New House, New Address Plaque

My neighbor's house that has been under renovation for the past two months, is almost ready. They are still in the process of installing lighting though. My neighbor told me that they are not going to move any of their old furniture into the new house. They said they want everything to be new. I thought that it was a little extravagant but then it's their house! And their money!

I did suggest that they should get a new address plaque. It's funny that they didn't think of that at first, but now that I have given them an idea, both of them couldn't come to a mutual agreement on the kind of address sign to order.

There are so many different designs of residential address plaques available, you see, that I could understand that their tastes differ. Perhaps I should just help them out by deciding for them. Sometimes, it takes the intervention of a third party!

eBay Bollywood Barometer

eBay India has just announced the leading Bollywood stars in the eBay Bollywood Barometer and for the male stars, Shahrukh Khan is tops while Kareena Kapoor leads in the female category.

This eBay Bollywood Barometer is a fun way to track Bollywood celebrity popularity and saleability not only based on sales volume alone but also on the number of movie stars memorabilia and collectibles like film magazine covers, DVDs, posters, books, autographed merchandise and many more.

eBay Bollywood Barometer tracked about fifty Bollywood stars and came up with the top list list for both male and female Bollywood celebrities. Here are the top three leading male and female Bollywood stars based on the eBay Bollywood Barometer:

Top 3 male Bollywood stars:
1. Shahrukh Khan
2. Akshay Kumar
3. John Abraham

Top 3 female Bollywood stars:
1. Kareena Kapoor
2. Rani Mukherjee
3. Aishwarya Bachchan

I am not surprised with the outcome. I love Shahrukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor myself!

FIFA World Cup Fever

My male friends are all suffering from football fever already and it isn't even June yet. You know, it's the same fever that badminton fans suffer from during Thomas Cup! It amuses me every season because these people think that being a sports star is just short term training but it’s not.

My brother-in-law, who lives in Tennessee, where football is known as soccer, tells me that he couldn't wait for his child to be born so that he could pass the love of the sport to the next generation. He doesn't mind if the child is a boy or girl as soccer is also a sport that has a huge female following too!

I can just imagine him setting up his huge backyard with Soccer Nets and inviting all the neighborhood kids to come and play. Perhaps he will even equip every kid with their own soccer uniform. Yes, he is that huge a soccer fan!

My sister says that he owns original jerseys of all teams and he wouldn't even wear them. I think that he's being smart and treating the jerseys more like collector's item and perhaps he hopes that he could fetch a handsome sum from his collection.

*** This post has been sponsored.

Saving For A Child

I was chatting with my sister last night and she said that since she is having a baby late, she is a little worried that she may not be able to see him through university financially. They are doing fine now and preparing for the arrival of their first baby later this year but what happens when the parents no longer has working life?

I told my sister that she should invest in gold from the beginning. I think it's a pretty good idea to buy gold coins, maybe every year on their child's birthday or something like that. By the time the child is 18, the investment would be sizeable.

I suggested gold because it's hassle-free investment and does not need any "topping up". Besides, gold price is so stable, and has been for generations, one doesn't need to watch over it all the time.

Another Round Of Phishing Email On PayPal Users

It has been reported that there is a new trend in PayPal security threat with phishing emails sent out asking people to click on a link in the email to activate something called "Security Token Key" that is required now that PayPal purportedly added an extra layer of protection to its servers.

PayPal users are tricked into clicking the link that redirects to a phoney PayPal website that looks like the real PayPal website

For people who leaves the fake PayPal website, they will be threatened that PayPal will stop refunding the illegal transfer of money from their PayPal account. Thinking that their funds are at stake, I believe there would be quite a number of people who would proceed with the authentication.

Poly Tarp Tent

My father told me that he plans to set up a tent in our compound with heavy duty poly tarp. I have no idea why he wants it but he said it will make a good shade. My father is an outdoors handyman and I don't mind it if he wants something like that.

I think my father got the idea from the truck tarp that he installed on out 4WD. He had wanted to do it a long time but didn't because he was traveling too much and couldn't find time to do it. Now that he has it installed, he is so satisfied with the poly tarp, he wants a larger one.

Actually, I don't fancy the idea of a tarp tent in the garden but from what I see on MyTarp.com, there are so many different colors and designs of tarps available in the market. I didn't even know. Now, I even I am looking forward to our new poly tarp tent!

Jack Kevorkian's 'Death Bus' Removed from eBay

The "Death Bus" that garnered much attention on eBay recently has been removed by eBay, citing a policy against “murderabilia". This "Death Bus" is actually a 1968 Volkswagen that Jack Kevorkian, a right-to-die advocate, used to assist terminally ill people to die.

The owner of the 'Death Bus' is Jack Finn, a Volkswagen parts expert in Ferndale, Mich., who previously stored it in a warehouse, and said that the van is in the same condition as it was when Dr. Death used it.

Pathologist Kevorkian, who is now 81 years old, claims that he helped more than 130 people die since 1990. I am guessing a good many used this van to die. Kevorkian was released from prison on parole in 2007 after serving eight years in prison for second degree murder.

