It should not be so hard to write both poetry and fiction. Both arts, after all, make use of the same materials, words and punctuation. Poems...
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Truly grand delusion, however inarticulately expressed, still has the voyeur appeal of a train wreck or a roadside accident. Read it and capture a dubious glimpse of history as it happens.
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(10 of 24 readers found this comment helpful)
One of the best of the thirty-plus books of this type currently available.
The price of this book/DVD package may be a bit excessive, but the book serves up a very reader-accessible overview of the whole ghost hunting phenomenon as well as the processes, technologies, and misconceptions that have sprung up around it. The book is loaded with basic paranormal lore. It offers a lot of practical advice on everything from what equipment to consider (EMF meter? sure, if you must, but don't forget your pencil, notepad, batteries, a flashlight!) to how to select or create your own investigating team. The book also touches on the philosophical and religious implications of this paranormal pursuit, without encouraging the sort of gonzo "I dare you to show yourself" ghost-busting that seems to be the mainstay of reality ghost hunting television series of the past four to five years.
Chris Balzano, the author, comes across as a credible, grounded individual. His 'Yes, I have a Day Job' story is easy to take in, and so it's not hard to follow that into the rest of his accounts. He offers up his experience and that of his friends and colleagues in the field in a manner that is respectful to both the living and the dead.
The DVD is an interesting, though not terribly informative addition to the book. Where it fails to inform, it does succeed in conveying the sincerity of the author and his fellow investigators. It also reinforces the book's primary message to the reader:
If you are genuinely interested, you CAN do this, even if you are not a scientist, video technician, psychic, or TV personality.
Judith answers the tough questions facing a memoir writer, in a manner that is at once both sensitive and direct. There is song here, but no dancing ... she totally delivers on the promise of the subtitle of this book:
'A practical guide to the craft, the personal challenges, and ethical dilemmas of writing your true stories'
The insights, ideas, suggestions, and even the 'history of the memoir' stories in this book will resonate with the memoir writer, and may well serve any writer who wants their work to read as true.
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(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
Yet another great entry in ARRL's series of "best of" antenna article collections. From the practical to the theoretical, there is an article or project in here for everyone with more than a passing interest in ham radio antennas.
Need a better multi-band vertical? Want a better portable antenna solution for the next Field Day? Check out this book. You are sure to come across a couple of interesting ideas. My personal favorites: 20 meter portable yagi and the "stealth" vertical antenna mount. These are "real" projects, built by real operators, with enough detail and diagrams to make it relatively easy to duplicate the successes of the authors.
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Doug Helbling has commented on (4) products.
Going Rogue by Sarah Palin
Doug Helbling, October 15, 2009
Truly grand delusion, however inarticulately expressed, still has the voyeur appeal of a train wreck or a roadside accident. Read it and capture a dubious glimpse of history as it happens.(10 of 24 readers found this comment helpful)
Ghost Hunting with CDROM (Picture Yourself) by Christopher Balzano
Doug Helbling, October 10, 2009
One of the best of the thirty-plus books of this type currently available.The price of this book/DVD package may be a bit excessive, but the book serves up a very reader-accessible overview of the whole ghost hunting phenomenon as well as the processes, technologies, and misconceptions that have sprung up around it. The book is loaded with basic paranormal lore. It offers a lot of practical advice on everything from what equipment to consider (EMF meter? sure, if you must, but don't forget your pencil, notepad, batteries, a flashlight!) to how to select or create your own investigating team. The book also touches on the philosophical and religious implications of this paranormal pursuit, without encouraging the sort of gonzo "I dare you to show yourself" ghost-busting that seems to be the mainstay of reality ghost hunting television series of the past four to five years.
Chris Balzano, the author, comes across as a credible, grounded individual. His 'Yes, I have a Day Job' story is easy to take in, and so it's not hard to follow that into the rest of his accounts. He offers up his experience and that of his friends and colleagues in the field in a manner that is respectful to both the living and the dead.
The DVD is an interesting, though not terribly informative addition to the book. Where it fails to inform, it does succeed in conveying the sincerity of the author and his fellow investigators. It also reinforces the book's primary message to the reader:
If you are genuinely interested, you CAN do this, even if you are not a scientist, video technician, psychic, or TV personality.
Writing the Memoir 2ND Edition by Judith Barrington
Doug Helbling, October 10, 2009
Judith answers the tough questions facing a memoir writer, in a manner that is at once both sensitive and direct. There is song here, but no dancing ... she totally delivers on the promise of the subtitle of this book:'A practical guide to the craft, the personal challenges, and ethical dilemmas of writing your true stories'
The insights, ideas, suggestions, and even the 'history of the memoir' stories in this book will resonate with the memoir writer, and may well serve any writer who wants their work to read as true.
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
Arrl Antenna Compendium Volume 7 by Arrl
Doug Helbling, May 16, 2009
Yet another great entry in ARRL's series of "best of" antenna article collections. From the practical to the theoretical, there is an article or project in here for everyone with more than a passing interest in ham radio antennas.Need a better multi-band vertical? Want a better portable antenna solution for the next Field Day? Check out this book. You are sure to come across a couple of interesting ideas. My personal favorites: 20 meter portable yagi and the "stealth" vertical antenna mount. These are "real" projects, built by real operators, with enough detail and diagrams to make it relatively easy to duplicate the successes of the authors.