How to Choose Crystals either for Yourself or Others?

Fake Wiimotes

FAKE Nintendo Wiimotes, Nunchuks, Classic Controllers and Wii Motion Plus attachments on eBayBEWARE!

How powerful is a electric log splitter??

You are thinking of buying a electric log splitter from Ebay??There are a few things that you should take into account when purchasing a log splitter from Ebay.1. What kind of wood am I splitting??A electric log splitter will split most timbers including Gum Trees, but there is also a few they will not, Yellow box, Red Box and Iron Bark are a couple that will have trouble, the grain structure of these timbers are generally very twisted and interlocking making them near impossible to split unless going to a 22 Ton machine. We often use the rule if you can split it the log splitter will you just will not have to swing the axe.2. What size machine is best suited??You will see a lot of machines advertised as 8 TON and 8TON peak, this is just BULLS#@T and false advertising, these machines are 6 ton at the most and that is peak, another one is only 4 ton, in hydraulics there is a law that governs max pressure, this is called Pascals Law, to work out max pressure you need to know the cylinder diameter and the max pressure of the pump, if you have a pump that produces 3000PSI and a cylinder that is 2.2 Inches you will need to multiply 3.14 being pi x radius of the cylinder squared, so 3.14 x 1.1 x1.1 this will give you the area of your round cylinder, this being 3.8 square inches, now you need to multiply this by the pressure, 3.8 x 3000 = 11400 pounds now to convert this into tonnes you need to divide by 2200 and that will give you the answer in tonnes, for the machine advertised as 8ton suddenly becomes 5T and that is peak, providing there is no friction and bad pump wear.Now to identify a proper 6 ton machine or 7 ton machine you will need to look for the pressure that the pump puts out, it would need to put out 3600PSI and the electric motor to drive this high pressure pump will need to be 2000W for a 6 ton and a 2350W for a 7 ton.7 Ton is the MAX size you will see in the conventinal machines on Ebay, don't be sucked into the so called 8 Ton machines. these don't even test upto 6 ton, these are suited to pine, you need at least 6 ton or better 7 ton for hardwoods.

AUSTRALIAN M9 Buck Bayonet

One of the more desirable modern bayonets issued to Australian armed forces is the Australian M9 BUCK Bayonet fighting knife. The history to the BUCK Bayonet was originally the third development by the Qual-A-Tec folk, a small R

Dos

Ok, so are you really reading? If you are, then I guess you've either been burnt or afraid to be burnt again.Here is my story and I'd like to share with you all, thus gather a few Dos and Don'ts before you click the 'Buy' button.Everybody does eBay these days, and the other day I bought off an iPhone alike mobile phone off eBay from an overseas seller, who is also an powerseller.After paid by paypal I emailed the seller requesting for a tracking number, as the postage was $50! For whatever reason, the tracking number never arrived in my inbox, fair enough, then I have to keep my finger crossed every second...After around 2 weeks, I got a letter from Australia Custom! Apparently, it's a counterfeit iPhone mobile phone, and under the Trade Act basically, that means I'm in deep trouble! The letter was extremely formal and request my personal details for Apple Inc for further investigation?!Sugar!After three months contacts with several departments at Australia Custom, I finally got out of this deal and requested a refund via paypal, however since the seller was able to provide a tracking number, and I couldn t return the goods for a full refund, the mobile phone has never got into my hand and cost me $200 deduction via paypal and not to mention the level of stress and amount of time I've spent with Custom trying to explain what has happened.So for you guys out there wondering should you get a cheapy gadget from an overseas seller ( regardless his/her powerseller status), be mindful and be careful. There is nothing cheap in this world, especially when it cost a lot less than it may appears. Dos1. Try to buy from local suppliers who can provide an ABN or ACN, for your peace of mind, any disputes that paypal or eBay tends to ignore or incapable of handling, by all means, you'll always have your state fair trading and national ASIC / ACCC to go. For certain industries, you can also approach the national ombudsman if your dispute cannot be resolved via eBay or paypal.2. Powerseller status is only an indicative misleading flag. There are lots of trustworthy good aussie blokes who have no idea how to operate effectively on eBay to sell his products, while compare to those professional overseas sellers who are usually a team of at least 10 people. No wonder they can respond to your enquire in a 'Timely Manner'. Think again, have you ever tried to call 3G customer service hotline? Yeap, they were quick on the phone, but you have no idea of what's the other person talking about, I'm dirty, my wife is dirty too? (I'm 30, my wife is 30 too, read it out loud!) As long as a seller achieves a $2000 sale three months in a roll and maintain 98% feedback, there you go, you can get one too! Got what I mean? Always check throughly of the feedback upto three pages. See what's other people's comments, was it something like'Fast delivery' or'Reliable Seller, will Shop again' etcIf a buyer mentioned him/her is likely to use this seller again, 80% you are on the right track.3. Send a quick email or ask a simple question to the seller, and see the respond time. On average, an Aussie company respond customer enquires within 48 hours is reasonable, considering the human resource we've got on our vast land.And the Don'ts?Well, personally, I will never ever buy from overseas seller on eBay again, period. Just imagine the hassle for an Aussie seller attempts to sell his/her products on eBay to UK customers, I dont reckon it's actually worth anything especially when it comes to return / repair / warranty claims etc. Always trust the local Aussie sellers / suppliers is the way to go.Guys, please vote for me if you think this article is a quality one, cheers!

Quicken Quickbooks - Don't buy used!

If you are thinking about buying used Quicken software (e.g., Quickbooks 2005/06), you may want to reconsider your purchase...***Quicken does not permit any of its products to be onsold This means that the owner of a licensed Quicken product is not permitted to sell you the product that they own. Even if that seller gives you a receipt (or 'transfer papers'),he/sheis nevertheless transgressing the license agreement under which the software was originally installed and used.***Why is this important?The upshot of this is that you (as the potential next buyer) will not be able to register your product with Quicken simply because you are not the original owner. ***Just to reiterate: Quicken does not permit any of its products to be onsold!Thisrestriction appliesirrespective of whether the item is being sold publicly (as on Ebay), or privately (to a colleague, friend, or family member). ***If you ring Quicken (tel. 1300 784 253 in Australia),they will confirm this restrictionI was about to buy a used version of Quickbooks before I learned of this policy from Quicken customer service; thankfully, I did not proceed. The person I spoke to also advised that many people unwittingly buy used Quicken products off EBay that are effectively useless because the software cannot be registered a second time. (Each product has its own unique ID key; the license cannot be transferred.)***And one last thing...Just because something is described as "sealed" or in its "original box" doesn't meanthat the product is new or that it hasn't been registered. (It could easily have been opened and used, and then resealed.) Caveat emptor - let the buyer beware!Be careful if you are buying used Quicken products!

COLLECTING OLD GOLF CLUBS by Peter Dempsey

With names like Brassie; Spoon; Mid-iron; Mashie; Jigger;Niblick; Baffy; Cleek; Push-iron; Mongrel Mashie and putting iron you maybe baffled at whatis for sale in the sports equipment pages of EBAY.Be warned, life golf itself, this hobby can became all-engrossing. It takes over basements, garages, even living rooms, until a wife puts down her foot. Like Mrs Snow in the musical Carousel, who wed a fisherman and eventually decided fish is my favourite perfume, an antique club restorers wife learns to love the smell of varnish and bees-wax polish!The origins of golf are lost in history, but in its present form it is generally agreed to have been played in Scotland near St. Andrews in the late 1400s. In the 15th Century it is documented that the King of Scotland banned his subjects from playing the game because many had become so obsessed with the game that they were neglecting their archery practice. In the subsequent 500 years, the game has advanced from one played with simple hand made clubs made from tough woods such as Beech, Holly, Pear and Apple the shafts were made from Ash or Hazel. The early clubs were prone to breakage and a golfer could expect to break at least one club during a round. These factors meant that golf was typically associated with the upper echelons of society.You can look at the history of golf in three eras, based on the type of ball used. The design of clubs has tended to follow improvements in golf ball design.The very early golfers used an all wooden ball; From the early 1800s the feathery golf ball was used. This was made by stuffing one Top-Hat full of fine Gosling feathers (after boiling) into a leather bound ball.Most shots were accomplished by a range of wooden clubs. The rutting-iron was used to extract balls that had landed in cart wheel ruts.The first big change came with the gutty ball around 1850. This was made from a solid moulded rubber called gutta-percha. It was much stronger than the feathery, and a range of iron made clubs were introduced, as they gave the golfer better control over the ball and the ability to hit it out of difficult lies. These early iron clubs were made by the local black-smiths. Iron clubs were made by the local black-smiths until perhaps the 1870s. As a result they were rather crude, heavy implements with massive hosel (shanks). They were hard to use and when drop forging became widely available, the mass of the clubs decreased considerably. The words hand forged on the back of hickory shaft clubs in the 1900s was in fact a misnomer, as the only thing done by hand by that time was the impressing of the makers name and cleek mark. The cleek mark was a form of trademark, they range from pictures of pipes, crosses, crowns to diamonds. As a rule of thumb, the more stuff stamped on a club, the newer it tends to be.The introduction of golf in America in the early 1800s lead to hickory wood being used in the shafts of the clubs. Hickory became standard until steel shafts were introduced around 1925.After the 1920s golf clubs were manufactured on a mass scale in factories. The Americans started to number the clubs and so the names (all but Driver and Putter) were slowly forgotten.The final phase has been the adaptation of computer aided design (CAD) to club design. Materials such as graphite shafts and titanium metal woods have come into widespread use in the last 20 years.SO WHAT ARE THEY WORTH?The oldest (and most mysterious) set of golf clubs found rank as the greatest attic find in the history of golf. A set of six woods and two irons (typical number in a set at the time) were discovered in Hull, England in 1900, wrapped in a Yorkshire newspaper dated 1741. No one knows who made them or the exact significance of a lozenge with a crown over a thistle, a star in between, flanked with the letters ic marked on one of the irons and all six woods. Many experts think they date from the early 1600s . What is certain is that in 1998 the Troon Golf Club in Scotland, which has owned the sticks almost since their discovery, turned down an offer of $4.4m from the World Golf Museum in St. Augustine, Florida, and voted instead to continue to display the clubs at the British Golf Museum at St. Andrews.So if you find a set of all wooden clubs wrapped up in an old newspaper, in the attic or a shed you then need to determine if those clubs are commons (some of the many millions made after 1900) or another set of Royal Troons!?However, please remember a true relic deserves respect, even everence. You may be tempted to spruce up an old stick, make it shine and hang it on your wall but wait!! The more you do to a club, the less its worth. The club should have an appropriate patina for its age. You risk ruining its value if you impose your twenty first century ideas of what it would have looked like.They look old because they are old.It is widely thought that old hickory shaft golf clubs are scarce and therefore valuable. Most are found in a poor condition and therefore look very old, but in most cases they are just neglected. Many millions of clubs were made with hickory shafts between 1900 and the mid 1920s. As a result, most of the clubs one finds are neither rare nor valuable, even when in good condition. Expect between $20 to $80 a club.Also expect to pay a premium for matching clubs or sets,and remember that woods tend to fetch a higher figure than irons.More unusual clubs,either with a design introduction,patented or even just the bizare will sell between $50 and $100 here in Australia.Sunday walking (golf) sticks (a whole new market ) are selling between $400 to $600 in 2006, as a refection of the double interest coming from both golf club collectors andcollectors of walking sticks.Golf has been played in Australia since the 1830s, but the first golf professional and club maker recorded here was Richard Taylor in 1891. So clubs with Australian markings date from that year. Many clubs have the professionals name impressed on their head or shaft. This gives us a way of dating the club, provided we know something about the man.A very helpful list of early Australian golf professionals written by David Nicholls can easily be found during a google search,a must for any serious collector in Australia.END - Peter Dempsey 08/06/2006 For EBAY

