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Playskool Explore and Grow Busy Ball Popper Review

2010-07-26T19:06:00.000-04:00

First for the drawbacks; 1)It is easy to lose the balls if you don't make a point of collecting them after play and keeping them somewhere safe, 2)There is music that plays continuously while it is on, which can be annoying for some, and 3)The play cycle is rather short so you or baby must keep pressing plunger to start it again.This might be a welcome respite for those offended by #2.
BUT: All four of my boys LOVED this toy!!!A favorite, and a toy I always buy or recommend to others.Perfect for a boy or girl.My boys were enthralled by the colorful balls shooting out of the hole and amazed when they almost always went where they were supposed to, which is around the ramp and back into the receptacle.They also LOVED to feel the air blow out of the toy (the air is what pushes the ball up and out of the hole) and would often just press the plunger to feel the air on their faces, hands and in their hair.They quickly learned to start the toy themselves and would be entertained by it longer than they would be by other toys.All of my boys got this toy for their first birthdays (I am a toy manufacturers dream, I sell toys in Mom2Mom sales after on child outgrows them and then end up buying them again for subsequent kids-- can't stand clutter and feel they deserve their own stuff).

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Product Description:
ball popper

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National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition [Hardcover] Review

2010-07-26T18:29:00.000-04:00

In December 2004, National Geographic (NG) updated the Persian Gulf plate (Plate 75) to accomodate the controversies surrounding the place-names used in the 8th edition.
Here is my understanding of the changes made:
1. The term "Arabian Gulf" in parenthesis has been deleted.Instead, there is a small note that reads: "Historically and commonly known as the Persian Gulf, this body of water is also referred by some as the Arabian Gulf."
2. Persian names of all Iranian islands are used.(Kish instead of Qeys, Lavan alone instead of adding Sheykh Sha'eyb in parenthesis)
3. Deletion of "Occupied by Iran (Claimed by U.A.E.)" in reference to the islands Abu Musa, and Greater and Lesser Tunbs.
These changes already appear on the website (www.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine) and will apply to further printings or editions of the NG Atlas.Also, on the password-protected website for NG Atlas owners, there is a "brief summary of the historical origin of the term Persian Gulf".There is also a note on the place-naming policy of NG.(The online update feature is great - you can download and/or print updated plates and put them in your atlas.This not new for NG Atlases, except that they used to send updates by mail.)
Overall, I am impressed with NG's response to this situation.I am also very impressed with the quality of the atlas and its contents, except for the outermost/superficial binding paper.I have had the atlas for about 6 months, and with moderate use, the paper around the bottom of the spine has frayed.The binding itself is intact, though.

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The Porn Star Guide to Great Sex [Hardcover] Review

2010-07-26T17:53:00.000-04:00

The Porn Star Guide to Great Sex (out June 22) is Mr. Marcus' first book and you can tell because the writing is so simplistic. The man even refers to a commonly used writing technique among high schoolers: referring to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary to tell readers what a word means. I'm sure he wanted to back up his info with credible sources, but I think it's perfectly fine if a porn star just defined "clitoris" in his own words. At least the "professional lover" keeps it straight up (with his advice, I mean). Even though at times it felt like the book should've been titled Seducing Mr. Marcus instead, I didn't completely mind his conversational tone and anecdotes. Why? Because at least the book took a different route than many of the others on this list. That said, I'm never wearing crotchless panties. Sorry.

The boyfriend says: It's banal. He switches from first person to second person, which makes me think he didn't write all of it. The funny thing is he says do this, this and this, but he doesn't say listen to her reaction to see if it's working. And I must be a better porn connoisseur than he is because he says anal sex is relatively new within the porn world. Ha! He must not have watched any German porn from the 70's.

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Product Description:
A provocative bedside guide to some of the most captivating sexual advice from pro-lover porn star Mr. Marcus No one knows sex better than all time favorite, awardwinning porn star Mr. Marcus, so who else to turn to when you want to turn up the heat in your bedroom? Humorous, arousing and candid, Mr. Marcus offers a practical approach to achieving a great sex life, by showing you how to feel more confident about yourself, how to achieve greater intimacy with your partner, how to get creative in the bedroom, but also how to keep it creative-in and out of the bedroom. Each chapter contains insider anecdotes from Mr. Marcus' own experiences (on and off screen) to further illuminate his lessons. Some of the chapters you'll find inside are: - Someone for Everyone - What Men Want - What Women Want - The Joy of Oral Sex - The Freak Factor - Positions - Woodwork - and much more! Practical, playful and erotic, The Porn Star's Guide to Great Sex is real advice for real people as Mr. Marcus shows you how to achieve greater sexual satisfaction and how to tap into your own potential for the great sex life that you deserve.

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Amazon Trail 3rd Edition: Rainforest Adventures Review

2010-07-25T17:14:00.000-04:00

This game is so fun and exiting in every aspect.Not only do you learn about the Amazon river and the citys in Brazil, but you learn about diseases and plants and the different wildlife in Brazil.You can learn history in this game and about the Incas.Get this game, itll be worthwhile!

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Product Description:
The Amazon Trail 3rd Edition Bringsthe Rainforest to LifeProduct InformationThe Amazon Trail® 3rd Edition: Rainforest Adventures™ - fromthe creators of The Oregon Trail® the leading curriculum title usedby schools - combines decision-making critical thinking historygeography ecology and science into one thrilling suspense-filled adventurein this rarely seen part of the world.Guide your canoe on a wild rainforest adventure through the Amazon.Build real life skills in decision making and problem solving as your navigatethe Amazon River on a wild rainforest adventure. Experience the mysteries of therainforest as you build your understanding of history and science. Will yousuccessfully navigate the 4000 mile journey along the largest river in theworld? Your survival depends on the many decisions you make along the way!Skills LearnedProblem-SolvingDecision-MakingCritical ThinkingMap ReadingScienceHistoryGeographySocial StudiesBotanyZoologyProduct FeaturesEnhanced photo-realistic 3D graphics bring the Amazon to life First person perspective adventure – with canoeing fishing photography and rainforest exploration More than 100 types of plants animals and fish identifyAdditional FeaturesPlan Your TripChoose a guide with strong skills stock up on food and equipment and beginyour adventure from the old port city of Belem.Explore the AmazonEnjoy canoeing fishing and rainforest exploration. Step into the jungle toidentify and photograph hundreds of unique animals and plant species.Plot Your CourseDiscover the rich history of the Amazon by talking to conquistadors naturalistsand modern day inhabitants. Use their advice maps guidebooks and your owninstincts to navigate the river.Windows RequirementsWindows 95/98/Me/Vista Pentium 90MHz16MB of RAM40MB hard drive spaceQuad-speed CD-ROM drive256 color SVGAWindows compatible Sound card sp

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Opteka 650-1300mm High Definition Telephoto Lens for Canon EOS 50D, 40D, 30D, 20D, 10D, Digital Rebel XT, XTi, XS, XSi, & T1i Digital SLR Cameras Review

2010-07-25T15:42:00.000-04:00

There are many positive features about this lens and there are a few negative this too.I have used this lens on Canon and Nikon cameras, it can be adapted to any mount with the correct t-adapter.

-This lens produces very sharp pictures only if you have your camera on a tripod.With all lenses, the more zoom, the less area of view.Do not think you will be holding this lens in your hands shooting.
-This lens needs light.It works great outdoors.I have taken many shots of birds, houses, trees, ect)

Overall, it is the only lens under $600 that can zoom as far as it can.You just need to understand want it can and cannot do.I am happy with it.

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Product Description:
The Opteka 650-1300mm high definition super telephoto zoom lens is perfect for the professional and amateur photographer alike. There is a built-in, rotating tripod mount for easily attaching to your tripod or monopod. It's an extremely powerful telephoto zoom lens with the versatility that you need. This lens is great for the wildlife or nature photographer who wants to be hidden while taking photos of the subject. Advances in ultra high-index / low-dispersion optical glasses, new barrel materials, and exotic anti-reflection coatings, along with the latest in computer-aided-design / computer-aided-manufacturing), are combined to produce lenses of unprecedented quality. Diamond-cut from crystal-clear, water-white optical glass, Opteka lenses are ground and polished to a precise precision.This product is designed for Canon EOS/ AF.For a complete compatibility list please refer to the original manufacturer's web site.

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Sony DCR-SX44 Flash memory Handycam Camcorder (Red) Review

2010-07-25T14:30:00.000-04:00

Since its purchase on Monday, April 6, 2009 at my local Best Buy, I've been very satisfied with this wonderful, portable camcorder.

Before I purchased this camcorder, I used to produce videos with both my Hitachi VM-E635LA 8mm and RCA CC6262 VHS-C camcorders, and while videotaping was simple, capturing and editing on a computer became both troublesome and a hassle, but thanks to my Sony HandyCam DCR-SX41, computer-based video editing has never been any easier for me.

For those who are expecting High Definition video, this camcorder is NOT for you as it records in 720x480 Standard Definition on the highest recording setting [HQ].

Keep in mind, if you are looking into purchasing this camcorder, I highly recommend setting the recording setting to HQ for the best picture quality, as some who've reviewed this camcorder have mentioned poorness in picture quality.

Pros:At a first glance, the camcorder is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and is lightweight and portable enough to take anywhere.The battery life is excellent and gives you up to two hours [if your camcorder's recording mode is set to HQ] when fully charged and to make this camcorder an even sweeter deal, it comes with 8 Gigabytes of internal, solid-state flash memory, [much like USB flash drives] which means no internal moving mechanisms, adding longevity to the camcorder's life.The Sony HandyCam DCR-SX41 also has a Pro-Duo Memory Stick slot for memory expansion, adding extra hours to capture those once-in-a-lifetime moments.This camcorder also has a responsive LCD touch screen for easy access to changing various camcorder settings, including recording modes, picture settings and white balance. The Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens delivers excellent picture quality [again on the HQ setting] for such a tiny camcorder.Finally, this camcorder is quite durable for its size.I've dropped mine at least three times in a year's time and it still works like the day I've unboxed it.

Cons:While this camcorder is great, there are some things that it lacks.Being since this is an entry-level camcorder for the consumer, it is not expandable for external audio, such as adding a shotgun, handheld or lavalier microphone.It also lacks a headphone jack for previewing audio, and while the Sony HandyCam DCR-SX41 has a built-in speaker, it is not the best for previewing audio from your videos directly from the camcorder itself, and while the Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens delivers great picture quality [again on the HQ setting] auto focus can be troublesome at times during low-light conditions [especially when your camcorder's picture setting is set to auto (I highly recommend using the Twilight setting, which reduces focusing issues in lower-lit places)].

Despite the camcorder's down-sides, the Sony HandyCam DCR-SX41 is overall a very good camcorder for what it's worth and is great for entry-level, amateur film-makers and freelance videographers.

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Product Description:
The ultra-compact DCR-SX44 features 4GB of embedded flash memory, which can record up to 3 hours of video, a built-in LED video light, as well as a professional-quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens, which delivers sharp, high-resolution images and powerful 60x optical zoom that lets you capture extremely tight shots, even from far away.

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Introductory and Intermediate Algebra (2nd Edition) [Hardcover] Review

2010-07-25T13:16:00.000-04:00

I had last used algebra in middle school and high school about 15 years ago.Needless to say, my skills were a little rusty.This book did an *amazing* job at explaining the material in such an intuitive way that it now seems obvious.The book covers about 2 years of high school material, and I was able to (re)learn it all in a matter of weeks.However, it's still math and you won't learn a thing unless you sit down and solve the problems.

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Product Description:
Blitzer's mathematical rigor is combined with an engaging, friendly and often fun presentation for greater student appeal.Blitzer's exceptionally clear, accessible writing style combines the nuts and bolts students need with interesting and relevant examples.

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Panasonic SDR-SW21 Shock & Waterproof Camcorder (Green) Review

2010-07-25T12:53:00.000-04:00

I took this white water rafting, and it held up like a champ. It doesn't shoot very crisp video, and considering the bright sun, conditions were pretty ideal, but the results were far from. The thing is though, that doesn't really matter. If you want to shoot decent video, buy a decent video camera. This thing, on the other hand, is waterproof! And extremely so! I don't know if you've ever been white water rafting, but it can get pretty brutal, and after getting completely submerged more than once, and bounced around a few times as well, the unit still looks and performs as good as new. I'm very, very impressed with its build quality. I give 4 stars because I'm not very impressed with its image quality.

If you need something you can abuse, this is your camera; it'll take it. If you need something which will produce impressive video, buy something else. And be careful with it.

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Product Description:
SDR-SW21-G green shock and water proof camcorder

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Silver Efex Pro Review

2010-07-25T09:21:00.000-04:00

Even though this product is quite pricey, if you love black and white, it is definitely worth it. Gives you amazing control over converting color images to b&w, using predefined templates, additional templates from their website, and also custom setting you can make, and save. Absolutely fantastic. I am running it on an intel Mac Pro w/ 8 Gig of Ram. It is very fast when launched from w/in photoshop. I only gave it 4 stars out of 5 because it is incredibly slow working w/ large 12 and 14 bit raw files when launched from Apple Aperture (but fine from w/in photoshop). A number of people on the web have complained about this and Nik has yet to acknowledge this as a problem. I even offered to help them trouble shoot it to find out where the memory/performance issue was coming from and they didn't respond to my offer. One solution seems to be to launch the plug-in in 8 bit photoshop mode instead of 16 bit but that is just a work around, not a real solution as other Nik software works fine w/ photoshop in 16 bit mode. Overall a great product, I highly recommend you download the 14 day demo and give it a try, and then buy it if you like it as much as I did. The Aperture slow performance was almost a deal-breaker for me but I purchased it anyway knowing that Nik would eventually have to fix that one problem area.

UPDATE: 5 stars. Nik has released version 1.001 which addresses the Aperture slowness problem. Nice and fast now. Highly recommended.

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Product Description:
Silver Efex Pro provides complete power and control to create professional quality black and white images from your color digital photographs, featuring award- winning U Point technology for precisely controlling detail and tonality without the need for complicated selections or layer masks. Advanced imaging algorithms protect against unwanted artifacts, a comprehensive collection of emulated black and white film types, and a state-of-the-art grain reproduction engine help produce the highest quality black and white images possible while providing more freedom to experiment.

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Basilisk: The Complete Series (Viridian Collection) [Blu-ray] Review

2010-07-24T19:37:00.000-04:00

The popular 1958 novel "The Kouga Ninja Scrolls" by Futaro Yamada was adapted into a manga series titled "K'ga Ninp' Ch'~"" (Basilisk: The Koga Ninja Scrolls) in 2004-2005 by Masaki Segawa and winning the 2004 Kodansha Manga Award.

The anime series adaptation was then produced by Gonzo Studios in 2005 and is now the complete series is now available on Blu-ray courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment.

"Basilisk" is about two ninja clans at war, the Kouga and the Iga clan who have fought each other for four hundred years but a "no hostilities" pact is made to prevent the two from going into war.

We are given a glimpse of the past when the Iga clan's Princess Ogen and the Kouga clan's leader Danjou.Two people from opposing clans who were planning to get married.With the two clans living in peace, it looked as if marriage was possible until fighting began in the Iga village and survivors from the village were killed by the Kouga clan.

Needless to say, the two lovers became hated enemies but due to a "no hostilities" pact, there would be no fighting between the two clans.

Fast forward many decades later and now Ogen is the elder of the Iga Clan and Danjou of the Kouga clan.With the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu now retiring, their is a dispute of who will be taking over as the Third Tokugawa Shogun.So, in order to decide, Tokugawa lifts the pact and the rules are each clan can select 10 of their best ninjas.Whoever is the last one standing and has complete control of the scroll will be the rightful heir.

As Ogen and Danjou have been waiting for this moment, their own offspring are in a similar predicament that they were in when they were younger.Princess Oboro of the Iga clan and Gennosuke, leader of the Kouga clan are planning to get married.With peace in their land, the two feel that their marriage can hopefully end all hostilities.

But it is too late.For Ogen and Danjou, they know that their offspring will now face what they faced but this time, the two clans will go to war.With Ogen and Danjou part of their clan's top 10 ninja, the two fight each other and are the first to go down.The Iga clan are the first to learn about the pact being lifted and while Oboro invites Gennosuke to her village, unbeknown to him is that the Iga clan are waiting to kill him.

The war begins as now Gennosuke and Oboro, two lovers are now in opposing sides of the war.Their job is to lead their clan to annihilate the other but with the two deeply in love, which is stronger...their love for each other or their clan's 400-year hatred for each other.

"Basilisk - The Complete Series" features the following 24-episodes on 3 Blu-ray discs.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"Basilisk - The Complete Series" is featured in 1080p High Definition (16×9).The character designs by Michinori Chiba is quite awesome.I really like the character designs of each of the characters and how the characters blend into the actual painted backgrounds. Part of the challenge that I'm sure Gonzo had to face is the number of characters featured in this series but for the most part, the animation was solid.

As for colors, colors are not as extremely vibrant compared to a series such as "Burst Angel - The Complete Series" on Blu-ray which utilize a lot of reds and oranges but its important to emphasize that "Basilisk - The Complete Series" is a TV series and not an OVA or film.The series takes place tends to put more emphasis on the character designs rather than the surroundings (since mostly everything is either Japanese homes, walls or trees and lush green scenery).Also, focusing on the action sequences and the characters abilities.

Not all is perfect with this upconvert though.There are a few times that I've noticed compression artifacts and also some discoloration (nowhere near the amount of colorful globs that I spotted on the Blu-ray release of "Samurai Champloo" but you do see it during the dark sequences) which is probably due to the DNR (Digital Noise Reduction) filtering.

As for audio, the lossless audio soundtrack is primarily the English audio track which is presented in Dolby TrueHD English 5.1.Also, included is a Dolby Digital English 2.0 (for the commentary track) and Japanese 2.0 soundtrack.I was hoping for this anime series that the audio would include a Japanese Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack but it doesn't.Fortunately, the English dub was very good and was able to get into the dialogue.

The lossless soundtrack features clear dialogue coming from the center channel as the front channels features the music and sound effects.The surround channels also feature the sound effects of swords clanging, abilities that are explosive, thunder and rainstorms, you name it...there is a good use of the surround channels in this series.As well as the use of LFE through the subwoofer for large and short rumbles.

Subtitles are in English.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Basilisk - The Complete Series" comes with the following special features spread out onto three Blu-ray discs:

Disc 1:

* "The Onslaught of War" Audio Commentary - Featuring audio commentary by ADR Director Tyler Walker, Mark Stoddard (voice actor of Tenzen) and discussion about Tenzen's character.

