments in your movies, and feel every explosion resounding right in your chest. Adding the WA2 wireless adapter kit frees you to place the subwoofer anywhere in the room.\\nMDF Plinth\\nAn incredible acoustic decoupling technique that allows you to hear the subwoofer, not the room.\\n\\nGo Wireless\\nThe R115SW supports the WA2 Wireless subwoofer adapter kit and allows you to freely change its placement anywhere in the room. Tuck the subwoofer beside the sofa, place it in the back of the room or wherever it is the most convenient.\\n\\nFront LED Power Indicator\\nAlways no when your Klipsch R115SW is powered on with the easy to read LED power indicator. Regardless whether on or off, the efficient subwoofer only uses a exceptionally low 1/2 watt or power in standby.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great sub for home theater systems\\n\\nReview: I bought this sub when it was on sale for $719 with the wireless kit included.\\n\\nI have pretty good bookshelf speakers made by Bose as my main speakers but these Bose bookshelf speakers as good as they were could only go down to about 60 Hz and so I needed a sub to fill in the bass gap. This sub was the missing component in my home theater system. It goes down to 18 Hz by the specs and it lets me to not just hear explosions but to actually FEEL the thundering percussions in movie explosion scenes that only a big sub can adequately give.\\n\\nThe specs claim the sub can go down to 18 Hz. Yes, it can go that low and in fact can even go down to 16 Hz, but when I played pure tone single frequencies on it between 16 and 20 Hz, very loud and unmistakable chuffing noises could be heard even at moderate volumes. The chuffing noises would go away above 20 Hz. Keep in mind I was playing pure tone single frequencies when I noticed the chuffing noises. When it is used in a home theater, the chuffing noises between 16 and 20 Hz are not typically noticeable in a movie scene playing the Low Frequency Effects in the sub 20 Hz region because any such chuffing noises would be masked by whatever explosion sounds (or whatever loud sounds) was going on in the scene.\\n\\nI have not used the wireless kit and don't know how well it works.\\n\\nThis sub is expensive, but it's worth every penny I paid. It's also HUGE. It's about the same size as a bedroom mini refrigerator, but when it comes to playing ultra low frequency bass, there is no substitute for size.\",\n \"Product: The Reference Premiere RP-280F floor standing speaker is the largest in the Reference Premiere family, producing cinematic sound from two 8\\\" Cerametallic woofers and a Hybrid Tractrix Horn. It can fill a larger room with theater-quality sound with minimal effort - immersing you in the ultimate listening experience.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: good speakers, average bass, treble lacks clarity\\n\\nReview: The RF280f has good, rich sounding mids but the bass is only average (the base is there but it's here not particularly powerful) and the treble is a little too subdued and lacks definition. I was playing a Mozart piece on it and the deep cello sound was struggling to be noticeable, whereas when I played the same piece on the Klipsch RF-7 II and also the La Scala, the cellos are immediately recognizable.\\n\\nCompared to the RF-7 II when listening to music, the sound stage on the RP280f is small and very confined, wheres the RF-7 II has a very expansive and all-enveloping sound stage.\\n\\nFor the Reference Premier line Klipsch uses silicone rubber to create the outer flaring shape of the treble horn in order to minimize unwanted vibrations and resulting ringing, but I have found this improvement to be only marginally successful on the RP280f. When playing Adele's Someone Like You at somewhat high volume, the tweeter horn will ring just as badly as it does on my RF-7 II. One possible explanation for this may be that although the outer flaring shape is made of the silicone rubber material, the inner conical horn is still made of hard plastic which vibrates with the high notes to create the occasional ringing sound. The ringing is a combination of ringing bells and buzzing bees sound and it only becomes noticeable when playing certain poorly recorded music CDs at high volume. The ringing mostly only bothers music listening, but it doesn't really matter for home theater applications.\\n\\nIf you can get the RF7 II at a steep discount, go for it instead. I think the RF7 II significantly outperforms the RP280f for both home theater or 2-speaker music listening.\",\n \"Product: The ultimate in Reference II Series performance, the RF-7 II tower speaker lets you experience the true power, detail and emotion of cinematic spectacles and concert performances from the comforts of home.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: RP-280F with a subwoofer will give better quality sounds than RF-7 II alone\\n\\nReview: A week ago, I purchased a set of brand new RF-7 II and a set of brand new RP-280F and have been doing some side by side comparisons of both sets in my living room to see how they differ playing various types of music. I'm not an audiophile by any means and am in fact a complete newbie when it comes to listening to music on decent speakers, so take my evaluation of these two speaker sets with this in mind.\\n\\nThe RF-7 II is the current flagship of the Reference series (I think the \\\"F\\\" in the name stands for flagship), but according to online sources the RF-7 II will soon be superseded by the new and improved RF-7 III later in the year. This must be the reason why some dealers are able to offer the RF-7 II at very hefty discounts (50% off). Even with the hefty discounts, I still paid twice as much for a pair of RF-7 II as I did for a pair of the RP-280F.\\n\\nTo test these speakers I originally connected both sets to my Sony amp capable of delivering 80 watts per channel at 8 ohms. I since upgraded to another Sony amp capable of 110 Watts per channel. Then I also bought a Yamaha receiver with 140 WPC. The Sony 110W amp sounded the best, but any major shortcomings I noticed with the RF7II were unchanged among the three amps. The RF-7 II is connected to the A channel and the RP-280F is connected to the B channel. Flipping the A/B switch on my Sony amp to toggle between the RF-7 II and the RP-280F, I was able to tell a lot of differences in sound quality between the two sets of speakers.\\n\\nIt's important to note that despite the 3 drivers in each speaker, both the RF-7 II and the RP-280F are in fact only 2-way speakers (and not 3-way speakers) because there is only one crossover point separating the tweeter from the twin woofers. The twin woofers play identical frequencies, at identical volumes, and in identical phase at all times.\\n\\nMidrange:\\n\\nThis 2-way design is a major shortcoming with the RF-7 II because the twin 10\\\" woofers have to play double-duty by simultaneously acting as a mid-range driver and a bass driver. With twin 10\\\" woofers, this shortcoming manifests itself in noticeably subdued mid-range sounds compared to the RP-280F. Instead of the richer mid-range sounds coming from the RP-280F's twin 8\\\" woofers, the RF-7 II tries to play the same mid-range sounds through either the tractrix horn tweeter or the 10\\\" woofers (depending on which frequencies the mid-range notes fall in), with decidedly inferior results. The mid-range sounds on the RF-7 II are either subdued when played on the 10\\\" woofers (since 10\\\" woofers are too big to play mid-range sounds well) or too harsh when the harsh tractrix horn tweeter tries to play some of the mid-range sounds.\\n\\nBass:\\n\\nFor bass notes, I went to Youtube to get some low frequency notes to see how low the RF-7 II could play. To my disappointment, I found that the RF-7 II could not play anything lower than 34 Hz even though the specs say it can play down to 30 Hz at -3dB. I'd say at -3dB, the low end of the frequency response for the RF-7 II is probably closer to 36 or 37 Hz. It's still quite respectable but nothing like the 30 Hz that Klipsch's specs claim. With a 36 Hz low end extension, one can probably dispense with the need for a separate subwoofer for most music listening sessions. On the RP-280F, the bass notes are much less powerful. I did not try to see how low the RP-280F could play, but the RP-280F clearly sounded like it could not play anywhere as low frequency as the RF-7 II.\\n\\nTreble:\\n\\nFor treble notes, the RF-7 II is highly sensitive (perhaps too sensitive or too bright for some CDs). It can effortlessly replicate the clearest and highest bell notes and tambourine sounds with ease and with great live-like fidelity. On the RP-280F, the same high notes are still audible but they sound decidedly subdued and not live-like. The downside with the RF-7 II's high treble sensitivity is that many female vocal voices have very exaggerated breath sounds (for example, the beginning \\\"see\\\" or \\\"tse\\\" breath sound in the word \\\"sound\\\"). For example, playing Adele's Someone Like You on the RF-7 II absolutely grates my ears because of these greatly exaggerated breath sounds. Additionally the Tractrix tweeter horn can produce a ringing sound (or buzzing bees sound) on poorly engineered recordings where the sound engineer apparently gave too much boost to the treble notes. On the RP-280F, the treble horn can ring or buzz just as severely as the RF-7 II when playing poorly engineered recordings. However, the RP-280F has noticeably less exaggerated breath sounds compared to the RF-7 II when playing Adele's Someone Like You piece.\\n\\nVolume or sensitivity:\\n\\nSound stage:\\n\\nThe RF-7 II gives a broader and much more spacious sound stage. When I played songs and when I flipped the switch to the RP-280F, the sound stage felt noticeably smaller with everything immediately sounding closer to me.\\n\\nAuthority: Authority is a vague and poorly defined term some professional reviewers use to describe speakers that possess this quality. Authority as the term is used to describe speakers is a quality that you have to experience to understand what it means. I can loosely describe authority as a quality where the speaker can play loudly with live, concert hall-like fidelity, and with a very big perceived soundstage. The RF-7 II play music with TREMENDOUS authority, whereas the RP 280f possess little authority.\\n\\nAuthority and soundstage are closely related. The chances are they go hand in hand. They can be a great plus when playing music, but authority and a large soundstage can also be a drawback. It all depends on the music or sound content. The RF-7 II plays movie theme sounds (example, theme soundtracks in Apollo 13) with great authority and great soundstage. It makes you feel like you are in a movie theater when the RF-7 II plays those soundtracks. Where great authority and a huge soundstage will work against you is with dialogues. The great soundstage totally distorts the closeness that the vocal sounds in a room should have. The RF-7 II makes the actors sound like they are talking in a large concert hall and standing MUCH farther away than the picture shows. Since vocals constitute the majority of the content, the huge soundstage is a problem when the RF-7 II is used in a home theater. With the RP280f you will get a soundstage that is accurate when it comes to dialogues in that you will feel like the actors are in the same room with you as they speak, but you do not get the theater-like authority and huge soundstage when the theme soundtracks are played. These are the tradeoffs you should be aware of when choosing between the RF-7 II or the RP280f for home theaters. I personally find the accuracy in spaciousness with dialogues more important and so I will stick with the RP280f for the home theater and will use the RF-7 II for music listening.\\n\\nConclusion: The RP-280F is a more natural sounding and more musical speaker setup when paired with a subwoofer. Although the RF-7 II can replicate the highest treble notes with great live-like fidelity and can play a decent amount of bass down to about 36 Hz, it falls perceptibly short on the quality of mid-range notes. The highly sensitive treble horn on the RF-7 II can give exaggerated breath sounds when listening to female vocals. Some female vocal tracks are downright unbearable on the RF-7 II because of the exaggerated breath sounds, but they same vocals are at least tolerable on the RP-280F.\\n\\nDespite the RF-7 II's shortcomings, I will definitely keep them. The shortcoming aren't enough for me to dislike them because I got them at a great price. The A-stock cherry veneers on the RF-7 II are just too gorgeous to give up. The RF-7 II makes a great decorative statement in my living room. Besides, it would be too much trouble and would cost too much for me to return them. I will use the cosmetically gorgeous RF-7 II for listening to music in my living room and the RP-280F as my main speakers in a 7.2 or 9.2 home theater setup in my TV room. I am very pleased with both sets of speakers.\",\n \"Product: If you can name any song with the first few Chords, love spending Saturday nights cuddled on the couch with a movie that has a great soundtrack, or spend (admittedly more than enough of) your time playing your favorite video game, You deserve high quality sound at a price point that doesn't feel like a guilty pleasure. Make those sounds come alive with the Polk Audio Home theater and music floor standing tower speaker. As the core of the home audio system, the T50 packs a punch. Thanks to the dynamic balance technology, the highs soar, midst Glide smoothly, and the bass gets a massive boost even at the lowest frequencies. Set up in your home, This tower speaker will fill the room with your favorite song, podcast, or movie and game soundtracks.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: muddy, echoey midrange, high end is also too tame\\n\\nReview: I bought these at my local big box retailer while they were on sale for $68 each. I was hoping these Polk T50 would perform as well as the slightly more expensive JBL Arena 170, but these Polk T50 speakers are a total let down.\\n\\nRight out of the box, the Polk T50 has that boomy, boxy, echoey, muddy sound in the midrange. The high also sounds too tame. The speaker sounds as though it is covered by a heavy blanket to make the sound muffled and muddy. This is not a defect with one speaker because both the left and the right speaker sound equally bad. I'm going to give them another week or two to break them in to see if the sound quality will improve. If not, they will be going back to the store for a refund.\",\n \"Product: 140W 9.2-channel home theater receiver with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay, and Dolby Atmos\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: powerful feature packed receiver, but YPOA speaker calibration feature is useless\\n\\nReview: This is a very nice receiver. It has a lot of power to drive power hungry speakers. It's feature packed and the sound quality is very nice. The only thing I don't like about it is the built-in Yamaha YPOA speaker calibration feature. I have a 7.2 surround setup. After calibration using YPOA, my speakers sounded awful. I re-did the speaker calibration manually using a laser distance finder (a tape measure could also be used) to find exact distances between all my speakers and my ears and by using a sound meter to calibrate the sound levels. The sound quality from my manually produced calibration settings sound far superior to what YPOA produced. I have another more Yamaha receiver (a TSR7810) and the results on that using YPOA were equally bad. YPOA is useless.\\n\\nOne thing to be careful of with this powerful 9.2 receiver is the many built-in amps generate a lot of waste heat. Each speaker channel has a separate amp inside the receiver. I have to keep the audio cabinet door permanently open to prevent the cabinet interior from heating up and damaging the receiver.\\n\\nI love the Yamaha MusicCast feature. With it, I don't need pay a monthly subscription fee to access satellite radios. I get lots of high quality, static free music, operas, and talk radios from radio stations around the world.\",\n \"Product: The advanced navigation compass. When venturing out into new territory, these sighting compasses offer precision navigation with a variety of carefully engineered and dependable features for challenging conditions.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: readings frequently not repeatable, due to parallax and sluggishishness\\n\\nReview: This compass is VERY sluggish. The problem is the huge amount of drag and excessive dampening created by the liquid on the full compass card. If the card was perforated (i.e shaped like ring instead of a full disk) it would be much lighter and a lot more responsive and it would also not have so much surface area to create the drag by the fluid. On average it takes half a minute to almost a whole minute for the card to settle down to the final heading. It settles down to the last +- 3 degrees or so quite fast (maybe within 10 seconds), but it settles down to that final 1 to 2 degrees very reluctantly (half a minute to a whole minute). I have to tap it, wobble it, and let it settle to that final 1 or 1/2 degree.\\n\\nThe biggest problem I have with this compass is that the readings are frequently not repeatable. On different attempts the readings frequently differ by 2 to 3 degrees after the disk has settled down. For example one day it might read 240. On another day, it might read 243. And on yet another day it might read 242. That's just too much variance. Then, there is that annoying parallax problem. Left eye reading and right eye reading almost never match, usually differing by about 1 whole degree. I no longer can be certain whatever reading I get is spot on or only good to +-2 to 3 degrees of the true heading.\\n\\nUsing it correctly takes some practice and discipline. One must resist the instinct and the urge to focus on the \\\"needle\\\" (the black vertical line) and instead must use BOTH eyes to focus on the distant object to be measured by superimposing the black line on the object. Then once the compass card has settled down, proceed to read the heading. If one instead focuses on the \\\"needle\\\" first when lining up the needle with the object, there would be easily 5 or more degrees of error due to parallax.\\n\\nIf it is used correctly, I suppose it can be very accurate. Given how sluggish it is and how much parallax can cause errors however, my experience is that it is only AT MOST accurate to +- 1 degree on average. Do you really want to squint your eye and hold the compass for a whole minute? If one has infinite patience it could theoretically achieve a 1/3 degree accuracy if it was mounted on a non-magnetic tripod with a rubber band or tape. But if it is held in the hand, the best one could realistically expect is +- 1 deg accuracy taking into account the sluggishness and potential parallax.\",\n \"Product: This battery-free mechanical pedometer with an award winning design is manufactured-inch Germany with Swiss precision parts. Dimensions: 2.0-Inch x 2.1-Inch x 0.9-Inch weight: 1.5 ounce.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best sighting compass you can buy on Amazon\\n\\nReview: I actually own a K&R Meridian Pro Luminous. The only difference is the Pro Luminous model has a luminous compass card in addition to the Pros luminous ring, but it also costs close to $20 more. The K&R Meridian Pro is in my opinion the best sighting compass you can buy on Amazon. It handily beats the US army lensatic compass design made by Cammenga in precision. You can read down to to 1/3 a degree with the K&R Meridian Pro. You CANT do that with the U.S. Army type lensatic designs, ESPECIALLY with those graduated in user unfriendly 20 mils divisions. The only other sighting compasses that surpass the K&R Meridian Pro are the vaunted British/UK military compasses such as the Francis Barker M88 or M73. The Francis Barker prismatic compasses are in a universe of their own but they cost more than twice as much as the already expensive K&R Meridian Pro.\\n\\nThe K&R Meridian Pro is very easy to read through the prism and it is highly accurate. The markings are graduated in 1 degree increments and it is possible to eyeball between the markings to achieve a REPEATABLE +- 1/2 degree or even 1/3 degree precision. (For comparison, with the same eyeballing I can read down to or maybe even 1/5 of a degree with the Francis Barker M88). The reason the K&R cannot read as finely as the Francis Barker is the K&Rs sighting line is far too thick. The Francis Barkers sighting line is only as thick. The K&R compass dial settles down to the final heading very quickly and remains very stable when held in the hand to give very precise REPEATABLE reading.\\n\\nI stressed the word REPEATABLE +/- 1/2 degree precision because repeatability is an important hallmark of precision. In comparison, one of my other somewhat expensive sighting compasses, the Suunto KB-20 frequently gives readings that are not repeatable. The Suunto readings can be 2 to 3 degrees apart on different attempts, even though the Suunto supposedly has a finer reading line to enable reading down to 1/3 of a degree. I also have a 1950s era U.S. Army surplus M2 pocket transit made by Brunton. That pocket transit is totally user-UNfriendly in every respect. I would never use it. In comparison, the K&R Meridian Pro is a joy to use. The precision, ease of use, repeatability, quick settling of the stable dial makes the K&R far superior to my Suunto SB-20 sighting compass or other sighting compasses I own.\\n\\nThere are several flaws with this K&R Meridian Pro, not enough to downgrade the 5-star rating:\\n\\n1. The lanyard ring is not flush with the bottom surface. It sticks out about 1mm and thus prevents the compass from lying totally flat on a map. Extending the ring (i.e. bending it back the other way) does not help because it sticks out just enough to prevent the compass from lying flat when it is fully extended. This is clearly a design flaw.\\n2. It is heavy (just shy of half a pound) and is probably not a good compass for hikers. That said, it is not designed for light hiking use.\\n3. No declination adjustment.\\n4. The lid is narrower than the base. So if the lid is fully extended to the horizontal position, the base and the lid do not form a continuous line to serve as a handy straight edge.\\n5. The inch and centimeter ruler markings are stick-on labels. They wore away in just a few days from light handling at home. (see picture I attached to this review). This is totally unacceptable. They should have been stamped on like the US Army lensatic compasses. I can of course glue on some stainless steel rulers cut to size to solve this defect.\\n6. Unless you use the clinometer as often as the compass, you will likely find the clinometer simply gets in the way most of the time. It gets tiresome to have to flip up the clinometer every time I want to use the compass and then have to flip it back down when done. The clinometer could have been located below the base to solve this problem.\\n7. It does not come with a lanyard. You have to make your own!\\n8. The sighting line is much thick than is ideal or necessary. It can be made as thick as still be very readable. Having a thinner line would allow more precise reading down to fractions of a degree.\\n\\nIn retrospect I probably don't need the luminous compass card feature and could have saved myself $20. The plain Meridian Pro model with only a luminous ring, but not a luminous card model can be had for $20 less. There aren't situations where I could not or would not use a headlamp to light the dial when taking a reading at night.\",\n \"Product: Belfast, 1909. The Harland and Wolff shipyard has been handed the greatest project in its history. It will build a great, unsinkable ship. And it will be called the RMS Titanic. \\\"Titanic: Blood & Steel\\\" is the untold story of the building of a legend, and the many lives it affected during its 3-year construction. To its wealthy investors, it was a dream. To the middle class who oversaw the project, it was a challenge. But to the working class who built it, Titanic was the start of a revolution. With Ireland under British rule, and the Protestant and Catholic struggle intensifying, Titanic was more than a ship...it was a symbol of ambition, hope and unity.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: much better than James Cameron's \\\"Titanic\\\" the movie\\n\\nReview: It's a shame that this marvelous mini series did not receive much publicity and was distributed through Encore, with its limited viewership. Were it not for Roku and Netflix, I might never have known about this mini series. While I did love James Cameron's Titanic, the movie, it pales in comparison to this mini series in almost every respect except for the superior special effects of the big budgeted movie, but special effects wizardry is no substitute for storyline and acting quality, both of which are superior in the mini series.\\n\\nWhile the movie tells a one-dimensional, simple love story on board the ship, the mini series by virtue of its almost 10-hour length over 12 episodes deals with much more. The mini series also has a love story behind it, but it has time to \\\"spread the love around\\\" literally among several characters instead of just two or three and, more importantly, it adds politics, religion, class, and engineering challenges to the mix.\\n\\nAll the action of the mini series happens while the ship is being built, in the shipyard, and in the streets and homes in the city of Belfast. A page on Wikipedia lists the numerous historical inaccuracies in the mini series, some of which are quite severe, but none really detracted from the movie in retrospect.\\n\\nBeing largely ignorant of the history of Protestant/Catholic strife in Ireland, I learned a great deal about early 1900's Irish culture and the political and religious divide that separated the Protestants and the Catholics by watching this mini series. It was an eye opener.\\n\\nTo American audiences there are a couple of instances where this European-created series was clearly making unnecessary and uncalled-for stereotypical slurs against us Americans by portraying some American characters as excessively ungraceful, uncouth, and loud, but this flaw aside it's still a great entertainment, which I highly recommend.\",\n \"Product: Quick Shipping !!! New And Sealed !!! This Disc WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. A multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player is request to view it in USA/Canada. Please Review Description.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Fantastic movie, but DVD has no English subtitles\\n\\nReview: This is a 5+ star movie with a great story line, great directing, and fantastic acting from all the cast members. I first watched this on Netflix and luckily Netflix offered English subtitles because some of the Aussie-accented dialogs between the troops can be hard to decipher. Disappointingly, the Multi-Format Blueray DVD that I bought here on Amazon doesn't contain any English subtitles or Closed Captioning. I was still able to make out everything they said because I had watched the movie on Netflix with full subtitles and could remember most of the dialogs. Someone watching this for the first time without English subtitles may have a much harder time making out what some of the characters say in that Aussie accent.\",\n \"Product: Inspired by the Hundred Year Pen created by Waterman in 1939, the Charleston Fountain Pen is an Art Deco masterpiece in and of its own. The Charleston's geometric form features a fluted barrel with decorative band and a flowing, wrap-around clip. The Charleston reflects its Art Deco flavor in two versions: black with gold or chrome trim. The Charleston fountain pen offers an exceptional 18K gold nib and accepts cartridge or converter refills. The Waterman Charleston Fountain Pen Features; Fluted barrel with decorative band. Convenient capped design. Nostalgic presentation. 18K gold nib and accepts cartridge or converter refills.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: A lot of fun for $25 but it leaks ink\\n\\nReview: This Jinhao dragon fountain pen is a copy of the Japanese-made solid 18k gold Danitrio Grand Phantas dragon pen. IT does not have the same level details as the solid gold Danitrio, but you can't expect too much from a $25 copy of a $5,000 pen.\\n\\nThe Jinhao pen is a lot of fun to use. When I bring this pen to a meeting, it screams for attention and makes an unmistakable statement not just about itself, but more importantly, also about me the user. It helps to confer on the user an aura of sophistication and power and that the user is a bada** and not some wimp to be messed with. Of course, if the aura thing doesn't work for you, you can always resort to knocking someone into submission with this pen since it weighs a whopping 103 grams or 3.6 oz! It does feel like an intimidating weapon.\\n\\nTo give you an idea of what it feels like to hold this heavy pen in your hand, get FIVE AA alkaline batteries and bundle them together with a rubber band. To be precise, five AA alkaline batteries weigh 114 grams, whereas this pen weighs 103 grams, so five batteries are very close to the weight of this pen.\\n\\nThe medium steel nib is firm but is very smooth and is a total joy to use. I'm sure the nib is flexible, but I wouldn't want to ruin it by testing the flex. It is firm enough that it would take an uncomfortable amount of force to flex it to give varied line widths while doing normal writing and so, for all intents and purposes, it's best used as a stub nib. I use Diamine Majestic Blue ink on mine and it works really well with great ink flow.\\n\\nThere are a few drawbacks with this pen. First there is no pocket clip, but this omission is purposeful by design. It's not a flaw. A pocket clip would obscure some of the intricate details to detract from its gorgeous look. The high dragon heads on both the cap and the barrel keep the pen from rolling off a desk.\\n\\nThe most serious flaw is that the ring just above the nib is not ink-tight. At each filling, if I submerge the nib past this ring, it can store a copious amount of ink in the hollow behind the ring. Despite my attempts to wipe the ring dry with tissue after each filling, it can continue to weep ink to soil my fingers. One solution to this is to fill the gap with some silicone caulking or clear nail polish. I can also pay some attention by not dipping the nib below the ring during filling. Or, I can simply disengage the converter from the pen and fill the converter without dipping the nib at all.\\n\\nAnother major defect on my pen is with the ink cartridge converter. On the pen's second day in my pocket, it leaked EVERY SINGLE DROP of ink into the cap. Luckily none of that spilled onto my shirt. What happened apparently was the converter didn't hold a tight vacuum. A close examination shows that the cheap Chinese-made Jinhao stock converter only has a single loose seal on the plunger. A quality converter such as a German-made Schmidt has two tight seals to prevent vacuum loss. After this leaking episode, I replaced the Jinhao converter with a Schmidt converter.\",\n \"Product: 9 Station, Simple Set Timer, Large, Easy To Read Display and Simple Programming, Set Each Zone Independently For Maximum Flexibility, No Battery Back Up Required, All Settings Are Stored In Permanent Memory, Rain Delay Command For Manual Suspension Of Watering Cycles, Seasonal Adjust To Increase Watering In Hot, Dry Months and Reduce It In Rainy Seasons, Pre-Set Schedules Can Easily Be Modified To Meet Your Specific Requirements.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: This is a very good timer for the money\\n\\nReview: This is a very good timer for the money. It has an independent program for each zone, which is a huge plus for residential applications. It is VERY easy to set compared to some of the timers I used in the past. I have a pre-2012 version of this model, which is identical in every respect to the post-2012 version, except the newer version has an added \\\"water all zones now\\\" button.\\n\\nThe only drawback with this timer is that it doesn't allow setting watering by day intervals. I can only set it based on days of the week or odd vs. even days. There is no capability to water \\\"every four days\\\" or \\\"every five days\\\", for example. The lack of day intervals is a serious drawback.\\n\\nIt also doesn't allow me to set the master pump valve on according to each zone. The master pump valve is on/off for ALL zones. Nor can I change the subsequent start times on zones with multiple starts per day. For example, the second start time for \\\"2 starts per day\\\" is fixed at 6 hours following the initial start time.\\n\\nThe seasonal adjust button is very useful to allow for quick adjustments for all zones based on weather and season. If I know the weather forecast is to be very hot for the the next few days, I will adjust the watering to say 120% or 130% of normal. The timer will automatically adjust all water times accordingly for all zones. Then when the heat wave is gone I dial it back to 100%. And for overcast weather I dial it back to say 80% of normal, etc.\\n\\nAs I stated, this is a very good timer for money. I am tempted to upgrade to a Rainbird ESP-SMTe, but may wait until next spring before doing so.\",\n \"Product: The ever poular MaxPower Pivotrim Pro Commercial Strength Trimmer Head, uses .105-inch Pre-Cut Trimmer Line Strips. The PivoTrim PRO features the proven and patented pivot head design that limits string breaks, reduces reloading times to a matter of seconds.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: works as claimed, but can coil up tough fibers around neck\\n\\nReview: This product really works. However, if I pushed the lines close enough to concrete, the lines would still snap off at the head, but they'd break much less frequently than on traditional trimmer heads. I have found the 20x increase in line life claim to be not far off the mark. Although this product saves me lots of lines, I do have to stop a few times to put in new lines in order to fully trim a suburban backyard overgrown with tall weeds. And each time it takes a couple of minutes to do. With traditional bump feeds, you just bump the head and keep on going without the periodic interruptions, so I'm trading non-interruptions and convenience for line savings when using the Pivotrim head.\\n\\nPivotrim comes in either the Pro version or the standard version. The Pro version takes either 0.095\\\" or 0.105\\\" lines. I suppose it's possible the Pro version can also accept 0.080\\\" lines, but I've never tried it. The standard version takes either 0.080\\\" or 0.095\\\" lines. The Pro version has a heavier and thicker housing.\\n\\nThe only real shortcoming with the Pivotrim not mentioned in its advertisement is that, long, tough, fiberous weeds, such as pampas grass blades, have a strong tendency to coil around the top of the housing, requiring periodic cleanup during a trimming sesson. This is primarily due to the geometry of the head design which creates a narrow neck between the trimmer and the trimmer head that tends to wrap tough grass blades around the neck. It should have a closed trimmer head design like that found on the Husquarnas to prevent this problem.\",\n \"Product: Heavy Duty Pruning Shears A Must Have Part of Your Gardening Tools Set. Far Superior to Cheap Plastic Pruning Shears! Built to Last, Metal on Metal design! Solid Metal Construction With a Polished Aluminium Finish. Trouble Free Hand Pruners are a Integral Part of Your Garden Tools Set. Tough metal on metal construction with an aluminum finish. This pruning shear not only looks great, but is built to last. Much more durable than other similar plastic shears. Sharp Powerful Blades Make This the Best Pruning Shears on the market. The high carbon steel blades on our pruning shears are designed to cut through up to one inch diameter branches with ease! Comfortable Ergonomic Handle, means comfortable pruning with no jamming of the garden shears. The garden pruners has a design which makes it very comfortable in your hand so you can cut for longer periods of time gardening. Quality Engineering, having pruning scissors forged from solid, hardened aluminum is what sets us apart. Attention to detail and quality, our trimmers have a strong return spring and locking mechanism which should last you a long time. All Pruning Shears Are Not Created Equal. Our shears are top quality pruning tools that you can depend on while you plant. Backed by Basilica Botanicas Lifetime Guarantee. Better than any Felco Brand! We will make sure you are completely happy and satisfied with our product or your money back! We are here to help our customers in any way possible! ORDER TODAY! Copyright Basilica Botanica 2014. Sold Exclusively by Basilica Botanica and its Authorized Dealers.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Decent pruners, somewhat overpriced\\n\\nReview: I bought this Basilica Botanica pruner strictly because of the numerous 5 star ratings and rave reviews, but my experience differs somewhat from other users. While I think these are decent pruners, I do not think they come close to the fit and finish and general quality feel of Felco. The quality of the Basilica Botonica is more along the lines of the Chinese-assembled Fiskars. Fresh out of the packaging, the blade on the Basilica Botanica had a rough grind and had a significant burr on the edge. The blade felt as if the edge came freshly out of an 80-grit grinding belt and received no further honing. A Felco would have a much sharper and polished grind without a burr. The rough grind is not something I could not fix on my own, but it nevertheless does not agree with my expectations created by the numerous 5-star ratings from other reviewers.\\n\\nNext consider the primary selling point of the Basilica Botanica pruners, namely the bare, polished aluminum handles construction. It's a rather gimmicky feature because it is nothing more than omitting the rubber/vinyl cushion grips. You could achieve the same effect on a pair of traditional pruners by removing the red cushion grips and giving the resulting bare aluminum handles a bright polish using some extra fine steel wool. Three drawbacks of the bare aluminum handles are the slight slipperiness, your fingers could blacken from rubbing on bare aluminum (although I haven't noticed blackened fingers yet), and it just feels cold to the touch (not a factor if you wear gloves when pruning). I have also noticed the slight slipperiness that some reviewers mentioned but it has not been a problem to me because the curvature of the handles prevents it from slipping out of my hand.\\n\\nThe Basilica Botanica pruners cut very well after I sharpened the blade to a very high degree of sharpness. On a scale of 1 to 10, its cutting performance is now a solid 9 to 10. It in fact cuts noticeably better than my Felco #2. With my Felco, there is always that very noticeable hard snap whenever it cuts through a hard branch. With the Basilica Botanica the snap is noticeably less severe. I definitely prefer the cutting performance of this Basilica Botanica to my Felco 2 pruner. I haven't used the Basilica Botanica sufficiently yet to comment on how well the blade holds an edge. The one obvious issue with the Basilica Botanica is it has a higher tendency to bind than my Felco after making some cuts on resinous or sappy plants such as pines and other conifers. I have to wipe the blades with alcohol or Lysol spray after every 15 to 30 minutes of continuous cutting to keep the blade binding to a minimum.\\n\\nOverall, the Basilica Botanica are good to very good pruners, but honestly they are overpriced because they cost almost as much as a much better built pair of Felco. The high price is evidently why the company can offer a lifetime warranty.\",\n \"Product: The Gardena short-handled geared bypass loppers feature a gear-driven transmission designed to use less manpower for easier, more efficient work. With rustproof, hardened steel blades, the loppers perform clean, easy cutting of tree branches up to 1-1/4 inches in diameter. The upper blade is replaceable for longer tool life. The loppers include ergonomically-shaped handles and sturdy cushioned end stops for easier handling and less stress on the wrists. They are 20 inches in length and include a lifetime warranty.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: great non-ratchet loppers in this size\\n\\nReview: In the old days, people spoke of choosing between bypass and anvil loppers. I think it is more relevant nowadays to talk about choosing between ratcheting and non-ratcheting loppers. Ratcheting types are good for very thick and hard branches, but they are clumsy to use on smaller branches because you have to pump the ratcheting handles several times to cut a single branch. For branches that are not so thick and hard that I need to use ratcheting loppers, I usually go for either the Fiskars(anvil type) or the Gardena(bypass type) non-ratcheting loppers.\\n\\nAided by the mechanical advantage of a gear reduction drive(really a form of compound lever), these Gardena loppers are quite powerful for their size and they are also quite nimble. What the gear drive does essentially is to slow down the closing of the blades. Picture this, between the fully open and the fully closed position the handles of the Gardena loppers have to swing an arc of about 105 degrees for the the blades to move about 60 degrees. These are very rough estimates I made by eyeballing the swing angles. The mechanical advantage here is roughly a 43% reduction in force needed to make a cut versus loppers that don't have a gear reduction drive.\\n\\nThe Fiskars have even more reduction. For the Fiskars, the handles have to swing about 110 degrees for the blades to move 45 degrees. For the Fiskars, the force reduction works out to be about 60%. In actual use the Fiskars I have take noticeably less effort to cut than the Gardena and they both take much less effort to cut than their non-gear driven brethren. The chief disadvantage of the gear driven loppers is that I have to swing the handles much farther apart to make the same size cut as the non-gear type loppers. This is especially true with the Fiskars. This is okay with Fiskars' small loppers, but not quite okay with their big loppers unless you have very long arms.\\n\\nBesides being somewhat blunt to begin with when new, the Fiskars blade also blunts much more easily during use, whereas the Gardena blade is very hard and very difficult to dent. Due to the use of all-plastic handles and anvil, the Fiskars are much lighter, but the Gardena feels more solid because of the metal handles.\\n\\nFor comparison I also own a similarly sized but much more pricey Felco lopper. Both the Gardena and the Fiskars outperform the Felco by a wide margin in terms of force needed to make a cut. The Gardena and the Fiskars both blow the Corona forged blade loppers and the Felco (which have no gear reduction drive) out of the water. The only edge the ultra pricey Felco has over the Gardena and Fiskars is fit and finish of construction and replaceability of parts, but to me performance is much more important.\\n\\nI'd say the Gardena and the Fiskars both have their strengths and weaknesses and overall both are equally desirable to own and to use.\",\n \"Product: The Apex NeverKink professional duty landscaper 5000 5/8-inch-by-75-foot hose is guaranteed not to kink or tangle. It features durable industrial couplings, Microshield -- an antimicrobial protection that guards against mold and mildew -- and a Power Coil protective collar to prevent kinking at the faucet. This 5/8-inch diameter hose remains flexible at temperatures as low as 35 degrees Fahrenheit.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: works as advertized, never kinks\\n\\nReview: I have this exact hose and I can vouch that it has worked precisely as advertised. It doesn't kink and I've used it for close to 4 years now. Both my pure rubber hoses and my other vinyl hoses kink like mad, but not these NeverKink hoses. The magic is in the mesh construction which prevents kinking.\\n\\nI should qualify the above statements by stating that even with these neverkink hoses the user is supposed to minimize introducing twists into the hose. The proper way to unrolling/rolling the hose is by using a hose wheel with a crank handle. If one uncoils the hose by hand without using a hose wheel, every loop of the coil represents a twist along the axis of the hose that ends up as a potential kink when the hose is extended. This is true regardless whether the hose is neverkink or other types. That said, the neverkink hasn't ever kinked once when I used a hose wheel. It's possible it MIGHT kink if I coiled/uncoiled it by hand without a hose wheel, but I'm sure it would still happen to a much less extent compared to other hoses.\\n\\nThe 5000 series is advertised to be flexible down to 35 degrees F and I found this to be true compared to my other vinyl hoses which turn stiff below 40 degrees F. The extra flexibility compared to the cheaper 2000, 3000, and 4000 series is achieved undoubtedly by adding more plasticizers to the vinyl. Since the hose is semi-transparent it is also advertised to have an antimicrobial coating inside to keep microbial growth at bay.\\n\\nWhen I turn the hose on after the water has been sitting in it for a couple of days, the water that comes out usually has a lot of foams for the first gallon or two. I think the foams are caused by the antimicrobial coating or perhaps even the plasticizer chemicals in the hose. Even after 6 years, it still causes a lot foaming. This worries me a bit because I use the hose to water my fruit trees and vegetables. What if the chemicals are harmful and what if they can be absorbed by the plants and end up in my body? I can't imagine either antimicrobial or plastizer chemicals are good for the body.\\n\\nUpdate 2010: I bought one more NeverKink 5000 hose in 2009, but the new one doesn't generate any foams as does the one I bought in 2004. It looks like NeverKind changed the manufacturing process since then.\\n\\nUpdate 2011: The hose I bought in 2004 has fully stopped foaming in 2011, but it has also begun to feel decidedly stiff. There's no question that the plasticizer wore off and perhaps the foaming was caused by the plasticizer. The new hose I bought in 2009 never caused any foaming to begin with, but it also felt stiff from day one, so there is a performance penalty tied to a reduced amount of plasticizer.\",\n \"Product: Toro's 53908 36-Inch 3-Pattern Garden Hose Watering Wand is the perfect solution for watering hard-to-reach areas.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: best wand so far\\n\\nReview: I got really tired of using those cheaply made Chinese wands sold at big box stores that would typically last an average of only a year before breaking or leaking. I am so glad that I finally stumbled across this great wand at Amazon that I'd never seen before at any other retail outlet.\\n\\nAlthough I have only used this Toro wand for a week, I can tell by its solid metal construction that it is built to last. Unlike the plastic trigger handles found on many cheaply made wands, the Toro's handle is metal and should last forever, unless some clumsy footed gardener steps on it.\\n\\nIt has an articulating head for watering hanging flower baskets. The articulating head is very stiff, which is a great feature, because you want the angle to stay set and not inadvertently change at the lightest bump when you move the wand from plant to plant or when you lay the wand on the ground. Prior to using this my other brands of wands with a flimsy articulating heads gave me fits when their angle changed at the lightest bump.\\n\\nIt has three watering patterns: shower, mist, and flood. The flood is really a very soft stream that doesn't have any force, at least with the 30 psi water pressure at my home. It lacks a jet stream setting.\\n\\nIt's not perfect but it's the best wand overall I've ever used yet. The only question mark is whether the trigger mechanism will last without leaking and sticking. Since I've only had this wand for a week, only time will tell.\",\n \"Product: Model HHT25SLTAT Honda 25cc mini 4-stroke engine runs on straight, unleaded gas - no mixing. 17\\\" Semi-Matic (bump feed) head with Quiet Line, standard Flex shaft with limited lifetime warranty for increased durability and superior shock absorption Lightweight (13lbs) for reduced operator fatigue World's lightest 25cc 4-stroke engine Excellent balance and feel New deflector design for increased operator visibility Quick acceleration and excellent torque for demanding jobs Ergonomically designed and positioned controls Two motion trigger design.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: weak engine, weak trimmer, gets bogged down too easily\\n\\nReview: I have this Honda 4-cycle trimmer that I bought new from a local dealer and have been using it for the past 4 to 5 years. I initially loved it because I switched from smelly and messy 2-cycle trimmers. The Honda was the first 4-cycle I ever used and it was like day and night difference compared to the 2-cycle trimmer I had before. It was easier to start, no oil mixing, no fumes, and lower vibration.\\n\\nOne thing that bothered me from day one with this Honda was that it simply lacked power. I complained to the dealer and he turned up the RPM, so it spinned a bit faster than it was designed. That gave it noticeably more power but still it was not quite powerful. After several years of struggling with the low power of this Honda, I was so fed up that I ended up buying another 4-cycle trimmer. This time I bought a Makita 25.4cc, 4-cycle high torque trimmer model EM2652LHN. It's like a night and day difference. The Makita is lighter, has lower vibration, and most importantly, very powerful compared to the Honda. The Makita doesn't get bogged down like the Honda does. The Makita high torque model is priced only $20 to $30 more than the Honda.\\n\\nI'd stay away from this Honda trimmer and recommend buying the Makita high torque model instead.\",\n \"Product: Theres never been a time when water efficiency was more instrumental to your success. And theres never been a Smart Controller thats easier to install and program than the Rain Bird ESP-SMT Smart Control System. This innovative product, combined with our comprehensive support program, is designed to help you grow your business amid mounting water restrictions and a challenging economy. Other Smart Controllers claim simplicity and precision; the Rain Bird ESP-SMT Smart Control System delivers. Combining the simplicity of Rain Bird Extra Simple Programming (ESP) with the accuracy of proven weather-based control, this innovative system is engineered to save valuable time, money and water.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best ET-based controller in this price range\\n\\nReview: I have been using my Rainbird ESP-SMTe for one whole year and I'm absolutely giddy over this product. This is by far the best and most powerful smart irrigation controller in this price range. Nothing else even comes to it in this price range. The ESP-SMTe (with the e at the end) differs from the ESP-SMT in only one significant way: The SMTe model can be expanded to 22 zones with the addition of extra cost expansion modules, whereas the SMT model is limited to 13 zones. Both base models come with only 4 zones. Otherwise all other differences between the two models are few and too minor to be noticeable by most users. You should pay less for the SMT model than the SMTe model.\\n\\nPros:\\n1. Each zone has an independent program to give total flexibility.\\n2. Has a local temperature sensor and rain gauge. Its not a whimpy rain sensor, but a tipping rain gauge. Unlike a rain sensor, a tipping rain gauge can measure actual rainfall.\\n3. The programming is very detailed giving total flexibility as to soil type, root depth, sprinkler application rate, plant or grass type, soil slope, watering windows and days allowed (or not allowed), average weather based on zip code, evapo-transpiration adjustment, shade factor.\\n4. Smart feature can be turned on or off for each zone. If the feature is turned off, it will behave as a traditional time-based zone.\\n5. The master valve function can be enable or disabled for each zone. This is very useful if you have a fertilizer injector that you want to control by zone.\\nCons: There is only one con for me, it has a very STEEP learning curve.\\nAll that powerful capability means it has a very STEEP learning curve. The SMTe controller is not for people who can't (or don't want to spend time to) read manuals or those who simply want an easy to program controller. The unit comes with a simplified and stripped down homeowners manual, but to gain full use of the unit, you should download a contractor manual from the Rainbird website. It's about 90 pages long and will require a couple days of reading and experimenting with the controller to understand at a decent level all its powerful capabilities. Rainbird clearly didn't put enough time in writing a fuller manual to explain everything.\\n\\nTruth: The unit has a STEEP learning curve. All the bad reviews of this controller I have read come from those users who didn't understand the unit to competently program it. Don't laugh, but ESP stands for \\\"Extra Simple Programming\\\". The controller is anything but \\\"simple\\\" to use. Programming is easy ONCE you know what all the variables mean and do. Once you have learned all the nuances of all the programming features you will be rewarded with the best and most capable smart sprinkler controller in this price range currently available.\\n\\nSome common complaints I have read on Amazon are that the unit waters too much or too frequently. This is where programming comes in. There are a ton of variables to set and setting any one of the program variables wrong can result in excessive or inadequate watering. I have spent a fair amount of time tinkering with it and tweaking it for the last few days to see how the water schedule responds. Here are some tips:\\n\\nIf you think it waters too much, there are some explanations and then there are some solutions. First, it is reasonable to assume that these smart controller manufacturers want to err on the side of caution in their program designs. It's better for them to have a controller that waters too much than too little, because watering too little can result in dead plants and that may translate into costly lawsuits for them. So I think they purposely design the controllers to water a little to much rather than just right by default.\\n\\nSecond, suppose your controller does in fact water too much, then what? There are many variables to choose to force the controller to water less in both duration and/or frequency. The first factor you can adjust down is the ET0 factor under Special Features>Advanced Controller Settings. Turning ET0 down to 85% will tell the controller the baseline evapo-transpiration is not as severe as designed by default. This will result in less watering for all ET based zones, but doesn't affect the time-based zones.\\n\\nAnother way to adjust the watering down is to turn up the Net Application Rate. Turning up the NAR will result in shorter watering duration but does not affect watering frequency.\\n\\nYet another way to shorten the duration and frequency is to adjust the shade factor from full sun to 25% shade or even 50% shade or more.\\n\\nYet another way to adjust water is to adjust the zone adjustment factor, by reducing that zone by a certain percentage.\\n\\nYet another way to adjust is by telling the unit what type of plant you have for that zone and adjust the plant root depth setting.\\n\\nIn the plants setting you can tell the controller whether the plant is water hungry or miserly and how deep the roots are. A water hungry plant setting will result in more frequent watering and longer duration. If you have a zone for a lawn and you select cool season grass, it will water more frequently and for longer than for warm season grass.\\n\\nA deep root setting will result in primarily longer interval between watering days, while keeping the average daily water consumption about the same.\\n\\nAfter each adjustment, you should check the estimated schedule to see the effect of the adjustment on the schedule. You will need to tinker with the programming for the first few weeks to get the adjustments right, but once the settings are correctly programmed, that's when the payoff will begin. You can then leave the controller alone and not worry about adjusting it because of rain or heat. The unit will dynamically change the programs according to daily weather and save you time and water. The only maintenance you'll need to do is to open up the rain gauge and clean the rain screen and rain tray perhaps every month or two. It probably will take less than five minutes to do.\\n\\nFor watering flower pots, it can be programmed based on a fixed time interval without using the smart controller features or it can be based on weather. After much experimentation I finally found two different programming settings that allow me to use the weather-based smart features to water my potted plants. I put a gallon per hr. dripper on each potted plant and now I don't have to hand water my potted plants anymore, saving myself close to 45 minutes of precious time every morning. I am happy to share the settings, if anyone is interested.\\n\\nI had a perfectly functional Rainbird SST900i, dumb controller, which I also liked, but it doesn't allow me to program it to turn on the master valve BY ZONE. I plan to use the master valve to enable a fertilizer injector and I don't want to fertilize all zones, such as those with Japanese maples. The ESP-SMTe allows me to enable the master valve only on those zones I choose.\\n\\nI vastly prefer this over any current crop of web-based or WIFI based controllers because those webbased controllers rely on weather data from remote weather stations that may only loosely mirror the weather at my home location. There can be vast differences in rainfall between weather station readings and actual rainfall at my home location. I also don't need the ability to turn on or off the sprinklers using a smart phone after the initial adjustment period. The whole point of smart controllers is once you set it, you can just forget about it and let it run on its own. Almost all of those web-based controllers are only functional for as long as those companies stay in business. Will they be around in a couple years after I buy the unit? I am confident I will be using my ESP-SMTe controller for AT LEAST a good 10 years before needing to upgrade.\\n\\nThe unit is not without faults. Certain adjustments will result in the calculation of how much water is in the soil for that zone to reset to full. For example if I change a zone's setting from specifying a root depth of 7 inches to 6 inches, the soil water level will be reset to full. If the soil water level is already down to say 65% of the soil moisture level, which means the zone is close to being watered in the next day or two, then resetting the moisture level to full means it will skip the next needed watering day until the next cycle, which could be a whole week later. That can result in plants wilting. For this reason, when I change a setting, I have to see when the next scheduled watering is to make sure it's not too far in advance. If it is I will manually water it once for that zone and let the smart feature take over after the manual watering.\\n\\nI also bought a Rainbird remote control for this unit. The remote costs a lot but I bought a used remote and got it at a very deep discount. It can also be jury-rigged to be used with an Orbit remote. So now I have two remotes, but the jury-rigging is not for the average user.\",\n \"Product: Features a Titanium Non-Stick blade and impact resistant AirShoc grips with antimicrobial protection. Blade will resist saps and adhesive substances and is 5x harder than untreated steel so it will stay sharper longer. Easily switches from ratchet to anvil pruner. Lifetime Warranty. Silver/Green handles. Powered by Clauss.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: great for use on hard, dead branches.\\n\\nReview: This pruner is not that well designed and has a couple of rather serious drawbacks.\\n\\n1. The first is the switch for changing between normal mode and ratchet mode is placed right at where the index finger rests when gripping the pruner. If I set it to the ratchet mode, then after only a couple of cuts my index finger would frequently inadvertently bump the switch back to the normal mode, requiring me to constantly having it switch back to ratchet mode. It's a big annoyance. With practice I can train myself to avoid bumping the button, I suppose.\\n\\n2. The lower handle has a very pronounced curve near the tip and is very wide, so that unless you have VERY LARGE hands with VERY LONG fingers, your pinky finger can not reach the handle. Florian's ratchet pruner is like that too, and even worse, and that's why I am not buying a Florian. This means you would be applying force with only three fingers on the lower handle. And since the three finger would be close to the fulcrum point there is the mechanical disadvantage in force. If it were designed so that you could grip it with the full 4 lower fingers, there would be much more cutting force. The only way to grip it with all the fingers is to grip the upper handle with only the thumb and not rest the palm on the upper handle, but doing so would make for a weak and awkward grip where you can't apply full pumping force with your hand.\\n\\nThe cutting performance is acceptable but not great. This pruner does have a place in the garden. However, I would only use this pruner on branches too thick and too hard to cut with my nice bypass pruners.\",\n \"Product: Ecocycle's Backyard Compost Thermometer is your solution to Backyard Composting. With this easy-to-read custom designed anti-fog dial you will be better able to read the temperature of your compost pile. Just insert the stem into your pile and read the temperature. Its that easy! With the FREE E-book you'll learn lots of tips on how to create and maintain a compost pile. This beautifully designed and packaged product comes with a easy to read guide on the back of the packaging. Use it to accurately read the temperature of your pile. We guarantee that this product will last you longer than our competitors so we have included a 100% money-back guarantee to ensure your satisfaction!\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: false advertising, only 5 mm stem, NOT \\\"6 mm\\\" as claimed, glass fogged up from inside the first night\\n\\nReview: This item should be delisted by Amazon for false advertising. The seller makes a big point that the stem is \\\"6 mm\\\" thick but in fact when I received it I used a caliper to measure it and found that it measures only 5 mm, which is typical. In other words, it's no better than its competition. Secondly my unit fogged up inside the glass within the first night. I was going to return it for a full refund, but before I could package it, I accidentally snapped the stem in half, so $26 down the drain.\\n\\nI bought this unit specifically because of its claims \\\"Ecocycle Backyard Compost Thermometer - 20\\\" Stainless Steel (6mm) Stem\\\" vs. its competitors' 4mm stems. It turn out this is totally false advertising!!!\\n\\nThere is also no \\\"free composting ebook.\\\" There is no link or any mention of the so-called \\\"free\\\" composting ebook anywhere in the package I received as was promised in the item descriptions on Amazon.\\n\\nThe temperature reading is accurate, this much I can tell you, but stay away from this thermometer.\",\n \"Product: F903 Features: -Made of diamond-coated hardened steel.-Sharpening stones and tools are essential to the good care of cutting heads.-Extends the life of blades and anvil-blades.-Help minimise the required cutting effort.-Essential for the sharpening, strengthening and honing of blade cutting edges to a professional standard. Dimensions: -Dimensions: 0.5" H x 0.5" W x 3.9" D.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: since no other manufacturer makes a pruner sharpener quite like it, it is well worth the high cost ...\\n\\nReview: This is relatively speaking a very expensive little piece of diamond honing plate. However, since no other manufacturer makes a pruner sharpener quite like it, it is well worth the high cost because it works better than any other pruner sharpener I have used. What makes it so useful is the geometry. The narrow tip end of the oval gets into the tight space between the blade and the anvil. Other pruner sharpeners are so big that they can't squeeze into the tight space all the way towards the screw end of the blade, but the Felco diamond plate can because of the narrow tip.\\n\\nThe most significant factor that affects cutting performance is not who makes the pruner but how sharp the blade is. The performance difference between a razor sharp pruner and a dull pruner is bigger than the performance difference between a highly rated pruner and a mediocre pruner. You can hand me a $6 cheap Chinese-made pruner that has been sharpened to razor sharpness and it will handily outperform the most expensive Swiss, French, or Japanese pruner that has a dull blade. This Felco sharpener is well worth the money.\",\n \"Product: The Fenix L1D CE is digitally regulated and digitally controlled. It has two output modes which produce a total of six levels of output. These modes not only allow the user to select the best compromise between brightness and runtime for any given task, but they also help to aid in an emergency. The L1D CE does all this and still retains a very compact size. If you're looking for solid reliability, digitally-regulated brightness, and compact size, this Fenix is for you.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: ideal everyday carry light\\n\\nReview: This powerful flashlight sports a Cree XLamp 7090-XR module. Cree XLamp 7090-XR modules are the newest LED technology and have the highest efficiency (lumens per watt) of all LED modules currently on the market, beating out even the latest generation Luxeons by a comfortable margin.\\n\\nBecause of its high drain nature, this type of flashlight functions better with NiMH or lithium batteries than with regular alkaline batteries. I will probably put some low self discharge(Rayovac Hybrid or Sanyo Eneloop) NiMH batteries in it. For car use, I prefer the 2 AA size because it is much easier to hold than the puny 1 AA size and the batteries last longer and it's brighter than the 1 AA version to boot.\\n\\nTake the battery life specs with a huge grain of salt as the stated battery life at different settings are grossly optimistic. There is a HUGE variance between the specs and objective battery life test results reported on a well known flashlight review site. At the 135 lumen Turbo mode, the specs state the batteries last for 2.4 hrs., but actual 3rd-party tests show that alkalines last only 41 minutes and 2650mAH NiMH batteries last only 1 Hr. 50 minutes. At the 80 lumen level, the spec says 4 hrs., but tests show 1 Hr. 41 min. with alkalines and 4 hr. 51 mins. with 2650mAH NiMH batteries. Keep in mind that the 3-rd party test results are based on measurement when the output falls to 50% of the starting output, but the battery life drops off like a rock after the 50% mark, especially with NiMH batteries, so the 50% mark is a good measure of practical battery life.\\n\\nAt 6\\\" long, it's about the same length as a 2-AA Mag-lite, only it's slightly thinner than the Mag-lite, especially in the head area. I'd rate it as only dunkable. The o-ring seals are not tight enough for it to be diveable.\\n\\nLike many fixed focus LED flashlights, this light has a rather wide beam. This means the beam radiates out from the light source at a somewhat large angle. This makes it an ideal light for close range use, but it doesn't work that well as a long range spotlight because the throw isn't all that great. Even at the turbo setting with its very large 135 lumens, the beam is so wide and so diffuse beyond 20 feet (think of it as a very bright floodlight) that it's essentially useless beyond 50 ft. to 60 ft. This is not a design flaw of the light. It's just a design philosophy of Fenix that it favors a beam with a broader angle for close range use. A narrow spot beam doesn't give good coverage for objects up close, plus a tight spot beam will be far too blindingly bright up close. Fixed focus lights always involve some compromise. In terms of my personal use, more than 99% of the objects I ever illuminate with a flashlight are well within the 50 feet range, so to me a broad beam pattern definitely is more useful than a tight spot beam.\\n\\nIts lowest setting at 9 lumens has about the same brightness and intensity as a 2AA Maglite with a xenon bulb. Combined with the broad beam, the lowest setting gives the perfect light source for map reading inside a car without interfering with your night vision. And when you need a brighter beam, just gently push the tail button once or twice to toggle to the higher intermediate settings, or twist the front cap to switch to the turbo mode. The SOS mode is kind of a nuisance, but you can quickly bypass it.\\n\\nThe instruction doesn't show the owner how to properly attach the lanyard. The tailcap has two holes and the lanyard has to thread through both holes using a paper clip in order for the lanyard to function correctly. If the lanyard is only threaded through one hole, the flashlight won't stand firmly on its end. The notch in the endcap is not needed if the lanyard is fastened correctly. To do this, thread the lanyard through one hole starting from the outside. Then thread it back out the other hole starting from the inside. Then pass the hand strap through the tiny loop of the string. Once it's done this way, you'll see you don't need the notch. The notch is only needed if you threaded the first hole starting from the inside out, which you shouldn't have done.\\n\\nI'm not sure what the previous reviewer's complaint about the holster is all about. The back of the holster is made with a double ply webbing. There is an opening between the two plies for the belt to slip through to form a secure attachment without requiring the owner to buy anything extra. An alternative method of attaching the holster to the belt is to buy a cheap carabiner or keyring and attach it to the plastic ring on the holster and then hook the carabiner or keyring to the belt or backpack or something.\\n\\nLastly the sales literature's reference to \\\"6 output levels\\\" is marketing fluff. It's actually only 4 output levels, i.e. 9, 40, 80, and 135 lumens, along with two additional output modes besides the steady mode. The strobe mode is at the 135 lumens level and the SOS mode is at the 80 lumens level.\\n\\nIt's a very versatile light, not cheap, but definitely worth the $55 price.\",\n \"Product: GE Reveal LED technology brings the true beauty of your home to life by filtering out dingy yellow tones, unlike ordinary incandescent bulbs, instantly. A19 Reveal LED bulb is rated for Damp Locations. GE Reveal LED bulbs illuminate a color enhanced spectrum of light with the added benefits of long-life, dimmable functionality and instant brightness. Produces Semi-omnidirectional light output of 220 degrees. Dimming capacity from 100% to as low as 20%. The 40-watt LED replacement lamp using 8 watts of energy can save over 80 in energy costs, over the rated life of the lamps versus a standard GE reveal incandescent A19 lamp based on 0.11 per kWh. These lamps use up to 80% less energy compared to incandescent bulbs and contain no lead or mercury. 10-year limited warranty for the GE Reveal 8-watt LED.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Model 63180 has inferior light quality compared to model 69204\\n\\nReview: This a review of the model 63180 GE Reveal bulb. It gives off 800 lumens of warm white light and is called \\\"60-watt equivalent.\\\"\\n\\nFirst off, this GE 63180 Reveal bulb is a 2700K warm color bulb and not a white light bulb that the pictures on the GE Reveal packages portray. The light it gives off is almost identical to the Cree TW series warm white bulbs. In other words, it is SLIGHTLY color corrected give give SLIGHTLY LESS emphasis on yellow by using a bulb filter.\\n\\nIf you want a GE Reveal LED bulb that gives high color quality light, buy the dimmer model 69204 that is also sold on Amazon. Although model 69204 only puts out 570 lumens, its light quality is far superior to that put out by the 800-lumens model 63180 reviewed here. The light quality of the dimmer model 69204 is virtually identical to that put out by the 60-watt incandescent version of the Reveal bulb in that they both give skin tones a rich rosy hue. The brighter model 63180 GE Reveal bulb (and also the Cree TW warm white bulb) instead gives skin tones a pale yellow hue without the rich and pleasant rosy overtones found on model 69204.\\n\\nPeople who buy the GE Reveal bulbs want vibrant colors and to me the higher light output of model 63180 is not worth it at the expense of vibrant color. The poor light quality of model 63180 defeats the whole purpose of the Reveal line of bulbs, which is to give vibrant colors, something model 63180 fails to deliver.\\n\\nUpdate on 5/7/16: Adding insult to injury, the bulb that has poor color died in after just 4 months of very light use. The bulb was put into service on 1/3/2016. Stay away from this bulb. Get the dimmer model 69204 instead. I've had the 69240 for several years now.\",\n \"Product: Finding an affordable LED bulb that looks and lights like an incandescent can be a challenge. There's weird shapes, bulky sizes and most carry a hefty price tag. Cree LED bulbs are different. Only Cree LED bulbs look and light like an incandescent, while using up to 85% less energy and lasting 25 times longer. Made with a glass bulb like an incandescent, so it has that incandescent filament look. The light from Cree LED bulbs comes on instantly and is omnidirectional, fully distributing light above, below and all-around the bulb. Cree LED bulbs: easy on the eyes and your wallet.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Philips Ambient bulb is better\\n\\nReview: There are notable differences between this Cree 9.5 watts warm white bulb and the Philips 12.5 watts A19 Ambient warm white bulb, both of which I own.\\n\\nEnergy usage: Cree wins. Cree uses only 9.5 watts compared to the Philips 12.5 watts. Cree is also noticeably cooler to the touch than Philips.\\n\\nLight color: Tie. Both Cree and Philips put out the same yellowish color as a regular warm white bulb. I personally find the 2700K color of regular warm white to be too yellow because they distort the color rendition of objects. I much prefer the more vibrant, bluer, and less yellowish color of bulbs such as the GE Reveal series.\\n\\nShape: Cree wins, if external appearance of the bulb shape matters to your application. Cree is closer to the traditional pear shape of regular bulbs than is the futuristic looks of the Philips Ambient. If the bulb is not hidden behind a shade, the Cree's more traditional shape may win, but if both are obscured behind a shade, the different shapes wouldn't matter.\\n\\nBuzzing sound when used with a dimmer switch: Philips wins here. Cree has a more noticeable buzzing sound when used on a lamp with a dimmer. With the Philips, although there is also a buzzing sound when the light is dimmed, the buzzing sound goes away at full brightness. With the Cree, the buzzing sound stays throughout the range of the dimmer. However, I must point out that when they do buzz, the sound level is about the same for both the Cree and the Philips.\\n\\nUniformity of light viewing from all directions: Philips wins. The Cree bulb's light output is concentrated on the sides and towards the base. There is a very noticeable dark area at the tip of the Cree bulb. The result is when I put the Cree bulb in certain lamps, it does not light up the lamp shade evenly. With the Philips bulb, the light output is very even whether viewed from the top, side, or towards the base. It's a bit perplexing and amazing that Cree would release a bulb with this easily fixable flaw.\\n\\nLight out: Phllips wins big here because the light output specs of the Philips is more conservative. Although both are rated to be equivalent to a 60W incandescent bulb and both are rated at \\\"800 Lumens\\\", the Phllips puts out about 18% more light than the Cree measured at the same distance. I confirmed this using a light meter. The light output of the Cree dropped by roughly 10% once it became fully warmed up compared to cold temperature output. In comparison the output of the Philips dropped by only about 5% after it fully warmed up. I measured the light output of both bulbs after they have both fully warmed up. Keep in mind however that the Philips uses 12.5W and the Cree uses 9.5W. In terms of light output per watt, Cree wins slightly, but in terms of total light output after warming up, Philips wins.\\n\\nCost: Cree wins by $3 to $4, if you know where to shop. On Amazon, their prices are about the same.\\n\\nOverall, despite the 3 watts energy savings and lower cost advantages of the Cree, I prefer the Philips for my particular applications because of the Philips' uniformity of light, higher light output, and less chance of having a buzzing sound when used on a dimmer switch.\",\n \"Product: Monitor & Manage Your Power Our Smart Plug with Power Meter is a new generation of smart plug for your home. Use your Smartphone or tablet to Turn electronic devices on or off from anywhere, and monitor the status and power usage of your appliances. Easy Setup & Smart Notifications Setup couldn't be any easier and is all done on your Smartphone or tablet. Once the Smart Plug is up and running, email notifications can keep you updated about alarm events and which appliances and electronics are switched on/off via the Edi Plug app. Receive power usage reports and notifications that usage is over your budget. Make sure your intelligent home is working properly and keep track of what's going on in a busy, family home. Instant Savings with Auto Budget Start saving money right out of the box with our built-in budget feature. Set a daily, weekly or monthly power limit for your appliance and the Smart Plug will automatically switch off and give you an email alert when you hit the limit. You can set the limit as well as view your history, in kWh or in real currency for a genuine, easy insight into how much you spend on each appliance and when it should be switched off. And a Smart Plug with Power Meter stores your history for up to twelve months, so you can analyze and find out exactly what's draining your budget. You'll probably be surprised by how much you can save. SOFTWARE FEATURES (1) Turn devices on & off with the mobile app (iOS / Android) from anywhere (2) Monitor & manage your power (3) Automated power usage reports & email alerts (4) Automatic budget control feature (5) Real time power data and history with daily, weekly & monthly stats (6) Wireless installation with a Smartphone or tablet (7) No additional hardware required (8) Create on/off schedules for your devices\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: a multifunction power meter and remote switch that can save you a lot of money over time\\n\\nReview: This is a very nice product. It does much more than the dumb P3 Kill A Watt power meters. It has a WiFi capability that allows me to:\\n\\n1. track instantaneous and cumulative power usage and current draw from anywhere in the world. It allows me to input electricity unit cost so that the power usage can be converted to $.\\n2. use it as a timer/scheduler that allows it to turn on or off appliances based on a fixed schedule. This feature can be disabled.\\n3. use it as a remote switch. I can use my cell phone to turn appliances on/off from anywhere in the world.\\n\\nIt also has a user-selectable current limit, power limit, or usage limit. For example, I can program it so that if the current/power or power usage exceeds a certain amount, the unit will shut off.\\n\\nIt has allowed me to make informed decisions. For example, it has allowed me to learn that my still-functional 1996-vintage refrigerator consumes about $200 worth of electricity a year and that buying a new refrigerator would not save me enough electricity to justify buying a new fridge.\\n\\nIt has also allowed me to see that my TV entertainment center has a lot of parasitic load even when not in use. All those wall-warts attached to the DVD players, etc consume about $22 watts of power just sitting there when I am not watching TV. That means my entertainment center consumes about $45 worth of electricity a years doing nothing. With the remote switch, I can conveniently turn these appliances off at the wall switch by using either the timer/schedule function or manually through the cell phone app.\\n\\nThe only ding I can give it is that its timer/schedule feature doesn't a have sunrise/sunset tracking feature. It would be nice if, for example, it could turn on or off lights based on ever-changing sunrise and sunset times at user-selectable 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 1/2 hrs., 1 hrs. before/after sunrise/sunset.\",\n \"Product: The Cree TW Series LED bulb provides one of the most beautiful and natural LED lights ever produced, with a nearly unmatched Color Rendering Index (CRI) of 93. Add that to the fact that it looks like a traditional incandescent light bulb, uses at least 78% less energy and is designed to last 25 times longer. Light up your life with colors that are true and natural.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: 22yr or 20,000+ hrs. longevity claim is a sham\\n\\nReview: Don't buy these Cree bulbs. They last NOWHERE(!) near the 22 yr. life claim. I bought 8 of them in 2014 from Home Depot when these Cree TW bulbs first came out. They were very pricey back then. I put four of them in my kitchen fixtures in December/2014. They were used on average about 4 hrs. in the morning and 5 hrs at night (so combined usage averaged about 9 hrs. a day). It's now Oct./2016 and EVERY SINGLE ONE of them has burned out. They lasted on average 1.5 yrs. for 9 hrs. a day before burning out. That means my Cree bulbs burned out at under 5,000 hrs. of operation. That's a far cry from the 20,000+ hours they were advertised to last.\\n\\nI actually saved up a couple of the receipts and took the burned out bulbs back to the Home Depot and complained. The Home Depot manager gave me $8 refund back for each defective bulb.\",\n \"Product: We've combined a traditional water level with a built-in measuring tape to produce a new type of water level - The WatrLevel. Fast to set-up, easy to use, and very accurate. You're going to be surprised how usefull this tool is, use it everywhere - making concrete forms, placing deck blocks, grading a lawn, installing drain lines, painting, fence building, checking for settling or sag, leveling a mobile home, home inspection, landscaping, installing doors & gates, installing posts, t-bar installation - so many we can't even think of them all. Why pay for a laser level or transit when the WatrLevel does the job just as good, even better than they do? Frequently Asked Questions: What is a WatrLevel? The WatrLevel is a simple tool that measures vertically. It is primarily used in two ways: MEASURE CHANGE - it will vertical change from one point to another point(s). FIND LEVEL - find the level point from one point to other point(s). What is it used for? The WatrLevel is used for the same applications as a Transit or a Laser Level (plus some more). How does the WatrLevel work? The WatrLevel utilizes the principal that water seeks it's own level. The WatrLevel consists of three main parts: the reservoir, the tubing, and the measuring staff. The water in the reservoir will travel through the tubing and seeks the same level as the water in the reservoir. As long as the water can move freely between the reservoir and the tubing, the level in the tubing and the level in the reservoir will always be exactly the same. The WatrLevel uses a measuring staff with a moveable scale. It's this moveable scale that sets the WatrLevel apart from other water levels. When you match the zero point on the scale to the water in the tubing (we call this set-zero) you essentially transfer the level in the reservoir to the staff. Wherever you take the staff you cn take measurements. See our website for detailed information - www.watrlevel.com\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: works most of the time\\n\\nReview: After my complete dissatisfaction over the Zircon junk box of a water level, I bought this Watrlevel. The Watrlevel works mostly. Whereas the Zircon's primary problem is the error prone electronic unit, the Watrlevel's problem is generally the error introduced by parallax due to the thick aluminum/plastic housing which separates the colored tubing and the sliding tape measure from the object I'm measuring. It should have come with a sliding T-square contraption to eliminate this parallax error. Otherwise all the advertising claim about 1/16\\\" or 1/32\\\" accuracy would be meaningless. I estimate that there can easily be 1/8\\\", to as much as 1/4\\\", error introduced to the measurement by parallax, depending on how far the sliding tape measure and colored water level column are from the object I'm measuring. I coped with this by lining up the object and the sliding tape measure by a try square. I felt like I needed 3 hands to do this job.\\n\\nAlso, despite my best efforts, the water level frequently drifted from measurement to measurement, i.e. after I made one measurement, I tried to repeat the whole process to double-check, by going back to the reference and back to the object. Oftentimes, the second measurement differed from the first by a 1/4\\\" or more. It's extremely frustrating. I don't know what caused it. I eliminated all sources of error I could think of: i.e. I dealt with the parallax, I did not step on the tubing, and I made sure all water outlets were opened to the atmosphere so that the water could flow freely. Still, the measurement non-repeatability frequently arose. This same non-repeatability also happened with the Zircon junk box.\\n\\nAnother interesting thing I found about water levels is that as the sun shone on the tubings and the water while I was in the middle of several measurements, the water volume and tubing volume would both expand, and the tubing lengthened, and the water level would change. This could mess up the measurements. This can be coped with by going back to the reference point to reset everything after every couple of measurements.\\n\\nWater levels are terribly frustrating to use if you want high accuracy, even though in concept they should work simply and perfectly. The problem is they are not simple to use and they are not perfect in practice. If your project can tolerate a level inaccuracy of up to 1/2\\\", then maybe water levels may be okay and can be an economical leveling solution. But for me I want as high an accuracy as possible and a measuring device that can not give consistent/repeatable measurement is in my opinion inherently inaccurate. I ended up buying a decent laser level to get the deck rebuild job done.\",\n \"Product: G7 Power introduces Vintage, the LED bulb with the traditional look. LED filaments give off warm, incandescent-like light over 360 degrees. This bulb is perfect for homes, restaurants, bars and places where classic style and appearance matters. At only 3.6 Watts, this bulb has redefined efficiency, even in LED terms. Questions and comments are welcome at supportatg7power.com.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: bulb actually uses 8 watts and not \\\"3.6 watts\\\"!!!!\\n\\nReview: I was in love with this LED bulb until today when I took a multimeter to measure the current draw and calculated the wattage. It turns out this bulb consumes about 8.0 Watts!!! That's a far cry from the \\\"3.6 watts\\\" claimed on the package.\\n\\nG7 Power no longer sells this bulb on their website and I wonder why.\\n\\nThis bulb was not the first to misrepresent the energy savings and won't be the last, but I'm just surprised at the big discrepancy.\\n\\nCFL bulbs are the worst offenders when it comes to exaggerating the actual energy savings.\\n\\nSome examples of the bulbs I have at home:\\n\\nG7 Power \\\"3.6W\\\" vintage LED actually uses 8 watts.\\nA no-name \\\"23W\\\" CFL actually uses 43 watts\\nAn Ecosmart \\\"14W\\\" CFL actually uses 24 watts\\nA Sylvania \\\"9W\\\" CFL actually uses 18 watts\\nA \\\"10.5W\\\" Philips LED bulb actually uses 21 watts.\\n\\nMost LED bulbs I have are quite accurate in stating the watts, but there are clearly exceptions. The Cree bulbs I got are accurate in the stated vs. actual energy usage. All my incandescent bulbs are very accurate in the stated energy usage.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":35,"string":"35"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":381,"string":"381"}}},{"rowIdx":382,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"AVU767WD16ZRX"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"Running Out of Battery? Charge Your Phone Wherever You Are Effortlessly How many times were you outside, for a drink or a walk and you suddenly discovered that you were running out of battery? Do you ever forget your charger at home and don't know how to charge your phone? What if you miss an important call, text or reminder because you don't have battery? Don't worry, you can now charge your phone at any place easily! Introducing The New Innogie Air Series 6600mAh External Battery Power Bank Innogie's power charger is the best way to charge your phone when you are outside using alien energy. With Innogie charger you will always have your phone charged using the most stylish portable charger! Why You Should Buy This Phone Portable Charger Right Now: - It's very practical and convenient while it also makes you look cool. - It comes along with 2 year guarantee and additional insurance. - It has high capacity battery.(6600mAh) It can give 3x full charge to iPhone 6 and iPhone 5s, 2x full charge to iPhone 6 plus, almost 2x full charge to Galaxy S5 and 3x full charge to most other phones! - It's compact and you can easily take it anywhere because of its handy shape. - Very safe! Compare with 18650 battery cell, Li-Polymer cell has higher energy density and more stable - It works with the innovative smart switch technology and offers 93% energy conversion rate. You will never run out of battery. - Wide Compatibility : Works with smart phones from Apple, Samsung, Google, HTC, Nokia, LG, and most other popular smart phones. Works with iPad, Kindle, Samsung Galaxy, Google Note and most other popular tablets. Order Now to Get The Highly rated Portable Phone Charger in the Market!\". The summary of the review text is \"Great single USB portable charger!\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"This is a great portable charger to carry around wherever you go. It's about the same size as my iPhone 6. It charges fairly fast and it gives you several full charges. There is blue lights that flashes when it does charge and it lights up when you are charging your device as well so you know when it needs to be recharged again. The only issue I had was it didn't come in a dual USB ports to charge 2 devices at a time as described and pictures but the pic has been changed to the correct 1 USB port. I haven't notice the device heating up so that's a plus. Other than that, I have been satisfied with the use of this product.\n\nDisclaimer: This product was bought at a promotional price for the purpose of a product review. This is also an unbiased opinion."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"This is a great portable charger to carry around wherever you go. It's about the same size as my iPhone 6. It charges fairly fast and it gives you several full charges. There is blue lights that flashes when it does charge and it lights up when you are charging your device as well so you know when it needs to be recharged again. The only issue I had was it didn't come in a dual USB ports to charge 2 devices at a time as described and pictures but the pic has been changed to the correct 1 USB port. I haven't notice the device heating up so that's a plus. Other than that, I have been satisfied with the use of this product.\n\nDisclaimer: This product was bought at a promotional price for the purpose of a product review. This is also an unbiased opinion."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: The health benefits of tea are universally known. With their anti-oxidant properties and the soothing and relaxing feeling of sitting down to a great cup of steaming hot tea cannot be beat. And every tea drinker can never have enough tea infusers in their kitchen drawers. With that said if you buy two or more you will get a discount. This is your go-to infuser that you will find yourself reaching for again and again. It is the ideal infuser for getting that perfect cup of tea every time. Due to the unique pyramid shape of this tea infuser it allows your hot water to pull every ounce of flavor from your tea leaves. And if you love buying those higher-priced premium teas you can bet you will get the best flavor for the money you spend on your tea leaves. Do not let another day go by without having this high-quality, everyday-use tea infuser. You can use this without having to worry about the mess of paper tea bags and save the environment without any paper waste. Whether you like to spend your mornings with the newspaper sipping on your favorite Earl Grey tea or if you like to take a midafternoon break with a nice steaming cup of everyones favorite green tea and all the health benefits that provides you will love the efficiency of using this quality tea infuser. And the Makimy Brand is known not only for our quality and outstanding customer service but you will love the simple but distinct gray and orange packaging (made from recycled materials only) we use for all our products. So buy this infuser today and start living the good life.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Good Infuser for teas and others!\n\nReview: Good product to have for your loose tea. This has a lock to make sure it doesn't open when in use. I actually used this for peppercorns for a dish I made since I didn't want it to go all over food I made. I have toddlers that it's hard to pick them away one by one so I used this as an infuser for the peppercorns and it worked. The opening was secure while it was being used. The lock on it was good and tight that it didn't open up accidentally. I'll try to see what other uses I can do with this infuser other than just teas.\n\nDisclaimer: This product was bought at a promotional price for the purpose of a product review. This is also an unbiased opinion.","Product: New Multi-function Swizzz Prozzz Manual Food Chopper for Fruits and Vegetables Includes a Salad/herbs Spinner ****Best Guaranteed Food Choppers to Include in Your Cookware\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Pretty good manual food processor!\n\nReview: I received this product in 2 days. Once I opened it, I was a little confused on certain parts of it. I then contacted the seller if they have a website where I can find instructions on it. I did get a quick reply stating that they don't have one at the moment. When I checked my email the next day, the seller emailed me again and included a parts and instructions sheet. It does seem like this product uses is self-explanatory but having an instruction sheet does help me make sure that I am using it the right way and I can also prolong the use of this product.\n\nI am quite satisfied with the product as I have used it to chopped onions, ginger, and water chestnuts. I will also try this with making baby food pure for my infant. It's good to know that I can bring this product with me where electricity is not provided like camping or any outdoor activities that require cooking. It is very easy to clean and just make sure the part with the pull mechanism isn't submerged in water.\n\nDisclaimer: This product was received for free for the purpose of a product review. This is also an unbiased opinion.","Product: BonBon (TM) bandana bibs have 2 snap closures making them easily adjustable. They are made of 100% cotton. They are soft and comfortable to wear. thay Are soft and comfortable to wear, The perfect accessory for your drooling baby. Look cool and fashionable unlike a regular bib\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I really like this drool bibs!\n\nReview: I am liking these drool bibs so far. It is perfect for my teething baby who drools like crazy everywhere. The cloth material is soft to the touch and the underside of it seems absorbent enough for all the drools. I like the design of these bibs because it seems like it'll catch more of the drools my baby makes. They are the perfect size for my baby too. I like the different designs and it's pretty unisex. I also like that they are snap button instead of the Velcro kind of closure. My baby look so stylish wearing these drool bibs!\nAlso, a wash net is included with the bibs and also got a spoon and fork that seems to change color when food is still hot, which is such a bonus! Love them!\n\nDisclaimer: This product was bought at a promotional price for the purpose of a product review. This is also an unbiased opinion.","Product: New Star Foodservice Flexible Cutting Board Set, 9.5-Inch by 14-Inch, Set of 3, Assorted Colors\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good flexible plastic cutting boards with pic labels\n\nReview: I like how flexible these colorful plastic cutting boards are. It's great to use when I'm cutting anything that needs to be diced or minced into small pieces. I know that I can fold it and just put it in any container without having any of it spill. I also like the picture included on the plastic boards to make sure nothing is cross contaminated when cutting between meats, poultry and vegetables. The only downfall with any plastic cutting boards is when using really sharp knife, you cannot avoid getting knife marks on the boards. Other than that, I am fairly satisfied with this product.\n\nDisclaimer: This product was bought at a promotional price for the purpose of a product review. This is also an unbiased opinion.","Product: Bamboo Crew socks will quickly become your favorite because of their softness, style, comfort and breathability. Our socks are discreetly tailored to disappear beneath the top edge of your shoes. No one will see that you're wearing socks at all, and you'll get all of the protection that you need to keep your feet smelling great. Bamboo is a very breathable, soft and hypoallergenic which makes bamboo a much better choice for mens socks than cotton. Protect your feet from fungus and germs without compromising your sock-less style! Make Bamboo Crew your pick for happy, clean feet with no unsightly sock lines!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good no show socks for everyday wear!\n\nReview: I have gotten these socks for my husband and he likes wearing them. My husband never really wears no show socks with his low cut shoes but these socks have made them more comfortable to wear. He has worn them a lot of times already and also have washed them a lot and they still look great. He did feel that the size fits him well. The material and make us soft to the feet when I tried them on also. It is suppose to be made of natural bamboo fiber and more resistant in odors. When he wears them in his shoes, you cannot tell that he is wearing socks inside. He also likes that there is a grip on the heel to prevent it from slipping off his feet. He definitely has added these no show socks in his wardrobe.\n\nDisclaimer: This product was received for free for the purpose of a product review. This is also an unbiased opinion.","Product: Skipping-rope is no longer just for girls or boxing but is recognized as one of the most efficient ways to burn calories, tone muscle, strengthen your upper and lower body and develop a healthy heart. And it's fun! Always losing count of your jmuping during training? This keeps track so you don't even have to think about it. What other exercise equipment provides so much benefit for such low cost?\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good jump rope with a counter!\n\nReview: I got this jump rope thinking it was for my kids when they're able to use it when they're a little older but I'm glad it's adjustable that I can use it also. Ever since I had kids, it's been hard for me to work out and having this jump rope can be one of my routine to do for exercising. I really like how it has a counter built in so I don't have to tally down how much I have done. It's fairly lightweight and easily adjusted and used by anyone. The grip handles are comfortable to hold also. Im fairly satisfied with it so far.\n\nDisclaimer: This product was received for free for the purpose of a product review. This is also an unbiased opinion.","Product: Looking for the perfect way to protect your iphone 6/6 s investment? Cellpro might have the right solution for you the cellpro iphone7 and 6s perfect bundle flawlessly combines the tempered glass screen protector and the premium ultra slim silicone case this way you will be able to enjoy and use your phone 100% care-free why is the cellpro screen protector different? Well check out its following features: - Strengthened 9h hardness glass - 3d touch compatible - ultra thin: Only 0.2 mm - highly responsive - high transparency - scratch resistant coating - anti-shattering coating - hydrophobic and oleo phobic - protects against oil and sweat residues - zero bubbles left after proper installation - chip resistant due to the new technology of rounded edges design - rounded touch id button edge - compatible with most cases and accessories why is the cellpro silicone case the perfect match for our screen protector? Thanks to this following features: - Ultra slim : 0.8 mm - lightweight - 100% deform-resistant - impact and drops resistant - due to the air cushion technology - smart details: Buttons are very easy to feel and press - great access to all of your phone's ports, sensors, speakers and cameras - perfect fit for iphone 7 and 6 s the cellpro iphone 7 and 6 s perfect bundle contains: 1x screen protector 1x silicone case 1x dust-absorber 1x micro-fiber cloth 3x guide stickers dry and wet wipes instructions for easy installation. The ballistic crystal clear glass does not cover the entire screen due to its new technology of rounded edges design for enhancing the compatibility with the soft tpu case offered in the cell pro premium bundle.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good screen protector and silicon case combo\n\nReview: This combination of silicon case and screen protector is just what I need for my iPhone 6. The silicon case fits perfectly on my phone. It is slightly slimmer than the silicon case I previously used so I'm not sure what type of protection it has when dropped. So far I dropped it once and it's been okay. The screen protector is also easy to install and I'll have some peace of mind that my screen won't immediately shatter when dropped. I especially need this since I have toddlers who ends up playing with my phone at times. Overall, these items can do what the purpose it is for.\n\nDisclaimer: This product was received for free for the purpose of a product review. This is also an unbiased opinion."],"string":"[\n \"Product: The health benefits of tea are universally known. With their anti-oxidant properties and the soothing and relaxing feeling of sitting down to a great cup of steaming hot tea cannot be beat. And every tea drinker can never have enough tea infusers in their kitchen drawers. With that said if you buy two or more you will get a discount. This is your go-to infuser that you will find yourself reaching for again and again. It is the ideal infuser for getting that perfect cup of tea every time. Due to the unique pyramid shape of this tea infuser it allows your hot water to pull every ounce of flavor from your tea leaves. And if you love buying those higher-priced premium teas you can bet you will get the best flavor for the money you spend on your tea leaves. Do not let another day go by without having this high-quality, everyday-use tea infuser. You can use this without having to worry about the mess of paper tea bags and save the environment without any paper waste. Whether you like to spend your mornings with the newspaper sipping on your favorite Earl Grey tea or if you like to take a midafternoon break with a nice steaming cup of everyones favorite green tea and all the health benefits that provides you will love the efficiency of using this quality tea infuser. And the Makimy Brand is known not only for our quality and outstanding customer service but you will love the simple but distinct gray and orange packaging (made from recycled materials only) we use for all our products. So buy this infuser today and start living the good life.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Good Infuser for teas and others!\\n\\nReview: Good product to have for your loose tea. This has a lock to make sure it doesn't open when in use. I actually used this for peppercorns for a dish I made since I didn't want it to go all over food I made. I have toddlers that it's hard to pick them away one by one so I used this as an infuser for the peppercorns and it worked. The opening was secure while it was being used. The lock on it was good and tight that it didn't open up accidentally. I'll try to see what other uses I can do with this infuser other than just teas.\\n\\nDisclaimer: This product was bought at a promotional price for the purpose of a product review. This is also an unbiased opinion.\",\n \"Product: New Multi-function Swizzz Prozzz Manual Food Chopper for Fruits and Vegetables Includes a Salad/herbs Spinner ****Best Guaranteed Food Choppers to Include in Your Cookware\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Pretty good manual food processor!\\n\\nReview: I received this product in 2 days. Once I opened it, I was a little confused on certain parts of it. I then contacted the seller if they have a website where I can find instructions on it. I did get a quick reply stating that they don't have one at the moment. When I checked my email the next day, the seller emailed me again and included a parts and instructions sheet. It does seem like this product uses is self-explanatory but having an instruction sheet does help me make sure that I am using it the right way and I can also prolong the use of this product.\\n\\nI am quite satisfied with the product as I have used it to chopped onions, ginger, and water chestnuts. I will also try this with making baby food pure for my infant. It's good to know that I can bring this product with me where electricity is not provided like camping or any outdoor activities that require cooking. It is very easy to clean and just make sure the part with the pull mechanism isn't submerged in water.\\n\\nDisclaimer: This product was received for free for the purpose of a product review. This is also an unbiased opinion.\",\n \"Product: BonBon (TM) bandana bibs have 2 snap closures making them easily adjustable. They are made of 100% cotton. They are soft and comfortable to wear. thay Are soft and comfortable to wear, The perfect accessory for your drooling baby. Look cool and fashionable unlike a regular bib\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I really like this drool bibs!\\n\\nReview: I am liking these drool bibs so far. It is perfect for my teething baby who drools like crazy everywhere. The cloth material is soft to the touch and the underside of it seems absorbent enough for all the drools. I like the design of these bibs because it seems like it'll catch more of the drools my baby makes. They are the perfect size for my baby too. I like the different designs and it's pretty unisex. I also like that they are snap button instead of the Velcro kind of closure. My baby look so stylish wearing these drool bibs!\\nAlso, a wash net is included with the bibs and also got a spoon and fork that seems to change color when food is still hot, which is such a bonus! Love them!\\n\\nDisclaimer: This product was bought at a promotional price for the purpose of a product review. This is also an unbiased opinion.\",\n \"Product: New Star Foodservice Flexible Cutting Board Set, 9.5-Inch by 14-Inch, Set of 3, Assorted Colors\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good flexible plastic cutting boards with pic labels\\n\\nReview: I like how flexible these colorful plastic cutting boards are. It's great to use when I'm cutting anything that needs to be diced or minced into small pieces. I know that I can fold it and just put it in any container without having any of it spill. I also like the picture included on the plastic boards to make sure nothing is cross contaminated when cutting between meats, poultry and vegetables. The only downfall with any plastic cutting boards is when using really sharp knife, you cannot avoid getting knife marks on the boards. Other than that, I am fairly satisfied with this product.\\n\\nDisclaimer: This product was bought at a promotional price for the purpose of a product review. This is also an unbiased opinion.\",\n \"Product: Bamboo Crew socks will quickly become your favorite because of their softness, style, comfort and breathability. Our socks are discreetly tailored to disappear beneath the top edge of your shoes. No one will see that you're wearing socks at all, and you'll get all of the protection that you need to keep your feet smelling great. Bamboo is a very breathable, soft and hypoallergenic which makes bamboo a much better choice for mens socks than cotton. Protect your feet from fungus and germs without compromising your sock-less style! Make Bamboo Crew your pick for happy, clean feet with no unsightly sock lines!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good no show socks for everyday wear!\\n\\nReview: I have gotten these socks for my husband and he likes wearing them. My husband never really wears no show socks with his low cut shoes but these socks have made them more comfortable to wear. He has worn them a lot of times already and also have washed them a lot and they still look great. He did feel that the size fits him well. The material and make us soft to the feet when I tried them on also. It is suppose to be made of natural bamboo fiber and more resistant in odors. When he wears them in his shoes, you cannot tell that he is wearing socks inside. He also likes that there is a grip on the heel to prevent it from slipping off his feet. He definitely has added these no show socks in his wardrobe.\\n\\nDisclaimer: This product was received for free for the purpose of a product review. This is also an unbiased opinion.\",\n \"Product: Skipping-rope is no longer just for girls or boxing but is recognized as one of the most efficient ways to burn calories, tone muscle, strengthen your upper and lower body and develop a healthy heart. And it's fun! Always losing count of your jmuping during training? This keeps track so you don't even have to think about it. What other exercise equipment provides so much benefit for such low cost?\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good jump rope with a counter!\\n\\nReview: I got this jump rope thinking it was for my kids when they're able to use it when they're a little older but I'm glad it's adjustable that I can use it also. Ever since I had kids, it's been hard for me to work out and having this jump rope can be one of my routine to do for exercising. I really like how it has a counter built in so I don't have to tally down how much I have done. It's fairly lightweight and easily adjusted and used by anyone. The grip handles are comfortable to hold also. Im fairly satisfied with it so far.\\n\\nDisclaimer: This product was received for free for the purpose of a product review. This is also an unbiased opinion.\",\n \"Product: Looking for the perfect way to protect your iphone 6/6 s investment? Cellpro might have the right solution for you the cellpro iphone7 and 6s perfect bundle flawlessly combines the tempered glass screen protector and the premium ultra slim silicone case this way you will be able to enjoy and use your phone 100% care-free why is the cellpro screen protector different? Well check out its following features: - Strengthened 9h hardness glass - 3d touch compatible - ultra thin: Only 0.2 mm - highly responsive - high transparency - scratch resistant coating - anti-shattering coating - hydrophobic and oleo phobic - protects against oil and sweat residues - zero bubbles left after proper installation - chip resistant due to the new technology of rounded edges design - rounded touch id button edge - compatible with most cases and accessories why is the cellpro silicone case the perfect match for our screen protector? Thanks to this following features: - Ultra slim : 0.8 mm - lightweight - 100% deform-resistant - impact and drops resistant - due to the air cushion technology - smart details: Buttons are very easy to feel and press - great access to all of your phone's ports, sensors, speakers and cameras - perfect fit for iphone 7 and 6 s the cellpro iphone 7 and 6 s perfect bundle contains: 1x screen protector 1x silicone case 1x dust-absorber 1x micro-fiber cloth 3x guide stickers dry and wet wipes instructions for easy installation. The ballistic crystal clear glass does not cover the entire screen due to its new technology of rounded edges design for enhancing the compatibility with the soft tpu case offered in the cell pro premium bundle.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good screen protector and silicon case combo\\n\\nReview: This combination of silicon case and screen protector is just what I need for my iPhone 6. The silicon case fits perfectly on my phone. It is slightly slimmer than the silicon case I previously used so I'm not sure what type of protection it has when dropped. So far I dropped it once and it's been okay. The screen protector is also easy to install and I'll have some peace of mind that my screen won't immediately shatter when dropped. I especially need this since I have toddlers who ends up playing with my phone at times. Overall, these items can do what the purpose it is for.\\n\\nDisclaimer: This product was received for free for the purpose of a product review. This is also an unbiased opinion.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":7,"string":"7"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":382,"string":"382"}}},{"rowIdx":383,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"AUM3YMZ0YRJE0"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"3.0\" for a product with description \"Walmart High Cost\". The summary of the review text is \"All the cons, none of the pros, but effective nonetheless\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I had to watch this film because I am embarking on a big writing project on wal-mart. It is intended as a no-holds-barred indictment of the company, and at this it is utterly relentless and does not seek any sense of fair balance or acknowledge the full complexity of the issues.\n\nThe film is divided into the familiar themes of wal-mart critics, namely, the devastating effect that the company can have on businesses in the communities it enters, the alleged treatment of its \"associates\", its global sweatshop network, its political activities, and its apparent indifference to its impact, etc.\n\nWhile there is a lot of truth in these allegations, I would have liked a more honest attempt at providing a more neutral perspective. People go to wal-mart because its business model (consistently cheap prices, huge scale economies, and an incredibly efficient supply/logistic chain) works - that is indisputable and should serve as a starting point for any understanding of what the company does and why.\n\nThat being said, the film will serve anti-wal-mart activists admirably: there is no question that there is a huge groundswell of criticism and protest against the company, and it better take heed.\n\nThe device used in the film is to show tapes of wal-mart CEO Lee Scott and/or wal-mart commercials - to show how wal-mart wishes to portray itself - and then to seek points of view that contradict these statements. This, in my opinion as a specialist in corporate social responsibility, is an extremely useful way for activists to get at the company. If it doesn't live up to its stated ideals, let the people know. While the film is lopsided in its portrayal, this rightly appears quite devastating. The viewer wonders if wal-mart is the standard oil or railroads, so reviled in the guilded age, for our era.\n\nFurthermore, the film charges that Scott's statements are lies and a conscious sham, deviously engineered for appearences without any basis in reality. I do not know if I wd go that far, as corporations are massive organizations and there is a difference between local implementation and the real intentions of its top leadership. Nevertheless, former wal-mart managers attest to this accusation in the film, including a tearful one who claims he was fired for attempting to point our contradictions between the company's rhetoric and practices. Again, this can be a tool of activists to get the company to pay attention to critics, particularly through media campaigns.\n\nHowever, when the film got into details that I knew about from previous reporting work (i.e. by my own witness), I tired of its bias and lack of nuance. For example, there is a section on how poorly Chinese workers are treated. In a word, they are by our standards, but many of them are so poor that they are thankful for the work, which allows unskilled girls to save dowwery payments, proletariat workers to create businesses in their home regions when they return, and to support elederly parents. Moreover, the companies that hire them are subcontractors of wal-mart and hence not under its direct control - that means that wal-mart must monitor them and then induce them to change their policies, which to put it mildly is easier said than done. As such, while they deserve better work environments, the questions of how to achieve that and what is realistic in an underdeveloped economy are very complex (though not undoable in my view, whatever measures are taken may never satisfy critics). None of this was addressed in the film, which merely portrayed the workers as angry by one couple's experience. Regretably, this made the rest of the film suspect to me, as I wondered what else was portrayed so one-sidedly.\n\nOne of the more interesting aspects of the film is a bit on grassroots campaigns to block the establishment of new wal-marts in certain communities, some of which were run by Republican conservatives. The company ignores this at its peril. It is the type of challenge that will eventually impact its bottom line, though I doubt activists could ever kill the company.\n\nTo sum up, I did not learn much from this film. wal-mart is controversial, and its policies have multiple levels of impacts - e.g. it can help employees, but it uses them as well. Any business does that. But it does offer a vivid portrayal of why activists want to attack the company, which I will certainly use in my work. These attacks will only increase, in my view, and rightly so. Witness, for example, a story I saw this morning in the newspapers: Maryland passed legistlation to force wal-mart to provide better health insurance coverage, with the specific intent of getting wal-mart employees off of the welfare rolls! That is extremely powerful stuff and may serve as a template for other states. As such, wal-mart critics are part of a political movement and not mere consumer or labor advocates.\n\nI think that wal-mart is at a turning point. It can either listen to critics and begin to change policies that were designed for a particular place and time - when it was a mid-west company in rural southern areas, where its policies fit and were genuinely appreciated - and now has become a global superpower on a vastly different scale. Or it can adopt a bunker mentality, leavened by a purely public relations strategy, that is, dismissing its critics' arguments as unfair and attempting to address them solely by spin.\n\nWith these observations in mind, I would recommend this film - with caution."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I had to watch this film because I am embarking on a big writing project on wal-mart. It is intended as a no-holds-barred indictment of the company, and at this it is utterly relentless and does not seek any sense of fair balance or acknowledge the full complexity of the issues.\n\nThe film is divided into the familiar themes of wal-mart critics, namely, the devastating effect that the company can have on businesses in the communities it enters, the alleged treatment of its \"associates\", its global sweatshop network, its political activities, and its apparent indifference to its impact, etc.\n\nWhile there is a lot of truth in these allegations, I would have liked a more honest attempt at providing a more neutral perspective. People go to wal-mart because its business model (consistently cheap prices, huge scale economies, and an incredibly efficient supply/logistic chain) works - that is indisputable and should serve as a starting point for any understanding of what the company does and why.\n\nThat being said, the film will serve anti-wal-mart activists admirably: there is no question that there is a huge groundswell of criticism and protest against the company, and it better take heed.\n\nThe device used in the film is to show tapes of wal-mart CEO Lee Scott and/or wal-mart commercials - to show how wal-mart wishes to portray itself - and then to seek points of view that contradict these statements. This, in my opinion as a specialist in corporate social responsibility, is an extremely useful way for activists to get at the company. If it doesn't live up to its stated ideals, let the people know. While the film is lopsided in its portrayal, this rightly appears quite devastating. The viewer wonders if wal-mart is the standard oil or railroads, so reviled in the guilded age, for our era.\n\nFurthermore, the film charges that Scott's statements are lies and a conscious sham, deviously engineered for appearences without any basis in reality. I do not know if I wd go that far, as corporations are massive organizations and there is a difference between local implementation and the real intentions of its top leadership. Nevertheless, former wal-mart managers attest to this accusation in the film, including a tearful one who claims he was fired for attempting to point our contradictions between the company's rhetoric and practices. Again, this can be a tool of activists to get the company to pay attention to critics, particularly through media campaigns.\n\nHowever, when the film got into details that I knew about from previous reporting work (i.e. by my own witness), I tired of its bias and lack of nuance. For example, there is a section on how poorly Chinese workers are treated. In a word, they are by our standards, but many of them are so poor that they are thankful for the work, which allows unskilled girls to save dowwery payments, proletariat workers to create businesses in their home regions when they return, and to support elederly parents. Moreover, the companies that hire them are subcontractors of wal-mart and hence not under its direct control - that means that wal-mart must monitor them and then induce them to change their policies, which to put it mildly is easier said than done. As such, while they deserve better work environments, the questions of how to achieve that and what is realistic in an underdeveloped economy are very complex (though not undoable in my view, whatever measures are taken may never satisfy critics). None of this was addressed in the film, which merely portrayed the workers as angry by one couple's experience. Regretably, this made the rest of the film suspect to me, as I wondered what else was portrayed so one-sidedly.\n\nOne of the more interesting aspects of the film is a bit on grassroots campaigns to block the establishment of new wal-marts in certain communities, some of which were run by Republican conservatives. The company ignores this at its peril. It is the type of challenge that will eventually impact its bottom line, though I doubt activists could ever kill the company.\n\nTo sum up, I did not learn much from this film. wal-mart is controversial, and its policies have multiple levels of impacts - e.g. it can help employees, but it uses them as well. Any business does that. But it does offer a vivid portrayal of why activists want to attack the company, which I will certainly use in my work. These attacks will only increase, in my view, and rightly so. Witness, for example, a story I saw this morning in the newspapers: Maryland passed legistlation to force wal-mart to provide better health insurance coverage, with the specific intent of getting wal-mart employees off of the welfare rolls! That is extremely powerful stuff and may serve as a template for other states. As such, wal-mart critics are part of a political movement and not mere consumer or labor advocates.\n\nI think that wal-mart is at a turning point. It can either listen to critics and begin to change policies that were designed for a particular place and time - when it was a mid-west company in rural southern areas, where its policies fit and were genuinely appreciated - and now has become a global superpower on a vastly different scale. Or it can adopt a bunker mentality, leavened by a purely public relations strategy, that is, dismissing its critics' arguments as unfair and attempting to address them solely by spin.\n\nWith these observations in mind, I would recommend this film - with caution."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: SCI-FI\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Very fun hard scifi for TV\n\nReview: I greatly enjoyed watching this with pals when it came out. We would gather round the TV, drinks in hand, and shout and laugh our way through each episode. The plot is interstellar invasion, with the aliens posing as friendly only to have their plans later revealed, along with the horror of their alienness. THe story is quite complex, particularly when the aliens' plans go awry, first from the actions of some apparent xenophobic terrorists and then as a worldwide rebellion.\n\nBut what really makes this special is the strong characters. There is the swashbuckling reporter, who uncovers a lot. Then there is the medical student who becomes a reluctant leader, whose natural strength and charisma surprise even her. Of course, there are the paramilitary brutes, also indispensable but in constant conflict with principled the do-gooders. The aliens are also interesting, from the corrupted under-commander to the turncoats. The acting is truly fine, with most of them relatively unknown character actors.\n\nTo be honest, there are a number of overly ambitious themes that run throughout this. The comparison to the US influence in Central America at that time is, to put it mildly, heavy handed. There is also a message of brotherhood across species that is rather pretentious, including the affair between a troubled human adolescent girl and a manipulative and ambitious alien soldier. While lacking in nuance, these themes do not ruin the series.\n\nRecommended. This is fun, even as it appears clunky and old fashioned when we compare it to the visual effects we can get today. It is character-based and the plot sustains the viewer's interest throughout, with enough surprises to make for solid scifi.","Product: Man is too friendly with fish and becomes one of them!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: as good as I remembered it\n\nReview: I have not seen this since 1964, when my dad and I went to it. I loved it so much that I had a comic book of it that I read and re-read. Limpet is a kind of hero Walter Mitty, magically transformed into a fish and devoted to the US Navy in WWII. The animation is strong, it is full of good characters who are funny in their awareness of the unbelievability of it all, and there are some surprisingly adult themes, like the fact that Limpet's wife may be having a love affair.\n\nThis time, I watched it with my son, who has a kind of indulgent tolerance of all the \"strange stuff\" I like to add to our DVD library. Yes, he enjoyed it as much as I did, another thing to share across generations. It is a wonderful film and Don Knotts adds his quirky talent to an original.\n\nWarmly recommended.","Product: EXCELLENT MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: heist gone bad with some fine acting twists\n\nReview: There is nothing that interesting about the plot of this film, which is about a group of losers who plan a disastrously stupid caper while drugged out. Like his coeval Tarantino, it descends into horrifically graphic violence and chaos. The art of total catastrophe. This is an early film, much like Reservoir Dogs for Tarantino.\n\nThat being said, the acting is outstanding. Delphy is wonderful as a student hooker, tossing her gum before servicing her client. Stolz too is perfect as a man with a chaotic life looking for the big score. But Angalde is the best as an insane, AIDS-ridden addict turned killer. Unfortunately, the plot is so weak and conventional that they cannot carry it. I was just waiting for it to end once the violence started.\n\nRecommended tepidly. I was really disappointed after hearing many rave about it as a cult favorite, etc.","Product: BRAND NEW IN ORIGINAL WRAP\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: nostalgic, but also evocative and moving\n\nReview: I grew up in the 60s and think it was the last time America was truly interesting. So I love fictional takes on it. This is a very good film, with some truly fine acting. Sutherland is a sensitive boy from small-town Maryland, which the Vietnam conflict is finally beginning to penetrate. His sidekick (Downey), a lifelong neighbor from a single-parent household, is falling victim to all the worst excesses of the time - protesting, turning on, dropping out. Meanwhile, a serious young lady (a radiant Ryder in her prime) is falling for Sutherland as he tries to help her brother. Their parents are all struggling with aging and the times. Add to this Sutherland's straighter brother, who disappears in Vietnam, and you have a powerful mix.\n\nI can't be too objective because this is so close to my own experience. With the exception of a kind of cheesy ending, I found the film moving and fairly realistic, with sprinklings of the occasional cliche. It's not Coming Home, but it is good. Recommended.","Product: A cult favorite for years, this faithful version of Harlan Ellison's classic novella enjoyed some mainstream popularity in the mid-'80s when its star, Don Johnson, hit the big time with \"Miami Vice.\" In recent years the movie has settled back into cult status, which is for the best. Johnson (in an excellent performance) is Vic, a simple-minded survivalist who wonders what's left of post-apocalypse America with his dog Blood (played by Tiger of \"The Brady Bunch,\" with voice by singer Tim McIntire), with whom he has a telepathic bond.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: hilarious, low budget tongue and cheek post WWIII\n\nReview: This is a wonderful gem of a film, about the wreckage that survives in the wake of the nuclear holocaust. The young Don Johnson is the boy, and he demonstrates greater talent as an actor than any of his subsequent TV junk. He is the dog's sidekick, which is trying to educate him about American presidents (!), as they try to get along in the desolate landscape and chaos. While they do find a pocket of civilization, which the boy must explore, its horrors help them to get their priorities straight in the end.\n\nWhat is so funny about this all is that it parodies the usual fuzzy companion films and just about everything else about hollywood givens and platitudes, from love to ethics. I don't want to reveal the plot here, but it is wonderfully summed up when the dog thanks the boy in the end, \"I really appreciated that. Sure you don't want some?\"\n\nWarmly recommended for the sci fi buff with a sense of humor.","Product: A Classic drama.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: beautiful in its portrayal of another time, yet timeless about the human condition\n\nReview: This is the kind of art that snobs like to look down on - nostalgic, sentimental, simple - yet there is a great beauty and sensitivity in this production. One of the great surprises for me was the young William Holden, whom I remember from his hard bitten later roles; here he is young, handsome, and sincere in his love for the girl next door. Beyond that, you witness the intricacies of a small town in the early 1900s, when there were fewer choices and the limits and simplicity did not seem to disturb most of the residents. At the center is, of course, a story of love, the most basic story of all.\n\nThat being said, the play portrays the span of time and examines life in a novel way. It skips to crucial episodes, even viewed beyond death. The most amazing thing is that it works and, at least for me, is very moving in its universality. It brought tears to my eyes, which my adolescent daughter noticed with curiosity before hugging me in empathy. (She was putting up with yet another weird film that dad wanted to introduce to her at that point.)\n\nThe only thing that didn't work for me was the presence of an ageless narrator, who talked directly to the camera. He was a bit too stylized for my taste and didn't add to the drama so much as explained things.\n\nWarmly recommended. This is a great play.","Product: Drama\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: hilarious, fascinating, and cold blooded\n\nReview: When I learned that they were making a new version of this film, I remembered how much we enjoyed it on PBS. We got it in Britain for about $15. It was a fabulous deal. Over our free time during 2 weeks, we enjoyed this as much as the first time we saw it. There are 12 hours of story, starting with this rise to power, his take-on of the king while in power, and his shenanigans as he loses his grip.\n\nIt is the story of a genuinely evil man, who is intelligent, ruthless, and full of guile. From a bag boy-type job, he works his way to the top, utterly without scruple in ways that are hard to imagine. Once he is wielding power, he can inflict the humilation on others that he endured and he doesn't shrink from any of it. And his policies, simply abhorent. The PM is completely convincing. There is plenty of sex, unprincipled tactics, even murder. Yet there is also a fascinating overview of the British political system.\n\nI don't see how the American version can be transferred into the American system. There is no king, the President can't be voted out by his own party, etc. It will be a transmogrification, however much I respect the American actors.\n\nYou can't improve on perfection. Warmly recommended.","Product: King Kong Vs. Godzilla\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: the stuff of childhood legend\n\nReview: I saw this when it came out and have never forgotten many of the images, which were great to my young mind and way before we expected perfect special effects. In particular, I loved the way Godzilla was found in the ice, how he burned the top floor of a submarine - those below saw the flames above - how KK stuffed a tree root into G's mouth or kicked a boudler into G's chest, the list goes on. Seeing this again violated the sanctity of memory, I admit, but it was still fun to have it in the background as I was doing other things around the house. My kids, of course, were either laughing at its stupidity or bored. This is one to kick back and marvel at the silliness of it all and remember our childhoods.\n\nRecommended for nostalgia (geezer fare), but not for new viewers (kid fare).","Product: The film that introduced the world to Sean Connery as James Bond. 007 is sent to Jamaica to investigate the murders of two British operatives\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: every bond film imitates the complete excellence of this, first, one\n\nReview: This is the one that started it all, and in many ways it was never surpassed: sure, the plots became more intricate and spectacular and the effects slicker, but this one set the pattern for all the rest. The thing that is most fun about it is that you can feel the raw newness, before it became a plodding formula. Even several later continuations with Sean Connery are not nearly as good.\n\nThe essential Bond elements pioneered in this one are Bond's charm and easygoing sexuality with the flawless girls that seem to flock to him, his elegance, his cold-bloodedness and efficiency as a killer, and of course, the quirky baddie with oversized ambition and talent for destruction.\n\nPerhaps because I saw it at such a young age with my beloved dad, this one is my favorite by far. Dr. No is such an evil, charismatic character, the perfect foil for the dashing Bond, who is a great improvisor and destroyer in his own right. But Connery brings a grittiness and realism to it that all the other Bonds couldn't quite. That makes him the one and only best.\n\nIndeed, as this was made for a far less explicit time, it is full of titillating tidbits, implied throughout with understated and very dry humor. This is truly superior to most contemporary spy films, with the possible exception of the Bourne films, which set their own standard.\n\nWarmly recommended.","Product: Vintage videotape\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: a comic twilight zone of bumbling murderers and monstrous ambition\n\nReview: This is very different from the slick 1980s version, with the soul-singing carnivorous plant and his toady, Seymour. In this version, Seymour is a fool under the thumb of his mother, a psychosomatic invalid. He is nurturing an unusual plant in which his boss, a skid-row florist with big ambitions, takes an interest. Seymour stumbles on the way to make the plant grow - feeding it the people he inadvertently kills. His boss sees it as the key to his fortune, but is horrified by what he witnesses, eventually helping a team of idiotic cops as they investigate the strange goingson.\n\nThe humor is very much of the period, kind of slapstick stumbling and tripping, with a cast of strange characters from a man who eats only flowers to a hooker who tries to pick up Seymour and then disappears. The most notable part is the cameo of the young Jack Nicholson, as a masocist in a sadistic dentist's office.\n\nThis film is rightly a 1960s cult classic, full of lurid detail and the most bizarre plot imaginable. Unlike the 1986 version, the ending is much darker as are the characters. It got me to laugh several times at its signal weirdness. The scenes are also interesting, set in a drab corner of a very ethnic New York.\n\nREcommended for those of us who grew up during this time. I do not think that colorizing this is in any way necessary.","Product: The story is not only a fantastic must watch and great film, but its created to be a top. Great actors giving extra performances.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: so patchy that it fails to hang together\n\nReview: Boy am I sorry that I bought this version. I had no idea that so much of it was cut that the story barely makes sense. The characters seem incomplete, some of the best scenes are simply not there, and you get little sense of the geography in which they are operating. Who on Earth would have produced this incomplete version? Who would ever want it this way? Incredible.\n\nAs for the acting, Walken and Chen save it, but only to a degree (i.e. not a one-star rating). They are both accomplished actors who can evoke entire personalities and environments in simple gestures and body language, and their characters appear reasonably complete. However, the script is so poor that not even they can get beyond it and so much of it comes off as making less than cogent sense. Heche, unfortunately, is pretty bad, for the most part failing to achieve a coherent and believable character. She is quirkily beautiful and has her moments in the film, but doesn't quite pull it off in a manner of speaking. OK, she is an ambitious young banker in debt to a corrupt boss and she decides to moonlight as a hooker. Steven Bauer is also pretty bad as her dirty-cop antagonist.\n\nThe plot is also badly uneven. Not only is there no clever secret to discover - no subtle double entendres or a hidden pattern revealed later - but the sudden transitions of the characters identities make no sense and don't add to the plot. Thus, Heche and Chen \"discover\" they are in love - it's just there to titilate and comes off as unbelievable and kind of stupid.\n\nNot recommended.","Product: Starring Suzy Amis. Disgraced, a 19th century society girl journey's west disguised as a man. Inspired by a true story. Year: 124 Director: Maggie Greenwald Starring: Suzy Amis, Bo Hopkins, Ian Mckellen\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: reverse transvestite cowboy story, a true gem\n\nReview: This is an unusual and very interesting story about a woman trying o make her way as best she can in a brutally primitive environment. Permanently cast out of her middle class family for a youthful lapse, she tries to make her way out west, eventually deciding to pose as a man so as to be left alone. While there is some adventure to it, by far the best part of it is the evolution of the character Jo, whom Amis acts with a wonderful precision.\n\nThe best parts, at least for me, are the many silent moments when she makes major decisions that are never really articulated in any explicit way. At first, she spends her winters alone, brooding on where life has led her, then building a ranch that would have been forbidden to her everyone not assumed she was a man. It is one of the great introspective films that I have ever seen. Though wounded, she struggles to grow and does so with great success, even finding an unusual love late in life.\n\nTruly a beautiful film. Amis' performance is truly great, bringing an entire environment into her psychological world.\n\nWarmly recommended.","Product: A sexy divorce falls for an over-the-hill cowboy who is struggling to maintain his romantically independent lifestyle in early-sixties Nevada.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: absolutely first rate drama\n\nReview: I first saw this as a freshman in college, huddled with my co-ed girlfriend who was a such determined optimist in relationships that she thought these were lonely people who didn't know how to act together as friends. Naturally, I had a darker view and saw them as empty losers. We argued.\n\nNow, 30 years later, I watched this inspiringly bleak film again. This time, while still believing they were losers, I also saw it as a portrait of a time and place, an amazing bit of historical context about Reno Nevada. The acting is unbelievably good, I think the best career performances of Monroe, Gable, and Clift. The script is utterly superb and unforgiving, unromantic.\n\nThe protagonists are all sad cases, but they are striving for love and fulfillment in a unforgiving world. They come together in the most mundane of circumstances, in a place where everything is stupidly temporary and devoid of the possibility of change. They live in the present, dimly perceive what is missing from their lives and what pain there is in their pasts, but keep going by drink and action and the courting of danger. Then, there is the possibility of something new in Monroe's character, and three men cluster around her in hope.\n\nThe result is simply incredible drama, one of Miller's greatest works in my opinion. He is a first-rate writer, exploring depths and times where the normal American (like me) doesn't want to look. He was the conscience of our age and I must re-visit his work now that he passed away.\n\nHighest remcomendation, even if it foreshadowed the end of my only true college romance!","Product: A film adaption of the myth of Perseus and his quest to battle both Medusa and the Kraken monster to save the Princess Andromeda.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Boy are the reviewers hard on this one! But my kids love it.\n\nReview: I remember seeing this long ago and enjoying it. So I picked it up for my kids, in particular as my daughter is a big mythology fan. We popped it in the DVD player, and they were utterly enthralled; I also could enjoy the experience as sophisticated entertainment. Even better, my kids were full of observations and questions, which in our house we view as a successful entertainment experience. In particular, my daughter was questioning details from what she knows of mythology from many hours of reading, seeing some discrepencies in portrayals or the addition of incidents that she didn't know. As such, while some liberties were taken in the film, it also makes mythology a living thing - afterall, there are so many conflicting versions from classical sources that there is no definitive correct interpretation - and I got to discuss this at length with my daughter (at 10, she is falling in love with history). While my son (6) was interested more in questioning the monsters and what they represented, that was fine too. Finally, because we lived in Europe where nudity is simply part of life, we had no problem whatsoever that there were a few minimal glimpses of bottoms and breasts - isn't that better than the graphic violence on TV?\n\nAll in all, this is stimulating and fun, a welcome complement to the book learning that my kids are beginning to enjoy.\n\nWarmly recommended.","Product: Comes in Plastic Sleeve\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: a wonderful family film that stimulates the mind\n\nReview: I saw this when it came out in 1966 or so and got it so that I could share it with my kids. It was an absolute delight to watch with them, starting from the playing of lion cubs in a house to the struggle to re-introduce Elsie into the wild. Of particular interest was the notion that the conventional wisdom about animals is wrong, that a deeper entente and understanding with them is possible if humans would only try.\n\nJoy Adamson developed a relationship with Elsie much as a mother would treat a child. Though a dangerous animal to most observers, including her husband's boss, she loved the lion and influenced her personality development. She then figured out a way to release Elsie into the wild again, which no one had ever succeeded in doing. Finally, a year later, the couple found Elsie and \"visited\" with her and her cubs for an entire day, until her mate called from the distance; they would return in subsequent years to get to know the cubs. Perhaps I am reading too much into it, but it seems to me that Joy discovered other possibilities of being and communication with a wild animal, which should get us all to think beyond genetic determinism and conventional behavioral models. This is very profound as we contemplate the management of the planet in perilous times.\n\nThe beauty of our experience is that the kids and I could discuss these issues as well as enjoy the spectacle of an animal film that was fun and very funny yet moving. While I suspect that much of it is fictionalized - the couple later divorced and George Adamson died by recklessly driving at poachers trying to warn him off - the acting is wonderful as is the photography. Warmly recommended.","Product: Phantom Planet [VHS]\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: For nostalgia only, or hardcore 60s scifi fan\n\nReview: I watched this with my son (9), who enjoyed the story and laughed at the clunky special effects. He dutifully listened to my stories about seeing it and similar films - he is at the age where he accepts my reminiscences instead of rolling his eyes like his sister does at 13 - and we talked about the space age, etc.\n\nI quite enjoyed this for what it made me remember. But, as with my son, for other viewers it is only of passing interest, like background TV. Thus, I think it is headed for oblivion or of interest only for film historians once those who watched it as kids are no longer around.\n\nThe story has a nice sense of possibility, like we all felt during the space race and which is rather humdrum today. The hero, while not very charismatic, is open-minded and a lonely explorer, hence his vulnerability to the charms of the mute girl. He encounters an advanced civilization that has chosen a primitive lifestyle, on a planet fleeing strange enemies and with an unimaginable technology manipulated by what looks like broken wine glasses. He even makes friends from a natural enemy. Then, restored to his colleagues, he wonders if it was all a dream. It ends on a hopeful note for exploration. I liked it then and still do now.\n\nRecommended.","Product: MOVIE WAS RELEASED IN 1959. Starring: Ken Clark, Michael Emmet, Tyler McVey, Gene Roth, and Jan Shepard; Director: Bernard Kowalksi. 62 min. Director: Bernard Kowalski.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Monsters, tramps in distress, and a hairy-chested good-guy swamp marshall\n\nReview: Set in the Florida swamps - \"near Cape Canaveral, where there's radiation\" - some pretty scary things are going on, i.e. sweaty drunk hillbillies are disappearing faster than the sheriff can count 'em. Though it takes him a while to admit the need to kill wildlife, the swamp marshall (probably a federal employee, hence at odds with local poachers and old-boy law enforcement) mounts an investigation. He finds 'em.\n\nAs a kid, I only saw images from this in my Famous Monsters of Filmland mag, and always wanted to see this. Even though they are men in rubber suits, this is pretty fun, starting with Yvette Vickers, the Playboy pinup who went on to cult status as the attacking 50-foot woman. Yep, she is the tramp, trapped in the lair of the radioactive leeches and submitting to their attentions while screaming. OK, I don't think Ill watch again anytime soon, but hey, you gotta fulfill at least some of your childhood dreams, eh?","Product: A mysterious magnetic spool found during a construction project is discovered to have originated from Venus. A rocket expedition to Venus is launched to discover the origin of the spool and the race that created it.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: really good hard scifi\n\nReview: I saw this as a very young boy with my dad, right when it came out. All I remembered are a few images: the sharpened nacelles of the ship, the lone black man running towards the departing ship, the fall of the hero into a room full of bouncing metallic bugs. As I put this on to watch with my son, I expected it to be pure, cheesy camp to be shared and laughed at.\n\nHowever, what I discovered is that the film has not only a sophisticated plot, but great themes in it as well. As with all great scifi, there is a potentially deadly mystery to be solved: the meaning of the message discovered and the nature (and intent) of the civilization from which it came. To answer these questions, a team of the top scientific minds take off for Venus, the apparent place of origin. Dodging metorites and bravely plugging ahead even after they translate the terrifying message, they find a planet that is as alien as the civilization that marked it. It is a truly weird landscape, including apparently intelligent mud, memory devices that look like ants, and an incomprehensible power system for the mysteriously missing venutians. SLowly, they decifer only part of the mystery, leaving the rest to the imagination of the audience - another mark of all great scifi.\n\nAn additional treat is that this is an East German production, made at the height of the Cold War, with a vision of peace, international cooperation, and the beginning of a new era of exploration of space. It was quite inspiring.\n\nNeedless to say, this was a bit over the head of my son (8) as it was for me in 1962. But he enjoyed the images, the joking intelligent tank-shaped computer, and wondered about the nationalities of the team members. We had fun watching and then discussing it. This is far better as scifi than the kill-'em monster films of the era.\n\nRecommended. The effects now appear clunky, but the mood is consistent and the story moves briskly, with that indefinable sense of mystery.","Product: The great John Barrymore takes on the title characters in Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of a tormented doctor who ventures into the unknown only to find his dark side. Directed by John S. Robertson and co-starring Nita Naldi, \"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde\" is one of the all-time classics of silent cinema.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: an early classic with all of the peculiar genius of silent film\n\nReview: This is a must for any film buff: every gesture in this is significant and artfully rendered, even iconic. Visually, as in many silent films, it is utterly mesmerising and fascinating in their power, almost like a painting in the Louvre. It is important for the history of cinema to witness this film. You get the basic story of Jekyll/Hyde: a good doctor is tempted to explore his dark side, finds a chemical elixir to bring his id out, and eventually, it takes over completely.\n\nWhat makes this film so intelligent is the acting with a young Barrymore, the start of a first-rate hollywood dynasty. In this film, he is in his prime, a handsome young man before he became so disillusioned with life as he in fact did. I great enjoyed seeing him so young.\n\nTechnically, the film is fun. Hyde is Jekyll, but with an elongated skull and extra joints on his fingers, expertly acted by a character change and plenty of grease. His girl, Millicent, is strikingly beautiful, in despair at his neglect, first of his mission for good and later as Hyde dominates him - there are themes of infidelity, barroom depravity, and perhaps pregnancy, all controversial to imply, let alone portray. This film advances all of these themes masterfully and unforgettably.\n\nRecommended with enthusiasm.","Product: VHS\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: wonderful, hilarious, and very sad\n\nReview: This is the best kind of indie film. THe characters are realistic and vivid, way outside of the junky stereotypes that come out of hollywood.\n\nThe family is a complete mess, barely managing to avoid homelessness. THe father runs a restaurant, but can't handle money. He struggles to provide for his many children, who are adolescents in a dangerous phase of rebelliousness and increasing awareness. Arkin is painfully believable, warm, sympathetic and submits to the insults of his successful older brother who subsidizes him. You also empathize with the kids, particularly the smart, sensitive oldest daughter who is discovering her sexuality and recognizing the meaning of love, but also getting involved in petty crime with her drig dealer boyfriend. Tomei, the wayward cousin, is hilariously subtle and pathetic, avoiding her strident father and willingly participating in her uncle's scam.\n\nREcommended with enthusiasm.","Product: A stellar cast, headed by Michelle Pfeiffer and Kevin Kline, bring Shakespeare's romantic comedy to life. When two pairs of star-crossed lovers, a feuding pair of supernatural sprites and a love potion gone awry all come together in an enchanted moonlit forest, the result is a delightful mix of merriment and magic. Also starring Calista Flockhart, Stanley Tucci and Rupert Everett.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: captures some of the magic, which was what I hoped for my daughter\n\nReview: This is a very fun and somewhat hollywoodized version of the great classic play. I got it because my daughter (10) likes a Shakespeare kids synopsis, so hoped to expose her to the language and the magic of a real production. At this, the film definitely succeeds. She has watched this, utterly rivetted, several times and will continue to do so for years; to my delighted surprise, her brother (6) watched it with her and laughingly approved. I would much rather they watch this than cartoons or Star Wars, thought there is a place for those as well.\n\nI do not believe this is a film for purists, which forms the basis of much of the snobbish criticism from certain reviewers here. While I try to cultivate my mind, I am nowhere near their (self conscious) erudition and so cannot answer their criticisms. However, this production is quite enthralling, with updates in Tuscany and many quirky details (demonstrating in my view how this is still a living work of art), and beautifully shot and acted. That is where my crticism stops.\n\nWhat really convinces me this is worthwhile is the reaction of my children, which was overwhelmingly positive. They can later become Shakespear purists if they wish, which is an option I was hoping to help create for them. Afterall, much of parenting is the opening of paths that children may someday find is for them, and this film is one small step along that way.\n\nWarmly recommended.","Product: Johnny Depp unlocks the gates to hell in Roman Polanski's newest thriller. Depp stars as Dean Corso, an unscrupulous rare-book dealer who is hired to locate the last remaining copies of \"The Nine Gates of the Shadow Kingdom,\" a demonic manuscript that can summon the Devil. Corso becomes embroiled in a conspiracy involving murder, theft and satanic ritual, and ultimately finds himself confronting the devil incarnate.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A perfect balance between the occult and psychological thriller\n\nReview: This film is vintage Polanski: there is little moral certitude, even if you are dealing with Satan, ruthless and evil acolytes, and a con man, expertly acted by Depp. Instead, you find a coherent and frightening journey of discovery and ambiguity. Depp is charged with examining the authenticity of some rare books, which is his profession, though he is also an unscrupulous and sleazy near-thief. As with all great actors, his every gesture exudes his personal confusion, ambition, and cynical humor - a complete personality and even an entire environment.\n\nAfter witnessing a number of alarming crimes, he single-mindedly pursues his task (for which he is handsomely paid) and blithely ignores the destruction and murderous detritus as if walking though an obstacle course. Along the way, he keeps running into a mysterious and very beautiful woman, who seems to be protecting him, yet also playfully mocking him before disappearing only to reappear in dangerous moments. Looking not quite human yet vulnerable to injury, she seems to enjoy the evolution of Depp's character in a violent, unpredictable direction. There is a frightening scene where she annoints him with her blood. And the book: the more he discovers, the deeper he gets in becoming almost a direct participant in the antique illustrations in the book, which he scrutinizes as more manuscripts come to light. Depp's character emerges as something more than he appeared to be, though entirely lacking in simple definition. It is truly masterful.\n\nThe most beautiful aspect of the film is the sense - the feeling - of ominous mystery that pervades it. In other words, there are many clues that must be interpreted, and the viewer never reaches the point of saying, \"oh, I get it\", which in lesser films is followed by \"that's it?\" I found this delightfully fascinating and evocative, particularly as much of it takes place in a region similar to the one I currently live in in France. Typical of Polanski, this elevates the film to a higher art than other occult films, much as Rosemary's Baby did. The mood of the film is completely consistent and demands (and deserves) the viewer's full attention.\n\nWarmly recommended. It is one of the best films I have seen in some time.","Product: Science fiction VHS TAPE\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: good, if predictable, hard sci-fi\n\nReview: This is solid, character-based hard sci-fi. There is a mission to Mars that ends mysteriously, so a rescue crew is sent. What they encounter is very well carried off, tantalizingly strange and a grand conception. It got me to believe it and feel some sense of wonder, which is what sci-fi is for imho. The characters are also very strong, with truly wonderful actors, in particular Sinise.\n\nThat being said, there are many static moments in the film. It isn't tightly plotted, and there are several subplots that don't always fit, though they are well conceived and realistic. THere is a 20-minute sequence, for example, of a transport crisis that develops and it is way way too long and largely unrelated to what later transpires. The effects are also not always so great, though most of the time they are good enough. Finally, as revealed at the end the basic idea didn't really surprise me, however well it carried off.\n\nOverall, this is pretty good, but I will not want to re-watch it and delight in the details like I do the films that I think are truly great, like Minority Report or the Bourne Identity.","Product: Les Choristes (2004) / The Chorus / Region 2 PAL DVD / Audio: French / Actors: Gerard Jugnot, Francois Berleand, Kad Merad / Director: Christophe Barratier / 92 minutes\n3388334808934\nRegion 2 PAL encoding (This DVD will not play on most DVD players sold in the US or Canada [Region 1]. This item requires a region specific or multi-region DVD player and compatible TV.)\n\nFrench producer and musician Christophe Barratier makes his directorial debut with the drama Les Choristes, inspired by the 1947 film La Cage aux Rossignols. Wildly successful orchestra conductor Pierre Morhange (Jacques Perrin) returns home when his mother dies.\nWidely successful orchestra conductor Pierre Morhange (Jean-Baptiste Maunier) returns to France when his mother dies. He reminisces about his childhood inspirations through the pages of a diary kept by his old music teacher Clement Mathieu (Gerard Jugnot).\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: beautiful coming of age story that is not feel-good pap\n\nReview: This is a touching film about a troubled youth whose talents are emerging right at the moment that a great teacher is there to help. The boy, who became a major talent in music, is in a brutal boarding school that is almost a reform school. You have the typical roster of characters: the idealistic new guy who wants to try new things, the stodgy hide-bound boss who indulges in cruel injustice, the love interest, an evil delinquent, and blooming children in very bad circumstances. But there is a difference: for many, things don't work out, with terrible consequences. WW II is also in the background, as France is pulling itself up and new paths are opening up. The music is also beautiful, the boy of angelic beauty of body and voice.\n\nThis is a very nice film that doesn't fall inside simplistic stereotypes. I have watched this many times with my family and feel moved every time. Recommended warmly.","Product: A bitter aging couple with the help of alcohol, use a young couple to fuel anguish and emotional pain towards each other.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Falling in love is an adventure, marriage an ordeal\n\nReview: This has got to be the best portrayal of a difficult marriage that has ever hit the screen. It is so real, so intelligent, so funny, and so pathetic that it is worth viewing at every period of one's life. Nothing portrays the complexity of living together in disharmony as this film does. They hate eachother, they love eachother, they find themselves stuck in realities and games of their own making, to the awestruck horror of their young guests who appear to be on the same path.\n\nYou have Martha, who is spoiled, self-destructive, an alcohol abuser, and lover. At lucid moments, fuelled by alcohol, she gets glimpses into what she is doing to their marriage. She reproaches herself, yet plays the game with relentless cruelty and energy. George appears hapless, stuck in a career that dooms him to mediocrity and scorn by the woman he continues to love and despise. But he is smart and witty and devious. Underneath, there appears (at least to me) to be much that is good in both of them, but it is submerged in their frustration at stalled lives.\n\nAs a young student, I saw this and was horrified. Why don't they divorce? That is the natural question. Isn't it over, given the horror on display with such nakedness in front of their naive guests? Then, in middle age, you can recognize what you have seen in so many couples: the rage at personal limits and perhaps fate, turned on the partner as blame, yet the core of caring still intact in unguarded moments. They operate within boundaries of their own devising, but even these no longer work for some reason. SOmething has changed, some vital turning point reached or breached. Is it broken, the end? Or is it an indication of some new way forward? My reading of the film is that it is ambiguous and up to them - just like in real life. If there anything positive left? Or will they kill eachother?\n\nIf you can take it, this is an utterly mesmerizing film, so real in its portrayal of living dysfunction that its power cannot be denied. While my own marriage never reached such a depth of enmity and emotional violence, it is a place that any realist should fear to tread. After all, you never understand how easy marriage was until it no longer works.\n\nREcommended with enthusiasm for those who have the courage to look reality in the face.","Product: Epic Drama\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: great sets and cast, abysmally wooden melodrama\n\nReview: I am collecting the hollywood epics, which I so enjoyed as a boy when they came out. Sometimes they are wonderful surprises, with depth, intelligence, and subtlety that offer an entirely new viewing experience to the adult. Alas, this one was just the opposite: though lavish and glitzy, it so completely fails as a drama that I was shocked at how bad it was. Just as I could not believe how bad the story of Waterworld was even though it was the most expensive film ever made at the time, I feel the same for this. How, with such a gigantic production, could it turn out to be such a stinking dud?\n\nThe narrative occurs within the same frame as Gladiator: the great Marcus Aurelias is assassinated, his crazy son takes over, then is killed in the arena by the good and faithful general. Leaving aside that this ignores history (Commodus was strangled in his bed, his sister having long before been executed), the story simply doesn't work. First, the good guys are complete bores. Stephen Boyd, whom I truly admired as a charismatic actor, is so poorly directed in this that he comes off as a stick figure out of a kid's history book, complete with bland obeissance to the state that turns to disgusted rage. Aurelias is almost as bad. The barbarians are reliably noble, etc. The only interesting character is the insane Commodus - Plummer delivers a wonderful performance. Second, the romance between Boyd and Loren not only utterly lacks chemistry, but it looks like a formula straight out of a 2nd rate soap opera. It is just thrown in as the obligatory melodrama. Third, there is a lack of spirit to just about every single scene: I just couldn't quite believe any of it, from the huge war scenes to the chariot race that so pathetically mimicked the one from Ben Hur. Fourth, the way that belief in the Roman state breaks down so easily doesn't ring true, as the scene where the soldiers scramble for the gold that Commodus' patsies fling around - this after the campaign in Persia, when they were blood brothers with the leaders and would follow them to the death. I simply didn't feel it was portraying the historical forces it claimed it would.\n\nOther aspects of the production also fall flat. The music is somehow off and detracts from the feeling of the film. It is a constant irritant. The sets, while unprecedented in ambition and size, feel somehow static rather than teeming with life from a different time. All in all, it doesn't surprise me that this is known as the \"last grand epic\" of that period, the 50-60s. It failed at the box office for a reason. The extras with the bluray do not add much. You have the usual papp of promotional video - \"it was so wonderful\" - and some dated Encl Britannica documentaries thrown in that were filmed on the set. Indeed, some of the people interviewed advance some pretty lame arguments, like an historian, who says it's OK for hollywood to ignore historical accuracy for the sake of a story. (A supportable position, to be sure, but they could still do much better, if you ask me.)\n\nI think this is the worst of the epics I have collected so far. Not recommended.","Product: A deeply troubled small town cop investigates a suspicious hunting death while events occur that cause him to mentally disintegrate.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: a season in hell\n\nReview: This is an absolutely incredible film about psychological deterioration in a small town. The narrator informs the viewer from the very beginning that something utterly horrendous is going to occur, something unmentionable between family and friends. Nolte, the central character, was never better: a tormented man, he has lost his family, his job is in jeopardy, and he must take on the caring for his alcoholic and abusive father.\n\nThe plot turns on a suspicious death, which Nolte wants to investigate as sheriff. However, as he enters a terrible downward spiral, he begins to burn all of his bridges and eventually loses his grip. The slowly unwinding tragedy is truly agonizing to watch, the acting is absolutely first rate. Recommended for those with strong stomachs.","Product: This classic sci-fi tale follows the exploits of a young man and his telepathic dog as they struggle to survive in a post atomic wilderness. World War Four has ravaged Earth, and its survivors must battle for food, shelter and companionship in the desert-\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: hilarious, low budget tongue and cheek post WWIII\n\nReview: This is a wonderful gem of a film, about the wreckage that survives in the wake of the nuclear holocaust. The young Don Johnson is the boy, and he demonstrates greater talent as an actor than any of his subsequent TV junk. He is the dog's sidekick, which is trying to educate him about American presidents (!), as they try to get along in the desolate landscape and chaos. While they do find a pocket of civilization, which the boy must explore, its horrors help them to get their priorities straight in the end.\n\nWhat is so funny about this all is that it parodies the usual fuzzy companion films and just about everything else about hollywood givens and platitudes, from love to ethics. I don't want to reveal the plot here, but it is wonderfully summed up when the dog thanks the boy in the end, \"I really appreciated that. Sure you don't want some?\"\n\nWarmly recommended for the sci fi buff with a sense of humor.","Product: Landmark movie in the film noir tradition, Roman Polanski's Chinatown stands as a true screen classic. Jack Nicholson is private eye Jake Gittes, living off the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-war Southern California. Hired by a beautiful socialite (Faye Dunaway) to investigate her husband's extra-marital affair, Gittes is swept into a maelstrom of double dealings and deadly deceits, uncovering a web of personal and political scandals that come crashing together for one, unforgettable night in...Chinatown. Co-starring film legend John Huston and featuring an Academy Awardr-winning script by Robert Towne, Chinatown captures a lost era in a masterfully woven movie that remains a timeless gem.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Is it possible? A deep and subtle film noire.\n\nReview: This is one of my favorite Polanski films, which is saying a lot. Unlike the two-dimensional characters that you get in the FN genre, these characters are realistic, troubled, and flawed. Nicolson is the best: a PI because he had to leave the police force, he is deeply angry and cynical. But in his heart, he does want to help. He is skilled as an investigator and smart, but gets in way over his head. Dunaway, the femme fatale who is the only person with a clear idea of diong good, also defies simple labels. Their performances are amongst the finest of their careers, so good they have to been seen and savored more than once. Huston is also good as a sleazeball, but even he adds aspects to the character that make the role unforgettable.\n\nThis is one of the films that is so interesting and moving you can watch it at each phase of your life and find nuance you missed. Recommended with the greatest enthusiasm.","Product: What Lies Beneath [VHS]\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Good, but nothing much beyond the formulaic\n\nReview: This is a fun and creepy psychological thriller. There is a perfect couple, Ford and Pfeiffer, who see their daughter off to college. She has a hint of depression about her, which may conceal mental illness, and trying to find her way in life with an empty nest. Ford is a career academic, very intensely involved with advancing himself. Strange things start to happen, unravelling the facade they have built into their marriage with increasing terror at what the truth may be. I was surprised, but not all that much.\n\nI would recommend this as a nice pass time with good acting. But it sticks to tried-and-true formulas and there is nothing unusual or original or even nuanced that would make you want to view often.","Product: Guaranteed to work or your money back - PLEASE NOTE ALL MONIES FROM THIS SALE GO TO A 501 (C)3 NO KILL ANIMAL SHELTER\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: melodrama that is all glitz, little substance\n\nReview: I am a big fan of Ridley Scott, but I think this is one of his worst films. On the positive side, this film has the unique atmospherics that you expect from his productions, the acting is strong, and he strives to inject interesting historical themes into the plot. However, given that I have loved so many of his films, this one disappointed me. I guess I could say its effects are so spectacular that Scott thought he could coast on them, that the film's content and characters have a laziness about them that I would not expect from a great filmmaker like Scott. The characters are two-dimensional, the action is hardly realistic, and the themes so maudlin and milked for effect that it disgusted me at times.\n\nIn addition, as a Rome history buff, I admit that I am put off by the wildly ridiculous inaccuracies in the film. It's just an action film, so I can imagine viewers who liked it would tell me to lighten up. Scott makes it into a discourse on democracy - Marcus Aurelias' general wants to bring back the republic, Commodus wants it to stay an autocracy - when it was nothing like that; the republic had been dead for over 100 years. Moreover, removing the insane Commodus solved nothing: Rome headed into a catastrophic period of instability in the passage of power, yet the film makes it look like that was all that was needed. Granted, I suppose I should look at it purely as an action film, and it is a good action film, with blood guts, and daring. The trouble is, I saw and loved The Duellists, one of his early films, so I know that he can pull off an absolutely first rate historical film, with realistic and yet unusual characters, without glaring make-believe, and deep themes that stick with the viewer, in my case for decades. I was hoping that this film would be similar, and it certainly could have been. Instead, it is a crude formula film, though lavish in production.","Product: A U.S. Navy Captain and his crew are just beginning to enjoy 48 hours of leave when they receive word to immediately return to duty. On a top-secret assignment, they must disguise themselves as Nazis and infiltrate a severely damaged Nazi U-boat. Once on board, they are to steal the Nazi's top-secret decoding device and sink the sub before the Germans catch on to what's really happening. Their mission is more dangerous and frightening than anything they could have ever imagined, but one which has the power to turn the tide of battle. \"U-571\" is exciting!\" says Newsweek. Filled with incredible explosions, raging fires and speeding torpedoes, this suspense-filled action-packed film sets a new standard for high impact entertainment and features an impressive all-star cast.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: a riveting sub movie, even if it isn't historically accurate\n\nReview: I am a sucker for submarine movies with interesting captain melodramas. On that level, which is the stuff of hollywood's art, this film succeeds admirably: it pulses with life, has very well drawn characters, spectacular special effects, and the pace of its adventure ticks along without a moment's lag. The guys are on a deadly and vital mission, to steal the enigma machine from the inside of a Nazi submarine. It is a clandestine operation that must be carried out with precision, some luck, and then there is a very hard fight to survive and accomplish the mission once unforeseen things happen.\n\nI particularly like the characters. McConnaughey is an ambitious first officer who has been denied his first command, in large part because of his humanity and hence, purported lack of aptitude to make the difficult decisions (i.e. ordering a man to his death, even if he is unsure of the course that must be taken). Around him are seasoned veterans, including the tough and smart enlisted chief, Keitel. Once the captain (Paxton) is out of the picture, McConnaughey has to take over, facing down doubts about his ability and plotting a strategy in a near-impossible situation. This is high drama and the actors pull it off with real style.\n\nWhat a lot of the critics have trouble with here is that it was the Brits, and not the Americans, who heisted the enigma from a Nazi sub. I assume that that is the case. Nonetheless, the film does not claim to be a historical drama or that the story is true. Thus, it is just a movie and that is how it should be seen IMHO. If you want to know the historical reality, there are plenty of books or other films for that.\n\nI would recommend this film as entertainment. It is not objective history and does not pretend to be.","Product: Audiences and critics alike are raving about this larger-than-life rock'n 'roll favorite that Roger Ebert calls \"one of the best movies of the year!\" The guys of Stillwater have the sound, they have the look and Rolling Stone Magazine wants their story. For young reporter William Miller, it's the opportunity of a lifetime as he hits the road with his favorite band and discovers the price of fame, the value of family and the limits of friendship.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: This is neither hokey nor trite, but achingly real and exciting\n\nReview: For a long time, I thought that this was another one of those silly romantic comedies - afterall, that was the section it was in. I thought, why bother with another coming of age movie that will end up stupidly happy, with the wrong lessons, and puerily unrealistic.\n\nBoy was I wrong on that one!! This is a wonderful, sensitive film that develops a number of themes: finding a mentor, making your first foray into the world, discovering what (relative) failures most of us are as people, and of course, the decline of rock in the 1970s. Not only was the psychology of the characters subtle and realistic, but the evocation of the time - when the 60s idealism gave way to crass commercialism and, well, genuine mediocrity - is vivid and accurate.\n\nI am almost the exact same age as the protagonist, so I identified with him on many levels: rebelling against a parent he loved to go his own way, accomplishing something original by getting inside with his own talent and gall, and seeing the people behind the idols of cool. It is amazingly successful at all this, and for kids there is a lot to learn from it. Heck, even I re-wrote my life somewhat while enjoying this adventure of youth! It is lovely, sad, and uplifting.\n\nWarmly recommended. This is a great director.","Product: WEALTH AND DESIRE. POLITICS AND CORRUPTION. CELEBRITY AND SEXUALITY. AN 18TH-CENTURY FRENCHWOMAN COMBINES THEM ALL IN A TREACHEROUS SCHEME TO ACQUIRE THE 2800-CARAT DIAMOND NECKLACE THAT WILL ENABLE HER TO BUY BACK THE ROYAL STATUS TAKEN FROMHER.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Very fun intro to the intricacies of the pre-Revolutionary Court of Louis XVI\n\nReview: The reviewers were awfully hard on this one. I must admit that I found it an excellent and fascinating entertainment, a stimulus to look into the historical sources as there are obviously inaccuracies.\n\nI liked Swank's interpretation of the character. She has a mission - perhaps even lying to herself, it is unclear - and needs a mentor to learn the ropes of the Court intrigues. She finds one in a gigolo, for whom she also apparently grows to have genuine affection. They form a team with her husband, to steal a necklace as a way to gain political clout. Along the way, they expertly con a corrupt Cardinal, whom they play for a fool via his outsized ambitions and appetites, enlist a sleazily funny magician/seer to help, and create a scandal of historic proportions. Once caught, everyone falls, including the monarchy.\n\nWhat is so fun is the portrayal this offers of the way that government worked at the time, from aristocratic privilege to reward and punishment. in social and historical context. I found it fascinating, though would have wanted much more detail, which I can only get from books. The scandal was a catalyst that ended a monarchy that was rotten already.\n\nRegarding the characters, the film adds much detail that can never be known. Thus, it is historical fiction. La Motte-Valois is ambitious and uses the levers available - sex, lies, and fraud. We do not know what she personally thought, etc. I found the acting uniformly excellent and subtle, with many layers that can be peeled away at later viewings. Perhaps she was a whore and simple con artist, perhaps her motives were noble to her. I liked the mix of motivations and characters. Her libertine husband is hilarious, her lover-mentor kind of sad in his love. The house minister is convincingly shrewd.\n\nRecommended warmly for lovers of history and political intrigue.","Product: Original VHS tape in original cardboard case. \"A scientist makes a last stand on Earth with the help of a ragtag team of soldiers against an invasion of alien phantoms.\"\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Convoluted story with an ambiguous ending\n\nReview: This is a very dark animated film, in which a remnant of humans are fighting aliens - and each other - to survive. On the one hand, you have a band of idealists, who believe that the Earth has a spirit that can be used to fight the invaders (whose true nature remains a mystery). They seek spirit essences of some sort, which when united might save humanity. On the other hand, there are militarists who see no reason to believe any of this; their ultimate weapon threatens to destroy the Earth's spirit, Gaia.\n\nFrom this somewhat promising premise, the story becomes both a confusing shootout (it is unclear if the enemy aliens die and how to fight them) and a political struggle that becomes extremely deadly. At least for me, I could not quite forget that I was watching something made up - I never suspended my disbelief and gave myself over to it. The risks and ambitions just get bigger and bigger, the scenarios more outlandish and desperate and ultimate. By the end, it had nearly completely lost me.\n\nOne thing that is good, in my view, is that the outcome remains unexplained and ambiguous. The viewer is not told what happened and what it means, which is nice in that it leaves a lot to the imagination, which is the mark of all quality sci-fi. However, I found the characters boringly two-dimensional and the plot unoriginal, in spite of the good special effects. I assume that the product shoudl stand on its own, as I am not a gamer, and for me it barely did.\n\nI would not recommend this except to those who like this world because of their familiarity with the game or because they want a simple adventure. It is not for hard sci-fi fans.","Product: TO GAIN CONTROL OF HER LIFE, A YOUNG WOMAN EMBARKS ON A PROVOCATIVE, EROTIC ADVENTURE THAT BREAKS THE BOUNDARIES OF TRADITIONAL SEXUAL LIMITATIONS. HER ESCALATING SEXUAL JOURNEY TESTS HER OWN PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL LIMITS, AND, THROUGH AN IRONIC TWIST-OF-FATE, EVENTUALLY LEADS HER TO FULFILLMENT.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: irony, nihilism, bleakness, and alienation\n\nReview: This is a very good, very French film. From the reviews, it seems to have confused a great many people: not only are the protagonists bizaarely unfathomable, but the young lady maintains this unbearably insipid dialogue going about what she is experiencing and why, a kind of cheesy left-bank philosophy that is off-putting. However, these things should not be taken at face value, in my opinion, but as ironic view into the characters: they are indeed lost idiots, clueless about how to live their lives without inflicting cruelties on anyone close to them, and thinking way too much in the self-important manner of pompous, dim-witted narcissists. Those are the characters involved. Breillat is painting a tableau, not talking directly to the audience via the confused young woman.\n\nThe plot involves the retaliation of a pretty young woman against her boyfriend. For whatever reason, he has lost all sexual interest in her and is abruptly cruel while openly flirting with other women. She observes this in a heartbroken way, continually trying to seduce him - all graphically acted out - and yet she cannot bring herself to leave him. This is odd because there is absolutely nothing interesting about him (or her for that matter), there is no emotion or warmth on display from either of them, and the passion if it ever existed is long dead. So instead of leaving him, she decides to get even by seeking a series of ever more degrading sexual encounters. It is horribly explicit, strange, and empty.\n\nThis is not pornography because it is not meant to titillate. The girl is sullen and blank in every one of the situations, never showing the slightest pleasure or interest in her partners. Indeed, the only pleasure she shows is a fit of despairing auto-satisfaction, all the time describing to herself what she is feeling in a detached and idiotic voice, without real insight. Another artful twist is the long, unexplained sequences, when the viewer must guess what is happening. They don't always make sense and are not tied off as you would expect in a hollywood film; this creates gaps that the viewer must fill in, must work to interpret. That too is a trait of many good French films. The funeral ending, for example, must be placed into the context of the film; it is not an obvious denouement.\n\nI enjoyed this on re-viewing, even if it is sad and cruel. It is deep psychodrama with many layers. Recommended.","Product: Ben-Hur is a 1959 American epic historical drama film, directed by William Wyler, produced by Sam Zimbalist and starring Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins, Hugh Griffith and Haya Harareet. It won a record 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: a superlative box set of one of the great films of all time\n\nReview: This is nothing short of a spectacular deal: with the images newly crisp, beautiful sound, and plenty of extras, I think this is the best bluray that I have ever purchased.\n\nI have nothing to add about the quality of the film's theme and plot. You identify with Ben-Hur as he goes through an extraordinary journey, both physical and spiritual; it is so emotionally real that I must struggle to keep from weeping every single time I see it. There is action, big ideas, and psychological and spiritual growth. No other film does this for me - I am an atheist, or a non-believing christian, if you will.\n\nSO far as the film print version goes, I think it is the best available. The transfer is better than all previous versions. The extras are fun, in particular the complete 1925 silent version that has many basic differences from the 1959 version, e.g. Simonides, Ben-Hur's loyal slave, is afraid to recognize him in the earlier version, as it will enslave his daughter Esther. While I tire of the self-congratulatory documentaries, which are softball papp of the genre, \"oh, everyone was so wonderful and talented\", but there is interesting info in them as well.\n\nWarmly recommended. Interestingly, I got the British version, which was the equivalent of $15. (With 3 disks, I am not certain that this one has all the things that the American version does, but it has commentaries, music only tracks, outtakes, etc. The essential, of course, is the film. It is region 2, I believe.)","Product: sottotitolato in italiano.un uomo, rimasto vedovo della moglie suicida, si aggira per parigi in preda a una irrefrenabile malinconia, dovuta, oltre che alla perdita della sua compagna, a un passato confuso e alla perdita della giovinezza. l'incontro con una giovanissima ragazza borghese e il loro fulmineo rapporto sessuale cambiera' la vita di entrambi. ma l'uomo sembra imprigionato in una sorta di ossessione erotica, che solo in un primo tempo e' condivisa dalla giovane. quando scemera' l'interesse della ragazza per quel rapporto senza futuro, questa uccidera' il suo amante. film discusso ma non discutibile, ultimo tango a parigi reca l'impronta di quello che puo' essere considerato il vero autore del film: marlon brando. bertolucci non sara' mai piu' cosi' sincero e ossequiente con la storia che racconta. a supporto di questa tesi resta il fatto che quando brando e' assente il regista cerca di reimpadronirsi della storia con uno stile \"truffaut\" fastidioso e ingiustificabile. la presenza di jean-pierre le'aud e' in tal senso indicativa. il solo modo di non essere travolto da brando era quello di mettersi al servizio delle studiate improvvisazioni del geniale attore. e bertolucci lo ha fatto, sia pure con qualche sofferenza. il risultato e' un film ibrido ma entusiasmante. quando il film fu distribuito era gia' stato preceduto dalle cronache scandalistiche, che avevano speculato su alcune sequenze di grande impatto erotico, per allora. in seguito abbiamo visto ben altro. e in quelli che si possono considerare anni contraddittori e che vengono denominati secondo i casi, anni di piombo, di restaurazione e altre definizioni pseudo storico-sociali, il film venne ritirato e i negativi distrutti; tutto con un furore da inquisizione. per fortuna si salvo' qualche copia, e ora il film viene venduto e svenduto anche nei supermarket, assieme alla nutella. e il furore scatenat\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: one of the greatest portrayals of depression and personal damage\n\nReview: I saw this when came out, as a high school student with a girlfriend. Needless to say, we both found it beyond shocking, truly horrible in its angst and rage and cruelty. Brando, a damaged and unhappy man whose life is in ruins, meets an empty and inexperienced girl, who submits to his sado-masochistic \"numbers\" with incomprehensible passivity. Perhaps she is bored, perhaps she wants relief from her bourgeois life - a clinging mother and unbearably insipid boyfriend - or wants to experience something raw and new, it is impossible to say. It is like she is an empty vessel, an object, for the horrible things he does to her. There is plenty of nudity, some iconic scenes like the butter one, but few normal human emotions. The Brando character is pure despair and loneliness in an extraordinary performance.\n\nHe sets the rules: they meet in an empty apartment for sexual experimentation. They are to tell eachother nothing of their outside lives, not even their names. Their brutal meetings are interspersed with scenes from their lives, he in despair over the suicide of his wife, she on the path to a life with a filmmaker of the most idiotic pretension, filming their life yet afraid of any honest emotion with her. They are both empty and lost. It is pathetic.\n\nGradually, they begin to learn about the other, in particular in descriptions by Brando of his unhappy childhood. She is an innocent, too inexperienced to understand how Brando is using her and why, merely going along for the ride. Schneider is beautiful, but her character is shallow, perhaps because of her acting she is not at all interesting beyond being a pleasure object. When he tries to take it to another step, to meet outside the apartment, the ending didn't quite ring true to me, except for the casual indifference he felt towards his impending death.\n\nSeeing it again as a man older than Brando and after so many imitations and overly brainy conversations about it, I thought that the film was still quite good. I didn't \"freak out\" the way I did at the first viewing, but the sadness of it all remains deeply affecting. Sex and despair are no longer shocking to filmgoers as they were when I was young, but it is great art house cinema and worth a viewing for any film buff who is interested in the history of the medium.\n\nRecommended. This is like a modern equivalent of Balzac in its magical realism.","Product: Yippie Abbie Hoffman\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: pretty balanced: he admits to arrogance and buffoonery, but inspired change\n\nReview: This got me to re-think Abbie, whom I saw more as a provcateur than a politician of substance (in stark contrast to many of the activists in SDS, imho). What I remember most about him is Steal This Book, which is the perfect form of anarchy for affluent adolescents (us) in the suburbs (see the chapter \"monkey warfare\" for a guide to some of our misdeeds). I barely recalled that he was one of the Chicago 7.\n\nHe appeared far more self-aware in this film than I would have given him credit for, and it is clear that he actually did stand for some things, such as using the tools of the media to promote democracy and get out of Vietnam. In this fine film, you get to view his entire career, from the civil rights works he did, which I didn't know about, to his swan song as a local activist. It is a bit glib on his manic depression and its treatment, I found, but that also rounded out his portrait without creating an idol. The acting is genuinely excellent and the evocation of the time synches with my memory of the 60s: it was a great time to be an adolescent, I mean, what better thing to do than ditch high school as a protest? While much of it seems so callow today, it really is the last time America was interesting politically: as Abbie says, we stopped a war and had fun. Of course, the 1968 Chicago convention, which my parents took me to see, was a turning point in American politics, as the middle class were disgusted by the Dems, which added to the GOP's momentum as a result of civil rights alienating the South's democratic party. That is not really analysed in the film, but then, it is not intended as poli-sci I suppose.\n\nWarmly recommended. It is a wonderful slice of history.","Product: They Came From Beyond Space is the thrilling film adaptation of Joseph Millard's, The Gods Hate Kansas, which revolves around an alien spacecraft that has mechanical problems and crashes into the Moon. The alien beings aboard cannot complete the repairs themselves, so they use their abilities to control and use a number of Earth's scientists as slaves to help with the repairs.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: solid b hard scifi\n\nReview: It is hard to believe that this is the kind of thing I watched every afternoon as a kid. Back then, this was pretty cutting edge, impossible as it may seem. But beyond the crude effects, the story is really quite good: there is a mysterious landing of some space crafts. The hero is a man who recently had a steel plate grafted to his skull, a sure tip off that some kind of mind control will not effect him.\n\nHe heroically attempts to discover what is happening to his colleagues, which gets him into lots of trouble and danger. He then figures out, with a colleague he equips with a kind of collander helmet to protect him against the untraviolet mind rays from the aliens. Then they discover what the real mission of the creatures is, which is quite a surprise, and it changes the adversarial dynamic between Earthlings and aliens in a wonderful twist that is also interesting.\n\nRecommended for fans of good b-grade scifi. It is for the peculiar connoisseur, like me, who loved these as a kid.","Product: Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and winner of 3, The Pianist stars Oscar winner Adrien Brody in the true-life story of brilliant pianist and composer Wladyslaw Szpilman, the most acclaimed young musician of his time until his promising career was interrupted by the onset of World War II. This powerful, ultimately triumphant film follows Szpilman's heroic and inspirational journey of survival with the unlikely help from a sympathetic German officer (Thomas Kretschmann). A truly unforgettable epic, testifying to both the power of hope and the resiliency of the human spirit, The Pianist is a miraculous tale of survival masterfully brought to life by visionary filmmaker Roman Polanski in his most personal movie ever.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: polanski does it again...\n\nReview: not only has he made another unbelievably excellent holocaust film, but he it bears his indefinably quirky stamp. While the basics of the film have been covered in the reviews, what struck me was that this protagonist is not some superhuman hero type, but merely a highly talented man trying to survive - he avoids fighting, relies on his elite contacts, and ventures out only when he can't avoid it. Lots of his time is spent in solitude, waiting fearfully and introspecting. This made him a kind of everyman, with whom I for one could identify far more than some otherwordly figure like Martin Gray, whose story of survivaly is as intimidating as it is fantastic. This film reveals how most of us would have gone about trying to survive: it required pluck and courage, but also luck and avoidance of danger. The acting is also perfect.\n\nAlso, the extra of Polanski speaking aobut his childhood - and how he survived a near-identical situation, is incredibly moving and fascinating. This film is perhaps his most important, for himself. One wonders what his career would have been like had he stayed in Hollywood. I must say that, given the repertoire of films he has done since then, such as this or Tess, his first-rate talent was not diminished.\n\nWarmly recommended. This is one of the first films I will show to my children when they are ready to learn about the holocaust.","Product: New The Namesake [dvd]\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: moving film on identity, culture, and fate\n\nReview: This is a beautiful film. The central character is a boy who it between cultures and struggling to make a way for himself on his own terms. This is a universal phenomenon in the US, one that as a half-chinese I have encountered my entire life: you want to be independent, but are drawn by love and the deepest personal associations to a fading ideal/circumstance. I deeply identified with the protagonist's ambivalence towards his parents, his regrets and attempts to bring himself closer to his roots, and his finding a center with a completely personal meaning, which has much to do with his name(s). The characters are very well drawn, from his immediate family to his involvements with whites and indians.\n\nWarmly recommended.","Product: I AM LEGEND\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: good, but degenerates from a nightmare of loneliness into a botched action film\n\nReview: This film starts out with great promise, with WS as a lone man in a world of chaos. He is hunting, through the streets of Manhattan, for food and uninfected humans, all the while working on a vaccine for the bio-engineered virus that has more of less destroyed humanity. WS is convincing as an anguished, intelligent man, who is struggling with his isolation, though his dog is a vital companion. With flashbacks and preserved video cuts, past history becomes clear: WS was an army scientist who is the only person to understand the vaccine, which is what makes him immune to the disease of the savages who come out at night. He has lost his family, understands what has happened to the world and what needs to be done, and has a charismatic strength of character.\n\nSo far so good. You see WS suffer and think as well as act with the decisiveness you would expect from a hero. There are many excellent details, such as the relationship with his dog or his golfing off the wing of a grounded jet fighter. It is vivid and beautiful, completely believable.\n\nHowever, once the night bad guys come to the fore, the film begins to falter. First, the night baddies are simply not well executed technically: they don't look real, so you can't believe in them; as one reviewer noted, they look too much like video game characters. We expect better in computer animation, I'm sorry. Second, from an introspective survivor film, you get grotesquely violent action. Not only is the plot unrealistic - the baddies have not discovered him until the night he is rescued by an immune woman and then they come in force - but the action is kind of ridiculous: the baddies seem invulnerable, though they have lost their human intelligence as they transformed into hairless half-dogs and behave as if they have rabies. They are seeking human flesh and seem to have some kind of hive mind, like an insect society, but none of the promising threads are developed into plot and theme. There is not even enough to enable the thoughtful viewer to connect the dots, which is another indispensable component to great scifi.\n\nThat being said, I am quite a sucker for these end-of-humanity films. This one got me to believe, at least for the first half. It is a mistake to have made it into an action film in the end, though WS is a good action hero. WS' role is more dramatic than his usual roles, more complex as a character and not at all happygolucky as we expect of the fresh prince. He is a good actor and did well here, but the script and direction take it over the top.\n\nRecommended, but not with much enthusiasm.","Product: OUT OF PRINT\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Not bad, but not all that original or believable\n\nReview: Unfortunately, this is not a very strong film. Stiles is by far the best actor in this, with all the other performances quite weak (with the exception of the detective).\n\nStiles plays a deeply troubled child, who is attempting to manipulate her father. To a certain extent, she succeeds, but events begin to slip from her control. The ending is designed to throw the viewer for a loop, but I found it rather predictable. The film most succeeds on the atmospherics, which takes place in a surreal gated community, complete with a lonely single mother, a seductive nanny, a deadbeat sensualist neighbor, and a dysfunctional family. The mix leads to murder and nothing quite ends up as it seems, but I just didn't quite believe it.\n\nI would recommend this tepidly.","Product: This DVD is in German language (Die Klavierspielerin). The film participated in Cannes (France) 2001.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: art film with realistic, and extremely ugly, psychology\n\nReview: The French have a way of creating films full of people you would never want to know, should not want to know, and if you saw them would fail to see what lies below the surface. In other words, they explore parts of the human condition that Hollywood wouldn't touch. Huppert brilliantly realizes the portrayal of an emotionally twisted woman: maniacally focused on her art, from a bizarre household she cannot escape, and unable to form loving relationships. SHe is at times sad, cruel, and sexually experimental. However, as a reflection of her loneliness and pain, there is nothing whatsoever titillating about her sexuality.\n\nThe ride is rough and it isn't for everyone. This is excellent psycho-drama, destined to be a classic that will never achieve a wide audience. Recommended with caution.","Product: One of Disney's biggest and most fondly remembered hits, the spectacular screen version of the literary classic SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON is full of breathtaking South Seas scenery, hundreds of exotic animals, and treacherous pirates. This heroic tale chronicles the courageous exploits of the Robinson family after they are shipwrecked on a deserted island. Using teamwork and ingenuity, they skillfully overcome the obstacles of nature and transform their new home into a \"civilized\" community. But the ultimate challenge lies ahead when a band of cutthroat pirates threaten to destroy the Robinson's Makeshift paradise. Capture the thrills, romance, and fun of this unforgettable Disney film!|The film was based on the book by Johann Wyss, written to preserve the tales he and his sons made up while imagining themselves in Robinson Crusoe's predicament. Not originally intended for publication, the narrative was later edited and illustrated by Wyss' descendants.|Filmed on the Caribbean island of Tobago, the motion picture's lavish preproduction planning and on-location shooting (22 weeks) resulted in a budget that exceeded $4 million, but the extraordinary box office returns, subsequent popular reissues, and release on home video in 1982 has made it one of Disney's top-grossing films.|There was one problem with the filming location of Tobago: it had no animals. Tropical birds, gulls, ostriches, snakes, tigers, zebras, baby elephants, and monkeys were all flown to the island, along with 14 animal trainers.|One afternoon the flamingos Disney \"hired\" for the film took off from Tobago and headed south to British Guiana. Fortunately, they returned the next day at feeding time.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Still one of the best, even as a golden oldie\n\nReview: I had no idea if this would hold the attention of my kids, who expect increasing spectacle and perfection with every film. But this one has so much going for it that I thought, why not try to share it with them?\n\nI saw everything I liked about it. First, the family is intimate and builds a wonderful kind of safe haven for itself. I loved the ingenuity and coziness of it. The father wonders whether they would be happier there than in a more civilized place. Second, there is the mysterious wildlife, for which the intellectual son tries to make explanations. I suppose it is possible, but there are tigers (possible from S Asia), monkeys with prehensile tails (only from S America), and ostriches, which I believe are only in Africa. At any rate, they enjoy the animals in delightful play. Third, there is the action adventure, with the defense from the pirates. It is surprisingly well pulled off. Fortunately, my kids liked it, too.\n\nThis is family film at it best. Warmly recommended.","Product: OUT OF PRINT\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Nice twist on the heist genre\n\nReview: This is a very fun movie, in that it does not fit easily into any standard plot that you might expect. Sure, the experts are being pulled back in from retirement, but they plan to do things their way, with some extra risks and thrills thrown in, including unimaginable psychological pressure. Everything is thrown suddenly into question.\n\nKingsley, while not the principal character, steals the spotlight with just about the most charismatic evil that I have ever seen on the screen. His presence exudes the strength of a psychotic killer used to bending men to his will as a lieutenant/enforcer for a bigger boss, McShane. You get an entire sense of environment from Kingsley's demeanor, the true mark of a great actor. But there is also McShane, a man beyond - or entirely incapable of - normal human emotion, who operates in the nether world of power, vengeance, and macho dares. The scene where McShane attends a kind of sado-masochistic party for the business elite, encountering the enigmatic Foxx and going along for the ride, is classic. There is an understanding between victim and perpetrator that is wonderfully subtle and ultimately unfathomable.\n\nRecommended as an original viewing experience that, if not pleasant, definitely entertains.","Product: VHS Carlos Saura's Trilogy Collection. Bodas de Sangre, Carmen, El amor Brujo. \n\nSpanish language with English Subtitles.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: art merges into life, the magic of youth and possibility, beauty\n\nReview: I saw this when it came out and its images have always lived in my imagination. There is a seasoned choreographer of flamenco, looking for the perfect \"carmen\" in his adaptation of the classic opera into dance theatre. At the start, it is all about what is needed for the production, opening a view into how it is organized by creative professionals. Then, as a Carmen is apparently chosen, the personalities and rivalries of the artists emerge, pitting their ambitions and disappointments against one another, which is also part of the creative process that the choreographer is managing: he must encourage, sanction, nurture, and even simply throw the dice as the ensemble begins to coalesce into unified team. Finally, as the art intertwines with the lives of the performers, the choreographer loses control - or gives it up, with purpose - of the situation, all adding into the quality of the performance in spite of the personal chaos that threatens him and others. It becomes impossible to tell what is real and what is projected emotion into the art, even the violent ending.\n\nWhat amazes me is that the film works so well and is completely believable - it successfully avoids the danger of becoming preposterous and cheap melodrama. I think this is in large part because the quality of the dancing is wonderful, indeed it continually swept me into its magic all of its own, regardless of the limits of the actors.\n\nWarmly recommended. The idea of a story around an artistic production may not be new, but this is executed to perfection.\n\nNote: it is a pity this is not available for region 1. I got this new in Britain for $5.","Product: Plagued with grief over the murder of her daughter, Valerie Somers (Barbara Hershey) suspects that her husband John (Geoffrey Rush) is cheating on her. When Valerie disappears, Detective Leon Zat (Anthony LaPaglia) attempts to solve the mystery of her absence. A complex web of love, sex and deceit emerges -- drawing in four related couples whose various partners are distrustful and suspicious about each other's involvement.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: very good on mid-life pain and compromise, a bit weak on plot\n\nReview: Wrapped around an investigation that appears to be a murder, this story explores the lives of 4 interlinked couples. THree of them are in a serious crisis - infidelity, splitting up, grief - and are pondering the meaning of it all while groping towards reconciliation or compromise or perhaps divorce. The tone is unrelentingly sad, making it an agony to watch, particularly if you have felt pain and alienation in a marriage that once worked.\n\nWhile the investigation side serves as a kind of plot device, it has barely begun by the middle of the film. Instead, the viewer gets a picture of each marriage, vividly and concisely portrayed like a series of vignettes, and the acting is positively excellent. For example, Barbara Hershey exudes a disturbing, if functional, depression as she attempts to treat some pretty troubled patients - it is a wonderful portrayal of emotional ricochet, where their issues get her to reflect deeply on her own life. Hershey has never been better. Though brief, each view is utterly convincing, indeed rivetting in the way a poem can have an emotional impact in an entirely different way from a novel. It is very successful art.\n\nI recommend this film as a valuable exploration of couples in mid life. Very good, realistic drama, including the investigation. But it is not fun to watch and I doubt I will want to again any time soon. Rather than uplifting, it is stark and naked.","Product: An exciting, action-packed sci-fi story from the author of TOTAL RECALL and BLADE RUNNER, the thrilling Director's Cut of IMPOSTOR brings you Gary Sinise (FORREST GUMP, APOLLO 13), Madeleine Stowe (WE WERE SOLDIERS, PLAYING BY HEART), Vincent D'Onofrio (THE CELL, MEN IN BLACK), and Mekhi Phifer (O, 8 MILE) in a stellar cast. At a time when the earth has been at war with an alien force for over a decade, the latest work of lauded government scientist Spencer Olham (Sinise) promises to save the planet. But suddenly, Olham himself is accused of being an alien spy and is thrown headlong into a disorienting nightmare as a fugitive from the law. With blasts of adrenaline-fueled intensity, this futuristic thriller soars as Olham races to prove his identity to the world ... and himself ... in time to save all mankind!\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Has some interesting twists, but well, whatever...\n\nReview: Perhaps I am getting jaded, but I rarely find sci-fi films that I like much. There is nothing wrong or ridiculous about this film: it is an identity question, where Sinise is apparently mistaken for a robotic baddie sent from mysterious aliens at war with Earth. He gets into quite an adventure, running around to exonerate himself and in the process revealing a pretty complex (and unfortunate) society. As is typical with PKD, you are not sure who the good and bad guys are, so the viewer is kept guessing. Alas, when I got to the end, I wasn't that surprised, indeed I kind of wanted it to end because I didn't feel I had entered this particular future with much enthusiasm. It is a pretty run of the mill suspense/thriller hard sci fi.","Product: Nominated for 5 Academy Awards(R) including Best Picture (2001), this universally acclaimed film features Academy Award-winners Sissy Spacek (Best Actress 1980, COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER, 1980) and Marisa Tomei (Best Supporting Actress 1992, MY COUSIN VINNIE), and Academy Award-nominee Tom Wilkinson (Best Actor, IN THE BEDROOM, 2001). When young Frank Fowler (Nick Stahl) becomes romantically involved with an older single mother (Tomei), his parents (Spacek and Wilkinson) are concerned. But when the relationship takes a sudden and tragic turn, the Fowlers are forced to confront the harsh reality of their situation and the inescapable consequences of their actions. An uncommonly suspenseful and disturbing film powered by a remarkable cast, IN THE BEDROOM has been hailed by critics everywhere as one of the year's finest motion pictures.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: superbly acted, but depressingly slow by design\n\nReview: This is one of those films about a trajedy and its aftermath in a family. It is brutal and sad, then it winds down for an awfully long time, with raw emotions playing behind the surface of events. In many ways, the best part is about the pain of the aftermath as life goes on and you witness what is left. There are many levels at which this can be viewed: as a comment on our criminal justice system and vengance, the evolution of long-term and durable marriages, or the upheavals of unwilling divorce. For me, it was the older marriage that was the emotional center of this movie, the anchor of all the themes.\n\nWatching this is difficult as it addresses many of our ultimate fears as parents. The realism is so rough that not much of this is fun. Recommended for serious film goers, those who would rather see a slice of life than watch a football game.","Product: \"Nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture, this universally acclaimed film features Sissy Spacek and Marisa Tomei and Academy Award nominee Tom Wilkinson.\nWhen young Frank Fowler (Nick Stahl) becomes romantically involved with an older single mother (Tomei), his parents (Spacek & Wilkenson) are concerned. But when the relationship takes a sudden and tragic turn, the Fowlers are forced to confront the harsh reality of their situation and the inescapable consequences of their actions.\nAn uncommonly suspenseful and disturbing film powered by a remarkable cast, IN THE BEDROOM has been hailed by critics everywhere as one of the year's finest motion pictures.\"\n(From slipcover back)\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: superbly acted, but depressingly slow by design\n\nReview: This is one of those films about a trajedy and its aftermath in a family. It is brutal and sad, then it winds down for an awfully long time, with raw emotions playing behind the surface of events. In many ways, the best part is about the pain of the aftermath as life goes on and you witness what is left. There are many levels at which this can be viewed: as a comment on our criminal justice system and vengance, the evolution of long-term and durable marriages, or the upheavals of unwilling divorce. For me, it was the older marriage that was the emotional center of this movie, the anchor of all the themes.\n\nWatching this is difficult as it addresses many of our ultimate fears as parents. The realism is so rough that not much of this is fun. Recommended for serious film goers, those who would rather see a slice of life than watch a football game.","Product: A rubber-plantation foreman marries his boss's widow, then turns into a gorilla.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: crude, savage, and fun\n\nReview: If you ever wondered what Raymond Burr did before Perry Mason, this is your film: it is a masterpiece of the second rate, with a mysterious jungle with its own legends, murder, ill-fated love, and cosmic vengeance. Looked at in a certain way, it is so bad it is really really good. The acting is overwrought, but surprisingly strong. I will not recapitulate the plot, as that would spoil it in my opinion.\n\nThis is yet another one of those wonderful b-films we used to watch after school, totally unbelievable, yet somehow psychologically real, at least for kids. This is very personal, but watching these still gives me a thrill of delight, sometimes the cheesiness makes it even more delectable.\n\nRecommended, particularly for the nostalgia of human imagination's truly grotesque.","Product: Shakespeare's Don Pedro pairs Benedick and Beatrice and woos Hero for Claudio around a lively Italian villa.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: a genuine, lively success and a delight\n\nReview: I got this for my daugter, now 12, to nurture her love of drama. At this, this fine rendition was an absolute success: she is watching it and memorising the language, drinking it in with the excitment and exuberance of a child. It is wonderful to behold and precisely why I got this film.\n\nBranagh's adaptation is lush and splendidly well arranged. The only flaw, in my opinion, is Keanu Reeves, who simply fails to project any soul into his role. He just isn't of the same caliber as the rest of the cast. Denzel Washington is wonderful as the prince, quite a surprise - I think he is America's greatest acting talent, yet again.\n\nWarmly recomended. It transmits the magic of Shakespeare into the young mind and allows us parents to re-live the brutal ups and downs of young love. I was moved, by the story but also by watching the delight of my daughter in the whole experience.","Product: The beautiful Tigri (Laurette Luez) and her amazonian stone age friends are convinced that men are only good for one thing. When they capture some potential mates, Engor (Allan Nixon) resents his treatment and escapes. During the wild pursuit that follows they battle dragons, giants, and discover fire, all without messing up their hair or makeup. Tigri, impressed despite herself, agrees to marry the slightly smarter-than-average Engor, and the continuance of our species is assured.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: pre-feminist romp between savage boys and girls\n\nReview: WOw, this is a funny and outdated movie that purports to be archaeologically accurate. My daughter and I watched with a constant stream of laughter, she being a serious student of archaeology.\n\nA band of tough women - all clean cut and covered above and below - have decided they need to claim mates. They were separated off from another tribe when very young, due to the bad treatment their mothers received as women slaves. Now these women will knock out some boys and take them on their terms. Once the boys are taken captive, they discover fire and claim dominance in their turn. Then, in a mutual fight against an evil giant, they truly bond and found their own tribe.\n\nNot only is the story preposterous, but the acting is not all that great and the science is rather questionable. That being said, we did enjoy it, granted more as an object of ridicule than a film experience.\n\nNot recommended unless you can get a free copy.","Product: Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal) has a few strikes against her when she applies for a secretarial position at the law office of E. Edward Grey (James Spader). Although she's never had a job in her life Lee is hired by the mysterious lawyer Mr. Grey. At first the work seems quite normal but soon in between typing filing and making coffee Lee and Mr. Grey embark on a more personal relationship crossing lines of conduct that would give any human resource director the vapors!System Requirements:Starring: James Spader Maggie Gyllenhaal Jeremy Davies and Leslie Ann Warren. Directed By: Steven Shainberg. Running Time: 111 Min. Color. © MMII Secretary Productions LLCFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: R UPC: 658149811324 Manufacturer No: 71883\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: genuine weirdos find love via sado-masochism\n\nReview: (SPOILER WARNING.) There is no question that this is one of the oddest love stories I have ever seen. A young woman, with a quirky beauty that reveals itself over the course of the film, evolves from a self-mutilating mental patient to a fully realized and loving wife. It is an extraordinary transformation, told in the form of comedy, and the viewer can believe it.\n\nThe acting is wonderful. Spader is at his absolute best: creepy, with bizarre tastes to say the least, yet full of need in a way that is understandable and increasingly vital. From a rigid obsessive type, he becomes a man in search of love, even if it involves ropes and a saddle. This is also Gyllenhaal's first starring role and she is magnificent. The supporting characters from her hapless boy toy to her alcoholic father and co-dependant mother are also excellent.\n\nAs many have noted, this film had to tread an extremely fine line. One the one hand, there is no question that the couple is perverted. They indulge in pain, humiliation, and bondage. On the other hand, though so wounded and inhibited, they forge a true relationship. Their journey is moving, at times titillating, and even fascinating.\n\nWarmly recommended. The range of human behavior is forever unfathomable and unpredictable. This film shows what a mystery life and the hope for love can be.","Product: Two traumatic events affect the life of East Berliner, Christiane Kerner. First, in 1978, her husband, Robert, runs off to freedom and another woman in the west, leaving her to take care of their two adolescent children, Ariane and Alex, by herself. Always a good Socialist, Christiane devotes her life to the cause as a symbol of anger toward her husband. And second, in 1989, she sees a now grown Alex marching in an anti-Berlin Wall demonstration and being hauled off by police. As a result, she suffers a heart attack and goes into a coma. While Christiane is in her coma, Germany drastically changes with the Wall coming down and the imminent official reunification of East and West into one. The Kerner's personal life also changes with all aspects of the new found capitalist world infiltrating their home. When Christiane emerges from her coma eight months later, her health situation is still tenuous. Any shock she experiences could possibly lead to another heart attack and certain death. To protect his mother, Alex decides not to tell her of the new Germany in which they live. He feels he can better protect her at home, where he can control to what she is exposed. Although most around him don't support the idea - including Ariane and Lara (Alex's Russian immigrant girlfriend who is also Christiane's nurse) - they go along with the extreme measures Alex goes to to recreate East Germany in their home. How long can they keep up the ruse?\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: a rare success: a political comedy that can appeal to everyone\n\nReview: My daughter saw this in her German class and simply had to have it. To encourage her German, I got it, not expecting much. On her insistence, we watched it and I was very pleasantly surprized - here is a comedy, at turns political and personal, but always with an edge of realism and irony. If you are interested in the personal side of reunification, this is also very good evocation and provides food for discussion, also very good for learning.\n\nThe story is about a broken East German family: the father went to the West and disappeared, leaving his wife and two children in the East. The mother had a nervous breakdown, coming out of it gradually to become a leader. During the upheaval 10 years later, she has a heart attack and falls into a coma, just when E Germany collapses. When she wakes up, to avoid life-threatening trauma, they don't tell her about the reunification and go to increasingly absurd lengths to hide it from her. A lot of this is funny, but after a while it becomes a terrible strain. As life goes on, they work to resolve many issues, all the time struggling in the new society under development. It is interesting and well done on many levels, with great attention to detail, and always funny. It is a masterpiece of political satire but real enough to be a drama as well.\n\nWarmly recommended.","Product: United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: 2-DVD Set, Commentary, Interactive Menu, Photo Gallery, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: At Cambridge University in 1934, four young men are courted by Soviet agents and recruited into a world of covert intelligence and espionage. Fired by youthful idealism, passionately committed to social justice and to fighting fascism, they are bonded by friendship based on shared conviction and shared sacrifice. This is the story of Blunt, Burgess, Philby and Maclean, the most notorious double agents in British history. The four became embroiled in obtaining and passing on vital information, betraying their country to fight the evils of fascism. Enigma secrets and atomic details are given to Russian contacts as the careers of the four take them to Vienna, New York, Washington and Moscow. During almost 20 years of counter-intelligence, despite their personal journeys, the four are bound by their beliefs and their secrets. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, ...Cambridge Spies - 2-DVD Set\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: evocative and fun, if a bit thin on content\n\nReview: My British friends relish spy stories and have initiated me into their intricacies. This led me to begin collecting the BBC productions, which include such outstanding titles as Smiley's People. With this, I think that the best is definitely in the past: the script has many holes, providing little solid information about what made these guys tick. It also takes a rather sympathetic view of them as ambitious, youthful idealists, attracted to communism mostly as a way to fight fascism. Oddly, it glosses over much of the real damage that they did, such as Philby's exposure of a counter-insurgency in Albania that cost hundreds of lives in an ambush. Overall, it is stimulating and well acted with evocations of history, a good if not prime addition to a film library.\n\nThe story begins with the 4 as students. They are rambunctious - the cold Blunt and flamboyant Burgess are overt homosexuals - while Philby is a womanizer; only McLean appears shy and introspective. After some hesitation, they band together and subordinate their lives to spying for the USSR. The personal conflicts and tragedies that this double life caused form the crux of the plot - lost love, stress leading to alcoholism, etc. Another theme is the old-boys British public school culture, whereby those of the right breeding and class can enter into the elite when they chose to do so: all you need is the \"right tie\". The elite also closes ranks on certain questions, such as the loyalty of the Cambridge grads, letting them escape.\n\nAs a result, what they actually did and even what motivated them at the deepest levels is largely left vague. I was disappointed because I wanted to learn much more. It also falls between genres, i.e. it isn't suspense, isn't history, and lacks the intrigue that makes spy stories such a fun puzzle. Recommended with these caveats.","Product: Based on the life and work of underground comic book writer Harvey Pekar- a prickly poet of the mundane who knows that all the strategizing in the world can't save a guy from picking the wrong supermarket checkout line.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: original, funny, banal, pathetic, and uplifting\n\nReview: I was given a copy of Pekar's first anthology in 1985, and I read it so many times I practically memorized it. The great thing was that it had down to earth stories about normal people in a nowhere city, but they came through with a pathos and sense of striving that were throbbing with life. Not much happens, but they leave an imprint, if you like good dense fiction. Pekar is his milieu, however egomanaical, maladjusted, and sad he seems. The stories range from reasoning about his non-existent career while buying bread to hanging out with a horrible, clueless woman for sex because he is so lonely. All in a declining rustbelt city.\n\nI wasn't sure what to expect with this film, but I bought it anyway. From the start, I thought it was completely successful and a work of art that stood on its own. You have the real Harvey Pekar as narrator, who occasionally appears to comment from a kind of inner sanctum mixing comics and the film set, and you have a wonderful actor, Paul Giamatti. Then, you also have them watching themselves in a play and then on David Letterman. It was a strange double or triple reflection of reality.\n\nThe story is very well put together. It starts when Pekar is getting divorced (2nd time), shows his life as a working-class intellectual, and then how he falls in love with someone as strange yet endearing as himself, Joyce. Then, he survives cancer and even accepts a child into his life, which with his loudly announced vasectomy (on his first date with his wife) he was adamant never to do. All through it, Pekar strives to develop his art, comic book writing that others illustrate. He does his thing through sheer gall - and hey, if he doesn't, who would? Every freelancer will identify with this.\n\nGiamatti really gets Pekar: the constantly worried brow, the shuffling slump with his constant companion (a mild depression), yet also the good mind that is entirely self-taught. It is brilliant. But the feel of the film also reflects what I have witnessed: there is even a scene where one character is introduced, Toby (whom I did not recall from the comic), and for a second I was convinced he was someone I really knew. (You read this, Chris?) I had to watch that scene several times, and even got my kids to watch the \"nerd\" as he defined himself - we all laughed, but felt sympathy as well. That is typical Pekar.\n\nSomeday, I believe, Pekar's work will be regarded as genuine literature that portrays the age, much I would wager, as do Chaucer or Froissart. People will do Phds on it, but I prefer to simply enjoy it for what it is. Warmly recommended.","Product: The emotionally and physically charged lives of three people, a college professor (Sean Penn), an ex-con (Benicio Del Toro) and a young mother with a reckless past (Naomi Watts), collide unexpectedly in this gripping suspense thriller. Fate brought them together. Now vengeance will take them to the heights of love, the depths of revenge and the promise of redemption. Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and Naomi Watts give the finest performances of their careers in the film that is \"tantalizingly alive!\" (Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: superbly acted drama on redemption and end of life\n\nReview: This is an utterly rivetting film about three lives that intersect by chance. First, there is the professor (Penn), whose health is deteriorating and whose marriage is all but a meaningless shell. Second, there is the wife (Watts) of his heart donor, whose pain at the loss of her family has driven her to return to drug abuse. Third, there is the ex-con who is remaking his life as a born-again christian and is lucky to be loved - he takes responsibility for a car accident that claims the lives of the wife's family.\n\nWhat makes this film so outstanding is the actors: they are absolutely first rate and you feel what they are going thru as they question life and try to cope. It is so utterly believable that it is very painful to watch: you feel their conflict and the meaninglessness that threatens to engulf each of them, but also how they reach the point where the survivors can go on. With all of their flaws and the ambiguous outcome, this is not a simplistic hollywood feel-good film where all's well that ends well. It is brilliant art that reflects on life. The time shifts are also quite interesting and are not hard to follow as a narrative that is not quite linear.\n\nWarmly recommended.","Product: For the first time ever, the original Dracula film comes to DVD in this extraordinary Legacy Collection. Included in the collection is the original classic, starring the renowned Bela Lugosi, and three timeless sequels, featuring such legendary actors as Lon Chaney Jr., John Carradine and others. These are the landmark films that inspired an entire genre of movies and continue to be major influences on motion pictures to this day.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: two classics, one good sequel, one serious dog\n\nReview: Though I grew up on these films, my kids have gone to the updated versions that are coming out with adolescent characters and amazing special effects. Dracula seems clunky and old-fashioned to them, or \"weird\" as they label any (of my) culture that I bring to them in movie collections. Still, I watched these with absolute delight and a sense of the childish wonder felt when I saw them in the 1960s.\n\nThere is nothing like Bela Lugosi's original version, which made him a b-movie star. He has a sense of charismatic presence and dreadful purpose, with old-world charm. To my mind, it is the best of all the dracs (and I have 4 other versions of the Stoker version). The biggest surprise for me was the spanish version, which is almost as good as Lugosi's: it was film on the same set at night! It has a different feel and better character development in some ways. Drac's daughter was also a welcome surprise, not a simple knockoff but a good story in its own right. She is mysterious and beautiful, but also full of futile yearning to find a way back. Very fun, and it continues van Helsing's story, once he was arrested for the murder of Drac. Finally, there is the House of Drac, which is a terrible mishmash of characters, way to ambitious not just with wolfman and frankie, but also a pseudo-Jekyll/Hyde. It is pretty dumb, but fun nonetheless.\n\nRecommended for all film buffs, esp, the nostalgic ones like me. Note: I got this new in region 2, for $8.","Product: In Out of the Ashes, one woman is forced to choose between two horrifying acts of evil, and ultimately finds the courage to make the right choice. Based on actual events that occurred during World War II that chronicles the life of Dr. Gisella Perl, a woman who lost her entire family and was forced to start life over in America.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: full moral ambiguity with heart\n\nReview: When we bought this, I thought, \"not another holocaust film!\" So there it sat for months, unopened. Then last night, I finally got the courage to try watching it, and became utterly rivetted and deeply moved.\n\nThis is the true story of a remarkable survivor, a doctor from Auschwitz, who suffered the loss of her entire family and took many questionable actions to survive. While saving many lives, she also dealt with Mengele and felt that she had violated her oath as a doctor. She is not a simple good guy, but a full-blown character who acknowledges the necessity of her actions and yet feels terrible guilt. Lahti delivers the best performance I have ever seen her give, not as the beautiful young woman she is but prematurely aged and worn. She is totally believable and charismatic.\n\nThough made for TV, this is a great film. Warmly recommended. You will be moved yet again by the one of greatest trajedies of the 20C.","Product: From Academy Award-winning director Bernardo Bertolucci (The Last Emperor, 1987), comes an erotic tale of three young film lovers brought together by their passion for movies -- and each other. When Isabelle and Theo (Eva Green, Louis Garrel) invite Matthew (Michael Pitt) to stay with them, what begins as a casual friendship ripens into a sensual voyage of discovery and desire in which nothing is off limits and anything is possible. Featuring an engaging, seductive cast, The Dreamers is a ?spellbinding, provocative feast!\" (Ebert & Roeper)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: vintage bertolucci: erotic, political, personal\n\nReview: Ok, one of the things that interested me in this film was the trailers I saw in Europe: a young nubile female strips, etc etc. But the backdrop - 1968 Paris and its petite revolution - appeared the ideal context for a true film journey. I have long felt ambivalent about Bertolucci: his Last Tango was brutally shocking to me and a high school sweetheart, his Last Emperor appeared to exploit the cheapest \"Asiatic mysteries\" to me, an American half-Chinese. But there is no doubt about the psychological depth in his unusual and audacious films, which always offer the unexpected.\n\nThis film is ironic in the way that many American films would never dare: while student street fighting goes on, some pretentious youths - with conversations sooo like those I had sooo near that time - are creating their own little artistic-erotic world, safe in a cushion of bourgois money that is disturbed only by the strikes of basic services like garbage haulers. I do not know if Bertolucci disdains the little revolution of 1968, but it forms an unspoken reference point to some serious adolescent experimentation. I suspect that they are not studies in contrast for what was going on outside - in retrospect so selfservingly trivial and off-base an effort to re-make society in the space of a week - but a pure metaphor for what it all meant.\n\nThe protagonists are middle-class film nuts, who are taken up in the carneval of the 1960s with all its excesses and self-important sillyness. I was similar to them, I admit, but was not in as exotic a place as Paris, though I felt destined to live there for a while (and did in the late 70s, largely for the reasons of the American character). They play film trivia games, which when lost resulted in bizarre \"forfaits sexuels\" that are extremely titilatting to us folks who like to recall their reckless youth. But it becomes deep as the protagonists get lost in their own personal labyrinthes: the twins obsessed with eachother and with art, the American with the beauty of European difference and quality. Having lived through so much of it, I empathised with all of them and did not find them as ridiculous as many reviewers have: they are just young, experimenting before making tough choices, and enjoying it all while searching for some elusive ideal. Haven't we all passed that way? Or shouldn't we all have?\n\nI will have to watch this many times before arriving at a definitive interpretation, but then that is the way with truly great art. Also, I believe that this film will age well, will be interpreted at many levels as I enter old age. Bertolucci really gets the double-sided nature of lucky youth: they both see more than adults absorbed by a career trajectory and yet their insights can often be callow and pathetically selfish. But hey, that is part of the jurney of life, and this film plumbs a lot of that depth with panache and zest. I loved it.\n\nWarmly recommended.","Product: The 16th president and his wife are portrayed from their first days in Washington to 1865.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: a very human Lincoln who is principled yet a master manipulator\n\nReview: Waterston does a great job portraying Lincoln not as an Icon, but as a human being. It is the best portrayal I have ever seen of Lincoln on the screen and quite faithful to the original novel by Gore Vidal. You feel Lincoln's sense of purpose, his ability to read people and manipulate them in accordance with it, and his emotional life. It is subtle, at times shocking, but always engaging.\n\nThe viewer also gets a good glance at the major events of the Civil War in outline, in just about enough detail for the casual viewer: the suspension of Habeas Corpus in Maryland, the stodgy Union Generals, the important battles, the human toll. It is all bound with Lincoln's political purpose, to save the Union at any cost, and stimulates the appetite for more. It covers Lincoln's difficult relationship with the notorious popinjay McClellan, the deterioration of Mary Todd Lincoln (I did not like Mary Tyler Moore much in the role), and the tensions within the cabinet. The gravelly Ulysses Grant is also excellent.\n\nThat being said, it was impossible to get all the nuance of Vidal's novel (his finest by far) into 3 hours. You get allusions to the themes, but cannot experience such things as the deep conversion of Seward from a scornful enemy to devoted friend, the love of John Hay for the exploited Kate Chase, or Linclon's shrewd maneuverings around the power-hungry Salmon P. Chase. If you liked the film, you should definitely read the book. Finally, for Civil War buffs, there really isn't enough detail to satisfy the most sophisticated appetite, however successful this is as entertainment.\n\nRecommended. This is a great introduction to a fascinating cast of characters in America's most decisive conflict.","Product: The battle of wits is on! Oscar(r) winners* Geraldine Page and Ruth Gordon 'sharpen their claws on each other (Boxoffice) in this enjoyable piece of jolly horror (Los Angeles Times) about a lost fortune, a mad heiress and a housekeeper hellbent on digging up the truth! Mrs. Marrable (Page) is a society matron who's had some shocking news. Her late husband left her only a stamp collection! Determined to maintain her extravagant lifestyle, she takes advantage of an unlikely new source of incomeher housekeepers by robbing them not only out of their life savings, but also their lives! The turnover rate for help speeds faster than a revolving door until Mrs. Marrable's latest hire (Gordon) develops a drive to unearth the terrible secret buried in the front yard! * Page: Actress, The Trip to Bountiful (1985); Gordon: Supporting Actress, Rosemary's Baby (1968)\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: the caper of dueling elderly matrons\n\nReview: This is a weird kind of film noir, in which the protagonists as two elderly matrons, neither of whom are what they appear to be. Page plays what can only be described as an insane serial killer, who likes to plant trees and bushes over her victims' graves. Then along comes another potential victim, Ruth Gordon, and things get even stranger. The film is definitely fun, but there was a lack of believable quirkiness in it for me, like the way that Page would laugh when she pulled off some new diabolical machination. But really, it comes down to personal taste and whether or not it works for you. It didn't quite for me.\n\nNonetheless, it has some nice twists. Recommended.","Product: Now, for the first time, celebrate the power and majesty of The Lion King with this exclusive three-movie, six-disc set. The unforgettable story that crosses three generations, the Academy Award-winning music, breathtaking animation and beloved characters of all three Lion King motion pictures come to life in this pristine, digital presentation. Share each fun-filled moment of this epic animated adventure with every generation of your family!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Disney's best, with two mediocre knock-offs to cash in\n\nReview: Lion King is, without a doubt, one of the finest films that Disney has ever produced. It has a moving story with profound themes - the passage of power in a royal household, the loss of innocence, the enduring strength of love - and a wonderful array of colorful characters. Every time I watch that film, I am moved by Simba's difficult coming of age, his hard-won wisdom at accession to office, and his re-finding of a self that was all but lost. It is truly beautiful with plenty of comic relief thrown in that adds to the story and never detracts from it. OK, the slightly longer version here includes some songs that are longer and a few scenes that were not in the theatre version, all of which seem rather superfluous, but the story is still essentially perfect. This is 5 stars, easy.\n\nThe two films that follow have many weaknesses. The second is largely a repeat, only with inferior graphics, inferior songs, and less interesting characters. It is a 2-star performance. The third is marginally better, i.e. the story of Pumba and Timon told in retrospect alongside the original story, recapitulating it but adding detail. It is not bad, 3 stars. Alas, I thought the attempt to cash in on perfection as pretty crass. That being said, my kids enjoyed both versions very much, similar to the way they enjoy TV.\n\nI would recommend getting the first film in another format. The follow-ons can be seen by rent, if you must.","Product: Julie Delpy, William Hurt, Donald Sutherland. Taking the TV miniseries and editing it into a film, this adaptation of Mary Shelley's hauntingly delicious novel follows the book closer than ever before! Unable to inspire love, the creature brought to life from dead tissue vows to avenge the man who created and abandoned him. 2004/color/3 hrs., 24 min/NR/fullscreen.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: faithful and truly fine adaptation of the Shelly novel\n\nReview: This film captures the spirit of Mary SHelly's masterpiece better than almost any film version I have seen, and it is a good bet I have seen most of them. In many ways, this is my favorite of the classic monsters, the superhuman constructed by a scientist of genius, only to have his creation slip from his control. Not only is it a warning (so typical of the Romantics) against placing too much faith in science, but it is also a deep enquiry into human nature.\n\nThis version of Frankenstein begins with a desolated man (Newman) lost in the arctic, unburdening himself to the captain (Sutherland) of a ship of exploration. He was on a quest to resurrect a being from death, which had come to fascinate the young aristocratic scientist. Though obsessed, he came from the happiest home, a perfect childhood cut short by the sudden death of his mother. Once he creates the monster - here the film fudges the vagueness in the book by positing it is electricity that is the secret - he is repelled by it. As in the book, the monster escapes in the coat of the doctor, which included his lab notebook so that he can re-find him.\n\nThe formation of the monster closely follows the book: he retreats to the forest in extreme loneliness, rejected by his \"father\" and anyone who sees him. For a long period, he watches a happy family, learning to speak and teaching himself to read; obviously he is highly intelligent, even sensitive. When at last he approaches the blind father of the family, he weeps at the first kindness he has ever known, only to be violently ejected by the son upon his return. This makes him murderously angry, forcing him to search out his creator (to gain a mate like himself) and giving up on man. Similar to the Karloff character, it is clear that, had he been treated better, he would have developed in a completely different direction. There is also accident, which further alienates him from humans and in particular from his creator, who sees him as irredeemably evil. Once he refuses to create a mate, the monster declares war on him and the consequences are utterly horrific. All the time, Frankenstein reflects on what he has done, how he erred into a god-like arrogance, which ruined him and all those he loved. The monster is perhaps the best actor, who is at once evil yet full of remorse, full of blood rage yet capable of tenderness, brutish yet patient and cunning.\n\nThe only flaw in this is the weakness of some of the acting. Newman, whom I loved in Dune, simply is not up to the task in my view - he is good but not great. In particular, he fails to project a very complex relationship with the monster. Hurt, as a German professor, delivers an unconvincing cameo performance, there only for the draw of his name in my viewing. Sutherland is better, but again the character appears only occasionally, though his final confrontation with the monster - expressed as a moral argument - is quite moving. I will never forget the image of the monster as he walks into the arctic mist carrying the body of his creator, to disappear together in the ice.\n\nRecommended. This is one of the best versions I have seen.","Product: M. Night Shyamalan (SIGNS, UNBREAKABLE, THE SIXTH SENSE), the director who brought you the world's greatest thrillers on DVD, now creates his most thought-provoking triumph yet ... breaking international records and dazzling audiences around the globe! THE VILLAGE is a smart, edge-of-your-seat chiller crawling with terrifying surprises and frightening twists and turns. An isolated, tight-knit community lives in mortal fear of an oppressive evil inhabiting the forbidden forest just beyond their tiny village. So frightening that no one ventures into the woods ... until one villager dares to face the unknown. With unforgettable performances from Joaquin Phoenix, Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt, Adrien Brody, and newcomer Bryce Dallas Howard, this powerful motion picture is one of Hollywood's best psychological thrillers and ranks with the best of Hitchcock!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: wonderfully mysterious story of an isolated community\n\nReview: This story takes place in a simple town, with very complex characters. Their world is somehow precarious, though what precisely threatens them is a mystery to the viewer and indeed to most of the inhabitants. They seem to be a 19C community, supported by religious rituals and a sense of danger at the unknown inhabitants of the surrounding forest. While there is a life beyond the forest of which they are all aware, they remain completely autarcic, indeed solipsistic in their references to themselves and their pasts.\n\nThe acting is so good that the siuation of the characters is entirely believable and at times deeply moving: there is the search for love and unfulfilled need, the desire to preserve an utterly unique culture, and the yearning of the young, who find incredible inner resources for the trial that awaits. The mood is consistant, mixing color, sound, and stunning visual imagery. Each scene is as complex as a portrait painting, with the expressions implying an entire world with quirky points of view.\n\nThe story unfolds as a kind of mythical journey that could go in any number of directions. I felt the need to learn what the secret was, and when revealed it is not a disappointing banality, but a complex psychological reality. This film is a great and subtle gem.\n\nWarmly recommended.","Product: An Earthman of the future goes to Mars, driven by nightmares of his past.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Not bad, but like, so what?\n\nReview: I must be getting old: these films about weird things with violence and monsters just don't do a heckuvalot for me anymore. I see them as having standard plots, and this is pretty much one of them: quasi-amnesiac guy trying to figure out who he is, gets into big situation, kills some, kills more, saves a world (appartently). It is second level sci-fi.\n\nThat being said, there is no question that the acting in this is far superior to b-flicks, from Arnie to Sharon Stone, who was in her prime when this was made. They make this a better-than-average watch, but there is still no way I would want to watch this over and over as there aren't any interesting ideas in it.\n\nRecommended, but there are far better hard sci-fi productions.","Product: Jamie Foxx (Collateral) stars as the one-of-a-kind innovator of soul who beat impossible odds to become a music legend. Ray is the triumphant and remarkable story of one of America's true musical geniuses, Ray Charles. From his humble beginnings in the South through his meteoric rise to the top of American music charts, Ray's inspirational journey is a tale of hope, redemption and the power of the human spirit. \"Ray is Electrifying\" hails Peter Travers of Rolling Stone. Witness the incredible true story of a musician who fought harder and went further than anyone could imagine.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: first rate biopic - warts, genius, and all\n\nReview: This is a wonderfully vital story of a man who made it to the top of his profession in a way that may be possible only in America: he was black from the Jim Crow South, blind, and poor, but he rose by talent and guile, with many injuries along the way. The portrait is completely believable and emotionally compelling, from his strong and wise mother to his devoted, yet long-suffering wife; both of them were essential to push this man to be a better person, in spite of his flaws.\n\nI was utterly riveted by this story, got a splendid introduction to his music, and felt wonder at the maelstrom of opportunity and racial obstacles that is this United States. One of the best films I have seen in years.\n\nWarmly recommended.","Product: This brilliant companion piece to the original film continues the saga of two generations of successive power within the Corleone family. Coppola tells two stories in Part II: the roots and rise of a young Don Vito, played with uncanny ability by Robert De Niro, and the ascension of Michael (Pacino) as the new Don.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: outstanding musing on power, if sometimes over-reaching a bit\n\nReview: This shows how Michael develops, fully in the saddle of power. Not only is he very different from his father, but times have changed: the family is splitting apart amidst new dangers and opportunities. Throughout it all, Michael appears outwardly cool and in control and yet the stress is tearing him apart. In so many ways, it is about terrible loss, even as the family enters new areas of profit. Michael triumphs, but the cost is very very high.\n\nThe scenes about the origins of Vito, played by de Niro, are the best. He is an actor of utter assurance, and you see him grow into the tough yet nurturing leader that he becomes, not a black guard like the thug he replaces, but someone who serves as he takes. There is also the story of vengence and primal loss at the core of the film, which influences the other characters 50 years later. Admittedly, it is a bit melodramatic, but it is deep as well.\n\nThe film is so dense with subtlety and intrigue that you can see it and re-interpret it innumerable times, always seeing more and always enjoying it yet again, such as his handling of the Senator from Nevada. That makes this one of the very greatest and far superior ot most of the films you can find anywhere.\n\nHowever, there are many things in this that are over the top, at least for me. For example, Michael goes to Cuba, not just during the revolutionary turmoil, but on the very day that Fidel takes over Havanna. Realistic? Hardly. But it made me feel, \"this is art, not life\", which bugged me as I had to suspend my disbelief consciously.\n\nStill, seen with GF 1, this is a great masterpiece. And Pacino was never better.","Product: Is the saving of innocent lives a worthy cause when everyone else condemns you for the act? This burden weighs on Bocca's heart as he continues his fight against Midnight Hiyoko. But who is the real enemy? Later Bocca and Sayoko arrive at a town filled with mechanical mice and meet a girl who could be a warrior of Melos if it weren't her hatred of warriors.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: visually fabulous, but weak plotting\n\nReview: You'd think that producers would have realized by now that CGI does not guarantee a great film experience, that the basics of plot and character still count. But no, we are continually dished up visual extravaganzas that have about as much originality as a 50s cowboy formula flick.\n\nThis is a film about an outpost, run by Cruise and his girlfriend, which they believe is an outpost that will enable humans to colonize a moon and start over after a devastating war with a mysterious alien race. The way that they live is fantastically vivid, as are the automated weapons that Cruise maintains to protect huge fusion reactors visible across the horizon. It is a good life, but they are doing time, waiting to rejoin their cohorts on a space station. Nonetheless, amidst his dangerous work routine, Cruise is disturbed by visions, seemingly old memories, of a girl he once loved, even though his memory has been \"wiped\" to protect information he purportedly has about the satellite.\n\nThings, it seems, are not what they appear. And, of course, they turn out not to be. On the positive side, the actors are good. I am a Cruise fan, and Kurylenko and Morgan Freedman give strong performances, too. I do not want to reveal the surprise explanation, and there are some nice twists, but really, once you have seen this you will not want to watch it over and over - there is not much to savor, beyond dazzling visuals and Cruise-style action. Scratch beneath the surface, and you get next to nothing.\n\nI would only recommend renting this. The fancy formats are fine, but why buy it for the rare viewing?","Product: Racing to unlock the secret of his own identity, amnesiac operative Jason Bourne discovers the deadly truth: he's the government's number one target, a $30 million weapon it no longer trusts.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: gritty realism makes this something unique and new\n\nReview: This has got to be one of the best action films I have ever seen. Not only does Matt Damon with his superb acting make you believe in the reality of what happens onscreen, but the story is complex and darkly fun.\n\nI think what distinguishes this series is how realistic Damon makes it seem. THere are no techie fixes or superhuman feats, just disciplined improvisation by the ultimate assasin. Then there is his personal crisis, worked out in amnesia and his desire to start a new life, perhaps with a woman that he is endangering. Finally, there are the shenanigans of the CIA, with its covert program gone awry and the brutal power maneuvers of the flacks trying to save the situation and their careers. Very fun and interesting, with a nice space for the viewer's imagination to take hold.\n\nRecommended with enthusiasm.","Product: Spain released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), Spanish ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), Spanish ( Subtitles ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Featurette, Film Credits, Filmographies, Interactive Menu, Photo Gallery, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Matt, a young glaciologist, soars across the vast, silent, icebound immensities of the South Pole as he recalls his love affair with Lisa. They meet at a mobbed rock concert in a vast music hall - London's Brixton Academy. They are in bed at night's end. Together, over a period of several months, they pursue a mutual sexual passion whose inevitable stages unfold in counterpoint to nine live-concert songs. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: San Sebastian International Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, ...9 Songs ( Nine Songs )\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: youthful passion, so briefly inhaled and long remembered\n\nReview: This is a beautiful impressionistic film about an affair, as remembered by a scientist while flying over Antarctica. He is remembering what will certainly be the great passion of his youth, the discovery of a perfect sex partner with whom he has nothing in common but their grinding, momentary love. It is a fleeting, strictly limited merging, that is graphically portrayed (what the film will be remembered for, no doubt).\n\nThe film is less a story than a series of moments that flit in and out of his memory, ending abruptly and without much resolution. It is more poetry than novel. I don't know if, as some reviewers claim, it is portraying something deeper than nostalgic sex, but the images have great power.\n\nHopefully everyone experiences this kind of excitement and longing. It is not meant to last, however painful it feels with the incredible ecstasies and imagined emotional highs before the horrible realization that you are building a fantasy together. One can spend years feeling anger at the disillusionment that follows as well as fight its image of perfection when one enters a more mature relationship that entails compromise. The young scientist seems to be at peace with it, so much as that is possible.\n\nThis movie is great at portraying that moment in youth, when the patterns in your life do not feel set but there for the making and discovery. While I did not relate to the music in the film - after all, I am of the age when rock and roll was in its golden age - it adds mood to the film.\n\nRecommended.","Product: In this mesmerizing new film, acclaimed director Werner Herzog explores the life and death of amateur grizzly bear expert and wildlife preservationist Timothy Treadwell, who lived unarmed among grizzlies for 13 summers.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: fascinating and quirky treatment of a doomed man's life in how own words\n\nReview: Herzog has a certain vision of life. It is nakedly brutal, raw in its rapacity and ambition, and ruthlessly egotistical. These themes occur in all of his fictional films, perhaps most successfully in Aguirre. Well, here he had found a remarkable subject, the Grizzly man, who left a record of his unusual life and even of the moment of his death.\n\nHe started out as a misanthropic alcoholic, failing at everything he tried, but with the ego to push forward. Believing that he found something in nature and the most unpredictable predator of all, the grizzly bear, he carved a unique niche for himself as an educator and conservationist. In this, he was a pioneer, in his attempt to breach the barrier between man and bear that had stood for 7000 years, bringing back a film record of his adventures and stories to enchant children and adults alike. Though a failed actor, he developed a persona and ideals that he claimed saved him from drinking himself to death.\n\nBut something far darker lurked beneath the surface, which perhaps Herzog was the best person to plumb. Herzog gained access to his film archive of hundreds of hours of revelatory solitary conversations, statements, and images. He went over them carefully and pieced together a record of wonderfully human complexity, showing a conflicted man who was deluding himself as to the nature of the world (at least as Herzog sees it) and creating an act for his career as well. Herzog also interviews many friends, family members, and critics, to gain a full perspective on a life at the limits.\n\nWhile critical, Herzog was also deeply respectful of the talents and drive of this man, which is one reason why he did not include the footage of his death for consumption by a bear. I thought that he chose to respect the proper distance and discretion in his approach, which he did not overtly use to titillate the macabre minded. It is a difficult balance brought off perfectly.\n\nIf you are a Herzog fan or seeker of starkly unromantic realism, this film will fascinate you. Many will disagree with his conclusions, but no one can ignore this masterpiece. Warmly recommended.","Product: Michael is avoiding phone calls regarding his dear friend and former lover Chris who is dying back in America. While trying to write, he is disturbed by the noisy surfers next door as they get ready for a weekend away of surf. C.K., one of the surfers, remains behind to surf the local beach. At the beach cafe for lunch with his old friend Angus, Michael again avoids discussing Chris back in America. Angus catches Michael watching C.K. on the beach and teases him but Michael denies any interest in the surfer. Left on his own, Michael watches C.K. catch a series of waves. After a big wave and a wipe out, C.K. disappears in the surf. Michael looses site of C.K. until he sees him on the beach taking off his wetsuit before he heads back home. Michael remains on the beach then makes his way home. Once inside his house, Michael sees C.K. walking towards him on his way to the living room where he makes himself at home. Michael does not know why the surfer is in his house but before the night is over he will discover more about himself than he may have been ready for. Dan Castle\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Where is our compassion?\n\nReview: This is a wonderful look into the lives of several illegal immigrants. They are trying to make it in the US, just like virtually all of our ancestors did. In this film, their situation, with its insecurity and hope, is deeply compelling. That they are also Muslims facing prejudice and fear is an additional layer of interest. To its credit, the film shows the charming side of Islamic culture better than any recent film treatment that I have seen - I know this charm from direct experience via work and travel.\n\nThe plot of the film is also fun and clever. A prof, grieving the loss of his wife and burnt out in his job, discovers a couple living in his apartment. They had been scammed, as immigrants often are. Out of sympathy, he offers to let them stay while they wort their situation out, in the process getting to know them. The young man, who has a striking charisma to him, befriends the prof and brings him into his music world, re-igniting a smoldering passion for music that this outwardly square man has hidden. They begin playing bongos in the subway together and you believe it!\n\nWhen events take a tragic turn, the young man's mother shows up. Though middle-aged and care worn, she too has a grace and quiet charisma to her, a beauty that radiates from within. The prof learns more about the family and in a way falls for the mother, which is portrayed with a subtlety of emotion that is extremely rare in American films, though of course this is an indy film.\n\nAt this time when immigration is a political issue dominated by demagogues, this lovely film could help us to regain our empathy. At the moment, when the debate stops at the word \"illegality\", we stand to lose so many creative, energetic, and ambitious people. I see it as tragedy, a closing off of the American mind that will make the country into the \"old world\" that we like to scorn.\n\nWarmly recommended. It is a look into life and its possibilities from a unique point of view.","Product: Nicolas Cage, Ethan Hawke. A shrewd Ukranian immigrant living in Brooklyn is really a dangerous international arms dealer who has successfully avoided capture by an unwavering Interpol agent for over 20 years but lately has been unsuccessful at avoiding his own conscience. 2005/color/122 min/R.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: cynical, deadly, evil, and pathetic\n\nReview: This is a pretty good film about a man who self-actualizes the corruption that is in the deepest part of his soul as a black market arms dealer. Cage narrates this life - out only for himself, regardless of who he helps to kill - and it is effective to a degree. We witness his rise, his many ruses to avoid prison or execution, and its repercussions on his personal life. I admit, Cage's dark humor and splendidly indifferent tone are at times funny and affecting. But the best characterizations, I think, are in the people he encounters, from the cold rival arms dealer he fights to the brutal African thug who makes him rich. It is very good acting.\n\nNonetheless, this is Hollywood trying to display some social conscience. There is a kind of breathlessness to it, like they are revealing something to the audience, almost as reporting, but I found its sincerity rather naive. While it is good to expose audiences to this, I suppose, the tone of the film implies that none of us know about these kinds of people already. (I, for one, have been following the issue since 1982, when I read The Global Politics of Arms Sales, by Andrew Pierre, which is a great academic masterwork, or Anthony Sampson's reporting on it from the early 1980s.)\n\nThere is no way you can say airing these issues is bad. Recommended for those who haven't follwed the issue of international arms trafficing.","Product: Star Trek Fan Collective - Time Travel (1993)\nWilliam Shatner (Actor), Leonard Nimoy (Actor) | Rated: NR | Format: DVD\n\nStar Trek Fan Collective - Time Travel (1993) - BRAND NEW - STILL IN ORIGINAL FACTORY SEALED PACKAGE from Hibiscus Express\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: good way to organize some of the best of Trek scifi\n\nReview: One of the greatest things that TNG did was to transform Klingons from simple evil enemies (in ST) into a highly complex culture that is at a watershed: evolve and become part of the intergalactic community, or simply fall into the old patterns of fighting. These themes are wonderful and deep, played by truly excellent actors and quite spell-binding in their drama. This is the best that I have ever seen on TV.\n\nWhat is great about this set is that the most important episodes are united in a way that is easy to access. Here, in a quick longitudinal way, the viewer can witness the evolution of the crucial parts of the Klingon evolution from the original series through TNG and other series. Other reviewers have described the specifics of the episodes, so I won't.\n\nIn a way, I wish that I had waited before purchasing the entire boxed set of TNG. Not only are all the bum episodes included - at least one in four on each disk - but if you want to follow a story such as that provided by the Klingon plight, you have to play a bunch of disks and each episode is very hard to find. It is extremely cumbersome.\n\nSo here, you get ease as well as the cream of the crop of TNG and other series by theme. I wish I had wiated until these sets came out!\n\nWarmly recommended.","Product: The #1 requested film on HD is now here! The Complete Matrix Trilogy presents the complete adventures of machine battling truth-seekers Neo (Keanu Reeves) Trinity (Cary-Anne Moss) and Morpheus (Lurence Fishburne) in all three of the Wachowski's ground-breaking monumental sci-fi feature films. This collection features all three films in Hi-def and includes exclusive In Movie Experience (IME). These are the ultimate films for the ultimate hi-def format!Running Time: 403 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE UPC: 085391159742 Manufacturer No: 115974\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: \"It takes itself too seriously\", is how...\n\nReview: my daughter summed it up after we watched the whole thing. It had been a long time since I watched these, but I really did enjoy them at first. However, on watching them more than once, I must admit that they do not quite meet the test of excellence, where you can see more and more each time or interpret them differently at various periods in one's life. (That is true of, say, 2001, but most definitely not for Matrix.)\n\nOn the good side, the action and to a degree the characters are good. We really enjoyed the fight scenes, particularly with the added dimension of the weird way it can occur in the Matrix. This will stand the test of time. OK, the CGI appears a bit dated, but it still works. As this is the core of the film, it is fine and worth the price of admission.\n\nRegarding the characters, I would say about 1/3 of them are excellent, but the rest of them range from mediocre to, well, pretty stupidly unbelievable. On the positive side, you have the human prophet Morpheus and his devoted acolyte, Trinity. They are tough and interesting. There are also many beings in the Matrix, such as the oracle or the architect, that are quite original and fun. Alas, a whole raft of them seemed unconvincing to me, such as the angry commanders jealous of Morpheus' defiant faith. Then there are weird characters like the Merovingian and Persephone, whose behavior is so inhuman as to be unfathomable and not worth trying to unravel. FOr whatever reason, I can no longer suspend my disbelief while watching, which I regret - it didn't help my daughter that I found lots of their pronouncements laughable, e.g. \"some things never change and some things do\" which Morpheus says over and over and over. I have concluded that much of the acting simply isn't very good. I mean, did we need to see Cornel West talk in his pseudo-jive here?\n\nThe greatest fault of the film, however, was that it acts as if it is making some kind of profound statement. The film is full of flabby philosophical quips or cryptic references, such as the enigmatic babbling of the architect, but on closer examination, there really is less than meets the eye on the initial viewing. After puzzling on it the first time I saw it, it now just sounds silly to me. OK, there is humor in it as well. Also, don't get me wrong: I don't take film all that seriously, but it is fun to feel a sense of wonder during the viewing and it is completely lacking in Matrix.\n\nI say this with far more regret than disdain, because frankly I would rather be able to go with it. I think of other \"heavies\" like Red Planet or Contact - somehow, they continue to succeed as a viewing experience even if they don't have quite the depth of 2001. Recommended: just don't expect you will want to view them more than a few times.","Product: U.S. Navy captain and his crew are just beginning to enjoy 48 hours of leave when they receive word to immediately return to duty. On a top-secret assignment, they must disguise themselves as Nazis and infiltrate a severely damaged Nazi U-boat. Once on board, they are to steal the Nazi's top-secret decoding device and sink the sub before the Germans catch on to what's really happening. Their mission is more dangerous and frightening than anything they could have ever imagined, but one which has the power to turn the tide of battle. \"U-571\" is exciting!\" says Newsweek. Filled with incredible explosions, raging fires and speeding torpedoes, this suspense-filled action-packed film sets a new standard for high impact entertainment and features an impressive all-star cast.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: a riveting sub movie, even if it isn't historically accurate\n\nReview: I am a sucker for submarine movies with interesting captain melodramas. On that level, which is the stuff of hollywood's art, this film succeeds admirably: it pulses with life, has very well drawn characters, spectacular special effects, and the pace of its adventure ticks along without a moment's lag. The guys are on a deadly and vital mission, to steal the enigma machine from the inside of a Nazi submarine. It is a clandestine operation that must be carried out with precision, some luck, and then there is a very hard fight to survive and accomplish the mission once unforeseen things happen.\n\nI particularly like the characters. McConnaughey is an ambitious first officer who has been denied his first command, in large part because of his humanity and hence, purported lack of aptitude to make the difficult decisions (i.e. ordering a man to his death, even if he is unsure of the course that must be taken). Around him are seasoned veterans, including the tough and smart enlisted chief, Keitel. Once the captain (Paxton) is out of the picture, McConnaughey has to take over, facing down doubts about his ability and plotting a strategy in a near-impossible situation. This is high drama and the actors pull it off with real style.\n\nWhat a lot of the critics have trouble with here is that it was the Brits, and not the Americans, who heisted the enigma from a Nazi sub. I assume that that is the case. Nonetheless, the film does not claim to be a historical drama or that the story is true. Thus, it is just a movie and that is how it should be seen IMHO. If you want to know the historical reality, there are plenty of books or other films for that.\n\nI would recommend this film as entertainment. It is not objective history and does not pretend to be.","Product: An astronaut goes by time warp to a future planet ruled by smart apes who keep humans as slaves. Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: solid, dark sci-fi with good characters\n\nReview: I vividly remember having seen this when it came out. Heston was phenomenal as an action hero, and a wonderful actor to boot. While the sequels lost me, this I always thought was a great film.\n\nSo I got a copy for my kids. We viewed it together and greatly enjoyed it. They were full of questions and observations - always a good sign - but also enjoyed the action. My son (7) talked about it for the following week.\n\nAs I have not seen it in about 35 years, I was surprized at how much I liked it. Usually, on viewing a sci-fi oldie I enjoyed at 6 or 12, I am disappointed at how flimsy it seems in terms of plot and realism. Happily, this is hard sci-fi in that it is at least not impossible, and there are interesting characters: Taylor the cynic, Dr Zeias the guardian of orthodoxy, and the scientist/intellectual chimps as well as Cornelius, the rebellious young one. The story hangs together well and has a startlingly fresh conclusion that is not happy.\n\nWarmly recommended for all ages.","Product: Sophie Hartley is convinced that she is being stalked. She becomes increasingly certain that her husband's beautiful co-worker, Mara, wants her children, her husband and her life. But no one believes Sophie. Forced to prove her sanity, Sophie grows increasingly paranoid - is she imagining things? Sophie become completely caught up in her obsession, turning stalker herself - and makes a discovery more shocking than her worst fear.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: an is-she-or-is-she-not nuts thriller\n\nReview: It amazes me that such fine actors participated in such a bust of a film. This is so excruciatingly bad, even painful, to watch that I could barely watch it to the end.\n\nTake a beautiful, accomplished if somewhat ditzy older woman, throw in a mid-life marriage crisis, and a mysterious younger beauty. Add fear and possible insanity, titillation, and some haphazard explanations thrown in that don't fit with the plot, and you have a disaster of incoherence, eventually leading to violence and wholly unbelievable pseudo-resolution. But at least the actors were fine. OK, the ending does add a nice twist. So 2 stars instead of one.\n\nAlas, this film simply doesn't work. Don't get it, don't even rent it.","Product: VHS The Incredible Shrinking Man MCA\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: surprisingly good hard scifi\n\nReview: This is one of those films I had to see as a kid. The protagonist was handsome, it had terrifying details in a normal house, and the effects looked believably horrific. I even got a paperback version of it, which was superlatively written, in the same style as the internal dialogue of the shrinking man. I had to see it again.\n\nOK, as a 50s film, it is the magic of radiation at the base of it. A couple are on a sail boat trip, the husband is outside and caught in a strange mist though his wife isn't. Upon their return home, he notices that he is losing weight. The doctor confirms this and that he is getting smaller, which the couple suspected. As the process continues, the house cat attacks him and he escapes, and yet is trapped in, the basement. There, as he searches for food and continues to shrink, he finds a horrifying new adversary, a spider.\n\nWhat distinguishes this film is the dialogue the man has with himself. He finds his masculinity compromised and takes a lot of it out on his wife, but then he turns to survival and the reasons he is trying to live, all while he appears doomed to disappear. His plight is completely believable, and his thinking evolves from rage to survival to a kind of transcendence. There is a horrible scene where his wife, who thinks the cat got him, comes into the basement to de-block a drain and fails to hear him as he screams for help, holding onto a pencil to avoid being sucked into the drain. He also contemplates letting the spider get him, a hideous death, but quick. THen, in a moment of triumph, he achieves a kind of peace with himself, finds his place in the universe and its mysteries.\n\nThis is really great scifi. It has lived in my imagination for almost 50 years and seeing again was not at all disappointing. Warmly recommended.","Product: From the Samuel Z. Arkoff Collection, journey back to the Day the World Ended (Richard Denning, Lori Nelson. 82 min.), in which a most unlikely group of seven survivors from a nuclear holocaust fight each other and also mutant animals. Then hypnotism is used to reincarnate a prehistoric woman for the purpose of killing the hypnotist's enemies in The She-Creature (Chester Morris, Marla English. 77 min.) 1956/b&w/NR/fullscreen.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: One of the scariest of all post-nuke films plus one real dog\n\nReview: The day the world ended is a film I saw late at night and found it one of the most frightening I had ever seen, to the extent that I had nightmares about it and remembered scenes from it for the 45 years since I first saw it. The plot: a survivalist with experience - observations of horrible mutations after the H-Bomb explosion in the Pacific - has built a house protected by lead deposits and natural ridges. But there is a kink in his plan: a group of uninvited guests show up. With only enough food for himself, his daughter, and her missing fiancee, the danger of hunger increases tension between the group that includes a scientist and a crook with his stripper babe. But the scariest part is a man who survived in mutated form, with silvery atomic skin, who can walk through the radioactive mist to the outside world in search of the raw meat he craves, where, he assures the scientist, \"wonderful things are happening, but you will all die.\" The mutated man returns at night because he has enemies on the outside. All the residents are unsure whether or not they will become like that man with the radiation that is sure to come with the next rains.\n\nThis kind of thing - of a infection from radioactive contamination that causes irreversible mutation - absolutely terrified me. There is one scene where a man emerges from the mist with clawed hands and three-toed feet, weeping from hunger because \"the stronger ones\" won't share their hunts with him. He became an image of feverish nightmare for me. Meanwhile, the daughter keeps hearing someone call to her, perhaps her missing fiancee, a presence who comes ever closer to the house. Though she has fallen for the scientist, she feels somehow beholden to the mysterious creature, who when revealed is (admittedly rather campily) monstrous and invulnerable until the scientist realizes that it fears the uncontaminated.\n\nThis is really great fun and brought me back to my childhood terror of nuclear holocaust. Radiation was such a mysterious thing then. The acting is also unusually good for low budget scifi of the 50s, with Connors (or Minnix) as the thuggish tough, but also Denning, who was in many 60s TV shows. Just this film is well worth the price of the dvd. It is by far my favorite of the Corman legacy.\n\nThe other film, she-creature, is so ridiculously bad that I simply couldn't get through it, but then, I tried watching after the great Corman film.","Product: Match Point is \"a winning combination of sex, mystery, brilliant writing and first-rate acting that all adds up to one of the most erotic and exhilarating movies in years.\" (Maxim). Chris (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) is being torn apart by his desire for two very different women. Marrying Chloe (Emily Mortimer) will bring him a life of wealth and success, but his true passion lies with his brother-in-law's fiancee, the stunningly sensuous but unpredictable Nola (Scarlett Johansson). Pulsing with tension, Match Point rides the dangerous line between ambition and obsession to an ending as surprising as it is chilling.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: utterly uninteresting and lifeless, worse than a mere repeat\n\nReview: Alas, I bought this and felt obligated to sit through it. This is almost the exact same plot as \"crimes and misdemeanors\" - sex, infidelity, and expedient murder to save an empty homelife - but it is flat, humorless, and has no intriguing or sympathetic characters; one of the great delights in earlier Allen films were the character-based asides, vivid glmipses into (largely new yorkish) lives, but they are absent from this film. Allen also is out of place in England, which is a very different society than the US, and his portrayal of its elite has no depth beyond well-trod formulas of priviledge based on hard work. Finally, the acting is wooden and unsubtle, very disappointing. I think this is the worst film by Allen I have ever seen.\n\nNot recommended.","Product: The otherworldly landscape of Iceland lends an appropriate touch of dark fantasy to this modern retelling of Beowulf, the oldest epic poem in the English language. Gerard Butler (The Phantom of the Opera) brings the right balance of physical\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: tries to get behind the myth\n\nReview: This is a fictional interpretation of the great myth of the heroic battle between Beowulf and Grendel. It is not a faithful film version of the famous poem, but an attempt to portray what may have really happened. To be honest, it either clicks for you or it doesn't. In my opinion, the story works, is plausible, and is supported by very good acting for the most part. Subjectively speaking, I liked it.\n\nThe story takes place in the thickest of the dark ages, when order in the western Roman Empire has completely collapsed, about 7C CE. In the prologue, a band of Danish warriors encounter and kill a mysterious human-like creature playing with a hairy and ugly child. They could be surviving protohumans, mutants, or indeed monsters. The savage child is allowed to live by the King and emerges as an adult to seek violent retribution. Meanwhile, the hero of a neighboring tribe, Beowulf, decides to take on the task of saving his old benefactors, who had raised him as an orphan.\n\nIn this version, Beowulf is not a superhuman but an intelligent and compassionate man, who wants to understand his adversary, who is called a troll. He is modern thinking without being an anachronism, which is something very hard to carry off. He is helped by a tough witch (Polley), who knows the creature; she is the most weakly acted character, imho, but then I have never been impressed with her acting. The spirit of the once-valiant and generous king is broken, lost in alcoholism and despair, in a wonderful performance. Needless to say, what Beowulf discovers is unexpected, but he feels compelled to carry out his duty, particularly against Grendel's shreakingly inhuman mother. The creature himself is also a complex character, for whom the viewer can feel a mix of revulsion and sympathy. Meanwhile, a priest is converting the pagan crew to Jesus, which is rather comically parodied.\n\nThis film adds a really nice twist to the myth. Recommended.","Product: During WWII a human heart taken from a lab in Europe (Dr. Frankenstein's) is kept in a Japanese lab when it gets exposed to the radiation from the bombing of Hiroshima. The heart grows in size mutates and sprouts appendages and eventually grows into a complete body and escapes. (Japanese with English subtitles)System Requirements:Run Time: 90 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: SCI-FI/FANTASY Rating: NR UPC: 631595071184 Manufacturer No: TSDVD0711\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: inadvertently bringing trash to the level of comic art\n\nReview: This is the kind of film that was on in the afternoon on the UHF channels, because the VHF mainstream would never stoop to broadcast. So in middle school, my pals and I would gather round to watch this and laugh, kind of a rehearsal for hanging out in bars later in life. This one is particularly outlandish and bad, but definitely fun. Frankenstein is like a regenerating monster, so all but a little of him can be destroyed and he will grow back, with a kind of proto-human mind and some sensibility. He gets chased, then there is this evolved dinosaur that swims through the rock beneath the earth complete with a bioluminescent horn. They get into a fight and guess who wins?\n\nRecommended as nostalgia for those who grew up in the 1960s. Alas, my kids refused to watch it with me because it was too crude.","Product: An FBI woman needs a killer called Hannibal the Cannibal to catch a killer called Buffalo Bill. Oscars for best picture, director Jonathan Demme, actor Hopkins, actress Foster.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: chilling, deep, and interesting story of life and murder\n\nReview: This is one of the best films I have ever seen. Clarice draws the viewer in with sympathy that you feel with a young, beautiful and ambitious youth. She is going to make a career and will let nothing stand in her way. She has a mentor as an aspiring FBI specialist in behavioral crimes but most of all guts.\n\nThen she gets drawn into the mind of a serial killer, Lecter, who is as perceptive as he is monstrous. It is here, while investigating the crime and his mind, that she exposes some of the psychological roots of her passion to succeed in law enforcement. This is beautifully done and completely believable. Lecture is so scary and strange, acted as brilliantly as Clarice, such as in his crude \"interrogation\" of the Senator.\n\nBehind this, there are manipulations going on as Clarice makes some startling (and career-enhancing) discoveries. Of course, there is a suspenseful ending and some graphic violence as well as a bunch of surprises. It is a true masterpiece of detail and plot and theme.\n\nWarmly recommended.","Product: Passion in the court of history's mad and lustful King are revealed in this cinematic spectacle.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: melodrama without historical context or originality\n\nReview: This is a potboiler about the notoriously bloody Herod the Great, the client King of Rome during the era of Augustus. He was known as a great builder and bloodthirsty paranoid, whose appetite for power led him to kill his own wife and embalm her in honey to be kept for his pleasure. In this film, we see him as a tough leader under stress, who knows love and court intrigue, and turns into a brutal tyrant before going insane with grief. Unfortunately, the film neither fascinates for the history nor brings any of the characters to life beyond 2-dimensional stereotypes. It is a badly dubbed Italian film from the 1950s, I believe. It is good for putting it on in the background and drinking and laughing with friends, but not for serious viewers.","Product: UK Released DVD/Blu-Ray item. It MAY NOT play on regular US DVD/Blu-Ray player. You may need a multi-region US DVD/Blu-Ray player to play this item. Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 (Europe) or region Free DVD Player in order to play. This Dracula fans favourite, three-part series from the BBC appears on DVD for the first time. Louis Jourdan stars as the deliciously blood-thirsty Count Dracula in this version of Bram Stoker's horror classic. Keeping close to the original novel, the series begins with Jonathan Harker visiting the Count in Transylvania to help him with preparations to move to England. In the Count's castle, Jonathan becomes a prisoner, and discovers Dracula's true nature and so the age-old vampiric tale unfolds... Many scenes shot on location -- such as the Gothic graveyard of London's Highgate Cemetery -- add extra atmosphere to an already powerful production.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: very fun with some fine acting\n\nReview: My kids, who are not interested in the same entertainment as their dad, tease me that I am a Dracula scholar: this is the 4th version that I have bought. Perhaps they're right: I savor the comparisons and revel in the details that are revealed in each version.\n\nThis is really a very good version. The special effects are a bit clunky, from the mid-1970s, but the drama is very solid. Louis Jourdan is one of the best Draculas I have ever seen: he exudes this calm charisma, at once aristocratic and sexy, but also menacingly evil. His performance is worth the price of admission. The scene where he bears his chest to Mina, tempting her to share his blood as a way to initiate her into his sisterhood of the undead, is truly frightening.\n\nThe other actors are a mixed bag. Mina is also truly excellent, a strong innocent who is drawn into a danger that could last forever. I completely believed her performance. While Jonathan and van Helsing are quite good, as is Renfield, their performances are only middling. Lucy, Mina's beloved sister, is not very good, in my view, but pretty minor.\n\nEven though I know the story, I felt the fear and suspense to the very end. That is good drama, fun to savor. And it sticks to the original story, without adding silly variations for commercial purposes.\n\nWarmly recommended. This version is not as slick as, say, Coppola's, or as darkly horrible as Herzog's Nosferatu, but it succeeds far better than Christopher Lee's never-ending series. The standard, of course, is Bela Lugosi, but objectively that may be only because I saw it on late night TV as a child with friends. Alas, my kids just don't like any of them!","Product: Enter the world of majesty with two emotionally charged epics that expose the secret lives and public battles of England's most influential royalty in the Anne of the Thousand Days / Mary, Queen of Scots 2-Movie Collection! Honored with a combined 15 Academy Award nominations, these films tell the torrid true-life tales of King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I, Anne Boleyn, and Mary, Queen of Scots. Featuring lavish costumes, stunning Technicolor photography and critically acclaimed performances, these spectacular films bring new life to some of the most powerful figures of all time!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Absolutely first rate set of historical films\n\nReview: These two films, which I loved when I was beginning to get interested in history, have met the test of re-viewing as an adult. They blew me away, yet again. Anne1000 is perhaps the finer film (with 2 fabulous actors), but the duel between Eliz 1 and MQS makes for wonderful drama. Indeed, they are also complementary, as E 1 appears in both and you see her origin.\n\nAnne1000 is about Anne Bolyne, who was one of the causes of the Reformation in England. Hungry for power, she played a dangerous game with Henry8, leading him on, seducing him for love, and then grasping for the queenship. Once there, she lost control, much because she was unlucky in the children to whom she gave birth. H8 then lost interest, passing on to others as he was bound to do, given his appetites and character. To be sure, Boleyn was naive and arrogant, paving the way for her annihilation by her political faults, but she is also sympathetic and strong, like a proto-feminist. We also see the atmosphere in which E1 had to survive, which may explain some of her political genius. It is very moving, beautifully shot, and psychologically real. The BEST.\n\nMQScots is very different. E1 has a shakey hold on power, being a protestant while MQS is a Catholic allied to the superpower neighbor, France. In comparison to E1, who is wholly a creature of her office having suppressed any interfering human emotion to politics, MQS wants to live and follows her sentiment. MQS is seen as a rival to the English throne, making her a mortal enemy of E1 and clearly out of her political depth. The 2 engage in a terrible struggle for power that could only lead to death. The drama is wonderfully taut.\n\nWarmly recommended. These films satisfy on every level: as history, as stimulation, as drama.","Product: The painter Goya becomes involve with the Spanish Inquisition when his muse, Ines, is arrested by the church for heresy. Her father, Thomas, comes to him hoping that his connection with Brother Lorenzo, whom he is painting, can secure the release of his daughter.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: awkward plot devices ruin what could have been truly fine\n\nReview: I was hoping for a historical snapshot like the one in Amadeus, which is unquestionably one of the best in spite of all its inaccuracies. Alas, while there are very strong moments, this film founders on its many TV-like simplifications of very complex events. That being said, the acting is excellent, in particular the sublimely beautiful Portman as Inez.\n\nThe story is extremely novelesque: you have the artist and his muse as well as an outside authority that interferes. Inez is taken in by a revived Spanish Inquisition, which operates with frighteningly bizarre reasoning (if you are innocent, God will give you the strength to resist torture). Of course, this proves untrue, and Inez is consigned to heretics prison, while a monk ally must flee for his own forced confession. Goya is the recording eye for all of this, and the emotional center of the film. Upon the invasion of Napoleon's forces, we see the return of the characters after 15 years. Portman is magnificent as the ruined Inez, who has lost everything. The monk-turned revolutionary (Bardem) is also entirely believable as a chameleon-like survivor who remains much the same person in spite of his profound ideological transformation. It is very moving and full of very complex themes.\n\nUnfortunately, Forman tries to pack too much history into the story. For example, when Goya is attempting to convince a key character to come with him, it is at that precise moment that the French troops choose to intervene. There are many other preposterous scenes like this, which badly damage the believability of the film and also feel stupidly rushed. For me, it was this that ruined the film = you can't sum up the French Revolution and the Inquisition in a single apocryphal speech.\n\nRecommended tepidly. Portman is the one who really performs best.","Product: The East and West, despite Kiplings claim that they will never meet, are being united for the new film by Sergei Bodrov Sr., Mongol: The Early Years of Genghis Khan. The project, with a budget of 15 million euros, is a major international co-production with the participation of Russia, Germany, Kazakhstan and the USA.\n\"Mongol\" is the epic story of a young Genghis Khan and how events in his early life lead him to become the legendary conquerer and father of Mongolia.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: excellent evocation of a leader of genius\n\nReview: Having just read a bio of Genghis Khan and the Empire his sons expanded and then squandered by in-fighting, I found this film utterly riveting and reasonably accurate historically. The acting is also superb, with an entirely non-caucasian cast, in the Mongol language rather than dubbed. It is a kind of character study of a political and military genius, with the personal choices he makes that reinforce his leadership, in particular the tough wife, Borte.\n\nThe film version shoehorns his life into a coherent narrative. Born into a small unit of families, of which his father was a leader, Genghis (then \"Temeugen\") was comfortable and learned the ways of the Steppe. This was a time of warring petty tribes that stole brides and pillaged the goods of others via constant attacks. They had some customs, but not many. Everything changed when his father was poisoned: his family was ruined by a turncoat, he was enslaved after becoming a blood brother with a leader who would become his rival, and he rose to lead his own band. Eventually, after many reversals and horrible ordeals, coupled to his military prowess, he creates a series of laws that enable him to become the Khan of all Mongols, eliminating all enemies and ending the incessant warfare, in the process creating one of the greatest fighting forces of all time.\n\nThis is a simplified version that is fairly accurate. He was enslaved as a child, did find a great life partner in his wife, and was an inspired leader of men. But the \"narrative\" sets up a bunch of set pieces that over-simplify things or add details that can never be known. While he did have a blood brother he later unseated because only one of them could be leader, he did not seek personal vengeance against the many stereotypical enemies or rival kingdoms that the film highlights. His wife also did not rescue him from a second captivity. Nor did he preserve those who were decent to him during the many periods of struggle as a slave. But that is the stuff of good fiction, an indulgence I can accept.\n\nThe film does romanticize him a bit too much, which is my only criticism. The actor makes him extremely sympathetic: you understand what he suffered and rejoice in the justice he created in his system of laws. What you don't see is that his army continued to pillage and inflict suffering on its enemies with a brutality that was organized into larger military units. Essentially, he turned the energies of the small tribes outward, with the same ruthless methods.\n\nI would recommend this film as a wonderful evocation of history, but would suggest that viewers look beyond the narrative.","Product: Contrasting the mores of high society with the blunt savagery of primitive tribes, FIERCE PEOPLE takes an inside look at the upper classes, examining the darkness that lurks beneath the surface of good manners. Sporting a biting wit, and featuring charismatic performances from Diane Lane and Donald Sutherland, this unflinching drama exposes the trappings of wealth and privilege, and their overwhelming power to both seduce and corrupt.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Starts very strong, but degenerates into shlock\n\nReview: This film fails to live up to its potential. In the beginning, you see a vivid portrait of a life unravelling in addiction and emotional neglect. The son, Finn, was planing to work with his father (whose only contact with him is through the films he made) in the Amazon rain forest, with the \"fierce people\" of the title. Unfortunately, while scoring coke for his mom, he is busted and cannot go. This is a shock to his mother, who decides to turn her life around and become a better mother.\n\nThey wind up, improbably, in the massive estate of Osborne, many of whose children and grandchildren have the run of his 10-mile square New Jersey estate. Beyond the mother's sobering up and quitting coke, played wonderfully by Lane, there are some very interesting subplots: Finn develops a wonderfully believable relationship with Osborne, who mentors him in some vital life lessons. Sutherland was never better, as a quirky and warm man who cares and yet is also very tough. Ruler of the roost, he hopes to create a better world somehow, in his private kingdom. Finn also studies his father's films, which provide a wonderful sub-narrative to his observations of the huge family culture he is observing. Finally, he mingles with the locals and to a degree is accepted by them, though remains fully aware that he can never be one of them.\n\nUnfortunately, the film unravels with Finn's relationships with Osborne's grandchildren. He finds a beautiful, sensitive girl of course, and their path is ridiculously predictable, if occasionally poignant. While Kristen Stewart succeeds in evoking some of the psychological trouble that underlies her character, the character is essentially a cute stick figure. Finn also becomes friends with the outgoing though mysterious grandson, whose evolution is also a bit far fetched and laughably melodramatic. Then the plot thickens in a ruinous direction, which I do not want to spoil for others, and ends sentimentally if tragically. If the film had ended 2/3 of the way through, it would easily have gotten 5 stars.\n\nRecommended with these caveats. The acting in my viewing is far better than average, but the script in the end is weak.","Product: Blake Morrison (Colin Firth) must deal with his father's (Jim Broadbent) imminent death in this limited-release movie. Bonuses: deleted scenes, commentary.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: sensitive portrayal of that most difficult of relationships, father-son\n\nReview: Having recently lost my father, I hoped that this film would help me to look into our relationship, to grieve, to let my feelings come to the fore in private, for myself beyond the (very helpful) rituals we have of letting go. Although the film relationship was of course very different from the one I had with my father, it brilliantly addresses the universal issues between fathers and sons: there are so many memories - of fun, perceived slights, love, and anger - that swirl in the mind for the rest of the son's life. The son, Blake, has questions he wants to resolve, yet they can't really talk about them, even as his father lies on his deathbed. Blake struggles with disappointment in his charming and manipulative father, whose flaws and strengths, whose caring and occasional carelessness, remain present in his imagination every single day, with the specificity of recall you would expect of a poet. It is so primal in love, so raw in striving and competition, as the son takes his own path and the father is left behind yet still living within him.\n\nThe father's last days are also portrayed with painful intimacy. Unless one has experienced it, it is hard to comprehend what it is like to watch a parent slip away as the body fails, yet this film portrays it with realism and empathy, with fabulously nuanced acting.\n\nYou see the father as a great spirit, as a selfish jerk, as a charmer of \"other\" women, as a joker indulgent of his son's desires, as the only person who can give certain things, as full of his own needs yet caring. It is funny, sad, enraging, and loving all at the same time. These emotions washed over me as I watched this film, truly a cathartic experience that reduced me at times to tears.\n\nThis is a mature film, a masterpiece that approaches the complexity of life. Blake too is a flawed character, though his life is more or less on track. THe film ends with a wonderfully ambiguous optimism, summing up the exasperation and love all at the same moment. The mother is also subtly present, though not at the center of the story. In my view, the balance was right.\n\nWarmly recommended. But do not expect a comedy - it is painful and uplifting realism at its best.","Product: The East and West, despite Kiplings claim that they will never meet, are being united for the new film by Sergei Bodrov Sr., Mongol: The Early Years of Genghis Khan. The project, with a budget of 15 million euros, is a major international co-production with the participation of Russia, Germany, Kazakhstan and the USA.\n\"Mongol\" is the epic story of a young Genghis Khan and how events in his early life lead him to become the legendary conquerer and father of Mongolia.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: excellent evocation of a leader of genius\n\nReview: Having just read a bio of Genghis Khan and the Empire his sons expanded and then squandered by in-fighting, I found this film utterly riveting and reasonably accurate historically. The acting is also superb, with an entirely non-caucasian cast, in the Mongol language rather than dubbed. It is a kind of character study of a political and military genius, with the personal choices he makes that reinforce his leadership, in particular the tough wife, Borte.\n\nThe film version shoehorns his life into a coherent narrative. Born into a small unit of families, of which his father was a leader, Genghis (then \"Temeugen\") was comfortable and learned the ways of the Steppe. This was a time of warring petty tribes that stole brides and pillaged the goods of others via constant attacks. They had some customs, but not many. Everything changed when his father was poisoned: his family was ruined by a turncoat, he was enslaved after becoming a blood brother with a leader who would become his rival, and he rose to lead his own band. Eventually, after many reversals and horrible ordeals, coupled to his military prowess, he creates a series of laws that enable him to become the Khan of all Mongols, eliminating all enemies and ending the incessant warfare, in the process creating one of the greatest fighting forces of all time.\n\nThis is a simplified version that is fairly accurate. He was enslaved as a child, did find a great life partner in his wife, and was an inspired leader of men. But the \"narrative\" sets up a bunch of set pieces that over-simplify things or add details that can never be known. While he did have a blood brother he later unseated because only one of them could be leader, he did not seek personal vengeance against the many stereotypical enemies or rival kingdoms that the film highlights. His wife also did not rescue him from a second captivity. Nor did he preserve those who were decent to him during the many periods of struggle as a slave. But that is the stuff of good fiction, an indulgence I can accept.\n\nThe film does romanticize him a bit too much, which is my only criticism. The actor makes him extremely sympathetic: you understand what he suffered and rejoice in the justice he created in his system of laws. What you don't see is that his army continued to pillage and inflict suffering on its enemies with a brutality that was organized into larger military units. Essentially, he turned the energies of the small tribes outward, with the same ruthless methods.\n\nI would recommend this film as a wonderful evocation of history, but would suggest that viewers look beyond the narrative.","Product: Contrasting the mores of high society with the blunt savagery of primitive tribes, FIERCE PEOPLE takes an inside look at the upper classes, examining the darkness that lurks beneath the surface of good manners. Sporting a biting wit, and featuring charismatic performances from Diane Lane and Donald Sutherland, this unflinching drama exposes the trappings of wealth and privilege, and their overwhelming power to both seduce and corrupt.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Starts very strong, but degenerates into shlock\n\nReview: This film fails to live up to its potential. In the beginning, you see a vivid portrait of a life unravelling in addiction and emotional neglect. The son, Finn, was planing to work with his father (whose only contact with him is through the films he made) in the Amazon rain forest, with the \"fierce people\" of the title. Unfortunately, while scoring coke for his mom, he is busted and cannot go. This is a shock to his mother, who decides to turn her life around and become a better mother.\n\nThey wind up, improbably, in the massive estate of Osborne, many of whose children and grandchildren have the run of his 10-mile square New Jersey estate. Beyond the mother's sobering up and quitting coke, played wonderfully by Lane, there are some very interesting subplots: Finn develops a wonderfully believable relationship with Osborne, who mentors him in some vital life lessons. Sutherland was never better, as a quirky and warm man who cares and yet is also very tough. Ruler of the roost, he hopes to create a better world somehow, in his private kingdom. Finn also studies his father's films, which provide a wonderful sub-narrative to his observations of the huge family culture he is observing. Finally, he mingles with the locals and to a degree is accepted by them, though remains fully aware that he can never be one of them.\n\nUnfortunately, the film unravels with Finn's relationships with Osborne's grandchildren. He finds a beautiful, sensitive girl of course, and their path is ridiculously predictable, if occasionally poignant. While Kristen Stewart succeeds in evoking some of the psychological trouble that underlies her character, the character is essentially a cute stick figure. Finn also becomes friends with the outgoing though mysterious grandson, whose evolution is also a bit far fetched and laughably melodramatic. Then the plot thickens in a ruinous direction, which I do not want to spoil for others, and ends sentimentally if tragically. If the film had ended 2/3 of the way through, it would easily have gotten 5 stars.\n\nRecommended with these caveats. The acting in my viewing is far better than average, but the script in the end is weak.","Product: Blake Morrison (Colin Firth) must deal with his father's (Jim Broadbent) imminent death in this limited-release movie. Bonuses: deleted scenes, commentary.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: sensitive portrayal of that most difficult of relationships, father-son\n\nReview: Having recently lost my father, I hoped that this film would help me to look into our relationship, to grieve, to let my feelings come to the fore in private, for myself beyond the (very helpful) rituals we have of letting go. Although the film relationship was of course very different from the one I had with my father, it brilliantly addresses the universal issues between fathers and sons: there are so many memories - of fun, perceived slights, love, and anger - that swirl in the mind for the rest of the son's life. The son, Blake, has questions he wants to resolve, yet they can't really talk about them, even as his father lies on his deathbed. Blake struggles with disappointment in his charming and manipulative father, whose flaws and strengths, whose caring and occasional carelessness, remain present in his imagination every single day, with the specificity of recall you would expect of a poet. It is so primal in love, so raw in striving and competition, as the son takes his own path and the father is left behind yet still living within him.\n\nThe father's last days are also portrayed with painful intimacy. Unless one has experienced it, it is hard to comprehend what it is like to watch a parent slip away as the body fails, yet this film portrays it with realism and empathy, with fabulously nuanced acting.\n\nYou see the father as a great spirit, as a selfish jerk, as a charmer of \"other\" women, as a joker indulgent of his son's desires, as the only person who can give certain things, as full of his own needs yet caring. It is funny, sad, enraging, and loving all at the same time. These emotions washed over me as I watched this film, truly a cathartic experience that reduced me at times to tears.\n\nThis is a mature film, a masterpiece that approaches the complexity of life. Blake too is a flawed character, though his life is more or less on track. THe film ends with a wonderfully ambiguous optimism, summing up the exasperation and love all at the same moment. The mother is also subtly present, though not at the center of the story. In my view, the balance was right.\n\nWarmly recommended. But do not expect a comedy - it is painful and uplifting realism at its best.","Product: The queen of Egypt seduces Julius Caesar, barges on the Nile with Mark Antony and kills herself with an asp.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great Hollywood fare: extraordinary sets, great drama, but ridiculous historical inaccuracies\n\nReview: This restored version - the 4-hour release that was immediately rejected by theatres as impossible to screen 2x per night, forcing more than an hour to be cut - is an absolute delight for the eyes. From the first minutes when Caesar appears, the viewer is utterly riveted by the splashy spectacle, the evocation of a vastly different time, and acting that can only be called first rate. The only thing that threw me off, as a Roman history nut, was the inaccuracies that could only be made by an ignoramus.\n\nOn the positive side, the drama is a complete success: Cleopatra, the last Ptolemaic queen of Egypt, uses her feminine attributes and fine mind to advance a dream of staying in power and perhaps even create a new empire based on Roman power. To do so, she seduces first Julius Caesar, who restores her to power in a civil war with her brother-husband, and bears him a son. Once Julius dies, she then seduces his lieutenant, Marc Antony, eventually losing to the wily Octavian, Caesar's adopted son. In the process, she genuinely falls in love (with Antony), perhaps for the first time in her life. They die together by their own hand. Surely, this is one of the greatest dramas of power and love in the history of mankind and it is the basis of this film, executed to perfection.\n\nThe costumes, sets, and images of sex and power are wonderfully vivid, which the bluray version (I have the British one that is available for $10 in Europe) brings with the sharpest of clarity. Beyond the actors (whose salaries were the highest ever paid), these props are the reason for the cost of the film. In my opinion, they were worth every penny as there are few film experiences that could compete.\n\nFinally, there is the acting. Taylor, just after her 1950s prime, is at her best as a politically savvy seductress, aging and scrambling to maintain her nation and heir in their positions of prominence. I found her convincing, astonishingly beautiful, and realistically shrewd. In my view, Rex Harrison believably projects the universal genius of Julius Caesar, whose calm in the face of overwhelming odds and ever-changing political calculus are implacable and unpredictable. McDowall is also a good Octavian, whom he plays as a sleazy, effeminate conniver, ultimately perhaps the smartest of all in a political sense. The only principal I feel does not give a subtle and interesting performance is Burton, whose Antony, while flawed as a love-starved drunk, is blandly formulaic. The supporting characters, such as Agrippa, are not all that distinguished, with the exception of the courtier Hugh Cronin.\n\nOn the negative side, the script really needed a scholar as consultant. Given that Mankiewicz was re-writing the script while directing, this was perhaps impossible. It is a pity, because while most of the blooper inaccuracies do not detract seriously from the storyline, they were constant irritants kind of like a buzzing mosquito at night. For example, Agrippa appears as a middle-aged lieutenant of Julius Caesar, when the person with whom he rose to prominence was Octavian, his coeval in age and talent. But there are bigger problems as well. Just prior to his assassination, Julius is shown as demanding that he be named King by the Senate, which he was far too subtle ever to do in life. This fundamentally distorts his character, making him more of a simple tyrant than a master manipulator whose end game, if he had one, will never be known due to his premature death. Finally, there are many political complexities that are left uncovered, such as Antony's massive and unprecedented failure to conquer Parthia, which broke him. Antony also had many implacable enemies, such as Cicero, whose right hand he had nailed to the Senate doorway during the civil war that followed Caesar's assassination. I know I sound like a pedant, but given the lavishness of the production, why not have made it more accurate?\n\nWith all of its flaws, I still recommend this warmly. The extras are also excellent, such as the documentary of the chaos of its production.","Product: After an Earth-destroying threat endangers the planet, Mankind builds a gigantic Earthship Ark spacecraft to save the last of humanity. After an accident takes place and kills the crew, the airlocks connecting the ship's domes are sealed. Cut off from the outside world, many communities simply forgot that they were on a spacecraft. As the centuries pass, each culture evolves in an enclosed society, each a world unto itself that is fifty miles in diameter. Unbeknownst to the ARKs inhabitants, they are drifting through deep space on a collision course with a sun. In 2790 A.D., a young man named Devon (Keir Dullea from 2001: A Space Odyssey), a resident of a biosphere called Cypress Corners, discovers that his world is much larger than he was taught to believe and uncovers the Arks fate. Devon and friends Rachel (Gay Rowan) and Garth (Robin Ward) must learn all they can about the Ark if they are to save it and the colonists aboard. The Starlost was a Canadian-produced science fiction television series that broadcasted in 1973 on CTV in Canada and on NBC in the United States. Now for the first time all 16 episodes are available in this collection. Some of these episodes have not been seen since their original airdates. Glen-Warren Productions Ltd. 1973\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: It could have been so much better.\n\nReview: I am of 2 minds on this series, which I saw when it came out and reviewed with pleasure and frustration. On the positive side, it is full of really imaginative concepts: the ship is off-course, perhaps even derelict and headed to disaster; there are many biospheres in it that have evolved into strange civilizations, hence interesting encounters; and there is an AI system embedded in the ship that has also evolved in its own direction. This is very fun, what we would expect from a writer like Harlan Ellison. And of course, there are good characters. However, on the negative side, the production itself is mediocre, even lax in its direction. Not only is the acting uneven and the sets kind of slapdash, but the stories themselves are often not very good - characters are lackadaisical, unbelievable, even silly. The one exception is Keir Dullea, who is excellent throughout and an interesting character, kind of a reluctant hero-rebel.\n\nI can't say I would recommend buying this, in spite of its strong points. It is too uneven. Unless of course, you want some Canadian scifi...","Product: Dakota Fanning\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: excellent art-house look into truncated childhood\n\nReview: This is another of those indy films that is so good it is difficult to watch. Fanning is a young girl on the verge of adolescence, who has that natural talent for singing that so many children lose. She lives in a vivid rural milieu with a father who is a heavy drinker and an absent mother. Her friends include a neighbor boy and a wonderfully lively group of southern blacks, whom she accompanies as an elvis singer. It is warm and she is evidently going to become an extraordinary beauty.\n\nHowever, she is introduced to sex at too early an age. This is not, as some reviewers have claimed, about early sexuality - there is nothing titillating about it whatsoever. Indeed, completely unprepared, the theme of the story is that it nearly breaks her spirit. It is about the possibility of healing and it is extremely, graphically realistic. Fanning's performance was, in my opinion, oscar-worthy.\n\nWarmly recommended. Just be prepared for stark realism.","Product: A man regains consciousness at the bottom of a cave, with no concept of how he arrived there, nor any idea who the dead man is at his side. Only one thing is certain - he has to escape the menacing creature that s pursuing him. His journey back to the surface takes him through a cemetery - like world that's been abandoned by a mysterious organization called Eden Log.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: interesting French scifi that keeps you guessing\n\nReview: If you like hard scifi, you may like this film. Unlike Hollywood pulse-pounding formula films, this one has a slowly unwinding mystery - the answers are revealed piece by piece, but enough of it is left obscure for the viewer to fill it in with his imagination. Now, the subjective part is that you have to like it, which is a personal reaction. I believed the characters from the very beginning and was intrigued with finding out what was really going on, which I would never have predicted. It kept my interest and I found it intellectually stimulating. However, it is not for everyone. The pace is static, much of it remains obscure, and the symbolism does get a bit heavy.\n\nA man wakes up in a cold, wet cave. Without memory, he seems to do alright going around by instinct, searching for something or some way out. He has a number of disturbing encounters, from a man seemingly permanently entangled in a tree, to monsters, scientists, and military types. He painstakingly elicits bits of information at each encounter, all the time running from forces that are pressing on him. He is also going through some kind of transformation. What is so French about it is the pessimism, lack of hope, and simple obscurity of the situation and action, which you would never see from Hollywood.\n\nAs so many have given their interpretations, I will allude to some of mine, hopefully without spoilers. It appears that he is in some kind of giant industrial complex, almost an experiment. Much of it has gone awry, it appears, but there is a system that works. In the future, it seems, humans are attempting to harness botanic processes, though not with the results they had hoped. There is the x-factor as well, as the amnesiac man seems to be carrying some kind of esoteric knowledge or capacity.\n\nI don't go in for the biblical interpretations, which I believe require the viewer to twist things too much. In my view, it is just good scifi, vivid, with a riddle to enjoy, and some action. Recommended.","Product: Few films have had as large a cultural impact as Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal (Det sjunde inseglet). Disillusioned and exhausted after a decade of battling in the Crusades; a knight (Max von Sydow) encounters Death on a desolate beach and challenges him to a fateful game of chess. Much studied; imitated; even parodied; but never outdone; Bergman's stunning allegory of man's search for meaning was one of the benchmark foreign imports of America's 1950s art house heyday; pushing cinema's boundaries and ushering in a new era of moviegoing.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: the great philosophical and historical film\n\nReview: This is the kind of film I watched in my youth, trying to get \"cultured\" and in search of art and knowledge. Now, as a middle aged man introducing this to my kids, this film completely satisfies: it has good characters with many layers (my favorite is the tough but just squire), an original and intelligent plot, and unforgettable images. OK, my kids did not exactly take to it and I finished it alone, but it is part of our library and we will return to it, to be sure. This is a great classic, one of the truly best and shows what cinema can do.\n\nReturning after 10 of Crusades warfare, exhausted and cynical, a knight encounters death. He is full of doubt, questions, and some wisdom. But he needs to see his wife, whom he has missed for 10 years, to find some answers. So, death agrees to play chess with him, giving him time during the game. The knight is accompanied by a squire, who metes out justice with roughness and charm and takes on a beautiful servant to accompany them; her is protecting her from a corrupted preacher turned thief, the very one who advocated for them to go to Palestine. Another family joins them, theatrical artists who are happy, including a visionary husband who sees more than most. As this group treks through the forest to avoid the plague, the knight continues his game with death.\n\nThe conclusion is full of beauty and ambiguity, which I do not want to spoil for the viewer. It is completely believable, sad, and filled me with wonder for the mystery of life. Warmly recommended.","Product: Region 1 NTSC.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: beautiful meditation on a natural artist\n\nReview: One of the things that is so fun about French culture is that what would pass for an \"art house\" film in the US is a much anticipated event here, in particular when it celebrates a national artist. While low budget, these films are produced with the utmost reverence and seriousness, then much discussed across the media. The contrast with crassly commercial celebrity culture could not be more stark.\n\nThis is a lovely film about a working class woman who is obsessed with painting in the mid 1930s. Without training, she set about realizing her vision whenever she could afford paint. By chance, her work is discovered by an art critic. Seraphine appears homely, dirty, and unintelligent, just a pair of hands for washing. But her painting is absolutely magical, in the naive style. Under his tutelage, she gains something of a following and begins to make a living, but then the war intervenes and she loses everything, or so it seems.\n\nThe actress heroine is absolutely amazing. Though apparently simple minded, she is gifted with talent and the strength to work. You completely believe in her - indeed, it is a true story.\n\nRecommended. The stark realism that serves an artistic idealism is a rare combination. This is a serious art and psychological film, a reminder of how good cinema can be.","Product: Academy Award nominees Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum) reteam in this action-packed thriller. Damon stars as Roy Miller, a rogue U.S. Army officer who must hunt through covert and faulty intelligence hidden on foreign soil before war escalates in an unstable region. Also starring Academy Award nominees Greg Kinnear and Amy Ryan, Green Zone is one hell of a thriller (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times).\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: gritty war thriller that scores political points\n\nReview: Most of the negative reviews of this are that it doesn't follow a simplistic patriotic line. Instead, in my view, it makes an attempt at realism, and it does make a political point: that we were dupes to local pols and then were too cowardly and dishonest to admit it. Sure, it is a political opinion, but what if it is true?\n\nDamon gives an excellent performance, though I couldn't judge the realism of the military experience and must trust the other reviewers. It is suspenseful, scary, and moving. His personal quest - to figure out where the claims of WMD came from after he can't find them - is completely believable. Another aspect I liked was how hard it was on the press: rather than simple heros, they were flawed as well, duped by the administration and ashamed of it. Damon's American adversaries were believable brutes, if brave in their own ways. Finally, the Iraki Freddie, a helper who goes his own way in important details, was a very interesting twist.\n\nThis is up there with Syriana, you can see the complexity of what we have gotten ourselves into. Recommended.","Product: Quick Shipping !!! New And Sealed !!! This Disc WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. A multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player is request to view it in USA/Canada. Please Review Description.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: a delightfully stimulating surprise, at the close of antiquity\n\nReview: I was quite astonished at the sophistication of this film. It has all the prerequisites of overblown melodrama: a beautiful proto-feminist heroine, two men in love with her (a slave and an aristocrat), and a reconstituted repository of ancient rational knowledge, in a backdrop of fanatical Christians taking over from declining pagans. I assumed, wrongly, it was going to be another Prince-of-Persia type reconstruction of hyperbole, muddled facts, and overlooked nuance. Instead, the film is a wonderfully stimulating portrayal of an intellectual and the end of a tradition - of rationalist philosophy - of nearly 1000 years, to make way for monotheism and soon the collapse of the Roman civilization.\n\nThe intellectual themes of the film are rather recondite. On the one hand, Hypatia (who actually is an historical figure) is seeking to explore the validity of the core assumptions in the cosmology of Ptolemy: that the Earth is the stationary center of the universe around which everything revolves; that circles, the most perfect expression of the principles of Euclidean geometry, must be the form that the motions take. She starts from the premise that real-life observation should be connected to philosophic ideals (a precursor of modern scientific experimentation). On the other hand, there are the fundamentalists, that is, the early Christians who are following their consciences and the dictates of the Emperor Constantine to accept Christianity as the religion of the Empire; their universe is not rational, but based on faith, what is the word of God as written in the Book, and lastly revelation in which God directly offers guidance to the self-appointed leaders of the faithful. It is simply amazing to me that this clash of world views can be presented with the level of subtlety and sophistication that it is.\n\nThe plot that frames the story is somewhat less subtle, but the script, the direction, and the acting are so fine that, in my view, none of the characters (save perhaps the brutal, angry, and arrogant Christian leader Cyril) fall into stereotypes. Hypatia is the daughter of an old-style aristocratic philosopher, who is open-minded enough not to push her into marriage and nurtured her mind to the point that she is a masterful teacher and intellectual. They maintain what is left of the Alexandrian library, a treasury of ancient knowledge accumulated from the time of Alexander the Great. Outside their walls, there is a fight for the soul of the city, led by a fanatical Christian, Cyril, about whom I know nothing as to his historical basis. The pagans feel besieged, the Christians on the ascendant, as backed by the Emperors of West and East Rome.\n\nHypatia is loved by both an aristocratic upstart and one of her slaves. These two men embody what is happening to the city and indeed to the empire. Fortunately, the evolution of their characters and their later actions - in spite of Hyaptia's rejection of both of their advances - is completely believable and nuanced. I do not want to play the spoiler here as it is a big part of the film's value and dramatic tension. Suffice to say that the Christians win, their appetite for power and domination ever expanding and sweeping away anything and everyone in its wake: as fundamentalists with a monopoly on the truth, they are portrayed as nascent totalitarians though not as simple brutes.\n\nAs a history buff who has long studied the elucidation of the motion of the planets - the greatest early achievement of what became modern science - I did feel that too much license was taken with what Hypatia did and thought. Indeed, she is portrayed as first discovering what Johannes Kepler finally proved in the late Renaissance: that the Earth moved in an elliptical orbit around the sun, which occupied one of its foci. There is no evidence that she did, so far as I know. Nonetheless, that the film brings these issues to a popular audience with the sophistication that it does, and without 2-dimensional characters, is a first-rate achievement.\n\nRecommended with enthusiasm. If Christian fundamentalists denounce the existential perspective of the film, this would be a regrettable missed chance for dialogue. No one, save the brilliant Hypatia, looks good in this rich film.","Product: The Ghost Writer 2010 version. DVD\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: a fantastic update of the thriller genre\n\nReview: Polanski is one of the greatest film makers alive. Beyond the perfect details and intricate stories, most of his films add new possibilities to the genres he operates in. He re-made the film noire with China Town, introducing characters with far greater depth than in typical whodunnits, complete with an explosive political situation that ended in tragedy. Now with this political thriller, in which an everyman finds himself in an extraordinary situation like Cary Grant in N by NW, Polanski again deepens the themes with tragedy, romance, and distrust. There are so many levels to this film that I will be able to watch innumerable times and always see more. It is some of the best film work available.\n\nThe plot involves a ghost writer who is hired to fix the memoires of Lang, a Blair-like figure who recently has left power. The original ghost writer, who washed up on shore dead and full of alcohol, was Lang's most trusted aide. The new ghost is a political naif, extremely skilled at helping non-writers to find a story line, but largely ignorant of the world of national security and spies. Upon investigation, he finds discrepancies in what Lang is telling him: dates don't match up, the narrative makes little sense, and the tension in Lang's temporary residence is palpable. Lang's wife, a first-rate politico and extraordinarily beautiful middle-aged woman, is extremely bitter at the affair that he is having with a younger aide. When charges of violating international law brings protestors to the remote island, the ghost finds some strange documents by chance, setting him on a different path of investigation - which he is not there to do. Needless to say, he enters very dangerous teritory almost unawares, until he begins to fear for his own life.\n\nBehind this are wonderfully fecund themes. Lang, as played by Brosnin, is a fascinating figure: at once left-leaning and charismatic, he is also manipulative and enigmatic, perhaps a lier or worse. You cannot trust anything he says, but his presence is commanding and decisive. It is a study of a leader who is out and what happens once their secrets are no longer protected by their office. Then there is his wife, whose subtle intelligence and guile are hidden behind her bitterness and seemingly pure motives to work as her husband's most trusted advisor. She feels betrayed and is perhaps seeking revenge, yet appears lonely and betrayed, abandoned after a lifetime of devoted marriage. She too may not be what the viewer is led to think. The ghost is clearly out of his league, yet cannot help himself from getting dangerously enmeshed as events gather momentum.\n\nPolanski's handling of the situation is so deft that the viewer can be deceived, in my opinion. Sure, the ghost figures out a version of what is going on and pays for it, but is it the whole story? It is impossible to know. What is clear is that he stupidly overplays his hand rather than waits for the right moment as only a pol would know how to do. I write this cryptically because I don't want to reveal the surprises in store for the attentive viewer.\n\nThis is one of the best thrillers I have ever seen. The mood throughout is one of melancholy and bewilderment from the ghost's point of view, of gathering forces so far beyond his comprehension that he appears stupid. Recommended with the greatest enthusiasm. This is one of Polanski's best films.","Product: Academy Award® winner Russell Crowe and visionary director Ridley Scott (Gladiator) reunite for the untold story of the man behind the legend. In an age of oppression and shameless tyranny, an outlaw becomes the unlikely hero that saves a nation and inspires generations to fight for freedom. In this thrilling action adventure, \"Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott are at their most entertaining since Gladiator\" (Dan Jolin, Empire (UK). Also starring Academy Award® winner Cate Blanchett.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: heavy with historical context, just the beginning of the series\n\nReview: This is one of the best renditions of the Robin Hood myth that I have seen in years. What I particularly liked about it is that I am reading a medieval history at the moment, and amazingly, this fit right in with my current book (the wonderful Forge of Christendom, by Tom Holland) about when the castles were built, what the horrendous social upheavals were like, and the abuses of power.\n\nThe acting, starring with Crowe, is wonderful and subtle. Blanchet is also brilliant as Maid Marion. And the hilarious cameo of Max von Sydow, as the aristocrat who marries Marion off to Robin immediately after meeting him. (\"I woke up tumescent,\" he says. \"Imagine, at 80 years of age!\" Marion rolled her eyes.) The bad guys are also convincing, though I didn't know any of them.\n\nThe plot is rather convoluted. Robin is returning from the Crusades with Richard the Lion Hearted, who has become a simple, embittered plunderer on his way home. In need of a quick passage, Robin and his cohort pose as knights, a capital offense in medieval reckoning. This embroils them in a number of complications, taking them through Nottingham. There, posing as aristocrats, they enter local politics, which eventually involves organized violence. At the end, and we all know the myth so this is about reviewing the film and not a spoiler, they are denounced as outlaws. So this is the start of a series, if the producers can finance it.\n\nRecommended. This is a good and solid version of the old story, or the first installment in a series.","Product: Christianity\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: a beautiful, meditative look at modern monastic life in a war zone\n\nReview: This film is based on the true story of a group of monks during the recent civil war in Algeria. There is a beauty in their devotion to the poverty stricken local residents, whom they serve with warmth and simplicity.\n\nAs the real world intrudes on their quiet labor, they must confront some essential questions that could affect their prospects of survival. Should they accept an armed guard from a government with little legitimacy? Should they leave? Should they attempt to build a respectful relationship with the fundamentalist rebels who menacingly visit them? Can they abandon their mission? Their struggle with these questions forms the basis of the film's plot. While slow if you are used to hollywood action, it is completely believable, with every scene pregnant with psychological nuance and internal turmoil.\n\nWith subtle elegance, the climax of the film occurs when the monks come to their decision over a meal, together listening to music on a crude cassette player and weeping at their intimacy and commitment to the community. Even though I am not a believer, it brought tears to my eyes to witness the holiness and devotion of these men as they labored in obscurity and accepted their fate.\n\nI saw this in Paris, where it was much discussed as an \"event film\". The Parisians took this as art that made an important statement and deserved to be viewed seriously and debated. This is an interesting contrast to the film experience elsewhere, whether you think it pretentious or not.\n\nWarmly recommended.","Product: Battling cowboys and Native Americans in Arizon join forces when an alien spaceship lands.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: genre mix definitely worked for me\n\nReview: I was skeptical when I heard about this film, I mean, cowboys fighting space monsters? It seemed like too much of a stretch, especially since only a few Europeans were even dreaming that such things were possible. However, given the actors, I thought, what the heck, I'll give it a look-see while on a long airplane trip. And from the first moment, when the hero wakes with amnesia and a strange metal bracelet, the characters drew me into a much better-than-average story. It was even hard scifi without a whiff of fantasy, though what the aliens could do definitely would have seemed like magic or demons to the men of that time.\n\nThe plot even has some good twists. D Craig makes a wonderful tough guy who deep down is grieving even if he can't remember why. He demonstrates his propensity to deadly violence right away, but there is something principled about it or seemingly so. After a quick imbroglio, he wanders into a town that is riven by a spoiled gunslinger, whose father is apparently a brutally evil rancher. Craig is also approached by a mysterious and beautiful woman, who seems to know a lot about him. When they seem ready to kill eachother, the town is attacked, setting them on an adventure together as Craig discovers the metal object is a weapon. Add Indians and a band of outlaws (who know Craig as a leader) into the mix and you begin to wonder if any of it is going to make sense. That the rest of the movie succeeds so well, maintaining a sense of mystery and awe at least in me, is a testament to an unusually intelligent script.\n\nOne of the best themes in the film is how the humans band together, each bringing skills from their cultures and experience, to fight the baddies. It might sound silly, but it really works well. For example, the Indians give a potion to Craig that liberates his memory. I don't want to play the spoiler, so won't say anything more, but it is a raucous ride with great CGI.\n\nWarmly recommended. It won't be what you expect, if you like hard scifi to begin with, that is.","Product: Brand New Sealed Blu-ray. Ships Fast\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: a psychic film distinguished by fabulous acting\n\nReview: I am not usually one for fantasy films about psychics and the afterlife, but this one has such depth that I could suspend my disbelief and feel completely engrossed in the emotions of the characters. I have never seen acting so fine and vivid in this genre. It is moving, beautiful, mysterious, and psychologically real. I think it is a masterpiece.\n\nThe film starts with the 2004 tsunami that devastated Indonesia. A French woman is swept up in the wave, receiving a terrible blow in the head that brings her near death while submerged. What she sees changes her life, alienating her from her past and its certainties. She loses everything. Meanwhile, we learn about a young man from San Francisco, a psychic who is searching desperately for a way to live and love with his \"ability\". Every time he sees a potential relationship, it seems, his ability destroys his chances. He is not helped by his brother, who is pushing to exploit his ability as a business concern. The third character is a boy, whose mother is a junkie and who loses someone near to him. He is pitifully depressed and seeking answers while in fostercare.\n\nHow their lives intersect is the plot of the story. However, the theme - of being able to move on with one's life - is wonderfully evoked by Eastwood, who is one of the greatest filmmakers alive. Every gesture and expression of the 3 characters moved me, their struggle and melancholy totally believable, at least to me, as they search for resolution and a way forward. It brought tears to my eyes, perhaps because I lost my father not too long ago. The film actually helped me to mourn.\n\nWarmly recommended. I know it isn't for everyone, but it sure worked for me.","Product: A famous Italian filmmaker, haunted by the memories of his first love, returns to his hometown after an absence of 30 years. Upon his return, he reconnects with the community and remembers the highlights and tragedies that shaped his life and inspired him to follow his dream of becoming a filmmaker. For those who have never seen it -- and those who have never forgotten it -- director Giuseppe Tornatore's (BAARIA, THE STAR MAKER) cherished Academy Award-winning motion picture (1990, Best Foreign Language Film) is now in high definition, fully restored and digitally remastered.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Coming of age as viewed by the middle-aged, with magic\n\nReview: This is a wonderful film, about a lonely boy in post-war Sicily, who turns his early passion for movies into a career. It is one of those films that tugs at the heart, with themes of life, love, and moving on yet keeping everything inside. There is not a single moment in the film that doesn't ring true with the deepest emotion and yearning, all while being fun and provocative. Even my kids enjoyed it.\n\nThe frame of the story is a reminiscence by a highly successful film maker, who learns of the death of one of his greatest friends - a friend, a father replacement, and mentor in life. He goes back to his time as a young boy, when much of the town was war rubble. At the center of village life was a cinema, where just about everyone went for a vicarious communal experience, vividly portrayed in the boy's observations. The projector is run by a wonderful man, played by Noiret, who takes the boy under his wing. Their relationship is touching, yet not at all sentimental: the boy has to work his way in by guile, the man offers him advice in work and life, often by quoting lines from American movies, always joking yet with serious messages. It is a perfect balance. Of course, the boy grows up and had to go his own way, with a kick from Noiret.\n\nThis is destined to be a classic. However, it did play a bit too long about the film experiences, I felt. Warmly recommended.","Product: Quick Shipping !!! New And Sealed !!! This Disc WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. A multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player is request to view it in USA/Canada. Please Review Description.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: definitive blu-ray version of theatrical releases, with extras (British version)\n\nReview: This box set has come in for serious criticism regarding its limits. Indeed, there can be no doubt that this set doesn't have extended cuts and director's cuts. However, what it does have is completely satisfying, i.e. high definition versions of the theatrical releases of the films, wonderfully transferred; deleted scenes from each film; documentaries, interviews, commentaries, and the usual fluff that comes with these things; and some video game materials. Frankly, I do not think they will release the newer versions (extended cuts and director's cuts) as a box sets until they have released all of them individually - they will do it in a way that maximizes sales, based on timing. That means that these are the only versions we will have for some time as they will prolong the cycle as long as possible.\n\nThis will sound repetitive, but these are absolutely great films and have been a part of my family experience for the last 11 years. We watch them together periodically and always made the trek to the cinema to see new releases. They spurred my children to read their first long books. Plus, each film is consistently excellent in its own way, quite an accomplishment for a series of 8 films.\n\nWhile we love the films, I doubt that we will want more than these as we are not the kind of fans that Trekkies are. Thus, for those like us, I warmly recommend this set. Interestingly, I got the version in British blu-ray for about $50. Given the price of the blu-rays of the final 2 films, that made it worthwhile for us to pay a little more for the entire set - without dvd and other media versions that we would scarcely want anyway.","Product: Please note: Blu-ray disc offers only the theatrical version, while the DVD disc offers only the extended cut version.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Uneven, but powerful arthouse portrait of an adolescent in moral crisis\n\nReview: This is a heavily promoted indie film that never made it. It is the story of a struggling young lady in NYC. Her parents are divorced and self-absorbed, if loving and occasionally there for her. She is beautiful, intelligent, and questioning, appropriate to her age. Then, a trivial incident leads to a tragedy for which she feels responsible. The rest of the movie - nearly 3 hours in the extended version, which is what I am reviewing here - is how she deals with it, thinking in turn and then acting out. At turns, it is moving, brutal, sad, funny, uplifting, pathetic, and promising; the other characters emerge and form a portrait of the Manhattan middle class.\n\nI wish I could say I found it as masterful and brilliant as many critics have done, but I thought it disjointed, abrupt, full of trivia and incidents that appear meaningless or ill-fitting. In most cases, it distracted rather than added to some vision or whole. The film technique - to include random conversations or expressions - felt intrusive to me, irritating.\n\nNonetheless, the acting is truly wonderful. Paquin creates a realistic, indeed brilliant, portrait of the girl - I completely believed how she grew and evolved as the crisis unfolded. And she does transform herself, to a degree, though in so many ways, she is still a girl. Most of the other actors appear in cameos, often to make some point, which works about half of the time, but also often fails.\n\nI would recommend this film. The ambiguities and lack of simple clarity are truly artful. But it is flawed.","Product: The Bourne Legacy takes the action-packed Bourne series to an explosive new level. On the verge of having their conspiracy exposed, members of the government's intelligence community will stop at nothing to erase all evidence of their top secret programs - even the agents involved. Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) must use his genetically-engineered skills to survive the ultimate game of cat-and-mouse and finish what Jason Bourne started. Also starring Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz and Academy Award nominee Edward Norton, critics are calling this a \"thrilling, edge-of-your-seat heart-pounder\" (Meg Porter Berns, WSVN-TV (FOX), Miami).\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Ratchets it up with scifi, but it's derivative and unconvincing\n\nReview: I didn't have very high hopes for this film, but I was curious what they would do to go beyond the absolute perfection of the Bourne trilogy. The Damon film, which we must contrast to this offshoot, balanced many factors: Bourne was vulnerable but an expert killer (i.e. realistic), the shadowy CIA/NSA group was believable and timely, and the principal character's plight and search were compelling. Unfortunately, the Bourne Legacy doesn't quite succeed at any of these. I will attempt to go into the reasons for this without revealing plot spoilers.\n\nFirst, pumped up by some kind of magical meds, the new character is more like a superhero. His abilities and even his intelligence are enhanced by biotech. In other words, we are almost if not quite in Spiderman territory. So the good guys are better, the baddies badder. Second, in its attempt to deepen the conspiracy, we learn that there is another group, never defined and perhaps more deeply entrenched, that is masterminding the new efforts. It includes scientists, military types, and some kind of ominous organization that even Ezra kowtows to. While the film is skillfully interwoven with events that were seen in the trilogy, advancing the story of Landy and her enemies, the new group feels grafted on. Third, the principal characters - played by Renner and Weisz - lack the tightness of focus that Bourne had in his need to overcome his amnesia and discover the mystery behind his conditioning. Taken together, I simply couldn't quite suspend my disbelief.\n\nFinally, there are many holes in the film's plot - the viewer doesn't know how characters figure out certain things, e.g. when Aaron springs up in Dr. Shearing's house to save her in the knick of time. How did the new conspirators find the couple in the Philippines? WHere do they get their money? Why would Shearing throw herself in with Aaron? Presumably, some of this may be explained in subsequent films, but the effect is to lessen the film's believability further.\n\nThat leaves the viewer with the tried-and-true situation room, where a team tracks our heros as they elude everything they throw at them, and then there are chases and good fights. And the minute you see Weisz, you know she is going to be a love interest of some sort. Of course, Aaron will almost certainly \"bring the fight to your doorstep\" in sequels. It has the feel of a formula film, another mega-franchise.\n\nOddly, it works best if you separate this offshoot from the original trilogy in your mind. Viewed that way, it is pretty fun action/scifi. THe actors are all good, if rather 2-dimensional. Recommended.","Product: United Kingdom released, Blu-Ray/Region B : it WILL NOT play on regular DVD player, or on standard US Blu-Ray player. You need multi-region Blu-Ray player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( DTS-HD Master Audio ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Behind the scenes, Blu-Ray & DVD Combo, Cast/Crew Interview(s), Commentary, Deleted Scenes, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: In 1921, in London, the arrogant and skeptical Florence Cathcart is famous for exposing hoaxes and helping the police to arrest con artists. The stranger Robert Mallory tells her that the headmaster of a boarding school in Rookford had invited her to travel to Cumbria to investigate a ghost that is frightening the pupils to death. He also tells that many years ago there was a murder in the estate and recently pupil Walter Portman had died. The reluctant Florence finally accepts to go to Cumbria. On arrival, she is welcomed by governess Maud and the boy Thomas Hill. Soon Florence discovers what had happened to Walter and then the students, teachers and staff are released on vacation, and Florence remains alone with Robert, Maud and Tom in the school. Florence is ready to leave the boarding school when strange things happen, leaving Florence scared. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: British Independent Film Awards, ...The Awakening (Blu-Ray & DVD Combo)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: a wonderful psychological thrilller that transgresses many boundaries\n\nReview: I have now watched this twice and liked it even better the second time, which means it has met the test. This is an atmospheric ghost film, based around a melancholy paranormal skeptic, a Cambridge-educated scientist who debunks charlatan spiritualists in the aftermath of WWI. I think it is a masterpiece of point counterpoint as she makes a journey that turns out to be far more personal than one would assume at the beginning.\n\nFlorence is a kind of celebrity debunker, dramatically uncovering frauds and having written a best seller about it. SHe is openly atheist and uses state-of-the art technology to record what is happening. A man, Robert, approaches her and she eventually agrees to investigate a school ghost. He is a WWI veteran, who embodies the horror of the recent past, with death in the trenches and the the great influenza epidemic. The atmospherics are pitch perfect, sad and full of inner conflict and traumatic memory.\n\nFlorence is an extraordinary individual, a woman activist who operates in a time when men don't believe that anyone but men can be competent and intelligent. She quickly solves a mystery and, just when people think she will depart in triumph, she finds more that she wants to investigate. As her character emerges, the story deepens once she admits that she is desperately struggling against fear, which she hates to admit.\n\nThe other characters are also exceptional. There is a lonely boy, Tom, who with Maud befriends her when the boys in the school go home for vacation. Florence begins to see that there is more there than she has known, and it is directly connecting to her buried memories because her past is a mystery even to her. Robert, a teacher of history, is burdened with his own demons, a way to connect with Florence. The games keeper is also a Victorian character, suppressed and watching while envious of Robert.\n\nI will not reveal happens. There are many surprises and false pistes, the audience is uncertain what is real and what is not. Of course, this can be banally silly, but in this film it fits perfectly and can be watched more than once for extra depth. For example, there is a scene with a doll house, which Florence scrutinizes, shockingly finding herself simulated within it. The surprises are very believable, with all sorts of double meanings and revelations, indeed murderous actions.\n\nThis is a great film experience. It tilts reality and you have so many details that you will want to watch it again to figure it out. That is a great sign of success. Recommended with enthusiasm.","Product: Quick Shipping !!! New And Sealed !!! This Disc WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. A multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player is request to view it in USA/Canada. Please Review Description.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: captures the spirit of Tintin, but his expression is rather blank\n\nReview: For those brought up on these characters, this film succeeds in bringing the viewer into their world: small town France, with the plucky reporter and his faithful dog, who get into wild adventures in the big world outside with Captain Haddock, the alcoholic who perpetually falls off the wagon. The film follows The Secret of the Unicorn closely, but makes a number of small plot changes - I mention this because aficionados of the books will have memorized every single scene. The changes do not detract from the story.\n\nThe characterizations are pretty good, though Tintin's face is often curiously devoid of emotion. As the adventure moves quickly, the viewer can forget about Tintin's lack of character, but it was an occasional annoyance. Haddock is much better: the film definitely captures his essential mix of buffoonery, courage, and purity of spirit; he is very funny, always the more delightful character than the ernest and wholesome Tintin, so perhaps that is why he has more life to him. The other characters are also more vividly drawn than Tintin, from Thompson and Thompson to the many bad guys like Red Rackam. For the most part, the animation, atmosphere, and action are spectacular, so clear as to be indistinguishable from film.\n\nMy kids enjoyed this as much as I did. We saw it in French, its original language, so I cannot comment on voice characterizations for an American audience. Warmly recommended as good fun. We will definitely buy it when the price is right.","Product: Product Description\nBased on Christos Tsiolkas' best selling novel, The Slap traces the shattering repercussions of a single event upon a group of family and friends. At an Australian backyard BBQ, amongst alcohol, friendship and a childrens cricket game a man slaps a child who is not his son. The child is parents are so affronted they vow to take the man to court. One cousin is forced to testify against another. Couples are caught in the crossfire. Beliefs are tested and relationships strained. The story unfolds through the points of view of eight characters and as the court case proceeds, as affairs begin and end, as a pregnancy is decided and marriages morph and change, each character s life is profoundly affected by the slap . Whose side are you on?\n\nReviews\n\n\"The most gripping series on television since The Killing\" - The Times\n\"...thoroughly modern storm in a tea-cup.\" - The Mirror\n\nThe Slap is \"very slickly made and develops real depth\" - The Daily Mail\n\nThe Slap is a \"well articulated yell of suburban rage, it takes some beating\" - Radio Times\n\"A very adult exploration of contemporary, middle-class manners, brought to life by a set of accomplished performances\" **** - Time Out\nThe Slap is what's \"HOT ON TV\" The Daily Star\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: serious melodrama of suburban crises\n\nReview: This is a very well acted, Altmannesque narrative that follows many separate people from their point of view while advancing a plot line. While my wife found it exaggerated and over-the-top, I found it engrossing and at times moving. The various crises - of sexuality, marriages at the point of disillusionment, and the burdens of long-term relationships - appeared very real indeed to me, as did the ambiguity of the characters: no one is clearly good or bad.\n\nThe plot starts off with \"the slap\", where a man loses it with a very difficult child. The parents, who already intensely dislike the man, take the matter to the police; they want to send him to jail in the most serious way. Of course, this drives a wedge into a series of friendships and family relations, making lives much much more complicated.\n\nThe episodes then cover individuals, whose concerns and thoughts are revealed in greater depth. Rather than a reversal thing - where you see things in a totally different light - it is more of a peeling away, getting closer to the essence of someone as they hurt and grow and accept things or don't. This was fun, for me, because I thought the characters were well drawn and, for the most part, realistic. It also isn't a rashomon-style drama, in my view, but a consistent portrait that gets engraved ever more clearly. THough the quality is good enough, I speculate that the viewer will be able to re-watch the drama and see it differently in accordance with maturity and experience (a feature of good art, in my opinion).\n\nI do not want to reveal any spoilers that aren't obvious from the cover blurb. The best portraits, I found, are the married couple, Hector and his judgmental wife. They are in that limbo, where they have been married for some time and are caught in routine and the terrible grey of mid-life. Both make irrevocable choices, but choose to deal with them in very different ways. You leave the series not knowing if they can reconcile or heal, which is so much like long-term marriages that go through stages unimaginable to those who have never married.\n\nThen there are the older parents, who exist in the background but whose relationships and personalities shape events in subtle ways. They are at turns sad, loving, a pain to deal with - everything that elderly parents can be, but with a startling honesty. There are also 2 teenage kids, whose travails are less developed, like their personalities. A lie (based on an illusion) shapes much of what happens to them. The resolution of their problems was the only thing that seemed too pat with me, though the young actors were excellent. Finally, there are the parents of the assaulted child. Perhaps less complex, and I never developed much sympathy for them, they are interesting for anyone who has friends that have a very difficult, if not mentally ill, child. Is it what they do that makes the child so impossible or something inherent in him? What should they do differently? Maybe he did need a smack?\n\nI recommend this as a good slice of life. It is fun to witness Australia, but is universal as well.","Product: NOTICE: Polish Release, cover may contain Polish text/markings. The disk has English audio and subtitles. An expansion of the universe from Robert Ludlum's novels, centered on a new hero whose stakes have been triggered by the events of the previous ...\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Ratchets it up with scifi, but it's derivative and unconvincing\n\nReview: I didn't have very high hopes for this film, but I was curious what they would do to go beyond the absolute perfection of the Bourne trilogy. The Damon film, which we must contrast to this offshoot, balanced many factors: Bourne was vulnerable but an expert killer (i.e. realistic), the shadowy CIA/NSA group was believable and timely, and the principal character's plight and search were compelling. Unfortunately, the Bourne Legacy doesn't quite succeed at any of these. I will attempt to go into the reasons for this without revealing plot spoilers.\n\nFirst, pumped up by some kind of magical meds, the new character is more like a superhero. His abilities and even his intelligence are enhanced by biotech. In other words, we are almost if not quite in Spiderman territory. So the good guys are better, the baddies badder. Second, in its attempt to deepen the conspiracy, we learn that there is another group, never defined and perhaps more deeply entrenched, that is masterminding the new efforts. It includes scientists, military types, and some kind of ominous organization that even Ezra kowtows to. While the film is skillfully interwoven with events that were seen in the trilogy, advancing the story of Landy and her enemies, the new group feels grafted on. Third, the principal characters - played by Renner and Weisz - lack the tightness of focus that Bourne had in his need to overcome his amnesia and discover the mystery behind his conditioning. Taken together, I simply couldn't quite suspend my disbelief.\n\nFinally, there are many holes in the film's plot - the viewer doesn't know how characters figure out certain things, e.g. when Aaron springs up in Dr. Shearing's house to save her in the knick of time. How did the new conspirators find the couple in the Philippines? WHere do they get their money? Why would Shearing throw herself in with Aaron? Presumably, some of this may be explained in subsequent films, but the effect is to lessen the film's believability further.\n\nThat leaves the viewer with the tried-and-true situation room, where a team tracks our heros as they elude everything they throw at them, and then there are chases and good fights. And the minute you see Weisz, you know she is going to be a love interest of some sort. Of course, Aaron will almost certainly \"bring the fight to your doorstep\" in sequels. It has the feel of a formula film, another mega-franchise.\n\nOddly, it works best if you separate this offshoot from the original trilogy in your mind. Viewed that way, it is pretty fun action/scifi. THe actors are all good, if rather 2-dimensional. Recommended.","Product: Three dumb guys who think they're smart rob a Mob protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse. Brad Pitt plays the enforcer hired to track them down and restore order.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: gangster scum comedy, gruesome aftermath\n\nReview: This is a wonderfully dead pan take on the gangster movie. They are all essentially petty idiots in a very brutal game. First you have the Laurel and Hardy heroin addicts, who blunder into a big score. Then, you have the organizers of a gambling den, from the bottom feeders to the middle managers. Finally, to clean up the mess, they bring in bullies and a seriously efficient killer. They are all wonderfully acted characters, even Brad Pitt whom I normally bypass as over-rated. Gandolfini has a wonderful cameo as a drunken hood trying to retire and more interested in partying, who Pitt tries to salvage from his bender.\n\nPerhaps this wasn't a hit because it is so horrifically violent. I found it entertaining, smart, and vivid. Recommended.","Product: This haunting, kabuki-inflected version of a Japanese folk legend is set in a remote mountain village, where food is scarce and tradition dictates that citizens who have reached their seventieth year must be carried to the summit of Mount Narayama and left there to die. The sacrificial elder at the center of the tale is Orin (Ugetsus Kinuyo Tanaka), a dignified and dutiful woman who spends her dwindling days securing the happiness of her loyal widowed son with a respectable new wife. Filmed almost entirely on cunningly designed studio sets, in brilliant color and widescreen, The Ballad of Narayama is a stylish and vividly formal work from Japans cinematic golden age, directed by the dynamic Keisuke Kinoshita (Twenty-four Eyes).\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: the horror behind the traditions\n\nReview: This is nothing if not an extremely vivid depiction of a traditional Japanese town, where there are terrible secrets and meaningless cruelties behind the facade of order. It is brutal and sad, but there is also grace in some of the characters, in particular the kindly if deeply conservative grandmother, Orin.\n\nThe town is an agricultural outpost in 19C Japan, largely cut off from life in the city and mired in poverty. The village is so poor that the population balance must be strictly maintained: only the eldest sons are allowed to procreate or even marry, unwanted children (particularly females) are exposed to die, and elders are led to the mountain top and left to freeze or die of thirst at the age of 70. As one might imagine, this creates terrible pain for everyone, though it enables them to survive as a community in demographic stasis.\n\nThe principal character is Orin, who at 69 is robust and much loved and respected in her village. She feels shame at her health and consciously chooses to go through the ritual of passing on her right to live to the next generation. Her eldest son is full of anguish, but will also obey the forms; he is newly remarried by arrangement with a woman from a nearby village whom he has never met. She arrives hungry for life and selfish to take whatever she can for her moment. Orin's younger son is a desperately lonely man, who is treated as an outcast by the other villagers, largely because his has a deteriorating lung that makes his breath unsupportable. He is full of anger and malice, hating his taunting nephew. YOu feel sympathy for them, but more than anything they appear as selfish brutes.\n\nThe rest of the town is similarly dysfunctional. There are a number of bitter younger sons, deprived of chances at a normal life and huddled in jealousy and greed for experience. There is a horrible scene where a young woman is forced to service them in the most sordid manner, making this inappropriate for children and simply grotesque for the viewer. That is the problem with the film: in its attempts to paint a realistic picture, it is so ugly and heartless at times that it feels over the top. I do not pretend to know the historical accuracy of the films, but having lived in Japan, it certainly appeared realistic to me.\n\nThere are uplifting moments, when kindness is shown, but it has an ironic edge and a strange sense of the futility of it all. In the backdrop, there is a feeling of mystery and fear at the power of nature, as when Orin's son discharges an old rifle at a dark, billowing tree - it is poetic and evocative.\n\nRecommended for serious enthusiasts of Japanese cinema. This is unromantic, but in many places well done.","Product: Leigh (Kristen Bell) is almost 30, and living a seemingly perfect life in New York. But when her career and love life both come crashing down, she flees to her suburban hometown and regresses right back into teenage life - behavior. She moves into her old room with her parents, hangs around with friends who never left town, and reclaims her high school job as a condo-complex lifeguard. But as Leigh enjoys shirking off adult life and responsibilities, and enters into an illicit affair, she begins a chain reaction that affects those closest to her. With an all-star cast that also includes Martin Starr ("Party Down, Knocked Up"), Mamie Gummer ("Side Effects") and Oscar nominee Amy Madigan, it's a journey that's both hilarious and heartfelt.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good characters, realistically ambiguous message on the pain of growing up\n\nReview: This film, with its sexy cover for purposes of marketing, immediately surprises with its intelligence and depth. The protagonist has hit a rough spot for the first time in her life: New York and what she has achieved as a journalist are disillusioning, as is her truncated relationship with a man already taken. So she decides to chuck it all and return home to get herself back together. Upon moving back in with her parents and getting a job as a lifeguard, she reconnects with old friends and meets some local bad boys about to drop out of high school.\n\nEmerging from a depression, almost an early mid-life crisis, you see flashes of how smart and tough she is, as when she confronts 2 cops who are harassing the students she has befriended. You also see how she was spoiled as a golden child, particularly when conflict arises with her mother, played to perfection by Amy Madigan. There is also her best friend, a high school counselor in a difficult patch in her marriage, perhaps on the point of split up.\n\nThe affair with the boy is beautifully handled, with all the moral dilemmas and difficulties that such situations summon in real life. They like each other, find some fulfillment, and offer emotional succor in a painful time for them both. You can debate about the rightness or wrongness of it, which is never resolved though it strains her old friendship with the high school counselor. Once tragedy intervenes, it becomes very moving - and again, you see the strength of the young lady and how much she really has to give. The viewer senses that she can get back up and make it.\n\nThis struck me as emotionally real. It isn't for everyone because it is meant to be very serious. Recommended.","Product: Elysium (Bilingual) [DVD + UltraViolet]\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: another attempt at scifi blockbuster with all the usual junk thrown in\n\nReview: I wanted to see this because I expect better from Damon and usually get it. Unfortunately, this film is so full of tropes and stereotypes that not even Damon and the near-impeccable Jodie Foster could save it from potboiler status. I was, well, simply bored by it: flawed hero, desperate for a cure; needs to go to restricted place for the upper class; baddies on high and their truly evil henchmen on the ground; fighting; more fighting; hero lives up to his potential. Ok, there are some techie do-dads added in, like the exo-skeleton that enables a radiation-poisoned Damon to become superhuman and, of course, the Satellite Elysium and is healing facilities. Otherwise, not a bloody thing original in it. Not recommended except as background noise.","Product: Prepare to get Taken for the ride of your life! Liam Neeson is an unstoppable force (Premiere) in this action-packed international thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. When his estranged teenage daughter (Maggie Grace) is kidnapped in Paris, a former spy (Neeson) sets out to find her at any cost. Relying on his special skills, he tracks down the ruthless gang that abducted her and launches a one-man war to bring them to justice and rescue his daughter.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Maudlin plot, unbelievable graphic violence, and such a tidy ending!\n\nReview: I hate to say it, but this is a perfectly awful film.\n\nRight from the start, there is something wrong with the tone of the film, as the retired agent is trying to get close to the daughter he alienated by his long and mysterious absences. The viewer gets dished up a dripping melodrama about a painful divorce, with all the hot button scenes - trying to get her attention with a gift, his ex-wife standing in the way the whole while with bitter sarcasm, and the innocent (beautiful) daughter pampered by her new dad - that are supposed to pull at the heartstrings. The acting was so wooden and the dialogue so stilted that I couldn't believe any of it.\n\nThen suddenly, the tone shifts: dad excessively worries about the daughter going to Europe on her own at 17, and sure enough, she is immediately abducted by the worst kind of guy and gang. But dad happens to be available and puts his \"special skills\" to work, becoming a sudden superhero, in a blur of brutal violence, questionable methods to put it mildly, and an entry into the underworld of modern slavery and prostitution. This section is better, if you are looking for an action film with a lone good guy fighting packs of baddies. I enjoyed this part more, though wondered about the PG-13 rating. It is raw, ugly, and full of blatant stereotypes. That he rescues her - miraculously not violated or even deflowered, but right at the moment a fat ugly sheik is about to have his way with her - is to be expected. But all credibility is lost - seeing that he is also now a criminal fugitive in France, you wonder how he gets her out. It is so ridiculously unbelievable that I could never completely go with the flow for fun.\n\nIt is shocking how stupid this all is. What a disappointment. Not recommended.","Product: France released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), French ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), French ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Cast/Crew Interview(s), Interactive Menu, Making Of, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: The Weiss family is the archetypical Hollywood dynasty: father Stafford is an analyst and coach, who has made a fortune with his self-help manuals; mother Cristina mostly looks after the career of their son Benjie, 13, a child star. One of Stafford's clients, Havana, is an actress who dreams of shooting a remake of the movie that made her mother, Clarice, a star in the 60s. Clarice is dead now and visions of her come to haunt Havana at night... Adding to the toxic mix, Benjie has just come off a rehab program he joined when he was 9 and his sister, Agatha, has recently been released from a sanatorium where she was treated for criminal pyromania and befriended a limo driver Jerome who is also an aspiring actor. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Cannes Film Festival, Golden Globes, ...Maps to the Stars (2014)\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Doesn't quite achieve Cronenberg's anticipated totally believable creepiness\n\nReview: When Cronenberg hits the right note, his films have a magic mix of weird personalities, who in extraordinary circumstances end up the perpetratiors of horrific violence that the viewer can believe. No one does atmospherics like he does, and the psychology of his great actors arrives in a place that no other director can take you. Dead Ringers and A History of Violence are 2 of the finest films I have ever seen. Unfortunately, this is not one of those films: it is simply weird and horrible, without respite, and I could never quite suspend my disbelief.\n\nThe story is about a Hollywood family with a child star and many dark secrets; they are barely holding on with career pressures and looming mental illness, along with depressingly stupid new-age crock. There is also a fading star (Moore), who is desperate to make a comeback and is crazy in her own way. Of course, they make for an explosive combination that leads to a perfectly awful conclusion. The trouble was, none of the characters (with the exception of the vulnerable disfigured girl who shows up) made me care about them - they were all complete idiots or jerks.\n\nOn the positive side, the film does a great job of showing how awful it would be to make a career in Hollywood (not that I needed convincing). The actors are all better than excellent, it is just that their roles aren't that good. Even Julianne Moore looks looks thugishly ugly, just like her personality.\n\nIf you are a Cronenberg fan, you will want to see this. But just rent it, don't buy it - you won't want to see it again.","Product: Hammer Films, one of the most celebrated horror studios in the history of cinema, presents 8 classic horror films in one collection. From Dracula to Frankenstein, werewolves to phantoms, the Hammer Horror Series 8-Film Collection showcases some of the most terrifying monsters in the history of cinema and features legendary performances by Peter Cushing, Oliver Reed and Janette Scott.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A very fun collection, if a bit uneven.\n\nReview: I saw all of these as a kid in the 1960s, as afternoon TV staples. About half of these are monster films (various vampires, one frankenstein, one wereworf) and the rest are kind of suspense horror films (Phantom of the Opera was the only one I remembered). WHile the vampire films were second tier - not a single Christopher Lee one and based on abruptly ending formulas - I hugely enjoyed the frankie and werewolf ones, which had interesting variations in them, e.g. the werewolf's origin was not getting bitten, but a combination of a violent impregnation and the birth on Christmas day. I have a soft spot for the Evil of Frankenstein, which I saw with my dad and remembered vividly, though objectively, it is relatively weak. Finally, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the suspense horror films, all of which kept me guessing to the end. In particular, I found Paranoiac to be especially fun - I had no idea how it would turn out (i.e. who was bad, who was controlling things, what their agendas were, etc.).\n\nOne of the reasons I got this collection is to see a young Oliver Reed, who is in 3 of the films. His acting was wonderful (he is even a good guy in one), though of course Peter Cushing is also excellent. I particularly enjoyed Cushing as the mysterious vicar in a period piece, which didn't stop him from belting an intruder and facing down some rough sailors from the King's Navy (loosely based on Dr. Syn resisting impressment).\n\nIf you are a Hammer fan, this is a wonderful collection, if only for nostalgia's sake. Of course, my kids didn't grow up with these and think they're stupid and crude, which in a way they are. Warmly recommended.","Product: Henry Spencer's hair sticks straight up, and his girlfriend's offspring looks like larva. Directed by David Lynch.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Lynch establishing himself as a master of the incomprehensibly weird\n\nReview: If you are a David Lynch fan, this is a must see. He unfurls what can only be described as a poetic, visual nightmare: an inhibited man lives in a bleak, post-industrial landscape, amidst abandoned factories, cheap apartments, and living appliances. He does not understand the people around him, even blundering into fatherhood with an equally clueless young lady whose mother may have a thing for him. It is increasingly unclear what he is imagining and what is real, like the deformed singing lady somewhere inside his radiator to the sperm-like creature that is apparently his son; in one unforgettable scene, he is served a chicken that is kicking while emitting a black slurry. For those who enjoy this kind of thing - and nothing is clearly explained, so it must be interpreted - this is a cult treat. The acting, while occasionally amateurish, is also quite good.\n\nAs I enjoy interpreting stuff like this, I will offer mine here - ***spoiler alert***. The man hates his surroundings and relationships so much that his way of coping is to go insane. He is seeing what he is feeling inside, and is creating a fantasy world (eraserhead). While hopeful that he might find some human contact, like the loose woman across the hall, he also feels complete disgust at the reality of physical intimacy, hence his perception of his child as a spermatozoid from himself. As he slips further away from reality, the images become more bizarre and disturbing, until he is completely lost.\n\nFor an early directorial effort, the film is really striking and bold. I can't say I enjoyed watching it again, but it is fun to see a talent like Lynch's in embryo - he adds plot and far more interesting characters to his later work, but the atmospherics are present in this. I would recommend renting this rather than buying, unless, of course, you love this cult genre.","Product: From La Femme Nikita and The Professional to The Fifth Element, writer/director Luc Besson has created some of the toughest, most memorable female action heroes in cinematic history. Now, Besson directs Scarlett Johansson in Lucy, an action-thriller that tracks a woman accidentally caught in a dark deal who turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic. Lucy also stars Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Nice mix of concept and action\n\nReview: Besson is the Ken Russel of action/scifi: his best films are over the top to the point of the ridiculous in both action and concepts, yet somehow - if you get it - you can suspend your disbelief and enjoy it. Of course, if you don't get it, they can just seem silly. This is subjective, they are not for everyone.\n\nI have felt both ways about Besson's films (Nikita is perfect, 5th Element is hilariously entertaining, but Columbiana simply didn't work - for me). Fortunately, I liked Lucy, indeed I enjoyed everything about it - the concepts, the acting, the bad guys, the astonishing visual spectacle. The film has a magic all its own, forming a whole that you can enter with wonder and glee regardless of how preposterous it is. OK, it isn't a classic like Blade Runner or 2001, but it is a great success. I would give it 4 1/2 stars.","Product: A skillful blend of romance and comedy, Topkapi shimmers with hilarity, action and great performances! Fun-filled and suspenseful, it's an incredibly ingenious affair and a considerable pleasure to watch. Trouble brews beneath the exotically curved towers of Istanbul when the equally exotic - and equally curved - Elizabeth Lipp (Melina Mercouri, Never on Sunday) recruits her former lover (Maximilian Schell, The Black Hole) in a scheme to heist the pride of the city's Topkapi museum: a jewel-encrusted dagger. But the "job" soon turns into a high-tension, high wire act, when the bumbling fall guy (Peter Ustinov, Death on the Nile) and other amateurs they've hired as help get more than they had bargained for. The stellar cast also includes Robert Morley (Beat the Devil) and Akim Tamiroff (Touch of Evil). Directed by great Jules Dassin (Rififi).\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: vintage, hilarious and riveting spectacle\n\nReview: Beyond having a realistic scenario, what makes or breaks a caper are the characters: they have to be funny, smart, manipulative, and self-destructive. By this measure, there simply isn't a better caper film. Even my kids, who prefer films made after 2000, watched this and laughed along with us, the old parents.\n\nThe caper is to replace a priceless artifact in a museum with a fake. The masterminds, the charming and brilliant Schell and the seductive Mercouri, unite a motley crew of amateurs, starting with Ustinov, a sleazy twit exploiter of tourists. Schell plans every detail meticulously, with many contingencies should complications arise, which he must continually re-set in the face of the screwups of his colleagues. First, Ustinov is arrested at the border and is drafted into spying on the group, though he gets co-opted into their vision. Then the muscle man is injured, so Ustinov must replace him. Finally, they have to speed up their schedule because the intelligence services think they are planing something later.\n\nPerhaps the most arresting scene in the film is the precision operation in the museum itself. Really fun, scary, and lives up to the maxim that any time you plan a crime, 50 things can go wrong, 25 if you're a genius.\n\nThis is not a film to have on in the background, but one that deserves the viewer's full attention. Warmly recommended.","Product: Violette is a finely nuanced portrait of Violette LeDuc (Emmanuelle Devos), one of the foremost French writers of the 20th century. In a beautifully mounted production, director Martin Provost (Sraphine) depicts LeDuc's extraordinary life, from her low beginnings as the illegitimate daughter of a servant girl to becoming ensconced in France's literary elite. In spite of her wretched years as an unwanted child, followed by tense years as a black marketeer during WWII, Violette LeDuc is determined, obsessed even, to make something of her life. Writing is her ticket out of misery, and with the encouragement and mentorship of legendary intellectual Simone de Beauvoir (Sandrine Kiberlain), Violette achieves admiration, renown and controversy for her emotionally raw novels and memoirs, finally winning freedom from wondering where her next meal will come from. Superb performances by Emmanuelle Devos (Coco Before Chanel) and Sandrine Kiberlain (Mademoiselle Chambon) make this gorgeously shot and directed life story an engrossing and memorable cinematic achievement.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Thoroughly enjoyable entry into the French literary scene at its existential apogee\n\nReview: This is a very interesting, true story about how a talented woman emerges as an artist. Violette is the bastard daughter of a troubled woman, on her own, impoverished, and lonely. Still she has great talent, not only for airing issues that no one has written about - bi-sexuality, lesbian love, the need for intimacy - but as a pioneer of confessional autobiography. With a great stroke of luck, she finds in mentor in Simone de Beauvoir, one of the literary stars of the post-WWII era. De Beauvoir immediately recognizes her gifts and sets about to nurture her, offering suggestions, criticism, and finally money to keep Violette going. Their relationship is extremely subtle and portrayed with a beautiful ambiguity, even mystery. I found it thoroughly engrossing and refreshingly un-Hollywood in its pacing and themes.\n\nBeyond this seminal relationship, Violette becomes friends with some of the most fascinating literary talents of the period, including Genet and Camus. This too is handled with humor and by implication, leaving a great deal for the viewer to fill in, particularly by their knowledge of the writers and that period of French history - it stimulates a desire to learn more. De Beauvoir's sexuality is also left out, which would never have been the case in a Hollywood production.\n\nTHis is not to say that her path was easy. She remains isolated and often in despair that the way of her art is too difficult. At one point, she has a nervous breakdown and is given electroshock therapy. But de Beauvoir is always there, offering the right word at the right time, pushing her ever so slightly into some promising direction, displaying unshakeable faith in Violette's talent, and expanding her horizons when necessary, such as her suggestion to travel.\n\nIf you like modern EUropean film, this is one of the best I have seen in years. Warmly recommended.","Product: Lucy Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy (Steelbook)\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Nice mix of concept and action\n\nReview: Besson is the Ken Russel of action/scifi: his best films are over the top to the point of the ridiculous in both action and concepts, yet somehow - if you get it - you can suspend your disbelief and enjoy it. Of course, if you don't get it, they can just seem silly. This is subjective, they are not for everyone.\n\nI have felt both ways about Besson's films (Nikita is perfect, 5th Element is hilariously entertaining, but Columbiana simply didn't work - for me). Fortunately, I liked Lucy, indeed I enjoyed everything about it - the concepts, the acting, the bad guys, the astonishing visual spectacle. The film has a magic all its own, forming a whole that you can enter with wonder and glee regardless of how preposterous it is. OK, it isn't a classic like Blade Runner or 2001, but it is a great success. I would give it 4 1/2 stars.","Product: Omnipotent aliens arrive to save humanity from self-destruction. Under their benign gaze, war, famine and injustice become things of the past. But a small group of people are beginning to question whether this \"Golden Age of Man\" comes at a secret and terrible price. And when the Supervisor for Earth, Karellen, finally reveals his true form to the world, the sight is as profound as it is disturbing.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: an excellent adaptation of the great scifi classic\n\nReview: A great work of sci-fi opens the reader's mind to the fantastic possibilities that may exist beyond our humdrum lives. Though I read the novel in my youth, this film version transported my son and I into an imagined future, which we completely accepted during the watching and discussed afterwards, the surest sign of success.\n\nThe story is of mankind's first contact with extra-terrestrials. Massive ships appear over the biggest cities of the world, which impose a gentle control on humanity that begins what appears to be a golden age. There is plenty of opposition, dealt with handily and without violence. There is also an interesting relationship between a spokesman and the alien chief, Karrelan, whose shocking appearance remains hidden until the end of the first segment. All the while, what is really happening remains a delicious and threatening mystery, revealed at the end as an awe-inspiring development.\n\nThinking back to my experience with the novel, I believe that this version makes explicit many fundamental details that remained unexplained in the book. The series interprets them for the viewer and it strips it of some subtlety and nuance, which I regret. But overall, this is very fun and thought provoking.","Product: Minnesota, 1990. Detective Bruce Kenner (Ethan Hawke) investigates the case of young Angela (Emma Watson), who accuses her father, John Gray (David Dencik), of an unspeakable crime. When John unexpectedly and without recollection admits guilt, renowned psychologist Dr. Raines (David Thewlis) is brought in to help him relive his memories and what they discover unmasks a horrifying nationwide mystery.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: An occult thriller that keeps you guessing\n\nReview: A blend of genres - satanism, mystery, psychology - this film is a nuanced journey into a great mystery that occurred in 1990 in rural Minnesota. Though perhaps a bit slow, the psychological nuance, the building fear, and the fascinating resolution make this a very worthwhile film, at least for some.\n\nA good cop is confronted by a seemingly clear cut case of child abuse. He sets out to investigate, uncovering first an extremely troubled family, then apparently discovering through a therapy popular at the time - regression hypnosis - that there may be a huge satanic cult operating. Rape, murder, even human sacrifice may be occurring in the shocked community. The cop begins to have nightmares, unable to distinguish reality from his dreams. He is an atheist, so denies that anything supernatural could be happening, but he can't deny what he sees. There is a heavy atmosphere to the film, which adds to the terror.\n\nWhen he finally figures out what is going on, it is really really interesting. Because there could be many possible solutions, I do not want to play the spoiler, you have to see it to believe it.\n\nRecommended. Hawke is excellent as the cop, Watson is as the traumatized girl as well.","Product: A journalist and her teenage daughter journey to the swamps of the Louisiana bayou to write a story about a long lost branch of their family.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: culture clash between an extended family\n\nReview: It is funny how far apart the variation of reactions is to this film: some see a profound statement, others bald stereotypes. What made the difference for me was the quality of the acting: outstanding. Hershey is at her best in this as a plain swamp woman trying to control her sons with an iron hand. In contrast, Clayburgh is a liberal city type, who not only lets her daughter experiment with hard drugs, but turns a blind eye to the fact that she is dating one of her mother's former lovers.\n\nSo far are the plot goes, Clayburgh decides to go to visit some distant relatives in Louisiana, perhaps to do a story for her magazine, but also to spend time with her daughter, who can only be described as a dangerous adolescent. When they arrive, they are shocked at how primitive their cousin's lives are, almost living in autarky, with few ties to the mainland. It is a place of great freedom from social obligation but also cut off from economic opportunity, where fundamentalist conservatism is balanced by a libertine culture of stripper bars and drink.\n\nAs they spend time together, the contrast only sharpens. Hershey wants to tightly control the lives of her sons, to the point that she keeps one of them in a cage, while the other lives there with a homely wife, trying to be the man in the family. Hershey also has some painful secrets, like the husband that left her and a son she refuses to mention. The arrival of Clayburgh disrupts the balance, with some dire consequences: her difficult daughter discovers that it is foolish to provoke isolated men in this back water, as she taps her supply of cocaine. The resulting conflict reveals the pain in both families, to the point that the two women learn from eachother.