Geography Reviews

The country's names and locations seem to be up to date within the past year or two.

Warning: this doesn't have ALL the countries of the world, just the well-known ones. It does cover all of the continents. If you want to learn the US and Europe in depth, the sampler booklet that came with the Quantum pad is much more detailed and useful.

On top of that, the "mixture" didn't harden (even after 5 days it still wouldn't harden). So we threw it away and called the company's customer support number on the instructions. They were friendly and helpful. They shipped a new bag via 2 day air to Hawaii for free.

We tried it again, only this time used about 1/3rd the amount of water listed on the instructions and it worked perfectly. My daughter loved it. She created the mold and painted it.

Overall, it's a good product. It allows children to follow instructions and create something rather than simply "play."

Having been defeated by the insufferable Brock Thunder, I, Commandant Deathfyre, have been forced into hiding whilst I rebuild my Diabolical Enterprise to Menace Opulent Nations (D.E.M.O.N. -- ignore the "to") headquarters. Hidden in the jungles of South America, my Tartarus Lair was quite a sweet setup. The command chamber was decked out with obligatory throne (in the shape of a horned denizen of the Netherworld--which is also our logo), wall-spanning computer displays, and a wicked holographic map.

I rashly triggered the Self-Destruct Sequence in a misguided effort to dispose of that "heroic" fool and his dull-witted Freedom Brigade. Naturally, they escaped through the volcanic fissure which powered the GeoThermal Pulse Disruptor that Doctor Shockwave designed to shatter the Earth's crust beneath selected target-cities.

Curses!

This leaves me with a somewhat less-imposing base of operations--namely, my Uncle Ralph's old backyard fallout shelter. With my assets frozen by the Freedom Brigade's Financial Operations Specialists (code-named "Spreadsheet" and "Dollar Bill"), I find myself forced to cut costs on some of the items required by my plans of World Domination. For example, instead of a mainframe dedicated to cracking the Freedom Fort's Security Code, I have an 8" x 10" glossy of that buffoon Brock Thunder tacked on the wall over my futon (I'm using it as a dartboard).

Which brings me to this item.

While not quite a massive, laser-plotted topographic hologram like my previous map, this 12" globe is a reliable substitute. Don't be fooled by the fact that it's listed under the Imaginarium section; this is no child's plaything. It rotates smoothly, and the easy-to-read labels help me quickly identify potential continents to victimize. The latitude and longitude are accurately displayed, and the bronze finish of the stand looks sturdy and elegant.

The Atlantis Desk Globe is durable--when Bio-Hazard borrowed it to plot an ecological attack, it came back with nary a dent or scratch (and it was in the back-seat of his SmogMobile for three days)! Bio-Hazard was also impressed with the lifelike coloring which clearly showed vulnerable forests, mountains and grasslands, and the highly detailed ocean features which enabled him to determine exactly where to place the Pollution Platform.

I like that the globe's smaller size allows me to grip it in my gauntlet and pose holding the entire World at my mercy! Plus, the Gyro-matic mounting has given me a deliciously sinister idea for my next Evil Device: the Gyro-Gravity Polarizer!

MWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!

Pages 4-5 deal with the Anasazi and Iroquois, comparing the tribes and their lifestyle as they are from different parts of the country.
Pages 6-7 are Spanish Explorers, Sailing into the Unknown. 6 explorers are presented, Columbus, Coronado, deSoto, Cardenas, deVaca, deLeon. There is a small map showing their routes to America, a timeline and a description of life on the ships that sailed here.
Pages 8-9 are Early American Settlements. Info on Roanoke, Jamestown, Plymouth and Mass. Bay. A brief description of each time and area.
Pages 10-11 is the 13 Colonies. A map of the 13 with date they settled. A drawing of a cobblestone street with what is was like back then as well as a drawing of a plantation you take a 'tour' on .
Pages 12-13 Greece and Rome, a Blast from the Past. Drawings and a real photo of the Parthenon. Drawn map of area. Sayings from Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Greek/Roman timeline. Short sayings by Caesar, Caligula and Nero.
Pages 14-15 is Daily Life, Roaming around Rome. Info on gladiators, Roman numerals, how people lived, ate... A drawing map of city with a few things to click on..bath house, chariot...
Pages 16-17 is Greek and Roman Mythology. A drawing of each Greek/Roman god, and their different names (Zeus/Greek=Jupiter/Roman).
Pages 18-19 U.S. Heroes and Legends, Making History. 15 people (some fictional) are listed from either 18th, 19th or 20th century.
Pages 20-21 Inventors and Inventions, Master Minds. 24 items are drawn, glasses, typewriter, cotton gin, plane....with the inventors name and year under it.
Pages 22-23 is the Adventure Chronicles is drawn like a cartoon strip covering both pages. Like a review. Click on a picture and you hear what is important about that item. There is a totem pole, horse, turkey, Martin Luther King.
Each page comes with a game or interactive tool for the reader to use the pen for. For a child, this book is just right, each page just skims the surface of the subject given. There are plenty of facts and information given so that it is not something that will be read only once, but will take several times for all the information to sink in.

But the best part is when the kids go to bed. Then I get to challenge my wife to Eureka, to see who can find the most countries, cities and continents as they are called out randomly by the globe. She always wins. But I'm improving, and one of these days....

My only complaint (like many of the other reviewers) is that the globe started malfunctioning after several months. In our case, the sensors must have shifted inside the globe so that instead of giving you information for the country you select, it tells you about it's neighbor 2 inches to the left. But the company will replace the globe for free...I just had to ship it back to them at my own cost (no big deal). Many people complain about the Stylus failing. But a replacement stylus is pretty cheap. And if you play with it as much as we do, you can't expect it to last forever, can you?