Studio XPS 9000
Intel Core i7-920 processor (8MB L3 Cache 2.66GHz)
12GB DDR3 SDRAM at 1066MHz
Nvidia GeForce GTX 260
1TB Serial ATA 2 Hard Drive 7200 RPM
6X Blu-Ray Writer and 16X DVD+/-RW
Soundblaster X-Fi Titanium
Hauppauge HVR1250 hybrid TV Tuner with Remote Control
Logitech X-540 5.1 Surround Speaker System
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit Edition Edition English
Now that rockband 2 has Evanescence, and I just now found out >.> I'm playing this game again woot. Need more good music like this.
With record sales being posted, GameStop is dominating U.S. retail game sales with little or no sign of slowing down. But at what cost? It seems GameStop has some secrets not all its customer base may be aware of.
In 2003, GameStop settled a lawsuit, "alleging that the company sold games as new even though they had already been bought and returned to its stores under the stores' return policies, in violation of state consumer protection laws."
One would think that after being caught once, well, they would "clean up their act" and avoid any sort of correlation to that of a pawnshop.
Which brings us to the ongoing procedure, to this day, at GameStop stores of removing the factory plastic wrap and breaking the factory seal from new game titles in order to use the game boxes for display. The disc is stored behind the counter, until at times, an unknowing customer brings up a display box, paying new prices, only to have a disc slid into the display box. GameStop refers to this process as "gutting", while the customer still pays the new price.
It has also been reported that these "gutted" games can also be taken home by employees to "test out" and learn about the games they are selling only to bring them back to the store to sell as new. "The alleged practice of GameStop lending new copies of games to employees at their stores and then later selling those games as new, unused copies, may be a violation of federal law. GameStop's "check-out" policy, confirmed to Kotaku by a number of the chain's managers and employees, could fall under scrutiny of the Federal Trade Commission." When confronted about this policy GameStop had this to say, "We (GameStop) do not comment on corporate policies that are competitive in nature," said Chris Olivera, vice president of corporate communications. "As your questions relate to company training, operations and discounting practices, I would not be able to provide feedback."
Being late to the party to this generation of video games and systems, I had some catching up to do when I got back into console gaming this past winter. Trying to avoid big chains like Walmart, I decided to make most of my purchases from my local GameStop but did no research on their business practices. Over the next few months, acquiring 30 some odd 360 games, all purchased as new. Though due to work and lack of time most of the games have yet to be played, and apparently being a complete idiot or perhaps just an honest person, until recently had not noticed that about 80% of the games I had bought were "gutted" copies most of which were scratched, finger marked and looked heavily played, looking worse than some games I've owned for 10 years. And no, the "gutted" process was never mentioned at the counter, but really, in my opinion, this practice should not even be an option when purchasing new products of any kind.
GameStop provided this template type explanation when emailed about my experiences with the company:
"First off, on behalf of the company, we offer our apologies for your lack of satisfaction in the products you purchased from our Meadville location. While all stores company wide follow the same display guidelines through "gutting" new copies of the game to provide the cases for display, this location failed in ensuring the games were transferred back to the cases in the original state they were taken out in. In a perfect scenario, we would not have to go through this process, which we agree, would not only improve the quality of games being sold, but it would also decrease the work load on our staff members, providing them much more time to spend talking to and helping our customers. While it is possible in larger "big box" retailers to simply place their games in racks with security casings or behind locked glass cases, we do not have those options as our stores are not suited for these type of display methods. Several options have been and are being looked at with regards to how we can safely display these new titles without fear of having them stolen on a regular basis however to make this jump in 4400+ stores commands a lot of time, planning and testing that at this point is not yet complete. Typically our staff members make sure to mention when selling these gutted copies to our customers why it is opened and explain our necessity for doing so. At this point, you as the customer, have every right to choose not to purchase. In past experiences, a very small percentage of "gutted" games that have been sold turn up in the condition in which you described, however, if you were not provided the information as to why the games were sold in the state you purchased them in, then again, we missed on a very big aspect of our customers experience."
"Should you not wish to purchase the title if it is a "gutted" copy, our associates can take your name and phone number and have the specific title either shipped in, or contact you back the next time they receive it in stock. As for the legal ramifications to our stores processes and policies, that is a matter in which the legal department has and will also continue to work on to ensure that GameStop and any of it's affiliates stay within all necessary rules and regulations regarding the buying, selling and trading of all video games. Lastly, should you wish to continue shopping with us we will honor your decision in any future transactions should you wish to not purchase the open "gutted" copy or wish to inspect the disc prior to leaving the store. Again, even if you purchase an open copy and do not notice any imperfections until after you've attempted to play the product, there is a 30 day return policy in place that will allow you to return, exchange or trade the game back in for a refund or credit towards any future purchases."