\n\nNow this may sound sappy, but at least for me it was completely believable. The characters were not at all two-dimensional, but full, quirky beings, whose little touches stick vividly in the memory. There is a scene, for example, where Hershey comes to a bar with an old colt pistol, seeking vengeance for an assault on her son; she quickly goes beserk for reasons (later explained) and is taken to jail. In another scene, Clayburgh goes into the bayou, desperately in search of her traumatized daughter. Dramatic, to be sure, but very emotionally true in my viewing.\n\nRecommended. This is a very good indie film that deserves release on DVD.","Product: Another Man, Another Chance VHS\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A European love story in the American west\n\nReview: This is a wonderful and moving film about the search for a new life out west. A young couple leave Paris during the violence following Napoleon III's war with Prussia in 1870, seeking a new life in America. The husband is a photographer and a romantic, his wife is a more practical girl who wanted to escape her life as a family bakery clerk. Their love is piercingly acute, you can see their chemistry in every gesture and scene. The parallel plot is of an American couple, with serious tensions in their marriage. After both couples lose their respective spouses in tragic circumstances, the surviving French woman and American man meet in connection with the caretaker of their children. Nature takes its course.\n\nWhat is so interesting about this film is that it is slow paced, showing what the times are like, relying on striking imagery of people and place, all while perfectly banal things transpire. Bujold is simply brilliant, an astonishing beauty who appears plain and poor, struggling to decide what to do with her life. Caan is also very good as a man who must seek justice, resolving a conflict before he can move on. It is a sad yet realistic romance, I teared up at the wonder and mystery of life. There is some drama, but surprisingly little. It is more about relationships and getting on with life.\n\nApparently, Lelouche had only a loose idea of script, giving the actors great freedom to ad lib as they formed the film as a team. I think it is my favorite film of his.\n\nRecommended warmly. (FYI, I got this for $6 in a supermarket in France.)","Product: From Wikipedia: Diary of a Mad Housewife is a 1970 drama film about a frustrated wife, portrayed by Carrie Snodgress, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won a Golden Globe award in the same category. The film was adapted by Eleanor Perry from the 1967 novel by Sue Kaufman and directed by Perry's then-husband, Frank Perry. The film co-starred Richard Benjamin and Frank Langella. Plot Tina Balser is in a loveless marriage with Jonathan, an insufferable, social-climbing lawyer in New York City. He treats her like a trophy, refuses to back her in disputes over the raising of their children and belittles her in public. Searching for relief, she has an affair with writer George Prager, but this only drives her deeper into despair. She then tries group therapy, but this also proves fruitless when she finds her male psychiatrist, Dr. Linstrom, is no more understanding than the other men in her life.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: perspectives on a marriage in a rut\n\nReview: As one enters the rhythm of a marriage, it can develop patterns and pathologies that cause great harm, suffering, and simple boredom. This film portrays that rough spot with a poignancy so acute that it is hard to watch, yet at the same time manages to be funny at times. Snodgrass is absolutely brilliant as the long-suffering wife, whose husband appears as a narcissistic twit, unappreciative and careless, smothering her with his demands and yearning to be a player in New York's social scene of the early 1970s. They are entering mid-life in a full blown marital crisis.\n\nLike many, she seeks what she can't get elsewhere, leading to some hilarious asides in a amazing performance by Frank Langella. There, we see patterns repeated and some recognition of who she is and what she wants. Even the husband becomes more three dimensional as a character after this interlude.\n\nIt is rare to find a film that really gets me to introspect, to look at my life from another person's eyes and reflect on my own behavior. This film did that - I thought of an ex from my youth (30 years ago) and wondered if she saw me the way the wife sees her husband in this film. It shook me and I felt new sympathy for a person I hadn't thought of in years.\n\nRecommended warmly. This is a great film about marriage as it can become.","Product: Academy Award-Winner Gwyneth Paltrow stars in this powerfully passionate true story of legendary American author and poet, Sylvia Plath. While on a Fulbright Scholarship to England, Sylvia meets Ted Hughes (Daniel Craig), a British poet on the verge of international fame. Following a torrid four month courtship, they marry and embark on an intense relationship. When Ted's subsequent literary success and the attentions of admiring women strains the marriage, Sylvia funnels her fury and passion into her own work which begins to flow forth in unstoppable bursts. This true story of love and tragic passion is \"One of the most beautiful films of the year.\" (New York Observer)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A great film about an explosive combination\n\nReview: As I am not an aficionado of Plath or Hughes, I would like to rate this as a dramatic film about mental illness. It has a great deal to say about creativity, too, the unknowable process when something original is born. With these themes, this is an excellent and moving film, a testament to the difficulties of modern life.\n\nPlath arrives in Britain, an ingenue with the highest ideals about art. She is ambitious and beautiful, a brilliant Smithie on a Fulbright. She meets Ted Hughes and the connection is absolutely and immediately electric. He is a lothario type, one of those narcissistic men who cannot help but prey on willing women and even after they are married, he continues to do so. The effect on the naive Sylvia is terrible, aggravating her tendency to depression and suicidal tendencies that she slowly reveals to him. Eventually, her mental illness consumes their marriage and then her, which is the great tragedy we know in popular culture. But before she dies, her genius bursts forth, in a masterful synthesis of her discipline to that point and the great mystery of talent.\n\nThe acting is absolutely flawless. Paltrow is a fragile and luminescent beauty, completely believable and brimming with intelligence, potential, and darkness. Surely, an entire literature was lost with her suicide. It is really quite stunning. Craig is wonderful as Hughes, a protean and cultivated talent who pursues his vision with absolute concentration. Their entangling chemistry is perfectly recorded.\n\nThe great virtue of the film is that it judges no one. She suffered from a mental illness that perhaps no one could have healed. He was who he was, and he certainly loved her for a time, but it was too much for him in the end. The weight of it would hurt him for the rest of his life.\n\nRecommended warmly. This is a great portrayal of a time and place, with remarkable individuals and a doomed relationship.","Product: An artist with Tourette Syndrome falls in love with his best friend's pregnant girlfriend.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: a beautiful vignette about friendship, loneliness, and human possibility\n\nReview: This is a poignant story about a sensitive and lonely young man, who is alienated because of his disability. He has extraordinary talent, a giver in every sense, and he falls for his best friend's girl. Holding back then unable to when the friend is away on a long mission (yes, the friend is selfish and doesn't appear to deserve such a wonderful woman), he fills the void that is left. She understands and needs his friendship for many important reasons, so she takes what he has to give, well aware of what it is costing him. In the best Indy tradition, the plot does not conform to feel-good nonsense. Where the characters end up is very real, ambiguous, and fraught, but still with a beauty to it. The acting is absolutely first rate, particularly Morrow and Linney, the would-be couple.\n\nThe film spoke to me in a very personal way. I fancied myself in love with someone, the \"perfect one\", and came to realize - especially after we tried to build a relationship - that it was more in my mind when I imagined her as an ideal. It held me back for years. But once the reality of it came to me, I was able to move on, even as I preserved for a long time one of the greatest friendships of my life. I think the character is much like this, that the film is a snapshot of that moment, and I have never seen a film that expressed this so well.\n\nWarmly recommended.","Product: TO THE LIGHTHOUSE - DVD Movie\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: a family, disappointment, love, memory\n\nReview: This is a wonderful adaptation of the Wolff novel, in which a family and their friends are seen in a brief vacation to the summer house and then in retrospect. The viewer gets to know how each of the people, with all their qualities and eccentricities, feels and perceives things. There is nothing extraordinary about them, there is plenty of tension and faults, but also as solid a bond as there can be between such disparate people. It is a question of taste and preference, but I found them absorbing and interesting.\n\nThe patriarch, an educator and philosopher, is a crotchety man whose career is on the decline, full and disappointment and regrets. He is something of a bully with some of his children, has favorites and designated failures. His wife is saintly, supporting him without question, giving to everyone, and aware of the balance of personalities and needs at every moment. She is the anchor of the family, by far the smartest one of all, a force of nature, but ill. Branaugh is a self-absorbed student and invitee, who doesn't fit in and burns with the need for attention. There are also 2 artists, one a stodgy poet out of favor and a painter-spinster who strives to meet her own highest standards. Each is a beautiful person in their own ways, but essentially mediocre. Finally, there are all of the children, ranging from the favored eldest who moves into the place of the departed mother, the middle children, and a spoilt younger boy. The personalities and places they occupy are distinct with a crystal clarity.\n\nIt is their last time all together before they leave home from marriage, deaths, and careers, initiating a deeper deterioration as the father resents his decline into professional irrelevance - he no longer has any good ideas. Yet they go to the house once again, seeing everything in retrospect, not necessarily resolving anything, but somehow feeling having come full circle, even if sadness and loss reign.\n\nI saw this when it came out and loved it. Now, seeing it again 30 years later, I saw more layers to all the characters and was amazed at how much seemed new to me. That is a mark of great art.\n\nI recommend this warmly, but given the price, it might be best to watch it online.","Product: A plucky police woman infiltrates a group of hardened female criminals who are planning to break jail and retrieve their loot of diamonds from its swampy hiding place. However complications arise when the women decide to abduct an officer and in turn begin fighting each other. Swamp Women is a true cult favorite form the Master of Horror Roger Corman!System Requirements: Running Time 70 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: NR UPC: 787364484591 Manufacturer No: 44845-9\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: mannix prototype, with some tough chicks in the bargain\n\nReview: Mid-50s thriller, before TV sucked up the market for cheap film noirs. OK, the acting in this isn't great and you can't quite believe the acting, but it is a nice ride A smart and dedicated police woman (as if New Orleans could have a clean police force!) is planted as an undercover in a prison. She's gonna find a stash of diamonds, and she does. Mike Connors is taken as a hostage - the chicks want some entertainment, after several years in prison, what the heck, huh! - and after some grisly murders and lots of hair-pulling, you would never guess what happens.\n\nWe shouldn't fault this, it's a product of its time and it ain't bad. The chicks even have a lot more character than Connors and definitely look better.\n\nRecommended for the junk that it is, 50s style.","Product: Fierce general. Skilled orator. Savvy politician. This is Julius Caesar, one of the worlds greatest leaders and ruler of the Roman Empire. His ascent to power is filled with sacrifice, murder and betrayal. With the beautiful Cleopatra on one arm and a sword in the other, Caesar seized control of a vast territory, winning legions of followers, making enemies and creating history, before falling at the hands of Brutus, his most trusted ally. This is an ageless story in an epic presentation unlike anything ever seen before. Julius Caesar: a remarkable man who became an unforgettable legend. COLOR / APPROX, 187 MINUTES. DVD FEATURES: 16:9 Anamorphic Widescreen 2.0 Dolby Stereo The Making of Julius Caesar featurette\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Inaccurate, glosses over way too much, and minimal character development\n\nReview: This presents many of the basic facts, but this is a deeply flawed version of events. Way too much happened between the time of Sulla and the assassination of Caesar to be covered in such a short series. Not even the acting is very good. But it is ridiculous historical inaccuracies that are most glaring. Caesar is treated as if he were an amateur rather than the military genius that he had spent a life time developing and his complex political career is simply not covered. Then there are unbelievably stupid scenes, like the one where Caesar consults with Vercingetorix about how he should lead the people. For all its flaws, the HBO series is infinitely superior, not just in terms of accuracy, but as a story you love to watch.\n\nNot recommended.","Product: Australia released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Behind the scenes, Cast/Crew Interview(s), Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: The American daughter of missionaries Lana returns to Los Angeles from Palestine to work in a mission helping homeless people. Lana was born in Ohio and raised in South Africa and Middle East, and she is an authentic citizen of the world, connected through Internet and aware of how other people see the lack of culture and knowledge and exaggerated patriotism of average American people. Her unique relative is her unknown uncle Paul, a veteran of Vietnam War that cut relationships with his family and is bigot and paranoid. Paul lives in a surveillance van, lives as if he were a secret agent, sees conspiracy and terrorist cells everywhere, and has a great prejudice against Arabs and other non-American breeds after the September, 11th. They meet each other, and when they see the murder of a poor Pakistanis nearby the mission, they travel together to the small town of Trone to deliver his corpse to the family, where Paul sees a different reality. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Venice Film Festival, ...Land of Plenty\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Aftermath of 9/11 drama\n\nReview: Wenders never disappoints. His films tend to be quirky with truly great acting, always leading to something unexpected. This film is no exception, but it starts rather slow.\n\nI will describe some of the plot, but try to avoid spoilers. A young lady, who is absolutely adorable and full of good intentions, moves back to the US after spending her childhood as a missionary overseas. Her mother has recently died, so her only relation is a missing uncle whom she wishes to seek out. Though she appears naive, she is quite tough and will not be deterred in her purpose, both in the homeless shelter where she works, but also in her search. The uncle, it turns out, doesn't exactly want to be found, involved as he is in a personal post-9/11 \"mission\" to sniff out terrorists. He appears to be a ludicrous paranoid with his para-military gear and suspicious of anyone who seems middle eastern or Muslim - he will pursue any lead, fervently believing he will thwart the next 9/11 and utterly humorless. They make for an unlikely pair, but set out together to return a body to a next of kin for a burial. What they discover actually brings them together in a very moving way, also exposing where each is coming from and helping them to heal. It is really beautiful and believable.\n\nAccording to the extras, this is Wenders' first overtly political film. It expresses his outrage at what W's America was becoming post-9/11. I think it only partially succeeds in getting the audience to question their assumptions, but it is an interesting development from one of the most original filmmakers of his generation. Recommended.","Product: A fresh young army nurse (the radiant Ayako Wakao) on the front finds herself the nighttime prey of hungry soldiers and awash in a sea of blood and torn bodies. Despite the hell around her she struggles to maintain her strength and compassion, but her attempts at salvation, with an amputee solider and the morphine-addicted surgeon, could lead to her own sexual and spiritual martyrdom. Alternating between unflinchingly brutal battlefield imagery and tender moments of emotional sacrifice, director Yasuzo Masumuras (Blind Beast, Manji) masterpiece plays like an impossible collaboration between Samuel Fuller and Akira Kurosawa.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The brutal atrocity of war, from the eyes of a Japanese nurse in Manchuria\n\nReview: This is quite simply one of the best war films I have seen in years. In the description I give, there is nothing beyond the ad blurb. I reveal no spoilers.\n\nThe point of view is that of a young nurse, an orphan of extraordinary beauty. In spite of being gang raped by her patients at the moment she started out on the front in China, she clings to her humanity and capacity to empathize and love. She puts everything she has to offer out there - her work, her caring, even her body when the needs of others come into consideration. Everyone sees it as natural, there is no moral condemnation of her behavior, though few offer any sympathy to what she is experiencing. In accordance with Japanese tradition, she submits to it all without complaint, though somehow her heart remains open.\n\nIn terms of plot, she meets a physician whom she begins to love. He is a broken man, a morphine addict, and she helps him to look beyond the horror as he makes life and death decisions every few minutes. As the tactical war turns against the Japanese, she is serene in that they have had some moments of love. It is very moving.\n\nThis is a brilliant and raw portrayal of complete horror. It is not for the squeamish, but shows it like it was. Recommended for those with strong stomachs.","Product: Prepare to be swept away with Daniel Defoes timeless classic, The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. -Modern rendition of the classic by Daniel Defoe -On the heels of the Pirates of the Caribbean phenomenon\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Crusoe as shamed by Friday and uplifted by him\n\nReview: This a a very good version of an old classic, occurring about 100 years after the original (in 18C not 17C). Crusoe is a civilized man who finds himself alone of the island for many years, falling into a bit of savagery and engaging in a long dialogue with his God. Along comes Friday from a group of competing cannibals, and they begin a conflicted and complicated relationship that is funny and engaging. Friday doesn't buy a lot of Crusoe's ideas, from wearing shirts to the promises of catholicism, but he does appreciate Crusoe and they learn to live together, in mutual respect. This is very well done, with a near anthropological sensibility and truly fine acting, esp. Friday. There are also two subplots in the book, one about why Crusoe was set adrift with a aftermath that is significant and the other about Friday's uneasy reception in a slave-holding colony and their subsequent departure for Europe, where further conflict and prejudice surely await.\n\nUnfortunately, this is a clunkily dubbed copy of a French film, without the option to watch it in the original version. I was able to forget about this because of the quality of the film, but it was so poorly done that I almost stopped watching it in the beginning. Recommended as an excellent extension of the original story, which I now feel inspired to read.","Product: An elite goup of specially-skilled Roman soldiers handpicked by Julius Caesar go on a suicide mission to destroy the Druid's secret weapon - a giant catapult.System Requirements:Running Time: 93 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE/MILITARY & WAR UPC: 879431000428 Manufacturer No: MAC42\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: b-movie of Caesar's gallic war\n\nReview: This is a fun oldie. The Druids have invented a secret weapon that is supposed to be able to stop and perhaps even destroy Julius Caesar, who must win in order to put down the intrigues against him in Rome. He sends some fanatical warriors to find and destroy it, a desperate gambit that the cautious and analytical Caesar would never have depended on. Along the bloody way, they have a number of adventures (sacrifice, tragedy, cowards, even love). Amazingly, though the Druids invented no such thing, this is not simple superhero stuff, but filled with dark characters and some pretty good suspense. I am sure I saw this when I was a kid, which makes this extra fun. The Romans are kind of the good guys - honorable, brave, and devoted to Caesar - and the Gauls are the cruel savages, but there are many surprises in the characters and their machinations. There is a good finale of battle, and it ends just prior to the battle of Alesia.\n\nREcommended as background fun.","Product: The first of what Luis Buuel later proclaimed a trilogy (along with The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and The Phantom of Liberty) about \"the search for truth,\" The Milky Way (La voie lacte) daringly deconstructs contemporary and traditional views on Catholicism with ribald, rambunctious surreality. Two French beggars, present-day pilgrims en route to Spains holy city of Santiago de Compostela, serve as Buuels narrators for an anticlerical history of heresy, told with absurdity and filled with images that rank among Buuels most memorable (stigmatic children, crucified nuns) and hilarious (Jesus considering a good shave). A diabolically entertaining look at the mysteries of fanaticism, The Milky Way remains a hotly debated work from cinemas greatest skeptic.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: a surrealist atheist looks at Christianity\n\nReview: This is a masterpiece of Bunuel's stream of consciousness surrealism at a late stage in his career. Only could an ex-catholic (of the fervent variety) have produced such a memorable and hilarious parade of images, including the hypocrisy of the faithful, a novel view of Christ as a great spontaneous orator, and the extremes of behaviors - martyrdoms, self-mutilations, you name it! - of Christians.\n\nThe plot, if there is one, follows 2 tramps as they travel towards Spain, in a long debate on religion while panhandling, visiting prostitutes, or wondering about the meaning of it all. There are miracles just missed, spliced with images from history, and Bunuel's speculations. In one scene, a restauranteur is expounding how \"God is in everything like liver is in this pate\" and extolling Christian generosity only to turn the bums away in the rudest manner. There are so many scenes like that that stick in the memory and get the viewer to question, all the time conscious of the mystery that is life. It is profound, funny, and open to interpretation.\n\nRecommended as a masterpiece of experimentation and intelligence by one of the greatest directors of the 20C.","Product: Originally released in 2006. Directed by Tony Gatlif. Starring Birol nel, Asia Argento, Amira Casar.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: euro art house film of personal chaos set against ancient cultures\n\nReview: This is an interesting film, a kaleidescopic cultural panorama set in modern-day Romania. A sensual young woman, pregnant and in some kind of personal crisis, is searching for the father of her unborn child in Transylvania, which displays an incredible mix of cultures: gypsy, romanian, hungarian, and turkish. She is traveling with a loyal friend, who apparently is French, and a convivial translator. They wander through desolate towns, seeking musicians in lively, unbearably grotty bars full of dancers, drunks, and whores.\n\nIt all seems like an exotic adventure until the woman has a terrible encounter with reality, which begins her descent into a personal chaos that is terrible to behold. Abandoning her friends with no idea where she is and no money, she takes up with an itinerant trader, who appears to genuinely care for her. Their relationship is equally chaotic - with fights, sex, and meaningless wandering - as the child grows within the woman. The background continues to fascinate with its life, poverty, and the crude grace of traditional peoples. The film simply meanders along - it was filmed without a script - giving hints into what is happening inside the characters without any real answers. The flat rejection by the old lover, for example, implies that the woman is full of an all-consuming need for love and control, doomed and unable to form durable relationships yet suicidally desperate to avoid the emptiness inside. But that is only an interpretation of a single moment.\n\nThe cumulative effect is powerful: disorder, living in the present, seeking meaning and contact. None of the principal characters is pleasant or someone you would think worth any investment, but they have charm, as do the characters who pop up in the primitive landscape. The acting is truly wonderful and believable, if raw. Recommended.\n\nNote: I bought this in Britain, new, for $7.","Product: Adapted from Anne Michael's acclaimed prose-poem novel, FUGITIVE PIECES is a harrowing and haunting tale of Holocaust survival and personal awakening. The film opens in Poland, as young Jakob Berr (Robbie Kay) is hidden away just before German soldiers storm into his Jewish family's home. After watching his parents murdered and his sister dragged away to an uncertain fate, Jakob flees and hides in the woods. He is discovered by a kindly Greek archaeologist, Athos (Rade Sherbedgia), who smuggles the sickly Jakob back to his own island home and hides him for the rest of the war. Years later, having moved to Canada, the grownup Jakob (Stephen Dillane) has become a writer struggling to articulate his childhood horrors, haunted by the mystery of his sister's fate. But after his troubled emotions lead to the breakup of his marriage to the free-spirited Alex (Rosamund Pike), Jakob must exorcise the ghosts of his past if he is to close a traumatic chapter of his life and find beauty in the present. Director Jeremy Podeswa (THE FIVE SENSES) ably shifts between the different stages of Jakob's life, showing how grief can continue to influence one's actions--or inaction--in the years that follow a tragedy. Handsomely shot and thoughtfully acted, FUGITIVE PIECES is a touching testimony to the power of remembrance and redemption\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: explores the true process of healing and growth through love\n\nReview: ***spoiler alert***\n\nThis is an extraordinary gem that I feel lucky to have found. A boy witnesses the destruction of his family, but escapes with the help of a great man who happens to find him and smuggle him from an archaeological site in Poland all the way to Greece. Traumatized and deeply scarred, the boy grows up in the shadow of the war on a remote island, the man mentoring him in life and languages, surviving and deeply involved with the community of the villageat great danger to himself.\n\nAt the close of the war, they move to Canada, where they restart their lives. Just down the hall, the boy meets some other yiddish-speaking holocaust survivors and together they all form a kind of family. Though there are plenty of good holocaust films, nowhere have I seen its aftermath so well portrayed.\n\nAs he grows into an adult, the boy works hard to develop his talents as a writer, but he is tied to the past with an obsession with death, particularly that of his sister, who was dragged off by the Nazis. In his state of withdrawal, he allows a marriage (sadly a mismatch) to an exuberant beauty to wither and die, though it inspires him to return to Greece and begin a new phase of creative expression in memory and art. Nothing seems to overcome his introspective melancholy, until he is introduced to someone else and a new phase of his life begins, looking forward rather than backward. The beauty of this interior journey is a unique achievement.\n\nWarmly recommended. This is art that approaches the complexity of life.","Product: Bar code gash, Brand New, Factory Sealed\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: One of the worst re-makes I've ever seen\n\nReview: Let me state from the outset that I am completely open to re-makes, if only out of curiosity. I want to see what creative people can do, and sometimes the result is an improvement, e.g. The Talented Mr. Ripley, both versions of which are great in their own ways. Of course, when they fail, they appear to be crass commercial efforts, laden with special effects, indifferent acting, and silly attempts to render them \"relevant\" to the contemporary scene. Unfortunately, this film fall into the latter case - in spades.\n\nThe original is a product of the Cold War: rudimentary atomic experiments have brought Earth to the attention of an interstellar community, which sends a representative to reason with the earthlings. Of course, he meets fear and paranoia, typical of the anticommunist crusade. Nonetheless, he is warm and interested in getting to know the culture he is confronting, to which a boy and his widowed mother introduce him. It is intelligent, moving, and completely believable, leaving a hopeful message and deadly menace at the same time.\n\nThe Reeves version throws out everything good about the original, while trying to update the themes to a more general concern for the environment. Beyond the fact that it simply doesn't work, Reeves strips the character of all nuance: the judgement has already been made - humans must be eradicated as parasites on a rare and lush planet - so the humans must convince him otherwise. While Connolly is a great actress, she is wooden in this role as a scientist, there is none of the bantering if suspicious interaction between human and alien. Furthermore, the child actor absolutely stinks. SO what does it do? Falls back on surprisingly mediocre CGI, yet the details do not fit into some greater conception - probably because there isn't a well conceived one.\n\nNot recommended. Reeves is laughably bad.","Product: Australia released, PAL/Region 4 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Subtitles ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: 2-DVD Set, Anamorphic Widescreen, Behind the scenes, Commentary, Deleted Scenes, Documentary, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: After five Australian-based journos go missing, veteran correspondent Roger East is lured to East Timor by the charismatic Jos Ramos-Horta to tell his tiny nation's story and investigate the men's disappearance. As the threat of Indonesian invasion intensifies, an unlikely friendship develops between him and Horta. BALIBO is a political thriller that tells the true story of crimes that have been covered up for 30 years. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Australian Film Institute, ...Balibo ( The Balibo Conspiracy )\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: raw repression and terror in a great political film\n\nReview: This is an excellent film of a true story: that of the rape of East Timor and the fatal ordeal that a group of Australian journalists went through to get the story out. It is so frightening and sad that I found it hard to watch. The story begins with a young government official, who contacts a freelance journalist he admires. The journalist is kind of a burnt out case, longing for an easier time of it and reluctant to pursue a story in the Indonesian jungle. The official cajoles him, entices him, and lays a guilt trip on him to come, which he eventually agrees to do.\n\nThe journalist is immediately struck with the potential of a story about a team of young idealists who disappeared 3 weeks before, when apparently Indonesian security forces began to take over the recently liberated Portuguese colony (in 1975). His concentrates on the plight of his compatriots enrages and disgusts the official, who wants him to cover the story from the point of view of the country that is being swallowed by violence and a new bid to own it as a colony. They go on a long, rough trek into the interior, get shot at, and meet a number of courageous rebels. Parallel to this investigation, they story of the journalists is shown as if happening at the same time. They are beautiful young men, full of ideals and potential, their lives just getting started, their talents only beginning to bloom.\n\nWhile I do not wish to spoil the plot, the film rolls out with a relentless realism. The older journalist discovers what happened to them and is shocked at what he witnesses, including the murder before his eyes of a rebel who had become a friend. He then accepts his duty as a journalist to tell the entire story. It is believable and inspiring. It is also a true story. The young diplomat goes into exile, eventually winning the Nobel Peace Prize.\n\nIf you are interested in contemporary history, this is a must see film. I will share it with my children, who are becoming interested in world politics. The acting in this is very strong.","Product: Spain released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), Spanish ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Subtitles ), Spanish ( Subtitles ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Black & White, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: This pseudo-biographical movie depicts 5 years from 1885 on in the life of the Viennan psychologist Freud (1856-1939). At this time, most of his colleagues refuse to cure hysteric patients, because they believe they're just simulating to gain attention. But Freud learns to use hypnosis to find out the reasons for the psychosis. His main patient is a young woman who refuses to drink water and is plagued by always the same nightmare. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Berlin International Film Festival, Golden Globes, Oscar Academy Awards, ...Freud (1962) ( Freud: The Secret Passion )\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: This is the best biopic I have ever seen, of a pioneering philosopher and scientist\n\nReview: My father was a psychiatrist, so I grew up respecting Freud while very aware of the failures and rigidities inherent in his method. This sparked a lifelong interest on Freud in me, though from a historical perspective rather than as a practitioner. I have read many histories of the period and about all the other theories that his ideas spawned.\n\nThis is an absolutely beautiful dramatization of Freud's greatest period of discovery, when he resisted the prestigious medical establishment in Vienna to forge ahead with his radical theories. Not only does the film outline the process of scientific discovery, but it presents the basic ideas lucidly and with surprising historical accuracy, given the compromises needed to form a Hollywood narrative. This is an extraordinary accomplishment, in my opinion.\n\nThrough wonderfully dramatic case studies, we experience Freud's development of an new approach to hysteria (that it exists and can be dealt with through hypnosis, involving the re-experiencing of the original trauma and thereby eliminating it for good); the founding of the theory of sexual neurosis (obviously questionable with what we now know with subsequent science) as the principal basis of psychological trauma; the discovery that dreams and free association can lead to communication with the unconscious mind; and finally, the working out of how this should work therapeutically. Freud explores not just the pathologies of his patients, but his own neuroses, all the while managing his professional and personal relationships. In my opinion, it is a brilliant success as a drama and an informative documentary - it does not unacceptably over-simplify or transmogrify, but portrays Freud as the brilliant humanist and healer that he was.\n\nThis is a pioneering film, I have never seen anything like it as means to transmit ideas. Recommended with enthusiasm.","Product: GROUP MARRIAGE (DVD MOVIE)\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: 70s california cult film about alternative, er, sex arrangements\n\nReview: This is a comedy that is supposed to make a controversial statement about marriage. At its base is sex: a group gets together and agrees that exchanging partners is fine, so long as the others are willing. They move into a house owned by a bumper-sticker entrepreneur who translates his hostility into money via nasty sayings. For what it's worth, there are a lot of laughs, titillation that never adds up to soft porn, and some pretty good characters. Unfortunately, the acting is ridiculously mediocre, though it is fun to see the old playboy bunny, Claudia Jennings in one of her better roles.\n\nIt is fun to view this as a 70s retro thing, where the free-love creed of the 60s is transmogrified into pure libertinism coupled with commercialism. Recommended for nostalgia's sake.","Product: Australia released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: If Dealer already announced the arrival of a major talent on the international stage Womb confirms it with Hungarian writer-director Benedek Fliegauf delivering this hypnotic tale of love lost and found but not as you necessarily know it. Childhood sweethearts Rebecca and Thomas are separated in a tragedy but reunited when she makes a controversial decision in order to bring her lover back seemingly from the dead. Sumptuously photographed against some of England's most breathtaking coastal surrounds Womb sustains a rarefied atmosphere with a futuristic context set in the now. ...Womb ( Mitra ) ( Womb - Mh )\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: scifi indie film on what may happen and how it will work out intimately\n\nReview: This is one of the films that it is almost impossible to review without a spoiler of the central idea. In a stunning performance that is more mood than action, Eva Green is an introverted woman who returns to her childhood home seeking love. She goes back to meet this wonderful boy, with whom she shared an extraordinary connection as a child. This consumes her, with all sorts of bizarre consequences, particularly the scifi element, which works out a scenario in great and sensuous detail. But above all, it is a fine drama, with interesting characters and more questions than answers, all of which is unusual for a well worked out scifi film.\n\nThe film is slow, but the emotional states are extremely subtle, often unexpected, trying to get at human truths in a bold new future. Nothing spectacular, just human in a new context. Warmly recommended.","Product: United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: French ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: Michel, a retired maths teacher, has lived alone since his wife's death and occupies his time writing an essay about the beliefs that shape daily life. One day he comes across Dora, a young homeless woman, who shows up injured on his doorstep, and puts her up until she recovers. Her presence brings something new to Michel's life, but gradually the apartment becomes the site of mysterious happenings. THE GIRL FROM NOWHERE took top honours at the 65th Locarno Film Festival 2012, winning the Swiss festival's top Golden Leopard (Pardo d'oro) prize. ...The Girl from Nowhere ( La fille de nulle part )\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: seeking, creating, needing, right up to the end\n\nReview: Because it leaves so many gaps to fill in, this film is not for everyone. It is full of arresting images, unexplained occurrences that can be extremely bizarre, and a strange relationship.\n\nAn old man saves a troubled girl from a violent encounter, taking her in and almost adopting her. She is standoffish, puncturing his intellectual pride with a flick of her wrist, yet somehow drawn to this lonely man. All the while, malevolent things happen with increasing frequency, from sounds in the night to appearances of spectres. None of it makes much sense, yet it fits with the book that the man is attempting to write. The young lady seems to bring this out and serves as a muse and critic, but she doesn't know what is happening either. He hires her to help with the book, the great task of his life, or so it seems. The man speculates about what it all means and makes some big decisions, disturbing the state of stasis that he has comfortably inhabited since his wife's death a decade earlier.\n\nThe ending is a surprise, I do not want to play the spoiler, but it somehow fit. I enjoyed the film because of its persistent mood, a mystery bound to the girl. I recommend it for those who are willing to fill the gaps with their own imagination.","Product: Universal Hollywood Icons Collection spotlights one of the most respected actors of all time, Gregory Peck, in four unforgettable roles. Beloved for his timeless elegance, sophisticated wit and impeccable charm, Peck lights up the screen with Sophia Loren in the international mystery Arabesque, reveals his lighter side in the Academy Award-nominated comedy drama Captain Newman, M.D., intrigues in the suspenseful Mirage and falls in love in The World in His Arms. Boasting some of the silver screens brightest co-stars, this collection is a testament to the remarkable legacy of a Hollywood great. Arabesque A professor (Gregory Peck) is hired by a oil magnate to decipher a secret message and finds himself caught in the middle of an assassination plot with a mysterious woman (Sophia Loren). Mirage Believing that he is suffering from amnesia, a bewildered accountant (Gregory Peck) turns to a private detective (Walter Matthau) for help determining his identity. Captain Newman, M.D. The affable Captain Newman (Gregory Peck) uses both humor and compassion to reach patients whose wartime injuries plague their minds instead of their bodies. The World In His Arms A sea captain (Gregory Peck) who makes his living by stealing pelts off the coast of Alaska faces a new danger when he falls for a countess (Ann Blyth) on the run from her fianc.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Fun if essentially fluff\n\nReview: I hugely enjoyed all these films as a kid, but viewing them now as an adult it is very clear they are dated. Arabesque is a kind of spy comedy; unfortunately, the chemistry between Peck and Loren is forced and the story is silly in its outlandishness. Mirage is a good amnesiac whodunnit, images of which had stuck in my mind for over 50 years; a good yarn so long as you can suspend your disbelief. The World is supposed to be a romantic swashbuckler, it is the weakest of the lot by far. Captain Newman is the only one that actually offers something original, though again, it was made when psychoanalysis was the reigning philosophy of mental health; there are many memorable performances, particularly the guilt ridden commander Eddie Albert.\n\nRecommended.","Product: The Wheels of Commerce. Civilization and Capitalism 15th-18th Century, Volume II\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: from lifestyle, to systems\n\nReview: Historians, they say, are either lumpers or splitters: the former seek to make generalizations while the latter seek to refute and refine them. Braudel strikes a balance between these approaches, at one time examining the economic point of view (and related theoretical controversies, such as the ideas of Schumpeter on innovation), while searching for historical examples that support or obliterate them. He is a true master scholar.\nThis volume adds to the first, moving from living standards to the establishment and functioning of trading and banking systems, both by capitalists (holders of sufficient resources to manipulate markets) and the merchants and craftsmen who operated within these markets. It is a crucial distinction that demonstrates how simple-minded the ideological argument of \"free markets\" can be: the rich can and do design economic systems to function to their advantage. You follow the development of international trading networks by Italians, Jews and Armenians; the evolution of banking and the handling of paper money; and even the influence of social hierarchies on economic growth.\nWhile Braudel concentrates almost exclusively on Europe in this volume, which lessens the universality of his approach, it is utterly fascinating from page one. The economic systems he analyses were somewhat incomplete, though evolving rapidly. An additional limit to his approach is the exclusive focus on econimic life. At times, he views the building of chateaux and the commission of great works of art from the Reanassance to the 19C as a reflection of the lack of wealth-generating investment opportunities during a time of economic revolution!\nAnd that is just a few of the issues covered. Each section of the book is like an essay on some basic economic notion. As such, the book assumes a great deal of historical knowledge in the reader, though Braudel often explains what he refers to briefly. For me, this added to its appeal and density, but it is often hard going. However, the book is leavened by wonderful and fascinating illustrations, which eases the task of getting through it at times.\nHighly recommended.","Product: William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest playwright the world has seen. He produced an astonishing amount of work; 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and 5 poems. He died on 23rd April 1616, aged 52, and was buried in the Holy Trinity Church, Stratford.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: lacks the energy of the earlier series, but well worth the read\n\nReview: Even though in the 6th installment of this series its energy was waning, I simply had to read this, what should be the final (7th) volume. It is, quite simply, the best series of historical novels on Rome that I have ever read; there are novels, such as Yourcenar's Memoires of Hadrian, that are superior and stand as works of art, but this series captures something of Rome, of the soul of human ambition and folly, that is undeniably great. At its best, the series can spark the imagination to delve deeper into history, an inspiration that can last a lifetime. That is certainly what it has accomplished for me.\n\nUnfortunately, this is a deeply flawed novel. It is full of wooden dialogue, abrupt changes in conditions that are more jarring than adding to the story, and incomprehensible transformations of key characters at certain moments. It is not a flowing reading experience, but a bit of a chore to read through. Many historical episodes are explained in stupidly succinct dialogues, which never could have taken place in my opinion. That being said, even with its flaws, it held me to the very end. I wanted to see what she did with characters I knew so well, from Augustus and Agrippa to Marc Anthony and Cleopatra. You get McCullough's take on all of them and on the direction that Rome would take.\n\nAnthony is at the apex of his career, having just negotiated his sphere of influence in a new triumvirate. Octavianus get the West, which is besieged and the most difficult, with Pompey's son in control of Sicily and hence with a stranglehold on grain shipments to Rome; he will get the blame, but ultimately, as Anthony doesn't comprehend, it is the seat of responsibility that will establish him as the face of power. Anthony gets the richer and more exotic East, with opportunities for plunder and glory, if he can defeat the Parthian Empire (i.e. the heirs of the Persian Empire). He must also deal with Herod, who bribes and kills his way to the kingship of Israel, and the Armenians. Most important, of course, is Cleopatra, the homely yet seductive queen of Egypt, whose son, Caesarion, is coming into his own and is the spitting image of his father, Julius Caesar. It is not lost on Octavianus that Caesarion is a mortal threat to his political identity as the heir to Julius Caesar.\n\nAnthony is seduced by Cleopatra, who in the beginning is using him in the service of her megalomaniacal ambition to conquer Rome and install her son. His character flaws move to the fore: he lacks the vision and discipline of Caesar, is a drunk, and doomed by impetuous decisions. He is a sensualist, living in the moment and slipping from his romaness a little bit every day, until he begins to alienate his sworn allies. Cleopatra, too, is a flawed sovereign of questionable judgment, good at manipulation but not strategy or policy. Together, they are a deadly combination that can lead to disaster of truly historic proportion. Meanwhile, the wily Octavianus is plotting a political career that can only be called genius, even if he is not the equal of his adoptive father, Julius. His stalwort supporter and gifted adjunct is Agrippa, something of a wooden soldier and a rather pedestrian character. Octavianus is coldly calculating and capable of murder, but also brilliantly intuitive.\n\nIf I could put the reading experience in a nutshell, the novel appealed to my intellectual curiosity, but not to my senses. I expect a great historical novel to evoke more than explain, interpret, and analyse. That makes the reading experience stale rather than sensual.\n\nRecommended with these caveats in mind.","Product: The book that offers a cure for affluenza, 'No Logo' is one of those rare books that defines a generation, the most significant one since Douglas Coupland's 'Generation X'. By the time you're twenty-one, you'll have seen or heard a million advertisements. But you won't be happier for it. This is a book about that much-maligned, much-misunderstood generation coming up behind the slackers, who are being intelligent and active about the world in which they find themselves. It is a world in which all that is 'alternative' is sold, where any innovation or subversion is immediately adopted by un-radical, faceless corporations. But, gradually, tentatively, a new generation is beginning to fight consumerism with its own best weapons; and it is the first skirmishes in this war that this abrasively intelligent book documents brilliantly.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I may disagree, but this is a fun and valuable book\n\nReview: WHile I worried that this was a simple ideological diatribe, I was very happily surprized at the intelligence and substance of Klein's book. It is a tough, well-reasoned manifesto for the anti-consumerism left of \"Gen X.\" If you are wondering what was driving many of those protesters at the WTO and other summit meetings - most notoriously Seattle in late 1999 - then this book is the best place I know. It is part cultural critique, part economics and social policy, and partly a call to arms. Reading it has helped me to make sense of so much that I thought was simple, nihilistic anarchism. I was humbled to learn that there is far far more behind the movement than I had granted it.\nIn a nutshell, Klein argues that the \"superbrands\" - the huge corporations such as Disney and Nike - are progressively taking over virtually all \"public spaces,\" including school curricula, neighborhoods, and all-encompassing infotainment malls like Virgin Megastores. THey are doing this in an attempt enter our minds as consumers in the most intimate ways, which Klein and others find unbearably intrusive. Moreover, she argues, as they subcontract overseas, the superbrands are leaving first-world workers behind while they exploit those in the developing world under horible conditions. It all adds up, she asserts, into a kind of emerging global worker solidarity that is developing new means (via internet exposes, protest campaigns, etc.) to push the superbrands to adopt more just policies and practices.\nWhat was so amazing and useful for me, as a business writer looking at the same issues, is that Klein so often hones in on the underside of what I think are good and effective business practices: the development of brand values, globalisation of the production/value chain to lower prices, and the like. Often I may disagree with her take on things, but she makes too many insightful points to dismiss her and those whom she speaks for. I came to genuinely respect her as a thinker and writer.\nNonetheless, there were numerous omissions, some of which I must point out. First, while condemning exploitive labor practices in third-world sweat shops (which I do not deny exist), Klein fails to explore what the available alternatives are for these workers. Well, I went to Pakistan to examine one of the cases she addresses - children soccerball sewers - and I can say that their alternatives were all too often brick kilns or leather tanneries, both of which were far more dangerous and beyond the reach of international activists because the superbrands have nothing to do with them. Second, Klein tended to dismiss the efforts of MNCs out of hand, as weak sops designed more for PR purposes than to effect change. This is true for some groups, but again, while in Vietnam, I witnessed what I regarded as real social progress that came from the actions of a superbrand: upon hearing the demands and suggestions of a worker-safety inspector paid by adidas, Taiwanese sewing-machine manufacturers were approaching him for detailed design specifications to enhance their safety (driver-belt covers to protect against hand and hair injuries) and he had lots more ideas. However modest, that is real and concrete progress in my opinion.\nMoreover, I believe that many of Klein's assertions are inaccurate or unproven. Is there really a mass movement growing out there? Is the clever defacing of huge advertisement boards really impacting pubic consciousness? Does everyone perceive the thrust of the brands as intrusive and poisonous? Is the World Trade Organization set up in a way that works in favor of the first world and against the third world? These are complex and very difficult questions. Finally, as a passionate activist, Klein rhetoric can get a bit overheated. At one point she says that IBM \"otherwise impaled itself\"; at another that Milton Friedman is a \"architect of the global corporate takeover.\" What do these things mean? I may regard Friedman as a laughable free-market fundamentalist, but he is only a cloistered academic idoelogue, not a doer of any kind. Does throwing a cream pie in his face do anything more than shock adults?\nIn spite of these reservations, I can only applaud Klein for stirring up the pot of these issues, which provoke thought and encourage exploration, even by conservatives like me.","Product: The Corrections is a 2001 novel by American author Jonathan Franzen. It revolves around the troubles of an elderly Midwestern couple and their three adult children, tracing their lives from the mid-20th century to \"one last Christmas\" together near the turn of the millennium. The novel was awarded the National Book Award in 2001[1] and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 2002.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: big,ambitious, serious, and very good\n\nReview: I was deeply moved by this novel. It is about how a family deals with growing old and growing up, with all the tics of suburban despair, marriage wars, failed careers, and confused sexuality. In other words, it is a modern and realistic novel written in the broad-brush approaches of Balzac and Tolstoy; individuals as well as the broader society are portrayed.\nWHile I have met people who disliked all the book's protagonists as they made bad decisions and hurt a lot inside, I liked virtually all of them. They are painfully believable and sad in their isolation, which the omniscent narrator presents in a wonderful, shifting perspective that moves backwards and forwards in time and comes to rest on crucial moments of consequence and change.\nI think that many readers from similar backgrounds will find a lot of themselves in this book and will empathise with the characters. They also grow and evolve in realistic ways through the course of the novel, as their roles shift within the family equilibrium. There are also many funny scenes, however bitter sweet, that can be read on many levels.\nIn terms of my personal preferences, I was happy to observe that this novel does not get into the dreamy \"surrealism lite\" that many popular American novelists indulge in to excess, such as Don Delillo. It is very realistic throughout, even if some of it appears exagerated at times.\nIt is also beautifully written, indeed superbly. In addition, while dealing with a lot of sex, the author masterfully treads the fine line of description and titillation without ever venturing into pure pornography. I found that refreshing.\nTHere are flaws in the book. SOme of the descriptions, as critics noted, are strangely clinical or scientific. There are too many incidents packed into detailed scenes, which can overburden the plot while seeking to advance it.\nNonetheless, this novel is achingly close to being truly first rate and I can only anticipate better novels from this talented writer in the future.\nWarmly recommended.","Product: The third novel in the science-fiction trilogy by C.S. Lewis. This final story is set on Earth, and tells of a terrifying conspiracy against humanity. The story surrounds Mark and Jane Studdock, a newly married couple. Mark is a Sociologist who is enticed to join an organisation called N.I.C.E. which aims to control all human life. His wife, meanwhile, has bizarre prophetic dreams about a decapitated scientist, Alcasan. As Mark is drawn inextricably into the sinister organisation, he discovers the truth of his wife's dreams when he meets the literal head of Alcasan which is being kept alive by infusions of blood. Jane seeks help concerning her dreams at a community called St Anne's, where she meets their leader -- Dr Ransom (the main character of the previous two titles in the trilogy). The story ends in a final spectacular scene at the N.I.C.E. headquarters where Merlin appears to confront the powers of Hell.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: a bit of a letdown as there is nothing original, but well written\n\nReview: This is the end of the trilogy, for the first time entirely on earth. It is a fun story of earthy corruption, with lots of Christian details, and some surprise figures like Merlin. But ultimately, it is a good story that does not do much really new. So if you are a fan of Lewis, which I am, it is a pleasure to reach the end. What really distinguishes this is the elegant writing. Lewis was a master of prose and theme. But I did enjoy the first two much much more as path-breaking if amateur scifi.\n\nRecommended for fans. They will not be disappointed. But readers in search of hard and origianl sci fi will not find much to love.","Product: Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. 100% Money Back Guarantee.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: good, though not great\n\nReview: This is a fairly interesting novel from the standpoint of portraying what it was like for a great artist to work in 17C Holland, that is, Vermeer. The frame of the story is from the point of view of a maid, whose family has fallen from relative affluence and hence she was forced into degrading labor in spite of her considerable intelligence.\nThe sensibility is extremely delicate and prosaic, in that what the maid worries incessantly about are everyday battles for status within the household with children, another maid, and Vermeer's spoilt and narrow-minded spouse. Indeed, the maid's world, while complete in all its distressing detail, is petty to the point of boredom for the reader, or at least for me. Because her personal freedom and possibility were so sadly limited, I could not identify beyond a certain point with her anxieties and hopes as she was forced into a succession of servitudes and humiliations. Moreover, there is not a single jot of humor. Nonetheless, late in the book, her relationship with Vermeer becomes very interesting indeed, as he puts her into a painting as a model for a rich patron - the psychology is subtle and far-reaching. The reader also gets some perspective on the tensions between Catholic and Protestant groups that persisted even in the tolerant cities of Holland.\nRecommended, but tepidly.","Product: CEO Louis V. Gerstner Jr.'s memoir about the extraordinary turnaround of IBM and his transformation of the company into the industry leader of the computer age -- the great American business story of our time. When Louis V. Gerstner became CEO of IBM in 1993, shares had slumped and the company was on the verge of collapse. Hired for his successful management of RJR Nabisco and American Express, Gerstner had no background in technology, but during his seven-year chairmanship, he transformed the company into the leading force of the computer age. In his frank, direct voice, Gerstner recalls the obstacles he faced: the plans to fragment the company, the inconsistent global policies, the stodgy white-shirt hierarchy and inter-departmental competitiveness and the rapidly declining sales. Within months of joining IBM, Gerstner presented his bold and controversial business strategy. Punitive towards office politics, he revolutionised the company from within, altering an entire corporate culture, divesting billions of dollars in unneeded assets and transforming IBM from a fractured, process-driven business into a nimble, customer-driven enterprise able to respond quickly to the volatile technology market and face down Microsoft and Intel in the internet era. Revealing his tactics step by step, Gerstner spins an engaging narrative that takes the reader behind the curtain into the unbelievable mess he inherited and into the office and mind of a CEO facing the challenge of a lifetime.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: good primer on business basics, but not a compelling yarn\n\nReview: This is a fairly good book by an immensely talented CEO. It takes up more or less a few decades after the retirement of one of the greatest businessmen of the 20C (TWatson Jr.), when the business had lost its way and was under attack by extremely nimble rivals.\nGerstner took over the failing, almost bankrupt, company and both re-made its startegy and culture, re-focusing it on customer needs and re-engineering it (i.e. laying off an awful lot of people). In this book, he tells the outlines of how he did it, which is indeed extremely interesting. In particular, he stresses that while a strategy is needed, implementation of it is far more important.\nUnfortunately, he does not go into enough detail for the reader to fully understand what he faced and how he did it. Neither the technology nor the brutal methods he had to employ were adequately addressed, at least for me. I read it carefully and did not feel I had had quite the full meal I expected. The reader also gets virtually no insight into what makes Gerstner tick, other than that he \"wants to win\" with passion. THe book was also entirely written by Gerstner; his style is competent, if somewhat like a business memo: good analyses are \"actionable\" and effective actions are \"impactful.\"\nNonetheless, this is a very good primer on basic strategy and organizational behavior. He has lots of valuable advice to give and pinpoints many important issues. I will keep it and return to it.\nTHere were some things that I found questionable and surprising, if also unintentionally revealing. FOr example, he made IBM both an honest broker in offering comprehensive technology-based business solutions - for the first time, its employees could recommend the hardware of competitors if they better suited the customers' needs - while another part of the company continued to strive to produce the best hardware. This flatly contradicts both what Porter advises and Gerstner himself argues elsewhere in the book regarding the self-reinforcing compatibility of the elements of a business strategy and makes me question if Gerstner really thought it all thru. In addition, he astonishingly posits that Japanese business reporters are the best in the world, when in fact - and I worked in Japan for Nikkei, a leading business news wire service - they are merely part of the PR apparatus of firms, reporting verbatim what they were told to report by companies! If that is what Gerstner expected of Western reporters, then he was naive. But then, he was a benevolent dictator and is open about his dislike and lack of trust of the press.\nREcommended. But if you really want a rivetting account of IBM, I would recommend Watson's autobio, Father Son & Co. There is also an excellent account of the turnaround of Xerox, using TQM, that is far more compelling a read than this book.","Product: Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time [ Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time by Armstrong, Karen ( Author ) Paperback Aug- 2007 ] Paperback Aug- 28- 2007\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: solid and informative, if a bit light\n\nReview: This is a good book that attempts to introduce Muhammad in the most positive light possible: Armstrong believes that Westerners do not understand enough about Islam and its founder, and so produces this argument. It is long on reason and seeking to find common ground - essentially in monotheism - between the East and West. No doubt this is an important task, but her approach in my reading is to bend over backward to excuse Muhammad of virtually any negative legacy. As such, this slants the book too much towards good intentions.\n\nIn socio-historical terms, Armstrong believes that Muhammad emerged in a culture in crisis, offering a new religious solution that first and foremost worked politically. The Arabs, she says, had developed a tribal culture, whereby relative peace was maintained by the threat of blood feud - if a tribal member was injured or murdered, revenge was exacted on whomever belonged to the offending tribe, beyond the individual responsibility of the person who carried out the act itself. This worked while tribes were separated in the desert, but began to break down with increasing urbanization in 7C: close proximity bred violence, which easily spiraled out of control into endless mob violence. Muhammad's solution was to create a version of monotheism, that united the Arabs to a single purpose, transcending the polytheistic patron gods of the various tribes in their battles. This is a very interesting existential perspective.\n\nArmstrong also describes the unique details of Islam, as Muhammad created it: the Kuran offered a poetic vision that mesmerized many Arabs in an untranslatable sense. The new religion also offered a new kind of submission to Allah, which carried with it an ethical code that she convincingly argues is close to the essence of Islam. I enjoyed her vision of the religion and gained empathy from it for the prayers I have observed personally.\n\nMuhammad's vision was of course not easy to impose on a primitive culture. This is where Muhammad's political genius comes in, a perspective I found fascinating and valuable: he knew when to compromise, but also understood how society was reorganizing itself and so could set political precedents that often caused grave doubts in his followers before revealing themselves as phenomenal strategic successes later on.\n\nAlong the way, Armstrong does pose many of the difficult questions, but somehow finds a way to dismiss them by putting them into historical context, comparing them to existing practices in Christendom and elsewhere. This works well, for example, when she argues that Muhammad in fact worked to liberate women (in a relative way). However, it often fails to satisfy, at least in my own reading. He ordered massacres in Jihad (even of Jews in Medina), the text of the Kuran froze many medieval attitudes into an orthodoxy that is proving rigid today, etc. These are serious problems that cannot be argued away as facilely as Armstrong attempts. In my opinion, she did not wrestle enough with a lot of these questions.\n\nThe book ends on an interesting note, arguing that the current crisis in Islam began in the 17C, over 1000 years after Muhammad created his politico-religious system. At that time, as science and then industry developed in Europe, Islamic states/empires began to falter, which raised the question of whether God annointed their religion as indisputably superior anymore. This is very thought-provoking and articulated a view I have wondered about for a long time.\n\nRecommended. Armstrong's heart is in the right place, even if it makes her argument a bit too politically correct for my taste. Nonetheless, a worthy introduction to Islam it is indeed, but only as a starting point.","Product: The acclaimed new novel from the author of The Corrections. Patty and Walter Berglund were the new pioneers of old St. Paul - the gentrifiers, the hands-on parents, the avant-garde of the Whole Foods generation. Patty was the ideal sort of neighbour who could tell you where to recycle your batteries and how to get the local cops to actually do their job. She was an enviably perfect mother and the wife of Walter's dreams. Together with Walter - environmental lawyer, commuter cyclist, family man - she was doing her small part to build a better world. But now, in the new millennium, the Berglunds have become a mystery. Why has their teenage son moved in with the aggressively Republican family next door? Why has Walter taken a job working with Big Coal? What exactly is Richard Katz - outre rocker and Walter's old college friend and rival - still doing in the picture? Most of all, what has happened to poor Patty? Why has the bright star of Barrier Street become \"a very different kind of neighbour,\" an implacable Fury coming unhinged before the street's attentive eyes? In his first novel since The Corrections, Jonathan Franzen has given us an epic of contemporary love and marriage. Freedom comically and tragically captures the temptations and burdens of too much liberty: the thrills of teenage lust, the shaken compromises of middle age, the wages of suburban sprawl, the heavy weight of empire. In charting the mistakes and joys of Freedom's intensely realized characters, as they struggle to learn how to live in an ever more confusing world, Franzen has produced an indelible and deeply moving portrait of our time.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: a deep, if sullen, portrait of a family in severe crisis\n\nReview: Perhaps this doesn't have the scope, humor, and delightful chaos of the Corrections - which I believe disappointed many people - but I find that the characters are as deep and full as that novel, that they evolve and reveal different aspects of their nature throughout the book. Indeed, I also find that the characters are very different, which shows that Franzen has a great range of empathy and insight. Current political affairs also form an integral part of the plot, liberal notions that are expressed from the characters' point of view. I have my own interpretation of the characters, but believe the novel is so rich that many interpretations are possible.\n\nIn many ways, the deepest character in the book is the wife, Patty. She is a wounded person with terrible flaws, the black sheep jock of a competitive family of super achievers with the highest expectations for themselves and the world; born with a notion of wealth and privilege, they are bound for profound disappointment. Not a single one of them finds a sustainable work identity, except perhaps late in life. Patty wants to make up for all the hurts by creating the perfect family, to give her children what she felt she lacked: perfect, intimate love and support. The man she chooses is Walter, a young man of extraordinary energy and seemingly limitless good will, but their physical chemistry somehow isn't right; Patty is also in love with his best friend, a talented, charismatic musician who is a disaster as a human being. This triangle will last, with great consequence, for the rest of their lives. For a time, their children flourish with them, in the early years of optimism and delight in building. Of course, things start to go wrong when the children cannot heal the terrible wounds inside their parents, who put great demands on them while giving.\n\nI don't want to say more on the plot as it might spoil the reading experience. My perception of the characters varied greatly throughout the book. At one point, I disliked all of them, thinking them bizarre and neurotic, if not worse. Patty's depression and rage are off-putting; the relationship that the son strikes up with a neighbor girl is frighteningly symbiotic, obliterating them as individuals; the father is rigid and self-righteous, a born crank. The family becomes an absolute, dysfunctional mess, a catastrophe, as the children go their own ways. Then later, after many mistakes and some difficult wisdom gained, I completely believed in the more mature characters that emerged, in what can only be called a realistically tragic yet hopeful ending. It is all about the complexity of love between husband and wife, which arises in just about all marriages that last for decades. Patty also confronted her own demons and reconciled with her parents before her father's death. This evolution is moving and fascinating.\n\nThough the book got off to a slow start for me - it is written in a less elegant style than the Corrections and it is uneven, with two long autobiographical sections that I did not feel quite worked - I became completely engrossed and hungry to learn what the characters would do and become. It is a long time since I got so involved with a novel, which is a gift for introspection and learning. There are many less central characters who are very interesting, such as the musician, whose professional world and inner life come alive on the page. There is such great subtlety in these characters as layers peel off of them, often revealed in a moment's reflection, a quote, and even a gesture. But the book requires a slow and very careful reading, in my opinion.\n\nWarmly recommended. Don't get this if you want a repeat of The Corrections. It is a different animal entirely.","Product: A brilliant book which studies the psychological conditions which made possible the development of capitalist civilization. The book analyzes the connection between the spread of Calvinism and a new attitude toward the pursuit of wealth in post-Reformation Europe and England, and attitude which permitted, encouraged--even sanctified--the human quest for prosperity.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: great idea, little proof\n\nReview: As part of my enquiry into the forces that the Reformation unleased, I decided to at last read this classic.\n\nAlas, it was disappointing in that Weber makes the assertion - that reformation-spawned ideologies were the foundation of the capitalist revolution - and then offers little historical explanation as proof of his thesis. Instead, what he does is to painstakingly describe the ideologies in question, to show that they are compatible conceptually with his definition of capitalism (the rise of an urban bourgeoisie that created wealth by investing in industry as a major new economic actor, eventaully leading to the eclipse of the old land-based aristocracy). As Hannah Ardnt said, so long as you are far enough from reality, you can make almost any ideas appear compatible. As such, I was unconvinced that a) the feeling of being among the elect made people work harder to prove it by material success and b) that a heightened sense of individuality that arose with separation from the papist ideologies augmented this pursuit of self-development via the massing of personal capital. While the protestant ideologies may conform vaguely to these notions, that does not in the slightest prove a direct causal connection. Indeed, one might argue that it was the repression by the Inquisition - against the bourgoise's challenge to traditional aristocrats - that may have delayed the development of capitalism in Catholic countries for a few centuries. (That capitalism did develop in many Catholic countries also undermines the book's prinicpal thesis.)\n\nThis essay is interesting as a pioneering attempt at sociological determinism from a rather existentialist perspective, but reading the whole thing was a bit much for me. Weber was a great and innovative thinker, however out of date his modes of reasoning have become - they are strictly qualitative. Not recommended except asof historical interest.","Product: Using council records, autobiographies, and firsthand descriptions, Brown allows great chiefs and warriors of the Dakota Ute, Cheyenne, and other tribes to tell us in their own words of the battles, and borken treaties that left them defeated.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: survey, from the victim's point of view, of the old west\n\nReview: Anyone interested in history should read this book. It is full of extremely poignant stories, each of which would make for a great film or TV mini-series. While it sometimes degnerates into polemic, the facts speak so loudly for themselves that they cannot be ignored.\nI gave this book as a gift to my wife when she was about to emigrate to the US, more than ten years ago. She gobbled it up and we still discuss it.\nWhen I read this book, I wanted to learn more, perhaps read an entire history, about every story or chapter. THere are fascinating characters that crop up, only to abruptly disappear, and many threads left uncovered. This is not a criticism, as it is a survey, but it was frustrating.\nYou will not forget this book. Get it.","Product: New\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: good story, if occasionally slow\n\nReview: This is a very good hard sci-fi novel, about a colony of humans on a distant planet that is visited by the remnants of the human race fleeing catastrophe. Having been seeded long long before, this colony had lost touch with the home world and developed a culture of its own, highly civilised and quite benign - they are peaceful and pursue their pleasures in an open and innocent way. However, underneath their oceans, an incredible transformation is taking place, perhaps one of the most significant in the history of the human race. Then the fleeing ships arrives, shaking things up with new ideas and desires. While avoiding spectacular adventure, this quiet novel is quite fascinating and chock full of intricately related ideas and systems, which are what Clarke portrays the best.\n\nWarmly recommended. It is an intellectual adventure to read this.","Product: \"Breathing Lessons\" covers the events of a day in the life of Maggie Moran, nearing fifty, married to Ira and with two children. Her eternal optimism and her inexhaustible passion for sorting out other people's lives and willing them to fall in love is severely tested one hot summer day. Maggie and Ira drive from Baltimore to Deer Lick to attend the funeral of the husband of Serena, Maggie's childhood friend. During the course of the journey, with its several unexpected detours - into the lives of old friends and grown children - Anne Tyler shows us all there is to know about a marriage: the expectations; the disappointments; the way children can create storms in a family; the way the wife and husband can fall in love all over again; the way that everything - and nothing - changes.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: life, in all its uplifting mediocrity\n\nReview: After reading the perfectly depressing \"Amateur Marriage\" I re-opened this novel, which I had read nearly two decades ago. In an instant, I was transported into the sad yet zany and hopeful world of Maggie: she meddles and fumbles, but has a good heart and never really messes anything up seriously. All of these lives are displayed with an arresting charm, through illusions, lost hopes, and the real value that there can be in a marriage that lasts in spite of all its frustrations and even its mediocrity. At least for me, this is very very moving and nakedly realistic, even wise. It is also charming in Tyler's hands and often comic without ever traducing the realism. Indeed, this novel has all of the virtues that \"Amateur\" lacked and I think it is a far better performance that addresses many of the same realities - just with characters that are more likable, more interesting, more fun.\nWarmly recommended as a masterpiece of the mundane. Tyler makes Baltimore - of all places! - immortal. I loved it.","Product: Set in the African republic of Botswana--the locale of his acclaimed short story collection, \"Whites\" --Norman Rush's novel simultaneously explores the highest of intellectual high grounds and the most tortuous ravines of the erotic. tackles the geopolitics of poverty and the mystery of what men and women really want.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: love, academia, and africa; fun, serious, and satirical.\n\nReview: Many of the reviews of this book here objected to the fact that the narrator is, well, self-important, verbose, presumptuous, and pretentious. While she may be all of these things, she is a very consistent and believable character, a budding academic trying to understand (and yes, label) the world in her hyper-intellectual way as she moves up from the working class. Anyone who has spent time on a college campus knows the type, and you either enjoy them or you don't. I found her very attractive and fun, though not someone I would ever want to become involved with, at least seriously.\nThrough this overly analytic character, we are introduced to life in a exotic backwater, Botswana, where she is trying to advance her stalled dissertation as well as find some romance. I found entry into that world fascinating and enticing, something that I will now never do though may have wanted to in the past. The plot centers on her entry into an experimental community that a brilliant (white) man helped to create and is managing, where women have a larger role than is usual in African societies and where decisions are discussed in a democratic way. While I have no idea if it is based on a real experience, it really has a lot of insight to offer into life in under-developed Africa. As superficial as it sounds, it helped me to imagine what was going on in the minds of many in villages I visited in S Africa on a recent project. I wanted to learn more, which is one of my tests for a good reading experience.\nThe portrait of this community is very dense, subtle, and multi-layered, as much a critique of development specialists and the bubble they live in as a satirical look at professional intellectuals: the authors are poking fun at her and at academia, rather than espousing her views and recondite perceptions. Yes, there is a nerdy twit inside the narrator as well (and she is aware of it and revels in it, too). I found this very funny and laughed a lot as I read it. Robertson Davies does very similar things and the reader is not supposed to take what he says at face value; what the author writes in not necessarily his point of view.\nThe love story at the center is also very moving, at least for me, if again over analyzed and verbalized to excess. It describes in wonderful detail the euphoria of the discovery of someone to love, in this case a younger woman with an older man. Again, I enjoyed it immensely and found it realistic: we have all been there (hopefully) and it is played out with wonderfully quirky characters. As the cover said, it is about love at its apogee. This is the only area in which I thought the author was not constantly poking fun. It is beautiful.\nSo I would warmly recommend this book, but it is a question of taste.","Product: For six hundred years, the Ottoman Empire swelled and declined. Islamic, martial, civilized, and tolerant, it advanced in three centuries from the dusty foothills of Anatolia to rule on the Danube and the Nile; at its height, Indian rajahs and the kings of France beseeched the empire's aid. In its last three hundred years the empire seemed ready to collapse, a prodigy of survival and decay. In this striking evocation of the empire's power, Jason Goodwin explores how the Ottomans rose and how, against all odds, they lingered on. In doing so, he also offers a long look back to the origins of problems that plague present-day Kosovars and Serbs.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: delightful, fascinating, and deep\n\nReview: This book offers a stark contrast to Kinross' The Ottoman Centuries. Kinross' book is dry, stuffily pedantic, and laden with the details of obscure territorial skirmishes. While I learned the outlines of Ottoman history in Kinross, it was this book that gave me a true flavor for that vanished world - who the people were, why they acted the way they did, and how things appeared in the context of the time. It is a dazzling and confidently erudite tour of life then (without a whiff of pretension), and I was utterly engrossed from the minute I opened the book. Indeed, I was not intending to read this now, but I simply could not put it down when I looked at it out of curiosity.\n\nThis is not conventional history, but a flowing narrative that skips around in time; the subject matter of the chapters are organized as dense essays on military affairs, the populations within the Empire, and governance practices. The author went directly to the original sources of memoirs, diplomatic correspondence, and military communiques, always good for the beautiful, quirky anecdote. Many readers did not like this loose style, but I thought it made the book extremely fun and readable and vivid. Nonetheless, without Kinross, this would have been a far more difficult read and perhaps at many points incomprehensible. As such, the books are complementary and can be read together at great profit. But this book is a genuine literary masterpiece that left me in awe of the author's talent.\n\nThe story is incredible: from a small band of tough nomads in the steppes of Asia, several outstanding leaders created the first truly professional army since the Roman age. To the aristocratic knights in Europe - bound by chivalric conventions and a cumbersome military apparatus with untrustworthy mercenaries - the Turks appeared as a terrifying and unstoppable force of fierce and disciplined warriors. For 200 years, they advanced into the heart of Europe and conquered large portions of Asia Minor and North Africa with dreams of world domination that appeared all too credible to contemporary observers. The Ottomans also created a multi-ethnic society that for the times was tolerant and inclusive, did not seek to convert its subjects (they could tax non-Muslims afterall), and was more or less a meritocracy based on ability more than privilege.\n\nUnfortunately, once the empiric expansion stopped, most of its virtues became deadly liabilities. During the Renaissance, the Ottoman Empire abruptly stalled and then became famously corrupt and decadent, after a series of leaders who can only be called military geniuses. Their administrative skills never advanced beyond the phenomenally innovative organization of military camps to reinvent the governance of Ottoman society. First, without the pillage income from continual conquest, revenues needed to be raised to pay the standing army. The responsibility for this fell to regional governors, who preyed upon local residents, severely undermining the authority of the state while creating a kind of aristocracy of privilege for themselves (and hence mediocrity). Second, the elite Janisseries - like the Praetorian guard of the Romans - realized the true extent of their power, and became corrupted and dangerous power brokers in Istanbul. Third, the command power of the Sultan, so useful in war, blocked the diffusion of power to a professional administrative caste, which remained under-developed into the 19th C. Effective pashas came and went, often strangled by the bowstring for failure, but they did not establish schools to train their successors. Fourth, the medieval mentality - an acceptance of fate that enabled Ottoman warriors to rush into battle with the fearlessness of religious true believers - gradually gave way to personal caution, as exemplified by the defensive behavior of its leaders. Fifth, the quality of the hereditary monarchic line declined after Suleyman the Magnificent, in large part because the Sultan's sons were more of less imprisoned in the Harem - a parallel universe of pleasure and bizarre political machination - rather than gaining experience as governors of provinces (as they had in the empire's early cneturies). Interestingly, none of the above issues became dead end problems in Europe, whose societies were evolving in some ways to explicitly to resolve them. Finally, the forces of nationalism created centrifugal forces that doomed the ancient mores that made such a vast, eclectic society possible, which I believe still stands as an example towards which we might strive in new ways in the current global society that is in formation.\n\nThis is one of those books that can fill the reader with wonder at the sweep of history and human possibility. It has turned my interest in Turkish history into an inspiration that will sustain me for the rest of my life. Recommended with the greatest enthusiasm. Indeed, contemporary Turkey remains one of the most important political experiments on the planet in our current crisis of civilization. It is astonishing that so few Americans understand this.","Product: slightly used yellowing pages shelf worn\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: essential to understanding the 20th Century\n\nReview: What marks this book from so many on the annihilation of the Jews in death camps is its brevity. The book is so spare that it is hard to understand the horror without reading it so slowly that you are practically reading it aloud. There are really vivid characters in it, who evolve in just a few paragraphs, a truly masterful encapsulation of lost lives. While there is nothing particularly remarkable about his writing style, Wiesel has created a classic here that will stand the test of time. It is so scary and devastating that I will never forget it.\n\nA teacher friend of mine began his class with a close reading of this book, and allowed me to witness the discussion. It moved children of all races to pose questions, both about history and what men are capable of and about themselves and their identities. It was brilliant.\n\nHighest recommendation.","Product: Cuckoos lay eggs in other birds' nests. The clutch that was fathered on the quiet little village of Midwich, one night in September, proved to possess a monstrous will of its own. Imt promised to make the human race look as dated as the dinosaur.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: absolutely first rate hard sci-fi, with very British character studies\n\nReview: Viewers of the excellent early film version of this may feel disappointed: the pace is slow, there is lots of dialogue, and the characters are hard to grasp. What's more, the children are more of a threatening presence - they cannot even be told apart reliably - than the active individuals of the film. But if the reader sticks with it, there are great rewards to be found.\n\nFirst, the principal story is about the village, Midwich, which is as normal a place in the English countryside as one can imagine. There is an extraordinary series of events, first a blackout of all residents in a well defined perimeter, and then the realization that all women of child-bearing age are simultaneously pregnant, about 60 women. The full first third of the novel portrays how residents attempt to deal with the pregnancies, how they establish a kind of solidarity between themselves, that will later prove brittle and prone to violence. It is here that the complex characters are estalished in a brilliant way that is imortant later.\n\nSecond, there is the enigma of the children, whose attributes are nothing short of extraordinary, in that they appear to have two massminds, one for girls and the other for boys. They are all able to impell the villagers to behave in certain ways, as in disallowing them to leave Midwich in a time of crisis. As they all appear to be clones, no individuals emerge. What is so wonderful is that so little is explained - virtually all of the action takes place off-stage, including what the children are planning beyond their survival. They remain a splendid mystery with cunningly placed details for the reader to piece together; many interpretations are possible, if the reader enjoys that kind of exercise of the imagination. Interestingly, it is never clear whether or not they can read minds, which is only implied obliquely, and there are limits to what they can see.\n\nThird, the reader never gets a clearly defined meaning for it all, beyond the fact that they are alien and constitute a threat, perhaps to humanity as a whole. Instead, the main characters speculate on it and discuss it, with some very unusual ideas floating about. This too can be great fun, but again, it is piecing together hints. I was left with a sense of mystery at the complexity of the universe, which is such a delight to a middle-aged mind!\n\nFinally, there is the action that a village leader decides to take. While there is very little actual violence, it is always a threat of dread to all the villagers. For all appearences out of character, the leader proves decisive and even prescient. But again, unlike the movie, very little of the final struggle is spelled out.\n\nThis is a splendid vehicle for the lively imagination. It is also very British, which will put many American readers off, as we explect clear and fast-paced action, unequivocal explanations, and a wrap-up (with the possibiltiy of a sequel). What you get is a large social drama with subtle characters, the recognition of a new \"threat of the jungle\" that is never defined and whose meaning remains a delicious mystery. Warmly recommended.","Product: This text presents a history of the American Civil War. It starts with an account of the years before the civil war and its causes - placing slavery firmly back in the centre stage - before discussing the war, the two sides, the international dimension, the position and role of the free blacks and slaves, to its outcome, the end of the war and reconstruction.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: stimulating the appetite for more\n\nReview: This book - probably the best one-volume Civil War history - is more than a simple survey: it is a very strong literary work as well, beautifully written and balanced. For all 900 or so pages, I was completely absorbed. Never once did I glumly look at the last page and calculate the percentage of the book that remained. It is the ideal starting point for anyone wishing to investigate the most disturbing episode of American history, a stepping off point that is also a pleasure to read. Afterall, what other survey histories won the Pulitzer prize?\nHowever, as a broad-brush history, I found myself quibbling with the author's choice of detail in the areas that I knew well. For example, I would have liked to see more coverage of the brutal race riots that occured in the Northern states, incidents that revealed extremely disturbing fault lines in race relations that persist to this day. By choosing to neglect this and other details, I felt that the author refrained from contemplating the deeper meaning of the war, even or providing the building blocks to do so. While interpretation is certainly not his primary task in a survey, it does get short shrift here.\nNonetheless, every American should read this book.","Product: Martin Goodman is Professor of Jewish Studies at Oxford and President of the Oxford Centre for Jewish and Hebrew Studies. He is a Fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford and the British Academy. His Rome and Jerusalem, published in 2008, was acknowledged as a landmark in the study of the Jewish people in the Roman Empire, and has been translated into six languages. In 2002 he edited the Oxford Handbook of Jewish Studies, which was awarded the National Jewish Book Award for Scholarship.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: the catastrophic collisions of Rome, Israel, and the early Christians\n\nReview: This is one of those dense history books that separates the true history buff (or academic) from the casual reader. Starting more or less from the reign of the Julio-Claudians - the first imperial dynasty of the Roman Empire after the fall of the Republic - the book compares the cultures when the vassalage of \"Judea\" (as worked out by Herod during Augustus' reign) functioned well, follows the deterioration of relations that culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem, and then examines the aftermath of repeated rebellion and the rise of Christians (and anti-Semitism). For many reasons, this is one of the most interesting historical nexuses there is.\n\nFirst, the Imperial Regime of Rome is consolidating itself. The republican forms, such as rule (or some checks and balance) by the Senate as well as alternation of power, still exist but are increasingly irrelevant. Instead, a kind of quasi-religious autocracy (hinting at a totalitarian regime) has firmly taken hold. From the prudent Augustus, you witness the decadent and perhaps senile Tiberius, the cruelly insane Caligula, the almost-great Claudius, and finally the unbalanced Nero - all the time, the institutions related to the transfer of power are increasingly in crisis, leading to the terrible year 69 CE, in which there were 4 emperors who took power in civil war. The Army and Praetorians emerge as vital power brokers for the rest of Rome's history. Goodman's treatment of these years covers it as a narrative, but also as political science and cultural critique. This was a special treat for me, as I have long hoped to find a detailed description of what Augustus' regime led to, and here it is, in great detail.\n\nSecond, the Jews had reached a crucial period that would define their religion and culture into the modern era: with their monotheism and strictly prescribed culture of purity and moral comportment, their \"tribal\" mentality was beginning to distinguish clearly who belonged and who didn't. Compared to the licentious Romans with their multiple gods and tolerance for diversity and morals, they appeared rigid and exotic. This filled the greatest gap in my historical knowledge and hence was most instructive for me, but it was very heavy going at times.\n\nThird, there were the Christians, who at that time were merely a sect of the Jews, in effect transforming their moral code to an evangelical universalism while discarding some of their practices, such as the circumcision that so horrified the Romans. Their numbers grew slowly, amazingly to become the official creed under the Emperor Constantine around 300 CE, almost totally divorced from its cultural and ethnic origins with the Jews.\n\nWhat the book accomplishes so masterfully is to explain how circumstances aligned themselves to create a terrible cataclysm for the Jews. It was at the time that Nero was ousted, he argues, that Vespasian - the military governor of the province of Assyria - needed the appearance of a major victory to make his claim to the office of Emperor. Somehow, under his son Titus, this meant crushing the Jews and perhaps even purposefully burning Herod's temple in 70 CE, though that may have been an accident as Goodman argues. The result was a fundamental disenfranchisement of nearly unprecedented savagery, which stamped the Jewish soul forever afterwards, as deeply as occurred over 1,000 years before, under the Egyptians. Interestingly, he argues that this was not at all inevitable but a direct consequence of the power struggles in Rome; the bitterness and rebelliousness it engendered among the Jews then led to a series of violent wars and periodical repression and persecution. Hadrian took over, in 117 CE, and after a major rebellion he turned old Jerusalem into a Roman colony, which lasted under the Byzantines until the Moslem conquests. Finally, Goodman sees the emergence of the Christians as the basis for anti-semitism, an argument that I didn't quite follow.\n\nFor anyone who can concentrate on historical detail, this is a great read full of insight and fascinating trains of reasoning. While academic and targeting a sophisticated audience with at least university education, it is beautifully written and flows in a uniquely informal style that incorporates rigorous logic and wonderful narrative description. Once I was with it, I deeply enjoyed it. Warmly recommended.","Product: John Julius Norwich's dazzling history of Venice from its origins to its eighteenth century fall. 'Lord Norwich has loved and understood Venice as well as any other Englishman has ever done. He has put readers of his generation more in his debt than any other English writer' - Peter Levi, \"The Sunday Times\".\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: 1400 years, told with panache and accuracy\n\nReview: This is a dazzling history of a unique political entity - an oligarchic republic surrounded by feudal autocracies, religiously moderate hundreds of years before toleration developed anywhere else, and a highly profitable form of public-private capitalism. In this splendid book, the reader is treated to the entire arc of rise, reign, and fall, in luminously beautiful prose and plenty of fascinating stories.\n\nIn the beginning, Venice was a stronghold for Roman citizens seeking refuge from waves of barbarian invasions, 2.5 miles off the coast, a backwater as the Western Roman empire crumbled. Then, as a client under the protection of Byzantium, Venice slowly rose to become the premier commercial power of the Mediterranean. As a small island, everyone knew each other, so had to act in a relatively trustworthy manner in a time that piracy was indistinguishable from trade. It helped that Venetian merchants stole the body of St. Mark, using it as the basis for cosmic legitimacy and lending a kind of ideological coherence to their community - they acted in concert in unique ways for over 1,000 years.\n\nThe Venetians developed effective laws, the greatest seamanship in existence, and amassed capital that it could use for further investment, mercenaries, and bribes. Its trading partners appreciated these attributes, i.e. that Venice was relatively more trustworthy than its competitors. Together, these attributes enabled Venice to establish a number of exceedingly profitable monopolies over centuries, in particular that on spice for Europe (transport via the silk road over Asia). Though it fought many brutal wars with competitors Genoa and Pisa, Venice emerged triumphant for a time.\n\nAbout 1200 a.d., Venice became an empire and reached its apogee, controlling a vast land and sea empire, often under the dangerous control of condottieri (knight mercenaries). It also moved into a unique public-private domain, in which the state had a strong hand in organizing the economy, in particular setting standards for sea vessels but also trading practices, maintaining the rule of law, and taking over the arsenal, which could produce fully functional war galleys in a matter of hours, with strategic cutting-edge technology for the time. These attributes made it an even more dependable trading agent for its allies and partners - they knew where the ships were, what their quality would be, etc .It is during this period that the Doge, Enrico Dandalo, led the warriors of the 4th Crusade to sack Byzantium, the most shameful despoliation of a civilized capital in the history of Christendom.\n\nBut already, as the Renaissance was beginning to flower, the seeds of Venice's decline were sown. Most important, mastery of trade slipped from Venetian hands once the Portugese discovered the cape route around Africa - the Mediterranean was no longer the center of the world, immediately consigning Venice to backwater status in the Adriatic. It never recovered. Second, the Ottoman Empire was also challenging Christendom, a force against which the disunified West could not compete. After Constantinople fell, Venice was the only true bulwark against the Ottomans. Third, with its haughty distance, pragmatic cynicism, and naked self interest, Venice had made innumerable enemies in Europe, and faced a series of wars against huge coalitions such as the league of Cambrai.\n\nStill, for centuries, the Venetians were able to pull together and recover in ways that awed its adversaries. It is astonishing to read how often Venice was on the edge of complete ruin, only to emerge renewed and powerful, to fight its way to survival and then dominence. A great deal of this was due to its unique political system, which allowed fresh infusions of talent into leadership circles at crucial times and institutionalized the alternance of power. However, with the loss of trade, the energy of Venice was eventually sapped, leading to a long decline and a tenuous diplomatic balancing act (of which Casanova was a part) as the forces of revolution were rumbling in 18th C France; eventually, it became a tourist pleasure spot of wild indulgences and petty intrigue. Once it fell to the young Napoleon, though looted, Venice was never destroyed - it was the first occupation by a foreign power in its 1400 year history.\n\nThis is an incredible story, in many ways as a coherent span of time equal to Rome itself. You can tell that this book was a labor of love - every page is engaging and elegantly written. The feeling of witnessing history unfold is rarely so well executed, truly it is an inspiration and source of wonder.\n\nWarmly recommended.","Product: John Julius Norwich's dazzling history of Venice from its origins to its eighteenth century fall. 'Lord Norwich has loved and understood Venice as well as any other Englishman has ever done. He has put readers of his generation more in his debt than any other English writer' - Peter Levi, \"The Sunday Times\".\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: 1400 years, told with panache and accuracy\n\nReview: This is a dazzling history of a unique political entity - an oligarchic republic surrounded by feudal autocracies, religiously moderate hundreds of years before toleration developed anywhere else, and a highly profitable form of public-private capitalism. In this splendid book, the reader is treated to the entire arc of rise, reign, and fall, in luminously beautiful prose and plenty of fascinating stories.\n\nIn the beginning, Venice was a stronghold for Roman citizens seeking refuge from waves of barbarian invasions, 2.5 miles off the coast, a backwater as the Western Roman empire crumbled. Then, as a client under the protection of Byzantium, Venice slowly rose to become the premier commercial power of the Mediterranean. As a small island, everyone knew each other, so had to act in a relatively trustworthy manner in a time that piracy was indistinguishable from trade. It helped that Venetian merchants stole the body of St. Mark, using it as the basis for cosmic legitimacy and lending a kind of ideological coherence to their community - they acted in concert in unique ways for over 1,000 years.\n\nThe Venetians developed effective laws, the greatest seamanship in existence, and amassed capital that it could use for further investment, mercenaries, and bribes. Its trading partners appreciated these attributes, i.e. that Venice was relatively more trustworthy than its competitors. Together, these attributes enabled Venice to establish a number of exceedingly profitable monopolies over centuries, in particular that on spice for Europe (transport via the silk road over Asia). Though it fought many brutal wars with competitors Genoa and Pisa, Venice emerged triumphant for a time.\n\nAbout 1200 a.d., Venice became an empire and reached its apogee, controlling a vast land and sea empire, often under the dangerous control of condottieri (knight mercenaries). It also moved into a unique public-private domain, in which the state had a strong hand in organizing the economy, in particular setting standards for sea vessels but also trading practices, maintaining the rule of law, and taking over the arsenal, which could produce fully functional war galleys in a matter of hours, with strategic cutting-edge technology for the time. These attributes made it an even more dependable trading agent for its allies and partners - they knew where the ships were, what their quality would be, etc .It is during this period that the Doge, Enrico Dandalo, led the warriors of the 4th Crusade to sack Byzantium, the most shameful despoliation of a civilized capital in the history of Christendom.\n\nBut already, as the Renaissance was beginning to flower, the seeds of Venice's decline were sown. Most important, mastery of trade slipped from Venetian hands once the Portugese discovered the cape route around Africa - the Mediterranean was no longer the center of the world, immediately consigning Venice to backwater status in the Adriatic. It never recovered. Second, the Ottoman Empire was also challenging Christendom, a force against which the disunified West could not compete. After Constantinople fell, Venice was the only true bulwark against the Ottomans. Third, with its haughty distance, pragmatic cynicism, and naked self interest, Venice had made innumerable enemies in Europe, and faced a series of wars against huge coalitions such as the league of Cambrai.\n\nStill, for centuries, the Venetians were able to pull together and recover in ways that awed its adversaries. It is astonishing to read how often Venice was on the edge of complete ruin, only to emerge renewed and powerful, to fight its way to survival and then dominence. A great deal of this was due to its unique political system, which allowed fresh infusions of talent into leadership circles at crucial times and institutionalized the alternance of power. However, with the loss of trade, the energy of Venice was eventually sapped, leading to a long decline and a tenuous diplomatic balancing act (of which Casanova was a part) as the forces of revolution were rumbling in 18th C France; eventually, it became a tourist pleasure spot of wild indulgences and petty intrigue. Once it fell to the young Napoleon, though looted, Venice was never destroyed - it was the first occupation by a foreign power in its 1400 year history.\n\nThis is an incredible story, in many ways as a coherent span of time equal to Rome itself. You can tell that this book was a labor of love - every page is engaging and elegantly written. The feeling of witnessing history unfold is rarely so well executed, truly it is an inspiration and source of wonder.\n\nWarmly recommended.","Product: In 1995 Richard Dawkins became the first holder of the Charles Simonyi Chair of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University. He is the bestselling author of THE SELFISH GENE, CLIMBING MOUNT IMPROBABLE (Penguin, 1996) and UNWEAVING THE RAINBOW (Penguin, 1998).\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: eloquent, at times brilliant, but a bit much\n\nReview: I greatly enjoyed this book, which is a splendid introduction and defence of neo-Darwinism. Like the best of SJ Gould, the book has real flavor because its author has a strong point of view; but just Dawkins' writing style - clear, bold, beautiful - should make it a classic of the popularization genre.\nHowever, the strong view also points to bias, in Dawkins' case a combination of strict genetic determinism and an obsession with computer analogies. Frankly, computer simulations and pseudo-discovery stories, which over-rated magazines like WIRED promote and hype ad infinitum, are boring: so many of these books on \"complexity\" etc. just repeat the same stuff. Unfortunately, a lot of that seems to have originated with Dawkins, who at least does it better than most of his copiers.","Product: Citizens\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: spectacular panorama of a watershed\n\nReview: This has got to be one of the best history books I have ever read. Unlike his other books, which all to often get lost in sensuous detail, this one is a perfect balance of analysis and portraits of the quirkiness of the human condition. In other words, you get a flavor for the vast array of people involved, while the narrative follows well trod lines. It is an immensely complex story. The result is a masterpiece and truly great.\nSchama's take on the Revolution is that what happened was far more richly textured than the crude class-based analyses that have held sway for too long. In what I believe is a convincing performance, he shows that not only was (the politically inept) Louis XVI pursuing many progressive agendas for change, but that it was the aristocrat-intellectuals who formed the basis of the Revolutionary leadership and not bourgeois or working class heroes. What made it so violent, in this reading, was the collapse of the old order and then the struggles that ensued for the control of the instruments of military and police power. It was the birth of the popular army, he concludes, and not the abstract ideals enshrined in official propaganda, that was the real legacy of the Revolution and the basis for Napoleon's later military dominance.\nWhat makes it all such a watershed event was that it was the first example of the passions unleashed by nationalist fanaticism: the jacobans led directly to the communards and then the more purified revolutionary violences of fascism and marxist-leninism. Reading of the horrors of the Terror, this is also convincing (and frightening).\nOne of the greatest pleasures of this book is the personalities that Schama describes in loving detail, as they appear and re-appear at crucial moments. You get the heavyweights Lafayette and Talleyrand, but also innumerable lesser known characters, whose lives and fates the author takes to symbolise the Revolution's legacy. If you know Paris, you learn who a lot of the people were whose names are on the streets and the institutions, such as Necker and de la Tour du Pin. That made it especially fun for me, but that is personal.\nThat being said, the book is occasionally uneven. Though Schama tells a great story in the most elegant of prose, there are sections that read as if it were written too fast. Moreover, the story is so complex that some basic details, such as what the people in the various factions actually thought and stood for, are lost or obscured by the endless succession of stories.\nWarmly recommended.","Product: Watchers\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: the dark underside of Queen Elizabeth's rule\n\nReview: I got this book because I found the portrayals of Walsingham and Burghley in the films Elizabeth and Elizabeth I so fascinating that I wanted to read an account by a historian about what they represented and did. In the film, they combined politics, courtly intrigue, and the brutal tactics of espionage and war against the backdrop of the Reformation in the late 16C, with fascinating and cunning enemies.\n\nThe book starts off magnificently, with a recap of Elizabeth's reign and a sketch of the general situation of the Reformation in Europe. I enjoyed it very much for the glimpse it offers into statecraft as absolutism was coming into full flower. The book is fun in that it illuminates with great clarity what personalities in the film versions were really like, particularly in their more shady dealings. While this is available in the many excellent bios of Queen Elizabeth, the focus on these aspects is exactly what I was looking for. Essentially, Walsingham and Burghley created a network of paid informants that provided crucially important information about assassination plots and military threats to Britain from the catholic powers.\n\nHowever, when it gets to the details of how the spying was done, it bogs down in detail that is of little interest to lay readers - I found how the spies were vetted and precisely how they accomplished what they did to be of lesser interest - and they form the bulk of the book. While the book does not come off as particularly academic in tone, it would in fact be of more interest to specialists in my opinion.\n\nRecommended with these caveats.","Product: Text: English, Dutch (translation)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: classic view of aesthetics and life\n\nReview: I first read this book 25 years ago in college. At the time, it was one of those book I just wanted to get through for a grade, but there were details of it I remembered, such as the common practice of sllicing apples into thirds to represent the Trinity.\nWell, picking up this book to re-read while living in Europe turned out to be a far greater pleasure than I imagined. Huizinga offers an elegant portrait of an entire era, the Late Middle Ages, in both visual and intellectual detail. You learn about codes of honor, the different ways in which life was perceived, and the practices of love. It is beautifully written and vivid.\nThere are limitation to the approach, of course. It is not about economics or living standards. It does not function as a survey, and hence the reader must have solid knowledge of medieval history before starting the book. You will have to get these elsewhere. But if you come to this book with the right expectations, it is fascinating and wonderful from cover to cover.\nWarmly recommended.","Product: Will be shipped from US. Used books may not include companion materials, may have some shelf wear, may contain highlighting/notes, may not include CDs or access codes. 100% money back guarantee.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: grand intellectual history of an idea for action\n\nReview: This is the story of the journey of an idea - that of engineering a society conceived as an organism - from its roots in the romantic movement with Michelet to Lenin, the ultimate man of action, on the threshold of power. Only Edmund Wilson, whose erudition as an autodidact was unsurpassed in his time, could have pulled this off: the ideas and inspiration pulse with life on every page. You get to know Marx, ENgels, and scores of other characters intimately as they dream of building a socialist order that would fundamentally re-order society and its economy. WHile I was never a sympathiser for communism, this most certainly gave me a feeling for the seductive beauty of the dream. THere is even a forward by Wilson, who admits to being overly optimistic, that what he chronicled with such excitment actually led to \"one of the most horrible tyrannies in the history of mankind.\" THis is intellectual history at its very best, freed in the hands of a master writer from the pedantry and puffery of academia, and unflinching in the audacity of its partisan interpretations. Also beautifully written, it is a window into the hopes and dream of the 20C.\nWarmly recommended.","Product: Back in print after five years, this is award-winning Octavia Butler's thrilling paternist novel about a reincarnate and a healer who travel together through exotic lands and centuries of time. Advertising in Locus, Science Fiction Chronicle and Amazing. Reissue.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: virtuoso performance, truly the greatest\n\nReview: I have read this at least 6 times, and on each reading, I see more and marvel at the characterization and construction of this novel.\n\nThis is spell-binding sci fi. It has it all: characters, concept, and the sweep of time that create that sense of wonder you find in the best literature. I have re-read this novel three times, and each time I find it better than the last: with hauntingly crisp images, compelling and very human issues, a kind of universality that is almost inevitably missing in genre fiction. The most amazing thing is that the reader can suspend his disbelief and abosrb all this weirdness as if it were occuring. And the characters are almost all black, from specially-bred mutant strains in Africa to fugitives from an evil immortal in America.\n\nThe plot revolves around a wise woman mutant, who was born in Africa. She is immortal, a shape shifter who can read genetic information by tasting it, and profoundly moral being. She is approached by Doro, another mutant, who has an agenda into which she might fit. What follows is an epic battle of wills, from the 17C to the 19C, that changes both of them profoundly.\n\nButler continually grew as a writer, and perhaps was one of the best contemporary novelists in America. Recommended with the greatest enthusiasm.","Product: Title: Revolutionaries( A New History of the Invention of America) <>Binding: Paperback <>Author: JackRakove <>Publisher: MarinerBooks\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Founding fathers not as born to greatness but as achieving it\n\nReview: This is a delightfully fresh look at the founding fathers. From the outset, Rakove states that he wants to look at them not as men destined for holy greatness, but as completely typical of their milieu and times; the revolution, in this view, offered them as unique opportunity to distinguish themselves and set the country on a course they thought best - and many different directions were possible. This creates a stark contrast to the assumption behind most other treatments, i.e. that they were uniquely wise geniuses who had a mission to create exactly what they did to perfection. Nonetheless, he maintains that what they did accomplish - through negotiation, reflection, and compromise - was extraordinary.\n\nIn this way, you see Washington as a conventional plantation man, who had little military experience when compared to the professionals form Europe, yet grew into his role as generalissimo and then politician once the opportunity presented itself. Similarly, Franklin was a businessman and scientist, comfortable with England as his adopted home, but he transformed himself into a formidable diplomat, securing the indispensable commitment of Louis XVI to aid America militarily. Madison, Jefferson, Adams, and Hamilton receive the same treatment, with emphasis on their evolution as leaders and thinkers. Each of those founders - the colossuses of the revolution - is viewed from a different angle, that of how they developed professionally. It is fun and a great review of events that have settled too easily into myth.\n\nMost interestingly, Rakove gives a great deal of space to lesser known figures, who had their own visions and ideas, some of what could have led to significantly different political outcomes. One of the most fascinating was the audacious John Laurens, the son of a plantation owner who advocated offering freedom and citizenship rights to slaves who fought for the revolutionary cause. He was an intimate of Hamilton and quite a firebrand. But there is also Dickinson, an early political celebrity whose career was fatally damaged by his refusal to advocate a break with Britain in 1776. He comes off very sympathically, as does Morris and Monroe.\n\nHowever, it is not always easy to perceive where Rakove is headed or why he includes certain details. While he does address many of the central dilemmas of the time - the strange moral disapproval of slavery by slave-owners who had the power to do something about it and chose not to, for example - I felt that the book left me hanging in the end with more questions than answers. Of course, this ambiguity can be a plus, because it inspires me to read further, but I was expecting more of a resolution or even summing up than the author offers.\n\nThat being said, this is a truly new history on many might-have-beens. I will no doubt feel compelled to re-read this at a later date and may view it differently, so dense is the perspective and detail. Rakove is also a beautiful writer. Warmly recommended.","Product: Brand NEW. We ship worldwide\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: decay and (introverted) passion\n\nReview: Perhaps it is true that you either love Pamuk or don't. I find that once I adapt myself to his style, what he is offering is simply wonderful. You carry your expectations to a book, and with Pamuk I never know what to expect. This memoir is a description of his native city and his family, as a gateway into the mind of an unusual autodidact, extremely introverted and melancholy, yet passionately committed to his art.\n\nThese three levels are the core themes of the book, which plays lots of games with its structure and images that readers can unravel if that is their bag. First, there is Istanbul - a character in the book, just like his mother and brother - a city that is in decline from its glory as the Ottoman Empire's capital city. From the heights of sophistication and colonial richness, it has entered the modern age as a decapitated giant of ruins with a crumbling (and extremely present) past. One of Pamuk's favorite childhood pastimes was to watch old Pasha mansions burn down, another was to watch disasters on the Bosphorus. But the feeling of decay and loss pervades everything, seeps into the heart of everyone, esp. the author. He breathes this decay with a never-ending fascination and love, finding in poverty and even mediocrity a key to his own identity.\n\nThe second level is his family, which is squandering its wealth from the previous generation and squabbling over a painfully unbalanced marriage. It is a mirror of the decline of the city, of course, and Pamuk must decide what to do. That is the third theme, which brings it all together: how he can carve out a role for himself as an artist, in a society that has little place for them. In addition to European writers, Pamuk focuses on a few artistic Turks, but again, they are not what you'd expect: writers who published virtually nothing in their lifetimes, even an encyclopaedist, who stops at the letter K. Again, the descriptions are as astonishing as they are understated, a window into a developing talent and alien world.\n\nFinally, the book is packed with wonderful photos, engravings, and paintings. I wish they were of higher quality than in my edition.\n\nThere is a political subtext to it, of course: Ataturk's secular revolution is woefully incomplete: while the empire is gone, nothing has risen that can quite take its place. What you get is a half-formed society, extremely sad at its decline, but somehow proud and contented in its particular melancholy, or Huzun. The expression of this is absolutely wonderful and vivid, yet understated and infinitely subtle.\n\nThis is what this book said to me. I got a feeling for Turkey that was completely unexpected, and it will fuel my own passion for history for years. That being said, this book is not for everyone. It is about the life of the mind in a place that many will find obscure and depressing. Also, Pamuk is so introverted that many readers will not identify with him. And his style is extremely quirky.\n\nWarmly recommended. I got a wonderful sense of the passage of history and human struggle and identity unlike anything I have ever read.","Product: This is a book about the meaning of time, what it is, when it has started, how it flows and where to. It examines the consequences of Einstein's theory of relativity and offers startling suggestions about what recent research may reveal.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: a world class populariser\n\nReview: Unfortunately, though cosmology is only the crudest projection of their abstractions by some physicists on the cosmos, it has become a staple of pop philosophy. From black holes to the big bang, cosmologists have created a new vocabulary that pops in the unlikeliest of places today, far outside of their original and strictly qualified scientific domains.\nDavies is a rarity amoung popular science writers. Not only does he stick to hard science without over-simplifying, but he avoids the excesses in speculative claims that boosters foist on the uninformed public. In clear and concise prose, he examines the cutting edge of the field of time, as framed by Einstein and extended by recent research and observations, with grace and humor. It is a masterly performance.\nWhile he does not avoid the fantastical worlds that may be beckoning, such as a black hole being a gateway to the end of time, Davies never neglects the flip side of such phenomena: any ship that went into a black hole would probably be crushed or would be unable to communicate what it had found, as not even light can escape.\nTHis also means that, while Davies explains the building blocks of the new cosmology with unusual clarity, he also exposes the flimsiness of its foundations. We do not know, for example, what constitutes 9/10s of the mass of the universe! Nor can we explain many of the oberservations of the Hubble telescope, such as the discovery of stars that appear to be older than the universe itself. Now THAT more is exciting than off-the-wall speculation! Our theories, Davies demonstrates, are far from complete.","Product: In 1863, Amsterdam Vallon returns to the Five Points area of New York City seeking revenge against Bill the Butcher, his father's killer.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: horrific historical film that succeeds in spite of the manufactured melodrama\n\nReview: I feel ambivalent about this film. On the one hand, the raw portrayal of a shameful period in American history is a great success. You get not only the gang culture with sharp ethnic and religious divides, but also the volatile race hatreds, the systemic corruption, and lawlessness. It is extremely ugly and violent, something that we Americans would prefer to ignore. On the other hand, the plot is based on a crude, fictional melodrama - boy wanting vengeance on the evil murderer of his father and finding love with a beautiful thief - and it didn't work for me. I couldn't suspend my disbelief, but felt that it was a hollywood formula, lacking much life. Not even Daniel Day-Lewis, as the baddie, is much more than a cartoon, as is his sometime ally, boss Tweed. I thought that Di Caprio, who I think is a truly fine actor, was better, but he couldn't quite transcend the stereotypical role.\n\nI watched this again because I had just read a wonderful book on the period, What Hath God Wrought. The author recommends the film. From a historical point of view, 1815-1865 was a watershed era, when police forces but also the reach of the federal government were hugely expanded, essentially wiping out local cultures based on lawless gangs. The film shows this very well, beginning with a brutal street battle and ending with the draft riot of 1863, in which mobs took over the city for many days. This is food for thought.\n\nIn spite of my dislike for the principal plot line, there is a lot of good acting in this, but almost exclusively by minor characters. They provide the atmospherics that the melodrama so glaringly fails to do. The sets are extremely well done. The extras in my DVD version are also interesting, in particular the 2 documentaries.\n\nRecommended with caution. Unfortunately, this is not a Scorsese film that you simply believe in your gut from the first frame.","Product: John Julius Norwich was born in 1929. He joined the British Foreign Service after studying French and Russian at Oxford, and left the service in 1964 to become a writer. He has also worked extensively in radio and television, hosting the popular BBC radio panel game My Word! for several years, and writing and presenting historical documentaries. His many books include an acclaimed Byzantium trilogy., John Julius, 2nd Viscount Norwich, was born in 1929, the son of the statesman and diplomat Alfred Duff Cooper (1st Viscount) and the Lady Diana Cooper. He was educated at Upper Canada College, Toronto, at Eton, at the University of Strasbourg and on the lower deck of the Royal Navy before taking a degree in French and Russian at New College, Oxford. In 1952 he joined the Foreign Service, where he remained for twelve years, serving at the embassies in Belgrade and Beirut and with the British Delegation to the Disarmament Conference at Geneva. In 1964 he resigned from the service in order to write. His many and varied publications include two books on the medieval Norman Kingdom in Sicily, The Normans in the South and The Kingdom in the Sun, which are published by Faber Finds; The Architecture of Southern England; Glyndebourne; and A History of Venice, originally published in two volumes. He is also the author of a three-volume history of the Byzantine Empire. He has written and presented some thirty historical documentaries for television, and is a regular lecturer on Venice and numerous other subjects.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: a lush narrative history about a uniquely dynamic people\n\nReview: This is an excellent popular history of the Normans - the Viking people that occupied NW France, got feudal recognition and were absorbed into the local culture, and then expanded outward with exceptional dynamism. Theirs was an absolutely remarkable rise, from pillagers to nobility and finally, statesmen and relatively enlightened sovereigns. While their takeover of Britain (the last time the island was invaded, let alone conquered) is well known, their career in the South has received relatively little attention. This wonderfully readable book remedies that in a series of stories that are at once scholarly and fun.\n\nWhen the Normans arrived in southern Italy, they were little more than a mercenary force, indeed thieves. They may have been able to boast they were born of French feudal lords, but they were essentially adventurers with nothing. Their brutality was as remarked upon as their thirst for status and glory. At the time of their arrival in 1016, Italy was uneasily divided between the germanic Lombards, Greeks with ties to Byzantium, and the papacy. Sicily was occupied at the time by various sultans, a culturally rich if unstable mix with Greeks and Latins as well.\n\nThe Normans, and in particular the family of the Hautevilles, came onto the scene and clawed their way to the top. Robert, dubbed the Guiscard, became a major figure, eventually gaining the title of Duke of Apulia from the Pope, who annointed sovereigns all over western christendom. With his brother Roger, with whom he occasionally warred, he brought order to the South and opened an invasion of Sicily. Though constantly at war with unruly lords sworn to him under feudal obligation, Robert was merciful and tolerant once in power, to the surprise of his critics. Both of them were leaders of genius, combining brute force with diplomacy, winning loyalty from locals, if sometimes allowing their knights to pillage conquered territories. Their rise is all the more remarkable in that they rarely had more than a few hundred Normal followers in their fighting forces, with locals making up the difference in infantry and shock troops.\n\nOnce Robert installed Roger in Sicily - with the barest beach head bases and a fighting force of 300 knights or so - he left him to his own devices. SLowly, Roger conquered the island, toppling one Emir at a time, developing a navy, and patiently waiting out many a rebellion. Because he needed local support, he was tolerant of both arabs and greeks, allowing them to keep their religious observances and cultures while opening administrative and military careers to talent from their ranks. The result was an astounding success, with a leadership unusually enlightened for the times. Roger's only surviving son, Roger II, took over and continued these shrewd and prudent policies, playing off the rivalries of the papal court to be ordained as King of the South. That is where the book ends, with Sicily on the verge of becoming the greatest beacon of culture and commerce of its age.\n\nThis is a delight to read, though it took me a while to get into it. There are flashes of analyses of historical forces, wonderful sketches of the personalities, and painting of the wider context as the Crusades begin.\n\nRecommended warmly.","Product: Cook’s Illustrated is a widely renowned America’s Test Kitchen brand that is the work of over 60 passionate chefs based in Boston, Massachusetts, who put ingredients, cookware, equipment, and recipes through objective, rigorous testing to identify the very best. America’s Test Kitchen brands are well-known for top-rated television shows with more than 4 million weekly public television viewers, bestselling cookbooks, magazines, websites, and a cooking school. Discover, learn, and expand your cooking repertoire with Julia Collin Davison, Bridget Lancaster, Jack Bishop, Dan Souza, Lisa McManus, Tucker Shaw, Bryan Roof, and our fabulous team of test cooks!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: how-to cooking methods explained - scientifically\n\nReview: If you are like me, you love to cook but the results of your efforts are sometimes frustratingly inconsistent. Even if you read your recipes very carefully, there are levels of expertise that are sometimes assumed, hence unaddressed. Really good cooks have a feel for these things that are hard to transmit, and often say that you just have to learn by trial and error, also frustrating.\n\nThis book is the perfect remedy to these problems: you can look up how to do things, which they have carefully proven by exhaustive experiment, and written down in a succinct way, with plenty of scientific detail if you are so inclined.\n\nYou can look up almost anything and get practical advice on how to do it better. The index is excellent, the table of contents broken down by method - so techniques are easy to find.\n\nFor example, I only recently began to cook steak (my wife doesn't like it, but now the kids want it). No matter what I did, it almost always turned out too tough, unless I bought a very expensive cut. So I looked up a method in this book: marinate in oil and salt, then heat it gently first in the oven, before pan frying it at high heat. They discuss all other methods, such as pure pan frying and explain why slow heating works best. It works every single time. The same goes for beans, chickens, and veggies: there are simple things you can do to vastly improve the taste. Indeed, I am learning what I have been doing slightly wrong for the last 25 years of cooking! It is a revelation.\n\nThat being said, there are some things the book is not. First, it is not about nutrition, which doesn't appear in the index. Second, it is not a recipe book, except to illustrate the concepts they wish to introduce - its recipes are pretty normal, which is of course fine. Third, it is not a science book, though that aspect is interesting as well, if you want to go there.\n\nWhat you can do with this is supplement your favorite recipes, study it for practical tips, or learn what is happening when you cook. I couldn't be more pleased. Warmly recommended.","Product: We sell Rare, out-of-print, uncommon, & used BOOKS, PRINTS, MAPS, DOCUMENTS, AND EPHEMERA. We do not sell ebooks, print on demand, or other reproduced materials. Each item you see here is individually described and imaged. We welcome further inquiries.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: his great (and chilling) masterpiece\n\nReview: This is one of the finest novels of the 19C. It chronicles the relentless rise - and inevitable, brutal fall - of a talented and highly ambitious young man during the French restoration. You witness Julian, from his abusive childhood at a sawmill, as he gains the position of a tutor with the local gentry on the strength of his having memorised the entire Vulgate Bible, into the highest ranks of the aristocracy. All around him, there are characters in equal parts fascinating and pathetic, perhaps more interesting than he and yet his victims.\nThe protagonist Julian is at times cold, calculating, shrewd, a fool, and very sad, desperately in need of love. But he is always realistic psychologically and cunning, if lucky and then very unlucky. Julian bursts all of the limits imposed on him and in the process indicts the society from which he sprung and gained. This is utterly spellbinding fiction, into which you can go as deeply as you wish, from simple emotional reactions and an exploration of a rigid society, to structuralist symbolism if that is your bag.\nHighest recommendation.","Product: an odd heinlen\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: disappointing potboiler of body switch\n\nReview: This is a clunkily written book about an old man who has his brain implanted into the body of a young woman. Not only is the method unrealistic - as they are compatible by blood type the surgeons just match the brain stems and don't worry about which nerve goes where - but the story is way too long. Naturally, there is a dialogue that goes on between the 2 people in the body, and it is not bad but there is nothing much interesting about it except perhaps when the old man discovers sex as a female. The atmospherics are not bad, as the earth is falling into a kind of political chaos from totally unregulated capitalism, but this is only a backdrop. I just never quite believed in either the characters or the situation.\n\nRecommended tepidly.","Product: Title: Dune, Frank Herbert (Hardcover)\nBinding: Hardcover\nClassics of Modern Literature\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Re-reading this after 30 years, it still measures up\n\nReview: I have been watching the TV mini-series on this for some time, and decided to go back to the novel to re-visit my perceptions and interpretation. It is so strange to picture my younger self reading this with such awe and fascination to the person of today. My love for this was strong and unchanged.\n\nAll I can say is that this is one of the most dense and deliciously well written scifi novels that I have ever read. From virtually any standpoint, the reader can ponder science (ecology, genetic evolution, anthropology), politics (the organization of the great houses and empire, the Bene Gesserit, the jihad), religion, and even human destiny (collective and individual). Indeed, the book is like a handbook of academic disciplines that culminated in the 20C.\n\nThis adds up to a fecundity of the story as an adventure of the imagination that is unparalelled in scifi and that pushes this into the realm of a great novel of any genre. Even the characters are wonderfully full-lived and subtle. Look at the evolution of Paul and his cryptic utterances late in the book. Of course, you have history and luck, but then there is the unpredictable X-factor, the spice and its effect on humans, which will change human evolution. It evoked the same sense of wonder at human possibility and unpredictability that I felt as a youth.\n\nWhat is so much fun is that Herbert does not explain the whole thing, but gives the reader enough clues to interpret it while also creating the seeds of future possibilities. Though I have read all the books, I saw so much more at this re-reading to know that I will read this yet again, perhaps in 20 years. Now I will have to go all the way back through the 6-novel cycle!\n\nOne of the very best. Warmly recommended.","Product: Title: Dune, Frank Herbert (Hardcover)\nBinding: Hardcover\nClassics of Modern Literature\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Re-reading this after 30 years, it still measures up\n\nReview: I have been watching the TV mini-series on this for some time, and decided to go back to the novel to re-visit my perceptions and interpretation. It is so strange to picture my younger self reading this with such awe and fascination to the person of today. My love for this was strong and unchanged.\n\nAll I can say is that this is one of the most dense and deliciously well written scifi novels that I have ever read. From virtually any standpoint, the reader can ponder science (ecology, genetic evolution, anthropology), politics (the organization of the great houses and empire, the Bene Gesserit, the jihad), religion, and even human destiny (collective and individual). Indeed, the book is like a handbook of academic disciplines that culminated in the 20C.\n\nThis adds up to a fecundity of the story as an adventure of the imagination that is unparalelled in scifi and that pushes this into the realm of a great novel of any genre. Even the characters are wonderfully full-lived and subtle. Look at the evolution of Paul and his cryptic utterances late in the book. Of course, you have history and luck, but then there is the unpredictable X-factor, the spice and its effect on humans, which will change human evolution. It evoked the same sense of wonder at human possibility and unpredictability that I felt as a youth.\n\nWhat is so much fun is that Herbert does not explain the whole thing, but gives the reader enough clues to interpret it while also creating the seeds of future possibilities. Though I have read all the books, I saw so much more at this re-reading to know that I will read this yet again, perhaps in 20 years. Now I will have to go all the way back through the 6-novel cycle!\n\nOne of the very best. Warmly recommended.","Product: Will be shipped from US. Used books may not include companion materials, may have some shelf wear, may contain highlighting/notes, may not include CDs or access codes. 100% money back guarantee.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: essential to understanding the 20th Century\n\nReview: What marks this book from so many on the annihilation of the Jews in death camps is its brevity. The book is so spare that it is hard to understand the horror without reading it so slowly that you are practically reading it aloud. There are really vivid characters in it, who evolve in just a few paragraphs, a truly masterful encapsulation of lost lives. While there is nothing particularly remarkable about his writing style, Wiesel has created a classic here that will stand the test of time. It is so scary and devastating that I will never forget it.\n\nA teacher friend of mine began his class with a close reading of this book, and allowed me to witness the discussion. It moved children of all races to pose questions, both about history and what men are capable of and about themselves and their identities. It was brilliant.\n\nHighest recommendation.","Product: Tim Blanning is the author of a number of major works on eighteenth century Europe, including The Pursuit of Glory : Europe 1648-1815, The Culture of Power and the Power of Culture and Joseph II. He is Emeritus Professor of Modern European History at the University of Cambridge, a Fellow of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge and a Fellow of the British Academy. His latest book, Frederick the Great, won the British Academy Medal 2016.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great themes of Enlightenment, the emergence of the nation-state, and the notion of democracy\n\nReview: I bought this book in order to read about the aftermath of the Thirty Years War, in which the notion of national sovereignty essentially overtook the extreme fragmentation of the feudal era. What I found instead was a dazzling exposition of the evolution of European society from 1648 to 1815, when Absolutism and the Enlightenment reigned, the State was consolidated and then challenged by the \"nation\", and the democratic political revolution began and failed, ending in military dictatorship and a war so savage that the destruction and killing were on a par with WWI.\n\nThe book starts off with a basic analysis on life and death, including how primitive transportation was, how horrendously difficult life really was in the countryside, and how the economy for most had barely changed since antiquity even with steam power and the beginnings of the industrial revolution. People were almost all born poor, worked their entire lives, and died with little prospect of improvement of their station in life. While this in many ways is the driest part of the book, it is essential for what follows and indeed for putting one's modern life in perspective.\n\nThe chapters on power and institutions were particularly fascinating to me. First, with the consolidation of centralized control and the relative decline of feudal aristocrats, there was the absolutist impulse. This supposedly put unprecedented power into the hands of a sovereign, though Blanning questions whether the notion is as cut and dried as historians have made it out to be. Second, he examines in great detail who the elites were, how they could achieve rank and power, and how their positions were changing. While essentially aristocratic as based on land ownership and religious offices, these bases were giving way to urban centers, merchants, and industrialists, which were more secular; much of this was inchoate until the French Revolution, of course, but he proves it was in motion long before the 19C upheavals we associate with them. Third, he looks at how the function of institutions were changing, as in the development of parliamentary checks and balances but also in the development of a professional bureaucracy staffed by educated men of varying backgrounds. Finally, in reference to the title, Blanning argues that much of what happened was due to the actions of kings and princes, whose principal motivation was personal glory and pride or face.\n\nThere is also a long section on religion and culture. The church, he argues, experienced a golden age of influence on the powerful and everyday life in spite of the image of Enlightenment challenges to its authority. This was the Baroque age as well as one of protestant diversification. Moreover, he posits, the rationalist philosophies that emerged were largely ignored or superceded by their romantic critics, gaining currency only in limited circles and disciplines. Finally, Blanning explains the political nature behind the art and architecture that arose in this period, with a particular focus on Louis XIV. Again, it is fascinating, a kind of Kulturgeschichte expressed in dense and elegant writing, each section a mini-essay that stands on it own.\n\nThe concluding chapters on the military situation, with a focus on Alfred the Great (with a militarization of a society) and Napoleon (using citizens to mobilize for total war), were too brief in my view, skimming over what were immensely complex wars and rapidly evolving political systems. I was disapppointed because these were the questions I wanted addressed in great detail, but then, this is not a linear history on politics and war. I will have to seek it this elsewhere (please offer suggestions!). A great theme I took away was how the state came to merge with the \"nation\" in this period, not only ending the sprawling and loosely organized multi-ethnic empires, but also bringing a new sense of identity as belonging to a political entity that is supposed to be more representative, if not yet democratic.\n\nThough a bit unusual in its organization - it is not a narrative history and follows no clear chronological order - this book offers a wonderful reading experience about the early modern period in European history. It is organized about broad themes and hence not for everyone, but it absorbed my attention for a full 6 weeks of delight and near complete satisfaction. While it would be better to have some idea of what events were taking place, Blanning alludes to them in passing - this will slow some readers down, but is more or less sufficient. Finally, I would have preferred extensive footnotes, but it is not an academic book so much as a popular history. There is a good annotated bibliography.\n\nRecommended warmly.","Product: Yale University Press 1976. History text; notees, bibliography, index, 280 pages.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: solid introduction to the basics\n\nReview: I read this in college during the time that I discovered a love of history, so it was a great pleasure to re-read it. The book covers a narrow, if crucial period, 972-1204 CE, when Europe was emerging from the dark ages. The basic idea of the book is that things went from local and parochial to global and universal - in a variety of areas.\n\nFirst, there were the somewhat artificial ethno-linguistic distinctions between Germans and Latins, the former farther north and less civilized than the mediterranean-linked \"old world\". Still, they remained separate from the Byzantines, whose Greek traditions appeared obscure and effeminate to the rough scrabble western EUropeans. Southern offers a good snapshot of what was going on in a geopolitical sense in the period: the Crusades exposed fighters to new ideas, forcing them out of local life and into the bigger world. This opened their minds and indicated new possibilities.\n\nSecond, there were the social arrangements, essentially freemen v. serfs. Governed by force for centuries, the period saw the rediscovery of Roman Law, which began to replace the arbitrary exercise of power in a non-religious way. There was also the rise of knighthoods, which required oaths to govern (or restrain) personal behavior. Finally, as the power of proto-states extended itself, rulers found themselves in need of administrators, whose specializations aided in improving governance (and tax collection).\n\nThird, the church was transforming itself into a global institution, with Papal doctrines to enforce in localities that had long worshipped in the ways that they chose. In addition, monasteries were accepted and established on a far greater scale than before, opening career possibilities to learned men.\n\nFourth, with the influx of Arab text translations and then the original Greek texts, scholars were on the cusp of a period of explosive rediscovery of the ideas of the ancients, in particular Aristotle.\n\nNow this is a very basic introduction. It is helped by concrete examples of individuals, but it doesn't get into detail beyond about freshman year in college. Nonetheless, it is elegantly written and a valuable resource.","Product: Political science, Military\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: arcane and heavy poli sci approach\n\nReview: This is a book for extreme experts: academics, nuclear strategy buffs, and the occasional pundit in search of its peculiar logic. Forgive my naivete, but it also exemplifies why academia is viewed by so many as a boring world of, well, extreme experts of recondite trivia - even when it deals with the potential destruction of industrial civilization. In my view, this book utterly fails to cross over to the interested non-specialist or those who are not writing a dissertation but just want a good read. I never would have cracked this if it wasn't for work.\nThat being said, the book summarises an absoulutely enormous amount of scholarship and the thinking of the mysterious \"wizards\" who argued in little offices in the Pentagon for this type of bomb, that type of missile or artillery shell, and this type of treaty. Fortunately, a lot of this is now more history with the end of the Cold War and the arms race, but it still appears like a bizarre parallel universe of microeconomics applied to massiave destructive capabilites with a cold rationality and words like \"deterrence\" and \"mutual assured destruction.\" Alas, very little of the political context or the human drama is covered in its quirky detail, so don't seek that here. The prose is clear, if a bit like a massive vanilla milkshake when you read it in one sitting (as I had to). I learned from this, but simply did not enjoy it past the first chapter or even the introduction. The achievement is inarguable, but this book is like a tough home work assignment in undergraduate school.\nRecommended for academic purposes, but not for the interested layman.","Product: Jim Mastro has a degree in biology and a master of arts in English. His photography has been featured in Omni, Discover, International Wildlife, and Geo. He lives with his wife and son in New Hampshire.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: what it is like to work and wonder way way down under\n\nReview: This is a clearly written, funny, moving and fascinating account of what it was like for the author to work in Antarctica over a number of years. While he has told it like a one-year trip, in fact it is a distillation of 14 years experience.\n\nThe book is distinguished in several respects. First, the photography is wonderful - just it is worth the price of admission. Second, there is the story of working there as a scientist, in particular the work underwater. It is really fascinating and full of quirky tidbits, like mummified seals thousands of years old or the faulty insulation of some fish. Third, there are the personal tales of what it is like for the residents, and they are harrowing not in any adventuresome sense, but in the psychological demands placed on them. Women beware of living there with so many hungry males!\n\nWarmly recomended. It is also beautifully written from a stylistic standpoint. Truly a mini-masterpiece of the genre.","Product: Robert Dennis Crumb (born August 30, 1943)-known as Robert Crumb and R. Crumb-is an American artist, illustrator, and musician recognized for the distinctive style of his drawings and his critical, satirical, subversive view of the American mainstream. Crumb was a founder of the underground comix movement and is regarded as its most prominent figure. Though one of the most celebrated of comic book artists, Crumb's entire career has unfolded outside the mainstream comic book publishing industry. One of his most recognized works is the \"Keep on Truckin'\" comic, which became a widely distributed fixture of pop culture in the 1970s. Others are the characters Devil Girl, Fritz the Cat, and Mr. Natural. He was inducted into the comic book industry's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1991.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: hilariously revolting and splendidly non-PC\n\nReview: In the heart of every man, I suspect, lies at least a bit of adolescent misogyny. I grew up reading Crumb, who hit the scene right as my adolescence was beginning. Crumb gets the alienation that non-jock boys feel in this society of the young, and wraps absolutely wonderful and hilarious stories around these issues. And he graphically portrays sex in the most unsparing terms, verging on the truly grotesque. Then there is his taste for steatopaegic women!!\n\nThis collection is perhaps his best: his humor, his ongoing anger at women, and his strange (and ultimately supremely satisfied) tastes come through in a way no one else could do it. The first story is the best, long on autobiography and utterly hilarious. From an inhibited and unpopular boy, stardom in the underground comic revolution catapulted Crumb into the rank of superstar counter cultural artists. I believe that he deserves his fame, as his vision is dark and unique and perfectly realized in his work. SO with this fame, he goes about experimenting on the women who now fawn on him, after rejecting him. He loves them and despises them and mistreats them, all while realizing the emptiness of his game. The following stories really don't tell us anything new, but they are still awfully funny and outstandingly worth the read.\n\nThere are also the comics done in cooperation with his wife, which simply lack the tightness of his writing in the solo pieces. Her drawing style is seriously inferior to his, but there is no question that they share a vision and that this is a new departure in his work, more realistic but also satirical - it covers married life that is strange and \"cute as a bug's ear\". It is funny and playful, if not quite a 5-star performance. Moreover, some of the material is recycled from older Crumb, which fans would notice.\n\nNeedless to say, women do not appreciate his deliciously lascivious cynicism about their part of the species. They see him as pathetic and misogynous, and they are right in their own way. But men get what he is saying, in all its cruel detail. Sure, it is pretty adolescent, but as Hughes said in the film, he really is a modern-day Hieronymous Bosch.","Product: Con 'La Rabbia e L'Orgoglio' Oriana Fallaci rompe un silenzio durato dieci anni. Lo rompe prendendo spunto dall'apocalisse che la mattina dell'11 ssettembre 2001, non molto lontano dalla sua casa di Manhattan, disintegr le due Torri di New York e incener migliaia di creature. Preceduto dal clamore che la parte pubblicata dai giornali in Italia e all'estero suscit diciotto giorni dopo l'immane tragedia, il libro si presenta finalmente nella sua versione integrale. Vale a dire col suo testo completo e non quello che allora, data l'eccesiva lunghezza, la Fallaci ridusse a poco pi della met. Si presenta inoltree arricchito da una drammatica prefazione dove la Fallaci spiega come esso nacque e dove, spiegando perch il terrorismo islamico non si coclude con la sconfitta dei talebani in Afghanistan, descrive la realt globale della Guerra Santa. Una prefazione infine, dove cogliendoci di sorpresa parla anche di s stessa: del suo lavoro, del suo ermetico isolamento, delle sue scelte rigorose e spietate. Spesso inserendo memorie personali, episodi illuminanti della sua vita, nel testo parla invece dei temi legati all'11 settembre 2001: l'America, l'Italia, l'Europa, l'Islam, noi. Soprattutto di noi. Col suo noto coraggio lancia accuse durissime, scaglia furibonde invettive. Con la sua brutale sincerit espone le lucide idee e le passioni, le scomode verit e le riflessioni su cui in questi anni di caparbio silenzio aveva voluto tacere. Ci che nella prefazione la Fallaci definisce \"piccolo libro\" in realt un grande libro. Un libro prezioso, un libro che scuote le coscienze, anzi le sconvolge. Ma anche il ritratto di un'anima. La sua anima. Rester dentro di noi come una spina nel cervello e nel cuore.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: bitter and piercing polemic\n\nReview: Fallaci has the reputation of an irascible moral purist, a radical democrat, and she certainly lives up to that here. This book, written in response immediately following the 9/11 attacks, demonstrates that she has lost none of her political passion and acid tongue. It is as if she vomitted it all out in a single sitting, which is not too far off the mark as she says she lived on coffee and didn't sleep for weeks while she wrote.\n\nOn the one hand, there is her outrage at what occured, not only with the Muslim world that spawned such dangerous fundamentalists, but also at the reactions of the politicians in the West and in particular in Europe. All I can say is that her condemnations are not terribly nuanced: there is no acknowledgment of moderate moslems and no patience with the all-too-human hypocrisy of the \"critics\" of the US. While this is rather tiresome after a while, it should not overshadow the fact that her perspective and experience as a celebrated journalist are indeed unique and penetrating. But her rhetoric all too easily soars to excess. In a diatribe against colored immigrants in Italy, for example, she flatly charges that they don't work much, that they routinely indulge in sexual assault, and that they cannot be absorbed into Italian civilization but will instead destroy it. That is certainly not quite racist in my reading, but there is real bile there.\n\nOn the other hand, she gives some wonderful glimpses into her mind and its development, from the moral integrity of her parents to her meetings with such world leaders as the Dalai Lama (he gets an A+) or Yassar Arafat (D-). In a way, I wish that she had written a memoir. Also, she lets on that she has the cancer that killed her, that she loves New York, that America is the guarantor of the West's freedom. It is a good performance and highly interesting. It is a voice that will be missed.\n\nI read this in Italian and really enjoyed the language: vivid and full of bite, very useful for the development of vocabulary.\n\nRecommended.","Product: Venice - Lion City - Religion of Empire (01) by Wills, Garry [Paperback (2002)]\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Venetian art as reflection of politics/history/economics\n\nReview: This is a wonderful book. While Wills has been criticized as a non-specialist in these reviews, in many ways I found that an asset in this book. It is beautifully written - he has a uniquely clear and flowing style of writing that is a continual pleasure for me - and as he presents the essence of the many subjects he wishes to cover, he rarely gets bogged down in detail. In addition, many of the things that he investigates are wonderful surprizes for non-specialized readers such as myself (e.g. that the body of St. Mark was stolen by Venetians and set up in a shrine to establish the legitimacy of the city's unusual political culture).\n\nTHe book is organized in several theme sections. First, in Imperial Disciplines, there are the historical origins and unique structure of this Renaissance state, which allowed it to escape the power struggles that dogged medieval Italy, i.e. unlike the innumerable city states re-fought the same territorial battles every generation under different egomaniacs. Second, in Imperial Personnel, Wills looks at the various members of society, from the frozen aristocracy (built on the expectation of duty rather than priviledge) to the workers who made the city's arsenal such as great and unique strategic asset as well as the \"outsiders,\" such as the Jews (the word \"ghetto,\" we learn, was coined for Venetian brass foundaries); how the state functioned, who held power and how it was exercised (in a diffused bureaucratic balance), are expertly described while avoiding the heaviness of a comprehensive history. Third, in Imperial Piety, there is the religious iconography and ritual, which in part allowed Venetians the sense of legitimacy they needed to defy Rome and the Pope over centuries. As I am quite ignorent of Christian history, this was fascinating and valuable for me, e.g. that St George was a Christianized Hercules, who also \"fought\" the many plagues that inevitably arose in the Venetian environment. Finally, in Imperial Learning, there is the Renaissance scholarship that came late to the city, and how it altered the art, politics, book scholarship, and the like - all set in geo-political context. Throughout - and sometimes with too much descriptive detail for me - Wills interprets the art and architecture of Venice in light of these themes. The result is simply dazzling, in my view, a masterwork by a great populariser and philosophical moralist.\n\nAt any rate, this was exactly what I was looking for, and from reading many of WIlls' books, what I expected. It is not for graduate-level academics, but rather for those well informed on European history who are curious to learn more on Venice.\n\nWarmly recommended."],"string":"[\n \"Product: SCI-FI\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Very fun hard scifi for TV\\n\\nReview: I greatly enjoyed watching this with pals when it came out. We would gather round the TV, drinks in hand, and shout and laugh our way through each episode. The plot is interstellar invasion, with the aliens posing as friendly only to have their plans later revealed, along with the horror of their alienness. THe story is quite complex, particularly when the aliens' plans go awry, first from the actions of some apparent xenophobic terrorists and then as a worldwide rebellion.\\n\\nBut what really makes this special is the strong characters. There is the swashbuckling reporter, who uncovers a lot. Then there is the medical student who becomes a reluctant leader, whose natural strength and charisma surprise even her. Of course, there are the paramilitary brutes, also indispensable but in constant conflict with principled the do-gooders. The aliens are also interesting, from the corrupted under-commander to the turncoats. The acting is truly fine, with most of them relatively unknown character actors.\\n\\nTo be honest, there are a number of overly ambitious themes that run throughout this. The comparison to the US influence in Central America at that time is, to put it mildly, heavy handed. There is also a message of brotherhood across species that is rather pretentious, including the affair between a troubled human adolescent girl and a manipulative and ambitious alien soldier. While lacking in nuance, these themes do not ruin the series.\\n\\nRecommended. This is fun, even as it appears clunky and old fashioned when we compare it to the visual effects we can get today. It is character-based and the plot sustains the viewer's interest throughout, with enough surprises to make for solid scifi.\",\n \"Product: Man is too friendly with fish and becomes one of them!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: as good as I remembered it\\n\\nReview: I have not seen this since 1964, when my dad and I went to it. I loved it so much that I had a comic book of it that I read and re-read. Limpet is a kind of hero Walter Mitty, magically transformed into a fish and devoted to the US Navy in WWII. The animation is strong, it is full of good characters who are funny in their awareness of the unbelievability of it all, and there are some surprisingly adult themes, like the fact that Limpet's wife may be having a love affair.\\n\\nThis time, I watched it with my son, who has a kind of indulgent tolerance of all the \\\"strange stuff\\\" I like to add to our DVD library. Yes, he enjoyed it as much as I did, another thing to share across generations. It is a wonderful film and Don Knotts adds his quirky talent to an original.\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: EXCELLENT MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: heist gone bad with some fine acting twists\\n\\nReview: There is nothing that interesting about the plot of this film, which is about a group of losers who plan a disastrously stupid caper while drugged out. Like his coeval Tarantino, it descends into horrifically graphic violence and chaos. The art of total catastrophe. This is an early film, much like Reservoir Dogs for Tarantino.\\n\\nThat being said, the acting is outstanding. Delphy is wonderful as a student hooker, tossing her gum before servicing her client. Stolz too is perfect as a man with a chaotic life looking for the big score. But Angalde is the best as an insane, AIDS-ridden addict turned killer. Unfortunately, the plot is so weak and conventional that they cannot carry it. I was just waiting for it to end once the violence started.\\n\\nRecommended tepidly. I was really disappointed after hearing many rave about it as a cult favorite, etc.\",\n \"Product: BRAND NEW IN ORIGINAL WRAP\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: nostalgic, but also evocative and moving\\n\\nReview: I grew up in the 60s and think it was the last time America was truly interesting. So I love fictional takes on it. This is a very good film, with some truly fine acting. Sutherland is a sensitive boy from small-town Maryland, which the Vietnam conflict is finally beginning to penetrate. His sidekick (Downey), a lifelong neighbor from a single-parent household, is falling victim to all the worst excesses of the time - protesting, turning on, dropping out. Meanwhile, a serious young lady (a radiant Ryder in her prime) is falling for Sutherland as he tries to help her brother. Their parents are all struggling with aging and the times. Add to this Sutherland's straighter brother, who disappears in Vietnam, and you have a powerful mix.\\n\\nI can't be too objective because this is so close to my own experience. With the exception of a kind of cheesy ending, I found the film moving and fairly realistic, with sprinklings of the occasional cliche. It's not Coming Home, but it is good. Recommended.\",\n \"Product: A cult favorite for years, this faithful version of Harlan Ellison's classic novella enjoyed some mainstream popularity in the mid-'80s when its star, Don Johnson, hit the big time with \\\"Miami Vice.\\\" In recent years the movie has settled back into cult status, which is for the best. Johnson (in an excellent performance) is Vic, a simple-minded survivalist who wonders what's left of post-apocalypse America with his dog Blood (played by Tiger of \\\"The Brady Bunch,\\\" with voice by singer Tim McIntire), with whom he has a telepathic bond.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: hilarious, low budget tongue and cheek post WWIII\\n\\nReview: This is a wonderful gem of a film, about the wreckage that survives in the wake of the nuclear holocaust. The young Don Johnson is the boy, and he demonstrates greater talent as an actor than any of his subsequent TV junk. He is the dog's sidekick, which is trying to educate him about American presidents (!), as they try to get along in the desolate landscape and chaos. While they do find a pocket of civilization, which the boy must explore, its horrors help them to get their priorities straight in the end.\\n\\nWhat is so funny about this all is that it parodies the usual fuzzy companion films and just about everything else about hollywood givens and platitudes, from love to ethics. I don't want to reveal the plot here, but it is wonderfully summed up when the dog thanks the boy in the end, \\\"I really appreciated that. Sure you don't want some?\\\"\\n\\nWarmly recommended for the sci fi buff with a sense of humor.\",\n \"Product: A Classic drama.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: beautiful in its portrayal of another time, yet timeless about the human condition\\n\\nReview: This is the kind of art that snobs like to look down on - nostalgic, sentimental, simple - yet there is a great beauty and sensitivity in this production. One of the great surprises for me was the young William Holden, whom I remember from his hard bitten later roles; here he is young, handsome, and sincere in his love for the girl next door. Beyond that, you witness the intricacies of a small town in the early 1900s, when there were fewer choices and the limits and simplicity did not seem to disturb most of the residents. At the center is, of course, a story of love, the most basic story of all.\\n\\nThat being said, the play portrays the span of time and examines life in a novel way. It skips to crucial episodes, even viewed beyond death. The most amazing thing is that it works and, at least for me, is very moving in its universality. It brought tears to my eyes, which my adolescent daughter noticed with curiosity before hugging me in empathy. (She was putting up with yet another weird film that dad wanted to introduce to her at that point.)\\n\\nThe only thing that didn't work for me was the presence of an ageless narrator, who talked directly to the camera. He was a bit too stylized for my taste and didn't add to the drama so much as explained things.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. This is a great play.\",\n \"Product: Drama\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: hilarious, fascinating, and cold blooded\\n\\nReview: When I learned that they were making a new version of this film, I remembered how much we enjoyed it on PBS. We got it in Britain for about $15. It was a fabulous deal. Over our free time during 2 weeks, we enjoyed this as much as the first time we saw it. There are 12 hours of story, starting with this rise to power, his take-on of the king while in power, and his shenanigans as he loses his grip.\\n\\nIt is the story of a genuinely evil man, who is intelligent, ruthless, and full of guile. From a bag boy-type job, he works his way to the top, utterly without scruple in ways that are hard to imagine. Once he is wielding power, he can inflict the humilation on others that he endured and he doesn't shrink from any of it. And his policies, simply abhorent. The PM is completely convincing. There is plenty of sex, unprincipled tactics, even murder. Yet there is also a fascinating overview of the British political system.\\n\\nI don't see how the American version can be transferred into the American system. There is no king, the President can't be voted out by his own party, etc. It will be a transmogrification, however much I respect the American actors.\\n\\nYou can't improve on perfection. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: King Kong Vs. Godzilla\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: the stuff of childhood legend\\n\\nReview: I saw this when it came out and have never forgotten many of the images, which were great to my young mind and way before we expected perfect special effects. In particular, I loved the way Godzilla was found in the ice, how he burned the top floor of a submarine - those below saw the flames above - how KK stuffed a tree root into G's mouth or kicked a boudler into G's chest, the list goes on. Seeing this again violated the sanctity of memory, I admit, but it was still fun to have it in the background as I was doing other things around the house. My kids, of course, were either laughing at its stupidity or bored. This is one to kick back and marvel at the silliness of it all and remember our childhoods.\\n\\nRecommended for nostalgia (geezer fare), but not for new viewers (kid fare).\",\n \"Product: The film that introduced the world to Sean Connery as James Bond. 007 is sent to Jamaica to investigate the murders of two British operatives\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: every bond film imitates the complete excellence of this, first, one\\n\\nReview: This is the one that started it all, and in many ways it was never surpassed: sure, the plots became more intricate and spectacular and the effects slicker, but this one set the pattern for all the rest. The thing that is most fun about it is that you can feel the raw newness, before it became a plodding formula. Even several later continuations with Sean Connery are not nearly as good.\\n\\nThe essential Bond elements pioneered in this one are Bond's charm and easygoing sexuality with the flawless girls that seem to flock to him, his elegance, his cold-bloodedness and efficiency as a killer, and of course, the quirky baddie with oversized ambition and talent for destruction.\\n\\nPerhaps because I saw it at such a young age with my beloved dad, this one is my favorite by far. Dr. No is such an evil, charismatic character, the perfect foil for the dashing Bond, who is a great improvisor and destroyer in his own right. But Connery brings a grittiness and realism to it that all the other Bonds couldn't quite. That makes him the one and only best.\\n\\nIndeed, as this was made for a far less explicit time, it is full of titillating tidbits, implied throughout with understated and very dry humor. This is truly superior to most contemporary spy films, with the possible exception of the Bourne films, which set their own standard.\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Vintage videotape\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: a comic twilight zone of bumbling murderers and monstrous ambition\\n\\nReview: This is very different from the slick 1980s version, with the soul-singing carnivorous plant and his toady, Seymour. In this version, Seymour is a fool under the thumb of his mother, a psychosomatic invalid. He is nurturing an unusual plant in which his boss, a skid-row florist with big ambitions, takes an interest. Seymour stumbles on the way to make the plant grow - feeding it the people he inadvertently kills. His boss sees it as the key to his fortune, but is horrified by what he witnesses, eventually helping a team of idiotic cops as they investigate the strange goingson.\\n\\nThe humor is very much of the period, kind of slapstick stumbling and tripping, with a cast of strange characters from a man who eats only flowers to a hooker who tries to pick up Seymour and then disappears. The most notable part is the cameo of the young Jack Nicholson, as a masocist in a sadistic dentist's office.\\n\\nThis film is rightly a 1960s cult classic, full of lurid detail and the most bizarre plot imaginable. Unlike the 1986 version, the ending is much darker as are the characters. It got me to laugh several times at its signal weirdness. The scenes are also interesting, set in a drab corner of a very ethnic New York.\\n\\nREcommended for those of us who grew up during this time. I do not think that colorizing this is in any way necessary.\",\n \"Product: The story is not only a fantastic must watch and great film, but its created to be a top. Great actors giving extra performances.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: so patchy that it fails to hang together\\n\\nReview: Boy am I sorry that I bought this version. I had no idea that so much of it was cut that the story barely makes sense. The characters seem incomplete, some of the best scenes are simply not there, and you get little sense of the geography in which they are operating. Who on Earth would have produced this incomplete version? Who would ever want it this way? Incredible.\\n\\nAs for the acting, Walken and Chen save it, but only to a degree (i.e. not a one-star rating). They are both accomplished actors who can evoke entire personalities and environments in simple gestures and body language, and their characters appear reasonably complete. However, the script is so poor that not even they can get beyond it and so much of it comes off as making less than cogent sense. Heche, unfortunately, is pretty bad, for the most part failing to achieve a coherent and believable character. She is quirkily beautiful and has her moments in the film, but doesn't quite pull it off in a manner of speaking. OK, she is an ambitious young banker in debt to a corrupt boss and she decides to moonlight as a hooker. Steven Bauer is also pretty bad as her dirty-cop antagonist.\\n\\nThe plot is also badly uneven. Not only is there no clever secret to discover - no subtle double entendres or a hidden pattern revealed later - but the sudden transitions of the characters identities make no sense and don't add to the plot. Thus, Heche and Chen \\\"discover\\\" they are in love - it's just there to titilate and comes off as unbelievable and kind of stupid.\\n\\nNot recommended.\",\n \"Product: Starring Suzy Amis. Disgraced, a 19th century society girl journey's west disguised as a man. Inspired by a true story. Year: 124 Director: Maggie Greenwald Starring: Suzy Amis, Bo Hopkins, Ian Mckellen\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: reverse transvestite cowboy story, a true gem\\n\\nReview: This is an unusual and very interesting story about a woman trying o make her way as best she can in a brutally primitive environment. Permanently cast out of her middle class family for a youthful lapse, she tries to make her way out west, eventually deciding to pose as a man so as to be left alone. While there is some adventure to it, by far the best part of it is the evolution of the character Jo, whom Amis acts with a wonderful precision.\\n\\nThe best parts, at least for me, are the many silent moments when she makes major decisions that are never really articulated in any explicit way. At first, she spends her winters alone, brooding on where life has led her, then building a ranch that would have been forbidden to her everyone not assumed she was a man. It is one of the great introspective films that I have ever seen. Though wounded, she struggles to grow and does so with great success, even finding an unusual love late in life.\\n\\nTruly a beautiful film. Amis' performance is truly great, bringing an entire environment into her psychological world.\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: A sexy divorce falls for an over-the-hill cowboy who is struggling to maintain his romantically independent lifestyle in early-sixties Nevada.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: absolutely first rate drama\\n\\nReview: I first saw this as a freshman in college, huddled with my co-ed girlfriend who was a such determined optimist in relationships that she thought these were lonely people who didn't know how to act together as friends. Naturally, I had a darker view and saw them as empty losers. We argued.\\n\\nNow, 30 years later, I watched this inspiringly bleak film again. This time, while still believing they were losers, I also saw it as a portrait of a time and place, an amazing bit of historical context about Reno Nevada. The acting is unbelievably good, I think the best career performances of Monroe, Gable, and Clift. The script is utterly superb and unforgiving, unromantic.\\n\\nThe protagonists are all sad cases, but they are striving for love and fulfillment in a unforgiving world. They come together in the most mundane of circumstances, in a place where everything is stupidly temporary and devoid of the possibility of change. They live in the present, dimly perceive what is missing from their lives and what pain there is in their pasts, but keep going by drink and action and the courting of danger. Then, there is the possibility of something new in Monroe's character, and three men cluster around her in hope.\\n\\nThe result is simply incredible drama, one of Miller's greatest works in my opinion. He is a first-rate writer, exploring depths and times where the normal American (like me) doesn't want to look. He was the conscience of our age and I must re-visit his work now that he passed away.\\n\\nHighest remcomendation, even if it foreshadowed the end of my only true college romance!\",\n \"Product: A film adaption of the myth of Perseus and his quest to battle both Medusa and the Kraken monster to save the Princess Andromeda.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Boy are the reviewers hard on this one! But my kids love it.\\n\\nReview: I remember seeing this long ago and enjoying it. So I picked it up for my kids, in particular as my daughter is a big mythology fan. We popped it in the DVD player, and they were utterly enthralled; I also could enjoy the experience as sophisticated entertainment. Even better, my kids were full of observations and questions, which in our house we view as a successful entertainment experience. In particular, my daughter was questioning details from what she knows of mythology from many hours of reading, seeing some discrepencies in portrayals or the addition of incidents that she didn't know. As such, while some liberties were taken in the film, it also makes mythology a living thing - afterall, there are so many conflicting versions from classical sources that there is no definitive correct interpretation - and I got to discuss this at length with my daughter (at 10, she is falling in love with history). While my son (6) was interested more in questioning the monsters and what they represented, that was fine too. Finally, because we lived in Europe where nudity is simply part of life, we had no problem whatsoever that there were a few minimal glimpses of bottoms and breasts - isn't that better than the graphic violence on TV?\\n\\nAll in all, this is stimulating and fun, a welcome complement to the book learning that my kids are beginning to enjoy.\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Comes in Plastic Sleeve\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: a wonderful family film that stimulates the mind\\n\\nReview: I saw this when it came out in 1966 or so and got it so that I could share it with my kids. It was an absolute delight to watch with them, starting from the playing of lion cubs in a house to the struggle to re-introduce Elsie into the wild. Of particular interest was the notion that the conventional wisdom about animals is wrong, that a deeper entente and understanding with them is possible if humans would only try.\\n\\nJoy Adamson developed a relationship with Elsie much as a mother would treat a child. Though a dangerous animal to most observers, including her husband's boss, she loved the lion and influenced her personality development. She then figured out a way to release Elsie into the wild again, which no one had ever succeeded in doing. Finally, a year later, the couple found Elsie and \\\"visited\\\" with her and her cubs for an entire day, until her mate called from the distance; they would return in subsequent years to get to know the cubs. Perhaps I am reading too much into it, but it seems to me that Joy discovered other possibilities of being and communication with a wild animal, which should get us all to think beyond genetic determinism and conventional behavioral models. This is very profound as we contemplate the management of the planet in perilous times.\\n\\nThe beauty of our experience is that the kids and I could discuss these issues as well as enjoy the spectacle of an animal film that was fun and very funny yet moving. While I suspect that much of it is fictionalized - the couple later divorced and George Adamson died by recklessly driving at poachers trying to warn him off - the acting is wonderful as is the photography. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Phantom Planet [VHS]\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: For nostalgia only, or hardcore 60s scifi fan\\n\\nReview: I watched this with my son (9), who enjoyed the story and laughed at the clunky special effects. He dutifully listened to my stories about seeing it and similar films - he is at the age where he accepts my reminiscences instead of rolling his eyes like his sister does at 13 - and we talked about the space age, etc.\\n\\nI quite enjoyed this for what it made me remember. But, as with my son, for other viewers it is only of passing interest, like background TV. Thus, I think it is headed for oblivion or of interest only for film historians once those who watched it as kids are no longer around.\\n\\nThe story has a nice sense of possibility, like we all felt during the space race and which is rather humdrum today. The hero, while not very charismatic, is open-minded and a lonely explorer, hence his vulnerability to the charms of the mute girl. He encounters an advanced civilization that has chosen a primitive lifestyle, on a planet fleeing strange enemies and with an unimaginable technology manipulated by what looks like broken wine glasses. He even makes friends from a natural enemy. Then, restored to his colleagues, he wonders if it was all a dream. It ends on a hopeful note for exploration. I liked it then and still do now.\\n\\nRecommended.\",\n \"Product: MOVIE WAS RELEASED IN 1959. Starring: Ken Clark, Michael Emmet, Tyler McVey, Gene Roth, and Jan Shepard; Director: Bernard Kowalksi. 62 min. Director: Bernard Kowalski.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Monsters, tramps in distress, and a hairy-chested good-guy swamp marshall\\n\\nReview: Set in the Florida swamps - \\\"near Cape Canaveral, where there's radiation\\\" - some pretty scary things are going on, i.e. sweaty drunk hillbillies are disappearing faster than the sheriff can count 'em. Though it takes him a while to admit the need to kill wildlife, the swamp marshall (probably a federal employee, hence at odds with local poachers and old-boy law enforcement) mounts an investigation. He finds 'em.\\n\\nAs a kid, I only saw images from this in my Famous Monsters of Filmland mag, and always wanted to see this. Even though they are men in rubber suits, this is pretty fun, starting with Yvette Vickers, the Playboy pinup who went on to cult status as the attacking 50-foot woman. Yep, she is the tramp, trapped in the lair of the radioactive leeches and submitting to their attentions while screaming. OK, I don't think Ill watch again anytime soon, but hey, you gotta fulfill at least some of your childhood dreams, eh?\",\n \"Product: A mysterious magnetic spool found during a construction project is discovered to have originated from Venus. A rocket expedition to Venus is launched to discover the origin of the spool and the race that created it.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: really good hard scifi\\n\\nReview: I saw this as a very young boy with my dad, right when it came out. All I remembered are a few images: the sharpened nacelles of the ship, the lone black man running towards the departing ship, the fall of the hero into a room full of bouncing metallic bugs. As I put this on to watch with my son, I expected it to be pure, cheesy camp to be shared and laughed at.\\n\\nHowever, what I discovered is that the film has not only a sophisticated plot, but great themes in it as well. As with all great scifi, there is a potentially deadly mystery to be solved: the meaning of the message discovered and the nature (and intent) of the civilization from which it came. To answer these questions, a team of the top scientific minds take off for Venus, the apparent place of origin. Dodging metorites and bravely plugging ahead even after they translate the terrifying message, they find a planet that is as alien as the civilization that marked it. It is a truly weird landscape, including apparently intelligent mud, memory devices that look like ants, and an incomprehensible power system for the mysteriously missing venutians. SLowly, they decifer only part of the mystery, leaving the rest to the imagination of the audience - another mark of all great scifi.\\n\\nAn additional treat is that this is an East German production, made at the height of the Cold War, with a vision of peace, international cooperation, and the beginning of a new era of exploration of space. It was quite inspiring.\\n\\nNeedless to say, this was a bit over the head of my son (8) as it was for me in 1962. But he enjoyed the images, the joking intelligent tank-shaped computer, and wondered about the nationalities of the team members. We had fun watching and then discussing it. This is far better as scifi than the kill-'em monster films of the era.\\n\\nRecommended. The effects now appear clunky, but the mood is consistent and the story moves briskly, with that indefinable sense of mystery.\",\n \"Product: The great John Barrymore takes on the title characters in Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of a tormented doctor who ventures into the unknown only to find his dark side. Directed by John S. Robertson and co-starring Nita Naldi, \\\"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde\\\" is one of the all-time classics of silent cinema.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: an early classic with all of the peculiar genius of silent film\\n\\nReview: This is a must for any film buff: every gesture in this is significant and artfully rendered, even iconic. Visually, as in many silent films, it is utterly mesmerising and fascinating in their power, almost like a painting in the Louvre. It is important for the history of cinema to witness this film. You get the basic story of Jekyll/Hyde: a good doctor is tempted to explore his dark side, finds a chemical elixir to bring his id out, and eventually, it takes over completely.\\n\\nWhat makes this film so intelligent is the acting with a young Barrymore, the start of a first-rate hollywood dynasty. In this film, he is in his prime, a handsome young man before he became so disillusioned with life as he in fact did. I great enjoyed seeing him so young.\\n\\nTechnically, the film is fun. Hyde is Jekyll, but with an elongated skull and extra joints on his fingers, expertly acted by a character change and plenty of grease. His girl, Millicent, is strikingly beautiful, in despair at his neglect, first of his mission for good and later as Hyde dominates him - there are themes of infidelity, barroom depravity, and perhaps pregnancy, all controversial to imply, let alone portray. This film advances all of these themes masterfully and unforgettably.\\n\\nRecommended with enthusiasm.\",\n \"Product: VHS\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: wonderful, hilarious, and very sad\\n\\nReview: This is the best kind of indie film. THe characters are realistic and vivid, way outside of the junky stereotypes that come out of hollywood.\\n\\nThe family is a complete mess, barely managing to avoid homelessness. THe father runs a restaurant, but can't handle money. He struggles to provide for his many children, who are adolescents in a dangerous phase of rebelliousness and increasing awareness. Arkin is painfully believable, warm, sympathetic and submits to the insults of his successful older brother who subsidizes him. You also empathize with the kids, particularly the smart, sensitive oldest daughter who is discovering her sexuality and recognizing the meaning of love, but also getting involved in petty crime with her drig dealer boyfriend. Tomei, the wayward cousin, is hilariously subtle and pathetic, avoiding her strident father and willingly participating in her uncle's scam.\\n\\nREcommended with enthusiasm.\",\n \"Product: A stellar cast, headed by Michelle Pfeiffer and Kevin Kline, bring Shakespeare's romantic comedy to life. When two pairs of star-crossed lovers, a feuding pair of supernatural sprites and a love potion gone awry all come together in an enchanted moonlit forest, the result is a delightful mix of merriment and magic. Also starring Calista Flockhart, Stanley Tucci and Rupert Everett.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: captures some of the magic, which was what I hoped for my daughter\\n\\nReview: This is a very fun and somewhat hollywoodized version of the great classic play. I got it because my daughter (10) likes a Shakespeare kids synopsis, so hoped to expose her to the language and the magic of a real production. At this, the film definitely succeeds. She has watched this, utterly rivetted, several times and will continue to do so for years; to my delighted surprise, her brother (6) watched it with her and laughingly approved. I would much rather they watch this than cartoons or Star Wars, thought there is a place for those as well.\\n\\nI do not believe this is a film for purists, which forms the basis of much of the snobbish criticism from certain reviewers here. While I try to cultivate my mind, I am nowhere near their (self conscious) erudition and so cannot answer their criticisms. However, this production is quite enthralling, with updates in Tuscany and many quirky details (demonstrating in my view how this is still a living work of art), and beautifully shot and acted. That is where my crticism stops.\\n\\nWhat really convinces me this is worthwhile is the reaction of my children, which was overwhelmingly positive. They can later become Shakespear purists if they wish, which is an option I was hoping to help create for them. Afterall, much of parenting is the opening of paths that children may someday find is for them, and this film is one small step along that way.\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Johnny Depp unlocks the gates to hell in Roman Polanski's newest thriller. Depp stars as Dean Corso, an unscrupulous rare-book dealer who is hired to locate the last remaining copies of \\\"The Nine Gates of the Shadow Kingdom,\\\" a demonic manuscript that can summon the Devil. Corso becomes embroiled in a conspiracy involving murder, theft and satanic ritual, and ultimately finds himself confronting the devil incarnate.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A perfect balance between the occult and psychological thriller\\n\\nReview: This film is vintage Polanski: there is little moral certitude, even if you are dealing with Satan, ruthless and evil acolytes, and a con man, expertly acted by Depp. Instead, you find a coherent and frightening journey of discovery and ambiguity. Depp is charged with examining the authenticity of some rare books, which is his profession, though he is also an unscrupulous and sleazy near-thief. As with all great actors, his every gesture exudes his personal confusion, ambition, and cynical humor - a complete personality and even an entire environment.\\n\\nAfter witnessing a number of alarming crimes, he single-mindedly pursues his task (for which he is handsomely paid) and blithely ignores the destruction and murderous detritus as if walking though an obstacle course. Along the way, he keeps running into a mysterious and very beautiful woman, who seems to be protecting him, yet also playfully mocking him before disappearing only to reappear in dangerous moments. Looking not quite human yet vulnerable to injury, she seems to enjoy the evolution of Depp's character in a violent, unpredictable direction. There is a frightening scene where she annoints him with her blood. And the book: the more he discovers, the deeper he gets in becoming almost a direct participant in the antique illustrations in the book, which he scrutinizes as more manuscripts come to light. Depp's character emerges as something more than he appeared to be, though entirely lacking in simple definition. It is truly masterful.\\n\\nThe most beautiful aspect of the film is the sense - the feeling - of ominous mystery that pervades it. In other words, there are many clues that must be interpreted, and the viewer never reaches the point of saying, \\\"oh, I get it\\\", which in lesser films is followed by \\\"that's it?\\\" I found this delightfully fascinating and evocative, particularly as much of it takes place in a region similar to the one I currently live in in France. Typical of Polanski, this elevates the film to a higher art than other occult films, much as Rosemary's Baby did. The mood of the film is completely consistent and demands (and deserves) the viewer's full attention.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. It is one of the best films I have seen in some time.\",\n \"Product: Science fiction VHS TAPE\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: good, if predictable, hard sci-fi\\n\\nReview: This is solid, character-based hard sci-fi. There is a mission to Mars that ends mysteriously, so a rescue crew is sent. What they encounter is very well carried off, tantalizingly strange and a grand conception. It got me to believe it and feel some sense of wonder, which is what sci-fi is for imho. The characters are also very strong, with truly wonderful actors, in particular Sinise.\\n\\nThat being said, there are many static moments in the film. It isn't tightly plotted, and there are several subplots that don't always fit, though they are well conceived and realistic. THere is a 20-minute sequence, for example, of a transport crisis that develops and it is way way too long and largely unrelated to what later transpires. The effects are also not always so great, though most of the time they are good enough. Finally, as revealed at the end the basic idea didn't really surprise me, however well it carried off.\\n\\nOverall, this is pretty good, but I will not want to re-watch it and delight in the details like I do the films that I think are truly great, like Minority Report or the Bourne Identity.\",\n \"Product: Les Choristes (2004) / The Chorus / Region 2 PAL DVD / Audio: French / Actors: Gerard Jugnot, Francois Berleand, Kad Merad / Director: Christophe Barratier / 92 minutes\\n3388334808934\\nRegion 2 PAL encoding (This DVD will not play on most DVD players sold in the US or Canada [Region 1]. This item requires a region specific or multi-region DVD player and compatible TV.)\\n\\nFrench producer and musician Christophe Barratier makes his directorial debut with the drama Les Choristes, inspired by the 1947 film La Cage aux Rossignols. Wildly successful orchestra conductor Pierre Morhange (Jacques Perrin) returns home when his mother dies.\\nWidely successful orchestra conductor Pierre Morhange (Jean-Baptiste Maunier) returns to France when his mother dies. He reminisces about his childhood inspirations through the pages of a diary kept by his old music teacher Clement Mathieu (Gerard Jugnot).\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: beautiful coming of age story that is not feel-good pap\\n\\nReview: This is a touching film about a troubled youth whose talents are emerging right at the moment that a great teacher is there to help. The boy, who became a major talent in music, is in a brutal boarding school that is almost a reform school. You have the typical roster of characters: the idealistic new guy who wants to try new things, the stodgy hide-bound boss who indulges in cruel injustice, the love interest, an evil delinquent, and blooming children in very bad circumstances. But there is a difference: for many, things don't work out, with terrible consequences. WW II is also in the background, as France is pulling itself up and new paths are opening up. The music is also beautiful, the boy of angelic beauty of body and voice.\\n\\nThis is a very nice film that doesn't fall inside simplistic stereotypes. I have watched this many times with my family and feel moved every time. Recommended warmly.\",\n \"Product: A bitter aging couple with the help of alcohol, use a young couple to fuel anguish and emotional pain towards each other.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Falling in love is an adventure, marriage an ordeal\\n\\nReview: This has got to be the best portrayal of a difficult marriage that has ever hit the screen. It is so real, so intelligent, so funny, and so pathetic that it is worth viewing at every period of one's life. Nothing portrays the complexity of living together in disharmony as this film does. They hate eachother, they love eachother, they find themselves stuck in realities and games of their own making, to the awestruck horror of their young guests who appear to be on the same path.\\n\\nYou have Martha, who is spoiled, self-destructive, an alcohol abuser, and lover. At lucid moments, fuelled by alcohol, she gets glimpses into what she is doing to their marriage. She reproaches herself, yet plays the game with relentless cruelty and energy. George appears hapless, stuck in a career that dooms him to mediocrity and scorn by the woman he continues to love and despise. But he is smart and witty and devious. Underneath, there appears (at least to me) to be much that is good in both of them, but it is submerged in their frustration at stalled lives.\\n\\nAs a young student, I saw this and was horrified. Why don't they divorce? That is the natural question. Isn't it over, given the horror on display with such nakedness in front of their naive guests? Then, in middle age, you can recognize what you have seen in so many couples: the rage at personal limits and perhaps fate, turned on the partner as blame, yet the core of caring still intact in unguarded moments. They operate within boundaries of their own devising, but even these no longer work for some reason. SOmething has changed, some vital turning point reached or breached. Is it broken, the end? Or is it an indication of some new way forward? My reading of the film is that it is ambiguous and up to them - just like in real life. If there anything positive left? Or will they kill eachother?\\n\\nIf you can take it, this is an utterly mesmerizing film, so real in its portrayal of living dysfunction that its power cannot be denied. While my own marriage never reached such a depth of enmity and emotional violence, it is a place that any realist should fear to tread. After all, you never understand how easy marriage was until it no longer works.\\n\\nREcommended with enthusiasm for those who have the courage to look reality in the face.\",\n \"Product: Epic Drama\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: great sets and cast, abysmally wooden melodrama\\n\\nReview: I am collecting the hollywood epics, which I so enjoyed as a boy when they came out. Sometimes they are wonderful surprises, with depth, intelligence, and subtlety that offer an entirely new viewing experience to the adult. Alas, this one was just the opposite: though lavish and glitzy, it so completely fails as a drama that I was shocked at how bad it was. Just as I could not believe how bad the story of Waterworld was even though it was the most expensive film ever made at the time, I feel the same for this. How, with such a gigantic production, could it turn out to be such a stinking dud?\\n\\nThe narrative occurs within the same frame as Gladiator: the great Marcus Aurelias is assassinated, his crazy son takes over, then is killed in the arena by the good and faithful general. Leaving aside that this ignores history (Commodus was strangled in his bed, his sister having long before been executed), the story simply doesn't work. First, the good guys are complete bores. Stephen Boyd, whom I truly admired as a charismatic actor, is so poorly directed in this that he comes off as a stick figure out of a kid's history book, complete with bland obeissance to the state that turns to disgusted rage. Aurelias is almost as bad. The barbarians are reliably noble, etc. The only interesting character is the insane Commodus - Plummer delivers a wonderful performance. Second, the romance between Boyd and Loren not only utterly lacks chemistry, but it looks like a formula straight out of a 2nd rate soap opera. It is just thrown in as the obligatory melodrama. Third, there is a lack of spirit to just about every single scene: I just couldn't quite believe any of it, from the huge war scenes to the chariot race that so pathetically mimicked the one from Ben Hur. Fourth, the way that belief in the Roman state breaks down so easily doesn't ring true, as the scene where the soldiers scramble for the gold that Commodus' patsies fling around - this after the campaign in Persia, when they were blood brothers with the leaders and would follow them to the death. I simply didn't feel it was portraying the historical forces it claimed it would.\\n\\nOther aspects of the production also fall flat. The music is somehow off and detracts from the feeling of the film. It is a constant irritant. The sets, while unprecedented in ambition and size, feel somehow static rather than teeming with life from a different time. All in all, it doesn't surprise me that this is known as the \\\"last grand epic\\\" of that period, the 50-60s. It failed at the box office for a reason. The extras with the bluray do not add much. You have the usual papp of promotional video - \\\"it was so wonderful\\\" - and some dated Encl Britannica documentaries thrown in that were filmed on the set. Indeed, some of the people interviewed advance some pretty lame arguments, like an historian, who says it's OK for hollywood to ignore historical accuracy for the sake of a story. (A supportable position, to be sure, but they could still do much better, if you ask me.)\\n\\nI think this is the worst of the epics I have collected so far. Not recommended.\",\n \"Product: A deeply troubled small town cop investigates a suspicious hunting death while events occur that cause him to mentally disintegrate.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: a season in hell\\n\\nReview: This is an absolutely incredible film about psychological deterioration in a small town. The narrator informs the viewer from the very beginning that something utterly horrendous is going to occur, something unmentionable between family and friends. Nolte, the central character, was never better: a tormented man, he has lost his family, his job is in jeopardy, and he must take on the caring for his alcoholic and abusive father.\\n\\nThe plot turns on a suspicious death, which Nolte wants to investigate as sheriff. However, as he enters a terrible downward spiral, he begins to burn all of his bridges and eventually loses his grip. The slowly unwinding tragedy is truly agonizing to watch, the acting is absolutely first rate. Recommended for those with strong stomachs.\",\n \"Product: This classic sci-fi tale follows the exploits of a young man and his telepathic dog as they struggle to survive in a post atomic wilderness. World War Four has ravaged Earth, and its survivors must battle for food, shelter and companionship in the desert-\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: hilarious, low budget tongue and cheek post WWIII\\n\\nReview: This is a wonderful gem of a film, about the wreckage that survives in the wake of the nuclear holocaust. The young Don Johnson is the boy, and he demonstrates greater talent as an actor than any of his subsequent TV junk. He is the dog's sidekick, which is trying to educate him about American presidents (!), as they try to get along in the desolate landscape and chaos. While they do find a pocket of civilization, which the boy must explore, its horrors help them to get their priorities straight in the end.\\n\\nWhat is so funny about this all is that it parodies the usual fuzzy companion films and just about everything else about hollywood givens and platitudes, from love to ethics. I don't want to reveal the plot here, but it is wonderfully summed up when the dog thanks the boy in the end, \\\"I really appreciated that. Sure you don't want some?\\\"\\n\\nWarmly recommended for the sci fi buff with a sense of humor.\",\n \"Product: Landmark movie in the film noir tradition, Roman Polanski's Chinatown stands as a true screen classic. Jack Nicholson is private eye Jake Gittes, living off the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-war Southern California. Hired by a beautiful socialite (Faye Dunaway) to investigate her husband's extra-marital affair, Gittes is swept into a maelstrom of double dealings and deadly deceits, uncovering a web of personal and political scandals that come crashing together for one, unforgettable night in...Chinatown. Co-starring film legend John Huston and featuring an Academy Awardr-winning script by Robert Towne, Chinatown captures a lost era in a masterfully woven movie that remains a timeless gem.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Is it possible? A deep and subtle film noire.\\n\\nReview: This is one of my favorite Polanski films, which is saying a lot. Unlike the two-dimensional characters that you get in the FN genre, these characters are realistic, troubled, and flawed. Nicolson is the best: a PI because he had to leave the police force, he is deeply angry and cynical. But in his heart, he does want to help. He is skilled as an investigator and smart, but gets in way over his head. Dunaway, the femme fatale who is the only person with a clear idea of diong good, also defies simple labels. Their performances are amongst the finest of their careers, so good they have to been seen and savored more than once. Huston is also good as a sleazeball, but even he adds aspects to the character that make the role unforgettable.\\n\\nThis is one of the films that is so interesting and moving you can watch it at each phase of your life and find nuance you missed. Recommended with the greatest enthusiasm.\",\n \"Product: What Lies Beneath [VHS]\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Good, but nothing much beyond the formulaic\\n\\nReview: This is a fun and creepy psychological thriller. There is a perfect couple, Ford and Pfeiffer, who see their daughter off to college. She has a hint of depression about her, which may conceal mental illness, and trying to find her way in life with an empty nest. Ford is a career academic, very intensely involved with advancing himself. Strange things start to happen, unravelling the facade they have built into their marriage with increasing terror at what the truth may be. I was surprised, but not all that much.\\n\\nI would recommend this as a nice pass time with good acting. But it sticks to tried-and-true formulas and there is nothing unusual or original or even nuanced that would make you want to view often.\",\n \"Product: Guaranteed to work or your money back - PLEASE NOTE ALL MONIES FROM THIS SALE GO TO A 501 (C)3 NO KILL ANIMAL SHELTER\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: melodrama that is all glitz, little substance\\n\\nReview: I am a big fan of Ridley Scott, but I think this is one of his worst films. On the positive side, this film has the unique atmospherics that you expect from his productions, the acting is strong, and he strives to inject interesting historical themes into the plot. However, given that I have loved so many of his films, this one disappointed me. I guess I could say its effects are so spectacular that Scott thought he could coast on them, that the film's content and characters have a laziness about them that I would not expect from a great filmmaker like Scott. The characters are two-dimensional, the action is hardly realistic, and the themes so maudlin and milked for effect that it disgusted me at times.\\n\\nIn addition, as a Rome history buff, I admit that I am put off by the wildly ridiculous inaccuracies in the film. It's just an action film, so I can imagine viewers who liked it would tell me to lighten up. Scott makes it into a discourse on democracy - Marcus Aurelias' general wants to bring back the republic, Commodus wants it to stay an autocracy - when it was nothing like that; the republic had been dead for over 100 years. Moreover, removing the insane Commodus solved nothing: Rome headed into a catastrophic period of instability in the passage of power, yet the film makes it look like that was all that was needed. Granted, I suppose I should look at it purely as an action film, and it is a good action film, with blood guts, and daring. The trouble is, I saw and loved The Duellists, one of his early films, so I know that he can pull off an absolutely first rate historical film, with realistic and yet unusual characters, without glaring make-believe, and deep themes that stick with the viewer, in my case for decades. I was hoping that this film would be similar, and it certainly could have been. Instead, it is a crude formula film, though lavish in production.\",\n \"Product: A U.S. Navy Captain and his crew are just beginning to enjoy 48 hours of leave when they receive word to immediately return to duty. On a top-secret assignment, they must disguise themselves as Nazis and infiltrate a severely damaged Nazi U-boat. Once on board, they are to steal the Nazi's top-secret decoding device and sink the sub before the Germans catch on to what's really happening. Their mission is more dangerous and frightening than anything they could have ever imagined, but one which has the power to turn the tide of battle. \\\"U-571\\\" is exciting!\\\" says Newsweek. Filled with incredible explosions, raging fires and speeding torpedoes, this suspense-filled action-packed film sets a new standard for high impact entertainment and features an impressive all-star cast.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: a riveting sub movie, even if it isn't historically accurate\\n\\nReview: I am a sucker for submarine movies with interesting captain melodramas. On that level, which is the stuff of hollywood's art, this film succeeds admirably: it pulses with life, has very well drawn characters, spectacular special effects, and the pace of its adventure ticks along without a moment's lag. The guys are on a deadly and vital mission, to steal the enigma machine from the inside of a Nazi submarine. It is a clandestine operation that must be carried out with precision, some luck, and then there is a very hard fight to survive and accomplish the mission once unforeseen things happen.\\n\\nI particularly like the characters. McConnaughey is an ambitious first officer who has been denied his first command, in large part because of his humanity and hence, purported lack of aptitude to make the difficult decisions (i.e. ordering a man to his death, even if he is unsure of the course that must be taken). Around him are seasoned veterans, including the tough and smart enlisted chief, Keitel. Once the captain (Paxton) is out of the picture, McConnaughey has to take over, facing down doubts about his ability and plotting a strategy in a near-impossible situation. This is high drama and the actors pull it off with real style.\\n\\nWhat a lot of the critics have trouble with here is that it was the Brits, and not the Americans, who heisted the enigma from a Nazi sub. I assume that that is the case. Nonetheless, the film does not claim to be a historical drama or that the story is true. Thus, it is just a movie and that is how it should be seen IMHO. If you want to know the historical reality, there are plenty of books or other films for that.\\n\\nI would recommend this film as entertainment. It is not objective history and does not pretend to be.\",\n \"Product: Audiences and critics alike are raving about this larger-than-life rock'n 'roll favorite that Roger Ebert calls \\\"one of the best movies of the year!\\\" The guys of Stillwater have the sound, they have the look and Rolling Stone Magazine wants their story. For young reporter William Miller, it's the opportunity of a lifetime as he hits the road with his favorite band and discovers the price of fame, the value of family and the limits of friendship.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: This is neither hokey nor trite, but achingly real and exciting\\n\\nReview: For a long time, I thought that this was another one of those silly romantic comedies - afterall, that was the section it was in. I thought, why bother with another coming of age movie that will end up stupidly happy, with the wrong lessons, and puerily unrealistic.\\n\\nBoy was I wrong on that one!! This is a wonderful, sensitive film that develops a number of themes: finding a mentor, making your first foray into the world, discovering what (relative) failures most of us are as people, and of course, the decline of rock in the 1970s. Not only was the psychology of the characters subtle and realistic, but the evocation of the time - when the 60s idealism gave way to crass commercialism and, well, genuine mediocrity - is vivid and accurate.\\n\\nI am almost the exact same age as the protagonist, so I identified with him on many levels: rebelling against a parent he loved to go his own way, accomplishing something original by getting inside with his own talent and gall, and seeing the people behind the idols of cool. It is amazingly successful at all this, and for kids there is a lot to learn from it. Heck, even I re-wrote my life somewhat while enjoying this adventure of youth! It is lovely, sad, and uplifting.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. This is a great director.\",\n \"Product: WEALTH AND DESIRE. POLITICS AND CORRUPTION. CELEBRITY AND SEXUALITY. AN 18TH-CENTURY FRENCHWOMAN COMBINES THEM ALL IN A TREACHEROUS SCHEME TO ACQUIRE THE 2800-CARAT DIAMOND NECKLACE THAT WILL ENABLE HER TO BUY BACK THE ROYAL STATUS TAKEN FROMHER.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Very fun intro to the intricacies of the pre-Revolutionary Court of Louis XVI\\n\\nReview: The reviewers were awfully hard on this one. I must admit that I found it an excellent and fascinating entertainment, a stimulus to look into the historical sources as there are obviously inaccuracies.\\n\\nI liked Swank's interpretation of the character. She has a mission - perhaps even lying to herself, it is unclear - and needs a mentor to learn the ropes of the Court intrigues. She finds one in a gigolo, for whom she also apparently grows to have genuine affection. They form a team with her husband, to steal a necklace as a way to gain political clout. Along the way, they expertly con a corrupt Cardinal, whom they play for a fool via his outsized ambitions and appetites, enlist a sleazily funny magician/seer to help, and create a scandal of historic proportions. Once caught, everyone falls, including the monarchy.\\n\\nWhat is so fun is the portrayal this offers of the way that government worked at the time, from aristocratic privilege to reward and punishment. in social and historical context. I found it fascinating, though would have wanted much more detail, which I can only get from books. The scandal was a catalyst that ended a monarchy that was rotten already.\\n\\nRegarding the characters, the film adds much detail that can never be known. Thus, it is historical fiction. La Motte-Valois is ambitious and uses the levers available - sex, lies, and fraud. We do not know what she personally thought, etc. I found the acting uniformly excellent and subtle, with many layers that can be peeled away at later viewings. Perhaps she was a whore and simple con artist, perhaps her motives were noble to her. I liked the mix of motivations and characters. Her libertine husband is hilarious, her lover-mentor kind of sad in his love. The house minister is convincingly shrewd.\\n\\nRecommended warmly for lovers of history and political intrigue.\",\n \"Product: Original VHS tape in original cardboard case. \\\"A scientist makes a last stand on Earth with the help of a ragtag team of soldiers against an invasion of alien phantoms.\\\"\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Convoluted story with an ambiguous ending\\n\\nReview: This is a very dark animated film, in which a remnant of humans are fighting aliens - and each other - to survive. On the one hand, you have a band of idealists, who believe that the Earth has a spirit that can be used to fight the invaders (whose true nature remains a mystery). They seek spirit essences of some sort, which when united might save humanity. On the other hand, there are militarists who see no reason to believe any of this; their ultimate weapon threatens to destroy the Earth's spirit, Gaia.\\n\\nFrom this somewhat promising premise, the story becomes both a confusing shootout (it is unclear if the enemy aliens die and how to fight them) and a political struggle that becomes extremely deadly. At least for me, I could not quite forget that I was watching something made up - I never suspended my disbelief and gave myself over to it. The risks and ambitions just get bigger and bigger, the scenarios more outlandish and desperate and ultimate. By the end, it had nearly completely lost me.\\n\\nOne thing that is good, in my view, is that the outcome remains unexplained and ambiguous. The viewer is not told what happened and what it means, which is nice in that it leaves a lot to the imagination, which is the mark of all quality sci-fi. However, I found the characters boringly two-dimensional and the plot unoriginal, in spite of the good special effects. I assume that the product shoudl stand on its own, as I am not a gamer, and for me it barely did.\\n\\nI would not recommend this except to those who like this world because of their familiarity with the game or because they want a simple adventure. It is not for hard sci-fi fans.\",\n \"Product: TO GAIN CONTROL OF HER LIFE, A YOUNG WOMAN EMBARKS ON A PROVOCATIVE, EROTIC ADVENTURE THAT BREAKS THE BOUNDARIES OF TRADITIONAL SEXUAL LIMITATIONS. HER ESCALATING SEXUAL JOURNEY TESTS HER OWN PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL LIMITS, AND, THROUGH AN IRONIC TWIST-OF-FATE, EVENTUALLY LEADS HER TO FULFILLMENT.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: irony, nihilism, bleakness, and alienation\\n\\nReview: This is a very good, very French film. From the reviews, it seems to have confused a great many people: not only are the protagonists bizaarely unfathomable, but the young lady maintains this unbearably insipid dialogue going about what she is experiencing and why, a kind of cheesy left-bank philosophy that is off-putting. However, these things should not be taken at face value, in my opinion, but as ironic view into the characters: they are indeed lost idiots, clueless about how to live their lives without inflicting cruelties on anyone close to them, and thinking way too much in the self-important manner of pompous, dim-witted narcissists. Those are the characters involved. Breillat is painting a tableau, not talking directly to the audience via the confused young woman.\\n\\nThe plot involves the retaliation of a pretty young woman against her boyfriend. For whatever reason, he has lost all sexual interest in her and is abruptly cruel while openly flirting with other women. She observes this in a heartbroken way, continually trying to seduce him - all graphically acted out - and yet she cannot bring herself to leave him. This is odd because there is absolutely nothing interesting about him (or her for that matter), there is no emotion or warmth on display from either of them, and the passion if it ever existed is long dead. So instead of leaving him, she decides to get even by seeking a series of ever more degrading sexual encounters. It is horribly explicit, strange, and empty.\\n\\nThis is not pornography because it is not meant to titillate. The girl is sullen and blank in every one of the situations, never showing the slightest pleasure or interest in her partners. Indeed, the only pleasure she shows is a fit of despairing auto-satisfaction, all the time describing to herself what she is feeling in a detached and idiotic voice, without real insight. Another artful twist is the long, unexplained sequences, when the viewer must guess what is happening. They don't always make sense and are not tied off as you would expect in a hollywood film; this creates gaps that the viewer must fill in, must work to interpret. That too is a trait of many good French films. The funeral ending, for example, must be placed into the context of the film; it is not an obvious denouement.\\n\\nI enjoyed this on re-viewing, even if it is sad and cruel. It is deep psychodrama with many layers. Recommended.\",\n \"Product: Ben-Hur is a 1959 American epic historical drama film, directed by William Wyler, produced by Sam Zimbalist and starring Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins, Hugh Griffith and Haya Harareet. It won a record 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: a superlative box set of one of the great films of all time\\n\\nReview: This is nothing short of a spectacular deal: with the images newly crisp, beautiful sound, and plenty of extras, I think this is the best bluray that I have ever purchased.\\n\\nI have nothing to add about the quality of the film's theme and plot. You identify with Ben-Hur as he goes through an extraordinary journey, both physical and spiritual; it is so emotionally real that I must struggle to keep from weeping every single time I see it. There is action, big ideas, and psychological and spiritual growth. No other film does this for me - I am an atheist, or a non-believing christian, if you will.\\n\\nSO far as the film print version goes, I think it is the best available. The transfer is better than all previous versions. The extras are fun, in particular the complete 1925 silent version that has many basic differences from the 1959 version, e.g. Simonides, Ben-Hur's loyal slave, is afraid to recognize him in the earlier version, as it will enslave his daughter Esther. While I tire of the self-congratulatory documentaries, which are softball papp of the genre, \\\"oh, everyone was so wonderful and talented\\\", but there is interesting info in them as well.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. Interestingly, I got the British version, which was the equivalent of $15. (With 3 disks, I am not certain that this one has all the things that the American version does, but it has commentaries, music only tracks, outtakes, etc. The essential, of course, is the film. It is region 2, I believe.)\",\n \"Product: sottotitolato in italiano.un uomo, rimasto vedovo della moglie suicida, si aggira per parigi in preda a una irrefrenabile malinconia, dovuta, oltre che alla perdita della sua compagna, a un passato confuso e alla perdita della giovinezza. l'incontro con una giovanissima ragazza borghese e il loro fulmineo rapporto sessuale cambiera' la vita di entrambi. ma l'uomo sembra imprigionato in una sorta di ossessione erotica, che solo in un primo tempo e' condivisa dalla giovane. quando scemera' l'interesse della ragazza per quel rapporto senza futuro, questa uccidera' il suo amante. film discusso ma non discutibile, ultimo tango a parigi reca l'impronta di quello che puo' essere considerato il vero autore del film: marlon brando. bertolucci non sara' mai piu' cosi' sincero e ossequiente con la storia che racconta. a supporto di questa tesi resta il fatto che quando brando e' assente il regista cerca di reimpadronirsi della storia con uno stile \\\"truffaut\\\" fastidioso e ingiustificabile. la presenza di jean-pierre le'aud e' in tal senso indicativa. il solo modo di non essere travolto da brando era quello di mettersi al servizio delle studiate improvvisazioni del geniale attore. e bertolucci lo ha fatto, sia pure con qualche sofferenza. il risultato e' un film ibrido ma entusiasmante. quando il film fu distribuito era gia' stato preceduto dalle cronache scandalistiche, che avevano speculato su alcune sequenze di grande impatto erotico, per allora. in seguito abbiamo visto ben altro. e in quelli che si possono considerare anni contraddittori e che vengono denominati secondo i casi, anni di piombo, di restaurazione e altre definizioni pseudo storico-sociali, il film venne ritirato e i negativi distrutti; tutto con un furore da inquisizione. per fortuna si salvo' qualche copia, e ora il film viene venduto e svenduto anche nei supermarket, assieme alla nutella. e il furore scatenat\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: one of the greatest portrayals of depression and personal damage\\n\\nReview: I saw this when came out, as a high school student with a girlfriend. Needless to say, we both found it beyond shocking, truly horrible in its angst and rage and cruelty. Brando, a damaged and unhappy man whose life is in ruins, meets an empty and inexperienced girl, who submits to his sado-masochistic \\\"numbers\\\" with incomprehensible passivity. Perhaps she is bored, perhaps she wants relief from her bourgeois life - a clinging mother and unbearably insipid boyfriend - or wants to experience something raw and new, it is impossible to say. It is like she is an empty vessel, an object, for the horrible things he does to her. There is plenty of nudity, some iconic scenes like the butter one, but few normal human emotions. The Brando character is pure despair and loneliness in an extraordinary performance.\\n\\nHe sets the rules: they meet in an empty apartment for sexual experimentation. They are to tell eachother nothing of their outside lives, not even their names. Their brutal meetings are interspersed with scenes from their lives, he in despair over the suicide of his wife, she on the path to a life with a filmmaker of the most idiotic pretension, filming their life yet afraid of any honest emotion with her. They are both empty and lost. It is pathetic.\\n\\nGradually, they begin to learn about the other, in particular in descriptions by Brando of his unhappy childhood. She is an innocent, too inexperienced to understand how Brando is using her and why, merely going along for the ride. Schneider is beautiful, but her character is shallow, perhaps because of her acting she is not at all interesting beyond being a pleasure object. When he tries to take it to another step, to meet outside the apartment, the ending didn't quite ring true to me, except for the casual indifference he felt towards his impending death.\\n\\nSeeing it again as a man older than Brando and after so many imitations and overly brainy conversations about it, I thought that the film was still quite good. I didn't \\\"freak out\\\" the way I did at the first viewing, but the sadness of it all remains deeply affecting. Sex and despair are no longer shocking to filmgoers as they were when I was young, but it is great art house cinema and worth a viewing for any film buff who is interested in the history of the medium.\\n\\nRecommended. This is like a modern equivalent of Balzac in its magical realism.\",\n \"Product: Yippie Abbie Hoffman\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: pretty balanced: he admits to arrogance and buffoonery, but inspired change\\n\\nReview: This got me to re-think Abbie, whom I saw more as a provcateur than a politician of substance (in stark contrast to many of the activists in SDS, imho). What I remember most about him is Steal This Book, which is the perfect form of anarchy for affluent adolescents (us) in the suburbs (see the chapter \\\"monkey warfare\\\" for a guide to some of our misdeeds). I barely recalled that he was one of the Chicago 7.\\n\\nHe appeared far more self-aware in this film than I would have given him credit for, and it is clear that he actually did stand for some things, such as using the tools of the media to promote democracy and get out of Vietnam. In this fine film, you get to view his entire career, from the civil rights works he did, which I didn't know about, to his swan song as a local activist. It is a bit glib on his manic depression and its treatment, I found, but that also rounded out his portrait without creating an idol. The acting is genuinely excellent and the evocation of the time synches with my memory of the 60s: it was a great time to be an adolescent, I mean, what better thing to do than ditch high school as a protest? While much of it seems so callow today, it really is the last time America was interesting politically: as Abbie says, we stopped a war and had fun. Of course, the 1968 Chicago convention, which my parents took me to see, was a turning point in American politics, as the middle class were disgusted by the Dems, which added to the GOP's momentum as a result of civil rights alienating the South's democratic party. That is not really analysed in the film, but then, it is not intended as poli-sci I suppose.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. It is a wonderful slice of history.\",\n \"Product: They Came From Beyond Space is the thrilling film adaptation of Joseph Millard's, The Gods Hate Kansas, which revolves around an alien spacecraft that has mechanical problems and crashes into the Moon. The alien beings aboard cannot complete the repairs themselves, so they use their abilities to control and use a number of Earth's scientists as slaves to help with the repairs.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: solid b hard scifi\\n\\nReview: It is hard to believe that this is the kind of thing I watched every afternoon as a kid. Back then, this was pretty cutting edge, impossible as it may seem. But beyond the crude effects, the story is really quite good: there is a mysterious landing of some space crafts. The hero is a man who recently had a steel plate grafted to his skull, a sure tip off that some kind of mind control will not effect him.\\n\\nHe heroically attempts to discover what is happening to his colleagues, which gets him into lots of trouble and danger. He then figures out, with a colleague he equips with a kind of collander helmet to protect him against the untraviolet mind rays from the aliens. Then they discover what the real mission of the creatures is, which is quite a surprise, and it changes the adversarial dynamic between Earthlings and aliens in a wonderful twist that is also interesting.\\n\\nRecommended for fans of good b-grade scifi. It is for the peculiar connoisseur, like me, who loved these as a kid.\",\n \"Product: Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and winner of 3, The Pianist stars Oscar winner Adrien Brody in the true-life story of brilliant pianist and composer Wladyslaw Szpilman, the most acclaimed young musician of his time until his promising career was interrupted by the onset of World War II. This powerful, ultimately triumphant film follows Szpilman's heroic and inspirational journey of survival with the unlikely help from a sympathetic German officer (Thomas Kretschmann). A truly unforgettable epic, testifying to both the power of hope and the resiliency of the human spirit, The Pianist is a miraculous tale of survival masterfully brought to life by visionary filmmaker Roman Polanski in his most personal movie ever.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: polanski does it again...\\n\\nReview: not only has he made another unbelievably excellent holocaust film, but he it bears his indefinably quirky stamp. While the basics of the film have been covered in the reviews, what struck me was that this protagonist is not some superhuman hero type, but merely a highly talented man trying to survive - he avoids fighting, relies on his elite contacts, and ventures out only when he can't avoid it. Lots of his time is spent in solitude, waiting fearfully and introspecting. This made him a kind of everyman, with whom I for one could identify far more than some otherwordly figure like Martin Gray, whose story of survivaly is as intimidating as it is fantastic. This film reveals how most of us would have gone about trying to survive: it required pluck and courage, but also luck and avoidance of danger. The acting is also perfect.\\n\\nAlso, the extra of Polanski speaking aobut his childhood - and how he survived a near-identical situation, is incredibly moving and fascinating. This film is perhaps his most important, for himself. One wonders what his career would have been like had he stayed in Hollywood. I must say that, given the repertoire of films he has done since then, such as this or Tess, his first-rate talent was not diminished.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. This is one of the first films I will show to my children when they are ready to learn about the holocaust.\",\n \"Product: New The Namesake [dvd]\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: moving film on identity, culture, and fate\\n\\nReview: This is a beautiful film. The central character is a boy who it between cultures and struggling to make a way for himself on his own terms. This is a universal phenomenon in the US, one that as a half-chinese I have encountered my entire life: you want to be independent, but are drawn by love and the deepest personal associations to a fading ideal/circumstance. I deeply identified with the protagonist's ambivalence towards his parents, his regrets and attempts to bring himself closer to his roots, and his finding a center with a completely personal meaning, which has much to do with his name(s). The characters are very well drawn, from his immediate family to his involvements with whites and indians.\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: I AM LEGEND\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: good, but degenerates from a nightmare of loneliness into a botched action film\\n\\nReview: This film starts out with great promise, with WS as a lone man in a world of chaos. He is hunting, through the streets of Manhattan, for food and uninfected humans, all the while working on a vaccine for the bio-engineered virus that has more of less destroyed humanity. WS is convincing as an anguished, intelligent man, who is struggling with his isolation, though his dog is a vital companion. With flashbacks and preserved video cuts, past history becomes clear: WS was an army scientist who is the only person to understand the vaccine, which is what makes him immune to the disease of the savages who come out at night. He has lost his family, understands what has happened to the world and what needs to be done, and has a charismatic strength of character.\\n\\nSo far so good. You see WS suffer and think as well as act with the decisiveness you would expect from a hero. There are many excellent details, such as the relationship with his dog or his golfing off the wing of a grounded jet fighter. It is vivid and beautiful, completely believable.\\n\\nHowever, once the night bad guys come to the fore, the film begins to falter. First, the night baddies are simply not well executed technically: they don't look real, so you can't believe in them; as one reviewer noted, they look too much like video game characters. We expect better in computer animation, I'm sorry. Second, from an introspective survivor film, you get grotesquely violent action. Not only is the plot unrealistic - the baddies have not discovered him until the night he is rescued by an immune woman and then they come in force - but the action is kind of ridiculous: the baddies seem invulnerable, though they have lost their human intelligence as they transformed into hairless half-dogs and behave as if they have rabies. They are seeking human flesh and seem to have some kind of hive mind, like an insect society, but none of the promising threads are developed into plot and theme. There is not even enough to enable the thoughtful viewer to connect the dots, which is another indispensable component to great scifi.\\n\\nThat being said, I am quite a sucker for these end-of-humanity films. This one got me to believe, at least for the first half. It is a mistake to have made it into an action film in the end, though WS is a good action hero. WS' role is more dramatic than his usual roles, more complex as a character and not at all happygolucky as we expect of the fresh prince. He is a good actor and did well here, but the script and direction take it over the top.\\n\\nRecommended, but not with much enthusiasm.\",\n \"Product: OUT OF PRINT\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Not bad, but not all that original or believable\\n\\nReview: Unfortunately, this is not a very strong film. Stiles is by far the best actor in this, with all the other performances quite weak (with the exception of the detective).\\n\\nStiles plays a deeply troubled child, who is attempting to manipulate her father. To a certain extent, she succeeds, but events begin to slip from her control. The ending is designed to throw the viewer for a loop, but I found it rather predictable. The film most succeeds on the atmospherics, which takes place in a surreal gated community, complete with a lonely single mother, a seductive nanny, a deadbeat sensualist neighbor, and a dysfunctional family. The mix leads to murder and nothing quite ends up as it seems, but I just didn't quite believe it.\\n\\nI would recommend this tepidly.\",\n \"Product: This DVD is in German language (Die Klavierspielerin). The film participated in Cannes (France) 2001.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: art film with realistic, and extremely ugly, psychology\\n\\nReview: The French have a way of creating films full of people you would never want to know, should not want to know, and if you saw them would fail to see what lies below the surface. In other words, they explore parts of the human condition that Hollywood wouldn't touch. Huppert brilliantly realizes the portrayal of an emotionally twisted woman: maniacally focused on her art, from a bizarre household she cannot escape, and unable to form loving relationships. SHe is at times sad, cruel, and sexually experimental. However, as a reflection of her loneliness and pain, there is nothing whatsoever titillating about her sexuality.\\n\\nThe ride is rough and it isn't for everyone. This is excellent psycho-drama, destined to be a classic that will never achieve a wide audience. Recommended with caution.\",\n \"Product: One of Disney's biggest and most fondly remembered hits, the spectacular screen version of the literary classic SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON is full of breathtaking South Seas scenery, hundreds of exotic animals, and treacherous pirates. This heroic tale chronicles the courageous exploits of the Robinson family after they are shipwrecked on a deserted island. Using teamwork and ingenuity, they skillfully overcome the obstacles of nature and transform their new home into a \\\"civilized\\\" community. But the ultimate challenge lies ahead when a band of cutthroat pirates threaten to destroy the Robinson's Makeshift paradise. Capture the thrills, romance, and fun of this unforgettable Disney film!|The film was based on the book by Johann Wyss, written to preserve the tales he and his sons made up while imagining themselves in Robinson Crusoe's predicament. Not originally intended for publication, the narrative was later edited and illustrated by Wyss' descendants.|Filmed on the Caribbean island of Tobago, the motion picture's lavish preproduction planning and on-location shooting (22 weeks) resulted in a budget that exceeded $4 million, but the extraordinary box office returns, subsequent popular reissues, and release on home video in 1982 has made it one of Disney's top-grossing films.|There was one problem with the filming location of Tobago: it had no animals. Tropical birds, gulls, ostriches, snakes, tigers, zebras, baby elephants, and monkeys were all flown to the island, along with 14 animal trainers.|One afternoon the flamingos Disney \\\"hired\\\" for the film took off from Tobago and headed south to British Guiana. Fortunately, they returned the next day at feeding time.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Still one of the best, even as a golden oldie\\n\\nReview: I had no idea if this would hold the attention of my kids, who expect increasing spectacle and perfection with every film. But this one has so much going for it that I thought, why not try to share it with them?\\n\\nI saw everything I liked about it. First, the family is intimate and builds a wonderful kind of safe haven for itself. I loved the ingenuity and coziness of it. The father wonders whether they would be happier there than in a more civilized place. Second, there is the mysterious wildlife, for which the intellectual son tries to make explanations. I suppose it is possible, but there are tigers (possible from S Asia), monkeys with prehensile tails (only from S America), and ostriches, which I believe are only in Africa. At any rate, they enjoy the animals in delightful play. Third, there is the action adventure, with the defense from the pirates. It is surprisingly well pulled off. Fortunately, my kids liked it, too.\\n\\nThis is family film at it best. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: OUT OF PRINT\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice twist on the heist genre\\n\\nReview: This is a very fun movie, in that it does not fit easily into any standard plot that you might expect. Sure, the experts are being pulled back in from retirement, but they plan to do things their way, with some extra risks and thrills thrown in, including unimaginable psychological pressure. Everything is thrown suddenly into question.\\n\\nKingsley, while not the principal character, steals the spotlight with just about the most charismatic evil that I have ever seen on the screen. His presence exudes the strength of a psychotic killer used to bending men to his will as a lieutenant/enforcer for a bigger boss, McShane. You get an entire sense of environment from Kingsley's demeanor, the true mark of a great actor. But there is also McShane, a man beyond - or entirely incapable of - normal human emotion, who operates in the nether world of power, vengeance, and macho dares. The scene where McShane attends a kind of sado-masochistic party for the business elite, encountering the enigmatic Foxx and going along for the ride, is classic. There is an understanding between victim and perpetrator that is wonderfully subtle and ultimately unfathomable.\\n\\nRecommended as an original viewing experience that, if not pleasant, definitely entertains.\",\n \"Product: VHS Carlos Saura's Trilogy Collection. Bodas de Sangre, Carmen, El amor Brujo. \\n\\nSpanish language with English Subtitles.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: art merges into life, the magic of youth and possibility, beauty\\n\\nReview: I saw this when it came out and its images have always lived in my imagination. There is a seasoned choreographer of flamenco, looking for the perfect \\\"carmen\\\" in his adaptation of the classic opera into dance theatre. At the start, it is all about what is needed for the production, opening a view into how it is organized by creative professionals. Then, as a Carmen is apparently chosen, the personalities and rivalries of the artists emerge, pitting their ambitions and disappointments against one another, which is also part of the creative process that the choreographer is managing: he must encourage, sanction, nurture, and even simply throw the dice as the ensemble begins to coalesce into unified team. Finally, as the art intertwines with the lives of the performers, the choreographer loses control - or gives it up, with purpose - of the situation, all adding into the quality of the performance in spite of the personal chaos that threatens him and others. It becomes impossible to tell what is real and what is projected emotion into the art, even the violent ending.\\n\\nWhat amazes me is that the film works so well and is completely believable - it successfully avoids the danger of becoming preposterous and cheap melodrama. I think this is in large part because the quality of the dancing is wonderful, indeed it continually swept me into its magic all of its own, regardless of the limits of the actors.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. The idea of a story around an artistic production may not be new, but this is executed to perfection.\\n\\nNote: it is a pity this is not available for region 1. I got this new in Britain for $5.\",\n \"Product: Plagued with grief over the murder of her daughter, Valerie Somers (Barbara Hershey) suspects that her husband John (Geoffrey Rush) is cheating on her. When Valerie disappears, Detective Leon Zat (Anthony LaPaglia) attempts to solve the mystery of her absence. A complex web of love, sex and deceit emerges -- drawing in four related couples whose various partners are distrustful and suspicious about each other's involvement.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: very good on mid-life pain and compromise, a bit weak on plot\\n\\nReview: Wrapped around an investigation that appears to be a murder, this story explores the lives of 4 interlinked couples. THree of them are in a serious crisis - infidelity, splitting up, grief - and are pondering the meaning of it all while groping towards reconciliation or compromise or perhaps divorce. The tone is unrelentingly sad, making it an agony to watch, particularly if you have felt pain and alienation in a marriage that once worked.\\n\\nWhile the investigation side serves as a kind of plot device, it has barely begun by the middle of the film. Instead, the viewer gets a picture of each marriage, vividly and concisely portrayed like a series of vignettes, and the acting is positively excellent. For example, Barbara Hershey exudes a disturbing, if functional, depression as she attempts to treat some pretty troubled patients - it is a wonderful portrayal of emotional ricochet, where their issues get her to reflect deeply on her own life. Hershey has never been better. Though brief, each view is utterly convincing, indeed rivetting in the way a poem can have an emotional impact in an entirely different way from a novel. It is very successful art.\\n\\nI recommend this film as a valuable exploration of couples in mid life. Very good, realistic drama, including the investigation. But it is not fun to watch and I doubt I will want to again any time soon. Rather than uplifting, it is stark and naked.\",\n \"Product: An exciting, action-packed sci-fi story from the author of TOTAL RECALL and BLADE RUNNER, the thrilling Director's Cut of IMPOSTOR brings you Gary Sinise (FORREST GUMP, APOLLO 13), Madeleine Stowe (WE WERE SOLDIERS, PLAYING BY HEART), Vincent D'Onofrio (THE CELL, MEN IN BLACK), and Mekhi Phifer (O, 8 MILE) in a stellar cast. At a time when the earth has been at war with an alien force for over a decade, the latest work of lauded government scientist Spencer Olham (Sinise) promises to save the planet. But suddenly, Olham himself is accused of being an alien spy and is thrown headlong into a disorienting nightmare as a fugitive from the law. With blasts of adrenaline-fueled intensity, this futuristic thriller soars as Olham races to prove his identity to the world ... and himself ... in time to save all mankind!\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Has some interesting twists, but well, whatever...\\n\\nReview: Perhaps I am getting jaded, but I rarely find sci-fi films that I like much. There is nothing wrong or ridiculous about this film: it is an identity question, where Sinise is apparently mistaken for a robotic baddie sent from mysterious aliens at war with Earth. He gets into quite an adventure, running around to exonerate himself and in the process revealing a pretty complex (and unfortunate) society. As is typical with PKD, you are not sure who the good and bad guys are, so the viewer is kept guessing. Alas, when I got to the end, I wasn't that surprised, indeed I kind of wanted it to end because I didn't feel I had entered this particular future with much enthusiasm. It is a pretty run of the mill suspense/thriller hard sci fi.\",\n \"Product: Nominated for 5 Academy Awards(R) including Best Picture (2001), this universally acclaimed film features Academy Award-winners Sissy Spacek (Best Actress 1980, COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER, 1980) and Marisa Tomei (Best Supporting Actress 1992, MY COUSIN VINNIE), and Academy Award-nominee Tom Wilkinson (Best Actor, IN THE BEDROOM, 2001). When young Frank Fowler (Nick Stahl) becomes romantically involved with an older single mother (Tomei), his parents (Spacek and Wilkinson) are concerned. But when the relationship takes a sudden and tragic turn, the Fowlers are forced to confront the harsh reality of their situation and the inescapable consequences of their actions. An uncommonly suspenseful and disturbing film powered by a remarkable cast, IN THE BEDROOM has been hailed by critics everywhere as one of the year's finest motion pictures.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: superbly acted, but depressingly slow by design\\n\\nReview: This is one of those films about a trajedy and its aftermath in a family. It is brutal and sad, then it winds down for an awfully long time, with raw emotions playing behind the surface of events. In many ways, the best part is about the pain of the aftermath as life goes on and you witness what is left. There are many levels at which this can be viewed: as a comment on our criminal justice system and vengance, the evolution of long-term and durable marriages, or the upheavals of unwilling divorce. For me, it was the older marriage that was the emotional center of this movie, the anchor of all the themes.\\n\\nWatching this is difficult as it addresses many of our ultimate fears as parents. The realism is so rough that not much of this is fun. Recommended for serious film goers, those who would rather see a slice of life than watch a football game.\",\n \"Product: \\\"Nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture, this universally acclaimed film features Sissy Spacek and Marisa Tomei and Academy Award nominee Tom Wilkinson.\\nWhen young Frank Fowler (Nick Stahl) becomes romantically involved with an older single mother (Tomei), his parents (Spacek & Wilkenson) are concerned. But when the relationship takes a sudden and tragic turn, the Fowlers are forced to confront the harsh reality of their situation and the inescapable consequences of their actions.\\nAn uncommonly suspenseful and disturbing film powered by a remarkable cast, IN THE BEDROOM has been hailed by critics everywhere as one of the year's finest motion pictures.\\\"\\n(From slipcover back)\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: superbly acted, but depressingly slow by design\\n\\nReview: This is one of those films about a trajedy and its aftermath in a family. It is brutal and sad, then it winds down for an awfully long time, with raw emotions playing behind the surface of events. In many ways, the best part is about the pain of the aftermath as life goes on and you witness what is left. There are many levels at which this can be viewed: as a comment on our criminal justice system and vengance, the evolution of long-term and durable marriages, or the upheavals of unwilling divorce. For me, it was the older marriage that was the emotional center of this movie, the anchor of all the themes.\\n\\nWatching this is difficult as it addresses many of our ultimate fears as parents. The realism is so rough that not much of this is fun. Recommended for serious film goers, those who would rather see a slice of life than watch a football game.\",\n \"Product: A rubber-plantation foreman marries his boss's widow, then turns into a gorilla.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: crude, savage, and fun\\n\\nReview: If you ever wondered what Raymond Burr did before Perry Mason, this is your film: it is a masterpiece of the second rate, with a mysterious jungle with its own legends, murder, ill-fated love, and cosmic vengeance. Looked at in a certain way, it is so bad it is really really good. The acting is overwrought, but surprisingly strong. I will not recapitulate the plot, as that would spoil it in my opinion.\\n\\nThis is yet another one of those wonderful b-films we used to watch after school, totally unbelievable, yet somehow psychologically real, at least for kids. This is very personal, but watching these still gives me a thrill of delight, sometimes the cheesiness makes it even more delectable.\\n\\nRecommended, particularly for the nostalgia of human imagination's truly grotesque.\",\n \"Product: Shakespeare's Don Pedro pairs Benedick and Beatrice and woos Hero for Claudio around a lively Italian villa.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: a genuine, lively success and a delight\\n\\nReview: I got this for my daugter, now 12, to nurture her love of drama. At this, this fine rendition was an absolute success: she is watching it and memorising the language, drinking it in with the excitment and exuberance of a child. It is wonderful to behold and precisely why I got this film.\\n\\nBranagh's adaptation is lush and splendidly well arranged. The only flaw, in my opinion, is Keanu Reeves, who simply fails to project any soul into his role. He just isn't of the same caliber as the rest of the cast. Denzel Washington is wonderful as the prince, quite a surprise - I think he is America's greatest acting talent, yet again.\\n\\nWarmly recomended. It transmits the magic of Shakespeare into the young mind and allows us parents to re-live the brutal ups and downs of young love. I was moved, by the story but also by watching the delight of my daughter in the whole experience.\",\n \"Product: The beautiful Tigri (Laurette Luez) and her amazonian stone age friends are convinced that men are only good for one thing. When they capture some potential mates, Engor (Allan Nixon) resents his treatment and escapes. During the wild pursuit that follows they battle dragons, giants, and discover fire, all without messing up their hair or makeup. Tigri, impressed despite herself, agrees to marry the slightly smarter-than-average Engor, and the continuance of our species is assured.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: pre-feminist romp between savage boys and girls\\n\\nReview: WOw, this is a funny and outdated movie that purports to be archaeologically accurate. My daughter and I watched with a constant stream of laughter, she being a serious student of archaeology.\\n\\nA band of tough women - all clean cut and covered above and below - have decided they need to claim mates. They were separated off from another tribe when very young, due to the bad treatment their mothers received as women slaves. Now these women will knock out some boys and take them on their terms. Once the boys are taken captive, they discover fire and claim dominance in their turn. Then, in a mutual fight against an evil giant, they truly bond and found their own tribe.\\n\\nNot only is the story preposterous, but the acting is not all that great and the science is rather questionable. That being said, we did enjoy it, granted more as an object of ridicule than a film experience.\\n\\nNot recommended unless you can get a free copy.\",\n \"Product: Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal) has a few strikes against her when she applies for a secretarial position at the law office of E. Edward Grey (James Spader). Although she's never had a job in her life Lee is hired by the mysterious lawyer Mr. Grey. At first the work seems quite normal but soon in between typing filing and making coffee Lee and Mr. Grey embark on a more personal relationship crossing lines of conduct that would give any human resource director the vapors!System Requirements:Starring: James Spader Maggie Gyllenhaal Jeremy Davies and Leslie Ann Warren. Directed By: Steven Shainberg. Running Time: 111 Min. Color. © MMII Secretary Productions LLCFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: R UPC: 658149811324 Manufacturer No: 71883\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: genuine weirdos find love via sado-masochism\\n\\nReview: (SPOILER WARNING.) There is no question that this is one of the oddest love stories I have ever seen. A young woman, with a quirky beauty that reveals itself over the course of the film, evolves from a self-mutilating mental patient to a fully realized and loving wife. It is an extraordinary transformation, told in the form of comedy, and the viewer can believe it.\\n\\nThe acting is wonderful. Spader is at his absolute best: creepy, with bizarre tastes to say the least, yet full of need in a way that is understandable and increasingly vital. From a rigid obsessive type, he becomes a man in search of love, even if it involves ropes and a saddle. This is also Gyllenhaal's first starring role and she is magnificent. The supporting characters from her hapless boy toy to her alcoholic father and co-dependant mother are also excellent.\\n\\nAs many have noted, this film had to tread an extremely fine line. One the one hand, there is no question that the couple is perverted. They indulge in pain, humiliation, and bondage. On the other hand, though so wounded and inhibited, they forge a true relationship. Their journey is moving, at times titillating, and even fascinating.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. The range of human behavior is forever unfathomable and unpredictable. This film shows what a mystery life and the hope for love can be.\",\n \"Product: Two traumatic events affect the life of East Berliner, Christiane Kerner. First, in 1978, her husband, Robert, runs off to freedom and another woman in the west, leaving her to take care of their two adolescent children, Ariane and Alex, by herself. Always a good Socialist, Christiane devotes her life to the cause as a symbol of anger toward her husband. And second, in 1989, she sees a now grown Alex marching in an anti-Berlin Wall demonstration and being hauled off by police. As a result, she suffers a heart attack and goes into a coma. While Christiane is in her coma, Germany drastically changes with the Wall coming down and the imminent official reunification of East and West into one. The Kerner's personal life also changes with all aspects of the new found capitalist world infiltrating their home. When Christiane emerges from her coma eight months later, her health situation is still tenuous. Any shock she experiences could possibly lead to another heart attack and certain death. To protect his mother, Alex decides not to tell her of the new Germany in which they live. He feels he can better protect her at home, where he can control to what she is exposed. Although most around him don't support the idea - including Ariane and Lara (Alex's Russian immigrant girlfriend who is also Christiane's nurse) - they go along with the extreme measures Alex goes to to recreate East Germany in their home. How long can they keep up the ruse?\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: a rare success: a political comedy that can appeal to everyone\\n\\nReview: My daughter saw this in her German class and simply had to have it. To encourage her German, I got it, not expecting much. On her insistence, we watched it and I was very pleasantly surprized - here is a comedy, at turns political and personal, but always with an edge of realism and irony. If you are interested in the personal side of reunification, this is also very good evocation and provides food for discussion, also very good for learning.\\n\\nThe story is about a broken East German family: the father went to the West and disappeared, leaving his wife and two children in the East. The mother had a nervous breakdown, coming out of it gradually to become a leader. During the upheaval 10 years later, she has a heart attack and falls into a coma, just when E Germany collapses. When she wakes up, to avoid life-threatening trauma, they don't tell her about the reunification and go to increasingly absurd lengths to hide it from her. A lot of this is funny, but after a while it becomes a terrible strain. As life goes on, they work to resolve many issues, all the time struggling in the new society under development. It is interesting and well done on many levels, with great attention to detail, and always funny. It is a masterpiece of political satire but real enough to be a drama as well.\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: 2-DVD Set, Commentary, Interactive Menu, Photo Gallery, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: At Cambridge University in 1934, four young men are courted by Soviet agents and recruited into a world of covert intelligence and espionage. Fired by youthful idealism, passionately committed to social justice and to fighting fascism, they are bonded by friendship based on shared conviction and shared sacrifice. This is the story of Blunt, Burgess, Philby and Maclean, the most notorious double agents in British history. The four became embroiled in obtaining and passing on vital information, betraying their country to fight the evils of fascism. Enigma secrets and atomic details are given to Russian contacts as the careers of the four take them to Vienna, New York, Washington and Moscow. During almost 20 years of counter-intelligence, despite their personal journeys, the four are bound by their beliefs and their secrets. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, ...Cambridge Spies - 2-DVD Set\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: evocative and fun, if a bit thin on content\\n\\nReview: My British friends relish spy stories and have initiated me into their intricacies. This led me to begin collecting the BBC productions, which include such outstanding titles as Smiley's People. With this, I think that the best is definitely in the past: the script has many holes, providing little solid information about what made these guys tick. It also takes a rather sympathetic view of them as ambitious, youthful idealists, attracted to communism mostly as a way to fight fascism. Oddly, it glosses over much of the real damage that they did, such as Philby's exposure of a counter-insurgency in Albania that cost hundreds of lives in an ambush. Overall, it is stimulating and well acted with evocations of history, a good if not prime addition to a film library.\\n\\nThe story begins with the 4 as students. They are rambunctious - the cold Blunt and flamboyant Burgess are overt homosexuals - while Philby is a womanizer; only McLean appears shy and introspective. After some hesitation, they band together and subordinate their lives to spying for the USSR. The personal conflicts and tragedies that this double life caused form the crux of the plot - lost love, stress leading to alcoholism, etc. Another theme is the old-boys British public school culture, whereby those of the right breeding and class can enter into the elite when they chose to do so: all you need is the \\\"right tie\\\". The elite also closes ranks on certain questions, such as the loyalty of the Cambridge grads, letting them escape.\\n\\nAs a result, what they actually did and even what motivated them at the deepest levels is largely left vague. I was disappointed because I wanted to learn much more. It also falls between genres, i.e. it isn't suspense, isn't history, and lacks the intrigue that makes spy stories such a fun puzzle. Recommended with these caveats.\",\n \"Product: Based on the life and work of underground comic book writer Harvey Pekar- a prickly poet of the mundane who knows that all the strategizing in the world can't save a guy from picking the wrong supermarket checkout line.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: original, funny, banal, pathetic, and uplifting\\n\\nReview: I was given a copy of Pekar's first anthology in 1985, and I read it so many times I practically memorized it. The great thing was that it had down to earth stories about normal people in a nowhere city, but they came through with a pathos and sense of striving that were throbbing with life. Not much happens, but they leave an imprint, if you like good dense fiction. Pekar is his milieu, however egomanaical, maladjusted, and sad he seems. The stories range from reasoning about his non-existent career while buying bread to hanging out with a horrible, clueless woman for sex because he is so lonely. All in a declining rustbelt city.\\n\\nI wasn't sure what to expect with this film, but I bought it anyway. From the start, I thought it was completely successful and a work of art that stood on its own. You have the real Harvey Pekar as narrator, who occasionally appears to comment from a kind of inner sanctum mixing comics and the film set, and you have a wonderful actor, Paul Giamatti. Then, you also have them watching themselves in a play and then on David Letterman. It was a strange double or triple reflection of reality.\\n\\nThe story is very well put together. It starts when Pekar is getting divorced (2nd time), shows his life as a working-class intellectual, and then how he falls in love with someone as strange yet endearing as himself, Joyce. Then, he survives cancer and even accepts a child into his life, which with his loudly announced vasectomy (on his first date with his wife) he was adamant never to do. All through it, Pekar strives to develop his art, comic book writing that others illustrate. He does his thing through sheer gall - and hey, if he doesn't, who would? Every freelancer will identify with this.\\n\\nGiamatti really gets Pekar: the constantly worried brow, the shuffling slump with his constant companion (a mild depression), yet also the good mind that is entirely self-taught. It is brilliant. But the feel of the film also reflects what I have witnessed: there is even a scene where one character is introduced, Toby (whom I did not recall from the comic), and for a second I was convinced he was someone I really knew. (You read this, Chris?) I had to watch that scene several times, and even got my kids to watch the \\\"nerd\\\" as he defined himself - we all laughed, but felt sympathy as well. That is typical Pekar.\\n\\nSomeday, I believe, Pekar's work will be regarded as genuine literature that portrays the age, much I would wager, as do Chaucer or Froissart. People will do Phds on it, but I prefer to simply enjoy it for what it is. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: The emotionally and physically charged lives of three people, a college professor (Sean Penn), an ex-con (Benicio Del Toro) and a young mother with a reckless past (Naomi Watts), collide unexpectedly in this gripping suspense thriller. Fate brought them together. Now vengeance will take them to the heights of love, the depths of revenge and the promise of redemption. Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and Naomi Watts give the finest performances of their careers in the film that is \\\"tantalizingly alive!\\\" (Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: superbly acted drama on redemption and end of life\\n\\nReview: This is an utterly rivetting film about three lives that intersect by chance. First, there is the professor (Penn), whose health is deteriorating and whose marriage is all but a meaningless shell. Second, there is the wife (Watts) of his heart donor, whose pain at the loss of her family has driven her to return to drug abuse. Third, there is the ex-con who is remaking his life as a born-again christian and is lucky to be loved - he takes responsibility for a car accident that claims the lives of the wife's family.\\n\\nWhat makes this film so outstanding is the actors: they are absolutely first rate and you feel what they are going thru as they question life and try to cope. It is so utterly believable that it is very painful to watch: you feel their conflict and the meaninglessness that threatens to engulf each of them, but also how they reach the point where the survivors can go on. With all of their flaws and the ambiguous outcome, this is not a simplistic hollywood feel-good film where all's well that ends well. It is brilliant art that reflects on life. The time shifts are also quite interesting and are not hard to follow as a narrative that is not quite linear.\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: For the first time ever, the original Dracula film comes to DVD in this extraordinary Legacy Collection. Included in the collection is the original classic, starring the renowned Bela Lugosi, and three timeless sequels, featuring such legendary actors as Lon Chaney Jr., John Carradine and others. These are the landmark films that inspired an entire genre of movies and continue to be major influences on motion pictures to this day.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: two classics, one good sequel, one serious dog\\n\\nReview: Though I grew up on these films, my kids have gone to the updated versions that are coming out with adolescent characters and amazing special effects. Dracula seems clunky and old-fashioned to them, or \\\"weird\\\" as they label any (of my) culture that I bring to them in movie collections. Still, I watched these with absolute delight and a sense of the childish wonder felt when I saw them in the 1960s.\\n\\nThere is nothing like Bela Lugosi's original version, which made him a b-movie star. He has a sense of charismatic presence and dreadful purpose, with old-world charm. To my mind, it is the best of all the dracs (and I have 4 other versions of the Stoker version). The biggest surprise for me was the spanish version, which is almost as good as Lugosi's: it was film on the same set at night! It has a different feel and better character development in some ways. Drac's daughter was also a welcome surprise, not a simple knockoff but a good story in its own right. She is mysterious and beautiful, but also full of futile yearning to find a way back. Very fun, and it continues van Helsing's story, once he was arrested for the murder of Drac. Finally, there is the House of Drac, which is a terrible mishmash of characters, way to ambitious not just with wolfman and frankie, but also a pseudo-Jekyll/Hyde. It is pretty dumb, but fun nonetheless.\\n\\nRecommended for all film buffs, esp, the nostalgic ones like me. Note: I got this new in region 2, for $8.\",\n \"Product: In Out of the Ashes, one woman is forced to choose between two horrifying acts of evil, and ultimately finds the courage to make the right choice. Based on actual events that occurred during World War II that chronicles the life of Dr. Gisella Perl, a woman who lost her entire family and was forced to start life over in America.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: full moral ambiguity with heart\\n\\nReview: When we bought this, I thought, \\\"not another holocaust film!\\\" So there it sat for months, unopened. Then last night, I finally got the courage to try watching it, and became utterly rivetted and deeply moved.\\n\\nThis is the true story of a remarkable survivor, a doctor from Auschwitz, who suffered the loss of her entire family and took many questionable actions to survive. While saving many lives, she also dealt with Mengele and felt that she had violated her oath as a doctor. She is not a simple good guy, but a full-blown character who acknowledges the necessity of her actions and yet feels terrible guilt. Lahti delivers the best performance I have ever seen her give, not as the beautiful young woman she is but prematurely aged and worn. She is totally believable and charismatic.\\n\\nThough made for TV, this is a great film. Warmly recommended. You will be moved yet again by the one of greatest trajedies of the 20C.\",\n \"Product: From Academy Award-winning director Bernardo Bertolucci (The Last Emperor, 1987), comes an erotic tale of three young film lovers brought together by their passion for movies -- and each other. When Isabelle and Theo (Eva Green, Louis Garrel) invite Matthew (Michael Pitt) to stay with them, what begins as a casual friendship ripens into a sensual voyage of discovery and desire in which nothing is off limits and anything is possible. Featuring an engaging, seductive cast, The Dreamers is a ?spellbinding, provocative feast!\\\" (Ebert & Roeper)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: vintage bertolucci: erotic, political, personal\\n\\nReview: Ok, one of the things that interested me in this film was the trailers I saw in Europe: a young nubile female strips, etc etc. But the backdrop - 1968 Paris and its petite revolution - appeared the ideal context for a true film journey. I have long felt ambivalent about Bertolucci: his Last Tango was brutally shocking to me and a high school sweetheart, his Last Emperor appeared to exploit the cheapest \\\"Asiatic mysteries\\\" to me, an American half-Chinese. But there is no doubt about the psychological depth in his unusual and audacious films, which always offer the unexpected.\\n\\nThis film is ironic in the way that many American films would never dare: while student street fighting goes on, some pretentious youths - with conversations sooo like those I had sooo near that time - are creating their own little artistic-erotic world, safe in a cushion of bourgois money that is disturbed only by the strikes of basic services like garbage haulers. I do not know if Bertolucci disdains the little revolution of 1968, but it forms an unspoken reference point to some serious adolescent experimentation. I suspect that they are not studies in contrast for what was going on outside - in retrospect so selfservingly trivial and off-base an effort to re-make society in the space of a week - but a pure metaphor for what it all meant.\\n\\nThe protagonists are middle-class film nuts, who are taken up in the carneval of the 1960s with all its excesses and self-important sillyness. I was similar to them, I admit, but was not in as exotic a place as Paris, though I felt destined to live there for a while (and did in the late 70s, largely for the reasons of the American character). They play film trivia games, which when lost resulted in bizarre \\\"forfaits sexuels\\\" that are extremely titilatting to us folks who like to recall their reckless youth. But it becomes deep as the protagonists get lost in their own personal labyrinthes: the twins obsessed with eachother and with art, the American with the beauty of European difference and quality. Having lived through so much of it, I empathised with all of them and did not find them as ridiculous as many reviewers have: they are just young, experimenting before making tough choices, and enjoying it all while searching for some elusive ideal. Haven't we all passed that way? Or shouldn't we all have?\\n\\nI will have to watch this many times before arriving at a definitive interpretation, but then that is the way with truly great art. Also, I believe that this film will age well, will be interpreted at many levels as I enter old age. Bertolucci really gets the double-sided nature of lucky youth: they both see more than adults absorbed by a career trajectory and yet their insights can often be callow and pathetically selfish. But hey, that is part of the jurney of life, and this film plumbs a lot of that depth with panache and zest. I loved it.\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: The 16th president and his wife are portrayed from their first days in Washington to 1865.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: a very human Lincoln who is principled yet a master manipulator\\n\\nReview: Waterston does a great job portraying Lincoln not as an Icon, but as a human being. It is the best portrayal I have ever seen of Lincoln on the screen and quite faithful to the original novel by Gore Vidal. You feel Lincoln's sense of purpose, his ability to read people and manipulate them in accordance with it, and his emotional life. It is subtle, at times shocking, but always engaging.\\n\\nThe viewer also gets a good glance at the major events of the Civil War in outline, in just about enough detail for the casual viewer: the suspension of Habeas Corpus in Maryland, the stodgy Union Generals, the important battles, the human toll. It is all bound with Lincoln's political purpose, to save the Union at any cost, and stimulates the appetite for more. It covers Lincoln's difficult relationship with the notorious popinjay McClellan, the deterioration of Mary Todd Lincoln (I did not like Mary Tyler Moore much in the role), and the tensions within the cabinet. The gravelly Ulysses Grant is also excellent.\\n\\nThat being said, it was impossible to get all the nuance of Vidal's novel (his finest by far) into 3 hours. You get allusions to the themes, but cannot experience such things as the deep conversion of Seward from a scornful enemy to devoted friend, the love of John Hay for the exploited Kate Chase, or Linclon's shrewd maneuverings around the power-hungry Salmon P. Chase. If you liked the film, you should definitely read the book. Finally, for Civil War buffs, there really isn't enough detail to satisfy the most sophisticated appetite, however successful this is as entertainment.\\n\\nRecommended. This is a great introduction to a fascinating cast of characters in America's most decisive conflict.\",\n \"Product: The battle of wits is on! Oscar(r) winners* Geraldine Page and Ruth Gordon 'sharpen their claws on each other (Boxoffice) in this enjoyable piece of jolly horror (Los Angeles Times) about a lost fortune, a mad heiress and a housekeeper hellbent on digging up the truth! Mrs. Marrable (Page) is a society matron who's had some shocking news. Her late husband left her only a stamp collection! Determined to maintain her extravagant lifestyle, she takes advantage of an unlikely new source of incomeher housekeepers by robbing them not only out of their life savings, but also their lives! The turnover rate for help speeds faster than a revolving door until Mrs. Marrable's latest hire (Gordon) develops a drive to unearth the terrible secret buried in the front yard! * Page: Actress, The Trip to Bountiful (1985); Gordon: Supporting Actress, Rosemary's Baby (1968)\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: the caper of dueling elderly matrons\\n\\nReview: This is a weird kind of film noir, in which the protagonists as two elderly matrons, neither of whom are what they appear to be. Page plays what can only be described as an insane serial killer, who likes to plant trees and bushes over her victims' graves. Then along comes another potential victim, Ruth Gordon, and things get even stranger. The film is definitely fun, but there was a lack of believable quirkiness in it for me, like the way that Page would laugh when she pulled off some new diabolical machination. But really, it comes down to personal taste and whether or not it works for you. It didn't quite for me.\\n\\nNonetheless, it has some nice twists. Recommended.\",\n \"Product: Now, for the first time, celebrate the power and majesty of The Lion King with this exclusive three-movie, six-disc set. The unforgettable story that crosses three generations, the Academy Award-winning music, breathtaking animation and beloved characters of all three Lion King motion pictures come to life in this pristine, digital presentation. Share each fun-filled moment of this epic animated adventure with every generation of your family!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Disney's best, with two mediocre knock-offs to cash in\\n\\nReview: Lion King is, without a doubt, one of the finest films that Disney has ever produced. It has a moving story with profound themes - the passage of power in a royal household, the loss of innocence, the enduring strength of love - and a wonderful array of colorful characters. Every time I watch that film, I am moved by Simba's difficult coming of age, his hard-won wisdom at accession to office, and his re-finding of a self that was all but lost. It is truly beautiful with plenty of comic relief thrown in that adds to the story and never detracts from it. OK, the slightly longer version here includes some songs that are longer and a few scenes that were not in the theatre version, all of which seem rather superfluous, but the story is still essentially perfect. This is 5 stars, easy.\\n\\nThe two films that follow have many weaknesses. The second is largely a repeat, only with inferior graphics, inferior songs, and less interesting characters. It is a 2-star performance. The third is marginally better, i.e. the story of Pumba and Timon told in retrospect alongside the original story, recapitulating it but adding detail. It is not bad, 3 stars. Alas, I thought the attempt to cash in on perfection as pretty crass. That being said, my kids enjoyed both versions very much, similar to the way they enjoy TV.\\n\\nI would recommend getting the first film in another format. The follow-ons can be seen by rent, if you must.\",\n \"Product: Julie Delpy, William Hurt, Donald Sutherland. Taking the TV miniseries and editing it into a film, this adaptation of Mary Shelley's hauntingly delicious novel follows the book closer than ever before! Unable to inspire love, the creature brought to life from dead tissue vows to avenge the man who created and abandoned him. 2004/color/3 hrs., 24 min/NR/fullscreen.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: faithful and truly fine adaptation of the Shelly novel\\n\\nReview: This film captures the spirit of Mary SHelly's masterpiece better than almost any film version I have seen, and it is a good bet I have seen most of them. In many ways, this is my favorite of the classic monsters, the superhuman constructed by a scientist of genius, only to have his creation slip from his control. Not only is it a warning (so typical of the Romantics) against placing too much faith in science, but it is also a deep enquiry into human nature.\\n\\nThis version of Frankenstein begins with a desolated man (Newman) lost in the arctic, unburdening himself to the captain (Sutherland) of a ship of exploration. He was on a quest to resurrect a being from death, which had come to fascinate the young aristocratic scientist. Though obsessed, he came from the happiest home, a perfect childhood cut short by the sudden death of his mother. Once he creates the monster - here the film fudges the vagueness in the book by positing it is electricity that is the secret - he is repelled by it. As in the book, the monster escapes in the coat of the doctor, which included his lab notebook so that he can re-find him.\\n\\nThe formation of the monster closely follows the book: he retreats to the forest in extreme loneliness, rejected by his \\\"father\\\" and anyone who sees him. For a long period, he watches a happy family, learning to speak and teaching himself to read; obviously he is highly intelligent, even sensitive. When at last he approaches the blind father of the family, he weeps at the first kindness he has ever known, only to be violently ejected by the son upon his return. This makes him murderously angry, forcing him to search out his creator (to gain a mate like himself) and giving up on man. Similar to the Karloff character, it is clear that, had he been treated better, he would have developed in a completely different direction. There is also accident, which further alienates him from humans and in particular from his creator, who sees him as irredeemably evil. Once he refuses to create a mate, the monster declares war on him and the consequences are utterly horrific. All the time, Frankenstein reflects on what he has done, how he erred into a god-like arrogance, which ruined him and all those he loved. The monster is perhaps the best actor, who is at once evil yet full of remorse, full of blood rage yet capable of tenderness, brutish yet patient and cunning.\\n\\nThe only flaw in this is the weakness of some of the acting. Newman, whom I loved in Dune, simply is not up to the task in my view - he is good but not great. In particular, he fails to project a very complex relationship with the monster. Hurt, as a German professor, delivers an unconvincing cameo performance, there only for the draw of his name in my viewing. Sutherland is better, but again the character appears only occasionally, though his final confrontation with the monster - expressed as a moral argument - is quite moving. I will never forget the image of the monster as he walks into the arctic mist carrying the body of his creator, to disappear together in the ice.\\n\\nRecommended. This is one of the best versions I have seen.\",\n \"Product: M. Night Shyamalan (SIGNS, UNBREAKABLE, THE SIXTH SENSE), the director who brought you the world's greatest thrillers on DVD, now creates his most thought-provoking triumph yet ... breaking international records and dazzling audiences around the globe! THE VILLAGE is a smart, edge-of-your-seat chiller crawling with terrifying surprises and frightening twists and turns. An isolated, tight-knit community lives in mortal fear of an oppressive evil inhabiting the forbidden forest just beyond their tiny village. So frightening that no one ventures into the woods ... until one villager dares to face the unknown. With unforgettable performances from Joaquin Phoenix, Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt, Adrien Brody, and newcomer Bryce Dallas Howard, this powerful motion picture is one of Hollywood's best psychological thrillers and ranks with the best of Hitchcock!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: wonderfully mysterious story of an isolated community\\n\\nReview: This story takes place in a simple town, with very complex characters. Their world is somehow precarious, though what precisely threatens them is a mystery to the viewer and indeed to most of the inhabitants. They seem to be a 19C community, supported by religious rituals and a sense of danger at the unknown inhabitants of the surrounding forest. While there is a life beyond the forest of which they are all aware, they remain completely autarcic, indeed solipsistic in their references to themselves and their pasts.\\n\\nThe acting is so good that the siuation of the characters is entirely believable and at times deeply moving: there is the search for love and unfulfilled need, the desire to preserve an utterly unique culture, and the yearning of the young, who find incredible inner resources for the trial that awaits. The mood is consistant, mixing color, sound, and stunning visual imagery. Each scene is as complex as a portrait painting, with the expressions implying an entire world with quirky points of view.\\n\\nThe story unfolds as a kind of mythical journey that could go in any number of directions. I felt the need to learn what the secret was, and when revealed it is not a disappointing banality, but a complex psychological reality. This film is a great and subtle gem.\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: An Earthman of the future goes to Mars, driven by nightmares of his past.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Not bad, but like, so what?\\n\\nReview: I must be getting old: these films about weird things with violence and monsters just don't do a heckuvalot for me anymore. I see them as having standard plots, and this is pretty much one of them: quasi-amnesiac guy trying to figure out who he is, gets into big situation, kills some, kills more, saves a world (appartently). It is second level sci-fi.\\n\\nThat being said, there is no question that the acting in this is far superior to b-flicks, from Arnie to Sharon Stone, who was in her prime when this was made. They make this a better-than-average watch, but there is still no way I would want to watch this over and over as there aren't any interesting ideas in it.\\n\\nRecommended, but there are far better hard sci-fi productions.\",\n \"Product: Jamie Foxx (Collateral) stars as the one-of-a-kind innovator of soul who beat impossible odds to become a music legend. Ray is the triumphant and remarkable story of one of America's true musical geniuses, Ray Charles. From his humble beginnings in the South through his meteoric rise to the top of American music charts, Ray's inspirational journey is a tale of hope, redemption and the power of the human spirit. \\\"Ray is Electrifying\\\" hails Peter Travers of Rolling Stone. Witness the incredible true story of a musician who fought harder and went further than anyone could imagine.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: first rate biopic - warts, genius, and all\\n\\nReview: This is a wonderfully vital story of a man who made it to the top of his profession in a way that may be possible only in America: he was black from the Jim Crow South, blind, and poor, but he rose by talent and guile, with many injuries along the way. The portrait is completely believable and emotionally compelling, from his strong and wise mother to his devoted, yet long-suffering wife; both of them were essential to push this man to be a better person, in spite of his flaws.\\n\\nI was utterly riveted by this story, got a splendid introduction to his music, and felt wonder at the maelstrom of opportunity and racial obstacles that is this United States. One of the best films I have seen in years.\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: This brilliant companion piece to the original film continues the saga of two generations of successive power within the Corleone family. Coppola tells two stories in Part II: the roots and rise of a young Don Vito, played with uncanny ability by Robert De Niro, and the ascension of Michael (Pacino) as the new Don.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: outstanding musing on power, if sometimes over-reaching a bit\\n\\nReview: This shows how Michael develops, fully in the saddle of power. Not only is he very different from his father, but times have changed: the family is splitting apart amidst new dangers and opportunities. Throughout it all, Michael appears outwardly cool and in control and yet the stress is tearing him apart. In so many ways, it is about terrible loss, even as the family enters new areas of profit. Michael triumphs, but the cost is very very high.\\n\\nThe scenes about the origins of Vito, played by de Niro, are the best. He is an actor of utter assurance, and you see him grow into the tough yet nurturing leader that he becomes, not a black guard like the thug he replaces, but someone who serves as he takes. There is also the story of vengence and primal loss at the core of the film, which influences the other characters 50 years later. Admittedly, it is a bit melodramatic, but it is deep as well.\\n\\nThe film is so dense with subtlety and intrigue that you can see it and re-interpret it innumerable times, always seeing more and always enjoying it yet again, such as his handling of the Senator from Nevada. That makes this one of the very greatest and far superior ot most of the films you can find anywhere.\\n\\nHowever, there are many things in this that are over the top, at least for me. For example, Michael goes to Cuba, not just during the revolutionary turmoil, but on the very day that Fidel takes over Havanna. Realistic? Hardly. But it made me feel, \\\"this is art, not life\\\", which bugged me as I had to suspend my disbelief consciously.\\n\\nStill, seen with GF 1, this is a great masterpiece. And Pacino was never better.\",\n \"Product: Is the saving of innocent lives a worthy cause when everyone else condemns you for the act? This burden weighs on Bocca's heart as he continues his fight against Midnight Hiyoko. But who is the real enemy? Later Bocca and Sayoko arrive at a town filled with mechanical mice and meet a girl who could be a warrior of Melos if it weren't her hatred of warriors.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: visually fabulous, but weak plotting\\n\\nReview: You'd think that producers would have realized by now that CGI does not guarantee a great film experience, that the basics of plot and character still count. But no, we are continually dished up visual extravaganzas that have about as much originality as a 50s cowboy formula flick.\\n\\nThis is a film about an outpost, run by Cruise and his girlfriend, which they believe is an outpost that will enable humans to colonize a moon and start over after a devastating war with a mysterious alien race. The way that they live is fantastically vivid, as are the automated weapons that Cruise maintains to protect huge fusion reactors visible across the horizon. It is a good life, but they are doing time, waiting to rejoin their cohorts on a space station. Nonetheless, amidst his dangerous work routine, Cruise is disturbed by visions, seemingly old memories, of a girl he once loved, even though his memory has been \\\"wiped\\\" to protect information he purportedly has about the satellite.\\n\\nThings, it seems, are not what they appear. And, of course, they turn out not to be. On the positive side, the actors are good. I am a Cruise fan, and Kurylenko and Morgan Freedman give strong performances, too. I do not want to reveal the surprise explanation, and there are some nice twists, but really, once you have seen this you will not want to watch it over and over - there is not much to savor, beyond dazzling visuals and Cruise-style action. Scratch beneath the surface, and you get next to nothing.\\n\\nI would only recommend renting this. The fancy formats are fine, but why buy it for the rare viewing?\",\n \"Product: Racing to unlock the secret of his own identity, amnesiac operative Jason Bourne discovers the deadly truth: he's the government's number one target, a $30 million weapon it no longer trusts.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: gritty realism makes this something unique and new\\n\\nReview: This has got to be one of the best action films I have ever seen. Not only does Matt Damon with his superb acting make you believe in the reality of what happens onscreen, but the story is complex and darkly fun.\\n\\nI think what distinguishes this series is how realistic Damon makes it seem. THere are no techie fixes or superhuman feats, just disciplined improvisation by the ultimate assasin. Then there is his personal crisis, worked out in amnesia and his desire to start a new life, perhaps with a woman that he is endangering. Finally, there are the shenanigans of the CIA, with its covert program gone awry and the brutal power maneuvers of the flacks trying to save the situation and their careers. Very fun and interesting, with a nice space for the viewer's imagination to take hold.\\n\\nRecommended with enthusiasm.\",\n \"Product: Spain released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), Spanish ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), Spanish ( Subtitles ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Featurette, Film Credits, Filmographies, Interactive Menu, Photo Gallery, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Matt, a young glaciologist, soars across the vast, silent, icebound immensities of the South Pole as he recalls his love affair with Lisa. They meet at a mobbed rock concert in a vast music hall - London's Brixton Academy. They are in bed at night's end. Together, over a period of several months, they pursue a mutual sexual passion whose inevitable stages unfold in counterpoint to nine live-concert songs. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: San Sebastian International Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, ...9 Songs ( Nine Songs )\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: youthful passion, so briefly inhaled and long remembered\\n\\nReview: This is a beautiful impressionistic film about an affair, as remembered by a scientist while flying over Antarctica. He is remembering what will certainly be the great passion of his youth, the discovery of a perfect sex partner with whom he has nothing in common but their grinding, momentary love. It is a fleeting, strictly limited merging, that is graphically portrayed (what the film will be remembered for, no doubt).\\n\\nThe film is less a story than a series of moments that flit in and out of his memory, ending abruptly and without much resolution. It is more poetry than novel. I don't know if, as some reviewers claim, it is portraying something deeper than nostalgic sex, but the images have great power.\\n\\nHopefully everyone experiences this kind of excitement and longing. It is not meant to last, however painful it feels with the incredible ecstasies and imagined emotional highs before the horrible realization that you are building a fantasy together. One can spend years feeling anger at the disillusionment that follows as well as fight its image of perfection when one enters a more mature relationship that entails compromise. The young scientist seems to be at peace with it, so much as that is possible.\\n\\nThis movie is great at portraying that moment in youth, when the patterns in your life do not feel set but there for the making and discovery. While I did not relate to the music in the film - after all, I am of the age when rock and roll was in its golden age - it adds mood to the film.\\n\\nRecommended.\",\n \"Product: In this mesmerizing new film, acclaimed director Werner Herzog explores the life and death of amateur grizzly bear expert and wildlife preservationist Timothy Treadwell, who lived unarmed among grizzlies for 13 summers.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: fascinating and quirky treatment of a doomed man's life in how own words\\n\\nReview: Herzog has a certain vision of life. It is nakedly brutal, raw in its rapacity and ambition, and ruthlessly egotistical. These themes occur in all of his fictional films, perhaps most successfully in Aguirre. Well, here he had found a remarkable subject, the Grizzly man, who left a record of his unusual life and even of the moment of his death.\\n\\nHe started out as a misanthropic alcoholic, failing at everything he tried, but with the ego to push forward. Believing that he found something in nature and the most unpredictable predator of all, the grizzly bear, he carved a unique niche for himself as an educator and conservationist. In this, he was a pioneer, in his attempt to breach the barrier between man and bear that had stood for 7000 years, bringing back a film record of his adventures and stories to enchant children and adults alike. Though a failed actor, he developed a persona and ideals that he claimed saved him from drinking himself to death.\\n\\nBut something far darker lurked beneath the surface, which perhaps Herzog was the best person to plumb. Herzog gained access to his film archive of hundreds of hours of revelatory solitary conversations, statements, and images. He went over them carefully and pieced together a record of wonderfully human complexity, showing a conflicted man who was deluding himself as to the nature of the world (at least as Herzog sees it) and creating an act for his career as well. Herzog also interviews many friends, family members, and critics, to gain a full perspective on a life at the limits.\\n\\nWhile critical, Herzog was also deeply respectful of the talents and drive of this man, which is one reason why he did not include the footage of his death for consumption by a bear. I thought that he chose to respect the proper distance and discretion in his approach, which he did not overtly use to titillate the macabre minded. It is a difficult balance brought off perfectly.\\n\\nIf you are a Herzog fan or seeker of starkly unromantic realism, this film will fascinate you. Many will disagree with his conclusions, but no one can ignore this masterpiece. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Michael is avoiding phone calls regarding his dear friend and former lover Chris who is dying back in America. While trying to write, he is disturbed by the noisy surfers next door as they get ready for a weekend away of surf. C.K., one of the surfers, remains behind to surf the local beach. At the beach cafe for lunch with his old friend Angus, Michael again avoids discussing Chris back in America. Angus catches Michael watching C.K. on the beach and teases him but Michael denies any interest in the surfer. Left on his own, Michael watches C.K. catch a series of waves. After a big wave and a wipe out, C.K. disappears in the surf. Michael looses site of C.K. until he sees him on the beach taking off his wetsuit before he heads back home. Michael remains on the beach then makes his way home. Once inside his house, Michael sees C.K. walking towards him on his way to the living room where he makes himself at home. Michael does not know why the surfer is in his house but before the night is over he will discover more about himself than he may have been ready for. Dan Castle\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Where is our compassion?\\n\\nReview: This is a wonderful look into the lives of several illegal immigrants. They are trying to make it in the US, just like virtually all of our ancestors did. In this film, their situation, with its insecurity and hope, is deeply compelling. That they are also Muslims facing prejudice and fear is an additional layer of interest. To its credit, the film shows the charming side of Islamic culture better than any recent film treatment that I have seen - I know this charm from direct experience via work and travel.\\n\\nThe plot of the film is also fun and clever. A prof, grieving the loss of his wife and burnt out in his job, discovers a couple living in his apartment. They had been scammed, as immigrants often are. Out of sympathy, he offers to let them stay while they wort their situation out, in the process getting to know them. The young man, who has a striking charisma to him, befriends the prof and brings him into his music world, re-igniting a smoldering passion for music that this outwardly square man has hidden. They begin playing bongos in the subway together and you believe it!\\n\\nWhen events take a tragic turn, the young man's mother shows up. Though middle-aged and care worn, she too has a grace and quiet charisma to her, a beauty that radiates from within. The prof learns more about the family and in a way falls for the mother, which is portrayed with a subtlety of emotion that is extremely rare in American films, though of course this is an indy film.\\n\\nAt this time when immigration is a political issue dominated by demagogues, this lovely film could help us to regain our empathy. At the moment, when the debate stops at the word \\\"illegality\\\", we stand to lose so many creative, energetic, and ambitious people. I see it as tragedy, a closing off of the American mind that will make the country into the \\\"old world\\\" that we like to scorn.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. It is a look into life and its possibilities from a unique point of view.\",\n \"Product: Nicolas Cage, Ethan Hawke. A shrewd Ukranian immigrant living in Brooklyn is really a dangerous international arms dealer who has successfully avoided capture by an unwavering Interpol agent for over 20 years but lately has been unsuccessful at avoiding his own conscience. 2005/color/122 min/R.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: cynical, deadly, evil, and pathetic\\n\\nReview: This is a pretty good film about a man who self-actualizes the corruption that is in the deepest part of his soul as a black market arms dealer. Cage narrates this life - out only for himself, regardless of who he helps to kill - and it is effective to a degree. We witness his rise, his many ruses to avoid prison or execution, and its repercussions on his personal life. I admit, Cage's dark humor and splendidly indifferent tone are at times funny and affecting. But the best characterizations, I think, are in the people he encounters, from the cold rival arms dealer he fights to the brutal African thug who makes him rich. It is very good acting.\\n\\nNonetheless, this is Hollywood trying to display some social conscience. There is a kind of breathlessness to it, like they are revealing something to the audience, almost as reporting, but I found its sincerity rather naive. While it is good to expose audiences to this, I suppose, the tone of the film implies that none of us know about these kinds of people already. (I, for one, have been following the issue since 1982, when I read The Global Politics of Arms Sales, by Andrew Pierre, which is a great academic masterwork, or Anthony Sampson's reporting on it from the early 1980s.)\\n\\nThere is no way you can say airing these issues is bad. Recommended for those who haven't follwed the issue of international arms trafficing.\",\n \"Product: Star Trek Fan Collective - Time Travel (1993)\\nWilliam Shatner (Actor), Leonard Nimoy (Actor) | Rated: NR | Format: DVD\\n\\nStar Trek Fan Collective - Time Travel (1993) - BRAND NEW - STILL IN ORIGINAL FACTORY SEALED PACKAGE from Hibiscus Express\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: good way to organize some of the best of Trek scifi\\n\\nReview: One of the greatest things that TNG did was to transform Klingons from simple evil enemies (in ST) into a highly complex culture that is at a watershed: evolve and become part of the intergalactic community, or simply fall into the old patterns of fighting. These themes are wonderful and deep, played by truly excellent actors and quite spell-binding in their drama. This is the best that I have ever seen on TV.\\n\\nWhat is great about this set is that the most important episodes are united in a way that is easy to access. Here, in a quick longitudinal way, the viewer can witness the evolution of the crucial parts of the Klingon evolution from the original series through TNG and other series. Other reviewers have described the specifics of the episodes, so I won't.\\n\\nIn a way, I wish that I had waited before purchasing the entire boxed set of TNG. Not only are all the bum episodes included - at least one in four on each disk - but if you want to follow a story such as that provided by the Klingon plight, you have to play a bunch of disks and each episode is very hard to find. It is extremely cumbersome.\\n\\nSo here, you get ease as well as the cream of the crop of TNG and other series by theme. I wish I had wiated until these sets came out!\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: The #1 requested film on HD is now here! The Complete Matrix Trilogy presents the complete adventures of machine battling truth-seekers Neo (Keanu Reeves) Trinity (Cary-Anne Moss) and Morpheus (Lurence Fishburne) in all three of the Wachowski's ground-breaking monumental sci-fi feature films. This collection features all three films in Hi-def and includes exclusive In Movie Experience (IME). These are the ultimate films for the ultimate hi-def format!Running Time: 403 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE UPC: 085391159742 Manufacturer No: 115974\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: \\\"It takes itself too seriously\\\", is how...\\n\\nReview: my daughter summed it up after we watched the whole thing. It had been a long time since I watched these, but I really did enjoy them at first. However, on watching them more than once, I must admit that they do not quite meet the test of excellence, where you can see more and more each time or interpret them differently at various periods in one's life. (That is true of, say, 2001, but most definitely not for Matrix.)\\n\\nOn the good side, the action and to a degree the characters are good. We really enjoyed the fight scenes, particularly with the added dimension of the weird way it can occur in the Matrix. This will stand the test of time. OK, the CGI appears a bit dated, but it still works. As this is the core of the film, it is fine and worth the price of admission.\\n\\nRegarding the characters, I would say about 1/3 of them are excellent, but the rest of them range from mediocre to, well, pretty stupidly unbelievable. On the positive side, you have the human prophet Morpheus and his devoted acolyte, Trinity. They are tough and interesting. There are also many beings in the Matrix, such as the oracle or the architect, that are quite original and fun. Alas, a whole raft of them seemed unconvincing to me, such as the angry commanders jealous of Morpheus' defiant faith. Then there are weird characters like the Merovingian and Persephone, whose behavior is so inhuman as to be unfathomable and not worth trying to unravel. FOr whatever reason, I can no longer suspend my disbelief while watching, which I regret - it didn't help my daughter that I found lots of their pronouncements laughable, e.g. \\\"some things never change and some things do\\\" which Morpheus says over and over and over. I have concluded that much of the acting simply isn't very good. I mean, did we need to see Cornel West talk in his pseudo-jive here?\\n\\nThe greatest fault of the film, however, was that it acts as if it is making some kind of profound statement. The film is full of flabby philosophical quips or cryptic references, such as the enigmatic babbling of the architect, but on closer examination, there really is less than meets the eye on the initial viewing. After puzzling on it the first time I saw it, it now just sounds silly to me. OK, there is humor in it as well. Also, don't get me wrong: I don't take film all that seriously, but it is fun to feel a sense of wonder during the viewing and it is completely lacking in Matrix.\\n\\nI say this with far more regret than disdain, because frankly I would rather be able to go with it. I think of other \\\"heavies\\\" like Red Planet or Contact - somehow, they continue to succeed as a viewing experience even if they don't have quite the depth of 2001. Recommended: just don't expect you will want to view them more than a few times.\",\n \"Product: U.S. Navy captain and his crew are just beginning to enjoy 48 hours of leave when they receive word to immediately return to duty. On a top-secret assignment, they must disguise themselves as Nazis and infiltrate a severely damaged Nazi U-boat. Once on board, they are to steal the Nazi's top-secret decoding device and sink the sub before the Germans catch on to what's really happening. Their mission is more dangerous and frightening than anything they could have ever imagined, but one which has the power to turn the tide of battle. \\\"U-571\\\" is exciting!\\\" says Newsweek. Filled with incredible explosions, raging fires and speeding torpedoes, this suspense-filled action-packed film sets a new standard for high impact entertainment and features an impressive all-star cast.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: a riveting sub movie, even if it isn't historically accurate\\n\\nReview: I am a sucker for submarine movies with interesting captain melodramas. On that level, which is the stuff of hollywood's art, this film succeeds admirably: it pulses with life, has very well drawn characters, spectacular special effects, and the pace of its adventure ticks along without a moment's lag. The guys are on a deadly and vital mission, to steal the enigma machine from the inside of a Nazi submarine. It is a clandestine operation that must be carried out with precision, some luck, and then there is a very hard fight to survive and accomplish the mission once unforeseen things happen.\\n\\nI particularly like the characters. McConnaughey is an ambitious first officer who has been denied his first command, in large part because of his humanity and hence, purported lack of aptitude to make the difficult decisions (i.e. ordering a man to his death, even if he is unsure of the course that must be taken). Around him are seasoned veterans, including the tough and smart enlisted chief, Keitel. Once the captain (Paxton) is out of the picture, McConnaughey has to take over, facing down doubts about his ability and plotting a strategy in a near-impossible situation. This is high drama and the actors pull it off with real style.\\n\\nWhat a lot of the critics have trouble with here is that it was the Brits, and not the Americans, who heisted the enigma from a Nazi sub. I assume that that is the case. Nonetheless, the film does not claim to be a historical drama or that the story is true. Thus, it is just a movie and that is how it should be seen IMHO. If you want to know the historical reality, there are plenty of books or other films for that.\\n\\nI would recommend this film as entertainment. It is not objective history and does not pretend to be.\",\n \"Product: An astronaut goes by time warp to a future planet ruled by smart apes who keep humans as slaves. Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: solid, dark sci-fi with good characters\\n\\nReview: I vividly remember having seen this when it came out. Heston was phenomenal as an action hero, and a wonderful actor to boot. While the sequels lost me, this I always thought was a great film.\\n\\nSo I got a copy for my kids. We viewed it together and greatly enjoyed it. They were full of questions and observations - always a good sign - but also enjoyed the action. My son (7) talked about it for the following week.\\n\\nAs I have not seen it in about 35 years, I was surprized at how much I liked it. Usually, on viewing a sci-fi oldie I enjoyed at 6 or 12, I am disappointed at how flimsy it seems in terms of plot and realism. Happily, this is hard sci-fi in that it is at least not impossible, and there are interesting characters: Taylor the cynic, Dr Zeias the guardian of orthodoxy, and the scientist/intellectual chimps as well as Cornelius, the rebellious young one. The story hangs together well and has a startlingly fresh conclusion that is not happy.\\n\\nWarmly recommended for all ages.\",\n \"Product: Sophie Hartley is convinced that she is being stalked. She becomes increasingly certain that her husband's beautiful co-worker, Mara, wants her children, her husband and her life. But no one believes Sophie. Forced to prove her sanity, Sophie grows increasingly paranoid - is she imagining things? Sophie become completely caught up in her obsession, turning stalker herself - and makes a discovery more shocking than her worst fear.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: an is-she-or-is-she-not nuts thriller\\n\\nReview: It amazes me that such fine actors participated in such a bust of a film. This is so excruciatingly bad, even painful, to watch that I could barely watch it to the end.\\n\\nTake a beautiful, accomplished if somewhat ditzy older woman, throw in a mid-life marriage crisis, and a mysterious younger beauty. Add fear and possible insanity, titillation, and some haphazard explanations thrown in that don't fit with the plot, and you have a disaster of incoherence, eventually leading to violence and wholly unbelievable pseudo-resolution. But at least the actors were fine. OK, the ending does add a nice twist. So 2 stars instead of one.\\n\\nAlas, this film simply doesn't work. Don't get it, don't even rent it.\",\n \"Product: VHS The Incredible Shrinking Man MCA\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: surprisingly good hard scifi\\n\\nReview: This is one of those films I had to see as a kid. The protagonist was handsome, it had terrifying details in a normal house, and the effects looked believably horrific. I even got a paperback version of it, which was superlatively written, in the same style as the internal dialogue of the shrinking man. I had to see it again.\\n\\nOK, as a 50s film, it is the magic of radiation at the base of it. A couple are on a sail boat trip, the husband is outside and caught in a strange mist though his wife isn't. Upon their return home, he notices that he is losing weight. The doctor confirms this and that he is getting smaller, which the couple suspected. As the process continues, the house cat attacks him and he escapes, and yet is trapped in, the basement. There, as he searches for food and continues to shrink, he finds a horrifying new adversary, a spider.\\n\\nWhat distinguishes this film is the dialogue the man has with himself. He finds his masculinity compromised and takes a lot of it out on his wife, but then he turns to survival and the reasons he is trying to live, all while he appears doomed to disappear. His plight is completely believable, and his thinking evolves from rage to survival to a kind of transcendence. There is a horrible scene where his wife, who thinks the cat got him, comes into the basement to de-block a drain and fails to hear him as he screams for help, holding onto a pencil to avoid being sucked into the drain. He also contemplates letting the spider get him, a hideous death, but quick. THen, in a moment of triumph, he achieves a kind of peace with himself, finds his place in the universe and its mysteries.\\n\\nThis is really great scifi. It has lived in my imagination for almost 50 years and seeing again was not at all disappointing. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: From the Samuel Z. Arkoff Collection, journey back to the Day the World Ended (Richard Denning, Lori Nelson. 82 min.), in which a most unlikely group of seven survivors from a nuclear holocaust fight each other and also mutant animals. Then hypnotism is used to reincarnate a prehistoric woman for the purpose of killing the hypnotist's enemies in The She-Creature (Chester Morris, Marla English. 77 min.) 1956/b&w/NR/fullscreen.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: One of the scariest of all post-nuke films plus one real dog\\n\\nReview: The day the world ended is a film I saw late at night and found it one of the most frightening I had ever seen, to the extent that I had nightmares about it and remembered scenes from it for the 45 years since I first saw it. The plot: a survivalist with experience - observations of horrible mutations after the H-Bomb explosion in the Pacific - has built a house protected by lead deposits and natural ridges. But there is a kink in his plan: a group of uninvited guests show up. With only enough food for himself, his daughter, and her missing fiancee, the danger of hunger increases tension between the group that includes a scientist and a crook with his stripper babe. But the scariest part is a man who survived in mutated form, with silvery atomic skin, who can walk through the radioactive mist to the outside world in search of the raw meat he craves, where, he assures the scientist, \\\"wonderful things are happening, but you will all die.\\\" The mutated man returns at night because he has enemies on the outside. All the residents are unsure whether or not they will become like that man with the radiation that is sure to come with the next rains.\\n\\nThis kind of thing - of a infection from radioactive contamination that causes irreversible mutation - absolutely terrified me. There is one scene where a man emerges from the mist with clawed hands and three-toed feet, weeping from hunger because \\\"the stronger ones\\\" won't share their hunts with him. He became an image of feverish nightmare for me. Meanwhile, the daughter keeps hearing someone call to her, perhaps her missing fiancee, a presence who comes ever closer to the house. Though she has fallen for the scientist, she feels somehow beholden to the mysterious creature, who when revealed is (admittedly rather campily) monstrous and invulnerable until the scientist realizes that it fears the uncontaminated.\\n\\nThis is really great fun and brought me back to my childhood terror of nuclear holocaust. Radiation was such a mysterious thing then. The acting is also unusually good for low budget scifi of the 50s, with Connors (or Minnix) as the thuggish tough, but also Denning, who was in many 60s TV shows. Just this film is well worth the price of the dvd. It is by far my favorite of the Corman legacy.\\n\\nThe other film, she-creature, is so ridiculously bad that I simply couldn't get through it, but then, I tried watching after the great Corman film.\",\n \"Product: Match Point is \\\"a winning combination of sex, mystery, brilliant writing and first-rate acting that all adds up to one of the most erotic and exhilarating movies in years.\\\" (Maxim). Chris (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) is being torn apart by his desire for two very different women. Marrying Chloe (Emily Mortimer) will bring him a life of wealth and success, but his true passion lies with his brother-in-law's fiancee, the stunningly sensuous but unpredictable Nola (Scarlett Johansson). Pulsing with tension, Match Point rides the dangerous line between ambition and obsession to an ending as surprising as it is chilling.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: utterly uninteresting and lifeless, worse than a mere repeat\\n\\nReview: Alas, I bought this and felt obligated to sit through it. This is almost the exact same plot as \\\"crimes and misdemeanors\\\" - sex, infidelity, and expedient murder to save an empty homelife - but it is flat, humorless, and has no intriguing or sympathetic characters; one of the great delights in earlier Allen films were the character-based asides, vivid glmipses into (largely new yorkish) lives, but they are absent from this film. Allen also is out of place in England, which is a very different society than the US, and his portrayal of its elite has no depth beyond well-trod formulas of priviledge based on hard work. Finally, the acting is wooden and unsubtle, very disappointing. I think this is the worst film by Allen I have ever seen.\\n\\nNot recommended.\",\n \"Product: The otherworldly landscape of Iceland lends an appropriate touch of dark fantasy to this modern retelling of Beowulf, the oldest epic poem in the English language. Gerard Butler (The Phantom of the Opera) brings the right balance of physical\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: tries to get behind the myth\\n\\nReview: This is a fictional interpretation of the great myth of the heroic battle between Beowulf and Grendel. It is not a faithful film version of the famous poem, but an attempt to portray what may have really happened. To be honest, it either clicks for you or it doesn't. In my opinion, the story works, is plausible, and is supported by very good acting for the most part. Subjectively speaking, I liked it.\\n\\nThe story takes place in the thickest of the dark ages, when order in the western Roman Empire has completely collapsed, about 7C CE. In the prologue, a band of Danish warriors encounter and kill a mysterious human-like creature playing with a hairy and ugly child. They could be surviving protohumans, mutants, or indeed monsters. The savage child is allowed to live by the King and emerges as an adult to seek violent retribution. Meanwhile, the hero of a neighboring tribe, Beowulf, decides to take on the task of saving his old benefactors, who had raised him as an orphan.\\n\\nIn this version, Beowulf is not a superhuman but an intelligent and compassionate man, who wants to understand his adversary, who is called a troll. He is modern thinking without being an anachronism, which is something very hard to carry off. He is helped by a tough witch (Polley), who knows the creature; she is the most weakly acted character, imho, but then I have never been impressed with her acting. The spirit of the once-valiant and generous king is broken, lost in alcoholism and despair, in a wonderful performance. Needless to say, what Beowulf discovers is unexpected, but he feels compelled to carry out his duty, particularly against Grendel's shreakingly inhuman mother. The creature himself is also a complex character, for whom the viewer can feel a mix of revulsion and sympathy. Meanwhile, a priest is converting the pagan crew to Jesus, which is rather comically parodied.\\n\\nThis film adds a really nice twist to the myth. Recommended.\",\n \"Product: During WWII a human heart taken from a lab in Europe (Dr. Frankenstein's) is kept in a Japanese lab when it gets exposed to the radiation from the bombing of Hiroshima. The heart grows in size mutates and sprouts appendages and eventually grows into a complete body and escapes. (Japanese with English subtitles)System Requirements:Run Time: 90 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: SCI-FI/FANTASY Rating: NR UPC: 631595071184 Manufacturer No: TSDVD0711\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: inadvertently bringing trash to the level of comic art\\n\\nReview: This is the kind of film that was on in the afternoon on the UHF channels, because the VHF mainstream would never stoop to broadcast. So in middle school, my pals and I would gather round to watch this and laugh, kind of a rehearsal for hanging out in bars later in life. This one is particularly outlandish and bad, but definitely fun. Frankenstein is like a regenerating monster, so all but a little of him can be destroyed and he will grow back, with a kind of proto-human mind and some sensibility. He gets chased, then there is this evolved dinosaur that swims through the rock beneath the earth complete with a bioluminescent horn. They get into a fight and guess who wins?\\n\\nRecommended as nostalgia for those who grew up in the 1960s. Alas, my kids refused to watch it with me because it was too crude.\",\n \"Product: An FBI woman needs a killer called Hannibal the Cannibal to catch a killer called Buffalo Bill. Oscars for best picture, director Jonathan Demme, actor Hopkins, actress Foster.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: chilling, deep, and interesting story of life and murder\\n\\nReview: This is one of the best films I have ever seen. Clarice draws the viewer in with sympathy that you feel with a young, beautiful and ambitious youth. She is going to make a career and will let nothing stand in her way. She has a mentor as an aspiring FBI specialist in behavioral crimes but most of all guts.\\n\\nThen she gets drawn into the mind of a serial killer, Lecter, who is as perceptive as he is monstrous. It is here, while investigating the crime and his mind, that she exposes some of the psychological roots of her passion to succeed in law enforcement. This is beautifully done and completely believable. Lecture is so scary and strange, acted as brilliantly as Clarice, such as in his crude \\\"interrogation\\\" of the Senator.\\n\\nBehind this, there are manipulations going on as Clarice makes some startling (and career-enhancing) discoveries. Of course, there is a suspenseful ending and some graphic violence as well as a bunch of surprises. It is a true masterpiece of detail and plot and theme.\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Passion in the court of history's mad and lustful King are revealed in this cinematic spectacle.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: melodrama without historical context or originality\\n\\nReview: This is a potboiler about the notoriously bloody Herod the Great, the client King of Rome during the era of Augustus. He was known as a great builder and bloodthirsty paranoid, whose appetite for power led him to kill his own wife and embalm her in honey to be kept for his pleasure. In this film, we see him as a tough leader under stress, who knows love and court intrigue, and turns into a brutal tyrant before going insane with grief. Unfortunately, the film neither fascinates for the history nor brings any of the characters to life beyond 2-dimensional stereotypes. It is a badly dubbed Italian film from the 1950s, I believe. It is good for putting it on in the background and drinking and laughing with friends, but not for serious viewers.\",\n \"Product: UK Released DVD/Blu-Ray item. It MAY NOT play on regular US DVD/Blu-Ray player. You may need a multi-region US DVD/Blu-Ray player to play this item. Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 (Europe) or region Free DVD Player in order to play. This Dracula fans favourite, three-part series from the BBC appears on DVD for the first time. Louis Jourdan stars as the deliciously blood-thirsty Count Dracula in this version of Bram Stoker's horror classic. Keeping close to the original novel, the series begins with Jonathan Harker visiting the Count in Transylvania to help him with preparations to move to England. In the Count's castle, Jonathan becomes a prisoner, and discovers Dracula's true nature and so the age-old vampiric tale unfolds... Many scenes shot on location -- such as the Gothic graveyard of London's Highgate Cemetery -- add extra atmosphere to an already powerful production.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: very fun with some fine acting\\n\\nReview: My kids, who are not interested in the same entertainment as their dad, tease me that I am a Dracula scholar: this is the 4th version that I have bought. Perhaps they're right: I savor the comparisons and revel in the details that are revealed in each version.\\n\\nThis is really a very good version. The special effects are a bit clunky, from the mid-1970s, but the drama is very solid. Louis Jourdan is one of the best Draculas I have ever seen: he exudes this calm charisma, at once aristocratic and sexy, but also menacingly evil. His performance is worth the price of admission. The scene where he bears his chest to Mina, tempting her to share his blood as a way to initiate her into his sisterhood of the undead, is truly frightening.\\n\\nThe other actors are a mixed bag. Mina is also truly excellent, a strong innocent who is drawn into a danger that could last forever. I completely believed her performance. While Jonathan and van Helsing are quite good, as is Renfield, their performances are only middling. Lucy, Mina's beloved sister, is not very good, in my view, but pretty minor.\\n\\nEven though I know the story, I felt the fear and suspense to the very end. That is good drama, fun to savor. And it sticks to the original story, without adding silly variations for commercial purposes.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. This version is not as slick as, say, Coppola's, or as darkly horrible as Herzog's Nosferatu, but it succeeds far better than Christopher Lee's never-ending series. The standard, of course, is Bela Lugosi, but objectively that may be only because I saw it on late night TV as a child with friends. Alas, my kids just don't like any of them!\",\n \"Product: Enter the world of majesty with two emotionally charged epics that expose the secret lives and public battles of England's most influential royalty in the Anne of the Thousand Days / Mary, Queen of Scots 2-Movie Collection! Honored with a combined 15 Academy Award nominations, these films tell the torrid true-life tales of King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I, Anne Boleyn, and Mary, Queen of Scots. Featuring lavish costumes, stunning Technicolor photography and critically acclaimed performances, these spectacular films bring new life to some of the most powerful figures of all time!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Absolutely first rate set of historical films\\n\\nReview: These two films, which I loved when I was beginning to get interested in history, have met the test of re-viewing as an adult. They blew me away, yet again. Anne1000 is perhaps the finer film (with 2 fabulous actors), but the duel between Eliz 1 and MQS makes for wonderful drama. Indeed, they are also complementary, as E 1 appears in both and you see her origin.\\n\\nAnne1000 is about Anne Bolyne, who was one of the causes of the Reformation in England. Hungry for power, she played a dangerous game with Henry8, leading him on, seducing him for love, and then grasping for the queenship. Once there, she lost control, much because she was unlucky in the children to whom she gave birth. H8 then lost interest, passing on to others as he was bound to do, given his appetites and character. To be sure, Boleyn was naive and arrogant, paving the way for her annihilation by her political faults, but she is also sympathetic and strong, like a proto-feminist. We also see the atmosphere in which E1 had to survive, which may explain some of her political genius. It is very moving, beautifully shot, and psychologically real. The BEST.\\n\\nMQScots is very different. E1 has a shakey hold on power, being a protestant while MQS is a Catholic allied to the superpower neighbor, France. In comparison to E1, who is wholly a creature of her office having suppressed any interfering human emotion to politics, MQS wants to live and follows her sentiment. MQS is seen as a rival to the English throne, making her a mortal enemy of E1 and clearly out of her political depth. The 2 engage in a terrible struggle for power that could only lead to death. The drama is wonderfully taut.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. These films satisfy on every level: as history, as stimulation, as drama.\",\n \"Product: The painter Goya becomes involve with the Spanish Inquisition when his muse, Ines, is arrested by the church for heresy. Her father, Thomas, comes to him hoping that his connection with Brother Lorenzo, whom he is painting, can secure the release of his daughter.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: awkward plot devices ruin what could have been truly fine\\n\\nReview: I was hoping for a historical snapshot like the one in Amadeus, which is unquestionably one of the best in spite of all its inaccuracies. Alas, while there are very strong moments, this film founders on its many TV-like simplifications of very complex events. That being said, the acting is excellent, in particular the sublimely beautiful Portman as Inez.\\n\\nThe story is extremely novelesque: you have the artist and his muse as well as an outside authority that interferes. Inez is taken in by a revived Spanish Inquisition, which operates with frighteningly bizarre reasoning (if you are innocent, God will give you the strength to resist torture). Of course, this proves untrue, and Inez is consigned to heretics prison, while a monk ally must flee for his own forced confession. Goya is the recording eye for all of this, and the emotional center of the film. Upon the invasion of Napoleon's forces, we see the return of the characters after 15 years. Portman is magnificent as the ruined Inez, who has lost everything. The monk-turned revolutionary (Bardem) is also entirely believable as a chameleon-like survivor who remains much the same person in spite of his profound ideological transformation. It is very moving and full of very complex themes.\\n\\nUnfortunately, Forman tries to pack too much history into the story. For example, when Goya is attempting to convince a key character to come with him, it is at that precise moment that the French troops choose to intervene. There are many other preposterous scenes like this, which badly damage the believability of the film and also feel stupidly rushed. For me, it was this that ruined the film = you can't sum up the French Revolution and the Inquisition in a single apocryphal speech.\\n\\nRecommended tepidly. Portman is the one who really performs best.\",\n \"Product: The East and West, despite Kiplings claim that they will never meet, are being united for the new film by Sergei Bodrov Sr., Mongol: The Early Years of Genghis Khan. The project, with a budget of 15 million euros, is a major international co-production with the participation of Russia, Germany, Kazakhstan and the USA.\\n\\\"Mongol\\\" is the epic story of a young Genghis Khan and how events in his early life lead him to become the legendary conquerer and father of Mongolia.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: excellent evocation of a leader of genius\\n\\nReview: Having just read a bio of Genghis Khan and the Empire his sons expanded and then squandered by in-fighting, I found this film utterly riveting and reasonably accurate historically. The acting is also superb, with an entirely non-caucasian cast, in the Mongol language rather than dubbed. It is a kind of character study of a political and military genius, with the personal choices he makes that reinforce his leadership, in particular the tough wife, Borte.\\n\\nThe film version shoehorns his life into a coherent narrative. Born into a small unit of families, of which his father was a leader, Genghis (then \\\"Temeugen\\\") was comfortable and learned the ways of the Steppe. This was a time of warring petty tribes that stole brides and pillaged the goods of others via constant attacks. They had some customs, but not many. Everything changed when his father was poisoned: his family was ruined by a turncoat, he was enslaved after becoming a blood brother with a leader who would become his rival, and he rose to lead his own band. Eventually, after many reversals and horrible ordeals, coupled to his military prowess, he creates a series of laws that enable him to become the Khan of all Mongols, eliminating all enemies and ending the incessant warfare, in the process creating one of the greatest fighting forces of all time.\\n\\nThis is a simplified version that is fairly accurate. He was enslaved as a child, did find a great life partner in his wife, and was an inspired leader of men. But the \\\"narrative\\\" sets up a bunch of set pieces that over-simplify things or add details that can never be known. While he did have a blood brother he later unseated because only one of them could be leader, he did not seek personal vengeance against the many stereotypical enemies or rival kingdoms that the film highlights. His wife also did not rescue him from a second captivity. Nor did he preserve those who were decent to him during the many periods of struggle as a slave. But that is the stuff of good fiction, an indulgence I can accept.\\n\\nThe film does romanticize him a bit too much, which is my only criticism. The actor makes him extremely sympathetic: you understand what he suffered and rejoice in the justice he created in his system of laws. What you don't see is that his army continued to pillage and inflict suffering on its enemies with a brutality that was organized into larger military units. Essentially, he turned the energies of the small tribes outward, with the same ruthless methods.\\n\\nI would recommend this film as a wonderful evocation of history, but would suggest that viewers look beyond the narrative.\",\n \"Product: Contrasting the mores of high society with the blunt savagery of primitive tribes, FIERCE PEOPLE takes an inside look at the upper classes, examining the darkness that lurks beneath the surface of good manners. Sporting a biting wit, and featuring charismatic performances from Diane Lane and Donald Sutherland, this unflinching drama exposes the trappings of wealth and privilege, and their overwhelming power to both seduce and corrupt.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Starts very strong, but degenerates into shlock\\n\\nReview: This film fails to live up to its potential. In the beginning, you see a vivid portrait of a life unravelling in addiction and emotional neglect. The son, Finn, was planing to work with his father (whose only contact with him is through the films he made) in the Amazon rain forest, with the \\\"fierce people\\\" of the title. Unfortunately, while scoring coke for his mom, he is busted and cannot go. This is a shock to his mother, who decides to turn her life around and become a better mother.\\n\\nThey wind up, improbably, in the massive estate of Osborne, many of whose children and grandchildren have the run of his 10-mile square New Jersey estate. Beyond the mother's sobering up and quitting coke, played wonderfully by Lane, there are some very interesting subplots: Finn develops a wonderfully believable relationship with Osborne, who mentors him in some vital life lessons. Sutherland was never better, as a quirky and warm man who cares and yet is also very tough. Ruler of the roost, he hopes to create a better world somehow, in his private kingdom. Finn also studies his father's films, which provide a wonderful sub-narrative to his observations of the huge family culture he is observing. Finally, he mingles with the locals and to a degree is accepted by them, though remains fully aware that he can never be one of them.\\n\\nUnfortunately, the film unravels with Finn's relationships with Osborne's grandchildren. He finds a beautiful, sensitive girl of course, and their path is ridiculously predictable, if occasionally poignant. While Kristen Stewart succeeds in evoking some of the psychological trouble that underlies her character, the character is essentially a cute stick figure. Finn also becomes friends with the outgoing though mysterious grandson, whose evolution is also a bit far fetched and laughably melodramatic. Then the plot thickens in a ruinous direction, which I do not want to spoil for others, and ends sentimentally if tragically. If the film had ended 2/3 of the way through, it would easily have gotten 5 stars.\\n\\nRecommended with these caveats. The acting in my viewing is far better than average, but the script in the end is weak.\",\n \"Product: Blake Morrison (Colin Firth) must deal with his father's (Jim Broadbent) imminent death in this limited-release movie. Bonuses: deleted scenes, commentary.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: sensitive portrayal of that most difficult of relationships, father-son\\n\\nReview: Having recently lost my father, I hoped that this film would help me to look into our relationship, to grieve, to let my feelings come to the fore in private, for myself beyond the (very helpful) rituals we have of letting go. Although the film relationship was of course very different from the one I had with my father, it brilliantly addresses the universal issues between fathers and sons: there are so many memories - of fun, perceived slights, love, and anger - that swirl in the mind for the rest of the son's life. The son, Blake, has questions he wants to resolve, yet they can't really talk about them, even as his father lies on his deathbed. Blake struggles with disappointment in his charming and manipulative father, whose flaws and strengths, whose caring and occasional carelessness, remain present in his imagination every single day, with the specificity of recall you would expect of a poet. It is so primal in love, so raw in striving and competition, as the son takes his own path and the father is left behind yet still living within him.\\n\\nThe father's last days are also portrayed with painful intimacy. Unless one has experienced it, it is hard to comprehend what it is like to watch a parent slip away as the body fails, yet this film portrays it with realism and empathy, with fabulously nuanced acting.\\n\\nYou see the father as a great spirit, as a selfish jerk, as a charmer of \\\"other\\\" women, as a joker indulgent of his son's desires, as the only person who can give certain things, as full of his own needs yet caring. It is funny, sad, enraging, and loving all at the same time. These emotions washed over me as I watched this film, truly a cathartic experience that reduced me at times to tears.\\n\\nThis is a mature film, a masterpiece that approaches the complexity of life. Blake too is a flawed character, though his life is more or less on track. THe film ends with a wonderfully ambiguous optimism, summing up the exasperation and love all at the same moment. The mother is also subtly present, though not at the center of the story. In my view, the balance was right.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. But do not expect a comedy - it is painful and uplifting realism at its best.\",\n \"Product: The East and West, despite Kiplings claim that they will never meet, are being united for the new film by Sergei Bodrov Sr., Mongol: The Early Years of Genghis Khan. The project, with a budget of 15 million euros, is a major international co-production with the participation of Russia, Germany, Kazakhstan and the USA.\\n\\\"Mongol\\\" is the epic story of a young Genghis Khan and how events in his early life lead him to become the legendary conquerer and father of Mongolia.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: excellent evocation of a leader of genius\\n\\nReview: Having just read a bio of Genghis Khan and the Empire his sons expanded and then squandered by in-fighting, I found this film utterly riveting and reasonably accurate historically. The acting is also superb, with an entirely non-caucasian cast, in the Mongol language rather than dubbed. It is a kind of character study of a political and military genius, with the personal choices he makes that reinforce his leadership, in particular the tough wife, Borte.\\n\\nThe film version shoehorns his life into a coherent narrative. Born into a small unit of families, of which his father was a leader, Genghis (then \\\"Temeugen\\\") was comfortable and learned the ways of the Steppe. This was a time of warring petty tribes that stole brides and pillaged the goods of others via constant attacks. They had some customs, but not many. Everything changed when his father was poisoned: his family was ruined by a turncoat, he was enslaved after becoming a blood brother with a leader who would become his rival, and he rose to lead his own band. Eventually, after many reversals and horrible ordeals, coupled to his military prowess, he creates a series of laws that enable him to become the Khan of all Mongols, eliminating all enemies and ending the incessant warfare, in the process creating one of the greatest fighting forces of all time.\\n\\nThis is a simplified version that is fairly accurate. He was enslaved as a child, did find a great life partner in his wife, and was an inspired leader of men. But the \\\"narrative\\\" sets up a bunch of set pieces that over-simplify things or add details that can never be known. While he did have a blood brother he later unseated because only one of them could be leader, he did not seek personal vengeance against the many stereotypical enemies or rival kingdoms that the film highlights. His wife also did not rescue him from a second captivity. Nor did he preserve those who were decent to him during the many periods of struggle as a slave. But that is the stuff of good fiction, an indulgence I can accept.\\n\\nThe film does romanticize him a bit too much, which is my only criticism. The actor makes him extremely sympathetic: you understand what he suffered and rejoice in the justice he created in his system of laws. What you don't see is that his army continued to pillage and inflict suffering on its enemies with a brutality that was organized into larger military units. Essentially, he turned the energies of the small tribes outward, with the same ruthless methods.\\n\\nI would recommend this film as a wonderful evocation of history, but would suggest that viewers look beyond the narrative.\",\n \"Product: Contrasting the mores of high society with the blunt savagery of primitive tribes, FIERCE PEOPLE takes an inside look at the upper classes, examining the darkness that lurks beneath the surface of good manners. Sporting a biting wit, and featuring charismatic performances from Diane Lane and Donald Sutherland, this unflinching drama exposes the trappings of wealth and privilege, and their overwhelming power to both seduce and corrupt.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Starts very strong, but degenerates into shlock\\n\\nReview: This film fails to live up to its potential. In the beginning, you see a vivid portrait of a life unravelling in addiction and emotional neglect. The son, Finn, was planing to work with his father (whose only contact with him is through the films he made) in the Amazon rain forest, with the \\\"fierce people\\\" of the title. Unfortunately, while scoring coke for his mom, he is busted and cannot go. This is a shock to his mother, who decides to turn her life around and become a better mother.\\n\\nThey wind up, improbably, in the massive estate of Osborne, many of whose children and grandchildren have the run of his 10-mile square New Jersey estate. Beyond the mother's sobering up and quitting coke, played wonderfully by Lane, there are some very interesting subplots: Finn develops a wonderfully believable relationship with Osborne, who mentors him in some vital life lessons. Sutherland was never better, as a quirky and warm man who cares and yet is also very tough. Ruler of the roost, he hopes to create a better world somehow, in his private kingdom. Finn also studies his father's films, which provide a wonderful sub-narrative to his observations of the huge family culture he is observing. Finally, he mingles with the locals and to a degree is accepted by them, though remains fully aware that he can never be one of them.\\n\\nUnfortunately, the film unravels with Finn's relationships with Osborne's grandchildren. He finds a beautiful, sensitive girl of course, and their path is ridiculously predictable, if occasionally poignant. While Kristen Stewart succeeds in evoking some of the psychological trouble that underlies her character, the character is essentially a cute stick figure. Finn also becomes friends with the outgoing though mysterious grandson, whose evolution is also a bit far fetched and laughably melodramatic. Then the plot thickens in a ruinous direction, which I do not want to spoil for others, and ends sentimentally if tragically. If the film had ended 2/3 of the way through, it would easily have gotten 5 stars.\\n\\nRecommended with these caveats. The acting in my viewing is far better than average, but the script in the end is weak.\",\n \"Product: Blake Morrison (Colin Firth) must deal with his father's (Jim Broadbent) imminent death in this limited-release movie. Bonuses: deleted scenes, commentary.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: sensitive portrayal of that most difficult of relationships, father-son\\n\\nReview: Having recently lost my father, I hoped that this film would help me to look into our relationship, to grieve, to let my feelings come to the fore in private, for myself beyond the (very helpful) rituals we have of letting go. Although the film relationship was of course very different from the one I had with my father, it brilliantly addresses the universal issues between fathers and sons: there are so many memories - of fun, perceived slights, love, and anger - that swirl in the mind for the rest of the son's life. The son, Blake, has questions he wants to resolve, yet they can't really talk about them, even as his father lies on his deathbed. Blake struggles with disappointment in his charming and manipulative father, whose flaws and strengths, whose caring and occasional carelessness, remain present in his imagination every single day, with the specificity of recall you would expect of a poet. It is so primal in love, so raw in striving and competition, as the son takes his own path and the father is left behind yet still living within him.\\n\\nThe father's last days are also portrayed with painful intimacy. Unless one has experienced it, it is hard to comprehend what it is like to watch a parent slip away as the body fails, yet this film portrays it with realism and empathy, with fabulously nuanced acting.\\n\\nYou see the father as a great spirit, as a selfish jerk, as a charmer of \\\"other\\\" women, as a joker indulgent of his son's desires, as the only person who can give certain things, as full of his own needs yet caring. It is funny, sad, enraging, and loving all at the same time. These emotions washed over me as I watched this film, truly a cathartic experience that reduced me at times to tears.\\n\\nThis is a mature film, a masterpiece that approaches the complexity of life. Blake too is a flawed character, though his life is more or less on track. THe film ends with a wonderfully ambiguous optimism, summing up the exasperation and love all at the same moment. The mother is also subtly present, though not at the center of the story. In my view, the balance was right.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. But do not expect a comedy - it is painful and uplifting realism at its best.\",\n \"Product: The queen of Egypt seduces Julius Caesar, barges on the Nile with Mark Antony and kills herself with an asp.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great Hollywood fare: extraordinary sets, great drama, but ridiculous historical inaccuracies\\n\\nReview: This restored version - the 4-hour release that was immediately rejected by theatres as impossible to screen 2x per night, forcing more than an hour to be cut - is an absolute delight for the eyes. From the first minutes when Caesar appears, the viewer is utterly riveted by the splashy spectacle, the evocation of a vastly different time, and acting that can only be called first rate. The only thing that threw me off, as a Roman history nut, was the inaccuracies that could only be made by an ignoramus.\\n\\nOn the positive side, the drama is a complete success: Cleopatra, the last Ptolemaic queen of Egypt, uses her feminine attributes and fine mind to advance a dream of staying in power and perhaps even create a new empire based on Roman power. To do so, she seduces first Julius Caesar, who restores her to power in a civil war with her brother-husband, and bears him a son. Once Julius dies, she then seduces his lieutenant, Marc Antony, eventually losing to the wily Octavian, Caesar's adopted son. In the process, she genuinely falls in love (with Antony), perhaps for the first time in her life. They die together by their own hand. Surely, this is one of the greatest dramas of power and love in the history of mankind and it is the basis of this film, executed to perfection.\\n\\nThe costumes, sets, and images of sex and power are wonderfully vivid, which the bluray version (I have the British one that is available for $10 in Europe) brings with the sharpest of clarity. Beyond the actors (whose salaries were the highest ever paid), these props are the reason for the cost of the film. In my opinion, they were worth every penny as there are few film experiences that could compete.\\n\\nFinally, there is the acting. Taylor, just after her 1950s prime, is at her best as a politically savvy seductress, aging and scrambling to maintain her nation and heir in their positions of prominence. I found her convincing, astonishingly beautiful, and realistically shrewd. In my view, Rex Harrison believably projects the universal genius of Julius Caesar, whose calm in the face of overwhelming odds and ever-changing political calculus are implacable and unpredictable. McDowall is also a good Octavian, whom he plays as a sleazy, effeminate conniver, ultimately perhaps the smartest of all in a political sense. The only principal I feel does not give a subtle and interesting performance is Burton, whose Antony, while flawed as a love-starved drunk, is blandly formulaic. The supporting characters, such as Agrippa, are not all that distinguished, with the exception of the courtier Hugh Cronin.\\n\\nOn the negative side, the script really needed a scholar as consultant. Given that Mankiewicz was re-writing the script while directing, this was perhaps impossible. It is a pity, because while most of the blooper inaccuracies do not detract seriously from the storyline, they were constant irritants kind of like a buzzing mosquito at night. For example, Agrippa appears as a middle-aged lieutenant of Julius Caesar, when the person with whom he rose to prominence was Octavian, his coeval in age and talent. But there are bigger problems as well. Just prior to his assassination, Julius is shown as demanding that he be named King by the Senate, which he was far too subtle ever to do in life. This fundamentally distorts his character, making him more of a simple tyrant than a master manipulator whose end game, if he had one, will never be known due to his premature death. Finally, there are many political complexities that are left uncovered, such as Antony's massive and unprecedented failure to conquer Parthia, which broke him. Antony also had many implacable enemies, such as Cicero, whose right hand he had nailed to the Senate doorway during the civil war that followed Caesar's assassination. I know I sound like a pedant, but given the lavishness of the production, why not have made it more accurate?\\n\\nWith all of its flaws, I still recommend this warmly. The extras are also excellent, such as the documentary of the chaos of its production.\",\n \"Product: After an Earth-destroying threat endangers the planet, Mankind builds a gigantic Earthship Ark spacecraft to save the last of humanity. After an accident takes place and kills the crew, the airlocks connecting the ship's domes are sealed. Cut off from the outside world, many communities simply forgot that they were on a spacecraft. As the centuries pass, each culture evolves in an enclosed society, each a world unto itself that is fifty miles in diameter. Unbeknownst to the ARKs inhabitants, they are drifting through deep space on a collision course with a sun. In 2790 A.D., a young man named Devon (Keir Dullea from 2001: A Space Odyssey), a resident of a biosphere called Cypress Corners, discovers that his world is much larger than he was taught to believe and uncovers the Arks fate. Devon and friends Rachel (Gay Rowan) and Garth (Robin Ward) must learn all they can about the Ark if they are to save it and the colonists aboard. The Starlost was a Canadian-produced science fiction television series that broadcasted in 1973 on CTV in Canada and on NBC in the United States. Now for the first time all 16 episodes are available in this collection. Some of these episodes have not been seen since their original airdates. Glen-Warren Productions Ltd. 1973\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: It could have been so much better.\\n\\nReview: I am of 2 minds on this series, which I saw when it came out and reviewed with pleasure and frustration. On the positive side, it is full of really imaginative concepts: the ship is off-course, perhaps even derelict and headed to disaster; there are many biospheres in it that have evolved into strange civilizations, hence interesting encounters; and there is an AI system embedded in the ship that has also evolved in its own direction. This is very fun, what we would expect from a writer like Harlan Ellison. And of course, there are good characters. However, on the negative side, the production itself is mediocre, even lax in its direction. Not only is the acting uneven and the sets kind of slapdash, but the stories themselves are often not very good - characters are lackadaisical, unbelievable, even silly. The one exception is Keir Dullea, who is excellent throughout and an interesting character, kind of a reluctant hero-rebel.\\n\\nI can't say I would recommend buying this, in spite of its strong points. It is too uneven. Unless of course, you want some Canadian scifi...\",\n \"Product: Dakota Fanning\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: excellent art-house look into truncated childhood\\n\\nReview: This is another of those indy films that is so good it is difficult to watch. Fanning is a young girl on the verge of adolescence, who has that natural talent for singing that so many children lose. She lives in a vivid rural milieu with a father who is a heavy drinker and an absent mother. Her friends include a neighbor boy and a wonderfully lively group of southern blacks, whom she accompanies as an elvis singer. It is warm and she is evidently going to become an extraordinary beauty.\\n\\nHowever, she is introduced to sex at too early an age. This is not, as some reviewers have claimed, about early sexuality - there is nothing titillating about it whatsoever. Indeed, completely unprepared, the theme of the story is that it nearly breaks her spirit. It is about the possibility of healing and it is extremely, graphically realistic. Fanning's performance was, in my opinion, oscar-worthy.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. Just be prepared for stark realism.\",\n \"Product: A man regains consciousness at the bottom of a cave, with no concept of how he arrived there, nor any idea who the dead man is at his side. Only one thing is certain - he has to escape the menacing creature that s pursuing him. His journey back to the surface takes him through a cemetery - like world that's been abandoned by a mysterious organization called Eden Log.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: interesting French scifi that keeps you guessing\\n\\nReview: If you like hard scifi, you may like this film. Unlike Hollywood pulse-pounding formula films, this one has a slowly unwinding mystery - the answers are revealed piece by piece, but enough of it is left obscure for the viewer to fill it in with his imagination. Now, the subjective part is that you have to like it, which is a personal reaction. I believed the characters from the very beginning and was intrigued with finding out what was really going on, which I would never have predicted. It kept my interest and I found it intellectually stimulating. However, it is not for everyone. The pace is static, much of it remains obscure, and the symbolism does get a bit heavy.\\n\\nA man wakes up in a cold, wet cave. Without memory, he seems to do alright going around by instinct, searching for something or some way out. He has a number of disturbing encounters, from a man seemingly permanently entangled in a tree, to monsters, scientists, and military types. He painstakingly elicits bits of information at each encounter, all the time running from forces that are pressing on him. He is also going through some kind of transformation. What is so French about it is the pessimism, lack of hope, and simple obscurity of the situation and action, which you would never see from Hollywood.\\n\\nAs so many have given their interpretations, I will allude to some of mine, hopefully without spoilers. It appears that he is in some kind of giant industrial complex, almost an experiment. Much of it has gone awry, it appears, but there is a system that works. In the future, it seems, humans are attempting to harness botanic processes, though not with the results they had hoped. There is the x-factor as well, as the amnesiac man seems to be carrying some kind of esoteric knowledge or capacity.\\n\\nI don't go in for the biblical interpretations, which I believe require the viewer to twist things too much. In my view, it is just good scifi, vivid, with a riddle to enjoy, and some action. Recommended.\",\n \"Product: Few films have had as large a cultural impact as Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal (Det sjunde inseglet). Disillusioned and exhausted after a decade of battling in the Crusades; a knight (Max von Sydow) encounters Death on a desolate beach and challenges him to a fateful game of chess. Much studied; imitated; even parodied; but never outdone; Bergman's stunning allegory of man's search for meaning was one of the benchmark foreign imports of America's 1950s art house heyday; pushing cinema's boundaries and ushering in a new era of moviegoing.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: the great philosophical and historical film\\n\\nReview: This is the kind of film I watched in my youth, trying to get \\\"cultured\\\" and in search of art and knowledge. Now, as a middle aged man introducing this to my kids, this film completely satisfies: it has good characters with many layers (my favorite is the tough but just squire), an original and intelligent plot, and unforgettable images. OK, my kids did not exactly take to it and I finished it alone, but it is part of our library and we will return to it, to be sure. This is a great classic, one of the truly best and shows what cinema can do.\\n\\nReturning after 10 of Crusades warfare, exhausted and cynical, a knight encounters death. He is full of doubt, questions, and some wisdom. But he needs to see his wife, whom he has missed for 10 years, to find some answers. So, death agrees to play chess with him, giving him time during the game. The knight is accompanied by a squire, who metes out justice with roughness and charm and takes on a beautiful servant to accompany them; her is protecting her from a corrupted preacher turned thief, the very one who advocated for them to go to Palestine. Another family joins them, theatrical artists who are happy, including a visionary husband who sees more than most. As this group treks through the forest to avoid the plague, the knight continues his game with death.\\n\\nThe conclusion is full of beauty and ambiguity, which I do not want to spoil for the viewer. It is completely believable, sad, and filled me with wonder for the mystery of life. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Region 1 NTSC.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: beautiful meditation on a natural artist\\n\\nReview: One of the things that is so fun about French culture is that what would pass for an \\\"art house\\\" film in the US is a much anticipated event here, in particular when it celebrates a national artist. While low budget, these films are produced with the utmost reverence and seriousness, then much discussed across the media. The contrast with crassly commercial celebrity culture could not be more stark.\\n\\nThis is a lovely film about a working class woman who is obsessed with painting in the mid 1930s. Without training, she set about realizing her vision whenever she could afford paint. By chance, her work is discovered by an art critic. Seraphine appears homely, dirty, and unintelligent, just a pair of hands for washing. But her painting is absolutely magical, in the naive style. Under his tutelage, she gains something of a following and begins to make a living, but then the war intervenes and she loses everything, or so it seems.\\n\\nThe actress heroine is absolutely amazing. Though apparently simple minded, she is gifted with talent and the strength to work. You completely believe in her - indeed, it is a true story.\\n\\nRecommended. The stark realism that serves an artistic idealism is a rare combination. This is a serious art and psychological film, a reminder of how good cinema can be.\",\n \"Product: Academy Award nominees Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum) reteam in this action-packed thriller. Damon stars as Roy Miller, a rogue U.S. Army officer who must hunt through covert and faulty intelligence hidden on foreign soil before war escalates in an unstable region. Also starring Academy Award nominees Greg Kinnear and Amy Ryan, Green Zone is one hell of a thriller (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times).\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: gritty war thriller that scores political points\\n\\nReview: Most of the negative reviews of this are that it doesn't follow a simplistic patriotic line. Instead, in my view, it makes an attempt at realism, and it does make a political point: that we were dupes to local pols and then were too cowardly and dishonest to admit it. Sure, it is a political opinion, but what if it is true?\\n\\nDamon gives an excellent performance, though I couldn't judge the realism of the military experience and must trust the other reviewers. It is suspenseful, scary, and moving. His personal quest - to figure out where the claims of WMD came from after he can't find them - is completely believable. Another aspect I liked was how hard it was on the press: rather than simple heros, they were flawed as well, duped by the administration and ashamed of it. Damon's American adversaries were believable brutes, if brave in their own ways. Finally, the Iraki Freddie, a helper who goes his own way in important details, was a very interesting twist.\\n\\nThis is up there with Syriana, you can see the complexity of what we have gotten ourselves into. Recommended.\",\n \"Product: Quick Shipping !!! New And Sealed !!! This Disc WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. A multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player is request to view it in USA/Canada. Please Review Description.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: a delightfully stimulating surprise, at the close of antiquity\\n\\nReview: I was quite astonished at the sophistication of this film. It has all the prerequisites of overblown melodrama: a beautiful proto-feminist heroine, two men in love with her (a slave and an aristocrat), and a reconstituted repository of ancient rational knowledge, in a backdrop of fanatical Christians taking over from declining pagans. I assumed, wrongly, it was going to be another Prince-of-Persia type reconstruction of hyperbole, muddled facts, and overlooked nuance. Instead, the film is a wonderfully stimulating portrayal of an intellectual and the end of a tradition - of rationalist philosophy - of nearly 1000 years, to make way for monotheism and soon the collapse of the Roman civilization.\\n\\nThe intellectual themes of the film are rather recondite. On the one hand, Hypatia (who actually is an historical figure) is seeking to explore the validity of the core assumptions in the cosmology of Ptolemy: that the Earth is the stationary center of the universe around which everything revolves; that circles, the most perfect expression of the principles of Euclidean geometry, must be the form that the motions take. She starts from the premise that real-life observation should be connected to philosophic ideals (a precursor of modern scientific experimentation). On the other hand, there are the fundamentalists, that is, the early Christians who are following their consciences and the dictates of the Emperor Constantine to accept Christianity as the religion of the Empire; their universe is not rational, but based on faith, what is the word of God as written in the Book, and lastly revelation in which God directly offers guidance to the self-appointed leaders of the faithful. It is simply amazing to me that this clash of world views can be presented with the level of subtlety and sophistication that it is.\\n\\nThe plot that frames the story is somewhat less subtle, but the script, the direction, and the acting are so fine that, in my view, none of the characters (save perhaps the brutal, angry, and arrogant Christian leader Cyril) fall into stereotypes. Hypatia is the daughter of an old-style aristocratic philosopher, who is open-minded enough not to push her into marriage and nurtured her mind to the point that she is a masterful teacher and intellectual. They maintain what is left of the Alexandrian library, a treasury of ancient knowledge accumulated from the time of Alexander the Great. Outside their walls, there is a fight for the soul of the city, led by a fanatical Christian, Cyril, about whom I know nothing as to his historical basis. The pagans feel besieged, the Christians on the ascendant, as backed by the Emperors of West and East Rome.\\n\\nHypatia is loved by both an aristocratic upstart and one of her slaves. These two men embody what is happening to the city and indeed to the empire. Fortunately, the evolution of their characters and their later actions - in spite of Hyaptia's rejection of both of their advances - is completely believable and nuanced. I do not want to play the spoiler here as it is a big part of the film's value and dramatic tension. Suffice to say that the Christians win, their appetite for power and domination ever expanding and sweeping away anything and everyone in its wake: as fundamentalists with a monopoly on the truth, they are portrayed as nascent totalitarians though not as simple brutes.\\n\\nAs a history buff who has long studied the elucidation of the motion of the planets - the greatest early achievement of what became modern science - I did feel that too much license was taken with what Hypatia did and thought. Indeed, she is portrayed as first discovering what Johannes Kepler finally proved in the late Renaissance: that the Earth moved in an elliptical orbit around the sun, which occupied one of its foci. There is no evidence that she did, so far as I know. Nonetheless, that the film brings these issues to a popular audience with the sophistication that it does, and without 2-dimensional characters, is a first-rate achievement.\\n\\nRecommended with enthusiasm. If Christian fundamentalists denounce the existential perspective of the film, this would be a regrettable missed chance for dialogue. No one, save the brilliant Hypatia, looks good in this rich film.\",\n \"Product: The Ghost Writer 2010 version. DVD\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: a fantastic update of the thriller genre\\n\\nReview: Polanski is one of the greatest film makers alive. Beyond the perfect details and intricate stories, most of his films add new possibilities to the genres he operates in. He re-made the film noire with China Town, introducing characters with far greater depth than in typical whodunnits, complete with an explosive political situation that ended in tragedy. Now with this political thriller, in which an everyman finds himself in an extraordinary situation like Cary Grant in N by NW, Polanski again deepens the themes with tragedy, romance, and distrust. There are so many levels to this film that I will be able to watch innumerable times and always see more. It is some of the best film work available.\\n\\nThe plot involves a ghost writer who is hired to fix the memoires of Lang, a Blair-like figure who recently has left power. The original ghost writer, who washed up on shore dead and full of alcohol, was Lang's most trusted aide. The new ghost is a political naif, extremely skilled at helping non-writers to find a story line, but largely ignorant of the world of national security and spies. Upon investigation, he finds discrepancies in what Lang is telling him: dates don't match up, the narrative makes little sense, and the tension in Lang's temporary residence is palpable. Lang's wife, a first-rate politico and extraordinarily beautiful middle-aged woman, is extremely bitter at the affair that he is having with a younger aide. When charges of violating international law brings protestors to the remote island, the ghost finds some strange documents by chance, setting him on a different path of investigation - which he is not there to do. Needless to say, he enters very dangerous teritory almost unawares, until he begins to fear for his own life.\\n\\nBehind this are wonderfully fecund themes. Lang, as played by Brosnin, is a fascinating figure: at once left-leaning and charismatic, he is also manipulative and enigmatic, perhaps a lier or worse. You cannot trust anything he says, but his presence is commanding and decisive. It is a study of a leader who is out and what happens once their secrets are no longer protected by their office. Then there is his wife, whose subtle intelligence and guile are hidden behind her bitterness and seemingly pure motives to work as her husband's most trusted advisor. She feels betrayed and is perhaps seeking revenge, yet appears lonely and betrayed, abandoned after a lifetime of devoted marriage. She too may not be what the viewer is led to think. The ghost is clearly out of his league, yet cannot help himself from getting dangerously enmeshed as events gather momentum.\\n\\nPolanski's handling of the situation is so deft that the viewer can be deceived, in my opinion. Sure, the ghost figures out a version of what is going on and pays for it, but is it the whole story? It is impossible to know. What is clear is that he stupidly overplays his hand rather than waits for the right moment as only a pol would know how to do. I write this cryptically because I don't want to reveal the surprises in store for the attentive viewer.\\n\\nThis is one of the best thrillers I have ever seen. The mood throughout is one of melancholy and bewilderment from the ghost's point of view, of gathering forces so far beyond his comprehension that he appears stupid. Recommended with the greatest enthusiasm. This is one of Polanski's best films.\",\n \"Product: Academy Award® winner Russell Crowe and visionary director Ridley Scott (Gladiator) reunite for the untold story of the man behind the legend. In an age of oppression and shameless tyranny, an outlaw becomes the unlikely hero that saves a nation and inspires generations to fight for freedom. In this thrilling action adventure, \\\"Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott are at their most entertaining since Gladiator\\\" (Dan Jolin, Empire (UK). Also starring Academy Award® winner Cate Blanchett.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: heavy with historical context, just the beginning of the series\\n\\nReview: This is one of the best renditions of the Robin Hood myth that I have seen in years. What I particularly liked about it is that I am reading a medieval history at the moment, and amazingly, this fit right in with my current book (the wonderful Forge of Christendom, by Tom Holland) about when the castles were built, what the horrendous social upheavals were like, and the abuses of power.\\n\\nThe acting, starring with Crowe, is wonderful and subtle. Blanchet is also brilliant as Maid Marion. And the hilarious cameo of Max von Sydow, as the aristocrat who marries Marion off to Robin immediately after meeting him. (\\\"I woke up tumescent,\\\" he says. \\\"Imagine, at 80 years of age!\\\" Marion rolled her eyes.) The bad guys are also convincing, though I didn't know any of them.\\n\\nThe plot is rather convoluted. Robin is returning from the Crusades with Richard the Lion Hearted, who has become a simple, embittered plunderer on his way home. In need of a quick passage, Robin and his cohort pose as knights, a capital offense in medieval reckoning. This embroils them in a number of complications, taking them through Nottingham. There, posing as aristocrats, they enter local politics, which eventually involves organized violence. At the end, and we all know the myth so this is about reviewing the film and not a spoiler, they are denounced as outlaws. So this is the start of a series, if the producers can finance it.\\n\\nRecommended. This is a good and solid version of the old story, or the first installment in a series.\",\n \"Product: Christianity\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: a beautiful, meditative look at modern monastic life in a war zone\\n\\nReview: This film is based on the true story of a group of monks during the recent civil war in Algeria. There is a beauty in their devotion to the poverty stricken local residents, whom they serve with warmth and simplicity.\\n\\nAs the real world intrudes on their quiet labor, they must confront some essential questions that could affect their prospects of survival. Should they accept an armed guard from a government with little legitimacy? Should they leave? Should they attempt to build a respectful relationship with the fundamentalist rebels who menacingly visit them? Can they abandon their mission? Their struggle with these questions forms the basis of the film's plot. While slow if you are used to hollywood action, it is completely believable, with every scene pregnant with psychological nuance and internal turmoil.\\n\\nWith subtle elegance, the climax of the film occurs when the monks come to their decision over a meal, together listening to music on a crude cassette player and weeping at their intimacy and commitment to the community. Even though I am not a believer, it brought tears to my eyes to witness the holiness and devotion of these men as they labored in obscurity and accepted their fate.\\n\\nI saw this in Paris, where it was much discussed as an \\\"event film\\\". The Parisians took this as art that made an important statement and deserved to be viewed seriously and debated. This is an interesting contrast to the film experience elsewhere, whether you think it pretentious or not.\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Battling cowboys and Native Americans in Arizon join forces when an alien spaceship lands.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: genre mix definitely worked for me\\n\\nReview: I was skeptical when I heard about this film, I mean, cowboys fighting space monsters? It seemed like too much of a stretch, especially since only a few Europeans were even dreaming that such things were possible. However, given the actors, I thought, what the heck, I'll give it a look-see while on a long airplane trip. And from the first moment, when the hero wakes with amnesia and a strange metal bracelet, the characters drew me into a much better-than-average story. It was even hard scifi without a whiff of fantasy, though what the aliens could do definitely would have seemed like magic or demons to the men of that time.\\n\\nThe plot even has some good twists. D Craig makes a wonderful tough guy who deep down is grieving even if he can't remember why. He demonstrates his propensity to deadly violence right away, but there is something principled about it or seemingly so. After a quick imbroglio, he wanders into a town that is riven by a spoiled gunslinger, whose father is apparently a brutally evil rancher. Craig is also approached by a mysterious and beautiful woman, who seems to know a lot about him. When they seem ready to kill eachother, the town is attacked, setting them on an adventure together as Craig discovers the metal object is a weapon. Add Indians and a band of outlaws (who know Craig as a leader) into the mix and you begin to wonder if any of it is going to make sense. That the rest of the movie succeeds so well, maintaining a sense of mystery and awe at least in me, is a testament to an unusually intelligent script.\\n\\nOne of the best themes in the film is how the humans band together, each bringing skills from their cultures and experience, to fight the baddies. It might sound silly, but it really works well. For example, the Indians give a potion to Craig that liberates his memory. I don't want to play the spoiler, so won't say anything more, but it is a raucous ride with great CGI.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. It won't be what you expect, if you like hard scifi to begin with, that is.\",\n \"Product: Brand New Sealed Blu-ray. Ships Fast\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: a psychic film distinguished by fabulous acting\\n\\nReview: I am not usually one for fantasy films about psychics and the afterlife, but this one has such depth that I could suspend my disbelief and feel completely engrossed in the emotions of the characters. I have never seen acting so fine and vivid in this genre. It is moving, beautiful, mysterious, and psychologically real. I think it is a masterpiece.\\n\\nThe film starts with the 2004 tsunami that devastated Indonesia. A French woman is swept up in the wave, receiving a terrible blow in the head that brings her near death while submerged. What she sees changes her life, alienating her from her past and its certainties. She loses everything. Meanwhile, we learn about a young man from San Francisco, a psychic who is searching desperately for a way to live and love with his \\\"ability\\\". Every time he sees a potential relationship, it seems, his ability destroys his chances. He is not helped by his brother, who is pushing to exploit his ability as a business concern. The third character is a boy, whose mother is a junkie and who loses someone near to him. He is pitifully depressed and seeking answers while in fostercare.\\n\\nHow their lives intersect is the plot of the story. However, the theme - of being able to move on with one's life - is wonderfully evoked by Eastwood, who is one of the greatest filmmakers alive. Every gesture and expression of the 3 characters moved me, their struggle and melancholy totally believable, at least to me, as they search for resolution and a way forward. It brought tears to my eyes, perhaps because I lost my father not too long ago. The film actually helped me to mourn.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. I know it isn't for everyone, but it sure worked for me.\",\n \"Product: A famous Italian filmmaker, haunted by the memories of his first love, returns to his hometown after an absence of 30 years. Upon his return, he reconnects with the community and remembers the highlights and tragedies that shaped his life and inspired him to follow his dream of becoming a filmmaker. For those who have never seen it -- and those who have never forgotten it -- director Giuseppe Tornatore's (BAARIA, THE STAR MAKER) cherished Academy Award-winning motion picture (1990, Best Foreign Language Film) is now in high definition, fully restored and digitally remastered.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Coming of age as viewed by the middle-aged, with magic\\n\\nReview: This is a wonderful film, about a lonely boy in post-war Sicily, who turns his early passion for movies into a career. It is one of those films that tugs at the heart, with themes of life, love, and moving on yet keeping everything inside. There is not a single moment in the film that doesn't ring true with the deepest emotion and yearning, all while being fun and provocative. Even my kids enjoyed it.\\n\\nThe frame of the story is a reminiscence by a highly successful film maker, who learns of the death of one of his greatest friends - a friend, a father replacement, and mentor in life. He goes back to his time as a young boy, when much of the town was war rubble. At the center of village life was a cinema, where just about everyone went for a vicarious communal experience, vividly portrayed in the boy's observations. The projector is run by a wonderful man, played by Noiret, who takes the boy under his wing. Their relationship is touching, yet not at all sentimental: the boy has to work his way in by guile, the man offers him advice in work and life, often by quoting lines from American movies, always joking yet with serious messages. It is a perfect balance. Of course, the boy grows up and had to go his own way, with a kick from Noiret.\\n\\nThis is destined to be a classic. However, it did play a bit too long about the film experiences, I felt. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Quick Shipping !!! New And Sealed !!! This Disc WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. A multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player is request to view it in USA/Canada. Please Review Description.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: definitive blu-ray version of theatrical releases, with extras (British version)\\n\\nReview: This box set has come in for serious criticism regarding its limits. Indeed, there can be no doubt that this set doesn't have extended cuts and director's cuts. However, what it does have is completely satisfying, i.e. high definition versions of the theatrical releases of the films, wonderfully transferred; deleted scenes from each film; documentaries, interviews, commentaries, and the usual fluff that comes with these things; and some video game materials. Frankly, I do not think they will release the newer versions (extended cuts and director's cuts) as a box sets until they have released all of them individually - they will do it in a way that maximizes sales, based on timing. That means that these are the only versions we will have for some time as they will prolong the cycle as long as possible.\\n\\nThis will sound repetitive, but these are absolutely great films and have been a part of my family experience for the last 11 years. We watch them together periodically and always made the trek to the cinema to see new releases. They spurred my children to read their first long books. Plus, each film is consistently excellent in its own way, quite an accomplishment for a series of 8 films.\\n\\nWhile we love the films, I doubt that we will want more than these as we are not the kind of fans that Trekkies are. Thus, for those like us, I warmly recommend this set. Interestingly, I got the version in British blu-ray for about $50. Given the price of the blu-rays of the final 2 films, that made it worthwhile for us to pay a little more for the entire set - without dvd and other media versions that we would scarcely want anyway.\",\n \"Product: Please note: Blu-ray disc offers only the theatrical version, while the DVD disc offers only the extended cut version.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Uneven, but powerful arthouse portrait of an adolescent in moral crisis\\n\\nReview: This is a heavily promoted indie film that never made it. It is the story of a struggling young lady in NYC. Her parents are divorced and self-absorbed, if loving and occasionally there for her. She is beautiful, intelligent, and questioning, appropriate to her age. Then, a trivial incident leads to a tragedy for which she feels responsible. The rest of the movie - nearly 3 hours in the extended version, which is what I am reviewing here - is how she deals with it, thinking in turn and then acting out. At turns, it is moving, brutal, sad, funny, uplifting, pathetic, and promising; the other characters emerge and form a portrait of the Manhattan middle class.\\n\\nI wish I could say I found it as masterful and brilliant as many critics have done, but I thought it disjointed, abrupt, full of trivia and incidents that appear meaningless or ill-fitting. In most cases, it distracted rather than added to some vision or whole. The film technique - to include random conversations or expressions - felt intrusive to me, irritating.\\n\\nNonetheless, the acting is truly wonderful. Paquin creates a realistic, indeed brilliant, portrait of the girl - I completely believed how she grew and evolved as the crisis unfolded. And she does transform herself, to a degree, though in so many ways, she is still a girl. Most of the other actors appear in cameos, often to make some point, which works about half of the time, but also often fails.\\n\\nI would recommend this film. The ambiguities and lack of simple clarity are truly artful. But it is flawed.\",\n \"Product: The Bourne Legacy takes the action-packed Bourne series to an explosive new level. On the verge of having their conspiracy exposed, members of the government's intelligence community will stop at nothing to erase all evidence of their top secret programs - even the agents involved. Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) must use his genetically-engineered skills to survive the ultimate game of cat-and-mouse and finish what Jason Bourne started. Also starring Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz and Academy Award nominee Edward Norton, critics are calling this a \\\"thrilling, edge-of-your-seat heart-pounder\\\" (Meg Porter Berns, WSVN-TV (FOX), Miami).\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Ratchets it up with scifi, but it's derivative and unconvincing\\n\\nReview: I didn't have very high hopes for this film, but I was curious what they would do to go beyond the absolute perfection of the Bourne trilogy. The Damon film, which we must contrast to this offshoot, balanced many factors: Bourne was vulnerable but an expert killer (i.e. realistic), the shadowy CIA/NSA group was believable and timely, and the principal character's plight and search were compelling. Unfortunately, the Bourne Legacy doesn't quite succeed at any of these. I will attempt to go into the reasons for this without revealing plot spoilers.\\n\\nFirst, pumped up by some kind of magical meds, the new character is more like a superhero. His abilities and even his intelligence are enhanced by biotech. In other words, we are almost if not quite in Spiderman territory. So the good guys are better, the baddies badder. Second, in its attempt to deepen the conspiracy, we learn that there is another group, never defined and perhaps more deeply entrenched, that is masterminding the new efforts. It includes scientists, military types, and some kind of ominous organization that even Ezra kowtows to. While the film is skillfully interwoven with events that were seen in the trilogy, advancing the story of Landy and her enemies, the new group feels grafted on. Third, the principal characters - played by Renner and Weisz - lack the tightness of focus that Bourne had in his need to overcome his amnesia and discover the mystery behind his conditioning. Taken together, I simply couldn't quite suspend my disbelief.\\n\\nFinally, there are many holes in the film's plot - the viewer doesn't know how characters figure out certain things, e.g. when Aaron springs up in Dr. Shearing's house to save her in the knick of time. How did the new conspirators find the couple in the Philippines? WHere do they get their money? Why would Shearing throw herself in with Aaron? Presumably, some of this may be explained in subsequent films, but the effect is to lessen the film's believability further.\\n\\nThat leaves the viewer with the tried-and-true situation room, where a team tracks our heros as they elude everything they throw at them, and then there are chases and good fights. And the minute you see Weisz, you know she is going to be a love interest of some sort. Of course, Aaron will almost certainly \\\"bring the fight to your doorstep\\\" in sequels. It has the feel of a formula film, another mega-franchise.\\n\\nOddly, it works best if you separate this offshoot from the original trilogy in your mind. Viewed that way, it is pretty fun action/scifi. THe actors are all good, if rather 2-dimensional. Recommended.\",\n \"Product: United Kingdom released, Blu-Ray/Region B : it WILL NOT play on regular DVD player, or on standard US Blu-Ray player. You need multi-region Blu-Ray player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( DTS-HD Master Audio ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Behind the scenes, Blu-Ray & DVD Combo, Cast/Crew Interview(s), Commentary, Deleted Scenes, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: In 1921, in London, the arrogant and skeptical Florence Cathcart is famous for exposing hoaxes and helping the police to arrest con artists. The stranger Robert Mallory tells her that the headmaster of a boarding school in Rookford had invited her to travel to Cumbria to investigate a ghost that is frightening the pupils to death. He also tells that many years ago there was a murder in the estate and recently pupil Walter Portman had died. The reluctant Florence finally accepts to go to Cumbria. On arrival, she is welcomed by governess Maud and the boy Thomas Hill. Soon Florence discovers what had happened to Walter and then the students, teachers and staff are released on vacation, and Florence remains alone with Robert, Maud and Tom in the school. Florence is ready to leave the boarding school when strange things happen, leaving Florence scared. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: British Independent Film Awards, ...The Awakening (Blu-Ray & DVD Combo)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: a wonderful psychological thrilller that transgresses many boundaries\\n\\nReview: I have now watched this twice and liked it even better the second time, which means it has met the test. This is an atmospheric ghost film, based around a melancholy paranormal skeptic, a Cambridge-educated scientist who debunks charlatan spiritualists in the aftermath of WWI. I think it is a masterpiece of point counterpoint as she makes a journey that turns out to be far more personal than one would assume at the beginning.\\n\\nFlorence is a kind of celebrity debunker, dramatically uncovering frauds and having written a best seller about it. SHe is openly atheist and uses state-of-the art technology to record what is happening. A man, Robert, approaches her and she eventually agrees to investigate a school ghost. He is a WWI veteran, who embodies the horror of the recent past, with death in the trenches and the the great influenza epidemic. The atmospherics are pitch perfect, sad and full of inner conflict and traumatic memory.\\n\\nFlorence is an extraordinary individual, a woman activist who operates in a time when men don't believe that anyone but men can be competent and intelligent. She quickly solves a mystery and, just when people think she will depart in triumph, she finds more that she wants to investigate. As her character emerges, the story deepens once she admits that she is desperately struggling against fear, which she hates to admit.\\n\\nThe other characters are also exceptional. There is a lonely boy, Tom, who with Maud befriends her when the boys in the school go home for vacation. Florence begins to see that there is more there than she has known, and it is directly connecting to her buried memories because her past is a mystery even to her. Robert, a teacher of history, is burdened with his own demons, a way to connect with Florence. The games keeper is also a Victorian character, suppressed and watching while envious of Robert.\\n\\nI will not reveal happens. There are many surprises and false pistes, the audience is uncertain what is real and what is not. Of course, this can be banally silly, but in this film it fits perfectly and can be watched more than once for extra depth. For example, there is a scene with a doll house, which Florence scrutinizes, shockingly finding herself simulated within it. The surprises are very believable, with all sorts of double meanings and revelations, indeed murderous actions.\\n\\nThis is a great film experience. It tilts reality and you have so many details that you will want to watch it again to figure it out. That is a great sign of success. Recommended with enthusiasm.\",\n \"Product: Quick Shipping !!! New And Sealed !!! This Disc WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. A multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player is request to view it in USA/Canada. Please Review Description.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: captures the spirit of Tintin, but his expression is rather blank\\n\\nReview: For those brought up on these characters, this film succeeds in bringing the viewer into their world: small town France, with the plucky reporter and his faithful dog, who get into wild adventures in the big world outside with Captain Haddock, the alcoholic who perpetually falls off the wagon. The film follows The Secret of the Unicorn closely, but makes a number of small plot changes - I mention this because aficionados of the books will have memorized every single scene. The changes do not detract from the story.\\n\\nThe characterizations are pretty good, though Tintin's face is often curiously devoid of emotion. As the adventure moves quickly, the viewer can forget about Tintin's lack of character, but it was an occasional annoyance. Haddock is much better: the film definitely captures his essential mix of buffoonery, courage, and purity of spirit; he is very funny, always the more delightful character than the ernest and wholesome Tintin, so perhaps that is why he has more life to him. The other characters are also more vividly drawn than Tintin, from Thompson and Thompson to the many bad guys like Red Rackam. For the most part, the animation, atmosphere, and action are spectacular, so clear as to be indistinguishable from film.\\n\\nMy kids enjoyed this as much as I did. We saw it in French, its original language, so I cannot comment on voice characterizations for an American audience. Warmly recommended as good fun. We will definitely buy it when the price is right.\",\n \"Product: Product Description\\nBased on Christos Tsiolkas' best selling novel, The Slap traces the shattering repercussions of a single event upon a group of family and friends. At an Australian backyard BBQ, amongst alcohol, friendship and a childrens cricket game a man slaps a child who is not his son. The child is parents are so affronted they vow to take the man to court. One cousin is forced to testify against another. Couples are caught in the crossfire. Beliefs are tested and relationships strained. The story unfolds through the points of view of eight characters and as the court case proceeds, as affairs begin and end, as a pregnancy is decided and marriages morph and change, each character s life is profoundly affected by the slap . Whose side are you on?\\n\\nReviews\\n\\n\\\"The most gripping series on television since The Killing\\\" - The Times\\n\\\"...thoroughly modern storm in a tea-cup.\\\" - The Mirror\\n\\nThe Slap is \\\"very slickly made and develops real depth\\\" - The Daily Mail\\n\\nThe Slap is a \\\"well articulated yell of suburban rage, it takes some beating\\\" - Radio Times\\n\\\"A very adult exploration of contemporary, middle-class manners, brought to life by a set of accomplished performances\\\" **** - Time Out\\nThe Slap is what's \\\"HOT ON TV\\\" The Daily Star\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: serious melodrama of suburban crises\\n\\nReview: This is a very well acted, Altmannesque narrative that follows many separate people from their point of view while advancing a plot line. While my wife found it exaggerated and over-the-top, I found it engrossing and at times moving. The various crises - of sexuality, marriages at the point of disillusionment, and the burdens of long-term relationships - appeared very real indeed to me, as did the ambiguity of the characters: no one is clearly good or bad.\\n\\nThe plot starts off with \\\"the slap\\\", where a man loses it with a very difficult child. The parents, who already intensely dislike the man, take the matter to the police; they want to send him to jail in the most serious way. Of course, this drives a wedge into a series of friendships and family relations, making lives much much more complicated.\\n\\nThe episodes then cover individuals, whose concerns and thoughts are revealed in greater depth. Rather than a reversal thing - where you see things in a totally different light - it is more of a peeling away, getting closer to the essence of someone as they hurt and grow and accept things or don't. This was fun, for me, because I thought the characters were well drawn and, for the most part, realistic. It also isn't a rashomon-style drama, in my view, but a consistent portrait that gets engraved ever more clearly. THough the quality is good enough, I speculate that the viewer will be able to re-watch the drama and see it differently in accordance with maturity and experience (a feature of good art, in my opinion).\\n\\nI do not want to reveal any spoilers that aren't obvious from the cover blurb. The best portraits, I found, are the married couple, Hector and his judgmental wife. They are in that limbo, where they have been married for some time and are caught in routine and the terrible grey of mid-life. Both make irrevocable choices, but choose to deal with them in very different ways. You leave the series not knowing if they can reconcile or heal, which is so much like long-term marriages that go through stages unimaginable to those who have never married.\\n\\nThen there are the older parents, who exist in the background but whose relationships and personalities shape events in subtle ways. They are at turns sad, loving, a pain to deal with - everything that elderly parents can be, but with a startling honesty. There are also 2 teenage kids, whose travails are less developed, like their personalities. A lie (based on an illusion) shapes much of what happens to them. The resolution of their problems was the only thing that seemed too pat with me, though the young actors were excellent. Finally, there are the parents of the assaulted child. Perhaps less complex, and I never developed much sympathy for them, they are interesting for anyone who has friends that have a very difficult, if not mentally ill, child. Is it what they do that makes the child so impossible or something inherent in him? What should they do differently? Maybe he did need a smack?\\n\\nI recommend this as a good slice of life. It is fun to witness Australia, but is universal as well.\",\n \"Product: NOTICE: Polish Release, cover may contain Polish text/markings. The disk has English audio and subtitles. An expansion of the universe from Robert Ludlum's novels, centered on a new hero whose stakes have been triggered by the events of the previous ...\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Ratchets it up with scifi, but it's derivative and unconvincing\\n\\nReview: I didn't have very high hopes for this film, but I was curious what they would do to go beyond the absolute perfection of the Bourne trilogy. The Damon film, which we must contrast to this offshoot, balanced many factors: Bourne was vulnerable but an expert killer (i.e. realistic), the shadowy CIA/NSA group was believable and timely, and the principal character's plight and search were compelling. Unfortunately, the Bourne Legacy doesn't quite succeed at any of these. I will attempt to go into the reasons for this without revealing plot spoilers.\\n\\nFirst, pumped up by some kind of magical meds, the new character is more like a superhero. His abilities and even his intelligence are enhanced by biotech. In other words, we are almost if not quite in Spiderman territory. So the good guys are better, the baddies badder. Second, in its attempt to deepen the conspiracy, we learn that there is another group, never defined and perhaps more deeply entrenched, that is masterminding the new efforts. It includes scientists, military types, and some kind of ominous organization that even Ezra kowtows to. While the film is skillfully interwoven with events that were seen in the trilogy, advancing the story of Landy and her enemies, the new group feels grafted on. Third, the principal characters - played by Renner and Weisz - lack the tightness of focus that Bourne had in his need to overcome his amnesia and discover the mystery behind his conditioning. Taken together, I simply couldn't quite suspend my disbelief.\\n\\nFinally, there are many holes in the film's plot - the viewer doesn't know how characters figure out certain things, e.g. when Aaron springs up in Dr. Shearing's house to save her in the knick of time. How did the new conspirators find the couple in the Philippines? WHere do they get their money? Why would Shearing throw herself in with Aaron? Presumably, some of this may be explained in subsequent films, but the effect is to lessen the film's believability further.\\n\\nThat leaves the viewer with the tried-and-true situation room, where a team tracks our heros as they elude everything they throw at them, and then there are chases and good fights. And the minute you see Weisz, you know she is going to be a love interest of some sort. Of course, Aaron will almost certainly \\\"bring the fight to your doorstep\\\" in sequels. It has the feel of a formula film, another mega-franchise.\\n\\nOddly, it works best if you separate this offshoot from the original trilogy in your mind. Viewed that way, it is pretty fun action/scifi. THe actors are all good, if rather 2-dimensional. Recommended.\",\n \"Product: Three dumb guys who think they're smart rob a Mob protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse. Brad Pitt plays the enforcer hired to track them down and restore order.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: gangster scum comedy, gruesome aftermath\\n\\nReview: This is a wonderfully dead pan take on the gangster movie. They are all essentially petty idiots in a very brutal game. First you have the Laurel and Hardy heroin addicts, who blunder into a big score. Then, you have the organizers of a gambling den, from the bottom feeders to the middle managers. Finally, to clean up the mess, they bring in bullies and a seriously efficient killer. They are all wonderfully acted characters, even Brad Pitt whom I normally bypass as over-rated. Gandolfini has a wonderful cameo as a drunken hood trying to retire and more interested in partying, who Pitt tries to salvage from his bender.\\n\\nPerhaps this wasn't a hit because it is so horrifically violent. I found it entertaining, smart, and vivid. Recommended.\",\n \"Product: This haunting, kabuki-inflected version of a Japanese folk legend is set in a remote mountain village, where food is scarce and tradition dictates that citizens who have reached their seventieth year must be carried to the summit of Mount Narayama and left there to die. The sacrificial elder at the center of the tale is Orin (Ugetsus Kinuyo Tanaka), a dignified and dutiful woman who spends her dwindling days securing the happiness of her loyal widowed son with a respectable new wife. Filmed almost entirely on cunningly designed studio sets, in brilliant color and widescreen, The Ballad of Narayama is a stylish and vividly formal work from Japans cinematic golden age, directed by the dynamic Keisuke Kinoshita (Twenty-four Eyes).\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: the horror behind the traditions\\n\\nReview: This is nothing if not an extremely vivid depiction of a traditional Japanese town, where there are terrible secrets and meaningless cruelties behind the facade of order. It is brutal and sad, but there is also grace in some of the characters, in particular the kindly if deeply conservative grandmother, Orin.\\n\\nThe town is an agricultural outpost in 19C Japan, largely cut off from life in the city and mired in poverty. The village is so poor that the population balance must be strictly maintained: only the eldest sons are allowed to procreate or even marry, unwanted children (particularly females) are exposed to die, and elders are led to the mountain top and left to freeze or die of thirst at the age of 70. As one might imagine, this creates terrible pain for everyone, though it enables them to survive as a community in demographic stasis.\\n\\nThe principal character is Orin, who at 69 is robust and much loved and respected in her village. She feels shame at her health and consciously chooses to go through the ritual of passing on her right to live to the next generation. Her eldest son is full of anguish, but will also obey the forms; he is newly remarried by arrangement with a woman from a nearby village whom he has never met. She arrives hungry for life and selfish to take whatever she can for her moment. Orin's younger son is a desperately lonely man, who is treated as an outcast by the other villagers, largely because his has a deteriorating lung that makes his breath unsupportable. He is full of anger and malice, hating his taunting nephew. YOu feel sympathy for them, but more than anything they appear as selfish brutes.\\n\\nThe rest of the town is similarly dysfunctional. There are a number of bitter younger sons, deprived of chances at a normal life and huddled in jealousy and greed for experience. There is a horrible scene where a young woman is forced to service them in the most sordid manner, making this inappropriate for children and simply grotesque for the viewer. That is the problem with the film: in its attempts to paint a realistic picture, it is so ugly and heartless at times that it feels over the top. I do not pretend to know the historical accuracy of the films, but having lived in Japan, it certainly appeared realistic to me.\\n\\nThere are uplifting moments, when kindness is shown, but it has an ironic edge and a strange sense of the futility of it all. In the backdrop, there is a feeling of mystery and fear at the power of nature, as when Orin's son discharges an old rifle at a dark, billowing tree - it is poetic and evocative.\\n\\nRecommended for serious enthusiasts of Japanese cinema. This is unromantic, but in many places well done.\",\n \"Product: Leigh (Kristen Bell) is almost 30, and living a seemingly perfect life in New York. But when her career and love life both come crashing down, she flees to her suburban hometown and regresses right back into teenage life - behavior. She moves into her old room with her parents, hangs around with friends who never left town, and reclaims her high school job as a condo-complex lifeguard. But as Leigh enjoys shirking off adult life and responsibilities, and enters into an illicit affair, she begins a chain reaction that affects those closest to her. With an all-star cast that also includes Martin Starr ("Party Down, Knocked Up"), Mamie Gummer ("Side Effects") and Oscar nominee Amy Madigan, it's a journey that's both hilarious and heartfelt.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good characters, realistically ambiguous message on the pain of growing up\\n\\nReview: This film, with its sexy cover for purposes of marketing, immediately surprises with its intelligence and depth. The protagonist has hit a rough spot for the first time in her life: New York and what she has achieved as a journalist are disillusioning, as is her truncated relationship with a man already taken. So she decides to chuck it all and return home to get herself back together. Upon moving back in with her parents and getting a job as a lifeguard, she reconnects with old friends and meets some local bad boys about to drop out of high school.\\n\\nEmerging from a depression, almost an early mid-life crisis, you see flashes of how smart and tough she is, as when she confronts 2 cops who are harassing the students she has befriended. You also see how she was spoiled as a golden child, particularly when conflict arises with her mother, played to perfection by Amy Madigan. There is also her best friend, a high school counselor in a difficult patch in her marriage, perhaps on the point of split up.\\n\\nThe affair with the boy is beautifully handled, with all the moral dilemmas and difficulties that such situations summon in real life. They like each other, find some fulfillment, and offer emotional succor in a painful time for them both. You can debate about the rightness or wrongness of it, which is never resolved though it strains her old friendship with the high school counselor. Once tragedy intervenes, it becomes very moving - and again, you see the strength of the young lady and how much she really has to give. The viewer senses that she can get back up and make it.\\n\\nThis struck me as emotionally real. It isn't for everyone because it is meant to be very serious. Recommended.\",\n \"Product: Elysium (Bilingual) [DVD + UltraViolet]\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: another attempt at scifi blockbuster with all the usual junk thrown in\\n\\nReview: I wanted to see this because I expect better from Damon and usually get it. Unfortunately, this film is so full of tropes and stereotypes that not even Damon and the near-impeccable Jodie Foster could save it from potboiler status. I was, well, simply bored by it: flawed hero, desperate for a cure; needs to go to restricted place for the upper class; baddies on high and their truly evil henchmen on the ground; fighting; more fighting; hero lives up to his potential. Ok, there are some techie do-dads added in, like the exo-skeleton that enables a radiation-poisoned Damon to become superhuman and, of course, the Satellite Elysium and is healing facilities. Otherwise, not a bloody thing original in it. Not recommended except as background noise.\",\n \"Product: Prepare to get Taken for the ride of your life! Liam Neeson is an unstoppable force (Premiere) in this action-packed international thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. When his estranged teenage daughter (Maggie Grace) is kidnapped in Paris, a former spy (Neeson) sets out to find her at any cost. Relying on his special skills, he tracks down the ruthless gang that abducted her and launches a one-man war to bring them to justice and rescue his daughter.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Maudlin plot, unbelievable graphic violence, and such a tidy ending!\\n\\nReview: I hate to say it, but this is a perfectly awful film.\\n\\nRight from the start, there is something wrong with the tone of the film, as the retired agent is trying to get close to the daughter he alienated by his long and mysterious absences. The viewer gets dished up a dripping melodrama about a painful divorce, with all the hot button scenes - trying to get her attention with a gift, his ex-wife standing in the way the whole while with bitter sarcasm, and the innocent (beautiful) daughter pampered by her new dad - that are supposed to pull at the heartstrings. The acting was so wooden and the dialogue so stilted that I couldn't believe any of it.\\n\\nThen suddenly, the tone shifts: dad excessively worries about the daughter going to Europe on her own at 17, and sure enough, she is immediately abducted by the worst kind of guy and gang. But dad happens to be available and puts his \\\"special skills\\\" to work, becoming a sudden superhero, in a blur of brutal violence, questionable methods to put it mildly, and an entry into the underworld of modern slavery and prostitution. This section is better, if you are looking for an action film with a lone good guy fighting packs of baddies. I enjoyed this part more, though wondered about the PG-13 rating. It is raw, ugly, and full of blatant stereotypes. That he rescues her - miraculously not violated or even deflowered, but right at the moment a fat ugly sheik is about to have his way with her - is to be expected. But all credibility is lost - seeing that he is also now a criminal fugitive in France, you wonder how he gets her out. It is so ridiculously unbelievable that I could never completely go with the flow for fun.\\n\\nIt is shocking how stupid this all is. What a disappointment. Not recommended.\",\n \"Product: France released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), French ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), French ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Cast/Crew Interview(s), Interactive Menu, Making Of, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: The Weiss family is the archetypical Hollywood dynasty: father Stafford is an analyst and coach, who has made a fortune with his self-help manuals; mother Cristina mostly looks after the career of their son Benjie, 13, a child star. One of Stafford's clients, Havana, is an actress who dreams of shooting a remake of the movie that made her mother, Clarice, a star in the 60s. Clarice is dead now and visions of her come to haunt Havana at night... Adding to the toxic mix, Benjie has just come off a rehab program he joined when he was 9 and his sister, Agatha, has recently been released from a sanatorium where she was treated for criminal pyromania and befriended a limo driver Jerome who is also an aspiring actor. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Cannes Film Festival, Golden Globes, ...Maps to the Stars (2014)\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Doesn't quite achieve Cronenberg's anticipated totally believable creepiness\\n\\nReview: When Cronenberg hits the right note, his films have a magic mix of weird personalities, who in extraordinary circumstances end up the perpetratiors of horrific violence that the viewer can believe. No one does atmospherics like he does, and the psychology of his great actors arrives in a place that no other director can take you. Dead Ringers and A History of Violence are 2 of the finest films I have ever seen. Unfortunately, this is not one of those films: it is simply weird and horrible, without respite, and I could never quite suspend my disbelief.\\n\\nThe story is about a Hollywood family with a child star and many dark secrets; they are barely holding on with career pressures and looming mental illness, along with depressingly stupid new-age crock. There is also a fading star (Moore), who is desperate to make a comeback and is crazy in her own way. Of course, they make for an explosive combination that leads to a perfectly awful conclusion. The trouble was, none of the characters (with the exception of the vulnerable disfigured girl who shows up) made me care about them - they were all complete idiots or jerks.\\n\\nOn the positive side, the film does a great job of showing how awful it would be to make a career in Hollywood (not that I needed convincing). The actors are all better than excellent, it is just that their roles aren't that good. Even Julianne Moore looks looks thugishly ugly, just like her personality.\\n\\nIf you are a Cronenberg fan, you will want to see this. But just rent it, don't buy it - you won't want to see it again.\",\n \"Product: Hammer Films, one of the most celebrated horror studios in the history of cinema, presents 8 classic horror films in one collection. From Dracula to Frankenstein, werewolves to phantoms, the Hammer Horror Series 8-Film Collection showcases some of the most terrifying monsters in the history of cinema and features legendary performances by Peter Cushing, Oliver Reed and Janette Scott.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A very fun collection, if a bit uneven.\\n\\nReview: I saw all of these as a kid in the 1960s, as afternoon TV staples. About half of these are monster films (various vampires, one frankenstein, one wereworf) and the rest are kind of suspense horror films (Phantom of the Opera was the only one I remembered). WHile the vampire films were second tier - not a single Christopher Lee one and based on abruptly ending formulas - I hugely enjoyed the frankie and werewolf ones, which had interesting variations in them, e.g. the werewolf's origin was not getting bitten, but a combination of a violent impregnation and the birth on Christmas day. I have a soft spot for the Evil of Frankenstein, which I saw with my dad and remembered vividly, though objectively, it is relatively weak. Finally, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the suspense horror films, all of which kept me guessing to the end. In particular, I found Paranoiac to be especially fun - I had no idea how it would turn out (i.e. who was bad, who was controlling things, what their agendas were, etc.).\\n\\nOne of the reasons I got this collection is to see a young Oliver Reed, who is in 3 of the films. His acting was wonderful (he is even a good guy in one), though of course Peter Cushing is also excellent. I particularly enjoyed Cushing as the mysterious vicar in a period piece, which didn't stop him from belting an intruder and facing down some rough sailors from the King's Navy (loosely based on Dr. Syn resisting impressment).\\n\\nIf you are a Hammer fan, this is a wonderful collection, if only for nostalgia's sake. Of course, my kids didn't grow up with these and think they're stupid and crude, which in a way they are. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Henry Spencer's hair sticks straight up, and his girlfriend's offspring looks like larva. Directed by David Lynch.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Lynch establishing himself as a master of the incomprehensibly weird\\n\\nReview: If you are a David Lynch fan, this is a must see. He unfurls what can only be described as a poetic, visual nightmare: an inhibited man lives in a bleak, post-industrial landscape, amidst abandoned factories, cheap apartments, and living appliances. He does not understand the people around him, even blundering into fatherhood with an equally clueless young lady whose mother may have a thing for him. It is increasingly unclear what he is imagining and what is real, like the deformed singing lady somewhere inside his radiator to the sperm-like creature that is apparently his son; in one unforgettable scene, he is served a chicken that is kicking while emitting a black slurry. For those who enjoy this kind of thing - and nothing is clearly explained, so it must be interpreted - this is a cult treat. The acting, while occasionally amateurish, is also quite good.\\n\\nAs I enjoy interpreting stuff like this, I will offer mine here - ***spoiler alert***. The man hates his surroundings and relationships so much that his way of coping is to go insane. He is seeing what he is feeling inside, and is creating a fantasy world (eraserhead). While hopeful that he might find some human contact, like the loose woman across the hall, he also feels complete disgust at the reality of physical intimacy, hence his perception of his child as a spermatozoid from himself. As he slips further away from reality, the images become more bizarre and disturbing, until he is completely lost.\\n\\nFor an early directorial effort, the film is really striking and bold. I can't say I enjoyed watching it again, but it is fun to see a talent like Lynch's in embryo - he adds plot and far more interesting characters to his later work, but the atmospherics are present in this. I would recommend renting this rather than buying, unless, of course, you love this cult genre.\",\n \"Product: From La Femme Nikita and The Professional to The Fifth Element, writer/director Luc Besson has created some of the toughest, most memorable female action heroes in cinematic history. Now, Besson directs Scarlett Johansson in Lucy, an action-thriller that tracks a woman accidentally caught in a dark deal who turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic. Lucy also stars Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice mix of concept and action\\n\\nReview: Besson is the Ken Russel of action/scifi: his best films are over the top to the point of the ridiculous in both action and concepts, yet somehow - if you get it - you can suspend your disbelief and enjoy it. Of course, if you don't get it, they can just seem silly. This is subjective, they are not for everyone.\\n\\nI have felt both ways about Besson's films (Nikita is perfect, 5th Element is hilariously entertaining, but Columbiana simply didn't work - for me). Fortunately, I liked Lucy, indeed I enjoyed everything about it - the concepts, the acting, the bad guys, the astonishing visual spectacle. The film has a magic all its own, forming a whole that you can enter with wonder and glee regardless of how preposterous it is. OK, it isn't a classic like Blade Runner or 2001, but it is a great success. I would give it 4 1/2 stars.\",\n \"Product: A skillful blend of romance and comedy, Topkapi shimmers with hilarity, action and great performances! Fun-filled and suspenseful, it's an incredibly ingenious affair and a considerable pleasure to watch. Trouble brews beneath the exotically curved towers of Istanbul when the equally exotic - and equally curved - Elizabeth Lipp (Melina Mercouri, Never on Sunday) recruits her former lover (Maximilian Schell, The Black Hole) in a scheme to heist the pride of the city's Topkapi museum: a jewel-encrusted dagger. But the "job" soon turns into a high-tension, high wire act, when the bumbling fall guy (Peter Ustinov, Death on the Nile) and other amateurs they've hired as help get more than they had bargained for. The stellar cast also includes Robert Morley (Beat the Devil) and Akim Tamiroff (Touch of Evil). Directed by great Jules Dassin (Rififi).\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: vintage, hilarious and riveting spectacle\\n\\nReview: Beyond having a realistic scenario, what makes or breaks a caper are the characters: they have to be funny, smart, manipulative, and self-destructive. By this measure, there simply isn't a better caper film. Even my kids, who prefer films made after 2000, watched this and laughed along with us, the old parents.\\n\\nThe caper is to replace a priceless artifact in a museum with a fake. The masterminds, the charming and brilliant Schell and the seductive Mercouri, unite a motley crew of amateurs, starting with Ustinov, a sleazy twit exploiter of tourists. Schell plans every detail meticulously, with many contingencies should complications arise, which he must continually re-set in the face of the screwups of his colleagues. First, Ustinov is arrested at the border and is drafted into spying on the group, though he gets co-opted into their vision. Then the muscle man is injured, so Ustinov must replace him. Finally, they have to speed up their schedule because the intelligence services think they are planing something later.\\n\\nPerhaps the most arresting scene in the film is the precision operation in the museum itself. Really fun, scary, and lives up to the maxim that any time you plan a crime, 50 things can go wrong, 25 if you're a genius.\\n\\nThis is not a film to have on in the background, but one that deserves the viewer's full attention. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Violette is a finely nuanced portrait of Violette LeDuc (Emmanuelle Devos), one of the foremost French writers of the 20th century. In a beautifully mounted production, director Martin Provost (Sraphine) depicts LeDuc's extraordinary life, from her low beginnings as the illegitimate daughter of a servant girl to becoming ensconced in France's literary elite. In spite of her wretched years as an unwanted child, followed by tense years as a black marketeer during WWII, Violette LeDuc is determined, obsessed even, to make something of her life. Writing is her ticket out of misery, and with the encouragement and mentorship of legendary intellectual Simone de Beauvoir (Sandrine Kiberlain), Violette achieves admiration, renown and controversy for her emotionally raw novels and memoirs, finally winning freedom from wondering where her next meal will come from. Superb performances by Emmanuelle Devos (Coco Before Chanel) and Sandrine Kiberlain (Mademoiselle Chambon) make this gorgeously shot and directed life story an engrossing and memorable cinematic achievement.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Thoroughly enjoyable entry into the French literary scene at its existential apogee\\n\\nReview: This is a very interesting, true story about how a talented woman emerges as an artist. Violette is the bastard daughter of a troubled woman, on her own, impoverished, and lonely. Still she has great talent, not only for airing issues that no one has written about - bi-sexuality, lesbian love, the need for intimacy - but as a pioneer of confessional autobiography. With a great stroke of luck, she finds in mentor in Simone de Beauvoir, one of the literary stars of the post-WWII era. De Beauvoir immediately recognizes her gifts and sets about to nurture her, offering suggestions, criticism, and finally money to keep Violette going. Their relationship is extremely subtle and portrayed with a beautiful ambiguity, even mystery. I found it thoroughly engrossing and refreshingly un-Hollywood in its pacing and themes.\\n\\nBeyond this seminal relationship, Violette becomes friends with some of the most fascinating literary talents of the period, including Genet and Camus. This too is handled with humor and by implication, leaving a great deal for the viewer to fill in, particularly by their knowledge of the writers and that period of French history - it stimulates a desire to learn more. De Beauvoir's sexuality is also left out, which would never have been the case in a Hollywood production.\\n\\nTHis is not to say that her path was easy. She remains isolated and often in despair that the way of her art is too difficult. At one point, she has a nervous breakdown and is given electroshock therapy. But de Beauvoir is always there, offering the right word at the right time, pushing her ever so slightly into some promising direction, displaying unshakeable faith in Violette's talent, and expanding her horizons when necessary, such as her suggestion to travel.\\n\\nIf you like modern EUropean film, this is one of the best I have seen in years. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Lucy Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy (Steelbook)\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice mix of concept and action\\n\\nReview: Besson is the Ken Russel of action/scifi: his best films are over the top to the point of the ridiculous in both action and concepts, yet somehow - if you get it - you can suspend your disbelief and enjoy it. Of course, if you don't get it, they can just seem silly. This is subjective, they are not for everyone.\\n\\nI have felt both ways about Besson's films (Nikita is perfect, 5th Element is hilariously entertaining, but Columbiana simply didn't work - for me). Fortunately, I liked Lucy, indeed I enjoyed everything about it - the concepts, the acting, the bad guys, the astonishing visual spectacle. The film has a magic all its own, forming a whole that you can enter with wonder and glee regardless of how preposterous it is. OK, it isn't a classic like Blade Runner or 2001, but it is a great success. I would give it 4 1/2 stars.\",\n \"Product: Omnipotent aliens arrive to save humanity from self-destruction. Under their benign gaze, war, famine and injustice become things of the past. But a small group of people are beginning to question whether this \\\"Golden Age of Man\\\" comes at a secret and terrible price. And when the Supervisor for Earth, Karellen, finally reveals his true form to the world, the sight is as profound as it is disturbing.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: an excellent adaptation of the great scifi classic\\n\\nReview: A great work of sci-fi opens the reader's mind to the fantastic possibilities that may exist beyond our humdrum lives. Though I read the novel in my youth, this film version transported my son and I into an imagined future, which we completely accepted during the watching and discussed afterwards, the surest sign of success.\\n\\nThe story is of mankind's first contact with extra-terrestrials. Massive ships appear over the biggest cities of the world, which impose a gentle control on humanity that begins what appears to be a golden age. There is plenty of opposition, dealt with handily and without violence. There is also an interesting relationship between a spokesman and the alien chief, Karrelan, whose shocking appearance remains hidden until the end of the first segment. All the while, what is really happening remains a delicious and threatening mystery, revealed at the end as an awe-inspiring development.\\n\\nThinking back to my experience with the novel, I believe that this version makes explicit many fundamental details that remained unexplained in the book. The series interprets them for the viewer and it strips it of some subtlety and nuance, which I regret. But overall, this is very fun and thought provoking.\",\n \"Product: Minnesota, 1990. Detective Bruce Kenner (Ethan Hawke) investigates the case of young Angela (Emma Watson), who accuses her father, John Gray (David Dencik), of an unspeakable crime. When John unexpectedly and without recollection admits guilt, renowned psychologist Dr. Raines (David Thewlis) is brought in to help him relive his memories and what they discover unmasks a horrifying nationwide mystery.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: An occult thriller that keeps you guessing\\n\\nReview: A blend of genres - satanism, mystery, psychology - this film is a nuanced journey into a great mystery that occurred in 1990 in rural Minnesota. Though perhaps a bit slow, the psychological nuance, the building fear, and the fascinating resolution make this a very worthwhile film, at least for some.\\n\\nA good cop is confronted by a seemingly clear cut case of child abuse. He sets out to investigate, uncovering first an extremely troubled family, then apparently discovering through a therapy popular at the time - regression hypnosis - that there may be a huge satanic cult operating. Rape, murder, even human sacrifice may be occurring in the shocked community. The cop begins to have nightmares, unable to distinguish reality from his dreams. He is an atheist, so denies that anything supernatural could be happening, but he can't deny what he sees. There is a heavy atmosphere to the film, which adds to the terror.\\n\\nWhen he finally figures out what is going on, it is really really interesting. Because there could be many possible solutions, I do not want to play the spoiler, you have to see it to believe it.\\n\\nRecommended. Hawke is excellent as the cop, Watson is as the traumatized girl as well.\",\n \"Product: A journalist and her teenage daughter journey to the swamps of the Louisiana bayou to write a story about a long lost branch of their family.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: culture clash between an extended family\\n\\nReview: It is funny how far apart the variation of reactions is to this film: some see a profound statement, others bald stereotypes. What made the difference for me was the quality of the acting: outstanding. Hershey is at her best in this as a plain swamp woman trying to control her sons with an iron hand. In contrast, Clayburgh is a liberal city type, who not only lets her daughter experiment with hard drugs, but turns a blind eye to the fact that she is dating one of her mother's former lovers.\\n\\nSo far are the plot goes, Clayburgh decides to go to visit some distant relatives in Louisiana, perhaps to do a story for her magazine, but also to spend time with her daughter, who can only be described as a dangerous adolescent. When they arrive, they are shocked at how primitive their cousin's lives are, almost living in autarky, with few ties to the mainland. It is a place of great freedom from social obligation but also cut off from economic opportunity, where fundamentalist conservatism is balanced by a libertine culture of stripper bars and drink.\\n\\nAs they spend time together, the contrast only sharpens. Hershey wants to tightly control the lives of her sons, to the point that she keeps one of them in a cage, while the other lives there with a homely wife, trying to be the man in the family. Hershey also has some painful secrets, like the husband that left her and a son she refuses to mention. The arrival of Clayburgh disrupts the balance, with some dire consequences: her difficult daughter discovers that it is foolish to provoke isolated men in this back water, as she taps her supply of cocaine. The resulting conflict reveals the pain in both families, to the point that the two women learn from eachother.\\n\\nNow this may sound sappy, but at least for me it was completely believable. The characters were not at all two-dimensional, but full, quirky beings, whose little touches stick vividly in the memory. There is a scene, for example, where Hershey comes to a bar with an old colt pistol, seeking vengeance for an assault on her son; she quickly goes beserk for reasons (later explained) and is taken to jail. In another scene, Clayburgh goes into the bayou, desperately in search of her traumatized daughter. Dramatic, to be sure, but very emotionally true in my viewing.\\n\\nRecommended. This is a very good indie film that deserves release on DVD.\",\n \"Product: Another Man, Another Chance VHS\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A European love story in the American west\\n\\nReview: This is a wonderful and moving film about the search for a new life out west. A young couple leave Paris during the violence following Napoleon III's war with Prussia in 1870, seeking a new life in America. The husband is a photographer and a romantic, his wife is a more practical girl who wanted to escape her life as a family bakery clerk. Their love is piercingly acute, you can see their chemistry in every gesture and scene. The parallel plot is of an American couple, with serious tensions in their marriage. After both couples lose their respective spouses in tragic circumstances, the surviving French woman and American man meet in connection with the caretaker of their children. Nature takes its course.\\n\\nWhat is so interesting about this film is that it is slow paced, showing what the times are like, relying on striking imagery of people and place, all while perfectly banal things transpire. Bujold is simply brilliant, an astonishing beauty who appears plain and poor, struggling to decide what to do with her life. Caan is also very good as a man who must seek justice, resolving a conflict before he can move on. It is a sad yet realistic romance, I teared up at the wonder and mystery of life. There is some drama, but surprisingly little. It is more about relationships and getting on with life.\\n\\nApparently, Lelouche had only a loose idea of script, giving the actors great freedom to ad lib as they formed the film as a team. I think it is my favorite film of his.\\n\\nRecommended warmly. (FYI, I got this for $6 in a supermarket in France.)\",\n \"Product: From Wikipedia: Diary of a Mad Housewife is a 1970 drama film about a frustrated wife, portrayed by Carrie Snodgress, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won a Golden Globe award in the same category. The film was adapted by Eleanor Perry from the 1967 novel by Sue Kaufman and directed by Perry's then-husband, Frank Perry. The film co-starred Richard Benjamin and Frank Langella. Plot Tina Balser is in a loveless marriage with Jonathan, an insufferable, social-climbing lawyer in New York City. He treats her like a trophy, refuses to back her in disputes over the raising of their children and belittles her in public. Searching for relief, she has an affair with writer George Prager, but this only drives her deeper into despair. She then tries group therapy, but this also proves fruitless when she finds her male psychiatrist, Dr. Linstrom, is no more understanding than the other men in her life.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: perspectives on a marriage in a rut\\n\\nReview: As one enters the rhythm of a marriage, it can develop patterns and pathologies that cause great harm, suffering, and simple boredom. This film portrays that rough spot with a poignancy so acute that it is hard to watch, yet at the same time manages to be funny at times. Snodgrass is absolutely brilliant as the long-suffering wife, whose husband appears as a narcissistic twit, unappreciative and careless, smothering her with his demands and yearning to be a player in New York's social scene of the early 1970s. They are entering mid-life in a full blown marital crisis.\\n\\nLike many, she seeks what she can't get elsewhere, leading to some hilarious asides in a amazing performance by Frank Langella. There, we see patterns repeated and some recognition of who she is and what she wants. Even the husband becomes more three dimensional as a character after this interlude.\\n\\nIt is rare to find a film that really gets me to introspect, to look at my life from another person's eyes and reflect on my own behavior. This film did that - I thought of an ex from my youth (30 years ago) and wondered if she saw me the way the wife sees her husband in this film. It shook me and I felt new sympathy for a person I hadn't thought of in years.\\n\\nRecommended warmly. This is a great film about marriage as it can become.\",\n \"Product: Academy Award-Winner Gwyneth Paltrow stars in this powerfully passionate true story of legendary American author and poet, Sylvia Plath. While on a Fulbright Scholarship to England, Sylvia meets Ted Hughes (Daniel Craig), a British poet on the verge of international fame. Following a torrid four month courtship, they marry and embark on an intense relationship. When Ted's subsequent literary success and the attentions of admiring women strains the marriage, Sylvia funnels her fury and passion into her own work which begins to flow forth in unstoppable bursts. This true story of love and tragic passion is \\\"One of the most beautiful films of the year.\\\" (New York Observer)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A great film about an explosive combination\\n\\nReview: As I am not an aficionado of Plath or Hughes, I would like to rate this as a dramatic film about mental illness. It has a great deal to say about creativity, too, the unknowable process when something original is born. With these themes, this is an excellent and moving film, a testament to the difficulties of modern life.\\n\\nPlath arrives in Britain, an ingenue with the highest ideals about art. She is ambitious and beautiful, a brilliant Smithie on a Fulbright. She meets Ted Hughes and the connection is absolutely and immediately electric. He is a lothario type, one of those narcissistic men who cannot help but prey on willing women and even after they are married, he continues to do so. The effect on the naive Sylvia is terrible, aggravating her tendency to depression and suicidal tendencies that she slowly reveals to him. Eventually, her mental illness consumes their marriage and then her, which is the great tragedy we know in popular culture. But before she dies, her genius bursts forth, in a masterful synthesis of her discipline to that point and the great mystery of talent.\\n\\nThe acting is absolutely flawless. Paltrow is a fragile and luminescent beauty, completely believable and brimming with intelligence, potential, and darkness. Surely, an entire literature was lost with her suicide. It is really quite stunning. Craig is wonderful as Hughes, a protean and cultivated talent who pursues his vision with absolute concentration. Their entangling chemistry is perfectly recorded.\\n\\nThe great virtue of the film is that it judges no one. She suffered from a mental illness that perhaps no one could have healed. He was who he was, and he certainly loved her for a time, but it was too much for him in the end. The weight of it would hurt him for the rest of his life.\\n\\nRecommended warmly. This is a great portrayal of a time and place, with remarkable individuals and a doomed relationship.\",\n \"Product: An artist with Tourette Syndrome falls in love with his best friend's pregnant girlfriend.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: a beautiful vignette about friendship, loneliness, and human possibility\\n\\nReview: This is a poignant story about a sensitive and lonely young man, who is alienated because of his disability. He has extraordinary talent, a giver in every sense, and he falls for his best friend's girl. Holding back then unable to when the friend is away on a long mission (yes, the friend is selfish and doesn't appear to deserve such a wonderful woman), he fills the void that is left. She understands and needs his friendship for many important reasons, so she takes what he has to give, well aware of what it is costing him. In the best Indy tradition, the plot does not conform to feel-good nonsense. Where the characters end up is very real, ambiguous, and fraught, but still with a beauty to it. The acting is absolutely first rate, particularly Morrow and Linney, the would-be couple.\\n\\nThe film spoke to me in a very personal way. I fancied myself in love with someone, the \\\"perfect one\\\", and came to realize - especially after we tried to build a relationship - that it was more in my mind when I imagined her as an ideal. It held me back for years. But once the reality of it came to me, I was able to move on, even as I preserved for a long time one of the greatest friendships of my life. I think the character is much like this, that the film is a snapshot of that moment, and I have never seen a film that expressed this so well.\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: TO THE LIGHTHOUSE - DVD Movie\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: a family, disappointment, love, memory\\n\\nReview: This is a wonderful adaptation of the Wolff novel, in which a family and their friends are seen in a brief vacation to the summer house and then in retrospect. The viewer gets to know how each of the people, with all their qualities and eccentricities, feels and perceives things. There is nothing extraordinary about them, there is plenty of tension and faults, but also as solid a bond as there can be between such disparate people. It is a question of taste and preference, but I found them absorbing and interesting.\\n\\nThe patriarch, an educator and philosopher, is a crotchety man whose career is on the decline, full and disappointment and regrets. He is something of a bully with some of his children, has favorites and designated failures. His wife is saintly, supporting him without question, giving to everyone, and aware of the balance of personalities and needs at every moment. She is the anchor of the family, by far the smartest one of all, a force of nature, but ill. Branaugh is a self-absorbed student and invitee, who doesn't fit in and burns with the need for attention. There are also 2 artists, one a stodgy poet out of favor and a painter-spinster who strives to meet her own highest standards. Each is a beautiful person in their own ways, but essentially mediocre. Finally, there are all of the children, ranging from the favored eldest who moves into the place of the departed mother, the middle children, and a spoilt younger boy. The personalities and places they occupy are distinct with a crystal clarity.\\n\\nIt is their last time all together before they leave home from marriage, deaths, and careers, initiating a deeper deterioration as the father resents his decline into professional irrelevance - he no longer has any good ideas. Yet they go to the house once again, seeing everything in retrospect, not necessarily resolving anything, but somehow feeling having come full circle, even if sadness and loss reign.\\n\\nI saw this when it came out and loved it. Now, seeing it again 30 years later, I saw more layers to all the characters and was amazed at how much seemed new to me. That is a mark of great art.\\n\\nI recommend this warmly, but given the price, it might be best to watch it online.\",\n \"Product: A plucky police woman infiltrates a group of hardened female criminals who are planning to break jail and retrieve their loot of diamonds from its swampy hiding place. However complications arise when the women decide to abduct an officer and in turn begin fighting each other. Swamp Women is a true cult favorite form the Master of Horror Roger Corman!System Requirements: Running Time 70 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: NR UPC: 787364484591 Manufacturer No: 44845-9\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: mannix prototype, with some tough chicks in the bargain\\n\\nReview: Mid-50s thriller, before TV sucked up the market for cheap film noirs. OK, the acting in this isn't great and you can't quite believe the acting, but it is a nice ride A smart and dedicated police woman (as if New Orleans could have a clean police force!) is planted as an undercover in a prison. She's gonna find a stash of diamonds, and she does. Mike Connors is taken as a hostage - the chicks want some entertainment, after several years in prison, what the heck, huh! - and after some grisly murders and lots of hair-pulling, you would never guess what happens.\\n\\nWe shouldn't fault this, it's a product of its time and it ain't bad. The chicks even have a lot more character than Connors and definitely look better.\\n\\nRecommended for the junk that it is, 50s style.\",\n \"Product: Fierce general. Skilled orator. Savvy politician. This is Julius Caesar, one of the worlds greatest leaders and ruler of the Roman Empire. His ascent to power is filled with sacrifice, murder and betrayal. With the beautiful Cleopatra on one arm and a sword in the other, Caesar seized control of a vast territory, winning legions of followers, making enemies and creating history, before falling at the hands of Brutus, his most trusted ally. This is an ageless story in an epic presentation unlike anything ever seen before. Julius Caesar: a remarkable man who became an unforgettable legend. COLOR / APPROX, 187 MINUTES. DVD FEATURES: 16:9 Anamorphic Widescreen 2.0 Dolby Stereo The Making of Julius Caesar featurette\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Inaccurate, glosses over way too much, and minimal character development\\n\\nReview: This presents many of the basic facts, but this is a deeply flawed version of events. Way too much happened between the time of Sulla and the assassination of Caesar to be covered in such a short series. Not even the acting is very good. But it is ridiculous historical inaccuracies that are most glaring. Caesar is treated as if he were an amateur rather than the military genius that he had spent a life time developing and his complex political career is simply not covered. Then there are unbelievably stupid scenes, like the one where Caesar consults with Vercingetorix about how he should lead the people. For all its flaws, the HBO series is infinitely superior, not just in terms of accuracy, but as a story you love to watch.\\n\\nNot recommended.\",\n \"Product: Australia released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Behind the scenes, Cast/Crew Interview(s), Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: The American daughter of missionaries Lana returns to Los Angeles from Palestine to work in a mission helping homeless people. Lana was born in Ohio and raised in South Africa and Middle East, and she is an authentic citizen of the world, connected through Internet and aware of how other people see the lack of culture and knowledge and exaggerated patriotism of average American people. Her unique relative is her unknown uncle Paul, a veteran of Vietnam War that cut relationships with his family and is bigot and paranoid. Paul lives in a surveillance van, lives as if he were a secret agent, sees conspiracy and terrorist cells everywhere, and has a great prejudice against Arabs and other non-American breeds after the September, 11th. They meet each other, and when they see the murder of a poor Pakistanis nearby the mission, they travel together to the small town of Trone to deliver his corpse to the family, where Paul sees a different reality. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Venice Film Festival, ...Land of Plenty\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Aftermath of 9/11 drama\\n\\nReview: Wenders never disappoints. His films tend to be quirky with truly great acting, always leading to something unexpected. This film is no exception, but it starts rather slow.\\n\\nI will describe some of the plot, but try to avoid spoilers. A young lady, who is absolutely adorable and full of good intentions, moves back to the US after spending her childhood as a missionary overseas. Her mother has recently died, so her only relation is a missing uncle whom she wishes to seek out. Though she appears naive, she is quite tough and will not be deterred in her purpose, both in the homeless shelter where she works, but also in her search. The uncle, it turns out, doesn't exactly want to be found, involved as he is in a personal post-9/11 \\\"mission\\\" to sniff out terrorists. He appears to be a ludicrous paranoid with his para-military gear and suspicious of anyone who seems middle eastern or Muslim - he will pursue any lead, fervently believing he will thwart the next 9/11 and utterly humorless. They make for an unlikely pair, but set out together to return a body to a next of kin for a burial. What they discover actually brings them together in a very moving way, also exposing where each is coming from and helping them to heal. It is really beautiful and believable.\\n\\nAccording to the extras, this is Wenders' first overtly political film. It expresses his outrage at what W's America was becoming post-9/11. I think it only partially succeeds in getting the audience to question their assumptions, but it is an interesting development from one of the most original filmmakers of his generation. Recommended.\",\n \"Product: A fresh young army nurse (the radiant Ayako Wakao) on the front finds herself the nighttime prey of hungry soldiers and awash in a sea of blood and torn bodies. Despite the hell around her she struggles to maintain her strength and compassion, but her attempts at salvation, with an amputee solider and the morphine-addicted surgeon, could lead to her own sexual and spiritual martyrdom. Alternating between unflinchingly brutal battlefield imagery and tender moments of emotional sacrifice, director Yasuzo Masumuras (Blind Beast, Manji) masterpiece plays like an impossible collaboration between Samuel Fuller and Akira Kurosawa.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The brutal atrocity of war, from the eyes of a Japanese nurse in Manchuria\\n\\nReview: This is quite simply one of the best war films I have seen in years. In the description I give, there is nothing beyond the ad blurb. I reveal no spoilers.\\n\\nThe point of view is that of a young nurse, an orphan of extraordinary beauty. In spite of being gang raped by her patients at the moment she started out on the front in China, she clings to her humanity and capacity to empathize and love. She puts everything she has to offer out there - her work, her caring, even her body when the needs of others come into consideration. Everyone sees it as natural, there is no moral condemnation of her behavior, though few offer any sympathy to what she is experiencing. In accordance with Japanese tradition, she submits to it all without complaint, though somehow her heart remains open.\\n\\nIn terms of plot, she meets a physician whom she begins to love. He is a broken man, a morphine addict, and she helps him to look beyond the horror as he makes life and death decisions every few minutes. As the tactical war turns against the Japanese, she is serene in that they have had some moments of love. It is very moving.\\n\\nThis is a brilliant and raw portrayal of complete horror. It is not for the squeamish, but shows it like it was. Recommended for those with strong stomachs.\",\n \"Product: Prepare to be swept away with Daniel Defoes timeless classic, The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. -Modern rendition of the classic by Daniel Defoe -On the heels of the Pirates of the Caribbean phenomenon\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Crusoe as shamed by Friday and uplifted by him\\n\\nReview: This a a very good version of an old classic, occurring about 100 years after the original (in 18C not 17C). Crusoe is a civilized man who finds himself alone of the island for many years, falling into a bit of savagery and engaging in a long dialogue with his God. Along comes Friday from a group of competing cannibals, and they begin a conflicted and complicated relationship that is funny and engaging. Friday doesn't buy a lot of Crusoe's ideas, from wearing shirts to the promises of catholicism, but he does appreciate Crusoe and they learn to live together, in mutual respect. This is very well done, with a near anthropological sensibility and truly fine acting, esp. Friday. There are also two subplots in the book, one about why Crusoe was set adrift with a aftermath that is significant and the other about Friday's uneasy reception in a slave-holding colony and their subsequent departure for Europe, where further conflict and prejudice surely await.\\n\\nUnfortunately, this is a clunkily dubbed copy of a French film, without the option to watch it in the original version. I was able to forget about this because of the quality of the film, but it was so poorly done that I almost stopped watching it in the beginning. Recommended as an excellent extension of the original story, which I now feel inspired to read.\",\n \"Product: An elite goup of specially-skilled Roman soldiers handpicked by Julius Caesar go on a suicide mission to destroy the Druid's secret weapon - a giant catapult.System Requirements:Running Time: 93 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE/MILITARY & WAR UPC: 879431000428 Manufacturer No: MAC42\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: b-movie of Caesar's gallic war\\n\\nReview: This is a fun oldie. The Druids have invented a secret weapon that is supposed to be able to stop and perhaps even destroy Julius Caesar, who must win in order to put down the intrigues against him in Rome. He sends some fanatical warriors to find and destroy it, a desperate gambit that the cautious and analytical Caesar would never have depended on. Along the bloody way, they have a number of adventures (sacrifice, tragedy, cowards, even love). Amazingly, though the Druids invented no such thing, this is not simple superhero stuff, but filled with dark characters and some pretty good suspense. I am sure I saw this when I was a kid, which makes this extra fun. The Romans are kind of the good guys - honorable, brave, and devoted to Caesar - and the Gauls are the cruel savages, but there are many surprises in the characters and their machinations. There is a good finale of battle, and it ends just prior to the battle of Alesia.\\n\\nREcommended as background fun.\",\n \"Product: The first of what Luis Buuel later proclaimed a trilogy (along with The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and The Phantom of Liberty) about \\\"the search for truth,\\\" The Milky Way (La voie lacte) daringly deconstructs contemporary and traditional views on Catholicism with ribald, rambunctious surreality. Two French beggars, present-day pilgrims en route to Spains holy city of Santiago de Compostela, serve as Buuels narrators for an anticlerical history of heresy, told with absurdity and filled with images that rank among Buuels most memorable (stigmatic children, crucified nuns) and hilarious (Jesus considering a good shave). A diabolically entertaining look at the mysteries of fanaticism, The Milky Way remains a hotly debated work from cinemas greatest skeptic.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: a surrealist atheist looks at Christianity\\n\\nReview: This is a masterpiece of Bunuel's stream of consciousness surrealism at a late stage in his career. Only could an ex-catholic (of the fervent variety) have produced such a memorable and hilarious parade of images, including the hypocrisy of the faithful, a novel view of Christ as a great spontaneous orator, and the extremes of behaviors - martyrdoms, self-mutilations, you name it! - of Christians.\\n\\nThe plot, if there is one, follows 2 tramps as they travel towards Spain, in a long debate on religion while panhandling, visiting prostitutes, or wondering about the meaning of it all. There are miracles just missed, spliced with images from history, and Bunuel's speculations. In one scene, a restauranteur is expounding how \\\"God is in everything like liver is in this pate\\\" and extolling Christian generosity only to turn the bums away in the rudest manner. There are so many scenes like that that stick in the memory and get the viewer to question, all the time conscious of the mystery that is life. It is profound, funny, and open to interpretation.\\n\\nRecommended as a masterpiece of experimentation and intelligence by one of the greatest directors of the 20C.\",\n \"Product: Originally released in 2006. Directed by Tony Gatlif. Starring Birol nel, Asia Argento, Amira Casar.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: euro art house film of personal chaos set against ancient cultures\\n\\nReview: This is an interesting film, a kaleidescopic cultural panorama set in modern-day Romania. A sensual young woman, pregnant and in some kind of personal crisis, is searching for the father of her unborn child in Transylvania, which displays an incredible mix of cultures: gypsy, romanian, hungarian, and turkish. She is traveling with a loyal friend, who apparently is French, and a convivial translator. They wander through desolate towns, seeking musicians in lively, unbearably grotty bars full of dancers, drunks, and whores.\\n\\nIt all seems like an exotic adventure until the woman has a terrible encounter with reality, which begins her descent into a personal chaos that is terrible to behold. Abandoning her friends with no idea where she is and no money, she takes up with an itinerant trader, who appears to genuinely care for her. Their relationship is equally chaotic - with fights, sex, and meaningless wandering - as the child grows within the woman. The background continues to fascinate with its life, poverty, and the crude grace of traditional peoples. The film simply meanders along - it was filmed without a script - giving hints into what is happening inside the characters without any real answers. The flat rejection by the old lover, for example, implies that the woman is full of an all-consuming need for love and control, doomed and unable to form durable relationships yet suicidally desperate to avoid the emptiness inside. But that is only an interpretation of a single moment.\\n\\nThe cumulative effect is powerful: disorder, living in the present, seeking meaning and contact. None of the principal characters is pleasant or someone you would think worth any investment, but they have charm, as do the characters who pop up in the primitive landscape. The acting is truly wonderful and believable, if raw. Recommended.\\n\\nNote: I bought this in Britain, new, for $7.\",\n \"Product: Adapted from Anne Michael's acclaimed prose-poem novel, FUGITIVE PIECES is a harrowing and haunting tale of Holocaust survival and personal awakening. The film opens in Poland, as young Jakob Berr (Robbie Kay) is hidden away just before German soldiers storm into his Jewish family's home. After watching his parents murdered and his sister dragged away to an uncertain fate, Jakob flees and hides in the woods. He is discovered by a kindly Greek archaeologist, Athos (Rade Sherbedgia), who smuggles the sickly Jakob back to his own island home and hides him for the rest of the war. Years later, having moved to Canada, the grownup Jakob (Stephen Dillane) has become a writer struggling to articulate his childhood horrors, haunted by the mystery of his sister's fate. But after his troubled emotions lead to the breakup of his marriage to the free-spirited Alex (Rosamund Pike), Jakob must exorcise the ghosts of his past if he is to close a traumatic chapter of his life and find beauty in the present. Director Jeremy Podeswa (THE FIVE SENSES) ably shifts between the different stages of Jakob's life, showing how grief can continue to influence one's actions--or inaction--in the years that follow a tragedy. Handsomely shot and thoughtfully acted, FUGITIVE PIECES is a touching testimony to the power of remembrance and redemption\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: explores the true process of healing and growth through love\\n\\nReview: ***spoiler alert***\\n\\nThis is an extraordinary gem that I feel lucky to have found. A boy witnesses the destruction of his family, but escapes with the help of a great man who happens to find him and smuggle him from an archaeological site in Poland all the way to Greece. Traumatized and deeply scarred, the boy grows up in the shadow of the war on a remote island, the man mentoring him in life and languages, surviving and deeply involved with the community of the villageat great danger to himself.\\n\\nAt the close of the war, they move to Canada, where they restart their lives. Just down the hall, the boy meets some other yiddish-speaking holocaust survivors and together they all form a kind of family. Though there are plenty of good holocaust films, nowhere have I seen its aftermath so well portrayed.\\n\\nAs he grows into an adult, the boy works hard to develop his talents as a writer, but he is tied to the past with an obsession with death, particularly that of his sister, who was dragged off by the Nazis. In his state of withdrawal, he allows a marriage (sadly a mismatch) to an exuberant beauty to wither and die, though it inspires him to return to Greece and begin a new phase of creative expression in memory and art. Nothing seems to overcome his introspective melancholy, until he is introduced to someone else and a new phase of his life begins, looking forward rather than backward. The beauty of this interior journey is a unique achievement.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. This is art that approaches the complexity of life.\",\n \"Product: Bar code gash, Brand New, Factory Sealed\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: One of the worst re-makes I've ever seen\\n\\nReview: Let me state from the outset that I am completely open to re-makes, if only out of curiosity. I want to see what creative people can do, and sometimes the result is an improvement, e.g. The Talented Mr. Ripley, both versions of which are great in their own ways. Of course, when they fail, they appear to be crass commercial efforts, laden with special effects, indifferent acting, and silly attempts to render them \\\"relevant\\\" to the contemporary scene. Unfortunately, this film fall into the latter case - in spades.\\n\\nThe original is a product of the Cold War: rudimentary atomic experiments have brought Earth to the attention of an interstellar community, which sends a representative to reason with the earthlings. Of course, he meets fear and paranoia, typical of the anticommunist crusade. Nonetheless, he is warm and interested in getting to know the culture he is confronting, to which a boy and his widowed mother introduce him. It is intelligent, moving, and completely believable, leaving a hopeful message and deadly menace at the same time.\\n\\nThe Reeves version throws out everything good about the original, while trying to update the themes to a more general concern for the environment. Beyond the fact that it simply doesn't work, Reeves strips the character of all nuance: the judgement has already been made - humans must be eradicated as parasites on a rare and lush planet - so the humans must convince him otherwise. While Connolly is a great actress, she is wooden in this role as a scientist, there is none of the bantering if suspicious interaction between human and alien. Furthermore, the child actor absolutely stinks. SO what does it do? Falls back on surprisingly mediocre CGI, yet the details do not fit into some greater conception - probably because there isn't a well conceived one.\\n\\nNot recommended. Reeves is laughably bad.\",\n \"Product: Australia released, PAL/Region 4 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Subtitles ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: 2-DVD Set, Anamorphic Widescreen, Behind the scenes, Commentary, Deleted Scenes, Documentary, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: After five Australian-based journos go missing, veteran correspondent Roger East is lured to East Timor by the charismatic Jos Ramos-Horta to tell his tiny nation's story and investigate the men's disappearance. As the threat of Indonesian invasion intensifies, an unlikely friendship develops between him and Horta. BALIBO is a political thriller that tells the true story of crimes that have been covered up for 30 years. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Australian Film Institute, ...Balibo ( The Balibo Conspiracy )\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: raw repression and terror in a great political film\\n\\nReview: This is an excellent film of a true story: that of the rape of East Timor and the fatal ordeal that a group of Australian journalists went through to get the story out. It is so frightening and sad that I found it hard to watch. The story begins with a young government official, who contacts a freelance journalist he admires. The journalist is kind of a burnt out case, longing for an easier time of it and reluctant to pursue a story in the Indonesian jungle. The official cajoles him, entices him, and lays a guilt trip on him to come, which he eventually agrees to do.\\n\\nThe journalist is immediately struck with the potential of a story about a team of young idealists who disappeared 3 weeks before, when apparently Indonesian security forces began to take over the recently liberated Portuguese colony (in 1975). His concentrates on the plight of his compatriots enrages and disgusts the official, who wants him to cover the story from the point of view of the country that is being swallowed by violence and a new bid to own it as a colony. They go on a long, rough trek into the interior, get shot at, and meet a number of courageous rebels. Parallel to this investigation, they story of the journalists is shown as if happening at the same time. They are beautiful young men, full of ideals and potential, their lives just getting started, their talents only beginning to bloom.\\n\\nWhile I do not wish to spoil the plot, the film rolls out with a relentless realism. The older journalist discovers what happened to them and is shocked at what he witnesses, including the murder before his eyes of a rebel who had become a friend. He then accepts his duty as a journalist to tell the entire story. It is believable and inspiring. It is also a true story. The young diplomat goes into exile, eventually winning the Nobel Peace Prize.\\n\\nIf you are interested in contemporary history, this is a must see film. I will share it with my children, who are becoming interested in world politics. The acting in this is very strong.\",\n \"Product: Spain released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), Spanish ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Subtitles ), Spanish ( Subtitles ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Black & White, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: This pseudo-biographical movie depicts 5 years from 1885 on in the life of the Viennan psychologist Freud (1856-1939). At this time, most of his colleagues refuse to cure hysteric patients, because they believe they're just simulating to gain attention. But Freud learns to use hypnosis to find out the reasons for the psychosis. His main patient is a young woman who refuses to drink water and is plagued by always the same nightmare. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Berlin International Film Festival, Golden Globes, Oscar Academy Awards, ...Freud (1962) ( Freud: The Secret Passion )\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: This is the best biopic I have ever seen, of a pioneering philosopher and scientist\\n\\nReview: My father was a psychiatrist, so I grew up respecting Freud while very aware of the failures and rigidities inherent in his method. This sparked a lifelong interest on Freud in me, though from a historical perspective rather than as a practitioner. I have read many histories of the period and about all the other theories that his ideas spawned.\\n\\nThis is an absolutely beautiful dramatization of Freud's greatest period of discovery, when he resisted the prestigious medical establishment in Vienna to forge ahead with his radical theories. Not only does the film outline the process of scientific discovery, but it presents the basic ideas lucidly and with surprising historical accuracy, given the compromises needed to form a Hollywood narrative. This is an extraordinary accomplishment, in my opinion.\\n\\nThrough wonderfully dramatic case studies, we experience Freud's development of an new approach to hysteria (that it exists and can be dealt with through hypnosis, involving the re-experiencing of the original trauma and thereby eliminating it for good); the founding of the theory of sexual neurosis (obviously questionable with what we now know with subsequent science) as the principal basis of psychological trauma; the discovery that dreams and free association can lead to communication with the unconscious mind; and finally, the working out of how this should work therapeutically. Freud explores not just the pathologies of his patients, but his own neuroses, all the while managing his professional and personal relationships. In my opinion, it is a brilliant success as a drama and an informative documentary - it does not unacceptably over-simplify or transmogrify, but portrays Freud as the brilliant humanist and healer that he was.\\n\\nThis is a pioneering film, I have never seen anything like it as means to transmit ideas. Recommended with enthusiasm.\",\n \"Product: GROUP MARRIAGE (DVD MOVIE)\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: 70s california cult film about alternative, er, sex arrangements\\n\\nReview: This is a comedy that is supposed to make a controversial statement about marriage. At its base is sex: a group gets together and agrees that exchanging partners is fine, so long as the others are willing. They move into a house owned by a bumper-sticker entrepreneur who translates his hostility into money via nasty sayings. For what it's worth, there are a lot of laughs, titillation that never adds up to soft porn, and some pretty good characters. Unfortunately, the acting is ridiculously mediocre, though it is fun to see the old playboy bunny, Claudia Jennings in one of her better roles.\\n\\nIt is fun to view this as a 70s retro thing, where the free-love creed of the 60s is transmogrified into pure libertinism coupled with commercialism. Recommended for nostalgia's sake.\",\n \"Product: Australia released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), WIDESCREEN (2.35:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: If Dealer already announced the arrival of a major talent on the international stage Womb confirms it with Hungarian writer-director Benedek Fliegauf delivering this hypnotic tale of love lost and found but not as you necessarily know it. Childhood sweethearts Rebecca and Thomas are separated in a tragedy but reunited when she makes a controversial decision in order to bring her lover back seemingly from the dead. Sumptuously photographed against some of England's most breathtaking coastal surrounds Womb sustains a rarefied atmosphere with a futuristic context set in the now. ...Womb ( Mitra ) ( Womb - Mh )\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: scifi indie film on what may happen and how it will work out intimately\\n\\nReview: This is one of the films that it is almost impossible to review without a spoiler of the central idea. In a stunning performance that is more mood than action, Eva Green is an introverted woman who returns to her childhood home seeking love. She goes back to meet this wonderful boy, with whom she shared an extraordinary connection as a child. This consumes her, with all sorts of bizarre consequences, particularly the scifi element, which works out a scenario in great and sensuous detail. But above all, it is a fine drama, with interesting characters and more questions than answers, all of which is unusual for a well worked out scifi film.\\n\\nThe film is slow, but the emotional states are extremely subtle, often unexpected, trying to get at human truths in a bold new future. Nothing spectacular, just human in a new context. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: French ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: Michel, a retired maths teacher, has lived alone since his wife's death and occupies his time writing an essay about the beliefs that shape daily life. One day he comes across Dora, a young homeless woman, who shows up injured on his doorstep, and puts her up until she recovers. Her presence brings something new to Michel's life, but gradually the apartment becomes the site of mysterious happenings. THE GIRL FROM NOWHERE took top honours at the 65th Locarno Film Festival 2012, winning the Swiss festival's top Golden Leopard (Pardo d'oro) prize. ...The Girl from Nowhere ( La fille de nulle part )\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: seeking, creating, needing, right up to the end\\n\\nReview: Because it leaves so many gaps to fill in, this film is not for everyone. It is full of arresting images, unexplained occurrences that can be extremely bizarre, and a strange relationship.\\n\\nAn old man saves a troubled girl from a violent encounter, taking her in and almost adopting her. She is standoffish, puncturing his intellectual pride with a flick of her wrist, yet somehow drawn to this lonely man. All the while, malevolent things happen with increasing frequency, from sounds in the night to appearances of spectres. None of it makes much sense, yet it fits with the book that the man is attempting to write. The young lady seems to bring this out and serves as a muse and critic, but she doesn't know what is happening either. He hires her to help with the book, the great task of his life, or so it seems. The man speculates about what it all means and makes some big decisions, disturbing the state of stasis that he has comfortably inhabited since his wife's death a decade earlier.\\n\\nThe ending is a surprise, I do not want to play the spoiler, but it somehow fit. I enjoyed the film because of its persistent mood, a mystery bound to the girl. I recommend it for those who are willing to fill the gaps with their own imagination.\",\n \"Product: Universal Hollywood Icons Collection spotlights one of the most respected actors of all time, Gregory Peck, in four unforgettable roles. Beloved for his timeless elegance, sophisticated wit and impeccable charm, Peck lights up the screen with Sophia Loren in the international mystery Arabesque, reveals his lighter side in the Academy Award-nominated comedy drama Captain Newman, M.D., intrigues in the suspenseful Mirage and falls in love in The World in His Arms. Boasting some of the silver screens brightest co-stars, this collection is a testament to the remarkable legacy of a Hollywood great. Arabesque A professor (Gregory Peck) is hired by a oil magnate to decipher a secret message and finds himself caught in the middle of an assassination plot with a mysterious woman (Sophia Loren). Mirage Believing that he is suffering from amnesia, a bewildered accountant (Gregory Peck) turns to a private detective (Walter Matthau) for help determining his identity. Captain Newman, M.D. The affable Captain Newman (Gregory Peck) uses both humor and compassion to reach patients whose wartime injuries plague their minds instead of their bodies. The World In His Arms A sea captain (Gregory Peck) who makes his living by stealing pelts off the coast of Alaska faces a new danger when he falls for a countess (Ann Blyth) on the run from her fianc.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Fun if essentially fluff\\n\\nReview: I hugely enjoyed all these films as a kid, but viewing them now as an adult it is very clear they are dated. Arabesque is a kind of spy comedy; unfortunately, the chemistry between Peck and Loren is forced and the story is silly in its outlandishness. Mirage is a good amnesiac whodunnit, images of which had stuck in my mind for over 50 years; a good yarn so long as you can suspend your disbelief. The World is supposed to be a romantic swashbuckler, it is the weakest of the lot by far. Captain Newman is the only one that actually offers something original, though again, it was made when psychoanalysis was the reigning philosophy of mental health; there are many memorable performances, particularly the guilt ridden commander Eddie Albert.\\n\\nRecommended.\",\n \"Product: The Wheels of Commerce. Civilization and Capitalism 15th-18th Century, Volume II\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: from lifestyle, to systems\\n\\nReview: Historians, they say, are either lumpers or splitters: the former seek to make generalizations while the latter seek to refute and refine them. Braudel strikes a balance between these approaches, at one time examining the economic point of view (and related theoretical controversies, such as the ideas of Schumpeter on innovation), while searching for historical examples that support or obliterate them. He is a true master scholar.\\nThis volume adds to the first, moving from living standards to the establishment and functioning of trading and banking systems, both by capitalists (holders of sufficient resources to manipulate markets) and the merchants and craftsmen who operated within these markets. It is a crucial distinction that demonstrates how simple-minded the ideological argument of \\\"free markets\\\" can be: the rich can and do design economic systems to function to their advantage. You follow the development of international trading networks by Italians, Jews and Armenians; the evolution of banking and the handling of paper money; and even the influence of social hierarchies on economic growth.\\nWhile Braudel concentrates almost exclusively on Europe in this volume, which lessens the universality of his approach, it is utterly fascinating from page one. The economic systems he analyses were somewhat incomplete, though evolving rapidly. An additional limit to his approach is the exclusive focus on econimic life. At times, he views the building of chateaux and the commission of great works of art from the Reanassance to the 19C as a reflection of the lack of wealth-generating investment opportunities during a time of economic revolution!\\nAnd that is just a few of the issues covered. Each section of the book is like an essay on some basic economic notion. As such, the book assumes a great deal of historical knowledge in the reader, though Braudel often explains what he refers to briefly. For me, this added to its appeal and density, but it is often hard going. However, the book is leavened by wonderful and fascinating illustrations, which eases the task of getting through it at times.\\nHighly recommended.\",\n \"Product: William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest playwright the world has seen. He produced an astonishing amount of work; 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and 5 poems. He died on 23rd April 1616, aged 52, and was buried in the Holy Trinity Church, Stratford.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: lacks the energy of the earlier series, but well worth the read\\n\\nReview: Even though in the 6th installment of this series its energy was waning, I simply had to read this, what should be the final (7th) volume. It is, quite simply, the best series of historical novels on Rome that I have ever read; there are novels, such as Yourcenar's Memoires of Hadrian, that are superior and stand as works of art, but this series captures something of Rome, of the soul of human ambition and folly, that is undeniably great. At its best, the series can spark the imagination to delve deeper into history, an inspiration that can last a lifetime. That is certainly what it has accomplished for me.\\n\\nUnfortunately, this is a deeply flawed novel. It is full of wooden dialogue, abrupt changes in conditions that are more jarring than adding to the story, and incomprehensible transformations of key characters at certain moments. It is not a flowing reading experience, but a bit of a chore to read through. Many historical episodes are explained in stupidly succinct dialogues, which never could have taken place in my opinion. That being said, even with its flaws, it held me to the very end. I wanted to see what she did with characters I knew so well, from Augustus and Agrippa to Marc Anthony and Cleopatra. You get McCullough's take on all of them and on the direction that Rome would take.\\n\\nAnthony is at the apex of his career, having just negotiated his sphere of influence in a new triumvirate. Octavianus get the West, which is besieged and the most difficult, with Pompey's son in control of Sicily and hence with a stranglehold on grain shipments to Rome; he will get the blame, but ultimately, as Anthony doesn't comprehend, it is the seat of responsibility that will establish him as the face of power. Anthony gets the richer and more exotic East, with opportunities for plunder and glory, if he can defeat the Parthian Empire (i.e. the heirs of the Persian Empire). He must also deal with Herod, who bribes and kills his way to the kingship of Israel, and the Armenians. Most important, of course, is Cleopatra, the homely yet seductive queen of Egypt, whose son, Caesarion, is coming into his own and is the spitting image of his father, Julius Caesar. It is not lost on Octavianus that Caesarion is a mortal threat to his political identity as the heir to Julius Caesar.\\n\\nAnthony is seduced by Cleopatra, who in the beginning is using him in the service of her megalomaniacal ambition to conquer Rome and install her son. His character flaws move to the fore: he lacks the vision and discipline of Caesar, is a drunk, and doomed by impetuous decisions. He is a sensualist, living in the moment and slipping from his romaness a little bit every day, until he begins to alienate his sworn allies. Cleopatra, too, is a flawed sovereign of questionable judgment, good at manipulation but not strategy or policy. Together, they are a deadly combination that can lead to disaster of truly historic proportion. Meanwhile, the wily Octavianus is plotting a political career that can only be called genius, even if he is not the equal of his adoptive father, Julius. His stalwort supporter and gifted adjunct is Agrippa, something of a wooden soldier and a rather pedestrian character. Octavianus is coldly calculating and capable of murder, but also brilliantly intuitive.\\n\\nIf I could put the reading experience in a nutshell, the novel appealed to my intellectual curiosity, but not to my senses. I expect a great historical novel to evoke more than explain, interpret, and analyse. That makes the reading experience stale rather than sensual.\\n\\nRecommended with these caveats in mind.\",\n \"Product: The book that offers a cure for affluenza, 'No Logo' is one of those rare books that defines a generation, the most significant one since Douglas Coupland's 'Generation X'. By the time you're twenty-one, you'll have seen or heard a million advertisements. But you won't be happier for it. This is a book about that much-maligned, much-misunderstood generation coming up behind the slackers, who are being intelligent and active about the world in which they find themselves. It is a world in which all that is 'alternative' is sold, where any innovation or subversion is immediately adopted by un-radical, faceless corporations. But, gradually, tentatively, a new generation is beginning to fight consumerism with its own best weapons; and it is the first skirmishes in this war that this abrasively intelligent book documents brilliantly.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I may disagree, but this is a fun and valuable book\\n\\nReview: WHile I worried that this was a simple ideological diatribe, I was very happily surprized at the intelligence and substance of Klein's book. It is a tough, well-reasoned manifesto for the anti-consumerism left of \\\"Gen X.\\\" If you are wondering what was driving many of those protesters at the WTO and other summit meetings - most notoriously Seattle in late 1999 - then this book is the best place I know. It is part cultural critique, part economics and social policy, and partly a call to arms. Reading it has helped me to make sense of so much that I thought was simple, nihilistic anarchism. I was humbled to learn that there is far far more behind the movement than I had granted it.\\nIn a nutshell, Klein argues that the \\\"superbrands\\\" - the huge corporations such as Disney and Nike - are progressively taking over virtually all \\\"public spaces,\\\" including school curricula, neighborhoods, and all-encompassing infotainment malls like Virgin Megastores. THey are doing this in an attempt enter our minds as consumers in the most intimate ways, which Klein and others find unbearably intrusive. Moreover, she argues, as they subcontract overseas, the superbrands are leaving first-world workers behind while they exploit those in the developing world under horible conditions. It all adds up, she asserts, into a kind of emerging global worker solidarity that is developing new means (via internet exposes, protest campaigns, etc.) to push the superbrands to adopt more just policies and practices.\\nWhat was so amazing and useful for me, as a business writer looking at the same issues, is that Klein so often hones in on the underside of what I think are good and effective business practices: the development of brand values, globalisation of the production/value chain to lower prices, and the like. Often I may disagree with her take on things, but she makes too many insightful points to dismiss her and those whom she speaks for. I came to genuinely respect her as a thinker and writer.\\nNonetheless, there were numerous omissions, some of which I must point out. First, while condemning exploitive labor practices in third-world sweat shops (which I do not deny exist), Klein fails to explore what the available alternatives are for these workers. Well, I went to Pakistan to examine one of the cases she addresses - children soccerball sewers - and I can say that their alternatives were all too often brick kilns or leather tanneries, both of which were far more dangerous and beyond the reach of international activists because the superbrands have nothing to do with them. Second, Klein tended to dismiss the efforts of MNCs out of hand, as weak sops designed more for PR purposes than to effect change. This is true for some groups, but again, while in Vietnam, I witnessed what I regarded as real social progress that came from the actions of a superbrand: upon hearing the demands and suggestions of a worker-safety inspector paid by adidas, Taiwanese sewing-machine manufacturers were approaching him for detailed design specifications to enhance their safety (driver-belt covers to protect against hand and hair injuries) and he had lots more ideas. However modest, that is real and concrete progress in my opinion.\\nMoreover, I believe that many of Klein's assertions are inaccurate or unproven. Is there really a mass movement growing out there? Is the clever defacing of huge advertisement boards really impacting pubic consciousness? Does everyone perceive the thrust of the brands as intrusive and poisonous? Is the World Trade Organization set up in a way that works in favor of the first world and against the third world? These are complex and very difficult questions. Finally, as a passionate activist, Klein rhetoric can get a bit overheated. At one point she says that IBM \\\"otherwise impaled itself\\\"; at another that Milton Friedman is a \\\"architect of the global corporate takeover.\\\" What do these things mean? I may regard Friedman as a laughable free-market fundamentalist, but he is only a cloistered academic idoelogue, not a doer of any kind. Does throwing a cream pie in his face do anything more than shock adults?\\nIn spite of these reservations, I can only applaud Klein for stirring up the pot of these issues, which provoke thought and encourage exploration, even by conservatives like me.\",\n \"Product: The Corrections is a 2001 novel by American author Jonathan Franzen. It revolves around the troubles of an elderly Midwestern couple and their three adult children, tracing their lives from the mid-20th century to \\\"one last Christmas\\\" together near the turn of the millennium. The novel was awarded the National Book Award in 2001[1] and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 2002.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: big,ambitious, serious, and very good\\n\\nReview: I was deeply moved by this novel. It is about how a family deals with growing old and growing up, with all the tics of suburban despair, marriage wars, failed careers, and confused sexuality. In other words, it is a modern and realistic novel written in the broad-brush approaches of Balzac and Tolstoy; individuals as well as the broader society are portrayed.\\nWHile I have met people who disliked all the book's protagonists as they made bad decisions and hurt a lot inside, I liked virtually all of them. They are painfully believable and sad in their isolation, which the omniscent narrator presents in a wonderful, shifting perspective that moves backwards and forwards in time and comes to rest on crucial moments of consequence and change.\\nI think that many readers from similar backgrounds will find a lot of themselves in this book and will empathise with the characters. They also grow and evolve in realistic ways through the course of the novel, as their roles shift within the family equilibrium. There are also many funny scenes, however bitter sweet, that can be read on many levels.\\nIn terms of my personal preferences, I was happy to observe that this novel does not get into the dreamy \\\"surrealism lite\\\" that many popular American novelists indulge in to excess, such as Don Delillo. It is very realistic throughout, even if some of it appears exagerated at times.\\nIt is also beautifully written, indeed superbly. In addition, while dealing with a lot of sex, the author masterfully treads the fine line of description and titillation without ever venturing into pure pornography. I found that refreshing.\\nTHere are flaws in the book. SOme of the descriptions, as critics noted, are strangely clinical or scientific. There are too many incidents packed into detailed scenes, which can overburden the plot while seeking to advance it.\\nNonetheless, this novel is achingly close to being truly first rate and I can only anticipate better novels from this talented writer in the future.\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: The third novel in the science-fiction trilogy by C.S. Lewis. This final story is set on Earth, and tells of a terrifying conspiracy against humanity. The story surrounds Mark and Jane Studdock, a newly married couple. Mark is a Sociologist who is enticed to join an organisation called N.I.C.E. which aims to control all human life. His wife, meanwhile, has bizarre prophetic dreams about a decapitated scientist, Alcasan. As Mark is drawn inextricably into the sinister organisation, he discovers the truth of his wife's dreams when he meets the literal head of Alcasan which is being kept alive by infusions of blood. Jane seeks help concerning her dreams at a community called St Anne's, where she meets their leader -- Dr Ransom (the main character of the previous two titles in the trilogy). The story ends in a final spectacular scene at the N.I.C.E. headquarters where Merlin appears to confront the powers of Hell.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: a bit of a letdown as there is nothing original, but well written\\n\\nReview: This is the end of the trilogy, for the first time entirely on earth. It is a fun story of earthy corruption, with lots of Christian details, and some surprise figures like Merlin. But ultimately, it is a good story that does not do much really new. So if you are a fan of Lewis, which I am, it is a pleasure to reach the end. What really distinguishes this is the elegant writing. Lewis was a master of prose and theme. But I did enjoy the first two much much more as path-breaking if amateur scifi.\\n\\nRecommended for fans. They will not be disappointed. But readers in search of hard and origianl sci fi will not find much to love.\",\n \"Product: Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. 100% Money Back Guarantee.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: good, though not great\\n\\nReview: This is a fairly interesting novel from the standpoint of portraying what it was like for a great artist to work in 17C Holland, that is, Vermeer. The frame of the story is from the point of view of a maid, whose family has fallen from relative affluence and hence she was forced into degrading labor in spite of her considerable intelligence.\\nThe sensibility is extremely delicate and prosaic, in that what the maid worries incessantly about are everyday battles for status within the household with children, another maid, and Vermeer's spoilt and narrow-minded spouse. Indeed, the maid's world, while complete in all its distressing detail, is petty to the point of boredom for the reader, or at least for me. Because her personal freedom and possibility were so sadly limited, I could not identify beyond a certain point with her anxieties and hopes as she was forced into a succession of servitudes and humiliations. Moreover, there is not a single jot of humor. Nonetheless, late in the book, her relationship with Vermeer becomes very interesting indeed, as he puts her into a painting as a model for a rich patron - the psychology is subtle and far-reaching. The reader also gets some perspective on the tensions between Catholic and Protestant groups that persisted even in the tolerant cities of Holland.\\nRecommended, but tepidly.\",\n \"Product: CEO Louis V. Gerstner Jr.'s memoir about the extraordinary turnaround of IBM and his transformation of the company into the industry leader of the computer age -- the great American business story of our time. When Louis V. Gerstner became CEO of IBM in 1993, shares had slumped and the company was on the verge of collapse. Hired for his successful management of RJR Nabisco and American Express, Gerstner had no background in technology, but during his seven-year chairmanship, he transformed the company into the leading force of the computer age. In his frank, direct voice, Gerstner recalls the obstacles he faced: the plans to fragment the company, the inconsistent global policies, the stodgy white-shirt hierarchy and inter-departmental competitiveness and the rapidly declining sales. Within months of joining IBM, Gerstner presented his bold and controversial business strategy. Punitive towards office politics, he revolutionised the company from within, altering an entire corporate culture, divesting billions of dollars in unneeded assets and transforming IBM from a fractured, process-driven business into a nimble, customer-driven enterprise able to respond quickly to the volatile technology market and face down Microsoft and Intel in the internet era. Revealing his tactics step by step, Gerstner spins an engaging narrative that takes the reader behind the curtain into the unbelievable mess he inherited and into the office and mind of a CEO facing the challenge of a lifetime.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: good primer on business basics, but not a compelling yarn\\n\\nReview: This is a fairly good book by an immensely talented CEO. It takes up more or less a few decades after the retirement of one of the greatest businessmen of the 20C (TWatson Jr.), when the business had lost its way and was under attack by extremely nimble rivals.\\nGerstner took over the failing, almost bankrupt, company and both re-made its startegy and culture, re-focusing it on customer needs and re-engineering it (i.e. laying off an awful lot of people). In this book, he tells the outlines of how he did it, which is indeed extremely interesting. In particular, he stresses that while a strategy is needed, implementation of it is far more important.\\nUnfortunately, he does not go into enough detail for the reader to fully understand what he faced and how he did it. Neither the technology nor the brutal methods he had to employ were adequately addressed, at least for me. I read it carefully and did not feel I had had quite the full meal I expected. The reader also gets virtually no insight into what makes Gerstner tick, other than that he \\\"wants to win\\\" with passion. THe book was also entirely written by Gerstner; his style is competent, if somewhat like a business memo: good analyses are \\\"actionable\\\" and effective actions are \\\"impactful.\\\"\\nNonetheless, this is a very good primer on basic strategy and organizational behavior. He has lots of valuable advice to give and pinpoints many important issues. I will keep it and return to it.\\nTHere were some things that I found questionable and surprising, if also unintentionally revealing. FOr example, he made IBM both an honest broker in offering comprehensive technology-based business solutions - for the first time, its employees could recommend the hardware of competitors if they better suited the customers' needs - while another part of the company continued to strive to produce the best hardware. This flatly contradicts both what Porter advises and Gerstner himself argues elsewhere in the book regarding the self-reinforcing compatibility of the elements of a business strategy and makes me question if Gerstner really thought it all thru. In addition, he astonishingly posits that Japanese business reporters are the best in the world, when in fact - and I worked in Japan for Nikkei, a leading business news wire service - they are merely part of the PR apparatus of firms, reporting verbatim what they were told to report by companies! If that is what Gerstner expected of Western reporters, then he was naive. But then, he was a benevolent dictator and is open about his dislike and lack of trust of the press.\\nREcommended. But if you really want a rivetting account of IBM, I would recommend Watson's autobio, Father Son & Co. There is also an excellent account of the turnaround of Xerox, using TQM, that is far more compelling a read than this book.\",\n \"Product: Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time [ Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time by Armstrong, Karen ( Author ) Paperback Aug- 2007 ] Paperback Aug- 28- 2007\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: solid and informative, if a bit light\\n\\nReview: This is a good book that attempts to introduce Muhammad in the most positive light possible: Armstrong believes that Westerners do not understand enough about Islam and its founder, and so produces this argument. It is long on reason and seeking to find common ground - essentially in monotheism - between the East and West. No doubt this is an important task, but her approach in my reading is to bend over backward to excuse Muhammad of virtually any negative legacy. As such, this slants the book too much towards good intentions.\\n\\nIn socio-historical terms, Armstrong believes that Muhammad emerged in a culture in crisis, offering a new religious solution that first and foremost worked politically. The Arabs, she says, had developed a tribal culture, whereby relative peace was maintained by the threat of blood feud - if a tribal member was injured or murdered, revenge was exacted on whomever belonged to the offending tribe, beyond the individual responsibility of the person who carried out the act itself. This worked while tribes were separated in the desert, but began to break down with increasing urbanization in 7C: close proximity bred violence, which easily spiraled out of control into endless mob violence. Muhammad's solution was to create a version of monotheism, that united the Arabs to a single purpose, transcending the polytheistic patron gods of the various tribes in their battles. This is a very interesting existential perspective.\\n\\nArmstrong also describes the unique details of Islam, as Muhammad created it: the Kuran offered a poetic vision that mesmerized many Arabs in an untranslatable sense. The new religion also offered a new kind of submission to Allah, which carried with it an ethical code that she convincingly argues is close to the essence of Islam. I enjoyed her vision of the religion and gained empathy from it for the prayers I have observed personally.\\n\\nMuhammad's vision was of course not easy to impose on a primitive culture. This is where Muhammad's political genius comes in, a perspective I found fascinating and valuable: he knew when to compromise, but also understood how society was reorganizing itself and so could set political precedents that often caused grave doubts in his followers before revealing themselves as phenomenal strategic successes later on.\\n\\nAlong the way, Armstrong does pose many of the difficult questions, but somehow finds a way to dismiss them by putting them into historical context, comparing them to existing practices in Christendom and elsewhere. This works well, for example, when she argues that Muhammad in fact worked to liberate women (in a relative way). However, it often fails to satisfy, at least in my own reading. He ordered massacres in Jihad (even of Jews in Medina), the text of the Kuran froze many medieval attitudes into an orthodoxy that is proving rigid today, etc. These are serious problems that cannot be argued away as facilely as Armstrong attempts. In my opinion, she did not wrestle enough with a lot of these questions.\\n\\nThe book ends on an interesting note, arguing that the current crisis in Islam began in the 17C, over 1000 years after Muhammad created his politico-religious system. At that time, as science and then industry developed in Europe, Islamic states/empires began to falter, which raised the question of whether God annointed their religion as indisputably superior anymore. This is very thought-provoking and articulated a view I have wondered about for a long time.\\n\\nRecommended. Armstrong's heart is in the right place, even if it makes her argument a bit too politically correct for my taste. Nonetheless, a worthy introduction to Islam it is indeed, but only as a starting point.\",\n \"Product: The acclaimed new novel from the author of The Corrections. Patty and Walter Berglund were the new pioneers of old St. Paul - the gentrifiers, the hands-on parents, the avant-garde of the Whole Foods generation. Patty was the ideal sort of neighbour who could tell you where to recycle your batteries and how to get the local cops to actually do their job. She was an enviably perfect mother and the wife of Walter's dreams. Together with Walter - environmental lawyer, commuter cyclist, family man - she was doing her small part to build a better world. But now, in the new millennium, the Berglunds have become a mystery. Why has their teenage son moved in with the aggressively Republican family next door? Why has Walter taken a job working with Big Coal? What exactly is Richard Katz - outre rocker and Walter's old college friend and rival - still doing in the picture? Most of all, what has happened to poor Patty? Why has the bright star of Barrier Street become \\\"a very different kind of neighbour,\\\" an implacable Fury coming unhinged before the street's attentive eyes? In his first novel since The Corrections, Jonathan Franzen has given us an epic of contemporary love and marriage. Freedom comically and tragically captures the temptations and burdens of too much liberty: the thrills of teenage lust, the shaken compromises of middle age, the wages of suburban sprawl, the heavy weight of empire. In charting the mistakes and joys of Freedom's intensely realized characters, as they struggle to learn how to live in an ever more confusing world, Franzen has produced an indelible and deeply moving portrait of our time.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: a deep, if sullen, portrait of a family in severe crisis\\n\\nReview: Perhaps this doesn't have the scope, humor, and delightful chaos of the Corrections - which I believe disappointed many people - but I find that the characters are as deep and full as that novel, that they evolve and reveal different aspects of their nature throughout the book. Indeed, I also find that the characters are very different, which shows that Franzen has a great range of empathy and insight. Current political affairs also form an integral part of the plot, liberal notions that are expressed from the characters' point of view. I have my own interpretation of the characters, but believe the novel is so rich that many interpretations are possible.\\n\\nIn many ways, the deepest character in the book is the wife, Patty. She is a wounded person with terrible flaws, the black sheep jock of a competitive family of super achievers with the highest expectations for themselves and the world; born with a notion of wealth and privilege, they are bound for profound disappointment. Not a single one of them finds a sustainable work identity, except perhaps late in life. Patty wants to make up for all the hurts by creating the perfect family, to give her children what she felt she lacked: perfect, intimate love and support. The man she chooses is Walter, a young man of extraordinary energy and seemingly limitless good will, but their physical chemistry somehow isn't right; Patty is also in love with his best friend, a talented, charismatic musician who is a disaster as a human being. This triangle will last, with great consequence, for the rest of their lives. For a time, their children flourish with them, in the early years of optimism and delight in building. Of course, things start to go wrong when the children cannot heal the terrible wounds inside their parents, who put great demands on them while giving.\\n\\nI don't want to say more on the plot as it might spoil the reading experience. My perception of the characters varied greatly throughout the book. At one point, I disliked all of them, thinking them bizarre and neurotic, if not worse. Patty's depression and rage are off-putting; the relationship that the son strikes up with a neighbor girl is frighteningly symbiotic, obliterating them as individuals; the father is rigid and self-righteous, a born crank. The family becomes an absolute, dysfunctional mess, a catastrophe, as the children go their own ways. Then later, after many mistakes and some difficult wisdom gained, I completely believed in the more mature characters that emerged, in what can only be called a realistically tragic yet hopeful ending. It is all about the complexity of love between husband and wife, which arises in just about all marriages that last for decades. Patty also confronted her own demons and reconciled with her parents before her father's death. This evolution is moving and fascinating.\\n\\nThough the book got off to a slow start for me - it is written in a less elegant style than the Corrections and it is uneven, with two long autobiographical sections that I did not feel quite worked - I became completely engrossed and hungry to learn what the characters would do and become. It is a long time since I got so involved with a novel, which is a gift for introspection and learning. There are many less central characters who are very interesting, such as the musician, whose professional world and inner life come alive on the page. There is such great subtlety in these characters as layers peel off of them, often revealed in a moment's reflection, a quote, and even a gesture. But the book requires a slow and very careful reading, in my opinion.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. Don't get this if you want a repeat of The Corrections. It is a different animal entirely.\",\n \"Product: A brilliant book which studies the psychological conditions which made possible the development of capitalist civilization. The book analyzes the connection between the spread of Calvinism and a new attitude toward the pursuit of wealth in post-Reformation Europe and England, and attitude which permitted, encouraged--even sanctified--the human quest for prosperity.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: great idea, little proof\\n\\nReview: As part of my enquiry into the forces that the Reformation unleased, I decided to at last read this classic.\\n\\nAlas, it was disappointing in that Weber makes the assertion - that reformation-spawned ideologies were the foundation of the capitalist revolution - and then offers little historical explanation as proof of his thesis. Instead, what he does is to painstakingly describe the ideologies in question, to show that they are compatible conceptually with his definition of capitalism (the rise of an urban bourgeoisie that created wealth by investing in industry as a major new economic actor, eventaully leading to the eclipse of the old land-based aristocracy). As Hannah Ardnt said, so long as you are far enough from reality, you can make almost any ideas appear compatible. As such, I was unconvinced that a) the feeling of being among the elect made people work harder to prove it by material success and b) that a heightened sense of individuality that arose with separation from the papist ideologies augmented this pursuit of self-development via the massing of personal capital. While the protestant ideologies may conform vaguely to these notions, that does not in the slightest prove a direct causal connection. Indeed, one might argue that it was the repression by the Inquisition - against the bourgoise's challenge to traditional aristocrats - that may have delayed the development of capitalism in Catholic countries for a few centuries. (That capitalism did develop in many Catholic countries also undermines the book's prinicpal thesis.)\\n\\nThis essay is interesting as a pioneering attempt at sociological determinism from a rather existentialist perspective, but reading the whole thing was a bit much for me. Weber was a great and innovative thinker, however out of date his modes of reasoning have become - they are strictly qualitative. Not recommended except asof historical interest.\",\n \"Product: Using council records, autobiographies, and firsthand descriptions, Brown allows great chiefs and warriors of the Dakota Ute, Cheyenne, and other tribes to tell us in their own words of the battles, and borken treaties that left them defeated.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: survey, from the victim's point of view, of the old west\\n\\nReview: Anyone interested in history should read this book. It is full of extremely poignant stories, each of which would make for a great film or TV mini-series. While it sometimes degnerates into polemic, the facts speak so loudly for themselves that they cannot be ignored.\\nI gave this book as a gift to my wife when she was about to emigrate to the US, more than ten years ago. She gobbled it up and we still discuss it.\\nWhen I read this book, I wanted to learn more, perhaps read an entire history, about every story or chapter. THere are fascinating characters that crop up, only to abruptly disappear, and many threads left uncovered. This is not a criticism, as it is a survey, but it was frustrating.\\nYou will not forget this book. Get it.\",\n \"Product: New\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: good story, if occasionally slow\\n\\nReview: This is a very good hard sci-fi novel, about a colony of humans on a distant planet that is visited by the remnants of the human race fleeing catastrophe. Having been seeded long long before, this colony had lost touch with the home world and developed a culture of its own, highly civilised and quite benign - they are peaceful and pursue their pleasures in an open and innocent way. However, underneath their oceans, an incredible transformation is taking place, perhaps one of the most significant in the history of the human race. Then the fleeing ships arrives, shaking things up with new ideas and desires. While avoiding spectacular adventure, this quiet novel is quite fascinating and chock full of intricately related ideas and systems, which are what Clarke portrays the best.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. It is an intellectual adventure to read this.\",\n \"Product: \\\"Breathing Lessons\\\" covers the events of a day in the life of Maggie Moran, nearing fifty, married to Ira and with two children. Her eternal optimism and her inexhaustible passion for sorting out other people's lives and willing them to fall in love is severely tested one hot summer day. Maggie and Ira drive from Baltimore to Deer Lick to attend the funeral of the husband of Serena, Maggie's childhood friend. During the course of the journey, with its several unexpected detours - into the lives of old friends and grown children - Anne Tyler shows us all there is to know about a marriage: the expectations; the disappointments; the way children can create storms in a family; the way the wife and husband can fall in love all over again; the way that everything - and nothing - changes.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: life, in all its uplifting mediocrity\\n\\nReview: After reading the perfectly depressing \\\"Amateur Marriage\\\" I re-opened this novel, which I had read nearly two decades ago. In an instant, I was transported into the sad yet zany and hopeful world of Maggie: she meddles and fumbles, but has a good heart and never really messes anything up seriously. All of these lives are displayed with an arresting charm, through illusions, lost hopes, and the real value that there can be in a marriage that lasts in spite of all its frustrations and even its mediocrity. At least for me, this is very very moving and nakedly realistic, even wise. It is also charming in Tyler's hands and often comic without ever traducing the realism. Indeed, this novel has all of the virtues that \\\"Amateur\\\" lacked and I think it is a far better performance that addresses many of the same realities - just with characters that are more likable, more interesting, more fun.\\nWarmly recommended as a masterpiece of the mundane. Tyler makes Baltimore - of all places! - immortal. I loved it.\",\n \"Product: Set in the African republic of Botswana--the locale of his acclaimed short story collection, \\\"Whites\\\" --Norman Rush's novel simultaneously explores the highest of intellectual high grounds and the most tortuous ravines of the erotic. tackles the geopolitics of poverty and the mystery of what men and women really want.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: love, academia, and africa; fun, serious, and satirical.\\n\\nReview: Many of the reviews of this book here objected to the fact that the narrator is, well, self-important, verbose, presumptuous, and pretentious. While she may be all of these things, she is a very consistent and believable character, a budding academic trying to understand (and yes, label) the world in her hyper-intellectual way as she moves up from the working class. Anyone who has spent time on a college campus knows the type, and you either enjoy them or you don't. I found her very attractive and fun, though not someone I would ever want to become involved with, at least seriously.\\nThrough this overly analytic character, we are introduced to life in a exotic backwater, Botswana, where she is trying to advance her stalled dissertation as well as find some romance. I found entry into that world fascinating and enticing, something that I will now never do though may have wanted to in the past. The plot centers on her entry into an experimental community that a brilliant (white) man helped to create and is managing, where women have a larger role than is usual in African societies and where decisions are discussed in a democratic way. While I have no idea if it is based on a real experience, it really has a lot of insight to offer into life in under-developed Africa. As superficial as it sounds, it helped me to imagine what was going on in the minds of many in villages I visited in S Africa on a recent project. I wanted to learn more, which is one of my tests for a good reading experience.\\nThe portrait of this community is very dense, subtle, and multi-layered, as much a critique of development specialists and the bubble they live in as a satirical look at professional intellectuals: the authors are poking fun at her and at academia, rather than espousing her views and recondite perceptions. Yes, there is a nerdy twit inside the narrator as well (and she is aware of it and revels in it, too). I found this very funny and laughed a lot as I read it. Robertson Davies does very similar things and the reader is not supposed to take what he says at face value; what the author writes in not necessarily his point of view.\\nThe love story at the center is also very moving, at least for me, if again over analyzed and verbalized to excess. It describes in wonderful detail the euphoria of the discovery of someone to love, in this case a younger woman with an older man. Again, I enjoyed it immensely and found it realistic: we have all been there (hopefully) and it is played out with wonderfully quirky characters. As the cover said, it is about love at its apogee. This is the only area in which I thought the author was not constantly poking fun. It is beautiful.\\nSo I would warmly recommend this book, but it is a question of taste.\",\n \"Product: For six hundred years, the Ottoman Empire swelled and declined. Islamic, martial, civilized, and tolerant, it advanced in three centuries from the dusty foothills of Anatolia to rule on the Danube and the Nile; at its height, Indian rajahs and the kings of France beseeched the empire's aid. In its last three hundred years the empire seemed ready to collapse, a prodigy of survival and decay. In this striking evocation of the empire's power, Jason Goodwin explores how the Ottomans rose and how, against all odds, they lingered on. In doing so, he also offers a long look back to the origins of problems that plague present-day Kosovars and Serbs.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: delightful, fascinating, and deep\\n\\nReview: This book offers a stark contrast to Kinross' The Ottoman Centuries. Kinross' book is dry, stuffily pedantic, and laden with the details of obscure territorial skirmishes. While I learned the outlines of Ottoman history in Kinross, it was this book that gave me a true flavor for that vanished world - who the people were, why they acted the way they did, and how things appeared in the context of the time. It is a dazzling and confidently erudite tour of life then (without a whiff of pretension), and I was utterly engrossed from the minute I opened the book. Indeed, I was not intending to read this now, but I simply could not put it down when I looked at it out of curiosity.\\n\\nThis is not conventional history, but a flowing narrative that skips around in time; the subject matter of the chapters are organized as dense essays on military affairs, the populations within the Empire, and governance practices. The author went directly to the original sources of memoirs, diplomatic correspondence, and military communiques, always good for the beautiful, quirky anecdote. Many readers did not like this loose style, but I thought it made the book extremely fun and readable and vivid. Nonetheless, without Kinross, this would have been a far more difficult read and perhaps at many points incomprehensible. As such, the books are complementary and can be read together at great profit. But this book is a genuine literary masterpiece that left me in awe of the author's talent.\\n\\nThe story is incredible: from a small band of tough nomads in the steppes of Asia, several outstanding leaders created the first truly professional army since the Roman age. To the aristocratic knights in Europe - bound by chivalric conventions and a cumbersome military apparatus with untrustworthy mercenaries - the Turks appeared as a terrifying and unstoppable force of fierce and disciplined warriors. For 200 years, they advanced into the heart of Europe and conquered large portions of Asia Minor and North Africa with dreams of world domination that appeared all too credible to contemporary observers. The Ottomans also created a multi-ethnic society that for the times was tolerant and inclusive, did not seek to convert its subjects (they could tax non-Muslims afterall), and was more or less a meritocracy based on ability more than privilege.\\n\\nUnfortunately, once the empiric expansion stopped, most of its virtues became deadly liabilities. During the Renaissance, the Ottoman Empire abruptly stalled and then became famously corrupt and decadent, after a series of leaders who can only be called military geniuses. Their administrative skills never advanced beyond the phenomenally innovative organization of military camps to reinvent the governance of Ottoman society. First, without the pillage income from continual conquest, revenues needed to be raised to pay the standing army. The responsibility for this fell to regional governors, who preyed upon local residents, severely undermining the authority of the state while creating a kind of aristocracy of privilege for themselves (and hence mediocrity). Second, the elite Janisseries - like the Praetorian guard of the Romans - realized the true extent of their power, and became corrupted and dangerous power brokers in Istanbul. Third, the command power of the Sultan, so useful in war, blocked the diffusion of power to a professional administrative caste, which remained under-developed into the 19th C. Effective pashas came and went, often strangled by the bowstring for failure, but they did not establish schools to train their successors. Fourth, the medieval mentality - an acceptance of fate that enabled Ottoman warriors to rush into battle with the fearlessness of religious true believers - gradually gave way to personal caution, as exemplified by the defensive behavior of its leaders. Fifth, the quality of the hereditary monarchic line declined after Suleyman the Magnificent, in large part because the Sultan's sons were more of less imprisoned in the Harem - a parallel universe of pleasure and bizarre political machination - rather than gaining experience as governors of provinces (as they had in the empire's early cneturies). Interestingly, none of the above issues became dead end problems in Europe, whose societies were evolving in some ways to explicitly to resolve them. Finally, the forces of nationalism created centrifugal forces that doomed the ancient mores that made such a vast, eclectic society possible, which I believe still stands as an example towards which we might strive in new ways in the current global society that is in formation.\\n\\nThis is one of those books that can fill the reader with wonder at the sweep of history and human possibility. It has turned my interest in Turkish history into an inspiration that will sustain me for the rest of my life. Recommended with the greatest enthusiasm. Indeed, contemporary Turkey remains one of the most important political experiments on the planet in our current crisis of civilization. It is astonishing that so few Americans understand this.\",\n \"Product: slightly used yellowing pages shelf worn\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: essential to understanding the 20th Century\\n\\nReview: What marks this book from so many on the annihilation of the Jews in death camps is its brevity. The book is so spare that it is hard to understand the horror without reading it so slowly that you are practically reading it aloud. There are really vivid characters in it, who evolve in just a few paragraphs, a truly masterful encapsulation of lost lives. While there is nothing particularly remarkable about his writing style, Wiesel has created a classic here that will stand the test of time. It is so scary and devastating that I will never forget it.\\n\\nA teacher friend of mine began his class with a close reading of this book, and allowed me to witness the discussion. It moved children of all races to pose questions, both about history and what men are capable of and about themselves and their identities. It was brilliant.\\n\\nHighest recommendation.\",\n \"Product: Cuckoos lay eggs in other birds' nests. The clutch that was fathered on the quiet little village of Midwich, one night in September, proved to possess a monstrous will of its own. Imt promised to make the human race look as dated as the dinosaur.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: absolutely first rate hard sci-fi, with very British character studies\\n\\nReview: Viewers of the excellent early film version of this may feel disappointed: the pace is slow, there is lots of dialogue, and the characters are hard to grasp. What's more, the children are more of a threatening presence - they cannot even be told apart reliably - than the active individuals of the film. But if the reader sticks with it, there are great rewards to be found.\\n\\nFirst, the principal story is about the village, Midwich, which is as normal a place in the English countryside as one can imagine. There is an extraordinary series of events, first a blackout of all residents in a well defined perimeter, and then the realization that all women of child-bearing age are simultaneously pregnant, about 60 women. The full first third of the novel portrays how residents attempt to deal with the pregnancies, how they establish a kind of solidarity between themselves, that will later prove brittle and prone to violence. It is here that the complex characters are estalished in a brilliant way that is imortant later.\\n\\nSecond, there is the enigma of the children, whose attributes are nothing short of extraordinary, in that they appear to have two massminds, one for girls and the other for boys. They are all able to impell the villagers to behave in certain ways, as in disallowing them to leave Midwich in a time of crisis. As they all appear to be clones, no individuals emerge. What is so wonderful is that so little is explained - virtually all of the action takes place off-stage, including what the children are planning beyond their survival. They remain a splendid mystery with cunningly placed details for the reader to piece together; many interpretations are possible, if the reader enjoys that kind of exercise of the imagination. Interestingly, it is never clear whether or not they can read minds, which is only implied obliquely, and there are limits to what they can see.\\n\\nThird, the reader never gets a clearly defined meaning for it all, beyond the fact that they are alien and constitute a threat, perhaps to humanity as a whole. Instead, the main characters speculate on it and discuss it, with some very unusual ideas floating about. This too can be great fun, but again, it is piecing together hints. I was left with a sense of mystery at the complexity of the universe, which is such a delight to a middle-aged mind!\\n\\nFinally, there is the action that a village leader decides to take. While there is very little actual violence, it is always a threat of dread to all the villagers. For all appearences out of character, the leader proves decisive and even prescient. But again, unlike the movie, very little of the final struggle is spelled out.\\n\\nThis is a splendid vehicle for the lively imagination. It is also very British, which will put many American readers off, as we explect clear and fast-paced action, unequivocal explanations, and a wrap-up (with the possibiltiy of a sequel). What you get is a large social drama with subtle characters, the recognition of a new \\\"threat of the jungle\\\" that is never defined and whose meaning remains a delicious mystery. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: This text presents a history of the American Civil War. It starts with an account of the years before the civil war and its causes - placing slavery firmly back in the centre stage - before discussing the war, the two sides, the international dimension, the position and role of the free blacks and slaves, to its outcome, the end of the war and reconstruction.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: stimulating the appetite for more\\n\\nReview: This book - probably the best one-volume Civil War history - is more than a simple survey: it is a very strong literary work as well, beautifully written and balanced. For all 900 or so pages, I was completely absorbed. Never once did I glumly look at the last page and calculate the percentage of the book that remained. It is the ideal starting point for anyone wishing to investigate the most disturbing episode of American history, a stepping off point that is also a pleasure to read. Afterall, what other survey histories won the Pulitzer prize?\\nHowever, as a broad-brush history, I found myself quibbling with the author's choice of detail in the areas that I knew well. For example, I would have liked to see more coverage of the brutal race riots that occured in the Northern states, incidents that revealed extremely disturbing fault lines in race relations that persist to this day. By choosing to neglect this and other details, I felt that the author refrained from contemplating the deeper meaning of the war, even or providing the building blocks to do so. While interpretation is certainly not his primary task in a survey, it does get short shrift here.\\nNonetheless, every American should read this book.\",\n \"Product: Martin Goodman is Professor of Jewish Studies at Oxford and President of the Oxford Centre for Jewish and Hebrew Studies. He is a Fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford and the British Academy. His Rome and Jerusalem, published in 2008, was acknowledged as a landmark in the study of the Jewish people in the Roman Empire, and has been translated into six languages. In 2002 he edited the Oxford Handbook of Jewish Studies, which was awarded the National Jewish Book Award for Scholarship.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: the catastrophic collisions of Rome, Israel, and the early Christians\\n\\nReview: This is one of those dense history books that separates the true history buff (or academic) from the casual reader. Starting more or less from the reign of the Julio-Claudians - the first imperial dynasty of the Roman Empire after the fall of the Republic - the book compares the cultures when the vassalage of \\\"Judea\\\" (as worked out by Herod during Augustus' reign) functioned well, follows the deterioration of relations that culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem, and then examines the aftermath of repeated rebellion and the rise of Christians (and anti-Semitism). For many reasons, this is one of the most interesting historical nexuses there is.\\n\\nFirst, the Imperial Regime of Rome is consolidating itself. The republican forms, such as rule (or some checks and balance) by the Senate as well as alternation of power, still exist but are increasingly irrelevant. Instead, a kind of quasi-religious autocracy (hinting at a totalitarian regime) has firmly taken hold. From the prudent Augustus, you witness the decadent and perhaps senile Tiberius, the cruelly insane Caligula, the almost-great Claudius, and finally the unbalanced Nero - all the time, the institutions related to the transfer of power are increasingly in crisis, leading to the terrible year 69 CE, in which there were 4 emperors who took power in civil war. The Army and Praetorians emerge as vital power brokers for the rest of Rome's history. Goodman's treatment of these years covers it as a narrative, but also as political science and cultural critique. This was a special treat for me, as I have long hoped to find a detailed description of what Augustus' regime led to, and here it is, in great detail.\\n\\nSecond, the Jews had reached a crucial period that would define their religion and culture into the modern era: with their monotheism and strictly prescribed culture of purity and moral comportment, their \\\"tribal\\\" mentality was beginning to distinguish clearly who belonged and who didn't. Compared to the licentious Romans with their multiple gods and tolerance for diversity and morals, they appeared rigid and exotic. This filled the greatest gap in my historical knowledge and hence was most instructive for me, but it was very heavy going at times.\\n\\nThird, there were the Christians, who at that time were merely a sect of the Jews, in effect transforming their moral code to an evangelical universalism while discarding some of their practices, such as the circumcision that so horrified the Romans. Their numbers grew slowly, amazingly to become the official creed under the Emperor Constantine around 300 CE, almost totally divorced from its cultural and ethnic origins with the Jews.\\n\\nWhat the book accomplishes so masterfully is to explain how circumstances aligned themselves to create a terrible cataclysm for the Jews. It was at the time that Nero was ousted, he argues, that Vespasian - the military governor of the province of Assyria - needed the appearance of a major victory to make his claim to the office of Emperor. Somehow, under his son Titus, this meant crushing the Jews and perhaps even purposefully burning Herod's temple in 70 CE, though that may have been an accident as Goodman argues. The result was a fundamental disenfranchisement of nearly unprecedented savagery, which stamped the Jewish soul forever afterwards, as deeply as occurred over 1,000 years before, under the Egyptians. Interestingly, he argues that this was not at all inevitable but a direct consequence of the power struggles in Rome; the bitterness and rebelliousness it engendered among the Jews then led to a series of violent wars and periodical repression and persecution. Hadrian took over, in 117 CE, and after a major rebellion he turned old Jerusalem into a Roman colony, which lasted under the Byzantines until the Moslem conquests. Finally, Goodman sees the emergence of the Christians as the basis for anti-semitism, an argument that I didn't quite follow.\\n\\nFor anyone who can concentrate on historical detail, this is a great read full of insight and fascinating trains of reasoning. While academic and targeting a sophisticated audience with at least university education, it is beautifully written and flows in a uniquely informal style that incorporates rigorous logic and wonderful narrative description. Once I was with it, I deeply enjoyed it. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: John Julius Norwich's dazzling history of Venice from its origins to its eighteenth century fall. 'Lord Norwich has loved and understood Venice as well as any other Englishman has ever done. He has put readers of his generation more in his debt than any other English writer' - Peter Levi, \\\"The Sunday Times\\\".\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: 1400 years, told with panache and accuracy\\n\\nReview: This is a dazzling history of a unique political entity - an oligarchic republic surrounded by feudal autocracies, religiously moderate hundreds of years before toleration developed anywhere else, and a highly profitable form of public-private capitalism. In this splendid book, the reader is treated to the entire arc of rise, reign, and fall, in luminously beautiful prose and plenty of fascinating stories.\\n\\nIn the beginning, Venice was a stronghold for Roman citizens seeking refuge from waves of barbarian invasions, 2.5 miles off the coast, a backwater as the Western Roman empire crumbled. Then, as a client under the protection of Byzantium, Venice slowly rose to become the premier commercial power of the Mediterranean. As a small island, everyone knew each other, so had to act in a relatively trustworthy manner in a time that piracy was indistinguishable from trade. It helped that Venetian merchants stole the body of St. Mark, using it as the basis for cosmic legitimacy and lending a kind of ideological coherence to their community - they acted in concert in unique ways for over 1,000 years.\\n\\nThe Venetians developed effective laws, the greatest seamanship in existence, and amassed capital that it could use for further investment, mercenaries, and bribes. Its trading partners appreciated these attributes, i.e. that Venice was relatively more trustworthy than its competitors. Together, these attributes enabled Venice to establish a number of exceedingly profitable monopolies over centuries, in particular that on spice for Europe (transport via the silk road over Asia). Though it fought many brutal wars with competitors Genoa and Pisa, Venice emerged triumphant for a time.\\n\\nAbout 1200 a.d., Venice became an empire and reached its apogee, controlling a vast land and sea empire, often under the dangerous control of condottieri (knight mercenaries). It also moved into a unique public-private domain, in which the state had a strong hand in organizing the economy, in particular setting standards for sea vessels but also trading practices, maintaining the rule of law, and taking over the arsenal, which could produce fully functional war galleys in a matter of hours, with strategic cutting-edge technology for the time. These attributes made it an even more dependable trading agent for its allies and partners - they knew where the ships were, what their quality would be, etc .It is during this period that the Doge, Enrico Dandalo, led the warriors of the 4th Crusade to sack Byzantium, the most shameful despoliation of a civilized capital in the history of Christendom.\\n\\nBut already, as the Renaissance was beginning to flower, the seeds of Venice's decline were sown. Most important, mastery of trade slipped from Venetian hands once the Portugese discovered the cape route around Africa - the Mediterranean was no longer the center of the world, immediately consigning Venice to backwater status in the Adriatic. It never recovered. Second, the Ottoman Empire was also challenging Christendom, a force against which the disunified West could not compete. After Constantinople fell, Venice was the only true bulwark against the Ottomans. Third, with its haughty distance, pragmatic cynicism, and naked self interest, Venice had made innumerable enemies in Europe, and faced a series of wars against huge coalitions such as the league of Cambrai.\\n\\nStill, for centuries, the Venetians were able to pull together and recover in ways that awed its adversaries. It is astonishing to read how often Venice was on the edge of complete ruin, only to emerge renewed and powerful, to fight its way to survival and then dominence. A great deal of this was due to its unique political system, which allowed fresh infusions of talent into leadership circles at crucial times and institutionalized the alternance of power. However, with the loss of trade, the energy of Venice was eventually sapped, leading to a long decline and a tenuous diplomatic balancing act (of which Casanova was a part) as the forces of revolution were rumbling in 18th C France; eventually, it became a tourist pleasure spot of wild indulgences and petty intrigue. Once it fell to the young Napoleon, though looted, Venice was never destroyed - it was the first occupation by a foreign power in its 1400 year history.\\n\\nThis is an incredible story, in many ways as a coherent span of time equal to Rome itself. You can tell that this book was a labor of love - every page is engaging and elegantly written. The feeling of witnessing history unfold is rarely so well executed, truly it is an inspiration and source of wonder.\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: John Julius Norwich's dazzling history of Venice from its origins to its eighteenth century fall. 'Lord Norwich has loved and understood Venice as well as any other Englishman has ever done. He has put readers of his generation more in his debt than any other English writer' - Peter Levi, \\\"The Sunday Times\\\".\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: 1400 years, told with panache and accuracy\\n\\nReview: This is a dazzling history of a unique political entity - an oligarchic republic surrounded by feudal autocracies, religiously moderate hundreds of years before toleration developed anywhere else, and a highly profitable form of public-private capitalism. In this splendid book, the reader is treated to the entire arc of rise, reign, and fall, in luminously beautiful prose and plenty of fascinating stories.\\n\\nIn the beginning, Venice was a stronghold for Roman citizens seeking refuge from waves of barbarian invasions, 2.5 miles off the coast, a backwater as the Western Roman empire crumbled. Then, as a client under the protection of Byzantium, Venice slowly rose to become the premier commercial power of the Mediterranean. As a small island, everyone knew each other, so had to act in a relatively trustworthy manner in a time that piracy was indistinguishable from trade. It helped that Venetian merchants stole the body of St. Mark, using it as the basis for cosmic legitimacy and lending a kind of ideological coherence to their community - they acted in concert in unique ways for over 1,000 years.\\n\\nThe Venetians developed effective laws, the greatest seamanship in existence, and amassed capital that it could use for further investment, mercenaries, and bribes. Its trading partners appreciated these attributes, i.e. that Venice was relatively more trustworthy than its competitors. Together, these attributes enabled Venice to establish a number of exceedingly profitable monopolies over centuries, in particular that on spice for Europe (transport via the silk road over Asia). Though it fought many brutal wars with competitors Genoa and Pisa, Venice emerged triumphant for a time.\\n\\nAbout 1200 a.d., Venice became an empire and reached its apogee, controlling a vast land and sea empire, often under the dangerous control of condottieri (knight mercenaries). It also moved into a unique public-private domain, in which the state had a strong hand in organizing the economy, in particular setting standards for sea vessels but also trading practices, maintaining the rule of law, and taking over the arsenal, which could produce fully functional war galleys in a matter of hours, with strategic cutting-edge technology for the time. These attributes made it an even more dependable trading agent for its allies and partners - they knew where the ships were, what their quality would be, etc .It is during this period that the Doge, Enrico Dandalo, led the warriors of the 4th Crusade to sack Byzantium, the most shameful despoliation of a civilized capital in the history of Christendom.\\n\\nBut already, as the Renaissance was beginning to flower, the seeds of Venice's decline were sown. Most important, mastery of trade slipped from Venetian hands once the Portugese discovered the cape route around Africa - the Mediterranean was no longer the center of the world, immediately consigning Venice to backwater status in the Adriatic. It never recovered. Second, the Ottoman Empire was also challenging Christendom, a force against which the disunified West could not compete. After Constantinople fell, Venice was the only true bulwark against the Ottomans. Third, with its haughty distance, pragmatic cynicism, and naked self interest, Venice had made innumerable enemies in Europe, and faced a series of wars against huge coalitions such as the league of Cambrai.\\n\\nStill, for centuries, the Venetians were able to pull together and recover in ways that awed its adversaries. It is astonishing to read how often Venice was on the edge of complete ruin, only to emerge renewed and powerful, to fight its way to survival and then dominence. A great deal of this was due to its unique political system, which allowed fresh infusions of talent into leadership circles at crucial times and institutionalized the alternance of power. However, with the loss of trade, the energy of Venice was eventually sapped, leading to a long decline and a tenuous diplomatic balancing act (of which Casanova was a part) as the forces of revolution were rumbling in 18th C France; eventually, it became a tourist pleasure spot of wild indulgences and petty intrigue. Once it fell to the young Napoleon, though looted, Venice was never destroyed - it was the first occupation by a foreign power in its 1400 year history.\\n\\nThis is an incredible story, in many ways as a coherent span of time equal to Rome itself. You can tell that this book was a labor of love - every page is engaging and elegantly written. The feeling of witnessing history unfold is rarely so well executed, truly it is an inspiration and source of wonder.\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: In 1995 Richard Dawkins became the first holder of the Charles Simonyi Chair of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University. He is the bestselling author of THE SELFISH GENE, CLIMBING MOUNT IMPROBABLE (Penguin, 1996) and UNWEAVING THE RAINBOW (Penguin, 1998).\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: eloquent, at times brilliant, but a bit much\\n\\nReview: I greatly enjoyed this book, which is a splendid introduction and defence of neo-Darwinism. Like the best of SJ Gould, the book has real flavor because its author has a strong point of view; but just Dawkins' writing style - clear, bold, beautiful - should make it a classic of the popularization genre.\\nHowever, the strong view also points to bias, in Dawkins' case a combination of strict genetic determinism and an obsession with computer analogies. Frankly, computer simulations and pseudo-discovery stories, which over-rated magazines like WIRED promote and hype ad infinitum, are boring: so many of these books on \\\"complexity\\\" etc. just repeat the same stuff. Unfortunately, a lot of that seems to have originated with Dawkins, who at least does it better than most of his copiers.\",\n \"Product: Citizens\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: spectacular panorama of a watershed\\n\\nReview: This has got to be one of the best history books I have ever read. Unlike his other books, which all to often get lost in sensuous detail, this one is a perfect balance of analysis and portraits of the quirkiness of the human condition. In other words, you get a flavor for the vast array of people involved, while the narrative follows well trod lines. It is an immensely complex story. The result is a masterpiece and truly great.\\nSchama's take on the Revolution is that what happened was far more richly textured than the crude class-based analyses that have held sway for too long. In what I believe is a convincing performance, he shows that not only was (the politically inept) Louis XVI pursuing many progressive agendas for change, but that it was the aristocrat-intellectuals who formed the basis of the Revolutionary leadership and not bourgeois or working class heroes. What made it so violent, in this reading, was the collapse of the old order and then the struggles that ensued for the control of the instruments of military and police power. It was the birth of the popular army, he concludes, and not the abstract ideals enshrined in official propaganda, that was the real legacy of the Revolution and the basis for Napoleon's later military dominance.\\nWhat makes it all such a watershed event was that it was the first example of the passions unleashed by nationalist fanaticism: the jacobans led directly to the communards and then the more purified revolutionary violences of fascism and marxist-leninism. Reading of the horrors of the Terror, this is also convincing (and frightening).\\nOne of the greatest pleasures of this book is the personalities that Schama describes in loving detail, as they appear and re-appear at crucial moments. You get the heavyweights Lafayette and Talleyrand, but also innumerable lesser known characters, whose lives and fates the author takes to symbolise the Revolution's legacy. If you know Paris, you learn who a lot of the people were whose names are on the streets and the institutions, such as Necker and de la Tour du Pin. That made it especially fun for me, but that is personal.\\nThat being said, the book is occasionally uneven. Though Schama tells a great story in the most elegant of prose, there are sections that read as if it were written too fast. Moreover, the story is so complex that some basic details, such as what the people in the various factions actually thought and stood for, are lost or obscured by the endless succession of stories.\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Watchers\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: the dark underside of Queen Elizabeth's rule\\n\\nReview: I got this book because I found the portrayals of Walsingham and Burghley in the films Elizabeth and Elizabeth I so fascinating that I wanted to read an account by a historian about what they represented and did. In the film, they combined politics, courtly intrigue, and the brutal tactics of espionage and war against the backdrop of the Reformation in the late 16C, with fascinating and cunning enemies.\\n\\nThe book starts off magnificently, with a recap of Elizabeth's reign and a sketch of the general situation of the Reformation in Europe. I enjoyed it very much for the glimpse it offers into statecraft as absolutism was coming into full flower. The book is fun in that it illuminates with great clarity what personalities in the film versions were really like, particularly in their more shady dealings. While this is available in the many excellent bios of Queen Elizabeth, the focus on these aspects is exactly what I was looking for. Essentially, Walsingham and Burghley created a network of paid informants that provided crucially important information about assassination plots and military threats to Britain from the catholic powers.\\n\\nHowever, when it gets to the details of how the spying was done, it bogs down in detail that is of little interest to lay readers - I found how the spies were vetted and precisely how they accomplished what they did to be of lesser interest - and they form the bulk of the book. While the book does not come off as particularly academic in tone, it would in fact be of more interest to specialists in my opinion.\\n\\nRecommended with these caveats.\",\n \"Product: Text: English, Dutch (translation)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: classic view of aesthetics and life\\n\\nReview: I first read this book 25 years ago in college. At the time, it was one of those book I just wanted to get through for a grade, but there were details of it I remembered, such as the common practice of sllicing apples into thirds to represent the Trinity.\\nWell, picking up this book to re-read while living in Europe turned out to be a far greater pleasure than I imagined. Huizinga offers an elegant portrait of an entire era, the Late Middle Ages, in both visual and intellectual detail. You learn about codes of honor, the different ways in which life was perceived, and the practices of love. It is beautifully written and vivid.\\nThere are limitation to the approach, of course. It is not about economics or living standards. It does not function as a survey, and hence the reader must have solid knowledge of medieval history before starting the book. You will have to get these elsewhere. But if you come to this book with the right expectations, it is fascinating and wonderful from cover to cover.\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Will be shipped from US. Used books may not include companion materials, may have some shelf wear, may contain highlighting/notes, may not include CDs or access codes. 100% money back guarantee.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: grand intellectual history of an idea for action\\n\\nReview: This is the story of the journey of an idea - that of engineering a society conceived as an organism - from its roots in the romantic movement with Michelet to Lenin, the ultimate man of action, on the threshold of power. Only Edmund Wilson, whose erudition as an autodidact was unsurpassed in his time, could have pulled this off: the ideas and inspiration pulse with life on every page. You get to know Marx, ENgels, and scores of other characters intimately as they dream of building a socialist order that would fundamentally re-order society and its economy. WHile I was never a sympathiser for communism, this most certainly gave me a feeling for the seductive beauty of the dream. THere is even a forward by Wilson, who admits to being overly optimistic, that what he chronicled with such excitment actually led to \\\"one of the most horrible tyrannies in the history of mankind.\\\" THis is intellectual history at its very best, freed in the hands of a master writer from the pedantry and puffery of academia, and unflinching in the audacity of its partisan interpretations. Also beautifully written, it is a window into the hopes and dream of the 20C.\\nWarmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Back in print after five years, this is award-winning Octavia Butler's thrilling paternist novel about a reincarnate and a healer who travel together through exotic lands and centuries of time. Advertising in Locus, Science Fiction Chronicle and Amazing. Reissue.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: virtuoso performance, truly the greatest\\n\\nReview: I have read this at least 6 times, and on each reading, I see more and marvel at the characterization and construction of this novel.\\n\\nThis is spell-binding sci fi. It has it all: characters, concept, and the sweep of time that create that sense of wonder you find in the best literature. I have re-read this novel three times, and each time I find it better than the last: with hauntingly crisp images, compelling and very human issues, a kind of universality that is almost inevitably missing in genre fiction. The most amazing thing is that the reader can suspend his disbelief and abosrb all this weirdness as if it were occuring. And the characters are almost all black, from specially-bred mutant strains in Africa to fugitives from an evil immortal in America.\\n\\nThe plot revolves around a wise woman mutant, who was born in Africa. She is immortal, a shape shifter who can read genetic information by tasting it, and profoundly moral being. She is approached by Doro, another mutant, who has an agenda into which she might fit. What follows is an epic battle of wills, from the 17C to the 19C, that changes both of them profoundly.\\n\\nButler continually grew as a writer, and perhaps was one of the best contemporary novelists in America. Recommended with the greatest enthusiasm.\",\n \"Product: Title: Revolutionaries( A New History of the Invention of America) <>Binding: Paperback <>Author: JackRakove <>Publisher: MarinerBooks\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Founding fathers not as born to greatness but as achieving it\\n\\nReview: This is a delightfully fresh look at the founding fathers. From the outset, Rakove states that he wants to look at them not as men destined for holy greatness, but as completely typical of their milieu and times; the revolution, in this view, offered them as unique opportunity to distinguish themselves and set the country on a course they thought best - and many different directions were possible. This creates a stark contrast to the assumption behind most other treatments, i.e. that they were uniquely wise geniuses who had a mission to create exactly what they did to perfection. Nonetheless, he maintains that what they did accomplish - through negotiation, reflection, and compromise - was extraordinary.\\n\\nIn this way, you see Washington as a conventional plantation man, who had little military experience when compared to the professionals form Europe, yet grew into his role as generalissimo and then politician once the opportunity presented itself. Similarly, Franklin was a businessman and scientist, comfortable with England as his adopted home, but he transformed himself into a formidable diplomat, securing the indispensable commitment of Louis XVI to aid America militarily. Madison, Jefferson, Adams, and Hamilton receive the same treatment, with emphasis on their evolution as leaders and thinkers. Each of those founders - the colossuses of the revolution - is viewed from a different angle, that of how they developed professionally. It is fun and a great review of events that have settled too easily into myth.\\n\\nMost interestingly, Rakove gives a great deal of space to lesser known figures, who had their own visions and ideas, some of what could have led to significantly different political outcomes. One of the most fascinating was the audacious John Laurens, the son of a plantation owner who advocated offering freedom and citizenship rights to slaves who fought for the revolutionary cause. He was an intimate of Hamilton and quite a firebrand. But there is also Dickinson, an early political celebrity whose career was fatally damaged by his refusal to advocate a break with Britain in 1776. He comes off very sympathically, as does Morris and Monroe.\\n\\nHowever, it is not always easy to perceive where Rakove is headed or why he includes certain details. While he does address many of the central dilemmas of the time - the strange moral disapproval of slavery by slave-owners who had the power to do something about it and chose not to, for example - I felt that the book left me hanging in the end with more questions than answers. Of course, this ambiguity can be a plus, because it inspires me to read further, but I was expecting more of a resolution or even summing up than the author offers.\\n\\nThat being said, this is a truly new history on many might-have-beens. I will no doubt feel compelled to re-read this at a later date and may view it differently, so dense is the perspective and detail. Rakove is also a beautiful writer. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Brand NEW. We ship worldwide\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: decay and (introverted) passion\\n\\nReview: Perhaps it is true that you either love Pamuk or don't. I find that once I adapt myself to his style, what he is offering is simply wonderful. You carry your expectations to a book, and with Pamuk I never know what to expect. This memoir is a description of his native city and his family, as a gateway into the mind of an unusual autodidact, extremely introverted and melancholy, yet passionately committed to his art.\\n\\nThese three levels are the core themes of the book, which plays lots of games with its structure and images that readers can unravel if that is their bag. First, there is Istanbul - a character in the book, just like his mother and brother - a city that is in decline from its glory as the Ottoman Empire's capital city. From the heights of sophistication and colonial richness, it has entered the modern age as a decapitated giant of ruins with a crumbling (and extremely present) past. One of Pamuk's favorite childhood pastimes was to watch old Pasha mansions burn down, another was to watch disasters on the Bosphorus. But the feeling of decay and loss pervades everything, seeps into the heart of everyone, esp. the author. He breathes this decay with a never-ending fascination and love, finding in poverty and even mediocrity a key to his own identity.\\n\\nThe second level is his family, which is squandering its wealth from the previous generation and squabbling over a painfully unbalanced marriage. It is a mirror of the decline of the city, of course, and Pamuk must decide what to do. That is the third theme, which brings it all together: how he can carve out a role for himself as an artist, in a society that has little place for them. In addition to European writers, Pamuk focuses on a few artistic Turks, but again, they are not what you'd expect: writers who published virtually nothing in their lifetimes, even an encyclopaedist, who stops at the letter K. Again, the descriptions are as astonishing as they are understated, a window into a developing talent and alien world.\\n\\nFinally, the book is packed with wonderful photos, engravings, and paintings. I wish they were of higher quality than in my edition.\\n\\nThere is a political subtext to it, of course: Ataturk's secular revolution is woefully incomplete: while the empire is gone, nothing has risen that can quite take its place. What you get is a half-formed society, extremely sad at its decline, but somehow proud and contented in its particular melancholy, or Huzun. The expression of this is absolutely wonderful and vivid, yet understated and infinitely subtle.\\n\\nThis is what this book said to me. I got a feeling for Turkey that was completely unexpected, and it will fuel my own passion for history for years. That being said, this book is not for everyone. It is about the life of the mind in a place that many will find obscure and depressing. Also, Pamuk is so introverted that many readers will not identify with him. And his style is extremely quirky.\\n\\nWarmly recommended. I got a wonderful sense of the passage of history and human struggle and identity unlike anything I have ever read.\",\n \"Product: This is a book about the meaning of time, what it is, when it has started, how it flows and where to. It examines the consequences of Einstein's theory of relativity and offers startling suggestions about what recent research may reveal.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: a world class populariser\\n\\nReview: Unfortunately, though cosmology is only the crudest projection of their abstractions by some physicists on the cosmos, it has become a staple of pop philosophy. From black holes to the big bang, cosmologists have created a new vocabulary that pops in the unlikeliest of places today, far outside of their original and strictly qualified scientific domains.\\nDavies is a rarity amoung popular science writers. Not only does he stick to hard science without over-simplifying, but he avoids the excesses in speculative claims that boosters foist on the uninformed public. In clear and concise prose, he examines the cutting edge of the field of time, as framed by Einstein and extended by recent research and observations, with grace and humor. It is a masterly performance.\\nWhile he does not avoid the fantastical worlds that may be beckoning, such as a black hole being a gateway to the end of time, Davies never neglects the flip side of such phenomena: any ship that went into a black hole would probably be crushed or would be unable to communicate what it had found, as not even light can escape.\\nTHis also means that, while Davies explains the building blocks of the new cosmology with unusual clarity, he also exposes the flimsiness of its foundations. We do not know, for example, what constitutes 9/10s of the mass of the universe! Nor can we explain many of the oberservations of the Hubble telescope, such as the discovery of stars that appear to be older than the universe itself. Now THAT more is exciting than off-the-wall speculation! Our theories, Davies demonstrates, are far from complete.\",\n \"Product: In 1863, Amsterdam Vallon returns to the Five Points area of New York City seeking revenge against Bill the Butcher, his father's killer.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: horrific historical film that succeeds in spite of the manufactured melodrama\\n\\nReview: I feel ambivalent about this film. On the one hand, the raw portrayal of a shameful period in American history is a great success. You get not only the gang culture with sharp ethnic and religious divides, but also the volatile race hatreds, the systemic corruption, and lawlessness. It is extremely ugly and violent, something that we Americans would prefer to ignore. On the other hand, the plot is based on a crude, fictional melodrama - boy wanting vengeance on the evil murderer of his father and finding love with a beautiful thief - and it didn't work for me. I couldn't suspend my disbelief, but felt that it was a hollywood formula, lacking much life. Not even Daniel Day-Lewis, as the baddie, is much more than a cartoon, as is his sometime ally, boss Tweed. I thought that Di Caprio, who I think is a truly fine actor, was better, but he couldn't quite transcend the stereotypical role.\\n\\nI watched this again because I had just read a wonderful book on the period, What Hath God Wrought. The author recommends the film. From a historical point of view, 1815-1865 was a watershed era, when police forces but also the reach of the federal government were hugely expanded, essentially wiping out local cultures based on lawless gangs. The film shows this very well, beginning with a brutal street battle and ending with the draft riot of 1863, in which mobs took over the city for many days. This is food for thought.\\n\\nIn spite of my dislike for the principal plot line, there is a lot of good acting in this, but almost exclusively by minor characters. They provide the atmospherics that the melodrama so glaringly fails to do. The sets are extremely well done. The extras in my DVD version are also interesting, in particular the 2 documentaries.\\n\\nRecommended with caution. Unfortunately, this is not a Scorsese film that you simply believe in your gut from the first frame.\",\n \"Product: John Julius Norwich was born in 1929. He joined the British Foreign Service after studying French and Russian at Oxford, and left the service in 1964 to become a writer. He has also worked extensively in radio and television, hosting the popular BBC radio panel game My Word! for several years, and writing and presenting historical documentaries. His many books include an acclaimed Byzantium trilogy., John Julius, 2nd Viscount Norwich, was born in 1929, the son of the statesman and diplomat Alfred Duff Cooper (1st Viscount) and the Lady Diana Cooper. He was educated at Upper Canada College, Toronto, at Eton, at the University of Strasbourg and on the lower deck of the Royal Navy before taking a degree in French and Russian at New College, Oxford. In 1952 he joined the Foreign Service, where he remained for twelve years, serving at the embassies in Belgrade and Beirut and with the British Delegation to the Disarmament Conference at Geneva. In 1964 he resigned from the service in order to write. His many and varied publications include two books on the medieval Norman Kingdom in Sicily, The Normans in the South and The Kingdom in the Sun, which are published by Faber Finds; The Architecture of Southern England; Glyndebourne; and A History of Venice, originally published in two volumes. He is also the author of a three-volume history of the Byzantine Empire. He has written and presented some thirty historical documentaries for television, and is a regular lecturer on Venice and numerous other subjects.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: a lush narrative history about a uniquely dynamic people\\n\\nReview: This is an excellent popular history of the Normans - the Viking people that occupied NW France, got feudal recognition and were absorbed into the local culture, and then expanded outward with exceptional dynamism. Theirs was an absolutely remarkable rise, from pillagers to nobility and finally, statesmen and relatively enlightened sovereigns. While their takeover of Britain (the last time the island was invaded, let alone conquered) is well known, their career in the South has received relatively little attention. This wonderfully readable book remedies that in a series of stories that are at once scholarly and fun.\\n\\nWhen the Normans arrived in southern Italy, they were little more than a mercenary force, indeed thieves. They may have been able to boast they were born of French feudal lords, but they were essentially adventurers with nothing. Their brutality was as remarked upon as their thirst for status and glory. At the time of their arrival in 1016, Italy was uneasily divided between the germanic Lombards, Greeks with ties to Byzantium, and the papacy. Sicily was occupied at the time by various sultans, a culturally rich if unstable mix with Greeks and Latins as well.\\n\\nThe Normans, and in particular the family of the Hautevilles, came onto the scene and clawed their way to the top. Robert, dubbed the Guiscard, became a major figure, eventually gaining the title of Duke of Apulia from the Pope, who annointed sovereigns all over western christendom. With his brother Roger, with whom he occasionally warred, he brought order to the South and opened an invasion of Sicily. Though constantly at war with unruly lords sworn to him under feudal obligation, Robert was merciful and tolerant once in power, to the surprise of his critics. Both of them were leaders of genius, combining brute force with diplomacy, winning loyalty from locals, if sometimes allowing their knights to pillage conquered territories. Their rise is all the more remarkable in that they rarely had more than a few hundred Normal followers in their fighting forces, with locals making up the difference in infantry and shock troops.\\n\\nOnce Robert installed Roger in Sicily - with the barest beach head bases and a fighting force of 300 knights or so - he left him to his own devices. SLowly, Roger conquered the island, toppling one Emir at a time, developing a navy, and patiently waiting out many a rebellion. Because he needed local support, he was tolerant of both arabs and greeks, allowing them to keep their religious observances and cultures while opening administrative and military careers to talent from their ranks. The result was an astounding success, with a leadership unusually enlightened for the times. Roger's only surviving son, Roger II, took over and continued these shrewd and prudent policies, playing off the rivalries of the papal court to be ordained as King of the South. That is where the book ends, with Sicily on the verge of becoming the greatest beacon of culture and commerce of its age.\\n\\nThis is a delight to read, though it took me a while to get into it. There are flashes of analyses of historical forces, wonderful sketches of the personalities, and painting of the wider context as the Crusades begin.\\n\\nRecommended warmly.\",\n \"Product: Cook’s Illustrated is a widely renowned America’s Test Kitchen brand that is the work of over 60 passionate chefs based in Boston, Massachusetts, who put ingredients, cookware, equipment, and recipes through objective, rigorous testing to identify the very best. America’s Test Kitchen brands are well-known for top-rated television shows with more than 4 million weekly public television viewers, bestselling cookbooks, magazines, websites, and a cooking school. Discover, learn, and expand your cooking repertoire with Julia Collin Davison, Bridget Lancaster, Jack Bishop, Dan Souza, Lisa McManus, Tucker Shaw, Bryan Roof, and our fabulous team of test cooks!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: how-to cooking methods explained - scientifically\\n\\nReview: If you are like me, you love to cook but the results of your efforts are sometimes frustratingly inconsistent. Even if you read your recipes very carefully, there are levels of expertise that are sometimes assumed, hence unaddressed. Really good cooks have a feel for these things that are hard to transmit, and often say that you just have to learn by trial and error, also frustrating.\\n\\nThis book is the perfect remedy to these problems: you can look up how to do things, which they have carefully proven by exhaustive experiment, and written down in a succinct way, with plenty of scientific detail if you are so inclined.\\n\\nYou can look up almost anything and get practical advice on how to do it better. The index is excellent, the table of contents broken down by method - so techniques are easy to find.\\n\\nFor example, I only recently began to cook steak (my wife doesn't like it, but now the kids want it). No matter what I did, it almost always turned out too tough, unless I bought a very expensive cut. So I looked up a method in this book: marinate in oil and salt, then heat it gently first in the oven, before pan frying it at high heat. They discuss all other methods, such as pure pan frying and explain why slow heating works best. It works every single time. The same goes for beans, chickens, and veggies: there are simple things you can do to vastly improve the taste. Indeed, I am learning what I have been doing slightly wrong for the last 25 years of cooking! It is a revelation.\\n\\nThat being said, there are some things the book is not. First, it is not about nutrition, which doesn't appear in the index. Second, it is not a recipe book, except to illustrate the concepts they wish to introduce - its recipes are pretty normal, which is of course fine. Third, it is not a science book, though that aspect is interesting as well, if you want to go there.\\n\\nWhat you can do with this is supplement your favorite recipes, study it for practical tips, or learn what is happening when you cook. I couldn't be more pleased. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: We sell Rare, out-of-print, uncommon, & used BOOKS, PRINTS, MAPS, DOCUMENTS, AND EPHEMERA. We do not sell ebooks, print on demand, or other reproduced materials. Each item you see here is individually described and imaged. We welcome further inquiries.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: his great (and chilling) masterpiece\\n\\nReview: This is one of the finest novels of the 19C. It chronicles the relentless rise - and inevitable, brutal fall - of a talented and highly ambitious young man during the French restoration. You witness Julian, from his abusive childhood at a sawmill, as he gains the position of a tutor with the local gentry on the strength of his having memorised the entire Vulgate Bible, into the highest ranks of the aristocracy. All around him, there are characters in equal parts fascinating and pathetic, perhaps more interesting than he and yet his victims.\\nThe protagonist Julian is at times cold, calculating, shrewd, a fool, and very sad, desperately in need of love. But he is always realistic psychologically and cunning, if lucky and then very unlucky. Julian bursts all of the limits imposed on him and in the process indicts the society from which he sprung and gained. This is utterly spellbinding fiction, into which you can go as deeply as you wish, from simple emotional reactions and an exploration of a rigid society, to structuralist symbolism if that is your bag.\\nHighest recommendation.\",\n \"Product: an odd heinlen\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: disappointing potboiler of body switch\\n\\nReview: This is a clunkily written book about an old man who has his brain implanted into the body of a young woman. Not only is the method unrealistic - as they are compatible by blood type the surgeons just match the brain stems and don't worry about which nerve goes where - but the story is way too long. Naturally, there is a dialogue that goes on between the 2 people in the body, and it is not bad but there is nothing much interesting about it except perhaps when the old man discovers sex as a female. The atmospherics are not bad, as the earth is falling into a kind of political chaos from totally unregulated capitalism, but this is only a backdrop. I just never quite believed in either the characters or the situation.\\n\\nRecommended tepidly.\",\n \"Product: Title: Dune, Frank Herbert (Hardcover)\\nBinding: Hardcover\\nClassics of Modern Literature\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Re-reading this after 30 years, it still measures up\\n\\nReview: I have been watching the TV mini-series on this for some time, and decided to go back to the novel to re-visit my perceptions and interpretation. It is so strange to picture my younger self reading this with such awe and fascination to the person of today. My love for this was strong and unchanged.\\n\\nAll I can say is that this is one of the most dense and deliciously well written scifi novels that I have ever read. From virtually any standpoint, the reader can ponder science (ecology, genetic evolution, anthropology), politics (the organization of the great houses and empire, the Bene Gesserit, the jihad), religion, and even human destiny (collective and individual). Indeed, the book is like a handbook of academic disciplines that culminated in the 20C.\\n\\nThis adds up to a fecundity of the story as an adventure of the imagination that is unparalelled in scifi and that pushes this into the realm of a great novel of any genre. Even the characters are wonderfully full-lived and subtle. Look at the evolution of Paul and his cryptic utterances late in the book. Of course, you have history and luck, but then there is the unpredictable X-factor, the spice and its effect on humans, which will change human evolution. It evoked the same sense of wonder at human possibility and unpredictability that I felt as a youth.\\n\\nWhat is so much fun is that Herbert does not explain the whole thing, but gives the reader enough clues to interpret it while also creating the seeds of future possibilities. Though I have read all the books, I saw so much more at this re-reading to know that I will read this yet again, perhaps in 20 years. Now I will have to go all the way back through the 6-novel cycle!\\n\\nOne of the very best. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Title: Dune, Frank Herbert (Hardcover)\\nBinding: Hardcover\\nClassics of Modern Literature\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Re-reading this after 30 years, it still measures up\\n\\nReview: I have been watching the TV mini-series on this for some time, and decided to go back to the novel to re-visit my perceptions and interpretation. It is so strange to picture my younger self reading this with such awe and fascination to the person of today. My love for this was strong and unchanged.\\n\\nAll I can say is that this is one of the most dense and deliciously well written scifi novels that I have ever read. From virtually any standpoint, the reader can ponder science (ecology, genetic evolution, anthropology), politics (the organization of the great houses and empire, the Bene Gesserit, the jihad), religion, and even human destiny (collective and individual). Indeed, the book is like a handbook of academic disciplines that culminated in the 20C.\\n\\nThis adds up to a fecundity of the story as an adventure of the imagination that is unparalelled in scifi and that pushes this into the realm of a great novel of any genre. Even the characters are wonderfully full-lived and subtle. Look at the evolution of Paul and his cryptic utterances late in the book. Of course, you have history and luck, but then there is the unpredictable X-factor, the spice and its effect on humans, which will change human evolution. It evoked the same sense of wonder at human possibility and unpredictability that I felt as a youth.\\n\\nWhat is so much fun is that Herbert does not explain the whole thing, but gives the reader enough clues to interpret it while also creating the seeds of future possibilities. Though I have read all the books, I saw so much more at this re-reading to know that I will read this yet again, perhaps in 20 years. Now I will have to go all the way back through the 6-novel cycle!\\n\\nOne of the very best. Warmly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Will be shipped from US. Used books may not include companion materials, may have some shelf wear, may contain highlighting/notes, may not include CDs or access codes. 100% money back guarantee.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: essential to understanding the 20th Century\\n\\nReview: What marks this book from so many on the annihilation of the Jews in death camps is its brevity. The book is so spare that it is hard to understand the horror without reading it so slowly that you are practically reading it aloud. There are really vivid characters in it, who evolve in just a few paragraphs, a truly masterful encapsulation of lost lives. While there is nothing particularly remarkable about his writing style, Wiesel has created a classic here that will stand the test of time. It is so scary and devastating that I will never forget it.\\n\\nA teacher friend of mine began his class with a close reading of this book, and allowed me to witness the discussion. It moved children of all races to pose questions, both about history and what men are capable of and about themselves and their identities. It was brilliant.\\n\\nHighest recommendation.\",\n \"Product: Tim Blanning is the author of a number of major works on eighteenth century Europe, including The Pursuit of Glory : Europe 1648-1815, The Culture of Power and the Power of Culture and Joseph II. He is Emeritus Professor of Modern European History at the University of Cambridge, a Fellow of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge and a Fellow of the British Academy. His latest book, Frederick the Great, won the British Academy Medal 2016.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great themes of Enlightenment, the emergence of the nation-state, and the notion of democracy\\n\\nReview: I bought this book in order to read about the aftermath of the Thirty Years War, in which the notion of national sovereignty essentially overtook the extreme fragmentation of the feudal era. What I found instead was a dazzling exposition of the evolution of European society from 1648 to 1815, when Absolutism and the Enlightenment reigned, the State was consolidated and then challenged by the \\\"nation\\\", and the democratic political revolution began and failed, ending in military dictatorship and a war so savage that the destruction and killing were on a par with WWI.\\n\\nThe book starts off with a basic analysis on life and death, including how primitive transportation was, how horrendously difficult life really was in the countryside, and how the economy for most had barely changed since antiquity even with steam power and the beginnings of the industrial revolution. People were almost all born poor, worked their entire lives, and died with little prospect of improvement of their station in life. While this in many ways is the driest part of the book, it is essential for what follows and indeed for putting one's modern life in perspective.\\n\\nThe chapters on power and institutions were particularly fascinating to me. First, with the consolidation of centralized control and the relative decline of feudal aristocrats, there was the absolutist impulse. This supposedly put unprecedented power into the hands of a sovereign, though Blanning questions whether the notion is as cut and dried as historians have made it out to be. Second, he examines in great detail who the elites were, how they could achieve rank and power, and how their positions were changing. While essentially aristocratic as based on land ownership and religious offices, these bases were giving way to urban centers, merchants, and industrialists, which were more secular; much of this was inchoate until the French Revolution, of course, but he proves it was in motion long before the 19C upheavals we associate with them. Third, he looks at how the function of institutions were changing, as in the development of parliamentary checks and balances but also in the development of a professional bureaucracy staffed by educated men of varying backgrounds. Finally, in reference to the title, Blanning argues that much of what happened was due to the actions of kings and princes, whose principal motivation was personal glory and pride or face.\\n\\nThere is also a long section on religion and culture. The church, he argues, experienced a golden age of influence on the powerful and everyday life in spite of the image of Enlightenment challenges to its authority. This was the Baroque age as well as one of protestant diversification. Moreover, he posits, the rationalist philosophies that emerged were largely ignored or superceded by their romantic critics, gaining currency only in limited circles and disciplines. Finally, Blanning explains the political nature behind the art and architecture that arose in this period, with a particular focus on Louis XIV. Again, it is fascinating, a kind of Kulturgeschichte expressed in dense and elegant writing, each section a mini-essay that stands on it own.\\n\\nThe concluding chapters on the military situation, with a focus on Alfred the Great (with a militarization of a society) and Napoleon (using citizens to mobilize for total war), were too brief in my view, skimming over what were immensely complex wars and rapidly evolving political systems. I was disapppointed because these were the questions I wanted addressed in great detail, but then, this is not a linear history on politics and war. I will have to seek it this elsewhere (please offer suggestions!). A great theme I took away was how the state came to merge with the \\\"nation\\\" in this period, not only ending the sprawling and loosely organized multi-ethnic empires, but also bringing a new sense of identity as belonging to a political entity that is supposed to be more representative, if not yet democratic.\\n\\nThough a bit unusual in its organization - it is not a narrative history and follows no clear chronological order - this book offers a wonderful reading experience about the early modern period in European history. It is organized about broad themes and hence not for everyone, but it absorbed my attention for a full 6 weeks of delight and near complete satisfaction. While it would be better to have some idea of what events were taking place, Blanning alludes to them in passing - this will slow some readers down, but is more or less sufficient. Finally, I would have preferred extensive footnotes, but it is not an academic book so much as a popular history. There is a good annotated bibliography.\\n\\nRecommended warmly.\",\n \"Product: Yale University Press 1976. History text; notees, bibliography, index, 280 pages.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: solid introduction to the basics\\n\\nReview: I read this in college during the time that I discovered a love of history, so it was a great pleasure to re-read it. The book covers a narrow, if crucial period, 972-1204 CE, when Europe was emerging from the dark ages. The basic idea of the book is that things went from local and parochial to global and universal - in a variety of areas.\\n\\nFirst, there were the somewhat artificial ethno-linguistic distinctions between Germans and Latins, the former farther north and less civilized than the mediterranean-linked \\\"old world\\\". Still, they remained separate from the Byzantines, whose Greek traditions appeared obscure and effeminate to the rough scrabble western EUropeans. Southern offers a good snapshot of what was going on in a geopolitical sense in the period: the Crusades exposed fighters to new ideas, forcing them out of local life and into the bigger world. This opened their minds and indicated new possibilities.\\n\\nSecond, there were the social arrangements, essentially freemen v. serfs. Governed by force for centuries, the period saw the rediscovery of Roman Law, which began to replace the arbitrary exercise of power in a non-religious way. There was also the rise of knighthoods, which required oaths to govern (or restrain) personal behavior. Finally, as the power of proto-states extended itself, rulers found themselves in need of administrators, whose specializations aided in improving governance (and tax collection).\\n\\nThird, the church was transforming itself into a global institution, with Papal doctrines to enforce in localities that had long worshipped in the ways that they chose. In addition, monasteries were accepted and established on a far greater scale than before, opening career possibilities to learned men.\\n\\nFourth, with the influx of Arab text translations and then the original Greek texts, scholars were on the cusp of a period of explosive rediscovery of the ideas of the ancients, in particular Aristotle.\\n\\nNow this is a very basic introduction. It is helped by concrete examples of individuals, but it doesn't get into detail beyond about freshman year in college. Nonetheless, it is elegantly written and a valuable resource.\",\n \"Product: Political science, Military\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: arcane and heavy poli sci approach\\n\\nReview: This is a book for extreme experts: academics, nuclear strategy buffs, and the occasional pundit in search of its peculiar logic. Forgive my naivete, but it also exemplifies why academia is viewed by so many as a boring world of, well, extreme experts of recondite trivia - even when it deals with the potential destruction of industrial civilization. In my view, this book utterly fails to cross over to the interested non-specialist or those who are not writing a dissertation but just want a good read. I never would have cracked this if it wasn't for work.\\nThat being said, the book summarises an absoulutely enormous amount of scholarship and the thinking of the mysterious \\\"wizards\\\" who argued in little offices in the Pentagon for this type of bomb, that type of missile or artillery shell, and this type of treaty. Fortunately, a lot of this is now more history with the end of the Cold War and the arms race, but it still appears like a bizarre parallel universe of microeconomics applied to massiave destructive capabilites with a cold rationality and words like \\\"deterrence\\\" and \\\"mutual assured destruction.\\\" Alas, very little of the political context or the human drama is covered in its quirky detail, so don't seek that here. The prose is clear, if a bit like a massive vanilla milkshake when you read it in one sitting (as I had to). I learned from this, but simply did not enjoy it past the first chapter or even the introduction. The achievement is inarguable, but this book is like a tough home work assignment in undergraduate school.\\nRecommended for academic purposes, but not for the interested layman.\",\n \"Product: Jim Mastro has a degree in biology and a master of arts in English. His photography has been featured in Omni, Discover, International Wildlife, and Geo. He lives with his wife and son in New Hampshire.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: what it is like to work and wonder way way down under\\n\\nReview: This is a clearly written, funny, moving and fascinating account of what it was like for the author to work in Antarctica over a number of years. While he has told it like a one-year trip, in fact it is a distillation of 14 years experience.\\n\\nThe book is distinguished in several respects. First, the photography is wonderful - just it is worth the price of admission. Second, there is the story of working there as a scientist, in particular the work underwater. It is really fascinating and full of quirky tidbits, like mummified seals thousands of years old or the faulty insulation of some fish. Third, there are the personal tales of what it is like for the residents, and they are harrowing not in any adventuresome sense, but in the psychological demands placed on them. Women beware of living there with so many hungry males!\\n\\nWarmly recomended. It is also beautifully written from a stylistic standpoint. Truly a mini-masterpiece of the genre.\",\n \"Product: Robert Dennis Crumb (born August 30, 1943)-known as Robert Crumb and R. Crumb-is an American artist, illustrator, and musician recognized for the distinctive style of his drawings and his critical, satirical, subversive view of the American mainstream. Crumb was a founder of the underground comix movement and is regarded as its most prominent figure. Though one of the most celebrated of comic book artists, Crumb's entire career has unfolded outside the mainstream comic book publishing industry. One of his most recognized works is the \\\"Keep on Truckin'\\\" comic, which became a widely distributed fixture of pop culture in the 1970s. Others are the characters Devil Girl, Fritz the Cat, and Mr. Natural. He was inducted into the comic book industry's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1991.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: hilariously revolting and splendidly non-PC\\n\\nReview: In the heart of every man, I suspect, lies at least a bit of adolescent misogyny. I grew up reading Crumb, who hit the scene right as my adolescence was beginning. Crumb gets the alienation that non-jock boys feel in this society of the young, and wraps absolutely wonderful and hilarious stories around these issues. And he graphically portrays sex in the most unsparing terms, verging on the truly grotesque. Then there is his taste for steatopaegic women!!\\n\\nThis collection is perhaps his best: his humor, his ongoing anger at women, and his strange (and ultimately supremely satisfied) tastes come through in a way no one else could do it. The first story is the best, long on autobiography and utterly hilarious. From an inhibited and unpopular boy, stardom in the underground comic revolution catapulted Crumb into the rank of superstar counter cultural artists. I believe that he deserves his fame, as his vision is dark and unique and perfectly realized in his work. SO with this fame, he goes about experimenting on the women who now fawn on him, after rejecting him. He loves them and despises them and mistreats them, all while realizing the emptiness of his game. The following stories really don't tell us anything new, but they are still awfully funny and outstandingly worth the read.\\n\\nThere are also the comics done in cooperation with his wife, which simply lack the tightness of his writing in the solo pieces. Her drawing style is seriously inferior to his, but there is no question that they share a vision and that this is a new departure in his work, more realistic but also satirical - it covers married life that is strange and \\\"cute as a bug's ear\\\". It is funny and playful, if not quite a 5-star performance. Moreover, some of the material is recycled from older Crumb, which fans would notice.\\n\\nNeedless to say, women do not appreciate his deliciously lascivious cynicism about their part of the species. They see him as pathetic and misogynous, and they are right in their own way. But men get what he is saying, in all its cruel detail. Sure, it is pretty adolescent, but as Hughes said in the film, he really is a modern-day Hieronymous Bosch.\",\n \"Product: Con 'La Rabbia e L'Orgoglio' Oriana Fallaci rompe un silenzio durato dieci anni. Lo rompe prendendo spunto dall'apocalisse che la mattina dell'11 ssettembre 2001, non molto lontano dalla sua casa di Manhattan, disintegr le due Torri di New York e incener migliaia di creature. Preceduto dal clamore che la parte pubblicata dai giornali in Italia e all'estero suscit diciotto giorni dopo l'immane tragedia, il libro si presenta finalmente nella sua versione integrale. Vale a dire col suo testo completo e non quello che allora, data l'eccesiva lunghezza, la Fallaci ridusse a poco pi della met. Si presenta inoltree arricchito da una drammatica prefazione dove la Fallaci spiega come esso nacque e dove, spiegando perch il terrorismo islamico non si coclude con la sconfitta dei talebani in Afghanistan, descrive la realt globale della Guerra Santa. Una prefazione infine, dove cogliendoci di sorpresa parla anche di s stessa: del suo lavoro, del suo ermetico isolamento, delle sue scelte rigorose e spietate. Spesso inserendo memorie personali, episodi illuminanti della sua vita, nel testo parla invece dei temi legati all'11 settembre 2001: l'America, l'Italia, l'Europa, l'Islam, noi. Soprattutto di noi. Col suo noto coraggio lancia accuse durissime, scaglia furibonde invettive. Con la sua brutale sincerit espone le lucide idee e le passioni, le scomode verit e le riflessioni su cui in questi anni di caparbio silenzio aveva voluto tacere. Ci che nella prefazione la Fallaci definisce \\\"piccolo libro\\\" in realt un grande libro. Un libro prezioso, un libro che scuote le coscienze, anzi le sconvolge. Ma anche il ritratto di un'anima. La sua anima. Rester dentro di noi come una spina nel cervello e nel cuore.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: bitter and piercing polemic\\n\\nReview: Fallaci has the reputation of an irascible moral purist, a radical democrat, and she certainly lives up to that here. This book, written in response immediately following the 9/11 attacks, demonstrates that she has lost none of her political passion and acid tongue. It is as if she vomitted it all out in a single sitting, which is not too far off the mark as she says she lived on coffee and didn't sleep for weeks while she wrote.\\n\\nOn the one hand, there is her outrage at what occured, not only with the Muslim world that spawned such dangerous fundamentalists, but also at the reactions of the politicians in the West and in particular in Europe. All I can say is that her condemnations are not terribly nuanced: there is no acknowledgment of moderate moslems and no patience with the all-too-human hypocrisy of the \\\"critics\\\" of the US. While this is rather tiresome after a while, it should not overshadow the fact that her perspective and experience as a celebrated journalist are indeed unique and penetrating. But her rhetoric all too easily soars to excess. In a diatribe against colored immigrants in Italy, for example, she flatly charges that they don't work much, that they routinely indulge in sexual assault, and that they cannot be absorbed into Italian civilization but will instead destroy it. That is certainly not quite racist in my reading, but there is real bile there.\\n\\nOn the other hand, she gives some wonderful glimpses into her mind and its development, from the moral integrity of her parents to her meetings with such world leaders as the Dalai Lama (he gets an A+) or Yassar Arafat (D-). In a way, I wish that she had written a memoir. Also, she lets on that she has the cancer that killed her, that she loves New York, that America is the guarantor of the West's freedom. It is a good performance and highly interesting. It is a voice that will be missed.\\n\\nI read this in Italian and really enjoyed the language: vivid and full of bite, very useful for the development of vocabulary.\\n\\nRecommended.\",\n \"Product: Venice - Lion City - Religion of Empire (01) by Wills, Garry [Paperback (2002)]\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Venetian art as reflection of politics/history/economics\\n\\nReview: This is a wonderful book. While Wills has been criticized as a non-specialist in these reviews, in many ways I found that an asset in this book. It is beautifully written - he has a uniquely clear and flowing style of writing that is a continual pleasure for me - and as he presents the essence of the many subjects he wishes to cover, he rarely gets bogged down in detail. In addition, many of the things that he investigates are wonderful surprizes for non-specialized readers such as myself (e.g. that the body of St. Mark was stolen by Venetians and set up in a shrine to establish the legitimacy of the city's unusual political culture).\\n\\nTHe book is organized in several theme sections. First, in Imperial Disciplines, there are the historical origins and unique structure of this Renaissance state, which allowed it to escape the power struggles that dogged medieval Italy, i.e. unlike the innumerable city states re-fought the same territorial battles every generation under different egomaniacs. Second, in Imperial Personnel, Wills looks at the various members of society, from the frozen aristocracy (built on the expectation of duty rather than priviledge) to the workers who made the city's arsenal such as great and unique strategic asset as well as the \\\"outsiders,\\\" such as the Jews (the word \\\"ghetto,\\\" we learn, was coined for Venetian brass foundaries); how the state functioned, who held power and how it was exercised (in a diffused bureaucratic balance), are expertly described while avoiding the heaviness of a comprehensive history. Third, in Imperial Piety, there is the religious iconography and ritual, which in part allowed Venetians the sense of legitimacy they needed to defy Rome and the Pope over centuries. As I am quite ignorent of Christian history, this was fascinating and valuable for me, e.g. that St George was a Christianized Hercules, who also \\\"fought\\\" the many plagues that inevitably arose in the Venetian environment. Finally, in Imperial Learning, there is the Renaissance scholarship that came late to the city, and how it altered the art, politics, book scholarship, and the like - all set in geo-political context. Throughout - and sometimes with too much descriptive detail for me - Wills interprets the art and architecture of Venice in light of these themes. The result is simply dazzling, in my view, a masterwork by a great populariser and philosophical moralist.\\n\\nAt any rate, this was exactly what I was looking for, and from reading many of WIlls' books, what I expected. It is not for graduate-level academics, but rather for those well informed on European history who are curious to learn more on Venice.\\n\\nWarmly recommended.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":200,"string":"200"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":383,"string":"383"}}},{"rowIdx":384,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"ABAZFH25304ZG"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"Hot Shots Golf Fore! is the fourth installment of the golf game that changed the way you play. It has provides breathtaking graphics and true-to-life golf physics, along with new golfers, caddies and courses. There's even a great new miniature golf and unique online gameplay mode. It's more of the fast-paced gameplay that fans of the franchise have grown to love! Unlock more prizes than ever - advanced golf equipment, new courses, characters and tons of wacky golf gadgets Miniature golf returns with a wacky new twist, and against thousands of Hot Shots Golf fans from across the nation\". The summary of the review text is \"Keeping the faith of the series, it's good fun.\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"Up front I will tell you I'm 32 years old and I have not been so addicted to a cheesier title than Hot Shots Golf 4. Call me a kid, but I'm not sure why I like this game so much. The characters are zany, the graphics are kiddie, but under all that, this is one serious golf game and I highly recommend it.\n\nHot Shots Golf 4 looks signicantly better than 3 due to the better looking courses but unless you really pay attention, your average Joe won't notice the difference between 3 and 4. There are some magnificent use of photo backdrops that mesh with the golfing environments perfectly though and look better than ever.\n\nThis is one of the better looking PS2 titles (in a cheesie sort of way). As you progress through a round of golf, you'll notice little added touches like day turning into dusk and dusk turning into day. Clouds move through the sky and rain starts to pour. The water holes, ponds, lakes etc...looks pretty darn real and it might want to make you want to take a swim. While not a huge deal, the trees also look much better than they did in 3. They actually move to the wind and they can actually affect your gameplay depending on which way the wind blows. You will also notice some other nice eye candy such as hot air balloons floating in the sky, bears chillin out near the fairways, planes whizzing through the clouds, ducks going south for the winter, bugs buzzing around the fairway and even an occasional rodent scurrying around the trees. And as always, you can change the time of the season which also offers a significant variance in visuals. Playing both in winter and summer gives you some serious variety. Although i wish the zany characters would dress appropriately for the different times of the season. What is with Tiffany keeping to her skimpy black dress and nylons in 20 degree weather?\n\nEnormous replay value with the addition of new courses, new mini-golf mode, and the biggest addition, online play. I only wish the online part was more robust, you can only do one on one play and when you play in a tournament, you can only view your opponents scores rather than see them actually play.\n\nBe that as it may, this is a must have game for PS2 owners, don't hesiste, get a hole in one and buy this."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"Up front I will tell you I'm 32 years old and I have not been so addicted to a cheesier title than Hot Shots Golf 4. Call me a kid, but I'm not sure why I like this game so much. The characters are zany, the graphics are kiddie, but under all that, this is one serious golf game and I highly recommend it.\n\nHot Shots Golf 4 looks signicantly better than 3 due to the better looking courses but unless you really pay attention, your average Joe won't notice the difference between 3 and 4. There are some magnificent use of photo backdrops that mesh with the golfing environments perfectly though and look better than ever.\n\nThis is one of the better looking PS2 titles (in a cheesie sort of way). As you progress through a round of golf, you'll notice little added touches like day turning into dusk and dusk turning into day. Clouds move through the sky and rain starts to pour. The water holes, ponds, lakes etc...looks pretty darn real and it might want to make you want to take a swim. While not a huge deal, the trees also look much better than they did in 3. They actually move to the wind and they can actually affect your gameplay depending on which way the wind blows. You will also notice some other nice eye candy such as hot air balloons floating in the sky, bears chillin out near the fairways, planes whizzing through the clouds, ducks going south for the winter, bugs buzzing around the fairway and even an occasional rodent scurrying around the trees. And as always, you can change the time of the season which also offers a significant variance in visuals. Playing both in winter and summer gives you some serious variety. Although i wish the zany characters would dress appropriately for the different times of the season. What is with Tiffany keeping to her skimpy black dress and nylons in 20 degree weather?\n\nEnormous replay value with the addition of new courses, new mini-golf mode, and the biggest addition, online play. I only wish the online part was more robust, you can only do one on one play and when you play in a tournament, you can only view your opponents scores rather than see them actually play.\n\nBe that as it may, this is a must have game for PS2 owners, don't hesiste, get a hole in one and buy this."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Outrun 2 gets your motor running, as the legendary racing game takes you to all-new locales. With blistering graphics, electrifying gameplay and heart-pounding excitement, you'll get the serious racing that made Outrun such a huge arcade hit!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Relive a classic game of the past with XBOX graphics.\n\nReview: Need a good no-brainer racer? Look no further.\n\nI love classic games and bringing them back to the mainstrem of technology--- it makes me very happy. Outrun was one of Sega's biggest games in the 80's. How many quarters did people spend to play this game? I don't know, but it makes me sick to think about it. Outrun was certainly way before its time and was one of the greatest driving games ever in its hay day. Outrun 2 keeps the feeling and faith of the original by giving us the same crazy arcade gameplay with the classic music. The gameplay is nutty, you can drift and powerslide on a corner like there is no tomorrow. It's defintely the immortal feeling of the General Lee, these Ferrari's can do it all. The arcade mode takes after the original and the likes of the classic Pole Position. It's a race to get to the checkpoint, nothing more, you and the clock. Although the arcade mode is a bit limited, as you can finish one race in about 10 minutes, and that's it. But the fun is within the mission mode that gives you more variety and the ability to open new prizes. You can knock over cones, race against other drivers, perfect the powerslide and earn new cars and a even a few new modes. Even better you can take this baby on XBOX Live and duke it out with 8 other racers. Don't worry about this game looking nostalgic, it's a very good looking racer and is every bit as good as Burnout 3 and Rallisport Challenge 2 which are considered tops in the graphics department for racers.","Product: MLB 2006 features numerous gameplay enhancements for the upcoming season. The all-new Branch Point Technology (BPT) provides seamless fielding transitions and smooth base running; the all-new PlayMaker Fielding Marker provides better fielding interaction with your player attributes with your skill level in order to make the play; all-new Release Point Pitching helps determine your ability to hit spots in the strike zone; a deeper Franchise Mode; and an all-new Career Mode where you call the shots. With returning gameplay favorites including EyeToy functionality and online playability through 989SportsOnline.com, MLB 2006 promises a true-to-life experience for every pitch, hit, catch and throw from the moment you step onto the diamond.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Holy Smokes, 989 Sports makes a good game??? Well, almost.\n\nReview: Remember Gameday on the Playstation? Maybe you do or maybe you don't, but this is when Sony did sports right. Then came 989 sports. Ouch. I never liked 989 Sports from day one. They took the series to the trash and their MLB series seemed to falter year after year. They messed up Gameday, screwed up the Twisted Metal Series, and they never seemed to get baseball right either, but they certainly made a great game with one major flaw, read below.\n\n***Attention Game Could Be Defective*** After about 2 weeks of playing, as with others have mentioned, I have to say I've ran into somewhat of a serious problem. The game OCCASIONALLY froze up on me during gameplay. At times \"say during a season\" I would click on the day so I can play the game for that day, and it says \"all games must be simulated\" and it froze a few times during that instance. So during the actual gameplay, you're safe, but you might run into some issues during a Season game which is unacceptable. This would be forgiveable if I thought maybe it was a defective disc, or even my PS2 was having problems. But I tried it on two other systems, and also rented one to confirm. It's glitch in the game as people are confirming. I have to say it's not all the time. It seems to be toward the end of game or after extensive play. This can be annoying, especially if you are in a Season mode. I've read though some people are not having issues at all, so it may be only \"some\" of the games are defective. Be that as it may, keep in mind before buying. Some places let you buy insurance before buying so it may not be a bad idea. Now onto the review...\n\n With the exception of the glitch above, I'm very happy to say that MLB 2006 is every bit as good as MVP Baseball by E.A. and to a point, it's a lot better than MLB 2K5 by Visual Concepts! Word of warning though, if you're not into realistic gameplay and the feel of a true baseball experience, you might want to stick with MVP or 2K5 as they are more of an arcade feel. But if you want realism, you've came to the right place! MLB 2006 is my baseball of choice this year and I still can't believe 989 sports pumped out this gem on the PS2!!!\n\nThe big difference most will notice this year is the pitching and batting interface, wow, works wonders! The pitching uses a \"Release Point Pitching System\" that is somewhat reminiscent of a golf swing meter that reminded me of the old Links games from microsoft on your PC. Confused yet? Don't be, it's difficult at first, but it becomes second nature in no time and is very fun to get into. The target meter is for power and accuracy for the pitcher. It's not too complicated, but definitely different from the norm, and definitely a change from MLB 2k5 and MVP. The meter may turn some novice gamers off, but for sim fans who want realism, it really makes the game feel more realistic.\n\nThe game also monitors your players \"tude\". If your playa is playing well, whether it'd be batting or pitching, your sweet spots will get bigger and will be easier to be successful. Get into a batting slump and it will be harder and harder to crank a hit with the smaller cold zones. Throw some wild pitches and you'll be giving up runs. This aspect simply adds more to the realism. Due to the realism, don't expect scores of 12 to 1 very often, gettin hits consistently is tough, just as in the real game. It's a game of patience and practice and I suggest playing on Easy until you grow accustomed to the difficulty level that may overwhelm some gamers.\n\nThe graphics are right up there with MVP too, and I think in many ways it's better. There are tons of batting stances and new animations for different players and the fielding is smooth and convincing. I can't believe how this has improved from last year, it's like night and day. It doesn't quite look like you're watching ESPN yet, but it's getting darn close. Can't wait to see it on PS3. I would have liked to see some weather elements, perhaps clouds passing over or even some rain on dreary days, but you're stuck with clear skies and night time. But that's just a nitpick. Good sound too although the commentary is actually the worst part of the game. MVP and 2K5 have MLB beat in this department. The two announcers Matt Vasgersian and Dave Campbell are standard and nothing to write home about. The main issue is that repeat the same old thang over and over, kind of a bummer and it's annoying after a few innings hearing the same remarks, because good commentary would have been the icing on the cake.\n\nOther goodies to keep you going is a gigantic Franchise mode, online play with \"PS2 Ethernet\" awesome two player games, home run derby, practice modes, exhibition and one terrific playing baseball game. I haven't tried online yet, but I've read on a couple of forums it seems to play smooth so far like a friend sitting next to you on your couch. But that's the way it should be I suppose. I personally like this game more than MVP and 2K5, it just feels more like baseball. But with any of them, you really can't go wrong. MVP probably has the best visuals overall, more variety in animations, but MLB 2006 as a total package, gets my vote this year. Thanks 989 sports. You now have my trust. Now let us see what you can do for basketball. NBA Shootout Strikes back???","Product: MVP Baseball lets you experience every part of the classic all-American game. Control all the hitting, pitching, fielding, and base-running like never before. You have total control over the batter's box -- protect the plate or swing for the fences. The head-to-head wireless feature and exciting mini-games make it the best portable baseball game around.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: A rush job to say the least. MLB is a better bet this time.\n\nReview: I love baseball, and usually MVP gets my nod every year for being fun and exciting. But this portable version trying to take after it's bigger cousin, falls flat on it's face and EA Sports should no better than to release this 1/2 arsed effort.\n\nSo what's wrong? How about the choppy graphics after the first pitch? How about the batting game being boring. It makes hitting an extremely simple process against the computer. The computer pitchers usually pitch about 2 strikes for every four pitches, so your guaranteed a hit every time. I hit five home runs in a row for three games straight and the challenge was just not there. I just felt an overall lack of any fun, it was just a batting farce, not a true baseball sim.\n\n So, They simply slapped the \"MVP\" name on the box and knew it would sell, and that is being nice. The game looks pretty bad for a PSP game. The player models look good, but the in game action is no where near the quality of MLB baseball. The load times as mentioned by some are very long and unforgiving and the gameplay seems choppy when the ball hits the field. There is no franchise (which is unforgiving) and the gameplay is lathargic at best. The game itself looks like an old Playstation title on the PSOne, which is unacceptable because many of the sports titles like NBA Street and NFL Street look 10 times better than this. Like I said, defintely feels like a rush job, E.A. can do much better. I did like the sound effects and commentary, but the crowd noise is repetitive, it sounds like the fans were recorded at 3 second intervals and played over and over. Even crazier, the game froze up on me twice!!! Really!\n\n**Bottomline: Wait for something else or give MLB for PSP a try. MVP Baseball is anything but the MVP this year, it's back to the minors for E.A.","Product: Experience the newly designed gameplay elements designed for golfing on the go: faster rounds, more rewards and tougher competition. Whether it's the front nine, back nine or the entire 18 holes the mix of gameplay events cater to on-the-go gaming. Win the events and collect tons of items to customize your character's looks and abilities. Also, the more you play, the better your characters get, including longer drives or straighter shots. Finally with Wi-Fi capabilities, the competition is open to everyone. Anyone within your reach can join you in a head-to-head match or join in on real-time tournaments.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: You got the whole world in your hands!\n\nReview: I will admit, I didn't have a PSP until I heard this was on the shelf. I'm a Hot Shots Golf freak! So knowing I could take this anywhere, the bathroom, my car, the kitchen, my bed and even in church (just kidding) I bought myself a PSP and picked up Hot Shots Golf Open Tee! I'm not a big expert on this system, but I was not expecting a little handheld to compare to the likes of Hot Shots Golf 3 or \"\"fore\"\" on the PS2, but to my surprise, this game is like having the actual big games in the palm of your hand, and in some respects, it's better. The big plus with this game is the ease and quickness of play. There are virtually no load times between holes and the gameplay is fast and responsive and looks pretty to boot. I can't believe how bright the game is.\n\nThe game plays terrific and I have to say \"If it's not broke, why fix it\" came into play with Hot Shots Golf Open Tee as the control scheme is identical to Hot Shots Golf 3 and Fore.\n\nSo if you have played 3 or Fore, you'll be right at home. The differences are in the courses and the new characters. You only have 6 courses to choose (in total) from this time, (which is pretty good for a handheld...) The characters are all new. I think there are at least 15 golfers and some secret ones too. The problem is that you only start out with 2 golfers and 1 course. Kind of the bare minimum especially if you don't want to take the time to earn the new ones, but you'll have to. That said, the game is substantially longer and grueling, but I like this aspect, because people with handhelds can kill some serious time. It takes about 5-7 matches to earn a new character. Most are only 9 holes in the beginning, but it still takes an eternity to earn new characters. Some might like this aspect, some may not. Along the way you earn new threads (wardrobes) hats, shirts, jewelery, shoes, etc. It took me about an hour to just earn the first secret character and a new course to play on!\n\nThe courses are all new and gives new freshness to the series. No more \"Sakura\" from past games which was one of my favorite courses, but these are very good too, and challenging to boot, Don't let the cheesy graphics fool you. Speaking of graphics...\n\n The game is extremely fast pace and control for your swin is right on. You only press the X button in multiple sessions in Hot Shots Golf 3. It may still seem like old school control and maybe they should have given us more options, but even without the analog stick to control your swing, I still feel right at home with Hot Shots and you will too. For people that simply cannot line up your \"impact meter\" they offer an automatic swing too for people who can't do it so you could hand this over to your uncle John to play! Although this easier, they do punish people who use it by taking away power from your swing.\n\nWow, I never knew the PSP could look this good. Hot Shots Golf Open Tee looks amazing. Sure the zany characters are still annoying at times, but the overall look of Open Tee is a lot sharper and the backgrounds are very picturesque to boot! There are some magnificent use of photo backdrops that mesh with the golfing environments perfectly. After you play a game, \"while not important to the gameplay, you get doused with some full motion video of moving clouds and ocean tides running up along a beach, wow! As you progress through a round of golf, you'll notice little added touches like day turning into dusk and dusk turning into day. Clouds move through the sky and rain starts to pour. The water holes, ponds, lakes etc...looks pretty darn real and it might want to make you want to take a swim.\n\nSo how is the sound? Well. They totally redid the music and it's all new stuff, and I have to say it meshes with the action perfectly and your headphones are a must! Cheesy comments from characters after crazy shots and good enviromental effects, but a bit skimpier than it's PS2 cousin. I need more birds \"a chirpin\". Your caddies, while included, they never seem to make an appearance in the actual game, so I'm not sure why they are even a choice in the game? They don't even help you? Hmmm..\n\nI don't know much about the technical aspects of the game, I have not tried to play it over a \"network\" as you are offered the option to play with 8 other golfers over a network \"LAN\" line. The game is \"NOT ONLINE\" which will be a disappointment to many, but never threat, as a single player experience and the massive \"challenge mode\" you will be happy as this is one of the best PSP games and a must own for golfing fans.\n\n**Final Call** A must have PSP game.","Product: Burnout Revenge straps gamers in for the fastest and most dangerous racer on the road. This time, the race isn't about winning -- you're out for revenge. The other racers will either get out of your way or go down in flames. The rules of the track don't apply here -- it's automotive anarchy between vindictive racing rivals and anything else that gets between you and the finish line. Explosive all-new crashbreakers, with wide-open crash courses for epic sequences Take your rage online with endless possibilities in online mode\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Caffeine for your XBOX.\n\nReview: I love the Burnout series, and it just seems to get better with each new reincarnation, Revenge is no exception. Instead of calling it Burnout 4, the name \"Revenge\" is implimented with the idea to get revenge on the other drivers if they take you down. It's a great new addition to an already fantastic series.\n\nThe game is faster, a lot faster. I can't believe the sense of speed in Burnout Revenge. Running at a blazing 60 frames per second at 200MPH is certainly a site to behold. No popup, no slowdown, just smooth blazing fast speed.\n\n The most enticing new aspect is the ability to slam cars going in the same direction as you. One reviewer in here says it takes away the \"charm\" stating \"to me the biggest rush in burnout 3 was going 200mph flying in between cars and knowing that one little mess up was going to send me flipping and slamming wildly into the wall.\" That's a good point, but you can still have that feeling when you choose to go in the opposite lane as on-coming traffic still can take you out just the same.\n\nThis trash every car idea was even turned into a full fledged mode called \"Traffic Attack\" that is strictly for smashing up cars. The goal is basically to destroy as many cars as possible within the alloted time. You get precious seconds added the more cars you smash consecutively. It's very fun mind you, but it's actually quite easy to get gold in this mode.\n\nOpponents are very aggresive in Revenge. Cars will sideswipe you around like there is no tomorrow especially if you just sit there without defending yourself. If you get taken out directly be an opponent, you can acquire added bonuses for taking revenge on the car that knocked you out. The more revenge bonuses you get, the more goodies you'll tally up in the process.\n\nExpect a lot more tracks in Revenge. While a few seem to be reminiscent of past Burnout games, most of these tracks are new and made from scratch. The game looks a bit darker this time around, and the tracks are longer and more grueling than ever. Still expect to attack downtown traffic infested cities, desolate crowded freeways, streets of Roman sites, wintery interstates and isolated country scenes. I still would have liked to see the \"weather\" factor return for Revenge and the ability to change the time of day, but that' just a little nitpick.\n\nAll the modes are back, Road Rage, single player, crash, and the new traffic attack which really adds some fun. Full multiplayer between 2-6 players is impliments online with all the modes offers. I haven't got a chance to play online yet, but you can bet your boots this game is just as fun playing online as it with yourself, and probably even more so for other gamers. If you have XBOX Live, you defintely should take the game online to rule the streets. The cars are still not authentic licensed vehicles, no Beamers, no Corvettes or Porshes. But the \"creative\" copies of actual cars look fantastic and they all look so cool, you wish they were actual cars. Licensed cars would have great with all the brand names, but most have a problem with trashing them in a video game, so this is how they go around it, they make up their own. And thanks to this being an \"EA\" game, if you have a Madden 06 save on your XBOX, you automatically get the \"Madden Van\" at the beginning of the game. E.A., always thinking of one more way to advertise their gridiron monster.\n\nBurnout Revenge is better than all the Burnouts in the past. More modes, more cars, more tracks, more speed, more frenzied racing. It's the fastest racer you'll ever play and anyone, even non-gamers would probably have a blast with Burnout Revenge. A must have for XBOX owners.","Product: NBA Live 06 - Sony PSP\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good effort, Live truly is in the palm of your hand...\n\nReview: If you want a good basketball game for your portable, NBA Live certainly is a good bet for you. E.A. pulled it off very nicely. I didn't think Live could be compacted to a \"portable level\" but this is a very good start for the portable franchise. It's very similar to it's console cousin, all the \"SuperStar\" moves are intact. Between the leg passes, pass fakes, multiple dunks, power blocks, power moves ETC. With the absence of L2 and R2 buttons and no R stick however, they did have to make some sacrficies. The backdown button is uncomfortably used by holding down \"triangle\", and you no longer have freestyle moves. Instead, you have your crossover dribble and spin peformed with tapping Triangle and Square. I sometimes do a backdown with triangle when I wanted to a spin, this is annoying.\n\n This is actually the old control scheme on the PS2 before they introduced freestyle moves and veteran Live players will be confused when they go back to playing the console version again. It's old school for sure ,but with the lack of buttons and the R stick, they had to go back to this scheme. Keeping this in mind, getting the open shot isn't quite as easy, as the freestyle moves certainly gave the offense the advantage.\n\nThe graphics are a cross between a Playstation 2 game and a very highly effective Playstation 1 game. The player models are not amazing, but they look good enough so you can recognize your big name guys down the court. They left out the sideline action, no coaches, no cheerleaders, no sub players, just the court and the fans in the stands. This is certainly due to the limitations of the PSP, but the ingame action is Live all the way. Player movements are very fluent, it seems very smooth and convincing. I would have liked the option to change the game speed a lil', but its a good default.\n\nI do have some minor nitpicks. The computer doesn't seem to miss, not just the open shots, but launches 3's constantly and seems to make more than miss. It's a given in a real game, players are going to miss 30-50% of their shots, but the CPU is too good for their own good. Good D is a must if you want to have a chance, especially on higher levels. They also rebound the crud out of the ball and offensive rebounds for the human player are a rarity .\n\nSound is good. Steve Kerr and Marv Albert take care of the commentary and it's about as good as the console version commentary, although expect more repetitive comments. Good sound, and E.A. trax music through and through.\n\nThere is no franchise mode this year, there is a full season though which will keep most occupied. One on one too. Overall, a very good introduction for the PSP. If you like basketball, you got 2 choices, NBA 06 and NBA Live, both are worth your dough.","Product: NBA Live 06 delivers the major gameplay advancements and enhanced player graphics that real fans crave. The sport of basketball is elevated to a whole new level -- a totally enhanced transition game lets you take the point and deliver fast break passes on the fly as teammates run the lanes awaiting your pass. On defense, get inside and feel what it's like to block a dunk - or to be dunked on - as big bodies collide under the basket. Will you live in the paint or set up camp outside the arc? The choice is yours.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: It feels like a game on TNT...\n\nReview: First of all, NBA 2k6 is a sweet game without question. But it's also the same game on the XBOX with slightly better graphics.\n\n But what about NBA Live? Is it the same game on the XBOX? Heck no! It's a new hoops game and feels like a next gen game. Read why!\n\n NBA Live 06 has been really bashed hard on the 360 and it's without merit or reason. It's the best 2 player game around and it feels totally new to me and I'm a longtime NBA Live junkie. My buddy and I have been playing it since November. It's the basketball game for anyone to play, as it's easy to pick up and deep enough for the hardcore gamer too. The graphics are astounding especially if you're loaded and have an HD TV. Watching this game in 1080 is like watching a game on TNT. It looks eeriely real! Sure the modes are missing and that's a bummer for some ,but what it does offer is a solid game of NBA basketball, and in the end, that's why people buy these games, right?\n\nThe level of the gameplay can be altered with the sliders. Sick of the rampant offensive rebounds by the computer? No problem, lower it in in the slider A.I. Too many layups? No problem, lower it in the sliders. Blocks, rebounds, steals, fouls, anything can be adjusted to your liking. If it's too realistic, up the sliders, too arcadey? Lower it.\n\nNBA Live incorperates the most ingenious system on timeouts \"without pressing pause\". During breaks, you can call your plays, make subs, tell your players to up the tempo, crash the boards, check your players stamina, all with some taps on the directional pad and all without having to leave the game and pressing pause. It's really ingenious and I hope it sticks around for 07.\n\nNow the graphics. This game simply could not be pulled off on the older consoles. It really looks amazing. The players look fantastic, every single one of them, from every tatoo, from every ankle brace, head band, drip of sweat, it's all here. I admit the players need more emotion, but i can forgive E.A. as this is their first attempt and I'm expecting 07 to rock.\n\nIn summary...NBA Live for the 360 as a standalone 5 on 5 NBA game is a solid game of hoops and I personally love it and you should really give it a whirl. Give it a chance, it's a bit disappointing the modes are missing ,but the game feels like a next gen game unlike 2k6 (which is basically a port of the XBOX version) but this game feels and plays totally different, that's why you should give it a try. Thanks E.A., you're doing just fine for the 360!","Product: Game only in plastic case. No original box.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: My personal favorite PSP game! You'll love it too.\n\nReview: Retro games are good, but when they are done right, they can be great. This is easily the greatest arcade compilation I've ever played. Not only can you play these classic arcade games in the palm of your hand, but you can enjoy the best collection of them all in one. 20 games, including \"redone\" games of Pac-Man, Dig Dug, Galaga and RallyX.\n\nThe quality of each classic is amazing and they play nearly exactly to the old arcade cabinets from the retro 80's, graphics, music, sound FX and all. The bestest of the best is clearly Galaga, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Man, RallyX and DigDug. But it doesn't stop there. There are 4 new Arrangement games of those 4 classics, I like to view them as remixes. They are are redone, upheavels in levels, gameplay, sound and graphics. The arranged Galaga is very addicting and you'll be hooked instantly. Dig Dug remade is basically the same game with better graphics and new enemies. RallyX, which was a decent game in the 80's, is redone and very fun to boot. These \"arranged\" games could have been sold seperately and probably most would have been pleased with them.\n\nThe originals are as fun as you remember them and just as challenging. Getting to that \"key\" in Pac-Man is still no easy task. But for novice gamers, never threat, you can continue from where you left off on many of the old games. Some of the other titles included like Grobada, Motos, Bosconian, DragonBuster and Galaxian are very obscure, but amazingly, they still do offer some fun factor. The rest you may not spent much time with in the past and most you might not play much, but you'll be happy with it overall.\n\nSome might be a bit \"squinty\" eyed playing some of the old games like Pac-Man, the ratio of the originals were made for horizontal screens, so it's very small on the widescreen PSP, but thankfully they offered a \"stretch\" option for most of the titles. It looks a bit weird all stretched out, but it's better than playing on the little playing field.\n\nOverall, this is clearly the best PSP game to buy, especially if you like classic arcade gaming, this is how it all began, no quarters needed...","Product: In NBA 2K6 you'll try to achieve NBA superstar status as a legend on the court! With the industry leading online experience and unrivaled franchise control, NBA 2K6 is serious roundball action for the serious fan. Seamless online play and the most comprehensive online features anywhere including complete online stat tracking, buddy lists management, and online leagues\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The old Sega Sports is back, well, kind of!!!\n\nReview: Make no mistake, the people bashing this game obviously have never played this game or they simply have something against 2k sports. Seriously, this is the most fun I've had playing a basketball game my whole video game career. And take it from someone who always has loved NBA Live. This year, 2k6 is king.\n\nRemembver Sega Sports? It all got started on the Dreamcast with NFL 2k and NBA 2K. Well, Sega Sports is certainly gone, but the developer (Visual Concepts) moved on and now we have 2K Games. And it's nice to see them back in action.\n\nFirst things first though, if you have this on the regular XBOX, you may not want to get the 360 version, unless you want to see this in 1080 HD glory. But basically it's the same game as the XBOX one with better graphics. But as a standalone 360 title, it's a very high quality game of hoops and I think it's one of the best games on the system. The gameplay is right on and very in-depth for hardcore fans of the game. The graphics are crisp and very refined and the work put into the player models are well noticed. NBA Live probably has better looking player models, but when you put both games in motion, there is no contest. 2k6 looks like a TNT game live on your TV. I can't believe how real this game looks. The gameplay is very tight and realistic. Realistic stats, good TV style pressentation and the goods to make you very happy throughout your stay with the game. The game is jammed packed with tons of modes. Exhibtion, street ball, 2 on 2, 3 on 3, 4 on 4, and of course the regular NBA 5 on 5.\n\nThe best part, online. Online is fantastic. I played about 15 games so far and I didn't notice any lag. I would say it's like your playing your buddy on couch 90% of the time, that's how good and smooth it is online. No offense to NBA Live, but why can't Live play this smooth online 24/7? It just doesn't happen.\n\nNBA 2k6 is the caviar sports game on the 360. Thanks to E.A. truly rushing their titles out, this one really shows how empty E.A.'s games are this year for the 360 launch. I'm sure E.A. will make a comeback for late 06, but until then, NBA 2k6 is the best hoops game to buy for the system. Keep your eyes out for 2k's college hoops too. If this game is any indication on how college hoops will turn out, I'm sure that will be a must buy too. Thank goodness E.A. didn't get the NBA License this year, it would have been a catastrophe not being able to enjoy a game like this. Buy this game now.","Product: Product InformationA mob war is brewing after the murder of the Philadelphia boss' nephew. TheSopranos crew has been named as the culprit and Philadelphia's and New Jersey'smost powerful families are about to collide. As the illegitimate son of"Big P" you have to demonstrate your loyalty to Tony Soprano.Starting as a soldier you must make money on collections protect your turfthrough intimidation and gain admiration within your own family to move up inthe ranks of the organization. Carry out orders from Paulie Silvio Christopherand Tony and earn your stripes by breaking down enemies through intense verbalinteractions. But if you can't get through verbally send a message by utilizingpunishing specialty combat moves where you can break arms or use random objectsas weapons to shattering effect. Use your smarts to earn money intimidate tocreate fear and achieve success to gain admiration and family respect --turning you into a made man Follow a compelling story collaborated on by showcreator voiced by the show's key cast members Carry out orders in familiarlocations such as the Bada Bing! Nuovo Vesuvio's Satriale's even the newestSeason 6 locations Hot game soundtrack with a blend of past hits and modern upand coming acts to help recreate the atmosphere of the hit show.Product Features Punishing specialty combat moves with a variety of brutal attack variations (Arm break etc.) Enforce with a sadistic streak to devastating effect - Get your point across with the help of a meat slicer filing cabinet drawer and other devices Inflict damage on your opponent's body leaving him with impaired or broken limbs deep swelling cuts/bruises and more Dynamic verbal intimidation - Break down opponents by either being hard or playing it cool impacting the story in real-time by changing your line of attack Earn your stripes working for Tony Soprano's crew -- Report to your captain Paulie Walnuts as well as Silvio Christo\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: A blasphemy to the show, this game deserves zero respect.\n\nReview: Most of the reviewers summed this game up quite well. The guy who said he'd rather play ET on his Atari 2600 couldn't be more right. I'm warning customers to not buy this game. I feel sorry for the people who don't read reviews before buying games. It's games by THQ that buy these big names from shows, movies etc and attempt to make the money by the name only, not the quality of the product. I wont' get into details, I reluctantly rented the game already knowing it would be bad, but being a fan, I had to give it a shot. The only good thing about is the theme music rocks. Then the game starts. Terrible storyline, lack of any plot or motive to play, terrible gameplay, boring dialogue, mediocre graphics and overall mediocrity! Heed the \"most\" of the reviewers on here, this is a bad game, and the show deserves so much better. The guy who gave this game 5 stars wouldn't make it in Tony Soprano's crew for long, because Tony wouldn't have any part of it! There are so many better games out there. If you need a game like this, The Godfather is worth a look, although that game could use some work too.","Product: MODEL- 37061 VENDOR- TAKE-TWO FEATURES- NBA 2K7 PS3 Voted best current and next-generation NBA hoops franchise by both press and gamers NBA 2K7 will continue its legacy of dominance this year on the hard court. The highly acclaimed Shot Stick - voted one of the best innovations of 2005 - returns with more responsive controls and new mechanics to master. Combined with incredible graphics including new sweat technology details and animating hair revamped post game and hundreds of new shooting passing and dribbling animations NBA 2K7 is poised for another run as the number 1 rated NBA simulation.* My NBA Plays more like the real NBA than ever before with new player and team tendencies updated camera perspectives and new animations. * Real NBA Coaching Take control of the floor with improved coach settings new team playbooks and on-the-fly substitutions. * 2K7 Soundtrack Tribe Called Quest Mos Def E-40 Jurassic 5 and many others. * New Passing Control Innovative new system allows pass fakes post passes and other ways to hit the open man. * The Association Take total control of the deepest franchise mode in the business now with multiple team franchise 3 team trading progressive fatigue and season awards. -- SPECIFICATIONs ------------------------------------ESRB Rating : E for EveryoneGenre/Category : Sports: BasketballSystem : PlayStation 3Number of Players : 1On-Line Compatible: No\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best basketball game in video game history.\n\nReview: I've been playing video games since the Atari 2600 days, been through dozens and dozens of basketball games and I can honestly say NBA 2k7 is the best b'ball game I've personally ever played. I think you'll love it too. NBA 2K7 is the most realistic basketball simulation ever. It looks and plays like a real NBA game and I can't get enough of it. The graphics are stunning, gameplay is tight and the sound is awesome.\n\nGraphics: Not comparing to NBA 07, NBA 2k7 in it's own right is a spectacular looking PS3 game. The mostion caputred move are smooth as silk and transition from one motion to the next looks flawless. Watching players do their signature free throws and shots are sweet added touches. The reflective polish of the courts looks much brighter and shinier than it it does on the 360. The stadiums look incredible and the fans in the stands are even fun to watch when you're not playing the action. You'll see cameramen, mascots, cheerleaders and lots of fans throughout. The players faces look a bit better than the 360 version, as at times they looked like zombies. But on the Ps3 things are much improved. There are some sweet montion captured moves including countless dunks throughout the game. Signature dunks, signature moves and signature free throws will immerse you in the experience.\n\nGameplay: Forget NBA live, forget NBA 07, this is the best playing basketball game in the world. ON the fly substitions and play calling (without having to pause the game) tight and smooth realistic gameplay will suck you in. The PS3 sixaxis controller works great for 2k7. The only time the sixaxis comes into play with 2k7 is on the free throws. It takes some time to getting used to, but over time, it become second nature. The shot stick on the right stick still works wonders and makes some crazy shots. The computer opponents are very tough even on easier difficulty levels. But the online mutiplayer is where the fun is really at.\n\nOnline: Initially the game was suffering when the PS3 was in it's infancy, but things seem to be great now. I haven't had any problems online since, the game plays fast and without any lag as long as you have a good connection.\n\nSound: Kenny Harlin is back and his comments do get the job done, but it's the same stuff he's been saying for years. They need to update his stuff. Good music on the menu screens and great sound and crowd noise. Nothing to really complain about.\n\nFinal Call: This is my favorite game for the PS3. Sports fans need not to hesitate, this is a must have, you won't be disappointed!","Product: NBA '07 - Playstation 3\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Good second option next to NBA 2k7.\n\nReview: The Playstation 3 needs some good sports titles. There isn't much right now, pretty much Madden, NBA 2k7 and of course NBA o7. NBA 07 was developed in-house by Sony. The series has been relesed on both the PS2 and PSP with only average reviews. Thankfully, this version does not suffer the same fate, it's a good game of hoops even though you have a much better choice with NBA 2k7. But if you like basketball like I do, you might want to consider this one too, just because it's a different experience.\n\nWhat stands out is the graphics. The graphics are top notch, and I feel in most ways, it's a better looking game than 2k7 due to the incredible player models and stadium details. In true 1080 HD, the game is really sweet too look at. It really struts some of the power of the PS3 has to offer. Smooth crisp animations, nice player models, terrific reflections on the court, realistic stadiums and excellent use of vibrant colors and dripping sweat to boot! The player models are not perfect. The players look to sweat a little profusely and when this happens, they look a bit \"manequinish\", is that a word? I guess you can say they resemble a zombie in a round about sort of way. But you'll only notice on replays, timeouts and closeups, so it's only a minor gripe. But the players faces look very much like their real counterparts and they even got the hair down to a tee.\n\nGameplay wise, I would describe it as a 70% sim and 30% arcade feel. The gamep plays at an amazing fast pace and there is lot of scoring. The defense A.I. still needs some work, I noticed too many easy holes to the basket as my computer controlled teammates do not seem to help out in the lane when they should. One thing also that really bothered me was that very annoying shot meter. It's difficult to perfect it, as it seems to want just that, \"perfection\" to make a shot. Luckily, the shot meter thing can be disabled,so if you have problems like me making open jumpers, just turn it off. Other problems are with player fatigue issues. I noticed players being tired really doens't seem to affect them when their still oncourt. I've had guys below 50% and they were still moving fast and making shots on the court like they were fully rested from the bench. This is certainly an issue if you want realism and if you play online as substitutions are basically not needed. They need to patch this up.\n\nOuch. You would think of the slick presentation with TNT by it's side, you would think we would have a great tv style presentation. Well, good stat screens and cool TV replays are nice, but where the heck is my commentary? NBA 07 is lacking any commentary whatsoever. All you hear is the P.A. announcer. This is a major bummer and considering this is a next gen title, leaving out commentary is a big no-no.\n\nOnline play for the most part seems to be pretty smooth, I only notice a few laggy games, of course a lot depends on your connection. The modes are pretty bareboned, typical Season, Exhibition and a few mini-game which are actually very fun. The NBA Replay mode lets you replay games from the past week (in real life) and alter the ending. It's a good experience and with so many scnerios each week from the NBA, this mode is fun and will keep you busy. There are no deep franchise modes or the \"The life\" mode offered in the PS3 version, which is a bit disappointing. You would think a full priced NBA game for the PS3 would be loaded, but it still seems to a bit lacking.\n\nOverall, I really liked NBA 07. The on-court gameplay is very good and is a good change up from 2k7. It's a game anyone can jump into and most will have fun with it. A few issues in the gameplay and lacking modes keeps it from being a must have. IF you only want to get one game, I would say NBA 2k7 is your best bet, it's still the best basketball game on the market.","Product: 50 hit songs including 10 Motown classics from the original artists. Songs include: Are You Happy Now?, Billie Jean, Celebration, Chain of Fools, Complicated, Don't Know Why, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Heartbreak Hotel, Hot Stuff, How You Remind Me, Sugar Pie, Heard it Through the Grapevine, I'll Be There, It's the End of the World As We Know It, I've Got You Under My Skin, Like a Virgin, One Week, Please Mr. Postman, Red, Red Wine, Stop! In the Name of Love, The Power of Love, The Tracks of My Tears, Waiting for Tonight, When a Man Loves a Woman,and many more...\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Needs more songs,but you can download if online w/XBOX Live\n\nReview: **Update Sept 1st 05** - I've had this game for 9 months and Konami STILL has not offered any new song downloads with the exception of the ones that were offered when the game was released on XBOX Live. This is absurd. Why no new downloads? This changes my entire opinion of the game so put that 5 star away, because it' really now only a 3. With no new songs to download, this takes away any new replay value this game could have had. Major bummer Konami.\n\nReview: This game took me off guard. I expected just a simple little Karaoke game with lyrics on the screen and nothing more. I never played the ones on the PS2 and really never wanted to, but when it came out for XBOX, I figured, what the heck, I enjoy singing so I'll give it a shot. In 4 words, \"what a party game!\" First off, Konami did a wonderful job of replicating the actual music from the original artists. The music is nearly cloned perfectly. People with home theaters will jam to this with the 5.1 Digital. The way the crowd reacts to you really gets your adrenaline flowin, if you sing bad, you're character will get booed off stage, heck, you do bad enough, the music stops--- if you do well, they will go nuts for you. It really makes you feel like you're at a serious karaoke jam. But not only do you just sing, you're also being judged! The game judges you by tone of voice and timing. It's very picky at times and when you don't know the words by heart, prepare to have a mean crowd by your side.\n\nThe different venues like county fairs, outdoor stadiums, party palaces and local bars gives the game a very realistic feel. The characters available are comical to watch on-screen and they move their mouth with yours, downright funny. The males will get a kick out of choosing the \"Britney Look Alike Girl\" and doing Friends in Low Places.\n\nUp front, the music selection is a mixed bag and I won't judge if it's good or bad because different people prefer different things. It mostly included a little country, some 80's, 90's and some recent stuff. I know it's hard to make everyone happy, but the thing to do is offer more music. And that is where XBOX Live comes in. With an XBOX Live subscription (which is already $49.99 a year) you can connect online to get new songs. Of course there is no mention of charging us in the instruction booklet, but not to my surprise, there is a $4.99 fee for each group of songs. Each group of $4.99 contains 5 songs. I'm sorry, $4.99 is a rip off, especially when we may only want it for 1 or 2 of the selections. And we're already paying Microsoft to go online for our yearly subscription. Sigh. More money out the door...\n\n And considering we spent $59.99 for the game itself, Konami seems a bit greedy. I would have liked it more if you could buy in singles for .99cents. Seems more logical. At this time \"Jan 05\" the downloads are pretty weak, only about 6 groups availalbe and the stuff they do have is pretty skimpy. A few 80's songs, Jessie's Girl, more Michael Jackson, some Britney Spears, Madonna, etc. Good stuff, but we need a wider variety. Hopefully over time they will get that price down and get more for us.\n\nAs a whole, I still loved this game, I'm a karaoke fan and love to jam out, other fans will love it to. As with me, some music you're simply never going to sing, or want to. The problem, some of the modes force you to sing what it chooses to continue on to earn new characters and venues. It's annoying and if it was up to me to market this game, I would make different genres of music to sell seperately instead of putting a mix of music on one game. How about an all 70's, all 80's, all 90's and \"Modern\" releases so people dont' get stuck with songs they'll never use. But as a whole,it's good fun and I'm lovin' the songs I do like, and the ability to download new songs is nice but when will they offer more?? And even for what they got, $4.99 for 5 songs is greedy and they should let you choose them individually. Duh Konami?","Product: Slip on a pair of QuietComfort 2 headphones and hear your music come alive. Decades of Bose research combine with their Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphone technology to deliver the ultimate in audio performance. This award-winning technology electronically identifies and reduces the unwanted noise around you (on buses or trains, in the office, even at home). So you hear more of what you want to hear ? and less of the tiresome sounds that have so often distracted you. Proprietary TriPort headphone technology also helps give you incredible headphone audio performance while keeping the design compact and streamlined. QuietComfort 2 headphones are lightweight and comfortable, and whether you take them on a trip or to the office, they will fold flat to store easily in a bag or briefcase. A single detachable audio cable gives you easy access to portable players, home stereos and in-flight entertainment systems, all with less tangling than two-cable designs. That same cable can be removed so your headphones can go cordless when you simply want the benefits of noise reduction Features: Bose Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphone technology. These patented technologies electronically identify and reduce unwanted noise while faithfully preserving the music, speech or silence that you desire. Bose Acoustic structure of the TriPort headphone. This proprietary system utilizes three small ports in the earcups to produce a rich audio performance that?s remarkable for headphones this small. QuietComfort ear cushions. Proprietary cushion design establishes a critical acoustical seal between the headphones and your head, enhancing noise reduction and helping to maximize sound quality.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I'll never consider anything less ever again...\n\nReview: Although I understand most can't use these at work, but I need to tell you what a wonderful job these headphones do in noisy environments. I work in a very noisy office. 6 printers going at once, noisy tow-motors behind my wall, phones ringing everywhere. I wanted some \"peace and an answer for the madness!\". I was hesitant, $300 is pushing it for simple headphones, but these are not just headphones you can pickup at Wal-Mart. These are Bose, the ultimate experts when it comes to sound and technology. They do what they say they do, they block out the noise in your crazy world. If I had to rate it on a scale for the actual \"blocking\" I would say blockage is nearly 90% and the stuff you can still hear is hardly audible. And when you throw in a little music, you don't notice anything but soothing music to your ears. The music quality is the icing on the cake, as the base, treble is about as good as you can get, the sound is top of the line for headphones. Great for gamers too, if you got a system like XBOX, PS2 or what have you, don't bother your neighbors or family ,crank it up in these, and you won't be disappointed.\n\nI've only had them for a few days now, so I can't tell you how rugged or long lasting they will last in terms of \"plastic wearing out\" or sound issues, but I don't assume Bose would slack for that for one minute. As for comfort, they fix on my head nicely and they don't \"smash your ears\", they seem to be made for most everyone. If you have the money, want great sounding headphones, and want to block out the outside world, these headphones are for you without question. A definite good splurge.\n\nIt includes a headphone adapter for larger headphone connections that can plug in to most receivers and the regular connection that will plug into regular CD players. And it has an extension cable so you have plenty of length too.","Product: God returns to Earth to reunite an advertising man and his real estate saleswoman wife who are separated. He asks their daughter to write a slogan to help sell Him to the public. A sequel to the movie \"Oh, God!\"\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Sequels usually stink, but this one manages to hang in there..\n\nReview: Let's face it, sequels usually never surpass the original. Sure Terminator 2 and Godfather 2 are exceptions, but in the movie world, it's a simple fact sequels suck! But just because it's not usually as good as the original, does not mean that Oh God Book II is a bad movie. I actually think it deserves more credit. George Burns reprises his role as God and that within itself is a good thing because portraying our Lord is no easy feat and he saves the movie from every aspect. It's basically the same premise as OH God, only this time it's a little girl told to spread the Word. The cast is a bunch of nobodies and mind you some of the acting is pretty bad, but the little girl Tracy Richards played by (Louanne - don't ask why she has no last name, nobody really knows) but Louanne does an acceptable acting job and her little body doing big things for God makes you want to stick with it until it's all over. The script is not as creative as the original and is as predictable as any sequel could ever be, but it's still fun. There are some touching moments between George Burns and the Louanne especially at the end of the movie when God makes his grand appearance in front of everyone.\n\nOH God Book II certainly didn't win any academy awards and it's not as good as the original or even OH God You Devil, but it still manages to be enjoyable thanks to the funny antics of George Burns.","Product: Ten years after his original massacre, the invalid Michael Myers awakens and returns to Haddonfield to kill his seven-year-old niece on Halloween. Can Dr. Loomis stop him?\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: I miss John Carpenter, but amazingly, this is a good horror movie.\n\nReview: Let's face it, horror movies usually suck, and it was always inevitable that a sequel about Michael Myers coming back to Haddonfield in Illinois was a given. Halloween 2 valiantly continued the story of the killer and it was supposed to end with that one as it truly ended with a true bang. But of course the money hungry hands of Hollywood could only keep Michael at bay for so long. Skipping over III completely, (which had nothing to do with Michael Myers, we have Part 4, The Return of Michael Myers.\n\nJohn Carpenter is gone, with the exception of his themed music, we have director Dwight Little taking a stab at the Halloween story. Carpenter is sorely missed, but amazingly, this is a scary movie and keeps the faith of Carpenters original, well almost. Carpenter agreed after Part II that there simply wasn't really any storyline left for the character. Looks like Part 4 proved that wrong. With the exception of Donald Pleasance (Loomis), the original cast of characters from 1978 are totally gone. Loomis renews his role as Michael's doctor. As stated in another review, basically ignore the end of part II, as both Michael and Loomis should be dead, literally. (they were basically burned alive).\n\nPart 4 concerns the daughter of (Jamie Lee Curtis) Lorie Strode. Jamie Lee supposedly died and her daughter was adopted by a new family in Haddonfield. Michael Myers of course, laying nearly dead from Part II, hears about the little girl in his dark asylum. He, of course, wants to kill finish off the rest of the family, so of course he now gets out, and goes after the daughter of Laurie Strode.\n\nJamie Lee is nowhere to be found in the movie as her character was believed to have died in car wreck, but we certainly find that to be untrue with the future release of H20 - 20 Years Later. Halloween 4 is a very dark movie. Nearly 75%, not surprisingly takes place at night. The movie, similar to the original, focuses more on suspense and only a small amount of gore. The pacing is fast and keeps you in suspense for most of the movie. Also true to the Halloween genre, there really isn't much blood in this one as proven once before that you don't need gore and guts to make a good scary movie.\n\nThe music score is \"Carpenter\" reminisce all the way with some great use of synthesizers and classic piano themes from the original. If I had one pet peave about the movie is the mask they used. The faceless shape mask of Michael Myers was amazing looking in Part I and Part II. But in part 4, the mask is seems a bit too white, or it's just to bright for it's own good and is not nearly as scary as the \"shapes\" mask in the original. But other than this minor nitpick, the killer \"Michael\" is a force to be recokned with.\n\nLoomis has some fine moments and enjoy him in part 4, because although he returns for the next two Halloween outings, the next two are not worth your time as 4 should have been the last Halloween movie, at least until H20 with the return of Jamie Lee Curtis.\n\nHalloween 1 was the best, Halloween 2 took a close second and then we have Halloween 4 which keeps the faith and is simply a good scary movie. You can never take out an original like Halloween, but thanks to fine acting, great music, and the force of Michael Myers, you'll have fun with this one for sure. Highly recommended.","Product: tape and cover in good condition\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Happy Happy Halloween! Silver Shamrock!\n\nReview: Attn: Spoilers Ahead!!!\n\nNo Michael Myers. Keep that in mind b4 forking out the dough for it. Halloween III is an attempt for movie makers to do something else other than your typical slasher flick. Point of interest though, although III was not directed by John Carpenter, (the director of part 1 and producer of II), John was involved in III as a producer and did the eerie music, so that gave me enough reason to give it a chance.\n\nI personally watched this when it came out in 1983, and you know what? I liked it. Don't laugh in hysterics here, but this movie is about a company that sells cursed masks to the kids to kill them on Halloween and it's up to one man (Tom Atkins) to stop this horrible day! Certainly a morbid idea and silly to boot, but the outcome is not as demented as it sounds and the final product is almost funny at times. The movie concerns a company that makes these masks, evil masks mind you. With the cursed power of the rocks that were stolen from \"stonehenge\" they put a trace of the rock within the label of the mask, and when children where them, it kills them on Halloween. For all the concerned people out there, only one child \"at least known of is shown being\" well, killed by the mask. It's up to the infamous \"Tom Atkins\" to stop this evil occurance from happening. The President of the company responds to the question...\"Why\". He said, It's a joke on the children.\" The movie is saved by a good sense of \"morbidness\" as the final act is finally reached. Tom Atkins didn't win any oscars, but he's you're average \"Joe\" caught up in the middle of the craziness.\n\nThanks to some good acting by a bunch of nobodies, tight pacing, and one humorous, but disgusting scene with snakes and bugs crawling out of some heads, it's not as bad as one might think. Keep an open mind for Halloween III, and forget about Michael Myers. John Carpenter wanted to do something different, he was obviously smart enough to know that the \"Michael Myers\" storyline was maxed out after 2 and it was time for a change. Now, the big question, why was this movie called Halloween III: Season of the Witch. We may never know!","Product: VHS\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: One of my favorite action movies of all time.\n\nReview: (Attn ** Spoilers Ahead!)\n\nImprobable? Yes? Fun to watch? Double yes. A movie with impossible and illogical lunacy better do something special to make it work and keep you glued to the screen. Well, Face Off is one of those movies, it's amazing how good the movie is (out of line logic aside) John Woo is a genius! Face Off starts out with a very morbid scene of Travolta's (Sean Archer's) son getting killed by Cage (Castor Troy) and may even draw some tears to the ladies, but from that point on, it's just non-stop action movie to boot and a massive battle between the good guy and the bad guy!\n\n The movie indulges itself with a very good (but crazy script) and some very clever lines. Fine acting from the newbies and of course Cage and Travolta are the perfect match for this one. How could anyone seriously not love this movie? Case in point, my girlfriend watched this for the first time a few nights ago and she had tears, laughed, and jumped out of her seat about 5 times and said \"that was amazing, that's Cage's best movie.\" I also heard \"oh my God, oh my God\" out of her a dozen times. The movie simply keeps you involved and that's why it's so great. It's about being fun, and Face Off is one of those movies that you'll want to watch over again. It's fast, funny, morbid, but most importantly, fun! You'll see crazy things like Cage getting dressed up as a priest and doing a dance to the Halleilujah chorus, you'll see an FBI agent and a psychological madman trade faces and bodies and battle it out, you'll see speed boats crashing into eachother on a lake and colliding with other boats, you'll see planes get blown up, crazy gun fights between Cage and Travolta, you'll see guns and more guns too, you'll see Cage tell a story about his wife cracking a tooth on a rice seed, you'll see Travolta *Archer* throw a guy on a corvette and beat the crap out of him for attacking his daughter, you'll see the final clash between Archer and Troy in one of the best action sequences I've ever seen.\n\nThe music in the movie is very well orchestrated, it's a bit reminiscent of the \"Speed\" movies and really gets your blood churning. I do have a minor nitpick in the movie. Toward the end some of the stunt devils look pretty bad and don't look like Cage and Travolta at all, people with big screens watching these movies will laugh seeing these guys, they really don't look anything like them. The movie is nearly over two hours though and you'll truly never get bored once, I guarantee it. Anyone who says this movie isn't fun doesn't enjoy movies, because this is what movies should be like, just fun and crazy! Do yourself a favor and buy this movie before people forget out it. It's my personal favorite action movie of all time!","Product: A lost soul has just received the wounds of Christ and a shocking message that will alter history. Stunning performances from Patricia Arquette (True Romance), Gabriel Byrne (The Usual Suspects) and Jonathan Pryce (Ronin) and a cutting edge score by Billy Corgan of The SmashingPumpkins and Elia Cmiral make Stigmata a visual and visceral feast (Entertainment Today). Frankie Paige (Arquette) has absolutely no faith in God. All of that changes when she suddenly begins to suffer the Stigmatathe living wounds of the crucified Christ. Frankie's miraculous bleeding comes to the attention of the Vatican's top investigator, Father Kiernan (Byrne). But when Cardinal Houseman (Pryce), discovers that Frankie is actually channeling an extraordinary and provocative message that could destroy the Church, he's convinced that she - and the force possessing hermust be forever silenced. Determined to stop this deadly conspiracy, Kiernan risks his faithandhis lifeto save her and the message that will change the destiny of mankind forever!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I can't believe the critics anymore. This is an awesome movie.\n\nReview: I'm sorry to say, the critics bashed this movie to the ground. In fact, they did it so blatently hard that Stigmata did horrible in the box office. Many people go by what the critics say and Stigmata is living proof that you shouldn't, this is a very entertaining film so don't listen to everyone. And as you can see, the Amazon readers \"for the most part\" seem to enjoy the movie more than the big guys do. I've heard comments that \"people enjoyed the movie when it came to DVD moreso than they did when they watched it on the big screen. Why is this? I'm not really sure. Maybe it seems more like a made for \"TV Movie\" but I don't feel that is the case. It doesn't seem to be a \"cheaply\" made movie by any means and the actors are known. Nonetheless...\n\nIt's no Exoricst or Gone with The Wind, but Stigmata is fun and anyone that enjoys a tale about religion/horror movie in general, should give it a chance. Gabriel Burne (Father Andrew Kiernan) plays the role of the slash scientist/priest quite well. I always thought he was a wonderful actor. He also played Satan in End of Days and played a big role in \"Point of No Return\" with Bridgette Fonda. His wonderful acting skills are very well done. This great popcorn movie puts a stab into religion in general and some might be offended, but remember, it's just a movie!!! Once again, the Catholics are attacked, but it's all believeable and fun at the same time. Patrica Arquette does a substantial job as her role as a self admitting atheist who gets inflicted with the Stygmata. A simple hairdresser brought into the madness.\n\nShe kind of looks bored through some her scenes and she needs to show a little more emotion and spunk in my opinion, but \"Gabriel\" saves most of the scenes when they are both together. The movie takes a lot of it's general ideas from the Exorcist, same idea, just a different time and infliction only now with a twist. I felt the movie is very suspenseful, clever, dramatic and the acting is very well done. This movie won't bring you any closer to God, that's not what it's trying to do, it's just trying to do something different and fun, and I think Stigmata succeeds! Buy it now if you haven't seen it. Good stuff.","Product: The effects of global warming and the greenhouse effect has caught up with the Earth. The polar ice caps are melting and the world's weather patterns are all out of sync. The next ice age is upon us. A scientist that specializes in historical extreme weather changes must fight his way north to New York where his son is caught in the clutches of mother nature.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Loopholes, illogical scenes to throw your brain for a spin!!\n\nReview: *Lookout Spoilers Ahead* I love disaster movies, Twister, Deep Impact, Armageddon, all got just average reviews, but to the real people, the \"customers\", most of us liked them all. The Day After Tomorow falls into that category. The problem with this movie is that I wanted more. There were just too many loopholes, too many unanswered questions, and some logic issues that I didn't quite understand.\n\nMy issues with the movie are simple, they left you with too many unanswered questions and logic that left me bewildered? Fisrt of all, what year is this movie taking place? Present? 2009? 2030? Please tell me mister director?\n\nIssue #1, What happened to the thousands of people who traveled from the library to find shelter? And speakin of shelter? Where did they think they would go in an ice age blizzard anyway? They didn't show much panic considering that 95% of the population of New York perished in the tidal wave. Aside from panic, we didn't see much remorse, tears, or sadness for the horrible events from anybody, they just seemed \"to not mesh with the emotion that the audience was feeling with all the death that just occured. And don't the survivors have families? Aren't they concerned for their well being too? No mention of concern for that.\n\nIssue #2: Perhaps a little more \"heart\" for everything would have made us care for the characters more. Although The story of Dennis Quaid searching for his son is touching to a point, it really had nothing to do with the large scale mayhem in the movie. Even more crazy, is the improbable fact that he actually found him within a short period of time. And this is during a developing ice age? Once again, they need to keep you up to speed with the time gone by and where we're at during the film. But nonetheless, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it would have taken weeks to find him in the aftermath of the storm.\n\nIssue #3: The incredible sequence when the -150 degree drop at the library was so far fetched! Since when can you out run mother nature within inches? They turned it into a track and field race to see if they could beat the cold air to the library lobby? And how are these people surviving with no water and food? With the -150 degree temperature outside, water, food, would be totally useless frozen up in ice. How did they survive? How can the penecillin they picked up on the ship be useful if it's frozen like a popcicle? I just needed more information for everybody's survival? And those mystery wolves? Did they make a fire to keep warm during the blizzard and end up chasing the characters after it was ok to go outside?\n\nIssue #4: What exactly happened to the President of the United States and his boys? They made \"one short\" issue of it during the movie. Where is the President? \"They didn't make it\" the white house staff responds. Ok, so???--- they didn't make it? But why? Snow? Ice? Flood? Shot down my Iraqi soldiers? I just was left hanging! Maybe they will have a directors cut and explain everything.\n\nWith all the loopholes in logic, I still enjoyed the movie, I just wish the creators would have explained things better and fixed some of the logic in the movie.\n\nI guarantee though, you're not going to be disappointed with the special effects, even the critics can't bash this to the ground, because the computer imagery is eerily realistic and will scare you out of your wits. Although after watching 9/11, I really was left with a chill seeing New York hit with a giant tidal wave and knowing the people who perished. Overall the acting is fine, Dennis Quaid is your typical \"caring father\" character. But a little more emotion and sadness by everyone would have had a bigger impact on movie goers. If you leave your expectations a bit low, you should really enjoy this \"no brainer\" movie.","Product: TROLL TROLL 2\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Need a good laugh?\n\nReview: 2 Movies for the price of one! Not! Dont' be fooled, you're paying for one movie because the so called \"sequel\" is a pile of dung. But back to Troll... Play this when you had a bad day at school or work to get cheered up. Seriously, for a good laugh and some decent storytelling, pop this baby in. It may be considered a \"bad\" movie by most,but it's a funny bad and can't be missed if you want to just see idiocy onscreen. As a child I actually enjoyed it, now as an adult I just amuse myself by how laughably silly the movie is. A strange inclusion of Sonny Bono in his apartment getting attacked by a Troll is priceless entertainment. There is actually some decent acting, but most is the epitomy of bad, so dont' expect any academy awards for anything. Overall, it's silly watchable stupidity. Kids will love it. Adults won't believe that people pay money to see this. \"Laughing\".","Product: UNSOLVED MYSTERIES - MIRACLES\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: People with hearts and open minds need this collection.\n\nReview: The shroud of turin, visions of mary, bleeding statues, a lady frozen face down in the snow overnight in sub zero temperatures brought back to life 8 hours later, a baby that died at birth and breathed again 6 hours later, the power of prayer to save a life. This is just a dose of the miracles that you will enjoy that will really touch your soul. You can say that this is \"relgious collection\" but I think the non-believers and skeptics should take a gander at what these fantastic documentaries offer. It's another view into the \"unexplained\" that truly defies science in nearly every documentary. The documentaries are excellently produced and many are filmed exactly where the miracles happened with the real people that experienced it. Expect tears to roll for many of these especially if you take them to heart yourself. The narratives of Robert Stack is just the icing on the cake. If you want the ultimate \"miracle\" collection, look no further, Unsolved Mysteries gave us 13 years of it, now it's all together in a collection with no commercials! A nice tribute to Robert Stack and introduction by the producers of the Miracles Stories is also included.","Product: Zack, Kelly, Slater and Screech are back for new adventures, new challenges and new friends at California U! Arriving at college, they realize that life is going to be very different. As Zack puts it, \"Last year we ruled Bayside...this year we're the lowest rung on the food chain!\" It's a time for firsts and lots of surprises. Zack gets rejected by a girl, Slater's the worst wrestler on the team, Kelly gets a hankering for her professor and Screech finally starts getting the girls! Resident Assistant Michael Rogers helps the gang through the rough patches. Now you can enjoy the entire series of 18 episodes in their entirety, plus the pilot, as the gang navigates their way through the ups and downs of college life! Episodes include: Pilot / Guess Who's Coming to College / Zack, Lies & Videotape / Rush Week / Slater's War / The Homecoming / The Poker Game / Professor Zack / Screech Love / Dr. Kelly / A Thanksgiving Story / Teacher's Pet / Kelly and the Professor / A Question of Ethics / The Rave / Bedside Manner / Love and Death / Marry Me / Wedding Plans. Featuring Mario Lopez, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, and Dusty Diamond.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Dumb, stupid, unrealistc, but amazingly, it's still fun.\n\nReview: Maybe I'm partial to the series because Zack (Mark-Paul Gosselaar)and myself are about the same age and I grew up with him during the 1st series too during my high school years. But now as I look back, I can't believe how stupid the shows actually were. Notice how the show was always recorded in the same hallway, the same people were always together, the principal was nothing short of a moron, and the stories were as realistic as Elvis being alive.\n\nThe College Years, while the critics may say otherwise, is clearly better than the high school episodes. Maybe it's because \"I was in college during the \"College Years\" but they really seem more entertaining to me and is definitely fun to watch if you're fan of no-brainer nonsense entertainment like me. Saved by the Bell is about \"stupid\" plotlines and loop holes of stories that really don't make sense, and that is what makes them fun.\n\nAlthough shortlived, the series was unlike it's high school counterpart. Alot has changed since Bayside. How convenient that Slater, Kelly, Zack and Screech all end up in the same dorm room together. Once again \"unrealistic craziness\" that the show survives on. Too bad Lisa Turtle (Lark Voorhies) and Jessica Spano (Elisebeth Berkley) couldn't make it back, although lark does make a cameo toward the end of the series. \"Berkley was too busy taking her clothes off for the grammy award winning movie \"ShowGirls\". The series basically brings back Zack's non-sensical antics to college life at California Univeristy. Towards the end the story, the series focuses back on Zack and Kelly falling in love and then eventually talking about getting married. AC-Slater (Mario Lopez) really shines during the series and shows his fine acting abilities in a \"silly\" but sometimes serious way. Some newbie (nobodies) come around for the show and help it along the way too. Mark-Paul Gosselaar and the conflicts of college life really made me laugh throughout every episode. Every tongue and cheek cliche' and trick to make 30 minutes go by is used up on every episode. Screech still ruins of the episodes better moments when the unrealistic feel of the show is brought out almost to the point of being absurd, but Zack, Slater and Kelly seem to keep the show at bay. It's too bad the show was cut, because some of the last episodes were getting a bit more serious and believable and I wanted more.\n\nSaved By The Bell: The College Years is a good DVD buy and people who are like me, will watch it over and over, we just don't know why we watch it?","Product: Almanzo Wilder comes to Walnut Grove with his sister Eliza-Jane, the new schoolteacher - The Ingalls decide to adopt Albert but run into resistance from the boy's father - Nels Oleson is reunited with his estranged sister when the circus comes to town - A faith healer convinces the citizens of Walnut Grove to trust him, with tragic results - Caroline's father discovers a talent as a storyteller while grieving after the loss of his wife - Laura and Mary are held captive by escaped convicts until Charles, impersonating a doctor, disarms the criminals - Albert and a friend accidentally set fire to the blind school - Almanzo asks Charles for Laura's hand in marriage but is not overjoyed when he gets his answer. These and many other exciting adventures from the entire fifth season are presented in this Special Collector's Edition!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: There is a reason so many review this, they all have it!\n\nReview: Attention! Spoilers Ahead! I really don't need to express to you how wonderful Little House on the Prairie is, but season 6 is certainly no exception. If you're fan, why are you reading this? I love this collection and these shows are still good enough to go back to prime time, I'm so bummed out there is no quality stuff like this on the tube anymore.\n\nBe that as it may, take care of that issue and go out and buy this now. The box sets of all these DVD's are absolutely fantastic, I love to go back from season to season and see everyone grow and notice the changes in Walnut Grove. This big season Laura falls in love with Almonzo and the most rememembered, however disheartening episode, is when the blind school is burned down and Alice Garvey dies and Mary loses her baby in the fire. I still get shivers and cry during this episode everytime. I found out that the character \"Alice\" Garvey wanted to give up the role as Alice and start a family--- so no time for acting, so what do they do? They burn her alive! Nice grand exit Alice, anyway, I think the collection is of 12-13 episodes, with some interviews with Alison Engram (Nellie) and the reverend Alden. The picture and sound is fine for the most part, although I noticed some \"audio\" distortions in some of the episodes, it sounds like the music was coming from the rear end of a cow, but it's only noticeable on a few episodes. Enjoy these episodes now, as the exit of the main characters is coming to a close in upcoming Season 7, make sure you get them all!!!","Product: Martial arts superstar Jet Li delivers a break-out performance in the gripping, action-packed story about a man raised from childhood by a ruthless crime boss (Academy Award nominee Bob Hoskins) and becomes a violent killing machine. When a blind piano tuner (Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman) takes him in, Danny (Li) tries to start a new life, but his brutal past follows him, forcing him to fight back. Featuring breath-taking fight choreography by Yuen Woo Ping (The Matrix and Kill Bill: Vols. 1 & 2).\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Took me by surprise...\n\nReview: Hong Kong Kung fu man Jet Li along with Bob Hoskins and Morgan Freeman in a movie together? I looked at the cover and said, is this a typo on the cover? Seriously? Freeman? Shawshank Redemption was in my head here. And I see Jet Li on the cover. HMMM... Sounds odd for anyone who knows movies, but believe it or not, it turned out to be a fantastic movie. Now we come to Bob Hoskins. Bob Hoskins is mostly remembered for playing the lead role as (Detective Valiant) in Who Framed Roger Rabbit as the alcoholic detective. It's been a long time since he's really done anything and it was nice to see him again as I feel he's one of the better actors out there. Too bad he's a bad guy this time, but he's still great on-screen.\n\nMorgan Freeman, a bit out of his norm here, meshed quite well with the action star Jet Li. The scenes between Morgan and Jet Li are acutally very touching to the soul but don't think this is a drama movie, this is still action, but having Morgan Freeman along for the ride is a nice addition.\n\nThe storyline doesn't look very good on paper, but it turned out fine onscreen. Danny (Jet Li) is a man raised to be a brutal human attack dog controlled by his boss (Bob Hoskins). He didn't know any other life, until he met Morgan Freeman. Freeman showed him a normal life, and expressed there is more to life than just killing and serving a cruel boss. The scenes with Morgan and Li are simple breaks from the rest of the action and violence the movie offers. But it works somehow and I was glued to the movie without question.\n\nThe movie is basically 50% action, the rest with Freeman and Li is him enjoying his new life without the dog collar. Jet lie enjoying ice cream, cooking, shopping in groceries, learning to play and tune pianos, and a little relationship with a young beautiful blonde. Weird? Yes. Works? Yes. But don't jump to conclusions here, action fans will love it too. The action scenes are fantastic, no computer generated graphics, just some simply fantastic fight sequences. This unrated version is violent for sure, but it's not anything we haven't seen before, so you know what to expect. Good music, good acting, and the bond between Li and Freeman works very well. It is true that opposites attract!"],"string":"[\n \"Product: Outrun 2 gets your motor running, as the legendary racing game takes you to all-new locales. With blistering graphics, electrifying gameplay and heart-pounding excitement, you'll get the serious racing that made Outrun such a huge arcade hit!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Relive a classic game of the past with XBOX graphics.\\n\\nReview: Need a good no-brainer racer? Look no further.\\n\\nI love classic games and bringing them back to the mainstrem of technology--- it makes me very happy. Outrun was one of Sega's biggest games in the 80's. How many quarters did people spend to play this game? I don't know, but it makes me sick to think about it. Outrun was certainly way before its time and was one of the greatest driving games ever in its hay day. Outrun 2 keeps the feeling and faith of the original by giving us the same crazy arcade gameplay with the classic music. The gameplay is nutty, you can drift and powerslide on a corner like there is no tomorrow. It's defintely the immortal feeling of the General Lee, these Ferrari's can do it all. The arcade mode takes after the original and the likes of the classic Pole Position. It's a race to get to the checkpoint, nothing more, you and the clock. Although the arcade mode is a bit limited, as you can finish one race in about 10 minutes, and that's it. But the fun is within the mission mode that gives you more variety and the ability to open new prizes. You can knock over cones, race against other drivers, perfect the powerslide and earn new cars and a even a few new modes. Even better you can take this baby on XBOX Live and duke it out with 8 other racers. Don't worry about this game looking nostalgic, it's a very good looking racer and is every bit as good as Burnout 3 and Rallisport Challenge 2 which are considered tops in the graphics department for racers.\",\n \"Product: MLB 2006 features numerous gameplay enhancements for the upcoming season. The all-new Branch Point Technology (BPT) provides seamless fielding transitions and smooth base running; the all-new PlayMaker Fielding Marker provides better fielding interaction with your player attributes with your skill level in order to make the play; all-new Release Point Pitching helps determine your ability to hit spots in the strike zone; a deeper Franchise Mode; and an all-new Career Mode where you call the shots. With returning gameplay favorites including EyeToy functionality and online playability through 989SportsOnline.com, MLB 2006 promises a true-to-life experience for every pitch, hit, catch and throw from the moment you step onto the diamond.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Holy Smokes, 989 Sports makes a good game??? Well, almost.\\n\\nReview: Remember Gameday on the Playstation? Maybe you do or maybe you don't, but this is when Sony did sports right. Then came 989 sports. Ouch. I never liked 989 Sports from day one. They took the series to the trash and their MLB series seemed to falter year after year. They messed up Gameday, screwed up the Twisted Metal Series, and they never seemed to get baseball right either, but they certainly made a great game with one major flaw, read below.\\n\\n***Attention Game Could Be Defective*** After about 2 weeks of playing, as with others have mentioned, I have to say I've ran into somewhat of a serious problem. The game OCCASIONALLY froze up on me during gameplay. At times \\\"say during a season\\\" I would click on the day so I can play the game for that day, and it says \\\"all games must be simulated\\\" and it froze a few times during that instance. So during the actual gameplay, you're safe, but you might run into some issues during a Season game which is unacceptable. This would be forgiveable if I thought maybe it was a defective disc, or even my PS2 was having problems. But I tried it on two other systems, and also rented one to confirm. It's glitch in the game as people are confirming. I have to say it's not all the time. It seems to be toward the end of game or after extensive play. This can be annoying, especially if you are in a Season mode. I've read though some people are not having issues at all, so it may be only \\\"some\\\" of the games are defective. Be that as it may, keep in mind before buying. Some places let you buy insurance before buying so it may not be a bad idea. Now onto the review...\\n\\n With the exception of the glitch above, I'm very happy to say that MLB 2006 is every bit as good as MVP Baseball by E.A. and to a point, it's a lot better than MLB 2K5 by Visual Concepts! Word of warning though, if you're not into realistic gameplay and the feel of a true baseball experience, you might want to stick with MVP or 2K5 as they are more of an arcade feel. But if you want realism, you've came to the right place! MLB 2006 is my baseball of choice this year and I still can't believe 989 sports pumped out this gem on the PS2!!!\\n\\nThe big difference most will notice this year is the pitching and batting interface, wow, works wonders! The pitching uses a \\\"Release Point Pitching System\\\" that is somewhat reminiscent of a golf swing meter that reminded me of the old Links games from microsoft on your PC. Confused yet? Don't be, it's difficult at first, but it becomes second nature in no time and is very fun to get into. The target meter is for power and accuracy for the pitcher. It's not too complicated, but definitely different from the norm, and definitely a change from MLB 2k5 and MVP. The meter may turn some novice gamers off, but for sim fans who want realism, it really makes the game feel more realistic.\\n\\nThe game also monitors your players \\\"tude\\\". If your playa is playing well, whether it'd be batting or pitching, your sweet spots will get bigger and will be easier to be successful. Get into a batting slump and it will be harder and harder to crank a hit with the smaller cold zones. Throw some wild pitches and you'll be giving up runs. This aspect simply adds more to the realism. Due to the realism, don't expect scores of 12 to 1 very often, gettin hits consistently is tough, just as in the real game. It's a game of patience and practice and I suggest playing on Easy until you grow accustomed to the difficulty level that may overwhelm some gamers.\\n\\nThe graphics are right up there with MVP too, and I think in many ways it's better. There are tons of batting stances and new animations for different players and the fielding is smooth and convincing. I can't believe how this has improved from last year, it's like night and day. It doesn't quite look like you're watching ESPN yet, but it's getting darn close. Can't wait to see it on PS3. I would have liked to see some weather elements, perhaps clouds passing over or even some rain on dreary days, but you're stuck with clear skies and night time. But that's just a nitpick. Good sound too although the commentary is actually the worst part of the game. MVP and 2K5 have MLB beat in this department. The two announcers Matt Vasgersian and Dave Campbell are standard and nothing to write home about. The main issue is that repeat the same old thang over and over, kind of a bummer and it's annoying after a few innings hearing the same remarks, because good commentary would have been the icing on the cake.\\n\\nOther goodies to keep you going is a gigantic Franchise mode, online play with \\\"PS2 Ethernet\\\" awesome two player games, home run derby, practice modes, exhibition and one terrific playing baseball game. I haven't tried online yet, but I've read on a couple of forums it seems to play smooth so far like a friend sitting next to you on your couch. But that's the way it should be I suppose. I personally like this game more than MVP and 2K5, it just feels more like baseball. But with any of them, you really can't go wrong. MVP probably has the best visuals overall, more variety in animations, but MLB 2006 as a total package, gets my vote this year. Thanks 989 sports. You now have my trust. Now let us see what you can do for basketball. NBA Shootout Strikes back???\",\n \"Product: MVP Baseball lets you experience every part of the classic all-American game. Control all the hitting, pitching, fielding, and base-running like never before. You have total control over the batter's box -- protect the plate or swing for the fences. The head-to-head wireless feature and exciting mini-games make it the best portable baseball game around.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: A rush job to say the least. MLB is a better bet this time.\\n\\nReview: I love baseball, and usually MVP gets my nod every year for being fun and exciting. But this portable version trying to take after it's bigger cousin, falls flat on it's face and EA Sports should no better than to release this 1/2 arsed effort.\\n\\nSo what's wrong? How about the choppy graphics after the first pitch? How about the batting game being boring. It makes hitting an extremely simple process against the computer. The computer pitchers usually pitch about 2 strikes for every four pitches, so your guaranteed a hit every time. I hit five home runs in a row for three games straight and the challenge was just not there. I just felt an overall lack of any fun, it was just a batting farce, not a true baseball sim.\\n\\n So, They simply slapped the \\\"MVP\\\" name on the box and knew it would sell, and that is being nice. The game looks pretty bad for a PSP game. The player models look good, but the in game action is no where near the quality of MLB baseball. The load times as mentioned by some are very long and unforgiving and the gameplay seems choppy when the ball hits the field. There is no franchise (which is unforgiving) and the gameplay is lathargic at best. The game itself looks like an old Playstation title on the PSOne, which is unacceptable because many of the sports titles like NBA Street and NFL Street look 10 times better than this. Like I said, defintely feels like a rush job, E.A. can do much better. I did like the sound effects and commentary, but the crowd noise is repetitive, it sounds like the fans were recorded at 3 second intervals and played over and over. Even crazier, the game froze up on me twice!!! Really!\\n\\n**Bottomline: Wait for something else or give MLB for PSP a try. MVP Baseball is anything but the MVP this year, it's back to the minors for E.A.\",\n \"Product: Experience the newly designed gameplay elements designed for golfing on the go: faster rounds, more rewards and tougher competition. Whether it's the front nine, back nine or the entire 18 holes the mix of gameplay events cater to on-the-go gaming. Win the events and collect tons of items to customize your character's looks and abilities. Also, the more you play, the better your characters get, including longer drives or straighter shots. Finally with Wi-Fi capabilities, the competition is open to everyone. Anyone within your reach can join you in a head-to-head match or join in on real-time tournaments.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: You got the whole world in your hands!\\n\\nReview: I will admit, I didn't have a PSP until I heard this was on the shelf. I'm a Hot Shots Golf freak! So knowing I could take this anywhere, the bathroom, my car, the kitchen, my bed and even in church (just kidding) I bought myself a PSP and picked up Hot Shots Golf Open Tee! I'm not a big expert on this system, but I was not expecting a little handheld to compare to the likes of Hot Shots Golf 3 or \\\"\\\"fore\\\"\\\" on the PS2, but to my surprise, this game is like having the actual big games in the palm of your hand, and in some respects, it's better. The big plus with this game is the ease and quickness of play. There are virtually no load times between holes and the gameplay is fast and responsive and looks pretty to boot. I can't believe how bright the game is.\\n\\nThe game plays terrific and I have to say \\\"If it's not broke, why fix it\\\" came into play with Hot Shots Golf Open Tee as the control scheme is identical to Hot Shots Golf 3 and Fore.\\n\\nSo if you have played 3 or Fore, you'll be right at home. The differences are in the courses and the new characters. You only have 6 courses to choose (in total) from this time, (which is pretty good for a handheld...) The characters are all new. I think there are at least 15 golfers and some secret ones too. The problem is that you only start out with 2 golfers and 1 course. Kind of the bare minimum especially if you don't want to take the time to earn the new ones, but you'll have to. That said, the game is substantially longer and grueling, but I like this aspect, because people with handhelds can kill some serious time. It takes about 5-7 matches to earn a new character. Most are only 9 holes in the beginning, but it still takes an eternity to earn new characters. Some might like this aspect, some may not. Along the way you earn new threads (wardrobes) hats, shirts, jewelery, shoes, etc. It took me about an hour to just earn the first secret character and a new course to play on!\\n\\nThe courses are all new and gives new freshness to the series. No more \\\"Sakura\\\" from past games which was one of my favorite courses, but these are very good too, and challenging to boot, Don't let the cheesy graphics fool you. Speaking of graphics...\\n\\n The game is extremely fast pace and control for your swin is right on. You only press the X button in multiple sessions in Hot Shots Golf 3. It may still seem like old school control and maybe they should have given us more options, but even without the analog stick to control your swing, I still feel right at home with Hot Shots and you will too. For people that simply cannot line up your \\\"impact meter\\\" they offer an automatic swing too for people who can't do it so you could hand this over to your uncle John to play! Although this easier, they do punish people who use it by taking away power from your swing.\\n\\nWow, I never knew the PSP could look this good. Hot Shots Golf Open Tee looks amazing. Sure the zany characters are still annoying at times, but the overall look of Open Tee is a lot sharper and the backgrounds are very picturesque to boot! There are some magnificent use of photo backdrops that mesh with the golfing environments perfectly. After you play a game, \\\"while not important to the gameplay, you get doused with some full motion video of moving clouds and ocean tides running up along a beach, wow! As you progress through a round of golf, you'll notice little added touches like day turning into dusk and dusk turning into day. Clouds move through the sky and rain starts to pour. The water holes, ponds, lakes etc...looks pretty darn real and it might want to make you want to take a swim.\\n\\nSo how is the sound? Well. They totally redid the music and it's all new stuff, and I have to say it meshes with the action perfectly and your headphones are a must! Cheesy comments from characters after crazy shots and good enviromental effects, but a bit skimpier than it's PS2 cousin. I need more birds \\\"a chirpin\\\". Your caddies, while included, they never seem to make an appearance in the actual game, so I'm not sure why they are even a choice in the game? They don't even help you? Hmmm..\\n\\nI don't know much about the technical aspects of the game, I have not tried to play it over a \\\"network\\\" as you are offered the option to play with 8 other golfers over a network \\\"LAN\\\" line. The game is \\\"NOT ONLINE\\\" which will be a disappointment to many, but never threat, as a single player experience and the massive \\\"challenge mode\\\" you will be happy as this is one of the best PSP games and a must own for golfing fans.\\n\\n**Final Call** A must have PSP game.\",\n \"Product: Burnout Revenge straps gamers in for the fastest and most dangerous racer on the road. This time, the race isn't about winning -- you're out for revenge. The other racers will either get out of your way or go down in flames. The rules of the track don't apply here -- it's automotive anarchy between vindictive racing rivals and anything else that gets between you and the finish line. Explosive all-new crashbreakers, with wide-open crash courses for epic sequences Take your rage online with endless possibilities in online mode\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Caffeine for your XBOX.\\n\\nReview: I love the Burnout series, and it just seems to get better with each new reincarnation, Revenge is no exception. Instead of calling it Burnout 4, the name \\\"Revenge\\\" is implimented with the idea to get revenge on the other drivers if they take you down. It's a great new addition to an already fantastic series.\\n\\nThe game is faster, a lot faster. I can't believe the sense of speed in Burnout Revenge. Running at a blazing 60 frames per second at 200MPH is certainly a site to behold. No popup, no slowdown, just smooth blazing fast speed.\\n\\n The most enticing new aspect is the ability to slam cars going in the same direction as you. One reviewer in here says it takes away the \\\"charm\\\" stating \\\"to me the biggest rush in burnout 3 was going 200mph flying in between cars and knowing that one little mess up was going to send me flipping and slamming wildly into the wall.\\\" That's a good point, but you can still have that feeling when you choose to go in the opposite lane as on-coming traffic still can take you out just the same.\\n\\nThis trash every car idea was even turned into a full fledged mode called \\\"Traffic Attack\\\" that is strictly for smashing up cars. The goal is basically to destroy as many cars as possible within the alloted time. You get precious seconds added the more cars you smash consecutively. It's very fun mind you, but it's actually quite easy to get gold in this mode.\\n\\nOpponents are very aggresive in Revenge. Cars will sideswipe you around like there is no tomorrow especially if you just sit there without defending yourself. If you get taken out directly be an opponent, you can acquire added bonuses for taking revenge on the car that knocked you out. The more revenge bonuses you get, the more goodies you'll tally up in the process.\\n\\nExpect a lot more tracks in Revenge. While a few seem to be reminiscent of past Burnout games, most of these tracks are new and made from scratch. The game looks a bit darker this time around, and the tracks are longer and more grueling than ever. Still expect to attack downtown traffic infested cities, desolate crowded freeways, streets of Roman sites, wintery interstates and isolated country scenes. I still would have liked to see the \\\"weather\\\" factor return for Revenge and the ability to change the time of day, but that' just a little nitpick.\\n\\nAll the modes are back, Road Rage, single player, crash, and the new traffic attack which really adds some fun. Full multiplayer between 2-6 players is impliments online with all the modes offers. I haven't got a chance to play online yet, but you can bet your boots this game is just as fun playing online as it with yourself, and probably even more so for other gamers. If you have XBOX Live, you defintely should take the game online to rule the streets. The cars are still not authentic licensed vehicles, no Beamers, no Corvettes or Porshes. But the \\\"creative\\\" copies of actual cars look fantastic and they all look so cool, you wish they were actual cars. Licensed cars would have great with all the brand names, but most have a problem with trashing them in a video game, so this is how they go around it, they make up their own. And thanks to this being an \\\"EA\\\" game, if you have a Madden 06 save on your XBOX, you automatically get the \\\"Madden Van\\\" at the beginning of the game. E.A., always thinking of one more way to advertise their gridiron monster.\\n\\nBurnout Revenge is better than all the Burnouts in the past. More modes, more cars, more tracks, more speed, more frenzied racing. It's the fastest racer you'll ever play and anyone, even non-gamers would probably have a blast with Burnout Revenge. A must have for XBOX owners.\",\n \"Product: NBA Live 06 - Sony PSP\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good effort, Live truly is in the palm of your hand...\\n\\nReview: If you want a good basketball game for your portable, NBA Live certainly is a good bet for you. E.A. pulled it off very nicely. I didn't think Live could be compacted to a \\\"portable level\\\" but this is a very good start for the portable franchise. It's very similar to it's console cousin, all the \\\"SuperStar\\\" moves are intact. Between the leg passes, pass fakes, multiple dunks, power blocks, power moves ETC. With the absence of L2 and R2 buttons and no R stick however, they did have to make some sacrficies. The backdown button is uncomfortably used by holding down \\\"triangle\\\", and you no longer have freestyle moves. Instead, you have your crossover dribble and spin peformed with tapping Triangle and Square. I sometimes do a backdown with triangle when I wanted to a spin, this is annoying.\\n\\n This is actually the old control scheme on the PS2 before they introduced freestyle moves and veteran Live players will be confused when they go back to playing the console version again. It's old school for sure ,but with the lack of buttons and the R stick, they had to go back to this scheme. Keeping this in mind, getting the open shot isn't quite as easy, as the freestyle moves certainly gave the offense the advantage.\\n\\nThe graphics are a cross between a Playstation 2 game and a very highly effective Playstation 1 game. The player models are not amazing, but they look good enough so you can recognize your big name guys down the court. They left out the sideline action, no coaches, no cheerleaders, no sub players, just the court and the fans in the stands. This is certainly due to the limitations of the PSP, but the ingame action is Live all the way. Player movements are very fluent, it seems very smooth and convincing. I would have liked the option to change the game speed a lil', but its a good default.\\n\\nI do have some minor nitpicks. The computer doesn't seem to miss, not just the open shots, but launches 3's constantly and seems to make more than miss. It's a given in a real game, players are going to miss 30-50% of their shots, but the CPU is too good for their own good. Good D is a must if you want to have a chance, especially on higher levels. They also rebound the crud out of the ball and offensive rebounds for the human player are a rarity .\\n\\nSound is good. Steve Kerr and Marv Albert take care of the commentary and it's about as good as the console version commentary, although expect more repetitive comments. Good sound, and E.A. trax music through and through.\\n\\nThere is no franchise mode this year, there is a full season though which will keep most occupied. One on one too. Overall, a very good introduction for the PSP. If you like basketball, you got 2 choices, NBA 06 and NBA Live, both are worth your dough.\",\n \"Product: NBA Live 06 delivers the major gameplay advancements and enhanced player graphics that real fans crave. The sport of basketball is elevated to a whole new level -- a totally enhanced transition game lets you take the point and deliver fast break passes on the fly as teammates run the lanes awaiting your pass. On defense, get inside and feel what it's like to block a dunk - or to be dunked on - as big bodies collide under the basket. Will you live in the paint or set up camp outside the arc? The choice is yours.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: It feels like a game on TNT...\\n\\nReview: First of all, NBA 2k6 is a sweet game without question. But it's also the same game on the XBOX with slightly better graphics.\\n\\n But what about NBA Live? Is it the same game on the XBOX? Heck no! It's a new hoops game and feels like a next gen game. Read why!\\n\\n NBA Live 06 has been really bashed hard on the 360 and it's without merit or reason. It's the best 2 player game around and it feels totally new to me and I'm a longtime NBA Live junkie. My buddy and I have been playing it since November. It's the basketball game for anyone to play, as it's easy to pick up and deep enough for the hardcore gamer too. The graphics are astounding especially if you're loaded and have an HD TV. Watching this game in 1080 is like watching a game on TNT. It looks eeriely real! Sure the modes are missing and that's a bummer for some ,but what it does offer is a solid game of NBA basketball, and in the end, that's why people buy these games, right?\\n\\nThe level of the gameplay can be altered with the sliders. Sick of the rampant offensive rebounds by the computer? No problem, lower it in in the slider A.I. Too many layups? No problem, lower it in the sliders. Blocks, rebounds, steals, fouls, anything can be adjusted to your liking. If it's too realistic, up the sliders, too arcadey? Lower it.\\n\\nNBA Live incorperates the most ingenious system on timeouts \\\"without pressing pause\\\". During breaks, you can call your plays, make subs, tell your players to up the tempo, crash the boards, check your players stamina, all with some taps on the directional pad and all without having to leave the game and pressing pause. It's really ingenious and I hope it sticks around for 07.\\n\\nNow the graphics. This game simply could not be pulled off on the older consoles. It really looks amazing. The players look fantastic, every single one of them, from every tatoo, from every ankle brace, head band, drip of sweat, it's all here. I admit the players need more emotion, but i can forgive E.A. as this is their first attempt and I'm expecting 07 to rock.\\n\\nIn summary...NBA Live for the 360 as a standalone 5 on 5 NBA game is a solid game of hoops and I personally love it and you should really give it a whirl. Give it a chance, it's a bit disappointing the modes are missing ,but the game feels like a next gen game unlike 2k6 (which is basically a port of the XBOX version) but this game feels and plays totally different, that's why you should give it a try. Thanks E.A., you're doing just fine for the 360!\",\n \"Product: Game only in plastic case. No original box.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: My personal favorite PSP game! You'll love it too.\\n\\nReview: Retro games are good, but when they are done right, they can be great. This is easily the greatest arcade compilation I've ever played. Not only can you play these classic arcade games in the palm of your hand, but you can enjoy the best collection of them all in one. 20 games, including \\\"redone\\\" games of Pac-Man, Dig Dug, Galaga and RallyX.\\n\\nThe quality of each classic is amazing and they play nearly exactly to the old arcade cabinets from the retro 80's, graphics, music, sound FX and all. The bestest of the best is clearly Galaga, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Man, RallyX and DigDug. But it doesn't stop there. There are 4 new Arrangement games of those 4 classics, I like to view them as remixes. They are are redone, upheavels in levels, gameplay, sound and graphics. The arranged Galaga is very addicting and you'll be hooked instantly. Dig Dug remade is basically the same game with better graphics and new enemies. RallyX, which was a decent game in the 80's, is redone and very fun to boot. These \\\"arranged\\\" games could have been sold seperately and probably most would have been pleased with them.\\n\\nThe originals are as fun as you remember them and just as challenging. Getting to that \\\"key\\\" in Pac-Man is still no easy task. But for novice gamers, never threat, you can continue from where you left off on many of the old games. Some of the other titles included like Grobada, Motos, Bosconian, DragonBuster and Galaxian are very obscure, but amazingly, they still do offer some fun factor. The rest you may not spent much time with in the past and most you might not play much, but you'll be happy with it overall.\\n\\nSome might be a bit \\\"squinty\\\" eyed playing some of the old games like Pac-Man, the ratio of the originals were made for horizontal screens, so it's very small on the widescreen PSP, but thankfully they offered a \\\"stretch\\\" option for most of the titles. It looks a bit weird all stretched out, but it's better than playing on the little playing field.\\n\\nOverall, this is clearly the best PSP game to buy, especially if you like classic arcade gaming, this is how it all began, no quarters needed...\",\n \"Product: In NBA 2K6 you'll try to achieve NBA superstar status as a legend on the court! With the industry leading online experience and unrivaled franchise control, NBA 2K6 is serious roundball action for the serious fan. Seamless online play and the most comprehensive online features anywhere including complete online stat tracking, buddy lists management, and online leagues\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The old Sega Sports is back, well, kind of!!!\\n\\nReview: Make no mistake, the people bashing this game obviously have never played this game or they simply have something against 2k sports. Seriously, this is the most fun I've had playing a basketball game my whole video game career. And take it from someone who always has loved NBA Live. This year, 2k6 is king.\\n\\nRemembver Sega Sports? It all got started on the Dreamcast with NFL 2k and NBA 2K. Well, Sega Sports is certainly gone, but the developer (Visual Concepts) moved on and now we have 2K Games. And it's nice to see them back in action.\\n\\nFirst things first though, if you have this on the regular XBOX, you may not want to get the 360 version, unless you want to see this in 1080 HD glory. But basically it's the same game as the XBOX one with better graphics. But as a standalone 360 title, it's a very high quality game of hoops and I think it's one of the best games on the system. The gameplay is right on and very in-depth for hardcore fans of the game. The graphics are crisp and very refined and the work put into the player models are well noticed. NBA Live probably has better looking player models, but when you put both games in motion, there is no contest. 2k6 looks like a TNT game live on your TV. I can't believe how real this game looks. The gameplay is very tight and realistic. Realistic stats, good TV style pressentation and the goods to make you very happy throughout your stay with the game. The game is jammed packed with tons of modes. Exhibtion, street ball, 2 on 2, 3 on 3, 4 on 4, and of course the regular NBA 5 on 5.\\n\\nThe best part, online. Online is fantastic. I played about 15 games so far and I didn't notice any lag. I would say it's like your playing your buddy on couch 90% of the time, that's how good and smooth it is online. No offense to NBA Live, but why can't Live play this smooth online 24/7? It just doesn't happen.\\n\\nNBA 2k6 is the caviar sports game on the 360. Thanks to E.A. truly rushing their titles out, this one really shows how empty E.A.'s games are this year for the 360 launch. I'm sure E.A. will make a comeback for late 06, but until then, NBA 2k6 is the best hoops game to buy for the system. Keep your eyes out for 2k's college hoops too. If this game is any indication on how college hoops will turn out, I'm sure that will be a must buy too. Thank goodness E.A. didn't get the NBA License this year, it would have been a catastrophe not being able to enjoy a game like this. Buy this game now.\",\n \"Product: Product InformationA mob war is brewing after the murder of the Philadelphia boss' nephew. TheSopranos crew has been named as the culprit and Philadelphia's and New Jersey'smost powerful families are about to collide. As the illegitimate son of"Big P" you have to demonstrate your loyalty to Tony Soprano.Starting as a soldier you must make money on collections protect your turfthrough intimidation and gain admiration within your own family to move up inthe ranks of the organization. Carry out orders from Paulie Silvio Christopherand Tony and earn your stripes by breaking down enemies through intense verbalinteractions. But if you can't get through verbally send a message by utilizingpunishing specialty combat moves where you can break arms or use random objectsas weapons to shattering effect. Use your smarts to earn money intimidate tocreate fear and achieve success to gain admiration and family respect --turning you into a made man Follow a compelling story collaborated on by showcreator voiced by the show's key cast members Carry out orders in familiarlocations such as the Bada Bing! Nuovo Vesuvio's Satriale's even the newestSeason 6 locations Hot game soundtrack with a blend of past hits and modern upand coming acts to help recreate the atmosphere of the hit show.Product Features Punishing specialty combat moves with a variety of brutal attack variations (Arm break etc.) Enforce with a sadistic streak to devastating effect - Get your point across with the help of a meat slicer filing cabinet drawer and other devices Inflict damage on your opponent's body leaving him with impaired or broken limbs deep swelling cuts/bruises and more Dynamic verbal intimidation - Break down opponents by either being hard or playing it cool impacting the story in real-time by changing your line of attack Earn your stripes working for Tony Soprano's crew -- Report to your captain Paulie Walnuts as well as Silvio Christo\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: A blasphemy to the show, this game deserves zero respect.\\n\\nReview: Most of the reviewers summed this game up quite well. The guy who said he'd rather play ET on his Atari 2600 couldn't be more right. I'm warning customers to not buy this game. I feel sorry for the people who don't read reviews before buying games. It's games by THQ that buy these big names from shows, movies etc and attempt to make the money by the name only, not the quality of the product. I wont' get into details, I reluctantly rented the game already knowing it would be bad, but being a fan, I had to give it a shot. The only good thing about is the theme music rocks. Then the game starts. Terrible storyline, lack of any plot or motive to play, terrible gameplay, boring dialogue, mediocre graphics and overall mediocrity! Heed the \\\"most\\\" of the reviewers on here, this is a bad game, and the show deserves so much better. The guy who gave this game 5 stars wouldn't make it in Tony Soprano's crew for long, because Tony wouldn't have any part of it! There are so many better games out there. If you need a game like this, The Godfather is worth a look, although that game could use some work too.\",\n \"Product: MODEL- 37061 VENDOR- TAKE-TWO FEATURES- NBA 2K7 PS3 Voted best current and next-generation NBA hoops franchise by both press and gamers NBA 2K7 will continue its legacy of dominance this year on the hard court. The highly acclaimed Shot Stick - voted one of the best innovations of 2005 - returns with more responsive controls and new mechanics to master. Combined with incredible graphics including new sweat technology details and animating hair revamped post game and hundreds of new shooting passing and dribbling animations NBA 2K7 is poised for another run as the number 1 rated NBA simulation.* My NBA Plays more like the real NBA than ever before with new player and team tendencies updated camera perspectives and new animations. * Real NBA Coaching Take control of the floor with improved coach settings new team playbooks and on-the-fly substitutions. * 2K7 Soundtrack Tribe Called Quest Mos Def E-40 Jurassic 5 and many others. * New Passing Control Innovative new system allows pass fakes post passes and other ways to hit the open man. * The Association Take total control of the deepest franchise mode in the business now with multiple team franchise 3 team trading progressive fatigue and season awards. -- SPECIFICATIONs ------------------------------------ESRB Rating : E for EveryoneGenre/Category : Sports: BasketballSystem : PlayStation 3Number of Players : 1On-Line Compatible: No\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best basketball game in video game history.\\n\\nReview: I've been playing video games since the Atari 2600 days, been through dozens and dozens of basketball games and I can honestly say NBA 2k7 is the best b'ball game I've personally ever played. I think you'll love it too. NBA 2K7 is the most realistic basketball simulation ever. It looks and plays like a real NBA game and I can't get enough of it. The graphics are stunning, gameplay is tight and the sound is awesome.\\n\\nGraphics: Not comparing to NBA 07, NBA 2k7 in it's own right is a spectacular looking PS3 game. The mostion caputred move are smooth as silk and transition from one motion to the next looks flawless. Watching players do their signature free throws and shots are sweet added touches. The reflective polish of the courts looks much brighter and shinier than it it does on the 360. The stadiums look incredible and the fans in the stands are even fun to watch when you're not playing the action. You'll see cameramen, mascots, cheerleaders and lots of fans throughout. The players faces look a bit better than the 360 version, as at times they looked like zombies. But on the Ps3 things are much improved. There are some sweet montion captured moves including countless dunks throughout the game. Signature dunks, signature moves and signature free throws will immerse you in the experience.\\n\\nGameplay: Forget NBA live, forget NBA 07, this is the best playing basketball game in the world. ON the fly substitions and play calling (without having to pause the game) tight and smooth realistic gameplay will suck you in. The PS3 sixaxis controller works great for 2k7. The only time the sixaxis comes into play with 2k7 is on the free throws. It takes some time to getting used to, but over time, it become second nature. The shot stick on the right stick still works wonders and makes some crazy shots. The computer opponents are very tough even on easier difficulty levels. But the online mutiplayer is where the fun is really at.\\n\\nOnline: Initially the game was suffering when the PS3 was in it's infancy, but things seem to be great now. I haven't had any problems online since, the game plays fast and without any lag as long as you have a good connection.\\n\\nSound: Kenny Harlin is back and his comments do get the job done, but it's the same stuff he's been saying for years. They need to update his stuff. Good music on the menu screens and great sound and crowd noise. Nothing to really complain about.\\n\\nFinal Call: This is my favorite game for the PS3. Sports fans need not to hesitate, this is a must have, you won't be disappointed!\",\n \"Product: NBA '07 - Playstation 3\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Good second option next to NBA 2k7.\\n\\nReview: The Playstation 3 needs some good sports titles. There isn't much right now, pretty much Madden, NBA 2k7 and of course NBA o7. NBA 07 was developed in-house by Sony. The series has been relesed on both the PS2 and PSP with only average reviews. Thankfully, this version does not suffer the same fate, it's a good game of hoops even though you have a much better choice with NBA 2k7. But if you like basketball like I do, you might want to consider this one too, just because it's a different experience.\\n\\nWhat stands out is the graphics. The graphics are top notch, and I feel in most ways, it's a better looking game than 2k7 due to the incredible player models and stadium details. In true 1080 HD, the game is really sweet too look at. It really struts some of the power of the PS3 has to offer. Smooth crisp animations, nice player models, terrific reflections on the court, realistic stadiums and excellent use of vibrant colors and dripping sweat to boot! The player models are not perfect. The players look to sweat a little profusely and when this happens, they look a bit \\\"manequinish\\\", is that a word? I guess you can say they resemble a zombie in a round about sort of way. But you'll only notice on replays, timeouts and closeups, so it's only a minor gripe. But the players faces look very much like their real counterparts and they even got the hair down to a tee.\\n\\nGameplay wise, I would describe it as a 70% sim and 30% arcade feel. The gamep plays at an amazing fast pace and there is lot of scoring. The defense A.I. still needs some work, I noticed too many easy holes to the basket as my computer controlled teammates do not seem to help out in the lane when they should. One thing also that really bothered me was that very annoying shot meter. It's difficult to perfect it, as it seems to want just that, \\\"perfection\\\" to make a shot. Luckily, the shot meter thing can be disabled,so if you have problems like me making open jumpers, just turn it off. Other problems are with player fatigue issues. I noticed players being tired really doens't seem to affect them when their still oncourt. I've had guys below 50% and they were still moving fast and making shots on the court like they were fully rested from the bench. This is certainly an issue if you want realism and if you play online as substitutions are basically not needed. They need to patch this up.\\n\\nOuch. You would think of the slick presentation with TNT by it's side, you would think we would have a great tv style presentation. Well, good stat screens and cool TV replays are nice, but where the heck is my commentary? NBA 07 is lacking any commentary whatsoever. All you hear is the P.A. announcer. This is a major bummer and considering this is a next gen title, leaving out commentary is a big no-no.\\n\\nOnline play for the most part seems to be pretty smooth, I only notice a few laggy games, of course a lot depends on your connection. The modes are pretty bareboned, typical Season, Exhibition and a few mini-game which are actually very fun. The NBA Replay mode lets you replay games from the past week (in real life) and alter the ending. It's a good experience and with so many scnerios each week from the NBA, this mode is fun and will keep you busy. There are no deep franchise modes or the \\\"The life\\\" mode offered in the PS3 version, which is a bit disappointing. You would think a full priced NBA game for the PS3 would be loaded, but it still seems to a bit lacking.\\n\\nOverall, I really liked NBA 07. The on-court gameplay is very good and is a good change up from 2k7. It's a game anyone can jump into and most will have fun with it. A few issues in the gameplay and lacking modes keeps it from being a must have. IF you only want to get one game, I would say NBA 2k7 is your best bet, it's still the best basketball game on the market.\",\n \"Product: 50 hit songs including 10 Motown classics from the original artists. Songs include: Are You Happy Now?, Billie Jean, Celebration, Chain of Fools, Complicated, Don't Know Why, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Heartbreak Hotel, Hot Stuff, How You Remind Me, Sugar Pie, Heard it Through the Grapevine, I'll Be There, It's the End of the World As We Know It, I've Got You Under My Skin, Like a Virgin, One Week, Please Mr. Postman, Red, Red Wine, Stop! In the Name of Love, The Power of Love, The Tracks of My Tears, Waiting for Tonight, When a Man Loves a Woman,and many more...\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Needs more songs,but you can download if online w/XBOX Live\\n\\nReview: **Update Sept 1st 05** - I've had this game for 9 months and Konami STILL has not offered any new song downloads with the exception of the ones that were offered when the game was released on XBOX Live. This is absurd. Why no new downloads? This changes my entire opinion of the game so put that 5 star away, because it' really now only a 3. With no new songs to download, this takes away any new replay value this game could have had. Major bummer Konami.\\n\\nReview: This game took me off guard. I expected just a simple little Karaoke game with lyrics on the screen and nothing more. I never played the ones on the PS2 and really never wanted to, but when it came out for XBOX, I figured, what the heck, I enjoy singing so I'll give it a shot. In 4 words, \\\"what a party game!\\\" First off, Konami did a wonderful job of replicating the actual music from the original artists. The music is nearly cloned perfectly. People with home theaters will jam to this with the 5.1 Digital. The way the crowd reacts to you really gets your adrenaline flowin, if you sing bad, you're character will get booed off stage, heck, you do bad enough, the music stops--- if you do well, they will go nuts for you. It really makes you feel like you're at a serious karaoke jam. But not only do you just sing, you're also being judged! The game judges you by tone of voice and timing. It's very picky at times and when you don't know the words by heart, prepare to have a mean crowd by your side.\\n\\nThe different venues like county fairs, outdoor stadiums, party palaces and local bars gives the game a very realistic feel. The characters available are comical to watch on-screen and they move their mouth with yours, downright funny. The males will get a kick out of choosing the \\\"Britney Look Alike Girl\\\" and doing Friends in Low Places.\\n\\nUp front, the music selection is a mixed bag and I won't judge if it's good or bad because different people prefer different things. It mostly included a little country, some 80's, 90's and some recent stuff. I know it's hard to make everyone happy, but the thing to do is offer more music. And that is where XBOX Live comes in. With an XBOX Live subscription (which is already $49.99 a year) you can connect online to get new songs. Of course there is no mention of charging us in the instruction booklet, but not to my surprise, there is a $4.99 fee for each group of songs. Each group of $4.99 contains 5 songs. I'm sorry, $4.99 is a rip off, especially when we may only want it for 1 or 2 of the selections. And we're already paying Microsoft to go online for our yearly subscription. Sigh. More money out the door...\\n\\n And considering we spent $59.99 for the game itself, Konami seems a bit greedy. I would have liked it more if you could buy in singles for .99cents. Seems more logical. At this time \\\"Jan 05\\\" the downloads are pretty weak, only about 6 groups availalbe and the stuff they do have is pretty skimpy. A few 80's songs, Jessie's Girl, more Michael Jackson, some Britney Spears, Madonna, etc. Good stuff, but we need a wider variety. Hopefully over time they will get that price down and get more for us.\\n\\nAs a whole, I still loved this game, I'm a karaoke fan and love to jam out, other fans will love it to. As with me, some music you're simply never going to sing, or want to. The problem, some of the modes force you to sing what it chooses to continue on to earn new characters and venues. It's annoying and if it was up to me to market this game, I would make different genres of music to sell seperately instead of putting a mix of music on one game. How about an all 70's, all 80's, all 90's and \\\"Modern\\\" releases so people dont' get stuck with songs they'll never use. But as a whole,it's good fun and I'm lovin' the songs I do like, and the ability to download new songs is nice but when will they offer more?? And even for what they got, $4.99 for 5 songs is greedy and they should let you choose them individually. Duh Konami?\",\n \"Product: Slip on a pair of QuietComfort 2 headphones and hear your music come alive. Decades of Bose research combine with their Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphone technology to deliver the ultimate in audio performance. This award-winning technology electronically identifies and reduces the unwanted noise around you (on buses or trains, in the office, even at home). So you hear more of what you want to hear ? and less of the tiresome sounds that have so often distracted you. Proprietary TriPort headphone technology also helps give you incredible headphone audio performance while keeping the design compact and streamlined. QuietComfort 2 headphones are lightweight and comfortable, and whether you take them on a trip or to the office, they will fold flat to store easily in a bag or briefcase. A single detachable audio cable gives you easy access to portable players, home stereos and in-flight entertainment systems, all with less tangling than two-cable designs. That same cable can be removed so your headphones can go cordless when you simply want the benefits of noise reduction Features: Bose Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphone technology. These patented technologies electronically identify and reduce unwanted noise while faithfully preserving the music, speech or silence that you desire. Bose Acoustic structure of the TriPort headphone. This proprietary system utilizes three small ports in the earcups to produce a rich audio performance that?s remarkable for headphones this small. QuietComfort ear cushions. Proprietary cushion design establishes a critical acoustical seal between the headphones and your head, enhancing noise reduction and helping to maximize sound quality.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I'll never consider anything less ever again...\\n\\nReview: Although I understand most can't use these at work, but I need to tell you what a wonderful job these headphones do in noisy environments. I work in a very noisy office. 6 printers going at once, noisy tow-motors behind my wall, phones ringing everywhere. I wanted some \\\"peace and an answer for the madness!\\\". I was hesitant, $300 is pushing it for simple headphones, but these are not just headphones you can pickup at Wal-Mart. These are Bose, the ultimate experts when it comes to sound and technology. They do what they say they do, they block out the noise in your crazy world. If I had to rate it on a scale for the actual \\\"blocking\\\" I would say blockage is nearly 90% and the stuff you can still hear is hardly audible. And when you throw in a little music, you don't notice anything but soothing music to your ears. The music quality is the icing on the cake, as the base, treble is about as good as you can get, the sound is top of the line for headphones. Great for gamers too, if you got a system like XBOX, PS2 or what have you, don't bother your neighbors or family ,crank it up in these, and you won't be disappointed.\\n\\nI've only had them for a few days now, so I can't tell you how rugged or long lasting they will last in terms of \\\"plastic wearing out\\\" or sound issues, but I don't assume Bose would slack for that for one minute. As for comfort, they fix on my head nicely and they don't \\\"smash your ears\\\", they seem to be made for most everyone. If you have the money, want great sounding headphones, and want to block out the outside world, these headphones are for you without question. A definite good splurge.\\n\\nIt includes a headphone adapter for larger headphone connections that can plug in to most receivers and the regular connection that will plug into regular CD players. And it has an extension cable so you have plenty of length too.\",\n \"Product: God returns to Earth to reunite an advertising man and his real estate saleswoman wife who are separated. He asks their daughter to write a slogan to help sell Him to the public. A sequel to the movie \\\"Oh, God!\\\"\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Sequels usually stink, but this one manages to hang in there..\\n\\nReview: Let's face it, sequels usually never surpass the original. Sure Terminator 2 and Godfather 2 are exceptions, but in the movie world, it's a simple fact sequels suck! But just because it's not usually as good as the original, does not mean that Oh God Book II is a bad movie. I actually think it deserves more credit. George Burns reprises his role as God and that within itself is a good thing because portraying our Lord is no easy feat and he saves the movie from every aspect. It's basically the same premise as OH God, only this time it's a little girl told to spread the Word. The cast is a bunch of nobodies and mind you some of the acting is pretty bad, but the little girl Tracy Richards played by (Louanne - don't ask why she has no last name, nobody really knows) but Louanne does an acceptable acting job and her little body doing big things for God makes you want to stick with it until it's all over. The script is not as creative as the original and is as predictable as any sequel could ever be, but it's still fun. There are some touching moments between George Burns and the Louanne especially at the end of the movie when God makes his grand appearance in front of everyone.\\n\\nOH God Book II certainly didn't win any academy awards and it's not as good as the original or even OH God You Devil, but it still manages to be enjoyable thanks to the funny antics of George Burns.\",\n \"Product: Ten years after his original massacre, the invalid Michael Myers awakens and returns to Haddonfield to kill his seven-year-old niece on Halloween. Can Dr. Loomis stop him?\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: I miss John Carpenter, but amazingly, this is a good horror movie.\\n\\nReview: Let's face it, horror movies usually suck, and it was always inevitable that a sequel about Michael Myers coming back to Haddonfield in Illinois was a given. Halloween 2 valiantly continued the story of the killer and it was supposed to end with that one as it truly ended with a true bang. But of course the money hungry hands of Hollywood could only keep Michael at bay for so long. Skipping over III completely, (which had nothing to do with Michael Myers, we have Part 4, The Return of Michael Myers.\\n\\nJohn Carpenter is gone, with the exception of his themed music, we have director Dwight Little taking a stab at the Halloween story. Carpenter is sorely missed, but amazingly, this is a scary movie and keeps the faith of Carpenters original, well almost. Carpenter agreed after Part II that there simply wasn't really any storyline left for the character. Looks like Part 4 proved that wrong. With the exception of Donald Pleasance (Loomis), the original cast of characters from 1978 are totally gone. Loomis renews his role as Michael's doctor. As stated in another review, basically ignore the end of part II, as both Michael and Loomis should be dead, literally. (they were basically burned alive).\\n\\nPart 4 concerns the daughter of (Jamie Lee Curtis) Lorie Strode. Jamie Lee supposedly died and her daughter was adopted by a new family in Haddonfield. Michael Myers of course, laying nearly dead from Part II, hears about the little girl in his dark asylum. He, of course, wants to kill finish off the rest of the family, so of course he now gets out, and goes after the daughter of Laurie Strode.\\n\\nJamie Lee is nowhere to be found in the movie as her character was believed to have died in car wreck, but we certainly find that to be untrue with the future release of H20 - 20 Years Later. Halloween 4 is a very dark movie. Nearly 75%, not surprisingly takes place at night. The movie, similar to the original, focuses more on suspense and only a small amount of gore. The pacing is fast and keeps you in suspense for most of the movie. Also true to the Halloween genre, there really isn't much blood in this one as proven once before that you don't need gore and guts to make a good scary movie.\\n\\nThe music score is \\\"Carpenter\\\" reminisce all the way with some great use of synthesizers and classic piano themes from the original. If I had one pet peave about the movie is the mask they used. The faceless shape mask of Michael Myers was amazing looking in Part I and Part II. But in part 4, the mask is seems a bit too white, or it's just to bright for it's own good and is not nearly as scary as the \\\"shapes\\\" mask in the original. But other than this minor nitpick, the killer \\\"Michael\\\" is a force to be recokned with.\\n\\nLoomis has some fine moments and enjoy him in part 4, because although he returns for the next two Halloween outings, the next two are not worth your time as 4 should have been the last Halloween movie, at least until H20 with the return of Jamie Lee Curtis.\\n\\nHalloween 1 was the best, Halloween 2 took a close second and then we have Halloween 4 which keeps the faith and is simply a good scary movie. You can never take out an original like Halloween, but thanks to fine acting, great music, and the force of Michael Myers, you'll have fun with this one for sure. Highly recommended.\",\n \"Product: tape and cover in good condition\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Happy Happy Halloween! Silver Shamrock!\\n\\nReview: Attn: Spoilers Ahead!!!\\n\\nNo Michael Myers. Keep that in mind b4 forking out the dough for it. Halloween III is an attempt for movie makers to do something else other than your typical slasher flick. Point of interest though, although III was not directed by John Carpenter, (the director of part 1 and producer of II), John was involved in III as a producer and did the eerie music, so that gave me enough reason to give it a chance.\\n\\nI personally watched this when it came out in 1983, and you know what? I liked it. Don't laugh in hysterics here, but this movie is about a company that sells cursed masks to the kids to kill them on Halloween and it's up to one man (Tom Atkins) to stop this horrible day! Certainly a morbid idea and silly to boot, but the outcome is not as demented as it sounds and the final product is almost funny at times. The movie concerns a company that makes these masks, evil masks mind you. With the cursed power of the rocks that were stolen from \\\"stonehenge\\\" they put a trace of the rock within the label of the mask, and when children where them, it kills them on Halloween. For all the concerned people out there, only one child \\\"at least known of is shown being\\\" well, killed by the mask. It's up to the infamous \\\"Tom Atkins\\\" to stop this evil occurance from happening. The President of the company responds to the question...\\\"Why\\\". He said, It's a joke on the children.\\\" The movie is saved by a good sense of \\\"morbidness\\\" as the final act is finally reached. Tom Atkins didn't win any oscars, but he's you're average \\\"Joe\\\" caught up in the middle of the craziness.\\n\\nThanks to some good acting by a bunch of nobodies, tight pacing, and one humorous, but disgusting scene with snakes and bugs crawling out of some heads, it's not as bad as one might think. Keep an open mind for Halloween III, and forget about Michael Myers. John Carpenter wanted to do something different, he was obviously smart enough to know that the \\\"Michael Myers\\\" storyline was maxed out after 2 and it was time for a change. Now, the big question, why was this movie called Halloween III: Season of the Witch. We may never know!\",\n \"Product: VHS\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: One of my favorite action movies of all time.\\n\\nReview: (Attn ** Spoilers Ahead!)\\n\\nImprobable? Yes? Fun to watch? Double yes. A movie with impossible and illogical lunacy better do something special to make it work and keep you glued to the screen. Well, Face Off is one of those movies, it's amazing how good the movie is (out of line logic aside) John Woo is a genius! Face Off starts out with a very morbid scene of Travolta's (Sean Archer's) son getting killed by Cage (Castor Troy) and may even draw some tears to the ladies, but from that point on, it's just non-stop action movie to boot and a massive battle between the good guy and the bad guy!\\n\\n The movie indulges itself with a very good (but crazy script) and some very clever lines. Fine acting from the newbies and of course Cage and Travolta are the perfect match for this one. How could anyone seriously not love this movie? Case in point, my girlfriend watched this for the first time a few nights ago and she had tears, laughed, and jumped out of her seat about 5 times and said \\\"that was amazing, that's Cage's best movie.\\\" I also heard \\\"oh my God, oh my God\\\" out of her a dozen times. The movie simply keeps you involved and that's why it's so great. It's about being fun, and Face Off is one of those movies that you'll want to watch over again. It's fast, funny, morbid, but most importantly, fun! You'll see crazy things like Cage getting dressed up as a priest and doing a dance to the Halleilujah chorus, you'll see an FBI agent and a psychological madman trade faces and bodies and battle it out, you'll see speed boats crashing into eachother on a lake and colliding with other boats, you'll see planes get blown up, crazy gun fights between Cage and Travolta, you'll see guns and more guns too, you'll see Cage tell a story about his wife cracking a tooth on a rice seed, you'll see Travolta *Archer* throw a guy on a corvette and beat the crap out of him for attacking his daughter, you'll see the final clash between Archer and Troy in one of the best action sequences I've ever seen.\\n\\nThe music in the movie is very well orchestrated, it's a bit reminiscent of the \\\"Speed\\\" movies and really gets your blood churning. I do have a minor nitpick in the movie. Toward the end some of the stunt devils look pretty bad and don't look like Cage and Travolta at all, people with big screens watching these movies will laugh seeing these guys, they really don't look anything like them. The movie is nearly over two hours though and you'll truly never get bored once, I guarantee it. Anyone who says this movie isn't fun doesn't enjoy movies, because this is what movies should be like, just fun and crazy! Do yourself a favor and buy this movie before people forget out it. It's my personal favorite action movie of all time!\",\n \"Product: A lost soul has just received the wounds of Christ and a shocking message that will alter history. Stunning performances from Patricia Arquette (True Romance), Gabriel Byrne (The Usual Suspects) and Jonathan Pryce (Ronin) and a cutting edge score by Billy Corgan of The SmashingPumpkins and Elia Cmiral make Stigmata a visual and visceral feast (Entertainment Today). Frankie Paige (Arquette) has absolutely no faith in God. All of that changes when she suddenly begins to suffer the Stigmatathe living wounds of the crucified Christ. Frankie's miraculous bleeding comes to the attention of the Vatican's top investigator, Father Kiernan (Byrne). But when Cardinal Houseman (Pryce), discovers that Frankie is actually channeling an extraordinary and provocative message that could destroy the Church, he's convinced that she - and the force possessing hermust be forever silenced. Determined to stop this deadly conspiracy, Kiernan risks his faithandhis lifeto save her and the message that will change the destiny of mankind forever!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I can't believe the critics anymore. This is an awesome movie.\\n\\nReview: I'm sorry to say, the critics bashed this movie to the ground. In fact, they did it so blatently hard that Stigmata did horrible in the box office. Many people go by what the critics say and Stigmata is living proof that you shouldn't, this is a very entertaining film so don't listen to everyone. And as you can see, the Amazon readers \\\"for the most part\\\" seem to enjoy the movie more than the big guys do. I've heard comments that \\\"people enjoyed the movie when it came to DVD moreso than they did when they watched it on the big screen. Why is this? I'm not really sure. Maybe it seems more like a made for \\\"TV Movie\\\" but I don't feel that is the case. It doesn't seem to be a \\\"cheaply\\\" made movie by any means and the actors are known. Nonetheless...\\n\\nIt's no Exoricst or Gone with The Wind, but Stigmata is fun and anyone that enjoys a tale about religion/horror movie in general, should give it a chance. Gabriel Burne (Father Andrew Kiernan) plays the role of the slash scientist/priest quite well. I always thought he was a wonderful actor. He also played Satan in End of Days and played a big role in \\\"Point of No Return\\\" with Bridgette Fonda. His wonderful acting skills are very well done. This great popcorn movie puts a stab into religion in general and some might be offended, but remember, it's just a movie!!! Once again, the Catholics are attacked, but it's all believeable and fun at the same time. Patrica Arquette does a substantial job as her role as a self admitting atheist who gets inflicted with the Stygmata. A simple hairdresser brought into the madness.\\n\\nShe kind of looks bored through some her scenes and she needs to show a little more emotion and spunk in my opinion, but \\\"Gabriel\\\" saves most of the scenes when they are both together. The movie takes a lot of it's general ideas from the Exorcist, same idea, just a different time and infliction only now with a twist. I felt the movie is very suspenseful, clever, dramatic and the acting is very well done. This movie won't bring you any closer to God, that's not what it's trying to do, it's just trying to do something different and fun, and I think Stigmata succeeds! Buy it now if you haven't seen it. Good stuff.\",\n \"Product: The effects of global warming and the greenhouse effect has caught up with the Earth. The polar ice caps are melting and the world's weather patterns are all out of sync. The next ice age is upon us. A scientist that specializes in historical extreme weather changes must fight his way north to New York where his son is caught in the clutches of mother nature.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Loopholes, illogical scenes to throw your brain for a spin!!\\n\\nReview: *Lookout Spoilers Ahead* I love disaster movies, Twister, Deep Impact, Armageddon, all got just average reviews, but to the real people, the \\\"customers\\\", most of us liked them all. The Day After Tomorow falls into that category. The problem with this movie is that I wanted more. There were just too many loopholes, too many unanswered questions, and some logic issues that I didn't quite understand.\\n\\nMy issues with the movie are simple, they left you with too many unanswered questions and logic that left me bewildered? Fisrt of all, what year is this movie taking place? Present? 2009? 2030? Please tell me mister director?\\n\\nIssue #1, What happened to the thousands of people who traveled from the library to find shelter? And speakin of shelter? Where did they think they would go in an ice age blizzard anyway? They didn't show much panic considering that 95% of the population of New York perished in the tidal wave. Aside from panic, we didn't see much remorse, tears, or sadness for the horrible events from anybody, they just seemed \\\"to not mesh with the emotion that the audience was feeling with all the death that just occured. And don't the survivors have families? Aren't they concerned for their well being too? No mention of concern for that.\\n\\nIssue #2: Perhaps a little more \\\"heart\\\" for everything would have made us care for the characters more. Although The story of Dennis Quaid searching for his son is touching to a point, it really had nothing to do with the large scale mayhem in the movie. Even more crazy, is the improbable fact that he actually found him within a short period of time. And this is during a developing ice age? Once again, they need to keep you up to speed with the time gone by and where we're at during the film. But nonetheless, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it would have taken weeks to find him in the aftermath of the storm.\\n\\nIssue #3: The incredible sequence when the -150 degree drop at the library was so far fetched! Since when can you out run mother nature within inches? They turned it into a track and field race to see if they could beat the cold air to the library lobby? And how are these people surviving with no water and food? With the -150 degree temperature outside, water, food, would be totally useless frozen up in ice. How did they survive? How can the penecillin they picked up on the ship be useful if it's frozen like a popcicle? I just needed more information for everybody's survival? And those mystery wolves? Did they make a fire to keep warm during the blizzard and end up chasing the characters after it was ok to go outside?\\n\\nIssue #4: What exactly happened to the President of the United States and his boys? They made \\\"one short\\\" issue of it during the movie. Where is the President? \\\"They didn't make it\\\" the white house staff responds. Ok, so???--- they didn't make it? But why? Snow? Ice? Flood? Shot down my Iraqi soldiers? I just was left hanging! Maybe they will have a directors cut and explain everything.\\n\\nWith all the loopholes in logic, I still enjoyed the movie, I just wish the creators would have explained things better and fixed some of the logic in the movie.\\n\\nI guarantee though, you're not going to be disappointed with the special effects, even the critics can't bash this to the ground, because the computer imagery is eerily realistic and will scare you out of your wits. Although after watching 9/11, I really was left with a chill seeing New York hit with a giant tidal wave and knowing the people who perished. Overall the acting is fine, Dennis Quaid is your typical \\\"caring father\\\" character. But a little more emotion and sadness by everyone would have had a bigger impact on movie goers. If you leave your expectations a bit low, you should really enjoy this \\\"no brainer\\\" movie.\",\n \"Product: TROLL TROLL 2\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Need a good laugh?\\n\\nReview: 2 Movies for the price of one! Not! Dont' be fooled, you're paying for one movie because the so called \\\"sequel\\\" is a pile of dung. But back to Troll... Play this when you had a bad day at school or work to get cheered up. Seriously, for a good laugh and some decent storytelling, pop this baby in. It may be considered a \\\"bad\\\" movie by most,but it's a funny bad and can't be missed if you want to just see idiocy onscreen. As a child I actually enjoyed it, now as an adult I just amuse myself by how laughably silly the movie is. A strange inclusion of Sonny Bono in his apartment getting attacked by a Troll is priceless entertainment. There is actually some decent acting, but most is the epitomy of bad, so dont' expect any academy awards for anything. Overall, it's silly watchable stupidity. Kids will love it. Adults won't believe that people pay money to see this. \\\"Laughing\\\".\",\n \"Product: UNSOLVED MYSTERIES - MIRACLES\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: People with hearts and open minds need this collection.\\n\\nReview: The shroud of turin, visions of mary, bleeding statues, a lady frozen face down in the snow overnight in sub zero temperatures brought back to life 8 hours later, a baby that died at birth and breathed again 6 hours later, the power of prayer to save a life. This is just a dose of the miracles that you will enjoy that will really touch your soul. You can say that this is \\\"relgious collection\\\" but I think the non-believers and skeptics should take a gander at what these fantastic documentaries offer. It's another view into the \\\"unexplained\\\" that truly defies science in nearly every documentary. The documentaries are excellently produced and many are filmed exactly where the miracles happened with the real people that experienced it. Expect tears to roll for many of these especially if you take them to heart yourself. The narratives of Robert Stack is just the icing on the cake. If you want the ultimate \\\"miracle\\\" collection, look no further, Unsolved Mysteries gave us 13 years of it, now it's all together in a collection with no commercials! A nice tribute to Robert Stack and introduction by the producers of the Miracles Stories is also included.\",\n \"Product: Zack, Kelly, Slater and Screech are back for new adventures, new challenges and new friends at California U! Arriving at college, they realize that life is going to be very different. As Zack puts it, \\\"Last year we ruled Bayside...this year we're the lowest rung on the food chain!\\\" It's a time for firsts and lots of surprises. Zack gets rejected by a girl, Slater's the worst wrestler on the team, Kelly gets a hankering for her professor and Screech finally starts getting the girls! Resident Assistant Michael Rogers helps the gang through the rough patches. Now you can enjoy the entire series of 18 episodes in their entirety, plus the pilot, as the gang navigates their way through the ups and downs of college life! Episodes include: Pilot / Guess Who's Coming to College / Zack, Lies & Videotape / Rush Week / Slater's War / The Homecoming / The Poker Game / Professor Zack / Screech Love / Dr. Kelly / A Thanksgiving Story / Teacher's Pet / Kelly and the Professor / A Question of Ethics / The Rave / Bedside Manner / Love and Death / Marry Me / Wedding Plans. Featuring Mario Lopez, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, and Dusty Diamond.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Dumb, stupid, unrealistc, but amazingly, it's still fun.\\n\\nReview: Maybe I'm partial to the series because Zack (Mark-Paul Gosselaar)and myself are about the same age and I grew up with him during the 1st series too during my high school years. But now as I look back, I can't believe how stupid the shows actually were. Notice how the show was always recorded in the same hallway, the same people were always together, the principal was nothing short of a moron, and the stories were as realistic as Elvis being alive.\\n\\nThe College Years, while the critics may say otherwise, is clearly better than the high school episodes. Maybe it's because \\\"I was in college during the \\\"College Years\\\" but they really seem more entertaining to me and is definitely fun to watch if you're fan of no-brainer nonsense entertainment like me. Saved by the Bell is about \\\"stupid\\\" plotlines and loop holes of stories that really don't make sense, and that is what makes them fun.\\n\\nAlthough shortlived, the series was unlike it's high school counterpart. Alot has changed since Bayside. How convenient that Slater, Kelly, Zack and Screech all end up in the same dorm room together. Once again \\\"unrealistic craziness\\\" that the show survives on. Too bad Lisa Turtle (Lark Voorhies) and Jessica Spano (Elisebeth Berkley) couldn't make it back, although lark does make a cameo toward the end of the series. \\\"Berkley was too busy taking her clothes off for the grammy award winning movie \\\"ShowGirls\\\". The series basically brings back Zack's non-sensical antics to college life at California Univeristy. Towards the end the story, the series focuses back on Zack and Kelly falling in love and then eventually talking about getting married. AC-Slater (Mario Lopez) really shines during the series and shows his fine acting abilities in a \\\"silly\\\" but sometimes serious way. Some newbie (nobodies) come around for the show and help it along the way too. Mark-Paul Gosselaar and the conflicts of college life really made me laugh throughout every episode. Every tongue and cheek cliche' and trick to make 30 minutes go by is used up on every episode. Screech still ruins of the episodes better moments when the unrealistic feel of the show is brought out almost to the point of being absurd, but Zack, Slater and Kelly seem to keep the show at bay. It's too bad the show was cut, because some of the last episodes were getting a bit more serious and believable and I wanted more.\\n\\nSaved By The Bell: The College Years is a good DVD buy and people who are like me, will watch it over and over, we just don't know why we watch it?\",\n \"Product: Almanzo Wilder comes to Walnut Grove with his sister Eliza-Jane, the new schoolteacher - The Ingalls decide to adopt Albert but run into resistance from the boy's father - Nels Oleson is reunited with his estranged sister when the circus comes to town - A faith healer convinces the citizens of Walnut Grove to trust him, with tragic results - Caroline's father discovers a talent as a storyteller while grieving after the loss of his wife - Laura and Mary are held captive by escaped convicts until Charles, impersonating a doctor, disarms the criminals - Albert and a friend accidentally set fire to the blind school - Almanzo asks Charles for Laura's hand in marriage but is not overjoyed when he gets his answer. These and many other exciting adventures from the entire fifth season are presented in this Special Collector's Edition!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: There is a reason so many review this, they all have it!\\n\\nReview: Attention! Spoilers Ahead! I really don't need to express to you how wonderful Little House on the Prairie is, but season 6 is certainly no exception. If you're fan, why are you reading this? I love this collection and these shows are still good enough to go back to prime time, I'm so bummed out there is no quality stuff like this on the tube anymore.\\n\\nBe that as it may, take care of that issue and go out and buy this now. The box sets of all these DVD's are absolutely fantastic, I love to go back from season to season and see everyone grow and notice the changes in Walnut Grove. This big season Laura falls in love with Almonzo and the most rememembered, however disheartening episode, is when the blind school is burned down and Alice Garvey dies and Mary loses her baby in the fire. I still get shivers and cry during this episode everytime. I found out that the character \\\"Alice\\\" Garvey wanted to give up the role as Alice and start a family--- so no time for acting, so what do they do? They burn her alive! Nice grand exit Alice, anyway, I think the collection is of 12-13 episodes, with some interviews with Alison Engram (Nellie) and the reverend Alden. The picture and sound is fine for the most part, although I noticed some \\\"audio\\\" distortions in some of the episodes, it sounds like the music was coming from the rear end of a cow, but it's only noticeable on a few episodes. Enjoy these episodes now, as the exit of the main characters is coming to a close in upcoming Season 7, make sure you get them all!!!\",\n \"Product: Martial arts superstar Jet Li delivers a break-out performance in the gripping, action-packed story about a man raised from childhood by a ruthless crime boss (Academy Award nominee Bob Hoskins) and becomes a violent killing machine. When a blind piano tuner (Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman) takes him in, Danny (Li) tries to start a new life, but his brutal past follows him, forcing him to fight back. Featuring breath-taking fight choreography by Yuen Woo Ping (The Matrix and Kill Bill: Vols. 1 & 2).\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Took me by surprise...\\n\\nReview: Hong Kong Kung fu man Jet Li along with Bob Hoskins and Morgan Freeman in a movie together? I looked at the cover and said, is this a typo on the cover? Seriously? Freeman? Shawshank Redemption was in my head here. And I see Jet Li on the cover. HMMM... Sounds odd for anyone who knows movies, but believe it or not, it turned out to be a fantastic movie. Now we come to Bob Hoskins. Bob Hoskins is mostly remembered for playing the lead role as (Detective Valiant) in Who Framed Roger Rabbit as the alcoholic detective. It's been a long time since he's really done anything and it was nice to see him again as I feel he's one of the better actors out there. Too bad he's a bad guy this time, but he's still great on-screen.\\n\\nMorgan Freeman, a bit out of his norm here, meshed quite well with the action star Jet Li. The scenes between Morgan and Jet Li are acutally very touching to the soul but don't think this is a drama movie, this is still action, but having Morgan Freeman along for the ride is a nice addition.\\n\\nThe storyline doesn't look very good on paper, but it turned out fine onscreen. Danny (Jet Li) is a man raised to be a brutal human attack dog controlled by his boss (Bob Hoskins). He didn't know any other life, until he met Morgan Freeman. Freeman showed him a normal life, and expressed there is more to life than just killing and serving a cruel boss. The scenes with Morgan and Li are simple breaks from the rest of the action and violence the movie offers. But it works somehow and I was glued to the movie without question.\\n\\nThe movie is basically 50% action, the rest with Freeman and Li is him enjoying his new life without the dog collar. Jet lie enjoying ice cream, cooking, shopping in groceries, learning to play and tune pianos, and a little relationship with a young beautiful blonde. Weird? Yes. Works? Yes. But don't jump to conclusions here, action fans will love it too. The action scenes are fantastic, no computer generated graphics, just some simply fantastic fight sequences. This unrated version is violent for sure, but it's not anything we haven't seen before, so you know what to expect. Good music, good acting, and the bond between Li and Freeman works very well. It is true that opposites attract!\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":25,"string":"25"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":384,"string":"384"}}},{"rowIdx":385,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A2DURJRPTPKUZS"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"3.0\" for a product with description \"The high-performance Slim-Fit Plus Galaxy S6 Armband doesn't just protect your phone while you're exercising - it's also incredibly comfortable to wear. The secure fit and slim design stays out of your way, so you forget you're even wearing it. Now you can concentrate on your workout, not your device.\". The summary of the review text is \"Comfortable, but had to remove case from phone\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I really liked the look and feel of the Belkin Sport-Fit Plus Armband. The fabric texture felt great on my arm and the band was very easy to adjust. Unfortunately there were a couple issues with the armband that would need to be resolved before I could give this product a 5 star rating. First, I was unable to fit my Samsung Galaxy S6 into this armband without first removing my Otterbox Symmetry case. The Otterbox Symmetry is very slim and should have fit into the armband in my opinion. I refuse to remove my Otterbox case every time that I want to use this armband. Second, this armband did not allow me to use fingerprint unlock feature since the screen and front button is covered by the transparent plastic front of the armband. I was forced to remove the phone from the armband each time I wanted to use my fingerprint to unlock the phone. This is really inconvenient especially in a gym setting. I refuse to setup a pin unlock code simply to use this armband. I really wanted to like this product because it looked and felt so great, but the functional issues that I describe above prevent me from using this product on a daily basis. I cannot justify removing my phone case and setting up an alternative means of unlocking my phone simply because I want to use this armband."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I really liked the look and feel of the Belkin Sport-Fit Plus Armband. The fabric texture felt great on my arm and the band was very easy to adjust. Unfortunately there were a couple issues with the armband that would need to be resolved before I could give this product a 5 star rating. First, I was unable to fit my Samsung Galaxy S6 into this armband without first removing my Otterbox Symmetry case. The Otterbox Symmetry is very slim and should have fit into the armband in my opinion. I refuse to remove my Otterbox case every time that I want to use this armband. Second, this armband did not allow me to use fingerprint unlock feature since the screen and front button is covered by the transparent plastic front of the armband. I was forced to remove the phone from the armband each time I wanted to use my fingerprint to unlock the phone. This is really inconvenient especially in a gym setting. I refuse to setup a pin unlock code simply to use this armband. I really wanted to like this product because it looked and felt so great, but the functional issues that I describe above prevent me from using this product on a daily basis. I cannot justify removing my phone case and setting up an alternative means of unlocking my phone simply because I want to use this armband."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Experience the power of Oral-B with Oral-B Professional Healthy Clean + ProWhite . Unique ProWhite brush head provides whitening & superior cleaning* with 4 cleaning modes. Advanced polishing to remove tough surface stains. Features include: ProWhite refill brush head with Indicator bristles which fade half-way to indicate when to replace brush head for better cleaning, hard brushing alert, waterproof ergonomic handle, professional timer, 4 cleaning modes (Daily Clean, Deep Clean, Sensitive, and Whitening), in handle display with charge level display, and portable charging station. Pack contents included are 1 handle, 1 charger, 1 ProWhite refill brush head, 1 refill stand, and 1 travel case. *vs. a regular manual toothbrush.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Cleans your teeth like a pro\n\nReview: Using this toothbrush will make you swear that you just visited the dentist for a professional cleaning. After charging the Oral-B Precision 4000 overnight it was ready to attack the plaque on my teeth. The first thing I liked about the toothbrush is how light it is and how well it fit in my hand. The grip on the handle was very comfortable. I placed a small amount of toothpaste on the tip of the brush as the directions stated and then began brushing. The toothbrush has a built in timer that times how long you should brush each quadrant of your mouth. The timer system logically breaks your mouth into four areas, upper left and right, as well as lower left and right. The timer beeps when it is time to change to the next area in your mouth. There is also a pressure alarm that lets you know if you are pressing too hard. The toothbrush has four modes that allow you to choose from normal, light, deep clean, and polish. I have been using the brush for several weeks and have noticed very little tooth sensitivity as a result. Some electric toothbrushes cause extreme tooth sensitivity, but this one doesn't. I highly recommend the Oral-B Precision 4000 for your next electric toothbrush.","Product: Black leather upholstery offers luxurious comfort and style. Comfortable padded leather-wrapped armrests. Contemporary polished aluminum five-star base with casters. Recommended Applications: Executive amp;amp; Management Seat/Back Color: Black Arms Included: Yes Arm Style: Padded Loop.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Nice chair at a great price!\n\nReview: ARRIVAL AND ASSEMBLY\nWhen the chair arrived it was inside a sturdy box and was very easy to remove for assembly. From start to finish I would estimate that complete assembly took about 45 minutes. The only difficulty that I ran into during assembly was that the screws that hold the arms on the chair were very difficult to get threaded properly.\n\nFIRST IMPRESSIONS\nOnce assembled the black leather chair looked very nice in my office. The leather and chrome design made this affordable chair appear to be more expensive. I was pleased that the chair offers tilt and height adjustment features that fully accommodated the height of my desk at work.\n\nLONG TERM USE\nI've been using this chair every day for over a month and it appears to be holding up relatively well. The only concern I have at this point is that the seat cushion is a little thinner than I would have liked. My butt is skinny and doesn't have much cushion, therefore I need a seat that has ample padding. I'm not sure if the seat cushion is going to hold up for years to come and that is causing me a little concern. Other than the seat cushion being a little thin I am very pleased with the look, features, and comfort of the chair.\n\nCONCLUSION\nIf you need a new office chair and want a stylish leather chair that won't break the bank, then you will probably enjoy this model. If you are a little wider than average or don't have much cushion on your butt, then you may want to consider another chair.","Product: Fine dining is defined by the Artemis Accent Plate. A rich floral pattern surrounded by bands of platinum make this an elegant classic in white bone china.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Love it but don't be fooled....\n\nReview: I was surprised when this arrived at our door; it seemed like such a small box for a 5-piece place setting. What I didn't realize until I opened the box was that it was just that - a 5 piece set of dishes for ONE person. I mistakenly thought it was going to be settings for FIVE people, Oops! Don't make the same mistake I did :(\n\nThe quality is impeccable, Lenox still holds their standards high and it shows. Absolutely gorgeous pieces, not one flaw. The only downside is Price with a capital P. If you are dining with only two, then price-wise this seems doable but for larger families and get togethers it's harder to swallow as it will add up quick! Another downside, is that once you've had this high of quality its harder to go back to downgraded sets.\n\nBecause we don't entertain much (as you can tell by my blunder) I personally prefer a set that I could use without babying it just because its Lenox China. Something so pretty seems better high on a shelf, not practical in my world. But for those who entertain, it really is Gorgeous. These would make lovely wedding dishes/gifts.","Product: Desktops Notebooks Servers Software Printers Projectors Cameras Storage XTAB Android eBook Reader Mfg. Part: XTAB SKU: XTAB Overview eMatic XTAB 7 WiFi eBook Reader Android Tablet with Android 2.1 Operating System, Dual Core Processor, 4GB Built-in Flash Memory, 7 Touch Screen, Wi-Fi ready, Unique interface for eBook reading, MicroSD Card Slot, supports TXT and PDF eBook formats, supports 720p video; Compatible with MP3, WMA, FLAC, AAC, WAV, MP4, AVI, FLY more.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Broke in 2 weeks\n\nReview: The XO tablet came nicely packaged and had a fully charged battery. The instructions for setting up the user accounts were easy to understand. Once the accounts were setup, I logged in and started looking at the educational applications installed on the device. I was already familiar with many of the applications and launched several of them. My kids were excited to get their hands on this tablet, so I installed a few new apps and let them play with it. They were use to my other Android tablet and easily transitioned to this new device.\n\nThe device lagged on several occasions, which shocked me considering this device has a dual core processor and the latest version of the Android operating system. I also noticed that there was some light leakage around the perimeter of the screen and that when I lightly pressed on the screen colored swirls appeared. This is typical of cheaply made mobile device screens. Another sizable problem is that the tablet won't charge when plugged in, the port is poorly constructed and it seems we need to fiddle with the cord to get it to charge. With this as an ongoing problem the charging port will be broken in no time.\n\nPROS\n- Affordable\n- Light\n- Easy to setup\n\nCONS\n- Cheap construction\n- Many of the games and apps are already available for free in Google Play\n- Light leakage\n- Lagging/slow\n- Won't charge\n\nI would not recommend this product to other parents. I would personally like to see slightly better construction, higher quality apps and the charging issue remedied.\n\n*Update: Due to the charging port problem, the tablet would no longer charge after 2 weeks.","Product: Imagine having instant, easy access to millions of songs, thousands of radio stations and all your stored music any time you want it. The SoundTouch 20 wireless speaker brings it all home, packing enough clear, robust sound for bedrooms, kitchens and most other rooms. What if you want to play a podcast in one room and stream music in another room? Or two? Or three? With SoundTouch, you can build a family of multi-room wireless speakers throughout your home. Start with one and add more later. Each speaker works with your home Wi-Fi network and Bluetooth devices to play the same music in every room or different music in different rooms. And only SoundTouch lets you find your favorite music faster, with six presets on the remote or the speaker itself. Love the Amazon Echo Dot? So does SoundTouch. Just pair your speaker with the Echo Dot and use your voice to play music, get your news, manage smart home devices and more. You can skip right to the fun part, because setting up your SoundTouch couldnt be easier. Just install the free SoundTouch app on your mobile device, plug in your speaker, connect your device and control it all with the app and an intuitive remote. With the new Bose Skill for Alexa, you can now enjoy hands-free voice control of your SoundTouch speakers using any Alexa-enabled device like the Echo Dot. Its easy. Just open the Alexa app. Search Bose under the Skills menu. Follow the simple steps. And ask away. COMMON COMMANDS Alexa, ask Bose to play. Alexa, ask Bose to play in the kitchen. Alexa, ask Bose to play everywhere. Alexa, ask Bose to play Preset 1. Alexa, ask Bose whats playing. Alexa, ask Bose to turn up the volume. Alexa, ask Bose to pause.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great sound in a small package!\n\nReview: The Bose SoundTouch 20 Series III is a well-built external speaker system. The construction is high quality and the sound reproduction is what I have come to expect from Bose speaker systems. I use the Bose SoundTouch to play music wirelessly from my smartphone. I have a Samsung Galaxy smartphone and it easily connected to the Bose SoundTouch via Bluetooth without additional software or configuration. Pandora, Slacker Radio, YouTube, and all of my media audio was transmitted wirelessly to the Bose speaker system. The sound was rich and full of smooth bass. The included remote control felt great in my hand and provided an additional level of convenience. This speaker system is great for a home office or home gym setting where you need bigger and better sound than the typical smartphone speaker can produce. I highly recommend the Bose SoundTouch 20 Series III if you want a great portable wireless speaker system for your WiFi or Bluetooth device.\n\nPROS:\n* Sturdy build\n* Excellent sound quality\n* Great remote control included\n* Multiple ways to connect (WiFi, Buetooth, or wired)\n\nCONS:\n* Bluetooth bass reproduction may be a bit disappointing, but this is typical when playing music over Bluetooth. You may want to use a different method of connecting to the Bose speaker system to overcome this issue.","Product: Our CX model is ultra-compact and lightweight. Designed for efficiency with a look and feel that is sleek and convenient. With the high quality LCD live viewfinder you can monitor while you capture photos and videos instantly.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great action camera for the price\n\nReview: The Activeon CX Action Camera is an extremely compact action camera that anyone looking for an affordable alternative to a GoPro camera will love. Once you install a micro-SD card (not included) and charge the battery, this camera is ready for action. The camera comes in a rugged waterproof case with a mounting bracket that is supposed to fit GoPro accessories. The large 2 inch LCD is clear and bright. You can control this camera via WiFi from your smart phone. Your phone will display what the camera sees and you can control the camera functions via your phone.\n\nI found the settings interface to be very user friendly. I appreciate being able to set the camera to ultra-wide mode, but just be aware that some lack of sharpness may occur at the edges when in ultra-wide mode, however this is common for many lens systems, even on more expensive DSLR lenses. All in all I was very please with the size, weight, quality, and performance of the Activeon CX Action Camera.\n\nPROS:\n* Affordable\n* Small and lightweight\n* Waterproof case and mount included\n* Able to be controlled via WiFi\n\nCONS:\n* Picture quality is a bit lacking compared to the GoPro, but most people will be very satisfied with the quality, especially for the price","Product: Ultra soft, ultra comfortable, waterproof protection. Mack's unique triple flange design allows for a more customized fit, increasing sealing ability and improving comfort. Doctor recommended Mack's Aqua Block Earplugs help prevent swimmer's ear and surfer's ear. Carrying case included. (2 Pair).\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Comfortable and work great!\n\nReview: I got tired of uncomfortable swimming earplugs that leaked, so I decided to take a chance on these earplugs. The reviews were very positive and the price was reasonable, so I purchased 2 pair. Once the plugs arrived I opened the package and placed one of the plugs into my ear to test the fit. All I can say is WOW! These things are soft, comfortable, and had a super seal. I actually got a little nervous removing the plugs for the first time because the seal had created a small vacuum that made them not want to come out very easily. I was used to my old earplugs practically falling out of my ears, which is one of the reasons they leaked water.\n\nI swim daily and these things are not going to make my ears sore from inserting and removing them like my old ones did. The water seal was great and I didn't get a single drop of water in my ears while swimming. I highly recommend these plugs to swimmers!","Product: Go head-to-head in exciting high-speed basketball action on the Franklin Sports Quickset Basketball Rebound Pro. This arcade classic boasts a pair of rims and nets, automatic ball return, and built-in electronic scoring with LED display. The heavy-duty stable tubular steel frame folds up quickly into storage position between games. Includes extra-large playing area with bright graphics.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A slam dunk with this product!\n\nReview: The Franklin Sports Quikset is easy to install (approx. 30 minutes) and very fun. My family of four loves playing the various game modes. My young children easily played this game, but I think that teenagers may find this game is not that challenging compared to some of the larger, more expensive, basketball games for sale. The electronic scorekeeper sometimes misses a point when a basket is made, but is fairly accurate overall. I liked the fact that a small air pump was included for the four basketballs. It only took about 5 minutes to pump up all four basketballs.\n\nThe required AA batteries for the digital score keeper are not included, so don't forget to purchase them as well.\n\nOverall I can recommend this game for younger children, but you might want to look elsewhere if you have teenagers.\n\nPROS\n* Easy to assemble\n* Pump included\n* Folds up to compact storage size\n* Easy to move\n\nCONS\n* Geared toward younger children, not advised for teenagers or children who are taller than approx 4 feet\n* Digital score keeper sometimes misses when baskets are made, but this is a common problem with these types of home basketball games so I didn't reduce the 5 star rating","Product: Support the American spirit by kicking this traditionally styled Red, white and Blue soccer ball. Practice makes perfect and this durable synthetic leather ball will play on goal after goal. The lightweight designs is ideal for skill building and offers a soft foam cushioned cover for better control\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Fair priced and Fun\n\nReview: We chose this soccer ball for my 9year old son. It was in his age range of 8-12. I thought the ball had a classic look about it, but upon seeing it my son said it was \"kinda plain.\" I could see where he might reason that because some soccer balls out there have neon-bright colors with swirls, some even glow in the dark, etc. It really is personal preference. One downside is the white, which I know will eventually fade and become grass-stained. Aside from the visual appearance, the ball is from a good name with quality construction and fair priced. It arrived fully inflated, only thing left to do was play! We'd recommend it and give two thumbs up!","Product: Build your skills and go for the knock out punch with this boxing speed bag set. The water fill base is very sturdy and allows for 360 action! stay in shape and have fun while going for the knock out.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Solid Construction and Easy Assembly\n\nReview: The Franklin Sports Stinger Bee punching bag is a great way for children to exercise. The installation process only took about fifteen minutes and the directions were easy to understand. I filled the base with sand to anchor and stabilize the punching bag. I also applied a few drops of blue Loctite to the threads while assembling to ensure that the punching bag stand did not fall apart during intense workouts.\n\nMy young son absolutely loved punching the bag and spend quite a while working out with it. Weve had zero problems with the punching bag or the stand and the construction seems solid enough to last for years.\n\nI highly recommend this product to anyone who has a child who enjoys exercising with a punching bag.","Product: Keep lecture notes, procedures and homework assignments organized with this binder. The durable construction is ideal for frequent referencing. The DuraHinge design is stronger, lasts longer and resists tearing, and the DuraEdge feature makes the sides and top more pliable, providing greater split resistance. Deeply textured film offers a smoother finish and features a linen pattern for a high-quality look and feel. Two interior pockets help you organize and secure loose papers, and the slant rings hold a higher page capacity compared to same size round rings. Capacity Range [Max]: 1\"; Sheet Capacity: 220; Color(s): Blue; Binder Sheet Size: 11 x 8 1/2.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Not what I expected....\n\nReview: Ok, so this binder has the ability to be customized on the front and side panel but it doesn't come with any pre-printed changeable inserts. I thought it did and was slightly bummed. Avery does give you a site to go to where you can print templates as is or tweak them as desired but depending on your printer to get a good quality print, and not suck up your ink, it might be best to have it printed at an office max, staples, etc. which is inconvenient and could rack up expenses. As of the quality of the binder; ours arrived with ring impressions on the inside cover, it had creased stress marks as well, and the back inside cover was bent. So the quality is questionable. So even though this binder is super cute, and would appeal to tweens, teens and emoji lovers, I'd probably pass it by.","Product: The Sentinel on guard 10 sheet micro-cut shredder with a PULLOUT bin. A 5mm x 10mm micro-cut shred for optimum security of your personal data. Auto start/stop means you simply leave the shredder on and simply feed the paper or credit card into the intake. A manual reverse function allows you to reverse the cutting blades in the event of a jam. Want to shred a credit card? no problem, the Sentinel 10 sheet micro-cut shredder can do that too. Simple to empty with a PULLOUT 3 gallon wastebasket. No plastic bags required; simply slide out the wastebasket, and dump the shredded material in the dumpster. Reliable, easy to use and easy to empty makes the Sentinel 10 sheet micro-cut shredder a must have for home or office.