Buying a Flag - Nylon vs Polyester

When you are purchasing a flag, one thing that you should stop to consider is the material the flag is made from.Most flags are made of either Nylon or Polyester. Both Fabrics are good, but they have there differences.Nylon Flags are lighter weight than polyester - so are great for the occasional outing, as they are easier to fly. They also have a "shiny" appearance.Polyester Flags are slightly heavier, but are more resistant to weather conditions. These are great as something you may want to leave outside for short periods of time.For example.If you wanted to have a flag to tie to a pole, while you are at the races or motor sports event a nylon flag would be the better choice, as the lighter weight requires minimal wind to make them fly.If you wanted to have a flag to hold, or wrap around yourself at a soccer or cricket or football match a polyester flag would be a better choice, as it is slightly stronger, and more weather resistant.However - if you are buying a flag to hang in your bedroom, lounge room, shed or any other indoor place - either fabric is fine.

BUYING DVDs OFF EBAY

When buying DVDs off eBay there are a few things you should consider.THE REGIONYou need to take notice of the Region number of the DVD. Australian DVDs are "Region 4" and a lot of DVD players, especially expensive ones, can only play DVDs that are coded by this region. You need to check what region DVD player yours is before buying any DVDs. "All Region" DVDs can also be played on any DVD player. There are multi-region DVD players available to buy which can play DVDs from any region in the world.Also, you can purchase codes off eBay to make your DVD player be able to play all regions ofDVDs. You just have to check the brand and model number with the seller to make sure thay have the right code for you.THE CONDITIONYou should take note of whether the DVD is brand new or second-hand.Caution is neededwhen buying used DVDs as some may be scratched and unable to be played. It is a good idea to contact the seller about the DVD if a there is not a good description of it shown. Second-hand DVDs should be in good condition, have their original case and coveror they are not worth risking buying.THE SELLERYou should always look at the seller's feedback. There are pirated DVDs out there and a person's feedback is a good place to find out if the DVD is genuine or a copy. Buyers will often leave a negative feedback stating their DVD was a copy if they are pirated. Always look at the item description also and check if they have stated that their DVDs are original and not pirated.Also, you need to be wary of scams. Some sellers have multiple newly released brand new DVDs for sale for very cheap and it can be quite difficult to refrain yourself from quickly buying them. You need to consider whether they are genuine DVDs or if the seller is going to rip you off. It would very very unlikely that a seller could aquire newly released DVDs for a cheap price.READ THE LISTING PROPERLYIt is important to read the listing properly to find the region number and condition, but also for the methods of payment and postage costs. If a seller only accepts PayPal and you can only pay by bank deposit, you won't be able to purchase the particular DVD. Also, if you think the postage costs seem outrageous, take note of whether it is regular postage, or maybe it is express or registered. These methods of postage do cost more. Seller's fees may also be included in the postage cost. If you don't agree with postage costs then you can contact the seller and try to arrange a discount or simply not purchase the DVD.IF SOMETHING GOES WRONGIf something does go wrong such as your DVD has not arrived given sufficient delivery time, or your DVD turns out to be faulty or not as described, you should always contact the seller before leaving any feedback. Most sellers are happy to fix the problem or inform you of a delay in posting. If there is no reply from the seller, then you have the choice to leave whatever feedback you feel is necessary.Hopefully this guide has been helpful to youfor buying DVDs and I hope you have fun buying and watching them!

BaByliss Hair Straightener

I consider myself a bit of an expert in the world of hair straighteners(just quietly) as I have used every brand and type under the sun! Many of which have been atrocious, and others which have given such amazing results I could have sworn I have the silky straight hair you see on the Pantene ads! One of my favourite brands is the BaByliss Hair Straightener. Ceramic plates that protect your hair from drying out and splitting and that heat up within minutes, these straighteners really are all theyre cracked up to be. I opted for the large one as you can get more hair straightened in half the time. Its easy to use and is perfect for creating a shiny, smooth finish.The ceramic iron on the BaBylissmakes hair more manageable and the hair cuticles stay closed resulting in healthy, shiny hair with a bit of body still not flat dull, unhealthy looking hair. Your hair actually relaxes from the straightener. You can use the straighteneron dry, unbrushed hair and it still straightens. It definitely works better if you section the hair off into smaller sections, which is more time consuming, but better results. Product Features: 200 watts of power, up to 230 salon temperature 2" plate size Ceramic creates shiny, smooth finish Ceramic emits ion reflectives which smooth and relax hair Ceramic revitalizes and renews hair's shine Ceramic generates infrared heat to protect hair's luster Temperature regulator dial is conveniently located on inside of handle to avoid accidental temperature changes On/Off switch Contoured easy grip handles 9' professional power cord To ensure youve got peace of mind when it comes to purchasing on eBay, there are a few safety tips to always follow when purchasing:Get to know your seller: check your sellers eBay Feedback Ratingand positive, neutral and negative comments left by other members of the community.Pay Safe: Use PayPal its the safest way to pay online! And PayPal has a Buyer Protection Program where you may receive a payment of up to $1,500 where an item has been purchased using PayPal and it was not received or was significantly not as described.You should visit the online security centre for more great tips on trading safely on the Internet and on eBay!

Optical Digital Camera Zoom: Sample pics to help buyers

Before you buy your digital camera, you will want to know what the zoom capabilities are ofthe camera you are about to purchase when using it. To give you an idea I have taken the following pictures and made it easier for you to understand. The first thing you need to know is that Optical Zoom and Digital Zoom are very different. Optical zoom is magnifying an image through an actual lense, which produces a crisp clear image. Digital zoom is simply making the pixels larger through the digital option and will reduce the quality of the image. Sample Outdoor Zoom photosOutdoor zoom is a little different from indoors, in that you may not realize just how little difference to a panoramic view there is when you get to higher telephoto lengths such as 6x optical and beyond.These pictures are taken of a city, from about 15miles away,to show you how close up you can get with a zoom optical lens, and gives you an understanding so when you purchase your camera you can ensure you are purchasing the one you want..---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thispicture is Normal without any zoom---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This picture is taken with 7x Optical Zoom---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This picture is taken with 12x Optical Zoom---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This picture is taken with 12x Optical Zoom

SHIPPING CONTAINER buying

Buying a SHIPPING CONTAINER?Here are some tips I'll pass on to you from my experiences when buying a shipping container.Firstly,there are many different types of shipping containers,20ft and 40ft with two front doorsare the most common,then there are refridgerated

Filtering Feedback for Negatives.

It is possible to view an eBay members negative or neutral feedback through the main eBay site. This is particularly useful with some high-volume sellers. They may have a feedback score of 10,000 , but if they have received a few hundred negs, then it could take some time to find these comments to identify if the seller has a problem in a certain area.On this subject, a couple of negs are not always a bad thing. A well worded, factual response to a feedback can change the whole perspective of the original comment. First of all select the feedback page of the member you wish to check, and look at the rightt hand side of the bannerThere is a drop down box where you can select to filter up to a maximum of 12 months. Make your selection, and click GoOnce this has filtered the period, a selection of feedback options appear at the top. Simply click on one of these options to further filter the comments.There are plenty off off-ebay sites that can also perform this search, but this way you can stay on the main site without having to open new windows or sessions.Thank you for reading my guide. If you foundit to be informative or helpful, Please click the "YES" button below, your vote is appreciated!Please take a few moments to have a look at My Other Guides,and why not have a look at Shelfridges - My eBay Shop! I also have more information on my About Me page.

MANCHESTER UNITED ARSENAL BARCELONA FAKE SHIRT JERSEY

MANCHESTER UNITED ARSENAL BARCELONA FAKE SHIRT JERSEYI am writing this guide because I am totally disgusted with the incredible volume of fake soccer jerseys sold on Ebay. Buyers dont seem to do any research when buying jerseys and Ebay turns a blind eye to counterfeit items claiming they cant cancel listings if they cant prove the item is actually a copy.Guide for who is sellingcounterfeit jerseys...1. Most people selling cheap copies are located in Asia, so if you are buying from someone in Asia and price is cheap than dontthink you are getting a licensed product. I must say that asian sellers are quite honest and if asked they will probably tell you the jersey is not an original.2. The sellers you need to worry about are the aussie ones who will do anything to try to make youbeleive that they are seling authentic items. What gives these sellers away is the type of teams they have available for sale. Its its just so predictable, they always sell the same items.........Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Inter, Socceroos...................it is just so predictable.3. Sellers who sell fakes will ONLY be able to offer you jerseys in size M or XL. Those are the sizes made for fakes, so if a seller only sells jerseys that are XL or M then you found yourself a fraud.4. Tags mean absolutely nothing these days, Nike tags, Adidas tags, Puma tags or any other tag brand can be copied. So you might see a jersey that looks real, has tag which seems original but you will be buying rubbish. Second rate jerseys of no value.I hope my guide will help all of you buy better quality items of real value rather than fakes sold as originals. Or at least if you are going to be buying fakes then pay the lowest price possible and know you are buying a fake.

