This is the car I would deem Perfect For a Weekend Road Trip for Two.

While up at GM's Milford Proving Ground this week (see yesterday's post for details), I test drove the Saturn Sky and its sister car, the Pontiac Solstice. Personally I found the Solstice a little too soft looking and soft driving. The Sky, with it's stronger lines and more aggressive feel, was definitely more fun to take around the test track.

A true roadster, the Sky Redline boasts an Ecotec turbocharged 2.0L engine, GM's first direct-injection offering in North America, and the most powerful production engine in the Ecotec family, producing 260 horsepower that rockets this small, pit bull of a car off the line. Big 18-inch alloy wheels, performance-tuned suspension and StabiliTrak electronic stability control keep you tight in the curves, even at faster-than-you-should-be-going speeds. Not once did I feel like the Sky's back end was going to let loose on me. (No comment to GM's reps on how fast I was going.)

Inside, ...More

This week's recipe comes from the video recipe site, ImCooked.com. It's Roasted Chicken with Pears, as prepared by "celebrity chef" Christopher Walken.

I could watch Walken pour milk into a bowl of cereal and be entertained, but watching him prepare this dish, in what I believe is his own kitchen, is something you can't miss. And how often do you get to tell your date you learned how to make this dish from Christopher Walken?

Side note: I'm really disappointed that he didn't taste it, look at the camera, and say, "I gotta have more cowbell."

www.imcooked.com

Fall is gutter cleaning season. It's also fall-off-the-ladder-and-break-your-collar-bone season. Why climb down, move the ladder, and climb back up, when you can reach. Just. A bit. Farther...

The folks who made vacuuming your floors easier with the iRobot Roomba, are making cleaning your gutters easier - and safer - with the Looj, a robotic gutter cleaner that let's you set the ladder up once and clean 80 feet of gutter in about 10 minutes. (Check out the Looj in action in the demo video below.)

The Looj has a three-stage auger that spins at 500 RPM, breaking up clogs, flinging out debris and sweeping the gutter clean. The handle detaches and becomes a wireless remote you use to drive the Looj forward and backward, as well as to control the rotational direction of the auger, so you can make sure everything gets cleaned out. Without repositioning the ladder. Or leaning too far over to get that last clump of leaves.

It's waterproof in up to one foot of water, so you can use it in clogged gutters and rinse it clean with a hose after use. And at $99 for the basic package, it's less than the hospital bill you got last time you cleaned the gutters.

$99-$169
www.irobot.com

So she comes over for dinner and you start pouring her drinks in the hopes of loosening her mood. Enough that dinner turns into breakfast. But did you consider serving her a salad with avocado instead?

The website EnergiseForLife.com posted a list of what they call "sex-drive boosting superfoods." Not the typical aphrodisiacs you'd see (raw oysters, chocolate, etc.), these are foods you should have on hand and should be eating every day.

Their health benefits and effects on the male body, (and in some cases, female body), result in increased sex drive and potency. All the more reason to stock your pantry.

Some of the items you should always have on hand include:
- Pumpkin seeds which contain Zinc, important for testosterone production. Just in time for Halloween.)
- Bananas, the enzyme "bromelain", potassium and B vitamins increase the body's energy level.
- The aforementioned Avocado, which the Aztecs called the "testicle tree".
- Basil which increases your circulation, stimulates sex drive and boosts fertility.
- And the unlikely Sauerkraut, which a US study found, apparently cause 90% of men tested to become more "active" after eating it.

Celery, Maca ("Nature's Viagra"), Almonds, Asparagus, Chilies, Cardamom, Figs and Garlic round out the list. You can read what effects each food has, here.

If you're traveling abroad any time soon, you might want to plan your travel around this list from mmoabc.com. Based on a survey "taken around the world" (sounds scientific enough), comes this list of the ten cities with the most beautiful women. Results were based on quality of women, women to men ratio, and approachability.

The winner was Stockholm, Sweden (the Bikini Team probably put them over the top), with Copenhagen, Denmark coming in a close second. One US city made the list: Los Angeles, California. Home to silicon enhancements and movie star dreams.

The overall top ten are:
10. Amsterdam, Holland
9. Tel Aviv, Israel
8. Montreal, Canada
7. Caracas, Venezuela
6. Moscow, Russia
5. Los Angeles, California
4. Varna, Bulgaria
3. Buenos Aires, Argentina
2. Copenhagen, Denmark
1. Stockholm, Sweden

To read why each city made it... and more importantly, for pics of women from each city, head to mmoabc.com.

I spent yesterday as a guest of GM up at the Milford Proving Grounds, test driving their new '08 vehicles. (They paid my way up there, handed me the keys to anything I wanted to drive, then turned me loose on their test track. Someone's probably getting fired as I write this.)

Over the next several days I'll be posting on the cars I drove. Cars that work for different guys and their lifestyles.

Today's car is the new Chevy Tahoe Two-mode Hybrid. Perfect if you spend a lot of time hauling gear and friends around - and don't want to have to stop every few miles to fuel up.

