Pleasantly Surprised Search Results

Out Today: How to Play the Gears of War 3 Beta Version on Xbox Live

Gears of War fans around the world are excited (possibly drooling) over the upcoming release of the third installment in the series, Gears of War 3. There's a lot of hype about the game and its new features, which includes a 4-player co-op mode and a slew of new female characters. But there's one problem—it doesn't come out until September 20th. But for a lucky circle of gamers, the Multiplayer Beta just opened up today.

Privacy Is So 2001: An Anime Video Game Novel About Social Media

Japanese people are into many things Americans find weird—like YouTube's beloved canine-hosted cooking show or Daito Manabe's light up LED grills or even more insane, a vending machine that distributes live crabs. In light of these cultural oddities, the Japanese phenomenon of visual novels (NVL, or bijuaru noberu), seems relatively normal. A meeting place of books and video games, visual novels are a sort of "Choose-Your-Own-Adventure" for the new generation.

News: Yup, it's Oscar Season

So the Big Surprise News of today is that The King's Speech is Kicking Major Nomination Ass with twelve count-em 12 nominations, just brutalizing stuff like The Social Network (eight - nice try), The Fighter (seven - really? seven? that's the best you can do idiot movie?) and True Grit (ten - double figures is respectable... I guess...). How come that happened? I'll tell you. It's because North Americans freaking love rich British people.

Whoa, Dude, I’m Bleeding: A Simple First Aid Experience

This weekend, I was on a trip to Binghamton. In the midst of unpacking my toiletries at the hotel, I found that my brand new razor blade had lost its cap. How did I find that out? Well, when I pulled my hand out of the bag, I found that my right pointer finger was missing a bit of its tip and dripping blood on everything. Thankfully, Nathan G. H. Shlivovitz was with me and knew what to do, but the experience helped me to realize that everyone needs a little first aid knowledge in life. Here a...

News: My Game

Where were you in 1993? Thinking about starting a tech company? Starting elementary school? Awaiting a 1996 Daft Punk party after which you would be conceived? It's been eighteen years, but the game that solidified my dorkdom for good is still coming out with new sets, still fun as hell to play, and deserves some love dammit. To that end, I have started this World: A Magic: The Gathering Spot.

News: Monkey See, Monkey Do

Chi gyo ichi nyo is a familiar expression in the dojo. The word chi means knowledge. Gyo means doing, or action. Ichi nyo means inseparable. Action and knowledge are one! Acting without adequate knowledge or understanding is a constant source of frustration and problems. In our lives we are often busy and active without really understanding the basis of our actions and their full impact. Some people practice karate without really knowing why they are training. In class they do the techniques ...

REVIEW: The A-Team

People smile in this movie. This is a genius breakthrough Another day, another remake. Another safe choice during apparently rocky times - this wintry economic climate, don't you know - and we're off and watching Joe Carnahan's big-screen version of the A-Team. In 2010.

News: My Name is Kira, and I'm an Addict...

...a FarmVille addict, that is. Poor Kira is just one of many who pours way too much time and money into their virtual Facebook homesteads. Zynga’s FarmVille is the most popular of the many Facebook web games. In fact, it attracts more than 75 million players monthly.

L4D2: The Port Finale

L4D2: The Port Finale The Third Chapter in The Passing is the Port Finale. It's similar to the Dead Center finale, where you have to gather gas cans spread throughout the map and fuel the generator to lower the bridge.

News: The Rooftop Coffin Prank

Tell Ehren that he is going to do a prank by coming out of a coffin in pubic. When he is in the coffin take him to the top of a building. Tell him that the people who he was going to prank are going to be there in a few miniutes. Then leave, and about five min later tell him leave the coffin via walky-talky. When he gets out he will be surprised to see that he is on top of a building. Not only that but there will be some random dude up there too, and the dude will act as if nothing weird is g...