Pay by Credit Card is safe and gives some protection

Using your credit card for internet or mail order purchases is one of the safest payment methods available as it provides buyers protection against non delivery. If the seller does not send out your item, report/complain to your credit card provider who will investigate and if you paid and the seller did not send the goods, the money will be refunded back to your credit card. Paying by credit card gives you protection you do not get if you pay with bank deposit, cheque, money order.No-one can process unauthorised transactions on your credit card and get away with it if you report it to your credit card provider. Any unauthorised transactions you report will be investigated and the entries on your credit card will be reversed. Scammers can only get away with it if you do not report it to your credit card provider.Want to buy on ebay or on a website and the seller takes credit card payments. To be able to process credit card payments the seller has to have a merchant credit card facility, which means, the seller has to be a registered business. To be a registered Australian business the seller will have an Australian Business Number (ABN). If the seller has provided their ABN in their listings you can check if the number exists and who it is registered to.To check if an ABN exists do a google search for ABN.If you are going to pay by credit card on the screen, if you want to be sure you are using a secure webpage, the URL has to be, https whereas other webpages are http the secure payment page needs to have s after httpThe secure page I use also displays the security certificate which a customer can click onto to check the identity of who the security certificate belongs to - check that who-ever is processing the credit card payments really is who they claim to be.Have fun and keep well - sunflowercastle

Artisan / Designer / Handcrafted / Fashion Jewellery

Buyer Beware

Buyer Beware The following has been lifted from the Music Direct Australia website WHY DO PEOPLE PLAY MUSIC? There are many different reasons why people become involved in music and many types of musical instruments and playing levels attainable.

DVD Region Information and NTSC / PAL Formats Explained

There are any number of websites and Ebay guides that explain DVD regions and the NTSC and PAL formats in great depth. Region and format information is technically complex, and at times, confusing for buyers. In this guide I'll a) try to simplify things for Australian buyers plus b) open up a whole new world of potential viewing pleasure for you! FIRSTLY, HERE IS SOME GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING DVD REGIONS AND FORMATS:Basically, dvds are encoded per various geographic regions of the world, broken down as follows: Region 1 - The USA and Canada Region 2 - Europe, Japan, the Middle East, Egypt, South Africa, GreenlandRegion 3 - Taiwan, Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong Region 4 - Mexico, South America, Central America, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Caribbean Region 5 - (the former) USSR and States, Eastern Europe, India, most of Africa, North Korea, Mongolia Region 6 - ChinaRegion 0 (otherwise known as "All" or "Free" Region) - these can be playedon any player worldwide and are not locked per any region. Typically, on a dvd's back coverthere will be a symbol with a number indicating its region (or "0", "All" or "Free" in the case of All Region dvds) NTSC, PAL AND SECAM FORMATS: To complicate matters even further the world is also broken down into 3 main television picture formats comprising PAL, NTSC and the rarer SECAM. You therefore ALSO need to have a television monitor capable of displaying one of the above dvd formats in order to watch a given dvd. Again the dvd format (i.e. if it is PAL, NTSC or SECAM) will generally be indicated somewhere on the dvd's back cover. NOW, SOME CUSTOMISED INFORMATION FOR AUSTRALIAN BUYERS: Here, I will focus on 3 different types of dvds.N.B. - Please see other guides on Ebay if the dvd you are interested in purchasing does not equate to the 3 types of dvds I will be discussing.The first type of dvds are Region 4, PAL format dvds, both of which are Australia's standard dvd region and format type. Such dvds have been sourced from Australia, and in short, any Australian dvd player and television will be able to cope with playing these dvds. The second type of dvdsare Region 1 (USA/Canada) NTSC format dvds which require a multi-region dvd player and a television that can cope with the NTSC format when the dvd is played back. The third type of dvds are All Region, NTSC format dvds. Theoretically, an All Region dvd can be played worldwide in any dvd player, however, Australia's standard television display format is PAL (the USA's format is NTSC). Therefore, with All Region, NTSC format dvds you require either a multi-region dvd player and/or a television that displays the NTSC format. N.B. - All Region, NTSC dvds can generally be played on computers as most monitors play both NTSC and PAL formats. NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS!! Many recently manufactured Australian dvd players are already multi-region by default, and furthermore, if your television is under ten years old, in all likelihood, it can probably play NTSC format dvds. A non-NTSC compatible television may not display NTSC pictures at all or will only display in black and white. To check if you have a multi-region player, and to see if your television supports the NTSC format, please consult your user manuals and/or check with the manufacturer for advice. Another simple way to test compatibility is to borrow a Region 1 dvd or an AllRegion (NTSC format) dvd from a friend if they hold such dvds in their collection. If these dvds work on your player and television, then you're set for some great viewing!If you are thinking of buying a new dvd player then I'd suggest you choose a multi-region player. After all, there's a huge,wide world of viewing out there and Ebay is a world market, so why restrict yourself to Region 4 dvds only? Not all titles are available in Australia, so think big picture and globally!DON'T FORGET TO RATE MY GUIDE IF YOU FOUND IT USEFUL! :-)

The Power Of Stones- Gemstone Meanings

This guide gives you a basic overview of the hidden power of common gem stones. For thousands of years stones have been thought to contain hidden powers, both spiritually and physically, which, when used correctly, can benefit the wearer. Amethyst, the stone of spirituality and sobrietyDuring the 18th and 19th centuries gemstones grew in popularity. Stones such as onyx, jet and obsidian were used in mourning jewellery and clothing. Certain arrays of stones could convey messages and combinations of stones were thought to help heal, protect and promote good fortune. For example the combination of Ruby, Emerald, Garnet, Amethyst, Ruby, Diamond in a ring or pendant stood for regard.When spiritualism came in in the late 19th century the power of stones were adopted into many peoples beliefs. Renowned mystic Edgar Cayce once said that gems real value lies in the fact that they are essentially the same material as the soul. A large part of the life readings he gave told of the vibrations and colours that certain stones could effect upon the wearer.A nice example of a quartz pendant surrounded by Indian Sterling SilverBelow is a list of common gemstones used in jewelry and their hidden properties. Agate (Brown) - deals with change, gentle and comforting, good for shyness and protectionAgate (Green)- Improves Health, promotes compassion and good fortune.Amber- heightens creativity, promotes luck and Healing. Helps calm the nerves and find knowledge.Amethyst -- the stone of spirituality and sobriety. Promotes calmness and clarity. Protects, heals and promotes dreams Carnelian - inspires courage and confidence whilst dispersing negativity. Helps to focus the mind, inspire creativity and acceptanceCitrine- promotes optimism, generosity and pleasure. Inspires confidence, will power and stability.Garnet - Promotes passion, creative inspiration, productivity and self confidence.Lapis lazuli- promotes self expression, creativity, insight and truthfulness. It protects against negative influences.Labradorite- provides clarity, dreams. Promotes self esteem and creativity.Malachite- used for purification and healing. Associated with loyalty, protection, balance, peace and leadership.Moonstone -- Linked closely with the moon, this is seen to be a feminine stone. Encourages new beginnings, fosters love, unselfishness, Divination and Psychism.Onyx: Banishes grief and depression whilst enhancing self control and determination. Creates Balance and gives protectionPeridot-promotes health, wealth and sleep. It receives and transmits healing energy Quartz- associated with meditation, clarity of thought and wisdom. Helps to clear the head and discover direction. Promotes self esteem.Rose quartz- Associated with love. Enhances kindness, and peace and attracts positive energy.Snowflake Obsidian- Protection, wards off negativity. Promotes detachment and sharpens perception. Helps clear unconscious blocks and promotes insight and change. Tiger eye- promotes mental clarity and emotional balance. Heightens energy and brings good luck.

IS THAT AN ORIGINAL ANTIQUE JAPANESE WOODBLOCK PRINT ?

