Advantages: Intimate insight into charismatic classical violinist
Disadvantages: Appalling accompanying production package from EMI

...that have sprung up in the past few years which profess to be a "portrait" of the artist in question. Almost inevitably produced by their record company, it more often than not just turns out to be a slick piece of meaningless PR schtick, serving primarily as an expensive promo for their upcoming recordings and leaving the genuine fan or classical music enthusiast disappointed and longing for something more substantial and full of insight. So it was with some trepidation that I saw EMI had brought out a new DVD portrait of the Russian violinist Maxim Vengerov - who is arguably one of the finest players on the concert circuit today. He's one of my favourite fiddlers, so I decided I really had to buy the DVD. Maxim Vengerov - violinist: There are a couple of good sites giving detailed information about Maxim's career to date, along... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Inexpensive, Can Use As A PC Monitor
Disadvantages: Poor Sound Quality, Poor Viewing Angles

...I have recently purchased this product, around two weeks or so from Currys so decided to write a review and give my honest opinion on the subject. Previously I had a 42inch rear-projection TV but decided to get rid as it was too big for my bedroom. My intentions were to purchase a smaller television and hopefully have enough room for a reasonably sized desk to study at home. My plans didn’t go as expected and I found myself drinking the money away which I received for the rear-projection – Typical Student, I love to PARTAY!! Lol. So left with £125.00 in my back pocket I looked almost everywhere, online, supermarkets like Asda etc until I stumbled across what I thought was a bargain in Currys - A 15” Maxim 11 LCD television. So here’s the review and a thanks in advance to those reading. What Is LCD?? Well for those who don... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Identical to the Double Maxim of old.
Disadvantages: You might get carried away and have one too many!

...Right then you lot…if I tell you something will you keep it a secret? OK? Yes…well …you see…errmm…. I AM A MEMBER OF CAMRA!! There I said it… You see it all happened because I was at a Beer festival (in Aberdeen if I remember rightly), and got a bit carried away testing all the lovely brown stuff…before I knew it both me and my other half were signed up as members, and we have never got around to canceling our membership. So, although I do not fit the old picture of the pot bellied, bearded, CAMRA member, who wears t-shirts too tight, and with Macclesfield Beer Festival 1967 on them, I do feel I am more than qualified to review a real ale… It’s a very fine one too… ●●● DOUBLE MAXIM ●●● Double Maxim was first brewed... Read review

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Advantages: Money! Potential to be useful to include on CV.
Disadvantages: Assignment briefs not sent; having to chase them up each time; unfriendly people on the end of the phone; told me they could not communicate via email instead of mobile (?); not a lot of jobs to do.

.... On the second visit I obtained the refund and enquired about the service. If a refund is not given, Retail Maxim say to contact them and they will sort this out. I should say that one assignment I was offered required me to spend a lot of money, more than I could afford, and I was not willing to take the risk, as I was new to Retail Maxim, and if the refund had taken some time to come through, this would have left me too low on funds in the meantime. Again the response to me being honest about this was cold ... no surprise there! I should say at this point that the pay isn't great and the jobs, in my area anyway (North East), are a bit sparse. There are potentially assignments that can pay you £20, although I did not experience this. Travel expenses are given though, which is a plus. But, for each assignment, the brief was not sent, so I had... Read review

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Advantages: Good communication, good rates of pay, interesting jobs
Disadvantages: Questions asked on results phonecall are sometimes different to that on questionnaire

...I joined this company as a mystery shopper in June this year. Since that time I have undertaken around 6 mystery shopping jobs for them to various types of businesses, from bakers to shoe shops. Retail Maxim usually tell you about available jobs by sending you a text message - this is good as it allows you to see the message straight away and you just need to give them a call back to find out about the job. They usually give you a choice of dates to undertake the mystery shop, therefore I can usually fit it around my job easily. The rates of pay vary from £7 upwards, Retail Maxim also reimburse mileage at 22p per mile and car parking/travel etc. This is good as some mystery shopping companies do not reimburse for travel. I always find the questionnaires easy to follow and find it even easier when I can enter my results online... Read review

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Advantages: Fun way to earn some extra money, get paid for expenses such as petrol and parking etc
Disadvantages: Work is not guaranteed and you have to have the money to hand and will be reimbursed later.

