Month: October 2011 (Page 1 of 12)

Playing bingo online

October 31, 2011 /

With the explosion of the web, personal computers and now tablets and smart phones, playing games online has become ingrained in our culture. It’s not just for kids and guys any more. Everyone can enjoy online games, and that’s something to keep in mind as you’re shopping for the holidays.

Some parents and grandparents don’t see the need for computers in their own lives, or they are intimidated by them. This is becoming less common as these devices are now everywhere, but the impression still exists in some circles. Yet we all know that something like a computer can really improve the quality of life for people. Imagine how it can open up the world to elderly people who don’t get out as much.

It can also be very entertaining, so one way to get people interested in computers is through online gaming. Kids pick it up this way, so why not the same with adults. Consider something as simple and as fun as online bingo. OK, it might not be your favorite game, but think about something like this for family members. Show them how to play bingo games online, and you’ll open up a whole new world for them. The next thing you know, after learning how to play online, they’ll start surfing the web and starting to use email and Facebook. Of course they’ll find other games like online slots or poker as well, but that’s all part of the fun.

So if you’re thinking of finally getting someone a computer who doesn’t think they need one or will enjoy one, think about games they like to play offline. Maybe it’s chess. Whatever the game, show them how to play online, and they’ll probably get hooked.

Stuff to Buy

Product Review: AXE Hold + Touch Styling Products

October 30, 2011 /

When I received the new AXE Hold + Touch hair styling products, I was skeptical. Too many times in the past I had fallen prey to styling products that you could squeeze out of a tube that simply didn’t work.

More often than not, these products had the consistency and holding power of Dep or LA Looks (for all you children of the 80s and 90s), and no matter how many layers you glopped on, the product wouldn’t hold — it would merely coat your hair, mat it down and make it look sweaty, like Colin Farrell’s portrayal of Don Johnson in Miami Vice. Or, Don Cheadle in any movie he has ever been in. And guess what guys? Chicks hate the sweaty, Vaseline hair look.

Anyway, it was impossible to style or spike your hair, or give it the appearance of body or texture with those aforementioned products. And generally, those products came in squeezable tubes — just like the AXE samples that were staring up at me from a recently opened UPS delivery parcel. “Yawn,” I thought.

After a Sunday morning workout in preparation of doing nothing but watching NFL football and drinking all day, I took a shower and decided to try the AXE Hold + Touch Paste for Fine Hair first of the three samples.

My hair is somewhere between thick and fine so I chose the Paste for Fine Hair first because, generally, pastes are pretty strong. But based on the texture of the Fine Hair product, I squeezed an excessive amount into my hands, rubbed them together and began to style my hair. As I applied it, I looked in the mirror and thought, “Yawn, how predictable; another inferior hair gel.”

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Grooming, Lifestyle, Stuff to Buy

G-Form shin pads will amaze and protect you

October 28, 2011 /

shin padsWhen I first heard about G-Form’s new line of sports protective gear, I immediately visited their website to see if they made anything for soccer players. After all, while it’s good to have some sort of protection to help reduce the chance of bone breaks, typical shin guards (at least the ones that don’t cost a pretty penny) tend to be somewhat bulky, and I was looking for a more form-fitting substitute. But while the company insists that such a product is currently in development, there haven’t been any updates in nearly a year. G-Form does make a pair of all-purpose shin pads that are designed for impact sports, however, so I decided to give them a try instead.

What makes G-Form’s products so unique is the material that they’re made from. By utilizing Reactive Protection Technology (RPT) featuring the amazing PORON XRD material, the padding absorbs over 90% of the energy from high-speed impact. This lightweight and flexible material conforms to your body and instantly firms up to form a protective shell upon contact. It sounds too good to be true, I know, so instead of just taking their word for it, I decided to do a little test of my own involving a hammer and the usually fragile underside of a CD. While the unprotected CD cracked upon the first strike as expected, when I covered it up with a G-Form shin pad, I could hit it as hard and as many times as I wanted without so much as a scuff on the material.

The pads are also really comfortable and less intrusive than your average shin guard, and the fact that you can throw them into the washer machine is a big plus. But if there’s one criticism, it’s that while they’re easy to get onto your leg, they’re a pain to get off because the padding is hard to maneuver over your ankle. Besides that minor flaw, however, G-Form’s shin pads work every bit as well as advertised. They may seem a bit pricey at $50, but once you see them in action, you’ll know that it was money well spent.

 

Gear, Sports, Stuff to Buy

Drink of the Week: Pumpkin Irish Coffee

October 28, 2011 /

Pumpkin Irish coffeeYes, I know, I haven’t covered real Irish coffee yet and here I am writing about a rather non-classic variation on same. I have my reasons. First, I want to acknowledge the start of Halloween Weekend 2011. Second, even in Southern Calfornia, the weather is finally cooling down and it’s time to run DOTW’s first ever warm beverage. Finally, more than traditional Irish coffee, this drink, promulgated by the good folks representing the reliably tasty Bailey’s Original Irish Creme, brings back many fond memories of countless youthful late night/early morning sessions of blackjack and craps fueled by even more countless rounds of allegedly free Baileys and coffee. How can you not love any drink combining the four basic food gambling trip food groups: caffeine, alcohol, sugar, and fat. I was certainly happy to get a free bottle of the key non-coffee ingredient in the mail.

Anyhow, this version is a nice autumnal variation on the Baileys and java theme that adds a dash of something extra, but not a speck of actual pumpkin flavor.

Pumpkin Irish Coffee

2 ounces Irish cream
4 ounces strong coffee or espresso
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Whipped cream
3 espresso beans (optional garnish and/or snack if you want to get extra wired)

Combine Irish cream and pumpkin pie spice (a melange of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice, but no pumpkin) as best as you can in a small coffee cup. Pour in four ounces, or maybe a bit more, of freshly made and hopefully very hot coffee or espresso. Stir again, rather vigorously. Top with whipped cream and, if you want to get fancy, three espresso beans. Sip, and remember, whatever you do, don’t split 10s and never bet the farm on hard 8.

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I actually altered this recipe somewhat, cutting down the pumpkin spice from a full teaspoon to just a half. While the spices definitely add an extremely nice flavor to the coffee and alcoholic cream combo, they also have proven to be somewhat resistant to dissolving, even with the hot coffee. The result is a sludgy residue at the bottom of the coffee cup that I didn’t love. Cutting the amount of pumpkin spice in half, however, has also resulted in cutting the residue down to acceptable levels. Using actual super-hot espresso from a machine might also help on that score. If you do so, certainly feel free to experiment with going full pumpkin.

Food & Drink, Lifestyle

Friday Video – Boots Electric, “Complexity”

October 28, 2011 /

You’d have to go out of your way to not get along with Jesse Hughes, the lead singer of the Eagles of Death Metal and creative force behind the glam boogie band Boots Electric. All the man wants is for people to have a good time, and have sex, not necessarily in that order. Arriving on a music scene where bands were more interested in sharing their pain and misery, Hughes had the glow of a Renaissance man, and that was before we got him on the phone for a fun chat in 2006. From that point forward, Jesse Hughes has secured lifelong status as a Friend of Bullz-Eye.

Which brings us to his babelicious video for “Complexity,” a hilarious title once you realize how decidedly uncomplicated the song is. The glam sound fits Hughes well, though, and the casting director, which was probably Hughes as well, if we were to guess, clearly had a good job that day (boing boing boing). At the end of a day, the clip has a very valuable message: if you’re fun to be around, women will want to be with you. Pass it on.

Lastly, bonus points for the Boots Electric album title, which is our title of the year so far: Honkey Kong. Awe, some.

Music, Videos

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