Villaware 275-06 Moka Express 6-Cup Espresso Maker
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $22.99 -- our price: $19.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

This traditional Italian steam-infusion espresso maker brews rich, delicious espresso in the old-world style, but don't depend on it to keep coffee warm or to reheat leftovers. Crafted of polished aluminum, the finish may need an occasional polish--after using it, just hand wash with a soft cloth and mild detergent and then wipe dry. Its classic design deserves to be kept on display for everyone to enjoy. --Jane DePaolo ... Read more

Features

• Measures 8-1/2 by 4-3/4 by 5-1/2 inches; 1-year limited warranty
• Traditional, Italian, steam-infusion espresso maker
• Brews rich, delicious espresso in the old-world style
• Crafted of polished aluminum; easy to clean
• 24-ounce capacity; classic design enhances any kitchen décor

Reviews (73)

Save your money and still have good coffee...
This is the best most effective way to make expresso and the cheapest!!!Don't waste your money on any other kind of machine--they are just smoke and mirrors.If you are fans of Goldie Bear and yearn for the jolt of espresson she brews in the monring but this espresso maker and yo will have money for more books.

average tasting coffee, not espresso
for all who are expert coffee tasters I will say 'lower your expectations'.
1)This device makes good tasting coffee but far away from espresso. It lacks thickness and smell.
2)The rubber tears off quickly.
3) Hard to clean without using soap
4) the bottom part is not polished so it changes its colour and builds up residue, which does not smell good. Also when left wet it forms white spots, which presumably come from the aluminium. ALUMINIUM IS DANGEROUS FOR YOUR HEALTH!
5)don't fool yourselves reading other reviews and get a stainless steel one!

Cheap pot, great coffee!
This is such a wonderful espresso-maker...I've compared stovetop espresso with that made in my relatives' expensive machines, and the Moka pot makes equally delicious coffee.All I need are good beans, ground very well, and an attentive ear.I love to hear the bubbling in the morning!I use stovetop-brewed espresso for iced mocha lattes, and they're superb, and much cheaper than buying one at a coffeebucks place.At under $20 this Moka pot is definitely the best coffee bargain to be had. ... Read more

Asin: B00004RFRU

Kodak DX3500 EasyShare 2MP Digital Camera
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $189.99
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Editorial Review

Kodak clearly designed the DX3500 digital camera with ease of use in mind. This sporty-looking 2.2-megapixel camera has a 3x digital zoom (no optical zoom) and handles like a point-and-shoot. It contains 8 MB of internal memory, and is compatible with the optional Kodak camera dock, which will upload your photos straight from the camera to your computer at the push of a button. The camera dock even recharges the camera batteries while connected to your camera.

In addition to its internal memory, the DX3500 has a CompactFlash card expansion slot if you want to add additional memory capacity. Its 2.2-megapixel sensor creates quality prints up to 8-by-10 inches at a maximum resolution of 1,800 x 1,200 pixels. You can also shoot at a lower resolution of 900 x 600 pixels. This DX3500 kit comes with the camera, two AA lithium batteries, video cable, USB cable, wrist strap, Kodak Picture Software CD, documentation, and a custom camera insert for optional Kodak camera dock. It has a USB port and is compatible with both Windows and Macintosh systems. ... Read more

Features

• 2.2 megapixel sensor creates 1800 by 1200 images for prints at sizes up to 8 x 10
• 3x digital zoom lens with autofocus
• Included 8 MB internal memory holds 12 images at best resolution or 48 images at good resolution, plus includes expansion slot for optional CompactFlash card
• Connects with Macs and PCs via USB port
• 2 AA Lithium batteries included; compatible with optional Kodak Camera Dock for easy image downloading

Reviews (60)

Not Satisfied
At the moment i am very tired, having spent 6 hours trying to update thesoftware to the new Easy share. I have had nothing but trouble since updating to Easy share. I owned a Dx3500 and thena DX3600, whichI was satisfied with until I upgraded the PC to Windows XP. Now I have the latest Kodak LS753, and the software CD included will not install and even when i down load from the net I get a message saying that there is an error. I have checked for virus, turned off all programs etc. and still noluck. I havenever hadsuch problems and I will be certainly returning to the shop with the camera and exchanging it, and I will be lettingeveryone know the problems. I feel so angry that I have wasted so much time.

Kodak camera
I bought the Kodak camera and the dock for my wife for Christmas two years ago. It is easy to operate and to load the pics into the camera, but as other reviewers have stated it uses a lot of power. The docking system seems to help to keep the batteries charged. A minor annoyance is that sometimes the shutter does not open when I turn on the camera. I give it a few good whacks with my hand and it will open. Not high tech, but it works. My friend's camera did the same thing and Kodak, with some prodding, fixed it for a modest fee.My wife uses it for work and in general it is a rugged camera.I may upgrade in the future, but for now I will keep it.

You Get What You Pay For
Pros: Cheap price, durable (I have dropped it often, and it still works fine), 2 megapixels
Cons: All pictures look unfocused, batteries get eaten up quickly (try 20 minutes), only digital zoom which is horrible
I recommend the Canon A60, or if your willing to step up to 3 megapixels, get the Canon A70, which is the best camera for your money. ... Read more

Asin: B00005B70I
Subjects:  1. Digital Camera (Cameras)    2. Photograph (Photography)   

The American Heritage Dictionary : Fourth Edition (21st Century Reference)
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (26 June, 2001)
list price: $5.99 -- our price: $5.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

The latest edition of the American Heritage Dictionary is out, and that's hot news--not just for the resolute followers of lexicographical minutiae, but for the general reading and writing public as well. Why? Because the American Heritage is a long-standing favorite family dictionary (never underestimate the value of pictures) and one of the prime dictionary references for magazines, newspapers, and dot.com content providers. For scads of writers and editors across the U.S., it sets the standard on matters of style and lexicographical authority.

