Transnational Studies

Archive for April, 2010

My Garmin 265WT portable GPS unit arrived last month. Included with it was the window-shield suction mount. I tried it and it worked OK. It was a stable mount, but somewhat of a security pain-in-the-neck. Since security is an issue nowadays with portable GPS units, I had to remove the suction mount from the windwhield in order to hide it away each time I exited my car. Then, I had to re-attach it to the windshield again upon re-entering. I subsequently searched the Internet for alternative mounting devices. Nearly every user product review recommended the portable friction mount because of its ease of use and stability. I purchased one, and have been using it ever since. It has great stability due to its lockable “bean-bag” base, and I am able to install/uninstall it in seconds. It definitely is the way to go.
Zoo Med Laboratories Porcelain

The Garmin Portable Friction Mount is great for applications requiring portability, such as using the same GPS in different cars. For us, it replaces a windshield mount. Advantages of the friction mount are faster setup and takedown, no occasional unwanted separation from the windshield and no marks on the windshield. It can be placed most anywhere on the top of the dashboard, and is very stable. The only disadvantage is that stability comes at the price of it being somewhat bulky.
Aquarium Power Sweeper

Water for Elephants is an interesting text because it is not especially well written, the story is pure soap opera, and yet it is an enjoyable read that at times evokes a long gone era. I think it suffers from overly effusive praise and so many readers are bitterly disappointed once they get through it.
First, let’s look at the strengths of the novel. I enjoyed the evocations of circus and train life. Gruen clearly spent some time working on these descriptions of circus life and there are little Depression era details that were nice historical jewels for the reader to mine. Also effective was her characterization of old Jacob. His voice was witty and biting and he provided the most pleasure of any character in the text. Chapter nineteen of the novel is the saddest depiction of rest home life I have read in literature. A man is forgotten by his family, and the scene is heartbreaking.
Now to examine the reasons why this book is unsatisfying. First off the characters from the 1930s parts of the novel are some of the weakest characterizations I have seen in a book in a long time. They are stock characters at best, and the villains are the mustache twirling men from melodrama. It is hard to care about any of the characters because they are so transparently fake. Even more distracting then the weak characterization is the incredibly insipid (and modern sounding) dialogue Gruen puts in their mouths. She has such nice historical details in the setting of the text, why couldn’t she also use it in the dialogue?
Many readers have found the ending unsatisfying, and although it is ridiculous, it fits the novel so I won’t argue with it. The cloying depiction of animals is also a little beyond the pale, but again, I simply had to come to terms with the novel for what it is. It is popular fiction. It is a melodrama you will get caught up in. And for those purposes it is adequate. Don’t go into it expecting more than what it is capable of giving and you will be satisfied.

Animated Pet SK 026

The bike rack seems nice, but who can tell since nowhere does it say that you MUST buy a beam for an additional $35 to use this rack for a women’s bike. Returned to Amazon… because for $90 + the additional $35 for the bike beam, I can get something much nicer from my local bike shop.
Saris Guardian 2 Bike

My kids like the iTouch. It was easy for us to link to our wi-fi and to download the apps they wanted.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn s First

I had dreamed and dreamed of buying a watch like this, and I started off small with a simple timex to see how long I was running for. After my first half marathon though, I realized that I would be much more informed if I knew my pace and how long I was running for (and elevation, damn those Boston hills). Mapmyrun and Activetrainer just weren’t cutting it with how precise my runs were. When I saw the price of this one, and after talking to other runnres who had this model, I decided to just go for it. I’m so glad I did! I use it on all my runs, and I feel much better about my running. It’s especially helpful during races since the gun time and my time don’t match up (especially in larger races). I feel more in control with my running, and I like all the neat things it has. To be honest, I haven’t used the HRM yet, but maybe I’ll get more adventurous. I do use the Advanced workouts to program my own speed interval training sessions, which is so helpful since I am really bad at judging a distance and I don’t live near a track. This workout solves both those problems! And I can see just how my pace is with each one.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for runners looking to be more in control of their pace, or those who have specific time goals!
NA Video Digital Camera

Okay I know, iPad is the product of interest in Apple’s catalog right now, but having just picked up the touch about a month ago thought I’d share my words. The iPod Touch is the evolution of every innovation Apple had up there sleeves in MP3 player marketing for the last few years, minus there most recognized and iconic feature the ‘click wheel’. If you don’t mind that being dropped, do know note you know get a 3.5″ inch screen and a much more appealing interface (I avoid saying cleaner, as the iPod’s layout was as simple as you could get) along with the obvious touch screen.

To be quite honest, I was awaiting the Zune HD for the longest time, the iPod simply received my purchase due to all the applications. I’ll say this short and sweet, I really enjoy the Zune HD due to the responsive screen (OLED screen helps) and performance, just not a fan of the software required for it. Back to the touch, it’s very sleek and packs a lot of punch for something weighing about four ounces. The audio output jack is 3.5mm, the newer 3rd gen models feature iPod earbuds with a volume control and mic built in. I had not noticed the mic, as I instantly headed for other headphones/earbuds as I strongly dislike the quality of past stock buds included with Apple products.

The mic is fully functional, and is actually not nearly as bad as I imagined (thankfully). Built in sound source, now if you simply want to make sure you have the correct song, or simply watch a funny clip you don’t need to reach for the cans. The internal speakers aren’t amazing, but they are functional. Two volume buttons can be found on the side for quick volume adjustments.Quick tip: sometimes you may not be able to hear anything, the device can be tricked into this by having gunk/grime get into the jack/input area. Don’t be alarmed you haven’t busted your investment, simply use a Q tip or something that can fit into the area. Use something like window cleaner and gently clean the inside. If you are lucky, you
Social Network Analysis A

I purchased 2 kindles latest generations. one was a gift and the other for me.
i think the kindles are well designed, easy to use and affordable.

The packaging was frustrating to open.
Linux Der praktische Weg

In this funny thought-provoking story, a rich boy-genius criminal mastermind takes on the fairy world, but this is not the fairy world we often think about. This is a high-tech group of races that live deep underground. At stake is a staggering amount of gold. Now, Artemis is amoral, but seems to become distinctly evil by the end of this novel, adding tension to this novel.

Though this is written for young teens and preteens, older fans of young evil geniuses will enjoy this and will sometimes ponder it.

A cipher runs the length of the book for those codebreakers who want to tackle it. Fortunately, its solution is not needed for understanding the story. The cipher has a very tiny twist that makes it interesting.

Artemis Fowl (available in several editions) is part of a series that continues with a variety of adventures & characters. In these we see Artemis embrace his evil nature and resist his evil nature. We also see some girls get involved in the action. The first three novels in this series can be found in Artemis Fowl: The Criminal Mastermind Collection (paperback). The series should be read in order.

Parental concerns: There are a few things parents might want to consider. Consideration is not a bad thing. Remember, by checking out the book, you get to read it first; it is pretty funny. For my part, I found the series OK for my son. I was not so sure for me. The hero is an evil criminal mastermind, in a child-like sense. Should I be hanging out with a criminal mastermind? Also, in the battle between Artemis and his fairy enemy Holly, I wanted both to win. I don’t think this is a relativistic view of right and wrong, though; Artemis is wrong. So, how come I wanted Artemis to win? I do like him. And the dwarf’s method of digging tunnels is so alimentary, sometimes with explosive results at the, uh, exhaust end! Should I be reading such rude bottom humor? And then every once in while there is the rare ideological comment that might
Canvas Print Nieuwe Amstelbrug

Bath Body Works Signature