price：$43.66
Sanyo
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Great rice cooker) 『I only need my rice cooker to cook rice so I do not care about all the other functionalities. With that said, this cooker gives me perfectly cooked rice. Every grain is consistent in (good) quality unlike some other cheaper cookers. The coating is truely non-stick and clean up is extremely easy. The interface is easy to use and the overall construction is very solid. Size-wise this cooker is perfect for small households. The 5 cups size is better than 3 cups for single households because the 3 cup ones cannot really handle it when you have one or two guests over. Highly recommended.』
(Great rice and hard/soft boiled eggs) 『This rice cooker is great. It makes great rice both white and brown. I was also pleasantly surprised at how well it makes hard boiled eggs. They turn out a lot better than boiling them in water. I punch a pin hole on the end of each egg before steaming them in the machine and the hard boiled eggs come out just like in a restaurant, if not better. You also do not have to do 8 at a time, just steam them for a few less minutes.』
(Great Brown Rice) 『I do eat a bit of rice but am more prone to keeping to brown rice. I had an old cheap rice cooker that basically turned on, cooked, and went to keep warm...no other settings. It also made quite a bit of starchy mess.
I have just made my first cup of rice in the Sanyo. The brown rice turned out great..a bit of crunch, soft, and not sticky at all. The cooker itself was a breeze to clean and nothing stuck to the cooker. I honestly was not too sure about buying a rice cooker for $100 plus but I am glad I did!
Next up is steaming.
BTW - included with this is a little recipe book..it seems pretty good.
』
(!!!!!!!!GREAT RICE COOKER!!!!!!!) 『this rice cooker is brilliant! very simple and easy to use. It saved me a lot of time, I don't have to waste time on waiting for rice ready anymore. It cooks the best porridge! great for breakfast and ready to eat when I get up! Highly recommended.』
(Rice, yes, Dol Sot Bibim Bap, no) 『This cooker makes excellent rice. But so do the other two rice cookers in my kitchen. I bought this specifically for the Dol Sot Bibim Bap setting, and was very disappointed. I followed the instructions, but the cooker did not brown the rice on the bottom, which, as far as I am concerned, is the whole point of the dish. :-) If I run the cycle twice, I get do get browning, but I also get dried out rice too chewy to serve. If you are looking for well-made brown or white rice, this is fine. But if you want dol sot bibim bap, this won't produce it for y ou.
』 『Enjoy perfect rice with no hassle, everytime, with this Rice Cooker/Steamer with Fuzzy Logic Technology. The titanium-coated, extra-thick, nonstick inner pot with round bottom provides maximum heat distribution and optimum cooking. The multi-menu selections customize each batch to the specific type of rice you are creating, such as: white rice, brown rice, rinse-free rice, mixed rice, sweet rice, sprouted brown rice. Slow cook function is perfect for soups and stews too! Other features includeLCD Clock and 24-Hour Preset TimerEasy-to-Clean Removable Steam VentAutomatic Keep-Warm FunctionUnique Steaming Plate for Vegetables or EggsCombines bits of beef and slivered vegetables. Cooked rice is placed in the pot, heated for several minutes and topped with the other ingredients. An exclusive Sanyo feature.Rectractable CordMeasuring Cup, Nonstick Spatula and Manual with Recipes included』
price：$21.48
Oster
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Poached eggs come out PERFECT!) 『Poached eggs come out so easily and perfectly in this! We have used ours VERY frequently for about 10 years to make both poached and hard boiled eggs. For poached eggs, we found some tricks. When you start poaching, wait until there is a little steam and then put a tiny glob of butter or margarine in each cup. Swirl it around to make sure the cup is well coated. That way the egg will slide off the cup easily. Then, we use a plastic utensil (a plastic spoon or knife is fine) to "pop" the egg out, so the teflon does not scratch over time. BE SURE TO TAKE THE EGG OUT AS SOON AS IT POPS, so that it will not stick to the cup. That way you will have perfect eggs, and an extremely easy clean up.
To clean up, I take the cups and just wipe them clean with a paper towel right away. No soap or water is necesary. If you do it right away, after the eggs are out, the cups will be perfectly clean and you will protect the integrity of the surface.
I am SO glad Oster finally started making these again. I have no idea why they stopped.
They are very well made, but do not last forever. Over the years have resorted to buying several used ones from Ebay, since that was the only place we could get them. We are so in love with the PERFECT poached eggs these make, I can not imagine having poached eggs another way. They also make effortless hard boiled eggs. It's also a great gift for couples or families who like poached eggs.』
(AWSOME!!!!!) 『This is in the top 2 gadgets I have ever purchased! What a great machine, easy to use super easy to clean, and work perfect! I love it.』
(Great Product) 『You can't beat this egg cooker. I like poached eggs. This cooks them absolutely perfect everytime. Turns off automatically when done. Only negative is no ringer or bell to tell you it's finished, but the click is loud enough I can hear it with no problems.
Can't recommend it highly enough.
Bill』
(Oster 4716 Egg Cooker) 『Cooks soft cooked, poached, and hard cooked eggs perfectly every time - easy to clean. Have had no problems with it.』
(Replacement lid) 『Oster makes a replacement lid Part # 27655-000-000, $12.60 This might be helpful to some.』 『Mad Catz Xbox 360 GamePad is officially licensed by Microsoft for use on the Xbox 360 gaming console. The Xbox 360 GamePad features analog triggers and joysticks. A vibration feedback technology immerses you in the game letting you feel all the action.』
price：$88.85
Zojirushi
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (outstanding!) 『We eat rice everyday and we have had just about every kind of rice cooker out there available. Prior to this model we had another Zojirushi,but a different model, it quit after 5 yrs and it was great;this model NS-ZCC10 is even better.To put it in a short sentence : the rice comes out perfect ..every time !.』
(Amazing rice cooker) 『In the past I've either cooked rice on the stovetop, in the microwave or in one of those rinky dink rice cookers that amounts to not much more than a steamer. But when I got this little gadget as a wedding gift, it completely rocked my world. I will never go back. It cooks perfect rice every time. The instructions are easy to follow, and the little song at the start and finish of each batch is the perfect touch.』
(Great rice cooker, poor instruction book) 『Although the rice cooker itself works great, the instruction book which comes with it is very poor. It doesn't even explain when to use which of the two slightly different sized cups the unit comes with. That said, it cooks white and brown rice beautifully and makes a terrific batch of steel cut oats oatmeal.
One feature I wish it had was to give some indication of the approximate cooking time left to go. It only does so for the last few minutes of the process. Also, the built in clock doesn't seem to have a way to display North American convention 12 hour time and always displays in the 24 time format. The clock isn't important as we are surrounded by clocks on just about everything with a digital display these days, but it does show lack of attention to the local market. Then again, maybe there is a way to change the clock mode and I just can't find it in the manual!』
(Just Wonderful!!! My wife Loves IT!) 『Just Wonderful!!! My wife Loves IT! No more overcooked or burned rice...and no more pots of water boiling over and messing up stove...Rice Cooker Heaven....』
(Pefect Rice) 『I completely love the size..we are a family of 3 and it works perfect. Rice is never our main meal so we always have rice left over. What I also love about this rice cooker is the size..it's just right...not bulky. Rice comes out perfect everytime. Easy to use. Take a chance. I love that it's made in Japan...Japan knows rice.』 『Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy NSZCC10 Rice Cooker&Warmer』
price：$6.99
Sbme Special Mkts.
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Raga saga) 『This is a sort of educational cd by Ravi Shankar, where he sometimes talk between the compositions, however this doesn't preclude music to be what it is - a flowing indian symphony of what came to be percieved in the West as "psychedelia", becuase the structure of the music itself grows from and revolves around the center, just as this whole Universe revolves and grows from the one center which is Brahman.』
(Great for Christmas) 『I played this album one year on Christmas and my wife asked if it was a family tradition to listen to Ravi Shankar on Christmas. I said starting this year it is. So now we start off Christmas morning with this worderful record and continue on to other magical ragas.』
(Lesson in Sitar) 『Quite disappointing CD. There's some dis-jointed sitar music which is interjected by instructons and historical lessons by Mr Shankar. Difficult to enjoy in the normal sense.』
(Classic Ravi Shankar) 『This is Classic Ravi Shankar. The bonus is that this production has a tutorial that introduces the music to a novice listener. Highly recommended.』
(The Sounds of India) 『I have enjoyed Ravi Shankar since the 70's, when he was "in." In my opinion, he still is. He is a master of the sitar and his explanations of the music was the only thing that I did not care for. I would much preferred that that brief time had been spent in playing more beautiful music. But, I would recommend it to anyone who likes the sitar as I have never heard anyone who has a command of it like Ravi.』 『This 1960s classic is a perfect introduction not only to Ravi Shankar's brilliant work on the sitar, but also to classical Indian music in general. Shankar offers brief, informative explanations of Indian ragas, scales, rhythms, song structures, and time signatures to set the stage for each spiritual piece he, Chatur Lal (tabla), and N.C. Mullick (tamboura) perform. Though Western listeners may not be able intellectually to pinpoint the subtle purposes of the various ragas' rhythms and movements, unconsciously listeners will feel them vividly. For instance, the plodding tension created by the 2/3/2/3 rhythm in "Máru-Bihág" well reflects the raga's poetic metaphor of separated, longing lovers. The loose, playful improvisation on "Sindhi-Bhairavi" mirrors the passionate romance of lovers. Overall, classical Indian music is diverse and complex, butThe Sounds of Indiasimplifies it beautifully for those interested in exploring it and its greatest ambassador.--Karen Karleski』
price：$0.99
Cia - Copeland Int'l
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (belly dance music) 『It was'nt as good as earlier cd, but different music&happy I purchased it.』
(Finally, a mix as we have come to expect it...) 『from the Bellydance Superstar mixes. After the dreadful Vol. 4, I finally feel like dancing again. If you have liked the contemporary mixes on Vol. 1, 2 and 3, you will like this one as well. The first track "Yearning" is outstanding and most of the other songs are the expected mix of instrumental and upbeat vocals. These CDs are perfect for new dancers, who are just starting out to build a music collection. Just skip Vol. 4.』
(The best one) 『The Bellydance Superstars phenom has produced a mixed bag of goodies for the serious bellydancer. Luckily this is the most solid CD of this particular series. As others have mentioned, "Yearning" is really lovely&hopefully will not be over-used, but it will be hard to resist. Expect to see a lot of emoting with sword&veil to this one. The other fun, poppy tunes are also quite good. Just... please quit using Oojami... I like them but they are on EVERYTHING.』
(Still not as good as the first) 『As a fan of BDSS music and shows, I've been disappointed with the latest efforts (Versions 3 and 4). While I still think nothing will top the first music CD put out by the BDSS, Volume 5 is a great CD.