...OK, for those of you who read my recent review about Retail Eyes - Mystery Shopping, this review is going to be very similar except with different aspects as I believe this company to be slightly better! Again I'll start by telling you what exactly Mystery Shopping entails: What is Mystery Shopping? Being a mystery shopper is all about being paid to eat out/shop/purchase items/evaluate a service very discreetly without the selected company realising what you are doing. For example, you could be paid to go to a shop and evaluate the service you receive and the cleanliness of the store and maybe even purchase something. Then after the visit you have to fill in a questionnaire all about your experience and submit it to the shopper company (in this case retail maxim). How do I register? Registration is dealt with via... Read review

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Advantages: Interesting articles / Great Photos
Disadvantages: Too many adverts !!

...It's been a whilst since anyone has reviewed the popular men's publication, "Maxim", so I thought I'd give an up-to-date look at what is on offer. 1. CONTENT I am actually a long time subscriber to Maxim, and always know as soon as it has arrived by the loud "THUD" on the doormat. The latest issue (Mar 2004) has a staggering 192 Pages. This sounds impressive, but lets take a look at what you actually get... Full page advertisements - 59 pages (31 %) Full size photo's - 50 pages (26 %) Fasion pages - 25 pages (13 %) Articles - 23 pages (12 %) Humor - 16 pages (8 %) Interviews - 15 pages (8 %) Reviews - 15 pages (8 %) Health - 8 pages (4 %) Magazine Info - 7 pages (4 %) Food & Drink - 4 pages (2 %) Sport - 4 pages (2 %) Travel - 3 pages (2 %) Jokes / Letters - 3 pages (2 %) Gadgets - 2 pages (1 %) Competitions - 1... Read review

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Advantages: None so far
Disadvantages: No work; poor communication; no expenses

...I have not so far had a positive experience with Retail Maxim and I was surprised to see the good reviews of the company on this site, although some seem to be quite old. It was reassuring that one reviewer said she wouldn't recommend them! I signed up about three months ago, and was accepted, very easy process, although as I have worked for them in the past I was surprised that I had to do another (unpaid) trial visit. Since then, up to last week, I heard absolutely nothing further, then I got a text asking me to call re an urgent assignment - no details in the text. When I phoned, I was asked to go to an opticians 10 miles away 'to make an enquiry about new glasses'. There was no purchase involved and no expenses offered. I said it was nowhere near where I live and she told me they were desperate, so I asked for travel... Read review

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Advantages: Good articles from home and abroad and naked celebs
Disadvantages: Too much flesh not enough articles

...This is a magazine that sits itself in the main stream of gentlemen’s magazines. You have loaded which is for genuine lads at one end and GQ at the other for the people with money who want to be lads. Then in the middle ground you have Maxim and FHM, which is where I think my tastes lie. I think that FHM and Maxim are the best out the magazines currently available, but Maxim just wins by a neck. The magazine is aimed at the 20 to 30ish lad about town with some money to burn who believes he has his own style. I don’t fit into this description, but I read the magazine anyway because it has the right balance of serious articles, naked or semi-naked women and the fun stuff. The problem is that the amount of naked flesh per issue has been increasing and the amount of the articles (which believe it or believe it not I do by the magazine... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Awesome!
Disadvantages: None

...Maxim magazine is one of the best that I've ever read. It is packed with info about women, sex, gadgets, and sports. Each magazine has several photo shoots of beautiful women, and wonderful advice on how to have one of your own. Though it is not a pornographic magazine, you can certainly get your kicks from it. Most of the photos are half-nude, and of amazingly beautiful women. I would definetly recommend this magazine to any man, or woman. Though I do not subscribe to it, I buy it almost monthly. It is my favorite magazine on the stands right now. If you are a man and you haven't read this magazine yet, you definetly need to give it a try. Both the British and American versions are great, giving you two times a month to read this magazine.... Read review

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