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Book cover Me Talk Pretty One Day 5 Hilarious Sedaris Eldr*** I read his books while on the treadmill at the gym .. and it can be dangerous! Laughing so hard I lose my balance! The funniest story is the one about his brother and language. 1591844762 US
Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now Hardcover – March 21, 2013 5 How Soon is Now? Roy Chri*** When I was growing up, the year 2000 was the temporal touchstone everyone used to mark the advances of modern life. Oh, by then we'd be doing so many technologically enabled things: Cars would fly and run on garbage, computers would run everything, school wouldn't exist. We were all looking forward, and Y2K gave us a point on the horizon to measure it all by. When it came and went without incident, we were left with what we had in the present. In 'Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now' (Current, 2013), Douglas Rushkoff argues that the flipping of the calendar to the new millennium turned our focus from the future to the never-ending now. "We spent the latter part of the 20th Century leaning towards the year 2000, almost obsessed with the future, the dot-com boom, the long boom, and all that," he tells David Pescovitz on bOING-bOING, "It was a century of movements with grand goals, wars to end wars, and relentless expansionism. Then we arrived at the 21st, and it was as if we had arrived." "We spent centuries thinking of hours and seconds as portions of the day," he continues, "But a digital second is less a part of greater minute, and more an absolute duration, hanging there like the number flap on an old digital clock." A digital clock is good at accurately displaying the time right now, but an analog clock is better at showing you how long it's been since you last looked. Needing, wanting, or having only the former is what present shock is all about. It's what Ruskoff calls elsewhere "a diminishment of everything that isn't happening right now -- and the onslaught of everything that supposedly is." As the song goes, when you say it's gonna happen "now," well, when exactly do you mean? Michael Leyton (1992) calls us all "prisoners of the present" ( p. 1), like runners on a temporal treadmill. He argues that "all cognitive activity proceeds via the recovery of the past through objects in the present" (p. 2), and those objects often linger longer than they once did thanks to recording technologies. In 1986 Iain Chambers described the persistence of the present through such media, writing, "With electronic reproduction offering the spectacle of gestures, images, styles, and cultures in a perpetual collage of disintegration and reintegration, the `new' disappears into a permanent present. And with the end of the 'new' - a concept connected to linearity, to the serial prospects of 'progress', to 'modernism' - we move into a perpetual recycling of quotations, styles, and fashions: an uninterrupted montage of the 'now'" (p. 190). Needless to say that the situation has only been exacerbated by the onset of the digital. In one form or another, Rushkoff has been working on 'Present Shock' his whole career. In it he continues the critical approach he's sharpened over his last several books. Where Life Inc: How Corporatism Conquered the World, and How We Can Take It Back (Random House, 2009) tackled the corporate takeover of culture and Program or Be Programmed: Ten Commands for a Digital Age (OR Books, 2010) took on technology head-on, 'Present Shock' deals with the digital demands of the now. A lot of the dilemma is due to the update culture of social media. No one reads two-week old Tweets or month-old blog posts. If it wasn't posted today, in the last few hours, it disappears into irrelevance. And if it's too long, it doesn't get read at all. These are not rivers or streams, they're puddles. All comments, references, and messages, and no story. The personal narrative is lost. It's the age of "tl; dr." The 24-hour news, a present made up of the past, and advertising interrupting everything are also all about right now, but our senses of self maybe the biggest victims. "Even though we may be able to be in only one place at a time," Rushkoff writes, "our digital selves are distributed across every device, platform, and network onto which we have cloned our virtual identities" (p. 72). Our online profiles give us an atemporal agency whereon we are there but not actually present. On the other side, our technologies mediate our identities by anticipating or projecting a user. As Brian Rotman (2008) writes, "This projected virtual user is a ghost effect: and abstract agency distinct from any particular embodied user, a variable capable of accommodating any particular user within the medium" (p. xiii). Truncated and clipped, we shrink to fit the roles the media allow. Mindfulness is an important idea cum buzzword in the midst of all this digital doom. Distraction may be just attention to something else, but what if we're stuck in permanently distracted present with no sense of the past and no time for the future? If you've ever known anyone who truly lives in the moment, nothing matters except that moment. It's the opposite of The Long Now, what Rushkoff calls the "Short Forever." Things only have value over time. Citing the time binding of Alfred Korzybski, the father of general semantics, Rushkoff illustrates how we bind the histories of past generations into words and symbols. The beauty is that we can leverage the knowledge of that history without going through it again. The problem is that without a clear picture of the labor involved, we risk mistaking the map for the territory. James Gleick summed it up nicely when he told me in 1999, "We know we're surrounding ourselves with time-saving technologies and strategies, and we don't quite understand how it is that we feel so rushed. We worry that we gain speed and sacrifice depth and quality. We worry that our time horizons are foreshortened -- our sense of the past, our sense of the future, our ability to plan, our ability to remember." Well, here we are. What now? The existence of this book proves we can still choose. In the last chapter of 'Present Shock', Rushkoff writes, "...taking the time to write or read a whole book on the phenomenon does draw a line in the sand. It means we can stop the onslaught of demands on our attention; we can create a safe space for uninterrupted contemplation; we can give each moment the value it deserves and no more; we can tolerate uncertainty and resist the temptation to draw connections and conclusions before we are ready; and we can slow or even ignore the seemingly inexorable pull from the strange attractor at the end of human history" (p. 265-266). We don't have to stop or run, we can pause and slow down. Instant access to every little thing doesn't mean we have to forsake attended access to a few big things. Take some time, read this book. References: Chambers, Iain. (1986). Popular Culture: The Metropolitan Experience (Studies in Culture and Communication) New York: Routledge. Leyton, Michael. (1992). Symmetry, Causality, Mind (Bradford Books) by Leyton, Michael published by A Bradford Book Paperback Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. Morrissey, Steven & Marr, Johnny (1984). How Soon is Now? [Recorded by The Smiths]. On Hatful of Hollow [LP]. London: Rough Trade. Rotman, Brian. (2008). Becoming Beside Ourselves: The Alphabet, Ghosts, and Distributed Human Being NC: Duke University Press. Original post: roychristopher.com/present-shock 1597808296 US
