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How to spot a fake Vivienne Westwood bag

2010-08-08T06:12:00.011-07:00

This guide will help you to spot fake Vivienne Westwood bags a mile away. Fakes help fund criminal groups, who exploit people and make them work in terrible conditions. Also, I bought a bag off eBay once, found out later that it was a fake, and it made me feel cheap. I lost 50 and now the bag is stuck at the bottom of my wardrobe and I never use it.Anyway, to start with there are two main rules to follow...one, most VW bags on eBay are fake. Two, if in doubt, don't buy. Here are some more steps to follow:1 - HerviaGo to hervia.com and browse. Familiarise yourself with the bags - prices, materials, plates, labels, zip pulls, styles etc etc. If you know exactly what you're looking for it makes it easier to spot the fakes. Any VW bag listing on eBay that doesn't have a photo of the plate label inside the bag instantly write off as fake.2 - LocationIf the seller is in China and the bag is authentic I'll eat my hat. Yes, some of the less expensive VW bags are made in China, but look carefully at the label; it's a dead giveaway if the label plate inside the bag says made in Italy but the item location is China. Again, compare the plate photo to hervia.3 - PriceBrand new VW bag, normally 500 ish, selling for 25. Too good to be true? Yes. Labels, tags, dustbags, zip pulls etc can all easily be faked. If it's got a really low starting price and without good reason from the seller in the description, it's fake.4 - PlateInside VW bags is a plate. On the more expensive. leather bags the plate should read 'Vivienne Westwood London Genuine Leather Made in Italy' and the plate is either gold or silver coloured metal. If it says 'Vivienne Westwood Genuine Leather Italy' or some other variation of the wording I mentioned I would be very catious. On the less expensive bags that are made in China the label either says 'Vivienne Westwood Accessories' or 'Vivienne Westwood London' and the plate is leather or leather look material. Again check hervia - sometimes the lettering on the leather or leather look plate is a different colour to the background. Also, it's so easy to steal photos from hervia, so check listing photos against those on the hervia website to check if they've been copied. If it's EXACTLY the same photo is definately stolen. This is a common-sense thing.Once you've confirmed the photo is real, check the label is real by comparing the W, s and o in Westwood to the hervia label. The curve/loop at the top left of the W should be nice and rounded, not squashed or flattened looking. The s is quite stylised and in a unique font, not flat and plain looking. The 'o' has a diagonal break in the top of the circle. Also, check the two 'n's' in Vivienne...they should join up at the bottom. Check the 'tw' in Westwood....they should also join up. Check both of the 'i's' is Vivienne are dotted. Again my instructions may sound strange, but if you are familiar with the labels you'll know what I mean.5 - SellersCheck their feedback, check the other items they have for sale. I've seen a seller with some designer boots for sale, and when I checked her other listings she was having a clear out and all her other stuff for sale was used high quality designer stuff, much of it was used, branded and/or from good shops like m

What tools do you need to install your new kitchen?

2010-08-08T06:12:00.009-07:00

Many people forget that they may need to buy some new tools in order to fit their new kitchen or bedroom. Whilst this guide will try to include as much information as possible it is by no means the definitive guide. You could own the entire inventory of Screwfix and still discover that you need something else!

Unlike many kitchen companies, the owners ofThe Kitchen Workshophave many years practical experience in actually installing the products that they sell, starting way back in 1984. It is hoped that this guide is usefull to you.

First of all we need to look at the issue of cost versus quality. Cheap tools are exactly that, cheap. If you have to purchase new tools think about how you are going to use them. If you are a keen DIYer then it will be beneficial to spend a little more on the items, they'll last a good few years. If you feel that after the installation that you are never going to look at a screwdriver again, then buying cheap tools and throwing them away after you've used them is sort of acceptable. In any case, you should always buy the best equipment that you can afford, but this doesn't mean buying a 700 DeWalt radial arm saw just to cut 3 pieces of cornice.

To build your units you'll need some basic tools. Basic tools include a set of assorted screwdrivers that include both flat and posi-drive heads of various sizes. A claw hammer and a club hammer, bolster and chisel.A Stanley knife (or similar) and blades. A fine tooth handsaw and a hacksaw. Pliers, adjustable grips and wrench. A good spirit level of at least 1m in length. Pencils. A set of wood chisels. A mitre saw.

Power tools will be a neccessity, a cordless screwdriver with a spare battery and at charger of at least 1 hour tops this list, some people may put this at the top of their basic tool list. An electric hammer drill and a set of drill bits. In our experience a fairly cheap set of drill bits in a case from the hardware store is the best buy as even the most expensive drill bits can snap and become blunt. The best sets will contain a variety of items, screwdriver bits, hole saws, masonary and wood bits etc. and can cost from around 35. A jigsaw with some good blades, Bosch blades seem to resist twisting more than other makes. A circular saw with a good blade with at least 20 teeth on it. An electric planer is good for skimming the backs of worktops.

Other power tools that you could consider are a table saw and a router. The routeris essential for machining worktop joints, but a decent 1/2 inch machine and the relevent worktop cutting jig will cost quite a lot of money. A cross cut saw will cut the cornice, pelmets and plinth faster and more accurately that a hand mitre saw but a good quality saw can cost a lot.

A pair of saw horses can be very handy, you can buy a plastic set quite cheaply. If you are going to do your own plumbing you will need a pipecutter and possibly some type of pipe bender.Modern push fittings have eliminated the need for a blowlamp.Never attempt to alter the gas supply. If you plan to alter the electrics you will need to be very careful, new legislation has made many alterations in the kitchen illegal for non registered persons to carry out. In any case you'll need the proper insulated tools. It is always recommended that gas and elecrical works are entrusted to registered trades people.

Along with these tools you'll need an assortment of screws and wall plugs, plenty of spare time and a lot of patience. And of course the Great British builders favourite, lots of steaming hot tea.

5 Top eBay Selling Tips for Starting Out

2010-08-08T06:12:00.007-07:00

This is quite simple: follow these 5 rules when starting out on eBay. I won't buy from anyone unless these conditions are met:1) Choose an eBay ID to reflect what you're doing - my company is Diamond Line International Ltd., therefore dli-ltd. If you are a business, use either the business name or the product you sell.2) Subscribe to eBay's turbo lister - life becomes so much easier!!!3) Sell as much as possible of absolutely anything to start off with - you need the feedback!4) Send goods the next day - I've paid the money, I want the stuff!5) Keep the buyer posted - use the contact buyer function of My eBay - let them know when goods are packaged and when they are due to be sent out. ALWAYS acknowledge a payment received! This can be done automatically.For listing and style ideas, look at Items from Diamond Line International Ltd.We format all listings using HTML. We then just relist each time we make a sale.Good luck!

Antique Japanese Woodblock prints,Ukiy'oe

2010-08-08T06:12:00.005-07:00

The rules for caution on payment remain the same as in my previous gude.

Prints are great fun, the price has come down and the variety increased on e.bay.

Simple rule of thumb is this.......

Buy some books on the subject.

Ask the seller to confirm origin

Look for famous names,eg, Utamaro. If these are cheap be aware that laser copies are very good, for decorative purpose fine.

A good genuine print by say Sharako will cost tens of thousands while by Utamaro may cost 1000 up.

Ask for macro photographs of the print, the paper quality is important and should be hand made.

Many interesting prints can be had for a few ponds but 'Big names' always fetch big money if genuine.

The "Good" buys now are from the later dates,prints with a European influence, Hasui,Gekko and the like, wonderful era....... But be cautious as always. With this in mind I have placed a "Anti Fraud" visitors book on my web site. The concept being that we, in a small way, warn our web community of those out their who are "Stealing from us" by miss describing the print while aware that many will not know the difference between hand made paper of a genuine print or that of a laser copy.

Visit,add your comments both positive or negative but be objective. www.collectorsloot.homestead.com

Greyman

Motorola V3 Video Unlock Software Guide

2010-08-08T06:12:00.003-07:00

Motorola V3 Video UnlockThe E-book Motorola V3 Video Unlock Software is without doubt the best to buy, The E-book instruction guide is clear and simple to follow, however, there is one instruction which is not clear, this is the two softwares you need to unload to enable the PTS Phone Programmer. Many ebayers are downloading the software and will then put these into seperate folders, both softwares must be put into the same folder and then continue with the instructions. We hope our guide is of help. Mick4547

The complete guide to MP3:

2010-08-08T06:12:00.001-07:00

Looking for a great gift? for a friend or yourself? addicted to music?If you answer yes to the aboven an MP3 player is the tool for YOU!

As you may now be aware there's now a gadget on the high streets called mp3 players. If you are totally unaware of mp3 files or players or even computers in general then here are a few brief tips you may consider before buying an mp3 player.

1) Shape/style: it is vital you buy a player that suits you, if your a simple kind of person then don't go buying an expensive item that looks like something Batman would have on his utility belt! 2) The "size" or capacity of the player: This is the most important specification. This is how many music tracks you can store and save on the player. A good player can store about 300 songs/tracks at a good quality.This is a chart showing the size of player and how many songs it can hold:

128mb = 40

256mb= 60

512mb= 120

1gb= 250

2gb= 500

3gb= 700

...and my third and final tip, the PRICE!

I would advise purchasing online, you can the same technology as in the shops and even better for a lower price. For example, lets say a 1gb mp3 player is for saleat 80 in the shops, it's likely you could get one from an online retailer or online "seller" for half the price!!

Happy Listening,Jamema4

How to make money videotaping weddings!

2010-08-08T06:11:00.028-07:00

HOW TO MAKE MONEY VIDEOTAPING WEDDINGS

There is a huge potential market for wedding videos. Just look in your local

paper any summer week and see how many weddings there were. Since almost

every household in the country has a VCR, you can bet that almost every

wedding has a video. Keep in mind, though, that there is also big competi-

tion in this field. If you want to make it, you'll have be sure of two

things: you have the skills necessary, and that you can offer more in your

area.

There's more to taping a wedding than just setting up a camera and turning

it on. If you're married and had a video taken at your wedding, I'm sure

you'll agree. You, the photographer, can expect to be dropped into an

environment of potential conflict. Last minute spats between the bride and

groom, conflicts between family members, still photographers, all can be a

source of headaches for you.

The best way to prevent problems is to set up a meeting with the bride,

groom, close family members, and, if possible, any other photographers that

will be at the service/reception. This way, you can find out exactly what

the family wants, any special shots they will want, any unusual parts to the

ceremony that they may want on tape, how many people will be involved, and

other issues. Keep in mind, the family will be paying you, so they will

probably want to TELL you what you can or can't do. If what they want is

reasonable, don't fight it. That makes your job easier. But, if what they

want is unreasonable, be honest with them, but, by all means, be tactful.

If you can meet with the other photographer(s), discuss where they need to

be to get their best shots, so you and your camera won't be in the way.

Also, this will help you with your planning so they won't be in your video,

and you won't show up in the photos. This brings up the subject of planning.

Planning is all important when it comes to wedding videos. You will be

producing something that the couple will want to view over and over, that

their family and friends will be seeing. It's your best advertisement.

So, you will want it to be the best it can be.

If you know what the ceremony will be like ahead of time, and what special

shots the couple and family will want, you've got the ball in your court.

Be sure to attend the rehearsal, so you can set your equipment up and plan

your camera angles. Since you've planned your work, all you have to do is

work your plan.

Here's an idea of the equipment a well-stocked wedding videographer should

have or have access to:

- At least two VHS camcorders with high-quality low-light

functions

- At least one VHS VCR for editing and dubbing

- At least one free-standing light for each camera

- A tripod for each camera, preferably ones with a large range

of heights

- At least two twelve hours of batteries for the camera

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- The best quality wireless microphone you can afford

(one for each camera)

- All necessary cables, with spares

- Extra tapes, the best quality available.

Don't let this list scare you off. If you don't own all this, you don't

have to rush out and empty your bank account. You can either rent what you

need, or barter your services with someone who has the equipment. Then,

pick up the stuff you need piece by piece. Also, keep your eyes open for

good quality used equipment.

Other equipment you may want to consider would include a good video editor

deck, for putting your finished product together; a film-to-tape camera

attachment (can be used to create a montage of scenes from old home movies

of the couple when they were kids - a great service to offer and a unique

marketing point to offer!); and a graphics/title generator.

So, you may have wondered, why would you need more than one camera? If you

have two cameras set up, you:

- can have different angles of the action, instead of the

standard wedding video, which has a half-hour of a still camera; and

- you're covered if one of the cameras messes up or lighting

is bad.

Make sure your videos are special, different from the run-of-the-mill

wedding videos. Try to get a camera aimed toward the faces of the couple,

so you can capture them during the vows, and at other points. This will

also provide close-up footage to edit in at slow points. Try to have a

camera at the end of the aisle, so you can catch the exit of the bride and

groom. This camera could also be used to show the bride from the back,

entering the ceremony, an angle that you rarely see in a wedding video.

If possible, get or draw up a floor plan of the location of the ceremony.

It will help you plan your camera placement and shots.

Position your microphones where they'll do the most good. If possible, get

either the bride or the groom to wear one, and get the minister or celebrant

to wear one. This way, you'll have crisp, clear sound. Just remember to

warn the bride and groom not to whisper anything they wouldn't want the

microphone to pick up! (You can always edit out any unwanted sound.)

Other places you may want a camera would be (with the couple in the 12

o'clock position): 10:00 or 2:00. Use the camera to get views of the

crowd, the parents of the couple (edit a shot of them in during the vows -

catch the emotion of the ceremony), and the entrance of the attendants.

If the ceremony is a specialized ethnic ceremony (becoming more popular,

especially with Black Americans) or unusual, you should look for points of

interest to capture on tape which will show the special meanings and

emotions of the ceremony. If the couple and family can watch your tape and

feel the same emotions they had during the actual ceremony, your tape is a

winner!

Technical skills are important, but they can be learned. The most crucial

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skills are smooth panning and zooming. Before you ever do your first PAID

wedding, practice with another event - for free. Practice makes for fluency.

The worst wedding video is the most common: one stationary camera, no zooms,

never moving. People look around when they're at a wedding, and so should

the camera, within reason. Practice a slow, smooth pan that keep the

subject in the frame of the camera. Practice smooth zooms that aren't

jerky, and aren't too close or too far from the subject.

You've probably figured that you'll need a helper for the actual taping.

Unless the only camera that will pan and zoom is the one you're operating,

and the others are stationary, you'll need someone. Be sure your helper is

well-trained, with skills up to par with yourself. Ideas: a friend who

also has a videocamera (here's a way to save on equipment costs); a college

or high-school kid with video experience (they're becoming more common, as

more and more schools add video classes to their curriculum); or a

free-lancer (possibly a crew member from the public access channel at your

cable station).

At the reception, it's important to get the "traditional" events: the

garter/ bouquet toss, cutting the cake, toasts, etc. Use the same

guidelines as before: keep in mind what's important to have in the frame,

and try to tape it smoothly. A good idea may be to talk to the relatives of

the couple and see if some of them would want to say a few words about the

couple on tape (try to do this early in the reception, before a lot of

drinks have been served!).

If your videos are special and well-produced, you should be able to charge

fees that are toward the top range in your area. Premium wedding

videographers in large areas should be able to get $750 to $1000 for a

wedding. Discretely call other videographers in your area to get an idea

of what the range is. Marketing ideas:

(1) Scan your newspaper for engagement announcements. Then, use your

computer's word processor to print out personalized letters detailing your

services. Use your library's city directory to find the addresses you need.

Send the letters and a brochure to the lucky couples.

(2) Set up a referral network with florists, formalwear shops, printers,

and other wedding-related retailers in your area. You could offer them a

set commission fee each time a referral leads to a taping job.

(3) Find a wedding photographer in your area who doesn't currently offer

video. Set up a deal where your photo and video services could be offered

as a package.

(4) Participate in local bridal shows. These are attended by people who

will be marrying soon, qualified prospects for your services. Have plenty

of your brochures and marketing materials handy, so you don't run out. A

good idea is to have one of your best videos playing on a monitor at the

show (get permission from the couple on tape first, maybe offer them a

discount in exchange for letting you use their tape for marketing purposes).

(5) Advertise in your newspaper's wedding supplement. Most newspapers

Page 3

publish at least one a year.

If your taping was simple, with only one camera, you may be able to deliver

the tape to the couple at the end of the wedding. If more extensive editing

needs to be done, make sure you give the couple a realistic date when they

can expect the tape. Don't give them a time that will leave you rushed. If

you don't have your own editing equipment, check ahead with your local cable

station. Many times, they have facilities for their public access station

which can be rented. Many also offer short courses in video editing which

are worth checking into.

Common Search Engine Positioning Mistakes

2010-08-08T06:11:00.027-07:00

Common Search Engine Positioning MistakesItems for sale

From submitzone

When it comes to search engine optimization, there are certain common mistakes that people make over and over again. Here's a list of the most common mistakes that people are making. By avoiding these mistakes, you can avoid a lot of anguish and frustration in the long run.

1) Optimizing your site for the wrong keywords

The first step in any search engine optimization campaign is to choose the keywords for which you should optimize your site. If you initially choose the wrong keywords, all the time and effort that you devote in trying to get your site a high ranking will go down the drain. If you choose keywords which no one search for, or if you choose keywords which won't bring in targeted traffic to your site, what good will the top rankings do?

In order to learn how you can choose the correct keywords for which you should optimize your site, see my article on this topic.

2) Putting too many keywords in the Meta Keywords tag

I often see sites which have hundreds of keywords listed in the Meta Keywords tag, in the hope that by listing the keywords in the Meta Keywords tag, they will be able to get a high ranking for those keywords. Nothing could be further from the truth. Contrary to popular opinion, the Meta Keywords tag has almost completely lost its importance as far as search engine positioning is concerned. Hence, just by listing keywords in the Meta Keywords tag, you will never be able to get a high ranking. To get a high ranking for those keywords, you need to put the keywords in the actual body content of your site.

3) Repeating the same keyword too many times

Another common mistake that people make is to endlessly repeat their target keywords in the body of their pages and in their Meta Keywords tags. Because so many people have used this tactic in the past (and continue to use it), the search engines keep a sharp lookout for this, and may penalize a site which repeats keywords in this fashion. Sure, you do need to repeat the keywords a number of times. But, the way you place the keywords in your pages needs to make grammatical sense. Simply repeating the keywords endlessly no longer works. Furthermore, a particular keyword should ideally not be present more than thrice in your Meta Keywords tag.

4) Creating lots of similar doorway pages

Another myth prevalent among people is that since the algorithm of each search engine is different, they need to create different pages for different search engines. While this is great in theory, it is counter-productive in practice. If you use this tactic, you will soon end up with hundreds of pages, which can quickly become an administrative nightmare. Also, just imagine the amount of time you will need to spend constantly updating the pages in response to the changes that the search engines make to their algorithms. Furthermore, although the pages are meant for different engines, they will actually end up being pretty similar to each other. The search engines are often able to detect when a site has created such similar pages, and may penalize or even ban this site from their index. Hence, instead of creating different pages for different search engines, create one page which is optimized for one keyword for all the search engines. In order to learn how to create such pages, see my article on this topic.

5) Using Hidden Text

Hidden text is text with the same color as the background color of your page. For example, if the background color of your page is white and you have added some white text to that page, that is considered as hidden text. Many webmasters, in order to get high rankings in the search engines, try to make their pages as keyword rich as possible. However, there is a limit to the number of keywords you can repeat in a page without making it sound odd to your human visitors. Thus, in order to ensure that the human visitors to a page don't perceive the text to be odd, but that the page is still keyword rich, many webmasters add text (containing the keywords) with the same color as the background color. This ensures that while the search engines can see the keywords, the human visitors cannot. The search engines have long since caught up with this technique, and ignore or penalize the pages which contain such text. They may also penalize the entire site if even one of the pages in that site contain such hidden text.

However, the problem with this is that the search engines may often end up penalizing sites which did not intend to use hidden text. For instance, suppose you have a page with a white background and a table in that page with a black background. Further suppose that you have added some white text in that table. This text will, in fact, be visible to your human visitors, i.e. this shouldn't be called hidden text. However, the search engines can interpret this to be hidden text because they may often ignore the fact that the background of the table is black. Hence, in order to ensure that your site is not penalized because of this, you should go through all the pages in your site and see whether you have inadvertently made any such mistake.

6) Creating Pages Containing Only Graphics

The search engines only understand text - they don't understand graphics. Hence, if your site contains lots of graphics but little text, it is unlikely to get a high ranking in the search engines. For improving your rankings, you need to replace the graphics by keyword rich text for the search engine spiders to feed on.

7) Not using the NOFRAMES tag in case your site uses frames

Many search engines don't understand frames. For sites which have used frames, these search engines only consider what is present in the NOFRAMES tag. Yet, many webmasters make the mistake of adding something like this to the NOFRAMES tag: "This site uses frames, but your browser doesn't support them". For the search engines which don't understand frames, this is all the text that they ever get to see in this site, which means that the chances of this site getting a good ranking in these search engines are non-existent. Hence, if your site uses frames, you need to add a lot of keyword rich text to the NOFRAMES tag. For more information on the different issues that arise when you use frames in your site, see my article on this topic.

8) Using Page Cloaking

Page cloaking is a technique used to deliver different web pages under different circumstances. People generally use page cloaking for two reasons: i) in order to hide the source code of their search engine optimized pages from their competitors and ii) in order to prevent human visitors from having to see a page which looks good to the search engines but does not necessarily look good to humans. The problem with this is that when a site uses cloaking, it prevents the search engines from being able to spider the same page that their users are going to see. And if the search engines can't do this, they can no longer be confident of providing relevant results to their users. Thus, if a search engine discovers that a site has used cloaking, it will probably ban the site forever from their index. Hence, my advice is that you should not even think about using cloaking in your site. For more information on what page cloaking is, how it is implemented, and why you should not use cloaking, see my article on this topic.

Items for sale

Barbecues : A Buying Guide

2010-08-08T06:11:00.025-07:00

Food, glorious food and none better than that cooked on your new barbecue.

There are a wide range of barbecues available on the market and you will find a great choice on eBay.GAS BARBECUESFrom a small portable gas BBQ through to a multi-burner stainless steel kitchen, you will need a supply of gas.

With instant heat available, these are the easiest BBQ to run. Switch it on and you can start cooking within minutes.

Advantages:Instant heatAdjustable heat

Disadvantages:Need to buy gasDont let the gas run out!

CHARCOAL BARBECUESTraditionally, cooking with charcoal is the real way to barbecue.

You need to plan ahead and light the charcoal in good time. After lighting, the coals will need to burn for a fair time, until they turn white. That gives the maximum heat, although some people prefer to have a flame as well.

Advantages:Traditional, real smoky food!

Disadvantages:Takes time before being ready

ELECTRIC BARBECUESSome argue that this isnt really a proper barbecue!

However, the advantage of instant and adjustable heat makes this a good choice. Electric barbecues tend to be small in plate size, so only really work for small amounts of food.

