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World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

February 28th, 2010 | Comments Off | Posted in Books

Although I had not yet heard about this particular title before reading it, I did find it quite curious that a book with the theme of a zombie apocalypse could get mentioned on NPR (National Public Radio – in the US). That fact is mentioned on the book’s jacket and it proves to be an incredibly apt way of explaining that old cliche of horror novels, “This is not your average tale of terror.” In this case, it’s not so much cliche as the flat out truth. Max Brooks is the author of The Zombie Survival Guide, another big hit even outside the hardcore horror fans. This man knows how to write from a fascinating and innovative angle, that much is a given, but what he has done with this World War Z is truly amazing. The whole book is written in the form of fiction “interviews” with people who survived an apocalypse of zombies. Normally, in this type of tale we’d be given a song and dance about a barely believable disease that turned everyone into zombies – not in this case. No, Brooks delves a lot deeper into the human psyche and puts a laser guided missile directly into the primal fear processing cortex of our brains. This book isn’t so much creepy as downright unnerving. The situations Brooks describes are a kind of hell that anyone would hope never happens on Earth.

The beauty of Brooks’ style in this particular title is that he goes the distance to keep it truly global in perspective. The sheer amount of detail is quite amazing because he covers the tale from every culture on the globe, nearly all countries given at least a passing mention. He “interviews” people from all walks of life and gives the story a truly interesting mass media feel that sets this story apart from anything else of its kind. While this lets the book pack one hell of a punch, it will also most likely date it which is sad. Twenty years from now the book won’t carry the sheer immediacy that it does now – but that could be wrong. At any rate, reading World War Z right now is a brilliant idea!

Sylvania GNET31201X6S 10-Inch Magni Elite Slate G-Netbook

October 9th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Hardware

When I first opened the box to my new computer that I’d been sent by friend due to an emergency, I was somewhat puzzled. This machine weighs less than three pounds and has what appeared to be a very crammed little keyboard and a 10 inch screen. I couldn’t conceive of how I would be able to use it to get work done and in my line of work a keyboard that is both efficient and doesn’t induce hand cramping is absolutely essential. In the past I had always used very large old school keyboards so I wasn’t confident this machine would be able to do much and it’s so small I had some doubts about its performance. Now, after several months of daily use I have to say that its 1 GB of RAM, 1.6 Ghz processor and 160 GB hard drive space have more than enough power and flexibility to get nearly any job done that I need. It watches videos perfectly fine over a broadband connection, it can play games that don’t require a gaming optimized type of PC and it is so small you can take it anywhere with zero hassles. This netbook from Sylvania is definitely a breakthrough because it’s such a little power house.

If you are looking for a small computer that is exceptionally easy to use then the GNet is absolutely the way to go. It gets the job done in style and won’t leave you hanging on important work. It has a lot more power than it appears like it does at first glance and no matter how many windows you have open, it holds up fine. I put a lot of wear and tear on any computer I use and this machine has held up beautifully. For a price tag of around $300 it is one of the finest machines in its class and a definite king of the netbook world.

Rembrandt 2-Hour Whitening Kit

September 8th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Dentistry

Most all of us make a sincere effort to brush our teeth regularly, but that doesn’t mean that we can do much in the war against all the many things that struggle to stain our teeth. Even those who don’t smoke are going to run up against the effects of soft drinks, coffee, cappuccinos and even tap water that has the right mix of minerals in it. All of these things are going to darken and discolor our teeth and if we want to be able to fight those effects then it is definitely important take some steps to do that. There are a variety of different tooth pastes and mouth washes on the market these days, but very few of them have quite the same impact as what the Rembrandt brand can do. When I found myself about to meet someone incredibly important to me for the first time, I wanted to touch up my smile before the big meeting and I had precious little time to do that. The Rembrandt 2 Hour Whitening Kit seemed right up my alley. For under $20 I got a full treatment and the best part is, it was actually a noticeable improvement. That’s saying a lot considering the amount of coffee I regularly consume due to the sort of job I have.

The kit is extremely easy to use and Rembrandt has invested heavily in providing easy to read, even entertaining, instructions regarding the proper use of the products. They work just like the box says and there’s a lot of reason to have total confidence once you see the results. They might not be the absolute easiest or most convenient if one is incredibly pressed for time at the last minute, but they are definitely worth the effort considering the amount of whitening that gets done in such a short amount of time. 