The Best Horror of the Year Volume Seven Paperback – August 18, 2015 3 The Best Horror of the Year Volume Seven jonathan*** In reading editor Ellen Datlow's opening summation of the notable novels and stories from 2014, I couldn't help but feel a bit discouraged as she reeled off recaps of rehashes featuring vampires, zombies, vampire/zombie detectives and blogging psycho killers, all overseen by the overbearing presence of H.P. Lovecraft all over the damn place. Have we come to this? Not entirely. You couldn't ask for a much better lead-in paragraph than what Nathan Ballingrud provides in this annual's opening story, "The Atlas of Hell." It's too long to repeat in this review, but there's no way to stop reading after that intro. (Well, I had to stop reading coz my train arrived, but as soon as I boarded, I started reading again.) Ballingrud starts in tough guy territory, like Dennis Lehane with a satanic spin. Jack, a bookseller with unseverable ties to organized crime, has a backroom sideline in grimoires. Jack is ordered into the beast-infested bayous outside New Orleans to fetch one such tome from a swamp rat grifter who sells diabolical souvenirs from an afterlife of everlasting torment. Jack works in the tradition of the occult detective, a chubby schlubby version of John Constantine or Harry D'Amour. I don't know if Ballingrud intends "Atlas" as the initial adventure of a series. The field of franchise detectives, supernatural or otherwise, is so crowded, it's a hard gig to pull off well. But whether this is a standalone or an opening salvo, Ballingrud has made his bones (yah yah, pun intended). And then ... a vampire story. Angela Slatter's generic "Winter Children" is readable as generic vampire stories go, but the heroic Shih Tzu is a bit much to ask of readers. Like Ballingrud, Slatter writes an open ending suggesting this, too, could become an ongoing series. However, the prospect of further vampire adventures crowding Sookie Stackhouse, Anita Blake and the rest of the housewife horror on the sci fi/fantasy shelves is far less appealing. I don't read nearly as much genre fiction as Ellen Datlow does, yet I've read this story many more times than I would have wished. Given how many boots have trampled this snowy ground, I have to wonder: How did this story merit inclusion? Maybe Datlow has a soft spot for dogs, which would also account for the presence of Alison Littlewood's "The Dog's Home," another saw-it-coming-from-way-off retread. Genevieve Valentine's "A Dweller in Amenty" plays more like a sin eater's mopey career day lecture at community college than a fully (atrophied) fleshed story. Valentine lays out the premise, then leaves it lying there as inert as a corpse in the parlor. Elizabeth Massie got a whole novel out of this folklore. Valentine should have at least managed an entire short story. In "Outside Heavenly," rural authorities investigate a fire of unknown origin involving the gruesome death of a hated and feared community member, "a fiercely wicked man who crushed all that could be loved." How wicked, they'll learn over the course of this sweltering Southern Gothic that winds up in a settlement that might appear in Ballingrud's atlas. Rio Youers is a new one on me. I was surprised to read in his author's bio that he's Canadian. I had him pegged as a William Gay disciple pecking at a typewriter in a tarpaper shack far south of Ontario. Some of his extended dialog is too self-conscious in its attempts to sound literary, but I'd like to see Youers make another appearance in "Best Horror." Why has it taken seven years for Caitlin Kiernan to get a story within these pages? Despite being one of the leading voices in the genre since debuting with "Silk" in 1998, Kiernan has been known to get persnickety when referred to as a horror author, so that might have something to do with the delay. One could wish for a slightly less traveled route than the muggy midnight ride of the killer couple in "Interstate Love Song (Murder Ballad No. 8)," which comes off like the product of a few too many viewings of "Natural Born Killers." Cool '70s car. Tunes on tape. Speed in the glove box. Victim in the trunk. Etc. The incestuous twin-sister twist doesn't do enough to set this road trip apart from the myriad other young psychos in love plying their trade by twos among the badlands, but Kiernan's craftsmanship and style of bloody brushstrokes make the journey, clichéd as it is, interesting enough to keep me from nodding off in the passenger seat. Fear of the unknown is an important element of horror fiction. It's debatable whether Brian Evenson's "Past Reno" is an exercise in that fear or an overly abstract extended metaphor (perhaps for Evenson's own relationship with Mormonism). I lean toward the latter interpretation, but as a story about sinister beef jerky, it could have been much worse. Who holds the record for most appearances in Datlow's annual roundups? I'm sure Laird Barron is high on the list, and deservedly so. In "the worms crawl in," a cuckold goes camping with his wife's lover -- a sonnet-writing rival, no less. "Everybody hates those guys," the narrator points out, and this outdoors jaunt presents a prime opportunity for payback. The setup is straight "Tales from the Crypt," but Barron takes us in a darker direction when his characters almost stumble into an open grave gouged out of the wilderness clay, a passage leading back millennia to a period when "dinosaurs have not been invented, but the devil is everywhere." The mind-torquing gulfs of deep time, deranged deities and hyper-masculine antiheroes have become staples of Barron's oeuvre, and he deploys them deftly, but he might want to consider taking his writing in some new directions and climbing out of his cosmic horror (dis)comfort zone. This is not one of Barron's better stories (it has a much scarier elder brother named "Blackwood's Baby"), but Barron gives such good carnage that "worms" is one of the better stories in this volume. And, hey, I learned Alaska has swamps. Orrin Grey's "Persistence of Vision" illustrates a mini-trend in this volume and a potentially unhealthy development in horror fiction as a whole: stories too explicit about expressing their debt to cinematic forebears. The literary side of the genre should be leading the way, not chasing the empty flash out of Hollywood (that goes double for remakes). "Persistence of Vision" reads less like a short story than an aspiring film treatment. Granted, the