Advantages:Quick and easy to useFully adjustable heat

Disadvantages:Food doesnt smell like a real barbecueYou may need a long mains lead and people could trip over itSuggested searches: bbq - barbecues new - gas barbecues - traditional bbq - electric barbecue

Guideby Nigel Peacock of Buchanan Europe. Barbecues from our eBay shop.

buying and selling, Buy it now vs Auction, investing

2010-08-08T06:11:00.023-07:00

(Anyone wanting to make a great web site or info on how to make money using the internet should check out my about me page)

I have found that the best way to maximise your returns from buying
and selling on ebay is to find out how much something is selling for in
an auction and then compare it to the buy it now price, some items are
better than others, OK so let's say you find out that if you can get
(The legend of zelda a link to the past) for snes, at 5 pounds on an
auction, but at a buy it now price it goes for 10 pounds, so then you
know that when ever you win Zelda for 5 pounds you can sell it for ten
in a buy it now price, this is just one exampe, I have just done a
couple of these deals my self, the best way to do it is make a maximum
bid of 5 pounds on all the ones that are selling and then just sit back
and wait then at the end of it you will probably have won about 4 out
of every ten that you bid on, then it's just a mater of selling those
three for 10 or more pounds and if you pick your item right and make a
good add you should sell them with in a couple of days. So from
that20 pound investment you got 40 pounds back, that's 100%
return which is great. Now hear comes the good part, once you've found
the item that you think is the one, you only have to make one add for
it so you can spend as much time as you want making the add great
because once it's done you can use the same add over and over again
because you are selling the same item over and over again for great
gains. This is just one idea that I've been working with and found that
once you find that great item it really does work and if after a few
months the item isn't that great anymore you can just move onto another
atem that you find. OK then that's me signing off, this is the first
time I've written a guide so thank you for reading and I hope this had
some useful into for you.

Please note that if you find that you are doing a lot of deals,
buying and then selling the same thing on ebay you will have to get a
business account as it's much better for you and for ebay.

Indoor and Outdoor Games : A Buying Guide

2010-08-08T06:11:00.021-07:00

Children and adults alike love playing games. Whether you are looking for garden games of ones for the house, it is important to choose carefully.

Start by thinking who will play the game. If the game is for a child, will they grow out of it quickly and therefore waste your money? Children love being inventive, so avoid a game which has limited appeal or can only be used for one thing.

Choose a game which has a wide appeal and will hold the attention span of the child for more that a few minutes. There is nothing worse than giving a child a present in a Christmas stocking and finding they are bored with it before breakfast.

Check when looking at items on eBay that they are a good quality make. Games, especially for children, must carry the CE mark in order to be legal in the United Kingdom. Games bought from outside the UK may not meet local regulations.

Adults love games as well it brings out the child in us! Secretly, we all love to play games, but as with children, they need to be appropriate for the individual.

On eBay, check the main Toys and Games category, but dont overlook outdoor games in the Home and Garden area.Suggeted searches: garden games - outdoor games - indoor games - kids games

Guideby Nigel Peacock from Buchanan Europe. Discover games in our shop.

The Best

2010-08-08T06:11:00.019-07:00

Legendary hard rock band Metallica have been delivering their powerful
(and not so powerful) music for over 20yrs and are still attracting
legions of new fans all the time.
Unfortunately new fans may need some guidance on which albums to avoid,
or at the very least put right at the bottom of their shopping list. So
here's Metallica's entire studio album catalogue assessed by a veteran
'tallica fan - me! Let's start with the best shall we?

1. Master Of Puppets (1986)
Metallica's third album was the last to feature original bassist Cliff Burton who died in a tragic bus accident on tour.
This album is fondly remembered by many as 'Cliff's album' due to the
defining beauty of this record being his classical and overall
technical influences. The music is simultaneously beautiful and
aggressive and displays an intelligence rarely associated with the
genre of thrash metal.
It's not only Cliff who shines here as drummer Lars Ulrich is at his
best here (albeit via some alleged trickery in studio) and frontman
James Hetfield's voice moves away from a girlish scream towards a
developing bark, and his rhythm guitar is at it's hardest. Hammett's
solos are inspirational and it's his riff for Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
that is one of the highlights.
The production is neither over the top or underwhelming; it serves the
songs well. Also the artwork for this album is easily the best of all
albums.
Many people debate over whether Ride The Lightning is better than
Master Of Puppets, but for me there's really no contest. MOP's the
cream.

2. Metallica/aka The Black Album (1991)
I'm sure there'd be a number of other (perhaps older) Metallica fans
who'd dispute this as the second best album, and I take their point.
But this album was what got me and many people into them. I was old
enough to purchase this not long after release. I'm now 26.
While more of a general hard rock album than a metal one (and their
most succesful to date - leading to the boos from the "sell out"
chanters), the album still packs a punch. The Black Album is the best
produced LP to date for Metallica. It has a polished sound but
maintains enough heavy grit.
While the music maybe simpler and slower, it's no less heavy or
gratifyingly direct. James Hetfield's lyrics are perhaps the best of
all time on here and Lars shows enough creativity on the drums even
without going at it at a million miles per hour. Kirk's solos are more
heartfelt than purely show-offy.
The unfortunate thing is that this was Metallica's last hour of glory.
Many would say this was exactly when the group began to 'suck', but I
disagree with that one.

3. ...And Justice For All (1988)
This is turning into a really honest and personal analysis as nearly
all would dispute why I haven't put 1984's Ride The Lightning in yet.
Well, I actually liked ...And Justice For All. It was a favourite album
of mine for a while. True that that it has it's flaws but I'll tell you
why I like it 3rd best...
Though AJFA itself was the beginning of the tread to the mainstream
(the single One had a video for it) with slightly slower tempos and
more grooves, and the debut of bassist Jason Newsted, it was actually
one of the band's last fairly-metal albums.
The music was very technical, very lengthy in some cases and though the
band dispute the production I think it served the album well. The
guitars sound spiky and the hollow thud of the toms gives off a kind of
densish atmosphere.
Yet at the same time it was a bit too technical at times that it seemed
it was just showing off and lacked the beauty infused in albums like
MOP. Not too many songs are memorable but as an album it still works.
But you'd not want to hear some songs live incase of fatigue!
The downpoints of course are that you can't hear much bass (possibly to
irk the then new bassist), the lyrics were at times a bit desperately
rhymey and it has an air of a band in crisis and in need of a new
direction.

4. Ride The Lightning (1984)
Well, I've put Ride The Lightning in now but now some are thinking 'and Kill 'Em All's not in this guy's list yet? BEEP off!'
Ride The Lightning was the first album to feature a ballad (so "sell
out" was heard early!) and had a better, windier production than their
debut. Other than the ballad, and classical album intro, the album's
largely a frenzied ball of fire with some moderate moments; all classic
stuff however.
It was the last to feature the leftover musical chops of ex-lead
guitarist Dave Mustaine (who was fired prior to the band's debut LP but
went on to form the brilliant Megadeth).
Though uncontestable as one of thrash metal's best albums it loses
points for the terrible 'Escape' and the mostly innessential 'Trapped
Under Ice'. And at times James' voice is a bit hard to take in and Lars
does nothing overly special on the drums. Everything is else is
classic, right down to the art.

5. Load (1996)
Yes, no Kill 'Em All yet...Fact it is that I like much of Kill 'Em
All's songs but the production means that I prefer the songs live than
on actual album.
Though Load was the birth of Metallica's respect death it did have some
good moments. There are some songs which demonstrate some classic
songwriting ability in familiar 'tallica vein, even if it seems as if
the band were a different one to the metal one that we knew.
While not much less heavy, it still stunned fans (myself very much so!)
with country songs, straight rock and roll and blues. The production
even bordered on too glossy - the same producer who got the balance
right on 'Metallica'!
Adding insult to injury was the complimentary image change and semen
and fake blood art which spelled out that the band had moved away from
their past.

6. Kill 'Em All (1983)
Okay, here you go! Kill 'Em All. The band's debut. Though a landmark in
thrash metal with a number of classic speedy and groovy gems, it had
rubbish production. I've heard bedroom demos with more soul -
seriously. There's way too much treble which adds more spike than
neccesary.
Couple this with bordering cheesy guitar-noodlery, screechy undeveloped
vocals and simple drums and there you have it. Though this signalled
the arrival of one of hard rock's finest, not all songs have stood the
test of time but those that have are historic gems. Fortunately this
funded the band good enough and they moved on to a major label ("sell
out" lol!)

7. St. Anger (2003)
Well, it had to happen didn't it? A bunch of old blokes trying to get
'down with the kids' by making one of those 'nu-metal' records to
re-establish cred. Rubbish.
The guitars are downtuned, muddy and dumbed down and the clangy snare
amidst basic drumming gives you a headache. James' vocals have gotten
goofy, and the lyrics? A soapbox for his demons across all songs. And
it seems that Bob Rock forgot to produce the record while all giddy
about playing bass for the band.
In fairness there are some moments that show Metallica can compose some
good metal again. Infact there's atleast a trio of songs that spark
hope but the fact that it sounds like a bunch of drunk cats making
stupid old noise ruins it.

8. Reload (1997)
Load was meant to be a double album. In truth it should've been a
single one without this sequel as despite initial protestations from
the band that this is not 'b-side material', it's actually z-side.
Despite even less gems than Load (but I'll fairly say there are some)
the band thought it okay to release this unwanted brother of a record.
It sounds (and art wise looks) just like Load but even more
dissapointing. It sounds slightly more glossy than Load, a little more
forgetabble, and appears a little more desperate. This album shouldn't
have seen the light of day. Easily the worst! Most fans yawned. Jason
Newsted left.

There are 2 more records. The with
symphony live album S

WheatWarmers - what are wheat bags and how do they work

2010-08-08T06:11:00.017-07:00

Alternative therapies are becoming increasingly popular as the first choice for pain relief. As we are becoming more suspicious of pharmaceuticals more traditional remedies are making a comeback including wheat bags also known as wheatwarmers. This guide very simply explains what wheatwarmers are and why they may be useful to you. The wheat bags discussed in this guide can be purchased on ebay from the seller wheatwarmersor from the ebay shopThe Comfy Corner

What are WheatWarmers?

At their very simplest wheat bags are sewn cloth bags - ideally 100% cotton - that are filled with grains, either wheat, flaxseed, cherry stones or corn. They can be used hot or cold, heated in the microwave or cooled in the freezer and are then applied to the body wherever heat or cold therapy is needed. They are an excellent method of seeking pain relief without using pharmaceuticals. Wheat grains have a unique cellular structure which means they take a temperature quickly and then releases it slowly. This means that wheat bags can be microwaved for a couple of minutes and then release the heat over a period of time.

How Do They Work?

Wheat bags are simply applied to the body wherever needed. The natural movement the grains settle against the contours of the body comfortably making them comfortable to use and more pliable than hard rubber bottles. Wheat bags are used in a similar way to hot water bottles and are oftena safe substitute. Heat therapy dilates the blood vessels inside muscles, this process increases the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the muscle helping to heal the damaged tissue. In many cases the heat application will not provide any treatment, for example, in the case of arthritis bit simply the application of heat will provide some relief. Relative to most medical treatments heat therapy is appealing because it is non invasive and drug free. Cold slows down the inflammation and swelling that occurs after injury. Addressing the inflammation helps reduce the pain and can reduce the extent of the damage from the injury.

Wheat bags can be heated over and over again. Each wheat bag should contain safety guidelines which advise the best way to maintain and use your wheat bag but generally they should last for years.

Which Wheat Bag Is Best For Me?

There are many wheat bags available to buy mostly in th form of a long rectangle which you can wrap around any part of the body, typically around the neck or tucked behind the lower back when sitting. Before purchasing your wheat bag you should consider which part of the body you need it for. If it's for general use then the simple rectangle is a good idea, these can be purchased from most wheat bags sellers. For the neckor shoulderconsider that once you wrap the wheat bag around your neck the grains fall to the ends as a result of gravity so consider buying a bag with sections sewn in which keeps the wheat in place. For the other parts of the body that aren't flat look out for straps that keep the bag in place which will ensure that the heat or cold is applied exactly where you need it.

Recommendations?

I really like the WheatWarmers Back

Succeeding as a Seller on E-Bay.

2010-08-08T06:11:00.015-07:00

Succeeding as a Seller on E-Bay

Being successful is almost everyones dreams these days and being
successful on E-Bay could be a reality once you set your heart into it.
Like in any other business, patience and perseverance in the world of
E-Bay are factors needed to ensure that you are going to be successful
here.

Aside from those virtues, a lot of strategic planning is needed to
ensure ones success on E-Bay. The first thing that you could do is to
mark your territory. This means that you should be able to determine on
what kind of specialization you would like. For example, your area of
specialization is books therefore you should focus yourself first in
establishing a name in the books category before eventually branching
out your items. This would help you in establishing a name through
categories thus forming a solid foundation for your business. In terms
of products, remember that a wide margin market is important therefore
products should not be too expensive. Products that are easy to dispose
of as well as in demand are great investments for people that are
planning to be successful in the world of E-Bay.

Customer service also plays an important part in being a successful
seller on E-Bay. This is because customers always know if you are the
type of seller that prioritizes the needs of their customers. If the
first transaction with a seller made an impact to them then the
tendency of customers is to buy and purchase again. Aside from that,
customers that are truly satisfied with a transaction made from a
specific seller would be able to recommend the products as well as the
services to other potential customers without paying anything to the
customer. This is a good way to expand your horizons as a seller which
could have a great impact to customers. As a seller, you should always
seek feedback regarding the transaction that they made with you as well
as the state of the product. This is important because customers would
feel that they are very important in your line of business. It is
important to have more positive feedbacks in E-Bay because most
customers would rely on a seller because of their good reputation on
the web.

Last but not the least, always hold honest transactions so that people
would learn to trust you and in return, you would be able to maximize
the benefits of E-Bay.

What really makes a low cost kitchen 'cheap'?

2010-08-08T06:11:00.013-07:00

Over the yearsThe Kitchen Workshop has seen quite a lot of low priced kitchens. Starting our business back in 1985 primarily as a Door and Worktop replacement company gave us quite an insight on nearly every manufacturers use of materials. Name a big company from the last 35 years and we've more likely as not to have carried out a refurbishment of one kind or another.

Cutting costs and improving profitability is what drives big business throughout the world. This usually means some low quality parts somewhere.

For the kitchen industry it more often than not meant the use of plastic parts instead of metal. Hinges that look metal can have plastic components hidden inside, just waiting to break. Plastic sided drawer boxes or worse still, plastic clips that hold the drawer fronts on. Flat pack units that utilise plastic cam and dowel fittings to hold them together, one sideways shove and it collapses like a tower made from playing cards. Moulded plastic supports for the shelves that snap under the weight of 3 cans of beans.

Whilst it is OK to use 15mm material to make the actual unit, many 'cheap' kitchens have the cupboard doors made from it as well. 18mm doors are by far the better option as they are harder wearing and resist warping.

For peace of mind it is also worth buying from an established company. The Kitchen Workshophas just entered its 21st year, is VAT registered and holds a Consumer Credit Licence. Longevity doesn't come by supplying inferior products, it comes from finding quality manufacturers that are consistant with their products and service.

Microsoft Xbox 360

2010-08-08T06:11:00.011-07:00

The good: All the games are in high-definition;It has an excellent user-friendly Dashboard interface; Its got a built-in support for wireless controllers;The online gaming and communications via Xbox Liveis awesome; backward compatible with many (but not all) original Xbox titles; doubles as superior digital media hub and Windows Media extender;

The bad: Well hmm.. i can say that the first wave of the Xbox 360 games is somewhat anemic;It does have a noisy exhaust fan; no built-in wireless networking; only three USB ports; no support for next-gen HD movie discs; Im suprised it does'nt have no DVI or HDMI output; doesn't upscale DVDs to HD resolution; gigantic oversize power supply thats i think thats the reason for the loud fan?;And of course the price will almost certainly drop after xmas.

The bottom line: While it's missing a couple of potentially important features at launch, the Xbox 360 delivers the power and performance of a high-end gaming PC, including impressive digital media and networking features.

Its a MUST BUY!!!!
MY RATING IS GOING TO BE A HIGH 9/10!!! THIS IS THE ONE!!
Please vote me if you have found this usefull in any way..
Thanks,. :-)

Quad or Panther 200cc ST-F

2010-08-08T06:11:00.009-07:00

I have had this Panther 200cc quad road legal for 4 months it has done 650KM from new and it leaves a lot to be desired you get what you pay for I have not had a day that it has been fully OK .

Marine Products

2010-08-08T06:11:00.007-07:00

Am I the only guy (I said GUY !) who thinks Ebay should feature a catagory for any items relating to Marine ? as in boats, sailing, outboards etc. If it already exists where is it hiding ! and why is it so difficult to locate. This is 71 Romeo-Foxtrot-Charlie listening- out.

Time Periods of the Great Ancient Civilisations

2010-08-08T06:11:00.005-07:00

Sumerians: 3500 - 1950 BC (Iraq)
Egyptians: 3050 - 30 BC (Egypt)
Hittites: 2200 - 700 BC (Turkey)
Chinese: 2100 BC - 1911 AD (China)
Minoans: 2000 - 1450 BC (Crete)
Babylonians: 1792 - 539 BC (Iraq)
Mycenaeans: 1550 - 100 BC (Greece)
Assyrians: 1500 - 612 BC (Syria)
Philistines: 1200 - 146 BC (Gaza)
Phoenecians: 1200 - 146 BC (Lebanon)
Israelites: 900 BC - - 135 AD (Israel)
Etruscans: 800 - 200 BC (Italy)
Greeks: 800 BC - 30 AD (Greece)
Romans: 753 BC - 476 AD (Italy)
Persians: 569 - 330 BC (Iran)
Byzantine: 550 - 1453 AD (Turkey)

Fastest, Safest

2010-08-08T06:11:00.003-07:00

In my opinion, from the perspective of a Seller.....The FASTEST, SAFEST

A startup guide to building a Home Theatre PC

2010-08-08T06:11:00.001-07:00

Planning

Probably the most important place to devote plenty of time to is the planning stage. You see so many unfinished HTPC projects for sale on ebay because of poor planning.

Where do you want the HTPC to live?
Does it have to blend in with existing equipment?
What space is available?
Is there sufficient fresh air/cooling and is a very quiet HTPC required?
What connections are available for the display and sound?
What tasks do you want the HTPC to perform, does it include intensive tasks like DivX encoding or playing new graphically intensive games
Are you OK having an IR receiver for your HTPC control outside of the unit and therefore in sight?
Are you planning on watching Freeview TV and can you get a good enough Freeview signal?
What operating system and/or PVR software are you planning on using - if it's Windows Media Centre is your hardware compatible?
What's the budget (and don't forget to include the cost of software)?

Technology considerations

At this time the best type of connections to consider building into your HTPC should be a DVI display connection and a digital out sound port (either optical or coaxial).
To be able to play High Definition DVD's a 3Ghz CPU (or equivalent) is suggested by Microsoft.
If you decide to use onboard graphics it may be best to consider 1GB of RAM.
A Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD) is a nice thing to have but how visible will it be from your viewing position? It's also likely to add around 50 to the cost.
TV capture can come in many formats. The most common are Freeview (DVB-T) cards or analogue TV capture cards (to capture terrestrial TV or Sky/Cable TV via s-video and audio inputs). To run under Windows Media Centre 2005 (MCE) you need to ensure the TV card has BDA drivers available.
Dual Freeview TV cards means you can watch one Freeview channel whilst recording another or record 2 different channels at the same time. You can also pause, rewind and fast forward TV.
Using a smaller case that only accepts smaller motherboards limits your choices. If you also want a firewire port connected your choice is even less.
Several smaller cases achieve their small frame by the use of either half height add-on cards or riser cards. Half height cards are often not what they appear to be. Although the circuit board of the card may be half height size the bracket to fit to the case is often still full size. It therefore either requires some inventive adaptation or a revisit to the master plan! Riser cards generally enable the rotation and fitting of a PC add-on card through 90 degrees. This may alter what cards you wish to include in your project. Some units, like the Silverstone LC11, only accept motherboards laid out in a specific way. You'll also find riser cards can limit themselves to a particular technology ie only an AGP riser card may be available, not PCI-e.

Xbox 360You really should consider if an Xbox 360 in extender mode hooked up to a 'normal' PC tucked away somewhere else is a suitable alternative. The advantages are that you don't have to consider making an attractive, small, expensive, silent HTPC to sit under your TV if an Xbox 360 is ok. It receives everything it needs from a PC via a network cable (a preference to wireless although this may work too). You therefore don't have to worry about DVI connections, digital sound sockets etc. the 'Premium' Xbox 360 provides a digital optical sound signal as well as Component (HD) output - DVI and other alternatives are likely to be available before too long. The disadvantages are that DivX playback can be a little bit of a challenge to achieve and to achieve full media centre capability you need a MCE 2005 PC for the Xbox 360 to be hooked into.

If you decided to go the MCE route adding the software and remote control set adds approx 110 to the cost. The OEM Nvidia PureVideo decoder should also be considered a vital add-on for this spec and costs between 8 and 35 depending on the version required.

Cleaning Silver Silver Plate

2010-07-29T01:17:00.011-07:00

Hi,

I thought I'd write this guide on how to clean and restore your silverware. It's really simple.

For Oxidised Silver simply follow these steps:

1. Boil a kettle and get out some Bicarbonate of Soda, Aluminium Foil, a bowl and your silverware.

2. Line the bowl with the foil and add silver.

3. Add the Sodium Bicarbonate (Not too much,a couple of teaspoons max.)

4. Add the boiling water with enough to cover silverware.

5. Leave to sit for about 5 mins, or until water has cooled a bit.

6. Remove Silver and wipe with a cloth (dip back into 'water' to help if not clean.

7. Remove the silver, give a final polish and you are done.

If it doesn't work, it may be that if it is silver plate, it is worn through, and replating sprays can be bought to replate it.The aluminium foil must be new. Repeat if nessecary.

This reaction is not very dangerous, but be careful with the hot water and chemicals and don't eatthem etc. I am not responsible for any damage.

Thanks, I hope you found this helpful

Selling 1p Ebooks - BEWARE

2010-07-29T01:17:00.009-07:00

Hello Readers,
The only reason for selling 1p ebooks is to boost your feedback and to make you look like a better buyer/seller to other ebayers. Not many people ever go and check what has been bought or sold, they simply look at feedback percentage and overall feedback to judge if the ebayer is reliable. This is wrong wrong wrong !!!! The individual could be only selling 1p items and as a result buyers would think they are reliable !!!! Please beware of this !!!!
People want to boost their feedback to use other ebay functions as well. Some sellers only alloer buyers with feedback of 20+ to bid on their items. It is very easy to buy 20 1p items and get this feedback !!!
BASICALLY 100% FEEDBACK DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN YOUR A GREAT BUYER/SELLER !!!
Selling 1p items are simply loss leaders in the business sense - you dont earn anything (in fact it costs you money) but the positive feedback makes you look better than you actually are !!!
I hope these few words help your success.
Please give me a positive rating on this guide !!!
Regards and Best wishes

Peppa Pig Clothes

2010-07-29T01:17:00.007-07:00

Please be aware of sellers selling peppa pig clothes from next saying that you can not get them in the shops. I bid on a peppa pig dress and won the item for 10.50 plus 1.75 delivery total of 12.25. In the description of the dress it stated that you can not buy this dress in the next store. I recieved the dress on friday the following day I went to a next store and there was the same dress for only 7.50so I paid 4.75 more for the dress via ebay. Just watch when buying that what the sellersays is true and check with a store near you first in case what the sellers say is untrue.

Selling a woodwind instrument.

