Sunday, August 8, 2010
How to spot a fake Vivienne Westwood bag
What tools do you need to install your new kitchen?
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
Antique Japanese Woodblock prints,Ukiy'oe
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
The complete guide to MP3:
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!
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
Page 2
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
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
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
(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
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
(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
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.
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'?
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
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
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
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
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)
A startup guide to building a Home Theatre PC
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.