The science of pinhole glasses as a way to improve your vision is debated in many circles, with advocates for and against the scientific merit of such a device. However the principle of a pinhole is solidly based. It is true that if you are without your glasses, you can make a hole in a piece of paper and look through it to see more clearly. The pinhole camera is based on a similar principle, using the pinhole as a lens to record an image.

Pinhole glasses are said to clear vision by reducing refractive errors. There are a number of claims on the site regarding myopia and various other conditions. It must be made clear that the glasses are generally designed for people with low refractory errors, that is those with lens requirements of less than 6 diopters. For those with lens requirements greater than 6 diopters, it is important to check with your specialist.

The pinholes in these glasses are said to act like a lens, bringing fuzzy images into focus. These pinhole glasses, also known as stenopeic glasses are made to be used while reading or working at a computer to clear vision and reduce eye strain.

These are glasses promoted to be worn in place of prescription glasses, while reading or doing stationary tasks. The glasses also shield peripheral vision quite dramatically so these glasses should not be used while driving a car or operating machinery. The glasses are for stationary viewing only.

In reviewing a site featuring pinhole glasses as their main product, I was able to investigate the possible benefits of using such a device in place of regular prescription glasses. It appears that the greatest benefit to the eye while wearing pinhole glasses is the relaxation of the eye, said to benefit eye health.

The site was clear and easy to navigate, however some minor improvements could be made. In order for a website to effectively display and sell pinhole eyeglasses, I would suggest that the scans of the actual eyeglasses are made larger and clearer. Similarly, the text could be a little larger for ease of readability. It would be quite difficult for potential customers to see the image of the product, the target audience being characterized as people with eyesight problems.

Pinhole glasses are marketed as an alternative to prescription glasses, which can be expensive. The price of the glasses is $14.95 plus free shipping so the possibility to test such a product is made more accessible. As with all matters related to the medical field, if you are unsure, check with your health provider.

Well, it finally arrived. The cute newsboy cap from Ebay. Judging by the time of delivery I think it probably came from Krasnoyarsk.

It's funny, it seemed like a good idea at the time but now I have the cap I keep looking in the mirror thinking "er... does this work?" I think, judging by the amount of times I looked in the mirror over the days, the answer is probably no. It's not that I'm not a hat person, it's just that the hat is all wrong for me. You see how it looks in the picture on this mannequin? Good, yes?


I thought so. But for some strange reason in Krasnoyarsk they all have smaller heads and therefore their mannequins are smaller.

In fact this hat was so small it was sitting tightly around my head, quietly cutting off the circulation. Not only that, but the hat is asymmetrical. The left side is pinned up with a button. Cute idea, yes?

No.

Because the hat is completely black and the button is also black, it makes me look like I have it on crooked. And no matter which angle I try, it still looks like I can't centre my own cap. Imagine a baseball cap facing not forwards, not backwards, but at a 45 degree angle. I might as well leave half of my shirt untucked to match. I'll wear different socks too, while I'm at it.

Similarly, because the hat is so small (built for strange small-headed people), it rides up in the middle, making me look Scottish.




The entire hat is black, so you can't tell if there is a bobble or not. Either way, I might as well be carrying a haggis. Or a golf club...actually that doesn't sound so bad. Hmmm.. St Andrews?

Anyway, I think I'll try to locate another newsboy cap and make doubly sure this time that it doesn't have any hidden eccentricities.

technorati tags: newsboy cap ebay shopping

In relation to my earlier post, It may be that you can't afford a new car at present. I personally would be buying a used car but it is important to learn as much as you can and research the car before buying. In my earlier post I referred to new Cadillacs and the evolution of the Cadillac as an American Icon. If you are wanting to purchase a Cadillac but don't want to buy a brand new model, Used Cadillacs Harrisburg PA also sells pre-owned Cadillacs. The dealership offers a Cadillac Certified Pre-Owned Program with 110+ points of inspection and the warranty covers up to 6 years or 100,000 miles from when the car was brand new. Many of the used Cadillacs on the site are from 2007 and 2006 models, the oldest models I could find were the 2004 and 2003 models. The prices range from around $9,000 to around $60,000 for the newer, AWD and more exotic models.

If you are unsure or have never bought a used car previously, the site is giving away a free report called the "Used Car Buying Guide". It is always a good idea to gather as much information as possible so you are well equipped when it comes to the time when you may wish to purchase.

This post brought to you by Used Cadillacs Harrisburg PA

On shopping at the supermarket yesterday, I discovered a disturbing number of Ardmona cans all displaying the same characteristics:

technorati tags: ardmona cans supermarket shopping

Have you noticed this? Of all the cars, there are a disproportionate number of songs written about the Cadillac. Artists from Elvis to Bo Diddley, Bruce Springsteen to Neil Young and Blondie to AC/DC have immortalised the famous car in their music. Perhaps it is because there is something inherently rock n' roll about this particular car. The Cadillac became an American icon with its famous fins, and has appeared in films such as Batman, Driving Miss Daisy, Reservoir Dogs, Goodfellas and Matrix Reloaded.

