Author: Bullz-Eye Staff (Page 153 of 303)

First spending choices for lottery winners are surprising

June 29, 2014 / Bullz-Eye Staff

When we buy a lottery ticket, what’s the first thing you think about spending that huge cash prize on if you happened to have the lucky numbers?
Many of us imagine that we’d be booking exotic holidays or buying luxury cars, a beach house, that kind of thing. But, in fact, it seems that most lottery winners are actually quite practically-minded when it comes to first purchases with a lottery win.

In a survey by pixmania.com in 2012, winners who had won a minimum of $1 million were asked what three purchases they had made in the first ten days of winning the lottery draw. A surprising number bought what you might think were mediocre or, frankly, dull items with their windfalls.
A quarter of respondents made a new washing machine their first purchase, and the second most purchased item was a new sofa for the living room. An iPad came in as the third most popular – with 17% of respondents buying one. Fourth place went to a new handbag, and in fifth place, sports clothing was another popular purchase.

Lifestyle

lottery

Car Review: 2014 Audi A4 Quattro

June 25, 2014 / Bullz-Eye Staff

The 2014 Audi A4 Quattro Triptonic is a winner in the mid-size class, packing a lot of punch while delivering the steady good looks expected of the car maker. In top form both in terms of looks and technology, it stands out with its sporty, yet balanced character.

EXTERIOR

The dynamic styling of the 2014 Audi A4 Quattro catches your eye from the moment you see this car with the 18-inch, 10-spoke RS design wheels, Audi xenon plus lighting with LED DRL tail lights and aluminum window surrounds. The distinctive design details – such as the stainless-steel underbody protection, the single-frame grille with vertical chrome bars and the range of wheels – underscore its strong character. The ice silver metallic paint was gorgeous and just seems to fit this car perfectly.

INTERIOR

Audi’s interior keeps getting better and better while obviously chasing perfection. The interior of the Audi A4 features all of the classic strengths of the brand’s uncompromising workmanship, finely coordinated colors and materials and logical, intuitive controls. The Audi A4 offers luxurious climate-controlled comfort seats for the driver and front-seat passenger. Small fans provide three-speed ventilation to the seat cushion and back. The trunk has a capacity of 16.95 cu ft. Capacity with the rear seatbacks folded down (a standard feature in the Quattro version) is 33.97 cu ft. There is also a wide selection in the areas of communication and infotainment. The versatile MMI navigation plus system can be combined with the Bluetooth car phone online, which connects the A4 to the Internet and brings the tailored Audi connect services on board. Another highlight is the sound system from Bang & Olufsen.

Car Reviews, Cars

audi Audi A4

The Alcohol Decision: Should You Drink at Your Next Company Function?

June 23, 2014 / Bullz-Eye Staff

It’s important to mix business with pleasure when attending company parties and functions. However, while it may be normal to share a few libations with friends after work or during the weekends, how should a company employee consume and subsequently act around their boss and coworkers?

Should you (even) drink at your next company function? It depends, so sip on the following information to make the best judgment for you.

Is it Acceptable?

For most workers, it doesn’t require a visit and question posed to the HR department to figure if it’s kosher to drink during work, but what amount or intensity of consumption is ‘okay’ for events? One study found the most-acceptable events are designated ‘parties’ (holiday party), a dinner meeting with a client or coworker, and retirement events. The most-unaccepted ambiances are during a meal while interviewing for a position.

Lifestyle

drinking alcohol

Car Review: 2014 Volkswagen Jetta SE

June 18, 2014 / Bullz-Eye Staff

The Jetta is Volkswagen’s number one selling car in North America, so there is always pressure on the Jetta to rack up sales for VW. The 2014 VW Jetta SE we tested sported a reflex silver metallic paint that was as clean as any paint we’ve seen. First impressions are important and the Jetta came out of the gate strong.

EXTERIOR

Volkswagens in general have a distinct look, and the Jetta is no different with a sleek design that looks smart and sporty. At the front, the coupe-like incline of the windscreen and the consistent use of horizontal lines define the Jetta’s design. The horizontal blades in the grille, together with the blades in the lower intake, are designed to make the Jetta appear wider and more dynamic. Volkswagen completely redesigned the Jetta a few years back and crafted a bigger car, with a longer wheelbase and 2.9 inches added to the overall length. The increased dimensions allowed designers to incorporate clear, precise lines and muscular surfaces to impart a timeless elegance, giving the impression that this is a car from a higher class. The 16-inch alloy wheels looked sweet and also came with all-season tires.

INTERIOR

The Jetta gets right to the point inside and out, and the cabin space is no nonsense. A key benefit of the Jetta’s extended wheelbase—it stretches an incredible 104.4 inches—is a truly spacious interior, with impressive rear-seat legroom of 38.1 inches. Long legs can rejoice. The gently arcing roofline also means more than ample headroom of 37.1 inches for rear-seat passengers. And stretch-out legroom in the back isn’t achieved by a cramped front seat either. Being tailored for an American audience, there is no shortage of legroom and headroom up front.

Just open any of the Jetta’s wide-angled doors and the quality of materials – the fit and finish, and the clean, simple, refined elegance of the cabin – is clearly visible. And in true German tradition, the layout of the fascia, the positioning of the switches and controls, and the clarity of the oversized, round instruments is designed to be ergonomic and intuitive. Trunk space also borders on the cavernous. The Jetta offers a class-leading 15.5 cubic feet of usable trunk space, and can be increased significantly by folding forward the 60/40-split rear seatback. The rear seatback is also offered with a pass-through to accommodate longer items, like skis. Move up to the SE (as tested) and additional standard features include: heatable front seats; cruise control; standard V-Tex leatherette seating surfaces; an adjustable center armrest with storage compartment; a six-speaker sound system; and a Media Device Interface (MDI) with iPod adapter.

Premium features that are available on the Jetta include: a six-way power driver’s seat; a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel; a soft-touch dashboard; two-tone V-Tex leatherette sport seats; the RNS 315 navigation system; the acclaimed Fender Premium Audio System; keyless access with push-button start; VW Car-Net connected services; Bluetooth connectivity; and a rearview camera. Exterior enhancements include a chrome radiator grille and chrome window trim.

Car Reviews, Cars

Volkswagen Volkswagen Jetta VW

Jordan hits the gym ahead of new season

June 18, 2014 / Bullz-Eye Staff

After a below-par rookie season, Miami Dolphins defensive end Dion Jordan has spent the majority of the offseason getting himself into the sort of shape that means he can have a bigger impact during his second season in the NFL. The Dolphins 2013 first round pick has returned to pre-season training sporting bigger shoulders, larger arms and an overall stronger look to his upper body in the hope of making more of an impression next season than he managed in the last one.

Sports

NFL