Disc 3:

* Behind the Scenes of Basilisk: Japanese Original First Press Extra Features #3 - (31:54) Featuring voice talents Kousuke Toriumi (Gennosuke), Risa Hayamizu (Kagero), Youji Ueda (Saemon) and Haruka Kimura (Okoi) discussing the figures that come with the special edition DVD releases in Japan, discussion about their characters, reading letters from fans and more.
* Behind the Scenes of Basilisk: Japanese Original Extra Features #4 - (31:22) Featuring voice talents Kousuke Toriumi (Gennosuke), Risa Hayamizu (Kagero), Youji Ueda (Saemon) and Haruka Kimura (Okoi) discussing their favorite scenes in the episode of that DVD volume and reading letters from fans.
* Behind the Scenes of Basilisk: Japanese Original Extra Features #5 - (31:22) Featuring voice talents Kousuke Toriumi (Gennosuke), Risa Hayamizu (Kagero), Tomokazu Sugita (Hattori Kyohachiro) and Fumihiko Tachiki (Hattori Hanzo) discussing their characters, the Hattori family, favorite scenes in the episode of that DVD volume and reading letters from fans.
* Behind the Scenes of Basilisk: Japanese Original Extra Features #6 - (32:39) Featuring voice talents Kousuke Toriumi (Gennosuke), Risa Hayamizu (Kagero), Tomokazu Sugita (Hattori Kyohachiro) and Fumihiko Tachiki (Hattori Hanzo) discussing their favorite scenes in the episode of that DVD volume and reading letters from fans.
* Behind the Scenes of Basilisk: Japanese Original Extra Features #7 - (33:07) Featuring voice talents Kousuke Toriumi (Gennosuke), Risa Hayamizu (Kagero), Naoki Yanagi (Yashamaru) and Miyuki Sawashiro (Hotarubi) discussing their characters, favorite scenes in the episode of that DVD volume and reading letters from fans.
* Behind the Scenes of Basilisk: Japanese Original Extra Features #8 - (32:44) Featuring voice talents Kousuke Toriumi (Gennosuke), Risa Hayamizu (Kagero), Naoki Yanagi (Yashamaru) and Miyuki Sawashiro (Hotarubi) discussing their favorite scenes in the episode of that DVD volume and reading letters from fans.
* Behind the Scenes of Basilisk: Japanese Original Extra Features #9 - (33:02) Featuring voice talents Kousuke Toriumi (Gennosuke), Risa Hayamizu (Kagero), Yasushi Miyabayashi (Hyoma) and Misa Watanabe (Akeginu) discussing their characters, favorite scenes in the episode of that DVD volume and reading letters from fans.
* History of the Ninja - A text based info. on the history of ninja.This may be hard to read for those viewing with smaller screens.
* Cast Auditions - Audio featuring ADR director Tyler Walker who talks about the casting process and cast auditions with the American voice talent and what he was looking for.
* Textless Songs - Featuring the textles opening theme "Kouga Ninpo Cho" and the two textless closing themes "Himemurasaki" and "WILD EYES".
* Trailers - Featuring FUNimation Entertainment trailers.

JUDGMENT CALL:

I was absolutely captivated by "Basilisk".Each episode had meaning... were action-packed, gripping and no filler episodes that was just making the series question myself of when certain situations were going to happen.Each episode has its consequence and the fact that the series features so many characters with interesting capabilities, it definitely made my viewing of this series worthwhile.I literally was watching each episode one after the other and enjoying it.

In the end, "Basilisk - The Complete Series" gets my pick for runner up for best anime TV series on Blu-ray for 2009 (behind "Fullmetal Panic! The Second Raid").Where "Basilisk - The Complete Series" comes up short is that the DNR filtering tends to add to the discoloration of the upconverted picture quality of the anime series and also the lack of the a lossless Japanese audio soundtrack was a bit of a bummer.The problems that were quite evident on "Samurai Champloo" is quite visible in "Basilisk", especially in disc 2 since most of the action take place during the nightand the color blobs become a bit more evident.

Aside from the PQ shortcoming, fortunately, the English dub was pretty solid.For a period-based anime series, I was hoping for a lossless Japanese soundtrack but with a modern receiver, I suppose we can compensate by selecting audio on all channels.

But truthfully, the storyline of "Basilisk" is just too captivating to pass up on Blu-ray.The original DVD's didn't have great picture...Read more›

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Product Description:
Feudal Japan is set to bear witness to the bloody clash of titans as two fearsome ninja tribes are unleashed, one upon the other. For wretched within the Edo Castle loyalties have been severed into warring factions, as two sons struggle to inherit the title of Shogun. If this rupture goes unresolved, the Tokugawa kingdom will be torn apart. A solution must be found, one befitting a samurai family.
The Kouga and the Iga, two ninja clans with four hundred years of hostilities between them, meet at the request of Lord Ieyasu. There they learn that the peace forced upon them is to be broken by the whim of royalty, and that the outcome of this battle will determine the next Shogun. The passions of the past quickly reignite as two scrolls are sent out into the night.
Ill-fated is this event indeed, for lovers stand with hands entwined as travesty approaches on the wings of a hawk. Reared from birth as sworn enemies, Gennosuke and Oboro, each the heir of these rival clans, seek lasting peace between their peoples. But the terms have been set, and two lists seal their destinies. Two lists from which a name can only be crossed out in blood.
No mercy will be spared to the enemy.

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HP PB360 12 MP Digital Camera with 3-Inch Touchscreen LCD (Bronze) Review

2010-07-24T18:16:00.000-04:00

I own many digital cameras, but this HP product is great.I love the touch screen, easy to move around to the different features.The unit is very compact, and the clarity of the pictures is fantastic!There are no cameras out there with this type of feature pack, 12MP, touch screen that is 3"!I recommend this product to anyone that wants a great compact camera!

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Product Description:
The PB360t is rich in features such as smile detection digital image stabilization red eye removaldifferent scene modes and more. With Motion JPEG video capture capability you can record special moments and easily share them with your friends and family on YouTube. Capture clear and bright images with a wide range of ISO sensitivities (up to 3200) even in dim light.Primary InformationProduct Type:Digital CameraOptical Zoom:3 xDigital Zoom:5XHeader / Model:PB360tOptical DevicesEffective Sensor Resolution:12.2 MPDisplayDisplay Diagonal Size:3 InchUNSPSC CodeUNSPSC Code:45121504

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Stargate SG-1: The Complete Series Collection (2007) Review

2010-07-24T14:51:00.000-04:00

I have watched only 3 of 10 seasons so far & have 5 disc that skip/freeze during playback.After problems with first couple of discs, I inspected the entire set & found at least 15 discs that are dirty, scratched over entire surface or deeply pitted.This did not happen during shipping- they came from the Factory like this.Definitely not something you expect to find in NEW DVDs.So please inspect your set ASAP before time runs out to request a replacement/refund from Amazon.I have requested a replacement today and hopefully this set will be in good condition.

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Product Description:
Episode Description:
Discs 1- 5: Stargate SG-1 Season 1
Discs 6-10: Starage SG-1 Season 2
Discs 11-15: Stargate SG-1 Season 3
Discs 16-20: Stargate SG-1 Season 4
Discs 21-25: Stargate SG-1 Season 5
Discs 26-30: Stargate SG-1 Season 6
Discs 31-35: Stargate SG-1 Season 7
Discs 36-40: Stargate SG-1 Season 8
Discs 41-45: Stargate SG-1 Season 9
Discs 46-50: Stargate SG-1 Season 10

Disc 51: Bonus Disc 1 includes:

Disc 52: Bonus Disc 2 includes:

Disc 53: Bonus Disc 3 includes:
**Season Three

**Season Four

**Season Five:

**Season Six:

Disc 54: Bonus Disc 4 includes:
**Season Seven:

**Season Eight:

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Flight of the Conchords: The Complete First and Second Seasons w/CD Review

2010-07-24T09:29:00.000-04:00

Flight of the Conchords is a fantastically humorous tale of two dimwits from New Zealend who come to NYC to hit it big with their band.

Anyone who has watched HBO's Tenacious D will feel instantly at home with this show. However, this show is slightly different humor and the main characters seem to be the exact opposite of Jack Black. The show itself is better produced and higher quality, with more episodes and characters, it does a great job of crafting an interesting and fun universe for the viewer to grow comfortable with.

As with Tenacious D, the show is very music-based. Each episode has at least two songs w/ 'music videos' of varying catchy-ness and quality (but generally speaking, all are great). The music ranges from all genres but generally falls in the soft-rock category, even so, the show is definitely acting/comedy first and 'musical' second.

While the two dvd seasons are fantastic, the soundtrack is not complete (its actually their 'distant future' EP) and only has 5 tracks from the show. while it is a cool inclusion, but generally useless as a soundtrack itself and can be had for a couple dollars on other sites.

Personally, i love the show, however just want to warn everyone that this set, currently priced at 45, can be had cheaper if bought separately and was 20 on Black Friday Week of 2009.

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Product Description:
Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie -- a.k.a. Flight of the Conchords -- moved to New York in the hopes of forging a successful music career. Unfortunately, despite their status as "New Zealand's 4th Most Popular Folk Parody Duo," fame and notoriety continue to elude them. Helping them navigate the strange world of the Big Apple are Murray, their devoted manager and New Zealand's Cultural Attache; Mel, their obsessed (and only) fan; and Dave, a local pawn shop owner and de facto counsel for how to assimilate in America. Watch as Bret and Jemaine contend with unrequited love, inept criminals, prostitution, and epileptic dogs, breaking into song as they clumsily try to break into the New York scene. Includes both seasons of the show plus the CD "The Distant Future."

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The Sims 3: World Adventures Expansion Pack Review

2010-07-23T18:09:00.000-04:00

I own every single Sims game, and had owned all of the Sim City series as well. With that said, let's move on to the review of EA's latest product, The Sims 3: World Adventures. I had high anticipation because I am used to the massive amounts of new things we got with the Sims 1 & Sims 2 expansions, which were offered at much lower costs.However, do not let this deter you. While you may not get a ton of new items, you do get adventure as promised. The pros:
1. You do get to travel, and there are goals when you do so. I didn't care for the way the Sims 2: Bon Voyage, didn't really give you a goal. It was go to a new place, relax, stay for a huge amount of time and leave. World Adventures gives you goals, while allowing you to visit various places if you would like. And in time you can buy a vacation home and spend more time there. You have to build up your "visa" to have stays longer than 3 days in each location, and you do this by completing adventures. I had a great time wandering around the maze like tombs, and avoiding torching myself.
2. There are indeed a few more items, and they have country themes. In the past few games we have really only had Asian oriented items; I love decorating the house with flaming chandeliers like the ones seen in the tombs.
3. I have not found all of the new social interactions, but so far there have been about three.
4. Basements! Yes you heard right, you can actually have basements to your house now; not only that but you can build "tombs" under your home.
5. A few new traits and music tastes.
6. Your sim, when they learn a new song, may come home singing- which I find very cute.

Cons:
1. As with any EA game that just came out, there are glitches. The first time I started up, my sim was no where to be found. The plumbob was deformed and I couldn't preform any actions. I uninstalled it, the problem still remained. So I uninstalled the base game; that fixed that problem. Then I couldn't get skills or buy skill books. This was apparently a conflict between the new patch (that is required it seems.) and game mods and some custom content. I removed by mods and custom content; now the game runs like a charm.
2. The loading time is much longer than with The Sims 3 base game. I have plenty of memory, a new graphics card and plenty of RAM. I am above the required specs with everything, but only slightly. If you are working with the bare minimums or just a little above, it may run a little slower.
3. I have noticed (it may be my computer) that some of the graphics are not as clear, such as a blurry pixelation of my sims eye sockets.
4. Still no memories.
5. Some of the new features have been hard for me to find, such as the collection for photographs (which is a nice new bonus).
6. Toddlers & pregnant women cannot travel. I assume this is because it would be unsafe for them to be caught on fire, but it still stinks leaving them home.
7. Some people have been having a lot more problems, such as the game not loading, codes not working and games not saving. I have personally not had any of these problems.

I will update this as I continue to play; but so far the adventures have made getting the game worth it. I really enjoy having the goals and feeling like I'm achieving something for my sim.

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Product Description:
The Sims 3: World Adventures Expansion Pack* is the first expansion pack for the The Sims 3. Playable both on PCs and Macs, it focuses on a range of travel opportunities available to your sims, which allow for everything from pleasant family vacations, all the way to an adventure-filled, possibly even dangerous Indiana Jones like adventures. Along the way your sims can accumulate unique skills and abilities, learn about new cultures, enjoy a unique soundtrack of real songs recorded in Simlish and get $10 worth of free SimPoints for use at The Sims 3 Store.

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crocs Classic Sandal Review

2010-07-23T15:07:00.000-04:00

At first I didn't know what to make of this shoe/sandal... it's lightweight, comfortable and "convertible", which is a nice feature that I've never seen in a sandal before. First, I'll break down the benefits, then give the low-points.

"LIGHTWEIGHT & COMFORTABLE"
This is probably the most attractive feature of the CROC, because it adds to the comfort and makes you feel like you're walking on air. By far the most comfortable things I've ever worn and I'm a picky shoe person. I have only owned 1 pair of sandals for the past 6 years and have hated every other sandal I've tried on, so these CROCS are definitely special.

"CONVERTIBLE"
You can turn the "sandal" into a "shoe" simply by pushing forward the strap. In "shoe" mode, it's a tighter more snug fit, so you don't have to worry about it coming off your feet. In "sandal" mode, it's easy to slip on and off (although it has a tendency to cling to the bottom of your feet), for that quick trip outside to take out the trash, or pick up your cell phone that you left in the car.

PROBLEM: "SWEATY FEET"
One problem I have with the CROC is that it doesn't ventilate very well. Sure, it's got holes. But the material is such that it traps heat so you're feet end up sweating in warm weather.

PROBLEM: "HOLES ALLOW DEBRIS IN"
Another problem is that the holes allow all sorts of debris into the sandal while you're walking, such as loose rocks, wood chips at the playground, sand and dirt (when you're not at the beach), and rain water (puddles in the parking lot). This means that you're feet get dirty rather quickly and can be uncomfortable at places where there is a lot of debris - eg, playgrounds.

"SIZE & PRICE"
Sizing is a bit weird. I'd recommend going to a store first to try it on and see what size you are. It's hard to find a good selection at a store, so it's best just to dip in for sizing and then purchase the one you want on Amazon. Turned out to be the best thing for me, as I was able to score Army Green Caymans from Amazon, while searching at numerous stores I've only been able to find blue and black Caymans in sizes way too big. For $29.99 I think it's a bit pricey actually, but if you're picky about sandals like me, there's nothing you can do about it.

"STYLE"
One other thing you'll have to get used to is how aesthetically disgusting it is. Let's be frank: it's a damn ugly shoe and there's no way getting around it. It's not the prettiest thing to wear, but it's hands-down the most comfortable. Just be careful where you tread. Definitely not an all-terrain/purpose sandal. Good for beach and casual sidewalk/short trip walking.

"DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BEACH AND CAYMAN STYLES"
None. Except that the sizes for Beach version are "ranges" and are more roomy for your feet. Cayman sizes are exact and are more narrow. Try on before you buy as the versions are not the same.

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Product Description:
Cayman sandal? Why limit yourself? Sure, this clog from crocs has a ventilated upper and a traction outsole to make it a top wet-dry performer--perfect for the beach--but we can think of a zillion other places you'll want to wear it.

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The Very Fairy Princess [Hardcover] Review

2010-07-23T12:30:00.000-04:00

"The Very Fairy Princess" is a charming and witty story about young Geraldine, who believes with her entire being that she is a fairy princess -- even when others do not. She believes because she feels it inside.Julie Andrews Edwards and Emma Walton Hamilton have written a brilliant story with a very strong message and creative language every little girl will remember and want to use.The book is beautifully illustrated.

I know after reading this book to my granddaughter, she was showing us her "sparkle."It also gave us the opportunity to encourage her to find the sparkle in her mommy, daddy, grandma and grandpa. It's challenging to find the right words to use when talking with young children about inner belief, courage and self-esteem.It is remarkable how just one special word, "sparkle" can convey so much to a young child.This book is a keeper with our princess!I highly recommend it for all little princesses 4-8 yrs of age.

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Product Description:
While her friends and family may not believe in fairies, Geraldine knows, deep down, that she is a VERY fairy princess. From morning to night, Gerry does everything that fairy princesses do: she dresses in her royal attire, practices her flying skills, and she is always on the lookout for problems to solve. But it isn't all twirls and tiaras - as every fairy princess knows, dirty fingernails and scabby knees are just the price you pay for a perfect day!

This new picture book addition to the Julie Andrews Collection features the joyful illustrations of Christine Davenier, and is sure to inspire that sparkly feeling within the hearts of readers young and old.

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Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating with More Than 75 Recipes [Paperback] Review

2010-07-23T10:14:00.000-04:00

Mark Bittman's Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating is a guidebook for the typical American eating the typical American diet--heavy laden with meat, animal products, and processed foods. This typical American diet, Bittman points out, is calorie-dense, harmful to the atmosphere, taxing on global resources, and unhealthy. Bittman easily mixes scientific research with his own personal account of needing to lose weight due to high cholesterol and sleep apnea and shows that shifting his diet by emphasizing vegetables, legumes, and beans over meats and processed food helped him reach his weight and health goals without resorting to rigid dieting and calorie-counting. Let me make it clear here that Bittman is not advocating vegetarianism. He allows himself a little meat during his dinner meal and incorporates some meat in the recipe section of his book.

A food journalist and cook book writer (his How to Cook Everything Vegetarian has been praised by icon Mario Batali) divides his book into two sections. The first section, Food Matters, lays down the reasons we need to shift from meat and processed foods to vegetables, fresh produce, legumes and beans. If you've already read Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma or In Defense of Food, this information won't be new to you. But it is a good recap of the incremental way the typical American diet has become unhealthy, burdensome to the environment, and "insane."

I think one area Bittman differs from Pollan is that I see an undercurrent of horror and disgust Bittman feels for the way animals are treated in the farming industry. While not embracing vegetarianism, Bittman wants to lower the demand of animal products (sadly, he shows world statistics that show that developing countries are actually demanding MORE meat than ever).

The second section of Bittman's book, the recipe section, is excellent, not just for the 75 recipes and suggested menus, but for the basic foods he says you should always keep stocked in your kitchen and the secrets for adding bold flavors to your meals.

