Friday, February 29

Chick Pic....Kana Tsugihara


Kana Tsugihara. Thats her. She's a Japanese Idol or something that is nothing short of ooolafreakinla. She's a 24 year old model for Sabra Magazine and has pretty perfect el naturals. If you ask me.

You can find tons of other photos, and few vids out there. But don't get your hopes up for the nastiness. She just isn't into that. She's into the bikinis and having pictures taken in front of weird stuff. Such as stoves, couches, office desks and junk.

None the less, she's asian and she's beautiful. Take a look at these hot spots to get your jollies off. Kineda.com and Photo111.com

Sunday, February 24

The Brew World....A Beer Fit For The Pope


No man is too big or too small to enjoy the little things in life. No real man is too righteous to enjoy the things that man has spent thousands of years perfecting. Not even the Pope.

For someone who is said to enjoy beer before wine, Pope Benedict XVI is no different from the next man. So when the UK Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu gave him a gift while visiting for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, he happily accepted. Visit Realbeer.com for more.

It was a bottle of Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale brewed by the Black Sheep Brewery of Masham, England.

It's unusual but it's true. And I suppose that if any brew was appropriate for such a figure of faith, the Holy Grail is that brew. And if you're wondering how you can enjoy a ice cold bottle of church, try visiting the BeerGeek here and check out MPHG among many others.

Although I haven't had the luxury of trying such a blessed beer, BeerGeek.biz describes it as, "Hazy, honey golden hue with aromas of honey and earthy hops."

So with that said I wonder what it would be like to sit down in a nice big comfy Vatican chair and shoot the shat with his holiness over a couple of Holy Grails and some of that authentic Italian pizza.

And don't forget to check out Black Sheep Brewery dot com to see what else they've been brewing up.

Friday, February 22

Flavorites....Bacon Salt


There is a good amount of comfort in knowing that as a man I am aloud to indulge in my favorite foods and get away without so much as a synapse of guilt. And it is also good to know that there are good people out there that are making it much easier by combining our favorites.

I introduce to you Bacon Salt!

J&D's Bacon Salt™ was created by Justin Esch, Dave Lefkow and Kara Gibson of the Seattle area; when these former technicians had one of those booze induced ideas that we all get from time to time. Except these guys new how to go about getting the job done. Now they're selling thousands of bottles for $4.49 all over the place, including Amazon.com.

As they say, "Why have french fries when you can have bacon french fries."

Not that very many guys care, but J&D's Bacon Salt™ is kosher and vegetarian. It comes in three flavors currently that are original, hickory and peppered bacon. Mmmmmm. They don't have my favorite bacon flavor though, maple bacon. And even though there are plenty of great sounding recipes out there, you can dash this stuff on anything and everything next to ice cream. I'd try it.

Their website at Baconsalt.com has fantastic looking recipes that combine the flavors of delicious bacon with your favorite foods. Check them out here. From bacon mayo to bacon flavored tomato soup. They all sound great.

Check out Bacon Salt: The Movie!

Thursday, February 21

Man vs. Nature....NBA Outdoors?


Oh how obscure the beauty of the outdoors has become. We find ourselves scurrying home after a long day of whatever it is we do. Only to land our bottoms on the couch to watch our favorite people on television. Well at least the stars are beginning to enjoy the outdoors a tad bit more.

I am talking about professional sports. On the first of January, the National Hockey League played a successful outdoor game in Buffalo, New York. And so others must follow suit. As did the NBA being inspired by such an idea.

It will be more than 35 years since the last outdoor NBA game when the Phoenix Suns take on the Denver Nuggets in the 2008-09 preseason. The last outdoor game was on Sept. 24, 1972, where the Suns beat the Bucks in a preseason game.

That one was in a baseball stadium and this one will be at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Oct. 11. Make sure you tune in to TNT for this one. Yahoo! Sports said that if in the unlikely event it is rained out, they will play the next day and maybe again the next year.