So this new edition is exciting and noteworthy, but how good is it? In its favor, the fourth edition is as current a dictionary as you can get. It's six years fresher than the 1994 version, with 10,000 words and definitions you won't find in the still venerable but now slightly dated third edition. For example, unlike its predecessor (and also unlike the 1996 Oxford Encyclopedic English Dictionary), this fourth edition covers dot-com, e-commerce, and soccer mom, Ebonics, Viagra, and a surf definition for cruising television channels and the Internet.

Its panel of special consultants includes authorities on anthropology, architecture, cinema, and law, plus military science, music, religion, and sports, and that is reflected in an impressively comprehensive coverage of the arts, culture, and technology. Sadly, however, there are no medical consultants on the panel, and that loss is felt in some substandard medical definitions. Other flaws: there's a greater than usual tendency to define a word with a form of the same word--for example, fuzzy, whose first two definitions are "1. covered with fuzz." and "2. of or resembling fuzz." And some definitions seem needlessly wordy, such as the entry for furious, which is "full of or characterized by extreme anger; raging." Compare that with the more succinct Oxford Encyclopedic entry: "1. extremely angry. 2. full of fury."

On the other hand, there are valuable entries throughout the dictionary supplying additional information on synonyms, usage, or word history, and these extras, such as the history of diatribe and the usage notes on discomfit, are interesting. The layout is easy on the eyes, with dark blue/green bold type setting the words apart from their definitions, and 4,000 color photographs, maps, and illustrations that are both useful and delightful. On one page, the margin provides color depictions of Francis Bacon, bacterium, and a Bactrian camel. Theodore Roosevelt and a rooster share another margin, while a third page offers Isak Dinesen, a dingo, and dinoflagellate. It is a fascinating book to peruse, and a compellingly scholarly addition to the American Heritage Dictionary line. --Stephanie Gold ... Read more

Reviews (32)

One of the two best dictionaries for business writers
Be careful when you choose a dictionary: small paperbacks generally aren't complete enough for business writers, and many hardback dictionaries are out of date or badly edited-even many that carry the name Webster's, which isn't a trademark. Fortunately, several reliable hardback "desk" dictionaries are available. This is the most attractive and readable of them, with particular strengths in word histories and usage. It's on the short list of recommended resources in my book The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course in Business Writing and Communication.

A Terrific Dictionary
I noticed that most of my Amazon reviews were negative.I tend to rant when something fails, but I rarely go online to express the joy that some products bring -- I'm clearly a grump.So I decided to write about something that elates me day in and out.

This is a terrific dictionary.Great design, great entries, just a great feel to it.Buy it and enjoy it!

Best Dictionary Around
This dictionary is my favorite, because it is very complete, carries technical definitions, and the word derivations are the best anywhere. In addition, many words refer the reader to an index in the back that outlines many of the words derived from the same root. With those tools, it is nearly impossible to avoid grasping the concept that underlies that word or words. It is not a good dictionary for children, but for literate adults it is unsurpassed. ... Read more

Isbn: 0440237017
Subjects:  1. Dictionaries    2. Dictionaries - General    3. English language    4. Reference    5. Reference / Dictionaries   

The Simpsons - The Complete First Season
Average Customer Review:
DVD (25 September, 2001)
list price: $39.98 -- our price: $29.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

America's first family of dysfunction, the Simpsons, appear in all their depraved glory in this wonderful DVD compilation of their show's premiere season. Fans accustomed to the slick appearance of the later episodes will be delighted by the rougher nature of these earlier episodes, when the characters weren't as well defined (Homer isn't quite as dumb as he is in later seasons) and the animation was still evolving. This only adds to the charm of these 13 episodes, which begin with "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire," the December 1989 Christmas special in which a down-and-out Simpson family adopt Santa's Little Helper. Throughout the season, familiar faces are introduced, as we catch first glimpses of Smithers, Mr. Burns, the Flanderses, and Patty and Selma. Highlights of the season include "The Crepes of Wrath," in which Bart is sent to France as an exchange student ("Don't mess up France the way you messed up your room"); "Bart the Genius," in which Bart ends up in a school for the gifted; and "Krusty Gets Busted," in which Bart's lifelong animosity with Sideshow Bob begins. --Jenny Brown ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Animated
• Closed-captioned
• Box set
• Dolby

Reviews (554)

Pretty good for a debut season
Cartoonist Matt Groening who did the Life is Hell comics decided to make a show which started as 1 minute shorts on the Tracey Ullman Show. There Fox expanded the shorts into actual episodes making the Simpsons a spin-off of sorts. And here we have Season 1's first 13 episodes that while not greatly animated(it was their first season after all) it still started a great show and even a phenomenon.

The season starts with the holiday episode Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire, which finds Homer without a christmas bonus and Marge having to spend all their money on removing Bart's tattoo which he thought would be cool. In the end, they adopt Santa's Little Helper, a racehound dog.

In Homer's Odyssey, Homer gets fired and he ends up becoming a big safety guy and gets re-hired at the plant as a safety technician. In the Call of the Simpsons, Homer buys a cheap RV and the family get stranded in the woods with Homer being an unlikely Bigfoot sighting.

Life on the Fast Lane as Marge getting a bit too close to her bowling instructor, who utters the famous(maybe) line about brunch("you don't completely get what you get at breakfast but you get a good meal!"). The Crepes of Wrath has Bart becoming part of a foreign exchange student to France while an Albanian spy is sent to live with the Simpsons.