I know. "Hybrid" brings to mind tiny little cars driven by guys with nose rings and alt-rock on their iPods. But this is 2008. And GM is planning to roll out hybrids for most of its vehicles. Including trucks and SUVs. The two-mode hybrid system is the one they designed for use on transit buses back in 2003 and is optimized for both city and highway driving. In the first mode, at low speed and light loads, the Tahoe can operate in three ways: electric power only, engine power only or in any combination of engine and electric power. When operating with electric power only, it provides all the fuel-savings benefits of a full hybrid system. About 25 percent more fuel efficiency. I'm not saying it's anywhere near close to what you'd get in a Prius, but then have you ever tried towing a boat and heading to the lake with five guys in a Prius? Exactly.

And if you think because it's a hybrid you'll have to sacrifice power, the 332-horsepower Vortec V-8 engine will change your mind. ...More

In honor of the recent DVD release of Knocked Up, Universal sponsored a National Knocked Up Night at local bar parties around the country, complete with special cocktails created for the event. (No reports were released on the actual number of party-goers who got knocked up, or how many were influenced by the drinks to do some knocking.)

Here's a couple for you to try this weekend while you watch the DVD, looking for the quotes I pulled for the Seth Rogen movies post. (TheBachelorGuy.com and Universal are not responsible for any pregnancies resulting from too many Knocked Up Martinis.)





Knocked Up Martini
2 oz of Tall Blond vodka
1 oz of pomegranate flavored liquor
Splash of sour
Splash of cranberry
1 cherry, sliced in half

Add all contents in shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass.
Garnish with two cherry halves in the bottom of the glass.


For the non-alcoholic drinker...
The Ben Stone Sour
1 can of Kaboom Tropi_cool Energy Juice
4 oz Orange Juice
1 lime
Club Soda

Mix one can Tropi_cool with the orange juice and the juice from
the lime. Pour over ice, and top with club soda.
* Variations: use sour mix (4 ounces) instead of lime juice. Or use
7-Up instead of club soda. And a shot or so of vodka couldn't hurt.

www.knockedupmovie.com

It's not so much size, but proportion and nipple placement, that makes the perfect breast, according to an article from ChinaDaily.com.

According to the story, researcher and one of the founding surgeons of Mybreast.org (and envy of men the world over), Dr. Patrick Mallucci, spent hours studying topless photographs of women to determine the characteristics that make the "perfect breast".

What he found is the "model mammary apparently has a nipple that points slightly skywards, and an upper half just a bit smaller than the bottom half... The ideal is a 45 to 55 percent proportion - that is the nipple sits not at the half-way mark down the breast, but at about 45 percent from the top." The women with the best breasts in the world? Model Caprice Bourret.

The worst breasts in the world? According to Dr. Mallucci, his patients "begged him not to make their breasts the same shape as Victoria Beckham's 'unnaturally round' globes.

You can read the story here.

The results are in and the vast majority of you, 91%, like some dirty talk in the bedroom. 40% say a just little dirty conversation is enough to keep things exciting, with almost 30% looking to get really nasty.

What I found most interesting, and a little surprising, is almost 21% of you want to sit back and let their lady do all the talking. I'm no behavioral scientist, but if I had to guess, I'd say that's a result of the pervasiveness of porn. (Ever hear a guy getting verbal in porn? Of course not. It's distracting and breaks your concentration.)

And finally, a miniscule 1.6% of you feel your lady is too much of a lady to get filthy. (Is she allowed to show cleavage?)

This week's poll has to do with guys bringing the bling. I want to know how you feel about men wearing jewelry. Acceptable? Or should guys go sans accessory? Vote in the box on the right.

On the heels of the ridiculous "inappropriate dress" claim by Southwest comes this bit of airline employee overreaction and gross abuse of authority that resulted in four grown men being escorted off a flight. For making fun of each other.

This ...More

Clothes make a statement. A couple of well chosen accessories can make that statement louder.

I'm not talking about a half dozen gold chains, a pinky ring, or 2 carat diamonds in each ear (although those do make pretty loud statements about you). I'm talking more about things like your dress watch. A pair of unusual cufflinks. Even a designer keyring. Those convey something about you and add to your style without overpowering.

Jewelry designer Lois Hill has a new line of men's silver accessories that'll add style, without anyone having to question your manhood. Make a bold (and subliminal), statement at the office with her silver and black tribal cufflinks. Or grab one of her neckwear or wrist-wear pieces, (I can't, with a straight face, call them "necklaces" or "bracelets"). They're a perfect addition to what you're wearing out to the clubs this weekend. Unless what you were wearing is a purple velour track suit, unzipped down to your navel. Then nothing will help you.

Available at upscale department stores
www.loishill.com

With fall just about here, you're going to want to start thinking about heartier meals. Stews, roasts... hot dishes that call for a lot of meat and vegetables. This time of year, even your salad-eating dates are looking for dishes that fill you up, and keep you warm. (Just like Donovan's mom says in the Chunky soup commercials.)

Here's a recipe for Braised Chipotle Chuck Roast from The Spaghetti Sauce Gourmet, by David Joachim (Fair Winds Press, $19.95). The chipotle gives it just enough heat to take away the chill of a fall night, but not so much that she won't eat it. Or want to get close to you later.

