iReview- Misc

Movies, gadgets, web sites, toys, electronics, politics, businesses, I review it all!
Click on the links for each item to learn more.
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(Reviews are arranged alphabetically by title)

Misc Items


I recently listened to the audio book version of Deathworld, by Harry Harrison, and although the book is fairly old and is now in the public domain, I was captivated! This book was so amazing. I listened to the entire book in one sitting, and the book is over 20 chapters long!
The premise was extremely creative, and since I was in the mood for something with a sci-fi kind of feel to it, I found it to be almost addicting. Every chapter left me craving more, and so I sat there and listened long into the night. Anyway, I strongly recommend this book for any audience, enjoy!
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Narnia

I remember when I was about six or seven my father gave me his original box set of the Chronicles of Narnia. I was raised under the magic of Aslan, and dreamed at night of talking beavers and Cair Paravel. To this day I enjoy pulling out the classic set and reading it through. 

At one point in my teen years I discovered a delightful new rendition of the magical series. Focus on the Family created a radio drama version of the Chronicles featuring the best of vocal talent. The sensory delight draws the listener in while the imagination fills in the gaps. This collection of audio CDs is a treasured belonging of mine, and I strongly recommend it! There are seven parts to the collection, they can be purchased separately or as a box set. It has occupied more than one road trip and kept me coming back for more.
Link: Focus on the Family- Narnia Sample and Info
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What place is the exact opposite of the DMV? That's right, McKays is heaven on earth!!! 
I don't know how movie/show enthusiasts in other sad cities survive without McKays!!!!


 Supporting every genre and category of  book, CD, movie, show, video game, and even i Pod or MP3 player, McKays is one of a kind.
All of the merchandise in McKays is used, this meaning that someone else bought it new, grew tired of it, and sold it to McKays. That's right! Not only can you buy things at McKays, you can take it home, and bring it back if it isn't a keeper. McKays doesn't buy it back at full price, but you get about half of your money back. Now, that estimation of how much you get back should not be quoted in any way. The amount McKays pays you depends on the item and quality of the item. Sometimes I get more I expected, and sometimes I get less than I expected.
The true beauty of McKays, however, is in the prices. Because they do sell used merchandise, the prices reflect this factor. All items that come in are analyzed and priced based on demand and condition. With this in mind, McKays has a bargain and scratched section for CDs, and a bargain section for DVDs. Now, don't be put off by the words bargain and scratched. McKays doesn't have the time to individually check every CD and DVD if it has scratches or even residue on the disks. Because of this, any DVD or CD that has a flawed cover or jacket, and any disk that seems damaged, is automatically bumped into the bargain or scratched sections.
Often times, the only thing wrong with the disk is fingerprints or sticky food. A gentle wash fixes the problem, and you get the item for pennies on the dollar.
That isn't saying that there aren't any truly messed up disks in the DVD and CD bargain section. That just means that as long as you examine the disk before you buy it, you can find some really quality material for REALLY cheap.
Also, the bargain sections are not separated alphabetically or by genre. You have to scan through the section to find stuff. Because of this, going to McKays with the cement determination to find a certain movie or CD isn't the correct approach. The best way to go to McKays is with a list of movies you would like to find sometime, look through the movies to find cool movies to watch, and if you find one of your target movies it's a bonus. However, that approach only applies to the bargain and scratched sections. The whole rest of the store is meticulously organized. Finding your movie in the regular sections versus the bargain section is like the difference between 2 dollars and 5-10. That's right!!! Two dollars!!! The WHOLE bargain DVD section is priced at $1.95 per movie. You just gotta work a little harder for your gold.
These aren't crappy movies either! Titles like "Bourne Identity", "Terminator", "P.S. I Love You", "Mean Girls", "Law Abiding Citizen", "The Phantom of the Opera", "Die Hard".....all of these can be found in the bargain section depending on the day.

Here are a few examples:
 Here is CSI: Season 1 for $6.95 from McKays.
It is $15.00 at the Wal-Mart website Link: CSI walmart page
It is $29.99 on the CBS website Link: CSI CBS website
Here is Minorty Report for $1.95 at McKays
It is $6.00 at the Wal-Mart website Link: Minority Report walmart page
Here is the original Matrix for $1.95 at McKays.
It is $8.95 on the Wal-Mart website Link: The Matrix walmart page
 The only place that I have found that can fairly consistently match McKay's prices is Amazon.com. However, their prices are pre-tax, so they only come out cheaper about half the time.
In conclusion, McKays rocks!!!!!! If you are ever in Chattanooga, Nashville, or Knoxville Tennessee, I strongly recommend you look them up! You won't regret it.
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Olympus VN-7000 Digital Recorder
I'm adding this to my reviews simply because I have something to say about it. I've been taking a recorder to my college classes for a while for studying purposes, but mine broke, so I started hunting for an affordable new one. I found this one for about $24 dollars, bought it, took it home, and then realized than it is NOT PC COMPATIBLE. What's the point of getting audio files if you can't keep them? This recorder has only write and re-write abilities. That's like getting a camera that has no film or memory card, you can take pictures, but when your camera gets full, you have to delete all your pictures in order to take new ones.
 The box wasn't clear about the recorders limitations, and I never imagined a recorder without PC compatibility so I didn't think to check. Anyway, this recorder was a waste of time.
Link: Olympus Item Overview


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