Far Side Gallery
by Andrews McMeel Publishing
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 January, 1984)
list price: $14.95 -- our price: $10.17
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Editorial Review

Before office people faxed around Dilbert strips, they faxed the good ol' Far Side. This big 192-page treasury collects the first three standard collections: The Far Side, Beyond the Far Side, and In Search of the Far Side. Watch out for funny snakes, cows, and nerds--and don't let your boss catch you near the fax machine. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

The Far Side always cracks me up
How Gary Larson keeps coming up with this stuff I have no idea.It seems like the more I read, the more I begin to laugh.This particular Gallery is totally hilarious.If you don't get the humor in "The Far Side", my guess is your brain is wired for something different than reading books. In fact, I heard the current President hasn't got a Far Side chuckle since 1991.

Hilarious
The Far Side is my favorite comic, out of all. It is positively loaded with randomness that will catch you off guard. Larson's comics are the kind that makes you think about what is going on, comparing the picture to the caption, and it is hysterical. There are scizophrenic kangaroos, plane driving sheep, duck relays, and pretty much any other twisted idea out there.

ANY Far Side book is one that will never fail to please.

Funny, absurd cartoons
Sick, absurd humor is Larson's specialty, and in this collection, Larson is at his best. Many of the cartoons involve reversals of the roles of species, where animals get their revenge on humans. Others are based on themes from popular culture, such as Tonto on his horse outside the outhouse telling Kemosabe that the music is starting. They are funny, but there are times where you have to spend some time interpreting the diagram. If you are a fan of Larson's unique brand of humor, then you will love this collection. ... Read more

Isbn: 0836220625
Subjects:  1. American wit and humor, Pictor    2. American wit and humor, Pictorial    3. Comics & Cartoons    4. Comics & Graphic Novels    5. Graphic Satire And Humor    6. Humor    7. Humor / General   

American Medical Association Family Medical Guide
by Random House
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (06 September, 1994)
list price: $39.95
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Reviews (14)

Trusted for 19 years
I'm a 19 year old college student. When I was two years old my grandparents gave my parents a copy of the AMA Family Medical Guide. With two children and another on the way, they could easily see that this book would be used time and time again. I have early childhood memories of flipping through the pages of this book and looking at the pictures. I have later memories of flipping through the pages and reading about different conditions and diseases and general anatomy. And now, even though I dont have any children of my own, I still go back to this book to reference symptoms and facts that I hear about in day-to-day conversation. Symptom flow charts are excellent.
Highly recommended!

Great medical reference book
Everyone should have a medical reference book at home (especially if you have kids), and this is a good one.

There are several things that I like about the book.First, there is a "self-diagnosis" chart section in the front.If you have a bad headache, stiff neck, sick stomach, etc, you can go through the flowchart and get an idea of what might be wrong.This is not to replace a doctor's diagnosis, but it really helps me determine if I'm being overly-concerned or if I should see a doctor.I definitely use that section of the book.

There are also sections of the different systems of the body that include descriptions of diseases.A little while back I was having problems with my digestive system.It really helped to read the section on colitis and Crohn's disease to understand more about them so that when my doctor discussed them, I could better understand him.

There are also sections on First Aide, caregiving at home, selecting physicians, and even a section on terminal illness and death.Though those last few items are things we don't really want to think about, there is information about how to handle making arrangements and whatever else needs to be done.

There is also a drug dictionary in the back which can come in handy, plus a medical glossary.

Overall, I'm glad that I added this book to my library.It has an abundance of useful information about illness and medicine.I do have another medical reference guide as well, but it's not nearly this comprehensive.I think everyone should have a book like this on their shelves.

A hypochondriac's dream!
Okay, I'm not a hypochondriac, sorry. My mother purchased an earlier edition of this book, published in 1982.I had that edition until I recently ordered this one to replace it.

I should preface the rest of my review by saying that I have a definite interest in medicine, and planned to become a paramedic.I did take my EMT-B certification (Emergency Medical Techinician-Basic) a few years ago, and this book was one of my resources for studying for tests and answering homework questions.So, I have a clear INTEREST in all things medical, and really enjoy just browsing through this book.

