Detroit, October 30th..... Devil's Night. As the city burns around them, several hoodlums rape and mutilate Shelly Webster (Sofia Shinas), and throw her boyfriend, Eric Draven (Brandon Lee), out the window to his death. Shelly dies in the hospital 30 hours later. Detroit, October 30th. One year later. Eric rises from the grave....with the help of a mysterious crow, Eric begins to piece together memories of that fateful night. Yep, the plot is simple and basic. But what is distinctive to The Crow is the execution of the story. Eric is brought back from the dead, literally, for simple vengeance. The film drips with passion. Not enough can be said about the charisma and spirit and personality that Brandon Lee alone brought to the role of Eric Draven. Though it is with tragic irony that the films true power comes from the death of Lee. It wraps the film up in undeniable sorrow. Likewise, not enough can be said about the phenomenal direction of Alex Proyas. Proyas brings to The Crow a deadly seriousness - something rare for a comic-turned-film. There is no camp here, only darkness.

The new Miramax/Dimension/Buena Vista "Collector's Edition" DVD release of The Crow is a vast improvement over the first DVD release. The film received a new anamorphic transfer, which preserves its 1.85:1 theatrical aspect ratio. The picture is simply awesome. Very clean. Unfortunately, the extras are more of a miss than hit. The deleated scenes are cool, but the commentary is a joke. The commentary track was recorded by producer Jeff Most and one of the screenwriters, John Shelby. To listen to it, you would think Most was the only one who made the film. Proyas is rarely mentioned. And most unfortunate was the lack of commentary regarding Lee's death; it's mentioned at the end of the film. The "making of" featurette is nothing more than a promotional piece before the films release in 1994. There is no information about the added FX needed to complete the film when Lee was killed. So basically, this is probably as good as it's going to get for us Crow fans. And it should be added that The Crow is still the ONLY good contribution to the comic. All the other films are a disgrace. Hopefully, we won't see anymore and The Crow name will no longer be dragged through the mud...

Sadly, this film was thrust into the stuff of legends first by the untimely demise of its star, Brandon Lee. Then by it's beautiful story. The story should have been enough, Lee should have lived to make other films. But that's just wishing in the wind.

The story of a murdered man's return one year after his death to exact vengeance on those who killed him and his wife is based on the popular comic book. The idea of love transcending the borders of Life/Death allow the violence to be overlooked, if not accepted as just. Filled with darkness and rage, Eric Draven (Lee) seeks out those who killed him and his wife, guided by a psychopomp crow. Brandon Lee's portrayal of the tortured spirit is nothing but masterful. Alex Proyas's direction is both superb and haunting. The script by John Shirley brilliant. Not only was The Crow one of the best and most memorable movies made in the 1990's but it did a wonderful thing in this age of teenage illiteracy, it prompted teens to seek out and read the source material. Even if it was just graphic novels, kids were reading. Interested in the written word. Because they had been shown that magic could be found on the page. A killer soundtrack didn't hurt either. A movie that will one day be hailed as a classic. To me it already is.

For those of you don't know this movie is Brandon Lee's last. Tragically, he died during the last days of filming. This film would have catapulted Brandon Lee into major-stardom.

Knowing this only makes the movie darker, sadder, and more heart-wrenching.

Based on the comic book series of the same name by James O'Barr, the movie stays close to its comic book roots. Dark imagery, up-close shots, and stark contrasts add to the comic book feel and gothic look of the movie. The music in the film, both soundtrack and songs, convey thoughts and imagery.

The Crow is a story of love and revenge, loss and retribution. It is a portrait of the struggle between the pain of seeing the past, and the peace of gaining closure. Director Alex Proyas did a wonderful job of capturing this struggle on film.

While the bulk of the supporting cast is at the very least believable, Michael Wincott is disturbingly creepy as the main antagonist "Top Dollar." Ernie Hudson, here playing a cop who thinks he's seeing a ghost, delivers an even performance.
But the movie is ALL Brandon Lee. He brought his martial arts background and talent to this film and gave 200%. He was also the movie's fight choreographer. This means: sit up and watch!

This movie is 80% action, 5% comedy, and 15% heart-wrenching, tear-jerking tragedy. Be prepared to sit on the edge of your seat, and use up a box of kleenex.

Just as Alonso Quijano went insane by so much reading of chivalry novels, Tartarin goes crazy from reading so many adventure novels. He comes to think he can accomplish whatever the heroes in the books have, and so decides to go to Africa to earn glory and honor. Just like Don Quixote, he is ill-equipped for the task, but that doesn't diminish his enthusiasm a bit. Tartarin wants to be a great hunter, so he goes to Algeria, where all he gets is to be robbed and kill a blind lion in a circus.

Tartarin is a great character of world literature, a funny man with disparate ideas and neverending trust in success. There are several novels about him, and this is the first of the series. Hilarious and irritating, this man and his adventures will make you laugh and think about your dreams and how good it is you never tried to make them come true.

