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Content by bernie
Reviewer Rank: 19
Helpful Votes:
9092
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Reviews Written by
bernie "xyzzy" (Arlington, Texas)
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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
Great place to start with your eight shaft loom, 30 Aug 2009
This compact book has everything you need to get off the ground running on UHF little after describing:
Weaving samples
The yarns and their approximate running length
How to read the instructions
Floating selvedge
We learn how to weave towels, placemats, scarves, and shawls of various types and complexities.
There is a one-page reference other books magazines and software.
There is a list of Ashford distributors throughout the world.
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
The ground is dark with blood, 24 Aug 2009
With many books, translations are negligible, with two obvious exceptions, one is the Bible, and surprisingly the other is The Iliad. Each translation can give a different insight and feel to the story. Everyone will have a favorite.
For example:
"Rage--Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus' son Achilles,
Murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses,
hurling down to the House of Death so many souls,
great fighters' souls. But made their bodies carrion,
feasts for dogs and birds,
and the will of Zeus was moving towards its end.
Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and clashed,
Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles."
-Translated by Robert Fagles
"Sing, O Goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a heroes did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures for so were the counsels of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles first fell out with one another."
-Translated by Samuel Butler
"Rage:
Sing, Goddess, Achilles' rage,
Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks
Incalculable pain pitched countless souls
Of heroes into Hades' dark,
And let their bodies rot as feasts
For dogs and birds, as Zeus' will was done.
Begin with the clash between Agamemnon--
The Greek Warlord--and godlike Achilles."
-Translated by Stanley Lombardo
"Anger be now your song, immortal one,
Akhilleus' anger, doomed and ruinous,
that caused the Akhaians loss on bitter loss
and crowded brave souls into the undergloom,
leaving so many dead men--carrion
for dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done.
Begin it when the two men first contending
broke with one another--
the Lord Marshal Agamémnon, Atreus' son, and Prince Akhilleus."
-Translated by Translated by Robert Fitzgerald
Our story takes place in the ninth year of the ongoing war. We get some introduction to the first nine years but they are just a background to this tale of pride, sorrow and revenge. The story will also end abruptly before the end of the war.
We have the wide conflict between the Trojans and Achaeans over a matter of pride; the gods get to take sides and many times direct spears and shields.
Although the more focused conflict is the power struggle between two different types of power. That of Achilles, son of Peleus and the greatest individual warier and that of Agamemnon, lord of men, who's power comes form position.
We are treated to a blow by blow inside story as to what each is thinking and an unvarnished description of the perils of war and the search for Arête (to be more like Aries, God of War.)
Troy - The Director's Cut [Blu-ray]
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Reviewer's Tags:
achilles, ancient greek, classic mythology and literature, epics, greece, greek literature, hector, homer, in the mediterranean, mythology, war, western literature
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No Title Available
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Availability: This item is currently unavailable.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
Do not let your pets pull the wool over your eyes, 24 Aug 2009
Review of "The Human Side of Animals" by Vance Packard
The wording of this book seems a little dated today. However the surprises are still there. The studies of animal I.Q. covered by Vance Packard will help dispel many notions of who is smart and who is dumb based of stereotyping and anthropomorphism.
My favorite case is the one of the cat that at precisely 7:45 on Monday nights would go on a sojourn that took it past a red light and he would wait for it to turn green then proceed to a particular window and watch ladies playing BINGO. It would receive no food or petting; so how did he know it was Monday and why watch BIBGO?
Contents include:
How Do You Spot a Wise Animal?
Psychologists vs., "Dumb" Animals
Stumping the Experts with a Puzzle Box
Wisdom of the Birds and the Bees
Wizards and Numskulls of the Woodlands
Giants with Big and Little Brains
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
Do not let your pets pull the wool over your eyes, 24 Aug 2009
Review of "The Human Side of Animals" by Vance Packard
The wording of this book seems a little dated today. However the surprises are still there. The studies of animal I.Q. covered by Vance Packard will help dispel many notions of who is smart and who is dumb based of stereotyping and anthropomorphism.
My favorite case is the one of the cat that at precisely 7:45 on Monday nights would go on a sojourn that took it past a red light and he would wait for it to turn green then proceed to a particular window and watch ladies playing BINGO. It would receive no food or petting; so how did he know it was Monday and why watch BIBGO?
Contents include:
How Do You Spot a Wise Animal?