Bittman's call for sane eating has much in common with the aforementioned Michael Pollan and readers with an interest in intelligent, healthy eating without sacrificing pleasure will want to read Mark Bittman's Food Matters, Michael Pollan's food books, and Brian Wansink's Mindless Eating.

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Unlikely Allies: How a Merchant, a Playwright, and a Spy Saved the American Revolution [Bargain Price] [Hardcover] Review

2010-07-23T07:15:00.000-04:00

I, too, thoroughly enjoyned "Unlikely Allies," by Professor Joel Paul. I agree with some of the other reviewers in that this book DOES read like a thriller yet the careful reader can confirm, by the Professor's endnotes, that this book is vigorously well-researched. Moreover, Professor Paul begins his book in a way that I truly appreciate: he devotes a beginning chapter to each of these three "unlikely allies,": the merchant, Silas Dean, the playwright, Caron de Beaumarchais, and the cross-dressing Frenchman/Frenchwoman, the Chevalier d'Eon, a captain of the dragoons. I found this technique very helpful in that it provides the reader with a backdrop against which to (begin to) understand the motivations, passions, expectancies, and internal conflicts that each of these important personages faced during his/her respective lives, especially during the ever so critical years of our country's infancy. Professor Paul's writing is crisp and to the point. Yet, at the same time, in each chapter he manages to provide the reader with the flavor, indeed a bona fide SENSATION, of the particular moment in our history that is being covered.

It is true that much of our (typically taught) American History is framed by the righteousness and virtue of our "founding fathers." I had always been taught that men like Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Franklin were superior beings, almost godlike in their perfection. However, Professor Paul's book adds some perspective and depth to those history lessons that were spoon-fed to us so long ago. Professor Paul, while paying much respect to these and other important players in our commonly taught history reveals that these men were, indeed, quite human, and were just as imperfect as we all are. None of us is above reproach, nor were our founding fathers. With the possible exception of Silas Deane, none of us gives unconditionally of our time, resources, and energy. We all want or need something for ourselves in return for our efforts, even our efforts on behalf of our country or on behalf of the "greater good." I am thankful to Professor Paul for introducing me to Silas Dean, to Beaumarchais, and to the Chevalier d'Eon. His well-written account will, I believe, withstand the examinations of time, and continue to delight students of American History in the years to come. Overall, a very good read!

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Croakies Terra Cord Middi Eyewear Retainer Review

2010-07-22T18:53:00.000-04:00

I use these Croakies for my Oakley Juliet shades.If you have sunglasses with small ends on the frame, these are the style Croakies that you may want to use.

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Product Description:
A retainer made from 3.2 mm climbing rope that fits on the temple tip of your eyewear.

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Philips NP2500/37 WiFi Internet Radio Network Music Player with Rhapsody (Black) Review

2010-07-22T15:10:00.000-04:00

The entire problem with this player is that it does one thing really well, but has a couple of other features thrown in addition that don't work as advertised.

As a player for Rhapsody, this really rocks.The songs come up quickly, the interface is easy to navigate, and all the songs feature artwork that looks great on the small but crisp LCD.The only downside is that it requires a paid Rhapsody account, although the free month is a nice introduction.

When it comes to internet radio and streaming music as an UPnP device, this player really falls apart.The internet radio functions work well, but the connectivity is very slow compared to the Rhapsody service, and it is unable to display song information from every station.Some stations work, some don't.Also, to find radio stations you are limited to either browsing the menus, or using the number pad to enter the station's name or a serach keyword.The number pad works about as well as using a cell phone without T9, so it is functional but very, very slow.

The UPnP service for streaming music from your home computer never worked for me.I installed the bundled software, updated it from the company's website, but the music never started.I was able to find my music library, even my iTunes playlists, but when I hit "Play," the player just hung forever and never started the music.FYI, I'm running a Macbook Pro with iTunes, and I keep my music on an external network hard drive, so that may have been the issue.A search through the forums of the Twonky Media Player(used for streaming) revealed nothing helpful, and I was unable to resolve it in the time I had to review the item.

As far as the player itself, the design is attractive and should fit well with most home electronics.The screen is bright and clear, and the remote works as well as can be expected.There are no on device controls, so the remote is essential to any use of the player, but I had no problems.It was also easy to connect to the internet, although entering a wireless network password using the number pad was time-consuming.

Bottom line, don't expect it to work seamlessly as a streaming media center from your PC or Mac's music collection.If you want it mainly for internet radio, it works, but is a bit hard to use.Rhapsody works great, but again, it requires a subscription.

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Product Description:
Wirelessly access 10,000+ Internet stations FREE, your music library, and Music On-Demand with a free trial from Rhapsody. Streamium is your Home Jukebox. You can access Internet music from your home country or hometown, by musical genre (rock, pop, news, sports, 80's, etc.). Your digital music is easily accessed by Streamium so you are always connected to music you already own (in addition you can leverage music from multiple PCs/Macs). Finally, you can get music-on-demand with Rhapsody (free trial included). Search thousands of titles and artists for music of your choice or play "name-that-tune" with your friends and family (by preferred genre). This network music player allows you to "free your music" from MP3 players and your computer. With easy setup you can hook-up to your home theater or home audio system so you can experience seamless entertainment with quality you are used to hearing. FullSound is a great feature built-in that brings back high-quality CD sound from your digitally compressed MP3 files. Enjoy album art from your favorite artists (from your PC/Mac, or from Rhapsody) and enjoy radio station logos and pictures that can be shown on your player. A remote allows easy music management from a distance.

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Celestron 71012 SkyMaster 20-100x70 Zoom Binoculars Review

2010-07-22T12:17:00.000-04:00

For the price I paid (Under $100) I rate these 5 stars.I have had mine for over 2 years and not had any issues with the zoom or focusing the binos.I must say they are heavy and unless laying on your back observing straight up they can become taxing on the arms.I purchased a tripod and mounted mine which seems to be the way to go for these are heavy. I have used them at several National Parks to observe the wildlife and natural attractions as well as astronomical observing of the moon and stars and the star packed areas of the milky way.For these uses they have been outstanding for the price, highly recommended.

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Product Description:
SkyMaster 20-100x70 Zoom

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Compact Battery Charger Set for Nikon EN-EL12 Review

2010-07-22T10:46:00.000-04:00

Works fine - no issues.No cord is nice - just clip in the battery and plug into the wall.Well...there's a cord for use in the car - haven't used it yet.

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Product Description:
NOTE: For a successful and safe charge of your battery, make sure to correctly align polarity ( positive / negative) before placing battery into charger. Acomplete charging solution for digital video batteries!This battery Charger kit includes: Battery charger with foldable AC plug, DC Cigarette lighter adapter (car charger) for any vehicle, Accessory only, battery not included. A handy companion for digital shooting. Charger is designed with a foldable A/C plug that charges your camera / camcorder battery anywhere in the world. A quick charge with automatic constant current control prevents battery from overcharging, short circuit, and electronic shock while a smart LED indicator shows charging status.

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Fujifilm Finepix Z37 10MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD (Purple) Review

2010-07-22T08:07:00.000-04:00

I love Fuji cameras - and no, I'm not a Fuji employee, but maybe I should be - I would love an employee discount!This Z37 was a deal I couldn't refuse and I believe this is my 10th Fuji digital camera I've purchased since 2004.I got the purple color and it's beautiful.

I owned the Z30 Fujifilm FinePix Z30 10 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD (Whirl White) previously, but at the last minute I decided to gift it to a young relative of mine only because of one thing I disliked about it: On the Z30 the USB plug-in was located INSIDE the camera's battery compartment.I feared the latch would eventually break off since the USB plug, the battery and the memory card were all in the same area.

Instead, the Z37 Fuji has the USB plug on the SIDE of the camera.In addition, this is a multi-use plug.With the Z37 you get an AC adapter cable in addition to the USB cable.The AC adapter charges the battery inside the camera.So unless I'm removing the memory card on this camera, there is no reason to open the battery compartment.

The AC adapter replaces the separate battery charger that comes with the Z30.This also means if your battery runs low, you can use the Z37 with it plugged into an outlet, but of course, this does limit what you can take a picture of, unless it's something near the electric outlet.

The Z37 is slightly thinner than the Z30 but otherwise they appear to be the same.Same LCD size, and the buttons are located in the same configuration.The LCD is big and bright - I have no trouble seeing anything outside in the bright sun. It's tiny and lightweight and easy to carry in either a pocket or small bag - it weighs slightly over 4 ounces.

And since the lens has a cover - and this is the way the camera is powered on/off - by sliding the lens cover open (like the first Fuji digital cameras invented) you almost don't need to buy a separate case....although I do keep mine in a case because I don't like the exterior to get scratched.

Just one complaint with this camera, otherwise it's perfect.There is no good area to hold onto the camera. The entire back is composed of LCD screen and buttons. At least the back area is rubberized so it does help with the grip.

But the pro's way outnumber my single complaint:

>>> Quick response when opening the lens cover to take the first shot
>>> SR Auto - just point and shoot
>>> Takes beautiful pictures
>>> Fast response time after taking a flash picture
>>> Lithium-ion battery - one charge lasts over 200 pictures
>>> Takes good videos - better than my expensive Panasonic Lumix

Note about the videos:You can't use optical zoom once you start filming, but you can set it before.You can use digital zoom after you start filming, but you have to turn it on before-hand in the set-up menu.They aren't HD but they look pretty good.

Note about the SR Auto setting:This setting drains the battery a little quicker, because the lens and sensor is constantly evaluating and focusing whatever you have the camera pointed at - the lens noise is completely normal and nothing to worry about.If you don't want to hear the lens focusing, just set the camera on regular Auto instead (the picture of the camera icon).

In conclusion: This is a good entry-level camera and I recommend it for just about anyone who is looking for an easy to use camera.Even a young kid. And it's built tougher than it appears - since the lens zooms INSIDE the camera body. Case in point: Two days after I received my Z30, it slipped out of my hands and hit the kitchen floor (my condo is built on a slab). I thought the camera was broken, but I turned it back on and was none worse for the wear. Not even a scratch.This Z37 appears to be built just as tough as the Z30 which I dropped.

It comes with just 18 MB of internal memory, so pick up an SD card if you don't already have one.

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Product Description:
With a new, cutting edge design, the FinePix Z37 not only looks good, but it also offers all the features necessary to take great pictures and share them easily, bringing out the social butterfly in everyone.
Style & Substance
Thinner, sexier and bolder than previous Z-series models, the FinePix Z37 is a party camera that loves to be the center of attention. The FinePix Z37 combines a 10-megapixel CCD sensor, a sharp 3x optical zoom lens and a 2.7-inch LCD screen in its incredibly thin 19.1mm metal front body, making it easy to be stashed in the tightest of jean pockets. Available in a choice of blue, green or violet, the FinePix Z37 is able to match anyone's style and personality.
The FinePix Z37 has many great features to highlight--the 'Blog Mode' is a social networker's staple, allowing users to automatically resize images and movies making them ready for web use. In addition, Fujifilm's 'Scene Recognition Auto' (SR AUTO) Mode' cleverly detects the correct scene setting without the need to pre-select the mode on the camera, making it even easier to take the best pictures possible.
The FinePix Z37 is also packed with the following noteworthy features:
Maximum ISO sensitivity up to 1600
With the high ISO of up to 1600, the FinePix Z37 can capture quality shots in low light situations.
Scene Recognition AUTO (SR AUTO)
Enables the camera to intelligently recognize six types of scenes automatically - Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Backlit Portrait, Night and Night Portrait modes.
Face Detection with Automatic Red-Eye Removal
The FinePix Z37 identifies up to 10 human faces in a scene and sets the correct focus and exposure, regardless of where subjects are located within the frame. After a shot is captured, the camera automatically checks for red eye and self-corrects it in each and every person in the photo, saving time on post-editing.
Picture Stabilization Mode
Picture Stabilization uses the heightened se

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Women's Leather Dress Belt in Metallic Colors by CTM Review

2010-07-22T07:44:00.000-04:00

received the belt it`s beautiful,it true to size,and the price oh my goodness you can not bet it and it is real leather,It going to look
beautiful with the outfit I bought it for. thank you, will be making more
purchases in the near future.

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Product Description:
This 1 1/8 inch wide women's belt is made of soft, genuine leather. It has two belt loops and features a contemporary fashion buckle.The available colors for this style are as follows: Metallic Gold, Metallic Bronze and Metallic Silver.The buckle on the metallic gold belt is gold.The metallic bronze and metallic silver belts have silver buckles.Available sizes include: Sizes: Small (30-32), Medium (34-36), Large (38-40), and XL (42-44).Note: sizes are from the end of the belt to the middle belt hole.An incredible value at just $3.95 - you'll want one in every color!!!For a larger view of this item, click on the picture(s).If you like this belt - you may want to consider the other styles available in this "family" of belts:The Women's Leather Dress Belt in Basic Colors by CTM. Colors for this style include: Red, Navy, White and Black.The BASIC color family is the only style of this belt thatis available up to size 2X. The Women's Leather Dress Belt in Fashion Colors by CTM. Colors for this style include:Brown, Beige, Turquoise, Light Pink, Light Gray, and Light Green.

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Transformers 2 Movie Mini Vehicle Multipack #2 Review

2010-07-21T18:47:00.000-04:00

My 3 year old nephew LOVES transformers....but a lot of the actual "transforma-able" figures out there are still a little difficult for him.He also loves his Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars and would often pretend he was transforming them in to robots.So this was like the best of both worlds!He had cars that looked like the cars from Transformers and the the picture of their robot personas on the the bottom of the car.Easy for him and less stress on the adults to have to constantly transform cars/robots!

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Band of Brothers [Blu-ray] (2008) Review

2010-07-21T15:13:00.000-04:00

That modesty and that sentiment seems to be shared by all the survivors of Easy Company, 506th PRI, and many of them can't hold back the tears as they mumble it.One of the great benefits of this marvelous series was the closeup interviews of the real men portrayed, those wonderful old seamed faces, breaking at last with emotion as they recall their experiences and the love of their comrades and the pain of loss of other friends. It moves me greatly, and I'm glad the Extras in this set has an extended documentary re-tracing the time-frame of the film with these real veterans recalling the action we've seen re-created.
Brought with loving care and fanatic attention to detail by producers Steven Spielberg & Tom Hanks and their carefully chosen band of producers, directors and actors, this is an unsentimental, near-documentary telling of the story of Easy Co. from training to D-Day, Hedge Row fighting, Operation Market Garden, Bastogne, into Germany, liberation of Death Camps, and the capture of Berchesgarden & Hitler's Eagle's Nest.
Throughout it all, the aim has been to tell it straight and get it right. They have done so in remarkable style.The truth HAS enough drama, and the various episodes reveal it.We get to know these men and care about them.We marvel at their endurance and the way they go about getting the job done, professionally, and with matter-of-fact, everyday courage. It is a true tribute to the Citizen Soldiers who won the war.
With 10 episodes and lots of extra goodies, presented within an exceptional package, there is just too much to review here.Some memorable moments:the harrowing jump into the explosive, tracer-lit night skies of Normandy; the assault on the 88's; Winter's killing the young German; the episode dedictated to the Medic; the monstrous artillery barrage on the men in the snowy forest of Bastogne; the shock of the farmer's wife on seeing the closeup hand-to-hand killing of the German by "Bull"; and finally, the incredibly moving scenes of the liberation of the Concentration Camp, and the final days of Easy at the War's end.
These last episodes are all the more powerful because we have followed Easy Co. and these men andhave seen the death so random and arbitrary around and among them that a slow emotional tension has been built that we now realize with the intensity of anger/pity/horror at the Camps and the bittersweet joy and subsequent farewell of VE day.
I could cite great moments by each individual actor, and nicely played and effectively understated but powerfully emotional scenes but suffice it to say this is an ensemble piece with superb performances throughout. The quiet power of the different episodes underscores how wonderfully written the entire piece is, and with corresponding excellent direction and production values.
A one-of-a-kind production, having the time to tell the tale with detail and care, and with all involved doing honor to the men who lived it.And finally, there are those men, bringing it all back to the reality of real lives lived.Exceptional stuff.

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Product Description:
Based on the bestseller by Stephen E. Ambrose, the epic 10-part miniseries Band of Brothers tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Drawn from interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as soldiers' journals and letters, Band of Brothers chronicles the experiences of these men who knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear. They were an elite rifle company parachuting into France early on D-Day morning, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and capturing Hitler's Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden. They were also a unit that suffered 150 percent casualties, and whose lives became legend.

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An American Werewolf in London (Full Moon Edition) [Blu-ray] (1981) Review

2010-07-21T14:33:00.000-04:00

1981 was The Year of the Werewolves...the furry fiends leaped onto movie screens in three major films: "The Howling," "Wolfen," and the classic of the genre, "An American Werewolf in London." There has never been a greater werewolf film, there has never been a better transformation scene, and few horror movies can match the entertaining mixture of humor and scares that writer/direction John Landis ("Animal House," "The Blues Brothers") achieved here.
Although there had been humor in horror films before this movie, "An American Werewolf in London" showed once and for all that having comedy in a horror film didn't mean that the film would lose out in the scare department. Landis makes it clear that the film is NOT a comedy -- the horror scenes are carried with dead-seriousness and shocking impact -- but there is so much quirky humor surrounding these scenes that the film becomes incredibly likable and buoyant. Most of the laughs come from seeing the old movie werewolf premise dropped into the modern day and watching the characters try to deal with it.
Actors Griffin Dunne and David Naughton, neither of whom had been in a movie before, create a wonderful 'ordinary guy' feeling to their characters of two young American boys backpacking through Europe. In rural England, they have a nasty encounter with a legendary monster, and Naughton faces the consequences of being bitten when he returns to London and takes up living with a pretty nurse (Jenny Agutter).
The transformation scene is justly famous and a milestone in visual effects. Make-up wizard Rick Baker lets the viewers watch a real-time twisting of a human body into a wolf shape: limbs stretch, snouts pop, hair grows, the body contorts...it's amazing to watch. (And on DVD, you can watch it over and over and over again). Even computer graphics can't achieve an effect as startling as this one.
This DVD offers some nice extras. The image is good, and the 5.1 Surround Sound is decent (although there's not a lot of back speaker sound). Actors Naughton and Dunne do feature commentary on the film, and provide some interesting information and sound as if they were having a great time reliving the experience. I wish that Landis had been on the commentary as well, but you can hear his thoughts on the film in an 18-minute interview. Landis is an absolute hoot to listen to; the guy is as funny as his movie, and he absolutely bursts with ideas and observations. To go along with the Landis interview is an 11-minute interview with make-up maestro Rick Baker. He provides a fascinating look at crafting what he calls "the coolest werewolf film ever made." Also included is a vintage featurette on the making of the film, although it's only about five minutes long (but you get more of wise-cracking John Landis), ten minutes of archival footage of Baker making a cast of David Naughton's hand, and an assortment of storyboards, outtakes, and production photos.
"An American Werewolf in London" is a major turning point in horror films and visual effects -- and even over twenty years later, it is still one of the most entertaining movies of its decade. It hasn't aged at all, and this DVD lets you experience it the way it should be seen (and in the company of wild-man John Landis!)

