Income for Life-From Real Estate: How the Tortoise Got Rich with CDROM

Average customer rating:

Long Term Wealth Handbook

underwhelmed

Not what it seems

Only read it if you need convincing RE investment is worthy

GREAT INVESTMENT BOOK

Income for Life-From Real Estate: How the Tortoise Got Rich with CDROM
Al Lee
Manufacturer: Al Lee & Associates
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Investments | Real Estate | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 097117380X

Customer Reviews:

Long Term Wealth Handbook.......2007-05-07

This book is not for the daytrader or houseflipper. This book is for anyone who is willing to slowly, but securely build their financial future.

The tools and statistics that Al Lee provides are well researched and very useful for anyone that is interested in getting involved in the single-family home rental market.

It may take 20 years to become truly wealthy, but it will be with very little risk. You can't say that about property flipping or the stock market. If you started buying houses when you were 20, then you could have likely been retired by 40 with the methods laid out in this book.

underwhelmed.......2006-03-19

I've heard Al Lee speak before and thought that what he had to say was sensible. However, although I basically agree with his approach, I just cannot recommend his book. I found it to be too simplistic and to contain too much filler. There are many much better real estate investment books out there.

Some specific complaints:
* The margins are ridiculously wide; this book is much smaller than it seems.
* Some of the appendixes (especially appendix A) contained too much filler.
* much of the book is a painfully detailed description of fields in a spreadsheet. This sort of documentation should be directly in the spreadsheet (where it will be in sync with the latest version of the spreadsheet, etc... rather than in a book.)
* When I heard Al speak in person he emphasized new homes and owning property in remote locations if needed (eg, owning property in Dallas even if one does not live there). The book did not really touch on either of these topics.

That said, I did find a couple parts of this books to be useful or interesting. These are:
* The chapter on Financial Statements was useful; In particular the ways that items for a rental property (like rents due, funds in lender held escrow accounts, property taxes due, etc...) show up on the statements was interesting.
* The tip that you can begin advertising a property for rent before you have closed on it.
* The tip that you can try to time your lease expiration dates to be during times when school is out.
* The recommendation that you work with a property manager who is willing to / capable of helping you find properties to purchase.

Not what it seems.......2003-11-20

This book is strictly for using single family homes as rentals. Much of it is filler. The author is biased toward his niche and slams other investments that he obviously is ignorant about. His method is dependent on the area. In most areas of the country you couldn't get rent of 1% or more of the purchase price, per month, which is what he recommends. Although he includes some maintenance costs in his figures, they are low. Over 30 years you might have to repaint, reroof or replace a sewer line. These expenses are not insignificant.

In his example showing the total return over 30 years, including loan payoff, rental and property appreciation, he claims returns of 2000% to 3000%. Over 30 years that works out to 9.5% to 10.8% compounded annual returns. Puts the huge returns in perspective.

My biggest bone of contention is the claim that you can have a property manager handle everything for you. He says you can live in Hawaii and own houses in Texas. If you have to go to Texas from Hawaii for a problem, there goes your profit. If you are hands off and let someone else run your investments you will have problems and pay for it in the long run. It is rare to find a good competent property manager, and it will cost you. You need to watch your own investments. If you're "out of sight", you're "out of mind" and will be taken advantage of. And the person arranging your repairs has no incentive to keep costs down.

This may work for some people, and if you're comfortable with renting single family homes, go for it. You may not be able to do it successfully in your particular area and would have to figure travel expenses into your return.

I'd wouldn't recommend this book as a guide.

Only read it if you need convincing RE investment is worthy.......2003-02-28

the book mainly points out that investing in income generating property is the best investment there is. I did NOT need to be convinced of that... if you do, then buy and read the book. If you already agree with that premise, then just go to his web site and spend [money] to join his club and start investing. If you want a HOW-TO on buying, owning, operating, or anything else that has to do with Income generating properties don't expect to get it from here. This is indeed a sales pitch for #1, the value of investing in income properties, and #2 for Al's Tortoise club.