Reducing Car Insurance Premium

It has been a month since my friend, Serene, lost her job. Well, she didn't lose it in the true sense of the word. She left. However, she thought that with her qualification and track record, it would not be difficult to secure a similar job but unfortunately, it is not the case. Serene told me that it is quite worrisome because of the mounting bills.

Serene said that before she managed to get a job, she has to renew her car insurance already. Her premium is very high because she made full claim last year after a major car crash. Serene said that she wished she could afford to buy a new car. This car is already five years old and even though it is repaired, it still gives her bad vibes because of the accident.

I told Serene that she really has to be more prudent and even though she doesn't like driving this car anymore, she must not think of buying a new car until she has regular income. Meanwhile, we could start looking for cheap car insurance and hope that she would not have to pay such high premium this time. The difference may not be a lot but I am sure every little counts.

VIP Experiences Auctioned On eBay To Benefit Free The Children

In conjunction with eBay Canada's tenth anniversary this year, a selection of VIP experiences is being auctioned off on eBay Canada currently to benefit Free The Children; beginning from 22nd April to 29th April, 2010.

Some of these auctions include backstage passes, tickets to TV tapings and concerts, overseas trips, autographed books and other memorabilia, celebrity meet-and-greet and many more.

For more information and a list of charity auctions running currently, click this link.

Shopping By Mood

My sister, who is about two months pregnant, told me that she is suffering from morning sickness so terribly that she doesn't feel like doing anything the whole day. She missed feeling "normal", she said. Everyone tells her that she will feel better after the third month of pregnancy.

Meanwhile, she is staying at home all the time which is not a good thing,s he said, because she is overindulging in online shopping. The funny thing is that one a good day, she would be very rational and shop for medical supplies and baby items to prepare for the arrival of a new baby.

One a bad day, she would be buying clothes, shoes, bags and accessories or just about anything that she doesn't need or has any use of right now. I guess this irrational behavior will pass soon. I know that’s what her husband is praying for!

Water Saving Dual Flush Toilets

My neighbor's house, which has been under renovation for the past two months, is completing soon. They are in the midst of installing their toilets and kitchens and out of curiosity, I went over to visit.

It seems that the owners are trying to set up their home as green as possible and have installed expensive HET toilets. I think that although HET toilets will save water, it's too extravagant of them to spend so much on toilets.

There are other options to be environmentally friendly and save water at home. One need not buy dual flush toilets but just install dual flush kits to an existing toilet. That will save a lot of money, wouldn't it?

If you have never heard of a dual flush toilet before, you should visit the website of SelectAFlush. Their dual flush toilet kits could easily be installed within minutes into any standard toilets. I like the fact that they don't leak; I am sure you know how irritating leaking toilets are! A dual flush conversion kit by SelectAFlush is only US$39.95 but imagine, it saves more water than a low flow toilet!

Canadian Star Trek Collector Honoured By eBay

In conjunction with eBay's 10th anniversary in Canada this month, eBay has honoured ten Canadian eBayers who exemplify the values of eBay. According to eBay, since the year of inception in Canada, Canadian buyers have bought more than $7 billion dollars worth of merchandise on eBay.

A Winnipeg police officer, Gordon Gold, is one of the Canadian eBayer buyers who is inducted in the eBay Hall of Fame. Gold is an avid Star Trek fan and has used eBay extensively to complete his massive collection of Star Trek memorabilia. His collection is so huge, he has to rent a separate storage facility just for the collection!

Congratulations to him for this honour from eBay!

Math Homework Help Online

A friend, who has two sons, told me that her younger son has problems coping his Math homework. She didn't expect this as her first child has no problems with him Math and could solve Calculus even without much guidance from his teacher.

I remember coming across a website that offers free math tutoring online and I think that her son should try it out. My friend herself used to have problems with her Math homework and told me that she wished that there was free math tutoring back then!

If my friend's son seeks free math homework help online, my friend would have one problem solved. If it works well, she doesn't even have to keep looking for a Calculus tutor anymore. My friend is so grateful for the information. I am just glad that he receives the Calculus help that he needs and for free too!

Action Against Hunger

I found this campaign pretty interesting and decided to blog about it. It's an auction against hunger and is supported by some of the top restaurants.

S.Pellegrino will be revealing a list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants next Monday, 26th April, and meals at these restaurants will be put up for auction on eBay to raise money for Action Against Hunger (AAH) in aid of their Haiti charity campaign.

Prize packages that will be put up for auction does not only include a meal but may also include exclusive extras like private kitchen tours, bespoke tasting menus or signed cookbooks. Last year's campaign was a success so hopefully, this year's takings will surpass that!

Projecting Your Company's Image

Being self-employed, I have never had to project a particular image. I feel I am missing a part of work life when I see my friends in their work attire and they all look so good! I remember there was once I provided feedback to a supermarket about getting their employees project the right image for the company when I noticed that one of the employees was dressed in a frayed polo shirt and there was a hole in his pants.

If I had known of iD by Landau then, I would have told the management to check out the uniform work shirts available and perhaps get these for their employees, especially those in the front line serving customers.