It takes only about 10 minutes of unbelievably easy prep before going into the oven to roast for two hours. While you watch football. Or have a drink by the fire with her. And as always, the leftovers are even better the second day.

Braised Chipotle Chuck Roast
(Serves 6)

1 beef chuck roast (2 to 2 1/2 pounds)
2 teaspoons ground chipotle chile
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons preminced oil-packed garlic
1 1/2 cups refrigerated or jarred tomato sauce with chunky vegetables
12 ounces tomatillos or green tomatoes, chopped
8 ounces zucchini cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 cup baby carrots
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 375°F. ...More

This Sunday ushers in the official start of fall, and because it's another excuse to celebrate, I have a cocktail you can use to toast the change of seasons.

It's called the Fall Classic from Grey Goose. In keeping with the flavors of autumn, the drink calls for ingredients like dark malt beer and La Poire, Grey Goose's super-premium Anjou pear-flavored vodka. Perfect for taking along when she wants to go "watch the leaves turn colors".

Fall Classic
1 1/2 parts Grey Goose La Poire
1/2 part Crème de banana (substitute Galliano or triple sec)
1/2 part simple syrup
Pinch of Clove
Pinch of Cinnamon
Pinch of Nutmeg
4 parts dark malt beer
Pear slice for garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the first six ingredients. Shake well until condensation forms. Strain into a Pilsner glass filled with ice, top with beer and garnish with pear slice.

For more recipes go to www.greygoose.com

From PsychologyToday.com comes this "shocking" report on collected research from five areas of men's sexual health. (I would say more "interesting" than shocking, but hype sells.) Here are some of the highlights. (You can read the full story here.)

In terms of guys having "sex on the brain", where the prevailing belief has been that men think about sex about every seven seconds, their research says it's not true. According to the Kinsey Report (Sexual Behavior in the Human Male), 43 percent of us only think about sex a few times a week or a few times a month, and 4 percent have it cross their minds less than once a month. (I believe the technical term for that is "Married Man".)

Sitcoms may be right. A sex-starved man married to a disinterested wife may not be a plot-line created just for cheap laughs. According to the article, "As it turns out, the instant a woman enters a secure relationship, her sex drive begins to plummet." (Especially if she's married to Jim Belushi.)

On how we "measure up": the Psychology Today report found that there is no clear or reliable figure for the average length of our "little buddy". However, the Journal of Urology puts the average at 5.08 inches, and the International Journal of Impotence Research puts it at 5.35 inches. (The only time you'd be better off choosing Impotence.)

And once we are having sex, how long do we "perform"? Their surveys showed that the average sex session lasts from three to ten minutes. That's with a partner. Without? According to the story, "the average hotel porn viewer watches for just 12 minutes." (Of course. I have an early meeting in the morning.)

Full story here.

Eating good in the neighborhood? Apparently not. This pic that appeared on consumerist.com shows what looks like a jello-mold gone bad. Except it's supposed to be "garlic parmesan fries". Another good reason to learn to cook at home.

You can read the story from the woman who was served this mess here.

I've been a grilled cheese fan ever since I was old enough to bite into one. It could also very well be the first thing I ever "cooked" on my own. And I don't care how "gourmet" you are or old you get, you never outgrow grilled cheese.

Yahoo! Food has 10 Tips For the Greatest Grilled Cheese. I didn't think you could improve on it's simplistic perfection, but apparently you can. Tip topics cover cheese (use grated over sliced), bread (keep it under 1/4" thick), butter (use salted over plain), and cooking (cover the pan when cooking the first side for optimal gooeyness). And they've even got a recipe for the Best Grilled Cheese.

To read all ten tips click here.

Nothing breaks the flow of a good round - and pisses you off quicker - than spending 10 frustrating minutes searching for your ball in the woods while the foursome behind you stares impatiently from the tee box.

Swatting your 4-iron through mounds of dead leaves, you're thinking: If golf balls were made of metal I could use one of those detectors you see old guys using on the beach. Or even better, if my balls had built-in GPS...

Now they do. The RadarGolf system uses special USGA conforming RadarGolfBalls that are embedded with Radio Frequency emitting chips. If one goes slicing off into the trees, grab the handheld locator, wave it around the area where your ball disappeared, and bars on the screen and audible (and volume-controllable), beeps guide you closer and closer to your errant ball. Even if it’s completely buried under a pile of dried leaves, hiding behind a tree, or plugged in mud. (A Shield-It pouch keeps the extra balls in your golf bag from distracting the handheld.)

Should you truly lose one - in the middle of a lake, over some guy's house - replacement balls run about $40 per dozen. About what you'd pay for typical premium balls. Now I just need someone to invent a golf ball that swims back to shore and I'll never have to buy balls again.

$199.95, includes a dozen RadarGolfBalls
www.radargolf.com

New Frontier, the folks who brought us TEN, The Erotic Networks, has teamed up with Penthouse Media Group to launch Penthouse TV.

