HoshiChiri

70% iso is NOT a 'new phenomenon'. It's been around for years. I did some googling, just becuase I was curious: The term 'rubbing alcohol' dates back to the prohibition era & was used to emphasize the product was for external use, not for drinking. ALSO, it was a very different product than today, being a liniment for massage ("rubbing"!) A liniment is a tincture of infused herbs, so I imagine this is the source of the confusion. These days, in the US there's two kinds of 'rubbing alcohol'- isopropyl rubbing alcohol is 50-99% pure iso, with the remainder being water. Ethyl rubbing alcohol has additives, but not herbal- acetone, for example. The idea is to make sure people don't drink the stuff! A rubbing alcohol may contain non-medical additives for color or fragrance-so no herbs. Plus, the only one I can find noted, methyl salicylate, usually results in the product being labeled 'wintergreen oil', not rubbing alcohol. Finally- and most importantly- this is for products with rubbing alcohol ON THE LABEL. If the label says 'isopropyl alcohol', then it's NOT rubbing alcohol. Iso is a common ingredient in homemade remedies, so it is sold as a separate product. So if you're still worried, don't buy rubbing alcohol- buy isopropyl alcohol.

Got it- I buy from funstock too, but pay for the tracked shipping (still uses Royal Mail, just a different service within it). I have had packages hang right around the transfer to USPS, so I bet it's fine.

Who did you buy from? I usually can click a link somewhere to switch from the UK post to the USPS once it switches countries. If not, you should be able to copy/paste the tracking number.

I've often thought the price thing around here is a very loose suggestion, for one big reason- there's no guarantee money was really a factor! I opted not to send it this year, but I currently have set aside a brand new Pac-man mug that may make its way into a future SS gift (since I use the Intellivision one I received as an SS gift!) It cost me... something like 500 tickets at the local arcade. Where we learned how to hit the jackpot on the Magic Wheel every time & made a tidy stockpile before they changed the settings. So, I genuinely don't know how much actual money it was. I feel like many others are in a similar situation- we trade, we craft, we dig things out of the 'list on Ebay someday' pile. It makes it hard to meet an arbitrary financial marker. Folks around here seem to have a pretty good grasp of what's a good, but not bank-breaking gift (and newcomers can check photos from years previous & get a feel for the standard pretty quick!) I prefer it this way- I think a hard maximum would be stifling for the gifting! Oh, it was funny- although it does raise some questions. Like, if I give a lucky rabbit's foot & some jerky, does that violate rule #3? Does a sourdough starter violate rule #2? Would a copy of the necromonicon be frowned upon since the end user could then create an undead, thus violating rule #5- or does it not count if they do it? So confusing!?

I venture into the world becuase, in general, I don't need a gallon of the stuff & the small bottles are notably cheaper from drugstores (provided you can find a good dilution.) That said, I 'refilled' most recently by just buying one up card's new Atari system cleaner & a fresh bottle of their fluid. It's a tiny amount for the price, but it'll easily last the next year or so for me... plenty of time for things to (hopefully) normal out.

I decidedly do NOT have such fortitude! ? While years in retail have eroded my holiday spirit & left me exhausted & cursing commercialism, the few things that remain untainted still managed to bring out the lil' kid in me who loves Christmas. And this whole thing is definitely one of the good things- not only for the generosity shown, but the amazing ability people seem to have to guess what someone they've never met in person would like as a gift! I will consider it a victory if I make it to December before I open my box!

*deep breath* Ok... so- I'm the only person in my household not working today. Last one out yells to me there's a box on the porch. "Ah", I think, "my Desert Bus pins are here" (since I got an Out For Delivery email.) I go to get the box- much too big for pins. Must be something for my sister. Hey, that's an AtariAge sticker. WAIT- THIS IS MY SECRET SANTA BOX?! I am absolutely STUPIFIED as to what's in here- the box is over 2 feet tall! I'm going to be good and try to not open it right away... but there's no where to hide this, so I guarantee the next time my niece is around she will convince me to open it. Just consider this an early 'thank you' to my Santa for the surpise/shock!