2010-07-29T01:17:00.005-07:00

As a woodwind musician hopefully some of this will help non-musical sellers out when listing instruments.

There are some important details that buyers are interested in and it will save sellers a lot of time answering questions and promote more interest in the listing if these details are included.

Title of listing. Simply saying "Clarinet" or "Saxophone" isn't going to grab attention. Brand, model

Passwords: One Ring to Rule Them All

2010-07-29T01:17:00.003-07:00

Using one password for everything is definitely a Bad Idea. So is writingthat one password downon a post-it note and sticking that to your computer. If you want to see asecurity expert start ranting and tearing his hair out,write "ksH3wN$7Jjs6" on apost-it note and stick it onyour computer in a prominent position.Then inviteyour local security expert overto your cube for a chat, sit back and wait for the fireworks :)

Heybrook Music's rough guide to guitar FX

2010-07-29T01:17:00.001-07:00

IntroductionThis is our rough guide to guitar effects, everything from distortion types to modulation and time based effects. Effects are devices that electronically alter the sounds that come out of your guitar. They are placed on the signal path between your amp and your guitar, and you can have as many as you want in whatever order you want. When used tasefully, effects can make wonders out of your guitar sound.Effect TypesEffects can generally be broken down into four categories:- Gain based: These effects act on the volume or signal level and can alter your sound in various ways. Some examples include distortion and volume pedals.- Tone based: These affect the actual tone color (treble, middle, bass) of your sound. Some examples include wah-wah and the EQ pedal.- Modulation: These effects generally make sounds come out of your guitar that you never thought possible. Some make your guitar sound like it's in the middle of a tornado, or underwater. Some examples include chorus, phaser, flanger, tremolo and vibrato.- Time based: These effects alter your guitar signal in various ways to add ambience to your guitar sound. Some examples include delay and reverb.Effect FormatsGuitar effects come in four basic formats:Single function effect pedals, or stompboxes: These are the most common type of guitar effects. They are called stompboxes because you literally step on the unit to turn the effect on or off. Virtually all stompboxes run on a single 9-volt battery or an AC power supply. Stompboxes sound best when placed between the guitar and the amp on your signal path. They generally do one thing well and they do look cool.Multi-effects units: Multi-effects combine and variety of different effects into a single unit. Any multi-effect pedal will offer all the basic effects (distortion, reverb, delay, phaser) but some are more advanced and offer amp modeling. The big advantage to multi-effect units is convenience and affordability, but they generally don't sound as good as stompboxes. Thik jack of all trades. Plus they sound VERY digitalRack mounted effect processors: When something is rack mounted, that means it sits in a cabinet-like rack that usually sits on top of your amp. The actual effects are housed in the rack, and you control them using footswitches located near your stompboxes. Rack mounted effects are usually higher quality and sound better than stompboxes, but are a lot more expensive. Also they are not very fashionable. Still, worth considering if you have an eighties penchant and possibly your own mulletEffects built into an amp or preamp: These effects are built directly into the guitar amplifier. Some amps offer a wide variety of effects, such as distortion and reverb. Some companies such as Fender and Marshall have been including built-in effects in their amps for close to 50 years. Built-in effects generally sound very good, but are usually very limited in terms of tweaking options. You don't have to use them at all if you don't want to though.Basic TermsThis is a basic rundown of the controls and features of most guitar effects.- Input: Where the signal enters the effect unit or signal chain.- Output: Where the signal leaves the effect unit.- Control: The knobs that allow you to tweak your effects.- Bypass: Removes the effect from the signal chain.Modulation EffectsModulation effects are the mainstay of the modern guitar sound. They use time and frequency modulation technology to create some truly unique sounds.Chorus: The primary function of chorus is to make a single instrument sound like many instruments. It works similar to a delay unit, by digitally recording the guitar signal, except it mixes the delayed signal with the original to create a very thick and full tone. Chorus has been one of the trademark effects for the rock genre for years. It has been used by virtually every classic rock guitarist at one point or another.Flanger: Flanging got its name from a trick used in recording studios where the same track was played on 2 reel to reel tape machines, and recording engineers gently touched the flange of one tape reel to produce a small delay between the machines. Then, by touching the flange of the other reel, they would bring the machines back into synchronisation again, removing the delay. This created a notch in the sound frequencies, which produced a whooshing and breathing sound. It was the perfect effect for the psychadelic era.Phaser: Phasers use an internal low frequency oscillator to automatically move notches in the frequency response up and down the frequency spectrum. The resulting effect is very similar to that of a flanger, but phasers usually sounder thicker and creamier. It has been a popular effect in funk and progressive rock.Time Based EffectsThis category is also refered to as ambient effects because of their abilitiy to add ambience to your tone. These effects esentially add the acoustic elements back to your electric guitar by adding resonance and life to your tone. The most common time based effects are delay and reverb, which both simulate reflected and repeated sound.Delay (also known as echo): Delay is an echo effect that replays what you have played one or more times after a period of time. It's something like the echoes you might hear shouting against a canyon wall. The original delays were tape machines running a loop of tape that recorded your playing. The sound was replayed through one or more replay heads positioned further around the loop, then ultimately erased, ready for the next recording. Most delay units nowadays are are done digitally, but the premise remains the same.Reverb: Short for reverberation, reverb has been the most popular guitar effect for decades. It was one of the first effects ever to be included on a guitar amp. Reverb is designed to simulate natural acoustic space. It's job is to basically make your tone sound as though you were playing in a large concert hall, and add life to your tone. Reverbs usually offer a wide variety of parameters to simulate different environments.Tone Based EffectsThis category includes anything that alters the treble and bass content of your tone.EQ: Equalization allows you to modify your guitar's tone by boosting and cutting certain frequencies. For example, you could boost the bass or cut out the midrange. Most guitars have onboard tone control, but the floor pedals are much more in-depth and allow more tweaking. If you are serious about your guitar tone, an EQ pedal is a must have.Wah-Wah: A wah is an EQ filter with a variable frequency. As you rock the pedal up and down with your foot, the filter emphasizes certain frequencies and cuts others, to create a sweeping effect that makes your guitar sound like it's saying "Wah." You can also leave the pedal at a certain position to add some flavor to your tone. There are some pedals that sweep through the frequencies automatically, so you don't have to rock your foot back and forth.Optimising Your Signal PathThe order that you place your effects on the signal path has a large impact on your sound. Although you can't really order your rack or multi-effect units, stompboxes are individual components and you can order them however you want. If you know what you're doing, this opens up another realm of flexibility options for you to weak and alter your tone.It is best to link your effect units using patch cables (very short guitar cables made for linking effects). They are relativeley inexpensive, and are worth the investment because they sound a lot better than just standard guitar cables.This is basic guide on how to setup your effects on your signal path. Don't limit yourself to just these parameters, but if you are new to effects in general, or just don't know what you're doing, then you might want to follow these tips.Gain and tone based: Most guitarists tend to put these early in the effects path because they make up a majority of their tone. They are designed to work on your guitar' ouput, so place them between your instrument and the amp's input.Modulation and time based: These effects will sound fine placed into your amp's input, but if your amp has an effects loop, I stronly recommend you place them there instead. The effects loop inserts the effects after the preamp, but before the power amp, so most of your tone is left intact.If your tone starts to become distorted due to the number of effects you have added, place a noisegate at the end of your effect chain to eliminate some of the distortion.Organizing Your EffectsIt is best to mount your stompboxes on a pedalboard, and use patch cables to eliminate clutter and keep everything organized. Some pedalboards can be pretty complicated and expensive, but you can build your own with some wood and velcro iand you don't need anything too fancy. Just make sure you have enough room to activate and deactivate your pedals without accidentaly hitting adjecent units. If you are serious about organisation, you might want to invest in a commercail pedalboard, which usually have an included powersupply and other advanced features. A typical pedalboard is shown below.

Fitting Dyna/Taylor leads to Dyna Coils

2010-07-29T01:16:00.037-07:00

Fitting a set of Dyna or Taylor leads is not much of a problem note the following -

These leads are designed to fit aftermarket coils such as Dyna, MSD or Accel, they are not easy to fit to stock coils that have sealed in leads. Not all stock coils have sealed in leads, the VMax for example has coils that have easily replaceable leads.
These leads require spark plug terminal ends to be fitted, these are included with the Dyna lead sets but not the Taylor leads.
Make a diagram of which leads go to which plug and from which coil.
Fit the leads to the plugs first to see how they will run to the coils.
Don't cut the leads to length until you are sure they fit without fouling anywhere, refit the tank to make sure everything fits ok before finally cutting to length.
Do not allow the leads to rest on very hot parts of the engine, they are very resistant to heat but not to being on contact with exhaust header pipes for example.

- the guide below shows how to fit the coil end terminals and boots.

What you will need -

A set of crimps and also very useful is some silicone lube spray to ease the boot onto the lead.

How to do it -

Now using the silicone lube slip a boot either straight or angled over the lead, if using angled boots it helps to bend the boot as shown to ease the lead through to the other side, then strip off about 25mm of the outer sheath and insulation with the crimps, it is not too critical how much you strip off as it can be trimmed later. The inner core will be bent back over the insulation and sheath to contact the terminal when crimped up.

Now prepare the terminal, this usually means bending the terminal tabs over to fit the lead better, then fold the lead conductor core back over the lead insulation and sheath and push the terminal over to hold it in place. The conductor should be as shown in the 3rd picture below, trim the conductor if required to sit flush with the end of the terminal.

Crimp up the terminal making sure the conductor stays in position and also making sure you position the terminal correctly in the crimps to push home the terminal tabs into the insulation as shown below. The last picture shows the finished terminal.

bike scam

2010-07-29T01:16:00.035-07:00

an offer for a norton interpol in glasgow is a scam, you get emails that appear to be from ebay(but are fakes) that ask yoo to send cash by money-gram. the address given is actually a lawyers office, the staff there know nothing about the seller (who has zero feedback). I reported this to ebay, but the scammer will probabaly try other scams with different bikes/cars,etc. don`t get caught out by this piece of scum

jimonskye

Lying sellers Location Abuse

2010-07-29T01:16:00.033-07:00

Please vote yes for this guide sowe can help others!

Have you ever purchased an item on eBay uk only to find out the seller was located in Hong Kong? This act is called Location Abuse and it is happening on eBay all the time. If the seller is registered in Hong Kong, and they say in their auction: "Fast shipping from Hong Kong, United Kingdom" they have committed location abuse. They're fooling the search into thinking the item is in the UK.

I myself, witnessed this just yesterday when I searched for aspecifc gold coinlocated in the UK and most of the search results were for sellers from the US! Here is what a seller posted about this issue on the eBay Powerseller forum:

Theres this clown in America who sells NGC coins in the UK and states that he is in UK. He charges 16 to post coins which then takes nearly 6 weeks to arrive after he has stated shipping will take 7-10 days.I've read his feedback, and so many people have been misled by the fact that he is in US, especially newbies. So when there stuff doesnt arrive they neg him, and he ruthlessly responds by neging them back even if they have a valid complaint. I feel really sorry for all the honest people who have bought items off him thinking they were coming from UK, paid a load for postage, had to wait months for their stuff and end up getting negs!!AND not only does this guy neg people, but he has said things like 'i hope you are in a car wreck and die' and 'its not my fault if you're too you're an idiot that can't read!"Some powerseller he is!!!

Acutally WAS! since he was NARU'd I'll disclose his name

johnsbestbargains (private)

This loser made his feedback private after 10 people left him negatives in less than 10 days.

Never in my days on eBay have I seen a powerseller go from a Reddown to a Purple

LOSER!

As an eBay enthusiast I ask, what happens if you bid on an auction which is stated as in UK with the words actual postage paid only to discover that you have to pay actual postage from overseas? Could you appeal a non paying strike on those grounds?

The good news is that sellers who mislead customers about their location in the "Sell Your Item" form are violating two sections of the eBay User Agreement. Sections 7.2 a

Further to guide written on Fake Bats

2010-07-29T01:16:00.031-07:00

This is in response to a guide written by evolution.co.uk regarding Fake Bats being sold on eBay as well as throughsome sellerswebsite.

I just like to commend this guy for writing this article and making innocent people aware of some cheating sellers who are making ordinary public fool and cheating them out of their hard earned cash.

I agree with every thing he has written in that article and we (genuine seller) should get together to drive out those sellers who basically are fraud, I shall go as far to say we should ask trading standard authority to investigate those sellers for the benefit of general public.

Reason I agree with him is that I import direct from the manufacturers in Indian and Pakistan as well as buy locally from Englishmanufacturers so I know how much it cost me to import after paying freight, custom duty and VAT.

I once reported one guy to eBay who was selling MRF Genius for 65 and claiming it to be genuine and straight from the factory in India, this is mpossible because landing cost of that product from MRF is much higher and I have the receipt to authenticate that.

As for this English Willow nurtured in India is rubblish, it is not English willow at all, it is basically Kashmir willow and as it was pointed in the guide that these are much inferior willow for bats because they are hard and brittle due to wrong climate condition.

Ebay scam - Hijacked accounts

2010-07-29T01:16:00.029-07:00

One eBay scam involves someone hijacking the eBay account of a seller with a good feedback record by deceitfully obtaining his password. One possible tip-off during the auction is that the seller is auctioning a pricey item or items completely unlike those he's auctioned before. Another is that the seller previously only bought on eBay, never sold. A possible tip-off upon completion of the auction is that you're asked to send payment to a location completely different from the location listed in the auction. If you have questions about the auction, send a message to the seller through eBay. If his answer continues to arouse suspicion, don't send your money.eBay has recently tightened up its security features to try to prevent this type of fraud. Now, if an automated password-cracking program fails to guess a password on the twentieth try, eBay flashes a code on screen that you have to type in manually. Despite this safety feature, it's still best to use a password that's difficult to crack -- a combination of letters and numbers and one that's not the same password you use elsewhere.Sellers can still be tricked into revealing their passwords to scammers by clicking on a link in an official looking e-mail message that appears to come from eBay, a practice known as "phishing." They're directed to a "spoof" site that looks just like eBay but is solely designed to obtain people's passwords. To prevent yourself from falling victim like this and ruining your good feedback, always go to eBay and related sites such as PayPal through your own bookmark or favorite or by manually typing in the site's address.If you have any suspicions for any reason about a coin being auctioned during the course of the auction, send a message to the seller asking for clarification. If the seller doesn't respond or if you have doubts after getting a response, refuse to bid. If you've bid on an item in an on-going auction or if you've won an auction just completed, eBay lets you request the seller's phone and address. With more expensive items, it can sometimes make sense to initiate telephone contact before the auction's completion. When you request a seller's contact information, eBay informs the seller of this and automatically sends the seller your contact information.

Ease that wrist with a PUK

2010-07-29T01:16:00.027-07:00

Help ease your wrist whilst using your mouse, incredible new invention now available on ebay. Not Gel.A must for every computer operator.Willl lead you to ebay to purchase your PUK and you'll wonder what you ever did without it!! Surf in comfort, get your PUK today. This wonderful little item is getting really good reviews/feedback.

The price is currently at an introductorylow of 4.99!! subject to price rise in the near future, so get yours now at the bargain basement price.

Now available in bulk purchase of 50 choose your combination of colours, from orange, white, blue, pink or green. Larger quantaties available. They come individually packed ready for re-sale in your computer shop, to give to friends or to purchase for your office.

Useful links: rsiaction.org.uk rsi.org.uk

What is a Rotated-Dies Error?

2010-07-29T01:16:00.025-07:00

Normally, a coins design is upright on both sides when the coin is flipped over vertically.

A ROTATED DIES error is when the reverse die is not aligned properly with the obverse die. This type of error can be easily identified by holding a coinat the 3-o-clock position between your thumb and forefinger, looking at the obverse design upright, and flipping in over vertically. If the design on the reverse isn't upright (looks rotated either clock-wise or counter clock-wise), you've found a rotated-dies error.

Some rotated dies can be quite dramatic, some even a perfect 180 degrees! With some searching, they can be found in pocket change.

Commemorative coins

2010-07-29T01:16:00.023-07:00

Can you explain the difference between a commemorative coin and a circulating coin?

There are circulating coins, commemorative coins and circulating commemoratives so we need to look closely at our definitions. A circulating coin is one issued and intended for commerce, sometimes called a business strike. A commemorative coin is one issued, usually under a special law, to commemorate some historical event, person, place, group or anniversary. They are similar to medals, but they carry a denomination, a specific reserved to government issued coins. Circulating commemoratives combine the two divisions, in a coin which is both intended to circulate and to honor or commemorate something.

paper money

2010-07-29T01:16:00.021-07:00

Can you explain why some US notes have different colored seals? Do these notes have a high numismatic value?

One answer isn't going to fit all of your questions. In the early days the size and color of the Treasury Seal on notes varied greatly, as did the colors. In general they changed colors to thwart counterfeiters and to differentiate between series of notes.

To determine what kind of a note you have, look at the wording above the central portrait. The most common note in circulation today is the "Federal Reserve Note." You will find that the seal color is green. Following is a listing of other 20th Century US notes that you may find in circulation or at numismatic sales or events:

eBay Abbreviations ...

2010-07-29T01:16:00.019-07:00

This is to try and help anyone that is wondering what some of those random letters in item titles mean. I have been confused by them before, and I know others who have so this is a little explanation (will add to as I find more ... if I can).

I'm by no means a top seller or anything, but I would personally avoid using these if you can - New Members, and even old members can be a little confused. The title of "NEW" for example, is just as long as 'NIB' and shorter than both 'BNWT' and 'BNIB'.

Just my thoughts.

BIN
Buy it Now.

BNWT
Brand New With Tags.

COA
Certificate of Authenticity

HTF
Hard To Find

NIB
New in Box

BNIB
Brand New in Box

EX
Excellent (condition).

GD
Good Condition.

NBW
Never been worn.

NR or N/R
No Reserve.

NRFB
Never removed from box.

OB
Original Box.

TDF
To Die For.

VGC
Very Good Condition.

eBay's own Acronyms list can be viewed here (http://pages.ebay.com/help/newtoebay/acronyms.html).

Hope it's at least a little helpful.

Rarities to the Fore

2010-07-29T01:16:00.017-07:00

Long, long ago in the 20th century, Fort Worth, Texas, a dealer used this rarity a 1913 Liberty Head nickel, as the focal point of his nationwide advertising program to sell copies of The Star Rare Coin Encyclopedia. While many other rarities were mentioned from time to time, this is the one that had everybody scrambling:

Why is the 1913 Liberty Head nickel so valuable?

Recent news reports and an offer of a $1 million reward have brought a great deal of attention to the U.S. 1913 Liberty Head nickel. The story behind the production of these five coins, and the disappearance of one, is shrouded with crime, mystery and intrigue---making it one of the most notorious numismatic rarities.

The U.S. Mint produced the "Liberty Head Type" nickel, designed by Charles E. Barber, from 1883 to 1912. In 1913 the nickel design was changed to James E. Fraser's Indian Head obverse with a Buffalo reverse. However, sometime near the end of the production run in 1912, five coins bearing the Liberty Head design, but with a date of 1913, were surreptitiously produced. Numismatists became aware of the coins in 1919, after Samuel W. Brown placed an ad in the ANA's journal, THE NUMISMATIST, seeking to purchase the "non-existent" coins. Mr. Brown attended the 1920 ANA convention in possession of at least one 1913 Liberty Head nickel. By 1924, five genuine specimens had surfaced.

Over the next four decades, the nickels were purchased and sold several times over, individually or as a set in a 2001 auction. The most recent specimen sold brought a record price of $1,840,000 in a 2001 auction.

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Way back in July 1858, numismatist Joseph J. Mickley assigned this copper cent, the 1799 his "V.R." ("Very Rare") designation, the highest degree of rarity, this being the only cent with such a designation (in the half cent series the 1796 was so listed).

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This American classic, the 1856 Flying Eagle cent was struck to the extent of, say, 2,500 or so piecesfew enough that it became a rarity, but a sufficient number that just about anyone could own one, although today it takes the best part of $5,000 to acquire a well-worn specimen. At one time Pittsburgh numismatist John A. Beck, who died in 1925, hoarded 731 specimens! The 1856 cent has a value and interest to collectors of U.S. coinage that goes far beyond the more limited scope of "penny" collectors. Why? The only reasonable answer seems to be: because they always have been valuable. Even in the late 1850s, 1856 cents were worth a dollar or two depending on condition.

Collectors of Flying Eagle cents have several ways to collect these coins. A complete date and variety set is possible and consists of only five issues: 1856, 1857, 1858 Small Letters, 1858 Large Letters and 1858/7. These coins are often collected in conjunction with the Indian Head series. Type collectors generally stick to the 1857 or one of the two 1858 issues. More advanced numismatists often assemble sets of the pattern coinage of this design. Proofs are extremely rare, except in the case of the 1856, and probably less than a total of 100 proofs exist of the three issues from 1857 and 1858.

Grading Flying Eagles can be somewhat tricky due to the above-mentioned weakness of strike encountered on many examples. The points of the design to show wear first are the eagle's breast and wingtips on the obverse and the bow on the reverse. With mint state coins that are weakly struck on the head or tail of the eagle or on the reverse wreath, it is imperative that mint luster be present on all areas of the design.

Flying Eagle cents have been extensively counterfeited. Fakes have been made by altering digits in the date, false dies have been produced to strike phonies and spark erosion dies have been used. When in doubt or when purchasing a high priced Flying Eagle cent, it is always best to have the coin's authenticity expertly verified.

It was Longacre's inability to engrave dies properly that led to the early demise of the series. A new design was needed where die opposition would not be a problem as it had been between the eagle on the obverse and the wreath on the reverse. It was this need that led Longacre to redesign the small cent for 1859, replacing the flying eagle motif with an Indian head. The original small cent design, however, gave collectors of 19th century U.S. coins a short, yet challenging series that continues to intrigue numismatists more than a century later.

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The 1907 (MCMVII) $20 Gold Saint Gaudens High Relief is another "popular rarity," one of which 11,250 were struck and of which a few thousand exist today. Many consider this to be the most beautiful coin ever struck for general circulation. The designer of this coin also created the sculpture of Diana, which is shown on the cover of the latest issue of Antiques magazine.

What is the Most Beautiful U.S. Coin Ever Made?

Whenever that question arises, one of the first and most frequent answers is sure to be the Saint-Gaudens double eagle, or twenty-dollar gold piece. And those who know the subject well are almost certain to specify the Saint with high relief. It's been hailed as a numismatic treasure, a miniature sculpture created in solid gold. In many ways, the high relief Saints are works of art and not just coins. No other coin in American history has been designed with these unique high relief features. For this reason alone, the 1907 dated $20 Saint Gaudens are clearly the most fascinating and beautiful creations ever struck by the U.S. Mint.

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This coin, the 1896-O Morgan silver dollar is common in well-worn grades and catalogues reasonably in VF in the latest edition of the Guide Book. However, in choice or gem Mint State it is worth thousands of dollars. In fact, in MS-63 it catalogues for $5,700, which means that you can buy 475 VF examples for the cost of a single MS-63! Anyway, it is a rarity in MS-63

Postal Order and Recorded Delivery Payment

2010-07-29T01:16:00.015-07:00

I feel it unfair that Ebay do not recommend Postal Orders or Recorded Delivery as a secure form of payment.

