Out

This is an amazing tool for young children. The graphics are great - the characters are funny, and my son is learning while he is playing - what a wonderful combination! There are number games, spelling and letter games, pattern games...I can't recommend this CD highly enough.

I will go on to buy the more advanced versions as my child continues to learn and grow.

Children are able to explore numbers, letters and shapes, by connecting the dots and other fun games that are captivating for the child. They are having so much fun that they don't realize they are learning.

One of the joys of being a kindergarten teacher in the 90's is searching for software that engages children in thinking and creative activities that integrate with curriculum objectives. We've tried many wonderful programs. However, if I had to choose the best of the bunch and recommend only one software program to parents, it would be Jumpstart Kindergarten. It's the program the children ask for again and again. I like the wide variety of activities. The kids like the way they can work the program all by themselves. I've recommended this to many of my colleagues, and I recommend it to you.

This is a great book to help the average person keep fish healthy. I wish I had this book years ago, as so many fish would not have had to give their lives. It gives practical information about how to set up and break in a new tank, what fish can cohabit an aquarium and a lot of great info about water chemistry and what fish like which types of water. It also discusses treatments for sick fish. Great book for the price! Less than $10 + shipping from the author at everythingfishy.com.

This is a great book for the beginning aquarist as well as the knowledgeable. All of the advice has been gained the hard way, by doing it. Alice Burkhart writes in an easy to read, practical manner that covers all of the information a beginner NEEDS to know. I recently started a new 44 gallon tank following the directions given, and have not lost a single fish! This book will pay for itself from the get-go. If you prevent the death of even one Discus for instance, you have paid for the book! I cannot recommend this book too much, I just wish it had been available 20 years ago when I quit the aquarium hobby out of frustration over dead fish.

This book will answer all the questions for anyone who is new to fish keeping.Its easy to read and explains things like water chemistry in a way that is clearly understandable to everyone.It tells you what you need and how to set up an aquarium and in doing so will make keeping fish an interesting and enjoyable experience. I cannot reccommend it too highly,its a must for every budding aquarist.I doubt I would have needed to buy the many other books I have read if I had found this one first.

Carson takes the reader on a journey deep into the very heart of Irish Music - the musician at his most timelessness. Don't pick this up expecting a scholarly approach to Irish music. This is an amazing insight into the music and the soul of the music as performed by an Irish musician. Carson even shows the little quirks of daily living that help to give birth to such a personable music. I love Irish music, but am a jazz pianist by musical trade. I highly recommend this to any and all musicians who are searching for their soul in music, especially those in jazz. It is a very moving and thought provoking work.

Belfast writer, fluter, raconteur and unreliable witness takes us into the subterranean world of craic agus chaos as he attempts to surf the web of the perfect session experience. Part nostalgic interrogtation of his own relationship with traditional music, part exploration of the Ulster breakfast: this book is a close as it gets to the cameraderie and catharsis of an all night music bash. A work of astute fiction that might never be true but is always believable.

At the end we are left wondering was this one large joke or simply a witty Northern oxymoron? A book to be revisited when the frost keeps us away from session, pub or our inner fiddler.

Excellent is too narrow a word to describe the sweep of the narrative.

Sean Laffey Irish Music Magazine Dublin

I've been a Celtic music fan for many years, long before it began to turn up on the New Age charts. While I don't mean to knock that genre (which has given some splendid traditional musicians -- e.g., the O'Domhnaills of Nightnoise and Alasdair Fraser of Skyedance -- the wider listenership they deserve), traditional Celtic music is an altogether grittier, funkier breed.
Ciaran Carson brings a poet's sensibility to the performer's-eye perspective of Irish music, from last night's fun to the next morning's rude awakening. Irish music isn't simply the tunes themselves; it's the old-timers who performed them, the instruments they played, the pints of Guinness, the choking smoke in the bar and the pouring rain outside, and Carson conveys the whole experience admirably. It's almost as good as being there.

