GOLF Magazine’s The Par Plan

Never mind the misleading title, the pros at GOLF Magazine and GolfTEC aren’t saying that they’ll have you shooting par in 30 days, but they are saying you’ll be a much better golfer at the end of 30 than you were before you started the program. Every golfer has a number in mind they would like to get to, and usually that number is a realistic forward-thinking goal compared to current skill level.

With that in mind, you can certainly hit your target by sticking to the lessons, watching the videos, and making liberal use of the swing analysis app on your smartphone. All these moving parts can work together to make you dig your game out of the sand trap.

Books & Magazines, Under $25

By Aric Mitchell on June 13th, 2013

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$24 BUY

SimpliSafe Home Security

The traditionally wired security system comes with quite a few caveats. Firstly, it’s expensive and usually comes bogged down with contracts that (on average) run more than $1,500 for the life of the deal. Secondly, they’re royal pains to install and each month comes with a grim reminder in dollars and cents of what it takes to keep your home safe. Enter SimpliSafe, endorsed by financial guru Dave Ramsey, that uses an all-wireless system to protect most average-sized homes.

(The company advises against their product if you have 20,000+ square feet that you’re dealing with — like we said, “most.”)

Installation is simple, and the monthly fee is what you see on this listing. Best of all, you can quit it any time without having to worry about whether you’re reneging on a contract. And, oh yeah, it protects your home from bad guys. That’s good, too.

Gadgets, Under $25

By Aric Mitchell on June 13th, 2013

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$15 BUY

Castello Di Montegualandro, Lake Trasimeno, Umbria – Freehold

How would you like to own your own classic 8th Century A.D. castle, complete with unbelievable scenery and its very own prison? (Don’t worry, the bad guys are long since dead.) Now you have the chance with Castello di Montegualandro at Lake Trasimeno, Umbria — Freehold. Property comes with more acreage than you can count and unbelievable reminders of days-gone-by.

(And we’re sure a few ghosts, too.) To get a better look at what you can expect, scroll through the 11 images we’ve provided. Those tell the story much better than we ever could. Word of warning, though. No one’s listing a price for this bad boy. That’s generally not a good sign.

Living

By Aric Mitchell on June 13th, 2013

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$TBA BUY

Johnnie Walker Blue Label

Not all whiskeys are created equal, and if you don’t believe that, then you’ve never had a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label in your liquor cabinet. Improving on more than 190 years of tradition, this particular taste brings a full, rich body of flavors that end with a nice blend of smoke, pepper, and spice.

Each aroma is selected by master whiskey blenders and woven together into a unique concoction that you’ve got to see, or taste rather, to believe. For best enjoyment, down some ice water ahead of time to clear the palate. It’s going to need the prep time for what it’s about to experience. Good luck finding a bottle, though. Unfortunately, you can’t find a single bottle where I live, but I do accept gifts, so look me up if you’re feeling generous.

Bar Drinks

By Aric Mitchell on June 13th, 2013

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$TBA BUY

ps4 gives playstation advantage over xbox one

PlayStation 4

PlayStation 4 made waves at E3 on Tuesday, announcing a price point, a few details that should make the Xbox One folks worry, and unveiling the console’s look for the first time. That’s right, PS4 is no longer a rumor but a reality, and from the sound of things, it’s more deserving of your time than that other system over at Microsoft.

In addition to bringing improved graphics and gameplay to consumers, it’s also cheaper and more gamer friendly. By “gamer friendly,” we mean you can play used games on it, and it doesn’t have to stay connected to the Interwebs 24/7. Nice try, Xbox, but we’re heading to Sony. Perhaps when you create a system that doesn’t punish your customers, we can talk again.

$250-$500, Video Games

By Aric Mitchell on June 12th, 2013

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$399 BUY

Hovding Airbag For Cyclists

Ever wondered why car and truck owners get to have all the safety precautions in the event of an accident, but there is nothing for cyclists that isn’t also 100 percent restricting? (We’re talking about helmets.) Well, wonder no more, because now the Hovding Airbag for Cyclists is here to change everything you knew about bicycle safety up to this point.

It basically looks like a scarf — from a distance anyway — and there are a number of design schemes available to play along with the charade. However, Hovding has much more going on here than meets the eye. A complex series of algorithms is able to communicate with the protective covering, sending a message to deploy in the nick of time and give the rider a cushioning layer of protection in the event of an accident. No wonder they call it an invisible helmet. You won’t see it until you need to.

$500-$1,000, Gadgets

By Aric Mitchell on June 12th, 2013

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$530 BUY

kel-tec ksg shotgun gives burglars a very bad day

KSG Kel-Tec Shotgun

Kel-Tec has been slow to enter the shotgun market, but when they finally made the call to charge forward, they went balls out. Introducing the KSG Kel-Tec Shotgun, a compact burglar buster with capacity for 13 or 15 shots depending on shell size. The 18.5-inch cylinder bore barrel makes up most of the 26.1 inches from stem-to-stern.

As far as shell disbursement, both left and right tube magazines are capable of holding seven 2 3/4-inch shells or six 12-gauge 3-inch shells in addition to the chambered round. Translation: anyone who enters your home unannounced and uninvited is going to have a really bad day if they get in front of this monstrosity.

$500-$1,000, Weapons

By Aric Mitchell on June 12th, 2013

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$800 BUY

Milagro Tequila

With each year, it seems like the summer months are getting hotter than the ones that came before them. And as the thermometer continues to climb — today it was 101 degrees in my neck of the woods — the urge for cocktails grows more intense. What better way to quench that urge than with a nice bottle of Milagro Tequila.

As you can see from the photo, the company has a number of different poisons to whet your whistle. When incorporated into a frozen margarita, each of the different flavors is a nice reminder that it’s only hot-as-hell for a few months out of the year, and that Christmas will be here before you know it.

$25-$50, Bar Drinks

By Aric Mitchell on June 12th, 2013

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$30 BUY

Millennium Falcon Bed

It took two ladies to create a bed that acts as the ultimate living tribute to one of the greatest male action heroes to ever grace the silver screen. Kayla Kromer designed and made the Millennium Falcon Bed, and Heather Leah Kennedy immortalized it through the act of photography. We’re not entirely sure what it’s made of, but we’re sure intergalactic princesses would find it hard to resist if you had this piece of furniture in your home.

Unfortunately, the ladies have no plans to sell at this time. It was a project conceived just for laughs, so if you want one in your home, you’re going to have to get creative like they did. Still cool enough to deserve a mention, though.

Concepts

By Aric Mitchell on June 12th, 2013

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$Concept BUY

Ryse: Son Of Rome

Crytek’s Ryse: Son Of Rome, yet another on-display item at E3, revealed one of the bloodiest, most intense, and stunning hack-and-slash video games to date. While it probably isn’t enough to get us on board with Xbox One and Microsoft’s abysmal handling of what is probably an otherwise awesome piece of hardware, it certainly looks incredible.

What makes this more intense, more disturbing than others of its ilk is how realistic the storyline and graphics are. You are an active Roman general, and that means a lot of pillaging, plundering, and hand-to-hand combat. As the campaigns continue, you’ll have to become more savvy in order to stay deadly, but once you get a taste for the carnage, it’s doubtful that’ll be a problem. Due later this year.

Video Games

By Aric Mitchell on June 11th, 2013

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$TBA BUY