I find that I look things up in this book at least once a week. Sometimes I'll hear the name of a disease or illness on TV and out of curiousity to know more, I'll look it up.If I have a strange symptom, I'll look that up.I am single with no children, but this book would be an invaluable first-aid resource for a family with children or for anyone taking care of a sick or elderly friend or family member.

My favorite aspects of this book are the glossary of medical terms, the very complete and easy-to-use index, and the medication section.Several times I have looked up a medication to determine if it is safe to take with other medications, or to see if side effects are normal.

I think every household should have a copy of this book.Most of the information is timeless and very informative. ... Read more

Isbn: 0679412905
Sales Rank: 61082
Subjects:  1. Diet / Health / Fitness    2. Health - General    3. Health/Fitness    4. Medicine (General)    5. Medicine, Popular    6. Reference    7. Medical / Family & General Practice   

Toshiba MD9DM1 9" AC/DC TV-DVD Combo
by Toshiba
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $399.99
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Features

• V-Chip
• Tv/DVD AC/DC Combo
• DC Car Cord Included
• Front A/V Inputs
• Headphone Jack

Reviews (5)

tv/dvd
What a lifesaver!! I purchased this for our 10 hr drive to Canada. The kids loved it which made the drive so much better..I had originally purchased a small portable DVD player, but was so glad that I returned it and bought this instead. The carrying bag for the car is such a handy item, it fit nice and secure in my SUV. I'd recommend this for anyone taking a long trip in the car.

ROAD TRIP SAVER
THIS HAS TO BE THE BEST INVESTMENT YET. WITH THREE CHILDREN WATCHING AT THE SAME TIME IT WAS PERFECT THE SMALLER DVD PLAYERS ARE REALLY JUST FOR TWO OR LESS WITH NOT MUCH SCREEN TO SEE.FROM CT TO VA WHAT A WAY TO GO. ONLY THING THAT IS WAS A LITTLE BULKY IN BETWEEN THE FRONT SEATS WE HAD THIS IN A SEDAN.

A nearly perfect portable TV/DVD
Pros: Perfect size for car, good looking design, every function you could want.

Cons: Picture not as sharp as any [] 13", remote too big, no DVD info display.

Summary: We just bought the Toshiba MD9DM1 9" TV []and think it's a great bargain what it can do. It fits perfectly between the two front seats of our minivan, but I did opt for a canvas type carry bag that makes it hold in place really well. Everything about it functions extremely well, and I really like the front AV inputs as well as the rear AV outputs. That's a super design plus because the inputs are great for game systems or watching video camera stuff, while the outputs allow me to hook the unit up to a larger TV, say at a hotel or something and watch DVDs where there is a bigger TV, but not a DVD player available. I also really like the car power adapter because it's got good length to it. It must be at least 8ft because I can plug it into to my van's rear AC output and the cord easily reaches the rear of the TV up between the front seats. Many such cords are 6 feet, and wouldn't allow this. I also like that this is a stereo unit, with a headphone jack in the front. I don't know of another such 9" TV that has all these conveniences in one, at this great price. The Toshiba MD9DM1 also has an appealing all silver cabinet that is sleek and modern looking.

As far as any complaints about it, they're minor for me. The picture is not as sharp as a 13" [] TV I have it outputted to right now as I write this watching a DVD, but that was expected a little due to it's size. Also the remote it came with is as big or bigger than any other remote I own, counting 2 other DVD players, and 3 other TVs so not sure why they couldn't have gone with a smaller design. And finally, I find that I miss being able to see the time and track details while viewing a DVD, since there is no display on the unit like you'd have on a standard DVD player. Maybe there's a way to call it up onscreen with the remote, but I havn't found it yet in the few days I've played with it.