movie it's pitching does sound pretty cool, but if there was a ghost apocalypse, it's unlikely that even the most fervently maladjusted movie geek would take time out to reminisce about his favorite horror movie moments. All the references neuter the horrific elements and turn "PoV" (another movie term) into a toothless exercise in academic meta. In last year's summation, Datlow linked Nathan Ballingrud, Laird Barron and John Langan in a kind of terror triumvirate. I don't know if they're drinking buddies in their personal lives, but they've been working ceaselessly in some kind of conspiracy to ensure that at least one of them places a story in every new anthology. They're unavoidable, and they're largely responsible for whatever forward momentum has been recently achieved in a genre that too often prefers to settle into a static, staid status quo. In "Ymir," Langan emulates the kind of weird fiction Barron has been in the process of mastering. Marissa, a former security contractor struggling with PTSD from the Iraq War, takes a job guarding a rich adventurer who drives great distances for donuts. "He's walked into some pretty dodgy places." Including Marissa's current gig down a depleted diamond mine punched deep into the icy Canadian earth. Marissa is shadowed by a ghost from "the sand," and at the bottom of the frozen pit lurks ... a hotel lobby from Barron's Mythos. I agree with Datlow that it's too early in Barron's career for such tributes. I disagree with her that "Ymir" is a strong enough story regardless to rank as one of the year's best. "Ymir" is overstuffed, all over the place and leaves the unfulfilling aftertaste of an in-joke between two author cronies. Langan is a fine writer, but he's generally a step behind his companions in the trailblazing trio. Perhaps he'd be better served developing and strengthening his own quite valid voice (he especially needs to work on making his dialog sound more believably natural and less like writing) instead of borrowing Barron's. (Oh, and just a side note: Langan should be told that driving from Olympia, Wash., to Portland, Ore., for a donut isn't such a big deal. Twice I've traveled from the OTHER Washington, the D. of C., to Portland for the bacon maple bar and Memphis Mafia at Voodoo Doughnut. They're worth the trip.) This year's "Best Horror" never gets better than Ballingrud's kickoff story. Long stretches of the book -- populated by the aforementioned vampires, zombies, a small army of psychos and the spirit of Lovecraft receiving homage -- make Volume Seven seem like a placeholder, sluggish and somnambulant. "Best" becomes "Eh, good enough." There's nothing really bad among 2014's batch of tales, but there's not much to get excited about either. Over most of the contents hangs a sense of habitual autopilot repetition, like a thrice-weekly treadmill run. It's good to keep the muscles oiled and working, but we don't seem to be charting any new territory. Several stories are near-misses. Some are mildly clever. A few are rote to the point of raggedy obsolescence. And a couple are as flat as that half-bottle of Pepsi left over from last month's Halloween party. Speaking of Halloween, it's telling that this year, when I went looking for horror fiction that was fresh and original to augment the autumn revel, I most often found it by cracking anthologies (some even edited by Datlow) or collections from the early 1990s. As I was finishing the final pages of the best 2014 had to offer, I started to get that discouraged feeling again. B000000OY2 US
Mad Not Mad 4 Nutty Boys Grow Up 95th*** I recall when this album came out, and how the critics loved it, but the public hated it. Well, the public were wrong- this is a great record. Listening to it after 20 years away from it makes me realize that this is probably the best thing they ever did. I've been listening to it constantly on my CD player, and I keep coming back to it again and again. But it's not a Madness record, but rather a record of the remaining six members of Madness trying to find a comfortable successful musical identity without their seventh member, classically-trained keyboardist and composer Mike Barson, who left before this album was made. He had started the band in 1976, and his loss left a huge hole which the remaining members of this close-knit outfit felt they never recovered from musically or probably even psychologically. They really feel in this music, as if they miss him lyrically and musically in the record, but in so doing, they create beautiful music and lyrics. They had all (and I do mean all in the band) by this time become adept at writing pop masterpieces, but were not used to doing it without Barson's inspiration and goading. Barson was and is a forceful figure in the band's chemistry, and his shoes were difficult to fill. What is the music? Beautiful, but not a Madness fun-house type album. It exudes happiness and nostalgia, tinged with frustration, cynicism, and resentment at Barson's leaving (Mad Not Mad) and at Thatcherite Britain (Burning the Boats), ambivalence at dealing with pervasive American culture (Uncle Sam), the dirtiness of the music business treadmill (I'll Compete), but their are some brilliantly tender moments too, such as Cathal Smyth's turn at the lead vocals on Tears You Can't Hide. Scritti Politti's Sweetest Girl gets a clever cover arrangement here, probably too clever by half. I think the boys were trying too hard to show they could do it without Mike Barson, and the synthesizers employed on most of the tunes could have become too overbearing in the hands of a different production team. All in all, the record shows Madness growing up, but not quite sure what they were becoming, and how they were now paying their dues belatedly. Madness started out very successfully with their first single The Prince in 1979, and never looked back at a string of Top 10 and Top 20 hits, unbroken until Uncle Sam, which never made it past #22 or so. It had all become too easy for them, and when it became difficult and no longer automatic, they found the going tough. They had also been touring almost non-stop, while the members began to cultivate family lives and outside interests, and the tension of all of it became too much for these young men. Once they realized what they had, and how to handle it (and how much the public missed them) they reformed, with Barson back on board, in the 1990s and have kept going until this day. The band, esp. Suggs, regard this album as little more than a "polished turd", but they couldn't be more wrong. This is a timeless document of an era, with music and lyrics that still sound timely today. B0000EIF9S US