I found an original xbox controller (translucent blue S type) amongst my sister in law's stuff & claimed it. Cleaned it up the other day- it needed it worse than I realized. Aside from a decade plus layer of dust & down, it had bird seed in it (she has cockatiels). Much nicer with all that scrubbed off & shook out!

I was in a Gamestop for the first time since this reset- somehow I missed that they weren't pricing anything. I don't think I've ever been so horrifed/confused in a Gamestop before (and that's saying something!) I really hope they backpedal this- this is fine for the new games, but used should really have the gut-cases out. And PRICE THINGS! If I was so focused on a title I didn't need a price, I'd buy it online!

PM sent! ?

11. Yakuza 3 Remastered (PS4) 12. Vitamin Connection (Switch) Moving right along with my Yakuza binge. This one was jarring to start, given it's a remaster instead of a remake like the first two- it was VERY noticeable. Still a great game! Vitamin Connection is cute, with some nice music (if techno pop is your thing). Heck of a difficulty spike at the final boss- not too crazy, but since the rest of the game is so forgivingly easy it made it seem worse than it was. It's also designed for 2 player, so it might be good for co-op play with older kids (I think younger ones would struggle a bit with the asymmetrical gameplay).

Probably modern right now, but that's more becuase I've bought most of the vintage titles that appeal to me, & a lot of what's left is prohibitively expensive. It takes some effort to want to drop triple digit prices on games, especially ones I've only read about.

Sounds like me & Will Vinton's Claymation Christmas (my perennial favorite!) As a kid we'd skip the 'Joy to the World' segment & put the California Raisins on repeat. Now, 'Joy to the World' is one of my favorite parts- guess it just took time for me to appreciate the visuals. (And to catch all the puns leading into 'The Carol of the Bells').

I agree- I refuse to give any of these companies that kind of information. I would rather mail a check to a stranger on Facebook for a game than hand out my SSN. The hassle of getting a new account number is far less than fixing a stolen identity!

I didn't have an Xbox back in the day- the games I saw advertised for it never appealed to me. I did play Halo at my now fiancé's place on his system, but that was my experience with it. A few years ago, I watched a hidden gems video on it, & discovered just under the heavily-advertised surface layer of FPS games was a wealth of fantastic up-my-alley stuff (mostly from Sega). I went hunting around for a system, but most of what I found was modded & I wanted a 'pure' experience. So I asked my fiance what became of his old Xbox. Turns out it was handed down through his siblings & his sister currently had it- and wasn't set on keeping it. I quickly claimed it for my own & replaced the long lost hookups & controllers. All was well... until the thing started turning itself on. The internet told me that meant the clock capacitor was damaging the motherboard. I immediately started looking for a way to get it repaired- I can't solder & time was of the essence. Found a place a couple hours away that would let me mail the system in as long as I made the day trip to pick it up. I found a box, recruited a travel buddy, & sent it off. I'm pretty sure it would have been cheaper to just get a replacement, but as I told the repair guys, this isn't an Xbox- it's THE Xbox. The only OG that myself & my entire circle ever really used. I'd rather have it running than any other unit. (I was also slightly vindicated by their comment that it was one of the cleanest systems they'd seen). These days I think rather highly of the original Xbox- both for the discovery of just how good the library really is, & for the journey my console's been on!

So, here's how I see it: 1st system: Xbox 2nd: 360 3rd: One Fourth: Series The X & S have become a marker for what 'level' of console you have- S is budget, X is standard. I think the previously mention 'first' and 'edition' are strong contenders. I could see them bringing back the E label to refer to a full powered discless model. Or I could see them realizing the continued use of the same handful of terms is confusing their brand, & actually come up with a real name. Like Xian, which in Chinese means 'refined' and/or references immortality. Plus, they can abbreviate it to Xbox X, just to prove they haven't changed! ?