Krusty Gets Busted is exactly that and Bart and Lisa try to find ways to clear his name. Probably the first real introduction of the ever-popular Sideshow Bob. The finale Some Enchanted Evening as Homer and Marge getting a babysitter only it's a notorious Babysitter Bandit. This was actually the first to be made but had to be re-sent to Korea(where they finish up the animation) so it became the finale.

It's funny looking at this set as it's probably one of the only seasons of the show that you can rightly say it's the first season. Half the time with reruns I can't tell what season it is but still it's a very good start to what would become a 16 season series.

Timeless And Essential; The Best 'Cartoon' Series Ever
The Simpsons needs absolutely no introduction, and after 16 years on the air, it's pretty hard to talk about it in a review without heaping on the superlatives. Everybody in the world knows what The Simpsons is, and just how it has defined popular culture since its debut. Most critics agree that this is, by a large margin, the greatest TV series ever created. I'm not sure if I quite agree with this, but over time this may be the case. You have to understand that, even though I have been familiar with the show for as long as I can remember, it is only recently that I have taken a serious interest in it, which has culminated in the purhcase of The Complete First Season of The Simpsons on DVD.

The Simpsons is great for a number of reasons. One of these is that it works on so many levels. The dumbest person in your family can appreciate it for its humour in the literal sense, but also the most intelligent person in your family can appreciate it for the use of irony, satire and various other comedic devices that make it such an intelligent programme. Creator Matt Groening said that with the first season on The Simpsons, he had no idea what he was doing. This may have been the case, but he was definitely doing something right. This season contains only 13 episodes which the FOXnetwork commissioned with a budget of $10 million. This was a risk at the time back in late 1989, but it has since paid off; the profit FOX has made from this phenomenon is now estimated at inexcess of a cool $1 billion.

The first episode of Season 1 is "Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire," which is a brilliant introduction to the family at Christmas. Homer failure as a department store Santa Claus, Bart's costly tatoo removal and a bad day at the dog track leave the family disheartened. Things look up when Homer brings home Santa's Little Helper and the family realise the true meaning of Christmas. "Bart The Genius" sees Bart switching I.Q. exams with Marten Prince, which results in a placement at a school for geniuses. His conscience soon gets the better of him, though, and Bart confesses all. "Homer's Odyssey" is a great episode where Citizen Homer is fired from his job and is caught in a web of nuclear hazards and public safety campaigns. "There's No Disgrace Like Home" is a true classic which sees Homer attempt to fix the major problems within his family after the realisation that his family is the worst in town. A visit to Dr. Marvin Monroe's facility is the hilarious high point.

"Bart The General" is an amazing episode which sees Bart form his own army to get back at Nelson, who beats him up after school for attempting to protect Lisa! In "Moaning Lisa," we see Lisa slip into her childhood depression! How can she be happy with so much suffering in the world? She finds comfort in her saxaphone, and a chance encounter with bluesy be-bop 'Bleeding Gums' Murphy. In "Call Of The Simpsons," the family take a trip into the woodland after Homer buys an RV in an attempt to compete with his annoying neighbour Ned Flanders. Of course, he crashes the RV over the edge of the cliff, which forces the family to survive in nature, amongst eagles, grizzly bears and Bigfoot! "The Telltale Head" sees Bart desperate to fit in with a bunch of rebellious teenagers that he is prepared to go to any lengths. This results in him cutting off the head of the local town's statue, Jebediah Springfield! "Life On The Fast Lane" is a great episode that sees Marge annoyed at Homer's lack of compassion towards her on her birthday. She turns to bowling in an attempt to try and make some use of the stupid bowling ball that Homer bought for her (or himself). She meets a man who tears her marriage apart - temporarily - before she is reunited with Homer.

"Homer's Night Out" is a classic in which Homer is caught on camera with an exotic dancer doing a bellydancer. Marge is unfuriated and forces Homer to teach Bart a lesson about women and their role as strong individuals in contemporary society. "The Crepes Of Wrath" sees Bart's bad behaviour reach fever pitch. In an attempt to control this, Principal Skinner sends Bart to France in exchange for an Albanian student. Bart leanrs how much his family means to him after his Hellish time. "Krusty Gets Busted" is a brilliant episode which sees the funny clown framed for robbery. The final episode of the season is the hilarious "Some Enchanted Evening," which sees Homer desperate to impress Marge after she is dissatisfied by his treatment of her. They go for a romantic meal and hire a babysitter for the children. Little do they know that their children are in the deadly hands of the notorious Babysitter Bandit!

This season sees the introduction of many well-loved characters, such as Marge's sisters, Patty and Selma, Ned Flanders and his diddly family, Montgomery Burns and his extremely heterosexual(!) sidekick Smithers, the legends that are Itchy and Scratchy, Grandpa Simpson, Reverend Lovejoy and his wife Helen, Krusty The Clown, Sideshow Bob and many others! This season also spawned many popular catchphrases such as "Ay carumba!" and the classic "D'oh!"

The hilarity of The Simpsons lies in its genius to turn traditional, Middle American values and flip them on their head. It shows America as the country it really is, without any sense of guilt or remorse, and because of this we love it. It is a bold, original, honest show that is totally one of a kind. Nothing like this will ever exist again, and the syndication of the show will literally run for decades and decades. We see ourselves in these characters because we are familiar with their ways of thinking. The Simpsons is so embedded in our public consciousness that I don't even have to go into as much detail about the characters of the show, it's premise or its creation as I would with any other show. All you need to know is that this DVD is essential, but be warned, once you buy this you've got at least another 17 to buy!