GREAT INVESTMENT BOOK.......2003-02-26

You either get it or you don't! This book is about investing not becoming a landlord. Al's strategies are based on facts and the ability to follow a disciplined plan. This book is not a get rich quick scheme but is based on sound and conservative investment strategies. Al demystifies the many negative stereotypes of investment properties and puts forth a simple yet effective investment strategy. I have read numerous books on income properties and Al Lee has the best system I have seen for growing your net worth and securing a retirement. If that is something you are interested in then this book is for you.

Book Description

Art of Ranma ½ features color illustrations of a half-boy, half-girl pursued by lovesick suitors of both genders. The book includes paintings and designs that show why this martial arts/teenage romance/sex comedy was one of the most popular shows ever. Ranma ½ ran over 150 episodes in Japan, and two theatrical Ranma ½ movies and several original animated videos have been released.

Customer Reviews:

The Basics of the Art of Ranma 1/2.......2005-08-12

Most of the pictures that are in this book have been used for the 2nd edition manga that is read here in the US and some or all are fairly newer pics that i've never see. Towards the end is a great interview w/Ms.Takashi on the reasons why she made ranma 1/2. A great read for fans of her works.

A Well Presented Book of Ranma Art.......2001-12-29

VIZ finally decided to release one of the dozens of artbooks associated with the series they own US rights to, and they've done a nice job. True, it lacks the character sketches and early work present in most Japanese-release artbooks, but the selections are excellent for the series and Takahashi Rumiko's comments are interesting for the heavy Ranma 1/2 fan (or even fans of her other works, such as Inu-Yasha or the Mermaid Saga).

The simple nature of Takahashi's art doesn't make it any less enjoyable. It's whimsical and charming.

Of interest only to hardcore 'Ranma 1/2' fans.......2001-11-01

I have great respect for Rumiko Takahashi. She is one of the six great creators whom I believe wanna-be comic book writers and artists MUST study if they are to truly contribute to the genre, whether they like manga or not. However...

I found myself dissapointed with "The Art of Ranma 1/2," eventhough it confirmed what i already knew to be true. (That's why it gets 3 Stars... it's a good book, but...)

Rumiko Takahashi is, first and foremost, a cartoonist. This is very clear in her "The Art of Ranma 1/2." This book of paintings culled from a variety of sources, such as video covers and pin-ups and posters from the 'Ranma 1/2' series' original run in a Japanese anthology comic book are pretty, but they are nothing special. Takahashi's talent shines when it is applied to panel art rather than single illustrations.

"The Art of Ranma 1/2" is only of interest to hardcore "Ranma 1/2" fans... but if you're one of those, it's a must-own. Takahashi offers a range of insight into the how's and why's of the series and the illustrations in an interview and through liner notes. But, as an art book, it should probably be passed on.

A great book........2001-09-14

112 pages of full color images from volume covers, Ranma calendars and posters. The chapters inside the book: Boys and Girls, Everyone Together, Everything is Martial Arts, Girls in Love, Relationship Chart, Rivalry Chart and Rumiko Takahashi Interview. Comments from the author appear here and there on many of the pages, as she tells you which she likes, why it looks like that, what it was made for and so on. A must for a fan (and frankly only a fan could unravel the charts).

Dibujos animados japoneses. (evaluación de programas de televisión en México)(TT: Japanese cartoons) (TA: evaluation of television programs in Mexico): An article from: Proceso

Average customer rating:

Dibujos animados japoneses. (evaluación de programas de televisión en México)(TT: Japanese cartoons) (TA: evaluation of television programs in Mexico): An article from: Proceso
Florence Toussaint
Manufacturer: CISA Comunicacion e Informacion, S.A. de C.V.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B00098D6C2
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Proceso, published by CISA Comunicacion e Informacion, S.A. de C.V. on October 4, 1998. The length of the article is 646 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Dibujos animados japoneses. (evaluación de programas de televisión en México)(TT: Japanese cartoons) (TA: evaluation of television programs in Mexico)
Author: Florence Toussaint
Publication: Proceso (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 4, 1998
Publisher: CISA Comunicacion e Informacion, S.A. de C.V.
Issue: n1144 Page: p65(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Customer Reviews:

Just like the magazine.......2007-09-21

A longer version of the shameful stories portion of the mag. So if ya like that part, no reason why you won't like this book. It's a quick read though, not as long as I originally thought.

