Saturday, December 31, 2011
Winning $14.3 Million Iowa Lottery Ticket Mysteriously Turned In Just Before Deadline
2 hours before a winning lottery ticket was set to expire, two attorneys presented the winning ticket to lottery officials on behalf of a trust whose members remain unknown. Hexam Investments Trust is claiming the ticket, and their chairman, a business man by the name of Crawford Shaw of New Bedford, NY, signed the ticket that was verified as the winner. The ticket was purchased at a convenient store in Des Moines but it is not sure how it ended up in the belonging of the trust. A handful of people have called the lottery office claiming that the winning ticket had been stolen from them. It is not sure why the trust waited so long to turn in the winning ticket or where the ticket had been stored for nearly a year. One thing is sure... this whole thing smells awful fishy.
USC Or Notre Dame? Shepard To Make Decision By Drawing From A Hat
Top football recruit Tee Shepard has narrowed down his prospective colleges to just two choices: USC and Notre Dame. Problem is, he can't decide which he would rather play for. His solution: write each school on separate slips of paper and draw from a hat.
"I'm going to pull it out of a hat on game day. Whatever I pull, that's going to be it." He said. "It's kind of crazy, but then it's not because both schools are good. There are no bad choices."
Shephard hails from Fresno's Washington Union High School who just won a state championship last season. He is ranked #82 overall all out of the 2012 recruiting class.
"I'm going to pull it out of a hat on game day. Whatever I pull, that's going to be it." He said. "It's kind of crazy, but then it's not because both schools are good. There are no bad choices."
Shephard hails from Fresno's Washington Union High School who just won a state championship last season. He is ranked #82 overall all out of the 2012 recruiting class.
Quote of the Day
How vain is it to sit down to write, when you have not stood up to live?
-Henry David Thoreau
-Henry David Thoreau
Friday, December 30, 2011
Engagement Watches For Men: If You Like It Then You Should Put A Watch On It
Over the last few years a new trend has developed when it comes to engagements. It's no longer just the women who receive a nice piece of jewelry to display their lovers affection. It only seems fair that the man should receive a display of affection too.
The concept of the engagement watch is a sound idea. The man wipes out his bank account to afford a ring that will make his woman's friends and family swoon, so why shouldn't the woman spend... I don't know, say a fraction of what he spent and buy her man a quality timepiece for him to show off to his friends and family? He's gonna be busting his ass for the rest of his life to keep her happy, and the ring is only the start to the amount of jewelry he will probably be putting on her if she has her way.
My fiance thought the idea was ridiculous at first. The engagement and the wedding and the whole nine yards was suppose to be the girls moment and it's suppose to be all about her and blah blah blah. Then one day (before we were engaged) we were walking through the mall and passed a jewelry store, Kay Jewelers or something like that and of course she did the whole "I just wanna look," grab your hand and yank you in type maneuver. So I meandered over and began looking at watches. When an employee approached me, my fiance came over and said "He thinks he should get an engagement watch, can you believe that?" To which the employee responded, "How did you hear about engagement watches?" Her face sank. "You mean they are real?" She replied. Boom. I win.
Not but three weeks later we went to a concert with friends of mine who recently got engaged together. She mentioned the whole engagement watch thing and again said that she found it ridiculous at which point my buddy raised his wrist, pulled back his sleeve and revealed a shiny new timepiece, "She got me one," he said. Boom. I win again.
Here's the deal ladies, it's not like we are asking you to propose to us. We just want to know that we are appreciated too, because believe it or not, we have feelings, and this whole wedding process does kind of mean something to us as well.
Some companies have actual "engagement watches" with gold frames and solitaire diamonds on the face. If you're into that kind of thing, then stop by any jeweler at the mall. I prefer leather of canvas bands, and I'm not too big on flashy jewelry (I'm dreading having to wear a wedding band), so these types of watches are not for me. Below I will showcase a few watches that I like that I feel most men would find to be exceptional timepieces to receive at the time of an engagement. Choosing a watch is much like choosing a ring. When and where will it be worn? Does it match your man's style of dress? Is it quality and long lasting? What kind of warranty/service policies does the particular retailer offer? All of these should be asked before you make the purchase. Here are a few good leads.
Burberry Men's BU1361 Heritage Gent Silver Chronograph Dial Watch
This is a simple faced timepiece that could be worn at pretty much any occasion. Though Burberry is a designer and not necessarily a watch company, they are known for making high quality luxury goods. This particular watch has been featured in GQ Magazine, and has a chronograph and single date calendar, is water resistant up to 165 feet, and is Swiss made, and movement is run by swiss-quartz. It retails around $600.
