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WHAT'S NEW IN BOOKS AND USEFUL PRODUCTS
November/December 2006
By Arline Zatz
BOOKS
Some things in life are still free. For example, Schmap Company has introduced
a series of free downloadable digital destination guides. The series, Schmap Guides,
covers cities, islands, and regions throughout Europe and the United
States, with useful background information, top picks and suggested
tours, reviews, directory listings, photos and maps. Using the
company's beta Schmap Player, a small and easy-to-use piece of
freeware, the reader is treated to a new dimension of interactivity,
speed and functionality for seamless browsing of maps and travel/local
content. Those using the player can check on maps, photos, reviews, and
on-line content, thus affording the freedom to explore a chosen
destination. If you want to take a lunch break or stretch, you can
pause and fast-forward the virtual tour, and bookmark places of
interest to tailor a trip to your liking. After, it's possible to print
out your bookmarked places and custom print a full-color guide with
maps, photos and reviews. Driving directions are included. This new
concept is well worth exploring. For more information, contact Schmap Guides at www/schmap.com.
******
Autumn
has finally arrived. Not only has Mother Nature been busy painting the
leaves into almost every color of the rainbow, but bird watchers and
duck hunters are searching the skies for ducks, Ultimate Duck Hunting
is a must-have CD, especially if you're a hunter searching for a tasty
dinner. While viewing this CD--the first 3D hunting simulation game to
feature both single and multiplayer capabilities, you, your dog, your
companion hunters and their dogs, will be competing for wild ducks in
noted North American hunting preserves. While play-hunting, you'll have
a choice of hunting accessories, dog-training ability, and aim
accuracy--all of which will determine your ultimate duck hunting
success. The game's clever intricacies make for the ultimate duck
hunting simulation. Learn about choices in shotgun, decoys, camo, and
dog training in essential commands; along with six realistically
detailed locales teeming with wild ducks; scoring system based upon the
number of birds harvested; and much more. For system requirements
and ordering, contact Mid Carolina Media, Inc., 712 Currituck Drive,
Raleigh, North Carolina 27609; 919-787-7530; or check web site
www.ultimateduckhunting.com.
******
Great World War II Projects You Can Build Yourself (Nomad
Press, VT) is a unique, educational book. Author Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt
has detailed information ranging from spy maps and victory banners to
spotter planes and ration cakes--all helping kids learn some hands-on
history. She's also brought one of the most uncertain and defining
periods of American and world history to life through fun and
challenging building projects and activities. Combining a solid
overview of World War II with more than 25 hands-on activities, her
book explores daily life at home and on the front lines during the war
years through projects ranging from planting a victory garden, to
making secret boiled egg messages, to compiling ration kits and soldier
care packages ready to send to U.S. troops currently stationed
throughout the world. Most of the 30 projects can be accomplished with
simple household supplies and minimal adult supervision, and the result
is often a working model of the original invention. Detailed,
step-by-step instructions, archival photography, illustrations and
diagrams, and templates for each project are interspersed with
historical facts, biographies, anecdotes, and trivia about the
real-life models. It's a great way to offer kids and adults a hands-on
way to experience the history and innovations that were sparked by the
Second World War. Great World War II Projects You Can Build Yourself is available in bookstores, or on-line for $16.95. For
more information, contact Nomad Press, 2456 Christian Street, White
River Junction, Vermont 05001; 802-649-1995, or check web site
www.nomadpress.net.
