I am happy to announce that SaveSaveSave goes mobile today. You will find the link at the top of the menu just to the right of "Home".







Here are the links for direct connection:

For Mobile users:

http://savesavesave.mofuse.mobi/














For iphone users:

http://savesavesave.mofuse.mobi/iphone













Please feel free to contact me re: accessibility and other issues.

technorati tags: blog, mobile, accessibility, iphone, mobile content

As I briefly stated on Twitter (does anyone read Twitter these days? Hehehe) - I went "beep" at the supermarket again.

For some reason it is my destiny in life to go "beep" (see previous post "I am not a shoplifter I just go "beep") whenever there are security devices or metal detectors. I once travelled from Melbourne to Los Angeles, California to Mexico, from LAX to Seattle, from Seattle to Hawaii, all going beep at every available opportunity. If I didn't look so clueless I probably would have got myself into trouble along the way. Strangely on my way back from Mexico to California, the jolly looking man at the border checkpoint smiled broadly and ushered me AROUND the metal detectors so I didn't have to get checked in any way. It was very nice of him and it's lucky for California that I'm not some kind of arms smuggler.

On returning from this trip I discovered the source of my troubles - a security sticker with a Terminator-style chip on the inside. This security disturber was stuck to the back of my liquid makeup.

Well, you would think that I would have learned by now but no. I bought Revlon New Complexion Makeup (sorry Musq!) and unbeknownst to me, it carried one of these strange stickers on the back of the bottle.

So I nonchalantly walk into the supermarket and hear a deafening beep. People looked at me suspiciously, like I was some kind of criminal. The fact that I was walking IN to the supermarket was lost on them. That had I been apprehended, I would have been found guilty of "shopputting" rather than "shoplifting".

This is an interesting concept. In London a company named TalkTalk hired a bunch of former pickpockets to become "putpockets", distributing anything from 5 - 20 pounds to random strangers without their knowledge. I love this idea. It's nice. It's just that if I catch some dude with his hand in my bag I'm more likely to go Ninja on him rather than ask him whether he is dropping off or picking up. But I digress.

So I've just gone beep. I retreat to a quiet aisle where I can painstakingly remove the offending sticker. The sadists who made these stickers ensured that it was impossible to remove the dang thing without getting your fingernails clogged with brittle silver goo. Finally I found a loose thread and "wound" the whole sticker off. By this time I was sweating slightly and starting to panic at the thought of having to go beep on my way out. I had almost removed all traces of the crap when an announcement comes over the loudspeaker.

"Security check Aisle 5"

Oh yeah, whatever I thought. I remember some friends in retail telling me that people just say that over the speaker randomly to keep people on their toes. So I relaxed a bit.

Then I looked up - I was in Aisle 5.

Then I looked around - there was no-one else in Aisle 5.

My shopping expedition turned into a cloak and dagger game of evasion as I wound my way through aisles, scratching annoying bits of residual silvery sticky crap off the accursed bottle of makeup. And trying to clean my fingernails for fear that they might set off the alarm again.

I grabbed the few items I needed and escaped quite slowly through the checkout.

Receipt in hand, out into the arms of freedom, the fugitive lives to fight another day.

technorati tags: supermarket, shopping, detector, beep, sticker, crime

At this time in Australia and New Zealand, labelling palm oil on food products is not a requirement. It will appear on labels as "vegetable oil" in food items and Elaeis guineensis in cosmetic items.

The problem with palm oil is that forests are being destroyed to make way for palm plantations. This practice destroys the natural habitat of the endangered Orang-utan.

Please watch the video and sign the Zoos Victoria petition calling for palm oil labelling to be included in the nutritional information chart on food products.

Don't Palm Us Off from Zoos Victoria on Vimeo.