There are Many Items on Ebay which are Called Original Japanese Woodblock Prints but finding One that is Described Accurately is Not always an Easy Task. I have Tried to Write an Over View of Japanese Woodblocks which will Help buyers to Distinguish Genuine Japanese Woodblock Prints, and Authenticate Original Ukeyo-e, 19th Century, Woodblocks from Miss Described Modern Reproductions.WHAT IS A WOODBLOCK PRINT ? A Woodblock Print is Created by Carving the required design onto a piece of wood, coating the finished "blocks" with paint or dye and then rubbing the paper which is to be patterned onto the woodblock to transfer the design. Where more than one colour is required more woodblocks need to be carved with the shapes of the different coloured portions raised in order to transfer the coloured ink to the correct places on the paper. The best ways to see if a picture is a woodblock print is by first looking at the coloured areas and outlines with a very strong magnifying glass. If the picture is a photographic copy you will see tiny dots over all the surface. If there are no dots it is either a painting, an engraving or lithograph of some sort, a screen print or a woodblock. A Woodblock Print will have what is Called Bleed Through on the Reverse Side where most of the colours and outlines of the scene can be distinguished. It will also have tiny indentations in the Washi where the outlines of the actual woodblock carving has been Impressed into the Paper.SELLERS: Remember if you want to MAINTAIN ANY INTEGRITY it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to BE CERTAIN you are offering a GENUINE WOODBLOCK PRINT and to PROVIDE ADEQUATE EVIDENCE of your research in Asserting that it is an ORIGINAL. BUYERS: If a seller does not do this in their description ask to see extra pictures of the back to find Bleed Through or ask for more details to find out if it is Genuine. If the Seller fails to do so DO NOT BID ON THE ITEM. The Woodblock Schools of Japan used a paper called Washi, created from the bark of Mulberry Trees as this is very strong and water proof. Some of The Great Historical Schools of Woodblock Artists are known as :The Primitives, including artists like Moronobu, Norfusa and SukenobuThe Torii School, including Harunobu, Kiyomasu and Shigenobu.The Utagawa School, including the Founder Utagawa Toyoharu (1735 to 1814), Toyokuni, One, Two and Three, the last also known as Kunisada, Kuniyoshi, Hiroshige (The First), Kunichika, Yoshiiku and Kuniyasu.The Osaka School, including Yoshitaki, Shuntei and Ashihiro.The Yokohama Artists, including Yoshikazi, Kunimaru, Yoshitoshi and both Hiroshige the Second and the Third. There are many other artists in each of these schools and other schools but this Guide is only meant to be a basic reference and so it is impossible to go into greater detail. The training of a Woodblock Artist consisted of Teaching the student how to create pictures which were able to be transformed into a woodblock print without loosing their basic form, perspective and detail and this is not such an easy thing to do. So the great artists were, and still are, extremely highly regarded for not only their artistic taste and creativity but also for the way in which they could interpret a scene specifically for use as a woodblock print.HOW TO AUTHENTICATE AN ORIGINAL JAPANESE WOODBLOCK PRINT There are a large number of Antique and Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints available on Ebay and for the beginner it can be very confusing when trying to distinguish between an Original Woodblock and a Later Reproduction.The term Original, when used in describing a Japanese Print, means1. It Was Designed by the Artist whose signature appears on the Print2. It Was Printed and Published During that Artist's Lifetime. For example if a Print is Described as an Original Hiroshige Then it Must Have a Recorded Signature of that Famous Artist and have been Printed and Published During his Lifetime. Remember that there is Hiroshige then there is Hiroshige the Second and Third and if someone describes a woodblock as an Original Hiroshige it must be the work of the First Hiroshige other wise it is incorrectly described. Ando Hiroshige was born in Edo in 1797 and Died in 1858. When he was 12 Years Old both his Parents Died and Two Years later he Joined the Famous Utagawa Painting School under Toyohiro Utagawa. In 1812 he was given permission to use the Utagawa name in conjunction with his own.Hiroshige created a very large number of landscape prints, in a number of different series so once a solid reference base which includes all the individual prints in all of these series is found it is not difficult to distinguish Genuine Original Prints from the thousands of later reproductions. His signature is easy to recognize and did not take many different forms although it is almost the same as those his students Hiroshige Two and Three used after his death. The work of the latter Hiroshiges is however very easy to recognize, even when they were recreating some of his landscape series as their drawing and perspective is much different and the later, aniline colours that were used in the printing process are obvious.AN ORIGINAL HIROSHIGE WOODBLOCK PRINT 1830sAN ADEQUATE DESCRIPTION OF THIS ORIGINAL WOODBLOCK would Include This Original Japanese Woodblock Print By Hiroshige Shows Kameyama, Station 47, of his Famous Series The Fifty Three Stations of the Tokaido Trail. It is From the Kyoka Edition, Published by Sanoki in the Late 1830s and this PublishersMark can be seen in the Bottom of the Left Margin. It Must also Include the Exact Size. Less easy for the layman are the many thousands of Twentieth Century reproductions of his landscape series which have been re-carved by modern day wood carvers and are still re-carved today. It is these reproductions that are most often miss described and falsely represented which are likely to lure an unsuspecting purchaser into thinking they have found an Original when in fact it is a poor imitation. All of Hiroshige's famous series have been documented and many can be found on the internet. On one site the Famous 53 Stations of the Tokaido Trail series can be seen in its 13 different versions dating between 1831 and 1857 and if someone is looking at a Hiroshige woodblock it is an easy matter to check the authenticity by searching this site for the appropriate series and comparing the individual print. Make sure to check every detail from the exact size and format to the signature, publishers mark and any censor seals. Also be assured that the colours of Original Woodblocks from these series can not be compared to later reproductions. These later woodblock copies are still Woodblock Prints but they are NOT ORIGINAL Hiroshige woodblocks and so their value and importance is minimal, collectable appeal virtually nil and their decorative worth mediocre. Another Very Popular and Highly Collectable Artist is Utagawa Kunisada. He was born in the Honjo district of Edo in 1786. He entered the school of Utagawa Toyokuni I (1769-1825), the leading actor-print designer of his time, around 1800 as apprentice in the age of fourteen. His first printed works began to appear in late 1807. When Toyokuni II died in 1835, ten years after the master, Kunisada was entitled to use the name Toyokuni III and his recorded signatures in versions sometimes with both names number over 200. Not all have so far been documented. He was one of the most highly respected artists of his time and he died in 1865. An Original Kunisada Woodblock must bear One of the Signatures Kunisada Used During his Lifetime and Must Have Been Published During his Lifetime. One excellent site where a great number of his signatures have been documented and arranged in chronological order is entitled The Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) Project. This site has a vast amount of information about this artist and his work and is invaluable for anyone interested in his prints. Once the signature is identified as being described correctly then one must establish how old the print is. In some cases this can be done once the signature is found as many examples were used only for short periods of time. If the signature is a common one or he used it for a longer period then the age must be found from translating the censors seal or finding a date on the woodblock. The first option is the simplest but both require adequate reference material.Detail of a Kunisada Signature, Censors Seal and Publishers Mark These should be described as: The Signature Seen in the Red Ground Toshidama Cartouche reads Toyokuni Ga and alongside this Signature is the Round Aratame, meaning Examined,Censors Seal used between 1853 and 1857.Below this Seal is the Trademark for the Publisher Yamamotoya Heikichi. When a sellerAuthenticates a Woodblock as Being Original in this Manner all his Descriptions can be Checked on the Internet to Ensure they are Correct. One reputable book on Japanese prints is entitled "The Prints of Japan" written by Frank A Turk, first published by Arco Publications in 1966 but there are many others. Be sure when searching for books on the subject that that the table of contents suits your reference needs and the book is published by a professional publishing company. A self published book lacks credibility as there has been no professional editing and so much information may be erroneous. The only other way to establish the age is by finding similar prints on the internet and trying to match the signature and censors seal or seals of the woodblock are you trying to authenticate. COMMONFALSE DESCRIPTIONS ON EBAY When looking at Woodblocks on Ebay check first the date, if one is given in the title or description.If an item is described as an Original Hiroshige then dated C1910, C1880 or any other date later than 1858, this is an obvious deceit as Hiroshige died in 1858 and shows the seller is purposely trying to miss describe the item or has no knowledge of the subject.If an item is called anOriginal Hiroshige in the title and in the description says it is an Original "in the style of" or "after" some artist this is also obviously a Deceptive Description AND if a Seller says a woodblock is "By" Hiroshige but does not give the evidence to support it as being dated before 1858 it is Also Grossly Miss Described as it is a Copy. Items described as Original Hiroshige Showa Era - this is the period between 1926 and 1988 - must also be described incorrectly as Hiroshige died 70 to 100 years earlier. Some sellers may call an item a Woodblock Print and then justify their description by saying that the picture has a piece of paper attached to the back which says it is a woodblock by a certain artist. STAY AWAY FROM THESE SELLERS or only pay very small amounts for the item and expect to be disappointed as you will most likely receive a photographic copy.ONLY BUY FROM SELLERS who describe the Actual Woodblock they are Selling FULLY explaining Where the Artists Signature and Censors Seals Appear on the Print, The Era the Signature was Used and the Dates of the Censors Seal or Seals. When the Woodblock is from a Series they Should Also Provide the Series, The Original Publisher and the date of Publication.GENUINE ORIGINAL 19th Century Japanese Woodblock Prints CAN OFTEN BE FOUND on Ebay for Less than $100 and even on Retail Internet sites the prices range from $150 to $400, depending on the Artist and Condition of the woodblock so It is False Economy to BUY COPIES. The MAIN THING when looking at Japanese Woodblock prints is to RESEARCH the Artist, Know the Era of His Life and Understand that these woodblocks are between 100 and 180 years old and CAN NOT be in AS NEW condition or if by some very rare occurrence they have survived for so long with no-one ever looking at them they will be worth much more money.OTHER COLLECTIBLE WOODBLOCK ARTISTS

Electronics (Audio - Home)

Buying Home Audio Equipment: Decoding the JargonThere is a multitude of home audio equipment available on Ebay, and some of it is a whole lot cheaper than what you can buy in a shop; the question is: is what I'm buying a great deal or a lemon?This can be said of any purchase on Ebay, but with electronic equipment the quality of your purchase can vary astronomically.The thing is, you don't need to be an electronic expert to know how to make sure your purchase is worth it.GenerallyAny audio equipment you buy will have an element of risk associated with it's quality, however there are some very basic rules to follow when buying any item, and I've noticed these rules are even more applicable when buying electronic equipment:1. Obviously check the seller's feedback rating. Ebay provide us with this service for a reason: it stops you from being ripped off! If the seller has no rating but has a lot of items listed then it's likely they've newly registered to get away from their bad rating. This may not be so, but remember: you're always taking a gamble if your seller has no credibility.2. Check the item location. Especially with electronics there are a lot of international sellers, some of which are genuine some of which are not. The reason for a large amount of international sellers is that there is a lot of cheap electronic equipment available internationally. Some sellers will use this to make a big profit for themselves and a big saving for you, but others will exploit this and allow you to send your money internationally, then just disappear. If you are buying from an international seller, I stress the first point even more: credibility ratings are extremely important.3. Check the postage cost. I know many people (including myself!) who have fallen for the temptation of a cheap piece of audio equipment and just simply forgot to check how much the postage is. Even for domestically posted items there are many sellers out there who charge over a hundred dollars for a very small item. If you're in doubt about how much an item should cost spend an extra 10 minutes looking up postage costs for Australia Post.4. Get insurance!!! Electronic items are fragile, and require careful handling. It's a sad fact that our postal service does not always take care of items, even if they have "fragile" written all over them. I was home once when an Australia Post van pulled up in my driveway, and I saw them get a set of speakers for me from out of the back of the van: the box was upside down, extremely dented, and balanced on an angle with other boxes lying all around it! Needless to say, my speakers were extremely damaged - they looked like someone had taken at them with a hammer! LuckilyI had postal insurance and the seller posted me out a new set quick-smart. Any credible seller will usually offer the option of postage insurance - take it. Don't risk hundreds of dollars of equipment to save a few bucks.AmplifiersSome people don't know this, but if you're buying a set of speakers (for say, your home entertainment system)the most important thingis yourneed for a goodamplifier (or AV receiver as they're commonly referred as). This is just a "middle man" that: usually has a radio receiver (in some caseshigh definition), a pre-amp that takes in all of your audio and visual signals and routes them to their proper place and a built in multi-channel amplifier that decodes and sends your sound to each of your speakers (these days usually 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 surround sound).There are lots of cheap amplifiers on Ebay, but amany of them are absolute rubbish. The first thing to note is that if you're buying a "brand name" amplifier then you're generally going to get a good buy - brands such as Sony, Yamaha, Kenwood, Rotel, Marantz and a few others have a reputation to hold up. However, there are some "brands" sold on ebay that sound like brands you know, but have a letter different here or there. This is why whenever buying audio equipment you must look at the specs.For an AV receiver don't just look at one specification - look at all of them as a package, because really, an AV receiver is like one big audio-visualhead manager, and needs to be good at every function. Power power power!!!For many people, all they consider is how "powerful" their AV receiver is - i.e. if it has 100 watts per channel it must be twice as good than another with50 watts per channel... not so. Whilst power is important, for an amplifier to produce twice as much sound output it requires 10 times as much power. So a 100watt channel is twice as good as a 10watt channel. To get twice as good asa 50watt channel you would need 500watts. So whilst power is a consideration, it's nowhere near the most important, as most amplifiers are similar when it comes to power of sound.And be very very very careful that when you're looking at the power of your amp it is being measured in RMS and NOT in PMPO. All you need to know in relation to this is that PMPO (Peak Music Power Output) is a marketing angle that cheap audio manufactorers invented. The term PMPO has never been defined in any industry standard, but there is one consistency with it: it's always misleading. Only refer to the RMS - the continuous power your amp is capable of putting out.So what is more important than the amount of sound my AV receiver can pump out?Easy: the quality of that sound! This is where you need to look at the specs of Distortion and Signal-to-Noise Ratio. The lower the distortion on your amp is the better the sound is. You may havea 150wpc output, but a distortion of 0.5% you're far worse off than 100wpc output and a distortion of 0.01%. Distortion is measured in THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) and will alway be a very small number. The general rule here is: the smaller the better. Compare the THD on various similar items and see what each product offers. Personally, I wouldn't be an amplifier wih a THD of more than 0.1%, and ideally would want lower than that - but that all depends on your budget.Signal-to-Noise Ratio is the ratio of sound to background noise. This is the opposite of THD: the higher your SNR is the better. SNR in modern amplifiers is generally pretty good, and usually meets expectations even in ordinary amps, but remember that a SNR level of 75db is much more desirable than one with 50db.So Which One Do I Buy?..That all depends on your budget. Just remember to take into account all of the specifications, and be particularly wary of any brand you've never heard of. SpeakersMuch of the buying advice for Amplifiers applies to speakers as well.Once again, check all of the specs for your speaker before you buy. Make sure that the power output of each speaker (remember: RMS not PMPO!!!) corresponds with the capabilities of your Amplifier, otherwise you could be wasting your money.Most speakers on Ebay are decent quality, but again, if you're looking for the best of the best, always go with brands you know.Also remember to buy the amount of speakers that correspond with your amplifier: if you have a 5.1ch amp, you will want five speakers and a sub-woofer. If you buy a 7.1ch amp, you will want seven speakers and a sub-woofer. Simple as that.One final thing to consider when buying speakers: the number of drivers on each speaker. A towe speaker (the big standing ones) will generally have at least 1 bass driver, 1 midrange driver and 1 tweeter - but will usually have more of one or the other. A bass driver gives you the low sounds, midrange gives you the middle sounds and a tweeter gives you high sounds. If your prospective speaker only has midrange and tweeters (some do...) then you're missing out on a whole range of sound! Note though that the other speakers in your set will not always have all three types, and this is okay - so as long as your main speakers are capable of giving you what you want!The Full MontyIt goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway: when you're buying a fullhi-fi package just look at the specs of each item individually.Good luck!Well, I hope you get a good buy - as I said, there are many good deals available on ebay. So good luck and happy bidding!!!

