Sly Bald Guys' Blog

This is what skin cancer looks like

nospam@example.com (Tyler) — Sun, 11 May 2008 22:35:12 -0700

Hey everyone, this is a picture of a hole in one of Sly Bald Guys' member's head! The hole got there because a doctor had to dig skin cancer out of his scalp.

The reason that I post this up here is that I want to warn all the readers as to what can happen when you don't protect your bald dome with sunscreen. Spring is upon us and Summer is just around the corner. Please don't be another victim of skin cancer. It's easy, put on sunscreen every day, regardless if you think you're going to be outside or not.

Worried you won't get a tan? Trust me, you can still get a tan with sunscreen on. I wear sunscreen every day, even in the winter, and I have a very nice tan going on and it's not even summer yet. Here's a link to all of the reviews I've done regarding sunscreen - http://www.slybaldguys.com/serendipity/plugin/tag/sunscreen

This post is sponsored by:

Here's a little video teaching you how to remember to not mix different alcohol

nospam@example.com (Tyler) — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:48:49 -0700

Silicon Valley Fight Club

nospam@example.com (Tyler) — Thu, 01 May 2008 21:48:43 -0700

What do you think about this?

Defend Your Dome

nospam@example.com (Tyler) — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:11:55 -0700

Many of my readers know that I prefer the matte look to my dome versus a very shiny look. They also know that I am a HUGE advocate of wearing sunscreen ANYTIME a person is going out into the sun. Well, I'm always excited when a product comes out that tackles the two objectives of keeping my dome protected with sunscreen and keeping the shine to a minimum.

Last January I heard of a product called Dome Defense by the company Dome Essentials (http://www.domeessentials.com) that "reduces shine" and provides protection from the sun with SPF 26. I immediately contacted them to let them know that I would love to try out their product. To my shigrin, they sent me a box filled with a tube of Dome Defense, two of their t-shirts, and two of their baseball caps, and two skull caps. All of them are great products!

So, why did I wait this long to tell you about Dome Defense if I've know about it since January? Well, I wanted to make sure that it was a time of year that you would use this product and take notice of it. Otherwise you would just read about it and go on buying your typical stuff.

My Review:

This product does what it says it will do! It reduces shine on your head while at the same time protecting you from the sun. I've tested this product at BBQs, on the golf course, and in my daily adventures and I have yet to be disappointed.

Pros:

Sunscreen that protects your dome.
Matte finish if you like to reduce shine
Reasonably priced. ($12.00 for 4 oz at the time of this post)

Cons:
Only available online

Pat Sajak is really bald!

nospam@example.com (Tyler) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:40:03 -0700

This video aired on April fools day, but doesn't appear to be an April fools day joke. Check it out and leave a comment on whether you think Pat is really bald or is this just a joke? If he is bald, he rocks the look!

How to negotiate with stores like Best Buy and Circuit City

nospam@example.com (Tyler) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:18:19 -0700

In the need for some electronics gear? Don't want to pay full retail price? Well then this article will help save you some money!

I love to negotiate with companies when I buy products and services from them. It's my belief that I should not have to pay full retail for anything so I went out to learn how I could avoid paying full retail. In my quest I read 5 different negotiation books, but one of them stood out above the rest; Negotiate This!: By caring, but not T-H-A-T much by Herb Cohen.

In Herb's book, he talks about how signs are just a point of negotiation. What does that mean? Well it means that we often take a sign, such as a price tag as a final offer, the price we MUST pay, but in reality, this is not the case in most situations. This is often just the first point in negotiation; the price they WANT you to pay. In remembering this little fact I headed out this weekend to buy a home theater system for my house, including a HDTV, receiver, speakers, a Blue-Ray player and an HD TiVo. I had a good time saving several hundred dollars; here's how:

Get your facts before shopping

Before you go out shopping for big ticket items (anything over $100) you need to know a few things about the items you want to buy. First off, know what you want. Make a list of everything you are going to buy on a 8 1/2 x 11 inch piece of paper or in an Excel spreadsheet. If you use paper, make 3 columns on the page. The first column will be for the Make, the second for the Model Number, and the third for the lowest price found on the internet. If there's shipping, add 3 prices in the third column for that model; price without shipping, this shipping cost, the total cost with shipping. It's often good to have up to 3 makes and models that you are willing to buy so that you have a little more room to play with when negotiating.

To find the best price on the internet there is two different sites that I use. Google Product Search (http://www.google.com/products) and Shopping.com (http://www.shopping.com). Just type in the make and model number and you'll get a list of all the available products on the internet that match that description. Just sort by price to get the lowest. If you don't which product you want to buy yet, you can always find the best products in that area of electronics at CNET (http://www.cnet.com).