I agree with the previous reviewer that the opening song is simply the most beautiful piece of belly dance composed in a long time. It's haunting and I can't help but dance when I hear it. There are also some fun, upbeat danceable songs on this CD, but there are several songs that I couldn't use for my style - too repetitive in their beats.
By biggest complaint is the same complaint I've had with past BDSS CDs, there is no good drum solo on the CD! My favorite CDs are those that contain music from which I can create a complete routine, entrance, veil dance, floor work or taksim, upbeat crowd pleaser and drum solo. This CD is has the veil routine and the upbeat piece, but is lacking the others in my opinion.』
(It's so very, very good) 『If it took an album like "Babelesque" to make BDSS 5 happen, it was worth it.
Every single song on this album is infectious and danceable, from the classic Egyptian stylings of "Escape from Cairo", to the sha'abi of Hoda and Sa'ad, to the techno of Oojami's "Zaman" and the tribal fusion of Beats Antique's "The Lantern".
Most importantly, the album opens with a heart-wrenchingly gorgeous track, the magnificent and dramatic "Yearning", which I think may be the most beautiful and expressive song ever included in the BDSS catalog.
price：$6.01
Mondo Melodia
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Belly dance CD) 『I have had the DVD of Bellydance superstars for some time and was so happy to be able to get this CD of the music used on the DVD. I will now be able to follow my favorite dancers』
(It's no wonder Americans like it) 『This music is American - Arabic fusion; even Arabic classics are remixed and given a modern - sometimes techno - beat, and an electronic feel which is very far away from what one associates with Middle Eastern music. It is true, nevertheless (as has been said by another reviewer) that American colonization of Arabic, Indian and African music is widespread and now even the people of these countries themselves tend to prefer the Americanized version of their own culture. I understood the whole concept one day in India, more than ten years ago, on a very very hot day, when I was grateful for my sandals and pure cotton loose Indian clothes, when I saw Indians parade happily in blue jeans and heavily padded sports shoes, although they must have been sweating like mad. So... the fact that disco style and techno style is enjoyed by young Arabs is no excuse and no proof of those styles being Middle Eastern or representing Middle Eastern culture. Since this show was geared to Western audiences, Miles Copeland chose to minimize the "culture shock" and made something easily recognizable that the audiences would relate to. And, to make the pill go down even more easily, chose most of his dancers to be young, beautiful and thin, when there are great American oriental dance artists (excuse me, but I hate the word bellydance) who were not chosen because they are over 40 and a bit on the chubby side.
I understand that most Americans, who had no exposure at all to this foreign culture, welcome most readily the version nearer to what they already know. It's very natural, I'm not blaming them. And that's the reason for all those four and five star reviews we see here. They don't impress me, it was to be expected.
I don't want to use words like crap etc..., but surely most of these "things" don't deserve the appellation "music". For me music is something very different, which stirs something deep within. Even if it's funny and upbeat. But it has to be art. Otherwise I may call it.. hm, let's see... noise? In my external hard drive, under the folder dedicated to Middle Eastern music, I have a subfolder called "Disco garbage selections". Meaning that whenever I have the time I must go through these albums and actually listen to some seconds of each of these tracks (given by a friend), to look whether there is some nice song to save, before deleting the whole bunch.
Before ending this: I'm not against fusion at all costs. I do listen to Hossam Ramzy once in a while, and I am a fan of Omar Faruk Tekbilek. But it has to be fusion of two things respecting the essence of both, not a rape of one by the other.
May I recommend: "Rough guide to bellydance" "Arabian masters, vol. 1, 2, 3" "Aziza raqs - instrumentals" O.F. Tekbilek "Best of the Sultans" and "Fire dance" Exotic oriental bellydancing Mimi Mc Donald "Gems of the Middle East" vol. 1, 2, 3 Bellydance Fifi Abdo "Middle Eastern Nights" "Orient belly dance" "Arabian traditional music" (beautiful!!!) "Arabian traditional tacht ensemble" (beautiful!!!) "Classical Egyptian music for Raqs Sharqi" (2 CDS) with The Layali El Sharq Ensemble "Egyptian baladi live" with The Layali El Sharq Baladi Band 』
(Loved it!) 『This cd has various different music on - little bit of everything! It's worth the buy』
(Bellydance Superstars Moves You) 『Enjoyed this group of belly dance numbers very much. I personally prefer more instrumentals, but, hey, nothing is perfect. The music is energetic and does get you moving. I give it a solid four stars』
(Bellydance Superstars) 『If you are a dancer you need the Superstars CDs. Good mixed discs, you get a taste of a lot of different artists without looking for 12 discs and you don't need to read Arabic. Pretty fast tracks, warm up with something slower, I like Arabic Lounge set.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Pilgrim's Progress) 『Buddha on the Silk Road. Xuan Zang, the famous 7th century monk, scholar, diarist and poet who traveled the Silk Road in search of the original scriptures of the Buddhist Sutras. He brought the sacred teachings from India to China. We follow his trail to Bodhgaya, where the Buddha achieved enlightenment. On the way, we hear the tales of Xuan Zang still told by the villagers, discover sacred art treasures rescued from the desert and, explore the Caves of a Thousand Buddhas at Dunhuang, and visit the monastery where Xuan Zang's ashes are preserved and his memory commemorated in prayer and song.』 『The legendary Chinese monk, poet, and scholar Xuan Zang traveled the Silk Road to India and back approximately 1,400 years ago in search of the teachings of Buddha. When he returned to China, he brought with him Buddhist manuscripts and is thus credited with having brought the religion to his homeland. In this documentary, the route taken by Xuan Zang is followed by a film crew, and the fascinating history of Central Asia, and the life of the traveling monk, is seen to be resonating to the present day. In a marketplace square at night, a Chinese communist propaganda film is shown in the open air, and that scene is the background for the narrator's brief but insightful lectureon the nature of Buddhism. Ancient sites visited by Xuan Zang are seen today, including meditation cells carved into rock walls in the desert and remote monastery ruins that were once enormous art galleries containing thousands of murals. The fabled cave temples where hundreds of Buddhist scrolls, including the famous Diamond Sutra, were discovered in a phenomenal archaeological find, is visited. Xuan Zang is a revered figure in the East to this day, with thousands of people visiting shrines in his honor, and this innovative documentary pays appropriate homage to his life of pilgrimage and study.-- Robert J. McNamara』 タイトル『 MASH - The Collector's Edition (Doctor's Orders) >
『Three more original television programs from the Collector's series: 1) HEY, DOC; 2) HAWKEYE GET YOUR GUN; 3) THE GENERAL'S PRACTITIONER.』 タイトル『 MASH - The Collector's Edition (News From Home) >
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Not all I'd hoped for) 『It does work very well.Except it's top heavy when using the no hands feature.Just not strong enough to hold it.』
(Very accurate and easy to use) 『I bought this so that I could move two-channel audio loudspeakers about and return them to the exact spots where the sound best. For this kind of use this tool is perfect. I also use this to hang pictures and get them absolutely straight.
Dave』
(It llives up to the hype) 『This lasar level is everything the ad bestows upon it an then some. it is beyond my wildest dreams. Dr. Robert Morgenstern』 『
15105
4 in 1 Laser Level with LED Light
Features and Benefits:
The 4 in 1 Laser Level makes easy work of leveling, aligning or
straightening many home projects
Laser spot, laser line, laser cross line and LED light
Use adjustable base to level tool or affix to wall with double sided tape (Included the base and 2 sided tape are optional on competitor models)
タイトル『 Asian Décor Accent - 22" Ming Ceramic Spice Jar Oriental Lamp w/ Pagoda Shade - JCOX 695 >
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price：$69.00
Oriental Furniture
『Finely crafted high temperature porcelain oriental lamp - rectangle tea jar shaped body, Ming dynasty style black&brown decoration w/ Shou (long life) labyrinth medallion, carved rectangular hardwood base with Ming feet, fine off white fabric shade with piped seams, UL approved 3 way switch, wiring and socket, accomodates standard 3 way bulb. Ships in 48 hours, professionally packed&fully insured from our Massachusetts warehouse via Fed Ex Home delivery, expedited delivery available.』 タイトル『 Best Quality Price Value Deal - 27" Ming Blue&White Porcelain Urn Classic Oriental Table Lamp >
price：$2.00
Yash Raj Films International
Usually ships in 7 to 8 weeks Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (YRF needs a better concept) 『Oh don't get me wrong. It was funny, lively, and entertaining. It was not-however-amazing. I had sky high expectations. The music is great and Shahid and Rani are perfect. It's not a movie like Kaminey. Its story has no substance. Kher's idea of making Rani make Shahid fall in love with her is completely out of the blue. Try to see it once for the chemistry and music. 7/10』
(Fantastic!) 『This is one funny, lively and very entertaining film. Rani Mukherjee goes above and beyond the call of an actor's duty to deliver a great performance. The other actors are focused and very much in tune with their characters. The music is excellent and the dance numbers compliment the spirit and pace of the film. Buy this DVD. You will not regret it! I loved it! Two thumbs way up.』 『Dil Bole Hadippa is a celebration of the never say die spirit of India. The dynamic duo of Shahid Kapoor&Rani Mukherjee takes you on a hide-and-seek game of romance, passion and dreams.