Great start...
This is one of my favorite shows i've ever seen.It started with some great episodes like "Bart the General" and
"Bart the Geniuse" which will have you laughing till it hurts.Do your self a favor and pick up the series if you haven't already. ... Read more

Asin: B00005ML6Y
Subjects:  1. Television   

The Chicago Manual of Style: The Essential Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers (14th Edition)
by Chicago Editorial Staff
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 September, 1993)
list price: $45.00
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Editorial Review

What can we say? This weighty tome is the essential reference for all who work with words--writers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, copywriters, designers, publishers, and students. Discover who Ibid is, how to deftly avoid the split infinitive, and how to format your manuscripts to impress any professor or editor (no, putting it in a blue plastic folder is just not enough). ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Prescriptionist McKinnon is off base

Arlo McKinnon writes, "Many of the 'rules' expounded in the Chicago Manual of Style are in direct contradiction to accepted convention; to name just two examples, the placement of a serial comma before the 'and' and the addition of an 's' following the apostrophe in a possessive already ending in "s.'"
McKinnon's ignorance regarding the serial comma rule certainly calls into question his authority as an editor. The only place I've seen this so-called convention of omitting the comma is in the AP Manual--not an authority to be relying for serious editorial work, I think. Besides, how well would McKinnon's blind obedience to this so-called convention apply in the possibly apocryphal book dedication, "I'd like to thank my parents, Ayn Rand and God"? Aren't editors supposed to improve the flow and logic of writing, not force it into some straitjacket of rigid rules that only exist inside the editor's head?
People seeking editorial advice would be better off with the Chicago Manual than they would be with a hyperbolic prescriptionist like McKinnon. My office has both the 14th AND 15th editions on the shelf, and they get used--usefully--every single week.

A Cancer upon American Letters
Knowing that I go against the current strain of popular thought, I am writing to urge people not to buy this error-laden work of fools.The Chicago Manual of Style has done more to devalue American writing than anything other than the educational cutbacks initiated in the early 80's by the Reagan administration.Many of the "rules" expounded in the Chicago Manual of Style are in direct contradiction to accepted convention; to name just two examples, the placement of a serial comma before the "and" and the addition of an "s" following the apostrophe in a possessive already ending in "s."

I have served as an editor to writers in such diverse venues as concert program notes, grant proposals, fiction and books on history.Invariably, those who rely upon the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) are the ones whose work requires the most revision.There is a lugubrious clumsiness to writing infected with CMSisms.It should be a cause for concern to anyone who cares about American prose of any kind that such a muddle-headed embarrassment is becoming the law of our letters.

There are numerous excellent guides available for reference.Traditionally, I have recommended Turabian.However, I am dismayed to note that the editor of the most recent edition of that book has chosen to "conform" it to the Chicago Manual of Style, the exact opposite of what should be done.So get an earlier edition of Turabian, or use Strunk.Best of all, read a lot of great prose and model your own prose on what you encounter therein.

I feel obliged to state that I am not opposed to evolution in language.English is among the most vital and vibrant of languages, and thus most subject to change.What I oppose is change that diminishes rather than enhances.The Chicago Manual of Style diminishes English.It deprives English of its elegance, concision and effectiveness.Please do not waste your money on this travesty.

Putting the Exceptions Where they Belong
As a freelance editor and typesetter, I find myself using CHICAGO nearly every day. At first, I thought it was unnecessarily thick and dense, but as I compared it to other style manuals, I found CHICAGO to be more comprehensive, thorough, and well-organized than others.

As with any reference of this type, it will take the reader a little time to become accustomed to the order. A first-time user will swear at it, but after repeated use, the user becomes more familiar with the how and why of this work.

Things that at first I found frustrating I now realize could NOT have been handled in a better or more efficient way. There is often no obvious place to put exceptions or obscure rules, and the editors pick a likely location. For example, suppose that while editing, I encounter a situation which doesn't quite fit a standard rule. At first, I think that this exception obviously belongs in Location A in CHICAGO, and wonder why the editors did not put it there. However, a month later, I may encounter a similar exception, but believe now that it obviously belongs in Location B in CHICAGO, and wonder why the editors did not put it there. Later, I realize that I have now thought that the same exception belonged in two different locations -- obviously, the editors can't just keep putting the same exceptions in every possible tangential location. As I gained familiarity with the book, I came to understand why certain exceptions or certain obscure rules were placed where they were -- and I came to agree that they were generally placed in the best location.

That said, there are still a few things I haven't found, but those generally involve simultaneous applications of multiple rules. Each rule is covered, but sometimes, it is unclear how multiple rules intersect.

I am entirely unwilling to trade it my CHICAGO for AP, MLA, Turabian, Strunk & White, or any other style manual. ... Read more

Isbn: 0226103897
Subjects:  1. Authorship    2. Composition & Creative Writing - Academic    3. Composition & Creative Writing - General    4. Editing    5. Handbooks, manuals, etc    6. Language    7. Language Arts & Disciplines    8. Printing    9. Publishers and publishing    10. Publishing Guides    11. Reference    12. Style manuals    13. Writing Skills    14. Reference / Writing Skills   

Iomega 31234 Zip 100 MB USB Starter Kit
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $149.95
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Editorial Review

The Zip 100 MB USB Starter Kit from Iomega includes an external Zip 100 MB drive for PC and Mac computers and six multicolored 100 MB disks. This removable drive works just like a hard drive, letting you transfer files with drag-and-drop simplicity. Using a USB cable and power supply, the Zip 100 MB USB drive is easy to install. Just plug it in, connect the USB cable to your computer, and install the IomegaWare software. The USB connection lets you remove and swap your Zip 100 MB drive with other USB devices without rebooting your computer.

