Pohl Pulls off a Neat Trick
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I remember Gateway fondly from its original publication, and I was a little worried about revisiting it decades later. After all, a lot of science fiction doesn't age well, as predictions of the future quickly become dated by real life events, transforming excellent books from literature to mere curiosities.

Gateway isn't immune from this, as its characters depend on lectures recorded on cassette tapes for their education! Worse, it features one of the most unsympathetic protagonists to inhabit a sci-fi classic. Robinette Broadhead's character defects are too manifold to list here. And half the book is devoted to Broadhead's futuristic psychoanalysis, and in the end, it proves to be a ludicrous red herring.

So why the excellent rating?

Because Pohl is an extraordinary talent, and his imaginary world of the future is a fascinating one. Here's an example of what I mean: "While I listened to the professor I could feel the wonder and the beauty of space. It was too immense and glorious to be frightening and it was not until later that I would related those sinks of radiation and swamps of thing gas to ME, to the frail, firghtened, pain-sensitive creations that was the body I inhabited. And then I would think about going out among those remote and titans and... my soul curled up inside of me."

There's not much one can add to that. Highly recommended.
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Crafted from a solid piece of forged billet aluminum; with laser engraved grip to ensure stability; and functional matte black finish to eliminate distracting glare;  centered around a feed control mechanism so precise it guarantees consistency to the angstrom, I give youThe Rotring 600 Mechanical Pencil.

That might be hyperbole, but this is definitely german function over form at its finest...not pretty to look at, but if there is a more practical pencil on this planet, im not aware of it
567141
This variant is for hardcore fans of the '60s "Batman" series only, as no one who did not grow up watching the show will have the foggiest idea of why this car is detailed the way it is. The car only appeared onscreen decorated like this in a single episode, for less than twenty minutes total.

Basically, in the episode "Not Yet, He Ain't" ( Part 2 of "The Penguin Goes Straight" ), the Penguin assumes Batman and Robin are dead and steals the Batmobile. In a perfect example of the over-the-top humor that the series is famous for, he adds some trademark accesories of his own and begins referring to the car as the "Birdmobile" - that is, until the Dynamic Duo return from the dead and use a remote control unit to turn the car against him.

This edition of the car includes those minor changes including; an umbrella over the driver's cockpit, an "umbrella gun" mounted on the driver's side fender, and penguin shaped emblems replacing the usual bats on the doors. Otherwise, this toy is basically the same as the first release ( which was without the trailer hook for the Batboat ). There are a couple of other small differences. For one, the rear driver's cockpit bubble has a hole drilled in it to accomodate the added parasol. This is an adequate, if not screen accurate compromise ( in the show, the parasol was held up with an extension clamped to the center bar, which would be extremely dificult to duplicate at this scale ). Ditto for the top front fender. Also, the rim of the cockpit bubbles have an appropriate silver paint trim that the regular version oddly lacks, but the tips of the "horns" beside the police beacon on the center bar are thicker and less well defined than on the first version. Some pre-release photos of this toy showed some different paint detailing, with the open umbrella over the cockpit sporting alternating white and orange panels, but the all-orange parasol is actually more accurate to what appeared on-screen.

Since this is really just the same toy re-released with some small additions, it's up to the collector to decide if it's worth paying for ( especially at secondary-market prices ). I myself have been delighted to see any attention paid to the original "Batman" series and thought the novelty of this oddball variant made it worth getting ( at it's original, in-store, sale price of less than $6.00 ).
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'Sketches of Frank Gehry by Sydney Pollack' is a delightful excursion.  Though this viewer has grown tired of Sidney Pollack's proclivity toward putting himself into his own movies - an act that seems like a huge ego trip that rarely wears well - and where that matter of self-imposition on his own projects is not always successful, here Pollack is dealing with the inimitable, spontaneous, self-deprecating, funny and altogether delightful Frank Gehry.  It simply works.

The film is a dialogue among the factors that influence the creation of the artifices that Gehry has created throughout the world, architectural doodlings that result in surprisingly well thought-out buildings.  Not all of his works are laudatory, but when his nonchalant discarding of tried and true architectural rules result in the bending of light and sound the way they so strongly work in, say, the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the man's genius steps forward.

Pollack seems to have a great time with his friend Gehry as they converse and peruse the many buildings (and the aside people involved in their growth from pencil doodles to reality).  The balance between entertainment and education works for this viewer.  For anyone interested in how the Madhatter of architecture (think Gaudi with steel!) thinks through his creations is bound to find pleasure in viewing this very fine little film. Grady Harp, December 06
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This is a wonderful demonstration of a magnetic motor, the simplest of its kind in view of its use of the least number of magnets, each deployed to great effect.  It turns, occasionally needing help to get it going, under an LED light over my kitchen table.  Where I have it presently--on a shelf in a bay window facing southeast--it turns on its own, and it turns fast, its propeller a mere light blur, as if the whole thing would fly off.
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A job for Hercule Poirot because it seems everyone is a suspect!

