Thursday, August 19, 2010

HOW TO SPOT FAKE KAREN MILLEN ON EBAY

Fake Karen Millen on eBay

Guide To Underground Comix

Country Cowfreaks Headshop


A Guide To Underground Comics

unrestored diecast 1/18 scale - some photos to compare

Hello,
my hobby is creating little dioramas with rusty aged cars,
motorcycles and buildings like a barn, carport or a garage. Creatings
rusty diecast is an art, hard work with much sanding, but on the market
you'll find series too. Some are limited, others produced in large
quantity, but not very detailed or in lower quality.

Some
sellers want to quickly earn money and producing very poor only briefly
painted models. For
me it simply means to create awesome art,
as a gift to friends or just for fun.

I'm from Germany, and quality is my first
name, my English too ?
Please feel free, report errors to me - THX

Here are some photos to compare !
The real world on junkyards:

a very old pickup, very rusty

damaged, repaired

the beetle overgrown by nature
Diecast 1/18 scale

hard work, sanding a beetle (Maisto 1/18 scale)

rusty beetle 1/18 scale lost in prairie

Ford Mustang in restoration 1/18 scale

Mercedes limited edition Revell

weathered Jeeps dirty, rusty, damaged

junkyard diorama with tree
gas pumps 1/18 scale

Selftrading.co.uk Mixed Pallets Wholesale Pallets

My Review of Selftrading.co.ukThis company offers Mixed Pallets at wholesale prices but all is not what it seems.I went ahead and purchased a mixed pallet of goods from selftrading.co.uk. Now, I did contact Self Trading by phone to have a quick chat about the contents
of the pallet before proceeding with the purchase (as there are no listings of contents on the selftrading website) and was assured that this pallet was valued at over
7,000. I spoke to a guy called Karl who seemed pretty confident that
this was a great offer.I paid just over 700 for the pallet delivered to Ireland. A few days later the pallet arrived and i could not believe what this company had sent.Pallet contents included:4 Very Large Boxes of dusters that you could not give away for free never mind sell.1 Box of extension poles for above dusters.4 Boxes of cheap underwear. 2 white. 1 brown and yellow and 1 orange and yellow.1 Very Large Box of disposable toothbrushes. Real small toothbrush that has some paste inside it. Use once and throw away. Absolutely useless.2 Boxes of coffee sachets that are almost out of date.3 Boxes of envelopes. 1 white. 1 pink and 1 blue.2 Boxes of mixed nails and screws.4 Boxes of Very Large cheap car seat belt covers.The rest of the pallet was made up of cheap pens, stop watches and small alarm clocks/radios with no power supplies.My
advice to anyone thinking of purchasing one of these mixed pallets is
too stay well clear. There's a good reason why the contents of these
pallets are not listed on their website. I contacted Self Trading
to let them know i was not satisfied with what they had sent and they
simply said that there was nothing they were willing to do and that was
pretty much that? Even though it does state on the website that selftrading.co.uk would buy the pallet back if neccessary. The tone of their reply was not what you would expect
from a wholesale company or any company for that matter. They simply
did not want to know. They had my money and that was that. What a
complete rip off. These so called wholesale pallets are a complete waste of money. I've had to dump the majority of this pallet as the products are worthless.I hope this info will help some potential customers make an informed decision before parting with their hard earned cash.
I'd hate to see anyone else have the same experience as i had with Self
Trading. This company should be avoided at all costs.I contacted Self Trading to let them know i would be writing a review on my experience with them. They replied by email saying: Crack on.I'm absolutely amazed that this company is trading. Do yourself a favour and stay well clear.

Moorcroft Graded Pottery - Sub Standard

Since writing my guide about spotting Moorcroft seconds, I have been asked many questions by people from all over the world. I have noticed that I am now receiving more contact about the Moorcroft factory's new system for marking sub standard items which are classed as graded. These graded pieces fall somewhere between first quality and seconds quality, so they don't get the red dot treatment.The new method is simply a hand written capital letter G inside a circle, usually in dark green or black. It is similar to the copyright mark which they also write on the base (capital C inside a circle), and can be overlooked quite easily! Be sure to check the base of later Moorcroft for this symbol, because not everybody who is selling a graded piece will be as honest as the majority!Please keep this guide prominent for the rest of the Moorcroft collecting community by voting YES if you found this information useful.Any questions are welcome, but please allow a little time for me to answer as some messages get sent to my spam folder and are not read until I trawl through it.

Dunster House Log Cabins

The Dunster House Website is quite flash with lots of glowing testimonials from customers.
However, beware of what lurks behind the glitz!

I purchased a Garden Office recently and on building it, found some significant pieces missing.
I tried to call the Customer Services Department but they will not take incoming phone calls. You must write to them for a response.

I asked for my problem to be escalated and they said "He won't talk to you! Our terms and conditions state you must write in". Any company who receives a complaint or delivery query and then immediately hide behind their terms and conditions must be viewed with a great deal of suspicion.

I am now awaiting their response.

With regards to the actual quality, whilst I don't have experience of any other manufacturer, I think the quality of the product is poor. Many of the planks are twisted and bowed. Several are split right through.

Would I recommend them or buy from them again - NEVER!

Wondering What Makes a Great Item Title? -THINK on THIS


I'm going to give you several ways of really grabbing the viewer's eye, so he/she will automatically click on your listing probably without even thinking about it. There are many ideas around what makes a great item title however I'll give you my tips which I've found from experience really work.



    Always use a gallery photo. People don't want to waste time clicking on something they can't see. 70% of the population use visual skills as their main information gathering modality. In short they go with what they can see. Generally speaking - no photo equals no click on your item. There are always exceptions to the rule but for the extra few pence, gallery fee is well worth it.
    Gallery photos should be of the item ORa person associated with the item. Photos of people work better than photos of symbols. So if you are selling a service, put a good photo of yourself.
    Use a subtitle which costs a little bit extra, but it's worth it if yo have an item with a substantial price. Or if you find other sellers who are selling the same thing, are using subtitles. If you competition has subtitles and you don't, your listed item will look a little 'nude' in the searches. Not a good lookespecially in winter!
    Always research what you propose to sell. See how other similar item titles are constructed. Whatever words you use, go for something different, that hasn't been used before. Be creative and original in your language.
    Judicious use of capitals can make your title stand out in the crowd. However don't fall for the trap of doing the entire title in capital letters. Capitals work best if there are only a few words, or part of the title in CAPS. IF I WRITE MY WHOLE SENTENCE IN CAPITALS, it looks a bit too much and it's difficult to read. But if I only WRITE selected letters in CAPITALS, it's much more EFFECTIVE!
    Use exclamation marks to make a point! But don't overuse them (unless you're really artistic and are using them to make some sort of creative symbol, !i!i!i!i for example). You can use these sorts of little symbols to grab attention (:-:-:-:-:) in your title. Just look for different things that aren't commonly used.
    Don't make outlandish claims, be honest in your title description. Your viewers will be disappointed when they get ot your listing if it's not what it was purported to be.
    Use the entire space allocated in the title field. In other words, a short title doesn't really cut it. If you have space remaining, fill it with an emotional attention grabber e.g. item blah, blah - Needs a Good home!or item blah, blah - Hours of Fun or item blah, blah - This Season's Latest.
    If your item is new, always put NEW in the item title. The word new is eBay's most commonly searched for word. Make use of what people are searching for. Good keywords are really important.
    Try and start your item in the pence rather than pounds price range. I find that 80% of the time, items starting at just a few pence get a higher price than items starting with a pound value, even a low pound value. They also cost less to list. I know you will say you could lose money and it's true you could, but most times I don't and I don't think you will either!

Make the Best Impression!

In short, your Item Title is the first impression you will make on a potential buyer. To get a buyer, you absolutely must make an impression, hopefully a good one. Most items have other sellers selling the same thing, so you simply have to stand out in the crowd to get past first base. Generally speaking, the better the initial impression, the more potential buyers and the higher the price.


I hope this guide has been helpful to you. If it has, then please vote YES for it. You can also read my Other Guidesor you can visit My Store


Until next time, Regards, Rose

Printer Cartridge Trouble Shooting And General Guide

Epson Black/Colour Printer Cartridge Trouble Shooting And General QuestionsPlease read before using printer cartridges


Q1. Why are the boxes different brands/colour?


A1. Our main supplier imports cartridges in 4 different branded boxes. We try to ensure that matched boxes are purchased and supplied but sometimes this proves impossible. The actual cartridges inside are all are of equal quality.


Q2. Cartridge Not Recognised


A2. Remove and firmly re-insert the cartridge. It is likely the chip did not make correct contact when inserted.


Q3. I get a message saying these are not Epson Original cartridges?


A3. Press OK and carry on as normal.


Q4. After inserting the cartridges I only get half a page printed?


A4. The problem revolves around Epson and Epson compatible cartridges. You put the cartridge in the printer, it prints half a page then stops printing just like it has run out of ink.An air bubble trapped at the print head causes this common problem. Though this can be got rid of by running the cleaning cycle over and over, prevention is better than the cure.When you are ready to replace your cartridge, take the new cartridge from its box, remove the foil sleeve then tear off the tab on the top. Now before you install the cartridge in the printer stand it on your desk the right way up. i.e. the way it sits in the printer with the round outlet hole down most. {This is still sealed until the printer punctures it so it won't leak} Leave it like that for ten minutes to let all the ink settle to the bottom of the sponge like material inside and all the air bubbles will come to the top. Install the cartridge and run one cleaning cycle. Your cartridge will then perform perfectly


Q5. After inserting the cartridge I get blank pages or just black or colour printing.


A5. Ensure that you removed the pull off tape at the top of the cartridge. Having once spent 2 hours wondering why my Epson wouldnt print I realised Id not removed it! So it can be done! Also ensure that the cartridge is fully inserted and has been punctured at the bottom to release the ink.


Q6. The cartridge looks different or the number on the box is not the same.


A6. Epson have recently embarked on a number consolidation program where a large number of cartridges have been consolidated and renamed to T050-53. Also a number of new printers are shipped with low capacity cartridges that have a different number to the high capacity cartridges that we supply. Mouldings between manufacturers do vary but the main features that are required to ensure the cartridge fits correctly will be the same.


Further suggestions that might be appropriate if facing a problem when printing include.1.Run the head cleaning cycle a few times and use the test print to see which colour has a problem2.Use the head alignment utility3.Ensure the correct cartridge is in the correct slot. In multi-cartridge printers (ie 4 and 6 colours) it is sometimes just possible to get the wrong colour in the wrong slot. We have had cartridges returned not working and have been able to see that for example the magenta has been inserted in the cyan as cyan ink could be seen where the puncture hole is on the cartridge


WWE WRESTLEMANIA 20

Madison Square Garden, New York City Wrestlemania returns to where it all began 20 years ago. Seven championships are on the line, featuring the late Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship,

Successfully selling clothes


Tips for successfully selling clothes


Make sure that you have adequate lighting as dimmly lit areas stop the buyer from seeing the items detail.