"In October, the Suns brought in a basketball floor to test the facility and found it suitable. Depending on ticket sales, Heckmann said an outdoor preseason game could be an annual event."

"The Suns feature megastars Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Shaquille O'Neal. The team picked the Nuggets because of their marquee players, Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony, and because there are direct flights from Denver to Palm Springs. "

So I know I want to see this game. It's just too bad they can't play a couple of regular season games outdoors. And another thing. Make them play in the rain if it ends up that way. Everybody else does, like the NFL. The NHL plays on ice for Pete's sake. Don't tell me in all the hours these ball players have racked up on the court that they haven't played in the rain. Plus, it would make for good TV.

Wednesday, February 20

Man Tech....AirPoo!


Here at The Manalyst it is considered a duty to bring those hidden gems of technology that sometimes never quite shine the way they should. Speaking of duty! Here is our latest installment of Man Tech. It's called AirPoo™ and it deserves to be heard.

Flussssshhhhh.

AirPoo™ is special because it combines one of man's most sacred of moments with the comfort and relaxation of a nice mini-vacation. This super-pooper comes fully equipped with docking stations for your ipod and, if you gots one, a Mac Book Air. It has a multi-touch flusher, which has me scratching my head a bit, a built-in surround sound system and a built-in wireless router. Last but most importantly, this mofo has a heated seat installed for our pooping pleasure.

Now, you might be asking one of two things. Why would one need these things for a simple BM? Slap! Or how could this throne of thrones get any better?

Well I think we could improve upon this magnificent piece of porcelain.

Maybe a secret cooled compartment in the back that holds one or two beers for those "just in case I run out of beer while I'm crapping" occasions. Or perhaps a secret cubby hole to hide those personal magazines that can't be left with the popular mechanics issues.

I got it! A cool recycling unit that turns those useless toilet paper rolls into a spare couple of pieces of TP for those "just in case I run out of TP while I'm crapping" situations. And then stores it in a nice little hideaway compartment. Ha!

It's better then using the old finger trick.

Check out the Poonovation Video Tour here.

Man of the Month....Paul Wirth


It takes a lot of guts to be a minister who expresses themselves outside the iron walls of faith. Well that is just what this month's Man of the Month did. What some might consider an unneeded manifesto that laces his church and his own assessment, I consider the character of a revolutionary man.

He is pastor Paul Wirth and he is our Man of the Month for February, 2008. For stepping out beyond the duties of faith and issuing a 30-day sex challenge for his southwest Florida church and everyone else. Why? To battle the increasing divorce rates he says.

Pastor Wirth says that he wants the married couples only to focus on their marriage and specifies that church goers are no different than others when it comes to improving your marriage.

So it's sex everyday then, and it's not just for those who are attending. There are billboards and even a website, www.30daysexchallenge.com, that take this man's idea to the next level.

And as for the singles out there. Besides the idea not applying, he actually encourages singles to take another challenge. The exact opposite. Try staying abstinent for 30 days. Check out this crazy idea over at CNN.com.

So what do you think? I think it's unbelievable because your ordinary man couldn't make such a statement stick. But when a man of faith steps out of his conventional box and proposes a new way of helping people, especially men, there is something to be said. There is something to be realized maybe?

Monday, February 18

Mankind 101....Armwrestling Tip #1


As men we thrive on ways to test our manhood and excuses to burn up our testosterone like kindling. So I will personally post ideas and tips on how to improve ourselves in the ways of mankind. We shall all be the alpha male of the pack with a little help.

So here's the situation. You're done watching the monthly pay per view with usual bunch of hard nosed mofos. A twelve pack down and few thousand calories just sitting there waiting to be evaporated. So what do you do. Play yahtzee? No. Arm wrestle. Let's freakin' do it.

But we're not all John Brzenk. Who is probably the best arm wrestler that ever lived if you didn't know. Look him up here, he's a badass. In fact, your average group of guys are a jumble of scrappy skinny punks and plump juicy ogres. Did I just say plump juicy ogres. Ha, oh well. Anyways, heres a tip that could benefit you if you get put up against the one they undeservedly call "Tiny."