But there is a bakery that I have always wanted to write in to. There is a girl working there who is in a very dirty looking jacket. Working in the food industry, the bakery should be extra careful with the way their employees dress. She definitely should get a new chef jacket and learn how to keep it in pristine condition!

It doesn’t matter which industry you are in, iD by Landau is surely able to meet your needs. For example, if you are looking to dress up your employees in uniform polo shirt, iD by Landau is not only able to supply you with that, they have a multitude of colors for you to select from!

Blur's Single In 7 Years Sells For £200 on eBay

Blur released their first single, Fool's Day, in seven years with its original line up last weekend to mark Record Store Day with just 1000 copies on 7" vinyl.

Understandably, these copies were snapped up quickly and they were on eBay soon enough. LOL My, when there's money to be made, one has to act quickly!

Fans of Blur who missed the opportunity to buy it at brick and mortar stores have resorted to eBay, naturally, and even on eBay, they were selling quickly too, for up to £200!

At the same time, Blur has also allowed fans to download an original copy of the single, Fool's Day, legally from their website. This is to avoid fans from obtaining low quality copies from other sources.

I think that this is a good gimmick to promote their upcoming album. It creates an awareness and makes fans yearn for more Blur music.

Being Eco-Friendly

I believe that it is our duty to protect the environment and everyone has our part in it. One of the things I do is to stop using plastic bags and the other thing is to try convincing my father to adopt greener car washing.

Washing a car, I believe many of us know, is a long, tiring process. My friends who own cars don't it themselves but take the easy way out by driving their car to a car wash center every other week. I remember helping my father to wash his car and if we were to wax it as well, it would easily take at least two hours. That's not all. We get all wet in the process and wake up the following morning with an awful back and shoulder ache from all the scrubbing.

Today, I read a very interesting article on National News Today about a waterless car wash product that not only doesn't use water, thus saving gallons of water and prevents running up the water bill, but cleans the car just as well as any other car wash product. These are only two advantages of an eco-friendly car wash product.

Besides washing, EZdetailer waterless car wash also waxes. Washing and waxing a car is now just a matter of "toweling" it. While there are quite a handful of car wash products that are touted as being eco-friendly, if you look at the website of EZdetailer, you can see that it is VOC-compliant in accordance with EPA regulations. This is what one should look out for!

Overcoming Lethargy

A friend told me that she has resigned from her job. I was shocked. I thought that in this economic climate, everyone would be doing their best to hold on to their jobs. Well, my friend herself admitted that she gives up too easily!

She also told me that she would like to try working from home like me. She said that she is suffering from lethargy and doesn't feel like getting up to work in the morning. This could be overcome with taking hgh supplement and she really doesn't have to quit her job. I feel like it's such a waste!

Anyway, she told me that she doesn’t believe that supplements would help her and all she needed to recharge her batteries is a change of scenery, or in this case, work environment. I guess she knows best!

Grey Market iPads In Malaysia

iPads are already being sold by private sellers in Malaysia even as Apple announced that overseas shipment of iPads will be delayed due to a misjudged of demand for the device in the United States.

I am eyeing an iPad myself too and am weighing the advantages and disadvantages of an iPad with a netbook, although both are just as handy. Also, I already own an iPhone and have no plans to upgrade to a newer model since I would rather just buy a new device.

However, even though the iPad (the 16GB WiFi version) has already landed on Malaysian shores and are being sold at between RM2400 to RM2900 (the retail price of the iPad in the United States is currently RM1,600 before tax), I think it would be advisable to wait for the iPad to be shipped to Malaysia legally and officially. It would mean your device will be backed by official warranty by Apple too.

Comparing Acne Products Online

My friend told me that she suddenly had an outbreak of acne. She said that she hasn't suffered from acne for years already has lost touch of acne solutions. Besides, the products that worked for her previously may no longer work anymore due to changes to skin condition.

I told her that she could read up on the latest acne products online first before trying out a new products. Usually, one could find websites that compare the various products on their effectiveness and make price comparisons.

In fact, I myself am reading up on pronexin reviews. I was told that it's one of the best acne product right now. Have you tried it before?

Lifestyle Of A Self-Employed Entrepreneur

My friend told me that it is not good to go to bed so late at night, or should I say so early in the morning. Well, being self-employed, most of the time I find myself being distracted during the day with other family issues and could only get some work done in the middle of the night when the household is asleep.

I know that this lifestyle is bad for health and it is already taking its toll. My friend even wonders why my complexion is so poor even though I drink so much water. She said that even if I use the whole bottle of acne cream, my skin will still be this bad if I do not make a change.

Well, if I do make a change, it probably is because business is poor and I could get to bed at a more appropriate time. It will not be because I am afraid of losing my beauty sleep! LOL

Ringo Starr Stops Signing Autographs Because Of Resale

Ringo Starr, former Beatles member, has announced that he will stop signing autographs because so called "fans" are reselling them online, on websites like eBay. Who wouldn't?

Ringo Starr, 69, has two years ago said that he has to deny requests for autographs because he couldn't handle the amount of fan mail but he's coming clean now that the reason he is stopping is because of the resale. These people don't know that even celebrities browse through websites like eBay and Craigslist!