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Product Description:
Re-discover one of the most gripping horror films of all-time with the cult classic An American Werewolf in London.Blending the macabre with a wicked sense of humor, director John Landis (National Lampoon's Animal House) delivers a contemporary take on the classic werewolf tale in this story of two American tourists who, while traveling in London, find their lives changed forever when a viscious wolf attacks them during a full moon.Featuring groundbreaking, Academy Award-winning make-up by Rick Baker (The Wolfman), this digitally remastered Full Moon Edition also includes the new feature-length documentary Beware the Moon.

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Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 3-User Review

2010-07-21T12:05:00.000-04:00

I own a 3-year-old Dell XPS 410 with an Intel Core 2 6700 CPU @ 2.66GHz, equipped with a RAID 0 650 GB dual hard drive, 4 GB DDR2 RAM and an Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB "Direct X 10"-compatible graphics card; for the most part, I have been displeased with the performance of my computer ever since my initial purchase... and this disappointment extended to the performance of my chosen internet security suite, KIS 2007-2010.

After several years of using the miserably sluggish, sporadically buggy Vista Ultimate 32-bit OS, I have recently upgraded my computer to Windows 7 Ultimate 64-Bit (all I can say is WHAT A DIFFERENCE... for those interested, upgrade ASAP). After a clean install, I reluctantly decided to reinstall KIS 2010 and see how well it would perform with my new OS. I wasn't too impressed with KIS 2010's overall performance when I ran it on Vista Ultimate 32-bit (although it was improved over KIS 2009), but running it on Windows 7 Ultimate 64-Bit is another story altogether.

The Good:

A newly-streamlined interface makes it far more user friendly than previous editions;

There's lots of smart configuration tweaks for experienced users;

It uses a lot less system resources to run than the last few versions;

It works extremely well with Windows 7 Ultimate 64-Bit (which I have just upgraded to), with no slowdown or start-up hangs;

Firewall, malware and virus protection is among the best of any current security suite;

The "safe run" sandbox virtual environment is a nice new feature;

The free software upgrades means you only have to continue renewing your subscription, as opposed to shelling out twice as much for annual software upgrades.

However, there are a few cons:

My experience with KIS 2010 on Vista Ultimate 32-bit was erratic, as most of the time it would work well, but on occasion would tremendously slow down my computer's start-up time, sometimes to the point where I would have no choice but to re-boot the computer;

The spam filter needs work;

The interface could still stand to become a bit more user-friendly for novices in the settings section;

There is an issue with KIS 2010 that blocks the "Windows Experience Index" from completing in Windows 7 (UPDATE: a recent patch finally seems to have corrected the issue);

Scanning is fairly slow with large hard drives.

Still, for the several weeks that I have been using KIS 2010 with Windows 7 64-bit, I must say I am quite pleased with the smooth, quick and reliable performance it has exhibited, as none of the issues that marred KIS 2009 and 2010 while using Vista Ultimate 32-bit are occurring with Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit.

UPDATE, 5/29/10: It has now been well over seven months since I installed KIS 2010, and it is working better than ever.

Overall, my recommendation is if you are using Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit, I'd give Norton Internet Security 2010 a shot before KIS 2010. However, if you have a comparable (or superior) PC setup to mine and are using Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit, Kaspersky 2010 Internet Security Suite does its job excellently and I would strongly encourage those in need to give it a try.

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Product Description:
The most advanced Internet security software with premium protection from viruses, spyware hackers and spam. Also includes comprehensive identity theft and phishing protection, parental and privacy controls, and superfast performance.

Automatically determine the safety of your applications and applies the appropriate security level. Click to enlarge.
Premium protection from viruses, spyware hackers and spam. Click to enlarge.
Vulnerability scanning helps guarantee that your applications are fully patches, up-to-date, and secure Click to enlarge.

With Kaspersky Internet Security, You Get:

Here's What You Can Expect from Kaspersky Internet Security 2010:

What Makes Kaspersky Different is What Makes You Safer--Check Out the Features You Will Find Only With Kaspersky:

Whitelisting & Application Control
Automatically determines the safety of your applications and applies the appropriate security level.
iChecker & iSwift Scanning
Adjusts scanning for superfast performance. Ideal for gamers!
Urgent Detection System
Instantly verifies every web address against the most current list of known malicious sites.
Security Analyzer
Vulnerability scanning helps guarantee that your applications are fully patches, up-to-date, and secure.
Safe Run
Runs any application or browser in a protected virtual environment or sandbox.
Virtual Keyboard
Protects your personal data, passwords and online banking information when using the Web

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Sinbad: Where U Been? Review

2010-07-21T11:16:00.000-04:00

My husband and I came across this on Comedy Central and laughed harder than we have in a long time.It was funny and most important free of the many Bleep - bleep - bleeps that you find in most stand up acts these days.He was truly funny without bieng profane which is why I will buy the dvd (I hope the extra footage is equally as clean)Whats funny is I have to buy the DVD in order to le t my friends or teenager watch it because the commercials on Comedy Central are so bad...EVERY commercial break featured "Girls Gone Wild" (Naked women jumping around with litte censoring) and live girl party chat lines.....so I will not suggest anyone watch it on Comedy Central....but I gave the actual video Six BIG stars.(Comedy Central gets a half a star)

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Product Description:
Sinbad returns to the stage in this brand-new one-hour comedy special and answers the question his legions of fans have been asking him, "Where Ya Bin?"

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Supersoaker Shotblast Water Blaster w/Scope Value Pack - Blue Review

2010-07-21T08:33:00.000-04:00

Alright umm I actually use this to squirt cats when they tear at the screen door or misbehave in general. Yes I'm cruel and horrible - but hey it works a LOT better than a squirt bottle. Better range, better accuracy and let me tell you - this thing gets the message across. In fact it's been so effective that I pretty much no longer need to use it - before the spray bottle had to sit within reach if I was on the deck as sooner or later a cat would be trying to tear it's way though the screen door.

Best part is that you do not need to pump it, the contents is not under pressure so it does not leak. You can leave this thing sitting around filled up for days ready to spray and not a drop will come out.

Also the stock is extendable and detachable, not really useful but cool. The scope of course is useless and I threw it out.

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This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly [Hardcover] Review

2010-07-20T20:30:00.000-04:00

Reinhart and Rogoff's book provides a quantitative history of financial crises derived from over 600 years and 66 nations. The basic message from all their data is that there are remarkable similarities in today's financial crises with experience from other countries and nations. The common theme is that excessive debt accumulation by government, banks, corporations, or consumers often brings great risk. It makes government look like it is providing greater growth than it is, inflates housing and stock prices beyond sustainable levels, and makes banks seem more stable and profitable than they really are. Large-scale debt buildups make an economy vulnerable to crises of confidence - especially when the debt is short-term and needs to be refinanced (the usual case).

Reinhart and Rogoff go on to conclude that most of these booms end badly. Outcomes include sovereign defaults (government fails to meet payments on its debt), banking crises (heavy investment losses, banking panics), exchange rate crises (Asia, Europe, Latin America in the 1990s), high inflation (a de facto default), and combinations of the preceding (1930s, today).

What did the authors learn from their data digging? Severe financial crises share three characteristics: 1)Declines in real housing prices average 35%, stretched out over six years, while equity prices fall an average 56% over 3.5 years. 2)The unemployment rate rises an average of 7 percentage points during the down phase (average length = four years). Output falls more than 9% over a two-year period. 3)Government debt tends to explode, an average 86% in real terms. The biggest driver of this debt explosion is the collapse in tax revenues; counter-cyclical fiscal policy efforts also contribute, as well as spiking interest rates.

Reinhart and Rogoff also identify what they find to be the best and worst (pronouncements from the Federal Reserve, U.S. Treasury heads, and more than a few 'successful' academics and stock-pickers) early warning indicators of crises. Finally, the authors warn that premature self-congratulations on early successes in correcting a banking crisis may lead to complacency and an even worse state of affairs.

The 'good news' is that Reinhart and Rogoff have provided a detailed and credible accounting of past experiences.The 'bad news' is that despite the authors' scholarly and intense efforts, "This Time is Different" is not likely to sway many minds for two reasons. 1)The book is too much of a scholarly tome to become widely read, and there are too many self-serving 'think-tanks' offering contrarian opinions. Others, more data-driven, will point out that most of "This Time Is Different" is drawn from earlier days and non-U.S. nations, and thus of limited applicability to the U.S. today. 2)Despite recent disproof of claims that government has mastered the economic cycle via Federal Reserve fine-tuning and counter-cyclical government spending, and that 'the old rules of valuation no longer apply,' we're back blowing bubbles. Today's MSNBC headline reads 'New Market Bubble May be Brewing,' the 'Greenspan Put' (government will bail out falling markets, while allowing soaring ones) continues, no action has been taken to rein in Wall Street gambling and unwarranted bonuses, financial institutions believed 'too big to fail' are bigger than ever, and 2010 election pressures will undoubtedly auger for continued easy money, inflating ourselves out of debt, and increased debt at all levels.

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Bananagrams Review

2010-07-20T15:26:00.000-04:00

Do you like Scrabble but get hung up trying to use those special point squares, are bummed when someone "steals your spot", or dragged down by Debbie Dictionary ("just let me look up this one word") or Slow Joe (who takes 20 minutes for each turn)?Well you would love Bananagrams, because it solves those problems.There are no special squares (or squares at all), no points on the letters (all are worth the same) and no time to dawdle.You are instead rewarded for speed and flexibility in making your own crossword.You can completely pull apart your crossword and start from scratch if you need to or just swap out a letter here and there, but don't get caught with a bunch of spare letters when an opponent goes out!

It is exciting and challenging to play this game with adults, but it can be fun to include the kids.You can easily adapt the rules to suit yourself.We "handicap" the adults by drawing two tiles for every one the kids draw.You can play solitaire or have several players.

A similar game that I also love is Learning Resources' "Take Four".If you are the type who would prefer to have a grid to keep those tiles straight, or likes to have a few "jokers" thrown in, you might prefer this.But Banagrams is far more portable and much cheaper.I like both of these games so much (as well as the spelling card games Quiddler, My Word, and Tri-Virsity) that the old Scrabble board is gathering dust.

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Product Description:
Ages 7 & up. In this unique word game, players use tiles to create words crossword-style. The first player to use all their tiles is the winner. With multiple ways to play, this game is perfect for beginning spellers, as well as more advanced players. No pencil, paper, or board required.

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United Cakes of America: Recipes Celebrating Every State [Hardcover] Review

2010-07-20T13:50:00.000-04:00

Warren Brown's follow-up to CakeLove: How to Bake Cakes from Scratch does not disappoint.United Cakes of America: Recipes Celebrating Every State has at least one recipe for each of the fifty United States (plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia) divided into four regions of the country.

The Northeast includes the following recipes:
-Maine: Whoopie Pie with Seven-Minute Frosting
-New Hampshire: Pumpkin Pancakes
-Vermont: Maple Creme Brulee
-Massachusetts: Chocolate Chip Cake with Chocolate Frosting
-Massachusetts: Boston Cream Pie
-Rhode Island: Johnnycakes
-Connecticut: Nutmeg Spice Cupcakes with Old-Fashioned Milk Buttercream
-New York: Red Velvet Cake
-New York: New York-Style Cheesecake
-Pennsylvania: Angel Food Cake
-Pennsylvania: Chocolate Chiffon Angel Food Cake
-Delaware: Coffee Cake
-Delaware: Dover Cake
-New Jersey: Old-Fashioned Ice Box Cake
-New Jersey: Easy Ice Box Cake
-New Jersey: Tomato Soup Cake
-Maryland: Smith Island Cake
-District of Columbia: Cherry Trifle

Specialties of the South include:
-Kentucky: Kentucky Derby Cake
-Kentucky: Kentucky Jam Cake
-Virginia: Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
-West Virginia: Apple-Butter Cake
-Tennessee: Tennessee Mountain Stack Cake
-North Carolina: Hummingbird Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
-South Carolina: Lady Baltimore Cake
-South Carolina: Huguenot Torte
-Georgia: Coca-Cola Cake
-Florida: Key Lime Pie
-Florida: Lemon-Ginger Cake
-Alabama: Silver Cake
-Alabama: Lane Cake
-Mississippi: Mud Cake
-Louisiana: Sweet Potato Cake
-Louisiana: King Cake
-Arkansas: Black Walnut Torte
-Arkansas: Homemade Dirt Cake
-Oklahoma: Pecan-Peach Upside-Down Cake
-Texas: Texas Sheet Cake with Old-Fashioned Chocolate Buttercream
-Texas: Margarita Mousse Cake
-Puerto Rico: Rum Cake

Specialties of the Midwest include:
-Ohio: Cassata Cake
-Michigan: Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake with Whole-Egg Buttercream
-Michigan: Rice Krispie Treats
-Indiana: Hoosier Cream Pie
-Illinois: Devil's Food Cake with Cooked-Meringue Buttercream
-Wisconsin: Brown Sugar, Cranberry, and Pecan Cake
-Missouri: St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake
-Missouri: 7 Up Pound Cake
-Iowa: Roasted Pecan Cornbread
-Nebraska: Kolace
-Kansas: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
-Minnesota: Bundt Cake
-South Dakota: Kuchen
-North Dakota: Oatmeal-and-Currant Cake

Recipes from the West include:
-Hawaii: Coconut Cupcakes with Old-Fashioned Tangy Buttercream
-Alaska: Baked Alaska
-Alaska: Amazing Vanilla Cake
-Washington: Apple Cake
-Washington: Coffee Buttercream Frosting
-California: Avocado Cupcakes
-California: Chiffon Cake
-Nevada: Basque Cake
-Oregon: Filbert Chocolate Cake
-Idaho: Huckleberry Cake
-Arizona: Jalapeno Cheddar Cheesecake
-Arizona: Ancho Chile Buttercream Frosting
-Utah: Utah Scones
-Colorado: Apple-Banana-Walnut Nugget Cake
-New Mexico: Bizcochito Cake
-Montana: Huckleberry Scones
-Wyoming: Honey and Raspberry Cheesecake

Recipes for the following "American Classics" are at the end of the regional chapters:
-Apple-Cranberry Cobbler
-Strawberry Shortcake
-Caramel Cake
-Yellow Cake with Chocolate Icing

"A Slice of America" features are scattered throughout the book and include tips (with series of photos) for icing a cake, assembling a layer cake, livening up a bundt cake and adjusting for altitude when baking; a history of baking in America with examples of early recipes; and the history of Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker.

There are full-page color photos of 32 of the 73 dishes. This count doesn't include fillings or frostings, only desserts and other baked goods.There are additional photos with the Slice of America instructions and the other tips (including zesting fruit and how to make a parchment cone).

This book would be a fun way to teach children about states.There is a icon of each state with the state capital indicated and at least one fun fact along with the recipe(s).Additional facts are scattered throughout the book. For example, Ohio was the birthplace of eight Presidents (who are listed along with their favorite dessert).

Nutrition information is not included with the recipes.

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Product Description:
Loving cake is a natural part of Warren Brown's constitution. Now, in order to form a more perfect union of flour, eggs, butter, and sugar, he's offering his unique take on classic dessert recipes from all fifty states, plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Starting out with Baked Alaska (what else?), Brown tours the whole country, updating regional confections like King Cake (Louisiana), Lady Baltimore Cake (South Carolina), Mud Cake (Mississippi), and Key Lime Pie (Florida). There are official state desserts (Maryland's Smith Island Cake; Massachusetts' Boston Cream Pie) and unofficial favorites (New York-style Cheesecake; St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake), as well as an ovenful of brand-new baked treats that Brown has created to honor specific states' agricultural bounty (Avocado Cupcakes for California; Huckleberry Cake for Idaho). Eye-catching photos, informative sidebars, and a separate section on buttercream frostings complete the mix.

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Kodak Digital Camera Battery Charger K8500 -C+1 Review

2010-07-20T11:40:00.000-04:00

I admit it... I'm cheap. I tried to buy a generic battery/charger for my Kodak camera. The thing crapped out in less than 2 months.

So I sucked it up and bought the Kodak battery/charger. Worth every penny. And still it was a much better deal than buying it at the store.

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Product Description:
Kodak Digital Camera Battery Charger K8500 -C+1

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Parisians: An Adventure History of Paris [Hardcover] Review

2010-07-20T09:52:00.000-04:00

Graham Robb is a modern-day flaneur.The concept of the flaneur was popularized by Charles Baudelaire who defined it as someone who strolls about the city in order to observe it and experience it, someone who might also be an esthete and a dandy.This book contains 19 anecdotes that are meditations on historical characters and the geographical locations with which they are associated.There is of course no better city to be a flaneur than Paris, a city where every street and building has a story to tell.

Robb has a novelist's imagination and eye for detail.The first episode is set in the late 18th century and concerns a young man coming to Paris from Corsica.The lad makes his way to the Palais Royal to experience to the pleasures of the flesh for the first time.The young man we find out later on was Napoleon.Apparently the residence Cardinal Richelieu and French Royalty had become the place to go for nightlife in Paris.

Before Baron Haussmann cleared whole neighborhoods to lay out wide boulevards along straight lines, Paris was a network of convoluted, narrow streets.It was a city without maps.Robb tells the story of Marie-Antoinette as she was fleeing the mobs during the French Revolution. She was trying to get to Vincennes butaccidentally gave her coachman the wrong directions and ended up in the hands of her enemies.

One of the most interesting and little-known figures brought to light by this study is Charles Axel Guillaumot.In the late 1700s the streets of the Left Bank were starting to cave in as a result of many years of quarrying below the city.Guillaumot, who was an architect and surveyor, decided to reinforce the caverns underneath the city and use them as a place to bury the dead, thus creating the infamous Catacombs.