It's called a toproll. It is a move that involves leverage rather than strength and is considered what the diehards call an "outside" move. Heres some info from Armwrestling-Supersite.com.

" The key to the toproll is to get high on your opponent's hand. The higher you get, the more leverage you gain on your opponent's arm and the easier he or she is to take down. There are two types of toprolls, but to make things simple, remember two things. 1) Exert maximum backpressure throughout the entire match when performing the toproll. This is important. 2) Try to walk your fingers out on your opponent's hand. Once you have succeeded in walking your fingers out some on your opponent's hand, regrip his hand and then begin to walk your fingers out further until you have enough leverage to take him down."

So practice on the old lady or the kids and take this knowledge with you and don't let go of it. Because we all need to be able to shut down the big talker once in a while and this could be a secret weapon.

Sweet Ride....sQuba


Going out for a Sunday drive just got a little soggy. Check out this sweet new ride. It's an amphibious concept car made by Rinspeed Inc. Once this puppy enters the water it becomes autonomously driven due to it's cool laser technology. Rinspeed Inc. has more to say.

"The Concept Car no longer needs a driver – made possible by laser technology from the Hamburg-based company, Ibeo. Ibeo LUX laser scanners represent the vehicle’s intelligent eyes and safely steer the vehicle through road traffic."

The "sQuba" as it is conveniently called is a zero-emission vehicle that is powered by rechargeable Lithium-Ion batteries. But that's not all. It's a freakin convertible. And yes, there is method behind their madness. Due to safety precautions, the vehicle would be much easier to evacuate in an emergency.

This sleak submarine is driven into the water where it floats until you open the door when you're ready to submerge like a really cool futuristic alligator. Your breathing air is conveniently supplied by tanks of compressed air exactly like that of a scuba diver. Soon enough your swimming with the fishes James Bond style.

And although this bad boy is slower than molasses on land due to the extra weight needed for buoyancy reasons, it's shell is more like futuristic flying machine than a submarine.

"3-D foil elements with embossed fish and sharkskin patterns from Wetzel Processing Group and Hornschuch add visual pizzazz and streamline the exterior. Together with styling elements from Foliatec they create a harmonious velvety matt-white appearance."

I gotsta take me a ride in one of these. Here's a video of the sQuba in action.

Not So Manly....Larry Patterson


There are quite a few things that make a man an imbecile. But some men take advantage of this characteristic. Some men are destined to go down in history as the most unforgivable bastards that ever attempted to take a stab at this interstate of space and time we call life.

One such man left his five month old baby girl in the back window of his 95' Ford Taurus after fleeing the scene of an accident in Orlando, Florida.

Maybe just a boy to some of us, but in my eyes, should be considered a man after donating his genetics to the mother of their daughter. Maybe not man of the year though. Nineteen year old Larry Patterson, the father of the girl, left her lying out of her car seat and on the rear deck of the car.

Luckily the girl was taken to the hospital and found to be unharmed and in stable condition. Old Larry was found an hour later eating at McDonald's and taken into custody. He was on probation for drug possession and driving with out a license. Now he's servin time for three felonies including child abuse.

I don't really know what to say about this other than I hope his daughter smacks him around when she gets older. There really isn't an excuse for leaving your own child in a wrecked vehicle. I can only hope that he checked on her to make sure that she was at least somewhat in good condition before taking off. She was next to the back wind shield for crying out loud. You wouldn't want to be late for that important dinner date at Mickey D's though. Oh no. Check out the video here.

Wednesday, February 13

Table Talk....Fearing Poker


O' the sweet sound of a freshly cracked box of Bicycle playing cards with the newly painted kings and queens. The intermingling sounds of butterflies flapping inside the catacombs of our stomachs aching for competition and chips being stacked hastily. The thoughts we have are only those of optimism as we forget the times past where we were ill with mistakes and suck outs. We look forward to those aces and kings and throw aside what we said we would never do again.