If you send cash or Postal Orders via Royal Mail Special Next Day Delivery,you are insured up to 500-

And if you pay a little more you can insure up to 2000 or more

Just remember to keep your receipts.

Determining the Grade of a Coin

2010-07-29T01:16:00.013-07:00

Assigning a grade to a coin is an art, not a science. It is often highly subjective, especially when working with Mint State coins where small differences in grade make big differences in price. Even so, grading can be studied, learned and applied with known and predictable results that ultimately rest on judgment, rather than feeling.Like any science, language, sport, or field of study, it is best to break grading down to its basic components, and master them one at a time. Learning how to grade coins is much the same as learning how to speak English;not try to learn it all at once, but through experience and study.The essence of grading a coin (once you have determined it is uncirculated or proof) can be broken down into four distinct factors: 1. Surface Preservation - This includes the presence of bag marks, hairlines from cleaning or mishandling, and other imperfections of planchet, whether mint caused or man made. An analysis of surface preservation attempts to weigh the visual impact of these imperfections based on their degree of severity and their location on the coin. 2. Strike - Refers to the sharpness and completeness of detail, with the normal characteristics of that particular type, date and mint mark (i.e. issue) taken into account. 3. Lustre - This encompasses the brilliance, cartwheel, sheen and contrast of the coin, again taking the normal characteristics of the particular issue into account. Minor (non-hairline producing) cleaning, retoning, friction, etc., are evaluated under this category. 4. Eye-Appeal - That certain aesthetic appeal that results from the attractiveness of the toning (if any), the balance of the coin, and the effect of the combination of all of the coin's qualities. Surface Preservation is the single most important factor in grading mint state coins. The other three factors appear to be approximately equal in value, each about half as important as surface preservation. (i.e. 40% + 20% + 20% + 20% = 100%). Actually, this formula is somewhat arbitrary since it is really a function of the standards of the scales used for each of the factors themselves. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------General Grading Standards for U.S. Coins --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Good (G) - Coin will be heavily worn, but the main design and legend will be visible. Lettering may be worn smooth. May be dull or faded areas. Very Good (VG) - Still well worn but more of the rim will be evident. Design and legend will be clear but worn flat. Lacks specific details. Fine (F) - Medium to heavy wear but even overall. The design becomes clearer and details begin to appear. Some letters within the design will be apparent. Very Fine (VF) - A visibly nicer coin. High spots will show light, even wear. Various major features are visible. Lettering is all readable. Extra Fine (XF) or (EF)- Slight wear will show on the highest points of the main devices. Words are sharp and easily readable. All details are clearly defined. AU 50 - Slight traces of wear on the highest points of the coin; may be dull with some evidence of luster under any toning. AU 53 - Just slightly better than an AU 50 with a little more luster visible. Eye appeal begins to make a difference between the AU grades. AU 55 - An obviously nicer coin than an AU 50 with no major difficulties. More luster shines through the surfaces. AU 58 - This is oftentimes called a slider as it will appear to many observers to be uncirculated. Just the faintest wear on the highest points of the coin. Luster should be quite evident, although some toning can be apparent. Usually coins with poor eye appeal will not make the AU 58 grade. MS 60 - Mint State indicates a coin that has no wear and is uncirculated. It may have numerous bagmarks and/or be toned. MS 60 is the lowest quality of an uncirculated coin. MS 61 - An uncirculated coin that is just slightly better than MS 60. However, no question that it is uncirculated. Whereas, some may debate over the merits of a coin being MS60 because of the excessive bagmarks, the MS61 should be more desirable. MS 62 - This coin should be a much cleaner specimen than an MS 60, yet, just slightly better than an MS 61. There should be fewer bagmarks as the coin takes on more attractive features. MS 63 - This is the grade that many collectors feel is the most collectible in numismatics. Prices are typically reasonable compared to higher grades and the coin should have at least an average strike and eye appeal, with minimal distracting marks. MS 64 - This is the grade where prices in many series begin to increase dramatically. For this reason the coin will begin to show fewer marks and the strike will be the strongest yet. No primary distractions that will draw your eye. A near-gem coin with just a few tiny marks or weakness in strike to keep it from a higher grade. MS 65 - This is the gem category. Coin should be fully struck with eye appeal. Either brilliant or toned but there should not be any unsightly marks or color that negates eye appeal. Any marks should be very minor in appearance. Prices spread out even further. MS 66 - A coin that just jumps out at you as being nicer than an MS 65. The main devices on either side should have no more than very minor ticks and the fields should be cleaner than that of an MS 65. MS 67 - A superior coin that has no major distractions to speak of. The fields should be near flawless with just the slightest contact on the main device. This coin should emit a look of satisfaction from the viewer. Prices increase further especially for coins with short supplies and strong demand. MS 68 - A difficult grade to determine by most experts. When does a coin become MS 68 but is not quite MS69 or 70? A very superior coin with maybe just a minor tick on either side keeping it from perfection. MS 69 - This is a coin that should create a gasp when viewed. There should be no imperfections to the naked eye. With a magnifying glass a minor mark or impediment may be visible. MS 70 - A perfect coin with no imperfections seen with a magnifying glass. There should be no marks whatsoever; the coin must look like it just left the Mint. Very unusual in early coins as the mint did not have the quality they do today. Modern coins have been given this exalted grade although there is debate whether coins can be perfect. As you proceed to higher grades, there should be a noticeable difference in each grade and an improvement in quality, strike, and eye appeal. However, since grading is subjective, it will still be difficult for most numismatists to see a distinct difference from one grade to the next. This is especially so in grades of MS67 and higher. Any kind of damage or cleaning will downgrade the potential value of a coin.

Nokia BB5 phones - Unlocking is now possible!

2010-07-29T01:16:00.011-07:00

Dejan Kaljevic's Nokia BB5 unlock box solution is ready for release!!

At PhoneShop UK (ps-uk.com) we are currently testing this new BB5 box, and can confirm that it is finally possible to remove the sim lock from Nokia BB5 phones!

Supported Models (Tested

Dyeing Feathers Using Dylon Multi-Purpose Dye

2010-07-29T01:16:00.009-07:00

Dyeing Feathers Using Dylon Multi-Purpose Dye

Coloured feathers are ideal for decorating almost anything from the latest clothes and accessories to homes and gifts. Just follow the simple instructions below to create your own!

You will need: Feathers Dylon Multi-Purpose Dye 250ml Vinegar Rubber Gloves

Instructions:

Wash feathers in warm soapy water; handle gently. Dissolve 1 tin of dye in 500ml boiling water. Fill container with enough boiling water to cover feathers (container may stain). Add dye solution and vinegar. Add feathers and gently agitate until they are one shade darker than required. For lighter shades this may only take a few seconds, for darker shades a few minutes. Rinse in water, shaking gently. Lay on kitchen roll to dry. Re-shape whilst damp.

Playboy Products - Real or Fake

2010-07-29T01:16:00.007-07:00

Watch Out For Con Artists !!

There are a great deal of fake Playboy items for sale on eBay. Unfortunately most people assume things are genuine and have no way of knowing until the goods arrive. Well here are a few tips which may help you in your search for genuine Playboy gifts.

FEEDBACK - Check out the feedback of the seller - Filter it by items sold and see if there are any comments which give the game away. Negative comments complaining about fakes are obvious enough but you will be surprised at the amount of people who leave positive feedback as long as the fake is reasonable - they do however say things like "Fast delivery - good copy for the price" or "Item fake, but what do you expect for this price"PHOTOGRAPHS - Look for similar photographs on other peoples listings - When people are listing brand new official products, they tend to use a professional product shot rather than an original photograph of their own - I always use professional shots for my brand new items to demonstrate that the item you receive will be the same as the photo.PRICE - If it's too good to be true, it probably is - If you want a proper product be prepared to pay proper pricesASK SELLER A QUESTION - Drop the seller a quick question to ask if the product is genuine, if you get a response along the lines of "I think so" or "I'm not sure", then I guess you know the answer - A seller selling will always answer in the affirmative promptlyI hope this little guide has been of some help to you - If so please vote that it was usefulMany thanks, Steve

Mototshirt Selling Fake Motorsport Shirts from Thailand

2010-07-29T01:16:00.005-07:00

mototshirt is selling fake Ford Racing Shirts from Cardiff UK, infact the shirts are coming directly from Thailand, PLEASE RATE THIS GUIDE TO WARN OTHERS

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! EBAY have already removed one guide as weshowed his two names that he uses, but if you buy then you will knowthen anyway, even though it states in Ebay policies that Ebay willnot allow countfeit goods etc to be sold, Ebayare actually turning a blind eye to this type of activity as mototshirt after numerous reports sentis still selling them, after you recieve your fake shirt, and your not happy with it, you can try but hewill not respond to any e-mails as this can be clearly seen from his feedback,check out the mutually withdrawn section, this is how he gets to keepthe NEGS down,the shirt i ordered/won was xl, the shirt that turned up was XXL, with one of the x's cut off, the body of the shirt is a dark blue and the logo even though badly done is not even straight, the cotton is not 100% heavyduty but 100% cheap and nasty.

If you ignore this warning and place a bid and a week later recieve a parcel from Thailand with a shirt inside with no tags etc, then you have also fallen fool to this con! I have mentioned the shirt that i bought, but he sells alot of other brands of which i cannot comment, but its up to you if you want to take the risk!!!

You will see from the pictures that on the main Ford emblem, the top of the white oval is alot thinner and more poorly embroidered than other parts of the badge. Also on the red Ford Racing logo you will see that the letters once again are poorly and unevenly embroidered and not in a straight line. THERE IS NO REGISTERED TRADE MARK SYMBOL ON THIS LOGO EITHER!The one thing that you cannot see if that the entire logo is not even applied in a straight line. You will also see where one of the x's has been removed to make an XXL look like an XL! And I don't think I even need to comment about the inner label on the inside of the collar.....I think that picture speaks for itself about the quality!!!!!

bad labels tacked on to collar poor embroidered Logo XXL label made into XL

It is very hard to spot a fake especially when the seller registers themselves in the UKplease be wary!!!

How to choose a Massage Table or Therapist Beauty Couch

2010-07-29T01:16:00.003-07:00

click here for bodycraftwarehouse massage table

BodyCraftWarehouse have been in the portable Massage Table and Therapist Beauty Couch market for many yearsand we'd like to share some hints and tips when buying your new couch.
You are going to have your couch for many years so you needto look for a couch that will suit your present needs, but also future needs...
Before making a decision onwhat type of portable Massage Table or Therapist Beauty Couch to buy,ask yourself the following:

Our portablecouches havea liftingbackrest with a ratchet system allowing the backrest to be placed at many different heights.Our couches arealso height adjustable - while the couch is on its side, adjust the height by using a spring clip mechanism on each leg - fast, simple and effective. Check out our eBay Shop to see our products - bodycraftwarehouse

We hope our guide has answered some of your questions.

fit flops

2010-07-29T01:16:00.001-07:00

Now fit flops seems to be the latest in thing (I don't claim to know how good they are) it seems thatpeople are desperate to get them without any looking around. Just because someone says sold out everywhere it doesn't mean they are. I bought 2 pairs on line without postage, in black, without difficulty, when some people are paying over the odds. The saying has been around since the Roman empire, buyer beware! Check out other buyers first before paying more than you need.Do I recommend them, I am on my second pair which speaks for itself, very comfortable because of the 'give' when you walk cushioning the impact of your step.

Sony Cybershot K800 mobile phone plus camera

2010-07-29T01:15:00.005-07:00

K800 Cybershot phone and (For a mobile phone) decent camera

I thought i would write a review and show my experiences with this phone, as its an interesting one.

This phone looks good, if you look at the phone keypad you'll see a couple of really small phone pickup and phone hang up keys on the Left and Right. These buttons are perhaps a little small given their significance (This is a phone in its simplest form!), but the buttons work, just a little bit small thats all. Looking at the photo above you'll see the joystick in the middle, it works better than the previous Sony E phones i think, more accurate and when clicking in the middle it actually works - The old one would often select a direction when you tried to choose the middle select option, making them really annoying.

The screen is nice and perfectly clear, perfectly, the colours are sharp and nice, the only thing i didnt like about my phone is the Vodafone branding (You can see the placement of this just above the joystick on the photo above again). When playing videos the screen is fluid and the video is not jumpy (Remember to resize and optimize before uploading from PC to phone, apart from anything it saves space and cuts down on incompatibility issues)

The keys includingjoystick all light up, the joystick has the light around it rather than the stick itself, this i guess was the only practical way and works fine. Again the pick up and hang up buttons are not only too small in my opinion but also the light is also very dim with only a small area being light up on each key, i think the mentioned key sizes and lights are a major design flaw on this one, i've no idea why they made them so useless. The consolation are that the two mentioned keys are ateither side with no keys next to them on the outer side (See pic above).

The phone i got came with a nice leather strap, the string that goes from the strap around the connector bracket on the phone seems a bit thin, but it hasn t broken yet so i guess looks can be deceiving.

On the camera side, the cybershot looks nothing like a phone, and more like a cool little sophisticated camera, with the name in brushed Silver and the 3D partially see through logo of SE to the left of the logo text. Pull down the smart jet Black plastic lens cover of the camera and see whats surely the biggest lens you've ever seen on a mobile phone camera, my first thought was "great, there's a lot of light going to get into that, and therefore the 3.2MP's will be justified (Ever seen the picture from one of those 7MP or so unbranded cameras which seem so cheap, the quality is usually awful despite their MP's because the lenses are so poor, like the rest of the components). On the SE Cybershot 3.2MP the picture quality is great, really great. Although not anywhere near as good as almost all dedicated cameras, for one thats integrated into your phone the camera will be much better than those awful washed out and unfocused pics from your old mobile. Whilst cameras on previous mobile's were merely a token offering and a preview of the future of integrated mobile technology, this phone shows whats about to happen.

The software on the phone is quick and theres rarely delays, the ergonomics of the icons and positioning is very good, considering im used to the 02 XDA, HP IPAQ and Nokia mobiles, this one seems to come quite naturally as everything is pretty much as it should be. Google loaded up quick, keys were quick to use to type in the URL and i could bookmark easily.

This phone looks great, works great and is very stable, impress your friends with this understated wee device!

understanding size and pit to pit measure

2010-07-29T01:15:00.004-07:00

A lot of confusion seems apparent on what is a chest measure and what really is pit to pit etc.

I have 15 years in retail and around 1500 sales of tracks and polos without customers present.

firstly a 25 inch pit to pit does not make a 50 inch chest top, design does not go hand in hand with chest size.

If you want to buy a top the best method is to measure a similar top you own andif it fits to your liking then look for a similar pit to pit measure top. If you want bigger a 1inch pit to pitincrease is a 2inch total increase.

A basic rule i believe if you prefer not too tight then always go up a size. If you are happy to squeeze in a top then go down a size.

Dont take any notice of xl, xxl 3xl unless you are 100% familar with the brand/ country etceven brands follow trends and change their sizing each year. the current trend is a slim fit trend so many people wanting similar fits they are used to must go up a size to maintain their fit.

If in doubt ask we are on the end of a phone

Make Original Art Acrylic Painting on Canvas.

2010-07-29T01:15:00.003-07:00

Acrylic Painting.Some general advice about acrylic painting.

Just few of the techniques and general information about painting on canvas with acrylics. By Artist Samuel Durkin

Painted onto canvas, either board or stretched, acrylic paintings
can resemble oil paintings. The techniques used though differ in a number of
ways. Acrylic paint is water based and non toxic. It is safe to use in a
confined area as does not need the use of solvent thinning agents. This is perfect for a home with children and those who wish to work in a small room. It was my
main reason I choose for using it, but now Ihave mastered it Iwouldn't use anything else.
Drying time

Acrylic paints dry extremely quickly. Within moments
of them going on the canvas if the weather is hot. where as oil paints take over a day to be touch
dry. This is both an advantage and disadvantage. The fast drying time can
make it hard to mix the paint on the canvas asone part of the canvas is dry
before you have covered the whole thing.This has lead to a my frantic painting
style. It does however have the advantage of allowing the artist to work in
layers and not have to wait a whole day to do so.

Opaque and translucent.

Opaque paint covers whats below it entirely, translucent paint does not (like
watercolour). Acrylic paint has the ability to do both. This is achieved by the amount of water (or mixing agent) that
the paint has with it. It is the artists skill in knowing how much water to add
for the effect needed. I use a separate small canvas to test brush stokes out to find the effect before placing the brush onto the real painting. Remember as the paint
dries on the pallet it becomes increasingly opaque.Here you can see the progress of the laying technique. The colour being built up as time passes.

Netsuke, Informations and How To recognize Fakes

2010-07-29T01:15:00.001-07:00

netsuke are toggles which were fastened to the sash of a kimono and from which could be suspended everything a man or a woman needed to carry around with them. The most favoured material was ivory for its hardness and smoothness, but bone and horn were also used.

Del Prado Cavalry of the Napoleonic Wars - Listing

2010-07-24T05:15:00.023-07:00

This is a simple and straight forward listing of the Del Prado Cavalry of the Napoleonic Wars Series. The listing will be of use to collectors wishing to identify missing numbers in their collection as well as to those seeking ad hoc individual models that appeal.As with someof their other series the numbering used by Del Prado for this collection can be a little confusing. Someissues had differentnumbers on thefigure, the outer wrapper and the booklet. For clarity all my numbers refer to the numbers usedon the booklets as originally released in the UK. Designated as an 80 piece range to begin with itwas eventualy extended to 120 issues. My interest is both personal and professional. I collect Del Prado figures as a hobby and I also sell them in my eBay shop: Drum

Fake italy/France signed shirts world cup.

2010-07-24T05:15:00.021-07:00

Italy have gone far in the world cup and in true ebay fake style there are loads of signed shirts available! Of course there are as sellers of fake signatures always deal in the hottest team or players to make extra money.Please look carefully at the Italy signed shirts currently on sale,only a few are genuine and they are expensive.

Some clown in the last week has listed over 20 and still has loads for sale right now.All the signatures are in the exact same place! No way how lucky did he get,he managed to get hold of around 30 signed Italy shirts that are like gold dust and the signatures are in identical positions! What are the chances of that.....getting signatures after a training sessions with crowds pushing all around you and players in a hurry and someone manages to get over 30 identical shirts.Do you really think this could happen or do you think its a mass produced fake shirt to cash in on people who dont study what they buy?

There are so may fake signatures and signed football shirts on ebay that you really need to be careful.There are several simple steps to follow.Avoid Private sellers that have private bids and private feedback.If they are genuine people selling genuine signatures they would have nothing to hide or nothing to make private.Several become private sellers as they start churning out the same signatures over and over again that are forged or because as they sell more and more fakes their feedback gets really bad.

These fake sellers also recycle their forged items.They claim the signatures are done when players are leaving training leaning out of their cars yet they sell shirts with signatures in the exact same place to the exact cm! I have seen just recentley where 15 names were in the exact same place on different shirts sold by the same seller a few weeks earlier.What were the chances of that happening! A million to one i would say! But by making their auctions private you can't see what they have sold before and that they are duplicating their shirts unless you watch and track their activities.

Sellers of fake items usually show you one terrible blurred photo of the shirt they are selling with signatures that look like they are signed by a 4 year old problem child.The other trick is sellers of fakes usually have one day or three day auctions so there fakes have less time to be spotted by the powers that be.If you have a genuine article for sale you would have it up for auction as long as possible.A 7 day,10 day or even longer auction.

With the world cup being played right now the amount of fake football signatures has gone thru the roof.Again beware of sellers with private bids,one told me it was to protect his bidders from being spammed and getting emails offering to supply the autographs at a cheaper rate and they wanted to protect their bidders! Anyone who does this gets suspended or removed from ebay so it hardly ever happens.

The other thing sellers of fake 'signed' items some times do is try to provide photographic proof.This is almost always nonsense.You can getat least one,sometimes several pictures on the internet of sportsman signing items or leaving training or getting on the team bus etc.These fake sellers copy and paste them and then put their name as copyright across them! Of all the photos about 1 in 20 actually shows the sportsmen signing the item up for auction.

One well know fake seller of premiership football items reels out the same set of pictures for every item he sells from that club.Not one picture has ever shown them signing anything he has sold! Itsmore thanhilarious.The photos offer no proof whatsoever that the signatures are real.They are either downloaded from the internet or proof that a seller of fakes once went to the clubs training ground and took some pictures..............but sadly not of them signing anything he has for sale!

Also beware sellers that have so many star names and teams for sale.One faker constantly has AC Milan,Barca,Juve,Madrid shirts signed by the whole sqaud up for sale.The whole year round they constantly churn them out! Do you really think a.n.other dealer can really get his hands on 100's of Barca signed shirts a year! They have that many because they are faked.

My advice would be 1-Do not bid on anything from a private seller,if you can't see their feedback be very afraid.

2-Never bid on someone selling anything that has private bids.Again hidden so buyers can not be protected and so their friends can bid on the item and up the price.

3-Do not take any notice of photos-19/20 they prove nothing.

4-Avoid sellers selling cheap items.The real shirt costs around 45 and you see them being sold signed for 40! So with all their selling fees,paypal fees and buying a real shirtthey would be losing around12.So they put items on to lose money.......no the shirt is a 5 fake from the far east and the signature is a fake.Be prepared to pay more money for real items.For instance you can buy 05 Liverpooleuropean cup winners shirts signed by the squad for 50-80 and the shirt alone would cost for 45.The real signed ones go for 100-300.

5-Avoid sellers that have everything and everyone for sale.Its not easy to get hold of those players genuine signatures but it sure is easy to fake all their signatures and rip you off!

Please be careful out there folks.

cancelled

2010-07-24T05:15:00.019-07:00

cancelled...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Travel Cot

2010-07-24T05:15:00.017-07:00

My Mother once bought a travel cot on ebay and so I decided to sell them, but the simple things you need to know when purchasing a Travel Cot are:

Easy: It's easy to assemble and fold back, after all you want it to fit in your car or into a small space. This is after all a temporary cot that you will want to store away too.

Fabric: This made from Nylon and is easy wipe it clean. After all if you're travelling you may not have a washing machine to hand.

Carry Bag: An absolute essential, this will stop the whole thing falling open whentransporting in the car, and easyfor storing when at home.

Adjustable height: If you have a little one that can't sit or stand up on their own yet, you may want to ensure you travel cot has either a zip opening at theend so you can pop your baby in through the mesh whilst bending safely, or that it has a bassinet (not all tavel cots have these, they are like a raised platform that adjusts the height of your travel cot mattress), sothat you can have it at the top level when you're child's a newborn; and use the lowest level when you're child isn't safe to leave at that height (i.e. when they start to sit up/crawl).

Guarantee: You wouldn't expect anything different on the Highstreet so why put up with it on eBay?

Good Policies: Check out seller's policies as businesses must allow you a 7 day cancellation/7 day return, in accordance with the Distance Selling Regulations.

Price: Why pay High Street Prices when you can buy cheaper on eBay?

Why not check out my shop: Bizi Babyfor your travel cot requirements. If you quote this guide I'll offer you a discount!

washing machines cheaper elsewhere

2010-07-24T05:15:00.015-07:00

Before you purchase a graded washing machine on ebay make sure you do a price comparison on the net. the washing machine I was going to buy on ebay I found 30.00 cheaper with delivery, brand new and not graded. Make sure you search around.