Showcasing the most popular features of the Penthouse brand -- including Penthouse Forum, Penthouse Pets, interviews with celebrities, original programming, full length movies, product reviews and amateur video submissions -- a video on demand service should be available in about six months. At which point you will be required to hide your TV under the bed.

You can see a preview at www.penthousetv.com

Men's Health recently posted a piece on foods that are incredibly good for you, but not many guys eat them. Considering one is a weed called purslane, I'm not surprised.

What makes the article a must-read is not just telling us what we should be eating and what the health benefits are, but including a section on how to prepare and eat them. Which in most cases is easier than you think. (Purslane? Just add it to a salad. Even though it's a weed it has a mild, lemony taste.)

The top ten are: Beets, Cabbage, Guava, Swiss chard, Cinnamon, Purslane, Pomegranate juice, Goji berries, Dried plums, and Pumpkin seeds. And to see why they made the list and the best way to eat them, click here.

Nothing ruins a flight faster than running out of power for your personal in-flight entertainment, and having to spend two hours listening to the elderly woman in the row behind you loudly discussing her medical issues with the person next to her. In stomach-churning detail.

You can avoid this by traveling with a charger, like the Inflight Power Cable.

Since there are no outlets or power jacks on a typical plane, the palm-sized, 3-ounce Inflight captures the small amount of audio energy that's delivered via the seat audio jack and coverts it to usable power. According to Inflight, the louder the music, the more power it provides. They recommend Mariachi bands at maximum volume. And I'm not making that up. They've also supplied the airlines a "charging tone" channel which generates the most power, so check with the flight attendant to see if their airline provides it. (It's also FCC certified and doesn't emit radio noise, so it's safe to charge your stuff below 10,000 feet.) ...More

It's time to try something international so I'm giving you a recipe for an Indian dish that will definitely impress her, but you can handle with minimal effort. It'll make you look like a pro in kitchen, even if you only have basic skills.

This dish comes from the book Modern Indian Cooking by Hari Nayak and Vikas Khanna, and uses something you may not have heard of: garam masala.

Garam masala (which means "warm mixture" in Hindi), is a mixture of spices that is a featured ingredient in a lot of Indian cooking. Typical blends can include up to 12 spices, including coriander, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. You can find it premixed in specialty food stores, or if you're feeling particularly chef-ish you can find recipes online, like this one.

Think of her reaction when you say, "Tonight I'm making you coriander crusted salmon with cilantro cucumber chutney" instead of "We are having grilled chicken breasts and a salad". Once again, you're welcome.

Coriander Crusted Salmon with Cilantro Cucumber Chutney

1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch slices
3 tablespoons red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice ...More

This Sunday, September 16th,is Mexico's Independence Day. Which means it's a great excuse to drink tequila. In recognition of the holiday, Tequila Herradura is featuring the Three Amigos con Herradura as its drink of the month. Who are we toargue? Line 'em up.

Three Amigos is an authentic Mexican drink that reflects the three colors of the Mexican flag – green, white and red. It also represents the traditional style of enjoying tequila – straight. (Sorry margarita fans.) Three Amigos con Herradura consists of a shot glass of fresh lime juice, a shot glass of Tequila Herradura and a shot glass of flavorful sangrita, all sipped (yes sipped... they don't shoot it), separately, one sip at a time each. Salud!

THREE AMIGOS CON HERRADURA
2 oz Tequila Herradura Silver
2 oz sangrita
2 oz lime juice

Serve separately in tall shot glasses to create the colors of the Mexican flag.

There are liquors you have on your home bar because they are cocktail staples (vodka, gin, rum, tequila), and then there are liquors you have because they're interesting and unusual. Those are the ones you take out to pour when you finally persuade that tall, blonde sales rep back to your place for a drink. She won't be impressed by your top-shelf vodka. You need to give her something unique. Something with an exotic taste and an upscale pedigree. Mix her a drink with Navan.

A creation from the House of Grand Marnier, Navan is a liquor made with French cognacs and all-natural, hand-selected black vanilla from Madagascar, the most expensive spice after saffron. (The perfect story to tell your date as you mix her drink.)

The vanilla not only gives the liquor a unique taste, with notes of butterscotch and honey, but also smoothes out the cognac, making it extremely drinkable whether you drink it straight up. Or use it to give a new twist to your usual cocktails, like mixing equal parts of Navan and vodka with a little simple syrup and some fresh lime juice for a Vanilla Martini.

If you're looking to go truly unique, here are some recipes from Navan that'll show her your a guy who does things a little out of the ordinary.

FIRE & ICE
2 oz Navan
2 oz Pineapple sorbet
1 oz Dark rum
2 oz Coconut milk foam
1 tsp Sugar
Vanilla bean for garnish

Add ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Add vanilla bean garnish.


FRENCH PRESS
2 oz Navan
1 cup Espresso
1 oz Hennessy Privilege
Espresso beans for garnish

Add ingredients to a shaker with ice. ...More

Your iPod is designed to hold flawless quality music. Whether it hits your ears in the same flawless condition is entirely up to whatever speaker system you pump it through. Plugging into a bad set of earbuds, or a cheap docking station, is like drinking a fine wine out of a dirty plastic cup.