Make sure that you photograph your item on a plain background for maximum effect.


Clear away any clutter as if other items are in the photo it may look as if you are selling more than one thing.


Always make sure that your item is ironed and presented in the best possible way.


Take a few photos at different angles

DVLA V317 reg plate transfer form FREE download

We now have the 'new style' V317 application form available for you to download free of charge from our company website, rather than having to ring the DVLA and wait several days for it to arrive in the post.The new style all in one V317 combined transfer/retention application form, replaces the old version of the V317 application form and also the old version of the V778/1 application form.You can now apply to transfer a personalised registration mark from one vehicle to another OR apply to retain your current personalised registration mark using just the one form.The new V317 form replaces the need to have two seperate forms which were originally used for transferring or retaining a cherished vehicle number.To download the form FREE of charge simply visit our main website which is ftreg.com and click on the right hand side menu where it says 'DVLA TRANSFER FORM - V317' or see the following direct link:

ftreg.com/blog/dvla-v317-private-number-plate-transfer-retention-application-form/

BOB MARTIN CAT SPOT ON KILLS THE CATS BEFORE THE FLEAS

Dear fellow Ebay community and cat lovers,

Please do not trust this product.

Before anyone checks the reviews, the product may have been bought, used and their beloved cat could be dead...

My kitten's mother has just been killed by it, as well as my neighbour's kitten - two cases within a month in this part of Norfolk that I have heard of through contacts.

In both cases, the cheap product from Bob Martin's range was chosen because Frontline is so expensive, yet within hours of applying the spot on liquid - in the recommended way - their cats were suffering fits and within 12 hours both were dead. All because their owners were trying to do the right thing and protect their felines from ticks and fleas.

This product is lethal and should not be sold without control as at present, in pet shops and supermarkets etc.

These were healthy cats/kittens beloved by their humans who not only have to grieve their loss but have to pay huge vet bills and then bury the cats that were scampering around their feet and purring just a few hours earlier...

Beware! Beware! Beware!

Vote 'Yes' for this Guide so we might ban this Bob Martin cat flea treatment product which kills healthy cats or demand such research the eliminates the dangerous ingredient(s).

Make the BEST PROFIT on eBay - Stop Wasting Money!

Everyone thinks that the way to make money on ebay is just "Sell at a high price".

They go and buy some stuff and then write a wonderful auction, take some brilliant pictures and wonder why they aren't making as much money as they thought! The secret to making money on eBay is to keep your expenses low (Don't opt for high vis auctions at premium prices) and to buy your stock to a given projected markup! The key to makingprofits on eBay is getting your "Buy Price" right at the start. That is where you make your money. WHEN YOU BUY YOUR STOCK!


When you sell on ebay you have to take into consideration your initial buy price, the Final Value Fee (Ebay's scrape off - FVF), and the Paypal fee (if you take Paypal payments, which applies to the WHOLE AMOUNT including POSTAGE FEE). Also any error on postage price asked also comes out of your profit - So get that right!


ALL products have a BUY PRICE ratio... This is the difference between the price you 'buy-in' and the 'selling price'. It is very important to allow for the fees and charges when planning your sell price - This dictates your buy price.


Here are my buying rules:

If you sell anything for less than 5 you need to make 250% profit or more to make it worthwhile. (can be done / must be done!)


The 1/4 rule on items selling from 10to 25If it is a single item that will sell for at least 10, I will not pay more than 2.50 for it.


Buy Price 2.50 - 7 Sell Price 10 - 25The 1/3 rule on items selling from 25to 50If the item is selling on eBay for between 25 - 50 I will try to pay 1/3 of the price.


Buy Price 8 - 17 Sell Price 25 - 50The 1/2 rule on items selling from 50to 125On items that sell in this price range I normally try to pay 1/2 price for them.


Buy Price 25 - 63 Sell Price 50 - 125


Above 125 if you can get35 to 40% mark up you're still on the money


One thing to think about is this:

Here is an example of the way things work out because of the different rates for different prices...


Rough working...20 items bought at 1.20 and sold at 2.50 (total=50)results in only approx 6.80 profit BUT 1 item bought at 25, and sold at 50 (total=50) gets you approx 17.50 profit!


Basically - The higher the price of the things you sell the lower the ebay scrape off the profit. BUT The lower you buy in the less this has an impact! BUY in accordance with my guide and you'll make bigger and better per sell profits :o)


Addendum- If you think it can't be done let me say that currently (August) I am buying in my winter stock at car-boot-sales. I am paying between 0.40p and 1 for clothing items that will sell for 6 - 12 believe it or not! And my very first item I bought specifically to 'sell-on' brought me around 500% profit! Look after your expenses and your profits will look after themselves!


===============================================================================================


A final point - IF, in the column to the right of this guide, there is an auction for the 'Ebay Selling Tool - Profit Modeller', DON'T BUY IT!


It's useless - It fails to take into account the FVF and the PayPal charge. As such it is a 'Basic Profit Modeller', what's the point of that? Basic profit is so far off the actual profit it is virtually useless as a guide!


If anyone is offering "Ebay Selling Secrets" or "Selling Tips"- Don't pay for it - Just use these guides! There is a wealth of FREE information out there for free on ebay guides - Don't pay someone to tell you something you can get for FREE!


Thanks for your time, I hope I've been helpful!


SuperCooper

Buying Stamps on eBay - I.B RedGuy Speaks...

Here are my TOP TEN TIPS


Over the past year I've bought substantial amounts of stamps from various sources but an awful lot via eBay.


As a result I can offer the followingtop tips...


1) Avoid buyingifthere's a fuzzy picture, if it's doesn't look right, it probably won't be right - you've got to see exactly what you're getting.


2) If buying collections, you can be 100% certain that someone has been throughit with a catalogue and a magnifying glass regardless of what the listing might say.


3) If the stamp collection is local (or even if it's not)ask if you can see it before bidding, most people will say yes and you won't get a nasty surprise.


4) Check to see if the seller offers a money back guarantee if their description is wrong, most good dealers/sellers will offer this.


5) Condition is everything with stamps, it really isn't worth buying space fillers unless you've just started-out or are on reduced budget, always buy the best you can afford.


6) Be aware that the imperforate stamps and official overprints get forged - a lot. Best to buy from a seller with a high rating - they should know what they're selling.


7) If you're spending serious money on a stamp, ask the seller to email you detailed scans of the front and back - it always pays.


8) Why pay more for unmounted mint? How often are you going to look at the back?Mounted mint is just as goodin myopinion for a standard collection.


9) A substantial number of buyers use proxy bidding systems, you ought to have one too - it stops sellers using third parties to bid-up the prices (I've seen this happen a lot).


10) No matter how rare the stamp is being sold, just wait a few days and there will be another one along!


11) Collecting postmarks doesn't make you a bad person (although it's best not to mention it at dinner parties)

The Basics of Aquarium Filtration

THE BASICS OF AQUARIUM FILTRATION

Dr Mike Statham

A lot of fish keepers are confused by the workings of the filters they use, which can lead to poor decisions when it comes to choosing a filter and maintaining it properly. This often leads to the death of fish through "poor water quality", which leads to frustration, a mistaken belief that fish keeping is "hard" and the departure of yet another would be fish keeper from a fascinating hobby. Sadly, all of this is easily avoided if some effort is made to understand why we use filters and how they work, this is the ONE secret of successfully keeping fish and really isn't that complex or difficult at all.

Why do we need filters?

Good question. In ponds, lakes, streams and rivers fish live very well without any need for filters. But, the key point here is the volume of water the fish are living in. Most of us can't afford to have pond sized aquariums in our house to keep a few small fish, we might be willing to do this in the garden, but not indoors. So our fish are always going to be more crowded than nature intended. This presents a problem.

Lets take an analogy, say cows. If you have 20 cows living in a field they are going to produce a certain amount of cowpats, but the field is a big space and the cowpats they produce are going to be pretty spread out. If they leave a pile of dung in one part of the field they can then move on to another part of the field and so on, until by the time they get back to the part with the dung, bacteria have done their work and it's all been broken down into harmless soil. Now put those 20 cows in a cowshed and things very quickly get messy, without the farmer to shovel the muck out and hose it down every couple of days the cows would soon by very ill. Very few animals really like living in their own excrement, it's full of harmful bacteria and could make us ill - would you want to live in your own poo?! Fish are no different.

Okay so that explains the "solids", but one of the big problems with fish in captivity is that the biggest quantity of waste they produce is invisible. There is one chemical in particular that all fish produce and have to dispose of, ammonia. Fish excrete ammonia via their gills, we (mammals) don't produce ammonia, but we produce the very similar urea instead, we store it up and get rid of it as urine. Fish are slightly different and usually expel ammonia from their gills along with the carbon dioxide produced by breathing. Concentrated ammonia is nasty stuff (think of bleach), it's not something fish want to swim around in and if the concentration gets to great it'll quickly kill them. In nature this isn't a problem as the fish are in such a big volume of water the ammonia is highly diluted and the bacteria break it down to less toxic chemicals (nitrites and then nitrates) before it ever gets concentrated enough to be a problem. But, in a fish tank it is a big problem, especially as it can build up fast, and the more overcrowded and stressed the fish the faster it builds up!

So, having defined that the problem with keeping fish in aquariums is that they are overcrowded and therefore the natural systems are inadequate to deal with the waste they produce, we now see that some form of filtration is going to be necessary to tackle this waste. A filter in a fishtank is simply a sewage works. We (humans) also live in much more crowded conditions than nature intended for us, most of us live crammed together in towns and cities, so we also need a helping hand to get rid of our waste - for which purpose we invented sewage treatment. In fact human sewage treatment and the filters we use in fishtanks use many of the same principles.

How do filters work?

There are basically only three different forms of filtration used in aquariums (and ponds for that matter):

Mechanical Filtration: This is the simplest form of filtration, it consists of some form of trap, such as a sponge or layer of cotton wool, in which solid particles get stuck allowing them to be removed. Mechanical filters need to be cleaned and/or replaced very frequently (daily/weekly/monthly), they are good at removing solids, but do nothing for dissolved wastes and quickly get clogged up with the dirt they collect. Mechanical filters are nearly always a fine sponge or "filter wool". They are usually coloured white (until dirty!). Mechanical filters are often used in conjungtion with Chemical and/or Biological filtration, as a first layer, to protect the Chemical and Biological media from getting clogged with dirt.