Models of Yesteryear - spot a fake

As a collector of many years I have seen most of the things done to get a collector to part with his or her hard earned money. Due to the popularity of these models and with Matchbox collectors being variant collectors, the hobby was and still is to some extent rife with fakers and frauds.Probably the easiest one is the wheel swap. Obtain a genuine model and swap over the plastic wheels from another to make a scarcer variant. Couple of minutes work and make a few bucks extra as these do not sell for as much as they used to due to the previous fact no one trusts them nowadays. Very easy to do and one for the amateurs, but if these interest you check the area on the wheel around the axle hole - any crazing to the plating or damage - leave well alone or return for a refund.Fake labels. In this day of great printers and decal paper it is all to easy to either photocopy a decal from one model, reproduce it and stick on an entirely differnt model. Only answer to this one is know what type of label was originally applied and is the quality the same - if not leave well alone.The 'Friday' model. So called because they were made by employees at the Matchbox factory to raise a bit of extra revenue. Get a standard model off the line and apply the labels from another model to it and call it a 'trial' model but basically they are stolen models. As an example I have seen so many different coloured models with 'Captain Morgan' or 'Nestle' labels on it described as 'trials' it has become a joke. Some of these models were issued before these logos were even issued it is that bad. Some collectors like them but if youdo, do not pay to much higher a pricethan that asked for a standard model.The REAL FAKE. These are the worst as they usually involved high priced items that are rare. I have seen all the tricks used and even been caught myself recently so they are hard to detect until you get them in your hand.The rivets can be drilled out and then tapped and have new ones cut from another modelreglued into them so adding a rare base to a normal body or vice versa. Repainted and reassembled models or those with plastic parts recast from new moulds taken from the originals but they are never the same usually.The fakers of these models rely on the fact that no collector is going to try and pull an expensive model apart or that the model is that rare that most collectors have never seen one so cannot compare to something else and sit there untill the day comes and they want to sell and the buyer has a wee bit more knowledge or someone the same comes round to view your collection and tells you the bad news to late by then.If you complain there is always the standard get out - "They were genuine ones I sent so you have swapped the bits so I cannot refund"- yeh sure - rare bits abound everywhere to swap them with. Or the "I didn't know as I didn't check it that well, you say it came apart as it was glued" this is accompanied by the usual astonished gasp. Then the usual "send it back to me and I will check it" yes great - now you have no model, no money or any proof. Never, ever send it back, instead take very good photographs of the item, preferably in Macro and keep them as this will be proof for the 'swapped' statements by comparing to the original sale ones. Contact Paypal if used or Ebay and if no satisfaction then your solicitor because basically it is theft through fraud, whether they claim to know what they have sold or not - it was advertised as rare and genuine. Keep all original Ebay pics as proof as these can be blown up and show tiny details not usually seen by most that provide a perfect ID of the item when compared to your ones.This is not to be confused where a rare looking one is slipped into a job lot. Usually a low start bid and tiny pics but collectors being what they are will outbid one another to get this 'rare model' in the bunch which usually turns out to be more garbage and the seller gets a handsome profit on his lot he paid very little for. Don't get me wrong on this one as there are genuine sellers who know nothing about these models and just list them all together and you can get lucky but it happens very infrequently.My advice is to get anything like this checked with a reputable dealer or person who has the knowledge even if it means posting on somewhere else to get this done. For really expensive models there is a service in the US that will check the paint ( they used to take a microchip off but even this is no longer required now) and will match it to known Lesney / Matchbox paint samples and formulas in use at the time of issue (these have been gathered from many common and rare models to build up a database) and they can even tell you how long that paint has been on a model.The power of this last test is amazing. I have a mate here that I chat to at swaps and for years he carried around 2 small buses, both green in colour. Everybody said they were repaints as all Matchbox buses of this period were red. He finally sold them at a good price, for him, to 2 other collectorswho trusted him and they later had them tested when this process came out and gleaned some facts about them from other sources. They proved 100% genuine and were apparently made as a trial for NSW as all buses were green here then and they couldn't sell many red ones . One of these models sold recently for around $7000!!!! so it works in your favour sometimes.Be careful of what you buy and know your hobby. There are many good sellers out there and they are quick and easy to learn who they are and most generally get a higher price than normal as the items are as described and the service is excellent. Stay away from the sellers from hell.

How to have an ebay wedding

Take it from me, I've done it, I bought my dress, shoes, tiara, veil,lingerie, pew and car decorations, ring pillow and some flowersstraight off ebay. There are many more things than just these availableon ebay but because of my connections I had already organised them fromelsewhere. If you only have a small budget for your wedding then ebayis definitely the way to go, you will save heaps!Your dress is the most important part of the day so make sure you knowwhat you're looking for and are certain the style will look good on.Alot of brides have an idea in their mind of what they want in a dressbut when they get it on decide that they don't like it so much afterall. If possible, go to a bridal store and try on a few dresses instyles that you like, don't worry about the prices because you'll findone so much cheaper on ebay. By doing this, you have seen the style onyou and know that you will look absoultely beautiful on your big day.When searching for a dress on ebay, try to find the sellers that areoffering brand new dresses. Not everyone is a standard size and youwon't necessarily fit into a "size 12" wedding dress, it will have beenaltered at least once already to fit it's previous owner. However ifyou are confident that this will work for you then by all means goright ahead. Always read the description carefully, is it the colouryou want or will they make it in the colour you want? How much ispostage? I won the auction on my dress for just $9.99 but the postagewas $158 so be careful. The postage is how the seller ensures that theymake some money out of the sale and that is why the auction price is solow. But really, when you consider the total price of $168 for abeautiful wedding dress, brand new and made to fit, this is so excitingand so much cheaper than a bridal shop. And where did I get this dressfrom? Seller The next stop is to find a veil to suit your dress and your hairstyle.If you're having your hair out it is better to find a light veil (longones tend to be heavy) but you need to find one that is longer thanyour hair. Really any veil will look gorgeous so just find whateveryou're happy with. You can buy new or secondhand but make sure you askthe seller lots of questions if there are things not specified in thedescription. You want to get the perfect veil, and be 100% happy somake the most of it. I bought a second hand veil and was very happywith both the price and the product.If you're having a tiara there are so many sellers, if your dressseller also has tiaras, or veils, try to combine postage as this willsave you money. It is important that you let the seller know you willbe buying multiple items so they will package them all together.Shoes are always a touchy issue when it comes to buying them online,it's important to make sure you're buying the right size or they willexchange them if they don't fit. I'm a dancer so I went for dancingshoes, they're beautiful and I find that they are so much morecomfortable than ordinary high heals. For shoes try to stick toAustralian sellers as the size charts will be the same as you know yourshoe size to be. These are the shoes I chose. from seller Dance Shoes Company - Sydney Lingerie is another thing you have to be careful about, it is very easyto find alot of beautiful lingerie on ebay but be absolutely certain itwill fit before you buy it. I have bought a few items that haven'tfitted properly and had to live with the consequences, I'm not anaverage size and some people's interpretation of "small" or "size 8"are different to your average underwear stores.Silk flowers are a great way to make sure your bouquet can be keptforever. They won't wilt or break from being dried and will look justthey way they did on your wedding day forever on your mantle. I didn'tactually buy my bouquet but flowers for my flowergirl's basket on ebay.They also have a great range of baskets and flowers for your hair.Pew decorations, its up to you, but I've been told it's better to usesomething that hangs. A friend of mine had roses standing upright tiedwith bows and they kept falling over. I decided to go with ribbon bows,ribbon is so much cheaper on ebay and you can get large rolls so youdon't end up with offcuts, and this ribbon can also be used to decoratethe cars.There are so many ring pillows available on ebay, it was hard to chooseone. They have personalized ones, plain ones, special ones, originalones, just about anything you could ever imagine. The best thing isthough, they end up costing about the same on ebay as they would in astore, and that's including postage. But the styles you find on ebay, Ihave never seen anything like it in a store.Well this has been an outline of the things I bought off ebay for mywedding but there are so many more things you can buy: bomboniers,place cards, candles, engagement rings, invitations, sparkling wine,garters, cake ornaments, jewellery, flowergirl dresses, bridesmaiddresses, attendants gifts, the list is endless.

