Just Pictures - Android Application

Just Pictures does just what it says: just pictures. It's an excellent viewer for pictures stored on Flickr, Smugmug and other online storage sites. It starts fast, it's easy to configure, and, it's free.

Parade The Circle June 11, 2011

It was a stone groove, my man!

The weather held up despite predictions! More pictures are here!
Now in its 22nd year (same as Earthfest), Parade the Circle never disappoints and gets bigger and better every year! 

Money for Nothin

Money for nuffin'

Christina Perri - Jar of Hearts Official Video

I've been trying to find out who does this song and now I know and so do you! If this doesn't look right then click here!

Simply Electronics, Simply Disgusting

I posted earlier on my quest for a 500mm Sony lens. This has turned into much more than a simple shopping trip on the web. Its turned into a horrible experience that I wouldn't wish on anybody. Here's a rundown of what led up to this situation:

1. I wanted a lens that I knew was discontinued
2. I felt that even though it was discontinued, it may still be available
3. I searched for and found the lens on multiple sites
4. I clicked through to sites and right off the bat, was told that its out of stock
5. One site, Dells, indicated it was indeed in stock
6. It was indeed, not in stock at Dells, one of the largest computer companies in the world, who doesn't grasp the concept of inventory
7. I ordered the lens
8. Oops, Dell says "We don't have it"
9. My account gets the money back
10. I then found the lens on the website of the villain of this story, Simply Electronics (look it up, I won't link to them)
11. They had 2 in stock
12. Then they had one
13. I ordered on the 28th of March, 2011
14. Let the games begin
15. Did I mention that I used Google Checkout? An outstanding service that appears to stand for nothing!
16. Simply Electronics soon found that, and I quote:
    "Upon packing your order, we had discovered that our shipment of Sony SAL-500 500mm F8 Reflex Super Telephoto Lens was damaged, and therefore had to be returned.
    Unfortunately, the replacements are not expected to arrive within any short period of time.
    We apologise for any inconveniences caused, however in this unfortunate event, we would like to ask if there are any other similarly priced products listed on our site that may be suitable as a replacement? Should the price be slightly higher, we can perhaps waive this as a gesture of goodwill (please note we can only do this usually for minor differences).
    Likewise, if the price is lower, we can have this reimbursed to your account.
    Kindly let us know by reply and we will do our best to expedite this for you. Otherwise, kindly advise on how we should proceed.
    Looking forward to your response, thank you.
    
    Kind Regards,
    Tobias
    Customer Service Executive"
17. For the folks playing at home, it was never in stock. They must have an excuse box next to the phone and they pulled damaged! Trust me, it was never in stock
18. I get it! I'm looking for a discontinued lens! So, cancel and give me my money back, right? Wrong!
19. Emails, phone calls, yea, yea, yea! I'm getting nowhere
20. Simply Electronics is based in Hong Kong, 
21. I think that translates to "bye, bye gringo money"
22. That was a joke
23. This blog is hosted on Blogger, a Google company
24. Google Checkout is another Google company
25. I participate in the Google Adsense program
26. I can't rip you off like Simply Electronics can with Googles blessing
27. Google might say that I didn't go through the dispute process
28. My bank has a dispute process
29. The local branch of my bank disputes what the phone people from the bank say
30. If you click on an ad on my sites, I get $.0001 (or less, not sure) and if I buy from Simply Electronics they keep all my money
31. I ordered something, never received anything, yet my bank says I could lose the money I paid for nothing!
32. There's no such thing as a free lunch! That used to be an old saying. 
33. Don't mind paying for something you never receive! April 5, 2011! Our banks, our government, us consumers!
34. My headaches almost gone and the knots are almost out of my neck! I don't know, do you think they'll try to charge me for therapy?

UPDATE: We finally got our money back on April 18, 2011! We feel lucky! I finally found a way to raise a dispute about this with Google. It wasn't in plain site and I'll try to find it and post it. I'm not sure if it was that Google got after them or my bank or the combination of the two. Again, after waiting nearly three weeks I did get my money and I feel relieved, but the process was terrible to go through and I wouldn't wish it on anybody.

Mp3s on a Verizon LG- VX8300

Verizon LG-VX8300 - card limit is 1GB



1. Format your microSD card using the phone's built-in utility--very important. (see Settings & Tools/Memory/Card Memory).

When formatting the card in the phone The utility asks for your lock code, which is by default, the last four digits of

your phone number.

3. Use the adapter (supplied with the microSD card) along with an SD card reader to transfer mp3s from you computer to the

card. (Protected content from iTunes and others won't play; you need plain vanilla mp3s.)



4. Enable mp3 on your phone via the Services Menu, and select (or press): End/Ok/0000000/11/.mp3 Enable

  Alternate instructions: From main screen press OK and then the number 0 seven times (youll see a series of question marks
 
  disappear). Then scroll all the way down and press #11 (Music Setting). Finally, choose Enable mp3.

5. Install your microSD in the phone and enjoy the music.

6. To get MP3s to play and to be able to use the keys on the front of the phone, including ringtones Press OK (Menu) and go

to Settings and Tools, press 5 (phone settings), press 2 (shortcut key), press 5 (play key), and choose my mp3s.

The Quest for the Mythical Sony 500mm Mirror Lens

I'm a fan and user of the Sony Alpha line of DSLR cameras and over the years I have wanted the SAL-500F80 , Sony's 500mm Super Telephoto lens. Unfortunately, Sony discontinued the lens and I felt that I should get it before its gone so my quest began! At first I looked at Sony's site and it was a no go. Next up, Amazon, right? Nope! After searching the nooks and crannys of the internet, I found it on of all places, Dell!!! And so, I ordered it! End of story, right? Wrong! I received an email within days of placing the order telling me the ship date was being pushed back. Hmmmmm! The reason I ordered it through Dell was that it was orderable! I know that's not a word, (spell check told me so) but, it was! I figured that Dell, Mighty Dell, one of the lords of the industry, would save me from my total inability to decision this process and order the damn lens when it was available! The Dell website showed it as available and so I ordered it. Or so I thought! In the Dell parlance, my order status has been "in production". In the meantime, I found the same lens on another site for $8 more with 2 listed as being in stock. The tension grew as I continued to check for emails for shipped dates and nothing occurred. Finally, when I clicked on the "order number" for "order status" and got error messages, that was it! I canceled the order and went through the other guy.

The moral of this story is that Dell, the huge computer company doesn't seem to be able to use computers as well as the other company's to inform me or anyone else that the item in question is not in stock! The company that makes computers can't use them properly! What a hoot! Sony knew they didn't have the lens. Amazon knew! The little company did know they had 2 and then 1!

And then again, NO!  The little company, Simply Electronics, seems to have had a hiccup them selves. It's March 30th and they sent me an email stating that
"Upon packing your order, we had discovered that our shipment of Sony SAL-500 500mm F8 Reflex Super Telephoto Lens was damaged, and therefore had to be returned.
Unfortunately, the replacements are not expected to arrive within any short period of time."
 Well! I'm screwed again! What galls me is the stupid excuses and the inaccurate databases showing they have an item they clearly do not have! I know the lens is discontinued. I'm not trying to pull some stunt on these guys!
I remember some years back(okay, a lot of years back) when I called and went from store to store searching for the missing original Transformers(the constructicons, they were green and there were 6 as I remember) for my son for Christmas and this is the same type for thing only updated but with no success because I'm striking out!