Bowers & Wilkins, makers of the 800 Series speakers found in leading recording studios worldwide, have taken that same engineering and developed the Zeppelin, a compact docking system designed specifically to preserve the pristine sound quality of your music.

The Zeppelin's zeppelin shape was designed not only for looking cool in your living room, but is a nod to the 800's famous "pod" design. The tapered ends house the midrange and tweeter drivers, minimizing the baffle area around them, thereby "reducing diffraction effects, making for ultra-wide sound dispersion and a much smoother response." (That's a complex way of saying you get purer sound.)

A single 5-inch subwoofer ...More

40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN -

There are certain accomplishments and talents, no matter how proud you are of them or how difficult they were to achieve, that you may not want to use to impress women.
Andy: What am I supposed to say? I went to magic camp. I am an accomplished ventriloquist. I am a seventh-degree imperial yo-yo master. Oh do me yo-yo master, I want you to do me 'cause you're the yo-yo guy.


Often, how something sounds is much better than the actual experience.
Cal: We went to Tijuana, Mexico, you know? And we thought it would be fun, you know, to go to a show. Everybody says you gotta check out one of these shows. And... it's a woman fuckin' a horse. We get there and we think it's gonna be awesome and... it is not as cool as it sounds like it's gonna be. It's kinda gross.


The more hard work and effort you put into something, the more reward you will receive.
Cal: Listen, when I was growing pot, I realized that the more seeds I planted, the more pot I could ultimately smoke.


Simply pay attention to her. Listen to her. Talk to her. And you can be ugly as fuck. Or ugly as shit. (As long as you're not an arrogant prick.)
Cal: ...it doesn't matter if you're ugly as fuck, or you're ugly as shit. It's about talking to women. And I know how to do that because I observe. Because I am a novelist.
Andy: What? You never told me that before.
Cal: That's because I'm not an arrogant prick, Andy.


It's very easy to tell someone's sexual preference.
David: You know how I know you're gay?
Cal: How? How do you know I'm gay?
David: Because you macraméd yourself a pair of jean shorts.


Everyone needs a little wrong in their life.
Andy: This doesn't feel right.
Jay: Of course it don't feel right! What has felt right for you doesn't work! You need to try some wrong, dawg.


To be a successful bullshitter you've got to sell it.
Jay: Nastiest shit you've ever done? I'm talkin' about nasty!
Andy: Ahhhhhhhh... wow. Soooo many stories are running through my head right now. [pause] I dated this girl for a while... she was really a... nasty freak. She just loved to... get down with... sex all the time. It was like... anytime of day... she was like, "Yeah, let's go! I'm so nasty!" And I'd be nailing her and she'd be like, "Oh, you're nailing me! cool!" ...More

Finding your way from a printed map was fine back in Lewis and Clark's day, but not for you. You're a man of the 21st century. You haven't mailed a letter with a stamp since 1998. You haven't gotten your news from a newspaper in years. So why should you be expected to get directions from a static, paper map? You need cutting-edge technology. You need interactivity. You need a female voice ordering you what to do.

TeleNav GPS Navigator is a full-function navigation system that, instead of coming as an expensive, stand-alone piece of equipment, resides entirely on your mobile phone. I gave it a shot this week, and I was surprised how much was packed into what is essentially a cell phone app.

Once you launch TeleNav, (and agree not to do anything but listen to directions while actually driving), it gives you the option of getting driving directions by searching over 10 million businesses, coffee shops, ATMs, WiFi hotspots, hotels and even gas stations by price. Choose one and you'll get detailed voice and onscreen turn-by-turn directions. In 2D, or in 3D.

If you need to get to a specific address and you're already on the road, typing it in while driving isn't exactly the safest thing to do. TeleNav lets you hit one button and "talk" your destination into their system through a toll free number. Switch back over to the GPS, select the address when it pops up on the list, and you're off. Miss a turn and it'll reroute you.

The TeleNav Traffic function can even color-code the maps to alert you to traffic situations the whole way to your destination. If there's an accident ahead ...More

The NFL season has officially started and that means thousands of fans will take to stadium parking lots across the country with grills fired up, coolers packed with beer, and spatulas in hand. It's time for serious tailgating. And for the first time ever we've got the America's Best Football Tailgating Cities Index - a ranking of the "tailgating friendliness" of the 31 U.S. cities that host an NFL franchise, plus NFL-hopeful-once-again Los Angeles.

Ranking criteria included: stadium parking lots (lot sizes, fees, accessibility, hours of operation and special facilities and programs for tailgaters), overall tailgating environment and tailgating-fan enthusiasm.

Coming out on top, with high scores in all categories, is a city usually known for its crab bakes and bruising defense - Baltimore. Rounding out the top 5 were Denver (it's better mile high), Houston (happy to have a semi-decent team again), San Diego (sunny, 72 degree weather, and LT), and Cincinnati (the police are too busy dealing with the players to worry about what you're doing).