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great for identity safety\n\nReview: What we liked:\n*The shredded pieces are \"micro cut shred size\" meaning they end up being approximately the size of the tip of a pencil\n*The pull out bin allows the shreds to be easily discarded without any mess, plus the bin holds 3 gallons\n*Cuts credit cards and up to 10 sheets\n*The peace of mind, knowing sensitive documents aren't discernible\n\nWhat we disliked:\n*It's a bit noisy, tolerable, but could use improvement in my book\n*Upon inserting 7 pieces of copy paper it slowed and whined a bit....I wouldn't really push shredding more than 5 pieces at a time\n*Requires upkeep with oiling after 30 mins of use\n*Top heavy, weighty\n\nAll in all, two thumbs up. This product would be great for home or business use. Personally, I would opt for a less expensive shredder. This is my second shredder; my other is 1/3 the price, only difference is that it doesn't micro cut - but it cuts fine enough that I still trust it.","Product: This stylish electronic journal offers the utmost privacy and protection, so girls can safely express their thoughts. The journal is equipped with voice recognition technology so it identifies your voice and only opens when you say the password! Inside girls will find a notebook and an invisible ink pen whose writing is revealed with a glow light (included). Look behind the notebook for a secret compartment to keep special mementos safe. Girls can also record their own greetings, signoffs and alerts. Includes one journal, one notebook, one invisible ink pen and dual reading/glow light.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good but not Great.\n\nReview: My 6 year old daughter has been begging for a journal, and this one seemed perfect for her (and for any girl).\n\nWhat we liked:\n*The journal is a fun, safe place to express herself.\n*It encourages creativity - it's perfect for drawing, journaling and stickers.\n*It includes an invisible ink pen that only becomes visible with a built-in glow light.\n*It even has a secret compartment perfect for hiding treasures thats adequately sized at 3\"w x 4\"l x 1/2\"d.\n*Greetings can be altered for personalization.\n\nWhat we didn't like:\n*The journal is heavier and bulkier than expected.\n*The paper pad is small measuring only 4x6\", it's unlined with only 25 sheets.\n*The paper pad does not look like the one pictured, so they do vary in design.\n*We are concerned with finding a replacement pad that will fit and wish another had been included.\n*The voice recognition password did not work, the programmed voice stated it did not recognize the password and it set off an 'alarm' signal. This greatly upset my daughter. There were no instructions on how to re-program a password, so I took out the batteries and it reset itself.\n*There is no volume control and the voice has a slight English accent.\n*3AA batteries are not included.\n\nThe journal is good, but not great. I think it needs a bit of improvement, but regardless my daughter still likes it.","Product: Standing over 3 feet tall, this play set ramps up the zipping, zooming racing fun! Your little racer sends a vehicle down the ramp at the top, then waits for the surprise finish as the car comes out at the bottom in one of three spots. Will it speed out one of the two side exits or jump off the middle ramp? Its different every time! The creative play is revved up even more with a realistic crane, stop sign, gas pump and parking meter. Your little one will enjoy hours of non-stop action!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: So much fun for little ones!\n\nReview: One of my sons favorite toys as a toddler was his multi-level car garage. This is clearly the same concept, except on steroids. This toy has it all, it's over 3' tall, it sends the car whirling and twirling, it has alternating paths, build in roads and a gas pump. Two cars are included and it doesn't have the dreaded sticker sheets and even better doesn't require batteries. Assembly took 35 minutes, but was easy once you get into it and about halfway thru assembly instructions weren't even necessary. I was pleased that though the toy was tall it was quite sturdy and didn't appear to want to tip easily. The high quality interlocking plastic pieces are thick and strong. The cars roll smoothly and not once have become stuck or fly off.\n\nTwo thumbs up Fisher-Price, you never disappoint!","Product: ALEX Toys Crush & Slush Sno Cone Maker lets you enjoy a delicious summertime treat all year round! Make Sno Cones just by crushing ice and adding your own juice. This fun treat maker includes a 4 piece Sno Cone maker, syrup bottle, shovel, 3 paper cups and easy instructions. Recommended for children 6 years of age and older.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Poor quality, Potentially unsafe\n\nReview: I agree with the other reviews, the quality is poor and we found it to be potentially unsafe.\n\nI had slight trouble with the assembly in getting the crank back piece on. The grater quality was poor and overall the product just felt cheesy. We found it to be unsafe for two reasons. One, goes without saying, the grater. While it is for 6+ it still requires supervision, and it seemed like a 2 person job - one to crank the other to hold it steady and scoop shavings. Second, we found was that the yellow sun which is pushed down to force the ice into the ice shaver (grater) was defective/unsafe. If pushed down too far it shaves off along with the ice, it has no stopping point, so we ended up with tiny yellow shavings in our 'snow.' We ended up throwing out that batch and haven't used it again.\n\nCan't recommend, sorry.","Product: Ride off into adventure with this Teresa doll and horse set that really gets things moving! With simple setup and activation, Teresa doll swings up onto her horse and begins to ride in one swift motion! Simply clip Teresa doll's gloved purple hand into her horse's mane and push the button on the top of her horse's brow. Teresa doll lifts herself up into the purple saddle (non-removable) on her horse's back and the horse starts walking on her own! It's an awesome WOW moment that girls will love recreating over and over again! To continue on foot, push the button on the horse's pink plastic ribbon to release Teresa doll's hand and tell another tale. Teresa doll is ready for anything in a patterned tunic with denim cropped jacket and blue molded plastic pants (non-removable). Tall grey riding boots and a stylish purple helmet make the perfect accessories for horseback riding fun -- and safety! This horse shares Teresa doll's signature style with pretty purple reins to match her saddle. Help Teresa doll brush out her horse's tail with the included brush that fits in her hand. Girls will love the ability to match the excitement of their imagination with this set that captures the realism of horseback-riding! Includes Teresa doll wearing fashion and accessories and her horse with movement feature and non-removable purple saddle and reins. Doll cannot stand alone. Colors and decorations may vary.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Give Teresa a red ribbon!\n\nReview: Nearly perfect with 4 stars, way to go!\n\nMy nearly 7 yr old daughter loves this set and I have to say I do to! The doll is beautiful and stylish with much attention to detail. The dolls makeup is tasteful and not overly done, she's tan in skin color, with green eyes with a fun thick pony tail (how appropriate). The tank and jacket are one piece and can be easily removed, along with the boots and helmet for versatility.\n\nThis doll delivers, she actually mounts the horse two ways. One, with the push of the brown button in the horses mane or with the push of the hair mound on the front of the horses head, this also enables the horse to begin 'walking.'\n\nWe gave this 4 stars, she lost a point for her legs. The leggings are not removable, and one leg is longer than the other allowing for the mount. The pink ribbon on the mane is also a little hard for little hands to pull out on (she clips into this point to be able to ride.)\n\nThis would make a great gift for any Barbie fan!","Product: Move right into the Barbie Dreamhouse and discover a world of possibilities because with Barbie, anything is possible! Three floors, seven rooms and a working elevator provide the perfect setting for all kinds of stories, from a fun night in to getting ready for girls night out. The built-in garage has a door that realistically opens and closes by sliding a tab. Its the perfect space for parking Barbie dolls car (sold separately), or customize the house and use the garage as a bonus room to fit your story. Attached to the garage is a beautiful atrium window where Barbie doll (sold separately) can gaze out on the stunning Malibu sunsets -- but flip the window down, and it converts into a swimming pool, perfect for a fun pool party for Barbie doll and her friends! The classic indoor rooms have modern touches with Barbie signature trendy designs and details. Spark imagination with lights, sound and even motion throughout the house in a fun way with a new interactive tech feature. A smart furniture piece -- designed to look like a living room cabinet or kitchen island on one side and a bathroom vanity on the other -- magically recognizes smart accessories that activate different lights, sounds and motions to bring stories to life. Click in the fan to set the blades in motion, or snap in the stovetop grill for flaming lights and a sizzling sound -- there are fun options for interactive realism. Enter the house and a world of possibilities through the tall pink door. And don't forget to check the mail -- envelopes are included to expand the play with fun realism. Hungry? Get cooking in the kitchen with its sleek appliances and realistic cookware and groceries. On the second floor, dine in style in the dining room at the modern table set for two; in the bathroom, prepare for a big night out at the sink/vanity and luxe tub; and give pets their own space to play in the adorable room dedicated to Barbie dolls many animal friends. The third floor offers another view into imagination with a beautiful bedroom, complete with a dramatic pink canopied bed; a walk-in closet where Barbie doll can check out her amazing outfits in the mirror and hang up her fashions (sold separately); and a gorgeous living room with a special twist of its own -- slide your own smartphone (not included) into the flat screen television and let Barbie get cozy on the couch with a movie or video that helps add to play. Have fun sending Barbie doll up and down the working elevator -- easily activated with a child-friendly sliding tab -- as one fabulous story is played out after another! Plus, this version comes in simple brown packaging to secure the secret and enhance the surprise. Collect Barbie doll and her family and friends to expand the play to dreamy proportions -- because with Barbie, anything is possible! Dolls, pets and car sold separately, subject to availability. Dolls cannot stand alone. Smartphone not included. Colors and decorations may vary.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: What's not to love? It's Dreamy!\n\nReview: My daughter has the previous dream house model (X7949) and now this new one. Both are Amazing and it would be difficult to choose between them, but Both would delight any young girl! Even as a parent I'm wowed at the attention to detail and truth be told, I think my wife enjoys playing too ;)\n\nFor comparison:\nNew Home\n7 rooms, 1 elevator, 70+pieces, 4' tall x 3' wide\n\nPrevious Home\n6 rooms, 2 elevators, 50+pieces, 3'7\" tall x 3' wide\n\nNew home has 9+ smart features:\nDoor knocker works, Fish 'swim' in the aquarium and it lights up, the garage door opens and closes, the atrium window in the garage flips down to convert into a pool, furniture 'doubles' one side is a vanity but on the other is a kitchen island, the stovetop grill has 'flaming' lights and sizzling sounds, slide in a smartphone behind the tv for sound and music, the toilet makes flushing sounds and the fan spins, and there's a working elevator.\n\nThe previous model features 8+ smart features:\nLight up oven, light up mirror, flushing toilet sounds, blender sounds, the kitchen table flips for second dining options, the doorbell rings, barbie 'sings' in the shower sounds, and the tv allows for smartphone as well.\n\nThe biggest differences between them:\nThe new home is more colorful, has more features, more rooms - a garage, a dedicated pet room and fun pool. The only fault with the new home I have is that the pool is begging for water which poses a problem for indoor use. Also in favor of the older version is that it opened up/expands to create a curved semi-circle shaped home while the new is stationary. It really is a personal preference whether to open it or close it but it does create additional play area.\n\nBottomline:\nEasy to assemble, fun features, highly detailed. This would be any girls dream (and Barbie's too). Two thumbs way up!!"],"string":"[\n \"Product: Experience the power of Oral-B with Oral-B Professional Healthy Clean + ProWhite . Unique ProWhite brush head provides whitening & superior cleaning* with 4 cleaning modes. Advanced polishing to remove tough surface stains. Features include: ProWhite refill brush head with Indicator bristles which fade half-way to indicate when to replace brush head for better cleaning, hard brushing alert, waterproof ergonomic handle, professional timer, 4 cleaning modes (Daily Clean, Deep Clean, Sensitive, and Whitening), in handle display with charge level display, and portable charging station. Pack contents included are 1 handle, 1 charger, 1 ProWhite refill brush head, 1 refill stand, and 1 travel case. *vs. a regular manual toothbrush.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Cleans your teeth like a pro\\n\\nReview: Using this toothbrush will make you swear that you just visited the dentist for a professional cleaning. After charging the Oral-B Precision 4000 overnight it was ready to attack the plaque on my teeth. The first thing I liked about the toothbrush is how light it is and how well it fit in my hand. The grip on the handle was very comfortable. I placed a small amount of toothpaste on the tip of the brush as the directions stated and then began brushing. The toothbrush has a built in timer that times how long you should brush each quadrant of your mouth. The timer system logically breaks your mouth into four areas, upper left and right, as well as lower left and right. The timer beeps when it is time to change to the next area in your mouth. There is also a pressure alarm that lets you know if you are pressing too hard. The toothbrush has four modes that allow you to choose from normal, light, deep clean, and polish. I have been using the brush for several weeks and have noticed very little tooth sensitivity as a result. Some electric toothbrushes cause extreme tooth sensitivity, but this one doesn't. I highly recommend the Oral-B Precision 4000 for your next electric toothbrush.\",\n \"Product: Black leather upholstery offers luxurious comfort and style. Comfortable padded leather-wrapped armrests. Contemporary polished aluminum five-star base with casters. Recommended Applications: Executive amp;amp; Management Seat/Back Color: Black Arms Included: Yes Arm Style: Padded Loop.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice chair at a great price!\\n\\nReview: ARRIVAL AND ASSEMBLY\\nWhen the chair arrived it was inside a sturdy box and was very easy to remove for assembly. From start to finish I would estimate that complete assembly took about 45 minutes. The only difficulty that I ran into during assembly was that the screws that hold the arms on the chair were very difficult to get threaded properly.\\n\\nFIRST IMPRESSIONS\\nOnce assembled the black leather chair looked very nice in my office. The leather and chrome design made this affordable chair appear to be more expensive. I was pleased that the chair offers tilt and height adjustment features that fully accommodated the height of my desk at work.\\n\\nLONG TERM USE\\nI've been using this chair every day for over a month and it appears to be holding up relatively well. The only concern I have at this point is that the seat cushion is a little thinner than I would have liked. My butt is skinny and doesn't have much cushion, therefore I need a seat that has ample padding. I'm not sure if the seat cushion is going to hold up for years to come and that is causing me a little concern. Other than the seat cushion being a little thin I am very pleased with the look, features, and comfort of the chair.\\n\\nCONCLUSION\\nIf you need a new office chair and want a stylish leather chair that won't break the bank, then you will probably enjoy this model. If you are a little wider than average or don't have much cushion on your butt, then you may want to consider another chair.\",\n \"Product: Fine dining is defined by the Artemis Accent Plate. A rich floral pattern surrounded by bands of platinum make this an elegant classic in white bone china.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Love it but don't be fooled....\\n\\nReview: I was surprised when this arrived at our door; it seemed like such a small box for a 5-piece place setting. What I didn't realize until I opened the box was that it was just that - a 5 piece set of dishes for ONE person. I mistakenly thought it was going to be settings for FIVE people, Oops! Don't make the same mistake I did :(\\n\\nThe quality is impeccable, Lenox still holds their standards high and it shows. Absolutely gorgeous pieces, not one flaw. The only downside is Price with a capital P. If you are dining with only two, then price-wise this seems doable but for larger families and get togethers it's harder to swallow as it will add up quick! Another downside, is that once you've had this high of quality its harder to go back to downgraded sets.\\n\\nBecause we don't entertain much (as you can tell by my blunder) I personally prefer a set that I could use without babying it just because its Lenox China. Something so pretty seems better high on a shelf, not practical in my world. But for those who entertain, it really is Gorgeous. These would make lovely wedding dishes/gifts.\",\n \"Product: Desktops Notebooks Servers Software Printers Projectors Cameras Storage XTAB Android eBook Reader Mfg. Part: XTAB SKU: XTAB Overview eMatic XTAB 7 WiFi eBook Reader Android Tablet with Android 2.1 Operating System, Dual Core Processor, 4GB Built-in Flash Memory, 7 Touch Screen, Wi-Fi ready, Unique interface for eBook reading, MicroSD Card Slot, supports TXT and PDF eBook formats, supports 720p video; Compatible with MP3, WMA, FLAC, AAC, WAV, MP4, AVI, FLY more.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Broke in 2 weeks\\n\\nReview: The XO tablet came nicely packaged and had a fully charged battery. The instructions for setting up the user accounts were easy to understand. Once the accounts were setup, I logged in and started looking at the educational applications installed on the device. I was already familiar with many of the applications and launched several of them. My kids were excited to get their hands on this tablet, so I installed a few new apps and let them play with it. They were use to my other Android tablet and easily transitioned to this new device.\\n\\nThe device lagged on several occasions, which shocked me considering this device has a dual core processor and the latest version of the Android operating system. I also noticed that there was some light leakage around the perimeter of the screen and that when I lightly pressed on the screen colored swirls appeared. This is typical of cheaply made mobile device screens. Another sizable problem is that the tablet won't charge when plugged in, the port is poorly constructed and it seems we need to fiddle with the cord to get it to charge. With this as an ongoing problem the charging port will be broken in no time.\\n\\nPROS\\n- Affordable\\n- Light\\n- Easy to setup\\n\\nCONS\\n- Cheap construction\\n- Many of the games and apps are already available for free in Google Play\\n- Light leakage\\n- Lagging/slow\\n- Won't charge\\n\\nI would not recommend this product to other parents. I would personally like to see slightly better construction, higher quality apps and the charging issue remedied.\\n\\n*Update: Due to the charging port problem, the tablet would no longer charge after 2 weeks.\",\n \"Product: Imagine having instant, easy access to millions of songs, thousands of radio stations and all your stored music any time you want it. The SoundTouch 20 wireless speaker brings it all home, packing enough clear, robust sound for bedrooms, kitchens and most other rooms. What if you want to play a podcast in one room and stream music in another room? Or two? Or three? With SoundTouch, you can build a family of multi-room wireless speakers throughout your home. Start with one and add more later. Each speaker works with your home Wi-Fi network and Bluetooth devices to play the same music in every room or different music in different rooms. And only SoundTouch lets you find your favorite music faster, with six presets on the remote or the speaker itself. Love the Amazon Echo Dot? So does SoundTouch. Just pair your speaker with the Echo Dot and use your voice to play music, get your news, manage smart home devices and more. You can skip right to the fun part, because setting up your SoundTouch couldnt be easier. Just install the free SoundTouch app on your mobile device, plug in your speaker, connect your device and control it all with the app and an intuitive remote. With the new Bose Skill for Alexa, you can now enjoy hands-free voice control of your SoundTouch speakers using any Alexa-enabled device like the Echo Dot. Its easy. Just open the Alexa app. Search Bose under the Skills menu. Follow the simple steps. And ask away. COMMON COMMANDS Alexa, ask Bose to play. Alexa, ask Bose to play in the kitchen. Alexa, ask Bose to play everywhere. Alexa, ask Bose to play Preset 1. Alexa, ask Bose whats playing. Alexa, ask Bose to turn up the volume. Alexa, ask Bose to pause.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great sound in a small package!\\n\\nReview: The Bose SoundTouch 20 Series III is a well-built external speaker system. The construction is high quality and the sound reproduction is what I have come to expect from Bose speaker systems. I use the Bose SoundTouch to play music wirelessly from my smartphone. I have a Samsung Galaxy smartphone and it easily connected to the Bose SoundTouch via Bluetooth without additional software or configuration. Pandora, Slacker Radio, YouTube, and all of my media audio was transmitted wirelessly to the Bose speaker system. The sound was rich and full of smooth bass. The included remote control felt great in my hand and provided an additional level of convenience. This speaker system is great for a home office or home gym setting where you need bigger and better sound than the typical smartphone speaker can produce. I highly recommend the Bose SoundTouch 20 Series III if you want a great portable wireless speaker system for your WiFi or Bluetooth device.\\n\\nPROS:\\n* Sturdy build\\n* Excellent sound quality\\n* Great remote control included\\n* Multiple ways to connect (WiFi, Buetooth, or wired)\\n\\nCONS:\\n* Bluetooth bass reproduction may be a bit disappointing, but this is typical when playing music over Bluetooth. You may want to use a different method of connecting to the Bose speaker system to overcome this issue.\",\n \"Product: Our CX model is ultra-compact and lightweight. Designed for efficiency with a look and feel that is sleek and convenient. With the high quality LCD live viewfinder you can monitor while you capture photos and videos instantly.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great action camera for the price\\n\\nReview: The Activeon CX Action Camera is an extremely compact action camera that anyone looking for an affordable alternative to a GoPro camera will love. Once you install a micro-SD card (not included) and charge the battery, this camera is ready for action. The camera comes in a rugged waterproof case with a mounting bracket that is supposed to fit GoPro accessories. The large 2 inch LCD is clear and bright. You can control this camera via WiFi from your smart phone. Your phone will display what the camera sees and you can control the camera functions via your phone.\\n\\nI found the settings interface to be very user friendly. I appreciate being able to set the camera to ultra-wide mode, but just be aware that some lack of sharpness may occur at the edges when in ultra-wide mode, however this is common for many lens systems, even on more expensive DSLR lenses. All in all I was very please with the size, weight, quality, and performance of the Activeon CX Action Camera.\\n\\nPROS:\\n* Affordable\\n* Small and lightweight\\n* Waterproof case and mount included\\n* Able to be controlled via WiFi\\n\\nCONS:\\n* Picture quality is a bit lacking compared to the GoPro, but most people will be very satisfied with the quality, especially for the price\",\n \"Product: Ultra soft, ultra comfortable, waterproof protection. Mack's unique triple flange design allows for a more customized fit, increasing sealing ability and improving comfort. Doctor recommended Mack's Aqua Block Earplugs help prevent swimmer's ear and surfer's ear. Carrying case included. (2 Pair).\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Comfortable and work great!\\n\\nReview: I got tired of uncomfortable swimming earplugs that leaked, so I decided to take a chance on these earplugs. The reviews were very positive and the price was reasonable, so I purchased 2 pair. Once the plugs arrived I opened the package and placed one of the plugs into my ear to test the fit. All I can say is WOW! These things are soft, comfortable, and had a super seal. I actually got a little nervous removing the plugs for the first time because the seal had created a small vacuum that made them not want to come out very easily. I was used to my old earplugs practically falling out of my ears, which is one of the reasons they leaked water.\\n\\nI swim daily and these things are not going to make my ears sore from inserting and removing them like my old ones did. The water seal was great and I didn't get a single drop of water in my ears while swimming. I highly recommend these plugs to swimmers!\",\n \"Product: Go head-to-head in exciting high-speed basketball action on the Franklin Sports Quickset Basketball Rebound Pro. This arcade classic boasts a pair of rims and nets, automatic ball return, and built-in electronic scoring with LED display. The heavy-duty stable tubular steel frame folds up quickly into storage position between games. Includes extra-large playing area with bright graphics.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A slam dunk with this product!\\n\\nReview: The Franklin Sports Quikset is easy to install (approx. 30 minutes) and very fun. My family of four loves playing the various game modes. My young children easily played this game, but I think that teenagers may find this game is not that challenging compared to some of the larger, more expensive, basketball games for sale. The electronic scorekeeper sometimes misses a point when a basket is made, but is fairly accurate overall. I liked the fact that a small air pump was included for the four basketballs. It only took about 5 minutes to pump up all four basketballs.\\n\\nThe required AA batteries for the digital score keeper are not included, so don't forget to purchase them as well.\\n\\nOverall I can recommend this game for younger children, but you might want to look elsewhere if you have teenagers.\\n\\nPROS\\n* Easy to assemble\\n* Pump included\\n* Folds up to compact storage size\\n* Easy to move\\n\\nCONS\\n* Geared toward younger children, not advised for teenagers or children who are taller than approx 4 feet\\n* Digital score keeper sometimes misses when baskets are made, but this is a common problem with these types of home basketball games so I didn't reduce the 5 star rating\",\n \"Product: Support the American spirit by kicking this traditionally styled Red, white and Blue soccer ball. Practice makes perfect and this durable synthetic leather ball will play on goal after goal. The lightweight designs is ideal for skill building and offers a soft foam cushioned cover for better control\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Fair priced and Fun\\n\\nReview: We chose this soccer ball for my 9year old son. It was in his age range of 8-12. I thought the ball had a classic look about it, but upon seeing it my son said it was \\\"kinda plain.\\\" I could see where he might reason that because some soccer balls out there have neon-bright colors with swirls, some even glow in the dark, etc. It really is personal preference. One downside is the white, which I know will eventually fade and become grass-stained. Aside from the visual appearance, the ball is from a good name with quality construction and fair priced. It arrived fully inflated, only thing left to do was play! We'd recommend it and give two thumbs up!\",\n \"Product: Build your skills and go for the knock out punch with this boxing speed bag set. The water fill base is very sturdy and allows for 360 action! stay in shape and have fun while going for the knock out.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Solid Construction and Easy Assembly\\n\\nReview: The Franklin Sports Stinger Bee punching bag is a great way for children to exercise. The installation process only took about fifteen minutes and the directions were easy to understand. I filled the base with sand to anchor and stabilize the punching bag. I also applied a few drops of blue Loctite to the threads while assembling to ensure that the punching bag stand did not fall apart during intense workouts.\\n\\nMy young son absolutely loved punching the bag and spend quite a while working out with it. Weve had zero problems with the punching bag or the stand and the construction seems solid enough to last for years.\\n\\nI highly recommend this product to anyone who has a child who enjoys exercising with a punching bag.\",\n \"Product: Keep lecture notes, procedures and homework assignments organized with this binder. The durable construction is ideal for frequent referencing. The DuraHinge design is stronger, lasts longer and resists tearing, and the DuraEdge feature makes the sides and top more pliable, providing greater split resistance. Deeply textured film offers a smoother finish and features a linen pattern for a high-quality look and feel. Two interior pockets help you organize and secure loose papers, and the slant rings hold a higher page capacity compared to same size round rings. Capacity Range [Max]: 1\\\"; Sheet Capacity: 220; Color(s): Blue; Binder Sheet Size: 11 x 8 1/2.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Not what I expected....\\n\\nReview: Ok, so this binder has the ability to be customized on the front and side panel but it doesn't come with any pre-printed changeable inserts. I thought it did and was slightly bummed. Avery does give you a site to go to where you can print templates as is or tweak them as desired but depending on your printer to get a good quality print, and not suck up your ink, it might be best to have it printed at an office max, staples, etc. which is inconvenient and could rack up expenses. As of the quality of the binder; ours arrived with ring impressions on the inside cover, it had creased stress marks as well, and the back inside cover was bent. So the quality is questionable. So even though this binder is super cute, and would appeal to tweens, teens and emoji lovers, I'd probably pass it by.\",\n \"Product: The Sentinel on guard 10 sheet micro-cut shredder with a PULLOUT bin. A 5mm x 10mm micro-cut shred for optimum security of your personal data. Auto start/stop means you simply leave the shredder on and simply feed the paper or credit card into the intake. A manual reverse function allows you to reverse the cutting blades in the event of a jam. Want to shred a credit card? no problem, the Sentinel 10 sheet micro-cut shredder can do that too. Simple to empty with a PULLOUT 3 gallon wastebasket. No plastic bags required; simply slide out the wastebasket, and dump the shredded material in the dumpster. Reliable, easy to use and easy to empty makes the Sentinel 10 sheet micro-cut shredder a must have for home or office.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great for identity safety\\n\\nReview: What we liked:\\n*The shredded pieces are \\\"micro cut shred size\\\" meaning they end up being approximately the size of the tip of a pencil\\n*The pull out bin allows the shreds to be easily discarded without any mess, plus the bin holds 3 gallons\\n*Cuts credit cards and up to 10 sheets\\n*The peace of mind, knowing sensitive documents aren't discernible\\n\\nWhat we disliked:\\n*It's a bit noisy, tolerable, but could use improvement in my book\\n*Upon inserting 7 pieces of copy paper it slowed and whined a bit....I wouldn't really push shredding more than 5 pieces at a time\\n*Requires upkeep with oiling after 30 mins of use\\n*Top heavy, weighty\\n\\nAll in all, two thumbs up. This product would be great for home or business use. Personally, I would opt for a less expensive shredder. This is my second shredder; my other is 1/3 the price, only difference is that it doesn't micro cut - but it cuts fine enough that I still trust it.\",\n \"Product: This stylish electronic journal offers the utmost privacy and protection, so girls can safely express their thoughts. The journal is equipped with voice recognition technology so it identifies your voice and only opens when you say the password! Inside girls will find a notebook and an invisible ink pen whose writing is revealed with a glow light (included). Look behind the notebook for a secret compartment to keep special mementos safe. Girls can also record their own greetings, signoffs and alerts. Includes one journal, one notebook, one invisible ink pen and dual reading/glow light.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good but not Great.\\n\\nReview: My 6 year old daughter has been begging for a journal, and this one seemed perfect for her (and for any girl).\\n\\nWhat we liked:\\n*The journal is a fun, safe place to express herself.\\n*It encourages creativity - it's perfect for drawing, journaling and stickers.\\n*It includes an invisible ink pen that only becomes visible with a built-in glow light.\\n*It even has a secret compartment perfect for hiding treasures thats adequately sized at 3\\\"w x 4\\\"l x 1/2\\\"d.\\n*Greetings can be altered for personalization.\\n\\nWhat we didn't like:\\n*The journal is heavier and bulkier than expected.\\n*The paper pad is small measuring only 4x6\\\", it's unlined with only 25 sheets.\\n*The paper pad does not look like the one pictured, so they do vary in design.\\n*We are concerned with finding a replacement pad that will fit and wish another had been included.\\n*The voice recognition password did not work, the programmed voice stated it did not recognize the password and it set off an 'alarm' signal. This greatly upset my daughter. There were no instructions on how to re-program a password, so I took out the batteries and it reset itself.\\n*There is no volume control and the voice has a slight English accent.\\n*3AA batteries are not included.\\n\\nThe journal is good, but not great. I think it needs a bit of improvement, but regardless my daughter still likes it.\",\n \"Product: Standing over 3 feet tall, this play set ramps up the zipping, zooming racing fun! Your little racer sends a vehicle down the ramp at the top, then waits for the surprise finish as the car comes out at the bottom in one of three spots. Will it speed out one of the two side exits or jump off the middle ramp? Its different every time! The creative play is revved up even more with a realistic crane, stop sign, gas pump and parking meter. Your little one will enjoy hours of non-stop action!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: So much fun for little ones!\\n\\nReview: One of my sons favorite toys as a toddler was his multi-level car garage. This is clearly the same concept, except on steroids. This toy has it all, it's over 3' tall, it sends the car whirling and twirling, it has alternating paths, build in roads and a gas pump. Two cars are included and it doesn't have the dreaded sticker sheets and even better doesn't require batteries. Assembly took 35 minutes, but was easy once you get into it and about halfway thru assembly instructions weren't even necessary. I was pleased that though the toy was tall it was quite sturdy and didn't appear to want to tip easily. The high quality interlocking plastic pieces are thick and strong. The cars roll smoothly and not once have become stuck or fly off.\\n\\nTwo thumbs up Fisher-Price, you never disappoint!\",\n \"Product: ALEX Toys Crush & Slush Sno Cone Maker lets you enjoy a delicious summertime treat all year round! Make Sno Cones just by crushing ice and adding your own juice. This fun treat maker includes a 4 piece Sno Cone maker, syrup bottle, shovel, 3 paper cups and easy instructions. Recommended for children 6 years of age and older.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Poor quality, Potentially unsafe\\n\\nReview: I agree with the other reviews, the quality is poor and we found it to be potentially unsafe.\\n\\nI had slight trouble with the assembly in getting the crank back piece on. The grater quality was poor and overall the product just felt cheesy. We found it to be unsafe for two reasons. One, goes without saying, the grater. While it is for 6+ it still requires supervision, and it seemed like a 2 person job - one to crank the other to hold it steady and scoop shavings. Second, we found was that the yellow sun which is pushed down to force the ice into the ice shaver (grater) was defective/unsafe. If pushed down too far it shaves off along with the ice, it has no stopping point, so we ended up with tiny yellow shavings in our 'snow.' We ended up throwing out that batch and haven't used it again.\\n\\nCan't recommend, sorry.\",\n \"Product: Ride off into adventure with this Teresa doll and horse set that really gets things moving! With simple setup and activation, Teresa doll swings up onto her horse and begins to ride in one swift motion! Simply clip Teresa doll's gloved purple hand into her horse's mane and push the button on the top of her horse's brow. Teresa doll lifts herself up into the purple saddle (non-removable) on her horse's back and the horse starts walking on her own! It's an awesome WOW moment that girls will love recreating over and over again! To continue on foot, push the button on the horse's pink plastic ribbon to release Teresa doll's hand and tell another tale. Teresa doll is ready for anything in a patterned tunic with denim cropped jacket and blue molded plastic pants (non-removable). Tall grey riding boots and a stylish purple helmet make the perfect accessories for horseback riding fun -- and safety! This horse shares Teresa doll's signature style with pretty purple reins to match her saddle. Help Teresa doll brush out her horse's tail with the included brush that fits in her hand. Girls will love the ability to match the excitement of their imagination with this set that captures the realism of horseback-riding! Includes Teresa doll wearing fashion and accessories and her horse with movement feature and non-removable purple saddle and reins. Doll cannot stand alone. Colors and decorations may vary.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Give Teresa a red ribbon!\\n\\nReview: Nearly perfect with 4 stars, way to go!\\n\\nMy nearly 7 yr old daughter loves this set and I have to say I do to! The doll is beautiful and stylish with much attention to detail. The dolls makeup is tasteful and not overly done, she's tan in skin color, with green eyes with a fun thick pony tail (how appropriate). The tank and jacket are one piece and can be easily removed, along with the boots and helmet for versatility.\\n\\nThis doll delivers, she actually mounts the horse two ways. One, with the push of the brown button in the horses mane or with the push of the hair mound on the front of the horses head, this also enables the horse to begin 'walking.'\\n\\nWe gave this 4 stars, she lost a point for her legs. The leggings are not removable, and one leg is longer than the other allowing for the mount. The pink ribbon on the mane is also a little hard for little hands to pull out on (she clips into this point to be able to ride.)\\n\\nThis would make a great gift for any Barbie fan!\",\n \"Product: Move right into the Barbie Dreamhouse and discover a world of possibilities because with Barbie, anything is possible! Three floors, seven rooms and a working elevator provide the perfect setting for all kinds of stories, from a fun night in to getting ready for girls night out. The built-in garage has a door that realistically opens and closes by sliding a tab. Its the perfect space for parking Barbie dolls car (sold separately), or customize the house and use the garage as a bonus room to fit your story. Attached to the garage is a beautiful atrium window where Barbie doll (sold separately) can gaze out on the stunning Malibu sunsets -- but flip the window down, and it converts into a swimming pool, perfect for a fun pool party for Barbie doll and her friends! The classic indoor rooms have modern touches with Barbie signature trendy designs and details. Spark imagination with lights, sound and even motion throughout the house in a fun way with a new interactive tech feature. A smart furniture piece -- designed to look like a living room cabinet or kitchen island on one side and a bathroom vanity on the other -- magically recognizes smart accessories that activate different lights, sounds and motions to bring stories to life. Click in the fan to set the blades in motion, or snap in the stovetop grill for flaming lights and a sizzling sound -- there are fun options for interactive realism. Enter the house and a world of possibilities through the tall pink door. And don't forget to check the mail -- envelopes are included to expand the play with fun realism. Hungry? Get cooking in the kitchen with its sleek appliances and realistic cookware and groceries. On the second floor, dine in style in the dining room at the modern table set for two; in the bathroom, prepare for a big night out at the sink/vanity and luxe tub; and give pets their own space to play in the adorable room dedicated to Barbie dolls many animal friends. The third floor offers another view into imagination with a beautiful bedroom, complete with a dramatic pink canopied bed; a walk-in closet where Barbie doll can check out her amazing outfits in the mirror and hang up her fashions (sold separately); and a gorgeous living room with a special twist of its own -- slide your own smartphone (not included) into the flat screen television and let Barbie get cozy on the couch with a movie or video that helps add to play. Have fun sending Barbie doll up and down the working elevator -- easily activated with a child-friendly sliding tab -- as one fabulous story is played out after another! Plus, this version comes in simple brown packaging to secure the secret and enhance the surprise. Collect Barbie doll and her family and friends to expand the play to dreamy proportions -- because with Barbie, anything is possible! Dolls, pets and car sold separately, subject to availability. Dolls cannot stand alone. Smartphone not included. Colors and decorations may vary.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: What's not to love? It's Dreamy!\\n\\nReview: My daughter has the previous dream house model (X7949) and now this new one. Both are Amazing and it would be difficult to choose between them, but Both would delight any young girl! Even as a parent I'm wowed at the attention to detail and truth be told, I think my wife enjoys playing too ;)\\n\\nFor comparison:\\nNew Home\\n7 rooms, 1 elevator, 70+pieces, 4' tall x 3' wide\\n\\nPrevious Home\\n6 rooms, 2 elevators, 50+pieces, 3'7\\\" tall x 3' wide\\n\\nNew home has 9+ smart features:\\nDoor knocker works, Fish 'swim' in the aquarium and it lights up, the garage door opens and closes, the atrium window in the garage flips down to convert into a pool, furniture 'doubles' one side is a vanity but on the other is a kitchen island, the stovetop grill has 'flaming' lights and sizzling sounds, slide in a smartphone behind the tv for sound and music, the toilet makes flushing sounds and the fan spins, and there's a working elevator.\\n\\nThe previous model features 8+ smart features:\\nLight up oven, light up mirror, flushing toilet sounds, blender sounds, the kitchen table flips for second dining options, the doorbell rings, barbie 'sings' in the shower sounds, and the tv allows for smartphone as well.\\n\\nThe biggest differences between them:\\nThe new home is more colorful, has more features, more rooms - a garage, a dedicated pet room and fun pool. The only fault with the new home I have is that the pool is begging for water which poses a problem for indoor use. Also in favor of the older version is that it opened up/expands to create a curved semi-circle shaped home while the new is stationary. It really is a personal preference whether to open it or close it but it does create additional play area.\\n\\nBottomline:\\nEasy to assemble, fun features, highly detailed. This would be any girls dream (and Barbie's too). Two thumbs way up!!\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":17,"string":"17"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":385,"string":"385"}}},{"rowIdx":386,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"AKJHHD5VEH7VG"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"DIIs 100% cotton tablecloths come in a variety of colors & sizes. These tablecloths are perfect for picnics, parties, showers, dinners, everyday use and more. DII offers a variety of prints and patterns, giving you numerous options for your next event or dinner party. All of DIIs cotton tablecloths have a 1 inch folded hem and mitered corners. These tablecloths are machine washable for easy clean up and use. Find DIIs full selection of tablecloths by searching for DII Cotton Tablecloths.\". The summary of the review text is \"Ahoy platey! My attempt at nautical napkin humor.\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I love cloth napkins, they remind me of visiting Aunt's house as a child. I use mine for everyday versus formal dining. These are perfect. Much like the DII table cloths, these are well stitched and of a good quality fabric. Of the five sets of cloth napkins that I own, these are the most generously sized. Even if they shirk down to half their size (dear napkins, please don't), they will still be lap sized. The fabric is thick enough to survive wash after wash. I don't anticipate these fading. The sailor striped patter aren't exactly nautical in nature. They are khaki colored with a periwinkle blue set of stripes. The pattern is exactly as pictured. Great product.\n\nUPDATE: December 19, 2016\nI am adding an update after washing the napkins. They do shrink. I'm attaching a photo with an unwashed napkin flipped upside down for contrast. The washed item is on top. This was washed in cold water and tumbled dry under a modest setting. I'm not changing my rating as I still think this is a quality napkin and the shrunken size is similar to the rest of the cloth napkins that I have on hand. I hope the photo helps others."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I love cloth napkins, they remind me of visiting Aunt's house as a child. I use mine for everyday versus formal dining. These are perfect. Much like the DII table cloths, these are well stitched and of a good quality fabric. Of the five sets of cloth napkins that I own, these are the most generously sized. Even if they shirk down to half their size (dear napkins, please don't), they will still be lap sized. The fabric is thick enough to survive wash after wash. I don't anticipate these fading. The sailor striped patter aren't exactly nautical in nature. They are khaki colored with a periwinkle blue set of stripes. The pattern is exactly as pictured. Great product.\n\nUPDATE: December 19, 2016\nI am adding an update after washing the napkins. They do shrink. I'm attaching a photo with an unwashed napkin flipped upside down for contrast. The washed item is on top. This was washed in cold water and tumbled dry under a modest setting. I'm not changing my rating as I still think this is a quality napkin and the shrunken size is similar to the rest of the cloth napkins that I have on hand. I hope the photo helps others."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: CPR pocket rescuscitator with 15mm OD connector compatible with standard ventilation equipment . Safe for use on adults and pediatric patients. Disposable valve with 3M filtrete filters protects the practioner and eliminates cross contamination\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Not recommended for emergencies\n\nReview: This was purchased for use in a first aid class. The included PPE is nice. The gloves are large and an alcohol wipe packet is included. The mask filter can be removed and theres also an O2 inlet. The case itself is sturdy, but the plastic hinges on the back wear out quickly. A huge issue with this mask is that it doesnt seal properly. Its very stiff, as though the seal is over-inflated. As a result the seal does not fully conform to the face and leaves large gaps where air can escape. On CPR mannequins, you have to put a lot of pressure on the sides of the mask to close these gaps in order for breaths to go in. I would recommend this if someone needed a cheap breathing barrier for a CPR course, but I would not trust this mask in an emergency situation.","Product: CPR pocket rescuscitator with 15mm OD connector compatible with standard ventilation equipment . Safe for use on adults and pediatric patients. Disposable valve with 3M filtrete filters protects the practioner and eliminates cross contamination\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Not recommended for emergencies\n\nReview: This was purchased for use in a first aid class. The included PPE is nice. The gloves are large and an alcohol wipe packet is included. The mask filter can be removed and theres also an O2 inlet. The case itself is sturdy, but the plastic hinges on the back wear out quickly. A huge issue with this mask is that it doesnt seal properly. Its very stiff, as though the seal is over-inflated. As a result the seal does not fully conform to the face and leaves large gaps where air can escape. On CPR mannequins, you have to put a lot of pressure on the sides of the mask to close these gaps in order for breaths to go in. I would recommend this if someone needed a cheap breathing barrier for a CPR course, but I would not trust this mask in an emergency situation.","Product: Liliane Collection Dish Towels White Herringbone Towels (13-Pack) Commercial Grade • Commercial towels are thin and light, highly absorbent, fast drying, and produce minimal lint. • Classic white towels with blue stripes complement any kitchen decor. • Sewn edges and Herringbone weave add a touch of distinction. • Perfect for the "professional" chef in every family, these towels are similar to those used in many restaurant and hotel kitchens. The Green Alternative to Paper Towels • Save money: Buy fewer paper towels. • Save the environment: Produce less waste. Perfect Size for All Types of Kitchen Duties • Dry silverware, dishes and stemware fast and easily. • Dry fruit and produce. • Cover bread dough, freshly baked bread, and cold meat cuts. • Grab hot items out of the oven/microwave. • Can be used as placemats and BBQ or lobster napkins. Multiple Other Uses • Great towel for home bars. • Hand towel for workshop, garage and car. • Ideal gym/workout towel. Keep a few in your gym bag. • Great for shaving, drying razors and cleaning the counter/sink. • Clean windows, mirrors and computer screens. Washing and Care Instructions • Wash towels before first use. Towels will lose any lint remaining from the weaving process, and will become softer and more absorbent after washing. • You may wash towels in hot water with bleach. • Do not use fabric softener. • Dry towels in low heat/delicate cycle to minimize shrinkage. Click "Add to Cart" above to experience 100% cotton dish towels. The Liliane Collection Kitchen Towels are manufactured to our company's exacting standards to provide you, the home consumer, with the benefits of commercial dish towels at the quality that you expect in your home. We started with a great commercial kitchen towel that meets the following needs: (1) 100% Cotton; (2) Herringbone Weave; (3) Bleach Safe; (4) Spot Free Drying; (5) Lint Free; (6) Quick Drying; (7) Absorbent. These qualities make our towels ideal restaurants, hotels, bars and offices. Unlike lesser towels, Liliane Collection towels are weaved using 2-ply cotton for a higher-quality towel that is softer and offers a better hand feel. Our towels are hemmed in all four sides and are about 2 inches longer than our competitors'.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: My favorite type of dish towel. I love these!\n\nReview: I love these towels. As instructed, I washed these before using and omitted fabric softener. They did sit in the dryer for a couple of hours before I got to them but they were not wrinkled. I dried them via a timed dry setting. I used a cold water wash and the shrinkage was nothing that I was concerned about.\n\nThese are amazing towels. The package comes with 13 towels. I do laundry once a week and can use a towel for meal prep and another for dishes each day without running out before laundry day.\n\nFor the price, these are amazing towels. Cotton with finished ends these are less likely to tear or unravel the way my current towels do. They are thinner than traditional dish towels but thicker than similar cotton towels that I have had in the past. Although I don't hand dry my dishes, I do dry my larger items that don't fit into my drainer. These towels are absorbent without getting drenched. Excellent product.","Product: Best Home Fashion introduces the new Blackout Tie Up Shade with high-quality insulated Dupioni Faux Silk. It features innovative fabric construction. Compare to the other shades, our product is extremely SOFT and DRAPERY. The sophisticated designs allow you to decorate your windows with great styles. NEVER compare our Blackout Curtains with those cheap ones that are stiff and looks like a shower curtain. Blackout is perfect for : Late sleepers Shift workers Seniors Infants & parents Students Computer operators Care instruction : -Machine wash warm with like colors. -Use only non-chlorine bleach when needed. -Tumble dry low. -Warm iron as needed\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Don't think \"lavender\", think \" taupey-mauve\"\n\nReview: These curtains need ironed or steamed before hanging.\n\nThese curtains are not lavender. They are taupe with a slight purple-rose or mauve undertone. In darker lighting the shimmer material shows the mauve tint. In bright light the curtains look taupe.\n\nI live in a bungalow. If the sun is shining even slightly, the upstairs gets excesssively warm due to the orientation of the stairway window and from lack of shade (the neighboring home is a ranch style). The blinds don't help. I thought that this blackout curtain would be a solution for temperature stability.\n\nThe material itself is shimmery and does have a silky texture and sheen. The back is white. The pattern is subtle. Th curtain and lining are sewn together in a pillowcase- like fashion leaving the bottom open to drape freely.\n\nI think the curtain looks odd if not tied up. The ties are long allowing flexibility in altering the length.\n\n Tying the curtains is challenging due to the texture of the material. It helped to fold the curtain up before tying.\n\nAlthough the color is not what I anticipated, I prefer the more subtle tone. The color does look true to the shade deoicted in the amazon product photos. I am confident that the blackout style will assist in keeping the room cooler when the sun is shining and provide insulation in dreary and cold winter days (which makes the upstairs chilly).\n\n I offer 4-stars instead of 5 because the curtains require prepping before hanging.","Product: DIIs 100% cotton tablecloths come in a variety of colors & sizes. These tablecloths are perfect for picnics, parties, showers, dinners, everyday use and more. DII offers a variety of prints and patterns, giving you numerous options for your next event or dinner party. All of DIIs cotton tablecloths have a 1 inch folded hem and mitered corners. These tablecloths are machine washable for easy clean up and use. Find DIIs full selection of tablecloths by searching for DII Cotton Tablecloths. To view more of our products visit amazon.com/dii.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: So cute! I use the polka dots as an everyday table cloth\n\nReview: I ordered the polka dots print for everyday use. It matches all of the colors in my dining room. It is a nice switch from the plain tablecloths that I have been using recently without having too bold of a pattern. I'm pretty picky and dislike the bold prints but sometimes want just a bit of a pattern. The polka dots do the trick.\n\nI've had DII tablecloths before so I do know that there is some shrinkage. I used to order them a bit bigger but have been fine with ordering the closest size to my everyday table size (without the extra leaves).\n\nThis is an adorable pattern that is fun for everyday or a nice touch for parties. A great investment.","Product: This hand blown glassware with a pop of color on the rim will add a burst of color to your casual dinner table.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The glasses are not perfect but the flaws add to the appeal for me\n\nReview: These is a very pretty, uniquely imperfect set of glasses. I like whisky glasses because they accommodate larger sized ice balls (which melt slower and keep my tea/beverages from getting watered down). All four of these glasses had flaws. One had a flattened rim and the other three had tiny bubbles in the glass. The rim of the glasses are not uniform giving them a quirky quality. For me, these flaws add to the uniqueness of the design and makes me love the set. The rims are a milky white which adds a touch of style to an otherwise plain glass. It is also a nice change from metallic/gold rims. My dinnerware is sold colored so the white rims complement it without being too matchy-matchy. The glasses also came a bit cloudy. These photos were taken before the items were washed and used. Once washed, the glasses are crystal clear. I'm not deducting a star for the imperfections because these add to the appeal for me. Others may find this troublesome.","Product: Inspired by the diet of the wolf, BLUE Wilderness Wet Dog Food is a high-protein, grain-free food that will provide your dog with a higher concentration of the meat he loves. Complete and balanced, BLUE Wilderness wet dog food is also a sensible alternative to less convenient raw diets, which often require additional supplementation to be nutritionally complete. BLUE Wilderness dog food is a product of the Blue Buffalo company. Based in the United States, Blue Buffalo makes premium-quality pet foods featuring real meat, fruit and vegetables.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: The food for canine royalty\n\nReview: This food is fit for canine royalty. Pavolv would be proud at my dogs reaction to the site of the can. There really needs to be research on dogs and brand recognition, the reaction is crazy.\n\nThis wet food ha chicken and chicken broth as the main ingredients but contains enough trout, venison and rabbit to satisfy my dog. She doesnt even have time to wag her tale, this food is serious business.\n\nThe downside is the serving size. Adult dogs should eat to 1 can per 10 pounds of body weight. For an adult Labrador, this will break the bank in no time.\n\nThis is a great food and I feel confident in the benefits that it brings to my geriatric princess Labrador. I cannot realistically afford this food for her.","Product: Flashlight\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great for organizing TIGHTS\n\nReview: I used this for organizing colored tights!\n\nIm not a scarf person and there are no men in my household. I don't wear ties.\nI do have tights and stockings that I can never seem to keep organized for easy access.\n\nThis was the perfect solution. Ideally, I need a couple more, but one was an excellent starter. For those that I wear the most, I was able to thread them through the holders toe first and organize them by color. Then, when Im accessorizing an outfit, I can just pull out what I need instead of hunting and searching for a pair that I think I may have.\n\nThe hanger itself is solid and well made. It is gentle enough for pantyhose and tights. It will do well with ties and scarves as well. This is a product that you can purchase with confidence.","Product: Flashlight\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great for organizing TIGHTS\n\nReview: I used this for organizing colored tights!\n\nIm not a scarf person and there are no men in my household. I don't wear ties.\nI do have tights and stockings that I can never seem to keep organized for easy access.\n\nThis was the perfect solution. Ideally, I need a couple more, but one was an excellent starter. For those that I wear the most, I was able to thread them through the holders toe first and organize them by color. Then, when Im accessorizing an outfit, I can just pull out what I need instead of hunting and searching for a pair that I think I may have.\n\nThe hanger itself is solid and well made. It is gentle enough for pantyhose and tights. It will do well with ties and scarves as well. This is a product that you can purchase with confidence."],"string":"[\n \"Product: CPR pocket rescuscitator with 15mm OD connector compatible with standard ventilation equipment . Safe for use on adults and pediatric patients. Disposable valve with 3M filtrete filters protects the practioner and eliminates cross contamination\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Not recommended for emergencies\\n\\nReview: This was purchased for use in a first aid class. The included PPE is nice. The gloves are large and an alcohol wipe packet is included. The mask filter can be removed and theres also an O2 inlet. The case itself is sturdy, but the plastic hinges on the back wear out quickly. A huge issue with this mask is that it doesnt seal properly. Its very stiff, as though the seal is over-inflated. As a result the seal does not fully conform to the face and leaves large gaps where air can escape. On CPR mannequins, you have to put a lot of pressure on the sides of the mask to close these gaps in order for breaths to go in. I would recommend this if someone needed a cheap breathing barrier for a CPR course, but I would not trust this mask in an emergency situation.\",\n \"Product: CPR pocket rescuscitator with 15mm OD connector compatible with standard ventilation equipment . Safe for use on adults and pediatric patients. Disposable valve with 3M filtrete filters protects the practioner and eliminates cross contamination\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Not recommended for emergencies\\n\\nReview: This was purchased for use in a first aid class. The included PPE is nice. The gloves are large and an alcohol wipe packet is included. The mask filter can be removed and theres also an O2 inlet. The case itself is sturdy, but the plastic hinges on the back wear out quickly. A huge issue with this mask is that it doesnt seal properly. Its very stiff, as though the seal is over-inflated. As a result the seal does not fully conform to the face and leaves large gaps where air can escape. On CPR mannequins, you have to put a lot of pressure on the sides of the mask to close these gaps in order for breaths to go in. I would recommend this if someone needed a cheap breathing barrier for a CPR course, but I would not trust this mask in an emergency situation.\",\n \"Product: Liliane Collection Dish Towels White Herringbone Towels (13-Pack) Commercial Grade • Commercial towels are thin and light, highly absorbent, fast drying, and produce minimal lint. • Classic white towels with blue stripes complement any kitchen decor. • Sewn edges and Herringbone weave add a touch of distinction. • Perfect for the "professional" chef in every family, these towels are similar to those used in many restaurant and hotel kitchens. The Green Alternative to Paper Towels • Save money: Buy fewer paper towels. • Save the environment: Produce less waste. Perfect Size for All Types of Kitchen Duties • Dry silverware, dishes and stemware fast and easily. • Dry fruit and produce. • Cover bread dough, freshly baked bread, and cold meat cuts. • Grab hot items out of the oven/microwave. • Can be used as placemats and BBQ or lobster napkins. Multiple Other Uses • Great towel for home bars. • Hand towel for workshop, garage and car. • Ideal gym/workout towel. Keep a few in your gym bag. • Great for shaving, drying razors and cleaning the counter/sink. • Clean windows, mirrors and computer screens. Washing and Care Instructions • Wash towels before first use. Towels will lose any lint remaining from the weaving process, and will become softer and more absorbent after washing. • You may wash towels in hot water with bleach. • Do not use fabric softener. • Dry towels in low heat/delicate cycle to minimize shrinkage. Click "Add to Cart" above to experience 100% cotton dish towels. The Liliane Collection Kitchen Towels are manufactured to our company's exacting standards to provide you, the home consumer, with the benefits of commercial dish towels at the quality that you expect in your home. We started with a great commercial kitchen towel that meets the following needs: (1) 100% Cotton; (2) Herringbone Weave; (3) Bleach Safe; (4) Spot Free Drying; (5) Lint Free; (6) Quick Drying; (7) Absorbent. These qualities make our towels ideal restaurants, hotels, bars and offices. Unlike lesser towels, Liliane Collection towels are weaved using 2-ply cotton for a higher-quality towel that is softer and offers a better hand feel. Our towels are hemmed in all four sides and are about 2 inches longer than our competitors'.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: My favorite type of dish towel. I love these!\\n\\nReview: I love these towels. As instructed, I washed these before using and omitted fabric softener. They did sit in the dryer for a couple of hours before I got to them but they were not wrinkled. I dried them via a timed dry setting. I used a cold water wash and the shrinkage was nothing that I was concerned about.\\n\\nThese are amazing towels. The package comes with 13 towels. I do laundry once a week and can use a towel for meal prep and another for dishes each day without running out before laundry day.\\n\\nFor the price, these are amazing towels. Cotton with finished ends these are less likely to tear or unravel the way my current towels do. They are thinner than traditional dish towels but thicker than similar cotton towels that I have had in the past. Although I don't hand dry my dishes, I do dry my larger items that don't fit into my drainer. These towels are absorbent without getting drenched. Excellent product.\",\n \"Product: Best Home Fashion introduces the new Blackout Tie Up Shade with high-quality insulated Dupioni Faux Silk. It features innovative fabric construction. Compare to the other shades, our product is extremely SOFT and DRAPERY. The sophisticated designs allow you to decorate your windows with great styles. NEVER compare our Blackout Curtains with those cheap ones that are stiff and looks like a shower curtain. Blackout is perfect for : Late sleepers Shift workers Seniors Infants & parents Students Computer operators Care instruction : -Machine wash warm with like colors. -Use only non-chlorine bleach when needed. -Tumble dry low. -Warm iron as needed\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Don't think \\\"lavender\\\", think \\\" taupey-mauve\\\"\\n\\nReview: These curtains need ironed or steamed before hanging.\\n\\nThese curtains are not lavender. They are taupe with a slight purple-rose or mauve undertone. In darker lighting the shimmer material shows the mauve tint. In bright light the curtains look taupe.\\n\\nI live in a bungalow. If the sun is shining even slightly, the upstairs gets excesssively warm due to the orientation of the stairway window and from lack of shade (the neighboring home is a ranch style). The blinds don't help. I thought that this blackout curtain would be a solution for temperature stability.\\n\\nThe material itself is shimmery and does have a silky texture and sheen. The back is white. The pattern is subtle. Th curtain and lining are sewn together in a pillowcase- like fashion leaving the bottom open to drape freely.\\n\\nI think the curtain looks odd if not tied up. The ties are long allowing flexibility in altering the length.\\n\\n Tying the curtains is challenging due to the texture of the material. It helped to fold the curtain up before tying.\\n\\nAlthough the color is not what I anticipated, I prefer the more subtle tone. The color does look true to the shade deoicted in the amazon product photos. I am confident that the blackout style will assist in keeping the room cooler when the sun is shining and provide insulation in dreary and cold winter days (which makes the upstairs chilly).\\n\\n I offer 4-stars instead of 5 because the curtains require prepping before hanging.\",\n \"Product: DIIs 100% cotton tablecloths come in a variety of colors & sizes. These tablecloths are perfect for picnics, parties, showers, dinners, everyday use and more. DII offers a variety of prints and patterns, giving you numerous options for your next event or dinner party. All of DIIs cotton tablecloths have a 1 inch folded hem and mitered corners. These tablecloths are machine washable for easy clean up and use. Find DIIs full selection of tablecloths by searching for DII Cotton Tablecloths. To view more of our products visit amazon.com/dii.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: So cute! I use the polka dots as an everyday table cloth\\n\\nReview: I ordered the polka dots print for everyday use. It matches all of the colors in my dining room. It is a nice switch from the plain tablecloths that I have been using recently without having too bold of a pattern. I'm pretty picky and dislike the bold prints but sometimes want just a bit of a pattern. The polka dots do the trick.\\n\\nI've had DII tablecloths before so I do know that there is some shrinkage. I used to order them a bit bigger but have been fine with ordering the closest size to my everyday table size (without the extra leaves).\\n\\nThis is an adorable pattern that is fun for everyday or a nice touch for parties. A great investment.\",\n \"Product: This hand blown glassware with a pop of color on the rim will add a burst of color to your casual dinner table.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The glasses are not perfect but the flaws add to the appeal for me\\n\\nReview: These is a very pretty, uniquely imperfect set of glasses. I like whisky glasses because they accommodate larger sized ice balls (which melt slower and keep my tea/beverages from getting watered down). All four of these glasses had flaws. One had a flattened rim and the other three had tiny bubbles in the glass. The rim of the glasses are not uniform giving them a quirky quality. For me, these flaws add to the uniqueness of the design and makes me love the set. The rims are a milky white which adds a touch of style to an otherwise plain glass. It is also a nice change from metallic/gold rims. My dinnerware is sold colored so the white rims complement it without being too matchy-matchy. The glasses also came a bit cloudy. These photos were taken before the items were washed and used. Once washed, the glasses are crystal clear. I'm not deducting a star for the imperfections because these add to the appeal for me. Others may find this troublesome.\",\n \"Product: Inspired by the diet of the wolf, BLUE Wilderness Wet Dog Food is a high-protein, grain-free food that will provide your dog with a higher concentration of the meat he loves. Complete and balanced, BLUE Wilderness wet dog food is also a sensible alternative to less convenient raw diets, which often require additional supplementation to be nutritionally complete. BLUE Wilderness dog food is a product of the Blue Buffalo company. Based in the United States, Blue Buffalo makes premium-quality pet foods featuring real meat, fruit and vegetables.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: The food for canine royalty\\n\\nReview: This food is fit for canine royalty. Pavolv would be proud at my dogs reaction to the site of the can. There really needs to be research on dogs and brand recognition, the reaction is crazy.\\n\\nThis wet food ha chicken and chicken broth as the main ingredients but contains enough trout, venison and rabbit to satisfy my dog. She doesnt even have time to wag her tale, this food is serious business.\\n\\nThe downside is the serving size. Adult dogs should eat to 1 can per 10 pounds of body weight. For an adult Labrador, this will break the bank in no time.\\n\\nThis is a great food and I feel confident in the benefits that it brings to my geriatric princess Labrador. I cannot realistically afford this food for her.\",\n \"Product: Flashlight\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great for organizing TIGHTS\\n\\nReview: I used this for organizing colored tights!\\n\\nIm not a scarf person and there are no men in my household. I don't wear ties.\\nI do have tights and stockings that I can never seem to keep organized for easy access.\\n\\nThis was the perfect solution. Ideally, I need a couple more, but one was an excellent starter. For those that I wear the most, I was able to thread them through the holders toe first and organize them by color. Then, when Im accessorizing an outfit, I can just pull out what I need instead of hunting and searching for a pair that I think I may have.\\n\\nThe hanger itself is solid and well made. It is gentle enough for pantyhose and tights. It will do well with ties and scarves as well. This is a product that you can purchase with confidence.\",\n \"Product: Flashlight\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great for organizing TIGHTS\\n\\nReview: I used this for organizing colored tights!\\n\\nIm not a scarf person and there are no men in my household. I don't wear ties.\\nI do have tights and stockings that I can never seem to keep organized for easy access.\\n\\nThis was the perfect solution. Ideally, I need a couple more, but one was an excellent starter. For those that I wear the most, I was able to thread them through the holders toe first and organize them by color. Then, when Im accessorizing an outfit, I can just pull out what I need instead of hunting and searching for a pair that I think I may have.\\n\\nThe hanger itself is solid and well made. It is gentle enough for pantyhose and tights. It will do well with ties and scarves as well. This is a product that you can purchase with confidence.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":9,"string":"9"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":386,"string":"386"}}},{"rowIdx":387,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A1IWOV26KAK0GF"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"A classical kid favorite toy. The fresh fruit toy food set from Little Treasures toys is a well-liked kid selection. This food set features sturdy Velcro fasteners that secure the halves of the fruit, but also allow for easy and safe cutting with included plastic toy knife. Little Treasures toys stimulate children through every stage of development and help nurture and develop their natural abilities.\". The summary of the review text is \"Great quality, well made\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"My 16 months old daughter loves this veggie and fruit cutting set! I bought a number of these sets for her (multiple knifes allow the whole family to cut fruit!) and they all have slight variations. This particular set has a chopping board, a knife, carrot, eggplant, banana, broccoli, tomato and starfruit. I feel safe giving all the pieces to my daughter except the banana. When separated, the two pieces are a little too small for a toddler and might pose a choking hazard. This set is not intended for children under 3 but many pieces are perfectly fine and I just remove the not safe ones for now.\n\nThe fruit and veggies are really well made. I actually expected worse quality. The plastic is sturdy and smooth. The edges and all the details are spot on and the Velcro is glued on well. The knife is strong and doesnt bend easily when you use it and do the cutting motion, the Velcro makes a realistic cutting sound. It took my daughter a couple tries but shes pretty good at cutting them on her own now. I am very happy with this purchase because its a high quality toy that my daughter loves playing with and it teaches her different fruit and veggies that she can cut like mama. Cleaning these toys is easy too, I rinse under water if they become dirty or get real food on them.\n\nI purchased this at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"My 16 months old daughter loves this veggie and fruit cutting set! I bought a number of these sets for her (multiple knifes allow the whole family to cut fruit!) and they all have slight variations. This particular set has a chopping board, a knife, carrot, eggplant, banana, broccoli, tomato and starfruit. I feel safe giving all the pieces to my daughter except the banana. When separated, the two pieces are a little too small for a toddler and might pose a choking hazard. This set is not intended for children under 3 but many pieces are perfectly fine and I just remove the not safe ones for now.\n\nThe fruit and veggies are really well made. I actually expected worse quality. The plastic is sturdy and smooth. The edges and all the details are spot on and the Velcro is glued on well. The knife is strong and doesnt bend easily when you use it and do the cutting motion, the Velcro makes a realistic cutting sound. It took my daughter a couple tries but shes pretty good at cutting them on her own now. I am very happy with this purchase because its a high quality toy that my daughter loves playing with and it teaches her different fruit and veggies that she can cut like mama. Cleaning these toys is easy too, I rinse under water if they become dirty or get real food on them.\n\nI purchased this at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Finally, an effective, yet affordable otoscope for home use! Try it risk free - We offer a 30 day money back guarantee and a lifetime warranty! Help to avoid permanent hearing loss in your child by observing evidence of infection early on, and seeking prompt medical attention. Avoid painful earaches, and late night trips to the ER, through early observation of symptoms. Diagnose earwax (cerumen) buildup on your own, and restore normal hearing, when hearing loss is due to nothing more than wax Make certain that your child's ear tubes are clear and appropriately positioned. Minimize risk of eardrum rupture. Features: Ultra-bright light at 6,500 candlepower from a high-pressure Krypton bulb. Uses standard pediatric and adult disposable specula. Replaceable batteries are included. Money back guarantee if not completely satisfied. The lens in our Pocket Otoscope is the key to making a high-quality, affordable otoscope. In the lens manufacturing process of the otoscopes, we carry use a proprietary process that involves the use of an epoxy resin, which, along with a slow bake-quick cool hardening, virtually eliminates lens distortion. The process is more time-consuming and costly, but you end up with a crystal clear lens with zero distortion.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Very useful for the \"watch and wait\" approach, easy to use\n\nReview: My daughter had only one diagnosed ear infection so far and I chose not to give her antibiotics. I did go back to the doctor to make sure it didn't get worse after a week but this otoscope allows me to check her ears myself and assess whether the situation is getting worse or not.\n\nI opted not to pay for any fancy cases, this basic model does exactly what I need. Plus this has a lifetime warranty, I don't think models with cases did. It came with three different sizes specula and two batteries. Using it was very straight forward and easy. Just click the light on and look into the ear. You may have to move the specula around a little to see but I found it very easy. I couldn't get the photo to show the clarity of the viewing window because of the light but it's great. The insert is also very helpful to compare your results. Having this otoscope gives me a piece of mind that I can initially observe her ears myself instead of bringing her to the doctor.\n\nShould have bought this a long time ago. Now anytime there is a sleepless night, into the ears we look! My daughter also doesn't mind me looking into her ears.","Product: Do you have little ones - ages 3 and up - who just love to be creative with paints, crayons, and markers? If so, you know that it can give those hours of entertaining fun. But there's nothing more fun than when kids get their faces painted as their favorite cartoon character or superhero! Its really an important part of the imagination-growth process for young children! And now, thanks to this special body-and-face-paint kit, you can give your children what they crave! Plus, it saves you the clean-up mess - because all you have to do is give your children a bath, and the paint is gone! Our mega party pack kit features 10 bright, vivid colors that easily mix to form the most amazing face paint combinations you've ever seen! Plus, we've added 2 body glitter pots for added \"special effects\" and the \"glamour\" look that kids today love. (Think Kardashian... Or try not to.) It all washes off easily because it's water-based and 100% safe and non-toxic. It's been given FDA approval for use on children's skin, so you know there's nothing to worry about. Even if your children have sensitive skin or allergies, this body and face paint is widely recognized as the best alternative to other brands of paint that can cause rashes and irritation. The mega party pack body and face paint kit is your solution to the age-old complaint: \"we're bored.\" Click 'add to basket' and buy one or more today - and make sure you're prepared when major fun is needed at a moment's notice.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great assortment of darker earthy tones for paints\n\nReview: Great face and body painting set at a reasonable price for under fifteen dollars. I love that its non toxic and it does wash off easily. There are crayons, paint, glitter, sponges and brushes. The ingredients of the paints, glitters and the crayons are listed on the back of the package which is great. If someone has any concerns, they can google individual ingredients if they have a child with a sensitive skin. I like the ease of use of the crayons but some colors are not as bright as I wished they would be. I just have to make thicker lines. Or I use the crayons before the actual paint as a template.\n\nI am pretty happy with the paint colors. At first I thought I wanted more bright colors like lime green but then most of the time the kids want an animal face so this color choice is perfect for drawing whiskers, cheetah patters, etc. The brushes along with the sponged tip applicator are good at working on thinner detailed lines and for larger areas we use the sponge but sometimes using your fingers is just more fun. We have not yet used the glitter because my daughter is too small for it but when I drew whiskers on myself and a nose, she came over and started touching them. She liked seeing herself in the mirror with the whiskers too. Easy to use kit, I just wish the package maybe had a couple of sample faces to make drawing them easier.\n\nI was given a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.","Product: For ultra-precise temperature readings at an affordable price, turn to the Taylor Commercial Waterproof Digital Thermometer. This instant read meat thermometers advanced probe registers between -40 F to 450 F and -40 C to 230 C, giving you the most accurate readings to ensure your food is both delicious and safe by recommended standards. The unit itself is built with an anti-microbial housing in a further effort to keep you and your family healthy. The wireless food thermometer also comes with an LR44 lithium battery. Though splash-proof, the unit is not submersible and should be hand-washed between uses. Inside the box, you will find the Taylor 9842N thermometer and 1 LR44 battery. This thermometer is also backed by a 1 year limited warranty.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: First one stopped working, second still works\n\nReview: It does take a while for the thermometer to register the correct temperature but I still loved it at first. However, even though the description says \"waterproof\", I don't think this product is waterproof. It stopped working shortly after I purchased it and when I opened the slot for the battery, the battery leaked. I exchanged the battery and it still doesn't work. The display shows only about 30% so it's very hard to figure out what the temperature is. Disappointed.\n\nUPDATE: I've since then bought another one of these thermometers and so far it's still working after a couple of years so I am adding a star. One drawback for me when it comes to this product is that it takes too long for the temperature to rise and register on the thermometer. If I have an oven door or grill open, then I have to wait too long in my opinion for the proper temperature to register. I still use this thermometer for every day cooking and baking.","Product: Long considered a trusted partner by parents for providing a way to bring healthy food and drink options for kids on the go, Genuine Thermos Brand has brought its superior insulation technology to FOOGO, a line of children's products for ages six months and older. Freshness and safety go hand in hand. If contents are not kept at the right temperature, potentially dangerous bacteria may grow rapidly and cause food and beverages to spoil. All FOOGO stainless steel products feature THERMOS vacuum insulation technology which has been shown to inhibit the growth of bacteria in a laboratory test sponsored by Thermos and performed by Cornell University. For additional peace of mind, FOOGO products use BPA-free materials. FOOGO products are offered in three styles that are designed to grow with your child. Soft spout sippy cups with handles are for children 6 months and older, hard spout sippy cups are for children 12 months and older, and straw bottles are for children ages 18 months and older. The FOOGO Stainless Steel Straw Bottle makes it easy to keep drinks cold on the go. This bottle has a 10-ounce capacity and features THERMOS vacuum insulation technology to keep contents cold for up to 12 hours. The contoured shape of this bottle is easy for little toddler hands to grip and hold. The FOOGO straw bottle is a great choice for a child's first real straw bottle. Unlike other straw bottles, the FOOGO straw bottle can be used to teach kids to drink from a real straw, without built-in valves that inhibit flow. Thanks to the durable double wall stainless steel construction and vacuum insulation, this FOOGO straw bottle will not gather condensation or leave water rings. A hygienic push button lid is simple to open and reveals a pop-up silicone straw that is comfortable to drink from. Cleaning is simple, just unscrew the lid and the straw can be completely removed and disassembled to two parts for easy cleaning. The bottle and straw parts are top-rack dishwasher safe, however, hand washing is recommended for best results. Not for use with hot liquids.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Love the opening mechanism\n\nReview: Love this bottle! I was choosing between this and <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/CamelBak-Kids-Eddy-Water-Bottle-0-4-L-Unicorns/dp/B015DK94R6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">CamelBak Kids Eddy Water Bottle, 0.4 L, Unicorns</a>. I bought both and ended up buying a total of 3 bottles so far. My daughter is two and the CamelBak is harder for herself to open, let alone one handed. This bottle is great because she can open it all by herself and even with one hand. All it takes is a little push on the circle. I think she also enjoys opening it herself. But make sure to close the lid after use (the bottle will leak) or place vertically.\n\nI like that the bottle is insulated and stainless steel. I can leave the bottle in the sun without any fears of chemicals leaking out or her water getting hot. We had the bottle out in the sun for hours and the water stayed cold! Once filled, the bottle does feel a little heavy but it also makes it sturdier. The straw itself is cut diagonally on the bottom which is great because the water flow can't be blocked as with other straws that were cut completely horizontally.\n\nCleaning is no more hassle than any other bottle but I bought multiples so I wouldn't have to wash them every day. The bottle will leak if you don't close the top because of the small hole to allow for air intake but we learned to simply close when done. Our bottles have been to multiple countries and suffered multiple falls from different heights - so far no problems at all. The cap came off one time but it was easy to attach back.\n\nThe prices jump so much for these bottles that once I found what I liked, I used amazon price tracking websites and just waited to purchase once the price fell to my desirable point. That's if you are in no hurry though. Very happy with the purchase and will be purchasing more in larger sizes because I just love the ease of use being able to open one handed.","Product: The Den Haven Kids Table and Chair Set is a colorful addition to your home and a great place for your children to play games. Made with durable BPA-free plastics the table and chair set is perfect for playrooms, classrooms, daycares, Sunday schools and kids rooms. The set includes 5 bright colors are ideal for both girls and boys rooms. Use as a game table, Lego table or a place to put your children's favorite toys, puzzles and coloring books. Durable plastics are tough enough to stand up to the wear and tear of kids but light enough for them to easily move on their own. Easy to clean surface won't leave a mark on walls or floors. Table can be disassembled for easy storage or travel. A must have for daycares and nurserys. Also Ideal for waiting rooms, and doctors offices, any space where children need a play place. Promote your childs imagination while providing them a safe and colorful place to learn and play with this fun and affordable table and chairs set. Table and Chairs come disassembled and can be put together without tools or hardware in a snap.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: My 1 year old daughter loves this set!\n\nReview: UPDATE: We've been using this table and chairs set for over a year now and are very happy. Yes it's a cheaper set but it's perfect for arts and crafts and overall play. We now have a number of stickers and drawing marks on the surface but the table is holding up. Occasionally I'll sit on the chairs too and I've yet had anything to break. None of my corners cracked, everything is as sturdy as it was before. I'm still happy with this set.\n----------------\nIve been wanting a table and chair set for my one year old and was excited to buy this one when I saw it. Im very happy with the purchase and here is why:\n\nPROS:\n\n* Easy to assemble. It took my dad and I about 5 minutes to put together all the chairs and table. You just have to make sure to align the groves on the pieces. It seemed one of the chair seats was a little defective but with some force, we were able to snap the chair leg in place.\n\n* Easy to clean. I used a disinfecting wipe the first time I cleaned it. You can simply wash it under water too or brush stuff off.\n\n* Sturdy when pressure applied from top. I was surprised that the chairs felt very sturdy when I sat on it. According to the instructions, the table weight limit is 81 lbs (37 kg) and chair weight is 110 lbs (50 kgs). My husband who is around 250 lbs sat on the chair and it felt stable and strong enough to hold him.\n\n* Good for children under 3 years of age (Supervised of course). The manufacturer recommends this set for children between 3 and 8 years but my daughter loves sitting on these chairs. She just turned one and is 25 lbs and 31 inches long for reference in photos. Her feet do dangle a little and she needs help getting onto the seat but I think it teaches her to sit at a table and on a chair independently. And even if she falls, the distance is not far.\n\n* Colorful, good colors for girls and boys.\n\n* Fun. My daughter loves running from the table to the chairs (sometimes we place them on opposite sides of the room) and place toys back and forth. She also loves running around in circles around the table which makes my job easier and makes her tired faster.\n\n* Can be used inside and outside. Currently we have the set on the carpet. I plan on taking this set out on the lawn in the summer. It may get discolored by sun though.\n\n* Portable. The chairs and table are simple to disassemble so if you wanted to take the set somewhere, it is easy. I will be taking at least one chair to the beach with us for my baby.\n\nCONS:\n\n* Not very sturdy overall. They are plastic chairs and table, what do people expect? Kids will play with them, turn them over, push, etc. They are easy to pick up and turn over so Im always supervising my daughter when she plays. Carpet is a better surface for this set because it doesnt make it slippery like hardwoods would.\n\nI was given a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.","Product: Use this glass liquid dispenser for Olive Oil, Vinegar, Liquid Dish or Hand Soap. This colorful glass bottle with the delicate olive leaf design gives a sophisticated look for a budget friendly price. The stylish retro eco -friendly bottle looks just as good on the kitchen counter as on your kitchen table. The colorful high gloss liquid dispenser bottle comes with a metal spout. Please note that majority of liquid soaps brands will need to be diluted for best performance. Spout style may vary slightly from one shown in photo. Colored bottles are painted and baked with lead free paint. Variations in color may exist. Wash by hand with warm soapy water. (Not Dishwasher Safe)\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Pretty bottle for soap or olive oil but hard to clean\n\nReview: What a pretty bottle! I love the design of the olive branch on it and I love the lime green color. Its very vibrant. Its perfect for olive oil. If I were to use it with hand soap, I would probably have to dilute the soap with water to allow it to flow easier. The glass seems of medium thickness but still sturdy. I do have a little smudge or something on the inside of the bottle so unless I can give it a proper cleaning, I may just use it for soap.\n\nThe cleaning is where I had a slight problem - it was hard to find a brush that would fit through the opening. My standard baby bottle brush didn't fit and I had to resort to my hydration backpack cleaning brush to get inside. But even then, I had to move the brush around a lot because its made for a tube and doesnt have as many wide bristles. This was my only negative and concern can be hard to clean properly, especially after youve used olive oil and want to switch contents.\n\nThe spout included works fine but you can always replace it with another one if you prefer something fancier or something that can close off. I was given a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.","Product: Product Description Color: Purple Our 'Baby2Kid' iPad case for kids is suitable for all iPad mini cases and available in a variety of colors. This is the ideal iPad case for families with young children, as the thick and dur\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Kids will love it!\n\nReview: My toddler is starting to show more of her character lately and can sometimes throw stuff in the car or across the room. We travel a lot and need to find ways to entertain her when the non-electronic toys are no longer working. When I saw this case, I had to get it.\n\nThe purple color is pretty gender neutral and the case is made out this foamy material. It will not provide complete protection, but certainly cushion the fall or throw. I love the two handles on each side its like a little body on two feet. As soon as I placed the iPad mini inside (which was quick and easy), my daughter grabbed it by the handles. Its adorable! I like that the case is easy to clean, you can completely submerge under water or wipe off. All the ports have access and you can still take photos and use your iPad as you normally would.\n\nThe attention to details is not so great because the holes for the ports etc. are not completely straight and my case cant stand on its own. It always falls backwards immediately, I have to prop it with something. But otherwise my daughter and I really love it. Cute case!\n\nI purchased this case at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.","Product: New Sunville Brand Toddler's Athletic Water Shoes Aqua Socks. TPR Outsole And the adjustable tight cord in back. Great for pool, beach and exercise etc. Please check out our store for more aqua shocks/ aqua shoes for Men, Women and Children.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Bought two pairs, very happy with the construction and how well they fit/easy to put on\n\nReview: Extremely happy with these shoes. I originally bought size 7 for my 11/2 year old but it was too big so I ended up buying a 6 but keeping the 7 because we can wear it next year. In the photo of the two shoe soles facing each other, the left side is a size 6 and the right is size 7. For how fast baby feet grow and how long you actually get to wear the shoes, the price and quality are great. At the time I bought them, both pairs were around $9 each.\n\nMy daughters feet are fairly fat (that's partially why I bought these water shoes also) and I have to open the drawstring all the way in order to get them on. The drawstring also keeps them on her feet well and I make sure not to tighten it too much. If the string is too long in the back, I have made another knot on it to shorten it a little. We wear these with socks and on bare feet and I have yet to find any blisters on her feet. The bottom is rubber so they are good to wear at splash pads where my daughter has slipped without shoes before. Would buy other colors and sizes for sure considering you can use them in the water and on land! We even wear them outside if there are no water activities.","Product: The Insta-Bed Stow-n-Go bed is easy to inflate and deflate, making it perfect for uses inside or out. *Powerful, integrated Insta I reversible 4D battery pump quickly and effortlessly infates and deflates the bed. *28 circular coils on Twin bed and 42 circular coils on Queen bed create a comfortable sleeping surface. *Soft-touch flocked top holds bedding in place. *Binto style carry bag is included and makes it easy to roll up and store mattress.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great customer service, comfy bed\n\nReview: I've purchased this inflatable bed to use in my tent camping and when traveling, its good for both outdoor and indoor use. When I received it, we immediately blew the bed up and tried it out. It comfortably held two adults. Now you will need 4D batteries to inflate the bed, the pump was fast and easy to operate. The mattress itself inflated quickly too. You also use the same pump to deflate, you just have to turn it around.\n\nThe bed started leaking on our third night camping. We woke up on the floor in the middle of the night and had to re-inflate every couple hours just so we wouldnt completely touch the ground. I was pissed, we were into our third night (out of two weeks) camping and we didn't have another bed with us.\n\nWhen we returned, I immediately contacted customer service. They were very courteous and offered to send me a new bed. The process was easy. I had to fill out a form, take a picture of a cutout label on the mattress and send them photos. In a couple of days I received a brand new mattress. Extremely happy with the service. Ive had this bed for a couple of years now and so far it held up. Happy with my purchase.","Product: Long considered a trusted partner by parents for providing a way to bring healthy food and drink options for kids on the go, Genuine Thermos Brand has brought its superior insulation technology to FOOGO, a line of children's products for ages six months and older. Freshness and safety go hand in hand. If contents are not kept at the right temperature, potentially dangerous bacteria may grow rapidly and cause food and beverages to spoil. All FOOGO stainless steel products feature THERMOS vacuum insulation technology which has been shown to inhibit the growth of bacteria in a laboratory test sponsored by Thermos and performed by Cornell University. For additional peace of mind, FOOGO products use BPA-free materials. FOOGO products are offered in three styles that are designed to grow with your child. Soft spout sippy cups with handles are for children 6 months and older, hard spout sippy cups are for children 12 months and older, and straw bottles are for children ages 18 months and older. The FOOGO Stainless Steel Straw Bottle makes it easy to keep drinks cold on the go. This bottle has a 10-ounce capacity and features THERMOS vacuum insulation technology to keep contents cold for up to 12 hours. The contoured shape of this bottle is easy for little toddler hands to grip and hold. The FOOGO straw bottle is a great choice for a child's first real straw bottle. Unlike other straw bottles, the FOOGO straw bottle can be used to teach kids to drink from a real straw, without built-in valves that inhibit flow. Thanks to the durable double wall stainless steel construction and vacuum insulation, this FOOGO straw bottle will not gather condensation or leave water rings. A hygienic push button lid is simple to open and reveals a pop-up silicone straw that is comfortable to drink from. Cleaning is simple, just unscrew the lid and the straw can be completely removed and disassembled to two parts for easy cleaning. The bottle and straw parts are top-rack dishwasher safe, however, hand washing is recommended for best results. Not for use with hot liquids.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Love the opening mechanism\n\nReview: Love this bottle! I was choosing between this and <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/CamelBak-Kids-Eddy-Water-Bottle-0-4-L-Unicorns/dp/B015DK94R6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">CamelBak Kids Eddy Water Bottle, 0.4 L, Unicorns</a>. I bought both and ended up buying a total of 3 bottles so far. My daughter is two and the CamelBak is harder for herself to open, let alone one handed. This bottle is great because she can open it all by herself and even with one hand. All it takes is a little push on the circle. I think she also enjoys opening it herself. But make sure to close the lid after use (the bottle will leak) or place vertically.\n\nI like that the bottle is insulated and stainless steel. I can leave the bottle in the sun without any fears of chemicals leaking out or her water getting hot. We had the bottle out in the sun for hours and the water stayed cold! Once filled, the bottle does feel a little heavy but it also makes it sturdier. The straw itself is cut diagonally on the bottom which is great because the water flow can't be blocked as with other straws that were cut completely horizontally.\n\nCleaning is no more hassle than any other bottle but I bought multiples so I wouldn't have to wash them every day. The bottle will leak if you don't close the top because of the small hole to allow for air intake but we learned to simply close when done. Our bottles have been to multiple countries and suffered multiple falls from different heights - so far no problems at all. The cap came off one time but it was easy to attach back.\n\nThe prices jump so much for these bottles that once I found what I liked, I used amazon price tracking websites and just waited to purchase once the price fell to my desirable point. That's if you are in no hurry though. Very happy with the purchase and will be purchasing more in larger sizes because I just love the ease of use being able to open one handed.","Product: The only travel tee you'll ever need: the Tech T Lite is a highly versatile t-shirt made with 150gm merino-so it's incredibly comfortable even in the heat.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great quality but lighter colors are see-through\n\nReview: I purchased a Large in Blizzard Heather/Oxblood and an X-Large in Stealth/Cactus. While neither of the shirts were to my full liking, here are my observations:\n\n- It's a majority merino wool blend and merino is great because I can wear the shirt for days without it smelling or the need to wash. It also keeps me warm when wet/sweaty in the cooler environments and keeping me cool in the summer. I love merino products! It's perfect for traveling, especially when I want to bring the minimal amount of clothing. I usually wash by hand in the sink or shower and hang to dry whatever I can find around.\n\n- Great quality. The wool and nylon mix feels very soft and not itchy. I prefer the darker color because the lightest one, worn with a dark bra, shows the dark outline and I don't want it see-through.\n\n- Love the offset shoulder seams. Doesnt rub in when you wear a backpack.\n\n- Fairly long which I love.\n\n- The tag on the inside bottom right tends to stick out a little but can easily be cut off. The tag by the neck is a print.\n\n- Prices can greatly vary depending on the style and size. I didn't want to spend more than $50 on a shirt and used amazon price tracking websites. If you are not in a hurry, it's a great way to save some money.\n\nOverall great shirt. I'm 5'7\" and 150 lbs (chest 37\", waist 30\") and the Large is comfortable enough to wear as underclothing or just by itself in warm climates. The X-Large was way too big, I ended up returning it.","Product: All in one kit for faster cleaning and drying\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Easy to use, love the flexible long brush\n\nReview: I like this kit; it mostly has positives for me and does a pretty good job of cleaning the hydration bladders in our house. The packaging itself is pretty simple and when I took out the different items inside, they all felt of pretty good quality except for the drying frame.\n\nPROS:\n\n- All the brushes have strong comfortable handles and the brushes themselves are attached well.\n\n- I love the flexible long brush! It was very easy to slide into the tube and take out as long as you held the tube on top while pulling out the brush at the same time. It did end up being a couple inches too short to be coming out of the other end but I simply removed the other end and cleaned that out. This brush fit and also worked wonderfully on cleaning out the tube for my <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/FridaBaby-Nasal-Aspirator-with-20-Additional-Hygiene-Filters/dp/B00RP0GHBO/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">FridaBaby Nasal Aspirator with 20 Additional Hygiene Filters</a>. I have also used it to clean those extra long straws that come with those plastic tumblers.\n\n- The little brush worked good cleaning out all the small parts such as the bite valve and the lock where the drinking tube meets the bladder.\n\n- The medium size brush worked ok on the inside of the bladder, it did get the job done (I prefer another brush with fatter bristles). I'm sure I'll be using this brush for other cleaning jobs such as my wine decanters.\n\n- I also like the little black plastic bars that keep the long flexible tube brush coiled up when not in use making it easier to handle. It is really long otherwise and keeps wriggling around.\n\nCONS:\n\n- While the drying frame is easy to insert (you simply press on the sides and slide it in); it is a little flimsy and doesnt do that good of a job airing out the bladder. It doesn't keep it open enough. However, that was my only negative with this item.\n\nI was given a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I hope it was helpful.","Product: Bite Valve\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good replacement valve, very tight\n\nReview: This is a pretty good replacement valve for your hydration bladder. It fit very tightly on my tube, I had to use a lot of force but I guess its good that it won't come off now so easily. The shut off valve was very tight at first. I usually don't use the shut off valve when I use my hydration pack so I probably will be leaving this one open at all times. But when its closed, I can be assured its not going to accidentally open.\n\nThe opening in the valve itself was not cut straight, a little sideways, but it works fine. The amount of water coming through is good and cleaning this valve is pretty easy too. I have a bunch of different cleaning brushes including one specifically for hydration bladders so cleaning it wasn't a problem. A very good valve overall for a good price. My only negative that the shut off valve is very hard to open.\n\nI was given a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.","Product: Knot Out Electric Pet Grooming Comb is the ultimate pet shedding tool in your pet supplies. The Knot Out Comb features recessed rotating blades that allow you to give your pet coat a nice combing. Should you encounter any knots, Knot Out features rotating blades that are behind a guard on the bristle area. These blades allow you to cut through the knot with just the press of a button, which means that you will not have to pull on the knot to untangle it. With this feature, you will be able to get rid of the knots in your pet coat without causing pain or discomfort when trying to do so. Knot Out is an easy and fast grooming tool to keep your pet fur well maintained. Requires 4 AAA batteries (not included).\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Works for removing tangles but not for overall brushing\n\nReview: This is an electric comb that removes knots and tangles from your pets hair. It needs four AAA batteries and I didn't have any trouble inserting them in or operating the comb. When you press the red button, the blades inside start rotating which you can also hear.\n\nSo I like how amazon includes a link to the PDF instructions right in the product details. Most people won't keep a manual like this. The brush is easy to operate and the bristles are rounded on the ends so they won't scratch your pets skin. The distance between the bristles is good for longer hair breeds (both cats and dogs); but it won't brush your regular short or medium haired felines. I still like my furminator better for that.\n\nMy cats fur is too short for the brush to grab any hair and they were afraid of the noise. While this was completely useless with my cats, it worked well on a golden retriever. She liked the massaging motion from the brush and once I got to the hind leg part, we had a bunch of knots. Im not sure if many people are simply holding the brush in place when pushing the red button then the brush just sits there. You are supposed to press the red button and rotate away from your pets hair. It worked good for me. The blades just cut the hair knot out and the brush glides through. It is good for cutting out tangled messes that you normally remove with scissors but I would not use this brush on a day to day basis. Its not good at removing undercoat hair and thin out the coat. Again, furminator is my to go to tool when I want to give a good brushing.\n\nThere is a pick included that allows you to clean the brush blades but you are supposed to use a screw to loosen it. Inconvenient to have to unscrew and screw back when you want to clean the brush. I was given a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.","Product: This \"Precious Toys Doll Stroller\" is with no doubt the best toy which can be given to our kids or as a gift. Our children will play for hours and use their imagination with this lovely \"Doll Stroller\". Not only for girls, but the boys will love it too with no exceptions! This \"Precious Toys Doll Stroller\" is constructed form high quality metal and fabric. It has a fold-able hood, seat belt and basket in the bottom. It will also easily fold and unfold, so when is not in use, it will not take up space in your home. We chose the most loved colors on our customers, our children.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: My daughter loves it, collapsable for storage\n\nReview: My 16 months old daughter has been biting a girl in the day care because they cant share a doll stroller so I wanted to get one for her for the house. Im glad I chose this one. Shes 33 inches tall and the handle of this stroller is 20 inches off the ground - the height is perfect for her. She has been pushing this stroller around for days and can also easily pick it up if it gets stuck somewhere. I like that I can fold it for storage or taking it with us somewhere. This baby stroller doesnt take up much room, I have even taken it to the park and it fit on the bottom of my real stroller.\n\nYou need to secure the stroller from collapsing by turning around these black pieces and sliding them over the metal frame parts. Makes the stroller very stable and locks it in place. Also, I forgot to secure the seat itself to the frame but you need to slide the seat sticks into the pocket sewn in the material. There is a pocket in the back that my daughter stores random stuff in and in the front there is a belt. She cant figure out the belt yet so she either places her animals and dolls on top of it or I need to help her secure them there. The stroller has a collapsible hood. The wheels are attached well. The whole stroller overall seems well made. Its not the most stable when my daughter pushes on it from the front but if she uses it properly and pushes on the handle we had no accidents or problems at all. All of the fabric parts can be removed and washed; there are silver snaps you need to unfasten first. I am very happy I bought this for my daughter because she absolutely loves it.\n\nI purchased this doll stroller at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.","Product: Vidatoy Simple Version 12 Pcs Toy Gardening Tools Set For Kids with Net Pocket\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Cute set, well made tools and colorful\n\nReview: I have already purchased a beach toys set from the same company and loved the quality so I wanted to get this set also. Im glad I did because for $12 this is a great gardening set with a bunch of different tools. There are two flowerpots, two plant tags, a watering can, three different shovels, a rake, two items Im not sure what they are, and a tiny tree (which is definitely not safe for children under two because the tree branches can come off easily and are small enough to be put in the mouth, all the other toys I gave my 15 months old to play).\n\nAll the items are well made and pretty sturdy for plastic. My daughter likes to carry around different tools and the handles fit perfectly in her little hands. The colors are bright and vibrant. All the pieces are very easy to clean with a cloth and water. I can see kids playing with this for hours somewhere at the beach or in a toy garden. Very cute!\n\nI was given a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.","Product: This 24 foam mask assortment will bring lots of laugh to your kids! it includes 24 different characters from Safari animals to holiday characters. They are great for any jungle, Safari or Zoo themed party, Halloween or Christmas party favors.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Nice assortment of masks but the quality could be better\n\nReview: I wanted to love these foam masks but I have to only give them three stars because:\n\n* I received no zebra or Dalmatian. Instead I have two donkeys and a cat that is not pictured. My daughter loves zebras so I am very disappointed there was none in this set. My elephant is also grey and not blue as pictured.\n\n* I had to reinforce all of the knots on the string because as soon as you start pulling them over your head, the knots simply slip through the hole. I reinforced with four or five knots. That took quite some time.\n\n* The quality is not the best. I can see glue sticking out in some spots and some masks arrived dirty. I can clean them up but again, not what I expect from a new product. Some parts like the ears are not fully glued in some spots.\n\nI do like that you get so many different masks for a good price, I just wish I received what is pictured and clean. Seems like I had to do a lot of clean up, gluing and securing things before being able to use these masks without any hesitations.\n\nI purchased these foam masks at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.","Product: For more than 30 years, Forum Novelties has been a leader in the costume industry, as well as the joke, trick, magic and novelty gift item business. Forum offers over 8,000 items to choose from, ranging from baby costumes, to adult and plus-size costumes, to pet costumes. Look to Forum Novelties for all of your Halloween, luau, Christmas, Mardi Gras and St. Patrick's day supplies. From funny to frightening, Forum has it all.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Super cute halloween outfit, using multiple years\n\nReview: Love this chicken outfit! I bought the Toddler size for my daughter when she was 1 1/2 and it fit ok. A little too big but she was comfortable. Due to the size, you could barely see her thighs (photo of her facing forward). A year later, she's 2 1/2 and still fits fine in the chicken costume (the rest of the pics). According to the size chart (24-36 lbs, and up to 41\"), she fits right in the toddler category at 38 inches tall and 35 lbs weight. Now that she's taller, you can actually see her thighs.\n\nThe material is soft and easy to put on. Velcro in the front and rubber bands on the wings to attach to the arms. The chicken feet tops can go over any shoe pretty much and have rubber bands on the bottom of the soles to help stay on shoes. The hood is attached and has a beak and a red comb. The tail is cute also.\n\nOnly tip is to make sure the velcro is closed all the way when dressing your baby. Otherwise it may rub on child's face. But once closed, it stays shut well, the velcro seems extra strong. Also when storing, make sure the velcro is closed all the way. Otherwise it will try to attach to everything around it.","Product: This little treasures tool set comes with a helmet to protect your child from hazards when they are completing many different types of projects. This high quality helmet from Little Treasures comes with hairnet to keep your childs hair from getting in the way when they are working on the job site. The helmet also comes with the ability to be adjusted to your childs head, to ensure that this protection does not fall off when working. This helmet is part of the Little Treasures tool set, and with the complete set they can be used to protect them whatever they happen to be working on that day. This is the perfect gift for any girl or boy with interest in building, creating, and fun. Description: this high quality helmet from Little Treasures is beautifully packaged and containing everything your child needs to be safe. While interacting with the tools children learn safety on the job, requiring each person that wear the helmet as a precautionary measure. This helmet allows your kid to become the handy man around the house and play for hours!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Deep helmet, stays on securely because of the straps\n\nReview: I love how deep the bowl of this helmet is! We bought another one from the same brand and its way too shallow to stay on my daughters head. This helmet has straps inside which allow you to adjust the size for smaller heads but the fact that the helmet is not shallow already makes it stay on the head pretty well. The straps just make it even more secure and tight.\n\nI was surprised not to see any stickers on the front of the helmet because it looks like there is room just for that. I guess we can always use our own sticker. The plastic could be thicker so I am hoping it lasts at least a couple years but I don't think its too flimsy, it doesnt give in or bend when I try to do so. Because the hat comes in mesh bag, mine arrived a little bit dirty but I wash all the toys before I give them to my daughter so it wasn't a problem.\n\nI purchased this at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.","Product: This exciting hammer for babies 6 months and older has a soft safe tip and will light up with each impact. Little Treasures has included in this cute and colorful play hammer different colorful lights and fun and exciting sound effects. As kids swing and bounce the hammer around the clown light, red light, yellow light and blue light will sparkle up and pair with a sound effect that will make children shout with excitement. A great way for parents to bring home an exciting gift package that will keep them active and help them develop their early motor skills. Description: This fun time clown hammer from Little Treasures includes 1 toy hammer. It is battery operated and once loaded up with fresh batteries it can be swung around without fear with a soft impact tip this will be a playful and fun way for boys or girls to practice their grip and laugh and play at the same time. Kids can enjoy pretending to be fixing and repairing things like they see parents and family members doing.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Perfect little sound and lights hammer for babies\n\nReview: This is a cute little toy. The box shows that its suitable for babies over 6 months but on the back there is another sign that says that its not suitable for children under 3 years of age. There are no small parts except for the screw which holds the battery cover. Its very light, the only significant weight is added by the two AA batteries which are easy to insert. Simply unscrew the back with a Philips screwdriver and put two batteries in.\n\nThe toy is pretty well made. I like that the red tip is made out of rubbery material, it also gives in when pushed. There is a little button in the back you push that turns on the hammer. The clown face starts to flash in red and blue, and colors also flash down the handle. There are different sounds and different songs and the volume is pretty loud for which there is no setting. It's sound off or on.\n\nIt fits perfectly in my daughters little hands. She moves her head from side to side to the music and touches the clowns face followed by hand clapping. She definitely loves playing with this toy. According to the packaging, the hammer is safe and non toxic so Im not worried when she chews on it. Glad I purchased this. I was given a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful."],"string":"[\n \"Product: Finally, an effective, yet affordable otoscope for home use! Try it risk free - We offer a 30 day money back guarantee and a lifetime warranty! Help to avoid permanent hearing loss in your child by observing evidence of infection early on, and seeking prompt medical attention. Avoid painful earaches, and late night trips to the ER, through early observation of symptoms. Diagnose earwax (cerumen) buildup on your own, and restore normal hearing, when hearing loss is due to nothing more than wax Make certain that your child's ear tubes are clear and appropriately positioned. Minimize risk of eardrum rupture. Features: Ultra-bright light at 6,500 candlepower from a high-pressure Krypton bulb. Uses standard pediatric and adult disposable specula. Replaceable batteries are included. Money back guarantee if not completely satisfied. The lens in our Pocket Otoscope is the key to making a high-quality, affordable otoscope. In the lens manufacturing process of the otoscopes, we carry use a proprietary process that involves the use of an epoxy resin, which, along with a slow bake-quick cool hardening, virtually eliminates lens distortion. The process is more time-consuming and costly, but you end up with a crystal clear lens with zero distortion.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Very useful for the \\\"watch and wait\\\" approach, easy to use\\n\\nReview: My daughter had only one diagnosed ear infection so far and I chose not to give her antibiotics. I did go back to the doctor to make sure it didn't get worse after a week but this otoscope allows me to check her ears myself and assess whether the situation is getting worse or not.\\n\\nI opted not to pay for any fancy cases, this basic model does exactly what I need. Plus this has a lifetime warranty, I don't think models with cases did. It came with three different sizes specula and two batteries. Using it was very straight forward and easy. Just click the light on and look into the ear. You may have to move the specula around a little to see but I found it very easy. I couldn't get the photo to show the clarity of the viewing window because of the light but it's great. The insert is also very helpful to compare your results. Having this otoscope gives me a piece of mind that I can initially observe her ears myself instead of bringing her to the doctor.\\n\\nShould have bought this a long time ago. Now anytime there is a sleepless night, into the ears we look! My daughter also doesn't mind me looking into her ears.\",\n \"Product: Do you have little ones - ages 3 and up - who just love to be creative with paints, crayons, and markers? If so, you know that it can give those hours of entertaining fun. But there's nothing more fun than when kids get their faces painted as their favorite cartoon character or superhero! Its really an important part of the imagination-growth process for young children! And now, thanks to this special body-and-face-paint kit, you can give your children what they crave! Plus, it saves you the clean-up mess - because all you have to do is give your children a bath, and the paint is gone! Our mega party pack kit features 10 bright, vivid colors that easily mix to form the most amazing face paint combinations you've ever seen! Plus, we've added 2 body glitter pots for added \\\"special effects\\\" and the \\\"glamour\\\" look that kids today love. (Think Kardashian... Or try not to.) It all washes off easily because it's water-based and 100% safe and non-toxic. It's been given FDA approval for use on children's skin, so you know there's nothing to worry about. Even if your children have sensitive skin or allergies, this body and face paint is widely recognized as the best alternative to other brands of paint that can cause rashes and irritation. The mega party pack body and face paint kit is your solution to the age-old complaint: \\\"we're bored.\\\" Click 'add to basket' and buy one or more today - and make sure you're prepared when major fun is needed at a moment's notice.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great assortment of darker earthy tones for paints\\n\\nReview: Great face and body painting set at a reasonable price for under fifteen dollars. I love that its non toxic and it does wash off easily. There are crayons, paint, glitter, sponges and brushes. The ingredients of the paints, glitters and the crayons are listed on the back of the package which is great. If someone has any concerns, they can google individual ingredients if they have a child with a sensitive skin. I like the ease of use of the crayons but some colors are not as bright as I wished they would be. I just have to make thicker lines. Or I use the crayons before the actual paint as a template.\\n\\nI am pretty happy with the paint colors. At first I thought I wanted more bright colors like lime green but then most of the time the kids want an animal face so this color choice is perfect for drawing whiskers, cheetah patters, etc. The brushes along with the sponged tip applicator are good at working on thinner detailed lines and for larger areas we use the sponge but sometimes using your fingers is just more fun. We have not yet used the glitter because my daughter is too small for it but when I drew whiskers on myself and a nose, she came over and started touching them. She liked seeing herself in the mirror with the whiskers too. Easy to use kit, I just wish the package maybe had a couple of sample faces to make drawing them easier.\\n\\nI was given a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.\",\n \"Product: For ultra-precise temperature readings at an affordable price, turn to the Taylor Commercial Waterproof Digital Thermometer. This instant read meat thermometers advanced probe registers between -40 F to 450 F and -40 C to 230 C, giving you the most accurate readings to ensure your food is both delicious and safe by recommended standards. The unit itself is built with an anti-microbial housing in a further effort to keep you and your family healthy. The wireless food thermometer also comes with an LR44 lithium battery. Though splash-proof, the unit is not submersible and should be hand-washed between uses. Inside the box, you will find the Taylor 9842N thermometer and 1 LR44 battery. This thermometer is also backed by a 1 year limited warranty.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: First one stopped working, second still works\\n\\nReview: It does take a while for the thermometer to register the correct temperature but I still loved it at first. However, even though the description says \\\"waterproof\\\", I don't think this product is waterproof. It stopped working shortly after I purchased it and when I opened the slot for the battery, the battery leaked. I exchanged the battery and it still doesn't work. The display shows only about 30% so it's very hard to figure out what the temperature is. Disappointed.\\n\\nUPDATE: I've since then bought another one of these thermometers and so far it's still working after a couple of years so I am adding a star. One drawback for me when it comes to this product is that it takes too long for the temperature to rise and register on the thermometer. If I have an oven door or grill open, then I have to wait too long in my opinion for the proper temperature to register. I still use this thermometer for every day cooking and baking.\",\n \"Product: Long considered a trusted partner by parents for providing a way to bring healthy food and drink options for kids on the go, Genuine Thermos Brand has brought its superior insulation technology to FOOGO, a line of children's products for ages six months and older. Freshness and safety go hand in hand. If contents are not kept at the right temperature, potentially dangerous bacteria may grow rapidly and cause food and beverages to spoil. All FOOGO stainless steel products feature THERMOS vacuum insulation technology which has been shown to inhibit the growth of bacteria in a laboratory test sponsored by Thermos and performed by Cornell University. For additional peace of mind, FOOGO products use BPA-free materials. FOOGO products are offered in three styles that are designed to grow with your child. Soft spout sippy cups with handles are for children 6 months and older, hard spout sippy cups are for children 12 months and older, and straw bottles are for children ages 18 months and older. The FOOGO Stainless Steel Straw Bottle makes it easy to keep drinks cold on the go. This bottle has a 10-ounce capacity and features THERMOS vacuum insulation technology to keep contents cold for up to 12 hours. The contoured shape of this bottle is easy for little toddler hands to grip and hold. The FOOGO straw bottle is a great choice for a child's first real straw bottle. Unlike other straw bottles, the FOOGO straw bottle can be used to teach kids to drink from a real straw, without built-in valves that inhibit flow. Thanks to the durable double wall stainless steel construction and vacuum insulation, this FOOGO straw bottle will not gather condensation or leave water rings. A hygienic push button lid is simple to open and reveals a pop-up silicone straw that is comfortable to drink from. Cleaning is simple, just unscrew the lid and the straw can be completely removed and disassembled to two parts for easy cleaning. The bottle and straw parts are top-rack dishwasher safe, however, hand washing is recommended for best results. Not for use with hot liquids.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Love the opening mechanism\\n\\nReview: Love this bottle! I was choosing between this and <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/CamelBak-Kids-Eddy-Water-Bottle-0-4-L-Unicorns/dp/B015DK94R6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">CamelBak Kids Eddy Water Bottle, 0.4 L, Unicorns</a>. I bought both and ended up buying a total of 3 bottles so far. My daughter is two and the CamelBak is harder for herself to open, let alone one handed. This bottle is great because she can open it all by herself and even with one hand. All it takes is a little push on the circle. I think she also enjoys opening it herself. But make sure to close the lid after use (the bottle will leak) or place vertically.\\n\\nI like that the bottle is insulated and stainless steel. I can leave the bottle in the sun without any fears of chemicals leaking out or her water getting hot. We had the bottle out in the sun for hours and the water stayed cold! Once filled, the bottle does feel a little heavy but it also makes it sturdier. The straw itself is cut diagonally on the bottom which is great because the water flow can't be blocked as with other straws that were cut completely horizontally.\\n\\nCleaning is no more hassle than any other bottle but I bought multiples so I wouldn't have to wash them every day. The bottle will leak if you don't close the top because of the small hole to allow for air intake but we learned to simply close when done. Our bottles have been to multiple countries and suffered multiple falls from different heights - so far no problems at all. The cap came off one time but it was easy to attach back.\\n\\nThe prices jump so much for these bottles that once I found what I liked, I used amazon price tracking websites and just waited to purchase once the price fell to my desirable point. That's if you are in no hurry though. Very happy with the purchase and will be purchasing more in larger sizes because I just love the ease of use being able to open one handed.\",\n \"Product: The Den Haven Kids Table and Chair Set is a colorful addition to your home and a great place for your children to play games. Made with durable BPA-free plastics the table and chair set is perfect for playrooms, classrooms, daycares, Sunday schools and kids rooms. The set includes 5 bright colors are ideal for both girls and boys rooms. Use as a game table, Lego table or a place to put your children's favorite toys, puzzles and coloring books. Durable plastics are tough enough to stand up to the wear and tear of kids but light enough for them to easily move on their own. Easy to clean surface won't leave a mark on walls or floors. Table can be disassembled for easy storage or travel. A must have for daycares and nurserys. Also Ideal for waiting rooms, and doctors offices, any space where children need a play place. Promote your childs imagination while providing them a safe and colorful place to learn and play with this fun and affordable table and chairs set. Table and Chairs come disassembled and can be put together without tools or hardware in a snap.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: My 1 year old daughter loves this set!\\n\\nReview: UPDATE: We've been using this table and chairs set for over a year now and are very happy. Yes it's a cheaper set but it's perfect for arts and crafts and overall play. We now have a number of stickers and drawing marks on the surface but the table is holding up. Occasionally I'll sit on the chairs too and I've yet had anything to break. None of my corners cracked, everything is as sturdy as it was before. I'm still happy with this set.\\n----------------\\nIve been wanting a table and chair set for my one year old and was excited to buy this one when I saw it. Im very happy with the purchase and here is why:\\n\\nPROS:\\n\\n* Easy to assemble. It took my dad and I about 5 minutes to put together all the chairs and table. You just have to make sure to align the groves on the pieces. It seemed one of the chair seats was a little defective but with some force, we were able to snap the chair leg in place.\\n\\n* Easy to clean. I used a disinfecting wipe the first time I cleaned it. You can simply wash it under water too or brush stuff off.\\n\\n* Sturdy when pressure applied from top. I was surprised that the chairs felt very sturdy when I sat on it. According to the instructions, the table weight limit is 81 lbs (37 kg) and chair weight is 110 lbs (50 kgs). My husband who is around 250 lbs sat on the chair and it felt stable and strong enough to hold him.\\n\\n* Good for children under 3 years of age (Supervised of course). The manufacturer recommends this set for children between 3 and 8 years but my daughter loves sitting on these chairs. She just turned one and is 25 lbs and 31 inches long for reference in photos. Her feet do dangle a little and she needs help getting onto the seat but I think it teaches her to sit at a table and on a chair independently. And even if she falls, the distance is not far.\\n\\n* Colorful, good colors for girls and boys.\\n\\n* Fun. My daughter loves running from the table to the chairs (sometimes we place them on opposite sides of the room) and place toys back and forth. She also loves running around in circles around the table which makes my job easier and makes her tired faster.\\n\\n* Can be used inside and outside. Currently we have the set on the carpet. I plan on taking this set out on the lawn in the summer. It may get discolored by sun though.\\n\\n* Portable. The chairs and table are simple to disassemble so if you wanted to take the set somewhere, it is easy. I will be taking at least one chair to the beach with us for my baby.\\n\\nCONS:\\n\\n* Not very sturdy overall. They are plastic chairs and table, what do people expect? Kids will play with them, turn them over, push, etc. They are easy to pick up and turn over so Im always supervising my daughter when she plays. Carpet is a better surface for this set because it doesnt make it slippery like hardwoods would.\\n\\nI was given a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.\",\n \"Product: Use this glass liquid dispenser for Olive Oil, Vinegar, Liquid Dish or Hand Soap. This colorful glass bottle with the delicate olive leaf design gives a sophisticated look for a budget friendly price. The stylish retro eco -friendly bottle looks just as good on the kitchen counter as on your kitchen table. The colorful high gloss liquid dispenser bottle comes with a metal spout. Please note that majority of liquid soaps brands will need to be diluted for best performance. Spout style may vary slightly from one shown in photo. Colored bottles are painted and baked with lead free paint. Variations in color may exist. Wash by hand with warm soapy water. (Not Dishwasher Safe)\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Pretty bottle for soap or olive oil but hard to clean\\n\\nReview: What a pretty bottle! I love the design of the olive branch on it and I love the lime green color. Its very vibrant. Its perfect for olive oil. If I were to use it with hand soap, I would probably have to dilute the soap with water to allow it to flow easier. The glass seems of medium thickness but still sturdy. I do have a little smudge or something on the inside of the bottle so unless I can give it a proper cleaning, I may just use it for soap.\\n\\nThe cleaning is where I had a slight problem - it was hard to find a brush that would fit through the opening. My standard baby bottle brush didn't fit and I had to resort to my hydration backpack cleaning brush to get inside. But even then, I had to move the brush around a lot because its made for a tube and doesnt have as many wide bristles. This was my only negative and concern can be hard to clean properly, especially after youve used olive oil and want to switch contents.\\n\\nThe spout included works fine but you can always replace it with another one if you prefer something fancier or something that can close off. I was given a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.\",\n \"Product: Product Description Color: Purple Our 'Baby2Kid' iPad case for kids is suitable for all iPad mini cases and available in a variety of colors. This is the ideal iPad case for families with young children, as the thick and dur\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Kids will love it!\\n\\nReview: My toddler is starting to show more of her character lately and can sometimes throw stuff in the car or across the room. We travel a lot and need to find ways to entertain her when the non-electronic toys are no longer working. When I saw this case, I had to get it.\\n\\nThe purple color is pretty gender neutral and the case is made out this foamy material. It will not provide complete protection, but certainly cushion the fall or throw. I love the two handles on each side its like a little body on two feet. As soon as I placed the iPad mini inside (which was quick and easy), my daughter grabbed it by the handles. Its adorable! I like that the case is easy to clean, you can completely submerge under water or wipe off. All the ports have access and you can still take photos and use your iPad as you normally would.\\n\\nThe attention to details is not so great because the holes for the ports etc. are not completely straight and my case cant stand on its own. It always falls backwards immediately, I have to prop it with something. But otherwise my daughter and I really love it. Cute case!\\n\\nI purchased this case at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.\",\n \"Product: New Sunville Brand Toddler's Athletic Water Shoes Aqua Socks. TPR Outsole And the adjustable tight cord in back. Great for pool, beach and exercise etc. Please check out our store for more aqua shocks/ aqua shoes for Men, Women and Children.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Bought two pairs, very happy with the construction and how well they fit/easy to put on\\n\\nReview: Extremely happy with these shoes. I originally bought size 7 for my 11/2 year old but it was too big so I ended up buying a 6 but keeping the 7 because we can wear it next year. In the photo of the two shoe soles facing each other, the left side is a size 6 and the right is size 7. For how fast baby feet grow and how long you actually get to wear the shoes, the price and quality are great. At the time I bought them, both pairs were around $9 each.\\n\\nMy daughters feet are fairly fat (that's partially why I bought these water shoes also) and I have to open the drawstring all the way in order to get them on. The drawstring also keeps them on her feet well and I make sure not to tighten it too much. If the string is too long in the back, I have made another knot on it to shorten it a little. We wear these with socks and on bare feet and I have yet to find any blisters on her feet. The bottom is rubber so they are good to wear at splash pads where my daughter has slipped without shoes before. Would buy other colors and sizes for sure considering you can use them in the water and on land! We even wear them outside if there are no water activities.\",\n \"Product: The Insta-Bed Stow-n-Go bed is easy to inflate and deflate, making it perfect for uses inside or out. *Powerful, integrated Insta I reversible 4D battery pump quickly and effortlessly infates and deflates the bed. *28 circular coils on Twin bed and 42 circular coils on Queen bed create a comfortable sleeping surface. *Soft-touch flocked top holds bedding in place. *Binto style carry bag is included and makes it easy to roll up and store mattress.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great customer service, comfy bed\\n\\nReview: I've purchased this inflatable bed to use in my tent camping and when traveling, its good for both outdoor and indoor use. When I received it, we immediately blew the bed up and tried it out. It comfortably held two adults. Now you will need 4D batteries to inflate the bed, the pump was fast and easy to operate. The mattress itself inflated quickly too. You also use the same pump to deflate, you just have to turn it around.\\n\\nThe bed started leaking on our third night camping. We woke up on the floor in the middle of the night and had to re-inflate every couple hours just so we wouldnt completely touch the ground. I was pissed, we were into our third night (out of two weeks) camping and we didn't have another bed with us.\\n\\nWhen we returned, I immediately contacted customer service. They were very courteous and offered to send me a new bed. The process was easy. I had to fill out a form, take a picture of a cutout label on the mattress and send them photos. In a couple of days I received a brand new mattress. Extremely happy with the service. Ive had this bed for a couple of years now and so far it held up. Happy with my purchase.\",\n \"Product: Long considered a trusted partner by parents for providing a way to bring healthy food and drink options for kids on the go, Genuine Thermos Brand has brought its superior insulation technology to FOOGO, a line of children's products for ages six months and older. Freshness and safety go hand in hand. If contents are not kept at the right temperature, potentially dangerous bacteria may grow rapidly and cause food and beverages to spoil. All FOOGO stainless steel products feature THERMOS vacuum insulation technology which has been shown to inhibit the growth of bacteria in a laboratory test sponsored by Thermos and performed by Cornell University. For additional peace of mind, FOOGO products use BPA-free materials. FOOGO products are offered in three styles that are designed to grow with your child. Soft spout sippy cups with handles are for children 6 months and older, hard spout sippy cups are for children 12 months and older, and straw bottles are for children ages 18 months and older. The FOOGO Stainless Steel Straw Bottle makes it easy to keep drinks cold on the go. This bottle has a 10-ounce capacity and features THERMOS vacuum insulation technology to keep contents cold for up to 12 hours. The contoured shape of this bottle is easy for little toddler hands to grip and hold. The FOOGO straw bottle is a great choice for a child's first real straw bottle. Unlike other straw bottles, the FOOGO straw bottle can be used to teach kids to drink from a real straw, without built-in valves that inhibit flow. Thanks to the durable double wall stainless steel construction and vacuum insulation, this FOOGO straw bottle will not gather condensation or leave water rings. A hygienic push button lid is simple to open and reveals a pop-up silicone straw that is comfortable to drink from. Cleaning is simple, just unscrew the lid and the straw can be completely removed and disassembled to two parts for easy cleaning. The bottle and straw parts are top-rack dishwasher safe, however, hand washing is recommended for best results. Not for use with hot liquids.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Love the opening mechanism\\n\\nReview: Love this bottle! I was choosing between this and <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/CamelBak-Kids-Eddy-Water-Bottle-0-4-L-Unicorns/dp/B015DK94R6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">CamelBak Kids Eddy Water Bottle, 0.4 L, Unicorns</a>. I bought both and ended up buying a total of 3 bottles so far. My daughter is two and the CamelBak is harder for herself to open, let alone one handed. This bottle is great because she can open it all by herself and even with one hand. All it takes is a little push on the circle. I think she also enjoys opening it herself. But make sure to close the lid after use (the bottle will leak) or place vertically.\\n\\nI like that the bottle is insulated and stainless steel. I can leave the bottle in the sun without any fears of chemicals leaking out or her water getting hot. We had the bottle out in the sun for hours and the water stayed cold! Once filled, the bottle does feel a little heavy but it also makes it sturdier. The straw itself is cut diagonally on the bottom which is great because the water flow can't be blocked as with other straws that were cut completely horizontally.\\n\\nCleaning is no more hassle than any other bottle but I bought multiples so I wouldn't have to wash them every day. The bottle will leak if you don't close the top because of the small hole to allow for air intake but we learned to simply close when done. Our bottles have been to multiple countries and suffered multiple falls from different heights - so far no problems at all. The cap came off one time but it was easy to attach back.\\n\\nThe prices jump so much for these bottles that once I found what I liked, I used amazon price tracking websites and just waited to purchase once the price fell to my desirable point. That's if you are in no hurry though. Very happy with the purchase and will be purchasing more in larger sizes because I just love the ease of use being able to open one handed.\",\n \"Product: The only travel tee you'll ever need: the Tech T Lite is a highly versatile t-shirt made with 150gm merino-so it's incredibly comfortable even in the heat.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great quality but lighter colors are see-through\\n\\nReview: I purchased a Large in Blizzard Heather/Oxblood and an X-Large in Stealth/Cactus. While neither of the shirts were to my full liking, here are my observations:\\n\\n- It's a majority merino wool blend and merino is great because I can wear the shirt for days without it smelling or the need to wash. It also keeps me warm when wet/sweaty in the cooler environments and keeping me cool in the summer. I love merino products! It's perfect for traveling, especially when I want to bring the minimal amount of clothing. I usually wash by hand in the sink or shower and hang to dry whatever I can find around.\\n\\n- Great quality. The wool and nylon mix feels very soft and not itchy. I prefer the darker color because the lightest one, worn with a dark bra, shows the dark outline and I don't want it see-through.\\n\\n- Love the offset shoulder seams. Doesnt rub in when you wear a backpack.\\n\\n- Fairly long which I love.\\n\\n- The tag on the inside bottom right tends to stick out a little but can easily be cut off. The tag by the neck is a print.\\n\\n- Prices can greatly vary depending on the style and size. I didn't want to spend more than $50 on a shirt and used amazon price tracking websites. If you are not in a hurry, it's a great way to save some money.\\n\\nOverall great shirt. I'm 5'7\\\" and 150 lbs (chest 37\\\", waist 30\\\") and the Large is comfortable enough to wear as underclothing or just by itself in warm climates. The X-Large was way too big, I ended up returning it.\",\n \"Product: All in one kit for faster cleaning and drying\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Easy to use, love the flexible long brush\\n\\nReview: I like this kit; it mostly has positives for me and does a pretty good job of cleaning the hydration bladders in our house. The packaging itself is pretty simple and when I took out the different items inside, they all felt of pretty good quality except for the drying frame.\\n\\nPROS:\\n\\n- All the brushes have strong comfortable handles and the brushes themselves are attached well.\\n\\n- I love the flexible long brush! It was very easy to slide into the tube and take out as long as you held the tube on top while pulling out the brush at the same time. It did end up being a couple inches too short to be coming out of the other end but I simply removed the other end and cleaned that out. This brush fit and also worked wonderfully on cleaning out the tube for my <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/FridaBaby-Nasal-Aspirator-with-20-Additional-Hygiene-Filters/dp/B00RP0GHBO/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">FridaBaby Nasal Aspirator with 20 Additional Hygiene Filters</a>. I have also used it to clean those extra long straws that come with those plastic tumblers.\\n\\n- The little brush worked good cleaning out all the small parts such as the bite valve and the lock where the drinking tube meets the bladder.\\n\\n- The medium size brush worked ok on the inside of the bladder, it did get the job done (I prefer another brush with fatter bristles). I'm sure I'll be using this brush for other cleaning jobs such as my wine decanters.\\n\\n- I also like the little black plastic bars that keep the long flexible tube brush coiled up when not in use making it easier to handle. It is really long otherwise and keeps wriggling around.\\n\\nCONS:\\n\\n- While the drying frame is easy to insert (you simply press on the sides and slide it in); it is a little flimsy and doesnt do that good of a job airing out the bladder. It doesn't keep it open enough. However, that was my only negative with this item.\\n\\nI was given a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I hope it was helpful.\",\n \"Product: Bite Valve\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good replacement valve, very tight\\n\\nReview: This is a pretty good replacement valve for your hydration bladder. It fit very tightly on my tube, I had to use a lot of force but I guess its good that it won't come off now so easily. The shut off valve was very tight at first. I usually don't use the shut off valve when I use my hydration pack so I probably will be leaving this one open at all times. But when its closed, I can be assured its not going to accidentally open.\\n\\nThe opening in the valve itself was not cut straight, a little sideways, but it works fine. The amount of water coming through is good and cleaning this valve is pretty easy too. I have a bunch of different cleaning brushes including one specifically for hydration bladders so cleaning it wasn't a problem. A very good valve overall for a good price. My only negative that the shut off valve is very hard to open.\\n\\nI was given a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.\",\n \"Product: Knot Out Electric Pet Grooming Comb is the ultimate pet shedding tool in your pet supplies. The Knot Out Comb features recessed rotating blades that allow you to give your pet coat a nice combing. Should you encounter any knots, Knot Out features rotating blades that are behind a guard on the bristle area. These blades allow you to cut through the knot with just the press of a button, which means that you will not have to pull on the knot to untangle it. With this feature, you will be able to get rid of the knots in your pet coat without causing pain or discomfort when trying to do so. Knot Out is an easy and fast grooming tool to keep your pet fur well maintained. Requires 4 AAA batteries (not included).\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Works for removing tangles but not for overall brushing\\n\\nReview: This is an electric comb that removes knots and tangles from your pets hair. It needs four AAA batteries and I didn't have any trouble inserting them in or operating the comb. When you press the red button, the blades inside start rotating which you can also hear.\\n\\nSo I like how amazon includes a link to the PDF instructions right in the product details. Most people won't keep a manual like this. The brush is easy to operate and the bristles are rounded on the ends so they won't scratch your pets skin. The distance between the bristles is good for longer hair breeds (both cats and dogs); but it won't brush your regular short or medium haired felines. I still like my furminator better for that.\\n\\nMy cats fur is too short for the brush to grab any hair and they were afraid of the noise. While this was completely useless with my cats, it worked well on a golden retriever. She liked the massaging motion from the brush and once I got to the hind leg part, we had a bunch of knots. Im not sure if many people are simply holding the brush in place when pushing the red button then the brush just sits there. You are supposed to press the red button and rotate away from your pets hair. It worked good for me. The blades just cut the hair knot out and the brush glides through. It is good for cutting out tangled messes that you normally remove with scissors but I would not use this brush on a day to day basis. Its not good at removing undercoat hair and thin out the coat. Again, furminator is my to go to tool when I want to give a good brushing.\\n\\nThere is a pick included that allows you to clean the brush blades but you are supposed to use a screw to loosen it. Inconvenient to have to unscrew and screw back when you want to clean the brush. I was given a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.\",\n \"Product: This \\\"Precious Toys Doll Stroller\\\" is with no doubt the best toy which can be given to our kids or as a gift. Our children will play for hours and use their imagination with this lovely \\\"Doll Stroller\\\". Not only for girls, but the boys will love it too with no exceptions! This \\\"Precious Toys Doll Stroller\\\" is constructed form high quality metal and fabric. It has a fold-able hood, seat belt and basket in the bottom. It will also easily fold and unfold, so when is not in use, it will not take up space in your home. We chose the most loved colors on our customers, our children.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: My daughter loves it, collapsable for storage\\n\\nReview: My 16 months old daughter has been biting a girl in the day care because they cant share a doll stroller so I wanted to get one for her for the house. Im glad I chose this one. Shes 33 inches tall and the handle of this stroller is 20 inches off the ground - the height is perfect for her. She has been pushing this stroller around for days and can also easily pick it up if it gets stuck somewhere. I like that I can fold it for storage or taking it with us somewhere. This baby stroller doesnt take up much room, I have even taken it to the park and it fit on the bottom of my real stroller.\\n\\nYou need to secure the stroller from collapsing by turning around these black pieces and sliding them over the metal frame parts. Makes the stroller very stable and locks it in place. Also, I forgot to secure the seat itself to the frame but you need to slide the seat sticks into the pocket sewn in the material. There is a pocket in the back that my daughter stores random stuff in and in the front there is a belt. She cant figure out the belt yet so she either places her animals and dolls on top of it or I need to help her secure them there. The stroller has a collapsible hood. The wheels are attached well. The whole stroller overall seems well made. Its not the most stable when my daughter pushes on it from the front but if she uses it properly and pushes on the handle we had no accidents or problems at all. All of the fabric parts can be removed and washed; there are silver snaps you need to unfasten first. I am very happy I bought this for my daughter because she absolutely loves it.\\n\\nI purchased this doll stroller at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.\",\n \"Product: Vidatoy Simple Version 12 Pcs Toy Gardening Tools Set For Kids with Net Pocket\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Cute set, well made tools and colorful\\n\\nReview: I have already purchased a beach toys set from the same company and loved the quality so I wanted to get this set also. Im glad I did because for $12 this is a great gardening set with a bunch of different tools. There are two flowerpots, two plant tags, a watering can, three different shovels, a rake, two items Im not sure what they are, and a tiny tree (which is definitely not safe for children under two because the tree branches can come off easily and are small enough to be put in the mouth, all the other toys I gave my 15 months old to play).\\n\\nAll the items are well made and pretty sturdy for plastic. My daughter likes to carry around different tools and the handles fit perfectly in her little hands. The colors are bright and vibrant. All the pieces are very easy to clean with a cloth and water. I can see kids playing with this for hours somewhere at the beach or in a toy garden. Very cute!\\n\\nI was given a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.\",\n \"Product: This 24 foam mask assortment will bring lots of laugh to your kids! it includes 24 different characters from Safari animals to holiday characters. They are great for any jungle, Safari or Zoo themed party, Halloween or Christmas party favors.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice assortment of masks but the quality could be better\\n\\nReview: I wanted to love these foam masks but I have to only give them three stars because:\\n\\n* I received no zebra or Dalmatian. Instead I have two donkeys and a cat that is not pictured. My daughter loves zebras so I am very disappointed there was none in this set. My elephant is also grey and not blue as pictured.\\n\\n* I had to reinforce all of the knots on the string because as soon as you start pulling them over your head, the knots simply slip through the hole. I reinforced with four or five knots. That took quite some time.\\n\\n* The quality is not the best. I can see glue sticking out in some spots and some masks arrived dirty. I can clean them up but again, not what I expect from a new product. Some parts like the ears are not fully glued in some spots.\\n\\nI do like that you get so many different masks for a good price, I just wish I received what is pictured and clean. Seems like I had to do a lot of clean up, gluing and securing things before being able to use these masks without any hesitations.\\n\\nI purchased these foam masks at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.\",\n \"Product: For more than 30 years, Forum Novelties has been a leader in the costume industry, as well as the joke, trick, magic and novelty gift item business. Forum offers over 8,000 items to choose from, ranging from baby costumes, to adult and plus-size costumes, to pet costumes. Look to Forum Novelties for all of your Halloween, luau, Christmas, Mardi Gras and St. Patrick's day supplies. From funny to frightening, Forum has it all.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Super cute halloween outfit, using multiple years\\n\\nReview: Love this chicken outfit! I bought the Toddler size for my daughter when she was 1 1/2 and it fit ok. A little too big but she was comfortable. Due to the size, you could barely see her thighs (photo of her facing forward). A year later, she's 2 1/2 and still fits fine in the chicken costume (the rest of the pics). According to the size chart (24-36 lbs, and up to 41\\\"), she fits right in the toddler category at 38 inches tall and 35 lbs weight. Now that she's taller, you can actually see her thighs.\\n\\nThe material is soft and easy to put on. Velcro in the front and rubber bands on the wings to attach to the arms. The chicken feet tops can go over any shoe pretty much and have rubber bands on the bottom of the soles to help stay on shoes. The hood is attached and has a beak and a red comb. The tail is cute also.\\n\\nOnly tip is to make sure the velcro is closed all the way when dressing your baby. Otherwise it may rub on child's face. But once closed, it stays shut well, the velcro seems extra strong. Also when storing, make sure the velcro is closed all the way. Otherwise it will try to attach to everything around it.\",\n \"Product: This little treasures tool set comes with a helmet to protect your child from hazards when they are completing many different types of projects. This high quality helmet from Little Treasures comes with hairnet to keep your childs hair from getting in the way when they are working on the job site. The helmet also comes with the ability to be adjusted to your childs head, to ensure that this protection does not fall off when working. This helmet is part of the Little Treasures tool set, and with the complete set they can be used to protect them whatever they happen to be working on that day. This is the perfect gift for any girl or boy with interest in building, creating, and fun. Description: this high quality helmet from Little Treasures is beautifully packaged and containing everything your child needs to be safe. While interacting with the tools children learn safety on the job, requiring each person that wear the helmet as a precautionary measure. This helmet allows your kid to become the handy man around the house and play for hours!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Deep helmet, stays on securely because of the straps\\n\\nReview: I love how deep the bowl of this helmet is! We bought another one from the same brand and its way too shallow to stay on my daughters head. This helmet has straps inside which allow you to adjust the size for smaller heads but the fact that the helmet is not shallow already makes it stay on the head pretty well. The straps just make it even more secure and tight.\\n\\nI was surprised not to see any stickers on the front of the helmet because it looks like there is room just for that. I guess we can always use our own sticker. The plastic could be thicker so I am hoping it lasts at least a couple years but I don't think its too flimsy, it doesnt give in or bend when I try to do so. Because the hat comes in mesh bag, mine arrived a little bit dirty but I wash all the toys before I give them to my daughter so it wasn't a problem.\\n\\nI purchased this at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.\",\n \"Product: This exciting hammer for babies 6 months and older has a soft safe tip and will light up with each impact. Little Treasures has included in this cute and colorful play hammer different colorful lights and fun and exciting sound effects. As kids swing and bounce the hammer around the clown light, red light, yellow light and blue light will sparkle up and pair with a sound effect that will make children shout with excitement. A great way for parents to bring home an exciting gift package that will keep them active and help them develop their early motor skills. Description: This fun time clown hammer from Little Treasures includes 1 toy hammer. It is battery operated and once loaded up with fresh batteries it can be swung around without fear with a soft impact tip this will be a playful and fun way for boys or girls to practice their grip and laugh and play at the same time. Kids can enjoy pretending to be fixing and repairing things like they see parents and family members doing.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Perfect little sound and lights hammer for babies\\n\\nReview: This is a cute little toy. The box shows that its suitable for babies over 6 months but on the back there is another sign that says that its not suitable for children under 3 years of age. There are no small parts except for the screw which holds the battery cover. Its very light, the only significant weight is added by the two AA batteries which are easy to insert. Simply unscrew the back with a Philips screwdriver and put two batteries in.\\n\\nThe toy is pretty well made. I like that the red tip is made out of rubbery material, it also gives in when pushed. There is a little button in the back you push that turns on the hammer. The clown face starts to flash in red and blue, and colors also flash down the handle. There are different sounds and different songs and the volume is pretty loud for which there is no setting. It's sound off or on.\\n\\nIt fits perfectly in my daughters little hands. She moves her head from side to side to the music and touches the clowns face followed by hand clapping. She definitely loves playing with this toy. According to the packaging, the hammer is safe and non toxic so Im not worried when she chews on it. Glad I purchased this. I was given a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and like many others, I always check product reviews on amazon before purchasing them. My reviews are honest and 100 percent based on my own use of the product. I do not feel obligated to leave good reviews when the product does not deserve it. I hope it was helpful.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":20,"string":"20"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":387,"string":"387"}}},{"rowIdx":388,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A4KDWVIN2L4E0"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"This series tells the insider story of some of America's most notorious street gangs. We learn how they've shaped their times and affected the neighborhoods that they controlled. From the destruction wrought by the heroin kingpins in Harlem of the 1970's to today's most dangerous gang MS-13, which has spread out from the inner city to infect unexpected turf - suburban communities, gangs have a rich yet deadly history. They usually start out as a form of protection for their members and the community but then, grow predatory as they feed on the very people that they purport to defend. With exclusive interviews and rarely seen footage, this is a raw look at life inside these gangs - from those who live it and the agencies that are working to stop them.\". The summary of the review text is \"The human-garbage in your neighborhood...\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I saw some episodes of this on The History Channel...\nThen I found the whole series on DVD.\n\n...This is a collection of short documentaries featuring all manner of criminal gangs that infect OUR NATION like a foul disease. The presentation is a bit flambouyant and sensational, but its all based on ACTUAL EVENTS in the news. There is a plentiful array of actual film of these dregs, ...mostly surveillance-camera or police-footage, ...or the even film taken from the gangs as evidence. Yes, they are stupid enough to film their own crimes!\n\nI follow the news rather closely, wherever I've lived, and the SAME type of people stand out REPEATEDLY, week after week. Its no longer \"shocking\", in regard to the particularly vile crimes they commit, but its STILL outrageous. Most people tend to ignore it, ...and thats stupid. Be aware of whats moving into YOUR neighborhood.\n\nIn general, the \"people\" featured here are just tattoo-encrusted ghetto-garbage and trailer-trash. These inferior and atavistic specimens of \"humanity\" are merely the feces of the species, nothing more. They generally target ONLY DEFENSELESS VICTIMS. Anyone who has had to deal directly with this particularly vulgar element realizes that NONE of them are really \"tough\", ...especially when its one-against-one. There is a reason that such \"people\" congregate in numbers, ...they are simply depraved cowards who need the safety of the herd.\n\nA sample of whats on Disc #1:\n-Two dirt-bags became the biggest heroin-dealers in New York City in the 1970s, ...mainly Harlem. The locals regarded these two degenerates as \"heros\", ...you know, the guys who became wealthy by exploiting their own neighbors by feeding their drug-addictions.\n-MS-13: Theres lots of footage of these disgusting tattooed-pukes, strutting around, pretending to be \"tough\". Apparently they like to hang around without shirts on, and show off their scrawny, girly arms. They look rather gay...\nThey are present in at least 48 states, and are commiting a large number of the rapes, assaults, robberies, and murders in your area.\n-The \"mexican mafia\": Another group of \"tough guys\" from south of the border. Closely affiliated with MS-13, they prove how \"tough\" they are by murdering women and children. In this episode, they shot a baby in the face.\n-Motor-cycle gangs: Mainly concerned with fighting over territory to sell drugs and stolen property, ...or conflicts over \"logos\". Basically a bunch of shaggy, unwashed, adult-adolescents on motor-cycles, they largely seem to be entertained by killing and maiming others like themselves. They largely ignore the general populous. However, these are by far the most dangerous predators out there, even individually. Many of them have prior military affiliation, and some are combat-veterans. There is a reason why all the other gangs are afraid of them. The fact that they prey mostly on other criminals makes them the least contemptible in the menagerie."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I saw some episodes of this on The History Channel...\nThen I found the whole series on DVD.\n\n...This is a collection of short documentaries featuring all manner of criminal gangs that infect OUR NATION like a foul disease. The presentation is a bit flambouyant and sensational, but its all based on ACTUAL EVENTS in the news. There is a plentiful array of actual film of these dregs, ...mostly surveillance-camera or police-footage, ...or the even film taken from the gangs as evidence. Yes, they are stupid enough to film their own crimes!\n\nI follow the news rather closely, wherever I've lived, and the SAME type of people stand out REPEATEDLY, week after week. Its no longer \"shocking\", in regard to the particularly vile crimes they commit, but its STILL outrageous. Most people tend to ignore it, ...and thats stupid. Be aware of whats moving into YOUR neighborhood.\n\nIn general, the \"people\" featured here are just tattoo-encrusted ghetto-garbage and trailer-trash. These inferior and atavistic specimens of \"humanity\" are merely the feces of the species, nothing more. They generally target ONLY DEFENSELESS VICTIMS. Anyone who has had to deal directly with this particularly vulgar element realizes that NONE of them are really \"tough\", ...especially when its one-against-one. There is a reason that such \"people\" congregate in numbers, ...they are simply depraved cowards who need the safety of the herd.\n\nA sample of whats on Disc #1:\n-Two dirt-bags became the biggest heroin-dealers in New York City in the 1970s, ...mainly Harlem. The locals regarded these two degenerates as \"heros\", ...you know, the guys who became wealthy by exploiting their own neighbors by feeding their drug-addictions.\n-MS-13: Theres lots of footage of these disgusting tattooed-pukes, strutting around, pretending to be \"tough\". Apparently they like to hang around without shirts on, and show off their scrawny, girly arms. They look rather gay...\nThey are present in at least 48 states, and are commiting a large number of the rapes, assaults, robberies, and murders in your area.\n-The \"mexican mafia\": Another group of \"tough guys\" from south of the border. Closely affiliated with MS-13, they prove how \"tough\" they are by murdering women and children. In this episode, they shot a baby in the face.\n-Motor-cycle gangs: Mainly concerned with fighting over territory to sell drugs and stolen property, ...or conflicts over \"logos\". Basically a bunch of shaggy, unwashed, adult-adolescents on motor-cycles, they largely seem to be entertained by killing and maiming others like themselves. They largely ignore the general populous. However, these are by far the most dangerous predators out there, even individually. Many of them have prior military affiliation, and some are combat-veterans. There is a reason why all the other gangs are afraid of them. The fact that they prey mostly on other criminals makes them the least contemptible in the menagerie."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Play as Lt. Jimmy Patterson and go behind enemy lines in Medal of Honor: Frontline. Fight off Nazis at the D-Day landing at Omaha Beach, on trains or at the battle of Nijmegen Bridge. Game consists of 5 missions each with at least 3 levels. The game is as authentic as possible using historically inspired places and battles. To top it off, you must infiltrate Nazi Germany and steal a top secret Nazi weapon to ensure an allied victory in the war.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: World War II Combat!!!\n\nReview: By far, this is one of the best war-games I have played yet! I was quickly fascinated with the first two Medal of Honor games, which were also outstanding. This surpasses both in overall quality, with stellar graphics and savage game-play! In this game, the hero, OSS agent Lt. Patterson, infiltrates a number of Wehrmacht and S.S. facilities to sabotage enemy equipment and weaponry. Eventually he is sent to assasinate an S.S. general and steal the Horton jet-fighter prototype. The action takes place in France, Netherlands, and Germany. Those who developed the concept have done their research! If you think that a one-man mission into enemy territory is theatrical exageration...think again:\n-The game features a mission which requires you to cross the Niijmegan bridge to Ahrnem. An 82nd Airborne soldier, Ted Bachenheimer really did infiltrate the enemy-occupied Niijmegan Bridge, and cross it, all by himself! He was a bilingual German-American! On the other side, he met a group of Dutch resistance fighters and led them. Bachenheimer was a veteran of many such solo missions, in Italy.\n-Anders Lassen, a Danish volunteer in the British Naval Commandos, was notorious for his ability to infiltrate enemy command centers and eliminate the personnel single-handedly! They called him \"the Terrible Viking\".\n-There are many other such historical characters of similar prowess.\nThe only criticism of the game, and it is minor, is that the sound-track is a bit cheesy and mellow-dramatic at times (specifically: a really irritating boys' choir), but you can turn off the music. The game graphics are superb!","Product: VHS TAPE. 138 minutes, color, narrated by Richard Burton. Michael Caine, Stanley Baker, and Jack Hawkins. \"Truly spectacular and exciting.\"\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The thin red line prevails!\n\nReview: A gripping portrayal of the events at Rorkes Drift, January 1879.\n\nA small force of 1350 British soldiers was overwhelmed by 22,000 zulus at Islandwana.\n\nThe next day, an even smaller force of British troops repeatedly repelled an onslaught of 4000 zulus assaulting a missionary station converted into a field hospital. Here is their story gloriously portrayed on film! One of the greatest war-movies ever!\n\nAgainst all odds, Lieutenant John Chard and Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead organized 139 British soldiers in a desperate improvised defense in the face of wave after wave of zulu tribesmen. Armed with nothing more than the standard single-shot breach-loaded Martini-Henry rifles and bayonets, this small garrison held out despite being hopelessly out-numbered and completely surrounded.\n\nNearly over-run on numerous occassions, under heavy fire from enemies shooting at them from the hills above, fighting at close-quarters and hand-to-hand in every engagement, ...this stubborn band of Redcoats made every shot count, and doled out plenty of punishment with cold-steel, rifle-butt, boots and bare-fists.\n\nWith such limited arms and numbers, defending such a dubious make-shift position against vast quantities of enemy fighters, it would seem inevitable that these brave British soldiers would eventually be overwhelmed like Chelford's troops at Islandwana...\n\nThis is a primary lesson in the matter of quality over quantity.\nAdvantages are one thing, ...but war is ultimately won in the will of the combatants...\nThroughout the 19th. century British fighting-men found frequently found themsleves enormously out-numbered on the battlefield, ...but NOT out-classed!\n\nIn the aftermath of this battle, ...eleven Victoria Crosses and several other awards were earned at Rorkes Drift.\n\nThis spectacular resistance was the result of two worthy battlefield-leaders collaborating to lead a number of disciplined, well-trained professional fighting-men who were determined to make a good showing of themselves, despite what seemed to be an inevitable violent death. What is unfortunate to mention, is that the two junior officers who so ably guided the defense of Rorke's Drift were very badly treated by their commanding officers after the event. Obviously, these were the typical garrison-types whose careers and advanced rank were entirely due to family connections and social status. Their names are not worthy to be mentioned here, and deserve to be forgotten.\n\nNo one who studies military history will ever forget the names of Chard and Bromhead!","Product: vhs\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: 1863: Real Americans held the line!\n\nReview: The Battle of Gettysburg was the largest battle ever fought on the continent of North America. At this time, in early July of 1863, the fate of our nation was once again in question.\n\nThis was the last and best hope of the Confederate States to ultimatley defeat the Union. They almost succeeded. The potential outcome: America cut in half, establishing a new and dangerous rival nation out of the southern half. As to whether or not the Confederacy could have continued to exist as an economically and socially viable entity is debatable. However, one factor of the Confederacy was certain during the Civil War, especially up to the events of 1863: they definitely had no shortage of excellent battlefield officers and quality fighting-men. In fact, many on both sides of the conflict beleived a Confederate victory was absolutely inevitable at Gettysburg.\n\nBased on Michaels Shaara's novel, The Killer Angels, this movie is by far the best and most thorough portrayal of the battle, the armies, and the significant personalities on both sides.\n\nThis is particularly apparent in the scenes of Colonel Joshua Chamberlain commanding the troops of th 20th. Maine at Little Round Top. This was the utter-most left-flank of the Union defenses. Despite suffering high casualties and an ever-dwindling supply of ammunition, Colonel Chamberlain and his men held the line against repeated assaults, with very little time to reinforce the line between attacks. Finally, with ammunition thoroughly depleted, Chamberlain countered the Confederate charge with his last option: a counter-attack with bayonets! This final stubborn act of will proved to be the finishing move in decimating all Confederate efforts against Chamberlain's section of the line!\n\nWhat if we did not have a man such as Colonel Chamberlain in command, or troops as determined and disciplined as the men from Maine, at that crucial point in the defenses along the ridge? In American history, this was one of many incidents in which our national destiny was saved by the right sort of men holding out against potentially overwhelming opposition. The Battle of Gettysburg is one of those incidents that not only affected the outcome of the war, but the ultimate fate of America.","Product: VHS movie - Red Scorpion\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A soviet defector in Africa\n\nReview: Dolph Lundgren SHOULD have been a much bigger action-star than he has been, and still is. Unfortunately, there already was a muscleman with a Germanic accent very well established in the spotlight (You know who!).\n\n Of all the action-movie stars in the glorious 1980s, Dolph had the MOST credentials toward actually being the super-commando that action-stars commonly portray.\n\nWhen it was Dolph Lundgren's time to perform mandatory conscription in Sweden's armed forces, he joined the navy to be a Kustjagarna operator. The Kustjagarna (Coastal Rangers) are Sweden's best special-operations unit, their mission is to scout the coast-line in search of Soviet naval reconaissance and spetsnaz infiltrators. Similar to U.S. Navy S.E.A.L.s, Marines, and army Rangers in their tasks, they also perform anti-terrorist missions.\n\nDolph Lundgren was also a champion competitor in karate tournaments before and after his military service. He has a degree in Electrical engineering, but ultimately chose to be an actor.\n\nOne of the best Dolph Lundgren movies, Red Scorpion is the story of Nicolai, a Soviet Spetnaz agent deployed to a fictional African nation (strongly resembling Angola). Here the loyal soviet commando is tasked with a secret mission to inflitrate the Anti-communist patriot rebels, ...and assassinate their leader.\n\nUnder the pretense of serving as a Soviet advisor to Cuban and African allies, Nicolai has a change of heart. Observing the typical bloody atrocities that communist forces intentionally inflict on civilians, ...Nicolai joins the good-guys! This film is jam-packed with plenty of machinegun-shootin', grenade-hurling, close-quarter hand-to-hand combat, communist-wasting action!","Product: Filled with action-packed adventures and intrigue... join Hadji in Calcutta Adventure and Pirates From Below.\n\nAnimated, Approximate Running Time 60 Minutes, Color, Not Rated (Suitable for all audiences). Includes Bonus Toons Classic Space Ghost and Johnny Bravo.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A nostalgic animation treasure!\n\nReview: Here it is! ...With all the lasers, jets, explosions, machineguns, and Judo intact!\nA glorious relic of made-for-television animation, ...who in our present \"politically-correct\" era, would believe that this was once a very popular kid's program?\n\nEach episode is like a comic-book come to life! Johnny treks around the globe with his father, a top U.S. scientist. Accompanied by his Indian friend, Hadji, his dog, Bandit, and the family body-guard, Race Bannon, Johnny finds himself entangled in all manner of bizarre adventures.\n\nEvil foriegn scientists, rival Cold War powers, and the criminal under-world, all meet more than their match from the Quest team! Filled with intrigue, suspense, TOP SECRET weapons, and plenty of action, this was my favorite cartoon in my youth, and remains so to this day!","Product: A Viking warrior avenges his father's death against the forces of darkness in an epic action-adventure.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Not enough Viking movies!\n\nReview: I do not know why there are not more movies based on great historical events or eras. I speak of films on par with Braveheart, or Rob Roy, for example. There are very few movies based on the Viking age, or having anything to do with Scandinavia for that matter. Unfortunately, most Viking movies seem to be grade \"B\" affairs, and this is a huge injustice to the complex nature of the Sagas. In the \"plot summary\" for this site, a stupid reviewer describes it as \"a time when conflicts weren't solved with intellect, but with swords\". That reviewer obviously has never read a Nordic Saga, and has no understanding of Scandinavian culture. In fact, negotiation and diplomacy were often as highly esteemed as prowess in battle. The differance is, Men of that age were not afraid to stand up to their enemies in combat. In our time, a loud mouth is the only acceptable \"weapon\".\n\nIf literate people were running the production studios in Hollywood, perhaps we would see a lot more films based on the sagas of Scandinavia. The potential for great historical drama is enormous!\n\nThis film is loosely based on the Laxardal Saga from Iceland. I found it to be quite enjoyable, and the Icelandic scenery is a major feature. It could have been more than what it is, however, being somewhat of an action-movie, to a degree. It portays the Laxardal Saga characters Kjartan and Gudrun, but does not really portray the story as it is written in the saga.","Product: EXCELLENT MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The dawn of the American age!\n\nReview: Here,John Milius has put together a truly glorious film with a monumental soundtrack! This movie is a refreshing bit of optimism and national pride, in a time when it is \"fashionable\" by self-proclaimed \"enlightened\" critics to disparage America's national heritage. This negative and dysfunctional trend has gotten quite tiresome, and its about time someone made a purely patriotic film such as this!\n\nThere will probably never be another statesman like Theodore Roosevelt, truly one of the greatest American presidents ever. Theres a reason his face is on Mount Rushmore.\n\nThe opening scene of this movie features his 9-March-1898 speech to officer-cadets. This speech is EVEN MORE pertinent to our times, RIGHT NOW, than it was over a hundred years ago!\n\nBeing a man of action, Roosevelt resigned his position as Assistant Secretary of the Navy to form his own Army unit when America went to war with Spain. Having lived out West for several years as a rancher in North Dakota, Roosevelt realized that cowboys would make an outstanding volunteer cavalry unit. The average cowboy was skilled at riding, marksmanship, and survival, making them ideal ready-made soldiers. Adventurous men from all corners of the United States joined Roosevelt's cavalry: not only cowboys, but college students, Native-Americans, professional athletes, and veterans of previous military service. Regardless of their status as a cavalry unit, they actually fought as infantry in most of their battles in Cuba. The brotherhood and cameraderie of this unit of \"Rough-riders\" was real and legendary, and they fought quite well as foot-soldiers, especially in the capture of heavily fortified Spanish installations on Kettle Hill and San Juan Hill.\n\nThe war with Spain was the beginning of America's rise as a world power, and Roosevelt was there from the start! Being a man of destiny, ...he TURNED THE PAGE OF HISTORY! His part in that was originally small, but history would eventually witness him playing the greatest role in America's rise to prominence. Never forget that even the most obscure and common man who DARES to take that leap into the unknown, ...sometimes finds himself standing triumphantly upon the heights. At this point he is no longer a common man. Indeed, he may fall hard at times, while taking that leap, ...but he picks himself up, and strives again and again if need be. THIS is what it means to be American!\n\nAmericans must NEVER FORGET that they are supposed to be Cowboys, ...or Minutemen, mountainmen, or pioneers. We ARE the cavalry that comes to the rescue. Nobody else is going to do it. Its going to be a much darker world if nobody does.\n\nThis film portrays a time when Americans realized exactly who they were, and what they were capable of. We are a light in the darkness.\n\nIn our time, we have a signifigant number of home-grown internal dissenters who exploit and benefit from everything America has to offer, ...yet they take every opportunity to rub filth on OUR nation's honor. These people contribute NOTHING, ...and they have EVERY INTENTION of bringing this nation DOWN from within.\n\nWhen I am outraged at the latest disgrace that these least of all people inflict on our country, ...I watch this movie, and realize its time to \"cowboy up\". What would the Rough-riders do? ...Its time to take San Juan Hill!","Product: Antonio Banderas (THE MASK OF ZORRO) brings huge star power to an immensely thrilling action-adventure from the hit-making director of DIE HARD and THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR! An exiled ambassador far from his homeland, Ahmed (Banderas) comes across a fierce band of warriors who are being attacked by ferocious creatures legendary for devouring all living things in their path! And when an old fortune-teller warns the combatants that they are doomed to failure without a 13th warrior, Ahmed is given no choice but to join their battle and help conquer the mysterious enemy! Suspenseful and endlessly exciting, this exhilarating hit is sure to thrill anyone who enjoys action on an epic scale!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Michael Crichton's version of Beowulf\n\nReview: This film is based on Crichton's book, \"Eaters of the Dead\", an interpretation of the Beowulf Saga.\nThe story is from the viewpoint of Ibn Fadlan, (based on an actual historical person who represented Arab trade contracts with the Vikings in Russia). In this story, Fadlan is a disgraced court-poet from the Caliphate of Baghdad, sentenced to be a trade-ambassador to the Norsemen, as mentioned. He winds up being \"recruited\" without his consent into a special mission of Vikings to rescue a small Nordic kingdom far to the north. This kingdom is being overrun by a savage and primitive tribe of canibalistic barbarians. Although he is not a warrior, and has serious doubts about his survival, Fadlan bravely faces danger with the Vikings, and learns to fight. Being an educated man, he utilizes his knowledge and intuition as a great asset to the group, earning the respect of the Norsemen.\nThis is an action movie, not a serious historical film, of course. I was impressed when I saw it in the theater. There are some minor \"Hollywoodisms\" as usual, that were a bit irritating to a sense for historical accuracy: One of the Vikings uses a Roman gladiator helmet...where the hell would he get that in the early Middle-ages? Many of the polearms used by the warriors are of a type belonging to a much later era of Middle-ages. Vikings used basic thrusting or throwing spears, and a little-known long-arm nick-named \"mail-scraper\".\nHowever, in the name of historical accuracy, the Vikings in this movie are wearing Byzantine armor, and this is believable, as many Norsemen in Russia were often veterans of service in the elite Varangian Guard of the Byzantine empire.\nAll in all, its one of the best Viking movies I've seen!","Product: Natural sounds...natural beauty...naturally relaxing! Escape into a world of breathtaking beauty as the natural sights and sounds of crashing Pacific surf transports you on a blissful journey of peaceful relaxation. Shot entirely on location along the rugged California, Oregon and Washington coastlines, \"Pacific Surf\" captures the spectacular natural beauty of giant, crashing waves as they pound the towering cliffs and shoreline of this majestic region! \"Pacific Surf\" blends a symphony of the naturally soothing sounds of crashing surf with a gentle musical background to create the ultimate stress-reducing natural environment--in the home or office!\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: World War 2: The Marine Corps Contribution\n\nReview: How long has it been since there was a World War II movie covering the Pacific Campaign?\nWhy is this supremely signifigant front of the war continually ignored in favor of a prolific quantity of films portraying the war as it was in European and North African settings?\n\nThis is a fairly adequate depiction of the Pacific Campaign as seen from the view-point of three Marines who experienced it: Eugene Sledge, Robert Leckie, and \"Manilla John\" Basilone. Leckie and Sledge both wrote extensively on their experiences, and their books are classics of combat history, still popular with Marines today.\n\nThis is an \"adequate\" rendering of the historical record, ...but with some grave reservations:\n\n-Too much emphasis is placed on almost every aspect of the particular individual's experiences, EXCEPT the battles.\n-The battle scenes that ARE included are rather \"subdued\", not unlike war-movies of the 1960s and earlier.\n-In the Pacific Campaign, the Japanese Imperial Army and Navy were the opposing combatants: Japanese troops are BARELY and RARELY depicted in this mini-series!\n\nNow, for anyone who knows a veteran of this war, especially a Marine Corps veteran, or anyone who has thoroughly read the history, ...this mini-series is going to be a disappointment to say the least. The Japanese were an adversary who went to great lengths to engage their opponents as close as possible. This is also true of the Marines. Much of the fighting was close-combat within the defensive fortifications of one side or the other, savage mayhem with blades, butt-stocks, entrenching-tools, and bare-hands. Quite simply, the combat was often too grusome and barbaric for Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks to stomach, ...so we get this quasi soap-opera rather than a war movie.\n\nTom Hanks made some unforgiveable remarks on the \"racial\" aspect of the war against Japan:\nApparently, the ONLY reason America warred against Japan, ...is because \"they are a different race, and have a different culture\", or some nonsense. To say that tommy missed the point (ENORMOUSLY) is beyond words.\n\nWell, tommy, there WAS an ugly racial aspect to this war, ...and America DID NOT START IT!\n\nAs the grandson of a World War II Marine, and a Marine myself, I acknowledge that the Japanese fighting-man did fight bravely and fanatically. Of that, there is no doubt. However, the Empire of Japan DID NOT fight an honorable campaign (except in their own eyes). The TRUE record of brutality, slaughter, slavery, and genocide is STILL an open festering wound to every nation on the Pacific Rim that was over-run, conquered, and occupied by the Empire of Japan. Any American hostilities that went \"too far\" are quite miniscule when compared to Japan's treatment of civilians and captured Allied military-personnel. I myself have always admired the Japanese, and I have known several Japanese people as friends. But even my friends from Japan acknowledge that their nation fought an unjust campaign!\n\nA REBUTTAL OF IDIOTS AND CENSORSHIP:\n...Some cowardly little PUNK keeps deleting my commentary in regard to the retarded, ill-informed comments made by yet another punk.\n\nI'm going to keep on typing up my reply, no matter how many times un-Constitutional feces try to prevent me from excercizing my 1st. Amendment RIGHT to Freedom of Expression, ...especially when I am citing HISTORICAL FACT:\n\n-The Allies bombed civilian areas in Japan, ...but Japan began the war by conducted unrestricted bombardment, with no distinction between military and civilians. In fact, they INTENTIONALLY killed mass numbers of civilians in every nation they invaded, especially China.\n\n_Japan ALSO had a nuclear weapons program, and had EVERY INTENTION of using them just as soon as they could create them.\n\nAmerica beat both Japan and Germany in the race for an atomic bomb. The Japanese atomic bomb project was headed by physicists Yoshio Nishina and Busaku Arakatsu. A test or their prototype was scheduled for 12-Aug-1945, in th evicinity of Hamhung, Korea.\n\nAmerica had NO choice but to use their atomic bombs, ...the other option was an invasion of the Japan itself, in which the government was preparing the civilian population for suicidal resistance that would have resulted in astronomical casualties for both sides, but especially the Japanese civilian populace.\n\n-With the exception of the bombing campaigns, which were RETALIATION for Japan's INTENTIONAL and gratuitous targeting of civilians from day one, Allied forces on the ground went to great effort to avoid civilian casulaties. This is particularly clear during the battle for Saipan.\n\nThe Japanese army however, repeatedly inflicted all manner of excessive slaughter on civilians. The siege and capture of Nanking comes to mind, where tens of thousands of Chinese people were machine-gunned en masse, bayoneted, or fired upon with heavy weapons. Enormous numbers of women were raped. This behavior occurred in every city over-run by Japanese forces, it was not unique to the battle of Nanking.\n\n-The American citizens of Japanese ancestry who were interred in camps during World War 2 were well-fed, properly housed, and recieved medical care. Those citizens or their surviving descendants recieved monetary compensation and an apology from the United States government, eventually.\n\nPrisoners of the Japanese did not fare nearly so well: Allied P.O.W.s were subjected to death-marches, mass execution or summary execution, torture, and slave-labor. Those are considered war-crimes, by the way. Allied prisoners, when liberated, were found starving to death, diseased, and generally emaciated. Many of those prisoners died shortly after liberation. Civilian populations under Japanese rule were exploited and abused in this manner on a much larger scale.\n\n-The Japanes government established a system of brothels for their military personnel. These facilities were staffed by women from the occupied nations under Japanese rule. Thousands of women and girls were forcibly taken from their homelands and used as sex-slaves. Korean women appear to have been exploited in this system more than all other nationalities.\n\n-Then we have Unit 731, headed by Colonel Shiro Ishi. This organization operated a facility in Manchuria that conducted experiments in biological and chemical warfare. Thousands of civilians and Allied P.O.W.s were exposed to biological and chemical agents. The test subjects were examined by scientists and doctors, ...who subjected the victims to VIVISECTION in order to examined the effects. This is the dissection of LIVING, CONCSIOUS test-subjects, ...NO ANESTHETIC applied. This was done to men, women, and children.\n\nThis is HISTORICAL FACT. Some of the victims of these atrocities are still alive, all over East Asia. The government of Japan has NEVER acknowledged these deeds, to this very day. America, on the other hand, ...isn't allowed to forget when it had a fine for an overdue library book.\n\nThe younger generations of Japanese citizens are very different people than their grandfathers who served in the Imperial Armed Forces of Japan. But they are not informed of any of these things. All they are taught about World War 2, ...is that they were bombed by America.\n\nThats all leftists in America know about World War 2 as well, ...yet they put on such an ostentatious and sanctimonious airs of being so much more \"informed\". Put down the bong and pick up a book.","Product: The Winter War [VHS]\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Brave Finns on the frontlines!\n\nReview: One of the greatest, and most accurate war films made, yet little known by most English-speaking viewers. An army reserve unit is mobilized to man the fortified Mannerhiem Line, in the early days of World War II. The characters express all the usual concerns about the coming ordeal...and then it happens. The Soviet Union launches a massive armored onslaught against Finland. Despite Finland's lack of manpower, equipment, and supplies, they devasted wave after wave of Russian assaults. Finland had better-trained soldiers, repelling hundreds of thousands of expendable communist conscripts. In the years before, wisely foreseeing the inevitable conflict with the communist power to the east, Finland had a series of fortifications built in advance, and the Finns utilized these to maximum effect! This film portrays the frontline combat very well, but the entire war had various fascinating perspectives that should also be portrayed on film some day. To get a greater idea of the conflict, read the book, \"A Frozen Hell\" (which I have also reviewed).","Product: September 1944, in a land torn apart by war, a Finnish sniper is labeled a coward by his compatriots; as punishment, he is nailed to a rock and left to his own devices. Not long after, a disgraced Russian Captain, en route to his court martial, is injured in an accident. Both men are about to find out they have one thing in common. Wounded and emotionally tortured, they are taken in by Anni, ayoung, resourceful war widow, who offers shelter to one while nursing the other back to health. None of them understands the others' languages, but it doesn't seem to matter. Isolated, the three unlikely roommates - a Finn, a Russian and a Lapp - overcome both comic and tragic misunderstandings to form a passionate three-way...relationship. Because after a day of hard work on Anni's farm, who needs words?\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Three strangers in a strange land\n\nReview: Its 1945, and the Second World War is grinding to its inevitable bitter end.\n\nIn the silent arboreal splendor of a Lappland wilderness, three strangers are thrown together by chance. One is a Finnish soldier, a disgraced sharp-shooter, chained to a rock by his countrymen, left to the mercy of the enemy. The second is a Russian soldier, charged with some frivolous \"offense\" by the battalion commisar. The third character is a young Sami woman. Living alone in the forest for quite some time, she has no idea where her husband is, after he left to serve in the Finnish army. Fate and war throws them all together.\n\nThe Finn and the Russian are intellectuals. The Finn was a university student before the war, the Russian is a well-known poet. The Sami woman is a true child of the earth, and is merely greatful to finally have some company in her remote corner of the wilderness.\n\nNone of them can speak the others' language!\nYet, they \"understand\" each other in ways that they don't fully comprehend. In this surreal setting and circumstance, they attempt to \"speak\" to each other anyway. Knowing full-well that neither of them are really \"listening\", are they REALLY talking to each other, ...or to themselves?\n\nA testament to the universal human need for fellowship of some sort, amidst enormous chaotic events, this film is yet another example of the many unique, high-quality films still coming from Europe.\n\nFor those purely interested in the World War II aspect of the story, its an illustration of how vast the war was in its many fronts, major and minor, and its influence on people in even the most obscure regions of the world. In this case, the background is the \"Lappland War\", in which Finland was forced to break its alliance with Germany, as the Soviet Union prevailed in driving German forces westward. In fact, theres a very brief scene, in which the characters observe a small party of German troops evacuating wounded personnel, accompanied by a nurse, ...presumably the aftermath of some distant battle. So many strangers in the primeval forest!","Product: Atlas Shrug P1(Br(St)\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A parable of our times\n\nReview: It really is a stingingly accurate portrayal of everything that is WRONG in America.\n\nSet in the near future, two aggressive and innovative business-people, Taggert and Reardon join forces to revive a struggling railroad while the nation teeters dangerously into an abyss of economic ruin. Despite such obstacles as an increasingly hostile anti-capitalist government and disruptive union politics, Taggert and Reardon refurbish the railroad's assets, and improve technology: a new steel alloy that promises enormous potential, ...and a mysterious prototype engine found in the ruins of an abandoned factory.\n\nThe story is set in 2016, ...but it could just as easily be set in 2012.\nAn inept, power-hungry leftist regime is \"running\" and RUINING America, recklessly driving the nation into a hopeless depression. Success is punished relentlessly, mediocrity rewarded, and the unemployment lines grow. Amdist the growing tension, all the most intellectually-prominent and productive citizens are disappearing, bidding farewell with the code-words \"Who is John Galt?\".\n\nThis movie could be spruced up a bit, ...but its the overall message that is important. Based on the book by Ayn Rand, its a story long-overdue for portrayal in film.","Product: When an atheist Philosophy professor (Kevin Sorbo) plans to forego \"dusty arguments\" in his class, he insists the new students declare that \"God is dead.\" Unable to do this, Josh (Shane Harper) is challenged to defend his faith and prove to the class that God's Not Dead. Against all odds, Josh stands up for his faith and takes on the challenge.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Stand up for your right to believe!\n\nReview: The LEAST free place in America, and ALL of the Western world, is the college campus. In the United States, your INALIENABLE RIGHTS to FREE SPEECH and religious expression are no longer recognized at these institutions.\n\nThis blatant bias is EXCLUSIVELY leveled at Christianity, and any political ideology that dares to contradict or even question the overtly leftist programming that it is now mandatory on almost all campuses. This discrimination does NOT apply to any other religion EXCEPT Christianity. No university will ever impede the activities or public demonstrations of muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, pagans, or even satanists. Only Christianity is effectively banned from the public forum. Judaism is slightly held in such contempt, but not nearly as much.\n\nIn this uplifting movie, a new student finds himself unexpectedly in an unprovoked confrontation with the professor of the philosophy class, merely for daring to state his belief in God. Typical of so many similar conflicts, the leftist professor takes the student's right to free expression as a personal affront, and embarks on a campaign of harassment and humiliation with the intent to \"destroy\" the dissenting student. Our hero could easily do what so many of us have done, sit back, listen to the apparatchik professor's propaganda, write papers agreeing with the class commissar, and get an easy \"A\".\n\n...And sometimes we feel compelled to comply with a higher principle, ...and a HIGHER POWER.\n\nThis movie features several subplots, all the characters are largely strangers to one another, but cross paths in some minor of major way. Each has their own particular struggle with their beliefs, just as we all must eventually face the truth of our own existences. In the end, only you can make the choice, right or wrong...\n\nI vividly remember being one of those apparatchiks. I thought I was so \"progressive\" and \"sophisticated\" because I believed in \"secularism\", not religion. I really wanted to BELIEVE a lot of the idealistic and emotion-based propaganda I was fed in public-school and college. I told Jesus jokes, ...just to offend people who believed in Him.\nThen, knowing I HAVE to be objective in order to be legitimate, I had to at least read what He had to say...\n...And I realized that I have ALWAYS believed in what He was teaching. I realized I was ignorant, and I that I was not nearly as \"enlightened\" as I would like to believe I was. There are some things that simply can't be explained with astounding mathematically proven logic, ...but yet its THERE!","Product: Clint Eastwood directs this biographical action thriller starring Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller. Chris Kyle (Cooper) is renowned as the most talented and lethal sniper in U.S. military history with a record 160 kills to his name. When Kyle is sent to Iraq on a mission to protect his fellow Navy SEALs he finds that his flawless record and reputation precede him as he earns himself the nickname 'Legend' from his allies. After serving on four tours of duty, Kyle prepares to return home to his wife (Miller) and family but as he tries to adapt to suburban life he finds himself pining for war. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor (Cooper) and won for Best Sound Editing.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Patriot and a Rifleman\n\nReview: Here we have the tale of an average American who answered the call...\n\nAlthough the movie takes some liberties with the narrative that Kyle provided in his recent book, you still get the idea.\n\nThe \"controversy\" around this man is false, unfounded, and ridiculous. Chris Kyle, like everyone else, began his military career in the usual obscure manner, ...but quickly made his presence known in a venue that he excelled in. As a new recruit to the Navy, he chose to volunteer for the most challenging and hazardous duty as a Navy S.E.A.L.\n\nHe was a great American who willingly stood in harm's way for his fellow fighting-men. He was exceptional in his battle-skills, and he put forth maximum effort every time he picked up a weapon. He was one of the best friends the Marine Corps ever had. As a precision tactical marksmen he achieved a score that will be hard to surpass for quite some time.\n\nEvery one of his kills accounts for one less terrorist-animal. The world is a better place when natural hunters like Kyle put their skills to good use against the seemingly endless mob of criminal dregs that run rampant in certain places such as Iraq.\n\nI arrived there in Mosul in April of 2006. In the first week, the enemy scum blew up an internet cafe in Tal Afar, just down the road. Several helicopters flew into F.O.B. Daimondback loaded with mangled children. I don't think any of the victims were older than 15 years of age.\n\nThats what kind of enemy America fought in Iraq: craven subhuman cowards that detonate bombs and run away to hide. Their targets were almost exclusively people who have no means to fight back.","Product: CD\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I finally found it!\n\nReview: I heard a segment of this collection on Public Radio in 2003. Everywhere that I looked, claimed this album was no longer in print. I found it right here on Amazon.com, in 2006! For those inclined to enjoy ancient music, I must say this about the album: GLORIOUSLY MEDIEVAL AND RAPTUROUSLY RENAISSANCE! In fact, if there is one track alone which justifies your purchase, it it Spaniol Kochesberger, by Hans Kotter. In fact, I would say that the majority of the music on this CD are great selections. I have been disappointed by other Medieval and Renaissance compliations, in which there are one or two interesting selections, and the rest of the CD is tiresome choral chanting. That is not the case here!","Product: The hauntingly prophetic classic novel set in a not-too-distant future where books are burned by a special task force of firemen. Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to burn books, which are forbidden, being the source of all discord and unhappiness. Even so, Montag is unhappy; there is discord in his marriage. Are books hidden in his house? The Mechanical Hound of the Fire Department, armed with a lethal hypodermic, escorted by helicopters, is ready to track down those dissidents who defy society to preserve and read books. The classic novel of a post-literate future, 'Fahrenheit 451' stands alongside Orwell's '1984' and Huxley's 'Brave New World' as a prophetic account of Western civilization's enslavement by the media, drugs and conformity. Bradbury's powerful and poetic prose combines with uncanny insight into the potential of technology to create a novel which over fifty years from first publication, still has the power to dazzle and shock.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A narrative of OUR time...\n\nReview: In the middle of the last century, a number of authors wrote novels describing the de-evolution of out Western culture:\n\n-Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley\n-A Clockwork Orange\n &\n-The Wanting Seed, by Anthony Burgess\n-1984, by George Orwell\n\n...And Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury!\n\nSet in a \"near-future\" which has somewhat already materialzed in our own time, the Fire Department has long ceased to be an emergency service. They have become a secret-police force, whose primary purpose is to incinerate \"illegal printed material\". Why? Long before Thomas Paine distributed \"Common Sense\" and \"The Rights of Man\", or Martin Luther nailed his Theses to the cathedral door, the printed word has proved most unsettling to all thug-ocracies.\nMontag, a disillusioned fireman, who just can't stop thinking for himself, soon finds himself under suspicion for his own secret literary curiosity.\n\nThe future described by Bradbury, is a time and place defined by LOUD, ALL PERVASIVE, BOMBASTIC commercialization, and a truly vapid, soulless, and superficial popular culture. Does that sound familiar?\nPrinted material has been banned, (and burned) because it \"disturbs\" peoples minds.\nMontag, a sensistive and introspective sort, finds himself profoundly alienated in this society, failing to find authenticity even from his own wife. He can not help but question the role he plays as a fireman, and finds that he must find out for himself as to why the books he burns are so \"dangerous\".\n\nLook at the contemporary \"popular culture\".\nObserve all the conforming artificial fools about you.\nSee the overt lack of free-thinking on any given college-campus, (institutions that once exemplified the concept).\n\nThe loud, obnoxious, all-pervasive and overly-commercialized popular \"culture\" is ALREADY HERE. With so many empty-heads so easily distracted, the next step can very well be the willful incineration of all that \"disturbing\" literature out there.\n\nBe assured it didn't just \"happen this way\".\nSomeone wants you to conform. Someone wants you to STOP THINKING.\nThere may not be a \"fire-brigade\" acting as the tool of an oppressive police-state, or even public book-burning events. Maybe books will become \"passe\", because we have \"computers\", and \"electronic media\".\n\nHowever the printed word becomes \"obsolete\" (and there are people working very hard to bring this about), be assured that your very civilization is circling the drain. Be assured that someone want you to stop thinking.\n\n\"Books are humanity in print\"\n\n\"Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill.\"\n-Barbara Tuchman","Product: Text: English, Japanese (translation)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: 30 years in the jungle\n\nReview: The controversial Mr. Onoda tells his tale of wilderness survival in this enthralling autobiography.\n\nThere are two ways to view his self-inflicted ordeal.\n\nOn one hand, Onoda demonstated the highest valor in his adherance to orders. He had been deployed into the jungles of the Phillipines, instructed to live off the land, and conduct guerilla warfare against Allied personnel. He persevered for thirty years, suviving on very little, carefully maintaining his deteriorating weapons, uniform, and equipment. In short, he demonstated an ingenious level of self-reliance in a hostile environment, ...for three decades! This is a testament to the potentials of human endurance.\n\nOn the other hand...\nOnoda and his small group of soldiers did in fact commit some serious crimes against the Phillipino citizens around them. This can not be forgotten.\nHow could an intelligent man such as Onoda not rationalize the facts of his observations, and realize that his war was long over? Certainly he must have noted that it had been years since he had encountered any Allied troops. In fact, for years after the war, many Japanese citizens traveled to the various remote islands of the Pacific, where they implored their veterans to come home. Onoda and his men heard such loud-speaker broadcasts, but chose to disregard them. It was 1974 when a college student, on a lark, decided to locate the notorious man by himself. Onoda did not lay down his sword and rifle until his former commanding-officer arrived in person, to give the surrender order.\n\nOnoda, the sole survivor of his group, had needlessly lived in absolute solitude for much of his time in the wilds. He returned to a Japan that was unrecognizeable, in regard to the nation he had left in the 1940s.\n\nTwo questions come to mind:\n\n-If Onoda had surrendered and gone home in 1945 or 1946, what manner of more constructive activity might he have devoted his life to for those thirty years?\n\n-Onoda was the last KNOWN Japanese soldier to surrender. Were there in fact OTHER Japanese veterans STILL surviving in the wilderness of some Pacific islands? Its very likely to be the case. How many others lingered on, in isolation, after 1945, ...only to die alone and forgotten?\n\nUpdate: September 2014\nI saw the news that Mr. Onoda had passed away this January. I really would have liked to meet Mr. Onoda, despite the controversy. He was a fascinating character, ...a legend in his own time.\n\nMy grandfather was an enlisted Marine in that war. I suppose there was a remote probability that they could have met on the battlefield. It would have been a good fight, I'll wager.\n\nMy grandfather passed away this spring. I really wanted to tell him before he departed: \"You just out-lived the LAST Japanese soldier to surrender. The Marines win AGAIN!\"","Product: W.E. Fairbairn taught unarmed combat to the famed British Commandos and the U.S. armed forces during World War II. Before the war he served as assistant commissioner of the Shanghai Police Force. He was the inventor of the Fairbairn Commando Knife and the author of the classics Get Tough and Shooting to Live.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A classic text on military close-combat\n\nReview: Captain Fairbairn was a British colonial police-officer, prior to World War II. He worked in law-enforcement in Shanghai, which was quite possibly the most violent, crime-ridden city in the world.\n\nEarly in his career, Fairbairn was badly injured in a brutal encounter with street-thugs. Realizing he needed to better prepare himself, Fairbairn commenced on a thorough regimen of martial-arts training. Fairbairn became a master of close-combat, his skills encompassing the entire spectrum of lethal and non-lethal, armed and unarmed techniques and tactics. He was also an expert in tactical pistol-shooting, but that is covered in another book.\n\nDuring World War II, Captain Fairbairn trained Commandos, and agents of the S.O.E. and O.S.S. in these fighting skills. Thousands of allied personnel learned from his program, ...and many of those people survived savage encounters with the enemy because of his influence.\n\nI was an instructor in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. Much of the techniques portrayed in this book are identical to what what Marines (and other military forces)learn today. Krav Maga practitioners will see the similarities with their fighting-style (developed around the same time!). This is REAL fighting for survival. It works, ...because IT WORKS!\n\nThe techniques in this book are portrayed with drawn illustrations, depicting British military personnel fighting various Wehrmacht troops. For this factor alone, this book is an interesting historical insight into the beginnings of modern military close-combat.","Product: W.E. Fairbairn taught unarmed combat to the famed British Commandos and the U.S. armed forces during World War II. Before the war he served as assistant commissioner of the Shanghai Police Force. He was the inventor of the Fairbairn Commando Knife and the author of the classics Get Tough and Shooting to Live.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: A historically significant book on combat shooting\n\nReview: Shanghai in the 1930s, was probably the most dangerous city in the world.\n\nAll manner of violent criminals vied for power and territory. The British colonial police regularly battled street-gangs, organized crime syndicates, and political insurgents (mainly communists). This is the environment in which Captain Fairbairn honed his fighting-skills, and revolutionized all aspects of modern close-combat tactics.\n\nEarly in his career, he was nearly beaten to death by Chinese gangsters, during a police patrol. While recovering in the hospital, he determined that he would make himself better prepared. He commenced on an intensive program of martial-arts training and tactical-shooting.\n\nHe and his co-worker Sykes developed an advanced system of combat-training. They would eventually train British and allied Commandos and agents of S.O.E. and the O.S.S. during World War II.\n\nThis is their book on tactical pistol shooting.\nThe basic concept is shooting by instinct and natural point-of-aim, rather than wasting crucial seconds employing the sights. This is not an entirely \"new\" concept, but it needed to be re-introduced.\n\nUnfortunately, this particular book is rather short, and probably should have been a CHAPTER in one of the other books by Fairbairn and Sykes. There are a few interesting anecdotes about police-operations in Shanghai included. For example, the Mauser 96 \"broom-handle\" pistol, was particularly feared by police due to the lethality of its 7.63mm ammunition, ...and this was a very popular pistol in China!\n\nSurprisingly, outside of special-operations teams (military or police), ...this type of combat-shooting still isn't that widely practiced, ...until now! There are several authors who have written about this method in more recent books, and many of them expand a bit further on the concept. You should read those as well, but this one started it all!","Product: John E. Peterson is a lifelong fitness expert, the author of Isometric Power Revolution, and co-author of The Miracle Seven and The Trinity of Health and Fitness workout DVD. He created the Transformetrics Training System that maximizes the strength and fitness as well as wellness and is the founder of Bronze Bow Publishing.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: When you can not access a gym...\n\nReview: Free-weights and machines are a proven means of excercise. However, what do you do when a gym is unavailable? You can still build strength by using your own bodyweight and self-initiated resistance. Mr. Peterson has given us one of the best excercise books I have yet seen. Within you will find a straight-forward guide to excercises that will improve your strength, power, endurance, and flexibility. I particularly recommend this book to martial-artists and military personnel. In fact, being a veteran, I can verify that the content of this book is superior to the average military PT programs. Mr. Peterson's inspiration for this program comes from Matt Furey, Charles Atlas, and Earl Liedermann.\nThe excercises demonstrated in these pages are those that many of us know, as well as many that will surprise us...with interesting variations for all. Some of these excercises have conditioned martial-artists and athletes for centuries! You can utilize this program anywhere!","Product: 1st Edition Perennial by Harper. Age-toned pages. Scuffs to covers. Tidy owners name written to inside of cover - otherwise clean interior with no stamps etc.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A vision of the Future, ...coming true in our time?\n\nReview: Published in 1932, ...a book too shocking for its time, ...and unbelievably ahead of its time in our time!\n\nAldous Huxley was a frequent guest at many events hosted by the self-styled \"elite\" of British society. He conversed with all manner of people who thoroughly believed themselves to be morally, culturally, and intellectually superior to the average citizen: politicians, academics, actors, artists, philosophers, authors, aristocracy, businessmen..\n\nMany of these people were famous, or at least well known in British society, or even world-wide. Almost all of them were people from affluent families, with influential connections, who hailed from the so-called \"upper classes\". Many of them were ideologically leftists, proudly and gushingly proclaiming their \"progressive\" politics, extolling the \"virtues\" of marxism and socialism, ...while residing in their luxurious homes in exclusive neighborhoods, preaching their admiration for the proletarian masses, ...while looking down their noses with undisguised contempt and disdain for the actual wage-earning working-man.\n\nIt was in this setting that Huxley found the inspiration for Brave New World. He amassed the idealisms and concepts expounded upon at these social events, and envisioned a future society based on all these \"progressive\" principals.\n\nThe \"hero\" of the tale, Bernard Marx, is a discontented citizen belonging to the highest strata of a world-wide government. Its a society devoid of families, nations, religions, ethnicities, cultures, ...or any of the old \"backward\" and \"dysfunctional\" ancient affiliations of humanity. Everyone belongs to everyone. All new citizens are grown in test-tubes, natural birth is a disgusting and horribly atavistic practice of the distant past. These mass-produced generations are proportionally divided into genetically altered castes. Those allotted to the highest caste will be grown to have maximum mental and physical development. The lesser castes are altered into progressively lower levels of development, the bottom caste being composed of short, stunted, menial-labor drones of very limited intellect.\n\nBut despite the flagrant disparities of development for division of labor, ...everyone gets the same guaranteed publically endorsed recreation: sex and drugs! Everyone is guaranteed as much copulation as they like, and a generous allotment of \"Soma\". There is lots and lots of sex, ...but devoid of love or intimacy. If you feel sad, angry, or stressed in any way, ...just drift off into a long drug-induced sleep...and be \"happy\" again.\n\nIts a society where everyone is provided for in terms of their need, no one lives in poverty, and everyone is \"equal\", ...at least within their allotted strata. It is a society defined by conformity, and it has been stagnating that way for centuries. Bernard Marx knows he should be \"satisfied\", ...but he isn't. He knows he has at least as much as any other Alpha, ...but something vital is missing. But what is it?\n\n20th Century British authors in particular seem to have had a particular penchant for predicting the dystopian potentials of the secular age.\nThis is by far one of the most significant classics of its kind. The Brave New World is probably the most pleasant and hedonistic dystopia ever conceived, but a horrible world none the less, mainly as a future world without a future, and without a past. A world boldly going nowhere.","Product: 1st Edition Perennial by Harper. Age-toned pages. Scuffs to covers. Tidy owners name written to inside of cover - otherwise clean interior with no stamps etc.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A vision of the Future, ...coming true in our time?\n\nReview: Published in 1932, ...a book too shocking for its time, ...and unbelievably ahead of its time in our time!\n\nAldous Huxley was a frequent guest at many events hosted by the self-styled \"elite\" of British society. He conversed with all manner of people who thoroughly believed themselves to be morally, culturally, and intellectually superior to the average citizen: politicians, academics, actors, artists, philosophers, authors, aristocracy, businessmen..\n\nMany of these people were famous, or at least well known in British society, or even world-wide. Almost all of them were people from affluent families, with influential connections, who hailed from the so-called \"upper classes\". Many of them were ideologically leftists, proudly and gushingly proclaiming their \"progressive\" politics, extolling the \"virtues\" of marxism and socialism, ...while residing in their luxurious homes in exclusive neighborhoods, preaching their admiration for the proletarian masses, ...while looking down their noses with undisguised contempt and disdain for the actual wage-earning working-man.\n\nIt was in this setting that Huxley found the inspiration for Brave New World. He amassed the idealisms and concepts expounded upon at these social events, and envisioned a future society based on all these \"progressive\" principals.\n\nThe \"hero\" of the tale, Bernard Marx, is a discontented citizen belonging to the highest strata of a world-wide government. Its a society devoid of families, nations, religions, ethnicities, cultures, ...or any of the old \"backward\" and \"dysfunctional\" ancient affiliations of humanity. Everyone belongs to everyone. All new citizens are grown in test-tubes, natural birth is a disgusting and horribly atavistic practice of the distant past. These mass-produced generations are proportionally divided into genetically altered castes. Those allotted to the highest caste will be grown to have maximum mental and physical development. The lesser castes are altered into progressively lower levels of development, the bottom caste being composed of short, stunted, menial-labor drones of very limited intellect.\n\nBut despite the flagrant disparities of development for division of labor, ...everyone gets the same guaranteed publically endorsed recreation: sex and drugs! Everyone is guaranteed as much copulation as they like, and a generous allotment of \"Soma\". There is lots and lots of sex, ...but devoid of love or intimacy. If you feel sad, angry, or stressed in any way, ...just drift off into a long drug-induced sleep...and be \"happy\" again.\n\nIts a society where everyone is provided for in terms of their need, no one lives in poverty, and everyone is \"equal\", ...at least within their allotted strata. It is a society defined by conformity, and it has been stagnating that way for centuries. Bernard Marx knows he should be \"satisfied\", ...but he isn't. He knows he has at least as much as any other Alpha, ...but something vital is missing. But what is it?\n\n20th Century British authors in particular seem to have had a particular penchant for predicting the dystopian potentials of the secular age.\nThis is by far one of the most significant classics of its kind. The Brave New World is probably the most pleasant and hedonistic dystopia ever conceived, but a horrible world none the less, mainly as a future world without a future, and without a past. A world boldly going nowhere.","Product: Loren Christensen began his law enforcement career in 1967 when he served in the army as a military policeman in the United States and in Vietnam. He joined the Portland, Oregon, Police Bureau in 1972 and retired in 1997. During those years, he specialized in street gangs, defensive tactics, dignitary protection, and patrolling the bizarre streets of skid row. He now writes full time and teaches martial arts.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Practical REAL-world training skills!\n\nReview: A book that I keep going back to for ideas, Fighting Power has plenty of advice to improve your performance in martial-arts.\n\nMr. Christiansen has attained 11 black-belts in his practice of Karate, Jujutsu, and Arnis. He has even MORE credibility than MOST instructors for the fact that he has REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE: 30 years as a police-officer, and as an Army M.P. deployed to Veitnam. Whether the topic is martial arts or police-science, Mr. Christiansen's books are always full of useful insights.\n\nFighting Power begins with an introduction to Ki power.\nThis is a REAL phenomenon, ...its NOT some sideshow sham of \"Eastern philosophy\". Some uninformed people dismiss it as such, but \"Ki\" is in fact a quasi-indefinable focusing of energy and bio-physics that ANYONE can \"learn\", so to speak. The author describes the various \"circus-acts\" that unscrupulous practitioners use to dazzle ignorant audiences, as well as identify the true signifigance of Ki.\n\nA good quantity of the training techniques in this book have been utilized for decades, or even centuries. Some people might call it \"old information\", ...but we STILL use those skills because THEY WORK. The author cautions against certain ancient practices which have been proven by modern sport-medicine to be harmful. You will not find THOSE skills in this book.\n\nAmongst the numerous topics covered are:\nWeight-training, plyometrics, isometrics, dynamic tension, push-ups, and so much more.\n\nCertainly a book on developing explosive power in martial arts mentions Bruce Lee, ...and he does so in Chapter 4: Weight-Resistance Exercises. Bruce Lee used weight-training quite conspicuously to develop his unbelievable level of martial athleticism. A list of some of his amazing feats of strength and power are listed on page 88!\n\nI used this book as a reference when I was an instructor in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. Results were quite noticeable for my students!","Product: Book by Knockwood, Isabelle\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A true cultural horror-story\n\nReview: Revelations about pedophile priests have been fairly frequent in the news for the last several years, ...and probably will continue to be for quite some time.\n\nThis book gives us an entirely new twist on this repulsive scandal.\n\nThe author gives us a thoroughly candid picture into the vile, soul-crushing hell of Indian Boarding Schools. There are plenty of film-documentaries on the fate of Native Americans, and what became of them in the late 19th to mid 20th centuries. Most of them give merely passing reference to the harsh environment within the Indian schools, while focusing on the larger picture of the cultural disintegration of the tribes. These \"schools\" were a series of institutions in the United States and Canada, whose general aim was to \"civilize\" the children of the various surviving Indigenous People, ...by erasing their Native American heritage.\n\nWe generally know that conditions were bad for the children in these schools, ...but this narrative is particularly shocking, as it comes from the personal experience and observations of the author. It is particularly striking in that the events and conditions described within, took place within living-memory. The author and children like her are middle-aged or elderly adults now. The events of this book took place in the 1950s. The setting is a Catholic boarding-school in eastern Canada.\n\nThe priests and nuns of this facility presided over an institution where the children were frequently physically, sexually, and verbally abused. Its all described here in horrible detail.\n-In the very least, the children were subjected to constant derision and humiliation by \"care-takers\" who hated their Native American wards.\n-The children received a level of education that could be described as mediocre at best, but was in fact quite abyssmal.\n-They were subjected to long hours of strenuous labor that was in fact illegal under the Child Labor Laws of Canada.\n-All in all, the conditions in the school are reminiscent of descriptions of a Soviet gulag or a P.O.W. prison.\n\nThe after-math is much worse. Considering the inevitable damage that such a traumatic childhood brings, the Catholic church owes these people a debt that can never be repayed.","Product: Wiley Clapp is one of the most respected names in handguns today. A former U.S. Marine and law enforcement officer, Clapp has written about guns in general and handguns in particular for almost 20 years and is a field editor for American Rifleman and handgun editor for Guns & Ammo.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A pistol guidebook for everyone\n\nReview: Many people have asked me, \"What type of handgun should I get for defense?\".\n\nThe answer: Get the pistol that works for you.\n\nI used to live in a rural area, but that was long ago. I've lived in various urban environments for over 20 years. In that time, I've seen the crime-threat drastically increase EVERYWHERE. Its not just an inner-city factor now. Even small towns and rural areas have seen a significant increase in the presence of the wrong kind of people, and all the unpleasant things that they do.\n\nThankfully, the good citizens have had a drastic increase in recognition of their right to personal defense. Concealed-carry permits were once reserved for a small group of selected \"elitists\". There was no real logic or fairness to this previous state of affairs, but that time is over.\n\nMr. Clapp is a veteran Marine Corps officer and policeman. I recommend this book to those seeking an informed opinion on selecting the right handgun. Everyone is going to recommend one gun or another, ...find something that you feel comfortable with, and hone your skills!\n\nSome things to consider:\n-Get a pistol that has enough stopping-power (thats the most important factor emphasized in this book).\n-Be aware that even a powerful handgun DOES NOT guarantee results.\n\nRead as many actual accounts of military and police gun-fights as you can. Read as many accounts as you can of citizens defending themselves and others from criminal assaults.\n\nThere are plenty of examples of incidents where the entire pistol was emptied into the bad-guy, ...and he was STILL ABLE TO ATTACK OR RUN, ...even though he was hit with .45 ACP, .357 Magnum, or .44 Magnum rounds. Most of the accounts I have read end with police chasing the criminal several blocks, until the found him dead or bleeding to death somewhere in a back alley. Some of the accounts described bad results for the good-guys, when the criminal (or enemy soldier) decided to go down fighting, even though gravely wounded.\n\nTheres an endless number of factors to consider, and we never really know whats going to happen, but fate favors the prepared individual!"],"string":"[\n \"Product: Play as Lt. Jimmy Patterson and go behind enemy lines in Medal of Honor: Frontline. Fight off Nazis at the D-Day landing at Omaha Beach, on trains or at the battle of Nijmegen Bridge. Game consists of 5 missions each with at least 3 levels. The game is as authentic as possible using historically inspired places and battles. To top it off, you must infiltrate Nazi Germany and steal a top secret Nazi weapon to ensure an allied victory in the war.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: World War II Combat!!!\\n\\nReview: By far, this is one of the best war-games I have played yet! I was quickly fascinated with the first two Medal of Honor games, which were also outstanding. This surpasses both in overall quality, with stellar graphics and savage game-play! In this game, the hero, OSS agent Lt. Patterson, infiltrates a number of Wehrmacht and S.S. facilities to sabotage enemy equipment and weaponry. Eventually he is sent to assasinate an S.S. general and steal the Horton jet-fighter prototype. The action takes place in France, Netherlands, and Germany. Those who developed the concept have done their research! If you think that a one-man mission into enemy territory is theatrical exageration...think again:\\n-The game features a mission which requires you to cross the Niijmegan bridge to Ahrnem. An 82nd Airborne soldier, Ted Bachenheimer really did infiltrate the enemy-occupied Niijmegan Bridge, and cross it, all by himself! He was a bilingual German-American! On the other side, he met a group of Dutch resistance fighters and led them. Bachenheimer was a veteran of many such solo missions, in Italy.\\n-Anders Lassen, a Danish volunteer in the British Naval Commandos, was notorious for his ability to infiltrate enemy command centers and eliminate the personnel single-handedly! They called him \\\"the Terrible Viking\\\".\\n-There are many other such historical characters of similar prowess.\\nThe only criticism of the game, and it is minor, is that the sound-track is a bit cheesy and mellow-dramatic at times (specifically: a really irritating boys' choir), but you can turn off the music. The game graphics are superb!\",\n \"Product: VHS TAPE. 138 minutes, color, narrated by Richard Burton. Michael Caine, Stanley Baker, and Jack Hawkins. \\\"Truly spectacular and exciting.\\\"\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The thin red line prevails!\\n\\nReview: A gripping portrayal of the events at Rorkes Drift, January 1879.\\n\\nA small force of 1350 British soldiers was overwhelmed by 22,000 zulus at Islandwana.\\n\\nThe next day, an even smaller force of British troops repeatedly repelled an onslaught of 4000 zulus assaulting a missionary station converted into a field hospital. Here is their story gloriously portrayed on film! One of the greatest war-movies ever!\\n\\nAgainst all odds, Lieutenant John Chard and Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead organized 139 British soldiers in a desperate improvised defense in the face of wave after wave of zulu tribesmen. Armed with nothing more than the standard single-shot breach-loaded Martini-Henry rifles and bayonets, this small garrison held out despite being hopelessly out-numbered and completely surrounded.\\n\\nNearly over-run on numerous occassions, under heavy fire from enemies shooting at them from the hills above, fighting at close-quarters and hand-to-hand in every engagement, ...this stubborn band of Redcoats made every shot count, and doled out plenty of punishment with cold-steel, rifle-butt, boots and bare-fists.\\n\\nWith such limited arms and numbers, defending such a dubious make-shift position against vast quantities of enemy fighters, it would seem inevitable that these brave British soldiers would eventually be overwhelmed like Chelford's troops at Islandwana...\\n\\nThis is a primary lesson in the matter of quality over quantity.\\nAdvantages are one thing, ...but war is ultimately won in the will of the combatants...\\nThroughout the 19th. century British fighting-men found frequently found themsleves enormously out-numbered on the battlefield, ...but NOT out-classed!\\n\\nIn the aftermath of this battle, ...eleven Victoria Crosses and several other awards were earned at Rorkes Drift.\\n\\nThis spectacular resistance was the result of two worthy battlefield-leaders collaborating to lead a number of disciplined, well-trained professional fighting-men who were determined to make a good showing of themselves, despite what seemed to be an inevitable violent death. What is unfortunate to mention, is that the two junior officers who so ably guided the defense of Rorke's Drift were very badly treated by their commanding officers after the event. Obviously, these were the typical garrison-types whose careers and advanced rank were entirely due to family connections and social status. Their names are not worthy to be mentioned here, and deserve to be forgotten.\\n\\nNo one who studies military history will ever forget the names of Chard and Bromhead!\",\n \"Product: vhs\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: 1863: Real Americans held the line!\\n\\nReview: The Battle of Gettysburg was the largest battle ever fought on the continent of North America. At this time, in early July of 1863, the fate of our nation was once again in question.\\n\\nThis was the last and best hope of the Confederate States to ultimatley defeat the Union. They almost succeeded. The potential outcome: America cut in half, establishing a new and dangerous rival nation out of the southern half. As to whether or not the Confederacy could have continued to exist as an economically and socially viable entity is debatable. However, one factor of the Confederacy was certain during the Civil War, especially up to the events of 1863: they definitely had no shortage of excellent battlefield officers and quality fighting-men. In fact, many on both sides of the conflict beleived a Confederate victory was absolutely inevitable at Gettysburg.\\n\\nBased on Michaels Shaara's novel, The Killer Angels, this movie is by far the best and most thorough portrayal of the battle, the armies, and the significant personalities on both sides.\\n\\nThis is particularly apparent in the scenes of Colonel Joshua Chamberlain commanding the troops of th 20th. Maine at Little Round Top. This was the utter-most left-flank of the Union defenses. Despite suffering high casualties and an ever-dwindling supply of ammunition, Colonel Chamberlain and his men held the line against repeated assaults, with very little time to reinforce the line between attacks. Finally, with ammunition thoroughly depleted, Chamberlain countered the Confederate charge with his last option: a counter-attack with bayonets! This final stubborn act of will proved to be the finishing move in decimating all Confederate efforts against Chamberlain's section of the line!\\n\\nWhat if we did not have a man such as Colonel Chamberlain in command, or troops as determined and disciplined as the men from Maine, at that crucial point in the defenses along the ridge? In American history, this was one of many incidents in which our national destiny was saved by the right sort of men holding out against potentially overwhelming opposition. The Battle of Gettysburg is one of those incidents that not only affected the outcome of the war, but the ultimate fate of America.\",\n \"Product: VHS movie - Red Scorpion\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A soviet defector in Africa\\n\\nReview: Dolph Lundgren SHOULD have been a much bigger action-star than he has been, and still is. Unfortunately, there already was a muscleman with a Germanic accent very well established in the spotlight (You know who!).\\n\\n Of all the action-movie stars in the glorious 1980s, Dolph had the MOST credentials toward actually being the super-commando that action-stars commonly portray.\\n\\nWhen it was Dolph Lundgren's time to perform mandatory conscription in Sweden's armed forces, he joined the navy to be a Kustjagarna operator. The Kustjagarna (Coastal Rangers) are Sweden's best special-operations unit, their mission is to scout the coast-line in search of Soviet naval reconaissance and spetsnaz infiltrators. Similar to U.S. Navy S.E.A.L.s, Marines, and army Rangers in their tasks, they also perform anti-terrorist missions.\\n\\nDolph Lundgren was also a champion competitor in karate tournaments before and after his military service. He has a degree in Electrical engineering, but ultimately chose to be an actor.\\n\\nOne of the best Dolph Lundgren movies, Red Scorpion is the story of Nicolai, a Soviet Spetnaz agent deployed to a fictional African nation (strongly resembling Angola). Here the loyal soviet commando is tasked with a secret mission to inflitrate the Anti-communist patriot rebels, ...and assassinate their leader.\\n\\nUnder the pretense of serving as a Soviet advisor to Cuban and African allies, Nicolai has a change of heart. Observing the typical bloody atrocities that communist forces intentionally inflict on civilians, ...Nicolai joins the good-guys! This film is jam-packed with plenty of machinegun-shootin', grenade-hurling, close-quarter hand-to-hand combat, communist-wasting action!\",\n \"Product: Filled with action-packed adventures and intrigue... join Hadji in Calcutta Adventure and Pirates From Below.\\n\\nAnimated, Approximate Running Time 60 Minutes, Color, Not Rated (Suitable for all audiences). Includes Bonus Toons Classic Space Ghost and Johnny Bravo.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A nostalgic animation treasure!\\n\\nReview: Here it is! ...With all the lasers, jets, explosions, machineguns, and Judo intact!\\nA glorious relic of made-for-television animation, ...who in our present \\\"politically-correct\\\" era, would believe that this was once a very popular kid's program?\\n\\nEach episode is like a comic-book come to life! Johnny treks around the globe with his father, a top U.S. scientist. Accompanied by his Indian friend, Hadji, his dog, Bandit, and the family body-guard, Race Bannon, Johnny finds himself entangled in all manner of bizarre adventures.\\n\\nEvil foriegn scientists, rival Cold War powers, and the criminal under-world, all meet more than their match from the Quest team! Filled with intrigue, suspense, TOP SECRET weapons, and plenty of action, this was my favorite cartoon in my youth, and remains so to this day!\",\n \"Product: A Viking warrior avenges his father's death against the forces of darkness in an epic action-adventure.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Not enough Viking movies!\\n\\nReview: I do not know why there are not more movies based on great historical events or eras. I speak of films on par with Braveheart, or Rob Roy, for example. There are very few movies based on the Viking age, or having anything to do with Scandinavia for that matter. Unfortunately, most Viking movies seem to be grade \\\"B\\\" affairs, and this is a huge injustice to the complex nature of the Sagas. In the \\\"plot summary\\\" for this site, a stupid reviewer describes it as \\\"a time when conflicts weren't solved with intellect, but with swords\\\". That reviewer obviously has never read a Nordic Saga, and has no understanding of Scandinavian culture. In fact, negotiation and diplomacy were often as highly esteemed as prowess in battle. The differance is, Men of that age were not afraid to stand up to their enemies in combat. In our time, a loud mouth is the only acceptable \\\"weapon\\\".\\n\\nIf literate people were running the production studios in Hollywood, perhaps we would see a lot more films based on the sagas of Scandinavia. The potential for great historical drama is enormous!\\n\\nThis film is loosely based on the Laxardal Saga from Iceland. I found it to be quite enjoyable, and the Icelandic scenery is a major feature. It could have been more than what it is, however, being somewhat of an action-movie, to a degree. It portays the Laxardal Saga characters Kjartan and Gudrun, but does not really portray the story as it is written in the saga.\",\n \"Product: EXCELLENT MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The dawn of the American age!\\n\\nReview: Here,John Milius has put together a truly glorious film with a monumental soundtrack! This movie is a refreshing bit of optimism and national pride, in a time when it is \\\"fashionable\\\" by self-proclaimed \\\"enlightened\\\" critics to disparage America's national heritage. This negative and dysfunctional trend has gotten quite tiresome, and its about time someone made a purely patriotic film such as this!\\n\\nThere will probably never be another statesman like Theodore Roosevelt, truly one of the greatest American presidents ever. Theres a reason his face is on Mount Rushmore.\\n\\nThe opening scene of this movie features his 9-March-1898 speech to officer-cadets. This speech is EVEN MORE pertinent to our times, RIGHT NOW, than it was over a hundred years ago!\\n\\nBeing a man of action, Roosevelt resigned his position as Assistant Secretary of the Navy to form his own Army unit when America went to war with Spain. Having lived out West for several years as a rancher in North Dakota, Roosevelt realized that cowboys would make an outstanding volunteer cavalry unit. The average cowboy was skilled at riding, marksmanship, and survival, making them ideal ready-made soldiers. Adventurous men from all corners of the United States joined Roosevelt's cavalry: not only cowboys, but college students, Native-Americans, professional athletes, and veterans of previous military service. Regardless of their status as a cavalry unit, they actually fought as infantry in most of their battles in Cuba. The brotherhood and cameraderie of this unit of \\\"Rough-riders\\\" was real and legendary, and they fought quite well as foot-soldiers, especially in the capture of heavily fortified Spanish installations on Kettle Hill and San Juan Hill.\\n\\nThe war with Spain was the beginning of America's rise as a world power, and Roosevelt was there from the start! Being a man of destiny, ...he TURNED THE PAGE OF HISTORY! His part in that was originally small, but history would eventually witness him playing the greatest role in America's rise to prominence. Never forget that even the most obscure and common man who DARES to take that leap into the unknown, ...sometimes finds himself standing triumphantly upon the heights. At this point he is no longer a common man. Indeed, he may fall hard at times, while taking that leap, ...but he picks himself up, and strives again and again if need be. THIS is what it means to be American!\\n\\nAmericans must NEVER FORGET that they are supposed to be Cowboys, ...or Minutemen, mountainmen, or pioneers. We ARE the cavalry that comes to the rescue. Nobody else is going to do it. Its going to be a much darker world if nobody does.\\n\\nThis film portrays a time when Americans realized exactly who they were, and what they were capable of. We are a light in the darkness.\\n\\nIn our time, we have a signifigant number of home-grown internal dissenters who exploit and benefit from everything America has to offer, ...yet they take every opportunity to rub filth on OUR nation's honor. These people contribute NOTHING, ...and they have EVERY INTENTION of bringing this nation DOWN from within.\\n\\nWhen I am outraged at the latest disgrace that these least of all people inflict on our country, ...I watch this movie, and realize its time to \\\"cowboy up\\\". What would the Rough-riders do? ...Its time to take San Juan Hill!\",\n \"Product: Antonio Banderas (THE MASK OF ZORRO) brings huge star power to an immensely thrilling action-adventure from the hit-making director of DIE HARD and THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR! An exiled ambassador far from his homeland, Ahmed (Banderas) comes across a fierce band of warriors who are being attacked by ferocious creatures legendary for devouring all living things in their path! And when an old fortune-teller warns the combatants that they are doomed to failure without a 13th warrior, Ahmed is given no choice but to join their battle and help conquer the mysterious enemy! Suspenseful and endlessly exciting, this exhilarating hit is sure to thrill anyone who enjoys action on an epic scale!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Michael Crichton's version of Beowulf\\n\\nReview: This film is based on Crichton's book, \\\"Eaters of the Dead\\\", an interpretation of the Beowulf Saga.\\nThe story is from the viewpoint of Ibn Fadlan, (based on an actual historical person who represented Arab trade contracts with the Vikings in Russia). In this story, Fadlan is a disgraced court-poet from the Caliphate of Baghdad, sentenced to be a trade-ambassador to the Norsemen, as mentioned. He winds up being \\\"recruited\\\" without his consent into a special mission of Vikings to rescue a small Nordic kingdom far to the north. This kingdom is being overrun by a savage and primitive tribe of canibalistic barbarians. Although he is not a warrior, and has serious doubts about his survival, Fadlan bravely faces danger with the Vikings, and learns to fight. Being an educated man, he utilizes his knowledge and intuition as a great asset to the group, earning the respect of the Norsemen.\\nThis is an action movie, not a serious historical film, of course. I was impressed when I saw it in the theater. There are some minor \\\"Hollywoodisms\\\" as usual, that were a bit irritating to a sense for historical accuracy: One of the Vikings uses a Roman gladiator helmet...where the hell would he get that in the early Middle-ages? Many of the polearms used by the warriors are of a type belonging to a much later era of Middle-ages. Vikings used basic thrusting or throwing spears, and a little-known long-arm nick-named \\\"mail-scraper\\\".\\nHowever, in the name of historical accuracy, the Vikings in this movie are wearing Byzantine armor, and this is believable, as many Norsemen in Russia were often veterans of service in the elite Varangian Guard of the Byzantine empire.\\nAll in all, its one of the best Viking movies I've seen!\",\n \"Product: Natural sounds...natural beauty...naturally relaxing! Escape into a world of breathtaking beauty as the natural sights and sounds of crashing Pacific surf transports you on a blissful journey of peaceful relaxation. Shot entirely on location along the rugged California, Oregon and Washington coastlines, \\\"Pacific Surf\\\" captures the spectacular natural beauty of giant, crashing waves as they pound the towering cliffs and shoreline of this majestic region! \\\"Pacific Surf\\\" blends a symphony of the naturally soothing sounds of crashing surf with a gentle musical background to create the ultimate stress-reducing natural environment--in the home or office!\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: World War 2: The Marine Corps Contribution\\n\\nReview: How long has it been since there was a World War II movie covering the Pacific Campaign?\\nWhy is this supremely signifigant front of the war continually ignored in favor of a prolific quantity of films portraying the war as it was in European and North African settings?\\n\\nThis is a fairly adequate depiction of the Pacific Campaign as seen from the view-point of three Marines who experienced it: Eugene Sledge, Robert Leckie, and \\\"Manilla John\\\" Basilone. Leckie and Sledge both wrote extensively on their experiences, and their books are classics of combat history, still popular with Marines today.\\n\\nThis is an \\\"adequate\\\" rendering of the historical record, ...but with some grave reservations:\\n\\n-Too much emphasis is placed on almost every aspect of the particular individual's experiences, EXCEPT the battles.\\n-The battle scenes that ARE included are rather \\\"subdued\\\", not unlike war-movies of the 1960s and earlier.\\n-In the Pacific Campaign, the Japanese Imperial Army and Navy were the opposing combatants: Japanese troops are BARELY and RARELY depicted in this mini-series!\\n\\nNow, for anyone who knows a veteran of this war, especially a Marine Corps veteran, or anyone who has thoroughly read the history, ...this mini-series is going to be a disappointment to say the least. The Japanese were an adversary who went to great lengths to engage their opponents as close as possible. This is also true of the Marines. Much of the fighting was close-combat within the defensive fortifications of one side or the other, savage mayhem with blades, butt-stocks, entrenching-tools, and bare-hands. Quite simply, the combat was often too grusome and barbaric for Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks to stomach, ...so we get this quasi soap-opera rather than a war movie.\\n\\nTom Hanks made some unforgiveable remarks on the \\\"racial\\\" aspect of the war against Japan:\\nApparently, the ONLY reason America warred against Japan, ...is because \\\"they are a different race, and have a different culture\\\", or some nonsense. To say that tommy missed the point (ENORMOUSLY) is beyond words.\\n\\nWell, tommy, there WAS an ugly racial aspect to this war, ...and America DID NOT START IT!\\n\\nAs the grandson of a World War II Marine, and a Marine myself, I acknowledge that the Japanese fighting-man did fight bravely and fanatically. Of that, there is no doubt. However, the Empire of Japan DID NOT fight an honorable campaign (except in their own eyes). The TRUE record of brutality, slaughter, slavery, and genocide is STILL an open festering wound to every nation on the Pacific Rim that was over-run, conquered, and occupied by the Empire of Japan. Any American hostilities that went \\\"too far\\\" are quite miniscule when compared to Japan's treatment of civilians and captured Allied military-personnel. I myself have always admired the Japanese, and I have known several Japanese people as friends. But even my friends from Japan acknowledge that their nation fought an unjust campaign!\\n\\nA REBUTTAL OF IDIOTS AND CENSORSHIP:\\n...Some cowardly little PUNK keeps deleting my commentary in regard to the retarded, ill-informed comments made by yet another punk.\\n\\nI'm going to keep on typing up my reply, no matter how many times un-Constitutional feces try to prevent me from excercizing my 1st. Amendment RIGHT to Freedom of Expression, ...especially when I am citing HISTORICAL FACT:\\n\\n-The Allies bombed civilian areas in Japan, ...but Japan began the war by conducted unrestricted bombardment, with no distinction between military and civilians. In fact, they INTENTIONALLY killed mass numbers of civilians in every nation they invaded, especially China.\\n\\n_Japan ALSO had a nuclear weapons program, and had EVERY INTENTION of using them just as soon as they could create them.\\n\\nAmerica beat both Japan and Germany in the race for an atomic bomb. The Japanese atomic bomb project was headed by physicists Yoshio Nishina and Busaku Arakatsu. A test or their prototype was scheduled for 12-Aug-1945, in th evicinity of Hamhung, Korea.\\n\\nAmerica had NO choice but to use their atomic bombs, ...the other option was an invasion of the Japan itself, in which the government was preparing the civilian population for suicidal resistance that would have resulted in astronomical casualties for both sides, but especially the Japanese civilian populace.\\n\\n-With the exception of the bombing campaigns, which were RETALIATION for Japan's INTENTIONAL and gratuitous targeting of civilians from day one, Allied forces on the ground went to great effort to avoid civilian casulaties. This is particularly clear during the battle for Saipan.\\n\\nThe Japanese army however, repeatedly inflicted all manner of excessive slaughter on civilians. The siege and capture of Nanking comes to mind, where tens of thousands of Chinese people were machine-gunned en masse, bayoneted, or fired upon with heavy weapons. Enormous numbers of women were raped. This behavior occurred in every city over-run by Japanese forces, it was not unique to the battle of Nanking.\\n\\n-The American citizens of Japanese ancestry who were interred in camps during World War 2 were well-fed, properly housed, and recieved medical care. Those citizens or their surviving descendants recieved monetary compensation and an apology from the United States government, eventually.\\n\\nPrisoners of the Japanese did not fare nearly so well: Allied P.O.W.s were subjected to death-marches, mass execution or summary execution, torture, and slave-labor. Those are considered war-crimes, by the way. Allied prisoners, when liberated, were found starving to death, diseased, and generally emaciated. Many of those prisoners died shortly after liberation. Civilian populations under Japanese rule were exploited and abused in this manner on a much larger scale.\\n\\n-The Japanes government established a system of brothels for their military personnel. These facilities were staffed by women from the occupied nations under Japanese rule. Thousands of women and girls were forcibly taken from their homelands and used as sex-slaves. Korean women appear to have been exploited in this system more than all other nationalities.\\n\\n-Then we have Unit 731, headed by Colonel Shiro Ishi. This organization operated a facility in Manchuria that conducted experiments in biological and chemical warfare. Thousands of civilians and Allied P.O.W.s were exposed to biological and chemical agents. The test subjects were examined by scientists and doctors, ...who subjected the victims to VIVISECTION in order to examined the effects. This is the dissection of LIVING, CONCSIOUS test-subjects, ...NO ANESTHETIC applied. This was done to men, women, and children.\\n\\nThis is HISTORICAL FACT. Some of the victims of these atrocities are still alive, all over East Asia. The government of Japan has NEVER acknowledged these deeds, to this very day. America, on the other hand, ...isn't allowed to forget when it had a fine for an overdue library book.\\n\\nThe younger generations of Japanese citizens are very different people than their grandfathers who served in the Imperial Armed Forces of Japan. But they are not informed of any of these things. All they are taught about World War 2, ...is that they were bombed by America.\\n\\nThats all leftists in America know about World War 2 as well, ...yet they put on such an ostentatious and sanctimonious airs of being so much more \\\"informed\\\". Put down the bong and pick up a book.\",\n \"Product: The Winter War [VHS]\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Brave Finns on the frontlines!\\n\\nReview: One of the greatest, and most accurate war films made, yet little known by most English-speaking viewers. An army reserve unit is mobilized to man the fortified Mannerhiem Line, in the early days of World War II. The characters express all the usual concerns about the coming ordeal...and then it happens. The Soviet Union launches a massive armored onslaught against Finland. Despite Finland's lack of manpower, equipment, and supplies, they devasted wave after wave of Russian assaults. Finland had better-trained soldiers, repelling hundreds of thousands of expendable communist conscripts. In the years before, wisely foreseeing the inevitable conflict with the communist power to the east, Finland had a series of fortifications built in advance, and the Finns utilized these to maximum effect! This film portrays the frontline combat very well, but the entire war had various fascinating perspectives that should also be portrayed on film some day. To get a greater idea of the conflict, read the book, \\\"A Frozen Hell\\\" (which I have also reviewed).\",\n \"Product: September 1944, in a land torn apart by war, a Finnish sniper is labeled a coward by his compatriots; as punishment, he is nailed to a rock and left to his own devices. Not long after, a disgraced Russian Captain, en route to his court martial, is injured in an accident. Both men are about to find out they have one thing in common. Wounded and emotionally tortured, they are taken in by Anni, ayoung, resourceful war widow, who offers shelter to one while nursing the other back to health. None of them understands the others' languages, but it doesn't seem to matter. Isolated, the three unlikely roommates - a Finn, a Russian and a Lapp - overcome both comic and tragic misunderstandings to form a passionate three-way...relationship. Because after a day of hard work on Anni's farm, who needs words?\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Three strangers in a strange land\\n\\nReview: Its 1945, and the Second World War is grinding to its inevitable bitter end.\\n\\nIn the silent arboreal splendor of a Lappland wilderness, three strangers are thrown together by chance. One is a Finnish soldier, a disgraced sharp-shooter, chained to a rock by his countrymen, left to the mercy of the enemy. The second is a Russian soldier, charged with some frivolous \\\"offense\\\" by the battalion commisar. The third character is a young Sami woman. Living alone in the forest for quite some time, she has no idea where her husband is, after he left to serve in the Finnish army. Fate and war throws them all together.\\n\\nThe Finn and the Russian are intellectuals. The Finn was a university student before the war, the Russian is a well-known poet. The Sami woman is a true child of the earth, and is merely greatful to finally have some company in her remote corner of the wilderness.\\n\\nNone of them can speak the others' language!\\nYet, they \\\"understand\\\" each other in ways that they don't fully comprehend. In this surreal setting and circumstance, they attempt to \\\"speak\\\" to each other anyway. Knowing full-well that neither of them are really \\\"listening\\\", are they REALLY talking to each other, ...or to themselves?\\n\\nA testament to the universal human need for fellowship of some sort, amidst enormous chaotic events, this film is yet another example of the many unique, high-quality films still coming from Europe.\\n\\nFor those purely interested in the World War II aspect of the story, its an illustration of how vast the war was in its many fronts, major and minor, and its influence on people in even the most obscure regions of the world. In this case, the background is the \\\"Lappland War\\\", in which Finland was forced to break its alliance with Germany, as the Soviet Union prevailed in driving German forces westward. In fact, theres a very brief scene, in which the characters observe a small party of German troops evacuating wounded personnel, accompanied by a nurse, ...presumably the aftermath of some distant battle. So many strangers in the primeval forest!\",\n \"Product: Atlas Shrug P1(Br(St)\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A parable of our times\\n\\nReview: It really is a stingingly accurate portrayal of everything that is WRONG in America.\\n\\nSet in the near future, two aggressive and innovative business-people, Taggert and Reardon join forces to revive a struggling railroad while the nation teeters dangerously into an abyss of economic ruin. Despite such obstacles as an increasingly hostile anti-capitalist government and disruptive union politics, Taggert and Reardon refurbish the railroad's assets, and improve technology: a new steel alloy that promises enormous potential, ...and a mysterious prototype engine found in the ruins of an abandoned factory.\\n\\nThe story is set in 2016, ...but it could just as easily be set in 2012.\\nAn inept, power-hungry leftist regime is \\\"running\\\" and RUINING America, recklessly driving the nation into a hopeless depression. Success is punished relentlessly, mediocrity rewarded, and the unemployment lines grow. Amdist the growing tension, all the most intellectually-prominent and productive citizens are disappearing, bidding farewell with the code-words \\\"Who is John Galt?\\\".\\n\\nThis movie could be spruced up a bit, ...but its the overall message that is important. Based on the book by Ayn Rand, its a story long-overdue for portrayal in film.\",\n \"Product: When an atheist Philosophy professor (Kevin Sorbo) plans to forego \\\"dusty arguments\\\" in his class, he insists the new students declare that \\\"God is dead.\\\" Unable to do this, Josh (Shane Harper) is challenged to defend his faith and prove to the class that God's Not Dead. Against all odds, Josh stands up for his faith and takes on the challenge.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Stand up for your right to believe!\\n\\nReview: The LEAST free place in America, and ALL of the Western world, is the college campus. In the United States, your INALIENABLE RIGHTS to FREE SPEECH and religious expression are no longer recognized at these institutions.\\n\\nThis blatant bias is EXCLUSIVELY leveled at Christianity, and any political ideology that dares to contradict or even question the overtly leftist programming that it is now mandatory on almost all campuses. This discrimination does NOT apply to any other religion EXCEPT Christianity. No university will ever impede the activities or public demonstrations of muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, pagans, or even satanists. Only Christianity is effectively banned from the public forum. Judaism is slightly held in such contempt, but not nearly as much.\\n\\nIn this uplifting movie, a new student finds himself unexpectedly in an unprovoked confrontation with the professor of the philosophy class, merely for daring to state his belief in God. Typical of so many similar conflicts, the leftist professor takes the student's right to free expression as a personal affront, and embarks on a campaign of harassment and humiliation with the intent to \\\"destroy\\\" the dissenting student. Our hero could easily do what so many of us have done, sit back, listen to the apparatchik professor's propaganda, write papers agreeing with the class commissar, and get an easy \\\"A\\\".\\n\\n...And sometimes we feel compelled to comply with a higher principle, ...and a HIGHER POWER.\\n\\nThis movie features several subplots, all the characters are largely strangers to one another, but cross paths in some minor of major way. Each has their own particular struggle with their beliefs, just as we all must eventually face the truth of our own existences. In the end, only you can make the choice, right or wrong...\\n\\nI vividly remember being one of those apparatchiks. I thought I was so \\\"progressive\\\" and \\\"sophisticated\\\" because I believed in \\\"secularism\\\", not religion. I really wanted to BELIEVE a lot of the idealistic and emotion-based propaganda I was fed in public-school and college. I told Jesus jokes, ...just to offend people who believed in Him.\\nThen, knowing I HAVE to be objective in order to be legitimate, I had to at least read what He had to say...\\n...And I realized that I have ALWAYS believed in what He was teaching. I realized I was ignorant, and I that I was not nearly as \\\"enlightened\\\" as I would like to believe I was. There are some things that simply can't be explained with astounding mathematically proven logic, ...but yet its THERE!\",\n \"Product: Clint Eastwood directs this biographical action thriller starring Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller. Chris Kyle (Cooper) is renowned as the most talented and lethal sniper in U.S. military history with a record 160 kills to his name. When Kyle is sent to Iraq on a mission to protect his fellow Navy SEALs he finds that his flawless record and reputation precede him as he earns himself the nickname 'Legend' from his allies. After serving on four tours of duty, Kyle prepares to return home to his wife (Miller) and family but as he tries to adapt to suburban life he finds himself pining for war. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor (Cooper) and won for Best Sound Editing.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Patriot and a Rifleman\\n\\nReview: Here we have the tale of an average American who answered the call...\\n\\nAlthough the movie takes some liberties with the narrative that Kyle provided in his recent book, you still get the idea.\\n\\nThe \\\"controversy\\\" around this man is false, unfounded, and ridiculous. Chris Kyle, like everyone else, began his military career in the usual obscure manner, ...but quickly made his presence known in a venue that he excelled in. As a new recruit to the Navy, he chose to volunteer for the most challenging and hazardous duty as a Navy S.E.A.L.\\n\\nHe was a great American who willingly stood in harm's way for his fellow fighting-men. He was exceptional in his battle-skills, and he put forth maximum effort every time he picked up a weapon. He was one of the best friends the Marine Corps ever had. As a precision tactical marksmen he achieved a score that will be hard to surpass for quite some time.\\n\\nEvery one of his kills accounts for one less terrorist-animal. The world is a better place when natural hunters like Kyle put their skills to good use against the seemingly endless mob of criminal dregs that run rampant in certain places such as Iraq.\\n\\nI arrived there in Mosul in April of 2006. In the first week, the enemy scum blew up an internet cafe in Tal Afar, just down the road. Several helicopters flew into F.O.B. Daimondback loaded with mangled children. I don't think any of the victims were older than 15 years of age.\\n\\nThats what kind of enemy America fought in Iraq: craven subhuman cowards that detonate bombs and run away to hide. Their targets were almost exclusively people who have no means to fight back.\",\n \"Product: CD\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I finally found it!\\n\\nReview: I heard a segment of this collection on Public Radio in 2003. Everywhere that I looked, claimed this album was no longer in print. I found it right here on Amazon.com, in 2006! For those inclined to enjoy ancient music, I must say this about the album: GLORIOUSLY MEDIEVAL AND RAPTUROUSLY RENAISSANCE! In fact, if there is one track alone which justifies your purchase, it it Spaniol Kochesberger, by Hans Kotter. In fact, I would say that the majority of the music on this CD are great selections. I have been disappointed by other Medieval and Renaissance compliations, in which there are one or two interesting selections, and the rest of the CD is tiresome choral chanting. That is not the case here!\",\n \"Product: The hauntingly prophetic classic novel set in a not-too-distant future where books are burned by a special task force of firemen. Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to burn books, which are forbidden, being the source of all discord and unhappiness. Even so, Montag is unhappy; there is discord in his marriage. Are books hidden in his house? The Mechanical Hound of the Fire Department, armed with a lethal hypodermic, escorted by helicopters, is ready to track down those dissidents who defy society to preserve and read books. The classic novel of a post-literate future, 'Fahrenheit 451' stands alongside Orwell's '1984' and Huxley's 'Brave New World' as a prophetic account of Western civilization's enslavement by the media, drugs and conformity. Bradbury's powerful and poetic prose combines with uncanny insight into the potential of technology to create a novel which over fifty years from first publication, still has the power to dazzle and shock.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A narrative of OUR time...\\n\\nReview: In the middle of the last century, a number of authors wrote novels describing the de-evolution of out Western culture:\\n\\n-Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley\\n-A Clockwork Orange\\n &\\n-The Wanting Seed, by Anthony Burgess\\n-1984, by George Orwell\\n\\n...And Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury!\\n\\nSet in a \\\"near-future\\\" which has somewhat already materialzed in our own time, the Fire Department has long ceased to be an emergency service. They have become a secret-police force, whose primary purpose is to incinerate \\\"illegal printed material\\\". Why? Long before Thomas Paine distributed \\\"Common Sense\\\" and \\\"The Rights of Man\\\", or Martin Luther nailed his Theses to the cathedral door, the printed word has proved most unsettling to all thug-ocracies.\\nMontag, a disillusioned fireman, who just can't stop thinking for himself, soon finds himself under suspicion for his own secret literary curiosity.\\n\\nThe future described by Bradbury, is a time and place defined by LOUD, ALL PERVASIVE, BOMBASTIC commercialization, and a truly vapid, soulless, and superficial popular culture. Does that sound familiar?\\nPrinted material has been banned, (and burned) because it \\\"disturbs\\\" peoples minds.\\nMontag, a sensistive and introspective sort, finds himself profoundly alienated in this society, failing to find authenticity even from his own wife. He can not help but question the role he plays as a fireman, and finds that he must find out for himself as to why the books he burns are so \\\"dangerous\\\".\\n\\nLook at the contemporary \\\"popular culture\\\".\\nObserve all the conforming artificial fools about you.\\nSee the overt lack of free-thinking on any given college-campus, (institutions that once exemplified the concept).\\n\\nThe loud, obnoxious, all-pervasive and overly-commercialized popular \\\"culture\\\" is ALREADY HERE. With so many empty-heads so easily distracted, the next step can very well be the willful incineration of all that \\\"disturbing\\\" literature out there.\\n\\nBe assured it didn't just \\\"happen this way\\\".\\nSomeone wants you to conform. Someone wants you to STOP THINKING.\\nThere may not be a \\\"fire-brigade\\\" acting as the tool of an oppressive police-state, or even public book-burning events. Maybe books will become \\\"passe\\\", because we have \\\"computers\\\", and \\\"electronic media\\\".\\n\\nHowever the printed word becomes \\\"obsolete\\\" (and there are people working very hard to bring this about), be assured that your very civilization is circling the drain. Be assured that someone want you to stop thinking.\\n\\n\\\"Books are humanity in print\\\"\\n\\n\\\"Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill.\\\"\\n-Barbara Tuchman\",\n \"Product: Text: English, Japanese (translation)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: 30 years in the jungle\\n\\nReview: The controversial Mr. Onoda tells his tale of wilderness survival in this enthralling autobiography.\\n\\nThere are two ways to view his self-inflicted ordeal.\\n\\nOn one hand, Onoda demonstated the highest valor in his adherance to orders. He had been deployed into the jungles of the Phillipines, instructed to live off the land, and conduct guerilla warfare against Allied personnel. He persevered for thirty years, suviving on very little, carefully maintaining his deteriorating weapons, uniform, and equipment. In short, he demonstated an ingenious level of self-reliance in a hostile environment, ...for three decades! This is a testament to the potentials of human endurance.\\n\\nOn the other hand...\\nOnoda and his small group of soldiers did in fact commit some serious crimes against the Phillipino citizens around them. This can not be forgotten.\\nHow could an intelligent man such as Onoda not rationalize the facts of his observations, and realize that his war was long over? Certainly he must have noted that it had been years since he had encountered any Allied troops. In fact, for years after the war, many Japanese citizens traveled to the various remote islands of the Pacific, where they implored their veterans to come home. Onoda and his men heard such loud-speaker broadcasts, but chose to disregard them. It was 1974 when a college student, on a lark, decided to locate the notorious man by himself. Onoda did not lay down his sword and rifle until his former commanding-officer arrived in person, to give the surrender order.\\n\\nOnoda, the sole survivor of his group, had needlessly lived in absolute solitude for much of his time in the wilds. He returned to a Japan that was unrecognizeable, in regard to the nation he had left in the 1940s.\\n\\nTwo questions come to mind:\\n\\n-If Onoda had surrendered and gone home in 1945 or 1946, what manner of more constructive activity might he have devoted his life to for those thirty years?\\n\\n-Onoda was the last KNOWN Japanese soldier to surrender. Were there in fact OTHER Japanese veterans STILL surviving in the wilderness of some Pacific islands? Its very likely to be the case. How many others lingered on, in isolation, after 1945, ...only to die alone and forgotten?\\n\\nUpdate: September 2014\\nI saw the news that Mr. Onoda had passed away this January. I really would have liked to meet Mr. Onoda, despite the controversy. He was a fascinating character, ...a legend in his own time.\\n\\nMy grandfather was an enlisted Marine in that war. I suppose there was a remote probability that they could have met on the battlefield. It would have been a good fight, I'll wager.\\n\\nMy grandfather passed away this spring. I really wanted to tell him before he departed: \\\"You just out-lived the LAST Japanese soldier to surrender. The Marines win AGAIN!\\\"\",\n \"Product: W.E. Fairbairn taught unarmed combat to the famed British Commandos and the U.S. armed forces during World War II. Before the war he served as assistant commissioner of the Shanghai Police Force. He was the inventor of the Fairbairn Commando Knife and the author of the classics Get Tough and Shooting to Live.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A classic text on military close-combat\\n\\nReview: Captain Fairbairn was a British colonial police-officer, prior to World War II. He worked in law-enforcement in Shanghai, which was quite possibly the most violent, crime-ridden city in the world.\\n\\nEarly in his career, Fairbairn was badly injured in a brutal encounter with street-thugs. Realizing he needed to better prepare himself, Fairbairn commenced on a thorough regimen of martial-arts training. Fairbairn became a master of close-combat, his skills encompassing the entire spectrum of lethal and non-lethal, armed and unarmed techniques and tactics. He was also an expert in tactical pistol-shooting, but that is covered in another book.\\n\\nDuring World War II, Captain Fairbairn trained Commandos, and agents of the S.O.E. and O.S.S. in these fighting skills. Thousands of allied personnel learned from his program, ...and many of those people survived savage encounters with the enemy because of his influence.\\n\\nI was an instructor in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. Much of the techniques portrayed in this book are identical to what what Marines (and other military forces)learn today. Krav Maga practitioners will see the similarities with their fighting-style (developed around the same time!). This is REAL fighting for survival. It works, ...because IT WORKS!\\n\\nThe techniques in this book are portrayed with drawn illustrations, depicting British military personnel fighting various Wehrmacht troops. For this factor alone, this book is an interesting historical insight into the beginnings of modern military close-combat.\",\n \"Product: W.E. Fairbairn taught unarmed combat to the famed British Commandos and the U.S. armed forces during World War II. Before the war he served as assistant commissioner of the Shanghai Police Force. He was the inventor of the Fairbairn Commando Knife and the author of the classics Get Tough and Shooting to Live.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: A historically significant book on combat shooting\\n\\nReview: Shanghai in the 1930s, was probably the most dangerous city in the world.\\n\\nAll manner of violent criminals vied for power and territory. The British colonial police regularly battled street-gangs, organized crime syndicates, and political insurgents (mainly communists). This is the environment in which Captain Fairbairn honed his fighting-skills, and revolutionized all aspects of modern close-combat tactics.\\n\\nEarly in his career, he was nearly beaten to death by Chinese gangsters, during a police patrol. While recovering in the hospital, he determined that he would make himself better prepared. He commenced on an intensive program of martial-arts training and tactical-shooting.\\n\\nHe and his co-worker Sykes developed an advanced system of combat-training. They would eventually train British and allied Commandos and agents of S.O.E. and the O.S.S. during World War II.\\n\\nThis is their book on tactical pistol shooting.\\nThe basic concept is shooting by instinct and natural point-of-aim, rather than wasting crucial seconds employing the sights. This is not an entirely \\\"new\\\" concept, but it needed to be re-introduced.\\n\\nUnfortunately, this particular book is rather short, and probably should have been a CHAPTER in one of the other books by Fairbairn and Sykes. There are a few interesting anecdotes about police-operations in Shanghai included. For example, the Mauser 96 \\\"broom-handle\\\" pistol, was particularly feared by police due to the lethality of its 7.63mm ammunition, ...and this was a very popular pistol in China!\\n\\nSurprisingly, outside of special-operations teams (military or police), ...this type of combat-shooting still isn't that widely practiced, ...until now! There are several authors who have written about this method in more recent books, and many of them expand a bit further on the concept. You should read those as well, but this one started it all!\",\n \"Product: John E. Peterson is a lifelong fitness expert, the author of Isometric Power Revolution, and co-author of The Miracle Seven and The Trinity of Health and Fitness workout DVD. He created the Transformetrics Training System that maximizes the strength and fitness as well as wellness and is the founder of Bronze Bow Publishing.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: When you can not access a gym...\\n\\nReview: Free-weights and machines are a proven means of excercise. However, what do you do when a gym is unavailable? You can still build strength by using your own bodyweight and self-initiated resistance. Mr. Peterson has given us one of the best excercise books I have yet seen. Within you will find a straight-forward guide to excercises that will improve your strength, power, endurance, and flexibility. I particularly recommend this book to martial-artists and military personnel. In fact, being a veteran, I can verify that the content of this book is superior to the average military PT programs. Mr. Peterson's inspiration for this program comes from Matt Furey, Charles Atlas, and Earl Liedermann.\\nThe excercises demonstrated in these pages are those that many of us know, as well as many that will surprise us...with interesting variations for all. Some of these excercises have conditioned martial-artists and athletes for centuries! You can utilize this program anywhere!\",\n \"Product: 1st Edition Perennial by Harper. Age-toned pages. Scuffs to covers. Tidy owners name written to inside of cover - otherwise clean interior with no stamps etc.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A vision of the Future, ...coming true in our time?\\n\\nReview: Published in 1932, ...a book too shocking for its time, ...and unbelievably ahead of its time in our time!\\n\\nAldous Huxley was a frequent guest at many events hosted by the self-styled \\\"elite\\\" of British society. He conversed with all manner of people who thoroughly believed themselves to be morally, culturally, and intellectually superior to the average citizen: politicians, academics, actors, artists, philosophers, authors, aristocracy, businessmen..\\n\\nMany of these people were famous, or at least well known in British society, or even world-wide. Almost all of them were people from affluent families, with influential connections, who hailed from the so-called \\\"upper classes\\\". Many of them were ideologically leftists, proudly and gushingly proclaiming their \\\"progressive\\\" politics, extolling the \\\"virtues\\\" of marxism and socialism, ...while residing in their luxurious homes in exclusive neighborhoods, preaching their admiration for the proletarian masses, ...while looking down their noses with undisguised contempt and disdain for the actual wage-earning working-man.\\n\\nIt was in this setting that Huxley found the inspiration for Brave New World. He amassed the idealisms and concepts expounded upon at these social events, and envisioned a future society based on all these \\\"progressive\\\" principals.\\n\\nThe \\\"hero\\\" of the tale, Bernard Marx, is a discontented citizen belonging to the highest strata of a world-wide government. Its a society devoid of families, nations, religions, ethnicities, cultures, ...or any of the old \\\"backward\\\" and \\\"dysfunctional\\\" ancient affiliations of humanity. Everyone belongs to everyone. All new citizens are grown in test-tubes, natural birth is a disgusting and horribly atavistic practice of the distant past. These mass-produced generations are proportionally divided into genetically altered castes. Those allotted to the highest caste will be grown to have maximum mental and physical development. The lesser castes are altered into progressively lower levels of development, the bottom caste being composed of short, stunted, menial-labor drones of very limited intellect.\\n\\nBut despite the flagrant disparities of development for division of labor, ...everyone gets the same guaranteed publically endorsed recreation: sex and drugs! Everyone is guaranteed as much copulation as they like, and a generous allotment of \\\"Soma\\\". There is lots and lots of sex, ...but devoid of love or intimacy. If you feel sad, angry, or stressed in any way, ...just drift off into a long drug-induced sleep...and be \\\"happy\\\" again.\\n\\nIts a society where everyone is provided for in terms of their need, no one lives in poverty, and everyone is \\\"equal\\\", ...at least within their allotted strata. It is a society defined by conformity, and it has been stagnating that way for centuries. Bernard Marx knows he should be \\\"satisfied\\\", ...but he isn't. He knows he has at least as much as any other Alpha, ...but something vital is missing. But what is it?\\n\\n20th Century British authors in particular seem to have had a particular penchant for predicting the dystopian potentials of the secular age.\\nThis is by far one of the most significant classics of its kind. The Brave New World is probably the most pleasant and hedonistic dystopia ever conceived, but a horrible world none the less, mainly as a future world without a future, and without a past. A world boldly going nowhere.\",\n \"Product: 1st Edition Perennial by Harper. Age-toned pages. Scuffs to covers. Tidy owners name written to inside of cover - otherwise clean interior with no stamps etc.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A vision of the Future, ...coming true in our time?\\n\\nReview: Published in 1932, ...a book too shocking for its time, ...and unbelievably ahead of its time in our time!\\n\\nAldous Huxley was a frequent guest at many events hosted by the self-styled \\\"elite\\\" of British society. He conversed with all manner of people who thoroughly believed themselves to be morally, culturally, and intellectually superior to the average citizen: politicians, academics, actors, artists, philosophers, authors, aristocracy, businessmen..\\n\\nMany of these people were famous, or at least well known in British society, or even world-wide. Almost all of them were people from affluent families, with influential connections, who hailed from the so-called \\\"upper classes\\\". Many of them were ideologically leftists, proudly and gushingly proclaiming their \\\"progressive\\\" politics, extolling the \\\"virtues\\\" of marxism and socialism, ...while residing in their luxurious homes in exclusive neighborhoods, preaching their admiration for the proletarian masses, ...while looking down their noses with undisguised contempt and disdain for the actual wage-earning working-man.\\n\\nIt was in this setting that Huxley found the inspiration for Brave New World. He amassed the idealisms and concepts expounded upon at these social events, and envisioned a future society based on all these \\\"progressive\\\" principals.\\n\\nThe \\\"hero\\\" of the tale, Bernard Marx, is a discontented citizen belonging to the highest strata of a world-wide government. Its a society devoid of families, nations, religions, ethnicities, cultures, ...or any of the old \\\"backward\\\" and \\\"dysfunctional\\\" ancient affiliations of humanity. Everyone belongs to everyone. All new citizens are grown in test-tubes, natural birth is a disgusting and horribly atavistic practice of the distant past. These mass-produced generations are proportionally divided into genetically altered castes. Those allotted to the highest caste will be grown to have maximum mental and physical development. The lesser castes are altered into progressively lower levels of development, the bottom caste being composed of short, stunted, menial-labor drones of very limited intellect.\\n\\nBut despite the flagrant disparities of development for division of labor, ...everyone gets the same guaranteed publically endorsed recreation: sex and drugs! Everyone is guaranteed as much copulation as they like, and a generous allotment of \\\"Soma\\\". There is lots and lots of sex, ...but devoid of love or intimacy. If you feel sad, angry, or stressed in any way, ...just drift off into a long drug-induced sleep...and be \\\"happy\\\" again.\\n\\nIts a society where everyone is provided for in terms of their need, no one lives in poverty, and everyone is \\\"equal\\\", ...at least within their allotted strata. It is a society defined by conformity, and it has been stagnating that way for centuries. Bernard Marx knows he should be \\\"satisfied\\\", ...but he isn't. He knows he has at least as much as any other Alpha, ...but something vital is missing. But what is it?\\n\\n20th Century British authors in particular seem to have had a particular penchant for predicting the dystopian potentials of the secular age.\\nThis is by far one of the most significant classics of its kind. The Brave New World is probably the most pleasant and hedonistic dystopia ever conceived, but a horrible world none the less, mainly as a future world without a future, and without a past. A world boldly going nowhere.\",\n \"Product: Loren Christensen began his law enforcement career in 1967 when he served in the army as a military policeman in the United States and in Vietnam. He joined the Portland, Oregon, Police Bureau in 1972 and retired in 1997. During those years, he specialized in street gangs, defensive tactics, dignitary protection, and patrolling the bizarre streets of skid row. He now writes full time and teaches martial arts.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Practical REAL-world training skills!\\n\\nReview: A book that I keep going back to for ideas, Fighting Power has plenty of advice to improve your performance in martial-arts.\\n\\nMr. Christiansen has attained 11 black-belts in his practice of Karate, Jujutsu, and Arnis. He has even MORE credibility than MOST instructors for the fact that he has REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE: 30 years as a police-officer, and as an Army M.P. deployed to Veitnam. Whether the topic is martial arts or police-science, Mr. Christiansen's books are always full of useful insights.\\n\\nFighting Power begins with an introduction to Ki power.\\nThis is a REAL phenomenon, ...its NOT some sideshow sham of \\\"Eastern philosophy\\\". Some uninformed people dismiss it as such, but \\\"Ki\\\" is in fact a quasi-indefinable focusing of energy and bio-physics that ANYONE can \\\"learn\\\", so to speak. The author describes the various \\\"circus-acts\\\" that unscrupulous practitioners use to dazzle ignorant audiences, as well as identify the true signifigance of Ki.\\n\\nA good quantity of the training techniques in this book have been utilized for decades, or even centuries. Some people might call it \\\"old information\\\", ...but we STILL use those skills because THEY WORK. The author cautions against certain ancient practices which have been proven by modern sport-medicine to be harmful. You will not find THOSE skills in this book.\\n\\nAmongst the numerous topics covered are:\\nWeight-training, plyometrics, isometrics, dynamic tension, push-ups, and so much more.\\n\\nCertainly a book on developing explosive power in martial arts mentions Bruce Lee, ...and he does so in Chapter 4: Weight-Resistance Exercises. Bruce Lee used weight-training quite conspicuously to develop his unbelievable level of martial athleticism. A list of some of his amazing feats of strength and power are listed on page 88!\\n\\nI used this book as a reference when I was an instructor in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. Results were quite noticeable for my students!\",\n \"Product: Book by Knockwood, Isabelle\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A true cultural horror-story\\n\\nReview: Revelations about pedophile priests have been fairly frequent in the news for the last several years, ...and probably will continue to be for quite some time.\\n\\nThis book gives us an entirely new twist on this repulsive scandal.\\n\\nThe author gives us a thoroughly candid picture into the vile, soul-crushing hell of Indian Boarding Schools. There are plenty of film-documentaries on the fate of Native Americans, and what became of them in the late 19th to mid 20th centuries. Most of them give merely passing reference to the harsh environment within the Indian schools, while focusing on the larger picture of the cultural disintegration of the tribes. These \\\"schools\\\" were a series of institutions in the United States and Canada, whose general aim was to \\\"civilize\\\" the children of the various surviving Indigenous People, ...by erasing their Native American heritage.\\n\\nWe generally know that conditions were bad for the children in these schools, ...but this narrative is particularly shocking, as it comes from the personal experience and observations of the author. It is particularly striking in that the events and conditions described within, took place within living-memory. The author and children like her are middle-aged or elderly adults now. The events of this book took place in the 1950s. The setting is a Catholic boarding-school in eastern Canada.\\n\\nThe priests and nuns of this facility presided over an institution where the children were frequently physically, sexually, and verbally abused. Its all described here in horrible detail.\\n-In the very least, the children were subjected to constant derision and humiliation by \\\"care-takers\\\" who hated their Native American wards.\\n-The children received a level of education that could be described as mediocre at best, but was in fact quite abyssmal.\\n-They were subjected to long hours of strenuous labor that was in fact illegal under the Child Labor Laws of Canada.\\n-All in all, the conditions in the school are reminiscent of descriptions of a Soviet gulag or a P.O.W. prison.\\n\\nThe after-math is much worse. Considering the inevitable damage that such a traumatic childhood brings, the Catholic church owes these people a debt that can never be repayed.\",\n \"Product: Wiley Clapp is one of the most respected names in handguns today. A former U.S. Marine and law enforcement officer, Clapp has written about guns in general and handguns in particular for almost 20 years and is a field editor for American Rifleman and handgun editor for Guns & Ammo.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A pistol guidebook for everyone\\n\\nReview: Many people have asked me, \\\"What type of handgun should I get for defense?\\\".\\n\\nThe answer: Get the pistol that works for you.\\n\\nI used to live in a rural area, but that was long ago. I've lived in various urban environments for over 20 years. In that time, I've seen the crime-threat drastically increase EVERYWHERE. Its not just an inner-city factor now. Even small towns and rural areas have seen a significant increase in the presence of the wrong kind of people, and all the unpleasant things that they do.\\n\\nThankfully, the good citizens have had a drastic increase in recognition of their right to personal defense. Concealed-carry permits were once reserved for a small group of selected \\\"elitists\\\". There was no real logic or fairness to this previous state of affairs, but that time is over.\\n\\nMr. Clapp is a veteran Marine Corps officer and policeman. I recommend this book to those seeking an informed opinion on selecting the right handgun. Everyone is going to recommend one gun or another, ...find something that you feel comfortable with, and hone your skills!\\n\\nSome things to consider:\\n-Get a pistol that has enough stopping-power (thats the most important factor emphasized in this book).\\n-Be aware that even a powerful handgun DOES NOT guarantee results.\\n\\nRead as many actual accounts of military and police gun-fights as you can. Read as many accounts as you can of citizens defending themselves and others from criminal assaults.\\n\\nThere are plenty of examples of incidents where the entire pistol was emptied into the bad-guy, ...and he was STILL ABLE TO ATTACK OR RUN, ...even though he was hit with .45 ACP, .357 Magnum, or .44 Magnum rounds. Most of the accounts I have read end with police chasing the criminal several blocks, until the found him dead or bleeding to death somewhere in a back alley. Some of the accounts described bad results for the good-guys, when the criminal (or enemy soldier) decided to go down fighting, even though gravely wounded.\\n\\nTheres an endless number of factors to consider, and we never really know whats going to happen, but fate favors the prepared individual!\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":25,"string":"25"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":388,"string":"388"}}},{"rowIdx":389,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A2SP52NH44LRDS"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"GTX 750 and GTX 750 Ti cards give you the gaming horsepower to take on today's most demanding titles in full 1080p HD. They deliver 25% more performance than previous-generation cards and up to twice the power efficiency thanks to the next-generation NVIDIA Maxwell architecture. Plus, they come loaded with GeForce GTX gaming technologies like NVIDIA GameStream, G-SYNC, and GeForce Experience If you're looking for hyper-realistic gameplay, stunning visuals, and exceptional value, this is your graphics card.\". The summary of the review text is \"Windows Experience Index for Gaming Graphics increased from 4.9 to 7.7.\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I am not a gamer nor do I play any pc games.\n\nSolved most of my 4k video choppiness but it's still choppy after every few seconds of smooth play.\nTurns out the problem was my vlc software settings and these settings fixed it: Tools >> Preferences >> Input/Codecs >> change 'Hardware-accelerated coding'='DirectX Video Acceleration (DXVA) 2.0', change 'x264 preset and tuning selection'=placebo. This new setting tremendously reduced the workload on my cpu usage from 99% down to 16% on all 4 cores.\n\nI have a 2009 (7 years old) HP p6210F (300watts power supply, 2.6Ghz AMD quad cpu with 8 gigs RAM, Windows 7 Professional, 2TB WD Black 7200rpm drive) and the 4k video shot on my SONY 4k camcorder FDRAX53 was choppy. I noticed that the choppiness was not on my newer Windows laptops that had integrated HD4000 graphics card or on Macbook Pro Retina or Macbook Air.\n\nWindows Experience Index for Gaming Graphics increased from 4.9 to 7.7. Hard disk performance index is 5.9.\n\nGraphics card has 2GB VRAM but it also uses pc's 3.8GB shared system memory for total of 5.8GB."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I am not a gamer nor do I play any pc games.\n\nSolved most of my 4k video choppiness but it's still choppy after every few seconds of smooth play.\nTurns out the problem was my vlc software settings and these settings fixed it: Tools >> Preferences >> Input/Codecs >> change 'Hardware-accelerated coding'='DirectX Video Acceleration (DXVA) 2.0', change 'x264 preset and tuning selection'=placebo. This new setting tremendously reduced the workload on my cpu usage from 99% down to 16% on all 4 cores.\n\nI have a 2009 (7 years old) HP p6210F (300watts power supply, 2.6Ghz AMD quad cpu with 8 gigs RAM, Windows 7 Professional, 2TB WD Black 7200rpm drive) and the 4k video shot on my SONY 4k camcorder FDRAX53 was choppy. I noticed that the choppiness was not on my newer Windows laptops that had integrated HD4000 graphics card or on Macbook Pro Retina or Macbook Air.\n\nWindows Experience Index for Gaming Graphics increased from 4.9 to 7.7. Hard disk performance index is 5.9.\n\nGraphics card has 2GB VRAM but it also uses pc's 3.8GB shared system memory for total of 5.8GB."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: FLIR ONE is a lightweight accessory that transforms your Android device into a powerful thermal infrared camera. FLIR ONE displays live thermal infrared imagery using the FLIR ONE app so you can see the world from a thermal perspective. FLIR ONE allows you to measure temperature variances.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great product but I got no response from customer service by email\n\nReview: PROS:\n- works with my Samsung Galaxy S5\n- dual cameras (thermal and regular that take 2 photos)\n- good android app\n- great Windows 7 software allows me to see the temperature of every point on an image.\n\nCONS:\n- case that it comes with makes it difficult to pull the unit out from\n- no instructions about where to mount the two padded stickers and I got no response when I emailed FLIR. This also makes pulling the FLIR out of the case much easier.\n- I can't figure out how to transfer the images I took to my Windows 7 pc and I got no response when I emailed FLIR.\n\n12/28/2015 update:\n- I talked to a live person and she was helpful. The two padded stickers (select one) stick on the FLIR. The hole in the padded sticker is for the usb plug to stick through it to prevent the FLIR from wobbling when it is attached to the phone.\n- FLIR saves the photos on the phone in folder DCIM/FLIROne (which is the same as /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/FLIROne)","Product: Gran Turismo 5 - Playstation 3\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Wow! GT5 is much better than NFS Hot Pursuit and Blur\n\nReview: I tried all 4 latest driving games and GT5 has better eye candy, more unlocked modes, has both NASCAR and 5 cities (london, spain, italy, france, tokyo) and driving conditions, and 2 players split-screen. Gorgeous eye candy like I'm watching the Travel Channel.\n\nNFS Hot Pursuit and Blur only had 2 unlocked modes. They were also only 1 player.\n\nTest Drive 2 Unlimited has a terrific storyline.\n\nFor car driving games that show car damage, I'd recommend GRID and MOTOR STORM PACIFIC RIFT.\n\n-------------\n5/22/2012 update: I got Xbox's Forza 4 and driving with the kinect is incredible and so much more natural than using $100 steering wheel with the GT5. Plus, Forza shows crash damage whereas GT5 does not. I'm going to tradein my GT5 because Xbox's Forza 4 is better than Sony GT5.","Product: Fantastically small, fantastically soundingthats what our Nanosat 5.1 home theater system is all about. In fact, its your ticket to a sold out concert or movie premiere without having to leave the comforts of home.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Much better than Bose Acoustimass 10\n\nReview: I have an Onkyo TSR605 receiver and I hooked up the Bose 10 speakers versus the Mirage Nanostat and the Mirage satellites are much, much clearer; also my old Onkyo woofer that came with my previous Onkyo Home Theater System produces much cleaner bass than the Bose (I started to get a headache with the Bose subwoofer because it was almost always booming when it shouldn't be and it was a muddled bass instead of a clean bass). I tested both with a movie (The Incredibles) and a concert DVD (Sarah Brightman). The Mirage Nanostat is about $500 without a woofer and the Bose 10 is $1000 but even if they were the same price, the Mirage is much clearer and won't give you a headache like Bose's subwoofer. For those who complain that the Mirage Nanostat center channel would be better if it pointed at you instead of the ceiling, I turned it so the speaker faced me to get a slightly louder sound or you could turn up the center channel and lower the rest of the other speakers but if this isn't good enough, I also hooked up the Bose center speaker and it acoustically matched the Mirage Nanostat speakers so you could always buy the Bose center speaker separately for $200. The Bose 10 speakers are going back to Best Buy tomorrow.","Product: SAMSUNG 2253LW 22INCH LCD MONITOR 1000:1, 8000:1 DC\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Nice 21.5 in monitor with rear mount holes so I can buy a 3rd party LCD stand for portrait mode.\n\nReview: Nice 8000:1 contrast but not as good as Samsung's other model which has 20000:1 contrast but that model doesn't have rear mount holes like this one so I can buy a 3rd party LCD stand for portrait mode so I don't have to scroll vertically on websites, iTunes, Quicken, Windows Explorer, etc.\n\n10/10/08 update: I wish I could change my rating to 4 stars because it's only 21.5in whereas other monitors are a full 22in which means that in portrait mode, I would get a 1/4\" wider screen -- do yourself a favor and buy a true 22 inch monitor and not a 21.5 inch. I'm returning this for a full 22 inch model.\n\nThe buttons to adjust brightness/contrast, etc. are really horrible to use and you can't see them on the glass that you're better off using the included software.","Product: SAMSUNG 2253LW 22INCH LCD MONITOR 1000:1, 8000:1 DC\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Nice 21.5 in monitor with rear mount holes so I can buy a 3rd party LCD stand for portrait mode.\n\nReview: Nice 8000:1 contrast but not as good as Samsung's other model which has 20000:1 contrast but that model doesn't have rear mount holes like this one so I can buy a 3rd party LCD stand for portrait mode so I don't have to scroll vertically on websites, iTunes, Quicken, Windows Explorer, etc.\n\n10/10/08 update: I wish I could change my rating to 4 stars because it's only 21.5in whereas other monitors are a full 22in which means that in portrait mode, I would get a 1/4\" wider screen -- do yourself a favor and buy a true 22 inch monitor and not a 21.5 inch. I'm returning this for a full 22 inch model.\n\nThe buttons to adjust brightness/contrast, etc. are really horrible to use and you can't see them on the glass that you're better off using the included software.","Product: The new Sony Webbie HD camera is an ultra-portable camera that lets you capture brilliant high-definition MP4 video and crisp 5MP JPEG still photos. The Webbie HD camera comes with Sharemark and pre-installed PMB Portable software, making it easy to pre-select images and videos in the camera to later upload directly to your compatible PC and popular Internet sharing sites. The Webbie HD camera also features 5x Optical and 20x Digital zoom that lets you focus in on the action, as well as dual capture capability that lets you simultaneously film video and take still pictures without the need to switch modes. A 2.5\" LCD screen provides a generous viewing area while filming, and when the screen is opened the Webbie HD camera almost instantly powers on so you can immediately begin filming and never miss an important moment.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Awesome size but not usable when viewed on a pc compared to my 6-year-old Canon Elura 2 standard digital miniDV\n\nReview: I've owned a Canon Elura 2 standard digital miniDV tape (has 480P) for 6 years but I thought it might be nice to try out a super-portable Sony Webbie camcorder/camera not only because it's $200 but more importantly, its small size as opposed to the gigantic $600+ HD camcorders out there.\n\nPROS:\n- As a camcorder, it shoots great footage in 720P as opposed to 1080P in both indoors and outdoors and of course it's better than my 6-year-old Canon Elura 2. Playback, however, is great ONLY when using the Sony Webbie camcorder but when I tranfer the video to my pc, there's soooo much motion jerkiness that you can forget about using the footage for anything like watching or editing (My pc's a 2.5GHZ Pentium 4 with 756 megs of RAM and 160gigs hard drive).\n- Love the small size. It's smaller than my Canon Elura 2 camcorder (it's as small as my 7-year old digital camera).\n- Nice big 2.5 inch LCD screen.\n- Doesn't come with any memory stick but a 16gig memory stick at $100 will record 8hours of video. However, the battery only lasts 40 minutes.\n- Nice built-in light.\n\nCONS:\n- As I've said earlier, horrrrrible motion jerkiness when I tranfer the video to my pc (My pc's a 2.5GHZ Pentium 4 with 756 megs of RAM and 160gigs 7200RPM hard drive).\n- Can't replace the battery (my experience with my Canon Elura 2's lithium battery is that it lasts about 2 years) so the Sony Webbie cam will be trashed in 2 years but I can live with that.\n- Can't replace the battery means I can't take an extra battery along because I don't have the time to wait 90 minutes for it to charge before I take it with me to the field each time.\n- The autofocus is slow and keeps changing which is annoying but I can live with it.\n- I have to use 2 hands to operate it whereas I only needed 1 hand with the Canon Elura 2.\n- Slow computer switching between the menu and shooting.\n- As a camcorder, it takes several seconds before it starts to record whereas it was immediate with my 6-year-old Canon Elura 2 camcorder.\n- Only 5x optical zoom but I can live with that (My Canon Elura 2 camcorder has 10x optical but most digital cameras only have 3x zoom).\n- As a camera, it takes several seconds before a picture is taken so the subjects have moved by then. Any slight motion also blurs whereas my 7-year-old Panasonic 3 megapixel camera handles it without any problems.\n\nSUMMARY: I would only recommend this camcorder if you only playback the videos via the camcorder and can afford a new $200 camcorder every 2 years and don't mind giving yourself a 90 minute lead time to charge the camera before going out to shoot.\n\nMaybe Sony's next camcorder will correct these deficiencies and then I will upgrade to a HD camcorder! In the meantime, I'll stick with my 6-year-old dependable and extra battery capable Canon Elura 2 miniDV camcorder.\n----------------------\n\nUpdate 11-12-2009: I just bought the Panasonic ZS3 ($300) camera with 10megapixels and 12x-21x zoom and HD video (in 720P) and it is way, way, way better than the Sony webbie. Plus, you can buy a spare battery!","Product: Record more -- delete less. Add My DVR Expander from WD to your eSATA-ready DVR and you'll instantly have space for up to 120 hours of high-definition or 600 hours of standard-definition TV. Just plug it in to record even more TV shows, sporting events and movies. It features cool, quiet operation and a soft amber LED to help avoid annoyance at night, even in the bedroom. Save your programs longer and never miss your favorite shows. Active eSATA port required. Firmware updates from Tivo that need to be downloaded to Tivo boxes before they will work with our new DVR Expander.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Made pictures very, very, very, very pixelated.\n\nReview: Unusable to watch. Picture pixelation every few seconds.\n\nA year ago, I bought a 500GB version and it worked fine but it died after 13 months.\n\nAnyway, I still need additional storage so I built my own external hard drive (bought a Hitachi 2TB SATA 7200RPM drive for $108 and external drive enclosure for $35 -- I already had a SATA cable from the 1st Western Digital 500GB DVR Expander that died after 13 months.) and the picture is awesome and no picture pixelation!\n\nAt first, I bought a Seagate 1.5TB 5900RPM SATA drive but it was not fast enough and I still got picture pixelation so I returned it and bought the Hitachi Deskstar 2TB SATA hard drive.\n\nBy the way, in the past, I bought an prebuilt external hard drive with its own enclosure but my Scientific Atlanta 8300HD DVR box refused to see it.","Product: E Fun Premium 7inch Touch Andriod Tablet premium 7inch Touch Andriod Tablet Manufacturer : E Fun Upc : 847275000164 T\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Better than Amazon Kindle and Barnes&Noble Nook\n\nReview: PROS:\n- wifi\n- beautiful screen\n- capacitive touchscreen like iPad\n- can view flash video which iPad cannot do\n- Memory can be expanded to 32GB.\n- can borrow books\n- can install Amazon Kindle reader app, Barnes & Noble Nook app.\n- can zoom in/out by pinching like iPad\n- view Youtube\n- clear and loud builtin speakers\n- headphone jack\n- battery really does hold charge for 8 hours\n- plug the device into any PC and have it recognized as a USB drive\n- switch among open apps by holding down the HOME icon\n- I can print to my network printers via Google Cloud Print\n- Here's the instructions to enable the Nextbook Premium 7 to get ANDROID MARKETPLACE: [...]\nBut the above directions doesn't tell you that to run those commands, you have to first install on your pc the developer's kit:[...] by downloading either jdk-7u2-windows-i586.exe (if your pc is not a quad processor) OR jdk-7u2-windows-x64.exe (If your pc has a quad processor 64 bit).\n\n- Once I get Android Marketplace, it allows me to:\n o run a freebie Apple iTunes app that allows me to play iTunes on an Android device.\n o remote to my home pc with an app\n o stream photos from my pc with an app\n o install the best keyboard app called \"TouchPal Keyboard\"\n\nCONS:\n- some lag when compared to the $300 tablets that have dual processors.\n- no physical volume dial or buttons\n- no microphone\n- no webcam\n- no bluetooth\n- no hdmi\n- no upgrade to Android 4.0\n- Because the batteries in tablets, including Apple iPad, are not replaceable and only last about a year, I don't understand why people spend $500+ on an Apple iPad. This is unlike my Android phone which I can replace the battery myself.","Product: Definitive Technology SuperCube 6000 Ultra Compact High Performance Subwoofer\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: sc6000 versus prosub 800 versus Bose acoustimass 10\n\nReview: Wow! The sc6000 is 100 times better than the prosub 1000 that I heard at Best Buy, even though they both have 10 inch speakers. Well, actually the sc6000 has 3 speakers and the prosub 1000 has 2 speakers.\n\nWhereas the prosub 1000 rattled, the sc6000 can shake my 17x15 feet family room with 10 foot ceiling that opens into the 17x10 foot kitchen, without loose rattles.\n\nWhat's impressive is that the bass is not just loud and low for explosions but it also has medium and high bass for doors closing and it can go to completely silent. The sc6000's bass range is phenomenal compared to my old Onkyo 8 inch 150 watts subwoofer.\n\nThe bass is tight which makes the dialogue on the center speaker clear.\n\nHighly recommended\n\nNOTE: As great as the sc6000 is for a subwoofer, it doesn't come close to the super tight and clean bass from my real set of drums (with a pillow inside).\n-------------\nAs for BOSE, the tweeters are not clear and too bright. The loose subwoofer sounds like a cheap $100 box that doesn't sound very low because they're tiny dual 5.25 inch speakers.","Product: Shoot gorgeous stills with the 18.2MP Exmor R CMOS sensor and thanks to super-fast, DSLR-like focusing speeds, youll get amazing results that take full advantage of the cameras sharp Sony G lens, even in low light. Get closer to the excitement with the 20x Optical/40x Clear Image Zoom capabilities or use dual record to shoot full 1080/60p HD while simultaneously capturing stunning still images Active 3-way stabilization helps eliminate camera shake aggravation with when shooting videos. Start creating a virtual map of what happened where by recording shot location and direction with GPS and Compass functionalities. Add an all-new dimension of awe and wonder to your creations with 3D Still Image and 3D Sweep Panorama mode. View it all in crystal clarity on the 3.0\" Xtra Fine LCD TruBlack display.FEATURES: 18.2MP Exmor R CMOS sensor - The 18.2MP Exmor R CMOS sensor captures ultra-high definition images that take full advantage of the cameras sharp Sony G lens. An advanced BIONZ processor rapidly analyzes the Extra-High Sensitivity data from the sensor, and activates By-Pixel Super Resolution technologies to reduce noise levels up to 6X compared to previous CMOS sensors, resulting in stunning low light images with incredible details.Full HD 1080/60p - Record crystal clear movies at the highest resolution available with capabilities for 60i in 1080 AVCHD video. This provides stunning, fast motion video with less distortion for playback on your HD TV.2 With dual record of stills and movies, you can shoot both at the same time.Capture the decisive moment with up to 10fps - Capture full 18.2 megapixel resolution images at up to 10 frames per second, helping to ensure that the decisive moment is captured such as the soccer ball flying into the goal. In addition, a mechanical shutter helps reduce distortion when continuously shooting moving subj\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Great camera, although filming my saltwater aquarium was too bluish.\n\nReview: After 3 Panasonic Cameras (LC-33 lasted 5 years, ZS3 lasted under 9 months, ZS7 lasted 1.5 years) and tiring of their reliability issues, as well as poor indoor ISO when used without a flash, I decided to get a SONY.\n\nThe SONY HX20V review:\nPROS:\n- Awesome videos and photos in daylight.\n- Awesome videos and photos indoors without flash.\n- Awesome photos with the powerful flash which seems to brighten the entire room instead of just the subjects.\n- A photo can be pulled from a video footage... how cool is that?\n- Optical ZOOM is up to 40x if you reduce image down to 5 Megapixels.\n- Optical ZOOM is up to 27x if you reduce image down to 10 Megapixels.\n- Can use less expensive SD memory cards\n- 10fps burst/continuous photo shooting so I can choose the best photo and delete the others.\n- It's fast, from the time I turn the camera on to filming/photographing, so I don't miss the shots like I used to with my old Panasonic ZS7 camera.\n\nCONS:\n- I have a saltwater aquarium which is lit by a blue actinic bulb and a white bulb and in real life, the aquarium appears mostly white BUT the camera picks up too much blue. I talked to SONY Tech Support and we tried every setting like SCENE or P but the SONY did not have an option like my old Panasonic ZS7 that removed the bluish in the video footage.\n- battery life is under an hour.\n-----------------------\n3/9/2015 update:\n- LCD screen scratches easily\n- The lens has some black spots on it that won't clean away and they show up in the pictures. So now I have to buy a new camera. Lasted 2.5 years.","Product: Samsung SmartCam IP Camera SNH-1011\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Finally, now we'll know if the garage door is closed or not.\n\nReview: PROS:\n- easy setup in about 15 minutes per camera\n- in daylight, picture is sharp\n- night vision\n- motion and audio sensors\n- save footage to youtube but only 30 seconds clip per triggered by motion or audio\n- free iphone and android apps\n- can access via web but a plugin must be installed.\n- On 1 pc, the web plugin worked with Internet Explorer 10 and Windows 7.\n- small size\n- easy to mount with screws or the attached 2-sided tape provided\n\nCONS:\n- On a 2nd pc, the web plugin didn't work with Internet Explorer 11 and Windows 7. So I used Firefox and it worked.\n- resolution is 640x480\n- only 5 frames per second which is not real-life 30 frames per second\n\n11/15/2014: 1 star because now you can no longer save to Youtube and saving to Google Drive doesn't work. Samsung tech says there is a firmware issue.","Product: 176 / 176 - 1920 x 1080 - Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Pulse, Surround Sound - 2 x HDMI - USB - Media Player\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: WOW! I compared this side by side at Costco against Samsung and Vizio\n\nReview: Yes, I realize that the SONY model on Amazon and Costco are different but it's the same SONY tv R series. SONY website currently only sells one 40 inch R series.\n\nWhen my eyes compared this 40 inch SONY side by side against Samsung, Vizio, and Sharp, there's just no comparison in picture quality. SONY is sharper than the others and I can see the texture on the skin and the flesh tones were correct. The other tvs showed a colored blob instead of the texture of the surface of a face. I noticed that Samsung tvs are TOO BRIGHT (dries out my eyeballs) and they don't show the texture, detail, and flesh tone as well as the SONY.\n\nThe other brands may have more bells and whistles but SONY has the best picture. I've also been reading the reviews that the SMART tvs are not as good as a ROKU box and you'd still be ahead in saving money.\n\nPlus, SONY has the reliability. With other brands, who wants a tv that dies right after the warranty period expires?\n\nHighly recommended.\n\nBy the way, the 52 inch SONY LCD tv I bought in summer of 2008 to watch the summer Olympics in Beijing is still going strong so that's 5.5 years so far.","Product: Upgrading your PC with a Samsung SSD is the most economical way to breathe new life into an aging PC. The 840 EVO reads, writes and multi-tasks at incredible speeds, enhancing boot-up speed, application loading and multi-tasking performance. It's more than an upgrade, it's a complete transformation of your PC.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Wow! Definitely needed for laptops because they get rebooted so often.\n\nReview: PROS:\n- Samsung data migration software\n- Samsung Magician software to configure SSD drive for long life and fast speed.\n\nIt's sooo much faster than before:\n- Lenovo s400 laptop with Intel i3 1.8Ghz Windows 8 has SATA II card gets 285read/266write\n- 1st HP 2000 laptop with Intel i3 2.2Ghz Windows 8 has SATA III card gets 553read/526write\n- 2nd HP 2000 laptop with Intel i3 2.1ghz Windows 8 has SATA III card gets 531read/500write\n- 3rd HP laptop with Intel i5 2.5ghz Windows 7 has SATA III card gets 497read/533write\n- A 5 year old HP Desktop with AMD cpu 2.6ghz Windows7 Professional has SATA II card gets 281read/230write.\n\nData migration for 100gigs took about an hour for USB 3.0 and 2 hours for USB 2.0. Then took another 5-15 minutes (depending on how many screws a laptop has; Lenovo had 12 screws and the HP had 2) to physically replace the drives.\n\nNOTE: It does not come with a USB to SATA cable to migrate your data. You have to buy that separately: StarTech.com USB 3.0 to 2.5\" SATA III Hard Drive Adapter Cable w/ UASP - SATA to USB 3.0 Converter for SSD/HDD - Hard Drive Adapter Cable","Product: Asus RT-AC68U IEEE 802.11ac Ethernet Wireless Router RT-AC68U Routers & Gateways - Wireless.For any further queries please contact Asus's Customer Support Number @ 1-812-282-2787 or http://service.asus.com. If you are having issues connecting to 5Ghz network, make sure that your wireless device supports 5Ghz or features dual band capabilities\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: garbage garbage garbage... so disappointed\n\nReview: CONS:\n- No ability to schedule periodic reboots to solve dropped connections and slowness. I'm going to buy a timer to do a weekly power cycle.\n- Seems to need a reboot every 2 days whereas my old Asus RT-N66u only needed a reboot every few months.\n\n========\n\n9/11/2014 update: Software is soooo buggy that I have to restart it several times a day. I'm changing my rating from 3 stars to 1.\n\nI replaced the ASUS RT-ac68u with the Netgear R6700 and Wow! Unlike the ASUS, if I forget to log out of the router from one workstation, I can still log on to the router from another workstation -- such convenience! The cpu is also faster than the ASUS when I change settings. On a laptop, when I open the admin screen, the Netgear is a lot faster than the ASUS.","Product: Keep watch over your property with the Lorex Wireless 720p HD IP Camera. This camera films in high definition 1280 x 800 megapixel resolution. Its dual HD lens provides enhanced day and night video, and the 2-way audio functions as both a speaker and microphone. This camera records four locations simultaneously and offers numerous recording options-directly to the camera via microSD, smartphones, tablets and PC or Mac computers.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Not great but not bad\n\nReview: PROS:\n- I can only see a LIVE video from my Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone but it only connects 90% of the time\n- 720P ranges from 15-25fps (depending on your mobile video speed) but still close to lifelike (which is 30fps)\n- good nighttime infrared\n- in addition to motion activated, you can turn on the heat activated and temperature activated features.\n- Windows software monitors up to 4 cameras\n- You can buy up to a 32GB maximum microSD card for recordings, which is a lot cheaper than other brands that make you subscribe to their cloud in order to save the recordings.\n- easy setup with QR barcode\n\nCONS:\n- Recordings on the SD card can play back on my Windows laptop but my Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone will not play them even though it lists the filenames of the recordings\n- Lorex ping app crashes a quarter of the time\n- Tech hold time is so long over 45 minutes that I have never been able to reach a tech. short phone hours something like 8-5 M-F\n- only 2.4ghz, no 5ghz\n\n12/3/2014 update: Lorex tech said to uninstall and install a new Lorex Ping app. Now it doesn't work at all so I returned it.\n\n3/7/2015 update: The \"Samsung SmartCam HD SNH-E6411BN Full HD 1080p WiFi Camera\" is so much better and it works.","Product: The Samsung SNH-1011 IP SmartCam is a mix of cutting edge technology, innovative vision, and intuitive design; giving you security, simplicity, and convenience all rolled up in one. Connect to your router with a push of a button, register your camera on-line, open your web-browser, and start monitoring. Its that simple. And because you can view your camera on your PC, MAC, and smartphone, you can keep a watchful eye your home or business anytime and from anywhere.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Can't save video to Google Dropbox\n\nReview: Worked great at first when Samsung allowed saving video to Youtube but then that was replaced by Google Dropbox. But even then not every video was recorded to Youtube; some events were recorded and some weren't.\n\nIt's not saving videos to Google Dropbox; I could only get it to save a photo (which usually doesn't show the person because the timing is off). Samsung tech said something is wrong with their firmware and they are working on it. Well until then I'm returning this.\n\nCONS:\n- 5 fps\n- not saving video\n- Ever since Samsung replaced Youtube with Dropbox, I keep getting disconnected to my cameras.\n- Google Dropbox 2-factor verification is a pain in the ass.\n----------------\n3/7/2015 update: The \"Samsung SmartCam HD SNH-E6411BN Full HD 1080p WiFi Camera\" is so much better and it works.","Product: Escort Max 360 Radar Detector (Black). Note-autopower only works with constant power-ignition. If autopower is on, the display screen goes blank after 30 minutes to save screen life. Display screen will turn on automatically after you reach 10 mph. Power requirement is 12 vdc, negative ground. Operating bands are x-band 10.525 ghz plus or minus 25 mhz, k-band 24.150 ghz plus or minus 100 mhz, ka-band 34.700 ghz plus or minus 1300 mhz and laser 904 nm, 33 mhz bandwidth. Compatible with windows 7, 8 and 10\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Way more sensitive and way less false errors than the others. And I love the arrows.\n\nReview: PRO: I've owned Escort 8500x50, 9500ix, and I can tell you that the Escort Max 360 is way more sensitive (even with the toughie photo radar vans) and way less false errors than the others. And I love the directional arrows. Magnetic mount is better than the push button seen in previous models.\n\nCON: It's bigger than a 9500ix and I drive a 2017 Corvette which has a stiffer suspension than normal sedans and SUV so the Escort Max 360 shakes as I'm driving but it's still legible.\n\nIf you can spend $150 dollars more, then go for the newer Escort Max 360c because I think that its smaller size and an even newer magnetic mount may reduce vibrations in a stiffer car (sports cars).\n\n2/2/2018 360 versus 360c test results. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZLaYyT2gdg","Product: Wirelessly Stream Music In Genuine Hi-Fi Quality With the Large HEOS 7 Wireless Speaker: Hear Everything From Internet Radio to Services Such as Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Rhapsody, and More Five Drivers, Five Dedicated Amplifiers, Dual-Band Wi-Fi, and DSP Processing Guide the HEOS 7 Wireless Speaker and Produce Tremendous Bass, Mammoth Sound, and Lively Dynamics Tailored to liven up even the biggest spaces with room-filling music, the largeHEOS 7 wireless speakermakes music come alive in vibrant, full-range, hi-fi sound that features genuinely deep bass and a punchy midrange. Able to stream music from a plethora of sources, including smartphones, tablets, USB sticks, NAS drives, and the entire spectrum of Internet radio and music services such asSpotify, Pandora, Rhapsody, iHeartRadio andTuneIn,HEOS 7supplies big, open spaces such as open-floor areas, patios, and living rooms with big, clear, loud sound. Because of the superb user interface and simple setup, you'll be listening to music seconds after you remove HEOS 7 from the box. Dual-band Wi-Fi, five drivers, five dedicated amplifiers, two passive radiators, and DSP processing do the rest. You can even add more HEOS components to the system, group them together, and enjoy multi-room sound. Backed by our60-Day Satisfaction Guarantee! What HEOS Is and How It Works Wireless multi-room sound has finally evolved to meet audiophile standards. IntroducingHEOS,a cutting-edge wireless system that fills any room with phenomenal sound from your digital music sources. Bolstered by dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi for long range and extra bandwidth, HEOS connects to your existing Wi-Fi network and can be placed anywhere. No bridging device or new equipment required. HEOS Means Plenty of Options and Easy User Interface You can choose one of three different-sized standalone speakers; the optional HEOS Extend even expands wireless reach to every part of your home.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Awesome and almost perfect\n\nReview: Love it. Got 7 HEOS: one heos 1, three heos 3, one heos 5, one heos 7, heos link for Denon 1912 home theater\nWorks fine with iPhone 5, 6, 6S and Samsung S5\n\nPRO:\n- great sound, better than SONOS\n- DLNA standard so I can stream from my Windows computer music collection via iTunes\n- whole house plays the same song or different songs\n- wired ethernet\n- 2.4ghz and 5ghz wifi\n- Amazon Prime\n- Tunein\n- Pandora\n\nCON:\n- HEOS link via IP doesn't work with Denon receiver coax input (Changing the next song in Amazon Prime or Pandora changes the receiver's input to CD so I have to manually change the receiver's input to coax). So in my case, I just hooked up the RCA cables instead because the receiver's CD input is RCA.\n- App needs a shortcut to go straight to my MUSIC SERVER >> BROWSE >> AUDIO >> FOLDERS >> iTunes","Product: The HEOS Link is part of the HEOS wireless multi-room sound system that enables you to enjoy your favorite music anywhere and everywhere around your home. By utilizing your existing wireless home network and the HEOS app on your iOS or Android device, you can explore, browse, and play music from your own music library, from online streaming music services, and from thousands of internet radio stations.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Awesome and almost perfect\n\nReview: Love it. Got 7 HEOS: one heos 1, three heos 3, one heos 5, one heos 7, heos link for Denon 1912 home theater\nWorks fine with iPhone 5, 6, 6S and Samsung S5\n\nPRO:\n- great sound, better than SONOS\n- DLNA standard so I can stream from my Windows computer music collection via iTunes\n- whole house plays the same song or different song\n- wired ethernet\n- 2.4ghz and 5ghz wifi\n- Amazon Prime\n- Tunein\n- Pandora\n\nCON:\n- HEOS link via IP doesn't work with Denon receiver coax input (Changing the next song in Amazon Prime or Pandora changes the receiver's input to CD which uses RCA so I have to manually change the receiver's input to coax). So in my case, I just hooked up the RCA cables instead because the receiver's CD input is RCA.\n- App needs a shortcut to go straight to my MUSIC SERVER >> BROWSE >> AUDIO >> FOLDERS >> iTunes","Product: Martial arts genius Jet Li explodes onto the screen with an intensity not seen since Bruce Lee. \"Kiss of the Dragon\" is not merely a thriller but a shocker. (San Francisco Chronicle) China's top secret agent visits Paris on a pleasure trip only to encounter government espionage at the highest level. \"Li's action sequences are like an oil fire, spilling from one room into the next and lighing up in the interiors with heat and wreakage\"! (The New York Times)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Wow! Way better than all the martial arts movies I've seen since the 1970s.\n\nReview: - Great story. Not the typical martial arts movie storyline about getting revenge which gets boring. Not the typical secret agent storyline of their agency out to kill their top secret agent. If you like James Bond movies, you'll love this. This movie has all the elements of a great James Bond movie like girls, exotic locations, exotic flair, soundtrack.\n\n- Oh My God. I've just looked at who the writer is and it's Luc Besson so no wonder it's sooo good. I first saw his movie \"La Femme Nikita\" in 1991 and it is so good that it was remade in the U.S. as \"The Point of No Return\" with Bridget Fonda. Luc Besson's other great movie is \"Leon The Professional\" starring Jean Reno and where Natalie Portman got her big break. \"22 Bullets\" by Luc Beson is also a great story.\n\n- Great actors. I've never seen a Bridget Fonda movie but now I see she's cute. About the actor who plays the bad cop Richard, I've seen him in \"La Femme Nikita\" and another as a good guy so I was surprised to see him play a bad guy so well too.\n\n- Original stunts and methods of subduing an opponent.\n\nOther great martial arts movies are:\n- Ichi\n- Kiss of the Dragon\n- The Man from Nowhere\n- The Raid: Redemption\n- The Seven Samurai became The Magnificent Seven\n- Three Outlaw Samurai\n- La Femme Nikita became The Point of No Return\n- Leon The Professional","Product: Hot, sexy, exotic, and wild are the only words to describe this \"lovers-on-the-lam blast of pure pulp escapism.\" (The New York Times) Indian superstar Hrithic Roshan stars as J, a Las Vegas hustler engaged to the daughter of the city's most powerful and dangerous casino owner. But all bets are off when he falls in love with the ravishing Natasha (Barbara Mori), an illegal immigrant engaged to J's jealous and violent future brother-in-law. When their illicit romance is discovered, J and Natasha flee for the border with the police and relentless hired killers on their trail. Pulse-pounding action and sensational musical numbers propel this passionate love story to its stunning conclusion. This special edition contains the \"deliriously entertaining\" (Variety) full-length version that became the first Bollywood movie to make the American box office Top Ten, and Kites: The Remix, the edgier and sexier English language version produced by director Brett Ratner (Rush Hour, X-Men: The Last Stand).\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: -5 rating. Oh my God, worst movie ever. Definitely B-movie, is there an F rating?\n\nReview: I love watching Barbara Mori's other telenovelas and she is still as eye-candy as ever but I hope she stops making Bollywood movies.\n\nPROS:\n- Barbara Mori is a great actress but she's given corny love or poetry lines in this movie.\n\nCONS:\n- The male actor is horrrrible. Need I repeat that?\n- Bollywood tried to cram every feature of American movies into this movie and it doesn't work.\n- Stupid comedy scenes like when they run out of a bank and he gets hit by car door.\n- The character for the male actor is a dancer/action hero/doctor who can stitch open wounds/ and can take out the entire mafia in the last scene all by himself... I'm surprised he didn't take them all out with his bare hands! Geez.\n- Cheap peeping-tom shot down Barbara Mori's blouse of her cleavage in the car scene after robbing the bank.\n- Shallow character development: How in the world did Barabara Mori's character fall in love with the male actor? In the last scene, why would the butler betray his loyal mafia family by running over the Mafia's son??\n- Not believable logic: At the wedding scene, how is it that the male actor can remember the long line \"I love you\" in Spanish yet he can't remember to say \"Si\" to accept his wedding vow???\n- Too many stupid car chase scenes to try to be like American movies like when they drive down the road and can make all the police cars flip and do loop-de-loops. Geez.\n- Too predictable because of dumb director: the scene after the wedding where his friend comes out to give them their passports and the camera frames him standing in front of the window forever as if he's waiting to be shot and I guessed that correctly. Geez.\n- The title \"KITES\" is a good analogy but had nothing to do with the movie other than being poetic.\n- In the last scene where he is able to single-handedly shoot all the mafia members down, my gosh he is super human; I was expecting the next scene to show him leap tall buildings in a single leap too.\n\nTO BARBAR MORI: You're a much much better actress than this. PLEASE stop making these B-movies. I own your other movies like RUBI and I've seen the wonderful movies that you're capable of. I'm glad to see you've tried something new but you're best at the dialog scenes, not action hero.\n\nSUMMARY: Stay far far away from this movie. I lost count of how many times I wanted to turn this movie off but I had to see how beautiful Barbara Mori is and her great acting skills. Movie has a lot of shallow checkoff list of features but no depth.","Product: dvd\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: BORING and encourages school massacres. Story is like rome and gladiators and the Truman Show movie\n\nReview: I don't know what the rave about this movie is all about. I watched this movie because Hunger Games 2 was coming out and I wanted to know part 1.\n\nThe story is predictable if you've seen a lot of movies (including foreign movies).\n\nThe story is analogous to Rome and its gladiators fighting to the death as entertainment for the citizens and the contestants are on stage (or in this case, kind of like the Truman Show movie) where there are cameras watching every move that the contestants make and the people behind the tv show can interact with the contestants through computers.\n\nHowever, kids killing kids is just tasteless. Hollywood is encouraging real-life massacres like COLUMBINE school, SANDY HOOK Elementary School, University of Texas. I hope Hollywood feels responsible when school massacres happen because it is perpetuating it. At least the romans used adults whereas Hollywood used kids. The parents of these kid actors are pimps prostituting their kids to Hollywood for a buck.\n\nCONCLUSION: Not recommended, I was bored and I was disgusted that so many people participated in this movie about kids killing kids.","Product: Directed by Sam Mendes. Starring Ralph Fiennes, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Skyfall is WAY BETTER than Daniel Craig's first 2 bond movies.\n\nReview: Finally, the classic James Bond is back!\n\nThis is Daniel Craig's best 007 movie. I never liked Daniel Craig as James bond in the first two movies (Quantum of Solace, Casino Royale) because Daniel Craig is no classic James Bond with the charisma and charm to a woman's heart. In the first two movies (Quantum of Solace, Casino Royale), Daniel Craig was just a ruthless violent character who beat up others.\n\nIn contrast, Skyfall showed that there was more heart to James Bond which made Daniel Craig more like the classic James Bond.\n\nAlso, the opening artistic intro in the movie and the soundtrack are awesome. It was great that the movie didn't just plop in a pop song like other movies.\n\nOriginal stunts and surprises in the movie...definitely a must see.\n\nHighly recommended!\n\nOther great movies:\n- daisy (Korean movie)\n- the man from nowhere (Korean movie)\n- Ichi\n- Kiss of the Dragon\n- The Seven Samurai\n- Three Outlaw Samurai\n- The Raid: Redemption\n- When the Last Sword Is Drawn\n- The Righteous Thief","Product: From La Femme Nikita and The Professional to The Fifth Element, writer/director Luc Besson has created some of the toughest, most memorable female action heroes in cinematic history. Now, Besson directs Scarlett Johansson in Lucy, an action-thriller that tracks a woman accidentally caught in a dark deal who turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic. Lucy also stars Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Wow! 6 stars! I was totally surprised that the director was Luc Beson\n\nReview: Awesome story, acting, directing, scenery, special effects.\n\nBut more importantly, the story, actors and the director.\n\nI first saw the Luc Beson film \"La Femme Nikita\" in 1991 then it was so good that it was remade in the U.S. and again with Netflix \"Nikita\"\n\nOther Luc Beson films over the years have also been phenomenal.\n\nThis is the best movie I've seen Scarlett in and here she is not just a costar pretty girlfriend but she carries 90% of the movie Morgan freeman is also one of my favorite actors. The Korean actor who plays the bad guy; I've already seen 3 of his movies in Korean with english subtitles are they are soo good.\n\nIf you love James Bond film and Star Trek, you'll love this film.","Product: Lucy Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy (Steelbook)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Wow! 6 stars! I was totally surprised that the director was Luc Beson\n\nReview: Awesome story, acting, directing, scenery, special effects.\n\nBut more importantly, the story, actors and the director.\n\nI first saw the Luc Beson film \"La Femme Nikita\" in 1991 then it was so good that it was remade in the U.S. and again with Netflix \"Nikita\"\n\nOther Luc Beson films over the years have also been phenomenal.\n\nThis is the best movie I've seen Scarlett in and here she is not just a costar pretty girlfriend but she carries 90% of the movie Morgan freeman is also one of my favorite actors. The Korean actor who plays the bad guy; I've already seen 3 of his movies in Korean with english subtitles are they are soo good.\n\nIf you love James Bond film and Star Trek, you'll love this film.","Product: Cascade canister filters from Penn Plax offer heavy-duty multi-stage external filtration for your fresh or salt water aquarium. The cascade 1500 canister filter can handle aquariums up to 200 gallons efficiently providing up to 350 gph of flow. These filters allow you to combine the benefits of several types of media delivering powerful mechanical, chemical & biological filtration for crystal clear water in fresh or marine environments. Easy to install, these filters come with all the necessary accessories to connect to your tank and begin filtering in approximately 30 minutes and see visible improvement in less than a day a quick push-button primer makes start-ups easy and the two independent directional 360-degree rotational valve taps make placement worry-free. Flow-rate control valves and swimming pool-style hose clamps make setup and adjustment easy. The popular cobalt blue color will look attractive next to your tank and the sturdy rubber mounted tip-proof rubber base keeps the unit in place. Each pump comes with large filter trays, start-up filter media & input/output tubing. The large filter trays mean you can use more media and have longer periods between replacement. An air-tight seal assures proper flow rate while maintain ultra quiet operation. The easy-lift clamps make it simple to release the vacuum and remove the top for changing media or other maintenance. Directional returns help to suspend waste matter so it can be taken in by the filter leaving nothing but clear, clear water. Use any combination of media including bio-floss, bio-sponges, activated carbon and others to accomplish a wide array of aquarium filtration needs.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Great filter but leaked after 1.5 years\n\nReview: PRO:\n- powerful 350gph\n- has trays so I can stuff it with my own media (cheaper)\n- lid has a handle so it's easy to open (unlike the Fluval 405)\n- has priming priming button but it takes A LOT OF PUMPING to get it to work but at least it has a large button instead of a little stick like the Fluval 405\n- my cabinet door is 9.5 inches so this canister's width at 9 inches fits through the door\n- motor is on top (so when it leaks, I don't have to worry about electrical shorts)\n\nCON:\n- leaked in the lid after 1.5 years (luckily, I put the canister inside a large clear plastic bucket to catch water when I clean it)\n- 45 watts is a little high, I've seen others at 350gph at 30 watts\n- It's a mess when you take it apart for cleaning.\n\nCONCLUSION: I think the Rena XP4 is better and it has auto priming and no mess when you take it apart for cleaning. But the Rena XP4 tubes are an ugly green color.\n\nUPDATE 4/1/2012: I bought a 2nd one and it also leaked in the lid opening after 6 months.","Product: AquaC Remora w/ MaxiJet 1200 Kit Features: Model # : Remora Hang-On Tank Size (Gallons): 20?75 Included Pump: MaxiJet 1200 Skimmer Height: 17.5\" Minimum Tank Height: 12.75\" Minimum Overhead Clearance for Proper Function: 5.5\" Depth: 2.75\" Width: 6\"The revolutionary AquaC protein skimmers do not use venturis, downdraft tubes, or air pumps; they employ the patented \"Spray Injection System.\" This innovation allows the protein skimmer to efficiently draw in much more air than any other of the top protein skimmers. This coupled with the superiorly designed compact reaction chamber yields results that will literally blow the waste out of your water.\"For its compact size and simple design, The AquaC protein skimmer is able to process a large volume of water and efficiently remove organic pollutants. I`m very happy with it!\"Fernando Nosratpour, Senior AquaristBirch Aquarium at ScrippsIf you are searching for the most compact, efficient, and powerful hang-on-tank skimmer on the market, look no further. AquaC has finished development of the Remora - the most radical design in skimming to date! Using the same patent pending spray-induction system as their acclaimed in-sump skimmers, AquaC`s Remora is simply the best hang-on available today. The Remora is rated up to 75 gallons and requires a scant 2.75\" clearance from the back of the tank. That is slim! You`ll appreciate its low profile, only 6\" of vertical clearance is required. Standard equipment include a Maxi-Jet 1200 water pump, adjustable collection cup, and a special baffle system which prevents any bubbles from entering the aquarium.The AquaC Remora Series is the first hang-on protein skimmer under $250 to be able to generate a dry consistency of foam that previously only an in-sump \"super-skimmer\" is capable of. This is especially true of the AquaC Remora Pro.Maxi-Jet 1200 Powerhead features: High performance with low power consumption May be used externally or submerged Waterproof rotating w\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: don't waste your money\n\nReview: I had this for 3.5 weeks on my 100 gallon saltwater and it did not pull anything even though there were lots of tiny bubbles (there's still insufficient bubbles to do anything). It's also very noisy like a dentist's spit cup. The pump inside the tank is also ugly, it should be on the outside of the tank. The cup's lid is really tight that you need two hands to take it off.\n\nUPDATE 8/29/2010: I bought the Reef Octopus BH-2000 (about the same price and it includes a free surface skimmer -- a $30 value that AquaC would have charged you) and after 2 hours, it was pulling junk out of the water into the cup. It makes TONS and TONS of tiny bubbles compared to the AQUAC Remora (looks like 10 times more!). Plus, the pump is outside the tank so it's not heating up the water and it's not taking up space inside the tank and also not ugly. Regarding noise, it's quieter but not silent but I figured out how -- I bought 2 4 feet tall exercise pads and fold each in half lengthwise and placed them on the left and right side of the pump to muffle the sound of the pump. Ahhh.... silence.... The air intake tube does include a muffler which does work but to silence that even more, I attached an additional tube about 8 inches long to the muffler's other nipple and now it's almost silent. The Reef Octopus BH-2000 is definitely 5 stars","Product: The Koralia Evolution 550 Circulation pump can be used for both freshwater and marine aquariums. A full range of sizes are available for tanks of any size. Designed for use with timers and wavemaker systems. Includes magnet suction-cup mounting system for free positioning in aquarium.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Nice but not perfect.\n\nReview: PROs:\n- more powerful than powerheads that blow a jetstream\n- agitates water surface yet doesn't blow my sugar fine sized aragonite sand around (I hate getting sand dunes where eventually I'd see the glass/acrylic bottom of my tank).\n- magnet holder\n- medium length cord\n- low 4.5 watts\n\nCONs:\n- Starts in reverse then I'd unplug it and plug it back in then it works.\n- kind of big compared to Ecotech Vortech MP10 and Aqueon powerheads\n- doesn't blow as powerful or as wide as my SEIO m820 powerhead\n- isn't as adjustable at right-angles like the SEIO m820\n- I bought 2. One is working great after 9 months. The other started buzzing from the motor after 3 weeks.\n\n7/1/2013 update: the magnetic impeller cracked after 2 years but you can buy a replacement on Amazon or call up Hydor for a free replacement. I've dropped my rating from 4 stars to 3 due to reliability issue."],"string":"[\n \"Product: FLIR ONE is a lightweight accessory that transforms your Android device into a powerful thermal infrared camera. FLIR ONE displays live thermal infrared imagery using the FLIR ONE app so you can see the world from a thermal perspective. FLIR ONE allows you to measure temperature variances.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great product but I got no response from customer service by email\\n\\nReview: PROS:\\n- works with my Samsung Galaxy S5\\n- dual cameras (thermal and regular that take 2 photos)\\n- good android app\\n- great Windows 7 software allows me to see the temperature of every point on an image.\\n\\nCONS:\\n- case that it comes with makes it difficult to pull the unit out from\\n- no instructions about where to mount the two padded stickers and I got no response when I emailed FLIR. This also makes pulling the FLIR out of the case much easier.\\n- I can't figure out how to transfer the images I took to my Windows 7 pc and I got no response when I emailed FLIR.\\n\\n12/28/2015 update:\\n- I talked to a live person and she was helpful. The two padded stickers (select one) stick on the FLIR. The hole in the padded sticker is for the usb plug to stick through it to prevent the FLIR from wobbling when it is attached to the phone.\\n- FLIR saves the photos on the phone in folder DCIM/FLIROne (which is the same as /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/FLIROne)\",\n \"Product: Gran Turismo 5 - Playstation 3\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Wow! GT5 is much better than NFS Hot Pursuit and Blur\\n\\nReview: I tried all 4 latest driving games and GT5 has better eye candy, more unlocked modes, has both NASCAR and 5 cities (london, spain, italy, france, tokyo) and driving conditions, and 2 players split-screen. Gorgeous eye candy like I'm watching the Travel Channel.\\n\\nNFS Hot Pursuit and Blur only had 2 unlocked modes. They were also only 1 player.\\n\\nTest Drive 2 Unlimited has a terrific storyline.\\n\\nFor car driving games that show car damage, I'd recommend GRID and MOTOR STORM PACIFIC RIFT.\\n\\n-------------\\n5/22/2012 update: I got Xbox's Forza 4 and driving with the kinect is incredible and so much more natural than using $100 steering wheel with the GT5. Plus, Forza shows crash damage whereas GT5 does not. I'm going to tradein my GT5 because Xbox's Forza 4 is better than Sony GT5.\",\n \"Product: Fantastically small, fantastically soundingthats what our Nanosat 5.1 home theater system is all about. In fact, its your ticket to a sold out concert or movie premiere without having to leave the comforts of home.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Much better than Bose Acoustimass 10\\n\\nReview: I have an Onkyo TSR605 receiver and I hooked up the Bose 10 speakers versus the Mirage Nanostat and the Mirage satellites are much, much clearer; also my old Onkyo woofer that came with my previous Onkyo Home Theater System produces much cleaner bass than the Bose (I started to get a headache with the Bose subwoofer because it was almost always booming when it shouldn't be and it was a muddled bass instead of a clean bass). I tested both with a movie (The Incredibles) and a concert DVD (Sarah Brightman). The Mirage Nanostat is about $500 without a woofer and the Bose 10 is $1000 but even if they were the same price, the Mirage is much clearer and won't give you a headache like Bose's subwoofer. For those who complain that the Mirage Nanostat center channel would be better if it pointed at you instead of the ceiling, I turned it so the speaker faced me to get a slightly louder sound or you could turn up the center channel and lower the rest of the other speakers but if this isn't good enough, I also hooked up the Bose center speaker and it acoustically matched the Mirage Nanostat speakers so you could always buy the Bose center speaker separately for $200. The Bose 10 speakers are going back to Best Buy tomorrow.\",\n \"Product: SAMSUNG 2253LW 22INCH LCD MONITOR 1000:1, 8000:1 DC\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice 21.5 in monitor with rear mount holes so I can buy a 3rd party LCD stand for portrait mode.\\n\\nReview: Nice 8000:1 contrast but not as good as Samsung's other model which has 20000:1 contrast but that model doesn't have rear mount holes like this one so I can buy a 3rd party LCD stand for portrait mode so I don't have to scroll vertically on websites, iTunes, Quicken, Windows Explorer, etc.\\n\\n10/10/08 update: I wish I could change my rating to 4 stars because it's only 21.5in whereas other monitors are a full 22in which means that in portrait mode, I would get a 1/4\\\" wider screen -- do yourself a favor and buy a true 22 inch monitor and not a 21.5 inch. I'm returning this for a full 22 inch model.\\n\\nThe buttons to adjust brightness/contrast, etc. are really horrible to use and you can't see them on the glass that you're better off using the included software.\",\n \"Product: SAMSUNG 2253LW 22INCH LCD MONITOR 1000:1, 8000:1 DC\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice 21.5 in monitor with rear mount holes so I can buy a 3rd party LCD stand for portrait mode.\\n\\nReview: Nice 8000:1 contrast but not as good as Samsung's other model which has 20000:1 contrast but that model doesn't have rear mount holes like this one so I can buy a 3rd party LCD stand for portrait mode so I don't have to scroll vertically on websites, iTunes, Quicken, Windows Explorer, etc.\\n\\n10/10/08 update: I wish I could change my rating to 4 stars because it's only 21.5in whereas other monitors are a full 22in which means that in portrait mode, I would get a 1/4\\\" wider screen -- do yourself a favor and buy a true 22 inch monitor and not a 21.5 inch. I'm returning this for a full 22 inch model.\\n\\nThe buttons to adjust brightness/contrast, etc. are really horrible to use and you can't see them on the glass that you're better off using the included software.\",\n \"Product: The new Sony Webbie HD camera is an ultra-portable camera that lets you capture brilliant high-definition MP4 video and crisp 5MP JPEG still photos. The Webbie HD camera comes with Sharemark and pre-installed PMB Portable software, making it easy to pre-select images and videos in the camera to later upload directly to your compatible PC and popular Internet sharing sites. The Webbie HD camera also features 5x Optical and 20x Digital zoom that lets you focus in on the action, as well as dual capture capability that lets you simultaneously film video and take still pictures without the need to switch modes. A 2.5\\\" LCD screen provides a generous viewing area while filming, and when the screen is opened the Webbie HD camera almost instantly powers on so you can immediately begin filming and never miss an important moment.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Awesome size but not usable when viewed on a pc compared to my 6-year-old Canon Elura 2 standard digital miniDV\\n\\nReview: I've owned a Canon Elura 2 standard digital miniDV tape (has 480P) for 6 years but I thought it might be nice to try out a super-portable Sony Webbie camcorder/camera not only because it's $200 but more importantly, its small size as opposed to the gigantic $600+ HD camcorders out there.\\n\\nPROS:\\n- As a camcorder, it shoots great footage in 720P as opposed to 1080P in both indoors and outdoors and of course it's better than my 6-year-old Canon Elura 2. Playback, however, is great ONLY when using the Sony Webbie camcorder but when I tranfer the video to my pc, there's soooo much motion jerkiness that you can forget about using the footage for anything like watching or editing (My pc's a 2.5GHZ Pentium 4 with 756 megs of RAM and 160gigs hard drive).\\n- Love the small size. It's smaller than my Canon Elura 2 camcorder (it's as small as my 7-year old digital camera).\\n- Nice big 2.5 inch LCD screen.\\n- Doesn't come with any memory stick but a 16gig memory stick at $100 will record 8hours of video. However, the battery only lasts 40 minutes.\\n- Nice built-in light.\\n\\nCONS:\\n- As I've said earlier, horrrrrible motion jerkiness when I tranfer the video to my pc (My pc's a 2.5GHZ Pentium 4 with 756 megs of RAM and 160gigs 7200RPM hard drive).\\n- Can't replace the battery (my experience with my Canon Elura 2's lithium battery is that it lasts about 2 years) so the Sony Webbie cam will be trashed in 2 years but I can live with that.\\n- Can't replace the battery means I can't take an extra battery along because I don't have the time to wait 90 minutes for it to charge before I take it with me to the field each time.\\n- The autofocus is slow and keeps changing which is annoying but I can live with it.\\n- I have to use 2 hands to operate it whereas I only needed 1 hand with the Canon Elura 2.\\n- Slow computer switching between the menu and shooting.\\n- As a camcorder, it takes several seconds before it starts to record whereas it was immediate with my 6-year-old Canon Elura 2 camcorder.\\n- Only 5x optical zoom but I can live with that (My Canon Elura 2 camcorder has 10x optical but most digital cameras only have 3x zoom).\\n- As a camera, it takes several seconds before a picture is taken so the subjects have moved by then. Any slight motion also blurs whereas my 7-year-old Panasonic 3 megapixel camera handles it without any problems.\\n\\nSUMMARY: I would only recommend this camcorder if you only playback the videos via the camcorder and can afford a new $200 camcorder every 2 years and don't mind giving yourself a 90 minute lead time to charge the camera before going out to shoot.\\n\\nMaybe Sony's next camcorder will correct these deficiencies and then I will upgrade to a HD camcorder! In the meantime, I'll stick with my 6-year-old dependable and extra battery capable Canon Elura 2 miniDV camcorder.\\n----------------------\\n\\nUpdate 11-12-2009: I just bought the Panasonic ZS3 ($300) camera with 10megapixels and 12x-21x zoom and HD video (in 720P) and it is way, way, way better than the Sony webbie. Plus, you can buy a spare battery!\",\n \"Product: Record more -- delete less. Add My DVR Expander from WD to your eSATA-ready DVR and you'll instantly have space for up to 120 hours of high-definition or 600 hours of standard-definition TV. Just plug it in to record even more TV shows, sporting events and movies. It features cool, quiet operation and a soft amber LED to help avoid annoyance at night, even in the bedroom. Save your programs longer and never miss your favorite shows. Active eSATA port required. Firmware updates from Tivo that need to be downloaded to Tivo boxes before they will work with our new DVR Expander.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Made pictures very, very, very, very pixelated.\\n\\nReview: Unusable to watch. Picture pixelation every few seconds.\\n\\nA year ago, I bought a 500GB version and it worked fine but it died after 13 months.\\n\\nAnyway, I still need additional storage so I built my own external hard drive (bought a Hitachi 2TB SATA 7200RPM drive for $108 and external drive enclosure for $35 -- I already had a SATA cable from the 1st Western Digital 500GB DVR Expander that died after 13 months.) and the picture is awesome and no picture pixelation!\\n\\nAt first, I bought a Seagate 1.5TB 5900RPM SATA drive but it was not fast enough and I still got picture pixelation so I returned it and bought the Hitachi Deskstar 2TB SATA hard drive.\\n\\nBy the way, in the past, I bought an prebuilt external hard drive with its own enclosure but my Scientific Atlanta 8300HD DVR box refused to see it.\",\n \"Product: E Fun Premium 7inch Touch Andriod Tablet premium 7inch Touch Andriod Tablet Manufacturer : E Fun Upc : 847275000164 T\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Better than Amazon Kindle and Barnes&Noble Nook\\n\\nReview: PROS:\\n- wifi\\n- beautiful screen\\n- capacitive touchscreen like iPad\\n- can view flash video which iPad cannot do\\n- Memory can be expanded to 32GB.\\n- can borrow books\\n- can install Amazon Kindle reader app, Barnes & Noble Nook app.\\n- can zoom in/out by pinching like iPad\\n- view Youtube\\n- clear and loud builtin speakers\\n- headphone jack\\n- battery really does hold charge for 8 hours\\n- plug the device into any PC and have it recognized as a USB drive\\n- switch among open apps by holding down the HOME icon\\n- I can print to my network printers via Google Cloud Print\\n- Here's the instructions to enable the Nextbook Premium 7 to get ANDROID MARKETPLACE: [...]\\nBut the above directions doesn't tell you that to run those commands, you have to first install on your pc the developer's kit:[...] by downloading either jdk-7u2-windows-i586.exe (if your pc is not a quad processor) OR jdk-7u2-windows-x64.exe (If your pc has a quad processor 64 bit).\\n\\n- Once I get Android Marketplace, it allows me to:\\n o run a freebie Apple iTunes app that allows me to play iTunes on an Android device.\\n o remote to my home pc with an app\\n o stream photos from my pc with an app\\n o install the best keyboard app called \\\"TouchPal Keyboard\\\"\\n\\nCONS:\\n- some lag when compared to the $300 tablets that have dual processors.\\n- no physical volume dial or buttons\\n- no microphone\\n- no webcam\\n- no bluetooth\\n- no hdmi\\n- no upgrade to Android 4.0\\n- Because the batteries in tablets, including Apple iPad, are not replaceable and only last about a year, I don't understand why people spend $500+ on an Apple iPad. This is unlike my Android phone which I can replace the battery myself.\",\n \"Product: Definitive Technology SuperCube 6000 Ultra Compact High Performance Subwoofer\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: sc6000 versus prosub 800 versus Bose acoustimass 10\\n\\nReview: Wow! The sc6000 is 100 times better than the prosub 1000 that I heard at Best Buy, even though they both have 10 inch speakers. Well, actually the sc6000 has 3 speakers and the prosub 1000 has 2 speakers.\\n\\nWhereas the prosub 1000 rattled, the sc6000 can shake my 17x15 feet family room with 10 foot ceiling that opens into the 17x10 foot kitchen, without loose rattles.\\n\\nWhat's impressive is that the bass is not just loud and low for explosions but it also has medium and high bass for doors closing and it can go to completely silent. The sc6000's bass range is phenomenal compared to my old Onkyo 8 inch 150 watts subwoofer.\\n\\nThe bass is tight which makes the dialogue on the center speaker clear.\\n\\nHighly recommended\\n\\nNOTE: As great as the sc6000 is for a subwoofer, it doesn't come close to the super tight and clean bass from my real set of drums (with a pillow inside).\\n-------------\\nAs for BOSE, the tweeters are not clear and too bright. The loose subwoofer sounds like a cheap $100 box that doesn't sound very low because they're tiny dual 5.25 inch speakers.\",\n \"Product: Shoot gorgeous stills with the 18.2MP Exmor R CMOS sensor and thanks to super-fast, DSLR-like focusing speeds, youll get amazing results that take full advantage of the cameras sharp Sony G lens, even in low light. Get closer to the excitement with the 20x Optical/40x Clear Image Zoom capabilities or use dual record to shoot full 1080/60p HD while simultaneously capturing stunning still images Active 3-way stabilization helps eliminate camera shake aggravation with when shooting videos. Start creating a virtual map of what happened where by recording shot location and direction with GPS and Compass functionalities. Add an all-new dimension of awe and wonder to your creations with 3D Still Image and 3D Sweep Panorama mode. View it all in crystal clarity on the 3.0\\\" Xtra Fine LCD TruBlack display.FEATURES: 18.2MP Exmor R CMOS sensor - The 18.2MP Exmor R CMOS sensor captures ultra-high definition images that take full advantage of the cameras sharp Sony G lens. An advanced BIONZ processor rapidly analyzes the Extra-High Sensitivity data from the sensor, and activates By-Pixel Super Resolution technologies to reduce noise levels up to 6X compared to previous CMOS sensors, resulting in stunning low light images with incredible details.Full HD 1080/60p - Record crystal clear movies at the highest resolution available with capabilities for 60i in 1080 AVCHD video. This provides stunning, fast motion video with less distortion for playback on your HD TV.2 With dual record of stills and movies, you can shoot both at the same time.Capture the decisive moment with up to 10fps - Capture full 18.2 megapixel resolution images at up to 10 frames per second, helping to ensure that the decisive moment is captured such as the soccer ball flying into the goal. In addition, a mechanical shutter helps reduce distortion when continuously shooting moving subj\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Great camera, although filming my saltwater aquarium was too bluish.\\n\\nReview: After 3 Panasonic Cameras (LC-33 lasted 5 years, ZS3 lasted under 9 months, ZS7 lasted 1.5 years) and tiring of their reliability issues, as well as poor indoor ISO when used without a flash, I decided to get a SONY.\\n\\nThe SONY HX20V review:\\nPROS:\\n- Awesome videos and photos in daylight.\\n- Awesome videos and photos indoors without flash.\\n- Awesome photos with the powerful flash which seems to brighten the entire room instead of just the subjects.\\n- A photo can be pulled from a video footage... how cool is that?\\n- Optical ZOOM is up to 40x if you reduce image down to 5 Megapixels.\\n- Optical ZOOM is up to 27x if you reduce image down to 10 Megapixels.\\n- Can use less expensive SD memory cards\\n- 10fps burst/continuous photo shooting so I can choose the best photo and delete the others.\\n- It's fast, from the time I turn the camera on to filming/photographing, so I don't miss the shots like I used to with my old Panasonic ZS7 camera.\\n\\nCONS:\\n- I have a saltwater aquarium which is lit by a blue actinic bulb and a white bulb and in real life, the aquarium appears mostly white BUT the camera picks up too much blue. I talked to SONY Tech Support and we tried every setting like SCENE or P but the SONY did not have an option like my old Panasonic ZS7 that removed the bluish in the video footage.\\n- battery life is under an hour.\\n-----------------------\\n3/9/2015 update:\\n- LCD screen scratches easily\\n- The lens has some black spots on it that won't clean away and they show up in the pictures. So now I have to buy a new camera. Lasted 2.5 years.\",\n \"Product: Samsung SmartCam IP Camera SNH-1011\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Finally, now we'll know if the garage door is closed or not.\\n\\nReview: PROS:\\n- easy setup in about 15 minutes per camera\\n- in daylight, picture is sharp\\n- night vision\\n- motion and audio sensors\\n- save footage to youtube but only 30 seconds clip per triggered by motion or audio\\n- free iphone and android apps\\n- can access via web but a plugin must be installed.\\n- On 1 pc, the web plugin worked with Internet Explorer 10 and Windows 7.\\n- small size\\n- easy to mount with screws or the attached 2-sided tape provided\\n\\nCONS:\\n- On a 2nd pc, the web plugin didn't work with Internet Explorer 11 and Windows 7. So I used Firefox and it worked.\\n- resolution is 640x480\\n- only 5 frames per second which is not real-life 30 frames per second\\n\\n11/15/2014: 1 star because now you can no longer save to Youtube and saving to Google Drive doesn't work. Samsung tech says there is a firmware issue.\",\n \"Product: 176 / 176 - 1920 x 1080 - Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Pulse, Surround Sound - 2 x HDMI - USB - Media Player\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: WOW! I compared this side by side at Costco against Samsung and Vizio\\n\\nReview: Yes, I realize that the SONY model on Amazon and Costco are different but it's the same SONY tv R series. SONY website currently only sells one 40 inch R series.\\n\\nWhen my eyes compared this 40 inch SONY side by side against Samsung, Vizio, and Sharp, there's just no comparison in picture quality. SONY is sharper than the others and I can see the texture on the skin and the flesh tones were correct. The other tvs showed a colored blob instead of the texture of the surface of a face. I noticed that Samsung tvs are TOO BRIGHT (dries out my eyeballs) and they don't show the texture, detail, and flesh tone as well as the SONY.\\n\\nThe other brands may have more bells and whistles but SONY has the best picture. I've also been reading the reviews that the SMART tvs are not as good as a ROKU box and you'd still be ahead in saving money.\\n\\nPlus, SONY has the reliability. With other brands, who wants a tv that dies right after the warranty period expires?\\n\\nHighly recommended.\\n\\nBy the way, the 52 inch SONY LCD tv I bought in summer of 2008 to watch the summer Olympics in Beijing is still going strong so that's 5.5 years so far.\",\n \"Product: Upgrading your PC with a Samsung SSD is the most economical way to breathe new life into an aging PC. The 840 EVO reads, writes and multi-tasks at incredible speeds, enhancing boot-up speed, application loading and multi-tasking performance. It's more than an upgrade, it's a complete transformation of your PC.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Wow! Definitely needed for laptops because they get rebooted so often.\\n\\nReview: PROS:\\n- Samsung data migration software\\n- Samsung Magician software to configure SSD drive for long life and fast speed.\\n\\nIt's sooo much faster than before:\\n- Lenovo s400 laptop with Intel i3 1.8Ghz Windows 8 has SATA II card gets 285read/266write\\n- 1st HP 2000 laptop with Intel i3 2.2Ghz Windows 8 has SATA III card gets 553read/526write\\n- 2nd HP 2000 laptop with Intel i3 2.1ghz Windows 8 has SATA III card gets 531read/500write\\n- 3rd HP laptop with Intel i5 2.5ghz Windows 7 has SATA III card gets 497read/533write\\n- A 5 year old HP Desktop with AMD cpu 2.6ghz Windows7 Professional has SATA II card gets 281read/230write.\\n\\nData migration for 100gigs took about an hour for USB 3.0 and 2 hours for USB 2.0. Then took another 5-15 minutes (depending on how many screws a laptop has; Lenovo had 12 screws and the HP had 2) to physically replace the drives.\\n\\nNOTE: It does not come with a USB to SATA cable to migrate your data. You have to buy that separately: StarTech.com USB 3.0 to 2.5\\\" SATA III Hard Drive Adapter Cable w/ UASP - SATA to USB 3.0 Converter for SSD/HDD - Hard Drive Adapter Cable\",\n \"Product: Asus RT-AC68U IEEE 802.11ac Ethernet Wireless Router RT-AC68U Routers & Gateways - Wireless.For any further queries please contact Asus's Customer Support Number @ 1-812-282-2787 or http://service.asus.com. If you are having issues connecting to 5Ghz network, make sure that your wireless device supports 5Ghz or features dual band capabilities\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: garbage garbage garbage... so disappointed\\n\\nReview: CONS:\\n- No ability to schedule periodic reboots to solve dropped connections and slowness. I'm going to buy a timer to do a weekly power cycle.\\n- Seems to need a reboot every 2 days whereas my old Asus RT-N66u only needed a reboot every few months.\\n\\n========\\n\\n9/11/2014 update: Software is soooo buggy that I have to restart it several times a day. I'm changing my rating from 3 stars to 1.\\n\\nI replaced the ASUS RT-ac68u with the Netgear R6700 and Wow! Unlike the ASUS, if I forget to log out of the router from one workstation, I can still log on to the router from another workstation -- such convenience! The cpu is also faster than the ASUS when I change settings. On a laptop, when I open the admin screen, the Netgear is a lot faster than the ASUS.\",\n \"Product: Keep watch over your property with the Lorex Wireless 720p HD IP Camera. This camera films in high definition 1280 x 800 megapixel resolution. Its dual HD lens provides enhanced day and night video, and the 2-way audio functions as both a speaker and microphone. This camera records four locations simultaneously and offers numerous recording options-directly to the camera via microSD, smartphones, tablets and PC or Mac computers.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Not great but not bad\\n\\nReview: PROS:\\n- I can only see a LIVE video from my Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone but it only connects 90% of the time\\n- 720P ranges from 15-25fps (depending on your mobile video speed) but still close to lifelike (which is 30fps)\\n- good nighttime infrared\\n- in addition to motion activated, you can turn on the heat activated and temperature activated features.\\n- Windows software monitors up to 4 cameras\\n- You can buy up to a 32GB maximum microSD card for recordings, which is a lot cheaper than other brands that make you subscribe to their cloud in order to save the recordings.\\n- easy setup with QR barcode\\n\\nCONS:\\n- Recordings on the SD card can play back on my Windows laptop but my Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone will not play them even though it lists the filenames of the recordings\\n- Lorex ping app crashes a quarter of the time\\n- Tech hold time is so long over 45 minutes that I have never been able to reach a tech. short phone hours something like 8-5 M-F\\n- only 2.4ghz, no 5ghz\\n\\n12/3/2014 update: Lorex tech said to uninstall and install a new Lorex Ping app. Now it doesn't work at all so I returned it.\\n\\n3/7/2015 update: The \\\"Samsung SmartCam HD SNH-E6411BN Full HD 1080p WiFi Camera\\\" is so much better and it works.\",\n \"Product: The Samsung SNH-1011 IP SmartCam is a mix of cutting edge technology, innovative vision, and intuitive design; giving you security, simplicity, and convenience all rolled up in one. Connect to your router with a push of a button, register your camera on-line, open your web-browser, and start monitoring. Its that simple. And because you can view your camera on your PC, MAC, and smartphone, you can keep a watchful eye your home or business anytime and from anywhere.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Can't save video to Google Dropbox\\n\\nReview: Worked great at first when Samsung allowed saving video to Youtube but then that was replaced by Google Dropbox. But even then not every video was recorded to Youtube; some events were recorded and some weren't.\\n\\nIt's not saving videos to Google Dropbox; I could only get it to save a photo (which usually doesn't show the person because the timing is off). Samsung tech said something is wrong with their firmware and they are working on it. Well until then I'm returning this.\\n\\nCONS:\\n- 5 fps\\n- not saving video\\n- Ever since Samsung replaced Youtube with Dropbox, I keep getting disconnected to my cameras.\\n- Google Dropbox 2-factor verification is a pain in the ass.\\n----------------\\n3/7/2015 update: The \\\"Samsung SmartCam HD SNH-E6411BN Full HD 1080p WiFi Camera\\\" is so much better and it works.\",\n \"Product: Escort Max 360 Radar Detector (Black). Note-autopower only works with constant power-ignition. If autopower is on, the display screen goes blank after 30 minutes to save screen life. Display screen will turn on automatically after you reach 10 mph. Power requirement is 12 vdc, negative ground. Operating bands are x-band 10.525 ghz plus or minus 25 mhz, k-band 24.150 ghz plus or minus 100 mhz, ka-band 34.700 ghz plus or minus 1300 mhz and laser 904 nm, 33 mhz bandwidth. Compatible with windows 7, 8 and 10\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Way more sensitive and way less false errors than the others. And I love the arrows.\\n\\nReview: PRO: I've owned Escort 8500x50, 9500ix, and I can tell you that the Escort Max 360 is way more sensitive (even with the toughie photo radar vans) and way less false errors than the others. And I love the directional arrows. Magnetic mount is better than the push button seen in previous models.\\n\\nCON: It's bigger than a 9500ix and I drive a 2017 Corvette which has a stiffer suspension than normal sedans and SUV so the Escort Max 360 shakes as I'm driving but it's still legible.\\n\\nIf you can spend $150 dollars more, then go for the newer Escort Max 360c because I think that its smaller size and an even newer magnetic mount may reduce vibrations in a stiffer car (sports cars).\\n\\n2/2/2018 360 versus 360c test results. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZLaYyT2gdg\",\n \"Product: Wirelessly Stream Music In Genuine Hi-Fi Quality With the Large HEOS 7 Wireless Speaker: Hear Everything From Internet Radio to Services Such as Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Rhapsody, and More Five Drivers, Five Dedicated Amplifiers, Dual-Band Wi-Fi, and DSP Processing Guide the HEOS 7 Wireless Speaker and Produce Tremendous Bass, Mammoth Sound, and Lively Dynamics Tailored to liven up even the biggest spaces with room-filling music, the largeHEOS 7 wireless speakermakes music come alive in vibrant, full-range, hi-fi sound that features genuinely deep bass and a punchy midrange. Able to stream music from a plethora of sources, including smartphones, tablets, USB sticks, NAS drives, and the entire spectrum of Internet radio and music services such asSpotify, Pandora, Rhapsody, iHeartRadio andTuneIn,HEOS 7supplies big, open spaces such as open-floor areas, patios, and living rooms with big, clear, loud sound. Because of the superb user interface and simple setup, you'll be listening to music seconds after you remove HEOS 7 from the box. Dual-band Wi-Fi, five drivers, five dedicated amplifiers, two passive radiators, and DSP processing do the rest. You can even add more HEOS components to the system, group them together, and enjoy multi-room sound. Backed by our60-Day Satisfaction Guarantee! What HEOS Is and How It Works Wireless multi-room sound has finally evolved to meet audiophile standards. IntroducingHEOS,a cutting-edge wireless system that fills any room with phenomenal sound from your digital music sources. Bolstered by dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi for long range and extra bandwidth, HEOS connects to your existing Wi-Fi network and can be placed anywhere. No bridging device or new equipment required. HEOS Means Plenty of Options and Easy User Interface You can choose one of three different-sized standalone speakers; the optional HEOS Extend even expands wireless reach to every part of your home.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Awesome and almost perfect\\n\\nReview: Love it. Got 7 HEOS: one heos 1, three heos 3, one heos 5, one heos 7, heos link for Denon 1912 home theater\\nWorks fine with iPhone 5, 6, 6S and Samsung S5\\n\\nPRO:\\n- great sound, better than SONOS\\n- DLNA standard so I can stream from my Windows computer music collection via iTunes\\n- whole house plays the same song or different songs\\n- wired ethernet\\n- 2.4ghz and 5ghz wifi\\n- Amazon Prime\\n- Tunein\\n- Pandora\\n\\nCON:\\n- HEOS link via IP doesn't work with Denon receiver coax input (Changing the next song in Amazon Prime or Pandora changes the receiver's input to CD so I have to manually change the receiver's input to coax). So in my case, I just hooked up the RCA cables instead because the receiver's CD input is RCA.\\n- App needs a shortcut to go straight to my MUSIC SERVER >> BROWSE >> AUDIO >> FOLDERS >> iTunes\",\n \"Product: The HEOS Link is part of the HEOS wireless multi-room sound system that enables you to enjoy your favorite music anywhere and everywhere around your home. By utilizing your existing wireless home network and the HEOS app on your iOS or Android device, you can explore, browse, and play music from your own music library, from online streaming music services, and from thousands of internet radio stations.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Awesome and almost perfect\\n\\nReview: Love it. Got 7 HEOS: one heos 1, three heos 3, one heos 5, one heos 7, heos link for Denon 1912 home theater\\nWorks fine with iPhone 5, 6, 6S and Samsung S5\\n\\nPRO:\\n- great sound, better than SONOS\\n- DLNA standard so I can stream from my Windows computer music collection via iTunes\\n- whole house plays the same song or different song\\n- wired ethernet\\n- 2.4ghz and 5ghz wifi\\n- Amazon Prime\\n- Tunein\\n- Pandora\\n\\nCON:\\n- HEOS link via IP doesn't work with Denon receiver coax input (Changing the next song in Amazon Prime or Pandora changes the receiver's input to CD which uses RCA so I have to manually change the receiver's input to coax). So in my case, I just hooked up the RCA cables instead because the receiver's CD input is RCA.\\n- App needs a shortcut to go straight to my MUSIC SERVER >> BROWSE >> AUDIO >> FOLDERS >> iTunes\",\n \"Product: Martial arts genius Jet Li explodes onto the screen with an intensity not seen since Bruce Lee. \\\"Kiss of the Dragon\\\" is not merely a thriller but a shocker. (San Francisco Chronicle) China's top secret agent visits Paris on a pleasure trip only to encounter government espionage at the highest level. \\\"Li's action sequences are like an oil fire, spilling from one room into the next and lighing up in the interiors with heat and wreakage\\\"! (The New York Times)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Wow! Way better than all the martial arts movies I've seen since the 1970s.\\n\\nReview: - Great story. Not the typical martial arts movie storyline about getting revenge which gets boring. Not the typical secret agent storyline of their agency out to kill their top secret agent. If you like James Bond movies, you'll love this. This movie has all the elements of a great James Bond movie like girls, exotic locations, exotic flair, soundtrack.\\n\\n- Oh My God. I've just looked at who the writer is and it's Luc Besson so no wonder it's sooo good. I first saw his movie \\\"La Femme Nikita\\\" in 1991 and it is so good that it was remade in the U.S. as \\\"The Point of No Return\\\" with Bridget Fonda. Luc Besson's other great movie is \\\"Leon The Professional\\\" starring Jean Reno and where Natalie Portman got her big break. \\\"22 Bullets\\\" by Luc Beson is also a great story.\\n\\n- Great actors. I've never seen a Bridget Fonda movie but now I see she's cute. About the actor who plays the bad cop Richard, I've seen him in \\\"La Femme Nikita\\\" and another as a good guy so I was surprised to see him play a bad guy so well too.\\n\\n- Original stunts and methods of subduing an opponent.\\n\\nOther great martial arts movies are:\\n- Ichi\\n- Kiss of the Dragon\\n- The Man from Nowhere\\n- The Raid: Redemption\\n- The Seven Samurai became The Magnificent Seven\\n- Three Outlaw Samurai\\n- La Femme Nikita became The Point of No Return\\n- Leon The Professional\",\n \"Product: Hot, sexy, exotic, and wild are the only words to describe this \\\"lovers-on-the-lam blast of pure pulp escapism.\\\" (The New York Times) Indian superstar Hrithic Roshan stars as J, a Las Vegas hustler engaged to the daughter of the city's most powerful and dangerous casino owner. But all bets are off when he falls in love with the ravishing Natasha (Barbara Mori), an illegal immigrant engaged to J's jealous and violent future brother-in-law. When their illicit romance is discovered, J and Natasha flee for the border with the police and relentless hired killers on their trail. Pulse-pounding action and sensational musical numbers propel this passionate love story to its stunning conclusion. This special edition contains the \\\"deliriously entertaining\\\" (Variety) full-length version that became the first Bollywood movie to make the American box office Top Ten, and Kites: The Remix, the edgier and sexier English language version produced by director Brett Ratner (Rush Hour, X-Men: The Last Stand).\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: -5 rating. Oh my God, worst movie ever. Definitely B-movie, is there an F rating?\\n\\nReview: I love watching Barbara Mori's other telenovelas and she is still as eye-candy as ever but I hope she stops making Bollywood movies.\\n\\nPROS:\\n- Barbara Mori is a great actress but she's given corny love or poetry lines in this movie.\\n\\nCONS:\\n- The male actor is horrrrible. Need I repeat that?\\n- Bollywood tried to cram every feature of American movies into this movie and it doesn't work.\\n- Stupid comedy scenes like when they run out of a bank and he gets hit by car door.\\n- The character for the male actor is a dancer/action hero/doctor who can stitch open wounds/ and can take out the entire mafia in the last scene all by himself... I'm surprised he didn't take them all out with his bare hands! Geez.\\n- Cheap peeping-tom shot down Barbara Mori's blouse of her cleavage in the car scene after robbing the bank.\\n- Shallow character development: How in the world did Barabara Mori's character fall in love with the male actor? In the last scene, why would the butler betray his loyal mafia family by running over the Mafia's son??\\n- Not believable logic: At the wedding scene, how is it that the male actor can remember the long line \\\"I love you\\\" in Spanish yet he can't remember to say \\\"Si\\\" to accept his wedding vow???\\n- Too many stupid car chase scenes to try to be like American movies like when they drive down the road and can make all the police cars flip and do loop-de-loops. Geez.\\n- Too predictable because of dumb director: the scene after the wedding where his friend comes out to give them their passports and the camera frames him standing in front of the window forever as if he's waiting to be shot and I guessed that correctly. Geez.\\n- The title \\\"KITES\\\" is a good analogy but had nothing to do with the movie other than being poetic.\\n- In the last scene where he is able to single-handedly shoot all the mafia members down, my gosh he is super human; I was expecting the next scene to show him leap tall buildings in a single leap too.\\n\\nTO BARBAR MORI: You're a much much better actress than this. PLEASE stop making these B-movies. I own your other movies like RUBI and I've seen the wonderful movies that you're capable of. I'm glad to see you've tried something new but you're best at the dialog scenes, not action hero.\\n\\nSUMMARY: Stay far far away from this movie. I lost count of how many times I wanted to turn this movie off but I had to see how beautiful Barbara Mori is and her great acting skills. Movie has a lot of shallow checkoff list of features but no depth.\",\n \"Product: dvd\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: BORING and encourages school massacres. Story is like rome and gladiators and the Truman Show movie\\n\\nReview: I don't know what the rave about this movie is all about. I watched this movie because Hunger Games 2 was coming out and I wanted to know part 1.\\n\\nThe story is predictable if you've seen a lot of movies (including foreign movies).\\n\\nThe story is analogous to Rome and its gladiators fighting to the death as entertainment for the citizens and the contestants are on stage (or in this case, kind of like the Truman Show movie) where there are cameras watching every move that the contestants make and the people behind the tv show can interact with the contestants through computers.\\n\\nHowever, kids killing kids is just tasteless. Hollywood is encouraging real-life massacres like COLUMBINE school, SANDY HOOK Elementary School, University of Texas. I hope Hollywood feels responsible when school massacres happen because it is perpetuating it. At least the romans used adults whereas Hollywood used kids. The parents of these kid actors are pimps prostituting their kids to Hollywood for a buck.\\n\\nCONCLUSION: Not recommended, I was bored and I was disgusted that so many people participated in this movie about kids killing kids.\",\n \"Product: Directed by Sam Mendes. Starring Ralph Fiennes, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Skyfall is WAY BETTER than Daniel Craig's first 2 bond movies.\\n\\nReview: Finally, the classic James Bond is back!\\n\\nThis is Daniel Craig's best 007 movie. I never liked Daniel Craig as James bond in the first two movies (Quantum of Solace, Casino Royale) because Daniel Craig is no classic James Bond with the charisma and charm to a woman's heart. In the first two movies (Quantum of Solace, Casino Royale), Daniel Craig was just a ruthless violent character who beat up others.\\n\\nIn contrast, Skyfall showed that there was more heart to James Bond which made Daniel Craig more like the classic James Bond.\\n\\nAlso, the opening artistic intro in the movie and the soundtrack are awesome. It was great that the movie didn't just plop in a pop song like other movies.\\n\\nOriginal stunts and surprises in the movie...definitely a must see.\\n\\nHighly recommended!\\n\\nOther great movies:\\n- daisy (Korean movie)\\n- the man from nowhere (Korean movie)\\n- Ichi\\n- Kiss of the Dragon\\n- The Seven Samurai\\n- Three Outlaw Samurai\\n- The Raid: Redemption\\n- When the Last Sword Is Drawn\\n- The Righteous Thief\",\n \"Product: From La Femme Nikita and The Professional to The Fifth Element, writer/director Luc Besson has created some of the toughest, most memorable female action heroes in cinematic history. Now, Besson directs Scarlett Johansson in Lucy, an action-thriller that tracks a woman accidentally caught in a dark deal who turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic. Lucy also stars Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Wow! 6 stars! I was totally surprised that the director was Luc Beson\\n\\nReview: Awesome story, acting, directing, scenery, special effects.\\n\\nBut more importantly, the story, actors and the director.\\n\\nI first saw the Luc Beson film \\\"La Femme Nikita\\\" in 1991 then it was so good that it was remade in the U.S. and again with Netflix \\\"Nikita\\\"\\n\\nOther Luc Beson films over the years have also been phenomenal.\\n\\nThis is the best movie I've seen Scarlett in and here she is not just a costar pretty girlfriend but she carries 90% of the movie Morgan freeman is also one of my favorite actors. The Korean actor who plays the bad guy; I've already seen 3 of his movies in Korean with english subtitles are they are soo good.\\n\\nIf you love James Bond film and Star Trek, you'll love this film.\",\n \"Product: Lucy Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy (Steelbook)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Wow! 6 stars! I was totally surprised that the director was Luc Beson\\n\\nReview: Awesome story, acting, directing, scenery, special effects.\\n\\nBut more importantly, the story, actors and the director.\\n\\nI first saw the Luc Beson film \\\"La Femme Nikita\\\" in 1991 then it was so good that it was remade in the U.S. and again with Netflix \\\"Nikita\\\"\\n\\nOther Luc Beson films over the years have also been phenomenal.\\n\\nThis is the best movie I've seen Scarlett in and here she is not just a costar pretty girlfriend but she carries 90% of the movie Morgan freeman is also one of my favorite actors. The Korean actor who plays the bad guy; I've already seen 3 of his movies in Korean with english subtitles are they are soo good.\\n\\nIf you love James Bond film and Star Trek, you'll love this film.