Chemical Filtration: This form of filtration relies on a chemical reaction to bind the waste to it. The most commonly encountered one in aquariums are Carbon based (charcoal, activated carbon etc...). So they are often coloured black, although different chemicals may be used so they may be a white powder, green sponge etc... Many people keep some activated carbon for use as a Chemical filter media, it is available as chunks of raw material and as extruded pellets. Chemical filters can only usually be used once and then must be disposed of, if they aren't then all the waste attached to them will be leached back into the water - making the entire process pointless. Some (resins) can be recharged by washing them in saline solution, but they still usually have a limited lifespan. Chemical filters are very effective, work instantly and will tackle dissolved wastes, but need constant replacement (weekly/monthly) so can be expensive/time consuming to use. These days it is rare for them to be used as the main filter.

Biological Filtration: This form of filtration relies on the natural processes by which various bacteria break down waste into less toxic forms. It is generally the best form of filtration, as it is cheap, highly efficient and self perpetuating. It can break down solid and dissolved wastes, but is usually used along with mechanical filtration to trap solid particles to speed up the process.

Although the best filtration overall, biological filtration has two big weaknesses. The first is that populations of filter bacteria take time to get established and build up to useful levels - the so called "maturing", or "cycling" of a new tank is merely this time and commonly lasts 2-3 weeks, or more. Some readily available filter "boosting" products can help speed this process.

The second is that the bacteria are quite sensitive and easily killed off. They will start to die off if they don't get enough oxygen (being "aerobic" bacteria they breathe in oxygen and produce carbon dioxide), this can result from a prolonged powercut, or switiching the power to the filter off (people often switch "noisy" filters off overnight without knowing what harm they are doing). Very commonly people wash out the biological filter media in tapwater, we add chlorine to tapwater precisely to kill off bacteria (cholera!), so you must NEVER wash a biological filter media in tapwater, always rinse it out in dirty tankwater instead. Finally, and often unavoidably, many treatments added to the tank to treat sick fish will harm the filter bacteria (especially anti-bacterials!). In all these cases it is useful to have some chemical filter media to hand for such emergencies until the biological media can be "matured" again.

Juwel, who colour code their filter pads, colour their biological pads blue, but they can be any colour. Two popular forms of media are a semi-rigid sponge, and some form of microporous ceramic (cat litter, ceramic rings), in big filters brushes and/or plastic balls ("bio balls") may be used instead. The only important criteria is that whatever media the bacteria live on should have a big surface area which comes into contact with flowing water. The best (and most expensive) biological filter media are those that have the maximum possible surface area allowing more bacterial filtration to occur in a smaller volume of filter media, these are typically sintered ceramics such as SERA Siporax.

Water changes

A water change is simply taking a percentage of the water in a tank out and replacing it with the same quantity of "clean" water. It can be viewed as a very basic form of filtration, and actually is a very good subsidy to having a good working filter if you want to keep your fish and plants healthy. Before filters were developed for use in fishtanks people used to rely on water changes to keep their pet fish alive - incredibly some people still keep Goldfish this way - this is NOT recommended!

In the modern (filtered) aquarium, water changes still have a role, they give some big advantages (dilution of waste, introduction of new minerals, refreshment of the fish), and few disadvantages (effort, controllable mess), so a small weekly water change is very highly recommended even for tanks with excellent filtration.

A good aim for water changes is to change 10-25% of the water every week, it won't matter if you miss one, or two changes, but aim for once a week. You can do it at the same time as cleaning the filter out and it needn't take more than a few minutes. It's especially important in small tanks (less than 100 litres) and for those 25% is a good quantity to change, in larger tanks smaller or less frequent changes are more practical and adequate. There is a simple rule that the larger the tank the less maintainence and cleaning is required.

The simplest method to change the water in a tank is to syphon out a bucket of dirty water, then pour another bucket of clean water back in. Syphoning is simple and doesn't require more than a length of tubing and a bucket, but there is a technique to it which make may take some mastering. For those who prefer them there are all kinds of kits and gravel cleaners that make the task easier. When replacing the water please ensure the clean water going in is dechlorinated and warmed to room temperature (in the winter tapwater can be very cold) before use, this is less important in larger tanks than it is in smaller ones as the new water dilutes faster in a bigger volume and will have less of an impact. Dechlorinators can be bought or the water can be stood in a bucket for 24 hours to degas (and warm up) naturally. If you have chloramine in your tapwater a chemical dechlorinator that can deal with it is essential, chloramine degasses from water much more slowly than chlorine (which is why it is used in some places). If you are using water which has been chemically treated or dimineralised, then obviously any water used in changes will need the same pretreatment.

What is the best type of filter?

This is impossible to answer, there are now literally hundreds of different aquarium filters on the market, and many serious aquarists assemble their own, most have advantages and disadvantages according to your needs (and wallet, but be warned cheap initially does not necessarily mean cheap in the long run). Some of the more popular are:

Internal Power Filter: These days most people come across these first. A little box that sits in the corner of the tank and sucks water through sponges by means of an impellor ("powerhead"). They are relatively cheap to buy, but require regular media cleans/changes to keep them working efficiently. Okay for planted tanks (without any additional aerating fittings: spray bar, venturi!). Can be annoying for use with big fish, crowded tanks, fry, as they need regular cleaning out and some (poor designs) can also suck up and mangle small fish. A good design is perhaps the best filter for most small to medium sized tanks. One design of these I strongly recommend is the brilliant Eheim Aquaball range.

External Power Filter: Very popular with bigger tanks and/or bigger fish. Initially expensive, and can be a little fiddly to setup, but in the long term relatively easy and low cost to maintain. Low turnover ones are ideal for planted tanks, high turnover ones with spraybars are not, as they aerate the water too much. Recommend Eheim ECCO range for excellent cheap option. Sponges they come with are best replaced with good sintered filter media (SERA Suporax) in the long term, especially if bioload is going to be heavy. Very rarely malfunction, but it is essential to make sure the lid is clipped on properly before use. You will also require space under the tank (or nearby) to house the filter and gain access for cleaning/maintainence. Not safe for use with tiny fish/fry - which can sometimes be rescued from the filter bucket.

Trickle Filtration: A variant on the theme of an external filter, the water is pumped to the top of a filter on top of the tank, through which it trickles, to finally fall back into the tank from the bottom of the filter. The very rarely seen (in this country) "hang on filter" is a variant on the same theme which hangs on to the outside of the tank.

Sump Filtration: Another variant on the theme of an external filter really. Often home made, but requiring some skill in plumbing and knowledge of filtration, so not recommended for beginners! Water is taken from the main tank to a secondary tank, where it is filtered using media (or sometimes bacteria filled mud and/or algae/plants - a so called "living refugium"), it is then pumped back to the main tank. Devising and building such a filter requires research and patience.

Internal Air Driven Sponge Filter: Have to admit these are a personal favourite (also of many other longterm aquarists). Bit of an unsung hero as they don't make much money for the manufacturers. You MUST have a separate air pump and airline. Very simple, consists of a "sponge on a stick". Air from the pump creates bubbles which rise up the tube (stick), sucking water through the sponge, which is both mechanical and biological media. Cleaning is just a regular squeeze in dirty tank water - sponges last years. Good for planted tanks, good for fry tanks, not good for big fish, and certainly not for crowded tanks. Recommend SERA range of these for value for money.

Box Filter: These haven't been popular for a long, long time now, but were the first real filters available (they have a prehistoric vintage), some people still use them - especially serious aquarists who often make their own for use in hospital and/or emergency tanks. The box filter consists of a plastic box (as the name would suggest), often divided into two parts, with slots or holes in the sides and a plastic pipe in the middle or a hole in top. Air from a separate air pump is sent down a tube to the bottom of the box where it bubbles out of an airstone, rising through the pipe/hole in the top of the filter through the filter media. As the bubbles rise they suck water with them, moving water through the filter. The usual filling for a box filter is a layer of filter wool (mechanical filter) and a layer of carbon (chemical filter). They have the advantages of being cheap, easy to assemble, biologically inert (water treatments won't stop them working) and instantly active (no maturation time). The disadvantages are the usual ones for chemical and mechanical filters (lots of maintainence, replacement of media). Thus they are best suited to emergencies, but then extremely useful. They are also good for transporting fish (with a battery air pump) and great for fish collecting expeditions - be it to Borneo, or Birmingham!

Undergravel Filter: Also out of favour these days, 20 years ago everyone used them. Consists of a big plastic plate that sits on the bottom of the tank under the gravel (hence name). Clear plastic "uplift" tubes in the corners have airlines from a separate pump generating bubbles, these bubbles suck the water down through the gravel and the plate. Some people replace the air pump with a "powerhead" (impellor) on top of the uplift tubes, this makes it all work faster. MUST be used with pea gravel to work, the gravel bed becoming the biological filter media, cleaning out performed by cleaning the gravel periodically. Rooted plants hate the water movement through their roots (okay with plants in pots/on bogwood/floating). Safe for use with fish fry, okay for crowded tanks. Cheap and easy to maintain, but limits choice of substrate/plants. Not as popular as they ought to be, perhaps because shops don't use them any more, having been replaced by:

Centralised Filtration System (CFS): A number of tanks are connected via pipework to a single big "sump", from which the water is pumped back to the connected tanks, i.e. an "external filter" for several tanks. These are popular with shops these days and with people with fish houses, there is quite a lot involved in setting them up properly - not a basic task. On the plus side they are VERY easy to maintain and make water changes easy, they are also relatively cheap to run. On the down side as they are all connected they can increase the spread of infectious parasites/diseases, something which many shops haven't handled very well, relying too much on the use of inline UV supressants and seeing them as an alternative to properly trained staff (in my personal opinion). They can also malfunction if not assembled/designed well and such "minor" problems can take a lot of work to fix once up and running. A very good understanding of the basics of filtration (and plumbing!) is essential before attempting to assemble one of these. In my opinion best reserved for highly experienced fish keepers/breeders with lots of tanks where they can be a very practical labour and cost saver and the risk of disease is properly handled by strict quarantine procedures.

Poor Service from Ebay and Paypal

It's about time someone did something like this so, here goes. If you've been using eBay for any length of time and have completed a significant number of transactions you will, no doubt, have had to contact Customer Support at some point.


My experiences over the years have not been good. I know I am not alone. You only need to read through the discussion boards to realise that many, many people have had and are having major issues with eBay and Paypal.


