TODAY'S PRIZE: Dave's "Read & Watch" $250 Big Box of Fun!
SORRY...CLOSED FOR ENTRIES!
Sure I could have dug through my closet and found a bunch of crap I didn't want anymore, then tied a bow around it and called it good... but that's not much of a prize, is it? No sir, I say it is NOT! So, instead, I went out and bought stuff that I would actually want to win... all brand new and factory-sealed! Yep, here's a box filled with some of my favorite books and movies you might have overlooked. Each is a hidden gem that's actually worth your valuable time, and adds up to nearly $250 in value!!
THE CATCH: Ground shipping is included to any address in the Continental US. If you live outside these 48 States, you can still enter, but you will be responsible for exact shipping charges (sample costs are given in the comments section for the 12-lb. box). ALSO... I've bought both VHS tapes (in NSTC format) and DVDs (with Region 1 encoding) so hopefully whoever wins can watch the videos. But if you live outside the USA, PLEASE make sure you have a "region-free" DVD player or a VCR/TV that can play VHS NTSC tapes before you enter! I really would like it if whoever wins actually uses the prizes before they sell them on eBay or whatever!
THE RULES: One entry per person please! Entries must be received before midnight on Thursday, April 21st (Pacific Time USA, here in Cashmere, WA). Winners will be notified on Sunday, April 24th. Email addresses will never be released, and will be deleted once winners have been notified. Winners are responsible for any customs duties or import taxes (if applicable). If you aren't in the Continental USA, shipping charges can be paid via PayPal or money order in US funds.
TO ENTER: Just send an email to bigbox@blogography.com and be sure to include your name and a valid email address so I can contact you if you win.
A complete list of the goodies in the box can be found in an extended entry.
"Undercover Blues" VHS (NTSC format) Tape ($9.95)
"Undercover Blues" DVD (Region 1) Disc ($14.95)
One of my favorite movie comedies, "Undercover Blues" is a smart film that is sadly overlooked. Dennis Quaid and Kathleen Turner are Jeff and Jane Blue, two undercover agents who have left the spy-game behind to raise a family. But when an old nemesis surfaces, they are drug back into the biz along with their new baby. Hilarity ensues. Also stars brilliant comedic performances by Stanley Tucci and Fiona Shaw.
"Red Dwarf: Season 5, Tape 1" VHS (NTSC format) Tape ($19.99)
"Red Dwarf: Season 5, Tape 2" VHS (NTSC format) Tape ($19.99)
"Red Dwarf: Complete Season 5" DVD (Region 1) Disc ($34.95)
One of my favorite television shows, "Red Dwarf" is a classic British sci-fi comedy that never fails to make me laugh. I decided to add Season 5 to the box because there's not a bad episode in the batch, and it features several of my favorites, including "Holoship" and "Quarantine."
"Foul Play" VHS (NTSC format) Tape ($9.95)
"Foul Play" DVD (Region 1) Disc ($14.95)<
One of my favorite "classic" films from the "good old days" when even comedies were allowed to have an intelligent story! Sadly today's audiences seem to lack such sophistication, but that didn't stop me from making sure "Foul Play" was included in the box! Stars Chevy Chase, Goldie Hawn, Dudley Moore, Burgess Meredith, and Brian Denehey.
"Field of Dreams" DVD (Region 1) Disc ($7.99)
Hands-down my favorite film of all time. Magical and perfect in every way. If you don't have a lump in your throat at the end, then you're not human. Featuring Kevin Costner and the great James Earl Jones in the role he was born to play. If you've never seen it, your life is not complete. If you have seen it, you can never see it enough times. All they had was a "previously viewed copy" and no VHS, so that's what you get.
The Simpsons "Pop Out People" Set ($2.99)
Futurama "Pop Out People" Set ($2.99)
I couldn't afford to include DVD sets of two of my favorite animated series in the gift box, so I did the next best thing and included these nifty sets of "Pop Out People" in both The Simpsons and Futurama flavors! A welcome addition to any decor.
Blogography Custom T-Shirt ($14.95)
Naturally no prize would be complete without a Blogography T-Shirt from the Artificial Duck Store! Your choice of either a Blogography Logo T or Bad Monkey T.
James Clavell's "Tai-Pan" Paperback ($7.99)
I couldn't find a copy of Clavell's "Nobel House," which is my favorite novel of all time, so I purchased a copy of the prequel titled "Tai-Pan." Probably best-known for his novel "Shogun," Clavell is a brilliant writer whose "Asia Saga" has some of the most brilliant and imaginative historical fiction writing I've ever encountered.
Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" Paperback ($7.99)
One of my favorite comic book authors, Neil Gaiman struck gold with his critically acclaimed New York Times Best-Seller "American Gods." I bought a copy of this book for the box because, despite its success, most people I know have never read it. Not really a horror novel, not quite a mystery, and only part fantasy, this is a tale the St. Louis Post Dispatch says is: "by turns thoughtful, hilarious, disturbing, uplifting, horrifying, and enjoyable."
Richard Bach's "Jonathin Livingston Seagull" Paperback ($6.99)
More than just a charming story, this classic tale is an allegory for living that completely changed my life when I first read it years ago. No matter what your religious or philosophical beliefs, there's something in this book for everyone, and I learn something new from it every time I read it (which has been a lot).
