TOOLS FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

MANIPULATING CONSUMERS, NEW SOUNDS,PAST LIVES, AND SWEETENING YOUR HOME

THE POPCORN REPORT.

Faith Popcorn. Doubleday Currency, 1991, $22.50

PLUSES: Good ideas.

MINUSES: Arrogant.

THE VERDICT: Mesmerizing.

The "Nostradamus of Marketing" (one assessment of Ms. Popcorn) uses elementary
psychology, anthropology, and sociology to gaze into the future of American
culture, Then she advises Big Companies how to position their products to make
profits.

The ten future consumer trends defined by Popcorn are persuasively argued but
marred by the imperative voice. Despite the book's silky delivery and probing
inquiry, it's clear that Popcorn and her customers will spare no effort to
promote and sell their products. This is science in the service of marketing.

DAT: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO DIGITAL AUDIO TAPE.

Delton T. Horn. Tab Books, 1991. $12.95

PLUSES: Illuminating.

MINUSES: A little too bright at times.

THE VERDICT: Technical.

"Scat," said America's music industry to DAT. Why? A single DAT can be copied
without degrading the sound quality, opening the doors, some say, for largescale
pirating operations.

Last July a royalty agreement was reached between DAT manufacturers and music
companies, so equipment and tapes should appear soon. This book covers every
aspect of human perception of sound and technical advances in equipment and
explains how the new technology works.

SAFER HOME TEST KIT.

DSK, 325 North Oakhurst Drive, Suite 404, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. $59.95

PLUSES: You can finally take control...

MINUSES: ... but try hard not to overreact.

THE VERDICT: Utilitarian.

The microwave oven test in this kit revealed slight leaks from the microwave
here at Omni. Now staffers can be seen darting out of the room when they
microwave their potatoes.

Our water is lead-free, and since most of us sit in windowless cubicles, the
ultraviolet ray alert system was unnecessary. These tests, and two others for
radon concentration and carbon monoxide, are extremely simple to use, but,
unfortunately, we are unable to verify their accuracy; the guide also provides
easy-to-follow tips for taking care of the problems.



THE PHOENIX CARDS.

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Susan Sheppard. Reincarnation cards. Destiny Books, One Park Street,
Rochester, VT 05767. 1991, $25.95

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PLUSES:Unconventional,

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MINUSES: A questionable premise.

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VERDICT: Clean fun.

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A card-and-book combo that claims to "read and interpret your past-life
influences" may raise some eyebrows, but it's really good clean fun. You select
from a deck of 28 faceup cards sever images that appeal to you. Then you consult
the accompanying guide for interpretation,

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According to Sheppard, the images you select hint at past lives. We suggest
taking some time to bone up on your past lives because they may become in the
Nineties hat astrology was in the Seventies, reincarnating "What's your sign?"
as "What's your times?"