Veera (Rani Mukherjee) is a fire-cracker of a girl who lives in a small village but dreams in 70mm. She works in a local theatre group but dreams of playing cricket in the big league. Yes, Believe it or not, she wants to play with Tendulkar and Dhoni for India.
While Veera dreams on in India, Rohan (Shahid Kapoor) is an accomplished captain of a county cricket team in England. Rohan returns to India to captain his father's cricket team which has been losing consecutively for the last 8 years.
In a village where girls don't play cricket, Veera has to put on a turban and beard and become a man to fulfill her dreams. Her brilliance on the field earns her a place in Rohan's team and Veera Kaur becomes Veer Pratap Singh.
And then begins a roller-coaster journey of Veera, Rohan and Veer filled with music, romance and comedy through Punjab and beyond.
This tale of turbans, twists and tricks will make your heart go - Hadippa!』
price：$7.99
Universal Home Entertainment
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (The Mentalist vs. Big Daddy and friends . . .) 『Featuring an army of zombies, and ample gore, George Romero's zombie saga continues in Land of the Dead (2005), where the vicious and bloody war with the undead, evolves to a new level.
Humans are barricaded inside a section of a city, that is surrounded by water. They are safe, because the zombies don't cross water, but that's about to change. While the peons dwell on the streets, the privileged elite reside inside a high class luxury building called Fiddler's Green. Among them is Kaufman (Dennis Hopper), administrator of the supplies department, a group that leaves the safety of the city to forage for supplies in zombieland. Riley Denbo (Simon Baker, The Mentalist) leads the supplies group, scrounging among the hoards of the undead, who have an insatiable hunger for human flesh.
Cholo (John Leguizamo) a member of the supplies team, steals 'Dead Reckoning', a heavily armored vehicle used on supply runs, after Kaufman shoots down his bid to become a resident in 'The Green'. With Cholo holding the vehicle for ransom, Kaufman sends Riley, and his pal Charlie (Robert Joy), ex-streetwalker Slack (Asia Argento) along with his team of mercenaries to try and get the vehicle back.
Meanwhile Big Daddy, who ran a service station before joining the ranks of the undead, has begun to take a leadership role. Soon the zombies are on the march, and nothing can stop them.
With headshots, bodies torn open and guts ripped out, decapitations, and limbs being pull off and munched on, Land of the Dead delivers tons of explicit gore. Dispatching the 'stenches' is so routine for the supplies team, that inattention and carelessness results in team casualties. A bit of a self confident know it all, unphased by anything, Denbo's demeanor is reminiscent of Patrick Jane, the character Baker plays in The Mentalist, a guy who tries to maneuver and outthink people. Kaufman represents the privilege of wealth, looking to survive any way he can, while Cholo contributes the most, to what little real emotion there is. It is chaos when the zombies attack 'The Green', though more mayhem could have been done. The same goes for Dead Reckoning, where the full destructive potential is not fully realized.
Land of the Dead has lots of extras, including various featurettes, and a commentary track with George Romero, editor Michael Daughtery, and producer Peter Grunwald. The unrated director's cut is a slightly longer and a little more gore. Those interested in Romero's continuing zombie saga should be sure to check this out. The violence and gore are definitely there, though the story may or may not satisfy.』
(A very good film, but a below average Living Dead installment) 『To begin with, there's nothing wrong with this film. Strong directing and camera work, solid acting, nice special effects, and an interesting setting/premise work together to create a post-apocalyptic zombie film that is fun, borderline thought-provoking, and keeps one's interest throughout. However, as an installment in Romero's Living Dead series, it fails to hold its own.
In each of the previous Living Dead installments, Romero brought something new to the human drama, even while the basic premise essentially stayed the same. In the first film, it was an issue of humans having to work together in a crisis (with strong racial issues implied throughout). In the second film, there was a more analytical exploration of quality of life as a band of survivors is forced to confront loneliness, lack of purpose, and excessive consumerism. In the third film, man's inhumanity to man was explored in a far more merciless way and, as a side note, Romero showed that the zombies were capable of evolving into relatively benign and compassionate creatures, thus raising the question of who the real monsters were.
The problem is that Land of the Dead fails to add anything to this. Man is still being inhuman to man (though not in as compelling and terrifying a way), and the bit about the zombies evolving is forced down our throat like its a new idea. The human city is an interesting setting for a zombie film, and the armored tank ("Dead Reckoning") is certainly cool, but amidst all of the bells and whistles that make up this film, there is no true insight into the human condition at its core. Rich people are evil and mentally challenged people can be useful. That's all the film seems to say. There's a muddled message about terrorism in there somewhere too, but it's not of Romero's usual caliber.
Of course my biggest gripe with this film has nothing to do with its quality at all. I've been a Romero fan since I was a kid, and in all those years, across multiple viewings of each film prior to this one, it was always my understanding that the zombie disease was passed like a virus. A zombie bit you and BAM, you became a zombie too. In the first film, scrambling scientists speculate that extra-terrestrial radiation has caused all of the dead to rise, but I always assumed we weren't supposed to accept that explanation. After all, nowhere in any of the films do we ever see someone die of natural causes and then re-animate. All deaths are caused by zombies.
However, toward the beginning of LAND, a man hangs himself and immediately reanimates. It's entirely incidental to the plot, but it shatters mine and many people's forty year old misconception. I suppose this shouldn't make a big deal, but it does. Romero's basic premise is therefore no different than Ed Wood's in Plan 9 from Outer Space. Personally, I feel there's something far more compelling and exciting about the viral premise. The idea that one "patient zero" could start a global pandemic of this proportion fascinates me and somehow makes the outlandish premise just a little more believable than the idea that the dead are rising everywhere. I was the kind of kid that used to play Sim City, and my favorite part would be starting a fire in one building and seeing how fast it could spread across the city. No, I'm not a sadist or a delinquent. I'm a normal guy who is fascinated by destructive domino effects; how quickly one small occurrence can send ripples across cities, countries, and even continents. Land of the Dead has killed all of that for me. It's taken something away from the old Living Dead films that I used to get so much more out of.
So, in the end, Land of the Dead is a solid zombie post-apocalypse film, but if you love Romero's Living Dead films for the same reasons that I do, this is a film that you may choose to skip.』
(Not as good as Diaries of the Dead...) 『If you love George Romero and/or love zombie flicks in general, you will like this. Visually appealing. Not quite as epic as Dawn of the Dead. Few things are. ;)』
(This time it's personal!) 『The shuffling, lurching, snail-paced zombies are back, and this time they're showing signs of intelligence - more, in fact, than some of their living counterparts. This outing for Romero's living dead is reasonably entertaining and sometimes amusing. What's missing though is the acerbic humour that there has been in some of the previous movies. This is a straightforward zombie gorefest, and as such is pretty successful. It's worth mentioning Simon Baker, who plays against type and makes a surprisingly good intelligent action hero. Fun but forgettable.』
(Disappointing - all gore, no story) 『A continuation of Romero's Dawn of the Dead saga, this time a small group of survivors have gathered and barricaded themselves into a city (pretty clearly Pittsburgh for anyone who knows that city, although I don't think they ever directly mention this) and try to maintain some semblance of normalcy with the zombie hordes outside the walls. The zombies now have some type of rudimentary intelligence and can work together, they just aren't a group of mindless automatons. In this story the zombies assemble to lay siege to the city where the survivors are holed up.
My reaction to this film (and apparently shared by many other Amazon reviewers) was `Eh, nothing special'. Without the link to Romero's early zombie classics, this film would be fairly forgettable. There is lots of zombie mayhem in the story and lots of gore, but the story itself is pretty lame, and the acting is poor. The main bad guy isn't the zombies but the boss of the city (played by Dennis Hopper). He is more interested in acquiring money than anything else, and this seems pretty ridiculous given that society has totally collapsed. It seems to me that most survivors would be more than happy if he wanted to accumulate green pieces of paper.
The story starts as a small group of survivors is travelling around in indian country in a heavily armored vehicle (equipped with rockets and machine guns) searching for supplies. They loot a small town and snuff some zombies, but there is some tension within the group as some of the members are more interested in find loot they can turn into money (like liquor) than finding food or useful items. Upon their return to the city, it is pretty clear that Dennis Hopper is taking advantage of the situation to oppress the people and enrich his own pockets. The zombies in the looted town however decide they want payback and march to the city to destroy it. What follows is more than an hour of mayhem and the survivors fight each other and the zombies in a bloody free-for-all.