What to do when things don't go quite right with a sale

Buying and selling on Ebay can be exciting, rewarding and convenient, but what about when something isn't quite right?Buyers...What do you do if you receive your item but it isn't the same as was described in the listing or itnever turns up at all? Your first action should always be to contact your seller. This can be done by either using the 'contact member' or 'ask seller a question' function on the listing itself or you can pull their details from ebay and give them a call. To get their phone number from ebay, click on the feedback number next to their user name, then click on the 'contact member' button or go herehttp://search.ebay.com.au/_W0QQtZvbQQsofindtypeZ9Ebay will send an email to you with their details. They will also get a copy of yours.They may offer you a partial or full refund. If they say they have posted your item and it hasn't shown up after a reasonable wait (ie 10 working days) then get the seller to contact Australia Post and put in a search for your article. This has to be done by the person who posted the item. It is amazing how often something turns up after this is requested!Or they may not be interested in helping at all !... Then you contact ebay and open an 'item significantly not as described' or 'item not received' dispute. You can do this by clicking here...http://feedback.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?InrCreateDisputeAfter 10 days you will have the option of escalating your dispute to a claim if you paid via paypal. If you paid by another payment method, it is still worthwhile following through with the dispute because that is the only way to get bad sellers kicked off ebay. Remember not to leave your feedback until you have exhausted all possible avenues of receiving your item or a refund. Once you leave feedback, the transaction is considered finalised and you have spent your final bargaining chip.What about sellers who are having trouble with buyers not paying for items that they have bid on?...This is what I do... After 7 days with no payment received, I send a payment reminder via ebay from the 'my ebay' sellers page. If I still hear nothing after another day or two, then I start an 'non-paying bidder' dispute.http://rebulk.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?CreateDisputeThis very often prompts a slow payer into action. If not, you need to wait until they either respond to the dispute or until the 8th day before you can close the dispute and get your final value fees reimbursed from ebay and relist the item if you wish.If they do not respond at all, they will have any feedback rating that they leave for you removed, however the comment will remain along with a message from ebay saying that they didn't participate in the resolution process.Feedback should always be left until all other avenues have been exhausted. Communication should always be your first port of call if things are not going smoothly. Some helpful links ....GET HELP FROM OTHER MORE EXPERIENCED MEMBERShttp://pages.ebay.com.au/community/chat/index.htmlgood luck

DEWALT TOOL BASES

SCHMIDTTOOLSLOTS OF PEOPLE ASK US QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE NEW LI-ION 18V DEWALT BATTERIES SO THIS MIGHT HELP A FEW PEOPLE OUT. WE`RE GOING TO HAVE A QUICK LOOK AT DEWALT 18V TOOL BASES AND TRY TO BRIEFLY EXPLAIN THE 18V SYSTEM WITH THE NEW LI-ION BATTERIES AND WHAT TOOLS CAN BE USED WITH WHAT BATTERIES AND WHAT THE PHRASE "NANO OR LI-ION BASE" MEANS.OK WELL WHERE TO START, BASICALLY ALL 18V DEWALT BATTERIES WILL FIT INTO AND OPERATE ANY DEWALT 18V TOOL. I`LL SAY THIS FIRST UP THE TYPE OF BASE MAKES NO DIFFERENCE AND IS PURELY A COSMETIC THING AND MATTERS ONLY AS FAR AS LOOKS GOES AND NOT FUNCTION. THE BRANDING DeWALT FIRST USED "NANO" WHICH IS SHORT FOR "NANO PHOSPHATE" (THIS IS DEWALTS OWN TYPE OF LI-ION CHEMISTRY) DIDN`T GO DOWN WELL WITH CUSTOMERS AND CREATED A FAIR BIT OF CUSTOMER CONFUSION. BUT BASICALLY OLD BATTERIES BE USED IN NEW TOOLS TOO AND VICE VERSA. THE BRANDING HAS SINCE BEEN CHANGED AND NOW THEY CALL THEM "XRP LI-ION."WOW, IT WOULDN`T HAVE TAKEN A GENIUS TO FIGURE THAT WAS A BETTER NAME THAN "NANO" IN THE FIRST PLACE YOU`D THINK. TO ME IT SEEMED A FAIRLY OBVIOUS CHOICE.....MAYBE THEY SHOULD PAY ME TO RUN THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT. I DON`T KNOW WHAT THEY DO IN THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT AT THE MOMENT BUT THEY MAKE STRANGE CHOICES. THEY CURRENTLY PRODUCE A WHOLE STACK OF TOOLS THAT ARE ALL THE SAME NOW TOO BUT HAVE DIFFERENT MODELS NUMBERS ACCORDING TO WHAT BATTERY COMES WITH THE TOOL, JUST TO CONFUSE THE PEOPLE WHO ARN`T ALREADY CONFUSED. LIKE DC825, DCF826, DC827 ALL THE SAME 1/4" IMPACT DRIVERS, ALL DIFFERENT LABELS, THERE`S MORE ABOUT THOSE IN ANOTHER GUIDE. BUT ANYWAY BACK ON TOPIC,A LI-ION DEWALT BATTERY WILL FIT ANY 18 V DEWALT TOOL BUT IT WILL NOT CHARGE IN A NI-CD CHARGER AND NEEDS A LI-ION CHARGER TO BE RECHARGED.

Products used in Acrylic Nails - Avoid MMA

UPDATE: MMA IS NOW BANNED IN AUSTRALIA - IT CAN NOT BE USED IN ACRYLIC LIQUID IN QUANTITIES OF OVER 1%.BE WARNED - SELLERS IN CHINA SUPPLYING TO AUSTRALIA THROUGH EBAY WILL NOT SUPPLY YOU WITH AN MSDS (material safety data sheet) which will tell you if the product contains methyl methacrylate (MMA). Unfortunately there are some uncrupulous sellers based in Australia as well on selling these products with no idea or care that they are endangering your health or the general publics when they post this poison through the mail.If you are thinking about doing your own acrylic nails, please, pleaseplease consider carefully where you are buying your products from anddon't be shy in asking the supplier what they contain.Unfortunately, in Australia, some acrylic liquids being sold contain aproduct called MMA. MMA is Methyl Metha-crylate. Thisproducts is BANNED in the USA and because the nail industry has notbeen regulated here, Australian Health Authorities have not taken thesame stance as the USA.Why you should avoid MMA:In the USA MMA has been classed as a poison, it can cause the following through prolonged exposure:- permanent nail loss- miscarriages- liver damage- respiratory problems (ever wondered why the nail techs in some shops where masks)- because of it's strength it is inflexible and can literally lift the natural nail off the nail plate.If you have any doubts over whether or not the Acrylic Liquid/AcrylicMonomer you have purchased contains MMA, ask the supplier for an MSDS(material specifications data sheet) and this will tell you exactlywhat the product contains, if the seller cannot supply you with this,ask for a refund because they are not prepared to verify what is intheir products. Failure to provide a MSDS is reportable toOccupational Health and Safety if you are running a salon and storingthese chemicals in bulk. Acrylic Liquid with MMA has a very verystrong strange odour and this is one of the tell tale signs.Do not confuse MMA with EMA, EMA based acrylic liquid is what you should be using.How can you tell if your nail tech has used Acrylic Liquid with MMA:It will only be able to be drilled off and filing off will takeages. If you are using Soak Off and after, say, 35 minutes theenhancements have not budged, then you can be 99% sure that the liquidused contained MMA.Sellers importing these types of products are required to be registeredwith NICNAS, which is a Government department that monitors allcosmetic imports. Ask your seller for their NICNAS registrationnumber and this will tell you whether or not the seller is reporting toNICNAS in relation to the cosmetics and cosmetic related products theyare importing. Any reputable seller will be registered and thiswill give you a good indication of how they run their business andtherefore also indicate that the seller is aware of what their productscontain.Also, some sellers selling acrylic liquids and acrylic powders have noidea where the products they are selling are manufactured, some statethey are made in Australia, there are no local manufacturers of theseproducts. Be wary, because it is clear that the seller has noidea of what is in the products they are selling and probably will notbe able to supply you with an MSDS. Without doubt, the acrylicliquid being sold from Asia also contains MMA and this is why it is socheap and they will definitely not be able to supply you with anMSDS. Put your health and safety first before trying to save money on acrylic liquid.Look forAcrylic Liquid that does not contain MMA.Registered NICNAS member: 8314

Packing proverbs - how to POST china

I have to speak about packing methods as I buy a lot of vintage Noritake and some people have no idea how to pack. IN fairness when I started ebay (selling my un-needed baby goods and buying china instead) I had no idea and I was stunned at the variations in packaging on some of the items I bought. I thought some were excessive and others were (broken) inadequate. Once I found out what happened to parcels via Australia Post I soon understood why things got broken..I'll give you the low-down on that 'cause it is important to understand WHAT your packaging has to withstand. Aussie post use giant industrial skips (large bins) and the parcels are tipped to and from these like garbage. After you have packed anything breakable you should feel quite comfortable in giving it a shove off the kitchen table and onto the floor..'cause that is some of the force it will be subjected to on its journey! BUT do not PANIC... it is not impossible to pack and send safely (despite the best efforts of AU post) the majority of my items have been packed properly and arrived safely.RULES are basically use large sturdy box -something that has had heavy things in it..wine boxes are very good...or boxes that had cans in them. Not the box that has had say, toilet paper or potato chips- they are always weak. ) Allow space around items and edge of box..line with lumps of styrene if you have it (like old fruit box) The object is to ensure that the items can not be impacted from the sides..so a buffer..scrunched newpaper is fine if you do not have styrene. Individually wrap each item..stack plates and saucers OK - but have something in between AND around. I personally always use bubblewrap (cause I buy so much stuff I never run out of it) but if you do not have that, several layers of newspaper (4 ) will suffice. Your aim should be to make each piece look like a mini football -use tape to secure it tightly. Ideally you should not be able to feel any edges, put extra padding around handles. DO NOT nest cups. I got one lot packed in disposable nappies (unusual but effective..I think they were from the seconds shop!) If you have a large box with many items consider double boxing..stacks of heavy plates can crush teacups when box goes upside down. (which it WILL)If it is a single item less effort is required, but still plenty of wrapping and SPACE around item is essential.When loading box with your little footballs, do not bother about up or down (top or bottom) or writing fragile as it will go all ways and no one cares. There is NO FRAGILE SERVICE. Cushion bottom, top and sides (like I mentioned -foam/styrene sheets are good but layers of scrunched newspaper OK) put pieces in and pack in between with firmly scrunched newspaper (foam chips better but OK not everyone has a snow drift of these) Really make it firm..you want zero movement Think of 3b's..if it can not budge, it can not bang and it cannot break :O)OK well I hope that helped, seriously I wish to goodness someone had told me all this when I started..really I do..I had to learn the hard way.

