Ntmconline

Archive for July, 2010

Just got my Tempo delivered today and my carpeted stairs are truly clean in a long while! Was really easy to assemble and I love all the on-board tools. Amazon had the lowest advertised price compared to Walmart, Kmart or Sears, so really good value.
STATE CAPITALISM AND MARX

Water for Elephants is an awesome story about an engaging character that had me sneaking my kindle out at work to read a bit more.

I loved it from start to finish. Some have criticized the amalgamation of the Jacob story from the Bible and post depression circuses but it works beautifully.

The level of detail and insight into the train circus world shows an incredible amount of research but one of the most amazing things is none of those details come across as research. They are as natural to the story as the characters.

Stanley 85 707 7

I have recieved shipment today (from Amazon.com to Toronto,Canada).
Delievery and shipment took 3 days (fast).
HOWEVER:
1) packing:I bought Kindle together with a hard-cover book (heavy book). Both were NOT properly packed. They were in a single box; box was about 6 sm (3 inches) longer/wider then the items; both items were easily “shaking”, not fixed at all.
2) I payed for kindle
“$189″
+ book (”$11″),
+ “Import Fees Deposit” (in fact this is not a “deposit” this is a “charge”)
$23.26
+ Shipping & Handling: $13.97
ON TOP of IT (and nowhere in the web-site I was warned about it): exchange rate of CAD to USD was:
0.937007874, so I ended up paying another CAD 16 (for conversion).
I do not claim that the conversion rate is WRONG (actually it was 2 % lower then the correct one), I am saying that I was NEVER WARNED/informed about its existence and/or actual value. This is a contract; the contract is to be done in local currency (according to a local legislation); and in fact the contract was worded in the foreigh currency (USD is foreighn for the Canadian buyer!); the currency conversion is an important part of the contract (and it was NEVER mentioned,in any way).
The amazon (on detecting that the shipment is for international delivery) might have at least said: “all prices are quoted in US Dollars and are subject to local currency conversion, this is the conversion rate..”. Nothing of this ever showed up.
MISLEADING,confusing practice by Amazon.
Actual shipment was done from Missisauga,ON, Canada.
The used warning:
“ALL ITEMS IN THIS ORDER ARE SOLD BY AMAZON EXPORT SALES, INC. (AES), UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. BY PLACING YOUR ORDER, YOU AUTHORIZE AES TO DESIGNATE A CARRIER TO CLEAR THE PACKAGE.. ”
It implies that the customs clearing is being done on an individual package level. The customs clearing actually are done on containers level (or many containers)… This is an attempt to rip us off..

KitchenAid KSBS25IVWH Refrigerator

This is one of the most wonderful books I have ever read. Not a slow part in the entire book. Can’t wait to see the movie that is coming out in 2011.
Pampers Dry Max Swaddlers

purchased this when i broke my wrist and had to start running to keep in shape. i hate running, but this watch really gives me inspiration to go put some miles on my feet. i like knowing how far i’ve run, and what my pace is. the real fun starts when i go home and download my workout onto my computer. so much information to cull over. highly recommended if you walk/run or even bike.
T shirt with abstract

Think of a juvenile James Bond with an IQ beyond Einstein’s. Then throw him in a world of technologically superior fairies, and the fun can begin.

And this is really what Artemis Fowl is about, first and foremost: FUN.

Some might say it reverts too easily to stereotypes, but I am not sure whether this is actually a bad thing. Too much depth, too much complexity in character development, might have taken the umpf out of the sheer fun ride I’ve had in reading Artemis.

The basic idea of the book–for those new to Fowl’s world–is that there is an underground world of fairies who go to great pains to keep their existence a secret from the human upper world. Until Artemis, a young criminal master mind, tracks down the fairies and upsets the whole balance of the worlds above and below ground.

In summary: Don’t expect the symbolism of Narnia, the metaphysics of His Dark Materials, or the detail of Harry Potter. Artemis Fowl doesn’t have any of those. Instead, expect to be blasted away by the explosive energy of a fun novel.

- Jacob Schriftman, Author of The Crack Beneath the Worlds and Other Books

Wishing Well