We all have our own way of playing poker, no matter the game. But there are strategies out there that might help everyone make better plays. Some of these so called strategies refer to mathematical references involving formulas and odds that are just overwhelming to some of us. I believe The Manalyst will be able to give everyone a simplified explanation of possible plays we can make that work if used correctly.

We could start with something that I've noticed over the years that seems to be the crutch of my ups and downs. I am not consistent by any means. My goal in every game is to play consistent in areas such as not letting checks go around the table especially when I am on the button. And also areas where I play loose when I get a good buzz going, or when I shouldn't play as tight when I have a good or bad chip count and get scared out of a pot too easily.

Here is some of an article from PokerNews.com that deals with the harsh realization of how weak our minds actually are:

"Know this: If you are afraid to lose, you will not, in the long run, win. You will lose more slowly than you would without any skills, perhaps. You will end sessions earlier and perhaps protect small wins more often. But overall you will be a loser because you will not be able to take advantage of optimal strategy and optimal situations that you will shy away from out of fear."

Another helpful hint the article suggests is play with unstacked chips which goes against all of my better judgement due to the effect it has on the speed of the game. My father plays this way and it takes much more time than needed to gather the amount of chips in mind for a play or call. But hey, if it helps with tight play.

"Play with a very messy stack. Just leave yourself a mound of chips – no nice, even stacks. This will make counting your chips very difficult. Re-buy regularly, so you really won't know without thinking about it whether you are up or down for the session."

If you're not worried about a slightly dwindling stack, you won't force yourself to tighten up. And we must also stay focused in every hand that we decide to play. Thats it. We must train ourselves to be consistent and to push around others at the right time and not be pushed around at the wrong times. Something you might try is bring a note with you with your special little reminders or write something on your thumb since you will most likely look at it during the entire game.

Look forward to more experiences, tips and strategies for poker play.

For The Bachelor....Bologna Recipes!


Since most of us have a package of bologna, or as we shall call it, boloney in the refrigerator I figured it would only be right to put out some of the many capabilities of such a food.

Lets start with a little background. The extremely underrated American boloney is a not so similar version of an Italian treat called mortadella, which is a pork sausage encased with fat. The U.S. government requires American boloney to be ground fine and not to contain visible fat. It is made out of a variety of usually low grade cuts of meat from chicken, turkey, beef and pork.

So how can we make that boloney shine? How about 122 recipes? These recipes include various versions of this meat cake cooked, fried, and cut to suit your every tastebud.

Among them are bologna rolls, salads, burgers and casseroles that all defy the boloney sandwich which dominates the traditional list of uses. Check them out at Cooks.com.

And don't ever under any circumstances give your bologna a first name. You don't want to become too attached to your food because you just might regret eating it later.

Saturday, February 9

What Makes A Real Man?


Would you consider a guy who has led his teams to three NCAA championships, one National Invitation Tournament (NIT) championship, eleven Big Ten Conference championships and over 900 wins a true coach, or even a real man. A guy who is one of three coaches to win the triple crown with an NCAA title, NIT title, and an Olympic gold medal? Maybe.

I honestly believe that "The General" was one of the sports most important figures let alone the most controversial. He was an ex coach for the United States Military Academy for crying out loud. I might just take a stern look or a military type personality to be the most successful coach in NCAA Div 1 history.

A real man could be described as a man who takes care of business and gets the job done by any means necessary. Or a man who demands respect but gives respect back. Maybe for a guy who is notorious for seemingly disrespecting others the goals that he sets for his players gets lost.

Bobby Knight was known for so many things that trump each other in a battle to define him. Perhaps what might be overlooked is a little thought about fact that Mr. Knight wasn't like other coaches in other aspect of the game. That fact is said best by Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports, "The coach who cheated the least won the most."

"That's about it. It really is. Plenty of your coaching "geniuses" are nothing more than smart recruiters eviscerating the NCAA rule book. But don't take my word for it."