Weighing just 1 pound, the Zip 100 USB drive is lightweight and easy to carry for transporting your data to different computer systems. Compatible with most major operating systems, the Zip 100 MB USB drive comes with a one-year limited warranty. ... Read more

Features

• Comes with 6 multicolored 100 MB disks
• Removable data storage for 100 MB disks
• External plug-and-play USB connection
• Swappable with other USB devices without rebooting your computer
• For copying, storing, and archiving data files

Reviews (4)

Good value but...
The USB version is great step up from the old parallel version.Faster and self-powered.No more dragging round that horrible thick cable or external mains unit BUT build quality is [poor].The unit is cheaply made, rattles and the USB port is obviously soldered to a [unsatisfactory]PCB that is poorly secured in the pastic shell.BAD quality throughout on the hardware front I fear.However, it works, the discs are robust and I guess in a few years you can chuck the drive and buy another.It's pretty much a disposable price now anyway.At 100MB though you may be better off buying a USB hard disc dongle like the Disgo.A really good 128 MB storage and very strong.ZIP discs have a place but a 100 MEG is probably on the last few years of life.Guess that Iomega know this and that's why they have released such a cheaply made unit.

Where did it go?
I had to come into the 21st century and use a backup better than the old 1.44 floppy drive.I bought the Iomega 100 mb zip and it is an improvement, however I am always having to reinstall it because it seems to disappear.It is always wanting me to install a storage device driver everytime I boot.There has to be a better backup drive out there.I thought Iomega was the leader in the field, but I guess they are like HP and put out junk too.

Offers tremendous flexibility and simplicity for big files.
In my work I deal with a lot of sizable files--25-30 megabytes is common.These don't do well on my lap top.My solution has been to use the Iomega 31234 Zip 100 MB USB Starter Kit by Iomega.

While my company and my customers use a wide array of computers, virtually all have USB ports.This compact, lightweight device is easy to carry, easy to install and, based on my experience, apparently indestructible.

The kit also comes with 6 multi colored, rewritable disks.That's 600 MB of storage, which is a lot more than usually comes with these devices.Moreover, the color disks are nice as I can color code disks to companies I'm visiting and quickly and easily get the one I want, get things set up and get rolling.

The other thing I like about this system is that the way these devices work, you can use a 100 MB disk on a 250 MB disk drive, but not vice-versa.I have a 250 in my PC and do my heavy work on that and download the specific files I need to the 100MB disks for road warrior duty.

So, all in all what you get is a very easy, reliable and flexible system that you can use virtually anywhere.

So, get this puppy, clean up your hard drive and get more productive! ... Read more

Asin: B00005B6PH
Subjects:  1. Removable Storage Drives - External    2. Media Storage - Zip    3. Mac - Macintosh - Apple    4. 10903   

A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction (Center for Environmental Structure Series)
by Christopher Alexander Sara Ishikawa Murray Silverstein
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (1977)
list price: $65.00 -- our price: $40.95
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

The second of three books published by the Center for Environmental Structure to provide a "working alternative to our present ideas about architecture, building, and planning," A Pattern Language offers a practical language for building and planning based on natural considerations. The reader is given an overview of some 250 patterns that are the units of this language, each consisting of a design problem, discussion, illustration, and solution. By understanding recurrent design problems in our environment, readers can identify extant patterns in their own design projects and use these patterns to create a language of their own. Extraordinarily thorough, coherent, and accessible, this book has become a bible for homebuilders, contractors, and developers who care about creating healthy, high-level design. ... Read more

Reviews (55)

If I could have ONLY one design book.....
This one would be it. Hands down, no question about it.Very enjoyable to browse through.Very "organic" in develpment.I think I got the gist of the book in 2 minutes, but I'll be going deeper into it for as long as I continue to think.Brilliant ideas, clear crisp writing, and the perfect little sketches/photos to illustrate each pattern. Truly worthwhile.This purchase will be my second copy.

Content good, navigation bad
I will not add to the enthusiastic recommendations of others except to say I thoroughly endorse them.But readers who have not encountered the book should be aware of serious deficiencies in its structure that make it difficult to use.
In some respects, this book is like a thesaurus of ideas for arranging built space.As such, each pattern description also contains cross-references to subpatterns and related patterns.
Well and good.But it desperately needs an index.For example, there is a "stairs as seats" pattern and a "stairs as a stage" pattern.Wouldn't it be nice to be able to look up these index entries (dots inserted to ensure correct indenting):

seats
...stairs as
stages
...stairs as
stairs
...as seats
...as stages

This is a massive book similar in length to the one-volume edition of "The Lord of the Rings" which has been reprinted steadily without any updates since 1977.(The copy I saw was the 27th printing.)Surely in all that time, Oxford could have afforded for it to be revised and indexed.Since the patterns form a web of related ideas, somebody could come up with a beautiful foldout wall chart that shows all the interconnections between patterns, with colours indicating closely related pattern groups.And the nodes on this chart could give the page number in the book.