I have just read about one person who claims to have purchased an item for a very large sum of money which never turned up. The seller was selling a number of expensive items and subsequently had their account closed, no doubt for fraudulent dealings. No problem for the buyer you would think as they paid by Paypal and are fully protected. Wrong. Paypal only offered to refund nine or ten pounds. This may be a mistake on Paypal's part and the case is still ongoing but I am sure it is very stressful for the person involved.


Most timesI contact Customer Support by email I get standard responses that never address the issue raised and are merely copied and pasted from a large database no doubt. I try replying, asking them to answer the question and they then send the same rubbish again, this time from a different agent.


Their phone service is no better and generally seems to be run by amateurs. Their feedback system is a complete joke and now they've removed the totals column in your account activity so it's a lot harder to check their figures. Why would they do this? Check the discussion boards to find people who have found discrepancies in their account activity. Why eBay keeps changing the view of its site and auctions, I'll never know. It was better before.


Now you HAVE to accept Paypal as a form of payment. This is a joke when you are selling something for 99p. The whole exercise becomes virtually pointless.


The list of faults and complaints is endless. You just need to spend some time looking through the discussion boards and consider your own experiences.


People do stop using eBay but the effect is unnoticeable.If a couple of million of us stopped using eBay they would be forced to change and soon. Maybe we should set a date, like three years from today, when everyone walks away and stops using eBay and Paypal until users' views are acted upon and better service is provided.


There have been one or two other auction sites (QXL was one) over the years but eBay has become too successful and powerful.


If everybody who felt strongly enough left a vote it may make eBay listen and do something sooner rather than later.

FACTORY SEALED SEGA GENESIS/MEGADRIVE GAMES

WARNING - DO NOT PAY MORE THAN 20 FOR A FACTORY SEALED SEGA GENESIS/MEGA DRIVE GAME UNLESS IT IS A RARE TITLE! COMMONFETCH BETWEEN 10-20. RARE TITLES MAY FETCH BETWEEN 20-30....SO BEWARE!


I HAVE SEEN MANY BUYERS PAYING MUCH MORE THAN THEY NEED TOO, AS MOST OF THESE CAN BE FOUND CHEAPLY IN AMERICA - try eBay.com. Here is one of the cheapest sellers of sealed Genesis games there is or was (he might be almost sold-out as I have not looked for a while now), dov, and he is based in Canada. His shipping seems expensive at $25 for the 1st game, but he only charges $5 for extra games, and the total shipping price is negotiable. So buy 8 games from him and pay at most $7.50 per game, which is about the price of shipping one game from the US or Canada. Also, many of his sealed Genesis games will sell for $0.99 or not much higher! But if you average out your costs per game, then you'll not pay more than the 15 I suggest here, and you may get them for 5, or maybe you pay 20.....which has got to be better than paying some of the prices I have seen from other sellers on eBay - with some sellers asking 99.99 for many 5 games! An example would be I have seen Ecco Jr listed for 40 , when I know dov has 500 in stock and usually sells them for between $0.99c and $7, with the odd one fetching more like $20.


SO A WARNING TO ALL THOSE BUYERS OUT THERE, FIND OUT THE TRUE VALUE OF A GAME BEFORE YOU BUY. DO NOT IMPULSE BUY. PLEASE ASK ME FOR ROUGH ESTIMATION, AS I KNOW MY SEGA GENESIS GAME PRICES BETTER THAN MOST. I DO STOCK A FEW, BUT ONLY RARE TITLES, AND I ALWAYS ASK A FAIR PRICE FOR WHAT I SELL. AND IN9 YEARS I HAVE NEVER CHARGED CLOSE TO 100 FOR A SEALED GENESIS GAME, AS IT WOULD HAVE TO BE SUPER RARE TO FETCH THAT SORT OF MONEY.


I HAVE SOLD FACTORY SEALED GENESIS GAMES STREETS OF RAGE 3 FOR LESS THAN 80, 3 NINJA'S KICK BACK FOR LESS THAN 50....AND THESE TRULY ARE SUPER RARE TITLES TO FIND SEALED! OTHERS SEALED GENESIS GAMES I HAVE SOLD INCLUDE ; YS 3 (20-30), Phantasy Star 3 (20), Ecco Jr (20), Phantasy Star IV (30-40), Caliber.50 (20-30), Shining Force II (30-40), Landstalker (10-20), Onslaught (15-30), Street Smart (5-15), Wolfchild (8-15), California Games (5-20), James Pond 3 (5-20), Ranger X (15-20),Shaq-Fu with CD (1-5), Mortal Kombat (2-10), Mortal Kombat II (5-20), Fighting Masters (1-10), McDonalds Treasure Land Adventure (10-20), with many more than that! And just keep in mind that these are sold prices, not paid prices. So as a general rule I would say don't pay more than a total including shipping of 15 for a game unless it is rare, as most of those I have listed hereare easily buyable for less than 15. And don't forget to ask me for a rough guide price to the marketvalue for such games, as it won't cost you a thing....all my advice is impartial and free, and you might get 1 or 2 more quotes from other sellers if your unsure. I am only giving you this advice becauseI hate to see good eBayers being had, especiallyby paying such ridiculously high prices, and those sellersprofiteering from suchhuge profit margins.

PAYPAL SCAMMER PETER SMALLWOOD, deltics,d9020nimbus

information regarding con man mr peter smallwood ,paypal scammer, i have a very large list of ebayers who have been conned by this conman !! if you have been conned by him let me know deltics,detic.city,beta_cam.revingdes,turbo.1752,70046anzac,copenhagen_tunnel,d9020nimbus and many more when mr smallwood sells on ebay he list the iterms as pickup only why ? because he does not want the ebayers who he ripped off though paypal to do the same to him just beware of mr peter g smallwood from gloucestershire he aso has accounts registered in west midlands and cornwall,staffordshire etc he is a paypal con man




peter smallwood "the fraudster" deltics, deltic.city

this is regarding a very unpleasent ebayer known asPETER SMALLWOODhere are his ebay user ids HIS LATEST ID IS video_recorder hes a crook he states its is i am selling them forthere father !! a total lier who doesn't have a paypal account d9020nimbus,deltic.city,70046anzac,beta_cam,turbo.1752,revingdes,deltics,copenhagen_tunnel his name is peter smallwood he registers in cornwall and gloucestershire, be warned never deal with him as hes get your goods and says he not happy then you send him a refund ,and he keep the goods, i now at least 6 ebayers he has ripped off and leaves negitive feedback for them, plus he lies about anyone he deals with and most of his user ids are suspended !!! PETER SMALLWOOD is a lier and a cheat he even slanders a very known model shop because he couldn't afford to the postage so expects the modelshop to do !! which he slanders on his owen web site ! which a child could do better ! lol ! just check the feedback he's leaves for them ,i no there are 2 people persuing him in court as they say what go's around comes a round ,well his time is up ,he will slander anyone who make's there opinionknown about him !! all he ever says him you are acon man con man to everyone ! welltalk about pot calling the kettle black !! he's the fraudster remember his user id's listed above and the name PETER SMALLWOOD because you never know you will be sorry you ever deal with him as i have plus many more !!! he's local village idiot in his home town !!! or and egg short of cooked breakfastif you catch my drift he buys 8mm cine film,bachmann trains,cat a wrote off cars etc ,steptoe eat ya heart out mate !!!!!!!!!!!check his feedback out what does that tell you about him, plus he put a photograph's of aman and his wifeand therevery youngdaughter on the internet slandering them which is wrong !! maybe he has something wrong with him make you own mind up i think hes a very sick lonely old man with metal issues remember the name PETER G SMALLWOOD i only sold him some cheap cine film and not worth the hassle! i have many emails about him from very unhappy ebayers about his copy train dvds which they have boughtoff him just check his feedback out on his deltic id as he sells as copys as originals which heused to sellon his suspended account deltics ebay user id ,if you have had any problems with him give me an email and let me know as i have passed all the info onto trading standards about this bad ebayer he is the worst ebayer i have ever come across and he has now started to sell them fakes on copenhagen_tunnel he users his steven baker name and thats why he states on his sad listings that his uncle will send the paypal invoice now his other user id was deltics which i have had many emails from ebayers stating he does copy traindvd's just look at the the feedback hes leaves and hes sell nothing but crap !! and copy dvds trading standards will be paying him a visit ! he is the con man what go's a round comes a round as they say if you buy off him you are asking for trouble be warned
PLEASE CONTACT TIMOTHY BRAIN CHEIF CONSTABLE OF GLOUCESTSHIRE POLICERING HIM ON 0845 090 1234 orEMAIL HIMON callcentre@gloucestershire.police.uk

I HAVE HAD AN EMAIL OFF AN EBAYER WHO IS NOT HAPPY WITH PETER SMALLWOOD HE SOLD HIM 415.00 WORTH OF TRAINS HE WASNT HAPPY WITH THEM AND HE SENT HIM A REFUND STILL TO DATE PETER SMALLWOOD HAS NOT SENT THE ITEMS BACK HE KEPT THE MONEY AND THE GOODS SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT THIS CONMAN HELP ME GET THIS EBAYER REMOVED FROM EBAY


Also IF YOU HAVE HAD COPY DVDS OFF PETER SMALLWOOD USING ANY OF HIS IDS PLEASE CONTACT TRADING STANDARDS


Trading Standards Service Hillfield House Denmark Rd Gloucestshire GL1 3LD OR Ring 01452 426201 or email tradstds@goucestershire.gov.uk

I have a list of ebayer who have emailed me he really is a conman a guy in scotland is being harrased by him what a nasty man he is i am now passing all the imformation onto ebay and the police he knows what hes doing he intentially buys items of ebayers threatens to leave negative so you send him a refund and he goods and the money and caused a big stink and us the sellers loose out email me if you have any imformation


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! mr peter smallwood has now been deleted from ebay for good !!! check all his accounts out and you will see they are all suspended ! so in the end he was the lier ,i have had an email from a very upset ebay about peter smallwood today mr smallwood bought some batterys offan ebayerand kept the money and the goods i have all the proof of the ebayers he has ripped off shame on him HE ARE THE LIST OF EBAYERS HE HAS RIPPED off

gatleymagic,ripped off for 100 brengor45,scorpion-20,ripped off for 100 turok777,hdgf2127,pauljfricker,the_one_stop_hornby-dublo_spares_shop ripped ,of for420,a1tradeservices,pj476blue,motion1982,pinzamark,billsingh99,supertramp1506,cameraperson,spikefromneedles and the list gos on he is the real con man watch out for him as he is a PAYPAL SCAMMER hes buys off ebayers and claims he never gets the goods and there not as decribed and gets a refund off paypal !! thats why he opens new accounts weekley so he can con people then 6 months on sells the stolen goods he conned from you then tries to blame other ebayers as being con men its amazing he always the victim in all this !! peter smallwood WHAT YOU GONNER DO WHEN THEY COME FOR YOU BAD BOYS BAD BOYS !!!!! ALSO CHECK OUT WHAT PETER SMALLWOOD STATES WHO ARE EBAY CON MEN NONE OFTHE USERIDS ARE REAL BAR FOR 2 OF THEM HIS WALL WILL COME CRUMBLING DOWN ON HIM SOON