Paul Heier, pastor of Lifespring Church of Palm Harbor, Florida, has provided a heart-felt and gripping book about the importance of walking with Jesus. As a former college administrator and professor, he brings out many salient points about leadership. For him, no one can properly lead unless they have a genuine and daily dependency on Christ. Everything rises and falls on our love for and from Jesus Christ. This book is an excellent resource for pastors, deacons, Bible college students, lay leaders, and those interested in ministry.

Paul has defined what being a leader is all about. Read it for the insight, but live it for the true value! Step up to the plate as a leader the leads through their love relationship with Christ. The author's points are structured well and can be a tool that can be used in your ministry right out of the package! People will see the difference when you lead out of love!

This is a must-read for all leaders. The author does a great job of giving practical guidelines for leaders and explores areas of leadership that so many prefer to avoid. It is an honest look at leadership and what it means to be a true leader. I am confident that it will be as valuable to you as it has been to me. You will be glad you read this book!

From the introduction through the appendices, this book details timely and essential principals of leadership. It is an impressive publication that can be used as a tool for anyone in a leadership capacity. Transformation in the way we approach leadership is long-overdue, both in the corporate and the non-profit. This book lays it on the line and lights the way. Excellent.

This book cuts through the theory and rhetoric that cloud discussions on good management of people. It gets to the real issues and the approaches that the managers in this book used to face them. The book brings out the realities of being a manager and the overwhelming challenges that must be overcome. All of this tied together with a simple structure for good management philosophy.

Rosen extends an invitation to the reader/leader to examine what healthy leadership looks like. This author invited us, in his earlier book, to examine and understand what healthy organizations look like. With healthy organizations as the foundation, healthy leadership as the building blocks, healthy people who are willing to be introspective and self-transforming are the DNA for transformation of leadership and organizations. An insightful approach, given that most books about "real change" (which seldom happens) focus externally, rather than internally. Real Change, according to Rosen, incorporates eight principles of the hard work of leading vs. mere posturing: vision, participation, learning, diversity, creativity, integrity, and community --- using wisdom as the implementation tool. Think this is impossible to do? There are rich examples of living/working people in existing organizations doing authentic inside-out transformation. A wonder-full challenge to the image managers who skim the surface and miss opportunities to be the butterfly wings that fan the potential wellness of organization health and evolution toward higher, more satisfying levels of functioning, both individually and collectively

This is a wonderful book about a father and son leading revisions in southern traditions. The father's dreams and roots are within the son's reality and fruits. Al Gore Jr. has fully developed into the responsible man his father has molded. The subtle teachings from Gore's grandparents to parents to children actually helped transform the south and is evident throughout the book.

Although Al Gore Sr. voted against the 1964 Civil Rights Act for political survival it did not deter his march to changes in character. Today, Affirmative Action, Unions and Abortion Rights are now accepted in Tennessee something that was Anathema in prior history and shows Gores real profile of courage.

The father's legacy can be carried on by the son's leadership by the abandonment of the "Politics Of Demagogues." Athens was a pure democracy where every citizen could vote on anything and the majority ruled. Leaders struggled for power by convincing the people they had the best plans for them. Overtime, the education of aristocrats produced many able men, but the poor who could not afford schooling fell victim to listening despots, agitators and demagogues.

Demagogues were candidates who promised anything to gain power and worried more about how they said something, rather what they were saying. These demagogues eliminated many good man from achieving office who would provide not just a life but a good life for the people. For example, Socrates was voted by the people to commit suicide, Themistocles was sent into exile. Eventually, Athens fell from plague within while fighting a Persian siege from abroad. The author reflects on such events of his own experiences.

Al Gore can change the Democratic Demagogues preaching class warfare like his father changed the segregationists. The pitting of "haves" against "have nots," seniors entitlements versus children's futures, and the uneducated hostile to the educated like the old south, has pass its time!