So for a man that was most recognized for his eccentric coaching style or his hot head, it is hard to say that he shouldn't be noted as a true leader of the sport in a sense of honesty. By bringing in the unselfish prospects and refusing to give those players any promises other than becoming the best player they can be he proves to us all that he is a real man.

Friday, February 8

The Ultimate Garage


With tax rebate time upon us I figured some of us might be looking to improve some part of our home. Or maybe outside the home. So how about some bad ass garage stuff.

CarGuyGarage.com offers a huge selection of custom garage cabinet systems in every medium you can think of. They offer flooring, storage, heaters, metal pegboards, tool chests, workbenches and a whole lot of other goodies.

The picture above is a 20 piece stainless steel set that costs a whopping $6,704.99. But trust me there is so much more to peep. Heres a little info.

"This stainless steel cabinet series is designed to go together with a single screw driver in minutes and be rearranged without a second thought. By strategically hinging out elements,we save production costs, shipping costs, and frustration caused at assembly. Our Cabinets are designed with a hinge cylinder system which match up and are secured with steel hinge rods which slip easily into the hinge cylinder for quick and easy assembly."

These guys offer everything that is sweetness for the garage. You can order a catalog at their site, they have gift certificates, custom garage accessories and they have a toll free number at the top of the page. Be sure to browse around.

Thursday, February 7

For The Family Man....The Nagging Gets Worse?


Ahhhhh, the married life. Or even the long time girlfriend life for that matter. I am bringing the family men out there a doomsday original. This is a piece on relationships with your spouse and how levels of irritation are destined to get worse. The study stresses that demand and irritation didn't become more frequent amongst children and friends.

The University of Michigan's Institute for Social Researches lead study author Kira Birditt explains that as we age and get more comfortable, we start to overflow with expression. She believes that it is a normal part of a relationship.

Here is an exert of the study involving 800 individuals,

"Each participant rated how strongly they agreed or disagreed with two statements:

* "My (spouse/partner, child, friend) gets on my nerves."
* "My (spouse/partner, child, friend) makes too many demands on me."

"In all age groups, individuals reported viewing their spouse as the most negative compared with children and friends. The negative view of spouses tended to increase over time."

I know that there are guys out there that can get a little more irritating in time but that is a direct result of the old lady being irritating.

So what can we do about this.

Stay away from each other. Seriously. Go out. Tell her to go out. The less we are around our spouses the less we can be irritated. Of course if going out becomes too much of a habit, then that can get quite irritating in itself. Especially if you have kids.

Check out the whole article by Jeanna Bryner at LiveScience.

Wednesday, February 6

Chick Pic....Shay Laren

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Man vs. Nature....Video Games Killing Environment?


Sitting on the couch and watching television with a beer or sitting at the computer updating my fantasy leagues are great. But spending time outdoors even in the winter is a must and I am not talking about shoveling the walks or hulling the trash threw the drifts.

I personally can't wait for summer to get here as it is cold where I am from. It hasn't stopped snowing in more than a week. But going sledding with the kids or hunting in the fall and winter with buddies is just too much to pass up. Fishing is a game of patience and Lord knows that I'm not the world foremost leader of the practice but I will be damned if those fish go unhooked. Even in the winter.

The summer brings much more opportunities to go outside and play. Long past, but surely missed, are the days when staying out until the street lights came on just wasn't enough. These days there's golfing, camping, boating and barbecuing till dusk and into the late night. I can't see how anyone would want to pass these things up.

But we must be. According to one study, people are spending more time indoors and it is impacting more than just our health. It is impacting the environment. The study points out that we due to our lack of interest in national parks and less nature-based recreation, we have much less interest in conservation. Here is some of the article by cnn.com

"By studying visits to national and state parks and the issuance of hunting and fishing licenses the researchers documented declines of between 18 percent and 25 percent in various types of outdoor recreation."

"The decline, found in both the United States and Japan, appears to have begun in the 1980s and 1990s, the period of rapid growth of video games, they said."