Oh well, a good way to stop autograph hunters is to personalize the item so their scope of reselling becomes pretty small with a name on it! But really, it's a pity that because of these people hungry for a quick buck, genuine fans are denied of the thrill of having an autograph of their idol. I know what it means since I love collecting autographs too!

Cool Comfort

Many of my friends are complaining of the heat. A friend of mine went a step further by installing two new units of air-conditioners and two new ceiling fans. he said that although he could still use his existing air-conditioners and fans, he was advised to have them replaced as it was no longer economically viable to repair.

Earlier, I read about Air Conditioning by Jay's Comfort Team that is based in Scottsdale that offers services of installing or repairing heating and air-conditioning systems. I wonder if they would have advised my friend differently. Perhaps a good service would suffice!

If you are looking for an arizona heating and air-conditioning company or maybe you would like to get your thermostat arizona home looked at because it is getting too noisy and ineffective, perhaps you should get in touch with Air Conditioning by Jay.

And oh yeah, they are also known as air conditioning repair phoenix experts!

Taking The Right Career Path

A friend told me that her daughter is planning to be a cosmetologist. My friend was shocked; she has never even heard of this job so naturally, she was against her daughter's choice. I told her that it doesn't really matter what she chooses to be as long as she loves her vocation. often times, people will only get to show their talent when they are in the right career. If her daughter wants to be a cosmetologist, why not give her their blessings?

Parents should allow their children freedom of choice, especially when it comes to life changing decisions like work and marriage. If I was my friend, I would definitely support her but I would make sure that she receives her education in one of the best institutes like the Cosmetology school in Arizona.

My friend sort of agrees with my philosophy but said that she would still need time to digest it/ Well, I guess she just didn't realize that her daughter is about to leave the nest!

Quick Recipes Save The Day

My sister, Kelly, broke the good news to us that she is two months pregnant. This is her first pregnancy; a new experience for her and we are all excited for her. This baby is also going to be the first grandchild for my parents.

Kelly said that she has been experiencing morning sickness, uinfortunately. One wonders why it is called "morning sickness" when it could happen anytime of the day or even night! Kelly said that naturally, she has loss her appetite for food already because of that but then sometimes she craves for food too but the craving passes so swiftly, by the time food is ready, she doesn't feel like eating anymore.

Her husband is incredibly patient and has taken the initiative to look for quick recipes on the internet. He hes never been a web savvy person and yet, he is fast catching up thanks to all the time he spends in front of the computer looking for simple recipes online so that he could whip up a dish in the shortest possible time, before my sister's craving for food passes and his effort is wasted, yet again.

You know, when I was younger, I was very passionate about cooking. And then I realized that I have to slog in the kitchen for an hour or two just to come up with decent dishes but the meal would only take 30 minutes or so to finish! Imagine all the time spent in the kitchen! I lost interest pretty fast but it was also because I couldn't afford the luxury of time any longer.

My brother-in-law is sharing his discoveries of quick recipes with me and I am finding joy in cooking again. I don't indulge in elaborate dishes anymore but quick recipes are very handy. They are easy to learn which means that I have more variety in my daily meals!

Old Atari Game Air Raid Sold For US$31,600 On eBay

This is just awesome, I tell you. Tanner Sandlin of Austin, Texas, read an article on how old video games are fetching obscene sums of money on eBay auctions that he remembered he had a copy of an old Atari game called Air Raid which he found in his garage and decided to put up on the auction block.

The game, with its original box, finally closed at US$31,600 earlier this week. Atari was huge in the 1980s and many of my middle class friends owned a set at home like how kids these days own a PSP or Wii.

Reading all these stories about people selling their rare games for such high prices, I could just kick someone for my parents' stand on not getting us Atari when we were kids then. They thought that video games were bad for kids and would affect our studies. Well, probably but they WILL get a heart attack if they know how much these old video games are sold!

Solid Investment In Gold

The USD has weakened by so much over the past couple of weeks, my friend advised me to hold on to it and wait for a rebound. Even a slight profit taking would make a huge difference in the money that I will receive buying another currency.

I should have used the money to invest in gold bullion. Not only does gold make a better investment compared to paper currency, the price of gold and in fact, almost every other precious metal, has risen steadily over the past year or so. It pains me just thinking of the lost opportunity!

I am not saying that we can't buy gold bullion anymore due to its higher price. I still think that there is room for a price increase. It's just that I don't have the spare cash to lock into bullion right now. Of course, in any investment, there is risk involved and I have to take that into consideration.

If I have the money, I would like to keep some gold jewelry too. If I were to buy bullion only, that would be pure investment but buying gold jewelry, I could also accessorize myself in the meantime!

eBay Buyer Sued For Negative Feedback

An eBay buyer, Michael Steadman, who purchased a employee time clock for US$44 is being sued for leaving a negative feedback for his seller, Elliot Miller, whom he accused of "having the ethic of a car salesman". The clock, according to Steadman, arrived in pieces in three separate shipments.

Elliot Miller is seeking damages to the tune of US$15,000 for having his 100% eBay rating and reputation ruined because of this and claims that he is selling the clock "as is".