Print out the best deals that you find

Stores like Best Buy and Circuit City will match and often beat competitors advertised prices and you don't need a newspaper ad to get them to do it. When you use one of the sites listed above to find the lowest price for your product(s) then print out the page that shows that lowest price. Make sure it also lists the make and model number on the print out. This will allow you to present your starting point for negotiation if the store you go to has the product listed for a higher price.

Find the product on their own website

Before heading to Best Buy or Circuit City, search for the product(s) that you are going to buy and print out that listing. Both of these companies often list their products for cheaper on their own website than they mark the product for in the store. This printout will instantly give you a drop in price as it is their policy to match what is listed on their own websites.

It's time to go negotiate!

When you go to the store, it's my recommendation to go in during a slow time, such as a weekday, week night, or a weekend night. My vote would be at night, about an hour before the close. The reason for this is that managers have goals that their teams have to meet and managers that manage the slower times have a harder time of meeting these goals, thus they are more willing to negotiate. Also they aren't being pulled in several different directions by employees that are trying to satisfy customers like the daytime managers. When you go in make sure you have your printouts with you.

Continue reading "How to negotiate with stores like Best Buy and Circuit City"

Which country has the most embarassing pageant contestant?

nospam@example.com (Tyler) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:33:32 -0700

The Philippines

The United States

How to save energy and impress your friends at the same time

nospam@example.com (Tyler) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:47:23 -0700

I recently remodeled my house and spent A LOT of money doing it. Though out of all the expensive things that I put into the house the one thing that has everyone saying "that's so cool!" only cost me $15 and will probably save me more money than that by the time I have to replace it. So, what is this cool little gadget that gets all the applause? Well, if you looked at the picture on this post you can already tell that I'm talking about a light switch. Though, this isn't any little light switch, it's a motion sensing light switch.

What's cool about motion sensing light switch? First off, when your friends go to walk down the hall to use the bathroom they don't have to go searching for the light switch. Instead as the get near the hall, BAM!, the lights automatically turn on. And if you have it setup like me, another series of lights turn on as they get further down the hall. Secondly, as you open your bedroom door at night to go out into the hallway the light automatically turns on so you don't have to fumble around looking for the switch. And last, but not least, you save money because you don't leave the lights on when you're not in that area. This is great for people who have kids who tend to always leave the lights on.

To make the most out of the motion sensing lights I put one at the entry way of my house so when I open the front door the light turns on. This is also tied to the first light in my hallway. The second motion sensor is toward the back of the hall where all the bedrooms are located. This way when someon leaves a bedroom the hallway lights turn on. I would have also put these in the bedrooms, but we opted for dimming switches instead.

Where can you get these motion sensing switches? You can get them from Home Depot, Lowes, and Amazon.com. There's a variety of brands that you can buy that range from $15 to $60. They come in two models, either 180 degree or 150 degree. I opted for the 150 degree by Cooper Wiring Devices as they were only $15 and I liked that it had a manual switch for On, Auto, and Off.

Here's the model that I have:

Attention all British bald guys

nospam@example.com (Tyler) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:39:53 -0700

I received this from ITV Productions this morning and wanted to pass it along to all of you British Sly Bald Guys so that you can have a shot at your own 15 minutes of fame.

ITV is celebrating
the

GREAT BRITISH BODY

in an exciting new
series with Trinny and Susannah.

Its British
Televisions biggest survey of the way we look.

Were holding a
roadshow at the Birmingham Town Hall on the 19^th
April 2008

Are you proud to be
bald?

Have you come to
love your bare head?

Are you part of a
bald headed group?

Do you want to come
and show the nation why bald is best?

We want as many
proud bald men as possible to come along and be counted in this landmark event

So if you fit the
bald bill we want to hear from YOU!

CONTACT Molly or Sam
NOW on Molly.Gilbert@itv.com

Or Call 09011 11 00 44

Calls cost 25p from a BT landline.
Calls from other networks and mobile operators may be higher. Callers must be
at least 18 years old. Lines close on
the 1^st June 2008 at midday.
ITV cannot guarantee that all applicants will be called back. For a full list of
our terms and conditions please visit our website:
http://www.itv.com/termsandconditions/

The Tax Game - Why The Rich Get More Taxes Back Than You Do

nospam@example.com (Tyler) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:26:39 -0700

I just got back from meeting with my tax accountant to have my taxes done. Every year I meet with him he talks to me about how to play the "tax game" a little better each year. The one thing that he always reminds me is that there are two types of forms that are provided to list the things that you can deduct or "write off," a Schedule A and a Schedule C.

The typical American person or family will use the Schedule A to list deductions such as Medical Expenses, Other Taxes Paid, Mortgage Interest, Charitable Deductions, etc. It is good to have items to list on the Schedule A as it does lower your adjusted gross income (also known as the amount you get taxed on) but, it's not as good as having things to list on the Schedule C. Here's why:

A Schedule C allows you to write off any business expenses that you have accrued throughout the year. Things like Advertising and Marketing costs, Automobile Expense, Rent, Utilities, Insurance, and most other expenses that have to do with a business. How is having these things better? Without getting into the math, having Schedule C expenses write your income down quicker than having Schedule A expenses. For example, having $5,000 in Schedule C expenses will decrease your adjusted gross income by almost $5,000, close to dollar for dollar. Having $5,000 in Mortage Interest may only write your adjusted gross income down by $2,000 depending on your tax bracket. Remember, the goal is to LOWER your adjusted gross income as far as you can.

You may have noticed a couple of the items in the list of things on the Schedule C that you pay on a monthly basis, but don't get to write off; things like Automobile Costs, Rent, and Utilities. Yep, the people that own businesses can actually write off things like their Internet Access, Electrical Bill, Rent, and any miles they put on their car due to business and in 2007 that was 48.5 cents per mile or $48.50 for every 100 miles you drive. That's right, people are actually writing off the things that people like you use everyday just because they own a business.

If you're not happy with your tax return, or having to pay this year, then consider starting a business of some kind. It doesn't have to be a fancy busines that cost a ton of money to start up. Here's a list of 10 Legitimate Business that you can start for $20 - http://entrepreneurs.about.com/cs/businessideas/a/10startupideas.htm

Obviously, I'm not an attorney or a CPA, so don't take my word for this. Contract a tax accountant or tax attorney and find out how to play the "tax game" to your best advantage.

What does Whiskey have to do with the pefect shave?

nospam@example.com (Tyler) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 23:58:53 -0700

THE BOWMORE WAY TO PERFECTION

Often considered as the perfect malt, Bowmore is now is inviting consumers to discover premium experiences with the launch of a unique extension to its website The Bowmore Way.

A series of films illustrating the perfect way to make the most of experiences will feature on www.thebowmoreway.com, with an expert providing a step-by-step guide.

Grandmaster Jacob Aagaard, British Chess Champion shows the Bowmore way to checkmate in just four moves while Maria Soep, the World's Champion Porridge Maker from the Roineabhal Guesthouse in Kilchrenan in the far north of Scotland advises how to cook porridge to perfection.

Other advice includes: how to tie a bow tie; lighting a cigar; shucking an oyster as well as extending consumers whisky knowledge by showing how to cut peat; turn barley and nose whisky.

Glen Moore, Bowmore brand director, said: âThis unique online development allows Bowmore to drive awareness across domestic and international markets. By showing customers the rules of traditional etiquette and how to achieve 100 per cent perfection in every situation, the films emphasise the premium status of the brand and the unique charm of Bowmore products.

Created by Glasgow-based digital design agency, Chunk and filmed by production agency The Gate Films, the films will rotate on a fortnightly basis and are intended to run until the end of 2008.

Bowmore Distillery, home to the original Islay single malt, recently launched an exclusive, limited edition bottle of the legendary Black Bowmore. With only 827 bottles released, the extremely rare 42 years old expression is the oldest Bowmore ever released by the distillery and with a retail price of £2,000 all are expected to be snapped up by whisky collectors and connoisseurs around the world.

In celebration of its release Bowmore is offering web users the opportunity to win a bottle, absolutely free, on their newly revamped website at www.bowmore.com.

For a better head shave just exfoliate

nospam@example.com (Tyler) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:00:00 -0700

One of the known secrets on Sly Bald Guys is that in order to get the best head shave possible it helps to add exfoliating your head to your preshave routine. How do you do this? Well there are two favorite products here that we use. The first product is HeadShed from HeadBlade. HeadShed is my favorite, mostly due to the smell of it. As HeadBlade's website details, it smells like a cross between cookie dough and cocoa butter. To use it, just squeeze a bit into your hand and rub it into your scalp. Rinse after 30 seconds. To learn more about or to buy HeadShed go to HeadBlade.com. You can also buy HeadShed at Sally Beauty Supply.

The second favorite product is St. Ives Apricot Scrub. This product works just the same and just as well as HeadShed, though it has a citrus/apricot smell. St. Ives is available in most drug stores and large stores such as Target and Wal Mart. Though, you might have to come up with an excuse when one of your buddies sees it in your shower.

How to carry on all of your head shaving gear when travelling

nospam@example.com (Tyler) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:14:16 -0700

As some of you have noticed, until yesterday I haven't posted in a couple of weeks. Well, this was due to me travelling for business part of the time while I was absent from the blog. While I was in the Denver airport trying to get through security, it made me realize that I've been thinking of doing a post on "how to carry on all of your head shaving gear while travelling" and now is the time to do it. Here's how:

First off, you need to know the rules. If you haven't travelled in a while, then you probably don't know that you have to separate all of your liquids from your other stuff and put them into on quart (not gallon) sized bag and each liquid item must be in a 3 oz container or less. The TSA outlines this as 3-1-1 as the picture up above details.

Secondly, it is important to separate your razor, blades, and other non liquid items into a separate bag. Remember, you DO NOT need to pull this bag out when going through security. Also, you can bring a safety razor (HeadBlade, Fusion, etc) on the plane with extra blades. Here's what the TSA says about razors in their prohibited items section:

"Razor-Type Blades - such as box cutters, utility knives, razor blades not in a cartridge, but excluding safety razors (must be checked)."

From that line, it's my best guess that straight razors and double edge razors should be checked and you should not attempt to carry them on.

One of the toughest thing about this 3-1-1 rule is that it can often be hard to fit all of the things that you need into 1 quart size bag, so here is a list of all the products that I know of that come in bottles or packages that are 3 oz or less.

Shaving Creams/Oils/Gels

HeadSlick by Headblade - 2 oz
Pacific Shaving Oil - 1/2 oz and 2 oz sizes
Shave Secret Oil - 1 oz
KOS Shave Oil - 1-2 oz
Matte for Men - 2.5 oz

Exfoliating Scrub

HeadShed by HeadBlade - 2 oz
St. Ives Apricot Scrub -1 oz (Found in the travel section of stores like Target)

Lotions

HeadLube Matte or Glossy by HeadBlade - 2 oz
Matte for Men with SPF 25 - 2.5 oz
Neutrogena - 1 oz (If you stay at a DoubleTree they often provide this for free)
Neutrogena with SPF - 1 oz (If you stay at a DoubleTree they often provide this for free)

Bump Control

ClearHead by HeadBlade - 2 oz
TendSkin - 1 oz

One thins you'll notice is that HeadBlade has a product in every category on this list. They actually sell a travel kit that you can buy. The best part is that once you buy it, you can then refill the little bottles with product from your regular sized bottles. Both of Matte for Men's products are also below the 3 oz limit.

By sticking to products on this list or other products that you find that are below the 3 oz limit you should be able to fit all the product you need into the quart size bag. Remember that if you're are going to be somewhere longer than a week it will probably be a good idea to bring larger portions and just check your bag.

Is that a booger? No, it's just your nose hair.

nospam@example.com (Tyler) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:51:29 -0700

I would like to send out a reminder to all of you guys that women and men are not big fans of talking to guys with nose hair that looks like it would strangle you if you got too close. Honestly! If you look into the mirror and can see hair petruding out of your nose then it's time to get rid of it. This also goes with ear hair. Just get rid of it! So, how do you do this? Get one of these...

The Phillips Norelco Ear and Nose Hair Trimmer.

This little gadget only cost about $13 at Amazon.com and works great! I do get pretty dark ear hair and I've always just used tweezers to pluck them out but it's hard to find them when looking in the mirror. With the trimmer I just have to run it over my ears and there's no sign of the hair anywhere. I'm lucky so far in that I don't really have visible nose hair, but to make sure this trimmer wouldn't tear up the inside of my nose I stuck it up there and turned it on. It tickled a bit but there weren't any cuts. This trimmer also comes with two attachements so that you can trim your eyebrows. So, if you have issues with hair growing out your nose or out your ears, then this is the product for you!

Guaranteed Cure For A Hangover

nospam@example.com (Tyler) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 02:08:51 -0700

I was flipping through the channels tonight and came across a show called Manswers on Spike. My first thought, "brilliant!" As I started watching the show, my first thought was confirmed. Why didn't I think of this show?

Oh, you're here for the hangover cure, right? Ok, check out the video below. When you're done, you can get "manswers" to other burining questions such as:

Who is the king of beers?
Hooker or Cop?
How to get drunk faster?
Can you beat a breathalyzer?
What percentage of chicks are bisexual?

For the manswers to these questions, go to http://www.spike.com/show/22792

I know, I know...the cure! Here it is:

Manswers - Season 1 - Guaranteed Hangover Cure?