C3www.norwichbulletin.com ■ The Bulletin ■ Saturday, April 21, 2012 ■ BIG BOY TOYS

www.NorwichBulletin.com

April 21, 2012

Thinking of a television pur-chase? Or dreaming of a com-plete home theater? Eitherway, take these steps into con-sideration. This advice comesfrom Leon Soohoo, owner ofParadyme Sound and Visionin Sacramento and Roseville,California:

1. Plan your space. Familyrooms often double as mediarooms, but those spaces alsolikely will have other activitiesgoing on at the same time theTV is on. That means the TV willneed to have a high-quality dis-play in a well-lit room.

Your TV should be in a placewhere it won't have bright lightsor sunlight from windows reflect-ing directly on the screen; thatcuts down on viewability. Willviewers be watching the screenat an angle? That also impactsyour TV choice.

Want a wall-mounted screen?Although lighter than sets inyears past, today's flat-panel TVsstill are heavier than a painting.A 32-inch flat-panel set rangesfrom 25 to 60 pounds, depend-ing on model. That weight needssturdy wall studs and a specialmounting bracket. And that flat-panel set needs to be connectedto a cable or satellite box, DVDplayer and other components;those wires will have to go some-where — such as inside the wall.

2. Screen size impacts view-ing distance. Today's flat-panelLCD TVs can be viewed muchcloser than their big-screen rear-projection counterparts withoutlosing picture quality. But youstill want your eyes and neck tofeel comfortable while watching.

As a general rule, seatingshould be at a distance at least1-1/2 to 2 times the diagonalwidth of the screen. For example,seating for a 60-inch TV shouldbe 7-1/2 to 10 feet away from thescreen.

Optimum placement of thescreen should be eye level while

seated. A TV above the fireplacelooks impressive, but it is bestviewed while standing.

3. Consider sound as wellas screen. What good is a greatpicture if the audio is awful?Most flat-panel TVs have tinyspeakers and need some sort ofboost. That may come fromsound bars (attached to the TV),thin surface-mount speakers,in-wall speakers or traditionalstand-alone speakers.Remember: A room's acousticswill impact your video experi-ence. If you're inclined to playlate-night movies loud, thinkabout soundproofing, too.

4. Get connected. Today's(and tomorrow's) TVs do a lotmore than channel broadcasts.They're interactive home-mediahubs with instant access to theInternet to download movies andshows. Manufacturers are mak-ing models that operate likesmartphones with downloadableapps. While wireless television isbeginning to become available,most consumers will need tokeep their TVs wired — at leastfor now — to get that accesswhile maintaining high-qualityvideo performance.

5. Don't forget the remote.That all- important clicker cando more than change channels;it can control all the other com-ponents of your media system.Consider a smart universalremote that can control theworks — not just the TV.

TV SHOPPING GLOSSARYSome terms to learn before

heading to the store or brows-ing for bargains online:

3DTV: Similar to 3-D moviesin theaters, 3DTV is expected tobe the next wave in home the-aters. Like its theater counter-parts, 3DTV requires specialglasses to see its full effect. Thevideo uses two full-resolutionimages — one for your left eye,one for your right — that flashback and forth rapidly. Wireless,battery-powered “active shutter”glasses have lenses that darken

and lighten in coordination withthe screen's flashing images,controlled by an “emitter” usual-ly built into the TV.

Diagonal: How screens aremeasured. A 32-inch HDTV is 32inches measured diagonallyfrom one corner of the screen tothe opposite corner. Its actualdimensions are 28 inches wideby 15.7 inches high. For the actu-al dimensions of other sets, clickon www.screenmath.com.

Flat panel: Any ultra-thin, rel-atively lightweight TV.

HDTV: High-definition televi-sion. Although this term is oftenused to describe all digital TVs,true HDTV broadcasts aredefined as 1,080-line interlaced(1080i) or 720-line progressive(720p). A popular format for Blu-ray discs, 1,080-line progressive(1080p) now is an establishedstandard for HDTV screens.