ICON Health and Fitness Walking belt Lube 5 I came across an article that recommended trying to lube the belt so I found this ... Nan*** We were having problems with our treadmill as it kept stopping while we were walking on it. We were just about to shop for a new one because as it was older, we didn't want to invest money in having it repaired. I came across an article that recommended trying to lube the belt so I found this Icon (a reputable brand) Belt Lube and thought I'd try it since it was so reasonably priced. It worked !!! In fact, it worked so well that I ended up purchasing another one to have on hand. Shipping was quick, the product worked great and I saved myself a bundle of money in potential repairs and/or replacement. B0000EIFCL US
Treadmill Silicone Lube - 8 Oz. Now Odor Free! A Full 8 Oz! Enough for 8 Applications! 4 Four Stars Friendl*** Good product but messy application. B00020W0YW US
Live From Another Level 5 Great Worship CD!!!!! Tina W*** I had never heard of Israel and The New Breed until I found them on Amazon. I went by the other reviews and let me tell you I wasn't disappointed at all!! I listen to this cd while walking on the treadmill. It's a great way to get moving. I will definitely be buying more music from this group! B000ENRQ3M US
RCA Wireless Overear Stereo Headphones, Transmits Audio Signal up to 150 Feet, 40mm Speakers for Outstanding Sound Performance, Phase-Lock Loop Technology Locks in Frequency to Prevent Signal Loss 5 RCA Wireless Headphone review Da*** This item arrived quickly, despite the Christmas Holiday and free shipping. It was easy to install, and works perfectly. The headphones were a little loose, and offered no adjustments. Also, the instruction, appeared to be printed on a copy machine. I really enjoy this product; especially while using the treadmill. B000PDUJIK US
JET 1/2-Ton Manual Trolley (1/2-HDT) 5 This thing is awesome! Very simple to install Heather*** This thing is awesome! Very simple to install. I put it on my I-beam so that when I'm not using my punching bag, I could slide it off to the side in our basement with my treadmill. Very smooth, practical and great price when compared to other trolley's or expensive devices 'made for' gym equipment! Definitely recommend! B0010C7VEU US
Fred Allen's Letters Mass Market Paperback – January 1, 1966 5 A unique perspective into the wit of a comedic legend DPP*** Fred Allen is my first cousin, twice removed so if he had children, and then grandchildren, those descendants would fall in line to be my only third cousins from the lineage. But alas, he and Portland did not bear offspring and so there are no third cousins. After reading Much Ado About Me and then Treadmill to Oblivion, one would have a near complete life story of the man born John Florence Sullivan. Fred Allen's Letters doesn't offer a chronological time frame of Mr. Allen's life, but it does add insight to his personality, the people that touched his life and his unique wit when corresponding with others. B001M04RBK US
Treadmill Desk Attachment for Bikes and Ellipticals too, Treadmill Laptop Holder, Treadmill Desk Stand, Treadmill Table, Laptop Stand for Treadmill, Elliptical Laptop Holder, Bike Desk Table 5 Health changing! Tara*** I LOVE my Surf Desk!! I bought this several years ago. I was curious if something like this even existed. When I found this product, I was pleasantly surprised with not only how well-designed it was, but how inexpensive. It is designed to fit not only our treadmill, but can easily transfer to our elliptical trainer or exercise bike. Many members of our family have used this. I work from home completing account for my home business using my Surf Desk. My middle-school daughter watched me and started doing her homework on the treadmill as well. I walk at a slower pace than when I exercise, but log an incredible amount of miles while taking work calls and referencieng information or doing data entry on my laptop. I immediately started losing weight , which was my hope. However an added benefit was that my muscles became stronger and I found that when I exercised for cardio or strength, I was seeing gains. I also was seeing heart health improvement in blood pressure and heart rate. I attribute this partly from not being sedentary to the same degree. We all in our middle-age have that feeling of not feeling as good after sitting at the desk for hours. This was alleviated by using the time exercising instead. Another added benefit was stability and balance. It does require some getting used to, but the gains in being able to manipulate my keyboard while walking were huge! Another huge plus is the customer service.I had to take a break from using my Surf Desk due to an unrelated knee injury. Meanwhile, my teenage son, mistakenly damaged part of my Surf Desk (which is hard to do....and seems to only be accomplished by teenage boys roughhousing ;). I reached out to the owner and within a week, I already had the new part on my front doorstep. I just can't say enough about how this one purchase has impacted me. B002P60ZZC US
ZFOsports Weighted Vest 30lbs - 80lbs 5 Good for walking. Orangeli*** The vest is really nice for walking. It is really bulky though, so you sorta look like a special forces guy getting ready for battle. I have a treadmill at home though, so I just use it on there. I don't recommend running with it on, as it bounces a lot. Just good for walking and using on an incline. B002PLU912 US
Nalgene BPA Free Tritan Wide Mouth Water Bottle, 32 Oz, Gray with Black Lid 4 The wide mouth is great because I tend to stop to drink while I'm ... LC S*** I purchased two of these and have used them interchangeably on a daily basis for over a month. They didn't have a strong smell when they arrived, and no lingering plastic-y taste after they were washed. The wide mouth is great because I tend to stop to drink while I'm working out; I usually bike, so taking a break with a gulp of water is pretty nice, instead of having to slowly squeeze it out of a pop-top. On the other hand, I think it goes without saying that they aren't that ideal for drinking on the move. I tried it once (and only once) on the treadmill and was quickly drenched. I mean, it felt good, but wasn't quite what I was going for. Overall, it's a great product for my purposes. Only reason I dropped it to 4 stars is because the measure labels on the side have started to wear off after only a month of use. B002ZPSISE US
Source One Premium Kardio Kicker Treadmill Book Holder Reading Rack (S1-KK-TBH) 1 Did not fit on my treadmill ashka*** The top part of this holder was not wide enough to hang over the top of my treadmill. Was never able to use B003BQZ80M US
Lord of Chaos: Book Six of 'The Wheel of Time' 5 Wow! pau*** This book was excellent! The ending was so awesome and suspenseful! I run on the treadmill reading this book and those miles flew by! B003DGPWLK US
Travelon 3 Speed Personal Folding Fan - White 5 Five Stars krj*** Helps keep me cool on the treadmill. Easy to use. Quiet. B0044RMAJ4 US