\",\n \"Product: Cascade canister filters from Penn Plax offer heavy-duty multi-stage external filtration for your fresh or salt water aquarium. The cascade 1500 canister filter can handle aquariums up to 200 gallons efficiently providing up to 350 gph of flow. These filters allow you to combine the benefits of several types of media delivering powerful mechanical, chemical & biological filtration for crystal clear water in fresh or marine environments. Easy to install, these filters come with all the necessary accessories to connect to your tank and begin filtering in approximately 30 minutes and see visible improvement in less than a day a quick push-button primer makes start-ups easy and the two independent directional 360-degree rotational valve taps make placement worry-free. Flow-rate control valves and swimming pool-style hose clamps make setup and adjustment easy. The popular cobalt blue color will look attractive next to your tank and the sturdy rubber mounted tip-proof rubber base keeps the unit in place. Each pump comes with large filter trays, start-up filter media & input/output tubing. The large filter trays mean you can use more media and have longer periods between replacement. An air-tight seal assures proper flow rate while maintain ultra quiet operation. The easy-lift clamps make it simple to release the vacuum and remove the top for changing media or other maintenance. Directional returns help to suspend waste matter so it can be taken in by the filter leaving nothing but clear, clear water. Use any combination of media including bio-floss, bio-sponges, activated carbon and others to accomplish a wide array of aquarium filtration needs.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Great filter but leaked after 1.5 years\\n\\nReview: PRO:\\n- powerful 350gph\\n- has trays so I can stuff it with my own media (cheaper)\\n- lid has a handle so it's easy to open (unlike the Fluval 405)\\n- has priming priming button but it takes A LOT OF PUMPING to get it to work but at least it has a large button instead of a little stick like the Fluval 405\\n- my cabinet door is 9.5 inches so this canister's width at 9 inches fits through the door\\n- motor is on top (so when it leaks, I don't have to worry about electrical shorts)\\n\\nCON:\\n- leaked in the lid after 1.5 years (luckily, I put the canister inside a large clear plastic bucket to catch water when I clean it)\\n- 45 watts is a little high, I've seen others at 350gph at 30 watts\\n- It's a mess when you take it apart for cleaning.\\n\\nCONCLUSION: I think the Rena XP4 is better and it has auto priming and no mess when you take it apart for cleaning. But the Rena XP4 tubes are an ugly green color.\\n\\nUPDATE 4/1/2012: I bought a 2nd one and it also leaked in the lid opening after 6 months.\",\n \"Product: AquaC Remora w/ MaxiJet 1200 Kit Features: Model # : Remora Hang-On Tank Size (Gallons): 20?75 Included Pump: MaxiJet 1200 Skimmer Height: 17.5\\\" Minimum Tank Height: 12.75\\\" Minimum Overhead Clearance for Proper Function: 5.5\\\" Depth: 2.75\\\" Width: 6\\\"The revolutionary AquaC protein skimmers do not use venturis, downdraft tubes, or air pumps; they employ the patented \\\"Spray Injection System.\\\" This innovation allows the protein skimmer to efficiently draw in much more air than any other of the top protein skimmers. This coupled with the superiorly designed compact reaction chamber yields results that will literally blow the waste out of your water.\\\"For its compact size and simple design, The AquaC protein skimmer is able to process a large volume of water and efficiently remove organic pollutants. I`m very happy with it!\\\"Fernando Nosratpour, Senior AquaristBirch Aquarium at ScrippsIf you are searching for the most compact, efficient, and powerful hang-on-tank skimmer on the market, look no further. AquaC has finished development of the Remora - the most radical design in skimming to date! Using the same patent pending spray-induction system as their acclaimed in-sump skimmers, AquaC`s Remora is simply the best hang-on available today. The Remora is rated up to 75 gallons and requires a scant 2.75\\\" clearance from the back of the tank. That is slim! You`ll appreciate its low profile, only 6\\\" of vertical clearance is required. Standard equipment include a Maxi-Jet 1200 water pump, adjustable collection cup, and a special baffle system which prevents any bubbles from entering the aquarium.The AquaC Remora Series is the first hang-on protein skimmer under $250 to be able to generate a dry consistency of foam that previously only an in-sump \\\"super-skimmer\\\" is capable of. This is especially true of the AquaC Remora Pro.Maxi-Jet 1200 Powerhead features: High performance with low power consumption May be used externally or submerged Waterproof rotating w\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: don't waste your money\\n\\nReview: I had this for 3.5 weeks on my 100 gallon saltwater and it did not pull anything even though there were lots of tiny bubbles (there's still insufficient bubbles to do anything). It's also very noisy like a dentist's spit cup. The pump inside the tank is also ugly, it should be on the outside of the tank. The cup's lid is really tight that you need two hands to take it off.\\n\\nUPDATE 8/29/2010: I bought the Reef Octopus BH-2000 (about the same price and it includes a free surface skimmer -- a $30 value that AquaC would have charged you) and after 2 hours, it was pulling junk out of the water into the cup. It makes TONS and TONS of tiny bubbles compared to the AQUAC Remora (looks like 10 times more!). Plus, the pump is outside the tank so it's not heating up the water and it's not taking up space inside the tank and also not ugly. Regarding noise, it's quieter but not silent but I figured out how -- I bought 2 4 feet tall exercise pads and fold each in half lengthwise and placed them on the left and right side of the pump to muffle the sound of the pump. Ahhh.... silence.... The air intake tube does include a muffler which does work but to silence that even more, I attached an additional tube about 8 inches long to the muffler's other nipple and now it's almost silent. The Reef Octopus BH-2000 is definitely 5 stars\",\n \"Product: The Koralia Evolution 550 Circulation pump can be used for both freshwater and marine aquariums. A full range of sizes are available for tanks of any size. Designed for use with timers and wavemaker systems. Includes magnet suction-cup mounting system for free positioning in aquarium.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice but not perfect.\\n\\nReview: PROs:\\n- more powerful than powerheads that blow a jetstream\\n- agitates water surface yet doesn't blow my sugar fine sized aragonite sand around (I hate getting sand dunes where eventually I'd see the glass/acrylic bottom of my tank).\\n- magnet holder\\n- medium length cord\\n- low 4.5 watts\\n\\nCONs:\\n- Starts in reverse then I'd unplug it and plug it back in then it works.\\n- kind of big compared to Ecotech Vortech MP10 and Aqueon powerheads\\n- doesn't blow as powerful or as wide as my SEIO m820 powerhead\\n- isn't as adjustable at right-angles like the SEIO m820\\n- I bought 2. One is working great after 9 months. The other started buzzing from the motor after 3 weeks.\\n\\n7/1/2013 update: the magnetic impeller cracked after 2 years but you can buy a replacement on Amazon or call up Hydor for a free replacement. I've dropped my rating from 4 stars to 3 due to reliability issue.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":28,"string":"28"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":389,"string":"389"}}},{"rowIdx":390,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A1ALPL858XSDE"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"Track Listing: 1. She Don't Tell Me To 2. Something to Be Proud Of 3. Gone 4. If You Ever Stop Loving Me 5. Hell Yeah 6. Speed 7. My Town 8. Didn't I 9. She Couldn't Change Me 10. Daddy Won't Sell the Farm 11. Lonely and Gone 12. Hillbilly Shoes 13. Merry Christmas from the Family\". The summary of the review text is \"Great Hits By A Great Duo\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"Montgomery Gentry is a pairing that is greater than its individual parts. Eddie Montgomery's rough hewn baritone, for instance, lacks range, yet works well on spoken word verses and effectively counters Troy Gentry's bombastic, elastic tenor.\n\nFor the past seven years, Montgomery Gentry has been a country radio staple, but their biggest hits have tended to be hard hitting, country rock stompers like \"Hillbilly Shoes,\" \"She Couldn't Change Me,\" \"Hell Yeah,\" and \"Gone.\" This tendancy is reflected on this \"best of\", as only a few ballads are included in this thirteen-track lineup (omitted underacheiving slowpoke singles like \"Self Made Man,\" \"You Do Your Thing\" and the gritty \"Cold One Comin' On\" would have provided some much appreciated balance).\n\nFor the fans who already own their previous albums, there's still plenty to entice here, however. A new track \"She Don't Tell Me To\" is currently zipping up the charts, while the heartwrenching \"Didn't I\" from the We Were Soldiers soundtrack finally appears on a Montgomery Gentry album, as does the humorous 2001 holiday single \"Merry Christmas From The Family\" which concludes this set.\n\nOverall, Something To Be Proud Of is an energetic, engaging collection of hits. Its contents were custom made for blasting in the car."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"Montgomery Gentry is a pairing that is greater than its individual parts. Eddie Montgomery's rough hewn baritone, for instance, lacks range, yet works well on spoken word verses and effectively counters Troy Gentry's bombastic, elastic tenor.\n\nFor the past seven years, Montgomery Gentry has been a country radio staple, but their biggest hits have tended to be hard hitting, country rock stompers like \"Hillbilly Shoes,\" \"She Couldn't Change Me,\" \"Hell Yeah,\" and \"Gone.\" This tendancy is reflected on this \"best of\", as only a few ballads are included in this thirteen-track lineup (omitted underacheiving slowpoke singles like \"Self Made Man,\" \"You Do Your Thing\" and the gritty \"Cold One Comin' On\" would have provided some much appreciated balance).\n\nFor the fans who already own their previous albums, there's still plenty to entice here, however. A new track \"She Don't Tell Me To\" is currently zipping up the charts, while the heartwrenching \"Didn't I\" from the We Were Soldiers soundtrack finally appears on a Montgomery Gentry album, as does the humorous 2001 holiday single \"Merry Christmas From The Family\" which concludes this set.\n\nOverall, Something To Be Proud Of is an energetic, engaging collection of hits. Its contents were custom made for blasting in the car."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: THEY WERE THE ''HEAT'' - SLANG FOR THE POLICE. They were also three, young, fashion forward counter-culture delinquents that made cops look cool and trendy. They redefined the persona of the typical cop as they did not carry a badge or a gun. They also tackled socially relevant issues of the time which was one of the reasons the series became an instant hit on television. The fifth and final season features another 24 episodes of Pete (Michael Cole) Linc (Clarence Williams III) and Julie (Peggy Lipton) as the formidable Mod Squad.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Final Season Of A Hip Series\n\nReview: Season five was the final season of the Mod Squad. It was the only season for which the luminous Peggy Lipton did not receive an Emmy nomination for Best Actress in a Dramatic Series. Still, there were plenty of quality episodes and, as shown below, many first rate guest stars.\nEp 1 & 2: The Connection (parts 1 and 2) 9/14/72\nThe trio go undercover after an international narcotics ring. Guest Stars: Ed Asner, Bradford Dillman, Cleavon Little, Barbara McNair, Stefanie Powers, Robert Reed, Richard Pryor, Cesar Romero.\nEp 3: The Thunder Makers 9/21/72\nThe Squad investigates when a youth joins a motorcycle gang, plots a fake payroll robbery of his father's company and learns the other gang members are playing it for real. Guest Star: Bobby Sherman.\nEp 4: Yesterdays Ashes 9/28/72\nPlastic surgery may be the key to the rehabilitation of a disfigured girl caught shoplifting. Guest Stars: Jo Ann Harris, Robert Pine.\nEp 5: A Gift For Jenny 10/5/72\nA fur coat is the crux of a case involving kidnap and murder that has the squad baffled. Guest Stars: Paul Richards, Bo Svenson.\nEp 6: Taps, Play It Louder 10/12/72\nThe team investigates a missing person situation involving a wounded Vietnam veteran who took the bus as far as home, but mysteriously passed right by his stop. Guest Stars: Peter Hooten, Ann Doran.\nEp 7: Eyes Of The Beholder 10/19/72\nIt's a case of mixed emotions for Pete, as he's helping a once-blind girl while being stalked by a killer. Guest Stars: Janet Margolin, Beverly Garland.\nEp 8: Good Times Are Just Memories 10/26/72\nA dirty police lieutenant is part of a jewelry theft ring who is accusing Pete as the killer of his informant. Guest Stars: Leif Erickson, Tyne Daly, Sam Elliott.\nEp 9: Corbey 11/2/72\nA policeman tries to nab a pusher who knows all the angles and keeps beating the rap on technicalities. Guest Stars: Nehemiah Persoff, Nicholas Georgiade, Jean Byron.\nEp10: Can You Hear Me Out There? 11/9/72\nA stumper for the squad: A car-theft operation is somehow connected to broadcasts on a rock radio station. Guest Star: Louis Gossett Jr.\nEp11: Another Final Game 11/16/72\nPete and Julie assume the roles of a wealthy couple when an old lady whom Linc had befriended is taken for $600 by a con man. Guest Stars: Clu Gulager, Beverlee McKinsey.\nEp12: Crime Club 11/23/72\nA group of highly intelligent students has the Squad on its toes when they start making headlines with a bizarre string of well thought out robberies. Guest Stars: Mark Slade, Robert Lipton.\nEp13: The Twain 11/30/72\nA Eurasian girl who is looking for her missing father, witnesses the murder of a man forging passports. Guest Stars: Fritz Weaver, Vic Tayback.\nEp 14: Belinda End Of Little Miss Bubble Gum 12/7/72\nThe Squad protects a former child TV star after she becomes of age and starts receiving death threats due to the money she had earned in show business. Guest Stars: Catherine Burns, Ruth Roman, Dane Clark, John Karlen.\nEp 15: Kristie 12/14/72\nA father leaves his five year old daughter in Pete's care on Christmas Eve and then suddenly disappears. Guest Stars: Michael Anderson, Jr., Jed Allan.\nEp 16: Sanctuary 12/21/72\nAn underworld boss has discovered that Julie was working undercover as his personal secretary in order to collect information against him to use in his trial, and has ordered her to be killed. Guest Stars: Glenn Corbett, Victor Buono.\nEp 17: Run Lincoln Run 1/4/73\nOne of Linc's friends has been kidnapped and has been ordered to set him up so he can be murdered. Guest Star: James A Watson, Jr.\nEp 18: Dont Kill My Child 1/18/73\nThe Squad refuses to believe a stepfather is guilty of child beating despite his confession and are positive that his son is responsible for his brother's injuries. Guest Stars: Marlyn Mason, Murray MacLeod, Nina Foch.\nEp 19: Death In High Places 1/25/73\nLinc takes a job working with steel on a high rise building in order to find out who murdered his friend. Guest Stars: Fernando Lamas, Jim Backus, Ahna Capri.\nEp 20: Put Out The Welcome Mat For Death 2/1/73\nThe Squad is led to a hospital when they investigate a dope ring and discover the husband of a terminally ill woman is responsible for her mercy killing because she was being denied her pain killers. Guest Stars: Martha Scott, Howard Duff, Michael Burns.\nEp 21: Scion Of Death 2/8/73\nIts a frustrating kidnap case, as the hostage's parents have been frightened into silence. Guest Stars: Don Porter, Julie Adams.\nEp 22: The Night Holds Terror 2/15/73\nThe father of a kidnapping victim has strangely refused to report the incident, causing the Squad to get involved. Guest Stars: Richard Dreyfuss, Brooke Bundy.\nEp 23: Cry Uncle 2/22/73\nThe Squad makes an unexpected discovery when they are put in charge of an art theft ring. Guest Stars: Theodore Bikel, Geoffrey Lewis.\nEp24: And Once For My Baby 3/1/73\nThe Squad prevents the theft of $1 million by an ex-con who is unaware that his pregnant wife is suffering from cervical cancer. Guest Stars: Ed Nelson, Linda Marsh.","Product: Hitsville USA Vol 2, 1972-1992. 4 CD box set from 1993 on Motown #6358. Includes 66-page book. 46 artists, 76 tracks.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Not as many \"hits\", but filled with great recordings\n\nReview: The first box set dealt with Motown's Golden Era (1959 - 1971) when they were a hit factory in Detroit. This set captures highlights from the next 20 years, after Motown had relocated in Los Angeles and the hits weren't so automatic. Because of the large number of great recordings found here that aren't readily available elsewhere, this set for me - a Motown collector - was far more enjoyable.\nDisc one covers 1972 - 1975 and includes The Four Tops' dramatic \"A Simple Game\" (written and produced by members of the Moody Blues). A huge hit in England, it undeservedly stiffed here, and wasn't available on disc until this set (it is now also available domestically on the Four Tops box set FOUREVER). There's also the irresistible Valerie Simpson solo gem \"Silly, Wasn't I\" and the nostalgic \"Shoe Shoe Shine\" by the flamboyant Dynamic Superiors (try finding any of the Superiors' recordings on disc elsewhere!) Another rarity is G.C. Cameron's \"It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday\" - a far superior recording to the Boyz II Men hit remake.\nDisc two captures recordings from 1976 - 1979. High Inergy's only real hit, the classy \"You Can't Turn Me Off,\" clearly shows that these gals were underappreciated and underutilized. Sassy Bonnie Pointer - represented here by her only top ten hit \"Heaven Must Have Sent You\" - and fiery Thelma Houston - with her Grammy winning \"Don't Leave Me This Way\" - also deserved more success. The disc belongs to Smokey Robinson, though, with his lush hits \"Quiet Storm,\" \"Crusin',\" and \"Being With You.\"\nDisc three tackles 1980 through 1985. Lionel Richie and Rick James' prominence at Motown at the time is apparent with their hefty appearances as artists and producers on this disc. My favorites include a latterday Motown effort by Michael Jackson (\"One Day In Your Life\" - perhaps the most touching recording he ever made), and the only real solo hit for former Temptations' lead singer Dennis Edwards' (the reggae tinged \"Don't Look Any Further\"). There's lots of fun dance stuff here too: Dazz Band's \"Let It Whip,\" DeBarge's \"Rhythm Of The Night,\" and Miss Ross' \"Upside Down.\"\nDisc Four, spanning 1985 - 1992, shows Motown in transition. Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, and Smokey Robinson (the last of the artists from the Glory days) lead off the disc with some strong efforts, but by track eight the baton has been passed to youngsters like Johnny Gill and Boyz II Men. With a completely different sound and approach (and demographic) on the latter tracks, the set should have probably ended in 1987 with the Smokey hits (also leaving off the noisy Stacy Lattishaw piece of poop \"Nail It To The Wall\").\nMotown is now just a name. Berry Gordy sold the label long ago, which conglomerate Universal Music now oversees. Since they and the other number crunchers who run the music industry today will never allow such joyous music to be created ever again, it is important to appreciate the magic found here.","Product: 25 songs\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best Collection In Print\n\nReview: The Marvelettes were Motown's first successful girl group as well as their most under-rated. While the Supremes and the Vandellas have long ago booked entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Marvelettes don't even make it onto the ballot!\nWith 1961's \"Please Mr. Postman,\" the Marvelettes - featuring Gladys Horton's gravelly, perky vocals - secured Motown's first number one pop hit (The Miracles' \"Shop Around\" from 1960 stopped short at number two). The follow-up hits in 1962 copied \"Please Mr. Postman\" thematically (\"Twistin' Postman\") and sonically (\"Playboy\") and then they branched out with the girl group ditties \"Beechwood 4-5789\" (1962) and \"Too Many Fish In The Sea\" (1964).\nA change of direction was hinted at with their successful b-side ballad \"Forever\" which featured the seductive country vocals of Wanda Young. After hitting with a Supremes-like stomper \"I'll Keep Holding On\" (1965), Smokey Robinson took over as producer and installed Young as permanent lead singer. \"Don't Mess With Bill\" (1966), \"The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game\" (1967), and \"My Baby Must Be A Magician\" (1967) were instrumentally sparse mid-tempo gems that placed the emphasis on Young's sly delivery. They were followed by the lushly orchestrated \"When You're Young And In Love\" (1967) and \"That's How Heartaches Are Made\" (1969) which conclude this set.\nAt twenty-five tracks and containing all of their chart hits, this is the strongest set available of the marvelous Marvelettes. I give the slight edge to the out of print double-disc set DELIVER: THE SINGLES though as it contains their final singles \"A Breathtaking Guy\" and \"Marionette\" which, although they didn't chart, contain great Wanda Young performances (the original Marvelettes having disbanded, they are both basically solo Wanda recordings).","Product: Brand new, factory sealed. Columbia/Legacy 1997 2-CD set with 34 tracks. Circle snipped in bar code. Fast first-class shipping, tracking.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Most comprehensive Nyro set available\n\nReview: Laura Nyro was ahead of her time. She wrote numerous hits, most of which appeared on her first two albums MORE THAN A NEW DISCOVERY (1967) and ELI AND THE THIRTEENTH CONFESSION (1968). The female singer-songwriter wasn't yet in vogue though, and it would be others that turned Nyro's songs into hits. Those others included Blood Sweat & Tears with \"And When I Die,\" Barbra Streisand with \"Stoney End,\" Three Dog Night with \"Eli's Coming,\" and most prolifically, the 5th Dimension, who had major hits with \"Wedding Bell Blues,\" \"Stoned Soul Picnic,\" \"Sweet Blindness,\" \"Blowing Away,\" and \"Save The Country.\"\nNyro's studio versions of all of the above (except \"Sweet Blindness\") appear on disc one of this 34-track, two-disc set. They make a strong case for Nyro deserving the massive success which eluded her and came instead to Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Carly Simon in the early '70s.\nThe originality of these songs in both lyric content and arrangement is stunning. What is even more amazing is that Nyro wrote all of those hit songs before she turned 21. Yet like her male counterpart, Jimmy Webb, Nyro clearly peaked at the beginning of her career. By the '70s, she wasn't even able to write songs that became hits for others. It is telling that the best recordings on disc two of this set were written by others.\nThese two tracks (in collaboration with the group Labelle) come from the remake-packed GONNA TAKW A MIRACLE album from 1971. The harmonies Nyro and Labelle weave on the Shirelle's \"I Met Him On A Sunday\" and the Originals' \"The Bells\" are gorgeous and leave the listener wishing for more from that stellar album.\nInstead, on the remainder of disc two we get a hodgepodge of studio and live recordings made between 1976 and 1993 that are usually pleasant but rarely memorable. And Nyro's unattractive propensity for shrieking seemed to increase over the years as well, particularly on live recordings.\nSTONED SOUL PICNIC will certainly appeal to diehard Nyro fans. The single disc retrospective TIME AND LOVE: THE ESSENTIAL MASTERS (which captures all of the early highlights), plus the GONNA TAKE A MIRACLE reissue, however, are far better suited to the casual fan and the general female singer-songwriter enthusiast. Check them out.","Product: CD\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: It's Delightful, It's Delovely\n\nReview: With an angelic tenor voice, it is probably unavoidable that Collin Raye would emphasize love songs on all of his albums. But as this fourteen track \"best of\" makes quite clear on number like his breakthrough hit \"Love, Me\" and the poignant \"In This Life,\" that isn't necessarily a bad thing. No other man in country is better at crooning about love than Raye. Direct Hits also contains some of Raye's rowdier smashes (\"That's My Story,\" \"My Kind Of Girl\") amidst the sentiment for much needed balance.\nRaye has also proven adept at messages songs like \"Little Rock\" (alcoholism) and \"I Think About You\" (domestic violence). It is these thought-provoking songs hits that were judiciously chosen to open the collection. Of the four new tracks, the two ballads stand among Raye's very best work. \"The Gift\" provides Raye with his most gorgeous melody to date, while the remake of Journey's \"Open Arms\" allows him to soar to new heights.\nAbout the only complaint that can be issued against this set is the omission of some of Raye's best uptempo recordings (\"On The Verge,\" \"Every Second\"). Had Epic found room for those tunes, this collection would rate as just about perfect.","Product: Neal Mccoy - Greatest Hits - Cd\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Way too brief retrospective\n\nReview: If you like your country music on the honky-tonkin' light side, you can't go wrong with Neal McCoy. Hits like \"Wink,\" \"You Gotta Love That,\" and \"The Shake\" (the only new track included ) may border on novelty, but they sure are fun. McCoy's Greatest Hits also presents some top-notch ballads with \"No Doubt About It\" and a remake of the Casinos \"Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye.\" He even manages to stray from the festive and/or romantic mold with a nice slice of acidity titled \"If I Was A Drinkin' Man.\"\nUnlike most major label country artists who have emerged over the past decade, it took three albums before McCoy got his first big hit with \"No Doubt About It\" in late 1993. He only released a couple of albums since then, and with a few tracks included here that didn't make it near the country top ten, it would appear this Greatest Hits collection was a little premature. It certainly is skimpier than other recent country sets, at ten tracks totalling 33 minutes in length (this was the unfortunate standard in country music just a couple of years ago). Ultimately, like a lot of McCoy's music, this set is fine - just not substantial.","Product: Audio Cassette Tape\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: First Collection of an Enduring Artist\n\nReview: Dwight Yoakam emerged on country radio in 1986 with a cover of Johnny Horton's \"Honky Tonk Man,\" creating a sizable alt-country niche that continues in spite of increasingly reduced radio play over the years. This disc chronicles Yoakam's hits from his first three albums: Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. (1986), Hillbilly Deluxe (1987), and Buenos Nochas From A Lonely Room (1988). With Pete Anderson on board from the start as producer and guitarist extraordinaire, Yoakam's lonesome tenor connects nicely - and charts highly - with everything he touches during this period, be it the honkytonkin' \"Honky Tonk Man,\" the tearjerker \"I Sang Dixie,\" or the rockabilly Elvis fave \"Little Sister.\" Through his chartopping, toetapping duet with Buck Owens on \"Streets Of Bakersfield,\" Yoakam was also able to introduce some of his musical influences to young listeners.\nThe only omission of note from this early phase is his faithful remake of Lefty Frizzell's \"Always Late With Your Kisses,\" with awesome, retro background vocals. On the plus side, we get the\nstark, soulful \"Sin City\" duet with k.d. lang. This is the only place to get this awesome duet (the version on the Reprise Please Baby box set features Yoakam solo).","Product: Tanya Tucker - What Do I Do With Me - Cd\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Tanya's Best CD Ever!\n\nReview: In her twentieth year of hitmaking, the every youthful Tanya Tucker showed no signs of slowing down with this stellar release. Working with longtime producer Jerry Crutchfield, Tucker collected a fine assortment of songs which displayed her ability to perform practically any style of popular music.\nThe opener \"If Your Heart Ain't Busy Tonight\" showcases her playful, rockabilly side while the bluesy \"Some Kind Of Trouble\" and the haunting \"Everything That You Wanted\" present Tucker at her most soulful. The title track and \"He Was Just Leaving\" remind us that no one belts out a heartbreaking ballad quite like Tanya.\nRounding out her eclectic selections is the Spanish-flavored \"Time And Distance,\" the torchy \"Right About Now,\" and the socially conscious \"Bidding America Goodbye.\" The standout track was the infectious leadoff single \"Down To My Last Teardrop\", but actually, there isn't a dud in the bunch. What Do I Do With Me stands at the crowning achievement in Tucker's long career.","Product: CD\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Truly Great Greatest Hits Collection\n\nReview: This album collects her twelve best recordings, regardless of chart placement. As this set shows, Tillis is an expert when it comes to singing about relationships, and usually unstable ones at that. She can be humorous (Cleopatra Queen Of Denial, Mi Vida Loca), vengeful (Dont Tell Me What To Do), yearning (Maybe It Was Memphis), and reflective (Let That Pony Run, River And The Highway). Whatever the mood, she delivers the goods. Especially noteworthy are the two new recordings: All The Good Ones Are Gone - an all too realistic look at being single and in your thirties (it was nominated for song of the year at every country awards show), and Land Of The Living - an uptempo wake-up call to a person who has recently fallen out of love and returned to the real world. With not a dud in the bunch, you cannot go wrong with this album. It is the strongest by a female country artist in many a moon.","Product: Diamond Rio Greatest Hits We receive various CDs from the radio cores that we remanufacture. As a result, we are are now selling them! Our CDs are professionally resurfaced and are guaranteed to work or your money back! These listings are for the disc only and do not come with the case, album art, or inserts. If you have any questions about the CDs, please do not hesitate to get in touch.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great Start For A Great Group\n\nReview: Very few bands in country music have been as consistently successful over the past ten years as Diamond Rio. This six-member ensemble emerged from its bluegrass roots to the elite level in country by combining strong musicianship with tight harmonies. They also possess, in lead singer Marty Roe, a distinctive tenor of exceptional power and conviction. With each of their first four albums an acclaimed effort, it is no surprise that they were able to put together a strong Greatest Hits.\nWhat does sink in anew upon continued listening to this set is an appreciation for their musical diversity. Diamond Rio's bluegrass background lends itself to the old fashion virtues of numbers like \"Mama Don't Forget To Pray For Me\" and \"She Misses Him On Sunday The Most\" (which Roe amazingly manages to keep from getting sappy), yet they are equally at home on upbeat honkytonkers such as \"Meet In The Middle\" and \"Mirror Mirror.\" They can also tug at your heart with a ballad like \"In A Week Or Two\" and then immediately put a smile on your face with the gothic satire \"It's All In Your Head\" or the corn pone ditty \"Norma Jean Riley.\" It adds up to a rural rollercoaster of emotions.\nWith its two new selections, Diamond Rio accomplished the rare feat (particularly in country) of serving up some fresh sounds. \"How Your Love Makes Me Feel\" finds them in a more aggressive mode. The rocking melody is four minutes of nonstop hooks. Coupled with engaging lyrics, it is one of their best recordings ever. \"Imagine That\" holds back a bit more on its beat, but the end result is no less vibrant. Its harmonies and instrumentation are reminiscent of the Huey Lewis Sports era, with some lovely mandolin thrown in to remind you that it's country.\nOld or new, the hits keep coming for Diamond Rio. A more pleasing anthology by a modern country group would be hard to find.","Product: Skeeter rode bittersweet ballads and rock 'n' roll hits to cross over from the country charts the pop ones in the early '60s. Here are her biggest hits from both sides: The End of the World; I Can't Stay Mad at You; My Last Date (with You); (I Can't Help You) I'm Falling Too; Set Him Free; What Does It Take; Optimistic , and 13 more!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best Skeeter Davis cd available\n\nReview: The music on The Essential Skeeter Davis covers almost 20 years of Davis hits. It leads off with the Davis Sisters' megahit \"I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know.\" Tragically, Skeeter's singing partner Betty Jack died in a car accident shortly after the release of this hit. As a solo artist, it would take six years for Skeeter Davis to make the charts again (the key to her success the second time around was double-tracking the vocals to get that full Davis Sisters' sound).\nAll of Skeeter's subsequent solo top 10 hits are found on this collection, such as her signature song \"End Of The World\" and the answer song \"(I Can't Help It) I'm Falling Too.\" Four Davis recordings which weren't singles are also included. Among them, the frequently recorded \"Silver Threads And Golden Needles\" should have been replaced by one of her hit duets with Bobby Bare. But since Davis' RCA catalog has long been missing in action - and the recent Bobby Bareless-RCA Country Legends only has 15 tracks - that's a minor objection. This is the best Skeeter Davis cd available.","Product: THE ESSENTIAL CHARLEY PRIDE 1997 We receive various CDs from the radio cores that we remanufacture. As a result, we are are now selling them! Our CDs are professionally resurfaced and are guaranteed to work or your money back! These listings are for the disc only and do not come with the case, album art, or inserts. If you have any questions about the CDs, please do not hesitate to get in touch.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great Introduction To Pride's Music\n\nReview: Charley Pride's RCA catalog history on disc has always puzzled me. Here's a guy that RCA claims is second only to Elvis in company record sales and who managed over fifty country hits for them (twenty-nine of which went number one). Yet up till now, all you could get on disc was a few Pride collections of eight (!) to ten songs. This Essential volume contains all of Pride's milestone recordings: his first hit \"Just Between You And Me,\" his first number one \"All I Have To Offer You Is Me,\" and his signature tune \"Kiss An Angel Good Mornin'.\" The rest, like \"Is Anyone Going To San Antone,\" and \"You're My Jamaica\" are just as good. My only complaint is that the Essential series always limits their sets to twenty tracks and Pride of course had a lot more hits than that. Hopefully, he will get an additional Essential volume sometime soon, like Parton did (actually, it would take three volumes to get the full picture of his productive tenure at RCA). For now, The Essential Charley Pride is a fine introduction to a talented country music trailblazer.","Product: Essential Bobby Bare [Audio CD] Bare, Bobby\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: His Best on RCA\n\nReview: Bobby Bare's catalog has long been neglected by RCA (a few stingy nine and ten track collections were put out and then deleted years ago). Razor & Tie released a nice twenty-one track retrospective of his `60s RCA work The Best Of Bobby Bare in 1994. The Essential Bobby Bare contains quite a few overlaps to that set, like his career-establishing folk numbers \"500 Miles,\" \"Four Strong Winds,\" and \"Detroit City\" plus the countrypolitan \"Streets Of Baltimore\" and the humorous \"(Margie's At) The Lincoln Park Inn.\" What gives the Essential volume the clear edge is its addition of Bare's biggest hits from the `70s, including the novelty items \"Marie Laveau\" and \"Daddy What If\" as well as the oddly philosophical \"Drop-kick Me Jesus\" (which Bare claims is President Clinton's favorite song). Essential also offers all of Bare's collaborative hits, including a \"A Dear John Letter\" with Skeeter Davis and \"Game of Triangles\" with Liz Anderson and Norma Jean. Solo or tandem, every track is a winner and reveals Bare and his rich baritone to be an underappreciated but important part of country music history.","Product: Includes Silent Night, Holy Night; O Little Town of Bethlehem; Joy to the World; White Christmas , and more.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: One of Tammy's Best Efforts\n\nReview: This album was initially recorded in 1970 when Tammy Wynette was at the peak of her vocal powers. The ten track set is divided into two parts, the first half of which is comprised of hymns like \"Silent Night\" and \"Joy To The World.\" The second half is far more interesting (and color coded) with modern holiday classics like \"Blue Christmas\" and \"White Christmas\" joined by the Carmen Taylor originals \"One Happy Christmas\" and \"Let's Put Christ Back In Christmas.\" Best of all is \"(Merry Christmas) We Must Be Having One,\" the definitive Tammy carol, as her tearful voice turns the routine festivitites into an ultra-emotional occasion. There have been a number of Wynette reissues released since her death, but this is easily the most moving. It should never have fallen out of print.","Product: Pop-soul doesn't get much better than Barbara Lewis, whose seductive, emotive croon took \"Hello Stranger\" to #3 in 1963. The Michigan native had been writing songs since the age of nine, and began recording as a teenager with producer Ollie McLaughlin, wh\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The Best of a Great Artist\n\nReview: No singular adjective does justice to Barbara Lewis' voice. Her delivery was silky smooth. And while her sound was somewhat sweet, she had a soulfullness that always kept her recordings from getting sappy. Today, she is mostly forgotten by the general public, which is a huge shame. Lewis had her own niche, somewhere between the light pop sounds of Diana Ross and Dionne Warwick, and the fiery soul of Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight.\nHello Stranger is easily the best compilation done on Lewis (it even carries Lewis' personal endorsement as such on the back of the CD and in the enclosed booklet). The twenty recordings cover Lewis' entire career with Atlantic Records (1962-1968). Its (for the most part) chronological order effectively captures her musical development as well.\nThe first five recordings are all Lewis compositions that were recorded in Chicago. The first three (including the minor hit \"Puppy Love\") are a bit juvenile but track number four \"Hello Stranger\" brought Lewis her biggest hit and a more mature sound.\nLewis really came into her own with her New York City recordings made during 1965-1966. \"Baby I'm Yours,\" \"Make Me Your Baby,\" and \"Make Me Belong To You\" were all sizeable hits that reveal an increased confidence in Lewis' voice.\nBy 1967, the lower regions of the charts were all Lewis could muster, but the shimmering \"I'll Make Him Love Me\" and the Carolina beach classic \"I Remember The Feeling\" show it wasn't due to the quality of the material and the collection ends on a high note with the glorious \"Thankful For What I've Got.\"\nThe overall choice of recordings for this collection is strong, with Rhino wisely leaving off the cover versions found on other Lewis compilations such as James Brown's \"Please Please Please\" and Ben E. King's \"Stand By Me.\" Rhino's remastering is typically superior, with \"Don't Forget About Me\" in particular coming to life like never before.\nDavid Nathan's extensive liner notes are also a big delight as Lewis did very few interviews during her heyday. Perhaps that contributed to her \"lost\" status in the music world. Do yourself a favor by getting this collection and discovering or revisiting the special sound that is Barbara Lewis.","Product: A score of unforgettable hits by the late great First Lady of Country Music. Includes Stand by Your Man; I Don't Wanna Play House; D-I-V-O-R-C-E; Take Me to Your World; Run, Woman, Run; 'Til I Get It Right; You and Me; Kids Say the Darndest Things; 'Til I Can Make It on My Own; Singing My Song; the Ways to Love a Man; Bedtime Story; My Man (Understands), and more.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best Single Disc of Tammy's Solo Hits, But Far From Complete\n\nReview: Tammy Wynette was the country queen of unstable domesticity. Her tear-stained voice conveyed the effects a rocky marriage has on the kids in such sagas as \"D-I-V-O-R-C-E,\" \"Bedtime Story,\" \"I Don't Wanna Play House,\" and \"Kids Say The Darndest Things.\" She'd try her best to make a relationship work, as evidenced on her signature tune \"Stand By Your Man\" and \"Run Woman Run,\" but when that wasn't ultimately possible, she would resign herself to getting on with her life the best way she knew how, be it hesitantly (\"Til I Can Make It On My Own,\" \"Til I Get It Right\"), regretfully (\"One Of A Kind,\" \"You And Me\"), or defiantly (\"Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad\"). Tammy did record quite a few thoroughly upbeat hits, such as the rousing \"Good Lovin' (Makes It Right)\" and \"Singing My Song,\" but it is the heartbreakers that Tammy did better than anyone and for which she will always be associated.\nThis collection - the strongest single Wynette disc available - contains twenty of her best solo singles - including all of those mentioned above - released between 1966 (her debut \"Apartment # 9\") and 1978 (the defiant \"Womanhood\"), the lone major omission from this period being her spinetingling \"Another Lonely Song.\" Thus, none of her celebrated collaborations with George Jones (get their collection 16 Biggest Hits) or even David Houston (on \"My Elusive Dreams\") are found here, nor such latterday solo toe-tappers as 1979's \"They Call It Making Love\" and 1982's \"Another Chance.\" Until an expanded single disc of Tammy's best comes along, the only place to get all of these recordings in one place is her box set Tears of Fire (which contains a lot of filler).","Product: ...Disc: 2 \n....1. My Girl - The Temptations \n.....2. He Was Really Sayin Somethin' - The Velvelettes \n......3. Ask The Lonely - Four Tops \n\n....4. Shotgun - Jr. Walker, The All Stars \n.....5. Nowhere To Run - Martha, The Vandellas \n.....6. When I'm Gone - Brenda Holloway \n....7. OOO Baby Baby - The Miracles \n.....8. I Can't Helf Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) - Four Tops \n......9. First I Look At The Purse - The Contours \n....10. The Tracks Of My Tears - The Miracles \n.....11. It's The Same Old Song - Four Tops \n......12. Love (Make MeDo Foolish Things) - Martha, The Vandellas \n......13. Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While) - Kim Weston \n......14. Uptight (Everything's Alright) - Stevie Wonder \n.......15. Don't Mess With Bill - The Marvelettes \n.....16. Darling Baby - The Elgins \n......17. This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You) - Isley Brothers \n.....18. Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam) - The Monitors \n....19. Function At The Junction - Shorty Long \n.....20. (I'm A) Roadrunner - Jr. Walker, The All Stars \n.....21. Ain't Too Proud To Beg - The Temptations \n.....22. What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted - Jimmy Ruffin \n.......23. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) - Jr. Walker, The All Stars \n....24. Love Gone Bad - Chris Clark \n.....25. You Can't Hurry Love - The Supremes \n....26. Beauty Is Only Skin Deep - The Temptations \n.....27. Heaven Must Have Sent You - The Elgins\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Incredible music and packaging, but not the whole story\n\nReview: The years 1959 - 1971, when Motown was located in Detroit, is considered the golden era of the label. Motown charted over 350 singles during this time and it would probably take at least 10 cds to do this period justice. This collection, Motown's most extensive at the time of its release in 1992, is comprised of four cds. Of the 104 singles included here, only two didn't chart: Syreeta's \"I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You\" and Shorty Long's original version of \"Devil With The Blue Dress On.\" The inclusion of Carolyn Crawford's rare and gorgeous \"My Smile Is Just A Frown (Turned Upside Down)\" was worth the cost of the set alone for the serious Motown collector. It and the Syreeta single were appearing on cd for the first time (both have been included on other Motown compilations since then).\nMotown went for a wide variety of artists (36) instead of just choosing the obvious hits by the major artists as previous collections had done. Of the major artists, the nine selections each by the Miracles and the Temptations are a good representation of their best work during this period. The Diana Ross-led Supremes, however, are strongly neglected, with only four singles included here. Especially key omissions in a historical set such as this is their first and last number ones: \"Where Did Our Love Go\" and \"Someday We'll Be Together.\" Meanwhile, all three 1970-1971 hits by the Jean Terrell-led Supremes are found here. The selection of Martha and the Vandellas' \"Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things)\" over \"I'm Ready For Love\" and \"Honey Chile\" doesn't work for me, while Shorty Long's only bonafide hit, the novelty \"Here Comes The Judge\" is left off at the expense of the non-hit \"Function At The Junction\" and \"Devil With The Blue Dress On.\"\nThese digitally remastered singles are all in crisp mono, as they were originally mixed for radio. Many of them (such as the Supremes' \"You Can't Hurry Love\" and the Temptations' \"Cloud Nine\" are dramatically different from the versions heard on \"oldies\" radio today. The singles are sequenced for the most part in release date order. Most of the major hits from the 1959 - 1963 period are included on the set: Barrett Strong's \"Money,\" the Miracles' \"Shop Around\", the Marvelettes' \"Please Mr. Postman, and the Contours' \"Do You Love Me\", for instance. In 1964, Motown became a true hit factory (the Supremes, Temptations, and Four Tops all had their first major hits that year) and it is here that the omissions on the set start to become more pronounced. There is just too much great music from 1964 through 1971 from Motown to fit onto only four discs (actually three, since the first disc is dedicated to the 1959 - 1963 period).\nThe 68-page booklet is a nice accompaniment to the discs. While the biographies aren't that extensive, it is hard to find even what is listed here on the more obscure artists like Carolyn Crawford and the Monitors. A thorough track listing provides the artist's name, songwriters, publishers, producers, release date, label number, and peak chart position in Billboard (pop and r&b) for each single. Best of all is the listing - by instrument and year - of the names of the incredible musicians who played on the Motown recordings. Motown never put musician credits on any of the albums it released during this period and it is great to see them finally given their due on a major collection.\nMotown subsequently released a four-disc box set companion collection (in stereo) covering 1972 - 1992. It is a shame that they never released an additional box set (or two) on the 1959 - 1971 period. This retrospective is a great introduction to the magic of Motown, but it is far from the complete story.","Product: 1. Can't Get Enough\n2. You Can Feel Bad\n3. Lonely Too Long\n4. I Just Wanna Be Loved By You\n5. You Don't Even Know Who I Am\n6. Here I Am\n7. You Don't Seem To Miss Me - (with George Jones)\n8. Nothin' But The Wheel\n9. My Kind Of Woman, My Kind Of Man - (with Vince Gill)\n10. Blame It On Your Heart\n11. I Try To Think About Elvis\n12. How Can I Help You Say Goodbye\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Hits Covering Second Chapter Of Patty's Career\n\nReview: Patty Loveless left MCA Records in 1992 because she believed she was getting lost among a strong female roster which included Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, and Wynonna. She signed with Epic Records in 1993 and - with husband Emory Gordy as producer - subsequently made the most consistently pleasing country albums of any female artist in recent years.\nClassics contains nine of the best recordings from Loveless' first four Epic albums. Toe tappers like \"You Can Feel Bad\" and \"I Try To Think About Elvis\" are complemented by heartbreaking, stone-country ballads such as \"Nothin' But The Wheel\" and \"You Don't Even Know Who I Am.\"\nMost noteworthy are the all too realistic sleepover saga \"Lonely Too Long\" and the award-winning tearjerker \"How Can I Help You To Say Goodbye.\" In lesser hands, the latter tune would have been insufferably maudlin. Loveless, however, infuses it with so much deep-felt emotion that it instead became a true classic - the ultimate country song dealing with loss.\nSince Loveless's string of hit singles at Epic has been hefty, fans will undoubtably be disappointed that not all of their favorites were chosen for inclusion on this collection. \"You Will,\" \"She Drew A Broken Heart,\" and \"To Have You Back Again\" are just some of the omitted gems which would have easily made it onto most other artists' hit sets.\nThough we don't get all of the hits, we do get a troika of great new Loveless recordings. \"Can't Get Enough\" finds Patty rockin' as she looks to get more out of life, while she gets sassy and aroused on the mid-tempo \"I Just Wanna Be Loved By You.\" Best of all is \"My Kind Of Woman, My Kind Of Man,\" the long awaited duet with Vince Gill. This ode of devotion is a simple but marvelous showcase for their heavenly harmonies.\nThere was a lot wrong with country music in the '90s. Classics is a great example of what was right. Run don't walk to your local record store and get it today!","Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Strong Set From One Of The '90s Best\n\nReview: BlackHawk's trio of lead vocalist Henry Paul (also mandolin) and harmonizers Van Stephenson (guitar) and Dave Robbins (keyboards) were brought together to form one of the most successful country groups of the `90s. This after many years spent forging their own identities: Paul with the Outlaws and the Henry Paul Band, Stephenson and Robbins as successful songwriters for Kenny Rogers and Restless Heart, among others.\n The group's specialty is definitely up-tempo tunes (all ten of their enclosed top 20 efforts have a pronounced beat) and usually, the rowdier, the better. Barn-burners \"Every Once In Awhile,\" \"Like There Ain't No Yesterday;\" and \"There You Have It\" were heaven-sent for swing dancing, while mid-tempo gems \"Just About Right\" and \"Almost A Memory Now\" nicely display their organic roots. The two other recordings contained on Greatest Hits provide a much needed cool down from the boisterousness: the exquisite ballad \"Postmarked Birmingham\" (Paul's greatest vocal performance to date) which undeservedly stiffed outside the top 30 and the non-single \"Always Have, Always Will,\" which offers a rare lead by the author Robbins (an accomplished, heartfelt effort, though not up to Paul's standards). The omitted \"Hole In My Heart\" and a lively cover of the Andrew Gold hit \"Lonely Boy would have fit in nicely as well, but overall, it's a creditable selection of BlackHawk's best.\n Greatest Hits also contains three diverse new recordings. The first single \"I Need You All The Time\" is vintage BlackHawk: quick tempo, a lot of fun, easy to dance to. Radio's resistance to give it steady airplay (it has stalled in the middle regions of the country charts) may not bode well for the group's recording future. There's also a lovely, subtle ballad \"It Takes A Woman\" which revives the old adage \"success is nothing without someone to share it with\". Best of all is \"Ships Of Heaven,\" a semi-autobiographical ballad written by Stephenson while he was being treated for a malignant melanona. It's a powerful statement about everlasting love that builds to a glorious, gospel-drenched climax. It was also a fitting swan song for Stephenson as he retired from the group after completing these new recordings with Paul and Robbins (Stephenson lost his battle with cancer earlier this year).","Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Whole Lotta McGraw\n\nReview: The key to Tim McGraw's success is being able to select songs that the public likes - no make that LOVES. Sometimes its an irresistible beat that easily overrides an inane lyric like on \"I Like It, I Love It\" and \"Down On The Farm.\" In other instances McGraw effectively takes on the role of everyday Joe that the public can identify with as on \"Where The Green Grass Grows\" and \"Something Like That.\" Most of the time he aims for the heart, with \"Don't Take The Girl,\" \"Just To See You Smile,\" and \"My Best Friend\" among the tunes that press the right emotional buttons.\nThis Greatest Hits contains a whopping 15 recordings. So prolific is McGraw's hitmaking over the past seven years that there is eight more top ten charters that didn't even get included. Unfortunately, they include two of his best, most heartfelt recordings: \"Everywhere\" and \"One Of These Days\" (look for them on the EVERYWHERE CD).\nThere is no new material to entice the longtime McGraw listener. It's a great set though for the casual country fan who wants to capture on one CD some of the most popular recordings in recent country music.","Product: Essential because along with the Motown hits you get on every Tops anthology, you also get their hits from the Dunhill, ABC and Casablanca labels, 19 years (1964-1983) of some of the greatest soul ever waxed! Includes Baby, I Need Your Loving; I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch); Reach Out I'll Be There; When She Was My Girl; Are You Man Enough; Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got); It's All in the Game; Standing in the Shadows of Love; It's the Same Old Song; Bernadette , and more. 24 Top 40 R&B hits!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best Single Disc Overview Of The Tops\n\nReview: This disc lives up to its name with major representation from all of the labels that the Four Tops recorded for from 1963 through 1983. Motown of course is where they recorded the bulk of their hits and that tenure is represented on the first 14 recordings. The leadoff track - 1964's \"Baby I Need your Loving\" - was the Tops' first collaboration with the songwriting-production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland. It established a winning formula: lyrics that entail Levi yearning for or proclaiming his love for a girl he has lost or can't have; pulsating music cut in a (high) key out of Stubbs' regular vocal range, the subsequent strain causing his pleas to sound even more dramatic; background vocals with a full, almost Spectorian resonance, thanks to the addition of Motown's resident session singers, the Andantes.\nAfter a mediocre \"Baby I Need Your Loving\" soundalike \"Without The One You Love\" (not included here) stiffed, the Tops rebounded in 1965 with the majestic ballad \"Ask The Lonely,\" their first number one smash \"I Can't Help Myself\" and \"It's The Same Old Song\" (and truly the latter was, a melodic retread of \"I Can't Help Myself\"). They reached their commercial peak in late 1966 to early 1967 with the powerful \"Reach Out (\"I'll Be There),\" \"Standing In The Shadows Of Love,\" and \"Bernadette.\" In late 1967, however, Holland-Dozier-Holland abruptly left Motown in a dispute over financial compensation. This prompted the label to release year-old remakes of \"Walk Away Renee\" and \"If I Were A Carpenter\" as follow-up Tops' singles. They are proof that the Tops could make a hit out of practically anything.\nIn 1968 and 1969, other Motown writer-producers like Ivy Jo Hunter, Johnny Bristol, and Norman Whitfield attempted to fill the void left by Holland-Dozier-Holland's exit. None of their work with the Tops, however, penetrated the pop or r & b top 20 (and none of it is included here). In 1970, Frank Wilson took over as the Tops' producer for the landmark Still Waters concept album. Wilson ditched the Andantes from the background and put more emphasis on the Tops harmonies. As evidenced by the hits \"It's All In the Game\" and \"Still Water (Love),\" the Tops had risen to new melodic heights. They were followed by more of Frank Wilson's well-crafted singles like the enclosed \"(It's The Way) Nature Planned It.\"\nUnfortunately these 1971-1972 follow-ups received little promotional support from Motown and struggled on the charts. Frustrated, the Tops left the label in late 1972 and signed with ABC subsidiary Dunhill Records. They immediately hit with the urban message song \"Keeper Of The Castle,\" the Shaft in Africa theme \"Are You Man Enough,\" and the multi-format symphonic smash \"Ain't No Woman (Like The One I've Got).\" With the countrified \"Sweet Understand Love\" and their funkiest recording ever \"One Chain Don't Make No Prison,\" the Tops maintained the high quality, but their final ABC/Dunhill hits in 1976/77(the disco \"Catfish,\" the reggae in molasses \"Midnight Flower\") were duds.\nIn 1981 the Tops signed with Casablanca and released two of their strongest albums ever. They are represented by the retro smash \"When She Was My Girl\" and the wedding staple \"I Believe In You And Me\" (Levi's performance buries Whitney Houston's hit version). Interspersed between these two gems is \"I Just Can't Walk Away\" a stirring ballad from their shortlived return to Motown in 1983. The Tops also recorded many lesser hits and great album tracks over the years (most of which can be found on their box set FOUREVER). But if you only want the big hits, this 24 track collection is the best single disc set available.","Product: Ten of Crystal's biggest hits from the '70s, including six #1s.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Remastered version of the Classic Crystal album\n\nReview: These hits from Crystal's United Artists tenure (1975 - 1979) are what made her a star. Over twenty years later, they hold up remarkably well. The jewel of course is her signature hit, the bluesy \"Don't It Make My Brown Eyes,\" which crossed over to # 2 pop, while my personal favorite is the spine-tingling \"Talkin' In Your Sleep.\" The gentle toe-tapper \"Somebody Loves You\" was the recording that made me first fall in love with Crystal's voice while the rollicking \"Why Have You Left The One You Left Me For\" has a hook that 24 years later is still stuck in my head! The lovely \"When I Dream\" may be Crystal's most heartfelt recording with \"I'll Get Over You\" her most economically effective (sparsely produced yet emotion-inducing).\nI give this collection five stars because they are all great recordings and it is very thematically varied, but I wish Capitol would get with it and put out a United Artists retrospective with more tracks (Classic Crystal includes the same 10 tracks - although this version is remastered - while the Madacy Best Of just substitutes \"Wrong Road Again\" with \"Your Old Cold Shoulder\"). Let's get \"Your Old Cold Shoulder,\" \"Your Kisses Will\" \"Karneval,\" \"One More Time For Mexico,\" and \"Heart Mender,\" (among others) added on so we can enjoy all of Crystal's United Artists singles on one cd!","Product: Her classic Dot/ABC material with 11 tracks including all of her Top 10 hits: Funny Face; The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.; Superman; You Can't Be a Beacon (If Your Light Don't Shine); Little Girl Gone; Don't Be Angry; You Were Always There; U.S. of A. , and more.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Short collection of a great artist's best hits\n\nReview: After a few false starts on small labels, Donna Fargo arrived on the country charts in 1972 and went straight to the top. She combined the relentless exhuberance of Dolly Parton, the quiver of Tammy Wynette, and especially, the vocal sound of Loretta Lynn. Unlike those country queens, she was also able to cross over to the pop top 10 as well with her first two hits \"Happiest Girl In The Whole USA\" and \"Funny Face.\" The major pop success was short-lived, but Fargo would become a major fixture on the country charts throughout the '70s. This 11 track set covers Fargo's best work on the ABC/Dot label: 1972-1976 (Varese Sarabonde had an eighteen track collection of this period but it is now out of print).\nThe ABC/Dot singles here, in chronological order, were the biggest hits. After her initial pair of perky mega-hit singles, Fargo wisely added a little sarcasm with her follow-up \"Superman.\" She also effectively merged country and gospel with \"You Can't Be A Beacon (If Your Light Don't Shine)\". \"U.S. of A.\" provided a patriotic slant, but her predominant theme was domestic bliss. Fargo also, impressively, wrote most of her hits.\nFargo's late '70s Warner Brothers hits remain out of print. While those singles aren't as strong as what is found here, they have their moments. Hopefully, Warner Brothers (or Rhino) will someday put out a retrospective of those follow-up hits.","Product: [Note: This product is an authorized CD-R and is manufactured on demand]\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Most of Ty's Best\n\nReview: Despite a warm baritone full of emotion and a great stage presence, Ty Herndon has never had an easy time of it on the country singles charts, especially in recent years. This Is Ty Herndon was originally intended to be his fifth release of all new material. It's leadoff single \"Heather's Wall\" - a touching tale of a man's final thoughts before dying - barely cracked the top 40 last fall however, and the album was subsequently turned into this Greatest Hits set with three new songs.\nThe nine prior tracks include most of his top 20 hits, such as the bouyant \"Living In A Moment\" and \"It Must Be Love\" as well as the poignant \"Hands Of A Working Man\" and \"A Man Holding On (To A Woman Letting Go).\" There is also the noisy non-hit \"You Can Leave Your Hat On\" where an unconvincingly lewd Herndon encourages a woman to remove most of her clothing. The omitted minor hits \"No Mercy,\" \"I Have To Surrender,\" and the aforementioned \"Heather's Wall\" are among Herndon's best recordings and would have been far more welcome.\nThe new tracks are pleasant but unmemorable, with lead-off single \"A Few Short Years\" musically and thematically regurgitating the John Michael Montgomery hit \"Life's A Dance.\" It would appear that Herndon is no longer privy to Nashville's a-list material. Too bad, as he is capable of incredible performances when he gets the right songs.","Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Replaces DIRECT HITS as the strongest Collin Raye collection\n\nReview: With an angelic tenor voice, it is probably unavoidable that Collin Raye would emphasize love songs on all of his albums. But as this \"best of\" makes quite clear on number like his breakthrough hit \"Love, Me\" and the poignant \"In This Life,\" that isn't necessarily a bad thing. No other man in country is better at crooning about love than Raye. This set also contains some of Raye's rowdier smashes (\"That's My Story,\" \"Little Red Rodeo,\" \"My Kind Of Girl\") amidst the sentiment for much needed balance. Additionally, Raye has proven adept at messages songs like \"Little Rock\" (alcoholism) and \"I Think About You\" (domestic violence) that rank among the most substantial recordings put out in the country genre during the '90s.\nI rate 16 BIGGEST HITS as the strongest Raye retrospective - stronger even than DIRECT HITS - for a number of reasons. It includes two more tracks for starters. Every single here was also a top 10 hit, whereas a few recordings on DIRECT HITS like \"The Gift\" and \"Open Arms,\" while great, did not even crack the top 30. This collection also includes hits throughout Raye's tenure at Sony, including such gems as \"I Can Still Feel You,\" \"Couldn't Last A Moment,\" and \"Someone You Used To Know\" which came out after DIRECT HITS in 1997. Finally, this cd includes my favorite uptempo Raye hit \"On The Verge,\" a # 2 smash inexplicably left off DIRECT HITS even though it predated that set. So, if you haven't already, get this disc today!","Product: Phil Vassar ~ American Child\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Recently re-released with additional tracks\n\nReview: This former songwriter to the country stars (Tim, Alan, Jo Dee) may list Merle and Willie as influences in his bio, but it's Bruce Hornsby who comes to mind when one listens to the prominently-placed piano and mandolin on Vassar's first two releases. He earns his spot in country music, however, with his impressive ability to consistently merge life experiences with strong melodies.\nUnsurprisingly, Vassar had a hand in writing all twelve tracks on this second outing. He takes his stab at post-9/11 patriotism with the \"anything is possible in America\" sentiments of the title track. Humor also figures strongly in the mix with the witty wordplay of \"Athens, Grease\" (think early Clint Black) and the commitment phobic \"Houston (We Got A Problem).\" Relationships are a dominant theme throughout, running the gamut from the rollicking remembrance of a high school flame \"Forgettin's So Long\" to the poignantly lovestruck ballad \"Already Gone.\"\nRecently, this album was re-released with two additional tracks which strengthen the cd considerably. One is the timely single \"This Is God,\" which finds Vassar taking on the role of our heavenly father in order to question the chaos going on in the world. The other is a remake of the Huey Lewis & The News hit \"Workin' For A Living\" as a duet with Lewis himself. It's long been a highlight of Vassar's stage show and its frenetic tempo adds some much needed balance to the serious far.","Product: Put an unreleased track- Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye -together with 20 of their chart hits and you truly do have the ultimate 5th Dimension collection! Includes Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In; Stoned Soul Picnic; Up-Up and Away; One Less Bell to Answer; (Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All; Go Where You Wanna Go; If I Could Reach You , and more.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: OK set, but get Up Up and Away Definitive Collection instead\n\nReview: It took awhile to get some decent 5th Dimension collections on cd. Now it can numb the mind trying to sort them out. The two-disc Up Up And Away: The Definitive Collection has every hit but Harlem, yet also includes quite a few filler album tracks of varying quality.\nThis ULTIMATE disc is a lot leaner (21 tracks instead of 36), but also has most of their singles. The initial hit Go Where You Wanna Go presented the 5th as folk-rock clones of the Mamas and the Papas. With the follow-up singles, the 5th created their own niche by frequently utilizing the exceptional songwriting talents of Jimmy Webb and Laura Nyro. Webb upped the emphasis on pure pop by providing the 5th with Up-Up And Away and Carpet Man. When the 5th moved on to the Nyro material like Stoned Soul Picnic and Sweet Blindness, a good deal of soul entered into the mix. By 1969, the 5th Dimension sound hit its apex as the Hair medley Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In and cover of Nyro's Wedding Bell Blues dominated the airwaves. Aside from the McCoo-led Wedding Bell Blues, these '60s singles were very much a group effort and a lesson in harmonic bliss.\nThe 5th's biggest hit of the '70s, the moving One Less Bell To Answer, was practically a solo Marilyn McCoo recording and signaled a strong change in direction for the group. Thereafter, all of their most successful singles would be easylistening McCoo-dominated numbers like Love's Lines, Angles and Rhymes, (Last Night) I Didn't Get To Sleep At All, and the stirring If I Could Reach You. Great performances all, but they sadly wasted the group's greatest strengths: their peerless harmonies and their adeptness at various musical styles (they weren't originally called the Versatiles for nothing!) The singles which featured the entire group during the '70s may not have been as prosperous at radio, but they have their moments, particularly Save The Country and Puppet Man.\nBesides the always left off Harlem, there are other hits missing from this set: the glorious Light Sings and their live album's Together Lets Find Love (both are on the Definitive Collection). Instead, the final track is a non-hit take on the standard \"Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye\" that is not available on any other 5th Dimension retrospectives.\nIf you want a strong sampling of the 5th's best work and you can live without some of the hits, this single disc set is okay. But do yourself a favor and go with the far more complete UP UP and Away: The Definitive Collection instead.","Product: Toby Keith leads the pack as one of the top country acts to come out of the '90s. This greatest hits package features 12 of Keith's best, including a duet with Sting on \"I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying.\"\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Get Greatest Hits Vol. 1 not this set\n\nReview: Toby Keith emerged in 1993 with the autographical hit \"Should've Been A Cowboy.\" The rodeo's loss is country music's gain, as Keith has been one of its most dependable hitmakers over the past decade. This collection captures his first six years of hitmaking when he was on the Mercury label. Back then, his specialty was relationship songs, be they humorous (\"You Ain't Much Fun\"), reflective (\"We Were in Love\"), or wishful (\"Dream Walkin'\"). Best of all is the duet with Sting on \"I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying\" which hits divorce from a male perspective dead-on.\nThis set adds only one extra hit from GREATEST HITS, VOL. 1.: the haunting \"A Woman's Touch.\" Meanwhile, available on GREATEST HITS, VOL. 1 but NOT here are the good ol' boy anthem \"Big Ol' Truck\" as well as \"Getcha Some,\" which offered a dopey delivery reminiscent of the Beverly Hillbillies theme song (\"Black Gold, Texas Tea\"). Unless \"A Woman's Touch\" is one of your favorite Toby Keith hits, I'd definitely go with the 14-track GREATEST HITS VOL. 1 over this 12-track collection.\nBy the way, to the person who wonders why \"How Do You Like Me Now\" isn't on this set: Keith released that on his current label DreamWorks after Mercury rejected it, causing him to leave that label. There is NO WAY Toby Keith would ever let Mercury put it out on their label now.","Product: We don't know how it's possible, but this is the first time a single-disc Roger Miller compilation has ever been put together! So many classics here: his Top 10 pop hits King of the Road and Dang Me ; his country smashes Chug-A-Lug; Engine Engine #9; England Swings; South; River in the Rain (last two from his musical Big River ), and 13 more!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best Single Disc of Miller's Classic Recordings\n\nReview: All Time Greatest Hits nicely captures Roger Miller's evolution as an artist during his years on the Smash/Mercury label. It begins with his silly novelty hits \"Dang Me,\" \"Chug A Lug,\" and \"Do Wacka Do\" from 1964. Miller's 1965 follow-ups added wit to normally somber subjects like destitution (\"King Of The Road\") and abandonment (\"Engine Engine #9\"). He then played it straight with the painful observations \"Last Word In Lonesome Is Me\" and \"Husbands And Wives\" as well as the joyous \"Walking In The Sunshine.\"\nBy 1968, Miller was no longer writing his hits. Instead, he gave exposure to new songwriters, being the first to chart with Kris Kristofferson's \"Me And Bobby McGee\" and Bobby Russell's \"Little Green Apples.\" Miller left Mercuy in the early '70s and, except for some side projects not included here (scoring Disney's Robin Hood, recording \"Old Friends\" with Willie Nelson and Ray Price), experienced little success over the next decade. A final creative burst came in 1985, when he wrote the music for the Tony Award winning Big River (Miller's top 40 single \"River In The Rain\" from Big River serves as a collection-ending bonus track).\nThis twenty-track retrospective is easily the best single disc of Roger Miller's classic recordings. To get a more comprehensive look at his peak years (including the Christmas classic \"Old Toy Trains\"), you would need to get the three-disc King Of The Road box set.","Product: Greatest Hits album by Jo Dee Messina was released May 20, 2003 on the Curb label. As an inheritor of the school-of-hard-knocks-persona of Reba MacEntire, Jo Dee Messina has perfected the art of appealing to both sexes. Greatest Hits music CDs Her first greatest-hits compilation neatly summarizes her ability to interpret tough-but-tender, THELMA & LOUISE-type themes in a way guaranteed to bring out the protective instincts in guys and recognition and empathy in women. Time and again on GREATEST HITS Messina hits the ball right out of the park on songs such as \"Heads Carolina, Tails California,\" \"Bye Bye,\" and, in perhaps the ur-Messina performance, \"Stand Beside Me,\" with its chorus that also functions as a declaration of intent--\"I want a man that stands beside me/ Not in front of or behind me\" Messina is a class act--you won't find any dance club remixes here--and about as country as Nashville gets nowadays.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great recordings, badly sequenced\n\nReview: Jo Dee Messina - her spunk, warmth, and red hair recalling the late great Dottie West - has been one of country music's most prominent female artists since her self-titled debut in 1996. With her initial hits \"Heads Carolina, Tails California\" and \"You're Not In Kansas Anymore,\" it appeared that Jo Dee would devote herself musically to our fifty nifty United States. Thankfully, that wasn't the case.\nJo Dee's subsequent release, 1998's I'M ALRIGHT, brought her stardom with a lot of rowdy, catchy hits such as the title track, \"Bye Bye,\" and her Dottie West remake \"Lesson In Leavin'\" as well as the stirring ballad \"Because You Love Me\" and the mid-paced declaration \"Stand Beside Me.\" 2000's BURN was almost as successful, but a lot softer, the rollicking \"That's The Way\" off-set by the power ballads \"Burn\" and \"Downtime,\" plus the yearn-filled duet with Tim McGraw, \"Bring On The Rain.\"\nThis Greatest Hits contains all of the aforementioned hits plus four new recordings. These new tracks, including leadoff single \"Was That My Life\" and its follow-up \"I Wish\" are reflective and/or optimistic odes of a gentle variety. The collection's sequencing is a bit odd, with several uptempo tracks in a row dominating the first half of the lineup, followed mostly by ballads. Mixing them up better would have made the cd far more enjoyable to listen to, since each individual recording is first-rate.","Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Strong Overview Of Country's Most Under-rated Performer\n\nReview: Trace Adkins has maintained a consistent - if not smash-hit laden - presence on the country charts for the past eight years. Greatest Hits captures his twelve previous top 30 hits (the omitted \"I'm Gonna Love You Anyway\" stalled just outside it) as well as two new tracks.\nAdkins' bodacious baritone adds hypnotic intensity to gutwrenching ballads like \"I'm Tryin'\" and \"Help Me Understand\" while he exudes charisma on the toe-tappers, be they snarling (\"This Ain't No Thinking Thing\") or fun (\"Big Time,\" \"Chrome\"). Midtempo tunes such as \"There's A Girl In Texas\" and \"Every Light In The House\" are his least distinctive vocally, but they also entertain.\nThe new tracks find Adkins tackling fresh themes. The dramatic ode - and current hit - \"Then They Do\" takes a wistful look at watching one's kids grow up. Meanwhile, \"Welcome To Hell\" is a sarcastic stomper detailing the devil greeting his latest, sinful arrival. A thoroughly downbeat recording, it wouldn't stand much chance at country radio (and Adkins doesn't plan to release it as a single), but it does showcase Adkins' versatility as a songwriter.\nThis set is a good representation of an underappreciated artist's best work. For those who haven't purchased Adkins' music before, it is a great starting point.","Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Strong Overview Of A Constantly Evolving Group\n\nReview: This seventeen-track collection charts the dramatic evolution of Lonestar as a country act. For their first two albums - 1995's Lonestar and 1997's Crazy Nights - Lonestar was a quintet. Decked out in western wear, up-tempo stompers like \"No News,\" \"Come Cryin' To Me,\" and \"You Walked In\" as well as the occasional gritty ode like \"Tequila Talkin,'\" established Lonestar as competent honkytonkers.\nBy the release of their third album - 1999's Lonely Grill - Lonestar had undergone significant changes. Bassist and occasional lead singer John Rich left the group for a solo career (which has yet to take off) and the western wear was dropped in favor of hip, Gap-type duds. The honkytonkers were largely replaced by sentimental ballads such as \"Amazed, \"Smile\" and \"Tell Her\" that effectively utilized lead singer Richie McDonald's emotional, elastic tenor, and appealed directly to droves of female listeners. 2001's I'm Alright There with its touching title smash and its follow-up \"Not A Day Goes By\" repeated this winning formula.\nIn addition to the aforementioned country hits, From There To Here also includes three new recordings. The perky leadoff single, \"My Front Porch Looking In,\" with lines like \"there's a carrot top that can barely walk with a sippy cup of milk\" that effectively zero in on its soccer mom demographic, has already topped the country charts. \"I Pray\" is an inspirational ballad that's melodically reminiscent of \"Smile,\" while their energetic remake of Marc Cohn's \"Walking In Memphis\" - a longtime concert staple - is one of the best recordings they've made in awhile. The latter successfully incorporates sentiment and grit, a combination Lonestar should strive for more in the future.","Product: The title cut to Aaron's 1991 debut You've Got to Stand for Something struck a chord in the wake of the Gulf War; it cracked the Top 10 and began a string of anthemic country hits like The Call of the Wild and Working Man's Ph.D. Those join I Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way; There Ain't Nothin' Wrong with the Radio , and 15 more by a great modern Nashville songwriter!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Easily the best collection of Tippin's RCA Years\n\nReview: This new set surpasses previous Aaron Tippin collections, like his 13-track Greatest Hits... and Then Some and the 16-track RCA Country Legends. It includes 17 of the 19 singles Tippin charted during his 1990-1997 RCA tenure (only \"She Made A Memory Out Of Me\" and \"Everything I Own\" - neither of which cracked the top 50 - are missing). This includes \"Honkytonk Superman\" which isn't available on either of the aforementioned Tippin sets and ranks as one of his most fun recordings. See the paragraphs below for more information on Tippin the country artist.\nAaron Tippin is hard-core country. His raw, ear-jarring twang often sounds like a howling coyote. Yet Tippin has found a successful niche in country music by consistently relating to working class values on his best singles (most of which he also wrote). \"Working Man's Ph. D.\" and \"I Got It Honest\" take a proud stance on manual labor. \"You've Got To Stand For Something\" and \"I Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way\" celebrate sticking to one's beliefs and doing the right thing no matter where you come from. Tippin also appeals to his less-than -wealthy core audience through humor on \"There Ain't Nothing Wrong With The Radio\". This novelty number depicts the car from hell which an upbeat Tippin won't unload, due to its lone remaining sonic asset.\nTippin even fits some romantic songs into his repertoire (usually of the unsuccessful at love type). The honky tonkin' \"My Blue Angel\" finds Tippin yodelling about a lost love he's still searching for, while in the straight forward ballad That's As Close As I'll Get To Loving You,\" he pines for a girl he can never have. When Tippin does finally get the girl in a song, it turns out he has to answer \"The Call Of The Wild.\" You won't find a lot of emotional depth on this collection. Tippin seeks foremost to entertain his listeners and, within the confines of his working man persona, he usually succeeds. If you are in the mood for some country music that's festive and you don't mind a lotta twang, give this set a try.","Product: It was 30 years-and 40 #1 singles-ago that Ronnie Milsap first emerged as a force in Nashville. This definitive single-CD collection squeezes in 23 hits: Pure Love; My Heart; Am I Losing You; He Got You; Any Day Now; Still Losing You; A Woman in Love; It Was Almost Like a Song; (There's No) Getting Over Me; Smoky Mountain Rain , and more, all #1s!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best Single Disc Available of Milsap's best\n\nReview: In the past couple of years, there have been some good single disc Ronnie Milsap retrospectives released, including 1995's 20-track Essential Ronnie Milsap and 2001's 16-track RCA Country Legends. This 23-track chronologically arranged set surpasses both, to become the best single disc available on one of country music's all-time greatest artists.\nThe set contains hits Milsap recorded for RCA between 1974 and 1989. During that 15-year period, no one else hit the top of the charts as often (40 times) - or even came close. It's a testament to the diversity of Milsap's vocal and song-selecting talents.\nThose diverse classics include pure pop (\"Pure Love,\" \"Smokey Mountain Rain\"), polished honkytonkers (\"Daydreams About Night Things,\" \"I'm A Stand By My Woman Man,\"), stone country weepers (\"Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends,\" \"Am I Losing You\"), bluesy scorchers (\"Stranger In My House\"), and adult contemporary fare (\"It Was Almost Like A Song\"). Toward the end of his hit-making tenure, Milsap also dwelled on nostalgia, with the vintage sounding \"Lost In The Fifties Tonight.\"\nThe double-disc Forty # 1 Hits (2000) remains by far the strongest summation of Milsap's glory days. Among the great recordings found there but omitted here are \"Let's Take The Long Way Around The World,\" \"Why Don't You Spend The Night,\" \"She Keeps The Home Fires Burning,\" and \"Since I Don't Have You.\" But if you are on a strict budget and can only afford a single disc, this Ultimate Ronnie Milsap is the set to get. This collection's lineup is as follows:\n 1. Pure Love\n 2. Legend In My Time, (I'd Be) A\n 3. Please Don't Tell Me How This Story Ends\n 4. Daydreams About Night Things\n 5. What Goes On When The Sun Goes Down\n 6. Stand By My Woman Man, (I'm A)\n 7. Let My Love Be Your Pillow\n 8. It Was Almost Like A Song\n 9. Only One Love In My Life\n 10. My Heart\n 11. Smoky Mountain Rain\n 12. Am I Losing You\n 13. No Getting Over Me, (There's)\n 14. I Wouldn't Have Missed It For The World\n 15. Any Day Now\n 16. He Got You\n 17. Don't You Know How Much I Love You\n 18. Stranger In My House\n 19. Still Losing You\n 20. Lost In The Fifties Tonight\n 21. In Love\n 22. Make No Mistake, She's Mine - (with Kenny Rogers)\n 23. Woman In Love, A","Product: Different label (Columbia), different name (The Jacksons), more hits! Here are the 14 biggest: Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground); Enjoy Yourself (extended version); State of Shock (with Mick Jagger); Lovely One; Show You the Way to Go , and more, even a live version of Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough from the 1981 U.S. tour!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great Stuff, Too Bad All The Singles Weren't Included\n\nReview: Overshadowed by brother Michael's solo career and best known for their career establishing, oft-packaged tenure at Motown (1969-1975), the Jackson brothers made some fine music for the Epic label from 1976-1989. Surprisingly, their Epic hits had not been anthologized until this new 14-track Essential set.\nHaving lost their Jackson 5 moniker and brother Jermaine to a solo career when they left Motown, the newly christened Jacksons - with youngest brother Randy now in the fold - were assigned to legendary Philly soul writer-producers Gamble & Huff for their first two Epic albums The Jacksons (1976) and Goin' Places (1977). These albums showcased a significant maturation in the group's sound, led by their more intricate harmonies. But aside from the snappy \"Enjoy Yourself,\" the hits (\"Show You The Way To Go,\" \"Goin' Places,\" and \"Find Me A Girl\") are indistinctive pleasantries that could have just as easily been performed by Gamble & Huff's primary act, The O'Jays.\nStarting with their third Epic album Destiny in 1978, the Jacksons - especially Michael, Jackie, and Randy - began writing and producing their own material. Destiny was, amazingly, a vast improvement over the Gamble & Huff albums. Its two hit singles \"Blame It On The Boogie\" and \"Shake You Body\" (Down To The Ground)\" stand among the most potent hits of the disco era, highlighted by Michael's sunny lead vocals, smooth backgrounds from the brothers, and a supple bass line. Unlike most dance hits from the late '70s, these recordings still sound fresh today.\nMichael followed up Destiny with his megastar-making solo vehicle Off The Wall in 1979. The confidence brought on by that project's success was immediately evident when he re-teamed with his brothers for Triumph in 1981. Triumph, on which Michael had a hand in writing nine of its ten tracks, was a topically diverse, sonically exciting masterpiece. The dramatic epic \"This Place Hotel\" - with its shrieking and slamming door sound effects - offered a small taste of the theatrics that Michael would later meld into the title track of his landmark solo album Thriller. Meanwhile, \"Can You Feel It\" delivered Michael's first save/improve the world anthem - a topic he would revisit on his subsequent solo projects.\nAfter Thriller's release in 1982 made Michael one of, if not THE most famous musicians on the planet, he cut back on his musical involvement in the Jacksons. He contributed only three compositions to their slight, over-hyped 1984 album Victory that featured the return of Jermaine to the act. Victory's lead-off single \"State Of Shock\" - a lyrically empty riff - owed its success primarily to the vocal event pairing of Michael and Mick Jagger. It's the only recording from Victory included on this set.\nWith the Jacksons' next project, 1989's 2200 Jackson Street, Michael limited his participation to one track: the sweet, autobiographical title hit that featured vocal contributions from all of the Jackson siblings except the then-ostracized LaToya. It's other single, the Jermaine-led \"Nothin (That Compares 2 You)\" was a slice of new jack swing that recalls - far too much - producers LA & Babyface's work with Bobby Brown. Dropped by Epic after sluggish sales, 2200 Jackson Street remains the Jackson brothers last collaborative effort to date.\nThis Essential collection concludes with the brothers' live rendition of Michael's solo hit \"Don't Stop `Til You Get Enough.\" Had this murky recording's spot been filled by Victory's haunting \"Torture\" and the Caribbean flavored \"Body\" (the only Epic singles excluded here), this retrospective of the most underappreciated phase of the Jacksons' illustrious career would have earned its Essential name.","Product: Rose garden your'e my man...and more.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Combines Lynn's biggest Chart and Columbia label hits!\n\nReview: Lynn Anderson's rich recording catalog has been neglected for most of the digital era. Thankfully, Collectors Choice Music has put together this 24-track Greatest Hits, the first cd to combine hits from her '60s Chart Records and '70s Columbia Records tenures.\n\n Signing with Chart Records in 1966, Anderson was an immediate success thanks in large part to mom Liz's songwriting. These songs - like \"If I Kiss You\" and \"Promises, Promises\" - featured clever wordplay that played off her youthful exuberance. When Anderson left Chart, they continued to mine her old albums for singles, astutely selecting remakes of hits like \"I've Been Everywhere\" and \"Rocky Top\" which displayed Anderson at her most irresistibly chipper.\n\n At Columbia, Joe South's compositions \"Rose Garden,\" \"Fool Me,\" and \"How Can I Unlove You\" provided Anderson with an early boost. Even more important was the writing and production involvement of husband Glenn Sutton, whom Anderson married just prior to joining Columbia. At Columbia, Sutton matched the brisk pace of Anderson's best Chart recordings with his narcissistic songwriting efforts \"You're My Man\" and \"What A Man, My Man Is.\" He also encouraged Anderson to stretch stylistically, with the breezily seductive \"Sing About Love\" and a remake of Johnny Ray's \"Cry\" that showed she could effectively go from delicate to bombastic within the course of a song.\n\n While a few key recordings are missing, such as her first hit \"Ride, Ride, Ride,\" and the gorgeous Linda Hargrove ballad \"I've Never Loved Anyone More,\" this collection easily rates as the best available Anderson retrospective. The track lineup:\n\n1. Rose Garden\n\n 2. You're My Man\n\n 3. How Can I Unlove You\n\n 4. Keep Me In Mind\n\n 5. What A Man My Man Is\n\n 6. If I Kiss You (Will You Go Away)\n\n 7. Promises, Promises\n\n 8. No Another Time\n\n 9. Big Girls Don't Cry\n\n 10. Flattery Will Get You Everywhere\n\n 11. That's A No No\n\n 12. I've Been Everywhere\n\n 13. Rocky Top\n\n 14. Stay There \" Til I Get There\"\n\n 15. Cry\n\n 16. Listen To A Country Song\n\n 17. Fool Me\n\n 18. Top Of The World\n\n 19. Sing About Love\n\n 20. Talkin' To The Wall\n\n 21. He Turns It Into Love Again\n\n 22. Wrap Your Love All Around Your Man\n\n 23. Isn't It Always Love\n\n 24. Sea Of Heartbreak","Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Nice Summation Of One Of Current Country's Top Artists\n\nReview: With the honky tonk lament \"Never Again, Again,\" Lee Ann Womack and her adenoidal, Partonesque voice arrived on the country charts in early 1997. Follow-up singles on her first two albums, like the uptempo \"(Now You See Me) Now You Don't\" and \"I'll hink Of A Reason Later,\" as well as the delicate ballads \"The Fool\" and \"A Little Past Little Rock,\" then solidified her as a favorite of traditional country listeners.\nWomack's third album I Hope You Dance (2000) was far more eclectic. The Rodney Crowell scorcher \"Ashes By Now\" infused rock and tropical sounds, while \"Does My Ring Burn Your Finger\" added bluegrass into her repertoire. \"Why They Call It Falling\" was a sparse, acoustic gem and the optimistic title track struck a chord with the nation and ultimately became a major pop hit.\nIn light of the major crossover success of the \"I Hope You Dance\" single, it is not surprising that Womack's next album Something Worth Leaving Behind (2002) aimed for the masses again, this time with an overly polished and synth-laden sound. But aside from the title track (an \"I Hope You Dance\" knockoff), it was lacking in hits. \"Mendocino County Line\" - a Grammy-winning collaboration with Willie Nelson - followed soon after, its harmonious blend overshadowing the song's ambiguous storyline.\nGreatest Hits contains all twelve of Womack's top 25 country hits (including the aforementioned singles), plus two new tracks \"The Wrong Girl\" and \"Time For Me To Go\" that thankfully return Womack to her traditional roots. While I would have also included the toe-tapping single \"Buckaroo\" (which peaked just outside the top 25), Greatest Hits serves as a strong summation of Womack's first eight years as an MCA recording artist.","Product: From First Edition to his '70s and '80s pop and country smashes to his recent #1 Buy Me a Rose (with Alison Krauss and Billy Dean), here are 40 of Kenny's classics plus two new songs: his pop Top 10s Just Dropped In (to See What Condition My Condition Was In); Lucille; Coward of the County; Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer (with Kim Carnes); Lady; I Don't Need You; Islands in the Stream (with Dolly Parton); We've Got Tonight (with Sheena Easton), and more!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best Rogers Collection Next To His Box Set\n\nReview: Whether or not you like his music, you can't deny Kenny Rogers is one of the most prolific and commercially successful artists ever. This two-disc restrospective 42 Ultimate Hits is the first collection other than his box set Through The Years to contain recordings from each of his labels since he first hit the charts in the `60s.\n\nFive recordings by Rogers with the First Edition (1967-1970, on Reprise) lead off the first disc and they are an impressively versatile lot. There's the psychedelic \"Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In),\" the sexy, r & b lavored \"Something's Burning\" and best of all, the folk tales \"Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town\" and \"Reuben James.\" Sorely missed here, however, is their sweet country-pop hit \"But You Know I Love You.\"\n\nThe First Edition broke up in 1975 and Rogers signed a solo deal with United Artists (later folded into Liberty, then Capitol) records. These are the recordings that made Rogers a superstar and they comprise 25 of the 42 tracks found here). Rogers' initial producer at United Artists, Larry Butler, encouraged Rogers to make his sandpapery vocals a trademark (created by rehearsing until hoarse and straining to hold those almost out of reach notes). Rogers' early solo hits like Lucille,\" \"The Gambler,\" \"Coward Of The County,\" \"Lady,\" and \"Love Will Turn You Around\" were strong representatives of cross-over country during the Urban Cowboy era. With one major exception: \"You Decorated My Life.\" Who was that intended for, Martha Stewart?\n\nThe real highlight of Rogers' United Artists/Liberty years were the duets. Pairing Rogers with diverse artists like Kim Carnes(\"Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer\") and Sheena Easton (\"We've Got Tonight\") provided a great showcase for his harmonic talents. Even better are the half-dozen singles that Rogers recorded with the late Dottie West during the late '70s. Their mixture of honey (West) and gravel (Rogers) made for a surprisingly tasty mix, especially on the jazzy \"What Are We Doin' In Love\" and the delightfully lustful \"Anyone Who Isn't Me Tonight.\"\n\nDolly Parton succeeded West as Rogers' duet partner in the '80s when he jumped to the RCA label, but their potent natural blend on the megahit \"Islands In The Streams\" was weakened by their overly loud backup singers/producers, the Bee Gees. \"Islands\" is followed here by five more hits from Rogers' RCA years (1983-1988), including the beautifully reflective \"Twenty Years Ago,\" the horny \"Morning Desire\" and the Ronnie Milsap duet, \"Make No Mistake, She's Mine.\" Unfortunate omissions from the RCA era include the galloping \"Evening Star,\" and the chart-topping Parton collaboration \"Real Love.\"\n\nSlighted even more on this set is Rogers' late '80s - early '90s tenure on Reprise. By this point, country radio was concentrating on the new traditionalists and Rogers was no longer topping the charts. He made some wonderfully eclectic music, however, like the intergalactic cowboy ode \"Planet Texas,\" the inspirational \"When You Put Your Hear In It\" and the wedding anthem \"The Vows Go Unbroken,\" but only the latter recording is included here. Check out Through The Years for a more healthy sampling of the RCA and Reprise solo eras.\n\nAfter some lean recording years, Rogers made an improbable but highly successful comeback in 1999 with the one-two punch of the humorous baseball saga \"The Greatest\" and the number one hit \"Buy Me A Rose\" for his own Dreamcatcher label. The three new tracks that follow and close this collection - including \"My World Is Over\" with Shania Twain-soundalike Whitney Duncan - reveal Rogers is still making quality music. Even if they fail to reach the upper regions, he's had - as this impressive set reminds us - a hell of a ride.","Product: Carly has never had a single-CD, cross-label collection! Here are her essential hits You're So Vain; Nobody Does It Better; Mockingbird; That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be; Anticipation; Legend in Your Own Time; The Right Thing to Do; Haven't Got Time for the Pain; You Belong to Me; Jesse , and 10 more!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Great First Carly Purchase\n\nReview: Several collections already existed that encompass Carly's solo career, including the three-disc box set CLOUDS IN MY COFFEE (1995), and the double-disc, forty-track ANTHOLOGY (2002). For the amount of space available on both of them, the track selections are flawed. REFLECTIONS, meanwhile, truly represents the cream of Carly's catalog and is an extremely enjoyable listening experience from start to finish.\n\nThe first nine tracks are comprised of Carly's '70s Elektra hits like \"That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be, \"Anticipation,\" \"You're So Vain,\" and \"You Belong To Me.\" I have my favorite album tracks from this period like \"Tranquilo\" and \"We're So Close,\" but the recordings included here were the hits, so I can't find fault with the selection. Track 10, \"Jesse,\" represents her early '80s tenure at Warner Brothers - a logical choice as it was her only top 20 hit there (I also liked her minor reggae-flavored hit \"Why\" from this period).\n\nIn 1987 - after an unsuccessful album SPOILED GIRL for Columbia - Carly moved to Arista and experienced a career resurgence, much like that experienced by other middle-aged Arista arrivals Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin. Her Arista highlights make up the final 10 tracks.\n\nThe first Arista album COMING AROUND AGAIN was one of Carly's strongest ever and it is well-represented here by its four singles, including the reflective title track and the enchanting \"Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of.\" During her Arista years, Carly also got involved in film scoring - quite successfully - including her enclosed Oscar winner \"Let The River Run\" from WORKING GIRL and the theme for LOVE OF MY LIFE.\n\nThe 1994 biographical album LETTERS NEVER SENT resulted in some of her most intimate work and is well represented here by touching tributes to her mom (\"Like A River\") and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (\"Touched By The Sun\"). This collection then concludes with \"Amity,\" an acoustic duet with daughter Sally Taylor that was included in the 1999 film ANYWHERE BUT HERE.\n\nWhile one disc cannot due full justice to Carly, REFLECTIONS manages to touch on all significant phases of her career. For those who don't own any of her music, it's a great first purchase.","Product: The first compilation to present all 21 hits notched by this enduring LA rock combo, sure to bring \"joy\" to any Three Dog Night fan! Here are the songs (you probably know 'em all): One; Eli's Coming; Celebrate; Easy to Be Hard; Mama Told Me (Not to Come); Joy to the World; Liar; Shambala; Black and White; The Show Must Go On; Out in the Country; One Man Band; An Old Fashioned Love Song; Never Been to Spain , and more.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Strongest single disc available of all of their hits\n\nReview: From 1969 - 1975, Three Dog Night was the most popular band in America. Don't believe it? Just look at their stats during that period: twenty-one consecutive Top 40 hits, eighteen straight Top 20's, eleven Top 10's, and twelve straight gold LPs. This seven-piece outfit featured three strong, distinctive lead singers in Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron, and Cory Wells, whose individual talents became even greater when harmonizing. While their sound was often slick, it was also undeniably soulful, particularly on the singles Negron fronted. In addition, the material they selected was extremely diverse and their arrangements were often innovative.\nThree Dog Night's singles tended to come from up and coming singer-songwriters. In 1969, they reached the top 10 on the pop charts with Harry Nilsson's \"One,\" Laura Nyro's \"Eli's Coming,\" and \"Easy To Be Hard\" from the musical Hair. The following year, Three Dog Night scored their first number one with Randy Newman's humorous \"Mama Told Me (Not To Come),\" then branched out ecologically through Paul Williams' \"Out In The Country.\" 1971 was undoubtedly the apex for Three Dog Night, with their signature hit - the ultra infectious Hoxt Axton anthem \"Joy To The World\" - topping the charts for six weeks, followed by Russ Ballard's rowdy \"Liar,\" Williams' smooth \"An Old Fashioned Love Song\" and Axton's gritty \"Never Been To Spain\" (all top 10 efforts).\n1972's \"Black & White\" gave them another feel good anthem and another number one, while the pretty \"Pieces Of April\" introduced songwriter Dave Loggins to the masses. The redemptive plea \"Shambala\" in 1973 and the Leo Sayer circus saga \"The Show Must Go On\" in 1974 were the final Three Dog Night singles to reach the top 10. Passed over for singles consideration around this time was the gutwrenching ballad \"I'd Be So Happy\" which offered Negron's greatest vocal performance. Instead, they released \"Sure As I'm Sittin' Here\" and the funky \"Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)\" which gave John Hiatt and Allen Toussaint respectively some early songwriting success. Another Loggins number, the reflective \"Til The World Ends,\" brought Three Dog Night their final top 40 hit in 1975. Hutton then left the group in 1976 and subsequent incarnations have never been able to recapture their radio success.\nThe Complete Hit Singles is the first singe-disc domestic collection to include all 21 of Three Dog Night's top 40 hits, in their original single versions. These tracks are also digitally remastered, making this set a vast improvement over the long existing Best Of which contained 20 of their hits but suffered from poor sound. For '70s pop enthusiasts, it's a must purchase.","Product: The grief, the heartache, the joys of Saturday-night honky-tonkin' it all comes pouring through in the songs of Sammy Kershaw. Here are all the hits and more by this wonderful singer (and cousin of Doug Kershaw): Cadillac Style; Anywhere but Here; She Don't Know She's Beautiful; Haunted Heart; Yard Sale; Queen of My Double Wide Trailer; Vidalia , and 16 more!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Includes all of Sammy's Mercury hits!\n\nReview: George Jones disciple smilin' Sammy Kershaw was one of the '90s top country stars. This disc contains all 23 of his top 40 hits for the Mercury label (1991-2000).\nSammy's early singles were mostly high-octane efforts like \"Cadillac Style,\" \"She Don't Know She's Beautiful,\" \"Third-Rate Romance.\" His 1997 signature hit \"Love Of My Life,\" however, led him in the direction of country crooner. While it's a gem - as are other ballads like the Lorrie Morgan duet \"Maybe Not Tonight\" and the heartbreaker \"Matches\" - the rowdier numbers clearly show that honky-tonkin' is what Sammy does best.\nThis Definitive collection is just what it claims to be (a rarity in music marketing). It includes more hits than his two collections CHAPTER 1 and CHAPTER 2 combined, with such favorites as \"Fit To Be Tied Down,\" \"If You're Gonna Walk, I'm Gonna Crawl,\" and the philosophical \"One Day Left To Live\" finally making it onto a Kershaw Anthology. Everyone undoubtably has their favorite album tracks (mine include the rowdy \"Louisiana Hot Sauce\" and his cover of Sammy Johns' \"Chevy Van\"). But if you are just looking for the hits, you will never do better than this comprehensive set.","Product: This new Chaka album is a superb collection of standards, sure to be a coveted treasure for decades to come. She delivers beautiful renditions of such classics as \"Round Midnight\", \"To Sir With Love\", \"I'm In The Mood For Love\", & \"Stormy Weather\", adding her own special brand of vocal expertise to each song.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The Most Pleasant Surprise Of The Year In Music\n\nReview: Chaka Khan is one of the greatest vocalists of all time. But with the exception of her 1992 disk The Woman I Am, her solo albums have been extremely uneven. Thus, CLASSIKHAN - her new album of standards and pop culture favorites - must rank as one of the year's most pleasant surprises. An undeniable winner from start to finish.\n\nThe London Symphony Orchestra suceeds with Khan where so many others have struggled since her days with Rufus by providing tasteful accompaniment that never detracts from Khan's sublime, out-front vocals. While the instrumental arrangements tend to vary little from the best known renditions of these classics, the tracks come off sounding fresh thanks to Khan's vocal stylings.\n\nThe eclectic, thirteen track lineup - all selected by Khan - is dominated by jazz standards (Hazel's Hips, The Best Is Yet To Come, I'm In The Mood For Love, Stormy Weather, Round Midnight, and Teach Me Tonight). It also includes a broadway show tune (Hey Big Spender from Sweet Charity), '60s country (Patsy Cline's Crazy) and pop (Peggy Lee's Is That All There Is) classics, and the themes of film favorites from Khan's youth (To Sir With Love, Goldfinger, and Diamonds Are Forever). The collection then concludes with an original Khan composition \"I Believe\" - an exquisite ballad that returns Khan to the present.\n\nThough I love all of the tracks on this collection, my personal favorite is easily Khan's take on Is That All There Is. While Peggy Lee's version is somber and resigned, in Khan hands it becomes sassy and defiant. A strong reminder of what a unique talent she is.","Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Strong, Strong Return To Form\n\nReview: While Toby Keith's recent cds have been his most successful sales-wise, in truth, many of the singles from his last couple of albums were starting to sound the same. Thankfully, Honkytonk University offers a return to the well constructed, melodic material that Keith was known for during his Mercury days and his first two DreamWorks albums (How Do You Like Me Now, Pull My Chain).\n\nThe leadoff single \"Honkytonk U\" is an autobiographical look at Keith's life in music placed in a southern rock setting, then Keith's attitude shines through on \"As Good As I Once Was.\" Later, Keith's sarcastic wit makes a welcome appearance on the swing flavored \"You Ain't Leavin' (Thank God Are Ya).\" There's also more ballads found here than we have seen in awhile on a Keith release, with the sparse \"You Caught Me At A Bad Time\" and \"Your Smile\" both making a strong, poignant impression. Best of all is the harmonic heaven that Keith and Haggard create on \"She Ain't Hooked On Me No More,\" an even more effective pairing than Keith's prior chart-topper with Willie Nelson.\n\nWhether you've been a Toby Keith fan from the early \"Shoulda Been A Cowboy\" days, jumped on board on when his career moved into the stratosphere with \"How Do You Like Me Now,\" and/or recently felt a bit disappointed by the lack of spark in his recent hits, you will find this album quite pleasing. It will probably garner some new converts as well.","Product: 50 track collection featuring all her hits, 'Fly Me to the Moon', 'Cry Me a River', 'Sway', 'One for My Baby', 'Wives and Lovers' and many more tracks spanning her entire career. EMI. 2005.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Nice overview of a sultry songstress\n\nReview: Julie London did not possess a big voice, but it sure was expressive, husky, intimate, and most of all, sexy. This 50 track, two-disc set is the most extensive Julie London collection available domestically. It spans her entire 30-plus album recording career at Liberty Records, from her biggest hit \"Cry Me A River\" from 1955's debut Julie Is Her Name to a scintillating take on the Doors' \"Light My Fire\" from her final effort, 1968's Yummy Yummy Yummy.\n\nAside from \"Cry Me A River\" (written by high school classmate Arthur Hamilton) and the also enclosed \"Nice Girls Don't Stay For Breakfast (co-penned by hubby Bobby Troup), nearly all of London's recordings were previously popularized by others. But when remade by Julie, these songs sound fresh and distinctly different from the originals. \"Wives And Lovers,\" for instance, becomes a very serious cautionary tale, warning the listener that sexy Julie will steal her man - probably with little effort - if she doesn't shape up and spruce up her appearance. And when, on \"My Heart Belongs To Daddy,\" she seductively invites a guy over to \"to dine on my fine finnan haddie,\" I don't think it is fish that she's actually offering him a nibble of!\n\nFor those looking for a more concise Julie London collection or perhaps some additional London recordings, check out Rhino's Time For Love from 1991. It includes 13 wonderful tracks (out of 18) not found on this set.","Product: These 25 classics form a sort of primer in the art of the Nashville turnaround, a country music staple in which the storyline is capped with a climactic twist, which serves to reshuffle everything leading up to it. When it's done right, the turnaround delivers the payoff with the concision of poetry and the perfect symmetry of algebra, and Lynn's own songs are designed as meticulously as the cover tunes, written by Nashville's canniest songsmiths. Loretta may have gotten a late start on her musical career, but she's spent close to a half century making up for it, as these 25 intimate slices of 20th Century American life so sublimely demonstrate. MCA. 2005.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Best single disc Lynn set now available, but not definitive\n\nReview: Currently experiencing a career resurgence thanks to her Grammy-winning album Van Lear Rose, Loretta Lynn established herself as one of country music's greatest artists during her twenty-plus years on Decca/MCA. Lynn's early records at Decca like \"Wine, Women, And Song\" and \"Blue Kentucky Girl\" were very much in the traditional female country vein and had a subservient theme. 1965's \"You Ain't Woman Enough\" and 1966's \"Don't Come Home A Drinkin'\" drastically altered that doormat persona and were also the first hits Lynn wrote at Decca. From then on, Lynn would become a voice and role model for women everywhere.\n\nFrom 1967 - 1971, Lynn was at her commercial and artistic peak. She wrote most of her hits during this period and no subject appears to have been off-limits. \"Fist City\" finds Lynn willing to get physical to keep her man while \"Rated X\" discusses the stigma placed on divorced on women. \"One's On The Way\" humorously poked at the drudgeries of being a housewife with a lot of kids. Country pride also played a prominent role in Lynn's music during this era with \"You're Looking At Country\" and\"Coal Miner's Daughter,\" which would become Lynn's signature song.\n\nBy 1972, Lynn stopped writing her own material (due to a bad publishing deal with the Wilburn Brothers). Her musical stylings had expanded, with \"Trouble In Paradise\" finding Lynn experimenting with rock (and sounding extremely ill at ease). Pop-flavored ballads like \"When The Tingle Becomes A Chill\" and \"Somebody Somewhere\" also became more common as Lynn's distinctive sound became watered down during the mid-to-late 1970s (when her recording career began to wind down), yet all retain at least a modicum of charm.\n\nFor this Definitive volume, Universal Music merely added three recordings to Lynn's twenty-two track All-Time Greatest Hits (2002) cd: \"\"Blue Kentucky Girl,\" \"You're Looking At Country,\" and \"The Pill.\" It leaves off such truly definitive recordings as Lynn's first hit \"Honky Tonk Girl\" (1960, for the Zero label), her first Decca hit \"Success\" (1962) and her last top-ten hit, \"I Lie,\" as well as such fan favorites as \"To Make A Man (Feel Like A Man), \"Home,\" and \"Red, White, and Blue\" which aren't currently available on cd. Instead, we get five duet chart-toppers with Conway Twitty that were already included on their Definitive set in April. While this is the best single disc Lynn set available, you really need to purchase her box set Honky Tonk Girl (1994) to get a true feel for her greatness.\n\n1. Wine Women & Song\n2. Happy Birthday\n3. Blue Kentucky Girl\n4. You Ain't Woman Enough\n5. Don't Come Home A Drinkin'\n6. Fist City\n7. You've Just Stepped In\n8. Woman Of The World\n9. Coal Miner's Daughter\n10. After The Fire Is Gone (with Conway Twitty)\n11. You're Looking At Country\n12. Lead Me On (with Conway Twitty)\n13. One's On The Way\n14. Rated X\n15. The Pill\n16. Love Is The Foundation\n17. Louisiana Woman, Mississipi Man (with Conway Twitty)\n18. As Soon As I Hang Up The Phone (with Conway Twitty)\n19. Trouble In Paradise\n20. When The Tingle Becomes A Chill\n21. Feelins' (with Conway Twitty)\n22. Out Of My Head And Back In My Bed\n23. Somebody Somewhere\n24. She's Got You\n25. I Can't Feel You Anymore","Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: One of Faith's best - if not her best - albums ever\n\nReview: I have enjoyed Faith Hill's music immensely since her first cd TAKE ME AS I AM came out in 1993. I must admit, however, that I was pretty disappointed with her last cd, 2002's CRY which I felt contained too many ballads that sounded alike. I am overjoyed that her latest cd FIREFLIES is a well-balanced return to the more country-oriented sounds that first made me a Hill admirer.\n\nOne of the keys to FIREFLIES' success is the great song selection. John Rich of Big & Rich fame wrote three of the cd's 14 tracks, including the first single \"Mississippi Girl.\" He wrote that one about Faith after spending a few weeks with her on a Tim McGraw tour that Big & Rich opened. Rich also contributed the power ballad \"Like We Never Loved At All\" which is already my all-time favorite Faith & Tim collaboration and the catchy \"Sunshine and Summertime.\" Three other key tracks are contributed by singer-songwriter Lori McKenna (\"If You Ask,\" \"Stealing Kisses,\" and the title track). They add a sparse, rootsy sound that was lacking in previous Hill recordings (particularly the overpolished CRY). The underappreciated Warren Brothers also provide a nice change of pace with their footstomping composition \"The Lucky One.\"\n\nIn addition to the great song selection, another strong selling point for FIREFLIES is Hill's voice, which sounds stronger than ever and seems to relish the chance to tackler a wider range of musical styles. Now that she's back on track musically, hopefully we won't have to wait three more years until her next cd is released.","Product: Import only pressings of the Gold series issued through Universal International featuring exclusive limited edition packaging. This series contains two CDs pressed on gold discs in a slimline double jewelbox within an eye-catching black slipcase with the name of the artist and album title embossed in gold lettering on the cover. This Gladys Knight & The Pips collection is comprised of 40 total tracks and features the hits 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine', 'Friendship Train', 'Neither One Of Us' and many more. Universal. 2006.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: By far the best Pips set ever! All the hits in one place!\n\nReview: Gladys Knight and the Pips are one of the most successful groups in R & B history. Gladys' ultrasoulful voice was a nice blend of southern warmth and fiery gospel, while the Pips provided tuneful backup that contained plenty of character. They recorded for several labels over the years and this two-disc 39-track collection includes recordings from all of them. It is a huge improvement from the 18 track Essential collection from 1999 that also sampled all of their previous labels.\n\nThis chronological retrospective leads off with 1961's \"Every Beat Of My Heart\" (versions of which charted on both Vee-Jay and Fury) and its follow-up on Fury \"Letter Full Of Tears\" (written by the great Don Covay). A move to the Maxx label resulted in 1964's enclosed minor hit \"Giving Up\" (written by future disco star Van McCoy).\n\nAt this point Gladys & the Pips were major stars on the chitlin circuit, but mainstream success eluded them until they joined Motown in 1966. The collection includes 13 of their biggest Motown hits, such as the frenetic original version of \"I Heard It Through The Grapevine\" and the lovely ballads \"If I Were Your Woman\" and \"Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye).\" It's a good overview of their Motown years. It you want more of their recordings from this era, I suggest you check out the 22-track Ultimate Collection from 1997.\n\nIn spite of their successes at Motown, Gladys and the Pips always felt like second-class citizens there (Miss Ross of course always got preferential treatment) and moved over to Buddah in early 1973 when their Motown contract was up. It was at Buddah that they made their most memorable music and this set includes (again) 13 of their biggest hits there, among them their signature song \"Midnight Train To Georgia,\" the funky barnburner \"On And On\" (from the film Claudine), the heartbreaker \"Part Time Love,\" and an effective live version of \"The Way We Were\" teamed with \"Try To Remember.\" This is by far my favorite period of Pip music and it is nice to see every key Buddah track included here.\n\nA jump to Columbia in 1979 resulted in a lot less hits than their tenures at Motown and Buddah reaped, but there were a few great moments, such as the enclosed Grammy winner \"Save The Overtime For Me,\" the majestic \"Landlord,\" and a version of \"Hero (Wind Beneath My Wings)\" that remains definitive. A move to MCA in 1987 brought Gladys & the Pips' last number one r & b hit - another Grammy winner - the call & response funkster \"Love Overboard\" and it's equally rowdy follow-up \"Lovin' On Next To Nothin'.\" They're both here. The set then closes with Gladys' theme for the James Bond film LICENSE TO KILL as well as the two standout tracks from her Good Woman solo album from 1991: \"Men\" and \"Superwoman\" (the latter a collaboration with good friend Dionne Warwick and Patti LaBelle).\n\nThis strong, strong retrospective puts all other Pip sets to shame. It's all of the Gladys Knight that most people will ever need.","Product: 20 tracks of Philly girl-group greatness, including all nine of their chart hits! Includes The Wah-Watusi; Don't Hang Up; South Street; Not Me; Cross Fire!: Bon-Doo-Wah; Shimmy Shimmy; Rules of Love; Knock! Knock! (Who's There?); I'll Be True; The Conservative; Cement Mixer; Don't Throw Your Love Away, and more.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Finally, a legit Orlons cd\n\nReview: The Orlons (Rosetta Hightower, Shirley Brickley, Marlena Davis, and Steve Caldwell) were always my favorite group on Philadelphia's Cameo and Parkway labels. Lead singer Hightower had such a booming yet endearing voice. When she belted out \"Don't Hang Up,\" you knew you'd better comply (or risk serious injury)!\n\nYears ago I bought an Orlons cd that originated out of Europe. Apparently, the music wasn't properly licensed, as ABKCO has only allowed the Cameo-Parkway catalog to be released on cd recently. In addition, the sound was pretty bad (I'm sure they used some worn 45s as the source material). It is great to now have all of their notable recordings available again and sounding better than ever.\n\nThe recent Cameo-Parkway box set included their five biggest hits (Wah Watusi, Don't Hang Up, South Street, Not Me, and Crossfire!). This thorough collection includes them of course, as well as their first single \"I'll Be True,\" the lesser charting hits (Bon Do Wah, Shimmy Shimmy, Rules Of Love - backed by a fierce rendition of Heartbreak Hotel that also got some airplay, and Knock! Knock!) and some of the better b-sides and album cuts. Even if you already own the Cameo-Parkway box set, you still gotta get this cd, as five tracks just ain't enough Orlons! The track lineup:\n\n 1. I'll Be True\n 2. Wah Watusi, The\n 3. Don't Hang Up\n 4. Conservative, The\n 5. South Street\n 6. Cement Mixer\n 7. Not Me\n 8. Crossfire!\n 9. Don't Throw Your Love Away\n 10. Bon-Doo-Wah\n 11. Everything Nice\n 12. Shimmy Shimmy\n 13. Rules Of Love\n 14. Heartbreak Hotel\n 15. Knock! Knock! (Who's There?)\n 16. Goin' Places\n 17. Envy (In My Eyes)\n 18. Don't You Want My Lovin'\n 19. Spinning Top\n 20. Mr. Twenty One","Product: The most comprehensive single-CD collection for the only woman in both the Rock 'n' Roll and Country Halls of Fame! Her country Top 10s Big Four Poster Bed; Nobody Wins , and Tell Me What It's Like join her pop smashes I'm Sorry; I Want to Be Wanted; All Alone Am I; Fool #1; Dum Dum; Sweet Nuthin's; Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree , and more, 28 total!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best Singe Disc Brenda Set Available\n\nReview: Brenda Lee was a torch singer who could somehow project emotions she was too young to have ever really experienced. She represented music for and by teenagers and eventually gained a sophistication that allowed her to seque into a popular adult performer.\n\nWith 1957's \"Dynamite,\" pint-sized 12-year-old Brenda Lee earned her nickname Little Miss Dynamite. Her first top-tenner, 1960's \"Sweet Nothin's\" - with confidential-sounding whispered intro, Boots Randolph's yakkety sax solo, and Lee's vocals shifting from gutsy to kittenish - set the stage for her becoming that decade's top-charting solo female singer.\n\n As he did with her Decca labelmate Patsy Cline, producer Owen Bradley soon moved her music uptown with the sweet string sections on \"I'm Sorry,\" Italian-based \"I Want to Be Wanted\" (her two pop chart toppers) and \"Emotions\" These recordings helped to establish the Countrypolitan/Nashville Sound.\n\nClear sounding and generous with 28 (mostly) chronologically sequenced 1957-79 tracks, The Definitive Collection pays more attention to Lee's country-flavored pop hits than to her early rockabilly sides. Only \"Nobody Wins,\" \"Big Four Poster Bed\" and \"Tell Me What It's Like\" come from her roster of country hits. It also includes \"Dum Dum,\" \"Fool #1\" and nursery-rhyme-inspired \"My Whole World Is Falling Down.\" From 1964, \"Is It True?\" features a pre-Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page on electric guitar. We also get \"Anybody But Me\" and the bouncy \"Your Used To Be\" which weren't on her more thoroughly annotated 1991 two-volume Anthology (which is still the best domestic Lee set).","Product: Track Listing: 1. She Don't Tell Me To 2. Something to Be Proud Of 3. Gone 4. If You Ever Stop Loving Me 5. Hell Yeah 6. Speed 7. My Town 8. Didn't I 9. She Couldn't Change Me 10. Daddy Won't Sell the Farm 11. Lonely and Gone 12. Hillbilly Shoes 13. Merry Christmas from the Family\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great hits by a great duo\n\nReview: Montgomery Gentry is a pairing that is greater than its individual parts. Eddie Montgomery's rough hewn baritone, for instance, lacks range, yet works well on spoken word verses and effectively counters Troy Gentry's bombastic, elastic tenor.\n\nFor the past seven years, Montgomery Gentry has been a country radio staple, but their biggest hits have tended to be hard hitting, country rock stompers like \"Hillbilly Shoes,\" \"She Couldn't Change Me,\" \"Hell Yeah,\" and \"Gone.\" This tendancy is reflected on this \"best of\", as only a few ballads are included in this thirteen-track lineup (omitted underacheiving slowpoke singles like \"Self Made Man,\" \"You Do Your Thing\" and the gritty \"Cold One Comin' On\" would have provided some much appreciated balance).\n\nFor the fans who already own their previous albums, there's still plenty to entice here, however. A new track \"She Don't Tell Me To\" is currently zipping up the charts, while the heartwrenching \"Didn't I\" from the We Were Soldiers soundtrack finally appears on a Montgomery Gentry album, as does the humorous 2001 holiday single \"Merry Christmas From The Family\" which concludes this set.\n\nOverall, Something To Be Proud Of is an energetic, engaging collection of hits. Its contents were custom made for blasting in the car.","Product: Track Listing: 1. She Don't Tell Me To 2. Something to Be Proud Of 3. Gone 4. If You Ever Stop Loving Me 5. Hell Yeah 6. Speed 7. My Town 8. Didn't I 9. She Couldn't Change Me 10. Daddy Won't Sell the Farm 11. Lonely and Gone 12. Hillbilly Shoes 13. Merry Christmas from the Family\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great tunes, could have used a few more ballad singles\n\nReview: Montgomery Gentry is a pairing that is greater than its individual parts. Eddie Montgomery's rough hewn baritone, for instance, lacks range, yet works well on spoken word verses and effectively counters Troy Gentry's bombastic, elastic tenor.\n\nFor the past seven years, Montgomery Gentry has been a country radio staple, but their biggest hits have tended to be hard hitting, country rock stompers like \"Hillbilly Shoes,\" \"She Couldn't Change Me,\" \"Hell Yeah,\" and \"Gone.\" This tendancy is reflected on this \"best of\", as only a few ballads are included in this thirteen-track lineup (omitted underacheiving slowpoke singles like \"Self Made Man,\" \"You Do Your Thing\" and the gritty \"Cold One Comin' On\" would have provided some much appreciated balance).\n\nFor the fans who already own their previous albums, there's still plenty to entice here, however. A new track \"She Don't Tell Me To\" is currently zipping up the charts, while the heartwrenching \"Didn't I\" from the We Were Soldiers soundtrack finally appears on a Montgomery Gentry album, as does the humorous 2001 holiday single \"Merry Christmas From The Family\" which concludes this set.\n\nOverall, Something To Be Proud Of is an energetic, engaging collection of hits. Its contents were custom made for blasting in the car.","Product: An elegant and legendary vocal superstar, four-time Grammy honoree Roberta Flack's unmistakable delivery wraps a timeless R&B sound with beautiful flourishes of jazz, pop and soul. She first climbed to the top of the charts with her definitive version of \"First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.\" The very next year, \"Killing Me Softly,\" her first duet with the late, great Donnie Hathaway took the same prize, and also hit #1. Also featuring her hit-making collaborations with Peabo Bryson and Maxi Priest, as well as many selections on which she shines solo, this must-have collection spotlights Flack's masterful song interpretation and rich emotional resonance.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great songs, but leaves off way too many hits\n\nReview: Roberta Flack emerged on the music scene in the early `70s with a cool, soothing, precise delivery that contrasted greatly with the fiery vocals of established Atlantic labelmate Aretha Franklin. Her more refined style helped her establish a successful niche as a soulful singer-songwriter, ultimately recording 15 albums over 25 years (1970-1995).\n\n Flack was most successful - and prolific - in the early part of her recording career, with the intimate, folk-oriented recordings \"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face\" (1972) and \"Killing Me Softly With His Song\" (1973) both garnering Record Of The Year Grammies, while the sumptuous \"Feel Like Makin' Love\" (1974) earned a nomination in that same category. A series of duets with college chum Donny Hathaway were also well-received at this time, including the chart-toppers \"Where Is The Love\" (1972) and \"The Closer I Get To You\" (1978).\n\n Outside projects and Hathaway's suicide in 1979 slowed down Flack's output thereafter, but she continued to make some great music. This included the gentle theme for the film Making Love (1982), the breezy chart-topper \"Oasis\" (1988) and top ten collaborations with Peabo Bryson (\"Tonight I Celebrate My Love\" - 1983) and Maxi Priest (\"Set The Night To Music\" - 1991). These latter pairings, by the way, are nice, but don't begin to approach the intensity that Flack shared on record with the mighty Hathaway.\n\n This 17-track Very Best Of contains 12 overlaps from Flack's 1993 retrospective Softly With These Songs (which also had 17 tracks), including all of the aforementioned hits. Available on the earlier set only were a slowed down rendition of the Shirelles' hit \"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow\" (1972) and the not missed, inane single \"Uh-Uh Ooh-Ooh Look Out\" (1989), while this new Very Best Of adds \"You Are My Heaven,\" a posthumous R&B hit with Hathaway (1980).\n\n While duplicates abound, several key tracks remain unavailable on a domestic Flack collection. These include early duet hits with Hathaway (\"You've Got A Friend\" - 1971, \"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'\" - 1971), top 30 solo ballads (\"Jesse\" - 1973, \"If Ever I See You Again,\" - 1978), additional collaborations with Bryson (\"Make The World Stand Still\" - 1980, the adult contemporary staple \"You're Lookin' Like Love To Me\" - 1982), and the up-tempo boast \"I'm The One\" (1982). They all deserve to be anthologized and hopefully the folks at Rhino will see fit to include them in a double-disc Flack set in the near future.","Product: Chris Isaak begins his third decade as one of the most distinctive recording artists- and the epitome of modern cool-with his first career-spanning retrospective. Best of Chris Isaak CD features every hit, led by \"Wicked Game,\" and including many fan favorites such as \"Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing,\" plus four previously unreleased tracks.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great introduction to Isaak's music, but a second volume is needed\n\nReview: An intoxicating mix of Elvis Presley's early rockabilly and Roy Orbison's haunted crooning, Chris Isaak has maintained a sizable following over 21 years and nine albums despite having only one real pop hit, \"Wicked Game.\" While all of his albums are inconsistent, they each contain plenty of highlights, making this 18-track Best Of long overdue.\n\nIsaak wrote most of the songs on his albums except for the Baja Sessions project. Sometimes he's subtle (\"Blue Spanish Sky,\" \"Let Me Down Easy\"), sometimes he rocks (\"You Owe Me Some Kind Of Love,\" \"Blue Hotel\"). Occasionally, he builds from restrained to rowdy within the same recording (\"Somebody's Crying,\" \"Please\") or breaks the musical mold completely, as with the sexy growler \"Baby Did A Bad, Bad Thing.\" Almost always, though, he sings about heartbreak.\n\nAlong with the aforementioned Isaak classics, Best Of includes four previously unreleased tracks. The bluesy brooder \"King With A Castle\" and the boisterous relationship ender \"Let's Have A Party\" are nice additions to the Isaak catalog, and an acoustic version of \"Forever Blue\" is even lovelier than the original, but a live, noisy cover of Cheap Trick's \"I Want You To Want Me\" fails to approach the standard of the other enclosed recordings.\n\nWhile far from a staple on the pop charts, the versatile Isaak has occasionally charted on other radio formats, with \"Don't Make Me Dream About You\" hitting at Modern Rock and his cover of Neil Diamond's \"Solitary Man\" making an impact at Adult Contemporary. Both are unfortunately omitted here. Other notably absent singles - which failed to chart, but remain fan favorites - include the rousing Yardbirds' remake of \"Heart Full Of Soul,\" the hard rocking \"Go Walking Down There,\" the breezy \"Think Of Tomorrow,\" and the eerie \"Graduation Day.\"\n\nIsaak made some high-profile soundtrack contributions that were also ignored here. They include the secret agent parody \"Suspicion Of Love\" from Married To The Mob, the wistful \"I Wonder\" from Tin Cup, and the ultra-catchy \"American Boy\" which served as the theme for Isaak's acclaimed Showtime series. The quality of these omissions is such Reprise/Rhino could easily compile another 18-track set from Isaak's catalog that would be just as good. And hopefully they will, in the not too distant future.\n\nThe Best of Chris Isaak is also available in a two-disc edition containing a DVD with 18 music videos, some of which don't appear on the music CD. Fans familiar with Isaak's quirky humor will surely love the commentary that he provides for each video.","Product: Chris Isaak begins his third decade as one of the most distinctive recording artists- and the epitome of modern cool-with his first career-spanning retrospective. Best of Chris Isaak CD features every hit, led by \"Wicked Game,\" and including many fan favorites such as \"Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing,\" plus four previously unreleased tracks.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Recordings plus videos: Isaak excels at both!\n\nReview: An intoxicating mix of Elvis Presley's early rockabilly and Roy Orbison's haunted crooning, Chris Isaak has maintained a sizable following over 21 years and nine albums despite having only one real pop hit, \"Wicked Game.\" While all of his albums are inconsistent, they each contain plenty of highlights, making this 18-track Best Of long overdue.\n\nIsaak wrote most of the songs on his albums except for the Baja Sessions project. Sometimes he's subtle (\"Blue Spanish Sky,\" \"Let Me Down Easy\"), sometimes he rocks (\"You Owe Me Some Kind Of Love,\" \"Blue Hotel\"). Occasionally, he builds from restrained to rowdy within the same recording (\"Somebody's Crying,\" \"Please\") or breaks the musical mold completely, as with the sexy growler \"Baby Did A Bad, Bad Thing.\" Almost always, though, he sings about heartbreak.\n\nAlong with the aforementioned Isaak classics, Best Of includes four previously unreleased tracks. The bluesy brooder \"King With A Castle\" and the boisterous relationship ender \"Let's Have A Party\" are nice additions to the Isaak catalog, and an acoustic version of \"Forever Blue\" is even lovelier than the original, but a live, noisy cover of Cheap Trick's \"I Want You To Want Me\" fails to approach the standard of the other enclosed recordings.\n\nWhile far from a staple on the pop charts, the versatile Isaak has occasionally charted on other radio formats, with \"Don't Make Me Dream About You\" hitting at Modern Rock and his cover of Neil Diamond's \"Solitary Man\" making an impact at Adult Contemporary. Both are unfortunately omitted here. Other notably absent singles - which failed to chart, but remain fan favorites - include the rousing Yardbirds' remake of \"Heart Full Of Soul,\" the hard rocking \"Go Walking Down There,\" the breezy \"Think Of Tomorrow,\" and the eerie \"Graduation Day.\"\n\nIsaak made some high-profile soundtrack contributions that were also ignored here. They include the secret agent parody \"Suspicion Of Love\" from Married To The Mob, the wistful \"I Wonder\" from Tin Cup, and the ultra-catchy \"American Boy\" which served as the theme for Isaak's acclaimed Showtime series. The quality of these omissions is such Reprise/Rhino could easily compile another 18-track set from Isaak's catalog that would be just as good. And hopefully they will, in the not too distant future.\n\nThis is the two-disc edition. It contains a DVD with 19 music videos (two versions of Wicked Game), some of which don't appear on the music CD. Fans familiar with Isaak's quirky humor will surely love the commentary that he provides for each video.","Product: With 10 million CD's sold, Diamond Rio, bring you GREATEST HITS 2. These six amazing musicians who have had more than 30 hit songs bring you the second part of what is only a sampling of their trmendous success. Features the hit single \"God Only Cries.\"\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Has only 6 top-10 hits, not nearly as strong as Volume 1\n\nReview: Diamond Rio's first Greatest Hits came out in 1997 and covered their first 8 years with Arista. At the time, they had been so successful that several major hits were left off that 14-track set. In the nine years since, Diamond Rio has had only five more top-10 hits, making this a premature collection that reeks of being a contract completer (much like Tracy Byrd's recent hits set that was also put out by the RCA Label Group).\n\nGranted, the five biggest hits found here were all huge. \"One More Day\" and \"I Believe\" were chart-toppers that bridged country and gospel as successfully as anything released in Nashville in recent years, while \"Beautiful Mess\" and Unbelievable\" manage to amuse while picking up the pace. And \"You're Gone\" is a first-rate heartbreaker. But nothing else found here could be considered essential Diamond Rio. The mid-tempo \"Sweet Summer\" and \"Wrinkles\" hit the top 20 with awkward arrangements that kept them from being catchy. They reached back to 1996 to include \"That's What I Get For Loving You.\" It's top 5 chart placement is a testament to Diamond Rio's stature at radio at the time as it is certainly not memorable. They would have been better served by including any of these older hits that were also left off the first collection: \"Nowhere Bound\" (1992), \"Oh Me Oh My Sweet Baby\" (1993), or \"This Romeo Ain't Got Julie Yet\" (1993). Worst of all is the inclusion of their first hit \"Meet In The Middle.\" It was already on their first hits set. WHY INCLUDE IT AGAIN?\n\nThere are also four new recordings found on Greatest Hits 2. \"God Only Cries\" and \"In God We Still Trust) attempt to recapture the success of the similarly sacred \"One More Day\" and \"I Believe,\" but they aren't nearly as moving as those previous hits and so far radio isn't biting. Likewise, \"Over You\" seems like a pale imitation of \"You're Gone.\" \"Redneck Love Gone Bad,\" however, is a charmingly goofy effort featuring vintage Diamond Rio harmonies that could serve as a career saver. It certainly goes over well in concert. I have enjoyed Diamond Rio's music immensely since they emerged in 1990 and hope they will return to radio prominence soon, but I have a feeling it will only happen at a new label. Most of their recent material has not been up to their usual high standards.","Product: Contains 10 of his most classic hits.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Strongest Single Disc Tubb Set\n\nReview: With his relaxed, drawling baritone and notes as wide open as Texas, Ernest Tubb embodied Lone Star honky-tonk music of the 1940s. In essence, he was the link between country bluesman Jimmie Rodgers (whose widow made Tubb her protg) and Lefty Frizzell.\n\nThe Definitive Collection begins with his trademark 1941 \"Walkin' The Floor Over You,\" whose electric guitar was new for country recordings. Bar owners with juke boxes, it seems, were telling Tubb that acoustic guitars couldn't be heard above their crowds' noise. From 1941-42, his compositions \"Mean Mama Blues\" and \"You Nearly Lose Your Mind\" credibly mimic Rodgers' style, but as time went on, he was dubbed The Texas Troubadour.\n\n Of the 25 tracks here, 16 are from the 1940s and five from the `50s. Among the four `60s songs, \"Waltz Across Texas\" became his second signature song though it climbed no higher than 34 on 1965's charts. His only pop top-tenner, a 1950 duet with Red Foley on Leadbelly's \"Goodnight Irene,\" competed with their Decca label mates The Weavers' dreamy pop rendition. A 1949 \"Blue Christmas\" has lines that Elvis Presley's later version dropped. Among the GI songs (\"Soldier's Last Letter,\" \"It's Been So Long, Darling,\" \"Rainbow At Midnight\"), 1946's \"Filipino Baby\" lacks the short repetitions that Cowboy Copas's rival single and Pearl Harbour's 1980 cover employed.\n\nThose looking for more Tubb should seek out Collector's Choice 40 track The Definitive Ernest Tubb Hits Collection, which is out of print but available through Amazon dealers at a fairly reasonable price.","Product: Two mid-'60s Atlantic albums of pop-soul genius from the great Barbara Lewis! Includes Make Me Your Baby; Thankful ; the two classic title cuts, and more.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Contains Barbara's first and last albums for Atlantic in their entirety\n\nReview: Collectables has rounded up the first and last Atlantic albums of the smooth and soulful songstress Barbara Lewis. This two-fer offers the first straight reissues of her Atlantic albums in CD format.\n\nHello Stranger (1963) consists solely of Lewis' own compositions. There's lots of organ accompaniment to be found here, as well as lush background harmonies courtesy of The Dells. The gems include her debut single \"My Heart Went Do Dat Da,\" the Shirelles' knock off \"My Mamma Told Me,\" and the minor hit \"Puppy Love,\" but the crown jewel of course is the sumptuous title track (top 3 pop, #1 r&b). A charming sense of innocence permeates throughout (appropriately so, as Lewis was a teenager when she wrote these songs).\n\nFar more sophisticated and musically varied is Lewis' Workin' On A Groovy Thing (1968). Comprised primarily of her final Atlantic singles (including the chart favorites \"Make Me Your Baby\" and \"Make Me Belong To You\") plus superb remakes like the title track (a hit for Patti Drew and, later, The 5th Dimension), and Deon Jackson's \"Love Makes The World Go Round,\" Workin' On A Groovy Thing reveals that Lewis' voice had grown significantly in confidence and style since her initial recordings.\n\nTwelve of the twenty-four tracks found on this two-fer are also available on Rhino's definitive Hello Stranger: The Best Of Barbara Lewis. Perhaps that makes it seem less than essential to non-Lewis diehards, but everything found here is truly first-rate. Hopefully, Collectables will offer another two-fer in the near future that includes It's Magic: Lewis' excellent album of standards.","Product: Gary Allan's first Greatest Hits collection. Includes 15 tracks including the new single 'A Feeling Like That'. Gary will be on tour in March and April and will make a stop at the inaugural 'Stagecoach Festival' in May.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Solid Retrospective of a Great Country Artist\n\nReview: From his debut in 1996 with the gentle top ten hit \"Her Man,\" through his highly personal 2005 masterpiece Tough All Over, raspy-voiced Gary Allan has steadily built a career that ranks him among the finest talents in modern country music. This Greatest Hits collects Allan's 13 most successful country chart entries from his first six albums and does a great job at highlighting why he is so special.\n\nAmidst his trademark weepy guitars, Allan impishly looks forward to a night of passion (\"Nothing On But The Radio\"), eloquently reflects on lost love (\"Best I Ever Had,\" \"Life Ain't Always Beautiful\"), extols the joys of fatherhood (\"Tough Little Boys\"), proclaims odes of devotion (\"Right Where I Never To Be,\" \"The One\"), and oozes sexual bravado (\"Man Of Me\"). It's a nicely varied retrospective of familiar gems.\n\nThere are also two new tracks on this hits set. The rousing lead-off single \"A Feelin' Like That\" finds Allan searching the world for thrills that can't compare with a woman's love. Meanwhile, on \"As The Crows Flies,\" Allan rocks harder than ever before as he candidly admits his infatuation with life on the run.\n\nAllan's energetic rendition of Del Shannon's \"Runaway\" nipped the country charts due to listener requests and remains a huge favorite in concert. Its inclusion would have been strongly welcomed by longtime fans. Instead, you can find \"Runaway\" on Allan's breakthrough 1999 CD Smoke Rings In The Dark, a suggested follow-up purchase for Allan neophytes.","Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Includes all of Chely's non-duet singles\n\nReview: Chely Wright is one of the most underappreciated country artists ever. Possessing very strong pipes (sort of a country Pat Benatar) and a lot of personality, she has undeservedly never risen above the second tier of country artists.\n\nThis collection captures all of the singles she charted between 1994 and 2005 as a solo artist (the omitted tracks were the \"Hard To Be A Husband, Hard To Be A Wife\" collaboration with Brad Paisley from 2000 and the 2003 \"Scary Old World\" pairing with Radney Foster). Chely's first two albums WOMAN IN THE MOON in 1994 and RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT in 1996 were for Mercury subsidiary Polydor and - as shown on the enclosed singles \"Till I Was Loved By You,\" \"Sea of Cowboy Hats\" and \"Listenin' To The Radio\" - their music was high octane honky-tonk, with lots of fiddles and steel guitars.\n\nWhile fun, none of her Polydor singles reached the country top 40. The albums also sold poorly, so she moved to MCA Records in 1997 to work with producer/label President Tony Brown. The first couple of MCA singles \"Shut Up And Drive\" and \"I Already Do\" from the LET ME IN cd cut back on the instrumentation, allowing Chely's stellar voice to shine amid the sparse settings (they also finally brought her some top 20 success at radio). The follow-up cd, 1999's SINGLE WHITE FEMALE, was Chely's true commercial breakthrough, spawning the catchy number one title track and the midtempo top-tenner \"It Was.\"\n\nThose gems found Chely's music going in a more pop-oriented direction, an approach that was even more pronounced on 2001's NEVER LOVE YOU ENOUGH. It's two singles - the lush yet torchy title track and the rip-roaring \"Jezebel\" - surrounded Chely with loads of orchestration but stalled outside the top 20. This setback was surprising, since Martina McBride has been a staple in the country top 10 with loads of power ballads like the former and Terri Clark had been quite successful at the time with footstompers like the latter.\n\nAfter the chart underperformance of those two engaging singles, Chely Wright and MCA parted company. She signed with Jeff Huskins' Vivaton label in 2003 and released the top 40 \"Back Of The Bottom Drawer\" to radio the following year. A disagreement over the direction of her music caused Wright to leave Vivaton and she ended up putting out the single on 2005's The METROPOLITAN HOTEL album which was released on her own label Painted Red, along with the touching hit follow-up \"The Bumper Of My SUV, a Wright composition based on a true story. These two singles were licensed from Chely.\n\nHopefully, there will be more hits in Chely Wright's future. She is an extremely gifted singer and songwriter.","Product: Wilson Phillips' CD Christmas in Harmony\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Modern Christmas Masterpiece\n\nReview: Wilson-Phillips first Christmas cd - and their first album in six years which pairs them with their original producer Glen Ballard - is the modern Christmas music masterpiece we were hoping for. For those who like their Christmas music on the familiar side, there are plenty of standards to be found here like \"Little Drummer Boy\" and \"Silver Bells\" and \"Winter Wonderland\" that are elevated to a celestial level thanks to Wilson Phillips' always incredible harmonies. They even recreate Spector's production of The Ronettes' \"Sleigh Ride\" right down to the \"ringa linga linga ding dong ding\" backgrounds.\n\nWhat makes this cd so special are the stellar quality of the original tracks \"Warm Lovin' Christmastime\" (written by Carnie's hubby Rob Bonfiglio), \"Christmastime\" (penned by Chynna Phillips and producer Glen Ballard - the same pairing that wrote Wilson Phillips' first hit \"Hold On\") and the appropriately joy-filled \"Joy\" (composed by all of the gals, Rob and Glen). The cd isn't perfect, as it leads off with the bit too busy/noisy revival of `70s glam rockers Wizzard \"I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day.\" Once we get past that aberration, however, it is smooth sailing - and a Merry Christmas for all.","Product: Country music singer Billy Currington's career has certainly been on a roll. That also was the theme of his number one hit That's How Country Boys Roll which is included among many other hits on this Icon collection. In a little under a decade, he has hit the Top 20 quite often with songs like the CMT award-winner Must Be Doin' Something Right (No. 2), Good Directions (No. 1), Don't (No. 2) and his classic 2009 number one hit People Are Crazy. The Georgia native has also had a successful songwriting career with Tracy Byrd and the legendary George Strait having recorded his tunes, while his solo career continues to blossom and his latest album demonstrates he's also pretty good at drinkin beer!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Slightly incomplete hits collection\n\nReview: Since his first album/cd release in 2003, Billy Currington has emerged as a consistent country hitmaker. This compilation - part of the large Universal Music Group Icon series that also includes a new Josh Turner retrospective - includes all eight singles from Billy's first three cds. Also included is Billy's top 30 single \"Tangled Up\" from 2007 which hasn't been included on a previous cd. Had \"Party For Two\" (Billy's 2004 hit duet with Shania Twain) and the two chart-toppers from his latest cd \"Pretty Good At Drinkin' Beer\" and \"Let Me Down Easy\" been included, I would have given this collection five stars. Instead, these major hits are replaced by album tracks \"She's Got A Way With Me\" (a beautiful ballad) and \"Swimmin' In Sunshine\" (a summer romp that doesn't rate amongst Billy's best recordings). \"Party For Two\" is particularly missed, as it has never been included on a Billy Currington cd.\n\nThis is a good first Currington purchase and necessary for most fans so that they can get \"Tangled Up\" on an actual cd, but it could have been even better.","Product: ...\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best Phil Collins Collection available with one MAJOR omission\n\nReview: Double the tracks of the domestic Phil Collins Hits set. It strangely omits Take Me Home (one of his biggest hits).\nTracklist .\n\n1-1 In The Air Tonight\n1-2 Another Day In Paradise\n1-3 A Groovy Kind Of Love\n1-4 You Can't Hurry Love\n1-5 Against All Odds\n1-6 I Wish It Would Rain Down\n1-7 Don't Let Him Steal Your Heart Away\n1-8 Two Hearts\n1-9 Do You Remember\n1-10 One More Night\n1-11 Easy Lover\n1-12 If Leaving Me Is Easy\n1-13 I Don't Care Anymore\n1-14 Sussudio\n1-15 I Missed Again\n1-16 Why Can't It Wait 'Til Morning\n1-17 Don't Lose My Number\n1-18 Separate Lives\n2-1 Something Happened On The Way To Heaven\n2-2 Both Sides Of The Story\n2-3 Everyday\n2-4 Can't Turn Back The Years\n2-5 Dance Into The Light\n2-6 It's In Your Eyes\n2-7 No Matter Who\n2-8 True Colours\n2-9 Two Worlds\n2-10 You'll Be In My Heart\n2-11 Strangers Like Me\n2-12 Son Of Man\n2-13 Can't Stop Loving You\n2-14 Wake Up Call\n2-15 The Least You Can Do\n2-16 Look Through My Eyes\n2-17 No Way Out\n2-18 Tearing And Breaking","Product: [Note: This product is an authorized CD-R and is manufactured on demand]\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Strong second Arista effort\n\nReview: During her early music career, Pam Tillis experimented with pop, rock, new wave, and even disco. Inevitably, she found her way back to her country roots (her father is country legend Mel Tillis) and created one of the best country debuts of the '90s with 1991's distinctive Put Yourself In My Place. This 1992 follow-up sounded just as confident and fresh, yet impressively offered a different sound, a rarity in the formulaic world of modern country music.\nTillis' high-pitched voice is an acquired taste worth acquiring. WIth repeated listening, her unique vocals become endearing and eventually bewitching. The quality of her songs (five of which Tillis co-wrote) is never in doubt: each of the enclosed tracks are original and entertaining. \"Cleopatra, Queen Of Denial\" is a clever play on words and is still about as fun as country music gets. The first single, \"Shake The Sugar Tree\" is almost as imaginative in its warm plea for more love. The ballads on Homeward Looking Angel may not be as infectious, put they provide quite a few poignant moments, particulary \"Love Is Only Human,\" which effectively paired Tillis with Marty Roe of Diamond Rio, and the spinetingling \"Let That Pony Run\" (my all-time favorite Tillis recording).\nUnstable romantic relationships are the predominant theme on this album. Yet each track offers a different take on this theme and, as in real life, provide varying resolutions.","Product: This CD is in great condition.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Dottie: More Than Just a Hottie\n\nReview: Dottie West's more pop-oriented recordings on Liberty Records from the mid-70s to the early 80s have been available on CD for some time, but her RCA material - which proceeded that tenure - was unfairly missing in action for a long time until this collection was put out in 1996.\nThis collection covers Dottie's first decade as a recording artist (not counting minor label efforts) 1964 - 1974. It leads off with her breakthrough solo hit \"Here Comes My Baby\" which won West the first \"Best Country and Western Female Vocal\" Grammy award. It was also written by West (one of six West compositions found here). Along with Loretta Lynn, West was one of the few successful female country artists writing their own material in the 1960s.\nAlso like Lynn, West would reveal many facets of her personal life in her music, as this collection amply demonstrates. \"Mommy Can I Still Call Him Daddy\" and \"Six Weeks Every Summer (Christmas Every Other Year)\" offer Dottie the divorced working mom while \"Country Girl\" and \"Country Sunshine\" show West being proudly country long before it was cool. Her religious side is also represented by the gospel number \"His Eye Is On The Sparrow.\"\nWest's ability to create hit duets with artitsts as diverse as Jim Reeves, Don Gibson, and sausage king Jimmy Dean lay testament to her strong harmonizing. The enclosed duets are among West's most engaging recordings from this period and foreshadow her most successful work of all: the Liberty duets with Kenny Rogers. Other solo standouts included here are the galloping tale of \"Reno\" and the humorously deluded \"Last Time I Saw Him.\" In all, you get a twenty-track set of great diversity and high quality from a woman whose eccentric life often overshadowed her music.","Product: SEALED; Hole in upc. Satisfaction Guaranteed.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best single disc set available on Milsap\n\nReview: Ronnie Milsap is one of the most productive artists RCA ever had with continuous chart appearance between 1973 and 1992. This Essential Collection is comprised of hits between 1979 and 1992 (a second volume of the earlier hits was promised but never released). Of the 20 recordings found here, 16 made number one on the country charts. Even more impressive is the variety of styles Milsap adopted in his music. He gets very soulful on a remake of Barbara Lewis' \"Snap Your Fingers\" and nostalgic on the doo-wop flavored \"Lost In The Fifties Tonight.\" Hard blues gets a nice workout on \"Stranger In My House.\" And just when you think he was getting firmly rooted in straight pop like \"Any Day Now\" or \"Make No Mistake (She's Mine)\", he would return to his honkytonk roots on a ditty like \"All Is Fair In Love And War.\" With so many hits, it is not surprising that this Essential collection avoids album cuts and previously unreleased tracks. What you do get is a consistently entertaining, well-balanced set that is far superior to the numerous 10 cut sets RCA had already released.\nSince this collection's release, a double disc 40 number one hits retrospective has come out. It is the best Milsap overview available. If you can only afford one disc however, this is the set to get.","Product: Out of print in the U.S.! 20 track compilation from one of Country's greatest modern artists. Gill is the owner of a great voice and a musical talent that allows him to play many, if not all, instruments (he was best known for his mandolin work with Pure Prairie League). As a solo artist, Gill has been an award-winning favorite on Country radio for over two decades. Features 'Victim of Life's Circumstances', 'Oh Carolina', 'Turn Me Loose', 'Midnight Train' and others. RCA.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The Best Of Vince's Early Solo Work\n\nReview: Since the early '90s, Vince Gill has been one of the most popular artists in country music because of his work on the MCA label. His recording career, however, began back in 1979; first as lead singer of the Pure Prairie League (\"Let Me Love You Tonight\") and then as a solo artist for RCA.\nThe Essential Vince Gill offers 10 of the 11 singles he recorded while at RCA between 1983 and 1988 (curiously missing is \"If It Weren't For Him,\" his top 10 duet with Roseanne Cash). Among the gems found here are the rousing \"Turn Me Loose,\" the heartbreaking \"Oh Carolina,\" and the mandolin featured \"Cinderella.\" \"Everybody's Sweetheart\" was a tongue-in-cheek comment on his then-more-famous wife Janis, of Sweethearts of the Rodeo, while \"The Radio\" presented a touching ode to his oft-touring Sweetheart.\nThe remaining 10 tracks included here are often as strong as the singles and includes the original version of his 1990 hit \"Never Knew Lonely.\" Most of these recordings hold their own with Gill's more celebrated MCA stuff. Maybe he wasn't promoted properly at RCA or the timing wasn't right for Gill back then. Whatever the reason, it is nice to have such an attractive set available of Gill's early solo work.","Product: CD\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: LaCosta - the lost star\n\nReview: Sisters compiles highlights of the Capitol Records' work of siblings Tanya and LaCosta Tucker. This eighteen-track set alternates recordings from both singers, selected by the Tucker sisters themselves.\n Tanya came to Capitol in 1986 as an established star and rose to new heights during her eleven-year tenure. Her nine tracks on Sisters only scratch at the surface of her productivity, but all were major hits. Up-tempo gems like \"Down To My Last Teardrop\" and \"Strong Enough To Bend\" dominate the lineup, intermingled with a couple of sobsters \"(Without You) What Do I Do With Me\" and \"Love Me Like You Used To.\"\n While Capitol has frequently repackaged Tanya's hits, LaCosta's were not previously available on CD and provide the main impetus for buying this set. Most of LaCosta's charted recordings are here, including the bubbly mid-70's charmers \"Get On My Love Train,\" \"Western Man\" and \"He Took Me For A Ride.\" Throughout, her raspy vocal inflections bring to mind Tanya.\nSounding too much like her sister was not a plus for LaCosta, however. There ultimately wasn't much need for both of them. Factor in that Tanya was already a successful artist when big sister LaCosta began, had the novelty of being a young teen with an adult voice, and possessed the greater charisma, and it's not surprising that LaCosta was the one who lost out on a long recording career. It's a shame since - as Sisters shows - the talent was evident in both of them.","Product: Phil Vassar ~ American Child\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: This is the revised version of the album\n\nReview: This former songwriter to the country stars (Tim, Alan, Jo Dee) may list Merle and Willie as influences in his bio, but it's Bruce Hornsby who comes to mind when one listens to the prominently-placed piano and mandolin on Vassar's first two releases. He earns his spot in country music, however, with his impressive ability to consistently merge life experiences with strong melodies.\nUnsurprisingly, Vassar had a hand in writing all twelve tracks on this second outing. He takes his stab at post-9/11 patriotism with the \"anything is possible in America\" sentiments of the title track. Humor also figures strongly in the mix with the witty wordplay of \"Athens, Grease\" (think early Clint Black) and the commitment phobic \"Houston (We Got A Problem).\" Relationships are a dominant theme throughout, running the gamut from the rollicking remembrance of a high school flame \"Forgettin's So Long\" to the poignantly lovestruck ballad \"Already Gone.\"\nRecently, this album was re-released with two additional tracks which strengthen the cd considerably. One is the timely single \"This Is God,\" which finds Vassar taking on the role of our heavenly father in order to question the chaos going on in the world. The other is a remake of the Huey Lewis & The News hit \"Workin' For A Living\" as a duet with Lewis himself. It's long been a highlight of Vassar's stage show and its frenetic tempo adds some much needed balance to the serious fare.","Product: The Hit Songs 1950-1975: That's The Way Life Goes is the first single CD, remastered, multi-label overview of Lefty Frizell . Covering both his Columbia and ABC eras, the 27 tracks highlight the best of Lefty's classic Honky Tonk and hard country sound, with informative liner notes and an array of evocative period images. That's the Way Life Goes is the vital and essential overview of a classic Honky Tonk and hard country style, graced with rare photographs and enhanced by digital remastering.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great Introduction To The Legend Of Lefty\n\nReview: A link between Mississippi's Jimmie Rodgers and California's Merle Haggard, smooth Texas crooner William Orville (\"Lefty\") Frizzell made #1 with both sides of his 1950 debut: \"If You've Got The Money, I've Got The Time\" (featuring Madge Suttee's rinky-tinky piano) and \"I Love You A Thousand Ways.\" 1951 brought four simultaneous top-tenners: \"I Want To Be With You Always,\" sappy \"Mom And Dad's Waltz,\" laid-back \"Always Late (With Your Kisses)\" and a cover of Rodgers' 1931 \"Travellin' Blues.\" But after '54, he only cracked the Top 10 twice: with `59's eerie \"The Long Black Veil\" (a future cover for The Band, The Chieftains and others) and `63's \"Saginaw Michigan\" with its final comic twist.\n\nRaven's nicely remastered and annotated 28-song That's The Way Life Goes has nothing Frizzell aficionados don't already have on Varese Sarabande's That's The Way Love Goes collection that covers `70s ABC tracks or Columbia/Legacy's 1950-65 two-CD Look What Thoughts Will Do. Still, it's a fine introduction to a singer who explained, \"I wanted to hold one word through a whole line of melody, to linger with it all the way down. I didn't want to let go of that no more than I wanted to let go of the woman I loved.\""],"string":"[\n \"Product: THEY WERE THE ''HEAT'' - SLANG FOR THE POLICE. They were also three, young, fashion forward counter-culture delinquents that made cops look cool and trendy. They redefined the persona of the typical cop as they did not carry a badge or a gun. They also tackled socially relevant issues of the time which was one of the reasons the series became an instant hit on television. The fifth and final season features another 24 episodes of Pete (Michael Cole) Linc (Clarence Williams III) and Julie (Peggy Lipton) as the formidable Mod Squad.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Final Season Of A Hip Series\\n\\nReview: Season five was the final season of the Mod Squad. It was the only season for which the luminous Peggy Lipton did not receive an Emmy nomination for Best Actress in a Dramatic Series. Still, there were plenty of quality episodes and, as shown below, many first rate guest stars.\\nEp 1 & 2: The Connection (parts 1 and 2) 9/14/72\\nThe trio go undercover after an international narcotics ring. Guest Stars: Ed Asner, Bradford Dillman, Cleavon Little, Barbara McNair, Stefanie Powers, Robert Reed, Richard Pryor, Cesar Romero.\\nEp 3: The Thunder Makers 9/21/72\\nThe Squad investigates when a youth joins a motorcycle gang, plots a fake payroll robbery of his father's company and learns the other gang members are playing it for real. Guest Star: Bobby Sherman.\\nEp 4: Yesterdays Ashes 9/28/72\\nPlastic surgery may be the key to the rehabilitation of a disfigured girl caught shoplifting. Guest Stars: Jo Ann Harris, Robert Pine.\\nEp 5: A Gift For Jenny 10/5/72\\nA fur coat is the crux of a case involving kidnap and murder that has the squad baffled. Guest Stars: Paul Richards, Bo Svenson.\\nEp 6: Taps, Play It Louder 10/12/72\\nThe team investigates a missing person situation involving a wounded Vietnam veteran who took the bus as far as home, but mysteriously passed right by his stop. Guest Stars: Peter Hooten, Ann Doran.\\nEp 7: Eyes Of The Beholder 10/19/72\\nIt's a case of mixed emotions for Pete, as he's helping a once-blind girl while being stalked by a killer. Guest Stars: Janet Margolin, Beverly Garland.\\nEp 8: Good Times Are Just Memories 10/26/72\\nA dirty police lieutenant is part of a jewelry theft ring who is accusing Pete as the killer of his informant. Guest Stars: Leif Erickson, Tyne Daly, Sam Elliott.\\nEp 9: Corbey 11/2/72\\nA policeman tries to nab a pusher who knows all the angles and keeps beating the rap on technicalities. Guest Stars: Nehemiah Persoff, Nicholas Georgiade, Jean Byron.\\nEp10: Can You Hear Me Out There? 11/9/72\\nA stumper for the squad: A car-theft operation is somehow connected to broadcasts on a rock radio station. Guest Star: Louis Gossett Jr.\\nEp11: Another Final Game 11/16/72\\nPete and Julie assume the roles of a wealthy couple when an old lady whom Linc had befriended is taken for $600 by a con man. Guest Stars: Clu Gulager, Beverlee McKinsey.\\nEp12: Crime Club 11/23/72\\nA group of highly intelligent students has the Squad on its toes when they start making headlines with a bizarre string of well thought out robberies. Guest Stars: Mark Slade, Robert Lipton.\\nEp13: The Twain 11/30/72\\nA Eurasian girl who is looking for her missing father, witnesses the murder of a man forging passports. Guest Stars: Fritz Weaver, Vic Tayback.\\nEp 14: Belinda End Of Little Miss Bubble Gum 12/7/72\\nThe Squad protects a former child TV star after she becomes of age and starts receiving death threats due to the money she had earned in show business. Guest Stars: Catherine Burns, Ruth Roman, Dane Clark, John Karlen.\\nEp 15: Kristie 12/14/72\\nA father leaves his five year old daughter in Pete's care on Christmas Eve and then suddenly disappears. Guest Stars: Michael Anderson, Jr., Jed Allan.\\nEp 16: Sanctuary 12/21/72\\nAn underworld boss has discovered that Julie was working undercover as his personal secretary in order to collect information against him to use in his trial, and has ordered her to be killed. Guest Stars: Glenn Corbett, Victor Buono.\\nEp 17: Run Lincoln Run 1/4/73\\nOne of Linc's friends has been kidnapped and has been ordered to set him up so he can be murdered. Guest Star: James A Watson, Jr.\\nEp 18: Dont Kill My Child 1/18/73\\nThe Squad refuses to believe a stepfather is guilty of child beating despite his confession and are positive that his son is responsible for his brother's injuries. Guest Stars: Marlyn Mason, Murray MacLeod, Nina Foch.\\nEp 19: Death In High Places 1/25/73\\nLinc takes a job working with steel on a high rise building in order to find out who murdered his friend. Guest Stars: Fernando Lamas, Jim Backus, Ahna Capri.\\nEp 20: Put Out The Welcome Mat For Death 2/1/73\\nThe Squad is led to a hospital when they investigate a dope ring and discover the husband of a terminally ill woman is responsible for her mercy killing because she was being denied her pain killers. Guest Stars: Martha Scott, Howard Duff, Michael Burns.\\nEp 21: Scion Of Death 2/8/73\\nIts a frustrating kidnap case, as the hostage's parents have been frightened into silence. Guest Stars: Don Porter, Julie Adams.\\nEp 22: The Night Holds Terror 2/15/73\\nThe father of a kidnapping victim has strangely refused to report the incident, causing the Squad to get involved. Guest Stars: Richard Dreyfuss, Brooke Bundy.\\nEp 23: Cry Uncle 2/22/73\\nThe Squad makes an unexpected discovery when they are put in charge of an art theft ring. Guest Stars: Theodore Bikel, Geoffrey Lewis.\\nEp24: And Once For My Baby 3/1/73\\nThe Squad prevents the theft of $1 million by an ex-con who is unaware that his pregnant wife is suffering from cervical cancer. Guest Stars: Ed Nelson, Linda Marsh.\",\n \"Product: Hitsville USA Vol 2, 1972-1992. 4 CD box set from 1993 on Motown #6358. Includes 66-page book. 46 artists, 76 tracks.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Not as many \\\"hits\\\", but filled with great recordings\\n\\nReview: The first box set dealt with Motown's Golden Era (1959 - 1971) when they were a hit factory in Detroit. This set captures highlights from the next 20 years, after Motown had relocated in Los Angeles and the hits weren't so automatic. Because of the large number of great recordings found here that aren't readily available elsewhere, this set for me - a Motown collector - was far more enjoyable.\\nDisc one covers 1972 - 1975 and includes The Four Tops' dramatic \\\"A Simple Game\\\" (written and produced by members of the Moody Blues). A huge hit in England, it undeservedly stiffed here, and wasn't available on disc until this set (it is now also available domestically on the Four Tops box set FOUREVER). There's also the irresistible Valerie Simpson solo gem \\\"Silly, Wasn't I\\\" and the nostalgic \\\"Shoe Shoe Shine\\\" by the flamboyant Dynamic Superiors (try finding any of the Superiors' recordings on disc elsewhere!) Another rarity is G.C. Cameron's \\\"It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday\\\" - a far superior recording to the Boyz II Men hit remake.\\nDisc two captures recordings from 1976 - 1979. High Inergy's only real hit, the classy \\\"You Can't Turn Me Off,\\\" clearly shows that these gals were underappreciated and underutilized. Sassy Bonnie Pointer - represented here by her only top ten hit \\\"Heaven Must Have Sent You\\\" - and fiery Thelma Houston - with her Grammy winning \\\"Don't Leave Me This Way\\\" - also deserved more success. The disc belongs to Smokey Robinson, though, with his lush hits \\\"Quiet Storm,\\\" \\\"Crusin',\\\" and \\\"Being With You.\\\"\\nDisc three tackles 1980 through 1985. Lionel Richie and Rick James' prominence at Motown at the time is apparent with their hefty appearances as artists and producers on this disc. My favorites include a latterday Motown effort by Michael Jackson (\\\"One Day In Your Life\\\" - perhaps the most touching recording he ever made), and the only real solo hit for former Temptations' lead singer Dennis Edwards' (the reggae tinged \\\"Don't Look Any Further\\\"). There's lots of fun dance stuff here too: Dazz Band's \\\"Let It Whip,\\\" DeBarge's \\\"Rhythm Of The Night,\\\" and Miss Ross' \\\"Upside Down.\\\"\\nDisc Four, spanning 1985 - 1992, shows Motown in transition. Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, and Smokey Robinson (the last of the artists from the Glory days) lead off the disc with some strong efforts, but by track eight the baton has been passed to youngsters like Johnny Gill and Boyz II Men. With a completely different sound and approach (and demographic) on the latter tracks, the set should have probably ended in 1987 with the Smokey hits (also leaving off the noisy Stacy Lattishaw piece of poop \\\"Nail It To The Wall\\\").\\nMotown is now just a name. Berry Gordy sold the label long ago, which conglomerate Universal Music now oversees. Since they and the other number crunchers who run the music industry today will never allow such joyous music to be created ever again, it is important to appreciate the magic found here.\",\n \"Product: 25 songs\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best Collection In Print\\n\\nReview: The Marvelettes were Motown's first successful girl group as well as their most under-rated. While the Supremes and the Vandellas have long ago booked entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Marvelettes don't even make it onto the ballot!\\nWith 1961's \\\"Please Mr. Postman,\\\" the Marvelettes - featuring Gladys Horton's gravelly, perky vocals - secured Motown's first number one pop hit (The Miracles' \\\"Shop Around\\\" from 1960 stopped short at number two). The follow-up hits in 1962 copied \\\"Please Mr. Postman\\\" thematically (\\\"Twistin' Postman\\\") and sonically (\\\"Playboy\\\") and then they branched out with the girl group ditties \\\"Beechwood 4-5789\\\" (1962) and \\\"Too Many Fish In The Sea\\\" (1964).\\nA change of direction was hinted at with their successful b-side ballad \\\"Forever\\\" which featured the seductive country vocals of Wanda Young. After hitting with a Supremes-like stomper \\\"I'll Keep Holding On\\\" (1965), Smokey Robinson took over as producer and installed Young as permanent lead singer. \\\"Don't Mess With Bill\\\" (1966), \\\"The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game\\\" (1967), and \\\"My Baby Must Be A Magician\\\" (1967) were instrumentally sparse mid-tempo gems that placed the emphasis on Young's sly delivery. They were followed by the lushly orchestrated \\\"When You're Young And In Love\\\" (1967) and \\\"That's How Heartaches Are Made\\\" (1969) which conclude this set.\\nAt twenty-five tracks and containing all of their chart hits, this is the strongest set available of the marvelous Marvelettes. I give the slight edge to the out of print double-disc set DELIVER: THE SINGLES though as it contains their final singles \\\"A Breathtaking Guy\\\" and \\\"Marionette\\\" which, although they didn't chart, contain great Wanda Young performances (the original Marvelettes having disbanded, they are both basically solo Wanda recordings).\",\n \"Product: Brand new, factory sealed. Columbia/Legacy 1997 2-CD set with 34 tracks. Circle snipped in bar code. Fast first-class shipping, tracking.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Most comprehensive Nyro set available\\n\\nReview: Laura Nyro was ahead of her time. She wrote numerous hits, most of which appeared on her first two albums MORE THAN A NEW DISCOVERY (1967) and ELI AND THE THIRTEENTH CONFESSION (1968). The female singer-songwriter wasn't yet in vogue though, and it would be others that turned Nyro's songs into hits. Those others included Blood Sweat & Tears with \\\"And When I Die,\\\" Barbra Streisand with \\\"Stoney End,\\\" Three Dog Night with \\\"Eli's Coming,\\\" and most prolifically, the 5th Dimension, who had major hits with \\\"Wedding Bell Blues,\\\" \\\"Stoned Soul Picnic,\\\" \\\"Sweet Blindness,\\\" \\\"Blowing Away,\\\" and \\\"Save The Country.\\\"\\nNyro's studio versions of all of the above (except \\\"Sweet Blindness\\\") appear on disc one of this 34-track, two-disc set. They make a strong case for Nyro deserving the massive success which eluded her and came instead to Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Carly Simon in the early '70s.\\nThe originality of these songs in both lyric content and arrangement is stunning. What is even more amazing is that Nyro wrote all of those hit songs before she turned 21. Yet like her male counterpart, Jimmy Webb, Nyro clearly peaked at the beginning of her career. By the '70s, she wasn't even able to write songs that became hits for others. It is telling that the best recordings on disc two of this set were written by others.\\nThese two tracks (in collaboration with the group Labelle) come from the remake-packed GONNA TAKW A MIRACLE album from 1971. The harmonies Nyro and Labelle weave on the Shirelle's \\\"I Met Him On A Sunday\\\" and the Originals' \\\"The Bells\\\" are gorgeous and leave the listener wishing for more from that stellar album.\\nInstead, on the remainder of disc two we get a hodgepodge of studio and live recordings made between 1976 and 1993 that are usually pleasant but rarely memorable. And Nyro's unattractive propensity for shrieking seemed to increase over the years as well, particularly on live recordings.\\nSTONED SOUL PICNIC will certainly appeal to diehard Nyro fans. The single disc retrospective TIME AND LOVE: THE ESSENTIAL MASTERS (which captures all of the early highlights), plus the GONNA TAKE A MIRACLE reissue, however, are far better suited to the casual fan and the general female singer-songwriter enthusiast. Check them out.\",\n \"Product: CD\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: It's Delightful, It's Delovely\\n\\nReview: With an angelic tenor voice, it is probably unavoidable that Collin Raye would emphasize love songs on all of his albums. But as this fourteen track \\\"best of\\\" makes quite clear on number like his breakthrough hit \\\"Love, Me\\\" and the poignant \\\"In This Life,\\\" that isn't necessarily a bad thing. No other man in country is better at crooning about love than Raye. Direct Hits also contains some of Raye's rowdier smashes (\\\"That's My Story,\\\" \\\"My Kind Of Girl\\\") amidst the sentiment for much needed balance.\\nRaye has also proven adept at messages songs like \\\"Little Rock\\\" (alcoholism) and \\\"I Think About You\\\" (domestic violence). It is these thought-provoking songs hits that were judiciously chosen to open the collection. Of the four new tracks, the two ballads stand among Raye's very best work. \\\"The Gift\\\" provides Raye with his most gorgeous melody to date, while the remake of Journey's \\\"Open Arms\\\" allows him to soar to new heights.\\nAbout the only complaint that can be issued against this set is the omission of some of Raye's best uptempo recordings (\\\"On The Verge,\\\" \\\"Every Second\\\"). Had Epic found room for those tunes, this collection would rate as just about perfect.\",\n \"Product: Neal Mccoy - Greatest Hits - Cd\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Way too brief retrospective\\n\\nReview: If you like your country music on the honky-tonkin' light side, you can't go wrong with Neal McCoy. Hits like \\\"Wink,\\\" \\\"You Gotta Love That,\\\" and \\\"The Shake\\\" (the only new track included ) may border on novelty, but they sure are fun. McCoy's Greatest Hits also presents some top-notch ballads with \\\"No Doubt About It\\\" and a remake of the Casinos \\\"Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye.\\\" He even manages to stray from the festive and/or romantic mold with a nice slice of acidity titled \\\"If I Was A Drinkin' Man.\\\"\\nUnlike most major label country artists who have emerged over the past decade, it took three albums before McCoy got his first big hit with \\\"No Doubt About It\\\" in late 1993. He only released a couple of albums since then, and with a few tracks included here that didn't make it near the country top ten, it would appear this Greatest Hits collection was a little premature. It certainly is skimpier than other recent country sets, at ten tracks totalling 33 minutes in length (this was the unfortunate standard in country music just a couple of years ago). Ultimately, like a lot of McCoy's music, this set is fine - just not substantial.\",\n \"Product: Audio Cassette Tape\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: First Collection of an Enduring Artist\\n\\nReview: Dwight Yoakam emerged on country radio in 1986 with a cover of Johnny Horton's \\\"Honky Tonk Man,\\\" creating a sizable alt-country niche that continues in spite of increasingly reduced radio play over the years. This disc chronicles Yoakam's hits from his first three albums: Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. (1986), Hillbilly Deluxe (1987), and Buenos Nochas From A Lonely Room (1988). With Pete Anderson on board from the start as producer and guitarist extraordinaire, Yoakam's lonesome tenor connects nicely - and charts highly - with everything he touches during this period, be it the honkytonkin' \\\"Honky Tonk Man,\\\" the tearjerker \\\"I Sang Dixie,\\\" or the rockabilly Elvis fave \\\"Little Sister.\\\" Through his chartopping, toetapping duet with Buck Owens on \\\"Streets Of Bakersfield,\\\" Yoakam was also able to introduce some of his musical influences to young listeners.\\nThe only omission of note from this early phase is his faithful remake of Lefty Frizzell's \\\"Always Late With Your Kisses,\\\" with awesome, retro background vocals. On the plus side, we get the\\nstark, soulful \\\"Sin City\\\" duet with k.d. lang. This is the only place to get this awesome duet (the version on the Reprise Please Baby box set features Yoakam solo).\",\n \"Product: Tanya Tucker - What Do I Do With Me - Cd\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Tanya's Best CD Ever!\\n\\nReview: In her twentieth year of hitmaking, the every youthful Tanya Tucker showed no signs of slowing down with this stellar release. Working with longtime producer Jerry Crutchfield, Tucker collected a fine assortment of songs which displayed her ability to perform practically any style of popular music.\\nThe opener \\\"If Your Heart Ain't Busy Tonight\\\" showcases her playful, rockabilly side while the bluesy \\\"Some Kind Of Trouble\\\" and the haunting \\\"Everything That You Wanted\\\" present Tucker at her most soulful. The title track and \\\"He Was Just Leaving\\\" remind us that no one belts out a heartbreaking ballad quite like Tanya.\\nRounding out her eclectic selections is the Spanish-flavored \\\"Time And Distance,\\\" the torchy \\\"Right About Now,\\\" and the socially conscious \\\"Bidding America Goodbye.\\\" The standout track was the infectious leadoff single \\\"Down To My Last Teardrop\\\", but actually, there isn't a dud in the bunch. What Do I Do With Me stands at the crowning achievement in Tucker's long career.\",\n \"Product: CD\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Truly Great Greatest Hits Collection\\n\\nReview: This album collects her twelve best recordings, regardless of chart placement. As this set shows, Tillis is an expert when it comes to singing about relationships, and usually unstable ones at that. She can be humorous (Cleopatra Queen Of Denial, Mi Vida Loca), vengeful (Dont Tell Me What To Do), yearning (Maybe It Was Memphis), and reflective (Let That Pony Run, River And The Highway). Whatever the mood, she delivers the goods. Especially noteworthy are the two new recordings: All The Good Ones Are Gone - an all too realistic look at being single and in your thirties (it was nominated for song of the year at every country awards show), and Land Of The Living - an uptempo wake-up call to a person who has recently fallen out of love and returned to the real world. With not a dud in the bunch, you cannot go wrong with this album. It is the strongest by a female country artist in many a moon.\",\n \"Product: Diamond Rio Greatest Hits We receive various CDs from the radio cores that we remanufacture. As a result, we are are now selling them! Our CDs are professionally resurfaced and are guaranteed to work or your money back! These listings are for the disc only and do not come with the case, album art, or inserts. If you have any questions about the CDs, please do not hesitate to get in touch.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great Start For A Great Group\\n\\nReview: Very few bands in country music have been as consistently successful over the past ten years as Diamond Rio. This six-member ensemble emerged from its bluegrass roots to the elite level in country by combining strong musicianship with tight harmonies. They also possess, in lead singer Marty Roe, a distinctive tenor of exceptional power and conviction. With each of their first four albums an acclaimed effort, it is no surprise that they were able to put together a strong Greatest Hits.\\nWhat does sink in anew upon continued listening to this set is an appreciation for their musical diversity. Diamond Rio's bluegrass background lends itself to the old fashion virtues of numbers like \\\"Mama Don't Forget To Pray For Me\\\" and \\\"She Misses Him On Sunday The Most\\\" (which Roe amazingly manages to keep from getting sappy), yet they are equally at home on upbeat honkytonkers such as \\\"Meet In The Middle\\\" and \\\"Mirror Mirror.\\\" They can also tug at your heart with a ballad like \\\"In A Week Or Two\\\" and then immediately put a smile on your face with the gothic satire \\\"It's All In Your Head\\\" or the corn pone ditty \\\"Norma Jean Riley.\\\" It adds up to a rural rollercoaster of emotions.\\nWith its two new selections, Diamond Rio accomplished the rare feat (particularly in country) of serving up some fresh sounds. \\\"How Your Love Makes Me Feel\\\" finds them in a more aggressive mode. The rocking melody is four minutes of nonstop hooks. Coupled with engaging lyrics, it is one of their best recordings ever. \\\"Imagine That\\\" holds back a bit more on its beat, but the end result is no less vibrant. Its harmonies and instrumentation are reminiscent of the Huey Lewis Sports era, with some lovely mandolin thrown in to remind you that it's country.\\nOld or new, the hits keep coming for Diamond Rio. A more pleasing anthology by a modern country group would be hard to find.\",\n \"Product: Skeeter rode bittersweet ballads and rock 'n' roll hits to cross over from the country charts the pop ones in the early '60s. Here are her biggest hits from both sides: The End of the World; I Can't Stay Mad at You; My Last Date (with You); (I Can't Help You) I'm Falling Too; Set Him Free; What Does It Take; Optimistic , and 13 more!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best Skeeter Davis cd available\\n\\nReview: The music on The Essential Skeeter Davis covers almost 20 years of Davis hits. It leads off with the Davis Sisters' megahit \\\"I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know.\\\" Tragically, Skeeter's singing partner Betty Jack died in a car accident shortly after the release of this hit. As a solo artist, it would take six years for Skeeter Davis to make the charts again (the key to her success the second time around was double-tracking the vocals to get that full Davis Sisters' sound).\\nAll of Skeeter's subsequent solo top 10 hits are found on this collection, such as her signature song \\\"End Of The World\\\" and the answer song \\\"(I Can't Help It) I'm Falling Too.\\\" Four Davis recordings which weren't singles are also included. Among them, the frequently recorded \\\"Silver Threads And Golden Needles\\\" should have been replaced by one of her hit duets with Bobby Bare. But since Davis' RCA catalog has long been missing in action - and the recent Bobby Bareless-RCA Country Legends only has 15 tracks - that's a minor objection. This is the best Skeeter Davis cd available.\",\n \"Product: THE ESSENTIAL CHARLEY PRIDE 1997 We receive various CDs from the radio cores that we remanufacture. As a result, we are are now selling them! Our CDs are professionally resurfaced and are guaranteed to work or your money back! These listings are for the disc only and do not come with the case, album art, or inserts. If you have any questions about the CDs, please do not hesitate to get in touch.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great Introduction To Pride's Music\\n\\nReview: Charley Pride's RCA catalog history on disc has always puzzled me. Here's a guy that RCA claims is second only to Elvis in company record sales and who managed over fifty country hits for them (twenty-nine of which went number one). Yet up till now, all you could get on disc was a few Pride collections of eight (!) to ten songs. This Essential volume contains all of Pride's milestone recordings: his first hit \\\"Just Between You And Me,\\\" his first number one \\\"All I Have To Offer You Is Me,\\\" and his signature tune \\\"Kiss An Angel Good Mornin'.\\\" The rest, like \\\"Is Anyone Going To San Antone,\\\" and \\\"You're My Jamaica\\\" are just as good. My only complaint is that the Essential series always limits their sets to twenty tracks and Pride of course had a lot more hits than that. Hopefully, he will get an additional Essential volume sometime soon, like Parton did (actually, it would take three volumes to get the full picture of his productive tenure at RCA). For now, The Essential Charley Pride is a fine introduction to a talented country music trailblazer.\",\n \"Product: Essential Bobby Bare [Audio CD] Bare, Bobby\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: His Best on RCA\\n\\nReview: Bobby Bare's catalog has long been neglected by RCA (a few stingy nine and ten track collections were put out and then deleted years ago). Razor & Tie released a nice twenty-one track retrospective of his `60s RCA work The Best Of Bobby Bare in 1994. The Essential Bobby Bare contains quite a few overlaps to that set, like his career-establishing folk numbers \\\"500 Miles,\\\" \\\"Four Strong Winds,\\\" and \\\"Detroit City\\\" plus the countrypolitan \\\"Streets Of Baltimore\\\" and the humorous \\\"(Margie's At) The Lincoln Park Inn.\\\" What gives the Essential volume the clear edge is its addition of Bare's biggest hits from the `70s, including the novelty items \\\"Marie Laveau\\\" and \\\"Daddy What If\\\" as well as the oddly philosophical \\\"Drop-kick Me Jesus\\\" (which Bare claims is President Clinton's favorite song). Essential also offers all of Bare's collaborative hits, including a \\\"A Dear John Letter\\\" with Skeeter Davis and \\\"Game of Triangles\\\" with Liz Anderson and Norma Jean. Solo or tandem, every track is a winner and reveals Bare and his rich baritone to be an underappreciated but important part of country music history.\",\n \"Product: Includes Silent Night, Holy Night; O Little Town of Bethlehem; Joy to the World; White Christmas , and more.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: One of Tammy's Best Efforts\\n\\nReview: This album was initially recorded in 1970 when Tammy Wynette was at the peak of her vocal powers. The ten track set is divided into two parts, the first half of which is comprised of hymns like \\\"Silent Night\\\" and \\\"Joy To The World.\\\" The second half is far more interesting (and color coded) with modern holiday classics like \\\"Blue Christmas\\\" and \\\"White Christmas\\\" joined by the Carmen Taylor originals \\\"One Happy Christmas\\\" and \\\"Let's Put Christ Back In Christmas.\\\" Best of all is \\\"(Merry Christmas) We Must Be Having One,\\\" the definitive Tammy carol, as her tearful voice turns the routine festivitites into an ultra-emotional occasion. There have been a number of Wynette reissues released since her death, but this is easily the most moving. It should never have fallen out of print.\",\n \"Product: Pop-soul doesn't get much better than Barbara Lewis, whose seductive, emotive croon took \\\"Hello Stranger\\\" to #3 in 1963. The Michigan native had been writing songs since the age of nine, and began recording as a teenager with producer Ollie McLaughlin, wh\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The Best of a Great Artist\\n\\nReview: No singular adjective does justice to Barbara Lewis' voice. Her delivery was silky smooth. And while her sound was somewhat sweet, she had a soulfullness that always kept her recordings from getting sappy. Today, she is mostly forgotten by the general public, which is a huge shame. Lewis had her own niche, somewhere between the light pop sounds of Diana Ross and Dionne Warwick, and the fiery soul of Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight.\\nHello Stranger is easily the best compilation done on Lewis (it even carries Lewis' personal endorsement as such on the back of the CD and in the enclosed booklet). The twenty recordings cover Lewis' entire career with Atlantic Records (1962-1968). Its (for the most part) chronological order effectively captures her musical development as well.\\nThe first five recordings are all Lewis compositions that were recorded in Chicago. The first three (including the minor hit \\\"Puppy Love\\\") are a bit juvenile but track number four \\\"Hello Stranger\\\" brought Lewis her biggest hit and a more mature sound.\\nLewis really came into her own with her New York City recordings made during 1965-1966. \\\"Baby I'm Yours,\\\" \\\"Make Me Your Baby,\\\" and \\\"Make Me Belong To You\\\" were all sizeable hits that reveal an increased confidence in Lewis' voice.\\nBy 1967, the lower regions of the charts were all Lewis could muster, but the shimmering \\\"I'll Make Him Love Me\\\" and the Carolina beach classic \\\"I Remember The Feeling\\\" show it wasn't due to the quality of the material and the collection ends on a high note with the glorious \\\"Thankful For What I've Got.\\\"\\nThe overall choice of recordings for this collection is strong, with Rhino wisely leaving off the cover versions found on other Lewis compilations such as James Brown's \\\"Please Please Please\\\" and Ben E. King's \\\"Stand By Me.\\\" Rhino's remastering is typically superior, with \\\"Don't Forget About Me\\\" in particular coming to life like never before.\\nDavid Nathan's extensive liner notes are also a big delight as Lewis did very few interviews during her heyday. Perhaps that contributed to her \\\"lost\\\" status in the music world. Do yourself a favor by getting this collection and discovering or revisiting the special sound that is Barbara Lewis.\",\n \"Product: A score of unforgettable hits by the late great First Lady of Country Music. Includes Stand by Your Man; I Don't Wanna Play House; D-I-V-O-R-C-E; Take Me to Your World; Run, Woman, Run; 'Til I Get It Right; You and Me; Kids Say the Darndest Things; 'Til I Can Make It on My Own; Singing My Song; the Ways to Love a Man; Bedtime Story; My Man (Understands), and more.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best Single Disc of Tammy's Solo Hits, But Far From Complete\\n\\nReview: Tammy Wynette was the country queen of unstable domesticity. Her tear-stained voice conveyed the effects a rocky marriage has on the kids in such sagas as \\\"D-I-V-O-R-C-E,\\\" \\\"Bedtime Story,\\\" \\\"I Don't Wanna Play House,\\\" and \\\"Kids Say The Darndest Things.\\\" She'd try her best to make a relationship work, as evidenced on her signature tune \\\"Stand By Your Man\\\" and \\\"Run Woman Run,\\\" but when that wasn't ultimately possible, she would resign herself to getting on with her life the best way she knew how, be it hesitantly (\\\"Til I Can Make It On My Own,\\\" \\\"Til I Get It Right\\\"), regretfully (\\\"One Of A Kind,\\\" \\\"You And Me\\\"), or defiantly (\\\"Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad\\\"). Tammy did record quite a few thoroughly upbeat hits, such as the rousing \\\"Good Lovin' (Makes It Right)\\\" and \\\"Singing My Song,\\\" but it is the heartbreakers that Tammy did better than anyone and for which she will always be associated.\\nThis collection - the strongest single Wynette disc available - contains twenty of her best solo singles - including all of those mentioned above - released between 1966 (her debut \\\"Apartment # 9\\\") and 1978 (the defiant \\\"Womanhood\\\"), the lone major omission from this period being her spinetingling \\\"Another Lonely Song.\\\" Thus, none of her celebrated collaborations with George Jones (get their collection 16 Biggest Hits) or even David Houston (on \\\"My Elusive Dreams\\\") are found here, nor such latterday solo toe-tappers as 1979's \\\"They Call It Making Love\\\" and 1982's \\\"Another Chance.\\\" Until an expanded single disc of Tammy's best comes along, the only place to get all of these recordings in one place is her box set Tears of Fire (which contains a lot of filler).\",\n \"Product: ...Disc: 2 \\n....1. My Girl - The Temptations \\n.....2. He Was Really Sayin Somethin' - The Velvelettes \\n......3. Ask The Lonely - Four Tops \\n\\n....4. Shotgun - Jr. Walker, The All Stars \\n.....5. Nowhere To Run - Martha, The Vandellas \\n.....6. When I'm Gone - Brenda Holloway \\n....7. OOO Baby Baby - The Miracles \\n.....8. I Can't Helf Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) - Four Tops \\n......9. First I Look At The Purse - The Contours \\n....10. The Tracks Of My Tears - The Miracles \\n.....11. It's The Same Old Song - Four Tops \\n......12. Love (Make MeDo Foolish Things) - Martha, The Vandellas \\n......13. Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While) - Kim Weston \\n......14. Uptight (Everything's Alright) - Stevie Wonder \\n.......15. Don't Mess With Bill - The Marvelettes \\n.....16. Darling Baby - The Elgins \\n......17. This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You) - Isley Brothers \\n.....18. Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam) - The Monitors \\n....19. Function At The Junction - Shorty Long \\n.....20. (I'm A) Roadrunner - Jr. Walker, The All Stars \\n.....21. Ain't Too Proud To Beg - The Temptations \\n.....22. What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted - Jimmy Ruffin \\n.......23. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) - Jr. Walker, The All Stars \\n....24. Love Gone Bad - Chris Clark \\n.....25. You Can't Hurry Love - The Supremes \\n....26. Beauty Is Only Skin Deep - The Temptations \\n.....27. Heaven Must Have Sent You - The Elgins\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Incredible music and packaging, but not the whole story\\n\\nReview: The years 1959 - 1971, when Motown was located in Detroit, is considered the golden era of the label. Motown charted over 350 singles during this time and it would probably take at least 10 cds to do this period justice. This collection, Motown's most extensive at the time of its release in 1992, is comprised of four cds. Of the 104 singles included here, only two didn't chart: Syreeta's \\\"I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You\\\" and Shorty Long's original version of \\\"Devil With The Blue Dress On.\\\" The inclusion of Carolyn Crawford's rare and gorgeous \\\"My Smile Is Just A Frown (Turned Upside Down)\\\" was worth the cost of the set alone for the serious Motown collector. It and the Syreeta single were appearing on cd for the first time (both have been included on other Motown compilations since then).\\nMotown went for a wide variety of artists (36) instead of just choosing the obvious hits by the major artists as previous collections had done. Of the major artists, the nine selections each by the Miracles and the Temptations are a good representation of their best work during this period. The Diana Ross-led Supremes, however, are strongly neglected, with only four singles included here. Especially key omissions in a historical set such as this is their first and last number ones: \\\"Where Did Our Love Go\\\" and \\\"Someday We'll Be Together.\\\" Meanwhile, all three 1970-1971 hits by the Jean Terrell-led Supremes are found here. The selection of Martha and the Vandellas' \\\"Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things)\\\" over \\\"I'm Ready For Love\\\" and \\\"Honey Chile\\\" doesn't work for me, while Shorty Long's only bonafide hit, the novelty \\\"Here Comes The Judge\\\" is left off at the expense of the non-hit \\\"Function At The Junction\\\" and \\\"Devil With The Blue Dress On.\\\"\\nThese digitally remastered singles are all in crisp mono, as they were originally mixed for radio. Many of them (such as the Supremes' \\\"You Can't Hurry Love\\\" and the Temptations' \\\"Cloud Nine\\\" are dramatically different from the versions heard on \\\"oldies\\\" radio today. The singles are sequenced for the most part in release date order. Most of the major hits from the 1959 - 1963 period are included on the set: Barrett Strong's \\\"Money,\\\" the Miracles' \\\"Shop Around\\\", the Marvelettes' \\\"Please Mr. Postman, and the Contours' \\\"Do You Love Me\\\", for instance. In 1964, Motown became a true hit factory (the Supremes, Temptations, and Four Tops all had their first major hits that year) and it is here that the omissions on the set start to become more pronounced. There is just too much great music from 1964 through 1971 from Motown to fit onto only four discs (actually three, since the first disc is dedicated to the 1959 - 1963 period).\\nThe 68-page booklet is a nice accompaniment to the discs. While the biographies aren't that extensive, it is hard to find even what is listed here on the more obscure artists like Carolyn Crawford and the Monitors. A thorough track listing provides the artist's name, songwriters, publishers, producers, release date, label number, and peak chart position in Billboard (pop and r&b) for each single. Best of all is the listing - by instrument and year - of the names of the incredible musicians who played on the Motown recordings. Motown never put musician credits on any of the albums it released during this period and it is great to see them finally given their due on a major collection.\\nMotown subsequently released a four-disc box set companion collection (in stereo) covering 1972 - 1992. It is a shame that they never released an additional box set (or two) on the 1959 - 1971 period. This retrospective is a great introduction to the magic of Motown, but it is far from the complete story.\",\n \"Product: 1. Can't Get Enough\\n2. You Can Feel Bad\\n3. Lonely Too Long\\n4. I Just Wanna Be Loved By You\\n5. You Don't Even Know Who I Am\\n6. Here I Am\\n7. You Don't Seem To Miss Me - (with George Jones)\\n8. Nothin' But The Wheel\\n9. My Kind Of Woman, My Kind Of Man - (with Vince Gill)\\n10. Blame It On Your Heart\\n11. I Try To Think About Elvis\\n12. How Can I Help You Say Goodbye\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Hits Covering Second Chapter Of Patty's Career\\n\\nReview: Patty Loveless left MCA Records in 1992 because she believed she was getting lost among a strong female roster which included Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, and Wynonna. She signed with Epic Records in 1993 and - with husband Emory Gordy as producer - subsequently made the most consistently pleasing country albums of any female artist in recent years.\\nClassics contains nine of the best recordings from Loveless' first four Epic albums. Toe tappers like \\\"You Can Feel Bad\\\" and \\\"I Try To Think About Elvis\\\" are complemented by heartbreaking, stone-country ballads such as \\\"Nothin' But The Wheel\\\" and \\\"You Don't Even Know Who I Am.\\\"\\nMost noteworthy are the all too realistic sleepover saga \\\"Lonely Too Long\\\" and the award-winning tearjerker \\\"How Can I Help You To Say Goodbye.\\\" In lesser hands, the latter tune would have been insufferably maudlin. Loveless, however, infuses it with so much deep-felt emotion that it instead became a true classic - the ultimate country song dealing with loss.\\nSince Loveless's string of hit singles at Epic has been hefty, fans will undoubtably be disappointed that not all of their favorites were chosen for inclusion on this collection. \\\"You Will,\\\" \\\"She Drew A Broken Heart,\\\" and \\\"To Have You Back Again\\\" are just some of the omitted gems which would have easily made it onto most other artists' hit sets.\\nThough we don't get all of the hits, we do get a troika of great new Loveless recordings. \\\"Can't Get Enough\\\" finds Patty rockin' as she looks to get more out of life, while she gets sassy and aroused on the mid-tempo \\\"I Just Wanna Be Loved By You.\\\" Best of all is \\\"My Kind Of Woman, My Kind Of Man,\\\" the long awaited duet with Vince Gill. This ode of devotion is a simple but marvelous showcase for their heavenly harmonies.\\nThere was a lot wrong with country music in the '90s. Classics is a great example of what was right. Run don't walk to your local record store and get it today!\",\n \"Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Strong Set From One Of The '90s Best\\n\\nReview: BlackHawk's trio of lead vocalist Henry Paul (also mandolin) and harmonizers Van Stephenson (guitar) and Dave Robbins (keyboards) were brought together to form one of the most successful country groups of the `90s. This after many years spent forging their own identities: Paul with the Outlaws and the Henry Paul Band, Stephenson and Robbins as successful songwriters for Kenny Rogers and Restless Heart, among others.\\n The group's specialty is definitely up-tempo tunes (all ten of their enclosed top 20 efforts have a pronounced beat) and usually, the rowdier, the better. Barn-burners \\\"Every Once In Awhile,\\\" \\\"Like There Ain't No Yesterday;\\\" and \\\"There You Have It\\\" were heaven-sent for swing dancing, while mid-tempo gems \\\"Just About Right\\\" and \\\"Almost A Memory Now\\\" nicely display their organic roots. The two other recordings contained on Greatest Hits provide a much needed cool down from the boisterousness: the exquisite ballad \\\"Postmarked Birmingham\\\" (Paul's greatest vocal performance to date) which undeservedly stiffed outside the top 30 and the non-single \\\"Always Have, Always Will,\\\" which offers a rare lead by the author Robbins (an accomplished, heartfelt effort, though not up to Paul's standards). The omitted \\\"Hole In My Heart\\\" and a lively cover of the Andrew Gold hit \\\"Lonely Boy would have fit in nicely as well, but overall, it's a creditable selection of BlackHawk's best.\\n Greatest Hits also contains three diverse new recordings. The first single \\\"I Need You All The Time\\\" is vintage BlackHawk: quick tempo, a lot of fun, easy to dance to. Radio's resistance to give it steady airplay (it has stalled in the middle regions of the country charts) may not bode well for the group's recording future. There's also a lovely, subtle ballad \\\"It Takes A Woman\\\" which revives the old adage \\\"success is nothing without someone to share it with\\\". Best of all is \\\"Ships Of Heaven,\\\" a semi-autobiographical ballad written by Stephenson while he was being treated for a malignant melanona. It's a powerful statement about everlasting love that builds to a glorious, gospel-drenched climax. It was also a fitting swan song for Stephenson as he retired from the group after completing these new recordings with Paul and Robbins (Stephenson lost his battle with cancer earlier this year).\",\n \"Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Whole Lotta McGraw\\n\\nReview: The key to Tim McGraw's success is being able to select songs that the public likes - no make that LOVES. Sometimes its an irresistible beat that easily overrides an inane lyric like on \\\"I Like It, I Love It\\\" and \\\"Down On The Farm.\\\" In other instances McGraw effectively takes on the role of everyday Joe that the public can identify with as on \\\"Where The Green Grass Grows\\\" and \\\"Something Like That.\\\" Most of the time he aims for the heart, with \\\"Don't Take The Girl,\\\" \\\"Just To See You Smile,\\\" and \\\"My Best Friend\\\" among the tunes that press the right emotional buttons.\\nThis Greatest Hits contains a whopping 15 recordings. So prolific is McGraw's hitmaking over the past seven years that there is eight more top ten charters that didn't even get included. Unfortunately, they include two of his best, most heartfelt recordings: \\\"Everywhere\\\" and \\\"One Of These Days\\\" (look for them on the EVERYWHERE CD).\\nThere is no new material to entice the longtime McGraw listener. It's a great set though for the casual country fan who wants to capture on one CD some of the most popular recordings in recent country music.\",\n \"Product: Essential because along with the Motown hits you get on every Tops anthology, you also get their hits from the Dunhill, ABC and Casablanca labels, 19 years (1964-1983) of some of the greatest soul ever waxed! Includes Baby, I Need Your Loving; I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch); Reach Out I'll Be There; When She Was My Girl; Are You Man Enough; Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got); It's All in the Game; Standing in the Shadows of Love; It's the Same Old Song; Bernadette , and more. 24 Top 40 R&B hits!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best Single Disc Overview Of The Tops\\n\\nReview: This disc lives up to its name with major representation from all of the labels that the Four Tops recorded for from 1963 through 1983. Motown of course is where they recorded the bulk of their hits and that tenure is represented on the first 14 recordings. The leadoff track - 1964's \\\"Baby I Need your Loving\\\" - was the Tops' first collaboration with the songwriting-production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland. It established a winning formula: lyrics that entail Levi yearning for or proclaiming his love for a girl he has lost or can't have; pulsating music cut in a (high) key out of Stubbs' regular vocal range, the subsequent strain causing his pleas to sound even more dramatic; background vocals with a full, almost Spectorian resonance, thanks to the addition of Motown's resident session singers, the Andantes.\\nAfter a mediocre \\\"Baby I Need Your Loving\\\" soundalike \\\"Without The One You Love\\\" (not included here) stiffed, the Tops rebounded in 1965 with the majestic ballad \\\"Ask The Lonely,\\\" their first number one smash \\\"I Can't Help Myself\\\" and \\\"It's The Same Old Song\\\" (and truly the latter was, a melodic retread of \\\"I Can't Help Myself\\\"). They reached their commercial peak in late 1966 to early 1967 with the powerful \\\"Reach Out (\\\"I'll Be There),\\\" \\\"Standing In The Shadows Of Love,\\\" and \\\"Bernadette.\\\" In late 1967, however, Holland-Dozier-Holland abruptly left Motown in a dispute over financial compensation. This prompted the label to release year-old remakes of \\\"Walk Away Renee\\\" and \\\"If I Were A Carpenter\\\" as follow-up Tops' singles. They are proof that the Tops could make a hit out of practically anything.\\nIn 1968 and 1969, other Motown writer-producers like Ivy Jo Hunter, Johnny Bristol, and Norman Whitfield attempted to fill the void left by Holland-Dozier-Holland's exit. None of their work with the Tops, however, penetrated the pop or r & b top 20 (and none of it is included here). In 1970, Frank Wilson took over as the Tops' producer for the landmark Still Waters concept album. Wilson ditched the Andantes from the background and put more emphasis on the Tops harmonies. As evidenced by the hits \\\"It's All In the Game\\\" and \\\"Still Water (Love),\\\" the Tops had risen to new melodic heights. They were followed by more of Frank Wilson's well-crafted singles like the enclosed \\\"(It's The Way) Nature Planned It.\\\"\\nUnfortunately these 1971-1972 follow-ups received little promotional support from Motown and struggled on the charts. Frustrated, the Tops left the label in late 1972 and signed with ABC subsidiary Dunhill Records. They immediately hit with the urban message song \\\"Keeper Of The Castle,\\\" the Shaft in Africa theme \\\"Are You Man Enough,\\\" and the multi-format symphonic smash \\\"Ain't No Woman (Like The One I've Got).\\\" With the countrified \\\"Sweet Understand Love\\\" and their funkiest recording ever \\\"One Chain Don't Make No Prison,\\\" the Tops maintained the high quality, but their final ABC/Dunhill hits in 1976/77(the disco \\\"Catfish,\\\" the reggae in molasses \\\"Midnight Flower\\\") were duds.\\nIn 1981 the Tops signed with Casablanca and released two of their strongest albums ever. They are represented by the retro smash \\\"When She Was My Girl\\\" and the wedding staple \\\"I Believe In You And Me\\\" (Levi's performance buries Whitney Houston's hit version). Interspersed between these two gems is \\\"I Just Can't Walk Away\\\" a stirring ballad from their shortlived return to Motown in 1983. The Tops also recorded many lesser hits and great album tracks over the years (most of which can be found on their box set FOUREVER). But if you only want the big hits, this 24 track collection is the best single disc set available.\",\n \"Product: Ten of Crystal's biggest hits from the '70s, including six #1s.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Remastered version of the Classic Crystal album\\n\\nReview: These hits from Crystal's United Artists tenure (1975 - 1979) are what made her a star. Over twenty years later, they hold up remarkably well. The jewel of course is her signature hit, the bluesy \\\"Don't It Make My Brown Eyes,\\\" which crossed over to # 2 pop, while my personal favorite is the spine-tingling \\\"Talkin' In Your Sleep.\\\" The gentle toe-tapper \\\"Somebody Loves You\\\" was the recording that made me first fall in love with Crystal's voice while the rollicking \\\"Why Have You Left The One You Left Me For\\\" has a hook that 24 years later is still stuck in my head! The lovely \\\"When I Dream\\\" may be Crystal's most heartfelt recording with \\\"I'll Get Over You\\\" her most economically effective (sparsely produced yet emotion-inducing).\\nI give this collection five stars because they are all great recordings and it is very thematically varied, but I wish Capitol would get with it and put out a United Artists retrospective with more tracks (Classic Crystal includes the same 10 tracks - although this version is remastered - while the Madacy Best Of just substitutes \\\"Wrong Road Again\\\" with \\\"Your Old Cold Shoulder\\\"). Let's get \\\"Your Old Cold Shoulder,\\\" \\\"Your Kisses Will\\\" \\\"Karneval,\\\" \\\"One More Time For Mexico,\\\" and \\\"Heart Mender,\\\" (among others) added on so we can enjoy all of Crystal's United Artists singles on one cd!\",\n \"Product: Her classic Dot/ABC material with 11 tracks including all of her Top 10 hits: Funny Face; The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.; Superman; You Can't Be a Beacon (If Your Light Don't Shine); Little Girl Gone; Don't Be Angry; You Were Always There; U.S. of A. , and more.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Short collection of a great artist's best hits\\n\\nReview: After a few false starts on small labels, Donna Fargo arrived on the country charts in 1972 and went straight to the top. She combined the relentless exhuberance of Dolly Parton, the quiver of Tammy Wynette, and especially, the vocal sound of Loretta Lynn. Unlike those country queens, she was also able to cross over to the pop top 10 as well with her first two hits \\\"Happiest Girl In The Whole USA\\\" and \\\"Funny Face.\\\" The major pop success was short-lived, but Fargo would become a major fixture on the country charts throughout the '70s. This 11 track set covers Fargo's best work on the ABC/Dot label: 1972-1976 (Varese Sarabonde had an eighteen track collection of this period but it is now out of print).\\nThe ABC/Dot singles here, in chronological order, were the biggest hits. After her initial pair of perky mega-hit singles, Fargo wisely added a little sarcasm with her follow-up \\\"Superman.\\\" She also effectively merged country and gospel with \\\"You Can't Be A Beacon (If Your Light Don't Shine)\\\". \\\"U.S. of A.\\\" provided a patriotic slant, but her predominant theme was domestic bliss. Fargo also, impressively, wrote most of her hits.\\nFargo's late '70s Warner Brothers hits remain out of print. While those singles aren't as strong as what is found here, they have their moments. Hopefully, Warner Brothers (or Rhino) will someday put out a retrospective of those follow-up hits.\",\n \"Product: [Note: This product is an authorized CD-R and is manufactured on demand]\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Most of Ty's Best\\n\\nReview: Despite a warm baritone full of emotion and a great stage presence, Ty Herndon has never had an easy time of it on the country singles charts, especially in recent years. This Is Ty Herndon was originally intended to be his fifth release of all new material. It's leadoff single \\\"Heather's Wall\\\" - a touching tale of a man's final thoughts before dying - barely cracked the top 40 last fall however, and the album was subsequently turned into this Greatest Hits set with three new songs.\\nThe nine prior tracks include most of his top 20 hits, such as the bouyant \\\"Living In A Moment\\\" and \\\"It Must Be Love\\\" as well as the poignant \\\"Hands Of A Working Man\\\" and \\\"A Man Holding On (To A Woman Letting Go).\\\" There is also the noisy non-hit \\\"You Can Leave Your Hat On\\\" where an unconvincingly lewd Herndon encourages a woman to remove most of her clothing. The omitted minor hits \\\"No Mercy,\\\" \\\"I Have To Surrender,\\\" and the aforementioned \\\"Heather's Wall\\\" are among Herndon's best recordings and would have been far more welcome.\\nThe new tracks are pleasant but unmemorable, with lead-off single \\\"A Few Short Years\\\" musically and thematically regurgitating the John Michael Montgomery hit \\\"Life's A Dance.\\\" It would appear that Herndon is no longer privy to Nashville's a-list material. Too bad, as he is capable of incredible performances when he gets the right songs.\",\n \"Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Replaces DIRECT HITS as the strongest Collin Raye collection\\n\\nReview: With an angelic tenor voice, it is probably unavoidable that Collin Raye would emphasize love songs on all of his albums. But as this \\\"best of\\\" makes quite clear on number like his breakthrough hit \\\"Love, Me\\\" and the poignant \\\"In This Life,\\\" that isn't necessarily a bad thing. No other man in country is better at crooning about love than Raye. This set also contains some of Raye's rowdier smashes (\\\"That's My Story,\\\" \\\"Little Red Rodeo,\\\" \\\"My Kind Of Girl\\\") amidst the sentiment for much needed balance. Additionally, Raye has proven adept at messages songs like \\\"Little Rock\\\" (alcoholism) and \\\"I Think About You\\\" (domestic violence) that rank among the most substantial recordings put out in the country genre during the '90s.\\nI rate 16 BIGGEST HITS as the strongest Raye retrospective - stronger even than DIRECT HITS - for a number of reasons. It includes two more tracks for starters. Every single here was also a top 10 hit, whereas a few recordings on DIRECT HITS like \\\"The Gift\\\" and \\\"Open Arms,\\\" while great, did not even crack the top 30. This collection also includes hits throughout Raye's tenure at Sony, including such gems as \\\"I Can Still Feel You,\\\" \\\"Couldn't Last A Moment,\\\" and \\\"Someone You Used To Know\\\" which came out after DIRECT HITS in 1997. Finally, this cd includes my favorite uptempo Raye hit \\\"On The Verge,\\\" a # 2 smash inexplicably left off DIRECT HITS even though it predated that set. So, if you haven't already, get this disc today!\",\n \"Product: Phil Vassar ~ American Child\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Recently re-released with additional tracks\\n\\nReview: This former songwriter to the country stars (Tim, Alan, Jo Dee) may list Merle and Willie as influences in his bio, but it's Bruce Hornsby who comes to mind when one listens to the prominently-placed piano and mandolin on Vassar's first two releases. He earns his spot in country music, however, with his impressive ability to consistently merge life experiences with strong melodies.\\nUnsurprisingly, Vassar had a hand in writing all twelve tracks on this second outing. He takes his stab at post-9/11 patriotism with the \\\"anything is possible in America\\\" sentiments of the title track. Humor also figures strongly in the mix with the witty wordplay of \\\"Athens, Grease\\\" (think early Clint Black) and the commitment phobic \\\"Houston (We Got A Problem).\\\" Relationships are a dominant theme throughout, running the gamut from the rollicking remembrance of a high school flame \\\"Forgettin's So Long\\\" to the poignantly lovestruck ballad \\\"Already Gone.\\\"\\nRecently, this album was re-released with two additional tracks which strengthen the cd considerably. One is the timely single \\\"This Is God,\\\" which finds Vassar taking on the role of our heavenly father in order to question the chaos going on in the world. The other is a remake of the Huey Lewis & The News hit \\\"Workin' For A Living\\\" as a duet with Lewis himself. It's long been a highlight of Vassar's stage show and its frenetic tempo adds some much needed balance to the serious far.\",\n \"Product: Put an unreleased track- Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye -together with 20 of their chart hits and you truly do have the ultimate 5th Dimension collection! Includes Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In; Stoned Soul Picnic; Up-Up and Away; One Less Bell to Answer; (Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All; Go Where You Wanna Go; If I Could Reach You , and more.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: OK set, but get Up Up and Away Definitive Collection instead\\n\\nReview: It took awhile to get some decent 5th Dimension collections on cd. Now it can numb the mind trying to sort them out. The two-disc Up Up And Away: The Definitive Collection has every hit but Harlem, yet also includes quite a few filler album tracks of varying quality.\\nThis ULTIMATE disc is a lot leaner (21 tracks instead of 36), but also has most of their singles. The initial hit Go Where You Wanna Go presented the 5th as folk-rock clones of the Mamas and the Papas. With the follow-up singles, the 5th created their own niche by frequently utilizing the exceptional songwriting talents of Jimmy Webb and Laura Nyro. Webb upped the emphasis on pure pop by providing the 5th with Up-Up And Away and Carpet Man. When the 5th moved on to the Nyro material like Stoned Soul Picnic and Sweet Blindness, a good deal of soul entered into the mix. By 1969, the 5th Dimension sound hit its apex as the Hair medley Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In and cover of Nyro's Wedding Bell Blues dominated the airwaves. Aside from the McCoo-led Wedding Bell Blues, these '60s singles were very much a group effort and a lesson in harmonic bliss.\\nThe 5th's biggest hit of the '70s, the moving One Less Bell To Answer, was practically a solo Marilyn McCoo recording and signaled a strong change in direction for the group. Thereafter, all of their most successful singles would be easylistening McCoo-dominated numbers like Love's Lines, Angles and Rhymes, (Last Night) I Didn't Get To Sleep At All, and the stirring If I Could Reach You. Great performances all, but they sadly wasted the group's greatest strengths: their peerless harmonies and their adeptness at various musical styles (they weren't originally called the Versatiles for nothing!) The singles which featured the entire group during the '70s may not have been as prosperous at radio, but they have their moments, particularly Save The Country and Puppet Man.\\nBesides the always left off Harlem, there are other hits missing from this set: the glorious Light Sings and their live album's Together Lets Find Love (both are on the Definitive Collection). Instead, the final track is a non-hit take on the standard \\\"Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye\\\" that is not available on any other 5th Dimension retrospectives.\\nIf you want a strong sampling of the 5th's best work and you can live without some of the hits, this single disc set is okay. But do yourself a favor and go with the far more complete UP UP and Away: The Definitive Collection instead.\",\n \"Product: Toby Keith leads the pack as one of the top country acts to come out of the '90s. This greatest hits package features 12 of Keith's best, including a duet with Sting on \\\"I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying.\\\"\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Get Greatest Hits Vol. 1 not this set\\n\\nReview: Toby Keith emerged in 1993 with the autographical hit \\\"Should've Been A Cowboy.\\\" The rodeo's loss is country music's gain, as Keith has been one of its most dependable hitmakers over the past decade. This collection captures his first six years of hitmaking when he was on the Mercury label. Back then, his specialty was relationship songs, be they humorous (\\\"You Ain't Much Fun\\\"), reflective (\\\"We Were in Love\\\"), or wishful (\\\"Dream Walkin'\\\"). Best of all is the duet with Sting on \\\"I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying\\\" which hits divorce from a male perspective dead-on.\\nThis set adds only one extra hit from GREATEST HITS, VOL. 1.: the haunting \\\"A Woman's Touch.\\\" Meanwhile, available on GREATEST HITS, VOL. 1 but NOT here are the good ol' boy anthem \\\"Big Ol' Truck\\\" as well as \\\"Getcha Some,\\\" which offered a dopey delivery reminiscent of the Beverly Hillbillies theme song (\\\"Black Gold, Texas Tea\\\"). Unless \\\"A Woman's Touch\\\" is one of your favorite Toby Keith hits, I'd definitely go with the 14-track GREATEST HITS VOL. 1 over this 12-track collection.\\nBy the way, to the person who wonders why \\\"How Do You Like Me Now\\\" isn't on this set: Keith released that on his current label DreamWorks after Mercury rejected it, causing him to leave that label. There is NO WAY Toby Keith would ever let Mercury put it out on their label now.\",\n \"Product: We don't know how it's possible, but this is the first time a single-disc Roger Miller compilation has ever been put together! So many classics here: his Top 10 pop hits King of the Road and Dang Me ; his country smashes Chug-A-Lug; Engine Engine #9; England Swings; South; River in the Rain (last two from his musical Big River ), and 13 more!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best Single Disc of Miller's Classic Recordings\\n\\nReview: All Time Greatest Hits nicely captures Roger Miller's evolution as an artist during his years on the Smash/Mercury label. It begins with his silly novelty hits \\\"Dang Me,\\\" \\\"Chug A Lug,\\\" and \\\"Do Wacka Do\\\" from 1964. Miller's 1965 follow-ups added wit to normally somber subjects like destitution (\\\"King Of The Road\\\") and abandonment (\\\"Engine Engine #9\\\"). He then played it straight with the painful observations \\\"Last Word In Lonesome Is Me\\\" and \\\"Husbands And Wives\\\" as well as the joyous \\\"Walking In The Sunshine.\\\"\\nBy 1968, Miller was no longer writing his hits. Instead, he gave exposure to new songwriters, being the first to chart with Kris Kristofferson's \\\"Me And Bobby McGee\\\" and Bobby Russell's \\\"Little Green Apples.\\\" Miller left Mercuy in the early '70s and, except for some side projects not included here (scoring Disney's Robin Hood, recording \\\"Old Friends\\\" with Willie Nelson and Ray Price), experienced little success over the next decade. A final creative burst came in 1985, when he wrote the music for the Tony Award winning Big River (Miller's top 40 single \\\"River In The Rain\\\" from Big River serves as a collection-ending bonus track).\\nThis twenty-track retrospective is easily the best single disc of Roger Miller's classic recordings. To get a more comprehensive look at his peak years (including the Christmas classic \\\"Old Toy Trains\\\"), you would need to get the three-disc King Of The Road box set.\",\n \"Product: Greatest Hits album by Jo Dee Messina was released May 20, 2003 on the Curb label. As an inheritor of the school-of-hard-knocks-persona of Reba MacEntire, Jo Dee Messina has perfected the art of appealing to both sexes. Greatest Hits music CDs Her first greatest-hits compilation neatly summarizes her ability to interpret tough-but-tender, THELMA & LOUISE-type themes in a way guaranteed to bring out the protective instincts in guys and recognition and empathy in women. Time and again on GREATEST HITS Messina hits the ball right out of the park on songs such as \\\"Heads Carolina, Tails California,\\\" \\\"Bye Bye,\\\" and, in perhaps the ur-Messina performance, \\\"Stand Beside Me,\\\" with its chorus that also functions as a declaration of intent--\\\"I want a man that stands beside me/ Not in front of or behind me\\\" Messina is a class act--you won't find any dance club remixes here--and about as country as Nashville gets nowadays.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great recordings, badly sequenced\\n\\nReview: Jo Dee Messina - her spunk, warmth, and red hair recalling the late great Dottie West - has been one of country music's most prominent female artists since her self-titled debut in 1996. With her initial hits \\\"Heads Carolina, Tails California\\\" and \\\"You're Not In Kansas Anymore,\\\" it appeared that Jo Dee would devote herself musically to our fifty nifty United States. Thankfully, that wasn't the case.\\nJo Dee's subsequent release, 1998's I'M ALRIGHT, brought her stardom with a lot of rowdy, catchy hits such as the title track, \\\"Bye Bye,\\\" and her Dottie West remake \\\"Lesson In Leavin'\\\" as well as the stirring ballad \\\"Because You Love Me\\\" and the mid-paced declaration \\\"Stand Beside Me.\\\" 2000's BURN was almost as successful, but a lot softer, the rollicking \\\"That's The Way\\\" off-set by the power ballads \\\"Burn\\\" and \\\"Downtime,\\\" plus the yearn-filled duet with Tim McGraw, \\\"Bring On The Rain.\\\"\\nThis Greatest Hits contains all of the aforementioned hits plus four new recordings. These new tracks, including leadoff single \\\"Was That My Life\\\" and its follow-up \\\"I Wish\\\" are reflective and/or optimistic odes of a gentle variety. The collection's sequencing is a bit odd, with several uptempo tracks in a row dominating the first half of the lineup, followed mostly by ballads. Mixing them up better would have made the cd far more enjoyable to listen to, since each individual recording is first-rate.\",\n \"Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Strong Overview Of Country's Most Under-rated Performer\\n\\nReview: Trace Adkins has maintained a consistent - if not smash-hit laden - presence on the country charts for the past eight years. Greatest Hits captures his twelve previous top 30 hits (the omitted \\\"I'm Gonna Love You Anyway\\\" stalled just outside it) as well as two new tracks.\\nAdkins' bodacious baritone adds hypnotic intensity to gutwrenching ballads like \\\"I'm Tryin'\\\" and \\\"Help Me Understand\\\" while he exudes charisma on the toe-tappers, be they snarling (\\\"This Ain't No Thinking Thing\\\") or fun (\\\"Big Time,\\\" \\\"Chrome\\\"). Midtempo tunes such as \\\"There's A Girl In Texas\\\" and \\\"Every Light In The House\\\" are his least distinctive vocally, but they also entertain.\\nThe new tracks find Adkins tackling fresh themes. The dramatic ode - and current hit - \\\"Then They Do\\\" takes a wistful look at watching one's kids grow up. Meanwhile, \\\"Welcome To Hell\\\" is a sarcastic stomper detailing the devil greeting his latest, sinful arrival. A thoroughly downbeat recording, it wouldn't stand much chance at country radio (and Adkins doesn't plan to release it as a single), but it does showcase Adkins' versatility as a songwriter.\\nThis set is a good representation of an underappreciated artist's best work. For those who haven't purchased Adkins' music before, it is a great starting point.\",\n \"Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Strong Overview Of A Constantly Evolving Group\\n\\nReview: This seventeen-track collection charts the dramatic evolution of Lonestar as a country act. For their first two albums - 1995's Lonestar and 1997's Crazy Nights - Lonestar was a quintet. Decked out in western wear, up-tempo stompers like \\\"No News,\\\" \\\"Come Cryin' To Me,\\\" and \\\"You Walked In\\\" as well as the occasional gritty ode like \\\"Tequila Talkin,'\\\" established Lonestar as competent honkytonkers.\\nBy the release of their third album - 1999's Lonely Grill - Lonestar had undergone significant changes. Bassist and occasional lead singer John Rich left the group for a solo career (which has yet to take off) and the western wear was dropped in favor of hip, Gap-type duds. The honkytonkers were largely replaced by sentimental ballads such as \\\"Amazed, \\\"Smile\\\" and \\\"Tell Her\\\" that effectively utilized lead singer Richie McDonald's emotional, elastic tenor, and appealed directly to droves of female listeners. 2001's I'm Alright There with its touching title smash and its follow-up \\\"Not A Day Goes By\\\" repeated this winning formula.\\nIn addition to the aforementioned country hits, From There To Here also includes three new recordings. The perky leadoff single, \\\"My Front Porch Looking In,\\\" with lines like \\\"there's a carrot top that can barely walk with a sippy cup of milk\\\" that effectively zero in on its soccer mom demographic, has already topped the country charts. \\\"I Pray\\\" is an inspirational ballad that's melodically reminiscent of \\\"Smile,\\\" while their energetic remake of Marc Cohn's \\\"Walking In Memphis\\\" - a longtime concert staple - is one of the best recordings they've made in awhile. The latter successfully incorporates sentiment and grit, a combination Lonestar should strive for more in the future.\",\n \"Product: The title cut to Aaron's 1991 debut You've Got to Stand for Something struck a chord in the wake of the Gulf War; it cracked the Top 10 and began a string of anthemic country hits like The Call of the Wild and Working Man's Ph.D. Those join I Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way; There Ain't Nothin' Wrong with the Radio , and 15 more by a great modern Nashville songwriter!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Easily the best collection of Tippin's RCA Years\\n\\nReview: This new set surpasses previous Aaron Tippin collections, like his 13-track Greatest Hits... and Then Some and the 16-track RCA Country Legends. It includes 17 of the 19 singles Tippin charted during his 1990-1997 RCA tenure (only \\\"She Made A Memory Out Of Me\\\" and \\\"Everything I Own\\\" - neither of which cracked the top 50 - are missing). This includes \\\"Honkytonk Superman\\\" which isn't available on either of the aforementioned Tippin sets and ranks as one of his most fun recordings. See the paragraphs below for more information on Tippin the country artist.\\nAaron Tippin is hard-core country. His raw, ear-jarring twang often sounds like a howling coyote. Yet Tippin has found a successful niche in country music by consistently relating to working class values on his best singles (most of which he also wrote). \\\"Working Man's Ph. D.\\\" and \\\"I Got It Honest\\\" take a proud stance on manual labor. \\\"You've Got To Stand For Something\\\" and \\\"I Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way\\\" celebrate sticking to one's beliefs and doing the right thing no matter where you come from. Tippin also appeals to his less-than -wealthy core audience through humor on \\\"There Ain't Nothing Wrong With The Radio\\\". This novelty number depicts the car from hell which an upbeat Tippin won't unload, due to its lone remaining sonic asset.\\nTippin even fits some romantic songs into his repertoire (usually of the unsuccessful at love type). The honky tonkin' \\\"My Blue Angel\\\" finds Tippin yodelling about a lost love he's still searching for, while in the straight forward ballad That's As Close As I'll Get To Loving You,\\\" he pines for a girl he can never have. When Tippin does finally get the girl in a song, it turns out he has to answer \\\"The Call Of The Wild.\\\" You won't find a lot of emotional depth on this collection. Tippin seeks foremost to entertain his listeners and, within the confines of his working man persona, he usually succeeds. If you are in the mood for some country music that's festive and you don't mind a lotta twang, give this set a try.\",\n \"Product: It was 30 years-and 40 #1 singles-ago that Ronnie Milsap first emerged as a force in Nashville. This definitive single-CD collection squeezes in 23 hits: Pure Love; My Heart; Am I Losing You; He Got You; Any Day Now; Still Losing You; A Woman in Love; It Was Almost Like a Song; (There's No) Getting Over Me; Smoky Mountain Rain , and more, all #1s!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best Single Disc Available of Milsap's best\\n\\nReview: In the past couple of years, there have been some good single disc Ronnie Milsap retrospectives released, including 1995's 20-track Essential Ronnie Milsap and 2001's 16-track RCA Country Legends. This 23-track chronologically arranged set surpasses both, to become the best single disc available on one of country music's all-time greatest artists.\\nThe set contains hits Milsap recorded for RCA between 1974 and 1989. During that 15-year period, no one else hit the top of the charts as often (40 times) - or even came close. It's a testament to the diversity of Milsap's vocal and song-selecting talents.\\nThose diverse classics include pure pop (\\\"Pure Love,\\\" \\\"Smokey Mountain Rain\\\"), polished honkytonkers (\\\"Daydreams About Night Things,\\\" \\\"I'm A Stand By My Woman Man,\\\"), stone country weepers (\\\"Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends,\\\" \\\"Am I Losing You\\\"), bluesy scorchers (\\\"Stranger In My House\\\"), and adult contemporary fare (\\\"It Was Almost Like A Song\\\"). Toward the end of his hit-making tenure, Milsap also dwelled on nostalgia, with the vintage sounding \\\"Lost In The Fifties Tonight.\\\"\\nThe double-disc Forty # 1 Hits (2000) remains by far the strongest summation of Milsap's glory days. Among the great recordings found there but omitted here are \\\"Let's Take The Long Way Around The World,\\\" \\\"Why Don't You Spend The Night,\\\" \\\"She Keeps The Home Fires Burning,\\\" and \\\"Since I Don't Have You.\\\" But if you are on a strict budget and can only afford a single disc, this Ultimate Ronnie Milsap is the set to get. This collection's lineup is as follows:\\n 1. Pure Love\\n 2. Legend In My Time, (I'd Be) A\\n 3. Please Don't Tell Me How This Story Ends\\n 4. Daydreams About Night Things\\n 5. What Goes On When The Sun Goes Down\\n 6. Stand By My Woman Man, (I'm A)\\n 7. Let My Love Be Your Pillow\\n 8. It Was Almost Like A Song\\n 9. Only One Love In My Life\\n 10. My Heart\\n 11. Smoky Mountain Rain\\n 12. Am I Losing You\\n 13. No Getting Over Me, (There's)\\n 14. I Wouldn't Have Missed It For The World\\n 15. Any Day Now\\n 16. He Got You\\n 17. Don't You Know How Much I Love You\\n 18. Stranger In My House\\n 19. Still Losing You\\n 20. Lost In The Fifties Tonight\\n 21. In Love\\n 22. Make No Mistake, She's Mine - (with Kenny Rogers)\\n 23. Woman In Love, A\",\n \"Product: Different label (Columbia), different name (The Jacksons), more hits! Here are the 14 biggest: Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground); Enjoy Yourself (extended version); State of Shock (with Mick Jagger); Lovely One; Show You the Way to Go , and more, even a live version of Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough from the 1981 U.S. tour!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great Stuff, Too Bad All The Singles Weren't Included\\n\\nReview: Overshadowed by brother Michael's solo career and best known for their career establishing, oft-packaged tenure at Motown (1969-1975), the Jackson brothers made some fine music for the Epic label from 1976-1989. Surprisingly, their Epic hits had not been anthologized until this new 14-track Essential set.\\nHaving lost their Jackson 5 moniker and brother Jermaine to a solo career when they left Motown, the newly christened Jacksons - with youngest brother Randy now in the fold - were assigned to legendary Philly soul writer-producers Gamble & Huff for their first two Epic albums The Jacksons (1976) and Goin' Places (1977). These albums showcased a significant maturation in the group's sound, led by their more intricate harmonies. But aside from the snappy \\\"Enjoy Yourself,\\\" the hits (\\\"Show You The Way To Go,\\\" \\\"Goin' Places,\\\" and \\\"Find Me A Girl\\\") are indistinctive pleasantries that could have just as easily been performed by Gamble & Huff's primary act, The O'Jays.\\nStarting with their third Epic album Destiny in 1978, the Jacksons - especially Michael, Jackie, and Randy - began writing and producing their own material. Destiny was, amazingly, a vast improvement over the Gamble & Huff albums. Its two hit singles \\\"Blame It On The Boogie\\\" and \\\"Shake You Body\\\" (Down To The Ground)\\\" stand among the most potent hits of the disco era, highlighted by Michael's sunny lead vocals, smooth backgrounds from the brothers, and a supple bass line. Unlike most dance hits from the late '70s, these recordings still sound fresh today.\\nMichael followed up Destiny with his megastar-making solo vehicle Off The Wall in 1979. The confidence brought on by that project's success was immediately evident when he re-teamed with his brothers for Triumph in 1981. Triumph, on which Michael had a hand in writing nine of its ten tracks, was a topically diverse, sonically exciting masterpiece. The dramatic epic \\\"This Place Hotel\\\" - with its shrieking and slamming door sound effects - offered a small taste of the theatrics that Michael would later meld into the title track of his landmark solo album Thriller. Meanwhile, \\\"Can You Feel It\\\" delivered Michael's first save/improve the world anthem - a topic he would revisit on his subsequent solo projects.\\nAfter Thriller's release in 1982 made Michael one of, if not THE most famous musicians on the planet, he cut back on his musical involvement in the Jacksons. He contributed only three compositions to their slight, over-hyped 1984 album Victory that featured the return of Jermaine to the act. Victory's lead-off single \\\"State Of Shock\\\" - a lyrically empty riff - owed its success primarily to the vocal event pairing of Michael and Mick Jagger. It's the only recording from Victory included on this set.\\nWith the Jacksons' next project, 1989's 2200 Jackson Street, Michael limited his participation to one track: the sweet, autobiographical title hit that featured vocal contributions from all of the Jackson siblings except the then-ostracized LaToya. It's other single, the Jermaine-led \\\"Nothin (That Compares 2 You)\\\" was a slice of new jack swing that recalls - far too much - producers LA & Babyface's work with Bobby Brown. Dropped by Epic after sluggish sales, 2200 Jackson Street remains the Jackson brothers last collaborative effort to date.\\nThis Essential collection concludes with the brothers' live rendition of Michael's solo hit \\\"Don't Stop `Til You Get Enough.\\\" Had this murky recording's spot been filled by Victory's haunting \\\"Torture\\\" and the Caribbean flavored \\\"Body\\\" (the only Epic singles excluded here), this retrospective of the most underappreciated phase of the Jacksons' illustrious career would have earned its Essential name.\",\n \"Product: Rose garden your'e my man...and more.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Combines Lynn's biggest Chart and Columbia label hits!\\n\\nReview: Lynn Anderson's rich recording catalog has been neglected for most of the digital era. Thankfully, Collectors Choice Music has put together this 24-track Greatest Hits, the first cd to combine hits from her '60s Chart Records and '70s Columbia Records tenures.\\n\\n Signing with Chart Records in 1966, Anderson was an immediate success thanks in large part to mom Liz's songwriting. These songs - like \\\"If I Kiss You\\\" and \\\"Promises, Promises\\\" - featured clever wordplay that played off her youthful exuberance. When Anderson left Chart, they continued to mine her old albums for singles, astutely selecting remakes of hits like \\\"I've Been Everywhere\\\" and \\\"Rocky Top\\\" which displayed Anderson at her most irresistibly chipper.\\n\\n At Columbia, Joe South's compositions \\\"Rose Garden,\\\" \\\"Fool Me,\\\" and \\\"How Can I Unlove You\\\" provided Anderson with an early boost. Even more important was the writing and production involvement of husband Glenn Sutton, whom Anderson married just prior to joining Columbia. At Columbia, Sutton matched the brisk pace of Anderson's best Chart recordings with his narcissistic songwriting efforts \\\"You're My Man\\\" and \\\"What A Man, My Man Is.\\\" He also encouraged Anderson to stretch stylistically, with the breezily seductive \\\"Sing About Love\\\" and a remake of Johnny Ray's \\\"Cry\\\" that showed she could effectively go from delicate to bombastic within the course of a song.\\n\\n While a few key recordings are missing, such as her first hit \\\"Ride, Ride, Ride,\\\" and the gorgeous Linda Hargrove ballad \\\"I've Never Loved Anyone More,\\\" this collection easily rates as the best available Anderson retrospective. The track lineup:\\n\\n1. Rose Garden\\n\\n 2. You're My Man\\n\\n 3. How Can I Unlove You\\n\\n 4. Keep Me In Mind\\n\\n 5. What A Man My Man Is\\n\\n 6. If I Kiss You (Will You Go Away)\\n\\n 7. Promises, Promises\\n\\n 8. No Another Time\\n\\n 9. Big Girls Don't Cry\\n\\n 10. Flattery Will Get You Everywhere\\n\\n 11. That's A No No\\n\\n 12. I've Been Everywhere\\n\\n 13. Rocky Top\\n\\n 14. Stay There \\\" Til I Get There\\\"\\n\\n 15. Cry\\n\\n 16. Listen To A Country Song\\n\\n 17. Fool Me\\n\\n 18. Top Of The World\\n\\n 19. Sing About Love\\n\\n 20. Talkin' To The Wall\\n\\n 21. He Turns It Into Love Again\\n\\n 22. Wrap Your Love All Around Your Man\\n\\n 23. Isn't It Always Love\\n\\n 24. Sea Of Heartbreak\",\n \"Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Nice Summation Of One Of Current Country's Top Artists\\n\\nReview: With the honky tonk lament \\\"Never Again, Again,\\\" Lee Ann Womack and her adenoidal, Partonesque voice arrived on the country charts in early 1997. Follow-up singles on her first two albums, like the uptempo \\\"(Now You See Me) Now You Don't\\\" and \\\"I'll hink Of A Reason Later,\\\" as well as the delicate ballads \\\"The Fool\\\" and \\\"A Little Past Little Rock,\\\" then solidified her as a favorite of traditional country listeners.\\nWomack's third album I Hope You Dance (2000) was far more eclectic. The Rodney Crowell scorcher \\\"Ashes By Now\\\" infused rock and tropical sounds, while \\\"Does My Ring Burn Your Finger\\\" added bluegrass into her repertoire. \\\"Why They Call It Falling\\\" was a sparse, acoustic gem and the optimistic title track struck a chord with the nation and ultimately became a major pop hit.\\nIn light of the major crossover success of the \\\"I Hope You Dance\\\" single, it is not surprising that Womack's next album Something Worth Leaving Behind (2002) aimed for the masses again, this time with an overly polished and synth-laden sound. But aside from the title track (an \\\"I Hope You Dance\\\" knockoff), it was lacking in hits. \\\"Mendocino County Line\\\" - a Grammy-winning collaboration with Willie Nelson - followed soon after, its harmonious blend overshadowing the song's ambiguous storyline.\\nGreatest Hits contains all twelve of Womack's top 25 country hits (including the aforementioned singles), plus two new tracks \\\"The Wrong Girl\\\" and \\\"Time For Me To Go\\\" that thankfully return Womack to her traditional roots. While I would have also included the toe-tapping single \\\"Buckaroo\\\" (which peaked just outside the top 25), Greatest Hits serves as a strong summation of Womack's first eight years as an MCA recording artist.\",\n \"Product: From First Edition to his '70s and '80s pop and country smashes to his recent #1 Buy Me a Rose (with Alison Krauss and Billy Dean), here are 40 of Kenny's classics plus two new songs: his pop Top 10s Just Dropped In (to See What Condition My Condition Was In); Lucille; Coward of the County; Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer (with Kim Carnes); Lady; I Don't Need You; Islands in the Stream (with Dolly Parton); We've Got Tonight (with Sheena Easton), and more!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best Rogers Collection Next To His Box Set\\n\\nReview: Whether or not you like his music, you can't deny Kenny Rogers is one of the most prolific and commercially successful artists ever. This two-disc restrospective 42 Ultimate Hits is the first collection other than his box set Through The Years to contain recordings from each of his labels since he first hit the charts in the `60s.\\n\\nFive recordings by Rogers with the First Edition (1967-1970, on Reprise) lead off the first disc and they are an impressively versatile lot. There's the psychedelic \\\"Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In),\\\" the sexy, r & b lavored \\\"Something's Burning\\\" and best of all, the folk tales \\\"Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town\\\" and \\\"Reuben James.\\\" Sorely missed here, however, is their sweet country-pop hit \\\"But You Know I Love You.\\\"\\n\\nThe First Edition broke up in 1975 and Rogers signed a solo deal with United Artists (later folded into Liberty, then Capitol) records. These are the recordings that made Rogers a superstar and they comprise 25 of the 42 tracks found here). Rogers' initial producer at United Artists, Larry Butler, encouraged Rogers to make his sandpapery vocals a trademark (created by rehearsing until hoarse and straining to hold those almost out of reach notes). Rogers' early solo hits like Lucille,\\\" \\\"The Gambler,\\\" \\\"Coward Of The County,\\\" \\\"Lady,\\\" and \\\"Love Will Turn You Around\\\" were strong representatives of cross-over country during the Urban Cowboy era. With one major exception: \\\"You Decorated My Life.\\\" Who was that intended for, Martha Stewart?\\n\\nThe real highlight of Rogers' United Artists/Liberty years were the duets. Pairing Rogers with diverse artists like Kim Carnes(\\\"Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer\\\") and Sheena Easton (\\\"We've Got Tonight\\\") provided a great showcase for his harmonic talents. Even better are the half-dozen singles that Rogers recorded with the late Dottie West during the late '70s. Their mixture of honey (West) and gravel (Rogers) made for a surprisingly tasty mix, especially on the jazzy \\\"What Are We Doin' In Love\\\" and the delightfully lustful \\\"Anyone Who Isn't Me Tonight.\\\"\\n\\nDolly Parton succeeded West as Rogers' duet partner in the '80s when he jumped to the RCA label, but their potent natural blend on the megahit \\\"Islands In The Streams\\\" was weakened by their overly loud backup singers/producers, the Bee Gees. \\\"Islands\\\" is followed here by five more hits from Rogers' RCA years (1983-1988), including the beautifully reflective \\\"Twenty Years Ago,\\\" the horny \\\"Morning Desire\\\" and the Ronnie Milsap duet, \\\"Make No Mistake, She's Mine.\\\" Unfortunate omissions from the RCA era include the galloping \\\"Evening Star,\\\" and the chart-topping Parton collaboration \\\"Real Love.\\\"\\n\\nSlighted even more on this set is Rogers' late '80s - early '90s tenure on Reprise. By this point, country radio was concentrating on the new traditionalists and Rogers was no longer topping the charts. He made some wonderfully eclectic music, however, like the intergalactic cowboy ode \\\"Planet Texas,\\\" the inspirational \\\"When You Put Your Hear In It\\\" and the wedding anthem \\\"The Vows Go Unbroken,\\\" but only the latter recording is included here. Check out Through The Years for a more healthy sampling of the RCA and Reprise solo eras.\\n\\nAfter some lean recording years, Rogers made an improbable but highly successful comeback in 1999 with the one-two punch of the humorous baseball saga \\\"The Greatest\\\" and the number one hit \\\"Buy Me A Rose\\\" for his own Dreamcatcher label. The three new tracks that follow and close this collection - including \\\"My World Is Over\\\" with Shania Twain-soundalike Whitney Duncan - reveal Rogers is still making quality music. Even if they fail to reach the upper regions, he's had - as this impressive set reminds us - a hell of a ride.\",\n \"Product: Carly has never had a single-CD, cross-label collection! Here are her essential hits You're So Vain; Nobody Does It Better; Mockingbird; That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be; Anticipation; Legend in Your Own Time; The Right Thing to Do; Haven't Got Time for the Pain; You Belong to Me; Jesse , and 10 more!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Great First Carly Purchase\\n\\nReview: Several collections already existed that encompass Carly's solo career, including the three-disc box set CLOUDS IN MY COFFEE (1995), and the double-disc, forty-track ANTHOLOGY (2002). For the amount of space available on both of them, the track selections are flawed. REFLECTIONS, meanwhile, truly represents the cream of Carly's catalog and is an extremely enjoyable listening experience from start to finish.\\n\\nThe first nine tracks are comprised of Carly's '70s Elektra hits like \\\"That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be, \\\"Anticipation,\\\" \\\"You're So Vain,\\\" and \\\"You Belong To Me.\\\" I have my favorite album tracks from this period like \\\"Tranquilo\\\" and \\\"We're So Close,\\\" but the recordings included here were the hits, so I can't find fault with the selection. Track 10, \\\"Jesse,\\\" represents her early '80s tenure at Warner Brothers - a logical choice as it was her only top 20 hit there (I also liked her minor reggae-flavored hit \\\"Why\\\" from this period).\\n\\nIn 1987 - after an unsuccessful album SPOILED GIRL for Columbia - Carly moved to Arista and experienced a career resurgence, much like that experienced by other middle-aged Arista arrivals Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin. Her Arista highlights make up the final 10 tracks.\\n\\nThe first Arista album COMING AROUND AGAIN was one of Carly's strongest ever and it is well-represented here by its four singles, including the reflective title track and the enchanting \\\"Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of.\\\" During her Arista years, Carly also got involved in film scoring - quite successfully - including her enclosed Oscar winner \\\"Let The River Run\\\" from WORKING GIRL and the theme for LOVE OF MY LIFE.\\n\\nThe 1994 biographical album LETTERS NEVER SENT resulted in some of her most intimate work and is well represented here by touching tributes to her mom (\\\"Like A River\\\") and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (\\\"Touched By The Sun\\\"). This collection then concludes with \\\"Amity,\\\" an acoustic duet with daughter Sally Taylor that was included in the 1999 film ANYWHERE BUT HERE.\\n\\nWhile one disc cannot due full justice to Carly, REFLECTIONS manages to touch on all significant phases of her career. For those who don't own any of her music, it's a great first purchase.\",\n \"Product: The first compilation to present all 21 hits notched by this enduring LA rock combo, sure to bring \\\"joy\\\" to any Three Dog Night fan! Here are the songs (you probably know 'em all): One; Eli's Coming; Celebrate; Easy to Be Hard; Mama Told Me (Not to Come); Joy to the World; Liar; Shambala; Black and White; The Show Must Go On; Out in the Country; One Man Band; An Old Fashioned Love Song; Never Been to Spain , and more.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Strongest single disc available of all of their hits\\n\\nReview: From 1969 - 1975, Three Dog Night was the most popular band in America. Don't believe it? Just look at their stats during that period: twenty-one consecutive Top 40 hits, eighteen straight Top 20's, eleven Top 10's, and twelve straight gold LPs. This seven-piece outfit featured three strong, distinctive lead singers in Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron, and Cory Wells, whose individual talents became even greater when harmonizing. While their sound was often slick, it was also undeniably soulful, particularly on the singles Negron fronted. In addition, the material they selected was extremely diverse and their arrangements were often innovative.\\nThree Dog Night's singles tended to come from up and coming singer-songwriters. In 1969, they reached the top 10 on the pop charts with Harry Nilsson's \\\"One,\\\" Laura Nyro's \\\"Eli's Coming,\\\" and \\\"Easy To Be Hard\\\" from the musical Hair. The following year, Three Dog Night scored their first number one with Randy Newman's humorous \\\"Mama Told Me (Not To Come),\\\" then branched out ecologically through Paul Williams' \\\"Out In The Country.\\\" 1971 was undoubtedly the apex for Three Dog Night, with their signature hit - the ultra infectious Hoxt Axton anthem \\\"Joy To The World\\\" - topping the charts for six weeks, followed by Russ Ballard's rowdy \\\"Liar,\\\" Williams' smooth \\\"An Old Fashioned Love Song\\\" and Axton's gritty \\\"Never Been To Spain\\\" (all top 10 efforts).\\n1972's \\\"Black & White\\\" gave them another feel good anthem and another number one, while the pretty \\\"Pieces Of April\\\" introduced songwriter Dave Loggins to the masses. The redemptive plea \\\"Shambala\\\" in 1973 and the Leo Sayer circus saga \\\"The Show Must Go On\\\" in 1974 were the final Three Dog Night singles to reach the top 10. Passed over for singles consideration around this time was the gutwrenching ballad \\\"I'd Be So Happy\\\" which offered Negron's greatest vocal performance. Instead, they released \\\"Sure As I'm Sittin' Here\\\" and the funky \\\"Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)\\\" which gave John Hiatt and Allen Toussaint respectively some early songwriting success. Another Loggins number, the reflective \\\"Til The World Ends,\\\" brought Three Dog Night their final top 40 hit in 1975. Hutton then left the group in 1976 and subsequent incarnations have never been able to recapture their radio success.\\nThe Complete Hit Singles is the first singe-disc domestic collection to include all 21 of Three Dog Night's top 40 hits, in their original single versions. These tracks are also digitally remastered, making this set a vast improvement over the long existing Best Of which contained 20 of their hits but suffered from poor sound. For '70s pop enthusiasts, it's a must purchase.\",\n \"Product: The grief, the heartache, the joys of Saturday-night honky-tonkin' it all comes pouring through in the songs of Sammy Kershaw. Here are all the hits and more by this wonderful singer (and cousin of Doug Kershaw): Cadillac Style; Anywhere but Here; She Don't Know She's Beautiful; Haunted Heart; Yard Sale; Queen of My Double Wide Trailer; Vidalia , and 16 more!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Includes all of Sammy's Mercury hits!\\n\\nReview: George Jones disciple smilin' Sammy Kershaw was one of the '90s top country stars. This disc contains all 23 of his top 40 hits for the Mercury label (1991-2000).\\nSammy's early singles were mostly high-octane efforts like \\\"Cadillac Style,\\\" \\\"She Don't Know She's Beautiful,\\\" \\\"Third-Rate Romance.\\\" His 1997 signature hit \\\"Love Of My Life,\\\" however, led him in the direction of country crooner. While it's a gem - as are other ballads like the Lorrie Morgan duet \\\"Maybe Not Tonight\\\" and the heartbreaker \\\"Matches\\\" - the rowdier numbers clearly show that honky-tonkin' is what Sammy does best.\\nThis Definitive collection is just what it claims to be (a rarity in music marketing). It includes more hits than his two collections CHAPTER 1 and CHAPTER 2 combined, with such favorites as \\\"Fit To Be Tied Down,\\\" \\\"If You're Gonna Walk, I'm Gonna Crawl,\\\" and the philosophical \\\"One Day Left To Live\\\" finally making it onto a Kershaw Anthology. Everyone undoubtably has their favorite album tracks (mine include the rowdy \\\"Louisiana Hot Sauce\\\" and his cover of Sammy Johns' \\\"Chevy Van\\\"). But if you are just looking for the hits, you will never do better than this comprehensive set.\",\n \"Product: This new Chaka album is a superb collection of standards, sure to be a coveted treasure for decades to come. She delivers beautiful renditions of such classics as \\\"Round Midnight\\\", \\\"To Sir With Love\\\", \\\"I'm In The Mood For Love\\\", & \\\"Stormy Weather\\\", adding her own special brand of vocal expertise to each song.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The Most Pleasant Surprise Of The Year In Music\\n\\nReview: Chaka Khan is one of the greatest vocalists of all time. But with the exception of her 1992 disk The Woman I Am, her solo albums have been extremely uneven. Thus, CLASSIKHAN - her new album of standards and pop culture favorites - must rank as one of the year's most pleasant surprises. An undeniable winner from start to finish.\\n\\nThe London Symphony Orchestra suceeds with Khan where so many others have struggled since her days with Rufus by providing tasteful accompaniment that never detracts from Khan's sublime, out-front vocals. While the instrumental arrangements tend to vary little from the best known renditions of these classics, the tracks come off sounding fresh thanks to Khan's vocal stylings.\\n\\nThe eclectic, thirteen track lineup - all selected by Khan - is dominated by jazz standards (Hazel's Hips, The Best Is Yet To Come, I'm In The Mood For Love, Stormy Weather, Round Midnight, and Teach Me Tonight). It also includes a broadway show tune (Hey Big Spender from Sweet Charity), '60s country (Patsy Cline's Crazy) and pop (Peggy Lee's Is That All There Is) classics, and the themes of film favorites from Khan's youth (To Sir With Love, Goldfinger, and Diamonds Are Forever). The collection then concludes with an original Khan composition \\\"I Believe\\\" - an exquisite ballad that returns Khan to the present.\\n\\nThough I love all of the tracks on this collection, my personal favorite is easily Khan's take on Is That All There Is. While Peggy Lee's version is somber and resigned, in Khan hands it becomes sassy and defiant. A strong reminder of what a unique talent she is.\",\n \"Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Strong, Strong Return To Form\\n\\nReview: While Toby Keith's recent cds have been his most successful sales-wise, in truth, many of the singles from his last couple of albums were starting to sound the same. Thankfully, Honkytonk University offers a return to the well constructed, melodic material that Keith was known for during his Mercury days and his first two DreamWorks albums (How Do You Like Me Now, Pull My Chain).\\n\\nThe leadoff single \\\"Honkytonk U\\\" is an autobiographical look at Keith's life in music placed in a southern rock setting, then Keith's attitude shines through on \\\"As Good As I Once Was.\\\" Later, Keith's sarcastic wit makes a welcome appearance on the swing flavored \\\"You Ain't Leavin' (Thank God Are Ya).\\\" There's also more ballads found here than we have seen in awhile on a Keith release, with the sparse \\\"You Caught Me At A Bad Time\\\" and \\\"Your Smile\\\" both making a strong, poignant impression. Best of all is the harmonic heaven that Keith and Haggard create on \\\"She Ain't Hooked On Me No More,\\\" an even more effective pairing than Keith's prior chart-topper with Willie Nelson.\\n\\nWhether you've been a Toby Keith fan from the early \\\"Shoulda Been A Cowboy\\\" days, jumped on board on when his career moved into the stratosphere with \\\"How Do You Like Me Now,\\\" and/or recently felt a bit disappointed by the lack of spark in his recent hits, you will find this album quite pleasing. It will probably garner some new converts as well.\",\n \"Product: 50 track collection featuring all her hits, 'Fly Me to the Moon', 'Cry Me a River', 'Sway', 'One for My Baby', 'Wives and Lovers' and many more tracks spanning her entire career. EMI. 2005.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice overview of a sultry songstress\\n\\nReview: Julie London did not possess a big voice, but it sure was expressive, husky, intimate, and most of all, sexy. This 50 track, two-disc set is the most extensive Julie London collection available domestically. It spans her entire 30-plus album recording career at Liberty Records, from her biggest hit \\\"Cry Me A River\\\" from 1955's debut Julie Is Her Name to a scintillating take on the Doors' \\\"Light My Fire\\\" from her final effort, 1968's Yummy Yummy Yummy.\\n\\nAside from \\\"Cry Me A River\\\" (written by high school classmate Arthur Hamilton) and the also enclosed \\\"Nice Girls Don't Stay For Breakfast (co-penned by hubby Bobby Troup), nearly all of London's recordings were previously popularized by others. But when remade by Julie, these songs sound fresh and distinctly different from the originals. \\\"Wives And Lovers,\\\" for instance, becomes a very serious cautionary tale, warning the listener that sexy Julie will steal her man - probably with little effort - if she doesn't shape up and spruce up her appearance. And when, on \\\"My Heart Belongs To Daddy,\\\" she seductively invites a guy over to \\\"to dine on my fine finnan haddie,\\\" I don't think it is fish that she's actually offering him a nibble of!\\n\\nFor those looking for a more concise Julie London collection or perhaps some additional London recordings, check out Rhino's Time For Love from 1991. It includes 13 wonderful tracks (out of 18) not found on this set.\",\n \"Product: These 25 classics form a sort of primer in the art of the Nashville turnaround, a country music staple in which the storyline is capped with a climactic twist, which serves to reshuffle everything leading up to it. When it's done right, the turnaround delivers the payoff with the concision of poetry and the perfect symmetry of algebra, and Lynn's own songs are designed as meticulously as the cover tunes, written by Nashville's canniest songsmiths. Loretta may have gotten a late start on her musical career, but she's spent close to a half century making up for it, as these 25 intimate slices of 20th Century American life so sublimely demonstrate. MCA. 2005.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Best single disc Lynn set now available, but not definitive\\n\\nReview: Currently experiencing a career resurgence thanks to her Grammy-winning album Van Lear Rose, Loretta Lynn established herself as one of country music's greatest artists during her twenty-plus years on Decca/MCA. Lynn's early records at Decca like \\\"Wine, Women, And Song\\\" and \\\"Blue Kentucky Girl\\\" were very much in the traditional female country vein and had a subservient theme. 1965's \\\"You Ain't Woman Enough\\\" and 1966's \\\"Don't Come Home A Drinkin'\\\" drastically altered that doormat persona and were also the first hits Lynn wrote at Decca. From then on, Lynn would become a voice and role model for women everywhere.\\n\\nFrom 1967 - 1971, Lynn was at her commercial and artistic peak. She wrote most of her hits during this period and no subject appears to have been off-limits. \\\"Fist City\\\" finds Lynn willing to get physical to keep her man while \\\"Rated X\\\" discusses the stigma placed on divorced on women. \\\"One's On The Way\\\" humorously poked at the drudgeries of being a housewife with a lot of kids. Country pride also played a prominent role in Lynn's music during this era with \\\"You're Looking At Country\\\" and\\\"Coal Miner's Daughter,\\\" which would become Lynn's signature song.\\n\\nBy 1972, Lynn stopped writing her own material (due to a bad publishing deal with the Wilburn Brothers). Her musical stylings had expanded, with \\\"Trouble In Paradise\\\" finding Lynn experimenting with rock (and sounding extremely ill at ease). Pop-flavored ballads like \\\"When The Tingle Becomes A Chill\\\" and \\\"Somebody Somewhere\\\" also became more common as Lynn's distinctive sound became watered down during the mid-to-late 1970s (when her recording career began to wind down), yet all retain at least a modicum of charm.\\n\\nFor this Definitive volume, Universal Music merely added three recordings to Lynn's twenty-two track All-Time Greatest Hits (2002) cd: \\\"\\\"Blue Kentucky Girl,\\\" \\\"You're Looking At Country,\\\" and \\\"The Pill.\\\" It leaves off such truly definitive recordings as Lynn's first hit \\\"Honky Tonk Girl\\\" (1960, for the Zero label), her first Decca hit \\\"Success\\\" (1962) and her last top-ten hit, \\\"I Lie,\\\" as well as such fan favorites as \\\"To Make A Man (Feel Like A Man), \\\"Home,\\\" and \\\"Red, White, and Blue\\\" which aren't currently available on cd. Instead, we get five duet chart-toppers with Conway Twitty that were already included on their Definitive set in April. While this is the best single disc Lynn set available, you really need to purchase her box set Honky Tonk Girl (1994) to get a true feel for her greatness.\\n\\n1. Wine Women & Song\\n2. Happy Birthday\\n3. Blue Kentucky Girl\\n4. You Ain't Woman Enough\\n5. Don't Come Home A Drinkin'\\n6. Fist City\\n7. You've Just Stepped In\\n8. Woman Of The World\\n9. Coal Miner's Daughter\\n10. After The Fire Is Gone (with Conway Twitty)\\n11. You're Looking At Country\\n12. Lead Me On (with Conway Twitty)\\n13. One's On The Way\\n14. Rated X\\n15. The Pill\\n16. Love Is The Foundation\\n17. Louisiana Woman, Mississipi Man (with Conway Twitty)\\n18. As Soon As I Hang Up The Phone (with Conway Twitty)\\n19. Trouble In Paradise\\n20. When The Tingle Becomes A Chill\\n21. Feelins' (with Conway Twitty)\\n22. Out Of My Head And Back In My Bed\\n23. Somebody Somewhere\\n24. She's Got You\\n25. I Can't Feel You Anymore\",\n \"Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: One of Faith's best - if not her best - albums ever\\n\\nReview: I have enjoyed Faith Hill's music immensely since her first cd TAKE ME AS I AM came out in 1993. I must admit, however, that I was pretty disappointed with her last cd, 2002's CRY which I felt contained too many ballads that sounded alike. I am overjoyed that her latest cd FIREFLIES is a well-balanced return to the more country-oriented sounds that first made me a Hill admirer.\\n\\nOne of the keys to FIREFLIES' success is the great song selection. John Rich of Big & Rich fame wrote three of the cd's 14 tracks, including the first single \\\"Mississippi Girl.\\\" He wrote that one about Faith after spending a few weeks with her on a Tim McGraw tour that Big & Rich opened. Rich also contributed the power ballad \\\"Like We Never Loved At All\\\" which is already my all-time favorite Faith & Tim collaboration and the catchy \\\"Sunshine and Summertime.\\\" Three other key tracks are contributed by singer-songwriter Lori McKenna (\\\"If You Ask,\\\" \\\"Stealing Kisses,\\\" and the title track). They add a sparse, rootsy sound that was lacking in previous Hill recordings (particularly the overpolished CRY). The underappreciated Warren Brothers also provide a nice change of pace with their footstomping composition \\\"The Lucky One.\\\"\\n\\nIn addition to the great song selection, another strong selling point for FIREFLIES is Hill's voice, which sounds stronger than ever and seems to relish the chance to tackler a wider range of musical styles. Now that she's back on track musically, hopefully we won't have to wait three more years until her next cd is released.\",\n \"Product: Import only pressings of the Gold series issued through Universal International featuring exclusive limited edition packaging. This series contains two CDs pressed on gold discs in a slimline double jewelbox within an eye-catching black slipcase with the name of the artist and album title embossed in gold lettering on the cover. This Gladys Knight & The Pips collection is comprised of 40 total tracks and features the hits 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine', 'Friendship Train', 'Neither One Of Us' and many more. Universal. 2006.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: By far the best Pips set ever! All the hits in one place!\\n\\nReview: Gladys Knight and the Pips are one of the most successful groups in R & B history. Gladys' ultrasoulful voice was a nice blend of southern warmth and fiery gospel, while the Pips provided tuneful backup that contained plenty of character. They recorded for several labels over the years and this two-disc 39-track collection includes recordings from all of them. It is a huge improvement from the 18 track Essential collection from 1999 that also sampled all of their previous labels.\\n\\nThis chronological retrospective leads off with 1961's \\\"Every Beat Of My Heart\\\" (versions of which charted on both Vee-Jay and Fury) and its follow-up on Fury \\\"Letter Full Of Tears\\\" (written by the great Don Covay). A move to the Maxx label resulted in 1964's enclosed minor hit \\\"Giving Up\\\" (written by future disco star Van McCoy).\\n\\nAt this point Gladys & the Pips were major stars on the chitlin circuit, but mainstream success eluded them until they joined Motown in 1966. The collection includes 13 of their biggest Motown hits, such as the frenetic original version of \\\"I Heard It Through The Grapevine\\\" and the lovely ballads \\\"If I Were Your Woman\\\" and \\\"Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye).\\\" It's a good overview of their Motown years. It you want more of their recordings from this era, I suggest you check out the 22-track Ultimate Collection from 1997.\\n\\nIn spite of their successes at Motown, Gladys and the Pips always felt like second-class citizens there (Miss Ross of course always got preferential treatment) and moved over to Buddah in early 1973 when their Motown contract was up. It was at Buddah that they made their most memorable music and this set includes (again) 13 of their biggest hits there, among them their signature song \\\"Midnight Train To Georgia,\\\" the funky barnburner \\\"On And On\\\" (from the film Claudine), the heartbreaker \\\"Part Time Love,\\\" and an effective live version of \\\"The Way We Were\\\" teamed with \\\"Try To Remember.\\\" This is by far my favorite period of Pip music and it is nice to see every key Buddah track included here.\\n\\nA jump to Columbia in 1979 resulted in a lot less hits than their tenures at Motown and Buddah reaped, but there were a few great moments, such as the enclosed Grammy winner \\\"Save The Overtime For Me,\\\" the majestic \\\"Landlord,\\\" and a version of \\\"Hero (Wind Beneath My Wings)\\\" that remains definitive. A move to MCA in 1987 brought Gladys & the Pips' last number one r & b hit - another Grammy winner - the call & response funkster \\\"Love Overboard\\\" and it's equally rowdy follow-up \\\"Lovin' On Next To Nothin'.\\\" They're both here. The set then closes with Gladys' theme for the James Bond film LICENSE TO KILL as well as the two standout tracks from her Good Woman solo album from 1991: \\\"Men\\\" and \\\"Superwoman\\\" (the latter a collaboration with good friend Dionne Warwick and Patti LaBelle).\\n\\nThis strong, strong retrospective puts all other Pip sets to shame. It's all of the Gladys Knight that most people will ever need.\",\n \"Product: 20 tracks of Philly girl-group greatness, including all nine of their chart hits! Includes The Wah-Watusi; Don't Hang Up; South Street; Not Me; Cross Fire!: Bon-Doo-Wah; Shimmy Shimmy; Rules of Love; Knock! Knock! (Who's There?); I'll Be True; The Conservative; Cement Mixer; Don't Throw Your Love Away, and more.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Finally, a legit Orlons cd\\n\\nReview: The Orlons (Rosetta Hightower, Shirley Brickley, Marlena Davis, and Steve Caldwell) were always my favorite group on Philadelphia's Cameo and Parkway labels. Lead singer Hightower had such a booming yet endearing voice. When she belted out \\\"Don't Hang Up,\\\" you knew you'd better comply (or risk serious injury)!\\n\\nYears ago I bought an Orlons cd that originated out of Europe. Apparently, the music wasn't properly licensed, as ABKCO has only allowed the Cameo-Parkway catalog to be released on cd recently. In addition, the sound was pretty bad (I'm sure they used some worn 45s as the source material). It is great to now have all of their notable recordings available again and sounding better than ever.\\n\\nThe recent Cameo-Parkway box set included their five biggest hits (Wah Watusi, Don't Hang Up, South Street, Not Me, and Crossfire!). This thorough collection includes them of course, as well as their first single \\\"I'll Be True,\\\" the lesser charting hits (Bon Do Wah, Shimmy Shimmy, Rules Of Love - backed by a fierce rendition of Heartbreak Hotel that also got some airplay, and Knock! Knock!) and some of the better b-sides and album cuts. Even if you already own the Cameo-Parkway box set, you still gotta get this cd, as five tracks just ain't enough Orlons! The track lineup:\\n\\n 1. I'll Be True\\n 2. Wah Watusi, The\\n 3. Don't Hang Up\\n 4. Conservative, The\\n 5. South Street\\n 6. Cement Mixer\\n 7. Not Me\\n 8. Crossfire!\\n 9. Don't Throw Your Love Away\\n 10. Bon-Doo-Wah\\n 11. Everything Nice\\n 12. Shimmy Shimmy\\n 13. Rules Of Love\\n 14. Heartbreak Hotel\\n 15. Knock! Knock! (Who's There?)\\n 16. Goin' Places\\n 17. Envy (In My Eyes)\\n 18. Don't You Want My Lovin'\\n 19. Spinning Top\\n 20. Mr. Twenty One\",\n \"Product: The most comprehensive single-CD collection for the only woman in both the Rock 'n' Roll and Country Halls of Fame! Her country Top 10s Big Four Poster Bed; Nobody Wins , and Tell Me What It's Like join her pop smashes I'm Sorry; I Want to Be Wanted; All Alone Am I; Fool #1; Dum Dum; Sweet Nuthin's; Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree , and more, 28 total!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best Singe Disc Brenda Set Available\\n\\nReview: Brenda Lee was a torch singer who could somehow project emotions she was too young to have ever really experienced. She represented music for and by teenagers and eventually gained a sophistication that allowed her to seque into a popular adult performer.\\n\\nWith 1957's \\\"Dynamite,\\\" pint-sized 12-year-old Brenda Lee earned her nickname Little Miss Dynamite. Her first top-tenner, 1960's \\\"Sweet Nothin's\\\" - with confidential-sounding whispered intro, Boots Randolph's yakkety sax solo, and Lee's vocals shifting from gutsy to kittenish - set the stage for her becoming that decade's top-charting solo female singer.\\n\\n As he did with her Decca labelmate Patsy Cline, producer Owen Bradley soon moved her music uptown with the sweet string sections on \\\"I'm Sorry,\\\" Italian-based \\\"I Want to Be Wanted\\\" (her two pop chart toppers) and \\\"Emotions\\\" These recordings helped to establish the Countrypolitan/Nashville Sound.\\n\\nClear sounding and generous with 28 (mostly) chronologically sequenced 1957-79 tracks, The Definitive Collection pays more attention to Lee's country-flavored pop hits than to her early rockabilly sides. Only \\\"Nobody Wins,\\\" \\\"Big Four Poster Bed\\\" and \\\"Tell Me What It's Like\\\" come from her roster of country hits. It also includes \\\"Dum Dum,\\\" \\\"Fool #1\\\" and nursery-rhyme-inspired \\\"My Whole World Is Falling Down.\\\" From 1964, \\\"Is It True?\\\" features a pre-Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page on electric guitar. We also get \\\"Anybody But Me\\\" and the bouncy \\\"Your Used To Be\\\" which weren't on her more thoroughly annotated 1991 two-volume Anthology (which is still the best domestic Lee set).\",\n \"Product: Track Listing: 1. She Don't Tell Me To 2. Something to Be Proud Of 3. Gone 4. If You Ever Stop Loving Me 5. Hell Yeah 6. Speed 7. My Town 8. Didn't I 9. She Couldn't Change Me 10. Daddy Won't Sell the Farm 11. Lonely and Gone 12. Hillbilly Shoes 13. Merry Christmas from the Family\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great hits by a great duo\\n\\nReview: Montgomery Gentry is a pairing that is greater than its individual parts. Eddie Montgomery's rough hewn baritone, for instance, lacks range, yet works well on spoken word verses and effectively counters Troy Gentry's bombastic, elastic tenor.\\n\\nFor the past seven years, Montgomery Gentry has been a country radio staple, but their biggest hits have tended to be hard hitting, country rock stompers like \\\"Hillbilly Shoes,\\\" \\\"She Couldn't Change Me,\\\" \\\"Hell Yeah,\\\" and \\\"Gone.\\\" This tendancy is reflected on this \\\"best of\\\", as only a few ballads are included in this thirteen-track lineup (omitted underacheiving slowpoke singles like \\\"Self Made Man,\\\" \\\"You Do Your Thing\\\" and the gritty \\\"Cold One Comin' On\\\" would have provided some much appreciated balance).\\n\\nFor the fans who already own their previous albums, there's still plenty to entice here, however. A new track \\\"She Don't Tell Me To\\\" is currently zipping up the charts, while the heartwrenching \\\"Didn't I\\\" from the We Were Soldiers soundtrack finally appears on a Montgomery Gentry album, as does the humorous 2001 holiday single \\\"Merry Christmas From The Family\\\" which concludes this set.\\n\\nOverall, Something To Be Proud Of is an energetic, engaging collection of hits. Its contents were custom made for blasting in the car.\",\n \"Product: Track Listing: 1. She Don't Tell Me To 2. Something to Be Proud Of 3. Gone 4. If You Ever Stop Loving Me 5. Hell Yeah 6. Speed 7. My Town 8. Didn't I 9. She Couldn't Change Me 10. Daddy Won't Sell the Farm 11. Lonely and Gone 12. Hillbilly Shoes 13. Merry Christmas from the Family\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great tunes, could have used a few more ballad singles\\n\\nReview: Montgomery Gentry is a pairing that is greater than its individual parts. Eddie Montgomery's rough hewn baritone, for instance, lacks range, yet works well on spoken word verses and effectively counters Troy Gentry's bombastic, elastic tenor.\\n\\nFor the past seven years, Montgomery Gentry has been a country radio staple, but their biggest hits have tended to be hard hitting, country rock stompers like \\\"Hillbilly Shoes,\\\" \\\"She Couldn't Change Me,\\\" \\\"Hell Yeah,\\\" and \\\"Gone.\\\" This tendancy is reflected on this \\\"best of\\\", as only a few ballads are included in this thirteen-track lineup (omitted underacheiving slowpoke singles like \\\"Self Made Man,\\\" \\\"You Do Your Thing\\\" and the gritty \\\"Cold One Comin' On\\\" would have provided some much appreciated balance).\\n\\nFor the fans who already own their previous albums, there's still plenty to entice here, however. A new track \\\"She Don't Tell Me To\\\" is currently zipping up the charts, while the heartwrenching \\\"Didn't I\\\" from the We Were Soldiers soundtrack finally appears on a Montgomery Gentry album, as does the humorous 2001 holiday single \\\"Merry Christmas From The Family\\\" which concludes this set.\\n\\nOverall, Something To Be Proud Of is an energetic, engaging collection of hits. Its contents were custom made for blasting in the car.\",\n \"Product: An elegant and legendary vocal superstar, four-time Grammy honoree Roberta Flack's unmistakable delivery wraps a timeless R&B sound with beautiful flourishes of jazz, pop and soul. She first climbed to the top of the charts with her definitive version of \\\"First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.\\\" The very next year, \\\"Killing Me Softly,\\\" her first duet with the late, great Donnie Hathaway took the same prize, and also hit #1. Also featuring her hit-making collaborations with Peabo Bryson and Maxi Priest, as well as many selections on which she shines solo, this must-have collection spotlights Flack's masterful song interpretation and rich emotional resonance.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great songs, but leaves off way too many hits\\n\\nReview: Roberta Flack emerged on the music scene in the early `70s with a cool, soothing, precise delivery that contrasted greatly with the fiery vocals of established Atlantic labelmate Aretha Franklin. Her more refined style helped her establish a successful niche as a soulful singer-songwriter, ultimately recording 15 albums over 25 years (1970-1995).\\n\\n Flack was most successful - and prolific - in the early part of her recording career, with the intimate, folk-oriented recordings \\\"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face\\\" (1972) and \\\"Killing Me Softly With His Song\\\" (1973) both garnering Record Of The Year Grammies, while the sumptuous \\\"Feel Like Makin' Love\\\" (1974) earned a nomination in that same category. A series of duets with college chum Donny Hathaway were also well-received at this time, including the chart-toppers \\\"Where Is The Love\\\" (1972) and \\\"The Closer I Get To You\\\" (1978).\\n\\n Outside projects and Hathaway's suicide in 1979 slowed down Flack's output thereafter, but she continued to make some great music. This included the gentle theme for the film Making Love (1982), the breezy chart-topper \\\"Oasis\\\" (1988) and top ten collaborations with Peabo Bryson (\\\"Tonight I Celebrate My Love\\\" - 1983) and Maxi Priest (\\\"Set The Night To Music\\\" - 1991). These latter pairings, by the way, are nice, but don't begin to approach the intensity that Flack shared on record with the mighty Hathaway.\\n\\n This 17-track Very Best Of contains 12 overlaps from Flack's 1993 retrospective Softly With These Songs (which also had 17 tracks), including all of the aforementioned hits. Available on the earlier set only were a slowed down rendition of the Shirelles' hit \\\"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow\\\" (1972) and the not missed, inane single \\\"Uh-Uh Ooh-Ooh Look Out\\\" (1989), while this new Very Best Of adds \\\"You Are My Heaven,\\\" a posthumous R&B hit with Hathaway (1980).\\n\\n While duplicates abound, several key tracks remain unavailable on a domestic Flack collection. These include early duet hits with Hathaway (\\\"You've Got A Friend\\\" - 1971, \\\"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'\\\" - 1971), top 30 solo ballads (\\\"Jesse\\\" - 1973, \\\"If Ever I See You Again,\\\" - 1978), additional collaborations with Bryson (\\\"Make The World Stand Still\\\" - 1980, the adult contemporary staple \\\"You're Lookin' Like Love To Me\\\" - 1982), and the up-tempo boast \\\"I'm The One\\\" (1982). They all deserve to be anthologized and hopefully the folks at Rhino will see fit to include them in a double-disc Flack set in the near future.\",\n \"Product: Chris Isaak begins his third decade as one of the most distinctive recording artists- and the epitome of modern cool-with his first career-spanning retrospective. Best of Chris Isaak CD features every hit, led by \\\"Wicked Game,\\\" and including many fan favorites such as \\\"Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing,\\\" plus four previously unreleased tracks.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great introduction to Isaak's music, but a second volume is needed\\n\\nReview: An intoxicating mix of Elvis Presley's early rockabilly and Roy Orbison's haunted crooning, Chris Isaak has maintained a sizable following over 21 years and nine albums despite having only one real pop hit, \\\"Wicked Game.\\\" While all of his albums are inconsistent, they each contain plenty of highlights, making this 18-track Best Of long overdue.\\n\\nIsaak wrote most of the songs on his albums except for the Baja Sessions project. Sometimes he's subtle (\\\"Blue Spanish Sky,\\\" \\\"Let Me Down Easy\\\"), sometimes he rocks (\\\"You Owe Me Some Kind Of Love,\\\" \\\"Blue Hotel\\\"). Occasionally, he builds from restrained to rowdy within the same recording (\\\"Somebody's Crying,\\\" \\\"Please\\\") or breaks the musical mold completely, as with the sexy growler \\\"Baby Did A Bad, Bad Thing.\\\" Almost always, though, he sings about heartbreak.\\n\\nAlong with the aforementioned Isaak classics, Best Of includes four previously unreleased tracks. The bluesy brooder \\\"King With A Castle\\\" and the boisterous relationship ender \\\"Let's Have A Party\\\" are nice additions to the Isaak catalog, and an acoustic version of \\\"Forever Blue\\\" is even lovelier than the original, but a live, noisy cover of Cheap Trick's \\\"I Want You To Want Me\\\" fails to approach the standard of the other enclosed recordings.\\n\\nWhile far from a staple on the pop charts, the versatile Isaak has occasionally charted on other radio formats, with \\\"Don't Make Me Dream About You\\\" hitting at Modern Rock and his cover of Neil Diamond's \\\"Solitary Man\\\" making an impact at Adult Contemporary. Both are unfortunately omitted here. Other notably absent singles - which failed to chart, but remain fan favorites - include the rousing Yardbirds' remake of \\\"Heart Full Of Soul,\\\" the hard rocking \\\"Go Walking Down There,\\\" the breezy \\\"Think Of Tomorrow,\\\" and the eerie \\\"Graduation Day.\\\"\\n\\nIsaak made some high-profile soundtrack contributions that were also ignored here. They include the secret agent parody \\\"Suspicion Of Love\\\" from Married To The Mob, the wistful \\\"I Wonder\\\" from Tin Cup, and the ultra-catchy \\\"American Boy\\\" which served as the theme for Isaak's acclaimed Showtime series. The quality of these omissions is such Reprise/Rhino could easily compile another 18-track set from Isaak's catalog that would be just as good. And hopefully they will, in the not too distant future.\\n\\nThe Best of Chris Isaak is also available in a two-disc edition containing a DVD with 18 music videos, some of which don't appear on the music CD. Fans familiar with Isaak's quirky humor will surely love the commentary that he provides for each video.\",\n \"Product: Chris Isaak begins his third decade as one of the most distinctive recording artists- and the epitome of modern cool-with his first career-spanning retrospective. Best of Chris Isaak CD features every hit, led by \\\"Wicked Game,\\\" and including many fan favorites such as \\\"Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing,\\\" plus four previously unreleased tracks.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Recordings plus videos: Isaak excels at both!\\n\\nReview: An intoxicating mix of Elvis Presley's early rockabilly and Roy Orbison's haunted crooning, Chris Isaak has maintained a sizable following over 21 years and nine albums despite having only one real pop hit, \\\"Wicked Game.\\\" While all of his albums are inconsistent, they each contain plenty of highlights, making this 18-track Best Of long overdue.\\n\\nIsaak wrote most of the songs on his albums except for the Baja Sessions project. Sometimes he's subtle (\\\"Blue Spanish Sky,\\\" \\\"Let Me Down Easy\\\"), sometimes he rocks (\\\"You Owe Me Some Kind Of Love,\\\" \\\"Blue Hotel\\\"). Occasionally, he builds from restrained to rowdy within the same recording (\\\"Somebody's Crying,\\\" \\\"Please\\\") or breaks the musical mold completely, as with the sexy growler \\\"Baby Did A Bad, Bad Thing.\\\" Almost always, though, he sings about heartbreak.\\n\\nAlong with the aforementioned Isaak classics, Best Of includes four previously unreleased tracks. The bluesy brooder \\\"King With A Castle\\\" and the boisterous relationship ender \\\"Let's Have A Party\\\" are nice additions to the Isaak catalog, and an acoustic version of \\\"Forever Blue\\\" is even lovelier than the original, but a live, noisy cover of Cheap Trick's \\\"I Want You To Want Me\\\" fails to approach the standard of the other enclosed recordings.\\n\\nWhile far from a staple on the pop charts, the versatile Isaak has occasionally charted on other radio formats, with \\\"Don't Make Me Dream About You\\\" hitting at Modern Rock and his cover of Neil Diamond's \\\"Solitary Man\\\" making an impact at Adult Contemporary. Both are unfortunately omitted here. Other notably absent singles - which failed to chart, but remain fan favorites - include the rousing Yardbirds' remake of \\\"Heart Full Of Soul,\\\" the hard rocking \\\"Go Walking Down There,\\\" the breezy \\\"Think Of Tomorrow,\\\" and the eerie \\\"Graduation Day.\\\"\\n\\nIsaak made some high-profile soundtrack contributions that were also ignored here. They include the secret agent parody \\\"Suspicion Of Love\\\" from Married To The Mob, the wistful \\\"I Wonder\\\" from Tin Cup, and the ultra-catchy \\\"American Boy\\\" which served as the theme for Isaak's acclaimed Showtime series. The quality of these omissions is such Reprise/Rhino could easily compile another 18-track set from Isaak's catalog that would be just as good. And hopefully they will, in the not too distant future.\\n\\nThis is the two-disc edition. It contains a DVD with 19 music videos (two versions of Wicked Game), some of which don't appear on the music CD. Fans familiar with Isaak's quirky humor will surely love the commentary that he provides for each video.\",\n \"Product: With 10 million CD's sold, Diamond Rio, bring you GREATEST HITS 2. These six amazing musicians who have had more than 30 hit songs bring you the second part of what is only a sampling of their trmendous success. Features the hit single \\\"God Only Cries.\\\"\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Has only 6 top-10 hits, not nearly as strong as Volume 1\\n\\nReview: Diamond Rio's first Greatest Hits came out in 1997 and covered their first 8 years with Arista. At the time, they had been so successful that several major hits were left off that 14-track set. In the nine years since, Diamond Rio has had only five more top-10 hits, making this a premature collection that reeks of being a contract completer (much like Tracy Byrd's recent hits set that was also put out by the RCA Label Group).\\n\\nGranted, the five biggest hits found here were all huge. \\\"One More Day\\\" and \\\"I Believe\\\" were chart-toppers that bridged country and gospel as successfully as anything released in Nashville in recent years, while \\\"Beautiful Mess\\\" and Unbelievable\\\" manage to amuse while picking up the pace. And \\\"You're Gone\\\" is a first-rate heartbreaker. But nothing else found here could be considered essential Diamond Rio. The mid-tempo \\\"Sweet Summer\\\" and \\\"Wrinkles\\\" hit the top 20 with awkward arrangements that kept them from being catchy. They reached back to 1996 to include \\\"That's What I Get For Loving You.\\\" It's top 5 chart placement is a testament to Diamond Rio's stature at radio at the time as it is certainly not memorable. They would have been better served by including any of these older hits that were also left off the first collection: \\\"Nowhere Bound\\\" (1992), \\\"Oh Me Oh My Sweet Baby\\\" (1993), or \\\"This Romeo Ain't Got Julie Yet\\\" (1993). Worst of all is the inclusion of their first hit \\\"Meet In The Middle.\\\" It was already on their first hits set. WHY INCLUDE IT AGAIN?\\n\\nThere are also four new recordings found on Greatest Hits 2. \\\"God Only Cries\\\" and \\\"In God We Still Trust) attempt to recapture the success of the similarly sacred \\\"One More Day\\\" and \\\"I Believe,\\\" but they aren't nearly as moving as those previous hits and so far radio isn't biting. Likewise, \\\"Over You\\\" seems like a pale imitation of \\\"You're Gone.\\\" \\\"Redneck Love Gone Bad,\\\" however, is a charmingly goofy effort featuring vintage Diamond Rio harmonies that could serve as a career saver. It certainly goes over well in concert. I have enjoyed Diamond Rio's music immensely since they emerged in 1990 and hope they will return to radio prominence soon, but I have a feeling it will only happen at a new label. Most of their recent material has not been up to their usual high standards.\",\n \"Product: Contains 10 of his most classic hits.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Strongest Single Disc Tubb Set\\n\\nReview: With his relaxed, drawling baritone and notes as wide open as Texas, Ernest Tubb embodied Lone Star honky-tonk music of the 1940s. In essence, he was the link between country bluesman Jimmie Rodgers (whose widow made Tubb her protg) and Lefty Frizzell.\\n\\nThe Definitive Collection begins with his trademark 1941 \\\"Walkin' The Floor Over You,\\\" whose electric guitar was new for country recordings. Bar owners with juke boxes, it seems, were telling Tubb that acoustic guitars couldn't be heard above their crowds' noise. From 1941-42, his compositions \\\"Mean Mama Blues\\\" and \\\"You Nearly Lose Your Mind\\\" credibly mimic Rodgers' style, but as time went on, he was dubbed The Texas Troubadour.\\n\\n Of the 25 tracks here, 16 are from the 1940s and five from the `50s. Among the four `60s songs, \\\"Waltz Across Texas\\\" became his second signature song though it climbed no higher than 34 on 1965's charts. His only pop top-tenner, a 1950 duet with Red Foley on Leadbelly's \\\"Goodnight Irene,\\\" competed with their Decca label mates The Weavers' dreamy pop rendition. A 1949 \\\"Blue Christmas\\\" has lines that Elvis Presley's later version dropped. Among the GI songs (\\\"Soldier's Last Letter,\\\" \\\"It's Been So Long, Darling,\\\" \\\"Rainbow At Midnight\\\"), 1946's \\\"Filipino Baby\\\" lacks the short repetitions that Cowboy Copas's rival single and Pearl Harbour's 1980 cover employed.\\n\\nThose looking for more Tubb should seek out Collector's Choice 40 track The Definitive Ernest Tubb Hits Collection, which is out of print but available through Amazon dealers at a fairly reasonable price.\",\n \"Product: Two mid-'60s Atlantic albums of pop-soul genius from the great Barbara Lewis! Includes Make Me Your Baby; Thankful ; the two classic title cuts, and more.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Contains Barbara's first and last albums for Atlantic in their entirety\\n\\nReview: Collectables has rounded up the first and last Atlantic albums of the smooth and soulful songstress Barbara Lewis. This two-fer offers the first straight reissues of her Atlantic albums in CD format.\\n\\nHello Stranger (1963) consists solely of Lewis' own compositions. There's lots of organ accompaniment to be found here, as well as lush background harmonies courtesy of The Dells. The gems include her debut single \\\"My Heart Went Do Dat Da,\\\" the Shirelles' knock off \\\"My Mamma Told Me,\\\" and the minor hit \\\"Puppy Love,\\\" but the crown jewel of course is the sumptuous title track (top 3 pop, #1 r&b). A charming sense of innocence permeates throughout (appropriately so, as Lewis was a teenager when she wrote these songs).\\n\\nFar more sophisticated and musically varied is Lewis' Workin' On A Groovy Thing (1968). Comprised primarily of her final Atlantic singles (including the chart favorites \\\"Make Me Your Baby\\\" and \\\"Make Me Belong To You\\\") plus superb remakes like the title track (a hit for Patti Drew and, later, The 5th Dimension), and Deon Jackson's \\\"Love Makes The World Go Round,\\\" Workin' On A Groovy Thing reveals that Lewis' voice had grown significantly in confidence and style since her initial recordings.\\n\\nTwelve of the twenty-four tracks found on this two-fer are also available on Rhino's definitive Hello Stranger: The Best Of Barbara Lewis. Perhaps that makes it seem less than essential to non-Lewis diehards, but everything found here is truly first-rate. Hopefully, Collectables will offer another two-fer in the near future that includes It's Magic: Lewis' excellent album of standards.\",\n \"Product: Gary Allan's first Greatest Hits collection. Includes 15 tracks including the new single 'A Feeling Like That'. Gary will be on tour in March and April and will make a stop at the inaugural 'Stagecoach Festival' in May.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Solid Retrospective of a Great Country Artist\\n\\nReview: From his debut in 1996 with the gentle top ten hit \\\"Her Man,\\\" through his highly personal 2005 masterpiece Tough All Over, raspy-voiced Gary Allan has steadily built a career that ranks him among the finest talents in modern country music. This Greatest Hits collects Allan's 13 most successful country chart entries from his first six albums and does a great job at highlighting why he is so special.\\n\\nAmidst his trademark weepy guitars, Allan impishly looks forward to a night of passion (\\\"Nothing On But The Radio\\\"), eloquently reflects on lost love (\\\"Best I Ever Had,\\\" \\\"Life Ain't Always Beautiful\\\"), extols the joys of fatherhood (\\\"Tough Little Boys\\\"), proclaims odes of devotion (\\\"Right Where I Never To Be,\\\" \\\"The One\\\"), and oozes sexual bravado (\\\"Man Of Me\\\"). It's a nicely varied retrospective of familiar gems.\\n\\nThere are also two new tracks on this hits set. The rousing lead-off single \\\"A Feelin' Like That\\\" finds Allan searching the world for thrills that can't compare with a woman's love. Meanwhile, on \\\"As The Crows Flies,\\\" Allan rocks harder than ever before as he candidly admits his infatuation with life on the run.\\n\\nAllan's energetic rendition of Del Shannon's \\\"Runaway\\\" nipped the country charts due to listener requests and remains a huge favorite in concert. Its inclusion would have been strongly welcomed by longtime fans. Instead, you can find \\\"Runaway\\\" on Allan's breakthrough 1999 CD Smoke Rings In The Dark, a suggested follow-up purchase for Allan neophytes.\",\n \"Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Includes all of Chely's non-duet singles\\n\\nReview: Chely Wright is one of the most underappreciated country artists ever. Possessing very strong pipes (sort of a country Pat Benatar) and a lot of personality, she has undeservedly never risen above the second tier of country artists.\\n\\nThis collection captures all of the singles she charted between 1994 and 2005 as a solo artist (the omitted tracks were the \\\"Hard To Be A Husband, Hard To Be A Wife\\\" collaboration with Brad Paisley from 2000 and the 2003 \\\"Scary Old World\\\" pairing with Radney Foster). Chely's first two albums WOMAN IN THE MOON in 1994 and RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT in 1996 were for Mercury subsidiary Polydor and - as shown on the enclosed singles \\\"Till I Was Loved By You,\\\" \\\"Sea of Cowboy Hats\\\" and \\\"Listenin' To The Radio\\\" - their music was high octane honky-tonk, with lots of fiddles and steel guitars.\\n\\nWhile fun, none of her Polydor singles reached the country top 40. The albums also sold poorly, so she moved to MCA Records in 1997 to work with producer/label President Tony Brown. The first couple of MCA singles \\\"Shut Up And Drive\\\" and \\\"I Already Do\\\" from the LET ME IN cd cut back on the instrumentation, allowing Chely's stellar voice to shine amid the sparse settings (they also finally brought her some top 20 success at radio). The follow-up cd, 1999's SINGLE WHITE FEMALE, was Chely's true commercial breakthrough, spawning the catchy number one title track and the midtempo top-tenner \\\"It Was.\\\"\\n\\nThose gems found Chely's music going in a more pop-oriented direction, an approach that was even more pronounced on 2001's NEVER LOVE YOU ENOUGH. It's two singles - the lush yet torchy title track and the rip-roaring \\\"Jezebel\\\" - surrounded Chely with loads of orchestration but stalled outside the top 20. This setback was surprising, since Martina McBride has been a staple in the country top 10 with loads of power ballads like the former and Terri Clark had been quite successful at the time with footstompers like the latter.\\n\\nAfter the chart underperformance of those two engaging singles, Chely Wright and MCA parted company. She signed with Jeff Huskins' Vivaton label in 2003 and released the top 40 \\\"Back Of The Bottom Drawer\\\" to radio the following year. A disagreement over the direction of her music caused Wright to leave Vivaton and she ended up putting out the single on 2005's The METROPOLITAN HOTEL album which was released on her own label Painted Red, along with the touching hit follow-up \\\"The Bumper Of My SUV, a Wright composition based on a true story. These two singles were licensed from Chely.\\n\\nHopefully, there will be more hits in Chely Wright's future. She is an extremely gifted singer and songwriter.\",\n \"Product: Wilson Phillips' CD Christmas in Harmony\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Modern Christmas Masterpiece\\n\\nReview: Wilson-Phillips first Christmas cd - and their first album in six years which pairs them with their original producer Glen Ballard - is the modern Christmas music masterpiece we were hoping for. For those who like their Christmas music on the familiar side, there are plenty of standards to be found here like \\\"Little Drummer Boy\\\" and \\\"Silver Bells\\\" and \\\"Winter Wonderland\\\" that are elevated to a celestial level thanks to Wilson Phillips' always incredible harmonies. They even recreate Spector's production of The Ronettes' \\\"Sleigh Ride\\\" right down to the \\\"ringa linga linga ding dong ding\\\" backgrounds.\\n\\nWhat makes this cd so special are the stellar quality of the original tracks \\\"Warm Lovin' Christmastime\\\" (written by Carnie's hubby Rob Bonfiglio), \\\"Christmastime\\\" (penned by Chynna Phillips and producer Glen Ballard - the same pairing that wrote Wilson Phillips' first hit \\\"Hold On\\\") and the appropriately joy-filled \\\"Joy\\\" (composed by all of the gals, Rob and Glen). The cd isn't perfect, as it leads off with the bit too busy/noisy revival of `70s glam rockers Wizzard \\\"I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day.\\\" Once we get past that aberration, however, it is smooth sailing - and a Merry Christmas for all.\",\n \"Product: Country music singer Billy Currington's career has certainly been on a roll. That also was the theme of his number one hit That's How Country Boys Roll which is included among many other hits on this Icon collection. In a little under a decade, he has hit the Top 20 quite often with songs like the CMT award-winner Must Be Doin' Something Right (No. 2), Good Directions (No. 1), Don't (No. 2) and his classic 2009 number one hit People Are Crazy. The Georgia native has also had a successful songwriting career with Tracy Byrd and the legendary George Strait having recorded his tunes, while his solo career continues to blossom and his latest album demonstrates he's also pretty good at drinkin beer!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Slightly incomplete hits collection\\n\\nReview: Since his first album/cd release in 2003, Billy Currington has emerged as a consistent country hitmaker. This compilation - part of the large Universal Music Group Icon series that also includes a new Josh Turner retrospective - includes all eight singles from Billy's first three cds. Also included is Billy's top 30 single \\\"Tangled Up\\\" from 2007 which hasn't been included on a previous cd. Had \\\"Party For Two\\\" (Billy's 2004 hit duet with Shania Twain) and the two chart-toppers from his latest cd \\\"Pretty Good At Drinkin' Beer\\\" and \\\"Let Me Down Easy\\\" been included, I would have given this collection five stars. Instead, these major hits are replaced by album tracks \\\"She's Got A Way With Me\\\" (a beautiful ballad) and \\\"Swimmin' In Sunshine\\\" (a summer romp that doesn't rate amongst Billy's best recordings). \\\"Party For Two\\\" is particularly missed, as it has never been included on a Billy Currington cd.\\n\\nThis is a good first Currington purchase and necessary for most fans so that they can get \\\"Tangled Up\\\" on an actual cd, but it could have been even better.\",\n \"Product: ...\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best Phil Collins Collection available with one MAJOR omission\\n\\nReview: Double the tracks of the domestic Phil Collins Hits set. It strangely omits Take Me Home (one of his biggest hits).\\nTracklist .\\n\\n1-1 In The Air Tonight\\n1-2 Another Day In Paradise\\n1-3 A Groovy Kind Of Love\\n1-4 You Can't Hurry Love\\n1-5 Against All Odds\\n1-6 I Wish It Would Rain Down\\n1-7 Don't Let Him Steal Your Heart Away\\n1-8 Two Hearts\\n1-9 Do You Remember\\n1-10 One More Night\\n1-11 Easy Lover\\n1-12 If Leaving Me Is Easy\\n1-13 I Don't Care Anymore\\n1-14 Sussudio\\n1-15 I Missed Again\\n1-16 Why Can't It Wait 'Til Morning\\n1-17 Don't Lose My Number\\n1-18 Separate Lives\\n2-1 Something Happened On The Way To Heaven\\n2-2 Both Sides Of The Story\\n2-3 Everyday\\n2-4 Can't Turn Back The Years\\n2-5 Dance Into The Light\\n2-6 It's In Your Eyes\\n2-7 No Matter Who\\n2-8 True Colours\\n2-9 Two Worlds\\n2-10 You'll Be In My Heart\\n2-11 Strangers Like Me\\n2-12 Son Of Man\\n2-13 Can't Stop Loving You\\n2-14 Wake Up Call\\n2-15 The Least You Can Do\\n2-16 Look Through My Eyes\\n2-17 No Way Out\\n2-18 Tearing And Breaking\",\n \"Product: [Note: This product is an authorized CD-R and is manufactured on demand]\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Strong second Arista effort\\n\\nReview: During her early music career, Pam Tillis experimented with pop, rock, new wave, and even disco. Inevitably, she found her way back to her country roots (her father is country legend Mel Tillis) and created one of the best country debuts of the '90s with 1991's distinctive Put Yourself In My Place. This 1992 follow-up sounded just as confident and fresh, yet impressively offered a different sound, a rarity in the formulaic world of modern country music.\\nTillis' high-pitched voice is an acquired taste worth acquiring. WIth repeated listening, her unique vocals become endearing and eventually bewitching. The quality of her songs (five of which Tillis co-wrote) is never in doubt: each of the enclosed tracks are original and entertaining. \\\"Cleopatra, Queen Of Denial\\\" is a clever play on words and is still about as fun as country music gets. The first single, \\\"Shake The Sugar Tree\\\" is almost as imaginative in its warm plea for more love. The ballads on Homeward Looking Angel may not be as infectious, put they provide quite a few poignant moments, particulary \\\"Love Is Only Human,\\\" which effectively paired Tillis with Marty Roe of Diamond Rio, and the spinetingling \\\"Let That Pony Run\\\" (my all-time favorite Tillis recording).\\nUnstable romantic relationships are the predominant theme on this album. Yet each track offers a different take on this theme and, as in real life, provide varying resolutions.\",\n \"Product: This CD is in great condition.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Dottie: More Than Just a Hottie\\n\\nReview: Dottie West's more pop-oriented recordings on Liberty Records from the mid-70s to the early 80s have been available on CD for some time, but her RCA material - which proceeded that tenure - was unfairly missing in action for a long time until this collection was put out in 1996.\\nThis collection covers Dottie's first decade as a recording artist (not counting minor label efforts) 1964 - 1974. It leads off with her breakthrough solo hit \\\"Here Comes My Baby\\\" which won West the first \\\"Best Country and Western Female Vocal\\\" Grammy award. It was also written by West (one of six West compositions found here). Along with Loretta Lynn, West was one of the few successful female country artists writing their own material in the 1960s.\\nAlso like Lynn, West would reveal many facets of her personal life in her music, as this collection amply demonstrates. \\\"Mommy Can I Still Call Him Daddy\\\" and \\\"Six Weeks Every Summer (Christmas Every Other Year)\\\" offer Dottie the divorced working mom while \\\"Country Girl\\\" and \\\"Country Sunshine\\\" show West being proudly country long before it was cool. Her religious side is also represented by the gospel number \\\"His Eye Is On The Sparrow.\\\"\\nWest's ability to create hit duets with artitsts as diverse as Jim Reeves, Don Gibson, and sausage king Jimmy Dean lay testament to her strong harmonizing. The enclosed duets are among West's most engaging recordings from this period and foreshadow her most successful work of all: the Liberty duets with Kenny Rogers. Other solo standouts included here are the galloping tale of \\\"Reno\\\" and the humorously deluded \\\"Last Time I Saw Him.\\\" In all, you get a twenty-track set of great diversity and high quality from a woman whose eccentric life often overshadowed her music.\",\n \"Product: SEALED; Hole in upc. Satisfaction Guaranteed.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best single disc set available on Milsap\\n\\nReview: Ronnie Milsap is one of the most productive artists RCA ever had with continuous chart appearance between 1973 and 1992. This Essential Collection is comprised of hits between 1979 and 1992 (a second volume of the earlier hits was promised but never released). Of the 20 recordings found here, 16 made number one on the country charts. Even more impressive is the variety of styles Milsap adopted in his music. He gets very soulful on a remake of Barbara Lewis' \\\"Snap Your Fingers\\\" and nostalgic on the doo-wop flavored \\\"Lost In The Fifties Tonight.\\\" Hard blues gets a nice workout on \\\"Stranger In My House.\\\" And just when you think he was getting firmly rooted in straight pop like \\\"Any Day Now\\\" or \\\"Make No Mistake (She's Mine)\\\", he would return to his honkytonk roots on a ditty like \\\"All Is Fair In Love And War.\\\" With so many hits, it is not surprising that this Essential collection avoids album cuts and previously unreleased tracks. What you do get is a consistently entertaining, well-balanced set that is far superior to the numerous 10 cut sets RCA had already released.\\nSince this collection's release, a double disc 40 number one hits retrospective has come out. It is the best Milsap overview available. If you can only afford one disc however, this is the set to get.\",\n \"Product: Out of print in the U.S.! 20 track compilation from one of Country's greatest modern artists. Gill is the owner of a great voice and a musical talent that allows him to play many, if not all, instruments (he was best known for his mandolin work with Pure Prairie League). As a solo artist, Gill has been an award-winning favorite on Country radio for over two decades. Features 'Victim of Life's Circumstances', 'Oh Carolina', 'Turn Me Loose', 'Midnight Train' and others. RCA.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The Best Of Vince's Early Solo Work\\n\\nReview: Since the early '90s, Vince Gill has been one of the most popular artists in country music because of his work on the MCA label. His recording career, however, began back in 1979; first as lead singer of the Pure Prairie League (\\\"Let Me Love You Tonight\\\") and then as a solo artist for RCA.\\nThe Essential Vince Gill offers 10 of the 11 singles he recorded while at RCA between 1983 and 1988 (curiously missing is \\\"If It Weren't For Him,\\\" his top 10 duet with Roseanne Cash). Among the gems found here are the rousing \\\"Turn Me Loose,\\\" the heartbreaking \\\"Oh Carolina,\\\" and the mandolin featured \\\"Cinderella.\\\" \\\"Everybody's Sweetheart\\\" was a tongue-in-cheek comment on his then-more-famous wife Janis, of Sweethearts of the Rodeo, while \\\"The Radio\\\" presented a touching ode to his oft-touring Sweetheart.\\nThe remaining 10 tracks included here are often as strong as the singles and includes the original version of his 1990 hit \\\"Never Knew Lonely.\\\" Most of these recordings hold their own with Gill's more celebrated MCA stuff. Maybe he wasn't promoted properly at RCA or the timing wasn't right for Gill back then. Whatever the reason, it is nice to have such an attractive set available of Gill's early solo work.\",\n \"Product: CD\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: LaCosta - the lost star\\n\\nReview: Sisters compiles highlights of the Capitol Records' work of siblings Tanya and LaCosta Tucker. This eighteen-track set alternates recordings from both singers, selected by the Tucker sisters themselves.\\n Tanya came to Capitol in 1986 as an established star and rose to new heights during her eleven-year tenure. Her nine tracks on Sisters only scratch at the surface of her productivity, but all were major hits. Up-tempo gems like \\\"Down To My Last Teardrop\\\" and \\\"Strong Enough To Bend\\\" dominate the lineup, intermingled with a couple of sobsters \\\"(Without You) What Do I Do With Me\\\" and \\\"Love Me Like You Used To.\\\"\\n While Capitol has frequently repackaged Tanya's hits, LaCosta's were not previously available on CD and provide the main impetus for buying this set. Most of LaCosta's charted recordings are here, including the bubbly mid-70's charmers \\\"Get On My Love Train,\\\" \\\"Western Man\\\" and \\\"He Took Me For A Ride.\\\" Throughout, her raspy vocal inflections bring to mind Tanya.\\nSounding too much like her sister was not a plus for LaCosta, however. There ultimately wasn't much need for both of them. Factor in that Tanya was already a successful artist when big sister LaCosta began, had the novelty of being a young teen with an adult voice, and possessed the greater charisma, and it's not surprising that LaCosta was the one who lost out on a long recording career. It's a shame since - as Sisters shows - the talent was evident in both of them.\",\n \"Product: Phil Vassar ~ American Child\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: This is the revised version of the album\\n\\nReview: This former songwriter to the country stars (Tim, Alan, Jo Dee) may list Merle and Willie as influences in his bio, but it's Bruce Hornsby who comes to mind when one listens to the prominently-placed piano and mandolin on Vassar's first two releases. He earns his spot in country music, however, with his impressive ability to consistently merge life experiences with strong melodies.\\nUnsurprisingly, Vassar had a hand in writing all twelve tracks on this second outing. He takes his stab at post-9/11 patriotism with the \\\"anything is possible in America\\\" sentiments of the title track. Humor also figures strongly in the mix with the witty wordplay of \\\"Athens, Grease\\\" (think early Clint Black) and the commitment phobic \\\"Houston (We Got A Problem).\\\" Relationships are a dominant theme throughout, running the gamut from the rollicking remembrance of a high school flame \\\"Forgettin's So Long\\\" to the poignantly lovestruck ballad \\\"Already Gone.\\\"\\nRecently, this album was re-released with two additional tracks which strengthen the cd considerably. One is the timely single \\\"This Is God,\\\" which finds Vassar taking on the role of our heavenly father in order to question the chaos going on in the world. The other is a remake of the Huey Lewis & The News hit \\\"Workin' For A Living\\\" as a duet with Lewis himself. It's long been a highlight of Vassar's stage show and its frenetic tempo adds some much needed balance to the serious fare.\",\n \"Product: The Hit Songs 1950-1975: That's The Way Life Goes is the first single CD, remastered, multi-label overview of Lefty Frizell . Covering both his Columbia and ABC eras, the 27 tracks highlight the best of Lefty's classic Honky Tonk and hard country sound, with informative liner notes and an array of evocative period images. That's the Way Life Goes is the vital and essential overview of a classic Honky Tonk and hard country style, graced with rare photographs and enhanced by digital remastering.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great Introduction To The Legend Of Lefty\\n\\nReview: A link between Mississippi's Jimmie Rodgers and California's Merle Haggard, smooth Texas crooner William Orville (\\\"Lefty\\\") Frizzell made #1 with both sides of his 1950 debut: \\\"If You've Got The Money, I've Got The Time\\\" (featuring Madge Suttee's rinky-tinky piano) and \\\"I Love You A Thousand Ways.\\\" 1951 brought four simultaneous top-tenners: \\\"I Want To Be With You Always,\\\" sappy \\\"Mom And Dad's Waltz,\\\" laid-back \\\"Always Late (With Your Kisses)\\\" and a cover of Rodgers' 1931 \\\"Travellin' Blues.\\\" But after '54, he only cracked the Top 10 twice: with `59's eerie \\\"The Long Black Veil\\\" (a future cover for The Band, The Chieftains and others) and `63's \\\"Saginaw Michigan\\\" with its final comic twist.\\n\\nRaven's nicely remastered and annotated 28-song That's The Way Life Goes has nothing Frizzell aficionados don't already have on Varese Sarabande's That's The Way Love Goes collection that covers `70s ABC tracks or Columbia/Legacy's 1950-65 two-CD Look What Thoughts Will Do. Still, it's a fine introduction to a singer who explained, \\\"I wanted to hold one word through a whole line of melody, to linger with it all the way down. I didn't want to let go of that no more than I wanted to let go of the woman I loved.\\\"\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":69,"string":"69"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":390,"string":"390"}}},{"rowIdx":391,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A1IDK53C1FRYOU"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"The first romance novel I ever read was a coverless Mills & Boons that I had smuggled into bed to read by torchlight. I opened the book, and suddenly, I was transported into a wonderfully exciting world where a tall, dark and handsome man sparred with an ordinary girl just like me, and in the endshe got to keep him! My stories still carry the scent of that dashing hero from my first book, because, you see, that billionaire was my very first love. And Ive never ever really forgotten him. When Im not reading, or writing about hot Alphas, or eating delicious cashew nut cookies, I can be foundwashing dishes, gardening, cooking, cleaning, dusting, or even picking up dog poo.\". The summary of the review text is \"I just loved this story\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I just loved this story. An amazing short story about a second chance romance and letting go to take the chance and let fate decide your future.\n\nThis story has a bit of everything. I like that. It is a romance love story and I liked it very much. Emotional and loving story.\nWell written story with a nice storyline and plot. I like that the characters and how they develop. A passionate and emotional read with twists.\n\nI like it has an epilogue to finish of the story in a better way. There is passion, a few hot scenes and lots of chemistry in this amazing story. I would have liked it to be a bit longer. It is written in dual POV which gives the feelings and thoughts of both main characters to the reader.\n\nI received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I just loved this story. An amazing short story about a second chance romance and letting go to take the chance and let fate decide your future.\n\nThis story has a bit of everything. I like that. It is a romance love story and I liked it very much. Emotional and loving story.\nWell written story with a nice storyline and plot. I like that the characters and how they develop. A passionate and emotional read with twists.\n\nI like it has an epilogue to finish of the story in a better way. There is passion, a few hot scenes and lots of chemistry in this amazing story. I would have liked it to be a bit longer. It is written in dual POV which gives the feelings and thoughts of both main characters to the reader.\n\nI received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: \"Romance readers will definitely enjoy!\" - Library Journal\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A college romance with twists and turns\n\nReview: This story is very well written and it surprised me a lot. I like the words and story just flows through the pages. The characters are well described and the feel real and like you know them. The story line is great and the plot is surprising.\nOlivia starts in college and thinks she escaped her problems from the past. But fate has another thought about that. In her new class she sees Zach who she have had a crush on for some time. Zachery has never been interested in her, so she thinks. Zachery has always wanted Olivia but he thinks he cannot have her. They have to travel to Paris on a school trip and here everything collides. They have to struggle but will their relationship survive all the problems and issues with the past and family?\n\nIt is a sweet and romantic read. I would have loved if it was not that short. The ending would be a lot better if it had more to it. I like very much that is it written in dual POV. That way you get to know both thoughts and feelings of the main characters.\n\nThis book takes you through a lot of emotions. I made me laugh sometimes. It has lots of emotional ups and downs. There is drama, passion, chemistry, some hot scenes but most of all a lot of romance.\n\nI voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.","Product: Ivy Layne has had her nose stuck in a book since she first learned to decipher the English language. Sometime in her early teens, she stumbled across her first Romance, and the die was cast. Though she pretended to pay attention to her creative writing professors, she dreamed of writing steamy romance instead of literary fiction. These days, shes neck deep in alpha heroes and the smart, sexy women who love them. Married to her very own alpha hero (who rubs her back after a long day of typing, but also leaves his socks on the floor). Ivy lives in the mountains of North Carolina where she and her other half are having a blast raising two energetic little boys. Aside from her family, Ivys greatest loves are coffee and chocolate, preferably together.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Drama, action and hot scenes\n\nReview: Well written story. I like the story line and plot. The characters are a thing that I have a been bit troubled with. I would have liked they have been more detailed described and have more depth to them. He screams and is angry all the time and she accepts it. He says she is stupid and never takes it back. It annoyed me. But apart from that I like chemistry and attraction they have. The hot scenes could have been taken a gear up but I liked them. I had thought from the blurb that these scenes would be a bit darker with more BDSM in them but unfortunately there were not.\nThis story has drama, action, lust and hot scenes.\n\nI received an ARC in exchange for an honest review","Product: Mika Jolie lives in New Jersey with her Happy Chaos her husband and their energizer bunnies. She s a lover of words, wonder, an old-fashioned, and the whimsical delights of everyday living. When she s not writing swoon-worthy, sexy relatable romance, you can find her on a hiking adventure, beachin it at the Jersey shore, apple, blueberry picking, or whatever her three men can conjure up.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: From friends to lovers.\n\nReview: Different story line and plot. I liked that this story is from the male POV. Like the writing style and the way the story flows of the pages.\nA friend to lovers story with the main characters Dean and Cori. They have been best friends for a long time and that have always been enough but not anymore. Dean wants more now. He wants her. But is it possible to get out of the friend zone without losing what they have?\nThe story has tragic, drama, emotions, passion, lust, laughs, sighs, conflicts and some twists. Like the supporting characters of Deans sister Kate and his best mate Lucas. This story is so well written that it could have been real life. Would love to have a book about Kate and Lucas.\n\nI voluntarily read this ARC to give an honest review.","Product: JEANNE ST. JAMES is a best-selling erotic romance author who loves an Alpha male (or two). She was only thirteen when she started writing since it gave her an escape from teenage angst! Her first paid published piece was an erotic story in Playgirl magazine. Her first erotic romance novel, Banged Up, was published in 2009. She is happily owned by farting French bulldogs. She writes M/F, M/M, and M/M/F mnages.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: MFM when it is best.\n\nReview: Hot MFM story. Flowing with hot scenes and chemistry. Very well written.\nThe story takes the MFM topic and the problems that can be in such a relationship. Gryff is the Alpha male and has to get through a lot of issues to get to the point where he can be in the relationship. You really get mad at him at some point, but he quick get his things together.\nTrey is the one who is attracted to both and who is opening up. Rayne is the lawyer who is attracted to both of them and she has to come clean with some issues.\nI love the hot scenes and the plot. A book with romance, drama and hot scenes. Great chemistry.\nWorth the read.","Product: *** Want a free copy of Meg's hot dragon menage series, Caught Between Dragons? Sign up for her newsletter here to download your exclusive copy: https://goo.gl/NZAu7v You'll also get updates on her steamy new releases, giveaways, deals and more FREE books every week! Meg Ripley is an author of erotic science fiction and paranormal romance stories. As a child, she had recurring dreams about being abducted by aliens and has been obsessed with extraterrestrial life ever since. A Seattle native, Meg can often be found curled up in a local coffee house with her laptop.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Short but worth the read\n\nReview: Well written book with great storyline and plot.\n\nI love their journey towards their HEA. There is murder, drama, mystery, passion, emotions, hot scenes, twists and lots of chemistry in this amazing story. The twists makes this story different that expected. Instant attraction. It is written in dual POV which gives the reader much more of the thoughts and feelings of the main characters. Like that it has an epilogue. A short but worth the read story.\n\nI like the main characters and how they are described and how they develop through the story. The story flows nicely and it is very captivating from first to last chapter. The author has delivered a story that is worth the read!\n\nI received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.","Product: USA Today Bestselling Author J. H. Croix lives in a small town in the historical farmlands of Maine with her husband and two spoiled dogs. Croix writes steamy contemporary romance with strong independent women and rugged alpha men who aren't afraid to show some emotion. Her love for quirky small-towns and the characters that inhabit them shines through in her writing. Take a walk on the wild side of romance with her bestselling novels! Sign up for information about my new releases: http://jhcroixauthor.com/subscribe/ You can find me online here: https://jhcroixauthor.com https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-h-croix https://www.facebook.com/jhcroix https://twitter.com/JHCroix\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Absolutely hot and worth the read\n\nReview: Very well written short story with great storyline and plot. Full of expanse and hotness. I like that the characters are relatable and likeable. I like the twists and the challenges the story has. I like the main characters and how they develop. The story flows nicely and it is very captivating from first to last chapter.\nWould have liked the drama was a bit deeper. I like this series really much. Hot brit boys are always welcomed here. It is fast paced. I like that some of the characters from the previous books are mentioned.\n\nThe story is with a twist and a very enjoyable read. The epilogue is very welcomed and gives the story more to it and it finishes better of than without it. It is written in dual POV which gives the reader much more of the thoughts and feelings of the main characters.\nThere are laughs, drama, passion, emotions, hot scenes, twists and lots of chemistry in this amazing story.\n\nI received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.","Product: Hey! Im Gabi Moore, USA TODAY Bestselling Author. Im on a mission to love like Ive never been hurt, dance like nobodys watching and write sex scenes like my mother didnt raise me right. I've been told that you need a few things before picking up any of my books, including, but not limited to, clean panties, a hot man and/or vibrator, and blocks of uninterrupted time. I write about some of the naughty things Ive done, and some of the naughty things I still wish I could do. Some days, I forget which is which. I like coffee and men with accents. And lately, Ive been trying to give up dirty puns but its hard. So hard.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Absolutely worth the read\n\nReview: A slow start and sometimes a bit confusing. Well written book with great storyline and plot. A different sweet romance book. Amazing writing style.\n\nI love their journey towards their HEA. There is action, drama, family issues, passion, emotions, hot scenes, twists and lots of chemistry in this amazing story. The twists makes this story different that expected. Instant attraction. It is written in dual POV which gives the reader much more of the thoughts and feelings of the main characters. Like that it has an epilogue.\n\nLots of chemistry and hot scenes. I like the main characters and how they are described and how they develop through the story. The story flows nicely and it is very captivating from first to last chapter. The author has delivered a story that is worth the read!\n\nI received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review."],"string":"[\n \"Product: \\\"Romance readers will definitely enjoy!\\\" - Library Journal\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A college romance with twists and turns\\n\\nReview: This story is very well written and it surprised me a lot. I like the words and story just flows through the pages. The characters are well described and the feel real and like you know them. The story line is great and the plot is surprising.\\nOlivia starts in college and thinks she escaped her problems from the past. But fate has another thought about that. In her new class she sees Zach who she have had a crush on for some time. Zachery has never been interested in her, so she thinks. Zachery has always wanted Olivia but he thinks he cannot have her. They have to travel to Paris on a school trip and here everything collides. They have to struggle but will their relationship survive all the problems and issues with the past and family?\\n\\nIt is a sweet and romantic read. I would have loved if it was not that short. The ending would be a lot better if it had more to it. I like very much that is it written in dual POV. That way you get to know both thoughts and feelings of the main characters.\\n\\nThis book takes you through a lot of emotions. I made me laugh sometimes. It has lots of emotional ups and downs. There is drama, passion, chemistry, some hot scenes but most of all a lot of romance.\\n\\nI voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.\",\n \"Product: Ivy Layne has had her nose stuck in a book since she first learned to decipher the English language. Sometime in her early teens, she stumbled across her first Romance, and the die was cast. Though she pretended to pay attention to her creative writing professors, she dreamed of writing steamy romance instead of literary fiction. These days, shes neck deep in alpha heroes and the smart, sexy women who love them. Married to her very own alpha hero (who rubs her back after a long day of typing, but also leaves his socks on the floor). Ivy lives in the mountains of North Carolina where she and her other half are having a blast raising two energetic little boys. Aside from her family, Ivys greatest loves are coffee and chocolate, preferably together.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Drama, action and hot scenes\\n\\nReview: Well written story. I like the story line and plot. The characters are a thing that I have a been bit troubled with. I would have liked they have been more detailed described and have more depth to them. He screams and is angry all the time and she accepts it. He says she is stupid and never takes it back. It annoyed me. But apart from that I like chemistry and attraction they have. The hot scenes could have been taken a gear up but I liked them. I had thought from the blurb that these scenes would be a bit darker with more BDSM in them but unfortunately there were not.\\nThis story has drama, action, lust and hot scenes.\\n\\nI received an ARC in exchange for an honest review\",\n \"Product: Mika Jolie lives in New Jersey with her Happy Chaos her husband and their energizer bunnies. She s a lover of words, wonder, an old-fashioned, and the whimsical delights of everyday living. When she s not writing swoon-worthy, sexy relatable romance, you can find her on a hiking adventure, beachin it at the Jersey shore, apple, blueberry picking, or whatever her three men can conjure up.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: From friends to lovers.\\n\\nReview: Different story line and plot. I liked that this story is from the male POV. Like the writing style and the way the story flows of the pages.\\nA friend to lovers story with the main characters Dean and Cori. They have been best friends for a long time and that have always been enough but not anymore. Dean wants more now. He wants her. But is it possible to get out of the friend zone without losing what they have?\\nThe story has tragic, drama, emotions, passion, lust, laughs, sighs, conflicts and some twists. Like the supporting characters of Deans sister Kate and his best mate Lucas. This story is so well written that it could have been real life. Would love to have a book about Kate and Lucas.\\n\\nI voluntarily read this ARC to give an honest review.\",\n \"Product: JEANNE ST. JAMES is a best-selling erotic romance author who loves an Alpha male (or two). She was only thirteen when she started writing since it gave her an escape from teenage angst! Her first paid published piece was an erotic story in Playgirl magazine. Her first erotic romance novel, Banged Up, was published in 2009. She is happily owned by farting French bulldogs. She writes M/F, M/M, and M/M/F mnages.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: MFM when it is best.\\n\\nReview: Hot MFM story. Flowing with hot scenes and chemistry. Very well written.\\nThe story takes the MFM topic and the problems that can be in such a relationship. Gryff is the Alpha male and has to get through a lot of issues to get to the point where he can be in the relationship. You really get mad at him at some point, but he quick get his things together.\\nTrey is the one who is attracted to both and who is opening up. Rayne is the lawyer who is attracted to both of them and she has to come clean with some issues.\\nI love the hot scenes and the plot. A book with romance, drama and hot scenes. Great chemistry.\\nWorth the read.\",\n \"Product: *** Want a free copy of Meg's hot dragon menage series, Caught Between Dragons? Sign up for her newsletter here to download your exclusive copy: https://goo.gl/NZAu7v You'll also get updates on her steamy new releases, giveaways, deals and more FREE books every week! Meg Ripley is an author of erotic science fiction and paranormal romance stories. As a child, she had recurring dreams about being abducted by aliens and has been obsessed with extraterrestrial life ever since. A Seattle native, Meg can often be found curled up in a local coffee house with her laptop.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Short but worth the read\\n\\nReview: Well written book with great storyline and plot.\\n\\nI love their journey towards their HEA. There is murder, drama, mystery, passion, emotions, hot scenes, twists and lots of chemistry in this amazing story. The twists makes this story different that expected. Instant attraction. It is written in dual POV which gives the reader much more of the thoughts and feelings of the main characters. Like that it has an epilogue. A short but worth the read story.\\n\\nI like the main characters and how they are described and how they develop through the story. The story flows nicely and it is very captivating from first to last chapter. The author has delivered a story that is worth the read!\\n\\nI received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.\",\n \"Product: USA Today Bestselling Author J. H. Croix lives in a small town in the historical farmlands of Maine with her husband and two spoiled dogs. Croix writes steamy contemporary romance with strong independent women and rugged alpha men who aren't afraid to show some emotion. Her love for quirky small-towns and the characters that inhabit them shines through in her writing. Take a walk on the wild side of romance with her bestselling novels! Sign up for information about my new releases: http://jhcroixauthor.com/subscribe/ You can find me online here: https://jhcroixauthor.com https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-h-croix https://www.facebook.com/jhcroix https://twitter.com/JHCroix\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Absolutely hot and worth the read\\n\\nReview: Very well written short story with great storyline and plot. Full of expanse and hotness. I like that the characters are relatable and likeable. I like the twists and the challenges the story has. I like the main characters and how they develop. The story flows nicely and it is very captivating from first to last chapter.\\nWould have liked the drama was a bit deeper. I like this series really much. Hot brit boys are always welcomed here. It is fast paced. I like that some of the characters from the previous books are mentioned.\\n\\nThe story is with a twist and a very enjoyable read. The epilogue is very welcomed and gives the story more to it and it finishes better of than without it. It is written in dual POV which gives the reader much more of the thoughts and feelings of the main characters.\\nThere are laughs, drama, passion, emotions, hot scenes, twists and lots of chemistry in this amazing story.\\n\\nI received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.\",\n \"Product: Hey! Im Gabi Moore, USA TODAY Bestselling Author. Im on a mission to love like Ive never been hurt, dance like nobodys watching and write sex scenes like my mother didnt raise me right. I've been told that you need a few things before picking up any of my books, including, but not limited to, clean panties, a hot man and/or vibrator, and blocks of uninterrupted time. I write about some of the naughty things Ive done, and some of the naughty things I still wish I could do. Some days, I forget which is which. I like coffee and men with accents. And lately, Ive been trying to give up dirty puns but its hard. So hard.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Absolutely worth the read\\n\\nReview: A slow start and sometimes a bit confusing. Well written book with great storyline and plot. A different sweet romance book. Amazing writing style.\\n\\nI love their journey towards their HEA. There is action, drama, family issues, passion, emotions, hot scenes, twists and lots of chemistry in this amazing story. The twists makes this story different that expected. Instant attraction. It is written in dual POV which gives the reader much more of the thoughts and feelings of the main characters. Like that it has an epilogue.\\n\\nLots of chemistry and hot scenes. I like the main characters and how they are described and how they develop through the story. The story flows nicely and it is very captivating from first to last chapter. The author has delivered a story that is worth the read!\\n\\nI received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":7,"string":"7"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":391,"string":"391"}}},{"rowIdx":392,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"AA1JJNJ5VYI97"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"Shaft Height: Approx. 4 1/2'' Tall. Heel Height: Approx. 1 1/4'' Tall. Exercise in comfort with the Propet Steady Walker, this lightweight, soft leather sneaker will hug your foot with perfection, while the padded collar and tongue will provide you with optimum ankle support. What's more, the multi directional tread will give you traction on varied surfaces, while the removable, shock absorbing insole will keep you comfortable from morning to night. The Pace Walker makes the road ahead virtually endless. The removable EVA insole lets you customize your fit, while the internal heel counter provides all-day support. The molded EVA midsole and rubber outsole of this Propet sneaker absorb shock and deliver durable grip and traction to keep your workout on track.\". The summary of the review text is \"Best shoes so far\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"These are no doubt the best shoes I have tried so far. I am on my feet all day walking & have lower back problems, can't have shoes without enough support or else my ankles start cramping. I'm also type 2 diabetic & try to take good care of my feet.\nI've worn nursing shoes before & they are great, except after a few months even though I tend to wear out. The support gives out on some shoes too fast & the pain sets in real quick afterwards.\nBack in the beginning of July I came across these shoes & decided to give them a try.\nSince the day they arrived I have been wearing nothing else but these shoes & it is already the middle of October! These wash well, I even ordered a pair of orthotic insoles to replace the ones inside these for extra support (big difference). My feet are no longer sore & the back pain is minimal.\nI can walk all day, sure my feet get tired of all the walking but I'm still able to keep going because the shoes offer so much comfort.\n\nIn the beginning I did get blisters on the backs of my heels from these shoes, but that usually happens to me with all shoes I start wearing. I ordered a medium width & my true to wear size & they are a great fit, lots of toe room without being too wide.\n\nBy now I would have replaced my pair of shoes, but that won't be happening for a few more months with these shoes.\nI also have an odd step, my foot leans out when I step, these shoes have corrected it & I step right now. Balance is also better with these shoes.\n\nFor the money you really do get a nice pair of shoes that are lightweight, comfortable, easy to wash & dry, don't lose their comfort or structure over time & won't fall apart if you walk alot like I do. So far I have also noticed that when it rains I do not slip with these soles. That is a big plus on slippery floors.\n\nGreat product, when these are no longer comfortable I will be ordering another pair from this company."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"These are no doubt the best shoes I have tried so far. I am on my feet all day walking & have lower back problems, can't have shoes without enough support or else my ankles start cramping. I'm also type 2 diabetic & try to take good care of my feet.\nI've worn nursing shoes before & they are great, except after a few months even though I tend to wear out. The support gives out on some shoes too fast & the pain sets in real quick afterwards.\nBack in the beginning of July I came across these shoes & decided to give them a try.\nSince the day they arrived I have been wearing nothing else but these shoes & it is already the middle of October! These wash well, I even ordered a pair of orthotic insoles to replace the ones inside these for extra support (big difference). My feet are no longer sore & the back pain is minimal.\nI can walk all day, sure my feet get tired of all the walking but I'm still able to keep going because the shoes offer so much comfort.\n\nIn the beginning I did get blisters on the backs of my heels from these shoes, but that usually happens to me with all shoes I start wearing. I ordered a medium width & my true to wear size & they are a great fit, lots of toe room without being too wide.\n\nBy now I would have replaced my pair of shoes, but that won't be happening for a few more months with these shoes.\nI also have an odd step, my foot leans out when I step, these shoes have corrected it & I step right now. Balance is also better with these shoes.\n\nFor the money you really do get a nice pair of shoes that are lightweight, comfortable, easy to wash & dry, don't lose their comfort or structure over time & won't fall apart if you walk alot like I do. So far I have also noticed that when it rains I do not slip with these soles. That is a big plus on slippery floors.\n\nGreat product, when these are no longer comfortable I will be ordering another pair from this company."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Brahmi Amla Hair Oil (8 oz) by Vadik Herbs | Ayurvedic herbal hair growth oil and hair conditioning oil | Great for hair loss, balding, thinning of hair, for beard growth, herbal scalp treatment\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Lots of body with this oil\n\nReview: I agree with another reviewer to use a cap or something to keep your pillowcase from being soiled. At night I sleep with this oil on & it turned my pillow case green until it was washed out. The oil did not stain.\nNow to my review, this oil is wonderful for making my hair silky smooth & full of body. I love the scent of this oil, also it is calming & helps me sleep.\nOn the top of my head I've lost hair due to stress & illness as well. In the past nothing has helped so i read up on oils such as this one & decided to give it a try. I really love the fact that this oil has only natural ingredients in it, without all the fillers, water & mineral oil. You really do get a great product with this bottle.\nThis is really a great product. I have recommended it to family & friends.","Product: .\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Don't know how but it works\n\nReview: I've been searching for a safe alternative to diet pills and came across Sensa. It's easy enough to use & won't cause the awful side effects diet pills have. Right away it was noticeable that this stuff does make me eat less & not crave more food. My eating plan is low carb, occasional indulgence of something sweet & mostly vegetarian. No matter how much I control my eating plan, there are still those cravings & wanting of high carb foods. Sensa has helped me stop craving & eat less of the foods that I enjoy so much, instead of over indulging.\nThe Quench drink in Orange is pretty good too, it fills me up between meals so that I am not hungry & has a little burst of energy that I really do need.\nMaybe its just me, but for some reason Sensa smells good when I shake it on my food. The scent is sweet, not too overwhelming & just the right amount of yum to it. Either way, it isn't hard to use & really does work without any side effects, plus it hasn't upset my stomach at all.\nWorth a try! I'm going to continue on with Sensa and try the chews next. Since I can't find Sensa in my local stores, I am happy Amazon has it available at such great prices, or else I wouldnt have tried it at all.","Product: Eco-Dent Daily Care Baking Powder Toothpowder, Original Mint, 2 oz (56 g)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Tastes awful but works good\n\nReview: Okay so this was new to me. I've always used regular toothpaste but when my teeth started getting painful and sensitive to the toothpaste I wanted to try something else to avoid the pain.\nAt first this was awful tasting. It foams up though which is nice. A little bit goes a long way and one bottle lasted my about 5 months brushing 2 times a day.\nIt's been a year since I started using this and I'm in my 3rd bottle (my 3 year old dumped my last bottle on the floor).\nThis powder doesn't irritate or burn, has no real strong odors and alone won't make my breath minty fresh, I need a rinse to do that. I use a soft brush with this and it works well.\nBy now I don't notice a bad taste and plain old baking soda is what I also use in between bottles while I wait for my order to come in.\nOverall this actually makes my teeth feel cleaner than the regular toothpaste I used before.","Product: Specifications: Product dimensions (L * W * H): 4.5x2x1 in Weight: 1.3 oz Detection range: 0.00% -0.19% BAC; 0.00-0.99 mg / l Alert Level: (Optional) 0.05% BAC; 0.50 BAC; 0.25 mg / l; 50mg / 101ml Accuracy: -0.01 - + 0.02% BAC Warm-up time: 10s Response time: less than 5s Powered by: 2 AAA batteries (not included) Working temperature: 5 - 40 Package Included: 1x POLIME Breath Alcohol Tester 5x mouthpieces 1x user manual Note: 1. Do not use the breath analyzer until 20 minutes after the last drink. Please wait at least 3 minutes to start the next test after the last test. 2. Do not use it near paints, pesticides, alcohol and other corrosive gases. 3. After switching on, the warmup takes 15 seconds. Afterwards, it beeps and informs you that it should blow into the device. Both are timed so that you know exactly when to do what. You have 10 seconds to blow into the device and then get the results. After-sales service: we supply unconditional 30 days refund or replacement.Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great starter kit or upgrade\n\nReview: I've been using One Touch meters for almost 10 years now and never have had any problems with the meters I've used in the past. So far the readings have always been accurate compared to the ones in the doctor office and my A1c.\nBut... there were times in the past when I could not afford the strips - at $50 to $100 a pack of strips it wasn't possible. I had to use a different meter with strips that either were affordable or prescribed and covered by my insurance.\nNow that there are generic test strips that work with the One Touch meter I am back and happily so.\nI was so excited to come back to using One Touch that I bought the whole kit just so I could have a new meter - even though my older one still works well - I have 2 (one to carry with me and one at home).\nThese strips are very easy to use, need a decent drop of blood and I've only come across an error twice in a month - I test every morning for fastings and again at least once during the day for randoms. I'm T2 and on insulin. Testing is very important to me, especially before injecting insulin.\n\nThis meter I'd recommend to others who are also looking for something affordable and a meter that is easy to read - large printout.\nThe set in this kit is very nice as well - the lancing device is not one of my favorites but it does the job well (I wouldn't recommend to someone who is recently diagnosed though because the lancing device makes such a noise that is intimidating or scary and you can see the lancet move forward to jab you in the finger). The trigger on this lancing device is a little rough and it hurts sometimes for me and I have it on setting #2.... and I inject insulin every day so I'm used to needles.\n\nOverall this is a great starter pack or even an upgrade.","Product: Creativity Street Glitter Pom Pons are perfect for any project. This bag contains 40 Pom Pons in assorted glittery colors. Each pom pom measures 1-inch wide. With this 40-pack of Creativity Street Glitter Pom Pons, youre ready to create. With Creativity Street products, you can let your imagination shine!\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Choking hazard for cats!\n\nReview: My cats love to play with these balls. Recently my 6 month old tabby swallowed one & it became stuck in his intestines. The entire situation is very heart breaking & my baby almost died in my arms after throwing up for 2 days, becoming dehydrated & needing to be hospitalized. $1000+ later I learned a very expensive lesson--- do not give cats anything small enough for them to swallow! I removed all the pom balls from the house & all other toys that he can chew to pieces & swallow. Other cat owners will say these are safe for their cats to play with, but I said the same until my cat accidentally got one stuck in his intestines. No more small toys for my cats. Now that I have a 4 month old son I don't want any toys around that he can grow up to either swallow by accident or get into either.","Product: Creativity Street Glitter Pom Pons are perfect for any project. This bag contains 40 Pom Pons in assorted glittery colors. Each pom pom measures 1-inch wide. With this 40-pack of Creativity Street Glitter Pom Pons, youre ready to create. With Creativity Street products, you can let your imagination shine!\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Choking hazard for cats!\n\nReview: My cats love to play with these balls. Recently my 6 month old tabby swallowed one & it became stuck in his intestines. The entire situation is very heart breaking & my baby almost died in my arms after throwing up for 2 days, becoming dehydrated & needing to be hospitalized. $1000+ later I learned a very expensive lesson--- do not give cats anything small enough for them to swallow! I removed all the pom balls from the house & all other toys that he can chew to pieces & swallow. Other cat owners will say these are safe for their cats to play with, but I said the same until my cat accidentally got one stuck in his intestines. No more small toys for my cats. Now that I have a 4 month old son I don't want any toys around that he can grow up to either swallow by accident or get into either.","Product: Bakers & chefs restaurant quality products are designed to meet the high demands of the commercial food service business. Every product is independently tested and selected to ensure the performance you expect for an everyday low price.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Good quality for the price\n\nReview: It seems like in our house tea spoons disappear without anyone knowing where they went, so when we needed spoons I decided that Amazon was the best place to start looking. I'm glad I did too. These spoons are perfect for what we need them for- eating (and an occasional one that slips by when my 18 mo old son thinks his spoon is a toy).\nI haven't put them in the dishwasher, because we hand wash dishes so I can't say they will hold up in a dishwasher (our dishwasher leaves soap scum no matter what detergent is used or how many rinses).\nOverall quality is good and I would recommend to others who have the same problem of spoons magically disappearing in their house too!","Product: Beautiful Small Mother Of Pearl Cross for Men and Women Crucifix Pendant Handmade Clear Coating Over The Whole Pendant . Fit on every Necklace Original Item From Jerusalem Holy Land Israel.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Absolutely gorgeous and such a precious gift to share with others\n\nReview: I had been searching for the perfect cross and upon seeing this one I knew it was very special.\nThe day of being baptized I ordered this cross knowing that it would make a very important and special decision of mine something I could display outwards; also being able to have a small reminder that I can carry is a comfort to me.\n\nThis cross is small, but not tiny. I'd say about the size of a quarter and very beautiful. The coloring is gorgeous and the white background of the shell is not a white color but more of a mother of pearl color that truly does bring out the beauty of the colors in this cross.\nIt is lightweight and comfortable to wear. Seems to be very well made and would last many years to come with regular wearing and washing (showering)\n\nI'm very happy with this cross and do believe it is absolutely gorgeous and would make a beautiful gift to anyone who is wanting to share such a precious gift (for child or adult ~ man or woman)","Product: Home Armor FG502 Instant Mold and Mildew Stain Remover, Trigger Spray 32-Ounce. Made in USA and Imported. Home Armor, 32 oz., instant mildew stain remover, twice as strong as the leading brand, bleach based formula, cleans mold & mildew stains. Adds extra shine to your product. Manufactured in United States. Removes mold and mildew stains and odors caused by mold. Cleans with no scrubbing\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Works with some scrubbing\n\nReview: Package came in on time, this was secured inside a plastic bag and thankfully did not leak.\nRead all the instructions before use & do plan on avoiding the bathroom for at least a couple hours after using this spray.\n\nOur bathroom shower has for the longest time (several years) had black mold growing in the tile grout and no matter how much we've cleaned, scrubbed, scraped at the grout the mold will not come off. It has been a losing battle to the point of giving up and letting the unsightly mold win.\nNo, our bathroom mold isn't terrible to the point that it's EVERYWHERE and you can't tell what color the tiles are anymore- it is bad enough that if you take a bath (have long enough to sit and do nothing more than stare at the walls) you can see it and become annoyed about it being there (baths can't be relaxing when you're annoyed about the mold growing around the faucet, along the tub and in the grout).\n\nI kept the bottle inside the plastic bag- cut a hole so the sprayer part is on the outside of the bag & won't leak into the bag itself. Wore gloves. Turned on the bathroom exhaust fan. Opened windows. Sprayed the tiles and tub. Waited 10 minutes before going back into the bathroom.\nThis stuff is super strong, so the bleach concentration of this spray must be a lot higher than the Clorox you buy at the store. It burned my eyes just standing outside the closed bathroom door and I cannot stand the smell of bleach (but I figure if it works, then why not try it).\n\nRinse. We have a handheld shower head connected to our shower and I used a cold water rinse- some of the mold washed off. Aggravated that only some of the mold washed off when the bottle specifically said \"No scrubbing required\", I figured that a little scrubbing was in order. An old toothbrush sure does come in handy for jobs like this one. I scrubbed with an old toothbrush, especially over the faucet, knobs and in the grout- more mold started to dissolve.\n\nAfter just one application & letting that sit 10 minutes, followed by a good rinsing and then scrubbing with a toothbrush I am happy to say that the mold is somewhat gone. I think after 2 more applications the mold will be completely gone and this is a problem we've been fighting for several years now, so of course just one application alone shouldn't do the job.\n\nI'm determined to take relaxing baths again without being annoyed by mold growing in the grout, so yes, I am going to keep applying and scrubbing until the mold is gone- to say the least this product will work if I have to use the entire bottle trying to get the shower mold gone.","Product: Straight Knockout! When you need it, the Terminator is ready to deliver a stunning blow to any attacker. A jolt from this stun gun will almost certainly bring your attacker down, as the high voltage shock causes the messages from the attacker's brain and voluntary muscles to be disrupted. Your attacker will lose balance, muscle control, and suffer confusion and disorientation that brings him down to his knees. You won't have to worry about any more aggressive activity from this one. Safe Shipping. Thoroughly crafted packaging ensures secure and safe delivery. The Terminator stun gun is backed by a Lifetime No-Hassle Free Replacement Warranty Click the Add to Cart button at the top of this page to Protect Yourself now! Due to restrictions in some state, county and city laws we do not ship to the following locations: Hawaii, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Illinois, New York, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, District of Columbia, Annapolis, MD, Baltimore, MD, Chicago, IL, Philadelphia, PA, Baltimore County, MD, Crawford County, IA, Virgin Islands. The purchaser of this product must be at least 18 years of age.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Not bad for the price\n\nReview: Recently I purchased a stun gun with the flashlight, alarm & flashing lights for 3 times what this one costs here, and it has a safety pin. Then I saw this one for a fraction of the price & thought maybe a different company would still be like the more expensive stun gun I bought locally.\n\nComparing the two, they are both about the same size, come with a carrying pouch (this one here comes with a cloth carrying pouch that's pretty tight on the stun gun, so getting it free is a slight hassle) and both have flashlights (this one has a brighter flashlight).\n\nDo both of them look and sound as intimidating? Yes. I haven't done the hot dog test yet to see if both are equally as strong, but was told by a security expert to try it & see for myself just what the locally purchased stun gun could do. I have no idea if the one I purchased here is strong as the one I bought locally.\n\nI will comment & say though that the spikes on this one are smaller & it has 2 little sharp prongs between them. The little prongs are sharp too, so I am being careful not to scratch myself.\n\nThere is an indicator light on the bottom of this to see when it is charging.\n\nI like the soft rubber feel to this stun gun & really am happy it comes with a safety pin. It's easy to use, fits alright in my hand & sounds really intimidating while testing it out. This also comes with a short instruction manual that helps out a lot, especially in giving examples of where to touch this to an attackers body.\n\nFor the price, overall I am happy with this purchase & think this would make a great gift for anyone who jogs, starting college, works late evenings, or even delivery people who come across stray dogs while they are out.\nOne note I will say this is a small size & goes nicely on a belt without being bulky.\n\nThis is a great stun gun & holds up well to the more expensive versions. I am very happy to have this and plan to order a couple more to give away as gifts.","Product: 100% Brand new and high quality The tactical self-defense pen is made of aviation aluminum through type III hard anodic oxidation, which can be your perfect self-defense tool for emergency. Provide nice writing tools with high performance and bodyguard for emergency Diamond thread design at the handle, excellent anti-skid ability Effect tactical action, improve safety coefficient Strong attack defense head, control criminals effectively Can be used as broken glass apparatus for quickly escaping when driving in an emergency Manganese steel pen holder: Accord with ergonomics design, easy to hook on your backpack, bags, notebook Aviation aluminum material made, durable and practical Smooth business pen, round pen tip, comfortable and stable Material: Aviation aluminum Size: Approx. 14.5*3cm (L*D) Color: Black\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: great for self defense\n\nReview: These are priced reasonably. Can be used as a concealed weapon if you are under the age to legally buy/carry a gun. Works well especially in states where mace/pepper spray or knives are not legal. This isn't actually considered a weapon so you can take it everywhere with you.\nIn a self defense situation you won't want this rolling around at the bottom of your purse or laptop bag. You want this clipped to either the inside of your shirt, or inside the pocket of your pants- where you can easily and quickly grab it. I do mean have it steadily and firmly in your hand ready to use- quickly.\nIn my state you can get in a lot of trouble for using excessive force and doing a lot of bodily damage- so I opted for something simple to carry on me that I can use in an emergency if someone were to grab me. I hate the idea of someone being close enough to grab me, but if you're caught off guard, at least something like this can help you escape.\nSome easy ways to use this pen- if you're in your car with the window down and someone reaches in to grab you, poke them in the hand HARD. someone grabs you from behind at the ATM, once again, jab them hard on the arm or hand. One of these points to the arm, top of the hand, kidney, groin area or throat will make an attacker stop long enough for you to run. I don't mean to use this in a way that will damage someone pretty badly, just use it with enough force to make sure you can escape.","Product: Small screen crack along left side. From bottom to mid screen on LH side. Does not affect touch performance or display integrity. Phone only. No charger or memory card. Standard internal simm for this model TracPhone.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Can't beat the savings. Great phone.\n\nReview: First of all I want to make it clear that I am not one of those people who got this phone in exchange for a 'honest' review.\nI bought this phone because I am a 'light' phone user & want to spend as little every month towards phone service that is possible. This brought me to Tracfone. $10 a month cards with triple minutes, plus carry over that stays active for 6 months at a time if you use the phone at least once in that time period. But then Tracfone got even better with android phones that are wifi capable (install text/calling apps to use on wifi without using up your phones minutes). See where I'm going with this?\nMy requirements for an android phone are to at least have a 4.5 inch gorilla glass screen, decent camera that is front/back facing with a flash, run nothing less than android 4.4, be on the Verizon network (a deal breaker. I refuse to use a phone on Sprint towers due to terrible signal & blackout days), no SIM card at all (too much hassle to activate).\nThis phone might not be running android 6.0, nor be an iPhone, doesn't have the latest technology but it works for what I want it to do & is what I was looking for in an android phone.\nActivation is easy as well. Go online to Tracfone's website, click on activation & enter in the required information, on the phone itself click on what ever window pops up to complete activation, make that one last phone call & hear the recorded message that your phone has been successfully activated. Simple.\nNow it might be a hassle to some people to use 2 separate phone numbers (a text/calling app phone number-plus your given Tracfone number) on one phone but if you really think about how much money you are saving each month/year by switching to Tracfone & using wifi for the heavier calling/texting/data (for free) it really isn't a hassle anymore. It just makes sense. Why pay more when you don't have to?","Product: Stay connected with the Tracfone Motorola E MTX830CP 3G Android. It provides you with all the features you want in an elegant and compact size. The 4.3\" touchscreen gives you a large display to view videos and pictures clearly and sharply. An Android 4.4 (KitKat) operating system ensures this Android smartphone has better processing speeds. It also comes with a powerful battery able to last many hours for your convenience. With 3G capabilities, this smartphone ensures you better internet connection and stronger service provider signals. In addition to its large internal storage space, this phone also supports external SD cards. Talking, texting and surfing the Web are super-simple on this stylish, compact prepaid smartphone. Stay entertained with access to over 1,000,000 apps and more on Google Play.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Made such a great gift I bought one for myself too!\n\nReview: At first this was a gift for my husband because the phone he had the screen broke. I wanted to get him something he could also listen to music on & of course thought of Tracfone because of the low monthly plans available. When I saw this phone I took note of the many good reviews saying the camera took great pics (in bright lighting), also video (also in good lighting), has a glass screen, water repellent back, also is by Motorola (a solid company).\nThis phone has wifi capabilities, hooks up to blutooth devices, including wireless headphones, the camera takes wonderful pics given there is enough light or else there's a little feature on it that you can lighten up a 'dark' picture before taking the pic, the video is nice with good lighting & the sound quality during calls or playing music is excellent. 4g of internal memory after all the factory apps doesn't make the phone slow & it can hold a 32g micro sd card for those apps that can be put on a sd, or music and videos. I am able to run the \"This Life\" app by Shutterfly to upload all my pics & videos onto, or just view them on the phone. There is an internal music player, GPS (that works, thankfully), google search by voice. I like that service is only $10 a month on the pay as you plan with Tracfone, which is broken down to 90 min of calls ($1 a min), 90 texts & 90 mb (how ever you say that one) of data. I use a text app so while i'm connected to wifi I am able to text for free on the app without using any of my 90 texts from the Tracfone plan. Calls, I still do make on the Tracfone plan, because there just isn't a free wifi app to make those. Bummer.\nAll around this phone is great. I bought it initially for my husband & really like it so I bought one for myself too! We haven't had any problems at all with these phones. I have taken so many pics and videos already & have a ton of songs saved on my sd card. the phone works wonderful & loads apps fast.\nI have read reviews saying this phone is on Verizon but in my case, I'm not sure if the phone is or not, because sometimes I have a poor signal & other times there's a strong signal-either way, I haven't lost a call yet due to bad signal!","Product: High Quality Outdoor Vinyl\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Large enough to be seen\n\nReview: This is actually a nice sized (sorry I don't know the exact size) white back with black print decal.\nI have it on the trunk part of my car, not the bumper (and no worries, it has not peeled the paint off my car, thankfully).\nIt is a good size so you can clearly see the lettering from a few feet away and being white back with black print it wouldn't matter what color of vehicle you place this on as it will show up clearly.\nMy town is small and there are several homes displaying ProLIfe signs on their yards so I wanted something that could be seen more than just in front of my house and this decal works perfectly.","Product: If you're looking for a basic, reliable phone, look no further than the CEZ260 desktop corded phone by Uniden. The simple design features a large base with big buttons so you can easily see individual keys and dial outgoing numbers. The large LCD screen displays all the information you need to take accurate messages including the name and number of incoming callers, the date and the time. Both the ringer and handset volumes can be adjusted so you can set it to your personal preferences. Use the 60-caller ID memory to review the history of previous calls, the 10-phonebook memory for storing your most popular numbers, and the three one-touch memory keys to quickly dial the numbers you use the most with a touch of a button. The CEZ260 is an affordable solution for those who want a quality phone without the hassle of multiple features.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: more bad than good\n\nReview: This phone has large buttons that are easy to see so I wanted it for my grandmother.\nWhen I put the phone on the table it kept sliding around every time she was using it. Then the phone itself is so large it really was awkward keeping it on our table, so I thought about wall mounting it. That didn't work out really well either.\nMy biggest complaint about this phone is when ever we called out it echoed while speaking and listening to the other caller as if we had it on speaker phone. I turned down the listening volume & that didn't seem to do any good. This phone is absolutely horrible to listen to your callers on.\nThe size is bulky & hard to keep in one place because it is so light. The sound is horrible.\nIf I had known this phone would be so bad i wouldn't have wasted the money on it.","Product: May not be shipped to NY. or CT.\nDemon WP is a wettable powder,low odor,long lasting residual insecticide Active ingredient: Cypermethrin 40.0% Four water-soluble packets per envelope \nEach Demon WP envelope yields 2-4 gallons \n\nWorks on :ants, carpenter ants, crickets, cockroaches, (Not so well on German roaches), Use Invict bait instead, works great on the larger cockroaches(The larger ones from the outside), spiders, scorpions, carpenter bees, box elder bugs, firebrats, silverfish, cockroaches, sow bugs, and other insects.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Nothing works better than Demon WP\n\nReview: I've been using Demon WP since 2012. At first I bought it because we had roaches, the small fast ones that you can never move quick enough to squish & the big ugly ones that make your skin crawl just looking at them. This worked so well in killing roaches that every year I'd buy another pack to use. by 2014 the house was pretty much roach free & has stayed that way ever since.\nNow that there are no roaches to be seen, I assume they are either all dead of hiding from me, there have been spiders, a 'child of the earth' (if you don't know what it is, google it... i thought roaches made my skin crawl till one of these crawled on me.... ), scorpions & an occasional army of ants. We don't live in AZ & the scorpions here aren't aggressive or poisonous, so those tenants I try not to evict. Some spiders I don't have issues with either, except for the poisonous kinds like widows. In such cases I will double up the strength of Demon for a special once over the house in all hopes of either scaring every living arachnid out of this house, or killing what fearless ones that stay behind.\nSo far I've found a dead 'child of the earth' (which means there must be more, thankfully I haven't seen them), scorpions & yes, spiders. Mostly all these bugs hide out in the garage where it is mainly dark, quiet & lots of hiding places. I pay extra attention to the dark crevices when I spray.\nEarlier this morning my 2 cats were playing with a widow. Yes, my heart stopped for a minute there when I realized my cat was 'mouthing' a live widow! Poor spider probably didn't sign up for a cat spit bath this morning, but I am thankful that my cats caught it before my one year old son was able to pick it up thinking it was something to play with. From the research I've done, widow bites can be quite dangerous to pets, young children & older adults causing trouble breathing, high blood pressure, vomiting, diarrhea & severe pain, etc.\nI'm guessing that since I went around the house putting drops of peppermint (said to ward off spiders) oil it must have drawn the spider out of its hiding place. No telling if the spider was offended by the smell or was attracted to the possibility of a candy cane free for all buffet. Either way, once again I pulled out the Demon WP to give the house a good once over so I can rest easy tonight knowing that no more spiders will face impending doom via a cat spit bath, then probably inevitably being eaten.\nNow, from what I have read about Demon WP it is considered safe once dry, although it does leave a white residue behind. Its good to open up windows while you spray because it stinks (not the 'if i spray some room spray it will go away smell\", its more the 'oh what is that awful smell\" stink). Like I mentioned above, I buy a pack of this once a year to spray in Spring when the bugs start coming out & always have a little left over to retouch up in Fall when the cooler weather seems to bring out the scorpions & spiders. I do keep the cats/baby out of the rooms I spray until it is completely dry. I'm not certain this is water proof, but after mopping it seems to keep working.\nI have used this outside too to spray inside the water meter (more for me than the water man, for those occasions i have to clean the dial), around the yard for fleas, flies and ants. Immediately after spraying the bugs start to die off with contact, especially an entire ant colony within 20 minutes after spraying directly into the hole & around.\nIn all the years that i have been spraying bugs around the house (I have arachnophobia) Demon WP is the strongest I've found to kill even scorpions. So far it isn't one of those poisons you spray & 3 months later it stops working. In my house this has worked on it's own for a whole year.\nI've attached a picture of what the envelope looks like, there are 3 small packs of powder inside each one. I also attached a picture of the poor chewed up widow (the details in the pic are terrible. this widow had 2 white circles on the top & 3 red dots on the belly)\nOn a side note I want to mention that I don't have an overly large house yet 3 packs of powder will last me a year considering I double the packs to spray one time, then go back again in Fall with a single pack to spray again.","Product: Weasel nut gatherer #95306 easy to roll - weasel nut gatherer is an easy to use rolling pick up tool for garden and home. Picks up pecans, Acorns, walnuts, butternut, hickory nuts, chestnuts, filbert, gum balls, seeds, Nerf darts, rival Nerf balls & more. Easy to roll. No bending over. Saves time. Also picks up fruit & small balls. Some users report using the weasel nut gatherer to pick up: small pine cones, seed heads, shotgun shells& a variety of other debris. Using the Garden Weasel large nut gatherer: simply apply the nut gatherer to the area to Pick-up with a back &-forth motion. Repeat the process until the gathering basket is at full capacity. When finished - spread the tines apart over a bucket to empty.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Built sturdy and worth it\n\nReview: We have 2 pecan trees in our back yard and every year picking pecans is such a back breaking job. I have the older version of this that does not roll but you push it onto the pecan and it picks it up. When I saw this rolling kind I knew it is a must have.\nEveryone who has picked pecans knows the hassle of finding them buried in leaves and how back breaking it can be bending over and over again.\nThe metal roller part of this is quite large compared to the older fashioned metal pecan picker upper that I have (does not roll) so I am confident that many more pecans will be picked up with this gatherer.\nI did notice that the metal wires are not flimsy at all and feel strong enough to last several years. This is very easy to roll and I look forward to using it this Fall and Winter to gather all the pecans that fall (probably will be quicker and more efficient, less painful than last year).\nFor the price and knowing how painful my back gets during pecan season this is worth a try.","Product: Demon WP (Water-soluble Packets) Insecticide is for crack and crevice and/or spot applications for residual and contact control of Ants, Carpenter Ants, Cockroaches, Crickets, Spiders and certain other insect pests. The Demon WP water soluble packets make mixing and use very easy when used with a 1 gallon compressed air sprayer. (See our selection of sprayers in our Tools and Sprayers section). Demon WP is for crack and crevice or spot treatment for residual and contact pest control in, on and around buildings and structures and their immediate surroundings and on modes of transport. Permitted areas of use include, but are not limited to, industrial buildings, houses, apartment buildings, laboratories, buses, greenhouses and the nonfood/feed areas of stores, warehouses, vessels, railcars, trucks, trailers, aircraft (cargo and noncabin areas only), schools, nursing homes, hospitals (non-patient areas), restaurants, hotels and food manufacturing, processing and servicing establishments.\n\nDemon WP Authorized by the USDA for use in inedible product areas in Federally inspected meat, poultry and egg processing plants.\n\nEach foil envelope of Demon WP Insecticide in Water-Soluble Packets contains four water-soluble packets of Demon wettable powder (WP). The foil envelope must be opened for use. Because water-soluble packets readily dissolve in the presence of moisture, do not allow them to get wet before adding to the applicator tank.\nWear dry gloves when handling the water-soluble packets. Handle with care because excessive handling may cause rupture of the water-soluble packet. Unused water-soluble packets should be stored in the original foil envelope, folded over to minimize exposure to moisture.\nDemon WP Insecticide in Water-Soluble Packets are intended for dilution with water for applications. Always read the label before use. Must be used according to the label!!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Works every time I spray it\n\nReview: Works every time I use it. Within days our bug problem is always gone. I use this in the Spring and again in Fall to keep the bugs at bay. We get terrible roaches here that seem to multiply quickly and when a neighbor has bugs, you end up having bugs too- especially after they call the exterminator. Well, I don't have money for an exterminator so I stock up on Demon WP and it works every single time I spray.\nWe haven't had a problem with bugs in over 6 years now that I have been spraying Demon WP around the perimeter outside and then inside the house. It also helps to cover up cracks in the walls, floors, windows and doors to keep bugs out too. Most recently we had a spider problem out on the front porch that moved to the carport and I do mean tons of spiders of all different shapes and colors, even some widows were hanging around. It was so bad that I was afraid to step out on the porch for the mail because the spider webs were getting so thick around the mailbox. I sprayed Demon WP and within hours every single spider was dead on the ground, even some I didn't know were hiding behind the mailbox.\n\nI've used this on ants, spiders, scorpions and roaches to name a few and even some crawlies that I can't recall the names of. It works well. Once the spray has dried it leaves a white film though that the package says is harmless to pets and children, which I cannot say for sure is but we have 3 cats and a 2 year old and have no problems spraying this indoors. I do stay away from the kitchen counters though and where food is stored just in case but everywhere else I spray, especially under cabinets and sinks, around the washer and dryer.","Product: The power is in your hands to keep your landscape in line unleash it with Spectracide lawn and garden products. Our easy-to-use, fast-acting insect, lawn disease and weed control solutions help you tame lawn and landscape invaders with incredible pest-punishing power. Take command with Spectracide brand. You hold the power. Spectracide Weed & Grass Killer2 is pre-mixed and ready to use for spot treatment of weeds and grasses. Use it on and around patios, walkways and flower beds. This formula is rainproof in 15 minutesrainfall or watering after 15 minutes wont wash away effectiveness. Spectracide Weed & Grass Killer2 kills down to the root and delivers visible results in as fast as 3 hours. Plant new flowers, trees and shrubs in the treated area after just 1 day. When used as directed, Spectracide Weed & Grass Killer2 works the first time, every time! For best results, apply during warm, sunny weather when the temperature is over 60 degrees. Completely cover the leaves of the target vegetation. Protect desirable plants with a piece of plastic or cardboard if desirable plants are accidentally sprayed, wash with water immediately. Do not mow, cut or otherwise disturb treated vegetation for at least seven days following application. Do not use on or around edible feed or food crops. Guaranteed results or your money back see product label for details.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Didn't exactly work for me\n\nReview: I have high hopes for this spray because there are several patches of grass that have taken over my yard, especially in the sidewalk cracks where grass has grown so thickly that it is hard shoveling it out of there. I wanted something to kill the root and make removing the grass easier, but so far it hasn't done much good in killing the grass between the sidewalk cracks - which is probably because the grass is so thick - I would need a couple bottles and extra shoveling to remove that grass.\nI am going to use this in the summer again for when the grass starts creeping up around the perimeter of the garden to keep it from actually going into the garden bed. This should do the job nicely and it is easy enough to spray without having to hook it up onto the garden hose.","Product: Sun Joe MJ408E Mow Joe 20-Inch 12-Amp 3-in-1 Bag/Mulch/Side Discharge Corded Electric Lawn Mower\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: All metal, quite to run and start up is easy as pressing a button\n\nReview: *UPDATE 2/20/17*\n\nJust a little update. I mowed the yard today and am impressed. This mower is lightweight, doesn't sound like a tractor and is easy to maneuver especially on a little incline that we have on the side of the house and in the alley. The yard looks very nice and this mower was able to mulch all the dried leaves that didn't get picked up without an issue.\nIt did take a little bit of getting used to the cord but once I had the hang of it, it was smooth mowing after that.\nOnce again I'd recommend this mower.\n\n**************************************************************************************************************************************************************\n\nFirst impression - very heavy, at least for me anyways. Set up was quick and painless - took about 20 minutes to figure out how to get the handle on the right way, but that's just me...\nThis is an impressive mower and I am normally one for gas mowers but have used electric in the past - I do love this mower because once it is out of the box and I don't have to lift it anymore it isn't so heavy that it can't be pushed with ease. The entire bottom part is metal, the only plastic on here that I have found is the motor cover and that seems to be sealed on there tightly so there's no need to remove and clean the motor.\nBasically everything you need except the cord is included in the box. I have a medium size yard in a very dry climate so bagging the grass clippings is not an option for me with all the dirt and emptying the bag just slows me down. I'd rather mulch the clippings and be done with it.\nI don't mind the cord either, because it sure beats having to mess with tune-ups for a gas mower and pulling the cord to make a gas mower start. All I have to do here is push a button and this mower starts up. Easy. And it is less noise than the monster gas mower I had before that literally could be heard 2 blocks from my house, it sounded like a tractor every time I mowed the yard - couldn't mow first thing in the morning without waking my neighbors. Well, now I can mow anytime without waking anyone up.\nSomething tells me that this year I will have one of the best cut yards on the block.","Product: No matter what size your aquarium, Instant Ocean sea salts and water care products offer the smartest, easiest way to bring to ocean home. Our scientifically formulated sea salts are used exclusively by many of leading large-scale aquariums and research facilities across the country. Instant Ocean Sea Salt is the most carefully formulated and universally preferred sea salt in the world. The #1 choice of hobbyists, public aquariums, and scientific research facilities, Instant Ocean Sea Salt has set the industry standard for quality, consistency, and value for more than 50 years. Mix Instant Ocean with ordinary dechlorinated tap or purified water. NOTE: To prepare small quantities, use 1/2 cup of Instant Ocean per each U.S. gallon of water. Mix as directed. Stir vigorously to ensure a good mix. Although the Instant Ocean solution may be used immediately, we suggest aerating the water until it achieves oxygen/carbon dioxide equilibrium. Measure specific gravity with an Instant Ocean Hydrometer. Adjust salt level accordingly. If specific gravity is too low, add more Instant Ocean. lf too high, add more dechlorinated water. Change 20% of aquarium water every two weeks to maintain optimum water quality. NEVER mix salt in an aquarium containing animals.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: No problems at all\n\nReview: I've been a saltwater hobbyist (45 gallon) for almost 10 years now and since the very beginning have been using this brand of salt with no problems at all. The pricing is always competitive compared to other name brands but the salt to me is always the same no matter which brand you go with.\nTo mix this salt I use R/O water in a glass jar, pour in the salt and then fill with water. I shake it for a few seconds and let it sit till the salt dissolves. When the salt dissolves I start pouring slowly into the tank and measuring the salt amount with my meter.\nOther brand name salts that compare to this one are smaller grained and dissolve faster but for me, I have no issue waiting and I've noticed that on occasion over the years passed that if I do get impatient and pour some undissolved salt into the tank it doesn't seem to harm the fish or coral- some salts are not recommended to pour directly into the tank without dissolving first like I mention above in a glass jar with R/O water.\nOverall I favor this brand and have used it for so many years that switching now seems pointless. I'd recommend to others as I've had no problems with this product over the years.","Product: Canine Health is a pre-mix that is used as a base to make balanced homemade meals. Canine Health makes homemade dog food easy and is ideal for all dogs' nutritional needs. Made from organic grains and vegetables, simply use it as a nutritional base and add fresh protein (raw or cooked) water and oil to make a complete meal. Take the quality of your dog's diet into your own hands by feeding fresh with Canine Health.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: My dog loves it!\n\nReview: I bought this for my 8 year old German Shepherd/Aussie mix and she loves it! With all the chemicals in dog foods and recalls I didn't want to worry about what my dog was eating, so I tried this food out and it feels good knowing she's enjoying something good. My dog's health has improved, she has even more energy than before & is showing very little discomfort of a leg injury. What I noticed immediately is that her coat became shinier and softer. Then the energy levels went up even higher & this did not upset her sensitive stomach. The food is easy to make, takes just a few minutes & before you know it your dog will be waiting patiently for dinner every day. Mine tries to push me out of the way so she can eat it all before it's even ready.","Product: The \"all inclusive\" Double Door Life Stages folding metal dog crate by MidWest Homes for Pets includes all of the features you will need to provide a convenient, safe & secure pet home for your best friend. This metal dog crate includes a free divider panel allowing you to adjust the size of the dog crate while your dog is still growing, a plastic leak-proof pan for easy clean-up in the event of an accident, a strong plastic carrying handle for easy portability & rubber \"roller\" feet on the bottom of the crate to protect your floors inside the home. MidWest Life Stages also feature our patented side clips which reinforce the dog crate & reduce possible sharp points ensuring a safe experience for you and your pet. The Life Stages Double Door metal dog crate configuration (with front & side door access) allows you to situate the dog crate to best fit your floor plan & folds down for convenient storage. The 48\" Life Stages (model 1648DDU) measures 48L x 30W x 33H inches & is suitable for \"extra-large\" dog breeds. **Please note the term extra-large dog is subjective. For the best fit, we advise that you check the measurements of the actual dog crate against your dogs adult weight & measurements. Your dog should be able to comfortably sit upright, lay down & easily turn-around inside the dog crate. When in doubt we suggest you purchase the larger crate option. We at MidWest Homes for Pets understand that your dog is a part of your family & that's why we ensure our dog crates are manufactured with the highest quality control standards creating a safe home for your pet that you can feel confident with. MidWest Homes for Pets stands behind the quality of our products with our MidWest Quality Guarantee 1-Year Manufacturer's Warranty. If you have any questions about our dog crates our customer service department would be glad to help you. MidWest customer service can be contacted at: 1-800-428-8560, available 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Monday - Friday.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Perfect for litter box training\n\nReview: Reviews help me when I am trying to choose a product to buy, so I want to in turn leave a review for others who are in the market for a crate.\n\nThis is my first crate experience. A few weeks ago I came across a 4 week old kitten that was abandoned in the middle of a busy road. Without any time to prepare I took the kitten in and soon found out that kittens aren't born knowing what a litter box is. Duh moment here, yeah I know. The kitten started doing her bathroom business all over the house, so I confined her to one room until I could ask rescues and vet techs what to do.\nEvery answer given to me was to crate the kitten with a litter box so she will have no other place to go than in the box.\n\nThat is where my search for a crate started. A crate needed to be large enough for a litter box, food/water bowls and a bed, plus room to move around- and I also consider future use as well once the kitten is an adult cat.\n\nI wanted a crate large enough to hold not only a tiny kitten but also a full grown adult cat, comfortably. The Medium size is what I ordered. What I should have ordered is a large though, because I've recently learned of people crating cats to transport them on long distance road trips- I have 3 adult cats, you never know when a crate will come in handy for them. But this is my first crate experience and for the purpose I needed it for a medium works well.\n\nThe bars are not spaced so far apart that a kitten would get her head stuck trying to get out. An added bonus is the front and side doors that both open with a large enough space to move around a litter box or clean inside the crate very easily.\nSet up was very easy, no tools required and it feels sturdy enough that it would hold against a medium size dog, but since I have cats I can't say how strong the crate would be against a dog- I can say that my kitten hasn't managed to jail break though.\n\nThere is a heft to the crate, it is not light weight and does move easy with 2 handles that are included.\n\nI've attached a picture so others can see how much space is inside this crate with a small litter box, a food/water container snapped onto the bars and a medium size dog bed on top. I used the divider to create a 2nd floor to the crate so my kitten won't be sleeping right next to her litter box. So far my kitten is very comfortable spending nights in her crate.\n\nI'd recommend this crate to others who have either a small breed or medium size dog and of course those who are litter box training or need to crate a cat/kitten for any reason. Quality is great here and I am very happy with my purchase. In the future I want to get the large crate just in case there's ever a reason to crate my adult cats for either a move or medical. This crate also folds down easy, slips back into the box without hassle and stores away for when not in use.","Product: A clay litter uniquely formulated combining heavy non tracking granules with medium grain. The result is an excellent clumping litter that prevents moisture from reaching the bottom of the litter box, while providing a clump that will not break apart. Ultra is perfect for multi-cat families and cat owners with sifting or mechanical litter boxes and it controls odor naturally without perfume, deodorants or chemicals.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Heavy bags but well worth it- no dust, virtually no tracking and minimal smell\n\nReview: All cat litter is created equal- right? Not quite.\nI've tried several different brands of cat litter from store brand to name brands and one thing I've found is that those with heavy scents mask the smells but also have too much dust.\nRegular non scented cat litters have quite a bit of dust too and the lighter ones that have no weight, those track too easy and end up everywhere. We have central heating and air conditioning, so the fine grains get tracked and then the dust goes air born- aggravating our allergies and my sons asthma.\nNow I look for cat litter that is heavier, so it won't track as easy and virtually dust free with no scent because who wants to use the bathroom with such heavy scents that you can barely breathe?\nI've bought a couple bags of this stuff already and compared it to a store brand that I'd been using for about 3 years now and this one hands down is heavier, does not track as much, virtually no dust and lasts just as long as the store brand- without all the dust.\nMy cats don't seem to mind it at all, so that's a plus.\nI change out the entire litter box and clean it once a month and fill with fresh litter- that is sent directly to my door (I'm sure the UPS man is happy with me ordering these heavy bags).\nThere is almost no smell in the boxes compared to some of the other litters I've tried and I have tried both clumping and non clumping- I will not go back to non clumping!\nThis is perfect. Clumps tight without breaking apart when I scoop too.\nThe bags are heavy though, but well worth it.","Product: Eliminates barking and annoying behavior by emitting a piercing ultrasonic tone that pets hate, but humans can barely hear. Stop dogs from jumping, barking and biting.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Keeping my fingers crossed on this one\n\nReview: I'm not going to give this a good or bad review. All I want to do is share my story & hope others will find this useful.\n\nRecently I added a 2 month old Red Heeler/Border Collie mix to our home (I already have a 9 yr old GSD/mix & a 2 year old Min Pin/Chihuahua)\nUnfortunately my Heeler puppy is in full herding mode & literally bites the legs of both dogs & my 9 yr old GSD has severe arthritis in her back knee making it hard for her to walk sometimes.\nI've tried everything from treats, obedience training, exercise, chew toys, verbal commands & nothing works to get my puppies attention when she is in herding mode. We're afraid she will bite someone one day or seriously injure one of my other 2 dogs. In all last hope of finding at least SOMETHING to grab her attention long enough to say NO I ordered this device. I'm hoping that with some time & training using both this and a clicker I will be able to get her under control. Otherwise she is a highly intelligent dog that learns quickly & aside from her aggression (yes, I do mean aggression, because she plays rough, growls & wants to maim anything in her way once she's riled up) she's a good puppy.