There are lots of gory scenes of humans fighting zombies, but this movie is undone by the weak storyline. I thought the stories in the first two movies in this series were great even though they didn't have the special effects of Land of the Dead. In the end, the only memorable feature of this film is the special effects. Watch once? Hell yes, for any fan of Romero or the zombie genre. Don't know that I would actually buy it though.』 『Bolstered by the success of28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead, theResident Evilmovies and the hit remake of his ownDawn of the Dead, George A. Romero returns to the horror subgenre he invented withLand of the Dead. The fourth installment in Romero's zombie cycle (and the first since 1985'sDay of the Dead) presents a logical progression of events since 1968's horror classicNight of the Living Dead: Zombies(also known as "stenches" for their rotting odor) are the dominant population, and they've begun to show signs of undead intelligence and gathering power. The wealthiest survivors live comfortably in a luxury high-rise within a barricaded safe zone, ignoring the horrors of the outside world while armed scavengers stage raids in the zombie-zone to gather much-needed food and supplies. Simon Baker and John Leguizamo play mercenaries-for-hire; Dennis Hopper is their nefarious boss; and horror favorite Asia Argento (daughter ofSuspiriadirector Dario Argento) plays a former hooker recruited into Baker's scavenger squad. While none of this seems particularly fresh or inspired,Land of the Deadbenefits from hints of the social satire that made Romero's earlier zombie films so memorable. Not so much funny as gruesomely peculiar, Romero's plot isn't as inventive as it could've been, but as a big-scale B-movie,Land of the Deaddelivers a handful of shocks and horror-celebrity cameos (including gore-masters Tom Savini and Greg Nicotero) that should keep horror buffs happy until the next zombie opus comes along.--Jeff Shannon』 『A GROUP OF HARDENED MERCENARIES ARE IN AN ACTION-PACKED RACE TO STOP THE DESTRUCTION OF MANKIND FROM A DEPRAVED ARMY OF THE DEAD THAT AHVE EVOLVED INTO MORE ADVANCED&THREATENING CREATURES.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Gory, Stylish and Flawed.) 『May Contain Spoilers
Set in present day Rome, a large chest is unearthed in an old cemetery and is sent to Rome's Natural History Museum for inspection. Once it is opened by an unsuspecting archeologist (who meets a heck of a demise BTW), it re-awakens the last surviving Black Witch known as Mater Lachrimarum (Mother of Tears) and restores her powers. She then summons all witches from every corner of the globe to travel to Rome and witness her return. In the meantime, Rome becomes engulfed in violence and chaos and it is up to our heroine Sarah (Asia Argento) to try to find a way to defeat this ungodly witch since she is linked to the current events through her deceased mother, who when alive, was a powerful White Witch.
Dario Argento finally finished his "Three Mother's Trilogy", the first being the classic "Suspiria (2-Disc Special Edition)" (1977) followed by "Inferno" (1980), with this rather nasty little horror flick. In comparison to the glorious original, it is sorely lacking. Not in the gore since there is an abundance of it here, but in its originality and overall execution. "Suspiria" is one of my favorite horror films of all times. Despite a bizarre storyline with loop holes galore, Argento was able to create a masterwork of suspense, creative camera angles, some nice cinematography with rich vivid colors despite the over-use of 70's cheesiness and a haunting score. "Mother of Tears", set several decades later, doesn't offer that kind of visual magic and although it's more visceral, the violence far more graphic, there is little to no suspense. With that said, this film entertained me immensely. Maybe it's because Asia Argento's edgy good looks is a sight to behold&she is incredibly sexy here (not to mention I love her accent) or maybe it's because it's been years since Argento gave us anything of high quality and this effort is better than most, if not all of his films released throughout the last 2 decades. Many state he lost his touch after 1987's "Opera" and I tend to agree to a certain extent although I immensely enjoyed his "Masters of Horror" entries- "Masters of Horror - Dario Argento - Jenifer" and "Masters of Horror - Pelts". This film does offer a rather clumsy, mildly intriguing storyline as did the original. "Suspiria" made up for it with its clever execution. "Mother of Tears" made up for it, at least to me, with the wickedly explicit murder sequences and its pace. Despite a lot of mumbo jumbo, the pace is swift, moving from one elaborate murder sequence to the next (the impaling of one unfortunate soul for instance is cringe-worthy&even babies are not safe from this films wrath). Also worth mentioning is the great cast, Asia Argento, Udo Keir, Dalia Nicolodi all whom offer middling to good performances but Argento's films are not noted for their actors masterwork but more for Argento's creativity and lastly, the location shots of Italy are sumptuous.
Judging by its reviews, this is a love it or hate it type of film. Especially if you are comparing it to Argento's earlier greater efforts. However as a horror film, it delivered what it promised. It may lack suspense&wit but the gore, nudity, outrageousness and scenes which many will consider "bad taste" are here in abundance and for those that like this type of morbid entertainment, it will be time well spent. Recommended. 』
(Good job Argeto!) 『OK it's Not Suspiria but it's a good film and fits right in with the Mother trilogy. If you like Suspiria and Inferno you will like Mother of Tears. Only bad thing about this film is that the FX are not that great.』
(Even Masters Make Mistakes) 『Wow, how many writers did it take to write this mess? Why was Daria Nicolodi not involved in the writing process on this film? Not to take anything away from the great accomplishments of a filmmaking legend like Dario Argento but Nicolodi's writing presence was greatly missed in this final installment in the Three Mothers trilogy. Mother of Tears just doesn't have the impact that Suspiria and Inferno had and the only missing component is Dario Nicolodi.
The acting is on again, off again, accents are occasionally too heavy and the makeup and costume design were just a bit too wonky and dated for my tastes. On the other hand, there was some great gore, a cool monster here and there and the nudity was phenomenal. Asia Argento and Moran Atias are breathtaking women; Dario's got a great eye for beauty.
My biggest problem with Mother of Tears is that it just seemed to meander, ramble and bounce about too much. The story just wasn't conservative enough, it was as if there were too many ideas packed in and not enough restraint used to bring the concept back down to earth. It came off like a first draft; logic went right out the window, CG FX was hokey, dialogue was bad, characters were unlikable and the finale was tremendously anticlimactic. In my opinion, Claudio Simonetti's score ended up being more epic than the film itself!
Mother of Tears just didn't work for me and I more than likely will not be voluntarily watching it again. It was just all over the place and not focused enough for me. If you're an Italian horror devotee or a hardcore Argento fan, you could probably rent worse but be sure to rent before purchasing first because Suspiria or Inferno this is not.』
(Mother of Turds) 『Wow, where do I start with this one? Like every other Argento fan on the planet I waited with bated breathe for this release and wow, how have the mighty fallen! In a word, i'd describe this as ludicrous. Gone are the creative camera movement innovations Dario was once known for. Acting, as usual for an Argento film,is uneven. I found Asia to be one of the bigger offenders (the films star!), as her acting was stilted at best and just dreadful&(dare I say) amateurish at its worst! Much fun to see Udo Kier in his brief appearance, his demise (like the other similiar scenes) was particularly vicious.In fact, the gore in this film made me feel like I was watching another misogynistic Fulci movie instead of Argentos latest.
So if it stunk that bad,why three stars? Like any good roadside accident,I just couldnt tear my eyes away. The combination of (unintentional) comedy,including but not limited to the laughably bad acting&the films surprisingly swift pacing kept me away from the fast forward button.The aforementioned vicious death scenes leaves me wondering more about whats wrong with this Argento guy,than interest in his next film project.You have been warned.
』
(Better then people are saying) 『This is a good film. Argento is a great filmnaker. If you like Suspiria and Inferno then you need to see Mother of Tears. I think it fits right in.』 『After waiting 28 years for the third feature in Dario Argento's Mother trilogy, die-hard fans (like myself) flocked to theaters to catchMother of Tears. The anticipatory set-up, for example reconciling in advance that the film will look entirely different, and probably less sexy, than the first two Giallo classics,Suspiria(1977) andInferno(1980), induced anxieties in viewers that many of us hoped would enhance the film's horror and suspense. So revered areSuspiriaandInfernothat one needs an extremely open mind to avoid instantly turningMother of Tearsoff, now that it's available on DVD, and chucking the disc out the window, insulted by its comparison to the previous two movies. From scene one, in which a psychotic, villainous monkey stalks Asia Argento, playing protagonist Sarah Mandy, through Rome's Natural History Museum, one realizes this film can only go downhill. Without the colored lights, the stylized 1970s horror aesthetic, or the terrifyingly fetishtistic speed metal/electronica soundtrack pounding during the chase, the mood is simply corny. Regarding the monkey, try to remember that an oddly elegant and intelligent crow ate an eyeball to great effect in Argento's,Terror at the Opera. Argento has always favored animals to represent unwilling witnesses. The plot itself is also typically Argento and does follow-up: After a tainted red tunic is discovered in a cemetery, the third and last witch, Mother Lachrimarum (Moran Atias), is awaken from her catacombs beneath a mansion that she and her two deceased witch consorts, Mater Tenebrarum, the Mother of Darkness/Shadows, and Mater Suspiriorum, the Mother of Sighs, long ago recruited an architect to build. TheMother of Tearshas beef with Sarah Mandy, due to Sarah's heritage, and the unholy black witch relentlessly pursues Mandy until Mandy is forced to fight head-on. Mandy's boyfriend, Michael Pierce (Adam James), is not much help, nor is Padre Johannes (Udo Kier), which makes sense; Argento's films are all about empowered female characters, vengeful victims and ruthless criminals alike. Perhaps the flaw here is Argento's casting of his daughter, and her inability to render that illicit sexual tension that the puerile Suzy Banyon (Jessica Harper) once did in the halls of her bewitched boarding school. Even Mother Lachrimarum's young recruits, such as the Gothic and Lolita-style Katerina (Jun Ichikawa), are dumb-looking with their colored contacts and peacock hairstyles. There is only one character, the elder white witch Marta Colussi (Valeria Cavalli), who has the sexual draw to enchant Argento style, but she is short-lived. The CG effects employed throughout, especially in regards to the ghoulish antics happening amongst the Goth witch posse, are just plain bad. Only a few shots of gore really spook, and to be fair, they are lasting images. But the only semi-interesting this about theMother of TearsDVD is the interview extra with the man himself, who is still master even if he makes a few stinkers. --Trinie Dalton』 『Studio: Genius Products Inc Release Date: 09/23/2008 Rating: Ur』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (One of their best blends.) 『This tea has a great Thanksgiving/Christmas flavor to it. It's a black tea with a taste and aroma of gingerbread cookies and cinnamon. It has a sweetness to it, but because it's a black tea it's not overly sweet.
This is the kind of tea that makes you want to drink it in the evening front of a fireplace with snow falling outside or as a tea break while out Holiday shopping for friends and family. It's a great blend that's not too overpowering with sweetness. 』
(Great tea!) 『This tea is awesome!! My friend brought some while she was visiting, and let me try it. I liked it so much I've been searching like crazy to find it. I was so happy when I came across it on Amazon! The flavor is amazing, you will not be disappointed!』
(I love this tea) 『WOW!! This is the best tea i have ever had the pleasure of drinking!! you will not be sorry』
(delicious tea blend) 『Most wonderful tea I have ever had--smell is out of this world, tea bags sturdy enough for several cups of tea;great gift idea for tea lover!』 『Holiday Tea by Harney&Sons is a black tea spiced with citrus, almond, clove and cinnamon. Also available, our loose Holiday Tea in a red metal tin with a special holiday label. The newest addition to this line-up is our 20ct tin Holiday Tea, which is a perfect addition to any holiday gift. Delicious hot or iced.』
『Gyokuro is made from older tea trees which are shaded to reduce the effect of photosynthesis.