******
If you loved reading the first edition of the Peterson Field Guide to Animal Tracks,
you'll love the third edition of this classic. Available for the first
time in full color and with more than one hundred color photographs,
the all-new edition includes descriptions of the habits, habitats,
tracks, signs, and ranges of all the mammals in North America. That's
not all--the book also covers selected birds, reptiles, amphibians, and
insects. More than 1,000 line drawings show individual tracks, track
patterns, droppings, and gnawed trees. The new, user-friendly Key to
Tracks is included in this compact 391-page book, and the order in
which animals appear in the guide, as well as how they are grouped
together. Easy-to-use, the authors (Olaus J. Murie and Mark Elbroch)
employ anecdotal approach, and the text is filled with inspirational
stories, wonderful natural history, and important information about the
tracks and signs of North American animals. This book is an absolute
must on any trail. This book is available at bookstores everywhere
or on-line for $19.95. For more information, contact the Houghton
Mifflin Company, 222 Berkeley Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116.
NEW PRODUCTS
Now, with a pair of Zip It Gear Socks,
pickpockets will be foiled. How? The socks are made with an extra-deep
pocket that are sealed with a nylon zipper coil. Stowe your credit
cards, money, and passport inside the pocket and feel secure when
traveling, hiking, or while engaging in any outdoor activity. Made of
comfortable Holofiber, this product is breathable, has excellent
moisture wicking, temperature control, is soft to the touch, and has
low pilling. And, the nylon zipper won't set off metal detectors at the
airport. Guaranteed against manufacturing defects for one year from the
date of purchase, this product is said to eliminate blisters and odors,
dries overnight, has an impact absorbing sole, and has a form-fitting
arch. Available in several styles--white ankle; black; white crew;
extra-cushioned athletic for men and women--it also comes in a tall
men's dress sock in black, gray or brown. For more information on
sizing, colors, prices, and where this product is sold, contact Zip It
Gear, 1400 Sixth Avenue, Suite 103, San Diego, CA 92101;
1-888-4-ZIP-Sox, or check web site www.zipitgear.com.
******
Most kitchens and restaurants are stocked with Tabasco Sauce.
Thankfully, the McIlhenny Company, manufacturers of Tabasco, has come
up with the ideal camping accessory, 2-ounce bottles and 1/8-ounce
miniatures that are compact and lightweight. Use in soup or beans while
camping or hiking; liven up your fresh catch; or when grilling at the
campsite, use to season steaks, chicken and beef for a lively flavor,
or as a zesty topping for hot dogs and hamburgers. The company suggests
adding a few drops to a bag of nuts or trail mix for a spicier snack.
With the new small sizes, the bottles can be stowed in your backpack or
pocket. Sold in food stores everywhere, the 2-ounce bottles retail
for $1.10, and the 1/8-ounce miniatures for $.50. Visit www.TABASCO
.com for additional information and recipe suggestions.
******
Finally, a reading lens that's credit card size, and fits in a wallet or pocket. Appropriately named Pocket Peepers Reading Lens,
this product is perfect for reading maps, menus, small print, knotting
fishing line, and many more applications. While not a magnifying lens,
it is a single reading diopter available in strength of 250, but will
correct vision loss from 125 to 250 by simply moving the lens further
away from the eye for proper adjustment. The lens is polymer-coated so
it's scratch-resistant under normal use, and is available in several
attractive designs. Best of all, if it's in your wallet, it will always
be with you and handy. It can also be placed on a lanyard or chain and
worn around your neck. The Pocket Peepers Reading Lens retails from
$9.95-$12.95. For more information and where to purchase this product,
contact pocket Peepers, LLC. 705 Barclay Circle, Suite 135, Rochester
Hills, MI 48307; 1-866-9-PEEPER; or check web site
www.PocketPeepers.com.
Ms. Zatz is the award-winning author of Best Hikes With Children in New Jersey (The Mountaineers); 30 Bicycle Tours in New Jersey (Backcountry); New Jersey's Special Places (WW Norton); New Jersey's Great Gardens and Arboretums (WW Norton); 100 Years of Volunteer Wildlife Law Enforcement in New Jersey (NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife); and Horsing Around in New Jersey (Rutgers
University Press; March 2004). Her features and photographs appear
nationally in newspapers and magazines). She can be reached via web
site: funtravels.com.
November/December 2006 edition
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