Great Book for Patients and Dentists Alike

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I'm a dental student and just finished reading the book. The self-help exercises, accompanied by illustrations, are very beneficial to patients. I'm recommending this book to my family, friends, and patients to better help them understand their joint problems and simple -but often overlooked- ways to have a better lifestyle. I appreciate the author's natural approach in which resorting to splints or surgery is considered only after natural methods have not proven successful.

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Reviews About Post-traumatic Neurosis: From Railway Spine to the Whiplash (A Wiley medical publication) (Hardcover)

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While this book is not the last word on post-traumatic neurosis, the previous reviewers seem to have drawn very different points from it. What Trimble seems to say, at some length, is that "neurosis" and "neurotic" are not medical codes for "mad, bad, making it up, mallingering, trying it on, looking for cash etc". I am an orthopaedic surgeon, and have no particular axe to grind. Patients with whiplash often present with symptomatology that cannot be borne out either by examination or investigations. That is not to say that they are not very real, neither am I suggesting that all of these patients are making it up for financial gain. The sooner litigants and their lawyers get out a medical/psychiatric dictionary and look up neurosis, the better. Then we can remove the prejudice that goes with it, and accept that the accident can cause psychological as well as physical trauma, and that both can be very disabling. I think that Trimble makes many of these points, and when talking litigation neurosis (for which there is a great deal of good research), he is clearly seperating it from malingering, which is conscious and deliberate.

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Database Nation: The Death of Privacy in the 21st Century (Hardcover)

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Database Nation : The Death of Privacy in the 21st Century (Paperback) Overall this is a good book, provided that you take it for what it is - an opinion piece. There are plenty of facts included in this book (many of which are out-of-date). However, the volume of facts does not support the volume of conclusions drawn by the author. For example:

Early on the author states that a failure to create a national database, instead of several independent ones as we have now, had lead to security issues and that the single national database would be better. He does not provide supporting material on WHY it would be better. There are other examples in the book that you can find for yourself.

Should you buy it? Maybe consider borrowing it, checking it out from the library, or getting a used one on eBay (mine will be there soon ;-)

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Financial Self Defense (Paperback)

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Financial Self-Defense: How to Win the Fight for Financial Freedom (Hardcover) Before reading Financial Self Defense, I was suckered in to a 60 month auto loan, because I was told the payments would be lower, that I could afford more car and the interest wouldn't be all that significant! I was one of those people that spent all or most of my money on my lifestyle and I wanted this car in the worst way. (Of course, it was brand new, right out of the showroom)
I saw Charles Givens on the Oprah Winfrey show and was very imressed as he was the only guest that day and held the entire audience and me spellbound for an entire hour! One of money wasters he talked about was buying a brand new car. I felt like he was talking directly to me! I went out that night and bought Financial Self Defense.
Immediately, I began to make extra principal payments. After applying some of the GIVENS STRATEGIES for a few weeks, I had saved enough money to begin making double payments. In short, I was able to pay off a 60 month car loan in 24 months. What was interesting, was the bank manager tried to discourage me saying all of the upfront interest was already paid. Nonsense! I then told him I wanted to cancel the credit life as well and got back a nice refund.
I also found it refreshing that I could use my credit cards to make money when combined with the money market mutual fund strategy that Givens recommends.
I am now investing in No Load Mutual Funds as per the Givens Strategies and for the past 7years have averaged well over 15%.
Most other books are boring and don't offer any type of immediate results. With Financial Self Defense, I got immediate results! Most other books are also too focused on budgeting. With Financial Self Defense, I found that I COULD SPEND MY WAY INTO WEALTH. Before Givens, I always felt that saving, investing and financial management meant deprivation. Not when you GET GIVENIZED! I highly recommend Financial Self Defense and More Wealth Without Risk to live out your dreams instead of just dreaming about living. I also recommend SUPERSELF, to get your personal life under control.

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PicPack Picnic Backpack (4 Person Set) (Sports) Best Review

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My wife has been looking for one of these for a while so when it showed up on The Friday Sale she bought it for about $23.

