Month: July 2014 (Page 8 of 11)

Carving a Place for Him: From Man Cave to Man Castle

July 16, 2014 / Bullz-Eye Staff

The spaces have existed since man can remember, yet somehow the modern man often forgets how to dress his dwelling area. The ‘man cave’ gets salutes in modern literature, media coverage, and quips from presidential candidates, yet the ‘average joe’ scratches his head when it comes to carving a place for himself.

Why the ‘Man Cave’?

The ‘man cave’ is representative of the man himself, a framed and lived-in creation of one’s personality. The man cave improves a man’s quality of life, provides comfort, and serves as a place to hang one’s hat (or head and sulk depending on the events of a given day).

Lifestyle

man cave

Car Review: 2014 Mazda MX-5 Miata PRHT

July 16, 2014 / Bullz-Eye Staff

Hot summer days demand drop-top cars to truly enjoy this time of year in the Midwest, and the 2014 Mazda MX-5 Miata answered the call for us. We drove and drove the MX-5, soaking up everything this car and the summer breeze had to offer, and never left the wheel disappointed. After a week of driving, it’s no wonder to us that the MX-5 is still by far the best-selling two-seat roadster in the world.

EXTERIOR

The MX-5 Miata was developed primarily for the North American market, and throughout the vehicle’s history, the region has come through to remain dominant in global sales. Available with two distinctive and easy-to-operate head wraps, the 2014 MX-5 Miata comes standard with a Z-fold design soft-top or an industry-leading Power Retractable Hard Top (PRHT) as tested. The soft top, available on all trim levels, continues to set the industry standard with its simplicity and ease of use. With a central latch handle, the top requires only a simple hand motion to fold and stow behind the seats. The top itself descends into a cleverly designed storage well, thus leaving the 5.3 cubic feet of cargo space completely untouched.

An available option on Club and Grand Touring trims only, the PRHT is stored in the same manner as the soft top, again not affecting storage space. Designed to perform in any climate, PRHT models outsell soft-top models by a 4:1 ratio worldwide. Using a single-button operation, the PRHT offers one of the fastest power-operated open-and-close cycles for a hard top in North America at an efficiently expedient 12 seconds.

The true red paint coupled with the shiny black hard top looked amazing and really popped with the dark gunmetal 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 205/45R17 street-sticky Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires.

Car Reviews, Cars

Mazda Mazda Miata Mazda MX-5

Product Review: Adidas RG3 Energy Boost Trainers

July 15, 2014 / Bullz-Eye Staff

We’ve been fortunate to test some amazing shoes lately, but the all new RG3 Energy Boost Trainers are crazy hot! Adidas and Robert Griffin III recently launched the quarterback’s first signature training shoe, and we would like to report that they are going to be a huge hit for the folks at adidas. RG3’s signature trainer features full-length Boost, adidas’ revolutionary energy-returning cushioning technology, along with a SPRINTWEB upper for maximum comfort, support and breathability. The TORSION SYSTEM, which allows independent movement of fore and rear foot, is fully integrated into the SPRINTFRAME platform. The dynamic fit panels for lockdown work with the seamless strap and the full-length booties offer the ultimate in comfort. Adidas Football’s Carmoflauge colorway is inspired by the automotive industry’s prototype testing process, meant to test future products without revealing design lines. The diamond tread design reflects RG3’s movements on the field and in the gym.

The design is sleek and the shoes are so smooth that it feels like you’re walking on air. And considering these are probably the quietest shoes we tested, you can work the field or court and go virtually undetected. Fresh looks along with signature RG3/adidas styling will have these shoes popping off the shelves. Snap up a pair here for around $140.00.

Gear, Sports, Stuff to Buy

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24 Blog 9.12: I Love You Goodbye/People Who Died

July 14, 2014 / David Medsker

Okay seriously, remind me to stop trying to anticipate the events of next week’s episode. I’m almost always wrong – they always play it more conservatively than I hope they will. I couldn’t help it, though: I was so excited about the idea of Audrey being a Doll that I let it cloud my judgment. Of course they’re not going to do that; the network has already played that card on another show. If they did it twice, they’d be a laughingstock. I see that now. Mistakes were made.

Either way, though, I knew that Audrey was going to die before the final clock ticked, and sure enough, she did, at the hands of the pesky, unaccounted-for second shooter. If memory serves, that is the first silent clock tick since Bill Buchanan. Even when the show went off the air in 2010, with Jack going off the grid and the show’s future uncertain, Jack’s exit didn’t merit a silent clock tick, something they wisely remedied here as he’s being transported by helicopter to some place where the inmates pray to a god that the Russians don’t believe in to be transferred to someplace less hellish. Like a Slovakian hostel.

Television

24 24 Blog Audrey Boudreau Chloe O'Brian Jack Bauer Live Another Day

Product Review: Adidas Predator Instinct FG Cleats

July 13, 2014 / Jason Zingale

Two months ago, we wrote about the new collection of Battle Pack cleats that adidas unveiled in conjunction with the 2014 World Cup. And with two adidas-sponsored teams ready to battle it out in today’s World Cup Final at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, we figured it was as good a time as any to take a closer look at one of the five styles available: the Predator Instinct.

The latest version of the popular Predator line has been worn by several top players throughout the tournament (including Germany’s Mesut Özil, Brazil’s Oscar and USA’s Graham Zusi), and that’s because it’s arguably one of the best soccer cleats on the market. Along with a HYBRIDTOUCH synthetic leather upper that offers premium softness and light weight without sacrificing durability, the shoes feature a transparent, firm-ground outsole with a control frame that’s more flexible and thus more responsive.

But what sets the Predator apart from adidas’ other styles are the five control zones located on the top of the cleat that are designed for more power, swerve and contact. Each raised zig-zag pattern (or “zone”) is made of a next-gen SL rubber that allows you to make the ball move in ways that’s an absolute nightmare for goalies. Additionally, adidas has upgraded the gel pad located on the instep that improves grip and control for a better all-around touch of the ball.

Though we weren’t crazy about the tribal war paint design of the Battle Pack collection when it was first announced, they’re a lot more attractive in person, particularly the Predator, which isn’t nearly as flashy thanks to its white-on-black color scheme. Of course, it hardly matters what the shoes look like if they perform on the field, and the new adidas Predator Instincts don’t disappoint in that department. Whether or not they’ll give Özil and his German teammates the edge they need to take down Lionel Messi’s Argentina is another matter entirely, but there isn’t a better stage to showcase these awesome cleats than the biggest sporting event in the world.

The adidas Predator Instinct Battle Pack cleats are available now in specialty soccer stores and online at www.shopadidas.com.

Gear, Sports, Stuff to Buy

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