\n\nI read the reviews about this stopping barking, so if it is enough to get a dogs attention & heed that behavior, then I am going to keep my fingers crossed that it will help train against biting.","Product: Make snack time a feast for your dog's senses with Zuke's Z-Filets Savory Beef Recipe dog treats. Real beef is the #1 ingredient in this recipe, and every mouthwatering filet is seasoned with a combination of savory herbs for added flavor to delight your canine companion's taste buds. These meaty, grain-free dog treats are perfect for sensitive dogs, and they are made with the highest quality, whole food ingredients. Let your pup tear into a whole filet for a tasty reward, or tear each treat into pieces to provide motivation during training or out on your daily walk. With big flavor and a tempting texture, these healthy dog treats are sure to capture his undivided attention and help you feel good about offering a nutritious supplement to his daily meals. Live life off leash, and make these delicious dog snacks part of your canine companion's routine each day.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: a real hit at my house\n\nReview: I'm obedience training a 2 month old red heeler (anyone who has a cattle herding dog, you know how smart they are & how much they need training)\nWell it's awful easy getting her attention with many other treats, but they were upsetting her stomach. I started trying these out because of the reviews & she absolutely loves them (without the upset stomach). Obedience training is back on track & these are a real hit in my house. The moment I walk out the door she is ready for a treat.\nThese smell really good, like fresh jerky. They are soft enough to break into smaller pieces or just give a full piece.\n\nI'd recommend to anyone who is looking for an irresistible treat, because these ones even my other 2 dogs can't resist.","Product: The Secret is in the fluff. Works like a magnet - cats love it! This Cat Bed is Electrostatically charged to capture dander, flea dirt, hair and dust. The ultra-soft polyester fibers act as an insulator, to absorb and hold the heat, keeping your kitty warm and cuddly year-round. Handcrafted in the USA. 100% Recyclable Materials. 100% Non-Allergenic. 100% Non-Toxic.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Looks like a cat sized cup\n\nReview: I bought this bed for my 2 lb kitten that is always looking for somewhere warm to cuddle up & sleep. It arrived quickly & looks just like in the picture. I'm not so sure about how well a cat would like the rough material on this bed, but it sure is shaped like a cup (my kitten will love burrowing in to sleep). After reading the reviews of other people's cats eating the bed I decided to put a pillow case on it just to be on the safe side. I'm pretty sure this is going to be a big hit in my house once the kitten starts figuring out there's a warm bed to sleep in (the other cats will want to try it out too).\nFor the price it is a great buy. If this is a big hit in my house I'm going to buy another for the other cats who also want to burrow into this cat sized cup. :)","Product: Adult Guinea Pig Food is made from timothy grass meal, which includes the high fiber adult guinea pigs need. However, it contains a lower level of protein, calories and calcium than alfalfa-based pellets. Adult animals' digestive systems do not require the same level as that of younger animals. Young Guinea Pig Food is alfalfa based and specially designed to provide high fiber, protein, calcium and energy required for young guinea pigs to thrive. The optimized, balanced protein and stabilized vitamins also help nurture pregnant and lactating animals.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: nothing better than this\n\nReview: My original review was about how healthy this food is for guinea pigs. Now a year later with my piggie I am still having trouble getting her to eat the basic pellets, but she does like Oxbow. She is healthy & that's what makes me happy, this has been a great food for her & the price here at Amazon is great compared to other brands the local pet stores carry (they don't offer Oxbow)\n\nI'd recommend this food to anyone who is feeding their pig basic pellets, because it is of excellent ingredients. If you are feeding the other types of food that have little color pieces of nuggets and seeds (which my pig absolutely loves, even though I don't want her eating those foods) this would be a good one to try and supplement in or trade your regular food for. Try it before you commit to this food, in case your pig is like mine and refusing to eat basic pellets.","Product: The Secret is in the fluff. Works like a magnet - cats love it! This Cat Bed is Electrostatically charged to capture dander, flea dirt, hair and dust. The ultra-soft polyester fibers act as an insulator, to absorb and hold the heat, keeping your kitty warm and cuddly year-round. Handcrafted in the USA. 100% Recyclable Materials. 100% Non-Allergenic. 100% Non-Toxic.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Looks like a cat sized cup\n\nReview: I bought this bed for my 2 lb kitten that is always looking for somewhere warm to cuddle up & sleep. It arrived quickly & looks just like in the picture. I'm not so sure about how well a cat would like the rough material on this bed, but it sure is shaped like a cup (my kitten will love burrowing in to sleep). After reading the reviews of other people's cats eating the bed I decided to put a pillow case on it just to be on the safe side. I'm pretty sure this is going to be a big hit in my house once the kitten starts figuring out there's a warm bed to sleep in (the other cats will want to try it out too).\nFor the price it is a great buy. If this is a big hit in my house I'm going to buy another for the other cats who also want to burrow into this cat sized cup. :)","Product: Adult Guinea Pig Food is made from timothy grass meal, which includes the high fiber adult guinea pigs need. However, it contains a lower level of protein, calories and calcium than alfalfa-based pellets. Adult animals' digestive systems do not require the same level as that of younger animals. Young Guinea Pig Food is alfalfa based and specially designed to provide high fiber, protein, calcium and energy required for young guinea pigs to thrive. The optimized, balanced protein and stabilized vitamins also help nurture pregnant and lactating animals.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: nothing better than this\n\nReview: My original review was about how healthy this food is for guinea pigs. Now a year later with my piggie I am still having trouble getting her to eat the basic pellets, but she does like Oxbow. She is healthy & that's what makes me happy, this has been a great food for her & the price here at Amazon is great compared to other brands the local pet stores carry (they don't offer Oxbow)\n\nI'd recommend this food to anyone who is feeding their pig basic pellets, because it is of excellent ingredients. If you are feeding the other types of food that have little color pieces of nuggets and seeds (which my pig absolutely loves, even though I don't want her eating those foods) this would be a good one to try and supplement in or trade your regular food for. Try it before you commit to this food, in case your pig is like mine and refusing to eat basic pellets.","Product: UroMAXX has established itself as a reliable Animal Nutrition Product company for 15 years and we are literally the only company providing a Liquid Supplement for both Cats and Dogs who suffer from Urinary Tract Infections, or Kidney and Bladder infections. Numerous Veterinarians are calling UroMAXX the breakthrough product for treating acute and chronic cystitis, hematuria (blood in the urine), and a host of other problems that are associated with UTD conditions. If you love your pets as much as we love ours, youll be pleased to hear that UroMAXX may also help to discourage struvite/ oxalate crystal formation, providing additional relief for your furry friends. Many other supplements use cranberry juice in their formulas, but UroMAXX takes it a step further and uses Pure Cranberry Extract and Glucosamine HCL to help nourish and strengthen the Urinary Tract Layer Lining. Our Proprietary Blend of herbal extracts is unlike any other on the market, which is why it provides the best results! Designed to be administered daily, our formula can actually prevent UTI problems from reoccurring and even occurring in the first place. Prevention and damage control are the key to solving UTI problems and UroMAXX has been recognized by our satisfied customers to do just that! Read Our Fantastic Reviews! Our Liquid Formula can be used as a safe additive to specialty diets and with regular use it may even eliminate the need for specialty diets to begin with. Easy to give, just drop directly on your pets wet or dry food. And if your pet is easy to handle, it can be administered directly into the mouth with our dropper. Full 100% palatability guarantee! Buy from the Most Trusted Pet Company for Over 15 Years! Youll notice the difference our products make in your pets life and youll be coming back for years to come! Shop around our storefront to see the other great products we offer!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Treatment and preventative in one\n\nReview: This is one product that I want to leave a review for so others who find themselves searching desperately like I was can find some hope here.\n\n A little over a week ago I caught one of my male neutered indoor cats peeing on my son's bed. When a male cat pees on something outside the litter box it can be a behavioral issue, spraying for territory or a UTI. My male cat sprays when he's upset about changes in the house, so this was not the first time he's peed on anything outside the litter box. What made this different and urgent was that I noticed him going in and out of his litter pan without being able to pee. I knew there was a problem and after Googling symptoms came up with the terrifying conclusion that he could have a full bladder blockage from the UTI. (You've been warned, Google can cause severe anxiety if you're looking for a diagnosis on ANYTHING).\n\nI live in a rural area with a handful of vets & that should say a lot. My cat peed on the bed Sunday morning (emergency vet is $100 just to walk in the door) and there is no way that at this given time I can afford a vet. Faced with an immediate urgent situation what do I do?\nGoogle and go to Amazon.\n\nWhen I came across this UroMaxx I was the most desperate and terrified that my cat has a full blockage and will not be able to pee again after going on my son's bed. This is the first UTI I've ever had to experience in a cat before, so ill prepared as I was, this was terrifying.\nI read the reviews and decided that this product is my hope in a bottle (thank goodness for 2nd day delivery).\n\nThe next day this arrived and I started immediately with a 1ml dropper full in wet food and my cat ate it up. This was the 2nd day of symptoms where my cat was not able to pee in his box but he did pee on the bed again that morning. There was no blood in his urine and he wasn't straining or crying in the litter pan, but he was sitting there long and going back and forth without being able to pee.\n\nDay 2 (day after starting UroMaxx) I gave another dropper full in wet food. Still straining. We got into a routine at this point where I'd go out to the room with the litter pans and my cat would run ahead of me meowing and jump in the litter pan so he can try to pee. No pee.\n\nDay 3. I am terrified my cat is going to have a full bladder blockage because I am seeing no pee in the box and he's still trying to go each time we go out to the litter pans together. I gave another dropper full in wet food and waited....\n\nDay 4. Dribbles of pee in the box this time when my cat runs out to show me that he can pee in his litter pan. Each night up till now there were tiny and I do mean about the size of large strawberry clumps of pee in the litter pan (which means no blockage and he was able to dribble overnight, just not at all in the morning time). Dribbles were hope. I gave another dropper full and became even more desperate watching my cat trying to pee and nothing more than dribbles come out, so I weighed him and adjusted the dosage of UroMaxx. My cat is 16.5 lbs so I gave 2 dropper fulls in wet food (directions are 1.5 dropper for a 16 lbs cat but I am desperate here)\n\nDay 5. No change just dribbles, but my cat is eating, and moving around more than he was before. He's taken an interest in his toys again and by now he's still running out to the litter pans to show me that he can or can't pee.\nThat night, I am beyond desperate now and gave 1 dropper full in his mouth (I've given oral medication before so we know the routine and my cat tolerated me doing it) This stuff smells like chicken and is a brown liquid. He didn't mind, just licked his mouth and gave me a glare that what ever I did to him was not acceptable. Then he started running around like he wasn't sick at all anymore. I was hopeful.\n\nDay 6. Morning after giving a dropperful in the mouth my cat runs out to show me he can pee this time in his litter pan. A clump the size of a silver dollar. (I did a happy dance that day). I gave another 2 dropper fulls in wet food.\n\nDay 7. Wake up to my cat meowing at 4 am because he's hungry. Got nibbled on for not getting out of bed fast enough to feed a starving cat. This is the first time since my cat started showing symptoms of a UTI that he's woken me up for food at 4 am.\nWe do our routine and he leaves a much larger lump in the litter pan. I didn't think it was possible but he can pee and without straining, no blood and his belly is not hard. I add another 2 dropper fulls in his wet food.\n\nDay's after 7 I am still adding 1 dropper full into wet food and my cat is showing no signs of a UTI anymore. What I did notice while my cat was sick is that his belly would be hard and distended. He would frequent the litter pans, go back and forth, scratch in one and sit there trying to pee, then jump in the other pan and do the same thing. He'd avoid drinking water and would only want to eat. He was still active and had no blood in his urine that I could see when he'd pee on the bed and he wasn't dribbling urine outside the box. After starting UroMaxx I noticed that he was more active, his belly wasn't hard longer than a few hours, he started slowly dribbling larger clumps in the litter pans and after a few days he was interested in drinking water again. By the end of the week on UroMaxx, it was like a whole new cat and not one that was sick for a week - he was playing, eating, running and jumping again, even waking me up at 4 am because he was starving.\n\nOther things I had to change with this experience.\nI had to switch from dry kibble with 1 can of canned in the morning to ONLY canned with a bit of water added as their SOLE food. No more dry because dry kibble has about 12% moisture and canned for is 80% moisture. A cat's body needs about 78% moisture or they will be dehydrated. Generally cats that are on dry kibble are dehydrated because they are unable to get enough moisture from the food they eat and no matter how much they drink or don't drink from the water bowls it is never enough to make up for the moisture they should be getting in their food.\nCats on canned or raw foods are less likely to develop crystals or bladder issues because there are more fluids passing through their bladders flushing out toxins and especially male cats need this to prevent UTI's and other serious issues that come with bladder issues.\nYes, canned food diet for a household of 3 indoor male neutered cats is expensive and a cashier at the store the other day made a comment that my cats are 'spoiled' because they eat nothing but canned food. We can't think of it as spoiling them, but more of taking care of our kitties health.\n\nWater bowls\nI have water bowls in every room of the house so that my cats can have a drink when ever they are thirsty. I only offer filtered water (bottled water) over our hard tap water, because I read that hard tap water might cause crystals in urine (not sure if that's true but I don't drink the tap water, so why should my cats?)\n\nClumping cat litter\nIt is recommended by vets to use clumping cat litter with adult cats (not kittens because they can eat the litter and when it clumps it will cause an obstruction or hard mass that is impassible and deadly) so that you are able to visibly see and count how many clumps there are. Meaning, you know how healthy your cat's bowels and bladder are by the size of pee clumps.\n\nUroMaxx\nI have 3 male cats and they've all been on dry kibble since kittenhood so it is about time that I help their bladders flush and this product has been wonderful in healing the UTI in one cat and helping to flush the other 2 to prevent issues.\nThis is a wonderful prevention for bladder issues and I am giving 1 dropper full each day with wet food, per cat and have noticed an increase in the amount of pee clumps in their litter pans each morning and evening when I scoop. There have been no side effects that I've noticed from any of the cats and each one doesn't seem to mind the taste in their food. Once you open the bottle it has to be refrigerated though, which is something I didn't notice the first couple of days but now keep it in the fridge.\n\nLast words.\nIf you've gotten this far and are terrified like I was over a week ago fearing the absolute worst that your cat might have a full bladder blockage or are feeling so helpless because your fur baby has a UTI, then this is a great product to try along with the other preventative measures in changing diet and continuing on with using UroMaxx to keep your fur babies bladder healthy. I can't stress enough how important it is to also change the diet and 'special' vet approved and pushed diets are no different (except in price) from any canned or raw food diet you can get on the market or make yourself. What matters most is the ingredients are not cheap (do your research on corn, fillers and gluten) and the canned food isn't totally water (80% or less moisture will do) then that is a big step up from feeding dry kibble and will help to keep your fur babies bladder healthy.\n\nI want to suggest one more natural treatment that I came across while researching and this is Apple Cider Vinegar with 'mother' and if you are out at the store and see it then this is supposed to be a treatment for even a fully blocked cat. Earth Clinic is a good place to find more information on how to use this and treatment for a cat or dog that is blocked or with UTI. You don't have to force feed ACV, you can drop it between the shoulder blades or on their paws DILUTED (always dilute ACV 50/50 with water) and it will absorb into the body and start working. ACV is safe for cats DILUTED with water 50/50.\n\nBut if you suspect your cat is blocked and nothing you are doing is helping then it is vitally important to see an emergency vet ASAP because within 24 to 48 hours a cats kidneys will start to shut down from a blockage and their bladder can burst which leads to death if not treated immediately after. This is where Google terrified me and I was fearing the worst and almost gave up and went to the vet until my cat started peeing on the bed and then dribbling pee. I believe this product works. It worked for my 3 year old male neutered cat.\nI still have a bottle on hand and will order again before running out. I consider this a BIG lesson learned - don't feed dry kibble to a male cat.","Product: Formulated without grain or gluten, this special formula is ideal as a high-protein, grain-free alternative diet. Turkey meal, chicken meal and whitefish meal provide high-quality protein sources to help develop and sustain energy and muscle function. Carefully-chosen vegetables and fruits, such as peas, blueberries, cranberries, apples, carrots and spinach contain antioxidants important for everyday optimal health. L-carnitine helps convert body fat into muscle and energy, supporting lean muscle mass and overall body conditioning. Balanced Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids play a vital role in establishing the lipid barrier of the skin, supporting healthy maintenance of your dogs skin and coat. Made with high-quality ingredients and processing technologies, Primitive Natural provides excellent digestibility and nutrient absorption. Earthborn Holistic pet food is made in our family-owned kitchens in the US. Packaging is BPA free and 100% recyclable through TerraCycle and our Earthborn ReBorn program.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: 5 paws up for this one\n\nReview: This food is for my 8 year old German Shepherd who has a sensitive stomach & skin allergies in the past.\nWe've tried just about every natural, organic and holistic food in the past with some luck in finding foods that don't upset her stomach or make her sick.\nThe very first days of her eating this food I mixed it in with her old one and there was no stomach upset. She loves this food and licks the bowl when it's empty. Immediately there was an improvement in her energy level *she already is a hyper dog, but now she's even more lively & vibrant*, her coat has started to get softer & shinier and less scratching.\nI've found a better price somewhere else, but wanted to share with everyone how much we love this food & will continue to purchase in the future for my dog.\nThe ingredients are natural and the company is here in the states. That alone makes a huge difference in choosing the right dog food in my opinion. I also wanted to point out that these are smaller bites so a dog of most any size except the toy or miniature would be able to chew these, even older dogs.","Product: The most advanced Natures Miracle formula made for tough cat urine stains and odor which incorporates the best performing cleaning technologies. Deeply cleans to remove all pet mess traces, discouraging the spread of unsanitary pet waste. Pet-Block System removes pet pheromones and destroys odors on contact to prevent re-soiling. Faster drying to minimize tracking.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Cat people shouldn't be without this stuff!!!\n\nReview: Hopefully this review will save many the frustrations that I've already gone through. My trial and error....\n\nI have 3 neutered male cats and a female cat. All indoors only. My 2 males were raised as kittens and the 3rd male was an adult high kill shelter rescue (so he was neutered before he came home with me). The female is still a kitten and in fact she was found in the road abandoned- when I got her she was around 4 weeks old, had no idea what a litter box was for.\n\nOne of my male cats is 'high strung' and has anxiety. Nearly any event can drive him to peeing on the bed, furniture, pillows, floors and rugs. When we brought my son home from the hospital the cat peed on both of us while we were sleeping.\nBoth males started spraying when they were about 6 months old (not yet neutered). Anyone who hasn't smelled intact male cat spray before, I will say it reminds me of having a skunk marinate its stink all over your fabrics and lay that out in the Phoenix hot sun for a week, then you know what I mean by stink. Well, that stink is nearly impossible to get rid of and when it is on your mattress it is even harder to remove.\nI've tried ALL the home remedies. At one point I got so desperate to remove the spray smell from my recliner that I soaked the thing down in the purple bottle Listerine. My entire house smelled minty fresh for a week. The smell just came back though.\nThat is when I did some researching on blogs about cats peeing and spraying furniture, beds and other things. There was only a couple mentions about Nature's Miracle in blogs so I came onto Amazon to see what this NM stuff is all about.\nTHAT is when I found ALL the reviews and talk about how good NM is about removing cat pee/spray smell.\n\nThat was 2 years ago. Today i have learned and am here to share with you from experience what can hopefully save you the frustration and long hours going cross eyed staring at blogs you Google.\n\nFirst of all, male cats can and do start spraying around the age of 5 months and after being neutered my 2 boys took 4 months to COMPLETELY stop spraying. Then there's the cats like one of my males with anxiety that will pee on everything.\n\nIn the last week my anxious male cat has peed on the bed 2 times, my sons foam play mat, a pillow I had saved in the closet and 2 bathroom rugs. The vet says that my cat becomes over stimulated by even small events like visitors, someone out in the front yard that he can see or another cat he sees looking out the window. Well, something set him off and he's been a very busy boy.\nI also must add that my 18 mo old has accidents occasionally where his diaper leaks during sleep and of course that smell attracts the cats to pee in the crib, especially the little kitten that has barely learned that litter box means = pee and poop INSIDE the box.\n\nOne of the first places my cat will pee is the bed. I have a memory foam topper on an old standard mattress. I have to pour a cup full of NM directly onto the pee spot and let it soak for an hour. If it still smells of cat pee then I pour another cup full and soak for an hour. Repeat until all I can smell is NM, then I blot it all up and let it dry. Usually it takes half a gallon bottle to clean up the mattress when he pees on it. Pillows are a little easier. I grab a large garbage bag, throw the pillow in and soak it with 3 or 4 cups of NM until the spot is fully saturated. Tie up the bag and let it soak for a day, then smell. If it smells like pee I repeat until it doesn't. If the pillow is washable I launder it, if it isn't then I air it outside in the sun till it dries and no longer smells of NM.\n\nOnce you have the bed all cleaned up it is time to think about a mattress protector ( I do mean a water proof kind). My suggestion is here, because this is what I use, doesn't mean you have to get it too, but it's just a suggestion so you know what I am talking about.\nI use this waterproof mattress protector on my bed so that when the cat does pee all I have to do is wipe the spot with some NM and throw it in the wash. NO more struggling to get the mattress clean of the smell. You can also get pillow case protectors as well and there's even one made for cribs when kids pee the bed. They do come in handy. You can follow the link below for the mattress pad protector >>\n<a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/SafeRest-Hypoallergenic-Waterproof-Queen-Size-Vinyl-Free-Mattress-Protector/dp/B003PWNH4Q/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">SafeRest Hypoallergenic Waterproof Queen Size Vinyl Free Mattress Protector</a>\n\nNow, one last note is that when my kitten was learning how to use the litter box I had to crate her. For an adult cat you would need a large or XL crate but for a tiny kitten the medium size worked well for me. I used this one >\nhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002TKBUS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and to clean up the bottom plastic when ever she would pee on it or just to make sure it didn't smell of cat pee because I left a small size litter pan in there I'd use NM to spray it down and clean the bottom plastic. NM works like a charm in cleaning out cat pee smell from plastic as well. There's so many uses! I even laundered the bedding used in the crate with NM to get rid of the litter box odors and it works.\n\nHopefully this will save someone the frustrations I've had. This stuff really does work and if you follow the instructions on the bottle you can't go wrong. There are so many things you can clean from fabric to plastic and even beds. I have even used this in the bathroom around the toilet when my husband misses and it works great. For fabrics, if you treat it fast before it has time to sit almost always NM will remove the stain.","Product: The Catit Scratching Board with Catnip provides your cat with a corrugated scratching surface, while helping to protect your furniture from claw damage. A cat's need to scratch is instinctive. It helps them to sharpen and remove the dead outer layer of their claws, stretch and flex their bodies and work off energy. Catnip is included and by using the Catit Scratching Board, you are helping your cat stay active and healthy.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: my 3 boys love this pad\n\nReview: I'm not sure which my cats have enjoyed more - the box this thing came in, the cat nip it came with or the actual scratch pad.\nMy 3 indoor only boys love and I do mean love this scratch pad. Everytime they walk by it they stop and scratch.\nThe catnip nearly drove one of them mad, which he really did enjoy scratching and rolling around on this pad after i sprinkled nip on it.\nWith 3 kitties this pad will last me maybe a couple months before needing a replacement - and they have a cat tree with scratching posts on it but this pad is their favorite.\nI have 2 other already worn down scratch pads that I keep for them and no matter how new or used they still enjoy them.\nThis one is a nice size for adult cats to lay on and roll around on.","Product: Fresh Step Multiple Cat Scoop 25 lb litter strong enough for multiple cats\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The cat litter so far!\n\nReview: We have one 5 month old kitten and have tried a couple other top brand litters in hopes of finding one that doesn't leave the entire house smelling like cat poop, or her litter box smelling horrible after each use and this is the best cat litter we have found so far.\nOur kitten does not mind the scent of this litter, even thought when first put into the box the scent is pretty strong then fades to a more subtle smell. We love that this is odor blocking and clumps well. We scoop every day and I clean out her box completely using fresh litter every 4 weeks. This litter does track and does have lots of dust when pouring from the bag.\nI would not recommend this litter to any one with or cats who have asthma, because of the amounts of dust.\nThis litter deserves a 5 star just for odor control.\n\nThe price here on Amazon is higher than what we pay locally, so shop around if you can, otherwise the convenience of ordering from Amazon is always a plus. In local stores we pay anywhere from $15 to $35 on a 42 lb bag.","Product: There's nothing better than steaks cooked out on the grill. The sizzle and the great aroma make your mouth water! The only thing that beats the taste of steak is the joy of sharing it. So open up a bag and indulge your 4-legged pal in a delicious steak experience of his own with TBonz(R) Porterhouse Flavor.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: My dogs love these\n\nReview: Needless to say that I have 2 dogs that love, love treats. They have their favorites though & these are in the top 2.\nI am happy about being able to order these from Amazon and save some money compared to prices in stores where I live, plus this bag is larger than I can find locally.\nMy 10 year old GSD likes the softer treats, because they are easier to chew. And my 5 month old Red Healer loves these because her little puppy teeth are so small she eats slow.\n\nI use these as training treats, also as a treat after bath time. Makes getting in the bath tub with a 50 lb GSD easier than pushing her from behind into the bathroom for bath. It's just the water she doesn't like, soon as bath is over she's a very happy girl again. :)\n\nBoth my girls love these treats with a passion & I am very happy to keep these on hand for them.","Product: High animal protein, grain-free recipe guided by our belief in raw, Instinct Original Real Lamb Recipe unlocks your cat's potential to thrive.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Seems to be good\n\nReview: I had originally bought this case for my 5 indoor only male cats because of stomach sensitivities but now am sticking to canned because of bladder issues with one of my male cats. One of my male cats has chronic bladder infections and instead of going on 'special food' or antibiotics every round of infection I've opted to feed only canned cat food with a very small bowl of dry kibble available throughout the day.\nThis canned food has extra gravy which I do like because it keeps the food from being dry and adds the extra moisture male cats need (cats are naturally dehydrated as in the wild they get water from live prey).\nWhen I open a can it smells very good, gourmet actually and my boys although not overly excited about some flavors will eat their food. This has not caused any stomach upset in my boys and the one with bladder issues has not had any more problems since switching to canned only food.\nI offer this food along with another brand to switch up the flavors and brands as my cats prefer the other brand but I prefer this one because of the superior quality and nutrients.","Product: Natural nutrition Plus Vitamins and Minerals and a taste cats love, combined in a convenient 16oz pouch. Purina Cat Chow Naturals is a dry cat food ideal for everyday feeding, with 100% complete & balanced nutrition that provides the 25 essential vitamins & minerals adult cats need. Formulated with high levels of protein like a cats natural diet, every meal includes real chicken, whole grains and garden greens. A natural fiber blend helps control hairballs.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: My cats love it!\n\nReview: We have 2 cats and used to feed holistic cat food before our budget shrunk down to super tight, so now we feed this one.\nOur cats coats are glossy, soft and they both have no stomach troubles with this food.\nOne of our cats is smaller in size and the larger bites of other cat foods are hard for him to eat, but he loves these ones because they are smaller (which means no mess on the floor or dumped over food dish to clean up)\n\nI like that the main ingredient is meat and not corn meal or some other unhealthy ingredient. Cat food is cat food, especially when you are on a tight budget and can't afford to feed holistic and natural specialty brands, but this food is pretty decent compared to some of the other store brands.\n\nI've bought this food for the last 2 months and will continue to keep feeding it to my cats. I have even used Purina dog foods for over 12 years with my dogs and they love it. Good company and good brand of cat food here.","Product: Specially formulated urease producing bacteria targets strong cat urine. Removes yellow stains & residue left behind by urine & spraying. Formula continues to work until all traces of urine and urine odor are eliminated. Odor-Lock\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I wish I knew about this sooner\n\nReview: UPDATE *\n\nThis is now bottle #3. My male unaltered cat has come to sexual maturity & decided to mark his territory all over the house. Nature's Miracle is the only thing I can find to remove the stink from his urine. I have laundered blankets, rugs, clothes with no problems using N.M.. My cats latest spot to pee is the bed... a nice big puddle right in the middle of the bed (memory foam mattress topper included). I used an almost empty bottle of Febreeze & mixed in equal parts water/N.M. into the bottle so it's easier to spray not only small areas but also large surfaces at once. I soaked the bed & within hours the stink faded to nothing. I've also had to use that spray bottle to soak a cloth material recliner that my cat sprayed (he's been a busy boy). We have a large wool area rug that covers the living area that he peed all over & with the spray bottle I was able to soak the rug enough to remove the stink.\n\nI've mopped our wood (not sealed) floors with N.M., wiped down counter tops, cleaned the litter box & even used it on the walls (especially by doors & windows where he sprayed). There were no issues on any of the surfaces I used it on (be sure to spot check before you do though)\n\nIf you get to the puddle of urine while it is still damp, spray or saturate the fabric with N.M., as it dries the stink will go away & leave no stain. Of course you need to pull up as much urine as you can with paper towels or a dry towel before treating the spot.\n\nA word of the wise, plain old laundry soap does not remove the stink of cat spray (I found that out the hard way). Also, ammonia based cleaners will make the stink worse, even attract the cat back to where he originally peed or sprayed (cat urine is ammonia based).\n\nI'd recommend this to anyone who is dealing with cat urine smell. It also works in bathrooms for human urine too!","Product: Earthborn Holistic Feline Vantage Food for Cats and Kittens offers optimal holistic nutrition for all life stages. Quality animal and fish proteins such as chicken meal, herring meal, salmon meal and whitefish meal help build and maintain muscle. Balanced levels of calcium and phosphorus help build strong bones and teeth. Guaranteed levels of antioxidant nutrients like Vitamin E and Vitamin C blended with nutrient-rich vegetables and fruits such as peas, blueberries, cranberries, apples, carrots and spinach help support the immune system, good digestion and intestinal health. Fully cooked wholesome grains like brown rice, oats and barley along with flaxseed are easily digested. Earthborn Holistic cat food is made in our family-owned kitchens in the US. Packaging is BPA free and 100% recyclable through TerraCycle and our Earthborn ReBorn program.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: No recalls from Earthborn, quality ingredients, less fillers (grains) and American made\n\nReview: My 3 indoor only neutered boys are very healthy and have been on this dry kibble for a year now. Before this food, they ate Blue Buffalo and Purina Cat Chow dry kibbles with 1 shared can of wet cat food per day.\n\nMy initial reason for coming to this cat food is that I wanted my boys to have something healthy to eat that was not made full of fillers and recalled ingredients that would make them sick of even cause them to be fatally ill. I've never found a recall on Earthborn foods and have seen this food listed on top reviews of companies that manufacture the best cat food on the market.\n\nSince starting this food I have noticed my boys coats are softer, shinier and they have more energy. I have fed this to one of my boys since he was a kitten and he is now a 17 lb very large cat with soft, fluffy fur and bright alert eyes. Good nutrition started early leads to healthy adult cats.\n\nMy boys still have hair balls and occasionally throw up bits of their food, but this is an improvement from other dry kibbles they have eaten in the past. I have noticed the litter box does not smell as bad anymore, which is a plus.\n\nAs with all cats in general and especially male cats there is a risk of bladder issues and crystals that can form because dry kibble is roughly 10 to 12 % moisture and a cats body needs to be 80% moisture and dry kibble just does not provide that. No matter how many water bowls, fountains or such you put up, it's impossible for a cat to ingest enough water to make up for the deficit in eating solely dry kibble. A cat on dry kibble is a dehydrated cat. And a dehydrated cat that becomes ill or has a fever will become an emergency requiring fluids and hospitalization. This is a lesson I've had to learn a couple times already and an expensive one at that.\nWell, we are now transitioning to wet only food even though my boys did enjoy this dry kibble. It is to the point where one my boys has chronic UTI's and the only way to prevent future suffering for him is to be on an all wet diet.\n\nThis dry kibble is not the exact cause of my cats UTI because he's had them his whole life and well, cats require moisture from their diets in order for their bladders to remain healthy and an all or even partial dry kibble diet doesn't contain enough moisture to keep a healthy bladder or hydrated cat. It is my mistake and fault for feeding all dry kibble with a supplement of canned food, even though I believed putting up several water bowls would help prevent this issue from happening.\n\nI do believe this is high quality food with exceptional ingredients and am happy to say that we are going over to the canned version now instead because this brand is one of the best to feed.","Product: Provide your small pet with hay, alfalfa and other grasses with the Super Pet Hay and Food Bin Feeder. This combo feeder has a built in hay dispenser plus a food trough for a fresh and clean supply of food. Ideal for rabbits, chinchillas, guinea pigs or other small animals. Available in blue, green clay, black and red colors. Actual size 5-3/4-inch long, 5-3/4-inch, wide, 7-inch high.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: just what i needed\n\nReview: My pig makes a huge mess with food. I waste so much when she knocks the bowl over or spreads hay all over the cage. I wanted something to help keep her food clean & easy for her to access. This works wonderful & it is the right size for her to use. She's chewed on it a few times already, but the plastic doesn't seem to be something her teeth can break. I had to wedge a cardboard into the bottom of the food part so she could reach her food portion & that seems to be working out well for her.\n\nSo far I have not wasted food & she's happy munching out of this hay bin. If my pig is happy, then I am too. This is a great find & I'm glad to have found it here.","Product: Whether your fury friend is feeling reserved or social, the innovative Best Friends by Sheri 2-in-1 Pet House Sofa can meet her preferences. It is the first and only pet house that can be transformed into a sofa! In its house form your fury friend can find privacy and warmth, while in its sofa form she can get the benefit of a comfortable place to relax while still being able to socialize and stay cool. It features a durable foam construction that is flexible, light weight, and easy to manage. The exterior is made with designer printed fabric and the matching bottom is made with durable oxford fabric that does not attract dirt or dust. Weve also included a removable inner cushion for easy maintenance and cleaning. And you will appreciate that the entire product can be safely machine washed and dried, keeping it free of hair and odors. All Best Friend by Sheri products are made with the utmost attention to quality.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: One happy cat in his bed\n\nReview: I bought this back in 2012 for a puppy, but it ended up being too small. Then after having it saved for a while I thought of using it for my cats. One cat shown in the pic loves this bed. It is his sleeping spot during winter & summer. He is in that bed all the time. It fits perfectly & he is about 12 lbs, but rather small. The bed itself has held up great in the washing machine & dryer. I wash it out every couple of months to get rid of all the cat hair on it. The colors have faded some, but the overall softness of the plush material is still there. The bottom, top & sides are cushioned but the bottom is not. There is a soft cushion pad that goes inside though. I haven't used the house open with my cats because they don't like going into it. The cat here that sleeps on it all the time likes his bed the way it is. This has been his bed for over a year now & if ever it does wear out I will be getting him a new one.","Product: Cats and Kittens loves these real rabbit fur balls. Brings out the natural hunting instincts in your feline. Cats will actually gently carry the ball in their mouth, perfect toy for teaching your cat to play fetch. My cat actually flings the ball in the air and chases it. Cats go crazy for this toy so make sure and buy plenty for back up.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: great fun for my cats.\n\nReview: I have 4 indoor only cats. 3 adults and 1 kitten- all are very active and enjoy playing with different cat toys.\nWhen picking out balls, especially soft ones that can be swallowed accidentally I look for ones that are at least 1.5 to 2 inches. These feel on the small size but with all the fur it makes them seem larger. Traditional pom balls have been chewed down to small hard balls that can be swallowed easily so my cats aren't allowed to have the traditional pom balls anymore.\nSince my cats love pom balls so much it was nice to find ones that are made of real rabbit fur and wouldn't be a material that can be chewed down to a hard ball- the inside of these feels like a piece of rabbit pelt wrapped up and either glued or sewed into a ball shape- no fabric or plastic and no small parts like a rattle that can come out.\nMy cats went wild over these balls! One was carrying a ball around growling at it for a while- they feel like a real animal.\nI've attached pictures of one of my adult cats playing with his new fur pom ball. You can see the ball looks larger with all that fur around it and they are soft to the touch. Shipping and delivery were both fast- within a week from ship to delivery. I wish I'd ordered 2 packages instead of just one.","Product: Designed to fulfill a cat's instinct to lounge and play, the Curious Cat Cube (cat house / cat condo) of the Feline Nuvo line by Midwest Homes for Pets offers cozy comfort and a fun cat hide-away in a compact package. The cat cube (cat house / cat condo) is easy to assemble and folds down for convenient storage. The attractive, brown faux suede and synthetic sheepskin (model 137-BR) compliments any dcor. The Curious Cat Cube features a cushioned bed topper with stuffed bolsters for an elevated lounging spot and a cozy hide-away with a large entry for the optimum space for your pet cat to curl up and nap. The cat cube also features hide & seek side cutouts and hanging plush toys to promote play. We at Midwest Homes for Pets understand that your cat is a part of your family and that's why we ensure our cat condos / cat houses / cat trees are manufactured with the highest quality control standards creating a safe home for your pet cat that you can feel confident with. Midwest Homes for Pets stands behind the quality of our products with a 1 Year Manufacturer's Warranty. If you have any questions about our Curious Cat Cube our customer service department would be glad to help you.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Cats need furniture too\n\nReview: Since I have 4 indoor neutered male cats I've learned that the more 'cat furniture' is available, the less my boys will feel the desire or need to spray (even though they are neutered, one is territorial and will spray to make sure everyone in the house knows he lives here).\n\nI'm learning that cats need to feel like they have a place in a home as well and what better way of providing this comfort than with things cats love.\n\nWe have a large cat tree in the home and several beds, but when it comes to boxes my boys are always wanting to lounge or sleep in any box they find. I've also read that boxes help cats feel safe and comfortable in their surroundings because they are able to 'hide' and watch the world around them from a safe space.\n\nInitially I was worried my fatties wouldn't fit in the box, but right away the largest of my boys went right in and made himself at home.\n\nI've attached pictures of my fatty inside the box, how it arrived in the package, assembly was easy enough as folding it open and slipping the inner bedding inside, then attaching the top bed. The whole thing took about 10 minutes to assemble (mostly because there was a cat inside of it before I could get the top on).\n\nIt feels to be durable sides of a material I am not sure what it is because the screws that came with it to attach the ball wouldn't go through. The outside fabric feels like cotton and is soft, so are both the inside bed and the outside top bed. There is a little weight to this box fully assembled, maybe 5 pounds, but only heavy enough that it wouldn't tip over if there was a cat on top.\n\nFor the price paid I am impressed and would recommend to others who are also wanting to do some catification to their homes.","Product: What you see as bad behavior such as destructive scratching or urine marking may actually be your cat acting out due to stress. Cats are creatures of habit so when something in their environment changes such as a recent move or even rearranging furniture, can cause them stress. Good news! You don't have to live your life putting up with these behaviors and they can be modified and managed by using Comfort Zone and Comfort Zone with Feliway products. Our Spray & Scratch Control Spray is vet recommended and clinically proven to reduce urine marking and to limit destructive scratching. How does it work? Cats use pheromones which are scents to communicate to other cats and affect your cat's emotional well-being. We've mimicked these pheromones that help cats feel calm and safe. When the pheromones are sprayed onto a vertical surface, it naturally signals to your cat that their environment is safe which helps reduce their stress and reduce their need to scratch or spray. Simply spray onto the object(s) or area on the walls that your cat likes to target. The Comfort Zone Spray dispenses a drug-free, unscented and odorless vapor that only affects the cats. The spray is a great travel option to spray in the car or kennel if your cat gets nervous on the road or on the table at the vet's office to help keep them calm. It can be sprayed on fabrics, upholstery, hardwood, and doorframes.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Helps keep the peace\n\nReview: This was a last resort and a recommendation to me as a way to help my 3 neutered male cats de-stress. For some reason one of my male cats (born feral- of feral mom & dad) gets aggressive sometimes. The vet calls him 'moody'. Well, moody has gone so far as to pee on everything of mine and attack one of my other cats ( a sweet calm kitty) to the point of making him bleed. I wanted a way to stop the fighting and peeing everywhere.\nI spray this in every room of the house, every day. One bottle should last an entire month for a medium to small size house or apartment (if you spray it in several rooms like I do). It has a distinct scent to it that does not linger but you know it is there (can't say it is a bad smell).\n\nAfter spraying the cats all calm down and no fighting.\nNow for the peeing, I can't say this has helped moody stop peeing on the bed or in my shoe. He's vet checked and has a clean bill of health. The problem is that he is high strung and easily upset... when he's upset he makes sure I know about it by peeing somewhere that I will surely find. Or he will pick a spot in front of me, make sure to stare me right in the eye and pee.\nI have a moody cat. For that, there is no cure. But if I find one, I will update.","Product: Pill Paste for Cats is a highly palatable paste used to help administer pills to your cat without the fight!.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great for pilling cats\n\nReview: My reason for purchasing this paste is because I had to buy a de-wormer for my 3 indoor only cats that are allowed outside occasionally. Well, the reviews on the de-wormer said it is very bitter and makes cats froth at the mouth, even the side effects warning said this is to be expected and has nothing to do with the medication itself. Well, the last thing I want to put my poor cats through is a terrible tasting pill that makes them froth at the mouth or gag, because I understand how that feels after taking bitter tasting prescription medications myself.\nPill wrap is the answer. It was super easy. All I did was pinch off a small piece to wrap the pill in and pilled my cats. My boys are easy to pill, they don't struggle or leave me needing stitches so the whole thing was very easy and fast.\nThen I gave my boys a little bit that I pinched off from the paste as a treat - they really love the beef smell and flavor of this stuff.\nOverall this is a win win situation. My cats swallowed the pill I needed them to and they got a little bit of this as a treat aftewards. I also used a syringe without the needle to shoot 1 ml of organic raw coconut oil down their mouth after the pill, because my kitten had a hard time swallowing for his mouth being dry and nothing to move the paste down. The coconut oil shot helped greatly.\n\nThe paste itself is really thick and is easy to pinch off the amount you need. It isn't an overpowering beef scent, I'd say more like a beef jerky sort of smell to it. My cats all came to see where that delicious aroma was coming from when I opened the can.\n\nI've also uploaded pictures so that everyone else in my same situation of needing to pill a cat can see what they are getting. This is a good product and I'd recommend. Besides, who wants to taste a bitter pill?","Product: Our unique feline vitamin+mineral supplement complex is designed to help provide optimum nutrient levels with guaranteed potencies to best meet your cat's everyday needs. In addition, our formula helps provide a complex of natural nutrients often lacking in pet foods that promote normal growth and longevity.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Keeps my boys healthy\n\nReview: These are easy to open capsules that you can sprinkle on wet or dry cat food. I sprinkle them on dry food with a probiotic for my 4 indoor cats.\nMy cats vary in ages from 1 year to 4 years old. I've been giving them this vitamin for about 8 months now and have noticed shiny coats, lots of energy and healthy cats. I feed Purina cat Chow\nAnd wanted something extra to supplement their vitamins to keep my boys healthy.\nThis has worked very well and I'm planning to keep using it for however long it's available to order.\nThe powder is fine and hasn't caused and problems for my cats to eat their dry kibble. They actually seem to enjoy the flavor because soon as I open one of these capsules they come running to their food bowl to eat.","Product: The Oceanic BioCube features high-quality components and can be used for saltwater or freshwater setups. Enhanced filtration system features dual filter intakes to draw aquarium water from the surface and mid-water for improved water circulation and filtration. Replaceable 2-stage filter cartridge provides easy-to-maintain mechanical and chemical filtration. Bio-ball wet/dry filtration system improves gas exchange and provides efficient biological filtration. Viewing window for filtration water pump to ensure optimum performance. Includes a comprehensive aquarium lighting system with Cora life compact fluorescent lighting, Lunar Blue-Moon-Glow LEDs, and dual cooling fans integrated into the hood. Individual power cords allow timer operation for custom light schedules.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: great for a small tank\n\nReview: I have two 45 gallon salt water tanks and have been in the hobby for a little over 7 years now. I've kept a reef tank & now want something small. About 7 years ago I bought a nano cube from Oceanic and still have it. The ballast went out & the filter isn't working anymore. Otherwise the tank itself is nice due to the low maintenance & cost of replacing little things that go out on it. These smaller tanks are great for one or two fish only & corals. My tank is old, but looks great so once again I am going to create a reef tank in my nano. Salt water takes time to learn no matter what size tank you have, so don't let sales people scare you away from smaller tanks.\n\nThis is a great start if you are considering salt water, or reef tanks without having the money to put into a larger system.","Product: Together Patch and Nora have overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past, bridged two irreconcilable worlds and faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for - and their love - forever.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I thought it was a good book\n\nReview: Maybe I'm the only one but this style of book is more my interest. I did enjoy Hush Hush and now enjoyed this one. I am looking forward to the last one and starting the Fallen series. These books are more teenage romance, fantasy. So, if you aren't looking for something so imaginative or youth based, then this would not impress some readers. The Twilight series was a great set to read. There are some tiny similarities I think between this and Twilight. Both have a reason why their romance can't exist and bad people standing between them. That's just my opinion. Oh, Amazon prices are unbeatable. This book was shipped nicely and protected and I am very happy with this and every other book I've ordered from Amazon.","Product: Christina has spent more than 20 years leading Bible studies, but when she went looking for Bible studies on parenting, she couldn't find any. So she wrote, \"Parenting in Christ.\"\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A wonderful guide to parenting\n\nReview: I'd originally bought this book on Kindle and now having read it wanted a paper copy to go back and re-read, highlight and reference with my Bible.\nBeing a first-time mom, it has been overwhelming raising my son (also a single mother) with a strong solid foundation based on Christ. I was raised in a religious home and want my son to also have an upbringing where he learns and builds a relationship with God throughout his life as well. My greatest weakness as a mother is not having a real role model to teach me how to raise a child and I have no help around either to turn to.\nI was desperate and struggling with emotions out of my control, including anger and depression. Reading this book caused me to stop and think, to really evaluate my life and what I am teaching my son. I have to take notes in this book and reference the Bible for full meaning and understanding of the quoted Scriptures in this book, but what I am learning is invaluable.\nEach chapter is small enough to read through but still thought to provoke enough to make you stop and think before moving on to the next chapter. I read this book one chapter at a time and sometimes have gone back to read the chapter again just to let it all absorb.\nWhat have I learned from this book? Each person will take away something different from reading this book, but for me, I have learned that God is in control, that I am here to serve God and children are precious little blessings our Father allows in our lives. We must lead by example and teach the word of God to our children. I have learned gentleness, compassion, humility and to humble myself. My son is a gift from God and one that I am here on this earth to rise into a strong man that will also serve his Lord.\nI cannot recommend this book enough to others who are also finding themselves seeking guidance and answers."],"string":"[\n \"Product: Brahmi Amla Hair Oil (8 oz) by Vadik Herbs | Ayurvedic herbal hair growth oil and hair conditioning oil | Great for hair loss, balding, thinning of hair, for beard growth, herbal scalp treatment\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Lots of body with this oil\\n\\nReview: I agree with another reviewer to use a cap or something to keep your pillowcase from being soiled. At night I sleep with this oil on & it turned my pillow case green until it was washed out. The oil did not stain.\\nNow to my review, this oil is wonderful for making my hair silky smooth & full of body. I love the scent of this oil, also it is calming & helps me sleep.\\nOn the top of my head I've lost hair due to stress & illness as well. In the past nothing has helped so i read up on oils such as this one & decided to give it a try. I really love the fact that this oil has only natural ingredients in it, without all the fillers, water & mineral oil. You really do get a great product with this bottle.\\nThis is really a great product. I have recommended it to family & friends.\",\n \"Product: .\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Don't know how but it works\\n\\nReview: I've been searching for a safe alternative to diet pills and came across Sensa. It's easy enough to use & won't cause the awful side effects diet pills have. Right away it was noticeable that this stuff does make me eat less & not crave more food. My eating plan is low carb, occasional indulgence of something sweet & mostly vegetarian. No matter how much I control my eating plan, there are still those cravings & wanting of high carb foods. Sensa has helped me stop craving & eat less of the foods that I enjoy so much, instead of over indulging.\\nThe Quench drink in Orange is pretty good too, it fills me up between meals so that I am not hungry & has a little burst of energy that I really do need.\\nMaybe its just me, but for some reason Sensa smells good when I shake it on my food. The scent is sweet, not too overwhelming & just the right amount of yum to it. Either way, it isn't hard to use & really does work without any side effects, plus it hasn't upset my stomach at all.\\nWorth a try! I'm going to continue on with Sensa and try the chews next. Since I can't find Sensa in my local stores, I am happy Amazon has it available at such great prices, or else I wouldnt have tried it at all.\",\n \"Product: Eco-Dent Daily Care Baking Powder Toothpowder, Original Mint, 2 oz (56 g)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Tastes awful but works good\\n\\nReview: Okay so this was new to me. I've always used regular toothpaste but when my teeth started getting painful and sensitive to the toothpaste I wanted to try something else to avoid the pain.\\nAt first this was awful tasting. It foams up though which is nice. A little bit goes a long way and one bottle lasted my about 5 months brushing 2 times a day.\\nIt's been a year since I started using this and I'm in my 3rd bottle (my 3 year old dumped my last bottle on the floor).\\nThis powder doesn't irritate or burn, has no real strong odors and alone won't make my breath minty fresh, I need a rinse to do that. I use a soft brush with this and it works well.\\nBy now I don't notice a bad taste and plain old baking soda is what I also use in between bottles while I wait for my order to come in.\\nOverall this actually makes my teeth feel cleaner than the regular toothpaste I used before.\",\n \"Product: Specifications: Product dimensions (L * W * H): 4.5x2x1 in Weight: 1.3 oz Detection range: 0.00% -0.19% BAC; 0.00-0.99 mg / l Alert Level: (Optional) 0.05% BAC; 0.50 BAC; 0.25 mg / l; 50mg / 101ml Accuracy: -0.01 - + 0.02% BAC Warm-up time: 10s Response time: less than 5s Powered by: 2 AAA batteries (not included) Working temperature: 5 - 40 Package Included: 1x POLIME Breath Alcohol Tester 5x mouthpieces 1x user manual Note: 1. Do not use the breath analyzer until 20 minutes after the last drink. Please wait at least 3 minutes to start the next test after the last test. 2. Do not use it near paints, pesticides, alcohol and other corrosive gases. 3. After switching on, the warmup takes 15 seconds. Afterwards, it beeps and informs you that it should blow into the device. Both are timed so that you know exactly when to do what. You have 10 seconds to blow into the device and then get the results. After-sales service: we supply unconditional 30 days refund or replacement.Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great starter kit or upgrade\\n\\nReview: I've been using One Touch meters for almost 10 years now and never have had any problems with the meters I've used in the past. So far the readings have always been accurate compared to the ones in the doctor office and my A1c.\\nBut... there were times in the past when I could not afford the strips - at $50 to $100 a pack of strips it wasn't possible. I had to use a different meter with strips that either were affordable or prescribed and covered by my insurance.\\nNow that there are generic test strips that work with the One Touch meter I am back and happily so.\\nI was so excited to come back to using One Touch that I bought the whole kit just so I could have a new meter - even though my older one still works well - I have 2 (one to carry with me and one at home).\\nThese strips are very easy to use, need a decent drop of blood and I've only come across an error twice in a month - I test every morning for fastings and again at least once during the day for randoms. I'm T2 and on insulin. Testing is very important to me, especially before injecting insulin.\\n\\nThis meter I'd recommend to others who are also looking for something affordable and a meter that is easy to read - large printout.\\nThe set in this kit is very nice as well - the lancing device is not one of my favorites but it does the job well (I wouldn't recommend to someone who is recently diagnosed though because the lancing device makes such a noise that is intimidating or scary and you can see the lancet move forward to jab you in the finger). The trigger on this lancing device is a little rough and it hurts sometimes for me and I have it on setting #2.... and I inject insulin every day so I'm used to needles.\\n\\nOverall this is a great starter pack or even an upgrade.\",\n \"Product: Creativity Street Glitter Pom Pons are perfect for any project. This bag contains 40 Pom Pons in assorted glittery colors. Each pom pom measures 1-inch wide. With this 40-pack of Creativity Street Glitter Pom Pons, youre ready to create. With Creativity Street products, you can let your imagination shine!\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Choking hazard for cats!\\n\\nReview: My cats love to play with these balls. Recently my 6 month old tabby swallowed one & it became stuck in his intestines. The entire situation is very heart breaking & my baby almost died in my arms after throwing up for 2 days, becoming dehydrated & needing to be hospitalized. $1000+ later I learned a very expensive lesson--- do not give cats anything small enough for them to swallow! I removed all the pom balls from the house & all other toys that he can chew to pieces & swallow. Other cat owners will say these are safe for their cats to play with, but I said the same until my cat accidentally got one stuck in his intestines. No more small toys for my cats. Now that I have a 4 month old son I don't want any toys around that he can grow up to either swallow by accident or get into either.\",\n \"Product: Creativity Street Glitter Pom Pons are perfect for any project. This bag contains 40 Pom Pons in assorted glittery colors. Each pom pom measures 1-inch wide. With this 40-pack of Creativity Street Glitter Pom Pons, youre ready to create. With Creativity Street products, you can let your imagination shine!\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Choking hazard for cats!\\n\\nReview: My cats love to play with these balls. Recently my 6 month old tabby swallowed one & it became stuck in his intestines. The entire situation is very heart breaking & my baby almost died in my arms after throwing up for 2 days, becoming dehydrated & needing to be hospitalized. $1000+ later I learned a very expensive lesson--- do not give cats anything small enough for them to swallow! I removed all the pom balls from the house & all other toys that he can chew to pieces & swallow. Other cat owners will say these are safe for their cats to play with, but I said the same until my cat accidentally got one stuck in his intestines. No more small toys for my cats. Now that I have a 4 month old son I don't want any toys around that he can grow up to either swallow by accident or get into either.\",\n \"Product: Bakers & chefs restaurant quality products are designed to meet the high demands of the commercial food service business. Every product is independently tested and selected to ensure the performance you expect for an everyday low price.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Good quality for the price\\n\\nReview: It seems like in our house tea spoons disappear without anyone knowing where they went, so when we needed spoons I decided that Amazon was the best place to start looking. I'm glad I did too. These spoons are perfect for what we need them for- eating (and an occasional one that slips by when my 18 mo old son thinks his spoon is a toy).\\nI haven't put them in the dishwasher, because we hand wash dishes so I can't say they will hold up in a dishwasher (our dishwasher leaves soap scum no matter what detergent is used or how many rinses).\\nOverall quality is good and I would recommend to others who have the same problem of spoons magically disappearing in their house too!\",\n \"Product: Beautiful Small Mother Of Pearl Cross for Men and Women Crucifix Pendant Handmade Clear Coating Over The Whole Pendant . Fit on every Necklace Original Item From Jerusalem Holy Land Israel.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Absolutely gorgeous and such a precious gift to share with others\\n\\nReview: I had been searching for the perfect cross and upon seeing this one I knew it was very special.\\nThe day of being baptized I ordered this cross knowing that it would make a very important and special decision of mine something I could display outwards; also being able to have a small reminder that I can carry is a comfort to me.\\n\\nThis cross is small, but not tiny. I'd say about the size of a quarter and very beautiful. The coloring is gorgeous and the white background of the shell is not a white color but more of a mother of pearl color that truly does bring out the beauty of the colors in this cross.\\nIt is lightweight and comfortable to wear. Seems to be very well made and would last many years to come with regular wearing and washing (showering)\\n\\nI'm very happy with this cross and do believe it is absolutely gorgeous and would make a beautiful gift to anyone who is wanting to share such a precious gift (for child or adult ~ man or woman)\",\n \"Product: Home Armor FG502 Instant Mold and Mildew Stain Remover, Trigger Spray 32-Ounce. Made in USA and Imported. Home Armor, 32 oz., instant mildew stain remover, twice as strong as the leading brand, bleach based formula, cleans mold & mildew stains. Adds extra shine to your product. Manufactured in United States. Removes mold and mildew stains and odors caused by mold. Cleans with no scrubbing\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Works with some scrubbing\\n\\nReview: Package came in on time, this was secured inside a plastic bag and thankfully did not leak.\\nRead all the instructions before use & do plan on avoiding the bathroom for at least a couple hours after using this spray.\\n\\nOur bathroom shower has for the longest time (several years) had black mold growing in the tile grout and no matter how much we've cleaned, scrubbed, scraped at the grout the mold will not come off. It has been a losing battle to the point of giving up and letting the unsightly mold win.\\nNo, our bathroom mold isn't terrible to the point that it's EVERYWHERE and you can't tell what color the tiles are anymore- it is bad enough that if you take a bath (have long enough to sit and do nothing more than stare at the walls) you can see it and become annoyed about it being there (baths can't be relaxing when you're annoyed about the mold growing around the faucet, along the tub and in the grout).\\n\\nI kept the bottle inside the plastic bag- cut a hole so the sprayer part is on the outside of the bag & won't leak into the bag itself. Wore gloves. Turned on the bathroom exhaust fan. Opened windows. Sprayed the tiles and tub. Waited 10 minutes before going back into the bathroom.\\nThis stuff is super strong, so the bleach concentration of this spray must be a lot higher than the Clorox you buy at the store. It burned my eyes just standing outside the closed bathroom door and I cannot stand the smell of bleach (but I figure if it works, then why not try it).\\n\\nRinse. We have a handheld shower head connected to our shower and I used a cold water rinse- some of the mold washed off. Aggravated that only some of the mold washed off when the bottle specifically said \\\"No scrubbing required\\\", I figured that a little scrubbing was in order. An old toothbrush sure does come in handy for jobs like this one. I scrubbed with an old toothbrush, especially over the faucet, knobs and in the grout- more mold started to dissolve.\\n\\nAfter just one application & letting that sit 10 minutes, followed by a good rinsing and then scrubbing with a toothbrush I am happy to say that the mold is somewhat gone. I think after 2 more applications the mold will be completely gone and this is a problem we've been fighting for several years now, so of course just one application alone shouldn't do the job.\\n\\nI'm determined to take relaxing baths again without being annoyed by mold growing in the grout, so yes, I am going to keep applying and scrubbing until the mold is gone- to say the least this product will work if I have to use the entire bottle trying to get the shower mold gone.\",\n \"Product: Straight Knockout! When you need it, the Terminator is ready to deliver a stunning blow to any attacker. A jolt from this stun gun will almost certainly bring your attacker down, as the high voltage shock causes the messages from the attacker's brain and voluntary muscles to be disrupted. Your attacker will lose balance, muscle control, and suffer confusion and disorientation that brings him down to his knees. You won't have to worry about any more aggressive activity from this one. Safe Shipping. Thoroughly crafted packaging ensures secure and safe delivery. The Terminator stun gun is backed by a Lifetime No-Hassle Free Replacement Warranty Click the Add to Cart button at the top of this page to Protect Yourself now! Due to restrictions in some state, county and city laws we do not ship to the following locations: Hawaii, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Illinois, New York, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, District of Columbia, Annapolis, MD, Baltimore, MD, Chicago, IL, Philadelphia, PA, Baltimore County, MD, Crawford County, IA, Virgin Islands. The purchaser of this product must be at least 18 years of age.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Not bad for the price\\n\\nReview: Recently I purchased a stun gun with the flashlight, alarm & flashing lights for 3 times what this one costs here, and it has a safety pin. Then I saw this one for a fraction of the price & thought maybe a different company would still be like the more expensive stun gun I bought locally.\\n\\nComparing the two, they are both about the same size, come with a carrying pouch (this one here comes with a cloth carrying pouch that's pretty tight on the stun gun, so getting it free is a slight hassle) and both have flashlights (this one has a brighter flashlight).\\n\\nDo both of them look and sound as intimidating? Yes. I haven't done the hot dog test yet to see if both are equally as strong, but was told by a security expert to try it & see for myself just what the locally purchased stun gun could do. I have no idea if the one I purchased here is strong as the one I bought locally.\\n\\nI will comment & say though that the spikes on this one are smaller & it has 2 little sharp prongs between them. The little prongs are sharp too, so I am being careful not to scratch myself.\\n\\nThere is an indicator light on the bottom of this to see when it is charging.\\n\\nI like the soft rubber feel to this stun gun & really am happy it comes with a safety pin. It's easy to use, fits alright in my hand & sounds really intimidating while testing it out. This also comes with a short instruction manual that helps out a lot, especially in giving examples of where to touch this to an attackers body.\\n\\nFor the price, overall I am happy with this purchase & think this would make a great gift for anyone who jogs, starting college, works late evenings, or even delivery people who come across stray dogs while they are out.\\nOne note I will say this is a small size & goes nicely on a belt without being bulky.\\n\\nThis is a great stun gun & holds up well to the more expensive versions. I am very happy to have this and plan to order a couple more to give away as gifts.\",\n \"Product: 100% Brand new and high quality The tactical self-defense pen is made of aviation aluminum through type III hard anodic oxidation, which can be your perfect self-defense tool for emergency. Provide nice writing tools with high performance and bodyguard for emergency Diamond thread design at the handle, excellent anti-skid ability Effect tactical action, improve safety coefficient Strong attack defense head, control criminals effectively Can be used as broken glass apparatus for quickly escaping when driving in an emergency Manganese steel pen holder: Accord with ergonomics design, easy to hook on your backpack, bags, notebook Aviation aluminum material made, durable and practical Smooth business pen, round pen tip, comfortable and stable Material: Aviation aluminum Size: Approx. 14.5*3cm (L*D) Color: Black\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: great for self defense\\n\\nReview: These are priced reasonably. Can be used as a concealed weapon if you are under the age to legally buy/carry a gun. Works well especially in states where mace/pepper spray or knives are not legal. This isn't actually considered a weapon so you can take it everywhere with you.\\nIn a self defense situation you won't want this rolling around at the bottom of your purse or laptop bag. You want this clipped to either the inside of your shirt, or inside the pocket of your pants- where you can easily and quickly grab it. I do mean have it steadily and firmly in your hand ready to use- quickly.\\nIn my state you can get in a lot of trouble for using excessive force and doing a lot of bodily damage- so I opted for something simple to carry on me that I can use in an emergency if someone were to grab me. I hate the idea of someone being close enough to grab me, but if you're caught off guard, at least something like this can help you escape.\\nSome easy ways to use this pen- if you're in your car with the window down and someone reaches in to grab you, poke them in the hand HARD. someone grabs you from behind at the ATM, once again, jab them hard on the arm or hand. One of these points to the arm, top of the hand, kidney, groin area or throat will make an attacker stop long enough for you to run. I don't mean to use this in a way that will damage someone pretty badly, just use it with enough force to make sure you can escape.\",\n \"Product: Small screen crack along left side. From bottom to mid screen on LH side. Does not affect touch performance or display integrity. Phone only. No charger or memory card. Standard internal simm for this model TracPhone.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Can't beat the savings. Great phone.\\n\\nReview: First of all I want to make it clear that I am not one of those people who got this phone in exchange for a 'honest' review.\\nI bought this phone because I am a 'light' phone user & want to spend as little every month towards phone service that is possible. This brought me to Tracfone. $10 a month cards with triple minutes, plus carry over that stays active for 6 months at a time if you use the phone at least once in that time period. But then Tracfone got even better with android phones that are wifi capable (install text/calling apps to use on wifi without using up your phones minutes). See where I'm going with this?\\nMy requirements for an android phone are to at least have a 4.5 inch gorilla glass screen, decent camera that is front/back facing with a flash, run nothing less than android 4.4, be on the Verizon network (a deal breaker. I refuse to use a phone on Sprint towers due to terrible signal & blackout days), no SIM card at all (too much hassle to activate).\\nThis phone might not be running android 6.0, nor be an iPhone, doesn't have the latest technology but it works for what I want it to do & is what I was looking for in an android phone.\\nActivation is easy as well. Go online to Tracfone's website, click on activation & enter in the required information, on the phone itself click on what ever window pops up to complete activation, make that one last phone call & hear the recorded message that your phone has been successfully activated. Simple.\\nNow it might be a hassle to some people to use 2 separate phone numbers (a text/calling app phone number-plus your given Tracfone number) on one phone but if you really think about how much money you are saving each month/year by switching to Tracfone & using wifi for the heavier calling/texting/data (for free) it really isn't a hassle anymore. It just makes sense. Why pay more when you don't have to?\",\n \"Product: Stay connected with the Tracfone Motorola E MTX830CP 3G Android. It provides you with all the features you want in an elegant and compact size. The 4.3\\\" touchscreen gives you a large display to view videos and pictures clearly and sharply. An Android 4.4 (KitKat) operating system ensures this Android smartphone has better processing speeds. It also comes with a powerful battery able to last many hours for your convenience. With 3G capabilities, this smartphone ensures you better internet connection and stronger service provider signals. In addition to its large internal storage space, this phone also supports external SD cards. Talking, texting and surfing the Web are super-simple on this stylish, compact prepaid smartphone. Stay entertained with access to over 1,000,000 apps and more on Google Play.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Made such a great gift I bought one for myself too!\\n\\nReview: At first this was a gift for my husband because the phone he had the screen broke. I wanted to get him something he could also listen to music on & of course thought of Tracfone because of the low monthly plans available. When I saw this phone I took note of the many good reviews saying the camera took great pics (in bright lighting), also video (also in good lighting), has a glass screen, water repellent back, also is by Motorola (a solid company).\\nThis phone has wifi capabilities, hooks up to blutooth devices, including wireless headphones, the camera takes wonderful pics given there is enough light or else there's a little feature on it that you can lighten up a 'dark' picture before taking the pic, the video is nice with good lighting & the sound quality during calls or playing music is excellent. 4g of internal memory after all the factory apps doesn't make the phone slow & it can hold a 32g micro sd card for those apps that can be put on a sd, or music and videos. I am able to run the \\\"This Life\\\" app by Shutterfly to upload all my pics & videos onto, or just view them on the phone. There is an internal music player, GPS (that works, thankfully), google search by voice. I like that service is only $10 a month on the pay as you plan with Tracfone, which is broken down to 90 min of calls ($1 a min), 90 texts & 90 mb (how ever you say that one) of data. I use a text app so while i'm connected to wifi I am able to text for free on the app without using any of my 90 texts from the Tracfone plan. Calls, I still do make on the Tracfone plan, because there just isn't a free wifi app to make those. Bummer.\\nAll around this phone is great. I bought it initially for my husband & really like it so I bought one for myself too! We haven't had any problems at all with these phones. I have taken so many pics and videos already & have a ton of songs saved on my sd card. the phone works wonderful & loads apps fast.\\nI have read reviews saying this phone is on Verizon but in my case, I'm not sure if the phone is or not, because sometimes I have a poor signal & other times there's a strong signal-either way, I haven't lost a call yet due to bad signal!\",\n \"Product: High Quality Outdoor Vinyl\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Large enough to be seen\\n\\nReview: This is actually a nice sized (sorry I don't know the exact size) white back with black print decal.\\nI have it on the trunk part of my car, not the bumper (and no worries, it has not peeled the paint off my car, thankfully).\\nIt is a good size so you can clearly see the lettering from a few feet away and being white back with black print it wouldn't matter what color of vehicle you place this on as it will show up clearly.\\nMy town is small and there are several homes displaying ProLIfe signs on their yards so I wanted something that could be seen more than just in front of my house and this decal works perfectly.\",\n \"Product: If you're looking for a basic, reliable phone, look no further than the CEZ260 desktop corded phone by Uniden. The simple design features a large base with big buttons so you can easily see individual keys and dial outgoing numbers. The large LCD screen displays all the information you need to take accurate messages including the name and number of incoming callers, the date and the time. Both the ringer and handset volumes can be adjusted so you can set it to your personal preferences. Use the 60-caller ID memory to review the history of previous calls, the 10-phonebook memory for storing your most popular numbers, and the three one-touch memory keys to quickly dial the numbers you use the most with a touch of a button. The CEZ260 is an affordable solution for those who want a quality phone without the hassle of multiple features.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: more bad than good\\n\\nReview: This phone has large buttons that are easy to see so I wanted it for my grandmother.\\nWhen I put the phone on the table it kept sliding around every time she was using it. Then the phone itself is so large it really was awkward keeping it on our table, so I thought about wall mounting it. That didn't work out really well either.\\nMy biggest complaint about this phone is when ever we called out it echoed while speaking and listening to the other caller as if we had it on speaker phone. I turned down the listening volume & that didn't seem to do any good. This phone is absolutely horrible to listen to your callers on.\\nThe size is bulky & hard to keep in one place because it is so light. The sound is horrible.\\nIf I had known this phone would be so bad i wouldn't have wasted the money on it.\",\n \"Product: May not be shipped to NY. or CT.\\nDemon WP is a wettable powder,low odor,long lasting residual insecticide Active ingredient: Cypermethrin 40.0% Four water-soluble packets per envelope \\nEach Demon WP envelope yields 2-4 gallons \\n\\nWorks on :ants, carpenter ants, crickets, cockroaches, (Not so well on German roaches), Use Invict bait instead, works great on the larger cockroaches(The larger ones from the outside), spiders, scorpions, carpenter bees, box elder bugs, firebrats, silverfish, cockroaches, sow bugs, and other insects.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Nothing works better than Demon WP\\n\\nReview: I've been using Demon WP since 2012. At first I bought it because we had roaches, the small fast ones that you can never move quick enough to squish & the big ugly ones that make your skin crawl just looking at them. This worked so well in killing roaches that every year I'd buy another pack to use. by 2014 the house was pretty much roach free & has stayed that way ever since.\\nNow that there are no roaches to be seen, I assume they are either all dead of hiding from me, there have been spiders, a 'child of the earth' (if you don't know what it is, google it... i thought roaches made my skin crawl till one of these crawled on me.... ), scorpions & an occasional army of ants. We don't live in AZ & the scorpions here aren't aggressive or poisonous, so those tenants I try not to evict. Some spiders I don't have issues with either, except for the poisonous kinds like widows. In such cases I will double up the strength of Demon for a special once over the house in all hopes of either scaring every living arachnid out of this house, or killing what fearless ones that stay behind.\\nSo far I've found a dead 'child of the earth' (which means there must be more, thankfully I haven't seen them), scorpions & yes, spiders. Mostly all these bugs hide out in the garage where it is mainly dark, quiet & lots of hiding places. I pay extra attention to the dark crevices when I spray.\\nEarlier this morning my 2 cats were playing with a widow. Yes, my heart stopped for a minute there when I realized my cat was 'mouthing' a live widow! Poor spider probably didn't sign up for a cat spit bath this morning, but I am thankful that my cats caught it before my one year old son was able to pick it up thinking it was something to play with. From the research I've done, widow bites can be quite dangerous to pets, young children & older adults causing trouble breathing, high blood pressure, vomiting, diarrhea & severe pain, etc.\\nI'm guessing that since I went around the house putting drops of peppermint (said to ward off spiders) oil it must have drawn the spider out of its hiding place. No telling if the spider was offended by the smell or was attracted to the possibility of a candy cane free for all buffet. Either way, once again I pulled out the Demon WP to give the house a good once over so I can rest easy tonight knowing that no more spiders will face impending doom via a cat spit bath, then probably inevitably being eaten.\\nNow, from what I have read about Demon WP it is considered safe once dry, although it does leave a white residue behind. Its good to open up windows while you spray because it stinks (not the 'if i spray some room spray it will go away smell\\\", its more the 'oh what is that awful smell\\\" stink). Like I mentioned above, I buy a pack of this once a year to spray in Spring when the bugs start coming out & always have a little left over to retouch up in Fall when the cooler weather seems to bring out the scorpions & spiders. I do keep the cats/baby out of the rooms I spray until it is completely dry. I'm not certain this is water proof, but after mopping it seems to keep working.\\nI have used this outside too to spray inside the water meter (more for me than the water man, for those occasions i have to clean the dial), around the yard for fleas, flies and ants. Immediately after spraying the bugs start to die off with contact, especially an entire ant colony within 20 minutes after spraying directly into the hole & around.\\nIn all the years that i have been spraying bugs around the house (I have arachnophobia) Demon WP is the strongest I've found to kill even scorpions. So far it isn't one of those poisons you spray & 3 months later it stops working. In my house this has worked on it's own for a whole year.\\nI've attached a picture of what the envelope looks like, there are 3 small packs of powder inside each one. I also attached a picture of the poor chewed up widow (the details in the pic are terrible. this widow had 2 white circles on the top & 3 red dots on the belly)\\nOn a side note I want to mention that I don't have an overly large house yet 3 packs of powder will last me a year considering I double the packs to spray one time, then go back again in Fall with a single pack to spray again.\",\n \"Product: Weasel nut gatherer #95306 easy to roll - weasel nut gatherer is an easy to use rolling pick up tool for garden and home. Picks up pecans, Acorns, walnuts, butternut, hickory nuts, chestnuts, filbert, gum balls, seeds, Nerf darts, rival Nerf balls & more. Easy to roll. No bending over. Saves time. Also picks up fruit & small balls. Some users report using the weasel nut gatherer to pick up: small pine cones, seed heads, shotgun shells& a variety of other debris. Using the Garden Weasel large nut gatherer: simply apply the nut gatherer to the area to Pick-up with a back &-forth motion. Repeat the process until the gathering basket is at full capacity. When finished - spread the tines apart over a bucket to empty.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Built sturdy and worth it\\n\\nReview: We have 2 pecan trees in our back yard and every year picking pecans is such a back breaking job. I have the older version of this that does not roll but you push it onto the pecan and it picks it up. When I saw this rolling kind I knew it is a must have.\\nEveryone who has picked pecans knows the hassle of finding them buried in leaves and how back breaking it can be bending over and over again.\\nThe metal roller part of this is quite large compared to the older fashioned metal pecan picker upper that I have (does not roll) so I am confident that many more pecans will be picked up with this gatherer.\\nI did notice that the metal wires are not flimsy at all and feel strong enough to last several years. This is very easy to roll and I look forward to using it this Fall and Winter to gather all the pecans that fall (probably will be quicker and more efficient, less painful than last year).\\nFor the price and knowing how painful my back gets during pecan season this is worth a try.\",\n \"Product: Demon WP (Water-soluble Packets) Insecticide is for crack and crevice and/or spot applications for residual and contact control of Ants, Carpenter Ants, Cockroaches, Crickets, Spiders and certain other insect pests. The Demon WP water soluble packets make mixing and use very easy when used with a 1 gallon compressed air sprayer. (See our selection of sprayers in our Tools and Sprayers section). Demon WP is for crack and crevice or spot treatment for residual and contact pest control in, on and around buildings and structures and their immediate surroundings and on modes of transport. Permitted areas of use include, but are not limited to, industrial buildings, houses, apartment buildings, laboratories, buses, greenhouses and the nonfood/feed areas of stores, warehouses, vessels, railcars, trucks, trailers, aircraft (cargo and noncabin areas only), schools, nursing homes, hospitals (non-patient areas), restaurants, hotels and food manufacturing, processing and servicing establishments.\\n\\nDemon WP Authorized by the USDA for use in inedible product areas in Federally inspected meat, poultry and egg processing plants.\\n\\nEach foil envelope of Demon WP Insecticide in Water-Soluble Packets contains four water-soluble packets of Demon wettable powder (WP). The foil envelope must be opened for use. Because water-soluble packets readily dissolve in the presence of moisture, do not allow them to get wet before adding to the applicator tank.\\nWear dry gloves when handling the water-soluble packets. Handle with care because excessive handling may cause rupture of the water-soluble packet. Unused water-soluble packets should be stored in the original foil envelope, folded over to minimize exposure to moisture.\\nDemon WP Insecticide in Water-Soluble Packets are intended for dilution with water for applications. Always read the label before use. Must be used according to the label!!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Works every time I spray it\\n\\nReview: Works every time I use it. Within days our bug problem is always gone. I use this in the Spring and again in Fall to keep the bugs at bay. We get terrible roaches here that seem to multiply quickly and when a neighbor has bugs, you end up having bugs too- especially after they call the exterminator. Well, I don't have money for an exterminator so I stock up on Demon WP and it works every single time I spray.\\nWe haven't had a problem with bugs in over 6 years now that I have been spraying Demon WP around the perimeter outside and then inside the house. It also helps to cover up cracks in the walls, floors, windows and doors to keep bugs out too. Most recently we had a spider problem out on the front porch that moved to the carport and I do mean tons of spiders of all different shapes and colors, even some widows were hanging around. It was so bad that I was afraid to step out on the porch for the mail because the spider webs were getting so thick around the mailbox. I sprayed Demon WP and within hours every single spider was dead on the ground, even some I didn't know were hiding behind the mailbox.\\n\\nI've used this on ants, spiders, scorpions and roaches to name a few and even some crawlies that I can't recall the names of. It works well. Once the spray has dried it leaves a white film though that the package says is harmless to pets and children, which I cannot say for sure is but we have 3 cats and a 2 year old and have no problems spraying this indoors. I do stay away from the kitchen counters though and where food is stored just in case but everywhere else I spray, especially under cabinets and sinks, around the washer and dryer.\",\n \"Product: The power is in your hands to keep your landscape in line unleash it with Spectracide lawn and garden products. Our easy-to-use, fast-acting insect, lawn disease and weed control solutions help you tame lawn and landscape invaders with incredible pest-punishing power. Take command with Spectracide brand. You hold the power. Spectracide Weed & Grass Killer2 is pre-mixed and ready to use for spot treatment of weeds and grasses. Use it on and around patios, walkways and flower beds. This formula is rainproof in 15 minutesrainfall or watering after 15 minutes wont wash away effectiveness. Spectracide Weed & Grass Killer2 kills down to the root and delivers visible results in as fast as 3 hours. Plant new flowers, trees and shrubs in the treated area after just 1 day. When used as directed, Spectracide Weed & Grass Killer2 works the first time, every time! For best results, apply during warm, sunny weather when the temperature is over 60 degrees. Completely cover the leaves of the target vegetation. Protect desirable plants with a piece of plastic or cardboard if desirable plants are accidentally sprayed, wash with water immediately. Do not mow, cut or otherwise disturb treated vegetation for at least seven days following application. Do not use on or around edible feed or food crops. Guaranteed results or your money back see product label for details.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Didn't exactly work for me\\n\\nReview: I have high hopes for this spray because there are several patches of grass that have taken over my yard, especially in the sidewalk cracks where grass has grown so thickly that it is hard shoveling it out of there. I wanted something to kill the root and make removing the grass easier, but so far it hasn't done much good in killing the grass between the sidewalk cracks - which is probably because the grass is so thick - I would need a couple bottles and extra shoveling to remove that grass.\\nI am going to use this in the summer again for when the grass starts creeping up around the perimeter of the garden to keep it from actually going into the garden bed. This should do the job nicely and it is easy enough to spray without having to hook it up onto the garden hose.\",\n \"Product: Sun Joe MJ408E Mow Joe 20-Inch 12-Amp 3-in-1 Bag/Mulch/Side Discharge Corded Electric Lawn Mower\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: All metal, quite to run and start up is easy as pressing a button\\n\\nReview: *UPDATE 2/20/17*\\n\\nJust a little update. I mowed the yard today and am impressed. This mower is lightweight, doesn't sound like a tractor and is easy to maneuver especially on a little incline that we have on the side of the house and in the alley. The yard looks very nice and this mower was able to mulch all the dried leaves that didn't get picked up without an issue.\\nIt did take a little bit of getting used to the cord but once I had the hang of it, it was smooth mowing after that.\\nOnce again I'd recommend this mower.\\n\\n**************************************************************************************************************************************************************\\n\\nFirst impression - very heavy, at least for me anyways. Set up was quick and painless - took about 20 minutes to figure out how to get the handle on the right way, but that's just me...\\nThis is an impressive mower and I am normally one for gas mowers but have used electric in the past - I do love this mower because once it is out of the box and I don't have to lift it anymore it isn't so heavy that it can't be pushed with ease. The entire bottom part is metal, the only plastic on here that I have found is the motor cover and that seems to be sealed on there tightly so there's no need to remove and clean the motor.\\nBasically everything you need except the cord is included in the box. I have a medium size yard in a very dry climate so bagging the grass clippings is not an option for me with all the dirt and emptying the bag just slows me down. I'd rather mulch the clippings and be done with it.\\nI don't mind the cord either, because it sure beats having to mess with tune-ups for a gas mower and pulling the cord to make a gas mower start. All I have to do here is push a button and this mower starts up. Easy. And it is less noise than the monster gas mower I had before that literally could be heard 2 blocks from my house, it sounded like a tractor every time I mowed the yard - couldn't mow first thing in the morning without waking my neighbors. Well, now I can mow anytime without waking anyone up.\\nSomething tells me that this year I will have one of the best cut yards on the block.\",\n \"Product: No matter what size your aquarium, Instant Ocean sea salts and water care products offer the smartest, easiest way to bring to ocean home. Our scientifically formulated sea salts are used exclusively by many of leading large-scale aquariums and research facilities across the country. Instant Ocean Sea Salt is the most carefully formulated and universally preferred sea salt in the world. The #1 choice of hobbyists, public aquariums, and scientific research facilities, Instant Ocean Sea Salt has set the industry standard for quality, consistency, and value for more than 50 years. Mix Instant Ocean with ordinary dechlorinated tap or purified water. NOTE: To prepare small quantities, use 1/2 cup of Instant Ocean per each U.S. gallon of water. Mix as directed. Stir vigorously to ensure a good mix. Although the Instant Ocean solution may be used immediately, we suggest aerating the water until it achieves oxygen/carbon dioxide equilibrium. Measure specific gravity with an Instant Ocean Hydrometer. Adjust salt level accordingly. If specific gravity is too low, add more Instant Ocean. lf too high, add more dechlorinated water. Change 20% of aquarium water every two weeks to maintain optimum water quality. NEVER mix salt in an aquarium containing animals.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: No problems at all\\n\\nReview: I've been a saltwater hobbyist (45 gallon) for almost 10 years now and since the very beginning have been using this brand of salt with no problems at all. The pricing is always competitive compared to other name brands but the salt to me is always the same no matter which brand you go with.\\nTo mix this salt I use R/O water in a glass jar, pour in the salt and then fill with water. I shake it for a few seconds and let it sit till the salt dissolves. When the salt dissolves I start pouring slowly into the tank and measuring the salt amount with my meter.\\nOther brand name salts that compare to this one are smaller grained and dissolve faster but for me, I have no issue waiting and I've noticed that on occasion over the years passed that if I do get impatient and pour some undissolved salt into the tank it doesn't seem to harm the fish or coral- some salts are not recommended to pour directly into the tank without dissolving first like I mention above in a glass jar with R/O water.\\nOverall I favor this brand and have used it for so many years that switching now seems pointless. I'd recommend to others as I've had no problems with this product over the years.\",\n \"Product: Canine Health is a pre-mix that is used as a base to make balanced homemade meals. Canine Health makes homemade dog food easy and is ideal for all dogs' nutritional needs. Made from organic grains and vegetables, simply use it as a nutritional base and add fresh protein (raw or cooked) water and oil to make a complete meal. Take the quality of your dog's diet into your own hands by feeding fresh with Canine Health.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: My dog loves it!\\n\\nReview: I bought this for my 8 year old German Shepherd/Aussie mix and she loves it! With all the chemicals in dog foods and recalls I didn't want to worry about what my dog was eating, so I tried this food out and it feels good knowing she's enjoying something good. My dog's health has improved, she has even more energy than before & is showing very little discomfort of a leg injury. What I noticed immediately is that her coat became shinier and softer. Then the energy levels went up even higher & this did not upset her sensitive stomach. The food is easy to make, takes just a few minutes & before you know it your dog will be waiting patiently for dinner every day. Mine tries to push me out of the way so she can eat it all before it's even ready.\",\n \"Product: The \\\"all inclusive\\\" Double Door Life Stages folding metal dog crate by MidWest Homes for Pets includes all of the features you will need to provide a convenient, safe & secure pet home for your best friend. This metal dog crate includes a free divider panel allowing you to adjust the size of the dog crate while your dog is still growing, a plastic leak-proof pan for easy clean-up in the event of an accident, a strong plastic carrying handle for easy portability & rubber \\\"roller\\\" feet on the bottom of the crate to protect your floors inside the home. MidWest Life Stages also feature our patented side clips which reinforce the dog crate & reduce possible sharp points ensuring a safe experience for you and your pet. The Life Stages Double Door metal dog crate configuration (with front & side door access) allows you to situate the dog crate to best fit your floor plan & folds down for convenient storage. The 48\\\" Life Stages (model 1648DDU) measures 48L x 30W x 33H inches & is suitable for \\\"extra-large\\\" dog breeds. **Please note the term extra-large dog is subjective. For the best fit, we advise that you check the measurements of the actual dog crate against your dogs adult weight & measurements. Your dog should be able to comfortably sit upright, lay down & easily turn-around inside the dog crate. When in doubt we suggest you purchase the larger crate option. We at MidWest Homes for Pets understand that your dog is a part of your family & that's why we ensure our dog crates are manufactured with the highest quality control standards creating a safe home for your pet that you can feel confident with. MidWest Homes for Pets stands behind the quality of our products with our MidWest Quality Guarantee 1-Year Manufacturer's Warranty. If you have any questions about our dog crates our customer service department would be glad to help you. MidWest customer service can be contacted at: 1-800-428-8560, available 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Monday - Friday.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Perfect for litter box training\\n\\nReview: Reviews help me when I am trying to choose a product to buy, so I want to in turn leave a review for others who are in the market for a crate.\\n\\nThis is my first crate experience. A few weeks ago I came across a 4 week old kitten that was abandoned in the middle of a busy road. Without any time to prepare I took the kitten in and soon found out that kittens aren't born knowing what a litter box is. Duh moment here, yeah I know. The kitten started doing her bathroom business all over the house, so I confined her to one room until I could ask rescues and vet techs what to do.\\nEvery answer given to me was to crate the kitten with a litter box so she will have no other place to go than in the box.\\n\\nThat is where my search for a crate started. A crate needed to be large enough for a litter box, food/water bowls and a bed, plus room to move around- and I also consider future use as well once the kitten is an adult cat.\\n\\nI wanted a crate large enough to hold not only a tiny kitten but also a full grown adult cat, comfortably. The Medium size is what I ordered. What I should have ordered is a large though, because I've recently learned of people crating cats to transport them on long distance road trips- I have 3 adult cats, you never know when a crate will come in handy for them. But this is my first crate experience and for the purpose I needed it for a medium works well.\\n\\nThe bars are not spaced so far apart that a kitten would get her head stuck trying to get out. An added bonus is the front and side doors that both open with a large enough space to move around a litter box or clean inside the crate very easily.\\nSet up was very easy, no tools required and it feels sturdy enough that it would hold against a medium size dog, but since I have cats I can't say how strong the crate would be against a dog- I can say that my kitten hasn't managed to jail break though.\\n\\nThere is a heft to the crate, it is not light weight and does move easy with 2 handles that are included.\\n\\nI've attached a picture so others can see how much space is inside this crate with a small litter box, a food/water container snapped onto the bars and a medium size dog bed on top. I used the divider to create a 2nd floor to the crate so my kitten won't be sleeping right next to her litter box. So far my kitten is very comfortable spending nights in her crate.\\n\\nI'd recommend this crate to others who have either a small breed or medium size dog and of course those who are litter box training or need to crate a cat/kitten for any reason. Quality is great here and I am very happy with my purchase. In the future I want to get the large crate just in case there's ever a reason to crate my adult cats for either a move or medical. This crate also folds down easy, slips back into the box without hassle and stores away for when not in use.\",\n \"Product: A clay litter uniquely formulated combining heavy non tracking granules with medium grain. The result is an excellent clumping litter that prevents moisture from reaching the bottom of the litter box, while providing a clump that will not break apart. Ultra is perfect for multi-cat families and cat owners with sifting or mechanical litter boxes and it controls odor naturally without perfume, deodorants or chemicals.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Heavy bags but well worth it- no dust, virtually no tracking and minimal smell\\n\\nReview: All cat litter is created equal- right? Not quite.\\nI've tried several different brands of cat litter from store brand to name brands and one thing I've found is that those with heavy scents mask the smells but also have too much dust.\\nRegular non scented cat litters have quite a bit of dust too and the lighter ones that have no weight, those track too easy and end up everywhere. We have central heating and air conditioning, so the fine grains get tracked and then the dust goes air born- aggravating our allergies and my sons asthma.\\nNow I look for cat litter that is heavier, so it won't track as easy and virtually dust free with no scent because who wants to use the bathroom with such heavy scents that you can barely breathe?\\nI've bought a couple bags of this stuff already and compared it to a store brand that I'd been using for about 3 years now and this one hands down is heavier, does not track as much, virtually no dust and lasts just as long as the store brand- without all the dust.\\nMy cats don't seem to mind it at all, so that's a plus.\\nI change out the entire litter box and clean it once a month and fill with fresh litter- that is sent directly to my door (I'm sure the UPS man is happy with me ordering these heavy bags).\\nThere is almost no smell in the boxes compared to some of the other litters I've tried and I have tried both clumping and non clumping- I will not go back to non clumping!\\nThis is perfect. Clumps tight without breaking apart when I scoop too.\\nThe bags are heavy though, but well worth it.\",\n \"Product: Eliminates barking and annoying behavior by emitting a piercing ultrasonic tone that pets hate, but humans can barely hear. Stop dogs from jumping, barking and biting.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Keeping my fingers crossed on this one\\n\\nReview: I'm not going to give this a good or bad review. All I want to do is share my story & hope others will find this useful.\\n\\nRecently I added a 2 month old Red Heeler/Border Collie mix to our home (I already have a 9 yr old GSD/mix & a 2 year old Min Pin/Chihuahua)\\nUnfortunately my Heeler puppy is in full herding mode & literally bites the legs of both dogs & my 9 yr old GSD has severe arthritis in her back knee making it hard for her to walk sometimes.\\nI've tried everything from treats, obedience training, exercise, chew toys, verbal commands & nothing works to get my puppies attention when she is in herding mode. We're afraid she will bite someone one day or seriously injure one of my other 2 dogs. In all last hope of finding at least SOMETHING to grab her attention long enough to say NO I ordered this device. I'm hoping that with some time & training using both this and a clicker I will be able to get her under control. Otherwise she is a highly intelligent dog that learns quickly & aside from her aggression (yes, I do mean aggression, because she plays rough, growls & wants to maim anything in her way once she's riled up) she's a good puppy.\\n\\nI read the reviews about this stopping barking, so if it is enough to get a dogs attention & heed that behavior, then I am going to keep my fingers crossed that it will help train against biting.\",\n \"Product: Make snack time a feast for your dog's senses with Zuke's Z-Filets Savory Beef Recipe dog treats. Real beef is the #1 ingredient in this recipe, and every mouthwatering filet is seasoned with a combination of savory herbs for added flavor to delight your canine companion's taste buds. These meaty, grain-free dog treats are perfect for sensitive dogs, and they are made with the highest quality, whole food ingredients. Let your pup tear into a whole filet for a tasty reward, or tear each treat into pieces to provide motivation during training or out on your daily walk. With big flavor and a tempting texture, these healthy dog treats are sure to capture his undivided attention and help you feel good about offering a nutritious supplement to his daily meals. Live life off leash, and make these delicious dog snacks part of your canine companion's routine each day.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: a real hit at my house\\n\\nReview: I'm obedience training a 2 month old red heeler (anyone who has a cattle herding dog, you know how smart they are & how much they need training)\\nWell it's awful easy getting her attention with many other treats, but they were upsetting her stomach. I started trying these out because of the reviews & she absolutely loves them (without the upset stomach). Obedience training is back on track & these are a real hit in my house. The moment I walk out the door she is ready for a treat.\\nThese smell really good, like fresh jerky. They are soft enough to break into smaller pieces or just give a full piece.\\n\\nI'd recommend to anyone who is looking for an irresistible treat, because these ones even my other 2 dogs can't resist.\",\n \"Product: The Secret is in the fluff. Works like a magnet - cats love it! This Cat Bed is Electrostatically charged to capture dander, flea dirt, hair and dust. The ultra-soft polyester fibers act as an insulator, to absorb and hold the heat, keeping your kitty warm and cuddly year-round. Handcrafted in the USA. 100% Recyclable Materials. 100% Non-Allergenic. 100% Non-Toxic.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Looks like a cat sized cup\\n\\nReview: I bought this bed for my 2 lb kitten that is always looking for somewhere warm to cuddle up & sleep. It arrived quickly & looks just like in the picture. I'm not so sure about how well a cat would like the rough material on this bed, but it sure is shaped like a cup (my kitten will love burrowing in to sleep). After reading the reviews of other people's cats eating the bed I decided to put a pillow case on it just to be on the safe side. I'm pretty sure this is going to be a big hit in my house once the kitten starts figuring out there's a warm bed to sleep in (the other cats will want to try it out too).\\nFor the price it is a great buy. If this is a big hit in my house I'm going to buy another for the other cats who also want to burrow into this cat sized cup. :)\",\n \"Product: Adult Guinea Pig Food is made from timothy grass meal, which includes the high fiber adult guinea pigs need. However, it contains a lower level of protein, calories and calcium than alfalfa-based pellets. Adult animals' digestive systems do not require the same level as that of younger animals. Young Guinea Pig Food is alfalfa based and specially designed to provide high fiber, protein, calcium and energy required for young guinea pigs to thrive. The optimized, balanced protein and stabilized vitamins also help nurture pregnant and lactating animals.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: nothing better than this\\n\\nReview: My original review was about how healthy this food is for guinea pigs. Now a year later with my piggie I am still having trouble getting her to eat the basic pellets, but she does like Oxbow. She is healthy & that's what makes me happy, this has been a great food for her & the price here at Amazon is great compared to other brands the local pet stores carry (they don't offer Oxbow)\\n\\nI'd recommend this food to anyone who is feeding their pig basic pellets, because it is of excellent ingredients. If you are feeding the other types of food that have little color pieces of nuggets and seeds (which my pig absolutely loves, even though I don't want her eating those foods) this would be a good one to try and supplement in or trade your regular food for. Try it before you commit to this food, in case your pig is like mine and refusing to eat basic pellets.\",\n \"Product: The Secret is in the fluff. Works like a magnet - cats love it! This Cat Bed is Electrostatically charged to capture dander, flea dirt, hair and dust. The ultra-soft polyester fibers act as an insulator, to absorb and hold the heat, keeping your kitty warm and cuddly year-round. Handcrafted in the USA. 100% Recyclable Materials. 100% Non-Allergenic. 100% Non-Toxic.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Looks like a cat sized cup\\n\\nReview: I bought this bed for my 2 lb kitten that is always looking for somewhere warm to cuddle up & sleep. It arrived quickly & looks just like in the picture. I'm not so sure about how well a cat would like the rough material on this bed, but it sure is shaped like a cup (my kitten will love burrowing in to sleep). After reading the reviews of other people's cats eating the bed I decided to put a pillow case on it just to be on the safe side. I'm pretty sure this is going to be a big hit in my house once the kitten starts figuring out there's a warm bed to sleep in (the other cats will want to try it out too).\\nFor the price it is a great buy. If this is a big hit in my house I'm going to buy another for the other cats who also want to burrow into this cat sized cup. :)\",\n \"Product: Adult Guinea Pig Food is made from timothy grass meal, which includes the high fiber adult guinea pigs need. However, it contains a lower level of protein, calories and calcium than alfalfa-based pellets. Adult animals' digestive systems do not require the same level as that of younger animals. Young Guinea Pig Food is alfalfa based and specially designed to provide high fiber, protein, calcium and energy required for young guinea pigs to thrive. The optimized, balanced protein and stabilized vitamins also help nurture pregnant and lactating animals.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: nothing better than this\\n\\nReview: My original review was about how healthy this food is for guinea pigs. Now a year later with my piggie I am still having trouble getting her to eat the basic pellets, but she does like Oxbow. She is healthy & that's what makes me happy, this has been a great food for her & the price here at Amazon is great compared to other brands the local pet stores carry (they don't offer Oxbow)\\n\\nI'd recommend this food to anyone who is feeding their pig basic pellets, because it is of excellent ingredients. If you are feeding the other types of food that have little color pieces of nuggets and seeds (which my pig absolutely loves, even though I don't want her eating those foods) this would be a good one to try and supplement in or trade your regular food for. Try it before you commit to this food, in case your pig is like mine and refusing to eat basic pellets.\",\n \"Product: UroMAXX has established itself as a reliable Animal Nutrition Product company for 15 years and we are literally the only company providing a Liquid Supplement for both Cats and Dogs who suffer from Urinary Tract Infections, or Kidney and Bladder infections. Numerous Veterinarians are calling UroMAXX the breakthrough product for treating acute and chronic cystitis, hematuria (blood in the urine), and a host of other problems that are associated with UTD conditions. If you love your pets as much as we love ours, youll be pleased to hear that UroMAXX may also help to discourage struvite/ oxalate crystal formation, providing additional relief for your furry friends. Many other supplements use cranberry juice in their formulas, but UroMAXX takes it a step further and uses Pure Cranberry Extract and Glucosamine HCL to help nourish and strengthen the Urinary Tract Layer Lining. Our Proprietary Blend of herbal extracts is unlike any other on the market, which is why it provides the best results! Designed to be administered daily, our formula can actually prevent UTI problems from reoccurring and even occurring in the first place. Prevention and damage control are the key to solving UTI problems and UroMAXX has been recognized by our satisfied customers to do just that! Read Our Fantastic Reviews! Our Liquid Formula can be used as a safe additive to specialty diets and with regular use it may even eliminate the need for specialty diets to begin with. Easy to give, just drop directly on your pets wet or dry food. And if your pet is easy to handle, it can be administered directly into the mouth with our dropper. Full 100% palatability guarantee! Buy from the Most Trusted Pet Company for Over 15 Years! Youll notice the difference our products make in your pets life and youll be coming back for years to come! Shop around our storefront to see the other great products we offer!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Treatment and preventative in one\\n\\nReview: This is one product that I want to leave a review for so others who find themselves searching desperately like I was can find some hope here.\\n\\n A little over a week ago I caught one of my male neutered indoor cats peeing on my son's bed. When a male cat pees on something outside the litter box it can be a behavioral issue, spraying for territory or a UTI. My male cat sprays when he's upset about changes in the house, so this was not the first time he's peed on anything outside the litter box. What made this different and urgent was that I noticed him going in and out of his litter pan without being able to pee. I knew there was a problem and after Googling symptoms came up with the terrifying conclusion that he could have a full bladder blockage from the UTI. (You've been warned, Google can cause severe anxiety if you're looking for a diagnosis on ANYTHING).\\n\\nI live in a rural area with a handful of vets & that should say a lot. My cat peed on the bed Sunday morning (emergency vet is $100 just to walk in the door) and there is no way that at this given time I can afford a vet. Faced with an immediate urgent situation what do I do?\\nGoogle and go to Amazon.\\n\\nWhen I came across this UroMaxx I was the most desperate and terrified that my cat has a full blockage and will not be able to pee again after going on my son's bed. This is the first UTI I've ever had to experience in a cat before, so ill prepared as I was, this was terrifying.\\nI read the reviews and decided that this product is my hope in a bottle (thank goodness for 2nd day delivery).\\n\\nThe next day this arrived and I started immediately with a 1ml dropper full in wet food and my cat ate it up. This was the 2nd day of symptoms where my cat was not able to pee in his box but he did pee on the bed again that morning. There was no blood in his urine and he wasn't straining or crying in the litter pan, but he was sitting there long and going back and forth without being able to pee.\\n\\nDay 2 (day after starting UroMaxx) I gave another dropper full in wet food. Still straining. We got into a routine at this point where I'd go out to the room with the litter pans and my cat would run ahead of me meowing and jump in the litter pan so he can try to pee. No pee.\\n\\nDay 3. I am terrified my cat is going to have a full bladder blockage because I am seeing no pee in the box and he's still trying to go each time we go out to the litter pans together. I gave another dropper full in wet food and waited....\\n\\nDay 4. Dribbles of pee in the box this time when my cat runs out to show me that he can pee in his litter pan. Each night up till now there were tiny and I do mean about the size of large strawberry clumps of pee in the litter pan (which means no blockage and he was able to dribble overnight, just not at all in the morning time). Dribbles were hope. I gave another dropper full and became even more desperate watching my cat trying to pee and nothing more than dribbles come out, so I weighed him and adjusted the dosage of UroMaxx. My cat is 16.5 lbs so I gave 2 dropper fulls in wet food (directions are 1.5 dropper for a 16 lbs cat but I am desperate here)\\n\\nDay 5. No change just dribbles, but my cat is eating, and moving around more than he was before. He's taken an interest in his toys again and by now he's still running out to the litter pans to show me that he can or can't pee.\\nThat night, I am beyond desperate now and gave 1 dropper full in his mouth (I've given oral medication before so we know the routine and my cat tolerated me doing it) This stuff smells like chicken and is a brown liquid. He didn't mind, just licked his mouth and gave me a glare that what ever I did to him was not acceptable. Then he started running around like he wasn't sick at all anymore. I was hopeful.\\n\\nDay 6. Morning after giving a dropperful in the mouth my cat runs out to show me he can pee this time in his litter pan. A clump the size of a silver dollar. (I did a happy dance that day). I gave another 2 dropper fulls in wet food.\\n\\nDay 7. Wake up to my cat meowing at 4 am because he's hungry. Got nibbled on for not getting out of bed fast enough to feed a starving cat. This is the first time since my cat started showing symptoms of a UTI that he's woken me up for food at 4 am.\\nWe do our routine and he leaves a much larger lump in the litter pan. I didn't think it was possible but he can pee and without straining, no blood and his belly is not hard. I add another 2 dropper fulls in his wet food.\\n\\nDay's after 7 I am still adding 1 dropper full into wet food and my cat is showing no signs of a UTI anymore. What I did notice while my cat was sick is that his belly would be hard and distended. He would frequent the litter pans, go back and forth, scratch in one and sit there trying to pee, then jump in the other pan and do the same thing. He'd avoid drinking water and would only want to eat. He was still active and had no blood in his urine that I could see when he'd pee on the bed and he wasn't dribbling urine outside the box. After starting UroMaxx I noticed that he was more active, his belly wasn't hard longer than a few hours, he started slowly dribbling larger clumps in the litter pans and after a few days he was interested in drinking water again. By the end of the week on UroMaxx, it was like a whole new cat and not one that was sick for a week - he was playing, eating, running and jumping again, even waking me up at 4 am because he was starving.\\n\\nOther things I had to change with this experience.\\nI had to switch from dry kibble with 1 can of canned in the morning to ONLY canned with a bit of water added as their SOLE food. No more dry because dry kibble has about 12% moisture and canned for is 80% moisture. A cat's body needs about 78% moisture or they will be dehydrated. Generally cats that are on dry kibble are dehydrated because they are unable to get enough moisture from the food they eat and no matter how much they drink or don't drink from the water bowls it is never enough to make up for the moisture they should be getting in their food.\\nCats on canned or raw foods are less likely to develop crystals or bladder issues because there are more fluids passing through their bladders flushing out toxins and especially male cats need this to prevent UTI's and other serious issues that come with bladder issues.\\nYes, canned food diet for a household of 3 indoor male neutered cats is expensive and a cashier at the store the other day made a comment that my cats are 'spoiled' because they eat nothing but canned food. We can't think of it as spoiling them, but more of taking care of our kitties health.\\n\\nWater bowls\\nI have water bowls in every room of the house so that my cats can have a drink when ever they are thirsty. I only offer filtered water (bottled water) over our hard tap water, because I read that hard tap water might cause crystals in urine (not sure if that's true but I don't drink the tap water, so why should my cats?)\\n\\nClumping cat litter\\nIt is recommended by vets to use clumping cat litter with adult cats (not kittens because they can eat the litter and when it clumps it will cause an obstruction or hard mass that is impassible and deadly) so that you are able to visibly see and count how many clumps there are. Meaning, you know how healthy your cat's bowels and bladder are by the size of pee clumps.\\n\\nUroMaxx\\nI have 3 male cats and they've all been on dry kibble since kittenhood so it is about time that I help their bladders flush and this product has been wonderful in healing the UTI in one cat and helping to flush the other 2 to prevent issues.\\nThis is a wonderful prevention for bladder issues and I am giving 1 dropper full each day with wet food, per cat and have noticed an increase in the amount of pee clumps in their litter pans each morning and evening when I scoop. There have been no side effects that I've noticed from any of the cats and each one doesn't seem to mind the taste in their food. Once you open the bottle it has to be refrigerated though, which is something I didn't notice the first couple of days but now keep it in the fridge.\\n\\nLast words.\\nIf you've gotten this far and are terrified like I was over a week ago fearing the absolute worst that your cat might have a full bladder blockage or are feeling so helpless because your fur baby has a UTI, then this is a great product to try along with the other preventative measures in changing diet and continuing on with using UroMaxx to keep your fur babies bladder healthy. I can't stress enough how important it is to also change the diet and 'special' vet approved and pushed diets are no different (except in price) from any canned or raw food diet you can get on the market or make yourself. What matters most is the ingredients are not cheap (do your research on corn, fillers and gluten) and the canned food isn't totally water (80% or less moisture will do) then that is a big step up from feeding dry kibble and will help to keep your fur babies bladder healthy.\\n\\nI want to suggest one more natural treatment that I came across while researching and this is Apple Cider Vinegar with 'mother' and if you are out at the store and see it then this is supposed to be a treatment for even a fully blocked cat. Earth Clinic is a good place to find more information on how to use this and treatment for a cat or dog that is blocked or with UTI. You don't have to force feed ACV, you can drop it between the shoulder blades or on their paws DILUTED (always dilute ACV 50/50 with water) and it will absorb into the body and start working. ACV is safe for cats DILUTED with water 50/50.\\n\\nBut if you suspect your cat is blocked and nothing you are doing is helping then it is vitally important to see an emergency vet ASAP because within 24 to 48 hours a cats kidneys will start to shut down from a blockage and their bladder can burst which leads to death if not treated immediately after. This is where Google terrified me and I was fearing the worst and almost gave up and went to the vet until my cat started peeing on the bed and then dribbling pee. I believe this product works. It worked for my 3 year old male neutered cat.\\nI still have a bottle on hand and will order again before running out. I consider this a BIG lesson learned - don't feed dry kibble to a male cat.\",\n \"Product: Formulated without grain or gluten, this special formula is ideal as a high-protein, grain-free alternative diet. Turkey meal, chicken meal and whitefish meal provide high-quality protein sources to help develop and sustain energy and muscle function. Carefully-chosen vegetables and fruits, such as peas, blueberries, cranberries, apples, carrots and spinach contain antioxidants important for everyday optimal health. L-carnitine helps convert body fat into muscle and energy, supporting lean muscle mass and overall body conditioning. Balanced Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids play a vital role in establishing the lipid barrier of the skin, supporting healthy maintenance of your dogs skin and coat. Made with high-quality ingredients and processing technologies, Primitive Natural provides excellent digestibility and nutrient absorption. Earthborn Holistic pet food is made in our family-owned kitchens in the US. Packaging is BPA free and 100% recyclable through TerraCycle and our Earthborn ReBorn program.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: 5 paws up for this one\\n\\nReview: This food is for my 8 year old German Shepherd who has a sensitive stomach & skin allergies in the past.\\nWe've tried just about every natural, organic and holistic food in the past with some luck in finding foods that don't upset her stomach or make her sick.\\nThe very first days of her eating this food I mixed it in with her old one and there was no stomach upset. She loves this food and licks the bowl when it's empty. Immediately there was an improvement in her energy level *she already is a hyper dog, but now she's even more lively & vibrant*, her coat has started to get softer & shinier and less scratching.\\nI've found a better price somewhere else, but wanted to share with everyone how much we love this food & will continue to purchase in the future for my dog.\\nThe ingredients are natural and the company is here in the states. That alone makes a huge difference in choosing the right dog food in my opinion. I also wanted to point out that these are smaller bites so a dog of most any size except the toy or miniature would be able to chew these, even older dogs.\",\n \"Product: The most advanced Natures Miracle formula made for tough cat urine stains and odor which incorporates the best performing cleaning technologies. Deeply cleans to remove all pet mess traces, discouraging the spread of unsanitary pet waste. Pet-Block System removes pet pheromones and destroys odors on contact to prevent re-soiling. Faster drying to minimize tracking.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Cat people shouldn't be without this stuff!!!\\n\\nReview: Hopefully this review will save many the frustrations that I've already gone through. My trial and error....\\n\\nI have 3 neutered male cats and a female cat. All indoors only. My 2 males were raised as kittens and the 3rd male was an adult high kill shelter rescue (so he was neutered before he came home with me). The female is still a kitten and in fact she was found in the road abandoned- when I got her she was around 4 weeks old, had no idea what a litter box was for.\\n\\nOne of my male cats is 'high strung' and has anxiety. Nearly any event can drive him to peeing on the bed, furniture, pillows, floors and rugs. When we brought my son home from the hospital the cat peed on both of us while we were sleeping.\\nBoth males started spraying when they were about 6 months old (not yet neutered). Anyone who hasn't smelled intact male cat spray before, I will say it reminds me of having a skunk marinate its stink all over your fabrics and lay that out in the Phoenix hot sun for a week, then you know what I mean by stink. Well, that stink is nearly impossible to get rid of and when it is on your mattress it is even harder to remove.\\nI've tried ALL the home remedies. At one point I got so desperate to remove the spray smell from my recliner that I soaked the thing down in the purple bottle Listerine. My entire house smelled minty fresh for a week. The smell just came back though.\\nThat is when I did some researching on blogs about cats peeing and spraying furniture, beds and other things. There was only a couple mentions about Nature's Miracle in blogs so I came onto Amazon to see what this NM stuff is all about.\\nTHAT is when I found ALL the reviews and talk about how good NM is about removing cat pee/spray smell.\\n\\nThat was 2 years ago. Today i have learned and am here to share with you from experience what can hopefully save you the frustration and long hours going cross eyed staring at blogs you Google.\\n\\nFirst of all, male cats can and do start spraying around the age of 5 months and after being neutered my 2 boys took 4 months to COMPLETELY stop spraying. Then there's the cats like one of my males with anxiety that will pee on everything.\\n\\nIn the last week my anxious male cat has peed on the bed 2 times, my sons foam play mat, a pillow I had saved in the closet and 2 bathroom rugs. The vet says that my cat becomes over stimulated by even small events like visitors, someone out in the front yard that he can see or another cat he sees looking out the window. Well, something set him off and he's been a very busy boy.\\nI also must add that my 18 mo old has accidents occasionally where his diaper leaks during sleep and of course that smell attracts the cats to pee in the crib, especially the little kitten that has barely learned that litter box means = pee and poop INSIDE the box.\\n\\nOne of the first places my cat will pee is the bed. I have a memory foam topper on an old standard mattress. I have to pour a cup full of NM directly onto the pee spot and let it soak for an hour. If it still smells of cat pee then I pour another cup full and soak for an hour. Repeat until all I can smell is NM, then I blot it all up and let it dry. Usually it takes half a gallon bottle to clean up the mattress when he pees on it. Pillows are a little easier. I grab a large garbage bag, throw the pillow in and soak it with 3 or 4 cups of NM until the spot is fully saturated. Tie up the bag and let it soak for a day, then smell. If it smells like pee I repeat until it doesn't. If the pillow is washable I launder it, if it isn't then I air it outside in the sun till it dries and no longer smells of NM.\\n\\nOnce you have the bed all cleaned up it is time to think about a mattress protector ( I do mean a water proof kind). My suggestion is here, because this is what I use, doesn't mean you have to get it too, but it's just a suggestion so you know what I am talking about.\\nI use this waterproof mattress protector on my bed so that when the cat does pee all I have to do is wipe the spot with some NM and throw it in the wash. NO more struggling to get the mattress clean of the smell. You can also get pillow case protectors as well and there's even one made for cribs when kids pee the bed. They do come in handy. You can follow the link below for the mattress pad protector >>\\n<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/SafeRest-Hypoallergenic-Waterproof-Queen-Size-Vinyl-Free-Mattress-Protector/dp/B003PWNH4Q/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">SafeRest Hypoallergenic Waterproof Queen Size Vinyl Free Mattress Protector</a>\\n\\nNow, one last note is that when my kitten was learning how to use the litter box I had to crate her. For an adult cat you would need a large or XL crate but for a tiny kitten the medium size worked well for me. I used this one >\\nhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002TKBUS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and to clean up the bottom plastic when ever she would pee on it or just to make sure it didn't smell of cat pee because I left a small size litter pan in there I'd use NM to spray it down and clean the bottom plastic. NM works like a charm in cleaning out cat pee smell from plastic as well. There's so many uses! I even laundered the bedding used in the crate with NM to get rid of the litter box odors and it works.\\n\\nHopefully this will save someone the frustrations I've had. This stuff really does work and if you follow the instructions on the bottle you can't go wrong. There are so many things you can clean from fabric to plastic and even beds. I have even used this in the bathroom around the toilet when my husband misses and it works great. For fabrics, if you treat it fast before it has time to sit almost always NM will remove the stain.\",\n \"Product: The Catit Scratching Board with Catnip provides your cat with a corrugated scratching surface, while helping to protect your furniture from claw damage. A cat's need to scratch is instinctive. It helps them to sharpen and remove the dead outer layer of their claws, stretch and flex their bodies and work off energy. Catnip is included and by using the Catit Scratching Board, you are helping your cat stay active and healthy.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: my 3 boys love this pad\\n\\nReview: I'm not sure which my cats have enjoyed more - the box this thing came in, the cat nip it came with or the actual scratch pad.\\nMy 3 indoor only boys love and I do mean love this scratch pad. Everytime they walk by it they stop and scratch.\\nThe catnip nearly drove one of them mad, which he really did enjoy scratching and rolling around on this pad after i sprinkled nip on it.\\nWith 3 kitties this pad will last me maybe a couple months before needing a replacement - and they have a cat tree with scratching posts on it but this pad is their favorite.\\nI have 2 other already worn down scratch pads that I keep for them and no matter how new or used they still enjoy them.\\nThis one is a nice size for adult cats to lay on and roll around on.\",\n \"Product: Fresh Step Multiple Cat Scoop 25 lb litter strong enough for multiple cats\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The cat litter so far!\\n\\nReview: We have one 5 month old kitten and have tried a couple other top brand litters in hopes of finding one that doesn't leave the entire house smelling like cat poop, or her litter box smelling horrible after each use and this is the best cat litter we have found so far.\\nOur kitten does not mind the scent of this litter, even thought when first put into the box the scent is pretty strong then fades to a more subtle smell. We love that this is odor blocking and clumps well. We scoop every day and I clean out her box completely using fresh litter every 4 weeks. This litter does track and does have lots of dust when pouring from the bag.\\nI would not recommend this litter to any one with or cats who have asthma, because of the amounts of dust.\\nThis litter deserves a 5 star just for odor control.\\n\\nThe price here on Amazon is higher than what we pay locally, so shop around if you can, otherwise the convenience of ordering from Amazon is always a plus. In local stores we pay anywhere from $15 to $35 on a 42 lb bag.\",\n \"Product: There's nothing better than steaks cooked out on the grill. The sizzle and the great aroma make your mouth water! The only thing that beats the taste of steak is the joy of sharing it. So open up a bag and indulge your 4-legged pal in a delicious steak experience of his own with TBonz(R) Porterhouse Flavor.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: My dogs love these\\n\\nReview: Needless to say that I have 2 dogs that love, love treats. They have their favorites though & these are in the top 2.\\nI am happy about being able to order these from Amazon and save some money compared to prices in stores where I live, plus this bag is larger than I can find locally.\\nMy 10 year old GSD likes the softer treats, because they are easier to chew. And my 5 month old Red Healer loves these because her little puppy teeth are so small she eats slow.\\n\\nI use these as training treats, also as a treat after bath time. Makes getting in the bath tub with a 50 lb GSD easier than pushing her from behind into the bathroom for bath. It's just the water she doesn't like, soon as bath is over she's a very happy girl again. :)\\n\\nBoth my girls love these treats with a passion & I am very happy to keep these on hand for them.\",\n \"Product: High animal protein, grain-free recipe guided by our belief in raw, Instinct Original Real Lamb Recipe unlocks your cat's potential to thrive.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Seems to be good\\n\\nReview: I had originally bought this case for my 5 indoor only male cats because of stomach sensitivities but now am sticking to canned because of bladder issues with one of my male cats. One of my male cats has chronic bladder infections and instead of going on 'special food' or antibiotics every round of infection I've opted to feed only canned cat food with a very small bowl of dry kibble available throughout the day.\\nThis canned food has extra gravy which I do like because it keeps the food from being dry and adds the extra moisture male cats need (cats are naturally dehydrated as in the wild they get water from live prey).\\nWhen I open a can it smells very good, gourmet actually and my boys although not overly excited about some flavors will eat their food. This has not caused any stomach upset in my boys and the one with bladder issues has not had any more problems since switching to canned only food.\\nI offer this food along with another brand to switch up the flavors and brands as my cats prefer the other brand but I prefer this one because of the superior quality and nutrients.\",\n \"Product: Natural nutrition Plus Vitamins and Minerals and a taste cats love, combined in a convenient 16oz pouch. Purina Cat Chow Naturals is a dry cat food ideal for everyday feeding, with 100% complete & balanced nutrition that provides the 25 essential vitamins & minerals adult cats need. Formulated with high levels of protein like a cats natural diet, every meal includes real chicken, whole grains and garden greens. A natural fiber blend helps control hairballs.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: My cats love it!\\n\\nReview: We have 2 cats and used to feed holistic cat food before our budget shrunk down to super tight, so now we feed this one.\\nOur cats coats are glossy, soft and they both have no stomach troubles with this food.\\nOne of our cats is smaller in size and the larger bites of other cat foods are hard for him to eat, but he loves these ones because they are smaller (which means no mess on the floor or dumped over food dish to clean up)\\n\\nI like that the main ingredient is meat and not corn meal or some other unhealthy ingredient. Cat food is cat food, especially when you are on a tight budget and can't afford to feed holistic and natural specialty brands, but this food is pretty decent compared to some of the other store brands.\\n\\nI've bought this food for the last 2 months and will continue to keep feeding it to my cats. I have even used Purina dog foods for over 12 years with my dogs and they love it. Good company and good brand of cat food here.\",\n \"Product: Specially formulated urease producing bacteria targets strong cat urine. Removes yellow stains & residue left behind by urine & spraying. Formula continues to work until all traces of urine and urine odor are eliminated. Odor-Lock\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I wish I knew about this sooner\\n\\nReview: UPDATE *\\n\\nThis is now bottle #3. My male unaltered cat has come to sexual maturity & decided to mark his territory all over the house. Nature's Miracle is the only thing I can find to remove the stink from his urine. I have laundered blankets, rugs, clothes with no problems using N.M.. My cats latest spot to pee is the bed... a nice big puddle right in the middle of the bed (memory foam mattress topper included). I used an almost empty bottle of Febreeze & mixed in equal parts water/N.M. into the bottle so it's easier to spray not only small areas but also large surfaces at once. I soaked the bed & within hours the stink faded to nothing. I've also had to use that spray bottle to soak a cloth material recliner that my cat sprayed (he's been a busy boy). We have a large wool area rug that covers the living area that he peed all over & with the spray bottle I was able to soak the rug enough to remove the stink.\\n\\nI've mopped our wood (not sealed) floors with N.M., wiped down counter tops, cleaned the litter box & even used it on the walls (especially by doors & windows where he sprayed). There were no issues on any of the surfaces I used it on (be sure to spot check before you do though)\\n\\nIf you get to the puddle of urine while it is still damp, spray or saturate the fabric with N.M., as it dries the stink will go away & leave no stain. Of course you need to pull up as much urine as you can with paper towels or a dry towel before treating the spot.\\n\\nA word of the wise, plain old laundry soap does not remove the stink of cat spray (I found that out the hard way). Also, ammonia based cleaners will make the stink worse, even attract the cat back to where he originally peed or sprayed (cat urine is ammonia based).\\n\\nI'd recommend this to anyone who is dealing with cat urine smell. It also works in bathrooms for human urine too!\",\n \"Product: Earthborn Holistic Feline Vantage Food for Cats and Kittens offers optimal holistic nutrition for all life stages. Quality animal and fish proteins such as chicken meal, herring meal, salmon meal and whitefish meal help build and maintain muscle. Balanced levels of calcium and phosphorus help build strong bones and teeth. Guaranteed levels of antioxidant nutrients like Vitamin E and Vitamin C blended with nutrient-rich vegetables and fruits such as peas, blueberries, cranberries, apples, carrots and spinach help support the immune system, good digestion and intestinal health. Fully cooked wholesome grains like brown rice, oats and barley along with flaxseed are easily digested. Earthborn Holistic cat food is made in our family-owned kitchens in the US. Packaging is BPA free and 100% recyclable through TerraCycle and our Earthborn ReBorn program.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: No recalls from Earthborn, quality ingredients, less fillers (grains) and American made\\n\\nReview: My 3 indoor only neutered boys are very healthy and have been on this dry kibble for a year now. Before this food, they ate Blue Buffalo and Purina Cat Chow dry kibbles with 1 shared can of wet cat food per day.\\n\\nMy initial reason for coming to this cat food is that I wanted my boys to have something healthy to eat that was not made full of fillers and recalled ingredients that would make them sick of even cause them to be fatally ill. I've never found a recall on Earthborn foods and have seen this food listed on top reviews of companies that manufacture the best cat food on the market.\\n\\nSince starting this food I have noticed my boys coats are softer, shinier and they have more energy. I have fed this to one of my boys since he was a kitten and he is now a 17 lb very large cat with soft, fluffy fur and bright alert eyes. Good nutrition started early leads to healthy adult cats.\\n\\nMy boys still have hair balls and occasionally throw up bits of their food, but this is an improvement from other dry kibbles they have eaten in the past. I have noticed the litter box does not smell as bad anymore, which is a plus.\\n\\nAs with all cats in general and especially male cats there is a risk of bladder issues and crystals that can form because dry kibble is roughly 10 to 12 % moisture and a cats body needs to be 80% moisture and dry kibble just does not provide that. No matter how many water bowls, fountains or such you put up, it's impossible for a cat to ingest enough water to make up for the deficit in eating solely dry kibble. A cat on dry kibble is a dehydrated cat. And a dehydrated cat that becomes ill or has a fever will become an emergency requiring fluids and hospitalization. This is a lesson I've had to learn a couple times already and an expensive one at that.\\nWell, we are now transitioning to wet only food even though my boys did enjoy this dry kibble. It is to the point where one my boys has chronic UTI's and the only way to prevent future suffering for him is to be on an all wet diet.\\n\\nThis dry kibble is not the exact cause of my cats UTI because he's had them his whole life and well, cats require moisture from their diets in order for their bladders to remain healthy and an all or even partial dry kibble diet doesn't contain enough moisture to keep a healthy bladder or hydrated cat. It is my mistake and fault for feeding all dry kibble with a supplement of canned food, even though I believed putting up several water bowls would help prevent this issue from happening.\\n\\nI do believe this is high quality food with exceptional ingredients and am happy to say that we are going over to the canned version now instead because this brand is one of the best to feed.\",\n \"Product: Provide your small pet with hay, alfalfa and other grasses with the Super Pet Hay and Food Bin Feeder. This combo feeder has a built in hay dispenser plus a food trough for a fresh and clean supply of food. Ideal for rabbits, chinchillas, guinea pigs or other small animals. Available in blue, green clay, black and red colors. Actual size 5-3/4-inch long, 5-3/4-inch, wide, 7-inch high.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: just what i needed\\n\\nReview: My pig makes a huge mess with food. I waste so much when she knocks the bowl over or spreads hay all over the cage. I wanted something to help keep her food clean & easy for her to access. This works wonderful & it is the right size for her to use. She's chewed on it a few times already, but the plastic doesn't seem to be something her teeth can break. I had to wedge a cardboard into the bottom of the food part so she could reach her food portion & that seems to be working out well for her.\\n\\nSo far I have not wasted food & she's happy munching out of this hay bin. If my pig is happy, then I am too. This is a great find & I'm glad to have found it here.\",\n \"Product: Whether your fury friend is feeling reserved or social, the innovative Best Friends by Sheri 2-in-1 Pet House Sofa can meet her preferences. It is the first and only pet house that can be transformed into a sofa! In its house form your fury friend can find privacy and warmth, while in its sofa form she can get the benefit of a comfortable place to relax while still being able to socialize and stay cool. It features a durable foam construction that is flexible, light weight, and easy to manage. The exterior is made with designer printed fabric and the matching bottom is made with durable oxford fabric that does not attract dirt or dust. Weve also included a removable inner cushion for easy maintenance and cleaning. And you will appreciate that the entire product can be safely machine washed and dried, keeping it free of hair and odors. All Best Friend by Sheri products are made with the utmost attention to quality.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: One happy cat in his bed\\n\\nReview: I bought this back in 2012 for a puppy, but it ended up being too small. Then after having it saved for a while I thought of using it for my cats. One cat shown in the pic loves this bed. It is his sleeping spot during winter & summer. He is in that bed all the time. It fits perfectly & he is about 12 lbs, but rather small. The bed itself has held up great in the washing machine & dryer. I wash it out every couple of months to get rid of all the cat hair on it. The colors have faded some, but the overall softness of the plush material is still there. The bottom, top & sides are cushioned but the bottom is not. There is a soft cushion pad that goes inside though. I haven't used the house open with my cats because they don't like going into it. The cat here that sleeps on it all the time likes his bed the way it is. This has been his bed for over a year now & if ever it does wear out I will be getting him a new one.\",\n \"Product: Cats and Kittens loves these real rabbit fur balls. Brings out the natural hunting instincts in your feline. Cats will actually gently carry the ball in their mouth, perfect toy for teaching your cat to play fetch. My cat actually flings the ball in the air and chases it. Cats go crazy for this toy so make sure and buy plenty for back up.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: great fun for my cats.\\n\\nReview: I have 4 indoor only cats. 3 adults and 1 kitten- all are very active and enjoy playing with different cat toys.\\nWhen picking out balls, especially soft ones that can be swallowed accidentally I look for ones that are at least 1.5 to 2 inches. These feel on the small size but with all the fur it makes them seem larger. Traditional pom balls have been chewed down to small hard balls that can be swallowed easily so my cats aren't allowed to have the traditional pom balls anymore.\\nSince my cats love pom balls so much it was nice to find ones that are made of real rabbit fur and wouldn't be a material that can be chewed down to a hard ball- the inside of these feels like a piece of rabbit pelt wrapped up and either glued or sewed into a ball shape- no fabric or plastic and no small parts like a rattle that can come out.\\nMy cats went wild over these balls! One was carrying a ball around growling at it for a while- they feel like a real animal.\\nI've attached pictures of one of my adult cats playing with his new fur pom ball. You can see the ball looks larger with all that fur around it and they are soft to the touch. Shipping and delivery were both fast- within a week from ship to delivery. I wish I'd ordered 2 packages instead of just one.\",\n \"Product: Designed to fulfill a cat's instinct to lounge and play, the Curious Cat Cube (cat house / cat condo) of the Feline Nuvo line by Midwest Homes for Pets offers cozy comfort and a fun cat hide-away in a compact package. The cat cube (cat house / cat condo) is easy to assemble and folds down for convenient storage. The attractive, brown faux suede and synthetic sheepskin (model 137-BR) compliments any dcor. The Curious Cat Cube features a cushioned bed topper with stuffed bolsters for an elevated lounging spot and a cozy hide-away with a large entry for the optimum space for your pet cat to curl up and nap. The cat cube also features hide & seek side cutouts and hanging plush toys to promote play. We at Midwest Homes for Pets understand that your cat is a part of your family and that's why we ensure our cat condos / cat houses / cat trees are manufactured with the highest quality control standards creating a safe home for your pet cat that you can feel confident with. Midwest Homes for Pets stands behind the quality of our products with a 1 Year Manufacturer's Warranty. If you have any questions about our Curious Cat Cube our customer service department would be glad to help you.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Cats need furniture too\\n\\nReview: Since I have 4 indoor neutered male cats I've learned that the more 'cat furniture' is available, the less my boys will feel the desire or need to spray (even though they are neutered, one is territorial and will spray to make sure everyone in the house knows he lives here).\\n\\nI'm learning that cats need to feel like they have a place in a home as well and what better way of providing this comfort than with things cats love.\\n\\nWe have a large cat tree in the home and several beds, but when it comes to boxes my boys are always wanting to lounge or sleep in any box they find. I've also read that boxes help cats feel safe and comfortable in their surroundings because they are able to 'hide' and watch the world around them from a safe space.\\n\\nInitially I was worried my fatties wouldn't fit in the box, but right away the largest of my boys went right in and made himself at home.\\n\\nI've attached pictures of my fatty inside the box, how it arrived in the package, assembly was easy enough as folding it open and slipping the inner bedding inside, then attaching the top bed. The whole thing took about 10 minutes to assemble (mostly because there was a cat inside of it before I could get the top on).\\n\\nIt feels to be durable sides of a material I am not sure what it is because the screws that came with it to attach the ball wouldn't go through. The outside fabric feels like cotton and is soft, so are both the inside bed and the outside top bed. There is a little weight to this box fully assembled, maybe 5 pounds, but only heavy enough that it wouldn't tip over if there was a cat on top.\\n\\nFor the price paid I am impressed and would recommend to others who are also wanting to do some catification to their homes.\",\n \"Product: What you see as bad behavior such as destructive scratching or urine marking may actually be your cat acting out due to stress. Cats are creatures of habit so when something in their environment changes such as a recent move or even rearranging furniture, can cause them stress. Good news! You don't have to live your life putting up with these behaviors and they can be modified and managed by using Comfort Zone and Comfort Zone with Feliway products. Our Spray & Scratch Control Spray is vet recommended and clinically proven to reduce urine marking and to limit destructive scratching. How does it work? Cats use pheromones which are scents to communicate to other cats and affect your cat's emotional well-being. We've mimicked these pheromones that help cats feel calm and safe. When the pheromones are sprayed onto a vertical surface, it naturally signals to your cat that their environment is safe which helps reduce their stress and reduce their need to scratch or spray. Simply spray onto the object(s) or area on the walls that your cat likes to target. The Comfort Zone Spray dispenses a drug-free, unscented and odorless vapor that only affects the cats. The spray is a great travel option to spray in the car or kennel if your cat gets nervous on the road or on the table at the vet's office to help keep them calm. It can be sprayed on fabrics, upholstery, hardwood, and doorframes.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Helps keep the peace\\n\\nReview: This was a last resort and a recommendation to me as a way to help my 3 neutered male cats de-stress. For some reason one of my male cats (born feral- of feral mom & dad) gets aggressive sometimes. The vet calls him 'moody'. Well, moody has gone so far as to pee on everything of mine and attack one of my other cats ( a sweet calm kitty) to the point of making him bleed. I wanted a way to stop the fighting and peeing everywhere.\\nI spray this in every room of the house, every day. One bottle should last an entire month for a medium to small size house or apartment (if you spray it in several rooms like I do). It has a distinct scent to it that does not linger but you know it is there (can't say it is a bad smell).\\n\\nAfter spraying the cats all calm down and no fighting.\\nNow for the peeing, I can't say this has helped moody stop peeing on the bed or in my shoe. He's vet checked and has a clean bill of health. The problem is that he is high strung and easily upset... when he's upset he makes sure I know about it by peeing somewhere that I will surely find. Or he will pick a spot in front of me, make sure to stare me right in the eye and pee.\\nI have a moody cat. For that, there is no cure. But if I find one, I will update.\",\n \"Product: Pill Paste for Cats is a highly palatable paste used to help administer pills to your cat without the fight!.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great for pilling cats\\n\\nReview: My reason for purchasing this paste is because I had to buy a de-wormer for my 3 indoor only cats that are allowed outside occasionally. Well, the reviews on the de-wormer said it is very bitter and makes cats froth at the mouth, even the side effects warning said this is to be expected and has nothing to do with the medication itself. Well, the last thing I want to put my poor cats through is a terrible tasting pill that makes them froth at the mouth or gag, because I understand how that feels after taking bitter tasting prescription medications myself.\\nPill wrap is the answer. It was super easy. All I did was pinch off a small piece to wrap the pill in and pilled my cats. My boys are easy to pill, they don't struggle or leave me needing stitches so the whole thing was very easy and fast.\\nThen I gave my boys a little bit that I pinched off from the paste as a treat - they really love the beef smell and flavor of this stuff.\\nOverall this is a win win situation. My cats swallowed the pill I needed them to and they got a little bit of this as a treat aftewards. I also used a syringe without the needle to shoot 1 ml of organic raw coconut oil down their mouth after the pill, because my kitten had a hard time swallowing for his mouth being dry and nothing to move the paste down. The coconut oil shot helped greatly.\\n\\nThe paste itself is really thick and is easy to pinch off the amount you need. It isn't an overpowering beef scent, I'd say more like a beef jerky sort of smell to it. My cats all came to see where that delicious aroma was coming from when I opened the can.\\n\\nI've also uploaded pictures so that everyone else in my same situation of needing to pill a cat can see what they are getting. This is a good product and I'd recommend. Besides, who wants to taste a bitter pill?\",\n \"Product: Our unique feline vitamin+mineral supplement complex is designed to help provide optimum nutrient levels with guaranteed potencies to best meet your cat's everyday needs. In addition, our formula helps provide a complex of natural nutrients often lacking in pet foods that promote normal growth and longevity.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Keeps my boys healthy\\n\\nReview: These are easy to open capsules that you can sprinkle on wet or dry cat food. I sprinkle them on dry food with a probiotic for my 4 indoor cats.\\nMy cats vary in ages from 1 year to 4 years old. I've been giving them this vitamin for about 8 months now and have noticed shiny coats, lots of energy and healthy cats. I feed Purina cat Chow\\nAnd wanted something extra to supplement their vitamins to keep my boys healthy.\\nThis has worked very well and I'm planning to keep using it for however long it's available to order.\\nThe powder is fine and hasn't caused and problems for my cats to eat their dry kibble. They actually seem to enjoy the flavor because soon as I open one of these capsules they come running to their food bowl to eat.\",\n \"Product: The Oceanic BioCube features high-quality components and can be used for saltwater or freshwater setups. Enhanced filtration system features dual filter intakes to draw aquarium water from the surface and mid-water for improved water circulation and filtration. Replaceable 2-stage filter cartridge provides easy-to-maintain mechanical and chemical filtration. Bio-ball wet/dry filtration system improves gas exchange and provides efficient biological filtration. Viewing window for filtration water pump to ensure optimum performance. Includes a comprehensive aquarium lighting system with Cora life compact fluorescent lighting, Lunar Blue-Moon-Glow LEDs, and dual cooling fans integrated into the hood. Individual power cords allow timer operation for custom light schedules.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: great for a small tank\\n\\nReview: I have two 45 gallon salt water tanks and have been in the hobby for a little over 7 years now. I've kept a reef tank & now want something small. About 7 years ago I bought a nano cube from Oceanic and still have it. The ballast went out & the filter isn't working anymore. Otherwise the tank itself is nice due to the low maintenance & cost of replacing little things that go out on it. These smaller tanks are great for one or two fish only & corals. My tank is old, but looks great so once again I am going to create a reef tank in my nano. Salt water takes time to learn no matter what size tank you have, so don't let sales people scare you away from smaller tanks.\\n\\nThis is a great start if you are considering salt water, or reef tanks without having the money to put into a larger system.\",\n \"Product: Together Patch and Nora have overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past, bridged two irreconcilable worlds and faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for - and their love - forever.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I thought it was a good book\\n\\nReview: Maybe I'm the only one but this style of book is more my interest. I did enjoy Hush Hush and now enjoyed this one. I am looking forward to the last one and starting the Fallen series. These books are more teenage romance, fantasy. So, if you aren't looking for something so imaginative or youth based, then this would not impress some readers. The Twilight series was a great set to read. There are some tiny similarities I think between this and Twilight. Both have a reason why their romance can't exist and bad people standing between them. That's just my opinion. Oh, Amazon prices are unbeatable. This book was shipped nicely and protected and I am very happy with this and every other book I've ordered from Amazon.\",\n \"Product: Christina has spent more than 20 years leading Bible studies, but when she went looking for Bible studies on parenting, she couldn't find any. So she wrote, \\\"Parenting in Christ.\\\"\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A wonderful guide to parenting\\n\\nReview: I'd originally bought this book on Kindle and now having read it wanted a paper copy to go back and re-read, highlight and reference with my Bible.\\nBeing a first-time mom, it has been overwhelming raising my son (also a single mother) with a strong solid foundation based on Christ. I was raised in a religious home and want my son to also have an upbringing where he learns and builds a relationship with God throughout his life as well. My greatest weakness as a mother is not having a real role model to teach me how to raise a child and I have no help around either to turn to.\\nI was desperate and struggling with emotions out of my control, including anger and depression. Reading this book caused me to stop and think, to really evaluate my life and what I am teaching my son. I have to take notes in this book and reference the Bible for full meaning and understanding of the quoted Scriptures in this book, but what I am learning is invaluable.\\nEach chapter is small enough to read through but still thought to provoke enough to make you stop and think before moving on to the next chapter. I read this book one chapter at a time and sometimes have gone back to read the chapter again just to let it all absorb.\\nWhat have I learned from this book? Each person will take away something different from reading this book, but for me, I have learned that God is in control, that I am here to serve God and children are precious little blessings our Father allows in our lives. We must lead by example and teach the word of God to our children. I have learned gentleness, compassion, humility and to humble myself. My son is a gift from God and one that I am here on this earth to rise into a strong man that will also serve his Lord.\\nI cannot recommend this book enough to others who are also finding themselves seeking guidance and answers.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":50,"string":"50"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":392,"string":"392"}}},{"rowIdx":393,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A318QI2GIITH2X"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"2.0\" for a product with description \"Replacing standard wall outlet with Enerwave ZW15RM Z-Wave Wireless TR Duplex Receptacle and connecting it to your Z-Wave controller, you will enable your wireless control to home small appliances including lights, fans and other connected electronic appliances. With the Z-wave outlet, you can turn ON / turn OFF plugged device from smart phone, iPad, tablet and PC. You can also push the button under the LED light for manual control, whichever is more handy and convenient for you. Beside remote ON/OFF controlling function, as a Z-Wave switch, ZW15RM allows connected devices to be controlled in scene group or association group with other devices together, and can be automatically triggered ON/OFF by some other Z-Wave devices, e.g., ZWN-BPC ceiling sensor, or ZWN-BDS Door Sensor. With Z-Wave technology, ZW15RM makes your home a smart home and is the ideal solution for home automation, home improvement, home security and energy efficiency. The wireless control feature allows you to turn ON/OFF your porch lights from your cell phone even when you are on a vacation to abroad, giving the illusion that you are at home. Before going back home from work, turning the portable heater on from you iPhone, you can enjoy the warm room when you get home. ZW15RM Z-Wave Wall Receptacle brings users different lifestyle and huge convenience. It works with all types of Z-wave certified controllers including Smartthings and Vera. Another feature is that ZW15RM is the only Z-Wave outlet that features smart meter - REAL TIME ENERGY MONITOR. You can read the energy consumption from PC or some smart phone z-wave apps in real time for smart energy using. You still have another TR outlet ALWAYS ON for charging other devices that you don't need to be z-wave controlled. Enerwave provides various z-wave home automation solutions to enable entire home remote control, including z-wave wall switch, z-wave outlet, z-wave plug in module,z-wave ceiling & door sensor,z-wave dimmer,humidity control.\". The summary of the review text is \"Really disappointed in this outlet\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"1) Doesn't come with a wall plate. Description listed that it came with face covers which are not face/wall PLATES. Not a big deal, just something to keep in mind so you can order one.\n\n2) Doesn't automatically refresh power levels. Really disappointed in this outlet. I tried different device handlers and changed the settings to 1 second refresh and 1 watt reporting threshold but it juts doesn't refresh automatically to report power use. I have other plugs that do this just fine, but was hoping this outlet would, especially considering the cost. It costs a bit more than the GE/Honeywell outlets, but it boasted metering capabilities which I'm not sure the others have, so I figured I would give it a try. Only way I think of to get it to work \"automatically\" is to set up a cloud task that refreshes the outlet every 10 minutes (I am still testing this out to see if it functions as intended). Unfortunately, this will take up hub resources to process this refresh request that should be handled on board by the device.\n\nConclusion: So, it works great as an outlet, but if you want real-time power monitoring then this will NOT do that at all."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"1) Doesn't come with a wall plate. Description listed that it came with face covers which are not face/wall PLATES. Not a big deal, just something to keep in mind so you can order one.\n\n2) Doesn't automatically refresh power levels. Really disappointed in this outlet. I tried different device handlers and changed the settings to 1 second refresh and 1 watt reporting threshold but it juts doesn't refresh automatically to report power use. I have other plugs that do this just fine, but was hoping this outlet would, especially considering the cost. It costs a bit more than the GE/Honeywell outlets, but it boasted metering capabilities which I'm not sure the others have, so I figured I would give it a try. Only way I think of to get it to work \"automatically\" is to set up a cloud task that refreshes the outlet every 10 minutes (I am still testing this out to see if it functions as intended). Unfortunately, this will take up hub resources to process this refresh request that should be handled on board by the device.\n\nConclusion: So, it works great as an outlet, but if you want real-time power monitoring then this will NOT do that at all."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Upgrade your shower with this curved rod that increases shower and elbow room. Increase your shower space by up to 10-1/2-inch when rod is extended to 72-inches. This high quality, durable rod installs easily in showers up to 72-inch wide with the included screw mounted hardware. The rust resistant Heritage Bronze finish ensures long-lasting, good looks in any shower. Easy to follow instructions with illustrations are enclosed. Additionally, a toll-free USA based Customer Service department is available.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Not bad, not sure if worth the effort though\n\nReview: Pros:\n+ heritage bronze matches my faucet/showerhead perfectly!\n+ rod seems to be well made, no seams in the metal\n\nCons:\n- Install wasn't perfect. I would have preferred more aggressive screws for mounting the brackets and the set screw for the large side just didn't screw in all the way for me.\n- The curve of the rod isn't significant enough to justify this product, however its EXACLTY as pictured. Look at the picture, the bracket is about 1\" and you get about 3\" of curve.... an extra 3 inches of space for $40 and an install that requires putting holes into the wall?\n\nTip: when they say to move the bracket 0 to 2\" from the end of the shower opening, Then mean place the screws exactly on the line. I moved mine back about 3/4\" (so the bracket wouldn't stick out) when it should have been 0\" and it did leave a little gap where water could get out at the top of the front, but not a big deal.\n\nConclusion:\nIts a good looking shower rod, and as long as it doesn't rust anytime soon I'd say its worth 3 stars. However, the install requires you drill into your walls and the extra space is really minimal. I was expecting something like the curtains at the Hilton but it doesn't curve that much. Also the screws for mounting the brackets are so \"flat\" and fat that it is difficult to get them into the wall without pre-drilling first","Product: Fractal Design Define S No Power Supply ATX Mid Tower w/ Window (Black)\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Decent case. It feels like a cheaper version of premium cases. Designed for water cooling\n\nReview: <div id=\"video-block-RNRAB3GWEXHC0\" class=\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\"></div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/D1eQr%2BNrZtS.mp4\" class=\"video-url\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81t5vGah5tS.png\" class=\"video-slate-img-url\"> Some main points:\n\n* comes with 2 fans, but can fit up to 8 140mm case fans, 3x top, 3x front, 1 x rear an 1x bottom (side window version)\n\n* Does not have a door on the front. The front snaps off via plastic clips. It must be removed to clean the fan filters, but if one clip breaks then you have a broken front clip.\n\n* The vents at the top, once removed can only be reinstalled if you don't have a fan mounted there. IMO it looks a bit bad with the top open, you can see down into the case. Other cases I have used have all better hidden the top fans.\n\n* Designed for water cooling custom loops mainly. If not using water cooling, you may be better off with another case.\n\n* Currently $99 on amazon, I got mine much cheaper on sale + rebate. Paying $100 feels like too much for this case IMO\n\n* No 5.25\" front bays for disc drives, water cooling reservoirs, fan controllers etc. Kind of a let down since it takes away some flexibility and the only bonus is that you can put one more 140mm fan in there. You can already fit larger radiators on the top of the case, so it seems unnecessary to me to get rid of drive bay AND the front door. Seems like they were just trying to cut costs there.\n\n* Decent cable management features. I like the built in velcro straps. I have a bunch of my own but having them built into the case is nice.\n\n* Allows up to 2 hard drives and 2 SSDs to be mounted behind motherboard tray.\n\nConclusion: Its not a bad case by any means, for what I paid its worth 4/5 stars easily. At full price, I would definitely be shopping a different case however.","Product: Converts presta valve tubes for use with schrader valve heads. Handy for use at gas stations, if you are stuck without a pump.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Don't lose the O-ring!\n\nReview: So I used this and it worked fine for both of my bikes. Next time I tried to show my wife how to use it. I pumped up 1 tire to demonstrate then she used it on the next. I started putting the bike rack on the trailer hitch and she says \"its not working!\" I go over, take it apart and notice the o-ring had fallen out. It WILL NOT make a seal without that tiny o-ring, I tried. Then she said she remembered it fell off on the other bike while taking the adapter off. We found the o-ring put it back on and viola, it worked!\n\nSo yes this thing works great but if you lose that o-ring you then you will be buying another adapter.\n\nGreat price and works great, just be sure to store it in the small plastic bag so if the o-ring comes off while stored that you'll see it in the bag.","Product: The RaceQuip SFI Race Shoe provides extraordinary value. These shoes feature a soft suede leather outer layer coupled with a flame retardant Pyrovatex liner and padded ankles. The unique Achilles flex opening in the back of the shoe allows easy foot extension for full-throttle action. The durable construction features a reinforced lace area, double-stitched seams and a molded rubber sole that rolls up the back of the shoe to provide extra support for your heel while driving. Exceeds SFI 3.3A/5 rating. Available in Black only and in whole-sizes from Size 8-13.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Wish I got low tops\n\nReview: These look pretty cool and worked OK for driving. Decent pedal feel but the high top really cuts into your ankle area. At first it was almost unbearable and limited movement. As I've worn them in and tied them more loosely it is more tolerable.\n\nWith a full \"fire\" suit it isn't as noticeable but otherwise you are better off with low top shoes in my opinion. They fit loose in the toes and loose at the top strap but TIGHT at the ankle for some reason. this does loosen a little with wearing them but is still noticeable.\n\nThese were giving me a blister on my small toe even though they weren't too tight in the toe area. Also note: wear high socks with these. I'm not sure these would be acceptable for an endurance race.","Product: For a beautiful garden and lawn, proper watering is essential. At Gilmour, we offer a wide range of watering tools that make the job a pleasure. No matter the size or shape of your lawn, Gilmour has a sprinkler to fit your needs. This Impulse sprinkler has a wide, heavy duty polymer sled base for stability and a built in timer that automatically shuts water off. The dial selects up to 2 hours of watering or you can just put it in the ON setting for continuous watering. The patented impulse arm saves water by eliminating back and side splash and the diffuser screw allows easy fingertip adjustment of water stream for even coverage up to 5800 sq. ft. (86 ft. diameter).\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Already falling apart on me, all-plastic design, but great features\n\nReview: I bought this product based on the good reviews here as well as it having all the features I needed. I was previously using a simple sprinkler that would spray in a very small circle, but this one has more of what I was looking for to water my entire lawn in less \"moves\" than the other sprinkler.\n\nPros:\n+ Timer - love the timer, it works great, I forgot to turn off my other sprinkler a few times and it would overwater the area so this was nice\n+ Easy to adjust spraying area. You can adjust the area to be sprayed, or make it a full circle. And you can also adjust the distance of the spray.\n+ Decent distance spray out of the box\n\nCons:\n- Started leaking within a day\n- No longer sprays a pattern, just gets STUCK at one point and \"ticks\" there permanently so its useless\n- The spray distance dropped by about 5 feet or so within the first day or 2. Also noticed it leaking a lot out of the stem about the same time\n\nConclusion\n\nMaybe my water pressure is too low, which could have contributed to the inability of the sprinkler to get \"unstuck\" when spraying a pattern. But ultimately the sprinkler worked REALLY well out of the box, but within a couple days deteriorated rapidly. Loss of spray distance and now it won't even spray a pattern.\n\nI guess the 1 star is because it has all the features you could ever want in a sprinkler. If your water pressure is amazing (mine isn't bad I swear it worked out of the box) then maybe the distance will hold up and it also will be able to turn completely.\n\nI don't know what else to say except I was really excited and happy upon first using it. I thought I got the best sprinkler possible and it really sprayed far in a custom patter with a timer, but now I am again searching for another sprinkler. Price honestly wouldn't matter to me, I would rather look for a higher quality sprinkler than this.","Product: There is no drips or mess. Ants carry bait back to the nest where it destroys the entire colony. The active ingredients is permethrin.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Terrible design, great ant bait though.\n\nReview: I keep buying these (bought them twice) and both times I'm disappointed but I have used Terro liquid ant bait before and have had great results. Its just the design of these traps is terrible. I have many of the small, common household ants around my house and I've been trying to get rid of them. Usually Terro's liquid bait works well as I've used it before inside but I needed some outdoor coverage to stop them from getting inside to begin with.\n\nThe ant bait in the trap is not at an easy-to-get-to spot for the ants. Today I placed it RIGHT IN THE PATH of hundreds of ants and they completely ignored it and went around. A few even went up the ramp and near the opening, looked inside, and then turned away. I watched it for 10 minutes straight, with HUNDREDS of ants passing by, not a single one took the bait. So I picked up the trap and poured out the liquid bait and instantly, hundreds of little customers.\n\nI like terro liquid, I use it occasionally for ant problems and it has been effective in my experience, however I just can't recommend this bait station/trap. Just buy the liquid bait and apply it yourself.","Product: Pesky crabgrass threatening to invade your lawn? Prevent it all season long with Scotts Snap Pac with Crabgrass Preventer. Not only does the formula prevent crabgrass from popping up, it also feeds your grass for a thicker greener lawn. Apply it early spring for the best results.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: It definitely works if used properly! FESCUE lawn tips below!\n\nReview: So I recently moved into a new house last October, and now currently in our first spring/summer so the lawn is a little out of control.\nI have a FESCUE lawn in North Carolina, FYI, so others' experiences may vary.\nPrevious owner basically left it with a significant weed problem, no leaf removal, and the lawn was definitely not re-seeded and probably not fertilized in a while. It was no where near a total loss but it was headed downhill for me. While moving into my first house, fertilizing in October/November wasn't on my priority list so I missed out on that big time or I could've held off some of the weeds. Anyway, fast forward to may, the weeds are growing in some of the bald patches pretty heavily and I was spot-treating them, but it got out of hand. My lawn isn't extremely large so a bag of this lasts for about the entire front half of my lawn, which I am pleased with.\n\nI applied this and then re-applied about a week later as my area was getting a lot of rainfall so it made sense to apply it while I could, before the summer heat came. The very front of my yard is almost ALL WEEDS and so that is where I noticed the biggest difference. Other weeds, even ones that seem to be growing out of control, just vaporized after the first application.\n\nNOTE: This product definitely kills certain weeds better than others. In my experience it DOES kill dandelions, but often you'll need a couple applications to get them as they seem to be one of the hardest to kill weeds for this product.\n\nNOTE: This is not the best fertilizer. Some people are fooled by the name, thinking that this product is an all-in-one fertilizer and weed killer and you'll never need another product. That is not true. Think of the fertilizer that is in this product as simply something that keeps it from killing all your grass along with the weeds, but you won't notice your lawn exploding in greenness or growth from this product alone.\n\nTIP: EARLY SPRING and LATE LATE FALL (November) are the best times to use this product. Once the weeds are rooted in and more are on the way, it won't be AS effective, but as in my case, you will still see a noticeable difference. NOVEMBER is THE preferred time to apply weed control such as this for a fescue lawn.\n\nTIPS: Apply this either around rainfall (I try to apply it on the first day of a 2-day forecast of rain) or water your yard well after applying. Otherwise it won't set in and will be useless.\n\nTIP: FESCUE grass requires re-seeding each year because it doesn't spread and so if you have weeds, use this product, kill the weeds, but don't re-seed: your weeds will grow back or a bald-spot will be left. Just because it contains some fertilizer, doesn't mean grass will magically grow in spots it is applied, you still need to re-seed each year!\n\nConclusion: This product needs to be used as a small part of a larger lawn-care regimen but I found it to be effective when used appropriately.","Product: Ortho Weed B Gon plus Crabgrass Control Ready-To-Use is guaranteed to kill crabgrass, dandelions, and other listed common lawn weeds to the root! With the convenient trigger applicator, you can kill weeds without damaging your lawn. Ortho Weed B Gon starts working immediately; see results in hours! (when used as directed).\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: It will kill the weeds, but takes multiple applications and will brown your grass!\n\nReview: <div id=\"video-block-R2CZO14A13RTN2\" class=\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\"></div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/C1DaHMzCuZS.mp4\" class=\"video-url\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91aDHKY08xS.png\" class=\"video-slate-img-url\"> This worked well for me for killing weeds around my lawn. I like this product because I have used weed and feed as well as hose sprayer concentrates that are applied over the lawn and those are either too weak or shock the entire lawn, especially during the heat of the summer (when weeds are often growing the fastest).\n\nI had this one extremely stubborn weed, that I haven't been able to identify (not shown in video) but someone recommended that I try this because it worked for them on that weed. So I bought a bottle with the trigger sprayer and went at it.\n\nAbout 3 days after the first application, you could tell that it was working, but the weeds weren't completely dead and still were standing up and had a lot of green left. So I used a second application. This was recommended by other reviews and a few people who were helping me identify and kill this troubling weed.\n\nI waited a week after the second application (10 days from 1st application) to give it some time to work. I then made the video seen here. After 2 applications the weeds were wilted and dying but not completely black and actually still had a little green to them. Because of this I made a final application to kill off what life they had left in them. I also think the 3 applications is a good idea because if you are covering a large lawn it would be typical to miss a few weeds during each application if they aren't prominent. This way you are ensuring that you get most of them 2 or 3 times.\n\nIt seems that 2 applications kills all but the most stubborn weeds and 3 applications takes pretty much anything down.\n\nI gave it 4 out of 5 stars, removing one star because of the need for 3 applications and the fact that it definitely browns up the surrounding lawn. The advertising for this product doesn't mention that you will need multiple applications. The sprayer is nice vs the total-lawn application because of the damage it can do to the grass (can be seen in video how it yellowed the grass) so you can pinpoint where you want to apply. Also the total-lawn applications often say to not use them if the high temperatures are over 75F in the day, as this can contribute to shocking or killing the lawn. With this product you can pinpoint the troublesome weeds and eliminate them while minimizing lawn damage.\n\nNote: I did not test on crab grass, thankfully because I applied pre-emergent that seems to have worked this year!","Product: Looking for a way to prevent weeds for a beautiful lawn all season long? With a single application of Scotts Halts Crabgrass & Grassy Weed Preventer in the early spring, you can stop crabgrass and problem weeds from invading your lawn. No matter the weatherrain, snow or freezing temperatures, once youve applied Haltsyou dont have to worry about elements affecting its performance. Don't apply more frequently than twice a year. Allow at least a two month interval between applications.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Worked for me and my weed plagued lawn!\n\nReview: I have a fescue lawn which is absolutely plagued with weeds every year and last year I (over)aggressively treated the weeds which allowed crab grass to completely take over my lawn. Not much you can do at that point, so I waited for winter to kill off the crab grass and then bought this product as well as another fertilizer + crab grass preventer product to use.\n\nI used this in EARLY spring when the high temperatures were mid-60s for 3 to 4 days. I watered the lawn lightly and then put this down. It worked GREAT. Temperatures got cold again and then warmed up so I put down the other product as well about a month later and so far no sign of crab grass.\n\nThe usual weeds I get had browned up from this product as well and didn't grow like crazy how they usually do. My grass is winning the battle this year thanks to this product.\n\nI still put down a weed + feed product in late april just to stop the weeds again and that is usually the last weed killer I use until the fall because putting down more could shock the lawn during the summer with the added heat it could hurt the grass too much.","Product: This is a premium, perfect slab of Zoysia Sod, ready to be cut into plugs for planting. Cutting this yourself is the is the most economical way to establish your Zoysia Lawn. Each piece measure 18\" inches x 18\" inches. HOW TO CUT Simply unbox the sod turf the sod so that the dirt side is up. This makes cutting with a knife much easier. Cut vertical strips through the sod and then use either the same knife or garden shears to cut individual plugs from the strips. Please note: We cannot ship to AL, AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, KS, LA, MT, ND, NE, NV, NM, OR, SD, TX, UT or WA. Any orders placed from these locations will be cancelled and refunded.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Easy way to \"patch\" my grass.\n\nReview: <div id=\"video-block-R2SEYJPOG2A57Y\" class=\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\"></div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/C1B4lF1rZdS.mp4\" class=\"video-url\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91dYWvJDMYS.png\" class=\"video-slate-img-url\"> I have a crappy non-zoysia front yard that has lots of patches and has a weed problem as well. I have a few areas which ONLY weeds will grow and I don't understand why. I purchased some plugs and a slab from zoyzia plug and the plugs were hit or miss. It seems like maybe 50% of mine died or so after planting.\n\nThe slab worked great for me. It completely covered the area I needed and can be cut how you need it. when I received it, it was still brown and dormant but once the temperature rose it greened up and has held on great.\n\nEDIT: Updated my review, added video and had to take away a star. I ordered 2 slabs on may 1st and installed them as soon as they came off the truck. I was waiting with the ground already prepared with a cultivator and sprinkler ready to go, so it was basically a perfect scenario. Upon receipt, the grass was looking pretty brown but a few strands were green, as if it were cut right as it started to green up. The 1 mistake I did make was sprinkling some \"starter\" fertilizer on top of the sod after receiving it. I only used a little bit, but I don't think it helped and in the video you can see one patch where a lot of fertilizer piled up and it did looks pretty dead in that spot.\n\nBasically the new patches did not green up as strongly or quickly as my last one, but I'm hoping that it comes in in the next month or so and will update accordingly.\n\nFYI I am in NC so weather has been 65F+ highs these past 3 weeks with most highs (like this week) in the mid 80s.\n\nEdit: sitting at week 5 now and the grass has greeted up more since the video and so I think it's time to add back the star. Looking great now I just need it to spread some","Product: Scotts Patch Master is an all-in-one product that contains everything you need to repair bare spots. It is a combination of premium grass seed, growing mulch and fertilizer. Blending with existing tall fescue lawns, it is pre-mixed and ready to grow. 5-Pound bag seeds up to 115 square feet\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Worked great for me, grew dense grass in my worst spots!\n\nReview: I reseeded my lawn this fall, I first dethatched the yard since it had built up some over the years. This also removed weeds and scraped the soil up. I put down grass seed everywhere and watered rigorously.\n\nI used this product in my VERY worst spots, without putting down any topsoil. My soil is pretty bad so I should have just ate the cost and did some top dressing all over, however if you only have a few bad spots this works great.\n\nOne bag claims to cover 125 sq ft. I didn't measure mine, but I covered about 5 to 6 patches with 1 to 2 feet diameter each.\n\nTo my surprise, 2 weeks later I have pretty dense and tall grass growing in the spots I used the patch master on. The grass that grew in the other spots in my lawn was not nearly as dense or tall, this stuff really works.\n\nWhen I first opened it, I noticed that it looks like trash (not exactly as pictured on the bag), it is recycled paper to help hold moisture as well as hold the seed in place to help it plant and prevent washing away. This is the only negative about this product, but give it a couple months and it will be gone.\n\nOverall, I'm satisfied. My lawn is difficult to work with due to poor orange clay soil so the fact that this stuff worked great for me is good news for anyone trying to grow grass anywhere!","Product: Tired of purchasing cat products that your feline loved ones get bored of, quickly? PetFusion's Cat Scratcher Lounge serves double duty as both a cat scratcher and lounge that promises to keep your finicky companions coming back for more. Custom made for cats who enjoy scratching, playing and lounging around (what cats don't :). Cats love the feel of cardboard, recalling their days as kittens and are natural scratchers. PetFusion's Cat Scratcher Lounge offers your cats a comfortable place to rest and scratch at the same time. Designed for owners looking to reclaim their homes. Finally a pet product with a stylish design that flows with your home decor. Instead of scratching your furniture, your cats will be more than happy to scratch the less expensive and better feeling cardboard. A win situation for all. Happier cat and owner guaranteed. No assembly required. All materials tested using international safety standards.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great lounger, decent scratcher as well\n\nReview: My cat LOVES this thing! He loves to play in and around it and also knows that it is his and he lays on it when company is over or when we are in the same room as it. He knows it is his spot and he loves it.\n\nWhile he is playing, he will throw his mouse or hit it with is paw under this lounger so that he can jump to the other side or go through one of the side holes to add challenge to his playing. It is really cute and exciting to watch!\n\nAlso it looks good, it looks like a pet lounger, but doesn't look tacky at all. It is made of cardboard for the inside, but you really can't tell until you get up close.\n\nAs a scratcher it is O-K. It took my cat a while to realize he could scratch at it, even with baiting with catnip and showing him how to do it. Now he finally does scratch it, which is great because its in the same room as our couch.\n\nAn added bonus to this scratcher is how if it ever does get worn out, you can simply flip it over and have another half of life left to it.\n\nI would say the price is a downside, although other highly ranked scratchers are around the same price on amazon so oh well.\n\nAll in all, I couldn't be happier!","Product: Fun and addictive! - enjoy hours playing with your cat in a super fun way with just a flick of your wrist! Watch them stalk and prey, leap and swipe, over and over, for hours and hours! The best cat toys are fun for people! What good is having a cat toy if you don't like using it to play with your cat? Enticing to cats! - Cats love birds and birds have feathers! The natural pet company feather dangler imitates a cat's natural prey and will bring out the most instinctive reactions in almost any cat! Watch your cat jump and pounce like a fully grown tiger! Cats are happiest and healthiest emotionally, physically and mentally when they are in touch with their basic hunting instincts. Safe for cats and safe for children - the length of the dangler keeps little fingers far away from sharp claws, preventing accidental scratching wherever possible. Interactive toys engage the pet with it's owner - this activity builds trust and companionship between you and your cat. Create an opportunity for you and your cat to bond in play by buying this feather dangler mega-pack! Compare our feather cat dangler to other top brands & you will see that our interactive feather dangler pack is not only great value, but in fact better value! We include two refill feathers to ensure longer shelf life and a greater variety of play for you and your cat! Click add to basket now to start having interactive fun with your cat! Watch them stalk and prey, leap and swipe, over and over, for hours and hours! The best cat toys are fun for people! What good is having a cat toy if you don't like using it to play with your cat? The natural pet company feather dangler imitates a cat's natural prey and will bring out the most instinctive reactions in almost any cat! Watch your cat jump and pounce like a fully grown tiger! Cats are happiest and healthiest emotionally, physically and mentally when they are in touch with their basic hunting instincts. Helps in preventing accidental scratching wherever possible.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great features and my cat loves it!\n\nReview: Awesome cat toy! As soon as he saw the feathery attachment he went crazy. I knew that was the one for him. When you spin it around it\n\"flies\" a few inches off the ground and can go higher as well. This makes for some amazing aerobatics from my cat. With this toy he gets tired from about 5 to 10 minutes of play, where as with other toys he is not nearly as aggressive and so it takes longer to tire him out.\n\nPros:\nExtendable handle (by attaching 2 pieces together)\nMultiple attachments\nLong string!\n\nCons:\nHandle pops apart easily when cat nabs the toy, which can then \"slingshot\" and hit the cat.\\\n\nConclusion:\nGreat toy with a lot of options that really make it worth the already low price.\n\nUPDATE: My cat is still enjoying this toy about 1.5 years later. I taped the wand up and it has held together remarkably well. He likes that you can swap out the bird feather or the \"tail\" so its like a new toy every now and then.","Product: Wellness Kittles Grain Free Natural Cat Treats, Chicken & Cranberries Recipe are irresistibly tasty, 100% all-natural wheat free, grain free crunchy treats made in USA only. These natural crunchy dental cat treats not only are as tasty as they are healthy, but have a crunchy texture that helps to clean your cat's teeth. Each all-natural treat bite is packed with big taste from whole-food ingredients like chicken, cranberries and blueberries. With nothing artificial and under 2 calories each, you can show your cat extra love with Wellness Kittles natural cat treats.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: These are the best treats I've found!\n\nReview: My cat is my buddy, and I like to give him treats to encourage exercise (throw them far away) and good behavior. I absolutely love these treats for my cat. I did research and compared these to other treats and these blow the other choices away. Most other treats have grains and I'm just not comfortable giving my buddy something that isn't healthy for him. These treats feature meat as their main ingredients which is what a cat needs, not gluten and corn meal.\n\nMost of all their price is right. You get a lot of treats in the bag; I was pleasantly surprised by that! I've tried other healthy freeze dried treats, but the cost was a bit high.\n\nConclusion: healthy treats, great price, and my cat loves them. Finally a treat I can feel good about giving him because its both healthy and doesnt cost a bunch!","Product: The kitchen is so often the heart of the home. It is where our family gathers for meals, where we have our game night, where family bonds grow. We eat there, we laugh therewe feed our pets there. The inspiration for these delectable selections come from feeding our precious Cats in the Kitchen. Bring your cats to the heart of your home and share with us these savory cuts of white breast meat chicken and duck breast . . . delicate gravies, some with pumpkin for healthy digestion . . . loins from tuna, salmon and mackerel . . . and lean cuts of beef all fit for our kitchen carnivores. These recipes are among our most delicious offerings. We hope your kitties love Cats in the Kitchen as much as the WeRuVa cats doWebster, Rudi & Vanessa approved.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Reviews on 8 kinds in here! This may help if you can't decide\n\nReview: My cat is not a particularly picky eater. His favorite food is the Weruva Paw Lickin Chicken, which I think is the best canned food you can get for a cat. I didn't want him to get too tired of it, which happens from time to time and he starts to prefer dried food or wants to see what we are eating at the table.\n\nI like that Weruva uses high quality, \"human-grade\" ingredients and leaves out a lot of stuff cats shouldn't eat. I try to get my cat healthy, quality food because he can't pick what he eats so I feel like I owe him the best.\n\nFowl Ball - This was a light colored pink shredded chicken and turkey dish. He started eating it at first, but seemed to get bored of it. It was a shame because this one looked the most like his regular food, seemed very healthy. I ended up throwing out a lot of it because it just sat there all day while he refused to eat it.\n\nLamb burg(er)ini Au Jus - This was the first one I saw that looked like a BLOB. Nasty brown blob with a gravy gel throughout. My cat liked it a lot though. He ate it pretty fast whenever it was put out. However, if some of it does sit out a couple hours, even the left overs, it will dry out really badly and stick to the plate to the point where you have to scrub it off. He got his rabies and distemper vaccines today (vet made us) and he ended up throwing up at the end of the can. I'm not sure if it was the food, im guessing it was mainly the vaccines but he did throw up a lot of this food. Poor guy.\n\nKitty Gone Wild - Salmon dish. The first thing I noticed was how incredibly fishy it smells and looks. LARGE pieces of sardines in there that I had to cut up. If they dry out they will get very hard so I tried to cut them up and mix them in better. My cat seemed to like this one ok, but it might have even been a little too fishy for him.\n\nFunk in the Trunk (Chicken and Pumpkin) - White shredded chicken in a brown \"pumpkin\" smelling gravy. I thought it wouldn't like it because of the different smell, but he actually did. He ate it pretty fast and it doesn't dry out and stick to the plate as bad as the others. Very healthy since boneless and skinless chicken is at the top of the ingredients. It also has a small amount of tuna in it as well.\n\nSplash Dance - Chicken and ocean fish. Back to the GEL gravy again. This one has some shredded chicken mixed in, but not that much. It also doesn't smell as fishy as the other ones. Its a decent mixture of chicken and fish compared to some of the other ones in which one overpowers the other.\n\nLa isla Bonita - Mackerel and shrimp. Dark reddish brown. Looks pretty good for a sea food dish, Lots of shredded fish in there and you can see the tiny shrimp as well! This one is in my cat's top 3 favorites for sure! He ate this one right away each time.\n\nTwo tu tango - Tuna, sardines, turkey. Huge chunks of sardines again. Very smelly and reddish with the gel gravy again. But when my cat smelled the can, he got very excited. he quickly chowed down and cleaned off his plate. While I was plating it again and cutting up some large sardine chunks, I noticed a LOT of fish bones in there. Not sure how I feel about that. I picked out the ones I could. I mean cats aren't used to eating fish as part of a normal diet in the wild, so having fish bones in there could hurt them. I didn't really notice the fish bones in the other ones, there may have been a few, but not as much as this one.\n\nChicken Frickazee - Nice and pink, moist shredded chicken. Usually after getting fish or tuna, my cat will go on a hunger strike until he gets more. With this though he chowed right down! Then I saw it does have a little bit of fish oil in the ingredients. maybe he likes the slight hint of it or maybe this one is just good! When I came back from work, he still had some on his plate and wouldn't touch it. Dang, I liked this one and thought it had some promise. I put out a fresh little bit, but he didn't eat it quickly.\n\nGoldie Lox - Chicken with salmon - Looks a lot like the rest with the reddish brown blob with shredded chicken throughout this time. Tommy liked it and started eating it right away. I put my ear next to him while he was eating and he was purring! Note: tuna is above salmon in the ingredients so keep that in mind.\n\nConclusion: I'm not sure I would get the variety pack again. Knowing which ones were his favorites is a big help, but ultimately his usually paw lickin chicken is the best one in my mind and he likes it the mots consistently as well. Also most of them being pretty nasty brown or brick colored and drying out and sticking to the plates was a turn off. The fish bones in a couple had me a bit worried as well. There were a couple stand outs though.","Product: This product has a great performance, quality and price. Wild Alaska halibut exclusively from Alaska - never farmed or foreign sourced. Naturally rich on omega 3 fatty acids for healthy skin, coat, and heart. Grain free. Corn and soy free. Natural flavor and colors. Made in the use. Manufacturer: ARCTIC PAWS\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Not as pictured. Mine arrived rock solid just like another reviewer's.\n\nReview: <div id=\"video-block-R3AUCZK9FJ4EUJ\" class=\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\"></div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/C16ANfSEhcS.mp4\" class=\"video-url\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/717GKFpmj4S.png\" class=\"video-slate-img-url\"> These are very hard. Like the video shows it is NOTHING like what is pictured inside the bag on the picture.\n\nProps to my cat to being a good sport, he is NOT a picky eater so he was able to chomp one down but you can CLEARLY tell they are not \"soft and chewy\" like the bag says and shows. His crunches are very loud.\n\nI bought these because I zoomed in on the picture and saw nice bite sized and soft morsels.\n\nNOTE: Amazon has these listed as non-returnable when I tried to return them as not as described. I have emailed customer support about this and I will try to update you about this.\n\nUpdate: After explaining to amazon how hard the item was and it is completely different than the picture they did allow me to return it. That's why I shop with amazon because I know if something is messed up they will help out.","Product: Voltage Detector W/Led Light. The Product is Easy to Use and Easy to Handle. The Product is Highly Durable. Made In China.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great features, necessary tool to have but has sensitivity issues.\n\nReview: <div id=\"video-block-R3078YEFD010A7\" class=\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\"></div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/D1DB0gtfZmS.mp4\" class=\"video-url\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/911f4dYQOiS.png\" class=\"video-slate-img-url\"> Helpful but not the fastest or most reliable.\n\nFirst let me say that it looks great and isn't too annoying with its beeping either. It also has a well-placed LED light to help you see what you're doing.\n\nI bought this to use on 3 different projects. Installing a light fixture, replacing a power outlet, and swapping a garbage disposal for a new one.\nIn each project, I tested this tool to see if it would reliably detect \"hot\" wires to see if I could trust it. I'm honestly not 100% sure about it.\n\nSometimes it will randomly beep and detect something that isn't even there, when not even close to a wire. This would make me wonder what happened because the power should be off and it just beeped while no where near anything. Then I would recheck everything and it was quiet.\n\nLED light on this is great, you can use it as a flashlight while looking around for the wires so it really helps in that respect. I often wear a headlamp while working in darker areas but didn't need to use it as much with this tool at my fingertips.\n\nWith the power outlet installed and power ON. Placing the probe INTO the socket, it would usually not beep... **EDIT/UPDATE: After comparing it with the Klein version I learned that the probe on the milwaukee is a bit \"fatter\" or wider than the Klein, so it doesn't go into a socket as easily as the Klein version does. You have to jam it in a bit and then it beeps every time!\n\nConclusion: Great looking and feeling tool, but it had a lot of false negatives (update: figured out a lot were caused by probe being wider and needing more force to jam into a socket) and false positives during my testing. I would like to try a different brand and see how it compares. **edit/update: The false positives aren't that bad and are usually just single random beeps so once you're used to using it, its easy to tell.\n\nFULL DISCLOSURE: I'm not an electrician or handyman, I am just a home owner who purchased this product to help me not get shocked during some simple projects around the house.","Product: The ProSensor 710 incorporates innovative stud sensing technology that instantly finds hidden studs. No sliding is required. This patent-pending detector senses the wall in thirteen locations simultaneously, then immediately illuminates the display elements that are in front of a stud. The ProSensor 710 is faster, less error prone and more accurate than other products on the market. It is the easy way to find studs.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Anyone can use it, bright visual display, overall great product!\n\nReview: <div id=\"video-block-RHFCJWUO2QAFX\" class=\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\"></div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/D1qNSbHTxHS.mp4\" class=\"video-url\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91XBPYc7RQS.png\" class=\"video-slate-img-url\"> I've been using this stud finder for a while now around the house and from the video you can probably tell that I've tried my fair share of stud finders before purchasing this one. Unlike other stud finders that work primarily by beeping at you, this one has a bright visual display of the stud's location and anyone can use it! No false negatives/positives.\n\nThings you should know: A stud should be 3 lights (1.5\"), if you get more lights than this, it might NOT BE A STUD! Be careful! If you aren't sure, check with a thin nail or look at surroundings to see if it could be something else (electrical outlets, odd plumbing, etc)\n\n5/5 stars because this IS the boss of all other stud finders. I think I've used about 6 different stud finders just hoping that one would be different and simple to use. Well this one IS different because it IS simple to use. Your wife, mom, even grandmother could use it without any difficulty. Franklin sensors really knew what they were doing and I know this review seems like other reviews, but hopefully the video demonstration helps you guys see how this works vs other sensors. If this review helps you, let me know!","Product: Cabinet Doors will close gently and silently with the blumotion soft-close hinge adapter system. Braking element expands according to force. Adjustable for various door sizes and weights. Integrated overload safety feature protects the blumotion system and the hinges from damage due to improper use.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best Soft close adapters! The included spacer is a necessity\n\nReview: <div id=\"video-block-RFU48PPEHZ06Y\" class=\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\"></div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/C1ZdQ15moFS.mp4\" class=\"video-url\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81Z5TixS2LS.png\" class=\"video-slate-img-url\"> I have ordered one of several different hinge adapters and this one won out in my tests, mainly because of the spacer. Without a spacer the closing mechanism can apply unnecessary pressure very close to the hinge so the door may not close evenly. Adding just a little bit off space helps.\n\nThe rounded tip of the end that contacts the cabinet is also a nice touch vs other brands because it makes for a smoother close. Other brands you can tell when the cabinet hits the \"spring\" because it abruptly changes speeds. With the blumotion it smoothly transitions to a slower close.\n\nThe look of these was actually more preferable, in my opinion, to other brands as well. It looks more like something that should be in your cabinet, while the other brands (although they may look better in the pictures) when installed, they look like something that you added to your cabinet, if you know what I mean. IE: they don't look like original hardware. Of course everyone's cabinets are different but my home has a fairly traditional cabinet look (video included).\n\nAdjustability is great on these. The 2 other brands I used looked easier to adjust at first (both had set screws on the back of the mechanism, but ended up requiring MAXIMUM stiff settings for some of the larger pantry doors in my kitchen and still could not handle their weight.\n\nMy only complaint about these is the horizontal orientation of the screw. This makes it harder to screw into the cabinet because most drills/drivers need more clearance than the couple inches. The other brands I tried screwed in diagonally, making install a breeze. However, the overall quality of this product makes this minor drawback acceptable and in my opinion, adds to their \"original\" hardware look.\n\nConclusion: I started by ordering one of each of 3 different kits from amazon, I liked these the best, so trust me if you're looking for a soft close conversion, these are going to be the best ones to use. You do NOT want to have to remove one of the lesser brands from your cabinet to install this kind, as it may not fit as well, BUT the 2\" screws certainly hold these in place well, compared to other brands that use much shorter screws but ultimately don't hold as well in place and are visibly shocked while closing doors.","Product: The BLACK+DECKER BDCMTTS Matrix Trim Saw Attachment has a lightweight, compact design for comfort and control. Its spindle lock button allows for single-wrench bit changes. This trim saw attachment can be used with any tool in the Black & Decker Matrix line including the BDEDMT and BDCDMT112.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Not as useful or powerful as I had hoped.\n\nReview: I finally got a chance to test out the Black and Decker trim saw for a project where I was building a small ramp to a crawl space door so I could park my lawn mower in there.\n\nTIP: WHEN INSTALLING THE BLADE. It took me a while to realize that the blade set bolt unscrews CLOCKWISE, not counter-clockwise like a typical bolt/screw.\n\nThe blade here has exactly 0.75\" of cutting depth so thats 3/4 of an inch, the same depth as the 4x1 trim board I was using for the frame of the ramp. This cannot cut 2x4s unless you flip it over and make an exact cut on both sides.\n\nI figured this saw would be the perfect choice for my small project and a great test for my latest matrix attachment.\n\nI honestly don't know what went so wrong with this little saw, but It just couldn't handle the 4x1 trim boards. Almost every cut, the blade would stop and get stuck about 3/4 of the way through the board, I would back it out and even flip the board over but it would still get stuck.\nWhats worse, is that it even got stuck a few times while cutting plywood. No matter how slowly or quickly I ran the blade. This was incredibly annoying.\n\nAlso, the blade generates a LOT of sawdust, the majority of which builds up on the safety platform. This is fine, just something to keep in mind.\n\nBlack and decker does NOT yet make a larger cordless circular saw for the 20v platform.\n\nUltimately, my project ended up requiring some angled cutting for the platform side of the ramp. I pulled out my miter saw, plugged it in outside and blew through the remaining cuts in no-time. I still needed the trim saw for the plywood, but was underwhelmed by its lack of power.\n\nI have never before been disappointed by the 20v for lack of power until today.\n\nMy advice:\n1) Always put in a fresh battery before using the trim saw. It helps a bit with the blade stoppage I was experiencing\n2) Buy a legitmate circular saw (6.5\"+) to be more useful on all types of wood even 2x4 and 2x6 as well as smaller boards\n3) for $40 it isn't as bad as buying a $100 cordless circular saw and being disappointed. I'm sure I'll use this again to cut trim boards and I already owned the matrix so I guess I can give it 2 stars","Product: These USB charging devices are designed to power up your electronic devices more quickly and reliably without the need of bulky AC adapters. Charge one device or multiple devices from a single USB receptacle. Charge two devices simultaneously while leaving room to power other appliances. Compatible with USB 2.0 & 3.0 compatible devices. Total charging capacity of 4.0A. AC receptacles are tamper-resistant to meet NEC requirements. Back and side wire terminals accommodate #14 AWG - #12 AWG standard and solid copper wire for installation flexibility. Includes screwless wall plate and standard wall plate.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great USB + Outlet, 2 faceplate options, easy wiring.\n\nReview: <div id=\"video-block-RFYV8C9Y6XCD0\" class=\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\"></div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/C1rw4y2PrqS.mp4\" class=\"video-url\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\" value=\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81wJL4Zhp1S.png\" class=\"video-slate-img-url\"> I installed this outlet in my kitchen, the wiring was much better than the \"hook\" style because I could just insert the wires and tighten the screw down. There are 2 different face plates included, which was nice to be able to pick the one that best matches my other outlets' face plates.\n\nOnce installed I tested the outlet and USB charging with my cell phone (picture included). I was getting about 1.25 A with it, which was likely \"throttled\" by my device. It is NOT fast-charging compatible however, and when using the samsung fast charger adapter the charging was much faster for my Note 5 device (57 minutes fast charging vs 1hr 27 minutes via usb outlet). Not really a big drawback to me really as I didn't expect fast charging capability and the charging is plenty fast at over 1 Amp output.\n\nThe tamper resistant outlets are nice if you have kids. They are \"shielded\" a bit where you have to press the plug in. I believe you could press something in if you really wanted to, but you have to press fairly hard so many children may not be able to do it. I did NOT test if this was possible.\n\nThe writing on the outlet is a little annoying if you are looking for a sleek outlet, but I think most other outlet options have similar writing on them as well.\n\nI'll give it 4/5 for the slightly slower than expected charging speeds as well as the writing on the outlet. Also the fit and finish of the faceplate to outlet could be a little better for 5 stars."],"string":"[\n \"Product: Upgrade your shower with this curved rod that increases shower and elbow room. Increase your shower space by up to 10-1/2-inch when rod is extended to 72-inches. This high quality, durable rod installs easily in showers up to 72-inch wide with the included screw mounted hardware. The rust resistant Heritage Bronze finish ensures long-lasting, good looks in any shower. Easy to follow instructions with illustrations are enclosed. Additionally, a toll-free USA based Customer Service department is available.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Not bad, not sure if worth the effort though\\n\\nReview: Pros:\\n+ heritage bronze matches my faucet/showerhead perfectly!\\n+ rod seems to be well made, no seams in the metal\\n\\nCons:\\n- Install wasn't perfect. I would have preferred more aggressive screws for mounting the brackets and the set screw for the large side just didn't screw in all the way for me.\\n- The curve of the rod isn't significant enough to justify this product, however its EXACLTY as pictured. Look at the picture, the bracket is about 1\\\" and you get about 3\\\" of curve.... an extra 3 inches of space for $40 and an install that requires putting holes into the wall?\\n\\nTip: when they say to move the bracket 0 to 2\\\" from the end of the shower opening, Then mean place the screws exactly on the line. I moved mine back about 3/4\\\" (so the bracket wouldn't stick out) when it should have been 0\\\" and it did leave a little gap where water could get out at the top of the front, but not a big deal.\\n\\nConclusion:\\nIts a good looking shower rod, and as long as it doesn't rust anytime soon I'd say its worth 3 stars. However, the install requires you drill into your walls and the extra space is really minimal. I was expecting something like the curtains at the Hilton but it doesn't curve that much. Also the screws for mounting the brackets are so \\\"flat\\\" and fat that it is difficult to get them into the wall without pre-drilling first\",\n \"Product: Fractal Design Define S No Power Supply ATX Mid Tower w/ Window (Black)\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Decent case. It feels like a cheaper version of premium cases. Designed for water cooling\\n\\nReview: <div id=\\\"video-block-RNRAB3GWEXHC0\\\" class=\\\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\\\"></div><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/D1eQr%2BNrZtS.mp4\\\" class=\\\"video-url\\\"><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81t5vGah5tS.png\\\" class=\\\"video-slate-img-url\\\"> Some main points:\\n\\n* comes with 2 fans, but can fit up to 8 140mm case fans, 3x top, 3x front, 1 x rear an 1x bottom (side window version)\\n\\n* Does not have a door on the front. The front snaps off via plastic clips. It must be removed to clean the fan filters, but if one clip breaks then you have a broken front clip.\\n\\n* The vents at the top, once removed can only be reinstalled if you don't have a fan mounted there. IMO it looks a bit bad with the top open, you can see down into the case. Other cases I have used have all better hidden the top fans.\\n\\n* Designed for water cooling custom loops mainly. If not using water cooling, you may be better off with another case.\\n\\n* Currently $99 on amazon, I got mine much cheaper on sale + rebate. Paying $100 feels like too much for this case IMO\\n\\n* No 5.25\\\" front bays for disc drives, water cooling reservoirs, fan controllers etc. Kind of a let down since it takes away some flexibility and the only bonus is that you can put one more 140mm fan in there. You can already fit larger radiators on the top of the case, so it seems unnecessary to me to get rid of drive bay AND the front door. Seems like they were just trying to cut costs there.\\n\\n* Decent cable management features. I like the built in velcro straps. I have a bunch of my own but having them built into the case is nice.\\n\\n* Allows up to 2 hard drives and 2 SSDs to be mounted behind motherboard tray.\\n\\nConclusion: Its not a bad case by any means, for what I paid its worth 4/5 stars easily. At full price, I would definitely be shopping a different case however.\",\n \"Product: Converts presta valve tubes for use with schrader valve heads. Handy for use at gas stations, if you are stuck without a pump.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Don't lose the O-ring!\\n\\nReview: So I used this and it worked fine for both of my bikes. Next time I tried to show my wife how to use it. I pumped up 1 tire to demonstrate then she used it on the next. I started putting the bike rack on the trailer hitch and she says \\\"its not working!\\\" I go over, take it apart and notice the o-ring had fallen out. It WILL NOT make a seal without that tiny o-ring, I tried. Then she said she remembered it fell off on the other bike while taking the adapter off. We found the o-ring put it back on and viola, it worked!\\n\\nSo yes this thing works great but if you lose that o-ring you then you will be buying another adapter.\\n\\nGreat price and works great, just be sure to store it in the small plastic bag so if the o-ring comes off while stored that you'll see it in the bag.\",\n \"Product: The RaceQuip SFI Race Shoe provides extraordinary value. These shoes feature a soft suede leather outer layer coupled with a flame retardant Pyrovatex liner and padded ankles. The unique Achilles flex opening in the back of the shoe allows easy foot extension for full-throttle action. The durable construction features a reinforced lace area, double-stitched seams and a molded rubber sole that rolls up the back of the shoe to provide extra support for your heel while driving. Exceeds SFI 3.3A/5 rating. Available in Black only and in whole-sizes from Size 8-13.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Wish I got low tops\\n\\nReview: These look pretty cool and worked OK for driving. Decent pedal feel but the high top really cuts into your ankle area. At first it was almost unbearable and limited movement. As I've worn them in and tied them more loosely it is more tolerable.\\n\\nWith a full \\\"fire\\\" suit it isn't as noticeable but otherwise you are better off with low top shoes in my opinion. They fit loose in the toes and loose at the top strap but TIGHT at the ankle for some reason. this does loosen a little with wearing them but is still noticeable.\\n\\nThese were giving me a blister on my small toe even though they weren't too tight in the toe area. Also note: wear high socks with these. I'm not sure these would be acceptable for an endurance race.\",\n \"Product: For a beautiful garden and lawn, proper watering is essential. At Gilmour, we offer a wide range of watering tools that make the job a pleasure. No matter the size or shape of your lawn, Gilmour has a sprinkler to fit your needs. This Impulse sprinkler has a wide, heavy duty polymer sled base for stability and a built in timer that automatically shuts water off. The dial selects up to 2 hours of watering or you can just put it in the ON setting for continuous watering. The patented impulse arm saves water by eliminating back and side splash and the diffuser screw allows easy fingertip adjustment of water stream for even coverage up to 5800 sq. ft. (86 ft. diameter).\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Already falling apart on me, all-plastic design, but great features\\n\\nReview: I bought this product based on the good reviews here as well as it having all the features I needed. I was previously using a simple sprinkler that would spray in a very small circle, but this one has more of what I was looking for to water my entire lawn in less \\\"moves\\\" than the other sprinkler.\\n\\nPros:\\n+ Timer - love the timer, it works great, I forgot to turn off my other sprinkler a few times and it would overwater the area so this was nice\\n+ Easy to adjust spraying area. You can adjust the area to be sprayed, or make it a full circle. And you can also adjust the distance of the spray.\\n+ Decent distance spray out of the box\\n\\nCons:\\n- Started leaking within a day\\n- No longer sprays a pattern, just gets STUCK at one point and \\\"ticks\\\" there permanently so its useless\\n- The spray distance dropped by about 5 feet or so within the first day or 2. Also noticed it leaking a lot out of the stem about the same time\\n\\nConclusion\\n\\nMaybe my water pressure is too low, which could have contributed to the inability of the sprinkler to get \\\"unstuck\\\" when spraying a pattern. But ultimately the sprinkler worked REALLY well out of the box, but within a couple days deteriorated rapidly. Loss of spray distance and now it won't even spray a pattern.\\n\\nI guess the 1 star is because it has all the features you could ever want in a sprinkler. If your water pressure is amazing (mine isn't bad I swear it worked out of the box) then maybe the distance will hold up and it also will be able to turn completely.\\n\\nI don't know what else to say except I was really excited and happy upon first using it. I thought I got the best sprinkler possible and it really sprayed far in a custom patter with a timer, but now I am again searching for another sprinkler. Price honestly wouldn't matter to me, I would rather look for a higher quality sprinkler than this.\",\n \"Product: There is no drips or mess. Ants carry bait back to the nest where it destroys the entire colony. The active ingredients is permethrin.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Terrible design, great ant bait though.\\n\\nReview: I keep buying these (bought them twice) and both times I'm disappointed but I have used Terro liquid ant bait before and have had great results. Its just the design of these traps is terrible. I have many of the small, common household ants around my house and I've been trying to get rid of them. Usually Terro's liquid bait works well as I've used it before inside but I needed some outdoor coverage to stop them from getting inside to begin with.\\n\\nThe ant bait in the trap is not at an easy-to-get-to spot for the ants. Today I placed it RIGHT IN THE PATH of hundreds of ants and they completely ignored it and went around. A few even went up the ramp and near the opening, looked inside, and then turned away. I watched it for 10 minutes straight, with HUNDREDS of ants passing by, not a single one took the bait. So I picked up the trap and poured out the liquid bait and instantly, hundreds of little customers.\\n\\nI like terro liquid, I use it occasionally for ant problems and it has been effective in my experience, however I just can't recommend this bait station/trap. Just buy the liquid bait and apply it yourself.\",\n \"Product: Pesky crabgrass threatening to invade your lawn? Prevent it all season long with Scotts Snap Pac with Crabgrass Preventer. Not only does the formula prevent crabgrass from popping up, it also feeds your grass for a thicker greener lawn. Apply it early spring for the best results.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: It definitely works if used properly! FESCUE lawn tips below!\\n\\nReview: So I recently moved into a new house last October, and now currently in our first spring/summer so the lawn is a little out of control.\\nI have a FESCUE lawn in North Carolina, FYI, so others' experiences may vary.\\nPrevious owner basically left it with a significant weed problem, no leaf removal, and the lawn was definitely not re-seeded and probably not fertilized in a while. It was no where near a total loss but it was headed downhill for me. While moving into my first house, fertilizing in October/November wasn't on my priority list so I missed out on that big time or I could've held off some of the weeds. Anyway, fast forward to may, the weeds are growing in some of the bald patches pretty heavily and I was spot-treating them, but it got out of hand. My lawn isn't extremely large so a bag of this lasts for about the entire front half of my lawn, which I am pleased with.\\n\\nI applied this and then re-applied about a week later as my area was getting a lot of rainfall so it made sense to apply it while I could, before the summer heat came. The very front of my yard is almost ALL WEEDS and so that is where I noticed the biggest difference. Other weeds, even ones that seem to be growing out of control, just vaporized after the first application.\\n\\nNOTE: This product definitely kills certain weeds better than others. In my experience it DOES kill dandelions, but often you'll need a couple applications to get them as they seem to be one of the hardest to kill weeds for this product.\\n\\nNOTE: This is not the best fertilizer. Some people are fooled by the name, thinking that this product is an all-in-one fertilizer and weed killer and you'll never need another product. That is not true. Think of the fertilizer that is in this product as simply something that keeps it from killing all your grass along with the weeds, but you won't notice your lawn exploding in greenness or growth from this product alone.\\n\\nTIP: EARLY SPRING and LATE LATE FALL (November) are the best times to use this product. Once the weeds are rooted in and more are on the way, it won't be AS effective, but as in my case, you will still see a noticeable difference. NOVEMBER is THE preferred time to apply weed control such as this for a fescue lawn.\\n\\nTIPS: Apply this either around rainfall (I try to apply it on the first day of a 2-day forecast of rain) or water your yard well after applying. Otherwise it won't set in and will be useless.\\n\\nTIP: FESCUE grass requires re-seeding each year because it doesn't spread and so if you have weeds, use this product, kill the weeds, but don't re-seed: your weeds will grow back or a bald-spot will be left. Just because it contains some fertilizer, doesn't mean grass will magically grow in spots it is applied, you still need to re-seed each year!\\n\\nConclusion: This product needs to be used as a small part of a larger lawn-care regimen but I found it to be effective when used appropriately.\",\n \"Product: Ortho Weed B Gon plus Crabgrass Control Ready-To-Use is guaranteed to kill crabgrass, dandelions, and other listed common lawn weeds to the root! With the convenient trigger applicator, you can kill weeds without damaging your lawn. Ortho Weed B Gon starts working immediately; see results in hours! (when used as directed).\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: It will kill the weeds, but takes multiple applications and will brown your grass!\\n\\nReview: <div id=\\\"video-block-R2CZO14A13RTN2\\\" class=\\\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\\\"></div><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/C1DaHMzCuZS.mp4\\\" class=\\\"video-url\\\"><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91aDHKY08xS.png\\\" class=\\\"video-slate-img-url\\\"> This worked well for me for killing weeds around my lawn. I like this product because I have used weed and feed as well as hose sprayer concentrates that are applied over the lawn and those are either too weak or shock the entire lawn, especially during the heat of the summer (when weeds are often growing the fastest).\\n\\nI had this one extremely stubborn weed, that I haven't been able to identify (not shown in video) but someone recommended that I try this because it worked for them on that weed. So I bought a bottle with the trigger sprayer and went at it.\\n\\nAbout 3 days after the first application, you could tell that it was working, but the weeds weren't completely dead and still were standing up and had a lot of green left. So I used a second application. This was recommended by other reviews and a few people who were helping me identify and kill this troubling weed.\\n\\nI waited a week after the second application (10 days from 1st application) to give it some time to work. I then made the video seen here. After 2 applications the weeds were wilted and dying but not completely black and actually still had a little green to them. Because of this I made a final application to kill off what life they had left in them. I also think the 3 applications is a good idea because if you are covering a large lawn it would be typical to miss a few weeds during each application if they aren't prominent. This way you are ensuring that you get most of them 2 or 3 times.\\n\\nIt seems that 2 applications kills all but the most stubborn weeds and 3 applications takes pretty much anything down.\\n\\nI gave it 4 out of 5 stars, removing one star because of the need for 3 applications and the fact that it definitely browns up the surrounding lawn. The advertising for this product doesn't mention that you will need multiple applications. The sprayer is nice vs the total-lawn application because of the damage it can do to the grass (can be seen in video how it yellowed the grass) so you can pinpoint where you want to apply. Also the total-lawn applications often say to not use them if the high temperatures are over 75F in the day, as this can contribute to shocking or killing the lawn. With this product you can pinpoint the troublesome weeds and eliminate them while minimizing lawn damage.\\n\\nNote: I did not test on crab grass, thankfully because I applied pre-emergent that seems to have worked this year!\",\n \"Product: Looking for a way to prevent weeds for a beautiful lawn all season long? With a single application of Scotts Halts Crabgrass & Grassy Weed Preventer in the early spring, you can stop crabgrass and problem weeds from invading your lawn. No matter the weatherrain, snow or freezing temperatures, once youve applied Haltsyou dont have to worry about elements affecting its performance. Don't apply more frequently than twice a year. Allow at least a two month interval between applications.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Worked for me and my weed plagued lawn!\\n\\nReview: I have a fescue lawn which is absolutely plagued with weeds every year and last year I (over)aggressively treated the weeds which allowed crab grass to completely take over my lawn. Not much you can do at that point, so I waited for winter to kill off the crab grass and then bought this product as well as another fertilizer + crab grass preventer product to use.\\n\\nI used this in EARLY spring when the high temperatures were mid-60s for 3 to 4 days. I watered the lawn lightly and then put this down. It worked GREAT. Temperatures got cold again and then warmed up so I put down the other product as well about a month later and so far no sign of crab grass.\\n\\nThe usual weeds I get had browned up from this product as well and didn't grow like crazy how they usually do. My grass is winning the battle this year thanks to this product.\\n\\nI still put down a weed + feed product in late april just to stop the weeds again and that is usually the last weed killer I use until the fall because putting down more could shock the lawn during the summer with the added heat it could hurt the grass too much.\",\n \"Product: This is a premium, perfect slab of Zoysia Sod, ready to be cut into plugs for planting. Cutting this yourself is the is the most economical way to establish your Zoysia Lawn. Each piece measure 18\\\" inches x 18\\\" inches. HOW TO CUT Simply unbox the sod turf the sod so that the dirt side is up. This makes cutting with a knife much easier. Cut vertical strips through the sod and then use either the same knife or garden shears to cut individual plugs from the strips. Please note: We cannot ship to AL, AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, KS, LA, MT, ND, NE, NV, NM, OR, SD, TX, UT or WA. Any orders placed from these locations will be cancelled and refunded.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Easy way to \\\"patch\\\" my grass.\\n\\nReview: <div id=\\\"video-block-R2SEYJPOG2A57Y\\\" class=\\\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\\\"></div><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/C1B4lF1rZdS.mp4\\\" class=\\\"video-url\\\"><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91dYWvJDMYS.png\\\" class=\\\"video-slate-img-url\\\"> I have a crappy non-zoysia front yard that has lots of patches and has a weed problem as well. I have a few areas which ONLY weeds will grow and I don't understand why. I purchased some plugs and a slab from zoyzia plug and the plugs were hit or miss. It seems like maybe 50% of mine died or so after planting.\\n\\nThe slab worked great for me. It completely covered the area I needed and can be cut how you need it. when I received it, it was still brown and dormant but once the temperature rose it greened up and has held on great.\\n\\nEDIT: Updated my review, added video and had to take away a star. I ordered 2 slabs on may 1st and installed them as soon as they came off the truck. I was waiting with the ground already prepared with a cultivator and sprinkler ready to go, so it was basically a perfect scenario. Upon receipt, the grass was looking pretty brown but a few strands were green, as if it were cut right as it started to green up. The 1 mistake I did make was sprinkling some \\\"starter\\\" fertilizer on top of the sod after receiving it. I only used a little bit, but I don't think it helped and in the video you can see one patch where a lot of fertilizer piled up and it did looks pretty dead in that spot.\\n\\nBasically the new patches did not green up as strongly or quickly as my last one, but I'm hoping that it comes in in the next month or so and will update accordingly.\\n\\nFYI I am in NC so weather has been 65F+ highs these past 3 weeks with most highs (like this week) in the mid 80s.\\n\\nEdit: sitting at week 5 now and the grass has greeted up more since the video and so I think it's time to add back the star. Looking great now I just need it to spread some\",\n \"Product: Scotts Patch Master is an all-in-one product that contains everything you need to repair bare spots. It is a combination of premium grass seed, growing mulch and fertilizer. Blending with existing tall fescue lawns, it is pre-mixed and ready to grow. 5-Pound bag seeds up to 115 square feet\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Worked great for me, grew dense grass in my worst spots!\\n\\nReview: I reseeded my lawn this fall, I first dethatched the yard since it had built up some over the years. This also removed weeds and scraped the soil up. I put down grass seed everywhere and watered rigorously.\\n\\nI used this product in my VERY worst spots, without putting down any topsoil. My soil is pretty bad so I should have just ate the cost and did some top dressing all over, however if you only have a few bad spots this works great.\\n\\nOne bag claims to cover 125 sq ft. I didn't measure mine, but I covered about 5 to 6 patches with 1 to 2 feet diameter each.\\n\\nTo my surprise, 2 weeks later I have pretty dense and tall grass growing in the spots I used the patch master on. The grass that grew in the other spots in my lawn was not nearly as dense or tall, this stuff really works.\\n\\nWhen I first opened it, I noticed that it looks like trash (not exactly as pictured on the bag), it is recycled paper to help hold moisture as well as hold the seed in place to help it plant and prevent washing away. This is the only negative about this product, but give it a couple months and it will be gone.\\n\\nOverall, I'm satisfied. My lawn is difficult to work with due to poor orange clay soil so the fact that this stuff worked great for me is good news for anyone trying to grow grass anywhere!\",\n \"Product: Tired of purchasing cat products that your feline loved ones get bored of, quickly? PetFusion's Cat Scratcher Lounge serves double duty as both a cat scratcher and lounge that promises to keep your finicky companions coming back for more. Custom made for cats who enjoy scratching, playing and lounging around (what cats don't :). Cats love the feel of cardboard, recalling their days as kittens and are natural scratchers. PetFusion's Cat Scratcher Lounge offers your cats a comfortable place to rest and scratch at the same time. Designed for owners looking to reclaim their homes. Finally a pet product with a stylish design that flows with your home decor. Instead of scratching your furniture, your cats will be more than happy to scratch the less expensive and better feeling cardboard. A win situation for all. Happier cat and owner guaranteed. No assembly required. All materials tested using international safety standards.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great lounger, decent scratcher as well\\n\\nReview: My cat LOVES this thing! He loves to play in and around it and also knows that it is his and he lays on it when company is over or when we are in the same room as it. He knows it is his spot and he loves it.\\n\\nWhile he is playing, he will throw his mouse or hit it with is paw under this lounger so that he can jump to the other side or go through one of the side holes to add challenge to his playing. It is really cute and exciting to watch!\\n\\nAlso it looks good, it looks like a pet lounger, but doesn't look tacky at all. It is made of cardboard for the inside, but you really can't tell until you get up close.\\n\\nAs a scratcher it is O-K. It took my cat a while to realize he could scratch at it, even with baiting with catnip and showing him how to do it. Now he finally does scratch it, which is great because its in the same room as our couch.\\n\\nAn added bonus to this scratcher is how if it ever does get worn out, you can simply flip it over and have another half of life left to it.\\n\\nI would say the price is a downside, although other highly ranked scratchers are around the same price on amazon so oh well.\\n\\nAll in all, I couldn't be happier!\",\n \"Product: Fun and addictive! - enjoy hours playing with your cat in a super fun way with just a flick of your wrist! Watch them stalk and prey, leap and swipe, over and over, for hours and hours! The best cat toys are fun for people! What good is having a cat toy if you don't like using it to play with your cat? Enticing to cats! - Cats love birds and birds have feathers! The natural pet company feather dangler imitates a cat's natural prey and will bring out the most instinctive reactions in almost any cat! Watch your cat jump and pounce like a fully grown tiger! Cats are happiest and healthiest emotionally, physically and mentally when they are in touch with their basic hunting instincts. Safe for cats and safe for children - the length of the dangler keeps little fingers far away from sharp claws, preventing accidental scratching wherever possible. Interactive toys engage the pet with it's owner - this activity builds trust and companionship between you and your cat. Create an opportunity for you and your cat to bond in play by buying this feather dangler mega-pack! Compare our feather cat dangler to other top brands & you will see that our interactive feather dangler pack is not only great value, but in fact better value! We include two refill feathers to ensure longer shelf life and a greater variety of play for you and your cat! Click add to basket now to start having interactive fun with your cat! Watch them stalk and prey, leap and swipe, over and over, for hours and hours! The best cat toys are fun for people! What good is having a cat toy if you don't like using it to play with your cat? The natural pet company feather dangler imitates a cat's natural prey and will bring out the most instinctive reactions in almost any cat! Watch your cat jump and pounce like a fully grown tiger! Cats are happiest and healthiest emotionally, physically and mentally when they are in touch with their basic hunting instincts. Helps in preventing accidental scratching wherever possible.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great features and my cat loves it!\\n\\nReview: Awesome cat toy! As soon as he saw the feathery attachment he went crazy. I knew that was the one for him. When you spin it around it\\n\\\"flies\\\" a few inches off the ground and can go higher as well. This makes for some amazing aerobatics from my cat. With this toy he gets tired from about 5 to 10 minutes of play, where as with other toys he is not nearly as aggressive and so it takes longer to tire him out.\\n\\nPros:\\nExtendable handle (by attaching 2 pieces together)\\nMultiple attachments\\nLong string!\\n\\nCons:\\nHandle pops apart easily when cat nabs the toy, which can then \\\"slingshot\\\" and hit the cat.\\\\\\n\\nConclusion:\\nGreat toy with a lot of options that really make it worth the already low price.\\n\\nUPDATE: My cat is still enjoying this toy about 1.5 years later. I taped the wand up and it has held together remarkably well. He likes that you can swap out the bird feather or the \\\"tail\\\" so its like a new toy every now and then.\",\n \"Product: Wellness Kittles Grain Free Natural Cat Treats, Chicken & Cranberries Recipe are irresistibly tasty, 100% all-natural wheat free, grain free crunchy treats made in USA only. These natural crunchy dental cat treats not only are as tasty as they are healthy, but have a crunchy texture that helps to clean your cat's teeth. Each all-natural treat bite is packed with big taste from whole-food ingredients like chicken, cranberries and blueberries. With nothing artificial and under 2 calories each, you can show your cat extra love with Wellness Kittles natural cat treats.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: These are the best treats I've found!\\n\\nReview: My cat is my buddy, and I like to give him treats to encourage exercise (throw them far away) and good behavior. I absolutely love these treats for my cat. I did research and compared these to other treats and these blow the other choices away. Most other treats have grains and I'm just not comfortable giving my buddy something that isn't healthy for him. These treats feature meat as their main ingredients which is what a cat needs, not gluten and corn meal.\\n\\nMost of all their price is right. You get a lot of treats in the bag; I was pleasantly surprised by that! I've tried other healthy freeze dried treats, but the cost was a bit high.\\n\\nConclusion: healthy treats, great price, and my cat loves them. Finally a treat I can feel good about giving him because its both healthy and doesnt cost a bunch!\",\n \"Product: The kitchen is so often the heart of the home. It is where our family gathers for meals, where we have our game night, where family bonds grow. We eat there, we laugh therewe feed our pets there. The inspiration for these delectable selections come from feeding our precious Cats in the Kitchen. Bring your cats to the heart of your home and share with us these savory cuts of white breast meat chicken and duck breast . . . delicate gravies, some with pumpkin for healthy digestion . . . loins from tuna, salmon and mackerel . . . and lean cuts of beef all fit for our kitchen carnivores. These recipes are among our most delicious offerings. We hope your kitties love Cats in the Kitchen as much as the WeRuVa cats doWebster, Rudi & Vanessa approved.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Reviews on 8 kinds in here! This may help if you can't decide\\n\\nReview: My cat is not a particularly picky eater. His favorite food is the Weruva Paw Lickin Chicken, which I think is the best canned food you can get for a cat. I didn't want him to get too tired of it, which happens from time to time and he starts to prefer dried food or wants to see what we are eating at the table.\\n\\nI like that Weruva uses high quality, \\\"human-grade\\\" ingredients and leaves out a lot of stuff cats shouldn't eat. I try to get my cat healthy, quality food because he can't pick what he eats so I feel like I owe him the best.\\n\\nFowl Ball - This was a light colored pink shredded chicken and turkey dish. He started eating it at first, but seemed to get bored of it. It was a shame because this one looked the most like his regular food, seemed very healthy. I ended up throwing out a lot of it because it just sat there all day while he refused to eat it.\\n\\nLamb burg(er)ini Au Jus - This was the first one I saw that looked like a BLOB. Nasty brown blob with a gravy gel throughout. My cat liked it a lot though. He ate it pretty fast whenever it was put out. However, if some of it does sit out a couple hours, even the left overs, it will dry out really badly and stick to the plate to the point where you have to scrub it off. He got his rabies and distemper vaccines today (vet made us) and he ended up throwing up at the end of the can. I'm not sure if it was the food, im guessing it was mainly the vaccines but he did throw up a lot of this food. Poor guy.\\n\\nKitty Gone Wild - Salmon dish. The first thing I noticed was how incredibly fishy it smells and looks. LARGE pieces of sardines in there that I had to cut up. If they dry out they will get very hard so I tried to cut them up and mix them in better. My cat seemed to like this one ok, but it might have even been a little too fishy for him.\\n\\nFunk in the Trunk (Chicken and Pumpkin) - White shredded chicken in a brown \\\"pumpkin\\\" smelling gravy. I thought it wouldn't like it because of the different smell, but he actually did. He ate it pretty fast and it doesn't dry out and stick to the plate as bad as the others. Very healthy since boneless and skinless chicken is at the top of the ingredients. It also has a small amount of tuna in it as well.\\n\\nSplash Dance - Chicken and ocean fish. Back to the GEL gravy again. This one has some shredded chicken mixed in, but not that much. It also doesn't smell as fishy as the other ones. Its a decent mixture of chicken and fish compared to some of the other ones in which one overpowers the other.\\n\\nLa isla Bonita - Mackerel and shrimp. Dark reddish brown. Looks pretty good for a sea food dish, Lots of shredded fish in there and you can see the tiny shrimp as well! This one is in my cat's top 3 favorites for sure! He ate this one right away each time.\\n\\nTwo tu tango - Tuna, sardines, turkey. Huge chunks of sardines again. Very smelly and reddish with the gel gravy again. But when my cat smelled the can, he got very excited. he quickly chowed down and cleaned off his plate. While I was plating it again and cutting up some large sardine chunks, I noticed a LOT of fish bones in there. Not sure how I feel about that. I picked out the ones I could. I mean cats aren't used to eating fish as part of a normal diet in the wild, so having fish bones in there could hurt them. I didn't really notice the fish bones in the other ones, there may have been a few, but not as much as this one.\\n\\nChicken Frickazee - Nice and pink, moist shredded chicken. Usually after getting fish or tuna, my cat will go on a hunger strike until he gets more. With this though he chowed right down! Then I saw it does have a little bit of fish oil in the ingredients. maybe he likes the slight hint of it or maybe this one is just good! When I came back from work, he still had some on his plate and wouldn't touch it. Dang, I liked this one and thought it had some promise. I put out a fresh little bit, but he didn't eat it quickly.\\n\\nGoldie Lox - Chicken with salmon - Looks a lot like the rest with the reddish brown blob with shredded chicken throughout this time. Tommy liked it and started eating it right away. I put my ear next to him while he was eating and he was purring! Note: tuna is above salmon in the ingredients so keep that in mind.\\n\\nConclusion: I'm not sure I would get the variety pack again. Knowing which ones were his favorites is a big help, but ultimately his usually paw lickin chicken is the best one in my mind and he likes it the mots consistently as well. Also most of them being pretty nasty brown or brick colored and drying out and sticking to the plates was a turn off. The fish bones in a couple had me a bit worried as well. There were a couple stand outs though.\",\n \"Product: This product has a great performance, quality and price. Wild Alaska halibut exclusively from Alaska - never farmed or foreign sourced. Naturally rich on omega 3 fatty acids for healthy skin, coat, and heart. Grain free. Corn and soy free. Natural flavor and colors. Made in the use. Manufacturer: ARCTIC PAWS\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Not as pictured. Mine arrived rock solid just like another reviewer's.\\n\\nReview: <div id=\\\"video-block-R3AUCZK9FJ4EUJ\\\" class=\\\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\\\"></div><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/C16ANfSEhcS.mp4\\\" class=\\\"video-url\\\"><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/717GKFpmj4S.png\\\" class=\\\"video-slate-img-url\\\"> These are very hard. Like the video shows it is NOTHING like what is pictured inside the bag on the picture.\\n\\nProps to my cat to being a good sport, he is NOT a picky eater so he was able to chomp one down but you can CLEARLY tell they are not \\\"soft and chewy\\\" like the bag says and shows. His crunches are very loud.\\n\\nI bought these because I zoomed in on the picture and saw nice bite sized and soft morsels.\\n\\nNOTE: Amazon has these listed as non-returnable when I tried to return them as not as described. I have emailed customer support about this and I will try to update you about this.\\n\\nUpdate: After explaining to amazon how hard the item was and it is completely different than the picture they did allow me to return it. That's why I shop with amazon because I know if something is messed up they will help out.\",\n \"Product: Voltage Detector W/Led Light. The Product is Easy to Use and Easy to Handle. The Product is Highly Durable. Made In China.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great features, necessary tool to have but has sensitivity issues.\\n\\nReview: <div id=\\\"video-block-R3078YEFD010A7\\\" class=\\\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\\\"></div><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/D1DB0gtfZmS.mp4\\\" class=\\\"video-url\\\"><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/911f4dYQOiS.png\\\" class=\\\"video-slate-img-url\\\"> Helpful but not the fastest or most reliable.\\n\\nFirst let me say that it looks great and isn't too annoying with its beeping either. It also has a well-placed LED light to help you see what you're doing.\\n\\nI bought this to use on 3 different projects. Installing a light fixture, replacing a power outlet, and swapping a garbage disposal for a new one.\\nIn each project, I tested this tool to see if it would reliably detect \\\"hot\\\" wires to see if I could trust it. I'm honestly not 100% sure about it.\\n\\nSometimes it will randomly beep and detect something that isn't even there, when not even close to a wire. This would make me wonder what happened because the power should be off and it just beeped while no where near anything. Then I would recheck everything and it was quiet.\\n\\nLED light on this is great, you can use it as a flashlight while looking around for the wires so it really helps in that respect. I often wear a headlamp while working in darker areas but didn't need to use it as much with this tool at my fingertips.\\n\\nWith the power outlet installed and power ON. Placing the probe INTO the socket, it would usually not beep... **EDIT/UPDATE: After comparing it with the Klein version I learned that the probe on the milwaukee is a bit \\\"fatter\\\" or wider than the Klein, so it doesn't go into a socket as easily as the Klein version does. You have to jam it in a bit and then it beeps every time!\\n\\nConclusion: Great looking and feeling tool, but it had a lot of false negatives (update: figured out a lot were caused by probe being wider and needing more force to jam into a socket) and false positives during my testing. I would like to try a different brand and see how it compares. **edit/update: The false positives aren't that bad and are usually just single random beeps so once you're used to using it, its easy to tell.\\n\\nFULL DISCLOSURE: I'm not an electrician or handyman, I am just a home owner who purchased this product to help me not get shocked during some simple projects around the house.\",\n \"Product: The ProSensor 710 incorporates innovative stud sensing technology that instantly finds hidden studs. No sliding is required. This patent-pending detector senses the wall in thirteen locations simultaneously, then immediately illuminates the display elements that are in front of a stud. The ProSensor 710 is faster, less error prone and more accurate than other products on the market. It is the easy way to find studs.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Anyone can use it, bright visual display, overall great product!\\n\\nReview: <div id=\\\"video-block-RHFCJWUO2QAFX\\\" class=\\\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\\\"></div><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/D1qNSbHTxHS.mp4\\\" class=\\\"video-url\\\"><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91XBPYc7RQS.png\\\" class=\\\"video-slate-img-url\\\"> I've been using this stud finder for a while now around the house and from the video you can probably tell that I've tried my fair share of stud finders before purchasing this one. Unlike other stud finders that work primarily by beeping at you, this one has a bright visual display of the stud's location and anyone can use it! No false negatives/positives.\\n\\nThings you should know: A stud should be 3 lights (1.5\\\"), if you get more lights than this, it might NOT BE A STUD! Be careful! If you aren't sure, check with a thin nail or look at surroundings to see if it could be something else (electrical outlets, odd plumbing, etc)\\n\\n5/5 stars because this IS the boss of all other stud finders. I think I've used about 6 different stud finders just hoping that one would be different and simple to use. Well this one IS different because it IS simple to use. Your wife, mom, even grandmother could use it without any difficulty. Franklin sensors really knew what they were doing and I know this review seems like other reviews, but hopefully the video demonstration helps you guys see how this works vs other sensors. If this review helps you, let me know!\",\n \"Product: Cabinet Doors will close gently and silently with the blumotion soft-close hinge adapter system. Braking element expands according to force. Adjustable for various door sizes and weights. Integrated overload safety feature protects the blumotion system and the hinges from damage due to improper use.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best Soft close adapters! The included spacer is a necessity\\n\\nReview: <div id=\\\"video-block-RFU48PPEHZ06Y\\\" class=\\\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\\\"></div><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/C1ZdQ15moFS.mp4\\\" class=\\\"video-url\\\"><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81Z5TixS2LS.png\\\" class=\\\"video-slate-img-url\\\"> I have ordered one of several different hinge adapters and this one won out in my tests, mainly because of the spacer. Without a spacer the closing mechanism can apply unnecessary pressure very close to the hinge so the door may not close evenly. Adding just a little bit off space helps.\\n\\nThe rounded tip of the end that contacts the cabinet is also a nice touch vs other brands because it makes for a smoother close. Other brands you can tell when the cabinet hits the \\\"spring\\\" because it abruptly changes speeds. With the blumotion it smoothly transitions to a slower close.\\n\\nThe look of these was actually more preferable, in my opinion, to other brands as well. It looks more like something that should be in your cabinet, while the other brands (although they may look better in the pictures) when installed, they look like something that you added to your cabinet, if you know what I mean. IE: they don't look like original hardware. Of course everyone's cabinets are different but my home has a fairly traditional cabinet look (video included).\\n\\nAdjustability is great on these. The 2 other brands I used looked easier to adjust at first (both had set screws on the back of the mechanism, but ended up requiring MAXIMUM stiff settings for some of the larger pantry doors in my kitchen and still could not handle their weight.\\n\\nMy only complaint about these is the horizontal orientation of the screw. This makes it harder to screw into the cabinet because most drills/drivers need more clearance than the couple inches. The other brands I tried screwed in diagonally, making install a breeze. However, the overall quality of this product makes this minor drawback acceptable and in my opinion, adds to their \\\"original\\\" hardware look.\\n\\nConclusion: I started by ordering one of each of 3 different kits from amazon, I liked these the best, so trust me if you're looking for a soft close conversion, these are going to be the best ones to use. You do NOT want to have to remove one of the lesser brands from your cabinet to install this kind, as it may not fit as well, BUT the 2\\\" screws certainly hold these in place well, compared to other brands that use much shorter screws but ultimately don't hold as well in place and are visibly shocked while closing doors.\",\n \"Product: The BLACK+DECKER BDCMTTS Matrix Trim Saw Attachment has a lightweight, compact design for comfort and control. Its spindle lock button allows for single-wrench bit changes. This trim saw attachment can be used with any tool in the Black & Decker Matrix line including the BDEDMT and BDCDMT112.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Not as useful or powerful as I had hoped.\\n\\nReview: I finally got a chance to test out the Black and Decker trim saw for a project where I was building a small ramp to a crawl space door so I could park my lawn mower in there.\\n\\nTIP: WHEN INSTALLING THE BLADE. It took me a while to realize that the blade set bolt unscrews CLOCKWISE, not counter-clockwise like a typical bolt/screw.\\n\\nThe blade here has exactly 0.75\\\" of cutting depth so thats 3/4 of an inch, the same depth as the 4x1 trim board I was using for the frame of the ramp. This cannot cut 2x4s unless you flip it over and make an exact cut on both sides.\\n\\nI figured this saw would be the perfect choice for my small project and a great test for my latest matrix attachment.\\n\\nI honestly don't know what went so wrong with this little saw, but It just couldn't handle the 4x1 trim boards. Almost every cut, the blade would stop and get stuck about 3/4 of the way through the board, I would back it out and even flip the board over but it would still get stuck.\\nWhats worse, is that it even got stuck a few times while cutting plywood. No matter how slowly or quickly I ran the blade. This was incredibly annoying.\\n\\nAlso, the blade generates a LOT of sawdust, the majority of which builds up on the safety platform. This is fine, just something to keep in mind.\\n\\nBlack and decker does NOT yet make a larger cordless circular saw for the 20v platform.\\n\\nUltimately, my project ended up requiring some angled cutting for the platform side of the ramp. I pulled out my miter saw, plugged it in outside and blew through the remaining cuts in no-time. I still needed the trim saw for the plywood, but was underwhelmed by its lack of power.\\n\\nI have never before been disappointed by the 20v for lack of power until today.\\n\\nMy advice:\\n1) Always put in a fresh battery before using the trim saw. It helps a bit with the blade stoppage I was experiencing\\n2) Buy a legitmate circular saw (6.5\\\"+) to be more useful on all types of wood even 2x4 and 2x6 as well as smaller boards\\n3) for $40 it isn't as bad as buying a $100 cordless circular saw and being disappointed. I'm sure I'll use this again to cut trim boards and I already owned the matrix so I guess I can give it 2 stars\",\n \"Product: These USB charging devices are designed to power up your electronic devices more quickly and reliably without the need of bulky AC adapters. Charge one device or multiple devices from a single USB receptacle. Charge two devices simultaneously while leaving room to power other appliances. Compatible with USB 2.0 & 3.0 compatible devices. Total charging capacity of 4.0A. AC receptacles are tamper-resistant to meet NEC requirements. Back and side wire terminals accommodate #14 AWG - #12 AWG standard and solid copper wire for installation flexibility. Includes screwless wall plate and standard wall plate.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great USB + Outlet, 2 faceplate options, easy wiring.\\n\\nReview: <div id=\\\"video-block-RFYV8C9Y6XCD0\\\" class=\\\"a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block\\\"></div><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/C1rw4y2PrqS.mp4\\\" class=\\\"video-url\\\"><input type=\\\"hidden\\\" name=\\\"\\\" value=\\\"https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81wJL4Zhp1S.png\\\" class=\\\"video-slate-img-url\\\"> I installed this outlet in my kitchen, the wiring was much better than the \\\"hook\\\" style because I could just insert the wires and tighten the screw down. There are 2 different face plates included, which was nice to be able to pick the one that best matches my other outlets' face plates.\\n\\nOnce installed I tested the outlet and USB charging with my cell phone (picture included). I was getting about 1.25 A with it, which was likely \\\"throttled\\\" by my device. It is NOT fast-charging compatible however, and when using the samsung fast charger adapter the charging was much faster for my Note 5 device (57 minutes fast charging vs 1hr 27 minutes via usb outlet). Not really a big drawback to me really as I didn't expect fast charging capability and the charging is plenty fast at over 1 Amp output.\\n\\nThe tamper resistant outlets are nice if you have kids. They are \\\"shielded\\\" a bit where you have to press the plug in. I believe you could press something in if you really wanted to, but you have to press fairly hard so many children may not be able to do it. I did NOT test if this was possible.\\n\\nThe writing on the outlet is a little annoying if you are looking for a sleek outlet, but I think most other outlet options have similar writing on them as well.\\n\\nI'll give it 4/5 for the slightly slower than expected charging speeds as well as the writing on the outlet. Also the fit and finish of the faceplate to outlet could be a little better for 5 stars.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":21,"string":"21"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":393,"string":"393"}}},{"rowIdx":394,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A3NX29Z4TQK3HM"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"Wheel Stop, Stabilize Your Trailer With A Single Piece Of Equipment, Secure Tandem Tires To Prevent Movement While Parked Or Re-Hitching. This product adds a great value. product is highly durable and very easy to use. This product is manufactured in United States.\". The summary of the review text is \"A tool for your RV travel tool kit\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"After reading several reviews on an RV forum I decided to try these. They have a simple job, just tighten them up between your tires on your 5th wheel or travel trailer to help stop the wiggle caused by the tires themselves moving, even after everything is leveled up. I had used the heavy metal scissor type and honestly wasn't very happy with them as I felt they still allowed a degree of movement unless tightened very tight.\nThese are quite simple to use and very colorful so you shouldn't try to pull away still all tightened up, no I NEVER did that before! That's why I wanted to try these after running over the metal ones I mentioned above with our older 5th wheel, and those are very expensive to replace, these were not to try."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"After reading several reviews on an RV forum I decided to try these. They have a simple job, just tighten them up between your tires on your 5th wheel or travel trailer to help stop the wiggle caused by the tires themselves moving, even after everything is leveled up. I had used the heavy metal scissor type and honestly wasn't very happy with them as I felt they still allowed a degree of movement unless tightened very tight.\nThese are quite simple to use and very colorful so you shouldn't try to pull away still all tightened up, no I NEVER did that before! That's why I wanted to try these after running over the metal ones I mentioned above with our older 5th wheel, and those are very expensive to replace, these were not to try."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: 18\" Diameter Half Dome Mirror.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I recommend this if you're looking for a cost savings in a security or safety solution\n\nReview: I actually bought this for the building I work in. At 18 inches it's a pretty big half dome but the viewing angles are great. We have security cameras in all our offices but the building owner wouldn't allow security cameras in the hallways. My office is closest to the hallway entry but often people come in and are lost wondering which way to go. Now I can see them there and help take care of them. The building owner also didn't want any holes drilled in the block walls so I really wanted a lightweight model and this one fit the bill perfectly. I attached it to the wall with 4 large \"Command Strips\" with velcro for large photograph frames and it has held perfectly.\nIt came with a protective film on it which was great while installing in and when removed it is an excellent mirror finish. Looking at it you would not know it is plastic instead of glass, but the cost and weight savings of plastic make it a must have in my book!","Product: This is a brand new 11x17 picture, photo, diploma, poster frame (meaning a 11 '' x 17 '' or a 17 '' x 11 '' print will fit just right). This 11 x 17 Espresso Walnut frame is made of MDF, measuring 2'' wide, and 0.75'' deep, with a .5 '' deep rabbet (the space below the lip to the bottom of the frame). It is carefully made to the highest quality industry standards. This frame comes with Regular Glass. This frame is a unique frame that you will not find in most frame shops. The frame is perfect to lighten up your most cherished picture, photo, art gallery, poster, photograph, painting, diploma, artwork, craft project, needle-point or more, yet modest enough to match just about any environment. This Espresso Walnut frame works perfectly with black-and-white (B&W), and color pictures or paintings. Makes a nice Christmas gift! Please don't hesitate to browse through our policies and feedback. If you're not sure this is exactly the frame you'd like, feel free to use the search at the top of this page and search ArtToFrames to view our huge selection of wood picture frames, metal picture frames, and premade picture frames. Don't forget to add us to favorites, so you don't have to search for us again next time you need a picture frame!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Product SKU # - - WOMFRBW74061-11x17~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: 12 X 18 Frame & 12X24 Frame, 2 inches wide, black\n\nReview: I'd read several mixed reviews from this frame supplier, but I found them to be well made and nice looking frames. All of mine came with hardware to hang the frames, I'd read some people saying theirs didn't.\nI ordered several of these apparently \"odd but normal\" sized frames since there was no place locally that carried them in stock. With the shipping a bit high (but nothing arrived scratched or broken!)at per unit with no\nmulti-unit price they cost about the same as most locally available frames. But like I said, these were sizes I couldn't get from any place locally without special ordering at a substantially higher cost.\nThe 12X18 frames are glass front the 12X24 frames are plastic if that matters to you. With the plastic one has to be more careful to not scratch it.\nI'm sure I'll be buying more of them!","Product: Best Vacuum Filter Bundle Pre Filter and Post HEPA Motor Filter compatible with Dyson DC14 All Floors, DC14 Animal, DC14 Drive, DC14 Low Reach, DC14 Total Clean, DC14 Full Kit, DC14 Full Gear, DC14 Full Access, DC14 Complete, DC14 Mail Order Exclusive, DC14 Online Retailer Exclusive, DC14 Plus Vacuums. This is not a Dyson OEM product and is not covered under any Dyson manufacturer's warranty. The Dyson brand names and logos are the registered trademarks of their respective owners. Any use of the Dyson brand name or model designation for this product is made solely for purposes of demonstrating compatibility.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Kits like this save you money and keep your Dyson working!\n\nReview: We have an over 10 year old Dyson DC14 'Animal'. We spent over $500.00 when we got it ON SALE in 2005. Now that it is an older model the parts to keep it going are way more cost effective and luckily pretty much the entire machine can be bought and rebuilt way less than that five hundred dollars. I think ours is still going strong because I am a stickler for keeping it clean and 'breathing!'\nThis kit is a great way to do just that and if are even a little 'handy' you too can keep your Dyson - sucking! There are quite a few videos to watch if you want to learn and buying a kit like this and changing the filters will save you a lot of money!\nThe purple filter with the gaskets goes below the canister on ours, with the yellow and more easily changed foam filter, just wash it out and let it dry and keep at least two around, replace if really old. It goes on top of the chamber canister.","Product: The XM Satellite Signal Repeater Antenna receives the broadcast of an XM Satellite Radio Signal repeater, extending the signal from the repeater up to 75' for additional XM audio systems and/or home kits. The Repeater Antenna works with all Delphi and most XM satellite receivers. To use, connect the Repeater Antenna into the antenna input of any Delphi XM receiver and place it within 75 feet of the transmitter, which rebroadcasts the XM signal picked up through your home antenna via audio system or home kit. Multiple Repeater Antennas may be operated off one transmitter. The Repeater Antenna must be used in conjunction with the Signal Repeater as it won't receive the XM signal by itself.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: EXTRA XM Signal Repeater Antenna\n\nReview: A couple of years ago I bought the whole kit with the sending unit, VERY expensive then. It works great for using XM at areas that don't have access to that South facing window or if you don't want to have the antenna wires running all over the place. Currently the prices keep falling to make it very economical to buy the extra antennas and have other XM's where I want to set them up at home. Only problem I have is when using the XM in our kitchen the Microwave oven will blank out the XM signal when its on. NO other problems and if you're a die hard XM'er like me it's now really worth it because of the much more reasonable prices for stuff like this now!","Product: Audio-Technica's AT-LP2DA LP To Digital Recording System has everything you need to transfer your vinyl collection to a PC or MP3 player. Audio-Technica brings its legendary quality and audio fidelity to the digital realm with the creation of the new LP-to-Digital Recording System. In the box, you'll find everything you need to transfer your classic LPs to digital files. The system is perfect for creating CDs and MP3 player files that get your old tunes off the shelf and into your portable player. So clear your closet shelves and take your vinyl discs into the digital mode for greater appreciation where ever you go. Save your files as MP3s, WMAs, or WAVs for easy transfer to your portable player. Or use the software to create full-color labels and jewel case inserts if you're burning the files to CD. Cast aluminum platter Wow & flutter - 0.25% Stereo RCA-to-stereo minijack cable Includes Cakewalk PYRO MP3 creation software Minor assembly required PC Requirements - 500MHz Intel or AMD processor (1.5GHz or better recommended), Windows 2000/XP/Me/98SE, 128MB RAM (256MB recommended), 1GB free hard drive space Dimensions(WxHxD) - 14-1/8 x 3-7/8 x 13-15/16\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: AT-LP2DA LP to Digital Recording\n\nReview: I purchased this unit over the next up models strictly due to price and reading other reviews that said the basic abilities were the same, so I thought I'd save a few bucks. I still have quite a few records from my youth, late 60's to early 80's and really liked the idea of this device. Not everything has been re-released as a CD. At the time there wasn't anything availible like it in our general area of Northern Idaho. Since then and with Christmas coming up, several area stores have various models of USB turn tables, or those 'all in one' units that look like old table radio units. Oh well, this was still less expensive than those are. Anyway, the first unit we got from Amazon was actually a well worn or not quite ready to go out refurbished unit (first time for any problems from a purchase from Amazon). Even at that it worked great, for about 45 minutes, then the turn table motor died and would no longer maintain an even speed at any setting. I contacted the company that makes them and in describing the problem the tech said to fax proof of the recent purchase and they'd send out a new one! EXCELLENT!!! So, proof faxed and a week later new unit arrived. Worked great ever since. Even have a spare needle and some parts now. The PYRO-5 program works fine and although I read some reviews about getting Audacity off the Internet, the stock program is fine as far as I'm concerned. The program is pretty good at the scratch and pop removal on my records. I've only worked with LP's so far and so I can't say about using with a cassette to CD conversion. It does what it is supposed to do, and does it great as far as I'm concerned. The next model up now out by the same company is an actual USB connection. Before you order the standard unit MAKE SURE YOUR COMPUTER HAS A 'LINE IN' plug. It states in the directions and in talking with the techs, the standard unit will not work on my Sony VIAO desktop, or other model computers if there isn't a line in plug for the adapter cables included. The USB system seems to be more universal for that reason alone. The standard unit worked great on my HP. For the price, go ahead and get one! Add some songs to your collection that nobody else will have!","Product: This infrared dome camera is designed for outdoor and indoor environment. The weatherproof dome assembly is a versatile, cost-effective, integrated surveillance solution. Its compact size of 3 1/2\" is unobtrusive, providing a high quality CCD sensor and a precision lens in a sleek, attractive housing. It provides you sharp images with color at daytime and black/white at night. The camera rotates manually 360 degree and tilts +/- 90 degree for maximum angle selection. f3.6 mm lens for wide view angle. Brand new In Box. With its quality images, simplified installation and attractive cosmetic appearance, this professional dome is an ideal surveillance solution. Bonus 12v DC 500mA power supply and security warning decal included.Note: this is a CCTV camera. It is part of a security system and need work with other equipments, like a Digital Video Recorder, cable and monitor (not included).\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Bargain if looking for an add-on camera for a security system\n\nReview: I needed another compact wide angle security camera for my 16 port Q-See system as I was expanding the cameras view around our house.\nI had already put one of these up and liked how well it was working so as a second camera on our front porch I put the second unit I just received so it shows, very clearly, anyone walking up the steps to the front door, and clear enough to be able to identify the person while monitoring via online.\nBoth of these cameras turned out to be great values because you'd think for the price they might not be good quality, just good enough. So I was very pleasantly surprised with the first unit I got. The night view is very bright and actually with the original camera I put on the porch which does show people going up the steps and to the door, but is to far away to clearly see who the person is, and now the porch is very well lit in invisible to see on the at night porch light. The unit is extremely secure and when mounted it would be difficult to knock down and damage like the usual camera with base and stalk would be if you had a determined intruder.","Product: HDMI switches expand the number of available HDMI ports on a high definition television allowing connection of cable boxes, Blu-ray players, and game consoles. A side benefit is that cable clutter is also eliminated by running a single HDMI cable to your HDTV from a switch and relocating the HDMI ports to a concealed location. The problem with most HDMI switches is that you have to either get up to push a button, or hunt for the remote control, to switch sources. The true mark of any great switching component is an ability to perform its function and remain transparent in its operation. This automatic HDMI switch is a plug-and-play away from offering everything you are looking for in an HDMI switch. Select a single output from up to three devices for signal delivery to your HDTV. Smart operation provides complete control for connect-and-forget operation. Powering on a device gives it output priority over the other devices. By powering down the device in use, output priority is returned to the last powered on device. Note: Auto switch function only works for components that do not output continuous voltage over HDMI port when turned off.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: HDMI 3 in with 1 out and auto switch.\n\nReview: I bought this because our older Samsung Plasma HD TV has only 2 HDMI ports that are already filled with a Blu-Ray player and the Direct TV HD-DVR. And as I was adding a new device, an Apple TV unit, I needed some sort of a splitter to make it all work. After researching all the available options, I thought this unit would best serve our needs.\n\nTurns out it works great and was at a great price from an Amazon seller.\n\nNo external power is needed, just plug into your HDMI device (TV in our case) and add two or three more HDMI input cables into it. There is a blue light to show something is connected and since there were no directions with the device, it seems that it senses the powered on device and switches to it.\n\nCouldn't be simpler and for us, no loss in video or sound quality either. I recommend it!","Product: This is a alloy housing camera,it's waterproof, can be used both indoor and outdoor. 36pcs LEDs can give you a good night vision image. And 3.6mm lens can help you to view a large space. Moreover, it's not expensive, very good for home or business used. Housing diameter: 60mm Remarks: Please note that this item is 1/4 CMOS chips match with 2.8mm lens, the angle is 75.6. it's narrower than 1/3 chips with 2.8mm lens. You can see details from our product images\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Turned out to be an excellent replacement camera for our home security system\n\nReview: It was a great surprise to find these Blue Fish cameras. I had purchase several \"discount\" but well reviewed cameras to add to our home security system. Those lasted about a year before the color went crazy and they just were not working as they should or with one of them the video just died, and none of our cameras are out in the weather even though they all were supposed to be \"all weather\" cameras.\nFirst off, I had to change nothing but the cameras themselves as the video and power plugs are the exact same type as the system we have and are the standard. Just take off the old camera, install the new Blue Fish cameras as the screw mounting hole is the same size, adjust the new camera for the wider field of view and you're good to go! Definitely plug and play!\nThe Blue Fish were well reviewed and a great price so I bought 3 of them. I really was looking for a wider field of view to, and these are perfect for my application and use. One of the old brand that died was the one above the front door and that was not wide enough field of view so it wasn't working well unless the person stood in one spot. The Blue Fish brand replacement works so much better! Not only a clearer image but a wider view that now covers a person walking up the stairs to the porch and the front door. Much better!\nI can really say these cameras are great bargains and I hope they'll last and I will probably buy a few more too!","Product: SanDisk Ultra 16GB class 10 SDHC memory card up to 40MB/s- sdsdun-0016g-g46 [older version]\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: SanDisk = great SD cards!\n\nReview: I'd bought a set of 2 of these 8GB cards as an Amazon \"add on\" at an excellent price.\nI've had SanDisk cards since my first 1GB, yes that is a ONE Gig card that cost $50.00 marked down from $100.00!!! And I am also very happy that storage has gotten so much cheaper. I still have that 1GB card too, I use it for a photo frame but it still works!\nI've only had one SanDisk card failure but it was a 64GB Micro SD card and I feel that my phone at the time corrupted that card.\nThe SanDisk 8's 16's and 32's I use for my cameras all work fine and I've never had a failure or lost photos with any of those.........yet.","Product: Style #: TLK500 An enduring favorite our comfortable classic polo is anything but ordinary. With superior wrinkle and shrink resistance a silky soft hand and an incredible range of styles sizes and colors it's a first-rate choice for uniforming just about any group. 5-ounce 65/35 poly/cotton pique Flat knit collar and cuffs Metal buttons with dyed-to-match plastic rims Double-needle armhole seams and hem Side vents\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A very good shirt, cool to wear and comfortable\n\nReview: Very happy to find such a great price for a shirt for work that I can't find locally as I have owned Port Authority shirts before. Actually the seller had made a mistake in sending the same shirt without a pocket as ordered, but since I had the shirt there I tried it on and was glad it fit fine always a bit of a concern ordering clothes online in my opinion. So I returned that pocketless shirt and ordered 2 more of the pocketed shirts from the same seller! Fit great look good, I NEED the pocket and that's getting hard to find at times.\nUPDATE 06/17/2015\nI have bought several more of these since this original review and as it appears that I'm having the same review show up for them all I thought I'd update. I now have 3 'wineberry' colored, 1 'royal blue' colored, 1 called \"coffee bean\" (a dark brown) and 2 \"silver\". The silver shirts fit fine but compared to all the others are slightly short in length although still labeled as the others as 2XLT. They're all holding up well overall. I can not get these locally at all without mail ordering from a local company so I like getting these via Amazon anyway. I will buy more as needed as I do really like them, they are all very comfortable and cool shirts as it is summer now! I really like the 2XLT length so I can keep my shirts tucked in! And still gotta have that pocket for my phone and glasses. Just finding a pocket shirt is tough in any of our area clothing stores anymore, I guess one is supposed to stuff everything in their pants pockets now a days? Or bring back the \"fanny pack\"? No, I'll just buy my shirts from Amazon where I can still get what I want!","Product: Infuse more fun into your workday with 3M WorkTunes Hearing Protector with AM/FM Radio. Designed to bring you hearing protection and entertainment, these protective earmuffs let you listen to the music of your choice from the AM/FM radio or from your mobile device via the auxiliary jack. Built-in comfort features like plush ear cushions and a padded headband help keep you comfortable while on the job. Plus, Voice Assist Technology lets you know which radio station you're on without having to remove the headset. So whether you're cutting grass or hard at work in the woodshop, help protect your hearingand have a great time while you're at itwith 3M WorkTunes Hearing Protector with AM/FM Radio.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: 3M Tekk Work Tunes, worth the low cost of comparable models!\n\nReview: I bought this set for my wife, and I'll be buying myself a set next year I like them that much. The sound quality is good, these are for working around loud power equipment after all so I'm not expecting concert hall quality, and while where we live is very rural and only has a few over the air radio stations, the MP3 player input works great and was a main reason for purchasing this set. In my usage I also liked the speaking of various functions so I didn't have to take them off to figure out what was going on with the various buttons.\nFor a headset for working outdoors, mowing, weed eating, whatever you need, I recommend this unit!","Product: Infuse more fun into your workday with 3M WorkTunes Hearing Protector with AM/FM Radio. Designed to bring you hearing protection and entertainment, these protective earmuffs let you listen to the music of your choice from the AM/FM radio or from your mobile device via the auxiliary jack. Built-in comfort features like plush ear cushions and a padded headband help keep you comfortable while on the job. Plus, Voice Assist Technology lets you know which radio station you're on without having to remove the headset. So whether you're cutting grass or hard at work in the woodshop, help protect your hearingand have a great time while you're at itwith 3M WorkTunes Hearing Protector with AM/FM Radio.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: 3M Tekk Work Tunes, worth the low cost of comparable models!\n\nReview: I bought this set for my wife, and I'll be buying myself a set next year I like them that much. The sound quality is good, these are for working around loud power equipment after all so I'm not expecting concert hall quality, and while where we live is very rural and only has a few over the air radio stations, the MP3 player input works great and was a main reason for purchasing this set. In my usage I also liked the speaking of various functions so I didn't have to take them off to figure out what was going on with the various buttons.\nFor a headset for working outdoors, mowing, weed eating, whatever you need, I recommend this unit!","Product: THIS LISTING IS FOR 1 FITTED STYLE BLACK NEOPRENE FACE MASK THERMAL COTTON FLEECE NECK WARMER WITH VELCRO CLOSURE *VENTED BREATHING *VELCRO ADJUSTABLE CLOSURE *RAISED EAR WARMERS *APPROXIMATE LENGTH AROUND HEAD 21\" UNSTRETCHED *APPROXIMATE LENGTH 11\" *ONE SIZE FITS MANY ( STRETCHABLE ) *FACE, NECK & EAR Coverage Mask *VERY WARM AND LIGHTWEIGHT TO WEAR **GREAT FOR WINTER SPORTS , HUNTERS, MOTORCYCLISTS , SNOWBOARDERS, HIKING, FISHING, SKIING, CONSTRUCTION WORKERS Ultra Portable 30-35 Gram Weight Fabric Machine wash gentle cycle & Air Dry. This new face mask may have a rubber \"Strong Neoprene Odor \" smell. The smell is from being stored in the mfg packaging and will disappear after being washed and air dried. Leaving The mask in a vented area between washings also helps with the \" Neoprene Scent \" Some users have noted that Febreeze or other neutralizing spray helps speed up the removal of any odor from the production of the Neoprene. DO NOT SOAK MASK ! We accept your returns \" no questions asked , There is a 20% restocking fee. Items returned as unaccepted or insufficient / wrong address will be refunded for the cost of the item(s) minus 20% restocking fee but will not be refunded the shipping cost . We do not refund Priority or express shipping Costs.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: With a helmet, it keeps the cold off your neck and ears for riding in cold temperatures.\n\nReview: OK, first off I wish I'd gotten this a long time ago!\nWhile I don't ride my motorcycle when it's that cold here in North Idaho, I do ride one of our quads as a snow plow in the cold and this made a world of difference to my comfort while doing that chore. I always wear an older full face helmet whenever on the quads and in the very cold and snowy winter the helmet helps keep my head warmer too. This face mask covers exactly as the add says, nose down to the ears in the back.\nIt velcros in the neck area behind your head and that has been the only problem with the mask, I think the softer side of the velcro should be the part to have any possible contact with the skin. So that being said, the velcro tabs are backwards as put together and the hard side is what scratched the heck out of my neck the first time I used it. I was way more careful next time but my wife said she will change the velcro tabs so the soft side is the way it probably should be.\nI had read some reviews about a certain 'smell', probably from manufacturing with some of these while first shopping for one, but it didn't last long and the smell was not that overpowering for me. But it did have one initially. It kept my neck warm, and made my ears warmer too. If too tight on your face it will leave a line that almost looks like a scar across your cheek on your face. I had to clear our driveway one morning before work and I had several people ask me what had happened with the line on my face!\nOverall though, it does exactly what it is supposed to do, makes working in a cold wind more comfortable which also means no more frozen runny nose for me.\nWell worth it!!","Product: The 3M WorkTunes Wireless Hearing Protector with Bluetooth Technology helps you protect your hearing while enjoying your favorite music, podcast, audio book or radio station. Equipped with Bluetooth Technology, these protective headphones allow you to stream the entertainment of your choice from your smartphone, tablet or other mobile device, while Safe Volume Control Technology self-adjusts to ensure you're listening at a safe volume level throughout your work day. The Audio Assist function alerts you to the radio station you're on and helps you pre-set your favorite channels without having to take off your headphones. All the controls are on the headsetso there's no need to be tethered by a cord. The plush ear cushions are designed with comfort in mind, and the flexible headband with ventilation improves comfort when worn with a hat. Get the best of both worlds, hearing protection plus great-sounding entertainment with 3M WorkTunes Wireless Hearing Protector with Bluetooth Technology.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: 3M Tekk Work Tunes, worth the low cost of comparable models!\n\nReview: I bought this set for my wife, and I'll be buying myself a set next year I like them that much. The sound quality is good, these are for working around loud power equipment after all so I'm not expecting concert hall quality, and while where we live is very rural and only has a few over the air radio stations, the MP3 player input works great and was a main reason for purchasing this set. In my usage I also liked the speaking of various functions so I didn't have to take them off to figure out what was going on with the various buttons.\nFor a headset for working outdoors, mowing, weed eating, whatever you need, I recommend this unit!","Product: Television series starring Alton Brown of the Food Network programs Good Eats and Iron Chef America.\n\nBrown's third series, Feasting on Asphalt explores \"road food\" (eating establishments which cater to travelers) in the historical and present-day United States, with an emphasis on unique restaurants and regional cuisine.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Feasting on Asphalt, first season\n\nReview: Although we watch the Food Network, I guess we don't watch it enough and I'd not heard of this show until I read about it in a Motorcycle magazine last year. Then I couldn't find it until this DVD set became availible just before the second season started. I really liked the series. I'm not into racing and that has always been the primary programming shown that features motorcycles. Racing or Strugis. So to see this was a lot of fun. Alton Brown is very funny but I also liked the area history that he covered on his travels for this series. The DVD set is better because the annoying commercials are only at the beginning of each disk and can be fast forwarded through. No pop up on screen adds or all the other junk that's on all the shows now-a-days when broadcast. So now I can't wait for season 2 to be availible!","Product: The hit suspense thriller based on the best-selling novel by Nora Roberts stars Emilie de Ravin (TV's \"Lost\") as Lieutenant Phoebe MacNamara, an expert hostage negotiator juggling a high-pressure career while caring for both her young daughter and her mother (Cybill Shepherd, TV's \"The L Word\"). When Phoebe meets handsome bar owner Duncan Swift (Ivan Sergei, TV's \"Jack & Jill\"), no amount of negotiation will allow her to resist his charms. Phoebe is assaulted by an unknown assailant, and later receives a series of mysterious threats. Suddenly Phoebe's the target of a psychopathic killer out to destroy her personally and professionally.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: The Nora Roberts Movie collection\n\nReview: Although for the movie \"High Noon\", this applies to most of the available movies in this series of movies based on Nora Robert's mystery books.\nI got these for my wife, and..., well...., I like them too!\nAs with many on TV movies (usually on Lifetime and Hallmark), these are much better to watch minus all the commercials. None of the DVD's we've gotten have had any 'extras' of any kind expect for the occasional previews.\nAll have been interesting and of the versions we've seen and read the book of also, they have stayed pretty true to those stories.\nOverall, pretty people (only the best looking current actors and actresses) following some interesting story lines. Some semi-sexy parts thrown in, a crisis or two and then a happy 'boy gets girl' ending. Whats not to like for occasional entertainment?","Product: Please Remove Your Shoes is a revealing documentary about broken government process. It is also an empathetic story about a half dozen public servants who try to fix it. And it is a familiar topic to all of us who have flown in the last fifteen years:the security routine at the airport, first the FAA and now the TSA. Please Remove Your Shoes examines the period before 911 and the current situation nine years later and asks the questions that make Washington squirm: Are we really any better for all our money spent? Or is it safe to say that nothing has changed?\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: DVD- Please Remove Your Shoes\n\nReview: I had never heard of this movie until I was recently reading an article about the TSA that talked about it, so I had to see it but it wasn't available anyplace I could find to rent so I bought it.\nThe movie is from 2010 so it isn't quite current but it was, and is, very interesting. It pretty well lays out how the airline industry and the TSA got to this point of, in my opinion, over protection, while still letting the bad guys through!\nI literally HATE to fly airlines anymore, and I'm a private pilot! But some places are worth being jammed in an aluminum tube, yes just like Sardines!, because it is a cheaper way to go on a long flight even over a private plane with the current costs of fuel etc.\n\nIf you can rent it or borrow a copy from a library, check it out. As I'd said above, if you want to get a good perspective of how things got the way they are it's very good. But being almost three years and counting out of date, don't buy it to get the most updated information.","Product: This clip-on case keeps your cell phone safe and protected while in style! Case adds a splash of color and provides protection from scratches, dust, grease, and other elements. Easy function allows easy access to all buttons, controls and ports. Best of all, this case is shock absorbent and shatterproof.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Clip together Rubber coated Samsung Captivate case\n\nReview: This is an excellent case as far as I'm concerned! It looked great on the impression, attaches very securely onto the phone encapsulating it with excellent openings for access to buttons, ports, camera and speaker as well as covering the two haves as it is a slider phone.\nBefore purchase I read several reviewers that were not happy with this style or saying it wasn't made very well in their opinion, but I think it works and looks great. The case also provides a great grip to the very slippery basic phone so it is more difficult to be dropped while getting it out of a pocket or just talking on the phone.\nI highly recommend it, especially at the Amazon price!! An almost IDENTICAL case was just under $20.00 at a local phone store.\n\nMy Samsung Impression recently went to our daughter as I upgraded to a Samsung Captivate. I also got the same kind of case for that phone too as I liked it so much. This type of snap on rubberized case, not this model case. And it looks and works great for that phone too!","Product: Our screen protector is made from the best material import from Japan. This is not a 'one-size-fits-all' solution, we designed and pre-cut to fit each device in San Francisco. Each screen Protector will MATCH its screen shape and cover the FULL screen, not just the picture area, there will be no cutting or trimming is required. Does not interfere with a touch display and writing surface, gives pleasant feel and excellent character recognition. Easy to install, just follow the instruction to apply. comes with cleaning cloth. It is self-adhering to the screen surface. It will leaves no sticky residue if you decide to remove it later. Satisfaction guaranteed!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Samsung Captivate Clear Screen protectors set of 5\n\nReview: As the material states, \"no cutting is required!\"\nI bought what I hope will be several months worth in 3 sets of the 5-per set. At a great price and very easy to install, just make sure you're in as dust proof an area as you can be when putting these or any screen covers on!\n\nThese do go on very easily and look and fit great! I've had the ones before that were 'close' to the right size and you need to trim a bit off to get the right fit a little more right, but all I've used so far and in all the sets I have they look pre-cut perfectly!\n\nSo, if your one of the multitudes of Samsung Captivate owners like me I highly recommend these screen covers if you use screen covers!","Product: It is portable for you to charge for the smart watch. It is compatible with Pebble Steel 2. Length: 1.5 m WHAT INCLUDES: 1 * Replacement Charging Cable for Pebble Steel 2\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: An extra, longer, charging cable for your Pebble Steel\n\nReview: An extra charging cable for your Pebble Steel smart watch.\nEven though at almost a year old my Pebble Steel still holds a charge for 7 days I wanted a second charging cable in case I misplaced the only one I had, the stock one.\nSo, I got this one in the mail two days ago and was happy to see the USB cable is quite a bit longer than the stock charging cable so now this will be cable number 1 since it makes it a bit easier for me to plug in and charge my Pebble Steel up.\nI was disappointed however since the magnetic connection is very weak compared to stock and if you're not careful it is very easy to pull off the watch and that makes it somewhat finicky and gives it 4 stars and not 5.","Product: Metal Watch band of matching finish for your Black Matte and Stainless Steel Pebble Smart Watch. With the metal band, Pebble Steel is rated to 5 ATM (165 feet). You can swim, run in the rain, or wash dishes with your Pebble Steel.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great looking for the silver OR the black Pebble Steel watch\n\nReview: For Christmas my wife got me a Pebble Steel but I already knew I wanted a different band than the leather, but with the 'new' lower cost was the elimination of the originally included second band, the metal band. With only the leather included with the price, buying the metal band from Amazon was one of the first things I bought for it. I had thought I was getting the silver watch at Christmas but found out the silver was obviously more popular and sold out so I'd gotten the black. Initially I was concerned and thought about sending it back to get the black band but the silver band actually looks great even with the black watch and the silver looking E-Ink numerals or watch faces used actually color coordinate it perfectly in my opinion.\nI watched a video on YouTube on taking out the links to shorten the band as it comes long, too long even for me and I'm a big guy! I took out 4 links and it's still loose but very comfortably loose now, not flopping around loose. As I'd never had a band like this in any watch I've ever owned, I thought taking out the links would be difficult, actually it was very easy after watching the video.\nThe band looks great, has been very scuff resistant and is well made. Definitely worth the cost if you decide to try the metal band for your own Steel.","Product: The Master Lock No. 378DAT features a 2-5/16 inch (59mm) trailer coupler lock, designed to resist rust and corrosion. The advanced locking mechanism provides resistance to picking and prying. The Limited Lifetime Warranty provides peace of mind from a brand you can trust.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Master Lock Hitch Lock\n\nReview: This RV or simply for use as a trailer lock is easy to use and was purchased for my piece of mind whether our trailer is at home or while on a trip. I bought the unit to fit the 2 5/16 standard RV trailer hitch.\nOf course if someone really wants to steal something, they will, but this is a very stout lock and ball attachment that I feel would take quite a bit of effort to damage enough to get it off the hitch. It is easy to install and remove, with the key of course! It's not awkward to me but some could find the unit heavy for them to use. I bought a used unit from Amazon, it saved money and was just as new when I got it.\nI doubled it too by getting the hitch lock pin lock so it will take more time and effort in getting 2 and not just 1 lock off the hitch if anyone decides they want my trailer more than I do!","Product: Camco RV Double Refrigerator Bar is designed to keep order in your RV refrigerator during travel. It is spring loaded to keep items in place. This refrigerator bar extends from 16 to 28\".\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: These will still help keep items in place while going down the road.\n\nReview: A staple of RV living for decades, the design hasn't ever really been changed either, because these still work! We've used them off an on over the years for our various RVs to keep items in place and on a shelf in an RV refrigerator.\nThey will work on many cabinet shelf spaces too, but I bought these for our fridge this time. While some reviewers I read said they could be easily separated, the plastic holders did break when I tried to separate them for our use when I found that together they basically blocked the shelf and separated they could now support two shelve decks in our RV fridge.\nEasy to use, you just twist out the inside tube from the outside tube until it fits snuggly in the fridge against the rubber bumpers on the ends.\nAs I recall, the rubber end caps wear out long before the tubes do so these do not last forever!","Product: Valterra's Twist-On Waste Valve twists directly onto your current waste valve, eliminating expensive service work. No more mess with an old valve problem.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A worthwhile RV upgrade!\n\nReview: I too suffered from \"cap dump\" which is what happens when taking off the sewer dump cap to prepare for dumping the tanks and 'stuff' has leaked down to the cap and gets spilled all over when you remove the cap!\nI had seen this add on waste valve in a post from \"Love Your RV\" and knew I needed one also. I feel this to be an easy fix for the problem and an extra layer of defense against cap dump!\nI mounted the unit on the dump port with the pull handle out of the way towards the back of the RV. While it can be moved it, so far, has proven to be very secure on the RV.\nA 5-star product!","Product: This is a Brand New Tail Light Pair. It is a direct replacement and comes ready to install. Fits models without Sport Package. Includes 1 Driver Side (Left) and 1 Passenger Side (Right). 1994-2001 Fits 1500 2500 3500, 2002 Fits 2500 3500.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Perfect replacements for our stock 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 tail lights.\n\nReview: These were a very worthwhile purchase, they look great, fit as good as the stock tail lights and helped bring new life to our 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup truck.\nThey arrived very well boxed up and protected and switching out the original set with one side badly sun faded the other side with a cracked lens was super easy.\nTake out the two 'star' screws on the inside wall of the truck bed next to the tail gate the carefully pull out the lens now held on by two pins that are held in by friction. Remove the cover over the holes for the bulbs, twist and insert the bulbs in this new set then push the side with the friction pins and reattach the screws and you are done!","Product: Rear bumper spare tire mounts are cumbersome and ugly. They make it difficult to install bike racks and cargo trays. Plus they add weight and length to your travel trailer. BAL now offers the 'Hide-a-Spare' Tire Storage System that allows you to mount the bulky tire beneath your trailer and out of the way. This system is very easy to mount and if you ever require access to the spare tire, simple to remove. Self tapper screws mount the two plates to the frame for a quick install. A knob and pin are removed to lower the 'Hide-a-Spare' to the ground. It then telescopes out for easier access to the spare tire. Made in the USA. Not retail boxed. Limited One-Year Warranty. 72\" L x 12\" W x 13\" D. I-Beam Underslung mount for trailers with enclosed underbelly.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: An excellent solution to moving or even adding a spare tire to your RV\n\nReview: Our Travel Trailer had the spare tire mounted on a folding storage rack at the rear of the trailer. While it has a 250-pound limit, I wouldn't use it because of the stress of the spare tire as it bounced along with the rack down, I felt there would be too much stress on the whole rack assembly with something failing literally down the road!\nSo, I searched for a spare tire relocation solution with YouTube looking for a good way to move the tire off the rack. I came across this Hide-A-Spare solution by BAL and after a few months, and with the vacation looming, I ordered the unit shown BAL 28218 for an RV like mine with an enclosed covered underbelly and I-beam frame construction.\nMy unit came in just two days and was not boxed, just secured and wrapped with tape at the ends. Included in the kit were the hanger mounts, instructions and the long bolts for mounting the tire on the sliding rack. I had read gripes from other reviewers about needing to purchase your own 5/16 sized mounting bolts, washers, and nuts to mount the rack onto the frame. I didn't have a problem with that as with the variables of places to mount these holders it would easier to just get what the purchaser needed from a local hardware store. It added about four dollars for the nuts, bolt, and washers I needed to mount this.\nMounting was both easier and harder than expected. In my opinion, this is a two person job for much of the installation process so things will line up correctly on both sides of the frame.\nGetting access to the inside of the I-Beam by moving the plastic cover that covers the underbelly and tanks wasn't too hard on the street side and drilling through the I-Beam, with a heavy duty drill, turned out to be somewhat easier than expected. You MUST get to the area inside BEFORE you drill any holes or you could easily wind up drilling into wiring or worse, your holding tanks!\nI used the mounting plates to make the marks for drilling. I used four bolts per side as the bottom lip of the I-beam actually helps support the holder.\nOn the curb side of our trailer, it was a bit more difficult due to our propane gas line to the stove, heater, water heater, and fridge, running right along the I-Beam. So, the holding mounts had to be loosened but there still wasn't a lot of room to work around the metal pipe.\nAfter all the holes were drilled mounting up the rack was pretty quick. It works just as it is supposed to and I hope I won't need it!\nJust pull the clip holding the screwed on pin in place, unscrew that pin and the rack can be lifted and pulled out to get to the spare tire.\nNow the rear rack, while not very large can be used without fear of the spare tire causing damage.\nWhen I purchased this is May 2017, the cost was quite a bit lower than last year which made this, to me, a no-brainer if you, like me, want to move the spare to a better place on the RV. Many spares are now mounted under the RV anyway. I mounted the spare about mid-way between the tires and the trailer tongue. I think this is a great way to move the tire. Less involved than most of the solutions I'd seen on YouTube. Thumbs way up!!\nI wanted the spare easy to get to yet away from the tires should have a failure like I've read about happening so often.","Product: Adjustable strap fits all 2'' to 2 1/4'' dia. trailer tongue jacks with round tubes. Can also be mounted on a flat surface. Fits 7-pin and 9-pin trailer connectors. Durable polypropylene with stainless steel hardware included.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I think this is better than just the rubber plug cover!\n\nReview: I originally was looking for just one of those RV rubber covers to keep the plug dry and this popped up as another product in the search.\nAlthough just a bit more expensive than the eight dollar plug cover I'd been thinking about, this plug 'garage' looked to be a better way to go. And it is!\nThe base can either be attached to the tube of the tongue jack, as in the product photo or mounted on a flat surface of the trailer if you want to drill and mount it that way.\nIt comes with the base with the cover molded attached, 2 straps and a two set screws. I thought there were no directions but after mounting the holder, it isn't rocket science to figure out how it mounts, I found the directions were actually inside on the inner part of the package product label as it was just in a clear bag with folded cardboard bag seal.\nThe straps are not zip ties, these are tension adjustable straps that after getting about right, one side anchors and the other pulls through and you tighten the setscrews to 'lock in' the other end of the straps and make it's all tight on the tube. I did have some of the strap to clip off with wire snips after I was done.\nThe RV cable sits with the base on the two arms and the plug end up underneath the cap or 'garage' as that's what it looks like to me. Safely out of the rain and snow pretty and well protected from the elements until needed as in the product photo, and the garage cover does extend down over the top of the plug to keep the water out.\nNow, how long will this last? I don't know. I think the straps may at some point in a few years be the first thing to give way. I think if you live in the sunbelt with your trailer or RV parked out in the sun all the time it might not last as long as mine because I live in the north and use a cover in the winter on our RV so the sun isn't beating down on it all year long.","Product: Covercraft Ready-Fit Multibond 200 Series Long Car Cover is designed to protect the vehicles interior as well as exterior from moisture, mold and UV .It features 3-layer polypropylene construction where its fibers is treated for extra UV resistance. The fabric is breathable as well as soft allowing moisture and condensation to evaporate. Its non abrasive tendency prevents scratching of paint and it provides complete dust protection. This cover includes bottom-edge elastic that holds the cover tight and is equipped with grommets for a cable lock as well as an additional grommet that can be installed to accommodate the vehicles antenna. The vehicle cover is easy to use as well as light weight for compact storage. Its fabric is long lasting and is backed by a 2 year limited warranty on material as well as workmanship.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Covercraft 200 series Car Cover- Gray\n\nReview: I'll be honest, I was looking for a relatively inexpensive cover and Amazon as usual came through. Covers get VERY expensive! This was actually a replacement cover for one that over a year had been torn up by cats. I park under a car port and we have numerous stray cats in the area since we have no dogs. I have a 2007 Solstice which is a convertible and the goal for me is to keep the little buggers off the soft top and not use it as a scratching pad!\nAlthough I did have some fitting concerns from reading various reviews, I found that the cover actually fit better than my expensive previous cover. It was just slightly large and not at all small as I'd read. The material seems soft enough and since it isn't parked in the weather when covered there have been no problems there either.\nThis cover only has one secure point at the bottom center of each side, again no issue for me as I don't need to secure it. I decided to just remove the radio antenna since I only listen to XM Sat radio anyway and I had problems with the old cover tearing at the hole I'd made in that cover for the antenna.\nOverall I'm very happy with this cover. It is keeping the cats off the top and paint, it is light weight and easy to put on and take off. The cover is labeled at the front but I also took a black marker pen and labeled \"F\" with an arrow pointing front and \"R\" pointing back with an arrow at the secure point on each side so if I forget I don't have to open it all up to find its on backwards!\nIt did not come with a stuff bag so if that's important, storage could be an issue or you'd need to supply a stuff bag.\nBut overall a good buy and very adequate cover!","Product: Wasps, mud daubers and rodents pose a serious threat to the refrigerator on your RV. They can enter through the refrigerator vents and cause serious damage by building nests that interfere with air flow. Camco 42153 (Model RS700) fits Norcold refrigerator vents that have 27-1/2 long louver openings. These easy to install screens will help ensure that your vents stay free from costly invasion by unwanted pests.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Norcold RV fridge vent, bug screen\n\nReview: As with the needed new bug covers for the heater and water heater, with our new 5th wheel came a Norcold RV fridge instead of Dometic. While I had, so far, never had any 'bug' issues with a fridge, I thought since I was being proactive in the bug screen department I would get the Norcold fridge vent bug screens too.\nIn the package, there were three longer than needed pieces of screen, six small white 'zip' ties and the directions for installation. You will need metal shears of some kind to cut the screens to the correct size to get a good fit.\nThen simply, hold the screen material on the outside of the fridge vent and from the inside and outside, get a zip tie through the screen and around the plastic to hold the screen in place like the photos included of my installation.\nOverall these should work fine in keeping any bugs out of the bay where the fridge sits.\nI gave a 4 star simply because they really don't give a good amount of zip ties. Really? Only two zip ties per screen?\nSo I spent another $4.00 for a bag of black small zip ties from Home Depot and redid the install with less visible black zip ties as well as needing three per screen to keep the screen secure.\nI can let it slide that Camco can't just send out the correct sized screens because the specifications may change often but in doing that, not everyone has metal shears and that will be the best way to cut the excess screen material off, one snip.","Product: Atwood Stove Wrap for Atwood ranges and cooktops. Range and cooktop stove liner; the secret to keeping a clean stove. Stove Wrap is uniquely designed to keep your stove top looking like new. No more wiping and scrubbing your stove to; reduces or even eliminates the need to clean up after cooking. Give life to an older stove top by covering up scuffed and scratched areas with a Stove Wrap. Designed to last, Stove Wrap is made of non-flammable material that is washable and reusable. SGS Approved Passed NFPA 701. Catches drips, spills and splatters,. Pre-cut and sewn to fit. Covers up stained and blemished stove tops. Packaged.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A great help for keeping the stove top of your RV stove, Suburban or Atwood, clean and looking great!\n\nReview: I bought this version as we had gotten a new 5th wheel with an Atwood stove in July 2017. We had a Travel Trailer with a Suburban stove and I had gotten a \"Stove Wrap\" for that stove when these first came out a couple of years ago.\nWhatever brand of stove you have these \"wraps\" work great. They help keep the top of the stove cleaner and can be taken off and washed then put right back on. As the information says, they are flame resistant and the wrap on our old trailer had been burned several times because that wrap wasn't 100% centered on one of the burners so it would work close to that burner, and on occasion, the burner flame would burn on the opening. Singed but never a fire.\nMy four stars are strictly due to the cost of one of these wraps. For what they are, I can see a much more realistic price in the mid twenty dollar range, not as it currently is, pushing forty dollars.","Product: The Jesse Stone series of 14 novels have produced 232 combined editions as they continue to be reprinted again and again. On television, Tom Selleck's Jesse Stone films are a modern day phenomenon with 9 movies between 2005 and 2015. The music from the series of films is composed by Jeff Beal (House of Cards, Monk) and a commercial release has never been widely available until now.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: This Ultimate Collection is the soundtracks from all the 8 Jesse Stone movies.\n\nReview: Every track from every Jesse Stone movie in one place, finally! I like most of the Jesse Stone movie series but I really like the music by Jeff Beal from the series. I had looked for the soundtracks of any of the early movies to be unable to find them except as a CD that was no longer available.\nWhen this collection of movie music popped up as available as a pre-order, I jumped on it and bought it right then. While the release was delayed it did finally arrive on Amazon Digital Music which was how I purchased it, and also it is supposed to be in a CD version too.\nI'm not going to list the tracks as it is a long list and someone else probably will list them.\nAgain, the bottom line is this, it is the Jeff Beal music from every Jesse Stone movie, some better than others, but overall I really like the music.","Product: CD\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Some of the music from \"24\" seasons 4 and 5, CD\n\nReview: So, we are powering through all 9 seasons of 24, the original 8 plus 2014's \"Live Another Day\" as we have all on DVD. And I'm really into the great soundtracks by Sean Callery! I'd never paid too much attention to the shows music when we watched the series unfold as it originally played on TV.\nAs I really liked some of the season 4 tracks, since we was watching it at the time, I was pleased to find this CD of season 4 and 5 music from Amazon. I don't go 5 stars because I think this selection is missing some big music from season 4, like the Marwan standoff at the plant in the desert, great music, almost \"Indian drums\" in it, but none on the disk. I really do like the short track the composer even says in the included paperwork with the CD, that he's written especially for the Chloe O'Brian character that sounds like 1960s spy music. Really good!\nIt would also be great if all the 24 music were available in download digital format!!! Hint, hint!","Product: Bluecell Pack of 40 Pcs Metal Clips with Clear Vinyl Straps/snaps for Id Badge Holder. Package contains 100 clips\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Versatile clips, not just for your name badge!\n\nReview: First off, I bought these to be cable keepers for headphone wire keepers and not for their designed use. I actually got the idea for using these from a recent conference. When back home and my plastic headphone wire clip holder broke, the kind that have a small plastic clip that clips onto the wire (if it doesn't break first!) and then has a small alligator clip like molded plastic with a spring, that clips on your clothes, collar, whatever.\nI took the clip, like these, to replace the holder. These actually work much better than the now very expensive little plastic clips ever did!\nI just put the wire on the plastic that is held by snaps, wrap the headphone wire once so there's a loop caught in the plastic snap, and done! Holds better and can be moved if needed to adjust length. This pack of 40, several years worth for me!, cost considerably less than the last 6 pack of plastic headset wire clip holders I'd bought. So maybe you don't need all 40, there were smaller amounts available but I liked the economy of the 40 pack. Recommended!","Product: WHY SHOULD YOU BUY TECH ARMOR SCREEN PROTECTORS?DID YOU KNOW A screen full of noticeable scratches is the number one issue that will lower your resale valuePRESERVE YOUR INVESTMENT AND MAXIMIZE YOUR RESALE VALUE The Tech Armor HD Clear screen protector will pay for itself as your first line of line of defense from scratches that will greatly reduce the resale value of your Pebble Steel No detail has been overlooked with this \"BestInClass\" product from Tech Armor the industry leader in screen protection. If you will only accept the BEST for your Pebble Steel, then look no further: BEST Protection from Scratches BEST Way to maximize resale value BEST Bubble free installation BEST Touchscreen Accuracy BEST HassleFree Lifetime WarrantyCOMPATIBILITY: 2014 Pebble SteelThe TECH ARMOR HD Clear Screen Protector Kit Includes: Three (3) HD Clear Screen Protectors Installation Instructions Smoothing Card Microfiber Cloth Dust Removal Tape Retail Packaging Tech Armor Lifetime Replacement Warranty\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Easy to install, clear protector screen for the Pebble Steel Smartwatch\n\nReview: This Christmas I received a Pebble Steel which I really like and enjoy. I had read and seen several reviews that stated that even with the Gorilla Glass screen, these watches could get scratched and I didn't want that. In shopping I chose these 'Tech Armor' screen protectors.\nThey arrived very fast and are very easy to install and are also crystal clear to where you can't tell there's even a protector on the watch face. These actually are very easy to put on the watch, easier than any protection sheets I have put on my Note II, and no bubbles!\nThe kit comes with 3 covers so they should last awhile. When I need them again, I'll order these again too.","Product: This digital coin bank keeps track of change on its digital LCD screen and updates your total each time you put in a coin. Batteries included!\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: It looks nice but doesn't work well, move along, move along\n\nReview: I was looking for a way to keep track of the change jar I have for all the pocket change that adds up over time. I thought I'd give this model a try to help keep track.\nOK, I wouldn't recommend this type of 'counter'.\nIt is somewhat hard to use and takes some effort to get the coin into the slot due to the tension on the small rod built into the lid that apparently is how the unit can tell what denomination the coin is, penny, nickel, dime, quarter, etc. This would be a \"throw away\" gift for a kid in the family to maybe entice saving some money but as mentioned above, it is pretty stiff getting the money into the thing!\nThe other issue I had when attempting to use it for a couple of weeks was the counter losing the count and zeroing out. A real pain after getting to over thirty dollars in coin!\nNo, there are better counters out there. I actually found a good counting machine on the closeout shelf at our area Walmart and it works great. This will be 'regifted' later this year.","Product: Water while youre away for a Betterday, without the work. Schedule only the watering your lawn and garden needs with a quick-set-up, programmable display.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Better Than I Had Expected It Would Be\n\nReview: We were needing to be gone for over a week and were concerned that our garden would dry up and die in the hot dry heat since we didn't have anyone reliable to care for it while we were gone. I looked on Amazon and found this unit and in reading about it thought it would work for us, got it and it does. I looked at the 3 valve models but it appeared that that 3rd valve was just a bypass valve and not a regulated connection so I picked this 2 valve model, less expensive too.\nWhen it came it turned out to be extremely easy to program and use. It runs on 2 AA batteries that are kept in a tray in the back and well protected from any rain or splashes. The batteries have so far lasted over a month and are still going. Ours is set to water every 12 hours, the right nozzle and left nozzles only 3 minutes at a time and 10 minutes apart. It can be programmed for 1 minute to hours long on each nozzle and the right nozzle is a bypass that will work with the push of a button if needed to water or use the hose.\nEasy to use, not too expensive, and works great. We're still using ours to keep everything watered and not having to manually water our veggies at all. Yes, it is a keeper!","Product: Camco RV Screen Door Cross Bar allows for easier exit and protection of the RV screen door. It adds a sturdy feel to the door and saves repair to screens. This bar adjusts from 21-5/8\" - 28-5/8\". It is easy to install and includes hardware.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A good addition to help protect your screen door from damage.\n\nReview: When traveling with young grandkids (age 3 and 4) you might get tired of telling them to \"quit pushing on the screen door!\". I know I did.\nSo I purchased and installed this metal and plastic cross bar for our RV screen door before this year's trip.\nIn the trip we just finished, June 2017, I am so glad I'd gotten this! Now, instead of often pushing on the screen, they now push and hang on to the handle. It is strong enough to contain them and the screen material is now protected from being damaged by \"little hands\".\nI found to that with hands full it is easier to push against the bar than the screen for grandma and grandpa too!\nIt was pretty easy to install and comes with the screws and installation instructions.","Product: Camco RV Screen Door Cross Bar allows for easier exit and protection of the RV screen door. It adds a sturdy feel to the door and saves repair to screens. This bar adjusts from 21-5/8\" - 28-5/8\". It is easy to install and includes hardware.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A good addition to help protect your screen door from damage.\n\nReview: When traveling with young grandkids (age 3 and 4) you might get tired of telling them to \"quit pushing on the screen door!\". I know I did.\nSo I purchased and installed this metal and plastic cross bar for our RV screen door before this year's trip.\nIn the trip we just finished, June 2017, I am so glad I'd gotten this! Now, instead of often pushing on the screen, they now push and hang on to the handle. It is strong enough to contain them and the screen material is now protected from being damaged by \"little hands\".\nI found to that with hands full it is easier to push against the bar than the screen for grandma and grandpa too!\nIt was pretty easy to install and comes with the screws and installation instructions.","Product: Prevent hose crimping and strain, and extend hose life. Camco RV 45 Degree Hose Elbow eliminates unnecessary stress and strain on all RV water intake hose fittings. Its perfect for RVs or just around the house. Elbow is made of brass for years of trouble-free use.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A much improved version of the 90 degree water connection elbow.\n\nReview: The previous 90 degree elbow we used for our travel trailer had started to leak at the hose joint so I purchased this new unit. This Camco version is much better made, thicker material, and I expect it to last considerably longer than the one it's replacing. It wasn't the gasket either for those readers thinking why didn't I just replace that rubber hose gasket? No, the leak was at an apparent weak spot in that area that after several years of use had finally taken the toll on the old one.\nI like using this adapter so there isn't as much force on the fresh water inlet connection to our trailer as I've seen so often on trips where the trailer is hooked up for city water of others.","Product: SYLVANIA 74043 ULTRA 9W dimmable LED light replacing 50W Halogen MR16 12V bi-pin base with 3000K color temperature.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: More home lights you can now convert to cost saving, no heat, LED lighting!\n\nReview: I LOVE LEDs! Bright light with no heat!!! And the prices for LED replacement bulbs just keep coming down too.\nI bought a set of these to replace the Halogen lights in our above bed dimmable reading light. I didn't want to junk it, and I didn't want to just get new, but now less expensive, Halogen lights again, but they are just too hot. These were not available anyplace locally so I looked on Amazon and found them there.\nOn arrival they installed perfectly and on full power they are very bright, actually, I think brighter than the Halogen lights were. On some lower settings you can get to a point where the lights flicker, but is not an always thing and just turning them back up a bit usually fixes the issue. I do think it may be an issue with this older light fixture that wasn't made with LED lighting in mind but overall it works fine, very happy.\nWe have replaced almost every light in our home with the new LEDs replacement bulbs of various sizes and we are very happy with the conversion!","Product: Little Giant's IRK-360 replacement kit is designed for use with the pony pump series. The kit includes 2 Buna impellers with brass inserts and 2 Buna cover gaskets. If, after 30 days, you are having a problem with your Little Giant, Franklin, or Red Lion product, call the Franklin Electric Tech Support Team at 888-956-0000 for Troubleshooting and Warranty Instructions. The Tech Support Team is available M-F from 7:00am-4:30pm CST. If, after 30 days, you are having a problem with your Little Giant, Franklin, or Red Lion product, call the Franklin Electric Tech Support Team at 888-956-0000 for Troubleshooting and Warranty Instructions. The Tech Support Team is available M-F from 7:00am-4:30pm CST.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Check out your pump BEFORE you need it and get this kit if you have a 360 Pony Pump!\n\nReview: I was glad to find the kit I needed to repair our 360 Pony Pump which we use to pump out the water that accumulates in our basement during sustained heavy rains or in the spring with the snow melt and rain. I should have but didn't check out our pump until it was needed, my mistake I won't make again! I waited until the basement flooded a bit then found out the pump wasn't pumping, so I took the cover plate off and found that 2 of the 6 rubber impeller blades had broken off inside.\nFor their size these are great little pumps for clear water, and finding this kit was so much less costly than a new pump. These little Pony Pumps are expensive to replace even on Amazon! Like $150 to $250.00 so this kit is a bargain!\nThe 2 new impellers with 2 new gaskets, as shown in the product photo, are sent in a clear plastic bag with instructions.\nI had replaced the old damaged parts with the new set in less than 15 minutes after I got the kit in the mail and it's worked fine since.\nIn the kit you get enough for 2 repair jobs for one pump, so these should last several years if used seasonally like I do.","Product: A Diamond Select Release! A Diamond Previews Exclusive! The Razor-era Cylon Centurion Commanders possess additional tactical algorithms and autonomous command protocols - making them the perfect units for a full-scale invasion! Each capable of controlling at least two Cylon Pilots and a Cylon Raider, the Cylon Commanders were last seen in the closing days of the first Cylon War. These seven-inch action figures feature multiple points of articulation and accessories from the hit series!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Cylon Centurion in Gold-ish\n\nReview: I bought this as a 'desk toy' for work.\nIt is the newer version of the \"classic\" Cylon model from the recent TV series. Think the Battlestar Galactica \"Razor\" episode. It is definitely something to look at, not to play with in my opinion, so it works best as a desk display. It, he?, stands around 8 inches tall and is actually very well detailed and it's the amount of detail that makes it somewhat fragile too.\nIn the 70's TV version the Centurion's were obviously guys in a suit, yes I'm that old!\nThis 'improved' version from the recent show is representative of a robot Centurion. The leg rods that move with the leg motion have several hinge points and if you're getting this for a kid, I mean a real little kid, it will very soon be broken.\nAlso the product photo is slightly misleading, while it is gold, gray and a little black, the gold is not shiny \"chrome like\" as in the photo.\nOverall though I like it! It looks good on my desk with my Android robot, Lost in Space Robot and other 'robot' toys from my youth.","Product: The Q500+ Typhoon is a complete aerial photography and videography system that records full HD 1080p 60 FPS video and takes 16 megapixel still photos. Included with the quadcopter are an aluminum case, two batteries, two sets of propellers, a battery charger, ST10+ Ground Station (transmitter), and an 32GB micro SD card. WHILE SUPPLIES LAST, RECEIVE THE HANDHELD GIMBAL (CGO STEADYGRIP), A $150 VALUE, FOR FREE. Why buy the Yuneec Q500 Typhoon over the competition, like the DJI Phantom or Inspire? - With the Follow Me feature the Yuneec Q500 will independently track the transmitter- great for those action shots! - Remove the camera from the drone, attach it to the included handheld gimbal, and take extremely steady shots. - No need to purchase an extra battery, it's included. Fly longer!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The Yuneec Q500+, the accolades are really earned and this is a great camera ship!\n\nReview: I had purchased the \"Yuneec\" brand after going over what I was wanting in a quadcopter camera ship for several months as I saved up for the purchase. I feel the Q500+ Pro is exactly what I was wanting and looking for. I have been able to fly it several times since I received it on November 4th, 2015. We'd been having a dryer and warmer than normal fall, until I got the quadcopter of course! Last Saturday when I flew it was a balmy 29 degrees! At least it wasn't too cloudy or windy and rainy for a change.\nThe Ready To Fly Pro kit is the BEST way to go in my opinion, Yuneec supplies everything needed to get in the air, 2 batteries, and yes the 20 to 25 minutes flight time is true, a charger that works in the home or in a car and. with the necessary adapters for both, 2 complete sets of props, even a Micro SD card with some videos and manuals included, but I'd already gotten them from the Yuneec website, so you could download the info and format the card to use in the copter. And it all comes well packaged and protected in it's own aluminum locking case.\nThe Amazon dealer I purchased from also supplied a separate 32GB Micro SD card but I would have bought one anyway. Even though this is the 1080P camera model the video files are very large and will eat up an 8GB easily if you are going to mainly video things. Oh, and there is also the battery powered hand held gimbal mount that you can use with your cell phone and the removable camera and gimbal to do some hand held stabilized video.\nI had also read a lot about the Yuneec customer service, yes it IS that good! On November 11th, since I was off for the US holiday, I thought I'd fly \"around the house\" even if it was just a bit windy, MISTAKE.\nSince I am still a quadcopter newby it was nothing but \"pilot error\" to go flying in a too restrictive space, with too windy conditions, the copter was drifting towards the house as I was bringing it down due to the winds and in an attempt to get it away from the house I cross controlled the copter, the camera was towards me so move right and away to the copter should have been left for me, but I went right and the copter was too close to change it then and plowed into the side of the house. 3 of the 4 props were instantly obliterated with the 4th one braking on the ground crash, only about 6 feet up but enough to think I'd just wasted the copter! I ran over and turned the copter off since it landed on it's back and I was worried I'd burned up the motors in addition to what ever else I'd just done to the body.\nI assessed the damages, the set of props gone, the front of the left landing skid, busted right off. Was anything internal damaged? I emailed Yuneec and started asking questions, in just a few minutes a tech from Yuneec actually called and talked with me, totally unexpected but very nice! At his suggestion I plugged it into the computer and let the GUI, don't worry, you'll need to download that program too! to check out all the systems, I was very relieved everything checked OK!!\nI did find that a couple of the 4 gimbal mounting isolation rubbers had been knocked loose and I found videos on YouTube and the Yuneec site to do most of the things to fix it. I ordered more parts and went from there. The landing gear, one screw holds it in place with well placed support tabs so it is strong.\nYou MUST learn to fly in an open field as I've been doing, except for the 11th and you just read what that cost me! The different modes are great and can really help as you learn, I tried them all including the \"return to home\" function. If you're on your own with this endeavor start watching the many YouTube videos about the copter while you wait for delivery. It does fly great and is very very stable, the speed control on the controler is a really great addition. I use it to slow down or 'smooth out' turns for better more stable videos, it works perfectly. In a not too long time you'll be getting the videos you were dreaming about when you ordered this! The \"follow me\" and \"watch me\" features give all kinds of options for footage you might want for your video projects.\nI have already upgraded the software on both the controller and the copter, it looks complicated but again, watch the videos first! Don't try any upgrades to the software without really understanding what you're doing first or you might \"brick\" the controller which would mean shipping it back for the company to fix.\nI had thought a lot about spending the about $100.00 or $200.00 more for the same copter in the newer 4K model, I'm Ok that I didn't and that's a great thing about the Yuneec line, I can get the 4K camera itself and it will work just fine on this copter, the controller software update supplies all the program needed to use the 4K camera so I'll start saving up for the 4K camera and gimbal attachment.\nThis copter is large, much bigger and heavier than the DJI Phantom line that I'd originally been eyeing but I think that really adds to the overall stability and the larger batteries contribute to the longer flight times. I'm a long time private pilot that's been priced out of the aircraft rental market but was always looking at ways to get back in the air for aerial photography, quadcopters fit that bill very nicely and I can now go flying almost any time the weather is decent, no reservations needed!\nSo yes, if you are like me and wanting some great low altitude areal video and photography I can say I highly recommend this aircraft!","Product: S.I.D. UFO ship combo with Space 1999 Rescue Eagle from Space 1999. Both Ships are approximately 4 inches long and are made of heavy duty plastic.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Space 1999 & Fireball XL-5 Premium Pack\n\nReview: OK, I'll admit I got these ONLY because it brought back memories of my youth. It popped up while looking at another item as an Amazon recommended product. It was worth it for me! While I bought it more for the XL-5 model, the Space 1999 Eagle was very nice also. Very well detailed models,the 'pod' on the eagle is removable as is the \"Fireball Junior\". However the landing gear of the Eagle all broke while trying to carefully take them off the frame they were attached to in the package. Some super glue fixed them, and they now adorn my desk at work. As my wife used to say to our kids when they were little, these are models you \"look at with your eyes, NOT with your fingers!\"."],"string":"[\n \"Product: 18\\\" Diameter Half Dome Mirror.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I recommend this if you're looking for a cost savings in a security or safety solution\\n\\nReview: I actually bought this for the building I work in. At 18 inches it's a pretty big half dome but the viewing angles are great. We have security cameras in all our offices but the building owner wouldn't allow security cameras in the hallways. My office is closest to the hallway entry but often people come in and are lost wondering which way to go. Now I can see them there and help take care of them. The building owner also didn't want any holes drilled in the block walls so I really wanted a lightweight model and this one fit the bill perfectly. I attached it to the wall with 4 large \\\"Command Strips\\\" with velcro for large photograph frames and it has held perfectly.\\nIt came with a protective film on it which was great while installing in and when removed it is an excellent mirror finish. Looking at it you would not know it is plastic instead of glass, but the cost and weight savings of plastic make it a must have in my book!\",\n \"Product: This is a brand new 11x17 picture, photo, diploma, poster frame (meaning a 11 '' x 17 '' or a 17 '' x 11 '' print will fit just right). This 11 x 17 Espresso Walnut frame is made of MDF, measuring 2'' wide, and 0.75'' deep, with a .5 '' deep rabbet (the space below the lip to the bottom of the frame). It is carefully made to the highest quality industry standards. This frame comes with Regular Glass. This frame is a unique frame that you will not find in most frame shops. The frame is perfect to lighten up your most cherished picture, photo, art gallery, poster, photograph, painting, diploma, artwork, craft project, needle-point or more, yet modest enough to match just about any environment. This Espresso Walnut frame works perfectly with black-and-white (B&W), and color pictures or paintings. Makes a nice Christmas gift! Please don't hesitate to browse through our policies and feedback. If you're not sure this is exactly the frame you'd like, feel free to use the search at the top of this page and search ArtToFrames to view our huge selection of wood picture frames, metal picture frames, and premade picture frames. Don't forget to add us to favorites, so you don't have to search for us again next time you need a picture frame!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Product SKU # - - WOMFRBW74061-11x17~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: 12 X 18 Frame & 12X24 Frame, 2 inches wide, black\\n\\nReview: I'd read several mixed reviews from this frame supplier, but I found them to be well made and nice looking frames. All of mine came with hardware to hang the frames, I'd read some people saying theirs didn't.\\nI ordered several of these apparently \\\"odd but normal\\\" sized frames since there was no place locally that carried them in stock. With the shipping a bit high (but nothing arrived scratched or broken!)at per unit with no\\nmulti-unit price they cost about the same as most locally available frames. But like I said, these were sizes I couldn't get from any place locally without special ordering at a substantially higher cost.\\nThe 12X18 frames are glass front the 12X24 frames are plastic if that matters to you. With the plastic one has to be more careful to not scratch it.\\nI'm sure I'll be buying more of them!\",\n \"Product: Best Vacuum Filter Bundle Pre Filter and Post HEPA Motor Filter compatible with Dyson DC14 All Floors, DC14 Animal, DC14 Drive, DC14 Low Reach, DC14 Total Clean, DC14 Full Kit, DC14 Full Gear, DC14 Full Access, DC14 Complete, DC14 Mail Order Exclusive, DC14 Online Retailer Exclusive, DC14 Plus Vacuums. This is not a Dyson OEM product and is not covered under any Dyson manufacturer's warranty. The Dyson brand names and logos are the registered trademarks of their respective owners. Any use of the Dyson brand name or model designation for this product is made solely for purposes of demonstrating compatibility.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Kits like this save you money and keep your Dyson working!\\n\\nReview: We have an over 10 year old Dyson DC14 'Animal'. We spent over $500.00 when we got it ON SALE in 2005. Now that it is an older model the parts to keep it going are way more cost effective and luckily pretty much the entire machine can be bought and rebuilt way less than that five hundred dollars. I think ours is still going strong because I am a stickler for keeping it clean and 'breathing!'\\nThis kit is a great way to do just that and if are even a little 'handy' you too can keep your Dyson - sucking! There are quite a few videos to watch if you want to learn and buying a kit like this and changing the filters will save you a lot of money!\\nThe purple filter with the gaskets goes below the canister on ours, with the yellow and more easily changed foam filter, just wash it out and let it dry and keep at least two around, replace if really old. It goes on top of the chamber canister.\",\n \"Product: The XM Satellite Signal Repeater Antenna receives the broadcast of an XM Satellite Radio Signal repeater, extending the signal from the repeater up to 75' for additional XM audio systems and/or home kits. The Repeater Antenna works with all Delphi and most XM satellite receivers. To use, connect the Repeater Antenna into the antenna input of any Delphi XM receiver and place it within 75 feet of the transmitter, which rebroadcasts the XM signal picked up through your home antenna via audio system or home kit. Multiple Repeater Antennas may be operated off one transmitter. The Repeater Antenna must be used in conjunction with the Signal Repeater as it won't receive the XM signal by itself.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: EXTRA XM Signal Repeater Antenna\\n\\nReview: A couple of years ago I bought the whole kit with the sending unit, VERY expensive then. It works great for using XM at areas that don't have access to that South facing window or if you don't want to have the antenna wires running all over the place. Currently the prices keep falling to make it very economical to buy the extra antennas and have other XM's where I want to set them up at home. Only problem I have is when using the XM in our kitchen the Microwave oven will blank out the XM signal when its on. NO other problems and if you're a die hard XM'er like me it's now really worth it because of the much more reasonable prices for stuff like this now!\",\n \"Product: Audio-Technica's AT-LP2DA LP To Digital Recording System has everything you need to transfer your vinyl collection to a PC or MP3 player. Audio-Technica brings its legendary quality and audio fidelity to the digital realm with the creation of the new LP-to-Digital Recording System. In the box, you'll find everything you need to transfer your classic LPs to digital files. The system is perfect for creating CDs and MP3 player files that get your old tunes off the shelf and into your portable player. So clear your closet shelves and take your vinyl discs into the digital mode for greater appreciation where ever you go. Save your files as MP3s, WMAs, or WAVs for easy transfer to your portable player. Or use the software to create full-color labels and jewel case inserts if you're burning the files to CD. Cast aluminum platter Wow & flutter - 0.25% Stereo RCA-to-stereo minijack cable Includes Cakewalk PYRO MP3 creation software Minor assembly required PC Requirements - 500MHz Intel or AMD processor (1.5GHz or better recommended), Windows 2000/XP/Me/98SE, 128MB RAM (256MB recommended), 1GB free hard drive space Dimensions(WxHxD) - 14-1/8 x 3-7/8 x 13-15/16\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: AT-LP2DA LP to Digital Recording\\n\\nReview: I purchased this unit over the next up models strictly due to price and reading other reviews that said the basic abilities were the same, so I thought I'd save a few bucks. I still have quite a few records from my youth, late 60's to early 80's and really liked the idea of this device. Not everything has been re-released as a CD. At the time there wasn't anything availible like it in our general area of Northern Idaho. Since then and with Christmas coming up, several area stores have various models of USB turn tables, or those 'all in one' units that look like old table radio units. Oh well, this was still less expensive than those are. Anyway, the first unit we got from Amazon was actually a well worn or not quite ready to go out refurbished unit (first time for any problems from a purchase from Amazon). Even at that it worked great, for about 45 minutes, then the turn table motor died and would no longer maintain an even speed at any setting. I contacted the company that makes them and in describing the problem the tech said to fax proof of the recent purchase and they'd send out a new one! EXCELLENT!!! So, proof faxed and a week later new unit arrived. Worked great ever since. Even have a spare needle and some parts now. The PYRO-5 program works fine and although I read some reviews about getting Audacity off the Internet, the stock program is fine as far as I'm concerned. The program is pretty good at the scratch and pop removal on my records. I've only worked with LP's so far and so I can't say about using with a cassette to CD conversion. It does what it is supposed to do, and does it great as far as I'm concerned. The next model up now out by the same company is an actual USB connection. Before you order the standard unit MAKE SURE YOUR COMPUTER HAS A 'LINE IN' plug. It states in the directions and in talking with the techs, the standard unit will not work on my Sony VIAO desktop, or other model computers if there isn't a line in plug for the adapter cables included. The USB system seems to be more universal for that reason alone. The standard unit worked great on my HP. For the price, go ahead and get one! Add some songs to your collection that nobody else will have!\",\n \"Product: This infrared dome camera is designed for outdoor and indoor environment. The weatherproof dome assembly is a versatile, cost-effective, integrated surveillance solution. Its compact size of 3 1/2\\\" is unobtrusive, providing a high quality CCD sensor and a precision lens in a sleek, attractive housing. It provides you sharp images with color at daytime and black/white at night. The camera rotates manually 360 degree and tilts +/- 90 degree for maximum angle selection. f3.6 mm lens for wide view angle. Brand new In Box. With its quality images, simplified installation and attractive cosmetic appearance, this professional dome is an ideal surveillance solution. Bonus 12v DC 500mA power supply and security warning decal included.Note: this is a CCTV camera. It is part of a security system and need work with other equipments, like a Digital Video Recorder, cable and monitor (not included).\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Bargain if looking for an add-on camera for a security system\\n\\nReview: I needed another compact wide angle security camera for my 16 port Q-See system as I was expanding the cameras view around our house.\\nI had already put one of these up and liked how well it was working so as a second camera on our front porch I put the second unit I just received so it shows, very clearly, anyone walking up the steps to the front door, and clear enough to be able to identify the person while monitoring via online.\\nBoth of these cameras turned out to be great values because you'd think for the price they might not be good quality, just good enough. So I was very pleasantly surprised with the first unit I got. The night view is very bright and actually with the original camera I put on the porch which does show people going up the steps and to the door, but is to far away to clearly see who the person is, and now the porch is very well lit in invisible to see on the at night porch light. The unit is extremely secure and when mounted it would be difficult to knock down and damage like the usual camera with base and stalk would be if you had a determined intruder.\",\n \"Product: HDMI switches expand the number of available HDMI ports on a high definition television allowing connection of cable boxes, Blu-ray players, and game consoles. A side benefit is that cable clutter is also eliminated by running a single HDMI cable to your HDTV from a switch and relocating the HDMI ports to a concealed location. The problem with most HDMI switches is that you have to either get up to push a button, or hunt for the remote control, to switch sources. The true mark of any great switching component is an ability to perform its function and remain transparent in its operation. This automatic HDMI switch is a plug-and-play away from offering everything you are looking for in an HDMI switch. Select a single output from up to three devices for signal delivery to your HDTV. Smart operation provides complete control for connect-and-forget operation. Powering on a device gives it output priority over the other devices. By powering down the device in use, output priority is returned to the last powered on device. Note: Auto switch function only works for components that do not output continuous voltage over HDMI port when turned off.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: HDMI 3 in with 1 out and auto switch.\\n\\nReview: I bought this because our older Samsung Plasma HD TV has only 2 HDMI ports that are already filled with a Blu-Ray player and the Direct TV HD-DVR. And as I was adding a new device, an Apple TV unit, I needed some sort of a splitter to make it all work. After researching all the available options, I thought this unit would best serve our needs.\\n\\nTurns out it works great and was at a great price from an Amazon seller.\\n\\nNo external power is needed, just plug into your HDMI device (TV in our case) and add two or three more HDMI input cables into it. There is a blue light to show something is connected and since there were no directions with the device, it seems that it senses the powered on device and switches to it.\\n\\nCouldn't be simpler and for us, no loss in video or sound quality either. I recommend it!\",\n \"Product: This is a alloy housing camera,it's waterproof, can be used both indoor and outdoor. 36pcs LEDs can give you a good night vision image. And 3.6mm lens can help you to view a large space. Moreover, it's not expensive, very good for home or business used. Housing diameter: 60mm Remarks: Please note that this item is 1/4 CMOS chips match with 2.8mm lens, the angle is 75.6. it's narrower than 1/3 chips with 2.8mm lens. You can see details from our product images\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Turned out to be an excellent replacement camera for our home security system\\n\\nReview: It was a great surprise to find these Blue Fish cameras. I had purchase several \\\"discount\\\" but well reviewed cameras to add to our home security system. Those lasted about a year before the color went crazy and they just were not working as they should or with one of them the video just died, and none of our cameras are out in the weather even though they all were supposed to be \\\"all weather\\\" cameras.\\nFirst off, I had to change nothing but the cameras themselves as the video and power plugs are the exact same type as the system we have and are the standard. Just take off the old camera, install the new Blue Fish cameras as the screw mounting hole is the same size, adjust the new camera for the wider field of view and you're good to go! Definitely plug and play!\\nThe Blue Fish were well reviewed and a great price so I bought 3 of them. I really was looking for a wider field of view to, and these are perfect for my application and use. One of the old brand that died was the one above the front door and that was not wide enough field of view so it wasn't working well unless the person stood in one spot. The Blue Fish brand replacement works so much better! Not only a clearer image but a wider view that now covers a person walking up the stairs to the porch and the front door. Much better!\\nI can really say these cameras are great bargains and I hope they'll last and I will probably buy a few more too!\",\n \"Product: SanDisk Ultra 16GB class 10 SDHC memory card up to 40MB/s- sdsdun-0016g-g46 [older version]\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: SanDisk = great SD cards!\\n\\nReview: I'd bought a set of 2 of these 8GB cards as an Amazon \\\"add on\\\" at an excellent price.\\nI've had SanDisk cards since my first 1GB, yes that is a ONE Gig card that cost $50.00 marked down from $100.00!!! And I am also very happy that storage has gotten so much cheaper. I still have that 1GB card too, I use it for a photo frame but it still works!\\nI've only had one SanDisk card failure but it was a 64GB Micro SD card and I feel that my phone at the time corrupted that card.\\nThe SanDisk 8's 16's and 32's I use for my cameras all work fine and I've never had a failure or lost photos with any of those.........yet.\",\n \"Product: Style #: TLK500 An enduring favorite our comfortable classic polo is anything but ordinary. With superior wrinkle and shrink resistance a silky soft hand and an incredible range of styles sizes and colors it's a first-rate choice for uniforming just about any group. 5-ounce 65/35 poly/cotton pique Flat knit collar and cuffs Metal buttons with dyed-to-match plastic rims Double-needle armhole seams and hem Side vents\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A very good shirt, cool to wear and comfortable\\n\\nReview: Very happy to find such a great price for a shirt for work that I can't find locally as I have owned Port Authority shirts before. Actually the seller had made a mistake in sending the same shirt without a pocket as ordered, but since I had the shirt there I tried it on and was glad it fit fine always a bit of a concern ordering clothes online in my opinion. So I returned that pocketless shirt and ordered 2 more of the pocketed shirts from the same seller! Fit great look good, I NEED the pocket and that's getting hard to find at times.\\nUPDATE 06/17/2015\\nI have bought several more of these since this original review and as it appears that I'm having the same review show up for them all I thought I'd update. I now have 3 'wineberry' colored, 1 'royal blue' colored, 1 called \\\"coffee bean\\\" (a dark brown) and 2 \\\"silver\\\". The silver shirts fit fine but compared to all the others are slightly short in length although still labeled as the others as 2XLT. They're all holding up well overall. I can not get these locally at all without mail ordering from a local company so I like getting these via Amazon anyway. I will buy more as needed as I do really like them, they are all very comfortable and cool shirts as it is summer now! I really like the 2XLT length so I can keep my shirts tucked in! And still gotta have that pocket for my phone and glasses. Just finding a pocket shirt is tough in any of our area clothing stores anymore, I guess one is supposed to stuff everything in their pants pockets now a days? Or bring back the \\\"fanny pack\\\"? No, I'll just buy my shirts from Amazon where I can still get what I want!\",\n \"Product: Infuse more fun into your workday with 3M WorkTunes Hearing Protector with AM/FM Radio. Designed to bring you hearing protection and entertainment, these protective earmuffs let you listen to the music of your choice from the AM/FM radio or from your mobile device via the auxiliary jack. Built-in comfort features like plush ear cushions and a padded headband help keep you comfortable while on the job. Plus, Voice Assist Technology lets you know which radio station you're on without having to remove the headset. So whether you're cutting grass or hard at work in the woodshop, help protect your hearingand have a great time while you're at itwith 3M WorkTunes Hearing Protector with AM/FM Radio.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: 3M Tekk Work Tunes, worth the low cost of comparable models!\\n\\nReview: I bought this set for my wife, and I'll be buying myself a set next year I like them that much. The sound quality is good, these are for working around loud power equipment after all so I'm not expecting concert hall quality, and while where we live is very rural and only has a few over the air radio stations, the MP3 player input works great and was a main reason for purchasing this set. In my usage I also liked the speaking of various functions so I didn't have to take them off to figure out what was going on with the various buttons.\\nFor a headset for working outdoors, mowing, weed eating, whatever you need, I recommend this unit!\",\n \"Product: Infuse more fun into your workday with 3M WorkTunes Hearing Protector with AM/FM Radio. Designed to bring you hearing protection and entertainment, these protective earmuffs let you listen to the music of your choice from the AM/FM radio or from your mobile device via the auxiliary jack. Built-in comfort features like plush ear cushions and a padded headband help keep you comfortable while on the job. Plus, Voice Assist Technology lets you know which radio station you're on without having to remove the headset. So whether you're cutting grass or hard at work in the woodshop, help protect your hearingand have a great time while you're at itwith 3M WorkTunes Hearing Protector with AM/FM Radio.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: 3M Tekk Work Tunes, worth the low cost of comparable models!\\n\\nReview: I bought this set for my wife, and I'll be buying myself a set next year I like them that much. The sound quality is good, these are for working around loud power equipment after all so I'm not expecting concert hall quality, and while where we live is very rural and only has a few over the air radio stations, the MP3 player input works great and was a main reason for purchasing this set. In my usage I also liked the speaking of various functions so I didn't have to take them off to figure out what was going on with the various buttons.\\nFor a headset for working outdoors, mowing, weed eating, whatever you need, I recommend this unit!\",\n \"Product: THIS LISTING IS FOR 1 FITTED STYLE BLACK NEOPRENE FACE MASK THERMAL COTTON FLEECE NECK WARMER WITH VELCRO CLOSURE *VENTED BREATHING *VELCRO ADJUSTABLE CLOSURE *RAISED EAR WARMERS *APPROXIMATE LENGTH AROUND HEAD 21\\\" UNSTRETCHED *APPROXIMATE LENGTH 11\\\" *ONE SIZE FITS MANY ( STRETCHABLE ) *FACE, NECK & EAR Coverage Mask *VERY WARM AND LIGHTWEIGHT TO WEAR **GREAT FOR WINTER SPORTS , HUNTERS, MOTORCYCLISTS , SNOWBOARDERS, HIKING, FISHING, SKIING, CONSTRUCTION WORKERS Ultra Portable 30-35 Gram Weight Fabric Machine wash gentle cycle & Air Dry. This new face mask may have a rubber \\\"Strong Neoprene Odor \\\" smell. The smell is from being stored in the mfg packaging and will disappear after being washed and air dried. Leaving The mask in a vented area between washings also helps with the \\\" Neoprene Scent \\\" Some users have noted that Febreeze or other neutralizing spray helps speed up the removal of any odor from the production of the Neoprene. DO NOT SOAK MASK ! We accept your returns \\\" no questions asked , There is a 20% restocking fee. Items returned as unaccepted or insufficient / wrong address will be refunded for the cost of the item(s) minus 20% restocking fee but will not be refunded the shipping cost . We do not refund Priority or express shipping Costs.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: With a helmet, it keeps the cold off your neck and ears for riding in cold temperatures.\\n\\nReview: OK, first off I wish I'd gotten this a long time ago!\\nWhile I don't ride my motorcycle when it's that cold here in North Idaho, I do ride one of our quads as a snow plow in the cold and this made a world of difference to my comfort while doing that chore. I always wear an older full face helmet whenever on the quads and in the very cold and snowy winter the helmet helps keep my head warmer too. This face mask covers exactly as the add says, nose down to the ears in the back.\\nIt velcros in the neck area behind your head and that has been the only problem with the mask, I think the softer side of the velcro should be the part to have any possible contact with the skin. So that being said, the velcro tabs are backwards as put together and the hard side is what scratched the heck out of my neck the first time I used it. I was way more careful next time but my wife said she will change the velcro tabs so the soft side is the way it probably should be.\\nI had read some reviews about a certain 'smell', probably from manufacturing with some of these while first shopping for one, but it didn't last long and the smell was not that overpowering for me. But it did have one initially. It kept my neck warm, and made my ears warmer too. If too tight on your face it will leave a line that almost looks like a scar across your cheek on your face. I had to clear our driveway one morning before work and I had several people ask me what had happened with the line on my face!\\nOverall though, it does exactly what it is supposed to do, makes working in a cold wind more comfortable which also means no more frozen runny nose for me.\\nWell worth it!!\",\n \"Product: The 3M WorkTunes Wireless Hearing Protector with Bluetooth Technology helps you protect your hearing while enjoying your favorite music, podcast, audio book or radio station. Equipped with Bluetooth Technology, these protective headphones allow you to stream the entertainment of your choice from your smartphone, tablet or other mobile device, while Safe Volume Control Technology self-adjusts to ensure you're listening at a safe volume level throughout your work day. The Audio Assist function alerts you to the radio station you're on and helps you pre-set your favorite channels without having to take off your headphones. All the controls are on the headsetso there's no need to be tethered by a cord. The plush ear cushions are designed with comfort in mind, and the flexible headband with ventilation improves comfort when worn with a hat. Get the best of both worlds, hearing protection plus great-sounding entertainment with 3M WorkTunes Wireless Hearing Protector with Bluetooth Technology.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: 3M Tekk Work Tunes, worth the low cost of comparable models!\\n\\nReview: I bought this set for my wife, and I'll be buying myself a set next year I like them that much. The sound quality is good, these are for working around loud power equipment after all so I'm not expecting concert hall quality, and while where we live is very rural and only has a few over the air radio stations, the MP3 player input works great and was a main reason for purchasing this set. In my usage I also liked the speaking of various functions so I didn't have to take them off to figure out what was going on with the various buttons.\\nFor a headset for working outdoors, mowing, weed eating, whatever you need, I recommend this unit!\",\n \"Product: Television series starring Alton Brown of the Food Network programs Good Eats and Iron Chef America.\\n\\nBrown's third series, Feasting on Asphalt explores \\\"road food\\\" (eating establishments which cater to travelers) in the historical and present-day United States, with an emphasis on unique restaurants and regional cuisine.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Feasting on Asphalt, first season\\n\\nReview: Although we watch the Food Network, I guess we don't watch it enough and I'd not heard of this show until I read about it in a Motorcycle magazine last year. Then I couldn't find it until this DVD set became availible just before the second season started. I really liked the series. I'm not into racing and that has always been the primary programming shown that features motorcycles. Racing or Strugis. So to see this was a lot of fun. Alton Brown is very funny but I also liked the area history that he covered on his travels for this series. The DVD set is better because the annoying commercials are only at the beginning of each disk and can be fast forwarded through. No pop up on screen adds or all the other junk that's on all the shows now-a-days when broadcast. So now I can't wait for season 2 to be availible!\",\n \"Product: The hit suspense thriller based on the best-selling novel by Nora Roberts stars Emilie de Ravin (TV's \\\"Lost\\\") as Lieutenant Phoebe MacNamara, an expert hostage negotiator juggling a high-pressure career while caring for both her young daughter and her mother (Cybill Shepherd, TV's \\\"The L Word\\\"). When Phoebe meets handsome bar owner Duncan Swift (Ivan Sergei, TV's \\\"Jack & Jill\\\"), no amount of negotiation will allow her to resist his charms. Phoebe is assaulted by an unknown assailant, and later receives a series of mysterious threats. Suddenly Phoebe's the target of a psychopathic killer out to destroy her personally and professionally.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: The Nora Roberts Movie collection\\n\\nReview: Although for the movie \\\"High Noon\\\", this applies to most of the available movies in this series of movies based on Nora Robert's mystery books.\\nI got these for my wife, and..., well...., I like them too!\\nAs with many on TV movies (usually on Lifetime and Hallmark), these are much better to watch minus all the commercials. None of the DVD's we've gotten have had any 'extras' of any kind expect for the occasional previews.\\nAll have been interesting and of the versions we've seen and read the book of also, they have stayed pretty true to those stories.\\nOverall, pretty people (only the best looking current actors and actresses) following some interesting story lines. Some semi-sexy parts thrown in, a crisis or two and then a happy 'boy gets girl' ending. Whats not to like for occasional entertainment?\",\n \"Product: Please Remove Your Shoes is a revealing documentary about broken government process. It is also an empathetic story about a half dozen public servants who try to fix it. And it is a familiar topic to all of us who have flown in the last fifteen years:the security routine at the airport, first the FAA and now the TSA. Please Remove Your Shoes examines the period before 911 and the current situation nine years later and asks the questions that make Washington squirm: Are we really any better for all our money spent? Or is it safe to say that nothing has changed?\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: DVD- Please Remove Your Shoes\\n\\nReview: I had never heard of this movie until I was recently reading an article about the TSA that talked about it, so I had to see it but it wasn't available anyplace I could find to rent so I bought it.\\nThe movie is from 2010 so it isn't quite current but it was, and is, very interesting. It pretty well lays out how the airline industry and the TSA got to this point of, in my opinion, over protection, while still letting the bad guys through!\\nI literally HATE to fly airlines anymore, and I'm a private pilot! But some places are worth being jammed in an aluminum tube, yes just like Sardines!, because it is a cheaper way to go on a long flight even over a private plane with the current costs of fuel etc.\\n\\nIf you can rent it or borrow a copy from a library, check it out. As I'd said above, if you want to get a good perspective of how things got the way they are it's very good. But being almost three years and counting out of date, don't buy it to get the most updated information.\",\n \"Product: This clip-on case keeps your cell phone safe and protected while in style! Case adds a splash of color and provides protection from scratches, dust, grease, and other elements. Easy function allows easy access to all buttons, controls and ports. Best of all, this case is shock absorbent and shatterproof.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Clip together Rubber coated Samsung Captivate case\\n\\nReview: This is an excellent case as far as I'm concerned! It looked great on the impression, attaches very securely onto the phone encapsulating it with excellent openings for access to buttons, ports, camera and speaker as well as covering the two haves as it is a slider phone.\\nBefore purchase I read several reviewers that were not happy with this style or saying it wasn't made very well in their opinion, but I think it works and looks great. The case also provides a great grip to the very slippery basic phone so it is more difficult to be dropped while getting it out of a pocket or just talking on the phone.\\nI highly recommend it, especially at the Amazon price!! An almost IDENTICAL case was just under $20.00 at a local phone store.\\n\\nMy Samsung Impression recently went to our daughter as I upgraded to a Samsung Captivate. I also got the same kind of case for that phone too as I liked it so much. This type of snap on rubberized case, not this model case. And it looks and works great for that phone too!\",\n \"Product: Our screen protector is made from the best material import from Japan. This is not a 'one-size-fits-all' solution, we designed and pre-cut to fit each device in San Francisco. Each screen Protector will MATCH its screen shape and cover the FULL screen, not just the picture area, there will be no cutting or trimming is required. Does not interfere with a touch display and writing surface, gives pleasant feel and excellent character recognition. Easy to install, just follow the instruction to apply. comes with cleaning cloth. It is self-adhering to the screen surface. It will leaves no sticky residue if you decide to remove it later. Satisfaction guaranteed!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Samsung Captivate Clear Screen protectors set of 5\\n\\nReview: As the material states, \\\"no cutting is required!\\\"\\nI bought what I hope will be several months worth in 3 sets of the 5-per set. At a great price and very easy to install, just make sure you're in as dust proof an area as you can be when putting these or any screen covers on!\\n\\nThese do go on very easily and look and fit great! I've had the ones before that were 'close' to the right size and you need to trim a bit off to get the right fit a little more right, but all I've used so far and in all the sets I have they look pre-cut perfectly!\\n\\nSo, if your one of the multitudes of Samsung Captivate owners like me I highly recommend these screen covers if you use screen covers!\",\n \"Product: It is portable for you to charge for the smart watch. It is compatible with Pebble Steel 2. Length: 1.5 m WHAT INCLUDES: 1 * Replacement Charging Cable for Pebble Steel 2\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: An extra, longer, charging cable for your Pebble Steel\\n\\nReview: An extra charging cable for your Pebble Steel smart watch.\\nEven though at almost a year old my Pebble Steel still holds a charge for 7 days I wanted a second charging cable in case I misplaced the only one I had, the stock one.\\nSo, I got this one in the mail two days ago and was happy to see the USB cable is quite a bit longer than the stock charging cable so now this will be cable number 1 since it makes it a bit easier for me to plug in and charge my Pebble Steel up.\\nI was disappointed however since the magnetic connection is very weak compared to stock and if you're not careful it is very easy to pull off the watch and that makes it somewhat finicky and gives it 4 stars and not 5.\",\n \"Product: Metal Watch band of matching finish for your Black Matte and Stainless Steel Pebble Smart Watch. With the metal band, Pebble Steel is rated to 5 ATM (165 feet). You can swim, run in the rain, or wash dishes with your Pebble Steel.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great looking for the silver OR the black Pebble Steel watch\\n\\nReview: For Christmas my wife got me a Pebble Steel but I already knew I wanted a different band than the leather, but with the 'new' lower cost was the elimination of the originally included second band, the metal band. With only the leather included with the price, buying the metal band from Amazon was one of the first things I bought for it. I had thought I was getting the silver watch at Christmas but found out the silver was obviously more popular and sold out so I'd gotten the black. Initially I was concerned and thought about sending it back to get the black band but the silver band actually looks great even with the black watch and the silver looking E-Ink numerals or watch faces used actually color coordinate it perfectly in my opinion.\\nI watched a video on YouTube on taking out the links to shorten the band as it comes long, too long even for me and I'm a big guy! I took out 4 links and it's still loose but very comfortably loose now, not flopping around loose. As I'd never had a band like this in any watch I've ever owned, I thought taking out the links would be difficult, actually it was very easy after watching the video.\\nThe band looks great, has been very scuff resistant and is well made. Definitely worth the cost if you decide to try the metal band for your own Steel.\",\n \"Product: The Master Lock No. 378DAT features a 2-5/16 inch (59mm) trailer coupler lock, designed to resist rust and corrosion. The advanced locking mechanism provides resistance to picking and prying. The Limited Lifetime Warranty provides peace of mind from a brand you can trust.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Master Lock Hitch Lock\\n\\nReview: This RV or simply for use as a trailer lock is easy to use and was purchased for my piece of mind whether our trailer is at home or while on a trip. I bought the unit to fit the 2 5/16 standard RV trailer hitch.\\nOf course if someone really wants to steal something, they will, but this is a very stout lock and ball attachment that I feel would take quite a bit of effort to damage enough to get it off the hitch. It is easy to install and remove, with the key of course! It's not awkward to me but some could find the unit heavy for them to use. I bought a used unit from Amazon, it saved money and was just as new when I got it.\\nI doubled it too by getting the hitch lock pin lock so it will take more time and effort in getting 2 and not just 1 lock off the hitch if anyone decides they want my trailer more than I do!\",\n \"Product: Camco RV Double Refrigerator Bar is designed to keep order in your RV refrigerator during travel. It is spring loaded to keep items in place. This refrigerator bar extends from 16 to 28\\\".\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: These will still help keep items in place while going down the road.\\n\\nReview: A staple of RV living for decades, the design hasn't ever really been changed either, because these still work! We've used them off an on over the years for our various RVs to keep items in place and on a shelf in an RV refrigerator.\\nThey will work on many cabinet shelf spaces too, but I bought these for our fridge this time. While some reviewers I read said they could be easily separated, the plastic holders did break when I tried to separate them for our use when I found that together they basically blocked the shelf and separated they could now support two shelve decks in our RV fridge.\\nEasy to use, you just twist out the inside tube from the outside tube until it fits snuggly in the fridge against the rubber bumpers on the ends.\\nAs I recall, the rubber end caps wear out long before the tubes do so these do not last forever!\",\n \"Product: Valterra's Twist-On Waste Valve twists directly onto your current waste valve, eliminating expensive service work. No more mess with an old valve problem.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A worthwhile RV upgrade!\\n\\nReview: I too suffered from \\\"cap dump\\\" which is what happens when taking off the sewer dump cap to prepare for dumping the tanks and 'stuff' has leaked down to the cap and gets spilled all over when you remove the cap!\\nI had seen this add on waste valve in a post from \\\"Love Your RV\\\" and knew I needed one also. I feel this to be an easy fix for the problem and an extra layer of defense against cap dump!\\nI mounted the unit on the dump port with the pull handle out of the way towards the back of the RV. While it can be moved it, so far, has proven to be very secure on the RV.\\nA 5-star product!\",\n \"Product: This is a Brand New Tail Light Pair. It is a direct replacement and comes ready to install. Fits models without Sport Package. Includes 1 Driver Side (Left) and 1 Passenger Side (Right). 1994-2001 Fits 1500 2500 3500, 2002 Fits 2500 3500.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Perfect replacements for our stock 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 tail lights.\\n\\nReview: These were a very worthwhile purchase, they look great, fit as good as the stock tail lights and helped bring new life to our 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup truck.\\nThey arrived very well boxed up and protected and switching out the original set with one side badly sun faded the other side with a cracked lens was super easy.\\nTake out the two 'star' screws on the inside wall of the truck bed next to the tail gate the carefully pull out the lens now held on by two pins that are held in by friction. Remove the cover over the holes for the bulbs, twist and insert the bulbs in this new set then push the side with the friction pins and reattach the screws and you are done!\",\n \"Product: Rear bumper spare tire mounts are cumbersome and ugly. They make it difficult to install bike racks and cargo trays. Plus they add weight and length to your travel trailer. BAL now offers the 'Hide-a-Spare' Tire Storage System that allows you to mount the bulky tire beneath your trailer and out of the way. This system is very easy to mount and if you ever require access to the spare tire, simple to remove. Self tapper screws mount the two plates to the frame for a quick install. A knob and pin are removed to lower the 'Hide-a-Spare' to the ground. It then telescopes out for easier access to the spare tire. Made in the USA. Not retail boxed. Limited One-Year Warranty. 72\\\" L x 12\\\" W x 13\\\" D. I-Beam Underslung mount for trailers with enclosed underbelly.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: An excellent solution to moving or even adding a spare tire to your RV\\n\\nReview: Our Travel Trailer had the spare tire mounted on a folding storage rack at the rear of the trailer. While it has a 250-pound limit, I wouldn't use it because of the stress of the spare tire as it bounced along with the rack down, I felt there would be too much stress on the whole rack assembly with something failing literally down the road!\\nSo, I searched for a spare tire relocation solution with YouTube looking for a good way to move the tire off the rack. I came across this Hide-A-Spare solution by BAL and after a few months, and with the vacation looming, I ordered the unit shown BAL 28218 for an RV like mine with an enclosed covered underbelly and I-beam frame construction.\\nMy unit came in just two days and was not boxed, just secured and wrapped with tape at the ends. Included in the kit were the hanger mounts, instructions and the long bolts for mounting the tire on the sliding rack. I had read gripes from other reviewers about needing to purchase your own 5/16 sized mounting bolts, washers, and nuts to mount the rack onto the frame. I didn't have a problem with that as with the variables of places to mount these holders it would easier to just get what the purchaser needed from a local hardware store. It added about four dollars for the nuts, bolt, and washers I needed to mount this.\\nMounting was both easier and harder than expected. In my opinion, this is a two person job for much of the installation process so things will line up correctly on both sides of the frame.\\nGetting access to the inside of the I-Beam by moving the plastic cover that covers the underbelly and tanks wasn't too hard on the street side and drilling through the I-Beam, with a heavy duty drill, turned out to be somewhat easier than expected. You MUST get to the area inside BEFORE you drill any holes or you could easily wind up drilling into wiring or worse, your holding tanks!\\nI used the mounting plates to make the marks for drilling. I used four bolts per side as the bottom lip of the I-beam actually helps support the holder.\\nOn the curb side of our trailer, it was a bit more difficult due to our propane gas line to the stove, heater, water heater, and fridge, running right along the I-Beam. So, the holding mounts had to be loosened but there still wasn't a lot of room to work around the metal pipe.\\nAfter all the holes were drilled mounting up the rack was pretty quick. It works just as it is supposed to and I hope I won't need it!\\nJust pull the clip holding the screwed on pin in place, unscrew that pin and the rack can be lifted and pulled out to get to the spare tire.\\nNow the rear rack, while not very large can be used without fear of the spare tire causing damage.\\nWhen I purchased this is May 2017, the cost was quite a bit lower than last year which made this, to me, a no-brainer if you, like me, want to move the spare to a better place on the RV. Many spares are now mounted under the RV anyway. I mounted the spare about mid-way between the tires and the trailer tongue. I think this is a great way to move the tire. Less involved than most of the solutions I'd seen on YouTube. Thumbs way up!!\\nI wanted the spare easy to get to yet away from the tires should have a failure like I've read about happening so often.\",\n \"Product: Adjustable strap fits all 2'' to 2 1/4'' dia. trailer tongue jacks with round tubes. Can also be mounted on a flat surface. Fits 7-pin and 9-pin trailer connectors. Durable polypropylene with stainless steel hardware included.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I think this is better than just the rubber plug cover!\\n\\nReview: I originally was looking for just one of those RV rubber covers to keep the plug dry and this popped up as another product in the search.