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Kenmore 75050 (5,000 Btu) Air Conditioner

June 16th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Air Conditioners

When it comes to the home, there are few appliances that are liable to be quite as important as a solid air conditioner, especially if you live in a very hot climate like I do. The house can be a miserable place without an air conditioner that is effective at doing the job of cooling your home down and apartments or other rental properties tend to be exceptionally difficult to cool as those units are rarely well stocked with the best air conditioners. The Kenmore 75050 is a great solution to this problem because it is not only low in price, but it performs to very high standards which makes it perfect as a bedroom air conditioner. This unit will cool a small room down quickly and efficiently so you aren’t going to have to spend a lot on your power bill which is extremely nice. It’s not Energy Star compliant, so to those concerned with that, this could be a draw back but most of us just need an air conditioning unit we can afford and if that fits your needs, you can’t beat the 75050 for value.

I feel comfortable recommending this unit for cooling small apartments, but it really isn’t what you would choose for a larger home. For a child’s room this could be great, especially in a room that receives a lot of direct sunlight as those rooms are often difficult to cool down. It’s very quiet so that is also a major plus since noise from air conditioners is a common issue that they have. You’ll pay less that $100 for this unit, on average.

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Petfirst Insurance for Dogs and Cats

May 25th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Insurance

The cost of veterinary care for our pets these days is rising faster than most of us care to think about because when it gets right down to it, the emotional bond we share with them is not exactly going to encourage us to ignore their pain. Since so many people have been irresponsible with the care of their animals, vets have come to be skeptical and downright cold about who they will treat and why. Unless you are an excellent sales person you can expect to be told there will be no payment plans when your dog or cat needs emergency help, often even if they will die without treatment. These are some harsh facts, but it is better to know them now than after it is too late. Some people feel that paying for expensive treatments is not worth the cost because the animal may not live while they go into personal debt and that’s a possibility, but if you have the insurance up front, there is a lot less to worry about. With Petfirst, there are no restrictions on breed or differing prices with breeds – this is not common in the pet insurance industry. You can also customize your coverage to suit your own personal preferences and that is a major strong point. You know the risks your pet faces better than anyone else and so you need to be the one with the power to decide what is the most sensible package for them.

Considering that this is one of the very few companies that will often end up reimbursing 100% of treatment costs, it is certainly the first one you should check with if you are considering insuring your dog or cat. They have a very good reputation and their coverage costs are suitable for nearly any budget.

Brome Squirrel Buster Plus Bird Feeder

July 21st, 2008 | Comments Off | Posted in Lawn and Garden

If you love watching the birds feed at your house, but you don’t want those darn squirrels robbing the birds of seed in the process then you just might love the Brome Squirrel Buster Plus. It’s an excellent bird feeder that gets the job of feeding your local avian friends done without sacrificing a lot of cash to feed the squirrels who are just going to end up burying most of what they take any way. This feeder is designed for smaller birds such as finches, sparrows and similar sized species, but it does an excellent job of keeping the squirrels from getting their paws on the seed supply which means that the birds you’re watching won’t be driven off every few minutes by an industrious but destructive squirrel. I found this feeder extremely easy to clean which is nice during seasonal clean outs to prevent seed rot. The ventilation of the feeder also helps preserve the freshness of the seeds because if you’re going to be feeding the local birds, it’s always good to make sure that you are providing them with a healthy food source that they will be able to take full advantage of.

While it costs around $80, this feeder is worth the money because it will last for years and it comes with a life time warranty. Those of us who love bird watching, even if only as a spare time activity, know that this is a long term interest so a solid investment is going to give us, the kids or grand kids some great times together as a family down through the years.

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Craftsman 38905 Lawn Mower

March 14th, 2010 | No Comments | Posted in Lawnmowers

Those that want to maintain their lawn nicely but don’t want to have to pay for a landscaper to come out or invest heavily in a lawn mower will find that the Craftsman 38905 is an excellent value because as far as gas push lawn mowers go, it is an extremely affordable value. At well under $250, you really can’t get a better mower and the name brand really is quality in this case. One of the biggest pains about running a lawn mower, especially a gas model, is having to yank on the rip cord to get it started up. This model’s recoil starter is exceptionally sturdy and you aren’t going to have to pull on it a few dozen times to get the mower started – that’s a nice back saver and you are sure to appreciate it once you have had the mower for a while and see that it doesn’t fall apart the way many other mowers end up doing. The bag is also incredibly simple to change which is a big plus and since this mower mulches, you can actually just haul the bag over to your garden and add the grass clippings right away or put them in your mulch pile. The 190cc Briggs & Stratton engine is very powerful so you won’t have to worry about a poor job, it will leave your lawn looking great after the first round.

All in all, this is a very affordable mower that has precious few issues so I definitely feel it’s a good one to have if you are serious about lawn care and sticking to your budget, too.

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