And where are the worst places in the country to set up your grill? Seattle came in dead last, with Detroit (31), St. Louis (30), New Orleans (29) and Atlanta (28) filling out the bottom five. (Note to Seattle, Detroit and St. Louis: You've got to work really hard to come in behind a city still rebuilding after getting devastated by a hurricane.) ...More

I'm a big weekend napper. About 20 minutes of afternoon recharging on the couch, and I'm good to go all night.

During the week I also have the urge to shut down for a few, but I've always been embarrassed about actually doing it. At one of my early jobs, the head of sales used to close his door and sleep for a half hour, and he was constantly ridiculed for being "lazy". Turns out he was probably more informed than the rest of us. And more alert.

Recent studies are showing that a short 20 minute "power nap" in the middle of the day can do more for you than a jolt of caffeine. And they keep you going until it's time to wind down for good and hit the sheets. Meaning you won't crash on the couch after the evening news, or more importantly, during happy hour.

If you are thinking of converting from Non Napper to Power Napper read this informative post on the 10 Benefits of Power Napping, and How to Do It from ririanproject.com. Besides giving you info on why, when and how to nap, it also lists the different types and lengths of naps so you can see which one is best for you, like the two-five minute Micro-nap or the 50-90 minute Lazy Man's Nap. As for me, I'm going to close my door for a 20 minute Original Power Nap.

www.ririanproject.com

The iPhone gets all the buzz, but a lot of cell phones store and play MP3s. They may not hold nearly as many songs as your regular MP3 player, but they do let you bring a few key tunes along to serve as your own personal soundtrack. The only downside is you have to choose between using the corded stereo earbuds, which deliver the sound the way it was meant to be, or your much more convenient wireless Bluetooth headset, which only lets you listen out of one ear, defeating the whole purpose of having a stereo phone.

The new Plantronics Voyager 855 Bluetooth headset gives you both - stereo sound in a convertible wireless headset. Sharing many of the features of their other headsets - compact, lightweight design, the one-touch buttons that control music and calls, the sliding mic boom and clarity enhancing technology of AudioIQ - the 855 also comes with a detachable stereo ear bud and cable that clips to the headset and doubles as an ear clip.

The 855's earbuds come in three sizes to ensure a personalized fit, and are designed to seal out surrounding noise so you can hear your conversation or music more clearly. (Never mind the approaching fire truck.) A single button lets you switch between calls and music.

When you're not using the extra bud just snap out the cable, converting the 855 back into a mono headset. A single charge gives you 7 hours of talk/listening time and about 200 hours standby time.

$149.95
www.plantronics.com

Planning a bachelor party in Las Vegas can send even the most confident best man into a cold sweat. This is the day the group will talk about for years to come, and the soon-to-be-ex-bachelor will remember for the rest of his life. This is a big job for the best man and defacto party planner, and the pressure is on.

As Vegas’ premier five-star host and concierge service, I've created some of the most memorable bachelor party experiences this town has ever seen. Here are eight key things to consider before planning the groom's last hurrah of singledom.

1 - Determine What and How Many
While this seems obvious, and as much as you may want to surprise (or shock) the groom at every turn, it's always advisable to check with him to find out what he does - and doesn't - want to do. The groom also knows the others attending the bachelor party best, and can help ensure the trip is enjoyable for all. Work with him to determine how many guys are going to come out and who will partake in what activity.

2 - If You Fail to Plan – You Plan to Fail
Las Vegas is the number one spot on the planet to hold a bachelor party weekend and, with over a half-a-million visitors each weekend, it's not a town for spontaneity. If you don't plan your activities well beforehand, there's a chance you'll be shut out. ...More

We love overkill. Bells and whistles. Flashing lights. Features we can't figure out but are impressed by anyway. The new AccuTrac Measuring Tool from Craftsman has all of these. And more.

Like many tools, it's way more than the average guy needs, but you feel more capable and powerful just by wielding it. Like using a sledgehammer when an ordinary hammer will do. Think of the AccuTrac as the sledgehammer of measuring tapes.

Forget having a buddy hold the end of a tape when you need to measure something over eight feet or so. The laser technology on the AccuTrac let's one guy measure up to 150 feet. With accuracy to within 3/16-inch. And the backlit, LCD digital readout means you don't have do the "5-feet and 7 tic marks" thing if you don't know your fractions. Or, you can just have it display in decimals instead. Or in meters and millimeters, should you be using it in Canada.

Beyond just measuring single distance, it can also measure two points to determine area, three points for volume, and will even figure Pythagorean to measure indirect or hard to reach points. (If I had any clue what that meant, I'd elaborate for you.)

If you don't have paper handy, the AccuTrac can store and recall up to ten values, and also let's you add or subtract measurements. (Which is where I usually screw up.) And there's a built-in bubble level for added accuracy.

Again, way more than you'll probably ever need for around the house. But it'll definitely inspire jealousy when your neighbors see you use it. And thats what's important. (Cue Tim Allen grunting in the background.)

$119.99
www.craftsman.com

Since my column appears in Hooters Magazine (shameless plug: swimsuit issue on sale now at newsstands everywhere), a lot of people sent me a link to the CNN story about a Hooters Girl (yes, they require we capitalize the G when speaking of their Girls), getting thrown off a Southwest Airlines flight.