Contoured Single Vinyl Coated Kettlebell With Training Dvd by GoFit 5 No batteries needed. Pat C*** Great! I am 66 YOA male and found something that can work my whole body. No treadmill pounding, walking in the rain, no batteries, no electricity. Start with the 7 lb. and work your way up in weight. This way you won't get frustrated with your progress. I ordered the 10 and 15 lb bells to be a constant reminder that I must move up in weight. Exercise Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, be patient and you will feel and see the difference. Watch the video several times, learn the different exercises, then practice each before you start the full routine. Can you tell that i am happy with my Kettlebell and myself because I am sticking with it. Pat B004IJI7HW US
5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 79% 14% 4% 1% 2% 79% 5 Supermats Heavy Duty Mat Cathy *** It fits perfectly under my treadmill and keeps it from slipping. It also protects the carpet from dirt and damage. Fast shipment! B004ROT3LC US
RAD Cycle Bike Trainer Indoor Bicycle Exercise Portable Work Out Cycle with Smooth Magnetic Resistance Allows You to Work Out with Your Bike 3 Im using this trainer as an alternative to my treadmill. Great options for winter workouts indoors. Jan He*** Not incredibly well made, which explains the low price. But its doing the job. Easy to set up, but it does make a fair amount of noise when youre using it. B004SEUJBE US
Chicago (Fullscreen Edition) 5 Great for excercise! Amazon C*** Great movie! The music and snappy pace keep me going while I watch it and do a brisk walk on my treadmill. B004TGWUPE US
a narrow treadmill 1 Great Company to work with. Redfe*** Did not work and had to be shipped back. A waste of time and money. Company did work well with me however on refund. They were nice and supportive. B0053U7BN6 US
The Strain: Book One of The Strain Trilogy Hardcover – January 1, 2009 1 Wait for the movie Angela *** The Basics Something terrible happens to an aeroplane on the tarmac at JFK Airport New York, and it is up to a lone-wolf disease specialist to find out what the hell is going on. Things quickly go from weird to troublesome when the plague that killed the passengers on the plane starts to spread throughout the Big Apple. The Good The bad guys don't sparkle. Sorry, I know that technically counts as a spoiler, the bad guys in The Strain are vampires, and it took a long time for the authors to clarify that point to the reader. But really, the vampires in this book are some mean-ass blood suckers, not the pretty, picking flowers and holding hands kind. I like that. The Bad Where do I start? I had high hopes for The Strain when I started reading it, but I quickly lost interest and found the plot and characters so absurd that I just couldn't take the story seriously. I finished though, but only so that I could write this review and warn you of how bad this book is. The Strain is a non-stop cliché treadmill and the poor reader is left wading through flat dialogue, weird metaphors, and phrases that make you laugh out loud at the worst possible moment. There is the shadowy cabal; the brilliant-genius CDC scientist hero; the beautiful, sexually accommodating female sidekick who takes a back seat and never does anything useful (except babysit while the MEN go off to slay the big baddie at the end of the book). The authors seem to be very confused about what causes the vampirism. Is it a virus? Is it a worm in your blood? Who can tell. And what kills vampires again? The authors throw out the usual methods (holy water, crucifix through the heart etc.) but cling to sunlight (maybe). It's confusing. The rules change as you read the book and that sucks. If you are writing off-canon you need to at least be consistent about the things you change. The Bottom Line I think this story would make a great movie. It's full of action, the plot is thin, and the characters make up for their vapid lack of depth by being good looking and/or OSSUM. But, as a book it fails. And apparently there are two more books coming out (it's a freaking trilogy!), I won't be reading those. If you want good vampire fiction, read I Am Legend, it kicks The Strain's ass a thousand times over. B005HTU45U US
Pen Pal Pen Holders, 3 Pack, Assorted Colors (PENPAL-BP3) 5 This is a great product. John*** I purchased two packs of Pen Pals a month or so ago and have found the product very useful. I origianlly purchased them for us in my cars, but I am now using them in many other places. They work great at the top of a notepad or a clipboard. I also use them on my exersize equipment. I always seem to have a good idea when I am working out but never have a pen to right it down with. I just stuck a Pen Pal and a sticky note pad on my treadmill and exercycle and now I can wright down my thoughts. It's a clever idea and works well. B005IV6U0U US
Actto BST-09 Green Portable Reading Stand/Book stand Document Holder (180 angle adjustable) 3 Doesn't fit like I wished skifr*** bought it for my treadmill. Doesn't fit like I wished. B005OK0YRK US
Malone 4 Not deep but fun.. Doc*** Typical Reynolds actioner. Interesting plot with lots of mayhem. Certainly the acting is only fair but keeps my attention while I ride a stationary bike or walk on a treadmill. Not deep but fun...good guy wins and megalomaniac loses. B005UV1Q6Q US
Size: 12 Narrow Color: White 5 Good support. I replace at about 500 miles of ... Ri*** New Balance is always consistent in sizing and offers wide sizes. Good support. I replace at about 500 miles of indoor treadmill walking and have never had a problem. B006E86IW6 US
True Treadmill Belt Lube Part Number 90349000 5 TRUE Lube Lizz*** Have used this lubricant for my TRUE Treadmill for years. I only have to apply once a year - works great! B007MAQUAU US
Sole Fitness Tread Lubricant for The V1 Sole F85 Model Number 585881 Part Number 022271 1 Hated it Amazon C*** I talked to my treadmill manufacturer nod they said don't use it. It went directly into the trash. Waste of money. B007S088F4 US
Polar H7 Bluetooth Smart Heart Rate Sensor 5 Works well with Nexus 5 explor*** Works great with my Nexus 5 Phone, with older Polar watch (FS2C), and for a while it even worked with my Sole F80 treadmill (though it doesn't anymore, go figure). Comfortable soft strap - much better than the one that came with my treadmill. Both Bluetooth and 5 kHz signals sent at the same time, so I can see the heart rate on my phone and the treadmill simultaneously. B008GVETNE US
GOgroove BlueSENSE TRM 3.5mm AUX to Bluetooth Transmitter Wireless Adapter - Connect to Headphone Jack on iPod, MP3 Player, Stereo, Laptop to Pair w/ Wireless Bluetooth Headphones & Speakers 2 The product was too expensive to fail after just a couple months use R. Ga*** I purchased this Bluetooth transmitter to send audio from a TV to a pair of Creative Bluetooth headphones while walking on the treadmill. The BlueSense TRM was difficult to pair with the headphones but once successfully paired it worked well enough. Audio quality was more than adequate for the task and I did not notice any delay between the video and audio. The BlueSense TRM sat unused over the summer as I generally only use the treadmill in the winter. I unplugged he unit from the TV audio jack and plugged in to it's USB charger. It took about an hour to complete the cycle which is roughly how long its taken in the past. Since then the unit has only powered on once and didn't work properly. I've run it through a couple more charging cycles with no change in behavior. The user manual and web site provide no useful troubleshooting tips. I have purchased a Miccus Home RTX: Long Range, Bluetooth Music Transmitter or Receiver through Amazon in hopes that it's more robust design will last longer. B00A86QWN0 US