\\nAlthough just a bit more expensive than the eight dollar plug cover I'd been thinking about, this plug 'garage' looked to be a better way to go. And it is!\\nThe base can either be attached to the tube of the tongue jack, as in the product photo or mounted on a flat surface of the trailer if you want to drill and mount it that way.\\nIt comes with the base with the cover molded attached, 2 straps and a two set screws. I thought there were no directions but after mounting the holder, it isn't rocket science to figure out how it mounts, I found the directions were actually inside on the inner part of the package product label as it was just in a clear bag with folded cardboard bag seal.\\nThe straps are not zip ties, these are tension adjustable straps that after getting about right, one side anchors and the other pulls through and you tighten the setscrews to 'lock in' the other end of the straps and make it's all tight on the tube. I did have some of the strap to clip off with wire snips after I was done.\\nThe RV cable sits with the base on the two arms and the plug end up underneath the cap or 'garage' as that's what it looks like to me. Safely out of the rain and snow pretty and well protected from the elements until needed as in the product photo, and the garage cover does extend down over the top of the plug to keep the water out.\\nNow, how long will this last? I don't know. I think the straps may at some point in a few years be the first thing to give way. I think if you live in the sunbelt with your trailer or RV parked out in the sun all the time it might not last as long as mine because I live in the north and use a cover in the winter on our RV so the sun isn't beating down on it all year long.\",\n \"Product: Covercraft Ready-Fit Multibond 200 Series Long Car Cover is designed to protect the vehicles interior as well as exterior from moisture, mold and UV .It features 3-layer polypropylene construction where its fibers is treated for extra UV resistance. The fabric is breathable as well as soft allowing moisture and condensation to evaporate. Its non abrasive tendency prevents scratching of paint and it provides complete dust protection. This cover includes bottom-edge elastic that holds the cover tight and is equipped with grommets for a cable lock as well as an additional grommet that can be installed to accommodate the vehicles antenna. The vehicle cover is easy to use as well as light weight for compact storage. Its fabric is long lasting and is backed by a 2 year limited warranty on material as well as workmanship.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Covercraft 200 series Car Cover- Gray\\n\\nReview: I'll be honest, I was looking for a relatively inexpensive cover and Amazon as usual came through. Covers get VERY expensive! This was actually a replacement cover for one that over a year had been torn up by cats. I park under a car port and we have numerous stray cats in the area since we have no dogs. I have a 2007 Solstice which is a convertible and the goal for me is to keep the little buggers off the soft top and not use it as a scratching pad!\\nAlthough I did have some fitting concerns from reading various reviews, I found that the cover actually fit better than my expensive previous cover. It was just slightly large and not at all small as I'd read. The material seems soft enough and since it isn't parked in the weather when covered there have been no problems there either.\\nThis cover only has one secure point at the bottom center of each side, again no issue for me as I don't need to secure it. I decided to just remove the radio antenna since I only listen to XM Sat radio anyway and I had problems with the old cover tearing at the hole I'd made in that cover for the antenna.\\nOverall I'm very happy with this cover. It is keeping the cats off the top and paint, it is light weight and easy to put on and take off. The cover is labeled at the front but I also took a black marker pen and labeled \\\"F\\\" with an arrow pointing front and \\\"R\\\" pointing back with an arrow at the secure point on each side so if I forget I don't have to open it all up to find its on backwards!\\nIt did not come with a stuff bag so if that's important, storage could be an issue or you'd need to supply a stuff bag.\\nBut overall a good buy and very adequate cover!\",\n \"Product: Wasps, mud daubers and rodents pose a serious threat to the refrigerator on your RV. They can enter through the refrigerator vents and cause serious damage by building nests that interfere with air flow. Camco 42153 (Model RS700) fits Norcold refrigerator vents that have 27-1/2 long louver openings. These easy to install screens will help ensure that your vents stay free from costly invasion by unwanted pests.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Norcold RV fridge vent, bug screen\\n\\nReview: As with the needed new bug covers for the heater and water heater, with our new 5th wheel came a Norcold RV fridge instead of Dometic. While I had, so far, never had any 'bug' issues with a fridge, I thought since I was being proactive in the bug screen department I would get the Norcold fridge vent bug screens too.\\nIn the package, there were three longer than needed pieces of screen, six small white 'zip' ties and the directions for installation. You will need metal shears of some kind to cut the screens to the correct size to get a good fit.\\nThen simply, hold the screen material on the outside of the fridge vent and from the inside and outside, get a zip tie through the screen and around the plastic to hold the screen in place like the photos included of my installation.\\nOverall these should work fine in keeping any bugs out of the bay where the fridge sits.\\nI gave a 4 star simply because they really don't give a good amount of zip ties. Really? Only two zip ties per screen?\\nSo I spent another $4.00 for a bag of black small zip ties from Home Depot and redid the install with less visible black zip ties as well as needing three per screen to keep the screen secure.\\nI can let it slide that Camco can't just send out the correct sized screens because the specifications may change often but in doing that, not everyone has metal shears and that will be the best way to cut the excess screen material off, one snip.\",\n \"Product: Atwood Stove Wrap for Atwood ranges and cooktops. Range and cooktop stove liner; the secret to keeping a clean stove. Stove Wrap is uniquely designed to keep your stove top looking like new. No more wiping and scrubbing your stove to; reduces or even eliminates the need to clean up after cooking. Give life to an older stove top by covering up scuffed and scratched areas with a Stove Wrap. Designed to last, Stove Wrap is made of non-flammable material that is washable and reusable. SGS Approved Passed NFPA 701. Catches drips, spills and splatters,. Pre-cut and sewn to fit. Covers up stained and blemished stove tops. Packaged.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A great help for keeping the stove top of your RV stove, Suburban or Atwood, clean and looking great!\\n\\nReview: I bought this version as we had gotten a new 5th wheel with an Atwood stove in July 2017. We had a Travel Trailer with a Suburban stove and I had gotten a \\\"Stove Wrap\\\" for that stove when these first came out a couple of years ago.\\nWhatever brand of stove you have these \\\"wraps\\\" work great. They help keep the top of the stove cleaner and can be taken off and washed then put right back on. As the information says, they are flame resistant and the wrap on our old trailer had been burned several times because that wrap wasn't 100% centered on one of the burners so it would work close to that burner, and on occasion, the burner flame would burn on the opening. Singed but never a fire.\\nMy four stars are strictly due to the cost of one of these wraps. For what they are, I can see a much more realistic price in the mid twenty dollar range, not as it currently is, pushing forty dollars.\",\n \"Product: The Jesse Stone series of 14 novels have produced 232 combined editions as they continue to be reprinted again and again. On television, Tom Selleck's Jesse Stone films are a modern day phenomenon with 9 movies between 2005 and 2015. The music from the series of films is composed by Jeff Beal (House of Cards, Monk) and a commercial release has never been widely available until now.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: This Ultimate Collection is the soundtracks from all the 8 Jesse Stone movies.\\n\\nReview: Every track from every Jesse Stone movie in one place, finally! I like most of the Jesse Stone movie series but I really like the music by Jeff Beal from the series. I had looked for the soundtracks of any of the early movies to be unable to find them except as a CD that was no longer available.\\nWhen this collection of movie music popped up as available as a pre-order, I jumped on it and bought it right then. While the release was delayed it did finally arrive on Amazon Digital Music which was how I purchased it, and also it is supposed to be in a CD version too.\\nI'm not going to list the tracks as it is a long list and someone else probably will list them.\\nAgain, the bottom line is this, it is the Jeff Beal music from every Jesse Stone movie, some better than others, but overall I really like the music.\",\n \"Product: CD\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Some of the music from \\\"24\\\" seasons 4 and 5, CD\\n\\nReview: So, we are powering through all 9 seasons of 24, the original 8 plus 2014's \\\"Live Another Day\\\" as we have all on DVD. And I'm really into the great soundtracks by Sean Callery! I'd never paid too much attention to the shows music when we watched the series unfold as it originally played on TV.\\nAs I really liked some of the season 4 tracks, since we was watching it at the time, I was pleased to find this CD of season 4 and 5 music from Amazon. I don't go 5 stars because I think this selection is missing some big music from season 4, like the Marwan standoff at the plant in the desert, great music, almost \\\"Indian drums\\\" in it, but none on the disk. I really do like the short track the composer even says in the included paperwork with the CD, that he's written especially for the Chloe O'Brian character that sounds like 1960s spy music. Really good!\\nIt would also be great if all the 24 music were available in download digital format!!! Hint, hint!\",\n \"Product: Bluecell Pack of 40 Pcs Metal Clips with Clear Vinyl Straps/snaps for Id Badge Holder. Package contains 100 clips\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Versatile clips, not just for your name badge!\\n\\nReview: First off, I bought these to be cable keepers for headphone wire keepers and not for their designed use. I actually got the idea for using these from a recent conference. When back home and my plastic headphone wire clip holder broke, the kind that have a small plastic clip that clips onto the wire (if it doesn't break first!) and then has a small alligator clip like molded plastic with a spring, that clips on your clothes, collar, whatever.\\nI took the clip, like these, to replace the holder. These actually work much better than the now very expensive little plastic clips ever did!\\nI just put the wire on the plastic that is held by snaps, wrap the headphone wire once so there's a loop caught in the plastic snap, and done! Holds better and can be moved if needed to adjust length. This pack of 40, several years worth for me!, cost considerably less than the last 6 pack of plastic headset wire clip holders I'd bought. So maybe you don't need all 40, there were smaller amounts available but I liked the economy of the 40 pack. Recommended!\",\n \"Product: WHY SHOULD YOU BUY TECH ARMOR SCREEN PROTECTORS?DID YOU KNOW A screen full of noticeable scratches is the number one issue that will lower your resale valuePRESERVE YOUR INVESTMENT AND MAXIMIZE YOUR RESALE VALUE The Tech Armor HD Clear screen protector will pay for itself as your first line of line of defense from scratches that will greatly reduce the resale value of your Pebble Steel No detail has been overlooked with this \\\"BestInClass\\\" product from Tech Armor the industry leader in screen protection. If you will only accept the BEST for your Pebble Steel, then look no further: BEST Protection from Scratches BEST Way to maximize resale value BEST Bubble free installation BEST Touchscreen Accuracy BEST HassleFree Lifetime WarrantyCOMPATIBILITY: 2014 Pebble SteelThe TECH ARMOR HD Clear Screen Protector Kit Includes: Three (3) HD Clear Screen Protectors Installation Instructions Smoothing Card Microfiber Cloth Dust Removal Tape Retail Packaging Tech Armor Lifetime Replacement Warranty\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Easy to install, clear protector screen for the Pebble Steel Smartwatch\\n\\nReview: This Christmas I received a Pebble Steel which I really like and enjoy. I had read and seen several reviews that stated that even with the Gorilla Glass screen, these watches could get scratched and I didn't want that. In shopping I chose these 'Tech Armor' screen protectors.\\nThey arrived very fast and are very easy to install and are also crystal clear to where you can't tell there's even a protector on the watch face. These actually are very easy to put on the watch, easier than any protection sheets I have put on my Note II, and no bubbles!\\nThe kit comes with 3 covers so they should last awhile. When I need them again, I'll order these again too.\",\n \"Product: This digital coin bank keeps track of change on its digital LCD screen and updates your total each time you put in a coin. Batteries included!\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: It looks nice but doesn't work well, move along, move along\\n\\nReview: I was looking for a way to keep track of the change jar I have for all the pocket change that adds up over time. I thought I'd give this model a try to help keep track.\\nOK, I wouldn't recommend this type of 'counter'.\\nIt is somewhat hard to use and takes some effort to get the coin into the slot due to the tension on the small rod built into the lid that apparently is how the unit can tell what denomination the coin is, penny, nickel, dime, quarter, etc. This would be a \\\"throw away\\\" gift for a kid in the family to maybe entice saving some money but as mentioned above, it is pretty stiff getting the money into the thing!\\nThe other issue I had when attempting to use it for a couple of weeks was the counter losing the count and zeroing out. A real pain after getting to over thirty dollars in coin!\\nNo, there are better counters out there. I actually found a good counting machine on the closeout shelf at our area Walmart and it works great. This will be 'regifted' later this year.\",\n \"Product: Water while youre away for a Betterday, without the work. Schedule only the watering your lawn and garden needs with a quick-set-up, programmable display.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Better Than I Had Expected It Would Be\\n\\nReview: We were needing to be gone for over a week and were concerned that our garden would dry up and die in the hot dry heat since we didn't have anyone reliable to care for it while we were gone. I looked on Amazon and found this unit and in reading about it thought it would work for us, got it and it does. I looked at the 3 valve models but it appeared that that 3rd valve was just a bypass valve and not a regulated connection so I picked this 2 valve model, less expensive too.\\nWhen it came it turned out to be extremely easy to program and use. It runs on 2 AA batteries that are kept in a tray in the back and well protected from any rain or splashes. The batteries have so far lasted over a month and are still going. Ours is set to water every 12 hours, the right nozzle and left nozzles only 3 minutes at a time and 10 minutes apart. It can be programmed for 1 minute to hours long on each nozzle and the right nozzle is a bypass that will work with the push of a button if needed to water or use the hose.\\nEasy to use, not too expensive, and works great. We're still using ours to keep everything watered and not having to manually water our veggies at all. Yes, it is a keeper!\",\n \"Product: Camco RV Screen Door Cross Bar allows for easier exit and protection of the RV screen door. It adds a sturdy feel to the door and saves repair to screens. This bar adjusts from 21-5/8\\\" - 28-5/8\\\". It is easy to install and includes hardware.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A good addition to help protect your screen door from damage.\\n\\nReview: When traveling with young grandkids (age 3 and 4) you might get tired of telling them to \\\"quit pushing on the screen door!\\\". I know I did.\\nSo I purchased and installed this metal and plastic cross bar for our RV screen door before this year's trip.\\nIn the trip we just finished, June 2017, I am so glad I'd gotten this! Now, instead of often pushing on the screen, they now push and hang on to the handle. It is strong enough to contain them and the screen material is now protected from being damaged by \\\"little hands\\\".\\nI found to that with hands full it is easier to push against the bar than the screen for grandma and grandpa too!\\nIt was pretty easy to install and comes with the screws and installation instructions.\",\n \"Product: Camco RV Screen Door Cross Bar allows for easier exit and protection of the RV screen door. It adds a sturdy feel to the door and saves repair to screens. This bar adjusts from 21-5/8\\\" - 28-5/8\\\". It is easy to install and includes hardware.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A good addition to help protect your screen door from damage.\\n\\nReview: When traveling with young grandkids (age 3 and 4) you might get tired of telling them to \\\"quit pushing on the screen door!\\\". I know I did.\\nSo I purchased and installed this metal and plastic cross bar for our RV screen door before this year's trip.\\nIn the trip we just finished, June 2017, I am so glad I'd gotten this! Now, instead of often pushing on the screen, they now push and hang on to the handle. It is strong enough to contain them and the screen material is now protected from being damaged by \\\"little hands\\\".\\nI found to that with hands full it is easier to push against the bar than the screen for grandma and grandpa too!\\nIt was pretty easy to install and comes with the screws and installation instructions.\",\n \"Product: Prevent hose crimping and strain, and extend hose life. Camco RV 45 Degree Hose Elbow eliminates unnecessary stress and strain on all RV water intake hose fittings. Its perfect for RVs or just around the house. Elbow is made of brass for years of trouble-free use.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A much improved version of the 90 degree water connection elbow.\\n\\nReview: The previous 90 degree elbow we used for our travel trailer had started to leak at the hose joint so I purchased this new unit. This Camco version is much better made, thicker material, and I expect it to last considerably longer than the one it's replacing. It wasn't the gasket either for those readers thinking why didn't I just replace that rubber hose gasket? No, the leak was at an apparent weak spot in that area that after several years of use had finally taken the toll on the old one.\\nI like using this adapter so there isn't as much force on the fresh water inlet connection to our trailer as I've seen so often on trips where the trailer is hooked up for city water of others.\",\n \"Product: SYLVANIA 74043 ULTRA 9W dimmable LED light replacing 50W Halogen MR16 12V bi-pin base with 3000K color temperature.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: More home lights you can now convert to cost saving, no heat, LED lighting!\\n\\nReview: I LOVE LEDs! Bright light with no heat!!! And the prices for LED replacement bulbs just keep coming down too.\\nI bought a set of these to replace the Halogen lights in our above bed dimmable reading light. I didn't want to junk it, and I didn't want to just get new, but now less expensive, Halogen lights again, but they are just too hot. These were not available anyplace locally so I looked on Amazon and found them there.\\nOn arrival they installed perfectly and on full power they are very bright, actually, I think brighter than the Halogen lights were. On some lower settings you can get to a point where the lights flicker, but is not an always thing and just turning them back up a bit usually fixes the issue. I do think it may be an issue with this older light fixture that wasn't made with LED lighting in mind but overall it works fine, very happy.\\nWe have replaced almost every light in our home with the new LEDs replacement bulbs of various sizes and we are very happy with the conversion!\",\n \"Product: Little Giant's IRK-360 replacement kit is designed for use with the pony pump series. The kit includes 2 Buna impellers with brass inserts and 2 Buna cover gaskets. If, after 30 days, you are having a problem with your Little Giant, Franklin, or Red Lion product, call the Franklin Electric Tech Support Team at 888-956-0000 for Troubleshooting and Warranty Instructions. The Tech Support Team is available M-F from 7:00am-4:30pm CST. If, after 30 days, you are having a problem with your Little Giant, Franklin, or Red Lion product, call the Franklin Electric Tech Support Team at 888-956-0000 for Troubleshooting and Warranty Instructions. The Tech Support Team is available M-F from 7:00am-4:30pm CST.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Check out your pump BEFORE you need it and get this kit if you have a 360 Pony Pump!\\n\\nReview: I was glad to find the kit I needed to repair our 360 Pony Pump which we use to pump out the water that accumulates in our basement during sustained heavy rains or in the spring with the snow melt and rain. I should have but didn't check out our pump until it was needed, my mistake I won't make again! I waited until the basement flooded a bit then found out the pump wasn't pumping, so I took the cover plate off and found that 2 of the 6 rubber impeller blades had broken off inside.\\nFor their size these are great little pumps for clear water, and finding this kit was so much less costly than a new pump. These little Pony Pumps are expensive to replace even on Amazon! Like $150 to $250.00 so this kit is a bargain!\\nThe 2 new impellers with 2 new gaskets, as shown in the product photo, are sent in a clear plastic bag with instructions.\\nI had replaced the old damaged parts with the new set in less than 15 minutes after I got the kit in the mail and it's worked fine since.\\nIn the kit you get enough for 2 repair jobs for one pump, so these should last several years if used seasonally like I do.\",\n \"Product: A Diamond Select Release! A Diamond Previews Exclusive! The Razor-era Cylon Centurion Commanders possess additional tactical algorithms and autonomous command protocols - making them the perfect units for a full-scale invasion! Each capable of controlling at least two Cylon Pilots and a Cylon Raider, the Cylon Commanders were last seen in the closing days of the first Cylon War. These seven-inch action figures feature multiple points of articulation and accessories from the hit series!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Cylon Centurion in Gold-ish\\n\\nReview: I bought this as a 'desk toy' for work.\\nIt is the newer version of the \\\"classic\\\" Cylon model from the recent TV series. Think the Battlestar Galactica \\\"Razor\\\" episode. It is definitely something to look at, not to play with in my opinion, so it works best as a desk display. It, he?, stands around 8 inches tall and is actually very well detailed and it's the amount of detail that makes it somewhat fragile too.\\nIn the 70's TV version the Centurion's were obviously guys in a suit, yes I'm that old!\\nThis 'improved' version from the recent show is representative of a robot Centurion. The leg rods that move with the leg motion have several hinge points and if you're getting this for a kid, I mean a real little kid, it will very soon be broken.\\nAlso the product photo is slightly misleading, while it is gold, gray and a little black, the gold is not shiny \\\"chrome like\\\" as in the photo.\\nOverall though I like it! It looks good on my desk with my Android robot, Lost in Space Robot and other 'robot' toys from my youth.\",\n \"Product: The Q500+ Typhoon is a complete aerial photography and videography system that records full HD 1080p 60 FPS video and takes 16 megapixel still photos. Included with the quadcopter are an aluminum case, two batteries, two sets of propellers, a battery charger, ST10+ Ground Station (transmitter), and an 32GB micro SD card. WHILE SUPPLIES LAST, RECEIVE THE HANDHELD GIMBAL (CGO STEADYGRIP), A $150 VALUE, FOR FREE. Why buy the Yuneec Q500 Typhoon over the competition, like the DJI Phantom or Inspire? - With the Follow Me feature the Yuneec Q500 will independently track the transmitter- great for those action shots! - Remove the camera from the drone, attach it to the included handheld gimbal, and take extremely steady shots. - No need to purchase an extra battery, it's included. Fly longer!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The Yuneec Q500+, the accolades are really earned and this is a great camera ship!\\n\\nReview: I had purchased the \\\"Yuneec\\\" brand after going over what I was wanting in a quadcopter camera ship for several months as I saved up for the purchase. I feel the Q500+ Pro is exactly what I was wanting and looking for. I have been able to fly it several times since I received it on November 4th, 2015. We'd been having a dryer and warmer than normal fall, until I got the quadcopter of course! Last Saturday when I flew it was a balmy 29 degrees! At least it wasn't too cloudy or windy and rainy for a change.\\nThe Ready To Fly Pro kit is the BEST way to go in my opinion, Yuneec supplies everything needed to get in the air, 2 batteries, and yes the 20 to 25 minutes flight time is true, a charger that works in the home or in a car and. with the necessary adapters for both, 2 complete sets of props, even a Micro SD card with some videos and manuals included, but I'd already gotten them from the Yuneec website, so you could download the info and format the card to use in the copter. And it all comes well packaged and protected in it's own aluminum locking case.\\nThe Amazon dealer I purchased from also supplied a separate 32GB Micro SD card but I would have bought one anyway. Even though this is the 1080P camera model the video files are very large and will eat up an 8GB easily if you are going to mainly video things. Oh, and there is also the battery powered hand held gimbal mount that you can use with your cell phone and the removable camera and gimbal to do some hand held stabilized video.\\nI had also read a lot about the Yuneec customer service, yes it IS that good! On November 11th, since I was off for the US holiday, I thought I'd fly \\\"around the house\\\" even if it was just a bit windy, MISTAKE.\\nSince I am still a quadcopter newby it was nothing but \\\"pilot error\\\" to go flying in a too restrictive space, with too windy conditions, the copter was drifting towards the house as I was bringing it down due to the winds and in an attempt to get it away from the house I cross controlled the copter, the camera was towards me so move right and away to the copter should have been left for me, but I went right and the copter was too close to change it then and plowed into the side of the house. 3 of the 4 props were instantly obliterated with the 4th one braking on the ground crash, only about 6 feet up but enough to think I'd just wasted the copter! I ran over and turned the copter off since it landed on it's back and I was worried I'd burned up the motors in addition to what ever else I'd just done to the body.\\nI assessed the damages, the set of props gone, the front of the left landing skid, busted right off. Was anything internal damaged? I emailed Yuneec and started asking questions, in just a few minutes a tech from Yuneec actually called and talked with me, totally unexpected but very nice! At his suggestion I plugged it into the computer and let the GUI, don't worry, you'll need to download that program too! to check out all the systems, I was very relieved everything checked OK!!\\nI did find that a couple of the 4 gimbal mounting isolation rubbers had been knocked loose and I found videos on YouTube and the Yuneec site to do most of the things to fix it. I ordered more parts and went from there. The landing gear, one screw holds it in place with well placed support tabs so it is strong.\\nYou MUST learn to fly in an open field as I've been doing, except for the 11th and you just read what that cost me! The different modes are great and can really help as you learn, I tried them all including the \\\"return to home\\\" function. If you're on your own with this endeavor start watching the many YouTube videos about the copter while you wait for delivery. It does fly great and is very very stable, the speed control on the controler is a really great addition. I use it to slow down or 'smooth out' turns for better more stable videos, it works perfectly. In a not too long time you'll be getting the videos you were dreaming about when you ordered this! The \\\"follow me\\\" and \\\"watch me\\\" features give all kinds of options for footage you might want for your video projects.\\nI have already upgraded the software on both the controller and the copter, it looks complicated but again, watch the videos first! Don't try any upgrades to the software without really understanding what you're doing first or you might \\\"brick\\\" the controller which would mean shipping it back for the company to fix.\\nI had thought a lot about spending the about $100.00 or $200.00 more for the same copter in the newer 4K model, I'm Ok that I didn't and that's a great thing about the Yuneec line, I can get the 4K camera itself and it will work just fine on this copter, the controller software update supplies all the program needed to use the 4K camera so I'll start saving up for the 4K camera and gimbal attachment.\\nThis copter is large, much bigger and heavier than the DJI Phantom line that I'd originally been eyeing but I think that really adds to the overall stability and the larger batteries contribute to the longer flight times. I'm a long time private pilot that's been priced out of the aircraft rental market but was always looking at ways to get back in the air for aerial photography, quadcopters fit that bill very nicely and I can now go flying almost any time the weather is decent, no reservations needed!\\nSo yes, if you are like me and wanting some great low altitude areal video and photography I can say I highly recommend this aircraft!\",\n \"Product: S.I.D. UFO ship combo with Space 1999 Rescue Eagle from Space 1999. Both Ships are approximately 4 inches long and are made of heavy duty plastic.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Space 1999 & Fireball XL-5 Premium Pack\\n\\nReview: OK, I'll admit I got these ONLY because it brought back memories of my youth. It popped up while looking at another item as an Amazon recommended product. It was worth it for me! While I bought it more for the XL-5 model, the Space 1999 Eagle was very nice also. Very well detailed models,the 'pod' on the eagle is removable as is the \\\"Fireball Junior\\\". However the landing gear of the Eagle all broke while trying to carefully take them off the frame they were attached to in the package. Some super glue fixed them, and they now adorn my desk at work. As my wife used to say to our kids when they were little, these are models you \\\"look at with your eyes, NOT with your fingers!\\\".\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":44,"string":"44"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":394,"string":"394"}}},{"rowIdx":395,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A35WYJH6MPPIFV"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"4.0\" for a product with description \"Flexible wrap around sunglasses are super comfortable and lightweight, with full wrap around, semi-rimless styling and non-slip nose and temple pads. Polarized Lenses Eliminate Glare and Reduce Eye Fatigue. Polarized Triacetate Lenses are Impact and Scratch Resistant, Lightweight and Durable. AcuTint Lens Coloring System Adds Color Contrast Without Distorting Natural Colors, Allowing You To See More Clearly. 100% Protection From Harmful UVA and UVB Rays. Limited One Year Warranty.\". The summary of the review text is \"Excellent polarized sunglasses, even better since they are inexpensive.\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I got the yellow polarized version of these and I love them. Note they are yellow and not copper color as shown in the pics. They are very light and comfortable. The lenses are replaceable, ,so might fall out when cleaning, but they are easy to put back in. They are perfectly polarized. I had to stretch them a bit to fit my big (size 8 hat) head, but they are now perfect. I also have the Calcutta Flying Fisherman in yellow, which seem to have a little bigger frame,, but are not quite as comfortable to me. Another good thing about the Mavericks are the top vents, as found in some expensive sport sunglasses, which help prevent the lenses from fogging. Cons are that the stupid logo tags fall off the legs, like on many of this brand do. They used to be painted on the frame and looked classy, but now they put a crummy little logo tag that falls off easily and leaves a rectangular hole. The nosepieces of these are rubber and press onto the frame. Once you lose one, they are useless. If you wanted to last them a long time, get a tube of superglue. Pop out the logo tags and glue them on. Pop off the nose pieces and glue them on. You will probably never change the lenses in these, so you can also pop out the lenses and glue them on, too."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I got the yellow polarized version of these and I love them. Note they are yellow and not copper color as shown in the pics. They are very light and comfortable. The lenses are replaceable, ,so might fall out when cleaning, but they are easy to put back in. They are perfectly polarized. I had to stretch them a bit to fit my big (size 8 hat) head, but they are now perfect. I also have the Calcutta Flying Fisherman in yellow, which seem to have a little bigger frame,, but are not quite as comfortable to me. Another good thing about the Mavericks are the top vents, as found in some expensive sport sunglasses, which help prevent the lenses from fogging. Cons are that the stupid logo tags fall off the legs, like on many of this brand do. They used to be painted on the frame and looked classy, but now they put a crummy little logo tag that falls off easily and leaves a rectangular hole. The nosepieces of these are rubber and press onto the frame. Once you lose one, they are useless. If you wanted to last them a long time, get a tube of superglue. Pop out the logo tags and glue them on. Pop off the nose pieces and glue them on. You will probably never change the lenses in these, so you can also pop out the lenses and glue them on, too."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Whether you are a musician using a personal monitoring system, or a music enthusiast listening to your favorite bands via MP3 player, the comfort and clarity of the EU-4 from Elite Core will allow you to listen without fatigue\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: BEST sounding earphones for the money, DO buy them\n\nReview: My original review said that these are the best earphones for the money but Don't Buy Them. This was due to the inability to purchase replacement sleeves for them at the time, even from the manufacturer, so once the originals were lost or damaged, the earphones were worthless. NOW, however, the sleeves are available at a few places online such as 7ballmusic, yoursoundshop, and others, including the manufacturer. Since this was the only problem I had with these otherwise excellent buds, my rating has changed from 3 stars to 5.\n\nThey are, by far, the best earphones for the money I have ever tried. To me, they are comparable to the $200-300 Shures. Unlike any other earbuds in this price range, these provide depth to the music and what appears to be an almost perfectly flat frequency response and since I am all for reproducing music exactly how it is recorded, acoustically ideal for me. The only beef my audiophile friends could find with them is that they did not like the twisted pair wires being exposed without a covering, but I don't mind that.","Product: Rock N Roller Multi-Cart Equipment Cart with R Trac Wheels - (R10RT)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Expensive but worth it\n\nReview: We use these at work where they are used to transport heavy items daily and they hold up well. Not quite as good as the really heavy duty non-adjustable carts, but well enough. I brought one home to use for the weekend and my son loved it. He works weekend festivals and must often tote a load of supplies and a canopy tent for a quarter mile or more, sometimes over grass. The small cart he used before could not handle it, and would often get stuck in the grass.\n\nWhen his former cart broke down, he bought one of these. It has worked out great for him. Not only does the adjustable length work out great and over all types of terrain, but he often helps others with lesser carts who would otherwise be carrying heavy items. If you use one every day and only on pavement or hard surfaces, and don't need the adjustability to carry large items and don't mind the weight, you would probably be better off with a heavy duty welded convertible hand truck, but if you need something other than small hard wheels to carry larger items, the Rock n Roller is the best choice I have found.","Product: A good coffee mug is like a comfortable pair of Jeans or your favorite boots - it just feels "right". For years the 20 oz mug was available at most Gas Stations and Convenience Stores. A few years ago they suddenly disappeared from the market and haven't been seen since. Well, we found the mold and arranged for a special production run of mugs. The ThermoServ mugs are great. They are double wall insulated and unlike other mugs on the market, they are foam filled so they are far superior at keeping drinks hot or cold. These rugged mugs are both dishwasher and microwave safe. The lid snaps on tight and doesn't leak out the sides like most of the Chinese imports! This listing is for one black and one green mug. They both have black tops. There is no printing or graphics on these mugs.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Exactly what I wanted\n\nReview: When I was down to the last of my beloved, very old, Aladdin cups of this size, I started looking for replacements. I first went to ebay where they do have a good many vintage ones for sale, usually starting at around $14 plus $6 shipping, so $20 each. That's for used cups. I was so glad to find these since they were new, less than half the price, and plentiful. Thanks to ThermoServ for resurrecting this design.\n\nThe main reason I need cups like this is because, they are the only ones that fit secure in the cup holders of my current, and former, vehicles, both Hondas. They don't go all the way down in the \"two-step\" holder,, but wedge into the top section very securely. Regular size travel cups can tilt enough to spill in these cup holders, but these 20oz ones never move..\n\nI also like these cups since they have foam insulation, not just air, between the layers. They keep coffee hotter than any other travel cup I have except an expensive Nippon vacuum insulated one. Wanting to find out if the insulation was as good as an old Aladdin cup, I filled both with 200 F degree water and measured the temp at 10 minute intervals for 90 minutes. They were within a couple degrees of each other the whole time, so they are comparable. After a half hour the water had cooled to around 168 deg in them. After one hour, the water had cooled to 150 deg, the limit under which I no longer consider it \"hot.coffee.\". At 90 minutes, around 133;, still drinkable but not enjoyable since it's not hot enough.\n\nAs another reviewer said, these cups do not seal completely so the liquid will leak when they fall over. This is actually what I am looking for. Coffee cups which completely seal have valves, rubber gaskets, and/or slides, etc, in them. To get them completely clean to prevent bacteria and mold from growing, you must remove all these to wash them. With some travel cups, this is not even possible without damaging the cup, but it is especially important if you use cream or sugar in your coffee since you can grow some nasty bacteria and fiungus! I would rather take the chance that I will spill an ounce of coffee if the cup overturns than spend 5 or 10 minutes disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling the cup every time I use it. And speaking of cleaning, another bonus is that this 20oz mug is just large enough that I can fit a dishcloth down to the bottom of it with my hand to scrub it thoroughly.\n\nThanks again to ThermoServ for remaking this iconic mug.","Product: A CLASSIC MUG FOR COZY MORNINGS. A nostalgic look-alike, this insulated version of the iconic diner mug is just as inviting as the original.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Nice insulated coffee mug\n\nReview: I love the form factor of this for an insulated mug. It looks like a very thick ceramic mug which would weigh over a pound, but it's plastic so is light. Completely dishwasher and microwave safe, and durable. It has a lid to help keep the coffee warm longer, although it is not a travel lid, not that this would fit in any car cup holder anyway - the cup without the handle is over 4\" in diameter. My only complaint is that the lid has a removable silicon gasket. I think these should be removed and washed (or put in a dishwasher) daily if cream or sugar is used, lest it support the growth of mold or bacteria. Most people who just want a nice large mug probably wouldn't even use the lid, anyway. Since this is large enough to double as a soup bowl, it would be good for camping, too.","Product: The extra long spout allows this dispenser to easily apply soap to brushes and sponges and features a comfortable Santoprene pump knob. The Soap Dispenser is environmental-friendly with being reusable and refillable and can hold soap, lotion or essential oils. The durable construction with rubber non-skid and non-marring base helps keep the dispenser stable while in use during wash sessions. Each dispenser pump holds up to 12.5 ounces(375 ml)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The long nozzle and non-slip base is so convenient\n\nReview: I love this dispenser. The long nozzle and non-slip base is so convenient to sit near my kitchen sink and dispense soap into it without having to pick it up. Plus the amount of soap it dispenses in a full push is just right for doing dishes, and you can just push it a small amount to get a few drops if needed.\n\nI was bothered by the large number of reviews that say that the acrylic cracks in a short time and almost did not purchase it due to this, but I like this so much that even if I have to replace it once a year, it would be worth it. Note that any soap dispenser will eventually clog and the nozzle should be run under hot water to clean it periodically, otherwise pressure builds up inside the canister when pumping, which will lead to leaking or cracking. Knowing this will increase the performance and durability of any soap dispenser.\n\nI like the looks of the many soap dispensers sold on Amazon that have the separate steel plunger, but all of those rate an F on fakespot, so I would not consider them. At least Prepworks does not buy reviews - all their products receive an A on fakespot - so I trust them.","Product: Enjoy a floral bouquet Fiesta with decorative tumblers perfect for garden parties, pool parties and everyday sipping. Tervis Tumblers are double-wall insulated to keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold, helping to reduce condensation. They are microwave and dishwasher safe, fit most drink holders, and made in America. Comes with a standard lid and a lifetime guarantee.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Once you learn to ignore the seam, the glasses look fine, but I won't be buying any more.\n\nReview: I have a number of Tervis tumblers already, in clear, with various accessories including handles and lids. Since I have Fiestaware dishes, I got this set when I added to my stock of tumblers. Anything Tervis is normally 5 star - it performs excellent with hot drinks like coffee and cold drinks with ice. They resist stains and scratches and are great in the microwave and dishwasher. But this Fiesta version, has a sheet of stripes which is added during manufacturing and is not attached to itself and it leaves a large seam which is somewhat ugly. Once you learn to ignore it, the glasses look fine, but I won't be buying any more. I was planning to purchase the Fiesta dots and the waves versions next, but I suspect that they have the big seam too. I would say to get the solid color tervis tumblers if you wanted something more colorful than clear.","Product: The KD-7000 series are easy to clean and easy to use. Double-stopper protection, strong reinforced & removable Stainless Steel platform, Acrylic faceplate protector and modular construction make these scales extremely durable. \n\nThis scale includes a removable clear LCD cover that protects the buttons and LCD from damage (great for messy recipes, soapmaking or candlemaking) With a large 7 kg (15.4lb) capacity and precise 1 gram (0.1oz) readings this scale is an incredible value and is available at most scale retailers or through our online merchants. \n\nThe KD-7000 reads in Grams, Pound;Ounces, Ounces, Pounds, & Kilograms. This makes them perfect for Home, Office, Kitchen and thousands of other uses. These scales are extremely durable and versatile\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Amazing accuracy and durability\n\nReview: I have the previous version of this scale - it looks almost the same - and wanted to comment on the longevity. It is almost 15 years old. I once made crafts, including body care items, and always used this scale to measure ingredients as well as the final product. Then, to weigh the packages for shipping. It has been used thousands of times, and has always been amazingly accurate.\n\nI still use it a lot in cooking and baking. I have converted all my favorite recipes, such as for cookies and breads, to be measured by weight, not by volume. When I make bread in a breadmaker, for example, I put the canister on the scale and turn it on (it's zeroed out). Add 225g warm water (1 cup). Hit the tare button to zero it. Add 13g (1T) sugar. Hit tare. 6g (1t) salt. Tare. 360g (3 cups) bread flour. Tare. 7g yeast (2t). No measuring spoons and no measuring cups to wash. This illustrates how sensitive and accurate the scale is - it has almost 1kg on the scale (with the breadmaker canister), and it's still accurate to a gram. Amazing.\n\nI've had to replace the batteries about once every 5 years, so the electronics are good, too - little parasitic current. I tape on the piece of plastic that protects the display and buttons with packing tape and have to take it off and clean about every 5 years, too.","Product: Logitech marathon mouse m705 lets you power on... and on. it uses less than half the power of comparable mice, so youll go up to three full years between battery changes.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Best disposable mouse ever!\n\nReview: I consider these disposable mice. Ever since Logitech introduced hyperscroll mice almost 10 years ago, that's all I have owned, despite them often becoming unusable within 6 months if not 3. I have them on many computers - all my home laptops and PCs, and two PCs at work. I have owned every Logitech mouse with hyperscroll numerous times. I think this is the sixth M705 I have purchased. It is probably only surpassed by the seven Performance mice I have owned, and every mouse in between. However, I think the M705 is a good value at around $30, even if it only lasts six months.\n\nEither buttons stop working properly, or more commonly the wheel function gets jumpy. You don't know how much I wish that some other mouse manufacturer would make a good quality mouse with a free spinning wheel, but they don't. It's only Logitech. Once you get used to free wheeling, you can't go back, just like you can't go back once you are used to a five button mouse.\n\nBUT..... with the purchase of this last mouse, I have finally found the solution to the poor quality of Logitech hyperscroll mice. I can't believe I have not thought of it before when it was always staring me right in the face when I purchased them on Amazon. That is to buy the two year extended warranty for $2 on this $30 mouse! That will be $120 worth of mice for only $32! What a deal!","Product: Like a kangaroo safely carries her young in her pouch, KHOMO cases offers protective solutions for your precious electronic possessions. KHOMO cases designers work with your needs in mind, ensuring that cases have not only sturdy exteriors, but also the right-size pockets for smaller accessories. From this starting point of practicality, our designers then consider what''s hip now. Choose from an array of functional yet fashionable cases for your laptop, netbook, or handheld or other electronic device. With KHOMO case, quality and craftsmanship meets cutting-edge design.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Works okay, but not for watching movies\n\nReview: I bought this case for two reasons. One was the size. It is not as large as other book-type folding cases so only adds a little over a half inch to the length and width of the NC so I could fit it in my pocket, unlike the other two folding cases I have.\n\nThe other reason was that this case has a picture-frame type flap that allows the NC to be stood up vertically or horizontally. It is flimsy, but works as long as you don't jab at the NC too hard and knock it over. And a little magnet in the flap keeps it against the case when not in use, which is nice.\n\nNote that the product description says it only works horizontally. You can see that the flap is cut such that it should work vertically, too, like a picture frame. However, the flap is cut incorrectly such that when it is used vertical, it leans and is likely to fall over. Trimming the flap to the correct angle fixed this, though, and then it can be used vertically, but you really have to be careful or it can still fall over due to how small and flimsy the flap is.\n\nThe BIG problem with the flap is that it is mounted the wrong way for landscape use if you use a video player or play landscape games like Angry Birds. It puts the NC button on the left which makes the display upside-down since all the android video players and most landscape mode games require that the button be on the right side. That's a big problem and there is no way to fix it. Browsers, email, and other android apps work fine on the NC in landscape mode in either direction, though. Video players inside a browser, like YouTube, work too.\n\nThe bottom line is that this case works okay if you don't expect to prop it up while you watch videos (or play games), and since that is the reason most people would buy a stand for this type of device, it's a big fail. But if you don't expect to do this, it works fine as a case and deserves a 3 star rating despite the flimsy and miscut flap since it is handy and does protect the NC. If you want to use a video player or play games while the NC is propped in the case, though, it is a one-star product and you will be returning it as soon as you find that the stupid flap is mounted incorrectly.","Product: Low-profile charger sits flush in your dash andcharges your device at the fastest possible speed. The sleek design ensures that the charger fits neatly and safely in your dash. Works well for anyone that needs to charge their handheld device or GPS in the car. With over 3 billion devices shipped in 2008 alone, USB is perhaps the most successful interface in modern history. However, most cars do not have a USB port until now. Includes a 1 year warranty.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Got this charger to make the solder mod, but did not\n\nReview: I got this charger with the intention of making the solder mod that K. Crawford describes in his excellent review of this product. But I ended up not doing it. I could not figure out how to easily remove the faceplate. But it turned out I did not need to make the mod to be able to use the charger.\n\nIf you need to charge a non-apple device with micro USB, you can just get a Mediabridge micro USB charging cable. They come in coiled or 6 ft straight versions. These bridge the data lines so you don't have to worry about if the charger does it or not. Then you can use an apple compatible usb charger to charge any phone without causing battery draining wakelocks or slow charging.\n\nI got two Mediabridge cables the same time I got this Bracketron charger, so I didn't need to make the mod and this combination works fine. However, a better solution is to just get a charger that meets the USB charging standard if you need one. Like Crawford, I have not found a dual car charger on Amazon that meets the spec on both ports. But they are available on ebay. Search for \"t-mobile oem dual usb car charger\" and get the one that looks like a trumpet bell. It is currently $7 so cheaper than the Bracketron, but it is not as high powered - I think it will produce only about 800ma per port.\n\n2 stars to the Bracketron for calling itself a Universal charger since it does not meet the USB charging standard.\n\nEdit: I did eventually try to make the solder mod so I could use the mediabridge cables on another charger. I gave it to my son who popped off the face plate easily enough but then did not unscrew the nib at the other end before prying it apart and it was damaged beyond repair. I looked at the board inside and could see that, like the other commenter noted, that it is very fragile with only two wires holding it in place. I flexed the board an inch in one direction and one of the wires broke. I could probably do it correctly now that I know how, but I won't buy another one to try.","Product: AudioSource's PSW8 8-inch Down Firing Powered Subwoofer creates accurate bass frequencies that are important for music and home theater. The PSW8's efficient ported design and advanced power amplifier and special design subwoofer speaker will rock your world. Featuring a variable gain control adn variable crossover control.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Excellent sub for the price\n\nReview: I bought this for less than $60 in Oct 2014. That was a fantastic bargain. The price changes a lot.\n\nI got this to pair with two tiny Energy Micro speakers (leftover from a 5.1 system) and it is excellent for music even with the sub cranked up to the maximum crossover (150Hz) to compensate for the poor low end of the Energy speakers. I am using the high level inputs since it is driven by an old receiver without a sub out. The bass is very tight with plenty of low end for a wide variety of music. It does look exactly like the Pioneer model which usually sells for $150. I trust the Audiosource brand since I have used a few of their amps for various purposes at work for years, such as for conference room audio systems, and never had a problem.\n\nIf the price of this is much over $100, though, I would probably just get an 8\" Polk or Pioneer for $100, which would be comparable, assuming they had the same features as this one.","Product: Revolve your outlook on MiniSuit's latest accessory: 360 Rotating Removable Stand Case + Smart Cover for Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0\" Android Tablet. Plush book-style case is made of animal-friendly PU leather for professional look and feel. Three amazing qualities in one stylish case. This slim and sturdy portfolio allows access to ports, controls, camera, and speakers, to maximize the portability of your newest gadget. MiniSuit logo is debossed on the front corner, quietly but boldly stating class and distinction. Take a stand and protect your tablet with the perfect MiniSuit case while commuting, working, and entertaining!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Excellent case and stand for either portrait or landscape\n\nReview: Excellent case. Not only to provide protection, but also in that it provides a stand in both portrait and landscape mode. I have owned a number of tablets over the years and always used them much more in portrait than landscape mode, so could never understand why ones with this capability are so hard to find.\n\nThis case also turns the Note on when it is open, and off when it is closed (on the stock rom anyway), which is another good feature. In addition, the snap allows the tablet to be quickly rotated to either landscape or portrait unlike the velcro found on some where you have to detach and reattach it. As one reviewer commented, the snap may turn out to be the part that fails first, but at this excellent price, I would buy another in a minute if that ever happened. The case does double the thickness of the Note, but I can't really complain about that. I can toss it in a backpack, large coat or cargo pocket, or my lunchbox and not worry about it being scratched or damaged.","Product: Lee 206 Quarter CTO 1/4 Orange Gel Filter Sheet 20\"x24\"\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Made the cold LED lights over the range warm.\n\nReview: I got this to change the color of the over-range lights on a Samsung microwave. Every other LED lamp in my house is warm white, so I did not like the blue-ish light of the microwave. It is in a little hatch with glass about 3x4\", so I cut a piece of this film and inserted it. Still too cold. I layered another piece - still too cold. I ended up with 4 sheets thick to make it match the rest of the lights in the house, which purport to be 3000K. Four pieces of 1/4 orange makes full orange, which would have made things much easier. Note that this much tint does decrease the amount of light, but to me it was worth it.","Product: Definitive Technology ProSub60 8-inch 150-watt Powered Subwoofer\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Fantastic for an 8\" subwoofer\n\nReview: I got one of these on ebay and wanted another to completely trick out the system in my large den which is open to the kitchen and breakfast area. So I bought another and it is a fantastic dual-sub system for both music, TV, and movies - Polk in-wall speakers for the front and rear, Definitive 1000 for the center, and dual Prosub 60s for the subs. Note that the 60 series is being discontinued, if it has not already been, and replaced by the 600 series. I got a fantastic deal on the entire ProCinema60 system, which includes the ProSub60, so if you see that for only a few dollars more, you should buy that instead. I used the additional Definitive 60 center channel and satellite speakers in my bedroom to replace the Energy Micro 5.1 system that was currently in there (retaining the Energy sub), and it's a fantastic system now, too. I did not like the coldness of the Energy system, with its lack of low midrange, once I heard the Definitive 60s, which sounded so much better right out of the box.","Product: All in one box Pro Cinema 60.6 System consisting of 4 each ProMonitor 60 satellites,1 each ProCenter 60 and 1 each ProSub 60\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best small surround speakers for the money\n\nReview: Get these quick before they are no longer available. Even at full list price of $400, they are a good value, but I got mine for $200, so an excellent deal. Note that these are the bottom-of-the-line Definitive speakers but after you experience these, you will be saving your money to buy more Definitive speakers the next time you upgrade.\n\nI was renovating my den and wanted a small speaker system so got the Energy Micro 5.1. I was disappointed in it. I don't know why the Energy Micro system is rated so highly since I am no audiophile but I could not bear the large gap in the midrange that made the system sound so cold. I ended up putting it in my bedroom, and getting a better surround for my den with Polk in-wall speakers, a Definitive 1000 center channel (best speaker I own), and a used Prosub60. Granted, this system ended up costing $500. But then I wanted to go even further and get a second subwoofer for the den and looked around for another prosub60 and could not find a decent used one for a good price - even the good used ones were in the $200 range.\n\nBut I found a whole ProCinema60 system (new) on sale for $200 and picked it up. This gave me a second Prosub for the den (and it is now a fabulous system), and had the leftover satellites and center channel. I used these to replace the Energy satellites and center in the bedroom and along with the Energy sub, it is now a very good system. Once I got used to good sound in the den, I was not pleased with the thin sounding Energys even in the bedroom. The Definitives sounded better right of the box than the broken-in Energy speakers. I am keeping my eyes open for another Prosub60 to replace the energy sub in the bedroom since I like it much better, too. It provides cleaner bass, never boomy, and I don't feel a need to constantly adjust the volume like I do on the Energy sub.\n\nThe Energy speakers will be relegated to the game system in the basement, or one of the kid's bedrooms to replace some giant, old speakers and hopefully he won't complain too much.","Product: Matte black frames have full wrap around coverage, soft rubber nose pads and flex-grip temples to make them super comfortable.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Just what I was looking for\n\nReview: I had to go looking for new yellow polarized sunglasses recently when I lost my all-time favorite Smith Optics Undertows and then found Smith had discontinued them and now only make two models which fit my large head and come in yellow lenses, and both are ugly and block peripheral vision so are not suitable for driving or sports. So decided to try some Flying Fishermans since they also make yellow polarized lenses and in a few models that will fit me.\n\nThe Calcuttas work fine. The yellow lenses are well polarized (as good as can be achieved in a light yellow lens) with good optical quality and the frames are light and comfortable. They do not block peripheral vision and stay on fine for sports like biking, boating, and hiking. Best of all, they are cheap so I am not worried I will lose or break them.\n\nI must have yellow polarized lenses in at least one pair of sunglasses. To me, they are the best all-around color since they work fine in bright sunlight due to the polarization, and are not too dark for mountain biking, kayaking, hiking, and stream fishing where you are constantly going from sunlight to shade and back. They brighten up cloudy and rainy days while still providing UV protection and polarization. They can be worn from early in the morning until dusk. I am very glad FF started making models with yellow lenses as well as increased their quality to a level I am satisfied with.\n\nAs far as durability, these appear fine so far. I normally get two or three years from a pair of \"daily driver\" sunglasses before the lenses are too scratched or the frames are too beat up. I owned a couple of pairs of FF sunglasses purchased in the distant past that were of unacceptable optical quality and durability, but they appear to have stepped up and now are of good enough quality.\n\nThis is high praise for a <$20 pair of sunglasses from me. I also have expensive polarized sunglasses from Maui Jim, Costa, Bolle, Native, and many others in my collection (yes, I am a polarized sunglass nut) but I wear these cheap Calcuttas more than 80% of the time since the yellow lenses are so versatile.\n\nI guess I need cons in this glowing review and here they are. The current model of sunglasses do not have the classier cursive logo stenciled on the legs as shown in the picture. Instead there is a crummy little plate that falls off and leaves a hole. Yellow sunglasses do affect color perception and wash out blue colors, including the sky. But this also raises contrast and clarity and I am fine with the trade-off but it can take some getting used to. I once lent a pair to a pilot who thought they were the most horrible sunglasses he had ever worn due to the color of the lenses.\n\nEdit: almost 1 year later. I lost these sunglasses over the weekend and am back to buy another pair, so figured this is a good time to give the long term review. I was almost ready for a new pair, anyway, so it was not much of a loss. The old pair was getting a bit scratched, but they can't be blamed for this since I would often clean them with the tail of my shirt as well as carry them in my pocket without a case, plus they had some light scratches from branches during hiking (while protecting my eyes!) And one lens was getting a little loose but you could only tell when cleaning them - it never fell out. They were worn almost every day of the year. Even though I obtained yet another nice pair of polarized sunglasses the past year (found a perfect pair of glass, blue mirror polarized Costas in the ocean), I wore the Calcuttas over 95% of the time this year.","Product: The most comfortable Wool Socks ever. Made from the finest quality Australian Merino Wool and knitted in the USA. Each pair is cushioned throughout and reinforced from heel to toe for maximum comfort and durability. Merino Wool is a natural moisture management fiber that wicks moisture and maintains cushion. Super soft merino wool provides natural comfort for all seasons\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I wear these every day year round.\n\nReview: I wear merino socks year round almost every day. I buy 8 to 10 pairs at a time. After a couple of years I have usually lost enough that I have to buy a new set. I prefer to get all one color so I don't have to worry about matching them. I prefer ankle length although have a few pairs of crew length for winter camping and hiking. I am an aficianado of merino socks.\n\nI have purchased People brand socks many times over the years. They always perform well. They have my required merino content (>70%). I prefer brands like People to Smartwool since they are usually more comfortable, have a higher merino content (Smartwools no longer meet my required content), wear longer, and are less than half the price.\n\nIt is not like I am loyal to People socks. I will buy the cheapest good quality, made-in-the-USA, >70% merino content socks I can find. There are a few places in North Carolina that make them. The last few times I have purchased them, the best deal on Amazon happened to be from People.\n\nLike any of them, they are somewhat uncomfortable when new. They are too fluffy (and therefore hot), not absorbent, and \"crunchy\". Once they are washed and worn a few times, they are much better. Once they are broken in, I usually wear a pair twice before I put them in the hamper. They can be worn multiple days if the feet are kept clean.\n\nThese socks are great for all purposes - work, play, sports, running, hiking, camping, pretty much every occasion to wear socks. I do have some fancy, thin, knee-high socks for the rare times I wear a suit, but for the other 99.99% of the time, it's these socks.","Product: This Texsport(r) fleece sleeping bag brings you warmth and durability with an all-around zipper and comfortable fleece fabric. It can easily be used for the home, summer camping, or travel.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Excellent light bag if it was not for the clinking zipper\n\nReview: I have four of these. They are excellent since two can zip together to make an extra wide bag or be unzipped all the way to have a large fleece blanket. Or, you can use a bag inside another to make a 40 deg bag, or nest as many as you need - I can go down to 0 degF with four of them and use these on winter campouts, too.\n\nThe only problem is the clinking zippers! They have large fobs and clink every time you move and with a lot of them it is very annoying. So, I wrapped each fob in electrical tape so problem solved, but it would have been nice if they addressed this with plastic coated zippers.","Product: When you need a good nights sleep wherever you are camping, choose the TETON Sports Fahrenheit Sleeping Bag. Youll be warm, comfortable, and have some room to movecomes in two size options and three different temperature ratings. The Fahrenheit is a three-season sleeping bag thats built to last a lifetime. Its filled with our SuperLoft Elite fill to keep you warm and is rated to below freezing temperatures. The mummy-style hood can cinch in around your head for additional warmth and keeps your head off the ground. Full-width baffles and full-length shoulder and zipper draft tubes keep the warm air from escaping. Dual-layer offset stitching eliminates cold spots. The Fahrenheit Sleeping Bag has a durable taffeta shell that will stand up to years of rigorous use. The 100% cotton flannel lining feels like soft bed sheets. Taped, anti-snag zippers are easy to close from inside or outside of bag. Like all TETON Sports sleeping bags, the Fahrenheit Sleeping Bags come with a Limited Lifetime Warranty. Bonus features include an interior storage pocket for wallet or keys and its own compression sack for easy transport. It all adds up to exceptional quality at an affordable price.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Otherwise excellent bag with one problem\n\nReview: When I received this, I got into the bag and immediately realized I could not tolerate it. I have a lot of sleeping bags but wanted something big, comfortable, and warm for winter car camping. And it is all those things! However, there is something odd about it and that is the insulation and inner shell has no connection to the slippery outer shell. And when I lie in it, I slip around on the outer cover when moving. It feels as slippery as ice. I normally camp on a slight incline and I would imagine that I would soon slide to the edge of the tent. And I would be extra careful walking on top of the bag.\n\nTo top all this, I bought two of them - one for me and one for my son - for Christmas. However, my son loves his and does not think the slipperiness an issue. He does almost all his camping in a cartop tent, so it's always level. He talked me into letting him keep both so he would have a spare for friends. So I ordered a different bag with a canvas outer shell. It is rated for the same temperature yet is heavier, not as large as this one, and without the great features of the Teton, like the upper cinch or the pillow area or the stash pocket. But I don't slide around on it.\n\nAs a reminder for those buying sleeping bags, the rated temperature is typically one to keep you alive in that temperature, not to be comfortable. To be comfortable, you get one rated for 20 degrees lower than to what you will be exposed (and you still might want to wear wool socks). Or get a cheap fleece bag to use as a liner.","Product: When you need a good nights sleep wherever you are camping, choose the TETON Sports Fahrenheit Sleeping Bag. Youll be warm, comfortable, and have some room to movecomes in two size options and three different temperature ratings. The Fahrenheit is a three-season sleeping bag thats built to last a lifetime. Its filled with our SuperLoft Elite fill to keep you warm and is rated to below freezing temperatures. The mummy-style hood can cinch in around your head for additional warmth and keeps your head off the ground. Full-width baffles and full-length shoulder and zipper draft tubes keep the warm air from escaping. Dual-layer offset stitching eliminates cold spots. The Fahrenheit Sleeping Bag has a durable taffeta shell that will stand up to years of rigorous use. The 100% cotton flannel lining feels like soft bed sheets. Taped, anti-snag zippers are easy to close from inside or outside of bag. Like all TETON Sports sleeping bags, the Fahrenheit Sleeping Bags come with a Limited Lifetime Warranty. Bonus features include an interior storage pocket for wallet or keys and its own compression sack for easy transport. It all adds up to exceptional quality at an affordable price.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Otherwise excellent bag with one problem\n\nReview: When I received this, I got into the bag and immediately realized I could not tolerate it. I have a lot of sleeping bags but wanted something big, comfortable, and warm for winter car camping. And it is all those things! However, there is something odd about it and that is the insulation and inner shell has no connection to the slippery outer shell. And when I lie in it, I slip around on the outer cover when moving. It feels as slippery as ice. I normally camp on a slight incline and I would imagine that I would soon slide to the edge of the tent. And I would be extra careful walking on top of the bag.\n\nTo top all this, I bought two of them - one for me and one for my son - for Christmas. However, my son loves his and does not think the slipperiness an issue. He does almost all his camping in a cartop tent, so it's always level. He talked me into letting him keep both so he would have a spare for friends. So I ordered a different bag with a canvas outer shell. It is rated for the same temperature yet is heavier, not as large as this one, and without the great features of the Teton, like the upper cinch or the pillow area or the stash pocket. But I don't slide around on it.\n\nAs a reminder for those buying sleeping bags, the rated temperature is typically one to keep you alive in that temperature, not to be comfortable. To be comfortable, you get one rated for 20 degrees lower than to what you will be exposed (and you still might want to wear wool socks). Or get a cheap fleece bag to use as a liner.","Product: Encompassing the same superior quality and unique yarn combinations as their lifestyle and technical socks, Goodhew has constructed a light hiking sock in a 2-pack that will be the most comfortable trail companion your foot could ask for.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: which is to say excellent, although Goodhews fall a little short here since ...\n\nReview: I wear merino socks almost every day, throughout the year. Every two or three years when they get threadbare on the bottom, I buy another batch of them. In this case, I bought 8 pairs of these socks. They are the same as most of the discount 70% merino socks I have tried, which is to say excellent, although Goodhews fall a little short here since they are 68% merino. I owned these exact socks for one of my previous sock cycles and they lasted as well as any of the others. They are not too thick after they are worn and washed a few times, but they are somewhat fluffy and a bit \"scrunchy\" when they are new. For me, they are the ideal weight for year round use except on the coldest days.\n\nLike any good 70% merino sock, these are excellent for preventing sweaty and smelly feet. As other reviewers have mentioned, you can even wear these more than once before they need to be washed.","Product: Motorola HX550 Universal Bluetooth Headset is your complete hands-free solution. Flip open to answer, enjoy crystal clear calls with dual microphone noise reduction and customize your fit with three wearing styles. HX550 features MOTOSPEAK to text with your voice, A2DP, up to 9 hours of talk time and up to 16 days of standby time.Voltage Required: AC 110 V.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Most comfortable, but not loud enough\n\nReview: This is the most comfortable bluetooth headset I have used. I don't like anything sticking in my ear and one of the three optional earpieces for this headset is on-ear with the other two being in-the-ear. Plus it's very light and easy to pair and operate.\n\nBut, I don't like it! With the on-the-ear earpiece anyway, if there is any noise at all on my end or the other end, people cannot hear me unless I speak loudly. Plus, even when turned all the way up, the volume is too low unless I press the thing against my ear, and even then it's difficult to hear if there is any noise. I have a lot of other bluetooth headsets, including the excellent H730, another on-the-ear Motorola headset, and never had a problem with being able to hear or be heard until I had this one.\n\nAnd one other thing I don't like is that you can't pause and restart audio media when using the headset as you can with any stereo bluetooth headset.\n\nIf anyone can recommend an on-the-ear (single ear) headset with sufficient volume and start/stop media capability, please do so!","Product: Slip your OnePlus One into this custom fit Full Matte Black TPU Case by Diztronic and experience the peace of mind of knowing your investment is well protected. Flexible, yet stronger and more durable than silicone, TPU offers excellent shock absorption and abrasion resistance while maintaining a thin form factor. The raised wrap-around edges make for a \"lay-on-the-table\" design that helps protect the glass screen from damage. Easy to install and remove, and definitely affordable--why not build a changeable wardrobe for your phone?\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best combination of size and protection.\n\nReview: With this case on, the phone still looks and feels like a premium phone since it is thin enough to look good and thick enough to provide adequate protection for my needs. There is a slight lip so you can lay down the phone on the screen and it won't touch. The case feels nice and smooth, and appears to be well protected. I have dropped my phone a number of times and it has not suffered any damage.\n\nI also own a Pelosi case. It has a nice texture, but offers little protection since it does not cover the top or bottom, and has no lip around the bezel. I also have the Tudia slim, which does offer more protection but at the expense of a thicker case with lips that are slightly too large so that they interfere with side swiping. The Diztronic is the happy medium for me. The Pelosi is good if you only need minimal protection and want to retain the feel, somewhat, of the sandstone case. The Tudia is fine, especially if you need extra protection.","Product: Diztronic Full Matte Flexible TPU Case for Samsung Galaxy Note 4\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Didn't work for T-Mobile Note 4\n\nReview: I have bought a large number of Diztronic cases for myself and family and they were always my favorites since for me they had the best combination of thinness, durability, protection, good looks, and grip. This was the first one that had a problem and that was it did not allow the volume buttons to operate correctly on a T-Mobile Note 4. The top one was always pressed when it was in the case, so it was unusable until I used an exacto knife to cut out the portion of the case that covered the volume switches. Then it worked fine but the poorly cut our area detracted from the looks. I later got a Goosberry and an OEM case and both of those work great.","Product: WHITE COLORS\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Wireless charging works great but has poor aesthetics\n\nReview: Wireless charging works fine. I like that it has an adjustable base, although it's pretty cheesy that there's a separate mat you must use to allow it adjust to different angles. But even cheesier is how the USB cable connects - right at the very top, and the cable sticks up higher than your phone. I don't know why the cable could not have been attached lower on the unit so it did not stick out like a (broken) sore thumb. However, you can use a right angle micro USB cable (http://www.amazon.com/CablesOnline-Micro-B-Position-Extension-AD-U44/dp/B00JSXUJ7Y) to make it look a lot less crappy. I have another charger stand (an Itian A6) that looks better when plugged in, and included a charger, but is not adjustable and set at an odd angle, and is not portable since it does not fold.","Product: Plantronics Explorer 50 Bluetooth Headset - Retail Packaging - Black\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great bluetooth headset with streaming\n\nReview: Although the streaming volume could be higher, this is otherwise a great bluetooth headset. I usually prefer the Motorolas which flip and have the flat earpiece where nothing goes inside the ear, plus their streaming volume is greater, but this Plantronics has better call quality, the ear loop does not break (they break once per month on the Motos), and the battery lasts much longer. The part of the Plantronics that sticks in the ear is flexible and not as uncomfortable as most of this type, but I wish they would make a flat version that had a bigger speaker and did not go inside the ear canal. Another problem with the ear canal piece is that is starts to fall off in a few months, but can be super-glued back on.\n\nUpdate: I have had two of these over the years and am back to buy a third. I lost the last one. The one before that went through the washer and drier and stopped working. Can't fault it for that, especially considering it had gone through the washer once before and worked after it dried out - it seems the heat from the drier did it in.","Product: Tired of running out of battery life when you need it the most? When you cant get to an outlet, our Innocell Super Extended Life Batteries will keep your Samsung Captivate moving forward. Our Extended Life batteries utilize premium Japanese Lithium-Ion/Polymer cells to ensure the highest levels of safety and performance while offering you nearly twice the capacity of your stock battery. Super extended life batteries can offer up to 80-100% more battery life.* * All battery life claims are dependent upon usage patterns, network configuration and many other factors; actual results will vary.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Great for extended time between charges but form factor not so great\n\nReview: I love having this large a battery in my phone. I can go all day without worrying about battery life even with hours of tethering, GPS, streaming bluetooth, videos, games, etc. The battery is rated at double the mah of the oem battery, but it seems like I get way more than double the use. I do have an efficient but screaming fast GB rom (dlev), and keep the phone tuned up to remove unnecessary background processes, and know how to recalibrate a battery, so the regular battery is actually sufficient if I don't do much GPS or tethering, but it is nice to be able to use the phone as much as I want and not worry about the battery at all.\n\nThe problem is the huge battery cover, and how much the battery sticks out. It nearly doubles the thickness of the phone (from 0.4 to 0.75\"). And it extends way beyond where it is necessary to cover the battery, although it does perhaps make it more comfortable to hold in the hand that way. It would be really great if there was a pancake-like battery that ballooned out at top to cover the simcard and external SD to provide a lot of capacity without much added thickness.\n\nDue to the huge battery cover on this Seido, I looked for another extended battery and found one that was only 2000mah but said it only added \"a few mm\" to the thickness. It was about $25 on ebay. Despite the battery being way less capacity than the 3000mah Seido, it is nearly as thick and adds virtually the same thickness, making a total 0.70\" instead of 0.75, granted, it does not needlessly extend as much toward the top of the phone. And the battery was slightly too small for the compartment and wiggled around inside until I wrapped it in masking tape. So that was not a good alternative.\n\nSo, I just ordered the 2600mah extended battery that Rich H recommended in a previous review and will give that a try. It is not like all these other batteries will go to waste. I am often away from a charger for the entire weekend or more, so these spare extended batteries are great to carry along and less of a hassle to use than an external battery pack charger. When you are far away from an electrical outlet, you don't care nearly as much that your phone is not quite svelte enough.\n\nUpdate: Been using the 2600mah Naztech battery for over a month now and like it much more than the Seidio. Besides being about half the price ($23 with free shipping if you shop around) and lasting just as long, the cover is much smaller. The Seidio is still being occasionally used as a spare battery by my son who also has a captivate, but he prefers to use the 2000mah spare instead because of the form factor. He pointed out that it is not necessary to slide the release on the phone to remove the cover of the Seidio since you can just lightly push along the battery cover and the little metal tabs are so flimsy the cover pops right off, which explains why the battery once fell out when the phone was in his pocket.","Product: GIANT VERSION EVA Foam Virtual Reality Kit for Nexus 6, Samsung Galaxy Note 2/3/4, Oneplus One, iPhone 6 Plus. Giant Asymmetrical Biconvex Lenses 37mm Diameter and 50mm Focal Length. Gigantic field of view for your Gigantic Smartphones. Inspired by Google Cardboard. Same asymmetrical biconvex lenses positioned accurately for an optimal virtual reality experience. Includes magnets for magnetized command function and NFC tag. Perfect VR kit for yourself as well as gifts for your friends, colleagues and loved ones.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great intro to VR for larger phone. See attached valid QR code.\n\nReview: I was very disappointed when I first received these to use with my Oneplus One. With all the apps I tried, everything appeared double so they were unusable with that phone. However, they worked fine with the other phones I tried - Galaxy S6, S5, and Note 2. I wondered if it was because of the OPO not being set up correctly due to the QR code being invalid, so it was using the default viewer settings instead of ones for the phone (it was).\n\nI changed the DPI on my OPO to 440 (from the default 480). and they worked fine. Then I emailed the company and asked if they had a valid code for the device, and they responded immediately by emailing me the correct code (see attached picture). When I use this code to set up the phone, the OPO works fine at 480DPI. So, good customer service. You can print out this code and tape it to your cardboard for future use.\n\nThe foam construction is great for durability and, as others have mentioned, not leaving sweat or grease stains on the device. The nose section is a little tight for me, but I can't fault that since I have a big nose, but I have been thinking about carving it out a bit to accommodate my schnoz. It would also be good with a strap over the top, as some cardboard goggles have, to make it more comfortable. Note that with straps like these, it is generally better to have the strap high on the back of the head instead of near the ears and when doing so, not having a top strap is less of an issue.\n\nMy phone gets pretty warm in its foam cocoon when using the device for more than a half hour, so I have been considering punching some holes in the back panel to allow cooling, then gluing the pieces together to provide rigidity, as one reviewer suggests. But it's not really that much of an issue since I can only use the goggles for about 20-30 minutes before my head is reeling from motion sickness. I use it while seated in a swiveling chair for maximum freedom of movement.\n\nOverall this is a great device for the money, and with the good customer service, it gets 5 stars.","Product: VetOne Vetrimec (Ivermectin 1%) Injection is an injectable parasiticide for cattle and swine. One low-volume dose effectively treats and controls the following internal and external parasites that may impair the health of cattle and swine: gastrointestinal roundworms (including inhibited Ostertagia ostertagi in cattle), lungworms, grubs, sucking lice, and mange mites of cattle; and gastrointestinal roundworms, lungworms, lice, and mange mites of swine. Its convenience, broad-spectrum efficacy, and safety margin make Vetrimec 1% Injection a unique product for parasite control of cattle and swine. Residents of California: This product is not approved for sale in California\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great value for ivermectin\n\nReview: TL;DR: For heartworm prevention, DILUTE 1% ivermectin with propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin 30:1 and use 0.1ml of this dilution per 10lb of dog. Using 0.1ml straight out of the bottle per 10lb is more than 30 times the recommended dosage.\n\nNote that some breeds of dogs are much more susceptible to the toxic affects of ivermectin so check with a vet before using. These include Collie, Old English sheepdog, Shetland sheepdog (Sheltie), Greyhound (and other sight hounds), Australian shepherd, German shepherd, Longhaired whippet, Silken windhound, and Border collie, among others.\n\nThere is too much variability between the recommended doses of 1% ivermectin for heartworm prevention in dogs online. It quickly became apparent that your brother-in-law with a degree in chemistry or your veterinarian either cannot be bothered to do the math, or are seeing the same erroneous google results you are and repeating them. I had to do the math to see for myself and I explain it so you can run through it to verify for yourself. Note there are a number of websites which do recommend the correct dilution and dosage computed below. There are also a number of websites and many product reviews on Amazon that recommend an amount more than 30 times the recommended.\n\nThe proper dose of Ivermectin for dogs for heartworm prevention is 6ug/kg. It is the amount that prescriptions like Heartgard use.\n\nUg means MICROgrams, not milligrams. There are one million micrograms in a gram. There are one thousand milligrams in a gram. If these terms are confused when calculating dosage, it could kill a dog. Notice that micrograms are also sometimes abbreviated as mcg. Most prefer to use ug instead of mcg to denote micrograms since it is less liable to be confused with mg.\n\n1ml of liquid is a gram (1000mg or 1,000,000ug) if its density is the same as water. The density of propylene glycol is 1.04g/ml. 99% of 1% ivermectin is propylene glycol, so the solution is close enough to the density of water to say that 1ml is a gram. BTW, 1ml is also known as 1cc.\n\nTo convert the 6ug/kg above into mg/kg: 6ug/kg / 1000ug/mg = 0.006mg/kg.\n\n1ml (1g or 1000mg) of 1% ivermectin contains 0.01x1000mg = 10mg of ivermectin.\n\nNow, calculate how big a dog that whole 1 ml, with 10mg ivermectin, right out of the bottle, will treat. Remember that many people say their vets told them to use this much for a 100lb dog:\n\n10mg / 0.006mg/kg = 1667kg. Multiply by 2.2lb/kg and thats 3667lb.\n\nIvermectin can be used for other things besides heartworm prevention. Vets prescribe it at much higher dosages for mange. Ivermectin is generally very safe to use for heartworm prevention since most dogs can tolerate much higher amounts than are necessary (except the breeds listed in the warning above.) The recommended amounts are listed below. It is a good thing that ivermectin is safe enough to be prescribed at 100x the heartworm dosage, since there are so many people erroneously recommending its use at 30x the prescribed amount for heartworm.\n\n 6 ug/kg for heartworm prevention\n 300 ug/kg for treatment of sarcoptic mange\n 400-600 ug/kg for treatment of demodectic mange\n\nAn easy way to be able to measure the correct amount of 1% ivermectin is to dilute it a great deal. Since 1oz dropper bottles are common, and they are about 30ml when filled up near the top, a 30:1 ratio is convenient since it can be mixed in the bottle. Use a 1ml syringe (for the most accuracy) and put 1ml of the 1% ivermectin in the bottle, and almost fill it up the rest of the way with propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin. Leave enough room at the top to shake to mix it properly.\n\nOne is putting 10mg of ivermectin into the 1oz bottle when adding 1ml of 1% ivermectin. The propylene glycol or glycerin dilutes it 30:1, so each ml of the new solution will have 10mg/30 = 0.333mg (0r 333ug). Each ml will be enough for a dog that weighs (333ug / 6ug/kg = 55.5kg or) 122lb. So for every 10lb, one would need 1ml/12.2 = 0.082ml.\n\nThe following chart shows the weight of dog, the amount of a 30:1 DILUTION of 1% ivermectin, and the amount of pure ivermectin it provides.\n\n10lb 0.08ml 26.6ug\n20lb 0.16ml 54.6ug\n30lb 0.25ml 81.9ug\n40lb 0.33ml 109.2ug\n50lb 0.41ml 136.5ug\n60lb 0.49ml 163.8ug\n70lb 0.57ml 191.1ug\n80lb 0.66ml 218.4ug\n90lb 0.74ml 245.8ug\n100lb 0.82ml 273.1ug\n\nLets now check the results based on the most popular heartworm prescription. Heartgard contains the following amounts of ivermectin per dose:\n\nUp to 25lb 68ug\n26 to 50lb 136ug\n51 to 100lb 272ug\n\nAt 100lb, this analysis has a 1 in 272 error due to rounding and that slight difference in density, but it is close enough.\n\nAlways shake ivermectin solution well before use, especially if its cold! If it is not mixed up enough, theres a chance one could either give a dog not enough to be effective or so much it could cause injury!\n\nNote that many vets recommend using double dosage for better heartworm control, and thats what one is doing anyway when giving a 51lb dog the 51-100lb Heartgard. So this is prudent. Heres a table for DOUBLE RECOMMENDED amounts of 30:1 diluted 1% ivermectin:\n\nThe following chart shows the weight of dog, the amount of a 30:1 DILUTION of 1% ivermectin, and the amount of pure ivermectin for DOUBLE recommended minimum dosage\n\n10lb 0.16ml 53.2ug\n20lb 0.33ml 109.2ug\n30lb 0.49ml 163.8ug\n40lb 0.66ml 218.4ug\n50lb 0.82ml 273.0ug\n60lb 0.98ml 327.6ug\n70lb 1.15ml 382.2ug\n80lb 1.31ml 436.8ug\n90lb 1.48ml 491.6ug\n100lb 1.64ml 546.2ug","Product: Our postcards are printed on 16 pt (360 gsm) premium quality cardstock. The postcards are UV-coated on the front side for durability and protection. Size 4 x 6 inches (10 x 15 cm). Printed in USA.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best flashlight I ever owned\n\nReview: I often walk my dogs in the woods at night so I got the very best headlamp for the purpose - this one. I also have used this mountain biking since the band adjusts large enough to fit around a helmet. Plus I use it camping, as well as around the house. For this wide array of applications, it provides the ideal beam (spotty in the middle with a good spread).\n\nIf you know enough about flashlights to be interested in this one, you already know to get a couple of Orbtronic or similar quality 3400mah 18650 batteries and a Nitecore charger. Note that you can actually use unprotected cells (like flat top panasonic) with a well-regulated flashlight like this one, but I would still use protected cells.\n\nNote that Zebralight just released the MKIII series, and are discounting the MKII. The new ones have a more efficient LED that provides about 10% more output with 10% more runtime, so I assume this model will no longer be in production. The XM-L2 on this model will work fine for many years to come, but I would no longer buy it unless it went on sale.","Product: Consult your Vet for assistance in the diagnosis, treatment, and control of parasitism. Indications: Treatment and control of gastrointestinal roundworms(including inhibited Ostertagia ostertagi), lungworms grubs, sucking lice, and mange mites in cattle. Treatment and control of gastrointestinal roundworms, lungworms, lice and mange mites in swine. Recommended dosage: Cattle: 1 mL per 110 lb body weight Swine: 1 mL per 75 lb body weight\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Excellent for heartworm prevention IF you do the math correctly\n\nReview: TL;DR: For heartworm prevention, DILUTE 1% ivermectin with propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin 30:1 and use 0.1ml of this dilution per 10lb of dog. Using 0.1ml straight out of the bottle per 10lb is more than 30 times the recommended dosage.\n\nNote that some breeds of dogs are much more susceptible to the toxic affects of ivermectin so check with a vet before using. These include Collie, Old English sheepdog, Shetland sheepdog (Sheltie), Greyhound (and other sight hounds), Australian shepherd, German shepherd, Longhaired whippet, Silken windhound, and Border collie, among others.\n\nThere is too much variability between the recommended doses of 1% ivermectin for heartworm prevention in dogs online. It quickly became apparent that your brother-in-law with a degree in chemistry or your veterinarian either cannot be bothered to do the math, or are seeing the same erroneous google results you are and repeating them. I had to do the math to see for myself and I explain it so you can run through it to verify for yourself. Note there are a number of websites which do recommend the correct dilution and dosage computed below. There are also a number of websites and many product reviews on Amazon that recommend an amount more than 30 times the recommended.\n\nThe proper dose of Ivermectin for dogs for heartworm prevention is 6ug/kg. It is the amount that prescriptions like Heartgard use.\n\nUg means MICROgrams, not milligrams. There are one million micrograms in a gram. There are one thousand milligrams in a gram. If these terms are confused when calculating dosage, it could kill a dog. Notice that micrograms are also sometimes abbreviated as mcg. Most prefer to use ug instead of mcg to denote micrograms since it is less liable to be confused with mg.\n\n1ml of liquid is a gram (1000mg or 1,000,000ug) if its density is the same as water. The density of propylene glycol is 1.04g/ml. 99% of 1% ivermectin is propylene glycol, so the solution is close enough to the density of water to say that 1ml is a gram. BTW, 1ml is also known as 1cc.\n\nTo convert the 6ug/kg above into mg/kg: 6ug/kg / 1000ug/mg = 0.006mg/kg.\n\n1ml (1g or 1000mg) of 1% ivermectin contains 0.01x1000mg = 10mg of ivermectin.\n\nNow, calculate how big a dog that whole 1 ml, with 10mg ivermectin, right out of the bottle, will treat. Remember that many people say their vets told them to use this much for a 100lb dog:\n\n10mg / 0.006mg/kg = 1667kg. Multiply by 2.2lb/kg and thats 3667lb.\n\nIvermectin can be used for other things besides heartworm prevention. Vets prescribe it at much higher dosages for mange. Ivermectin is generally very safe to use for heartworm prevention since most dogs can tolerate much higher amounts than are necessary (except the breeds listed in the warning above.) The recommended amounts are listed below. It is a good thing that ivermectin is safe enough to be prescribed at 100x the heartworm dosage, since there are so many people erroneously recommending its use at 30x the prescribed amount for heartworm.\n\n 6 ug/kg for heartworm prevention\n 300 ug/kg for treatment of sarcoptic mange\n 400-600 ug/kg for treatment of demodectic mange\n\nAn easy way to be able to measure the correct amount of 1% ivermectin is to dilute it a great deal. Since 1oz dropper bottles are common, and they are about 30ml when filled up near the top, a 30:1 ratio is convenient since it can be mixed in the bottle. Use a 1ml syringe (for the most accuracy) and put 1ml of the 1% ivermectin in the bottle, and almost fill it up the rest of the way with propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin. Leave enough room at the top to shake to mix it properly.\n\nOne is putting 10mg of ivermectin into the 1oz bottle when adding 1ml of 1% ivermectin. The propylene glycol or glycerin dilutes it 30:1, so each ml of the new solution will have 10mg/30 = 0.333mg (0r 333ug). Each ml will be enough for a dog that weighs (333ug / 6ug/kg = 55.5kg or) 122lb. So for every 10lb, one would need 1ml/12.2 = 0.082ml.\n\nThe following chart shows the weight of dog, the amount of a 30:1 DILUTION of 1% ivermectin, and the amount of pure ivermectin it provides.\n\n10lb 0.08ml 26.6ug\n20lb 0.16ml 54.6ug\n30lb 0.25ml 81.9ug\n40lb 0.33ml 109.2ug\n50lb 0.41ml 136.5ug\n60lb 0.49ml 163.8ug\n70lb 0.57ml 191.1ug\n80lb 0.66ml 218.4ug\n90lb 0.74ml 245.8ug\n100lb 0.82ml 273.1ug\n\nLets now check the results based on the most popular heartworm prescription. Heartgard contains the following amounts of ivermectin per dose:\n\nUp to 25lb 68ug\n26 to 50lb 136ug\n51 to 100lb 272ug\n\nAt 100lb, this analysis has a 1 in 272 error due to rounding and that slight difference in density, but it is close enough.\n\nAlways shake ivermectin solution well before use, especially if its cold! If it is not mixed up enough, theres a chance one could either give a dog not enough to be effective or so much it could cause injury!\n\nNote that many vets recommend using double dosage for better heartworm control, and thats what one is doing anyway when giving a 51lb dog the 51-100lb Heartgard. So this is prudent. Heres a table for DOUBLE RECOMMENDED amounts of 30:1 diluted 1% ivermectin:\n\nThe following chart shows the weight of dog, the amount of a 30:1 DILUTION of 1% ivermectin, and the amount of pure ivermectin for DOUBLE recommended minimum dosage\n\n10lb 0.16ml 53.2ug\n20lb 0.33ml 109.2ug\n30lb 0.49ml 163.8ug\n40lb 0.66ml 218.4ug\n50lb 0.82ml 273.0ug\n60lb 0.98ml 327.6ug\n70lb 1.15ml 382.2ug\n80lb 1.31ml 436.8ug\n90lb 1.48ml 491.6ug\n100lb 1.64ml 546.2ug","Product: Your dog deserves the best natural dog food. However, it can be difficult to determine what is actually best for your dog. At The Nutro Company, we believe that quality natural ingredients make the best natural dog foods. EVO, Nutro, California and our other brands of dog Food are carefully made with a premium selection of natural ingredients and fortified with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients for your dogs overall health and well-being.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The best, but expensive.\n\nReview: This is the best food I have found for my three dogs. I have one who is allergic to all poultry, so I am stuck with beef or fish formulas from just a few manufacturers since many of the even expensive \"premium\" brands these days add chicken fat to their otherwise poultry-free formulas, unlike Evo.\n\nEvo makes the highest protein formulas, and you should always gauge the value of a food based on the protein - carbs and fat are cheap. Two of my dogs have teary eyes and they clear up after a couple weeks of eating only Evo food, unlike any other brand. I have small dogs so try to get the small bites formula, which is ridiculously priced on Amazon as I write this : over $120 for less than 30 lbs - so sometimes I get the regular red meat and it just takes the smallest one a lot longer to eat. They get some meaty bones, too, to supplement their food,","Product: Used and recommended by Veterinarians and Professional Groomers for immediate relief for problem and irritated skin. Quickly stops scratching. Provides quick relief from Flea Bite irritation.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: although he is fine if I only give him chicken once per week ...\n\nReview: I keep a few bottles of this at all times. One of my dogs, a cairn terrier, is susceptible to skin problems. If he gets a single flea, he bites and scratches himself until he is raw. If he eats too much poultry products, he also starts itching. He has had malasezia and much of his skin is still black 7 years later. Sometimes, he just starts getting scabby lesions on his skin and I cannot figure out what causes them. When he is itching from a flea I give him capstar. I have to also ensure his kibble does not contain any chicken products, especially chicken fat, although he is fine if I only give him chicken once per week or less. But even with all these measures, he still gets itchy sometimes and starts scratching and biting at his paws. In all these scenarios, I spray his back down with the Tarrific and rub it into his skin. It does not do much good sitting on top of the fur; it needs to be rubbed into the skin if the dog has thick fur.\n\nHe is now over 10 years old, but when he was 3 he was having allergies so bad and he had such horrible welts where he had chewed his skin and that had become infected that the vet said it might be best to put him down. I started avoiding all chicken (it is hard to find kibble without it) and spraying him with Tarrific.(and rubbing it in) every few days. In a couple of months, he was in great shape, his hair had grown back, and he acted like a puppy again instead of an elderly dog. I probably owe my dog's life to this product.","Product: It's SAFETY FIRST with the Rogz Highly Reflective Utility Range, which is both the black tie and the 4x4 of the Rogz range. Timeless and classic, hardy but cool. Never shaken - or stirred. The 5/8\" Snake Side-Release Dog Collar with its woven reflective threads stitched into high quality webbing is the ideal solution for the teenagers of the Dog Species. Straight-forward and durable with ultimate night time visibilty. Standard features include Ergonomic, contoured plastic components ensuring that every Rogz collar fits as snug as a pug in a rug and Custom-branded die cast ring (no welding) with electroplated chrome for a rust, tarnish free finish. All joins are box stitched for extra strength and a quality finish. Note that this range has to be turned inside out when operating in stealth mode as the reflective stitching is only found on one side. The 5/8\" Snake collar adjusts for a neck size of 12-15\". It's suitable for Maltese Poodle, Terrier, Jack Russell, Scotty, Pug and similar sized breeds. Buckle-Breaking strength tested at 264lbs-271lbs from a direct pull.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Best collar for the money, but undersized\n\nReview: I bought three of the M/S collars for my three dogs. It is an excellent quality collar but I was disappointed that the S/M size which is supposed to be up to 16\" maxed out at 14.5\" so was too tight on one of my dogs who needs it set to 15\". He is a burly furry cairn terrier. But since he is so furry, I decided a M/L collar, which is 3/4\" wide instead of 5/8, would be best anyway to make the collar more visible, and since they are so inexpensive I did not mind ordering another and keeping the extra for a spare.\n\nI am really surprised at how well the reflective stitching works. It is almost as good as the ones that have the 3M reflective strip, but unlike the 3M strip, the stitching stands up much better to washing. Since my dogs are in woods, bogs, creeks, rivers, ponds, etc almost every day and their collars start smelling unless I wash them every week, this is important.\n\nIt is also important that the reflector works well since I often walk them at night in the woods on difficult trails. The collars show up to about 50 yards with a low-powered headlamp, which is incredible. They would probably show up over a mile away with a strong flashlight. I go on about this since when I went to replace the expensive 3M collars they once had that almost all the reflective tape had worn off, I got them some hot dog collars that had a pattern around the edges of reflective thread but it was so weak that I decided to try these collars and was very pleased I did.","Product: Water Rover makes it easy for pet owners to take water with them wherever they go. With its durable, lightweight water bowl and attached bottle. Water Rover is simple to use. Just unplug the bottle, lay it flat, and the water will automatically flow into the round bowl. Tip the extra water back into the bottle, replace the plug, and clip the Water Rover back onto your belt or waistband\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: This is the dog water bottle for which I have been looking for years, but...\n\nReview: This is the dog water bottle for which I have been looking for years: one that is convenient to use, sits on the ground, and where you can easily pour the unused water back into the bottle so it is not wasted. However, the one I got appeared defective. The cap did not fit tightly enough to the bottle and it leaked a lot from the neck. No matter how carefully I tried to screw it on straight it still seemed a bit crooked and \"bottomed out\" on the bottle before it made a tight seal, like the threaded part of the bottle is not quite long enough. But, I found that the top fits a 16oz nalgene bottle and does not leak so I threw away the crappy bottle that came with it. But, the plug for the bottle also does not fit tightly enough and leaks with a small amount of pressure on the bottle. As long as you keep the bottle upright and don't put any pressure on it, it works fine, but don't throw the thing in a backpack when it is filled with water. I am looking for a rubber plug for that hole and will then cut off the plastic one so I can have a leakproof bottle.","Product: Dean and Tyler All Weather Dog Harness Extra Large Fits Girth 34-inch to 47-inch to Works Great for Breeds Like Newfoundland ,Saint Bernard, Large Cane Corso Etc. Black for Everyday Use Comes with Reflective Trim.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Problem with fit, and finish\n\nReview: I also think this runs small. I got the XXS for my 20\" girth Cairn terrier (XXS runs from 18 to 22\", XS is for 20-23\") and it was too small. So I tried it on my other dog (small mutt) who is 18\" girth and it fits fine, but with only an inch to spare. However, the buckle is so large it looks like it might dig into her leg while she's running, but it does not seem to bother her. The other problem I have with this is that the plastic parts were not properly sanded down after manufacture and the manufacturing artifacts (rough edges and sharp points) were still in evidence on the edges as well as on the middle of the large buckle. It only took a few minutes with a dremel sanding wheel to fix these. However, an item of this expense and supposed quality should be properly finished, not requiring additional work to prevent injury to a short-haired dog. Yet another problem I have is that I thought this would prevent choking should the dog pull, but the front rides high enough where it still contacts the throat and not just the chest, so no better that other harnesses costing half the price in this regard. Even with all these problems, I will probably eventually buy the UT Universal for the hard-pulling Cairn, since I think the additional strap to hold down the neck strap would keep it on the chest, and size up, and be resigned to working the rough edges before use.","Product: This is an O.E.M. authorized part. Fits various Dyson models. OEM Part Number 921000-02. Made in United States.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Works well with a DC25\n\nReview: I purchased the groom tool to use with my DC25. At first I thought it would only snap onto the rigid tube to which the hose was attached and not the hose itself, which would have made it difficult to use. Then I found out I was not pushing hard enough on the groom tool to make it lock onto the hose.\n\nI have an aftermarket hose since, like on so many DC25s, the clip on the hose which secures attachments broke soon after I got the vacuum, making using attachments impossible. I was furious that Dyson did not cover the hose under warranty, so I bought an aftermarket hose. I got the groom tool a couple months ago and tried to use it on the hose, but it did not fit (so I thought, it actually just required about 40 lbs of force to get it to lock I later found out). So I complained to Dyson that the grooming tool did not fit the hose. They would not believe me, so I made a youtube video showing how it did not work. They were then convinced and said I must have a defective hose and sent me a new hose, for free!\n\nI actually did not even consider that the aftermarket hose just had a tighter fit than the original and required a lot of force to use it until I got the OEM hose. I tried it and the grooming tool easily snapped on. Then I compared the aftermarket and oem hoses and they looked the same, so tried it with the aftermarket hose, now realizing it just required more force to seat the tool, and it did snap on.\n\nSo, due to the grooming tool, I got Dyson to do the right thing and send me a replacement hose, like they should have done when the first one broke, so now I have a spare.\n\nAs far as the grooming tool's function itself, it works great. I have a long haired cairn terrier who loves it and it works well to remove the over and undercoats, and a short haired mutt who sheds a lot and it works well for her, too.","Product: Hurtta harnesses are suitable for active walks for all dogs, but they are especially recommended for dogs with back and neck problems. When the dog pulls on the leash, the close-fitting harness distributes pressure evenly across the chest, preventing damages to the dogs vertebrae. Thanks to the wide padding and ergonomic design, the harness is comfortable and does not cause wear on the dogs fur or skin. Easy and quick to put on, both dog and owner will get accustomed to the harness in no time.Made from durable Neoprene, the harnesses are fitted with efficient 3M reflectors.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good harness, but not really any better than most\n\nReview: I got this size for my burly cairn terrier. He digs so much that he has a very broad chest and is built like a bulldog. It does not really fit him that well since it seems like the bottom strap is too long, and does not prevent him from gagging when he pulls on the leash any more than any other harness I have tried. But it is nicely cushioned and very reflective which is good since I often walk him at night. It would be better if it had adjustments on the neck and the bottom strap to provide a better fit.\n\nHaving more adjustments would also make it fit a wider variety of dogs. This harness is way too big for a slightly smaller dog I have (22\" chest, 14\" neck), and the next size down is too tight for her.","Product: Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Beef Tripe Treats for dogs is a must have for the owner who is dedicated to the health and well-being of their canine companion. In the wild, dogs are carnivorous predators and instinctively eat fresh raw meat, meaty bones and essential whole organs meats that naturally provide the vital balance of nutrients they need to thrive. The healthy benefits of Vital Essentials include promoting weight control, thick glossy coats, healthy digestive system, firm muscles, strong bones, white teeth, healthy gums, high energy and a long, happy, healthy life.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Excellent freeze dried tripe\n\nReview: I would guess that all dogs love tripe. This product does not smell disgusting as I suppose it is not green tripe, so is probably not as minimally processed as some I have tried, but it is also not as outrageously expensive, either. I miss the days when you could buy 6 oz of freeze dried green tripe on ebay for $5. Now Harveys sells this much for $34. Outrageous. But Vital Essentials is at least a better deal than this.\n\nI mix a quarter of the tripe with a half of Vital essential freeze dried beef with a quarter of some high protein organ-based kibbble to make a \"trail mix\" for my three dogs. It is a nutrient-dense mix that takes up a small amount of space and weight and does not cost a fortune.","Product: Strut your pup in the RC Pet Products Skyline Puffy Vest. It's fun, fashionable and functional. Water repellent rip stop quilted jacket provides excellent warmth on cold windy days and features velcro closures to get the perfect fit for your dog. Fully reversible, one coat offers two colorful ways to wear it. Additional features include, leash access slit and 3M reflective piping to help nighttime visibility. Sizes 8-20 features chest panel coverage for additional warmth and protection, while sizes 22-30 have no chest panel for optimal fit. Available in a variety of colors and sizes 8 to 30. To measure your dog for size use a soft tailors tape while your dog is standing. Girth equals the widest circumference around you're your dog's chest and the length is measured from collar to base of tail. If you dog falls between sizes, choose the larger size for more coverage. To view all of our products please visit our amazon store at www.amazon.com/RC-Pet-Products/\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Ideal dog puffy jacket\n\nReview: I choked when I saw how much the ruffwear vests similar to this cost ($80-90), so went looking for a more reasonably-priced version. I first got the Kurgo chili loft jacket but immediately sent it back since it was very thin. I don't want a puffy dog jacket for the looks - I want it for the function of actually keeping my short-haired dogs comfortable when it's cold. This is the ideal coat for that purpose. It's thick enough to be warm while still being light and not too bulky. It's adjustable so it fits well. It is also reversible but you need to ensure the velcro is completely covered when the black side is out since the hook side would be rough against the skin.","Product: Merrick Backcountry is an all-natural, grain free ancestral canine diet packed with protein that dogs crave. Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused kibble recipes deliver a perfect combination of protein-rich, grain free kibble plus real, whole pieces of raw, freeze-dried meat, poultry or fish. They provide your active dog the nutritional benefits of a raw diet they would have discovered in the wild, now in a safe and convenient recipe that's easy to serve.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Merrick is now the best quality widely available dog food for the money. Buy it.\n\nReview: Merrick once made crappy foods and treats I would not consider feeding my dogs but has stepped up their game the last couple of years. A great deal. Enough to where they are currently the highest quality kibble for the money.\n\nI have two terriers allergic to any type of poultry (and two dogs that are not). The two start itching and chewing their paws when they get any food that contains it. Chicken fat is the worst culprit for my dogs. So I am always watching for that, and recently many so-called premium dog foods have started adding chicken fat in formulas that did not have it before, so if your dog is sensitive to poultry and recently started chewing his paws, read the label again. Don't think the dog food you have been buying for years no longer has it. By the way, if any dog is chewing his paws, the first thing to do is avoid poultry (and corn, wheat, and soy, but you already know that if you are considering buying this dog food).\n\nAnother way many premium dog foods are failing lately is the protein content has been dropping in most of them. Some that were close to 30% when they were first released have fallen to as little as 22%. Again, read the label and no longer assume that the dog food you have been feeding for years is still high in protein.\n\nOn both these counts, Merrick has been bucking the trend. As other dog foods have started adding questionable ingredients like chicken andn to their their once non-allergenic flavors, and dropping protein count, Merrick now has an excellent line of high protein kibble including this one, which is made more excellent by the addition of freeze-dried nuggets. Granted, you still have to watch Merrick, too, since they add poutltry to some flavors like bison and venison.","Product: Chuckit! indoor dog toys, brings the Chuckit! ritual indoors. Enjoy the benefit of no-slobber, hands-free pick up when playing fetch in the comfort of your home. These three innovative indoor launcher compatible toys provide even more ways to enjoy the interactive play millions experience outdoors. Perfect for when it is too cold, too wet or you just want to hang out inside with your four legged pal.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Excellent, but too big for small dogs\n\nReview: This is an excellent ball for indoor play, but as the title says, too large for small dogs. I cannot deduct a star for this since I knew what size it was when I bought it, and my dogs do love to play with it and the other Chuckit indoor fetch toy - the ring. And I think the concept of indoor fetch toys is so good that I took the time to email Chuckit and ask why they did not make a size for smaller dogs with the following note:\n\n-----------\n\nI have the chuckit indoor ball and ring and my dogs love them, but they are really too large for small dogs and they have to work hard to get a bite on the ball. I looked on your website and it appears they only come in this one large size. Since most dogs who play indoor fetch are small, why are these indoor toys so large? Do you know many people who play fetch with their labradors in the house?, It baffles me. I think the concept of indoor fetch toys is a great idea, and I love the texture and density and how durable these toys are, but why don't you make a tennis-ball size version for small dogs?\n\n-----------","Product: Amazon.com With optimized beams, rubber grips, and tactical switches, Rayovac' s SE3DLN Sportsman lantern is ideal for use inside and out, whether you're heading for the hills or camping out in\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best high powered LED lantern for the money I have found\n\nReview: I tried a couple of large Coleman LED lanterns and returned them since they were way too heavy for the amount of light they produced. I think it was mostly due to the poor reflector design they used but perhaps they used inefficient LEDs. Then I got this Rayovac and have been very pleased. I was expecting a full size lantern, but this is much smaller, which is a bonus. The globe comes off and it can hang upside down, which is another bonus, although it does not really provide that much more light doing so.\n\nOne downside is that I wish it had another, lower, level of brightness for use as a nightlight. The other is the dumb blinking light meant for location purposes. It might sometimes come in handy, but it would have been better to leave this out, as other reviewers mentioned, so there would not be a constant drain on the batteries although I suspect it could take a couple of years for it to drain them.","Product: 1 spool of Nichrome 80 Series 30 Gauge Resistance Wire - 100ft, 50ft or 25ft spool.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Not like kanthal, at all\n\nReview: I have built many dozens of coils with 30 ga (and lower) kanthal and decided to give 30ga nichrome a try. I fired a length of the nichrome wire with a hand torch, like I normally do with kanthal, and it melted. I put a bic lighter to it, and it melted it too, although it took longer. I decided to wrap some coils with it anyway, and gave it an extra wrap than normal (8 turns total) to get 1 ohm coils, then put them on a rig (0.5 ohms total) and fired it at what I consider low wattage - 25W. All of it immediately melted. I obviously don't know what I am doing with the stuff but even so it appears to have a melting point only slightly higher than solder. 4 stars instead of 1 since perhaps I must just be a dummy and don't realize that you are never supposed to expose it to flame, use 30ga nichrome in subohm coil rigs, or use over 5W on it.","Product: Book by Nenah Sylver\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Excellent work on sauna therapy\n\nReview: I know someone with MS who has used many alternative regimens to combat his illness. He did well for a couple of months on holistic therapies, but after going to the dentist to get the last of the mercury in his mouth removed, he needed his crutches continuously. Now he is in a wheelchair.\n\nWhat I found odd was that he had mentioned that he didn't sweat.\n\nYears ago I had an emergency root canal. The dentist packed it with a whopper mercury filling. I remember that my arms lost a significant amount of strength, my left much worse than my right (the filling was on the left side if that had anything to do with it) and the left was also a bit sore. Exercise with swimming and biking did not help the problem. This lasted through the winter months, but as springtime and summer came to Atlanta, with the 100 degree F days and me working in the yard and being \"blessed\" with the capacity to sweat a great deal, the strength returned to my arms in about two weeks.\n\nI thought back on this and wondered if perhaps the problem with my friend was he just did not sweat enough to get the mercury and other toxic metals out of his muscles and other tissues. Further study on the matter revealed that it may not just be the mercury in \"silver fillings\" that causes neurological and muscle disorders, but other toxic metals including tin and nickel.\n\nThen I read Dr. Nenah Sylver's book, \"The Holistic Handbook of Sauna Therapy.\" It confirmed my suspicions.\n\nSylver explains that this is indeed the case - that sweating can be a major avenue of detoxification for the body and not just for metals but also for toxic chemicals and metabolic wastes. She explains the processes by which they are eliminated. She cites and examines studies which show how many toxic elements can be removed by sweating and it is surprising that certain types of toxins, including some metals, are most effectively excreted by the skin than by the usual avenues of elimination - the kidneys, liver, and bowel. As Dr. Sylver states, a sauna can be a necessary piece of medical equipment.\n\nThe Handbook also details many other aspects of sauna use including the available types including how to construct one's own, instructions on their use, who may use a sauna and who may not, details on how to use a sauna for detoxification purposes, and how, why, and *what* we sweat.\n\nBesides the excellent content, Sylver's writing style is a delight. It is thorough yet accessible, with just the right amount of technicality to satisfy the practioner without losing the laymen in the details. Highly recommended!\n\nBrian McInturff"],"string":"[\n \"Product: Whether you are a musician using a personal monitoring system, or a music enthusiast listening to your favorite bands via MP3 player, the comfort and clarity of the EU-4 from Elite Core will allow you to listen without fatigue\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: BEST sounding earphones for the money, DO buy them\\n\\nReview: My original review said that these are the best earphones for the money but Don't Buy Them. This was due to the inability to purchase replacement sleeves for them at the time, even from the manufacturer, so once the originals were lost or damaged, the earphones were worthless. NOW, however, the sleeves are available at a few places online such as 7ballmusic, yoursoundshop, and others, including the manufacturer. Since this was the only problem I had with these otherwise excellent buds, my rating has changed from 3 stars to 5.\\n\\nThey are, by far, the best earphones for the money I have ever tried. To me, they are comparable to the $200-300 Shures. Unlike any other earbuds in this price range, these provide depth to the music and what appears to be an almost perfectly flat frequency response and since I am all for reproducing music exactly how it is recorded, acoustically ideal for me. The only beef my audiophile friends could find with them is that they did not like the twisted pair wires being exposed without a covering, but I don't mind that.\",\n \"Product: Rock N Roller Multi-Cart Equipment Cart with R Trac Wheels - (R10RT)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Expensive but worth it\\n\\nReview: We use these at work where they are used to transport heavy items daily and they hold up well. Not quite as good as the really heavy duty non-adjustable carts, but well enough. I brought one home to use for the weekend and my son loved it. He works weekend festivals and must often tote a load of supplies and a canopy tent for a quarter mile or more, sometimes over grass. The small cart he used before could not handle it, and would often get stuck in the grass.\\n\\nWhen his former cart broke down, he bought one of these. It has worked out great for him. Not only does the adjustable length work out great and over all types of terrain, but he often helps others with lesser carts who would otherwise be carrying heavy items. If you use one every day and only on pavement or hard surfaces, and don't need the adjustability to carry large items and don't mind the weight, you would probably be better off with a heavy duty welded convertible hand truck, but if you need something other than small hard wheels to carry larger items, the Rock n Roller is the best choice I have found.\",\n \"Product: A good coffee mug is like a comfortable pair of Jeans or your favorite boots - it just feels "right". For years the 20 oz mug was available at most Gas Stations and Convenience Stores. A few years ago they suddenly disappeared from the market and haven't been seen since. Well, we found the mold and arranged for a special production run of mugs. The ThermoServ mugs are great. They are double wall insulated and unlike other mugs on the market, they are foam filled so they are far superior at keeping drinks hot or cold. These rugged mugs are both dishwasher and microwave safe. The lid snaps on tight and doesn't leak out the sides like most of the Chinese imports! This listing is for one black and one green mug. They both have black tops. There is no printing or graphics on these mugs.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Exactly what I wanted\\n\\nReview: When I was down to the last of my beloved, very old, Aladdin cups of this size, I started looking for replacements. I first went to ebay where they do have a good many vintage ones for sale, usually starting at around $14 plus $6 shipping, so $20 each. That's for used cups. I was so glad to find these since they were new, less than half the price, and plentiful. Thanks to ThermoServ for resurrecting this design.\\n\\nThe main reason I need cups like this is because, they are the only ones that fit secure in the cup holders of my current, and former, vehicles, both Hondas. They don't go all the way down in the \\\"two-step\\\" holder,, but wedge into the top section very securely. Regular size travel cups can tilt enough to spill in these cup holders, but these 20oz ones never move..\\n\\nI also like these cups since they have foam insulation, not just air, between the layers. They keep coffee hotter than any other travel cup I have except an expensive Nippon vacuum insulated one. Wanting to find out if the insulation was as good as an old Aladdin cup, I filled both with 200 F degree water and measured the temp at 10 minute intervals for 90 minutes. They were within a couple degrees of each other the whole time, so they are comparable. After a half hour the water had cooled to around 168 deg in them. After one hour, the water had cooled to 150 deg, the limit under which I no longer consider it \\\"hot.coffee.\\\". At 90 minutes, around 133;, still drinkable but not enjoyable since it's not hot enough.\\n\\nAs another reviewer said, these cups do not seal completely so the liquid will leak when they fall over. This is actually what I am looking for. Coffee cups which completely seal have valves, rubber gaskets, and/or slides, etc, in them. To get them completely clean to prevent bacteria and mold from growing, you must remove all these to wash them. With some travel cups, this is not even possible without damaging the cup, but it is especially important if you use cream or sugar in your coffee since you can grow some nasty bacteria and fiungus! I would rather take the chance that I will spill an ounce of coffee if the cup overturns than spend 5 or 10 minutes disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling the cup every time I use it. And speaking of cleaning, another bonus is that this 20oz mug is just large enough that I can fit a dishcloth down to the bottom of it with my hand to scrub it thoroughly.\\n\\nThanks again to ThermoServ for remaking this iconic mug.\",\n \"Product: A CLASSIC MUG FOR COZY MORNINGS. A nostalgic look-alike, this insulated version of the iconic diner mug is just as inviting as the original.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice insulated coffee mug\\n\\nReview: I love the form factor of this for an insulated mug. It looks like a very thick ceramic mug which would weigh over a pound, but it's plastic so is light. Completely dishwasher and microwave safe, and durable. It has a lid to help keep the coffee warm longer, although it is not a travel lid, not that this would fit in any car cup holder anyway - the cup without the handle is over 4\\\" in diameter. My only complaint is that the lid has a removable silicon gasket. I think these should be removed and washed (or put in a dishwasher) daily if cream or sugar is used, lest it support the growth of mold or bacteria. Most people who just want a nice large mug probably wouldn't even use the lid, anyway. Since this is large enough to double as a soup bowl, it would be good for camping, too.\",\n \"Product: The extra long spout allows this dispenser to easily apply soap to brushes and sponges and features a comfortable Santoprene pump knob. The Soap Dispenser is environmental-friendly with being reusable and refillable and can hold soap, lotion or essential oils. The durable construction with rubber non-skid and non-marring base helps keep the dispenser stable while in use during wash sessions. Each dispenser pump holds up to 12.5 ounces(375 ml)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The long nozzle and non-slip base is so convenient\\n\\nReview: I love this dispenser. The long nozzle and non-slip base is so convenient to sit near my kitchen sink and dispense soap into it without having to pick it up. Plus the amount of soap it dispenses in a full push is just right for doing dishes, and you can just push it a small amount to get a few drops if needed.\\n\\nI was bothered by the large number of reviews that say that the acrylic cracks in a short time and almost did not purchase it due to this, but I like this so much that even if I have to replace it once a year, it would be worth it. Note that any soap dispenser will eventually clog and the nozzle should be run under hot water to clean it periodically, otherwise pressure builds up inside the canister when pumping, which will lead to leaking or cracking. Knowing this will increase the performance and durability of any soap dispenser.\\n\\nI like the looks of the many soap dispensers sold on Amazon that have the separate steel plunger, but all of those rate an F on fakespot, so I would not consider them. At least Prepworks does not buy reviews - all their products receive an A on fakespot - so I trust them.\",\n \"Product: Enjoy a floral bouquet Fiesta with decorative tumblers perfect for garden parties, pool parties and everyday sipping. Tervis Tumblers are double-wall insulated to keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold, helping to reduce condensation. They are microwave and dishwasher safe, fit most drink holders, and made in America. Comes with a standard lid and a lifetime guarantee.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Once you learn to ignore the seam, the glasses look fine, but I won't be buying any more.\\n\\nReview: I have a number of Tervis tumblers already, in clear, with various accessories including handles and lids. Since I have Fiestaware dishes, I got this set when I added to my stock of tumblers. Anything Tervis is normally 5 star - it performs excellent with hot drinks like coffee and cold drinks with ice. They resist stains and scratches and are great in the microwave and dishwasher. But this Fiesta version, has a sheet of stripes which is added during manufacturing and is not attached to itself and it leaves a large seam which is somewhat ugly. Once you learn to ignore it, the glasses look fine, but I won't be buying any more. I was planning to purchase the Fiesta dots and the waves versions next, but I suspect that they have the big seam too. I would say to get the solid color tervis tumblers if you wanted something more colorful than clear.\",\n \"Product: The KD-7000 series are easy to clean and easy to use. Double-stopper protection, strong reinforced & removable Stainless Steel platform, Acrylic faceplate protector and modular construction make these scales extremely durable. \\n\\nThis scale includes a removable clear LCD cover that protects the buttons and LCD from damage (great for messy recipes, soapmaking or candlemaking) With a large 7 kg (15.4lb) capacity and precise 1 gram (0.1oz) readings this scale is an incredible value and is available at most scale retailers or through our online merchants. \\n\\nThe KD-7000 reads in Grams, Pound;Ounces, Ounces, Pounds, & Kilograms. This makes them perfect for Home, Office, Kitchen and thousands of other uses. These scales are extremely durable and versatile\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Amazing accuracy and durability\\n\\nReview: I have the previous version of this scale - it looks almost the same - and wanted to comment on the longevity. It is almost 15 years old. I once made crafts, including body care items, and always used this scale to measure ingredients as well as the final product. Then, to weigh the packages for shipping. It has been used thousands of times, and has always been amazingly accurate.\\n\\nI still use it a lot in cooking and baking. I have converted all my favorite recipes, such as for cookies and breads, to be measured by weight, not by volume. When I make bread in a breadmaker, for example, I put the canister on the scale and turn it on (it's zeroed out). Add 225g warm water (1 cup). Hit the tare button to zero it. Add 13g (1T) sugar. Hit tare. 6g (1t) salt. Tare. 360g (3 cups) bread flour. Tare. 7g yeast (2t). No measuring spoons and no measuring cups to wash. This illustrates how sensitive and accurate the scale is - it has almost 1kg on the scale (with the breadmaker canister), and it's still accurate to a gram. Amazing.\\n\\nI've had to replace the batteries about once every 5 years, so the electronics are good, too - little parasitic current. I tape on the piece of plastic that protects the display and buttons with packing tape and have to take it off and clean about every 5 years, too.\",\n \"Product: Logitech marathon mouse m705 lets you power on... and on. it uses less than half the power of comparable mice, so youll go up to three full years between battery changes.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Best disposable mouse ever!\\n\\nReview: I consider these disposable mice. Ever since Logitech introduced hyperscroll mice almost 10 years ago, that's all I have owned, despite them often becoming unusable within 6 months if not 3. I have them on many computers - all my home laptops and PCs, and two PCs at work. I have owned every Logitech mouse with hyperscroll numerous times. I think this is the sixth M705 I have purchased. It is probably only surpassed by the seven Performance mice I have owned, and every mouse in between. However, I think the M705 is a good value at around $30, even if it only lasts six months.\\n\\nEither buttons stop working properly, or more commonly the wheel function gets jumpy. You don't know how much I wish that some other mouse manufacturer would make a good quality mouse with a free spinning wheel, but they don't. It's only Logitech. Once you get used to free wheeling, you can't go back, just like you can't go back once you are used to a five button mouse.\\n\\nBUT..... with the purchase of this last mouse, I have finally found the solution to the poor quality of Logitech hyperscroll mice. I can't believe I have not thought of it before when it was always staring me right in the face when I purchased them on Amazon. That is to buy the two year extended warranty for $2 on this $30 mouse! That will be $120 worth of mice for only $32! What a deal!\",\n \"Product: Like a kangaroo safely carries her young in her pouch, KHOMO cases offers protective solutions for your precious electronic possessions. KHOMO cases designers work with your needs in mind, ensuring that cases have not only sturdy exteriors, but also the right-size pockets for smaller accessories. From this starting point of practicality, our designers then consider what''s hip now. Choose from an array of functional yet fashionable cases for your laptop, netbook, or handheld or other electronic device. With KHOMO case, quality and craftsmanship meets cutting-edge design.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Works okay, but not for watching movies\\n\\nReview: I bought this case for two reasons. One was the size. It is not as large as other book-type folding cases so only adds a little over a half inch to the length and width of the NC so I could fit it in my pocket, unlike the other two folding cases I have.\\n\\nThe other reason was that this case has a picture-frame type flap that allows the NC to be stood up vertically or horizontally. It is flimsy, but works as long as you don't jab at the NC too hard and knock it over. And a little magnet in the flap keeps it against the case when not in use, which is nice.\\n\\nNote that the product description says it only works horizontally. You can see that the flap is cut such that it should work vertically, too, like a picture frame. However, the flap is cut incorrectly such that when it is used vertical, it leans and is likely to fall over. Trimming the flap to the correct angle fixed this, though, and then it can be used vertically, but you really have to be careful or it can still fall over due to how small and flimsy the flap is.\\n\\nThe BIG problem with the flap is that it is mounted the wrong way for landscape use if you use a video player or play landscape games like Angry Birds. It puts the NC button on the left which makes the display upside-down since all the android video players and most landscape mode games require that the button be on the right side. That's a big problem and there is no way to fix it. Browsers, email, and other android apps work fine on the NC in landscape mode in either direction, though. Video players inside a browser, like YouTube, work too.\\n\\nThe bottom line is that this case works okay if you don't expect to prop it up while you watch videos (or play games), and since that is the reason most people would buy a stand for this type of device, it's a big fail. But if you don't expect to do this, it works fine as a case and deserves a 3 star rating despite the flimsy and miscut flap since it is handy and does protect the NC. If you want to use a video player or play games while the NC is propped in the case, though, it is a one-star product and you will be returning it as soon as you find that the stupid flap is mounted incorrectly.\",\n \"Product: Low-profile charger sits flush in your dash andcharges your device at the fastest possible speed. The sleek design ensures that the charger fits neatly and safely in your dash. Works well for anyone that needs to charge their handheld device or GPS in the car. With over 3 billion devices shipped in 2008 alone, USB is perhaps the most successful interface in modern history. However, most cars do not have a USB port until now. Includes a 1 year warranty.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Got this charger to make the solder mod, but did not\\n\\nReview: I got this charger with the intention of making the solder mod that K. Crawford describes in his excellent review of this product. But I ended up not doing it. I could not figure out how to easily remove the faceplate. But it turned out I did not need to make the mod to be able to use the charger.\\n\\nIf you need to charge a non-apple device with micro USB, you can just get a Mediabridge micro USB charging cable. They come in coiled or 6 ft straight versions. These bridge the data lines so you don't have to worry about if the charger does it or not. Then you can use an apple compatible usb charger to charge any phone without causing battery draining wakelocks or slow charging.\\n\\nI got two Mediabridge cables the same time I got this Bracketron charger, so I didn't need to make the mod and this combination works fine. However, a better solution is to just get a charger that meets the USB charging standard if you need one. Like Crawford, I have not found a dual car charger on Amazon that meets the spec on both ports. But they are available on ebay. Search for \\\"t-mobile oem dual usb car charger\\\" and get the one that looks like a trumpet bell. It is currently $7 so cheaper than the Bracketron, but it is not as high powered - I think it will produce only about 800ma per port.\\n\\n2 stars to the Bracketron for calling itself a Universal charger since it does not meet the USB charging standard.\\n\\nEdit: I did eventually try to make the solder mod so I could use the mediabridge cables on another charger. I gave it to my son who popped off the face plate easily enough but then did not unscrew the nib at the other end before prying it apart and it was damaged beyond repair. I looked at the board inside and could see that, like the other commenter noted, that it is very fragile with only two wires holding it in place. I flexed the board an inch in one direction and one of the wires broke. I could probably do it correctly now that I know how, but I won't buy another one to try.\",\n \"Product: AudioSource's PSW8 8-inch Down Firing Powered Subwoofer creates accurate bass frequencies that are important for music and home theater. The PSW8's efficient ported design and advanced power amplifier and special design subwoofer speaker will rock your world. Featuring a variable gain control adn variable crossover control.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent sub for the price\\n\\nReview: I bought this for less than $60 in Oct 2014. That was a fantastic bargain. The price changes a lot.\\n\\nI got this to pair with two tiny Energy Micro speakers (leftover from a 5.1 system) and it is excellent for music even with the sub cranked up to the maximum crossover (150Hz) to compensate for the poor low end of the Energy speakers. I am using the high level inputs since it is driven by an old receiver without a sub out. The bass is very tight with plenty of low end for a wide variety of music. It does look exactly like the Pioneer model which usually sells for $150. I trust the Audiosource brand since I have used a few of their amps for various purposes at work for years, such as for conference room audio systems, and never had a problem.\\n\\nIf the price of this is much over $100, though, I would probably just get an 8\\\" Polk or Pioneer for $100, which would be comparable, assuming they had the same features as this one.\",\n \"Product: Revolve your outlook on MiniSuit's latest accessory: 360 Rotating Removable Stand Case + Smart Cover for Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0\\\" Android Tablet. Plush book-style case is made of animal-friendly PU leather for professional look and feel. Three amazing qualities in one stylish case. This slim and sturdy portfolio allows access to ports, controls, camera, and speakers, to maximize the portability of your newest gadget. MiniSuit logo is debossed on the front corner, quietly but boldly stating class and distinction. Take a stand and protect your tablet with the perfect MiniSuit case while commuting, working, and entertaining!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent case and stand for either portrait or landscape\\n\\nReview: Excellent case. Not only to provide protection, but also in that it provides a stand in both portrait and landscape mode. I have owned a number of tablets over the years and always used them much more in portrait than landscape mode, so could never understand why ones with this capability are so hard to find.\\n\\nThis case also turns the Note on when it is open, and off when it is closed (on the stock rom anyway), which is another good feature. In addition, the snap allows the tablet to be quickly rotated to either landscape or portrait unlike the velcro found on some where you have to detach and reattach it. As one reviewer commented, the snap may turn out to be the part that fails first, but at this excellent price, I would buy another in a minute if that ever happened. The case does double the thickness of the Note, but I can't really complain about that. I can toss it in a backpack, large coat or cargo pocket, or my lunchbox and not worry about it being scratched or damaged.\",\n \"Product: Lee 206 Quarter CTO 1/4 Orange Gel Filter Sheet 20\\\"x24\\\"\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Made the cold LED lights over the range warm.\\n\\nReview: I got this to change the color of the over-range lights on a Samsung microwave. Every other LED lamp in my house is warm white, so I did not like the blue-ish light of the microwave. It is in a little hatch with glass about 3x4\\\", so I cut a piece of this film and inserted it. Still too cold. I layered another piece - still too cold. I ended up with 4 sheets thick to make it match the rest of the lights in the house, which purport to be 3000K. Four pieces of 1/4 orange makes full orange, which would have made things much easier. Note that this much tint does decrease the amount of light, but to me it was worth it.\",\n \"Product: Definitive Technology ProSub60 8-inch 150-watt Powered Subwoofer\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Fantastic for an 8\\\" subwoofer\\n\\nReview: I got one of these on ebay and wanted another to completely trick out the system in my large den which is open to the kitchen and breakfast area. So I bought another and it is a fantastic dual-sub system for both music, TV, and movies - Polk in-wall speakers for the front and rear, Definitive 1000 for the center, and dual Prosub 60s for the subs. Note that the 60 series is being discontinued, if it has not already been, and replaced by the 600 series. I got a fantastic deal on the entire ProCinema60 system, which includes the ProSub60, so if you see that for only a few dollars more, you should buy that instead. I used the additional Definitive 60 center channel and satellite speakers in my bedroom to replace the Energy Micro 5.1 system that was currently in there (retaining the Energy sub), and it's a fantastic system now, too. I did not like the coldness of the Energy system, with its lack of low midrange, once I heard the Definitive 60s, which sounded so much better right out of the box.\",\n \"Product: All in one box Pro Cinema 60.6 System consisting of 4 each ProMonitor 60 satellites,1 each ProCenter 60 and 1 each ProSub 60\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best small surround speakers for the money\\n\\nReview: Get these quick before they are no longer available. Even at full list price of $400, they are a good value, but I got mine for $200, so an excellent deal. Note that these are the bottom-of-the-line Definitive speakers but after you experience these, you will be saving your money to buy more Definitive speakers the next time you upgrade.\\n\\nI was renovating my den and wanted a small speaker system so got the Energy Micro 5.1. I was disappointed in it. I don't know why the Energy Micro system is rated so highly since I am no audiophile but I could not bear the large gap in the midrange that made the system sound so cold. I ended up putting it in my bedroom, and getting a better surround for my den with Polk in-wall speakers, a Definitive 1000 center channel (best speaker I own), and a used Prosub60. Granted, this system ended up costing $500. But then I wanted to go even further and get a second subwoofer for the den and looked around for another prosub60 and could not find a decent used one for a good price - even the good used ones were in the $200 range.\\n\\nBut I found a whole ProCinema60 system (new) on sale for $200 and picked it up. This gave me a second Prosub for the den (and it is now a fabulous system), and had the leftover satellites and center channel. I used these to replace the Energy satellites and center in the bedroom and along with the Energy sub, it is now a very good system. Once I got used to good sound in the den, I was not pleased with the thin sounding Energys even in the bedroom. The Definitives sounded better right of the box than the broken-in Energy speakers. I am keeping my eyes open for another Prosub60 to replace the energy sub in the bedroom since I like it much better, too. It provides cleaner bass, never boomy, and I don't feel a need to constantly adjust the volume like I do on the Energy sub.\\n\\nThe Energy speakers will be relegated to the game system in the basement, or one of the kid's bedrooms to replace some giant, old speakers and hopefully he won't complain too much.\",\n \"Product: Matte black frames have full wrap around coverage, soft rubber nose pads and flex-grip temples to make them super comfortable.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Just what I was looking for\\n\\nReview: I had to go looking for new yellow polarized sunglasses recently when I lost my all-time favorite Smith Optics Undertows and then found Smith had discontinued them and now only make two models which fit my large head and come in yellow lenses, and both are ugly and block peripheral vision so are not suitable for driving or sports. So decided to try some Flying Fishermans since they also make yellow polarized lenses and in a few models that will fit me.\\n\\nThe Calcuttas work fine. The yellow lenses are well polarized (as good as can be achieved in a light yellow lens) with good optical quality and the frames are light and comfortable. They do not block peripheral vision and stay on fine for sports like biking, boating, and hiking. Best of all, they are cheap so I am not worried I will lose or break them.\\n\\nI must have yellow polarized lenses in at least one pair of sunglasses. To me, they are the best all-around color since they work fine in bright sunlight due to the polarization, and are not too dark for mountain biking, kayaking, hiking, and stream fishing where you are constantly going from sunlight to shade and back. They brighten up cloudy and rainy days while still providing UV protection and polarization. They can be worn from early in the morning until dusk. I am very glad FF started making models with yellow lenses as well as increased their quality to a level I am satisfied with.\\n\\nAs far as durability, these appear fine so far. I normally get two or three years from a pair of \\\"daily driver\\\" sunglasses before the lenses are too scratched or the frames are too beat up. I owned a couple of pairs of FF sunglasses purchased in the distant past that were of unacceptable optical quality and durability, but they appear to have stepped up and now are of good enough quality.\\n\\nThis is high praise for a <$20 pair of sunglasses from me. I also have expensive polarized sunglasses from Maui Jim, Costa, Bolle, Native, and many others in my collection (yes, I am a polarized sunglass nut) but I wear these cheap Calcuttas more than 80% of the time since the yellow lenses are so versatile.\\n\\nI guess I need cons in this glowing review and here they are. The current model of sunglasses do not have the classier cursive logo stenciled on the legs as shown in the picture. Instead there is a crummy little plate that falls off and leaves a hole. Yellow sunglasses do affect color perception and wash out blue colors, including the sky. But this also raises contrast and clarity and I am fine with the trade-off but it can take some getting used to. I once lent a pair to a pilot who thought they were the most horrible sunglasses he had ever worn due to the color of the lenses.\\n\\nEdit: almost 1 year later. I lost these sunglasses over the weekend and am back to buy another pair, so figured this is a good time to give the long term review. I was almost ready for a new pair, anyway, so it was not much of a loss. The old pair was getting a bit scratched, but they can't be blamed for this since I would often clean them with the tail of my shirt as well as carry them in my pocket without a case, plus they had some light scratches from branches during hiking (while protecting my eyes!) And one lens was getting a little loose but you could only tell when cleaning them - it never fell out. They were worn almost every day of the year. Even though I obtained yet another nice pair of polarized sunglasses the past year (found a perfect pair of glass, blue mirror polarized Costas in the ocean), I wore the Calcuttas over 95% of the time this year.\",\n \"Product: The most comfortable Wool Socks ever. Made from the finest quality Australian Merino Wool and knitted in the USA. Each pair is cushioned throughout and reinforced from heel to toe for maximum comfort and durability. Merino Wool is a natural moisture management fiber that wicks moisture and maintains cushion. Super soft merino wool provides natural comfort for all seasons\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I wear these every day year round.\\n\\nReview: I wear merino socks year round almost every day. I buy 8 to 10 pairs at a time. After a couple of years I have usually lost enough that I have to buy a new set. I prefer to get all one color so I don't have to worry about matching them. I prefer ankle length although have a few pairs of crew length for winter camping and hiking. I am an aficianado of merino socks.\\n\\nI have purchased People brand socks many times over the years. They always perform well. They have my required merino content (>70%). I prefer brands like People to Smartwool since they are usually more comfortable, have a higher merino content (Smartwools no longer meet my required content), wear longer, and are less than half the price.\\n\\nIt is not like I am loyal to People socks. I will buy the cheapest good quality, made-in-the-USA, >70% merino content socks I can find. There are a few places in North Carolina that make them. The last few times I have purchased them, the best deal on Amazon happened to be from People.\\n\\nLike any of them, they are somewhat uncomfortable when new. They are too fluffy (and therefore hot), not absorbent, and \\\"crunchy\\\". Once they are washed and worn a few times, they are much better. Once they are broken in, I usually wear a pair twice before I put them in the hamper. They can be worn multiple days if the feet are kept clean.\\n\\nThese socks are great for all purposes - work, play, sports, running, hiking, camping, pretty much every occasion to wear socks. I do have some fancy, thin, knee-high socks for the rare times I wear a suit, but for the other 99.99% of the time, it's these socks.\",\n \"Product: This Texsport(r) fleece sleeping bag brings you warmth and durability with an all-around zipper and comfortable fleece fabric. It can easily be used for the home, summer camping, or travel.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent light bag if it was not for the clinking zipper\\n\\nReview: I have four of these. They are excellent since two can zip together to make an extra wide bag or be unzipped all the way to have a large fleece blanket. Or, you can use a bag inside another to make a 40 deg bag, or nest as many as you need - I can go down to 0 degF with four of them and use these on winter campouts, too.\\n\\nThe only problem is the clinking zippers! They have large fobs and clink every time you move and with a lot of them it is very annoying. So, I wrapped each fob in electrical tape so problem solved, but it would have been nice if they addressed this with plastic coated zippers.\",\n \"Product: When you need a good nights sleep wherever you are camping, choose the TETON Sports Fahrenheit Sleeping Bag. Youll be warm, comfortable, and have some room to movecomes in two size options and three different temperature ratings. The Fahrenheit is a three-season sleeping bag thats built to last a lifetime. Its filled with our SuperLoft Elite fill to keep you warm and is rated to below freezing temperatures. The mummy-style hood can cinch in around your head for additional warmth and keeps your head off the ground. Full-width baffles and full-length shoulder and zipper draft tubes keep the warm air from escaping. Dual-layer offset stitching eliminates cold spots. The Fahrenheit Sleeping Bag has a durable taffeta shell that will stand up to years of rigorous use. The 100% cotton flannel lining feels like soft bed sheets. Taped, anti-snag zippers are easy to close from inside or outside of bag. Like all TETON Sports sleeping bags, the Fahrenheit Sleeping Bags come with a Limited Lifetime Warranty. Bonus features include an interior storage pocket for wallet or keys and its own compression sack for easy transport. It all adds up to exceptional quality at an affordable price.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Otherwise excellent bag with one problem\\n\\nReview: When I received this, I got into the bag and immediately realized I could not tolerate it. I have a lot of sleeping bags but wanted something big, comfortable, and warm for winter car camping. And it is all those things! However, there is something odd about it and that is the insulation and inner shell has no connection to the slippery outer shell. And when I lie in it, I slip around on the outer cover when moving. It feels as slippery as ice. I normally camp on a slight incline and I would imagine that I would soon slide to the edge of the tent. And I would be extra careful walking on top of the bag.\\n\\nTo top all this, I bought two of them - one for me and one for my son - for Christmas. However, my son loves his and does not think the slipperiness an issue. He does almost all his camping in a cartop tent, so it's always level. He talked me into letting him keep both so he would have a spare for friends. So I ordered a different bag with a canvas outer shell. It is rated for the same temperature yet is heavier, not as large as this one, and without the great features of the Teton, like the upper cinch or the pillow area or the stash pocket. But I don't slide around on it.\\n\\nAs a reminder for those buying sleeping bags, the rated temperature is typically one to keep you alive in that temperature, not to be comfortable. To be comfortable, you get one rated for 20 degrees lower than to what you will be exposed (and you still might want to wear wool socks). Or get a cheap fleece bag to use as a liner.\",\n \"Product: When you need a good nights sleep wherever you are camping, choose the TETON Sports Fahrenheit Sleeping Bag. Youll be warm, comfortable, and have some room to movecomes in two size options and three different temperature ratings. The Fahrenheit is a three-season sleeping bag thats built to last a lifetime. Its filled with our SuperLoft Elite fill to keep you warm and is rated to below freezing temperatures. The mummy-style hood can cinch in around your head for additional warmth and keeps your head off the ground. Full-width baffles and full-length shoulder and zipper draft tubes keep the warm air from escaping. Dual-layer offset stitching eliminates cold spots. The Fahrenheit Sleeping Bag has a durable taffeta shell that will stand up to years of rigorous use. The 100% cotton flannel lining feels like soft bed sheets. Taped, anti-snag zippers are easy to close from inside or outside of bag. Like all TETON Sports sleeping bags, the Fahrenheit Sleeping Bags come with a Limited Lifetime Warranty. Bonus features include an interior storage pocket for wallet or keys and its own compression sack for easy transport. It all adds up to exceptional quality at an affordable price.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Otherwise excellent bag with one problem\\n\\nReview: When I received this, I got into the bag and immediately realized I could not tolerate it. I have a lot of sleeping bags but wanted something big, comfortable, and warm for winter car camping. And it is all those things! However, there is something odd about it and that is the insulation and inner shell has no connection to the slippery outer shell. And when I lie in it, I slip around on the outer cover when moving. It feels as slippery as ice. I normally camp on a slight incline and I would imagine that I would soon slide to the edge of the tent. And I would be extra careful walking on top of the bag.\\n\\nTo top all this, I bought two of them - one for me and one for my son - for Christmas. However, my son loves his and does not think the slipperiness an issue. He does almost all his camping in a cartop tent, so it's always level. He talked me into letting him keep both so he would have a spare for friends. So I ordered a different bag with a canvas outer shell. It is rated for the same temperature yet is heavier, not as large as this one, and without the great features of the Teton, like the upper cinch or the pillow area or the stash pocket. But I don't slide around on it.\\n\\nAs a reminder for those buying sleeping bags, the rated temperature is typically one to keep you alive in that temperature, not to be comfortable. To be comfortable, you get one rated for 20 degrees lower than to what you will be exposed (and you still might want to wear wool socks). Or get a cheap fleece bag to use as a liner.\",\n \"Product: Encompassing the same superior quality and unique yarn combinations as their lifestyle and technical socks, Goodhew has constructed a light hiking sock in a 2-pack that will be the most comfortable trail companion your foot could ask for.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: which is to say excellent, although Goodhews fall a little short here since ...\\n\\nReview: I wear merino socks almost every day, throughout the year. Every two or three years when they get threadbare on the bottom, I buy another batch of them. In this case, I bought 8 pairs of these socks. They are the same as most of the discount 70% merino socks I have tried, which is to say excellent, although Goodhews fall a little short here since they are 68% merino. I owned these exact socks for one of my previous sock cycles and they lasted as well as any of the others. They are not too thick after they are worn and washed a few times, but they are somewhat fluffy and a bit \\\"scrunchy\\\" when they are new. For me, they are the ideal weight for year round use except on the coldest days.\\n\\nLike any good 70% merino sock, these are excellent for preventing sweaty and smelly feet. As other reviewers have mentioned, you can even wear these more than once before they need to be washed.\",\n \"Product: Motorola HX550 Universal Bluetooth Headset is your complete hands-free solution. Flip open to answer, enjoy crystal clear calls with dual microphone noise reduction and customize your fit with three wearing styles. HX550 features MOTOSPEAK to text with your voice, A2DP, up to 9 hours of talk time and up to 16 days of standby time.Voltage Required: AC 110 V.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Most comfortable, but not loud enough\\n\\nReview: This is the most comfortable bluetooth headset I have used. I don't like anything sticking in my ear and one of the three optional earpieces for this headset is on-ear with the other two being in-the-ear. Plus it's very light and easy to pair and operate.\\n\\nBut, I don't like it! With the on-the-ear earpiece anyway, if there is any noise at all on my end or the other end, people cannot hear me unless I speak loudly. Plus, even when turned all the way up, the volume is too low unless I press the thing against my ear, and even then it's difficult to hear if there is any noise. I have a lot of other bluetooth headsets, including the excellent H730, another on-the-ear Motorola headset, and never had a problem with being able to hear or be heard until I had this one.\\n\\nAnd one other thing I don't like is that you can't pause and restart audio media when using the headset as you can with any stereo bluetooth headset.\\n\\nIf anyone can recommend an on-the-ear (single ear) headset with sufficient volume and start/stop media capability, please do so!\",\n \"Product: Slip your OnePlus One into this custom fit Full Matte Black TPU Case by Diztronic and experience the peace of mind of knowing your investment is well protected. Flexible, yet stronger and more durable than silicone, TPU offers excellent shock absorption and abrasion resistance while maintaining a thin form factor. The raised wrap-around edges make for a \\\"lay-on-the-table\\\" design that helps protect the glass screen from damage. Easy to install and remove, and definitely affordable--why not build a changeable wardrobe for your phone?\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best combination of size and protection.\\n\\nReview: With this case on, the phone still looks and feels like a premium phone since it is thin enough to look good and thick enough to provide adequate protection for my needs. There is a slight lip so you can lay down the phone on the screen and it won't touch. The case feels nice and smooth, and appears to be well protected. I have dropped my phone a number of times and it has not suffered any damage.\\n\\nI also own a Pelosi case. It has a nice texture, but offers little protection since it does not cover the top or bottom, and has no lip around the bezel. I also have the Tudia slim, which does offer more protection but at the expense of a thicker case with lips that are slightly too large so that they interfere with side swiping. The Diztronic is the happy medium for me. The Pelosi is good if you only need minimal protection and want to retain the feel, somewhat, of the sandstone case. The Tudia is fine, especially if you need extra protection.\",\n \"Product: Diztronic Full Matte Flexible TPU Case for Samsung Galaxy Note 4\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Didn't work for T-Mobile Note 4\\n\\nReview: I have bought a large number of Diztronic cases for myself and family and they were always my favorites since for me they had the best combination of thinness, durability, protection, good looks, and grip. This was the first one that had a problem and that was it did not allow the volume buttons to operate correctly on a T-Mobile Note 4. The top one was always pressed when it was in the case, so it was unusable until I used an exacto knife to cut out the portion of the case that covered the volume switches. Then it worked fine but the poorly cut our area detracted from the looks. I later got a Goosberry and an OEM case and both of those work great.\",\n \"Product: WHITE COLORS\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Wireless charging works great but has poor aesthetics\\n\\nReview: Wireless charging works fine. I like that it has an adjustable base, although it's pretty cheesy that there's a separate mat you must use to allow it adjust to different angles. But even cheesier is how the USB cable connects - right at the very top, and the cable sticks up higher than your phone. I don't know why the cable could not have been attached lower on the unit so it did not stick out like a (broken) sore thumb. However, you can use a right angle micro USB cable (http://www.amazon.com/CablesOnline-Micro-B-Position-Extension-AD-U44/dp/B00JSXUJ7Y) to make it look a lot less crappy. I have another charger stand (an Itian A6) that looks better when plugged in, and included a charger, but is not adjustable and set at an odd angle, and is not portable since it does not fold.\",\n \"Product: Plantronics Explorer 50 Bluetooth Headset - Retail Packaging - Black\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great bluetooth headset with streaming\\n\\nReview: Although the streaming volume could be higher, this is otherwise a great bluetooth headset. I usually prefer the Motorolas which flip and have the flat earpiece where nothing goes inside the ear, plus their streaming volume is greater, but this Plantronics has better call quality, the ear loop does not break (they break once per month on the Motos), and the battery lasts much longer. The part of the Plantronics that sticks in the ear is flexible and not as uncomfortable as most of this type, but I wish they would make a flat version that had a bigger speaker and did not go inside the ear canal. Another problem with the ear canal piece is that is starts to fall off in a few months, but can be super-glued back on.\\n\\nUpdate: I have had two of these over the years and am back to buy a third. I lost the last one. The one before that went through the washer and drier and stopped working. Can't fault it for that, especially considering it had gone through the washer once before and worked after it dried out - it seems the heat from the drier did it in.\",\n \"Product: Tired of running out of battery life when you need it the most? When you cant get to an outlet, our Innocell Super Extended Life Batteries will keep your Samsung Captivate moving forward. Our Extended Life batteries utilize premium Japanese Lithium-Ion/Polymer cells to ensure the highest levels of safety and performance while offering you nearly twice the capacity of your stock battery. Super extended life batteries can offer up to 80-100% more battery life.* * All battery life claims are dependent upon usage patterns, network configuration and many other factors; actual results will vary.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Great for extended time between charges but form factor not so great\\n\\nReview: I love having this large a battery in my phone. I can go all day without worrying about battery life even with hours of tethering, GPS, streaming bluetooth, videos, games, etc. The battery is rated at double the mah of the oem battery, but it seems like I get way more than double the use. I do have an efficient but screaming fast GB rom (dlev), and keep the phone tuned up to remove unnecessary background processes, and know how to recalibrate a battery, so the regular battery is actually sufficient if I don't do much GPS or tethering, but it is nice to be able to use the phone as much as I want and not worry about the battery at all.\\n\\nThe problem is the huge battery cover, and how much the battery sticks out. It nearly doubles the thickness of the phone (from 0.4 to 0.75\\\"). And it extends way beyond where it is necessary to cover the battery, although it does perhaps make it more comfortable to hold in the hand that way. It would be really great if there was a pancake-like battery that ballooned out at top to cover the simcard and external SD to provide a lot of capacity without much added thickness.\\n\\nDue to the huge battery cover on this Seido, I looked for another extended battery and found one that was only 2000mah but said it only added \\\"a few mm\\\" to the thickness. It was about $25 on ebay. Despite the battery being way less capacity than the 3000mah Seido, it is nearly as thick and adds virtually the same thickness, making a total 0.70\\\" instead of 0.75, granted, it does not needlessly extend as much toward the top of the phone. And the battery was slightly too small for the compartment and wiggled around inside until I wrapped it in masking tape. So that was not a good alternative.\\n\\nSo, I just ordered the 2600mah extended battery that Rich H recommended in a previous review and will give that a try. It is not like all these other batteries will go to waste. I am often away from a charger for the entire weekend or more, so these spare extended batteries are great to carry along and less of a hassle to use than an external battery pack charger. When you are far away from an electrical outlet, you don't care nearly as much that your phone is not quite svelte enough.\\n\\nUpdate: Been using the 2600mah Naztech battery for over a month now and like it much more than the Seidio. Besides being about half the price ($23 with free shipping if you shop around) and lasting just as long, the cover is much smaller. The Seidio is still being occasionally used as a spare battery by my son who also has a captivate, but he prefers to use the 2000mah spare instead because of the form factor. He pointed out that it is not necessary to slide the release on the phone to remove the cover of the Seidio since you can just lightly push along the battery cover and the little metal tabs are so flimsy the cover pops right off, which explains why the battery once fell out when the phone was in his pocket.\",\n \"Product: GIANT VERSION EVA Foam Virtual Reality Kit for Nexus 6, Samsung Galaxy Note 2/3/4, Oneplus One, iPhone 6 Plus. Giant Asymmetrical Biconvex Lenses 37mm Diameter and 50mm Focal Length. Gigantic field of view for your Gigantic Smartphones. Inspired by Google Cardboard. Same asymmetrical biconvex lenses positioned accurately for an optimal virtual reality experience. Includes magnets for magnetized command function and NFC tag. Perfect VR kit for yourself as well as gifts for your friends, colleagues and loved ones.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great intro to VR for larger phone. See attached valid QR code.\\n\\nReview: I was very disappointed when I first received these to use with my Oneplus One. With all the apps I tried, everything appeared double so they were unusable with that phone. However, they worked fine with the other phones I tried - Galaxy S6, S5, and Note 2. I wondered if it was because of the OPO not being set up correctly due to the QR code being invalid, so it was using the default viewer settings instead of ones for the phone (it was).\\n\\nI changed the DPI on my OPO to 440 (from the default 480). and they worked fine. Then I emailed the company and asked if they had a valid code for the device, and they responded immediately by emailing me the correct code (see attached picture). When I use this code to set up the phone, the OPO works fine at 480DPI. So, good customer service. You can print out this code and tape it to your cardboard for future use.\\n\\nThe foam construction is great for durability and, as others have mentioned, not leaving sweat or grease stains on the device. The nose section is a little tight for me, but I can't fault that since I have a big nose, but I have been thinking about carving it out a bit to accommodate my schnoz. It would also be good with a strap over the top, as some cardboard goggles have, to make it more comfortable. Note that with straps like these, it is generally better to have the strap high on the back of the head instead of near the ears and when doing so, not having a top strap is less of an issue.\\n\\nMy phone gets pretty warm in its foam cocoon when using the device for more than a half hour, so I have been considering punching some holes in the back panel to allow cooling, then gluing the pieces together to provide rigidity, as one reviewer suggests. But it's not really that much of an issue since I can only use the goggles for about 20-30 minutes before my head is reeling from motion sickness. I use it while seated in a swiveling chair for maximum freedom of movement.\\n\\nOverall this is a great device for the money, and with the good customer service, it gets 5 stars.\",\n \"Product: VetOne Vetrimec (Ivermectin 1%) Injection is an injectable parasiticide for cattle and swine. One low-volume dose effectively treats and controls the following internal and external parasites that may impair the health of cattle and swine: gastrointestinal roundworms (including inhibited Ostertagia ostertagi in cattle), lungworms, grubs, sucking lice, and mange mites of cattle; and gastrointestinal roundworms, lungworms, lice, and mange mites of swine. Its convenience, broad-spectrum efficacy, and safety margin make Vetrimec 1% Injection a unique product for parasite control of cattle and swine. Residents of California: This product is not approved for sale in California\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great value for ivermectin\\n\\nReview: TL;DR: For heartworm prevention, DILUTE 1% ivermectin with propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin 30:1 and use 0.1ml of this dilution per 10lb of dog. Using 0.1ml straight out of the bottle per 10lb is more than 30 times the recommended dosage.\\n\\nNote that some breeds of dogs are much more susceptible to the toxic affects of ivermectin so check with a vet before using. These include Collie, Old English sheepdog, Shetland sheepdog (Sheltie), Greyhound (and other sight hounds), Australian shepherd, German shepherd, Longhaired whippet, Silken windhound, and Border collie, among others.\\n\\nThere is too much variability between the recommended doses of 1% ivermectin for heartworm prevention in dogs online. It quickly became apparent that your brother-in-law with a degree in chemistry or your veterinarian either cannot be bothered to do the math, or are seeing the same erroneous google results you are and repeating them. I had to do the math to see for myself and I explain it so you can run through it to verify for yourself. Note there are a number of websites which do recommend the correct dilution and dosage computed below. There are also a number of websites and many product reviews on Amazon that recommend an amount more than 30 times the recommended.\\n\\nThe proper dose of Ivermectin for dogs for heartworm prevention is 6ug/kg. It is the amount that prescriptions like Heartgard use.\\n\\nUg means MICROgrams, not milligrams. There are one million micrograms in a gram. There are one thousand milligrams in a gram. If these terms are confused when calculating dosage, it could kill a dog. Notice that micrograms are also sometimes abbreviated as mcg. Most prefer to use ug instead of mcg to denote micrograms since it is less liable to be confused with mg.\\n\\n1ml of liquid is a gram (1000mg or 1,000,000ug) if its density is the same as water. The density of propylene glycol is 1.04g/ml. 99% of 1% ivermectin is propylene glycol, so the solution is close enough to the density of water to say that 1ml is a gram. BTW, 1ml is also known as 1cc.\\n\\nTo convert the 6ug/kg above into mg/kg: 6ug/kg / 1000ug/mg = 0.006mg/kg.\\n\\n1ml (1g or 1000mg) of 1% ivermectin contains 0.01x1000mg = 10mg of ivermectin.\\n\\nNow, calculate how big a dog that whole 1 ml, with 10mg ivermectin, right out of the bottle, will treat. Remember that many people say their vets told them to use this much for a 100lb dog:\\n\\n10mg / 0.006mg/kg = 1667kg. Multiply by 2.2lb/kg and thats 3667lb.\\n\\nIvermectin can be used for other things besides heartworm prevention. Vets prescribe it at much higher dosages for mange. Ivermectin is generally very safe to use for heartworm prevention since most dogs can tolerate much higher amounts than are necessary (except the breeds listed in the warning above.) The recommended amounts are listed below. It is a good thing that ivermectin is safe enough to be prescribed at 100x the heartworm dosage, since there are so many people erroneously recommending its use at 30x the prescribed amount for heartworm.\\n\\n 6 ug/kg for heartworm prevention\\n 300 ug/kg for treatment of sarcoptic mange\\n 400-600 ug/kg for treatment of demodectic mange\\n\\nAn easy way to be able to measure the correct amount of 1% ivermectin is to dilute it a great deal. Since 1oz dropper bottles are common, and they are about 30ml when filled up near the top, a 30:1 ratio is convenient since it can be mixed in the bottle. Use a 1ml syringe (for the most accuracy) and put 1ml of the 1% ivermectin in the bottle, and almost fill it up the rest of the way with propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin. Leave enough room at the top to shake to mix it properly.\\n\\nOne is putting 10mg of ivermectin into the 1oz bottle when adding 1ml of 1% ivermectin. The propylene glycol or glycerin dilutes it 30:1, so each ml of the new solution will have 10mg/30 = 0.333mg (0r 333ug). Each ml will be enough for a dog that weighs (333ug / 6ug/kg = 55.5kg or) 122lb. So for every 10lb, one would need 1ml/12.2 = 0.082ml.\\n\\nThe following chart shows the weight of dog, the amount of a 30:1 DILUTION of 1% ivermectin, and the amount of pure ivermectin it provides.\\n\\n10lb 0.08ml 26.6ug\\n20lb 0.16ml 54.6ug\\n30lb 0.25ml 81.9ug\\n40lb 0.33ml 109.2ug\\n50lb 0.41ml 136.5ug\\n60lb 0.49ml 163.8ug\\n70lb 0.57ml 191.1ug\\n80lb 0.66ml 218.4ug\\n90lb 0.74ml 245.8ug\\n100lb 0.82ml 273.1ug\\n\\nLets now check the results based on the most popular heartworm prescription. Heartgard contains the following amounts of ivermectin per dose:\\n\\nUp to 25lb 68ug\\n26 to 50lb 136ug\\n51 to 100lb 272ug\\n\\nAt 100lb, this analysis has a 1 in 272 error due to rounding and that slight difference in density, but it is close enough.\\n\\nAlways shake ivermectin solution well before use, especially if its cold! If it is not mixed up enough, theres a chance one could either give a dog not enough to be effective or so much it could cause injury!\\n\\nNote that many vets recommend using double dosage for better heartworm control, and thats what one is doing anyway when giving a 51lb dog the 51-100lb Heartgard. So this is prudent. Heres a table for DOUBLE RECOMMENDED amounts of 30:1 diluted 1% ivermectin:\\n\\nThe following chart shows the weight of dog, the amount of a 30:1 DILUTION of 1% ivermectin, and the amount of pure ivermectin for DOUBLE recommended minimum dosage\\n\\n10lb 0.16ml 53.2ug\\n20lb 0.33ml 109.2ug\\n30lb 0.49ml 163.8ug\\n40lb 0.66ml 218.4ug\\n50lb 0.82ml 273.0ug\\n60lb 0.98ml 327.6ug\\n70lb 1.15ml 382.2ug\\n80lb 1.31ml 436.8ug\\n90lb 1.48ml 491.6ug\\n100lb 1.64ml 546.2ug\",\n \"Product: Our postcards are printed on 16 pt (360 gsm) premium quality cardstock. The postcards are UV-coated on the front side for durability and protection. Size 4 x 6 inches (10 x 15 cm). Printed in USA.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best flashlight I ever owned\\n\\nReview: I often walk my dogs in the woods at night so I got the very best headlamp for the purpose - this one. I also have used this mountain biking since the band adjusts large enough to fit around a helmet. Plus I use it camping, as well as around the house. For this wide array of applications, it provides the ideal beam (spotty in the middle with a good spread).\\n\\nIf you know enough about flashlights to be interested in this one, you already know to get a couple of Orbtronic or similar quality 3400mah 18650 batteries and a Nitecore charger. Note that you can actually use unprotected cells (like flat top panasonic) with a well-regulated flashlight like this one, but I would still use protected cells.\\n\\nNote that Zebralight just released the MKIII series, and are discounting the MKII. The new ones have a more efficient LED that provides about 10% more output with 10% more runtime, so I assume this model will no longer be in production. The XM-L2 on this model will work fine for many years to come, but I would no longer buy it unless it went on sale.\",\n \"Product: Consult your Vet for assistance in the diagnosis, treatment, and control of parasitism. Indications: Treatment and control of gastrointestinal roundworms(including inhibited Ostertagia ostertagi), lungworms grubs, sucking lice, and mange mites in cattle. Treatment and control of gastrointestinal roundworms, lungworms, lice and mange mites in swine. Recommended dosage: Cattle: 1 mL per 110 lb body weight Swine: 1 mL per 75 lb body weight\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent for heartworm prevention IF you do the math correctly\\n\\nReview: TL;DR: For heartworm prevention, DILUTE 1% ivermectin with propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin 30:1 and use 0.1ml of this dilution per 10lb of dog. Using 0.1ml straight out of the bottle per 10lb is more than 30 times the recommended dosage.\\n\\nNote that some breeds of dogs are much more susceptible to the toxic affects of ivermectin so check with a vet before using. These include Collie, Old English sheepdog, Shetland sheepdog (Sheltie), Greyhound (and other sight hounds), Australian shepherd, German shepherd, Longhaired whippet, Silken windhound, and Border collie, among others.\\n\\nThere is too much variability between the recommended doses of 1% ivermectin for heartworm prevention in dogs online. It quickly became apparent that your brother-in-law with a degree in chemistry or your veterinarian either cannot be bothered to do the math, or are seeing the same erroneous google results you are and repeating them. I had to do the math to see for myself and I explain it so you can run through it to verify for yourself. Note there are a number of websites which do recommend the correct dilution and dosage computed below. There are also a number of websites and many product reviews on Amazon that recommend an amount more than 30 times the recommended.\\n\\nThe proper dose of Ivermectin for dogs for heartworm prevention is 6ug/kg. It is the amount that prescriptions like Heartgard use.\\n\\nUg means MICROgrams, not milligrams. There are one million micrograms in a gram. There are one thousand milligrams in a gram. If these terms are confused when calculating dosage, it could kill a dog. Notice that micrograms are also sometimes abbreviated as mcg. Most prefer to use ug instead of mcg to denote micrograms since it is less liable to be confused with mg.\\n\\n1ml of liquid is a gram (1000mg or 1,000,000ug) if its density is the same as water. The density of propylene glycol is 1.04g/ml. 99% of 1% ivermectin is propylene glycol, so the solution is close enough to the density of water to say that 1ml is a gram. BTW, 1ml is also known as 1cc.\\n\\nTo convert the 6ug/kg above into mg/kg: 6ug/kg / 1000ug/mg = 0.006mg/kg.\\n\\n1ml (1g or 1000mg) of 1% ivermectin contains 0.01x1000mg = 10mg of ivermectin.\\n\\nNow, calculate how big a dog that whole 1 ml, with 10mg ivermectin, right out of the bottle, will treat. Remember that many people say their vets told them to use this much for a 100lb dog:\\n\\n10mg / 0.006mg/kg = 1667kg. Multiply by 2.2lb/kg and thats 3667lb.\\n\\nIvermectin can be used for other things besides heartworm prevention. Vets prescribe it at much higher dosages for mange. Ivermectin is generally very safe to use for heartworm prevention since most dogs can tolerate much higher amounts than are necessary (except the breeds listed in the warning above.) The recommended amounts are listed below. It is a good thing that ivermectin is safe enough to be prescribed at 100x the heartworm dosage, since there are so many people erroneously recommending its use at 30x the prescribed amount for heartworm.\\n\\n 6 ug/kg for heartworm prevention\\n 300 ug/kg for treatment of sarcoptic mange\\n 400-600 ug/kg for treatment of demodectic mange\\n\\nAn easy way to be able to measure the correct amount of 1% ivermectin is to dilute it a great deal. Since 1oz dropper bottles are common, and they are about 30ml when filled up near the top, a 30:1 ratio is convenient since it can be mixed in the bottle. Use a 1ml syringe (for the most accuracy) and put 1ml of the 1% ivermectin in the bottle, and almost fill it up the rest of the way with propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin. Leave enough room at the top to shake to mix it properly.\\n\\nOne is putting 10mg of ivermectin into the 1oz bottle when adding 1ml of 1% ivermectin. The propylene glycol or glycerin dilutes it 30:1, so each ml of the new solution will have 10mg/30 = 0.333mg (0r 333ug). Each ml will be enough for a dog that weighs (333ug / 6ug/kg = 55.5kg or) 122lb. So for every 10lb, one would need 1ml/12.2 = 0.082ml.\\n\\nThe following chart shows the weight of dog, the amount of a 30:1 DILUTION of 1% ivermectin, and the amount of pure ivermectin it provides.\\n\\n10lb 0.08ml 26.6ug\\n20lb 0.16ml 54.6ug\\n30lb 0.25ml 81.9ug\\n40lb 0.33ml 109.2ug\\n50lb 0.41ml 136.5ug\\n60lb 0.49ml 163.8ug\\n70lb 0.57ml 191.1ug\\n80lb 0.66ml 218.4ug\\n90lb 0.74ml 245.8ug\\n100lb 0.82ml 273.1ug\\n\\nLets now check the results based on the most popular heartworm prescription. Heartgard contains the following amounts of ivermectin per dose:\\n\\nUp to 25lb 68ug\\n26 to 50lb 136ug\\n51 to 100lb 272ug\\n\\nAt 100lb, this analysis has a 1 in 272 error due to rounding and that slight difference in density, but it is close enough.\\n\\nAlways shake ivermectin solution well before use, especially if its cold! If it is not mixed up enough, theres a chance one could either give a dog not enough to be effective or so much it could cause injury!\\n\\nNote that many vets recommend using double dosage for better heartworm control, and thats what one is doing anyway when giving a 51lb dog the 51-100lb Heartgard. So this is prudent. Heres a table for DOUBLE RECOMMENDED amounts of 30:1 diluted 1% ivermectin:\\n\\nThe following chart shows the weight of dog, the amount of a 30:1 DILUTION of 1% ivermectin, and the amount of pure ivermectin for DOUBLE recommended minimum dosage\\n\\n10lb 0.16ml 53.2ug\\n20lb 0.33ml 109.2ug\\n30lb 0.49ml 163.8ug\\n40lb 0.66ml 218.4ug\\n50lb 0.82ml 273.0ug\\n60lb 0.98ml 327.6ug\\n70lb 1.15ml 382.2ug\\n80lb 1.31ml 436.8ug\\n90lb 1.48ml 491.6ug\\n100lb 1.64ml 546.2ug\",\n \"Product: Your dog deserves the best natural dog food. However, it can be difficult to determine what is actually best for your dog. At The Nutro Company, we believe that quality natural ingredients make the best natural dog foods. EVO, Nutro, California and our other brands of dog Food are carefully made with a premium selection of natural ingredients and fortified with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients for your dogs overall health and well-being.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The best, but expensive.\\n\\nReview: This is the best food I have found for my three dogs. I have one who is allergic to all poultry, so I am stuck with beef or fish formulas from just a few manufacturers since many of the even expensive \\\"premium\\\" brands these days add chicken fat to their otherwise poultry-free formulas, unlike Evo.\\n\\nEvo makes the highest protein formulas, and you should always gauge the value of a food based on the protein - carbs and fat are cheap. Two of my dogs have teary eyes and they clear up after a couple weeks of eating only Evo food, unlike any other brand. I have small dogs so try to get the small bites formula, which is ridiculously priced on Amazon as I write this : over $120 for less than 30 lbs - so sometimes I get the regular red meat and it just takes the smallest one a lot longer to eat. They get some meaty bones, too, to supplement their food,\",\n \"Product: Used and recommended by Veterinarians and Professional Groomers for immediate relief for problem and irritated skin. Quickly stops scratching. Provides quick relief from Flea Bite irritation.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: although he is fine if I only give him chicken once per week ...\\n\\nReview: I keep a few bottles of this at all times. One of my dogs, a cairn terrier, is susceptible to skin problems. If he gets a single flea, he bites and scratches himself until he is raw. If he eats too much poultry products, he also starts itching. He has had malasezia and much of his skin is still black 7 years later. Sometimes, he just starts getting scabby lesions on his skin and I cannot figure out what causes them. When he is itching from a flea I give him capstar. I have to also ensure his kibble does not contain any chicken products, especially chicken fat, although he is fine if I only give him chicken once per week or less. But even with all these measures, he still gets itchy sometimes and starts scratching and biting at his paws. In all these scenarios, I spray his back down with the Tarrific and rub it into his skin. It does not do much good sitting on top of the fur; it needs to be rubbed into the skin if the dog has thick fur.\\n\\nHe is now over 10 years old, but when he was 3 he was having allergies so bad and he had such horrible welts where he had chewed his skin and that had become infected that the vet said it might be best to put him down. I started avoiding all chicken (it is hard to find kibble without it) and spraying him with Tarrific.(and rubbing it in) every few days. In a couple of months, he was in great shape, his hair had grown back, and he acted like a puppy again instead of an elderly dog. I probably owe my dog's life to this product.\",\n \"Product: It's SAFETY FIRST with the Rogz Highly Reflective Utility Range, which is both the black tie and the 4x4 of the Rogz range. Timeless and classic, hardy but cool. Never shaken - or stirred. The 5/8\\\" Snake Side-Release Dog Collar with its woven reflective threads stitched into high quality webbing is the ideal solution for the teenagers of the Dog Species. Straight-forward and durable with ultimate night time visibilty. Standard features include Ergonomic, contoured plastic components ensuring that every Rogz collar fits as snug as a pug in a rug and Custom-branded die cast ring (no welding) with electroplated chrome for a rust, tarnish free finish. All joins are box stitched for extra strength and a quality finish. Note that this range has to be turned inside out when operating in stealth mode as the reflective stitching is only found on one side. The 5/8\\\" Snake collar adjusts for a neck size of 12-15\\\". It's suitable for Maltese Poodle, Terrier, Jack Russell, Scotty, Pug and similar sized breeds. Buckle-Breaking strength tested at 264lbs-271lbs from a direct pull.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Best collar for the money, but undersized\\n\\nReview: I bought three of the M/S collars for my three dogs. It is an excellent quality collar but I was disappointed that the S/M size which is supposed to be up to 16\\\" maxed out at 14.5\\\" so was too tight on one of my dogs who needs it set to 15\\\". He is a burly furry cairn terrier. But since he is so furry, I decided a M/L collar, which is 3/4\\\" wide instead of 5/8, would be best anyway to make the collar more visible, and since they are so inexpensive I did not mind ordering another and keeping the extra for a spare.\\n\\nI am really surprised at how well the reflective stitching works. It is almost as good as the ones that have the 3M reflective strip, but unlike the 3M strip, the stitching stands up much better to washing. Since my dogs are in woods, bogs, creeks, rivers, ponds, etc almost every day and their collars start smelling unless I wash them every week, this is important.\\n\\nIt is also important that the reflector works well since I often walk them at night in the woods on difficult trails. The collars show up to about 50 yards with a low-powered headlamp, which is incredible. They would probably show up over a mile away with a strong flashlight. I go on about this since when I went to replace the expensive 3M collars they once had that almost all the reflective tape had worn off, I got them some hot dog collars that had a pattern around the edges of reflective thread but it was so weak that I decided to try these collars and was very pleased I did.\",\n \"Product: Water Rover makes it easy for pet owners to take water with them wherever they go. With its durable, lightweight water bowl and attached bottle. Water Rover is simple to use. Just unplug the bottle, lay it flat, and the water will automatically flow into the round bowl. Tip the extra water back into the bottle, replace the plug, and clip the Water Rover back onto your belt or waistband\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: This is the dog water bottle for which I have been looking for years, but...\\n\\nReview: This is the dog water bottle for which I have been looking for years: one that is convenient to use, sits on the ground, and where you can easily pour the unused water back into the bottle so it is not wasted. However, the one I got appeared defective. The cap did not fit tightly enough to the bottle and it leaked a lot from the neck. No matter how carefully I tried to screw it on straight it still seemed a bit crooked and \\\"bottomed out\\\" on the bottle before it made a tight seal, like the threaded part of the bottle is not quite long enough. But, I found that the top fits a 16oz nalgene bottle and does not leak so I threw away the crappy bottle that came with it. But, the plug for the bottle also does not fit tightly enough and leaks with a small amount of pressure on the bottle. As long as you keep the bottle upright and don't put any pressure on it, it works fine, but don't throw the thing in a backpack when it is filled with water. I am looking for a rubber plug for that hole and will then cut off the plastic one so I can have a leakproof bottle.\",\n \"Product: Dean and Tyler All Weather Dog Harness Extra Large Fits Girth 34-inch to 47-inch to Works Great for Breeds Like Newfoundland ,Saint Bernard, Large Cane Corso Etc. Black for Everyday Use Comes with Reflective Trim.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Problem with fit, and finish\\n\\nReview: I also think this runs small. I got the XXS for my 20\\\" girth Cairn terrier (XXS runs from 18 to 22\\\", XS is for 20-23\\\") and it was too small. So I tried it on my other dog (small mutt) who is 18\\\" girth and it fits fine, but with only an inch to spare. However, the buckle is so large it looks like it might dig into her leg while she's running, but it does not seem to bother her. The other problem I have with this is that the plastic parts were not properly sanded down after manufacture and the manufacturing artifacts (rough edges and sharp points) were still in evidence on the edges as well as on the middle of the large buckle. It only took a few minutes with a dremel sanding wheel to fix these. However, an item of this expense and supposed quality should be properly finished, not requiring additional work to prevent injury to a short-haired dog. Yet another problem I have is that I thought this would prevent choking should the dog pull, but the front rides high enough where it still contacts the throat and not just the chest, so no better that other harnesses costing half the price in this regard. Even with all these problems, I will probably eventually buy the UT Universal for the hard-pulling Cairn, since I think the additional strap to hold down the neck strap would keep it on the chest, and size up, and be resigned to working the rough edges before use.\",\n \"Product: This is an O.E.M. authorized part. Fits various Dyson models. OEM Part Number 921000-02. Made in United States.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Works well with a DC25\\n\\nReview: I purchased the groom tool to use with my DC25. At first I thought it would only snap onto the rigid tube to which the hose was attached and not the hose itself, which would have made it difficult to use. Then I found out I was not pushing hard enough on the groom tool to make it lock onto the hose.\\n\\nI have an aftermarket hose since, like on so many DC25s, the clip on the hose which secures attachments broke soon after I got the vacuum, making using attachments impossible. I was furious that Dyson did not cover the hose under warranty, so I bought an aftermarket hose. I got the groom tool a couple months ago and tried to use it on the hose, but it did not fit (so I thought, it actually just required about 40 lbs of force to get it to lock I later found out). So I complained to Dyson that the grooming tool did not fit the hose. They would not believe me, so I made a youtube video showing how it did not work. They were then convinced and said I must have a defective hose and sent me a new hose, for free!\\n\\nI actually did not even consider that the aftermarket hose just had a tighter fit than the original and required a lot of force to use it until I got the OEM hose. I tried it and the grooming tool easily snapped on. Then I compared the aftermarket and oem hoses and they looked the same, so tried it with the aftermarket hose, now realizing it just required more force to seat the tool, and it did snap on.\\n\\nSo, due to the grooming tool, I got Dyson to do the right thing and send me a replacement hose, like they should have done when the first one broke, so now I have a spare.\\n\\nAs far as the grooming tool's function itself, it works great. I have a long haired cairn terrier who loves it and it works well to remove the over and undercoats, and a short haired mutt who sheds a lot and it works well for her, too.\",\n \"Product: Hurtta harnesses are suitable for active walks for all dogs, but they are especially recommended for dogs with back and neck problems. When the dog pulls on the leash, the close-fitting harness distributes pressure evenly across the chest, preventing damages to the dogs vertebrae. Thanks to the wide padding and ergonomic design, the harness is comfortable and does not cause wear on the dogs fur or skin. Easy and quick to put on, both dog and owner will get accustomed to the harness in no time.Made from durable Neoprene, the harnesses are fitted with efficient 3M reflectors.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good harness, but not really any better than most\\n\\nReview: I got this size for my burly cairn terrier. He digs so much that he has a very broad chest and is built like a bulldog. It does not really fit him that well since it seems like the bottom strap is too long, and does not prevent him from gagging when he pulls on the leash any more than any other harness I have tried. But it is nicely cushioned and very reflective which is good since I often walk him at night. It would be better if it had adjustments on the neck and the bottom strap to provide a better fit.\\n\\nHaving more adjustments would also make it fit a wider variety of dogs. This harness is way too big for a slightly smaller dog I have (22\\\" chest, 14\\\" neck), and the next size down is too tight for her.\",\n \"Product: Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Beef Tripe Treats for dogs is a must have for the owner who is dedicated to the health and well-being of their canine companion. In the wild, dogs are carnivorous predators and instinctively eat fresh raw meat, meaty bones and essential whole organs meats that naturally provide the vital balance of nutrients they need to thrive. The healthy benefits of Vital Essentials include promoting weight control, thick glossy coats, healthy digestive system, firm muscles, strong bones, white teeth, healthy gums, high energy and a long, happy, healthy life.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent freeze dried tripe\\n\\nReview: I would guess that all dogs love tripe. This product does not smell disgusting as I suppose it is not green tripe, so is probably not as minimally processed as some I have tried, but it is also not as outrageously expensive, either. I miss the days when you could buy 6 oz of freeze dried green tripe on ebay for $5. Now Harveys sells this much for $34. Outrageous. But Vital Essentials is at least a better deal than this.\\n\\nI mix a quarter of the tripe with a half of Vital essential freeze dried beef with a quarter of some high protein organ-based kibbble to make a \\\"trail mix\\\" for my three dogs. It is a nutrient-dense mix that takes up a small amount of space and weight and does not cost a fortune.\",\n \"Product: Strut your pup in the RC Pet Products Skyline Puffy Vest. It's fun, fashionable and functional. Water repellent rip stop quilted jacket provides excellent warmth on cold windy days and features velcro closures to get the perfect fit for your dog. Fully reversible, one coat offers two colorful ways to wear it. Additional features include, leash access slit and 3M reflective piping to help nighttime visibility. Sizes 8-20 features chest panel coverage for additional warmth and protection, while sizes 22-30 have no chest panel for optimal fit. Available in a variety of colors and sizes 8 to 30. To measure your dog for size use a soft tailors tape while your dog is standing. Girth equals the widest circumference around you're your dog's chest and the length is measured from collar to base of tail. If you dog falls between sizes, choose the larger size for more coverage. To view all of our products please visit our amazon store at www.amazon.com/RC-Pet-Products/\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Ideal dog puffy jacket\\n\\nReview: I choked when I saw how much the ruffwear vests similar to this cost ($80-90), so went looking for a more reasonably-priced version. I first got the Kurgo chili loft jacket but immediately sent it back since it was very thin. I don't want a puffy dog jacket for the looks - I want it for the function of actually keeping my short-haired dogs comfortable when it's cold. This is the ideal coat for that purpose. It's thick enough to be warm while still being light and not too bulky. It's adjustable so it fits well. It is also reversible but you need to ensure the velcro is completely covered when the black side is out since the hook side would be rough against the skin.\",\n \"Product: Merrick Backcountry is an all-natural, grain free ancestral canine diet packed with protein that dogs crave. Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused kibble recipes deliver a perfect combination of protein-rich, grain free kibble plus real, whole pieces of raw, freeze-dried meat, poultry or fish. They provide your active dog the nutritional benefits of a raw diet they would have discovered in the wild, now in a safe and convenient recipe that's easy to serve.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Merrick is now the best quality widely available dog food for the money. Buy it.\\n\\nReview: Merrick once made crappy foods and treats I would not consider feeding my dogs but has stepped up their game the last couple of years. A great deal. Enough to where they are currently the highest quality kibble for the money.\\n\\nI have two terriers allergic to any type of poultry (and two dogs that are not). The two start itching and chewing their paws when they get any food that contains it. Chicken fat is the worst culprit for my dogs. So I am always watching for that, and recently many so-called premium dog foods have started adding chicken fat in formulas that did not have it before, so if your dog is sensitive to poultry and recently started chewing his paws, read the label again. Don't think the dog food you have been buying for years no longer has it. By the way, if any dog is chewing his paws, the first thing to do is avoid poultry (and corn, wheat, and soy, but you already know that if you are considering buying this dog food).\\n\\nAnother way many premium dog foods are failing lately is the protein content has been dropping in most of them. Some that were close to 30% when they were first released have fallen to as little as 22%. Again, read the label and no longer assume that the dog food you have been feeding for years is still high in protein.\\n\\nOn both these counts, Merrick has been bucking the trend. As other dog foods have started adding questionable ingredients like chicken andn to their their once non-allergenic flavors, and dropping protein count, Merrick now has an excellent line of high protein kibble including this one, which is made more excellent by the addition of freeze-dried nuggets. Granted, you still have to watch Merrick, too, since they add poutltry to some flavors like bison and venison.\",\n \"Product: Chuckit! indoor dog toys, brings the Chuckit! ritual indoors. Enjoy the benefit of no-slobber, hands-free pick up when playing fetch in the comfort of your home. These three innovative indoor launcher compatible toys provide even more ways to enjoy the interactive play millions experience outdoors. Perfect for when it is too cold, too wet or you just want to hang out inside with your four legged pal.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent, but too big for small dogs\\n\\nReview: This is an excellent ball for indoor play, but as the title says, too large for small dogs. I cannot deduct a star for this since I knew what size it was when I bought it, and my dogs do love to play with it and the other Chuckit indoor fetch toy - the ring. And I think the concept of indoor fetch toys is so good that I took the time to email Chuckit and ask why they did not make a size for smaller dogs with the following note:\\n\\n-----------\\n\\nI have the chuckit indoor ball and ring and my dogs love them, but they are really too large for small dogs and they have to work hard to get a bite on the ball. I looked on your website and it appears they only come in this one large size. Since most dogs who play indoor fetch are small, why are these indoor toys so large? Do you know many people who play fetch with their labradors in the house?, It baffles me. I think the concept of indoor fetch toys is a great idea, and I love the texture and density and how durable these toys are, but why don't you make a tennis-ball size version for small dogs?\\n\\n-----------\",\n \"Product: Amazon.com With optimized beams, rubber grips, and tactical switches, Rayovac' s SE3DLN Sportsman lantern is ideal for use inside and out, whether you're heading for the hills or camping out in\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best high powered LED lantern for the money I have found\\n\\nReview: I tried a couple of large Coleman LED lanterns and returned them since they were way too heavy for the amount of light they produced. I think it was mostly due to the poor reflector design they used but perhaps they used inefficient LEDs. Then I got this Rayovac and have been very pleased. I was expecting a full size lantern, but this is much smaller, which is a bonus. The globe comes off and it can hang upside down, which is another bonus, although it does not really provide that much more light doing so.\\n\\nOne downside is that I wish it had another, lower, level of brightness for use as a nightlight. The other is the dumb blinking light meant for location purposes. It might sometimes come in handy, but it would have been better to leave this out, as other reviewers mentioned, so there would not be a constant drain on the batteries although I suspect it could take a couple of years for it to drain them.\",\n \"Product: 1 spool of Nichrome 80 Series 30 Gauge Resistance Wire - 100ft, 50ft or 25ft spool.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Not like kanthal, at all\\n\\nReview: I have built many dozens of coils with 30 ga (and lower) kanthal and decided to give 30ga nichrome a try. I fired a length of the nichrome wire with a hand torch, like I normally do with kanthal, and it melted. I put a bic lighter to it, and it melted it too, although it took longer. I decided to wrap some coils with it anyway, and gave it an extra wrap than normal (8 turns total) to get 1 ohm coils, then put them on a rig (0.5 ohms total) and fired it at what I consider low wattage - 25W. All of it immediately melted. I obviously don't know what I am doing with the stuff but even so it appears to have a melting point only slightly higher than solder. 4 stars instead of 1 since perhaps I must just be a dummy and don't realize that you are never supposed to expose it to flame, use 30ga nichrome in subohm coil rigs, or use over 5W on it.\",\n \"Product: Book by Nenah Sylver\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent work on sauna therapy\\n\\nReview: I know someone with MS who has used many alternative regimens to combat his illness. He did well for a couple of months on holistic therapies, but after going to the dentist to get the last of the mercury in his mouth removed, he needed his crutches continuously. Now he is in a wheelchair.\\n\\nWhat I found odd was that he had mentioned that he didn't sweat.\\n\\nYears ago I had an emergency root canal. The dentist packed it with a whopper mercury filling. I remember that my arms lost a significant amount of strength, my left much worse than my right (the filling was on the left side if that had anything to do with it) and the left was also a bit sore. Exercise with swimming and biking did not help the problem. This lasted through the winter months, but as springtime and summer came to Atlanta, with the 100 degree F days and me working in the yard and being \\\"blessed\\\" with the capacity to sweat a great deal, the strength returned to my arms in about two weeks.\\n\\nI thought back on this and wondered if perhaps the problem with my friend was he just did not sweat enough to get the mercury and other toxic metals out of his muscles and other tissues. Further study on the matter revealed that it may not just be the mercury in \\\"silver fillings\\\" that causes neurological and muscle disorders, but other toxic metals including tin and nickel.\\n\\nThen I read Dr. Nenah Sylver's book, \\\"The Holistic Handbook of Sauna Therapy.\\\" It confirmed my suspicions.\\n\\nSylver explains that this is indeed the case - that sweating can be a major avenue of detoxification for the body and not just for metals but also for toxic chemicals and metabolic wastes. She explains the processes by which they are eliminated. She cites and examines studies which show how many toxic elements can be removed by sweating and it is surprising that certain types of toxins, including some metals, are most effectively excreted by the skin than by the usual avenues of elimination - the kidneys, liver, and bowel. As Dr. Sylver states, a sauna can be a necessary piece of medical equipment.\\n\\nThe Handbook also details many other aspects of sauna use including the available types including how to construct one's own, instructions on their use, who may use a sauna and who may not, details on how to use a sauna for detoxification purposes, and how, why, and *what* we sweat.\\n\\nBesides the excellent content, Sylver's writing style is a delight. It is thorough yet accessible, with just the right amount of technicality to satisfy the practioner without losing the laymen in the details. Highly recommended!\\n\\nBrian McInturff\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":45,"string":"45"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":395,"string":"395"}}},{"rowIdx":396,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A2NC9G399V3UF0"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"In 1923, legendary director Cecil B. DeMille constructed a replica of ancient Egypt in the California desert for his epic movie The Ten Commandments. When filming was completed, he mysteriously ordered the entire set buried. Now a soon-to-be-divorced archaeologist couple (Morena Baccarin and Adam Baldwin of Serenity and Firefly) and an Iraq War combat veteran (Victor Webster of Charmed) have uncovered the secret DeMille could not keep hidden...and unleashed a horror that cannot be stopped. Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons), John Aniston (Days Of Our Lives) and Academy Award winner George Kennedy co-star in this Director s Cut featuring additional footage not seen in the original cable broadcast.\". The summary of the review text is \"Sands of Oblivion...Sci Fi Delight\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"The DVD cover proclaims....\"Some Secrets Should Never Be Unearthed\".\n\nAnd in a sand covered nutshell, that would describe \"Sands of Oblivion\". The actual plot is a little more complex, with the 1923 set for the Cecil B DeMille film being excavated before it washes away. George Kennedy stars as John Tevis, a dying grandfather to Jesse Carter, a young man who buried his treasure in the desert. Returning 80 years later to find his box, he and his grandson unleash the spirit of Ra and death! Add into the mix, an almost ex husband and wife, and an ex Iraq battlemate of Jesse, Buford, and you have a film that hits on every cylinder almost.\n\nCecil B DeMille, the talented eccentric director is central to the set up. What seems to be just a movie set turns out to be filled with authentic Egyptian artifacts and the throne room, a prison for the evil spirit that stalks the team of student archaeologists. The `beast' travels from hotel room to tomb, to storage area and threatens death. Dan Castellaneta portrays DeMille effectively, and gives the film a sense of mystery AND nostalgia.\n\nIn terms of characters, Buford is a joy and is perfect for the film. His storehouse of weaponry (some stored underneath teddy bears), and redneckish behaviour is delightful. Too bad he didn't have more lines, or at least flip flops to wear while he dug through his garage.\n\nOne of the best things about the film is that the factual evidence supports the tombs' existence. Today, the sand dunes where the film was made in 1923 is littered with debris from the dynamited set. Unfortunately, the spirit of death does not walk here. Just tourists!\n\nAs a film-maker and writer, Kevin Vanhook produces a thrilling film that runs just 30 seconds too long! Sure, the ex-soldier may be testosterone filled, but cut the last scene!\n\nCould there be a sequel? Let's hope not. Leave a good film alone.\n\nTim Lasiuta\n\n[...]"},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"The DVD cover proclaims....\"Some Secrets Should Never Be Unearthed\".\n\nAnd in a sand covered nutshell, that would describe \"Sands of Oblivion\". The actual plot is a little more complex, with the 1923 set for the Cecil B DeMille film being excavated before it washes away. George Kennedy stars as John Tevis, a dying grandfather to Jesse Carter, a young man who buried his treasure in the desert. Returning 80 years later to find his box, he and his grandson unleash the spirit of Ra and death! Add into the mix, an almost ex husband and wife, and an ex Iraq battlemate of Jesse, Buford, and you have a film that hits on every cylinder almost.\n\nCecil B DeMille, the talented eccentric director is central to the set up. What seems to be just a movie set turns out to be filled with authentic Egyptian artifacts and the throne room, a prison for the evil spirit that stalks the team of student archaeologists. The `beast' travels from hotel room to tomb, to storage area and threatens death. Dan Castellaneta portrays DeMille effectively, and gives the film a sense of mystery AND nostalgia.\n\nIn terms of characters, Buford is a joy and is perfect for the film. His storehouse of weaponry (some stored underneath teddy bears), and redneckish behaviour is delightful. Too bad he didn't have more lines, or at least flip flops to wear while he dug through his garage.\n\nOne of the best things about the film is that the factual evidence supports the tombs' existence. Today, the sand dunes where the film was made in 1923 is littered with debris from the dynamited set. Unfortunately, the spirit of death does not walk here. Just tourists!\n\nAs a film-maker and writer, Kevin Vanhook produces a thrilling film that runs just 30 seconds too long! Sure, the ex-soldier may be testosterone filled, but cut the last scene!\n\nCould there be a sequel? Let's hope not. Leave a good film alone.\n\nTim Lasiuta\n\n[...]"},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: What is the real fate of the handsome and gallant space warrior Lt. Starbuck (Dirk Denedict), lost in a great space battle between the deadly, lizard-like Cylons and mankind?\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Galactica 80..Science Fiction Turkey?\n\nReview: Galactica 1980\n\nIt was the best of series,..the worse of series...\nOk, it was a bad series. As an admirer of the original series, I eagerly waited for the series after the first Galactica went off the air. Largely, I was disappointed with the resulting production but remembered enough to pick up the DVD. The changed concept created a forgettable series with mostly forgettable characters. The young Dr Zee, while designed to appeal to the younger audience, did not resonate positively and added to the series`failing.\nFor the record, it is still `bad`, but retains enough of the appeal of the original series to draw completists in. Some people will never watch `Spaceball`, and that`s a good thing. But the discovery of planet earth by the Galactica and the resulting battles are memorable. With the cylons in close pursuit, the Galacticans must introduce technology to combat the potential menace that arrives in `The Night the Cylons Landed``.\nThe series lasted 10 episodes, climaxing with the appearance of Starbuck in the `Return of Starbuck` ending a short run that inspired the Sci Fi Channel masterpiece. The two disc set includes:\nGalactica Discovers Earth\nThe Super Scouts\nSpaceball\nThe Night the Cylons Landed\nSpace Croppers\nThe Return of Starbuck\nThe cast of Galactica 80 featured Kent Cord as Commander Troy, Lorne Greene as Adama, Barry Van Dyke as Lieutenant Dillon, Herbert Jefferson as Boomer, and James Patrick Stuart as Dr Zee. Dirk Benedict, Brion James, and Dennis Haysbert guest star.\nAs a short stop off for the Glen Larson series, it was a slight detour. Thankfully, it lasted so few episodes. It did serve to introduce Barry Van Dyke to audiences who later performed with his father in Diagnosis Murder.\nLook for it at [...] or your favorite video store.\n\nTim Lasiuta","Product: This film combines zombies with an insatiable appetite for flesh, gut-busting comedy, and the perpetual hope of seeing attractive women disrobe.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Dorks Were never so Scary\n\nReview: Some films deserve better.\n\nIn watching this film, I'm not sure I describe it better than the press release information..\n\nPhilip and his best friends Konrad and Weener are the three biggest losers at Frederich Nietzsche High. But when an inept voodoo ceremony by the local Goth clique leads to a fatal car accident, this trio of ber-dorks returns as indestructible zombies with an insatiable appetite for human flesh, wild parties and gym class revenge. Can Philip now score with the hottest girl in school before he decomposes? Is there any personal dismemberment that can't be fixed with a stapler? And even if an antidote can be found, will it damper the uninhibited highlife of the undead? There's tortured bullies, wild parties, virgin blood, sex, drugs, rock & roll and more in this international horror.\n\nYep, it's all there. You can't miss the stench of C class horror that is so desperately appealing that it must be watched. But that's what Cult classics are about. If you can't tell your friends how good it was, then it's not worth watching!\n\nCheck out the whole 12 film collection!\n\n[...]","Product: Quick Shipping !!! New And Sealed !!! This Disc WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. A multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player is request to view it in USA/Canada. Please Review Description.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Is Third time the charm???\n\nReview: \"Tomb of the Dragon Emperor\" is a spectacular, all out action film that takes viewers into the heart of China to witness the battle between the Dragon Emperor (Jet Li) and Rick O'Connell (Fraser. Storywise, the film synopsis says it best.\n\nBrendan Fraser returns as explorer Rick O'Connell in an epic adventure that races from the catacombs of ancient China high into the frigid Himalayas. Along with his son Alex (Luke Ford), wife Evelyn (Maria Bello) and her brother Jonathan (John Hannah), he must stop a mummy awakened from a 2,000-year-old curse from enslaving the world. Doomed by a double-crossing sorceress (Michelle Yeoh) to spend eternity in suspended animation, China's ruthless Dragon Emperor (Jet Li) and his 10,000 warriors have lain forgotten for eons, entombed in clay as a vast, silent terra cotta army. When dashing adventurer Alex O'Connell is tricked into awakening the ruler from eternal slumber, he turns to the only people he can think of with the skill and knowledge to combat the undead: his parents. But the Emperor's quest for world domination has only intensified during his imprisonment and, with unimaginable supernatural powers and a legion of Terra Cotta Warriors at his command, the Emperor Mummy could be an unstoppable force--unless the O'Connells can vanquish him first.\n\nThis film, just like the previous three, is pure escapism. While the first film drew on the Mummy (Bram Stoker), this entry is more original but more monumental in its' scope. The special effects are good, and there is Fraser, charming as always yet he manages to escape and pull off the near impossible.\n\nDon't watch it for history, watch it for fun.\n\nIf you manage to have the blu-ray version, the special features rock!\n\nTim Lasiuta\n\nLong Live the Mummy!","Product: Quick Shipping !!! New And Sealed !!! This Disc WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. A multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player is request to view it in USA/Canada. Please Review Description.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Is Third time the charm???\n\nReview: \"Tomb of the Dragon Emperor\" is a spectacular, all out action film that takes viewers into the heart of China to witness the battle between the Dragon Emperor (Jet Li) and Rick O'Connell (Fraser. Storywise, the film synopsis says it best.\n\nBrendan Fraser returns as explorer Rick O'Connell in an epic adventure that races from the catacombs of ancient China high into the frigid Himalayas. Along with his son Alex (Luke Ford), wife Evelyn (Maria Bello) and her brother Jonathan (John Hannah), he must stop a mummy awakened from a 2,000-year-old curse from enslaving the world. Doomed by a double-crossing sorceress (Michelle Yeoh) to spend eternity in suspended animation, China's ruthless Dragon Emperor (Jet Li) and his 10,000 warriors have lain forgotten for eons, entombed in clay as a vast, silent terra cotta army. When dashing adventurer Alex O'Connell is tricked into awakening the ruler from eternal slumber, he turns to the only people he can think of with the skill and knowledge to combat the undead: his parents. But the Emperor's quest for world domination has only intensified during his imprisonment and, with unimaginable supernatural powers and a legion of Terra Cotta Warriors at his command, the Emperor Mummy could be an unstoppable force--unless the O'Connells can vanquish him first.\n\nThis film, just like the previous three, is pure escapism. While the first film drew on the Mummy (Bram Stoker), this entry is more original but more monumental in its' scope. The special effects are good, and there is Fraser, charming as always yet he manages to escape and pull off the near impossible.\n\nDon't watch it for history, watch it for fun.\n\nIf you manage to have the blu-ray version, the special features rock!\n\nTim Lasiuta\n\nLong Live the Mummy!","Product: NOTICE: Polish Release, cover may contain Polish text/markings. The disk has English audio and subtitles. In the Far East, Alex O'Connell, the son of famed mummy fighters Rick and Evy O'Connell, unearths the mummy of the first Emperor of Qin -- a sha...\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Is Third time the charm???\n\nReview: \"Tomb of the Dragon Emperor\" is a spectacular, all out action film that takes viewers into the heart of China to witness the battle between the Dragon Emperor (Jet Li) and Rick O'Connell (Fraser. Storywise, the film synopsis says it best.\n\nBrendan Fraser returns as explorer Rick O'Connell in an epic adventure that races from the catacombs of ancient China high into the frigid Himalayas. Along with his son Alex (Luke Ford), wife Evelyn (Maria Bello) and her brother Jonathan (John Hannah), he must stop a mummy awakened from a 2,000-year-old curse from enslaving the world. Doomed by a double-crossing sorceress (Michelle Yeoh) to spend eternity in suspended animation, China's ruthless Dragon Emperor (Jet Li) and his 10,000 warriors have lain forgotten for eons, entombed in clay as a vast, silent terra cotta army. When dashing adventurer Alex O'Connell is tricked into awakening the ruler from eternal slumber, he turns to the only people he can think of with the skill and knowledge to combat the undead: his parents. But the Emperor's quest for world domination has only intensified during his imprisonment and, with unimaginable supernatural powers and a legion of Terra Cotta Warriors at his command, the Emperor Mummy could be an unstoppable force--unless the O'Connells can vanquish him first.\n\nThis film, just like the previous three, is pure escapism. While the first film drew on the Mummy (Bram Stoker), this entry is more original but more monumental in its' scope. The special effects are good, and there is Fraser, charming as always yet he manages to escape and pull off the near impossible.\n\nDon't watch it for history, watch it for fun.\n\nIf you manage to have the blu-ray version, the special features rock!\n\nTim Lasiuta\n\nLong Live the Mummy!","Product: Your favorite BIONICLE heroes come to life in this thrilling, all-new movie adventure filled with action and excitement! Mata Nui, once a great and powerful ruler, finds himself in a remote wasteland of scrap parts and burnished metals. After winning a dangerous Glatorian battle, hes asked to help fight the local villagers real enemies: the evil Skrall and Bone Hunters. Together with a brave band of Glatorian fighters and Agori villagers, Mata Nui embarks on an epic adventure to imaginative new lands where exciting BIONICLE secrets will be revealed.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A great addition to a growing market\n\nReview: Whoever thought that a toy line would become the star of a movie franchise? (with the exception of GI Joe of course)\n\nYears ago, when bionicles first hit the marketplace, and my boys discovered them,we always thought they would make a great film. With CGI advances,they are now here. Even if you do not know anything about the Bionicle line of toys, you will like this.\n\nIn terms of plot, Mata Nui, a great and powerful ruler at one time, helps win a monumental battle. The local population asks him to help fight the Skrall and Bone Hunters. There is bionicle action, great animation, and and excellent plot. For those familiar with bionicles, the characters transform well to film especially when it comes to their high range of motion. In one scene, Michael Dorn voices a character, and as in all animated films, reflects a Worf like pose. It would take a Trek minded viewer to see that one though.\n\nOn the DVD, the bonus features include \"Bye Bye Babylon\", \"Metus Revenge\" ending, a character gallery, and deleted scens. The embossed cover is pretty cool too.\n\nWith every film these get better. We look forward to the rest.\n\nTim Lasiuta","Product: The zombie apocalypse has come to Los Angeles, and the streets are infested with flesh-eating horror. In these three tales of human survivors – a computer obsessed husband, a young couple with a chilling addiction, and an urban warrior hunting the most demonic prey of all – the ultimate carnage is about to begin. The strong will flourish. The weak will be devoured. And in a world gone mad with desperation, reckoning and rage, some hungers can never be contained.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Edge of Darkness; A never ending Zombie Blasting Ride to Hell!\n\nReview: \"Edge of Darkness\" is an amazing indie film. Whatever you do, do not hold it against this product. As blood splattered/horrific as the film is, it does hold your attention and boasts excellent production values.\n\nWhat stands out in \"Edge\" is the make up. With seemingly hundreds of zombies (although I'm sure there are only around 20), the make up and oozy prosthetic limbs are well done. Numerous scenes feature a zombie smorg, with arms, heads, and handfulls of fresh flesh (say that 20 times) dripping with blood. Blood splats are not uncommon, and surprisingly, the death (can it be so) scenes are tasteful.\n\nThe horror is well done, with a psychological tension that grows. The writer who is possessed by his work while outside his walls, the zombies lurk reminds of Jack Nicholson in the Shining. \"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy\". I do not want that computer upgrade! The priests searching for the anti-christ come straight out of the Omen, and the vampires, are non-typical yet they all come together in this anthology format. Horror, apocalypse, and vampirism. Look for it all here!\n\nIn terms of craft, these guys certainly studied the classics. Creative use of color, angles, and isolationism make this a must watch.\n\nWill this lead to an \"Edge of Darkness II\"? I hope so. First, let me bar the doors and hide my pet cat.\n\n[...]\n\nTim Lasiuta","Product: Abandon all hope, ye who enter here. Crusader Dante returns home to discover that his beloved Beatrice has been murdered, and her soul dragged into Hell. Refusing to give her up, he steals Death s scythe and chases after her... into the Inferno. Loosely based on the first part of The Divine Comedy, the animation segments in Dante s Inferno represent a Who s Who of major animation talent in Japan, Korea and the United States.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Dante would be pleased!\n\nReview: Dante could never have imagined that his literary work would have spawned such an outstanding production. EA and Film Roman, have combined the talents of six directors and six studios into a film that interprets Inferno six different ways.\n\nWe follow Dante Alighieri as he travels through Limbo, Lust, Gluttony, Anger, Heresy, Violence, Fraud, and treachery. The journey is fraught with danger and tribulation. For true love, for Beatrice, Dante is willing to continue on! That is the universal truth behind the Divine Comedy, Inferno. Even 700 years ago, human beings were tempted and tried by the same forces that cause us to stumble. Lust is by no means dead! Nor is violence, fraud or treachery.\n\nLending their voice talents to the film are Mark Hamill, Victoria Tenant, Graham Tenant and Vanessa Branch. As viewers of this film know, this is not the end of Inferno, but rather the beginning. EA has a stellar video game, and DC Comics published a 6 issue mini series.\n\nGraphically speaking, this presentation is remarkable. It is as beautiful as it is frightening. For some reason, heaven and hell seem to bring out the best in artists and writers. Many adjectives come to mind when I think og this film, and inspired is one of them.\n\n[...]","Product: When Annas (Amy Adams) four-year anniversary to her boyfriend passes without an engagement ring, she decides to take matters into her own hands. Inspired by an Irish tradition that allows women to propose to men on Leap Day, Anna follows Jeremy (Adam Scott) to Dublin to propose to him. But after landing on the wrong side of Ireland, she must enlist the help of the handsome and carefree local Declan (Matthew Goode) to get her across the country. Along the way, they discover that the road to love can take you to very unexpected places.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: It was a very good leap year\n\nReview: Amy Adams is everywhere. This sweet, charming, all american girl (with the chasis) is back again in Leap Year along with Matthew Goode and clueless Adam Scott as her wannabe fiance.\n\nFocusing on the grand tradition of Leap Day, February 29th, Anna travels to Ireland to entice her boyfriend of 4 years to propose as per the time held Irish tradition. Nothing ever goes as planned. He travels on business, while she travels for romance and rocky roads create romantic routes. Declan, Matthew Goode, takes her across Ireland amdist the always beautiful and scraggy countryside. Just like a good western, the scenery always part of any films' success, and this is no different. One thing that sets this film apart is the love first, sex later mantra that is very welcome from Hollywood.\n\nHaving watched many romantic comedies over the last 20 years, I can truly say this film is one of the best I have seen. Perhaps it's due to Amy Adams, or the good ensemble cast, or the fact that this is more than just another date film.\n\nEither way, it comes highly recommended.\n\nTim Lasiuta","Product: Make way for more fun and hilarious mayhem as Academy Award winner Emma Thompson reprises her role as the magical Nanny McPhee, who arrives when shes needed the most and wanted the least. When Nanny McPhee appears at the farmhouse door of a busy young mother, Isabel Green (Maggie Gyllenhaal), she discovers that Mrs. Greens children are in an all-out household war with their two spoiled city cousins. Relying on everything from a flying motorcycle and a statue that comes to life, to a tree-climbing piglet and an elephant that turns up in the oddest places, Nanny McPhee uses her magic to show the children five valuable lessons, the most important of which is learning how to get along. Critics are calling this heartwarming family adventure another classic, just like the original. (Mark Allen, CBS-TV)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Nothing like a 2nd Nanny\n\nReview: The Nanny McPhee films are wonderful. First off, this Return, is not just Pt II, it is volume II, and deals with many of the same issues, with others tossed in.\n\nIn this case, our Nanny is called to help a young mother with three young'uns while her husband is away. Instead of matrimonial problems, there are gambling debts to be paid while lessons are learned. Problem solving with McPhee is thinking outside the breadbox, in fact, this franchise in the making could be a successful parenting/problem solving seminar. Parenting With Nanny McPhee..Magic in the Huddle (or something like that).\n\nMaggie Smith and Emma Thompson are a good pair for the film that makes this believable, entertaining, and educational (for consequence based parenting).\n\nMy first look at the DVD cover reminded me of Bednobs and Broomsticks...both have magic, and a nanny who comes to rescue. This is a film that will be fondly remembered as one of the highlights of our generation.","Product: Academy Award® winner Russell Crowe and visionary director Ridley Scott (Gladiator) reunite for the untold story of the man behind the legend. In an age of oppression and shameless tyranny, an outlaw becomes the unlikely hero that saves a nation and inspires generations to fight for freedom. In this thrilling action adventure, \"Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott are at their most entertaining since Gladiator\" (Dan Jolin, Empire (UK). Also starring Academy Award® winner Cate Blanchett.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Truly Moody and 'Accurate'\n\nReview: The character of Robin Hood is very intriguing. Ever since I first saw Errol Flynn don tights and Olivia DeHavilland wow movie goers (on Golden Cloud-Trigger) many years ago, I have missed few Hood films.\n\nKevin Costners' Robin Hood was okay, but this presentation is stunning. From authentic looking sets to period dramatic flairs, this one has you hooked. Russell Crowe is Loxley, aka Robin Hood pre-Prince John, and while other versions deal with Robin after his outlaw years, this is a prequel. For that reason, it is able to touch new ground and break any pre-conceptions. It succeeds.\n\nWe have Robin, Maid Marian, Little John, Prince John (pre-tyrant), and Friar Tuck. Each of the characters gets their chance to breathe, and develop. For instance, while we think Prince John is going to go along with the treaty he helped establish, he rejects it and sets up Robin to be an outlaw...we know the rest of the story from there. It is entirely possible this sets up a sequel, at this point, we are not sure.\n\nCast chemistry, set dressing, location scouting, and stunt choreography/set up is top notch. Where Rome and Spartacus set standards for TV accuracy, this Robin Hood sets the bar high.\n\nFive arrows!","Product: BRAY\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Jumper (ing) to Conclusions\n\nReview: The concept behind \"Jumper\" is simple.\n\n\"Jumpers\" possess the ability to transport from place to place in an instant, distance notwithstanding. Enter David Rice, and his discovery of his ability to immediately appear where ever he chooses. Leaving home at age 15, he sets down roots in New York, and borrows a little money to tide him over for a few years. Where do you go when the world is only a second, a blink, a thought away? What do you do when nothing is beyond your reach?\n\nSix years passes, and as a young twentyish, stylish leaper, he learns the ugly truth. He is not alone. And someone is trying to kill him!\n\nAs long as there have been jumpers, there have been the hunters, the paladins. Armed with weapons that harness electricity to distract a jumpers' active brain power, the paladins track, trap, and kill any jumper within their grasp. David, after escaping from his New York apartment, leaps to his fathers' house and then shows up at a local pub where his almost girl friend works. Millie, surprised to seem David, travels to Rome where they see the sights, and face their own death match in the Colliseum.\n\nThere are many rules to jumping. No friends are safe. Trust no one. No family is safe. No lovers are safe. Keep one step ahead.\n\nHe learns the validity of each of the rules as he and Millie run from New York to Paris to Egypt and back. The chase scene is outstanding as action jumps back and forth in a stacatto esque rythymn. Gotta love the top of the Sphynx shots and the bus materializing in the desert outside of Cairo too. The special effects team truly achieved excellence in this production.\n\nCast-wise, Hayden Christiansen, Samuel L Jackson, and Jamie Bell are excellent in their roles. Hayden gives an aloof performance as David Rice, complete with the angst he portrays so well. Mr Jackson IS the hunter, and throughout the film, his intensity is consistant, giving the film the edge Christiansen leaps from for his fly by the seat of his pants character.\n\nTechnically, this is a film based on a series of novels by Steven Gould. If we look to other sources, Kitty Pryde of the New Mutants (X Men) exhibited a similar ability. The transporters of Star Trek served to advance the stories in a similar time frame. Regardless of the source, and the brilliance of the original work, the film does seem incomplete and the end is disappointing. Live to jump another day...unless a sequel offers a definite end to the eternal battle between Jumper and Bumper, don't bother.\n\nEnjoy the film for the light moments, and the spectacular special effects.\n\nThen read the books.\n\nWww.jumperdvd.com\n\nTim Lasiuta","Product: Gold is discovered in a small western town and the local gambler Jim Rodney plans to seize the strike by having the townspeople murdered or frightened away by Indians. To put his plan in motion, Rodney has an Indian woman murdered and steals the horses. When Buffalo Bill Cody and the US Cavalry appear things get a bit tricky. Rodney then goes to the second plan to have himself elected as town marshal. Of course, the election is rigged and Cody then takes on the task of bringing Rodney to justice - while still fighting off the attacks by the Indians.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Cinematic History, one more time\n\nReview: Battling With Buffalo Bill is a rare film. Tom Tyler starred as the legendary buffalo hunter/showman with Rex Bell, Lucille Brown, William Desmond, Francis Ford, Edmond Cobb, Jim Thorpe, and Chief Thundercloud in this 12 chapter serial that epitomizes why vieweres loved the format so much.\n\nPlot wise, gold is discovered in a small western town and the local gambler, Jim Rodney plans to seize the strike by fear and force. Bill Cody and the US Cavalry appear just in time to be elected marshal, and find out who is behind the trouble. Fairly typical serial fare, but for 1931 it was thrilling for anyone who saw it.\n\nVCI is to be applauded for their resurrection of these films for B Film fans. High quality is their hallmark, and strength.\n\nThe performances of Tyler and cast are excellent, and make this a must watch film.\n\nTim Lasiuta","Product: Fans of the traditional western need not live on Max Brand reprints. The genre in its classic form remains in good hands, thanks to such contemporary authors as Cotton Smith. This tale of a couple of Texas Rangers and a reformed gunslinger out to wrest control of a small town from a deranged female rancher (an evil version of Barbara Stanwyck in The Big Valley) who sees herself as the as-yet-uncrowned Queen of Texas. Theres a little bit of Shane here, and a tasty dollop of The Magnificent Seven, as Ranger John Checker and outlaw turned preacher Rule Cordell join hands to set matters right for the locals in Caisson, Texas. Smith hits all the right archetypal chords, neatly choreographing the fight scenes and portraying his lonely Ranger heroes as torn between rugged individualism and the lure of a good woman and a tasty plate of stew. Dont expect much in the way of subtlety or surprises (except for a Tennyson-spouting Ranger), but Smith knows the basic western tune by heart and plays it without missing a note. --Bill Ott\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Fantastic novel, once again\n\nReview: I never get tired of the writing of Cotton Smith. He, like Johnny D Boggs, are among the elite of our generation. \"Ride For Rule Cordell\" is no exception.\n\nLady Holt, an English rancher has set her sights on taking conrol of Texas. The Texas Rangers are in her way and head Ranger John Checker is not about to let the Lady win. Rule Cordell, a former outlaw is called into help the Rangers fight the ambitions of the Lady. Corruption runs all the way to the top to stage governor, judge, banker, attorney, land agent and even sherriff! Holt may be a lady, but deep down she is a raging, opportunistic demon! Range war is nothing compared to the struggle Rule and Holt leave in their midst!\n\nOnce again, Mr Smith produces another page turner that is easy to read, easy on the mind, yet deep on plot and characterization. Could Smith be an amazing movie script writer? I can imagine him penning Have Gun Will Travel, or Gunsmoke, or the Lone Ranger even.\n\nThis is spectacular fiction. Don't miss it!","Product: Iain McCaig's commitment to storytelling has taken many forms: concept designer, illustrator, animator and screenwriter. A veteran of Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm, Ltd., and George Lucas' premiere production division, JAK Films, he was one of the principal designers of the prequel Star Wars saga. His directorial debut, The Face, won the Gold Medal for Best Family Film at the Houston International Film Festival.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Shadowline: A Journey into creativity\n\nReview: Art Books can be so predictable: A little art, a short biography, some more art, some sketches, and perhaps a listing of published art/projects. Shadowline is different. Yes, some of the art has been already been published in the Star Wars book, but some of the art has never been seen outside of Lucasfilm offices and sketchbooks. That is the cool part of the book, visually speaking. The concept/storyboards from unfinished projects like Peter pan, and John Carter of Mars is very welcome.\n\nI have always wanted to see an animated version of John Carter, and perhaps the 3rd version from Disney will finally come through, although Dejah Thoris is always beautiful!\n\nThe imaginative part of this book is the interviewers journey to meeting Mr McCaig. The truth of the matter is that, the 10 year old concept of art is very true. When we draw withouth thinking what others think, we truly create. Nick Sagan and Mccaig give us a journey into art via the creative process, sorted by themes and storage locations.\n\nShadowlines is truly a unique book that lovers of fine art will appreciate.\n\nTim Lasiuta","Product: Alfred E. Neuman is the clownish figurehead of MAD Magazine and America's number one maven of mischief. He has been running for President since he first graced the cover of MAD in December 1956, nominating himself against incumbent Dwight D. Eisenhower. For over fifty years Neuman has offered America a guiding hand, and instead of debating the misery of taxes, war, or crime he has run on the simple platform of "What me Worry?" No one can argue that Neuman firmly stands for what he believes in or that his vision is one of hope. With all the trivial speeches, untenable promises, and electoral demagoguery this year, maybe its time to listen to what Alfred E. Neuman has to say about the future of our nation.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Mad...about Mad About Politics\n\nReview: This is the Mad Magazine that I (mostly) remember.\n\nPolitical satire by the Usual Gang of Idiots is inspiring, if you can call it that. Perhaps, a better word might be re-inspiring. A good motto for this book might be Lived it, read about it, time to laugh about it.\n\nThat's exactly what we can do. From Bill Clinton and his wanderings, to the current campaign to replace George W Bush, the sheer idiocy of their strategies to convince voters of their integrity is highlighted. Really, the Presidential Candidate Choose Your Own Adventure Book is probably the best paste on. I only wonder exactly why Sarah Palin doesn't show up on Lance Rivers? SNL is getting old. What exactly is physically wrong with Dick Cheney? His pocket book is fine, isn't it?\n\nI am marginally surprised that the Bush years center piece is so short. Perhaps it was either adding 20 pages of pop-ups, fold overs, and spinning wheels.\n\nIf there is any tastelessness in the book, it's focused on Bill Clinton. Any president who thinks with something other than his brain, is certain to be lampooned for his lack of integrity. The presidential portrait with the optional Lewinsky pull just pushes the boundary. (But so did Bill).\n\nOne more time, if I could vote, my write in ballot, Alfred E Newman. The most scary scenario, if Alfred won, who would make decisions for the American people??? Perhaps Al Feldstein might yet return to public service with his well developed sense of sarcasm and graphic design.\n\nWho needs to watch the news, read Mad About Politics!\n\nTim Lasiuta"],"string":"[\n \"Product: What is the real fate of the handsome and gallant space warrior Lt. Starbuck (Dirk Denedict), lost in a great space battle between the deadly, lizard-like Cylons and mankind?\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Galactica 80..Science Fiction Turkey?\\n\\nReview: Galactica 1980\\n\\nIt was the best of series,..the worse of series...\\nOk, it was a bad series. As an admirer of the original series, I eagerly waited for the series after the first Galactica went off the air. Largely, I was disappointed with the resulting production but remembered enough to pick up the DVD. The changed concept created a forgettable series with mostly forgettable characters. The young Dr Zee, while designed to appeal to the younger audience, did not resonate positively and added to the series`failing.\\nFor the record, it is still `bad`, but retains enough of the appeal of the original series to draw completists in. Some people will never watch `Spaceball`, and that`s a good thing. But the discovery of planet earth by the Galactica and the resulting battles are memorable. With the cylons in close pursuit, the Galacticans must introduce technology to combat the potential menace that arrives in `The Night the Cylons Landed``.\\nThe series lasted 10 episodes, climaxing with the appearance of Starbuck in the `Return of Starbuck` ending a short run that inspired the Sci Fi Channel masterpiece. The two disc set includes:\\nGalactica Discovers Earth\\nThe Super Scouts\\nSpaceball\\nThe Night the Cylons Landed\\nSpace Croppers\\nThe Return of Starbuck\\nThe cast of Galactica 80 featured Kent Cord as Commander Troy, Lorne Greene as Adama, Barry Van Dyke as Lieutenant Dillon, Herbert Jefferson as Boomer, and James Patrick Stuart as Dr Zee. Dirk Benedict, Brion James, and Dennis Haysbert guest star.\\nAs a short stop off for the Glen Larson series, it was a slight detour. Thankfully, it lasted so few episodes. It did serve to introduce Barry Van Dyke to audiences who later performed with his father in Diagnosis Murder.\\nLook for it at [...] or your favorite video store.\\n\\nTim Lasiuta\",\n \"Product: This film combines zombies with an insatiable appetite for flesh, gut-busting comedy, and the perpetual hope of seeing attractive women disrobe.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Dorks Were never so Scary\\n\\nReview: Some films deserve better.\\n\\nIn watching this film, I'm not sure I describe it better than the press release information..\\n\\nPhilip and his best friends Konrad and Weener are the three biggest losers at Frederich Nietzsche High. But when an inept voodoo ceremony by the local Goth clique leads to a fatal car accident, this trio of ber-dorks returns as indestructible zombies with an insatiable appetite for human flesh, wild parties and gym class revenge. Can Philip now score with the hottest girl in school before he decomposes? Is there any personal dismemberment that can't be fixed with a stapler? And even if an antidote can be found, will it damper the uninhibited highlife of the undead? There's tortured bullies, wild parties, virgin blood, sex, drugs, rock & roll and more in this international horror.\\n\\nYep, it's all there. You can't miss the stench of C class horror that is so desperately appealing that it must be watched. But that's what Cult classics are about. If you can't tell your friends how good it was, then it's not worth watching!\\n\\nCheck out the whole 12 film collection!\\n\\n[...]\",\n \"Product: Quick Shipping !!! New And Sealed !!! This Disc WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. A multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player is request to view it in USA/Canada. Please Review Description.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Is Third time the charm???\\n\\nReview: \\\"Tomb of the Dragon Emperor\\\" is a spectacular, all out action film that takes viewers into the heart of China to witness the battle between the Dragon Emperor (Jet Li) and Rick O'Connell (Fraser. Storywise, the film synopsis says it best.\\n\\nBrendan Fraser returns as explorer Rick O'Connell in an epic adventure that races from the catacombs of ancient China high into the frigid Himalayas. Along with his son Alex (Luke Ford), wife Evelyn (Maria Bello) and her brother Jonathan (John Hannah), he must stop a mummy awakened from a 2,000-year-old curse from enslaving the world. Doomed by a double-crossing sorceress (Michelle Yeoh) to spend eternity in suspended animation, China's ruthless Dragon Emperor (Jet Li) and his 10,000 warriors have lain forgotten for eons, entombed in clay as a vast, silent terra cotta army. When dashing adventurer Alex O'Connell is tricked into awakening the ruler from eternal slumber, he turns to the only people he can think of with the skill and knowledge to combat the undead: his parents. But the Emperor's quest for world domination has only intensified during his imprisonment and, with unimaginable supernatural powers and a legion of Terra Cotta Warriors at his command, the Emperor Mummy could be an unstoppable force--unless the O'Connells can vanquish him first.\\n\\nThis film, just like the previous three, is pure escapism. While the first film drew on the Mummy (Bram Stoker), this entry is more original but more monumental in its' scope. The special effects are good, and there is Fraser, charming as always yet he manages to escape and pull off the near impossible.\\n\\nDon't watch it for history, watch it for fun.\\n\\nIf you manage to have the blu-ray version, the special features rock!\\n\\nTim Lasiuta\\n\\nLong Live the Mummy!\",\n \"Product: Quick Shipping !!! New And Sealed !!! This Disc WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. A multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player is request to view it in USA/Canada. Please Review Description.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Is Third time the charm???\\n\\nReview: \\\"Tomb of the Dragon Emperor\\\" is a spectacular, all out action film that takes viewers into the heart of China to witness the battle between the Dragon Emperor (Jet Li) and Rick O'Connell (Fraser. Storywise, the film synopsis says it best.\\n\\nBrendan Fraser returns as explorer Rick O'Connell in an epic adventure that races from the catacombs of ancient China high into the frigid Himalayas. Along with his son Alex (Luke Ford), wife Evelyn (Maria Bello) and her brother Jonathan (John Hannah), he must stop a mummy awakened from a 2,000-year-old curse from enslaving the world. Doomed by a double-crossing sorceress (Michelle Yeoh) to spend eternity in suspended animation, China's ruthless Dragon Emperor (Jet Li) and his 10,000 warriors have lain forgotten for eons, entombed in clay as a vast, silent terra cotta army. When dashing adventurer Alex O'Connell is tricked into awakening the ruler from eternal slumber, he turns to the only people he can think of with the skill and knowledge to combat the undead: his parents. But the Emperor's quest for world domination has only intensified during his imprisonment and, with unimaginable supernatural powers and a legion of Terra Cotta Warriors at his command, the Emperor Mummy could be an unstoppable force--unless the O'Connells can vanquish him first.\\n\\nThis film, just like the previous three, is pure escapism. While the first film drew on the Mummy (Bram Stoker), this entry is more original but more monumental in its' scope. The special effects are good, and there is Fraser, charming as always yet he manages to escape and pull off the near impossible.\\n\\nDon't watch it for history, watch it for fun.\\n\\nIf you manage to have the blu-ray version, the special features rock!\\n\\nTim Lasiuta\\n\\nLong Live the Mummy!\",\n \"Product: NOTICE: Polish Release, cover may contain Polish text/markings. The disk has English audio and subtitles. In the Far East, Alex O'Connell, the son of famed mummy fighters Rick and Evy O'Connell, unearths the mummy of the first Emperor of Qin -- a sha...\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Is Third time the charm???\\n\\nReview: \\\"Tomb of the Dragon Emperor\\\" is a spectacular, all out action film that takes viewers into the heart of China to witness the battle between the Dragon Emperor (Jet Li) and Rick O'Connell (Fraser. Storywise, the film synopsis says it best.\\n\\nBrendan Fraser returns as explorer Rick O'Connell in an epic adventure that races from the catacombs of ancient China high into the frigid Himalayas. Along with his son Alex (Luke Ford), wife Evelyn (Maria Bello) and her brother Jonathan (John Hannah), he must stop a mummy awakened from a 2,000-year-old curse from enslaving the world. Doomed by a double-crossing sorceress (Michelle Yeoh) to spend eternity in suspended animation, China's ruthless Dragon Emperor (Jet Li) and his 10,000 warriors have lain forgotten for eons, entombed in clay as a vast, silent terra cotta army. When dashing adventurer Alex O'Connell is tricked into awakening the ruler from eternal slumber, he turns to the only people he can think of with the skill and knowledge to combat the undead: his parents. But the Emperor's quest for world domination has only intensified during his imprisonment and, with unimaginable supernatural powers and a legion of Terra Cotta Warriors at his command, the Emperor Mummy could be an unstoppable force--unless the O'Connells can vanquish him first.\\n\\nThis film, just like the previous three, is pure escapism. While the first film drew on the Mummy (Bram Stoker), this entry is more original but more monumental in its' scope. The special effects are good, and there is Fraser, charming as always yet he manages to escape and pull off the near impossible.\\n\\nDon't watch it for history, watch it for fun.\\n\\nIf you manage to have the blu-ray version, the special features rock!\\n\\nTim Lasiuta\\n\\nLong Live the Mummy!\",\n \"Product: Your favorite BIONICLE heroes come to life in this thrilling, all-new movie adventure filled with action and excitement! Mata Nui, once a great and powerful ruler, finds himself in a remote wasteland of scrap parts and burnished metals. After winning a dangerous Glatorian battle, hes asked to help fight the local villagers real enemies: the evil Skrall and Bone Hunters. Together with a brave band of Glatorian fighters and Agori villagers, Mata Nui embarks on an epic adventure to imaginative new lands where exciting BIONICLE secrets will be revealed.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A great addition to a growing market\\n\\nReview: Whoever thought that a toy line would become the star of a movie franchise? (with the exception of GI Joe of course)\\n\\nYears ago, when bionicles first hit the marketplace, and my boys discovered them,we always thought they would make a great film. With CGI advances,they are now here. Even if you do not know anything about the Bionicle line of toys, you will like this.\\n\\nIn terms of plot, Mata Nui, a great and powerful ruler at one time, helps win a monumental battle. The local population asks him to help fight the Skrall and Bone Hunters. There is bionicle action, great animation, and and excellent plot. For those familiar with bionicles, the characters transform well to film especially when it comes to their high range of motion. In one scene, Michael Dorn voices a character, and as in all animated films, reflects a Worf like pose. It would take a Trek minded viewer to see that one though.\\n\\nOn the DVD, the bonus features include \\\"Bye Bye Babylon\\\", \\\"Metus Revenge\\\" ending, a character gallery, and deleted scens. The embossed cover is pretty cool too.\\n\\nWith every film these get better. We look forward to the rest.\\n\\nTim Lasiuta\",\n \"Product: The zombie apocalypse has come to Los Angeles, and the streets are infested with flesh-eating horror. In these three tales of human survivors – a computer obsessed husband, a young couple with a chilling addiction, and an urban warrior hunting the most demonic prey of all – the ultimate carnage is about to begin. The strong will flourish. The weak will be devoured. And in a world gone mad with desperation, reckoning and rage, some hungers can never be contained.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Edge of Darkness; A never ending Zombie Blasting Ride to Hell!\\n\\nReview: \\\"Edge of Darkness\\\" is an amazing indie film. Whatever you do, do not hold it against this product. As blood splattered/horrific as the film is, it does hold your attention and boasts excellent production values.\\n\\nWhat stands out in \\\"Edge\\\" is the make up. With seemingly hundreds of zombies (although I'm sure there are only around 20), the make up and oozy prosthetic limbs are well done. Numerous scenes feature a zombie smorg, with arms, heads, and handfulls of fresh flesh (say that 20 times) dripping with blood. Blood splats are not uncommon, and surprisingly, the death (can it be so) scenes are tasteful.\\n\\nThe horror is well done, with a psychological tension that grows. The writer who is possessed by his work while outside his walls, the zombies lurk reminds of Jack Nicholson in the Shining. \\\"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy\\\". I do not want that computer upgrade! The priests searching for the anti-christ come straight out of the Omen, and the vampires, are non-typical yet they all come together in this anthology format. Horror, apocalypse, and vampirism. Look for it all here!\\n\\nIn terms of craft, these guys certainly studied the classics. Creative use of color, angles, and isolationism make this a must watch.\\n\\nWill this lead to an \\\"Edge of Darkness II\\\"? I hope so. First, let me bar the doors and hide my pet cat.\\n\\n[...]\\n\\nTim Lasiuta\",\n \"Product: Abandon all hope, ye who enter here. Crusader Dante returns home to discover that his beloved Beatrice has been murdered, and her soul dragged into Hell. Refusing to give her up, he steals Death s scythe and chases after her... into the Inferno. Loosely based on the first part of The Divine Comedy, the animation segments in Dante s Inferno represent a Who s Who of major animation talent in Japan, Korea and the United States.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Dante would be pleased!\\n\\nReview: Dante could never have imagined that his literary work would have spawned such an outstanding production. EA and Film Roman, have combined the talents of six directors and six studios into a film that interprets Inferno six different ways.\\n\\nWe follow Dante Alighieri as he travels through Limbo, Lust, Gluttony, Anger, Heresy, Violence, Fraud, and treachery. The journey is fraught with danger and tribulation. For true love, for Beatrice, Dante is willing to continue on! That is the universal truth behind the Divine Comedy, Inferno. Even 700 years ago, human beings were tempted and tried by the same forces that cause us to stumble. Lust is by no means dead! Nor is violence, fraud or treachery.\\n\\nLending their voice talents to the film are Mark Hamill, Victoria Tenant, Graham Tenant and Vanessa Branch. As viewers of this film know, this is not the end of Inferno, but rather the beginning. EA has a stellar video game, and DC Comics published a 6 issue mini series.\\n\\nGraphically speaking, this presentation is remarkable. It is as beautiful as it is frightening. For some reason, heaven and hell seem to bring out the best in artists and writers. Many adjectives come to mind when I think og this film, and inspired is one of them.\\n\\n[...]\",\n \"Product: When Annas (Amy Adams) four-year anniversary to her boyfriend passes without an engagement ring, she decides to take matters into her own hands. Inspired by an Irish tradition that allows women to propose to men on Leap Day, Anna follows Jeremy (Adam Scott) to Dublin to propose to him. But after landing on the wrong side of Ireland, she must enlist the help of the handsome and carefree local Declan (Matthew Goode) to get her across the country. Along the way, they discover that the road to love can take you to very unexpected places.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: It was a very good leap year\\n\\nReview: Amy Adams is everywhere. This sweet, charming, all american girl (with the chasis) is back again in Leap Year along with Matthew Goode and clueless Adam Scott as her wannabe fiance.\\n\\nFocusing on the grand tradition of Leap Day, February 29th, Anna travels to Ireland to entice her boyfriend of 4 years to propose as per the time held Irish tradition. Nothing ever goes as planned. He travels on business, while she travels for romance and rocky roads create romantic routes. Declan, Matthew Goode, takes her across Ireland amdist the always beautiful and scraggy countryside. Just like a good western, the scenery always part of any films' success, and this is no different. One thing that sets this film apart is the love first, sex later mantra that is very welcome from Hollywood.\\n\\nHaving watched many romantic comedies over the last 20 years, I can truly say this film is one of the best I have seen. Perhaps it's due to Amy Adams, or the good ensemble cast, or the fact that this is more than just another date film.\\n\\nEither way, it comes highly recommended.\\n\\nTim Lasiuta\",\n \"Product: Make way for more fun and hilarious mayhem as Academy Award winner Emma Thompson reprises her role as the magical Nanny McPhee, who arrives when shes needed the most and wanted the least. When Nanny McPhee appears at the farmhouse door of a busy young mother, Isabel Green (Maggie Gyllenhaal), she discovers that Mrs. Greens children are in an all-out household war with their two spoiled city cousins. Relying on everything from a flying motorcycle and a statue that comes to life, to a tree-climbing piglet and an elephant that turns up in the oddest places, Nanny McPhee uses her magic to show the children five valuable lessons, the most important of which is learning how to get along. Critics are calling this heartwarming family adventure another classic, just like the original. (Mark Allen, CBS-TV)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Nothing like a 2nd Nanny\\n\\nReview: The Nanny McPhee films are wonderful. First off, this Return, is not just Pt II, it is volume II, and deals with many of the same issues, with others tossed in.\\n\\nIn this case, our Nanny is called to help a young mother with three young'uns while her husband is away. Instead of matrimonial problems, there are gambling debts to be paid while lessons are learned. Problem solving with McPhee is thinking outside the breadbox, in fact, this franchise in the making could be a successful parenting/problem solving seminar. Parenting With Nanny McPhee..Magic in the Huddle (or something like that).\\n\\nMaggie Smith and Emma Thompson are a good pair for the film that makes this believable, entertaining, and educational (for consequence based parenting).\\n\\nMy first look at the DVD cover reminded me of Bednobs and Broomsticks...both have magic, and a nanny who comes to rescue. This is a film that will be fondly remembered as one of the highlights of our generation.\",\n \"Product: Academy Award® winner Russell Crowe and visionary director Ridley Scott (Gladiator) reunite for the untold story of the man behind the legend. In an age of oppression and shameless tyranny, an outlaw becomes the unlikely hero that saves a nation and inspires generations to fight for freedom. In this thrilling action adventure, \\\"Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott are at their most entertaining since Gladiator\\\" (Dan Jolin, Empire (UK). Also starring Academy Award® winner Cate Blanchett.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Truly Moody and 'Accurate'\\n\\nReview: The character of Robin Hood is very intriguing. Ever since I first saw Errol Flynn don tights and Olivia DeHavilland wow movie goers (on Golden Cloud-Trigger) many years ago, I have missed few Hood films.\\n\\nKevin Costners' Robin Hood was okay, but this presentation is stunning. From authentic looking sets to period dramatic flairs, this one has you hooked. Russell Crowe is Loxley, aka Robin Hood pre-Prince John, and while other versions deal with Robin after his outlaw years, this is a prequel. For that reason, it is able to touch new ground and break any pre-conceptions. It succeeds.\\n\\nWe have Robin, Maid Marian, Little John, Prince John (pre-tyrant), and Friar Tuck. Each of the characters gets their chance to breathe, and develop. For instance, while we think Prince John is going to go along with the treaty he helped establish, he rejects it and sets up Robin to be an outlaw...we know the rest of the story from there. It is entirely possible this sets up a sequel, at this point, we are not sure.\\n\\nCast chemistry, set dressing, location scouting, and stunt choreography/set up is top notch. Where Rome and Spartacus set standards for TV accuracy, this Robin Hood sets the bar high.\\n\\nFive arrows!\",\n \"Product: BRAY\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Jumper (ing) to Conclusions\\n\\nReview: The concept behind \\\"Jumper\\\" is simple.\\n\\n\\\"Jumpers\\\" possess the ability to transport from place to place in an instant, distance notwithstanding. Enter David Rice, and his discovery of his ability to immediately appear where ever he chooses. Leaving home at age 15, he sets down roots in New York, and borrows a little money to tide him over for a few years. Where do you go when the world is only a second, a blink, a thought away? What do you do when nothing is beyond your reach?\\n\\nSix years passes, and as a young twentyish, stylish leaper, he learns the ugly truth. He is not alone. And someone is trying to kill him!\\n\\nAs long as there have been jumpers, there have been the hunters, the paladins. Armed with weapons that harness electricity to distract a jumpers' active brain power, the paladins track, trap, and kill any jumper within their grasp. David, after escaping from his New York apartment, leaps to his fathers' house and then shows up at a local pub where his almost girl friend works. Millie, surprised to seem David, travels to Rome where they see the sights, and face their own death match in the Colliseum.\\n\\nThere are many rules to jumping. No friends are safe. Trust no one. No family is safe. No lovers are safe. Keep one step ahead.\\n\\nHe learns the validity of each of the rules as he and Millie run from New York to Paris to Egypt and back. The chase scene is outstanding as action jumps back and forth in a stacatto esque rythymn. Gotta love the top of the Sphynx shots and the bus materializing in the desert outside of Cairo too. The special effects team truly achieved excellence in this production.\\n\\nCast-wise, Hayden Christiansen, Samuel L Jackson, and Jamie Bell are excellent in their roles. Hayden gives an aloof performance as David Rice, complete with the angst he portrays so well. Mr Jackson IS the hunter, and throughout the film, his intensity is consistant, giving the film the edge Christiansen leaps from for his fly by the seat of his pants character.\\n\\nTechnically, this is a film based on a series of novels by Steven Gould. If we look to other sources, Kitty Pryde of the New Mutants (X Men) exhibited a similar ability. The transporters of Star Trek served to advance the stories in a similar time frame. Regardless of the source, and the brilliance of the original work, the film does seem incomplete and the end is disappointing. Live to jump another day...unless a sequel offers a definite end to the eternal battle between Jumper and Bumper, don't bother.\\n\\nEnjoy the film for the light moments, and the spectacular special effects.\\n\\nThen read the books.\\n\\nWww.jumperdvd.com\\n\\nTim Lasiuta\",\n \"Product: Gold is discovered in a small western town and the local gambler Jim Rodney plans to seize the strike by having the townspeople murdered or frightened away by Indians. To put his plan in motion, Rodney has an Indian woman murdered and steals the horses. When Buffalo Bill Cody and the US Cavalry appear things get a bit tricky. Rodney then goes to the second plan to have himself elected as town marshal. Of course, the election is rigged and Cody then takes on the task of bringing Rodney to justice - while still fighting off the attacks by the Indians.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Cinematic History, one more time\\n\\nReview: Battling With Buffalo Bill is a rare film. Tom Tyler starred as the legendary buffalo hunter/showman with Rex Bell, Lucille Brown, William Desmond, Francis Ford, Edmond Cobb, Jim Thorpe, and Chief Thundercloud in this 12 chapter serial that epitomizes why vieweres loved the format so much.\\n\\nPlot wise, gold is discovered in a small western town and the local gambler, Jim Rodney plans to seize the strike by fear and force. Bill Cody and the US Cavalry appear just in time to be elected marshal, and find out who is behind the trouble. Fairly typical serial fare, but for 1931 it was thrilling for anyone who saw it.\\n\\nVCI is to be applauded for their resurrection of these films for B Film fans. High quality is their hallmark, and strength.\\n\\nThe performances of Tyler and cast are excellent, and make this a must watch film.\\n\\nTim Lasiuta\",\n \"Product: Fans of the traditional western need not live on Max Brand reprints. The genre in its classic form remains in good hands, thanks to such contemporary authors as Cotton Smith. This tale of a couple of Texas Rangers and a reformed gunslinger out to wrest control of a small town from a deranged female rancher (an evil version of Barbara Stanwyck in The Big Valley) who sees herself as the as-yet-uncrowned Queen of Texas. Theres a little bit of Shane here, and a tasty dollop of The Magnificent Seven, as Ranger John Checker and outlaw turned preacher Rule Cordell join hands to set matters right for the locals in Caisson, Texas. Smith hits all the right archetypal chords, neatly choreographing the fight scenes and portraying his lonely Ranger heroes as torn between rugged individualism and the lure of a good woman and a tasty plate of stew. Dont expect much in the way of subtlety or surprises (except for a Tennyson-spouting Ranger), but Smith knows the basic western tune by heart and plays it without missing a note. --Bill Ott\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Fantastic novel, once again\\n\\nReview: I never get tired of the writing of Cotton Smith. He, like Johnny D Boggs, are among the elite of our generation. \\\"Ride For Rule Cordell\\\" is no exception.\\n\\nLady Holt, an English rancher has set her sights on taking conrol of Texas. The Texas Rangers are in her way and head Ranger John Checker is not about to let the Lady win. Rule Cordell, a former outlaw is called into help the Rangers fight the ambitions of the Lady. Corruption runs all the way to the top to stage governor, judge, banker, attorney, land agent and even sherriff! Holt may be a lady, but deep down she is a raging, opportunistic demon! Range war is nothing compared to the struggle Rule and Holt leave in their midst!\\n\\nOnce again, Mr Smith produces another page turner that is easy to read, easy on the mind, yet deep on plot and characterization. Could Smith be an amazing movie script writer? I can imagine him penning Have Gun Will Travel, or Gunsmoke, or the Lone Ranger even.\\n\\nThis is spectacular fiction. Don't miss it!\",\n \"Product: Iain McCaig's commitment to storytelling has taken many forms: concept designer, illustrator, animator and screenwriter. A veteran of Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm, Ltd., and George Lucas' premiere production division, JAK Films, he was one of the principal designers of the prequel Star Wars saga. His directorial debut, The Face, won the Gold Medal for Best Family Film at the Houston International Film Festival.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Shadowline: A Journey into creativity\\n\\nReview: Art Books can be so predictable: A little art, a short biography, some more art, some sketches, and perhaps a listing of published art/projects. Shadowline is different. Yes, some of the art has been already been published in the Star Wars book, but some of the art has never been seen outside of Lucasfilm offices and sketchbooks. That is the cool part of the book, visually speaking. The concept/storyboards from unfinished projects like Peter pan, and John Carter of Mars is very welcome.\\n\\nI have always wanted to see an animated version of John Carter, and perhaps the 3rd version from Disney will finally come through, although Dejah Thoris is always beautiful!\\n\\nThe imaginative part of this book is the interviewers journey to meeting Mr McCaig. The truth of the matter is that, the 10 year old concept of art is very true. When we draw withouth thinking what others think, we truly create. Nick Sagan and Mccaig give us a journey into art via the creative process, sorted by themes and storage locations.\\n\\nShadowlines is truly a unique book that lovers of fine art will appreciate.\\n\\nTim Lasiuta\",\n \"Product: Alfred E. Neuman is the clownish figurehead of MAD Magazine and America's number one maven of mischief. He has been running for President since he first graced the cover of MAD in December 1956, nominating himself against incumbent Dwight D. Eisenhower. For over fifty years Neuman has offered America a guiding hand, and instead of debating the misery of taxes, war, or crime he has run on the simple platform of "What me Worry?" No one can argue that Neuman firmly stands for what he believes in or that his vision is one of hope. With all the trivial speeches, untenable promises, and electoral demagoguery this year, maybe its time to listen to what Alfred E. Neuman has to say about the future of our nation.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Mad...about Mad About Politics\\n\\nReview: This is the Mad Magazine that I (mostly) remember.\\n\\nPolitical satire by the Usual Gang of Idiots is inspiring, if you can call it that. Perhaps, a better word might be re-inspiring. A good motto for this book might be Lived it, read about it, time to laugh about it.\\n\\nThat's exactly what we can do. From Bill Clinton and his wanderings, to the current campaign to replace George W Bush, the sheer idiocy of their strategies to convince voters of their integrity is highlighted. Really, the Presidential Candidate Choose Your Own Adventure Book is probably the best paste on. I only wonder exactly why Sarah Palin doesn't show up on Lance Rivers? SNL is getting old. What exactly is physically wrong with Dick Cheney? His pocket book is fine, isn't it?\\n\\nI am marginally surprised that the Bush years center piece is so short. Perhaps it was either adding 20 pages of pop-ups, fold overs, and spinning wheels.\\n\\nIf there is any tastelessness in the book, it's focused on Bill Clinton. Any president who thinks with something other than his brain, is certain to be lampooned for his lack of integrity. The presidential portrait with the optional Lewinsky pull just pushes the boundary. (But so did Bill).\\n\\nOne more time, if I could vote, my write in ballot, Alfred E Newman. The most scary scenario, if Alfred won, who would make decisions for the American people??? Perhaps Al Feldstein might yet return to public service with his well developed sense of sarcasm and graphic design.\\n\\nWho needs to watch the news, read Mad About Politics!\\n\\nTim Lasiuta\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":16,"string":"16"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":396,"string":"396"}}},{"rowIdx":397,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"AZIQ42A8V83MA"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"3.0\" for a product with description \"2014 best of compilation. Definitive, career-spanning and comprehensive, The ESSENTIAL series features the biggest hits and best-loved songs from the most famous names in music history! An incredible value, each 2-CD package features classic hits and signature songs by superstar artists, plus full liner notes and photos for the complete experience. Includes ''Mighty Mighty,'' ''Devotion'' ''The Way You Move,'' ''Shining Star'' and more.\". The summary of the review text is \"This two double-disc CD by Earth, Wind, and Fire is good and it's a good replacement for something\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I just bought this two double-disc album by Earth, Wind, and Fire at Wal Mart for $12.00, and it's a great collection of songs. This two double-disc album by Earth, Wind, and Fire is also a replacement for a TV show season that I don't like and wouldn't buy to watch. And I don't regret buying this two double-disc album by Earth, Wind, and Fire, because it's a great collection of songs and a good replacement for the TV show season that I don't like and wouldn't buy to watch. The TV show came out with nine seasons and was released on the DVD sets, and the 9th season is the very last season I don't like to watch for a simple reason, but the TV show is still my all-time favorite to watch from the first eight seasons, though. And I do have just the first eight seasons of the show to watch on the DVD sets as well. So right after I bought this two double-disc album by Earth, Wind, and Fire at Wal Mart, I then thought it would be a good replacement for a TV show season that I don't like and wouldn't buy to watch.\n\nI also have a jazz CD as a replacement for the TV show season that I don't like and wouldn't buy to watch, and this two double-disc album by Earth, Wind, and Fire is stored in a zip-loc bag with it, being that it's also a replacement.\n\nOther than that, this two disc-album is a great collection of songs and something good to listen to by Earth, Wind, and Fire."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I just bought this two double-disc album by Earth, Wind, and Fire at Wal Mart for $12.00, and it's a great collection of songs. This two double-disc album by Earth, Wind, and Fire is also a replacement for a TV show season that I don't like and wouldn't buy to watch. And I don't regret buying this two double-disc album by Earth, Wind, and Fire, because it's a great collection of songs and a good replacement for the TV show season that I don't like and wouldn't buy to watch. The TV show came out with nine seasons and was released on the DVD sets, and the 9th season is the very last season I don't like to watch for a simple reason, but the TV show is still my all-time favorite to watch from the first eight seasons, though. And I do have just the first eight seasons of the show to watch on the DVD sets as well. So right after I bought this two double-disc album by Earth, Wind, and Fire at Wal Mart, I then thought it would be a good replacement for a TV show season that I don't like and wouldn't buy to watch.\n\nI also have a jazz CD as a replacement for the TV show season that I don't like and wouldn't buy to watch, and this two double-disc album by Earth, Wind, and Fire is stored in a zip-loc bag with it, being that it's also a replacement.\n\nOther than that, this two disc-album is a great collection of songs and something good to listen to by Earth, Wind, and Fire."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Does Not Copy Prerecorded Hollywood Studio movies.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: and I know I'll enjoy this VCR combination with recording DVD's from VHS tapes\n\nReview: I just bought this VCR combination with a DVD recorder to replace another VCR combination that I bought. The other VCR combination that I bought is a GoVideo DVR 4200, and I thought it was a VCR with a DVD recorder to convert from VHS tapes. I really wanted a VCR combination with a DVD recorder, so when I saw this VCR combination where it says DVD Recorder, I bought this one to replace the GoVideo DVR 4200, with a regular DVD player. I even bought this as a birthday gift for myself, because my birthday is on the 26th of this month of February, and I know I'll enjoy this VCR combination with recording DVD's from VHS tapes. There's also some blank DVD's that I bought as a birthday gift, along with this VCR combination. Because I would need the DVD's as well.","Product: VHS TAPE\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: This is my favorite movie with Wesley Snipes\n\nReview: I have this movie, Passenger 57, on video tape and converted on a DVD disc, and it's my favorite movie with Wesley Snipes that I would watch over again to enjoy as much. What I like about this movie is seeing a black man like Wesley Snipes play a good guy and fight bad guys, and that's what Wesley does in this movie, Passenger 57, as far as being a security agent on the plane. I'll never forget when I first saw this movie, because I was seven years old when it first came out, and I liked it Wesley Snipes. I even like the last scene with Wesley fighting the hijacker on the plane, and then kicks him out of the plane. This movie was when I first knew who Wesley Snipes was, and I find that he is a good actor and my favorite one. And this movie, Passenger 57, is what makes Wesley my favorite actor, fighting the bad guys and playing a good guy. I don't like to see Wesley Snipes play a bad guy in movies, so I would do without watching them. Movies like \"New Jack City\" and \"Demolition Man\" are the movies with Wesley playing a bad guy, and I don't want to see him in those movies. And another movie with Wesley Snipes that I don't like is, Sugar Hill, and that right there is also a pretty violent movie with Wesley that I've ever seen. And I really didn't like the Wesley that Wesley Snipes was in that movie. I find this movie, Passenger 57, with him is a even better, and it's totally different from the movie, Sugar Hill, and the other two movies with him that I mentioned I don't like.\n\nAnd along with watching this movie, Passenger 57, I would watch another movie with Wesley Snipes called \"Blade,\" another action movie from 1998 with Wesley fighting bad guys. I find that movie is similar to this movie, \"Passenger 57. \" And another movie that I would watch along this movie is \"Down In The Delta,\" another 1998 movie with Wesley Snipes and a few other characters. I also find that's another good movie to watch with Wesley Snipes, and it's a movie with family. You don't see much of him in that movie, but he does a play a good character.","Product: Megastar Eddie Murphy (THE NUTTY PROFESSOR, BEVERLY HILLS COP series) teams with Michael Rapaport (BEAUTIFUL GIRLS) and Michael Wincott (THE CROW) in this wildly entertaining, action-packed hit! Murphy plays Scott Roper, a fast-talking, wisecracking, on-the-edge hostage negotiator whose offbeat-but-winning style has made him San Francisco's top mediator! Roper will say ... and do ... absolutely anything to get his man. But when he comes face to face with a psychotic killer who's playing a lethal game of cat and mouse, he's finally met his match! Don't miss the excitement as the always amusing Murphy packs METRO with outrageous action that has critics and audiences cheering!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: This movie Metro is the best Eddie Murphy that I have ever seen and known\n\nReview: In my opinion, this movie, Metro, is the best Eddie Murphy movie that I have ever seen and known, and it's my all-time favortite Eddie Murphy movie. I would watch this movie over and over again with my favorite regular and fight scenes with Eddie Murphy. I even like the romantic scenes with Eddie Murphy and his girlfriend in this movie. Movies with Eddie Murphy I don't like is Life, The Nutty Profesor, Norbit, Dr. Dolittle, and most of his newer movies. Along with this movie, I would watch Eddie Murphy's 80's and early 90's movies; except Boomerang, Vampire In Brooklyn, and The Nutty Professor. I would even watch the Daddy Day Care movie that came out in 2003 along with this movie; that wasn't too bad of one of Eddie Murphy's newer movies. I remember back in 2011, the very same year and time when the Tower Heist movie came out in theaters, I bought this movie for christmas as a gift to myself and I have pretty much enjoyed watching it. I just know that I wouldn't want to see anymore movies than this movie, Metro, with Eddie Murphy. In this movie, I also find that Eddie Murphy looked more distinguished and did a real good job acting in this movie, and it would hurt for me to see him play other characters in other movies that came out after this movie; like Life, which is something I don't ever want to see or watch again; plus it would be a waste of money for me to buy them. One thing about Eddie Muphy I don't like is seeing him dress up like a woman or an old man in his movies; except \"Coming To America,\" and he doesn't do any of that in this movie. This is the Eddie Murphy that I like to see play a cop, fight bad guys, and play regular roles.\n\nI also remember that this was a movie that came out in 1997, and it is still a good movie with Eddie Murphy. I would say that I would even watch this movie, along with Eddie Murphy's 2011 movie, \"Tower Heist.\" I find the scenes from that movie looks similar like this movie, Metro. Even when that movie, \"Tower Heist,\" came out in theaters back in 2011, I went to go see it with Eddie Murphy and I found it interesting.\n\nOther movies with Eddie Murphy that I would watch is\n\n\"48 Hours\"\n\"Another 48 Hours\"\n\n\"Trading Places\"\n\"The Golden Child\"\n\"Coming To America\"\n\"Harlem Nights\"\n\"Boomerang\"\n\"The Distinguished Gentlemen\"\n\n\"Beverly Hills Cop\"\n\"Beverly Hills Cop 2\"\n\"Beverly Hills Cop 3\"\n\n\"Daddy Day Care\"\n\nI have all these other set of movies with Eddie Murphy, and I would sometimes watch them, along with this movie. This movie, Metro, is also a movie that I would want to best know Eddie Murphy for.","Product: GUARANTEED!!!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Luther Vandross is my all-time favorite singer and this is a concert movie with him ...\n\nReview: I find that this is a great live performance to see Luther Vandross sing and perform.\n\nLuther Vandross is my all-time favorite singer, and this is a 1989 live performance with him singing live at Wembley that I have and would watch every now and then, but not often. I do like Luther's appearance and how well-dressed he was, wearing a black sparkling jacket and tuxedo on stage, singing live with his back up singers, and introducing the audience to his musical director and back up singers. This is the only live performance that I would watch with Luther singing, and a video tape with his music videos that's more of my favorite called \"The Best Of Luther Vandross.\" And from that video tape with Luther's music videos, it shows a clip from this live performance with Luther singing \"Give Me The Reason,\" as one of the videos. I also find that Luther Vandross looked more distinguished in this live performance at Wembley than he did singing live at Royal Albert Hall, but it shows him looking big and heavy, and I like thin Luther. Still he does look good singing though, but I just wouldn't want to remember him as a big and heavy person, being that he's even missed. So this live performance is the one that I like better than the one with Luther singing live at Royal Albert Hall. It is also known that Luther Vandross passed away on July 1, 2005, but his memory lives on, and this live performance with him singing brings back memories of him.\n\nThe music videos from \"The Best Of Luther Vandross\" (1991 vhs) with Luther singing is what I really like more, but believe me I do like this concert performance with Luther singing. I just don't watch it as often. And I would sometimes watch it on the DVD where I have it converted on. I remember noticing a Power Of Love tour with Luther singing live in concert back in 1991, and I find that this video with him singing live at Wembley is just like it. So, I would pretend or make believe that this is a 1991 Power Of Love tour with Luther singing live in concert. And I would also want to remember Luther from this era of when he first came out as a great singer.\n\nI have this \"Live at Wembley\" (1989 vhs) and \"The Best Of Luther Vandross\" (1991 vhs) converted on both DVD's with Luther performing, and the VHS tapes are kept as a duplicate.","Product: Hi, everybody! Fans of 90s sitcoms know those words mean Steve Urkel has come to call, bringing lots of geeky, goofy fun with him. A spinoff of Perfect Strangers, Family Matters began as the at-home adventures of elevator operator Harriette Winslow and her multigenerational family. But midway through the first season, Jaleel White made a one-shot appearance as neighborhood nerd Urkel. With oversized glasses, undersized body, screechy voice and indomitable self-confidence, Urkel proved irresistibly funny, turning White into an overnight sensation and a new star of the show. Join Urkel and the Winslows for the 22-episode debut season of the hit series that proclaims love matters, laughing matters, Family Matters!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Family Matters is my all-time favorite show, and this is the first season of ...\n\nReview: I started to type a review on this first season of Family Matters on 1/3/2015, and today is 12/1/2016. And it's Christmas time.\n\nThey actually just even finished releasing all the nine seasons of Family Matters on the DVD sets this year in 2016, and I just have the first eight seasons that I like, including this first season. Jaleel White is actually 40-years-old this year in 2016, and I think now was a good time for them to have finish releasing all the nine seasons of Family Matters with him on DVD sets, so that there would be something to watch and to remember him by as a youngster, playing (Steve Urkel). But I would just watch the first eight seasons with him that I just like, including this first season.\n\nFamily Matters is my all-time favorite show, and this is the first season of the show released on the DVD set. And I do have this first season and seasons 2-8 of Family Matters on the DVD sets. There is also a 9th season of Family Matters, which is the very last season, but I don't like that season for a simple reason, so I wouldn't buy or get the 9th season to watch on the DVD set. And this show Family Matters came out with nine seasons.\n\nOther than that, this first season of Family Matters from 1989 is a pretty good season with good episodes. I remember back when I was a kid, I started to like this show, and it became my favorite. And I also remember when I used to see it come on the TV channel, I would always watch it, especially on Fridays with the TGIF show lineup. And I still to this day love this show Family Matters, because it's one of the best shows I've ever seen, and it brings back good memories of Jaleel White and the Winslow family.\n\nAnd knowing that today is 12/1/2016 and it's Christmas time, I have this first season and the seasons from 2-8 of Family Matters on the DVD sets all wrapped up together as a Christmas present to myself, and I just know that I'll enjoy watching this show around the holidays, after opening them up on Christmas morning. And I definitely would even watch the Christmas episodes from the 2nd season, and from seasons 4-8. There is a 2006 movie with Jaleel White that I do have on a DVD, and I do have that 2006 movie wrapped up with the first eight seasons of Family Matters that I have, including this first season. And that 2006 movie with Jaleel White is called \"Who Made The Potatoe Salad?\". And I would watch that 2006 movie with Jaleel White, after watching him from the first eight seasons of Family Matters that I just like and have on the DVD sets, including this first season. That 2006 movie is also something good to watch with Jaleel White, and it shows him all grown up and wiser. And instead of me watching the 9th season of Family Matters that I don't like, I would even watch that 2006 movie with Jaleel White, and I do have that 2006 movie added with the first eight seasons of Family Matters that I just like, including this first season.\n\nThis first season of Family Matters did not have Jaleel White as one of the main characters. But it did show him in a few episodes from this first season, being played as (Steve Urkel), which was a character that was played by him throughout all the nine seasons of the show, including this first season. And the 2nd season was when Jaleel White then became one of the main characters on the show.\n\nI would say that one of my favorite episodes from this first season of Family Matters is \"Two-Income Family\", an episode where Jo Marie Payton as (Harriette) loses her job as an elevator operator at the Chicago Chronicle, and she gets another job that's better for her. The rest of the episodes from this first season are also pretty good episodes to watch with good memories, and I do like Jaleel White as (Steve Urkel). And not only do I like Jaleel White on the show, but I also like Jo Marie Payton as (Harriette) and all the other main characters, especially Reginald Veljohnson as (Carl), who was married to Jo Marie Payton as (Harriette) on the show.\n\nI find this first season and the seasons from 2-8 of Family Matters are the good seasons. But I don't find the 9th season was as good, and things weren't the same on the show then. And it sure would be a waste of money for me to buy the 9th season of Family Matters on the DVD set. So this first season and seasons 2-8 of Family Matters is what I'll just have and watch on the DVD sets, and the 9th season is the very last season I would do without watching. There's also a way TV shows and episodes can be watched on the internet, and I sure wouldn't even watch any episodes of Family Matters from the 9th season on the internet. And neither on the TV channel, I would watch any episodes of Family Matters from the 9th season. Seasons 1-8 of Family Matters is good enough for me to watch anyway. And now that Family Matters has been released on the DVD sets and that I just have this first season and the seasons from 2-8 to watch, it wouldn't even make sense for me to watch the show on the TV channel anymore, and I used to always watch Family Matters whenever it came on the TV channel. And I've seen all 22 episodes from the 9th season before.\n\nI find Jaleel White is a good actor, and this first season of Family Matters shows when he was a youngster. And I have to say that as a youngster, Jaleel White did play a good role in a few episodes that he was in from this first season, even though he was not a main character. But he was not in every episode from this first season. And now that Jaleel White is all grown up and wiser, this first season of Family Matters even brings back memories of him from when he was a youngster, and from when he first started playing (Steve Urkel).\n\nIt's also noticeable that this show Family Matters even came out with seven Christmas episodes from the 2nd season, and from seasons 4-9. But this first season of Family Matters did not come out with a Christmas episode, and neither did the 3rd season. I do like the Christmas episodes of this show Family Matters, and they do bring back good memories of the whole family celebrating Christmas on the show. But the Christmas episode from the 9th season is what I would do without watching, knowing that I don't like the 9th season and wouldn't buy or get it to watch for a simple reason. I've seen the Christmas episode from the 9th season before anyway, and it's really not a big deal if there's no Christmas episode from this first season, because this first season of Family Matters is still a good season to watch with good episodes.\n\nFamily Matters is even a show that puts me in a happy zone by watching and enjoying it, but only from seasons 1-8, including this first season. And it's a show that I would never want to forget with good memories. I even like the last episode \"Rock Video\" from this first season, an episode where Darius McCrary as (Eddie) and the Winslow family sings and does a music video together as a family, after entering and winning a contest. And the song they sang in the video and in that episode was a great song.\n\nKnowing that the 8th season of Family Matters is the last season I would watch, there are 24 episodes from that season, and the 24th episode from the 8th season is \"A Pirate's Life For Me\", so that's the last episode of Family Matters I would watch. The first and pilot episode of Family Matters from this first season is \"The Mama Who Came To Dinner\", and that's the first episode of Family Matters I would watch. That episode from this first season is the only one that shows a little girl named Valerie Jones as one of the main characters playing (Judy), and the rest of the episodes throughout this first season and from seasons 2-4 then shows Jamiee Foxworth being played as (Judy). And I do like Jamiee Foxworth as (Judy) alot better than Valerie Jones. I don't find that Valerie Jones from that pilot episode really did fit the character to play (Judy), but Jaimee Foxworth played it well, until she disappeared and was never seen again on the show after the 4th season. Jaimee Foxworth was more like a daughter and a sister and had more character on the show, and I think that it was a good decision for them to have her as (Judy), instead of Valerie Jones. So knowing and remembering Jaimee Foxworth as (Judy) on Family Matters would be better. I still don't mind watching that pilot episode with Valerie Jones though, because it's still a good episode to watch with all the other main characters, and this whole first season of Family Matters is a good season for me to watch.","Product: For the first time on DVD, an Essential collection of music video performances by Luther Vandross with special guests Mariah Carey and Gregory Hines. Special bonus features include \"Dear Friends\": a conversation about Luther with Marcus Miller, Ray Barda\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: ... on another movie with his music videos called The Best Of Luther Vandross on VHS\n\nReview: I had this DVD and I gave it away. And there is a \"Dance With My Father\" DVD single that I have with Luther Vandross, a 2003 DVD single that has 3 single videos with Luther singing from his last 2 albums, and the albums are\n\n\"Luther Vandross\" (2001 album)\n\"Dance With My Father\" (2003 album)\n\nAnd the 3 single videos with Luther singing from the \"Dance With My Father\" DVD single is\n\n\"Dance With My Father\"\n\"Take You Out\"\n\"Can Heaven Wait\"\n\nThat's a DVD single I bought here on Amazon to replace this DVD with Luther's videos, and I have another DVD with it that was converted from \"The Best Of Luther Vandross\" (1991 vhs), a video tape that I also have and that's converted on a DVD with all of Luther's videos from 1981, and a video tape that shows interviews with Luther talking, along with his videos. The DVD that I have that (1991 vhs) converted on, I would watch it, along with the 3 single videos from the \"Dance With My Father\" DVD single, and with Luther singing from his last 2 albums. And I have the \"Dance With My Father\" DVD single and \"The Best Of Luther Vandross\" DVD stored in a zip-loc bag together like a double-disc collection of music videos with Luther singing and performing. So, it's like I made up my own DVD collection with Luther's videos just like this one.\n\nI remember back in 2004 when this DVD came out, and I noticed the videos from \"The Best Of Luther Vandross\" (1991 vhs), and some newer videos with Luther singing from 1993 to 1997. So, this is a DVD I can do without watching and just stick with watching the \"Dance With My Father\" DVD single, and \"The Best Of Luther Vandross\" DVD that's converted from the (1991 vhs). And I can also do without watching Luther sing in the newer videos from 1993 to 1997 on this DVD. The videos with Luther singing from the \"Dance With My Father\" DVD single, and from \"The Best Of Luther Vandross\" (1991 vhs) are pretty much just the videos I like to see with him singing, but I'm a big Luther Vandross fan though.\n\nThe videos with Luther singing from 1993 to 1997 on this DVD is\n\n\"Little Miracles Happen Everyday\"\n\n\"Always And Forever\"\n\n\"Endless Love\"\n (Duet with Mariah Carey)\n\n\"Love The One You're With\"\n\n\"Your Secret Love\"\n\n \"I Can Make It Better\"\n\nSo, instead of watching these newer videos with Luther singing from this DVD, I would play the albums and where these videos are from. And the albums where these newer videos with Luther singing are from is\n\n\"Never Let Me Go\" (1993 album)\n\"Songs\" (1994 album)\n\"Your Secret Love\" (1996 album)\n\nThese are 3 albums by Luther Vandross, and that's where these 6 videos are from. And I would play them instead of watching the videos. I woud also play them, along with Luther's 1991 album, \"Power Of Love.\" And there's a 1998 album that Luther came out with after these first set of his previous albums, and that album is\n\n \"l know\" (1998 album)\n\nThere are no videos with Luther singing from that album on this DVD. And that album was Luther's one and only album with Virgin Records, and it's a good album. And l would play that 1998 album, \"l Know,\" along with listening to Luther's previous albums from 1981, along with watching him sing and perform in videos just from \"The Best Of Luther Vandross\" (1991 vhs) that l have converted on a single DVD.\n\nAnd l don't like the look that Luther had in the 2 videos with him singing live at Royal Albert Hall, including the video with him singing a duet with Mariah Carey, and the Luther Vandross from that era is not what I want to see or know as an artist. And the video with Luther singing \"Love The One You're With\" is another video from that very same era, and it's another video that I don't like with the look that Luther had. But, l do like the songs with just hearing Luther sing them, including \"Endless Love\" (duet with Mariah Carey). I do like the look that Luther had in all the other videos, but I would still do without watching them. As my favorite singer, I like to see Luther look well_dressed whenever I see him sing and perform in a music video.\n\nThe only live performance that l like to see with Luther singing in concert is the one with him singing from the \"Live at Wembley\" (1989 vhs), and that's another video tape with Luther Vandross that I have converted on a DVD. That was a video tape that came out 2 years before \"The Best Of Luther Vandross\" (1991 vhs). And sometimes I would watch one by one of those on DVD with Luther performing.","Product: Pendergrass is at his acclaimed best in this unique musical experience which was filmed in the Hammersmith Odeon in February of 1982. Some of the hit titles included are \"Close the Door,\" \"Love T.K.O.\" & \"Turn Off the Lights.\"\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: I would say that I pretty much would want to know and remember Teddy Pendergrass ...\n\nReview: This is a DVD with Teddy Pendergrass singing live in concert from 1982, the same year of Teddy's car accident. I would say that I pretty much would want to know and remember Teddy Pendergrass from this era, being that he is missed. I also like the look that Teddy had from this era singing his early greatest hits live on stage, and that's how I would want to know and remember him. It is known that Teddy Pendergrass passed away in 2010, and this concert brings back memories of him singing live on stage. I really wish Teddy had stayed the same like this until he passed away, instead of who he was after his car accident. So this is something that I would pretty much watch with Teddy singing.","Product: VHS Tape\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: and this movie with their music videos is still good to watch\n\nReview: This is a video tape with New Edition and their music videos called \"Past and Present, and it's a video tape that came out in 1989 after the release of New Edition's first 5 albums from 1983, and this video tape has all of their videos from their first 3 albums and 5th album. Their fourth album is a christmas album, so it doesn't count. But I would still play it along with the albums and songs from this video tape though. This video tape with New Edition also shows interviews with them talking and showing their videos. I remember back in the era when this video tape came out was when Bobby Brown left the group and went solo, and Johnny Gill joined the group. So in one of the interviews with New Edition talking, they talk about the reason for Johnny Gill being in the group and the reason for Bobby Brown leaving the group. And I have to now say that one of my favorite videos from this video tape with New Edition is \"NE Heartbreak,\" one of their then new videos with them singing and dancing, wearing yellow and black, and riding on mopeds. I also like the earlier videos with New Edition from 1983 to 1985, and from when they were young in the beginning. And in one the those videos with them singing, it shows them playing basketball, and that video is \"Cool It Now.\" It also shows clips and segments from some of their other earlier videos, and interviews with them talking about the basketball charity they played around that era. And pretty much for the most part, this video tape shows all of New Edition's then newer videos from their 1988 album, \"Heart Break,\" an album that was their fifth and that came out a year before this video tape.\n\nIn my opinion, alot of people that might be New Edition fans don't know anything about this video tape with their music videos. So, I can tell you that it's my favorite video tape to watch with them singing. And along with watching it, I would play and listen to 5 of New Edition's first albums on CD's that I have and that came out in the same era as this video tape with their videos. I would also play and listen to the \"Don't Be Cruel\" album by Bobby Brown, an album that came out in the same year as New Edition's \"Heart Break\" album, so to remember that Bobby Brown was with the group, and had left and went solo. This video tape with New Edition is the best I've ever seen with their music videos, and I would watch it over again as much to enjoy. I have it stored in a zip-loc bag with all five CD's of New Edition's first albums from 1983 to 1988, and I have the \"Don't Be Cruel\" album by Bobby Brown stored with them, so that's like a collection. I remember when I was a kid, I started to like New Edition and their music.\n\nThe songs and videos from this video tape with New Editon is\n\n\"If It Isn't Love\"\n\"Crucial\"\n\"NE Heartbreak\"\n\"Cool It Now\"\n\"Mr. Telephone Man\"\n\"Count Me Out\"\n\"Boys To Men\"\n\"Can You Stand The Rain\"\n\"You're Not My Kind Of Girl\"\n\nSome of New Edition's other earlier videos with clips and segments from this video tape is\n\n\"Candy Girl\"\n\"Popcorn Love\"\n\"She Gives Me A Bang\"\n\"Is This The End\"\n\"My Secret (Didja Git It Yet)\"\n\nAnd the albums by New Edition that these songs and videos are from is \"Candy Girl,\" \"New Edition,\" \"All For Love,\" and \"Heart Break,\" their very first albums from 1983 to 1988.\n\nI was even trying to transfer this video tape to a DVD off of a VCR combination with a DVD recorder, and I tried to copy it on a blank video cassette tape so I that I can still have my original copy of this video tape kept as a duplicate, but it wasn't able to let me copy it because of the security inside of the tape itself. And this is still something good to watch with New Edition that I really enjoy watching, and I wouldn't want the video tape to wear out the more I use it to watch. And it really would be nice for me to have this video tape released on DVD, so that I can see it well and clear with no tracking.","Product: A 10-year-old boy whose father is running an illegal whaling operation is caught in a dilemma when Willy and his pod are threatened.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: and I would hate to watch the 4th sequel without him in it\n\nReview: This is the 3rd sequel of Free Willy I have on DVD, and it's the last sequel I would watch. There is also a 4th sequel of Free Willy, which is really the last sequel, but I would do without watching it. I never saw the 4th sequel of Free Willy before, but it's OK. That same actor Jason James Ritcher, who stared in the first two sequels of Free Willy as (Jesse) is also seen in this 3rd sequel, but is not seen in the 4th sequel, and I would hate to watch the 4th sequel without him in it. So that's why I say that I would just watch the first two sequels and this 3rd sequel of Free Willy, and do without watching the 4th sequel. And I really do like actor Jason James Ritcher who stars as (Jesse), and I would watch the first two sequels and this 3rd sequel of Free Willy with him all together. And not only do I like Jason James Ritcher, but I also like Willy the whale. I also find this 3rd sequel of Free Willy is a good movie to watch and enjoy, and so are the first two sequels. The 4th sequel of Free Willy might be a good movie for other people to watch and enjoy, but I just choose not to watch it and just stick with watching this 3rd sequel and the first two sequels.","Product: DOWN IN THE DELTA brings together an outstanding cast of stars in an uplifting story of family, community, and friendship! In a desperate attempt to change her life, Loretta (Alfre Woodard -- STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT, MUMFORD) -- a troubled single mother from a tough Chicago neighborhood -- is sent to spend a summer in her family's ancestral home in rural Mississippi. In \"The Delta,\" with the support and widsom of her hardworking Uncle Earl, Loretta finally begins to see a way to provide for her young children and reverse the downward slide of her life. A heartwarming, critically acclaimed motion picture also starring Wesley Snipes (BLADE, U.S. MARSHALS) and Loretta Devine (WAITING TO EXHALE) -- share in this remarkable journey to discover the strength of a family's roots and the power of unconditional love!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: This is a good movie from 1998 that I still have on VHS\n\nReview: This is a good movie from 1998 that I still have on VHS, and Wesley Snipes is one of the main characters in this movie. Out of all the main characters in this movie, Wesley Snipes is my favorite actor. And I also have a favorite action movie on VHS that I like to watch with Wesley Snipes, and that movie is \"Passenger 57\". So before I watch this movie Down In The Delta, I would sometimes watch the movie \"Passenger 57\". And I would also sometimes watch the movie \"Blade\", another movie with Wesley Snipes that came out in the same year as this movie \"Down In The Delta\". Those two other movies with Wesley are totally different, and he does play a good character. And I find that Wesley also\ndid a good job playing a good character in this movie \"Down In The Delta\". You don't see much of him in this movie, but he's still one of the main characters. And not only do I like Wesley Snipes in this movie, but I also like Alfre Woodard and all the other main characters. And knowing that Wesley Snipes is one of the main characters in this movie, this is the last movie I would watch with him in it. I find him and Alfre Woodard had a great connection in this movie, and they were both nice to each other. So this is a movie I would never want to forget.\n\nI don't too much care for the movies that Wesley came out with after this movie \"Down In The Delta\", so I wouldn't too much get into his movies like that. But he still is my favorite actor. And I would say that I would only watch three movies with Wesley Snipes, this movie \"Down In The Delta\", \"Passenger 57\", and \"Blade\".\n\nOther than that, this movie is also about family getting together and having good times.","Product: Luther Vandross sound has virtually been the soundtrack of R&B over the past 20 years. The veteran R&B singer first realized his love of music as a youngster going to the legendary Apollo Theater in his native Harlem, N.Y. He listened to the radio constantly and developed a love for the classic soul of the sixties and seventies. Since then Luther has gone on to develop a smooth classic soul sound that is his alone, when you hear one of his songs there is no question that the voice behind the music is Luther. BETs Journeys In Black takes you backstage and behind the scenes to explore the man behind one of the greatest voices in the history of music.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: so watching this documentary brings back memories of him as to what a great singer he was\n\nReview: Today is April 20, 2015, and it's Luther Vandross's birthday. So, today is the day I celebrate his birthday by watching this documentary with him. It's been ten years since Luther passed away, so watching this documentary brings back memories of him as to what a great singer he was.\n\nThis movie is a documentary with Luther Vandross talking about his life and musical career. I would watch this movie every now and then, and remember what a great singer and person Luther was. What I also like about this movie is the interview with Luther talking, his appearance, and how slim he was. The Luther I see in front of the camera talking in the interview is what I like to see, know, and remember; not big and heavy. I not only like Luther Vandross as a great singer, but a person just being Luther; like Whitney Houston said in this movie in one of the interiews is that not only was Luther a great singer, but what a great person and fun guy he was to be with. I can also believe that Luther Vandross was not gay, and that he was a normal guy just being Luther and a great singer. I remember that this documentary came out in 2001, which was Luther's 20th year of his musical career. It also shows his mother talking about him, and when she was pregnant with him and almost died. And Luther's musical director and close friends talk in the interviews. Luther passed away on July 1, 2005, and this documentary brings back good memories of him and how great he was. And by remembering Luther and just by looking at his appearance as my favorite singer, I like him thin. I don't like the big and heavy Luther, so the thin Luther Vandross is what I would like to know and remember as my favorite singer. This documentary should even be watched on Luther's birthday April 20th, or on July 1st the he passed, to celebrate his life and legacy as to what a great singer he was.\n\nThere's also a movie called \"The Best Of Luther Vandross,\" a 1991 VHS tape with all of Luther's videos from 1981, and I have that video cassette tape copied on a DVD. That was a movie that came out ten years before this documentary was made, and that movie shows interviews with Luther talking within his videos just like this documentary. And I would watch that movie with Luther's videos, along with this documentary, so that there would be something else for me to watch with Luther Vandross. And there's a also \"Dance With My Father\" DVD single, a DVD with three videos from Luther's last 2 albums and that came out in the same era as this documentary. So, even when I watch this documentary with Luther, I would also watch that DVD single with those three videos, along with the videos from \"The Best Of Luther Vandross\" movie. I would also play Luther's music as well.\n\nThis documentary was also made in the same year when Luther came out with his self-titled debut album, \"Luther Vandross,\" with the J Records label. And I have that 2001 album by Luther Vandross, and a 2003 album, \"Dance With My Father,\" that Luther came out with after that album and before he passed away. So, even when I watch this documenary with Luther Vandross, I would also play those last 2 albums with his music, and his music from some other albums that he put out. I remember back in 2001 when I first saw this documentary with Luther on the BET channel, and I liked it. I not only would watch this documentary to remember Luther as a great singer, but to also see and remember what he looked like as slim Luther.","Product: Michael (Jaleel White), a young San Diego police officer, is so thankful that his beautiful girlfriend Ashley (Jennia Fredrique) has accepted his marriage proposal that he decides to meet her family over Thanksgiving dinner. But nothing can prepare Michael for what Ashley's family is about to serve up: Her dad's a Black Panther, her brother's a thug, and her grandparents well, they've got it goin' on...and on and on! By dessert time, Michael has to wonder whether his first meeting of the prospective in-laws should be his last in this delectable comedy that'll leave you begging for seconds!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: This is a good movie with Jaleel White\n\nReview: This movie came out in 2006, which was ten years ago, and it's still a good movie to watch with Jaleel White. I have this movie stored in a zip-loc bag with the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th season of the show Family Matters with Jaleel White on the DVD sets, and I also have eight seasons of Family Matters on the DVD sets with Jaleel White. That's a show Jaleel White is best known for as a main character playing (Steve Urkel), and it's my all-time favorite show with him. And I would watch this movie with Jaleel White, after watching him from the eight seasons of Family Matters that I just like and have on the DVD sets. There is also a 9th season of Family Matters, which is the very last season with Jaleel White, but I don't like that season for a simple reason, so I wouldn't have the 9th season of Family Matters on the DVD set to watch before watching this movie. The first eight seasons is good enough for me to watch along with this movie anyway, and Family Matters is still my all-time favorite show to watch with Jaleel White. And that show with him brings back good memories. And instead of me even watching the 9th season of Family Matters that I don't like, I would also watch this movie with Jaleel White. I find this movie and the first eight seasons of Family Matters with Jaleel White is a great collection for me to have and watch all together. And I do have this movie added with the first eight seasons of Family Matters that I just like and have on the DVD sets.\n\nThis movie even shows Jaleel White getting married to his girlfriend in the last scene, which was a good thing for him. And this movie with Jaleel White now started to even remind me of a Christmas movie from last year in 2015 and from the Lifetime channel, and that Christmas movie is called \"The Flight Before Christmas.\" And two other main characters from the show Family Matters with Jaleel White stars in that movie, and it's shows them being married just like in Family Matters. I do find this movie with Jaleel White is just like that Christmas movie from the Lifetime channel, because it's about a young couple being on a plane and going to spend a Christmas vacation. And this movie shows Jaleel White and his girlfriend going to a spend a vacation together. So I would pretend or make believe that this movie is \"The Flight Before Christmas\", even though it's not a Christmas movie or the real thing.\n\nI started to type a review on this movie and on 7/13/2016, and today is 12/1/2016. It's even Christmas time, and I actually even have this movie wrapped up with the first eight seasons of Family Matters that I just like and have on the DVD sets as a Christmas present to myself, and I just know that I'll enjoy watching this movie and the eight seasons of Family Matters with Jaleel White, after opening them up on Christmas morning.","Product: NTSC/Region 0. The mighty Luther Vandross, in a beautiful collection of classic videos that established the great singer and songwriter as a Pop and R&B icon. Though struck down tragically in 2005, Luther Vandross enjoyed a long and astonishingly successful career. Emerging in the '80s from what had already been thriving work as a songwriter and backup singer (and a commercial jingle writer and singer!), Luther broke through in 1980 with the classic R&B hit - and the memorable early music-video - `Never Too Much,' featured here. `The Power Of Love/Love Power,' `Don't Want To Be A Fool,' `Stop To Love,' `There's Nothing Better Than Love' (with Gregory Hines),'Never Too Much,' `A House Is Not A Home' ... these classic videos, invested by Luther with his amazing stage presence, sincerity, and knack for groove, return us to moments that ended all too soon. And as a special treat: Luther also appears here in interviews, recalling the making of these videos and the meaning of these songs to his career - making this a must-own collection. Immortal.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: ... and his videos is exactly the same as \"The Best Of Luther Vandross\n\nReview: This video collection of Luther Vandross and his videos is exactly the same as \"The Best Of Luther Vandross,\" a 1991 VHS tape with all these videos and interviews with Luther talking, so in that case I already have this whole video collection of Luther Vandross. And from the VHS that I have it from, I also have it converted on a DVD where I would watch it from, so that the VHS tape doesn't ware. This is really a video collection that came out back in 1991 on the VHS tape, and it was just remastered from the VHS tape. And I can see that I was remastered back in 2011, which was 20 years later from when it was really released. So, it would be a waste of money for me to buy this DVD with Luther's videos, because I have it already.","Product: Jonathan Butler - self-titled Audio CD. Zomba/RCA/Jive Records USA release from 1987.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: ... on the cover of this album is what I like alot better than what he looks like nowadays\n\nReview: The Jonathan Butler in the pictures on the cover of this album is what I like alot better than what he looks like nowadays, and I like this album with great songs to listen to. This was when I first knew who Jonathan Butler was and what his music sounds like, so this is a good album by him and it's his second album. I also have his first album, \"Introducing Jonathan Butler,\" and that's also a good album by Jonathan Butler. The Jonathan Butler from this era is what I would want to know as a Jazz artist instead of a gospel performer. It is known that Jonathan Butler sings gospel music nowadays, and I'd rather hear his earlier music from his first album, this album, \"Jonathan Butler,\" his third album, \"More Than Friends,\" and his fourth album \"Heal Our Land.\" This album by Jonathan Butler came out in 1987, and it's still a good album to listen to.","Product: The first-ever hits collection from Barry White's \"girl group\"! And Barry himself selected the tracks to appear on this 17-song number: Walkin' in the Rain with the One I Love; I Belong to You; It May Be Winter Outside (but in My Heart It's Spring); I'm So Glad That I'm a Woman; Under the Influence of Love; If You Want Me, Say It , and more. 79 minutes, seven songs never on CD!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: This is a greatest hits album by a group called Love Unlimited\n\nReview: This is a greatest hits album by a group called Love Unlimited, a singing group with the wife of late singer Barry White. This music is so soothing with nice rythm and beat, and these 3 young ladies can sing. You would also hear Barry White's voice in 2 or 3 songs on this album with the group. I have 2 copies of this album with the Love Unlimited's greatest hits; one to play, and one kept as a duplicate. I also have a DVD with Barry White singing Live in Germany from 1975, and this group Love Unlimited is also seen with singing 3 of their hits from this album, along with Barry White singing. I find this album with Love Unlimited is nice and I like it. I would even play it along with Barry White's music; I find both their music relate together as being heard.","Product: Vandross,Luther ~ Vol. 2-One Night With You-Best\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: This is another greatest hits album by Luther Vandross that came out in ...\n\nReview: Luther Vandross is my all-time favorite singer, but I can do without listening to this album. This is an album by Luther Vandross with his greatest that came out in 1997. The songs on this album are taken from five original albums that Luther came out with before this album, I like those five original albums alot better. There's even four then new hits on this album, including the song title \"One Night With You,\" a 1992 hit featuring Janet Jackson called \"The Best Things In Life Are Free,\" and the rest of the songs are taken from the five original albums from 1991 to 1996.\n\nThe five original albums that the rest of the songs on this album with Luther's greatest hits are taken from is\n\n\"Power Of Love\" (1991 album)\n\"Never Let Me Go\" (1993 album)\n\"Songs\" (1994 album)\n\"Your Secret Love\" (1996 album)\n\nAnd there's one hit taken from Luther's christmas album,\n\"This Is Christmas.\" (1995 album)\n\nI have all five of those original albums by Luther Vandross where the songs from this album are taken from, and I like them alot better with other additional songs that are my favorite. This album is also the second called \"The Best Of Love,\" just like the 2 double-disc album with Luther's greatest hits from 1981 to 1988 that I also have and don't listen to. I don't consider this an original album, because this album has all the hits taken from all 5 of those original albums from 1991 to 1996, and I like them alot better. Because I have some favorite album-tracks from those original albums, and I wouldn't want to miss out on hearing them. The 1991 album, \"Power Of Love,\" is one of my all-time favorite albums by Luther Vandross, and my favorite album-track from that album is \"The Rush,\" an upbeat tempo hit song with a nice rythm and with the sounds of keyboard, and I would play that album-track about 2 or 3 times. So, I would just stick with listening to those first 4 original albums by Luther Vandross for the most part, with more music to listen to and my favorite album-tracks to hear. His christmas album, \"This Is Christmas,\" doesn't really count as being heard, because when it's christmas time, that's when it should be heard. But, there is another album by Luther that I would listen to, along with those first 4 original albums though. And that album is called \"I Know,\" another original album by Luther that came out a year after this album in 1998 with Virgin Records. This was also Luther's last album with epic.","Product: Certified platinum by the RIAA. (4/95)\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: and it's still a good album. I remember back in 2008 for my ...\n\nReview: This is Gerald Levert's second solo album from 1994, and it's still a good album. I remember back in 2008 for my 23rd birthday, I bought this album by Gerald Levert and it became my favorite album. One of my favorite songs on this album is \"Love Street,\" a slow love song with Gerald singing his heart out. I would play this album along with Gerald's first album, \"Private Line,\" from 1991, and an album called \"The Very Best Of Levert.\" This album, \"Groove On,\" is my all-time favorite album by Gerald Levert and those two other albums with him singing are also my favorite, and I would play them all together.\n\nWhen I listen to music, I also like to see the music videos with the artist singing. And from this album \"Groove On\", I noticed three music videos with Gerald singing, and the three videos from this album is \"I'd Give Anything\", \"How Many Times\", and \"Can't Help Myself\". And I do like those three music videos with Gerald Levert singing from this album \"Groove On\". The music video with Gerald singing \"Can't Help Myself\" from this album is a remix and it's not the actual sound like from this album, and I noticed Gerald singing the song a little different with other lyrics. But he still sings the same lyrics and sounds the same like from the actual sound like from the actual sound. And I would say that I like the actual sound better of that song \"Can't Help Myself\", because it's longer with Gerald singing more lyrics.\n\nI also remember when Gerald Levert passed away on 11/10/2006, so this album is pretty much what I would want to remember him by. There was also an album by Gerald Levert that came out a year after he passed away, and the album is called \"In My Songs.\" That album sounds alot different from this lyric \"Groove On\", and I like the sound of this album by Gerald Levert from the 90's. So, instead of listening to that album, \"In My Songs\" by Gerald Levert, I would just stick with listening to this album and the two other albums that I would listen to, along with it. I'm I'm really a big Gerald Levert fan and I was never into his music like other people, so there's no other album by Gerald Levert that I would listen to than this album, \"Groove On,\" \"Private Line,\" album from 1991, and \"The Very Best Of Levert.\"","Product: 1990 debut solo album from ex-New Edition vocalist featuring 'Sensitivity' & 'Do What I Gotta Do'.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: It's his first solo album with him singing by himself and it's a still a good album that came out in 1990\n\nReview: This is an album by Ralph Tresvant, a singer and a member from the group New Edition. It's his first solo album with him singing by himself without New Edition, and it's a still a good album that came out in 1990. One of my favorite songs on this album is \"Alright Now,\" a slow song with nice rythm and beat. And I like all the other songs especially \"Sensitivity,\" and the songs with Ralph rapping. I would play and listen to this album along with Ralph Tresvant's second solo album \"It's Goin Down\" from 1993, and the New Edition album \"Home Again\" from 1996. I think that those 2 other albums relate to this album as being heard, and I have all 3 of the CD's, including this album by Ralph Tresvant, sitting in a zip-loc bag together like a collection.","Product: CD\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: and it's a good album. The only song on this album that ...\n\nReview: This is New Edition's second album from 1984, and it's a good album. The only song on this album that I don't like is \"Maryann,\" but I do like all the rest of the songs. I would play and listen to this album along with their first album \"Candy Girl,\" and their 3rd, 4th, and 5th album. I would also play and listen to a solo album by Bobby Brown called \"Don't Be Cruel,\" an album that came out in the same year as New Edition's 1988 \"Heart Break\" album. There's also a movie with New Edition and there music videos that I would watch along with listening to this album, and it's called \"Past and Present,\" a rare movie on a VHS tape that also I have and that came out a year after New Edition's 1988 album \"Heart Break\" and Bobby Brown's \"Don't Be Cruel\" album.","Product: He reigned as the King of the Blues from the early '50s, and B.B. King continued to wear the crown with dignity and class throughout his long career. This outstanding performance was recorded at the Trump Marina Hotel on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City. B.B. King delivers the goods on classics. This performance once again confirms that B.B. King was an American institution who deserved his rightful place among other American music icons such as Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Billie Holiday, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: and it's still a good movie to watch with Grover performing\n\nReview: This is a DVD with Grover Washington, Jr. performing live in concert from back in 1990, and it's still a good movie to watch with Grover performing. I would watch this movie, along with playing Grover's music. And the albums by Grover Washington, Jr. I would play and listen to is\n\nGreatest Motown Hits\n\"Winelight\" (1980 album)\n\"Come Morning\" (1981 album)\n\"Strawberry Moon\" (1987 album)\n\"Time Out Of Mine\" (1989 album)\n\"Next Exit\" (1992 album)\n\"Soulful Strut\" (1996 album)\n\nAnd a 2001 tribute album by various artists, \"To Grover, With Love\"\n\nI would play all these set of albums by Grover, along with watching this DVD and seeing him perform.\n\nAnd it is also known that Grover Washington, Jr. passed away in 1999, so I decided to get this DVD and have something to remember him by. Even though Grover is missed, his music still lives on.","Product: R Kelly ~ Born Into The 90's\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: and it's good. And it's alot better than his newest albums\n\nReview: This is R. Kelly's first album with Public Announcement, and it's good. And it's alot better than his newest albums.\n\nMusic from this album with R. Kelly singing with Public Announcement is alot different from his newest music nowadays, and I do his music from this album alot better than his newest recordings. And I also like R. Kelly's music from his 2nd, 3rd, and 4th album.\n\nThe 2nd, 3rd, and 4th album by R. Kelly that came out after this album is\n\n\"12 Play\" (1993) album)\n\"R. Kelly\" (1995 album)\n\"R.\" (1998 album)\n\nAnd I do have these other set of albums by R. Kelly that came out after this album, and their also good albums. Music that R. Kelly came out with after his first four albums, including this album \"Born Into The 90's\", I wouldn't listen to any of it. I'm not really a big R. Kelly fan and I pretty much just like his music from this album, and from his 2nd, 3rd, and 4th album. R. Kelly's 4th album \"R.\" from 1998 is the last album I would listen to with his music, and I wouldn't listen to anymore of his music after that. The 2000 album \"TP-2.com that R. Kelly came out with after that album was not as good, and it's totally different from the 1998 album \"R\", and different from his first four albums, including this album \"Born Into The 90's\". I remember when I first heard that 2000 album \"TP-2.com\", I didn't really like it, and R. Kelly's music sure did change around that time. And I don't like what his music sounds like nowadays. So this album \"Born Into The 90's\" and R. Kelly's 2nd, 3rd, and 4th album is what I'll just be listening with his music.\n\nR. Kelly was even a totally different type of singer when he recorded this first album with Public Announcement, and when he recorded his 2nd, 3rd, and 4th album. But R. Kelly's music nowadays is not like it used to be, and I like the old sound of his music. So his earlier music is better to listen to.","Product: FANTASTIC FOUR DISC, 25th ANIVERSARY COLLECTION, BOXED SET OF FACKSON FIVE'S 82 SONGS!! ALSO INCLUDED IS A GREAT BOOKLET WITH MICHAEL & THE FIVE'S HISTORY. READ THE REVIEWS FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE BOUGHT THIS. ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ONE IS 5 STAR!!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: ... a four disc collection of all the Jackson Five's greatest hits. I remember back in 1995 when this ...\n\nReview: This is a four disc collection of all the Jackson Five's greatest hits. I remember back in 1995 when this came out I got it for christmas and it was the cassette tape collection, and this is my favorite Jackson 5 collection. I misplaced this whole collection of the Jackson 5 that I had on tape, so this time I decided to buy back the CD collection to hear it better with a more crisp sound. And from this whole collection of the Jackson 5, I do have some favorite songs that I would play over again. On disc four, one of my favorite songs with Michael Jackson singing is \"I'm Glad It Rained,\" a slow song with a nice rythm and beat, and a song with the rest of the Jackson brothers singing while Michael sings the lead. This whole collection has everything that the Jackson 5 put out, and I would pretty much play their music from this collection. I also like the original albums by the Jackson 5, and I have them and would sometimes play them.\n\nI also would want to remember Michael Jackson from this era of his music that he put out with the Jackson 5, being that he is missed. This music was when Michael Jackson was a whole different person then, so I would want remember the young Micheal Jackson singing with the Jackson 5. I do like the older Micheal Jackson too, but I wouldn't want to ever forget this music with him singing.","Product: Luther Vandross ~ Power Of Love\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Luther Vandross is my all-time favorite singer, and this is another one of my ...\n\nReview: Luther Vandross is my all-time favorite singer, and this is another one of my favorite albums by him. I consider this album Luther's seventh studio-album that came out 3 years after the sixth studio-album \"Any Love,\" from 1988. I also remember when this album came out back in 1991, ten years after the release of Luther's first album \"Never Too Much,\" and it's still one of the greatest albums of all-time. One of my favorite songs from this album is \"The Rush,\" an album track and an up-beat tempo hit song with a nice rythm and the sounds of a keyboard. There's also a video with Luther singing that song (live-in-studio) from \"The Best Of Luther Vandross (1991 vhs),\" a video tape that I have and that's converted on a DVD with all of Luther's videos from 1981, a video tape that shows interviews with Luther talking, along with his videos, and a video tape that came out when this album was released in 1991. And I also like the video with Luther singing \"The Rush\" (live-in-studio) from this album.\n\nThere's 2 other videos from this album and from \"The Best Of Luther Vandross\" (1991 vhs) with Luther singing, and those 2 videos are\n\n\"Power Of Love/Love Power\"\n\"Don't Want To Be A Fool\"\n\nAnd I do like those 2 other videos with Luther singing from this album and from \"The Best Of Luther Vandross\" (1991 vhs) as well.\n\nWith listening to this album, I also like the title track \"Power Of Love/Love Power\" and all the rest of the songs. This album takes me back to when I was six years old and was living in Orlando Florida, and I still to this day remember those days and when this album came out. Alot of times I would play the title track over again and it became my favorite song, and Luther Vandross became my favorite singer with such a wonderful voice. These days when I still listen to this album, I think back when it first came out and how life was then, and how music was so popular. And that's when I became a big Luther Vandross fan.\n\nIt's also been ten years since Luther Vandross passed away, and even though he is missed, his voice and music still lives on. So, whenever I watch Luther sing and perform in his videos from \"The Best Of Luther Vandross\" (1991 vhs) that I have converted on a DVD, it brings back memories of him and how great of a singer he was.\n\nI also have an extra copy of this album burned on a CD, and it's stored in a zip-loc bag with Luther's last 2 albums,\n\n\"Luther Vandross\" (2001 album)\n\"Dance With My Father\" (2003 album)\n\nAnd I would sometimes play my burned copy of this album, \"Power Of Love,\" along with these last 2 albums by Luther Vandross. My original copy of this album is what I would play, along with four other albums that Luther came out with in 1993, 1994, 1996, and in 1998. And those other four albums are\n\n\"Never Let Me Go\" (1993 album)\n\"Songs\" (1994 album)\n\"Your Secret Love\" (1996 album)\n\"I Know\" (1998 album)\n\nI have these other four albums by Luther Vandross burned on CD's, and their all stored in a zip-loc bag put together in year order with my original copy of this album, \"Power Of Love,\" and I would play them all in year order (including this album).\n\nEven when I listen to this 1991 album, \"Power Of Love,\" by Luther Vandross, I would sometimes watch him sing live in concert from the \"Live at Wembley\" (1989 vhs) that I also have and that's converted on a DVD. And that also brings back memories of Luther and how great of a singer he was. When Luther came out with this album in 1991, I remember noticing a Power Of Love tour with him singing live in concert, and I find that video with him singing live at Wembley is just like it. So, I would pretend or make believe that's a Power Of Love tour with Luther singing. And I would also want to remember Luther from the era of when he came out with this album in 1991.","Product: Grover Jr. Washington ~ Soulful Strut\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: This is a good album by the late Grover Washington\n\nReview: This is a good album by the late Grover Washington, Jr., and it's one of my favorite albums. This album came out in 1996, five years before Grover's last album, Aria, an album that came out a year after Grover passed away in 1999, and I like this album \"Soulful Strut\" alot better than that album. That album \"Aria\" sounds alot different from this album, and I like to hear Grover on albums like this. So instead of me listening to Grover's last album \"Aria\" I would play this album, There's also an album that I do have and that came out in 2001, and it's called \"To Grover, With Love\". I would play that album after listening to this 1996 album \"Soulful Strut\" by Grover. That 2001 album \"To Grover, With Love\" is an album that was dedicated to Grover Washington, Jr. two years after he passed away, and it's an album with other various artists that played over his music. And that's also a good album to listen to with Grover's music being played by other various artists.\n\nOther albums by Grover Washington, Jr. that I do have and would play is\n\n\"Greatest Motown Hits\"\n\"Winelight\" (1980 album)\n\"Come Morning (1981 album)\n\"Strawberry Moon\" (1987 album)\n\"Time Out Of Mine\" (1989 album)\n\"Next Exit\" (1992 album)\n\nThese are the first set of albums by Grover Washington, Jr. came out before this 1996 album \"Soulful Strut\", and I would play them as well. It's also known that Grover Washington, Jr. passed away on 12/17/1999, and I have to say that he was one of the greatest saxophone players in music. And even though he is missed, his music will still live on. There's also a DVD that I do have with seeing Grover perform, and it's called \"Standing Room Only\", a live performance with Grover Washington, Jr. performing on stage from back in 1990. And I would sometimes watch that live performance with Grover performing, so that I can also have something to remember him. And so as this album \"Soulful Strut\" with his music.","Product: The DMX story is the stuff of legends, but like all good legends, it bears repeating. Born in Baltimore and raised in Yonkers, New York, DMX endured an exceptionally difficult childhood. Shuttling between group homes, in and out of trouble with the law, he might have been destined for a tragic life, if not for his extraordinary talent for expressing himself through rap. Armed with one of the most ferocious flows in the history of hip-hop.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: I have this Deluxe Limited Edition album with DMX's greatest hits, and there's a DVD disc that came ...\n\nReview: I have this Deluxe Limited Edition album with DMX's greatest hits, and there's a DVD disc that came with this album when I bought it a while back. So this is a double-disc album that I have. The DVD disc has some of the music videos from this album with DMX performing the songs, and I do like the videos with seeing him perform the songs from this album.\n\nI bought this album used off here on Amazon. And a few years back when I bought this double-disc album with DMX's greatest, the jewel case with the CD and DVD disc was old and worn out. So I took a brand new jewel case that I had to place the picture covers and the CD disc in it, and I took another brand new jewel case that had to place the DVD disc in it. So now I have both new jewel cases of this album sitting in a zip-loc bag together.\n\nNow let me just say that this album is a great collection of songs by DMX. I also have all seven of his original albums, including the first five albums and where the songs from this album is from. This album even has 20 greatest hits from DMX's first five original albums, and it's something good to listen to. And DMX is one of my favorite rappers of all time.","Product: CD\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: This is another good album by Luther Vandross that came out a year ...\n\nReview: This is Luther Vandross's 11th album from 1996, and it's still a good album. One of my songs from this album is \"I Can't Wait No Longer\" (Let's Do This), a song with 2 girls rapping. And I like all the rest of the songs on this album.\n\nI would play this album along with\n\n\"Power Of Love\"\n\"Never Let Me Go\"\n\"Songs\"\n\nThese are three regular albums that Luther came out with before this album from 1991. And I would also play this album along with another album called \"I Know,\" another album by Luther that came out 2 years after this album in 1998 with Virgin Records. There's also a christmas album that Luther came out with a year before this album in 1995, and sometimes I would play it along with this album, his other albums that are listed, and the album \"I Know\" from 1998.\n\nAnd with listening to this album by Luther Vandross, there's also a movie with his videos that I would watch called \"The Best Of Luther Vandross,\" a 1991 VHS tape that I have copied on a DVD with all of Luther's videos from 1981."],"string":"[\n \"Product: Does Not Copy Prerecorded Hollywood Studio movies.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: and I know I'll enjoy this VCR combination with recording DVD's from VHS tapes\\n\\nReview: I just bought this VCR combination with a DVD recorder to replace another VCR combination that I bought. The other VCR combination that I bought is a GoVideo DVR 4200, and I thought it was a VCR with a DVD recorder to convert from VHS tapes. I really wanted a VCR combination with a DVD recorder, so when I saw this VCR combination where it says DVD Recorder, I bought this one to replace the GoVideo DVR 4200, with a regular DVD player. I even bought this as a birthday gift for myself, because my birthday is on the 26th of this month of February, and I know I'll enjoy this VCR combination with recording DVD's from VHS tapes. There's also some blank DVD's that I bought as a birthday gift, along with this VCR combination. Because I would need the DVD's as well.\",\n \"Product: VHS TAPE\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: This is my favorite movie with Wesley Snipes\\n\\nReview: I have this movie, Passenger 57, on video tape and converted on a DVD disc, and it's my favorite movie with Wesley Snipes that I would watch over again to enjoy as much. What I like about this movie is seeing a black man like Wesley Snipes play a good guy and fight bad guys, and that's what Wesley does in this movie, Passenger 57, as far as being a security agent on the plane. I'll never forget when I first saw this movie, because I was seven years old when it first came out, and I liked it Wesley Snipes. I even like the last scene with Wesley fighting the hijacker on the plane, and then kicks him out of the plane. This movie was when I first knew who Wesley Snipes was, and I find that he is a good actor and my favorite one. And this movie, Passenger 57, is what makes Wesley my favorite actor, fighting the bad guys and playing a good guy. I don't like to see Wesley Snipes play a bad guy in movies, so I would do without watching them. Movies like \\\"New Jack City\\\" and \\\"Demolition Man\\\" are the movies with Wesley playing a bad guy, and I don't want to see him in those movies. And another movie with Wesley Snipes that I don't like is, Sugar Hill, and that right there is also a pretty violent movie with Wesley that I've ever seen. And I really didn't like the Wesley that Wesley Snipes was in that movie. I find this movie, Passenger 57, with him is a even better, and it's totally different from the movie, Sugar Hill, and the other two movies with him that I mentioned I don't like.\\n\\nAnd along with watching this movie, Passenger 57, I would watch another movie with Wesley Snipes called \\\"Blade,\\\" another action movie from 1998 with Wesley fighting bad guys. I find that movie is similar to this movie, \\\"Passenger 57. \\\" And another movie that I would watch along this movie is \\\"Down In The Delta,\\\" another 1998 movie with Wesley Snipes and a few other characters. I also find that's another good movie to watch with Wesley Snipes, and it's a movie with family. You don't see much of him in that movie, but he does a play a good character.\",\n \"Product: Megastar Eddie Murphy (THE NUTTY PROFESSOR, BEVERLY HILLS COP series) teams with Michael Rapaport (BEAUTIFUL GIRLS) and Michael Wincott (THE CROW) in this wildly entertaining, action-packed hit! Murphy plays Scott Roper, a fast-talking, wisecracking, on-the-edge hostage negotiator whose offbeat-but-winning style has made him San Francisco's top mediator! Roper will say ... and do ... absolutely anything to get his man. But when he comes face to face with a psychotic killer who's playing a lethal game of cat and mouse, he's finally met his match! Don't miss the excitement as the always amusing Murphy packs METRO with outrageous action that has critics and audiences cheering!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: This movie Metro is the best Eddie Murphy that I have ever seen and known\\n\\nReview: In my opinion, this movie, Metro, is the best Eddie Murphy movie that I have ever seen and known, and it's my all-time favortite Eddie Murphy movie. I would watch this movie over and over again with my favorite regular and fight scenes with Eddie Murphy. I even like the romantic scenes with Eddie Murphy and his girlfriend in this movie. Movies with Eddie Murphy I don't like is Life, The Nutty Profesor, Norbit, Dr. Dolittle, and most of his newer movies. Along with this movie, I would watch Eddie Murphy's 80's and early 90's movies; except Boomerang, Vampire In Brooklyn, and The Nutty Professor. I would even watch the Daddy Day Care movie that came out in 2003 along with this movie; that wasn't too bad of one of Eddie Murphy's newer movies. I remember back in 2011, the very same year and time when the Tower Heist movie came out in theaters, I bought this movie for christmas as a gift to myself and I have pretty much enjoyed watching it. I just know that I wouldn't want to see anymore movies than this movie, Metro, with Eddie Murphy. In this movie, I also find that Eddie Murphy looked more distinguished and did a real good job acting in this movie, and it would hurt for me to see him play other characters in other movies that came out after this movie; like Life, which is something I don't ever want to see or watch again; plus it would be a waste of money for me to buy them. One thing about Eddie Muphy I don't like is seeing him dress up like a woman or an old man in his movies; except \\\"Coming To America,\\\" and he doesn't do any of that in this movie. This is the Eddie Murphy that I like to see play a cop, fight bad guys, and play regular roles.\\n\\nI also remember that this was a movie that came out in 1997, and it is still a good movie with Eddie Murphy. I would say that I would even watch this movie, along with Eddie Murphy's 2011 movie, \\\"Tower Heist.\\\" I find the scenes from that movie looks similar like this movie, Metro. Even when that movie, \\\"Tower Heist,\\\" came out in theaters back in 2011, I went to go see it with Eddie Murphy and I found it interesting.\\n\\nOther movies with Eddie Murphy that I would watch is\\n\\n\\\"48 Hours\\\"\\n\\\"Another 48 Hours\\\"\\n\\n\\\"Trading Places\\\"\\n\\\"The Golden Child\\\"\\n\\\"Coming To America\\\"\\n\\\"Harlem Nights\\\"\\n\\\"Boomerang\\\"\\n\\\"The Distinguished Gentlemen\\\"\\n\\n\\\"Beverly Hills Cop\\\"\\n\\\"Beverly Hills Cop 2\\\"\\n\\\"Beverly Hills Cop 3\\\"\\n\\n\\\"Daddy Day Care\\\"\\n\\nI have all these other set of movies with Eddie Murphy, and I would sometimes watch them, along with this movie. This movie, Metro, is also a movie that I would want to best know Eddie Murphy for.\",\n \"Product: GUARANTEED!!!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Luther Vandross is my all-time favorite singer and this is a concert movie with him ...\\n\\nReview: I find that this is a great live performance to see Luther Vandross sing and perform.\\n\\nLuther Vandross is my all-time favorite singer, and this is a 1989 live performance with him singing live at Wembley that I have and would watch every now and then, but not often. I do like Luther's appearance and how well-dressed he was, wearing a black sparkling jacket and tuxedo on stage, singing live with his back up singers, and introducing the audience to his musical director and back up singers. This is the only live performance that I would watch with Luther singing, and a video tape with his music videos that's more of my favorite called \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross.\\\" And from that video tape with Luther's music videos, it shows a clip from this live performance with Luther singing \\\"Give Me The Reason,\\\" as one of the videos. I also find that Luther Vandross looked more distinguished in this live performance at Wembley than he did singing live at Royal Albert Hall, but it shows him looking big and heavy, and I like thin Luther. Still he does look good singing though, but I just wouldn't want to remember him as a big and heavy person, being that he's even missed. So this live performance is the one that I like better than the one with Luther singing live at Royal Albert Hall. It is also known that Luther Vandross passed away on July 1, 2005, but his memory lives on, and this live performance with him singing brings back memories of him.\\n\\nThe music videos from \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross\\\" (1991 vhs) with Luther singing is what I really like more, but believe me I do like this concert performance with Luther singing. I just don't watch it as often. And I would sometimes watch it on the DVD where I have it converted on. I remember noticing a Power Of Love tour with Luther singing live in concert back in 1991, and I find that this video with him singing live at Wembley is just like it. So, I would pretend or make believe that this is a 1991 Power Of Love tour with Luther singing live in concert. And I would also want to remember Luther from this era of when he first came out as a great singer.\\n\\nI have this \\\"Live at Wembley\\\" (1989 vhs) and \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross\\\" (1991 vhs) converted on both DVD's with Luther performing, and the VHS tapes are kept as a duplicate.\",\n \"Product: Hi, everybody! Fans of 90s sitcoms know those words mean Steve Urkel has come to call, bringing lots of geeky, goofy fun with him. A spinoff of Perfect Strangers, Family Matters began as the at-home adventures of elevator operator Harriette Winslow and her multigenerational family. But midway through the first season, Jaleel White made a one-shot appearance as neighborhood nerd Urkel. With oversized glasses, undersized body, screechy voice and indomitable self-confidence, Urkel proved irresistibly funny, turning White into an overnight sensation and a new star of the show. Join Urkel and the Winslows for the 22-episode debut season of the hit series that proclaims love matters, laughing matters, Family Matters!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Family Matters is my all-time favorite show, and this is the first season of ...\\n\\nReview: I started to type a review on this first season of Family Matters on 1/3/2015, and today is 12/1/2016. And it's Christmas time.\\n\\nThey actually just even finished releasing all the nine seasons of Family Matters on the DVD sets this year in 2016, and I just have the first eight seasons that I like, including this first season. Jaleel White is actually 40-years-old this year in 2016, and I think now was a good time for them to have finish releasing all the nine seasons of Family Matters with him on DVD sets, so that there would be something to watch and to remember him by as a youngster, playing (Steve Urkel). But I would just watch the first eight seasons with him that I just like, including this first season.\\n\\nFamily Matters is my all-time favorite show, and this is the first season of the show released on the DVD set. And I do have this first season and seasons 2-8 of Family Matters on the DVD sets. There is also a 9th season of Family Matters, which is the very last season, but I don't like that season for a simple reason, so I wouldn't buy or get the 9th season to watch on the DVD set. And this show Family Matters came out with nine seasons.\\n\\nOther than that, this first season of Family Matters from 1989 is a pretty good season with good episodes. I remember back when I was a kid, I started to like this show, and it became my favorite. And I also remember when I used to see it come on the TV channel, I would always watch it, especially on Fridays with the TGIF show lineup. And I still to this day love this show Family Matters, because it's one of the best shows I've ever seen, and it brings back good memories of Jaleel White and the Winslow family.\\n\\nAnd knowing that today is 12/1/2016 and it's Christmas time, I have this first season and the seasons from 2-8 of Family Matters on the DVD sets all wrapped up together as a Christmas present to myself, and I just know that I'll enjoy watching this show around the holidays, after opening them up on Christmas morning. And I definitely would even watch the Christmas episodes from the 2nd season, and from seasons 4-8. There is a 2006 movie with Jaleel White that I do have on a DVD, and I do have that 2006 movie wrapped up with the first eight seasons of Family Matters that I have, including this first season. And that 2006 movie with Jaleel White is called \\\"Who Made The Potatoe Salad?\\\". And I would watch that 2006 movie with Jaleel White, after watching him from the first eight seasons of Family Matters that I just like and have on the DVD sets, including this first season. That 2006 movie is also something good to watch with Jaleel White, and it shows him all grown up and wiser. And instead of me watching the 9th season of Family Matters that I don't like, I would even watch that 2006 movie with Jaleel White, and I do have that 2006 movie added with the first eight seasons of Family Matters that I just like, including this first season.\\n\\nThis first season of Family Matters did not have Jaleel White as one of the main characters. But it did show him in a few episodes from this first season, being played as (Steve Urkel), which was a character that was played by him throughout all the nine seasons of the show, including this first season. And the 2nd season was when Jaleel White then became one of the main characters on the show.\\n\\nI would say that one of my favorite episodes from this first season of Family Matters is \\\"Two-Income Family\\\", an episode where Jo Marie Payton as (Harriette) loses her job as an elevator operator at the Chicago Chronicle, and she gets another job that's better for her. The rest of the episodes from this first season are also pretty good episodes to watch with good memories, and I do like Jaleel White as (Steve Urkel). And not only do I like Jaleel White on the show, but I also like Jo Marie Payton as (Harriette) and all the other main characters, especially Reginald Veljohnson as (Carl), who was married to Jo Marie Payton as (Harriette) on the show.\\n\\nI find this first season and the seasons from 2-8 of Family Matters are the good seasons. But I don't find the 9th season was as good, and things weren't the same on the show then. And it sure would be a waste of money for me to buy the 9th season of Family Matters on the DVD set. So this first season and seasons 2-8 of Family Matters is what I'll just have and watch on the DVD sets, and the 9th season is the very last season I would do without watching. There's also a way TV shows and episodes can be watched on the internet, and I sure wouldn't even watch any episodes of Family Matters from the 9th season on the internet. And neither on the TV channel, I would watch any episodes of Family Matters from the 9th season. Seasons 1-8 of Family Matters is good enough for me to watch anyway. And now that Family Matters has been released on the DVD sets and that I just have this first season and the seasons from 2-8 to watch, it wouldn't even make sense for me to watch the show on the TV channel anymore, and I used to always watch Family Matters whenever it came on the TV channel. And I've seen all 22 episodes from the 9th season before.\\n\\nI find Jaleel White is a good actor, and this first season of Family Matters shows when he was a youngster. And I have to say that as a youngster, Jaleel White did play a good role in a few episodes that he was in from this first season, even though he was not a main character. But he was not in every episode from this first season. And now that Jaleel White is all grown up and wiser, this first season of Family Matters even brings back memories of him from when he was a youngster, and from when he first started playing (Steve Urkel).\\n\\nIt's also noticeable that this show Family Matters even came out with seven Christmas episodes from the 2nd season, and from seasons 4-9. But this first season of Family Matters did not come out with a Christmas episode, and neither did the 3rd season. I do like the Christmas episodes of this show Family Matters, and they do bring back good memories of the whole family celebrating Christmas on the show. But the Christmas episode from the 9th season is what I would do without watching, knowing that I don't like the 9th season and wouldn't buy or get it to watch for a simple reason. I've seen the Christmas episode from the 9th season before anyway, and it's really not a big deal if there's no Christmas episode from this first season, because this first season of Family Matters is still a good season to watch with good episodes.\\n\\nFamily Matters is even a show that puts me in a happy zone by watching and enjoying it, but only from seasons 1-8, including this first season. And it's a show that I would never want to forget with good memories. I even like the last episode \\\"Rock Video\\\" from this first season, an episode where Darius McCrary as (Eddie) and the Winslow family sings and does a music video together as a family, after entering and winning a contest. And the song they sang in the video and in that episode was a great song.\\n\\nKnowing that the 8th season of Family Matters is the last season I would watch, there are 24 episodes from that season, and the 24th episode from the 8th season is \\\"A Pirate's Life For Me\\\", so that's the last episode of Family Matters I would watch. The first and pilot episode of Family Matters from this first season is \\\"The Mama Who Came To Dinner\\\", and that's the first episode of Family Matters I would watch. That episode from this first season is the only one that shows a little girl named Valerie Jones as one of the main characters playing (Judy), and the rest of the episodes throughout this first season and from seasons 2-4 then shows Jamiee Foxworth being played as (Judy). And I do like Jamiee Foxworth as (Judy) alot better than Valerie Jones. I don't find that Valerie Jones from that pilot episode really did fit the character to play (Judy), but Jaimee Foxworth played it well, until she disappeared and was never seen again on the show after the 4th season. Jaimee Foxworth was more like a daughter and a sister and had more character on the show, and I think that it was a good decision for them to have her as (Judy), instead of Valerie Jones. So knowing and remembering Jaimee Foxworth as (Judy) on Family Matters would be better. I still don't mind watching that pilot episode with Valerie Jones though, because it's still a good episode to watch with all the other main characters, and this whole first season of Family Matters is a good season for me to watch.\",\n \"Product: For the first time on DVD, an Essential collection of music video performances by Luther Vandross with special guests Mariah Carey and Gregory Hines. Special bonus features include \\\"Dear Friends\\\": a conversation about Luther with Marcus Miller, Ray Barda\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: ... on another movie with his music videos called The Best Of Luther Vandross on VHS\\n\\nReview: I had this DVD and I gave it away. And there is a \\\"Dance With My Father\\\" DVD single that I have with Luther Vandross, a 2003 DVD single that has 3 single videos with Luther singing from his last 2 albums, and the albums are\\n\\n\\\"Luther Vandross\\\" (2001 album)\\n\\\"Dance With My Father\\\" (2003 album)\\n\\nAnd the 3 single videos with Luther singing from the \\\"Dance With My Father\\\" DVD single is\\n\\n\\\"Dance With My Father\\\"\\n\\\"Take You Out\\\"\\n\\\"Can Heaven Wait\\\"\\n\\nThat's a DVD single I bought here on Amazon to replace this DVD with Luther's videos, and I have another DVD with it that was converted from \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross\\\" (1991 vhs), a video tape that I also have and that's converted on a DVD with all of Luther's videos from 1981, and a video tape that shows interviews with Luther talking, along with his videos. The DVD that I have that (1991 vhs) converted on, I would watch it, along with the 3 single videos from the \\\"Dance With My Father\\\" DVD single, and with Luther singing from his last 2 albums. And I have the \\\"Dance With My Father\\\" DVD single and \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross\\\" DVD stored in a zip-loc bag together like a double-disc collection of music videos with Luther singing and performing. So, it's like I made up my own DVD collection with Luther's videos just like this one.\\n\\nI remember back in 2004 when this DVD came out, and I noticed the videos from \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross\\\" (1991 vhs), and some newer videos with Luther singing from 1993 to 1997. So, this is a DVD I can do without watching and just stick with watching the \\\"Dance With My Father\\\" DVD single, and \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross\\\" DVD that's converted from the (1991 vhs). And I can also do without watching Luther sing in the newer videos from 1993 to 1997 on this DVD. The videos with Luther singing from the \\\"Dance With My Father\\\" DVD single, and from \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross\\\" (1991 vhs) are pretty much just the videos I like to see with him singing, but I'm a big Luther Vandross fan though.\\n\\nThe videos with Luther singing from 1993 to 1997 on this DVD is\\n\\n\\\"Little Miracles Happen Everyday\\\"\\n\\n\\\"Always And Forever\\\"\\n\\n\\\"Endless Love\\\"\\n (Duet with Mariah Carey)\\n\\n\\\"Love The One You're With\\\"\\n\\n\\\"Your Secret Love\\\"\\n\\n \\\"I Can Make It Better\\\"\\n\\nSo, instead of watching these newer videos with Luther singing from this DVD, I would play the albums and where these videos are from. And the albums where these newer videos with Luther singing are from is\\n\\n\\\"Never Let Me Go\\\" (1993 album)\\n\\\"Songs\\\" (1994 album)\\n\\\"Your Secret Love\\\" (1996 album)\\n\\nThese are 3 albums by Luther Vandross, and that's where these 6 videos are from. And I would play them instead of watching the videos. I woud also play them, along with Luther's 1991 album, \\\"Power Of Love.\\\" And there's a 1998 album that Luther came out with after these first set of his previous albums, and that album is\\n\\n \\\"l know\\\" (1998 album)\\n\\nThere are no videos with Luther singing from that album on this DVD. And that album was Luther's one and only album with Virgin Records, and it's a good album. And l would play that 1998 album, \\\"l Know,\\\" along with listening to Luther's previous albums from 1981, along with watching him sing and perform in videos just from \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross\\\" (1991 vhs) that l have converted on a single DVD.\\n\\nAnd l don't like the look that Luther had in the 2 videos with him singing live at Royal Albert Hall, including the video with him singing a duet with Mariah Carey, and the Luther Vandross from that era is not what I want to see or know as an artist. And the video with Luther singing \\\"Love The One You're With\\\" is another video from that very same era, and it's another video that I don't like with the look that Luther had. But, l do like the songs with just hearing Luther sing them, including \\\"Endless Love\\\" (duet with Mariah Carey). I do like the look that Luther had in all the other videos, but I would still do without watching them. As my favorite singer, I like to see Luther look well_dressed whenever I see him sing and perform in a music video.\\n\\nThe only live performance that l like to see with Luther singing in concert is the one with him singing from the \\\"Live at Wembley\\\" (1989 vhs), and that's another video tape with Luther Vandross that I have converted on a DVD. That was a video tape that came out 2 years before \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross\\\" (1991 vhs). And sometimes I would watch one by one of those on DVD with Luther performing.\",\n \"Product: Pendergrass is at his acclaimed best in this unique musical experience which was filmed in the Hammersmith Odeon in February of 1982. Some of the hit titles included are \\\"Close the Door,\\\" \\\"Love T.K.O.\\\" & \\\"Turn Off the Lights.\\\"\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: I would say that I pretty much would want to know and remember Teddy Pendergrass ...\\n\\nReview: This is a DVD with Teddy Pendergrass singing live in concert from 1982, the same year of Teddy's car accident. I would say that I pretty much would want to know and remember Teddy Pendergrass from this era, being that he is missed. I also like the look that Teddy had from this era singing his early greatest hits live on stage, and that's how I would want to know and remember him. It is known that Teddy Pendergrass passed away in 2010, and this concert brings back memories of him singing live on stage. I really wish Teddy had stayed the same like this until he passed away, instead of who he was after his car accident. So this is something that I would pretty much watch with Teddy singing.\",\n \"Product: VHS Tape\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: and this movie with their music videos is still good to watch\\n\\nReview: This is a video tape with New Edition and their music videos called \\\"Past and Present, and it's a video tape that came out in 1989 after the release of New Edition's first 5 albums from 1983, and this video tape has all of their videos from their first 3 albums and 5th album. Their fourth album is a christmas album, so it doesn't count. But I would still play it along with the albums and songs from this video tape though. This video tape with New Edition also shows interviews with them talking and showing their videos. I remember back in the era when this video tape came out was when Bobby Brown left the group and went solo, and Johnny Gill joined the group. So in one of the interviews with New Edition talking, they talk about the reason for Johnny Gill being in the group and the reason for Bobby Brown leaving the group. And I have to now say that one of my favorite videos from this video tape with New Edition is \\\"NE Heartbreak,\\\" one of their then new videos with them singing and dancing, wearing yellow and black, and riding on mopeds. I also like the earlier videos with New Edition from 1983 to 1985, and from when they were young in the beginning. And in one the those videos with them singing, it shows them playing basketball, and that video is \\\"Cool It Now.\\\" It also shows clips and segments from some of their other earlier videos, and interviews with them talking about the basketball charity they played around that era. And pretty much for the most part, this video tape shows all of New Edition's then newer videos from their 1988 album, \\\"Heart Break,\\\" an album that was their fifth and that came out a year before this video tape.\\n\\nIn my opinion, alot of people that might be New Edition fans don't know anything about this video tape with their music videos. So, I can tell you that it's my favorite video tape to watch with them singing. And along with watching it, I would play and listen to 5 of New Edition's first albums on CD's that I have and that came out in the same era as this video tape with their videos. I would also play and listen to the \\\"Don't Be Cruel\\\" album by Bobby Brown, an album that came out in the same year as New Edition's \\\"Heart Break\\\" album, so to remember that Bobby Brown was with the group, and had left and went solo. This video tape with New Edition is the best I've ever seen with their music videos, and I would watch it over again as much to enjoy. I have it stored in a zip-loc bag with all five CD's of New Edition's first albums from 1983 to 1988, and I have the \\\"Don't Be Cruel\\\" album by Bobby Brown stored with them, so that's like a collection. I remember when I was a kid, I started to like New Edition and their music.\\n\\nThe songs and videos from this video tape with New Editon is\\n\\n\\\"If It Isn't Love\\\"\\n\\\"Crucial\\\"\\n\\\"NE Heartbreak\\\"\\n\\\"Cool It Now\\\"\\n\\\"Mr. Telephone Man\\\"\\n\\\"Count Me Out\\\"\\n\\\"Boys To Men\\\"\\n\\\"Can You Stand The Rain\\\"\\n\\\"You're Not My Kind Of Girl\\\"\\n\\nSome of New Edition's other earlier videos with clips and segments from this video tape is\\n\\n\\\"Candy Girl\\\"\\n\\\"Popcorn Love\\\"\\n\\\"She Gives Me A Bang\\\"\\n\\\"Is This The End\\\"\\n\\\"My Secret (Didja Git It Yet)\\\"\\n\\nAnd the albums by New Edition that these songs and videos are from is \\\"Candy Girl,\\\" \\\"New Edition,\\\" \\\"All For Love,\\\" and \\\"Heart Break,\\\" their very first albums from 1983 to 1988.\\n\\nI was even trying to transfer this video tape to a DVD off of a VCR combination with a DVD recorder, and I tried to copy it on a blank video cassette tape so I that I can still have my original copy of this video tape kept as a duplicate, but it wasn't able to let me copy it because of the security inside of the tape itself. And this is still something good to watch with New Edition that I really enjoy watching, and I wouldn't want the video tape to wear out the more I use it to watch. And it really would be nice for me to have this video tape released on DVD, so that I can see it well and clear with no tracking.\",\n \"Product: A 10-year-old boy whose father is running an illegal whaling operation is caught in a dilemma when Willy and his pod are threatened.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: and I would hate to watch the 4th sequel without him in it\\n\\nReview: This is the 3rd sequel of Free Willy I have on DVD, and it's the last sequel I would watch. There is also a 4th sequel of Free Willy, which is really the last sequel, but I would do without watching it. I never saw the 4th sequel of Free Willy before, but it's OK. That same actor Jason James Ritcher, who stared in the first two sequels of Free Willy as (Jesse) is also seen in this 3rd sequel, but is not seen in the 4th sequel, and I would hate to watch the 4th sequel without him in it. So that's why I say that I would just watch the first two sequels and this 3rd sequel of Free Willy, and do without watching the 4th sequel. And I really do like actor Jason James Ritcher who stars as (Jesse), and I would watch the first two sequels and this 3rd sequel of Free Willy with him all together. And not only do I like Jason James Ritcher, but I also like Willy the whale. I also find this 3rd sequel of Free Willy is a good movie to watch and enjoy, and so are the first two sequels. The 4th sequel of Free Willy might be a good movie for other people to watch and enjoy, but I just choose not to watch it and just stick with watching this 3rd sequel and the first two sequels.\",\n \"Product: DOWN IN THE DELTA brings together an outstanding cast of stars in an uplifting story of family, community, and friendship! In a desperate attempt to change her life, Loretta (Alfre Woodard -- STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT, MUMFORD) -- a troubled single mother from a tough Chicago neighborhood -- is sent to spend a summer in her family's ancestral home in rural Mississippi. In \\\"The Delta,\\\" with the support and widsom of her hardworking Uncle Earl, Loretta finally begins to see a way to provide for her young children and reverse the downward slide of her life. A heartwarming, critically acclaimed motion picture also starring Wesley Snipes (BLADE, U.S. MARSHALS) and Loretta Devine (WAITING TO EXHALE) -- share in this remarkable journey to discover the strength of a family's roots and the power of unconditional love!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: This is a good movie from 1998 that I still have on VHS\\n\\nReview: This is a good movie from 1998 that I still have on VHS, and Wesley Snipes is one of the main characters in this movie. Out of all the main characters in this movie, Wesley Snipes is my favorite actor. And I also have a favorite action movie on VHS that I like to watch with Wesley Snipes, and that movie is \\\"Passenger 57\\\". So before I watch this movie Down In The Delta, I would sometimes watch the movie \\\"Passenger 57\\\". And I would also sometimes watch the movie \\\"Blade\\\", another movie with Wesley Snipes that came out in the same year as this movie \\\"Down In The Delta\\\". Those two other movies with Wesley are totally different, and he does play a good character. And I find that Wesley also\\ndid a good job playing a good character in this movie \\\"Down In The Delta\\\". You don't see much of him in this movie, but he's still one of the main characters. And not only do I like Wesley Snipes in this movie, but I also like Alfre Woodard and all the other main characters. And knowing that Wesley Snipes is one of the main characters in this movie, this is the last movie I would watch with him in it. I find him and Alfre Woodard had a great connection in this movie, and they were both nice to each other. So this is a movie I would never want to forget.\\n\\nI don't too much care for the movies that Wesley came out with after this movie \\\"Down In The Delta\\\", so I wouldn't too much get into his movies like that. But he still is my favorite actor. And I would say that I would only watch three movies with Wesley Snipes, this movie \\\"Down In The Delta\\\", \\\"Passenger 57\\\", and \\\"Blade\\\".\\n\\nOther than that, this movie is also about family getting together and having good times.\",\n \"Product: Luther Vandross sound has virtually been the soundtrack of R&B over the past 20 years. The veteran R&B singer first realized his love of music as a youngster going to the legendary Apollo Theater in his native Harlem, N.Y. He listened to the radio constantly and developed a love for the classic soul of the sixties and seventies. Since then Luther has gone on to develop a smooth classic soul sound that is his alone, when you hear one of his songs there is no question that the voice behind the music is Luther. BETs Journeys In Black takes you backstage and behind the scenes to explore the man behind one of the greatest voices in the history of music.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: so watching this documentary brings back memories of him as to what a great singer he was\\n\\nReview: Today is April 20, 2015, and it's Luther Vandross's birthday. So, today is the day I celebrate his birthday by watching this documentary with him. It's been ten years since Luther passed away, so watching this documentary brings back memories of him as to what a great singer he was.\\n\\nThis movie is a documentary with Luther Vandross talking about his life and musical career. I would watch this movie every now and then, and remember what a great singer and person Luther was. What I also like about this movie is the interview with Luther talking, his appearance, and how slim he was. The Luther I see in front of the camera talking in the interview is what I like to see, know, and remember; not big and heavy. I not only like Luther Vandross as a great singer, but a person just being Luther; like Whitney Houston said in this movie in one of the interiews is that not only was Luther a great singer, but what a great person and fun guy he was to be with. I can also believe that Luther Vandross was not gay, and that he was a normal guy just being Luther and a great singer. I remember that this documentary came out in 2001, which was Luther's 20th year of his musical career. It also shows his mother talking about him, and when she was pregnant with him and almost died. And Luther's musical director and close friends talk in the interviews. Luther passed away on July 1, 2005, and this documentary brings back good memories of him and how great he was. And by remembering Luther and just by looking at his appearance as my favorite singer, I like him thin. I don't like the big and heavy Luther, so the thin Luther Vandross is what I would like to know and remember as my favorite singer. This documentary should even be watched on Luther's birthday April 20th, or on July 1st the he passed, to celebrate his life and legacy as to what a great singer he was.\\n\\nThere's also a movie called \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross,\\\" a 1991 VHS tape with all of Luther's videos from 1981, and I have that video cassette tape copied on a DVD. That was a movie that came out ten years before this documentary was made, and that movie shows interviews with Luther talking within his videos just like this documentary. And I would watch that movie with Luther's videos, along with this documentary, so that there would be something else for me to watch with Luther Vandross. And there's a also \\\"Dance With My Father\\\" DVD single, a DVD with three videos from Luther's last 2 albums and that came out in the same era as this documentary. So, even when I watch this documentary with Luther, I would also watch that DVD single with those three videos, along with the videos from \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross\\\" movie. I would also play Luther's music as well.\\n\\nThis documentary was also made in the same year when Luther came out with his self-titled debut album, \\\"Luther Vandross,\\\" with the J Records label. And I have that 2001 album by Luther Vandross, and a 2003 album, \\\"Dance With My Father,\\\" that Luther came out with after that album and before he passed away. So, even when I watch this documenary with Luther Vandross, I would also play those last 2 albums with his music, and his music from some other albums that he put out. I remember back in 2001 when I first saw this documentary with Luther on the BET channel, and I liked it. I not only would watch this documentary to remember Luther as a great singer, but to also see and remember what he looked like as slim Luther.\",\n \"Product: Michael (Jaleel White), a young San Diego police officer, is so thankful that his beautiful girlfriend Ashley (Jennia Fredrique) has accepted his marriage proposal that he decides to meet her family over Thanksgiving dinner. But nothing can prepare Michael for what Ashley's family is about to serve up: Her dad's a Black Panther, her brother's a thug, and her grandparents well, they've got it goin' on...and on and on! By dessert time, Michael has to wonder whether his first meeting of the prospective in-laws should be his last in this delectable comedy that'll leave you begging for seconds!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: This is a good movie with Jaleel White\\n\\nReview: This movie came out in 2006, which was ten years ago, and it's still a good movie to watch with Jaleel White. I have this movie stored in a zip-loc bag with the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th season of the show Family Matters with Jaleel White on the DVD sets, and I also have eight seasons of Family Matters on the DVD sets with Jaleel White. That's a show Jaleel White is best known for as a main character playing (Steve Urkel), and it's my all-time favorite show with him. And I would watch this movie with Jaleel White, after watching him from the eight seasons of Family Matters that I just like and have on the DVD sets. There is also a 9th season of Family Matters, which is the very last season with Jaleel White, but I don't like that season for a simple reason, so I wouldn't have the 9th season of Family Matters on the DVD set to watch before watching this movie. The first eight seasons is good enough for me to watch along with this movie anyway, and Family Matters is still my all-time favorite show to watch with Jaleel White. And that show with him brings back good memories. And instead of me even watching the 9th season of Family Matters that I don't like, I would also watch this movie with Jaleel White. I find this movie and the first eight seasons of Family Matters with Jaleel White is a great collection for me to have and watch all together. And I do have this movie added with the first eight seasons of Family Matters that I just like and have on the DVD sets.\\n\\nThis movie even shows Jaleel White getting married to his girlfriend in the last scene, which was a good thing for him. And this movie with Jaleel White now started to even remind me of a Christmas movie from last year in 2015 and from the Lifetime channel, and that Christmas movie is called \\\"The Flight Before Christmas.\\\" And two other main characters from the show Family Matters with Jaleel White stars in that movie, and it's shows them being married just like in Family Matters. I do find this movie with Jaleel White is just like that Christmas movie from the Lifetime channel, because it's about a young couple being on a plane and going to spend a Christmas vacation. And this movie shows Jaleel White and his girlfriend going to a spend a vacation together. So I would pretend or make believe that this movie is \\\"The Flight Before Christmas\\\", even though it's not a Christmas movie or the real thing.\\n\\nI started to type a review on this movie and on 7/13/2016, and today is 12/1/2016. It's even Christmas time, and I actually even have this movie wrapped up with the first eight seasons of Family Matters that I just like and have on the DVD sets as a Christmas present to myself, and I just know that I'll enjoy watching this movie and the eight seasons of Family Matters with Jaleel White, after opening them up on Christmas morning.\",\n \"Product: NTSC/Region 0. The mighty Luther Vandross, in a beautiful collection of classic videos that established the great singer and songwriter as a Pop and R&B icon. Though struck down tragically in 2005, Luther Vandross enjoyed a long and astonishingly successful career. Emerging in the '80s from what had already been thriving work as a songwriter and backup singer (and a commercial jingle writer and singer!), Luther broke through in 1980 with the classic R&B hit - and the memorable early music-video - `Never Too Much,' featured here. `The Power Of Love/Love Power,' `Don't Want To Be A Fool,' `Stop To Love,' `There's Nothing Better Than Love' (with Gregory Hines),'Never Too Much,' `A House Is Not A Home' ... these classic videos, invested by Luther with his amazing stage presence, sincerity, and knack for groove, return us to moments that ended all too soon. And as a special treat: Luther also appears here in interviews, recalling the making of these videos and the meaning of these songs to his career - making this a must-own collection. Immortal.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: ... and his videos is exactly the same as \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross\\n\\nReview: This video collection of Luther Vandross and his videos is exactly the same as \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross,\\\" a 1991 VHS tape with all these videos and interviews with Luther talking, so in that case I already have this whole video collection of Luther Vandross. And from the VHS that I have it from, I also have it converted on a DVD where I would watch it from, so that the VHS tape doesn't ware. This is really a video collection that came out back in 1991 on the VHS tape, and it was just remastered from the VHS tape. And I can see that I was remastered back in 2011, which was 20 years later from when it was really released. So, it would be a waste of money for me to buy this DVD with Luther's videos, because I have it already.\",\n \"Product: Jonathan Butler - self-titled Audio CD. Zomba/RCA/Jive Records USA release from 1987.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: ... on the cover of this album is what I like alot better than what he looks like nowadays\\n\\nReview: The Jonathan Butler in the pictures on the cover of this album is what I like alot better than what he looks like nowadays, and I like this album with great songs to listen to. This was when I first knew who Jonathan Butler was and what his music sounds like, so this is a good album by him and it's his second album. I also have his first album, \\\"Introducing Jonathan Butler,\\\" and that's also a good album by Jonathan Butler. The Jonathan Butler from this era is what I would want to know as a Jazz artist instead of a gospel performer. It is known that Jonathan Butler sings gospel music nowadays, and I'd rather hear his earlier music from his first album, this album, \\\"Jonathan Butler,\\\" his third album, \\\"More Than Friends,\\\" and his fourth album \\\"Heal Our Land.\\\" This album by Jonathan Butler came out in 1987, and it's still a good album to listen to.\",\n \"Product: The first-ever hits collection from Barry White's \\\"girl group\\\"! And Barry himself selected the tracks to appear on this 17-song number: Walkin' in the Rain with the One I Love; I Belong to You; It May Be Winter Outside (but in My Heart It's Spring); I'm So Glad That I'm a Woman; Under the Influence of Love; If You Want Me, Say It , and more. 79 minutes, seven songs never on CD!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: This is a greatest hits album by a group called Love Unlimited\\n\\nReview: This is a greatest hits album by a group called Love Unlimited, a singing group with the wife of late singer Barry White. This music is so soothing with nice rythm and beat, and these 3 young ladies can sing. You would also hear Barry White's voice in 2 or 3 songs on this album with the group. I have 2 copies of this album with the Love Unlimited's greatest hits; one to play, and one kept as a duplicate. I also have a DVD with Barry White singing Live in Germany from 1975, and this group Love Unlimited is also seen with singing 3 of their hits from this album, along with Barry White singing. I find this album with Love Unlimited is nice and I like it. I would even play it along with Barry White's music; I find both their music relate together as being heard.\",\n \"Product: Vandross,Luther ~ Vol. 2-One Night With You-Best\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: This is another greatest hits album by Luther Vandross that came out in ...\\n\\nReview: Luther Vandross is my all-time favorite singer, but I can do without listening to this album. This is an album by Luther Vandross with his greatest that came out in 1997. The songs on this album are taken from five original albums that Luther came out with before this album, I like those five original albums alot better. There's even four then new hits on this album, including the song title \\\"One Night With You,\\\" a 1992 hit featuring Janet Jackson called \\\"The Best Things In Life Are Free,\\\" and the rest of the songs are taken from the five original albums from 1991 to 1996.\\n\\nThe five original albums that the rest of the songs on this album with Luther's greatest hits are taken from is\\n\\n\\\"Power Of Love\\\" (1991 album)\\n\\\"Never Let Me Go\\\" (1993 album)\\n\\\"Songs\\\" (1994 album)\\n\\\"Your Secret Love\\\" (1996 album)\\n\\nAnd there's one hit taken from Luther's christmas album,\\n\\\"This Is Christmas.\\\" (1995 album)\\n\\nI have all five of those original albums by Luther Vandross where the songs from this album are taken from, and I like them alot better with other additional songs that are my favorite. This album is also the second called \\\"The Best Of Love,\\\" just like the 2 double-disc album with Luther's greatest hits from 1981 to 1988 that I also have and don't listen to. I don't consider this an original album, because this album has all the hits taken from all 5 of those original albums from 1991 to 1996, and I like them alot better. Because I have some favorite album-tracks from those original albums, and I wouldn't want to miss out on hearing them. The 1991 album, \\\"Power Of Love,\\\" is one of my all-time favorite albums by Luther Vandross, and my favorite album-track from that album is \\\"The Rush,\\\" an upbeat tempo hit song with a nice rythm and with the sounds of keyboard, and I would play that album-track about 2 or 3 times. So, I would just stick with listening to those first 4 original albums by Luther Vandross for the most part, with more music to listen to and my favorite album-tracks to hear. His christmas album, \\\"This Is Christmas,\\\" doesn't really count as being heard, because when it's christmas time, that's when it should be heard. But, there is another album by Luther that I would listen to, along with those first 4 original albums though. And that album is called \\\"I Know,\\\" another original album by Luther that came out a year after this album in 1998 with Virgin Records. This was also Luther's last album with epic.