Two of the glasses were cracked on arrival and all the parts reak of cheapness. The cooler area for food is incredibly small and is likely to crush whatever food you put in there. The pocket is located between your back and all of the picnic stuff, so your actually squeezing your food any time you wear it.

And worst of all, the straps are the worst design I have ever worn. The design of the attachment of the top of the straps to the bag is so backwards it actually hurts to carry it with any weight. And the straps are so short, only a child or small woman can easily get their arms through the openings. So any normal sized person is putting so much pressure on the food pocket that it crushes everything.

I like the detachable insulated wine bag so I give it a 2 instead of a zero.

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Reviews About Maisto R/C 1:24 Lamborghini Reventon (Colors May Vary) (Toy)

The review about this product

SquareTrade 2-Year MP3 Protection Plan ($75-100) (Electronics) Warranty was definitely honored, dropped my iPod touch at a swim meet, down a flight of concrete stairs as I pulled my jeans out of my duffle bag.
Flew down the flight of stairs cracked the screen and bent the iPod.

Sent it in (2 days), waited over the weekend (hate when that happens) it got checked in on Monday; didn't hear anything from then on.
Their 5 day guarantee was not met, so I gave them a call on the Tuesday after it was checked in (Checked in Monday, waited the week, then the following Tuesday), talked to a CS rep who then immediately bought out my device due to my dissatisfaction.

I got the Amazon gift card (minus the 5% advertised), emailed back, CS rep apologized again, sent the 5% and then a 30% standard coupon off a new warranty.
Purchased my new iPod, and a new warranty.

One of the best warranty transactions I've dealt with.

Thanks again!

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Great Warranty

The review about this product

SquareTrade 2-Year MP3 Protection Plan ($75-100) (Electronics) Warranty was definitely honored, dropped my iPod touch at a swim meet, down a flight of concrete stairs as I pulled my jeans out of my duffle bag.
Flew down the flight of stairs cracked the screen and bent the iPod.

Sent it in (2 days), waited over the weekend (hate when that happens) it got checked in on Monday; didn't hear anything from then on.
Their 5 day guarantee was not met, so I gave them a call on the Tuesday after it was checked in (Checked in Monday, waited the week, then the following Tuesday), talked to a CS rep who then immediately bought out my device due to my dissatisfaction.

I got the Amazon gift card (minus the 5% advertised), emailed back, CS rep apologized again, sent the 5% and then a 30% standard coupon off a new warranty.
Purchased my new iPod, and a new warranty.

One of the best warranty transactions I've dealt with.

Thanks again!

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Reviews About Bell 11001-1 Insurance & Car Registration Wallet (Misc.)

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Bell 11001-1 Insurance & Car Registration Wallet (Misc.) I bought one years ago and just found these available again and bought four more. One for each of our cars and for our grown kids' cars. Now it's easy to find that 'important paperwork' easily without too much digging in the glovebox. The velcro button keeps wallet closed when in glove box, too, minimizing space used. The two clear poly pockets inside allow you to see which of documents you need to pull out or check if they are expiring, etc. I also include a 'what to do in case of vehicle accident' checklist from our insurance company to help reduce the mayhem in such a situation. Maybe I can find a 'what to do when police pull you to side of road' situation checklist?

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Reviews About Auto Insurance Survival Guide: For New York Consumers (Paperback)

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StoreSMART® - Clear-Plastic Auto Insurance & ID Card Holders - 10 Pack - RFS20-C10 (Office Product) I'm so glad that I finally found the perfect size plastic sleeves for our (2) vehicle's registration/insurance holders...However, I just noticed that StoreSMART also sell this same item in a BLACK background color...You best believe that I will be ordering the 3-pack very soon...I'll use a few of the clear plastic sleeves and send some to other family/friends to use for their cars....

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StoreSMART® - Black-Back Auto Insurance & ID Card Holders - 10 Pack - RFS20-BK10 (Office Product) Best Review

The review about this product

StoreSMART® - Clear-Plastic Auto Insurance & ID Card Holders - 10 Pack - RFS20-C10 (Office Product) I'm so glad that I finally found the perfect size plastic sleeves for our (2) vehicle's registration/insurance holders...However, I just noticed that StoreSMART also sell this same item in a BLACK background color...You best believe that I will be ordering the 3-pack very soon...I'll use a few of the clear plastic sleeves and send some to other family/friends to use for their cars....