2-IN-1 Full-motion Steel Mount with 360 Degree Adjustable Arm for Apple iPad Air, iPad Mini 2/3, iPad 2 3 4 and other 5.5-12 inch Tablets 4 Great product! Chelsea*** This product is a very sturdy piece of equipment. I gave it 4 stars rather than 5 stars because the plastic piece that holds the ipad will easily fall off when using the treadmill with no ipad in the ipad holder. It does fine when the ipad is in the holder and the clamp is wide enough to fit nicely on my older model treadmill that measures over 1.5" in depth at the location where I have placed the clamp. I have experienced no problems with movement of the gooseneck. It stays right where I put it. Walking or running on a treadmill does cause some vibrating movement of the ipad. If there was a freestanding unit designed like a very tall adjustable music stand for my ipad, that would be great, but none that I could find would reach my standing height when on the treadmill, so I would recommend this product as the best available currently for treadmill use. One other note, it will not fit the ipad with a cover on it, so you do have to remove your ipad cover every time you use this product. B00AWBN2BQ US
Maine Nature Walk Treadmill Scenery DVD 5 everyone of these DVD's are so different and so wonderful! i go home each day and get on ... SUS*** everyone of these DVD's are so different and so wonderful! i go home each day and get on my treadmill and i am suddenly transported to another place. everyone one of their DVD's are quality like i am on a new adventure every evening. B00JMID1F2 US
Bike-O-Vision - Virtual Cycling Adventure - Carmel-by-the-Sea to Monterey, CA - Perfect for Indoor Cycling and Treadmill Workouts - Cardio Fitness Scenery Video (Widescreen DVD #31) 2 Two Stars Keit*** Just ok... B00K1LYSX8 US
Spider Monkey Couch Overhead 4 but the gooseneck is great for getting the tablet into just the right spot ... Arthur F*** We got a couple of these to hold tablets where we can see them on a treadmill and an exercise bike. It took a little creativity to figure out how to attach the Spider Monkey so it was stable, but the gooseneck is great for getting the tablet into just the right spot for viewing videos while exercising. The gripper claws do a good job holding onto the tablet, and release easily when you're done. Plus it looks really cool. I would recommend one improvement to make this a 5-star product: put flat "ears" sticking out on either side of the end-cap of the gooseneck, so the gooseneck can't rotate easily when it's held tight to a flat surface. B00NF0HC7G US
Giro Petra VR Womens Dirt Shoes - Titanium/Blue Jewel - Size 38 5 Very comfortable S. S*** I wear a shoe size 8 1/2 and ordered a size 42, base on other's suggestions, and it fits perfect. It could almost be a 1/8 inch larger. It is a very comfortable shoe, and I am using it on the treadmill as well as the spin bike. B00NLGAGV8 US
Knee Brace by ComfyMed Premium Adjustable Compression Support Sleeve CM-KB19 for Sport or Pain Relief 5 "Working very well" S. La*** This brace is for my son who tells me that it is "working very well," allowing him to be on the treadmill for a longer period of time which is necessary for his arthritis. I will be ordering a second one for his other knee. B00OQVZDJM US
Kindle Paperwhite E-reader - Black, 6" High-Resolution Display (300 ppi) with Built-in Light, Wi-Fi - Includes Special Offers 5 Impressive Battery Life katk*** I am super impressed with the battery life with this Kindle! My previous Kindle (2nd gen) did not last long on the battery and the charger HAD to be Kindle specific. The Paperwhite is chargeable on any micro usb charger and charges quickly. The battery lasts a LONG time! I only use it while I'm on the treadmill and the first charge lasted an entire month - and I tread five days a week for an hour. I HIGHLY recommend this Kindle! It is easy to read, easy to get started, and has a non-glare screen. B00QIM5CMK US
Sunny Health & Fitness Manual Walking Treadmill, Non-Electric, Foldable & Compact Design, Quiet Tread Pad, Digital Monitor fo 1 Left outsides Ida Ro*** Need to return do not want this item they keep letting it on the outside of the building want my refund B00RP0OAP4 US
HQRP AC Power Cord Compatible with Horizon Fitness SC2250T TM606B Treadmill, T100 TM629C, GS1050T TM627 Mains Cable 5 Five Stars Gail I. *** It was exactly what I needed B00S2P0M1C US
Betron YSM1000 Earbuds Wired in-Ear Headphones, Noise Isolating Ear Buds, Powerful Bass, Tangle-Free Cable and 3.5mm Jack for 5 Good price Tom*** I like the sound. I use them watching TV at the gym while on the treadmill. B00T32MJZA US
HQRP AC Power Cord Compatible with Horizon Fitness T63 (TM158) T64 (TM159) T7.6 (TM654) T70 (TM177) T700 (TM306) T71 (TM204) WT950 (TM153) WT951 (TM286) Treadmill Mains Cable, UL Listed 5 Worked well. Calvin*** Worked well for as long as I needed it. B00TA4HV5Y US
Sony MDRAS600BT Active Sports Bluetooth Headset (Orange) 5 I was hoping for Good and ended up with Great. Surprisingly Fantastic. jque*** I received my new Sony Bluetooth headset yesterday. I will update this review in a few weeks, but my first impressions have prompted me to write this. I ordered these after reading the July issue of Runner's World where they named these their top wireless headphone pick. I have had Sony headphones before, but admittedly they were at the lower end of the cost spectrum. So my expectations were that these would sound ok, work good enough with my Moto X 2014, and stay put during my workouts. Disclaimer: I'm a headphone junky. I have Bose QC-20s for my overseas travel, Etymotic Research HF-2s for general use and for motorcycling, and I have a set of Grado SR80 headphones for home use. I'm a music nerd...Rock, Classic Rock, Jazz, Classical...lots of different stuff. So why am I writing this the day after getting this Sony headset? Because I was absolutely blown away by how good they sound. For the price, I would have been ok if they just sounded ok and didn't fall apart. But the sound is really fantastic, these things punch way above their weight class. The bass is punchy and deep without being overpowering, highs are more crisp and pronounced than most Bose headsets. Soundstage and separation is superb. They even sound great at really low volumes, which you can't say about a lot of headphones. One thing to note: If you haven't had in-ear headphones with silicone tips before, it's important to make sure you select the right tip and arc support size so that you get a good seal. Finding the right size is also important to prevent them from falling out during running