This is a tea with a mild flavor and is considered the finest grade of japanese tea.
This green tea was selected for its superior quality and flavour. It is grown in the Uji district in Kyoto, the most famous tea growing region in Japan.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (YUM.) 『It's sooo good, even if you don't usually like coffee you'll love Cafe Du Monde's coffee and chicory. Roasted chicory gives the coffee a rich chocolaty flavor, somewhat like what a mocha cappuccino tastes like. I use filtered water and brew with a regular coffee maker, it turns out fine. I just picked up my can at an Asian grocery, which is the last place I would have thought to look for it. Seriously, what is up with the Asian grocery connection? It's so weird. Anyway, this was selling for a few dollars more at the regular grocery store, so even buying it online is an decent deal.』
(When in doubt, drink the original!) 『It's summer. It's so muggy you can see the steam rise off the pavement. Yep, you're in the semi-tropics now. It's New Orleans and the living is easy. And it is 8 o'clock in the morning. Time for cafe au lait made with coffee and chicory and a plate of beignets dusted with powdered sugar. It's the chicory that gives cafe au lait its robust, mellowed down flavor.
Chicory? What is chicory? Thought you would never ask. I just happen to have that answer right here: From Wikipedia: "Root chicory (Cichorium intybus var. sativum) has been in cultivation in Europe as a coffee substitute. The roots are baked, ground, and used as a coffee substitute and additive, especially in the Mediterranean region (where the plant is native), although its use as a coffee additive is also very popular in India, parts of Southeast Asia and the American South, particularly in New Orleans. Chicory, with sugar beet and rye was used as an ingredient of the East German Mischkaffee (mixed coffee), introduced during the "coffee crisis" of 1976-9." Chicory is also related to endive and raddichio.
Cafe au lait is strong coffee mixed half with hot milk, and sugar added as desired. There is nothing like it, especially when drunk in the atmosphere of New Orleans.
』
(Cafe Du Monde) 『Great coffee, just like what is served at Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans. The only difference is you don't have the added flavor of the pigon crap that come with your coffee at Cafe Du Monde. Only complaint is the shipping cost is too expensive.』
(Greet product, love the coffee.) 『It really takes me back to when I used to visit my grandpa in New Orleans.』
(Love Dat Coffee) 『This is the best coffee around. It is sooo strong that you can actually use 1/2 the amount, so long as it is like 8 cups - 4 scoops, any amount of water less than that and the flavor can get lost. I have been hooked on it ever since my college days in New orleans, and now I buy it by the case from the site. It is the best coffee and it is priced very well for the taste. I have had other coffees that are $18 per 1/2 pund and they do not compare... trust me, go to Cafe DuMonde's site and try it out. 』 『Cafe du monde, coffee and chicory』
『Ink pen, reset pin and stylus all in one Dimension - 2.97 x 80mm』 タイトル『 Decorated Mouse Pad with "black and white", Japan, animal, bird, Asia >
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price：$9.95
SHOPZEUS
『Professional "Brite White" fabric mouse pads are among the most versatile and durable, providing brilliant graphic reproduction for spot color or full color imprints. This durable polyester surface is above industry standards and provides a superior product value overall. Designed to reproduce vibrant detailed images. Our mouse pads have white fabric top with the 100% genuine black rubber base (not the cheap foam your seen on other advertisements).』 タイトル『 Port Asia-Pacific Travel Connection Pack with Power/Phone Adapter >
price：$6.99
Scholastic Paperbacks
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Great alternative to spiderman) 『My 5 year old son loves superheros, (even though he's never seen the movies of them0 and I'm pretty sick of the modern ones (Spiderman, Batman, etc.). This book is a great alternative, because the brothers have super powers, without the silly capes and masks, and they use their powers to help one another. This is my son's favorite book. He has it memorized, and it has helped him with reading and vocabulary, because he loves it so much.』
(My Son Liked This Book a Lot...) 『... and that's the best review I can give it. We read it together in the Spanish-language edition, with the same colorful illustrations. If there's a moral to the story, it has to do with solidarity between the brothers, recognition of differing skills, appreciation of each other's worth.
There's another book called The Five Chinese Brothers, which perhaps teaches the same lessons in a less 'terrifying' narrative. My thought is that both books belong in a good children's library, along with the story of the Chinese girl who goes to war in her father's stead. American children deserve some taste of the heroism of China to counteract the still-rampant discrimination against all things Chinese.』
(The Seven Chinese Brothers) 『YO! If I had even one brother like these seven, I could'a ruled Philadelphia! Great story!』
(Gory nonsense) 『A typical episode: the emperor orders one of the brothers beheaded for no good reason. But this brother has bones of steel which breaks the executioner's sword.
Do you want to put such gory nonsense into your children's heads when their minds are getting acquainted with the world?』
(The Seven Chinese Brothers) 『Have you read the book called "The Seven Chinese Brothers"? The story is mainly about seven brothers who want to help people. Each brother has a special gift of power. Each of the brothers gets in trouble and help each other when they get in trouble. I hope you like it.』 『The Seven Chinese BrothersMargaret Mahy, Illustrations Jean and Mou-sien Tseng. A magnificently illustrated and authentic retelling of the classic Chinese folk tale of the seven brothers and their supernatural gifts. "Exceptional." -SLJ, starred review Grade Level: PreK-2』
price：$18.32
Targus
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Doesn't include Australia/NZ) 『I use this adapter all the time for trips to Europe, and its been fine. I like how it cleverly snaps together and stores neatly.
I was disappointed when I arrived in Australia today, took it apart and realized I didn't have a match. I am not sure why I didn't check ahead of time, I just figured it had everything. Luckily, I found a tourist supply shop that sold things like camera batteries. They had an adapter, but in the meantime I lost a few hours of work time.』
(Does exactly what you need it to do.) 『This is the first and only power adapter kit I've used. It does a good job of compacting for storage and travel, and worked well for me as a US traveler to Spain.』
(World class power travel adapter!) 『This is a MUST HAVE power travel adapter-- it's small, sleek, easy to use, easy to pack, and dependable. It would also make a good gift for anyone who is traveling overseas! It's far smaller than any of the other 'traditional' power adapter kits- this one fits easily in a laptop bag or a backpack. I've used it outside the US, and recommend it highly.』
(Stupid Stupid Stupid) 『So... bought this for a trip to Europe. Worked fine in Germany and Austria. On my flight connection through London I found out that this does not have the plug adapter for the UK. Seriously? Like nobody flying to Europe wants to use his/her laptop in Heathrow? Now have the Kensington adapter on my wish list for Christmas (used to own it -- left it on a client site when running to the airport -- going to own it again one way or another). Planning to abandon this self-limiting "world (but not UK) travel adapter".』
(Worked.) 『I bought this for a trip to Europe. I really only needed one (VS 3) of the plugs (EU plug). The individual plugs feel a little fragile.
You may want to consider just buying the individual plug you need vs a big kit. I would also recommend bringing two plug adaptors on the trip with you. If you are charging camera batteries, cell phones, ipods, etc. Then you will most likely want to charge two at the same time.
Because this is only an adaptor make sure your electronic deivices are capable of coverting the 240V. OTher wise you need a power converter instead. 』 『The Targus World Power Travel Adapter creates a universal solution that allows you to connect to any standard wall outlet worldwide. Simply attach any of the three interchangeable adapters to your device's AC power cord. Adapters included are for use in North America, Europe, UK, Australia and Asia Pacific. A storage tube is also included for ease of portability. They also feature red safety shutters for protection against accidental contact with electrical current and are made of high impact durable polycarbonate plastic. Travel light around the world with one set of universal power adapters for all of your powering needs.PRODUCT FEATURES:Voltage rating: 250 VAC;Maximum current rating: 10 Amps;Worldwide voltage compatible (110 VAC - 250 VAC).』
price：$171.01
Sharp
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (No surprise... I love it!) 『When my previous Sharp convection microwave finally quit working I wanted to replace it with the same thing. My old unit had a date of manufacture on it... June 1988. This product is just like my old one except it is slightly higher wattage. And, amazingly, this one was slightly less expensive than the one I bought more than 20 years ago. I never would have replaced my old unit just to get a more modern look, but that is another benefit. The old one was black with a phony wood look. I love the look of my new all white model!』
(Sharp R-930AK 1-1/2-Cubic-Foot 900-Watt Convection Microwave, Black) 『The Sharp R-930AK 1-1/2-Cubic-Foot 900-Watt Convection Microwave, Black is the best convection microwave oven on the market. I had been using my previous VERY similar model for about 15 years everyday for all of my major cooking. It did baking, roasting, and broiling excellently. I did roasting chickens up to 7.5 pounds and turkeys up to 15 pounds, steaks, beef roasts, hamburgers, pork, fish, cassaroles, everything. It was my main everyday cooking utensil. That is why, when it came time to replace the old one, I bought another Sharp model that is almost identical to the old one I had. It is the most reliable cooking appliance I have ever used. Althought I have a conventional oven, I hardly use it. I use the Sharp R-930AK 1-1/2-Cubic-Foot 900-Watt Convection Microwave instead. It also saves me a bundle on electricity over my conventional electric stove and oven.
I bought it from evVive Home on Amazon.com, but when I do a search for it on Amazon now, it comes up with a different company. I was very happy with evVive Home.