As in the book Democrats must change for the betterment of all. The day of tax and spend remedies that die under there own weight of too many taxes and too few revenues needs to change. Regulated private and semi-private solutions to public problems is a good alternative compromise. And where private solutions fail, government can step in for the benefit of the needy. Al Gore can lead the Democrats and Republicans to reach beyond history, toward a blazing more encompassing future of good ideas to eliminate class envy by letting people help people, not degrade each other.

"Let the Glory Out," has the solutions for new ideology within the courage of Al Gore's boyhood from father to son. The age of Democratic Demagogues promising free health care, free housing and free prescriptions' drugs when nothing comes free without burdens must end. At the same time, saying opponents will starve babies, cause dirty water and let the elderly die is pure demagoguery and must end too!

What I found refreshing in the book is Gore admissions that he often goes overboard in his zeal to serve the public. Whether it be mean personal attacks, over exaggerations or passionate pleads, he reflects after each one of them wondering if he has gone too far. More evidence of Gore being a man with a conscious and his concession speech was one of the finest ever given in history after a long bitter political fight.

The father's memoir shows the reader a quick look into a public servant who changed not himself but an entire state for the better. A simple story shared with a devoted son about his father in a way we learn more about the author's values too! I highly recommend it!

Albert Gore Sr. was an incredible politician and public servant, ahead of his time. It is shame, in a way, that we can't have him for President. But, in this meantime, it is valuable to read the how, where, and why Al Gore got the values he did, and strong values they are.

It is easy to see why Al Gore has grown up to be the man he is. In Al Gore Sr.'s political memoir, we see a rare figure in American politics--a man who is slow to reason, but quick to act; smart enough to understand the issues, but compassionate enough to think of the consequences of his policies. Senator Gore held firm to basic American values during the turbulent times of his political career, the values of fairness and concern for the little guy. Even if it weren't a good background study into what makes our VP (and possibly next president) tick, and regardless of one's political persuasion "Let the Glory Out"--with its great introduction and eulogy from junior to senior Gore--is a terrific testimony of the love between father and son.

First let me admit I am biased, since this gem is written by someone I know and admire, here in Northern California. But it nonetheless a gem of a book with superb photographs as well as excellent advise on Do's and Don't of raising a variety of herbs. I also like the book because it shows that one can successfully raise year round fresh herbs, and do so on an acre or on a small patio. And the author also covers edible flowers another favorite of my families.

LITTLE HERB GARDENS is a great book for the novice. The authors have assembled a lovely collection of photographs and interspersed them with succinct text that explains how to identify and select easy to grow herbs; when and where to buy them (spring, fall, summer, nurseries or catalogs, plants or seeds); how to pot them (containers, soil, etc.); and where to place them (balconies, patios, or in small gardens).

This little book will inspire you to create a green space in a kitchen window, an assemblage before a patio or balcony door, or a collection of pots on the balcony. Herbs grow best in full sunlight, so if your balcony faces south, you are in luck. If you live in a town house or have a small patch of ground you can think more expansively, but this book does not really deal with garden design, or the issues associated with herb gardening. Herbs are frequently garden thugs that run amuck in the open. I suggest you find a more in-depth book such as RODALE'S ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HERBS if you intend to go beyond pots and are thinking of growing mints, yarrows, violets, or some of the other "easy" to grow herbs suggested by this book. RODALE'S book also covers the poisonous aspects of herbs. (Some of them can kill you.)

The last section of LITTLE HERB GARDENS briefly covers kitchen uses of herbs including making herb-infused vinegars and herb-flavored sorbets. If you want to know more, once again you will have to turn to something more comprehensive such as THE COMPLETE BOOK OF HERBS by Lesley Bremness. Even if you can't grow herbs, you can buy them at the farmer's market and some food stores. LITTLE HERB GARDENS is not the only book available for learning how to grow herbs or use them, but it will get you started.