35 year old Josefa Rehmer is as smart and ambitious as they come, she works long hours as a executive events manager at an exclusive privately held Zurich leather goods company, Loyn. Werner Schulmann has just been handed the job that Jo was in line to get. Years earlier Schulmann's sexual harassment almost ended her career, now he is her superior and Jo resigns. Next thing you know Schulmann is murdered & Loyn's CEO a suicide (not such a bad thing really).

Slow-going but interesting, however the prose just didn't do it for me, not sure if it was the writing or translation. A complex plot, for me there were questions that weren't answered by the last page, maybe it would improve for me with a second read? The move from Switzerland to Canada was nicely unexpected, and the tour of Zurich and the Swiss country was excellent. I was also surprised at the direction the mystery went.

One thing threw me, the strained relationship with her dad was well told, but what was the deal about her mom dying when Jo was 14 and Jo not remembering her much?

Finally, would you go alone, in private, to confront a friend you think is a killer? Not me.
3135526
Pros - a fun puzzle to assemble, attractive display
Cons - not bright, a puzzle to assemble, cheap parts, some building materials missing (see below), required repair to light socket

This is a fun novelty, but takes a bit of time to throw together. The projector comes in pieces laid out neatly in a small box. Assembly was a challenge, but the kind of thing I enjoy. The instructions are in Chinese but there are figures and numbers that can be interpreted. There are a few tricky steps where it is not obvious what should be done but I was able to figure things out after studying the diagrams and parts. Construction consists of fitting together plastic pieces and occasionally inserting a screw or two. My kit was missing a small sheet of peel-off pieces of tape (judging from the figures) but I was able to use plastic tape without a problem. The projector is operated by two AA batteries (not included) that fit into the base and there is a single switch to turn it off and on. It comes with two lenses that can be arranged at the end of the barrel to control the focus distance. It will take some trial and error to determine how to arrange these lenses to suit your needs. In one configuration, focus distance is only about 15 cm. In another, you can expect about 75 cm. Neither distance is very far, so you will have this sitting next to the wall. I think it'd make a good light for a nightstand. The brightness is low, so you will definitely need to have the lights off to see clearly. The kaleidescope pieces can be rotated around inside of a small plastic tube, but this motion is manual. The bulb screws into a small socket and may be a standard size, but I wouldn't know where to find such small bulbs. It's incandescent so it will probably drain the batteries quickly. One of your first tasks in building the projector is to test the bulb. Mine didn't seem to work at first but I realized that the wires were getting very hot and there must have been a short. After bending a small prong in the socket with a screwdriver, the short was disconnected and everything worked fine. Overall, if your expectations are not high, you won't be disappointed. I would be careful about recommending this to anyone who wouldn't enjoy assembling it. That really is the exciting part. After it's put together, it quickly becomes less interesting.
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In this volume four of the series, we find Pru Marlowe training working dogs for the blind. She has a wonderful shepherd mix, named Spot. Spot is training with the goal of being a seeing eye dog. The person who may be acquiring Spot is an extremely wealthy man going blind from Macular Degeneration.

The psychologist working with the man and his family as well as coordinating with Pru and Spot, is Laurel. She is smooth, sophisticated, and seems to have caught the eye of Pru's on and off again boyfriend, a detective named Jim.

While out training Spot in the protected woods, Pru and Spot come upon a woman's body...something is very wrong though. Could this be a big animal killing? Or is it man's work once more?

As the story evolves we are re-introduced to other characters from earlier volumes, Mr. Benzazi etc. He is a wealthy...well, you will have to figure out just exactly what he does.

Pru has secrets, Spot has secrets, Benzazi and Laurel have secrets. Jim well he is complex. The largest secret may be Spot's future caregivers. That is if Spot goes there after all.

This was a complex novel with psychological layers as well. It is a murder mystery without a doubt and may not be for the extremely cozy reader. I was compelled to keep the pages turning even though the worry about the predator's outcome kept rearing it's head.

Excellent novel.
3053726
This is a quickly involving book about a Berlin detective whos apparently framed for a vicious murder. The frame isn't circumstantial but implied by direct evidence. This is the first real problem with the book and the only major one. The detective both assembles and allows to accrete a ragtag team to assist him investigate the crime (then crimes) because as any reader of thrillers or mysteries knows, the only way to prove innocence is to find the real criminal.