[...] 』
(Sharp R930AK Convection Microwave) 『I was so pleased with this convection microwave that this is my second one. The last one was purchased 10 years ago. I needed another oven during the holidays and I can only have one oven and a microwave or a double oven and no microwave so I opted for this convection microwave. It works great. I can use it as an oven when needed and also as a microwave. It is big enough inside so you can put a 9x13 pan and it still moves around on the turn table. To have the inside this big is a must. I would highly recommend it to anyone. NOTE: In order to pop popcorn, you need to have the bag setting on something and you can use a glass pie plate turned upside down. The book calls for something else but this glass pie plate works great and usually everyone has one of those.』
(I have had one for almost twenty years) 『I got this because of the novelty of it. However, within a very short time, this was my 'do it all'. One of the reviews said he had baked a bundt cake in it. I can't count the cakes I have baked in it. It is my first choice for an oven. When the pan is too big, it will go into the regular oven. I am not sure this particular one has the combination cooking or not, but if you haven't tried it, you should. After almost twenty years, it is finally not doing what it should be doing, so I am going to replace it. I cannot live without my Shart Microwave Convection oven.』
(Asset to Any Kitchen) 『The Sharp R-930AK is as good as a second oven. There isn't anything you can't cook, and cook well in this unit. Very user-friendly, easy to clean and attractive as a cabinet insert or free standing on the counter. Our first Sharp Convection Microwave lasted 10 years. Fortunately, for us, we were able to replace the old unit with a new duplicate model. We are extremely pleased with this brand and its' many features. It is a true value for your dollar.』 『1.5 CUFT, 900W, White Convection Microwave Oven, 2 Color Lighted Digital Display, Sensor, Interactive, 15-3/8" Porcelain Enamel Turntable, Stainless Steel Interior, Broiling Trivet&Baking Rack Included.』
タイトル『 Simply Asia All Natural Sesame Teriyaki Noodles >
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price：
Simply Asia
『Authentic Asian Noodles with a classic teriyaki sauce slowly simmered with sesame oil, ginger and toasted sesame seeds.』 タイトル『 Simply Asia All Natural Soy Ginger Noodles >
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price：
Simply Asia
『
Authentic Asain noodles with a vibrant sauce made of sweet ginger simmered in naturally aged soy sauce and aromatic spices.
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Quick and easy - way too sweet) 『Simply Asia noodle bowls are very convenient and easy. Unfortunately our family found them almost inedible. I say almost because our 4 your old will still eat them. The rest of us found all of the flavors sickly sweet, to a point where we wont eat them anymore. We tried Chili Garlic, Roasted Peanut, and Kung Pao.』 『Authentic Asian noodles with a sweet and mildly spicy sauce made from fresh garlic simmered with chilies, giner and sesame oil.』 タイトル『 Dealer Visor >
タイトル『 Children Soccer Swivel Chair and Ottoman Sports Set Children Furniture >
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price：$174.70
Asia Direct
『Children Soccer Chair and Ottoman For the little Soccer Ball fan in your life! Made of a faux leather. Includes the matching ottoman. Great for their bedroom or play area.
1 Swivel Chair 29" W x 29" D x 25" H
1 Matching Ottoman 16" W x 16" D x 12" H
Material that is ez to clean
No assembly required
Sturdy chair
No need to inflate like other inflatable chairs.
Brand New in Manufacturers Boxes
Online tracking numbers are available when your order ships out
Mattresses and bedding are not included
Your order is insured at no cost to you
』 タイトル『 Star Asia 19225 6" Orbital Palm Sander >
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price：$20.06
Star Asia
Usually ships in 1 to 2 days 『Item #: TIT19225.
Features&Benefits
Low profile design with ergonomic grip
Random orbital action assures a swirl-free finish
Variable air speed control
5mm orbit for rapid material removal
6" diameter premium urethane vinyl face pad
Applications include pre-paint preparation, sanding, feather edging, and touch-up work. Customers also search for: Discount 6 Inch Orbital Palm Sander, Buy 6 Inch Orbital Palm Sander, Wholesale 6 Inch Orbital Palm Sander, 802090192258, ToolWeb, Air Sanders and Air Buffers』 タイトル『 TOP MTRMT 91-99S-TAIL/FLT >
『Need a versatile, low-heeled shoe to help you stay stylish? Franco Sarto's Asia pump is here to answer the call. Fashioned from ultra-soft kid suede and featuring a cute button accent, it will work in the workplace, but also look smashing during your off-hours.』 『The Asia Flat from Franco Sarto adds a big pop of style to the adaptable flat with an over-sized button embellishment.』 タイトル『 Camper Men's Asia Canton Sneaker >
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Camper
『The comfortably hip Camper Asia sneaker offers the best casual style. Constructed from a cool combination of materials, this fashion sneaker also includes a padded collar and insole, a reinforced toe and heel, and a durable rubber sole for perfect grip and long-lasting wear.』 『Experience the comfort of these handsome sneakers from Camper. Fabric and suede upper in a casual sneaker style with a round toe. Sporty styling with soft suede overlays, patent leather side striping, and a full lace-up front. Leather and mesh lining, cushioned insole. Flexible EVA midsole, rubber traction outsole.』 タイトル『 Camper Women's Asia Sneaker >
『 Camper Women's Asia Sneaker >
『 Camper Women's Peu Cami Boot >
『 Camper Women's Peu Cami Boot >
『 Pyrex Storage 14-Piece Round Set, Clear with Blue Lids >
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Camper
『The comfortably hip Camper women's Asia sneaker will keep you in casual style. Constructed from a combination of patent, smooth, and sueded leather finishes--with a luxe touch of velvet, this high-fashion sneaker also includes a padded collar and insole, a reinforced toe and heel, and a durable rubber sole for perfect grip and long-lasting wear.』 『The comfortably hip Camper Asia sneaker will keep you in casual style. Constructed from a cool combination of materials, this high-fashion sneaker also includes a padded collar and insole, a reinforced toe and heel, and a durable rubber sole for perfect grip and long-lasting wear.』
タイトル『 LingvoSoft Travel to Asia software Suite for Pocket PC >
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price：$101.06
Ectaco, Inc.
『
In this Pocket PC suite we have gathered the most in-demand software for traveling to Asia. Together, these applications will make your Oriental trip more trouble-free, more productive, and thus more enjoyable!
Not only will you understand the written language around you with the comprehensive dictionaries included in this suite, but you will also be able to communicate with the locals using our versatile phrasebooks.
The added benefit of this software collection is the substantial savings you get, since these programs will cost considerably more if purchased separately.
Do yourself a favor travel right with LingvoSoft Travel Suites! The software orders are non refundable. To make sure this software application will properly function on your unit, please download and test its Free Trial Version: http://www.ectaco.com/products/download/eval/.exe』
タイトル『 GameBox Asia downloadable Software >
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Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Ring of Fire shirt) 『The shirt that arrived in the mail looked just fine and it arrived very quickly. I haven't had the chance to wear it yet, but I do expect that it will be great.』
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Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (An Unforgetable Woman) 『A good biography tells a good story. With grace and great sympathetic imagination Hannah Pakula gives us a flesh and blood heroine, never a mere historical figure. For all that she is aware of her subject's faults, she does justice to her courage, her wit, and her sheer endurance. Thanks to its epic scope and rich cast of characters, this biography reads at times like one of those great three-volume nineteenth century novels. By showing May-ling Soong not only in the context of her powerful and problematic family but also at the very center of China's tumultuous modern history, Pakula makes clear how tangled the choices became for this Wellesley girl who dreamed of making something of her life. Having made a great match, by allying herself with what looks to be the man of the hour, the young Madame Chiang Kai-shek soon finds herself struggling to put a good face on the ill-advised decisions of a corrupt and capricious dictator. Not only is she serving as his translator but once Japan invades Manchuria and the Communists begin to present a serious threat to her husband's government, she increasingly assumes the role of his ambassador to the Western World. If power corrupts, then absolute power can be said to corrupt absolutely. It is to Hannah Pakula's credit that the reader leaves this book wondering what would have happened to May-ling if, instead of her older sister, she'd had a chance to marry Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. Or, perhaps better yet, if her romantic attachment to Wendell Wilkie hadn't been brought to an abrupt end by his death.』 『With the beautiful, powerful, and sexy Madame Chiang Kai-shek at the center of one of the great dramas of the twentieth century, this is the story of the founding of modern China, starting with a revolution that swept away more than 2,000 years of monarchy, followed by World War II, and ending in the eventual loss to the Communists and exile in Taiwan.
An epic historical tapestry, this wonderfully wrought narrative brings to life what Americans should know about China -- the superpower we are inextricably linked with -- the way its people think and their code of behavior, both vastly different from our own.
The story revolves around this fascinating woman and her family: her father, a peasant who raised himself into Shanghai society and sent his daughters to college in America in a day when Chinese women were kept purposefully uneducated; her mother, an unlikely Methodist from the Mandarin class; her husband, a military leader and dogmatic warlord; her sisters, one marriedto Sun Yat-sen, the George Washington of China, the other to a seventy-fifth lineal descendant of Confucius; and her older brother, a financial genius.
This was the Soong family, which, along with their partners in marriage, was largely responsible for dragging China into the twentieth century. Brilliantly narrated, this fierce and bloody drama also includes U.S. Army General Joseph Stilwell; Claire Chennault, head of the Flying Tigers; Communist leaders Mao Tse-tung and Chou En-lai; murderous warlords; journalists Henry Luce, Theodore White, and Edgar Snow; and the unfortunate State Department officials who would be purged for predicting (correctly) the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War.
As the representative of an Eastern ally in the West, Madame Chiang was befriended -- before being rejected -- by the Roosevelts, stayed in the White House for long periods during World War II, and charmed the U.S. Congress into giving China billions of dollars. Although she was dubbed the Dragon Lady in some quarters, she was an icon to her people and is certainly one of the most remarkable women of the twentieth century.』
price：$10.18
Penguin Press HC, The
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Plenty to Chew On) 『Like many journalists who covered China in 1989, I thought it obvious that China's Communist Party would fall to ashes within a few years, having lost all credibility at Tiananmen Square. Got that wrong.
