Amazon releases Kindle for PC beta (Mac OS coming soon). I downloaded the version (hmm.. a little bit slow) and started to test it.
Installation is easy, and I just need to input my Amazon account so that the software can sync with other devices (iPhone/iPod Touch or Kindle) via my amazon account.
When click at “Shop in Kindle Store” on the top right corner, it opens the browser to Amazon site. You can then select any book you want to try (“Send Sample Now”). read more…
Bicycling for Women
by Gale Bernhardt
Publisher: VeloPress (November 18, 2008)
ISBN-13: 978-1934030288
This book is one of three books in my big order from Amazon (see the previous post). Another cycling book is the well-praised The Cyclist’s Training Bible by Joe Friel. I read Bernhardt’s first last night, and then I couldn’t wait to post my review the following morning (and that also pushed me to finish the belated review for City Cycling 
).
It’s a pity that this book doesn’t receive more reviews than Selene Yeager’s. Even though I like Yeager’s book, I didn’t post my review at Amazon. But I did for Bernhardt’s book, because I hope people can get to know this book through my introduction and the comparison with Yeager’s book, and even with Friel’s.
I put the number as 4.1 in the title, because I will come back later after reading it more thoroughly. 
== Review ==
Before buying this book, I already bought and read many books / magazines about bicycling since last year. I already bought Selene Yeager’s Every Woman’s Guide to Cycling last April. When this book came out last Nov., I wonder whether I would need another cycling book for women. This year I became more serious in cycling and started to looked into cycling training books, I checked this again. When I read this part in chapter 1:
“Despite studies proving the contrary, the misconception that women are proportionately different from men endures. But in fact, while we are all individuals and have individual dimensions, in the critical dimensions for cycling, the difference between the average U.S. male and female is surprising small.”
I then decided to buy this book. I learned about this information from Myra VanInwegen’s article before. The author really knows something, rather than repeating what is being told (incorrectly). Of course, I was also interested in what kinds of training plans she would provide for female cyclists.
Now I have received the book, and I am quite happy with my purchase. As clearly stated in “Preface”, the training programs can be applied for not just women but men (Ms. Bernhardt also coaches male athletes), but the book also highlights the anatomical and physiological differences between women and men that would affect the aspects of cycling training. This part is only slightly covered in Joe Friel’s The Cyclist’s Training Bible (also bought along with this book).
That doesn’t mean this book can replace Joe Friel’s The Cyclist’s Training Bible, nor does Ms. Bernhardt want to. Instead of feeding you the training theory to make your own training plan, Ms. Bernhardt designs five training plans, from a 12-week plan for a century ride to a 6-month plan to improve hill climbing, which can bridge the gap between the recreation cycling to cycling racing.
As for comparing with Selene Yeager’s Every Woman’s Guide to Cycling, which was an enjoyable read for me last year, two books have different focuses. Yeager’s is a great guide for a novice or one in the intermediate level and it does cover various topics, e.g. choosing bikes, accessories and a little bit on riding skills and bike maintenance (not much though). These (above mentioned) topics are not in Bernhardt’s book (only the bike accessories related to bike fit are mentioned). Instead, Bernhardt’s book targets at female cyclists who have been riding for a while and really look into riding faster and longer.
In short this is an excellent training guide for female cyclists. Highly recommended.
Digital Inspiration lists some resources and tips to buy books online. Here I add my experiences on book buying in addition to DI’s tips.
1. Online Bookstores
- Amazon: Even though for international buyers, sometimes it is still a good deal to buy from Amazon, because it offers larger discounts in general and usually has the books you’re looking for. Besides, the shipping per package for books is reduced from $6.99 to $4.99 for a while.
- AbeBooks: Especially good if you don’t mind the book is used. You just have to choose some bookstores with better rating. I even noted the bookstores I had good experiences with (e.g. fast shipping etc). I sometimes even order from Abebooks.uk.
- Book Depository: This bookstore offers free shipping in many countries. Sometimes you’ll find some good deals.
- BetterWorld: I mentioned this before, but it has changed since then. It now offers choices of buying books from small bookstores, just like Amazon’s Marketplace or Abebooks. This is not good for me since the international shipping is much higher than the one if you buy directly from BetterWorld.
- A1books: I made few purchases there, and I’m quite satisfied with the book condition when buying directly from A1books (not through the individual bookstores there).
2. Book Price Comparing
- BookFinder: I like its interface and sometimes their blog has interesting news regarding book market.
- AddAll: Since I started to use BookFinder, I seldom use this.
3. Book Coupons:
- FatWallet: I did get some cashbacks from using the links provided by this site. A little is still something.
For tips on reading books online and buying/renting college textbooks, check with Digital Inspiration’s article.
City Cycling
by Richard Ballantine
Publisher: Snowbooks Limited (August 2007) ISBN-13:9781905005604 (304 pages)
(book arrived in Nov. 2008)
Despite the 5-star rating in Amazon.uk, this book received mixed reviews among US readers. This is because some US readers didn’t know what the book targets at. The book is written for British people and targets at people who start to consider to bike around, to work or to do some daily errands. It is not for people who have been doing serious biking for a while.
I bought this book mainly because of Mr. Ballantine’s early work, Ultimate Bicycle Book (DK Living). Though I’m not a novice in bike commuting (have been doing so since 2002), I still can learn something from his advices. As for the British aspect, it doesn’t bother me much because some principles are quite universal. Besides, the book gives me a chance to understand the biking culture in UK.