LIST


brengor45 ripped off on turbo.172


scorpion-20 ripped off on deltics


turok777 ripped off on d9020nimbus


hdgf2127 ripped off on revingdes


pauljfricker ripped off on d9020nimbus


the_one_stop_hornby-dublo_spares_shop ripped off on his copenhagen_tunnel and turbo.1752


a1tradeservices ripped off on deltics


pj476blue ripped off on deltics


motion1982 ripped off on deltics


pinzamark ripped off on deltics


billsingh99 ripped off on deltics


supertramp1506 ripped off on deltics


cameraperson ripped off on deltics


spikefromneedles ripped off on deltics


madzcats ripped off on deltics


agatha2002 ripped off on deltics


olly0611 ripped off on deltics


harrycr ripped off on deltics


elephant12rat ripped off on deltics


corky123 ripped off on deltics


michelle158gym ripped off on deltics


jellypole ripped off on deltics


dovinson ripped off on deltics


vin7916 ripped off on deltics


brenton69 ripped off on deltics


littleg15uk ripped off on deltics


cymap ripped off on deltics


blueurzon ripped off on deltics


elewolfe ripped off on deltics


sylscrap ripped off on deltics


toy444 ripped off on deltics


ebe2000 ripped off on deltics


kmpt ripped off on deltics


eameshansen ripped off on deltics


sideshowmike_1969 ripped off on deltics


epither ripped off on deltics


berts_bargain_shop ripped off on deltics


krbocs ripped off on deltics


PETER SMALLWOOD HAS DECIDED TO COPY ALL THE EBAYERS HE HAS RIPPED OFF FROM THIS SITE AND PUT THEM ON HIS SITE !!! THE MAN IS A PROPER NUT CASE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


NOW YOU CAN SEE WHO IS THE CONMAN !! PETER SMALLWOOD IS A LIER,CHEAT,PAYPAL SCAMMER AND FRAUDSTER THATS WHY EBAY HAVE SUSPENDED ALL HIS EBAY USER IDS SO NOW MR PETER SMALLWOOD JUST CONTINUES TO MAKE UP LIES ABOUT PEOPLE WHO GET IN HIS WAY HE WILL EMAIL YOU OFF HISdeltic.city ID SO BE AWARE ITS PETER SMALLWOOD THE ONE THAT RIPPED YOU OFF HERE IS ANOTHER ID COME TO LIGHT deltic!

Scams

Beware the products from China that are very cheap,it is almost shure to be a scam as they only accept Western Union and you will have no come back

Fake or counterfeit slendertone system abs

I have just been stung by a seller on ebay selling what they described as a genuine slendertone systems abs and if it was not for the fact that my wife has the real thing which i bought for her from slendertone last year for her xmas i would not have had a clue as it looked and felt ALMOST like the real thing.



The thing i noticed straight away was that the controller would not work on my wifes belt

Mi Wheels AVOID!...Illegal Copy of The Bugaboo

I have seen a fair few of this brand popping up on eBay and being compared to being like the Bugaboo. (but cheaper yayyyy)Yes they look the same, and seemingly do the same as the Bugaboo but for a half of the price. If it looks like a duck, walks and quacks like a duck IT IS A DUCK!As with most big name brand the illegal factorys in China have gone into overdrive to tap into the Bugaboo market. If you check out he likes of Alibaba.com you can see to what length some items get copied and sold illegally. Mi wheels is trying to come across as legite as they haven't gone as far as stealing the Bugaboo name.I have collaborated alongside some high up personnel in the baby trade about this previously unheard of product as if it is what it seems like is being sold then seemingly Bugaboo have some competition....will it seems Bugaboo are quite safe and Bugaboo are on fact clamping down on the Mi wheels product as it infringes on their patent design. As well as trading standards have been informed.The worrying thing is the Car seat being sold as part of the package. The car seat has passed NO safety testing what so ever. The certificate it says it has is in fact a made up cert number when it has been checked and some of the cert numbers and certficates can be bought from the manufacturers in China so not worth the paper they are printed on! so basically if you value your babys safety you will NOT use the car seat. When the importer for Mi Wheels was pressed on this he admitted as much and said that even though it was described as a car seat it was to be used with the chassis only?!?! ermmm 1 why sell it as a car seat and two would you really want to trust your babys life to a company that has no regard for your babys safety?! They only care about selling as many units of this product as they can.There has been some feedback from a mum who has used this pram and on the first outing out the plastic on the chassis has cracked and given way it turns out when examined the plastic is of inferior quality and would no way pass the safety standards in the UK, infact anywhere. The fabric on the pushchair wouldn't pass UK standards either as it is not flame retardent and the quality of the matrials is poor aswell. Bugaboo prices reflect there design, brand, marketing, extensive safety testing and copyright prtection non of this comes cheap hence why you pay for the Bugaboo brand.Summing up Mi Wheels is an patent infringing illegal copy, made of inferior materials and the car seat is illegal. If you want a Bugaboo then purchase a Bugaboo you pay more but at least your childs safety isn't in question.If you have had the misfortune to have been sold a Mi Wheels then send it back and request a refund or contact your local trading standards.If you buy a cheap Bugaboo off eBay immediately check to see if it has a Bugaboo branded serial number on the chassis as people are changing the Mi Wheels fabrics for Bugaboo ones so just to take care when buying a cheap or used one.

Cho Yung Tea Helps Lose Weight

I know what it's like being overweight so I thought I'd share my weight loss secret with all of you who are struggling with obesity. I'd tried being a regular at the gym and to follow various different diet plans too. But, each time I failed. Finally, I discovered Cho Yung Slimming Tea. I was reading about the product on the web and it seemed like an effective weight loss product. There were many customer testimonials that emphasized how good it was, along a couple of negative ones. Here are some Cho Yung customer testimonials that really inspired me to take up the product."I have been struggling with weight issues ever since I was a child. I tried several weight loss pills too but nothing really helped. Finally, I came across Cho Yung Tea. I used it and started losing weight within two weeks. It has been six months that I have been using the product and I am still losing weight."- George Kirkman, West Stowell "When I used Cho Yung Tea, I didn't really expect it to work. But it did help me lose weight. I have been using the product for several months now and have lost nearly ten pounds. Besides losing weight, I feel much healthier and active on using this herbal tea." - William Sowa, NetmoreInitially, I was apprehensive about using the product, but (after reading countless such testimonials I) finally decided to give it a try. In the first week, the tea did not show much in the way of a result. But I'd started feeling healthier and also I liked the taste, so I decided to continue using it. It made me feel fitter and more active. I'd suffered from digestion problems for years, but started to feel a lot better after I began to drink Cho Yung Slimming Tea.During the second week of using the product I had started to lose some weight. I'd nearly dropped two to three pounds by the end of the second week even when I had not made many changes to my daily diet. It was then that I realized that Cho Yung Tea was actually helping me lose weight. I have been using the product for over 6 months now and I have dropped three dress sizes now.I've told my friends and they wanted to know if the tea has had any side effects. I didn't have any. The only problem that I had to deal with was a slight tummy upset initially. But within two days, that too had vanished.So, the truth is that Cho Yung Tea does work, at least for me it did. And even if it doesn't work for you, you can always go in for the Cho Yung 30 day money back guarantee. Return the product and you can get your money back. Since, there's no risk to your money; there's no harm in giving the product a try.In case you have any problems availing the guarantee offer, you can always contact Cho Yung customer care service for assistance. Do not worry you will not have to line up in long queues to get customer support. All you need to do is long on to their website and you can start chatting with their customer care executive. I had trouble buying the product and I contact their customer care support. My problem was resolved within minutes. Considering all that Cho Yung Tea has to offer, I have no doubts rating it as the best way to lose weight. It helps you knock off extra pounds and does not cause unwanted side effects. Besides it comes with a money back guarantee and also offers helpful customer care services. You certainly could not have asked for anything more. Use Cho Yung Tea and you too could be writing another positive Cho Yung customer review like me.

Beware of fake Ed Hardy items!!

As a seller of mainly Ed Hardy Items, it makes me sad at the amount of fake and counterfeight goods on here!


Spotting the fake is most of the time easy as the quality of the material does not look good and especially the beading or crystal effect on the clothing, bags etc is not even and looks out of place. the crystals should all be even and always contained within the actual picture. if you notice that these are not even and look a bit sporadic then the item is most likely fake....


Items you have to watch out for on Ebay are the hats and the clothing more so than the bags and wallets etc. Most of the scarves etc will be the genuine article but hats and tops beware.


Email the seller to ask if it is genuine, and if you get no response or an open ended answer then DO NOT BUY! its not worth the risk when you can go to the ed hardy store online or to a trusted seller and buy in confidence!


I hope this guide helps

Anything to do with Piggin' by David Corbridge

Hi Everyone,


If I can be of any help to anyone wanting to know more about Piggin' the collectible porcine pigs sculpted by David Corbridge and marketed by collectible World Studios Ltd and now Xystos.


I have been a club member since the club started so I should be able to help with most queries should you have any.


I look forward to hearing from you


Phil

Polish Pottery - Boleslawiec

Since the 7th century pottery has been produced in the town of
Boleslawiec in the Silesian region of Poland using the local white clay
found in the area. Farmers first started producing pottery for storage
purposes and then with increasing urbanisation began producing for the
cities. The German government found the 'Kermische Fachschule' in 1898
to foster development of the art.

The familiar peacock pattern became the signature design in the 1900s.
In the post-war period the area was rebuilt and the pottery factories
rebuilt and were controlled by the government. The pottery is designed
by individually stamping the pieces with small sponges. 'Unikat'
designs are limited edition deisgns made by individual artists.

Today there are several factories the best being Zaklady Ceramincze, Ceramika Artystsyczna, Cer-raf and Manufaktura.
There are many others but the quality of the pottery is dependent on
the size and power of the ovens and some producers do not have such big
ovens. Each piece is crafted individually and no two pieces are alike.
The traditional peaock pattern is the most popular.

Ipod Mini 6gb - Its a Sure Winner!

The iPod Mini sounds fantastic. After comparing it with my third-generation iPod, tracks definitely sounded clearer on the iPod Mini, as if it were capable of better frequency response. By comparison the 3G iPod sounded positively muffled. A sign of PortalPlayer's enhanced audio chip, perhaps.


