About this product: Even the longest fresh fettuccine or linguine won't touch the counter when draped on the arms of this sturdy pasta drying rack. The rack stands 16-1/2 inches high, including a heavy, stable, 7/8-inch-thick base. Assembly (and disassembly for storage) is simple. The 3/4-inch center post screws into the base. Four 18-inch dowels then slide through holes in the post, providing eight arms--cunningly angled so they don't interfere with one another--on which to hang fresh pasta to dry before going into the pot, refrigerator, or freezer. As is traditional, the rack is made of unfinished wood so pasta strands don't slide off. --Fred Brack
About this product: All kitchens need a funnel, and this big one does more than simply transfer liquids from one container to another without creating a mess. Inside there's a detachable strainer so solids can be filtered from liquids. Use it to strain out those burned bits from cooking oil so it can be reused, for example, or use when making beer, herb-infused vinegars, or garlic oil for cooking. The stainless-steel funnel is 6 inches in diameter, stands 5 inches high, is dishwasher-safe, and should prove helpful for a lifetime. Hang it by its handle. --Fred Brack
About this product: Sometimes I think the only person who is happy that Public television is financially challenged, other that certain legislators who believe that it is too liberal and the culmination of all that is evil, is Andre Rieu. Now don't get me wrong, this happy Dutch musician who models himself after Johan Straus is not a cruel or vindictive person. At least from what I can tell he's not, but let's face it. If PBS did not have financial woes, Andre Rieu, one of its favorite stars, would not have received the exposure he has, and his sales in the United States would probably be next to nothing. Of course for anyone who has ever seen one of his extravaganzas, we would be missing something enjoyable. He's musically sound and he knows how to entertain, and quiet frankly, though some classical purists may cringe at his name, I don't believe the composers whose music he uses are rolling in their graves because it's become popular once again.
Of all his concerts and CDs, I enjoy THE CHRISTMAS I LOVE the most. The jitterbug version of "Jingle Bells" shows that an old tune can produce new tricks. His arrangement of "The Holy City" (a.k.a. "Jerusalem") is almost as moving as when it is performed with a vocalist. The recording has a number of medleys that include favorites from all over Europe show how Christmas has such an international flair. For me, however, this album provides true variety. Many of the carols are not familiar to Americans, so we hear something different yet also authentic to the holiday season.
I'm surprised that there have not been other Rieu Christmas discs. He's an original musician and a consummate showman, so I'm sure there's more he could do with holiday music, but maybe he knows he has a classic with this collection and it will stand the test of time.
About this product: The band's final album, originally released in 1991 on Polydor. It was promptly deleted three months after it's release due to wrangling with the record company. Now available on the band's own label Pond Life. Standard jewel case.
About this product: You oughta be ashamed if you're a blues guitar fan and don't have this in your collection. Simply put, one of the greatest live blues CDs I've ever heard. Roy's guitar is mesmerizing, with great backing from his band, and the wonderful ooze from the Hammond organ adds great soul and depth. The highlight is Roy's Bluz followed by the R&B flavored Can I Change My Mind & I'm A Ram. A winning trifecta! Hell, it's all good! Good vocals too, even the 2 by Roy himself.
About this product: Long (148 minutes) military mystery set among the high command of Nazi Germany in occupied Poland and elsewhere in the Third Reich. A prostitute in wartime Warsaw has been brutally murdered and a German military investigator narrows his field of suspects to three German generals. But the war--and the sense of preening Prussian arrogance--interferes with his investigation, even as he begins to home in on the killer. Moodily sinister atmosphere and a strong cast (Peter O'Toole, Tom Courtenay, Omar Sharif, Christopher Plummer) can't overcome a plodding pace and a tendency to digress. --Marshall Fine
About this product: In this 12th-century version of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Henry II of England (Peter O'Toole) and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine (Katharine Hepburn), meet on Christmas Eve to discuss the future of the throne. These two are having slight marital problems, as she is kept in captivity most of the year for raising a rebellion against him, and he flaunts his young mistress. Then there are the problems raised by their three treacherous and traitorous sons.
James Goldman won an Oscar® for the brilliant screenplay, based on his Broadway play. It is a tad wordy, as the action is kept to a minimum, but those words are sharp as daggers. The humor is wicked and black and delivered with very dry, dead-on precision. Sparks fly and the screen sizzles whenever Hepburn and O'Toole tango, which is often. Both were nominated for Academy Awards® for their vigorous performances. (She won; he didn't.) There's also an infamous homo-erotic exchange between Philip of France (Timothy Dalton) and Richard the Lionhearted (Anthony Hopkins). Both actors were making their feature-film debuts. --Rochelle O'Gorman
About this product: Cockney boys Tom, Soap, Eddie, and Bacon are in a bind; they owe seedy criminal and porn king "Hatchet" Harry a sizable amount of cash after Eddie loses half a million in a rigged game of poker. Hot on their tails is a thug named Big Chris who intends to send them all to the hospital if they don't come up with the cash in the allotted time. Add into the mix an incompetent set of ganja cultivators, two dimwitted robbers, a "madman" with an afro, and a ruthless band of drug dealers and you have an astonishing movie called Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Before the boys can blink, they are caught up in a labyrinth of double-crosses that lead to a multitude of dead bodies, copious amounts of drugs, and two antique rifles.
Written and directed by talented newcomer Guy Ritchie, this is one of those movies that was destined to become an instant cult classic à la Reservoir Dogs. Although some comparisons were drawn between Ritchie and Quentin Tarantino, it would be unfair to discount the brilliant wit of the story and the innovative camerawork that the director brings to his debut feature. Not since The Krays has there been such an accurate depiction of the East End and its more colorful characters. Indicative of the social stratosphere in London, Ritchie's movie is a hilarious and at times touching account of friendships and loyalty. The director and his mates (who make up most of the cast) clearly are enjoying themselves here. This comes across in some shining performances, in particular from ex-footballer Vinnie Jones (Big Chris) and an over-the-top Vas Blackwood (as Rory Breaker), who very nearly steals the show. Full of quirky vernacular and clever tension-packed action sequences, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is a triumph--a perfect blend of intelligence, humor, and suspense. --Jeremy Storey
About this product: The dual-switch Smith & Wesson Galaxy 28 flashlight is designed with two separate on-off push buttons, providing a choice between a powerfully bright 20 White LED mode or two battery-efficient LED modes--4 red LED (for night vision) or 4 blue LED (for low light viewing)--without the confusion of a single switch mechanism. It features the latest MSAT switch technology which allows the white LEDs to operate on one switch while the color LED modes are activated on a separate switch. Ideal for aviation, outdoors, automotive, home, and professional use, the 20 LED mode provides a brilliant beam of white light perfect for general usage, while the 4 LED mode is ideal for conserving battery power and signaling and identifying targets at night without hampering night vision. It's constructed of precision-machined 6063 anodized aluminum for maximum resistance to corrosion and weather. The flashlight also includes 3 AAA batteries and a deluxe holster with a spare battery holder. It's backed by a limited lifetime warranty.
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