There is also a chapter on Hitler's one and only whirlwind tour of the city with his sculptor Arno Breker and architect Albert Speer.The tour lasted only two and half hours but apparently Hilter beside himself after absorbing the splendor of the city.It reminds us that he was an artist before he became a politician.

Every chapter is beautifully written and full of surprises.One can imagine that there are many more stories such as these.They seem arbitrary but nevertheless insightful.Robb has repeated the succuss of an earlier work, The Discovery of France: A Historical Geographyin which he does for rural France what he does for Paris in this volume.

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Product Description:
The secrets of the City of Light, revealed in the lives of the great,the near-great, and the forgotten—by the author of the acclaimed The Discovery of France.This is the Paris you never knew. From the Revolution to the present, Graham Robb has distilled a series of astonishing true narratives, all stranger than fiction, of the lives of the great, the near-great, and the forgotten.

A young artillery lieutenant, strolling through the Palais-Royal, observes disapprovingly the courtesans plying their trade. A particular woman catches his eye; nature takes its course. Later that night Napoleon Bonaparte writes a meticulous account of his first sexual encounter. A well-dressed woman, fleeing the Louvre, takes a wrong turn and loses her way in the nameless streets of the Left Bank. For want of a map-there were no reliable ones at the time-Marie-Antoinette will go to the guillotine.

Baudelaire, the photographer Marville, Baron Haussmann, the real-life Mimi of La Bohème, Proust, Adolf Hitler touring the occupied capital in the company of his generals, Charles de Gaulle (who is suspected of having faked an assassination attempt in Notre Dame)-these and many more are Robb's cast of characters, and the settings range from the quarries and catacombs beneath the streets to the grand monuments to the appalling suburbs ringing the city today. The result is a resonant, intimate history with the power of a great novel. 16 pages of illustrations

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Return of the Incredible Machine: Contraptions Review

2010-07-20T07:11:00.000-04:00

If you start playing this game, don't plan on doing anything else for a few hours. It is very hard to stop. Fantastic thinking, problem solving, logic, physics skills for kids and adults. I'm about half way through the medium level of puzzles and I'm having a great time.

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Motherhood Maternity: Light Support Nursing Sleep Bra Review

2010-07-19T21:51:00.000-04:00

This is a fantastic sleep bra for nursing in the middle of the night.I took this with me to the hospital to have after I delivered and I'm so glad!When you are exhausted you don't want to fumble with the regular nursing bra clips when you have a hungry baby waiting and your half asleep.This bra was true to size, unlike the Medela night bra which runs a size small.I suggest the black as it won't show milk as much as the white.

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Product Description:
STRETCH FABRIC LACE TRIM WRAP COTTON / SPANDEX NURSING SLEEP BRA HAND WASH IMPORTED

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Disney Fairies: Tinkerbell and The Lost Treasure Review

2010-07-19T16:21:00.000-04:00

For those of you who loved the first Tinkerbell game, you will be disappointed in the second one.The game is able to be played in two different modes, one story mode and one fairy mode.The fairy mode is very much like the first game only this time you are able to be the type of fairy you want and then do little chores for other fairies.You also have a little house to decorate. It is very fun but they dumbed it down so much from the first game, if you are looking for a challenge, dont get the game.The story mode is INCREDIBLY simple.I was able to beat it in less than a hour.No challenge.No excitement.Very sad little game.

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Product Description:
Somewhere north of Never Land lies an elusive treasure, and there's only one person adventurous enough to pursue it: the legendary Tinker Bell. Join this intrepid fairy for a charming quest that will lead you down a trail to lost treasure. Journey by way of Pixie Hollow, where you can explore a wondrous magical world filled with delightful fairies, and set off on a truly magical adventure.

Play as Tinkerbell
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Explore Pixie Hollow
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See characters from the movie
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Synopsis
In Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure, you'll have the opportunity to create and customize up to five unique fairies or play as Tinker Bell as you embark on a thrilling adventure north of Never Land. Interact with the adorable residents of Pixie Hollow, selecting any of hundred of items to customize the fairies' wardrobes and homes. Play dozens of mini games, quests and puzzles related to Pixie Hollow and the Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure DVD movie, and continue the fun in Pixie Hollow Online, where you can upload original fairy avatars and convert your DS fairy currency.

Key Game Features:

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Red Dead Redemption Review

2010-07-19T15:29:00.000-04:00

Synopsis:
From the team that brought you Grand Theft Auto, you are now thrown head long into a wild west adventure. You control John Marston. This game is set in the desert in 1911 (same year as my favorite .45 was made). You are somewhere near the Mexico border. John was a criminal that ticked off many people in his past and now has to atone for what he did. People come out of the woodwork either as his friends or enemies.

My play experience:
On the PS3 the graphics are really sharp and crisp. The textures, the ambiance all bring the wild west to your home living room.

In recent years there have been games that have tried to capture the essence of the western genre. For example Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood which on the surface was a pretty good game, it however was not a very good story. In COJ the main characters are brothers that are ex-confederate soldiers. The story never really grabs hold and to be honest I never finished COJ. The story in Red Dead Redemption is done so well that it never feels pushed or contrived. Instead its done like an old western movie. Its gritty and a world that beckons you back time and time again.

For now let me discuss the cool features:

Horses: +
I think they put a horse into a motion capture room and had him run around. In Assassins Creed II the horse was a good way to get from town to town and the motion was pretty real. In Red Dead Redemption its super smooth an you feel like your out exploring the desert on a horse with no name... Kick your horse too much to get him to chase down that coach, you could be looking at a wild ride as he tries to buck you off. The longer you keep 1 horse the more stamina and other abilities it gets.
EDIT: I see they actually DID use a live horse to make the motion capture. It shows.

You can also ride stage coaches and trains. Or rob them, its up to you. See gameplay below.

Gunfighting: +
You are a real gunslinger in this game. To get prepped to get it I watched Young Guns [Blu-ray] and a couple of other westerns. This game matches the combat of say GTA and COD. Where you shoot someone matters, and it can affect your character in different ways too. Some of my opponents are gonna have a limp for a while at least.

Atmosphere: +
There are critters running all over as you ride through the desert landscape. It feels dusty, makes me want to wear a bandanna as I play. When you get low on cash you can kill and skin critters for a few coin. There are actually many ways that you can earn money in this game besides being a hard criminal.

World: +
So far its just massive. I can only compare it to the run from Commonlands to Qeynos in EQ. It seems to be fully explorable and I have found very few places I couldn't go. It really is huge. I have seen that someone said it was the biggest world ever done in a Rockstar game. Which is impressive considering that those games can go on forever. The land is great in that it hardly ever repeats as you ride. Matter of fact I haven't seen any textures or vistas that look the same. Maybe there are but they are so far apart that you wont notice it. An example of this is the train ride into the mountains in Uncharted 2.

Towns: +
Unlike GTA you wont have a huge city to run around. Out west these were small settlements and usually had only a couple of hundred people in them. Think about all the old wild west movies you have seen where there is maybe 10 shops and a few houses in the town directly. The way they did the towns is very endearing, because it makes it an immersion type of game experience.

Poker: +
I love the side games. I have lost my fair share of my real money playing poker and now I can do this in game too.

Gameplay options: +
You can be the good guy or be a down right criminal. The game system supports either mode and varying degrees in between. This allows RDR to be more than just a shooter, but more like an RPG. Be careful who you pull your gun on. If you do it in town you can start something that will ultimately lower your honor.

Controls: +/-
The controls are a bit different here and do take some time to figure out. But any game can be that way. If you go from say a driving game to a shooter you might hit the wrong buttons once and a while. After playing this for nearly 2 days solid now and not switching to other games in between, I have totally become comfortable with the controlling scheme.

Multiplayer: NA
I do not enjoy multiplayer shooters. I am really no good at it so I tend to not play it much or at all. That being said I jumped in a couple of games and it was ok. If your a hard core multiplayer person please check other reviews for this. I would not do it justice because I tend to be jaded with regard to multiplayer games.

Replayability:

I am almost done and I can see where I would have like to do something different in the way I played this. That being said, I think that I could go back through and try it again maybe being a bit evil this time. For that I think that this is a game you could play over and over, adjust the story line, and enjoy it each time you did.

Summary:
This game is really appealing if:
A. You enjoy GTA type of game play, open world and a morality system that challenges you.
B. Fan of westerns and cowboy movies. If you hate them and think they are silly then you probably wouldnt enjoy this.

If you are A+B then this game is a hands down favorite pick to have in your PS3 arsenal.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Some Tips: (no spoilers)
I have almost 30 hours into this game and I am not done. I do goof around alot and like to go hunting and see what other mischief I can get into. Playing poker for 3 hours doesnt hurt either. That being said I want to drop some tips in to help those of you still waiting or are looking.

Horses:
1. Dont get to attached to your horse. Think of them like a car, reason being there are tons of ways they can die. From random mountain lions, to getting shot by the enemy to you shooting them in the back of the head on accident when wolves are attacking (sorry skippy :( )
2. When going in to attack a gang leave your horse way back and run up. When you have hog tied your bad guy you can whistle ^ arrow and he will run back over to you.
3. If you buy a horse the deed is in your bag, click it to call your horse back from the dead. (thanks S.L.V)

Gambling:
Like in real life its alot about luck so go in with the thought you'll do 1 buy in and when that money is gone leave, go kill some stuff and come back later. Your hands may improve

Time:
1. Pausing the game with the start button will show what time it is. Saving the game gives you 6 hours of rest. If you like shopping be sure you go to bed no later than 3am. Then when you get back up the stores will all be open, and you can go out and have a blast.

Camp:
Camp whenever you have a long ride ahead of you. As long as you have bought a map you can go to that place from your campground. Once in your campground you can select where to go without having to burn up the 6 hours of sleep. Then after it loads you will be at your destination. Good stuff.

Thats it for now. If I figure out any more lil tidbits Ill share them here with you. Have fun, it really is a great game.

Thanks for reading my review.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Red Dead Redemption

Product Description:
Red Dead Redemption is an open-world, third-person, action-adventure game set at the tail end of the American West West era. Action takes place in the first few years of the twentieth century and revolves around the choices that the protagonist, former outlaw John Marston, is forced to make due to his blemished past. The game features a morality system assigning honor and fame points generated through the player's choices. It also features Wild West themed mini-games, new targeting and cover systems, extensive horse riding abilities, a wealth of period specific weapons and more than 40 huntable animals.

Story
Red Dead Redemption is a Western epic, set at the turn of the 20th century when the lawless and chaotic badlands began to give way to the expanding reach of government and the spread of the Industrial Age. A follow up to the 2004 hit Red Dead Revolver, this game tells the story of former outlaw John Marston, taking players on a great adventure across the American frontier.

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Sony Walkman E NWZ E345 16GB Video Player (Red) Review

2010-07-19T13:41:00.000-04:00

This is a wonderful little MP3 player for someone looking for excellent audio quality, small form factor, low weight, and low cost. Even the screen quality on this unit is good enough to support good video playback, but that's not really this player's forte. But what it does do audio-wise, it does exceptionally well, and Sony has certainly developed the unit with the same high quality electronic audio circuitry that has been used in many other of its recent MP3 units.

The player is small and light, and has a solid, high quality feel, with no squeaks or loose parts. The menu is driven from Sony's standard MP3 menuing system, a system which is very easy to master within a minute or two. The 16gb storage space provides plenty of room to store albums, too. At 192kps, this unit will hold well over 100 albums, and still have room for storing digital photos and some videos with room to spare.

Throw out the supplied "headphones" (and I use that term advisedly) away, and combine this player with a set of Klipsch headphones (or even one of Sony's better ear bud products), and then you'll experience see the true audio capabilities of this player. The audio performance will easily surpass many of the other MP3 players on the market, and at higher bitrates with a good set of headphones, you'll have a true marvel of miniaturized electronics.

At under $100, this is a real bargain, and an enjoyable one, at that. Five stars for performance, five for price.

PROS
1. Extremely high quality sound reproduction
2. 16Gb
3. Bright, crisp screen (OLED, of course)
4. Small form factor
5. Quality construction and quality internal electronics
6. Low price
7. Excellent battery life (20 - 30 actual hours per charge)

CONS
1. No 32Gb version available
2. Color available only in red or black (nice, but where's the other colors??)
3. Album browse still not available in text-less format (which makes it easier to see more albums per screen; why was this abandoned?)
4. Headphones are a joke: unless you realize this, you'll not experience the units' true sound capabilities
5. Somewhat limited set of cases (apparently, no hard plastic case is yet available for the unit, only flexible polypropylene)

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony Walkman E NWZ E345 16GB Video Player (Red)

Product Description:
16GB WalkmanVideo MP3-RED

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Silly Bandz Rock Bandz - 24 Pack Review

2010-07-19T11:25:00.000-04:00

Silly Bandz are a big fad here where I live with my 6th grade daughter.They sell out in stores fast.This Rock Bandz set is particularly in demand.

When I bought it, the price was about the same as what you pay in a store with free shipping.

No hassle.No driving around to store after store waiting for a shipment.Smiles all around!Buy online!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Silly Bandz Rock Bandz - 24 Pack

Product Description:
Silly Bandz are awesome! They come in a variety of colors and styles and kids of all ages, 3 to 103, absolutely love them. Each pack of RockBandz Silly Bandz include 24 pieces - 4 each of the Mic Stand, Rocker, Rock Handz, Guitar, Drums, and ROCK! Silly Bandz are die-molded with non-toxic silicone and you will absolutely love how these silly bands return to their original shape after being worn as a bracelet, necklace or maybe even a pony-tail holder. That's right Silly Bandz can even be worn as a fashion accessory. These are just a few of the ways people are using Silly Bandz.

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Red Dead Redemption Review

2010-07-19T08:31:00.000-04:00

Please ignore the reviewer that stated (repeatedly) that "this game is just like GTA IV... If you hated that you will definitely hate this." That could not be further from the truth!!

Red Dead Redemption is Rockstar's newest sandbox game, and it is a very good change up on the already popular GTA series. Let me start off by saying I have always been a huge fan of GTA games... until GTA IV. Tried and tried to play it, just could not get into it. Everything about it was wrong for me, and I know a lot of others felt the same. Sure RDR is very similar to GTA IV, yet everything about it is so much better.

Graphics are amazing, game play is easy to pick up and hard to put down, shooting system is improved, horse riding is intuitive, and hunting is a blast, just to name a few. This is GTA on steroids. Don't get me wrong, the huge cities and fancy sports cars were a ton of fun, but this is so much better. Set in the early 20th century, Red Dead Redemption takes place in the ever changing Wild West. Dusty old towns, bustling saloons, and family ranches are presented with such accuracy and clarity, you'd think you are back in the old west yourself!

Red Dead Redemption's scale is beyond HUGE!! The Wild West has never looked so good. There's a fullness to the sunsets that's so breathtaking you almost forget about the task at hand. The characters play a role nearly as big as the landscape, if not more. The dialog is smooth and witty, and the hometown feel of McFarlanes ranch only adds to the beauty.

There are so many side missions and quests, it's tough to get bored. From helping a stranded women on the side of the road, to tracking and shooting trophy bucks, there is truly something for everyone. Don't feel like shooting or riding around on your horse? Play some cards! Drink a shot!

Your thinking what I'm thinking aren't you? GTA on horses. Yes, but as you play on through the game you will quickly realize it is so much more than that. It's a nice change up in the video game world, and quite a surprise in the western genre.

Now I know this was a very short, somewhat random review, but I hope it provided enough insight to help you decide on the purchase.

***********UPDATE**********
I have gotten a few comments about my review. Some feeling that I have not experienced all the game has to offer, and should wait until I'm further along and write a detailed review. My review was an attempt to give a quick firsthand look, and to knock dead a few misconceptions. I believe all first time buyers need an initial review to help them decide to buy it or not. The game experience should be left up to each individual.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Red Dead Redemption

Product Description:
Red Dead Redemption is an open-world, third-person, action-adventure game set at the tail end of the American West West era. Action takes place in the first few years of the twentieth century and revolves around the choices that the protagonist, former outlaw John Marston, is forced to make due to his blemished past. The game features a morality system assigning honor and fame points generated through the player's choices. It also features Wild West themed mini-games, new targeting and cover systems, extensive horse riding abilities, a wealth of period specific weapons and more than 40 huntable animals.

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Dolfino Silicone Tri-view Mask with DT Snorkel in Blue Review

2010-07-18T20:53:00.000-04:00

I just used this for the first time on a snorkel trip, and I had many problems.When I used the purge valve, more water came in than went out.It was also a pain to keep the snorkel on the mask when I put the mask on.Lastly, at some points water went in the mask, and I had to keep adjusting it to fit it tighter.Even when I had it on tight, it would loosen.It wasn't a lot of water but still.

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TRENDnet SecurView Wireless Day/Night Pan/Tilt/Zoom Internet Surveillance Camera TV-IP422W (White) Review

2010-07-18T19:28:00.000-04:00

Got this a few days ago. Very easy to configure. Had mine set up on my wireless network in minutes. Much better video quality than I expected for this price.
Definitely meant to be used indoors in low light. When I point it out the window, the image just washes out and goes all white. But indoors, with normal lighting, the image is great. Night time image is very good. The built-in IR LEDs work well to about 20ft or so. Beyond that, things are pretty dark. I tried an experiment and turned on a desk lamp with a very low power fluorescent bulb and the camera had enough light to see everything in the house in full color. Really good low light performance.
The microphone is also very sensitive. Almost too sensitive. It picks up every sound in the house. I can hear the ceiling fan, air conditioner, TV in another room, people talking in other rooms etc. Has 2-way audio but haven't tried it yet. UPDATE- two way audio works great. You need a powered, amplified speaker; I used an old computer speaker.
Super easy to operate. You don't need any special software to remotely view, just Internet Explorer. You can view with Firefox, but you lose some features. When viewing remotely over the Internet, you can click on any point in the image and the camera centers itself on that point.
Tons more options and features but, you can read about them on the manufacturers website.
If this had a true optical zoom, it would be just about perfect but, full Pan Tilt and Zoom cameras cost a lot more than this one.
I am pleasantly surprised with this camera. I've tried several 'affordable' cameras over the past few years and have been quite disappointed with them. The only really good network PTZ I've found is a nine hundred dollar Panasonic. Too expensive for me and it does not have audio.
If you need audio and full range pan ant tilt, but don't need zoom, this is probably your best choice right now for any price. Panasonic makes a nice, small, wireless camera with audio and pan and tilt but it does not have the range of motion that this camera has and this camera has much better low light image quality.