The concept of the engagement watch is a sound idea. The man wipes out his bank account to afford a ring that will make his woman's friends and family swoon, so why shouldn't the woman spend... I don't know, say a fraction of what he spent and buy her man a quality timepiece for him to show off to his friends and family? He's gonna be busting his ass for the rest of his life to keep her happy, and the ring is only the start to the amount of jewelry he will probably be putting on her if she has her way.
My fiance thought the idea was ridiculous at first. The engagement and the wedding and the whole nine yards was suppose to be the girls moment and it's suppose to be all about her and blah blah blah. Then one day (before we were engaged) we were walking through the mall and passed a jewelry store, Kay Jewelers or something like that and of course she did the whole "I just wanna look," grab your hand and yank you in type maneuver. So I meandered over and began looking at watches. When an employee approached me, my fiance came over and said "He thinks he should get an engagement watch, can you believe that?" To which the employee responded, "How did you hear about engagement watches?" Her face sank. "You mean they are real?" She replied. Boom. I win.
Not but three weeks later we went to a concert with friends of mine who recently got engaged together. She mentioned the whole engagement watch thing and again said that she found it ridiculous at which point my buddy raised his wrist, pulled back his sleeve and revealed a shiny new timepiece, "She got me one," he said. Boom. I win again.
Here's the deal ladies, it's not like we are asking you to propose to us. We just want to know that we are appreciated too, because believe it or not, we have feelings, and this whole wedding process does kind of mean something to us as well.
Some companies have actual "engagement watches" with gold frames and solitaire diamonds on the face. If you're into that kind of thing, then stop by any jeweler at the mall. I prefer leather of canvas bands, and I'm not too big on flashy jewelry (I'm dreading having to wear a wedding band), so these types of watches are not for me. Below I will showcase a few watches that I like that I feel most men would find to be exceptional timepieces to receive at the time of an engagement. Choosing a watch is much like choosing a ring. When and where will it be worn? Does it match your man's style of dress? Is it quality and long lasting? What kind of warranty/service policies does the particular retailer offer? All of these should be asked before you make the purchase. Here are a few good leads.
Burberry Men's BU1361 Heritage Gent Silver Chronograph Dial Watch
This is a simple faced timepiece that could be worn at pretty much any occasion. Though Burberry is a designer and not necessarily a watch company, they are known for making high quality luxury goods. This particular watch has been featured in GQ Magazine, and has a chronograph and single date calendar, is water resistant up to 165 feet, and is Swiss made, and movement is run by swiss-quartz. It retails around $600.
Citizen Men's BL8000-54L Eco-Drive Calibre 8700
This sporty watch is powered by Citizen's famous Eco-Drive, which uses Japanese-quartz and recharges using natural sunlight or indoor light, making this timepiece extremely low maintenance. Citizen is known for making quality watches. It is water resistant up to 330 feet and can run for 180 days on a full charge. This watch retails around $475.
Bulova 96a120
This is a watch I hold near and dear to my heart, for it is the watch that my lovely fiance broke down and bought me for Christmas (around the time of our engagement). She did a good job of matching this watch to my style. It has a vintage appearance with a brown leather band and roman numeral numbers, but it also mixes in a modern look by allowing you to look inside and see the watches internal mechanism at work. It has an adjustable leather band that uses a metal clasp to close. It has crystal scratch-resistant windows, it's water resistant up to 100 feet, and is uses a Japanese-automatic self-winding system. Natural movement causes the watch to wind. It has a crystal window on the back side so you can see the winding mechanism at work. It uses no battery and is another low-maintenance watch. Retailing at about $450, I love this watch. It is a perfect example that you don't have to break the bank on an engagement watch. Just do some research and understand exactly what it is you want to get out of the watch. Bulova Stainless Steel Automatic Skeleton Leather Watch - 96A120
Baume & Mercier Men's 8797 Riviera Chronograph
If you want to spend a bit extra, a Baume & Mercier is a good choice. This watch is powered by a Swiss-automatic self-winding mechanism, meaning it too is wound by natural movement. It has a sapphire scratch-resistant dial window. The band is made of satin and the watch is water-resistant up to 330 feet. It is sporty, but also casual enough to wear with a suit. This watch retails at around $3000, but can be found on Amazon for half that.
IWC Pilot Spitfire Chronograph IW371702
If you really want to step up your game, a watch from the Swiss company IWC will do the trick. This watch has 25 jewel automatic movement, sapphire scratch-resistant dial windows, genuine leather buckle band and is made by one of the most famous watch makers on the planet. This watch could make any man shed a tear... just look at it! Retails around $5,150.
Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar 5159g
I'll admit, this watch is on here as a bit of a joke. But if you are a multi-millionaire, then maybe this is for you. This is the type of watch that defines "family heirloom," the type of watch your kids would fist fight over at the funeral home when you die. Framed in 18k white gold, with an 18k white gold fluted royal crown, sapphire crystal casing, perpetual calendar, and moon phase calendar, this Swiss watch is a watchmakers watch. Patek Philippe had one of their pocket watches go for $11 million at auction, but this wristwatch is a bargain, retailing at $92,000. Small price to pay.
So whether you are getting by on a budget or buying something that would require a million dollar insurance policy, there is something out there for you. Remember, what is really important is to remember how much effort the man put into buying a ring and the kind of affection that the ring symbolizes. Then reciprocate that and you're good to go. After he's spent weeks dealing with jewelry dealers, who are likely the spawn of Satan, it's the least you could do!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
PGA Tour Simulators: Golf the World at Anytime...
...And stay a stones toss from the bar!
My brother recently booked us a tee time at Tee's Golf Grill in Chesterfield, MO. Tee's is equipped with 10 state of the art, PGA Tour certified, golf simulators. These simulators allow you to choose from a long list of real championship golf courses and play them from a friendly bar/grill environment. You bring your own clubs and hit a real ball into a giant video screen while the cameras do the rest.
About Golf, the makers of the simulators, started releasing their simulators about 9 years ago. They are trusted by some of the most talented golfers in the world, including Luke Donald, the current number 1 in the world, who has one in his basement.
They appear much like the launch simulators or video driving ranges you might see at golf shops, measuring 15'x22', but the accuracy lies in the cameras used by the simulator. The game platform itself is like a highly realistic golf video game, with you as the controller. The cameras detect your swing speed, strike point, launch angle, ball speed, top spin, side spin, and other data to create a realistic flight path. Different lengths of fake grass are available to hit off of for fairway shots and rough shots. It measures total distance and carry and tells you your distance to the pin. It also simulates wind speed and direction.
The chipping and the putting are the hardest parts to get the hang of. Sometimes it is difficult to tell how far away from the pin you actually are and the distance doesn't seem to be as consistent with the swing speed on chips as it does with full shots.
We played Pebble Beach, and other courses include Spy Glass, the TPC courses, The Old Course at St. Andrews, and dozens of others. It takes about 1 hour for 1 player to play 18 holes. At Tee's it cost $25/h for weekdays and $40/h on weekends. (If playing a foursome for four hours it would cost each player $25 dollars, cheaper than playing 18 on a real course!)
All in all, I would say the simulators are about 75-85% realistic. It was never going to be a perfect simulation but for hitting irons and woods and getting to experience professional courses, it is well worth the money and is a pretty fun way to spend the afternoon.
To find a simulator near you just do a quick google search (ex: "about golf simulator st. louis mo"). Just please don't get in a bar fight at one of these places... too many easily available weapons.
My brother recently booked us a tee time at Tee's Golf Grill in Chesterfield, MO. Tee's is equipped with 10 state of the art, PGA Tour certified, golf simulators. These simulators allow you to choose from a long list of real championship golf courses and play them from a friendly bar/grill environment. You bring your own clubs and hit a real ball into a giant video screen while the cameras do the rest.
About Golf, the makers of the simulators, started releasing their simulators about 9 years ago. They are trusted by some of the most talented golfers in the world, including Luke Donald, the current number 1 in the world, who has one in his basement.
They appear much like the launch simulators or video driving ranges you might see at golf shops, measuring 15'x22', but the accuracy lies in the cameras used by the simulator. The game platform itself is like a highly realistic golf video game, with you as the controller. The cameras detect your swing speed, strike point, launch angle, ball speed, top spin, side spin, and other data to create a realistic flight path. Different lengths of fake grass are available to hit off of for fairway shots and rough shots. It measures total distance and carry and tells you your distance to the pin. It also simulates wind speed and direction.
The chipping and the putting are the hardest parts to get the hang of. Sometimes it is difficult to tell how far away from the pin you actually are and the distance doesn't seem to be as consistent with the swing speed on chips as it does with full shots.
We played Pebble Beach, and other courses include Spy Glass, the TPC courses, The Old Course at St. Andrews, and dozens of others. It takes about 1 hour for 1 player to play 18 holes. At Tee's it cost $25/h for weekdays and $40/h on weekends. (If playing a foursome for four hours it would cost each player $25 dollars, cheaper than playing 18 on a real course!)
All in all, I would say the simulators are about 75-85% realistic. It was never going to be a perfect simulation but for hitting irons and woods and getting to experience professional courses, it is well worth the money and is a pretty fun way to spend the afternoon.
To find a simulator near you just do a quick google search (ex: "about golf simulator st. louis mo"). Just please don't get in a bar fight at one of these places... too many easily available weapons.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Quote of the Day
Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company.
-George Washington
-George Washington
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