The Mini's packaging is as lovely as ever. The box lid slides off to reveal the mini wrapped in plastic. The box underneath is split in two halves - one for the install discs and one for the headphones, USB cable and a belt holster. As with all the new iPods there's no Firewire cable, no dock, no remote - but they are available as optional extras. There's no AC adaptor either, so you can only charge when connected to the PC.


There are other missing features that might give pause for thought, such as a radio, recording function and microphone. But if it's just a player you want these absences won't be noticed. For me the only reason I wouldn't want one is that I do want to carry my entire music collection around with me. Or at least more of it than I could fit on a 6GB drive.


The good news is that Apple is still offering a 4GB version, with all the benefits of extended battery life, at an affordable 139/$199. So if your main aim in owning a Mini is to look trendy, the cheaper 4GB version could be the way to go.


One day of course, a 20GB iPod will be this size, but for now six gigs is your limit. At this capacity it no longer loses out to the Zen Micro and H10, but while Creative and iRiver have both worked hard on improving the look and usability of their players, the Mini is still miles ahead. With its rounded sides and neat click-wheel interface, it feels right in you hand and is easy to control and use too.


Verdict

With the iPod Mini, Apple has increased its capacity by a 50 per cent, battery-life by one-and-a-quarter times and improved sound quality. It's a pretty impressive triple whammy and as long as its capacity is large enough for you, the iPod Mini would be our recommended digital audio player. If you can pick one of these up from eBay for under 140 6gb/100 4gb you have a very good item on your hands, just remember not to listen to your Ipod while your working! :)


jamieday83

Safe Ladder Use

Ladders are dangerous! However ladders are a necessary tool for lots of different jobs. When using a ladder you must make sure that it is in good order andstabilised. There are now regulations in force governing the use of ladders and these must be followed.


The good news is that there are lots of products on the market to stop you falling from your ladder. Some of the products available include:


The Ankalad Ladder Stabiliser provides ultimate stability and even allows the ladder to be used freestanding!



The Ankalad Ladder Leveller is a must for all ladders. Quickly and easily ensure that your ladder is upright and stable.



The Ladder Staging System is a cost effective solution where a working platform is required for short durations.



The LSD Ladder Stand Off has wheels and a 'V' notch to allow use on corners and over downpipes.



The LadderMax Stand Off provides unrivalled stability with the added bonus of a useful work tray.



The Rojak Stopper helps to prevent "bottom slip" which causes ladders to slide down walls.




Please visit theActive Mail Order shopto seethe full range

Narnia Books - a plea for a Guide

28 Feb 2008: A kind eBayer has passed me a link to a very comprehensive list of Narnia editions. Links are against the rules in these reviews, apparently, so you'll have to find your own way to inklingsfocus dot com ...

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

We need urgently to collect together a guide to the perplexing maze of Narnia book editions! I've seen some shocking listings of supposed 1st editions with dustjackets recently, where the book itself is NOT a first edition and the dustjacket is a facsimile, not merely from a later printing of the edition but from a completely different edition!


The situation is not helped by the early Macmillan Narnia books published in the US containing very little information about their printing history; many of these seem simply to include the original copyright date, and thus are easily taken to be 1st printings of the 1st edition. Some of these Macmillan books were published by book clubs but without mentioning the fact within the book itself!


For the moment this 'Guide' is simply a call for the experts in this area to pool their knowledge, perhaps by contacting me through eBay initially. I myself am no expert, and wish to expand my own little knowledge rather than to wield it dangerously!


For the moment I will try to find time to assemble a framework for a history of Narnia editions, with photos of DJs available to me. I hope we can produce something useful by Spring 2006.


Right, here is the set of UK first editions in order of publication, including frontispieces as issued:


The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - Geoffrey Bles, 1950



Prince Caspian - Geoffrey Bles, 1951



The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - Geoffrey Bles, 1952



The Silver Chair - Geoffrey Bles, 1953



The Horse and his Boy - Geoffrey Bles, 1954



The Magician's Nephew - The Bodley Head, 1955



The Last Battle - The Bodley Head, 1956



The first issue of the dustwrapper for The Last Battle omitted mention of the award of the Carnegie Medal, of course.


The Bodley Head titles had no frontispieces, and those in Lion, Caspian and Horse were dropped from all subsequent editions -- they never even made it to the first US editions, strangely. In the case of Horse, there were other full-page glossy monochrome paintings interspersed within the text, and these only occur in the very first Bles edition.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

BEWARE - BT VOYAGER 220V IS LOCKED TO BT!

Just a word of warning to anyone buying a 'new' BT Voyager 220V router. Please be aware that these are supplied by BT locked

Recommended Coin Sellers on eBay

Recommended coin sellers;Keithchapmanuk - A good seller of Anglo-Saxon coins, highly recommended.Tascio1 - A seller with a large stock of hammered and milled coins, recommended. Also a good range of antiquities.HiddenHistory - A good seller of Medieval and later hammered coins and artefacts.

Isle-of-Avalon - Nice hammered coins from all periods with a few antiquities as well.

Numismatty - A good seller of milled coins, ideal for beginner collections and collectors of foreign coins.

Medievalist - Very nice Medieval coins.Curlietailz - A seller of high quality hammered coins from all eras of British History.Sjblencoe - One of the best selection of hammered coins around!ElkinsCoinsAndAntiquities - Varied selection of hammered coins.Historyincoins - Quality coins.Midnock2000 - Seller of good coins.Andy_Jack - A seller of high quality modern milled coins and supplies, one of my favourites.bi11ynom8ts - Recommended.catfacepaul - A*ancient17 - Good coins!petitvingtieme - Good Plantagenet coins.jonnyqc- Nice selection of hammereds.detectoristlewy - Good metal detecting finds.anne-marie-bm178

MATCH ATTAX - PLEASE READ AND SUPPORT

Dear all,


I would advise every collector of the match attax cards to write and complain to Topps about the collection.


My reason for this is simple. I have bought so many packets for the man of the match cards and not got any and have had hundreds of cards as swaps which I can't get rid of.


I worked it out and you would need to spend at least 105 to get 60 man of the match cards - and then you would need to rely on getting different ones - not going to happen is it! I cannot afford to do this - can you?


If we all write and complain maybe they will do something about it!


Craig

FREECYCLE- to dispose of low value items quickly

If your main interest is just to get rid of bulky or unwanted items which may have little value or you discover, after ebay listing, are not saleable, then you should consider easier alternatives to ebay, as I have done. Think about it as an alternative to buying something on ebay which would have to be shipped from the other side of the country but may beavailable free from someone in your local area.


The best I have come across is called FREECYCLE. This is a UK wide network which costs nothing to join and in which members offer each other unwanted items free of charge, generally in preference to taking them down to the dump. You will join your local freecycle group as part of the ethos is to avoid excess petrol/pollution/global warming by making items available for reuse as locally as possible. Generally the person who wants the item will come and collect it. Sometimes those offering items, who may be flooded with requests, will allow a day or so to see who is interested and then pick the most deserving person, the one who gives the best explanation of how the item will be helpful. Often items seem to go to genuinely needy people eg to furnish a first flat. Often quite high quality items like lounge suites in excellent condition are offered. Currently many people are offering VDUs as they switch to flat screen monitors and massive widescreen TVs as they switch to the flat screen replacements. Computer desks can also be obtained as people switch to using laptops. Decent computers which no longer meet the latest spec also become available. These are just some examples.


Before - or after - you have tried to sell an item on ebay and incurred the usual ebay fees, do consider whether it is worth the cost and hassle. Items not saleable on ebay or which will only earn you a tiny amount, may be more suitable to give away to someone who will eagerly turn up at your doorstep at a prearranged mutually convenient time. Everyone using freecycle is on email so communication is no problem.


It is much easier to list and dispose something when you are giving it away then to list for sale on ebay.


I am a great enthusiast for ebay but have found that it is not the greatest for selling penny items or bulky collection only items of modest value. It is also hit and miss and that is no use when you really need to be sure of urgently clearing some space in your house, loft or shed.

'Lime by Next' or 'Lime @ Next' - Cheap Quality!!!!!!!!


I recently bought some knickers for my daughter from ebay and the heading was 'Next Dora knickers, age 5-6, BNIP', the description in the listing did indeed say Lime by Next but I had never heard of Lime so didn't really pay much attention to it. Silly me! The knickers arrived in good time but when I looked at them straight away I could tell they were poor quality. Nowhere on the packet or on the knickers themselves was the name 'Next' written.


I have since looked into the Lime name further and have found out it is a range brought out by Next to fill gaps in their 'Choice (seconds)' shops. Basicallyinferior quality goods bought out for a diffferent chain run by them - so although run by the 'Next' people not actually real Next items at all.


I would advise you to not buy these items and just spend a little more on real 'Next' items - I wish I had. These knickers are a terrible shape and rough material - I will probably end up giving them to a charity shop.


These people should not be able to write 'Next' in the item title as in my opinion the two lines are totally different!

Bidding On Mystery Envelopes

Mystery Box and Mystery Envelope auctions are permitted by eBay, in my opinion they are almost all-fraudulent auctions because the seller can manipulate the box contents to make sure it is never a good deal for the buyer.


Mystery auctions are supposed to be a bit of fun, the excitement of not knowing what you have won.


But what you need to be aware of is the description and wording of these auctions, read them very carefully if you are tempted to bid.


Check the feedback of other participants, any Negs or feedback less than 98% do your homework and check what they were for.


Mystery Envelope auctions offer cash prizes of an undisclosed amount to auction winners.


The mystery might be just an empty box or envelope.


Remember you cant report them or file a significantly not as described if you bid 5.00 and only get a box or envelope with a 0.01p taped in it.


As mentioned these auctions are totally legit and are permitted by eBay, enter the names of either style of auction into the search box and on average 150-200 listings will appear.


Why do people bid?


Is it because you think youre going to get more than what you have bid?



The seller is not going to part with more than his highest bid? Like any business theyre out to make as much profit as possible.


The auction winner usually receives from 10% to 30% of the money they paid for the auction back in 'winnings'.


Mystery Envelope auctions are considered by many to be illegal lotteries.



Please vote if you have taken the time and effort to read the guide and I hope that it has been of some assistance.