REVIEW UPDATE- I've had mine now for several months and it still works great. I changed the video setting to "outdoor" and now it works perfectly in full sunlight. And it still works just as good in full dark as it did with the other video settings. I was having some problems with the camera losing it's wireless connection to my Linksys router. I would have to power cycle the camera to get it to reconnect. But then I started having other problems with the Linksys router so I replaced my old Linksys router with a newer D-Link router and the problems have gone away. The camera has not lost it's connection since I replaced the router.
Because this camera is UV sensitive and does not have a switchable mechanical UV filter, daylight images sometimes look a little fuzzy, as if the lens is dirty. This is most noticeable when viewing indoors with a lot of sunlight coming in through the windows. I have other UV sensitive cameras and they exhibit the same behavior.
Overall, I am still quite pleased with this camera and just wish Amazon would make it a Gold Box deal so I could get another one!
Amazon recently put the Panasonic BLC131A wireless network camera on sale for about 1/2 price so I got one to try. The Trendnet TV-IP422W is far superior to the Panasonic; it has much better image quality, sound quality and range of motion, and the Trendnet configuration screens seem much more intuitive to me.
If Trendnet would add a zoom lens and a mechanical UV filter, this camera would be perfect.

Click Here to see more reviews about: TRENDnet SecurView Wireless Day/Night Pan/Tilt/Zoom Internet Surveillance Camera TV-IP422W (White)

Product Description:
INTERNET PAN/TILT SECURITY 2WAYWRLSAUDIO DAY/NIGHT WRLS CAMERA SERVER

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Rock Band 2 Triple Cymbal Expansion Kit Review

2010-07-18T14:15:00.000-04:00

Second Update 12/16/2008: UPS just dropped a package from Mad Catz.They didn't fix my broken cymbal, they sent me an entirely new package, cymbal, mounting hardware and all.

No note included saying what was wrong, or anything, just a new cymbal.It looks like it's been handled, which probably means that someone tested it out to make sure it worked right, before they sent it to me (or that it's a refurbished.)

I tried it out, and all seems well.Kudos to Mad Catz for the excellent customer service.Their site says 4 to 6 weeks, and it only took 12 days from drop off, to return.I'm psyched.
Update: After playing for an hour or so this afternoon, it's evident that one of my cymbals is defective.It's sometimes registering two hits, instead of one.I called Mad Catz, and the guy I got was super friendly, extremely understanding, and set me up with an RMA.He said the website suggested 4-6 weeks, but realistically, it's more like 2 to 3.I'll update again when I get the new cymbal to see if it's working properly.I'm glad I didn't just try returning it to Amazon to get another, they appear to be completely sold out everywhere I've checked today.Glad I pre-ordered mine 3 months ago.

My three pack finally arrived last night, and I was psyched to get them.Ever since they were announced, I've been excited about them.The way I assumed they worked, was actually different than how they do work.More on that later.

First, some images, to show how freaking cool they look:

The whole kitHi-Hat CymbalRide Cymbal

The cymbals certainly give the drums the look of a real drumkit (okay, at least a real electronic drumkit,) but how do they play?

They take some getting used to, that's for sure.I just got them last night, so I'm still in the adjusting phase. But right from the get go, my wife said "You look like you're having more fun."Which I totally was.It felt like I was playing more realistically than I had without the cymbals.

When I first bought the cymbals, I assumed that they would just act as extenders of their respective colors.So when you'd hit the blue, it made whatever sound the blue one should at that specific point in time. As Rock Banders know, the drums pretty much all double as cymbals or drums, depending on the part of the song.I was pleasantly surprised that the new cymbal pads are dedicated as cymbals.So, if you hit the "ride" cymbal, it makes the ride cymbal no matter what.Same for the hi-hat, and crash cymbals.

It may throw your brain off, when you hit the cymbal when it's a tom-tom in the game, and you hear the wrong sound, but it won't break your streak, or count against your overall score.As long as you hit the right color, the sound that the game makes doesn't matter.

My favorite thing about the other game, you know, that one I returned already, was that there were dedicated cymbal pads with their drumkit.The Rock Band 2 drumkit, with the Mad Catz add-on cymbal pack (a measely $29.99) is 100% totally, absolutely better than GHWT's, hands down.

The game is more fun when playing drums, with the cymbals.It's more realistic, and more creative.I especially dig that during the "Overdrive fills", you can be a lot more musical with the drums, with dedicated toms/cymbals.If you're a die hard drummer for a Rock Band band, you absolutely need to spend the $29.99 to get these cymbals, pronto.

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Product Description:
Mad Catz- Rock Band 2 Triple Cymbal Expansion Kit provides the means for you to drum like the pros do with velocity- sensitive Crash, Ride, and Hi-Hat cymbals. With the easy-to-install mounting brackets, you have total control and can setup your drum kit in any configuration you see fit. Once your drum kit has been customized to your standards, you-ll be all set to attack your song library with new vigor and achieve the next step in drumming perfection.

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Archos 5 32 GB Internet Tablet with Android Review

2010-07-18T11:20:00.000-04:00

I just got my new Android 5 500GB direct from Archos yesterday and its quite a beauty.I'm upgrading from my old Archos 5 250GB, so that will be my primary point of comparison.I also have the following to compare to:iPod Touch 64GB, Archos 605, Walkman X, Samsung P2, and a host of other MP3 players large and small.

Given that my iPod Touch upgrade this year was less than astounding, I pretty much figured that this upgrade for Archos would be similarly understated.Mainly I just wanted the extra hard drive so I could backup all my laptops onto my music player.I was wrong!The new Android version seems to have a whole new feel both in form factor and the new software.I had heard that Archos was having problems with the software, but they seem to have ironed most of them out as of 1.1 firmware release.I did update my firmware immediately, and the process was quite smooth.

I'm going to rate this player on my absolute scale.I will also be making notes on the value of the upgrade from my old Archos 5.Note: I mostly use this as a media center to play music and video; secondarily as a backup drive.

Let's get to it then, these are the things I love about my new Android:

1) 500GB -- totally awesome amount of disk, I can now put just about every digital file I own on the Archos.
2) Android interface -- the overall feel of the software interface has definitively improved with the integration of Android.Effects are crisper, the esthetics are cleaner, things seem to happen faster.I especially like how easy it is to access the most recently played song or video from the main screen, pops up with a little thumbnail that you tap on and voila, resumes right where you left off!
3) Apps -- with Android we now have access to some serious app selection.Of course, nobody compares to the Apple App Store, but this comes the closest.
4) Weight -- this actually feels lighter to me than my 250GB.
5) Dock/DVR -- this popped right into my old 5 DVR and started playing right away.I still think this is the best DVR/Player combination available of all the MP3 players.
6) Video/Hi Def -- of the players I have owned, this has the best, biggest, and highest resolution screen.
7) Portrait/Landscape -- Archos has borrowed the iPhone trick of rotating the display according to orientation.I guess they have an accelerometer in there now, I dunno.Still, its fun to see this feature on an Archos.Its a lot easier to navigate playlists in portrait mode.
8) Easy and regular firmware updates -- with a WiFi connection, the firmware updates are easily performed on the unit itself.That's the easiest system I've seen of all my players.One thing I've learned about Archos over the years, they will put out a steady stream of firmware updates.
9) WMV/MTP mode-- very smooth interface to Windows for either Media Monkey or Windows Media Player.
10) Dedicated volume button -- power and volume buttons have been conveniently located onto the top edge.This is actually much easier to use when it is docked on the DVR (which is where mine spends most of its life!).
11)Sound quality is pretty good, sounds great through my Klipsch speakers and seems to have more oomph than my other players.
12) WiFi/Browser -- has a good browser and WiFi connection has worked well for me.I think the keyboard is better than the Touch's, although Safari is probably the slightly superior browser.The bigger screen also helps for browsing.Overall I'm inclined to give the Archos the top ranking for browsers.
13) I just discovered Twidroid, one of many apps pre-loaded, allows me to check my Twitter in a really nice format -- love it!
14) Portability -- well there's only so much portability that can be expected with a screen and hard drive this large.This new design is smoother and rounder so its a little more comfortable in a pocket.It is very easy to carry around as a handheld device, fits nicely in my hand as I stroll about the house trying out all of the Android Apps!In any case, this is not as portable as a Touch but I think its pretty good for a small computer -- which is basically what this is.
15) No extra plug ins needed (so far!).Always in the past I've laid out another $40 for additional Archos plugins to play iPod format music and other video formats.So far I haven't had to do that -- thank you Archos :)
16) Archos will stand behind their product.I've had to send in a couple of Archos units over the years and they have always been happy to either repair or replace the unit without quibbling about it, as long as its under warranty.Note: it did take two weeks to get my unit back!
17) Multi threading: now I show my engineer/geek side.This baby can do a bunch of different stuff at the same time, unlike the iPhone/Touch which can really only do one thing at a time. The Android can be doing other stuff while you are listening music.I love the little bar on the top that you can pull down and switch to any other task that is running.
18) Built-in kickstand, very nice feature.
19) Stylus friendly touch screen -- sometimes you just get tired of trying to type a touchscreen keyboard with fat fingers!In general, this is one of my favorite touch screens.Most of the other touch screens, including iPod/iPhone, are capacitance which means stylus won't work
20) Micro USB cable plug-in: finally a standardized USB plug and you can have it resting on its kickstand while plugged in :)

Given that the Archos tops the class in several categories, and continues to be the best 500GB 5 inch screen player available I give it about a 4.7 stars out of 5 (round to 5).There are a few things I'm less than thrilled about:

1) Update: I believe you can now format your drive in a Windows friendly format on 1.7.96 version of firmware. External hard drive EXT3 -- as I understand it, Archos changed to the EXT3 hard drive format for reasons of speed and reliability.The result for me is that I can no longer simply select hard drive MSC mode, plug the Archos into a Windows machine and expect to access the drive.You have to install an Ext3 driver such as EXT2 IFS on your Windows PC. Once I did that I was able to access the hard drive and backup files to my hearts content.
2) The playlist interface didn't get much of an upgrade and its still kind of clunky.I want to simply tap my playlist and it starts playing.Often times I have to do a couple of extra taps to get the thing playing.
3) We lost the dedicated play button and removable battery a while back -- but I still miss them both!None of my favorite touch screen players has either of these features.I'm also missing the brown metallic color and the rubbery backside.
4) Finding a case for this baby is no easy trick. You're not going to find one at the local Best Buy I'm afraid.In the past I've resorted to ordering my Archos cases from European companies like I-nique and Noreve.This is generally true of any player that is not an iPod or a Zune.
5) As always with Archos, you must remember that you are dealing with a French based company.This means that they don't always provide the best support/service/upgrades to us Americans.
6) Lets face it, Archos is always playing catch up.Some of the new features aren't fully functional yet.I do have faith that Archos will fix all the little glitches with things like GPS over the course of the next 6 months.The Apps available are currently a bit limited. I expect this will improve over the coming months.
7) Keep in mind that this is not a unit for the faint of heart.This is more for the hobbyist who wants a cutting edge experience that may take some messing around to get it just the way you want it.If you want something easy that requires minimum effort then iPods are going to be more your cup of tea.

For me this is still the best player of its class -- that class being large hard drive, big screen PMP players with other fun features.Android makes for some fun possibilities, and overall I'm impressed with this as an upgrade.Once again, if you don't mind a smaller screen and you love apps I suggest you get an iPod Touch.If what you care about most is sound quality you may want to get a Walkman X.For me those are your top 3 touch screen players, it just depends on what you care about the most.

Note: 10-23-2009;I upgraded to firmware version 1.2.03 which fixes some App, Browser, and YouTube issues.Apps do seem happier now, upgrade process was very smooth.Still happily listening to tunes for about 8 hours a day with no problems :)

Update 11-7-2009:I've been running version 1.2.15 with a host of bug fixes and the unit does seem more stable in general now.Wifi is working better and USB connection seems more reliable.

Update 11-23-2009: Upgrade to firmware v 1.3.07 -- a long list of bug fixes including a few improvements that I had hoped for to control the scanning of multimedia files/ ArcLibrary.Got an AppsLib update which seems to work more reliably.There seem to be a lot more apps available now (300 ish) in AppsLib.Just keeps getting better and better!Still is playing music day in and day out with no problems and I'm backing up 2 laptops worth of files onto my 5 IT.

Update 12-18-2009: I've been on firmware 1.4.16 for over a week now.Lots of little fixes, seems even more stable now.

Update 2-11-2010: Firmware 1.7.33 (Android Donut) upgrade.The upgrade was a bit of work, I ended up reformatting the drive and starting anew.However, power saving seems to work a lot better and I haven't seen it reset itself for quite a while now.This seems to be the most solid release yet!

Update 4-8-2010: Firmware 1.7.96:just keeps getting better!Several annoying bugs fixed, Deep Sleep and Windows hard drive modes have been added as helpful new features among other things.This seems even more stable than previous versions.This is still my main car and home music player of choice.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Archos 5 32 GB Internet Tablet with Android

Product Description:
Archos, award-winning for its constant technology innovation, now introduces its new Archos 5 Internet Tablet. This product combines all the multimedia know-how that Archos is famous for, with the Android operating system. It offers you an uncompromised Internet, Media and TV experience in a customizable interface. In perpetual evolution with the continuous arrival of new applications, you can personalize your Archos 5 Internet Tablet to perfectly reflect your tastes and needs.
All the multimedia know-how that Archos is famous for, with the ANDROID operating system. Click to enlarge.

HD Multimedia

Brilliant 5-inch Touchscreen
The Archos 5 features an 800 pixel-wide 5-inch touchscreen, an ultra thin design, and an accelerometer for portrait or landscape viewing. Whether enjoying media yourself or sharing with friends, it delivers outstanding image quality.

HD Video Formats
Don't compromise--the Archos 5 Internet Tablet is able to handle the widest range of video formats, even at HD 720p resolution (H.264 HD, MPEG-4 HD, and WMV HD5).

Your Music Everywhere
Enjoy more music formats directly on your device (MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, AAC+, FLAC and OGG Vorbis). In addition, the unique Archos music browsing system allows you to create your playlists without using a PC. Who needs a tuner? Just plug your Archos 5 into amplified speakers and you're all set.

Experience Your Photos
Browse through your photos with a simple flick of your finger or play a slideshow with music and transition effects. The high resolution screen is great for zooming in on details.

Take It All
The devices features a 32 GB Flash drive and a microSD card slot for expanding the player's capacity, so you won't waste time choosing what files to bring along--take your entire media library with you.
Personalize your Archos 5 Internet Tablet with apps to suit your tastes and needs. Click to enlarge.

Find your destination with the on-board GPS. Click to enlarge.

Internet

Fast & Convenient Web Surfing
The Archos 5 lets you easily surf the Web. With a Wi-Fi connection (802.11 b/g/n) and the new OMAP3440 processor running at 800 MHz, you get quick and responsive Internet browsing just like on a laptop, without the endless waits for page loads. Enjoy the Web in full width thanks to the 800 pixel wide screen, with no need to zoom in or out.

3.5 G Mobile Phone Connection
If you own a standard mobile phone equipped with 3.5 G & Bluetooth technology, simply pair it up to your Archos 5 Internet Tablet via Bluetooth. This will give you easy access to Internet directly on your device anytime and anywhere.

Web TV and Web Radio
In less than 3 clicks, you can access nearly 1,000 Web TV channels, over 10,000 Web radio stations, and 100,000 podcasts. There's no downloading wait time. Radio and TV start streaming directly from a worldwide list of traditional and independent radio and TV stations.

Media Club
The Media Club remains the easiest way to get video and music content on the go. With an even richer library with new partners and some of the biggest industry names, you'll discover a large library of movies, documentaries, music albums, and games. Buy or rent your entertainment in a couple of clicks and start watching it on your Archos 5 Internet Tablet.

GPS

Full-Featured GPS
Whether you are walking or driving, you will always find your destination with the on-board GPS. The GPS includes voice assistance, points of interest, fast multiple-route calculations, and car/pedestrian/adventure modes based on the latest maps from Tele Atlas with 3D landmarks.

You can go to your account at anytime on the Archos website and purchase the available maps or cities.

3D Photo-Realistic City Navigation
Find your way around cities in 3D Photo Realistic mode. With multi-angle views and four zoom levels, you'll be able to recognize places as if you had taken your own photos from the sky. This is ideal when walking and visiting large cities in the US (available Q1 2010).

Free 7-Day Trial
Try the GPS for 7 days free of charge.

TV

HD TV-Out With the Optional DVR Station or HDMI Mini Dock
Turn your TV into a real web-connected multimedia platform. Enjoy all the Archos functions on the big screen of your living room. Watch your movies in HD (720p), listen to your music, share your high resolution pictures, play games or surf the Web.

Record your favorite programs with the Optional DVR Station
With the optional DVR Station, you have the perfect match for your Archos 5 Internet Tablet at home. Record TV shows and movies in one step using with the included remote control. Then you can enjoy your recording at home on your wide-screen TV or in the palm of your hand when you are out.
Add the DVR Station to record TV, play video back to your TV and charge your Archos. Click to enlarge.

Get extended playback and S-Video/Composite video with the Battery Dock. Click to enlarge.

Use the DVR Snap-on to record from almost any audio or video analog source when you are on the move. Click to enlarge.

Applications

Ready to go with pre-installed applications

Enjoy a selection of fun and practical applications for daily use right out of the box:
eBuddy IM: for instant messaging
The multi-platform instant messaging application. Chat from one place to all your friends on the various platforms. Supports MSN, Yahoo, Gtalk, Facebook, ICQ, MySpace and AIM (AOL)

DroidIn: for connecting to LinkedIn
Connect to your LinkedIn account to exchange information, ideas and opportunities. Stay informed about your contacts and industry. Find the people & knowledge you need to achieve your goals. Control your career online.

Twitroid: for instant micro-blogging
Twitroid is the industry-standard Twitter client for the Android platform. Easily access the famous free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables you to send and read tweets, publish short URLs and pictures.

Deezer: for music streaming
Enjoy 35 free web radio stations and the SmartRadio directly on your Archos 5 Internet Tablet.

Dailymotion: for viewing and sharing videos
Browse videos by searching tags, channels or user-created groups.

QuickPedia: for access to Wikipedia
Access to the free web-based and collaborative encyclopedia.

ThinkFree Mobile: for viewing Office documents
This application allows you to view, edit and create Microsoft Office 97/2000/XP/2003/2007 Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF documents. You will get a free update before year-end allowing you to also edit and create documents.

E-mail & contacts
Stay in contact by using the full integrated Email and contacts applications.

