22 years later, still innovative.
588169
this music was released in 1983, listening to it today, all the innovation (technically and electronically) is still there.  you begin to wonder either di Meola is a genius who developed something still new today after 22 years OR our present crop of musicians are not doing much these days.  none the less, i give 5 star for the innovation.

by the way, i love di Meola's electronic phase as much as his acoustic phase.
2043197
I've had this book in the basement for 20 years and I finally got around to reading it. I'm glad I did. Despite being a tad dated now, Sagan's thesis that it's the dual modes of thinking - wonder of the real world and skepticism of authority and baseless assertions  - that most benefit societies. His clarion call for a people with mature critical thinking skills needs to be heard more than ever. He is clear that belief without evidence is anathema to a free, 21st century society world.

Because it was written more than 20 years ago, the book has lost some of the power it had in the mid-90s. Sagan never mentions the internet or social networks. The rise of Islamic terrorism is still a thing of the future. Though apposite in the mid-90s, some of his examples are less relevant today. This is the only reason I can't give this book 5-stars.

He avoids name-calling and strident rhetoric. He focuses more on pseudo-science rather than religion. The book is largely apolitical but the concluding two chapters are, he acknowledges, intentionally more political than the rest of the book. And these last two chapters are just as pertinent today as they were 20 years ago.  (In fact, they have a prescient quality to them.) I highly recommend you read them.

Sagan would be 82 were he still alive. It's a pity he's not around to provide commentary. Recommended.
327091
Watching the 1987 production today is truly revealing. Some elements are laughably dated (the computer graphics, bulky electronics, and wardrobe especially) but the issues raised are remarkably prescient. A recurring theme of the series is the meaning and value of identity and the intriguing possibility of discarding it to become a "blank." Other pertinent topics tackled include biomedical technology and bioethics, censorship, and the role of corporations. Throughout, the series challenges our assumptions of the role of individuals in a world of corporations.

Although an obviously-limited production budget makes it feel somewhat tinny and empty today, it holds up remarkably well. The cast of Matt Frewer, Amanda Pays, Jeffrey Tambot, and the rest are solid if not as consistently-brilliant as W. Morgan Sheppard as Blank Reg. The pre-CGI models used for establishing shots are charmingly trashy, and the use of actual CGI was groundbreaking at a time when the Amiga ruled the world. The cyberpunk props seem ripped from the pages of mid-1990's issues of Wired, but of course the inspiration runs in the opposite direction. Despite some retro feel, Max Headroom delivers solid entertainment and real intellectual meat.

The video quality is probably as good as the (videotaped) source material would allow, and the vintage synth soundtrack is crystal clear. The episodes appear to be presented full-length (TechTV mercilessly chopped them) and the full opening and closing credits are intact. Even Max's post episode monologue is presented.
ABC split the series in three parts, airing six episodes in the Spring of 1987, five more in the Fall, two more the following Spring, and leaving one unaired. The DVD presents the episodes in this original air order, but I suggest following the production schedule instead. It resolves some odd questions (when would Theora have had time to tell Bryce about her brother?) and results in a more-satisfying arc.

Sadly absent from this DVD release is the original British Channel 4 TV movie, Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future. It presented an even-darker view of the first episode before the series was produced, replacing much of the cast. Shout! Factory, producers of this DVD set, claim that the original film elements have been lost and a DVD produced from the standard-definition tapes remaining would not have satisfied fans. I will continue to treasure my own DVD copy!

I've got a more complete review on my site: [...]
3242986
I saw this 20 or 30 years ago and it was a thrilling idea. While the movie has held up over time, several of the mysteries have been explained by science and archeologists since it's release.
4479679
This book, originally published in 1991 (though Amazon neglects to include this information. I had to look it up.) is a clear indicator of how things don't really change, even over 20+ years.  The Masters of the Universe are still on Wall Street, Criminal Minds (sociopathic killers) is everyday TV fare, and underlying national socioeconomic problems haven't really changed.  The book caused an uproar when it was first published ... too gruesome, too anti-feminist, too crazy. Might not have the same shock value today, but as satire it's spot on.
3515754
Like many, I'm a long time follower of the show. I remember after the first episode, my father said "With this kind of story line, they can go anywhere. There's infinite possibilities." Most thankfully, 11 years later, they still prove there is!

The cinematic value is higher than the tv show. The music score is much richer and encompassing. Just hearing the theme at the beginning was worth the price of the dvd. I truly miss the show.
4533788
I bought this keyboard some time in 2006 and despite all the punishment I have put it through it still works great. I am amazed, honestly.
2540589
One of the few toys, that hasn't changed since the early 1970's.
291976
This is a great story for everyone in your organization whose response to innovation is - "Well, sure it worked at that company, but it could never work here."  Jack Stack took a "get your hands dirty," product line and turned it into one of the more innovative companies in the U.S.  The numeric examples are a bit dated at this point, but the philosophy is as strong as ever.
4107639
Sometimes one generation's vision of what is new and strange seems quaint thirty years on. This music, which is a picture of the strangeness of the modern world of 1980-something, is as vivid now as it was when it was first released.

Part of this is that the sound is so intelligently structured and presented -- the production is a model of clarity. Partly it's the strange palette of tone colors that combine so well with Jim Kerr's rich yet hollow voice.

But most of all, I think, this is because there is something haunting and mysterious about the combined clarity, intelligence, and color that is so perfectly set off by the propulsive bass and drums that drive track after track and that sustain this record over the long haul. The contrast is what makes Sons and Fascination's vision of modernity fresh and evocative even if it is so clearly a thing of its time.

Their later music tends, I think, to sound like Chicken Soup for the New Wave Soul, and their older music seems almost to document Simple Minds groping their way towards this record. If you are a fan of the later stuff for the sake of the allusive qualities that remain in it, you may just find there is more of that here, and better.
777595
This camera, though several years old stands strong to the test of time. Nikon continues to deliver time and time again. A device that should be long obsolete is still performing phenomenally, and proving that the quality lies in the lens and the skill, NOT in the camera body.
1911045
I am still reading this book. It is impressive that ideas first codified so long ago are still so relevant!
3758398
I can't believe I am still able to use this program successfully after 13 plus years. The tools still work beautifully, and though it takes some hard soul searching at times, the results are well worth the effort.

The actual Solution program has changed considerably and morphed into something called Emotional Brain Training ([...]) I don't know a lot about that, but the author's first book (the Solution) still speaks to my heart and soul.

Well worth a try! This is a really great program.

Update: make that 14 years! Deeply grateful.
4874680
We bought this around 1985 - possibly earlier.  We use it to file tax receipts etc. throughout the year, and it goes in and out the file cabinet every time.  It finally got a split across the top a couple of years ago and I repaired it with packing tape.  Alas, it's split again, so I guess it's time to squander a few bucks on a new one. Sigh.
The amazing thing is that the elastic cord that keeps it closed has never given up the ghost in all these years.
By the way, it's not red, it's brown, just as shown in the illustration.
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Mead-Red-Legal-Wallet-35240/dp/B000BQYA72/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Mead Red Legal Wallet (35240)</a>
1875555
After years of free forming, it is a wonderful thing.
4535527
One of the most creative and funky unsigned bands out of Northern Virginia in the early 2000's. Almost twenty years after its release I'm still listening to it at least once a week.
2613006
Published in 2003 it is still the best on ecruiting. Hope to see an update soon!