Edgar Rice Burrough's "Tarzan of the Apes" Paperback ($4.95)
It never ceases to amaze me how many people have never actually read Burrough's masterpiece: Tarzan of the Apes. Compared to the original book, all movie adaptations are crap. Tarzan is not some grunting ignoramus, he's an eloquent speaker who knows a dozen languages and gave up all he knew for the love of a hottie he saw in his jungle home one day. A classic must-read book.
John Grisham's "The Testament" Paperback ($7.99)
Everybody's read Grisham's "The Firm" and "The Pelican Brief" books, but then his thrillers kind of trailed off to familiar twists and turns. "The Testament is more of a straight-forward drama (with a bit of legal wrangling for good measure), but was different enough to revitalize my interest in his books. Most people I know missed this one, and it's a shame because it's an interesting read.
"Legion of Super-Heroes Archives" - Volume 10 ($49.95)
My favorite comic book growing up was "Legion of Super-Heroes" which is about super-powered teens fighting evil in the far future! When I started collecting comics in the late 70's the book was pure magic, and I spent most of my allowance dollars collecting back-issue of Legion comic books. For this gift basket, I purchased a copy of Volume 10 of the beautiful hard-cover "DC Comics Archive" which includes Superboy #200, the earliest Legion book in my collection. Groovy fun from the 1970's everybody should experience!
And there you have it! An eclectic collection of BRAND SPANKIN' NEW fun stuff that should keep one lucky winner occupied for a little while. Good luck, and remember to get your entry in before midnight this Thursday (and be sure to check back tomorrow for yet another insane prize you can't live without!).
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If you live outside the 48 States of the Continental USA, I’m afraid you are going to have to pay the shipping charges. I may be generous, but I am not wealthy, and would like to have money to eat for the rest of the month!
The box weighs 12 pounds. As an example of shipping charges follows, but keep in mind that you will only pay EXACT shipping charges for the method you specify plus any insurance you might want. Whatever I pay, you pay.
To Alaska or Hawaii, 12 pounds is about $5.75 Priority Mail. To Great Britain, it’s about $36.15 Surface and $53.00 Air. To Australia, it’s about $30.70 Surface and $59.90 Air. To Japan, it’s about $32.35 Surface and $56.60 Air. To Germany it’s about $25.65 Surface, $43.05 Air.
If you want to know exact cost of the shipping before you enter, just send me an email, and I am happy to look it up!
Foul Play is a classic. Killer albino’s, angry midgets. The film has it all!
I just received an email from a reader in The Netherlands who asks if the winner can request that some items they cannot use be removed to save money in shipping costs (he had a region-free DVD player, but no need for the VHS copies of the movies).
The answer is “yes, most certainly!” If there are some items you cannot use and want to save on shipping costs, I will gladly remove them and ship the balance of your winnings.
You may also be able to ship via m-bag, which is surface mail for books and is dirt cheap (I think it’s something like $11 per bag), but not sure if you can include videos and dvds in the box (it’s mainly for books)
I had investigated this service when I first started this prize, which is now called “media rate” and it does include videotape… but nobody could tell me if that was expanded to cover DVDs. I am guessing it would, and I would be willing to try if the winner wished it?
I worry about trusting Surface Mail, media rate or not, so maybe I should investigate DHL or something? Or I suppose you could buy me a ticket and I would hand-deliver it. 🙂
DHL can be cheaper for overseas. And if an overseas person DOES win it, I know on the customs form you will say it’s a “gift” and value it really low, right? Otherwise, for folks in say, Norway?, they would end up paying duties as high as the price of the items in the box! (Want me to tell you about the $250 I once paid to get a box of socks and stuff from home that was insured for $300.?)
And then I would say used dvd’s or even just not mention those at all!
I know if I won something, I would not mind it taking a long time to get to me if it saved the sponsor, in this case you, money. That is, as long as the sponsor is just a person, such as yourself, and not a conglomerate like Microsoft or similar. If I were to ever win anything from them, I’d want the prize overnighted to me. Hell, they can afford it.
Good idea Karla! I would be happy to open up the DVDs and videos… watch a few minutes… then skim through the books… thus “using” them so I could cut the “value” of the box down to $30 of “used books & videos.”
Now that I think of it, I suppose the DVD and VHS cases could be tossed out to save weight as well.
It’s all negotiable. If you win, it’s YOUR stuff, and I’ll do what you like with it. 🙂
Dave, this is amazing. Can’t believe you bought it all for your readers! Well, I’ll apply. If I win, I’ll be glad to starve for a month to raise the shipping costs! 😀
I’m pretty sure that media rate includes all forms of media, so DVD would be included. If it doesn’t, my place of work might be in for a visit from the postal inspector.
Dave.
You’re officially setting the bar for bloggaversairies too high.
This is so impossibly cool of you, that I must hate you forever.
(Okay, well not really, but you get the point:>)
Thanks for the tip Mr. Jerz… so I guess media mail is okay (though the T-Shirt would probably have to be sent separate since it is not a book or video). Probably still save some money, even with the two shipments.
Kachina, Kachina… the week’s not even half-over yet! Hate me on Saturday, after all the prizes have been announced. 🙂
Fantastic competitions dave. Have been lurking round the site for the past month or so (mainly use Bloglines to read) but this is way cool.