When it comes to discovering the spirit of Provence, never mind Peter Mayle, nor even the wonderful Marcel Pagnol. Alponse Daudet was responsible for bringing the exquisite subteleties of the Provencal character to the notice of Northern France as early as 1872. The novel is written with such hilarity, yet such sensitivity, that it makes you desperate to retell it to anyone who will listen. Simply hilarious!

This is a wonderful reference book. Not for the beginner but the quality examples and the entire demonstrate concept is truly wonderful. This is done without being to fundamental or dry. It covers the basic important appearance of JavaScript that you would expect in any book covering a progress language. The explanation of questions you may have are already answered. The reading goes by quickly and you just seem to understand what the author is saying.
I highly recommend this book to all programers.

This is a welcome addition to any web development or interface design library. Unlike so many other books on J(ava)Script this book is authoritative (as of its pub date) and compendious; it is an invaluable reference. Like most O'Reilly books, this one manages far more material in greater detail than the typical bookshelf-bending how-to behemoth in far, far fewer pages.

- The syntax coverage is flawless, at times ruthless, and efficient.

- Flanagan shows how powerful, and genuinely object oriented, JavaScript is--prototypes are typically ignored in other books on the topic, with Nick Heinle's as a notable but incommensurable exception.

- Cross platform issues are handled well. When this book was written the IE/Netscape 4.x object models had not been fully explored and exposed as divergent as they are--no current book fully attacks this topic. Compatibility issues are handled straight back to Navigator 2.0. However, given recent browser developments, we're in need of a third edition (and Opera coverage).

- The examples are clear, eminently useful, and will help out even cookbook coders.

I've spun through at least 7 different books on this topic since 1996: if you're a beginner to programming, or a designer hoping to add to the toolbox, this one might be rough going at first. Once you're comfortable with JavaScript, this is the *only* book you will keep.

I own the third edition of this book, and bought it when I was starting to write a web-based decision support system for a very large beverage company. I can safely say that this book, and the HTML Definitive Guide (also by O'Reilly) were critical to the success of the system.

I have seldom had a question about JavaScript for which I could not find the answer in this book. I referred to it so frequently during the development of our system that it is now the most dog-eared book in my collection. I'm going to order the fourth edition simply because this baby is ready for retirement.

If you are learning client-side JavaScript, by all means purchase this book. The first half of the book is a guided introduction to the language and does a wonderful job of explaining the syntax of the language, the underlying object model, and virtually every pertinent feature of the language. The real value, though, is in the reference, which documents every object, method, property and event of standard JavaScript.

Non-conformists who wish to exploit features unique to Internet Explorer will find some reference material here, but the book does try to focus on the "standard" features of the language, which I think is a good thing.

You just can't go wrong with this book.

A certain romantic mystique is created by setting a book in a vineyard. It's impossible to say what is more intoxicating: the allure of a pastoral countryside, the attraction of a self-sustaining empire or the culture and richness of fine wines and fine living. That said, Barbara Delinsky is trying to re-create a mid-Atlantic Tuscany in the subject of her latest novel, "The Vineyard".

Natalie Seebring is the mature matriarch of the Aquionset Vineyard in Rhode Island. Recently widowed, she decides her life, like her vineyard, has entered a new growing season, to the dismay of her staid, adult children. Hoping to convince them of the sincerity of her plans, she pens a memoir, with the help of a newly-hired personal assistant, Olivia Jones, who moves to the vineyard for the summer with her precocious daughter, Tess, looking to harvest a unique professional opportunity and quality time in a loving, family atmosphere. But the Seebring family, as a whole, is not particularly loving, and Olivia's initial naivete in this regard is only surpassed by her hope to make a difference in the life of her young daughter and to Natalie Seebring.

Barbara Delinsky writes typically in the romance genre, and although "The Vineyard" is consistent with the familiar pattern, it is not her best effort. Her last work, "Lake News", offered a modicum of suspense and intrigue to bolster the standard "she hates him, then loves him" romance fare. In comparison, "The Vineyard" offers little more than predictable family secrets to tantalize the reader, which have little impact on the dynamic of the current Seebring family or Olivia's interactions within it. I was disappointed in the story's lack of complexity on this level; its attempt to be a scenic, literary vacation at a beautiful vineyard cannot sustain the otherwise vacuous plot.

But the important issue for most romance lovers: does a satisfying romantic relationship develop between likeable characters? Yes! I enjoyed meeting all the characters in "The Vineyard", and the relationships which grow between them are romances, both literally and figuratively. I disagree with the book jacket, which said that Natalie was not the "motherly type"; she is warm and caring, despite turmoil in her own close family. Olivia, as a single mother, faces life's challenges with a quiet strength and determination, although she is often overwhelmed and insecure. Tess, who struggles with a learning disability, possesses the extremes of boldness and shyness typical in a 10-year-old girl. But you are always hopeful that, with care and attention, the time Olivia and Tess spend at the vineyard might ripen into something sweet.

