Not the same as other Chefs

These recipes really do work. My family have been cooking
Asian food for 15 years, and over that time, have accumulated
many Chinese cook books.There are no silly recipes in here.
Just quick and easy. The Chow Mein was plain sailing. I had
never seen a version of sweet n sour cooked like the
recipe, but it was so tasty. I like the way Ching
explains which sauces are essential in her cupboard
collection. There are no recipes which tell
you to marinate for 24 hours.Its all NOW,
and that is life....
If you have one Chinese cook book in your collection,
make sure it's this one, and ...impress friends with your
cooking. Ching makes it look easy, and it is!!

hbo keep the quality rolling

The reviews for season one are blinding here and i certainly wont spoil that trend,this is one of the greatest opening seasons of any show that i can think of,this is brilliantly written and achieved that it is near impossible to pick even a single fault.
The show deals with the drug trade in baltimore and spends equal time showing the inner workings of both a police unit organised to send the criminals down and equal time with those who make a living of the drug trade.
Through this unique style we learn alot about the characters but also we find that the cops can at times be as devious as the criminals that they chase and the political issues that hold the crime unit back stink to high heavens that its a wonder that anything gets done.
There is so much more to this show than that,i wish to say that this is gripping and entertaining with comical moments as well but the subject matter is mainly serious and it is so well delivered that you could be forgiven for thinking that this is a documentary,wow.

Quick Reviews!

SanDisk are notorious for creating low and high end storage devices, they are hugely reliable, and cheap too. Their latest product is a slim-line version of the already miniscule SD card. The microSD is about a quarter of the size of an SD card specifically designed for use with the ultra-small mobile phones people with tiny hands seem to own. Like any other Flash memory storage device, this is best used for saving your photographs, movies, and games data on. Most new super small phones seem to work well with this, from the Samsung E250, to the Nokia 6300, there are no software compatabliity issues to report, and is therefore ideal for those of you who like having lots of music on your phone. Lots being 2Gb worth- and for 5 quid, that is quite a bargain. A word of warning- the current £3.94 tag is increased by the £1.99 postage, which is subtly displayed on the right of the page.

The card comes (in most cases) in a case of its own, so you can store it safely away from nasty dust molecules. Transfer is simple, and there is no problem moving from phone to PC and back etc. Much better than other cards of the same size which can cost up to 10 times more. Perfect.

Office 2007 Home & Student Edition (3 User licence)

I brought this office package because is said Home/Student on it thinking i would get full versions of word, excel and powerpoint but was disappointed that i didn't have the full version of powerpoint. Be warned! Its only got powerpoint viewer, which is of no use if you need to create a powerpoint presentation. The description on amazon is misleading. If i had not have damaged the packaging trying to open the box i would have returned it. Also, if you're used to other versions of word you're probably not going to like the look of MS Word. Why Microsoft need to change the look of software like word is beyond me. Be careful when you buy.

Great Little Monitor

Bought this for our new baby and am really impressed. Compact, clear, easy to use has a light and plays melodies. Cheaper than everywhere else. What more can you ask for?

Mankini

I wore this on the beach in the South of France this summer, and I must say that it gets you a lot of attention (especially from Germans[?]). I would totally recommend anyone to buy this mankini; it looks superb, its extremely durable, and its really comfortable no matter where you decide to wear it.

no words of how fab it is

when i listen to this new coldplay album it makes my hairs stand on end i love it.the sound alone gos though me.

Gives you the best chance of passing

For the best chance of passing your theory test, I don't think you can beat this CD-ROM. The questions and mock exam are just like the real thing (except not touch screen), so when you're doing the real test, you know exactly what to expect and know the questions. It gives you great confidence. The mock exams are also analysed to show you weak areas which you can then focus on and revise by going through those questions and answers. This is really useful.

I agree with other comments that the Hazard Perception does not feel as good, but actually the video clips are fairly similar to the video clips in the real test so it is great practice.

Overall, it made the real test easy, so I consider it great value!