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Reviews About Purenex P-7PK RO Filters Premier 1-Year 5-Stage Reverse Osmosis Replacement Filter Kit (Tools & Home Improvement)

The review about this product

I've changed the filters in this ten year old 4 stage system many times. I purchased replacement filters from Costco in the past, but they're no longer carried. These filters were the least expensive alternative. I bought them more than a month prior to changing them and the return window closed. The prefilter and carbon filters are fine. The gaskets on the carbon filters could fit a little better so they don't fall off quite as easily. The finishing filter is defective and never should have passed a quality check; one of the ends isn't threaded at all and won't accept the threaded adapter - the other end has standard 1/4" threads. There's no return/replacement option for defective merchandise after 30 days.Purenex P-7PK RO Filters Premier 1-Year 5-Stage Reverse Osmosis Replacement Filter Kit

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A waste of time

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Reviews About Iomega Home Media 500 GB Network Attached Storage 34336 (Personal Computers)

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program (What's this?) First off, this hard drive gets 5 stars. This is a black or dark charcoal color, not silver as it might appear. The way I use hard drives is to just drag and drop or copy/paste. I never use the software/programs that come with the hard drive. I've always despised them. Okay, so I plug in the drive to my little router or whatever it's called, plug in the power, and my Mac immediately picks up a hard drive! I didn't have to do anything else. I first copied some word documents from my desktop over to the drive and they transferred no problem. I've always heard that transferring files over the network to the hard drive would take such a long time, so I scheduled my hard drive backup to right before bed time. I have 216GB of pictures, movies, and music and documents. I started my transfer, cleaned up my house and when I finished 90 minutes later, the transfer was done! I thought that at first something was wrong, but now I can boot up from the drive also. I don't usually boot my computer that way, but it's a great way to have a back up. I haven't tried playing music or movies from the drive as that's not my norm with back up drives, but it transfers very well.

A couple of bad things: I'm used to portable back up drives so this is a bit big for my liking. Since I'm leaving it at home, though, I don't mind. The other thing is the price: The 1TB version is about $10 more. It's not that great of a value, but such is the wave of technology!

**Edit: I can now print using this server. My rating has increased to 7 stars!

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Saddleback Leather ID Wallet (Apparel) Best Review

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This is the perfect wallet for me. I've been through 3-4 different wallets over the last few years; they ranged from velcro surfer brands, DKNY carry everything types, and Kenneth Cole leather wallets. This wallet beats them all hands down. The quality of the leather and stitching is amazing, much better than anything I've seen in local department stores. I can tell this one is going to last, and with a 100 year warranty I'm not too worried about it. Similar to my Le Creuset pans, the quality is very apparent in the finished product and it really is a pleasure to own and use.

I chose this wallet because I wanted to downsize from a regular wallet. I (and my back) didn't like the idea of sitting on an approximately 1 inch thick wallet all day. I also wasn't sure if I could handle carrying only a money clip, and I have heard those can sometimes demagnetize credit cards on occasion. My biggest concern was if the small size would be adequate to fit my most important daily carry necessities.

In this wallet I currently carry 3 credit/debit cards, drivers license, AAA card, and my insurance card. I would estimate that I can probably fit 3-4 more credit card sized items in this wallet without any issue. The cards and drivers license slot hold firm, they are not loose and I see no risk of having items fall out accidentally. This wallet did take a few days to break in and loosen up so be aware of that when you first get it. I don't usually carry much cash, but I have carried 5 $20 bills in this with no problem, just fold them up and they fit fine in the center pocket. If I carried more cash I think this wallet would be slightly too small for that purpose. This wallet also fits neatly into my front pants pocket without issue.

This is a great wallet that I highly recommend to those looking for a quality wallet that is large enough to carry the daily necessities, yet small enough not to cause any back pain. There is surprisingly a lot of storage in this little wallet and I'm very happy with my purchase.