LCD: Liquid crystal display,one technologyused in flat-panel TVs. Aliquid crystalsolution issandwichedbetween twotransparentpanels to formthe displayscreen. Whenbacklit, a pat-tern of trans-parent anddark crystalsforms the pic-ture.

LED: Light-emitting diode.Used in someLCD TVs, thistechnologyallows for moreenergy efficien-cy and pro-vides bettercolor accuracythan fluores-cent-backlitLCD TVs.

Plasma: Another technologyused for flat-panel TVs, the plas-ma is ionized gas. Two transpar-ent glass panels sandwich a thinlayer of thousands of pixels,made up of gas-filled cells. Anelectrical current makes the gas

glow, creating a picture.A typical plasma screen maycontain 2 million pixels.Distributed by ScrippsHoward News Service,www.scrippsnews.com.

SHNS PHOTO COURTESY OF NELL HILL’SThe secret to decorating effectively with flat-screen TVs is to incorporate them intoexisting displays so they become just another element in a lovely roomscape.

Designing the perfect TV spaceBy DEBBIE ARRINGTON

Scripps Howard News Service

C4 BIG BOY TOYS ■ Saturday, April 21, 2012 ■ The Bulletin ■ www.norwichbulletin.com

ARA CONTENT — The classicAmerican road trip is no longerjust for cashless college kids;men of all ages are taking to theroad for a unique vacation wheredriving is just as much a part ofthe trip as the destination itself.If you work hard every day,maybe it's time to exchange thatbutton-up for a casual T-shirtand gather your crew to experi-ence the freedom and adventureof the open road.

If you’re wondering if a roadtrip is right for you and yourmore mature friends, a few prac-tical measures can help ensure itis fun for everyone:

Steady goes a finely tunedmachine — When you wereyounger, you probably drovethrough the night to rack up asmuch mileage as possible. Themature road trip is just as muchabout the journey as it is aboutthe destination. You and yourfriends will appreciate a morerelaxed pace, which includesresting, eating right and enjoyingall the road has to offer.

To make sure you stay oncourse without any problems,get your vehicle tuned up beforeyou head out. It's a good idea tochange the oil and check the tirepressure and coolant systembefore you get on the road. Ifyour vehicle is due for some rou-tine maintenance, have it donebefore you start your trip.

The right vehicle for amemorable trip — Your days ofcramming six guys in a small,rusty car are over. A reliable yetfun-to-drive pickup is perfect foryour grown-up road trip with theguys. And since your stuff isprobably going to be worth morethan what you toted around dur-ing your college days, be sure toprotect it. A lockable roll-upcover, like the tonneau cover lineby Access Cover, will keep yourbelongings protected from theelements - both weather andcriminal - while you're on theroad. Plus, a truck bed covercan help improve your vehicle’sgas mileage.

It’s also important to protectyour gear and reduce it fromshifting all around with a TruckBed Mat from Access Covermade from marine-grade carpet.Finally, even if your eyes aren'twhat they used to be, you canstill quickly access all supplieswith a Truck Bed LED Lightwhich can be mounted at thefront or the rear of the truck bed.

With age comes wisdom topack smart — As for what topack, be sure to include anemergency roadside kit, first aidkit and any medications that youregularly need. Bring along aGPS device and your trustymobile phone so you can stay ontrack and in touch.

In regard to food and supplies,you might also consider a set ofdressier clothes if your diningtastes have matured since yourfast-food days, but you'll alsowant some comfy clothes foryour time spent in the vehicle.Bring a couple pairs of shoes,one dressier and one comfy forwalking. And if you're not askeen on convenience storesnacks as perhaps you werewhen you were younger, you'llwant to pack a small cooler offood and beverages.

Plan ahead for a great trip— Meandering can be fun, buthaving a plan can be rewardingtoo, especially when you're olderand prefer to know what to

expect. Your taste in destinationshas probably matured, so con-sult with your traveling partnersand consider spots that appealto your current interests andfinances.