Steadman had already filed a claim and has received his US$44 back but still, he thought that a negative feedback would alert other buyers of the tactics of this seller. Which is normally the right thing to do but in a more refined way.

So happens that Miller is a lawyer himself and he will be incurring almost zero cost taking Steadman to court. Meanwhile, Steadman has already spent US$7000 in legal fees and he says that he may lose the case because he doesn't have enough ammunition to fight on. I think it's a shame.

Tree Care & Maintenance

Our neighbor has been complaining about our huge fruit tree for a couple of years now, saying that it has grown so tall that she is afraid that one day, because of thunderstorm, it will uproot and topple over, hitting our house. Well, we do know that the tree sometimes would sway dangerously due to strong winds but since she is looking from the side, it looks even more threatening.

Since her first complaints, my parents have been looking for someone to trim the tree. My dad wanted to do it himself since he is a hands-on outdoors person but we told him not to due to his age and medical condition. It really isn't advisable to do it himself even if they could not find a person to do it yet.

I read about this Georgia Tree Service company and I think it is awesome if there is a company here offering similar services of tree care, maintenance and trimming. Superior Arbor Management Inc. even offers tree health diagnosis!

We have a large compound and would like to plant more trees but because we do not have access to services like these, we dare not plant more trees. One alone has created so much friction between our neighbor and us!

*** This post has been sponsored.

Ringgit Closes The Week At 3.1880 Against USD

The Malaysian Ringgit had a tremendous week last week closing the week at 3.1880 against the Greenback; an almost 2 year high. This level was achieved back in May 2008.

Analysts are saying that the Ringgit will be even stronger still; riding on the sentiment that China might allow modest appreciation of their currency, Yuan. And with the New Economic Model (NEM), it is believed that it is good enough to attract more foreign investments into the country.

This is of course bad news for people in the country who are earning American Dollars and other foreign currencies as Ringgit has strengthened against most major currencies too during this recent rally but it is certainly good news for people who need to spend overseas, like parents who have children in foreign institutes of higher learning. It means that they don't have to fork out so much Ringgit now.

Pre-Employment Background Screening

A friend, Jaq, just told me that she has a new load of work to do because her company decided to hire new staff. Previously they did not run pre-employment background checks but now they are going to do it on short-listed job applicants to make sure that the candidates are not hiding something.

Many employers do not realize the importance of employee screening or pre-employment screening but any Human Resource Manager would know that once someone is hired, it is not going to be easy, or even cheap, to kick him out.

I read a news article this morning about an employee of a fast food restaurant who allegedly collaborated with two friends to rob his own work place [Source: Toronto Times]. This is certainly one kind of employee no company wants to have on its payroll!

Obviously, one of the screenings that should be done on a potential candidate is drug screening. More and more people depend on drugs secretly but you know, an addiction can make people act irrationally. Do you want someone like that working for you? Luckily, running a pre-employment background check is so affordable and very easy now.

eBay To Pay Damages To Austrian Gold Buyer

I find this recently concluded court case rather interesting. eBay has been found to be negligent in taking action against a high risk gold seller on eBay that caused a buyer to lose money buying gold that was never delivered.

In the first place, eBay employees agreed that it took them several months to take appropriate action in dealing with a German PowerSeller but then this seller has been much discussed in eBay's Trust and Safety forum and yet, the buyer didn't do enough research and committed quite a big sum on the purchase.

Of course, I am not saying that the buyer is wrong or even eBay is. We just have to appreciate the fact that things move slow in a huge organization. And a buyer owes it to himself to make adequate research before making a purchase even if it's just a low priced item.

eBay now has to pay him damages to the tune of $23000 but what happens if the buyer loses in this court case?

Own Boss

My friend, Claire, told me that she is quite happy to be her own boss now. I know that she and her husband have just ventured into a new restaurant and at first, I was rather worried that they would not survive in the competitive food business but it looks like they are flourishing!

According to Claire, some of her former colleagues have recently lost their jobs. she was sure that she too would be jobless if she didn't leave her job earlier. Running a restaurant business may be a lot of work but it sure beats having to search for jobs philadelphia in this economic condition.

Claire said that if she had knew how much time flexibility and freedom she would enjoy as her own boss, she would have quit her job earlier. Well, I did tell her!

Specialty Store

My friend took me to this large specialty store when I was holidaying in the capital city at the end of last month. It's very popular because it specializes in home furnishings and household appliances. My friend thought it was funny that I thought that this store sells men's apparel. Well, the name's familiar!

Besides acting as my tour guide, my friend took the opportunity to check out the tv deals available. He said that he would like to buy a HD TV so that his mother could enjoy the World Cup better this summer. I think that's too extravagant but who am I to comment?

We didn’t stay too long there even though my friend wanted to. I didn’t and asked him to make another trip with his guy friends next time.

12-Year-Old Runs Up £900 Credit Card Debt On FarmVille

Those of us who have a Facebook account would know of a game called FarmVille and those of us who actually play the game know how addictive it could be.

Well, this 12-year-old boy from the UK spent about £300 of his own savings buying virtual goods for his farm on FarmVille and then charged his mother's credit card to the tune of £900 for even more virtual FarmVille cash to buy more virtual farm goods.