I can marginally recommend "The Vineyard". I liked "Lake News" better, but this latest work is a pleasant diversion. Although I have only read these two books by Barbara Delinsky, I trust that she will continue to write books which warm the heart, rather than try to be prophetic or challenging. I will choose Delinsky again for an indulgent escape.

Olivia is hard at work restoring photos when the offer comes for her and her 10-year-old daughter to spend the summer with her manager's friend, a 76-year old woman named Natalie. Natalie owns a vineyard and has spent the last 71 years of her life deeply involved with this vineyard, making sacrifices and dealing with the toils and joys of farming life. Olivia has been hired to write Natalie's memoirs and to try to help Natalie's children, Susanne and Greg, understand why their mother wants to get married again after their father has been dead only six months. There's also a tall, dark, and handsome stranger (the vineyard manager) who is going to play some part in Olivia's life in the upcoming months, but that's to be expected of a Delinsky novel.

This book takes us deeply inside the ups and downs of family life. We get to see husbands and wives trying to work things out, and we also see children learning to accept their mother. Barbara Delinsky gives us a look into the heart of a family and brings new meaning to the phrase "blood is thicker than water."

This is a relationship-driven book instead of a plot-driven book; the plot is virtually nonexistent. I felt like I knew the characters. At the end of the book I wanted to have a conversation with Natalie, and I also wanted to see if Greg and Jill were able to work things out with their marriage. The book made me feel included in their lives.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes relationship novels and likes feeling included in a book. I would also recommend it to people who like sweet (although gratuitous) romance.

Asquonset Vineyard, Rhode Island. Six months after the death of her husband of 58 years, Natalie Seebring announces her intentions to marry Carl Burke, a man she's known since childhood, a man who's been her vineyard manager for the past 35 years. Naturally, Natalie's grown children, Susanne and Greg, are shocked and disturbed by the sudden news. Natalie decides to hire someone for the summer to help write her memoirs in time for her Labor Day wedding. She hopes her story will explain to her children what she's been through in her 76 years and what she's feeling now.

At 35, Olivia Jones is a single mother working hard to provide for her 10-year-old daughter Tess. Olivia knows art and photography. She's been doing photo restoration for Natalie Seebring for months, although they've never met. Through her work, Olivia has grown very attached to the Seebring family. She can only imagine what each family member is like and imagines herself as a Seebring herself. She jumps at the job offer to work at the vineyard for the summer. The pay will be more than enough to hire tutors to help Tess with her dyslexia.

With Olivia at her side, pen in hand, Natalie's story of love, heartache, struggle and perseverance slowly unfolds, revealing a few secrets along the way.

Meanwhile, Olivia is searching for her own mother as well as dealing with Carl's son, Simon, now the vineyard manager. Simon lost his wife and daughter 4 years ago in a sailing accident and having Olivia around with young Tess only stirs up the pain he's worked so hard to bury.

This is truly a story so well told that you laugh at times and cry at others. There's so much detail on a variety of topics. The reader learns a bit about growing grapes, sailing, hurricanes, the Great Depression and World War II. Each character is so well-written, I feel that if I were ever in Rhode Island, I could simply drive up and pay the Seebrings a visit. Great people book.

"Letters from my Mill" is a collection of short stories, some of them being almost poems in prose. Daudet wrote them in a mill where he spent some time in Provence, in Southern France. They are anecdotes and memories which portrait the life and character of the Provenzals. They are filled with tenderness, nostalgia, and deep humanism. They are smooth, melancholic, realistic and like an afternoon dream. They constitute a pleasant reading for an idle time. Recommended.

My first reaction to this book was that the problems were very, very difficult to solve, and I believed that it was mainly do to the author's fault of not presenting effective methods for handling the problems in a step by step manner. However, I now believe that after reading more texts on the subject, that introductory level probability problems, in general, require a greater deal of mathematical reasoning and careful application of the rules of probability than do other introductory problems in the realms of calculus and physics where the problems are of a 'plug-in' nature. So in defense of Dr. Ross, I must say that his text is well thought out with interesting, careful examples and written concisely and fluently (if at times somewhat condescending on the reader).

This is a fantastic text that is aimed at those who are interested in applications and not theory. The book is loaded with examples most of which have detailed solutions that are clear and easy to understand. I must stress that this book is very light on theory (though each chapter contains difficult "theoretical exercises"), and is not a sufficient text for anything but an introductory course.

I'm an electrical engineer, not a statistician. It's tough because the teachers of these EE classes dealing with noise and random variables pretend you have a background in statistics. It's got to be one of the hardest mountains to climb in the first year of graduate school. Sheldon Ross deserves a Nobel Prize for this book. By the way, this was not our textbook. We were forced to buy Papoulis (which sucks). The book is filled with examples. He has three sets of exercises in the back of each chapter: problems, theoretical exercises, and self-test problems and exercises. He gives selected answers and shows some fully worked out. Every class in America should be using this book. I bought it as a study aid based on the comments of fellow Amazons, and I was not dissappointed. In fact I had to come back and give it my highest recommendation.