Vintage action man

When purchasing vintage action man items off Ebay, always ask plenty of question about the quality of the items your about to bid on. I find it frustrating that sellersoften hide, or do not disclose faults in theirdescriptions. Even when direct questions are asked about the condition of these items sellers are often vague in their response. In short, if they are not totally transparent in their ads, or dont reply to direct questions, then dont bid on their auctions. Remember we are talking about collectors items. Descriptions like great for its age, tell you nothing. if they cant be honest forget about it.

ebay danger

If you are bidding for anything on ebay only choose items with the paypal sign,if a seller says they can`t take paypal because they have a problem getting payment from them or "my paypal isn`t working at the moment",dont touch them with a bargepole,they are usually dodgy operators.

The Retro Geek's Quick Guide to Acorn Computers

If you're looking to buy an old computer and you think an Acorn or three may fit the bill this very quick run-down may be of some help:Part 1: The Computers.Part 2: Buying advice. The ComputersHistory: Acorn was a very innovative British based company that appeared in the late 70s and finally folded in 1998. Among their legacy's are a long line of 8 and 32bit computers. The highly successful ARM processor core also started at Acorn.Keeping things simple...(There is MUCH more to Acorn than this)8bit: Largely 6502 based. Acorn Atom - Great early 8bit. Very upgradeable. Many add-ons to be found. (Extended basic and GFX most likely) A rare and sort-after machine, so expensive. BBC - Commissioned by the British Broadcasting Corporation as a development of the Atom (via Proton prototype). At the time is was a very high-spec computer with a huge array of software and upgrades. Due to it's links with the BBC and great flexibility it was very popular in schools and many homes.There were two versions: Model B and a cut-down version, the Model A (upgradeable to B spec). The B was pretty expensive in its day so the A was intended to help capture the home market. B's outsold A's by a huge margin so for the collector the model A is the one to get. The model B is a much better bet for a hobbyist as it will run far more software (games). Try to by a good-spec one with 5.25" FDD, memory expansion and extra roms. Most common among the many upgrades are: Internal HDD, speech, second processors, case upgrades, even compact flash! (Watford DFS is generally thought better than Acorn's - for compatibility you can have both!) The main criticism leveled at the 'Beeb' was the limited available ram so... BBC B - A development of the B. The main improvement was more memory (64-128k) A newer OS and improved ADFS were also included but can result in some (uncommon) software compatibility problems. BBC Master - Probably the most advanced 8bit personal computer ever sold! Largely compatible with the model B - both software and hardware. These are often ex-school models that have had a hard life but can come with an amazing array of extra goodies. A Master is a good choice if you want a BBC but have plans on it being a useful computer, so get one with as many extras as you can! (Don't laugh, Masters can still be found in some institutions running some big projects!) The Master came in a few versions, most based on the same motherboard. Master 128 (basic) through to the Master 512 - DOS compatible, containing a '286 along with a 6502 variant. The Master Compact is an odd variant in a three box design with 3.5" FDD's. Interesting to the collector, but sufficiently different from the 'norm' to be of little practicable use to the hobbyist. The Tube - Is a BBC/Master upgrade port which allows for a multitude of options, mostly in 'cheese-wedge' shape along the lines of second processors : 6502 Ram, Z80 Ram, ARM Ram, Teletext, to name but a few... Acorn Electron - A great little home micro. It's fundamentally a cut-down Beeb for the home market, oozing quality complete with the famous BBC basic. (the best version of basic ever made?) Sadly production difficulties made it late to market and it bombed. (Not helped by being perceived as somewhat incompatible with the model B) They are still not that sort-after. You can find 'fully-loaded' ones dirt cheep. Try to get one with a 1 and 3 interface for I/O and 3.5" floppy while you can! A ton of games and any other extras would be help too. A very, very underrated retro-computer. Don't forget: If you have an 8bit Acorn and don't have a copy of Elite there must be something wrong with you! Cool upgrade: Viglen case for the model B separating keyboard from main system box with FDD's built in. Room for HDD and other stuff too!32bit: Acorn went through one of their may crises during this transition. They didn't really bother with 16bit as their 8bit ones were so good. In typical Acorn fashion they innovated to get out of the mire...-New RISC processor - the ARM, at the time orders of magnitude faster than any other micro-processor and these days the ARM rules the embedded and PDA world.-New OS - RiscOS was full of innovation and made the likes of MacOS and the awful Windows look neolithic from both a technical and functional point of view. Still in active development... These computers are most easily split into three lines:Pre-RiscOS 3.5 The original OS (Arthur) on very early machines may be of interest to collectors, but for the retro-enthusiast who wants a functional computer its best to stick with RiscOS 2 and 3.1 machines. Archimedes A305, A310 - Base machines, probably with OS 2. Will hopefully run a good few games but not much else unless thoroughly upgraded. The A305 does not have enough memory as standard! Archimedes A400 series - Marketed as more serous computers. HDD's came as standard and they may well be found today heavily upgraded. Fundamentally similar to the 300's there were RiscIX versions which had a version of UNIX installed. The A540 was the top of this particular range and though superficially similar was a much more serious system from the point of potential specs - If you see one for sale, I'd suggest you buy, buy, buy! (especially if it's a well upgraded one - max ram 16mb) A5000 - For a long time Acorn's flag-ship computer. Faster, nicer, higher density FDD, HDD. Usually found with OS 3.1. I would suggest a well-specced A5000 with plenty of bundled software would be the ideal 32bit Acorn for the hobbyist. Well made, the widest compatibility with pre-3.5 software (especially games) and you may even find it useful! 4mb of ram (plenty) was top-spec for pre-3.5 computers but the A5000 can take 8mb. A4000 - A cut-down A5000 for home users. Nothing wrong with it and when they turn up they are usually dirt-cheap. Smaller case and not as upgradeable but more than capable of running all the available software of its era and a good alternative to the 'wedge-shaped' models... A3000, A3010, A3020 - Wedge-shaped computers in the traditional home computer sense. (think Amiga) Again a good choice for the retro-hobbyist, especially if space is tight. It's worth trying to get one with a HDD. The earlier A3000 is more upgradeable due to its larger case and motherboard design. With a HDD these make great retro games computers. All the best games of the day were very well ported to this platform and there were many amazing 'home-grown' ones too. They are also much easier to live with from a practicable point of view than, say, an Amiga A1200. You'll have much less trouble connecting one to modern monitors, and they are better made. (I own several Amigas by-the-way) A4 - Yes, Acorn did a portable computer. Basically an A5000 in an Olivetti laptop case, but pretty cool all the same - especially as it included another Acorn innovation: The best TFT dispaly tecknowlegy in the business - It makes even ordinary / cheap TFT's look really good! This IP went on to improve set-top-boxes (Acorn made a few of these too) and still crops up in modern systems. Sadly, though there were prototypes, Acorn never followed it up with a post-RiscOS 3.5 class machine. Post-RiscOS 3.5 OS 3.5 made its appearance with the RiscPC. I could eulogise endlessly about what an amazing machine this was/is but this is meant to be a quick guide...Points to note: Compatibility problems do creep-in with older software and the RiscPC - primarily games. Such issues are not insurmountable, but it's best to view these as 'more serious' machines. They do have their own wide catalogue of software. (and games too!) For broadest appeal get a RiscPC600 or 700 with OS 3.5. It should run all but the most demanding new(er) software while managing most of the older stuff too.These are multi-processor machines so many come with an x86 (33mhz 486sx - 133mhz AMD586). Depending on the x86 version and software DOS-Win98 will run making for a multi-purpose retro-box!Very early RiscPC's had 8bit rather than 16bit sound but as they are quite collectible may be out of your price-bracket. Try to check for an included 16bit sound card with these. Interestingly the VGA output of early revision motherboards produces a significantly sharper display than later ones - It won't be an issue unless you've owned an early model. Acorn made modifications as a result of changing EMI regulations - it's fixable if you notice at all. Get one with lots of included software - much is still under development so you're in buy rather than the download territory of a 'dead' platform... Go for 2 rather than 1mb of V-Ram if you can - higher resolutions with more colours. A lack of V-Ram will cripple the system so stay away - unless you're looking at a good deal and can get some. A lot of RPC's have many, many extras. Watch a while to see where your price vs goodies ratio is.Newer RPC's have much faster processors (StrongARM) and later OS (3.6 -

HOW TO AVOID BUYING A FAKE OR CHEAP COPY

Unfortunately ebay is rife with fake items. Despite ebay's Trust

Sony Ericsson W580i Mobile Phone

Great design! The 2.0 megapixel camera and fast connectivity make picture blogging and instant messaging second nature. The slider action also allows for a large 2.0 inch colour screen, ideal not just for gaming but also web browsing and viewing your camera photos. And with the W580i Walkman phone you can even take your favourite tracks to the track. It will count your steps, your calories and monitor your running speed/distance/time. Add to that your best tunes for motivation and whether youre on a run, in the gym or just out for a stroll, the W580i is the perfect fitness partner. When the slider is closed the design, either in Style White or Urban Grey, is ice-cool, Flick open the slider and the phone becomes a real attention grabber, revealing hot orange colour accents and stunning light effects along the sides. One Sexy Mobile !

Spare NiCd Rechargeable Cordless Drill Batteries

This guide briefly explains the charactaristics of Ni Cd Batteries and how to get the best performance from them.NiCd batteries should always be fully charged and discharged after each use. The first few charges are vital and it is very important that batteries are fully discharged during the first few charges

Peppa Pig New Dressing Gown thats out

The new peppa pig dressing gown that is on ebay at the moment is going for around 15 - 20 on here thats without postage yet if you go to ASDA they are selling them for only 9 so go to ASDA and get one from there instead of paying way over the top. The new peppa pig top that is on here with the christmas scene i have seen ppl putting them on for around the 10 mark when again they are from ASDA for only 6.


The good thing with ASDA is the stock is replaced daily and you can ring in advance to see if they have them in or not too so you don't have to have wasted trips up there all the time.