A great TV/DVD combo for any portable need. Great design and functionality. It has everything from front AV inputs, rear AV outputs, headphone jack, long car AC cord, etc. Super! ... Read more

Asin: B000065UWB
Sales Rank: 35904
Subjects:  1. Television (Televisions, TV, T.V., TVs)    2. DVD (DVDs, Digital Video Disc, Discs)   

Signs (Vista Series)
by Touchstone Pictures
Average Customer Review:
DVD (04 January, 2005)
list price: $14.99 -- our price: $11.99
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Editorial Review

This B movie with noble aspirations is the work of a gifted filmmaker whose storytelling falls short of his considerable stylistic flair. While addressing crises of faith in the framework of an alien-invasion thriller, M. Night Shyamalan (in his follow-up to The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable) favors atmospheric tension over explanatory plotting. He injects subtle humor into expertly spooky scenes, but the story suffers from too many lapses in logic. The film's faults are greatly compensated by the performance of Mel Gibson as a widower whose own crisis of faith coincides with the appearance of mysterious crop circles in his Pennsylvania cornfield... and hundreds of UFOs around the globe. With his brother (Joaquin Phoenix) and two young children (Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin), the lapsed minister perceives this phenomenal occurrence as a series of signs and portents, while Shyamalan pursues a spookfest with War of the Worlds overtones. It's effective to a point, but vaguely hollow at its core. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Widescreen
• Dolby

Reviews (1140)

Stellar
This movie has become a favorite of mine. I initially avoided this movie in the theater as I heard it was about aliens. But I rented it and I was incredibly moved. People who think that this movie is about aliens are missing the point of the movie. (The aliens aspect of the movie does bother me a bit but can be overlooked in the grand scheme of the movie). "Signs" should be watched from the perspective of Mel Gibson's character, Graham Hess. The various quirks in the Hess family - Merrill's (Joaquin Phoenix) ability to swing the bat but failure to make the big leagues; Morgan's (Rory Culkin) asthma, Bo's (Abigail Breslin) neurotic behavior with drinking water; and his wife's dying words all come together to give meaning to Graham to show him that this was all in the plans for him including the landing of the aliens.Is the ending contrived? Sure. It's a movie after all. What movie isn't? And while aliens are a part of the storyline, the movie isn't about aliens as it is about faith- the loss and recapture thereof. "Signs" addresses a couple big 'life' questions: (1) Have you ever wondered whether God is really watching over you? (2) And then realize that God has been there the whole time but you failed to see it? This is the crux of "Signs".