It seems her outfit was so "revealing" the other passengers couldn't imagine being trapped on a plane, 30,000 feet in the air, forced to look at her exposed cleavage and upper thighs. Never mind the surly flight attendants, delays, screaming kids and overcrowded conditions, Southwest Airline passengers shall not be subjected to such inhumane treatment as the possibility of seeing exposed female skin.

Before you rain down a storm of comments bashing me for being outraged at what seems like a case of young girl dressed obscenely on a plane full of families, or for me defending an employee of a company that pays me to write a column for them, watch the video. It doesn't seem to me, or the people CNN interviewed on camera, that she was dressed all that provocatively. It may be the "after" picture they are showing - once she adjusted herself and was let back on-board after listening to a lecture on how to dress - but I have seen much, much worse in my travels.

And most importantly, look at the archival footage of Southwest flight attendants. Nice uniforms.

Did Southwest go too far? Let me hear what you think. ...More

The sun is setting earlier. Football season has finally started. And Labor Day has passed. But we've got a couple of weeks left until the Autumnal Equinox and it's still hot as hell out there. So as far as I'm concerned it's still summer.

Here are three cocktails courtesy of thebar.com that you can serve at the last remaining pool-side parties until the leaves start falling.

DJ’S DELIGHT
3/4 oz Don Julio Blanco Tequila
3/4 oz melon liqueur
1 oz pineapple juice

Add Don Julio Blanco Tequila, melon liqueur, and pineapple juice in ice-filled rocks glass and stir.

TANQUERAY ROUGE
1 1/4 oz Tanqueray London Dry Gin
1 oz simple syrup
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
1 oz pomegranate juice
1 spiral lemon peel

Add Tanqueray London Dry Gin, simple syrup, fresh lemon juice, and pomegranate juice in a shaker. Shake with ice and strain into martini glass. Garnish with lemon peel spiral.

TOP SHELF LONG ISLAND
1/4 oz Cîroc Vodka
1/4 oz Don Julio Blanco Tequila
1/4 oz Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
1/4 oz Tanqueray London Dry Gin
1/4 oz Grand Marnier
1 splash sweet & sour mix
1 oz cola

Add Cîroc Vodka, Don Julio Blanco Tequila, Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, Tanqueray London Dry Gin, Grand Marnier, sweet & sour mix, and cola. Shake with ice and pour into tall glass.

For more drink recipes head over to thebar.com

We've all seen or heard of the studies showing that moderate drinking has some health benefit. (Some of us have even celebrated them.) But everyone's definition of "moderate" is different. What's moderate to Lindsay Lohan might be a three-day bender to you and me.

So how much alcohol is actually helpful and how much does it take to turn harmful? A lot less than you think is the answer for both.

CBS News and WebMD reported on a "state-of-the-art review of drinking and health by University of Missouri cardiologist James H. O'Keefe, M.D., and colleagues" which showed that more than one drink a day for women and more than two a day for guys ends up causing more harm than good.

What do they consider "one drink"? They define it as "a 12-ounce bottle of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled liquor which all have between 13 and 15 grams of alcohol." And they found that just a little more than that a day will start to do some damage.

No word on whether you can "bank" your daily drinks. Have five Saturday night then not drink again until Thursday. But I'm guessing that would be a no. You can read the full article here.

Some weekends when the urge to eat great barbecue hits, the urge to stay on the couch and watch the game hits harder. Sure you'd love to enjoy a slab of hickory smoked ribs or tender pulled pork, but the thought of spending hours over a hot grill - after the week you've had - overcomes your craving. What would be great is if you could get award-winning barbecue shipped to you, and all you'd have to do is get off the couch for a few minutes to reheat it...

Go online and order a meal from Sticky Fingers Rib House. They started making their authentic Memphis-style barbecue back in '92 in their first South Carolina restaurant, and have won a slew of awards - including Best Ribs and Best Barbecue - in almost every one of the 15 cities they're in now.

Their Summer Grilling Specials offer a veritable variety of ribs, pulled pork, wings, sides and sauces - that get delivered overnight right to your door. Or skip the variety and just order your favorite. (The ribs are some of the best I've had. Even after an overnight trip on FedEx vehicles.) ...More

Car Salesmen rank somewhere just below Personal Injury Attorneys and right above Dog Fight Promoters on the Loveability Index. They'd shake their own mother down to squeeze out a few extra dollars on a sale. But you came in armed with excellent credit and a good payment history, so you're gonna get a better deal than some deadbeat, right? Wrong.

Mark Marine is a long-time car dealer. But unlike many of his car-selling peers, he grew a conscience and decided maybe it was time consumers understood what really goes on when they buy a car. So he wrote a book titled, "Kick the Dealer... Not the Tires!". In it, he discusses the role your credit plays when you buy a car. And, even though it sounds counter-intuitive, having good credit may not get you the best deal.

"You may not want to hear this but the people getting the best price on a car are people with bad credit," says Marine. "The car-buying experience is designed to allow dealers to make up profits lost on bad-credit sales by making bigger profits on good-credit sales." So, just like with insurance, the rest of us end up paying higher rates because of the idiots out there.