Psychologists vs., "Dumb" Animals
Stumping the Experts with a Puzzle Box
Wisdom of the Birds and the Bees
Wizards and Numskulls of the Woodlands
Giants with Big and Little Brains
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
The ground is dark with blood, 24 Aug 2009
With many books, translations are negligible, with two obvious exceptions, one is the Bible, and surprisingly the other is The Iliad. Each translation can give a different insight and feel to the story. Everyone will have a favorite.
For example:
"Rage--Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus' son Achilles,
Murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses,
hurling down to the House of Death so many souls,
great fighters' souls. But made their bodies carrion,
feasts for dogs and birds,
and the will of Zeus was moving towards its end.
Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and clashed,
Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles."
-Translated by Robert Fagles
"Sing, O Goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a heroes did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures for so were the counsels of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles first fell out with one another."
-Translated by Samuel Butler
"Rage:
Sing, Goddess, Achilles' rage,
Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks
Incalculable pain pitched countless souls
Of heroes into Hades' dark,
And let their bodies rot as feasts
For dogs and birds, as Zeus' will was done.
Begin with the clash between Agamemnon--
The Greek Warlord--and godlike Achilles."
-Translated by Stanley Lombardo
"Anger be now your song, immortal one,
Akhilleus' anger, doomed and ruinous,
that caused the Akhaians loss on bitter loss
and crowded brave souls into the undergloom,
leaving so many dead men--carrion
for dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done.
Begin it when the two men first contending
broke with one another--
the Lord Marshal Agamémnon, Atreus' son, and Prince Akhilleus."
-Translated by Translated by Robert Fitzgerald
Our story takes place in the ninth year of the ongoing war. We get some introduction to the first nine years but they are just a background to this tale of pride, sorrow and revenge. The story will also end abruptly before the end of the war.
We have the wide conflict between the Trojans and Achaeans over a matter of pride; the gods get to take sides and many times direct spears and shields.
Although the more focused conflict is the power struggle between two different types of power. That of Achilles, son of Peleus and the greatest individual warier and that of Agamemnon, lord of men, who's power comes form position.
We are treated to a blow by blow inside story as to what each is thinking and an unvarnished description of the perils of war.
Troy - The Director's Cut [Blu-ray]
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Reviewer's Tags:
ancient world, classic mythology and literature, classical texts in translation, epics, greece, high school, homer, in the mediterranean, magic carpet ride, romance, verse translations
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The Wailing Wind
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by Tony Hillerman
Edition: Mass Market Paperback |
| Availability: Currently unavailable |
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
"Two warriors help a dragon fly out of the mud.", 24 Aug 2009
Rookie Navaho police officer Bernadette Manuelito is making her round when she spots what looks to be an abandoned truck. Upon closer inspection she finds what appears to be a drunk sleeping it off in the seat. Yep you guessed it when she touched him he was cold, dead cold.
All of our old palls from previous novels converge on the seen that turn out to be a homicide as the individual was shot in the back.
As the story progresses we get the thing that makes Hillerman, Hillerman; there are graphic descriptions of the landscape and weather. We also get a small indoctrination into the Navaho way as a shaman and an old man are interrogated. Yes and the is also a love interest or two as scene mostly through the eves of Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee, and suspect Wiley Denton of who seems to have misplaced his wife..
I suggest that just before you read this or while you are reading this that you also have a copy of the book "Hillerman Country: A Journey Through the Southwest with Tony Hillerman" It is a book filled with the pictures of the areas mentioned in this book (Including the torques mountain.)
You can tell that this book was written later on the series because the characters refer back to earlier times and other misters. The references are casual enough that if you had not read the other books you would not notice them.
As with most Hillerman novels the answer to the main riddle is usually immediately or soon figured out so we have fun finding out how long it will take the characters to catch up. Many a time different characters have clues and do not compare in time to act.
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The Odessa File
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by Frederick Forsyth
Edition: CD-ROM |
| Price: £18.92 |
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| Availability: Usually dispatched within 4 to 6 weeks |
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
Peter Miller has a big scoop, 24 Aug 2009
We are told that the best stories come from people that write about what they know. Therefore, if this story seems insightful it may be because Frederic Forsyth worked for Reuters reporting from London and he wrote the story in hotels from Germany to Austria. He mixes the real, not so real and the plausible to make you think "what if."
I do not want to say much as the fun is being surprised during the reading. However compared to the movie the book is much more in-depth with more characters and details. Manny times you think Forsyth is going off on some tangent and not focusing on the main story; then with out warning the information makes sense later on. One example to look for is the quick encounter with military maneuvers where he describes the tank sergeant.