The problem is how the evidence, if the detective is really not the killer, came to be. The often clever and lucky ragtags never pause to ask themselves this basic question which started nagging me almost from the get go. It only made sense one way and that way seemed obvious to me but nobody, and I mean neither the offline team or the actual police who disbelieve the maybe planted evidence ask about the 800-pound gorilla in the room. For me, this willful ignoring cast a pall on the book from the very start.

Still, the story clops on down the road at a steady, rapid but never frantic pace and comes to an end not only wrapping up the whole case tidily but with no real loose ends including Mr. Gorilla. Rather than actually solving the case, the ad hoc team instead offers up and then eliminates a bunch of promising alternatives to the accused, but the real solution isn't detected but revealed when the real killer is revealed. From there, the story behind the story is all told from exposition read from a diary.

I found the read to be enjoyable, the team engaging and the ending satisfactory. While the book is complete and not a volume one of a series, the end did leave us with an interesting assembled team ready for the next adventure. Im going to be on board if the next book with this bunch appears.
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Although we ended up getting the "Wahl 9766 Lithium Ion Pro" for our Poodle / Bichon Frise ("Poochon") mix due to their curly / springy fur, the Wahl 9484 is well constructed and the deluxe kit contains a wide assortment of blade guards and good quality scissors. I managed to do two clippings with the 9484 before deciding to order the 9766. To be clear, the 9484 does work on the Poochon, but doesn't have the power to get through mats or heavy curls. I still give it 5 stars since it is well designed and would be excellent for other breeds that do not have curly fur.

If you are trying to decide which clipper is needed for your dog, see the chart on the pro series product pages. If a "Heavy Duty" clipper is recommended, do not order the 9484.
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This a great Fledermaus?
Here's why:

The Vienna State Opera produces a "near perfect" production including:

Edita Gruberova's Adele--her singing and acting are incomparable here--she's totally "on" and constantly involved in the action--the consummate chambermaid-turned-belle of the ball.

Walter Berry, is a cute, lovable, frolicking Dr. Falke.

Helmut Lohner is the epitome of the jailer--a laid-back civil servant who is sincerely shocked that anyone would expect him to work. He adds some impressive footwork that will make him live on in your memory as the perfect Frosch.

Yes, of course the music was excellent, led by Theodor Guschlbauer, but I've saved the best for last:

A young Bernd Weikl dazzles with his singing, acting, and athleticism. During the waltzes, when he isn't carrying two ladies on his shoulders, he's doing a sort of walrus-trot that adds to the "devil-may-care" hilarious atmosphere of this wonderful party. This is a delightful Viennese party you'll watch again and again. Enjoy it with friends!
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Although Oscar Strauss wasn't as gifted as the two Johanns, he could work his own magic.  Soloists, orchestra, conductor and sound technicians did a superb job. Performing the work in German was a plus. There is no spoken dialogue. Grab this before it leaves the catalog!
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Fun and fast paced, this hand-held game poses questions in various categories, like sports, entertainment, food and history. The questions pop-up on the lighted screen, and if unable to answer, up to three hints can be requested, one at a time. The guess button is pushed when ready to answer and the result is shown and the user selects correct or incorrect.

The device automatically keeps score for how many correct answers were given for two teams during the allotted time. The game can be played with teams made up of groups of people or just two individuals. I did not find the sounds the game made during play at all annoying, although I suppose they could be distracting to a driver if the game was being used in a car.

The game uses three AAA alkaline batteries that are not included, so be sure to have some on hand, or include if a gift. I like the game - it is compact and can be played intuitively without lengthy instructions being read before starting. It is easy to quickly become fully engaged in the game, share time with friends and family, and possibly learn something in the process.
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Zinman's 9th has come under a bit of fire in some "Mahlerian" circles, but it truly has one thing great going for it: the climax to the last movement. Recorded at a relatively low level, the last movement climax comes off with a great amount of power - the best since the "live" Karajan Mahler 9th from the '80s. And while the two outer movements are quite expansive in terms of their timings (31 and 28 minutes, respectively), the two inner movements are adequately sharp and well focused, particularly the second movement (as usual, the Rondo-Burlesque could use a bit more of a, race-to-the-finish ending). The long first movement is treated as a wide sweeping arch, with Zinman minimizing tempo contrasts between the various subsections. It gives the movement a sort of hazy, decadent feel, and I suppose Giuseppe Sinopoli did just that even better on his live recording with the Dresden Staatskapelle (Profil). Still, Zinman conjures sufficient power at the first movement's main (anti)climax, where Mahler writes the words, "with the greatest possible force".