As it is right now, I have 15 consoles plugged in at all times, plus the TV, the cable box, the VCR, the powered switchboxes, and the dock for the Wii U gamepad. It's fine- otherwise I guarantee I'd hear about it from my dad. He was an electrician for several decades. Things of note: try to have surge protectors instead of power strips- this is more for your gear's safety than fire prevention. Don't plug more than one power strip into a wall socket (just becuase there's two outlets doesn't mean you should have a strip in both!) Don't daisy chain strips. Don't damage plugs to force them to fit in an outlet (if you have issues, like a 2-prong outlet & a 3 prong plug, get an adapter.) I'd suggest showing your brother this thread, so he knows the multiconsole setup isn't uncommon, & is quite safe if you handle the connections right. Really, it's not all that different than setting up for Christmas (think of all the lights you plug in!) We can answer any questions he's got!

I grew up on base in the 80s/90s, don't remember that being a thing... although our cocker spainel had my mom's SSN tattooed on him- vet said it was the best way to make sure if he got picked up by animal control to prove he had an owner. This was done off-base though (and obviously before microchipping pets was a thing.)

That's gonna be true of anywhere though- even if you're charging the fairest prices in the land, a low demand item will just sit around. (I say this as someone who always tries to be the lowest price on Ebay for similar condition items, & they often sit for months.) Your only sort-of guarantee for it to go fast is an auction on Ebay with a low starting bid... but even then you could end up taking a big cut. That's just kinda how the secondhand market goes- either wait for a good price or sell now for what you can get. It's on you to decide just how desperately you need the cash right now.

I sell here if not on Ebay. Good people, less fees.

I don't do bootlegs, but I've read stories about people who got duped & ended up with carts that were non-functional or died quickly. Cheap parts means cheap chips & bad soldering too, after all. I'm sure some are decent enough, but personally I'd try to get the real thing. If you've got any reputable retro stores in your area, let them know what you're after- Zelda's a popular franchise, they're gonna get copies in. Just be timely if they give you a call, since they're also popular enough to sell quick too! I'm amused you brought up Minish Cap... I've debated for awhile if I want to find another copy of that. I have it- bought it new at Kmart to use up a Christmas gift card my mom couldn't spend... thing is, I never got around to opening it, & now it's worth enough I'm not sure I want to! ?

There's a few games that are cross-compatible, but not all. There's also 3 models of the system: the original, the color (with an upgraded processor & color screen), and the crystal (with a TFT LCD screen that largely removed ghosting & contrast issues.) Playing Wonderswan with no Japanese reading comprehension does get tricky- the system's claim to fame before the GBA crushed all competition was from a Squaresoft deal that got the system some great titles... that aren't super playable without reading. There's definitely good things to be had, though!

I'm hoping to find a protector for my copy of Solatorobo, but everything is juuust a bit off: the Kid Icarus Uprising box is too short, but the other 3DS games I can find that came with CDs all used paper covers instead of the jewel case on the Solatorobo disc, so they're too narrow. The DS/3DS games that had other goodies are all way too side and/or a bit short. Anybody got an idea?

I remember once seeing a video online of a rental store that went under, & the owner basically just locked the door & disappeared. Years later, that's how it sat- someone managed to break the door open, so you could go in & look around. All I could think watching the video, was that I'd show up with a big bag & grab ALL the rental games. Even if the carts were long gone, you could see a shelf of Genesis boxes just sitting there I'd happily grab!

My recommendations: Rhyme Rider Kerocian- a rythmn game that has you hold the system on an angle. You'll want a complete copy as the vib-ribbon style gameplay isn't explained on cart, you'll need the chart from the manual to learn the bottom cues. Wuz ⬆️ b? Produce: Street Dancer- another more traditional rythmn game, still has you flipping the console around from stage to stage. Kind of a pain to find becuase of that arrow in the title. Xi Little- portable Devil Dice/ Bombastic. You like those? You'll like this. Tane O Maku Tori- puzzle game based on the Japanese Fortune Ladder game. Second'ing Klonoa... easily the best Wonderswan titles I own. Sadly, as I recall, original B&W wonderswan titles don't get a color upgrade on the later systems. The screen quality on the Crystal still makes it very worthwhile though!