Good Book.......2007-09-02

I love this book. I bring it to the beach with me everytime I go and I end up laughing so hard I get weird looks from the people around me.

Amazon.com

Lawrence Bassoff is clearly a man of passion--for great movie posters in general, and of Errol Flynn's in particular. Bassoff has amassed a definitive collection of Flynn's film posters and one-sheets, and the resulting book is a wonderful glimpse at the long and sometimes sketchy career of one of the century's greatest actors. There are impressive spreads of full-color posters for Flynn's legendary leading-man vehicles, including 14 separate entries for The Adventures of Robin Hood and eight for Adventures of Don Juan. But as Flynn's star began to fade in the early '50s, and as his battle with alcohol was slowly being lost, the films leaned toward the pirate trifle Against All Flags and the amateurishly cheesy Cuban Rebel Girls. Accompanying the impressive poster collection is Bassoff's concise, affectionate film criticism, which makes for satisfying reading for any film fan. --Anne Hurley

Customer Reviews:

The Best Flynn Book.......2000-06-04

Although this large-scale art book focuses on Errol Flynn's movie posters, it manages to be the best book out there on Flynn's career. There is an evocative introduction by Stewart Granger, good essays on Flynn's bio and on the Warner Bros. poster style (which was, sadly, the weakest of the major U.S. studios in the movies' golden age). There are beautiful reproductions of the posters and lobby cards themselves, from an impressively detailed collection (with samples of other swashbuckling movie posters for comparison). And finally, there are essays on each of Flynn's films that are fond, witty, and succinct. Beyond all this, though, it's the best Flynn book because it provides a clear and objective look at the trajectory of a remarkable career. It's amazing to see Flynn's image placed front and center on the poster of his first starring film, "Captain Blood," and it's both hilarious and heartbreaking to see the Dorian Grey-like image on his last, "Cuban Rebel Girls." Bassoff is that rare thing: a committed fan who loves his subject and gives him his due, but is far from star-struck. A great book.

A masterpiece.......1999-06-18

This is a prestigious classy book and it's handsomely put together. The book will be a great collector's item.

Errol Flynn is Hollywood's greatest legend because he is a nostalgic, handsome, dashing, daring action hero.

Book Description

Traces how the German middle class created a unique form of domestic culture that fused consumption with high culture in fashionable forms of entertainment.

Average customer rating:

Good but could be better

Ultimate Magic Items Review

Ultimate Magic Items
R. Neale
Manufacturer: Mongoose Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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Ultimate Divine Spellbook

Monster Manual IV (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)

Player's Handbook II (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)

Spell Compendium (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)

Complete Mage: A Player's Guide to All Things Arcane (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)

ASIN: 1904577768

Book Description

Ultimate Magic Items brings together the best of all the magic items created for the d20 game in one well-referenced book. The acquisition of magic items is one of the goals of every adventurer, and this book will provide both Games Masters and players a plethora of options for their characters to possess. Also including full rules for the creation of these powerful items, this book will prove to be an invaluable resource.

Customer Reviews:

Good but could be better.......2007-05-18

It is a nice compilation. The art is good B&W art. The book contains new armor, weapons, abilities, qualities and materials. I think this book has something for everyone.
The alternate Magic Item creation is very nice and low magic games will love this for their game worlds.
The index is nice to help you find stuff. It is well organized so that is a big help.
All the random tables are in the appendix in the back.

Ultimate Magic Items Review.......2005-06-10

All in all, I think the book is worth it. Its filled with just magic items. It'll make it easier and less boring for a DM to issue out magic items.

The only issue I have with it.... is that the Random Magic Items tables are in the back of the book, instead of the front.

Slightly annoying.... but hey... its still cool. Much better than the DMG.

Book Description

Get ready to rock with Apple's digital music recording studio

Find out how to record, edit, mix, and master like a pro!

Are you the next big thing in music - but the world just doesn't know it yet? Here's the guide that will help you create great-sounding recordings with GarageBand. Packed with useful information on setting up a digital studio, laying down tracks, working with loops, playing with MIDI and software instruments, and mixing tracks, the only thing this book doesn't provide you with is . . . a recording contract!