To me, Zinman's 9th resembles the old Giulini/Chicago one (or Levine/Philly), but with faster, more sharply focused inner movements. You might not feel that way if you're a fan of hearing tons of brass, but the woodwind detail is quite good throughout both inner movements. I wouldn't want to hear the Mahler 9th performed this way each and every time, but who sits around listening to M9 on a daily basis anyway? And while this may not be a five-star rendition of the work, one could do far worse (like Solti/CSO!).

For recordings that span on to a second disc, My first picks would be the Karajan (DG) or Sinopoli/Dresden (Profil) ones. My favorite single disc rendition remains the Alan Gilbert/Royal Stockholm Phil. on BIS. I like the way the Gilbert performance is proportioned between the four movements. It's also very well played and recorded. All that said, I have no intention of giving this new Zinman one the boot. For anyone who's collecting the entire series, you can do so with confidence.
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The Zurich Conspiracy opens with a well plan out event. All the wealthy whose who is there waiting for the Honorary guest to arrive and the head of Lyon. The high end accessories company puts on many shows like this one yet this time around there won't be as many of the guest standing around afterwards. Josefa Rehmer the events manager,hard working and waiting for her chance to climb the corporate ladder until Werner Schulmann is appointed to be her new supervisor,  putting Josefa over the edge with his unprofessional ways more than others know?  Twists and turns keeps this plot moving forcing the reader to out think the killer before the author reveals who done it and why.
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This toy is basically a top in reverse. Rather than spinning on the floor, it spins through the air. I was surprised how well it did so. Just smoothly pull the self-retracting cord, and off the flying ring goes, hovering on the ceiling indoors or reaching a good altitude outdoors (though nowhere near the claimed 80+ feet up for us.) It can also be aimed, though we were more successful at sending it toward each other than in getting it to return like a boomerang. The flying ring is light enough to be caught by hand without discomfort, making it somewhat like a Frisbee.

Overall, a long way from a drone, but enjoyable and easy to use for any youth or adult able to master pulling its string strongly and smoothly.
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Unlimited hydroplane boat racing may not be the most exciting sport in the world, unless you're from Madison, Indiana, where the sport was born - then it's everything. The town even owns its own boat, the Miss Madison. But she's on her last leg and has become the laughing stock of the racing circuit, much to the unhappiness of ten-year-old Mike McCormick - played by Jake Lloyd - who is just now getting to travel with the team. As the racing commission prepares to kick Madison off the circuit so a more lucrative team can join, the luck of the draw gives Madison the opportunity to save face and their place on the circuit by hosting the 1971 Gold Cup Championship. But it means coming up with the $50,000 prize money, getting their boat in shape, and finding a new driver. Can they do it?

It looks pretty hopeless to Mike, whose dad, Jim McCormick - played by Jim Caviezel (I Am David, Count of Monte Cristo, Passion of the Christ) - used to be a driver. But he was injured in an accident in which his best friend died and, since then, has contented himself with just being a part of the team. Now, as the town prepares for the Gold Cup, the driver they thought they had lined up is killed in another race. Jim sees no other way but for him to climb back into the cockpit, much to the chagrin of his wife - played by Mary McCormack - and everyone else's better judgment. Will he follow the same fate as his friend and the previous driver?

There are a lot of similarities between Madison and other small-town-Indiana sports films - like Hoosers and Breaking Away. (Paul Dooley played the father in that film, and plays the mayor in this one.) William Bindley directed and co-wrote Madison with his brother, Scott, and the result is a family film with a strong message about hope-in-the-face-of-hopelessness and high production values. Jim Caviezel gives his usual solid performance, as does most of the cast. There are memorable highlights, like the team stealing a World War II engine out of an antique plane on display in front of a nearby town's courthouse; a man-to-man talk disguised as a fishing trip between Mike and an old family friend - played wonderfully against type by Bruce Dern; and a great reenactment of ABC's Wide World of Sports covering the Gold Cup race. The boat racing is well filmed with a certain amount of excitement, especially in the flashback sequence.

But there is something missing. Even though the stakes are high for both Madison and Jim McCormick, when it's time for the big race, I'm not on the edge of my seat. Whatever is not working has to do with the script, and that one element keeps it from being a five-star film for me. It may just be too tame; or maybe boat racing is hard for non-adherents to get excited about; or perhaps the threat of death (the real antagonist) doesn't seem great enough. Much like another Jim Caviezel sports film project, Stroke of Genius, there is nothing outstanding here. However, it is good, old-fashioned storytelling with strong production values - and that's worth a lot.

Waitsel Smith