This Review is Directed to Chris from Newtownards, N Ireland

Chris from Newtownards, N Ireland obviously has a very tunnel visioned view about ABBA's music/songs. Just because they were a pop group does not devalue their craftmanship in constructing and producing some of the catchiest melodious hook laden pop (ROCK) has ever heard. Incidentally their last two studio albums Super Trouper and The Visitors showed that they had matured considerably since"Dancing Queen" and"Mama Mia". The title track"Visitors (crackin up) is about russian dissidents and musically would put OASIS to shame.

As close to perfection as a game can get

"War has changed."

Those grim words, delivered by a world-weary Solid Snake as he prepares to embark on his final mission, mark the beginning of one of the biggest and most important games that the PS3 is likely to see for a very long time. Yes, Metal Gear Solid 4 is here at last. After months of waiting and speculation, delays and rumours, it's finally available for us all to enjoy. But was it worth the wait? Has it lived up to the hype? Does it provide resolution for one of the most beloved characters in the history of gaming? The answer, strangely enough, is a resounding yes.

I've been a fan of the Metal Gear Solid series since the original was released back in 1998. With its complex narrative, solid voice acting, revolutionary (for its time) graphics and movie-style cut scenes, MGS took gaming to new heights. The series has had its ups and downs since then - MSG2 was hampered by a meandering, over-complicated plot and an unlikeable protagonist, while MGS3 was a welcome return to form.

And so we're back to the present, ready to join Solid Snake on another mission to save the world. But this is a very different Snake than the one we saw at the end of MGS2. As those familiar with the games will know, Snake is a genetic clone of legendary soldier Big Boss. Now approaching the end of his projected lifespan, he's suffering from rapid ageing - greying hair, wrinkled skin, stiff joints etc. His appearance isn't the only thing to have changed, however - this is a man wearied and embittered by the changes in the world around him; a man at the end of his rope, both physically and emotionally.

Set several years in the future, the world economy has changed, with war now the primary driver of big business. Proxy wars are being fought all over the globe, with Private Military Companies now providing the bulk of the manpower for this seemingly endless conflict. As if this wasn't bad enough, it turns out that the several largest PMC's are all run by one parent company - Outer Heaven. A sinister face from the past (and Snake's former nemesis) is planning to unite these scattered armies and launch an armed invasion of the United States. Added to this, a shadowy group called the Patriots appear to be pulling strings from behind the scenes. As Snake delves deeper into what exactly is going on, his adventures take him from the Middle East to South America, Eastern Europe and Alaska.

That's about as concisely as I can describe the plot while still keeping this review of tolerable length. Needless to say, nothing and no-one is quite what they seem, and by the end most players will be scratching their heads more than a school child suffering from a rampant lice infection. Characters change sides and switch loyalties so often that it often becomes difficult to remember who you're actually fighting against, or why.

This being a Kojima game, the graphics and cut scenes are a grade above anything you'll have seen before. Like most people, I don't know what the PS3 is really capable of graphically, but MGS4 certainly goes some way towards proving that it's not just an insanely expensive doorstop. Character models are masterfully detailed and expressive, and the voice cast as always is top notch. David Hayter works his usual gravel-voiced magic as Snake - portraying him not just as a legendary soldier, but as a flesh and blood man facing the end of his life. It's a stirring performance, but by no means the only one.

Speaking of characters, fans of the series will be pleased to know that just about everyone who isn't dead (and a few who are) make a comeback in this final instalment, helping to tie up just about all the loose ends. Indeed, despite its best efforts to recap the story up to this point, a decent knowledge of the series will yield a far more enjoyable gaming experience. MGS4 is littered with in-jokes and references to previous games, and some later stages evoke genuine feelings of nostalgia.

But how does it actually play? Well, this is where a few of my gripes are going to creep in. As Snake said, war has indeed changed - at least for MGS players. Previous games have placed great emphasis on stealth, favouring avoidance and infiltration over pitched battles. This approach was necessitated by the player's limited arsenal of weapons. Not so here - Snake practically trips over weapons, equipment and ammunition everywhere he goes, and he's encouraged to use them frequently. Unfortunately this eliminates much of the tension inherent to the stealth genre - never will you find yourself crouched behind a crate with only a half-empty pistol to defend yourself, wondering whether to take on a passing guard or try to sneak by. The Drebin Points system, while initially satisfying, only really serves to exacerbate the problem - often you'll find yourself running around after firefights like some kind of battlefield vacuum cleaner.