The mother hasn't got any headway with either Facebook the social network site, Zynga the game developer or HSBC her bank and has gone public with her story to warn other parents of the "dangers" of online games on social networking websites.

This story has left me wondering how a 12-year-old could get hold of his mother's credit card and charge it with an online purchase. Aren't there more stringent checks by Facebook or PayPal to notice that the account used to purchase virtual goods is different from the name on the credit card?

Searching For Used Auto Parts

As someone who practically spends the whole day online, I come across many niche websites. This one, Junk-Yard-Bids.com, is pretty unique as it is a website dedicated to the search for wrecked or Used Auto Parts.

If you own a car that needs a particular part it takes to search for the specific item that you need. It could take ages if you have a rare model car or if it's too old to be available in regular retail outlets.

This is where this website, Junk-Yard-Bids.com, comes in. It brings together Junk Yards from around the country to help buyers of used auto parts buy their item online easily. Imagine how this site helps people to get hold of what they need without having to visit neighborhood Salvage Yards one by one. How tiring is that?

Searching for an item is a simple process. However, in the event that the particular used auto part is not available online, you could just fill out the request form. Owners of salvage and Wrecking Yards and dealers of used auto parts will be able to check your request and bid on it too. Only the dealer who is able to offer you the item that you need at the lowest price will be able to contact you.

As you can see, Junk-Yard-Bids has streamlined the task of searching for used auto parts.

Rare Michael Jackson Portrait To Be Auctioned On eBay

A very rare portrait of Michael Jackson, said to be the only one that he ever posed for, maybe it's because it's gaudy that's why, will be launched on eBay Wednesday with a starting bid of US$2.75 million.

This painting measures 50-by-40-inch by Australian artist Brett-Livingstone Strong shows Michael Jackson in a Renaissance-era red velvet jacket (possibly his trademark last time), seated amid a sweeping checkerboard floor underneath a magically translucent curtain at his Neverland Ranch with Tinkerbell hovering in the background.

This painting is currently owned by a toy inventor named Marty Abrams who decided to let it go following the continued adoration shown to Michael Jackson by fans even after his death.

Wheels & Rims Online

My brother-in-law is one guy who thinks cars are toys. He loves modifying them even if I think the cars are already performing very well. I guess he has very high expectations or maybe it's just a guy thing.

When I came across this website, Original Wheels, I thought about him. I may not be a car person but I really appreciate the effort put into the website and the information it dispenses that allow someone searching for wheels and Rims to do so easily.

I may not be looking for anything car related but just to test out the website, decided to look for Chevrolet Malibu Wheels and it is a very simple, guided process that even someone who is not web savvy at all would be able to locate the item that he is searching for.

Of course, when using a website like Original Wheels, we may already have a specific item that we are looking for. So from the homepage, I clicked on the button that says Chevrolet, since I am looking for Chevrolet Rims. It will take me to a page with all models of Chevrolet. I clicked on Malibu since I am looking for rims for my 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Wheels.

Going from there, I just select the year of manufacture and then all the information I need on Chevrolet wheels was displayed. That's when I could just take my pick. Easy as that!

UW-Superior Grad Wins PayPal X Developer Challenge

Punsri Abeywickrema, a computer science graduate at UW-Superior in 2000, has come out tops in PayPal's X Developer Challenge, a global competition that was aimed at discovering the best online start up company.

Punsri's online company, Rentalic.com is a website that allows people to rent equipment and tools that are put up on the site by owners who hardly use them themselves and would like to get some rental off their items. Better than letting them sit idle in the garage, I think.

This idea is the best out of 660, according to PayPal judges but I wouldn't say that the other ideas aren't good and it is interesting to note that Punsri worked with PayPal before. Well, like all competitions, there can only be one winner and so Punsri walks away with US$50,000 cash and US$50,000 in waived PayPal fees. Congratulations!

Air Conditioning Repair And Installation Services

My friend, Evon, has just relocated yet again. This new home of his, needs more work to be done but she doesn't mind because it is nearer to her place of work. She has started a restaurant business and anyone who has ventured into the food business knows how long work hours are! Evon said that she would rather spend money on moving to be closer than on commuting, this way saving on time spent on commuting to and from work.

Evon told me that she is looking for a reliable phoenix ac contractor. The new house has both air-conditioner and heating systems installed but they are in desperate need of good service. Well, what did we expect? The house itself is already pretty run down!

According to Evon, she is compiling a list of arizona hvac contractors now so that if the air-conditioners and heater are not worth repairing, she will install new systems for the house. After all, new systems with better technology are more energy efficient.

Evon said that she wants to get this issue settled as soon as possible so that she can move in quickly. That would save her a lot of time and money too. Without proper air-conditioning and heating in place, she dare not make a move. The children would make a fuss and she doesn’t want that.

eBay iPad App

Having just launched two new apps for the iPhone, ebay has come out with yet another app, this one's dedicated to the much anticipated iPad.

Seeing the screenshots on Apple's App Store, I am very impressed with it, I guess the large screen of the iPad makes everything looks so beautiful. Let's not forget that the large screen makes using eBay a lot easier to use and friendlier on the eyes compared to surfing eBay on mobile, even if it's on the iPhone.