The Dummies Way

Explanations in plain English
"Get in, get out" information
Icons and other navigational aids
Tear-out cheat sheet
Top ten lists
A dash of humor and fun

Discover how to:

Decide what gear you'll need
Optimize your room for recording
Mix vocals, instruments, and loops into a song
Improve recordings with editing and effects
Create CDs, movie scores, and more using other iLife applications

Download Description

Bestselling author "Dr. Mac" gets novice and seasoned musicians playing, recording, and creating music with GarageBand, Mac's complete digital music recording studio

The straightforward but fun approach offers expert advice about setting up a digital studio, laying down tracks, working with loops, recording with MIDI and software instruments, mixing tracks into songs, sharing creations with others, and much more

More than half of all U.S. households have at least one member who currently plays a musical instrument, making GarageBand For Dummies an essential reference for anyone looking to make the creative process easy and affordable

Explores how recorded performances, digital audio, and looping tracks can easily be arranged and edited like building blocks to create a song

Customer Reviews:

GarageBand for Dummies is actually GarageBand for Smart Folks -- which ain't good!.......2005-11-22

I'm an idiot. No joke, I don't do well with computers -- although I've learned enough to use Apple products. I'm a right brain music guy, and I bought this book hoping to learn, after reading it for an hour or two, enough to do three simple things in Apple's tantalizing Garage Band program -- lay down four tracks of music, and learn how to lay down the continous 'loop' that formed the undergirding rythym section. That's it. All i needed. All I wanted. The simplest things.
Well, I've read it for two hours now and I still don't have a clue as how to do those things. This book is like the control panel for one of those Japanese stereos -- the kind that come with a thick, 1000 page instruction book -- and after reading it you still arent sure how to turn the radio on -- although you do know 11 ways to make the speakers become 'cross dynamic' (i.e. it tells you crap you'll never need to know how to do.)
This book, to be fair, should be titled GARAGE BAND FOR SMART, LITERATE COMPUTER TYPES WHO DON'T REALLY DESERVE THE SOBRIQUET 'DUMMY'

I'lm going to go on looking for a true Garage Band for Dummies book -- one that is, perhaps, five pages long -- and tells me how to do the three simple things I want to know how to do.

Right to the point -- the perfect manual for GarageBand!.......2004-12-09

I bought several books on how GarageBand works and while some had some helpful hints, the author of this book, Bob LeVitus, knows what he's talking about. Every sentence and page has valuable advice on how this thing, "GarageBand", really works. He also includes the limitations of GarageBand and alternative software suggestions for more elaborate recording needs. The author is very knowledgable about home-studio recording and he has excellent suggestions on microphones, speakers, and inexpensive technical gear incl. audio interfaces, etc. that will make your recording project a professional adventure. This book is so interesting and has so many useful tips, etc. that everyone playing around with GarageBand should read it in order to easily use this Apple application and to get the most out of it -- saving you a lot of frustration at the same time.

A Note from the Author..........2004-09-04

Hi! My name is Bob LeVitus (a.k.a. Dr. Mac) and I'm the author of GarageBand For Dummies. I'm known for my 46 previous computer books but I wanted to take a moment mention that I'm also quite qualified to write a book about audio production. I studied audio engineering with multi-Grammy-winning producer Bill Lazerus and have produced hundreds of band and songwriting demos, as well as radio and television commercials. (That was all before I became a full-time Mac geek.) I've also played guitar since I was 12 and have played in real garage bands (including the Macworld All-Star Band) my whole life. I've worked in many 24+ track professional recording studios and have maintained a small project studio in my home office for as long as I can remember.

GarageBand For Dummies will teach you how to record, mix, and master great sounding music with GarageBand, of course, but it's also chock full of tips, tricks, techniques, and insights learned in over 25 years producing and engineering audio recordings.

If you have any questions at all about GarageBand For Dummies, please feel free to write me: GarageBandGuy@boblevitus.com.

P.S. I would have omitted the star rating if I could, but I couldn't -- it's mandatory. (That said, I think this may be my best work ever so I gave it the maximum: 5 stars.)

A Note from the Author..........2004-08-24

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