workouts. These come with 4 tip sizes and 3 arc support sizes, so finding the right combo shouldn't be a problem. One thing to mention that I'm not sure about yet. Since these do seal tight in your ears, it can reduce background noise which some road runners may not like since it will make it harder to hear what is going on around you. If you're on a treadmill in the gym, not too big of an issue. For this reason I think it's good that they sound great at lower volumes since I do a lot of road running and want to be aware of my surroundings. Tonight will be my first run with these and as I said I will update in a month or so. In my office, running in place and shaking my head side to side, they felt secure and I don't think I'll have any issues. Update 7/20/2015: It's been about a month and I'm still loving these headphones. After multiple runs and gym workouts, I can say they stay put rather well. It takes a little getting used to when running because it feels like they might try to fall out, but they never do. In the gym, the weight of the buds will shift if you are laying on a weight bench or exercise mat causing the headphones no to seal properly, but once you are back sitting or standing they re-seal and the music goes back to normal. I leave my phone on a table and walk all over our small gym, at distances up to 40 feet they stay connected to the phone and still sound good. Battery life is very good in my opinion considering how small the battery must be. I'm still impressed with the sound quality. I primarily listen to Spotify and Google Play Music and the sound quality is really great for these sources. I think I prefer the sound of these to my QC-20s. I've even tried them on Google Hangouts for video chats with my family and they said they had no problem hearing me with the built-in microphone. I am really very happy with these and will consider higher-end Sony headphones the next time I'm shopping for wired buds. B00TGC9DW4 US
Learning C# 2005: Get Started with C# 2.0 and .NET Programming 2 disappointing David Chr*** I've been programming computers for 30+ years and have migrated across several languages and systems as times dictated. I have accumulated courses, degrees, jobs, projects, and rows of books along the way. My most recent focus has been Perl on FreeBSD and Apache/CGI/mod_perl. I now have the need to write Windows GUI applications. Unfortunately, Microsoft has not chosen to make Perl a first-class language on their platform, so I am left with few choices (I am most familiar with ActiveState Perl and Cygwin). Given the fact that Visual C# 2005 EE is a free download, I've decided to climb two more learning curves -- C# and .NET. When learning Perl, I found O'Reilly's "Learning Perl" and "Programming Perl" books to be awesome. So, I bought the C# parallels, hoping for a similar experience. Unfortunately, this has not been the case. The content of "Learning C#" is basically a subset of "Programming C#" by Jesse Liberty with advanced topics removed. Both are what I would call language survey/ "gee whiz" books -- they describe the "what" and/or "how", but often leave out the "why". I forced my way through both and may use "Programming C#" as a reference, but "Learning C#" will only collect dust. This book also fails its presumed purpose -- teaching the reader how to write good programs in C# at a basic to intermediate level. Mr. Liberty is clearly an intelligent person and a capable programmer, but, unfortunately, he and/or Mr. MacDonald are not good teachers (or, at least not for how my brain is wired). Both books suffer from a deeper criticism that seems to plague almost all Microsoft subject books. I cut my teeth on Kernighan, Richie, Pike, Rochkind, Plauger, Bach, McKusick, Wall, Schwarz, Christiansen, etc., and those are the standards by which I judge all others. The writing style and technical accuracy of those authors are levels above what I find from most Microsoft subject authors. My guess is that the C/Unix and Perl authors train to higher standards (e.g. Ph.D, post doctorate), their vocations require them to write to higher standards (e.g. academic and professional journals, peer review), and they have experience in education. In Mr. Liberty's defense, those authors are not subject to scope and speed of the Microsoft product treadmill. Given the lack of a good technical bookstore in my area, I am relegated to reading reviews such as this on the Internet, ordering a book sight unseen, and hoping for the best. Please post your reviews so we can help each other. :-) B00TOM28DC US
Crown Sporting Goods Hand Weights Dumbbells Set - 1, 2 and 3 lbs with Rack - Soft and Comfortable Neoprene Weights Set for Home Gym - Indoor and Outdoor Dumbbell Sets with Rack, Sprint Set 5 Highly recommended Howard E.*** My doctor recommended using weights while on the treadmill starting at 1 lb and graduating to 2 and then 3 lbs. This set is perfect for my needs and an excellent price. B00W85TAHE US
Walk On Indoor Walking Fitness DVD [No Treadmill] Plus Foot, Ankle, Knees and HIPS strengthening, 5 Fat Burning Miles Indoor Walking Exercise DVD, Zone 2 + Interval Cardio with Jessica Smith 5 I LOVE JESSICA AND HER WORKOUT DVD Tammy L*** I LOVE JESSICA AND HER WORKOUT DVD!! I had never seen nor heard of her prior to her dvd popping up on Amazon. I purchased her dvd just to get a change of pace and I love it. B018RO19TG US
Life Fitness Treadmill Doctor Battery for The Lifefitness 9500HR Elliptical 5 Awesome Deb*** Worked great B018XL0VQK US
HQRP 6ft AC Cord Compatible with Precor PPP45657144 PPP000000045657144 P0645657144 932 932i 934 934i 936i C936i 9.31 9.33 9.33i 9.35 9.35i Treadmill Heavy Duty Mains Cable Power 5 Really good Quality! Paola *** Saved me! Someone stole the cord from the treadmill at my Gym and this had saved me! B0193V3DJ6 US
NordicTrack T Series 5 Nice treadmill & delivery gd*** Great product and great delivery service. B019BKEDSE US
Treadmill Belt Lube - Made in The USA - Easy Squeeze for Controlled Flow Treadmill Lubricant - 100% Silicone 5 ... not for treadmills but for artwork and it is great! Exactly what I was expecting Ar*** I use this not for treadmills but for artwork and it is great! Exactly what I was expecting. Will buy again (and again and again) B01AHK4PF8 US
Skechers Womens Flex Appeal 2.0 5 LOVE these shoes Che*** I purchased these shoes as a backup for an upcoming trip to Disney as they are super lightweight for the suitcase. I usually wear orthotics due to a high arch and was aware that these shoes are very flexible without the support I am used to. In an attempt to break these shoes in quickly, I have worn them to the gym twice logging several miles on the treadmill, while playing ping pong for two hours and for two days running errands. I realized that while I usually kick shoes off the minute I get home, I was still wearing them throughout the day in the house. I'm not sure how my feet will feel after logging the seven mile walking average per day at a Disney Park, but so far I am loving them! 