It's not just the weapons that suffer from overkill, either. By the end, you'll be staggering under the mountains of useless equipment and items that Snake gradually amasses. A good example of this is the Metal Gear Mark II - a small remote controlled drone that allows Snake to stay in touch with his buddies back at base, but which you can also take control of to perform recon missions. At least, that's the idea. Never in the entire game was I able to use this feature successfully, making me wonder why it was even included. Introducing new features to a gameplay formula that is already close to perfect is admirable, I suppose, but then so is jumping into an empty swimming pool.

Still, in most other respects, the gameplay is pretty competent. The controls are tight and intuitive, if a little fiddly at times. More than once you'll find yourself backing against a wall when what you really wanted to do was climb a nearby ladder. The weapon and equipment management screens are rather cumbersome as well. And despite the greater emphasis on action, the trusty tranquiliser pistol is still around for those preferring the classic stealth approach.

But despite a few niggling complaints, I really can't mark MGS4 down. The sheer love and dedication that's gone into making it shines through from the action-packed opening to the poignant and moving finale. MGS4 is the crowning achievement in a series that has always strived to be more than it is, and if you are in any way passionate about computer games as a story-telling medium, buy this one. You won't regret it.

There will be 1000 things more exciting than this watching this

What a disappointment! A good central performance by Day-Lewis cannot make up for a dreary, dull bore (no pun intended) of a movie. Yet another film where critics shower it with honours without actually having to sit through it. I wasn't expecting a hollywood blockbuster/action movie but more than 3 sequences of any action would have been nice. And 20 minutes at the beginning where no dialogue is spoken??? Do yourself a favour and do some DIY instead.

Jenga- best game ever!

Jenga is a great game, minimal effort required to set up the blocks, slight concentration to play, no effort required to knock it down.
Good Sturdy game as built out of wood!
Overall- a must for every home, a great way to spend an evening!

It's the photo editor of choice - but sadly just too expensive for most home users

I have Photoshop CS3 'Extended' - although I got it as part of Creative Suite Design Premium (with 'Macromedia' Dreamweaver/Flash (web creation), InDesign (DTP), Illustrator (drawing) and Acrobat (pdf editor) thrown in. With Photoshop 'extended' you get everything in this Photoshop CS3, plus tools for editing 3D and motion-based content and performing image analysis. To be honest the old Photoshop CS2 is adequate enough for most of the image editing I do. I couldn't go to an older version than CS1 though as I find the 'shadow/highlight' tool just too useful (bringing out detail in shadows, e.g scanned film), and that wasn't in Photoshop 7. I get Photoshop CS3 `free' via work, and we get massive educational discounts (for departmental use at university). However you can get a pretty hefty discount on Photoshop yourself if you have a student/schoolchild in the house (from Primary School to degree level), so definitely check out adobe.com's Education Store and Amazon for that version instead if you qualify. This educational licenced version is identical to this retail version.

There's so much imaging editing power in Photoshop CS3 you should visit adobe.com for more details. New to CS3 are Smart Filters, Advanced Composition (combining bits from other photos), much improved Black & White conversion (from colour photos), and it's been all speeded up a bit (provided you have a zippy multi-core intel chip and fast graphics card, and 3Gb+ system memory). Adobe Bridge has been improved (image database), but I don't use Adobe Bridge (ImageReady) and stick to logical folder names instead - in fact I growl if I click File, Browse in error over File, Open and then have to wait the yonks it still takes Adobe Bridge to start-up. RAW photo processing has also been improved (but I need TIFF at work and use mainly jpg at home - which are now supported by the RAW plug-in). Photoshops interface has also had a makeover and looks/feels a bit better than CS2. Overall the new bits are a worthwhile upgrade, particularly if your workplace is footing the bill.

Photoshop still has a steep learning curve though, largely due to the rather poor Photoshop help, e.g. you can ask any question and often you get quite good detailed help on the correct command/palette to use - but it typically never tells you where to actually find that command in the menu system ! Intermediate photo editing users, and people using their own money, should probably stick to the superb but simplified £70 Photoshop Elements 6 - which you can buy with it's sister Premiere Elements 4 (video editing) as a double pack (again an cheaper educational licence is available). Plus there's the powerful Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 10 that comes in at a few pounds more than Elements and, although aimed at professional photographers on a budget, it is ideal for anyone with an expensive digital camera.