"For example, fishing peaked in 1981 and had declined 25 percent by 2005, the researchers found. Visits to national parks peaked in 1987 and dropped 23 percent by 2006, while hiking on the Appalachian Trial peaked in 2000 and was down 18 percent by 2005."

I see a weird difference in this study and one also published in 2005 by CSRwire on an article covering record breaking improvement by the Keep America Beautiful foundation.

"Across America, volunteers removed over 208 million pounds of litter and debris, an all-time record, and a 39 percent increase over 2004's total. Equally impressive is the dollar value of volunteer hours logged during the event. Great American Cleanup™ volunteers worked 7.85 million hours, which translates into a contribution of nearly $135 million in wages and significantly lessens the financial and organizational burden on local and state governments."

I don't know about cleaning up too much outside of my yard this summer, but I hope we figure out a way to keep the world a cleaner place. The last thing I want is to tee off through a pile of garbage. But that is beside the point. Get out and fire up that grill boys, even if it is covered in snow, and bring a friend!

Tuesday, February 5

Man Tech....Remote Controlled Sperm


This is a bit different from your ordinary technology but it has to do with some men and I thought it was an interesting alternative.

Every man's worst nightmare might just be a close encounter between their junk and an object or tool that has one significant quality to it. That quality being sharp, jagged, horned, prickly, spiked, stinging, thorny or barbed. We as men will do almost anything to prohibit such an encounter.

But sometimes.....snip

Sometimes you might have to take one for the team. Sometimes you just have too many kids already. And since her version of permanent birth control is major surgery, we might get thrown under the knife with the only other option other than condoms and celibacy. A vasectomy.

The problem (other than qualities) is that once you get one, they are not always reversible. And God knows there are one or two guys out there that just might want another kid.

Well, an article by NewScientistTech brings us some enlightening information on a new option. A radio-controlled sperm 'tap'.

"The device is placed inside the vas deferens – the duct which carries sperm from each testicle to the penis. When closed, it blocks the flow of sperm cells, allowing them to pass again when it is opened via a remote control. The valve could be a switchable alternative to vasectomy, the researchers say."

But there might be a small issue. They won't let you take the remote home with you. Just in case you mistake it for the TV remote.

"One potential problem, however, is that after a while the valve may clog with protein and remain shut, rendering the man permanently infertile."

Well I think I have the solution to that. Let the man take it home and have control of his flow. That way he can change his own oil every 3,000 miles.

Wait, lets just say for instance you forgot whether the door was open or closed. Golly, there would have to be two buttons.

Man vs. Time....Hole In One By 92 Year Old Blind Man

And man won.

Age is a factor in every aspect of life, more so with women, but men deal with it differently. We ignore those aches and wrinkles.

Sometimes something happens though that defies all age boundaries.

I am talking about a man named Leo Fiyalko from Clearwater, Florida. Leo isn't your average guy though. In fact, at age 92, he surpasses the average life expectancy for males in America by 18 years. And he is blind. Well, mostly blind.

So what did he do?

Mr. Fiyalko five ironed a 110 yard shot and aced it.

What might be considered a hole in one way overdue for a guy that has been golfing for over 70 years and is playing with a condition called macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is the progressive deterioration of a critical region of the retina called the macula. This story from yahoo sports gives some info on old Leo.

"Fiyalko tees off every Thursday with a group of golfers ranging in age from 70 to more than 90. He used to have a 7 handicap, but now needs help lining up shots and finding golf balls because he has peripheral vision only in his right eye."

Way to go Leo, I bet you can't do it again though.

Etha-not!

Biofuels Cannot Quench America's Thirst for Gasoline

by Karsten Lunde


I never was much for NASCAR. It’s not that I don’t consider it a legitimate sport, or appreciate all the long hours, sweat and tears that go into every team, every season. It’s just that I find it dull and monotonous. I’d rather just sit outside and watch the neighbor’s dog poop in the yard.