Book cover Me Talk Pretty One Day
Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now Hardcover – March 21, 2013
The Best Horror of the Year Volume Seven Paperback – August 18, 2015
Mad Not Mad
ICON Health and Fitness Walking belt Lube
Treadmill Silicone Lube - 8 Oz. Now Odor Free! A Full 8 Oz! Enough for 8 Applications!
Live From Another Level
RCA Wireless Overear Stereo Headphones, Transmits Audio Signal up to 150 Feet, 40mm Speakers for Outstanding Sound Performance, Phase-Lock Loop Technology Locks in Frequency to Prevent Signal Loss
JET 1/2-Ton Manual Trolley (1/2-HDT)
Fred Allen's Letters Mass Market Paperback – January 1, 1966
Treadmill Desk Attachment for Bikes and Ellipticals too, Treadmill Laptop Holder, Treadmill Desk Stand, Treadmill Table, Laptop Stand for Treadmill, Elliptical Laptop Holder, Bike Desk Table
ZFOsports Weighted Vest 30lbs - 80lbs
Nalgene BPA Free Tritan Wide Mouth Water Bottle, 32 Oz, Gray with Black Lid
Source One Premium Kardio Kicker Treadmill Book Holder Reading Rack (S1-KK-TBH)
Lord of Chaos: Book Six of 'The Wheel of Time'
Travelon 3 Speed Personal Folding Fan - White
Contoured Single Vinyl Coated Kettlebell With Training Dvd by GoFit
5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 79% 14% 4% 1% 2% 79%
RAD Cycle Bike Trainer Indoor Bicycle Exercise Portable Work Out Cycle with Smooth Magnetic Resistance Allows You to Work Out with Your Bike
Chicago (Fullscreen Edition)
a narrow treadmill
The Strain: Book One of The Strain Trilogy Hardcover – January 1, 2009
Pen Pal Pen Holders, 3 Pack, Assorted Colors (PENPAL-BP3)
Actto BST-09 Green Portable Reading Stand/Book stand Document Holder (180 angle adjustable)
Malone
Size: 12 Narrow Color: White
True Treadmill Belt Lube Part Number 90349000
Sole Fitness Tread Lubricant for The V1 Sole F85 Model Number 585881 Part Number 022271
Polar H7 Bluetooth Smart Heart Rate Sensor
GOgroove BlueSENSE TRM 3.5mm AUX to Bluetooth Transmitter Wireless Adapter - Connect to Headphone Jack on iPod, MP3 Player, Stereo, Laptop to Pair w/ Wireless Bluetooth Headphones & Speakers
2-IN-1 Full-motion Steel Mount with 360 Degree Adjustable Arm for Apple iPad Air, iPad Mini 2/3, iPad 2 3 4 and other 5.5-12 inch Tablets
Maine Nature Walk Treadmill Scenery DVD
Bike-O-Vision - Virtual Cycling Adventure - Carmel-by-the-Sea to Monterey, CA - Perfect for Indoor Cycling and Treadmill Workouts - Cardio Fitness Scenery Video (Widescreen DVD #31)
Spider Monkey Couch Overhead
Giro Petra VR Womens Dirt Shoes - Titanium/Blue Jewel - Size 38
Knee Brace by ComfyMed Premium Adjustable Compression Support Sleeve CM-KB19 for Sport or Pain Relief
Kindle Paperwhite E-reader - Black, 6" High-Resolution Display (300 ppi) with Built-in Light, Wi-Fi - Includes Special Offers
Sunny Health & Fitness Manual Walking Treadmill, Non-Electric, Foldable & Compact Design, Quiet Tread Pad, Digital Monitor fo
HQRP AC Power Cord Compatible with Horizon Fitness SC2250T TM606B Treadmill, T100 TM629C, GS1050T TM627 Mains Cable
Betron YSM1000 Earbuds Wired in-Ear Headphones, Noise Isolating Ear Buds, Powerful Bass, Tangle-Free Cable and 3.5mm Jack for
HQRP AC Power Cord Compatible with Horizon Fitness T63 (TM158) T64 (TM159) T7.6 (TM654) T70 (TM177) T700 (TM306) T71 (TM204) WT950 (TM153) WT951 (TM286) Treadmill Mains Cable, UL Listed
Sony MDRAS600BT Active Sports Bluetooth Headset (Orange)
Learning C# 2005: Get Started with C# 2.0 and .NET Programming
Crown Sporting Goods Hand Weights Dumbbells Set - 1, 2 and 3 lbs with Rack - Soft and Comfortable Neoprene Weights Set for Home Gym - Indoor and Outdoor Dumbbell Sets with Rack, Sprint Set![Walk On Indoor Walking Fitness DVD [No Treadmill] Plus Foot, Ankle, Knees and HIPS strengthening, 5 Fat Burning Miles Indoor Walking Exercise DVD, Zone 2 + Interval Cardio with Jessica Smith](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81LgfXVlMsL._SY445_.jpg)
Walk On Indoor Walking Fitness DVD [No Treadmill] Plus Foot, Ankle, Knees and HIPS strengthening, 5 Fat Burning Miles Indoor Walking Exercise DVD, Zone 2 + Interval Cardio with Jessica Smith
Life Fitness Treadmill Doctor Battery for The Lifefitness 9500HR Elliptical
HQRP 6ft AC Cord Compatible with Precor PPP45657144 PPP000000045657144 P0645657144 932 932i 934 934i 936i C936i 9.31 9.33 9.33i 9.35 9.35i Treadmill Heavy Duty Mains Cable Power
NordicTrack T Series
Treadmill Belt Lube - Made in The USA - Easy Squeeze for Controlled Flow Treadmill Lubricant - 100% Silicone
Skechers Womens Flex Appeal 2.0