Current Headlines - [ view archives ]

A Little off the Top - [ Musings ]
Apr 20 2006 - 12:09

I saw a discussion about body shaving over on BikiniGamer.com and I just had to chime in. Consider this a friendly grooming tip from blogcore.

Nair-do-well

Guys NEED to groom their body hair, it's important for several reasons. But you mustn't shave your hair with a blade razor, unless you want zits and massive chafing! Instead, gently trim with electric clippers.

A $10 pair of electric clippers works wonders. The goal is to reduce body hair length by 30-50%. You only need to do this once a month or so, since body hair grows so slow. A plus!

In all cases, try not to make contact with the skin. Just lightly wave the electric clippers over the top of your hair, and always go with the grain. It's okay to lightly drag the clippers across an area once or twice, but don't get obsessive and be double-sure you're going with the grain.

First stop: Armpits are the easiest area, and possibly the most important. Attack your armpits right away to put a stop to 'pit fros and to prevent deoderant caking up (you'll thank me when it gets hot). Crop the hair down close, but long enough so you still grab at what's left.

Next up: The chest is trickier, particularly around the nips. Going with the grain is super-important here. Wave the clippers over the hair to trim off the worst of the length, but don't get obsessive and try to remove all hair down to the skin level. Think 30 - 50% off the top.

Finally: The crotchal area is a must, and the good news is, there's no wrong way (unless you go way too short, which is just plain creepy). If you're brave, take your weed-wacking expedition underneath the boat...but don't scrape the hull! Think "a little off the top."

Bonus points: Advanced users may experiment with trimming the stomach and lower abdomen, but it's a treacherous area riddled with danger. A delicate touch is needed -- accidentally scrape your clippers against the grain here and you may find yourself with a nasty ingrown hair (soak with hot towel, use Bactine and tweezers). In particular, the belly button is a total deathtrap vortex of doom.

If you get it right, the ladies will love you.

P.S. Don't even think about using Nair, that crap will melt the flesh off your bones.

comments (46) | post a comment | permalink | email a friend | print

AIM Wars: Xbox 360 Japanese Relaunch, Apple and Nintendo, and Japanese Ethnocentrism - [ Games ]
Apr 05 2006 - 12:14

Sometimes people ask about the kinds of conversations we have inside the GamePro offices. Well, this one's for you.

Brother Buzz and I had an interesting little AIM exchange today regarding those pesky rumors of a Japanese Xbox 360 relaunch. Brainstorming session, or something more?

Note: all AIM screen names have been changed to protect the guilty.

We now join this AIM chat session, already in progress...

Bro Buzz: yeah, if ps3 and revolution take off in Japan its going to look very bad.

ViciousSid: i think it's japanese ethnocentrism, personally

ViciousSid: though i can't argue that the 360 is a killer piece of hardware aesthetics-wise

ViciousSid: iPods went over big in Japan, but other American hardware doesn't

Bro Buzz: you're right about that, but prior to launch they went to a lot of trouble to tout the fact that they were designing the system with the Japanese market in mind even hiring a Japanese design firm to co-design the box. This would leave them with egg sushi on their face, especially since this 360 was already a second shot at the Japanese market.

ViciousSid: Yeah. I think from a hardware point of view, outside of its power, it's not so good

ViciousSid: i don't want to buy one because it's too big and heavy and bulky

ViciousSid: thin and small is in

ViciousSid: they should've toned down the power

Bro Buzz: And you're not even Japanese.

ViciousSid: i know. I like SUVs and big burgers and giant PC cases

Bro Buzz: Why doesn't anyone hire us for this stuff?

ViciousSid: but a console is the alternative...it's supposed to be small and quiet and cool and sleek

ViciousSid: apple needs to make a console.

Bro Buzz: blasphemer!

ViciousSid: think about it! it would be a grand slam

Bro Buzz: it'd be the only way that Apple could make it big in games.

ViciousSid: yeah. I think they could do it. I think Apple and Nintendo should pair up

Bro Buzz: Quick, cut and past this brainstorm for your blog.

ViciousSid: ooh!

ViciousSid: so wise

comments (22) | post a comment | permalink | email a friend | print

My notes from the Nintendo keynote at GDC - [ Games ]
Mar 23 2006 - 09:20

I'm much, much too lazy to do that crazy Engadget-style play-by-play during a tech event...particularly at an event as non-eventful as the Nintendo keynote at GDC today.

But that doesn't mean I didn't type out some wicked notes on my little iBook as I watched the show. So without further ado, here they are: my Nintendo notes, just as I typed them (meaning, spelling errors, speculation, and half-finished sentences galore).

Analyze away. But promise me this: if you find a story here, let me know....

*******

Nintendo keynote -- GDC 3/23

Starts late, at 10:45 am

Turnout solid, but not packed to the rafters as with Sony's PS3 keynote -- balcony was full, but standing crowd limited and competition for space more muted.

GDC conference director Jamile TK came out to introduce concept of "innovation... for games industry, saying that innovation has served as Nintendo's "trump card....

Iwata takes the stage, wearing all black. Said he still has a "heart of a gamer.... Described how Nintendo made the number one slot by focusing on making fun products; described how Sony took over with a bigger budget and a bigger product.

Compared Nintendo with Pepsi, again brought up the concept of "disruptive strategy... of Pepsi, hinting at Nintendo's strategy. Iwata said how "thinking different can disrupt an entire industry, and in a good way....

Wants to expand gaming audience by disrupting the games industry. Wants to reach out to non-gamers and casual gamers; DS proves this works. "Now people are listening more closely,... he said. Big focus of early part of the keynote focused on massive success of Brain Training (Brain Age for the US version) -- over 5 million franchise sales in Japan to date. At one point, GDC director, Geoff Keighly, and legendary designer Will Wright all squared off in Brain Age training exercises...with mixed results.

In the case of Brain Age, "people wanted something new," Iwata said. Iwata then announced that all keynote attendees would get a copy of Brain Age on their way out of the conference. Said that DS has sold six million systems in 16 months -- a figure that would be even higher had DS production met demand. This beats even the PS2's sell-through rate, which should 6 million units in 21 months, according to Iwata.

Wi-fi network for DS: 1 million+ unique players in just 18 weeks; it took Microsoft much, much longer (almost a year?) for the same Xbox Live unique user base.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass was announced for the Nintendo DS. It was "designed exclusively for the Nintendo DS" and will launch "later this year." The visual style was similar to the Wind Waker, with a cartoon-looking Link. The stylus will be used to throw boomerangs, chart ship courses on the map, and solving puzzles.

NINTENDO REVOLUTION: (note: you can see I was expecting Iwata to really go into detail here, which he did not. Speaking of which, did you hear that the Rev might be called the "Nintendo GO"?)

Iwata said that the designers felt the Revmote needed to be both wireless and approachable...but had to also be sophisticated enough to serve the needs of hardcore gamers. They also wanted it to be "revolutionary." Iwata described the brainstorming process of the Revolution controller; said 15 prototypes and countless sketches were created. The killer idea, it turns out, was a developer who wondered if it would be possible to play a game with just one game.

Iwata said that the Metroid Prime producers pushed for a second device to be connected to the Revmote; a "nunchuku" device, as Iwata put it. The analog stick device is purely optional, and used for only some games.

"Virtual Console" for Revolution will not only play older Nintendo games, but Sega Genesis and Hudson games -- "not all of them will be available, but the best of them will." Iwata compared the "Virtual Console" on Revolution to iTunes's digital music store, and cautioned developers on relying heavily on sequels and big-budget game design choices.

"At Nintendo, we don't run from risk, we run to it."

comments (13) | post a comment | permalink | email a friend | print

Recent Photos - [ view galleries ]

Feeds from Space

GamePro.com ProNews

US, Japan to Share Blu-ray Region Codes
Blu-ray Disc players and movies expected on sale later this year in Japan and the US will share the same region code, Sony said today.
Microsoft Says "No" To HD-DVD 360 Games
In a post to the official Microsoft employee blog site Gamerscore, Group Manager of PR and Communications John Porcaro squashes rumors that the recently announced HD DVD add-on for the Xbox 360 will play games.
Wal-Mart Pulls Bully In Game Violence Controversy
Jack Thompson strikes again: Wal-Mart has stopped accepting pre-orders for the upcoming video game Bully amid allegations by the anti-video game crusader that it is "pre-selling a controversial, violent game to children prior to its October 1 release with no age rating whatsoever."

GamePro.com Pro Cheats

Xbox 360: Dead Rising - Xbox 360 Achievement List
The complete list of Xbox 360 achievements for Dead Rising is here.
PC: The Movies: Stunts & Effects - Disable Star Salaries
Check out the salary cheat for The Movies: Stunts & Effects because those big shot movie stars don't deserve it!
PC: The Movies: Stunts & Effects - All Sets
Check out the sets cheat for The Movies: Stunts & Effects that gives you all of the sets in the game!

GamePro.com Daily Update

PS3 Screen Update: Sonic The Hedgehog
New screens of speedy Sonic!
PS3 News: US, Japan to Share Blu-ray Region Codes
Blu-ray Disc players and movies expected on sale later this year in Japan and the US will share the same region code, Sony said today.
Xbox 360 News: Microsoft Says "No" To HD-DVD 360 Games
In a post to the official Microsoft employee blog site Gamerscore, Group Manager of PR and Communications John Porcaro squashes rumors that the recently announced HD DVD add-on for the Xbox 360 will play games.