Creating a good customer experience for your buyers,

HiTo be a successful seller on eBay you must have purchased. Seriously, it pays dividends to purchase some items from a range of sellers. By doing this you will see what it feels like to receive something through the post, and what works well, and what not so well.Did you know that most people equate receiving their parcel from eBay as like receiving a birthday present?Imagine on your birthday opening a tatty envelope which is ripped to find your birthday present inside broken.... You would be gutted - so do not do this to your buyer.I am all for recycling, but there is a limit to how many times something can be reused! Quick tips1 Fold it properly - do not just stuff in in the parcel, envelope or bag,2 Include your Returns address on the outside of the parcel - as if it is undelivered it will come back to you!3 Use tracking to send the parcel - then if it does not arrive you have more chance of getting it back! Think about having a Lost In Post Policy as the seller, it is up to you to make sure it arrives....4 Think how you would feel opening what you just packed, if it looks a state, do not send it - repack it, 5 Print your labels, looks more professional and gives the postie a fighting chance of delivering to the right place, especially if your writing looks like a dead spider!6 What not include a note with your parcel asking your buyer to get in touch if there are any problems before leaving feedback? Negative and neutrals are painful when you start getting them. Consider having a Returns Policy - as a Business Seller you must have one - its the law!7 Can you offer any incentives for your buyers to shop with you again? 8 Look at your packaging, would mail bags or brown paper be better, bubble wrap or tissue paper? None of the above are expensive - but using a little time and care, you as a seller will certainly benefit:)Happy eBayingSuz xx PS- Hope this helps, if it did please click yes below, else let me know what needs adding!Please have a look in My Shop

Nokia 6288 Housing Fitting Guide/Dismantle

Here are some instructions for the fitting of Nokia 6288 Facia. This is a very straightforward procedure for a slide phone thanks in no part of not having to transfer the slide assembly. Note: This will also work for Nokia 6280 as well.Steps:1) Remove the battery cover and battery from the phone.2) Using a plastic implement or similar, seperate the front cover at the top of the phone. Once the top cover comes off, the top keypad section will also seperate from the phone, as this is not connected unlike the lower part.3) Replace the front housing with the new one - make sure the keypad is properly aligned with the contacts. Clip this down into place and make sure it is secure.4) Replace battery and rear cover.

Ronson Lighter Flints

NEVER store lighters without removingflints.


Ronson producedhard flints in gold called Firebronzeand a softer red onecalled Redskin andit doesn't stop thereas paintsnot onlysignifiedtypes, theyprotectedflintstone thatis so suseptable tohumid atmospheres.


Ihear a cleverclog saying; "but I've left flints in mylighters for ages".Maybe, but it'sluck and here's why: In the factory Ronsons inspectedeachlighterwitha test fillandstruck it to ensure thegas lit. These strikesremoved paint from the top of flintsand even if a lighter isunused the flint can corrode.


Corrosion of a flint can cause problems as it weldsitself to the inside of aflint tube. "That's okay" says cleverclogs again, "I can remove it." Well maybe you can, but one false move and you will cut a hole in the soft brass tube causing a gas leakthat can not be repaired.Good bye lighter!


So I repeat, never leave flints in lighters. Please look at the brown corrosion marks on the inside of presentation cases that have been stored for years and you will realisethat nowhere is exempt from humidity or moisture.


Art King (Ex Ronson)

HOT WHEELS SETS

HI THERE MY SONS HAVE A NUMBER OF HOT WHEELS SETS AND I THOUGHT I WOULD WRITE A GUIDE ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCE OF THEM.


FIRST AND FOREMOST .... GET YOURSELF A BATTERY CHARGER AND SOME BIG RECHARGEABLE 'D' BATTERIES BECAUSE HOT WHEELS SETS EAT THEM FOR BREAKFAST - I AM SURE THEY'RE INCAHOOTS WITH DURACELL !!


HOT WHEELS SETS (LIKE GORILLA ATTACK, T-REX AND CRISS CROSS CRASH) ARE SO FINELY BALANCED THAT UNLESS YOUR FIRING CARS OUT AT FULL BATTERY STRENGTH THEY JUST WON'T BE ABLE TO MAKE THE JUMPS, RAMPS ETC AND IT ALL GETS VERY FRUSTRATING AND NORMALLY ENDS IN A FIGHT


CHECK OUT THE DEALS AT TESCO, SAINSBURYS AND TK MAX ... SOMETIMES YOU CAN SAVE A TENNER OR SO ON THE LATEST SET


DON'T BUY FROM CAR BOOTS ... YOU WILL RARELY BE BUYING A COMPLETE SET IN FULL WORKING ORDER MORE LIKELY YOU WILL GET A SET WHICH IS MISSING PIECES AND THEREFORE IN OPERABLE, BIG DISAPPOINTMENTS ALL ROUND.


CONSIDER BUYING V-TRACK AND SOME OF THE SMALLER SETS THAT REQUIRE FINE DEXTERITY AND MANIPULATION AND IMPORTANTLY NO BATTERIES !!


BEAR IN MIND THAT MOST OF THE FUN IS IN BUILDING THE SET RATHER THAN IN ACTUALLY PLAYING WITH THE FINISHED RESULT SO DO BUY WITHIN YOUR SONS AGE RANGE. ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE REASONABLY EASY FOR MY 7 YEAR OLD TO FOLLOW BUT YOU MIGHT WANT TO LAMINATE THEM, TO EXTEND THEIR LIFE BECAUSE YOU WILL NEED TO REFER TO THEM TIME AND AGAIN.


ANNOYINGLY NOT ALL HOT WHEELS CARS FIT ALL HOT WHEELS TRACKS ... SO IF YOU HAVE A FAVORITE CAR YOU WILL NEED TO CHECK HEIGHT CLEARANCE .... HOWEVER MOST SETS INCLUDE AT LEAST ONE CAR THAT WILL COMPLETE THE COURSE


IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT HOT WHEELS AND MATCHBOX SETS DON'T MIX EITHER


THE LATEST TV ADVERTS AND WEBSITE ADS ENCOURAGE KIDS TO JOIN THEIR TRACKS TOGETHER TO FILM THEIR BEST STUNTS (JUMPING CARS INTO BUCKETS OF WATER, KNOCKING DOWN TOWERS OF PLASTIC CUPS ETC)...THIS IS GREAT FUN TO DO ...... BUT MAKE SURE THAT YOU PUT LITTLE COLOURED STICKERS ON YOUR SETS BEFORE JUMBLING THEM ALL UP (IE: ALL RED STICKERED BITS BELONG TO CRISs CROSS CRASH, ALL BLUE STICKERED BITS BELONG TO GORILLA ETC)


THE WEBSITE IS FANTASTICALLY EXCITING THERE ARE SO MANY GAMES TO PLAY ... MY KIDS ARE ADDICTED AND REGULARLY HAVE TO BE DRAGGED OFF KICKING AND SCREAMING IN ORDER TO GET OUTDOORS FOR SOME FRESH AIR!!



HOT WHEELS BEAT THAT !!


PLEASE VOTE

ME TO YOU TATTY BEAR CRYSTAL NOSE

Many people who are a collector may not have had the chance to buy this bear when it first came out as only 1500 hundred were made. They were RRP 27.50 so I missed out and looked on ebay for one. Well the prices were ridiculous. One for example is selling a high number bear for 139.99 or best offer, the cheek?! Well because I really wanted one I put in a best offer of 60 and the seller declined...I mean they are doubling the price they paid. Instead these people want us to get ripped off and buy these bears for ridiculous prices and I am afraid people who don't know the RRP do pay these prices.
Just a note to let those collectors know how much the RRP actually is so you don't get ripped off
Hope this helps :)

GREEN LASER POINTER PEN GADGET 50mw BEAM LIGHT 532nm UK

You know when you want something, pay for it and then get sent a substitute, because they've 'Run Out'.Check out sellers feedback first, before you commit to buy. Feedback left on one sellers (apmodulate) is most intriguing, the title says 50mw laser, and you will either get an 8mw laser for your trouble, or nothing at all.Apmodulate is also a Hong Kong seller, posing as Uk. Beware Buyers...... Proof sought on this matter was given by Ebay and their buyers.........

Best tip for Genuine Scottish Regiment Badges

All Scottish Regiments badges Pre-1950 were made of Nickel , Volunteer Badges from WW1 period were mainly Bronze,,there were no badges made in pressed Tin,or solid pewter or lead,


Another tip for Scottish badge collectors,the The Gallant 42,Black Watch the number was only part solid englishbrass and rest of badge was nickel,,


All officer badges were mainly made in Silver,as they could afford to have them made.


Gaunt sometimes had name on a small bronze block on rear Scottish regiment badges,and all had lugs,and generally had verdigrease at bottom caused by dampness,never white like you see all the fakes thats beenaged,,


I collected Scottish badges myself from 1960-70 and then stopped as the fakes started to appear,,Staybrites,then Pressed tin most started off life in Pakistan then England.


The government found it was to expensive to make badges from Nickel and Bronze and even they started the staybrites in 1964,there wasnt many collectors in 60s onwards then M Marsh started to advertise in Exchange /Mart and the presszed tin badges appeared called WM White metal,at a 1 each


The Brass repros started to appear in Gunmart by a guy called Green,he started to make all the rare volunteer badges and that was the start of all the fakes appearing in abundance.by then there was many collectors and as it got commercialised the "Cowboys" started to sell all the Asian copies and all had various ways to age them.

Packing and Posting a Trumpet

I have spent my ebay years buying and selling trumpets all over the worldand have seen some over-the-top packaging and some inadequate packaging. I have sent trumpets that have been damaged and received damaged items. If you have to send a trumpet by parcel this guide may well save you time, effort and money. If anyone has more tips or feels that I have missed something then please get in touch with me.


Choice of Courier


I always choose to take my parcels to the post office. You have a written receipt, can choose insurance and it is convenient for both parties. There is nothing more annoying than some obscure courier leaving a card through your letterbox telling you to pick it up from their depot which is usually miles away.


The post office also act as an agent for Parcelforce - the best courier for overseas parcels.


Postage Option and Cost


Trumpets in a case generally weigh 3-5kg when packed. Royal Mail standard parcel delivery option is less than 10. Insurance is Optional but worth the extra. Its about 10.50 to post including 250 insurance and about 12.50 including 500insurance.


If you want to choose next day special delivery it is 20.70 to post including insurance upto 500.


International standard delivery charges change from country to country but is around 32 to EU countries, 48 for other european destinations and around 59 for US or Canada postage. International standard delivery is pretty fast but does not give you a tracking number. Global Priority does and it may cost 10 extra and is a little quicker delivery. Basic international deliveries only include insurance upto 150.


Packing


In my experience hard and semi-hard cases protect the trumpet against normal handling. When someone decides to stand on a trumpet case it really does not matter how well boxed it is, it will get damaged. Therefore, as the trumpet is already protected in a case your packaging materials are merely protecting the case from damage. I find that a wrapping of bubble wrap and then enclosing the whole parcel in a black bin bag is neat, tidy and effective.


Gig bags offer very little protection against bumps so I'd recommend placing these into a sturdy cardboard box. Similarly a trumpet sold without a case needs to be well wrapped in bubble wrap and ideally double boxed to give them the best possible protection.


Handling Charges


Ebay say it is reasonable to charge a handling fee. I would guess that it takes 10 minute to pack the trumpet and at least 20 minutes to go to the PO and queue. I may be wrong but it just doesn't seem right to add half an hours labour charge onto the cost of postage! I normally just charge actual cost of postage; buyers appreciate this and are more likely to be a return customer and reflect their appreciation in feedback.