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WD My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive (Black) (Personal Computers)

The review about this product

WD My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 3.0/2.0 Ultra Portable External Hard Drive (Silver) (Personal Computers) Product arrived exactly as advertised, quickly and properly packaged. Hooking up the product was simple. But I had difficulty selecting which files from each of my drives I wished to back up. I was uncertain whether the backed up files would be in their original format or whether I would need to run them through the specific software to access them. (The 1tb Passport Essential was purchased as a 3rd line backup for my office files. I intended to carry the device off-site for use at home.) Anyway, I figured I would let the device do its thing. After 2 days, my 300gb office drive was still only partially backed up. I decided to use some other duplication programs I have licensed, such as Retrospect 7.6 from EMC. No matter the configuration, the Passport would only copy at .3mb per minute. A little too slow for my use. I decided to simply cut and paste items from my hard drive to the Passport. I honestly believe I could have copied the files faster by using a pencil and paper. Next, I played around with Passport's software, made certain my computer had all the proper files loaded. I tried a number of configurations. I found that the configuration that worked best was the one where the Passport was placed into its original box and returned to Amazon. I have a Maxtor and Seagate hooked up to my hard drive. I have a network RAID array as well. I had used an Apricorn 40gb for many years (5.5 years) until it died. (Services are pending. In lieu of flowers, you may send a new external HD.) I consider myself to be familiar with the use of USB drives. Only after I had all of these problems did I scour the web. I discovered many many complaints about this product. For some reason the Amazon reviews did not reflect a more general dissatisfaction with the product.

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Your Credit Score: How to Improve the 3-Digit Number That Shapes Your Financial Future (4th Edition) (Liz Pulliam Weston) (Kindle Edition)

The review about this product

I cranked through this book in about a day - totally worth the time to read it, and it's an easy read. Gave me some good basic insight into my credit score that I didn't know before. I took a few steps in this book (paid off some outstanding loans, decreased my credit utilization, continued paying on time), and within a short period my credit score increased and my credit card provider offered to increase my credit limit without me asking them to increase it. Just read it!

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Reviews About CyberPower CP1500AVRLCD Intelligent LCD UPS 1500VA 900W AVR Mini-Tower (Electronics)

The review about this product

I purchased this unit in October, and my power only went out once since. Suddenly, in May, everything that was plugged into the device (my PC and monitor) turned off, and the UPS emitted a long beeping sound. I called tech support, and was told that my battery most likely died. I was sent two replacement batteries roughly a week and a half later. I installed the two batteries, but to my dismay, the device still did not work. I contacted tech support, and was told I would have to pay to ship the unit back to them, they would fix it, and mail it back to me (as stated in their terms of warranty). Needless to say, the unit is quite heavy and is somewhat costly to ship. When I asked what assurance they could give me that the device would not fail in another 7 months (forcing me to pay for shipping yet again), I was told that if that happens, they would mail me a new one. I asked why they could not mail me a new one now as I have already been weeks without the UPS, I was told in a snarky tone by an uninformed tech support lackey named "Jeff" it's not "how they do things".

Anyway, I will be buying a better UPS than this. It is a shame that a company which I have heard so many good things about would sell defective devices, and pass the cost on to you.

UPDATE: 7/7/2010:
For kicks, I sent my UPS in, and within a few weeks they sent me a "new" unit. The unit I was sent was actually the same one (I checked the model numbers before I mailed it out), and it still did not work. Every time I plugged anything to it (even a small lamp) it did not power the device from an outlet. It used the battery, and emitted one long solid beep. Needless to say, I was irate, and complained to their tech support. This time they sent me a label to mail the unit to them and assured me a new unit would be sent out. It's been about 3 weeks and I still have not received any word from them about the status of the unit I mailed to them nor when a new unit would be mailed to me.

UPDATE 7/21/2010:
The unit finally arrived, it is new, and finally works. It took me threatening to report them to the better business bureau, but they finally honored their own warranty.