I have enclosed a screenshot of eBay iPad app with this post so you can see how comfortable it is to use. This eBay app is free. Wonderful! If only I could afford the iPad. Poor me will have to wait for price adjustments!

Compare Insurance Policies

My sister asked if I have my life insurance settled yet. Well, I have contemplated but have not committed to one yet. I know I shouldn't procrastinate anymore because life insurance is so important!

Over the past two years, I have requested for free insurance quotes online and have compared them but I still cannot decide because of the different benefits offered by different insurers.

My friend told me that she is paying $2000 in premiums annually. That is quite a hefty sum for me! I think of yet another financial commitment and feel burdened but I guess there is no escaping from life insurance. Besides, I also need medical card insurance. *shudder*

Jailed For £23,000 Haul Of Medical Supplies

Hospital worker Douglas Stevenson, 31, took home medical supplies at the end of his shift at the Royal Infirmary, Yorkhill Hospital, and Southern General from October 2006 to November 2008 and tried to sell them off on eBay to internet shoppers from Australia and the United States. Some of the items among the 220 items found in his home included surgical implants and skull drill bits.

I think it is a pretty dumb thing to do since most people who obtained items illegal will always try to offload them online through websites like eBay and Craigslist. Similarly, people who have lost something would also go to such websites and search for them first thing using relevant keywords.

Due to this, Stevenson has lost his job and will have to serve a 20-month jail sentence. No, crime doesn't pay. Not at all. Don’t they ever learn?

Our House Is A Mess

Our neighboring house is under renovation and the contractor is so awful, he damaged our roof, rafters, ceiling and walls too! We can see patches of moisture and cement and the paint work is spoiled too.

Actually, we had wanted to do some interior decoration work too but luckily we have yet to or our new Minka Aire fans would be damaged as well seeing the mess that had been created due to next door's renovation!

We called the house owner to come and have a look at the extent of the damage and he said that he will foot the repair bill but then repair work can only start once the house next door has been completed. Well, I guess our own interior decoration work could only start after that.

Selling Limits For Private Sellers On eBay UK & eBay IE

Keeping track of changes on eBay seems like a full time job now. This new change will affect private sellers on eBay UK and eBay IE with effect from June 2010 where they will be limited to 100 free auction-style listings per month only for items listed with starting price of 99p/99c or lower.

Within this week, though, sellers with feedback score of less than 25 will be limited to 100 free auction-style listing. Sellers with exceptionally high volume will also be reviewed by Customer Support and may be required to upgrade to Business Seller status or blocked from selling on eBay UK and eBay IE entirely.

This will probably be welcomed by both quality sellers and genuine buyers alike. However, there is still a loophole that many sellers could take advantage of, though I will not mention them here.

Link to eBay announcement: HERE

Oceanfront Vacation Homes

I just came home from an amazing 9-day holiday last evening. I spent part of my holiday in an island resort and even though the beaches were not as beautiful as I had envisioned, it is not an Emerald Island vacation home after all, I thought to myself that it would be a dream come true if I could stay in the resort for a month! I would cost me a bomb, I know, but dreams are free, aren't they?

I read an article on the National News Today that it is not impossible to own a beachfront vacation home even if we are not millionaires! I know that this is what we always think but it's no longer the case thanks to fractional ownership.

Actually, fractional ownership real estate is pretty common these days because it is a smarter investment option especially for people who cannot afford to own the entire property. Well, in reality, not many people could, unless we are filthy rich!

However, with fractional ownership, a group of people could share out ownership of an expensive property and equally enjoy privileges like any property owner or even share out income from said property.

Of course, fractional ownership of real estate may not be everyone’s cup of tea but this could be the only way most of us dare dream of owning a beautiful oceanfront vacation home!

iPad Scams On The Rise

With the craze for an iPad, schemers are going into overdrive trying to scam unsuspecting iPad fans into paying hefty prices for an iPad that may not even be available. I really take my hat off to scammers, you know? They are really on the ball and know what the hot merchandise of the moment is and they go the extra mile to cash in on that. It's the iPad now and they are going all out to make their quick buck.

If you are going online to look for an iPad, I think it's better to just hold your horses and wait for the iPad from Apple's official website. What offers that you may be able to find online right now are probably dubious and instead of saving, may cause you to lose $$! Patience is truly a virtue!

Low Cost Self-Storage Facility

My friend, Evon, is moving to a new house again. With two children now, I guess the family just needs more space. I think she plans to get her parents to holiday with her for three months so getting a larger house is very timely.

Evon told me that while hunting for a new house, she has to start packing up already. Meanwhile, she is going to look for a low cost Anaheim Self Storage unit to store her things so that she wouldn't be overwhelmed with work when the new place is ready for the family to move in.

Evon has been telling me that if she doesn't yet have a budget for a larger place, she would still need a self-storage unit to keep some of the items in her household, perhaps just boxes of items or some furniture pieces to make space at home. Then she wouldn't have to rent a house that is larger than her budget.