Moov: toggles easily between your apps
Moov wraps up your search needs all in one place, so you can quickly toggle between the product's contacts, Google, Wikipedia and the remaining Applications on your product.

CraigsPhone: for access to online classified advertisements
CraigsPhone is a centralized network of online communities, featuring free online classified advertisements--with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, gigs, resumes, and discussion forums.

High Paying Jobs: for access to a list of jobs (US & Canada only)
Browse through jobs lists directly on the Product. Search over 2 million jobs from all the leading jobsites.

Add-ons

DVR Station
This accessory allows you to record TV, play video back to your TV and charge your Archos. Recording your favorite programs has never been so easy. You can also surf the Web or stream web video to your TV while comfortably laid back on your couch using the included remote control as a keyboard and mouse pointer.

DVR Snap-on
Use our DVR Snap-on to record from almost any audio or video analog source when you are on the move.

Mini Dock
Transfer your files directly from USB keys, digital cameras, or other portable media players. Quickly charge your Archos with the included charger/adapter. Play video out to your TV with video output in high quality S-Video or standard quality composite.

HDMI Mini Dock
Optimize TV playback with HDMI output quality. Transfer your files directly from USB keys, digital cameras, or other portable media players from the standard USB port. Quickly charge your Archos with the included charger/adapter.

Battery Dock
Transfer your files directly from USB sticks, digital cameras, or other portable media players. Quickly charge your Archos with the included charger/adapter and get extended playback with the built-in backup battery. Play video out to your TV with video output in high quality S-Video or standard quality composite.

What's in the Box

Archos 5 Internet Tablet with Android (32 GB), headphones, Standard USB cable, DVR Station adapter, Quick Start Guide (QSG), legal and safety notice.

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Logitech PSP PlayGear Pocket - Slim Review

2010-07-18T10:22:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I just got a PSP3000 and needed some good protection. I am an adult with medium size men's hands, and, although I like that the PSP is small, I find it's almost too small for playing pleasure. In fact, when I first got the PSP3000, I was jammin' to God of War, side-steppin' and slashin' baddies with Kratos' blades when the PSP almost flipped out of my hands! Because the PSP Slim (2000 or 3000) has such a small form factor, if you have medium to large hands, you should definitely consider getting the Logitech case. Thecase is a clam shell design that fully protects the PSP from front to back and allows access for you to play the PSP while it rests within the case, therefore giving it a little more bulk for those of us adult PSP users. The upper part of the clam shell also folds back and doubles as a stand if you want to set your PSP on a table to play. Also, the case includes a template that you can use to cut out pictures, illustrations or just about anything you want and use as "wallpaper" inside the case. I'm a grown man and I didn't think I'd ever avail myself of this little feature, but lo and behold I've now got a nice little human skull illustration on my Logitech case that I downloaded for free from the Playgear Pocket Skins website. Lastly, the Logitech case is also very, very reasonably priced. That's my two cents. . .

Click Here to see more reviews about: Logitech PSP PlayGear Pocket - Slim

Product Description:
The Logitech PlayGear Pocket Slim offers stylish protection and customization while in transit and during play. Polycarbonate construction puts a shell of armor around your PSP (2000 series, while a template for creating custom skins allows you to personalize it with your own images or artwork. There-s room for Sony-s 2200mAh Extended Life Battery Kit, so you can use the optional battery pack for longer hours of portable entertainment. A play-in-case design provides access to all controls and connections while in the case, and a secure snap closure keeps your PSP safe and in place while on the go - all without detracting from the sleek design of the PSP.

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Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Review

2010-07-18T07:05:00.000-04:00

COD4 is truly one of the best first person shooter games.You can play the story mode which takes you through an entire war, with a detailed and intriguing story, and has many different styles of play.Some stages will require straight gun fights, while others will require you to be stealth and snipe your enemies from afar.

The best thing about this game is the Multiplayer function.This is such a great feature as it extends the play value of the game.In most games, once you beat the story mode, there is hardly any reason to play again.however, in multiplayer mode, you will be playing with other gamers around the world online, for free, and get to eliminate each other.Multiplayer mode has many different modes to choose from such as "capture the flag", or "free for all" but the main objectives are all the same. eliminate your opponents!

If you need more detailed footage of the game, just youtube it and see how the game play is in action.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

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Mystic River [Blu-ray] Review

2010-07-17T18:43:00.000-04:00

Clint Eastwood's adaptation of Dennis Lehane's wrenching best-seller, "Mystic River," is a remarkable achievement.Having read the book shortly before seeing the movie, I was impressed with Eastwood's faithfulness to the letter and spirit of Lehane's story.
Sean Penn plays Jimmy Markham (Marcus in the book), a small time hood who did a stint in prison almost two decades earlier.Jimmy now owns a grocery store, is a loving family man, and seems to have given up his criminal ways.As a child, Jimmy was a close friend of Sean Devine, who grew up to become a homicide detective, and Dave Boyle, played by the wonderful Tim Robbins.Boyle endured a terrible trauma as a child, and he is tortured by horrifying thoughts that he can never escape.When Jimmy's nineteen-year-old daughter, Katie, is found brutally murdered, Sean investigates with his partner, played by Laurence Fishburne, and the lives of the three old friends intersect once again.
The stellar cast of "Mystic River" is amazingly effective.Each actor completely inhabits his or her character.Sean Penn's performance is brutal and heart-rending, and Tim Robbins convincingly plays a man on the brink of madness.Supporting these fine actors are Laura Linney and Marcia Gay Harden, as Jimmy's and Dave's wives.
Eastwood wisely shot his film on the streets of Boston, and Tom Stern's atmospheric and skillful cinematography contribute to the film's realistic and dramatic look."Mystic River" is a powerful drama about how desperate people react when they are under tremendous emotional pressure.This mythic tragedy proves Faulkner's dictum, "The past is never dead.It's not even past." The mistakes we make and the injuries that we suffer are always with us in one way or another.Kudos to Eastwood and his fine cast and crew on making an exceptional film.

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Product Description:
Studio: Warner Home VideoRelease Date: 02/02/2010Run time: 138 minutesRating: R

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New Super Mario Bros Review

2010-07-17T15:35:00.000-04:00

I have been playing video games since the Atari 2600, and was a kid during the Nintendo Entertainment System era.Some of my fondest memories involve one iconic set of characters: Mario, Luigi, Toadstool, and Princess Peach.Over the years, games have changed (some changes for the good, and others...not so much), but I love that the Mario series have stayed true to their roots. Every Mario game that I can think of has stood the test of time, and has served as a model to countless other games.However, despite being one of the best game franchises around, one component was always missing: multiplayer.Sure, previous SMB games had a "2 player" option, but all you were able to do was pass around the same joystick, or take turns using 2 joysticks.The idea of 2 characters on screen at the same time seemed strangely impossible for these games... and why Nintendo wasn't able to make this happen sooner than 2009 boggles the mind.But, having spent 7 or 8 hours playing New Super Mario Bros yesterday, I don't care why or how they were able to finally do it...because this game is an absolute blast to play!

As soon as the game starts, you start to get an idea of just how great this game is going to be...especially if you have played Super Mario games before (and cmon...who hasn't?!?).Everything looks very familiar, but in a good way.The game really feels like they took some of the best ideas, bosses, levels, and music from each of the Mario games and retooled them for NSMB Wii (New Super Mario Bros Wii).In fact, it feels mostly like Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros 3 rolled into one, with a little bit of Super Mario Galaxy thrown in as well... and that, my friends, is an AWESOME combination!Like I mentioned earlier...I have played hundreds...maybe thousands of video games in my time.And this game ranks right up there with the best of them.It is, in my humble opinion, on par with Super Mario Bros 3, which has been rated by numerous gaming sites as the best game of all time.Playing the game for the first time, there were lots of "oohs and ahhs", plenty of mischievous giggles, lots of punching and name calling (see multiplayer), and even several times where one of us paused the game just to point out how great this game is.I hate to gush over this game, but it really is a work of art.It's easily one of the best games I have ever played, and certainly one of the best available on Wii.Here are some of my observations about it:

Old Skool SMB:Mario games are good, and they work. Period.This is one series of games that doesn't need to be retooled, revamped, updated, or changed dramatically in order for it to compete with the likes of Modern Warfare 2.In fact, there really is no competition for Mario games.Historically, they sell, are highly rated, and have a long shelf-life.This game is no different.It is classic Mario at his best.There are some updates that make the game fresh and interesting, but it is mostly classic Mario 2-D action, and that is a good thing.

Music:Mario games have always had great music.Who hasn'tfound themselves whistling or humming one of the iconicMario tunes?This game has some really cool new music, as well as some remixes/revamps of classic Mario music.When I found myself in the first of the Koopa Kid castles and I heard the original music from Super Mario Bros 3(??), I was ecstatic.

Multiplayer:For the life of me, I couldn't tell you why Nintendo was never able to incorporate some genuine multiplayer in a Mario game previously.But, add it they did, and it is great.The multiplayer component of Super Mario Bros Wii is really well done.There are some competitive modes where you and your friends (or opponents) are running through a level and competing to get the most coins, and it is really fun.But where multiplayer really shines is when you are actually playing through the games with a couple of your friends.All of you are on screen at the same time.When you hit one of the "?" boxes, 3 or 4 mushrooms may come out... or maybe 2 mushrooms and 1 Penguin suit...and you have a choice:Will we all go scrambling for the penguin suit?Or will the most skilled player just take a mushroom suit and leave the penguin suit to the others?Or, will I scramble and get all of the mushrooms and the penguin suit, leaving my teammates out in the cold?I tried all of these scenarios, and it was pure joy to see the look on my friends faces either way!You see, the multiplayer can be either competitive or cooperative.There will be times where getting a big coin or a 1-up will require that you cooperate...maybe I will need to pick up one player and hold him over my head, and then another player will bounce off his head to get the 1-up.Or, maybe there will be a player that I want to give some grief... so I can pick him up and throw him down a pit or in the lava... or I can throw a green shell at him.There will also be times where you are all trying to accomplish something (like jumping across a lava pit), and because we are all scrambling and trying to save our own skin, one player will bounce off the other's head, giving themselves a boost up and over the lava, but sending their friend to their death.As you can imagine, the cooperative multiplayer would FREQUENTLY and unexpectedly become competitive, and there was no shortage of amazed/shocked looks back and forth (i.e "Dude... I cant believe you just did that!!"), punches in the shoulder, name calling, calling "dibs" on power ups only to be disappointed, and laughing ranging from a mischievous giggle to rolling on the floor in stitches.When we were playing, one guy even got really upset and went home!LOL.It was one heck of a fun afternoon!Once the sore loser left, we started cooperating more and competing less, and it was equally fun. Almost equally anyway...

Difficulty:I hate easy games, and I hate short games.I especially hate short and easy games. This game is neither.From what I have experienced so far, this is one of the most challenging Mario games I have ever played.It isn't necessarily HARD...anyone can pick up New Super Mario Bros Wii and begin playing.That is the case with every Mario game.But it is challenging.You will die...a lot.Especially when playing multiplayer, since frequently one of your teammates will do something that sends you to your end on accident.Plus, the difficulty really starts to ramp up in some of the later worlds/levels.Also, there are 3 hidden achievement coins in each level, as well as these special "star" coins that you can go out of your way to find...and getting to some of these can be a real challenge.I estimate that it will easily take 20+ hours to complete this game... and even once it is done, it will be a blast to start over and play again.And the truth is, Mario games are always long and fairly difficult... I never did beat Super Mario 2!I think this game is going to have a long shelf life at my house!

I will spare you any more gushing details about this game. Clearly, I enjoyed it immensely.If you own a Nintendo Wii, you should own this game.If there was ONE Wii game I would recommend you buy, it would be this one.If you are considering buying a Nintendo Wii because you like this game...I guarantee it will be worth it.This game is destined to be a classic, and it would be a shame to miss out!Here is my personal rating for the game:

Gameplay: 10/10
Presentation: 9/10
Sound/Music: 9/10
Multiplayer: 9/10
Difficulty: 10/10
Lasting Appeal: 9/10
Overall: 10/10

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Product Description:
Developers at Nintendo have dreamed of creating a simultaneous multiplayer Super Mario Bros. game for decades. The Wii console finally makes that dream come true for everyone with New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Supporting 2-4 players in side-scrolling co-op and competitive platforming action, and featuring a mix of fan favorites and new characters, new powerups and various input options via the Wii Remote, it is destined to become an instant classic in one of the most beloved game franchises of all-time.

Co-op/competitive simultaneous multiplayer.
View larger.
Classic environments with a twist.
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Wacky new powerups
View larger. Gameplay
New Super Mario Bros. Wii, like all the previous releases in the Super Mario Bros. franchise is a side-scrolling platforming game where players collect coins as they attempt to make their way through progressively more difficult game levels using their ability to time jumps over obstacles and avoid a slew of enemies. But although the game contain several well-deserved nods to previous games in the series in the form of iconic characters like Mario, Luigi and two Toads, as well as familiar enemies, sound effects and levels, it is not simply another trip down Mario Bros. memory lane. Taking advantage of the flexibility and power of the Wii and Wii Remote, New Super Mario Bros. Wii manages to preserve the retro experience that fans love about the series, while adding new game features. Notable additions among these include, expansive play levels and new powerups and characters, but by far the most important, and in fact game-defining new feature is simultaneous multiplayer.

A Franchise First: Simultaneous Multiplayer
Since the very first Super Mario Bros. game took the world by storm in the late 1980s gamers anxious to get into the action have patiently and impatiently waited their turn as the infamous 'player 2.' Those days are no more. In New Super Mario Bros. Wii players can now navigate the side-scrolling worlds alone as before or invite up to three others to join them at the same time, on the same level, at any point in the game for competitive and cooperative multiplayer fun. With the multiplayer mode, the newest installment of the most popular video game franchise is designed to bring yet another type of family entertainment into living rooms and engage groups of friends in fast-paced Super Mario Bros. fun.

Controller Choices Via the Wii Remote
In another nod to the series' Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) roots, the Wii Remote controller used with New Super Mario Bros. Wii is held sideways, allowing for easy, classic inputs using the D-pad to direct playable characters, the 1 button to jump and 2 button to spit out projectiles like snowballs and fireballs. In addition, players can access powerups with their choice of either the push of a button, or by shaking the Wii remote, again demonstrating the perfect merging of classic gameplay and modern game design which is New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Key Game Features

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

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The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2010) Review

2010-07-17T14:36:00.000-04:00

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is the first in the trilogy of crime novels written by Swedish journalist Stieg Larsson. Larsson wrote them during his spare time, as a form of amusement. However, the novels were not published until after Larsson's untimely death in Nov 2004. The author never had the opportunity to enjoy the critical and the commercial success his books eventually earned. In 2008 Larssen became the second best selling author on the planet.

Now, on to the story:
Mikael Blomkvist is a journalist, convicted, unjustly he believes, of libel against a powerful industrialist. As Blomkvist awaits the commencement of his sentence, he is hired by a scion of a wealthy family to investigate the disappearance of the man's bellowed niece 40 years earlier. Everyone, initially including Blomkvist, believes the case is hopeless. Unexpectedly though, help comes in form of "the girl with the dragon tattoo", Lisbeth Salander. The mysterious woman clearly has a severe past: despite being 24 years old, her person and finances are being managed by a court appointed guardian. She does however, have a brilliant mind and, as we are about to learn, a powerful will... She quickly becomes the driving force of the investigation. We watch transfixed, as the past reaches into the presence, and touches the lives of Blomkvist, Salander, her guardian, the industrialist and the wealthy scion.

The story, as written by Larsson, is extremely brutal (consider that the original, and the very apt, Swedish title is "Men Who Hate Women"). However, I am inclined to believe the violence serves as another character in the story and as such is necessary. I am therefore glad that the filmmakers did not seek to tamper it, thus neutering the punch the story delivers. Though this Swedish adaptation is scripted and directed to the highest standard, the focus must be on the performance of the actress Noomi Rapace. Her portrayal of Lisbeth is shockingly faithful to the text and the actress manages to take over the film with her very appearance.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is one of the best adaptations I have seen, ever. I encourage you not to miss it; though do see it with friends, as you will afterwards feel strongly compelled to discuss the various explosive plot twists. I hope Hollywood never touches this gem. I am anxiously waiting for the next two installments to hit US screens.

PS: Keep in mind, this film is NOT for the underaged.

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Product Description:
Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering on the island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Her body was never found, yet her beloved uncle is convinced it was murder and that the killer is a member of his own tightly knit but dysfunctional family. He employs disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) and the tattooed and troubled but resourceful computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) to investigate. When the pair link Harriet s disappearance to a number of grotesque murders from almost forty years ago, they begin to unravel a dark and appalling family history. But the Vanger s are a secretive clan, and Blomkvist and Salander are about to find out just how far they are prepared to go to protect themselves.

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Avatar - The Last Airbender: The Complete Book 3 Collection Review

2010-07-17T12:08:00.000-04:00

I have to write something about this wonderful series, but I'm not going to write any spoilers, or tell you what happens. I know many of you have never watched any of the episodes, and don't want to know what happens, and those who have watched it do not care if I leave it out.

What I can say, though, is that this is one amazing show; as an overview for those who have no idea what the storyline is, just picture a messiah-type that has to rescue the world from being enslaved by an evil empire. The messiah (avatar) is what you would view as an underdog against unspeakable odds, but with incredible potential that flashes through occasionally. You may see similarities to such works as The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter, or the Inheritance Cycle. They all have that common theme of an underdog destined or prophesied to set the captives free and defeat the evil empire. Avatar may be a little more like Star Wars than the others, as it has a definite Eastern mysticism element to it, and martial arts moves are a major portion of the action sequences.

One of my favorite parts of every episode is the comic relief: Sokka. Sure, all of the characters have comical incidents, but Sokka is without a doubt the character intended to bear the burden of comic relief, and he carries it off well. Yet, he is also the main one with the ideas.

With Book 3 and the entire series complete this year, I can say it progressively got better and more intense with each season. The character development is detailed and satisfying. This is one set to buy (after the other two sets, that is). It is sad that this is the last season, but there are intentions for a new Avatar series in the future, possibly with a different incarnation of the Avatar. The creators are said to have intended The Last Airbender as a three season arc, a sort of trilogy.

You may think it is really for kids, being animated and on Nickelodeon, but my wife and I, with two small children, are into it just as much as the kids are. If you have never tried watching it, I suggest you rent it from Netflix or Blockbuster to get a sampling of the quality of the show. It is best to start at the beginning, though, because it is a story extended over three seasons, and makes more sense if you watch in order. The only show on television that gets my attention more than this is Battlestar Galactica, which is also ending soon.