Fake earphone seller alert! (mostly from China)

FAKE SENNHEISERS

When you have been naughty more than once...

That wasn't so bad was it! After the first shock of seeing your post disappear and getting correspondence which makes your cheeks pink, you have vowed to be more careful in futurebut unfortunately..... Oops! .... again...and again...and again.You are now NARP!!! (Not A Registered Poster) There is no prescribed number of slaps which will lead to suspension from the boards. One can do it. During this time you cannot access the boards.peters_mum, you are signed in. (Sign out) Watches | Settings hosted by LiveWorldError: you do not have permission to view the requested forum or category.Suspension periods generally start at 7 days for a first offence, maybe 7 days, a few more times for further offences, then 30 days.You realise you are developing almost a personal relationship with Shaggy, Willow, Minty or whoever has taken you under their wing to assist you in your ebay chatboard usage.... but just at the point where you are going to ask for their phone number: Hello XXXXXXX,Recently we became aware that your eBay registered account was involved in thefollowing activity:Posting material containing profanity, vulgarity, hate speech, disruptive or hostilecomments, interpersonal disputes or threats of violence. (This includes maskingprofanity, name-calling and rude behaviour). For clarification of this policy, please visitthis page: http://forums.ebay.com.au/thread.jspa?threadID=100076607

Selling Alannah Hill Clothes on eBay

Alannah Hill is famous for her flirty, feminine and fun clothes and is very popular on eBay.Here I let you in on some secrets to increasing sales and maintaining your good reputation when selling Allanah Hill clothes and accessories.Tips To Increase Sales:The first problem some sellers have is spelling the name correctly - remember it is ALANNAH not ALLANAH! Ensure that you place the designer name in your item title as this is what buyers will often conduct a search for rather than just browsing the Women's Clothing and Accessories category.When selling Alannah Hill clothes on ebay make sure that you take advantage of the beautiful piece you are selling by making sure you have taken pictures not only of the garment as a whole, but also of particular details such as the lace trims, diamonte encrusted buttons, silk pockets and intricate beading that Alannah Hill clothes are so well loved for. Above both the whole "Besotted By You'" belt and detail of the embroidery and beading are shown.Also, have a search around on the internet for pictures from fashion shows (although make sure that you have permission from the copyright owner before placing them on your listing). It is often helpful for buyers to see how a particular garment has been styled by the professionals before they buy it, and it never hurts your chances of a sale to show your item up in lights and looking stunning on a runway model! Above images taken at the L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival 2006 Alannah Hill show demonstrate the belt being worn by a model with other Alannah Hill items.Finally, buyers will be encouraged to buy your item if you provide lots of details. Each garment from recent collections will have a cute name like "Time To Fly", "Hush Little Darling" or "The Secret Garden' - this name can be found on your original receipt, on the swing tags of the garment and also on th ecare label. Other details such as the season the item is from (either Autumn/Winter or Spring/Summer and a year), the original price and of course whether it is new or used.Tips To Maintain Your Reputation:You may be tempted to describe an item as 'new with tags' despite the fact that you have worn it once or twice because the Alannah Hill swing tags can be reattached using the safety pin. Although your item may have only been worn once DO NOT DO THIS. Alannah Hill items are very delicate and often even the smallest amount of wear is noticeable. Be honest and say your item has only been worn a minimal amount of times, this is quite acceptable to buyers considering that Alannah Hill items are often bought for special occassions and only worn the one time. Tell the seller how th eitem has been washed (i.e. handwash or dry cleaned etc.) and if it is in 'as new' condition mention this. This wa you can assure th ebuyer of the excellent condition of your item without risking negative feedback from a disgruntled buyer and distrust within the eBay community.When selling items from the factory outlets ensure that there are no faults. Often items will be removed from stores to the outlets before the end of season due to faults in the construction or fabric. Although you may be tempted to pass these reduced price items off to unwitting eBay buyers it is not a good idea. Many Alannanh Hill buyers are aware of these tactics and will avoid your auctions in the future. Secondly, if there are all of a sudden 10 of the same items listed in a week buyers will become suspicious that they are being bought from the outlets and sold at unreasonably marked up prices- once again you risk your reputation within the eBay community.

Buying eyeglass frames on the internet is easy!

Want to buy your next pair of eyeglasses online and not sure how to go about it? Please have a look at our guide to buying frames and some of the information that may make your next purchase of glasses easier.How to buy frames onlineIt is quite simple and not at all unusual to buyframes from someone other thanthe optometrist who would have tested your eyes. These days, about 30% ofeyeglasses presented to optometrists for fitting of lenses haven't been boughtin that optometrists retail shop.Theseglasses are either oldframes people want fitted with new lenses or, increasingly,frames that people have purchased elsewhere, either overseas oron the internet. There is no rule that says you must buy glasses from the person who tests your eyes, this decision is yours alone. Buy yourframes where you can, pay whatYOU want to pay, and just see how much you can save!What the measurements quoted in a listing for eyeglasses meanYou will notice when going through listings foreyeglass frames, sometimes measurements are given. Lens width, lens depth, bridge, temple width or, as some listings put it, arm to arm measurement. Below is an indication of what these frame measurments indicate. Some of these measurments are variable. For instance, one style of glasses ishalf rims. This means the lenses are held in the frames usually along the top edge of the eye glasses only. This means the depth of the lenses is not restricted by a frame and can be therefore made as big as needed by the wearer. Infinitely adaptable are rimless glasses. Because the lenses are held by the bridge and arms, there is noframe as such to restrict either size or shape of the lenses.If you already wear glasses, then you can have a close look at your frames and you will find most have the measurements imprinted on them, either on the arms or even on the inside of the bridge piece. You will probably find three numbers, sometimes only two. The first and second numbers are usually separated by a small square. The first number is the lens width. The next number after the square is the bridge size. If there is a third number then this signifies the arm length. You can then compare these numbers with those on frames you may be considering buying.Above, the first diagram represents the lens width - usually measured from the bridge across the width of the lens.The next diagram down shows the measurment taken for lens depth.The third diagram is the size of the bridge.The fourth diagram shows the measurement from arm to arm or temple width (taking into account the slight spread caused by the hinges).And the last diagram shows the arm length (the part that hooks over your ears).Selecting a frame sizeThere is no "right" size for you ineyewear frames, because just about any size frame can be made to fit you within reason. Yourframe selection is largely, a fashion decision - you may like large eye sizes, or small eye sizes, rectangular or oval - but the size of the frames does not affect your ability to use that frame with your prescription properly installed. One exception is that multifocal lenses require a vertical height from your pupil to the bottom of the lenses to be at least 20mm. Also thicker lenses are more noticeable in thinner frames. These thicker lenses are also not recommended for rimless frames as they can often cause theframes to be too "top heavy" and can slide down the nose more readily.Buying glasses online is not as difficult as it might first appear. Remember thatif youdo need minor adjustments to the frames when you get them, an optometrist can do this for you either free of charge or for a small cost.Andalso please remember that if you buy your frames from Face Furniture Frames Online we have a 30 day, no questions asked, return policy if for ANY reason you are not completely satisfied. We want you to be happy with your purchase so you will come back to us and alsorecommend us toyour friends.Click here for listings of eyewear you might find interesting!

BEST CARAVAN ANTENNAS

Being in the Tv Antenna installation Business in over 25 years have found a need for helping travelers with their demand for small and strong Signal hunting Antennas for Caravans.In the current world of Digital Television all those existing Omni directional and Winding Antennas will be really useless. Now you can sometimes in the good TV Reception Spots get some picture on some Stations and nothing or very snowy on others-Well Be Aware that with a Digital Tv in Place (2010-2013) all you get will be Notice on Screen -NO SIGNAL !There is No Doubt of benefits of Digital Tv(Extra Channels, Superb Reception on HDTV etc) and We can Now find a lot of equipment already in use but We also need to start upgrading our Antennas. The only Antenna who works will be Directional Antennas with a Horizontal-Vertical Tilting. All towers Now for Digital tv has Vhf-UHF Polarization and Works in both Polarization Pattern-There is No other way as Having Antenna who you must point it Towards Translator Tower and make sure Your Antenna is in Right polarization Position. This is a Sample of Small Directional Caravan Antenna you can manually Tilt Vertically when required.This Antenna is small at about the Size of Large Pizza Box and very light,Compact and have Build small Booster .We have tested about 10 different Antennas and found this the Best as works very well in most Terrains,Easy to Tilt and at really good Price is Very recommended as Starting Device to get Digital TV !Poltec 25 is available on Ebay Now......

Do you know the battery has "Memory Effect"?

Ni-CD batteries, and to a lesser extent Ni-MH batteries, suffer fromwhat's called the "Memory Effect". What this means is that if a batteryis continually only partially discharged before re-charging, thebattery "forgets" that it has the capacity to further discharge all theway down.To illustrate: If you, on a regular basis, fully charge your batteryand then use only 50% of its capacity before the next recharge,eventually the battery will become unaware of its extra 50% capacitywhich has remained unused. Your battery will remain functional, butonly at 50% of its original capacity. The way to avoid the dreaded"Memory Effect" is to fully cycle (fully charge and then fullydischarge) your battery at least once every two to three weeks.Batteries can be discharged by unplugging the device's AC adaptor andletting the device run on the battery until it ceases to function. Thiswill insure your battery remains healthy.If you find this guide helpful, please vote it. Thanks.