brilliant series
i first learned about alexander through my study of software engineering. i'm an artist working on generative/evolutionary digital art, both visual and sonic, and i'm also in the process of studying to build a house. alexander's books have been an inspiration to me in all of these fields. i won't expound on the positives, as others have already done so, and my five stars give you an idea of how i feel about these books. there are quite a few negatives though:

a) the price of these books is outrageous, why are they not available in a cheap paperback edition. if mr. alexander really wants to change the world he would do well to look at the open source software movement, specifically the ideal of open documentation. mr. alexander has a website on which he talks about freedom and idealism, etc... however, the book is not free, instead, it is very expensive, but more importantly, is not free to copy and redistribute. one gets the feeling that there is an element of the california guru in all of this. that he is peddling utopia to the hyper-comfortable. ok that sounds really harsh, but it makes me very angry that such a resource is not distributed freely, especially in the developing world. mr. alexander if you read this, please consider establishing an open on-line repository of your patterns, perhaps in wiki format, so that other patterns can be added, and so that your existing patterns can be amended through time and translated to other languages. i realize that most people in the developing world do not have access to the internet btw, but at least it would allow the people or organizations who do to print and distribute copies freely.

b) there is quite a stark difference between the more rigorous and engineering oriented 'notes on the synthesis of form' and the later work. i think in the later work he correctly ditched the engineering jargon because he deemed it unnecessarily cumbersome, and also realized that it is not necessary to build a house. peasants with no engineering or mathematical background have been building beautiful buildings for ages, however in NOTSOF he spends considerable time espousing the idea of a generative grammar as a way of managing the immense complexity of most engineering/design tasks. for instance when he gets into the problem of manufacturing a tea kettle which solves both manufacturing and design constraints. i'd really like to see more patterns dealing directly with issues of energy management and ecological well being, which by definition would have to be more technical, but not by a great margin if explained in simple language. this way a house could be organically "grown", but with energy efficiency there as a morphological force from the outset.

c) in general the books could be shorter and less repetitive. there is a bit too much advocacy, and they often read like a some kind of new age self help manual, on the surface that is. these books can survive the new age surface feel precisely because they are so deep, but i think that less self-advocacy would significantly lighten them and would probably also manage to shave off most of the new age baggage.

and finally, my advice to the software engineer, is to first read 'a timeless way of building', which will give you a strong idea about how patterns work. i also highly recommend 'notes on the synthesis of form' to anybody designing anything. i don't think that 'a pattern language' is that necessary to read, unless you want to build houses, or are just a big fan of alexander's (of which i am both).

i based this review on 'the timeless way of building', 'a pattern language', 'notes on the synthesis of form', and 'the production of houses'.

i can't wait to read 'the nature of order'

thanks mr. alexander!! ... Read more

Isbn: 0195019199
Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. City planning    3. Criticism    4. Design & Drafting    5. Planning    6. Semiotics    7. Symbolism in architecture    8. City & town planning - architectural aspects   

Roman Candle
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (14 July, 1995)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $12.99
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Editorial Review

A member of the band Heatmiser, Elliot Smith recorded home demos on any equipment he could get his hands on. His first "solo" album is a cheap four-track home recording that hints at the melodic possibilities Smith would explore in greater detail on subsequent releases. The title track is remarkable but with four songs referred to in sequential order as "No Name #1," "No Name #2," etc. ... the inspiration isn't always fully firing. Blessed with a quiet angelic voice and a lyrical mind that easily transforms the squalid details of everyday life into something worth hearing about twice, Smith stood on the verge of getting it on. With his next, self-titled release, he did.--Rob O'Connor ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Elliott Smith - Old Iron For A New Day
The least impressive of Elliott Smith's 6 CD's, and still far better than any CD released in the last few years.
Elliott Smith is my favourite musician, and the only reason this doesn't get a 5 is because I'm comparing it to the absolute greatness that is Either/Or & XO.

heart wrenchingly sublime-quietly stirs the heart in a
bowl of yesterday's leftover sorrows and sighs of regret, guilt, addiction, misunderstandings and the need for someone or something to share all of his grief and loneliness with. On this album he stands alone. He sings alone. And if you reach out to him you can only really touch the space that surrounds the solitude he protectively dwells in and emotes so eloquently in his songs...when and if this is done by the listener, only then can we connect with what is so real that it never leaves us alone even when we stop believing in it ourselves and that is the will of life that goes on within us and without us.

This album is a hushed and tender reminder of how lovely it is to visit solitude but not to remain too long in its presence or be swept up by the vitality of it's poison and crumbling beauty.

Please whatever you do, listen to the spaces elliot sings about in all the sweetly understated songs as well as the deceptively simple guitar he so gently strums unnervingly throughout the entire album.

So go ahead and buy this album if you want to touch and feel the alienated space Elliot Smith fought and sang so valiantly to preserve, deflect and impossibly share with his audience.

It will leave you tirelessly faint with hope encumbered ever so silently.

I highly reccommend this album for those who like their music melancholy and tinged with an optimistic bitterness.

beautiful
this is an amazing album. soft intimate sad rainy loveliness. i still prefer this original elliott to the later, more produced sound, but i love it all. the best. ... Read more

Asin: B000003D90
Subjects:  1. Indie Pop    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Sadcore    6. Singer/Songwriter   

The Gallery of Regrettable Food
by JAMES LILEKS
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (11 September, 2001)
list price: $22.95 -- our price: $15.61
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Reviews (89)

Silly and Wonderful
This book is a hilarious compilation of old, often disgusting recipes.Lileks is at his best when he points out the patent absurdity of a meal - as he does time and again.

The pictures may turn your stomach, though!

Humor writing at its finest.Highly recommended.

Funniest thing I've read to date
The pictures and text from the "modern" cookbooks of decades past are funny in themselves, but it's Lileks' commentary that made me laugh so hard and so often the dog stared at me, and my husband asked, "Is that book really that funny?" (Yes, it is.)