This book has it all--eye-pleasing photography and concise, useful information. The heart of the book is an herb-by-herb description of how to grow the plants. It's organized in a unique way according to where you could keep them--windowsill or fire escape, inside porch, outdoor pots, pantry, etc. There are suggestions for special ornamental techniques (such as topiary) and recipes for culinary herbs. Finally, the book lists seed and plant sources in the U.S. All in all, a real pleasure to read.

This book is infinitely helpful to pinpoint the perfect restaurant or bar that suits one's needs. The book is organized into arrondissements of Paris. At the beginning of each chapter, the authors list what they consider the best choices for each particular arrondissement.

If you're looking for a particular type of cuisine, one of the back indexes lists the cuisine type and all the restaurants that serve that type of food and of course, a page number where the restaurant can be found.

Another index lists all the restaurants alphabetically to compare them for the features of serving late night, outdoors, any private rooms, serving children, have wheelchair access, and if they're appropriate for business dining.

There are over 40 pages of excellent maps showing the name of the restaurant at its location.

Each individual entry gives the restaurant name, telephone number, address, page of the map where it's shown in the book, which Métro stations are closest, general prices for starter dishes, main courses, desserts, and set menus for lunch and dinner.

What makes this guide unique is that there are also ratings for the general volume of the crowd, so you can choose a quieter place or a more lively place, depending on your desires. Also, what is very valuable to us non-smokers is the restaurant's policy - smoking throughout, nonsmoking tables available, or completely non-smoking. Another fantastic feature is there is a little picture of a carrot next to the restaurants that are vegetarian friendly - a real plus!

Each entry lists the hours of operation (though these can often change, so I'd highly recommend a quick call before you have your heart set on a specific restaurant; also reservations are highly recommended at some restaurants) and a fairly detailed entry telling the specialties of the house and what the authors recommend.

The information in the book is extremely helpful for choosing restaurants and bars, and its organization makes this information easily accessible so you aren't spending time wading through large volumes to find that perfect Parisian experience.

This book was so helpful in finding great places to eat in Paris. We'd find ourselves in a different area of town either for lunch or dinner each day. Simply pull out the Out to Eat book and find the food or restaurant we wanted to visit. Fair warning on dress code or reservations. We didn't NEED this book, but it made the trip easier...

We recently visited Paris. We armed ourselves with this book as well as a few others for cross-referencing. The LP book was dead-on for each restaurant. Although we consider ourselves very picky and privileged eaters, we were 100% satisfied with our choices. The book was invaluable not only for food but for neighborhood and bar information.

I am having fun building this castle with my son! He actually seems to be enjoying spending time with me away from the computer!

Wow! This was a real fun thing to do! If you like to take your time doing things. This is mainly for 1 person, but you could do it with the whole family! A real drawbridge, flags, and a lot of little people to play in the castle. It was so fun.

Basically a giant keep with walls and towers forming a square, this combines towers and features from all over the early stages of castle building, including partial hordings (castles do have their own jargon). And the drawbridge works! If you want to keep this one around or move it much, glue the groundplates to cardboard or matboard.

I read this book several years ago when it first came out, and I loved it. I still like to go back to it every now and then, pluck one of the stories and savor it like a fresh grape.

You cant see it in that little picture but thats a quote from Ad Rock from the Beastie Boys that looks like it's coming out of the jet on the cover. Id say pretty much everything Ad Rock likes I like, and so I read this, and this is no exception. Theres some funny, trippy stuff in here. I say definitely read this book.

This is one of my favorite books of all time, one of the funniest books I have ever read. Barry Yourgrau is a genius. I read this book a long time ago and have always had a hard time finding copies. I give good books to my friends all the time, and I'm thrilled that this is being reissued and now I'll be to find copies for myself and other people. Definitely read this book. Everyone I have given it to loves it. And I just read his new book, The Haunted Traveler. It's great, read them both, but read this one first.