BUYING A PEN? THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW TO SPOT FAKE PENS

PLEASE RATE THIS ARTICLE AFTER READING (LINK CAN BE FOUND AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE)BUYING A PEN? SOME THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW TO SPOT FAKE MONT BLANC, DUPONT, PARKER PENSIn the world of pens, there have been countless examples of "styling cues," "design inspiration," and yes, even downright fakes offered for sale through the years. Some have been pretty good, some downright ridiculous (anyone for a pink marble acrylic "Mont Blanc Starwalker"?) While Mont Blanc, with its position as the premier status symbol among writing instruments, serves as the principal target for counterfeit products, it seems no brand is safe. There is always a market for those wishing to cash in on the marketing success of others, whether it be with pens, watches, cigarette lighters, handbags... Almost any brand name product.Before you buy an expensive pen on eBay can you be sure that it isn't a counterfeit?Always look at other eBayers feedback rating; this is important because it tells you their trading history on EBay. If they have numerous negative comments which make them sound un-trustworthy, then its best to contact them first or leave it and look else where. If they have no feedback and are new, it is best again to contact them. Never buy or sell to places from abroad such as Nigeria, Africa etc. These are again fraudsters using stolen credit cards and if they do pay you, well that money is guaranteed to be stolen which will be retracted from your account so you would lose out basically. When buying from an overseas seller, make sure they have good feedback history.Always email or contact them some other way if unsure. At least this way, you'll know about their communication standards. Ask for a tracking number for a valuable item. This way you can track the item and you'll know that they have sent it. Always pay using PayPal, you know you'll be covered.Always do your research before you bid or buy. Every leading pen manufacturer has a website. Compare the photos of pen you are trying to buy with the photos in the manufacturers website.Finally you get what you pay for.How to spot a fake Mont Blanc pensThe nib is the most difficult aspect to fake. Always ask for a close up picture of the nib section - iridium tip and 'made in Germany' stamped on the nib is a dead give away. To my knowledge, Mont Blanc do not stamp 'iridium tip' on their nibs. The exception to this is the Genuine Mont Blanc Starwalker pen - it does have the words 'iridium' stamped on the nib section, is nearly always silver (hence, this pen is faked more than any other). Always ask for a picture of the floating star on the cap, if it appears to be irregular or not dead centre, it is likely to be fake. The best tip I can give is go to a genuine dealer and actually take a picture of a starwalker (barrel and cap). That way you know what to look for. Ask for a picture of the underside of the nib section. A genuine Mont Blanc's black section will be aligned perfectly with the ink aperture between the tines (a genuine article is accurately produced down to the smallest detail). If the black section is not aligned and is either side of the aperture, then it is likely to be a fake. Before you bid, get an emailed assurance from the seller that it is a genuine Mont Blanc - because if turns out that it isnt, you can ask for your money back or get eBay involved. If you get a vague response to your question - don't bid.Another dead give away, ask the seller if he has more than one item and if you can purchase more than four. A faker always buys in bulk and then sells them individually. Genuine Mont Blancs are expensive, and if a seller has more than four - it's likely that he has bought in bulk. A sure thing about a fake Meisterstuck legrande 146 is the nib section - it always has a nib similar to the cheap German fountain pens with the words 'iridium tipped' made in Germany - it is definitely a fake. The original nib is beautifully crafted and a faker will not spend more money on trying to recreate this.Every Mont Blanc has a unique serial number on every pen. Unfortunately the presence of a serial number is not a guarantee that the pen is genuine, as most counterfeit pens have fake serial numbers on them. Serial #'s don't have a specified number of digits. Older models will most likely have fewer digits than current production. Some of the #'s started with GE or GER on the first pens to be produced with serial #'s in 1991. There is no database at Mont Blanc of serial #'s except for limited editions. Serial #'s are now being reissued or reused, so the same # might be found on 2 different pens made years apart. The logo "PIX" was introduced on the underside of the clip in 1997. And lastly, Mont Blanc does not confiscate counterfeit pens. They said that is not company policy. At the Boutique they will hand them back over and if you send it to the factory service centre, they will send back your pens and a letter stating either way if your pen is genuine or fake.How to spot fake Dupont pensMost fakes are copying the Orpheo, Dupont's flagship model. The counterfeits are, so far at least, being made in the mid-sized version. Most of the auction descriptions we've seen don't mention the size, so that might not be a huge help, but if you can get the seller to answer an inquiry, get the pen's dimensions. If it matches with the size of a large-sized Orpheo, there's a better chance its real.One method of detecting the counterfeit is to look at the barrel end under strong light. The real Dupont is perfectly finished; the counterfeits clearly exhibit some slight roughness to the metal under the plating. On one of the counterfeit examples, there was already some plating wear to the barrel bottom, which is obviously something you're not going to see on a brand-new Dupont!The counterfeits are engraved with "Made in France" and a serial number on the side of the clip, just as on the real Duponts. However, the engraving on the counterfeits is not as crisp, and interestingly enough, the same serial number was used on every one of the counterfeit samples.Removing the cap gives the next clue that you've got something short of the real thing. Although, again, you really need to have the two side by side to see the difference. The real Orpheo cap releases from the barrel with less force applied than the counterfeit requires. There's a much more precise feel to the Dupont cap than to the counterfeit. They both close down on the barrel well enough, and with a clear "click" sound, but once closed, the counterfeits caps will spin slightly, while the Dupont cap will only revolve on the barrel with a bit of effort. The counterfeit is marked as 18K gold, but let's put it this way . . . an 18K nib would not be picked up off the desktop by a magnet! Aside from the fact that it's made from steel, the counterfeit nib gives the game away with a slightly rougher finish than the real nib, poorer, thinner plating, and on some examples, not always precisely within the engraved markings.Inside the counterfeits' brick-red outer box is a nicely made, heavy presentation box. The real Duponts had the Chinese lacquer symbol running along the upper edge of the outer box. Both the real one and the counterfeit are embossed with the S.T. Dupont Paris logo in silver on the box top. The counterfeits have a white sticker on each end flap, one with a "SKU number" and a bar code, the other with the same number and the model designation. The real Dupont box has only one white sticker on an end flap, with the model designation, bar code, and SKU number. The real Dupont sticker has slightly rounded corners; the ones on the counterfeit have square edges. Also, like the "serial numbers" engraved on the sides of the clip, the counterfeits all use the same "SKU numbers" and model names on the box labels. Just to be petty and snide, their French is atrocious, as well.The associated paperwork is located under the flat bed of the counterfeit box. On the real Dupont box, the paperwork comes in a separate packet, in a specially made spot between the inner and outer boxes. Pulling the paperwork out of the counterfeit box reveals three items of paperwork: a "collections" info sheet, a guarantee card, and an instruction booklet. These fairly accurately reflect what you might expect to see in a real Dupont box, and when spread out for an auction photo, they look convincing. It really takes a close look (and admit it, when was the last time you actually read one of the instruction booklets than came with a new pen?) to tell the difference.How to spot fake Parker Sonnet pensAll of the Sonnet counterfeits I have seen have been sold "without box", making it at least somewhat easier to eliminate a fake from your shopping list. Look for pens sold with proper Parker packaging to begin with, and you'll go a long way towards ensuring that your Sonnet is real.The lacquer finish is not evenly applied, and has a slightly rippled texture to it. Finish is really not up to Parkers standards.On the genuine Sonnet, the feather accents on the clip are very distinct, on the counterfeit, they appear much lighter.If the counterfeit has what purports to be an 18K nib, there is a chance that you can differentiate it by checking the nib with a magnet. Obviously, a plated steel nib will be attracted to a magnet, a solid gold nib will not. However, there are some alloys of stainless steel that won't be attracted by your magnet either.The real Sonnet Chiselled Tartan has a two tone nib; the counterfeit has a single tone nib.

Turntables, de-mystified !

This article is courtesy of Audio Advisor, USA:Better than CD sound ?It's no wonder that many people embraced CD players when they were first introduced. It was clear that their turntables sounded terrible, and if you're still listening to an older direct drive (T/T) turntable, you've never really heardthe music your records are capable of producing.A high qualityT/T removes a substantial amount of record surface noise and allows many times the musical information to come through, compared to an older direct drive unit.Most audiophiles prefer the sound of LP's to CD's.A T/T consists of the following components:The base that holds the components and is usually made of wood/wood compositeThe plinth is the top plate which holds the platter/bearing assembly

Spotting Fake Multicolor Big Pony Polo Shirts on eBay

Please help us to help others by clicking YES to this guide so it stays at or near the top. I haveseveral authentic Polo multicolor big pony polo shirt that I purchased from polo.com. I have seen many fakes on ebay! Here is my advice on spotting fakes, as compared to my authentic multicolor Polo:These shirts are a limited edition, one time production that can only be purchased at polo.com and Ralph Lauren storesfor $114 (including shipping and taxes). It is not logical that someone would spend that amount of money per shirt and then re-sell it on ebay at a loss. The multicolor polos are available in the following colors only: French Navy blue, Northwest Pine green, White, Polo Black, RL 2000 red, and Newport Navy blue. Any other color is a fake. The number on the sleeve is always "4", not 3, 5, or 6, as I have seen on some ebay fakes. The number should be red or white only... with the exception of the RL 2000 red, whichhas ablue number 4. The most obvious way to spot a fake multicolor is by looking at the two side "vent hems" at the bottom hem of the shirt-The authentic ones are ALWAYS reinforced with a contrasting colored grosgrain ribbon. I have yet to see this detail on the fakes. (View the pictures at polo.com to see the vents to which I refer.) The polo pony in the pictures of the fakes also seems to be too light in color and the pony's eye seems to be much more round and openthan on the authentic ones. UPDATE: A friend bought a fake multicolor big ponyPoloon eBay because he didn't want to pay the price Ralph Lauren charges. The fabric of his shirt is much thinner than on the authentic onesand the sizes run very small. His XL would probably be equivalent to an authentic Polo size medium. It is also poorly sewn. UPDATE: Recently, some sellers have started using pictures from polo.com. The shirt youreceive will almost certainly not look, or fit, like the ones pictured in these auctions. UPDATE: 09/24/2007 - authentic Polo multicolor big pony shirts are now being produced with a number "3" on the sleeve, and will soon be produced with a number "5" to represent the 5 player polo teams that were first introduced in America.