News: Convict Sleepover

Get a scary looking dude. Print up a fake newspaper with the guy’s face on it saying he just broke out of prison. Give the victim the newspaper. Later that night disconnect the phone line and take his/her cell phone. Make sure there are no weapons in the bedroom. After the person falls asleep lock all the doors and windows. Cut off all the power to the house. (Inform the neighbors of the prank, just in cause someone calls the cops). Sneak the “convict” into his/her bedroom. Lock the door so h...

News: Johnny's belated Debauchery Bachelor Party of Shame.

First off, congratulations to Jonny & Naomi to their marriage Friday. Great timing for Johnny to make an honest woman of the bride; 9 months AFTER your son's birth. HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE.Its safe to say that Johnny did not get a proper bachelor party before he tied the knot.So Johnny gets called to meet Jeff Trenmaine at his office or some other building. When Johnny arrives, he is surprised to find a 'bachelor party' has been set up by all of his friends. Every gay male stripper, every morbid obes...

News: Caught Brown Handed

Have some of the Jackass crew poop in a purse. Or use elephant poop....and fill the bottom of the purse. Cover the poop with makeup, tissues, personal items, etc. that you'd normally find in a purse. Then set in on a semi-busy sidewalk.(Making it a Coach purse would attract more attention I think.) When "curious" people walk by they'll probably check the purse for money, but instead they get a disgusting surprise!! After a few people have "gotten their hands dirty" you could have Spike Jones ...

How To: Market a Self Storage Facility

Self-storage may not be a new industry, but it is one that is rapidly reshaping its operations to suit a progressively more modernized customer base. In order to stay competitive with your self-storage facility, you'll need to keep an open mind, embrace current marketing trends, and most importantly, have a well-defined set of marketing goals. Your main focus should revolve around the following points:

How To: Stop Advertising Companies from Tracking Your Online Activity for Targeted Web Ads

Back in the eighties, I used to hate television commercials, but I eventually got used to them. Had to, in order to enjoy my favorite shows. Then, the increasing number of billboard ads annoyed me in the nineties. They followed me everywhere I went—no escape—persuading me to buy the newest whatever. It seemed like Big Brotherism—like They Live. But, I got used to it. When I finally entered the digital age and became a web addict, I was peeved at the constant sight of online ads everywhere I v...

Minecraft Monster Slaying: How to Surprise Your Aggressors with a Long Drop and Sudden Stop

No one likes having their home invaded, and sometimes you just don't want to have to wait those precious few seconds for someone or something to drown, suffocate, or burn up. This trap utilizes gravity to destroy anyone who may want to pillage your home, be they monster or player. No drowning or suffocating here... they just go splat at the bottom of a deep hole, and you can instantly forget about them.

The Sweet Smell of Success: DIY Smoke Mix with Sugar and Potassium Nitrate

I finally got around to trying out another one of Will's mad science experiments and found out that this one was actually more satisfying (and less frustrating) than my slightly uncooperative jar jet. There's something very pleasing about making potassium nitrate at home in the kitchen and then watching the transformation from semitransparent liquid to spiky, frozen crystals. That was the best part for me, second only to igniting it with its sugar companion.

IPsec Tools of the Trade: Don't Bring a Knife to a Gunfight

Pull up outside any construction site and you'll see tools scattered about—hammers, jigsaws, nail guns, hydraulic pipe benders—these are the tools of the trade. You would be hard-pressed to build a home or office building with just your hands! On that same page, security professionals also have their own go-to tools that they use on the job site, only their job site is your server.

News: Installing Laminate Tile Over Ceramic Tile

I'm starting a laminate tile installation next Thursday. I thought I will show what is involved from start to finish. It's going in a kitchen and two bathrooms. There is ceramic tile in these rooms now and I'm installing the laminate tile right over the ceramic tile. The problem with the ceramic tile is it has white grout and my client can't keep the grout clean.