So the industry standard photo/image editing software with no real competitor - simply the best, but sadly also at a very high price unless you qualify for that educational discount.

Grows on you

When I first saw the first episode of Ashes, I thought 'this is like a take-off of Life On Mars. I hated Alex with a passion, and thought they'd completly ruined the legacy of Mars.
However, throughout the series it did grow on me, and when I bought the DVD, I quickly started to love it. Alex went from annoying and snobbish in my mind, to funny and engaging, and I geuinly love her, now.
The addition of Shaz to the team makes everything that little bit better - she's a real gem. Now, watching old episodes of Life On Mars, I can honestly say that in a lot of ways I actually prefer Ashes to Mars. Everything in Mars just looks so dark and dingey in comparism.
Give this series a chance, I garentee it'll grow on you.

Brilliant...

I dont normally write reviews, but sometimes a band comes along that remains largely under-rated and dont get the praise they deserve - DPT are one of those bands. I loved Waterloo to Anywhere, and so had high expectations of this album - it didnt disappoint. RASN manages to get the perfect balance between moving on and trying something new, while still maintaining all the things i loved about DPT in the first place. There is passion, energy and emotion in these songs that puts many newer, younger, more commercially successful"indie" bands to shame. Its much more varied, ecletic and melodic than WTA, and the songs are real growers - its one of those albums that gets better with every listen. My favourite would have to be"Truth Begins", its such a beautiful song, though"Come Closer" a gorgeous acoustic number, and"Hippys Son" full of anger and passion with an infectious chorus, arent far behind. Having said that i love every track on the album, theres not a single"filler" on there, and it has the sound of a band who have well and truly found their own voice and moved out of the shadow of previous projects. Lets just hope they now get the recognition they deserve...

From the Adele Parks Web Site

tell me something


Elizabeth has wanted two things her entire life to keep her happy and fulfilled - an Italian husband and lots of rosy-cheeked bambini. The first is ticked off, now she's bagged dark and sexy Roberto, the second is proving harder to achieve.

But when Roberto loses his job and decides to leave London for romantic Italy and the family business, Elizabeth hopes the change in lifestyle might help her relax and boost her chances of conceiving their longed for child. Except, no matter how much ice cream she eats in the sun drenched piazza, it's impossible to relax when her wily mother-in-law (the original black widow) seems hell bent on destroying her marriage. The language barrier is proving tricky too, as is Roberto's beautiful, significant ex who practically lives next door.

Is Elizabeth's ferocious hunger for a baby enough to hold a marriage together or is it ripping it apart? And why is she suddenly craving the company of a gorgeous, blonde American stranger? Her filthy, flirty thoughts about him are totally inappropriate.

Yet, undeniably, temperatures are rising....


"Another gem from Parks" 5/5 - heat

"Another witty and honest book from Parks" - Company

"Upfront fun" - Woman & Home

Book of the Month - Cosmopolitan

Great value good looking kettle

Very pleased with this kettle. Not only does it match with the decor it's practical and has a solid feel. My previous kettle was Philips and is still going strong after 11 years, so I was pleased to be able to buy a new Philips kettle that matches my new kitchen.

This kettle is noisier than my old kettle but it does boil very fast. So far the water quality is fine and have no problem with the taste as reported by one reviewer. There is a water level window on both sides and it is quite large therefore easy check level. The red light to indicate when on is also a useful feature which many other similar style kettles I looked at did not have. The brushed steel version is excellent as it does not mark easily. I took my time deciding and looked at loads of kettles before finally choosing this one and I am very pleased with this choice. It is very good value for money at under £23 and I couldn't find it anywhere on the high street. Would definitely recommend if this is the style you are after.

Cheap and Best

Fantastic card reader both lookwise and performance. Says what it does. With pocket size and at this cheap price you can't get a card reader cheaper than this. The external case is thick and has got blue indicator light which glows when connected or while on operation. Got slots for most of the memory card types. The transfer rate is also fine with USB2.0 speed. This is the cheap and best reader.