\",\n \"Product: Certified platinum by the RIAA. (4/95)\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: and it's still a good album. I remember back in 2008 for my ...\\n\\nReview: This is Gerald Levert's second solo album from 1994, and it's still a good album. I remember back in 2008 for my 23rd birthday, I bought this album by Gerald Levert and it became my favorite album. One of my favorite songs on this album is \\\"Love Street,\\\" a slow love song with Gerald singing his heart out. I would play this album along with Gerald's first album, \\\"Private Line,\\\" from 1991, and an album called \\\"The Very Best Of Levert.\\\" This album, \\\"Groove On,\\\" is my all-time favorite album by Gerald Levert and those two other albums with him singing are also my favorite, and I would play them all together.\\n\\nWhen I listen to music, I also like to see the music videos with the artist singing. And from this album \\\"Groove On\\\", I noticed three music videos with Gerald singing, and the three videos from this album is \\\"I'd Give Anything\\\", \\\"How Many Times\\\", and \\\"Can't Help Myself\\\". And I do like those three music videos with Gerald Levert singing from this album \\\"Groove On\\\". The music video with Gerald singing \\\"Can't Help Myself\\\" from this album is a remix and it's not the actual sound like from this album, and I noticed Gerald singing the song a little different with other lyrics. But he still sings the same lyrics and sounds the same like from the actual sound like from the actual sound. And I would say that I like the actual sound better of that song \\\"Can't Help Myself\\\", because it's longer with Gerald singing more lyrics.\\n\\nI also remember when Gerald Levert passed away on 11/10/2006, so this album is pretty much what I would want to remember him by. There was also an album by Gerald Levert that came out a year after he passed away, and the album is called \\\"In My Songs.\\\" That album sounds alot different from this lyric \\\"Groove On\\\", and I like the sound of this album by Gerald Levert from the 90's. So, instead of listening to that album, \\\"In My Songs\\\" by Gerald Levert, I would just stick with listening to this album and the two other albums that I would listen to, along with it. I'm I'm really a big Gerald Levert fan and I was never into his music like other people, so there's no other album by Gerald Levert that I would listen to than this album, \\\"Groove On,\\\" \\\"Private Line,\\\" album from 1991, and \\\"The Very Best Of Levert.\\\"\",\n \"Product: 1990 debut solo album from ex-New Edition vocalist featuring 'Sensitivity' & 'Do What I Gotta Do'.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: It's his first solo album with him singing by himself and it's a still a good album that came out in 1990\\n\\nReview: This is an album by Ralph Tresvant, a singer and a member from the group New Edition. It's his first solo album with him singing by himself without New Edition, and it's a still a good album that came out in 1990. One of my favorite songs on this album is \\\"Alright Now,\\\" a slow song with nice rythm and beat. And I like all the other songs especially \\\"Sensitivity,\\\" and the songs with Ralph rapping. I would play and listen to this album along with Ralph Tresvant's second solo album \\\"It's Goin Down\\\" from 1993, and the New Edition album \\\"Home Again\\\" from 1996. I think that those 2 other albums relate to this album as being heard, and I have all 3 of the CD's, including this album by Ralph Tresvant, sitting in a zip-loc bag together like a collection.\",\n \"Product: CD\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: and it's a good album. The only song on this album that ...\\n\\nReview: This is New Edition's second album from 1984, and it's a good album. The only song on this album that I don't like is \\\"Maryann,\\\" but I do like all the rest of the songs. I would play and listen to this album along with their first album \\\"Candy Girl,\\\" and their 3rd, 4th, and 5th album. I would also play and listen to a solo album by Bobby Brown called \\\"Don't Be Cruel,\\\" an album that came out in the same year as New Edition's 1988 \\\"Heart Break\\\" album. There's also a movie with New Edition and there music videos that I would watch along with listening to this album, and it's called \\\"Past and Present,\\\" a rare movie on a VHS tape that also I have and that came out a year after New Edition's 1988 album \\\"Heart Break\\\" and Bobby Brown's \\\"Don't Be Cruel\\\" album.\",\n \"Product: He reigned as the King of the Blues from the early '50s, and B.B. King continued to wear the crown with dignity and class throughout his long career. This outstanding performance was recorded at the Trump Marina Hotel on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City. B.B. King delivers the goods on classics. This performance once again confirms that B.B. King was an American institution who deserved his rightful place among other American music icons such as Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Billie Holiday, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: and it's still a good movie to watch with Grover performing\\n\\nReview: This is a DVD with Grover Washington, Jr. performing live in concert from back in 1990, and it's still a good movie to watch with Grover performing. I would watch this movie, along with playing Grover's music. And the albums by Grover Washington, Jr. I would play and listen to is\\n\\nGreatest Motown Hits\\n\\\"Winelight\\\" (1980 album)\\n\\\"Come Morning\\\" (1981 album)\\n\\\"Strawberry Moon\\\" (1987 album)\\n\\\"Time Out Of Mine\\\" (1989 album)\\n\\\"Next Exit\\\" (1992 album)\\n\\\"Soulful Strut\\\" (1996 album)\\n\\nAnd a 2001 tribute album by various artists, \\\"To Grover, With Love\\\"\\n\\nI would play all these set of albums by Grover, along with watching this DVD and seeing him perform.\\n\\nAnd it is also known that Grover Washington, Jr. passed away in 1999, so I decided to get this DVD and have something to remember him by. Even though Grover is missed, his music still lives on.\",\n \"Product: R Kelly ~ Born Into The 90's\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: and it's good. And it's alot better than his newest albums\\n\\nReview: This is R. Kelly's first album with Public Announcement, and it's good. And it's alot better than his newest albums.\\n\\nMusic from this album with R. Kelly singing with Public Announcement is alot different from his newest music nowadays, and I do his music from this album alot better than his newest recordings. And I also like R. Kelly's music from his 2nd, 3rd, and 4th album.\\n\\nThe 2nd, 3rd, and 4th album by R. Kelly that came out after this album is\\n\\n\\\"12 Play\\\" (1993) album)\\n\\\"R. Kelly\\\" (1995 album)\\n\\\"R.\\\" (1998 album)\\n\\nAnd I do have these other set of albums by R. Kelly that came out after this album, and their also good albums. Music that R. Kelly came out with after his first four albums, including this album \\\"Born Into The 90's\\\", I wouldn't listen to any of it. I'm not really a big R. Kelly fan and I pretty much just like his music from this album, and from his 2nd, 3rd, and 4th album. R. Kelly's 4th album \\\"R.\\\" from 1998 is the last album I would listen to with his music, and I wouldn't listen to anymore of his music after that. The 2000 album \\\"TP-2.com that R. Kelly came out with after that album was not as good, and it's totally different from the 1998 album \\\"R\\\", and different from his first four albums, including this album \\\"Born Into The 90's\\\". I remember when I first heard that 2000 album \\\"TP-2.com\\\", I didn't really like it, and R. Kelly's music sure did change around that time. And I don't like what his music sounds like nowadays. So this album \\\"Born Into The 90's\\\" and R. Kelly's 2nd, 3rd, and 4th album is what I'll just be listening with his music.\\n\\nR. Kelly was even a totally different type of singer when he recorded this first album with Public Announcement, and when he recorded his 2nd, 3rd, and 4th album. But R. Kelly's music nowadays is not like it used to be, and I like the old sound of his music. So his earlier music is better to listen to.\",\n \"Product: FANTASTIC FOUR DISC, 25th ANIVERSARY COLLECTION, BOXED SET OF FACKSON FIVE'S 82 SONGS!! ALSO INCLUDED IS A GREAT BOOKLET WITH MICHAEL & THE FIVE'S HISTORY. READ THE REVIEWS FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE BOUGHT THIS. ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ONE IS 5 STAR!!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: ... a four disc collection of all the Jackson Five's greatest hits. I remember back in 1995 when this ...\\n\\nReview: This is a four disc collection of all the Jackson Five's greatest hits. I remember back in 1995 when this came out I got it for christmas and it was the cassette tape collection, and this is my favorite Jackson 5 collection. I misplaced this whole collection of the Jackson 5 that I had on tape, so this time I decided to buy back the CD collection to hear it better with a more crisp sound. And from this whole collection of the Jackson 5, I do have some favorite songs that I would play over again. On disc four, one of my favorite songs with Michael Jackson singing is \\\"I'm Glad It Rained,\\\" a slow song with a nice rythm and beat, and a song with the rest of the Jackson brothers singing while Michael sings the lead. This whole collection has everything that the Jackson 5 put out, and I would pretty much play their music from this collection. I also like the original albums by the Jackson 5, and I have them and would sometimes play them.\\n\\nI also would want to remember Michael Jackson from this era of his music that he put out with the Jackson 5, being that he is missed. This music was when Michael Jackson was a whole different person then, so I would want remember the young Micheal Jackson singing with the Jackson 5. I do like the older Micheal Jackson too, but I wouldn't want to ever forget this music with him singing.\",\n \"Product: Luther Vandross ~ Power Of Love\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Luther Vandross is my all-time favorite singer, and this is another one of my ...\\n\\nReview: Luther Vandross is my all-time favorite singer, and this is another one of my favorite albums by him. I consider this album Luther's seventh studio-album that came out 3 years after the sixth studio-album \\\"Any Love,\\\" from 1988. I also remember when this album came out back in 1991, ten years after the release of Luther's first album \\\"Never Too Much,\\\" and it's still one of the greatest albums of all-time. One of my favorite songs from this album is \\\"The Rush,\\\" an album track and an up-beat tempo hit song with a nice rythm and the sounds of a keyboard. There's also a video with Luther singing that song (live-in-studio) from \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross (1991 vhs),\\\" a video tape that I have and that's converted on a DVD with all of Luther's videos from 1981, a video tape that shows interviews with Luther talking, along with his videos, and a video tape that came out when this album was released in 1991. And I also like the video with Luther singing \\\"The Rush\\\" (live-in-studio) from this album.\\n\\nThere's 2 other videos from this album and from \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross\\\" (1991 vhs) with Luther singing, and those 2 videos are\\n\\n\\\"Power Of Love/Love Power\\\"\\n\\\"Don't Want To Be A Fool\\\"\\n\\nAnd I do like those 2 other videos with Luther singing from this album and from \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross\\\" (1991 vhs) as well.\\n\\nWith listening to this album, I also like the title track \\\"Power Of Love/Love Power\\\" and all the rest of the songs. This album takes me back to when I was six years old and was living in Orlando Florida, and I still to this day remember those days and when this album came out. Alot of times I would play the title track over again and it became my favorite song, and Luther Vandross became my favorite singer with such a wonderful voice. These days when I still listen to this album, I think back when it first came out and how life was then, and how music was so popular. And that's when I became a big Luther Vandross fan.\\n\\nIt's also been ten years since Luther Vandross passed away, and even though he is missed, his voice and music still lives on. So, whenever I watch Luther sing and perform in his videos from \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross\\\" (1991 vhs) that I have converted on a DVD, it brings back memories of him and how great of a singer he was.\\n\\nI also have an extra copy of this album burned on a CD, and it's stored in a zip-loc bag with Luther's last 2 albums,\\n\\n\\\"Luther Vandross\\\" (2001 album)\\n\\\"Dance With My Father\\\" (2003 album)\\n\\nAnd I would sometimes play my burned copy of this album, \\\"Power Of Love,\\\" along with these last 2 albums by Luther Vandross. My original copy of this album is what I would play, along with four other albums that Luther came out with in 1993, 1994, 1996, and in 1998. And those other four albums are\\n\\n\\\"Never Let Me Go\\\" (1993 album)\\n\\\"Songs\\\" (1994 album)\\n\\\"Your Secret Love\\\" (1996 album)\\n\\\"I Know\\\" (1998 album)\\n\\nI have these other four albums by Luther Vandross burned on CD's, and their all stored in a zip-loc bag put together in year order with my original copy of this album, \\\"Power Of Love,\\\" and I would play them all in year order (including this album).\\n\\nEven when I listen to this 1991 album, \\\"Power Of Love,\\\" by Luther Vandross, I would sometimes watch him sing live in concert from the \\\"Live at Wembley\\\" (1989 vhs) that I also have and that's converted on a DVD. And that also brings back memories of Luther and how great of a singer he was. When Luther came out with this album in 1991, I remember noticing a Power Of Love tour with him singing live in concert, and I find that video with him singing live at Wembley is just like it. So, I would pretend or make believe that's a Power Of Love tour with Luther singing. And I would also want to remember Luther from the era of when he came out with this album in 1991.\",\n \"Product: Grover Jr. Washington ~ Soulful Strut\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: This is a good album by the late Grover Washington\\n\\nReview: This is a good album by the late Grover Washington, Jr., and it's one of my favorite albums. This album came out in 1996, five years before Grover's last album, Aria, an album that came out a year after Grover passed away in 1999, and I like this album \\\"Soulful Strut\\\" alot better than that album. That album \\\"Aria\\\" sounds alot different from this album, and I like to hear Grover on albums like this. So instead of me listening to Grover's last album \\\"Aria\\\" I would play this album, There's also an album that I do have and that came out in 2001, and it's called \\\"To Grover, With Love\\\". I would play that album after listening to this 1996 album \\\"Soulful Strut\\\" by Grover. That 2001 album \\\"To Grover, With Love\\\" is an album that was dedicated to Grover Washington, Jr. two years after he passed away, and it's an album with other various artists that played over his music. And that's also a good album to listen to with Grover's music being played by other various artists.\\n\\nOther albums by Grover Washington, Jr. that I do have and would play is\\n\\n\\\"Greatest Motown Hits\\\"\\n\\\"Winelight\\\" (1980 album)\\n\\\"Come Morning (1981 album)\\n\\\"Strawberry Moon\\\" (1987 album)\\n\\\"Time Out Of Mine\\\" (1989 album)\\n\\\"Next Exit\\\" (1992 album)\\n\\nThese are the first set of albums by Grover Washington, Jr. came out before this 1996 album \\\"Soulful Strut\\\", and I would play them as well. It's also known that Grover Washington, Jr. passed away on 12/17/1999, and I have to say that he was one of the greatest saxophone players in music. And even though he is missed, his music will still live on. There's also a DVD that I do have with seeing Grover perform, and it's called \\\"Standing Room Only\\\", a live performance with Grover Washington, Jr. performing on stage from back in 1990. And I would sometimes watch that live performance with Grover performing, so that I can also have something to remember him. And so as this album \\\"Soulful Strut\\\" with his music.\",\n \"Product: The DMX story is the stuff of legends, but like all good legends, it bears repeating. Born in Baltimore and raised in Yonkers, New York, DMX endured an exceptionally difficult childhood. Shuttling between group homes, in and out of trouble with the law, he might have been destined for a tragic life, if not for his extraordinary talent for expressing himself through rap. Armed with one of the most ferocious flows in the history of hip-hop.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: I have this Deluxe Limited Edition album with DMX's greatest hits, and there's a DVD disc that came ...\\n\\nReview: I have this Deluxe Limited Edition album with DMX's greatest hits, and there's a DVD disc that came with this album when I bought it a while back. So this is a double-disc album that I have. The DVD disc has some of the music videos from this album with DMX performing the songs, and I do like the videos with seeing him perform the songs from this album.\\n\\nI bought this album used off here on Amazon. And a few years back when I bought this double-disc album with DMX's greatest, the jewel case with the CD and DVD disc was old and worn out. So I took a brand new jewel case that I had to place the picture covers and the CD disc in it, and I took another brand new jewel case that had to place the DVD disc in it. So now I have both new jewel cases of this album sitting in a zip-loc bag together.\\n\\nNow let me just say that this album is a great collection of songs by DMX. I also have all seven of his original albums, including the first five albums and where the songs from this album is from. This album even has 20 greatest hits from DMX's first five original albums, and it's something good to listen to. And DMX is one of my favorite rappers of all time.\",\n \"Product: CD\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: This is another good album by Luther Vandross that came out a year ...\\n\\nReview: This is Luther Vandross's 11th album from 1996, and it's still a good album. One of my songs from this album is \\\"I Can't Wait No Longer\\\" (Let's Do This), a song with 2 girls rapping. And I like all the rest of the songs on this album.\\n\\nI would play this album along with\\n\\n\\\"Power Of Love\\\"\\n\\\"Never Let Me Go\\\"\\n\\\"Songs\\\"\\n\\nThese are three regular albums that Luther came out with before this album from 1991. And I would also play this album along with another album called \\\"I Know,\\\" another album by Luther that came out 2 years after this album in 1998 with Virgin Records. There's also a christmas album that Luther came out with a year before this album in 1995, and sometimes I would play it along with this album, his other albums that are listed, and the album \\\"I Know\\\" from 1998.\\n\\nAnd with listening to this album by Luther Vandross, there's also a movie with his videos that I would watch called \\\"The Best Of Luther Vandross,\\\" a 1991 VHS tape that I have copied on a DVD with all of Luther's videos from 1981.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":26,"string":"26"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":397,"string":"397"}}},{"rowIdx":398,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A1LBRQUW3YBLJ1"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"4.0\" for a product with description \"Looks at the way our minds work, and how we make decisions. This book reveals how our minds are tripped up by error and prejudice (even when we think we are being logical), and gives you practical techniques for slower, smarter thinking. It enables you to make better decisions at work, at home, and in everything you do.\". The summary of the review text is \"These guys take the human out of humanity\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"Enough here have echoed the gist of Kahneman's noteworthy book.\n\nI will restrict my remarks to the field of behaviorism and its limits. In a word, when a behaviorist - and Kahneman is the behaviorist's behaviorist - gets through with humanity, there's no human left.\n\nThe value that behaviorists have to offer - and it shouldn't be discounted - is in understanding how the herd moves. For those of us who address large audiences through various media, the behaviorists have much to offer. Everyday, we are confronted with people who behave in the ways that Kahneman describes, whether it's expressing a biased, making a bad bet based on a flawed prediction, or letting their emotions lead them like an ox with a ring through its nose.\n\nBut what really gets me about the behaviorists is that by the time they're through with all their tests on improbable scenarios built on false choices, there's not an ounce of human left in humanity. Kahneman does recognize \"caring for people often takes the form of concern for the quality of their story, not for their feelings,\" but it seems to me it was said a lot better by the poet who wrote to the effect that aside from the stories we create to define ourselves, we eat, sleep, and procreate.\n\nBut where behaviorism fails - and it's a fundamental shortcoming - is exploring root causes of our behavior and how our mind works. Behavior patterns are manifestations of root causes. There are other disciplines that explore root causes of our behavior and, for one, I find them far more rewarding.\n\nBehaviorism also fails - or so it seems to me - when it tries to impose its macro findings on individual behavior. Thankfully, Kahneman only does this in the last few chapters, in which I found little value.\n\nThat said, the slog through Kahneman's book was worthwhile. I took copious notes and will revisit it sometime after I renew my relationship with fellow man."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"Enough here have echoed the gist of Kahneman's noteworthy book.\n\nI will restrict my remarks to the field of behaviorism and its limits. In a word, when a behaviorist - and Kahneman is the behaviorist's behaviorist - gets through with humanity, there's no human left.\n\nThe value that behaviorists have to offer - and it shouldn't be discounted - is in understanding how the herd moves. For those of us who address large audiences through various media, the behaviorists have much to offer. Everyday, we are confronted with people who behave in the ways that Kahneman describes, whether it's expressing a biased, making a bad bet based on a flawed prediction, or letting their emotions lead them like an ox with a ring through its nose.\n\nBut what really gets me about the behaviorists is that by the time they're through with all their tests on improbable scenarios built on false choices, there's not an ounce of human left in humanity. Kahneman does recognize \"caring for people often takes the form of concern for the quality of their story, not for their feelings,\" but it seems to me it was said a lot better by the poet who wrote to the effect that aside from the stories we create to define ourselves, we eat, sleep, and procreate.\n\nBut where behaviorism fails - and it's a fundamental shortcoming - is exploring root causes of our behavior and how our mind works. Behavior patterns are manifestations of root causes. There are other disciplines that explore root causes of our behavior and, for one, I find them far more rewarding.\n\nBehaviorism also fails - or so it seems to me - when it tries to impose its macro findings on individual behavior. Thankfully, Kahneman only does this in the last few chapters, in which I found little value.\n\nThat said, the slog through Kahneman's book was worthwhile. I took copious notes and will revisit it sometime after I renew my relationship with fellow man."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: 'HOOVER F5914-900 steamvac with clean surge. Patented spin scrub brushes scrub carpet fibers on all sides to gently loosen dirt, heated cleaning directly applies heat to the floor where its needed the most, 2-speed brush control for normal or gentle cleaning, clean surge provides the power to clean spots & heavy traffic areas, 2-tank system keeps clean water & dirty water separate, no belts to change, break or replace, spin scrub hand tool easily cleans upholstery, stairs & spots, 12-amp motor, includes 16 oz Hoover deep cleansing detergent, 1-year warranty\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Broken after two uses\n\nReview: After two uses, my Hoover super duper carpet cleaner doesn't work any more. The power surge no longer works, so the water dribbles and drips into the carpet and is not cycled into the retainer for used water. And when I say dribble, I mean drop by drop.\n\nThe machine is poorly designed. First it is most difficult to align the container with the soap and water with the valve to the line feeding the brushes. This is the so-called surge feature. Secondly, from previous carpet cleaners that I've seen and used, the line feeding the water to the cleaning unit is way too long and circuitous. All around, this is a poorly engineered machine.\n\nI did not have trouble with leaking cited by others, but this in my eye is yet another indication of a poorly designed machine. Why foist that on customers?\n\nGoes in the trash next week.\n\nJudging by this machine, Hoover has come down a long way in the world. Our family had numerous Hoover vacuums growing up. They worked well for at least 20 years, and usually longer.\n\nHowever, I have learned it pays to dig deep at the higher-end vacuum stores and buy machines that work. I bought this from a box store because the previous carpet cleaner I bought worked for about five years. I use it mostly for spot cleaning, and to clean carpets in the house two or three times a year.","Product: Elephant-headed and many-armed, Ganesha is a mystifying, even comic figure to the uninitiated. In one of the forms he is Nritya Ganapati, the dancing God who is depicted as a four arm deity. This beautiful dancing Ganesh statue is made of cast bronze with subtle red/green accents. Ganesha is considered a remover of obstacles and is associated with beginnings, which makes this statue a great gift idea for housewarmings and for festivals.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Ganesh for Scribes\n\nReview: Given the attractive appearance in the photo, I expected much from this Ganesh, and like the deity that he is, those those expectations are exceeded. As a scribe, I couldn't have dreamed a better Ganesh to sit on my desk for inspiration. In his right hand, he is making a protective mudra (sign) and in his other right hand holding a prod (to spur us on, of course). He holds a lotus in his trunk (signifying love). In his left hand he is holding a scroll (signifying his powers as a scribe) and is making another mudra, which I have been unable to identify. According to my research, the dance is an energetic defense - I hope against procrastination, grammatical errors, and misspelled words.\n\nAnd the face on this Ganesh is expressive. I swear he's looking at me, imploring me to better marshal my words!\n\nThe motion is captured wonderfully. I fully expect to peek in the office one night to see Ganesh whirling away.","Product: For the first time in English, the third psychological thriller from No 1 bestselling Swedish crime sensation Camilla Lackberg. The remote resort of Fjallbacka has seen its share of tragedy, though perhaps none worse than that of the little girl found in a fisherman's net. But the post-mortem reveals that this is no accidental drowning! Local detective Patrik Hedstrom has just become a father. It is his grim task to discover who could be behind the methodical murder of a child both he and his partner, Erica, knew well. He knows the solution lies with finding a motive for this terrible crime. What he does not know is how this case will reach into the dark heart of Fjallbacka and tear aside its idyllic facade, perhaps forever.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Run of the Mill Pulp Mystery\n\nReview: Lackberg's writing is lackluster.\n\nThe story lines are one dimensional, read: lacking.\n\nElsewhere this is billed as police procedural, but as a former newspaper reporter with a cop and public defender in the family, I'd have to say Lackberg's knowledge of police procedures is...lacking.\n\nThose who don't demand much from their mystery reads will find this an enjoyable enough read, maybe even four or five star stuff in their universe. Lackberg does a decent job of pulling the reader through, although I can sympathize with those that found this slow, and the cutout characters are differentiated enough to offer some interest.\n\nAs is the case with anything Scandinavian and mystery, comparisons with Stieg Larsson are inevitable; and Lackberg's work will be found...lacking.","Product: This is a complete collection of the superb short stories which have appeared in: \"Over To You\", \"Kiss Kiss\", \"Someone Like You\", \"Switch Bitch\" and eight further stories: \"The Umberella man\"; \"Mr Botibol\"; \"Vengeance in Mine inc\"; \"The Butler\"; \"Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life\"; \"The Bookseller\"; and, \"The Hitchhiker, The Surgeon\".\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: If you yearn for the twilight zone, Dahl's stories are the answer to your prayer\n\nReview: Roald Dahl's collected stories are a lasting treasure hoard. Each is a literary Twilight Zone episode, with a defining twist at the end that defines the story and puts at least a smile on the reader's face if it doesn't elicit a full-fledged chuckle.\n\nI was introduced to Dahl by my young son. \"Dad, do we have to finish this?\" he asked me somewhere about p. 8 in the first Harry Potter book as I read to him before bed. I reached into the book shelf in his room and pulled out Dahl's The Big Friendly Giant and the beginning of some grand father son time. But I felt sorrow after finishing the last book.\n\nWhen I discovered the Modern Library collection sometime afterwards, I read it straight through. The pleasure was doubled by the fact that I was more than making up for all the TZ episodes I missed because my mother forbade us that delight. (Now the TZ episodes look grainy and the acting seems clumsy. The magic is gone.)\n\nEach of these stories for more mature readers is an instance of sublime entertainment because of the imagination Dahl invested in them and because of that trademark ah-ha twist at the end.\n\nBut the best part is, upon further review they are neither grainy, nor clumsy.","Product: History, American Studies\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Security, Social and Otherwise\n\nReview: Maybe I shouldn't admit this, but in reading the Brits' wonderful Oxford History of the United States, I have come to understand the etymology of Social Security and welfare, largely because of David Kennedy's installment Freedom from Fear.\n\nFor the uninitiated, there was a time in our history when individuals were cast onto the market to fend for themselves. They didn't get rich. They got crushed. At least enough of them to propel the country into the Great Depression.\n\nAs a result, we created Social Security to make the country more secure not by arming ourselves, but by providing a degree of economic security to stabilize social order. That was the New Deal, although as Kennedy makes clear, the New Deal was just a beginning that never got finished.\n\nHealthcare for all, for instance, never got implemented, along with other reforms FDR thought was necessary.\n\nWhile all of this was fairly new to me - it's been a few decades since I last read surveys of American history and the current Oxford series is the gold standard - the real eye opener was Kennedy's take on Hoover. I was under the mistaken impression that HH was a bit of a nincompoop. He was actually a brilliant man...at least when it came to engineering and business (think of Mitt Romney with an engineering degree).\n\nUnfortunately, he was hired as the nation's top politician.\n\nAlong comes Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who probably could not have managed a lemonade stand profitably, or engineered a paper airplane that would fly, and, if he didn't save the day, he at least developed policies that largely pulled the U.S. economy out of a tailspin. And, truth be known, many of his early policies, such as the recognition for inflationary monetary programs, were based on Hoover's initiatives.\n\nThe difference? Roosevelt was the politician's politician, elected to the chief political office in the country. Hoover, not so much.\n\nI really hadn't thought about it in these terms before reading Kennedy's book, but one of the reasons we - the American electorate - hire so many lousy presidents is that we fail to grasp that it's a demanding political job.\n\nWalter Lippman, in a quote offered by Kennedy, put it this way, back in the day:\n\n\"The political art deals with matters peculiar to politics, with a complex of material circumstances, of historic deposit, of human passion, for which the problems of business or engineering as such do not provide an analogy.\"\n\nI encouraged thinking of Hoover as Romney with an engineering degree, and that's unfair to Hoover. Hoover at least realized this:\n\n\"You know, the only trouble with capitalism is capitalists; they're too damn greedy,\"","Product: Paperback. Pub Date :2012-02-01 Pages: 272 Language: English Publisher: Faber & Faber The past. if there is such a thing. is mostly empty space. great expanses of nothing. in which significant persons and events float Nigeria. was like that for me: mostly forgotten. except for those few things that I remembered with outsize intensity.Along the streets of Manhattan. a young Nigerian doctor doing his residency wanders aimlessly The walks meet a need for Julius:. they are a release from the tightly regulated mental environment of work. and they give him the opportunity to process his relationships. his recent breakup with his girlfriend. his present. his past. Though he is navigating the busy parts of town. the impression of countless faces does nothing to assuage his feelings of isolation But it is not only a physical landscape he covers;. Julius crisscrosses social territory ...\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Bird's Eye View in Julius' Mind Movie\n\nReview: Open City is a vast (don't be fooled by its 259 pages) book of ideas, explored by its narrator Julius as the psychiatric intern follows the migratory string of his life through time/space. His life span fits neatly into the post colonial/post 9.11 eras, but his seemingly meandering ruminations expand those contexts considerably to include a time when exploiting slaves was a matter of daily business in New York before installation of the Statue of Liberty to welcome immigrants, and during a foray into the Old World he visits the Medieval practice of \"prison\" ships sailing port-to-port to collect \"undesirables.\"\n\nA word of warning to those who cherish character and plot: this is not the book for you. In the plainest of English, this is a complex and sophisticated monologue of the mind. Very little happens beyond the daily life of an unexceptional migrant from Lagos. There are no characters here other than the sketches the reader gets through the lenses of Julius' mind. No offense, but bugger off if that's what you expect from your reading.\n\nThat said, there is much thought in this deep and wide little book. Part of it is obvious as Teju Cole puts philosophical arguments in his characters' mouths, such as the Moroccan emigrant who strives to be the next Edward Said; or in-your-face accessible such as the neighbor whose wife passed away unnoticed by Julius; but many of the ideas are more subtle, such as the metaphor of migratory birds (a mythical metaphor for soul that serves as a thread through Julius' wanderings) that frames this mind movie of an emigrant/immigrant among emigrant/immigrants.\n\nI scribbled pages of notes reading this little tome, and by no means did I pick up on even a majority of Cole's expansive allusions to the classical music world, or to literature (fact is I compiled a considerable reading list just noting the allusions).\n\nBut I did pick up on the metaphor of Julius following the string of his life, his mind movie, to discover how he fits into his time, and Time in the larger sense of the world. In addition to the migrating birds that frame the book, there is a bird representing a boy's soul tethered to the child by an electric blue string early on that serves as a handle for the reader to make sense of Julius' peregrinations as he explores his personal memory and how it fits into history. What some may find disconcerting is that the recounting of this journey through Julius' mind movie yields no result that can be expressed in the short concept statement favored by today's commercial movie industry.\n\nFor instance, Julius is morally neutral, even as the sister of a friend accuses him of seducing her while she was intoxicated in their prior life in Lagos. There is no reaction at all from Julius to her confrontation. It's as if he has erased the event that sparked her accusation from his memory. This is how memory works, Julius finds. It is a palimpsest that allows him to erase such an event from his memory, not unlike the grave of 15,000-20,000 slaves whose final resting point serves as the foundation for office towers on some of Manhattan's priciest real estate.\n\nCole's book is artistic and it is impossible to do it justice in a review. It is so broad in its explorations, and the connections so subtle that it would require several times the number of pages without yielding more insight than Cole challenges the reader to make."],"string":"[\n \"Product: 'HOOVER F5914-900 steamvac with clean surge. Patented spin scrub brushes scrub carpet fibers on all sides to gently loosen dirt, heated cleaning directly applies heat to the floor where its needed the most, 2-speed brush control for normal or gentle cleaning, clean surge provides the power to clean spots & heavy traffic areas, 2-tank system keeps clean water & dirty water separate, no belts to change, break or replace, spin scrub hand tool easily cleans upholstery, stairs & spots, 12-amp motor, includes 16 oz Hoover deep cleansing detergent, 1-year warranty\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Broken after two uses\\n\\nReview: After two uses, my Hoover super duper carpet cleaner doesn't work any more. The power surge no longer works, so the water dribbles and drips into the carpet and is not cycled into the retainer for used water. And when I say dribble, I mean drop by drop.\\n\\nThe machine is poorly designed. First it is most difficult to align the container with the soap and water with the valve to the line feeding the brushes. This is the so-called surge feature. Secondly, from previous carpet cleaners that I've seen and used, the line feeding the water to the cleaning unit is way too long and circuitous. All around, this is a poorly engineered machine.\\n\\nI did not have trouble with leaking cited by others, but this in my eye is yet another indication of a poorly designed machine. Why foist that on customers?\\n\\nGoes in the trash next week.\\n\\nJudging by this machine, Hoover has come down a long way in the world. Our family had numerous Hoover vacuums growing up. They worked well for at least 20 years, and usually longer.\\n\\nHowever, I have learned it pays to dig deep at the higher-end vacuum stores and buy machines that work. I bought this from a box store because the previous carpet cleaner I bought worked for about five years. I use it mostly for spot cleaning, and to clean carpets in the house two or three times a year.\",\n \"Product: Elephant-headed and many-armed, Ganesha is a mystifying, even comic figure to the uninitiated. In one of the forms he is Nritya Ganapati, the dancing God who is depicted as a four arm deity. This beautiful dancing Ganesh statue is made of cast bronze with subtle red/green accents. Ganesha is considered a remover of obstacles and is associated with beginnings, which makes this statue a great gift idea for housewarmings and for festivals.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Ganesh for Scribes\\n\\nReview: Given the attractive appearance in the photo, I expected much from this Ganesh, and like the deity that he is, those those expectations are exceeded. As a scribe, I couldn't have dreamed a better Ganesh to sit on my desk for inspiration. In his right hand, he is making a protective mudra (sign) and in his other right hand holding a prod (to spur us on, of course). He holds a lotus in his trunk (signifying love). In his left hand he is holding a scroll (signifying his powers as a scribe) and is making another mudra, which I have been unable to identify. According to my research, the dance is an energetic defense - I hope against procrastination, grammatical errors, and misspelled words.\\n\\nAnd the face on this Ganesh is expressive. I swear he's looking at me, imploring me to better marshal my words!\\n\\nThe motion is captured wonderfully. I fully expect to peek in the office one night to see Ganesh whirling away.\",\n \"Product: For the first time in English, the third psychological thriller from No 1 bestselling Swedish crime sensation Camilla Lackberg. The remote resort of Fjallbacka has seen its share of tragedy, though perhaps none worse than that of the little girl found in a fisherman's net. But the post-mortem reveals that this is no accidental drowning! Local detective Patrik Hedstrom has just become a father. It is his grim task to discover who could be behind the methodical murder of a child both he and his partner, Erica, knew well. He knows the solution lies with finding a motive for this terrible crime. What he does not know is how this case will reach into the dark heart of Fjallbacka and tear aside its idyllic facade, perhaps forever.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Run of the Mill Pulp Mystery\\n\\nReview: Lackberg's writing is lackluster.\\n\\nThe story lines are one dimensional, read: lacking.\\n\\nElsewhere this is billed as police procedural, but as a former newspaper reporter with a cop and public defender in the family, I'd have to say Lackberg's knowledge of police procedures is...lacking.\\n\\nThose who don't demand much from their mystery reads will find this an enjoyable enough read, maybe even four or five star stuff in their universe. Lackberg does a decent job of pulling the reader through, although I can sympathize with those that found this slow, and the cutout characters are differentiated enough to offer some interest.\\n\\nAs is the case with anything Scandinavian and mystery, comparisons with Stieg Larsson are inevitable; and Lackberg's work will be found...lacking.\",\n \"Product: This is a complete collection of the superb short stories which have appeared in: \\\"Over To You\\\", \\\"Kiss Kiss\\\", \\\"Someone Like You\\\", \\\"Switch Bitch\\\" and eight further stories: \\\"The Umberella man\\\"; \\\"Mr Botibol\\\"; \\\"Vengeance in Mine inc\\\"; \\\"The Butler\\\"; \\\"Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life\\\"; \\\"The Bookseller\\\"; and, \\\"The Hitchhiker, The Surgeon\\\".\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: If you yearn for the twilight zone, Dahl's stories are the answer to your prayer\\n\\nReview: Roald Dahl's collected stories are a lasting treasure hoard. Each is a literary Twilight Zone episode, with a defining twist at the end that defines the story and puts at least a smile on the reader's face if it doesn't elicit a full-fledged chuckle.\\n\\nI was introduced to Dahl by my young son. \\\"Dad, do we have to finish this?\\\" he asked me somewhere about p. 8 in the first Harry Potter book as I read to him before bed. I reached into the book shelf in his room and pulled out Dahl's The Big Friendly Giant and the beginning of some grand father son time. But I felt sorrow after finishing the last book.\\n\\nWhen I discovered the Modern Library collection sometime afterwards, I read it straight through. The pleasure was doubled by the fact that I was more than making up for all the TZ episodes I missed because my mother forbade us that delight. (Now the TZ episodes look grainy and the acting seems clumsy. The magic is gone.)\\n\\nEach of these stories for more mature readers is an instance of sublime entertainment because of the imagination Dahl invested in them and because of that trademark ah-ha twist at the end.\\n\\nBut the best part is, upon further review they are neither grainy, nor clumsy.\",\n \"Product: History, American Studies\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Security, Social and Otherwise\\n\\nReview: Maybe I shouldn't admit this, but in reading the Brits' wonderful Oxford History of the United States, I have come to understand the etymology of Social Security and welfare, largely because of David Kennedy's installment Freedom from Fear.\\n\\nFor the uninitiated, there was a time in our history when individuals were cast onto the market to fend for themselves. They didn't get rich. They got crushed. At least enough of them to propel the country into the Great Depression.\\n\\nAs a result, we created Social Security to make the country more secure not by arming ourselves, but by providing a degree of economic security to stabilize social order. That was the New Deal, although as Kennedy makes clear, the New Deal was just a beginning that never got finished.\\n\\nHealthcare for all, for instance, never got implemented, along with other reforms FDR thought was necessary.\\n\\nWhile all of this was fairly new to me - it's been a few decades since I last read surveys of American history and the current Oxford series is the gold standard - the real eye opener was Kennedy's take on Hoover. I was under the mistaken impression that HH was a bit of a nincompoop. He was actually a brilliant man...at least when it came to engineering and business (think of Mitt Romney with an engineering degree).\\n\\nUnfortunately, he was hired as the nation's top politician.\\n\\nAlong comes Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who probably could not have managed a lemonade stand profitably, or engineered a paper airplane that would fly, and, if he didn't save the day, he at least developed policies that largely pulled the U.S. economy out of a tailspin. And, truth be known, many of his early policies, such as the recognition for inflationary monetary programs, were based on Hoover's initiatives.\\n\\nThe difference? Roosevelt was the politician's politician, elected to the chief political office in the country. Hoover, not so much.\\n\\nI really hadn't thought about it in these terms before reading Kennedy's book, but one of the reasons we - the American electorate - hire so many lousy presidents is that we fail to grasp that it's a demanding political job.\\n\\nWalter Lippman, in a quote offered by Kennedy, put it this way, back in the day:\\n\\n\\\"The political art deals with matters peculiar to politics, with a complex of material circumstances, of historic deposit, of human passion, for which the problems of business or engineering as such do not provide an analogy.\\\"\\n\\nI encouraged thinking of Hoover as Romney with an engineering degree, and that's unfair to Hoover. Hoover at least realized this:\\n\\n\\\"You know, the only trouble with capitalism is capitalists; they're too damn greedy,\\\"\",\n \"Product: Paperback. Pub Date :2012-02-01 Pages: 272 Language: English Publisher: Faber & Faber The past. if there is such a thing. is mostly empty space. great expanses of nothing. in which significant persons and events float Nigeria. was like that for me: mostly forgotten. except for those few things that I remembered with outsize intensity.Along the streets of Manhattan. a young Nigerian doctor doing his residency wanders aimlessly The walks meet a need for Julius:. they are a release from the tightly regulated mental environment of work. and they give him the opportunity to process his relationships. his recent breakup with his girlfriend. his present. his past. Though he is navigating the busy parts of town. the impression of countless faces does nothing to assuage his feelings of isolation But it is not only a physical landscape he covers;. Julius crisscrosses social territory ...\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Bird's Eye View in Julius' Mind Movie\\n\\nReview: Open City is a vast (don't be fooled by its 259 pages) book of ideas, explored by its narrator Julius as the psychiatric intern follows the migratory string of his life through time/space. His life span fits neatly into the post colonial/post 9.11 eras, but his seemingly meandering ruminations expand those contexts considerably to include a time when exploiting slaves was a matter of daily business in New York before installation of the Statue of Liberty to welcome immigrants, and during a foray into the Old World he visits the Medieval practice of \\\"prison\\\" ships sailing port-to-port to collect \\\"undesirables.\\\"\\n\\nA word of warning to those who cherish character and plot: this is not the book for you. In the plainest of English, this is a complex and sophisticated monologue of the mind. Very little happens beyond the daily life of an unexceptional migrant from Lagos. There are no characters here other than the sketches the reader gets through the lenses of Julius' mind. No offense, but bugger off if that's what you expect from your reading.\\n\\nThat said, there is much thought in this deep and wide little book. Part of it is obvious as Teju Cole puts philosophical arguments in his characters' mouths, such as the Moroccan emigrant who strives to be the next Edward Said; or in-your-face accessible such as the neighbor whose wife passed away unnoticed by Julius; but many of the ideas are more subtle, such as the metaphor of migratory birds (a mythical metaphor for soul that serves as a thread through Julius' wanderings) that frames this mind movie of an emigrant/immigrant among emigrant/immigrants.\\n\\nI scribbled pages of notes reading this little tome, and by no means did I pick up on even a majority of Cole's expansive allusions to the classical music world, or to literature (fact is I compiled a considerable reading list just noting the allusions).\\n\\nBut I did pick up on the metaphor of Julius following the string of his life, his mind movie, to discover how he fits into his time, and Time in the larger sense of the world. In addition to the migrating birds that frame the book, there is a bird representing a boy's soul tethered to the child by an electric blue string early on that serves as a handle for the reader to make sense of Julius' peregrinations as he explores his personal memory and how it fits into history. What some may find disconcerting is that the recounting of this journey through Julius' mind movie yields no result that can be expressed in the short concept statement favored by today's commercial movie industry.\\n\\nFor instance, Julius is morally neutral, even as the sister of a friend accuses him of seducing her while she was intoxicated in their prior life in Lagos. There is no reaction at all from Julius to her confrontation. It's as if he has erased the event that sparked her accusation from his memory. This is how memory works, Julius finds. It is a palimpsest that allows him to erase such an event from his memory, not unlike the grave of 15,000-20,000 slaves whose final resting point serves as the foundation for office towers on some of Manhattan's priciest real estate.\\n\\nCole's book is artistic and it is impossible to do it justice in a review. It is so broad in its explorations, and the connections so subtle that it would require several times the number of pages without yielding more insight than Cole challenges the reader to make.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":6,"string":"6"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":398,"string":"398"}}},{"rowIdx":399,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A3U74SHEFSQRSB"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"3.0\" for a product with description \"Collapsible laundry hamper from Whitmor. Easy storage and organization. Organize your home with Whitmor. For all organization and storage solutions, see all products from Whitmor.\". The summary of the review text is \"Sturdy but access leaves a lot to be desired.\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"The hamper itself appears to be well-constructed; however, there is only a slit in the top for putting clothes in and taking them out so you cannot use the unit to return the clothes back to the room once they are laundered and folded. The other collapsible hampers I have are either open topped or have a zipper around the top so access to the laundry is much easier. Emptying this hamper is more time consuming, too, as I have to pull a piece out at a time rather than just dumping it all out to sort. So... I will have to find a different hamper. Unfortunately, the design is cute and my daughter really likes it so I suspect she will be resistant to making that change."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"The hamper itself appears to be well-constructed; however, there is only a slit in the top for putting clothes in and taking them out so you cannot use the unit to return the clothes back to the room once they are laundered and folded. The other collapsible hampers I have are either open topped or have a zipper around the top so access to the laundry is much easier. Emptying this hamper is more time consuming, too, as I have to pull a piece out at a time rather than just dumping it all out to sort. So... I will have to find a different hamper. Unfortunately, the design is cute and my daughter really likes it so I suspect she will be resistant to making that change."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: This woven strap crate by Whitmor is perfect not only for use in your laundry room, but also for your office, closet, den or anywhere you need a great looking, sturdy storage solution. It is made of a durable wipe clean woven polypropylene fabric and an epoxy coated metal frame. Strap handles make for easy transport. Measures: 12.20\"L x 13.00\"W x 10.00\"H.. Whitmor is a 4th generation family-owned and operated business. Since 1946, Whitmor has been dedicated to bringing organization home by creating products that simplify everyday life. Ensuring that those products are built with integrity, value, and innovation is our commitment to you. And our promise is that we will always be here for you should you ever need us as we stand behind our product 100%. Whitmor customer service is available in English and Spanish Monday through Friday from 8am - 4:30pm CST. Call us and we will gladly assist you in your language. Whitmor customer service Department, 1-888-944-8667\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Same materials as the bins and totes - used to store bird supplies\n\nReview: I have purchased dozens of the Whitmor woven strap totes and bins but they sell out rapidly. I found these crates when I needed (2) more large bins and discovered that they were no longer available.\n\nThe crates have a distinct advantage over the bins and totes: straight sides. The bins/totes are smaller on the bottom than on the top due to their angled sides but these are consistent. Like the other two products, these have a rigid wire frame which keeps the crate from collapsing or breaking under pressure. Since these are made of the same woven material, they should be as indestructible as the bins/totes have proven to be, too. The material definitely does not rip or tear easily.\n\nI purchased (2) of these crates to store parakeet-related items. One of them holds their food, treats, millet sprays, and bottled water and the other is used to store extra dishes, perches, cuttlebones, etc. This way, we only have to access one of the bins on a frequent basis. These also fit on the shelf under the cage that we purchased here on Amazon.","Product: TANDY LEATHER FACTORY-Stitching Needles. Use this set of needles for all of your leather projects. This package contains ten metal stitching needles. Imported.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Neither strong nor durable - UPDATE: Found a better needle\n\nReview: I purchased these for a leather quiver that I am making for my daughter. For most of the sewing, I have been using a regular light-weight tapestry/doll needle (not meant for leather use) and it has held up wonderfully well but I needed a shorter needle for the inner curved areas. So, I purchased a package of these.\n\nI am using 8 oz leather and have pre-punched all of the sewing holes so there is very little pressure on the needle when stitching. That being said, I have already had 3 of these needles snap right where the shaft meets the eye and I have a significant amount of stitching left to do (the needles do not last very long). Since the package contains 10 needles, I should make it but I will definitely be looking for a different brand next time.\n\nIn reading other reviews, I see that I am not the only one that has had this problem. Perhaps it is a quality control issue and I received a bad pack?\n\nUPDATE: 9 of the 10 needles broke before I could complete 30\" of seaming (stitches are 3/16\" apart - I used a saddle stitch throughout). Another reviewer mentioned John James needles as a better alternative so I purchased a pack of size 3 midway through (<a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/John-James-Glovers-Needles-Size-1/dp/B00HX1U0W2/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">John James Glovers Needles, Size 1</a>). After trying the John James needles on 9 ounce veg tanned backed with thick goat hide (equivalent to 6-7 ounce leather for a total of 15-16 ounces / 1/4\"!!), I must say that I will never purchase the Tandy needles again! I just wish that Amazon carried their line of saddle needles (blunt tip) rather than just the glover style.\n\nThe other defect that I noticed with Tandy's needles is that the eye is not smooth internally. Since it isn't finished properly, the burrs and rough edges cause tiger thread to shred as you sew.","Product: TANDY LEATHER FACTORY-Stitching Needles. Use this set of needles for all of your leather projects. This package contains ten metal stitching needles. Imported.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Neither strong nor durable - UPDATE: Found a better needle\n\nReview: I purchased these for a leather quiver that I am making for my daughter. For most of the sewing, I have been using a regular light-weight tapestry/doll needle (not meant for leather use) and it has held up wonderfully well but I needed a shorter needle for the inner curved areas. So, I purchased a package of these.\n\nI am using 8 oz leather and have pre-punched all of the sewing holes so there is very little pressure on the needle when stitching. That being said, I have already had 3 of these needles snap right where the shaft meets the eye and I have a significant amount of stitching left to do (the needles do not last very long). Since the package contains 10 needles, I should make it but I will definitely be looking for a different brand next time.\n\nIn reading other reviews, I see that I am not the only one that has had this problem. Perhaps it is a quality control issue and I received a bad pack?\n\nUPDATE: 9 of the 10 needles broke before I could complete 30\" of seaming (stitches are 3/16\" apart - I used a saddle stitch throughout). Another reviewer mentioned John James needles as a better alternative so I purchased a pack of size 3 midway through (<a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/John-James-Glovers-Needles-Size-1/dp/B00HX1U0W2/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">John James Glovers Needles, Size 1</a>). After trying the John James needles on 9 ounce veg tanned backed with thick goat hide (equivalent to 6-7 ounce leather for a total of 15-16 ounces / 1/4\"!!), I must say that I will never purchase the Tandy needles again! I just wish that Amazon carried their line of saddle needles (blunt tip) rather than just the glover style.\n\nThe other defect that I noticed with Tandy's needles is that the eye is not smooth internally. Since it isn't finished properly, the burrs and rough edges cause tiger thread to shred as you sew.","Product: These large eye blunt needles are good for weaving in ends and sewing up seams on your knit and crochet projects; Also called tapestry, darning, or finishing needles; Nickel-Plated Steel; Pack of six (2 each of size 13, 14 and 16).\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Incredibly strong and durable (leather work)\n\nReview: After breaking 9 out of 10 of these needles :<a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Tandy-Leather-Factory-Stitching-Needles-10-Pack/dp/B00114RBSI/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Tandy Leather Factory Stitching Needles, 10-Pack</a> within a day or two (I was lacing leather and these needles were extremely brittle), I purchased a pack of these yarn needles. I assumed that they would break rapidly as I am working with heavy veg tan leather but thought, for the low cost, it was worth the risk just to finish the piece.\n\nI am surprised and extremely happy with these needles. I am still on the first needle out of the pack (the smallest one) and not only have I completed the one project, but I am now on the third section. These needles are incredibly strong and durable and have proven to be unfazed by a set of pliers. Thank you, Lion Brand, for such a quality product!!!","Product: DRITZ-Magnetic Pin Bowl. This magnetic pin bowl is great for holding pins, needles, and other metal notions. The strong magnet can be used horizontally, vertically, or even upside down. It has a 6 inch diameter and features a weighted bottom with a rubberized base to prevent damage to surfaces. This package contains one Magnetic Pin Bowl. Imported.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Strong magentic, heavy bowl\n\nReview: I have always used a wand to hold my pins while sewing but when it came time to replace the last wand (the plastic coating was coming apart in sections), I discovered this bowl. Since I wasn't sure how well this would work, I ordered a new wand: <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Dritz-Magnetic-Pin-Wand/dp/B000W5GCCS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Dritz Magnetic Pin Wand</a> along with this product.\n\nI don't have a long-arm machine so I keep this to the left of my sewing machine on the table. The bowl is heavy enough so it does not move or chatter when I am sewing but is light enough to carry around. Best of all, the magnet in this bowl is incredibly strong - significantly more so than the wand! I have used this bowl for the past few weeks and it is now my preferred pin catcher. While the wand is great for picking up lost pins in the carpeting, this bowl works much better for me when actually sewing.\n\nI also discovered that it is durable. When the delivery man delivered my order, I caught him throwing my package like a football up the driveway (it thunked loudly as it bounced and the outer box was damaged). The bowl, however, sustained no damage despite the minimal packing material inside. I could not be happier with my purchase - just wish that someone else had delivered it.","Product: Officially licensed by Nintendo. This large capacity yet compact design game case is compatible for both the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS game cards. It can store up to 24 of your favorite games. Includes one SD card holder attachment. Case is available in 3 colors: Black, Blue and Clear. Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS games not included.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Hold up fairly well over time and heavy use\n\nReview: We have purchased multiple units over the years and, for the most part, they have held up well. We do have a couple of cases where the snap part that holds an individual cartridge(or two) has broken but those cases are quite a bit older and have been subjected to a lot of use. We almost always purchase one of these when we buy a case such as:\n\n<a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/G-HUB-GAME-CONSOLE-TRAVEL-BAG-for-NINTENDO-DS-Fits-ALL-Foldable-Screen-Versions-including-Original-DS-DSi-DS-Lite-3DS-3DS-XL-New-3DS-New-3DS-XL-etc-but-not-2DS-Model-Version-Designed-by-G-HUB-exclusively-for-use-with-Nintendo-DS-Consoles-With-Specially-designed-compartments-for-Games-Stylus-Pens-Charging-Power-Data-Cables-and-Other-Accessories-Bag-includes-Shoulder-Strap-Carry-Handle-Belt-Loop-BLUE/dp/B00LXAP2PE/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">G-HUB - GAME & CONSOLE TRAVEL BAG for NINTENDO DS (Fits ALL Foldable Screen Versions including: Original DS / DSi / DS Lite / 3DS / 3DS XL / New 3DS / New 3DS XL / etc. but not 2DS Model Version) - Designed by G-HUB exclusively for use with Nintendo DS Consoles - With Specially designed compartments for Games + Stylus Pens + Charging / Power / Data Cables and Other Accessories - Bag includes Shoulder Strap + Carry Handle + Belt Loop - BLUE</a>\n\n sothat we have more storage for the individual cartridges.","Product: Add a contemporary look to your bathroom with the iDesign Spa Mono Waste Can. The blush color scheme of this quality waste basket is sure to make a great addition to any decor. The waste can is constructed of plastic for years of quality use. Perfect for bathrooms, offices, and bedrooms, the versatile trash can is compact enough for any space in your home. Waste can measures 7.1\" x 11.2\" x 12\". With iDesign by InterDesign, you can #LiveSimply every day.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: UPDATE: Have now bought (4) in (3) different colors - aloe, blush and water\n\nReview: I have purchased (2) of these so far in (2) different colors. They are proving to be quite sturdy and up to the task. The height and depth work great if you need a waste basket next to the toilet as it is just lower than the seat and fits neatly in the limited space available between the bowl and the wall (turned sideways/long ways) in a 36\" toilet compartment/WC. It is proving difficult to find the perfect trash bag as the small 4 gallon bags engulf this can and the smaller bags are not deep enough to make use of the full can. Currently, we are just tying one corner of a (4) gallon bag to make it fit. The blush color (as well as the aloe) are accurately shown in the ad. I would definitely purchase more of these if needed.\n\nUPDATE: Since the blush- and aloe-colored cans that I purchased previously still look brand new, I recently purchased (2) more. This time, I chose the \"water\" color. These are actually more intensely colored in person than in the photo but I consider this to be an absolute positive. The color is quite lovely. If I need any additional waste baskets, I will not hesitate to purchase more. I appreciate that they are both durable and with the array of so many different colors, it is easy to \"match\" the decor. These are far superior to the the typical black plastic cans (and a couple of dingy, white cans) that I had before.","Product: Command Outdoor Hooks give you the freedom to decorate the outside of your home for every season, holiday or event. They are perfect for hanging wreaths, signs, thermometers, artwork, or other decorations on a variety of smooth outdoor surfaces, such as doors, siding, or trim. Using a new formulation of the revolutionary Command Adhesive, these Outdoor Hooks can handle temperature extremes from 20 degrees F to 125 degrees F! And like all Command Products, they remove leaving no holes, marks, stains or sticky residue so you can use them over and over again.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Holding up in a bath enclosure - UPDATE\n\nReview: I purchased (4) small hooks for my daughter's bathroom inside the tub/shower enclosure but decided to use just (3) of them. I was concerned whether or not they would hold up as these did not specify that they were for wet/damp locations but, after a month of daily use, they have not budged an inch. We did wait 36 hours after installation before using the tub and loading up the hooks. She uses the hooks to hold back scrubbers, nylon scrubbies, wet wash cloths, etc. The hooks have been exposed to shower spray, too, so they appear to work just fine in this environment.\n\nUPDATE: After more than 3 months of continuous use, these hooks are still holding, despite getting sprayed with a shower head fairly frequently. My daughter also has added a mesh bag that is filled with various odds and ends and none of the hooks have budged.","Product: THERMOS products deliver what matters every time. As the leading manufacturer of convenient insulated products for over 100 years, THERMOS is trusted by consumers to provide innovative portable containers that promote a safe and healthy lifestyle. THERMOS delivers when it matters. THERMOS brand products offer superior insulation that keeps food at its maximum temperature retention for hours, and the 10 ounce FUNtainer food jar is no exception. THERMOS vacuum insulation technology virtually eliminates temperature change within the beverage container by creating an airless space between two stainless steel walls. The result is an insulation layer that performs better than any other. A superior insulated container you can depend on to keep your childs food hot or cold for longer. This food jar keeps food cold up to 7 hours and hot for 5 hours. Constructed with double wall stainless steel, this 10 ounce food jar is built to withstand the demands of everyday use with its durable stainless steel interior and exterior and features a wide mouth that is easy to fill, serve from and clean. In order to maximize the incredible insulation technology, it is recommended to pre-chill or pre-heat the jar just prior to use.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Purple is as shown, but the hot pink - not so much.. bottoms eventually loosen and fall off\n\nReview: I have purchased several stainless steel food jars over the years and Thermos brand products have always proved durable. This school year. I purchased (2) jars - this one and a purple one. We color code our daughters' school products to save time in the morning and one chose purple, the other: pink. Unfortunately, this is not pink as described. The unit we received is closer to a dull red than to pink (and it is labeled as hot pink to boot) with pink bands at either end - not very attractive to say the least. We have other pink and hot pink thermos brand items and those have been much more true to color so this one was a surprise. 3 stars as it is still functional and the girls can still easily distinguish which items are theirs, but I cannot give it \"4 stars - I like it\" or \"5 stars - I love it\" due to the off putting color. The purple unit, however, is as pictured.\n\nI should add that the bottom rings loosen up over a 1 or 2 year time period and will eventually fall off - especially if you use the dishwasher. We just add a few dabs of a silicon adhesive when that happens and they are good to go.","Product: Heat and food safe hermetic jar from Italy\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Have purchased many sizes... great jars!\n\nReview: I initially purchased (2)17 ounce test jars for our pantry cabinet and was so impressed with them that I bought a case of (6) 16 ounce jars. I could not locate 17 ounce jars by the case and the 1 ounce difference was not a deal breaker for me. Currently, we are storing (2) types of sea salt (1 pound packages) in them as well as quinoa, red lentils, and specialty rice.\n\nThe Bormioli jars are made in Italy and are thick, high quality glass. I especially appreciate the air-tight seal as we periodically battle pantry moths (this is the primary reason we converted to using glass jars for all of our dry products) and the moths cannot penetrate these. Since my initial purchase, I have also purchased multiple jars in varying sizes - all the way up to 169 ounce jars that we use for storing cereal, flour and sugar. I definitely will purchase more as needed.","Product: Command Outdoor Hooks give you the freedom to decorate the outside of your home for every season, holiday or event. They are perfect for hanging wreaths, signs, thermometers, artwork, or other decorations on a variety of smooth outdoor surfaces, such as doors, siding, or trim. Using a new formulation of the revolutionary Command Adhesive, these Outdoor Hooks can handle temperature extremes from 20 degrees F to 125 degrees F! And like all Command Products, they remove leaving no holes, marks, stains or sticky residue so you can use them over and over again.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Holding up in a bath enclosure - UPDATE\n\nReview: I purchased (4) small hooks for my daughter's bathroom inside the tub/shower enclosure but decided to use just (3) of them. I was concerned whether or not they would hold up as these did not specify that they were for wet/damp locations but, after a month of daily use, they have not budged an inch. We did wait 36 hours after installation before using the tub and loading up the hooks. She uses the hooks to hold back scrubbers, nylon scrubbies, wet wash cloths, etc. The hooks have been exposed to shower spray, too, so they appear to work just fine in this environment.\n\nUPDATE: After more than 3 months of continuous use, these hooks are still holding, despite getting sprayed with a shower head fairly frequently. My daughter also has added a mesh bag that is filled with various odds and ends and none of the hooks have budged.","Product: THERMOS products deliver what matters every time. As the leading manufacturer of convenient insulated products for over 100 years, THERMOS is trusted by consumers to provide innovative portable containers that promote a safe and healthy lifestyle. THERMOS delivers when it matters. THERMOS brand products offer superior insulation that keeps food at its maximum temperature retention for hours, and the 10 ounce FUNtainer food jar is no exception. THERMOS vacuum insulation technology virtually eliminates temperature change within the beverage container by creating an airless space between two stainless steel walls. The result is an insulation layer that performs better than any other. A superior insulated container you can depend on to keep your childs food hot or cold for longer. This food jar keeps food cold up to 7 hours and hot for 5 hours. Constructed with double wall stainless steel, this 10 ounce food jar is built to withstand the demands of everyday use with its durable stainless steel interior and exterior and features a wide mouth that is easy to fill, serve from and clean. In order to maximize the incredible insulation technology, it is recommended to pre-chill or pre-heat the jar just prior to use.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Purple is as shown, but the hot pink - not so much.. bottoms eventually loosen and fall off\n\nReview: I have purchased several stainless steel food jars over the years and Thermos brand products have always proved durable. This school year. I purchased (2) jars - this one and a purple one. We color code our daughters' school products to save time in the morning and one chose purple, the other: pink. Unfortunately, this is not pink as described. The unit we received is closer to a dull red than to pink (and it is labeled as hot pink to boot) with pink bands at either end - not very attractive to say the least. We have other pink and hot pink thermos brand items and those have been much more true to color so this one was a surprise. 3 stars as it is still functional and the girls can still easily distinguish which items are theirs, but I cannot give it \"4 stars - I like it\" or \"5 stars - I love it\" due to the off putting color. The purple unit, however, is as pictured.\n\nI should add that the bottom rings loosen up over a 1 or 2 year time period and will eventually fall off - especially if you use the dishwasher. We just add a few dabs of a silicon adhesive when that happens and they are good to go.","Product: Heat and food safe hermetic jar from Italy\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Have purchased many sizes... great jars!\n\nReview: I initially purchased (2)17 ounce test jars for our pantry cabinet and was so impressed with them that I bought a case of (6) 16 ounce jars. I could not locate 17 ounce jars by the case and the 1 ounce difference was not a deal breaker for me. Currently, we are storing (2) types of sea salt (1 pound packages) in them as well as quinoa, red lentils, and specialty rice.\n\nThe Bormioli jars are made in Italy and are thick, high quality glass. I especially appreciate the air-tight seal as we periodically battle pantry moths (this is the primary reason we converted to using glass jars for all of our dry products) and the moths cannot penetrate these. Since my initial purchase, I have also purchased multiple jars in varying sizes - all the way up to 169 ounce jars that we use for storing cereal, flour and sugar. I definitely will purchase more as needed.","Product: Laura Ashley Flannel Sheet sets are 100-Percent brushed cotton for added softness. They are pre-shrunk, so you don't have to worry about shrinkage. Each set includes 2 pillowcases (1 with twin size) flat sheet and fitted sheet. Cuddle up with these signature Laura Ashley prints and enjoy a beautiful nights sleep.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Runs a little small but nice quality\n\nReview: I bought (2) sets of twin-sized sheets for my daughter (she has (2) beds in her room). I washed and dried them as soon as they arrived - cold water, cool dry cycle - and they definitely shed heavily. Both me and my other daughter have different brands of flannel sheets and the Laura Ashley sheets shed the most out of the three. In addition, the pattern is on one side only. The other side is a creamy white color.\n\nThe pillowcases and top sheet run a little small on the bed. My daughter has standard down-lite pillows and the pillowcases are too small for them by 3-4\" so I have to \"double case\" each one (ie., I put a dark blue microfiber pillow case on each pillow and then the Laura Ashleys running the other direction). I wish that I could purchase additional pillowcases separately (and in a larger size) so that they would match. The top sheet could have used 6-8\" more in length to give the bed better coverage, too.\n\nOn the positive side, the sheets are thicker than the brand that I have and approximately the same as my other daughter's which cost more. I suspect that these are going to last for some time and wear well. The sheets washed up well (no thin spots or pilling) and are very soft to the touch. The pattern is also quite lovely in person. Because the sheets were priced so well (less than $30 a set), I can overlook the few negatives and give them 4 stars.","Product: Go big on comfort. Now you can experience the cushiony softness and exceptional absorbency of premium memory foam, in a generously oversized runner mat. It's perfect for outside the tub…ideal in front of a double-sink vanity or even in the laundry room. It's big on convenience too, because it's treated with ultra fresh treatment, for superior resistance to mold and mildew. It's designed with a non-skid backing for extra safety. And it couldn't be easier to care for: simply machine wash and dry. Runner measures 60-inch long by 24-inch wide by .625-inch deep. Color: sandy shore taupe.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Would have been 5 stars but...Updated: the (2) don't match\n\nReview: These are wonderfully padded and feel great under bare feet! I ordered (2) of them and both grip their respective slick tile floors tightly - no slippage what-so-ever. The color is fairly true to that shown here on the site but is a little brighter in person. Since they are still new, I cannot comment on the durability and wash-ability, hence, I would typically have given them 4 stars rather than 5. But... ultimately, I can only do 3 stars because, weeks later, each rug still has 2 visible creases from where they were folded for shipment and the rugs \"lift\" in these (2) areas causing a possible tripping hazard. Hopefully, the folds/creases will eventually work there way out and the rugs will both lay completely flat and prove to be durable. If so, I will update them to 5 stars.\n\nUPDATE: The above was initially a 3 star review. When I received the rugs, I put one of them in my daughter's rooms and left the other in the entry. A couple of days later, I placed the second one in a spare/unused bathroom. Recently, we completed a \"re-do\" of my daughter's bath and I went in to get the other rug from the spare bath so we could see if we wanted to use both rugs in her bathroom. That is when I noticed that the (2) rugs are not even close to the same color! One is similar to the one shown online but the other one has a strong brownish undertone to it so it looks khaki colored. In addition, the off-colored rug is not cut properly. One of the corners has a much larger radius than the other 3 corners giving it a rounded off look - very strange. I wished I had noticed these flaws initially. Had I only received the first mat, this would have been a 5-star review but given the condition of the second rug, I cannot really recommend these. What a shame because they really do feel good under foot and the one in my daughter's room is holding up extremely well under daily foot traffic.","Product: A versatile addition to your home, this storage bin is made of clear, durable plastic, allowing you to organize, store and easily locate your makeup, toiletries or beauty products. Equally suited to being displayed on your bathroom counter or tucked away in the cabinet, the smart, simple bathroom organizer box is perfect for storing cosmetics, accessories, brushes, and more. The clear plastic design keeps your smaller items organized, visible and easy to locate, and the built in handles make the storage box easy to grab and move from cabinet to counter as needed. Versatile and multi-functional, this storage organizer can also be used in the office, craft room, utility, pantry or kitchen. InterDesigns creative products enhance your dcor, turning simple home solutions into must-have accessories that shine. Designed in the USA, we are proud to produce a wide selection of high quality home, bath and storage solutions that excite, inspire and charm. Stylish, functional and affordable, our products have been enriching customers homes for over 40 years. InterDesign: innovative products, exceptional value.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Have purchased several of the 4\" x 10\"\n\nReview: I have purchased several of the 4\" x 10\" units for (2) bathrooms to use as both drawer storage and under-sink storage. I also use them to store art supplies as well as electronic parts (adapters, headphones, mini-speakers, etc.) in my daughters' computer desks. In the bathroom, I use these under the sink to corral refill bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. A single unit will hold (1) Joico 33.8 oz conditioner, a Pantene 25.4 oz 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner -or - 24 oz St. Ives Body Wash and a 16.9 oz Biolage Matrix balm turned on its side. There is room left over above the Biolage for a smaller item. In the drawers, these will hold a multitude of smaller bottles as well as boxes of colored pencils, pens, geometry sets, etc.\n\nI actually have come back to purchase a few more for our ongoing organization project. So far, these containers are holding up well. The acrylic is thick enough so the bins are rigid and they aren't easily scratched or marred. The only complaint I have is that these arrive with (3) stickers attached. Although the brand sticker is easy enough to peel off, the other (2) larger stickers are a pain. Each is held on with circles of adhesive that have to be individually picked off. Although it is not a large issue, it is annoying - especially when you have arthritic hands.","Product: Packed with personality, Wildkins two-compartment lunch bag is designed to help you and the environment by offering a fun and reusable option for lunch and snack time. Our two-compartment lunch bags measure 9 x 8 x 6 inches and are recommended for all ages. This lunch bag has two compartments, top one with a zippered front opening for quick and easy access making it perfect for drinks. Second, lower compartment is complete with a microwave and dishwasher-safe container. Both compartments are super spacious, and youll have no trouble fitting everything you need from drinks to napkins. Sized just right for kids and adults, the Wildkin Lunch Box is perfect for the on-the-go parent or child. For this kind of quality and superior design, you honestly cannot beat the price. This lunch bag will last a long time, but youll find that with all of Wildkins fun color and pattern options youll be ordering whenever youre in the mood for a new look. Each lunch box is rigorously tested to ensure that all parts are PVC, BPA and Phthalate-free, and conform to all rules and regulations set forth by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The interior of each bag is black which is easy to clean and doesnt show stains. Remember to clean with just mild soap, a damp washcloth and do not store or close your lunch box until 100% dry.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Our preferred brand (and the squirrels, too)\n\nReview: My daughters prefer these double decker lunch bags which keep cold food separated from hot. Unfortunately, so do the squirrels at their school and we have now had 2 of these chewed through as well as a backpack. Because Wildkin's bags come in so many designs, my daughters never have a problem finding one that they like and which is different from their classmates. I have noticed that the zippers hold up well which has not been the case for us with another brand and I can say that these can take quite a bit of abuse. I have, on occasion, tossed them into the laundry and they have washed well. I do not fully dry them in the dryer, though, so I don't know if they would/could withstand that. The enclosed container for the bottom section which I typically hand wash weathered the school year just fine. We will definitely be purchasing these again next year.","Product: ZWILLING Spirit 3-Ply gets you in the mood to cook. Thanks to a thick, aluminum core, these versatile pans are fast-heating and boast an even cooking surface. The exclusive, stay cool handles are designed for easy maneuvering with oven mitts and the dripless pouring rims help prevent kitchen spills. The tight-fitting tempered glass lids allow you to effortlessly monitor your cooking.The ZWILLING Spirit ceramic nonstick coating is a healthy alternative to traditional PTFE coatings. Less oil is required and no toxic fumes are released into the air when the pan is heated at high temperatures.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Purchased one as a gift and, after trying it, came back and purchased one for myself!\n\nReview: I purchased one of these as a Christmas gift for my son. I originally purchased him (at his request) a cheap set of pots and pans to take to college but as he has long since graduated (and loves to cook), it was time for some quality cookware. We agreed that I would pick up one or two pieces per birthday and Christmas until his kitchen is outfitted and he asked that we start with a 2-quart saucepan. His only caveat was that he did not want any teflon coated cookware so I was happy when I discovered this ceramic saucer. He wasn't too happy by the recommendation to hand wash only, but when we saw how truly non-stick this saucer is, that concern disappeared. After 2 months of hard use on an electric stove, he is still thrilled with his gift.\n\nAfter he opened his pot on Christmas, he asked that I test it out by using it to make the honey-glaze for our ham. I was so impressed by it that I immediately purchased one for myself, too (and I was definitely not in the market for a new pot). The bulk of my saucers and pots are 20 year-old multi-ply Chantals that are still going strong (I have scanpans, calphalon, and a couple of \"orphan\" pots and pans, too) but the Zwilling Henckels definitely puts them to shame. It is truly non-stick regardless of what I am making - even caramel wipes away easily. The saucepan is considerably heavier by weight than the Chantal and the lid, although similar in style, is heavier and sturdier - great construction. Unlike my son, I cook on a commercial gas grill/cook top and it is holding up to the direct heat well. This is now my favorite saucepan by far and I plan on replacing the Chantals over time with this brand. Exceptional!","Product: Global Furniture Occasional Coffee Table, T646, Clear/Frosted/Dark Walnut Legs. This table is complete with clear top glass and frosted bottom glass with dark walnut legs to finish the look. Founded in 1999, Global Furniture USA is one of the premier importers and distributors of fine home furnishings in the United States and worldwide. Known for providing a broad selection of contemporary styles at competitive prices, Global Furniture USA is a direct factory importer, which allows them to market their products at lower prices while offering quicker delivery to their customers. With a wide selection of product already available on Amazon and more stunning designs being added every day, Global Furniture USA is here to help you find the finest home furnishings at a price that won't break the bank.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I purchased this due to another reviewer's helpful comments and information...\n\nReview: Before purchasing, I had asked another reviewer, Bill, about their experience with the table over time. He assured me that it is holding up well so I took the plunge and made the purchase. After assembly, I must say we are quite pleased.\n\nWe are using this as a coffee table in our teenage daughter's bedroom. She has (2) twin beds that are arranged so that they form an L-shaped sectional and the table is centered in that area. This arrangement has really opened up the floor space in her room. She is using the table for her alarm clock, remote control storage, and other bedside sundries and it also provides a place for her to set a drink or snack down when she is watching TV or playing a game.\n\nThe metallic uprights that we received are indeed metal, not plastic, as stated in a different review. The disks that are situated between the uprights and glass are plastic which makes sense as they are there to protect the glass from scratching or cracking when putting the table together. Unlike another reviewer's table, ours is definitely not made of cardboard. It is some type of dark laminate over press board, plywood, or ???. When assembling the table, you have to punch through the laminate in order to access the holes for the bolts so the laminate is fairly thin. We particularly like the contrast between the beveled, clear glass table top and the frosted glass, bottom shelf. It is visually quite appealing. Once assembled, the table is definitely sturdy.\n\nThank you, Bill, for your review and for your help. It is most appreciated.","Product: Experience these ultra absorbent ExceptionalSheets 100-percent Long Staple Cotton 600 GSM towels. They are a beautiful update to any bathroom, and will not fade in the washing machine! Available in multiple colors and sizes, these Long Staple Cotton towels can fit any need. Let us help you turn your bathroom into your own personal spa or 5-Star hotel room at a fraction of the cost! Towel Set Includes: Two Bath Towels - 30\"x54\" each, Two Hand Towels - 16\"x30\" each and Two Face Towels - 13\"x13\" each. You have our word that we will do everything that we can to make sure returning your product is not necessary. However, should the need arise for any reason, please contact us to obtain authorization for a full refund or exchange if you have any issues with your product. Please request this refund or exchange within 30 days of receiving your order. For all returns within the 30 day return period, eLuxurySupply will provide a prepaid return label for a completely free return. For more product information please see below under \"From the Manufacturer\".\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Not durable at all!\n\nReview: I purchased multiple sets of towels by Exceptional Sheets and this is the only set that has not held up well over the past 8-9 months. The other towels:\n\n<a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Egyptian-Cotton-6-Piece-Towel-Set-by-ExceptionalSheets-900-GSM-Teal/dp/B00GY5AVE0/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Egyptian Cotton 6-Piece Towel Set by ExceptionalSheets, 900 GSM, Teal</a>\n<a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/MicroLux-3-PC-100-Cotton-Towel-Set-White/dp/B00NVIAZIU/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">MicroLux 3 PC 100% Cotton Towel Set, White</a>\n<a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Egyptian-Cotton-2-Piece-Towel-Set-by-ExceptionalSheets-900-GSM-Forest-Green/dp/B00JQF4YJS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Egyptian Cotton 2-Piece Towel Set by ExceptionalSheets, 900 GSM, Forest Green</a>\n<a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Egyptian-Cotton-2-Piece-Towel-Set-by-ExceptionalSheets-900-GSM-Black/dp/B00JQF46I2/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Egyptian Cotton 2-Piece Towel Set by ExceptionalSheets, 900 GSM, Black</a>\n\nstill look good but this particular set is blotchy and 2 of the towels are beginning to unravel.\n\nAll of our towels are exposed to the same products and are laundered together so their condition is not due to exposure to chemicals, The one difference is that this is the only set that is 600 grams in weight - all of the others are either 900 gsm or microlux. Given how poorly they have performed - especially compared to the others - I definitely would not recommend them to anyone. Also, I paid $10 more for the set than the current price.","Product: OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Measuring Cups with Magnetic Snaps\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Purchased 2 brands and prefer the other ones\n\nReview: After yet another teaspoon was sent through the garbage disposal, I spent an hour or so looking at measuring spoons and I purchased these as well as a set from Cuisipro:\n\n<a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Cuisipro-Stainless-Steel-Measuring-Spoon-Set/dp/B00004SU1I/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Cuisipro Stainless Steel Measuring Spoon Set</a>\n\nAlthough OXO was about thirty cents cheaper, Cuisipro comes with 5 spoons and OXO has 4. Both sets are stainless steel according to the ads, but only Cuisipro stamps each spoon as \"stainless steel\" to reflect this fact. When I compared OXO's spoons to the other set, I immediately noticed that these are considerably lighter in weight and are not finished as well (the Cuisipro are highly polished with no rough edges and the handles are smooth while OXO's handles are \"cut back\" along the back of the handle so the edge protrudes). In addition, the size of each spoon is written on in black ink so I am not sure how long that will remain readable (Cuisipro stamps the size into the metal so they don't have this issue).\n\nA couple of other major differences are the way that the spoons are bound together and the shape of the bowls. Cuisipro uses an old-fashioned ring attachment along with a rubber band type of connector while OXO actually embeds a button magnet in each handle. The magnets are strong enough to keep the set together but are weak enough that separating the spoons is easy (one plus for the OXO). I have always owned round-shaped spoons but after trying the oval-shaped ones, I won't be buying round ones again as the oval shaped spoons make measuring spices straight from the jar much easier.\n\nSo while these are okay, I would definitely buy the other brand again instead.","Product: A nice beach towel that features a face of a white tiger with blue eyes. Approximate Dimensions: 30" wide, 60" tall (inches).\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: We preferred a different towel\n\nReview: I purchased (2) beach-type towels for my young teen daughters -this one and also <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Baron-bay-dolphins-velour-brazilian-beach-towel-30x60-inches/dp/B00SX8WL80/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Baron bay dolphins velour brazilian beach towel 30x60 inches</a>. Both towels are the same size and weight (at least, according to the ads) but there is a difference in quality. Although the dolphin towel was less expensive, it appears to be better made. Its colors are more vibrant (the photo in the ad does not do it justice) and there are no \"white\" areas where color that should be is missing. This tiger towel, on the other hand, is not quite as bright as the photo would indicate and it has some small, missing areas of color. It also came \"pre-snagged\" in one corner. This is really disappointing given that it was more expensive than the other one. Also, this is the only towel that I have ever purchased that did not come with a sewn-on tag - no brand tag, no fiber tag, nothing. Both towels are very thin - about 270 gsm - but the dolphin towel makes that clear and is upfront in its ad. This product lists its shipping weight only. Between the two, we prefer the dolphins.","Product: Beautifully upholstered in Grey CaressoftPlus?. spring tilt mechanism. Upright locking position. Pneumatic gas lift seat Height adjustment. Adjustable tilt tension control. 25\" chrome base. Hooded double wheel casters. Available in pink (pk), black (BK) or fur cream (fcrm).\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A great chair - especially for the price\n\nReview: I purchased this for my daughter to use as her main homework chair. It is extremely comfortable (even to me and I am picky) and it is quite reasonably priced. The frame is constructed well and feels that it has been built to last. I like that we can unzip the one cover for laundering if we need to but, so far, there has been no need to do that. The fur is not the cheap, low-end stuff but is a decent, mid-weight fabric that should wear well with time. The chair is not overly padded but it is padded better (and is firmer but not too firm) than most other chairs in this price range - definitely a big plus! The adjustments work well and operate smoothly. After purchasing a lot of these chairs over the years, I feel that this one ranks in the upper tier in terms of price, comfort, and functionality. I could not be more pleased.","Product: This Simplify Woven Strap Bin is made of sturdy polypropylene with epoxy wire frame dual handles for easy carrying. Acts as a great storage accessory for all your home needs. Maintenance free.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I am extremely happy with these and I definitely would order more if ...\n\nReview: I have purchased many of these totes in various sizes and colors (17 large, 10\" tall in blush, 8 medium, 10\" tall in blush, 2 of these - small, 5\" tall in ivory, 1 small, 5\" tall mauve, and 2 large, 5\" tall mauve). The only reason why I purchased the ivory was because there was only (1) available in the mauve color. All 3 colors that I have ordered have been true to the color shown here and they are well constructed. I suspect that they are going to hold up especially well.\n\nSince I was going to have to order a lot of bins, I spent a few hours exploring my alternatives. I am extremely happy with these and I definitely would order more if we needed them - especially at these prices.","Product: Soft 'N Style lotion dispenser bottle. 16 ounce capacity. Pack of 3. The product is made in United States.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great for our purposes\n\nReview: I have purchased a total of (9) of these bottles (a pack of 6 and a pack of 3) and I am quite happy with them so far. I am using them to hold shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in my daughters' bathrooms to give their counters and baths a more clean, consistent look. Also, one of my daughters keeps her body lotion in one. They have only been in use for a month and a half but, so far, there have been no issues with them what-so-ever, I really like the clarity of these bottles and the pump action. Now, they can get the exact amount of product they want and I can easily see when they are running low and need a refill.","Product: InterDesign's Clarity Grand Trays offer convenient storage for your bathroom vanity and closets. This tray is perfect for holding everything from hair products and brushes to lotions and sponges.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Angled interior walls, heavy acrylic\n\nReview: I recently renovated both of my daughters' baths and, after researching the many brands available on Amazon, I made a few \"test\" purchases. I decided to <primarily> use the drawer organizers manufactured by InterDesign because they offer a large selection of sizes and configurations, providing the flexibility I needed to meet the girls' needs.\n\nWhen it came time to re-organize computer desks, I went straight to the InterDesign organizers, again. One of the girl's desk drawers is deeper than the other and this particular unit, at 3\" tall, fits like a glove in height. The only negative is that the inner walls of the unit are angled so you lose some space. We are using this organizer to store pens (they only fit straight in the longest compartment), highlighters (they have to be turned at a slight angle to fit) and post-its next to containers of lead. If the internal sidewalls weren't angled, the highlighters would fit perfectly without being tilted and we would be able to put normal pens in there, too.\n\nI examined the organizer this morning and, after 2 1/2 months, it still looks brand new. Unlike some of the cheaper units that other companies make, the acrylic doesn't scratch easily nor does it feel like it will become brittle and crack over time. I also measured the top of the unit I received and it matches the dimensions listed in the ad (9\" x 9\"). I would give the unit 4.5 stars if I could (1/2 star off for the angled walls which eat some critically needed space) but since I cannot, I rounded my rating up to 5 as it is outstanding in every other way.","Product: Perfect for entertaining and serving delicious Fondue recipes, set allows you to cook Fondue on a stovetop and then beautifully serve it at the table for everyone to enjoy. Cast iron Fondue pot provides even heating and optimal heat retention.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Purchased two units - one red and one white\n\nReview: I originally purchased this pot but in red after researching fondue pots on this site, I had decided against an electric unit because there are a lot of complaints about short cords and I did not want to string an extension cord each time we have fondue (it's a hassle and a tripping hazard). Also, I like that we can take this type anywhere. This is the unit I bought first: <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Cuisinart-FP-115RS-13-Piece-Cast-Iron-Fondue-Set-Red/dp/B00NAU8P1I/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Cuisinart FP-115RS 13-Piece Cast Iron Fondue Set, Red</a>.\n\nHaving used it several times, I came back to order another one so we can expand our meals by adding a meat fondue/hot pot or a chocolate fondue for dessert. We decided to go with the white one this time so it would be easier to differentiate between the types of fondue when sitting around the table.\n\nUnlike the red one which arrived with a chipped lid, this fondue pot arrived in perfect condition. The enamel coating is a little cattywampus but doesn't seem to have any negative effects on its functionality and the enamel makes this unit easy to clean. The fondue pots I researched ranged in cost from $15 to $133 so, like the red one, this one is priced on the low end of the mid-ranged units. Like all cast iron, the pot is heavy for its size, heats evenly and retains temperature. The dampening ring on the burner works well enough so you can keep broth piping hot or you can tamp down the heat so chocolate won't burn. The stand is heavy duty and balanced so we don't have to worry about the unit tipping over when 2 people are dipping at the same time. The Cuisinart Fondue pots also have a nice design feature that other crocks lack - the lid has an 8-pointed star cutout (there are 6 forks) so you can rest your fork in the fondue and it doesn't slide around or get in other people's way. We are definitely happy with both units even though quality control is a tad weak.","Product: Perfect for entertaining and serving delicious Fondue recipes, set allows you to cook Fondue on a stovetop and then beautifully serve it at the table for everyone to enjoy. Cast iron Fondue pot provides even heating and optimal heat retention.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Despite some quality control issues, I like this unit UPDATE: Purchased a second one\n\nReview: Before I purchased this set, I compared it to others that Amazon currently offers (and are eligible for Prime shipping). I quickly decided against an electric one for 2 reasons. (1) Short cords are a common complaint and I did not want to have to string an extension cord every time nor did I want to risk someone tripping over it and (2) it seems more versatile not to have to have electricity nearby - we can take this unit anywhere!\n\nWhen I looked at the different makes, models, and manufacturers, I immediately noticed a large variation in price - anywhere from $15 up to $133 - so this one was on the lower end of the mid-priced units even though it is cast iron. I cook a lot with cast iron and appreciate that it heats evenly, retains heat, and is sturdy. The enamel coating is a nice addition as it makes cleanup quicker and easier. The only pieces in this set that I find \"light-weight\" are the forks themselves (they are okay but not fantastic), and the snuffer piece (not a big deal). Every thing else is nice quality. The stand is heavy duty and does not rock (unlike some other manufacturers' according to reviews) and this is a big positive for me.\n\nIn terms of quality control, I read through the reviews and was aware that a couple of people received damaged units (I believe one arrived with a bent stand and another with a chipped lid). Given that there were so few complaints, I placed my order and scheduled a \"fondue night\". Unfortunately, my unit arrived damaged, too. It has a healthy chip in the enamel near the edge of the lid. Since I couldn't change plans easily, I could not return the item for a refund so I'll live with the chip.\n\nGiven the price I paid, I am still very happy with my purchase and am considering purchasing a second one so we can serve a meat fondue (the ones simmered in broth) along with the cheese for dinner. I am also looking at replacement crocks so we can have chocolate fondue for dessert without having to wait for the pot to cool down and washing it out before serving the last course. It will be nice if we can just swap out pots.\n\nThis solid unit should last over time. If I have more issues with the enamel coating, I will definitely update this review. I also bought these:\n<a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Sterno-2-6-Ounce-Entertainment-Cooking-Fuel-3-Pack/dp/B001F8TR00/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Sterno 2.6-Ounce Entertainment Cooking Fuel, 3-Pack</a>\nat the same time for the heat source.\n\nUPDATE: i have already purchased a second one so we can have either a meat fondue/hot pot or chocolate fondue along with the cheese. This time, I ordered a white one: <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Cuisinart-FP-115WS-13-Piece-Cast-Iron-Fondue-Set-White/dp/B00NAU8OQ4/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Cuisinart FP-115WS 13-Piece Cast Iron Fondue Set, White</a>","Product: This famous Brazilian towel is 100 percent cotton, fiber reactive, and velour texture. Measures 30x60 inches; and weighs 13 ounces (based on manufacture information). See instructions on the attached towel label for proper washing and drying care. This towel is label with tags which shows the origin (Brazil)and name of manufacturer (Dohler) for your security, please double check once product is received.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Compared to a similar towel, this one is better\n\nReview: I purchased (2) beach-type towels for my young teen daughters -this one and also <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Beach-Towel-White-Tiger-with-Blue-Eyes-30x60-inch/dp/B00C13B850/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Beach Towel, White Tiger with Blue Eyes, 30x60-inch</a>. Both towels are the same size and weight (at least, according to the ads) but there is a difference in quality. Although this one was less expensive, this towel is better made. Its colors are more vibrant (the photo in the ad does not do it justice) and there are no \"white\" areas where color that should be is missing. The tiger towel, on the other hand, does have some small, missing areas of color and it came \"pre-snagged\" in one corner, making it look cheaper by far. Also, the tiger one is the only towel that I have ever purchased that did not come with a sewn-on tag - no brand tag, no fiber tag, nothing. Both towels are very thin - only 268.5 gsm - but this ad is upfront about the weight (the other ad lists shipping weight only). If this dolphin towel had been a bit heavier for the price (or cheaper as is), I would have given it 5 stars. But, it is definitely the better of the two choices.","Product: Spectrum Diversified 50650 Soap Dish\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: The one I received is perforated - allowing soapy water to run right through.\n\nReview: I received this along with (3) Interdesign Soap Savers that I bought at the same time. I ordered this unit because it is advertised as a soap dish - not a liner. I read a review by someone who received a solid unit (no holes) so between the review and the ad, I thought I would be able to use this as a soap dish and set it directly on the counter top. Unfortunately, the unit I received is perforated. There are 4 holes that have been drilled through which allows the dish to drain - getting soapy water all over the counter! This defeats the purpose of a soap dish in my mind.\n\nThe soap savers that I also purchased, on the other hand, are not perforated and they cost considerably less - 3 for $7.99. I compared the units and they are nearly identical. The only discernible differences are that this soap dish is about 1/8 inch longer in length, has the (4) drain holes, has tiny \"feet\" (an 1/8\" in height?), and is more expensive on a per unit basis. So, I will be using this soap \"dish\" as a soap saver and one of the soap savers as the soap dish.","Product: This durable, dishwasher safe kitchen utensil by Epicurean is Made in USA, specifically on the North Shore of Lake Superior in Duluth, MN. It is an excellent choice for both the casual cook and the seasoned gourmet who values the environment and wants a dependable kitchen tool that is durable and cleans up easily. These utensils are made from wood fiber composite, which are sheets of resin-saturated fiber that is compressed and baked to a solid sheet. The final product is exceptionally strong, yet maintains the warm, natural look and feel of wood. It is lightweight, nonporous, dishwasher safe and will not scratch your nonstick cookware. It wont crack, split, or stain making it the perfect material for stirring, flipping, sauting and serving. It is also classified as green. The wood fiber raw material comes from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified sources and/or recycled paper. This durable material itself has been around for more than 65 years and is widely used for commercial, industrial and marine purposes, as well as skate park surfaces. It certainly can take anything dished out in the heart of the kitchen. It is also NSF certified, so you know that its surface has met rigid standards for quality and safety.Our products are well-designed, practical, casual tools that feel at home in any kitchen where friends and family gather to share company and enjoy good food. Get the right tool for the job! Our Epicurean gourmet series ladles, spoons, saut tools, turners and pasta servers pair natural wood fiber handles with high temperature nylon heads that are heat resistant to 500F/260C. It is the best of both worlds. This Gourmet Series large ladle has measuring guides designed in the nylon ladle: 1/8 cup, 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, and features a strainer at the tip with 3 draining slots. It measures 13\" long by 3\" wide and features a natural handle with black nylon.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Excellent quality, extremely durable, does not melt under heat\n\nReview: I originally purchased one of these for my son as a stocking stuffer in 2016. This past Christmas, I asked him how it had held up (he can be hard on cooking utensils) and he is still very happy with it. I went ahead and ordered one for me as I use ceramic and other non-stick cookware and am quite pleased by how sturdy it is (no sagging under a heavy load). I have found, however, that is a tad too wide to comfortably turn food in some of my skillets (which my son predicted) so I am going to purchase the next size down as well. Although these are a bit more expensive than other spatulas, it is definitely worth the price difference as, after more than a year of hard use and less than perfect care, it has not broken, melted, or become brittle; thus, I haven't needed to replace his spatula. In addition, it is considerably heavier than the other ones and the nylon portion of the turner is considerably thicker than the other ones we used to buy. It is a definite must have utensil brand in both of our kitchens.","Product: Features: - A large backpack on wheels: the convenience of a backpack, the ease of a rolling suitcase. - Sturdy telescoping handle with a double-wheeled base. - Padded straps for easy conversion to backpack. - A large main compartment with easy glide zip\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Fantastic design ... according to another listing, may have durability issues ??? UPDATED\n\nReview: We purchased one of these after being disappointed with most of the major brands' packs over the years. Because the school that my daughters attend is built on a hillside with rugged terrain, a sturdy wheeled backpack is a necessity. We have been very pleased with this backpack <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/J-World-New-York-Sunrise-Rolling-Backpack-Squares-Neon-One-Size/dp/B005EN5HM4/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">J World New York Sunrise Rolling Backpack, Squares Neon, One Size</a> and purchased another one this year but my other daughter wanted to find a pack with a few more pockets.\n\nWhen we received this pack, we thoroughly examined it. The construction appears to be solid (better than some of the major brands) and someone really thought about the design. The variety, size, and placement of the pockets make organization a breeze - especially important for this particular daughter. My only concern is that I discovered these reviews after we started using this pack : <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Everest-Deluxe-Wheeled-Backpack-Turquoise-One-Size/dp/B008VBAR9O/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Everest Deluxe Wheeled Backpack, Turquoise, One Size</a>. The main complaints seem to be that the zippers aren't durable and the bottom plastic piece breaks within the first couple months worth of use. Hopefully, this will not be the case for us as the bag is well-designed. I will update this review if we start having an issues with it. But for now, 5 stars!\n\nUPDATE: 3 months later, the Everest pack is still going strong. The JWorld one mentioned in my review above, however, has proven to be a disappointment as the wheels are now at a 45 degree angle and they wobble horribly. Since it is apparent that they are going to snap off any day now, I am purchasing another one of these Everest backpacks to replace it with.","Product: With its unique acoustical properties, wood provides the best sound reproduction there is, which is why most high-end speakers and many musical instruments are made of wood, not to mention the interiors of concert halls. This is also exactly why we handcraft our Symphonized wireless headphones from real wood. Our Sensation bluetooth headphones are carefully handmade from the best pieces of wood available to bring out top-quality acoustics and surround you with energizing and high-fidelity sound. With its superior strength and durability, excellent noise isolation, high-end quality sound, and strong bass, Symphonized wireless headphones are perfect for your listening pleasure. Symphonized Sensation bluetooth headphones work with all digital devices, including the latest generations of iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Our wireless headphones will also answer and end your calls, activate Voice Control, and skip songs, adjust volume with the sleek build-in microphone. Luxuriously padded ear cushions are specifically designed for our Symphonized headphones to provide maximum comfort and noise isolation. Our headphones come with a 1-year warranty! Choose Symphonized natural wood headphones for your listening pleasure, and we're sure you'll never go back to plastic headphones.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Plastic cracked despite gentle use - UPDATE: 2nd pair DOA, declined to try #3\n\nReview: After 6 months of very gentle use, the plastic cracked. I reached out to Symphonized regarding possible repair service (I would be willing to pay for replacement piece) but the company states that physical damage is not covered by the warranty. Unfortunately, I see other reviewers have had the same issue. All in all, these may look nice but the quality is extremely poor.\n\nUPDATE: Amazon came to the rescue after customer service would not/ could not provide the actual warranty information. I returned pair #1 (refunded) and purchased pair #2 (in essence, an arranged exchange).\n\nThe second pair were dead on arrival. Appears to be dead battery (will not charge,with their cable or mine). Rather than offer return information when contacted, customer service asked for some troubleshooting information. After several days of this back and forth - they only sent 1 message per day so the process was slow - they agreed that these are indeed defective. Rather than a refund, they have offered an exchange which would be pair #3.\n\nSince I don't want to try a third pair, I am returning the headphones directly to Amazon for a refund. I have also purchased another brand from Amazon already. It is a shame that there seems to be quality control and durability issues. These look great but they are problematic. Out of hundreds of transactions, this is the first time I have had such difficulties with either a product or a seller's customer support.","Product: Neatnix Stax Jewelry Organizer Tray enables you to easily organize your jewelry. This modular tray stacks with other Neatnix Stax trays that slide for easy access to each tray so you can build what you need. Made with a tarnish-resistant, velvety liner to protect your valuables and comes with dust cover too. Dial Industries has been in business producing quality plastics for over four decades. We are proud that over 90% of our product line is Made In America.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Very disappointed - 3 pieces - measurements not accurate\n\nReview: I purchased this item along with (3) of the sister product - the \"stuff stax\". Although I gave the \"stuff stax\" 3 stars (wish it could have been 2.5), this product only gets 1 star. First, when I purchased this, the ad was not clear that this is actually a 3-piece system. The (3) pieces consist of a flexible, plastic (maybe polystyrene?), molded tray with 9 compartments that fits into a bottom tray. It is extremely thin material and has been sprayed with a burgundy colored flocking. The flocking itself is quite thin - about as thick as 3 or so layers of spray paint - and does not provide any cushioning what-so-ever for your jewelry. The bottom tray is made of a thin, small pebbled - similar to a sandy surface - acrylic (or acrylic- like) material (mine has a crack in it out of the box). The top is nothing more than a super thin piece of plastic that sits on top of the tray's lip. It does not attach to anything and is more of a dust cover rather than a lid. I did see an ad here for a snap-on lid but it was as costly as the unit itself. When I came today to write a review, I noticed that the price has increased dramatically. I purchased this for $10.99. As of this morning, the price is $17.17 so really watch the cost!\n\nSince I had a small, 8\" drawer to work with, I relied on the dimensions given in the ad - my mistake. After receiving this and finding that it was too large for the drawer, I measured the (2) trays. The bottom-most tray is 8 1/8\" x 9 1/8\" with an interior of 7 3/8\" x 8 3/8\". The second tray which sits in it is 7 1/4\" x 8 1/4\" exterior but due to the way the tray is fabricated, the interior is only 6 3/4\" x 7 3/4\".\n\nI did discover that the locking lids that come with the \"stuff stax\" fit onto this unit, providing a secure top and allowing these units then to stack on top of one another without moving around very much. Oddly, the price of the average \"stuff stax\" is cheaper than the average \"jewelry stax\" - especially true now with the price hike - and you get the locking lid with the cheaper product. Overall, I wish I had not wasted money on this unit but I am sure that one of my daughters will come up with a use for it.","Product: Neatnix Stax Jewelry Organizer Tray enables you to easily organize your jewelry. This modular tray stacks with other Neatnix Stax trays that slide for easy access to each tray so you can build what you need. Made with a tarnish-resistant, velvety liner to protect your valuables and comes with dust cover too. Dial Industries has been in business producing quality plastics for over four decades. We are proud that over 90% of our product line is Made In America.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Very disappointed - 3 pieces - measurements not accurate\n\nReview: I purchased this item along with (3) of the sister product - the \"stuff stax\". Although I gave the \"stuff stax\" 3 stars (wish it could have been 2.5), this product only gets 1 star. First, when I purchased this, the ad was not clear that this is actually a 3-piece system. The (3) pieces consist of a flexible, plastic (maybe polystyrene?), molded tray with 9 compartments that fits into a bottom tray. It is extremely thin material and has been sprayed with a burgundy colored flocking. The flocking itself is quite thin - about as thick as 3 or so layers of spray paint - and does not provide any cushioning what-so-ever for your jewelry. The bottom tray is made of a thin, small pebbled - similar to a sandy surface - acrylic (or acrylic- like) material (mine has a crack in it out of the box). The top is nothing more than a super thin piece of plastic that sits on top of the tray's lip. It does not attach to anything and is more of a dust cover rather than a lid. I did see an ad here for a snap-on lid but it was as costly as the unit itself. When I came today to write a review, I noticed that the price has increased dramatically. I purchased this for $10.99. As of this morning, the price is $17.17 so really watch the cost!\n\nSince I had a small, 8\" drawer to work with, I relied on the dimensions given in the ad - my mistake. After receiving this and finding that it was too large for the drawer, I measured the (2) trays. The bottom-most tray is 8 1/8\" x 9 1/8\" with an interior of 7 3/8\" x 8 3/8\". The second tray which sits in it is 7 1/4\" x 8 1/4\" exterior but due to the way the tray is fabricated, the interior is only 6 3/4\" x 7 3/4\".\n\nI did discover that the locking lids that come with the \"stuff stax\" fit onto this unit, providing a secure top and allowing these units then to stack on top of one another without moving around very much. Oddly, the price of the average \"stuff stax\" is cheaper than the average \"jewelry stax\" - especially true now with the price hike - and you get the locking lid with the cheaper product. Overall, I wish I had not wasted money on this unit but I am sure that one of my daughters will come up with a use for it.","Product: Fruit of the Loom men's pocket tee offers a reinforced pocket and the comfortable fit you expect from Fruit of the Loom. Fruit of the Loom men's pocket tee is a great undershirt as well as perfect for layering or wearing just as an everyday casual outer shirt option. The Fruit of the Loom men's pocket tee 4 pack is a classic fit with a stays tucked-in feature. The collar lays flat and keeps its shape wash after wash. Each Fruit of the Loom men's pocket tee has soft covered seams on the neck and shoulders and is designed tag free for all day ultimate comfort.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Colors can vary wildly but a good shirt for the money still.\n\nReview: I purchased these for my daughters who frequently wear men's t-shirts as night shirts. The older of the two has very sensitive skin and hanging tags frequently cause the back of her neck to become inflamed, irritated, and painful to the touch. Cutting the tags off only exacerbates the issue as the flap that's left behind is rough and scratchy, too. Hence, I was pleased to read that these shirts are tag-less. All the information (brand, size, fabric composition, etc.) is printed directly on the shirt. Also, they are 100% cotton, too, which cuts down on many of the allergies.\n\nWe have purchased hundreds of Fruit of the Loom t-shirts over the years (actually decades) as my husband wears them as well as our sons. The shirts are made well and typically last about a year before they look worn or start developing holes. We have had the occasional shirt stretch out of shape (they can become remarkably large) but this has not happened too often. Although there are other brands on the market that hold up better with time (I still have a couple of t-shirts that I wear and they are still going strong after 15 years), they tend to be considerably more expensive. So, these are a great value for the money.\n\nI deducted one star as the colors you receive in the \"assorted colors\" pack vary wildly. Today, I received (2) wine, (1) navy and (1) faded black t-shirt in the pack. Other packs reportedly provide light blue, gray, red, olive and brown so you really don't know what you'll receive. At the very least, it would be helpful if Fruit of the Loom listed all of the possible colors that come in the assortment packs so there aren't any unpleasant surprises. I also read in the \"questions section\" here that many people had the opportunity to choose their colors. As per the ad, I did not. In the best of worlds, I wish there was an assortment 1, assortment 2, assortment 3 option available so the consumer had some control over their purchase (I recall seeing other manufacturers do this in the past).\n\nAnyway, good shirts for the money, comfortable to wear, but you have to hope that you get colors that you like. Even so, I would (and will) purchase more packs in the future.","Product: Fruit of the Loom men's pocket tee offers a reinforced pocket and the comfortable fit you expect from Fruit of the Loom. Fruit of the Loom men's pocket tee is a great undershirt as well as perfect for layering or wearing just as an everyday casual outer shirt option. The Fruit of the Loom men's pocket tee 4 pack is a classic fit with a stays tucked-in feature. The collar lays flat and keeps its shape wash after wash. Each Fruit of the Loom men's pocket tee has soft covered seams on the neck and shoulders and is designed tag free for all day ultimate comfort.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Colors can vary wildly but a good shirt for the money still.\n\nReview: I purchased these for my daughters who frequently wear men's t-shirts as night shirts. The older of the two has very sensitive skin and hanging tags frequently cause the back of her neck to become inflamed, irritated, and painful to the touch. Cutting the tags off only exacerbates the issue as the flap that's left behind is rough and scratchy, too. Hence, I was pleased to read that these shirts are tag-less. All the information (brand, size, fabric composition, etc.) is printed directly on the shirt. Also, they are 100% cotton, too, which cuts down on many of the allergies.\n\nWe have purchased hundreds of Fruit of the Loom t-shirts over the years (actually decades) as my husband wears them as well as our sons. The shirts are made well and typically last about a year before they look worn or start developing holes. We have had the occasional shirt stretch out of shape (they can become remarkably large) but this has not happened too often. Although there are other brands on the market that hold up better with time (I still have a couple of t-shirts that I wear and they are still going strong after 15 years), they tend to be considerably more expensive. So, these are a great value for the money.\n\nI deducted one star as the colors you receive in the \"assorted colors\" pack vary wildly. Today, I received (2) wine, (1) navy and (1) faded black t-shirt in the pack. Other packs reportedly provide light blue, gray, red, olive and brown so you really don't know what you'll receive. At the very least, it would be helpful if Fruit of the Loom listed all of the possible colors that come in the assortment packs so there aren't any unpleasant surprises. I also read in the \"questions section\" here that many people had the opportunity to choose their colors. As per the ad, I did not. In the best of worlds, I wish there was an assortment 1, assortment 2, assortment 3 option available so the consumer had some control over their purchase (I recall seeing other manufacturers do this in the past).\n\nAnyway, good shirts for the money, comfortable to wear, but you have to hope that you get colors that you like. Even so, I would (and will) purchase more packs in the future.","Product: Ring case. Plush fabric. Mirror and shirred catch pocket on interior lid. Box divided up into twenty four equal sections. Hand lined in ivory sueded fabric. Tabbed closure with designer inspired pewter tone snap. Logo plate inside. Made in China. 10.38 in. W x 7.25 in. D x 2.38 in. H (1.35 lbs.). Whether on your dresser top or on the go, the Mele & Co. Maria jewelry box is unsurpassed in both form and function.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: One of the better designed boxes available - a great value!\n\nReview: I purchased this for my youngest so she can store her \"good\" jewelry separately from her costume jewelry. I am hoping that it will make it easier for her to find that special pair of gold earrings or her charm bracelet without digging through tons of other stuff. As it is for her birthday, she has not seen it yet but given the pink color and the versatile design, I am sure she will love it.\n\nIn terms of presentation, Mele gave this some thought. The box arrived in a nice quality, matching pink box made of mid-weight cardboard (should not rip or tear easily). It was then placed inside a cloth bag and boxed in a fitted corrugated box for protection - much better than a plain plastic bag or a thin cardboard sleeve that so many manufacturers seem to use these days.\n\nThe pink suede is ever-so-slightly lighter than in the photos (a pretty shade of pink) but it has a rougher texture of suede. It is not made of buttery smooth suede found in more expensive items but if it was, the cost would be considerably higher. Inside, the dividers are well-constructed but, unfortunately, are not fastened down to the bottom of the box. It remains to be seen if any of her smaller post earrings try to migrate from one compartment to another by slipping under the dividers. The gap between the divider and bottom is tiny so I think the pieces will remain in their respective compartments. The compartments are deep enough to hold rings and small-to-average sized earrings and hoops but not so deep that it is difficult trying to fish out a small set of posts or hoops.\n\nFor her larger pieces such as bracelets and watches, there is a convenient pocketed area under the mirrored top. The elastic is tight enough that her jewelry should remain in the pouch but it is not so tight that access becomes difficult. I particularly like that the mirror is inset - too many other boxes just have a mirror that is stuck to the lid leaving the edges exposed.\n\nI was originally going to rate this 4 stars because the dividers were not attached but this is such a well-designed and well-executed box that it deserves 5 stars. There is nothing that says cheap about it. I had researched dozens upon dozens of boxes prior to purchasing this one and it really outshines the other boxes in this price range. In fact, it is considerably nicer than most of the other boxes that are listed at twice its price (at $20, it is a real steal). It definitely does not look like it only cost $20. So... 5 stars it is!","Product: Mele & Co. Maria Plush Fabric Jewelry Box with Twenty-Four Sections in Red\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great box - especially at $20!\n\nReview: I previously reviewed this same box but for the ad that was highlighting the pink color only. The following is the same review that I left for the other box except I made the appropriate changes regarding the color,the recipient, and a couple of other minor changes:\n\nI purchased this for my middle daughter so she can store her \"good\" jewelry separately from her costume jewelry. I am hoping that it will make it easier for her to find that special pair of gold, hoop earrings or her charm bracelet without digging through tons of other stuff. As it is for her birthday, she has not seen it yet but given the aqua blue color and the versatile design, I am sure she will love it.\n\nIn terms of presentation, Mele gave this some thought. The box arrived in a nice quality, matching box made of mid-weight cardboard (should not rip or tear easily). It was then placed inside a cloth bag and boxed in a fitted corrugated box for protection - much better than a plain plastic bag or a thin cardboard sleeve that so many manufacturers seem to use these days.\n\nThe aqua suede is slightly lighter than in the photos but it has a rougher texture of suede. It is not made of buttery smooth suede found in more expensive items but if it was, the cost would be considerably higher. Inside, the dividers are well-constructed but, unfortunately, are not fastened down to the bottom of the box. It remains to be seen if any of her smaller post earrings or tiny hoops try to migrate from one compartment to another by slipping under the dividers. The gap between the divider and bottom is so small, however, I think the pieces will remain in their respective compartments. The compartments are deep enough to hold rings and small-to-average sized earrings and hoops but not so deep that it is difficult trying to fish out a small set of posts or hoops.\n\nFor her larger pieces such as bracelets and watches, there is a convenient pocketed area under the mirrored top. The elastic is tight enough that her jewelry should remain in the pouch but it is not so tight that access becomes difficult. I particularly like that the mirror is inset - too many other boxes just have a mirror that is stuck to the lid leaving the edges exposed.\n\nI was originally going to rate this 4 stars because the dividers were not attached but this is such a well-designed and well-executed box that it deserves 5 stars. There is nothing that says cheap about it. I had researched dozens upon dozens of boxes prior to purchasing this one and it really outshines the other boxes in this price range. In fact, it is considerably nicer than most of the other boxes that are listed at twice its price (at $20, it is a real steal). It definitely does not look like it only cost $20. As I said in the opening, I did purchase (2) boxes so.... 5 stars it is!","Product: This is a great quality 10K Gold Pair of Hoop Earrings. This is fine jewelry designed to last!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: These are tiny hoops that go around the ear lobe with just a touch of clearance for comfort.\n\nReview: I was looking for a small pair of hoops that would just go over my lobes without hanging down much and these definitely fit the bill. Although I was concerned by their child-sized appearance when I received them (and they are child-sized), they fit well. They easily go around my lobes without pinching or rubbing. I wear them constantly (I don't even remove them when sleeping or washing my hair) and they are quite comfortable. The pincatch connector is tight so I have not had any issues with them falling out or coming loose. They are great for what they are - tiny, lightweight hoops that go around the ear lobe with just a touch of clearance for comfort - but if you are looking for something more substantial or flashier, these won't work for you.","Product: The Rubbermaid 1806177 Lunch Blox - Sandwich Container is part of the new Rubbermaid Lunch Blox Series which is designed to make taking lunch to school or work more convenient and organized. The Sandwich container is designed to fit sandwiches made with either regular or rectangular bread and provides a smaller foot print than traditional food storage, which makes it easier to fit inside a lunch bag. The Lunch Blox are space efficient and are designed to work together to save space and stay organized in a lunch bag. The pieces of the lunch blox can be configured to fit any lunch bag and work in conjunction with the lunch blox blue ice to keep your lunch chilled for up to four hours. The lunch blox containers are perfectly sized for common foods taken on the go. All Lunch blox containers are Durable and Leak-Proof, as well as Microwave, Dishwasher and Freezer Safe, BPA Free.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: (2) styles ordered - not all of the units snap well together... great size for teens\n\nReview: I purchased (2) of these Sandwich Kits and (2) <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Rubbermaid-LunchBlox-Entree-Kit-with-Trays-1806178/dp/B0078K3ZP2/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Rubbermaid LunchBlox Entree Kit with Trays, 1806178</a> for use with these bags: <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/PackIt-Freezable-Lunch-Bag-with-Zip-Closure-Bloom/dp/B00SJRM7UM/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">PackIt Freezable Lunch Bag with Zip Closure, Bloom</a> .I chose the these bags rather than the bag sold with this item <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Rubbermaid-LunchBlox-Medium-Lunch-Bag-Black-Etch-1813501/dp/B0078K40OC/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Rubbermaid LunchBlox Medium Lunch Bag, Black Etch, 1813501</a> as Rubbermaid's bag requires you to use \"blue ice\" to keep food cold. I find \"blue ice\" to be less than effective at keeping food chilled and it takes up too much room in the bag - space that I'd rather fill with more food. Since I can't seem to post separate reviews on the Sandwich Kit and the Entree Kit, I will review both here.\n\nRubbermaid's Sandwich Kits fit in the bags that we purchased but it does take a bit of work getting them in flat. Once seated, the larger unit does not move. My only objection to the this kit is that, like some other reviewers have reported, the units do not necessarily snap together as advertised. Other reviewers here have not had this issue so perhaps it is a hit or miss type of thing? Regardless, with our sandwich kits, all but (2) of the units do not snap tightly together. Also, the blue ice pack takes up quite a bit of space and is larger than the base unit of the sandwich kit. This is not an issue for us as we are using a freezable bag and don't need the frozen brick. But if you do, make sure your bag is wide enough to fit its larger footprint.\n\nThe Entree Kit does not fit flat in the bag we purchased. It needs to be stood on end in order to fit. It is a versatile unit with (2) different-sized, removable trays internally that take full advantage of the space available inside (no gaps, have straight walled sides). Not all of the units that came in the sandwich kit snap tightly to this lid either, though.\n\nI do appreciate all of the different sizes and configurations that are available with this system. Since I bought (2) different styles, we are able to mix and match and should be able to accommodate just about any lunch that my daughters put together. Very convenient system - I just wish I had gotten units in which the pieces actually snapped together as advertised.","Product: Book rings are great for variety of uses such as loose-leaf, memo filing, key rings and sample holders\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Better than others I have tried in the past\n\nReview: Overall, these are better quality than others that I have purchased in the past. I use these to organize my daughters' hair scrunchies (each ring comfortably holds 10 to 12) , hair elastics (each ring holds 60-75 bands), and head bands (capacity depends on thickness of the bands themselves). We also use these to bind index cards together for test preparation and for keeping information together for reports, research,etc.. In the past, the boxes of rings that I have purchased which were manufactured by other companies than SP Richards have contained too many rings that were loose (did not snap tightly when closed) and they had the unpleasant habit of opening unexpectedly - sending bands, etc., scattering across the floor. I was hoping that these would be different and so far, out of the 3 dozen or so rings that I have used, this indeed has not been an issue. If anything, some of the rings are a tad too tight and stiff but I much prefer that over loose ones. So, overall,although these are not absolutely perfect, I am definitely much happier. I would order them again if needed.","Product: The Super Stacker 4 x 6 Box is perfect for photo storage, scissors, markers and other miscellaneous school supplies. Lock tight handles keep contents secure, while stackable design helps save space. Possible assorted colors: clear, blue, purple, berry, green.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Economical choice - not for tabbed index cards\n\nReview: In the past, I have purchased <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Vaultz-Locking-4-x-6-Inch-Index-Card-Box-Acrylic-Pink-VZ00208/dp/B005NZ5YD0/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Vaultz Locking 4 x 6 Inch Index Card Box, Acrylic Pink (VZ00208)</a> but none were available in the 3x5 size this year. So, I decided to try the Advantus Super Stacker instead. This Advantus box is definitely \"clunkier\" than the acrylic one but it does hold regular index cards securely (as other reviewers have pointed out, tabbed cards are too tall for this unit). Unlike the Vaultz, the Super Stacker does not lock but the snap top with locking arms prevents the top from falling off and spilling cards everywhere. This can be an advantage if you don't like having to keep track of keys and do not require the extra layer of security that an actual lock provides. Considering the difference in cost, this unit is by far the more economical of the two and it serves it purpose well; hence, 4 stars.","Product: Tree of Life Christian Planner\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Fantastic - I'll be retiring my day planner\n\nReview: My daughter wanted a day timer similar to mine; however, I came across this planner while I was filling my basket with the day timer parts and asked her if she would prefer to try this instead. She did .. so I purchased it. We received it today and it is nice! So nice, in fact, that I plan on retiring my day timer for one of these, too.\n\nAlthough both planners are similar in size and the inserts that I use for my day timer have the same 1 week/2 page format, this planner provides more room per day for written notes. In addition, this version of Grace planners provides 2 pages for notes after each week (the other version of Grace planner does not). This is especially helpful when you have to keep track of a lot of appointments or assignments, keep detailed notes about an appointment/assignment, required to keep a mileage log, or track medical/business expenses. We also appreciate the (2) full year calendars that are included in the inside covers as well as the August through July format. Since day timer only offers January - December packages, I would have had to throw away half of the pages right off had she opted for that system. In terms of price, at $15.99, this planner is economical. My only wish list item is for a built-in pen/pencil holder.","Product: ReptiSand is available in two natural colors with no added dyes or chemicals. It stimulates natural digging and burrowing behavior and is an excellent heat conductor. ReptiSand creates a very naturalistic and attractive environment for desert reptile species. Great for bearded dragons, sand boas, soft shell turtles, etc.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Purchased and compared 3 substrates - this comes in second\n\nReview: Recently, I purchased 3 types of sandy substrate for a breeding pair of 6 year old Leopard Geckos'. Although I am aware that there is a lot of controversy surrounding sand and sand-like substrates, these Geckos have lived on it for most of their lives and they are doing phenomenally well. I purchased 20# of Aztec Gold Caribsea Reptilite Habitat (4 stars), 25# of Desert White Zoo Med ReptiSand (4 stars) , and (2) 10# bags of Orange ZooMed Vita Sand (1 star).\n\nThe Desert White Zoo Med ReptiSand is dust-free but definitely not white nor is it particularly light in color. It is a mid-tan colored, beach-like sand with dark specks throughout. On the positive side, it is dust-free despite the fact that we poured it out straight from the bag. It is almost as expensive as the Caribsea calcium substrate on a pound for pound basis. If it had been a little more cost effective, I would have given it 5 stars.","Product: ReptiSand is available in two natural colors with no added dyes or chemicals. It stimulates natural digging and burrowing behavior and is an excellent heat conductor. ReptiSand creates a very naturalistic and attractive environment for desert reptile species. Great for bearded dragons, sand boas, soft shell turtles, etc.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Purchased and compared 3 substrates - this comes in second\n\nReview: Recently, I purchased 3 types of sandy substrate for a breeding pair of 6 year old Leopard Geckos'. Although I am aware that there is a lot of controversy surrounding sand and sand-like substrates, these Geckos have lived on it for most of their lives and they are doing phenomenally well. I purchased 20# of Aztec Gold Caribsea Reptilite Habitat (4 stars), 25# of Desert White Zoo Med ReptiSand (4 stars) , and (2) 10# bags of Orange ZooMed Vita Sand (1 star).\n\nThe Desert White Zoo Med ReptiSand is dust-free but definitely not white nor is it particularly light in color. It is a mid-tan colored, beach-like sand with dark specks throughout. On the positive side, it is dust-free despite the fact that we poured it out straight from the bag. It is almost as expensive as the Caribsea calcium substrate on a pound for pound basis. If it had been a little more cost effective, I would have given it 5 stars.","Product: OurPets Cosmic Catnip has been grown to achieve the strongest, most aromatic catnip ever produced! When catnip is pinched, the aroma stored in the dried leaves is released, driving cats wild! Catnip is a 100% natural herb that stimulates a harmless, playful reaction in most cats. The action of a cat playing with this catnip-stuffed toy will release an energizing aroma for long-lasting play.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Unlike the typical catnip toy...\n\nReview: I purchased this for our Ed who has the typical array of catnip toys that live in his toy box. He typically will play with one for half an hour or so after it first arrives and then he deposits it <hopefully> into his bin, never to play with it again. I say <hopefully> because he is not above burying toys in his litter box if he really dislikes him - he is one tough critic. I am not sure why this one, OurPets Carrot, is different from so many others but it is the second catnip toy NOT to be relegated to the \"unloved\" box - or worse, the litter box - in 5 1/2 years. The first toy, modeled after a small bag of flour, gave out after 3 or so years of periodic interest and use.\n\nEd opened the carrot on Christmas and carried his new toy around the house for the next couple of days (he kept it near him at all times). He finally settled on leaving this in our bed so it is currently tucked in with us at night - NO dreaded, unloved box for it! He likes to play with the feathered greens on top and he enjoys cradling the softer body - although he gives it a good bite or two to make sure it is thoroughly \"dead\" first. Given that he is still interested in this catnip toy after a week, it must be a winner! I will be purchasing their banana one next.","Product: Stoneware Dishes are durable ceramic food and water bowls and feature a hi-glaze finish that is dishwasher safe, lead free and super sanitary.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Not particularly rabbit-proof - it seems to be dependent on the bunny\n\nReview: I purchased (2) of these for my daughters' (2) bunnies at the same time that I bought their cages: <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Living-World-Deluxe-Pet-Habitat-X-Large/dp/B007BNE1YA/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Living World Deluxe Pet Habitat, X-Large</a> . I was hoping that they would be heavy enough to hold up to the baby buns but the male knocked it off his feeding platform the first night even though the bowl was not near the edge (it was in the back corner) and he is still quite small. He moves his crock about quite a bit but, fortunately, the bowl is sturdy enough that it is surviving his curiosity quite well. The female, however, has left her bowl alone and it is working fine for her. I am currently using these for their veges, herbs and other \"wet\" foods.","Product: Earth-friendly cuttlebone-shaped bird beak conditioners are made with only 40% cuttlebone to help prevent cuttlefish populations from becoming decimated. Birds love the crispy cuttlebone-like texture of these treats, which are enriched with Omega 3 fatty acids, honey, and thiamine. They are less brittle than regular cuttlebones, which mean they last longer. The minerals encompassed in these cuttlebone are excellent for healthy bones and egg production and are vital to support healthy plumage and avian energy needs. Clip for cage hanging included. Why Penn Plax enriches the cuttlebones: Omega 3 Just like in humans, Omega 3 helps the immune system and how the body fights disease and sickness. Honey is a natural source of carbohydrates that provides strength and energy, Honey instantly boosts performance and reduced muscle fatigue. Vitamin B Provides many benefits to the health of a pet bird; increases energy, benefits hearing and vision and aids in keeping the immune system running smoothly. Each piece is hand molded to a perfect shape, enriched with vitamins and minerals and produced. It is harder than natural cuttlebone so it is less likely to break, as well as being consistent in look and color. Penn-Plax E2 Cuttlebone is light-years ahead of the competition in composition and quality, offering the consumer a consistent size and value for the money.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Only 40% cuttlebone according to the package - SEE UPDATE\n\nReview: Because this product is described (at this time) as \"natural cuttlebone\" that has been enriched, I thought I was purchasing actual cuttlebones which had supplements added to it. I read the listing's information thoroughly before buying these so I was surprised when I received them and found that they contain only 40% cuttlebone - and it is in a powdered form! (See UPDATE below - ad has been changed). The other ingredients according to the packaging are: calcium carbonate (50%), oyster shell (8%), omega 3 (.05%), honey (.1%), vitamin B1(.01%) and natural flavor (no % listed). These figures only add up to 98.16%. Perhaps the missing 1.84% is the \"natural flavor\" (but then why doesn't the package state that?) and I am uneasy that the numbers don't add up. Also, the agent used to bind these ingredients together is not listed on the package anywhere.\n\nPer the package, the guaranteed analysis is:\nFat (Min) .01%\nProtein (max) 9.8%\nCrude Fiber (Max) 1%\nMoisture (Max) 10%\n\nTheir packaging also states that this product is made in China.\n\nThe actual \"cuttlebone\" is a formed product that is about twice the normal thickness of real, whole cuttlebone and it is considerably more durable. When they formed this product, they added the swirls and lines typically found in cuttlebone making it look somewhat realistic. Because it is the same width and length as the real thing, it fits in typical cuttlebone holders. They also include (2) plastic clips that can be used to affix their product to the side of the cage but I have not tried using them (I use separate holders). The product doesn't feel like cuttlebone, though, but, rather, it feels more like the cement coating on this type of perch: (http://www.amazon.com/Jungle-Talk-Walk-Concrete-Perch/dp/B0002DIAIY/ref=sr_1_8?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1440022929&sr=1-8&keywords=cement++perch).\n\nI would not have purchased these if I had known that they were not actually real, whole cuttlebones like other manufacturers sell. Due to the lack of clarity in the ad as well as the unknown 1.84% ingredients, I am uncomfortable recommending these to anyone.\n\nUPDATE: Within a couple of days of posting the above review, the company changed the main advertisement and the product description to reflect that these are only 40% cuttlebone.","Product: An all natural calcium substrate; ideal for true chameleons or any tortoise, snake, lizard, arachnid, or insect that comes from an arid or semi arid environment. The naturally spherical grains wont scratch your valuable animals inside or out! There are no artificial dyes or chemicals in Reptilite. This low impact substrate also contains strontium and magnesium while being free of silica and phosphates. Though not intended as a food source or supplement, it is 100% edible and easily digestible. In fact, Reptilite is made of aragonite, the most soluble form of calcium carbonate available. Reptilite also contains naturally occurring strontium, which recent research indicates may increase bone density. Trusted by professional reptile breeders and hobbyists alike.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Purchased and compared 3 substrates - this was the best\n\nReview: Recently, I purchased 3 types of sandy substrate for a breeding pair of 6 year old Leopard Geckos'. Although I am aware that there is a lot of controversy surrounding sand and sand-like substrates, these Geckos have lived on it for most of their lives and they are doing phenomenally well. I purchased 20# of Aztec Gold Caribsea Reptilite Habitat (4 stars), 25# of Desert White Zoo Med ReptiSand (4 stars) , and (2) 10# bags of Orange ZooMed Vita Sand (1 star).\n\nThe Aztec Gold Caribsea Reptilite Habitat is a calcium substrate that is much coarser than the other (2) brands - even though the VitaSand is a calcium substrate, too. Unlike the VitaSand, however, there was no dust storm when we poured the sand in the tank - a huge plus! The Aztec Gold is lighter gold in person than in the photo. In fact, it was very close to the same color as Desert White ReptiSand that I received. Unlike the ReptiSand, the Caribsea is consistent in color throughout. Out of the (2) calcium substrates, I preferred this one despite it being coarser because it is dust free, it did not stain my hands, and it was cheaper on a per pound basis. Although the ad showed a long ship time, it was delivered in under 2 weeks. If the color had been depicted more accurately and it had been as fine textured as the other (2) , I would have given it 5 stars. If I could only re-order one of the three, I would purchase this one.","Product: Zoo Med - Mini Tropical UVB Lighting Combo Mini Tropical UVB Lighting Combo. Includes: Mini Deep Dome: Ceramic socket: for use with lamps up to 100 watts. Polished aluminum dome for maximum light and heat output Deep Dome extends beyond the face of the lamp, preventing the lamp from extending outside the face of the dome. ReptiSun 50 watt UVB Mini Compact Fluorescent: Perfect for small terrarium tropical species of reptiles and amphibians Provides UVB and visible light in a mini compact lamp.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: UVB output may be fine but don't count on this lighting your tank\n\nReview: I purchased this unit for use with a juvenile lizard that requires a UVB source and was happy to find a product that offered both UVB and UVA in one bulb. Although his vivarium is only 8x17x10 inches deep, the output of visible light is much too dim to be useful-it barely lights any of his tank. I am now forced to purchase a secondary daytime bulb. Had I known that the light output and quality were so poor, I would have purchased a double dome unit and seperate UVA and UVB lamps from the start. Now, I'll be stuck with two single domes which is more expensive and less tidy looking. This is one of the few purchases from Amazon that I regret but perhaps I just received a bad bulb.....","Product: Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Orange Blossom Honey Treat is a fortified blend of nutritious ingredients with a hint of honey. Comes in a pack of 3.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: My daughter's parakeets like this but seem to have a small preference for their regualr food..Check the price!\n\nReview: I think I may actually like this more than the parakeets. The seed smells good when you open the package - a sweet but not cloying scent. We use (3) of: <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Jumbo-Fountain-Feeder/dp/B0002565VG/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Jumbo Fountain Feeder</a> in their cage: one for this product, one for their regular food and the third one for water. There is always an inch or so of treat left over in the canister after we fill the feeder but it stays fresh until the next re-fill 5-7 days later. The list of ingredients can be found here: <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Kaytee-Forti-Diet-Pro-Health-Parakeet-Orange-Blossom-Honey-Treats-10-Ounce/dp/B002UIRYD6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Kaytee Forti Diet Pro Health Parakeet Orange Blossom Honey Treats, 10-Ounce</a>\n\nThe reason I deducted a star is that the birds appear to prefer their normal parakeet diet over this \"treat\" (not by much but they do go through their normal seed mix quicker than this food). I was happy to see that Amazon offers this product in packs of (3) as we saved some money by purchasing the 3 pack rather than buying the canisters separately; however, I noticed today the it is now cheaper to purchase them singly (you would saveseveral dollars when purchasing the 3 separately as \"add-ons\" - ref: <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Kaytee-Forti-Diet-Pro-Health-Parakeet-Orange-Blossom-Honey-Treats-10-Ounce/dp/B002UIRYD6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Kaytee Forti Diet Pro Health Parakeet Orange Blossom Honey Treats, 10-Ounce</a>). So, definitely check the price as the cost fluctuates. Overall, I am pleased with my purchase and will purchase more in the future.","Product: Cosmas Hardware is the way to go when designing or fixing up your kitchen or bathroom. They do not make us charge unnecessary markups for their hardware like some of the other major brands do. Therefore, giving you great hardware at a price that you can afford. Go ahead, compare, we dare you.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Looks so much better in person!\n\nReview: These look much better in person - definitely higher end than the price would tend to indicate. The back is somewhat cut-away (but not as much as many other handles) reducing the weight somewhat but the handles are still heavier than the flimsier ones that the big-box stores sell at this price point. To get a truly heavy, solid handle can be price prohibitive for many people so these are a great alternative. The finish matches all of the other nickel finishes in my bath so I am quite pleased with that aspect, too. The one downside is that the screws included are only 1\" in length - much too short for many standard cabinets including mine. Fortunately, other reviewers had mentioned this fact so I was prepared to supply different screws - you could also counter sink the included screws depending on the door/drawer design and depth. Overall, I am extremely pleased with the quality and the aesthetics - I just wish that they would send a more appropriate screw."],"string":"[\n \"Product: This woven strap crate by Whitmor is perfect not only for use in your laundry room, but also for your office, closet, den or anywhere you need a great looking, sturdy storage solution. It is made of a durable wipe clean woven polypropylene fabric and an epoxy coated metal frame. Strap handles make for easy transport. Measures: 12.20\\\"L x 13.00\\\"W x 10.00\\\"H.. Whitmor is a 4th generation family-owned and operated business. Since 1946, Whitmor has been dedicated to bringing organization home by creating products that simplify everyday life. Ensuring that those products are built with integrity, value, and innovation is our commitment to you. And our promise is that we will always be here for you should you ever need us as we stand behind our product 100%. Whitmor customer service is available in English and Spanish Monday through Friday from 8am - 4:30pm CST. Call us and we will gladly assist you in your language. Whitmor customer service Department, 1-888-944-8667\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Same materials as the bins and totes - used to store bird supplies\\n\\nReview: I have purchased dozens of the Whitmor woven strap totes and bins but they sell out rapidly. I found these crates when I needed (2) more large bins and discovered that they were no longer available.\\n\\nThe crates have a distinct advantage over the bins and totes: straight sides. The bins/totes are smaller on the bottom than on the top due to their angled sides but these are consistent. Like the other two products, these have a rigid wire frame which keeps the crate from collapsing or breaking under pressure. Since these are made of the same woven material, they should be as indestructible as the bins/totes have proven to be, too. The material definitely does not rip or tear easily.\\n\\nI purchased (2) of these crates to store parakeet-related items. One of them holds their food, treats, millet sprays, and bottled water and the other is used to store extra dishes, perches, cuttlebones, etc. This way, we only have to access one of the bins on a frequent basis. These also fit on the shelf under the cage that we purchased here on Amazon.\",\n \"Product: TANDY LEATHER FACTORY-Stitching Needles. Use this set of needles for all of your leather projects. This package contains ten metal stitching needles. Imported.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Neither strong nor durable - UPDATE: Found a better needle\\n\\nReview: I purchased these for a leather quiver that I am making for my daughter. For most of the sewing, I have been using a regular light-weight tapestry/doll needle (not meant for leather use) and it has held up wonderfully well but I needed a shorter needle for the inner curved areas. So, I purchased a package of these.\\n\\nI am using 8 oz leather and have pre-punched all of the sewing holes so there is very little pressure on the needle when stitching. That being said, I have already had 3 of these needles snap right where the shaft meets the eye and I have a significant amount of stitching left to do (the needles do not last very long). Since the package contains 10 needles, I should make it but I will definitely be looking for a different brand next time.\\n\\nIn reading other reviews, I see that I am not the only one that has had this problem. Perhaps it is a quality control issue and I received a bad pack?\\n\\nUPDATE: 9 of the 10 needles broke before I could complete 30\\\" of seaming (stitches are 3/16\\\" apart - I used a saddle stitch throughout). Another reviewer mentioned John James needles as a better alternative so I purchased a pack of size 3 midway through (<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/John-James-Glovers-Needles-Size-1/dp/B00HX1U0W2/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">John James Glovers Needles, Size 1</a>). After trying the John James needles on 9 ounce veg tanned backed with thick goat hide (equivalent to 6-7 ounce leather for a total of 15-16 ounces / 1/4\\\"!!), I must say that I will never purchase the Tandy needles again! I just wish that Amazon carried their line of saddle needles (blunt tip) rather than just the glover style.\\n\\nThe other defect that I noticed with Tandy's needles is that the eye is not smooth internally. Since it isn't finished properly, the burrs and rough edges cause tiger thread to shred as you sew.\",\n \"Product: TANDY LEATHER FACTORY-Stitching Needles. Use this set of needles for all of your leather projects. This package contains ten metal stitching needles. Imported.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Neither strong nor durable - UPDATE: Found a better needle\\n\\nReview: I purchased these for a leather quiver that I am making for my daughter. For most of the sewing, I have been using a regular light-weight tapestry/doll needle (not meant for leather use) and it has held up wonderfully well but I needed a shorter needle for the inner curved areas. So, I purchased a package of these.\\n\\nI am using 8 oz leather and have pre-punched all of the sewing holes so there is very little pressure on the needle when stitching. That being said, I have already had 3 of these needles snap right where the shaft meets the eye and I have a significant amount of stitching left to do (the needles do not last very long). Since the package contains 10 needles, I should make it but I will definitely be looking for a different brand next time.\\n\\nIn reading other reviews, I see that I am not the only one that has had this problem. Perhaps it is a quality control issue and I received a bad pack?\\n\\nUPDATE: 9 of the 10 needles broke before I could complete 30\\\" of seaming (stitches are 3/16\\\" apart - I used a saddle stitch throughout). Another reviewer mentioned John James needles as a better alternative so I purchased a pack of size 3 midway through (<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/John-James-Glovers-Needles-Size-1/dp/B00HX1U0W2/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">John James Glovers Needles, Size 1</a>). After trying the John James needles on 9 ounce veg tanned backed with thick goat hide (equivalent to 6-7 ounce leather for a total of 15-16 ounces / 1/4\\\"!!), I must say that I will never purchase the Tandy needles again! I just wish that Amazon carried their line of saddle needles (blunt tip) rather than just the glover style.\\n\\nThe other defect that I noticed with Tandy's needles is that the eye is not smooth internally. Since it isn't finished properly, the burrs and rough edges cause tiger thread to shred as you sew.\",\n \"Product: These large eye blunt needles are good for weaving in ends and sewing up seams on your knit and crochet projects; Also called tapestry, darning, or finishing needles; Nickel-Plated Steel; Pack of six (2 each of size 13, 14 and 16).\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Incredibly strong and durable (leather work)\\n\\nReview: After breaking 9 out of 10 of these needles :<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Tandy-Leather-Factory-Stitching-Needles-10-Pack/dp/B00114RBSI/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Tandy Leather Factory Stitching Needles, 10-Pack</a> within a day or two (I was lacing leather and these needles were extremely brittle), I purchased a pack of these yarn needles. I assumed that they would break rapidly as I am working with heavy veg tan leather but thought, for the low cost, it was worth the risk just to finish the piece.\\n\\nI am surprised and extremely happy with these needles. I am still on the first needle out of the pack (the smallest one) and not only have I completed the one project, but I am now on the third section. These needles are incredibly strong and durable and have proven to be unfazed by a set of pliers. Thank you, Lion Brand, for such a quality product!!!\",\n \"Product: DRITZ-Magnetic Pin Bowl. This magnetic pin bowl is great for holding pins, needles, and other metal notions. The strong magnet can be used horizontally, vertically, or even upside down. It has a 6 inch diameter and features a weighted bottom with a rubberized base to prevent damage to surfaces. This package contains one Magnetic Pin Bowl. Imported.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Strong magentic, heavy bowl\\n\\nReview: I have always used a wand to hold my pins while sewing but when it came time to replace the last wand (the plastic coating was coming apart in sections), I discovered this bowl. Since I wasn't sure how well this would work, I ordered a new wand: <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Dritz-Magnetic-Pin-Wand/dp/B000W5GCCS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Dritz Magnetic Pin Wand</a> along with this product.\\n\\nI don't have a long-arm machine so I keep this to the left of my sewing machine on the table. The bowl is heavy enough so it does not move or chatter when I am sewing but is light enough to carry around. Best of all, the magnet in this bowl is incredibly strong - significantly more so than the wand! I have used this bowl for the past few weeks and it is now my preferred pin catcher. While the wand is great for picking up lost pins in the carpeting, this bowl works much better for me when actually sewing.\\n\\nI also discovered that it is durable. When the delivery man delivered my order, I caught him throwing my package like a football up the driveway (it thunked loudly as it bounced and the outer box was damaged). The bowl, however, sustained no damage despite the minimal packing material inside. I could not be happier with my purchase - just wish that someone else had delivered it.\",\n \"Product: Officially licensed by Nintendo. This large capacity yet compact design game case is compatible for both the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS game cards. It can store up to 24 of your favorite games. Includes one SD card holder attachment. Case is available in 3 colors: Black, Blue and Clear. Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS games not included.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Hold up fairly well over time and heavy use\\n\\nReview: We have purchased multiple units over the years and, for the most part, they have held up well. We do have a couple of cases where the snap part that holds an individual cartridge(or two) has broken but those cases are quite a bit older and have been subjected to a lot of use. We almost always purchase one of these when we buy a case such as:\\n\\n<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/G-HUB-GAME-CONSOLE-TRAVEL-BAG-for-NINTENDO-DS-Fits-ALL-Foldable-Screen-Versions-including-Original-DS-DSi-DS-Lite-3DS-3DS-XL-New-3DS-New-3DS-XL-etc-but-not-2DS-Model-Version-Designed-by-G-HUB-exclusively-for-use-with-Nintendo-DS-Consoles-With-Specially-designed-compartments-for-Games-Stylus-Pens-Charging-Power-Data-Cables-and-Other-Accessories-Bag-includes-Shoulder-Strap-Carry-Handle-Belt-Loop-BLUE/dp/B00LXAP2PE/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">G-HUB - GAME & CONSOLE TRAVEL BAG for NINTENDO DS (Fits ALL Foldable Screen Versions including: Original DS / DSi / DS Lite / 3DS / 3DS XL / New 3DS / New 3DS XL / etc. but not 2DS Model Version) - Designed by G-HUB exclusively for use with Nintendo DS Consoles - With Specially designed compartments for Games + Stylus Pens + Charging / Power / Data Cables and Other Accessories - Bag includes Shoulder Strap + Carry Handle + Belt Loop - BLUE</a>\\n\\n sothat we have more storage for the individual cartridges.\",\n \"Product: Add a contemporary look to your bathroom with the iDesign Spa Mono Waste Can. The blush color scheme of this quality waste basket is sure to make a great addition to any decor. The waste can is constructed of plastic for years of quality use. Perfect for bathrooms, offices, and bedrooms, the versatile trash can is compact enough for any space in your home. Waste can measures 7.1\\\" x 11.2\\\" x 12\\\". With iDesign by InterDesign, you can #LiveSimply every day.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: UPDATE: Have now bought (4) in (3) different colors - aloe, blush and water\\n\\nReview: I have purchased (2) of these so far in (2) different colors. They are proving to be quite sturdy and up to the task. The height and depth work great if you need a waste basket next to the toilet as it is just lower than the seat and fits neatly in the limited space available between the bowl and the wall (turned sideways/long ways) in a 36\\\" toilet compartment/WC. It is proving difficult to find the perfect trash bag as the small 4 gallon bags engulf this can and the smaller bags are not deep enough to make use of the full can. Currently, we are just tying one corner of a (4) gallon bag to make it fit. The blush color (as well as the aloe) are accurately shown in the ad. I would definitely purchase more of these if needed.\\n\\nUPDATE: Since the blush- and aloe-colored cans that I purchased previously still look brand new, I recently purchased (2) more. This time, I chose the \\\"water\\\" color. These are actually more intensely colored in person than in the photo but I consider this to be an absolute positive. The color is quite lovely. If I need any additional waste baskets, I will not hesitate to purchase more. I appreciate that they are both durable and with the array of so many different colors, it is easy to \\\"match\\\" the decor. These are far superior to the the typical black plastic cans (and a couple of dingy, white cans) that I had before.\",\n \"Product: Command Outdoor Hooks give you the freedom to decorate the outside of your home for every season, holiday or event. They are perfect for hanging wreaths, signs, thermometers, artwork, or other decorations on a variety of smooth outdoor surfaces, such as doors, siding, or trim. Using a new formulation of the revolutionary Command Adhesive, these Outdoor Hooks can handle temperature extremes from 20 degrees F to 125 degrees F! And like all Command Products, they remove leaving no holes, marks, stains or sticky residue so you can use them over and over again.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Holding up in a bath enclosure - UPDATE\\n\\nReview: I purchased (4) small hooks for my daughter's bathroom inside the tub/shower enclosure but decided to use just (3) of them. I was concerned whether or not they would hold up as these did not specify that they were for wet/damp locations but, after a month of daily use, they have not budged an inch. We did wait 36 hours after installation before using the tub and loading up the hooks. She uses the hooks to hold back scrubbers, nylon scrubbies, wet wash cloths, etc. The hooks have been exposed to shower spray, too, so they appear to work just fine in this environment.\\n\\nUPDATE: After more than 3 months of continuous use, these hooks are still holding, despite getting sprayed with a shower head fairly frequently. My daughter also has added a mesh bag that is filled with various odds and ends and none of the hooks have budged.\",\n \"Product: THERMOS products deliver what matters every time. As the leading manufacturer of convenient insulated products for over 100 years, THERMOS is trusted by consumers to provide innovative portable containers that promote a safe and healthy lifestyle. THERMOS delivers when it matters. THERMOS brand products offer superior insulation that keeps food at its maximum temperature retention for hours, and the 10 ounce FUNtainer food jar is no exception. THERMOS vacuum insulation technology virtually eliminates temperature change within the beverage container by creating an airless space between two stainless steel walls. The result is an insulation layer that performs better than any other. A superior insulated container you can depend on to keep your childs food hot or cold for longer. This food jar keeps food cold up to 7 hours and hot for 5 hours. Constructed with double wall stainless steel, this 10 ounce food jar is built to withstand the demands of everyday use with its durable stainless steel interior and exterior and features a wide mouth that is easy to fill, serve from and clean. In order to maximize the incredible insulation technology, it is recommended to pre-chill or pre-heat the jar just prior to use.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Purple is as shown, but the hot pink - not so much.. bottoms eventually loosen and fall off\\n\\nReview: I have purchased several stainless steel food jars over the years and Thermos brand products have always proved durable. This school year. I purchased (2) jars - this one and a purple one. We color code our daughters' school products to save time in the morning and one chose purple, the other: pink. Unfortunately, this is not pink as described. The unit we received is closer to a dull red than to pink (and it is labeled as hot pink to boot) with pink bands at either end - not very attractive to say the least. We have other pink and hot pink thermos brand items and those have been much more true to color so this one was a surprise. 3 stars as it is still functional and the girls can still easily distinguish which items are theirs, but I cannot give it \\\"4 stars - I like it\\\" or \\\"5 stars - I love it\\\" due to the off putting color. The purple unit, however, is as pictured.\\n\\nI should add that the bottom rings loosen up over a 1 or 2 year time period and will eventually fall off - especially if you use the dishwasher. We just add a few dabs of a silicon adhesive when that happens and they are good to go.\",\n \"Product: Heat and food safe hermetic jar from Italy\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Have purchased many sizes... great jars!\\n\\nReview: I initially purchased (2)17 ounce test jars for our pantry cabinet and was so impressed with them that I bought a case of (6) 16 ounce jars. I could not locate 17 ounce jars by the case and the 1 ounce difference was not a deal breaker for me. Currently, we are storing (2) types of sea salt (1 pound packages) in them as well as quinoa, red lentils, and specialty rice.\\n\\nThe Bormioli jars are made in Italy and are thick, high quality glass. I especially appreciate the air-tight seal as we periodically battle pantry moths (this is the primary reason we converted to using glass jars for all of our dry products) and the moths cannot penetrate these. Since my initial purchase, I have also purchased multiple jars in varying sizes - all the way up to 169 ounce jars that we use for storing cereal, flour and sugar. I definitely will purchase more as needed.\",\n \"Product: Command Outdoor Hooks give you the freedom to decorate the outside of your home for every season, holiday or event. They are perfect for hanging wreaths, signs, thermometers, artwork, or other decorations on a variety of smooth outdoor surfaces, such as doors, siding, or trim. Using a new formulation of the revolutionary Command Adhesive, these Outdoor Hooks can handle temperature extremes from 20 degrees F to 125 degrees F! And like all Command Products, they remove leaving no holes, marks, stains or sticky residue so you can use them over and over again.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Holding up in a bath enclosure - UPDATE\\n\\nReview: I purchased (4) small hooks for my daughter's bathroom inside the tub/shower enclosure but decided to use just (3) of them. I was concerned whether or not they would hold up as these did not specify that they were for wet/damp locations but, after a month of daily use, they have not budged an inch. We did wait 36 hours after installation before using the tub and loading up the hooks. She uses the hooks to hold back scrubbers, nylon scrubbies, wet wash cloths, etc. The hooks have been exposed to shower spray, too, so they appear to work just fine in this environment.\\n\\nUPDATE: After more than 3 months of continuous use, these hooks are still holding, despite getting sprayed with a shower head fairly frequently. My daughter also has added a mesh bag that is filled with various odds and ends and none of the hooks have budged.\",\n \"Product: THERMOS products deliver what matters every time. As the leading manufacturer of convenient insulated products for over 100 years, THERMOS is trusted by consumers to provide innovative portable containers that promote a safe and healthy lifestyle. THERMOS delivers when it matters. THERMOS brand products offer superior insulation that keeps food at its maximum temperature retention for hours, and the 10 ounce FUNtainer food jar is no exception. THERMOS vacuum insulation technology virtually eliminates temperature change within the beverage container by creating an airless space between two stainless steel walls. The result is an insulation layer that performs better than any other. A superior insulated container you can depend on to keep your childs food hot or cold for longer. This food jar keeps food cold up to 7 hours and hot for 5 hours. Constructed with double wall stainless steel, this 10 ounce food jar is built to withstand the demands of everyday use with its durable stainless steel interior and exterior and features a wide mouth that is easy to fill, serve from and clean. In order to maximize the incredible insulation technology, it is recommended to pre-chill or pre-heat the jar just prior to use.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Purple is as shown, but the hot pink - not so much.. bottoms eventually loosen and fall off\\n\\nReview: I have purchased several stainless steel food jars over the years and Thermos brand products have always proved durable. This school year. I purchased (2) jars - this one and a purple one. We color code our daughters' school products to save time in the morning and one chose purple, the other: pink. Unfortunately, this is not pink as described. The unit we received is closer to a dull red than to pink (and it is labeled as hot pink to boot) with pink bands at either end - not very attractive to say the least. We have other pink and hot pink thermos brand items and those have been much more true to color so this one was a surprise. 3 stars as it is still functional and the girls can still easily distinguish which items are theirs, but I cannot give it \\\"4 stars - I like it\\\" or \\\"5 stars - I love it\\\" due to the off putting color. The purple unit, however, is as pictured.\\n\\nI should add that the bottom rings loosen up over a 1 or 2 year time period and will eventually fall off - especially if you use the dishwasher. We just add a few dabs of a silicon adhesive when that happens and they are good to go.\",\n \"Product: Heat and food safe hermetic jar from Italy\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Have purchased many sizes... great jars!\\n\\nReview: I initially purchased (2)17 ounce test jars for our pantry cabinet and was so impressed with them that I bought a case of (6) 16 ounce jars. I could not locate 17 ounce jars by the case and the 1 ounce difference was not a deal breaker for me. Currently, we are storing (2) types of sea salt (1 pound packages) in them as well as quinoa, red lentils, and specialty rice.\\n\\nThe Bormioli jars are made in Italy and are thick, high quality glass. I especially appreciate the air-tight seal as we periodically battle pantry moths (this is the primary reason we converted to using glass jars for all of our dry products) and the moths cannot penetrate these. Since my initial purchase, I have also purchased multiple jars in varying sizes - all the way up to 169 ounce jars that we use for storing cereal, flour and sugar. I definitely will purchase more as needed.\",\n \"Product: Laura Ashley Flannel Sheet sets are 100-Percent brushed cotton for added softness. They are pre-shrunk, so you don't have to worry about shrinkage. Each set includes 2 pillowcases (1 with twin size) flat sheet and fitted sheet. Cuddle up with these signature Laura Ashley prints and enjoy a beautiful nights sleep.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Runs a little small but nice quality\\n\\nReview: I bought (2) sets of twin-sized sheets for my daughter (she has (2) beds in her room). I washed and dried them as soon as they arrived - cold water, cool dry cycle - and they definitely shed heavily. Both me and my other daughter have different brands of flannel sheets and the Laura Ashley sheets shed the most out of the three. In addition, the pattern is on one side only. The other side is a creamy white color.\\n\\nThe pillowcases and top sheet run a little small on the bed. My daughter has standard down-lite pillows and the pillowcases are too small for them by 3-4\\\" so I have to \\\"double case\\\" each one (ie., I put a dark blue microfiber pillow case on each pillow and then the Laura Ashleys running the other direction). I wish that I could purchase additional pillowcases separately (and in a larger size) so that they would match. The top sheet could have used 6-8\\\" more in length to give the bed better coverage, too.\\n\\nOn the positive side, the sheets are thicker than the brand that I have and approximately the same as my other daughter's which cost more. I suspect that these are going to last for some time and wear well. The sheets washed up well (no thin spots or pilling) and are very soft to the touch. The pattern is also quite lovely in person. Because the sheets were priced so well (less than $30 a set), I can overlook the few negatives and give them 4 stars.\",\n \"Product: Go big on comfort. Now you can experience the cushiony softness and exceptional absorbency of premium memory foam, in a generously oversized runner mat. It's perfect for outside the tub…ideal in front of a double-sink vanity or even in the laundry room. It's big on convenience too, because it's treated with ultra fresh treatment, for superior resistance to mold and mildew. It's designed with a non-skid backing for extra safety. And it couldn't be easier to care for: simply machine wash and dry. Runner measures 60-inch long by 24-inch wide by .625-inch deep. Color: sandy shore taupe.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Would have been 5 stars but...Updated: the (2) don't match\\n\\nReview: These are wonderfully padded and feel great under bare feet! I ordered (2) of them and both grip their respective slick tile floors tightly - no slippage what-so-ever. The color is fairly true to that shown here on the site but is a little brighter in person. Since they are still new, I cannot comment on the durability and wash-ability, hence, I would typically have given them 4 stars rather than 5. But... ultimately, I can only do 3 stars because, weeks later, each rug still has 2 visible creases from where they were folded for shipment and the rugs \\\"lift\\\" in these (2) areas causing a possible tripping hazard. Hopefully, the folds/creases will eventually work there way out and the rugs will both lay completely flat and prove to be durable. If so, I will update them to 5 stars.\\n\\nUPDATE: The above was initially a 3 star review. When I received the rugs, I put one of them in my daughter's rooms and left the other in the entry. A couple of days later, I placed the second one in a spare/unused bathroom. Recently, we completed a \\\"re-do\\\" of my daughter's bath and I went in to get the other rug from the spare bath so we could see if we wanted to use both rugs in her bathroom. That is when I noticed that the (2) rugs are not even close to the same color! One is similar to the one shown online but the other one has a strong brownish undertone to it so it looks khaki colored. In addition, the off-colored rug is not cut properly. One of the corners has a much larger radius than the other 3 corners giving it a rounded off look - very strange. I wished I had noticed these flaws initially. Had I only received the first mat, this would have been a 5-star review but given the condition of the second rug, I cannot really recommend these. What a shame because they really do feel good under foot and the one in my daughter's room is holding up extremely well under daily foot traffic.\",\n \"Product: A versatile addition to your home, this storage bin is made of clear, durable plastic, allowing you to organize, store and easily locate your makeup, toiletries or beauty products. Equally suited to being displayed on your bathroom counter or tucked away in the cabinet, the smart, simple bathroom organizer box is perfect for storing cosmetics, accessories, brushes, and more. The clear plastic design keeps your smaller items organized, visible and easy to locate, and the built in handles make the storage box easy to grab and move from cabinet to counter as needed. Versatile and multi-functional, this storage organizer can also be used in the office, craft room, utility, pantry or kitchen. InterDesigns creative products enhance your dcor, turning simple home solutions into must-have accessories that shine. Designed in the USA, we are proud to produce a wide selection of high quality home, bath and storage solutions that excite, inspire and charm. Stylish, functional and affordable, our products have been enriching customers homes for over 40 years. InterDesign: innovative products, exceptional value.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Have purchased several of the 4\\\" x 10\\\"\\n\\nReview: I have purchased several of the 4\\\" x 10\\\" units for (2) bathrooms to use as both drawer storage and under-sink storage. I also use them to store art supplies as well as electronic parts (adapters, headphones, mini-speakers, etc.) in my daughters' computer desks. In the bathroom, I use these under the sink to corral refill bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. A single unit will hold (1) Joico 33.8 oz conditioner, a Pantene 25.4 oz 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner -or - 24 oz St. Ives Body Wash and a 16.9 oz Biolage Matrix balm turned on its side. There is room left over above the Biolage for a smaller item. In the drawers, these will hold a multitude of smaller bottles as well as boxes of colored pencils, pens, geometry sets, etc.\\n\\nI actually have come back to purchase a few more for our ongoing organization project. So far, these containers are holding up well. The acrylic is thick enough so the bins are rigid and they aren't easily scratched or marred. The only complaint I have is that these arrive with (3) stickers attached. Although the brand sticker is easy enough to peel off, the other (2) larger stickers are a pain. Each is held on with circles of adhesive that have to be individually picked off. Although it is not a large issue, it is annoying - especially when you have arthritic hands.\",\n \"Product: Packed with personality, Wildkins two-compartment lunch bag is designed to help you and the environment by offering a fun and reusable option for lunch and snack time. Our two-compartment lunch bags measure 9 x 8 x 6 inches and are recommended for all ages. This lunch bag has two compartments, top one with a zippered front opening for quick and easy access making it perfect for drinks. Second, lower compartment is complete with a microwave and dishwasher-safe container. Both compartments are super spacious, and youll have no trouble fitting everything you need from drinks to napkins. Sized just right for kids and adults, the Wildkin Lunch Box is perfect for the on-the-go parent or child. For this kind of quality and superior design, you honestly cannot beat the price. This lunch bag will last a long time, but youll find that with all of Wildkins fun color and pattern options youll be ordering whenever youre in the mood for a new look. Each lunch box is rigorously tested to ensure that all parts are PVC, BPA and Phthalate-free, and conform to all rules and regulations set forth by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The interior of each bag is black which is easy to clean and doesnt show stains. Remember to clean with just mild soap, a damp washcloth and do not store or close your lunch box until 100% dry.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Our preferred brand (and the squirrels, too)\\n\\nReview: My daughters prefer these double decker lunch bags which keep cold food separated from hot. Unfortunately, so do the squirrels at their school and we have now had 2 of these chewed through as well as a backpack. Because Wildkin's bags come in so many designs, my daughters never have a problem finding one that they like and which is different from their classmates. I have noticed that the zippers hold up well which has not been the case for us with another brand and I can say that these can take quite a bit of abuse. I have, on occasion, tossed them into the laundry and they have washed well. I do not fully dry them in the dryer, though, so I don't know if they would/could withstand that. The enclosed container for the bottom section which I typically hand wash weathered the school year just fine. We will definitely be purchasing these again next year.\",\n \"Product: ZWILLING Spirit 3-Ply gets you in the mood to cook. Thanks to a thick, aluminum core, these versatile pans are fast-heating and boast an even cooking surface. The exclusive, stay cool handles are designed for easy maneuvering with oven mitts and the dripless pouring rims help prevent kitchen spills. The tight-fitting tempered glass lids allow you to effortlessly monitor your cooking.The ZWILLING Spirit ceramic nonstick coating is a healthy alternative to traditional PTFE coatings. Less oil is required and no toxic fumes are released into the air when the pan is heated at high temperatures.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Purchased one as a gift and, after trying it, came back and purchased one for myself!\\n\\nReview: I purchased one of these as a Christmas gift for my son. I originally purchased him (at his request) a cheap set of pots and pans to take to college but as he has long since graduated (and loves to cook), it was time for some quality cookware. We agreed that I would pick up one or two pieces per birthday and Christmas until his kitchen is outfitted and he asked that we start with a 2-quart saucepan. His only caveat was that he did not want any teflon coated cookware so I was happy when I discovered this ceramic saucer. He wasn't too happy by the recommendation to hand wash only, but when we saw how truly non-stick this saucer is, that concern disappeared. After 2 months of hard use on an electric stove, he is still thrilled with his gift.\\n\\nAfter he opened his pot on Christmas, he asked that I test it out by using it to make the honey-glaze for our ham. I was so impressed by it that I immediately purchased one for myself, too (and I was definitely not in the market for a new pot). The bulk of my saucers and pots are 20 year-old multi-ply Chantals that are still going strong (I have scanpans, calphalon, and a couple of \\\"orphan\\\" pots and pans, too) but the Zwilling Henckels definitely puts them to shame. It is truly non-stick regardless of what I am making - even caramel wipes away easily. The saucepan is considerably heavier by weight than the Chantal and the lid, although similar in style, is heavier and sturdier - great construction. Unlike my son, I cook on a commercial gas grill/cook top and it is holding up to the direct heat well. This is now my favorite saucepan by far and I plan on replacing the Chantals over time with this brand. Exceptional!\",\n \"Product: Global Furniture Occasional Coffee Table, T646, Clear/Frosted/Dark Walnut Legs. This table is complete with clear top glass and frosted bottom glass with dark walnut legs to finish the look. Founded in 1999, Global Furniture USA is one of the premier importers and distributors of fine home furnishings in the United States and worldwide. Known for providing a broad selection of contemporary styles at competitive prices, Global Furniture USA is a direct factory importer, which allows them to market their products at lower prices while offering quicker delivery to their customers. With a wide selection of product already available on Amazon and more stunning designs being added every day, Global Furniture USA is here to help you find the finest home furnishings at a price that won't break the bank.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I purchased this due to another reviewer's helpful comments and information...\\n\\nReview: Before purchasing, I had asked another reviewer, Bill, about their experience with the table over time. He assured me that it is holding up well so I took the plunge and made the purchase. After assembly, I must say we are quite pleased.\\n\\nWe are using this as a coffee table in our teenage daughter's bedroom. She has (2) twin beds that are arranged so that they form an L-shaped sectional and the table is centered in that area. This arrangement has really opened up the floor space in her room. She is using the table for her alarm clock, remote control storage, and other bedside sundries and it also provides a place for her to set a drink or snack down when she is watching TV or playing a game.\\n\\nThe metallic uprights that we received are indeed metal, not plastic, as stated in a different review. The disks that are situated between the uprights and glass are plastic which makes sense as they are there to protect the glass from scratching or cracking when putting the table together. Unlike another reviewer's table, ours is definitely not made of cardboard. It is some type of dark laminate over press board, plywood, or ???. When assembling the table, you have to punch through the laminate in order to access the holes for the bolts so the laminate is fairly thin. We particularly like the contrast between the beveled, clear glass table top and the frosted glass, bottom shelf. It is visually quite appealing. Once assembled, the table is definitely sturdy.\\n\\nThank you, Bill, for your review and for your help. It is most appreciated.\",\n \"Product: Experience these ultra absorbent ExceptionalSheets 100-percent Long Staple Cotton 600 GSM towels. They are a beautiful update to any bathroom, and will not fade in the washing machine! Available in multiple colors and sizes, these Long Staple Cotton towels can fit any need. Let us help you turn your bathroom into your own personal spa or 5-Star hotel room at a fraction of the cost! Towel Set Includes: Two Bath Towels - 30\\\"x54\\\" each, Two Hand Towels - 16\\\"x30\\\" each and Two Face Towels - 13\\\"x13\\\" each. You have our word that we will do everything that we can to make sure returning your product is not necessary. However, should the need arise for any reason, please contact us to obtain authorization for a full refund or exchange if you have any issues with your product. Please request this refund or exchange within 30 days of receiving your order. For all returns within the 30 day return period, eLuxurySupply will provide a prepaid return label for a completely free return. For more product information please see below under \\\"From the Manufacturer\\\".\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Not durable at all!\\n\\nReview: I purchased multiple sets of towels by Exceptional Sheets and this is the only set that has not held up well over the past 8-9 months. The other towels:\\n\\n<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Egyptian-Cotton-6-Piece-Towel-Set-by-ExceptionalSheets-900-GSM-Teal/dp/B00GY5AVE0/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Egyptian Cotton 6-Piece Towel Set by ExceptionalSheets, 900 GSM, Teal</a>\\n<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/MicroLux-3-PC-100-Cotton-Towel-Set-White/dp/B00NVIAZIU/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">MicroLux 3 PC 100% Cotton Towel Set, White</a>\\n<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Egyptian-Cotton-2-Piece-Towel-Set-by-ExceptionalSheets-900-GSM-Forest-Green/dp/B00JQF4YJS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Egyptian Cotton 2-Piece Towel Set by ExceptionalSheets, 900 GSM, Forest Green</a>\\n<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Egyptian-Cotton-2-Piece-Towel-Set-by-ExceptionalSheets-900-GSM-Black/dp/B00JQF46I2/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Egyptian Cotton 2-Piece Towel Set by ExceptionalSheets, 900 GSM, Black</a>\\n\\nstill look good but this particular set is blotchy and 2 of the towels are beginning to unravel.\\n\\nAll of our towels are exposed to the same products and are laundered together so their condition is not due to exposure to chemicals, The one difference is that this is the only set that is 600 grams in weight - all of the others are either 900 gsm or microlux. Given how poorly they have performed - especially compared to the others - I definitely would not recommend them to anyone. Also, I paid $10 more for the set than the current price.\",\n \"Product: OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Measuring Cups with Magnetic Snaps\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Purchased 2 brands and prefer the other ones\\n\\nReview: After yet another teaspoon was sent through the garbage disposal, I spent an hour or so looking at measuring spoons and I purchased these as well as a set from Cuisipro:\\n\\n<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Cuisipro-Stainless-Steel-Measuring-Spoon-Set/dp/B00004SU1I/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Cuisipro Stainless Steel Measuring Spoon Set</a>\\n\\nAlthough OXO was about thirty cents cheaper, Cuisipro comes with 5 spoons and OXO has 4. Both sets are stainless steel according to the ads, but only Cuisipro stamps each spoon as \\\"stainless steel\\\" to reflect this fact. When I compared OXO's spoons to the other set, I immediately noticed that these are considerably lighter in weight and are not finished as well (the Cuisipro are highly polished with no rough edges and the handles are smooth while OXO's handles are \\\"cut back\\\" along the back of the handle so the edge protrudes). In addition, the size of each spoon is written on in black ink so I am not sure how long that will remain readable (Cuisipro stamps the size into the metal so they don't have this issue).\\n\\nA couple of other major differences are the way that the spoons are bound together and the shape of the bowls. Cuisipro uses an old-fashioned ring attachment along with a rubber band type of connector while OXO actually embeds a button magnet in each handle. The magnets are strong enough to keep the set together but are weak enough that separating the spoons is easy (one plus for the OXO). I have always owned round-shaped spoons but after trying the oval-shaped ones, I won't be buying round ones again as the oval shaped spoons make measuring spices straight from the jar much easier.\\n\\nSo while these are okay, I would definitely buy the other brand again instead.\",\n \"Product: A nice beach towel that features a face of a white tiger with blue eyes. Approximate Dimensions: 30" wide, 60" tall (inches).\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: We preferred a different towel\\n\\nReview: I purchased (2) beach-type towels for my young teen daughters -this one and also <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Baron-bay-dolphins-velour-brazilian-beach-towel-30x60-inches/dp/B00SX8WL80/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Baron bay dolphins velour brazilian beach towel 30x60 inches</a>. Both towels are the same size and weight (at least, according to the ads) but there is a difference in quality. Although the dolphin towel was less expensive, it appears to be better made. Its colors are more vibrant (the photo in the ad does not do it justice) and there are no \\\"white\\\" areas where color that should be is missing. This tiger towel, on the other hand, is not quite as bright as the photo would indicate and it has some small, missing areas of color. It also came \\\"pre-snagged\\\" in one corner. This is really disappointing given that it was more expensive than the other one. Also, this is the only towel that I have ever purchased that did not come with a sewn-on tag - no brand tag, no fiber tag, nothing. Both towels are very thin - about 270 gsm - but the dolphin towel makes that clear and is upfront in its ad. This product lists its shipping weight only. Between the two, we prefer the dolphins.\",\n \"Product: Beautifully upholstered in Grey CaressoftPlus?. spring tilt mechanism. Upright locking position. Pneumatic gas lift seat Height adjustment. Adjustable tilt tension control. 25\\\" chrome base. Hooded double wheel casters. Available in pink (pk), black (BK) or fur cream (fcrm).\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A great chair - especially for the price\\n\\nReview: I purchased this for my daughter to use as her main homework chair. It is extremely comfortable (even to me and I am picky) and it is quite reasonably priced. The frame is constructed well and feels that it has been built to last. I like that we can unzip the one cover for laundering if we need to but, so far, there has been no need to do that. The fur is not the cheap, low-end stuff but is a decent, mid-weight fabric that should wear well with time. The chair is not overly padded but it is padded better (and is firmer but not too firm) than most other chairs in this price range - definitely a big plus! The adjustments work well and operate smoothly. After purchasing a lot of these chairs over the years, I feel that this one ranks in the upper tier in terms of price, comfort, and functionality. I could not be more pleased.\",\n \"Product: This Simplify Woven Strap Bin is made of sturdy polypropylene with epoxy wire frame dual handles for easy carrying. Acts as a great storage accessory for all your home needs. Maintenance free.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I am extremely happy with these and I definitely would order more if ...\\n\\nReview: I have purchased many of these totes in various sizes and colors (17 large, 10\\\" tall in blush, 8 medium, 10\\\" tall in blush, 2 of these - small, 5\\\" tall in ivory, 1 small, 5\\\" tall mauve, and 2 large, 5\\\" tall mauve). The only reason why I purchased the ivory was because there was only (1) available in the mauve color. All 3 colors that I have ordered have been true to the color shown here and they are well constructed. I suspect that they are going to hold up especially well.\\n\\nSince I was going to have to order a lot of bins, I spent a few hours exploring my alternatives. I am extremely happy with these and I definitely would order more if we needed them - especially at these prices.\",\n \"Product: Soft 'N Style lotion dispenser bottle. 16 ounce capacity. Pack of 3. The product is made in United States.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great for our purposes\\n\\nReview: I have purchased a total of (9) of these bottles (a pack of 6 and a pack of 3) and I am quite happy with them so far. I am using them to hold shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in my daughters' bathrooms to give their counters and baths a more clean, consistent look. Also, one of my daughters keeps her body lotion in one. They have only been in use for a month and a half but, so far, there have been no issues with them what-so-ever, I really like the clarity of these bottles and the pump action. Now, they can get the exact amount of product they want and I can easily see when they are running low and need a refill.\",\n \"Product: InterDesign's Clarity Grand Trays offer convenient storage for your bathroom vanity and closets. This tray is perfect for holding everything from hair products and brushes to lotions and sponges.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Angled interior walls, heavy acrylic\\n\\nReview: I recently renovated both of my daughters' baths and, after researching the many brands available on Amazon, I made a few \\\"test\\\" purchases. I decided to <primarily> use the drawer organizers manufactured by InterDesign because they offer a large selection of sizes and configurations, providing the flexibility I needed to meet the girls' needs.\\n\\nWhen it came time to re-organize computer desks, I went straight to the InterDesign organizers, again. One of the girl's desk drawers is deeper than the other and this particular unit, at 3\\\" tall, fits like a glove in height. The only negative is that the inner walls of the unit are angled so you lose some space. We are using this organizer to store pens (they only fit straight in the longest compartment), highlighters (they have to be turned at a slight angle to fit) and post-its next to containers of lead. If the internal sidewalls weren't angled, the highlighters would fit perfectly without being tilted and we would be able to put normal pens in there, too.\\n\\nI examined the organizer this morning and, after 2 1/2 months, it still looks brand new. Unlike some of the cheaper units that other companies make, the acrylic doesn't scratch easily nor does it feel like it will become brittle and crack over time. I also measured the top of the unit I received and it matches the dimensions listed in the ad (9\\\" x 9\\\"). I would give the unit 4.5 stars if I could (1/2 star off for the angled walls which eat some critically needed space) but since I cannot, I rounded my rating up to 5 as it is outstanding in every other way.\",\n \"Product: Perfect for entertaining and serving delicious Fondue recipes, set allows you to cook Fondue on a stovetop and then beautifully serve it at the table for everyone to enjoy. Cast iron Fondue pot provides even heating and optimal heat retention.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Purchased two units - one red and one white\\n\\nReview: I originally purchased this pot but in red after researching fondue pots on this site, I had decided against an electric unit because there are a lot of complaints about short cords and I did not want to string an extension cord each time we have fondue (it's a hassle and a tripping hazard). Also, I like that we can take this type anywhere. This is the unit I bought first: <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Cuisinart-FP-115RS-13-Piece-Cast-Iron-Fondue-Set-Red/dp/B00NAU8P1I/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Cuisinart FP-115RS 13-Piece Cast Iron Fondue Set, Red</a>.\\n\\nHaving used it several times, I came back to order another one so we can expand our meals by adding a meat fondue/hot pot or a chocolate fondue for dessert. We decided to go with the white one this time so it would be easier to differentiate between the types of fondue when sitting around the table.\\n\\nUnlike the red one which arrived with a chipped lid, this fondue pot arrived in perfect condition. The enamel coating is a little cattywampus but doesn't seem to have any negative effects on its functionality and the enamel makes this unit easy to clean. The fondue pots I researched ranged in cost from $15 to $133 so, like the red one, this one is priced on the low end of the mid-ranged units. Like all cast iron, the pot is heavy for its size, heats evenly and retains temperature. The dampening ring on the burner works well enough so you can keep broth piping hot or you can tamp down the heat so chocolate won't burn. The stand is heavy duty and balanced so we don't have to worry about the unit tipping over when 2 people are dipping at the same time. The Cuisinart Fondue pots also have a nice design feature that other crocks lack - the lid has an 8-pointed star cutout (there are 6 forks) so you can rest your fork in the fondue and it doesn't slide around or get in other people's way. We are definitely happy with both units even though quality control is a tad weak.\",\n \"Product: Perfect for entertaining and serving delicious Fondue recipes, set allows you to cook Fondue on a stovetop and then beautifully serve it at the table for everyone to enjoy. Cast iron Fondue pot provides even heating and optimal heat retention.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Despite some quality control issues, I like this unit UPDATE: Purchased a second one\\n\\nReview: Before I purchased this set, I compared it to others that Amazon currently offers (and are eligible for Prime shipping). I quickly decided against an electric one for 2 reasons. (1) Short cords are a common complaint and I did not want to have to string an extension cord every time nor did I want to risk someone tripping over it and (2) it seems more versatile not to have to have electricity nearby - we can take this unit anywhere!\\n\\nWhen I looked at the different makes, models, and manufacturers, I immediately noticed a large variation in price - anywhere from $15 up to $133 - so this one was on the lower end of the mid-priced units even though it is cast iron. I cook a lot with cast iron and appreciate that it heats evenly, retains heat, and is sturdy. The enamel coating is a nice addition as it makes cleanup quicker and easier. The only pieces in this set that I find \\\"light-weight\\\" are the forks themselves (they are okay but not fantastic), and the snuffer piece (not a big deal). Every thing else is nice quality. The stand is heavy duty and does not rock (unlike some other manufacturers' according to reviews) and this is a big positive for me.\\n\\nIn terms of quality control, I read through the reviews and was aware that a couple of people received damaged units (I believe one arrived with a bent stand and another with a chipped lid). Given that there were so few complaints, I placed my order and scheduled a \\\"fondue night\\\". Unfortunately, my unit arrived damaged, too. It has a healthy chip in the enamel near the edge of the lid. Since I couldn't change plans easily, I could not return the item for a refund so I'll live with the chip.\\n\\nGiven the price I paid, I am still very happy with my purchase and am considering purchasing a second one so we can serve a meat fondue (the ones simmered in broth) along with the cheese for dinner. I am also looking at replacement crocks so we can have chocolate fondue for dessert without having to wait for the pot to cool down and washing it out before serving the last course. It will be nice if we can just swap out pots.\\n\\nThis solid unit should last over time. If I have more issues with the enamel coating, I will definitely update this review. I also bought these:\\n<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Sterno-2-6-Ounce-Entertainment-Cooking-Fuel-3-Pack/dp/B001F8TR00/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Sterno 2.6-Ounce Entertainment Cooking Fuel, 3-Pack</a>\\nat the same time for the heat source.\\n\\nUPDATE: i have already purchased a second one so we can have either a meat fondue/hot pot or chocolate fondue along with the cheese. This time, I ordered a white one: <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Cuisinart-FP-115WS-13-Piece-Cast-Iron-Fondue-Set-White/dp/B00NAU8OQ4/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Cuisinart FP-115WS 13-Piece Cast Iron Fondue Set, White</a>\",\n \"Product: This famous Brazilian towel is 100 percent cotton, fiber reactive, and velour texture. Measures 30x60 inches; and weighs 13 ounces (based on manufacture information). See instructions on the attached towel label for proper washing and drying care. This towel is label with tags which shows the origin (Brazil)and name of manufacturer (Dohler) for your security, please double check once product is received.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Compared to a similar towel, this one is better\\n\\nReview: I purchased (2) beach-type towels for my young teen daughters -this one and also <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Beach-Towel-White-Tiger-with-Blue-Eyes-30x60-inch/dp/B00C13B850/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Beach Towel, White Tiger with Blue Eyes, 30x60-inch</a>. Both towels are the same size and weight (at least, according to the ads) but there is a difference in quality. Although this one was less expensive, this towel is better made. Its colors are more vibrant (the photo in the ad does not do it justice) and there are no \\\"white\\\" areas where color that should be is missing. The tiger towel, on the other hand, does have some small, missing areas of color and it came \\\"pre-snagged\\\" in one corner, making it look cheaper by far. Also, the tiger one is the only towel that I have ever purchased that did not come with a sewn-on tag - no brand tag, no fiber tag, nothing. Both towels are very thin - only 268.5 gsm - but this ad is upfront about the weight (the other ad lists shipping weight only). If this dolphin towel had been a bit heavier for the price (or cheaper as is), I would have given it 5 stars. But, it is definitely the better of the two choices.\",\n \"Product: Spectrum Diversified 50650 Soap Dish\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: The one I received is perforated - allowing soapy water to run right through.\\n\\nReview: I received this along with (3) Interdesign Soap Savers that I bought at the same time. I ordered this unit because it is advertised as a soap dish - not a liner. I read a review by someone who received a solid unit (no holes) so between the review and the ad, I thought I would be able to use this as a soap dish and set it directly on the counter top. Unfortunately, the unit I received is perforated. There are 4 holes that have been drilled through which allows the dish to drain - getting soapy water all over the counter! This defeats the purpose of a soap dish in my mind.\\n\\nThe soap savers that I also purchased, on the other hand, are not perforated and they cost considerably less - 3 for $7.99. I compared the units and they are nearly identical. The only discernible differences are that this soap dish is about 1/8 inch longer in length, has the (4) drain holes, has tiny \\\"feet\\\" (an 1/8\\\" in height?), and is more expensive on a per unit basis. So, I will be using this soap \\\"dish\\\" as a soap saver and one of the soap savers as the soap dish.\",\n \"Product: This durable, dishwasher safe kitchen utensil by Epicurean is Made in USA, specifically on the North Shore of Lake Superior in Duluth, MN. It is an excellent choice for both the casual cook and the seasoned gourmet who values the environment and wants a dependable kitchen tool that is durable and cleans up easily. These utensils are made from wood fiber composite, which are sheets of resin-saturated fiber that is compressed and baked to a solid sheet. The final product is exceptionally strong, yet maintains the warm, natural look and feel of wood. It is lightweight, nonporous, dishwasher safe and will not scratch your nonstick cookware. It wont crack, split, or stain making it the perfect material for stirring, flipping, sauting and serving. It is also classified as green. The wood fiber raw material comes from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified sources and/or recycled paper. This durable material itself has been around for more than 65 years and is widely used for commercial, industrial and marine purposes, as well as skate park surfaces. It certainly can take anything dished out in the heart of the kitchen. It is also NSF certified, so you know that its surface has met rigid standards for quality and safety.Our products are well-designed, practical, casual tools that feel at home in any kitchen where friends and family gather to share company and enjoy good food. Get the right tool for the job! Our Epicurean gourmet series ladles, spoons, saut tools, turners and pasta servers pair natural wood fiber handles with high temperature nylon heads that are heat resistant to 500F/260C. It is the best of both worlds. This Gourmet Series large ladle has measuring guides designed in the nylon ladle: 1/8 cup, 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, and features a strainer at the tip with 3 draining slots. It measures 13\\\" long by 3\\\" wide and features a natural handle with black nylon.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent quality, extremely durable, does not melt under heat\\n\\nReview: I originally purchased one of these for my son as a stocking stuffer in 2016. This past Christmas, I asked him how it had held up (he can be hard on cooking utensils) and he is still very happy with it. I went ahead and ordered one for me as I use ceramic and other non-stick cookware and am quite pleased by how sturdy it is (no sagging under a heavy load). I have found, however, that is a tad too wide to comfortably turn food in some of my skillets (which my son predicted) so I am going to purchase the next size down as well. Although these are a bit more expensive than other spatulas, it is definitely worth the price difference as, after more than a year of hard use and less than perfect care, it has not broken, melted, or become brittle; thus, I haven't needed to replace his spatula. In addition, it is considerably heavier than the other ones and the nylon portion of the turner is considerably thicker than the other ones we used to buy. It is a definite must have utensil brand in both of our kitchens.\",\n \"Product: Features: - A large backpack on wheels: the convenience of a backpack, the ease of a rolling suitcase. - Sturdy telescoping handle with a double-wheeled base. - Padded straps for easy conversion to backpack. - A large main compartment with easy glide zip\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Fantastic design ... according to another listing, may have durability issues ??? UPDATED\\n\\nReview: We purchased one of these after being disappointed with most of the major brands' packs over the years. Because the school that my daughters attend is built on a hillside with rugged terrain, a sturdy wheeled backpack is a necessity. We have been very pleased with this backpack <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/J-World-New-York-Sunrise-Rolling-Backpack-Squares-Neon-One-Size/dp/B005EN5HM4/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">J World New York Sunrise Rolling Backpack, Squares Neon, One Size</a> and purchased another one this year but my other daughter wanted to find a pack with a few more pockets.\\n\\nWhen we received this pack, we thoroughly examined it. The construction appears to be solid (better than some of the major brands) and someone really thought about the design. The variety, size, and placement of the pockets make organization a breeze - especially important for this particular daughter. My only concern is that I discovered these reviews after we started using this pack : <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Everest-Deluxe-Wheeled-Backpack-Turquoise-One-Size/dp/B008VBAR9O/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Everest Deluxe Wheeled Backpack, Turquoise, One Size</a>. The main complaints seem to be that the zippers aren't durable and the bottom plastic piece breaks within the first couple months worth of use. Hopefully, this will not be the case for us as the bag is well-designed. I will update this review if we start having an issues with it. But for now, 5 stars!\\n\\nUPDATE: 3 months later, the Everest pack is still going strong. The JWorld one mentioned in my review above, however, has proven to be a disappointment as the wheels are now at a 45 degree angle and they wobble horribly. Since it is apparent that they are going to snap off any day now, I am purchasing another one of these Everest backpacks to replace it with.\",\n \"Product: With its unique acoustical properties, wood provides the best sound reproduction there is, which is why most high-end speakers and many musical instruments are made of wood, not to mention the interiors of concert halls. This is also exactly why we handcraft our Symphonized wireless headphones from real wood. Our Sensation bluetooth headphones are carefully handmade from the best pieces of wood available to bring out top-quality acoustics and surround you with energizing and high-fidelity sound. With its superior strength and durability, excellent noise isolation, high-end quality sound, and strong bass, Symphonized wireless headphones are perfect for your listening pleasure. Symphonized Sensation bluetooth headphones work with all digital devices, including the latest generations of iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Our wireless headphones will also answer and end your calls, activate Voice Control, and skip songs, adjust volume with the sleek build-in microphone. Luxuriously padded ear cushions are specifically designed for our Symphonized headphones to provide maximum comfort and noise isolation. Our headphones come with a 1-year warranty! Choose Symphonized natural wood headphones for your listening pleasure, and we're sure you'll never go back to plastic headphones.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Plastic cracked despite gentle use - UPDATE: 2nd pair DOA, declined to try #3\\n\\nReview: After 6 months of very gentle use, the plastic cracked. I reached out to Symphonized regarding possible repair service (I would be willing to pay for replacement piece) but the company states that physical damage is not covered by the warranty. Unfortunately, I see other reviewers have had the same issue. All in all, these may look nice but the quality is extremely poor.\\n\\nUPDATE: Amazon came to the rescue after customer service would not/ could not provide the actual warranty information. I returned pair #1 (refunded) and purchased pair #2 (in essence, an arranged exchange).\\n\\nThe second pair were dead on arrival. Appears to be dead battery (will not charge,with their cable or mine). Rather than offer return information when contacted, customer service asked for some troubleshooting information. After several days of this back and forth - they only sent 1 message per day so the process was slow - they agreed that these are indeed defective. Rather than a refund, they have offered an exchange which would be pair #3.\\n\\nSince I don't want to try a third pair, I am returning the headphones directly to Amazon for a refund. I have also purchased another brand from Amazon already. It is a shame that there seems to be quality control and durability issues. These look great but they are problematic. Out of hundreds of transactions, this is the first time I have had such difficulties with either a product or a seller's customer support.\",\n \"Product: Neatnix Stax Jewelry Organizer Tray enables you to easily organize your jewelry. This modular tray stacks with other Neatnix Stax trays that slide for easy access to each tray so you can build what you need. Made with a tarnish-resistant, velvety liner to protect your valuables and comes with dust cover too. Dial Industries has been in business producing quality plastics for over four decades. We are proud that over 90% of our product line is Made In America.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Very disappointed - 3 pieces - measurements not accurate\\n\\nReview: I purchased this item along with (3) of the sister product - the \\\"stuff stax\\\". Although I gave the \\\"stuff stax\\\" 3 stars (wish it could have been 2.5), this product only gets 1 star. First, when I purchased this, the ad was not clear that this is actually a 3-piece system. The (3) pieces consist of a flexible, plastic (maybe polystyrene?), molded tray with 9 compartments that fits into a bottom tray. It is extremely thin material and has been sprayed with a burgundy colored flocking. The flocking itself is quite thin - about as thick as 3 or so layers of spray paint - and does not provide any cushioning what-so-ever for your jewelry. The bottom tray is made of a thin, small pebbled - similar to a sandy surface - acrylic (or acrylic- like) material (mine has a crack in it out of the box). The top is nothing more than a super thin piece of plastic that sits on top of the tray's lip. It does not attach to anything and is more of a dust cover rather than a lid. I did see an ad here for a snap-on lid but it was as costly as the unit itself. When I came today to write a review, I noticed that the price has increased dramatically. I purchased this for $10.99. As of this morning, the price is $17.17 so really watch the cost!\\n\\nSince I had a small, 8\\\" drawer to work with, I relied on the dimensions given in the ad - my mistake. After receiving this and finding that it was too large for the drawer, I measured the (2) trays. The bottom-most tray is 8 1/8\\\" x 9 1/8\\\" with an interior of 7 3/8\\\" x 8 3/8\\\". The second tray which sits in it is 7 1/4\\\" x 8 1/4\\\" exterior but due to the way the tray is fabricated, the interior is only 6 3/4\\\" x 7 3/4\\\".\\n\\nI did discover that the locking lids that come with the \\\"stuff stax\\\" fit onto this unit, providing a secure top and allowing these units then to stack on top of one another without moving around very much. Oddly, the price of the average \\\"stuff stax\\\" is cheaper than the average \\\"jewelry stax\\\" - especially true now with the price hike - and you get the locking lid with the cheaper product. Overall, I wish I had not wasted money on this unit but I am sure that one of my daughters will come up with a use for it.\",\n \"Product: Neatnix Stax Jewelry Organizer Tray enables you to easily organize your jewelry. This modular tray stacks with other Neatnix Stax trays that slide for easy access to each tray so you can build what you need. Made with a tarnish-resistant, velvety liner to protect your valuables and comes with dust cover too. Dial Industries has been in business producing quality plastics for over four decades. We are proud that over 90% of our product line is Made In America.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Very disappointed - 3 pieces - measurements not accurate\\n\\nReview: I purchased this item along with (3) of the sister product - the \\\"stuff stax\\\". Although I gave the \\\"stuff stax\\\" 3 stars (wish it could have been 2.5), this product only gets 1 star. First, when I purchased this, the ad was not clear that this is actually a 3-piece system. The (3) pieces consist of a flexible, plastic (maybe polystyrene?), molded tray with 9 compartments that fits into a bottom tray. It is extremely thin material and has been sprayed with a burgundy colored flocking. The flocking itself is quite thin - about as thick as 3 or so layers of spray paint - and does not provide any cushioning what-so-ever for your jewelry. The bottom tray is made of a thin, small pebbled - similar to a sandy surface - acrylic (or acrylic- like) material (mine has a crack in it out of the box). The top is nothing more than a super thin piece of plastic that sits on top of the tray's lip. It does not attach to anything and is more of a dust cover rather than a lid. I did see an ad here for a snap-on lid but it was as costly as the unit itself. When I came today to write a review, I noticed that the price has increased dramatically. I purchased this for $10.99. As of this morning, the price is $17.17 so really watch the cost!\\n\\nSince I had a small, 8\\\" drawer to work with, I relied on the dimensions given in the ad - my mistake. After receiving this and finding that it was too large for the drawer, I measured the (2) trays. The bottom-most tray is 8 1/8\\\" x 9 1/8\\\" with an interior of 7 3/8\\\" x 8 3/8\\\". The second tray which sits in it is 7 1/4\\\" x 8 1/4\\\" exterior but due to the way the tray is fabricated, the interior is only 6 3/4\\\" x 7 3/4\\\".\\n\\nI did discover that the locking lids that come with the \\\"stuff stax\\\" fit onto this unit, providing a secure top and allowing these units then to stack on top of one another without moving around very much. Oddly, the price of the average \\\"stuff stax\\\" is cheaper than the average \\\"jewelry stax\\\" - especially true now with the price hike - and you get the locking lid with the cheaper product. Overall, I wish I had not wasted money on this unit but I am sure that one of my daughters will come up with a use for it.\",\n \"Product: Fruit of the Loom men's pocket tee offers a reinforced pocket and the comfortable fit you expect from Fruit of the Loom. Fruit of the Loom men's pocket tee is a great undershirt as well as perfect for layering or wearing just as an everyday casual outer shirt option. The Fruit of the Loom men's pocket tee 4 pack is a classic fit with a stays tucked-in feature. The collar lays flat and keeps its shape wash after wash. Each Fruit of the Loom men's pocket tee has soft covered seams on the neck and shoulders and is designed tag free for all day ultimate comfort.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Colors can vary wildly but a good shirt for the money still.\\n\\nReview: I purchased these for my daughters who frequently wear men's t-shirts as night shirts. The older of the two has very sensitive skin and hanging tags frequently cause the back of her neck to become inflamed, irritated, and painful to the touch. Cutting the tags off only exacerbates the issue as the flap that's left behind is rough and scratchy, too. Hence, I was pleased to read that these shirts are tag-less. All the information (brand, size, fabric composition, etc.) is printed directly on the shirt. Also, they are 100% cotton, too, which cuts down on many of the allergies.\\n\\nWe have purchased hundreds of Fruit of the Loom t-shirts over the years (actually decades) as my husband wears them as well as our sons. The shirts are made well and typically last about a year before they look worn or start developing holes. We have had the occasional shirt stretch out of shape (they can become remarkably large) but this has not happened too often. Although there are other brands on the market that hold up better with time (I still have a couple of t-shirts that I wear and they are still going strong after 15 years), they tend to be considerably more expensive. So, these are a great value for the money.\\n\\nI deducted one star as the colors you receive in the \\\"assorted colors\\\" pack vary wildly. Today, I received (2) wine, (1) navy and (1) faded black t-shirt in the pack. Other packs reportedly provide light blue, gray, red, olive and brown so you really don't know what you'll receive. At the very least, it would be helpful if Fruit of the Loom listed all of the possible colors that come in the assortment packs so there aren't any unpleasant surprises. I also read in the \\\"questions section\\\" here that many people had the opportunity to choose their colors. As per the ad, I did not. In the best of worlds, I wish there was an assortment 1, assortment 2, assortment 3 option available so the consumer had some control over their purchase (I recall seeing other manufacturers do this in the past).\\n\\nAnyway, good shirts for the money, comfortable to wear, but you have to hope that you get colors that you like. Even so, I would (and will) purchase more packs in the future.\",\n \"Product: Fruit of the Loom men's pocket tee offers a reinforced pocket and the comfortable fit you expect from Fruit of the Loom. Fruit of the Loom men's pocket tee is a great undershirt as well as perfect for layering or wearing just as an everyday casual outer shirt option. The Fruit of the Loom men's pocket tee 4 pack is a classic fit with a stays tucked-in feature. The collar lays flat and keeps its shape wash after wash. Each Fruit of the Loom men's pocket tee has soft covered seams on the neck and shoulders and is designed tag free for all day ultimate comfort.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Colors can vary wildly but a good shirt for the money still.\\n\\nReview: I purchased these for my daughters who frequently wear men's t-shirts as night shirts. The older of the two has very sensitive skin and hanging tags frequently cause the back of her neck to become inflamed, irritated, and painful to the touch. Cutting the tags off only exacerbates the issue as the flap that's left behind is rough and scratchy, too. Hence, I was pleased to read that these shirts are tag-less. All the information (brand, size, fabric composition, etc.) is printed directly on the shirt. Also, they are 100% cotton, too, which cuts down on many of the allergies.\\n\\nWe have purchased hundreds of Fruit of the Loom t-shirts over the years (actually decades) as my husband wears them as well as our sons. The shirts are made well and typically last about a year before they look worn or start developing holes. We have had the occasional shirt stretch out of shape (they can become remarkably large) but this has not happened too often. Although there are other brands on the market that hold up better with time (I still have a couple of t-shirts that I wear and they are still going strong after 15 years), they tend to be considerably more expensive. So, these are a great value for the money.\\n\\nI deducted one star as the colors you receive in the \\\"assorted colors\\\" pack vary wildly. Today, I received (2) wine, (1) navy and (1) faded black t-shirt in the pack. Other packs reportedly provide light blue, gray, red, olive and brown so you really don't know what you'll receive. At the very least, it would be helpful if Fruit of the Loom listed all of the possible colors that come in the assortment packs so there aren't any unpleasant surprises. I also read in the \\\"questions section\\\" here that many people had the opportunity to choose their colors. As per the ad, I did not. In the best of worlds, I wish there was an assortment 1, assortment 2, assortment 3 option available so the consumer had some control over their purchase (I recall seeing other manufacturers do this in the past).\\n\\nAnyway, good shirts for the money, comfortable to wear, but you have to hope that you get colors that you like. Even so, I would (and will) purchase more packs in the future.\",\n \"Product: Ring case. Plush fabric. Mirror and shirred catch pocket on interior lid. Box divided up into twenty four equal sections. Hand lined in ivory sueded fabric. Tabbed closure with designer inspired pewter tone snap. Logo plate inside. Made in China. 10.38 in. W x 7.25 in. D x 2.38 in. H (1.35 lbs.). Whether on your dresser top or on the go, the Mele & Co. Maria jewelry box is unsurpassed in both form and function.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: One of the better designed boxes available - a great value!\\n\\nReview: I purchased this for my youngest so she can store her \\\"good\\\" jewelry separately from her costume jewelry. I am hoping that it will make it easier for her to find that special pair of gold earrings or her charm bracelet without digging through tons of other stuff. As it is for her birthday, she has not seen it yet but given the pink color and the versatile design, I am sure she will love it.\\n\\nIn terms of presentation, Mele gave this some thought. The box arrived in a nice quality, matching pink box made of mid-weight cardboard (should not rip or tear easily). It was then placed inside a cloth bag and boxed in a fitted corrugated box for protection - much better than a plain plastic bag or a thin cardboard sleeve that so many manufacturers seem to use these days.\\n\\nThe pink suede is ever-so-slightly lighter than in the photos (a pretty shade of pink) but it has a rougher texture of suede. It is not made of buttery smooth suede found in more expensive items but if it was, the cost would be considerably higher. Inside, the dividers are well-constructed but, unfortunately, are not fastened down to the bottom of the box. It remains to be seen if any of her smaller post earrings try to migrate from one compartment to another by slipping under the dividers. The gap between the divider and bottom is tiny so I think the pieces will remain in their respective compartments. The compartments are deep enough to hold rings and small-to-average sized earrings and hoops but not so deep that it is difficult trying to fish out a small set of posts or hoops.\\n\\nFor her larger pieces such as bracelets and watches, there is a convenient pocketed area under the mirrored top. The elastic is tight enough that her jewelry should remain in the pouch but it is not so tight that access becomes difficult. I particularly like that the mirror is inset - too many other boxes just have a mirror that is stuck to the lid leaving the edges exposed.\\n\\nI was originally going to rate this 4 stars because the dividers were not attached but this is such a well-designed and well-executed box that it deserves 5 stars. There is nothing that says cheap about it. I had researched dozens upon dozens of boxes prior to purchasing this one and it really outshines the other boxes in this price range. In fact, it is considerably nicer than most of the other boxes that are listed at twice its price (at $20, it is a real steal). It definitely does not look like it only cost $20. So... 5 stars it is!\",\n \"Product: Mele & Co. Maria Plush Fabric Jewelry Box with Twenty-Four Sections in Red\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great box - especially at $20!\\n\\nReview: I previously reviewed this same box but for the ad that was highlighting the pink color only. The following is the same review that I left for the other box except I made the appropriate changes regarding the color,the recipient, and a couple of other minor changes:\\n\\nI purchased this for my middle daughter so she can store her \\\"good\\\" jewelry separately from her costume jewelry. I am hoping that it will make it easier for her to find that special pair of gold, hoop earrings or her charm bracelet without digging through tons of other stuff. As it is for her birthday, she has not seen it yet but given the aqua blue color and the versatile design, I am sure she will love it.\\n\\nIn terms of presentation, Mele gave this some thought. The box arrived in a nice quality, matching box made of mid-weight cardboard (should not rip or tear easily). It was then placed inside a cloth bag and boxed in a fitted corrugated box for protection - much better than a plain plastic bag or a thin cardboard sleeve that so many manufacturers seem to use these days.\\n\\nThe aqua suede is slightly lighter than in the photos but it has a rougher texture of suede. It is not made of buttery smooth suede found in more expensive items but if it was, the cost would be considerably higher. Inside, the dividers are well-constructed but, unfortunately, are not fastened down to the bottom of the box. It remains to be seen if any of her smaller post earrings or tiny hoops try to migrate from one compartment to another by slipping under the dividers. The gap between the divider and bottom is so small, however, I think the pieces will remain in their respective compartments. The compartments are deep enough to hold rings and small-to-average sized earrings and hoops but not so deep that it is difficult trying to fish out a small set of posts or hoops.\\n\\nFor her larger pieces such as bracelets and watches, there is a convenient pocketed area under the mirrored top. The elastic is tight enough that her jewelry should remain in the pouch but it is not so tight that access becomes difficult. I particularly like that the mirror is inset - too many other boxes just have a mirror that is stuck to the lid leaving the edges exposed.\\n\\nI was originally going to rate this 4 stars because the dividers were not attached but this is such a well-designed and well-executed box that it deserves 5 stars. There is nothing that says cheap about it. I had researched dozens upon dozens of boxes prior to purchasing this one and it really outshines the other boxes in this price range. In fact, it is considerably nicer than most of the other boxes that are listed at twice its price (at $20, it is a real steal). It definitely does not look like it only cost $20. As I said in the opening, I did purchase (2) boxes so.... 5 stars it is!\",\n \"Product: This is a great quality 10K Gold Pair of Hoop Earrings. This is fine jewelry designed to last!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: These are tiny hoops that go around the ear lobe with just a touch of clearance for comfort.\\n\\nReview: I was looking for a small pair of hoops that would just go over my lobes without hanging down much and these definitely fit the bill. Although I was concerned by their child-sized appearance when I received them (and they are child-sized), they fit well. They easily go around my lobes without pinching or rubbing. I wear them constantly (I don't even remove them when sleeping or washing my hair) and they are quite comfortable. The pincatch connector is tight so I have not had any issues with them falling out or coming loose. They are great for what they are - tiny, lightweight hoops that go around the ear lobe with just a touch of clearance for comfort - but if you are looking for something more substantial or flashier, these won't work for you.\",\n \"Product: The Rubbermaid 1806177 Lunch Blox - Sandwich Container is part of the new Rubbermaid Lunch Blox Series which is designed to make taking lunch to school or work more convenient and organized. The Sandwich container is designed to fit sandwiches made with either regular or rectangular bread and provides a smaller foot print than traditional food storage, which makes it easier to fit inside a lunch bag. The Lunch Blox are space efficient and are designed to work together to save space and stay organized in a lunch bag. The pieces of the lunch blox can be configured to fit any lunch bag and work in conjunction with the lunch blox blue ice to keep your lunch chilled for up to four hours. The lunch blox containers are perfectly sized for common foods taken on the go. All Lunch blox containers are Durable and Leak-Proof, as well as Microwave, Dishwasher and Freezer Safe, BPA Free.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: (2) styles ordered - not all of the units snap well together... great size for teens\\n\\nReview: I purchased (2) of these Sandwich Kits and (2) <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Rubbermaid-LunchBlox-Entree-Kit-with-Trays-1806178/dp/B0078K3ZP2/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Rubbermaid LunchBlox Entree Kit with Trays, 1806178</a> for use with these bags: <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/PackIt-Freezable-Lunch-Bag-with-Zip-Closure-Bloom/dp/B00SJRM7UM/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">PackIt Freezable Lunch Bag with Zip Closure, Bloom</a> .I chose the these bags rather than the bag sold with this item <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Rubbermaid-LunchBlox-Medium-Lunch-Bag-Black-Etch-1813501/dp/B0078K40OC/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Rubbermaid LunchBlox Medium Lunch Bag, Black Etch, 1813501</a> as Rubbermaid's bag requires you to use \\\"blue ice\\\" to keep food cold. I find \\\"blue ice\\\" to be less than effective at keeping food chilled and it takes up too much room in the bag - space that I'd rather fill with more food. Since I can't seem to post separate reviews on the Sandwich Kit and the Entree Kit, I will review both here.\\n\\nRubbermaid's Sandwich Kits fit in the bags that we purchased but it does take a bit of work getting them in flat. Once seated, the larger unit does not move. My only objection to the this kit is that, like some other reviewers have reported, the units do not necessarily snap together as advertised. Other reviewers here have not had this issue so perhaps it is a hit or miss type of thing? Regardless, with our sandwich kits, all but (2) of the units do not snap tightly together. Also, the blue ice pack takes up quite a bit of space and is larger than the base unit of the sandwich kit. This is not an issue for us as we are using a freezable bag and don't need the frozen brick. But if you do, make sure your bag is wide enough to fit its larger footprint.\\n\\nThe Entree Kit does not fit flat in the bag we purchased. It needs to be stood on end in order to fit. It is a versatile unit with (2) different-sized, removable trays internally that take full advantage of the space available inside (no gaps, have straight walled sides). Not all of the units that came in the sandwich kit snap tightly to this lid either, though.\\n\\nI do appreciate all of the different sizes and configurations that are available with this system. Since I bought (2) different styles, we are able to mix and match and should be able to accommodate just about any lunch that my daughters put together. Very convenient system - I just wish I had gotten units in which the pieces actually snapped together as advertised.\",\n \"Product: Book rings are great for variety of uses such as loose-leaf, memo filing, key rings and sample holders\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Better than others I have tried in the past\\n\\nReview: Overall, these are better quality than others that I have purchased in the past. I use these to organize my daughters' hair scrunchies (each ring comfortably holds 10 to 12) , hair elastics (each ring holds 60-75 bands), and head bands (capacity depends on thickness of the bands themselves). We also use these to bind index cards together for test preparation and for keeping information together for reports, research,etc.. In the past, the boxes of rings that I have purchased which were manufactured by other companies than SP Richards have contained too many rings that were loose (did not snap tightly when closed) and they had the unpleasant habit of opening unexpectedly - sending bands, etc., scattering across the floor. I was hoping that these would be different and so far, out of the 3 dozen or so rings that I have used, this indeed has not been an issue. If anything, some of the rings are a tad too tight and stiff but I much prefer that over loose ones. So, overall,although these are not absolutely perfect, I am definitely much happier. I would order them again if needed.\",\n \"Product: The Super Stacker 4 x 6 Box is perfect for photo storage, scissors, markers and other miscellaneous school supplies. Lock tight handles keep contents secure, while stackable design helps save space. Possible assorted colors: clear, blue, purple, berry, green.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Economical choice - not for tabbed index cards\\n\\nReview: In the past, I have purchased <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Vaultz-Locking-4-x-6-Inch-Index-Card-Box-Acrylic-Pink-VZ00208/dp/B005NZ5YD0/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Vaultz Locking 4 x 6 Inch Index Card Box, Acrylic Pink (VZ00208)</a> but none were available in the 3x5 size this year. So, I decided to try the Advantus Super Stacker instead. This Advantus box is definitely \\\"clunkier\\\" than the acrylic one but it does hold regular index cards securely (as other reviewers have pointed out, tabbed cards are too tall for this unit). Unlike the Vaultz, the Super Stacker does not lock but the snap top with locking arms prevents the top from falling off and spilling cards everywhere. This can be an advantage if you don't like having to keep track of keys and do not require the extra layer of security that an actual lock provides. Considering the difference in cost, this unit is by far the more economical of the two and it serves it purpose well; hence, 4 stars.\",\n \"Product: Tree of Life Christian Planner\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Fantastic - I'll be retiring my day planner\\n\\nReview: My daughter wanted a day timer similar to mine; however, I came across this planner while I was filling my basket with the day timer parts and asked her if she would prefer to try this instead. She did .. so I purchased it. We received it today and it is nice! So nice, in fact, that I plan on retiring my day timer for one of these, too.\\n\\nAlthough both planners are similar in size and the inserts that I use for my day timer have the same 1 week/2 page format, this planner provides more room per day for written notes. In addition, this version of Grace planners provides 2 pages for notes after each week (the other version of Grace planner does not). This is especially helpful when you have to keep track of a lot of appointments or assignments, keep detailed notes about an appointment/assignment, required to keep a mileage log, or track medical/business expenses. We also appreciate the (2) full year calendars that are included in the inside covers as well as the August through July format. Since day timer only offers January - December packages, I would have had to throw away half of the pages right off had she opted for that system. In terms of price, at $15.99, this planner is economical. My only wish list item is for a built-in pen/pencil holder.\",\n \"Product: ReptiSand is available in two natural colors with no added dyes or chemicals. It stimulates natural digging and burrowing behavior and is an excellent heat conductor. ReptiSand creates a very naturalistic and attractive environment for desert reptile species. Great for bearded dragons, sand boas, soft shell turtles, etc.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Purchased and compared 3 substrates - this comes in second\\n\\nReview: Recently, I purchased 3 types of sandy substrate for a breeding pair of 6 year old Leopard Geckos'. Although I am aware that there is a lot of controversy surrounding sand and sand-like substrates, these Geckos have lived on it for most of their lives and they are doing phenomenally well. I purchased 20# of Aztec Gold Caribsea Reptilite Habitat (4 stars), 25# of Desert White Zoo Med ReptiSand (4 stars) , and (2) 10# bags of Orange ZooMed Vita Sand (1 star).\\n\\nThe Desert White Zoo Med ReptiSand is dust-free but definitely not white nor is it particularly light in color. It is a mid-tan colored, beach-like sand with dark specks throughout. On the positive side, it is dust-free despite the fact that we poured it out straight from the bag. It is almost as expensive as the Caribsea calcium substrate on a pound for pound basis. If it had been a little more cost effective, I would have given it 5 stars.\",\n \"Product: ReptiSand is available in two natural colors with no added dyes or chemicals. It stimulates natural digging and burrowing behavior and is an excellent heat conductor. ReptiSand creates a very naturalistic and attractive environment for desert reptile species. Great for bearded dragons, sand boas, soft shell turtles, etc.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Purchased and compared 3 substrates - this comes in second\\n\\nReview: Recently, I purchased 3 types of sandy substrate for a breeding pair of 6 year old Leopard Geckos'. Although I am aware that there is a lot of controversy surrounding sand and sand-like substrates, these Geckos have lived on it for most of their lives and they are doing phenomenally well. I purchased 20# of Aztec Gold Caribsea Reptilite Habitat (4 stars), 25# of Desert White Zoo Med ReptiSand (4 stars) , and (2) 10# bags of Orange ZooMed Vita Sand (1 star).\\n\\nThe Desert White Zoo Med ReptiSand is dust-free but definitely not white nor is it particularly light in color. It is a mid-tan colored, beach-like sand with dark specks throughout. On the positive side, it is dust-free despite the fact that we poured it out straight from the bag. It is almost as expensive as the Caribsea calcium substrate on a pound for pound basis. If it had been a little more cost effective, I would have given it 5 stars.\",\n \"Product: OurPets Cosmic Catnip has been grown to achieve the strongest, most aromatic catnip ever produced! When catnip is pinched, the aroma stored in the dried leaves is released, driving cats wild! Catnip is a 100% natural herb that stimulates a harmless, playful reaction in most cats. The action of a cat playing with this catnip-stuffed toy will release an energizing aroma for long-lasting play.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Unlike the typical catnip toy...\\n\\nReview: I purchased this for our Ed who has the typical array of catnip toys that live in his toy box. He typically will play with one for half an hour or so after it first arrives and then he deposits it <hopefully> into his bin, never to play with it again. I say <hopefully> because he is not above burying toys in his litter box if he really dislikes him - he is one tough critic. I am not sure why this one, OurPets Carrot, is different from so many others but it is the second catnip toy NOT to be relegated to the \\\"unloved\\\" box - or worse, the litter box - in 5 1/2 years. The first toy, modeled after a small bag of flour, gave out after 3 or so years of periodic interest and use.\\n\\nEd opened the carrot on Christmas and carried his new toy around the house for the next couple of days (he kept it near him at all times). He finally settled on leaving this in our bed so it is currently tucked in with us at night - NO dreaded, unloved box for it! He likes to play with the feathered greens on top and he enjoys cradling the softer body - although he gives it a good bite or two to make sure it is thoroughly \\\"dead\\\" first. Given that he is still interested in this catnip toy after a week, it must be a winner! I will be purchasing their banana one next.\",\n \"Product: Stoneware Dishes are durable ceramic food and water bowls and feature a hi-glaze finish that is dishwasher safe, lead free and super sanitary.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Not particularly rabbit-proof - it seems to be dependent on the bunny\\n\\nReview: I purchased (2) of these for my daughters' (2) bunnies at the same time that I bought their cages: <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Living-World-Deluxe-Pet-Habitat-X-Large/dp/B007BNE1YA/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Living World Deluxe Pet Habitat, X-Large</a> . I was hoping that they would be heavy enough to hold up to the baby buns but the male knocked it off his feeding platform the first night even though the bowl was not near the edge (it was in the back corner) and he is still quite small. He moves his crock about quite a bit but, fortunately, the bowl is sturdy enough that it is surviving his curiosity quite well. The female, however, has left her bowl alone and it is working fine for her. I am currently using these for their veges, herbs and other \\\"wet\\\" foods.\",\n \"Product: Earth-friendly cuttlebone-shaped bird beak conditioners are made with only 40% cuttlebone to help prevent cuttlefish populations from becoming decimated. Birds love the crispy cuttlebone-like texture of these treats, which are enriched with Omega 3 fatty acids, honey, and thiamine. They are less brittle than regular cuttlebones, which mean they last longer. The minerals encompassed in these cuttlebone are excellent for healthy bones and egg production and are vital to support healthy plumage and avian energy needs. Clip for cage hanging included. Why Penn Plax enriches the cuttlebones: Omega 3 Just like in humans, Omega 3 helps the immune system and how the body fights disease and sickness. Honey is a natural source of carbohydrates that provides strength and energy, Honey instantly boosts performance and reduced muscle fatigue. Vitamin B Provides many benefits to the health of a pet bird; increases energy, benefits hearing and vision and aids in keeping the immune system running smoothly. Each piece is hand molded to a perfect shape, enriched with vitamins and minerals and produced. It is harder than natural cuttlebone so it is less likely to break, as well as being consistent in look and color. Penn-Plax E2 Cuttlebone is light-years ahead of the competition in composition and quality, offering the consumer a consistent size and value for the money.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Only 40% cuttlebone according to the package - SEE UPDATE\\n\\nReview: Because this product is described (at this time) as \\\"natural cuttlebone\\\" that has been enriched, I thought I was purchasing actual cuttlebones which had supplements added to it. I read the listing's information thoroughly before buying these so I was surprised when I received them and found that they contain only 40% cuttlebone - and it is in a powdered form! (See UPDATE below - ad has been changed). The other ingredients according to the packaging are: calcium carbonate (50%), oyster shell (8%), omega 3 (.05%), honey (.1%), vitamin B1(.01%) and natural flavor (no % listed). These figures only add up to 98.16%. Perhaps the missing 1.84% is the \\\"natural flavor\\\" (but then why doesn't the package state that?) and I am uneasy that the numbers don't add up. Also, the agent used to bind these ingredients together is not listed on the package anywhere.\\n\\nPer the package, the guaranteed analysis is:\\nFat (Min) .01%\\nProtein (max) 9.8%\\nCrude Fiber (Max) 1%\\nMoisture (Max) 10%\\n\\nTheir packaging also states that this product is made in China.\\n\\nThe actual \\\"cuttlebone\\\" is a formed product that is about twice the normal thickness of real, whole cuttlebone and it is considerably more durable. When they formed this product, they added the swirls and lines typically found in cuttlebone making it look somewhat realistic. Because it is the same width and length as the real thing, it fits in typical cuttlebone holders. They also include (2) plastic clips that can be used to affix their product to the side of the cage but I have not tried using them (I use separate holders). The product doesn't feel like cuttlebone, though, but, rather, it feels more like the cement coating on this type of perch: (http://www.amazon.com/Jungle-Talk-Walk-Concrete-Perch/dp/B0002DIAIY/ref=sr_1_8?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1440022929&sr=1-8&keywords=cement++perch).\\n\\nI would not have purchased these if I had known that they were not actually real, whole cuttlebones like other manufacturers sell. Due to the lack of clarity in the ad as well as the unknown 1.84% ingredients, I am uncomfortable recommending these to anyone.\\n\\nUPDATE: Within a couple of days of posting the above review, the company changed the main advertisement and the product description to reflect that these are only 40% cuttlebone.\",\n \"Product: An all natural calcium substrate; ideal for true chameleons or any tortoise, snake, lizard, arachnid, or insect that comes from an arid or semi arid environment. The naturally spherical grains wont scratch your valuable animals inside or out! There are no artificial dyes or chemicals in Reptilite. This low impact substrate also contains strontium and magnesium while being free of silica and phosphates. Though not intended as a food source or supplement, it is 100% edible and easily digestible. In fact, Reptilite is made of aragonite, the most soluble form of calcium carbonate available. Reptilite also contains naturally occurring strontium, which recent research indicates may increase bone density. Trusted by professional reptile breeders and hobbyists alike.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Purchased and compared 3 substrates - this was the best\\n\\nReview: Recently, I purchased 3 types of sandy substrate for a breeding pair of 6 year old Leopard Geckos'. Although I am aware that there is a lot of controversy surrounding sand and sand-like substrates, these Geckos have lived on it for most of their lives and they are doing phenomenally well. I purchased 20# of Aztec Gold Caribsea Reptilite Habitat (4 stars), 25# of Desert White Zoo Med ReptiSand (4 stars) , and (2) 10# bags of Orange ZooMed Vita Sand (1 star).\\n\\nThe Aztec Gold Caribsea Reptilite Habitat is a calcium substrate that is much coarser than the other (2) brands - even though the VitaSand is a calcium substrate, too. Unlike the VitaSand, however, there was no dust storm when we poured the sand in the tank - a huge plus! The Aztec Gold is lighter gold in person than in the photo. In fact, it was very close to the same color as Desert White ReptiSand that I received. Unlike the ReptiSand, the Caribsea is consistent in color throughout. Out of the (2) calcium substrates, I preferred this one despite it being coarser because it is dust free, it did not stain my hands, and it was cheaper on a per pound basis. Although the ad showed a long ship time, it was delivered in under 2 weeks. If the color had been depicted more accurately and it had been as fine textured as the other (2) , I would have given it 5 stars. If I could only re-order one of the three, I would purchase this one.\",\n \"Product: Zoo Med - Mini Tropical UVB Lighting Combo Mini Tropical UVB Lighting Combo. Includes: Mini Deep Dome: Ceramic socket: for use with lamps up to 100 watts. Polished aluminum dome for maximum light and heat output Deep Dome extends beyond the face of the lamp, preventing the lamp from extending outside the face of the dome. ReptiSun 50 watt UVB Mini Compact Fluorescent: Perfect for small terrarium tropical species of reptiles and amphibians Provides UVB and visible light in a mini compact lamp.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: UVB output may be fine but don't count on this lighting your tank\\n\\nReview: I purchased this unit for use with a juvenile lizard that requires a UVB source and was happy to find a product that offered both UVB and UVA in one bulb. Although his vivarium is only 8x17x10 inches deep, the output of visible light is much too dim to be useful-it barely lights any of his tank. I am now forced to purchase a secondary daytime bulb. Had I known that the light output and quality were so poor, I would have purchased a double dome unit and seperate UVA and UVB lamps from the start. Now, I'll be stuck with two single domes which is more expensive and less tidy looking. This is one of the few purchases from Amazon that I regret but perhaps I just received a bad bulb.....\",\n \"Product: Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Orange Blossom Honey Treat is a fortified blend of nutritious ingredients with a hint of honey. Comes in a pack of 3.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: My daughter's parakeets like this but seem to have a small preference for their regualr food..Check the price!\\n\\nReview: I think I may actually like this more than the parakeets. The seed smells good when you open the package - a sweet but not cloying scent. We use (3) of: <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Jumbo-Fountain-Feeder/dp/B0002565VG/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Jumbo Fountain Feeder</a> in their cage: one for this product, one for their regular food and the third one for water. There is always an inch or so of treat left over in the canister after we fill the feeder but it stays fresh until the next re-fill 5-7 days later. The list of ingredients can be found here: <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Kaytee-Forti-Diet-Pro-Health-Parakeet-Orange-Blossom-Honey-Treats-10-Ounce/dp/B002UIRYD6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Kaytee Forti Diet Pro Health Parakeet Orange Blossom Honey Treats, 10-Ounce</a>\\n\\nThe reason I deducted a star is that the birds appear to prefer their normal parakeet diet over this \\\"treat\\\" (not by much but they do go through their normal seed mix quicker than this food). I was happy to see that Amazon offers this product in packs of (3) as we saved some money by purchasing the 3 pack rather than buying the canisters separately; however, I noticed today the it is now cheaper to purchase them singly (you would saveseveral dollars when purchasing the 3 separately as \\\"add-ons\\\" - ref: <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Kaytee-Forti-Diet-Pro-Health-Parakeet-Orange-Blossom-Honey-Treats-10-Ounce/dp/B002UIRYD6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Kaytee Forti Diet Pro Health Parakeet Orange Blossom Honey Treats, 10-Ounce</a>). So, definitely check the price as the cost fluctuates. Overall, I am pleased with my purchase and will purchase more in the future.\",\n \"Product: Cosmas Hardware is the way to go when designing or fixing up your kitchen or bathroom. They do not make us charge unnecessary markups for their hardware like some of the other major brands do. Therefore, giving you great hardware at a price that you can afford. Go ahead, compare, we dare you.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Looks so much better in person!\\n\\nReview: These look much better in person - definitely higher end than the price would tend to indicate. The back is somewhat cut-away (but not as much as many other handles) reducing the weight somewhat but the handles are still heavier than the flimsier ones that the big-box stores sell at this price point. To get a truly heavy, solid handle can be price prohibitive for many people so these are a great alternative. The finish matches all of the other nickel finishes in my bath so I am quite pleased with that aspect, too. The one downside is that the screws included are only 1\\\" in length - much too short for many standard cabinets including mine. Fortunately, other reviewers had mentioned this fact so I was prepared to supply different screws - you could also counter sink the included screws depending on the door/drawer design and depth. Overall, I am extremely pleased with the quality and the aesthetics - I just wish that they would send a more appropriate screw.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":53,"string":"53"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":399,"string":"399"}}}],"truncated":false,"partial":false},"paginationData":{"pageIndex":3,"numItemsPerPage":100,"numTotalItems":14745,"offset":300,"length":100}},"jwt":"eyJhbGciOiJFZERTQSIsImtpZCI6Im1sR1pFYktIVHRVSGRhX1RRdEczQ0N1S3k5ME9Qd25DNHY5elRjM3FVYzgifQ.eyJyZWFkIjp0cnVlLCJwZXJtaXNzaW9ucyI6eyJyZXBvLmNvbnRlbnQucmVhZCI6dHJ1ZX0sImlhdCI6MTc4MjcxOTIxNCwianRpIjoiMzRlZTE5NjctMTg1NC00MThmLWE0ZjUtMTA2M2VjNWY5NDU1Iiwic3ViIjoiL2RhdGFzZXRzL01lbW9yeUFzTW9kYWxpdHkvTG9uZ0xhTVAtMyIsImV4cCI6MTc4MjcyMjgxNCwiaXNzIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9odWdnaW5nZmFjZS5jbyJ9.UbLg8gMSU3TZm7hovgFB6ELoDjw0bhksUMFFsbvXQVpqmLPtSmSBDukYHYquTY82pGwkRbw-sI-IV0HpcQUcDw","displayUrls":true,"splitSizeSummaries":[{"config":"default","split":"train","numRows":14745,"numBytesParquet":685612512},{"config":"default","split":"validation","numRows":1826,"numBytesParquet":81282560},{"config":"default","split":"test","numRows":1822,"numBytesParquet":90474619}]},"discussionsStats":{"closed":0,"open":1,"total":1},"fullWidth":true,"hasGatedAccess":true,"hasFullAccess":true,"isEmbedded":false,"savedQueries":{"community":[],"user":[]}}">
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A3SAU1A0IEYDNX | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke and Ben Stiller (directing his first feature film) star in this wildly romantic comedy that looks at life, love and the pursuit of gainful employment through the eyes of a ... | I absolutely LOVE this movie; so much so, that it is hard to find the words to express to you how much. But I'll give it "the ole college try." (Ha) The screenplay is fantastic, the characters are developed to perfection and the entire cast makes them come alive. REALITY BITES to me is a great example of TEAMWORK. Hats... | I absolutely LOVE this movie; so much so, that it is hard to find the words to express to you how much. But I'll give it "the ole college try." (Ha) The screenplay is fantastic, the characters are developed to perfection and the entire cast makes them come alive. REALITY BITES to me is a great example of TEAMWORK. Hats... | [
"Product: OUT OF PRINT\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: \"YOUR SISTER WILL BE HERE SHORTLY...\"\n\nReview: And the plot thickens...\nThis is one of my all-time favorite movies. I would give it 10 stars if I could! It has all the components of a masterpiece movie: talented actors, a compelling script, beautiful cinemato... | 27 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 300 |
A8OWM4KNUFPV5 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "MOVIE TIE IN BOOKS WITH BEAUTIFUL COVERS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING WITH FRODO ON COVER, TWO TWO TOWERS WITH ELF ON COVER SHOOTING BOW AND ARROW AND THE RETURN OF THE KING WITH MORDOR ON COVER. BIG... | I don't even know where to start describing my thoughts about this book because this is a true masterpiece in its own way. The story is very well written and there is a clear red thread in the story that leads the reader onwards but also to know the places and characters in the book in a good way. nothing is given fre... | I don't even know where to start describing my thoughts about this book because this is a true masterpiece in its own way. The story is very well written and there is a clear red thread in the story that leads the reader onwards but also to know the places and characters in the book in a good way. nothing is given fre... | [
"Product: HardCover. Pub Date :2004-10-18 Pages: 400 Language: English Publisher: HarperCollins UK This deluxe slipcased edition of The Hobbit. printed and bound using superior materials including a silk ribbon marker. features the definitive text. plus Tolkien's paintings and drawings in full colour. and a special... | 9 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 301 |
A37BASUCZG1WC9 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "REZA PAHLAVI is the elder son of H.I.M. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the late Shah of Iran, and of H.I.M. Farah Pahlavi, Shahbanou of Iran. A graduate of the University of Southern California, Reza Pahlav... | Although scant media coverage is afforded the ongoing developments, Iran's current volatile situation is one of the most fascinating and hopeful pressure cookers in recent history. Its ruthless regime has rightly earned a distinction as part of the "Axis of Evil;" yet its population has grown weary of the oppressive t... | Although scant media coverage is afforded the ongoing developments, Iran's current volatile situation is one of the most fascinating and hopeful pressure cookers in recent history. Its ruthless regime has rightly earned a distinction as part of the "Axis of Evil;" yet its population has grown weary of the oppressive t... | [
"Product: [Note: This product is an authorized CD-R and is manufactured on demand]\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A Little of This, a Little of That, and a Little Country\n\nReview: After years of mediocre pop-flavored offerings, Kenny Rogers left RCA and headed back to country with this release. Perhaps its liability... | 8 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 302 |
A213J0UJPYFVNC | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Ruth Cardello was born the youngest of 11 children in a small city in northern Rhode Island. She spent her young adult years moving as far away as she could from her large extended family. She lived... | I am a huge Ruth fan. I started with the legacy series and loved them. Then I moved on to gentling the cowboy and loved it too. This story is somewhat related to the legacy series. Gio is the cousin to Stephen. Gio is the CEO and likes to just hook up with women for just sex and then lets them go. He is not seen with t... | I am a huge Ruth fan. I started with the legacy series and loved them. Then I moved on to gentling the cowboy and loved it too. This story is somewhat related to the legacy series. Gio is the cousin to Stephen. Gio is the CEO and likes to just hook up with women for just sex and then lets them go. He is not seen with t... | [
"Product: If Cleo isn't writing (or reading!) erotica, she's probably sitting on her balcony, watching the wind blow through the trees. She loves horses, snowstorms, and pia coladas. If she won the lottery, she would hire an assistant to take care of the technical side of publishing so that she could write all day.... | 4 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 303 |
A10ZNXZMP2KR7O | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "trade paperback; no marks (amov14)". The summary of the review text is "New trilogy by a master of fantasy writing". | This is the first volume of a new fantasy trilogy which ends with enough of a cliffhanger to intrigue
the reader sufficiently to want to know how the story continues.
We have read all of Robin Hobbs work and are great fans so it came as no surprise that this new novel lived up to our expectations: we were pleased to r... | This is the first volume of a new fantasy trilogy which ends with enough of a cliffhanger to intrigue
the reader sufficiently to want to know how the story continues.
We have read all of Robin Hobbs work and are great fans so it came as no surprise that this new novel lived up to our expectations: we were pleased to r... | [
"Product: One choice can transform you. Pass initiation. Do not fail! Thrilling urban dystopian fiction debut from exciting young author. In sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior's world, society is divided into five factions -- Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), ... | 5 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 304 |
A3V2ESDQOBDOWM | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "Founded in 1947, Hal Leonard Corporation has become the worlds largest print music publisher, representing some of the greatest songwriters and artists of all time. We are proud to publish titles of... | A dose of nostalgia served in the form of a simple portfolio of popular tunes from the 60 &70s - Easy. Simplified. Beatle territory. No U2 or Bon Jovi here. Not even Jethro Tull... this hails from the Beatle, Carpenter, Mary Poppins (eek!) & beyond era with some short classics thrown in ... the closest to modern is Boy... | A dose of nostalgia served in the form of a simple portfolio of popular tunes from the 60 &70s - Easy. Simplified. Beatle territory. No U2 or Bon Jovi here. Not even Jethro Tull... this hails from the Beatle, Carpenter, Mary Poppins (eek!) & beyond era with some short classics thrown in ... the closest to modern is Boy... | [
"Product: Clarinet or Flute Stand. The On-Stage Stands Clarinet or Flute Stand is constructed with a single peg.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: An Un-topple-able & affordable flute stand - great for home & concert. BEST BUY\n\nReview: This flute stand sits SOLID as a rock. There is no way a flute could topple on this.... | 50 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 305 |
ACDJBTUIODRUR | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Specification:
-Chipset: RealtekRTL8191SU
-Modulation Method : IEEE 802.11b : DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum), IEEE 802.11g / 802.11n : OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing)
-I... | For the size of this little device I was impressed with its ability to pick up a signal. It isn't as good as a card with a large antenna for sure, but it can get you broadband speeds on the other side of the house.
I have a 35/35 FIOS connection and got 22/18 standing in the same room as the router. 15/12 through one ... | For the size of this little device I was impressed with its ability to pick up a signal. It isn't as good as a card with a large antenna for sure, but it can get you broadband speeds on the other side of the house.
I have a 35/35 FIOS connection and got 22/18 standing in the same room as the router. 15/12 through one ... | [
"Product: The Bissell big green deep cleaning machine professional grade carpet cleaner achieves a whole new level of clean with its powerful motors and extra large brush roll to pull out deep down dirt. It's made of super durable, high quality materials for sturdy, Anti-Tip design, and features robust workmanship ... | 17 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 306 |
A3EKC0CWQQRXPJ | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Enjoy gourmet treats without leaving you house! The gourmet treat dipper is a fun easy-to-use appliance for making gourmet candy-dipped apples, pretzels and fruit at home". The summary of the review... | What a TREAT this dipper is! We've used it for the first time today and already have so many other ideas to experiment with.
For starters, the 'set' consists of a burner 'pot' in a footed bowl. I was worried that perhaps since I have younger children and the bowl being wider at the top that it maybe top heavy but it... | What a TREAT this dipper is! We've used it for the first time today and already have so many other ideas to experiment with.
For starters, the 'set' consists of a burner 'pot' in a footed bowl. I was worried that perhaps since I have younger children and the bowl being wider at the top that it maybe top heavy but it... | [
"Product: Philips Sonicare for Kids Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush - HX6311/07 Sonicare For Kids has been engineered to be kid-friendly at each brushing phase. Power levels, brush heads, and bristles are specially designed for small, sensitive mouths. Complete with ergonomic handles, Sonicare For Kids makes brush... | 22 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 307 |
A13910TC3NZ6LE | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "The Polaroid PDC 640 Creative Kit includes an easy-to-use digital camera and software for image editing and special effects. With a top resolution of 640 by 480, the Polaroid PDC 640 won't give you ... | I won a Polaroid PDC 640 Creative Kit in a contest. Given its current MSRP, I would not have purchased it due to the limited resolution (640 x 480 pixels). The market is full of digital cameras with better resolution (1-1.5 megapixels) for about the same price.
As ease of use goes, it doesn't get much better than thi... | I won a Polaroid PDC 640 Creative Kit in a contest. Given its current MSRP, I would not have purchased it due to the limited resolution (640 x 480 pixels). The market is full of digital cameras with better resolution (1-1.5 megapixels) for about the same price.
As ease of use goes, it doesn't get much better than thi... | [
"Product: The Doors / Other Voices / Elektra #75017 / 1971 / In The Eye of the Sun, Variety Is The Spice Of Life, Ships W/Sails, Tightrope Ride / Side Two: Down On The Farm, I'm Horny, I'm Stoned, Wandering Musician, Hang On To Your LIfe\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: It's Not Morrison, But It's Still The Doors\n\nRevi... | 27 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 308 |
A1ZCSSCAGBCD49 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Logitech Webcam C920-C (LFB-Sku)". The summary of the review text is "Top level buisness webcam". | Logitech C920-C Webcam with 1080p HD Video Certified for Cisco Jabber
This is a business class webcam. That means it comes in a simple brown box with some papers for general setup and warranty info. There is no software included; it expects you to have something like Skype, Face Time or Jabber from Cisco. That said it... | Logitech C920-C Webcam with 1080p HD Video Certified for Cisco Jabber
This is a business class webcam. That means it comes in a simple brown box with some papers for general setup and warranty info. There is no software included; it expects you to have something like Skype, Face Time or Jabber from Cisco. That said it... | [
"Product: Freezer Meter is the easiest and most effective way of monitoring your food in any situation. Know if your food is at risk of being dangerous to eat or rotten without any need of wires, batteries, or power. Just simply freeze water in your Freezer Meter and then put the red Freezer Meeter ball at the top ... | 200 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 309 |
A3DWLI9VIYXI16 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "Eagles (Rock Group) - Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 - LP Vinyl Album". The summary of the review text is "Not Bad, But You Can Do Better". | The music here is easily worth 5 stars. But this outdated and extremely incomplete collection isn't.
Sure, in 1976, this wasn't a bad idea. But in 2010, you would be much better off buying the 2-CD set "Very Best of the Eagles." It spans their entire original period, 1971-1980, and includes all the big hits. This ... | The music here is easily worth 5 stars. But this outdated and extremely incomplete collection isn't.
Sure, in 1976, this wasn't a bad idea. But in 2010, you would be much better off buying the 2-CD set "Very Best of the Eagles." It spans their entire original period, 1971-1980, and includes all the big hits. This ... | [
"Product: Take up to 20 Gigabytes of music with you wherever you go with this slim and sleek Dell DJ20 Digital Jukebox MP3 Player! If you don't have that many tunes, the storage space can also be used to back up critical data from your PC. This Dell DJ20 has an easy to read 1.92 inch LCD with brilliant blue back li... | 28 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 310 |
AWQRHKBEO5BSG | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Herbert Butterfields survey of the origins of modern science is finely crafted general history.". The summary of the review text is "''God was the guarantee that everything was not an illusion, the ... | ''The people who say 'I believe in my body because I can see it clearly, but I cannot see God' were turning a popularized Descartes to the purpose exactly the reverse of what had been intended. In the system of Descartes God was another of those clear ideas that are clearer and more precise in the mind than anything se... | ''The people who say 'I believe in my body because I can see it clearly, but I cannot see God' were turning a popularized Descartes to the purpose exactly the reverse of what had been intended. In the system of Descartes God was another of those clear ideas that are clearer and more precise in the mind than anything se... | [
"Product: Wycliffes greatest achievement was the translation of the Bible into English. One of Europes most renowned philosophers and scholars, John Wycliffe chose to serve the common people. He exposed the superstitions that had displaced Biblical doctrine in the medieval church. Wycliffe took enormous risks to pr... | 26 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 311 |
A3HTKV1AW14EDB | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. 100% Money Back Guarantee.". The summary of the review text is "A creative story of dreams held at bay.". | The year is 1664 and 16 year-old Griet is sent to work as a maid in the Vermeer household where she is scorned by some and tolerated by others. A wonderful portrayal of life in the times of the famous Dutch artist as witnessed from the eyes of a young girl mesmerized by a greatness beyond her reach.
Though the author d... | The year is 1664 and 16 year-old Griet is sent to work as a maid in the Vermeer household where she is scorned by some and tolerated by others. A wonderful portrayal of life in the times of the famous Dutch artist as witnessed from the eyes of a young girl mesmerized by a greatness beyond her reach.
Though the author d... | [
"Product: Daniel Day-Lewis won a much-deserved Oscar for his wily, passionate performance as Irish artist and writer Christy Brown, whose cerebral palsy kept him confined to a wheelchair. Filmmaker Jim Sheridan (In the Name of the Father) adapts Brown's own\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A true story with a heart as bi... | 22 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 312 |
A1XC010CS7NV8Z | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Isabella grew up with a book in her hand, and to this day nothing has changed. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and has been featured on several blogs. While Isabella doesn't blog a... | Publisher's Description:
Do business and pleasure mix?
In the author's debut novel comes a story about picking up the pieces, letting go of the past, and finding love along the way--even if morals are tested!
Interior designer Carrie Newman could not have envisioned a more perfect life for herself. She had a great j... | Publisher's Description:
Do business and pleasure mix?
In the author's debut novel comes a story about picking up the pieces, letting go of the past, and finding love along the way--even if morals are tested!
Interior designer Carrie Newman could not have envisioned a more perfect life for herself. She had a great j... | [
"Product: Award winning author Tarah Scott cut her teeth on authors such as Georgette Heyer, Zane Grey, and Amanda Quick. Her favorite book is a Tale of Two Cities, with Gone With the Wind as a close second. She writes modern classical romance, and paranormal and romantic suspense. Tarah grew up in Texas and curren... | 9 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 313 |
A142HAT43L5W4W | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "Kristen Ashley grew up in Indiana, has lived in Colorado and the West Country of England but now she calls the Valley of the Sun home. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the... | KA was an automatic purchase for me. Yes, I wrote "was" because I'm seriously rethinking this. I must have read her Dream Man series, at this point, at least 5 times. I also read her Rock Chick series, the Chaos series, and the Unfinished Heroes series. And when I first read THE WILL, I was delighted by how differe... | KA was an automatic purchase for me. Yes, I wrote "was" because I'm seriously rethinking this. I must have read her Dream Man series, at this point, at least 5 times. I also read her Rock Chick series, the Chaos series, and the Unfinished Heroes series. And when I first read THE WILL, I was delighted by how differe... | [
"Product: Ruth Cardello lives on a small farm in Northern Rhode Island with her husband, three children, three dogs, and two horses. You can contact her at www.ruthcardello.com Email: Minouri@aol.com Facebook: Author Ruth Cardello Twitter: RuthieCardello\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Suspended A Bit Too Much Disbelief... | 7 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 314 |
A2A6NH6DPE0VXR | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "For the stars of Raw, the heated rivalries that began at WrestleMania 23 explode at Backlash, where retribution will be exacted. Includes matches featuring John Cena, Edge, Randy Orton, Shawn Michae... | Backlash wasn't a bad ppv. It had a good opening with the Hardys beating Murdock and Cade after Jeff hit the Swanton Bomb on Murdock and Matt made the pin. Then Melina beat Mickey James in an ok Women's Title match after a scorpion death drop. Beniot then took on MVP in a match that MVP dominated a lot of. Beniot event... | Backlash wasn't a bad ppv. It had a good opening with the Hardys beating Murdock and Cade after Jeff hit the Swanton Bomb on Murdock and Matt made the pin. Then Melina beat Mickey James in an ok Women's Title match after a scorpion death drop. Beniot then took on MVP in a match that MVP dominated a lot of. Beniot event... | [
"Product: WWE SmackDown! Vs. RAW 2006 is the ultimate achievement in sports entertainment, combining two of the most successful wrestling game series of all time. It's got the deepest and most realistic wrestling experience ever, yet it's easy enough for casual gamers to pick up and play. A new fighting system and ... | 200 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 315 |
A2UCOSEHTW6I0H | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Our Belkin USB Extension Cable extends your existing USB device cable. With this handy Cable, you'll never have to struggle with cables that are too short while connecting your printer, scanner, dri... | If you're looking for a basic 10' USB extension cable, you've come to the right place. Belkin's products have always been reliable, and this one is no different.
The Belkin F3U134-10 is a 20-gauge 10' USB cable, A plug to A receptacle. I use mine on an older PC that only has USB ports on the back of its tower. Thank... | If you're looking for a basic 10' USB extension cable, you've come to the right place. Belkin's products have always been reliable, and this one is no different.
The Belkin F3U134-10 is a 20-gauge 10' USB cable, A plug to A receptacle. I use mine on an older PC that only has USB ports on the back of its tower. Thank... | [
"Product: Master storyteller Orson Welles weaves a wry, often whimsical, documentary about the nature of art to bedazzle and fool us all. With mock intensity, Welles investigates the charming Elmyr de Hory, who makes a lavish living painting fake Picassos and Matisses. Equally captivating is Welles' own trickery an... | 19 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 316 |
AB4F6UHL20U95 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Vivien Leigh in the classic 1948 movie of Tolstoy's famous story about a married woman having an affair with a dashing young officer, with tragic results. Ralph Richardson plays Karenin.". The summ... | This is an exquisitely photographed and beautifully acted film that is amazingly faithful to the novel. The story of Kitty and Levin is much neglected, but that seems to be the case with many adaptations of "Anna Karenina." I thought Leigh's performance was tender, restrained and heartbreakingly lovely. She comes ac... | This is an exquisitely photographed and beautifully acted film that is amazingly faithful to the novel. The story of Kitty and Levin is much neglected, but that seems to be the case with many adaptations of "Anna Karenina." I thought Leigh's performance was tender, restrained and heartbreakingly lovely. She comes ac... | [
"Product: Romero VHS starring Raul Julia\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Deeply Moving Reminder of What Others Suffer Around Us\n\nReview: Raul Julia's performance is deeply moving and perhaps unforgettable as the Archbishop Romero whose assassination shocked the world. ---- This film is a brutal yet beautifully done r... | 14 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 317 |
A3B4N44LA778OG | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "After the breakup of Jefferson Airplane, Kantner joined Grace Slick and David Freiberg and recorded this all-star album featuring Jerry Garcia, David Crosby and Chris Ethridge.". The summary of the ... | I had just done a review of "Sunfighter" and was gloating over having this on CD, thinking it was no more. Guess I didn't scroll down enough the first time. While it's not quite up to snuff with "Sunfighter" it succeeds on another level by not really sounding stuck so much in an era. Sure, there's plenty of political a... | I had just done a review of "Sunfighter" and was gloating over having this on CD, thinking it was no more. Guess I didn't scroll down enough the first time. While it's not quite up to snuff with "Sunfighter" it succeeds on another level by not really sounding stuck so much in an era. Sure, there's plenty of political a... | [
"Product: Rock Concert\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A RETURN TO HIS FLASHY ROOTS...THAT'S A GOOD THING...\n\nReview: Peter Gabriel spent many years developing a sound an onstage presence that was far removed from the sound and look of 70's Genesis. Gone were the costumes and wires making him fly. His shows were power... | 23 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 318 |
A25X4F1TS2SW27 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "SPRINGSTEEN BRUCE MAGIC". The summary of the review text is "Radio Nowhere...but Springsteen's Somewhere!". | This one made my "Best Albums of 2007" list (see http://www.amazon.com/Best-Albums-of-2007/lm/R1TUKG73VXM141/ref=cm_lm_byauthor_title_full)
It sure grew on me. At first, it felt more like a relationship album but the more I listened to it, the more I realized that it is actually a bit of a protest album. The title trac... | This one made my "Best Albums of 2007" list (see http://www.amazon.com/Best-Albums-of-2007/lm/R1TUKG73VXM141/ref=cm_lm_byauthor_title_full)
It sure grew on me. At first, it felt more like a relationship album but the more I listened to it, the more I realized that it is actually a bit of a protest album. The title trac... | [
"Product: Made in the USA-- top quality construction. Simply roll over your nuts and watch as they are collected in the basket.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Not perfect but works well\n\nReview: I have a medium-large version of this to pick up acorns as well as walnuts. They are different in size but typically I am g... | 36 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 319 |
A1DECZ2YDZVNFW | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "The universe of Neverness is and filled with extraordinary beings, such as the neanderthal-like Alaloi and the Order of Pilots. Against this backdrop stands Mallory Ringer, who penetrates the Solid ... | A grand tour of philosophy, mathematics and religion, with a good deal of mysticism. This book makes you think deeply about what really matters in terms of peace, war, and who we are as humans once most creature comforts are provided. As we evolve into spacefaring beings with almost unlimited resouces at our disposal w... | A grand tour of philosophy, mathematics and religion, with a good deal of mysticism. This book makes you think deeply about what really matters in terms of peace, war, and who we are as humans once most creature comforts are provided. As we evolve into spacefaring beings with almost unlimited resouces at our disposal w... | [
"Product: Set in the high-stakes world of Wall Street, MARGIN CALL is an entangling thriller involving the key players at an investment firm d uring the earliest hours of the 2008 financial crisis. When an entry-level analyst unlocks information that could prove to be the downfall of the firm, a roller-coaster ride... | 5 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 320 |
A2TVKQHGDCKELC | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "13 holiday favorites with a little down-home flavor! Includes I'll Be Home for Christmas; Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas; O Little Town of Bethlehem; Blue Christmas; Rudolph the Red-Nosed Re... | Charlie Daniels is sure-enuff the genuine article, an artist unfraid of taking a high-minded stance and doing things his way. That said, what you'd expect from CDB's Christmas CD is delivered. And that's just fine by me.
Charlie is down-home, but don't classify him too tightly. Remember, he played on The Beatles Whi... | Charlie Daniels is sure-enuff the genuine article, an artist unfraid of taking a high-minded stance and doing things his way. That said, what you'd expect from CDB's Christmas CD is delivered. And that's just fine by me.
Charlie is down-home, but don't classify him too tightly. Remember, he played on The Beatles Whi... | [
"Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Taste's Great. But Not Less Filling.\n\nReview: The first question is why did this CD happen? It's not possible to improve on perfection, which is how I'd summarize the Tom Waits catalogue as sampled on this release. What's more curious is w... | 9 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 321 |
A2KQG9LFXGI91R | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "Apartment, dorm, and other small-space dwellers will love the convenience and compactness of our Lumin chair. It surrounds you in comfort, while providing you a lightweight seating option that can b... | This chair looked just awesome when it first arrived. Actually, I'm really depressed I'm returning it (I bought it on Walmart.com). It's big and like a mini couch yet it doesn't seem to take up too much space in my room. However, I got alot of pain sitting in this chair. It's "comfortable" to an extent but you need mor... | This chair looked just awesome when it first arrived. Actually, I'm really depressed I'm returning it (I bought it on Walmart.com). It's big and like a mini couch yet it doesn't seem to take up too much space in my room. However, I got alot of pain sitting in this chair. It's "comfortable" to an extent but you need mor... | [
"Product: Tired of what you hear on the radio or see on TV? Well, maybe it's time to put yourself in the composers shoes and start creating your own tunes. With MAGIX Music Maker 2013 it's easier than ever to make great songs quickly and easily on your computer. All it takes is your imagination and the more than 30... | 26 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 322 |
A3S98L5B1SR9P1 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Much more amazing than any possession movie that has come out any time since. Thiis movie has it all, it's scary, it's funny it's gross, and best of all it could be yours! I have this movie in excel... | The Evil Dead -
Sam Raimi's "The Evil Dead" is an amazing start off to a trilogy of horror and three stooges slapstick. I have never seen a horror movie so many times, heck I've never seen any movie so many times. Sure the special effects are discouraging but who could of better been cast as the reluctant hero than Bru... | The Evil Dead -
Sam Raimi's "The Evil Dead" is an amazing start off to a trilogy of horror and three stooges slapstick. I have never seen a horror movie so many times, heck I've never seen any movie so many times. Sure the special effects are discouraging but who could of better been cast as the reluctant hero than Bru... | [
"Product: It was bongs and bell bottoms, polyester and puka shells, macrame and mood rings. We rocked and rolled, we were jaded and innocent, but most of all, we were Dazed and Confused. With hilarious and touching honesty, this critically acclaimed comedy explores the last day of school - and one rowdy night - in ... | 42 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 323 |
AD8STHWAAFZSG | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "Chiah Wilder is the author of the popular Insurgents MC romance series. Always a lover of books, she began writing at a young age and continued through college with collections of short stories. Fig... | 3.5 Stars
Muerto is the second title in the Night Rebels MC series, and features Muerto and Raven. I am a fan of Ms Wilder's work and really enjoyed the first book in the Night Rebels MC series, Steel, but for me this one didn't quite hit the mark.
This pair of characters are well matched. Muerto is a bad-ass alpha... | 3.5 Stars
Muerto is the second title in the Night Rebels MC series, and features Muerto and Raven. I am a fan of Ms Wilder's work and really enjoyed the first book in the Night Rebels MC series, Steel, but for me this one didn't quite hit the mark.
This pair of characters are well matched. Muerto is a bad-ass alpha... | [
"Product: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author L. P. Dover is a southern belle living in North Carolina with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she began her literary journey she worked in periodontics, enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries. She loves to write, but she also loves to play t... | 4 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 324 |
AVEVNXZGYY2CE | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "1.0" for a product with description "Will be shipped from US. Used books may not include companion materials, may have some shelf wear, may contain highlighting/notes, may not include CDs or access codes. 100% money back guarantee.". T... | My husband and I are in the process of trying to conceive our first baby. I have a couple of friends who just had their own first babies and one of them offered me all her pregnancy books "except 'What to Expect...'. I am not giving you that one." I asked her why and she said reading it made her feel so nervous and gui... | My husband and I are in the process of trying to conceive our first baby. I have a couple of friends who just had their own first babies and one of them offered me all her pregnancy books "except 'What to Expect...'. I am not giving you that one." I asked her why and she said reading it made her feel so nervous and gui... | [
"Product: 14 Pre-filled disposable whitening trays (7 upper, 7 lower). Professionally designed enamel safe. Surprisingly soft, thin and flexible for a custom fit. Once a day. Visibly whiter teeth in as little as 3 days. The disposable trays are pre-filled with the same enamel-safe ingredient dentists use. The flexi... | 10 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 325 |
A2IBCAV99XTMFK | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Avarada Cotton Hippie Boho Hobo Cotton Sling Crossbody Shoulder Bohemian Bag, handmade sewing of elaborate. A good selection of raw materials Lightweight but strong for all the opportunities availab... | I just love this hobo hippie bag. It brings me back to my hippie days (I'm showing my age). It is made of cotton/canvas and has such a wonderful paisley print. It is black and gray and will match with any attire. It is large enough to carry all of my goods! I am disabled so I have a lot of "goods" to carry around.... | I just love this hobo hippie bag. It brings me back to my hippie days (I'm showing my age). It is made of cotton/canvas and has such a wonderful paisley print. It is black and gray and will match with any attire. It is large enough to carry all of my goods! I am disabled so I have a lot of "goods" to carry around.... | [
"Product: 60 pre-sharpened professional grade Colored Pencils are you looking for high quality Colored Pencils guaranteed to product high quality pigments with rich color saturation to make your art come alive? Then buy this set of 60 pre-sharpened colored Colored Pencils today colored Colored Pencils are manufactu... | 7 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 326 |
AQR22MPF45M3P | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "For most of her young life, Juliet lived a tortuous lie. Disguised as a boy, she prowled the shadows of Neo Verona as the Red Whirlwind a masked crusader determined to right the wrongs of a heinous... | This was probably the best, and certainly one of the best, animes I have seen to date...all the way up until the end.
While it is nothing like the real Romeo & Juliet, this series is brilliant and fun all the same. The only similarities, in truth, between this and Shakespeare's work are the names...beyond that, this s... | This was probably the best, and certainly one of the best, animes I have seen to date...all the way up until the end.
While it is nothing like the real Romeo & Juliet, this series is brilliant and fun all the same. The only similarities, in truth, between this and Shakespeare's work are the names...beyond that, this s... | [
"Product: Jurassic Lost Island is an epic, story-driven first-person shooter set on a dark, mysterious island that connects the modern world with the age of dinosaurs. Take on the role of Craig Dylan, a weapons and survival expert, hired to protect a research team sent to study the strange temporal energy of the is... | 15 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 327 |
AOTG4RC78XNCU | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Calm and comfort your favorite feline with this soothing, scientifically designed sonic program developed by Dr. Lee Bartel.". The summary of the review text is "VERY Soothing .... for Cats and Cat-... | I bought this to calm my cat who seemed to be quite edgy after a trip to the vet ... it was noisy and chaotic and my "Sammy" is a very sensitive soul. In fact, the vet called me and said I had to come and get him - and home-treat him because he was too terrified to be treated at their facility. So .... armed with the... | I bought this to calm my cat who seemed to be quite edgy after a trip to the vet ... it was noisy and chaotic and my "Sammy" is a very sensitive soul. In fact, the vet called me and said I had to come and get him - and home-treat him because he was too terrified to be treated at their facility. So .... armed with the... | [
"Product: --- Waiting at the station has never can be an all day task. But now all the people can wait in comfort on miniature benches that don't move; and all the little people will maintain composure. \n\n--- Put a smidgeon of wax on people's shoes and watch them stand tall\n\n--- Create your railroad scene over ... | 20 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 328 |
AOIIPYKC63YX | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "A dual use Airtight Palette that offer a multitude of wells. Lid functions as an extra mixing area as needed. When closed offer son airtight compartment. Perfect for classroom or occasional users to... | Update:
I've now bought six of these palettes for watercolor and gouache. I like them that much.
Original Review:
I do a great deal of art and painting in wet media such as watercolors, gouache, and acrylic, and I've been meaning to get a new palette for some time now to better organize my growing watercolor collectio... | Update:
I've now bought six of these palettes for watercolor and gouache. I like them that much.
Original Review:
I do a great deal of art and painting in wet media such as watercolors, gouache, and acrylic, and I've been meaning to get a new palette for some time now to better organize my growing watercolor collectio... | [
"Product: Model G22 Airbrush Features and Benefits: Made with High Quality Precision Components that enable this airbrush to work efficiently while providing exceptional atomization and accurate spray control. Multi-Purpose as it works well with most paint media and surfaces. Removing the Needle and Nozzle Caps ena... | 49 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 329 |
A2COVIOKGWJY6S | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "2.0" for a product with description "Our classic push up bump bra in fun fashion prints. Match back with any OnGossamer panty.". The summary of the review text is "Runs small, stiff, dislike the mesh fabric and construction". | Pros: I like the blue print and the graduated padding.
Cons: Runs small, color not as pictured, fabric/construction such that this bra will stretch out and not hold up.
Color: The color of the straps, cup lining, trim and hook closure is a more brilliant turquoise contrasts with more muted print of the cups
Constructi... | Pros: I like the blue print and the graduated padding.
Cons: Runs small, color not as pictured, fabric/construction such that this bra will stretch out and not hold up.
Color: The color of the straps, cup lining, trim and hook closure is a more brilliant turquoise contrasts with more muted print of the cups
Constructi... | [
"Product: It is made from splitting the stumps of pine trees that contain a high concentration of natural resin. This organic, 100 percent natural resin allows the fatwood firestarter to be started with a single match and gives a sustained flame. 10- Lb. Box of fire starter wood 100 percent natural, with no chemica... | 22 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 330 |
ALVAFI51NRXZS | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "W.L. Ripley is the author of two critically acclaimed mystery series, one featuring Wyatt Storme, an Ex-NFL star and atavistic cowboy, and the other featuring Cole Springer, an enigmatic ex-secret s... | That's a description of a poached deer. Ripley's use of language to paint a picture is spectacular. He's fast becoming one of my 'must read' authors, as addictive as salty popcorn at the movies. His writing has been compared to Robert B. Parker, and there are some similarities in style. (I love Robert B. Parker, by the... | That's a description of a poached deer. Ripley's use of language to paint a picture is spectacular. He's fast becoming one of my 'must read' authors, as addictive as salty popcorn at the movies. His writing has been compared to Robert B. Parker, and there are some similarities in style. (I love Robert B. Parker, by the... | [
"Product: BRAND NEW, Exactly same ISBN as listed, Please double check ISBN carefully before ordering.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great writing, realistic characters\n\nReview: I had no idea that Sarah Dessen was a rock star in the young adult fiction genre, but after reading the first few chapters of Once and For A... | 4 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 331 |
A1M177ETB2X9GK | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "This electric wine opener kit includes 4 necessary tools, electric wine opener, chiller, wine aerator pourer and foil cutter. Electric opener and foil cutter are for opening the bottle, stainless ch... | This electric wine opener/chiller/aerator/pourer is well made with high quality material and is heavy duty and durable. Uncorking wine can be really a hassle but with this cool gadget, uncorking wine is so simple and easy. It is comfortable to hold and easy use, just press the down arrow button to insert the corkscre... | This electric wine opener/chiller/aerator/pourer is well made with high quality material and is heavy duty and durable. Uncorking wine can be really a hassle but with this cool gadget, uncorking wine is so simple and easy. It is comfortable to hold and easy use, just press the down arrow button to insert the corkscre... | [
"Product: This SONGMICS 10-tier closet organizer rack is designed to provide a great storage solution for your collection of favorite footwear or other sundries. Constructed out of metal pipes and plastic connectors, so it can hold numerous pairs of shoes, bags and so on. This is a customizable shoe rack, which mea... | 9 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 332 |
A3QSI430Q2SOCB | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Reese Towpower custom built trailer hitches feature solid all-welded construction for maximum strength and safety! Computer aided design, fatigue and stress testing insure a robust design that provi... | This hitch receiver was simple to install onto my Chevy Colorado. I was able to put it on alone without any assistance. The instructions were easy to follow. It is well built with excellent weld seams. Most of the hitch is hidden by the bumper so it looks good too.
I didn't give it 5 stars for two reasons. Reason #1 i... | This hitch receiver was simple to install onto my Chevy Colorado. I was able to put it on alone without any assistance. The instructions were easy to follow. It is well built with excellent weld seams. Most of the hitch is hidden by the bumper so it looks good too.
I didn't give it 5 stars for two reasons. Reason #1 i... | [
"Product: Ultra-high performance interconnect for connecting Ipod, Ipad, Iphone, Computer, Tablets and Laptops to your audio system or Powered Speakers. High Quality ZYC Audio Cables make the best choice for audio and home theater enthusiasts who want smoother, more natural audiophile quality sound at an excellent ... | 25 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 333 |
A3CPX27XQ4BOKX | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "APOCALYPSE". The summary of the review text is "A excellent glimpse of what Christians faced back then". | I really liked this movie because it shows what the believers who received the book of Revelation were going through when the messages and visions of Revelation were given to them. These believers try to maintain their faith in Christ when Emperor Domitian proclaims himself to be God and gives an ultimatum for Christia... | I really liked this movie because it shows what the believers who received the book of Revelation were going through when the messages and visions of Revelation were given to them. These believers try to maintain their faith in Christ when Emperor Domitian proclaims himself to be God and gives an ultimatum for Christia... | [
"Product: This classic film portrays 3 years of Jesus' ministry as told in the Gospel of Luke from the Good News and King James translations of the Bible. Producer John Heyman created a film so true-to-life, you will feel like you are in first-century Palestine. Everything from clothing, to customs, to food of the ... | 23 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 334 |
A27VTXX08JRVQ9 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Volume 2 features the episodes "Old Passion" and "I Only Have Eyes for You."". The summary of the review text is "So much at stake (yeah, sorry)". | It's no accident that Season Two of BTVS continues to pop up first in the DVD list when one searches "Buffy" on Amazon. Despite the occasional lame "monster of the week" episode, the major plot arc of this season aims for maximum emotional damage -- with tons of brilliant humor thrown in along the way -- and it achiev... | It's no accident that Season Two of BTVS continues to pop up first in the DVD list when one searches "Buffy" on Amazon. Despite the occasional lame "monster of the week" episode, the major plot arc of this season aims for maximum emotional damage -- with tons of brilliant humor thrown in along the way -- and it achiev... | [
"Product: 1992 release, on WEA International, featuring 15 of the '80s new wave/techno/pop outfit's very best, including the hit 'Big in Japan' (original & 'Culture Mix'), plus 'Forever Young', 'Sounds Like a Melody', 'Jerusalem', & 'Dance with Me', to name a few.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Track list needs work\n\... | 20 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 335 |
AUHDMSV4PN7E9 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "James Maury "Jim" Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer, artist, cartoonist, Imagineer, inventor, screenwriter, film director and producer, best known as the cre... | As part of Archaias continuing line of Jim Henson-related works such as their publication of Jim Hensons Tale of Sand and Fraggle Rock comics theyve put out Jim Hensons The Musical Monsters of Turkey Hollow, a print version of a never-produced Thanksgiving TV special by the puppet master. The adapter and illustrator ... | As part of Archaias continuing line of Jim Henson-related works such as their publication of Jim Hensons Tale of Sand and Fraggle Rock comics theyve put out Jim Hensons The Musical Monsters of Turkey Hollow, a print version of a never-produced Thanksgiving TV special by the puppet master. The adapter and illustrator ... | [
"Product: Comfort never looked so good. Our Hanes ultimate bra collection delivers the ultimate in comfort, style and innovation. Who says you can't have it all.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: What happened to Hanes quality?\n\nReview: I have a number of similar Hanes bras I love, but I was so disappointed in the quali... | 11 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 336 |
AEP186SI86TG1 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Director Rupert Goold adapts his gripping stage production of Macbeth - with Sir Patrick Stewart and Kate Fleetwood reprising their Tony-nominated performances - into this edgy film adaptation, whic... | From the first moments of this inspired re-imagining of Shakespeare the viewer is gripped by the creepiness of the tale. I can't help thinking Shakespeare would approve and applaud this interpretation. It is very disturbing and at times you'd think you were watching something like Saw. The witches were especially cr... | From the first moments of this inspired re-imagining of Shakespeare the viewer is gripped by the creepiness of the tale. I can't help thinking Shakespeare would approve and applaud this interpretation. It is very disturbing and at times you'd think you were watching something like Saw. The witches were especially cr... | [
"Product: Turandot has a unique place among Puccinis works because of its complexity, the intertwining of the exotic and the fairy-tale, of tragedy and comedy. At the heart of the opera is the psychological exploration of the eponymous character which in her ambivalence of enchanting beauty and cruel nature differs... | 6 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 337 |
A1S3HHMAB9LLXK | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Aguirre, the Wrath of God [VHS]". The summary of the review text is "Insane Conquistadors Against Incas, Nature, & God". | Werner Herzog recreates a Spanish conquistador battalion in the Peruvian forests searching for the mythological El Dorado. It's a harrowing journey marred by famine and Inca natives defending their home.
The real star is, of course, Klaus Kinski in all his madness. He plays the conquistador, Aguirre, a man with delusi... | Werner Herzog recreates a Spanish conquistador battalion in the Peruvian forests searching for the mythological El Dorado. It's a harrowing journey marred by famine and Inca natives defending their home.
The real star is, of course, Klaus Kinski in all his madness. He plays the conquistador, Aguirre, a man with delusi... | [
"Product: CD'S ARTWORK, CASE AND DISC ARE LIKE NEW / FAST SHIPPING FROM A SMOKE FREE ENVIROMENT\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Eminem's the Main Star of His Show\n\nReview: Another solid album from Eminem. It's not quite as consistent as The Slim Shady LP or The Marshall Mathers LP, but The Eminem Show delivers lots of... | 17 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 338 |
A2CVP31XTYSZFE | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Book by Callow, Simon". The summary of the review text is "Stage-Struck in the Extreme". | Until I read this account of the life of Charles Dickens, I had no idea that he was also deeply, deeply stage-struck. I knew that he gave lectures and readings of his own writing - performances that were enormously popular and remunerative for him. What I didn't know until reading this was how involved Dickens was duri... | Until I read this account of the life of Charles Dickens, I had no idea that he was also deeply, deeply stage-struck. I knew that he gave lectures and readings of his own writing - performances that were enormously popular and remunerative for him. What I didn't know until reading this was how involved Dickens was duri... | [
"Product: The iconic Savora Rotary Grater is designed for either right- or left-handed use, with an ergonomic handle suitable for large and small hands. The bi-directional drum is designed to create uniform cutting results, while the body is designed to prevent accumulation behind the drum. The durable cast metal s... | 27 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 339 |
A4GF6KES1W784 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "The open shelves of the Deisgns2Go 4-Tier Natural Bookshelf Shelf brings you easy storage access. Featuring 4 levels of spacious storage that is designed to meet your space needs while providing dur... | It is true that this bookshelf appears cheaply made and isn't all that aesthetically pleasing; it also isn't that ideal for storing light things, as its four-tier design makes it very top heavy when it doesn't have heavy things to weigh it down.
However, this thing is sturdy enough to hold the heaviest of books and it... | It is true that this bookshelf appears cheaply made and isn't all that aesthetically pleasing; it also isn't that ideal for storing light things, as its four-tier design makes it very top heavy when it doesn't have heavy things to weigh it down.
However, this thing is sturdy enough to hold the heaviest of books and it... | [
"Product: Return to Ivalice in the latest installment of the legendary FINAL FANTASY TACTICS series. Summer vacation has begun for all but one unlucky student. Alone in the school library, Luso solemnly toils away the punishment his mischief has brought him. It is there that he finds a dusty, mysterious book. Openi... | 12 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 340 |
A2KUR0ZBNV17AA | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Every family has secrets.". The summary of the review text is "This is the Way They Talk in Scotland". | I have read some short vampire fiction by Atkinson and was not impressed and minimally entertained. When I saw this tagged as Scottish historical fiction, I downloaded the sample (its free) and was quite impressed, enough to buy the book. I am not sure about historical fiction part. Where is the history? It is not hist... | I have read some short vampire fiction by Atkinson and was not impressed and minimally entertained. When I saw this tagged as Scottish historical fiction, I downloaded the sample (its free) and was quite impressed, enough to buy the book. I am not sure about historical fiction part. Where is the history? It is not hist... | [
"Product: Using council records, autobiographies, and firsthand descriptions, Brown allows great chiefs and warriors of the Dakota Ute, Cheyenne, and other tribes to tell us in their own words of the battles, and borken treaties that left them defeated.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: History with an Impact on Today\n\n... | 7 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 341 |
A366H9K5NYRYDN | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "K.A. Linde is an independent author and publisher who enjoys writing novels that keep you guessing to the very end. She wrote Avoiding Commitment in 2009. She studied political science and philosoph... | Ok, so the gang is back....
This book goes from past to present again...just like the last.
This time though you get to learn about Ramsey and Lexi's relationship. They broke up...why??? (Ramsey is perfect!!...not so much).
So Lexi is in New York, getting cozy with a mystery guy, and Ramsey calls her asking her to g... | Ok, so the gang is back....
This book goes from past to present again...just like the last.
This time though you get to learn about Ramsey and Lexi's relationship. They broke up...why??? (Ramsey is perfect!!...not so much).
So Lexi is in New York, getting cozy with a mystery guy, and Ramsey calls her asking her to g... | [
"Product: Sylvia Day Crossfire Series: Bared to You, Reflected in You, Entwined in You. Books have been read one time, and are in good condition with some wear on front paperback cover. No highlighting and minimal wear on individual pages. Originally purchased at Barnes and Nobel for $15 each (combined value of... | 4 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 342 |
A36SGMMNJTSUCV | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "I live in the Mile High city with my wife, daughter and dog, where the Rocky Mountain High isnt always achieved with an herbal substance. When not glued to the computer for work and writing, I relax... | Reading this book by R. Weir, I felt as though I had literally stepped into the mind of a PI. There was action, mystery, and twists that let me wondering what just happened! I really enjoyed reading another book by R. Weir, and he does a wonderful job at capturing your attention and creating vivid details. I really tho... | Reading this book by R. Weir, I felt as though I had literally stepped into the mind of a PI. There was action, mystery, and twists that let me wondering what just happened! I really enjoyed reading another book by R. Weir, and he does a wonderful job at capturing your attention and creating vivid details. I really tho... | [
"Product: Clarissa Wild is a New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author, best known for the dark Romance novel Mr. X. Her novels include the Fierce Series, the Delirious Series, and Stalker. She is also a writer of erotic romance such as the Blissful Series, The Billionaire's Bet series, and the Enflamed Series.... | 9 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 343 |
A5BLX5W6D6ZOK | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "2015 Bloomsbury trade paperback, Elizbeth Gilbert. Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilberts books for years. Now this beloved author digs ... | I was tempted not to leave a review of such a popular book. But the book hasn't left my thoughts since I read it, and I keep remembering Gilbert's statements about her sensitivity and how much it means to those putting themselves out there to hear they are appreciated. Boy, is she ever appreciated. This is a feisty con... | I was tempted not to leave a review of such a popular book. But the book hasn't left my thoughts since I read it, and I keep remembering Gilbert's statements about her sensitivity and how much it means to those putting themselves out there to hear they are appreciated. Boy, is she ever appreciated. This is a feisty con... | [
"Product: We know your bedroom is a place you relax and rejuvenate after all it's a place you spend one-third of life or even more. Clara Clark sheets are designed with you in mind - soft, comfortable, and attractive, - beautiful designed embellished pillowcases with triple rows of stitching applique for a tailored... | 10 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 344 |
AEVNUEDRGTC4P | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "1.0" for a product with description "Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil, The Fifth Element), Cameron Bright (X-Men 3), Nick Chinlund (The Legend of Zorro) and William Fichtner (The Longest Yard) star in this theatrical set in the late 21st ... | Normally, when a movie has its colors dulled or placed in super sharp contrast, its done to indicate either flashbacks or sentimentality. In the 2006 flick Ultraviolet, these color tricks are used in every single sequence, indeed in each and every frame. Ultraviolet looks incredible, but ultimately it is just another f... | Normally, when a movie has its colors dulled or placed in super sharp contrast, its done to indicate either flashbacks or sentimentality. In the 2006 flick Ultraviolet, these color tricks are used in every single sequence, indeed in each and every frame. Ultraviolet looks incredible, but ultimately it is just another f... | [
"Product: It is a 20 year old VHS tape, but it is in pristine condition all things considered!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The Best Movie Ever Made About Pearl Harbor\n\nReview: Tora! Tora! Tora! is the single best movie ever made about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It features excellent performances from su... | 16 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 345 |
A1MYSISP73W2OZ | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "Design International Group Garden Statue- Tink 2015, 12 X 7.85 Inches. This statue will stand out among your outdoor decor.". The summary of the review text is "Could be bigger for the price". | I purchased two dwarfs (Doc and Grumpy), and like many other reviewers made note of, I too, received a Doc instead of a Grumpy; but I digress. Amazon corrected that issue for me. However, the Doc dwarf I did receive is nice, but small; he stands about 12 inches high. The paint job is decent; it could be better, but for... | I purchased two dwarfs (Doc and Grumpy), and like many other reviewers made note of, I too, received a Doc instead of a Grumpy; but I digress. Amazon corrected that issue for me. However, the Doc dwarf I did receive is nice, but small; he stands about 12 inches high. The paint job is decent; it could be better, but for... | [
"Product: This 12 inch Crystal Cake Decoration Stair was originally manufactured for the cake decoration industry. Cake decorations would use this stair in their wedding cake designs. Now, however, these stairs are used for various other reasons. They are used when building a model of a castle or kids also use this... | 31 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 346 |
A2V5TX3SMJS1XP | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "2.0" for a product with description "The Korg nanoKey 25 Key Keyboard is a unique, easily transportable MIDI Controller Keyboard that is little in size, but huge with functionality and features! When Korg set out to build a slim-line M... | If I would have known about the Akai LPK25 before this device I would have gotten that instead. What you get for $35-$50 is a small compact keyboard that doesn't feel anything like a keyboard. It's keys are mounted like computer keyboard plunger keys but they're mushy and hard to hit correctly to produce the pressure y... | If I would have known about the Akai LPK25 before this device I would have gotten that instead. What you get for $35-$50 is a small compact keyboard that doesn't feel anything like a keyboard. It's keys are mounted like computer keyboard plunger keys but they're mushy and hard to hit correctly to produce the pressure y... | [
"Product: Get ready to unleash the full sonic potential of your tracks with AUDIO 4 DJ, the compact audio interface for DJs who demand premium sound quality. With all the connections you need in one sturdy and portable design, this hardware is destined to be the centerpiece of your DJ set-up at home and in the clu... | 33 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 347 |
A22ZWBC0G0YCFA | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Ho ho ho! Harry the Bunny is here to fulfill your childs wish list this Christmas! This is the perfect Christmas time friend that is fun all year round. Harry looks just adorable with his red coat a... | These are very cute! Very nice. My daughter loved it. The bed time is like your average one, but the doctor one with the white labcoat is great. I like it cuz it is more inspiring. it's a great gift.
About me, as a reviewer - I am hardcore researcher. I am always looking for stuff I am an engineer my self, with a... | These are very cute! Very nice. My daughter loved it. The bed time is like your average one, but the doctor one with the white labcoat is great. I like it cuz it is more inspiring. it's a great gift.
About me, as a reviewer - I am hardcore researcher. I am always looking for stuff I am an engineer my self, with a... | [
"Product: An Amazon Brand.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: This shoe rack is FANTASTIC. it is about 5 feet tall\n\nReview: This shoe rack is FANTASTIC. it is about 5 feet tall, so almost a person, but obviously wider.\n\nBuilding it was super easy. Easy to follow instructions. All the hardware (screws) were there and... | 15 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 348 |
AUIERVNQWSH25 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "L.D. Davis is the New York Times Best Selling author of Accidentally on Purpose and Pieces of Rhys. She lives in New Jersey with her family and is currently working on more books for your entertainm... | I know Im joining the minority in my opinion of this book. There were just too many negatives that I couldn't ignore. What I found to be the best part of this story is the surprising shocker that the author hid well. I really didn't see it coming until it hit me in the face.
Both Emmy and Kyle were detestable characte... | I know Im joining the minority in my opinion of this book. There were just too many negatives that I couldn't ignore. What I found to be the best part of this story is the surprising shocker that the author hid well. I really didn't see it coming until it hit me in the face.
Both Emmy and Kyle were detestable characte... | [
"Product: Sylvia Day Crossfire Series: Bared to You, Reflected in You, Entwined in You. Books have been read one time, and are in good condition with some wear on front paperback cover. No highlighting and minimal wear on individual pages. Originally purchased at Barnes and Nobel for $15 each (combined value of... | 7 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 349 |
A38Z6QG6988WS7 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Combining innovation and style, the DualPro SHINE case for Sony Xperia Z Ultra provides double the protection with a hard shell Plextonium frame and a shock absorbing silicone core.". The summary of... | Incipio Dual-pro Shine Case for Sony Xperia Z Ultra - Carrying Case is perfect in every way , fits accurately gives the phone a more expensive sophisticated look, but the most important it protects your phone from accidents that usually damages your phone or puts it out of commission, get the best protection available,... | Incipio Dual-pro Shine Case for Sony Xperia Z Ultra - Carrying Case is perfect in every way , fits accurately gives the phone a more expensive sophisticated look, but the most important it protects your phone from accidents that usually damages your phone or puts it out of commission, get the best protection available,... | [
"Product: Use the powerful 800 watt Brentwood GA-125 Espresso and Cappuccino Maker to brew up to 4 servings of rich and creamy espresso. The built-in steam wand produces silk like milk for caf style cappuccinos and lattes. The 20 ounce glass carafe has an easy pour spout and cool touch handle. Save money with the r... | 28 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 350 |
A3QFXJTZIAVOTE | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Donna White Glaser is the author of The Letty Whittaker 12 Step Mystery series. Like her main character, Donna is a psychotherapist and lives northwestern Wisconsin. As if that weren't enough, she a... | Recovering alcoholic and therapist Letty Whittaker and her bff, Beth, make a 12th-step call on Trinnie, a fellow AA member who is trying to face her demons. When they get to Trinnies house, they find her dead. On the way out of the house, Letty mistakenly grabs Trinnies Big Book, which contains Trinnies Fourth Step (... | Recovering alcoholic and therapist Letty Whittaker and her bff, Beth, make a 12th-step call on Trinnie, a fellow AA member who is trying to face her demons. When they get to Trinnies house, they find her dead. On the way out of the house, Letty mistakenly grabs Trinnies Big Book, which contains Trinnies Fourth Step (... | [
"Product: Harrison Drake is the pseudonym of a Canadian writer and career police officer who has chosen anonymity in order to protect a safe, secure and quiet lifestyle for his family. The author is hard at work on numerous writing projects in a number of genres.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Sometimes those bad dream... | 4 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 351 |
A20H1M28WLI9J2 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Create an incredible Disney fireworks light and sound show in your room featuring your favorite Disney characters! Pump the launcher, choose your firework, aim and pull the trigger! Watch as amazing... | I got this kid tested by my teenage daughter and a couple of 10 year olds, the younger kids seemed to enjoy this a lot, although they all said it was not quite bright enough.
They liked the design, they thought the firework projected graphics were good as well as the sound. Overall they agreed it was "cool"
I found th... | I got this kid tested by my teenage daughter and a couple of 10 year olds, the younger kids seemed to enjoy this a lot, although they all said it was not quite bright enough.
They liked the design, they thought the firework projected graphics were good as well as the sound. Overall they agreed it was "cool"
I found th... | [
"Product: Big Mop with H2O Tank View larger Monaural RYDIS H68 Pro Overview The RYDIS H68 Pro next-generation hybrid robot pushes the boundaries of automation. It vacuums, mops and tracks its own performance. Featuring the industrys largest Big Mop and H20 tank, this powerful machine is capable of mopping and vacuu... | 46 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 352 |
AE61FFT0GUD2G | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description ""We will contact you to get details of your custom texts"". The summary of the review text is "Excellent Stamp That Works Wells". | We host exchange students who come the America to study for a year, and as a result become quite close to them. That ends up, even in this day of the computer, with a fair amount of mail going back and forth across the ocean. I bought this stamp so I didn't have to go to the Post Office to have each card or letter stam... | We host exchange students who come the America to study for a year, and as a result become quite close to them. That ends up, even in this day of the computer, with a fair amount of mail going back and forth across the ocean. I bought this stamp so I didn't have to go to the Post Office to have each card or letter stam... | [
"Product: Crest Pro-Health Clinical Gum Protection helps prevent gingivitis and helps reverse gingivitis in 4 weeks.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Too Harsh For Everyday Use\n\nReview: As someone who suffers from periodontal disease, I am a little familiar with products designed to help cut plaque and reduced the inci... | 48 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 353 |
A1ARA52HB238HT | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "LIKE NEW, LIMITED EDITION FRANKLIN LIBRARY LEATHER BOUND, 22 CARAT GILDED PAGES. In like new, unread condition, not price clipped, not library edition, not remainder marked.
Seller is a lifelong boo... | Probably one of the most memorable Dickens characters, Philip Pirrup is known to most readers as Pip, the 7-year-old boy whom his short-tempered sister raised by hand. Little Pip infers that he has sustained, from as early as his babyhood, a perpetual conflict with injustice. He has known, from the time when he can spe... | Probably one of the most memorable Dickens characters, Philip Pirrup is known to most readers as Pip, the 7-year-old boy whom his short-tempered sister raised by hand. Little Pip infers that he has sustained, from as early as his babyhood, a perpetual conflict with injustice. He has known, from the time when he can spe... | [
"Product: A woman discovers a tragic love letter in a bottle on a beach, and is determined to track down its author.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Sappy story but somehow lackluster\n\nReview: Kevin Costner and Robin Wright Penn, along with Paul Newman and Robbie Coltrane star in this stomach-turning film based on Nic... | 24 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 354 |
A19IAK20JEFQNI | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "2.0" for a product with description "The Oxo good grips oil stopper/pourer combination is perfect for pouring and storing fresh olive oil. Use the stopper/pourer to drizzle oil onto your favorite dish or pour oil into a salad. Push the... | Fits my store-bought olive oil bottle just fine, but the pouring speed is *really* inconsistent. Sometimes oil doesn't come out AT ALL, other times it comes gushing out. Yes, I've actually tried finding a pattern -- sitting there holding the angle constant etc., and I can't discern one.
I like that it closes, but it... | Fits my store-bought olive oil bottle just fine, but the pouring speed is *really* inconsistent. Sometimes oil doesn't come out AT ALL, other times it comes gushing out. Yes, I've actually tried finding a pattern -- sitting there holding the angle constant etc., and I can't discern one.
I like that it closes, but it... | [
"Product: A lightweight 2-in-1 Lift-Away upright vacuum with a detachable canister for portable cleaning power. With the push of a button, Lift-Away technology allows you to lift the canister away and easily clean in hard-to-reach areas. This vacuum is also equipped with a completely sealed system and a HEPA filter... | 58 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 355 |
A2HLN2UKQEELLY | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "The Black & Decker HT20 Hedge Trimmer has a 3.8-Amp motor for trimming branches up 3/4-inch. It has a 20-inch dual-action blade that gives up to 40-percent less vibration than single action blades a... | This is an excellent Black & Decker hedge trimmer.
It arrived in a retail box (color and pictures on the side) and some assembly is required. The plastic safety shield and the plastic handle are not installed and are supplied in an attached clear plastic bag. Initially I thought that they had neglected to include the m... | This is an excellent Black & Decker hedge trimmer.
It arrived in a retail box (color and pictures on the side) and some assembly is required. The plastic safety shield and the plastic handle are not installed and are supplied in an attached clear plastic bag. Initially I thought that they had neglected to include the m... | [
"Product: Yost MU-360 Plastic Jaws are designed to fit most 4\" to 6\" vise jaw. These universal jaws feature three high strength magnets (unlike other jaws that only feature two). The distance from the edges of the magnets is 3-3/4, allowing them to be used on a 4\" vise up to a 6\" vise. The plastic design preven... | 29 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 356 |
A1ZU55TM45Y2R8 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Our Total Customer Satisfaction Thank you for making us the 300ml Essential Oil Diffuser If you are not 100% completely satisfied, simply contact us to request a refund or exchange! 18-month and fri... | I have a number of oil diffusers and this one has to be my favorite. It's a morsal shape, think chocolate chip. It has 2 buttons on it, one for on/off and time and one for light colors. It has a bunch of colors and is VERY bright, my wife said she wanted this in our bedroom at night and I put it in, it was too bright. ... | I have a number of oil diffusers and this one has to be my favorite. It's a morsal shape, think chocolate chip. It has 2 buttons on it, one for on/off and time and one for light colors. It has a bunch of colors and is VERY bright, my wife said she wanted this in our bedroom at night and I put it in, it was too bright. ... | [
"Product: The Eco-Vue offers a stylish eco-leather folio that helps protect your iPad. A unique and innovative hand strap design allows you to fold back the cover and securely grip the device during usage a feature not offered in other cases or covers. The Eco-Vue opens like a book, and the elastic strap keeps the... | 200 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 357 |
A3ICVJQMZAGQV5 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "1.0" for a product with description "On stunning High Definition Blu-ray, Twin Peaks: The Entire Mystery is a comprehensive collection with every episode from the complete television series, both the U.S. and international versions of ... | I am so tired of psychopathic writers, who feel that it is their duty to jerk the audience around and then delude themselves that they have done something meaningful. Even David Lynch admits that he didn't know what some of the symbolism they came up with meant. I wasted about 14 hours of my life ( I fast-forwarded a l... | I am so tired of psychopathic writers, who feel that it is their duty to jerk the audience around and then delude themselves that they have done something meaningful. Even David Lynch admits that he didn't know what some of the symbolism they came up with meant. I wasted about 14 hours of my life ( I fast-forwarded a l... | [
"Product: Change your bedroom into a soothing sanctuary with this Deluxe Oversized and Reversible coverlet / bedspread. Your bedroom will look absolutely striking with this beautifully-soft-colored printed bedding that will make a charming addition to your bedroom and bring a calmness to your bed, while the soft so... | 43 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 358 |
AD9J9M86OUKCW | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "DECO ART-Americana Decor Stencil. Create a vintage style home decor piece using this stencil and chalky finish paint (sold separately). Works well on furniture pieces and smaller decorative items. T... | This is a lovely stencil, sturdy, mylar product, cleans well, clean it carefully due to the small delicate design areas. Get a new plastic dish pan or larger size to lay it in to remove your paint product and you will be fine. This company Deco Art makes wonderful quality always. This was also a lovely size for making ... | This is a lovely stencil, sturdy, mylar product, cleans well, clean it carefully due to the small delicate design areas. Get a new plastic dish pan or larger size to lay it in to remove your paint product and you will be fine. This company Deco Art makes wonderful quality always. This was also a lovely size for making ... | [
"Product: Take some to work for bartering favors from co-workers! You'll probably be shocked when you taste this soup. No other canned or dried split pea soup tastes so close to a home-made, long-simmered soup. If you like split pea soup that's rich and thick, with just a bit of smoked ham flavor, you've got to try... | 19 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 359 |
A3PJG7SHLM7AIP | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "WORKSHOP is taking ash vacuums to a new levels. The ash vac has a powder-coated metal drum for durability, and includes metal wands that store neatly in the vacuum's caddy. The ash vacuum cleaner al... | This is a nice fireplace vacuum. Its compact, easy to clean, and works great. The suction is not powerful but its strong enough to easily pull ash out of the fireplace. The HEPA filter does a fantastic job. Not a bit of dust escapes during use. The hose is plastic, but there is a short metal extension at the end c... | This is a nice fireplace vacuum. Its compact, easy to clean, and works great. The suction is not powerful but its strong enough to easily pull ash out of the fireplace. The HEPA filter does a fantastic job. Not a bit of dust escapes during use. The hose is plastic, but there is a short metal extension at the end c... | [
"Product: Experience a new level of comfort on the PlayStation 4 with the Siberia P100 Lightweight Gaming Headset. The enjoyable, relaxed fit is built for hours and hours of gaming. Next-generation SteelSeries speaker drivers let you hear PlayStation 4 games like never before thanks to the helpful positional audio,... | 24 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 360 |
AJDZ8O1FR39TD | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "1.0" for a product with description "From the author of The Hunt for Red October comes a compelling new exploration of submarine warfare developed alongside his new interactive CD-ROM combat game -- Tom Clancy's SSN. America is at war.... | SSN reminds me of a children's book. See Mack. Mack commands the nuclear submarine USS Cheyenne. Captain Mack is very smart. Captain Mack is omniscient and unerring. See the Chinese. The Chinese are inept and stupid.
Chapter 1: See Cheyenne submerge. Hear Cheyenne acquire a Chinese sub on its sonar. See Capt... | SSN reminds me of a children's book. See Mack. Mack commands the nuclear submarine USS Cheyenne. Captain Mack is very smart. Captain Mack is omniscient and unerring. See the Chinese. The Chinese are inept and stupid.
Chapter 1: See Cheyenne submerge. Hear Cheyenne acquire a Chinese sub on its sonar. See Capt... | [
"Product: Athalon 21 inch hybrid travelers\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Perfect Weekend or Overhead Bag\n\nReview: Both my son and wife have this bag. First, it is an exceptional value for the quality, design and space. Second, the bag is well organized with the right number of well though-out divisions and pockets... | 10 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 361 |
ADUT3M0FDX7Y3 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Double your toasting options with the BLACK+DECKER 4-Slice Black/Stainless Steel Toaster! With dual independent controls, you can toast four slices of bread or four waffles at the same time to suit ... | I have always owned 2-slice toasters, and furthermore, I have always bought one of the cheapest toasters available with some pretty good luck (8-10 years, typically). I also use my toasters a lot so I've never had too many toaster issues.
One thing that drives me nuts is when I make some sandwiches or I'm toasting so... | I have always owned 2-slice toasters, and furthermore, I have always bought one of the cheapest toasters available with some pretty good luck (8-10 years, typically). I also use my toasters a lot so I've never had too many toaster issues.
One thing that drives me nuts is when I make some sandwiches or I'm toasting so... | [
"Product: Personalize each of your Wii Remote Controller with different wrist straps for every member of the family.Add a splash of color to your Nintendo Wii remote controller.This strap can also be used with any other items with loops for easy carrying.Color: Black.Accessory ONLY. Wii Remote controller NOT includ... | 20 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 362 |
A2BDZAU0Y4J6NB | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Oxfords Inspector Robert Lewis (Kevin Whately), protg of the legendary Inspector Morse (John Thaw), and his brilliant, brooding partner, Detective Sergeant James Hathaway (Laurence Fox) are back wit... | If one were to take the excellent Colin Dexter series, "Morse" and its equally excellent spin-off series, "Lewis," at face value, Oxford would certainly rank as a city where one would not want to live, much less attend University. Inspiring more mayhem per capita than than Los Angeles, Juarez, Naples, and Port Said rol... | If one were to take the excellent Colin Dexter series, "Morse" and its equally excellent spin-off series, "Lewis," at face value, Oxford would certainly rank as a city where one would not want to live, much less attend University. Inspiring more mayhem per capita than than Los Angeles, Juarez, Naples, and Port Said rol... | [
"Product: A well-known Italian magazine that features crossword puzzles, vocabulary tests, cartoons, and a variety of other linguistic brain-teasers. Printed in the Italian language.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Ricordo di Roma! (Souvenir of Rome)\n\nReview: La Settimana Enigmistica has to be the world's best puzzle ... | 40 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 363 |
A1F6Q5Q0U6MS5X | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "For six hundred years, the Ottoman Empire swelled and declined. Islamic, martial, civilized, and tolerant, it advanced in three centuries from the dusty foothills of Anatolia to rule on the Danube a... | Jason Goodwin has not produced here an exhaustive history of the Ottoman Empire, detailing every Sultan, event, nor all aspects of this once mighty empire. Nor does he claim to. He does not produce the end-all, be-all book on the subject, but then again, he doesn't claim that this is the only volume you'll ever need on... | Jason Goodwin has not produced here an exhaustive history of the Ottoman Empire, detailing every Sultan, event, nor all aspects of this once mighty empire. Nor does he claim to. He does not produce the end-all, be-all book on the subject, but then again, he doesn't claim that this is the only volume you'll ever need on... | [
"Product: Platform: DVD MOVIE Publisher: MOVIE Packaging: DVD CASE \n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Nice fantasy tale, slow-paced but well made with beautiful scenery\n\nReview: _Deeply_ is a beautifully filmed if rather somber movie, ostensibly a fantasy story but with th... | 18 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 364 |
A1RVBEAD8RKDT8 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "1.0" for a product with description "United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo... | After watching several other period regency dramas and enjoying them very much, North & South was recommended to me by someone. Naturally, all the rave reviews led me to look forward to this mini-series with great anticipation. Now, after watching it, I cannot for the life of me understand all the fawning over this a... | After watching several other period regency dramas and enjoying them very much, North & South was recommended to me by someone. Naturally, all the rave reviews led me to look forward to this mini-series with great anticipation. Now, after watching it, I cannot for the life of me understand all the fawning over this a... | [
"Product: A murder is committed on a Nile steamer, but Hercule Poirot is on board...\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Superb Cast and Clever Mystery\n\nReview: The cast is superb, especially Bette Davis and Angela Lansbury who have the luxury of playing some very colorful characters. Everyone right down to the great Mag... | 16 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 365 |
A31TVT9DSU5HL1 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "In a stateside hotel during the height of World War II, young DANNY COOGAN dreams of joining the war effort. Following the murder of hotel guest Mr. Toulon by Nazi assassins, Danny finds the old man... | When Puppet Master 10 comes out I think I might go blu ray after seeing how good this movie was. I know a lot of people seem to give this a bad a review but as a fan of the first 5 Puppet Master films and felt the series went down hill after thank I feel that this movie restored my faith in the series. I was curious i... | When Puppet Master 10 comes out I think I might go blu ray after seeing how good this movie was. I know a lot of people seem to give this a bad a review but as a fan of the first 5 Puppet Master films and felt the series went down hill after thank I feel that this movie restored my faith in the series. I was curious i... | [
"Product: Rated R Horror.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night 2\n\nReview: Glad that now that the remake of the original Prom Night is in theatres that they finally decided to release Prom Night 2 to DVD. It was always one of my favorite Prom night stories with it super natural aspect of a dead p... | 41 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 366 |
AOTEOBX9GFZ48 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "The Art of Racing in the Rain, Garth Stein, Harper 2008, 1st edition (0508), 321 numbered pages. Description: Book; Blue boards and spine with yellow lettering to spine only, publisher's motif on fr... | I received this book as a belated birthday present. I wasn't sure if I'd like it, but found it was very engrossing. Stein's story is actually very melodramatic. I find it interesting that a Jodi Picoult review of this book is so prominently featured on the cover. IMO, Stein writes with some of the same overly-melodram... | I received this book as a belated birthday present. I wasn't sure if I'd like it, but found it was very engrossing. Stein's story is actually very melodramatic. I find it interesting that a Jodi Picoult review of this book is so prominently featured on the cover. IMO, Stein writes with some of the same overly-melodram... | [
"Product: London. 27cm. 174p. : ill,some col. Encuadernacin en tapa blanda de editorial ilustrada. Idioma Ingls. C. S. Lewis ; illustrations by Pauline Baynes. [Chronicles of Narnia ][The lion, the witch and the wardrobe. ]. Narnia novels. Chronicles of Narnia 1. Chronicles of Narnia. Ill. on lining papers. First p... | 11 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 367 |
A4SD8F79JBYG2 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Monochrome Laser Printer With Wireless Networking. Convenience Copying and Color Scanning. Automatic Duplex Printing. Mobile Device Printing Over Wireless Network. Fast Print Speeds Up To 32 ppm. Co... | I love this printer so much! It's half the size of my previous Brother printer (which lasted a really long time). It does normal laser printing, as you'd expect, and the print looks great. But that's not what I love.
I love the scan-to-the-cloud features. I set it up with my cloud accounts which I use for storing file... | I love this printer so much! It's half the size of my previous Brother printer (which lasted a really long time). It does normal laser printing, as you'd expect, and the print looks great. But that's not what I love.
I love the scan-to-the-cloud features. I set it up with my cloud accounts which I use for storing file... | [
"Product: The Summit 6.5 inch utility knife features our intuitive, smarter handle design that guides your hand to the ideal grip automatically. We studied chefs and found they pinch the blade for maximum control so we sought to make that grip easy and intuitive. We did it by moving the chef's \"pinch-grip\" zone u... | 52 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 368 |
A1HLBOGOHH2J6I | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Anya Bast lives in the country with her Belgian husband, their tornado toddler of a daughter, and more cats, dogs, and rabbits than is sane. Ever since she was a little girl, Anya has told stories (... | Genre: Paranormal Romance
Thoughts:
After reading one of Bast's other books, Witch Blood (Elemental Witches, book 2) I had my doubts about trying this one. Witch Blood wasn't for me. Great idea, but smothered in too much sex. After reading some good reviews about the second book, Cruel Enchantment, I couldn't stop my ... | Genre: Paranormal Romance
Thoughts:
After reading one of Bast's other books, Witch Blood (Elemental Witches, book 2) I had my doubts about trying this one. Witch Blood wasn't for me. Great idea, but smothered in too much sex. After reading some good reviews about the second book, Cruel Enchantment, I couldn't stop my ... | [
"Product: paperback, vg+\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: So This is Love!!\n\nReview: And no question about that!! This books was a god send! I was trapped in the middle of nowhere. The nearest book stores 3 hrs away! Then I stumbled into a small town, so thirsty, that is for a good read!! (Having long ago run out of re... | 8 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 369 |
A34LLI6OHSP2CA | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "This is a fabulous Bolero Shrug which will compliment any out outfit and can be worn during the day or evening wear". The summary of the review text is "GIVE IT A CHANCE-I was amazed-I found my old ... | ~~*** PLEASE READ FIRST***~~
... IF YOU ORDER FROM THE COMPANY- 'CRAZY GIRLS"- you will not receive 'MY PERFECT SHRUG!'.. You will receive absolutely no help from them and a shrug brand- 'NICE'. That being said- the first three-SARA BRAND- shrugs were SPOT ON- great. The last two-NICE BRAND- from Crazy Girl seller- we... | ~~*** PLEASE READ FIRST***~~
... IF YOU ORDER FROM THE COMPANY- 'CRAZY GIRLS"- you will not receive 'MY PERFECT SHRUG!'.. You will receive absolutely no help from them and a shrug brand- 'NICE'. That being said- the first three-SARA BRAND- shrugs were SPOT ON- great. The last two-NICE BRAND- from Crazy Girl seller- we... | [
"Product: A high-quality home decor wall picture which represents the best of both worlds: quality and affordability.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: WONDERFUL MEMORIES passed onto a new generation......\n\nReview: Four and a half stars!!!\nI was given this 'famous' picture when I received my First Communion, 44 years... | 50 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 370 |
A3NHUQ33CFH3VM | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Zelotes 5500 DPI 7 Button LED Optical USB Wired Gaming Mouse Mice for Pro Gamer". The summary of the review text is "Truly meets my needs and is comfortable". | This mouse represents a great deal for most people. In one of my work environments, anything of high value will be disappeared quickly. This mouse is apparently under that threshold, but just barely. The pricing seems very fair to me given what this mouse is.
The mouse is pretty ergonomic. I have yet to suffer any typ... | This mouse represents a great deal for most people. In one of my work environments, anything of high value will be disappeared quickly. This mouse is apparently under that threshold, but just barely. The pricing seems very fair to me given what this mouse is.
The mouse is pretty ergonomic. I have yet to suffer any typ... | [
"Product: Sleek, lush comfort, balanced audio response with unmistakable bass, and a configurable Smartphone App add-up to an unforgettable audio experience, while a flat, tangle-proof cord in conjunction with the in-line remote control ensures a seamless on-the-go mobile experience.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Exce... | 200 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 371 |
A3AYGXMH34R18Y | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Virginia Kent Roberts Has Over Thirty Years Experience With the Ouija Board. In Her Opinion, The Ouija Board Has Been Unfairly Maligned and Misunderstood. My Friend, The Ouija Board, Is An End To Th... | Virginia Kent Roberts emailed me a month ago and asked if I'd review this book. I wasn't overly pleased by the prospect because I don't have a lot of experience with the device and I've never felt entirely comfortable having an opinion about them. Nevertheless, I agreed, but with the caveat that she mightn't like wha... | Virginia Kent Roberts emailed me a month ago and asked if I'd review this book. I wasn't overly pleased by the prospect because I don't have a lot of experience with the device and I've never felt entirely comfortable having an opinion about them. Nevertheless, I agreed, but with the caveat that she mightn't like wha... | [
"Product: Gregory Peck and Omar Sharif battle to find a legendary cache of gold in this spectacular Wild West adventure. In the Arizona Territory of the 1870's, Marshal Sam Mackenna (Peck) is the only living person who knows the tortuous route to the fabulous \"Canon del Oro.\" During his journey, Mackenna is captu... | 7 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 372 |
A1M6ZAO9EBH165 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Set 3 in 1 - cleaning wipe, spray, soft brush. Removes dust without stripes and stains, cleans easy massively dirty surfaces. Brush can help with keybord and PC cleaning.". The summary of the review... | <div id="video-block-R1PNM1MGWATOCW" class="a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block"></div><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/D1f-PpFoVdS.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/B1giaAc... | <div id="video-block-R1PNM1MGWATOCW" class="a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block"></div><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/D1f-PpFoVdS.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/B1giaAc... | [
"Product: Put the power in your hand, ready to unleash your creativity? Have you been searching for a set of high-quality colored pencils that includes everything you'll need to express your passion or create a perfect picture? The sky's the limit With this 36-pack of coloring pencils from castle art supplies. With... | 27 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 373 |
A3SX5MZTCZRQLF | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Celeir iPhone X Case Features, Ultra Slim iPhone X Case, 360 degree full protection iPhone X Case with Free Tempered Glass Screen Protector, fasion iPhone X case for 2018 (Black) Celeir iPhone X Cas... | I've gone through a LOT of cases for all of my phones over the last few years, and this one ranks up near the top.
First, it looks really nice (I have the clear-ish one), and is a great change from the typical cases most people have. It goes on and removes easily as well, but still holds the phone extremely securely.
... | I've gone through a LOT of cases for all of my phones over the last few years, and this one ranks up near the top.
First, it looks really nice (I have the clear-ish one), and is a great change from the typical cases most people have. It goes on and removes easily as well, but still holds the phone extremely securely.
... | [
"Product: Raise your standards with Studio One 3 Professional! Built by creative people for creative music production, it contains everything you'd expect from a modern digital audio powerhouse, and adds innovative songwriting and production tools that inspire new ways to craft unique and evocative sounds, plus bui... | 73 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 374 |
A35KV8ZNW239TT | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Alyssa Rose Ivy is a bestselling New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and humor. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after movin... | I'm always happy to see a new book in the Hazards series by Alyssa Rose Ivy. I haven't been disappointed yet.
Savannah is on her way to visit relatives for the holiday but she's not exactly happy. A year ago she offered herself to her best friend Glen, wanting to take their platonic relationship to a new level. Glen's... | I'm always happy to see a new book in the Hazards series by Alyssa Rose Ivy. I haven't been disappointed yet.
Savannah is on her way to visit relatives for the holiday but she's not exactly happy. A year ago she offered herself to her best friend Glen, wanting to take their platonic relationship to a new level. Glen's... | [
"Product: ASA\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Big Love for this series and for Asa!\n\nReview: 4.5 Stars\n\nAsa, Asa, Asa. What a surprise. I didn't want to like you. I didn't want to believe that you'd left the criminal life behind. I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop with you. But you surprised me, south... | 10 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 375 |
AJR8OLVMD39I7 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Dyes, brightens, and restores suede and roughout shoes, boots, handbags etc. Not for man-made fabric. 4 oz. bottle. Single wool dauber included. For best results, clean your suede with a brush and a... | With my first suede shoes as an adult, I didn't realize until it was too late that I couldn't store them in my sunlight filled mudroom, and a pair of beautiful plum-colored Clark Artisan maryjanes faded to a dusky reddish purple. I ordered red and purple Fiebing suede dye with the intent to mix a custom color to match ... | With my first suede shoes as an adult, I didn't realize until it was too late that I couldn't store them in my sunlight filled mudroom, and a pair of beautiful plum-colored Clark Artisan maryjanes faded to a dusky reddish purple. I ordered red and purple Fiebing suede dye with the intent to mix a custom color to match ... | [
"Product: We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Want to run like a girl, but stand when you pee?\n\nReview: I purchased this to take on a climb on Mt. Hood. It was my first technical climb, and my first time using any device of this type. I was able to practice a coupl... | 22 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 376 |
A3BGLVC6OZM2JW | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Grammy-nominee Diana Krall interprets songs about love, including \All or Nothing at All". The summary of the review text is "All Or Nothing At All". | There seems to be two vastly different 'camps' of listener's when pertaining to the music of Diana Krall. One, obviously, are fans of her latest two releases, "When I Look In Your Eyes" and " The Look Of Love " two discs that are generally not considered jazz but are perhaps primarily more MOR than earlier, earthier re... | There seems to be two vastly different 'camps' of listener's when pertaining to the music of Diana Krall. One, obviously, are fans of her latest two releases, "When I Look In Your Eyes" and " The Look Of Love " two discs that are generally not considered jazz but are perhaps primarily more MOR than earlier, earthier re... | [
"Product: New As Time Goes By 4 VHS]\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: You Must Remember This.....\n\nReview: ...My first introduction to \" As Time Goes By \" was actually by way of my local PBS television station. Stumbling upon it about three years ago I found myself instantly hooked to it's marvelous, grown-up charact... | 23 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 377 |
ATG62Y8M6PH0C | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "The latest in safe green products to control common household pests and insects All Natural Non Toxic Insect Killer by Killer Green kills many common household pests - from roaches to spiders to ant... | I have to say that my first impression about this spray was that it didn't work. How so? I took the brand new bottle and aimed it at a moth resting on the wall a few feet from the lamp, and I shot it point blank with this spray not once but twice. Upon the first hit, the moth was understandably disoriented and fluttere... | I have to say that my first impression about this spray was that it didn't work. How so? I took the brand new bottle and aimed it at a moth resting on the wall a few feet from the lamp, and I shot it point blank with this spray not once but twice. Upon the first hit, the moth was understandably disoriented and fluttere... | [
"Product: built-in microphone and work seamlessly with your Smartphones, tablets, Bluetooth-enabled music players and any device with Bluetooth connection, An innovative one-to-two technology allowing the headphones to connect two devices at the same time\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Don't be turned off by this lamp'... | 23 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 378 |
A2DF7YQDG7IBHJ | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "2.0" for a product with description "This Five Nights at Freddy's 2-Inch Vinyl Figure Set 2 from Funko features Freddy, Bonnie, Spring trap, and Balloon Boy!.". The summary of the review text is "Fine if you're literally just putting t... | While this set is fine if you're some sort of collector (not sure if people collect Five Nights at Freddy's products), it's not meant for ANY sort of moving around or play.
I got this for my friend's kid for his birthday and arms were falling off of these things the second they were taken out of the box. We had to go g... | While this set is fine if you're some sort of collector (not sure if people collect Five Nights at Freddy's products), it's not meant for ANY sort of moving around or play.
I got this for my friend's kid for his birthday and arms were falling off of these things the second they were taken out of the box. We had to go g... | [
"Product: Package of 6 Portrait 5\"W x 7\"H Top Load Table Tent/Ad Frame.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great table tent holders. Use these often for my business accounts!\n\nReview: These are great display holders. I specifically use them as table tents/menu holders for my restaurant and bar accounts. They're perfect... | 23 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 379 |
AIGIQOEVITSJ4 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "Can Agatha and Sophie find the perfect ending to their story in this epic conclusion to this bestselling series. Once best friends, Agatha and Sophie were pulled apart like strangers, each in the ar... | '[...]whether you are Good or Evil, an Ever or a Never, you must learn to respect one another, for no matter how different you may seem, you cannot exist without the other. The line between princess and witch is a thin one indeed...'
The residents of the small town of Gavaldon are all raised on fairy tales, and they a... | '[...]whether you are Good or Evil, an Ever or a Never, you must learn to respect one another, for no matter how different you may seem, you cannot exist without the other. The line between princess and witch is a thin one indeed...'
The residents of the small town of Gavaldon are all raised on fairy tales, and they a... | [
"Product: If affordability and durable performance are what you expect in an electric appliance, look no further. Along with over 50 years of history in the appliance business, Proctor Silex has a long-standing commitment to quality. In our lab, we rigorously test Proctor Silex appliances for durability and reliabi... | 8 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 380 |
A14J87NHJAGPYR | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "The Clear Stream 4V HDTV Antenna uses patented technology to receive free TV signals up to 70 miles away from networks like ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS, Univision, and more in Full HD 1080 where availab... | This is the best all-around antenna I have tried. I already own a directional Winegard HD7694P and a Stellar Labs Dual Quad Bay. The Stellar Labs Dual Quad Bay is similar to a DB8e. Both the Winegard HD7694P and the Stellar Labs Dual Quad Bay are excellent (5 stars) antennas, but I think the ClearStream 4V is one no... | This is the best all-around antenna I have tried. I already own a directional Winegard HD7694P and a Stellar Labs Dual Quad Bay. The Stellar Labs Dual Quad Bay is similar to a DB8e. Both the Winegard HD7694P and the Stellar Labs Dual Quad Bay are excellent (5 stars) antennas, but I think the ClearStream 4V is one no... | [
"Product: Utilizes basic principle of water leveling. 1-man operation allows long-distance leveling. Horn sounds as level is found. Accurate within 1/16\". Eliminates guess work. Allows blind leveling around corners. Ideal for erecting fences, decks, and sloping driveways. Includes 25' PVC hose and 1 hose adapter. ... | 35 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 381 |
AVU767WD16ZRX | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Running Out of Battery? Charge Your Phone Wherever You Are Effortlessly How many times were you outside, for a drink or a walk and you suddenly discovered that you were running out of battery? Do yo... | This is a great portable charger to carry around wherever you go. It's about the same size as my iPhone 6. It charges fairly fast and it gives you several full charges. There is blue lights that flashes when it does charge and it lights up when you are charging your device as well so you know when it needs to be rec... | This is a great portable charger to carry around wherever you go. It's about the same size as my iPhone 6. It charges fairly fast and it gives you several full charges. There is blue lights that flashes when it does charge and it lights up when you are charging your device as well so you know when it needs to be rec... | [
"Product: The health benefits of tea are universally known. With their anti-oxidant properties and the soothing and relaxing feeling of sitting down to a great cup of steaming hot tea cannot be beat. And every tea drinker can never have enough tea infusers in their kitchen drawers. With that said if you buy two or... | 7 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 382 |
AUM3YMZ0YRJE0 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "Walmart High Cost". The summary of the review text is "All the cons, none of the pros, but effective nonetheless". | I had to watch this film because I am embarking on a big writing project on wal-mart. It is intended as a no-holds-barred indictment of the company, and at this it is utterly relentless and does not seek any sense of fair balance or acknowledge the full complexity of the issues.
The film is divided into the familiar ... | I had to watch this film because I am embarking on a big writing project on wal-mart. It is intended as a no-holds-barred indictment of the company, and at this it is utterly relentless and does not seek any sense of fair balance or acknowledge the full complexity of the issues.
The film is divided into the familiar ... | [
"Product: SCI-FI\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Very fun hard scifi for TV\n\nReview: I greatly enjoyed watching this with pals when it came out. We would gather round the TV, drinks in hand, and shout and laugh our way through each episode. The plot is interstellar invasion, with the aliens posing as friendly only t... | 200 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 383 |
ABAZFH25304ZG | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Hot Shots Golf Fore! is the fourth installment of the golf game that changed the way you play. It has provides breathtaking graphics and true-to-life golf physics, along with new golfers, caddies ... | Up front I will tell you I'm 32 years old and I have not been so addicted to a cheesier title than Hot Shots Golf 4. Call me a kid, but I'm not sure why I like this game so much. The characters are zany, the graphics are kiddie, but under all that, this is one serious golf game and I highly recommend it.
Hot Shots Gol... | Up front I will tell you I'm 32 years old and I have not been so addicted to a cheesier title than Hot Shots Golf 4. Call me a kid, but I'm not sure why I like this game so much. The characters are zany, the graphics are kiddie, but under all that, this is one serious golf game and I highly recommend it.
Hot Shots Gol... | [
"Product: Outrun 2 gets your motor running, as the legendary racing game takes you to all-new locales. With blistering graphics, electrifying gameplay and heart-pounding excitement, you'll get the serious racing that made Outrun such a huge arcade hit!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Relive a classic game of the past wi... | 25 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 384 |
A2DURJRPTPKUZS | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "The high-performance Slim-Fit Plus Galaxy S6 Armband doesn't just protect your phone while you're exercising - it's also incredibly comfortable to wear. The secure fit and slim design stays out of y... | I really liked the look and feel of the Belkin Sport-Fit Plus Armband. The fabric texture felt great on my arm and the band was very easy to adjust. Unfortunately there were a couple issues with the armband that would need to be resolved before I could give this product a 5 star rating. First, I was unable to fit my Sa... | I really liked the look and feel of the Belkin Sport-Fit Plus Armband. The fabric texture felt great on my arm and the band was very easy to adjust. Unfortunately there were a couple issues with the armband that would need to be resolved before I could give this product a 5 star rating. First, I was unable to fit my Sa... | [
"Product: Experience the power of Oral-B with Oral-B Professional Healthy Clean + ProWhite . Unique ProWhite brush head provides whitening & superior cleaning* with 4 cleaning modes. Advanced polishing to remove tough surface stains. Features include: ProWhite refill brush head with Indicator bristles which fade ha... | 17 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 385 |
AKJHHD5VEH7VG | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "DIIs 100% cotton tablecloths come in a variety of colors & sizes. These tablecloths are perfect for picnics, parties, showers, dinners, everyday use and more. DII offers a variety of prints and patt... | I love cloth napkins, they remind me of visiting Aunt's house as a child. I use mine for everyday versus formal dining. These are perfect. Much like the DII table cloths, these are well stitched and of a good quality fabric. Of the five sets of cloth napkins that I own, these are the most generously sized. Even if... | I love cloth napkins, they remind me of visiting Aunt's house as a child. I use mine for everyday versus formal dining. These are perfect. Much like the DII table cloths, these are well stitched and of a good quality fabric. Of the five sets of cloth napkins that I own, these are the most generously sized. Even if... | [
"Product: CPR pocket rescuscitator with 15mm OD connector compatible with standard ventilation equipment . Safe for use on adults and pediatric patients. Disposable valve with 3M filtrete filters protects the practioner and eliminates cross contamination\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Not recommended for emergencies\n\... | 9 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 386 |
A1IWOV26KAK0GF | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "A classical kid favorite toy. The fresh fruit toy food set from Little Treasures toys is a well-liked kid selection. This food set features sturdy Velcro fasteners that secure the halves of the frui... | My 16 months old daughter loves this veggie and fruit cutting set! I bought a number of these sets for her (multiple knifes allow the whole family to cut fruit!) and they all have slight variations. This particular set has a chopping board, a knife, carrot, eggplant, banana, broccoli, tomato and starfruit. I feel safe ... | My 16 months old daughter loves this veggie and fruit cutting set! I bought a number of these sets for her (multiple knifes allow the whole family to cut fruit!) and they all have slight variations. This particular set has a chopping board, a knife, carrot, eggplant, banana, broccoli, tomato and starfruit. I feel safe ... | [
"Product: Finally, an effective, yet affordable otoscope for home use! Try it risk free - We offer a 30 day money back guarantee and a lifetime warranty! Help to avoid permanent hearing loss in your child by observing evidence of infection early on, and seeking prompt medical attention. Avoid painful earaches, and ... | 20 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 387 |
A4KDWVIN2L4E0 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "This series tells the insider story of some of America's most notorious street gangs. We learn how they've shaped their times and affected the neighborhoods that they controlled. From the destructio... | I saw some episodes of this on The History Channel...
Then I found the whole series on DVD.
...This is a collection of short documentaries featuring all manner of criminal gangs that infect OUR NATION like a foul disease. The presentation is a bit flambouyant and sensational, but its all based on ACTUAL EVENTS in the ... | I saw some episodes of this on The History Channel...
Then I found the whole series on DVD.
...This is a collection of short documentaries featuring all manner of criminal gangs that infect OUR NATION like a foul disease. The presentation is a bit flambouyant and sensational, but its all based on ACTUAL EVENTS in the ... | [
"Product: Play as Lt. Jimmy Patterson and go behind enemy lines in Medal of Honor: Frontline. Fight off Nazis at the D-Day landing at Omaha Beach, on trains or at the battle of Nijmegen Bridge. Game consists of 5 missions each with at least 3 levels. The game is as authentic as possible using historically inspired ... | 25 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 388 |
A2SP52NH44LRDS | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "GTX 750 and GTX 750 Ti cards give you the gaming horsepower to take on today's most demanding titles in full 1080p HD. They deliver 25% more performance than previous-generation cards and up to twic... | I am not a gamer nor do I play any pc games.
Solved most of my 4k video choppiness but it's still choppy after every few seconds of smooth play.
Turns out the problem was my vlc software settings and these settings fixed it: Tools >> Preferences >> Input/Codecs >> change 'Hardware-accelerated coding'='DirectX Video Ac... | I am not a gamer nor do I play any pc games.
Solved most of my 4k video choppiness but it's still choppy after every few seconds of smooth play.
Turns out the problem was my vlc software settings and these settings fixed it: Tools >> Preferences >> Input/Codecs >> change 'Hardware-accelerated coding'='DirectX Video Ac... | [
"Product: FLIR ONE is a lightweight accessory that transforms your Android device into a powerful thermal infrared camera. FLIR ONE displays live thermal infrared imagery using the FLIR ONE app so you can see the world from a thermal perspective. FLIR ONE allows you to measure temperature variances.\n\nRating: 4.0\... | 28 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 389 |
A1ALPL858XSDE | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Track Listing: 1. She Don't Tell Me To 2. Something to Be Proud Of 3. Gone 4. If You Ever Stop Loving Me 5. Hell Yeah 6. Speed 7. My Town 8. Didn't I 9. She Couldn't Change Me 10. Daddy Won't Sell t... | Montgomery Gentry is a pairing that is greater than its individual parts. Eddie Montgomery's rough hewn baritone, for instance, lacks range, yet works well on spoken word verses and effectively counters Troy Gentry's bombastic, elastic tenor.
For the past seven years, Montgomery Gentry has been a country radio staple,... | Montgomery Gentry is a pairing that is greater than its individual parts. Eddie Montgomery's rough hewn baritone, for instance, lacks range, yet works well on spoken word verses and effectively counters Troy Gentry's bombastic, elastic tenor.
For the past seven years, Montgomery Gentry has been a country radio staple,... | [
"Product: THEY WERE THE ''HEAT'' - SLANG FOR THE POLICE. They were also three, young, fashion forward counter-culture delinquents that made cops look cool and trendy. They redefined the persona of the typical cop as they did not carry a badge or a gun. They also tackled socially relevant issues of the time which wa... | 69 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 390 |
A1IDK53C1FRYOU | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "The first romance novel I ever read was a coverless Mills & Boons that I had smuggled into bed to read by torchlight. I opened the book, and suddenly, I was transported into a wonderfully exciting w... | I just loved this story. An amazing short story about a second chance romance and letting go to take the chance and let fate decide your future.
This story has a bit of everything. I like that. It is a romance love story and I liked it very much. Emotional and loving story.
Well written story with a nice storyline and... | I just loved this story. An amazing short story about a second chance romance and letting go to take the chance and let fate decide your future.
This story has a bit of everything. I like that. It is a romance love story and I liked it very much. Emotional and loving story.
Well written story with a nice storyline and... | [
"Product: \"Romance readers will definitely enjoy!\" - Library Journal\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A college romance with twists and turns\n\nReview: This story is very well written and it surprised me a lot. I like the words and story just flows through the pages. The characters are well described and the feel real... | 7 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 391 |
AA1JJNJ5VYI97 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Shaft Height: Approx. 4 1/2'' Tall. Heel Height: Approx. 1 1/4'' Tall. Exercise in comfort with the Propet Steady Walker, this lightweight, soft leather sneaker will hug your foot with perfection, w... | These are no doubt the best shoes I have tried so far. I am on my feet all day walking & have lower back problems, can't have shoes without enough support or else my ankles start cramping. I'm also type 2 diabetic & try to take good care of my feet.
I've worn nursing shoes before & they are great, except after a few mo... | These are no doubt the best shoes I have tried so far. I am on my feet all day walking & have lower back problems, can't have shoes without enough support or else my ankles start cramping. I'm also type 2 diabetic & try to take good care of my feet.
I've worn nursing shoes before & they are great, except after a few mo... | [
"Product: Brahmi Amla Hair Oil (8 oz) by Vadik Herbs | Ayurvedic herbal hair growth oil and hair conditioning oil | Great for hair loss, balding, thinning of hair, for beard growth, herbal scalp treatment\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Lots of body with this oil\n\nReview: I agree with another reviewer to use a cap or ... | 50 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 392 |
A318QI2GIITH2X | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "2.0" for a product with description "Replacing standard wall outlet with Enerwave ZW15RM Z-Wave Wireless TR Duplex Receptacle and connecting it to your Z-Wave controller, you will enable your wireless control to home small appliances i... | 1) Doesn't come with a wall plate. Description listed that it came with face covers which are not face/wall PLATES. Not a big deal, just something to keep in mind so you can order one.
2) Doesn't automatically refresh power levels. Really disappointed in this outlet. I tried different device handlers and changed the s... | 1) Doesn't come with a wall plate. Description listed that it came with face covers which are not face/wall PLATES. Not a big deal, just something to keep in mind so you can order one.
2) Doesn't automatically refresh power levels. Really disappointed in this outlet. I tried different device handlers and changed the s... | [
"Product: Upgrade your shower with this curved rod that increases shower and elbow room. Increase your shower space by up to 10-1/2-inch when rod is extended to 72-inches. This high quality, durable rod installs easily in showers up to 72-inch wide with the included screw mounted hardware. The rust resistant Herita... | 21 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 393 |
A3NX29Z4TQK3HM | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Wheel Stop, Stabilize Your Trailer With A Single Piece Of Equipment, Secure Tandem Tires To Prevent Movement While Parked Or Re-Hitching. This product adds a great value. product is highly durable a... | After reading several reviews on an RV forum I decided to try these. They have a simple job, just tighten them up between your tires on your 5th wheel or travel trailer to help stop the wiggle caused by the tires themselves moving, even after everything is leveled up. I had used the heavy metal scissor type and honestl... | After reading several reviews on an RV forum I decided to try these. They have a simple job, just tighten them up between your tires on your 5th wheel or travel trailer to help stop the wiggle caused by the tires themselves moving, even after everything is leveled up. I had used the heavy metal scissor type and honestl... | [
"Product: 18\" Diameter Half Dome Mirror.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I recommend this if you're looking for a cost savings in a security or safety solution\n\nReview: I actually bought this for the building I work in. At 18 inches it's a pretty big half dome but the viewing angles are great. We have security camera... | 44 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 394 |
A35WYJH6MPPIFV | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Flexible wrap around sunglasses are super comfortable and lightweight, with full wrap around, semi-rimless styling and non-slip nose and temple pads. Polarized Lenses Eliminate Glare and Reduce Eye ... | I got the yellow polarized version of these and I love them. Note they are yellow and not copper color as shown in the pics. They are very light and comfortable. The lenses are replaceable, ,so might fall out when cleaning, but they are easy to put back in. They are perfectly polarized. I had to stretch them a bit to f... | I got the yellow polarized version of these and I love them. Note they are yellow and not copper color as shown in the pics. They are very light and comfortable. The lenses are replaceable, ,so might fall out when cleaning, but they are easy to put back in. They are perfectly polarized. I had to stretch them a bit to f... | [
"Product: Whether you are a musician using a personal monitoring system, or a music enthusiast listening to your favorite bands via MP3 player, the comfort and clarity of the EU-4 from Elite Core will allow you to listen without fatigue\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: BEST sounding earphones for the money, DO buy them\n... | 45 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 395 |
A2NC9G399V3UF0 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "In 1923, legendary director Cecil B. DeMille constructed a replica of ancient Egypt in the California desert for his epic movie The Ten Commandments. When filming was completed, he mysteriously orde... | The DVD cover proclaims...."Some Secrets Should Never Be Unearthed".
And in a sand covered nutshell, that would describe "Sands of Oblivion". The actual plot is a little more complex, with the 1923 set for the Cecil B DeMille film being excavated before it washes away. George Kennedy stars as John Tevis, a dying gra... | The DVD cover proclaims...."Some Secrets Should Never Be Unearthed".
And in a sand covered nutshell, that would describe "Sands of Oblivion". The actual plot is a little more complex, with the 1923 set for the Cecil B DeMille film being excavated before it washes away. George Kennedy stars as John Tevis, a dying gra... | [
"Product: What is the real fate of the handsome and gallant space warrior Lt. Starbuck (Dirk Denedict), lost in a great space battle between the deadly, lizard-like Cylons and mankind?\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Galactica 80..Science Fiction Turkey?\n\nReview: Galactica 1980\n\nIt was the best of series,..the worse... | 16 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 396 |
AZIQ42A8V83MA | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "2014 best of compilation. Definitive, career-spanning and comprehensive, The ESSENTIAL series features the biggest hits and best-loved songs from the most famous names in music history! An incredibl... | I just bought this two double-disc album by Earth, Wind, and Fire at Wal Mart for $12.00, and it's a great collection of songs. This two double-disc album by Earth, Wind, and Fire is also a replacement for a TV show season that I don't like and wouldn't buy to watch. And I don't regret buying this two double-disc album... | I just bought this two double-disc album by Earth, Wind, and Fire at Wal Mart for $12.00, and it's a great collection of songs. This two double-disc album by Earth, Wind, and Fire is also a replacement for a TV show season that I don't like and wouldn't buy to watch. And I don't regret buying this two double-disc album... | [
"Product: Does Not Copy Prerecorded Hollywood Studio movies.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: and I know I'll enjoy this VCR combination with recording DVD's from VHS tapes\n\nReview: I just bought this VCR combination with a DVD recorder to replace another VCR combination that I bought. The other VCR combination that I... | 26 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 397 |
A1LBRQUW3YBLJ1 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Looks at the way our minds work, and how we make decisions. This book reveals how our minds are tripped up by error and prejudice (even when we think we are being logical), and gives you practical t... | Enough here have echoed the gist of Kahneman's noteworthy book.
I will restrict my remarks to the field of behaviorism and its limits. In a word, when a behaviorist - and Kahneman is the behaviorist's behaviorist - gets through with humanity, there's no human left.
The value that behaviorists have to offer - and it s... | Enough here have echoed the gist of Kahneman's noteworthy book.
I will restrict my remarks to the field of behaviorism and its limits. In a word, when a behaviorist - and Kahneman is the behaviorist's behaviorist - gets through with humanity, there's no human left.
The value that behaviorists have to offer - and it s... | [
"Product: 'HOOVER F5914-900 steamvac with clean surge. Patented spin scrub brushes scrub carpet fibers on all sides to gently loosen dirt, heated cleaning directly applies heat to the floor where its needed the most, 2-speed brush control for normal or gentle cleaning, clean surge provides the power to clean spots ... | 6 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 398 |
A3U74SHEFSQRSB | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "Collapsible laundry hamper from Whitmor. Easy storage and organization. Organize your home with Whitmor. For all organization and storage solutions, see all products from Whitmor.". The summary of t... | The hamper itself appears to be well-constructed; however, there is only a slit in the top for putting clothes in and taking them out so you cannot use the unit to return the clothes back to the room once they are laundered and folded. The other collapsible hampers I have are either open topped or have a zipper around ... | The hamper itself appears to be well-constructed; however, there is only a slit in the top for putting clothes in and taking them out so you cannot use the unit to return the clothes back to the room once they are laundered and folded. The other collapsible hampers I have are either open topped or have a zipper around ... | [
"Product: This woven strap crate by Whitmor is perfect not only for use in your laundry room, but also for your office, closet, den or anywhere you need a great looking, sturdy storage solution. It is made of a durable wipe clean woven polypropylene fabric and an epoxy coated metal frame. Strap handles make for eas... | 53 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 399 |
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