As China's economy took off in the 1990s, I knew for sure that steady growth would force the country to become more democratic. Wrong again. (Open, yes. Democratic, no.) At the very least, I figured, a broad swath of Western economists must be right to agree that China's modernization would require a following of accepted rules of Western finance. To develop, China would have to become more transparent and legally accountable, starting with a freely convertible currency. Right? Not really.
As Martin Jacques argues effectively in this book, the West has misjudged China because of a bedrock assumption that modern financial and political systems have to follow some basic principles of openness, rule of law and democracy. That is the paradigm that favored the United States, and paved the way for its world domination, from 1945 onward. But China's remarkable progress is not following the script, and is challenging Western assumptions.
With clear and compelling writing, Jacques makes the case that when China is the dominant power, it will make the rules. It may even create a new international paradigm, one that is just as hard for Americans to foresee as it was for the British a century ago to foresee their own decline, and as it was for the Romans, long before that.
"The West has, for the most part, become imprisoned within its own assumptions," Jacques writes. "Progress is invariably defined in terms of degrees of Westernization, with the consequence that the West must always occupy the summit of human development."
In the past few years, there have been dozens of books about China's rise. Most of them are mindless, over-the-top enthusiastic or else utterly alarmist. This one is an exception, a book that offers true food for thought, and plenty to chew on. It shook me from preconceived notions.
Jacques has limitations. His predictions about the future get more flimsy as he gets more specific. He glosses over the evils of Mao's era. But his critique of Western assumptions is pretty trenchant. 』
(Must Read Material!) 『Martin Jacques' "When China Rules The World" carries a provocative title, but it should not be a surprise. Anyone can see this outcome coming by simply projecting economic growth in the U.S. and China at roughly their current rates; Goldman Sachs gave such conclusions credibility in 2007 when it concluded that China would surpass U.S. GDP in 2027, and double it by 2050. Jacques' book suffers not from an overly wild imagination, but from taking entirely too long to get this already obvious conclusion, and then not exploring enough about what that means for either Britain (his nation) or the U.S.A.
Far too much of "When China Rules The World" is taken up by a detailed historical summary and analysis of China's 5,000-some year history - to establish that it is not prone to colonizing other parts of the world, values unity among its people, and that its predominantly Han 'nationality' of people are becoming increasingly smug (racist?) as China's economic power grows. Jacques could have shortened this material enormously by simply pointing out that the key to China's recent growth has been the pragmatic orientation of its leaders. Obviously, economic growth has been their #1 objective since Mao's death, and public announcements communicated that the military would have to take a back seat. The late Premier Deng Xiaoping demonstrated this pragmatic focus when - despite being Mao's #2 and having been purged twice for not being a strong-enough Communist, he turned the nation's direction around after Mao's death. At the time, Deng explained his lack of commitment to ideology or history as follows: "I don't care if it's a white cat or a black cat. It's a good cat so long as it catches mice." This was interpreted to mean that being productive in life is more important than whether one follows a communist or capitalist ideology.
Regardless, even if Chinese history was the clear determinant of its direction, the topic is so immense and complex I doubt anyone but a Chinese scholar would have the resources or credibility to synthesize the thousands of years involved. That rules Jacques out. However, Jacques' material on today's China is much more useful.
Many China naysayers contend it cannot continue with anything near its recent growth rates because rising demand for labor will end the supply of its low-cost labor. Jacques, however, points out that China needs to create 8 million new jobs/year for its expanding urban population, plus another 15 million for new rural migrants coming to the cities. By 2020 it is estimated that there will be 553 million non-agricultural workers in China - 100 million more than in all the developed world. Another estimate is that 20 years from now China will still have 20% of its population looking for non-agricultural work - in other words, China has a relatively limitless supply of cheap labor.
How will China continue to rapidly grow its economy? First, by increasing its internal consumption, and secondly by moving up the value chain. Manufacturing comprises only about 15% of the cost of getting a product to market. China's leaders aim to increase China's proportion of the whole by raising R&D from $25 billion in 2004 to $45 billion in 2010 and $113 billion in 2020. China is also intensifying efforts to persuade overseas Chinese to return (eg. one-third of Silicon Valley's professional and technical staff are Chinese), and to raise the status and enrollment of its best universities. China has also been very successful in leveraging access to intellectual knowledge in exchange for granting foreign firms access to its markets. Then there's also its reputation for intellectual piracy. Jacques envisions strong Chinese total-product competition in aircraft manufacture, electric automobiles, communications, computers, and solar panels. Given their growing number of engineering graduates and American research labs located in China, I suspect they will also be strong contenders in household goods, biomedical products, wind turbine production - probably about any area they decide to move into, given their strong cost advantages.
Another reason some doubt China's continued success is that it isn't bringing democracy to the masses. Jacques, however, contends that very few countries have combined democracy (as now envisioned) with the process of economic take-off. (The U.S., for example, was late to grant voting to women and minorities.) Jacques also contends that developing countries are especially likely to value a government's ability to deliver economic growth, maintain ethnic harmony, limit corruption, and sustain order and stability as equal, if not greater values to democracy. Regardless, "When When China Rules The World" also presents data showing that most Chinese believe the political climate has improved since 1989 (Tienanmen Square), and 72% of its population are satisfied with the condition of the country vs. only 39% in the U.S. (As for the widely reported large number of civil disturbances within China reported each year, Jacques contends most have nothing to do with the central government - eg. local land issues.)
Bottom line - like it or not, China will become the major global power by 2050 - assuming continued rapid economic growth, and Jacques doesn't think that is going to stop. What does this mean? Jacques says Chinese companies will be the biggest in the world, as will its stock exchanges and banks. Macao will take Las Vegas' place as gambling capital of the world. The dollar will continue its decline and American military bases overseas will become increasingly difficult to finance. China's new aircraft carriers, stealth submarines, etc. will take over the Pacific near China, and its anti-ship missiles render the U.S. Navy obsolete. Taiwan will return to China's jurisdiction.
My projections for the U.S. are a return to protectionism and/or continued decline in our standard of living. Off-shoring will expand to include higher-level jobs such as engineering design, R&D, branding, corporate ownership, and even some marketing. Absent gaining control of our trade and government deficits, the U.S. risks substantial inflation. Government spending will have to drastically reduced at all levels, especially existing outlays for health care, education, and defense.
The "good news" is that there is already compelling evidence of U.S. overspending in all three areas. U.S. health care and education expenditures as a percentage of GDP are both about 2X and more those of other major developed nations, while U.S. defense expenditures (6-7% of GDP) equal those of the rest of the world combined (more if Homeland Security is added in). U.S. outcomes in these areas, however, are middling at best. Thus, about 15.5% of GDP could be eliminated from government and private expenditures for these three areas - about $2.2 trillion/year. In addition, Social Security benefits will have to be cut, the maximum level of taxable earnings eliminated, or both.
Jacques makes a very good point when he says that globalization was largely developed and instigated by Western nations, especially the U.S.; the benefits, however, have largely accrued to East Asia and China, and the drawbacks to the U.S. Combined with increased private and public efforts to outsource service jobs to India, and more jobs lost to technology, its going to be a very rough next few decades in the U.S.A. Americans need to be much more careful about what they wish for!』 『How China's ascendance as an economic superpower will alter the cultural, political, social, and ethnic balance of global power in the twenty-first century, unseating the West and in the process creating a whole new world
According to even the most conservative estimates, China will overtake the United States as the world's largest economy by 2027 and will ascend to the position of world economic leader by 2050. But the full repercussions of China's ascendancy-for itself and the rest of the globe-have been surprisingly little explained or understood. In this far-reaching and original investigation, Martin Jacques offers provocative answers to some of the most pressing questions about China's growing place on the world stage.
Martin Jacques reveals, by elaborating on three historical truths, how China will seek to shape the world in its own image. The Chinese have a rich and long history as a civilization-state. Under the tributary system, outlying states paid tribute to the Middle Kingdom. Ninety-four percent of the population still believes they are one race-"Han Chinese." The strong sense of superiority rooted in China's history promises to resurface in twenty-first century China and in the process strengthen and further unify the country.
A culturally self-confident Asian giant with a billion-plus population, China will likely resist globalization as we know it. This exceptionalism will have powerful ramifications for the rest of the world and the United States in particular. As China is already emerging as the new center of the East Asian economy, the mantle of economic and, therefore, cultural relevance will in our lifetimes begin to pass from Manhattan and Paris to cities like Beijing and Shanghai. It is the American relationship with and attitude toward China, Jacques argues, that will determine whether the twenty-first century will be relatively peaceful or fraught with tension, instability, and danger.
When China Rules the Worldis the first book to fully conceive of and explain the upheaval that China's ascendance will cause and the realigned global power structure it will create.』
price：$13.80
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Sobering Depiction) 『This is a great historical book concerning the Bataan Death March and the hardships endured by US POW in the Phillipines during WWII.』
(My father's experience revisited) 『I have read all of the reviews of this book contained at Amazon (62 as of now) and find almost all of them quite descriptive of the book. My father made this march and wrote his own book on it and his captivity. This book describes better than any other I have read the brutality visited upon these victims of atrocity. It is factual about the blundered gerneralship of MacArthur's command spun into his own false heroism. Like other reviewers I could not hold back tears when I read of Ben Steele's reunion with his family. As I read this book I am reminded that some men are not of good will and are unreasonable. When these men get in control of countries they are dangerous beyond description. We forget the lessons paid for by men like Ben Steele and the war they fought in when we are unwilling to label evil for what it is and to confront it rather than to negotiate with it. The atrocities visited upon these men were evil and after reading this book it is impossible to believe otherwise.』
(Brutality of the Bataan Death March) 『The "Bataan Death March" during WWII in the Philippines was one of the most deadly and brutal excursions mandated by any enemy. The Japanese captured this area shortly after the beginning of WWII, which started when Japan destroyed Pearl Harbor in the Pacific. This scenario is captured through the eyes of those that lived it and the records they had kept. The writings or diaries that these men, mostly from the United States and the Philippines, wrote and managed to hide somewhere or wrote after their rescue after a harrowing ordeal that killed so many. The map included in the beginning of the book shows the Luzon Island, Manila, Bataan, and surrounding areas. All of this area was where most of this story occurred.