The reason I’m even talking about NASCAR is because the Daytona 500 is two weekends away. What innovations will come this year? The recent past has seen the launch of restrictor plates, the media-hyped entry of Toyota racecars, and the use of E-85 ethanol fuel. Of all the modern forms of alternative energy, ethanol-based biofuels are the best short-term, but worst long-term, solution to our unhealthy addiction to oil and gas. Not to mention our reliance on foreign suppliers.

E-85 (a mixture of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) has become slightly more available around the country, and here in Lawrence will be readily available upon completion of Zarco’s new E-85 filling station at 9th and Iowa Streets. Although better for the environment than, say, emptying boxfuls of plastic bags into the Kansas River, or burning pure petrol, E-85 is not a feasible long-term solution to our dependence on oil.

Ethanol is produced mainly with corn, sugarcane and switchgrass. Additionally, according to the Saskatchewan Eco Network (www.econet.sk.ca), “some operations integrate existing industrial processes and ethanol production by making use of “waste” feedstocks such as potato, waste cheese whey, brewery waste….” Seems innocent enough, right? But wait, isn’t there something else we use plants for? Oh yeah, FOOD! Alone, biofuels are not the answer. On the surface it may seem like sunshine and rainbows, but lurking deep beneath the surface are air quality issues, water supply and quality issues, energy consumption issues, and the fact that ethanol production can be directly linked to intensive livestock operations. Plus we must remember there is only so much land. So the choice is ours—food for our bellies or fuel for our cars.

Now is the time for lawmakers to act. Maybe create some sort of X-Prize for innovative fuel technology. Society must mandate change. Push technology to its limit to find a cure for our gluttonous disease. But until the day comes when Mr. Fusion units are on every car on Earth, we will have to settle for Ethanol.

Karsten Lunde is a radio disc jockey in Lawrence, Kansas. Visit his personal Web site at http://karsten.lunde.net or check out Lawrence's X-92.9 online at www.x929.com.

E-mail: Karsten@x929.com

Monday, February 4

Incredible St. Valentine's Day Gifts For Men


As men, we know what were getting the old lady for St. Valentines Day. Flowers, chocolate or maybe a ring that she probably won't wear. But what about us. Let us explore our options and give her a little heads up on what we want.

The fine people over at uncrate.com have men covered. You can purchase directly from the site or send her an email, she should get the hint Seriously, here's what they have to say about a few things.

Playboy December 1953 Reprint
"They're going for upwards of two grand on eBay, but you can get an exact, Marilyn-rific reproduction for a lot less. The Playboy December 1953 Reprint ($25) lets you own the first issue of Playboy ever, with every article, advertisement and photograph — including Ms. Monroe as the centerfold — just as the original was sold over half a century ago. There's only 20,000 copies of this replica printed, so you might want to hurry."

The Gamerator
"Finally, someone combined an arcade-style gaming machine with the frosty goodness of a kegerator to create a gaming-and-boozing powerhouse. The Gamerator ($4000; pre-order) includes a Windows XP machine pre-loaded with more than 150 licensed classic arcade games, as well as a free one-year GameTap gold membership, providing online access to more than 1000 games. The refrigerated interior holds a standard "pony" keg chilled to 38 degrees, and a professional tap on the front offers easy access. A 26-inch HDTV completes the package."

BBQ Grill Made of a V8 Engine Block
Add this to our collection of crazy barbecue grills, this one looking exactly like a V-8 engine. That's because it's made of a Chevy V-8 engine block, retrofitted with a grill and propane burners that can crank out 60,000 BTU.

Custom Beer Pong Balls
"You're not a pro Beer Pong player until you roll up with your own customized balls from Adam's Balls. A perfect match for the Official Beer Pong Table, and the most intimidation money can buy, these Custom Beer Pong Balls (from $56 for 25 balls) let you put whatever you want in awesome full-color high resolution detail. And since the company uses international standard 40mm DoubleFish table tennis balls, lowly ping pong players can use the service too."

40 oz Cozy
"Keep your King Cobra cool to the last drop with this 40 oz Cozy ($12). Constructed of neoprene with a possible gang-related design, the super size cozy has a handle for making your favorite malt treat even easier to handle. There ain't nothing like a gangsta party"


If she really loved you she would.