Dog Clothes Fitting

2010-07-24T05:15:00.013-07:00

The Broadest part of the chest (shown as Chest on theillustration)For chest measurement, you need to measure the chest at its widest point, which is typically right behind the front legs. If the dog has a large girth, going up a size in the top is advisable, as more fabric will be used up.

The Length of the backbone (shown as Back Length on the illustration) Measuring should be done along the dog's backbone from the base of the head to the base of the tail. This is from the base of where the collar rests to where the tail is attached. The measurements you see on all our Dog Wear indicate measurement. However, it's important that the dog's girth be taken into account as well as the Body Length Measurement.

The Circumference of the neck (shown as Neck on the illustration)The neck size determines whether the dog will be comfortable wearing clothing. If the neck is too tight, it would be hard for the dog to breath.

There are different sizing ranges for different types of garments, due to how binding or flexible the material used is.

The most important is the chest and length.

Remember all dog-clothing manufacturers have different sizing so XS by one company may Medium by another companys measurements so always check the measurements on each garment.

Buying Used Motocross Bikes - Check First !!!!!

2010-07-24T05:15:00.011-07:00

Hi All,Being a motocross fanatic, I have pretty much watched every new motocross bike come out each year since 1980. I have been fortunate enough to manage a dealership and work as a GP mechanic. I spend at least 30 minutes plus each day watching all the bikes for sale on ebay. One thing I have noticed is that some people just want to either rip people off by selling them a bike with latent defects or a bike that is not the year model advertised in the auction.In my experience of buying and selling bikes, I have found most dealers very helpfull when it comes to identifying the age of a Motocross Bike. All you need is an engine and frame number. If a specific dealer wont help you with a simple query, chances are he might not be the best person to send your "new" bike to if you ever need work doing to it.I have challenged more than one person as to age of their motorbike, some have changed / ammended the error and some have told me to mind my own business, you can guess how much joy a bike from that person will give you. If a seller is uncooperative dont buy from him, the good deal you think are getting will end in tears.Motocross is a wonderful sport and hobby, but it is also dangerous. If a beginner buys a motocross bike that will fail on them ie throttle sticking, chain snapping at high speed, gearbox seizures. then he or she is bound to get hurt and no amount of money can turn back the time.I believe it is every one's duty to challenge these "rogue" sellers and let them know that we are not willing to be ripped off by anyone - make ebay the perfect place for your first or next motocross bike.Have fun out there....

Buying from America.

2010-07-24T05:15:00.009-07:00

This is the first guide that I have written, however I've seen a few guides trying to discourage buyers from buying goods from American buyers and wanted to offer advice.

I've probably spent several thousand pounds buying clothing through eBay from buyers in the United States and have found every single seller that I have come across to be extremely helpful

Which double pram to buy??

2010-07-24T05:15:00.007-07:00

There was 17 months between my 2 terrors. The baby was born nearly a month early and was tiny, my son was huge!!!!

The first double pram I bought was a Graco tandem with a car seat for the baby. This was ok on the flat with no kerbs to go up, but with my large toddler in front I had trouble going up kerbs and the amount of people I ran down going round corners was embarassing. Plus with the baby being so small I wanted her to be comfy so never used the car seat on the pram.My mother couldnt steer it or again get it up kerbs

The next one I bought was a Mamas

Guide To Buying New Landrover Parts On Ebay

2010-07-24T05:15:00.005-07:00

I have seen lots of sellers come and go on Ebay selling new Landrover parts on Ebay after speaking to my customers I would like to give buyers some helpfull tips :

1. New parts should have6 months warranty. The price you find on Ebay might be the cheapest but if they are long gone when you have a problem with the item you end up having topay twice !!!

2 . Make sure they have a picture listed so you can see what you are buying as the quality of goods differ.

3. Make sure you can contact them and they list a Skypeaddressor phone number,fax number or email.

4. Check to see if they have a address listed and a shop you can vist. And that theygive you a VAT invoice.

5. Make sure they have what you are buying, (Ifthey list 2-3 days to processyour order they probable dont have it just buy it in when you order it)items should arrive in 1-2 days.(UK mainland)

It might seem you find a bargain but the quality,delivery,service andaftercare wont be as good.

Thanks for reading this review and we hope it is of use to you.

BODY PUMP - an excellent gym workout!

2010-07-24T05:15:00.003-07:00

If you arethinking ofjoining a gym, do consider joining in the Body Pump classes if you really want a great workout that's fun as well. It's a class where students use bars and free weights in a choreographed routine to music. The class lasts an hour and targets all the main muscle groups.Although the class involvesno running about, your heart rate will be raised and you will feel you have had a good workout .
I was a little apprehensive, being a slightly built female. The sight of all those free weights and dumbells made me think I would turn into Arnie if I started working out with them! But no, I was given an induction and shown that you start off with light weights and increase only when you feel ready. It's a non competitive class so youjust work at the level you are happy with. Of course, ifyou did want to 'bulk up', you can pile on the weights butthe instructor isalways there to advise on the right level for the individual.
Body Pump is set to a number of official Body Pumpcd's, giving a wide variety of motivational music to work to. Typically the class will start with everyonegetting out the equipment they will be working with - a bar to carry on the fleshy part of the shoulders, a variety of weights, a step and risers (to lie on), and a mat for comfort.Thequalified instructorwill stand at the front of the class to directyou and demonstrate the moves. It is very important that technique is correct to avoid injury and to get the most out of the movements. You are aiming to tone muscles and sculpt the body as well as burn calories.
The first 'track' of the cd will be a warm-up. The second track will be aimed at toning thethighs and buttocks. You will requireyour heaviest weight on your bar for thistrack and it will also raise your heart rate. Next comes the chest area and this is exercised by lying on the bench and pressing the bar above the head. After that we target the back, followed by the triceps, bicepts, legs, shoulders, and tummy or abs. At the end of the class comes a welcome stretch and cool down track.
Don't worry about getting bored with the same old music each week. Most instuctors mix and match from the Body Pump cd's they have so you never know what to expect. Plus, the company issue new music and routines regularly to their instuctors.
The advertisements state that Body Pump will change the shape of your body. Provided that you follow a good diet and do the classes regularly (3 times a week is a good amount) I think it really is true and in the process you will feel great and make some friends too!
Good luck!

Do read my other guides - you'll not want to miss the one on car boot sales!

Please vote YES (below)for this guide - it's FREE!

Organza Bag Scam ID's on UK ONLY Search-How 2 Sp

2010-07-24T05:15:00.001-07:00

Wedding Favour BagScam ID's on UK ONLY Search-How 2 Spot
Ifyouprefer to buy from UK sellers - bewareas there'sscamming going on from overseas sellers and you could easily be caught out!!
These sellersenterthe location of the goods with a UK address but unfortunately the chances are - your goods will come from Hong Kong or China!
Even if you try to avoid overseas sellers by selecting the UK Only search function, they will still appear...so you're not safe!

BE AWARE OFTHE DOWNSIDE OF BUYING FROM OVERSEAS SELLERS...........

Buying from outside the United Kingdom or the EUmay mean you are liable to be charged extra money for importingyour goods - this will be done by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs {HMRC}and Royal Mail or ParcelForce can also sting you for an extra 8 on top of that - just for processing it on behlaf of HMRC!
If your goods are faulty then you'll be expected to return them to the seller at your cost - and just imagine how expensive it will be to send goods to China or Hong Kong by a trackable service!

Here's a quick guide - you can read the other stuff if you like but this is what to look out for in a nutshell..if you only want to buy from true UK sellers!
Before you do anything, check out the bad feedback that's been left for them.....and how many of those negs have been mutually withdrawn!

5.All these different Hong Kong registered sellers tend toenter the same location - like Manchester or London,so your goods are probably not coming from the UK!

If you want to avoid being duped - then look for these tell-tale signs....

ITEM LOCATION....it may say...Shanghai,UK.......Hong Kong,UK...or even London orManchester!

This may be enough to reassure you but you need to check out where they're registered- this will be on the right hand side of the auction page...they generally say Hong Kong, China, even though the goods are supposedly located in the UK...BIG GIVEAWAY!

Here's some examples

SHIPPING COSTS....it may say a huge amount..like 6.99 and yet they only charge a really low amount for the goods...like 59p!!!! This is especially true of falseeyelash...nailgel sellers.....make-up brushesand nail art sellers...BIG GIVEAWAY!

SHIPPING METHOD...they generally say Royal Mail Standard Parcels Service....BIG GIVEAWAY!

COMBINED SHIPPING...these sellers don't generally offer combined shipping..or if they do...will only take off about 50p for the second item....BIG GIVEAWAY

SHIPPING

Ronson Lighters

2010-07-24T05:14:00.037-07:00

There are too manyusing the words KITSCH, FUNKY, RETRO, ART DECO, and VINTAGE when the item is none of these. I asked a seller recently what the meaning of one word was and she admitted that she didn't know, butit encouraged buyers to bid.

In my view there ismuch misrepresentation of lighters from sellers who know nothing, they do not even know the model names, let alone the mechanics of suchitems.

Asa gas lighterengineer I can see only5 knowledgable sellers on the whole of eBay. So with that I'm happy to advise anyone as anex Ronson Engineerwithproblems, butevenmy experience doesn't stop a flood of problematic lightersarriving at my door. Corroded flints intubes, lighters covered in tar, unrepairable leaks.and hardly anyattempts to clean them..

Money that I make frommy repairs helps to save lesser-known wildcats that are murdered for fur coats, so you can see how mad I get whenlighters never match their description.

It may also be news to sellers that you can never clean silver, gold or brass plated lighters with metal polish. All polishes carry an abrasive agent that destroys the protective laquerRonson's used to stop plate tarnishing. Your item may gleam in the picture, but it will result in avery sad buyer when his/her lighter turns black in a short time.

Please email mewith any queries you may have.

Art King

Buying a Horse / Pony Harness

2010-07-24T05:14:00.035-07:00

I don't sell harnesses so I am not bias! This is based on 20 years experience of carriage driving, both in the Show Ring, competing in Driving Trials and for pleasure. If you are starting your driving career have a look at the British Driving Society web site.

Your main considerations when buying a harness are SAFETY and COMFORT.

Safety first! As with most things, you get what you pay for. There are cheap leather harnesses available on eBay and elsewhere.Theseare not as strong as English leather and the leather andstitching is not as strong as English leather or synthetic. If you want an English Leather harness expect to pay 500 pounds plus for a good one, a thousand or more for one by a noted harness maker.

In use, a harness comes under tremendous strain.The full thrust of your horses movement goes through the traces. Snapped traces have led to many serious if not fatal accidents. If you simply must have that multi coloured Morrocan leather harness... for the sake of your horse please get some decent leather or synthetic traces!

There is nothing wrong with a cheap leather harness so long as you inspect it after every use and maintain it properly. Ultimately you might find that what you saved on the price of the harness (as compared to a good quality set of synthetic) you have spent on repairs or replacement parts.

Be wary of the very fancy, very cheap Trade (Gypsy) style harnesses that come up for sale from time to time. They are usualy made of laminated leather... think plywood. As soon as it gets a good drenching it de-laminates

On balance, buying a cheap set ofleather harnessis a false economy. However, some people just love the look and feel of real leather and take the maintainence and repairs in their stride.

If you are on a budget, something like a set of Libby's would be the thing to get. It is virtually maintainence free and you can pop it in a pillow case and wash it in the washing machine. It drys quickly. This is ideal for winter as you don't have yards of soggy soiled leather to clean.

The unbranded sets of synthetic on eBay usually represent good value for money if you are on a budget or breaking your horse to drive. The breast collars, breeching and saddles often look a bit mean but this is easily remedied by using PollyPads (roller pads) in these areas. These PollyPads are a gret time saver, you simply pop them in the wash and you don't have to clean a whole harness. They distribute the pressure of the back band and collar making even a narrow collar or hard saddle more comfortable.

Another great safety item you can buy on eBay are 'quick releasers' you attach these to the ends of the traces and where the back band attaches to the saddle. You tie bright coloured pieces of cord or rope to the release ring. In the event of an accident you can get your horse out of the cart in seconds and you don't have to cut the harness. These are sold for up to 45 pounds on some driving web sites. Have a look in the Sailing section of eBay and search for "Snap Shackles". You will find exactly he same thing for a fraction of the price. I paid 12 pounds inc. postage for mine.

Names to look out for... Libby's, Tedman. Tedex and Zilco. You can't go wrong with any of these.

When buying English leather... consult the excelent Ebay guide on English Leather Saddlery. This tells you how to tell the difference between English and non English.

When buying an old harness. Ask the seller what it smells like! Ask what the condition the stitching is in, Ask if these are any cracks.

For a 2 wheeler you will need a harness with a sliding back band. Ask the seller if the harness you are interested in has one! Ask if it slides... some are so stiff that they are as good as a fixed back band. If you are going to drive a 4 wheeler with independedent stafts (ie, if one is lifted, the other stays put) you need a harness with a fixed back band. If your 4 wheeler has fixed shafts (like a 2 wheeler) you need a sliding back band.

If you buy a breast collar harness, as opposed to a full collar, you MUST use a swingletree on your carriage or cart.This avoids shoulder injury.You can get away without using a swingle if you are using a full collar.

Some unbranded harnesses are have very strange sizing, Don't be afraid to ask the seller for the measurements!

Nero 8 for under a tenner ? too good to be true!!!

2010-07-24T05:14:00.033-07:00

Have you seen certain software, eg Nero 8, Roxio 10, selling way below their RRP prices.

These tend to be digital downloads, where you receive and email with a serial numberand a link to theTrial download.

I was taken in, and bought Nero 8 for 7.99.

Very quickly, the serial number and link were supplied in an email.

Serial number entered, and hey presto, all is fine...

Or so I thought.

When I tried to watch a DVD with Nero Vision, it needed to be activated.

No problem I thought. 1 minute later, it reports that I have a pirated serial number.

Nero will work, but only for about 30 days. After that, certain functions will become disabled.

Now, unless you have tried to watch a DVD etc with Nero Vision, you will not be aware you have a pirated serial number until Nero requests and activation.

My suggestion:

If you have bought Nero 8 at a price "Too good to be true." I would suggest to try and watch a DVD, or an AVI/MPEG movie via Nero Vision. It will require activation. If there is a problem with the serial number, Nero will advise.

Whatever you do, Nero will rquire activation after 30 days.

If you have received what a appears to be a pirated number. Contact the seller, and if that is no good. Try eBay or Paypal.

Mike

MOLTON BROWN AUTHENTICS? - be careful when bidding

2010-07-24T05:14:00.031-07:00

I've recently bought a molton brown handwash on ebay, the packaging looks OK but the product smells like the cheap free shower gel usually left in hotel bathrooms. I'm very disappointed as it's the first bad experience I've had with ebay either buying or selling.

The seller has told me that the product is made for the hotel and leisure industry although there's nothing like this mentioned in the item description. Even though I paid immediately on paypal the seller has given ME negative feedback becuase I've left them negative feedback, how ridiculous is that!

Be warned, read through all feedback not just the most recent four or five comments as I did, there are some unscrupulous sellers out there

Beware!!! Fake Radio Microphones

2010-07-24T05:14:00.029-07:00

There a lot of counterfeit radio microphones on e-bay currently.

How can you spot them?

Well the problem is, you can't. Not from the pictures anyway. Not from the descriptions either. Largely because the pictures and blurb are simply cut and pasted from the websites of the genuine article anyway. That in itself is a total con by the way, and they haven't even got your money yet. BUT: there is one very easy rule of thumb that you can use as a guide, and it is this:

IF IT LOOKS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!!!

Please use your common sense. If the best price you can find on a Google search is 400, but someone on e-bay is selling it brand new for 199, they are are trying to con you. You CANNOT buy a genuine breand new radio mic on e-bay for half of what it costs in a bona fide shop. Of course you can't!! So do not buy these things from these people. You are NOT buying the item they are pretending to be selling. You are being stitched up with some sub-standard piece of rubbish that will not perform like you want and expect it to. And it will break. And when it breaks there is nowhere you can take it to get it repaired. Your vendor won't do it, and neither will the brand manufacturer. (Because they didn't actually manufacture this in the 1st place!)

If in doubt, check with the genuine manufacturers - Sennheiser, Shure, AKG, Audio Technica, etc. They will be delighted to advise you properly.

"You get what you pay for" - with counterfeit radio mics, that age old addage is as true as it ever was!

Good luck.

falco.

Sony PSP - August 2006 UK guide

2010-07-24T05:14:00.027-07:00

The Sony PlayStation Portable is a portable multimedia device, released in 2005, that can play games, movies, music, images, and access the internet. So, what's it all about?

UMD

UMD stands for Universal Media Disc, a type of disc that, at the time of writing, only the PSP can play and nothing can make (except for the factories). You can get UMD Games, Movies, and Music. Be cautious when buying the latter two, as they can only be played onthe PSP, and there are other ways of viewing movies and music on your PSP, although when purchased in UMD format, the moviesmay come with special features. Movies and Music cost between 5 and 20, and Games cost around 30

Memory Stick

Memory Stick is a Flash-based memory card created by Sony, for use in a wide range of Sony products. However, very few other brands use Memory Stick in their products. The PSP is the first PlayStation to use the Memory Stick. The PSP uses a smaller type of Memory Stick, called Memory Stick Duo, a smaller type which can be plugged into an adaptor for use on standard Memory Stick ports. The PSP uses the Memory Stick for a wide range of things, including game saves, PSP updates, movies, music and images. Remember this, as some Memory Sitcks purchased on eBay may already have content on them, which may be unsuitable for young children. To "format" is to erase all the data stored, so remember this when looking at product descriptions.

Wireless

The PSP uses a range of wireless features - or Wi-Fi, as it is known as. It can include surfing the internet, connecting to other PSPs, downloading updates and other things. To connect to the internet you will need a broadband connection and a wireless router or a computer with Wi-Fi technology. Without a keyboard, however, the Internet can be hard to use, and keyboards especially designed for the PSP are on their way, although they are not required.

Hardware

The PSP has a powerful set of hardware inside it, capable of graphics the same quality you can find in a PlayStation 2 game. The PSP is also the first handheld games console to have an analogue stick, a bonus in games. The PSP has a massive 4.3" widescreen, another bonus. However, battery life is one of it's most criticized points, with 3 to 6 hours of gameplay time, so you may want to consider a second battery for long journeys etc...

Games: What to get?

Driving? Outrun 2006: Coast to Coast works much better as a portable game.

Platform? LocoRoco is set to be this year's big PSP game, with colourful characters and simple yet challenging gameplay.

RPG? Unreleased, but Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII looks to be yet another hit Final Fantasy game.

Football? Your choice. FIFA, Pro Evo, World Tour...you decide.

Shooting? Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories is violent, but the PSP's biggest selling game so far.

Puzzle? Mercury or Lumines are both fine choices.

Something else? Talkman is not a game, but a translator which can be used abroad with the microphone, and your personal language teacher.

PSP Packs?

You have 3 packs: Base Pack, Value Pack, and Giga Pack.

Base Pack includes:

PSP Console, Battery Pack, AC Adaptor, Demo Disc

Value Pack includes the above and:

32MB Memory Stick Duo, pouch, Headphones with remote control, wrist strap, screen cloth

Giga Pack includes the above (except for the 32MB Memory Stick Duo):

USB Cable, 1GB Memory Stick Duo.

Future...

Connectivity with PlayStation 3, EyeToy functionality, Voice communication...there's more to come...

Fake Skateboard T-Shirts

2010-07-24T05:14:00.025-07:00

Like most clothing categories on eBay, the Skateboard clothing section has more than its fair share of fakes.

Of course, many are happy to buy fake items for a fraction of the price of the genuine article, and many people must be buying them, otherwise the sellers would not list them in the quantities that they do.

Just for the record, all those T-shirts being sent from China, Thailand, Singapore etc are NOT genuine!

These brands are licensed to authorised distributors who sell them to qualified retailers. It is impossible, even at wholesale prices,to buy a genuine Zoo York T-Shirt for the 6.99 quoted as the eBay price shipping from Thailand.

Today, I can see supposed Volcom, Etnies, Zoo York and other brandedTee Shirts being sold by sellers in these countries. I would hope that eBay themselves would do something about it, however the chances are slim when they are getting the listing fees! These sellers may have high positive feedback, but this does not neccessarily mean that they sell genuine goods. Buyers will leave feedback who don't realise they are getting a fake, or who do, and don't mind as they are paying low prices.

If you buy one, you will get something that looks the part, but will not have the build quality or long-lasting toughness of the genuine article.

How to spot a fake?

Firstly go on price. If a seller is willing to sell 'new' this-season designer clothing for next to nothing then it's fake. You simply cannot get hold of these in-demand items for those silly prices.

Second, ask if it comes with tags. All top-end clothing companies tag their brand new goods, and the tags are usually thick cardboard or plastic. Its too much trouble to recreate these tags for the fakers, so they seldom bother. So if it doesn't have tags its probably a fake, secondhand or a 'grey import' copy.

So do yourself a favour and get the genuine article. You'll be getting a quality product and hopefully putting these sharks out of business at the same time.

Please click the link to see our range of Genuine Skateboard T-shirts and Headgear.

PAYPAL SELLER PROTECTION CON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-07-24T05:14:00.023-07:00

ONE OF THE MANY TRANSACTIONS I HAVE HAD INVOLVED A PAYMENT BY THE CUSTOMER VIA PAYPAL.EVERYTHING WAS PRETTY NORMAL AT FIRST AND FEEDBACK WAS LEFT MUTUALLY.AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS PAYPAL WITHOUT ANY NOTIFICATION WITHDRAW THE AMOUNT OUT OF MY ACCOUNT,THIS MADE ME QUITE ANGRY.WHEN I CONTACTED THEM THEY PROMISED TO PASS THE INFORMATION TO THE SELLER PROTECTION SCHEME,I THOUGHT EVERTING WAS OK AND I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET MY MONEY BACK,AFTER SEVERAL MORE WEEKS AND NO CONTACT FROM PAYPAL I EMAILED MY ENQUIRY AGAIN AND WAS REPLIED BY ANOTHER PAYPAL WORKER AND WAS ASSURRED EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.AFTER A FURTHER FEW WEEKS I EMAILED AND COMPLAINED ABOUT THE WHOLE SYSTEM AND THE RESPONSE I GOT WAS THAT THE PAYMENT I RECIEVED WAS LIKE A CHEQUE THAT HAD BOUNCED AND THAT THERE WAS NOT MUCH THAT COULD BE DONE,WHAT A TOTAL WASTE OF TIME THIS SO CALLED SELLER PROTECTION IS AND I HOPE MY WRITING THIS GUIDE WILL HELP YOU DECIDE WHAT YOU ALL THINK OF PAYPAL.I THINK A NEWBETTER SYSTEM IS MUCH NEEDED AND NOT JUST ONE THAT MAKE LOTS OF MONEY FROM OTHER PEOPLES HARD WORK,THANKS FOR READING

Alternatives to Paypal!!

2010-07-24T05:14:00.021-07:00

As a sellerI've used PayPal for years - but now I see am being ripped off in front of my very eyes, and there's nothing I can do about it! Or is there ...?

Recently I've noticed an increasing number of buyers filing non-receipt dispute claims through PayPal, and even thoughI've supply tracking information (usually Recorded Delivery) to show that the goods have actually been signed for, PayPal STILL find in favour of the buyer!! So, these buyershave the goods AND they havea full refund, which PayPal gives them without my consent, and I believe more and more buyers are cottoning on to this scam, leaving sellers powerless.