So how can you arm yourself against the dealers when they check your credit and find out you actually pay your bills on time? Marine gives five key points you should know before buying a new car:

1. Check your Credit Report.
Most credit reports contain inaccurate information. It's up to you to correct it — there's no government agency that requires the credit report companies to amend mistakes to your report. And Marine warns against using the "credit repair" companies if you find problems on your credit report. “There is no such thing as credit repair," he says. "These companies claim they can hide or remove negative information from your credit report, even if that information is true. But they can't. What's even worse is that after they've 'repaired' your credit, your score drops even lower than before you went to them."

2. Bad Credit Means the Bank Protects Its Money.
When you have bad credit, the bank places more restrictions on the loan. That gives dealers less wiggle room to add on extras and options, lowering the amount of stuff they try to squeeze into the deal. (On the flip side, bad credit still means you have fewer options when borrowing money.)

...More

If you've been putting off buying an iPod to see what the next generation would bring (even while your early-adopter friends busted your balls), your patience has paid off. Today Steve Jobs introduced the new iPod Touch, which features the same multi-touch user interface from the iPhone which lets users "find and enjoy all of their music, videos and more on its gorgeous widescreen display with just the touch of a finger."

Surprisingly (or not so surprisingly), similar to the iPhone, it also has Wi-Fi (a first on an iPod), the it-Safari browser for true computer-like web surfing, and the new iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store allowing you to buy tunes and videos anywhere, anytime. And the 8mm thin Touch boasts a 3.5-inch display that automatically rotates the image into landscape or horizontal, depending on how you turn it... just like the iPhone. (I smell convergence.)

It'll be available later this month and is priced at $299 for the 8GB model and $399 for the 16GB model.

For those of you with huge music collections, Apple is also introducing the iPod Classic, which will come in 80GB ($249) or 160GB ($349), an enhanced user interface, and encased in a new all-metal enclosure.

www.apple.com

1. Chinese Throwing Stars – Pointy and deadly. ‘Nuff said.

2. Super Glue – Because the world is an imperfect place. If it wasn’t, well, why would an assassin be chasing you?

3. Swiss Army Knife – Terrifying and sharp as the Swiss people themselves.

4. iPhone – To frustrate any assassin trying to type an email or SMS.

5. Morgan Grimes – Clouseau had Cato, Fred had Barney, Tango had Cash… I have Morgan. Mess with the bull, you’ll get the horns.

6. Adidas Track Suit – Comfortable, slimming, elegant, enchanting.

7. Butter – What? Butter isn’t delicious?

8. Nintendo Wii – If you’re going to outrun an assassin you better know how to play Wii Tennis.

9. A Spork – As I’ve always said: the best offense is a good defense.

10. Flamethrower – Because sometimes it’s easier to get your point across by shooting fire out of a gun than it is if you don’t have the capability to shoot fire out of a gun.

(Hack my laptop at www.chuckssecret.com)

I'm liking the ingenuity of dating sites recently. With new ones popping up faster than kids at Brad and Angelina's house, developers have had to come up with new twists to grab the attention of online mate-seeking singles. (Please, no more "winking" and "poking".) One site with a couple of innovative features I like is IamFreeTonght.com.

Born out of the idea that chatting with someone online for a week or so just to get comfortable enough to meet isn't an effective use of dating time, IamFreeTonight lets you post when you are free, where you plan on going, and what friends will be joining you. A Dating Alert email with your preferences goes out. Then girls who are also free that night can decide if they want to join you. The informality (and friends who have your back in case of a "psycho" situation), lends itself to a higher comfort level. And hopefully a much quicker "getting to know you" period. It also makes it more likely you'll date more, because of the casualness of the situation. There's not that one on one, "well here we are", awkwardness of a typical first dating-site date. It's you and your boys out for some drinks, and she and her girls happen to meet you there. Everyone's just having a good time.

And if you're traveling and don't want to be stuck in a hotel room watching pay-per-view porn every night you're in town, you can use their "Date Now" feature. Enter when and where you'll be and it'll be posted on your profile. People in that city will get Dating Alert emails with your info on it and can "show you around" if they like. Beats "winking" for a week.

Free to register
www.iamfreetonight.com

A video iPod is pretty much standard road warrior equipment these days. With the selection of in-flight movies ranging in viewability from "Not Interested" to "I Can't Believe a Studio Green-lit This Mess", having your own stash of entertainment makes a long, boring, cross-country flight at least tolerable.

Spending several hours in an airplane seat is uncomfortable enough, but spending several hours in an airplane seat, hunched over a small iPod screen can get downright agonizing. (But is still less painful than watching the latest Robin Williams movie.) Watching while reclining helps, until your arms give out. The ideal viewing position would be to lie back and watch on an overhead screen. And since the airlines don't have them, you'll need to bring your own.

Myvu makes a "portable big-screen" packed into what looks like the glasses LaVar Burton wore on "Star Trek: The Next Generation". Thin and lightweight, the myvu projects video images onto a virtual screen that floats in front of you. (It's about the same as watching a large TV from about six feet away.) ...More