Not So Manly....Bill Belichick


I believe a "Not so Manly" award is in order for a Mr. Bill Belichick.

I will start by saying that the Super Bowl was a great game. It was a hard fought battle of deserving warriors who, in the end, should have been given credit by everyone for their efforts all season long. Especially by a head coach who understands what it is like to both coach a team and win a Super Bowl. He should have given congratulations to all of the Giants' squad for a job well done. They played their hearts out and beat a very good team with a great season.

Instead he heads to the locker room with a head full of steam after walking out to shake the hands with one second still on the clock. One might say that it is slightly disrespectful to your own team and the opponents to not finish the game professionally.

Now, I suppose I can understand his actions are only a byproduct of his disappointment. He wanted that perfect season so bad that he threw a fit like a three year old girl when he didn't get it.

I guess it takes a man to walk up to the guy that handed you a loss and tell him congratulations on a well deserved win and actually mean it.

The Brew World....The Best Beer In The World


If you want to try the number one rated beer in the world, pack your bags because you're headed to Belgium. Westvleteren, Belgium to be exact. It is home to the Westvleteren Brewery where the Westvleteren Abt 12° is brewed by monks in the St Sixtus monastery and is in fact the only Trappist (catholic monk) brewery where the monks still do all of the brewing.

This brew is one of three ales that the Westvleteren Brewery produces. The Westvleteren Blonde and the Westvleteren 8° also rank high on the ratebeer.com top 50.

It is adored by international beer critics, which is good enough for me, and somewhat exclusive. You can't just walk up and buy this stuff. The monks won't even talk to you if you're non-monostatic, they will most likely point you in the direction of the visitors center. You must call ahead for reservation with their "beerphone" and are only allowed one 24 bottle case per car. A case will cost you €33.00 (roughly $43.00) and you must purchase it in the brewery itself, or at a abbey-owned cafe and visitors center.

And don't expect to see the top brew anywhere in stores, these bottles don't even have labels. But some liquor stores offer the trappist beer Chimay, which has always been considered a top beer. Being brewed by trappist monks also, it might be as close as you're going to get to a Belgian brewery with little monks running around drinking beer (the best beer).

For the Bachelor....101 Things To Do With Ramen Noodles


Not every man has a stocked pantry or culinary skills the likes of Julia Child. But most of us have Ramen Noodles, especially bachelors, and most of us are capable of running to the canned goods section of Wally World for a thing or two.

Well if you're looking to spice up your average bowl of noodles. Try this book, "101 Things To Do With Ramen Noodles." by Toni Patrick.

There are great creative twists that are inexpensive to make and quite the treat for the average bachelor or even the family man. You can get it at the nearest Barnes and Noble or purchase it online here for $9.95.

And for those that don't want to purchase it, there are plenty of recipes online. How about Ramen Noodles with Peanut Sambal, or Roman Chicken Alfredo. Who would have thought that you could do so much with so little.

Friday, February 1

Sweet Ride....Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster


This baby is a 5 speed automatic transmission and has a supercharged V8. It will accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds which makes it the fastest automatic transmission car in the world. It is the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster. Sweet Ride.

I'll let wikipedia explain some more details,


"SLR stands for "Sport, Leicht, Rennsport" (sport, light, racing). Mercedes-Benz has stated that they will build 3500 SLRs in a span of 7 years, with an annual production of only 500 cars.[2] The car's base price is GB£300,000 (approx. US$495,000 or €475,000, c. 2007).[3]"

"The Roadster's roof, however, is made from a "newly developed material" and hence will not take the form of a folding metal arrangement, as is now common on many modern cars. Following a manual unlatching, it takes a mere 10 seconds to fold away electrically. According to an official document from Mercedes, the cabin of the roadster is capable of allowing conversation between driver and passenger up to a speed of 124 mph (200 km/h) with the roof retracted. It is unsure if McLaren will release another version of the roadster like it did with the SLR 722 version."