SO! I've had enough of PayPal, and am trying out some alternatives. So far I have used BACS successfully and with no hassles at all, from UK and international buyers (some overseas buyers may be charged for this, but most seem happy enoughto do so).

Another option is Nochex, where you can receive instant payments of up to 100 from non-members of Nochex, and so far so good!

There are more online payment options, such as PPPAY.com, Bidpay and Moneybookers. I've registered with each of these, but there don't seem to be so many people using them. Real shame, because these may well be far more favourable alternatives to PAYPAL!

BFPO / B.F.P.O DELIVERY ADDRESSES

2010-07-24T05:14:00.019-07:00

Hi,

My name is Lorraine and I (sometimes unfortunately!!) am married to a servicing solider in the British Army. I joined ebay about 2 years ago when we were based in Surrey

Motorola batteries (how to spot the best of the fakes)

2010-07-24T05:14:00.017-07:00

Please be careful with non standard batteries that look genuine, i work in mobile phone industry and have seen a fair few faulty motorola look-a-like batteries just recently.

Im not saying all non standard ones are iffy but the ones claiming to be genuin but fail the UV test do seam to be the worst offenders and the ones that look the most like a real one

The UV test you may be wondering, hmm whats that, simply put.... take the battery in question and place under a UV lamp (not always easy to find i know but a lot of shops have them for money forgery detecting) the hologram section will light up in the horizontal bars that have a diamond pattern whilst the rest will not, also the white section (with all the safty gubbins) will glow purple-ish.

The V3 versions also have the words of the french warning running into each other (as tho there are no spaces)

Hope this helps at least one person out there in ebay land

Don't bid/buy Unlock/Debrand for Newer motorola phones

2010-07-24T05:14:00.015-07:00

Alot of auctions are offering unlocking solutions for the L7,L6,V3i,V3x,Pebl and other newer motorola's.The potential buyer is informed that all you need is a mini usd Cable but you will need to testpoint on 3g phones,This is a blatant lie.All of the phones mentioned above need to be testpointed in order to be unlocked via mini usb cable.What is testpoint you may ask?Testpointing is where the phone is disassembled(Back cover,Battery,Inner housing)After that is removed then the protective magnetic cover is removed.Then the Cover for the Chips on the motherboard is Heatsinked off.Then you connect a piece of metal to a certain chip and the other end to Ground.A professional service will take roughly 20-30 minutes to do this along with unlocking.The actual unlock is performed by a Smartclip(most of the time) which also does a chipset backupfor safety reasons incase anyting goes wrong but 99% of the time its flawless and when unlocked bya professional you are also entitled by law that incase of damage to your phone you will be given a replacement or the phone being repaired.Search online for L7 unlocking and you will find that all say it needs to be done by testpointor some will ask you to try the unlocking programme first and after you do the programme will inform you that you will need to testpoint the phone and SHOULD ONLY BE DONE BY PROFESSIONALS.Some sellers are also offering debranding.What is Debranding.Debranding is removing your operators settings that have been applied to the phoneeither by seem editing or by Flashing a unbranded Flex/Monsterpack.Doing the latter will void your warranty.I won't go into detail as we would have to cover the P2K filesystem and programmes.You can find information on Debranding and loads more @www.Motomodders.netwww.Howardforums.comand various other Mobile phone sites.Don't be fooled by the prospect of unlocking your phone easily,you will only be sent olderunlocking solutions that don't support your phone and you will end up either having to have it repairedand then pay for an unlock or in the worst case scenarioa dead phone.And lastly some sellers are offering Subsidy unlocks.Now I know that Motorola keep these unlocks on a secure database and can only be accesed by motorola.Operators like Vodafone,02,Orange and the rest have to request these unlock codes from Motorola when you want to unlock your phone.I have been on 02,Vodafone and Meteor and have had all my phones unlocked by asking my Carrierat the time for the subsidy Code.An easy way to get your code for free is to tell them your going on holiday and you want to use your phone abroad.Most will do this free of charge but I know in some cases people have been charged.Your phone can also be unlocked at the end of your contract or signing up for a new contract.By law Mobile phone operators have to suppy you with an unlock code,wether they charge you or not is at their own discretion but most of time(well for me anyways) it is free.I hope this helped some of you out.

Bic Bilbao Sit On Top Kayak

2010-07-24T05:14:00.013-07:00

Sit On Top kayaks have encouraged many thousands of new paddlers to take to the water over the last few years.Its a cheap, healthy,fun, activity andrelativly safe compaired to sit in Kayaks when used with a little common sense. There are manybrands and models of Kayak available. This review deals witha specificmodel but visit the Storm-riders website for a full guide and technical specifications of the two current most popular brands in the UK, Ocean Kayak, and Bic Sports Kayaks' best selling models.

The Bic Sport sit on top kayak range is one of the most popular choices of brandfor recreational paddling in Europe. BIC has a small but well designed range of Kayaks available to suit a variety of purposes.

This guide deals withBilbao model which is the most stable single person [plus one small passenger extraif required]recreational kayak in the Bic range and geared towards family fun on flat water. I'll make specific comparisons in this review with Ocean Kayak and other Bic models to illustrate points. Ocean Kayak are the worlds most popular range of sit on's, and for good reason. The OKrange has more models than any other we know and are well designed and constructed.

I've regulary used this model for day trips on flat water, as a fishing platform and forbeach playwith my children. Its a firm favorite with users not looking for too much adrenalin in their paddling but who want a very stable and comfortable kayak. It's perfectly suited to relaxing paddling but can be used to a degree in very small broken waves and whitewater. Its not designed for carving on surf. If thats something your'e likely to do a lot of, then the Ocean Kayak Yak or the Bic Ouassouwould be more appropriate and slightly cheaper.

Its been great fun on rivers and itsperformed well on longerinshore costal water and lake trips. Its very stableon flat water and gives a very secure feeling to the user. It is however a bit limited on surf as its almost too stable and doesnt turn very quickly.

Its direct Ocean kayak competitor is the Frenzy or Prowler. These are alsovery capable boats but the cockpit of the Bic definately feels roomier and better suited to a bigger paddler or to carrying an extrapassenger. I would say that if you are likely to travel really big distances on your kayak then the OK Prowler or the Bic Scappa would be far better options as the both glide far better than the Bilbao, but they are more expensive and more awkward to handle when out of the water. The OK Frenzy looses out a little to the Bilbao in terms of stability, which isnt nessecerally a bad thing. If your looking for a bit more excitement the Frenzy should provide it. The Bilbao wins hands down in terms of storage potential, and due to the fact it provides a comfortable front seat for a smaller passenger.Another thing to consider is that kayakslarger than this can become difficult for most people to get on their cars roofrack which could be wise to bare in mind when choosing a model of kayak suitable for you.

One of the definate advantages of all the bic models in comparison to other ranges is that they can give the user a much dryer ride in flat water. The sidewalls of all the Bic models are taller thanmost other brands of sit on top kayaksmodels and when using bungs in the drainholes in calm water you will feel dryer. You also feel a bit less exposed which seems to give less experiencedpaddlers a little more confidence.

Bic produce a fishingspecific version of this boat equiped withrod holders,net holders, dry storage hatches, etc which offersa superbly stable platform for inshore / river/ lakefishing trips. Its a great little fishingboat and a good seller in our shop.

The Bilbao is one of the easiest of the full sized single person kayaks to useand is very easy to move around on land as its equipped with a rear wheel housed in its rear skid plate. This whole wheel/skidplate is replaceable and will definately save wear and tear to this most vulnerable, rear bottom section of the boat and prolong the life of the boat. A new skidpleate cost nothing compaired to a new boat!

It's stable enough to accomodate a very large adult plus smaller front passenger with a combined weight of up to 120Kg which is adequate for most people. I would say that I've perched a much larger passenger at the front occassionally for fun but the boats become nose heavy and dont paddle easily, allthough they wont sink.

The rider position in the cockpit is set up to allow comfortable paddling for most adults and teenagers. The width of the seat makes it comfortable for wider hips of bigger blokes and women. For woman specific use, the Ocean Kayak Venus is a better choice due to the seating position and lower weight and volume, but it is quite a lot more money and the rest of the family wont be able to use it comfortably. The footrests on theBilbao allow a comfortable knee position for all but small children who's feetdont generally reach the footrests. I've personally found this far more comfortable to paddle than the Ocean Kayak Frenzy which is OK's equivalent model which is a bit narrow for my 14.5 stone frame. The use of kneestraps make itmuch more controlable as conditions get tough. That recommedation applies to any sit on kayak.

One great thing about the Bic Kayaks is that they dont have the hidden extra cost of the backrest to make them useable. Most brands require a backrest to be fitted to allow a basic level of comfort. That will drive up your cost by about 25 to 60 depending on your model of backrestchosen. The Bilbaooffers acceptable comfort even without a backrest due to the shape of the deck behind the seating position. However, for extended use we'd still recommend one being fitted for ultimate comfort.

In summary, we've found the Bic Bilbao to be an excellent kayak for stable, flatter water family activities and fishing. Its relatively inexpensive and would be a great investment for anyone looking for a relaxing watercraft. It doesnt really surf well, but that not what this boats about.Itshould give you loads of chilled out paddlingadventures and will let you get to places most people will never get to experience.

Features:

Drink holder. Ergonomic seating position with EVA foam cushioning. Integrated foot rests Replaceable bow and stern protectors Self-draining scuppers (2) Rubber cushioned carry handles. Accessory stowing net Mooring straps Safety grab lines Optional Extras: paddle, back rest, water bottle.

Length : 9'10'' - 300.0 cm Width : 31'' - 78.0 cm Weigth : 21.0 kgs - 21.0 kgs Max. Load : 264 lbs - 120 kgs Material : Thermoformed polyethylene Suitable Conditions for use : All Flat Water and up to Class II Whitewater [Bic's Recommendations - not mine]

I hope this brief summary of my personal experiences with these kayaks has been helpfull. If I can help with any other information fell free to get in touch through ebay and I'd be happy to try to help.

If you are Mr Bic or Mr Ocean Kayak and you feel I've been unjust or turned away your potential buyer please bare in mind these are my own personal thoughts and not the views of Stormriders.

Fake Lindeberg

2010-07-24T05:14:00.011-07:00

Dont be fooled like I was! There is one Seller by the name of "TRENDSETTERFASION" who is all over the UK Ebay. They are bassed in canada, even though they say there items are in the UK.Purchased a brand new WHITESLATER BELT, waited 2 weeksonly to find that i was ripped off!The leather is not leather but cardboard, the buckle was smaller and the quality was really poor. I only saw this against another slater belt i baught from selfridges durring there golf dept. clearance sale. another diference was the fake was alot shorter than the original, so if a seller saysbuy one size bigger than nomal, besuspicious. Recently they have multiplied the number of items on our UK site by 200% and i dont want them to get rich by ripping us all off! I was given a refund just to shut me up, but canot let them do the same to you guys. hope this saves you from being conned!

Collecting Heredities 'Avalon' Bronze Sculptures.

2010-07-24T05:14:00.009-07:00

Hello there. I've been collecting bronzes by a company called Heredities for a while now, and thought that if you had seen one of these fine peices, and had considered perhaps starting a collection of your own, this brief guide might be of some use.

Heredities were a company based at Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria, the Lake District, and for many years produced limited edition fine art sculptures in cold cast bronze. This is a method of mixing bronze dust with special resins to produce the finished artwork. It retains the weight and feel of a metal, but requires no firing, and is able to attain far more detail than the older method. Unfortunately the Heredities company was liquidated in 2003, and although the name and some of the designs were taken on by Genesis, an Irish competitor, many of the earlier designs and some of the unique style has been lost in the transition. Genesis do still make some of the same figures, and have added new ones to the range, but where as Heredities were to my mind very much in the style of 'Vallejo' paintings, the recent new peices from Ireland have been slightly more modest in their appearance. In other words, where as Heredities wereadept ata use of nudity in some of their series, including the Avalon series, the new company has not yet really followed the same path.

My collection has centered on the Avalon series in the main. This is based upon the legends and tales of King Arthur, and depicts many of the well known characters. There is an expensive look and feel to the pieces, and many even today are not far short of their origional prices, and even on eBay, can come up fairly rarely. Below is a list of the origional Heredities Avalon pieces, and item numbers...

Sir Mordred AE007

Lancelot

Bouncy Castles - to hire or not to hire - that is the ?

2010-07-24T05:14:00.007-07:00

There are many bouncy castles to choose from on ebay and one of the most common questions asked is this:

Can I hire it out to make some money?

The simple answer is this..................................

Many of the bouncy castles on ebay are what is known as Domestic Castles, the biggest manufacturer of these in the UK is Duplay. All of Duplay's castles are very nicely designed and competitively priced, however, they are for garden use only. They are not designed to be hired out commercially and as such should only be purchased by people who want them for their own kids.

You can't realistically expect to pay less than 300 for a bouncy castle and hope to hire it out for 60 a time - if you could then everyone would be doing it! (me included!)

The Duplay castles are great value for money and are very high quality but they are not suitable for hiring out. They are designed to be used by your own kids in your own garden a few times a week.

If you are hiring a castle out you can expect 10-20 children a time to be using it and for it to be given a real hammering whilst it is being used. You can't realistically buy a commercial grade castle for much less than 800.

If you are interested in setting up your own business to hire out castles then you should take a look at the website of the British Inflatable Hirers Association. Just type those words into google and it will show you the website as I am not allowed to mention it here in this review.

The British Inflatable Hirers Association and has all the information you need to enable you to set up your own business.

I hope you find this guide helpful

Feedback - time for a rethink?

2010-07-24T05:14:00.005-07:00

As we know eBay have recently updated feedback so that buyers can give a more detailed assessment of the seller's performance in the transaction. What would have been more useful would have been a more fundamental rethink on how the feedback system works.

I have spoken to many ebay users in recent months, and it seems that many are now no longer leaving bad feedback, no matter how well deserved, as this now almost invariably results in a retaliatory bad feedback being given in return. Once users feel it is not worth leaving bad feedback because of a possible negative impact on their own rating, then the system is already breaking down.

The main problem is eBay's almost complete refusal to get involved in removing feedback once it has been given, no matter how unjustified. It should be quite obvious when a member has left negative feedback purely in retaliation for a negative comment they have received, and these entries should be removed by eBay. More seriously, one user of my acquaintance received feedback which contained libellous and defamatory remarks which would have certainly led to legal action had they appeared in print. Ebay's reaction was that it was open to the member to take his own legal action if he wished, but they were not going to remove the offending feedback Even after the other member had been removed from eBay for persistent abuses, feedback he had left was allowed to remain.This in spite of their own advice on not to use this type of language when leaving feedback. Imagine the editor of a newspaper or magazine taking this attitude.

I suspect that eBay is not content with the multi millions it is earning out of this site, and is reluctant to employ a few more people to police the feedback system and assist members in removing undeserved entries. What would be good would be a feedback system where members could rate eBay itself on its performance in various areas. I suspect that in the area of communicating with its own members, who afterall provide its profits, the feedback rating would struggle to reach a plus figure.

TUNING MODULES AND CHIPS WARNING

2010-07-24T05:14:00.003-07:00

Are you considering buying a tuning module / box / chip?

BE AWARE OF WHAT YOU ARE BUYING!

Many of the products currently on ebay are bad news, heres what to look out for.

Modification chips: These are advertised as "mod chips" or " 25-40 BHP CHIP" They usually cost between 3 - 8 to buy, at this price you will recieve a resistor worth around 15p and 2 wires which connect it toa sensor you have to unplug under the bonnet which "fools" the engine into thinking it is taking in cold air... which in turn increases the power output of the engine.... Dont get me wrong this can work....... But it can also cause some nasty malfunctions including lights on the dash, engine failure and other electrical problems. your engine is setup by professionals.... I recommend you leave it that way! Please do not also be fooled by the same modification that comes in a little plastic box at a higher price... Although this looks authentic its usually not!

Variable power modules / Chips: These are a give away when they say "variable power", by variable they mean a variable resistor. Same modification as above with thesame pro's and con's. A variable resistor is a resistor with a "dial" to adjust the resistance. Again it has a value of less than 1 and againYou will usually pay a lot more for this unit as it is usually provided as a "KIT" (a few wires and some photocopied instructions).

Some of these units are now advertising as "digital technology".

When buying a power module / chip / unit, REMEMBER THIS NEXT PART.

A GENUINE POWER MODULE WILL HAVE SPECIFIC MANUFACTURER PLUGS FOR YOUR VEHICLE.

A GENUINE POWER MODULE WILL NOT "FIT ANY VEHICLE" (different engines have different ECU maps)(you may find "fits all rover xxx series or fits all ford xxx series or vehicles with the same engine type which is quite common)

A GENUINE POWER MODULE FITS INTO/ONTO OR BETWEEN THE OEM ECU(electronic control unit) *NOT* IN PLACE OF,OR REPLACING A SENSOR!!!

THE SENSORS FOUND AROUND A VEHICLE ARE IN PLACE TO STOP BAD THINGS HAPPENING TO YOUR ENGINE AND YOU!AND TO CONTROL THE WAY THE VEHICLE WORKS. IF THEY COULD BE REPLACED SAFELY WITH A RESISTOR THEN IM SURE THEMANUFACTURER WOULD HAVE DONE SO IN THE MANUFACTURE PROCESS...

So from my guide you can now make your own judgement call on the various "power gain products" out there.

PLASTIC PLAYING CARDS

2010-07-24T05:14:00.001-07:00

When it comes to playing cards, there is a never ending variety to choose from. I will go over the main types of plastic playing cards commonly used to try and give you an idea of what they are like, so you can decide what best fits your need.

Plastic Playing Cards

These are 100% plastic playing cards, they are washable so you can keep them clean.Plastic cardsare the top types of playing cards.

Copag - One of the best for themoneyof the plastic cards Copags are manufactured in Brazil. They are lighter than some other plastic cards, but hold up very well even over extended use. Copags are very flexible so they hold their shape welland have abit of a textured feel so they are not to slick. Copags are in the middle of the plastic card pack as far as price goes and are a very good deal for their price normally around9 for a 2 deck set.

Royals - At the lower end of the plastic card chain are Royals. These cards tend to have a very glossy look, and deep colors. They are not as textured as the copag or Kem cards making them very smooth and slippery. Over time the colors on the Royals will start to fade and then feel changes as they become a little more sticky. For extended use Royals simply do not hold up as well as other plastic cards. If you were to only use these cards say once a month or less they would probably last you a year or two. Royals also tend to be the least expensive of the plastic cards typically running about2 a deck.

Kem -Kem are the cream of the crop of plastic playing cards. Theywill last about twice as long as any other as long as you take care of them. Kems are about the same thickness of a copag, but are a bit stiffer. The manufacture date for the deck will be printed on the Ace of Spades. If you take care of a deck of Kems they can last you a very long time. Being the best also means costing more, a 2 deck set of Kems is going to run you around 14

A-Plus - A plus cards fall in between Royals and Copags. They are a very glossy card, and are very thick. They are also a bit slippery but not as much as royals. Overall they are a nice card that will run you around 5

Gemaco - These are very nice playing cards, they are more smooth and slippery than Kems, but are very thin and flexible. They retain their color well, these cards seem much like a smoother more flexible Kem. As far as pricing they are close to Kems and will run you about12 for a 2 deck set.

You can find a lot of good deals online for plastic playing cards, in paticular on Ebay, where you can often find auctions for Vintage Kem cards and low priced sets of Royals.