Self-storage is actually very common in the United States especially for people who frequently relocate or for people who prefer to stay in uptown residential areas. By utilizing self-storage units, people could afford to do that because they don’t need a large apartment as they get to store away a lot of things in low cost self-storage facility.

*** This post has been sponsored.

PayPal Limits Services In Japan

This is certainly bad news for personal users of PayPal Japan. Due to new country financial regulations, effective 31st March, 2010, users with a Japan registered PayPal account will not be able to send funds using the SEND MONEY function for non-commercial transactions. Personal payments from other countries to Japanese users will continue and so will commercial payments like purchasing goods online.

PayPal said that they will try their best to comply with the new regulations and restore services as soon as possible but like what happened in India, it is not going to be easy. Let's just hope that this disease isn't going to spread to more countries!

Healthy Cholesterol

My father's doctor told my father that he has slight cholesterol. The bad kind. He doesn't need to be on medication for that yet but if my father doesn't watch his diet, he may have to depend on medication to control his cholesterol level in the future.

This morning, I read about Wax Matrix Niacin and how it promotes healthy cholesterol. I know that there are good and bad cholesterol and if this would help my father in promoting the good one, I believe he should try it. It's better than going on long term medication to control the bad cholesterol, right?

I also read that the vitamin Niacin is sometimes associated with side effects like skin flushing where skin feels flushed, tingling and warm but the product ENDUR-ACIN® has been able to eliminate such side effects for most individuals. However, even though this supplement is totally safe because it has undergone extensive testing, one should only take it with the supervision of a physician.

On my father’s next monthly check up with his physician, I am going to ask if it’s a good idea to put him on this to promote healthy cholesterol. I’d rather he takes this instead of medication for cholesterol!

*** This post has been sponsored.

eBay Store Moves to Core

After going on holiday for almost ten days, I come back to see plenty of changes implemented on eBay. I am surprised because I thought that changes were only going to be implemented on 1st April but I guess this surprise move is to boost eBay's 1st quarter report!

eBay has new fee structure and from what I read, it is a whole lot more difficult to determine how much it is now to list and sell an item auction-style on eBay. I read that even more people are leaving eBay now because of the increase in fees and plummeting sales.

eBay said that this change has caused the number of listings to increase significantly but what is more important to a seller on eBay is quality buyer. There is no point having all these items that only serve to confuse a buyer.

Anyway, it will take me a few days to really digest the changes that have been implemented. Talk about too many, too fast!

Further Education In New York City

My friend, Paul, told me that with the economy still not as robust as it used to be, he has a lot of free time on his hands. It's funny that when he was working around the clock, he was yearning for a holiday but now, without as much work to do, he is a little restless.

I told him that now is a good opportunity to take up a course. I know that he's an architect and runs his own business but that doesn't mean that he couldn't take up a course that he is passionate about, right? After all, life is a learning process and I believe in lifelong learning too.

There are many Colleges In New York City offering a wide variety of courses and there will surely be something that would interest him. I told him that if he doesn't go back to school now, when he secures a new project, he wouldn't have the time to do so anymore. Well, probably until the next economic downturn or when he retires!

I once read that no matter what subject a person would like to pursue in, he would be able to do it in the United States. Living in a major city like New York City, I don’t think Paul has an excuse when it comes to finding a suitable course!

*** This post has been sponsored.

Miley Cyrus Dress From The Last Song

A dress worn by Miley Cyrus in the movie, The Last Song, and autographed by her too, will be put up on eBay by its owner, Bobby Coleman. This is a great young man who will channel all proceeds from the sale to Haiti relief fund.

If you are a fan of Miley Cyrus, this is really something that you should look out for. I wonder how much it will go up to. Watch this video that I have included to understand what it's all about.

Gifting Organic Apples

An article on National News Today gave me an idea to buy organic apples as gifts this month. The apple is the organic fruit of the month but it really is an appropriate gift for any occasion.

The article is about farm direct organic apples by the organic farmer, Paul Madden, and I am really impressed with the effort he puts into bringing us the best Washington organic apples. I am sure all of us already know of the juicy Washington apples, right? Washington apples from Paul Madden are even better because they are organic.

Fruits are supposed to be healthy but organic fruits are healthier and at the same time organic farming is better for the environment. That’s why it’s so important to buy from trusted organic farmers only; farmers who follow the process of organic farming closely.

I have a close friend who suffered from a minor heart attack just last night. He was told that it could be due to a blockage to an artery but would need more tests to confirm. I told my friend that after this scare, he really should start changing to a healthier lifestyle and diet. Perhaps he should start going on an organic diet. An organic apple a day keeps the doctor away!

eBay Fashion Vault

eBay enters the world of designer fashion with its new website called Fashion Vault where they work with fashion designers and bring us high end fashion at a steep discount.

This isn't an auction site so it uses the "Buy it now" model. Once you see something you like, you can just click on the buy now button. As I am writing this,. Fashion Vault is running a sale on French Connection and clothes are discounted for up to 60%.

If you are serious in picking up something for less, you should sign up for sales updates and only buy when there is a sale. Otherwise, it is not worth it. Well, that's my opinion, anyway.

eBay Fashion Vault: HERE