Has wine tasting become ahobby as you grew older? A tourof wine coun-try may be inorder. Perhapsyou've discov-ered an inter-est in history?Consider tak-ing the guys toa civil war re-enactment orto one of thecountry's greathistoric cities.Having a plandoesn't meanthat therewon't bemoments ofspontaneity,but it will pro-vide you with agood course tofollow soeveryone canenjoy theirtime together.

Road trips: A mature guy’s guide to the open road

CONTRIBUTED

Downloading the app on Apple’siPhone or iPad won’t cost you any-thing, but be forewarned: The free ver-sion won’t get you very far. It doesn’toffer much more than a scoreboardand limited news about baseball.

You’ll be tempted to spend $14.99to unlock the expanded features thisyear, or if you prefer you can pay$2.99 a month. It’s less than the costof good seats at a game, and youwon’t be sorry you did.

For that fee, you get access to theapp’s full offerings on both youriPhone and iPad. The app is also avail-able on Android, BlackBerry andWindows devices, though it’s a sepa-rate fee for each system. Unlike theapp for Apple devices, though,there’s no free version or monthlypayment option.

Access to the mobile apps is alsoavailable through MLB. TV’s premiumpackage, which costs $124.99 and letsfans watch live games on their mobiledevices, desktops and Internet-con-nected TVs for that one price.

The price of admis-sion gets you a flurry offeatures. You get all thestaples you’d expect,including box scores,video highlights andstatistics from aroundthe league. You also getGameday, a graphicaltool for tracking thegame pitch by pitch.

One glimpse at the Gamedayscreen lets you know who's on base,what happened the past few plays,who's pitching, who’s at bat and, ofcourse, what’s the score.

You get a cartoon view of the stadi-um from where the umpire is standingbehind home plate, complete with ageneric batter standing on the correctside of the plate depending onwhether he's left or right handed.The batter is even wearing theteam’s uniform.

— Associated Press

CONTRIBUTED$2.99 per monthfor the app.

MLB At Bat 2012 for iPhone, iPad,Android and other devices.

C5www.norwichbulletin.com ■ The Bulletin ■ Saturday, April 21, 2012 ■ BIG BOY TOYS

OSPREY TALON 4 DAYPACK

www.ospreypacks.com

With multiple pockets andspace for two water bottles, thispack will hold everything youneed for a day hike.

ADVENTURE MEDICAL KITS®MOUNTAIN SERIESDAY TRIPPER

Weighing less than a pound,this compact first-aid kit is idealfor an all-day hike or shortovernight camping/hiking trip.The kit contains supplies anddetailed instructions for treatingblisters, burns, bleeding andsprains/strains.

www.adventuremedicalkits.com

KEEN BUTTE FOR MENAND WOMEN

Breathable and cushionedwith super support in the heel,this shoe is 
perfect for aspring hike. $90 each;www.keenfootwear.com.Pair them with Teko Men's andWomen's Light Hiking organicsocks.

www.tekosocks.com

COLUMBIA MOBEXTRAIL PACK

This lightweight pack won'tweigh you down on summerhikes. Interior cargo net com-partments keep your snacks andother essentials organized,and a special materi-al on the backof the packdeters mois-ture anddirt.

www.tekosocks.com

PRIMUS IGNITION STEEL

A spark from this durablestarter will help get your camp-fire roaring in any weather condi-tion, even rain or snow. Plus it'ssmall enough to stow in yourpocket. $9, $10, $12 for small.medium and large.

www.primuscamping.com

PRIMUS ETAPACKLITE STOVE

This small propane stove ispacked with clever, space-savingfeatures: The lid on the 1.2 literpot can act as a colander and allof the components - base, burn-er, windscreen and igniter - fitinto the pot, making it easilyportable.

www.primus-camping.com

www.mosquitorepellent.com

THERMACELLMOSQUITO-REPELLENTOUTDOOR LANTERN

Keep your campsite free ofmosquitoes with this handylantern. A butane cartridge onthe lantern's base heats a small"mat" that contains insectrepellent, fending off bugs in a15 x 15 area for up to four hours.

KELTY ECLIPSE 30

www.kelty.com

This sleeping bag features apolyester- cotton liner, integrat-ed pillow and an external storagepocket for snacks. $89.95;www.kelty.com. Add the self-inflating foam Kelty CamperSleep Pad for extra cushioning.It comes with a stuff sack forstorage and a repair kit.

Enjoy the great outdoors with new gearFrom SPRY MAGAZINE

GateHouse News Service

KELTY GUNNISON 2.1

With two-pole set up and color-coded clip instruction, thisdurable and light two-persontent is easy to set up and takedown. Also comes in larger sizesfor three and four people.

www.kelty.com

C6 BIG BOY TOYS ■ Saturday, April 21, 2012 ■ The Bulletin ■ www.norwichbulletin.com

Personal flotation devices, akalife jackets, have the reputationof being bulky and uncomfort-able. That's probably one reasonmost people don't wear onewhen they should.

Scott Tucker, who works insales, parts and accessories atLake Springfield Marina inIllinois, says new life jacket stylesare more comfortable, allowgreater freedom of movementand look a bit more appealing.

“This year, we’ve sold quite afew of the Jet Pilot vests,” hesays. “It is a side-entry vest, butthe arm cutouts are a little bitwider, and it fits the body a littlebetter. They are especially popu-lar with people that own person-al watercraft.”

Jet Pilot is a wakeboardingcompany that is expanding intoother markets.

Neoprene vests are also pop-ular, but they cost a bit more.Neoprene is a synthetic rubber.

“The price is going to go upwith the Neoprene vest and themore stylish designs, but theyare much more comfortablethan the old vinyl vests thatcrack and get into your skin,”Tucker says. “They weren't com-fortable at all.”

Tuckersays peopledo care abouthow they lookwhen wearinga vest.

“And that'skind of some-thing all themanufactur-ers are look-ing at. Theyare looking forsomethingstylish.”

Other com-panies are

getting into the game, includingLiquid Force, Body Glove andO’Brien.

“Some distributors have theirown brands that are prettyappealing to the eye,” he says.

Making life jackets moreappealing has even spawned acontest. The Boat OwnersAssociation of the United Statessponsored a competition todevelop a better personal flota-tion device focused on mergingpracticality with style. The win-ners recently were announced.

The winner of the Innovationin Life Jacket DesignCompetition, Jeff Betz of Float-Tech Inc. based in Troy, N.Y., tookhome a $5,000 first prize. Towatch short videos of the win-ning designs, go to www.boa-tus.com/foundation.

Mike Miles, owner and generalmanager of The Boat Dock inSpringfield, Ill., says the type oflife jacket or personal flotationdevice depends on the type ofboat in use.

“Ski boat buyers buy a ski lifejacket with two three or fourbuckles, and it fits over the bodypretty tightly,” he says. “It’s notthe most comfortable thing inthe world to wear, but if you areskiing or tubing in the water, youwant more flotation.”

Fishermen are turning to aninflatable version that can beactivated manually or automati-cally after a few seconds inthe water.

“They are very small, and itlooks like you are wearing a setof suspenders,” Miles says. “Theygo down the front of you about 3inches wide, and they tie in theback with a piece of loop web-bing. You can pull a lever andinflate them, or you have theminflate when you hit the water.”

Miles says he has found theneoprene vests are growing inpopularity.

“They are a lot more comfort-able and a lot better fit for thebody,” he says. “And there arehybrids that are part neopreneand part regular nylon vest.”

And any life jacket peoplewill wear is better than onethey won’t.

Freedom and commonsense

Being on the water is a kind offreedom.

“You can drive your boat 3mph or 30 mph,” says MikeMiles, owner and general manag-er of The Boat Dock inSpringfield, Ill. “Generally, youcan drive here and there andback and forth, wherever youwant.”

But with freedom comesresponsibility. Miles says when itcomes to wearing life jackets,common sense rules.

“Everybody believes childrenshould wear them,” he says. “Andadults wear them when they are

in the water skiing or tubing, andfishermen wear them when thewater is rough.”

The law in Illinois requires onepersonal flotation device onboard for each passenger.

“Just like everything, commonsense will prevail in almost everysituation,” Miles says. “By that,I mean non-swimmers shouldwear one all the time. If youencounter rough water orstorms, for example, justput it on.”

Anglers in bass boats or other“low-freeboard” boats should bewearing one when the big motoris running. Low-freeboard meansthe sides of the boat are relative-ly low and would come up onlyabout to a boater's knee.

“But when you are standing ina ski boat, it hits you about thewaist or above it,” he says.“That’s a high-freeboard boatthat is hard to fall out of.”

Matching the boat to condi-tions is key.

“When we take the averagegroup of people out boating on aSaturday afternoon on a boatthat is sized right for the lakeand with the right number ofpeople on it, then they are per-fectly safe,” Miles says.

“Mom, Dad, I’ve got one,” Ethan, 6,yelled as he tugged at his pole. “It’s a bigone — a really big one.”

We’d heard that claim before, yet thefish he caught were always fairly small insize. As Ethan reeled his fish in closer tothe bank, we realized this time, he actual-ly had a big one. My husband jumped upfrom his chair and ran to the bank,encouraging Ethan to reel it in quickly.

When the fish hit the bank, neitherone of us could believe what we saw.Ethan had indeed caught a giant 8 lb.bass. He was thrilled!

We got the fish mounted, and it's nowhanging on the wall in our family cabin.We explained to him that he may nevercatch a bass of that size again, and weworried that catching smaller fish woulddisinterest him. Two years have passedsince that day and he still loves to fish,even when he comes up empty-handedor only catches small fish.

Like most children, Ethan just lovesthe experience. He loves being outsideand spending time with his friends andfamily around the water. As we’ve discov-ered, fishing is the perfect way to enjoythe wild outdoors with your children.We’ve also learned a few tips for makingthe fishing trip fun for everyone. If yourchildren don’t have a good time the firsttime they go fishing with you, most likelythey won’t want to go again. The pressureis on, but a successful trip is possible ifyou keep a few things in mind.

1. When teaching children to fish, sim-ple is best. Start off fishing for pan fish,because they're easier to catch. Whenthey're young, children don't care asmuch about the size of the fish as they doabout the number of fish they catch —the more they catch, the more fun.

2. Start off fishing from shore. Youngchildren are less likely to get bored whileon land than in a boat because they canrun and play when they need a break.

3. Use live bait. It’s more interestingfor children.

4. Start off using light tackle with abobber. Watching the bobber get pulledunder the water adds to the excitement.

5. Provide plenty of praise. The moreencouragement you give your children,the more they will enjoy the experience.

6. Patiently teach skills. If you getfrustrated with your children, you lessentheir enjoyment.

7. Don’t do everything for your chil-dren. Teach them skills they need to makethem proficient and confident.

8. Remember that safety and comfortare essential to everyone’s good time.Bring snacks, sunscreen, hats, sunglass-es, drinks, bug repellent and a first-aid kit.Have life vests for everyone on boats andfrom the bank, make sure young childrenhave life vests.

Keep these tips in mind for safety andenjoyment. To find out about kids' fishingevents in your state, check with yourstate's Fish and Game Department.

CHRIS YOUNG/THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER

The Super Soft children's swim vest, cour-tesy of The Boat Dock.

A more stylish life jacket Teach a child to fishfor lifelong enjoyment

By CHRIS YOUNGGateHouse News Service

CHRIS YOUNG/THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER

The Airhead men's neoprene life vest, cour-tesy of Lake Springfield Marina.

CHRIS YOUNG/THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER

The Jet Pilot Apex side-entry life jacket,courtesy of Lake Springfield Marina.

CHRIS YOUNG/THE STATEJOURNAL-REGISTERThe Bass Pro Shopsmanual or automaticinflatable life jacket,courtesy of TheBoat Dock.

By STEPHANIE MALLORYGateHouse News Service