The attack on Pearl Harbor is described through both the American and the Japanese eyes and minds. Ben Steele was a young cowboy from Montana who rushed to join the Air Force once the war had begun. Being a country boy he wasn't used to war or people that acted much different than his wild western style. The story tells a bit of training then moves rapidly to the Philippines where Ben and his units were sent to defend an area that had many Philippine and American soldiers, along with some other nations. The military leaders felt there was plenty of military in the area to repel any Japanese attack attempting to take the entire area. They were dead wrong. Some of the natives took off for the hills of the island but most stayed and fought the oncoming enemy that sent unending lines of men to attack and capture all they could. Many on both sides were killed, but eventually the Japanese did overtake the entire island, making the forces fighting surrender to the Japanese.
Eventually the men were herded in lines as the victors moved inland and north and forced to march regardless of physical condition, without food and water for the most part. If they fell or faltered for any reason, they were bayoneted or shot with their bodies thrown off the dirty, bumpy road. The description of what they endured as seen through Ben Steele's eyes and many others, officers and enlisted men alike, was in most cases beyond human comprehension. When they did get something thrown at them to eat it was usually leftovers from the Japanese meals, bits and pieces of rice, moldy, maggot filled, flies included along with any foreign substances that would come from the dirt. Water was almost non-existent even though there were areas along the way that contained wells or cisterns but the prisoners were not allowed to drink. A few managed to secretly obtain some water but all it did was give dysentery even worse than the food did.
You have to read this story to understand what our military endured, if they lived through it, which many didn't. The Japanese would stop the march, separate lines of men, march them in small groups to the edge of a ravine, then bayonet them until they fell into the ravine dead or mostly dead. Very few did survive this method of killing. When the few that did survive arrived at Camp O'Donnell, they again were kept in very primitive enclosures and given very little to eat or drink.
Eventually over the many months as prisoners, the Japanese knew they were losing the war and they pulled back or were killed or taken prisoner, allowing the ravaged men to roam the camp until friendly forces rescued them. For most of the men that did survive this tortuous trek their physical and mental lives were forever changed. Ben Steele did survive by luck, prayers, and his outdoor knowledge of survival. I highly recommend this book for anyone that is a war buff but I warn you that you will be reading some things that are very disturbing. I knew from history that the Bataan Death March was a terrible event in the world's history but nothing could have prepared me for the actual story in detail as laid out by the authors. 』
(A Shatteringly Powerful Epic of Narrative Nonfiction) 『Tears in the Darkness is a model of literary joinery, every sentence planed plumb-line straight and seamlessly dovetailed into the next. Full disclosure: I know the authors. That said, the swelling chorus of almost unanimous approval, here, argues my point that the Normans' fastidious craftsmanship and exhaustive, almost superhuman research propel what might have been one more tour of duty through the stoic sufferings of the Greatest Generation into an epic of narrative nonfiction, well-deserving of shelf space alongside John Hersey's Hiroshima. Following Hersey's lead, the authors refract this grisly, gripping horror story through the prism of individual lives, juxtaposing soldiers' stories with the overarching narrative of the Bataan Death March. Readers with a litcrit cast of mind might recognize this multi-threaded approach to storytelling from the movie Crash or the TV series Survivor.
Of course, the Normans are using this technique in the service of something far more profound, though no less spellbinding. Tears is briskly paced, careening from one cliffhanger to another. American and Japanese soldiers speak from the pages of their diaries, letters home, or interviews with the Normans, walking us through the circles of this surreal inferno, where it's every man for himself and God against all, as Werner Herzog put it (in another context). Careful not to jerk our tears, wave the flag, or grind an ideological axe, the Normans let the facts speak for themselves, detailing the catastrophic complacency of the American commanders in the Philippines, drinking and whoring away the sultry days in paradise and dismissing the Japanese as too slanty eyed to shoot straight, if things should ever come to a shooting war.
And then, out of sun, comes the Imperial air force, reducing American airfields to so much smoking rubble. The so-called Death March follows, in which American POWs are starved into human skeletons, marched until they die standing at roll call, and bayoneted if they speak or bayoneted if they don't speak or bayoneted for no reason at all, in this absurdist hell. It's a dizzy, gut-clenching descent into a moral abyss, and the spare, unsentimental prose of the Normans communicates its pathos and its horror as well as the flashes of humanity and, incredibly, humor that keep some of these men alive.
The authors are studiously apolitical, treading lightly on explosive questions such as whether Truman's decision to drop the bomb spared countless U.S. troops at the expense of apocalyptic devastation on the ground, in Japan. Even so, there's an implicit populism---and, I'd like to believe, an inherent proletarian politics---in the authors' decision to give us history from the bottom up, telling the story from a grunt's eye-view, rather than a commander's. Significantly, MacArthur emerges as creepily Karl Rove-ian and nakedly careerist, burnishing his public image and line-editing his own press releases with one eye on the Pentagon and the other on history's verdict. Now, the Normans undo the General's deft opinion management, revealing military blunders that may well have played a key role in bringing on the American nightmare in the Philippines.
Even more radically, the authors examine the brutalization of Japanese troops in the boot camps of the Imperial army, where savage beatdowns and nonstop psychological abuse melted men down and remade them as unquestioningly obedient killers. At the same time, the Normans restore the lost humanity of these men, some of whom were irreparably traumatized by the grotesque acts they were forced to commit. Their portrait of the Japanese general is especially affecting, movingly told through excerpts from his letters to his family while he waited, through long days of delay, for his appointment with the firing squad. The authors make a convincing argument that his culpability for the atrocities is an open question, given the palace intrigues of the Japanese high command and the astonishing lack of accountability of many field commanders. And they muster ample evidence to prove that his trial by an American military tribunal was a kangaroo court, its verdict foreordained by MacArthur for political---and self-promotional---purposes.
Echoes of Gitmo, to this reader's ear, which is why I found myself wishing, at the end, that the authors had interlaced some of the themes of their historical narrative with the imperial overreaching and clash-of-civilizations ideologies of the present, when we find ourselves ankle-deep in blood once again, this time in the mountains of Afghanistan.
Too, I wanted the authors to think a little more deeply about the cultural construction of masculinity, since cultural notions of what it means to be a man---whether a living archetype like the cowboy Ben Steele or the samurai general giving the firing squad back its hard-eyed stare---constitute one of this story's barely buried themes. On the movie screen of the American mind, military culture may be about glory and honor. But beneath all the Band of Brothers rhetoric about warrior culture and esprit de corps, it's also about a deeply pathological definition of masculinity. The Japanese military model, more brutal by an order of magnitude, only hyperbolizes that fact.
Then again, the Normans weren't ghostwriting a Chomsky speech. Besides, they'd probably argue that, yes, war is a slaughterbench, but it's also a crucible that boils us down to what we are, at our cores. In one of Tears's many searing scenes, a ship's hold full of half-dead, oxygen-deprived, starvation-crazed American POWs reverts to Hobbes's proverbial state of nature, tearing each other to pieces with their bare hands. At the same time, camaraderie brings out the nobility in others, common men who risk their lives to save their friends, without a thought for the history books, convinced no one will ever know how they lived or died.
Through the Normans' shatteringly understated testimony, we know. 』
(The Horror of being a Japanese POW in WWII) 『This is an outstanding book. The unrelenting horror of the the Battaan Death March and the subsequent prison camp is so terrible that one wonders how any human being can be so evil, especially to fellow human beings. But it is so common place, even today that such terrible things continue unabated. The veneer of civilization is still so very thin on humankind.
I would have given this a 5 star but I was a bit uncomfortable with the writting style. When I first started reading the book I thought that it was historical fiction where a fictional character (Ben Steel) is the person around which history is told with some liberties taken. I love historical fiction and there are so many good books out there. There were a lot of direct quotes from various people that I wonder if they were made up to enhance the story. I can't remember what I said last week and I wonder how various direct quotes survived for so long. I final realized that Ben Steel was a real person and this was his story to a great degree. He must have been an amazing man to have survived what he did.
The research is obviously extensive and the book well written. I am not sure that I agree with the sympathetic treatment of Gen. Homma. The commander is always responsible for what happens under his command. Looking at it from the passage of 60 years it seems that he was not treated fairly. But given the time, the horrors caused by his soldiers someone had to pay the price and he was the logical one. It is too bad given that he didn't participate directly that he wasn't sentenced to prison as he would have been released in a few year once passions had subsided. An awful lot of really guilty Japanese never were punished.』 『
For the first four months of 1942, U.S., Filipino, and Japanese soldiers fought what was America s first major land battle of World War II, the battle for the tiny Philippine peninsula of Bataan. It ended with the surrender of 76,000 Filipinos and Americans, the single largest defeat in American military history.
The defeat, though, was only the beginning, as Michael and Elizabeth M. Norman make dramatically clear in this powerfully original book. From then until the Japanese surrendered in August 1945, the prisoners of war suffered an ordeal of unparalleled cruelty and savagery: forty-one months of captivity, starvation rations, dehydration, hard labor, deadly disease, and torture far from the machinations of General Douglas MacArthur.
The Normans bring to the story remarkable feats of reportage and literary empathy. Their protagonist, Ben Steele, is a figure out of Hemingway: a young cowboy turned sketch artist from Montana who joined the army to see the world. Juxtaposed against Steele s story and the sobering tale of the Death March and its aftermath is the story of a number of Japanese soldiers.
The result is an altogether new and original World War II book: it exposes the myths of military heroism as shallow and inadequate; it makes clear, with great literary and human power, that war causes suffering for people on all sides.
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