Since I used to take for granted the assumption that if the sticker says "NEW", it's of course new, I've found myself inspecting the data sides of discs before I leave any retailer. And yes, at first I didn't have a problem paying new prices for an open box, considering GameStop's entire store line of new games is sold this way, at least at my location, I again assumed the games discs were in new condition . But do me a favor and don't assume anything when it comes to GameStop or you will be left feeling like how your grandmother always warned you would when you do ass-u-me.
I'm curious how the gaming community feels about GameStop and their policies reguarding selling openned or "gutted" software as new and at new game prices and the reported employee "check out" company policy or training proceedure of letting employees take these "gutted" games home to play, only to sell them as new later on.
The fact that this may be old news to many of you is also very disheartening, since a company with such shady business practices has exceled over the years and continues to do so.
GameStop currently operates as "GameStop and "EB Games" at 4,400 locations nationwide.
This is the year where the PS3 takes the lead and will hold that lead for years to come. The PS3 is getting the best exclusives this year not only in games but also DLC! Hello PS3, Goodbye 360!
Well... I think I am ready to talk... tell you all what has been up with me... why I disappeared.
Remember when I told you my husband deployed to Korea?
Well he had an affair, started treating us really badly, our son and I...and we have since gotten a divorce. The divorce was final in April 2007...
Now for the reality of it all... it was the best thing that has ever happened to me. I know that seems weird... but I am happier than I have ever been...
I don't want to play the blame game... the truth is... I wouldn't change it for the world... my life has been amazing... it is hard to explain... but true.
Justin (my son) and I are having a wonderful holiday season. Our house is decorated... a beautiful tree... a Christmas quilt, and Santa's everywhere. It is so warm... a lot of red, rustic greens, and golden beige...
I have been dating... which has been a wonderful way of figuring out who I am and what I want in my own life.
Things were pretty casual... but I have since met a really nice guy... an amazing guy that I am seeing exclusively.
He is a gamer... of course (laugh) ... an Xbox fan 
I have gotten most of my shopping done... just a few little stocking stuffers needed.
I am off of work for two weeks (curls up) and I need the rest... I work twelve hour shifts, so... it can drain you.
I have met so many wonderful people... and I work with a lot of great people.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
I don't know how much I can come on here... real life calls and I am having a lot of fun just finding myself again, exploring, discovering the world... having little adventures... finding new interests.
I hope to visit again soon...
Michelle
lol
Total Messages Read: 38756
ok, these days i don't even have 5 minutt to spend on the internet and Gamespot, the A-Levels is killing me, and it doesn't sound good if you have chosen the most stressful subjects, Physics, Chemistry and Pure Math, and your english isn't that great, yeah thats right i moved here to Birmingham from Norway, while its nice to meet other people and diffrent backgrounds, however the Chavs are really irritating me, i mean i went to every game shop in this city and guess what, no FREAKING gamecube games and double the space of the PSP to the DS, those guys are like brainwashed, from Sony.
well anyway am talking about my favourite Anime that i watched so far, am huge Anime fan but never actually watched every Anime out there, cause i have no time to watch all but i have certain favourites that every Anime fan would (or could to be more accurete) agree with me so here they are: -
10- Bleach: -
yep i here Anime fans screaming alrady, give me a brake, Bleach isn't that special, its pretty much deja-vu all over agin cause i have seen every little detail about bleach somewhere else, you want a trouble maker main character Sakuragi Hanamichi is the man for you (from Slam Dunk), do u want to go to other world MAR is doing the excact same thing (while in a crappy way) and other thing that i should mention but am afraid from its fans.But why is it even in my top 10? well, the thing is its very worth watching it if you don't mind the similiarties to other animes, the art work is one of the best i have seen, and the humor is well done and very funny too unlike other animes out there *cough* Naruto *cough* and the characters are diverse and intresting, while the clothing style could be better, its alright, after all Bleach is very intresting Anime, that if u mind cliches.
9- .Hack://Sign: -
Dot Hack Sign, was one of those anime that has the potential to be very diffrent but never tried that, i mean how could you forget that you are the only Anime that are actually told the story throgh MMORPG, not only that but very realstic not Virtually, and how could you forget that you are the Only Anime that have the most depressed main character ever and you could use him so many creative things (poor ol' Tsukasa) and how could you forget that you are the first anime that made the word "Glitch" seem to be important enough just to minuplate the world. after all that trash talk i guess you are wondering why is it even on my top ten list, well let me tell you something, unless you hate slow start, and i mean very very slow start (well you will understand this when you except the Series to finish at ep. 21 and find ouut that the story actually getting intresting at ep. 17), you will find this series very intresting, with almost everything as non-stereotypical stuff - if only they could remove some Anime girls attitude that would be perfect, dot.Hack is one of the anime that make you say "why wouldn't you do that there and that here" but at the same time it is good at its own right.
8- Ouran High School Host Club: -
OK, beore you say "what the hel", just listen, this Anime is one of those Romantic Comedy (which i actually dislike), but the diffrence between this and other Romantic Comedy Animes, it's actually funny and there are less romantic stuff in here, really. OK, the main Story is centering around a group of high school friends all in the same club - the Host Club, this high shcool is mainly for rich people, but Haruhi isn't rich at all, thus when he brakes a vase -accidentaly- upon leaving the room, this makes that he is unvolentary stays and do odd job for this club, mainy entertaining the high-shcool girls, but afterwards the club will notice (more ike know) that he is not a he, but a she. The funny thing is in the Anime, how Haruhi react with diffrent charcetrs and events, you will notice how the exaggeration is over the top, because they are Ultra-wealthy and on of the funny line that you will hear often is when Haruhi says sighing "those rich bastards" when for example make a big deal of an Insatnt Cofee and saying that this how poor people drink cofee and somehow every gets addict to it, its just hilarious, not to mention the charcaters,something must be said about the main character. Voiced by fan favorite Sakamoto Maaya, Haruhi is the eye in the hurricane. She is really the only sane character in the entire series, which is great. She thinks the boys' antics are lame--as are the girls' reactions. Speaking as a non-shounen-ai fan, who just "doesn't get it," I greatly appreciate and thusly relate to her character. this is Anime is so funny and silly at times but really worth the time, and worth mentioning is LAST ALLIANCE rocks.
7- Naruto: -
Yep the next Dragon Ball (in terms of the popularity)is very obvious, to include in any list, its actualy very good anime and one of the most original Anime latly (not that original, but for me, Naruto s a bit anit-clichee character), as every one knows its about Uzumaki Naruto, an orpan child that wishs to be the next Hokage, to show the villege of Konoha that he's not as an idiot as he looks ( i don't bame them at the first 80 epesode, he is a stupid person that actuay goes into everyone's nerves). The Anime itsef has one of the hell story......... not finished.
others comming sooon!!! the school is taking my free time.
Nintendo's Game Boy is one such obsession.
Tonight as I was tidying up my bedroom I stumbled on a shoebox where I keep all my game boys (I have every Game Boy incarnation Nintendo ever produced). For no particular reason I decided to take them all out of the box to look at them. Boy did they bring back memories.
Suddenly it dawned on me that Nintendo Game Boy has always been my gaming sidekick since the my early gaming life.
I still chuckle when I think of the times I carried around the first generation Game Boy aka "the Brick" to school (I was in highschool at the time). Man oh man was that thing the subject of envy among my buddies! I also remember being blown away when I saw Game Boy Pocket for the first time. "Whoa! Now I can slip my Game Boy in my pocket!" *head explodes*
17 Years and 7 generations later, it appears that Game Boy era may be coming to an end. I felt a tinge of sadness, but at the same time- hope and excitement. The times have changed, and the passing of one great portable gaming system has given way to the birth of a new generation, passing to the newborn everything that made it great and then some. I, for one, welcome our new dual-screened portable overlords!
Game Boy may be fading away, but its legacy and legendary success story lives on.
I've been from ups and downs and now im finally back to find out the latest news and reviews, i haven't played a game in ages and im surpried im not dead lol 
But yea it's good to be back!
Today, I have decided that I, Skungie, like video games. No wait, I decided that long ago.
Today I shall work on adding and reviewing all of my games! It shall take all day! Yay!
ive played for about 2 1/2 hours so far and its pretty damn fun. i'll post impressions next weekend (as well as R&C3 impressions)
-Ali ibn-Abi-Talib