If you are a Cadillac afficionado or just want to browse around, check out the new range at New Cadillacs Harrisburg PA.



The site currently has new vehicle specials including discounts and rebates on 2007 models. The site is easy to navigate and provides useful tips and information on buying a new car. A free quick quote feature simplifies the process of estimating costs and budgeting for a new car purchase. You can also research the vehicle you choose with a nifty 360 degree interior and exterior view - this feature was my favourite! You can also customise your chosen car with a range of colours and trim. It seems the new Cadillac has evolved in recent years - the fins are gone, but the icon still lives.



This post brought to you by Used Cadillacs Harrisburg PA

The crowds that gathered at Torrey Pines from 6am received more than just a playoff. In the words of Rocco Mediate, "they wanted a show, they got a show". The 18 hole playoff ended in a cliffhanger, forcing play to continue to the 7th hole. At the end of the first nine, Tiger was out in 35, Rocco in 37. It seemed Tiger would lead this playoff to its conclusion. At the end of the 18th, Tiger had made a 36 and Rocco had made 34. Both scores were fixed at 71, even par on this course. It seemed par was the score to beat and sure enough, par was the score that finally won, Tiger shooting 4 to Rocco's 5 on the par 4 7th hole.

When asked about his injury, Tiger simply said "I'm glad I'm done." The world's number one golfer deserves some ice and some well-earned rest. Rocco Mediate has gained a whole new legion of fans and it is likely we will see more of him after this tournament.

Meanwhile, the coverage by Ten and TenHD in Australia was truncated at best. It is not enough for golf fans to see the last putt roll to the hole. Australian viewers missed out on seeing Tiger meeting his family on the green, missing out also on the presentation and the raising of the trophy. If this were the tennis and Roger Federer was not seen holding the trophy and making a speech, there would be widespread outrage. A subtle message needs to be sent to Channel 10, ie. get your act together! If people are so desperate to see the finance report and the 78th episode of "Totally Wild", the programmers could show them on Ten Digital, while continuing the uninterrupted US Open coverage on Ten HD. It's a wonder that nobody has thought of that before. Perhaps I am a genius. More likely, golf has been largely overlooked in favour of football, rugby and cricket. It is sloppy and shows a lack of respect. Australia has a multitude of golf fans, Channel 10. Be prepared to look after them. After all, we stayed awake from 6am, 5am and 2am respectively so a few more minutes of coverage is hardly too much to ask.

~end rant.

P.S. The odd hours have messed up my circadian rhythms for at least a week now, I recall the wee hours of the morning, waiting for the golf to begin. I remember looking at my partner and giggling while he laughed back, his rabid devotion to golf mirrored in my own bloodshot eyes. It was worth every second.




Putting To Win - Tour Pro Reveals Easiest Way To Lower Scores. The Culmination Of Seven Years Work, This E-book Is Packed With Information, For Anyone Who Seriously Wants To Improve Their Golf Scores.

technorati tags: golf 18 playoff tiger woods rocco mediate US open torrey pines 2008 channelTen TenHD coverage

After catching our collective breaths from one of the most exciting golf tournaments in recent history, an incredible feat by Tiger Woods ensures that the story is not yet over for the US Open 2008.

At the beginning of the 18th hole of Round 4, Tiger's score was at even par and there was some doubt as to whether he would be able to catch Rocco Mediate's score of 1 under par. Woods began with a double bogey on the 1st and a bogey on the 2nd, upsetting the momentum gained in Round 3. He went on to bogey the 13th and 15th and it was becoming apparent he was fast running out of holes. However there was no doubt in many people's minds that Tiger would endeavor to do something special. Tiger was recovering from surgery on his left knee and the pain was visible after every swing, making it difficult to watch without wincing along with him. Tiger, however pressed on and at the 18th green holed a 12 foot putt to make an essential birdie. Now Rocco Mediate and Tiger Woods are tied for the lead at the end of Round 4, forcing a playoff to decide the winner.

The unmissable 18 hole playoff will be screened tomorrow so check your local guides, these times for Australia (VIC) only:

Tuesday 17 June
Ten & Ten HD: 2 am (EST) 18 hole playoff

There seems to be no personal rivalry between the two - Tiger refers to Rocco as the "nicest guy" and Rocco has made similar comments about Tiger. Rocco is a jovial fellow, when speaking on the subject of maintaining concentration he conceded it "...was a little difficult with nutto (Tiger Woods) in front of me doing all this crazy stuff." The crazy stuff being two incredible eagles and an outrageous chip in for birdie during Round 3.

The rivalry that exists between the two must therefore be simply the desire to win. Both will try their best to take the glory, knowing that the other will pounce in the event of any mistakes made during the playoff. With history in the making and the excitement levels rising even higher, there is no more to say other than this: may the best man win.

If you missed Round 4 or wish to catch up on the highlights, check out the latest videos here:
US Open Wrapup Show



Putting To Win - Tour Pro Reveals Easiest Way To Lower Scores. The Culmination Of Seven Years Work, This E-book Is Packed With Information, For Anyone Who Seriously Wants To Improve Their Golf Scores.

technorati tags: golf 18 playoff tiger woods rocco mediate US open torrey pines 2008

This is it!!

The US Open at Torrey Pines 2008, San Diego, CA.

Finally I will see in High Definition what I have only seen previously on Playstation 2's Tiger Woods 2003! The real course at Torrey Pines.

As for those of you who live near the course, you lucky lucky ba...
...people.

The US Open will be hosted at the South Course of Torrey Pines (courtesy of Torrey Pines' official website):





















This is what the players will be faced with right from the start. Here is the layout of the first hole:

























Easy no? I'm completely sure of my ability to play this hole with no problems... as long as it's on Playstation!

It would be truly amazing to be there to watch the world's #1, #2 and #3 golfers all in the same championship. According to PGA's website, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott will be playing together in the same group on the Thursday and Friday.

My pick? I would actually love Tiger to win it but to see an Australian win the US Open would be a treat! Adam Scott is yet to smash through that glass ceiling. And let's not forget Phil Mickelson and Trevor Immelman and all the other incredible players in the field.

Most of the time I'm just happy to be watching golf, regardless who wins. But.. GO TIGER!!!




















Here are the broadcast times as of Thursday 12th June 2008. Be sure to check your local guides - these times are for Australia (VIC) only!:

Friday 13 June

Ten: 6am - 12pm (EST)
TenHD: 6am - 12pm(EST)


Saturday 14 June

Ten: 6am - 12pm (EST)
TenHD: 6am - 12pm(EST)


Sunday 15 June

Ten: 6am - 12pm (EST)
TenHD: 6am - 12pm(EST)


Monday 16 June

Ten: 6am - 11am (EST)
TenHD: 6am - 11am(EST)


If you are without a HD set top box, perhaps now would be a good time to purchase one. In the magic that is High Definition TV you can almost see the players' eyebrow hairs blowing in the breeze.

technorati tags: golf US Open Torrey Pines Tiger Woods 2008

Sometimes waiting for my items to arrive is like the play by Samuel Beckett, "Waiting For Godot". Except in the play he never turned up. Oops! Sorry - I hope I didn't spoil it for anyone.


Here is my wonderful (but still missing) newsboy cap:













It had better arrive or I will have to do an exorcism on the Ebay demon again. (see previous post)


Which will be painful.

And messy.


Speaking of Ebay, I wish to introduce a feature to the "My Ebay" section. While it is very convenient while browsing items to "Watch" an item in My Ebay, it is more complicated to stop watching the item when you decide you're not interested or the price is too high.


I suggest that Ebay introduce an "unwatch" button, a simple button that will sit next to the "watch" button in the area circled. This way you could weed out your watched items (mine often contains over 20!) and narrow them down quickly so you can do some serious bidding.

















I hope Ebay decides to take this on board. One click and people could be "watching", "unwatching" and "rewatching" in seconds. It could revolutionise Ebay! Or at least make it a bit easier for buyers to navigate in My Ebay!

technorati tags: ebay watched item myebay button

It's coming up to that time of year when we think of shopping around for fathers day gifts. In fact, there are only a few days to go! It's pretty accepted that Dad's often like beer. It's not being stereotypical, they just seem to like it. How many of your Dads drink spritzers or cosmopolitans? Hmm? Not many, I bet. I found a Beer of the month club which sounds rather exciting. Did I say it was for me or for a present? Oops. There you have it. I have a confession to make. Yes, I like beer as well. This monthly beer club offers memberships ranging from 1 month to 12 months or ongoing. You can pay by the month ($21.95) or in full, providing you with a 12-pack of 4 distinctly different beers to try. The selection of beer is screened by a panel of beer tasters to make sure you get the best tasting beer. The various types of beer sound intriguing, too. Included in the selection have weird and wonderful names like Snake River's Lager and Devil's Elbow. If you purchase a 12 month membership you will receive a $25 bonus to use for further membership or merchandise.


Mmmm. Beer. The gift that keeps on giving!






















This post brought to you by GreatClubs.com

Hee hee. Ho ho. Hoo hoo!

Following are my most recent golf purchases. I have my Wilson Sunday Bag (update: the strap broke on the first round so my partner neatly fixed it up with black gaffer tape!)

The Elsternwick On Course Golf Shop just happened to have a sale on when I needed to buy a set of clubs. The discounts are incredible.


Precept 9 Iron - $10
This is my Stuart Appleby club. Why you ask? Because he wears that Precept cap, even in Playstation games! Maybe this club will help me play like him (hee hee!)

































Greg Norman 5 Iron - $5
I've always wanted a Greg Norman club. My partner has a Greg Norman SW ($3 at an op-shop!). I am a big fan of Greg Norman, he is an Australian (more of an international citizen now!) and a living legend. I hope to see him play more tournaments in the near future.


















PGF Spectrum Pitching Wedge - $10
This is so far my most versatile club. I use it for everything! Shots around the green, short approach shots, but I don't putt with it! Jack Nicklaus, in his book "The Best Way to Better Golf" refers to one golfer that became an expert with the Pitching Wedge almost exclusively. Perhaps I can learn from that.

















Taylor Made 6 Iron - $5

What a bargain! I know you can't normally find Taylor Made clubs for under $10 so I was extremely lucky here. Many of these clubs were recommended to me by the golf Professional from South Africa. This particular one I chose on my own. Why? I liked the heaviness of the clubhead.


















PGF Spectrum 7 Wood - $15
My saviour. If you are not quite so confident with your 3-iron, I recommend you try one of these. I used this for most of my second shots throughout the round. The distance is exciting and it is a little easier to hit than a long iron. It's also easy to for me hit a straight shot and it's nice to have the hole shortened a little bit!




















PGF Spectrum 3 Wood - $15
My other saviour. I loved using my partner's "Shark" driver but this club seems to fit me better. The length is great and it is so easy to hit the ball long and straight. It's almost as if the club was fitted for me before I bought it! (Note: I recognise the importance of club fitting and finding a club like this off the rack is no substitute for good advice from a golf professional). This club helps me to hit more fairways and get closer for my second shot. I remember searching for my ball in the fairway about a third of the distance to the hole. I heard my partner calling "it's over here!" I looked up and saw the ball over half way to the green. I had to stand back when I got to my ball just to marvel at how far I had actually hit it!!





















Wilson Green Machine
This is my ideal putter, and the one I am using at the moment - Wilson Green Machine. It is simple and easy to use. Recently I have begun to hanker for a Golden Bear putter because it is very similar. My lucky ball is a Golden Bear and I have achieved around 4 bogeys so far!

technorati tags: golf clubs shop sale bargain

If anybody has watched "Red Dwarf", you will understand the significance of this little hand puppet from Series V episode "Quarantine".

It looks cute, yes? The hand puppet is said to be exact in every way to the original. Except the original Mr Flibble was a homicidal killer penguin hand puppet with hex vision. A small detail!


The main thing to remember is that you do not argue with Mr Flibble.


"Who'd clear up the mess?"


BUY MR FLIBBLE

If you haven't seen the episode, here is the Mr Flibble scene from "Red Dwarf V - Quarantine". This my favourite Red Dwarf scene from my favourite Red Dwarf episode.

technorati tags: mr flibble puppet, red dwarf, quarantine, mr flibble, mr flibble hand puppet, scifi, scifi, mr flibble

Find Red Dwarf and other sci-fi merchandise at the BBC Shop.

The way this happened was like something out of another Stephen King book - "Needful Things", or perhaps "Rose Madder"

It was as if the book chose her.

I was walking past an op-shop when something big and white caught my eye. In the days preceding this I had wanted to find a Stephen King book to read, as I had finished "The Dead Zone" in under four days. I first read "Insomnia" ages ago and it was one of my favourites. It has been enough time that I have forgotten the details of the book although I do remember some of the story.

The book peered out at me from the front window of the op-shop. It seemed to be whispering "Buy me. Buy me." I found that I couldn't walk past the shop, even though I was in a hurry.

So I did the only thing I could do, I walked inside. The shop smelt of dust and mothballs. I asked the man "how much for the Stephen King book in the window?" He escorted me to the display and pointed at a bronze cup.

"This one?"

I was perplexed. I was sure I said 'book', what was he playing at?

Then he pointed at a set of handkerchiefs.

"This one?"

"No, this one." I put my hand on the book.

He tapped his hand on a set of glassware.

"This?"

"No, this." I kept showing him the book but it was like he couldn't see it. I thought perhaps his eyesight wasn't good.

"This one?" he put his hand on a stuffed toy.

Either that or he was having a lend of me.

"This one." I tapped the huge, hardback white book in the window for the last time. He finally got it.

"How much is it?" I asked, knowing full well I would pay whatever he said just to get out of there.

"Three dollars."

"I'll take it."

The book is amazing, very compelling and fast paced.

The irony is the title: Insomnia. When I read it last night I fell asleep immediately!

technorati tags: stephen king book insomnia shopping

For some reason it has become increasingly difficult to find a Sunday Bag in Australia. Unfortunate, as these bags can be used for the driving range and proper rounds of golf, not just par 3s. At present I do not have fourteen clubs so I have no need for a large bag. Sunday Bags can be carried easily and are convenient for walking the course without a buggy.

The Sunday Bag also has a rich history, as this Art Deco representation of St Andrew shows. The larger stand-alone bags seem to have become more popular but some (like myself!) prefer the Sunday Bag for convenience.




















The Sunday Bags vary in price and features. Here are a few examples:

Women's Mulholland Sunday Bag Endurance $599.00
All leather, holds up to 10 clubs
















Clearly, this is a top of the range, quality leather item. This actually reminds me of expensive luggage. The kind you would be scared to run over cobblestones or gutters. Impractical for my own purposes but perhaps more suited to someone with a warm car and golf cart.

Golf is a messy game - the last few times I have played I ended up with soaked feet, socks and shoes, muddy cuffs on my jeans and a rogue splash of mud on my cheek that I didn't notice until I entered the bathrooms at the 19th hole. Another memorable time was when nobody graced the golf course except for my partner and me. Why? Because rain, hail and lightning were forecast. We knew this, but our enthusiasm overpowered the weather. I remember teeing off on the second tee with hailstones the size of marbles peppering the back of my head. The second green was so covered with hail that it was completely white. Do you know, it's actually surprisingly easy to putt over hail. Or it was that day, anyway!

When we returned the pro shop, we met a golf professional who is a childhood friend of Trevor Immelman, winner of the green jacket at the 2008 US Masters at Augusta. He gave me some advice he learned in South Africa. "If there is lightning and thunder, put your bag under a tree, get away from the water and lie down flat in the middle of the fairway." Good advice.

Or you could do what we actually did when the thunder and lightning rolled in. Just played faster.



Palm Springs Sunday Bag $14.99-$39.00
















2 way divider. Web handle for carrying short distances. 2-point adjustable single harness strap. Balls/Accessories pocket plus a full-length clothing pocket. The bag doesn't specify how many clubs the bags will hold but one would assume it to be around 7-10. Comes in five colours.



Nike Skinny Range Bag $49.95 -$69.95
















Three pockets, holds around 7 clubs. Lightweight and compact. Fits a substantial number of clubs despite the small size.



Titleist X80 Carry Bag $49.95-$59.95





















The bag features 2-point adjustable sling, 7.5" molded top with divider, Velour lined zippered accessory pocket and pen holder, amongst other things.


Personally, I had a hankering for a Wilson Sunday bag to match my Wilson Staff cap (see previous post "my new favourite accessory"). For some reason when I tried Ebay, the only Sunday Bags available were from the US. I was in a hurry because I wanted to play the following week and I didn't want to hire clubs and a buggy again. I just had to put faith in US mail.

Fortunately I found the perfect match in Maryland:

























Wilson Deluxe Sunday Golf Bag in black. Light weight, weighs less than a pound. Convenient zippered pouch for balls and accessories. Adjustible shoulder strap. Easily holds up to 7 clubs.

Price: wouldjabelieve... $23.50 (including postage)

And my wonderful seller sent the bag First Class mail, allowing it to arrive on the Tuesday before my round.

No more club hire for me!!

technorati tags: golf wilson sunday bag

Has this ever happened to you? You're about to sit down to dinner or settle in to watch a TV program and the phone rings. But it's not friends or family. It's one of THOSE calls. The faceless, survey taking, dinner interrupting sources of constant annoyance. Sometimes you wish you could find out who they are. You're left asking Who Called Me? But there is no answer.

You may have even gone to the trouble to put yourself on a No Call List. Still, some callers persist and you can't find them. Some people receive prank calls, which can be disturbing. Especially if they are invisible, anonymous. You have no recourse. Or do you?

Wouldn't it be great if you could strengthen your privacy against these calls? "Who Just Called Here" has a reverse phone lookup service, which is especially useful for businesses that can't afford to miss one call from a client. As a further measure, it also offers privacy protection to block your private details from data collection services.


This post brought to you by WhoJustCalledHere?

While researching and shopping around for a pager service I decided to visit the Telstra site. I tried to find "pager" with the search function but couldn't get any sensible results. Then I tried "paging". Considering the fun I have had in dealing with Telstra in the past, I found the result for my misspelled search quite amusing...














hee hee!

technorati tags: telstra phone pager

Hello? Is there anybody out there?

Unfortunately my three Technorati support requests have gone unanswered. This is unfortunate and a bit disturbing.

I am still down by 40 for blog reactions
and 48 adding me as a favourite.

My Technorati authority is now artificially down by 10 points.

The only comparable level of blog reactions for my blog was back in September 2007.
The last time I had so few adding me as a favourite was in May 2007.

All the work I have done since has been reset and I am very slowly crawling back up again. This is unfortunate because I think it damages Technorati's credibility as a ranking system for your blog. I have been using the service since 2006 and I still find it to be an easy way to track incoming links and favourites. When clanging errors such as this not only occur but go unnoticed, it gives one pause to wonder whether this problem will ever be rectified.

technorati tags: technorati errors problem

Leaving feedback is an integral part of the Ebay shopping experience. Sellers often wait anxiously for the positive sign and dread the negative. Buyers do the same. Sometimes it becomes a strange waiting game, almost like an electronic game of "chicken" to see who blinks first.

Today Ebay has unveiled a new angle on feedback, thus removing the buyer's fear of being "bullied" into giving positive ratings.



In explaining the system of feedback I will have to refer to the previous system of positive, neutral or negative feedback for both buyers and sellers. The sellers can be judged on a number of factors whereas the buyers generally can only be judged on one thing.


Firstly, a seller will be judged on the item itself. This is, of course the reason for the transaction in the first place. This includes:

1) Honesty in describing the item including brand (or lack thereof), colour, material, features
2) Faults in the item (eg. laptop won't hold charge, "q" key missing)


Second, the sellers are judged on their use of postage and packaging, including:

1) Speed of delivery
2) Appropriateness of packaging
3) Price of postage and packaging


Personally, I tend to give sellers full marks if they fulfill most of the expectations listed above. If they have charged an extra dollar or so for postage, I am generous. After all, they often make a loss when selling the item which can even out over the final price. It is also difficult to hold a seller responsible for postal delays, especially if they communicate that they have posted it in good faith. It is more difficult for the sellers to fulfill all expectations. I have experience in being both a buyer and a seller and I much prefer being on the buying side of things.


Buyers on the other hand, are judged on a much smaller criteria.

1. Payment for item and
2. Communication


If you pay quickly, sellers will love you. I try to pay instantly if possible because it tends to surprise a lot of sellers. It is interesting that this will no longer be a factor under the new system of feedback.


Pros:

Buyers will feel free to express their views without fear of retribution. Bullying by shonky sellers is very real. There are many stories from people who have been held to ransom for the sake of a positive feedback rating. Sometimes the buyer will have to decide between telling the truth about the seller or pandering to the seller's demands to protect their own feedback. A common and unfair seller's revenge is to leave negative feedback for any buyer who rates them as negative. This is unfair because the buyer may have correctly fulfilled their responsibility of paying for the item. To rate a buyer as negative for doing nothing wrong is, well, wrong.


Cons:

This increased scrutiny could possibly cause people to shy away from attempting to become sellers. A buyer could leave negative feedback simply out of revenge when their unwarranted demands for discounts are refused. A vindictive buyer is just as bad as a vindictive seller. If the seller is honest about the item and it arrives safely, buyers should not be leaving negatives. If buyers are sensible and fair with this system, it may just work to everyone's advantage.


It will be interesting to see how long these particular changes to the feedback rating system will be received by Ebay members. It seems many Ebay buyers and sellers have readily accepted the star rating system, so this may be a further step in narrowing the ratings to keep pressure on sellers to deal in high quality products and practices.

technorati tags: ebay shopping feedback

Like Clarice Starling from the Silence of the Lambs, I don't really scare easily. In fact, a lot of the films I prefer to watch seem to give people chills. I don't understand it really. In fact, most people who know me would roll their eyes and say "yes, she likes horror films" (with an underlying tone of "what did we do to deserve this?")

I once tried to encourage one of my friends to watch a scary movie with me. I ended up with a sore eardrum and popcorn all over me. Yes, it sounds like a cliche but truth is stranger than fiction. It was a crucial point in the movie. Things were tense. The girl was walking through the darkened hallway and you could sense she was not alone. Suddenly, just as the scary part happened, my cat jumped on my friend's lap, causing her to scream like she was going to die, and sending popcorn all over the living room. Including me. Thus ended my attempts to push my favourite genre on my friends and family. We horror fans all know who we are. We're the ones that get treated like Hannibal Lecter just because we like a good scare. As if we are somehow evil or wrong just because we like to feel adrenaline coursing through us, frozen in time, watching the screen and waiting noiselessly to see what will happen next.

I think the reason we like to be scared is simple, a primal urge to feel something, even fear, to make us feel alive. Not only does it make us feel alive, it makes us feel fantastic to be alive. It makes us feel like survivors, walking out of the wreckage and appreciating the love and happiness in our own existence. I think we watch horror movies for the same reason people like to go on roller coasters, or go bungee-jumping or rock climbing. I think we like to scare the hell out of ourselves once in a while just to say "I'm alive and I'm still here".

I saw some fantastic horror movies this weekend on DVD but it has been a while since I saw a horror movie at the cinema. I saw the trailer for a new horror film called "Frontier(s)". It tells the story of four friends escaping Paris and criminal prosecution. They find a hotel, check in, but all is not what it seems. There is a sense of unsettling panic underlying the trailer. I'm not sure if I want to relate to these characters too closely because I got a glimpse into some of what they will go through. In the trailer, the film was described in this chilling way: "Feels like you're watching a film made by madmen. It's that good." It will be in selected cinemas May 9th and out on DVD on May 13th. The film is unrated (yikes!) and for this to be released in a cinema is an unusual event. Frontier(s) was shown at Horrorfest 2007 and had the distinction of being the only film to be considered "too horrific" for mainstream cinemas. It definitely gruesome and of course not suitable for work. Here it is - check it out if you dare...Trailer

Also, for all things horror check out Bloody Disgusting(s) - an extensive resource with movies, video games, trailers, reviews and interviews.

If you are not quite ready to purchase a car yet, you and I are in the same situation. Sometimes it's easier (and cheaper!) to rent a car instead. The benefits are many. I personally require a car perhaps ten times a year. The savings are obvious - no ongoing registration costs, weekly petrol bills, tune ups and maintenance bills or car insurance. The total savings are substantial over the course of a year. When I do require a hire car, I will scan the internet for the best deals until I find the perfect deal for me. You can do the same by checking out the best car rental deals and comparing prices on Advantage Rent A Car. The site provides discounts for travel agents and tour operators. You can choose from a number of vehicles including minivans and convertibles, depending on the occasion. Once you find the preferred rate, the booking facility is simple and easy to use. When you can take care of the car booking online it gives you more time to plan for the important details, such as packing for that holiday or day trip!


This post brought to you by Advantage.com

Hi, this is the third support request I have put through. The first two were to ask why my fans went from 78 to 30 suddenly in February this year.

The second has just happened. Please reply to this one because still have no reply and I feel I am being penalised for errors at Technorati. Two days ago I had 147 blog reactions. Great right? No, because today I have many more blog reactions and the total comes to 107.

So, in summary:
I've lost 40 blog reactions and 48 people who have added me as a favourite.

Please reply.

LJP
SaveSaveSave

technorati tags: technorati favorites blog reactions error

Take a look at BuyYourCar.co.uk and try one of the searches. It is easy to find the new or used car you are looking for, featuring cars from both private sellers and dealerships. In my case I would be trawling the used car section. Preferably for a large car with lots of storage space. Ah, the freedom to be able to pull out on to the open road and just drive wherever you want... But I digress.

Whether you are looking for a used toyota or a big Chevy station wagon (*sigh*), you can search by preferred make and model and find matching results on the quest for your next set of wheels.

If you are new to buying a car (I bought my first car at night!! True story), you need to get all the advice that is humanly possible so you can avoid making that one regrettable purchase. In this case, check out the Buying Advice section. It contains advice on the best questions you should ask a seller, inspecting the vehicle and a used car buyer's checklist. Most valuable is the section on car buying scams. This advice is worth considering - I have seen many a poor soul on "A Current Affair" bemoaning their gullibility at buying a car online, usually employing Western Union money transfers as their preferred payment method! Had they taken advice on car buying scams perhaps they would be both wealthier and wiser today.

Okay, maybe that's overstating it a bit. I have been waiting over 15 days for my unlock code from Telstra. I paid them up front, as I mentioned in my previous posts on this subject:

Telstra Must Die and Telstra: Overofficious and Not Very Efficient

These posts detail my long waits on hold, the clueless manner in which I was passed around from operator to operator, do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars.

Well strike me lucky if I wasn't blown off my feet by this one.

"Hello Telstra, how can I help you?"

"Hi, I'm calling to find out my unlock code. I spoke to (employee number, name) and he hasn't called me back with the code. It was supposed to be 3-4 working days but it has been 15."

(friendly, nice voice)"Okay, I'll just put you on hold."

This was promising. She sounded nice. But I'm on hold again.

"Hi, sorry about the wait. Here's your code, do you have a pen?"

(stunned silence)

"Hello?"

"Ah, yes. Sorry go ahead."

"Okay, your code is *#number number etc"

"I'll just try it now."

(punches in code)

*sproing!* goes the phone. It is unlocked.

"That's amazing! Thanks!"

"No problem, you have a nice day."

I sat and stared at the wall in shock. It was done. That was too easy. Where's the catch? Is it really over? Pinch me!!

technorati tags: telstra phone mobile sim unlock

I am always looking for ways to improve my blog. I have tried many different designs, hand-coded everything almost from scratch, thrown it away and started again. It would make sense that everyone is looking for that one design that will make their blog memorable and to stand out from all the others.

I found a design blog that provides information on everything from the basics of web design to how to create the best Adwords advertisements.

Judging by the look and feel of the site, I consider it very important that a web design blog be well designed. This sounds obvious but it is something that many web design blogs and sites occasionally overlook. In the case of Stylish Design, this blog is well designed and innovative, with a format that is fresh and unlike most blogs I have seen in my daily surfing adventures. Well worth a look if you are interested in blog design and web issues in general.



This post brought to you by StylishDesign.

For the last couple of months I have been deciding what to read next. I had a hankering for Stephen King - my favourite book of his would have to be "Rose Madder" but I wanted something else. I was thinking I would like "The Dead Zone". I know the basic outline of the story and I have seen a few episodes of the television programme recently. Then I forgot about it and lo and behold - I was out walking today and passed a newsagent. At the front of the newsagent was a table with secondhand books on sale.

And what should I find almost immediately staring back at me:





















Ooo! Spooky! It was like it was saying "buy me!" "buy me!"

And the price was $5.99 - hehehehe!!

Perhaps this is "the secret" at work....

(spooky music out)

technorati tags: shopping books stephen king

Wikipedia, the web-based encyclopaedia project is a source of information just about everything you can think of. I often find myself "wikipediaing" (did I just make up a word?) famous people and their careers. There is a section of Wikipedia on the Nouveau Riche that is, those people who have made their fortunes in their own generation. This obviously does not include Paris Hilton! One of my favourite rags to riches movie would have to be "Rocky", the story of a relatively unknown boxer who gets the chance to fight the heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed. I always get teary in these films, but not just at the end. In fact I can quite easily go through a whole box of tissues per film! The most beautiful thing about rags-to-riches stories is the thought that there is a possibility that we too, can become the very heroes we admire.


This post brought to you by Wikipedia.

I thought it was going to be so easy to set up my new High Definition set top box. I mean, really, how hard could it be?

The answer came to me when I was waist high in cables and instruction manuals, pressing the "menu" button for the fifteenth time trying to work out what went wrong.

I'm going to try and simplify this so nobody ever goes through the same unnecessary troubles that I endured.

These steps are for connecting a HD set top box to a plain old normal television. These instructions are for a Tedelex HD set top box but should be able to translate to other models.

Step 1:

Unpack set top box. Get the cable that looks like this: (red, yellow and white)



and plug it into the set top box like this (it is colour coded so you can't really get it wrong!):




Plug your aerial into "ANT IN" on the set top box:

Then plug the other end into the red, yellow and white bits at the back of the TV.


Step 2:

Turn the set top box on.

Get the HD remote.

(THIS IS THE IMPORTANT BIT!)



Set the format on "PALI" - I presume this has something to do with PAL for Australia / UK TV.

On this particular remote you do the following:

FUNC
FUNC
PALI (on this remote it is the RED button!)

That's it!


Step 3:

Generally normal (older!) TVs have AV1 and Av2 to plug in audiovisual equipment. So, you will have plugged the red, yellow and white cables into eitherAV1 or AV2 which means when you get the TV remote, put the channel on Av1 or Av2. Whichever one shows up the HD menu, that's it!

On this particular model, (Tedelex TE-8200) the instruction manual tells you to press menu, select "TV channels" by pressing "OK" and searching for channels either automatically or manually.

I did an autosearch and found quite a few channels but not TenHD. Which is a disaster because TenHD is the main channel I want for the extra golf tournaments.

I realised that the aerial wasn't in the "Channel 10 spot" when I did the autosearch.

I readjusted the aerial in the Channel 10 spot and rescanned. Lo and behold all the Channel 10 stuff came up.


Step 4:

If you want to watch a channel that is being previewed in a small box on the screen, select the channel, press:

EXIT
EXIT
and
EXIT

Then you can watch the channel. I tell you something, these instruction manuals should actually say what I just said here. In plain English. Why oh why do they just skip over steps like "on what friggin channel does the set top box come through?" or "I've got the TV on, the set top box is on, the remote is working so why the crap isn't the HD menu coming up?" They just assume that you will naturally get to the point where the menu is magically displayed on screen. I ask you, what is the point of having an instruction manual if they think you can jolly well work it out for yourself?

From recent research on HD forums, it seems lot of people have spoken about the difficulty in finding a proper TV guide that includes the HD channels. I would love to find a hard copy but for now here are the online guides:

Yahoo7 TV Guide

CitySearch TV Guide

EBroadcast TV Guide

NineMSN TV Guide

According to recent news reports, Nine HD will not launch until March 2008. I wondered why I couldn't find it on any of the TV guides! Duh!

The picture is amazing. It has gone from something like this:



to this:



It's nuts. It's like watching DVDs all the time.

Hope this helps :-) Enjoy.

technorati tags: High Definition Set Top Box Normal TV Connect Set up

Discover the alternative to expensive cable TV, no monthly charges and global access to 4500 channels. No hardware required. Stream HD channels directly from your laptop.

I used to own a Macintosh. *sigh* I wish I did again - I miss the look, the feel, no viruses... but I digress. I really love those simple games sites - the kind of games you played when you were a fledgling nerd (or was that only me?) - the kind of games you played while you were working out operating systems and formatting hard drives and scaring people who didn't know anything about computers...

Like me, you can discover free mac games and play to your hearts content. It's a mac games fest and everyone's invited. Some games are free and others you can download in demo version and buy if you decide you like them.


















You can play the cute and reportedly addictive airport mania for mac - attend flight controller school, run an airport, spend too many hours playing, miss meals...

Don't you think simple platform games and basic graphics are the best? Or is it just me?


This post brought to you by Mac Games and More.

Congratulations to Adam Scott for winning the Byron Nelson Championship on the PGA Tour. He made a 48ft putt on the 3rd playoff hole to win. I have been saying he's going to start winning soon - I think I've been saying it for a few years actually! He remarked "I kind of got away with it, a bit lucky."

A bit lucky?

I think if a bird sh@t on me while I was holding a winning lottery ticket I would be unlikely to hole a 48ft putt.

Except on Playstation!

It is wonderful to see an Australian golfer beating the pack. :-)

technorati tags: golf adam scott byron nelson

When I go looking for a hotel, the first place I will go is online. It's quick, easy and you can compare so many different deals simultaneously. Could you imagine trying to do the same thing with a stack of yellow pages and pen and paper? Should you be travelling to Europe, you may be looking to find a Paris Bed and Breakfast in the vast expanse of Paris Hotels. The question is how to find the most appropriate Hotel Paris for you. It could be a traditional family-run bed and breakfast rather than a generic chain hotel. Bed and Breakfast Paris provides a secure search with no booking fees so if you want a little more than a standard tourist experience, you may want to give them a try.

This post brought to you by Bed and Breakfast Paris.