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Auto Upkeep: Basic Car Care (Paperback) Best Review

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This is an excellent book that covers all the basics. From buying a car to how the engine runs, everything is here. Beyond just telling you what kind of battery to buy, or what kind of oil you need, the author explains how the engine runs so that you can build your own car know-how. In addition to the "how & why" information that is presented, the author provides "tech tips" that give the reader the insight of an obviously experienced mechanic and share the author's "learned by experience" ideas. The book also comes with a CD containing projects and learning worksheets, and provides websites for interactive learning opportunities beyond what is on the written page. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn the basics about their car, and the experienced car owner will no doubt benefit from the "tech tips" and the extras included in the book.

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HP Photosmart 2710 All-in-One Printer (Office Product) Best Review

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I have been using this all-in-one for about four months and am very pleased with it. I do not use the scanner function, but have used the printer for everyday printing as well as printing both color and black and white photographs. The quality is impressive and amazing across the board. I have used the special photo and B & W ink cartridges with success.

I have used the all-in-one in both wireless and USB modes. In wireless mode I have had some problems getting it to communicate properly withmy notebook. When I first set it up, I had to call tech support. The offshore help was quite good, prompt, but it took quite a long time talking with the fellow to get it up and running, about one hour. Sometimes I still have to fiddle around with the wireless part, but it is worth it. Being able to work in a wirless environment is great!

Another compaint is that the software gives a lot of pop-up messages. I just close them all and continue with my work.

I highly reccommend this product even though I've had a couple of bumps in the road. The advantages far outway the negatives.

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The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory (Paperback)

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Ive been reading several books on RT/QM like "Relativity Simply explained [Martin Gardner]", "Alice in Quantum Land" etc. but this is so far the best i have read. the scenarios that Brian sets are fantastic. Esp I like the Grace/George and time-dilation examples. Even if the main theme of the book is about strings, i doubt you will find a better explanation of relativity elsewhere. And slowly when the author moves to string theory.... its just wonderful. As gripping as a Holmes story.

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The Whiplash Encyclopedia: The Facts and Myths of Whiplash (Hardcover)

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Most books on whiplash have such a limited scope, or are so out-dated by the time they are pubished, that they do not offer much to the lawyer, insurance adjuster, or physician. Despite being published in 1999, this book remains the Bible of Whiplash, being more comprehensive than any other book, explaining everything from facet joints to low-velocity collisions to psychosocial and treatment issues.
I notice that Ferrari is the most publsihed person on whiplash in the scientific literature. This adds a credibility to the work that no other author can match. As a Defence lawyer, meeting the Daubert criteria is critical. I thus recommend this book for Defence lawyers and all medical experts who want to stay credible in their work.

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The Settlement Alternatives Workbook (Paperback) Best Review

The review about this product

"Settlement Alternatives" is a very practical guide book in the event of an accident. It is simple and easy to follow guiding you step by step to be better organized and in control of your accident. I followed it step by step when assisting my parents in their auto accident. It paid off!
Since then, every member of our family has one in their automobile. It is an excellent investment and a great gift for all your family members...just in case it happens. Don't let your family members leave home without it!

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The battle between Deutschland AG and Corporate America

The review about this product

Unlike the book "Japanese Rage: Japanese Business and Its Assault on the West " by Leon Anderson, in which Japan is some sort of foreign environment that is out to get the U.S., this book outlines many reasons that we have common interests in the expansion of Germany. As you read the reviews that seem to cover the back cover of the book and "Part I: Go West, Go Global the New German Challenge" They probably do not want to spoil the rest of the book for you.
I was personally interested in the mistakes make by the German companies, as the company I work for was bought as part of a global expansion. Some of the mistakes came close. My personal favorite is about our company. The sales people in Germany are used to the company making a product and then giving the consumer the choice from the product line. At the first confutation with a US customer with the "you will use one of our variations," the customer told the sales man that when they made something to the useful specification of the CUSTOMER not the manufacturer they would buy it. Did the salesman learn that the customer knows what tools are necessary better than the manufacturer? No. The German salesman just said this must not be our customer and looked for another one. He is still looking.
This book shows three strategies with 10 cases. Werner Meyer-Larsen uses well-known corporations. He keeps the cased on a level that does not require you to be an economist with a minor in math.

