The Tale of Despereaux

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cheeto1 reviewed:

The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread (Newbery Medal Book) by Kate Dicamillo

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful: a timeless tale of love, hope and danger, November 27, 2004 What do you hope to gain, dear reader, in reading this book? An exercise in vocabulary? An understanding of the world? A few minutes of satisfying quality time with your children before bed? Yes, you will receive all this, but only if you know your children well. Will you sacrifice their innocence on the altar of entertainment? Eventually all children will reach an age when this book is very appropriate and even helpful, due to the always right actions of both Despereaux and the princess. Our heroes never disappoint us and our villians never cross the line into horror. The author had her chance to make this a truly hideous book but time and time again, chose not to. It's almost like a veggietales castle book in that way. I believe no parent would want to read the tragic and troubling story of Miggery Sow to their children, but it teaches so much about the ways of the world. Each parent needs to know their child to know if this part would soften their hearts to others suffering or frighten their hearts toward adults or harden their hearts to other's suffering and make them think it's right to suffer if you are dim-witted or overweight. Are you a parent who doesn't believe in spells, witches, ghosts, fairies and the like for your children's reading? Then you have come to the right place. There are no ghosts in this book but Despereaux is once mistaken as a ghost in chapter 40. Shortly after that, the king says he will hire a fortune-teller but this never happens. This word is easily skipped over and if desired, you could read chapter 40 as if Despereaux was really being seen and not mistaken as a ghost. Other than that, this is a safe book as far as the world of the occult goes, a rare find in the fairy-tale world. This book gives you about a hundred good stopping points, yet each one keeps you wanting to find out what comes next. There are lots of big words to safisfy advanced readers, yet the conversational tone makes for easy understanding from context. And the moral of the story? Be good, for the sake of goodness.

November 27, 2004

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Altec Lansing AHP712 Headphones w/ Active Noise Reduction

Posted by TheTechLounge - Recent Articles: Multimedia: Headphones
http://www.thetechlounge.com

The incorporation of Active Noise Reduction is undoubtedly the premiere highlight of these headphones. This useful feature should most certainly appeal to the frequent flyer weary of the constant white-noise assault inherent to airline travels.

November 21, 2004

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I Wanna Hold Your Hand

Posted by Amazon Customer Reviews
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Art reviewed:

I Wanna Hold Your Hand DVD ~ Nancy Allen

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: A Whole Lot of Beatle-Related Fun!, November 19, 2004 This terrific little film came and went without a lot of notice when it was first released in 1978, as I recall, but it is definitely a must-see for any Beatle fan. A surprisingly good cast and a solid, believeable story make this movie very entertaining and fun to watch. According to friend who was there, it really captures the flavor of what Beatlemania was in New York in 1964 - the lengths fans, both boys and girls, would go to in order to meet their idols, boys using it as an opportunity to get an "in" with a girl they like and then getting swept up in the music like most of the rest of America, and much more. Best of all, the Beatles licensed their music for this film, something that should give you an idea of the film's quality. The Beatles NEVER let anyone use their music if it is presented in a form that does not meet their (arguably) high standards. If your kids ever want to know what Beatlemania was all about from the fan's point of view, or if you want to remember the "good, old days" of your youth, watch this with them. It will not disappoint. (Aside to a previous reviewer as to who played The Beatles in the film: I don't remember his name (it's been many years, now), but one of the actors was my substitute drama teacher at a high school in suburban Los Angeles during the 1977-78 school year. He played Paul, and bore a strong resemblance to him. The "Beatles" in the film were always filmed at a distance when their faces were shown, and he said the other three actors were selected for the same reason he was - a resemblance to the Beatle they portrayed in the film.)

November 19, 2004

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WWE Theme Addict

Posted by Amazon Customer Reviews
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C. W. Fitch reviewed:

WWE Theme Addict: The Music, Vol. 6 ~ Various Artists

29 of 38 people found the following review helpful: Okay, but I was hoping for better., November 19, 2004 This theme collection from the WWE wasn't as highly anticipated as ones from the past. In fact, when I took a look at the track listing and saw which wrestlers were represented, I almost didn't buy it. I decided to give it a chance, though, because Jim Johnston usually does a great job with theme music. Here's what I think of it: The CD: -"Line in the Sand": Motorhead scores with another solid theme. The hard rock really fits Evolution's "lifestyle" and ring presence. -"Cool": Carlito's "Caribbean Cool" is expressed pretty well in this one; his little catchphrases and spitting sounds all but ruin it, though. -"MacMilitant": This theme actually used to belong to Teddy Long's charge Rodney Mack, but once Rodney was released from WWE, it became property of Mr. Long. A smooth yet hardcore rap with some vicious overtones that don't quite fit in some places. -"Just Close Your Eyes": This one tried to be a departure from the usual angry stuff that's in other superstars' themes, but it's a forgettable female-vocal-over-a-generic-rock-guitar-riff track. -"Dangerous Politics": You know whose theme this is from the first two seconds. Heidenreich repeats his name over and over again (much like his promos) over a heavy guitar riff that gives the impression of an oncoming train. So-so. -"Real Good Girl": So-Cal beach rock with quasi-raunchy lyrics for the Diva Search theme. Yeah, it fits, but didn't really impress. -"Chavito Ardiente": Ooooh, Chavo! This song is perfect for a guy who thinks he's a Latin heartthrob. Not a bad Latino jam. -"The Darkest Side": Oh, boy, another Undertaker theme. This one isn't any different from the version from WWE Anthology except for the subtle drone of the rock guitar under the sinister funeral dirge. Brings back good memories, though, of what the Dead Man once was. -"Child's Play": Eugene's one of the most loved superstars on RAW, and his "Eye of the Tiger"-ish theme is a perfect match. The guitar solo in the middle gets a little out of hand, but maybe that was the intention. -"Don't Mess With": Booty music. Pure and simple. And not even good booty music, if there is such a thing. -"Ain't No Stoppin' Me": In my opinion, the best theme on the CD. Catchy rock/rap beat and positive, almost inspirational, lyrics. I've sung along with Shelton Benjamin's theme a time or two in the car. -"You Can Run": Gangsta rap and Kidman go together like mayonnaise and ice cream. Doesn't fit Kidman's character at all, and the Master P-like grunts in the rap are just annoying. -"Rise Up": Hmmm. Nu-metal. Done to death. Next. -"International Woman": Gail Kim was released by WWE recently as well, and when this CD was put together, she was hardly being used at all. I'm very surprised this one made it to print. Asian-flavored futuristic pop. It grows on you. -"Longhorn": Reminds me of the theme from "Dallas". How appropriate. Skip over it. -"Untouchables": Okay, I'll admit John Cena has a bit of talent as a rapper. He's got decent flow. If you're trying to establish your rap career, though, don't pair up with someone who's better than you, especially if you're advertising a new album coming out soon. That's what happened here. The DVD: -This is just a collection of entrance videos (which play on the monitors in the arena as the wrestlers come toward the ring). Good for one or two viewings at most. This collection is not one of WWE's better ones, and there were a couple of themes that were GLARINGLY omitted. Randy Orton's theme ("Take What's Mine" by Mercy Drive) really needed to be on here, as well as Edge's new "heel" theme. I understand that these songs are owned by licensed artists, but if WWE is using them in the arenas, why can't they put them on the CD, too? It's not like they can't afford to pay the royalties. I would recommend getting this CD if you simply must own every WWE music collection. Otherwise, there are only two or three songs on here worth keeping.

November 19, 2004

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Half-Life 2 Graphical Performance Evaluation

Posted by TheTechLounge - Recent Articles: General: Software
http://www.thetechlounge.com

Today we will be examining Half-Life 2's performance with two different systems and several different video cards. We compare the latest cards from ATI and NVIDIA, using both AGP and PCI-Express in a good, old-fashioned roundup.

November 17, 2004

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Bron gave 5 stars to: Addictions & Scars

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Bron reviewed:

Addictions & Scars ~ Red Delicious

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful: Outstanding songs from an outstanding group!, November 12, 2004 I first ran across "Red Delicious" many years ago on mp3.com. After hearing a few tracks I downloaded everything I could find and later bought their "Emotional Blur" and Sampler CD's. Since that time I have not stopped listening to their music and it has not stopped giving me the same thrill I had the first time I heard them. Songs such as "Casualties", "Sort of a Prayer", "Want Me", "Sweet" and so on are simply some of the best you will ever hear bar none. The quality of the song writing is exceptional, the lyrics are the kind that move you and stick with you. Then there's Ms. Wallace's voice - incredibly beautiful, strong and subtle all at once. The mixes are far more sophisticated than most and the sound is unique, rich, and fun with lots of layers and masterful touches that will bring a smile to your face. Why this band has not yet become more of a commercial success baffles me and I do hope (for their sakes) that this release starts them off on that road. They have quite a following already, thanks to the net, but their music deserves an even wider audience - it truly is that good. I don't write many on-line reviews of anything, but this group deserves such high praise and I was so glad to see their CD finally released that I just had to do this. If you love music - get this CD - you won't be disappointed!

November 12, 2004

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Here Comes the Bus

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cheeto1 reviewed:

Here Comes the Bus by Carolyn Haywood

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: Another winner by Carolyn Haywood, November 8, 2004 The star of this book is a six year old boy named Jonathan who goes to school on a yellow school bus. His adventures are every bit as enjoyable as Betsy's adventures in Haywood's popular Betsy books. This isn't a "baby" book like "see the yellow bus, Jonathan likes the bus, the bus goes bumpity bump". No, these are Jonathan's adventures and some of the stories are about the pet show at school, a boy who can't say his "R"'s, lunchroom and birthday adventures and mishaps. It's very enjoyable and made the kids laugh almost as much as another of Haywood's books, "Betsy and Billy". Caryoln Haywood really has a way with story telling.

November 8, 2004

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Annie Get Your Gun

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MOVIE MAVEN reviewed:

Annie Get Your Gun DVD ~ Edward Arnold

18 of 51 people found the following review helpful: ANNIE GET YOUR GUN WITHOUT A LEADING LADY, November 7, 2004 Can someone seriously explain how and why Betty Hutton became a star? Her one talent seems to be her volume. She is entirely without subtlety, sincerity, honesty in her acting and is a mediocre singer. She merely shouts. The production numbers are well done and Howard Keel does well, especially since he is playing opposite a fire engine siren.

November 7, 2004

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