Epic Alien Film Set in Bucks County, Pa.
Because of its well-developed characterization of Rev. Hess and the slow crescendo of tensions to a grand finale,and its message of faith regained, this alien filmhas an epic quality also found in such films as "Braveheart".It is also as good as Shyamalan's successor film "The Village" despite some negative reviews for the latter. I also view both films as unspeakably silly at some levels, though entertaining, capitalizing on man's primordial fear of the unknown, just like "The Twilight Zone". Hess' and brother Merrill's characters are the only ones fully developed, a fact perhaps commensurate with their salaries. Both of these films are in some places laughable or "camp" or cornyand could almost be viewed asparodies because of their noble efforts at historicism--particularly "The Village" in which the 1890's characters speak in a rather stilted, formalized quasi-Amish diction thatis at times hard to take seriously.The choice of historic Bucks County, Pa. as the setting for "Signs"israther inspiredand adds to the film's quality and uniqueness. Details such as an antique bedframe, wallpaper, a fireplace,stained glass,cut vegetables, photographs and paintings,a barbecue area,windchimes, Pennsylvania Dutch woodcuts and gingerbread trim, a basement pantry stocked with canned goods, are notable. The pace of the film is measured and rather slow,out there among the cornfields, somewhat like a Stephen King novel set in Maine. We don't see much of the aliens--a leg here, a hand there--until the final scene, a restrained dramatic strategy that seems to work very well, like a rare vision of the Loch Ness monster.
This film does not bludgeon you over the head with pseudo-science, like "Contact" does. It quietly states its pseudo-science in the right time and place.The rich characterization of the Father/Reverend Hessis done through flashbacks: like the eldersin "The Village" who have all experienced tragedy, this humble man has lost his wife in a horrific traffic accident, an event which has caused him to lose his faith. The question that confronts the Reverend is whether an act of providence can be considered a miracle (a sign) or just pure blind luck. Is there such a thing as coincidence? The Reverend, during the bulk of the film, no longer wants to be called Father. This film's Christianity is one of its most compelling qualities. A kind of early American Christianity also plays a smallerrole in "The Village."
His brother Merrill plays effective counterpoint as an ex-baseball player-- a fact of considerable importance in the film's harrowing last scenes.The aliens which are given considerable airtime worldwide on tv,
start out by clearing areas in cornfields as navigational aids,which Merrill at first dismisses as a prank by "nerds who can't find girlfriends." Flashlights, which sometimes fail,a baby monitor that seems to be picking up alien signals, and a reflective kitchen knife bladeplay a significant rolehere and in a later scene in the basement.The German Shepherds growl and bark at the unseen intruders. Many of the early scenes take place at night. Everyone speculates on the aliens' motives, with the help of a book on extraterrestrials bought during a family excursion to a nearby town.
The most dramatic sequence is when the family votes to board themselves inside their home, eventually in the basement, rather than leave:somewhat like the pioneer family in John Ford's "The Searchers". A veterinarian neighbor, played by Shymalan, decides to go to the lake because he believes the aliens fear water. This veterinarian is,not so coincidentally, also the driver responsible for Hess's wife's death.
In the basement, the young sonnearly dies in his father's arms of an asthma attack; the flashback details of the traffic accident are also emphasized again so strongly that by the end we get a very clear sense of the reason for the Reverend's loss of faith. The female police officer plays a crucial if relatively minor role.
As the family prepares for the alien invasion of their home, we are aware of the German Shepherds outside which are mysteriously silenced, then the ex-reverend goes into a long monologue about how much each of his two children meant to him and his wife from the moment of birth, as the boarding-up continues. The aliens which turn out to be hostile and creepy (they dispense poison gas from beneath their fingernails)--a fact not immediately apparent--are similar to "Those We Don't Speak Of" in "The Village",in which they look like a cross between a mastodon and some shamanistic vision. "The Village" has its own kind of fairytale-like atmospherics which are somewhat different, though both films feature surprise endings, slowly escalating tension, and people huddled in fear against an unseen, hostile force. In "The Village",the blind girl falls into a hole in the forest and has to claw her way out.I had to ask myself when's the last time I fell in a deep hole--and I'm not blind or a girl. Shyamalan also pays close attention to detail--some water glasses seen early in the film turn out to be important in the later knock -down drag- out brawl with the alien,first seen by reflection on the tv screen, and whose presence is totally unexpected,since the radio has given an "all clear" signal. The alien special effects, though brief, are also worth watching for.For its Bucks County farmhouse setting,its historicism,its family dynamics,its attention to details,the Reverend Hess's final renewal of faith, to the slow buildup of tensions which compares to many of the best horror films, I recommend this film highly.

Aliens, a hurting family, and signs...this movie is AWESOME!
This movie is great.Now some of you may think from your friends or from critics it has to do with religion or god.Well it's not!It's about signs.Now go watch it, it's not a great movie, i'ts a fantastic STORY that will be a talked about 30 years from now!Nuff said!

In Signs, another paranormal outing for the writer-director, Shyamalan explores the eerie implications of a 500-foot crop circle that mysteriously appears on the Bucks County, PA farm of reverend Graham Hess (Mel Gibson). As Hess and his family (Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin) try to take stock of what the sign means, and how its message incorporates into their faith, they start to get the feeling they are not alone in the fields behind their house. ... Read more

Asin: B00005JL3T
Subjects:  1. Science Fiction   

Jockey Big Man Brief
by Jockey
Average Customer Review:


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Reviews (1)

my bottom rests a little easier
Prior to purchasing these "big man" briefs I had experienced some embarrassing problems due to my copious backside. Now, however, my days of violently splitting open underwear are long gone! I can't explain how much of a relief it is to have purchased these briefs. Now I can get back to more important things. ... ... Read more

Asin: B000083LDS