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Financial Fitness for Life

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Excellent concise work that is invaluable for anyone that is working towards becoming financially independent. This book can be effectively used by students through those that are in retirement. Lots of short concrete examples so that the theories come to life. Also, nearly every page has a 'hot tip' that show ways for one to save money, invest more wisely or to somehow improve one's financial situation. This book is NOT a get-rich-quick scheme. However, it should be required reading for anyone who wants to improve their personal financial management skills. Young couples that would follow the author's advice would be able to live without debt and to retire early.

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Reviews About Personal Finance For Dummies (Paperback)

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Eric Tyson is an awesome author. If you want to learn about all types of finance and don't know where to start this is a very good place! Covers all the basics of finance and gives good footing to read other more complex books on investing such as how to save, investing in mutual funds and more... Also has chapters concerning How to save for your Education, How to buy a house and tips on buying insurance!! He gives a completly objective point of view so you don't feel like there is some hidden agenda. And he thinks of all the possible ramifications of your financal decisions! Thanks Eric!

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Reviews About My Vast Fortune: An Investor's Fiscal Triumphs and Money Misadventures (Paperback)

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I realize that this book is several years old (the hardback came out in 1997), but the ideas and stories are just as relevant today as they were back then. I found my copy a couple of days ago when I found a box of books that had been packed away for about ten years, picked it up and read it through again and enjoyed it just as much the second time around. You will have to make allowances for dollar amount and current event references, but that (for me anyway) did not detract at all from the book.
A word of warning, this is not a rehash or continuation of his most famous book, "The Only Investment Guide You Will Ever Need", it's pretty much what the title suggests, a recap of his various investments and other related and not-so-related topics, liberally sprinkled with wry and humorous observations. This is a fun book to read, and it's one of the few books of its type that can bring a smile to your face, and maybe even a laugh-out-loud moment or two. And underneath it all, in a low-key sort of way, this book makes you think. And that's a good thing. This might be an olde, but it's definitely a goody.

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Reviews About Quicken 2001 Deluxe (CD-ROM)

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I've been using Quicken since the 2nd DOS vesrion and this is the first time I've returned a release. There's virtually nothing new in it, it's buggy and now it's slow (Security Detail windows used to display instantly now take 3-7 seconds to write -essentially disabling the ability to scroll through securitys). Features that disappeared three releases ago still haven't returned (e.g. The Price & Value History graph that used to be the defalut graph in the Security Detail Window is still supremely inconveniently buried ten levels deep in the Investment Performance Graph section.)
I track over 200 stocks in six brokerage accounts. My data files (even after validation and year end copy) are 15MB. I account for every penny coming in and going out. In short I'm a power user of Quicken and should be one of their strongest advocates. In the last few years however, Intuit's self serving business practices and blatant disregard for customers have me looking for alternatives. Unfortunately, I've tried mirating to Money and not found the grass any greener in Bill Gates' yard. (See the reviews for Microsoft Money)
If you're already on Quicken 2000. Don't waste your money on Quicken 2001. If you're a potential new comer to Quicken, consider this: There is NO TECHICAL SUPPORT - unless you consider paying $2/minute "support". I call it something else and it's illegal in every state but Nevada.
If all you need is an automated check book, either Quicken Basic or Money Basic will suffice.
My advice to those needing to track investments, wait for the next one.

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Rear Window (Collector's Edition) (DVD)

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This film was always one of Hitchcock's finest. There is nothing I could add to what has been said before in praise.
However, I question why the film was letterboxed when the original movie was shot with a ratio of 1.33:1 (or 4:3). Paramount Pictures, in 1954, had not released anything in Vista Vision, their wide screen answer to Cinemascope. "White Christmas" would be the first to be released later that year in the new process.
After comparing the new DVD to my 1984 VHS tape, I noticed some striking discrepancies. The most obvious were the shots when James Stewart looked through his camera viewfinder. What he, and we, saw was a complete circle, with the image contained within the circle. On the DVD, this circle is cropped at the top and bottom. Why?
Also, during the DVD documentary on how the film was restored, a technician is seen holding the actual film. It plainly shows the movie was shot in the common ratio of 1.33:1. When before and after comparisons are shown, one can clearly see extra image at the top and bottom of the before shot. Again, why letterbox?
For such a great film, my criticisms may seem of low importance. I would just rather not see cropping like this happen to other restorations of great classics in the future.