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It is the night of the John F. Kennedy assassination. Peter Miller, freelance reporter in the process of chasing ambulances is disappointed by the apparent suicide of a person of no consequence.
Turns out the dead man is holocaust survivor Salomon Tauber; he left behind a diary of his experiences. Miller reads this diary and seems particularly interested in some details. This inspires him to do a story on what happed to prominent people that where in the "National Socialist German Workers' Party". His quest puts him at odds with many people including an organization, O.D.E.S.S.A, (Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen), that was designed to help the SS escape justice. He also encounters independent agents out for their own agenda. Then there is the MOSSAD. Everyone accuses Miller of having his own secret agenda and not just out for a story. Can they be right?
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Be sure to also watch the movie with famous actors that actually fit the characters from the book. Naturally a lot of information had to cut out and some sequence changes to fit the media. We still get the full speech from Eduard Roschmann (Maximilian Schell)
The Odessa File Starring: Jon Voight, Maximilian Schell
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
"For the dead travel fast", 24 Aug 2009
Surprisingly "Denn die Toten reiten schnell" or "For the dead travel fast" is more than an opening line to this tale of love in the dangerous moon light. After watching several Drac movies and a few Nosferatu's, I pretty much though I had a handle on the genera. Little did I know what a wonderful world of mystery and suspense that Bram Stoker opened up for me.
The story is told mostly third party though the papers, diaries, and phonograph recordings (on wax calendars) of those people involve in a tale so bizarre that it almost defies belief. The general story line is that of a Count that plans to move to a more urban setting (from Borgo Pass to London) where there is a richer diet. There he finds succulent women; something he can sing his teeth in. Unfortunately for him a gang of ruffians (including a real-estate agent, asylum director, Texas cowboy and an Old Dutch abnormal psychologist) is out to detour his nocturnal munching. They think they have Drac on the run but with a wing and a prayer he is always one step ahead.
Of more value to the reader is the rich prose chosen by Stoker as he describes the morals and technology of the time. We have to come to grips with or decide if we can perform the rituals that are required to eliminate vampires verses the impropriety of opening graves and staking loved ones. The powers in the book differ from the movie versions in that they are more of persuasion and capabilities to manipulate the local weather. At one point the Dutch Dr. Van Helsing, is so overwhelmed by a beautiful vampire laying in the grave that he almost for gets why he is there and may become vamp chow.
All in all the story is more in the cunning chase. And the question as to will they succeed or will Dracula triumph. Remember "For the dead travel fast."
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
Eppur si muove "nevertheless, it moves", 24 Aug 2009
Professor Saylor and his wife Tansy are newcomers to the university. Even thought they are not of the same conservative material as the others they seem to be doing quite well. Professor Norman Saylor of the sociology department is the author of "Parallelism in Superstition and Neurosis." He gets this irresistible urge to snoop around in Tansy's personals and is surprised to find that she is a practitioner of the craft. He is not really upset, and only wants to help her to free herself by burning all the paraphernalia (except her diary).
It is not hard to guess what happens next. Yep his life falls apart and he is destined to be run over by a truck if other evil things do not get to him first. He finds that there are more evil forces at work (all female of course) each with her own agenda.
The real question is does Norman ever get sucked up in the system or is he still convinced that it is just coincidence?
As with most movies that are an abbreviation of the book the one made for his story has the same feel "Night of The Eagle, aka Burn Witch Burn" (1962) with Peter Wyngarde as Norman, and Janet Bliar as Tansy.
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No Title Available
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Availability: This item is currently unavailable.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
God does not change. But people do., 24 Aug 2009
We are treated to a glimpse of a possible future world where friendship can still exist. This is a story of a hand full of individuals in a world that emphasizes "Community, Identity, Stability" that find each other and discus subjects that most of the people of that time cold not understand. However we do. Naturally the author Aldous Huxley builds his own scenarios and draws his own conclusions through the characters speeches and description of experimental history.
Bernard Marx who is about to lose his job because he is different (vary different) form those around him, decides to take a vacation to visit the Zuni's. There he meets a misplaced person named John. Together with the help of Bernard's friend Henry they intend to change the world. So they find out the world is incapable of changing.
We get an Ayn Rand type speech from Mustapha Mond one of the world controllers' that helps you realize that in this brave new world the three friends are the anomaly. How can this enigma be solved?
Do not forget to watch the 1998 movie version with Leonard Nimoy as Mustapha Mond.
Brave New World Starring: Peter Gallagher, Leonard Nimoy
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