The book is divided into five parts: read more…
Top:
- The Art of Fritz Wunderlich [Box Set]; $28.97 (a bargain from Amazon)
Bottom:
- Offenbach – La Belle Hélène / Harnoncourt, Kasarova, Zurich Opera (1997) $18.36 (from DeepDiscount) (the reviews of earlier release are better than those in the 2009’s release)
- Mozart – Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) / Keenlyside, Roschmann, Hartmann, Damrau, Selig, Allen, Sir Colin Davis, Covent Garden; $26.99 (from Amazon)
- Martha Argerich: Live at Verbier Festival – Bach / Mozart / Grieg / Bartok / Lutoslawski / Shostakovich; $24.99 (from Amazon)
Inside the package:
Deutsche Grammophon currently celebrates their 111 birthdays. They release three specially priced box sets of 55CDs and a deluxe book on the history of Deutsche Grammophon.
That’s really a big collection, but for classical music fans, they must have own quite a few CDs from DG. I wonder who is going to buy this collection. 
A classical music newbie, or some rich person to show off? Opera Chic commented the package design looks like McDonalds‘. Would you buy a big DG?
Even though you may not be interested in getting another big box into your collection, you can enter their contest (international site) and see whether you can win the 7-day cruise for you & your companion. The 2nd and 111 third prizes are not really attractive, though. 
My problem with this contest is that you can only submit three albums from their category of 3256 albums. Just THREE! That’s a very difficult choice. How can I only pick three? 
The Beginning
Recently I was fascinated by Paganini’s violin adaptations on some opera works (actually variations). First by Paganini’s Variations on the G String on a Theme from Rossini’s “Mose”[1]. The version I have is played by David Oistrakh in 1952 from this CD box set “Concertos and Encores“, which I bought not long ago.
The best version I found in YouTube is the one played by Kogan (its mono sound quality is slightly poor than Oistrakh’s but is listenable)
All those beautiful notes just come from one string in the violin. Quite amazing. Notice that the change of tempo and style at 2:45. Kogan’s playing after 2:45 is faster than Oistrakh’s by 40 seconds.
The Passage
I actually have some CDs of Paganini’s adaptation works (need to check) before, but they didn’t drive me into obsession mode. Now I wanted more. More, for instance, on this aria from Rossini’s, and more on Paganini’s adaptation works for violin. And that got me to know his “I Palpiti”, Op13, from The Art of Ruggiero Ricci (disc two from a 5CD box set) (which is accompanied by the orchestra).
read more…
Gizmodo spotted the dual-screen Nook at Barnes & Noble’s site, which later pulled out the content. But that’s too late as Gizmodo has screenshot the content (should we always have to do so just in case? )
What do we know about Nook?
- ebook format in ePub & Adobe PDF
- Dimension: 7.7″x4.9″x5″
- Dual screens: a 6″ E-ink display on top for displaying book text and a 3.5″ touchscreen LCD below for navigation.
- Free AT&T 3G and 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi
- 2GB internal memory (that’s not large) and microSD expansion slot
- Charge time 3.5 hours by microUSB (the only way to charge?)
- Up to ten days for reading (well, on what condition?)
- Audio playback in MP3, with a 3.5mm headphone jack for output
- Price tag at $259, matching Amazon’s price for the latest edition of Kindle
The spec looks attractive. As long as B&N can offer large collection of ebooks from various genes in more reasonable pricing. I hope this Nook won’t be like Microsoft Zune.
Further readings:
- Barnes & Noble Nook Up Close: Yep, It’s Real Nice (10/20/2009, Gizmodo)
- E-Book Fans Keep Format in Spotlight (10/20/2009, New York Times)
Listen to Rob Kapilow and Fred Child (the host of Performance Today) talking about the opening of Beethoven’s violin sonata No. 9 (“Kreutzer”) and how that shows Beethoven’s genius in binding violin and piano together. In that NPR’s story, you can also hear the first movement played by Anne-Sophie Mutter (violin) and Orkis (piano).
Below is a youtube clip played by Kogan. (Some commenter said the pianist is Emils Gilels, but I’m not sure.)
My collection has one by Itzhak Perlman and Valdmir Ashkenazy, and the other by Gidon Kremer and Martha Argerich.
(from NYT)
We often hear the benefits of cool-down after the exercise. They are in physiology textbook, in fitness or sport magazines and books. Well, my heart rate monitor would ask me whether I would want a cool-down of 3 min when I press the button to finish the recording. But is that necessary? This article from New York Times tells you not really.
In short, the benefits of cool-down are not clear. The only one agreed-on fact is to prevent the possible risk of passing out after the sudden stop of an intense exercise. But even for that, only the best athletes are most vulnerable. As for the ordinary people like us, it is not a great deal at all.
Then, why do we often hear that cool-down after exercise is good for us? That’s related to the myth of lactic acid:
The idea of the cool-down seems to have originated with a popular theory — now known to be wrong — that muscles become sore after exercise because they accumulate lactic acid. In fact, lactic acid is a fuel. It’s good to generate lactic acid, it’s a normal part of exercise, and it has nothing to do with muscle soreness. But the lactic acid theory led to the notion that by slowly reducing the intensity of your workout you can give lactic acid a chance to dissipate.
In fact, scientific studies have concluded that
- Since lactic acid is good, it’s better not to cool down after intense exercise.
- Cooling down doesn’t do anything to alleviate muscle soreness.
- No supporting data indicate that cool down can help ease muscle tightness.
So, what should one do after finishing the workout? The conclusion of this article implies: whatever you like.
In my case, I actually don’t do much cool down after finish my ride. I just walk my bike to my office. That’s it.