Scrabble Bingo Weekly Roundup: Guisard, Reaphook and Veronica

There's only a few week left until costumes and candy take over the streets, which means they'll be more and more seven-letter words in the Scrabble Bingo of the Days that relate to the Fall season, horror movies, and of course… Halloween. Below you'll find bingo words relevant such films as Halloween, Children of the Corn and The Wicker Man.

News: Friday Indie Game Review Roundup: Pennies, Alliances, and Choices

Like a great acting performance, making a really good game is all about choices. While creating or playing a game, those involved have to constantly make small choices that will affect the outcome, either positively or negatively. And the only thing worse than choosing wrongly is not choosing at all. Too many games, especially today, stick to what they're supposed to do from the get-go and avoid making difficult, small, meaningful choices to differentiate themselves and make their performance...

News: Friday Indie Game Review Roundup: Arcade Games Are Dead

If you're between the ages of 20 and 40, then video arcades probably hold a special place in your heart. Whether you all but lived in one (me), wished you could, or detested those with a liking for them, there's no denying that arcades were a ubiquitous part of American culture. They were everywhere, from big chains to little mom-and-pops, housing better systems than gamers had at home and with all the best games and newest titles.

A First Look at Call of Juarez: The Cartel

The developing team Techland gets a free pass. Having thoroughly enjoyed their previous title, Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood, this sequel was bought on day one by good ol' fashion blind faith. After playing for most of today, it's still to early to tell if the game is a mess or a fun romp. Here are some first impressions.

News: 10 Unconventional Hangover Cures

For most Americans, the bane of the hangover is typically remedied by lots of water, painkillers, greasy food, and a day wasted on the couch. But if you're tired of potato chips and fried eggs, perhaps it's time you enter unfamiliar territory. Below, a combination of unorthodox methods for taming the beast, derived from science, sparkly Whole Foods new ageism, and the far East.

News: Celestia is here!

Celestia is HERE! On Wednesday, October 27, 2010, Celestia joined alongside the other worlds in the Spiral. WIzards that are level 48 or higher and have completed the "Final Countdown" quest to defeat Malistaire can now go to Celestia!

HowTo: Go Jersey Shore This Halloween! Top 10 DIY Snooki Looks

Jersey Shore's pickle-loving, drunken little ball of fun has captured the affection of many, as well as a fair share of haters. According to today's Wall Street Journal, Snooki and other Jersey Shore characters have surpassed Lady Gaga in popularity for Halloween costumes of 2010. Go Snook. (Not too surprising. For lots of ladies out there, the more revealing the costume, the better.)

Tweens 'n' Teens: Charlie St. Cloud

Hey editor Mike here from thesubstream and I would like to welcome our newest contributor to the site, our tweens 'n' teens cinema specialist, my little sister Amanda. We're going to make her go watch all the movies that we don't want to see ourselves and then make her tell us and you about them. Up first: the Zac Efron vehicle Charlie St. Cloud.

Metro 2033: Life

What separates Metro 2033 from other FPS games? Life. There are underground towns, markets, children, music, and so much background chatter than sometimes you can't single out a particular conversation.

How To: How good does the USA look?

Posted with permission via HereComeTheYanks.com The pre-tournament friendlies are over. The training camp in Pretoria, South Africa, has become their home. They are tweeting and answering interviewers with the same general statement...Training camp has gone extremely well, everyone is healthy, and they're ready for England.

Word Nerds Unite: Planning a SCRABBLE-Themed Wedding

Wedding themes are no rarity, but a SCRABBLE wedding? I never would have guessed, until I came across "10 Ways to Incorporate Scrabble Into Your Wedding" at CasaSugar. Now, I'm one of the biggest SCRABBLE nerds out there, but I could never see myself getting hitched amongst SCRABBLE tiles and SCRABBLE cakes and SCRABBLE cuff links. I'd also be afraid that none of my guests would actually come if they knew SCRABBLE was the theme. Hell, it's hard enough to get any of my friends to play a simple...