How to identify palm oil in products: Shopping Guide

Resources and more information on palm oil:

• Palm Oil Facts
• Palm Oil Action Brochure (PDF)
• Palm Oil Action
• Australian Orangutan Project

technorati tags: palm oil orangutan habitat, palm oil orangutan, palm oil, orang-utan, orangutan,rainforest, habitat, food label, palm

I was making myself a sprouted spelt toastie with fetta and avocado. I never thought I'd actually admit to eating that. Anyway, I had just read an article describing how it is a good idea to spear an avocado in the pip and twist it out.

What the article should have also mentioned is to put the avocado on a flat surface, not to hold it in your hand. But the writer didn't count on someone like me reading his article and doing something quite so spectacularly stupid.

Half an avocado in my left hand, a knife in my right, I had speared the pip to a certain extent but I needed to push harder. So of course I pushed harder.

Without warning the knife slipped off the pip, the pip went flying over my head, the knife shot through the outside of the avocado and stabbed straight into the base of my second finger. It stopped suddenly, perhaps because it hit the bone. I pulled the knife firstly out of my finger and then out of the avocado.

I calmly held my finger without looking as a few thoughts coalesced in my mind:

"Wow. This is going to hurt."
"I'm not sure I'm quite ready to look at it yet."
"Damn, I've got to stop making my sandwich, I'm so hungry."

I got a tissue, wrapped it around the base of my finger without a sound or a word. I walked out and casually said to my partner.

"Ah. Just stabbed my finger."
He looked concerned but I told him it was ok.

I finally looked at it - the shallow part of the cut was about a centimetre and the deep part is about half the size. The cut was shallow on the edges and deep in the middle. It also had a gross bit sticking out of it. It wasn't really that bad, it was just a surprise. One minute you're making a feta and avocado toastie, the next: "surprise"!! You've got a knife is sticking out of your finger.

Here's the weird thing though, it didn't really hurt, just a dull sting. I followed my somewhat modified version of:

Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation


It went something like:

Squeeze tissue around finger
Elevation
Finish making toastie
Nip of cider


My finger is looking much better now and I have resolved in future to remove avocado pips by cutting around the pip and flicking it out.

Its safer that way.

technorati tags: avocado, accident, knife, finger, stupid

Let's face it. Social networking is taking over the world. People seem to love the format, the feel, the connection with other people. Unfortunately, many online shopping sites are going to start looking like dinosaurs as technology moves faster than the people who run the sites.

Thankfully, there are a few sites that are stepping up to the online shopping/social networking fusion. I like to call it Shopping 2.0!

One of these notable sites is Canadian deal hunting site, Wishabi.ca


















The design is cute, the interface is friendly, and you can even sign in with Facebook. Canadians who once had trouble finding products to ship to Canada from the US can now band together and feature deals specifically for those living in Canada. The site also promotes cross-border shopping in which you can find the best deals from the US and Canada and compare/rate to find the best deals. This feature also calculates the hidden fees associated with shopping across the border such as cross-border fees and exchange rates so there are no nasty surprises when it comes to checkout time.

Each merchant has a ranking determined by Wishabi members so you can research a store's performance before committing to buy. If you find a great deal, you can share it with your online shopping friends and gain points depending on the popularity of your chosen item. I did a search for "canvas messenger bag", as I am considering adding yet another bag to my growing collection. The deals were excellent. I found quite a few bags for under $40 Canadian dollars. I was able to filter the results by price, and deal rating points. Deal ratings are calculated using feedback from the Wishabi community and statistical analysis to allow users to make informed decisions on price trends and the right time to buy. Members are also rewarded in cash by finding a better deal than the current Wishabi deals. The minimum payout is $20 CAD and payment is made by PayPal. I predict that community-driven sites are the future of online shopping, with the power ultimately resting in the hands of the consumer.

I Googled "Boyfirned" just to see what it was. Evidently it's how much of the world's population spell "Boyfriend".

And apparently a lot of people trawling on the net are seeking a boyfirned of their own. Good luck to them, I say. Hopefully when they meet them they'll spell their name correctly.

I'm not sure what it has to do with jeans exactly, maybe that "I look good in my boyfriend's jeans type thing."

Some hail them as the new 'it' jeans right now.
Some call them the answer to skinny jeans.
Others go so far as to call them "forgiving".

Forgiving eh? If you threw a rock at your sister when you were seven, the jeans aren't going to be your salvation. They are just comfy and probably allow you to eat periodically.

The name could be hybrid thing, like rom-com. Perhaps boyfirned is some kind of spurned boyfriend.
Or an exotic bird. A type of chemical wash for jeans? A fireplace?

Regardless, I do like 'em.

technorati tags: shopping, fashion, ebay

This estate wine opener adds a touch of class to any bench or bar. The style is reminiscent of the 1890s - probably older than most of your wines. These ornate wine openers are hand polished and feature intricate designs:




















Estate Wine Opener






















This champion wine opener features polished hardwood for an elegant finish. These beauties are designed to cork and re-cork wine bottles (flange top and standard wine bottles). They provide ease of use and look beautiful as a feature in your kitchen or bar. You can also find Rogar Corkscrews and various accessories for the wine connoisseur.

No more sticking the bottle between your legs Basil Fawlty-style and whacking yourself in the forehead. This is the way to open wine.

I don't know if it's the fact that I'm a Scorpio but I just love these things. They make me think of open fireplaces, Sherlock Holmes desks and smoking jackets. These wine openers are a nifty way of simultaneously providing decoration and function.

Doggie Bag

Yuk yuk. I Love it. *snicker*

You could... take it home with you!! (I am sincerely sorry about that, I couldn't resist!)

























Rocket Alarm Clock

This thing actually goes through a countdown and launches the rocket across the room. There’s something so amazingly cool about that...

Yes, it does keep the alarm sounding until you fossick about on your hands and knees trying to replace the rocket to its holder. That almost qualifies it for the sadistic gift file. But it does have a snooze button and it simulates launch off. What more do you want?




And of course...















Monty Python Killer Rabbit Stapler

Death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth.

It's the most foul, bad tempered rodent you ever set eyes on. Raaa!!! A tad unnerving for everyday stapling - kind of like having a Hannibal Lecter dinner set.

I can just see numerous idiots holding this up to their neck going "Aaargh!! Get the holy hand grenade of Antioch!!"

*click*

"Oh sh!t."

"Uh... anyone got a band-aid?"

technorati tags: wacky gifts, killer rabbit monty python, rocket alarm clock, doggie bag, geekgifts

Don't shout so loud, everyone will want one. *bdum cha* (drum crash) 

 As I write this I am rather rapidly making my way through an entire pack of Mentos chewy dragees.

I ordered cream of mushroom soup today. The soup was nice, the usual standard I have come to expect from this establishment. Until that moment. It wasn't hard to find. The thing about cream of mushroom soup is that it's kind of white. And the thing about this hair was that it was kinda black. And short. And er... curly. Note: In this restaurant none of the staff appeared to have curly hair. Not on their heads, anyway. 

My face froze as I found the offending item, fished it out and put it on a napkin. It was at that same moment I lost my appetite. Perhaps permanently. 

This would make a great diet plan - I could call it the "Hairy Soup" diet. Guaranteed to put people off food forever. I do sometimes wonder if I have a sign above my head saying "Do something unspeakably gross in my food please". The fact that it was cream of mushroom soup doesn't bear thinking about.

BLAAAHHAAHHAA!!!!!! (Eats another Mentos) 

I told the waitress about the hair. She smiled at me as if to say "oh good". I suspect she did not have the faintest clue about what it was I had just told her. 

To quote John McClane (Bruce Willis) from the Die Hard quadrilogy: "How can the same sh!t happen to the same guy twice?" Or girl in this case. Please refer to previous post 'Waiter There's A Pubic Hair In My Tofu'. 

 I may never eat again.

 

technorati tags: cream of mushroom soup, restaurant, tofu restaurant pubic hair, hygiene

Sometimes being a blogger isn't easy. I know that in the course of a week I will find myself tinkering with html, css and various other bits and scripts to develop my blog and explore new possibilities for marketing.

The problem with this approach is that you cannot do everything yourself. There aren't enough hours in the day and logically, it isn't an effective use of your time. You can't be expected to learn flash, html, css and javascript just so you can insert one element into your blog. Something I have learned in the last few years of blogging is that it's quicker and easier to hire someone else to do some code, a presentation or a flash element that will come out looking professional. This will also free you up to do what it is you do best - blogging. If you spend all your time coding and tinkering, you won't be focusing your time on writing quality blog posts.

The consensus among the blogosphere's notable bloggers is that video is the big selling point. If you are marketing your own or affiliate products and wish to capture the reader's attention, video is often the most effective way to communicate your ideas.
















Whether you are branching out into Corporate Video, DVD production or creating a sales pitch to present to visitors to your blog or site, you can create a much better impression with a professional touch. You wouldn't run a real estate website and feature a youtube bumpy, fuzzy amateur video as your selling point. You can make your site instantly interactive and create a deeper interest as well as standing out from the rest of the websites. Richter Studios have been creating corporate videos for over 10 years and have a proven record for making sales for their clients.



Brought to you by Richter Studios.

What is it with womens' clothing sizes? I watched "The Devil Wears Prada" last night, an enjoyable film that pokes fun at the fashion industry. Despite the obvious satire, I was still appalled at the main character being ridiculed for her "large" dress size. The "offending" size was 6. As far as I can tell, the Australian equivalent to a 6 is a 10 or perhaps an 8. The average size of a model in Australia is size 8-10. They are often 5' 8" to 6' however there is no way on God's Green Earth that a size 10 or a size 8 is "big". Not even a little bit. Unless perhaps you are three foot nothing.

Later on in the film the main character is applauded for her "weight" loss to a size 4. She was small at the beginning of the film. The man who applauded her weight loss was not slim, nor did he have any hair of note. Again, the film uncovers rather than celebrates this obvious double standard, but it does make me wonder when things are going to change.

This begs the question: Why is it that women are applauded for getting smaller? The sizes in the US are insane. In Australia, sizes 0 and 00 are the sizes you buy for your newborn baby. In the US, these are the sizes that women must aspire to for their adult lives. It makes no sense. Are we to be the incredible shrinking women? Will we get approval only when we resemble little girls? Or is the size 0 more sinister, indicating that women will get the ultimate approval when they disappear altogether?

technorati tags: womens dress sizes, size 0, anorexia, womens issues, feminism

The Spring 2010 collections will be featured at fashion week in New York 10-17 September 2009. This is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious events in the fashion calendar. I love following the latest fashion designers and many of the newest and hottest fashions are featured in the "Let's Go Shopping!" section of my blog. Spending a week in New York to see the latest fashions in New York would be a fashion bloggers dream.

The upcoming fashions are sorted by designer and appear with their scheduled times of appearance. The website also features previous seasons by designer such as the fall 2008 collection:

And of course famous guests will be making their appearances. My personal faves, the Williams sisters from the 2008 show:

Looking stunning, as usual.

You can register to volunteer at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring/Summer collections using the "volunteer" link on the front page. Some of the duties include runway preparation, ushering, backstage set up and assistance, gift bag assembly and maintaining the information desk. All resumes must be received by July 19th so there is little time to waste if you want to attend in a volunteer capacity.

As a model I volunteered as a dresser for the Australian Designer Collections in Melbourne. It was a lot of fun and I got to dress Bridget Hall. We ended up drinking a lot of champagne and smoking ciggies but she still managed to get out on the runway. But that's another story...

If you are lucky enough to score an invite to the shows in Fashion Week (the event is by invitiation only), you will no doubt be needing New York Vacation Rentals for your accommodation needs. The invites are sent out to celebrities, members of the fashion industry, fashion press, and internet based fashion press, which I presume includes some bloggers.

Sounds like fun! I wonder if Bruno will be there?...

And the winner is... (drumroll)

























The winner of the lovely Augusta Judson oriental rug is Tammi from Ohio!

Congratulations to Tammi, CSNRugs will be sending out your beautiful rug shortly, enjoy!!

I had a lot of fun with this competition. Thanks to all who entered and keep an eye out for more giveaways coming up!


Draw courtesy of pickrandom.

technorati tags: competition giveaway free rug oriental rug csn rugs

Holiday! Celebrate!! I have had that song in my head this morning and I can't understand why. Perhaps it's because I-NEED-A-HOLIDAY!! It's bitterly cold here, I'm sure I am getting vitamin D deficient from lack of sunlight and well, I just need to get away.

So where would I like to go? Hmm. That's pretty easy for me. I'm a beach person. I'm also a luxury and comfort person - that is, you won't catch me in a tent or a caravan park for nuts. Why? I like amenities. Baths, showers, extra robes, hot chocolate and cable tv. Don't judge me, that's just the way I roll. And... I'm a golf person. Anyone who has read my blog knows that. Actually a golf nut is more to the point.














What kind of a place ticks all the boxes? Myrtle Beach Accommodation - the average high for Myrtle Beach in July is around 91F (33C) and average low is 71F (22C). The Myrtle Beach Accommodations overlook the sea and the beach is only a short shuffle away. But the big drawcard for me would be the golf courses - Robert Trent Jones, Greg Norman, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer have, amongst notable others, contributed to the design of the Myrtle Beach golf courses. Tidewater golf course (also known as the "Pebble Beach of the East") would be my pick for a round. Myrtle Beach Hotels have a number of golf packages that include rooms, green fees and breakfast. Heaven!!




Brought to you by Horizon Myrtle Beach

I was vee-eery tired last night, having only had approximately two hours each night for the last three nights. In my sleepy half-eyes open half-eyes closed state I started to notice the political commentator speaking on the current affairs program on the ABC (or was it SBS? I can't remember). My attention zoned in, not on the man himself or what he was saying, but the desk behind him. On the desk was the cutest thing - a mouse pad that looked like an afghan rug. I wasn't actually sure if these things existed or if tiredness had got the better of me and I had started hallucinating.

Not so:

Ta da!!

Afghan Rug Mouse Mat

Pictured are Antique Red Afghan, Lori-Pambak and Turkoman Bokhara styles. They look so perfect on those dark wood Sherlock Holmes-type desks.

technorati tags: rug mouse pad, rug mouse mat, afghan mouse pad, persian rug mouse pad

Belt buckles tell a lot about one's individuality. They can display political leanings, sport affiliations, music tastes and technology interests. Take for example these Star Wars classic belt buckle and one of the most endearing characters of these movies, R2D2.














These belt buckles just might make a perfect addition to my new geek chic look. We all love Star Wars, it's just that us nerds are comfortable enough in ourselves to admit it. It's okay to let out the inner nerd. It's good for you. If you don't, you could be sublimating the inner geek by pumping too much iron or getting insecure and injecting collagen every four hours.
But I digress.










Pewter Cassette Belt Buckle

I love cassettes and if you're anything like me, you probably miss them a bit. Why not commemorate the humble tape and give it the recognition it deserves - with an antique pewter plated cassette belt buckle.








AC/DC Belt Buckle
What more could you want? It's Australian, rock and well ...roll.

But you could also go for anything from The Ramones to Misfits, The Clash to Pink Floyd,

Or you could cross over between belt buckle genres. If you can't decide whether you want Bling, Rock or perhaps you want some Pirates of the Caribbean Love...

The answer?










A skull and crossbones belt buckle covered with four hundred black authentic Swarovski crystals. Of course!!

With any purchase of a belt buckle, there is also a bundled selection of belts available at an exceptional discount. There are so many belt buckles to choose from that you may find yourself overwhelmed by the choices. My pick?














Pinky!
The loveable but deadly nemesis of Pac Man. And of course Ms Pac Man. I love this buckle, I love the look, the cuteness, everything.

My only suggestion would be to make a reversible version in blue to represent the moment when Pac Man eats the power pill and renders Inky, Binky, Pinky and Clyde defenseless and flashing... hooo boy, am I showing my nerd stripes now. I think I'll go lie down now and listen to the soothing sounds of a computer tape screeching.

Just a quick reminder for my US and Canada readers to enter the CSNRugs giveaway to win this beautiful rug.

TO ENTER:

Method (1)
Leave a comment on this post - remember to include your email address so I can contact you if you win!

Method (2)
Subscribe to this blog. You will be automatically entered into the draw.


More details on competition in the original post.

technorati tags: competition giveaway free rug oriental rug csn rugs

I have been in an accessories mood of late. Scarves, bags and nifty little goodies that look good and also serve a function.

Such as this Lulu vanity case for £34











Measurements: 25cm x 15cm x 15cm - comes with mirror and various pockets for keeping your cosmetic odds and ends.

Plus, I have been on the hunt for some quality shoes. My beautiful leather boots served me so well, up until the day I couldn't get the zipper to open and basically had to yank them off my feet, causing quite a bit of pain and frustration. So, the long and short of it is - I need new shoes. Preferably ones without zippers.


My pick - Vintage brown biker boots for £22














These are stylish, I love the colour and they don't appear to have a zip. Heaven.

For some reason, I don't know if it's due to the release of Bruno (I'm sure it isn't!) I have become more interested in the latest fashion trends. Perhaps it's wishful thinking on my part from watching the good weather at Wimbledon and lamenting the freezing conditions here in Melbourne, I have hit on the latest fashion trends for spring.

I am enjoying the slow phasing out of the stovepipe/skinny jeans. They really don't look flattering on many people, unless of course you are Kate Moss or a praying mantis!! The new look is flared jeans and I particularly love these Republic crafted skinny flare jeans for £29















Flares allow for boots, Doc Martens and other such sensible shoes. They also provide a nice balance to the figure and make legs look more elegant.

As you may already know, I like to trawl through the endless shopping sites and search for incredible bargains to expose to my readers. Shopwiki allows a search of around 30,000 shopping sites for bargains, and may become part of my daily searches for undiscovered gems.





Brought to you by ShopWiki.co.uk

Case Logic 15.4" Messenger Bag

Stylish, functional and available in green, blue, grey and charcoal.
Today's price $34.99

technorati tags: shopping shop case logic messenger bag

Last minute deals ending 29 June 2009. (US time)


ViewSonic 22"Widescreen LCD Monitor
42% off
This monitor is marked down from $295 to $169. Shipping is free for a short time so... you might want to get in quick to take advantage of this offer.

SanDisk 4GB Memory Stick PRO Duo
77% off
This deal is incredible - normal price $79.99 - you can buy it today for $17.77
















Iomega 500GB Prestige Desktop USB 2.0 External Hard Drive
This external hard drive is usually priced around $99 - this one is marked down to $69.
















Apple iPod 30GB
$399 is the usual price - today $99.99

technorati tags: last minute deals saving discount shopping coupon save

This may be your lucky day - I was recently contacted by CSNRugs to host this incredible giveaway to win a FREE RUG from CSNRugs for all my US and Canada readers!!

What fun! I was also excited as I was asked by CSNRugs to choose the rug for the giveaway!!

This will be heaps more fun for the lucky winner who gets the rug for doing something as simple as (1) subscribing to my blog or (2) by leaving a comment. Read on...

After much deliberation browsing through the huge selection of area rugs, outdoor rugs and accent rugs I settled on this beautiful and elegant oriental rug as the GRAND PRIZE for one lucky reader:


Surya - Augusta Judson Woven Oriental Rug

























The rug is a classic oriental style, strong and stylish, bold and decorative.

Features:

• Machine-woven in Egypt of 100% heat-set polypropylene
• Absorbs the wear and tear of everyday use
• Makes a fashion statement in any room
• Primarily black with burgundy border and beige and green accents
• Size: 2' 2" x 4' 6"

Here is a comment from one customer about Augusta Judson Woven Oriental Rug:

"This rug is the perfect piece for our entry. The colors are vibrant and it goes well with the tile in our entry and with the wood doors and railings in our entry. We are extremely pleased with this rug. It also is a beautiful compliment to other decorative accessories in our home. Love it!!"*

*Courtesy of CSNRugs reviews section


If you think this rug would look good as an entry rug, in your study, living room, bedroom, or some other special place you have in mind, make sure you enter - it's simple to enter and the winner could be you!!


TO ENTER:

Method (1)
Leave a comment on this post - remember to include your email address so I can contact you if you win!

Method (2)
Subscribe to this blog. You will be automatically entered into the draw.

Good Luck!!!

keotag tags: competition giveaway free rug oriental rug csn rugs

I always thought "Strong as Steel" was a Tina Arena song. ...and I just said that out loud.

It turns out that Strong as Steel is also a nutty infomercial about exercising in your kitchen using nothing but GE kitchen appliances. Note: This is not serious!! It has a disclaimer mentioning that lawyers have advised them to put a warning not to try this at home. It is, however, one of the funniest infomercials I have seen for a while. I have written a few posts poking fun at infomercials recently. I can't really do a lot to top this one, it pokes fun at itself. And you've got to love that. It's really quite silly and quite clever.

I mean seriously. Where else would you find Oven Squats, Dishwasher Lunges, and Refrigerator Curls?



Watch the video here:






"Do you find that your butt gets just a little bit bigger every time you go to the kitchen?"

*snicker!!* Gold!!

My exercise routine in the kitchen sometimes includes gonking my hand between the water filter and the refrigerator door and hopping about for a bit. And cupboard head butts - I do them whenever I forget to shut the overhead storage area. I wonder if "toaster presses" count? Er... probably not.

The release of the exercise DVD/parody cleverly coincides with a stainless steel upgrade promotion where you can buy GE appliances finished in steel for the same price as white, black or bisque. Plus you can enter a competition here to win a holiday to a number of destinations including Brussels - Belgium, Bilbao - Spain, LA, NY and Seattle. Where would I be going? Duh! Seattle of course!! You can enter the competition without needing to make a purchase.

Strong as steel, baby.

technorati tags: strong as steel GE promotion stainless steel competition promotion infomercialparody

Acer TravelMate 3290 14.1'' Laptop Core 2 Duo, 1GB Ram, 80GB HD

This deal caught my eye today - for those looking for an inexpensive laptop, this refurbished 1GB RAM / 80GB HD provides the opportunity for big savings. My personal laptop came from DealsDirect and I was thrilled with the service and the laptop itself.

Today's price is $699 and suggested retail price is around $1400. You might need to hurry, though - this deal begins at 11:23PM Sun 21/06/2009 AEST and will end at 11:59PM Mon 22/06/2009 AEST.

technorati tags: shopping laptop deal special bargain

You might also be interested in this offer, it seems that the guys at SurveyDollar are now paying people to take surveys. They are offering two special free bonuses including a copy of "Project Payday" and if you sign up now you can get instant unlimited access to a list of paid survey companies.

Sadistic Gift File #1 - Gong Alarm Clock















Gong Alarm Clock

Yeah. Like waking up in the morning isn't traumatic enough.

It really is that special present for the person you really hate. Instead of getting up the courage to tell them outright, you prefer to torture them on a daily basis, so the first thing they will think of in the morning is you. And creative ways of disposing of a clock... or a body...

"Be awakened with great fanfare, as is fitting for one of your stature and position. A tiny servant to your morning experience lets loose at a time of your choosing; loud "gong" is set by an easy-to- use digital clock"

In fact my "stature" and "position" will be as such:

Supine.

Fist smash.

Supine.

Position: head buried in pillow hopefully dreaming about Kung Fu.

technorati tags: sadistic gift file gong alarm clock

What do you get for the kid/adult/nutbag who has everything?

Why a Racing Grannies set of course!!


















Racing Grannies
Two high-octane octogenarians rev up their wheelchairs and spin around the 10-piece track; individual controls keep the action going. Requires four AA batteries (not included). Plastic. Grannies are 3¼"H; assembled track is 15½" x 25½".

I really don't know why I want this on my wish list. Probably because it's completely bonkers.

The people at What on Earth have struck gold here. Whoever thought of this idea is a genius. I would like to shake their hand and peer into their magnificent brain for a while. Racing Grannies. How do you think of something like that? Without non-prescription drugs?

technorati tags: shopping wish list racing grannies what on earth

You might also be interested in this offer, it seems that the guys at SurveyDollar are now paying people to take surveys. They are offering two special free bonuses including a copy of "Project Payday" and if you sign up now you can get instant unlimited access to a list of paid survey companies.

I have scoured the edges of the earth for a simple, straightforward black cardigan. Do you think it was easy? Noooo.

They come with ruffles. Or shiny buttons, or beads, or frilly bits that hang asymetrically. Or those half-cardigans that make you wonder if you've actually got it on. And in this weather (5 dang degrees last night!!) you want to make sure you're rugged up and warm.

But finally my quest was er... quonquered.

Here it is in all its splendour:





















I spotted it on Ebay and had to have it. The auction ended in 9 days and I couldn't wait that long. I contacted the seller and said "if you put a buy it now price of $20 on that cardy I'll pay for it straight away." I wasn't sure if that tactic would work but I tried anyway. No sooner had I sent the message and the "buy it now $20" sign was up. I snapped it up and couldn't be happier. It is soooo warm.


P.S. Unrelated rant: The new Firefox sucks. Nothings works on it. Grrrr. I'm going back to the old one on oldapps.com

technorati tags: black cardigan, clothes, shop, shopping, Art Deco Ebay shopping shop, onlineshopping

Since winning my laptop in the DealsDirect Australian Bloggers competition, I have been researching prepaid wireless dongles on Ebay for what seems like a millennia.

Finally I decided on Optus, as the reliability and coverage is reported to be better than the other networks. I had witnessed others struggling with their various network's connections, suffering dropouts, and finally taking up creative swearing. I had to be vigilant.











I found an Optus USB slimline modem (dongle) on Ebay for $100 - not bad, considering they are $200 new plus $30 for a new SIM card.

Now, I have always considered myself to be quite adept with computers, having used them since I was around seven years old, perhaps earlier. I learned to program in basic, connect networks, install and configure operating systems on PC and Mac. I later learned HTML, completed a course in CSS and enjoy tinkering with code and other such nerdy pursuits.

The USB dongle instructions couldn't be simpler:

1. Put SIM card in USB dongle.

2. Insert USB dongle into computer. Wait around 7-10 minutes as the dongle automatically installs itself. The wonders of modern technology.

3. Click on the icon and press "Connect".

Now lets be fair. Even a monkey could probably work out how to do this after a bit of trial and error. But do you think I could get the dang thing to work? Nooooooo.

So I called Optus telephone support with all the enthusiasm of a heretic at a Spanish Inquisition party.

"Hello, Optus, how can I help you?"

The line was bad and I could tell I had called somewhere in the vicinity of Mumbai.

"Um, yes. I've installed the USB dongle and that's all fine but it won't connect. It keeps saying 'SIM card not recognised', I can't work out the problem."

So for the next twenty minutes we go through a number of avenues, SIM card set up, SIM card activation, password this and identification number that.

She suddenly stopped and I could hear her thinking.

"Uh, have you installed the SIM card properly?"

"Yes. Well, I think so anyway. Hang on let me check."

My heart rose as my nerd cred sank.

I looked at the dongle.

Pulled out the SIM card.

Checked the gold connection points.

They were on the wrong side.

Super nerd had inserted the SIM card upside down.

"How is that now?" she asked.

"Er, yeah. It works. Er... perfectly. Wow, that's great. Thanks."

"Have I been any help to you today?" She asked hopefully.

For the first time in my life was able to say yes.

technorati tags: optus prepaid wireless broadband dongle