One of the funniest damned books out there!
For those of you who have gone crawling through the dark, dank, and mysterious lair that is your mom's cookbook shelf, looked at the *OLDEST* books, and wondered "What in God's name were they *thinking* when they wrote this", you're in for a real treat!This book combines James Lileks' hilariously sarcastic commentary with pictures taken from some of the most revolting "cookbooks" ever published to create one of the funniest looks at Yesteryear pop culture that you'll ever come across.Check out James Lileks' website (www.lileks.com) for a preview of both this book, and his newest book "Interior Desecrations", as well as other gems of Retro hilarity.However, I would suggest that, prior to visiting his site, you:1) Budget a few hours (at minimum) to peruse the site, and; 2) Do not drink anything that you do not mind snorting out your nose, spraying across your keyboard/monitor, etc... ... Read more

Isbn: 0609607820
Sales Rank: 6567
Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. General    5. History    6. Humor    7. Cooking / General    8. Form - Parodies   

The Image of the City
by Kevin Lynch
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (15 June, 1960)
list price: $20.00 -- our price: $20.00
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Reviews (3)

A Great Help in Forming a Design Perspective
The urban setting is a composition of nodes, landmarks, paths, edges and districts, accorsing to Lynch. This physical summary of urban landscape may not be satisfactory for some. However, for others, including me, this book is a great help in forming a design perspective at the city level. It does not matter at all if you have just started forming your perspective or working on the final details. The book should be in your library, and the design guidelines should be in your mind, not only when designing a peace of urban space, but also when you are just wondering around.

The psychology of urban designs
This book describes mental maps obtained from residents in several cities such as Boston, Los Angeles and Jersey City.The mental maps were materialized on paper through an interview process and combined with mapsfrom many individuals.And the results are surprising.Each map is acomposite image of the city (and hence, the book's title) that reveals notonly the character of the place, but gives you a feeling for it. In Bostonfor example, the streets are very disorganized, so people give directionsby using landmarks almost exclusively.On the other hand, in Jersey City,with extremely uniform architecture, directions are given by street numberand points of the compass.An unusual discovery concerns very long streetsin Boston.They appear on the map with missing sections - these sections are totally invisible to the people interviewed.In many cases individualswere unaware that Washington street in one neighborhood is a continuationof Washington Street in another neighborhood.These blind spots affect howpeople move around, it affects the directions they give to others and itcontributes or reinforces fears they may have about certain neighborhoods.The book moves from these maps and observations and tries to develop rulesof thumb for urban design.People feel more comfortable and perhaps moreanchored if they know where they are in space and in relation to visiblelandmarks.Some cities provide this comfort level more effectively thanothers - this book tries to find root causes.It's no wonder this is aclassic.

Excellent book on urban design
Kevin Lynch descibes the visual attributes of cities and towns, payingspecial attention to how we find our way around, how we build a mentalimage of these places. It is not only relevant to city dwellers, but toanyone interested in the subject of creating communities, real or virtual.A truly wonderful book, with lots of insightful drawings and images. Highlyrecommended. ... Read more

Isbn: 0262620014
Sales Rank: 50726
Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. City planning    3. Planning    4. Public, Commercial, or Industrial Buildings    5. United States    6. Architecture / Planning   

The Death and Life of Great American Cities
by JANE JACOBS
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 December, 1992)
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Reviews (41)

Helluva Book
It'd be one thing to point out all the flaws in suburban and modern architecture and planning now, after all the failures are fairly well known and felt, but to do it in '61, I give Jane Jacobs a lot of credit. She saw it coming and tried to call it out. Unfortunately, it must have fallen on deaf ears, but I get the feeling that modern planners and architects are listening a little better and hopefully, this book will get a second run with them.

This book deals primarly with big cities, mostly New York where she lives, so it doesn't say anything about the suburbs or the country. She says as much in the book, but still, some of the principles apply. One thing she keeps stressing is the benefits an area gets from mixed use and certain physical features, and I've seen some modern examples that seem to have taken her knowledge to heart.

Excellent for anyone interested in planning, or why some areas of a city are vibrant and fun and others dull or crime-ridden.

Still relevant after all these years
Jane Jacobs's writing style is straightfoward, confident and evocative of a certain time period--the middle of the twentieth century, when postwar modernization was occurring at a quicker pace than ever before.Her writing at times is almost like that of a novel, her descriptions of busy city streets nuanced and fleshed-out.You can easily envision old New York City while reading about the social ballet that occurs in Greenwich Village and Central Park.
While the book was written 40 years ago, it is no less relevant to the problems of American cities today.The ideas put forth by the author in this seminal work were groundbreaking at the time, and while they seem almost common sense to me, they have, for the most part, been largely ignored (in the sense that few tangible results have spawned) and unimplemented.The fact that this is the case makes one realize how *slow* in certain respects our culture is to change and how closed off to new, innovative ideas we can be.
Jacobs does not only point out flaws of commonly held "truths" about city planning, but also successfully argues that many of the tenets of city planning have deep roots in classism/racism and xenophobia.The entire fourth section of the book details the author's suggestions for improving the structure of cities.The only complaint I have is that the subject matter can be a bit dry (such as when discussing housing subsidies), but this is a matter of course and is minimized by the overall importance and originality of the book.

Chicagolander
Everything about this book makes sense.As a resident of a suburb of Chicago, every time I go to the city I see a few parts that are fascinating and energetic, and others that seem so unhealthy.This book makes all of that make so much more sense.The areas that I see that are interesting and successful have diverse primary uses -- the cultural centers, commerce and residences are all together.They have a mixture of old and new buildings so that less profitable ventures that still draw people can continue to fluourish.They have public transportationn that even I can figure out and a variety of obstacles make driving incovenient (and encourage people to use more efficient buses and trains).The sidewalks are broad and people watch out for each other, even though there are plenty of crazies.Places like this, like Michigan Avenue, show me that Mrs. Jacobs at least had some things right about the properties of vital cities.

