Reviews by mbmccall

mbmccall says "Great value but durability issues" about Perfect Flame Model SLG2007D Grill

mbmccall — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 21:49:40 GMT

When the heating elements of our Weber grill went out after 10 years, we decided to look for a new grill to replace ol' Betsy. Originally, we looked at the Weber Summit series which, with six burners, has significant grill area, can take natural gas (goodbye heavy propane tanks) and has the durable Weber lineage. However, the prices were exorbitant (north of $1,000) so we decided to look at other options.

Coincidentally enough, I was going into a Lowe's two days later and notice they had an array of Perfect Flame models. They looked good, took natural gas and were affordable. I did not see the five burner there so I began to research online.

So, the 700 square inches of cooking area and its 60,000 BTUs should handle most cooking needs easily. The addition of the 304 stainless steel hood is supposed to prevent rusting. However, several people have commented to me that, given the Chicago winters here, the Perfect Grill steel is sub-par versus the Weber grills and will rust prematurely. In......

mbmccall says "Funny & creative in a Larry David kind of way" about Superbad

mbmccall — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 04:12:36 GMT

For those of you who have ever watched Curb Your Enthusiasm, you are familiar with that unease feeling you have as you watch the shows main character(s) slowly get themselves into deeper and deeper trouble. At the same time, the situations are so creative and perverse that they are hilarious. There you sit between humor and shock. So is the case with Superbad.

The story follows three high school geeks in their final semester over the course of a weekend as they strive to lose their virginity before school ends and they head off to college in the fall. They have heard stories of women/girls getting drunk and having sex with the wrong guys. They want to be the wrong guy.

The story twists and turns through a series of misadventures as the three of them are invited to a popular girls party with the one condition that they bring the booze for the party. They acquire a fake ID (under the name McLovin), chase down liquor in a variety of ways, dance in a surreal way with the police and make it to......

mbmccall says "Pleasantly surprised" about Transformers

mbmccall — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 16:14:08 GMT

I recently saw Transformers with a friend of mine. We are both grown men and expected to see a juvenile, special effects filled effort to bring the toy franchise onto the big screen. We ended up going with it after seeing Roger Ebert's strongly positive review. I was pleasantly surprised. The plot line held together, the special effects we amazing and the heroines were not only attractive, but for once, intelligent and capable.

Shia LeBeouf is on a tear recently and puts in a compelling and humorous performance as the nerd, turned hero, gets the girl and saves the world central hero. Megan Fox, of FHM fame, compliments him well as the sexy but gritty high school girl (dating the football star) who is dragged unintentionally into the battle. Michael Bay does a terrific job giving the machines personality, while fleshing out a cohesive story about doomed planets, evil robots and human nature.

My son has replaced the new Camaro as his dream car (sorry Mustang) and you may too when you see it......

mbmccall says "Amazing powerful club" about TaylorMade r7 SuperQuad

mbmccall — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 14:51:54 GMT

I have recently been looking for a new driver. I have an old TaylorMade 580 but have been curious about the array of new technologies that have come out. My son just finished his comparison testing and went with the new Nike SasQuatch 2 Sumo driver which, like the new Calloway, has a square head. The idea behind the design is that it adds mass behind the off center hits and helps prevent the face from opening or closing at impact (e.g. it keeps the momentum moving forward vs being deflected). When I tried these clubs, I just didn't feel like I was getting a firm drive on the ball and my distance suffered. Also, the sound of the Nike will drive many crazy.

I have been suspect of the various adjustable clubs that TaylorMade makes. I don't hit the ball consistently (draw or fade) to be able to fine tune the club face. As my caddie at Pinehurst 2 said "Sir, when you hit the ball, it's a mystery...ain't it?. So, with some scepticism, I tried out the TaylorMade r7 SuperQuad which is the successor......

mbmccall says "Enjoy diverse golf courses and beach" about Kiawah Island, SC

mbmccall — Tue, 01 May 2007 12:14:31 GMT

We recently took a trip to Kiawah for the weekend. It is a short 1 1/2 to 2 hour flight from the Northeast or Midwest. It is one of the few places that you can enjoy several of the top 100 golf courses in the US, stay in nice lodging and have access to a wonderful 7 mile beach. We took a number of bike rides along the many bike paths which go forever. You can also ride on the beach when the sand hardens. The food is terrific but expensive as is the golf.

Overall, if you have the money to spend, it is hard to find a better getaway with such a diverse array of possible activities.

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