Kids' shoes and boots on Ebay

2010-07-24T05:13:00.008-07:00

(Edited on October 25th) I firmly advise against buying any shoes or boots for a child on Ebay, particularly used ones, so as not to damage the growing bones of the feet. Children's feet grow at different rates, sometimes fast and sometimes slow, and in addition, unlike adults, the bones are not yet actually joined together ("fused") properly. You could severely damage your child's feet by putting them in shoes or boots which you have not actually had fitted by a trained fitter. but even more damaging, is buying shoes or boots which another child has worn in, even if they have only been worn for a few weeks, as the shoes/boots will have moulded to the shape of that child's feet. This is particularly true of leather, suede and especially sheepskin which "gives" very easily. Sheepskin boots are a good choice for children for this exact reason: they can be worn without socks, thus keeping the feet perspiration-free and therefore healthier, and within a short space of time they are worn in, moulded to your child's foot shape and therefore fit "like a glove". If this has already been done, however, by a previous child, it is worse than buying new boots or shoes which you have not had fitted, because the indents made by that child's toes, heels etc. will not match your own child's feet, and this will not only cause discomfort, it can cause your child's toe bones to fuse in a disfigured way, and can also prevent your child from walking comfortably.This may sound odd, but if your child is wearing an ill-fitting shoe or boot, they are going to hold their feet awkwardly to prevent it slipping about, or to prevent it hurting, and this can cause them to develop abnormal walking ; at worst this can affect the spine.Children who are not yet walking alone should never wear shoes or boots with hard soles; for the same reasons outlined just above, it can damage their feet. Children who are learning to walk need to be able to feel the ground properly under their feet, and be bale to balance properly, and they cannot do this if they have a stiff sole under their feet. By stiff, i mean any kind of sole normally found on a shoe, other than very soft leather, sheepskin or cloth. Many types of shoe are available like that; the soft leather or sheepskin ones are ideal for if your child goes out in the garden a lot, as they will protect the feet from small stones and thorns etc., but without the hindering effect of stiffer soles.When you think about it, people have walked with bare feet for millions of years and only in the past few hundred years or so have we worn shoes; this is mainly true in the West with people who live in cities and towns and who walk on hard ground. If you allow your child to play in the garden with bare feet a lot, they will develop tough feet and will be comfortable enough in bare feet. but for walking on pavement, the soft-soled shoes I have suggested are sufficient right up until the child is able to walk and run comfortably.There are a number of listings on Ebay for fashion shoes and boots for kids. Names like Ugg are popular, and it really isn't worth paying through the nose for someone else's child's old boots just so you can see your child with that label on their boots. This may make you feel a sense of satisfaction at allowing your child to have "the best", but in the long run it is not fair on your child. Even if the shoes are unworn, and even if they are the size of your child's current shoes, don't forget that children's feet grow fast, and in the time since your last visit to the shoe shop, your child may have grown as many as 3 half sizes in as many months, since children's growth is in spurts. Even if you have the right size, ther is the width to consider, and the depth. The shoe should fit snugly, but not tightly, around the widest part of the arch of the foot; there should be slight clearance round the toes, because when a child walks the toes spread out (as adults' do too if they are not damaged by years of ill-fitting shoes; it is unusual to see a Western child get to age 18 still with spreading toes). Having said that, there is a common misconception that it is OK to have "plenty of room for growth"; this is only partly true, because although you should allow a small amount of room, it isn't really for the convenience of the parents and their finances, but to make sure that the child has a small amount of room in case of a sudden growth spurt over a few weeks, which the parents may not expect or notice. So, only about 1 to 1.5 cms should be allowed at the smallest toe end, with no more than 1 cm at the big toe, otherwise, the shoes are much longer than the child can allow for and s/he will end up tripping, lierally, over their own feet. Even if you allow for the width, some children have long toes, which means the front of their foot is "shallow" compared with the middle where the arch is. This doesn't matter so much with children whose toes are not so long in relation to the rest of their feet, or children with chubby feet. If a child's foot is shallow at the front, and the shoe is too deep, you get a pronounced crease where the shoe bends when the child walks. this crease can end up causing discomfort, and again cause the child to hold their foot awkwardly as they walk.The best thing you can do for your child is to take them to a shop which has trained fitters, particulalry when they are still toddling, but also if posible right through their childhood, and have them properly fitted for width as well as length. You should take them every couple of months, but in between do check by squeezing the front of the shoe. If you can feel the big toe right at the very front, against the leather, then the shoes are too small. Never allow a child to stay in shoes which have become too smal because they will stop their feet growing properly, as well as rubbing painfully against the skin of the toe.Leave the fashion brand names until they are much bigger. Perhaps you could buy boots like the ugg style ones from somewhere like Celtic Sheepskin, then take your child to the Clark's shop, and say, I think it may be time to buy some new shoes, and have them check to see if the boots (you have just bought!) fit properly. If not, well, they haven't actually worn them so you can return them, no questions, for a refund.Celtic Sheepskin were making THE Ugg trademarked boots first anyway, years ago, named after the generic "ugg" or "ugly" boots worn by the australian surfers in Cornwall. Celtic Sheepskin later sold the trademark and it is now owned by Decker of the USA, who ironically use the name Ugg Australia (because the original style is aussie as is the sheepskin.) The original Ugg trademarked boots are now Celt boots. They also make very beautiful and inexpensive bootees for babies and toddlers, and their children's boots come in the same range of colours and gorgeous style as the adults' ones.Regardless of what people say, no child is yet truly fashion-concious, unless their taste has been moulded by fashion victim parents. Is it fair for children's feet to suffer for the sake of their parents' fashion taste? Children are not just accessory-holders for parents who cannot live without designer clothing.So...to recommend a few types of shoes for kids:For babies and toddlers who can't yet walk PROPERLY: Bobobobs or similar, or corduroy Padders etc. Or, make your own.Buy a sheepskin bootees set to stitch yourself.Soft cloth or leather shoes with soft soles, such as lambskin boottees from Celtic Sheepskin, ONCE THE CHILD CAN WALKFor older infants and children get sheepskin for the winter if you can because they can wear them without socks, and this prevents sweatiness. Even in winter their feet will be really warm, without socks, if they wear real sheepskin boots. they should be snug around the foot but not tight, and there should be some growing room for the toes, but not so much that the child's walking is affected. Not getting sweaty feet means no bacterial or yeast infections such as Athlete's foot, which, yes, kids certainly can get.If you send Celtic Sheepskin a drawn-around foot of your child they can send the right size to be worn without needing socks. At the moment (Autumn 07) the children's boots are all half price if you send for a catalogue and get the code number to quote from the "welcome" letter. This makes them around 20, which is a really good price for a child's winter boot and the best thing of all is: THEY ARE MACHINE WASHABLE For fitted shoes and boots, go to somewhere like Clark's or Charles Clinkard, or any shop which sells a good range of children's shoes which come in a range of fittings. In general, the high street chain stores, even the ones like Marks and Next, only sell shoes in one width. John Lewis however, or any quality department store such as Fenwick, Jenner, Harrods, De Bijenkorff (in holland) have children's shoe departments with trained shoe fitters. Brands to go for are Clarks, Startrite and Elefantenfor tiny feet, once your child is walking properly for a while, then bigger children can go for things like Doc Martin (which at least will last as long as they fit!), Kicker's, Timberland etc. These are not suitable for toddlers as all have thick soles.At home, in the house, your child should go bare-footed as much as possible; no slippers etc. are necessary.If you put foot-shaped shoes on your child's feet they won't end up being shoe-shaped feet.

Solar Power Guide

2010-07-24T05:13:00.007-07:00

1. I keep hearing about renewable energy. What is it?Renewable Energy is energy created from resources that cannot be depleted e.g. solar power.Fossil fuels are non-renewable energy since coal or oil will at some point run out.Renewable energy does not produce as many greenhouse gases and other pollutants as fossil fuels.

Renewable energy accounts for about 14% of the world's energy consumption, but the technical potential is large enough to cover many times current and several times projected energy consumption in 2100. Technologies such as solar power are substantially more expensive, although future costs may decline to a fraction of current levels.Source: wikipedia 2. I've heard there are many types of solar power available. What are they?Solar energy can be applied in many ways, including:Generate electricity using photovoltaic solar cells.Generate electricity by heating trapped air which rotates turbines in a Solar updraft tower.Heat buildings, directly, through passive solar design.Heat foodstuffs, through solar ovens.Heat water or air for domestic hot water and space heating needs using solar-thermal panels.Heat and cool air through use of solar chimneys.Source: wikipedia 3. I live in a very cloudy country with a poor amount of sunlight (the UK!). Surely solar power doesn't work?Once again this depends upon the type of solar that is being utilised.If you use sunlight to heat pipes on your roof for hot water for your house, then this process is less dependent on the actual amount of direct sunshine but more on the ambient temperature of the environment.If you are using solar energy to create electricity, then a lack of actual sunlight will affect the amount of energy produced. A cloudy day will definitely produce less electricity than a sunny day.Also, the position or latitude of the part of the UK you live in will make a difference.We all know that Glasgow is colder than Cornwall. This is because of the position of those places on the earth with regard to the sun (see the MET Office website).

In summary the UK receives between 600 and 800 hours of sunshine during the summer months and 100 to 250 during the winter months. Probably more than you would think.If we take the assumption that we get about 1300 hours per year!Based on that very rough estimate, you could say that a standard 65 Watt solar panel would generate 1300 x 65 = 84500 Watts and that's just the sunny days!Electricity generating solar panels will generate electricity based on light and not just sunshine.There are a number of different solar panels manufactured with different tolerances and light wavelength conversion. SunnyTronic recommends Suntech solar panels for best light to electricity conversion in the UK. 4. I want to reduce my electricity bill or "carbon footprint". Does solar power help?Well this is a difficult one.If you use electricity to power your home, then the chances are it is fuelled by coal or oil from the power station. If you have hot water in your house, then you will more than likely use gas to heat the water.Oil, gas and coal are not renewable energy sources and cause carbon dioxide gas (the un-burnt dark smoke) to be put into the atmosphere when they are used to fuel our lives.Solar power, along with other renewable energy sources all help to reduce the amount of carbon released into the air.Of course there are issues with solar power because we must manufacture the solar cells in the first place, which requires energy. That is why we must measure the benefits of solar power for the life of the solar cells (the square blue bits on the solar panels). This solar cell life is usually long enough for the solar cell to produce more renewable energy than the non-renewable energy it took to produce the solar cell in first place. This means you will have helped reduce the carbon output.

As for reducing your electricity bill. It depends upon:- How much electricity you use.- How many daylight hours you get where you live.- How much power your solar panels can output.

Your electricity bill is measured in UNITS. One UNIT is one kWh (kilowatt-hour).One kWh = one Watt of electricity used over one hour.The term watt (symbol: W) is the SI derived unit of power, equal to one joule per second. (source wikipedia).

To calculate any useful savings you need to know how many UNITs you use in one year.In the UK we have an average of 4 hours sunshine every day. We will use this as the basis of our calculations since it is not as much as it would be so we don't give you too much optimism but you should expect a higher output than this.Basically, one 65 Watt solar panel if it worked at optimum performance for 365 days of the year would produce 65 x (365 x 4 (hours sunshine)) = 94900 Watt-hours per year.Therefore 94900 Wh / 1000 = 94.9 kWh or 94.9 UNITs.Based on my current electricity bill average, I pay 8 pence per UNIT. Thus I would save 94.9 x 0.08 = 7.50. This is a very very under estimated value to ensure we don't give you the wrong impression! 5. How do I calculate my electricity usage?Your electricity bill is measured in UNITs.1 UNIT = 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity (kWh).I normally pay about 8p per UNIT on my electricity bill.If I use 800 kWh (or UNITs) it will cost 800 x 0.08 = 64.00I run my computer which uses 100 Watts of electricity (it says so on the bottom of the power supply).If I run my computer for 24 hours a day every day of the year I would pay:

100 Watts x 24 hours x 365 days = 876000 Watt-hours or 876 kWh (876000 / 1000) or 876 UNITs.Thus 876 UNITs x 0.08 = 70.08 ex VAT.

Now you need to do this for real for all your appliances based on the real Wattages and the amount of hours you use them each day and use the real amount you pay per UNIT on your bill. 6. Now I know how much electricity I use, how can I calculate the size or power of the solar panel or device I need?This is your personal preference.How much energy would you like to save? or how much can you afford to spend up-front?Investing in solar power is exactly that. Investing.The only returns you get straight away is that less CO2 is being released because you are using solar.Gradually over time, you will have reduced your energy bill and as the years go by you will at some point have saved more than the cost of the solar panels.Your electricity bill gives you all the information you need to see how much electricity you use over one year. Don't forget that 1 UNIT = 1 kWh of electricity.

If I use 2000 UNITS of electricity in one year, I am using 2000 kWh.So I need to generate 2000 kWh via solar panels if I don't want an electricity bill.This would mean I need 21 x 65 Watt solar panels (see answer to question 4). That's a lot of roof space and about 5,000 to pay for the panels.

As you can see, the amount you need is down to you but it's nice to know you are doing something. 7. But solar power seems so expensive, surely it's a scam?This is because solar panels are expensive to produce.The techniques used require a very specific manufacturing process to ensure that the crystals within the panels are of the best quality.Until this cost is reduced, they will remain expensive.Various companies are experimenting in trying to use new materials or combinations of materials that will produce a more efficient conversion of sun light to electricity.At the moment the most efficient ever produced has been in a science lab. They managed 40% efficiency. This is more than double that of today's existing methods.The more efficient the panels, the smaller the area required and the less material. This will then hopefully make them cheaper to produce. 8. OK so I like the idea of "free" power, what's next?There are various different ways that you can have your solar power.From small devices like our Solar Charger that can provide power for electronic gadgets, to gadgets that actually incorporate their own solar panels.Even something like a solar security light can be saving 100Watts of power.For your home you can have a grid-connected system that feeds any extra electricity you don't use back onto the electricity grid. The electricity company will then give you credits that will reduce your own bill.You could set-up an off-grid system that is connected to an array of large batteries.This will store the electricity which can be used in the evening (when the sun is not shining).Both of these types of systems require careful planning to ensure that you are going to meet your expectations for the system that you want.

WARNING FROM MAXIMUSCLE LIMITED

2010-07-24T05:13:00.005-07:00

WARNING FROM MAXIMUSCLE REGARDING POSSIBLE FRAUDULENT TRADING ON EBAY

Maximuscle want to warn eBay buyers about a scam involving some Maximuscle goods.

This scam works by the eBay seller setting up an account directly with Maximuscle in the name of the eBay buyer, using false contact details and a false credit card, The goods are then ordered directly from Maximuscle by the eBay seller, through this false account and delivered directly to the eBay buyer. Because these goods are bought with a false credit card, they are not paid for and will need to be returned to Maximuscle.

Goods bought in this way will be accompanied by an original Maximuscle invoice dated in the last few days and will be sent to the buyer directly by Maximuscle. Maximuscle are working closely with the Police and will not hesitate to take legal action against anyone trading in this manner.

If you are concerned about buying Maximuscle goods on eBay or you think that you may have been affected by this scam, please call Maximuscle directly on 09123 650 600, option 1 and ask for the Fraud Team.

TANZANITE

2010-07-24T05:13:00.003-07:00

IntroductionDisplaying an aurora of stunning royal blues, violets, indigos, lilacs, periwinkles, and ultramarines, Tanzanite's popularity is well deserved. Demand for Tanzanite has rocketed in recent years, outstripping sales of all other coloured gemstones, with the exception of Sapphire. A thousand times rarer than Diamonds and with a little over a decade of mine life remaining, Tanzanite is the fashion gem of the millennium.Legends

small guide on Toby jugs

2010-07-24T05:13:00.001-07:00

Hi I would like to start by saying how much I love collecting Toby jugs. For me walking into a charity or Antique shop and finding a toby sitting proudly on a shelf or hiding away in a box gives me such a Buzz I gess it is the hunt that i really like, Searching for that Toby of your dreams, That Toby that will enhance your collection. How rewarding it is when you get it home and put it next to all the others.

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Now some things to look for when buying Toby jugs a Toby with a ugly warty face, a toby with a pipe in his mouth,a toby with detachable hat,(early Tobys had a hollow cap that completed the hat of the figure)a Toby with overlapping feet to the base. A Toby with decoration to the small jug he is holding, A Toby with buckled shoes,A Toby with a unpainted face.(My first ever Toby jug the snuff Taker 19th century)

Now it is down to you my friend.Trust your own judgementthis is just a small guide. there are hundreds of Tobies

(Picture 1) yorkshire type toby mid 19th century

(Picture 2) hunch back Toby c1900

(Picture 3) Brown salt glace stoneware toby

c1830

(Picture 4) TIT BITS Toby c1917 commissioned by George newnes of the TIT BITS Paper estimated 100 were ever produced. worth investing in if you find one

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(A TIP WHEN STARTING COLLECTING) When you first start out dont spend big money on something you dont really no much about. You coiud end up wasting your money, start small and work your way up. Always go for good condition it will pay of in the future. If a Toby is very rare or 18th centurymake a exception you can expect that for the age. if it is missing a handle or a arm you may waste your money. Here is a ordinary type toby he hasbeen brokenbut he looks amazing in my cabnit with his stunningenamel colours. but he is no investment and he is for display only.

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(NAMESOF TOBYSTO LOOK OUT FOR)

1 The squire 2 John bull 3 The snuff Taker 4 Cross legged Toby

(NAMES OF MAKERS)

john astbury (1688 1743)

Ralph wood I (1715 72)

Whieldon

cliff adkins

Beswick

Burlington ware

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(MATERIELS USED WHEN MAKING TOBY JUGS)

Brass

Glass

plaster (poorly made)

silver

tin

wood

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(FEMALE TOBYIES)martha gunn

gin woman

drunken sal

lady snuff Taker

lady with fan

Early female Tobies were not made as much as the male Toby. so if you find a early one you are on to a winner.

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(CHARACTER JUGS)

To me a character jug is not really a toby jug, I like to call it the little bro of the toby jug.To be a real toby jug you must have the full figure. The most common character jugs were made by beswick and royal doulton and dont fetch as much money as the toby jugs. Here are some royal doulton chareter jugs to take a look at. The small onein the middle iscalled mephistopheles,the lady is calledsairey gamp, and old charley, They are all now out of production. They all have the A stamp to the base thats something to look out for thats as much as i know really on character jugs

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(ADVERTISING TOBIES)

Advertising tobies are getting very sought after, so they can only be a good investment here are some names to lookout for when you are on the hunt

1 Charrington toby jugs

2 Barkes Green lable whiskey

3 Bells whiskey

4 urn toby

here is a example of one of my advertising tobies, i will let you decide if you woiud class it as a real toby this is a skill you will need to develop as a collector.

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(TWENTIETH CENTURY TOBY JUGS)

As we get into the 20th century there seems to be less quality tobies then say the 18th and mid 19th century. Thats not to say that they are bad. they are still highly collectable. The best qualty period for the 20th century tobies was 1920`s 1930`s shorter and son made some lovely tobies and are nice to start a collection, as to burlington tobies.Here is a ordinary toby made by burlington They are common but i like him

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(FAKE TOBIES)

I do not think there is fake tobiesasin trying to confuse and deceive people. There are modern replacers. Here is a reproduction of the standing man note spounge effect on socks. c1980!

Be careful when you are looking for the squire Toby jug, they were made in burslem in the 1970s, they have confused experts and top dealers so be careful !

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(LUSTER TOBIES)

Luster tobies were very popular in the early 19th centery. the most common were

gold ,copper,silver, always look out for the pink luster as it is less commen hear are a few names of the toby and the luster.

cross legged toby gold all over c1850

yorkshire ordinary silver all over (rare jug)

snuff taker silver/copper all over c1860

ordinary toby pink luster coat(rare....very rare)

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(BROWN TREACLE GLACE)

you must go for the early ones when collecting this type of ware. The early ones have different tones in the glace, were as the later ones tend to have the same tone of brown.

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(RARE TOBIES)

i love looking for rare tobies. when i find one to me its like finding the holy grail. Here are some names of some very rare, and just rare un commentobies.

Rodney jug

no base toby

drunken sal

negro slave toby

punch toby

man on barrel

open mouth toby

Here is the less common punch jug. c1840 he is not the punch from punch and judy, but the punch from the newspaper punch,sorry mine has no hand, but we all have are problems .

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(Final message)

Hope you found my guide on tobies a help, ican only wish my love of them gives you the spark to start collecting. They are a fun thing to collect so dont let value spoil it ,They give me so much joy and i hope they do the same for you. Toby jugs have stood the test of time and will have there day to shine i am sure of that, And when they do i want to be a part of it.

Adrian (and the tobies) :)

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The best Mobility Scooter

2010-07-22T04:40:00.003-07:00

These scooters are often inordinately expensive new. Why this is so is not clear but there must be some huge mark ups occuring. Or maybe the disabled are fair game. This is all shown in second hand values - a small fraction of the new price.
But beware - second hand scooters may need new and expensive batteries, it is often better to buy new on Ebay. I bought an Altea 4 scooter by Shoprider. It was very inexpensive in relation to RRP. I have used it a lot - it is well engineered, very lightweight so easily stored in even a small car boot, comfortable, and highly practical. It handles hills well, and was a good purchase. Only two minor things are it has no key and the seat does not swivel. The three wheel Altea 3 model is almost the same but a little cheaper. They are all built in Taiwan but to a good standard and cleverly engineered. I think the more general situation with new mobility scooters is similar to a view an NHS nurse once said to me. She said about those supplying the NHS say with a roll of toilet paper. From Tesco that roll may be 50p. - from specialist medical suppliers that same roll of toilet paper but marked "medical supplies" would be 1.30 ......

Lunge: Lungeing,Schooling,Exercising,

2010-07-22T04:40:00.001-07:00

Lungeing: Schooling, Exercising,

Simple Guide To Buying A Monitor

2010-07-22T04:39:00.034-07:00

Picking a monitor can be a daunting task, LCD, CRT, response time, aspect ratio, brightness, contrast ratio and resolution what does this all mean? To help you understand the technology we produced this guide.
CRT Or LCD Monitor?

The
classic computer monitor uses cathode ray tubes (CRT)(shown on the
right) to project the image onto the display screen. CRT monitors have
traditionally been deep and bulky, resembling a TV set, eating up
valuable desk space and standing out like a sore thumb. Still, they
take up an awful lot of desk space. Because of the way the screen
refreshes, if you spend a lot of time looking at the monitor, your eyes
will start to feel fatigued by the CRT flicker

Efficient,
stylish liquid crystal display (LCD) screens are the most popular
models today, shown on the left. This slim monitor has a small
footprint and is less tiring for your eyes. LCD displays use LCD
pockets embedded in the screen and colour filters to display images.
Light shines through the crystal pockets, which open more or less
depending on the image. Most LCD displays now use a Thin Film
Transistor (TFT) screen. TFT provides excellent image quality, colour
and sharpness, along with a wide viewing angle, so the image is still
viewable even if you're not right in front of the screen. Finally, LCD
displays are much cooler and more energy efficient than CRT. If you
insist on a CRT display, consider a flat screen model. This should not
be confused with a flat panel monitor, like an LCD. Flat screen CRTs
are still CRT displays, but the screen is flat instead of curved,
reducing image distortion and reflection.

Monitor Uses

General home use - You want to keep an eye on the bottom
line, but also want a monitor that can keep up with whatever you need
to do. TFT LCD screens are becoming less expensive all the time, and
performance is improving, particularly for video and games. You may
want to consider monitors with DVI (Digital Visual Interface) inputs,
audio/video inputs and even speakers, in case your monitor is used for
other purposes, like DVD playback.

Work - If you use your computer for work, look for a monitor
that can be adjusted for viewing comfort and is easy on the eyes, like
an LCD. A large screen is also a good idea, in case you need to look at
multiple files at once, or want to examine an entire spreadsheet.

In the classroom - Students usually find themselves lacking
in two areas: space and money. A good display can be found in all price
ranges, but consider a thin LCD with a small footprint, so you still
have room to open your textbooks on your desk. A monitor that displays
games well is also a good idea, because school life in not all about
hard work.

Photography - Photographers need accurate colours and high
resolution. CRT displays still do well in these areas, but new
technologies are being introduced to TFT LCD displays that improve
their performance as well. If you do a lot of image editing, a larger
display will come in handy when you enlarge your images.

Video and games - Image quality and fast motion response time
are key here. Many newer advances in LCD technology have made huge
improvements in the screens' ability to display motion smoothly. Look
for a fast response time and a large screen to bring you deeper into
the action, for a more vivid gaming experience.

Adjustability - Many monitors can be tilted and swivelled for
comfortable viewing. A few LCD models can even switch between landscape
and portrait modes. If you want to get your LCD off your desk entirely,
look for a model that can be mounted on the wall.

Audio - Some monitors have built-in speakers or headphone
jacks. The headphone option is smart, but the built-in speakers often
deliver fairly poor sound quality.

Widescreen displays - If you tend to work on documents side
by side, or want to watch DVDs in their full, widescreen splendour,
look for a 16:9 aspect ratio monitor so the widescreen video image
isn't "letterboxed" and shrunken to fit a narrow screen.

Connections - Some monitors have USB connections so you can
plug your keyboard or mouse straight in, to cut down on the tangle of
cords behind your computer. Other models now include wireless
connections, so you can get rid of the cables completely when using a
compatible PC. Monitors with a DVI input can take advantage of enhanced
graphic cards, and let you keep a pure digital signal from your
computer through to your screen, avoiding quality issues that can
sometimes arise in converting from digital to analog and vice versa.

Monitor Sizes

Monitors range from 15 inches to 30 inches or more and come in
standard and widescreen formats. LCD screens are very thin and light,
ideal for offices where space is at a premium, while CRT displays need
a pretty significant body to house the inner workings. For a wider
screen, that can mean a depth of two feet or more. Thin LCD monitors
are also well suited for multiple monitor set-ups. These are great if
you have to run a number of applications or files at once and need to
be able to see everything. Your PC's video card will have to be able to
use multiple monitors for this to work.

Specifications

When you're looking over the spec sheet on a monitor you're thinking of buying, some points are more important than others.

Response time - This refers to how quickly the monitor's
display technology can react to a change in the image being displayed.
The faster the response time, the better, especially for gaming and
video. A good response time is in the range of 4 to 25 milliseconds.

Aspect ratio - This number tells you how the screen is laid
out. A 4:3 aspect ratio means the screen has a width to height
relationship of four to three, like a regular TV set or CRT monitor. A
widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio is wider, like a movie screen.

Brightness - Brightness, sometimes called luminance, can mean
the difference between a good viewing experience and great one.
Brightness is measured in candelas per meter squared (cd/m2), sometimes
called nits. Look for brightness above 150 cd/m2 for CRT and above 200
cd/m2 for LCD.

Inputs and outputs - Many monitors have a choice of either
digital or analog inputs. These come in handy when you want to connect
other equipment, like game systems, or watch video on your computer.
Digital connections like DVI can carry more data than analog. Remember
that LCD monitors are digital devices, so an analog input would require
converting the digital signal from the computer or other source into
analog, then back.