What saddens me though is that it doesn't seem as though her ideas have caught on in the slums of Chicago.The city still knocks down places that don't function, rather than encouraging people to stay and try and make it work.Why does no one try her ideas for encouraging the unslumming of slums?And if they have, why don't these ideas become more widespread?Why are people continuing to try to expand road space rather than focusing on the attrition of vehicles?The fact that after more than 40 years Mrs. Jacobs' ideas don't seem to have been sufficiently tested makes me sad.

Anyway, I strongly recommend this book, it's easy to understand and very interesting.Read it.Think about it. ... Read more

Isbn: 067974195X
Sales Rank: 4070
Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. City planning    3. Planning    4. Sociology    5. Sociology - Urban    6. United States    7. Urban History    8. Urban Planning    9. Urban policy    10. Urban renewal    11. Social Science / Sociology / Urban   

Blur
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (11 March, 1997)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99
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Editorial Review

By early 1997, British pop had become less a scene than a competition, so with this album, Blur's frontman Damon Albarn basically announced that he was withdrawing from the race, in favor of exploring other kinds of rock he'd been getting into. Most of Blur finds the band discovering the clipped structures and oblique words of American indie rock (the best hook on the album goes "woo-hoo!"), and that's a liberating strategy. Without having to exemplify England's Dreaming, Albarn can be tuneful and playful, and even when he cribs directly from his favorite records ("M.O.R." is pure Bowie, and "You're So Great" tries for Guided by Voices-style non-production), his gift for texture puts his stamp on these songs.--Douglas Wolk ... Read more

Reviews (123)

a grower
when this first came out, my friends were pissed. they all wanted to know what the hell hapenned to Blur and why they decided to trash their english pop sensibilities in favour of become Sonic Youth? after the initial shock, this album starts to reveal it's own personality to the jaded Blur fan. in my opinion, the single "Song 2" (which became their biggest hit) is not a good representation of this album. most of the material here is hazy and noisy with some distant melody floating in and out of the drone. there's some interesting stuff here, but it seems a bit unfocused and sloppy and desperate at times. but, it shows a spirit of experimenting and adventure. the seeds of their next album "13" can be well researched here on this self titled piece of work.

Change is good
As the reviewer before me said, Blur really needed a change. This album is not much like any of the old Blur, although some of it is. Here's a quick song-by-song.
Beetlebum:Good song, a little bit long but it starts off the album great. 8/10
Song 2: This is one of the best 2 minutes of music I've ever heard. 15/10
Country sad...: This is really one of the best songs on the album, but it is really underrated because on the first listen you think "blur has really sunk to a low this time", but it's a 9/10
MOR: It's a good song, like the old blur, but for some reason I don't really like it because of the repeated guitar riff. 7/10
On your own: Not memorable but it's a great song, it foreshadows what's to come (great music) 8/10
Theme from Retro: Hmm.... this is OK but it's really creepy 5/10
You're so great: I can't stop singing this song. It's amazing, the chords go great together and it's just an amazing song. 10/10
Death of a party: Another great song but a little creepy... 9/10
Chinese Bombs: A short punk song that leaves you saying "eww" after the first listen, but after a few more tries you will decide this is almost as good or better as Song 2. 10/10
I'm just a killer..: Very much like 5,7,8, but with some unclear lyrics. It's still good... 6/10
Look inside america: End Of A century part 2. Sequels always suck, so does this one. It's almost good but not good enough. 5/10
Strange news from...: Interesting, according to other people it's like all of the album 13, quiet and eerie. It's a good song. 8/10
Movin' On: Great song, much different from some of the other songs. 9/10
Essex Dogs: EEWW!! What an GREAT way to RUIN a GREAT album. 11 minutes of someone playing instruments like they just learned how to. Listen to it all the way through... I dare you. It's way too quiet and there's like no lyrics.

GREAT ALBUM OVERALL! Get it, you won't regret it.

A [much needed] new direction.
After three albums of pure britpop, Blur decided it was time for a change. This self-titled album is the result; the lavish arrangements of those past albums are replaced by a much rawer, stripped down sound.

The swirling, psychedelic/late 60's vibe of "Beetlebum" opens up the album on a great note. It's challenging, yet catchy at the same time. Then of course, there's the smash hit "Song 2" (aka "Whoo-hooo!") - two minutes of punk/pop perfection.

"Country Sad Ballad Man" is lo-fi folk rock at its best..not too dissimilar from Mellow Gold-era Beck. And "Look Inside America" is a great mid-tempo tune with a soaring chorus. It sounds like something from the brit pop era put into this stripped down, indie-ish environment.

They also tackle infectious dance-pop (the insanely catchy "On Your Own"), ambient instrumentals ("Theme From Retro"), glam rock (the David Bowie inspired "M.O.R."), and lo-fi accoustic ballads ("You're So Great").

The experimental "Essex Dogs" closes the album, a challenging mixture of white noise and spoken word passages. Unlistenable at first, fascinating later.

Other highlights include the spacey "Strange News From Another Star", the punk assault, "Chinese Bombs", feedback soaked fun of "Movin' On", and the creepy "Death of a Party".

"Blur" is an excellent album, and a great change in sound for the band. If the brit-pop stuff was a little too sugary for you, this one might be right up your alley.

Best Songs: Beetlebum, Theme From Retro, Look Inside America, Movin' On, Death of a Party, Essex Dogs. ... Read more

Asin: B000000WDA
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock