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    Will The Madness Ever Cease?

    posted @ 4/16/2007 06:50:00 PM by Douceswild
    I had no intention of doing another installment of Douce’s Jewels this early, but this is one that I couldn’t keep tucked away.

    I’m going to make this short and sweet because believe me when I say this jewel speaks for itself. What do you get when you spray paint a Playstation 3 candy-chrome red (That’s right. I said red.) and put it on Ebay? If you thought the intense PS3 bidding on Ebay was over then you were sadly mistaken. I’m saving my comments until you guys see it you’ve had time to process it. Then we can all discuss this craziness together.

    Now brace yourself. Seriously, you REALLY need to brace yourself. The only name I could think of to call this jewel is, YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!

    See it. Process it.

    Now let the comments begin…


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    Ebay Etiquette Pt. 2

    posted @ 3/29/2007 08:15:00 PM by Douceswild
    When I last left you guys, I was still waiting for a laptop that I purchased off of EBay to come in. The seller lied about shipping the item and he wasn’t responding to my emails. Well I finally got the situation resolved with a happy ending…for me at least.
    First of all, I want to say thanks for the advice that all of you left on part one of my unfortunate ordeal. I took your advice and filed a grievance with the seller through PayPal. In turn, they setup a forum or message board of sorts where I had to leave a message for the seller and wait for him to respond. So they pretty much want us to try to work things out and come to some sort of agreement before escalating things any further. This next statement goes out to PayPal:

    IF I HAVE TO FILE A DISPUTE THROUGH YOU GUYS THEN THAT PROBABLY MEANS THAT I’VE ALREADY TRIED TO WORK THINGS OUT WITH THE OTHER PARTY AND IT COULDN'T BE DONE.

    Needless to say the seller didn’t respond to my numerous messages on the board. So I escalated the situation to PayPal once again. At this point THEY try to contact the other party and get his/her side of the story. (Anyone else see a ridiculous pattern here?) If there is no response after ten days then the claim would be decided in my favor. Ok, now here’s the best part. If the claim was decided in my favor then PayPal would make every effort to get my money back. This really means, “We’ll do what we can, but we ain’t making no promises…sucka.”

    At this point, I was inclined to agree with the anonymous individual who left the post on part one of my articles stating that I should just go to my bank and have the charges reversed then let PayPal deal with the individual, which is exactly what I did. One day later, I had my money back with no problems. Now if PayPal wants to take their time with the claim process, then by all means, have it. I got paid and that’s all I care about.

    Later that day I get an email from PayPal saying there was something wrong with bank account. I check my funds and everything was in order. I got this message from PayPal because THOSE MOFO’S (PayPal) TRIED TO DO A CHARGEBACK ON MY CHARGEBACK! That’s right. They tried to take the money back from me. How ya like that? Instead of trying to take the money from the crook, they tried to stick their hands in the pockets of the victim. Luckily, my bank said “Woe Bitches…that ain’t happening.”

    I’ve left Webguru_1 (I’m putting you on blast, numbnuts.) a negative feedback and took my money to Best Buy and purchased a much better laptop which I am using to bring you Part 2 of this story. I told you there was a happy ending.

    Good lookin' out for ya boy Douce. Much love to the FrESH peeps!



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    Ebay Etiquette Pt. 1

    posted @ 3/22/2007 03:51:00 PM by Douceswild
    I know that buying and selling items online can be risky but I believe there should be some etiquette involved when doing so. Well I’m about to tell you the tale of my latest Ebay experience.

    Last Tuesday (March 13th, 2007) I purchased a laptop on Ebay from a seller with good feedback. He had twenty-two transactions under his belt with one negative feedback that was classified as a misunderstanding. The seller requested immediate payment after choosing the “Buy It Now” option with no exceptions whatsoever. He also stated that the item would be shipped immediately after payment was made. I was willing to abide by his rules so clicked the button.

    Here’s where my problem begins. I hear nothing from the guy after I make the payment. After a week of requesting the tracking number for my item, which was supposed to be shipped by now according to his listed comment, there was no communication from the guy. Well I figured I got screwed so I sent the seller one final email on March 21st 2007 letting him know that I will began preparations to get my money back through Paypal since I haven’t heard from him. Thirty minutes later he emails me saying that the power cord for the laptop was loose so he purchased another and the laptop was shipped earlier that morning by DHL ground which adds another three to six days. He also stated that he would send me the tracking number the following day.

    Problem 1: If there was a problem with the power cord that should have been listed in the auction so I could have made an informed decision on whether or not I wanted to purchase the laptop.

    Problem 2: Even if I still decided to purchase the laptop, an email letting me know the shipping would be delayed would have been nice. Instead I got no communication for over a week.

    Problem 3: The seller is already a week behind in shipping when he promised it would be shipped immediately after payment. When he finally does decide to ship it, he tells me it will be shipped by ground. He could have least sent it next day or express to make up for the time and inconvenience.

    I’ve sold many things through Ebay over the years. One thing I strongly believe in is that when someone sends me their money for an item then I am obligated to keep them informed as to what is going on with the product they paid for. I have their money already while they are still waiting for their product. When I receive the payment, I immediately let the buyer know when I will ship the item. When I have shipped it, I let them know and send the tracking number. At no point in the process do I want the buyer to have to wonder what is going on with the product they paid for.

    If you guys feel I’m wrong or just being paranoid, then let me know. Have you had a similar experience with online buying? I’ll keep you posted as to what’s going on with the seller and the laptop. Keep checking the site for further news.


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    One Thing's For Sure About Half-Naked Girls

    posted @ 12/30/2006 01:28:00 AM by evermore
    One of 28 new Girls of the PS3
    (Also check out the 9 new Girls of the Wii)
    The jury is in about half-naked girls. They're good for a lot of things, but are they any good at selling PlayStation 3 consoles on eBay? After a great deal of research, we've got the answer for you.

    In a word: No. Half-naked girls suck at selling PS3 consoles. Stories abound on the web about people who had invested a great deal of time and money, shivering in long lines at Best Buy and being trampled in stampedes at Wal-Mart, only to discover that no one was willing to pay $2,000 or more for a $600 gaming system.

    Even pimping out their sisters or girlfriends or wives or MILFs didn't help. After all, gaming consoles weren't about Pr0n -- they were about playing video games. So most of those guys who had only dollar signs in their eyes trudged back to the Best Buys where they spent a long, cold, rainy week in mid-November and pleaded for their money back.

    Here's a tip for all of you who want to play the Futures market -- do it with gold and corn and pork bellies and oranges, like everyone else in the Financial District of New York. But if you buy a video gaming system, just open the sucker up, pull out all the stuff inside, hook it up to the Magnavox and have fun. Like God and Nolan Bushnell intended.


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    "Pay" Beyond?

    posted @ 12/19/2006 11:48:00 PM by Douceswild
    Not too long ago, the Playstation 3 hit the shelves and homes of many around the world. Not long after, they were on Ebay selling for thousands of dollars. A little over a month later, are people still itching to “Pay Beyond”?

    It seems that people are actually dumping the PS3 on Ebay just to get rid of them. Some of the sellers are actually losing money on them. Call me crazy, but when a newly launched system is being dumped at a loss of profit, shouldn’t that be a cause for worry? It’s almost Christmas so you’d think the bidding wars for these systems would be vicious right about now. Could it be that people are realizing that the system is something they could do without, at least until there’s a bit more to do with and on it?

    I’m not hatin’ on those who were able to make a pretty penny off the system’s initial launch hype. More power to you! I’m just glad that people are starting to wise up and let Sony know that if you’re going to sell a system for that much money then you had BETTER come with something stronger than games I can play on a cheaper system, a wireless controller, and creepy commercials telling me to "Play Beyond". Come on Sony. Make me want to go in a store and buy your system, because at this rate, I’ll be able to get a cheaper one on Ebay with some included accessories and games.


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    Game Hardware Shopper

    posted @ 12/03/2006 11:43:00 PM by geekwoman
    Holiday Hardware Guide by Geek Woman

    If you are looking for some shopping advice on game hardware for the female, or male, gamer on your list then hopefully this article will help you understand it all. The location that is preferred for a game environment is an important choice to be aware of if you are shopping for games and accessories for your gamer. Games come in three basic types which are the PC, Console or Handheld. I'm going to try and give you the keys to the kingdom of the consoles.

    First of all "What is a game console?" These are a box like machine that you attach to a TV set. Games are played with a controller that is held in the hands and effects the action on the screen. These have indeed been around since Pong and Pac Man, and if that is where you left the game trail, then you might be glad to know that those old school or retro games are still offered, in game packs and collections. Sometimes they have been updated and upgraded. If you want to pick up something like that for a gift you need to know the brand name and the model of the console or game device that your gamer has. Write it down and take it with you when you go shopping.

    Some people opt for playing games on their PC rather than on the television. It seems that older people and women are the dominant demographic that enjoy using the PC for gaming. PC game - play are very popular for playing the massively multiplayer online games or MMOG's. Games such as World of Warcraft or Guild Wars are played on a PC with a keyboard and mouse. These games enable the player to interact with thousands of other players. Some of them also include the ability to talk to the other people while you are playing with them. Thought those features have been developing more slowly on PC. If your friend is playing an MMO there aren't many additional accessories for those. If they are a Guild Wars Player they may not have the new chapter called Nightfall which is a great game to add to the original Guild Wars or to buy it as a stand alone game. There are the Limited Edition Keyboards that are available for the MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing) games that are good looking and work well which are sold by a company called Zboard. Zboards

    Perhaps the best way to determine what console to buy is to go by the age of the person who will be playing it. Right now there are three "next gen" consoles. Last year in November Microsoft upgraded their hardware and it is called the Xbox 360. It has mid - range graphics. There are over 100 games available for it at this time. The games are mainly of the first person shooter type or FPS and sports games. If you have heard of Halo 2 and Gears of War, or Oblivion those are titles for the Xbox 360. These games are for a mature crowd. The action is fast paced and bloody. Often the most popular games for the "360" carry a "T" for Teen or an "M" for Mature rating. Those ESRB ratings mean that Teens of 17 and 18 years old and above are the recommended age limit. These ratings can mean that there could be language or behaviors that some people would consider too crude for younger kids. It is no joke either. If you have a mix of older and younger kids in the house, the choice of games is crucial and requires your attention as much as monitoring what movies on DVD or cable that your younger kids could get into.

    With Xbox the online aspect is called Xbox Live. A paid subscription is required for this additional service. With the online feature more games and demos are available to download directly into the console. The console can be bought with one of a few choices of hard drive size for saving downloadable games and other functions. Xbox Live gives players access to playing with many other players at the same time. It isn't 'massively' multiplayer as it is with with PC. Although large groups of strangers can interact with each other in an open ended party - line conversation. There are over 4 million users on Xbox Live. Xbox Live has something of a reputation for "Trash -Talking" which in short, means that a player that is wearing the headphones is opening themselves up to the possibility of hearing unkind and curse word laced tirades about the flaws in their game from other players. There is no one monitoring these conversations and there is no one censoring what the others could be saying. Because of this tendency, I would not recommend the Xbox 360 for little girls or young women under 18.

    Costs for the annual subscription is approximately $50 US, its called Xbox Live Gold which includes voice chat, and Xbox Marketplace for gamers to buy and sell content. Sometimes original games, and old school arcade titles are downloadable. Xbox 360 works on HD TVs. They claim to have 250 old Xbox or "original Xbox" games that will play on the new console. Be careful to look up a list online for games that are called "backwards compatible" prior to inserting an old Xbox game into the Xbox 360. The digital media that it plays are DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD-DA, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, WMA CD, MP3 CD, JPEG Photo CD.

    Microsoft has two variations of Xbox 360 available for sale. One has the Xbox 360 faceplate, and a Silver Xbox Live package, $300 known as a core package, that comes with one wired controller, standard A/V cable, and the console. The Gold package is required to actually play online games. There is a $400 system with a 20 GB hard drive, Xbox 360 Remote Controller, High Definition TV component cables, Xbox 360 headset and a wireless controller.

    Next the Playstation 3 was released last week the manufacturer's suggested retail price is between $600 and $700 dollars US. It has been in the news and has gotten some bad press. Most of the incidents involved mismanagement of the long lines of people who were camping out to be able to get the very low quantity of these premium machines that were produced. One Massachusetts man was shot in a hold up of a line of customers waiting outside a store in Putnam Connecticut. The gunmen were attempting a hold up when this man refused to pay them. Because Sony was not able to make enough of these complicated advanced machines to fulfill the demands for them, it created chaos in several ways.

    In the past Playstation 2 has been the most popular gaming console in the US with the most millions sold. Perhaps Sony should have waited to launch the sale until they had more of them ready. The PS3 Platform plays a few more accessories peripherals than the 360. It also boasts to be the most graphically advanced system. The new Blu-Ray Disc™ is a type of High Definition disk for playing movies that is supposed to be the future of disk published media. The way that DVD's replaced VHS a few years ago. The PS3 has what is called a SIXAXIS™ wireless controller that interacts with the screen in a close to 3D experience. You can use your Playstation 3 with High-Definition displays as well as conventional or standard TVs. It comes with either a 20GB or 60GB removable hard disk drive (HDD). The thousands of PS One® and PS2 PlayStation®2 games as well as CDs and DVDs are useable on the PLAYSTATION®3. The thing supposedly plays just about everything including some digital photo cards.

    The PS3 has online capabilities including multiplayer gaming, text and video messaging, voice chat, downloading content and browsing the web. Even though the PS3 has impressive technical specifications, you may not be able to get one for the December holidays. It could be a moot point until sometime next Spring. There are over inflated PS3 prices on ebay, and buying those is not only exorbitantly expensive, but could be risky as well.

    The PLAYSTATION®3 is available in two configurations with either the 20GB hard disk drive or the 60GB HDD. Some PlayStation 2 or PlayStation format software titles may perform differently on the system than they do on the native systems for example the PS3 doesn't support a vibration controller.

    Then last Sunday the offering of the first Nintendo Wii consoles' launch was a 1960's "Love In" where the people in lines waiting were exchanging free hugs, ordering lunch for each other and playing games together. Something can be said about the two different types of people that were attending these launch parties. For the most part the Nintendo Wii draws a younger crowd and is most popular with younger kids and people that enjoy Nintendo's cute and quirky games.

    There are approximately 50 games for the Wii, and we are told that there will be enough of the consoles to go around. Nintendo and developers seem to be in a rush to create new games for this innovative new product. Nintendo wanted to bring gaming to everyone, and has many titles that are rated for all ages and for kids. They went one more step and made a controller that is supposed to be easier to pick up and play since it is designed to resemble a television remote controller. You play with two hands and the actions resemble the actual movements of slashing a sword or driving. The remote is used as a handheld pointing device and can detect motion and rotation in three dimensions . The controller set called the "nun-chucks and wii-mote" interact with a sensor strip that you placer near your TV for a realistic complete 3D experience. A one-handed controller that uses a combination of accelerometers and infrared detection in conjunction with the sensor bar to sense its position in 3D space. Some people have found the workout to be a bit strenuous

    The Nintendo Wii is not all things to all people the way that the other two consoles are attempting to be an all around media hub that takes the place of all the other components in your home entertainment center. What the Wii does do is add another level of fun and mirthfulness back into games. The unique controller has been a big hit so far and has gotten high marks from every reviewer. It is rare for something so gimmicky and unusual to get such a unanimous welcome from the jaded and snarky gaming community. People that have the 360 are getting the Wii too because it is like the apples and oranges in the PC world yet again.

    The Wii is an ideal choice for a household with older and younger kids, seniors, and for the homes that do not have a High Definition TV set. Those aren't interested in the more mature titles, and those chat capabilities that are for adults or older kids can have a fairly safe online experience with the privacy and Friend policies from Nintendo. The console also features its own online service WiiConnect24 , which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet. The Wii console won the Game Critics Awards for Best of Show and Best Hardware. The console has a few kid safety features such as parental controls to prohibit younger kids from playing the wrong games. It reads the content rating and won't play games that are not set to the right age level.

    The number of Wii consoles that will be available in the Americas during the launch rollout are expected to meet demand and sales of 4 million consoles worldwide by the end of 2006 are anticipated. The company affirmed that they "are working to ensure a plentiful supply and a consistent flow."

    The launch Wii package includes the console, a stand to allow the console to be placed vertically, a circular clear stabilizer for the main stand, one Wii Remote, one Nunchuk attachment, one Sensor Bar, a removable stand for the sensor bar, one external main power adapter, AV cables (component video and other type of cables will be available separately), and a copy of Wii Sports in the US and Canada. The Wii console is the smallest home console unit of the three contenders and the least expensive at $250. US. The front of the console features a slot-loading media drive lit up by a by distinct blue light and it accepts both Wii software and discs from Nintendo's prior console, the Game-Cube. They are telling us that it is fully backwards compatible with all the Previous Game Cube games.

    Additionally the interface for the console is designed around the concept of television channels, with a Wii Menu. Nintendo will not charge fees for playing games from the service. Channels are graphically displayed, and are navigated using the point of the Wii Remote. They are the Disc Channel, Mii Channel, News Channel, Forecast Channel, Photo Channel, Wii Shop Channel, Internet Channel. The Virtual Console Channel is basically an “online service, similar to Xbox Live Arcade. The Nintendo DS will be able to play game demos downloaded from the Wii console which gamers would receive from Nintendo, similar to a DS Download Station. Gamers can download retro games not only for the NES, Super NES, and Nintendo 64, but also Sega’s Genesis, NEC’s TurboGrafx-16 and others. The Wii has average graphics and only a 512 MB built-in flash memory, expansion is available via SD card memory, up to 2 GB max. It will take Game-Cube Memory Cards for saving GCN games only.

    In addition to the larger game consoles or PC games that you find at home, mobile games have become very popular. The Nintendo DS is a hand held, rechargeable dual screen portable game system. It comes in a variety of colors and it is pocket sized. It is the most popular handheld game console, which easily buried the competition, which were the Sony PSP and the N-Gage. it has continued to hold the record for the most units sold just as the Game Boy has for years. It comes in two sizes. The original unit that made its debut last year, is referred to as the 'NDS' and it can play both the library of Game Boy Advance games as well as games for the DS. The DS Lite is a smaller sleeker version of the same DS machine, but it smaller and does not have the additional slot for the GBA games. You can find several reviews and editorials about the DS right on this website. Nintendo DS and the Wii are expected to have a type of connectivity to use functions like the Nintendo DS's microphone and touch-screen as inputs for Wii games like Pokémon Battle Revolution. It is expected that all of Nintendo's huge repertoire of well known game franchises, such as Zelda, Metroid, Mario, Animal Crossing, and Pokémon will come to the Wii in some form.

    For very tiny kids and toddlers Leapster has the education interactive toys for under $100 Leapster

    For an easy comparison chart you can check out Gamefly. They have a chart showing the three consoles. The Nintendo Wii, the Xbox 360, and the Playstation 3. Renting games or giving a Gamefly subscription is a good gift idea.

    For a stocking stuffer I recommend Geek Woman's Game Guide 2006


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    New Podcast Episode Is Go!

    posted @ 11/27/2006 01:04:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    Once again, we have a new podcast episode for you... this time it's number 28.

    This week the ESH gals focus in on a theme of angst... in anime, manga, and video games. Angst in anime, manga, and video games... imagine that? From the bad depiction of angst in the anime series Marmalade Boy to MagicMysticGrl's recount of angst in .Hack//G.U. and then finally NinJaSistah's take on the PS3 & Wii ebay shenanigans, the girls really cover the spread on this topic.

    Yeah, I said it. You enjoy it, right now.

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    My Jewels Are Your Jewels

    posted @ 11/26/2006 11:38:00 AM by Douceswild
    Every now and then, while surfing the intertubes, I’ll come across pictures and videos that are either so fascinating or incredibly stupid that I feel the need to share them with someone…anyone. These are priceless tid-bits, jewels if you will, that capture people at their best or worst and events that’ll probably make you say “WTF”. Well, I think it’s time that I bared my jewels for all to see.

    If you’ve been curious as to what the Douce keeps tucked away for only those who deserve it, then look no further. Whenever I come across something that’s just “OMGLMAO-ish”, you’ll find it here in a segment I’m calling…wait for it…wait for it…”DOUCE’S JEWELS” (BLING). That’s right. I went there and so will you because nothing brings on a more satisfying laugh than taking a peek at my jewels☺

    Seeing as how for the past few weeks, people have been going crazy over the Playstation 3 and we’ve been keeping you up to date on some of the nonsense and mishaps that ensued, it seemed only right that my first jewel be something in the spirit of the console madness. How much would you be willing to pay for a PS3 on Ebay? Would you drop $1000 or maybe $2000 if the seller threw in some games? Here’s a better question for you. How much would you sell one for on Ebay if you had the chance? Well, take a look at how much this unlucky artard sold his 60gig PS3, two games, and an extra controller for. It seems like someone was just a LITTLE too anxious to make a profit and forgot to set a reserved price. I think I’m going to call this little jewel Self-Pwnage.

    Enjoy peeps!


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    The Sincerest Form of Flattery

    posted @ 11/25/2006 12:27:00 AM by evermore
    For the past week, the ElectricSistaHood website has featured photo galleries of the brave women who have been baring all in order to sell their new PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii videogame consoles. Well, some other websites have gotten into the act as well.


    Girls of the PS3

    85 new photos!

    Girls of the Wii

    23 new photos!


    One site has a few photos and another has a video of the things, which is going the rounds on YouTube. But I'm here to tell you now that ElectricSistaHood was the original and is still the best source for nekkid ladies hawking their videogames on the eBay.

    To prove that we're still the best, we've added a whopping 108 photos in the PS3 and Wii galleries, which are available by clicking the photos above.


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    The Sexiest Saleswomen in the World

    posted @ 11/20/2006 01:20:00 AM by evermore
    The Sony and Nintendo fangirls and boys already know which new console is better. So the only question that remains is this: Which group is sexier -- girls selling PlayStation 3's or girls selling Nintendo Wii's?

    On Friday we presented a slideshow of females hawking the PlayStation 3 on eBay -- some of them showing a distinct lack of clothing. Well, it seems that the moment people got their hands on the Wii on Sunday morning, girls started stripping for the cameras again in order to gain a little bit of advantage while trying to sell the Wii on eBay.

    Here's your chance to compare for yourself. Click the links below to check out each gallery of game-sellin' girls and let us know which camp you think has the sexier girls:

    Click here for The Girls of the Wii

    Click here for The Girls of the PS3

    If you've previously viewed the PS3 girls, we've added a dozen more photos to the gallery today, so please visit it again.


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    After the Buying, There's the Selling

    posted @ 11/18/2006 01:22:00 AM by evermore
    Let's say you've spent 48 hours sitting in a cold, wet tent in order to try to get one of a handful of PlayStation 3 machines at your local Best Buy. Then you're going to spend another 48 hours in the same tent, in front of the same Best Buy to get a Nintendo Wii. Whadda ya wanna do next?

    You're going to try to sell the thing! At least, that's what thousands of people are doing right now on auction sites like eBay. What's going to make your identical 60GB PlayStation 3 stand out in such a big crowd?

    SEX! That's right. Sex, in case you hadn't got the memo, sells. Of the thousands of PS3 machines on sale right now on eBay, dozens of them feature females of all ages, sizes and shapes. They've got one thing in common -- they're all holding those giant PlayStation 3 boxes.

    I'm sure some of them are wives, girlfriends, sisters, mothers, cousins, aunts or just plain friends, but they've all given it up for the cause: to help some guy collect a couple of grand on a machine they bought for $600 plus tax.

    The image you see here is just one of almost two dozen we collected today from eBay. You can see the rest in our special gallery called "Sellin It" by clicking here.

    Let's hear it for the girls who gave up their dignity (and their shirts) for commerce.


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    Anime's Naughty Side

    posted @ 11/13/2006 02:43:00 PM by geekwoman
    Anime's Naughty Side by Geek Woman

    If you know what a guy smells like who has just been out fishing, doing construction work or playing football then you can guess why women might fantasize about something else. Perhaps a meticulously and metrosexually groomed vampire who elegantly sweeps up to her balcony. Or a deadly but lovely demon who promises her his forbidden world. Or maybe women are just thinking about pretty animé men with long hair.



    The anime games and DVD's that are coming to the U.S. recently are a myopic look into the animé subculture of Manga in Japan. There are many animé influenced games in both RPG's and in the fighting genre. This artform is getting very huge over here too. Because animé comes from another culture it reflects a different sort of attitude. It effects the roles of sportsmanship, and sexuality in the future of video games. Animé characters are favorered by women and girls.

    Women like males with long hair. Perhaps even before Sampson and Delilah long hair symbolized virility. From back in the 60's when I can remember women saying "he's so beautiful, he looks like Jesus", to today when we have Fabio's famous mane and the sexy Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice, chicks (and some guys) still dig long hair. Guys that work at Rennaissance faires sport long locks from the mideval ages and get descreet double takes from women patrons. Fantasy novels feature wizardly straight and gay men with long hair in various colors. These fictional story books are very popular with women.

    In Inuyahsa (yes it is my fav) in the animé and the games, the main character has long white hair and cute dog ears. He is powerful and weilds an over sized magic sword and is in the process of discovering his sensitive human side and love. His brother Seshomaru has even more fantasticly long white hair. He plays the part of a full demon in a stunning white kimono. He seems deep and troubled by "important things in the past". He is the typical brooding unknowable character. Then Miroku the lecherous monk has long black hair that is worn in a ponytail. He wears several gold earrings. He is the most approachable of the three male lead characters, he is funny and sensitive. He makes long insightful speeches about the troubles that arise for the female characters and is often correct.

    There are three very different male personalities in the game. All of them are strong and carry several weapons. But they are so cute that many people comment that they can't tell the boys from the girls on Inuysha. That is common with many anime´characters. Inuyasha is wildly popular with women and girls. It has got to be something to do with all the long haired males.

    Unlike the animation industry in the U.S. where all the programming is largely aimed at young boys a good deal of Japanese animation also includes marketing to little girls. The teen girls and young adult women are given plenty of eye candy to ooh and ahh over also. Women helplessly find themselves sighing over bishonen with pink hair like Shon Gojo in Saiyuki. There are some Japanese animations that are thought to cater specifically to female tastes.

    "Ren'ai" is a Japanese word meaning "romance" novel, and it can be a Japanese adventure game that is mainly point and click. They are mixed-media novels. Minimal player interaction is required. Some but not all ren'ai games contain erotic content. Adult oriented animé dating games are sometimes called a bishoujo game. Those are Japanese video games with sensual anime girls. Some of them contain romance and sexual content.

    Animé both ways

    Women like to read about sensitive long haired males in complex, dramatic relationship dilemas. The controversial American TV show Queer as Folk which is an adult series on the cable channel Showtime is about gay men and it is said to have had its highest viewership among presumably straight women. Ever enterprising and unabashed, animé capitalizes on this naughty voyuer side to female erotic interests too.

    Even though entirely different dynamics are involved in real Japanese society and culture than what is reflected in animé, some obvious patterns of behaviour could be identified as distinctly Japanese. There are values such as conformity, marriage and loyalty that are plain to see. The Harvest Moon series notably added a female character to the recently released new RPG title. But the game guides the female player to marriage as a foregone conclusion in that simulation of life.

    Subtle themes crop up in characters that are uniquely Japanese which turn the tables and reverse the roles of exploitation as Americans know it. Animé objectifies men. Male manga artists offer themselves up for the derision. They portray themselves as dogged, nose bleeding, worshipers of the truly oversexed female demi - goddesses that they have created. The men unashamedly admit that they are whipped. Is it a vicious cirle or a happy medium? Then they reinforce the pattern of the implausible by drawing males with gorgeous long hair in fantastic styles and who wear amazing costumes. All of which only a dedicated cosplayer can emulate. They make images of men that are just as impossible to attain as the air brushed silicon female pin ups that are the complaint of western women.

    Many animé that are available in the U.S.A. now have some sexual under tones. Saiyuki has an ambiguous homoerotic subtext. Descendants into Darkness does so openly. Colorful and the Excel Saga are a raucious funny lampoon of animé that have very adult content. The males in Colorful are the typical nosebleeding, obsessed male stereo types who will endure anything to get a glimpse up a girl's skirt at her panties.

    Sony and Mocrosoft have banned adult games from their consoles. Which I think is a shame. In my own improptu study I went shopping retail for a newly released game rated "E". I rarely do that, but my partner wanted it. We went to Kmart, Walmart, EB Games, and finally Kaybee Toys on our search. These stores have had the games kept behind glass in as long as I can remember. At all four of these retailers we adults were unable to access games without a key and an attending store employee. I don't see how adult titles are "getting into the hands of children" as some have claimed. I don't see why adult games would be so hard to integrate into a system that all ready is under lock and key.

    If the right wing was worried about the Sims which is a game that is engineered to be bland (to inspire imagination) and it's sort of the Lego building blocks or Webils of video gaming, wait until they get a load of animé. I was reading an ebay story about how a Christian Mom took away the Yu-Gi-Oh collectible cards that her daughter had in her purse. The woman went through the daughter's purse regularly. Yu- Gi-Oh animé is very tame there is no sexual content in the games or shows. It teaches a litle ancient Egyptian mythology. All the Japanese animé card games, either on cardboard or for Gameboys, most noteably Pokémon teach children about competition, following rules, and being poilite and how to loose like a good sport. They are completly benign. Pokémon has no references to "magic" or spells of any kind. Yu -Gi - Oh and many others do. Magic and Wizards in animé may raise some eyebrows the way it has with Harry Potter.

    Another twist that shows up often in animé are characters of unknown gender. In Cowboy Bebop "Edward" is a girl. We don't know this for sure until the plot unfolds more. In .hack//sign tv series and PS 2 games Tsukasa the wave master is permanently logged into "the world" as a male player. But again gradually as the series goes one we discover many secrets about Tsukasa are revealed. Eventually it leads to a very moving and unexpected ending.

    A funny game with adult content that reminds me of Leisure Suit Larry, is the Lupin the Third Games for Game Cube. Those have the sort of slapstick funny approach to sexuality. The artstyle exagerates the female figure of the characters.

    One of the most visible ways that animé characters have come to be loved by a large American audience is in the Dead or Alive series. Kasumi is a very well known and favored character. Her background story and a search for her brother are part of the game's back story. Granted Kasumi's character and background story is underdeveloped in the games. The game is infamous for the jiggliness and not the seriousness of her character. In game play her moves are great and she is a tough character to play with and to beat. But there is no doubt what her assets are. The graphics in Dead or Alive 2 are good. The characters are depicted in a fair amount of detail. The facial expressions look realistic. The characters' movements and clothes flows realistically, except for the pronounced bounce.

    Animé is popular because it is bringing fresh artwork and ideas to a tired jaded American entertainment market. Women like it because it offers a variety of roles to play and exciting personas to get to know in a fantasy world. Males like it because there is more lassitude in the appearance of the female fantasy characters. Puritanical America can use to loosen up and enjoy themsleves. There are worse things than a little risque art and pass times like games.



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    Daily News: Launch Week Rumors

    posted @ 11/13/2006 12:48:00 AM by evermore
    It's Launch Week for the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii and there's nothing but rumors of riots in Japan, where the PS3 went on sale this past weekend, and rumors of folks being thrown out of Best Buy waiting lines. Here's some more stuff you might have missed...


    • If you're camping out in front of a Best Buy, a Target, a Wal-Mart or wherever for a PS3 or a Wii, you'll want to know just how many they have on hand, eh? Here's how to get those numbers.
    • Some PS3 die-hards have more money than sense. That's evident from these current Yahoo Japan auctions, which, as of late Sunday night, have bids on single PS3 systems of more than 2 Billion Yen. Comparatively, things were much more civilized in the U.S., as a top-of-the-line PS3 went for a mere $9,100, according to this eBay auction.
    • The PS3 case is beautiful and black -- as long as you keep it in the box. The Gizmodo guys discovered to their dismay that it doesn't take much to mar the surface of the case.
    • Bungie is adding a female voice to Halo, according to Frankie on the Bungie website: "Anyway, one of the things we're looking at for Halo 3 multiplayer (Master Chief is all man) is adding a female voice to the Spartan character should you choose it as part of your custom character."
    • USA Today says you might be better off just waiting to buy a next-gen console until next year. Awwwww, whadda they know?
    • Defying the laws of economics, it seems that, according to this article, the Xbox 360 is actually becoming more expensive to manufacture as time goes on.
    • HD takes a big step backward on Xbox Live, as one of the first games to be released in 1080p resolution will be a modernized version of Atari's classic Missile Command.
    • Already have a PS3 pre-ordered and just waiting on it to arrive? Time to RTFM! Sony has its PS3 online manual just waiting for you by clicking here. Enjoy!
    • Some people were upset about last week's GameStop online Wii preorder, which required the purchase of six games, an extra controller, an extended warranty and a magazine subscription, pushing the total to nearly three times the cost of the console alone. Well, GameStop's got nothing on CompUSA, which according to this ad will allow you reserve a PS3 -- as long as you purchase a 40-inch or larger Sony HDTV first.



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    Daily News: Don't Fall for Phony Sony Scams

    posted @ 11/02/2006 12:25:00 AM by evermore
    Today's news is all about new consoles and new games and old gamers. We do a little name-dropping (Clint Eastwood). Sony does a little drop in launch numbers. And Microsoft simply drops the ball. Did GameStop foil the console profiteers? And will a simple de-frag cause your numbers to go up? All of that and less is answered here.




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