Contrast ratio - Contrast is the difference between the
levels of the brightest whites and the darkest blacks. A contrast ratio
of at least 300:1 is needed to display colours and shades of grey well,
although some monitors have ratios of up to 1000:1.

Resolution - Resolution is the amount of detail you can see
on the screen. The screen is made up of tiny squares called pixels, and
the more pixels on the screen, the better the resolution. A higher
resolution will make edges of text and images appear smoother. If you
can see individual pixels, you're either sitting too close or you need
a higher resolution monitor. Aim for a resolution of at least 1280 x
1024 pixels.

Smashbox BrowTech and how to create perfect brows!

2010-07-22T04:39:00.033-07:00

Smashbox and Eyebrows

SMASHBOX describe a defined brow as being like a 'wonderbra for the face'. It can take 10 years off the way you look, with no need for surgery or botox! But there is more to the perfect brow than applying make up - so how do you create them?

Shape is important - so before you try any brow product have a look at your eyebrows in a mirror. It will depend on how dark they are (the darker the eyebrows the more attention they need, mine are blonde and pathetic, although I have noticed that they are getting darker over time).

So take a good look and tweeze away any stragglers - particularly over the nose.

Professional quality tweezers will assist the process - there are some excellent ones on the market; from Shavata to the less expensive Tweezerman, and here on eBay there are some great deals to be had. I have also used Nads in the past, and it has worked for me.

The two other things you need before you start are a good quality mirror - preferably one with a magnifyer, and plenty of light. You will, of course, need both hands to tweeze, so it helps if the mirror is adjustable, so that you can easily see, close up, what you are doing. Remember that you are using a sharp implement near your eyes - so take extra care - and always ensure you rest your arms on a stable, flat surface, so you minimise the risk of slipping and causing injury!

WHEN TO TWEEZE

Don't tweeze just before you are going out for that special evening - as you will look blotchy; for some reason tweezing starts me sneezing (oh there is poetry in my soul) and then my eyes water, so not a good look if you are off out for an evening.Therefore, you cantweeze the odd one or two if you notice them as you get ready to go out - but for the whole reshaping, do it at least the night before. Tweezing after a hot bath will reduce pain as the hairs come out more easily. Apparently we feel pain more at the time of the month - so avoid tweezing then, if you can.

HOW TO TWEEZE

This is the one occasion when you can be a little more firm with the skin around your eyes (usually you would only pat around the eyes, but that is not going to work here!).For perfect tweezing you should get as close to the mirror as possible and firmly stretch the brow, pulling the skin taut, away from the nose, using your two forefingers. As you tweeze, move your fingers along the brow so that you are always stretching that part of the skin that you are tweezing. Always pull the hair out in the direction of growth - so for the ones nearest the nose pull the skin taut upwards - and pluck vertically. For the ones further along, hold the skin taut horizontally and pluck from the left or right - depending on which eyebrow you are tweezing.

THE PERFECT SHAPE

The professional's wayof findingthe ideal brow shape to suit your face, is to place an eye pencil against the flat of your nose so that the side of it just touches the corner of your inner eye. Extend the pencil upwards so that it touches your forehead - still keeping it against your nose and in line with the inner corner; that is the point where your groomed brows should start. Do the same for the other side of the eye - only this time place the pencil agianst the base of the nose and then follow it up to the outer eye. Extend it up to your brows, and that is where your brows should naturally finish.

So now you have the beginning and end points - what about the rest. That depends on you. You might want to go to a professional, who will shape your brows for you. Once you have had them done, take a close up photo of them and store it on your computer; you then have a great template to refer to in the future to DIY. Shavata on QVC had some templatesof brow in the style offamous women - I seem to recall a 'Kylie' a 'Grace', and so on.You can also lookat models inmagazines; and there are some great online guides too - simply go to google!

As my brows are so light, I just pluck out the ones that are too low down and don't bother with the rest. What you will find is that some low down stragglersmay affect the smooth look of your eyeshadow (if you wear it). They are the ones to pluck out.

So you now have your shape (and are ready for a lie down!).

APPLYING COLOUR

BROWTECH - This signature Smashbox product is a split compact; a hair-colour co-ordinated powder to fill in brows on one side, and a colourless grooming waxon the other.

The Smashbox brush number 12 is their brush for use with the browtech; it has very firm tapered bristleswhich gives perfect product pick up and control.

The way I use the SB browtechis to apply a tiny bit of the wax first over the eyebrow, this gives the powder something to hold onto. Then take the powder (just a tiny bit) and feather it over your brows in the shape you are after. Using the brush in an upward motion, fill and shape the brows with the colour powder, using it to fill any gaps or unevenness. The higher you make your brow arch, the wider the eye will look; but it is a fine balance, too high and you will lookperpetually surprised for the day! You really don't need to use much of the powder; as ever start off lightly and build up the colour. Once you have filled in any gaps and have a shape you feel suits you, add a dab more wax to smooth and seal and you are done.

And remember, if you are not used to doing anything with your brows, they (and yourface)will look different for a while, until you get used to it.

The Smashbox browtech comes insix colours - there is blonde / taupe / soft brown / auburn / brunette / grey. For anyone who is happy with the colour of the brows, they also do thepots of wax on their own.

It really is well worth playing about with this product, to create your perfect look. Youmight not get it right first time, but it is definitely worth persevering. Ask your friends and family if they notice what is different about you - and the moment they say youjust look better, you know you have cracked it!

One more thing - if you wear glasses, try to buy a style which matches the curve of your eyebrows.

I really hope you have found this of assistance- please check back for futher product guides and reviews from Just Beauty Direct very soon.

Smashbox BrowTech and Brushes

The Eyes Have It

JUST BEAUTY DIRECT

DVD's Warning !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-07-22T04:39:00.031-07:00

Be very watchful when bidding on what seems to be DVD's that are too cheap to be true.

Many people are copying genuine disk's to blanks and selling them on ebay, what they show in the auction is a picture of the genuine article, but what you get is a disk in a plastic cover ..... if you are lucky.

If you find that this is so, or if you have been caught out by this, then contact FACT, the federation of copywright theft, giving them the details, they can be found on any search engine.

If you are happy with a pirate copy then ignore this warning, and you will be making a low life's life richer with your hard earned cash.

Think about it, would you buy a car that was a ringer? in a pub on a friday night !!!! and be happy with it !!! i think not

And besides .... a genuine article looks better in a collection .... than a disk in a plastic sleeve.

G4 Mac Minis - the secret upgrade

2010-07-22T04:39:00.029-07:00

If you are buying a G4 Mac Mini that was originally sold on or after Monday 26 September 2005, there is a chance that it will be a bit more powerful than it says on the box. That's when Apple started selling G4 Minis with an unannounced hardware upgrade:

1. All three models had their speed increased by 83MHz (1.25GHz became 1.33GHz, and 1.42GHz became 1.50GHz).

2. All three models come with 5400rpm hard disks. Previous Mac Minis had 4200rpm laptop hard disks.

3. The Bluetooth module supports Bluetooth 2.0 and EDR (enhanced data rate).

4. The Radeon 9200 video card in the 1.5GHz models has had its video memory doubled to 64 megabytes.

5. The Superdrive (DVD writer) is a newer model that can burn DVD R dual layer disks.

Apple did not announce this upgrade, because they didn't want to harm sales of the forthcoming Intel Mac Mini. (You'll notice that even now, Apple's web site compares the performance of the Intel Mac Mini with that of a G4 one running at 1.42GHz, not 1.50GHz.)

Because of this, buyers at the time didn't know in advance whether they would be getting an upgraded Mac Mini, or discontinued stock of the older (1.25 and 1.42GHz) versions. However, just about everyone did receive the upgraded computers. If the box says that the Mac Mini comes with iLife '06 rather than '05, it's certain to be the upgraded version.

It may be worth asking sellers to have a look at the Apple System Profiler (select About This Mac in the Apple menu, and click on More Info), which will inform you of the CPU speed and other details. But please don't be offended if a seller refuses to open a brand new, sealed box just to do that.

List of the VERY RARE British 19th and 20th Cent. Coins

2010-07-22T04:39:00.027-07:00

Do you have a British coin, which was used in circulation, and do not know if its rare or not? Below is a guide on the very rare and expensive (Price over 100 pounds for FINE condition) British 19th and 20th century Silver, Copper and Bronze coins, which were issued for circulation.The Crown: 1847 Victoria Crown, Gothic Type 1932 George V Crown 1934 George V Crown 1936 George V CrownThe Half Crown: 1823 George IV, Reverse side with a garnished (fancy) shield, thistle and shamrock on either side, date under. 1824 George IV, Reverse side with shield with creat, date under Kings's Head 1841 Victoria. 1903 Edward VII 1905 Edward VII 1952 George VIThe Florin: 1854, 1862, 1863, 1867 (42 arcs) 1877 (no die number) 1879 (42 arcs), Queen Victoria Gothic TypeThe Shilling: 1850, 1851, 1854, 1857 (inverted G in DG), 1863, 1866 (BBITANNIAR), Victoria. Edward VII - 1905The Six Pence: 1862, 1863, 1878DR - VictoriaThe Four Pence: 1837 - VictoriaThe Three Pence: 1868 (RRitanniar error) - VictoriaThe Penny: 1827 - George IV, 1843 (no colon after REG), 1860 (Copper), 1862 (small date like Half Penny), 1863 (die number by date), 1869, 1882 - Victoria, 1933 - George VThe Half Penny: 1862 (die letter to left of lighthouse) The Farthing: 1860 (Copper), 1874Hg,

Hitachi DAB Radio Model KH-1150D

2010-07-22T04:39:00.025-07:00

I have just purchased one of these excellent little radios from an Ebay seller. It was sold as a catalogue/shop return and was in excellent condition. Am I surprised about this, well frankly no! I am convinced the reason for the return was due to the poor instruction manual/user manual. So hopefully this guide will help anybody with one of these radios or thinking about buying one.

Over 1000 people have read this gude but only 10 have ever left feedback; please take the couple of seconds to press the button at the bottom of the page. If you did not find the guide helpful then let me know I may be able to improve it.

When I got may radio it had been used in the London area so it had Capital Rdio etc. on it; not a lot of use in Southampton so I needed to perform a factory reset. I followed the manual carefully but nothing happened. This is how you do it:-

Setting the alarm time can only be done when the alarm status is ON. Do it this way:-

So far I have found the rest of the manual to be accurate.

Best of luck if you decide to buy one of these radios - great radio, shame about the manual!

John

This information is given in good faith and is, to the best of my knowledge, accurate however I will not take any responsibility for any damaged doneby using these instructions.

Barbour clothes - spotting a second !

2010-07-22T04:39:00.023-07:00

Barbour use a system of eyelets that are punched into one of the pockets to identify items that are not up to there quality standard. These are not to be confused with eyelets at the bottom of pockets that are for drainage.

One eyelet is an item that has been picked up by their own QA department and deemed not fit for resale.

Two eyelets depicts an item that has been returned by a customer and has been replaced. Notice the two eyelets on the bottom of the pocket, this is normal on some jackets and does not indicate a fault. The eyelets towards the top of the pocket are the quality indicators.

Dont get duped like I did by a seller that has done lots of business on ebay. When I spoke to Barbour they told me they NEVER sell substandard items not even to staff at discount.

I suggest that if you see an item of clothing that you wish to bid on that you ask if its a second before bidding on it. If you was unlucky like me and have already purchased sub standard barbour wear off ebay then contact Barbour customer support on Tel 44(0) 191 455 4444

Good luck

imported plasma / lcd t/v

2010-07-22T04:39:00.021-07:00

the cheap units from china , ireland are a con. if you buy one you will not recieve it or worse still it,s not for the british market. the voltage and hertz is wrong, you can get an inverter though.if your going to make a major purchase the buy british, i speak from experiance.....be warned!!!

VINYL RECORD GRADING GUIDE

2010-07-22T04:39:00.019-07:00

A guide by rainbowjam
When buying records over the internet, one of the most important things to be sure of is the condition of the vinyl and its accompanying packaging. We've been dealing and collecting recordsfor over 20 yearsand know only too well how frustrating it can be to receive a record through the post that's been over-graded. Whenwe started selling, CDs were still relatively new, andour entire stock was vinyl. Nowwe still have a huge stock of vinyl and are selling more and more inour secondebay shop at http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/rainbowtrax. We'd love to be able to grade every recordwe list as Mint but real life isn't like that!We aim to describe every record's condition as accurately aswe wouldwant when buying. Ifwe grade a record as Mint then that's what you can expect but if it's not Mint then we'll say so and it'll also be priced accordingly.
In the UK, the accepted record grading system is the Record Collector magazine guide which can be foundat the back ofevery issue of the mag (which is on sale monthly). This is the guidewe use when selling vinyl and is reproduced below; from this you can see that EX and VG should still be totally acceptable to listen to and even Good shouldn't mean completely Bad! If Mint is what you want then a record described as Mint should be indistinguishable from brand new; the older the record, the harder it'll be to find. There are a lot less Mint records than many people would have you believe.
Record Collector Magazine's Grading Guide:
"MINT: The record itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality. The cover and any extra items such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition. Records advertised as Sealed or Unplayed should be Mint.
EXCELLENT: The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality. The cover and packaging might have slight wear and / or creasing.
VERY GOOD:The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticeable surface marks and the occasional light scratch. Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items, without any major defects, is acceptable.
GOOD: The record has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated, perhaps with some distortion and mild scratches. The cover and contents suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits, discolouration, etc.
FAIR: The record is still just playable but has not been cared for properly and displays considerable surface noise; it may even jump. The cover and contents will be torn, stained and / or defaced.
POOR: The record will not play properly due to scratches, bad surface noise, etc. The cover and contents will be badly damaged or partly missing.
BAD: The record is unplayable or might even be broken, and is only of use as a collection filler."
As well as the above grades, Near Mint is often used as well; this is really for a record that appears new but is known to have been played because the label has light spindle marks or because it has come from a previous ownerand isassumed to have been played by them. For records which appear to fall between the accepted grades, + and - are also often added to the grading.
In addition to thebasic grading, any individual faults should be noted separately such as if an otherwise Excellent cover has a name written on it, or a 7" single is missing its original centre etc.
Well, thanks for taking the time to read my guide - hope it's been of some interest; if so then please register a yes vote and take a look atmy other guides. Don't forget tovisitour eBay shops - rainbowtraxfor strictly-graded vinyl, DVDs, books, toys etcand rainbowjamfor hundreds of 100% official Buy-It-Now CDs, manyat just a fiver. If you're looking for a particular item, then please emailus through eBay aswe have hundreds more items to list.We offer speedy delivery and reasonable postage rates and haveover twenty years trading experience; check outour feedbackbefore you buy. If you likeour items, please addus to your favourites list.
Best regards, rainbowjam

Ducati 748 Guide

2010-07-22T04:39:00.017-07:00

The Ducati 748 is a motorcycle designed for racing. The small size and nose down stance makes it feel like your sitting on a very solid 250cc two stroke race replica. This motorcycle is veryhard workin slow moving traffic - high crouched seating position, hard suspension, tall first gear and lumpy power delivery makes progress very frustrating - but all this is TOTALLY forgiven when the speed picks up, above 50mph the wind resistance takes the weight off your wrists and the feeling of riding this motorcycle is second to none. Large distances can be covered on this mount as long as you are travelling at speed. I have never leaned a motorcycle this far over in my life and felt so safe. It really is in a league of its own - I am usually the type of guy that buys jap rockets and owned a fair few (30 Bikes) I was getting a little bored with the mundane 4 pot sound and lack of character. The ducati offers a feel good factor that no other motorcycle can touch. The very sound of the Ducati is worth the price of admission alone - the desmodronic valves add a little spiciness to the thunderous exhaust note - the delightful engine braking noiseis accompanied by an intoxicating airbox inductionwhine causing an addiction to changing down gears as often as you can. The little ducati has an engine that likes to be revved so theres no punch below 3000rpm. The gearbox action is near perfect - very slick with absolutely no notchiness or false neutrals.

Most people agree that the 748 is a fantastic looking machine, it has everything you could wish for - single sided swingarm, upside down front forks, twin under seat exhaust,exotica colours and sexy lines. To sum up - the Ducati is a real treat for your senses. You will want to mount your 748 on a turn table in your living room and add some mood lighting...

If you have owned the usual jap racers get ready for the extra attention you will receive from other motorists and pedestrians. Braking is first class with plenty of feel - even better than the legendary blue YZF600R,R1,r6 derived brakes.Models from 2001 onwards are fitted with braided brake lines. Fuel consumption is also very good - around 35mpg if ridden hard and 50mpg if ridden carefully.

This model has a bad reputation for reliability. In reality the problem is not as great as many would have you believe. The newer models (2000 onwards) are more reliable than the earlier ones due to the many design updates and a change of direction at Ducati quality control. The earlier models suffered charging problems - most of these models have now been upgraded by owners/dealers. It is important to maintain a strict servicing program - the valves need to be checked every year (or 6000miles) and the timing belts have to be changed every 2 years (or 12000 miles) - it is actually very rare for a belt to snap - letting a ducati sit unused for many months causes the belts to become mis-shapen and brittle so if you are not using your 748 over winter then it is important to run the engine every 7 days. The belts cost around 38 each and they are not difficult to install - most riders should be able to fit them - the hardest part is tensioning them correctly - most servicing can be done at home but I recommend that the dealer checks the valves every year (200 cost shims) they can also check the rocker arms for wear at the same time.

Most 748's have low mileage compared to other bikes because they are rarely used for long distance work. Most have been well cared for so its worth inspecting a few before committing to a sale. I do not recommend that you purchase ANY motorbike without inspecting it first - the small photographs submitted by sellers will not show cracks, scrapes andotherdamage - a sellers idea of "good condition" may be totally different to your expectations of "good condition." It is also veryimportant to meet the owner - this will give you an idea of what sort of life the bike has had in his/her care.

If your used to 4 cyclinder japanese bikes theDucati will sound a little rough and lumpy on tickover, this is normal. The dry clutch will also make a rattling noise when the lever is de-pressed also normal. Once the engine is under load it is surprisingly smooth and vibration free.

You should look for a later model one if you can afford it. The sportier versionsSP,SPS,R fetcha premium but have tuned engines (108hp) that are less reliable - a good model to go for is a late 748S - this model has upgraded suspension parts with a standard engine (94hp), Termignonis and five spoke lightweight wheels are fitted as standard - these S models were sold in good numbers and fetch similar money as the entry model onthe second hand market.

I prefer bikes that are as close to standard as possible - non standard paint jobs usually means previous damage, stay away from any bikes covered in stickers - stickers are often used to cover up damage - they can also cause un-even fading of paint once removed. Double bubble screens are not effective on a race bike of this nature and spoil the lines of the bike. Some after market parts that are worthpaying extra for - Rear hugger , Termignonis chip, suspension upgrades, paddock stands, workshop manual.You will find examples with lots of carbon bits - theseparts fetch good prices on Ebay so ask if the original parts are included.

The v twin power delivery is a hard on sprockets, chains and tyres -look for a discount if these parts need replacing soon.The other main worry for the 748 owner is worn out rocker arms - they are prone to loosing the hard chrome plating even at low mileages. The problem seems to affect all of the 748 range from 1995- 2003 and Ducati has changed the rocker design many times (revision 17 for the rocker arms in 7 years). Bikes from 2001 onwards have the second generation rocker arms fitted as standard - Ducati claims this has fixed the problem but it has not. Ducati servicing teams have stated that the worse affected models are the 2000-2002 models - it is now widely accepted that this rocker wear is caused at cold starting - the worst affected bikes (2000-2002) are affected the worst because they have the new sidestand cutout switch. These models can only be started when the rider is sat on the machine, the rider is more inclined to ride off before allowing the 1 min 30sec for the oil to reach the top valves. A sidestand bypass switch is available for 25 which allows the bike to run with the sidestand down in neutral.

The cold starting cause was discovered recently by pure accident at a main ducati dealer - a 748 had been rebuilt and started for the first time - the mechanic allowed the bike to tickover for a whole minute and even blipped the throttle a few times - after 1min 30seconds a volcano of oil erupted out of the top of the vertical oil feed line which had accidentally been left off.

It takes almost 2 mins for the oil to reach the top valves so they are essentially running dry for the first 2 mins. If the rider puts the engine under load by riding off then damage occurs. This is due to the poor design of the in-line pressure feed oil system - the valves are the very last to receive the oil.

There are preventative measures for this rocker arm wear:

1: You must warm up the bike for 2 mins before putting the engine under load. If your bike was manufactured between 2000-2003 you can fit a sidestand bypass to allow you to leave the bike warming up whilst you put your gear on.

2: Ducati recommended using 10w-50 for all models - with this new finding dealers now recommend a thicker oil such as 15w-50 or even 20w-50 because this leaves a film of oil on the rockers for several weeks.

I have put this guide together quite quickly - is there is enough interest I will update it.

BUYING TOMTOM'S THAT SEEMS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE?

2010-07-22T04:39:00.015-07:00

hi all, i recently purchasedtwo tom tom 910 for about 500.00, which seemed to good to be true but i checked the sellers feedback and everythink seemed fine, so i hit the button and waited and waited so i contacted the seller no reply...... after about 3 days i received a message from the seller saying that someone had accessed his account!!!! so this is what happened(i think?) a guy in japan accessed this guys account in the uk and changed his paypal e-mail address to his own and listed a load of tom tom 910's so when people paid the money went to him, lucky for me i contacted paypal and hopefully i should get my cash back, i even had an e-mail from the guy in japan saying "why have you stopped the payment?" i have the items ready to post i just borrowed the mans id to sell!!!!!!! after i picked myself off the floor i replyed saying he was a scammer and he replyed saying"me no scam" so my advise is to firstly before you bid contact the seller because these people look for e-bayers with good feedback who havent sold or brought anythink for some time ie havent been logged onto e-bay so they dont notice someone selling on there account!!!! so beware before you buy, contact the seller and check his account activitie! hope this helps you all

thanks

mbriz1

i have now received my money back from paypal, but be carefull!!!!!!!

fake cosmetics on ebay

2010-07-22T04:39:00.013-07:00

recently i have spotted fake lancome creams on ebay. I knew there was lots of fake perfumes, but didnt think that someone would do cosmetic fake as it can be already very dangerous and cause even illnesses, because to be honest, you cant know what people put in to them. So if you see on ebay someone selling items for too good price to be true, do not buy it or you will harm yourself. I have added some pictures so that you can spot the difference. Those sellers selling fake items comming mainly from Estonia, China and unfortunately Estonians registered in Norway. Sellers id:honeyyork, solvariacom, and so on. Some of those sellers have even status of powerseller, that is just because they earn to ebay lots of money. If you look at their feedback every 10th is mutually withdrawn, because was negative.I work in perfumery which is member of chain store, so i know that to buy for us this product costs 17.50 V.A.T. so there is no way they buy it cheaper than that. If thy already sell it for 10, theres according to me something wrong. And by the way have a look how many products they selling so be aware. thanks for you time and if it was helpfull you are free to vote for me.this is example of original packingthis is example of fake, has even different colour and writing goes off very easily.Another thing i have spotted is seller from "USA" his or her name is