I was most pleased when I found out there will be a live action movie directed by M. Night Shyamalan based on Book 1, simply called The Last Airbender (to avoid confusion with a movie called Avatar by James Cameron coming out in 2009 - not related to the series), which should be out in July 2010. He intends to direct a trilogy based on the three seasons, separated by two years each, spending six years of his life on this storyline. That should say something about the series, as it is the first thing he has worked on that was not something he came up with himself.

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Product Description:
Having survived the terrible battle with Azula, Aang faces new challenges as he and his brave friends secretly enter the Fire Nation. Their quest is to find and defeat Firelord Ozai. Along the way, they discover that Ozai has plans of his own. The leader of the Fire Nation intends to use the massive power of Sozin's Comet to spread his dominion permanently across the four nations. Short on time, Aang has a lot of bending to learn and no master to help him learn it. However, his friends are there to help, and he finds unexpected allies deep in the heart of the Fire Nation. In the spectacular four-part conclusion, Aang must fulfill his destiny and become a fully realized Avatar, or watch the world go up in smoke.

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12 Monkeys [Blu-ray] (1995) Review

2010-07-17T11:44:00.000-04:00

When I saw "12 Monkeys" in the theaters, I thought to myself, "This is one of the greatest films of the past ten years." Despite working with a script written by others and under some stringentstudio restrictions, Terry Gilliam more than managed to infuse the storywith his trademark approach to movie-making.
I had some reservationsgoing in about the choice of Brad Pitt to play the role of a mentallyunbalanced eco-terroist, but Pitt did a marvelous job and really made thecharacter his own. (Viewers who like Pitt in "12 Monkeys" wouldprobably do well to check out his performance in "Fight Club".Tyler Durden is what Jeffery Goins could be if he were less manic.) BruceWillis and Madeline Stowe also turn in terrific performances, especiallyWillis for whom this was one of his first non-action films. Fans of the old"Batman" TV show will be amused to see Frank Gorshin (theRiddler) as the chief psychiatrist at the mental institution were much ofthe early part of the film takes place. Christopher Plummer is not givenmuch screen time, but he does an excellent job with what little hehas.
As for the story itself, even though many people try to claim thatit is about the line between sanity and madness(in the vein of Gilliam's"The Fisher King"), I just do not see it as such. I never doubtedCole's sanity, the future world was too real to make me think that it was afigment of Cole's imagination. And if one did have that impression atfirst, there was too much revealed early in the film to sustain thatbelief. I prefer to view the story as an extremely intricate"whodunit", where the viewer actually receives most of theinformation relevant to the conclusion by about half-way through the film,but in such a jumbled and contradictory manner that the true outcomeremains obscure until the last 15 minutes. But of course, this being aGilliam picture, even after the conclusion is revealed, a final twist isthrown to the viewer. (Note: to appreciate the twist, pay attention to thefuture scientists. I've known some people who didn't watch closely and theydidn't understand the twist as a result.)
Setting aside the film, andconsidering the DVD, Universal did an excellent job with this release. Thedocumentary "The Hamster Factor" offers some great insights intoboth "12 Monkeys" and the movie industry in general. And thecommentary track with Gilliam and the producer is very good forunderstanding the process of movie-making, as well as how specific sceneswere set up. My only disappointment came with the "ProductionNotes" feature. If you watch the documentary and listen to thecommentary track, the production notes really just repeat what you'vepreviously learned.

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Product Description:
Cole (Bruce Willis) is sent back in time to save the human race from a deadly virus that has forced mankind into dank underground communities in the future. Along his travels, he encounters a psychiatrist (Madeleine Stowe) and a mental patient, brilliantly portrayed by Brad Pitt, who may hold the key to the mysterious rogue group, the Army of the 12 Monkeys, thought to be responsible for unleashing the killer disease. Believing he can obtain a pure virus sample in order to find a cure in the future, he is met with one riddle after another that puts him in a race with time. This sci-fi masterpiece from the genius mind of Terry Gilliam is a modern-day classic.

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Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut [Blu-ray] (2009) Review

2010-07-17T08:31:00.000-04:00

Finally, Zac Synder's vision as it was meant to be.I can't believe they milked the DVD release for literally ever last penny they could. Nevertheless, I am incredibly pleased to own 'Watchmen: the Ultimate Cut'.

With 'the Black Freighter' interwoven into segments throughout the film, Synder's phenomenal and slavishly faithful adaptation of the 'Watchmen' is complete. It extends the movie to over three and a half hours long and fills in the missing pieces from the graphic novel along with a few other small live-action scenes, that weren't in the 'Director's Cut', making it all the more magnificently epic, fresh and unique.The extra material included is massive and comprehensive, which is only fair to the fans, who feel milked and cheated, or who just love the 'Watchmen'.

'The Black Freighter' is a grim tale that parallels the lives of different Watchmen, particularly Veidt's and Rorschach's, and their compulsion to fight evil everywhere they think they find it, blinded to the consequences of their actions.Tremendously realistic and beautiful animation and the voice of Gerald Butler, bring this intriguing and fan-favorite aspect of the story to life, but it's the effective and pragmatic interweaving of it, that reflects on the Watchmen and stays true to the original source.

The film is uncompromising, uncommercial, and unprecedented. It's the 'Watchmen' movie you always wanted, but never thought you'd get, but now, even more so.All the crime-noir, political satire, superhero mythology and science fiction is still there, so unless you forgot or missed the most ambitious, most reverent, most obsessively faithful (to a point) cinematic adaptation of a graphic novel ever and all the stunning and innovative movie magic and gore-porn that went with it, then there won't be much else new for you to get your hopes up for.

O, except maybe for the 4 additional discs with extra material, the set includes:

Disc 1
- Watchmen, the Ultimate Cut (215min)
- Commentary from Zac Snyder and Dave Gibbons (explains everything from prop inspirations to plot alterations)
Disc 2
- The Phenomenon: The Comic That Changed Comics
- Real Super Heroes, Real Vigilantes
- Mechanics: Technologies of a Fantastic World
- Watchmen: Video Journals
- Under the Hood
- Story Within a Story: The Books of Watchmen
- Music Video: My Chemical Romance, 'Desolation Row'
Disc 3
- Digital Copy of the Theatrical Version.
Discs 4 & 5
- Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comics (325 minutes & in it's own case within the box)
WARNING:
- Disc 1 does not include 'Watchmen' WITHOUT 'the Black Freighter' integrated.The digital copy may somewhat compensate for this, but if you're still not satisfied, you'll have to purchase the 'Director's Cut' and 'the Black Freighter' separetely.

The box it comes in is pretty snazzy and durable.

I love 'Watchmen: the Ultimate Cut'.I'm glad I bought it.If you're a fan of the 'Watchmen', and need the complete version of the film, then you'll love it and be glad you bought it too.

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Product Description:
Multi-disc set. Real-world super heroes must emerge from retirement to solve a murder of one of their own, in the shadow of nuclear armageddon. Directed by Zack Snyder (300). Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut is the version never seen in theaters, integrating the animated Tales from the Black Freighter into the Director's Cut of the film for a more in-depth experience, with 2 all-new commentaries by Zack Snyder and graphic novel Co-creator and Illustrator Dave Gibbons. Also includes over 3 hours of special features including Under the Hood, the entire Watchmen Motion Comics, and a Digital Copy of the Theatrical Version

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Spartacus: Blood and Sand - The Complete First Season (2010) Review

2010-07-16T19:18:00.000-04:00

"Spartacus: Blood and Sand" continues cable television's dominance in quality programming outshining all network shows by a landslide. The series debut on Starz TV in January, 2010 and before the series was even broadcast the station ordered two full seasons worth of episodes which shows Starz's dedication to broadcasting high quality progamming. "Sparatacus: Blood and Sand" is a historical weekly drama, made along the same lines as "Rome" and "The Tudors", but with more graphic violence, sex, and language. The series is about a Roman gladiator named Spartacus who is captured and becomes a slave in a gladiator school headed by Batiatus in Capua. There, Spartacus must fight for his freedom, and he ultimately becomes the head of all slaves as others look up to him for his determination and willpower. The first season features 13 episodes all produced where money was no option. The sets, costumes, and location shooting are the best for any series produced for TV and there were times that I had to remind myself that I was not watching a movie, but a mere TV show. Andy Whitfield, an Australian actor, is mesmerizing as Spartacus, and his character is at times often bold, intense, heart-warming, and unapologetic. Lucy Lawless has a supporting role as the wife of Batiatus who is having an affair with sexy gladiator Crixus, played to perfection by Manu Bennett. The one asset the series has is the amount of male flesh that viewers can witness week after week. Obviously great care went into the casting of actors that were buffed and well-built and if your a straight woman or a gay guy you will not be disappointed in the amount of male testosterone that is shown. Full male frontal nudity, mainly by Manu Bennett, is shown as well, which is why the series has a TV-MA rating. A wonderful series, made in the manner of a weekly serial, with excellent writing and acting is what makes "Spartacus" a soon to be Emmy winning show.
This 4 disc set arrives in stores September 21, 2010 and comes with a slew of bonuses including the featurettes "Gladiator Camp", "History Rewritten", "The Hole", "Make-Up Effects", and more; audio commentaries, episodes with enhanced digital effects, trailers, bloopers, and behind-the-scenes footage. For the blu-ray release only there will be four episodes selected that will be extended cuts including scenes that were too graphic to be shown on cable television.

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Product Description:
Betrayed by the Romans. Forced into slavery. Reborn as a Gladiator. The classic tale of the Republic's most infamous rebel comes alive in the graphic and visceral new series, Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Torn from his homeland and the woman he loves, Spartacus is condemned to the brutal world of the arena where blood and death are primetime entertainment. But not all battles are fought upon the sands. Treachery, corruption, and the allure of sensual pleasures will constantly test Spartacus. To survive, he must become more than a man. More than a gladiator. He must become a legend.

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John Wayne - An American Icon Collection (Seven Sinners/ The Shepherd of the Hills/ Pittsburgh/ The Conqueror/ Jet Pilot) (1957) Review

2010-07-16T18:36:00.000-04:00

"John Wayne - An American Icon Collection" may be the most mismatched collection of the Duke's most offbeat starring roles available on DVD, but each film has some merits (even "The Conqueror"), and if you only know Wayne from westerns or war movies, you are in for a surprise!

"Seven Sinners" (1940), offers Duke's first teaming with the legendary Marlene Dietrich, with whom he'd have a brief but torrid off-screen affair. An atmospheric drama set at the 'Seven Sinners' bar on an exotic Pacific island, Dietrich is, as usual, a sultry chanteuse, loved and lusted after by every man who meets her, especially 'bad boy' Antro (played with finesse by screen veteran Oskar Homolka). When the Fleet arrives, however, and 'Golden Boy' officer Wayne sets eyes on her, she falls hard, and he is willing to sacrifice his career for her. Of course, the 'Higher Good' prevails, but not before audiences get a healthy dose of romance!

Co-starring Broderick Crawford, Anna Lee, and a surprisingly sympathetic Albert Dekker, the Dietrich-Wayne chemistry would prove so potent that they would make two more films together.

"Pittsburgh" (1942), the third and last Dietrich-Wayne pairing (following the Alaskan epic, "The Spoilers"), does a flip-flop in the characterizations from the Gold Rush tale, making Randolph Scott the 'good guy', and Wayne an opportunistic heel, willing to 'walk over' anybody, even his love, Dietrich, to get rich in the steel industry (although he'd redeem himself, by the finale). Playing a victim was uncharacteristic of the tough actress, however, and, while Wayne would eventually prove an excellent 'anti-hero', audiences wouldn't accept Wayne so 'out-of-character' at this point in his career. The film would not do well at the box office, ending the Dietrich-Wayne pairings...but has gained a devoted following, over the years!

"The Shepherd of the Hills" (1941), Wayne's first teaming with director Henry Hathaway (who would direct Duke to his only Oscar, 28 years later, in "True Grit"), was also the first color film in Wayne's career. A tale of life in the Ozark Mountains, Betty Field, as moonshiner Wayne's love interest, 'steals' the film, but it does offer the novelty of screen legend (and Wayne friend) Harry Carey playing Duke's long-absent father. Occasionally involving, but the Duke seems a bit out-of-place in the proceedings!

"Jet Pilot" (filmed in 1950, released in 1957), marked Wayne's first film for producer Howard Hughes (yes, THAT Howard Hughes), in a cartoonish anti-Communist 'epic', as Air Force officer Duke converts Soviet pilot Janet Leigh to the joys of America (while she 'lures' him to defect, leading to a Wayne sojourn to Russia, and his easily stealing Red technology for the West). This film is truly awful (which was why it was 'shelved' for seven years), with Hughes' signature emphasis on long, lingering views of Leigh's top-heavy figure (while Josef von Sternberg is credited as the director, Hughes was clearly in charge). "Jet Pilot" is better known as the film where the legendary Chuck Yeager (who first broke the sound barrier, in 1947), was nearly killed performing the aerial stunts (while on 'loan' from the USAF). The aerial footage is, certainly, the most impressive aspect of the film.

"Jet Pilot" could have been the worst film of Duke's career, but Hughes had bigger plans, and topped even this epic with...

"The Conqueror" (1956), the infamous showcase of John Wayne as Asian warrior Temujin (who would eventually be known as GENGHIS KHAN). This film is so summarily awful, and has so many legends associated with the production (shot in the radiation-drenched sands of the Atomic test range in Utah...with many of the cast and crew eventually dying of cancer), that by notoriety, alone, it should be an 'essential' for any Wayne fan collection!

Directed (with a straight face) by the usually reliable Dick Powell, between the flowery dialog, the clunky costumes, and Susan Hayward as the least desirable red-headed princess you'll ever find, enjoy the campier moments, like Mexican Pedro Armendariz and short, roly-poly William ("Cannon") Conrad as Wayne's BROTHERS; veteran actor Thomas Gomez as 'Wang Khan' (that really IS his character's name); and the climactic moment when the Duke, surrounded by enemies, hisses the immortal words, "Come and TAKE me, mongrels - if you DARE! While I have fingers to grasp a sword, and eyes to see your cowardly faces, your treacherous heads will not be safe on your shoulders. For I am Temujin, the Conqueror! No prison can hold me, no army defeat me!" (Seriously, LAURENCE OLIVIER couldn't deliver those lines believably...maybe Sylvester Stallone could...)

Whether you're a John Wayne fan, or not, this collection offers plenty to talk about, at a very reasonable price! I promise, you'll never get a better opportunity to see the Duke as you've NEVER seen him before!

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Product Description:
John Wayne remains, without a doubt, a legend of the silver screen and one of Hollywood's most talented and versatile leading men of all time. See "The Duke," with his rugged good looks and undeniable charm, take command of the screen in the amazing collection of five unique films from his long and illustrious film career. This must-own set confirms John Wayne's status as a true American icon!

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GE A730 7MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Pink) Review

2010-07-16T15:38:00.000-04:00

I bought the GE A730 because it has by far the best feature set of any camera in its class at an unbelievable price. It's pocket-sized, with image stabilization, manual controls, a useful 35-140mm lens (35mm equivalent), a one-thirds grid on the LCD to help with composition and keep horizons straight, and on and on. It also has the best user manual I've ever seen. When I got it home, however, I immediately discovered its Achilles heel. I could not use the LCD in full sunlight, even at its brightest setting, and the A730 does not have an optical viewfinder. Also, the LCD is so reflective that the reflection of your own image blurs the screen even further, even in less than full sunlight. Besides that, I found that the automatic focus tended to hunt in almost all lighting conditions--though, in fairness, that could be just a flaw in the particular camera I bought, or "pilot error" due to my lack of experience, and not a general flaw in all A730s. I returned the camera for a refund and called GE Customer Service. I had called them once before with questions about the camera and they were savvy, polite, patient, and eager to please. When I told the person who answered about the problems I had with the A730, I could hear him typing it into his computer. He thanked me, said GE's R&D department wanted as much feedback as possible, whether good or bad, and said he was forwarding my remarks to them "as we speak." Except for the LCD (and perhaps the hunting AF) the A730 is a landmark point-and-shoot with superb features, at an unbeatable price, supported by excellent customer service. Despite my disappointing experience, I'm not giving up on GE cameras. Almost all new products have "bugs" in them that have to be worked out. The company seems more than willing to correct flaws, and if it does, there won't be a camera in the A730's class that can touch it. I'll watch with great interest to see if GE follows through on the feedback, and am looking forward to the release of their E850, which has a 28-140mm equivalent lens, a bit more resolution and all the other fine features of the A730. I hope GE makes the necessary corrections. They are just "this close" to producing a camera, backed by a customer support system, that all others will be measured by.

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Product Description:
The GE A730 is the most affordable point-and-shoot camera with 7 megapixel resolution. A simple, intuitive user interface makes the A730 easy to use right out of the box. A 3X optical zoom and a 4.5X digital zoom capture superior close-ups. And a vibrant 2.5-inch LCD screen makes it easy to frame your subject and review your images.Packed inside its sleek and stylish camera body is a whole host of additional features like in-camera panoramic stitching, red-eye removal, face tracking, electronic stabilization and MPEG-4 movie recording. Powered by two AA batteries, the A730 even has an SD/SDHC memory card slot expandable up to an amazing 4 gigabytes

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Vanguard SBH-250 Magnesium Ball Head with Sliding Quick Shoe Review

2010-07-16T14:30:00.000-04:00

The maximum load capacity was what lured me into getting the Vanguard Alta Pro 263AT tripod and this ball head. But both of these are HEAVY. The head itself is about a pound or two. The controls aren't very smooth to operate. The ball head doesn't glide easily (don't know if that's intentional design or it's because it's a new head). Otherwise, it's a great product and I love it so far.

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Product Description:
Best-selling SBH-250 precision-cut ball head moves swiftly and steadily so you won't miss the action. Constructed of solid, strong magnesium alloy, it's durable and yet lighter in weight than the industry standard. Unlike other ball heads, SBH ball heads are designed with molded body parts, not assembled cut parts, like the competition. Its smooth locking knobs allow you to move the ball head swiftly and securely into the perfect position, even with the heaviest lenses and cameras. It includes two bubble levels, 360-degree scale, fine-tuning knob and a safety lock for extra stability. A special universal VANGUARD quick shoe for body/lens is also included so you can upgrade your system to quick-release immediately.

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