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Darwin's Blade: A Novel of Suspense (Mass Market Paperback)

The review about this product

I'm shocked that this book made it to press. It starts out with the hero "Darwin Minor", crack insurance fraud investigator, looking into an "accident" that turns out to be the result of some idiot who strapped a couple of solid fuel rockets to his 1982 El Camino out in the middle of a long stretch of road, lit the match and flew several thousand feet into the side of a mountain (get real). How did "Dar" figure this out when there was nothing left but a hole in the ground and an El Camino door handle? "A simple matter of friction coefficient" and some asphalt that had melted and resolidified. The weird part is that you don't know if the author is pulling your leg or not. I mean, the book cover says it's a "Novel of Suspense" but I'm thinking comedy at this point. It turns out the cover and I were both wrong. The only suspense in the book is around the question "How bad can the humor get?"
You know the list of old insurance jokes that keeps recycling every few years? There's half a chapter devoted to retelling every one of them and another WHOLE chapter whose only purpose is to tell an old courtroom joke. It felt like Simmons just decided to tell some jokes in the middle of a book. Maybe he was hoping he could distract the reader from the fact that he had no story to tell.
In another chapter we get a lesson in physics where several pages are filled with mathematical equations (square root signs, subscripts, really cool math stuff), drag coefficients of asphalt versus concrete, bumper heights versus center of gravity for a man. All of these senseless values are calculated and recalculated until we get some van's speed at the point of impact down to the nearest tenth of a mph. You have to go back several pages and reread to remember why you were put through this mind numbing exercise. This is about halfway through the book and you're still left wondering when there's going to be a story.
The editors at HarperCollins must have been asleep when they read this book. It drags on and on without a decent plot. Characters say one thing, then contradict themselves a couple of paragraphs later. Not a single character in the book has an ounce of intelligence (because they don't know what they're supposed to be doing in the story). There's no cohesiveness from chapter to chapter, characters change personalities, everyone is driving from one end of California to the next every day until you don't know where they are or why they're there...
Hey, you know what, I'm done. This book is just plain BAD. !
Simmons has written some of the GREATEST FICTION EVER (try the Hyperion trilogy). It would be a real shame if this book formed your impression of a truly great writer. Those of us who have been following Simmons will no doubt be forgiving (really forgiving).

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A complete rip-off - outdated, focused on New Jersey; a complete waste

The review about this product

This is easily the worst purchase I've ever made from Amazon. At just 104 pages, AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE MADE SIMPLE is priced at %body_review%.19 a page. At this rate, the new Harry Potter would cost $150, and you're likely to find just as much worthwhile insurance information in THE DEATHLY HALLOWS as you will in this book. Not only is everything contained in AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE MADE SIMPLE common sense, outdated, or available online; the book is written for New Jersey citizens only - despite the fact that this is not prominently disclosed. Even New Jersey consumers will be wasting their time with this pitiful excuse for a "guide," since their state laws have recently been overhauled. Quite literally, this book is not worth the paper it's printed on.

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Provides excellent information to get best insurance value

Its a review about this product

Mr Abler has excellent information about the type and amount of insurance coverage you need and how to use your state's department of insurance. The information that is "new" to most consumers is about filing claims (don't threathen to sue) and acting as your own agent. I did not know you could be your own agent. The book will save me money on rates, but more importantly, it will aid in getting a fair settlement of any future claims. I would like more information about being your own agent, as this appears to be the best way to save money.

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Reviews About How to Save 25% Plus on Your Auto Insurance (Paperback)

The review about this product

Mr Abler has excellent information about the type and amount of insurance coverage you need and how to use your state's department of insurance. The information that is "new" to most consumers is about filing claims (don't threathen to sue) and acting as your own agent. I did not know you could be your own agent. The book will save me money on rates, but more importantly, it will aid in getting a fair settlement of any future claims. I would like more information about being your own agent, as this appears to be the best way to save money.

Read More