tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62531573296937905522024-03-14T16:50:35.337+11:00Bits and pieces from Down UnderRandom stuff from one who came from the NorthColumbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.comBlogger156125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-64617533421729151812019-05-07T11:33:00.000+10:002019-05-07T11:44:24.903+10:00Firefox Addons fix on Ubuntu 18.04So after Mozilla fucked up extensions aka add-ons for their <i>Firefox</i> web browser (if you haven't noticed, you may stop reading now), they now released an update to fix that bug. After updating your Firefox browser, your add-ons should be back and operational once again.<br />
<br />
To get this bug fix, you want Firefox version <b>66.0.<font color="#FF0000">4</font></b>.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, running the Ubuntu Software Updater did, in my case, not actually update my Firefox browser.<br />
<br />
Running <font face="Courier New, Courier, monospace">sudo apt update</font>, followed by <font face="Courier New, Courier, monospace">sudo apt install firefox</font> only informed me that I already had "the most current version".<br />
<font face="Courier New, Courier, monospace">firefox --version</font> confirmed that my "most current version" was in fact Firefox 66.0.<b>3</b>.<br />
<br />
It seems that at the moment (May 7, 2019), the Ubuntu repository does not (yet) have the Firefox release featuring that bug fix.<br />
<br />
But there's hope!<br />
<br />
Install Firefox <b>66.0.<font color="#FF0000">4</font></b> from <b>Mozilla PPA repository</b>:<br />
<br />
1) Add Mozilla signing key:<br />
<font face="Courier New, Courier, monospace">sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys A6DCF7707EBC211F</font><br />
<br />
2) Add Mozilla repository:<br />
<font face="Courier New, Courier, monospace">sudo apt-add-repository "deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-mozilla-security/ppa/ubuntu bionic main"<br />
sudo apt update</font><br />
<br />
3) Install Firefox (this will now obtain the latest Firefox version from the <b>Mozilla repository</b> you've just added):<br />
<font face="Courier New, Courier, monospace">sudo apt install firefox</font><br />
<br />
4) For confirmation: <br />
<font face="Courier New, Courier, monospace">firefox --version</font> returns <br />
<font face="Courier New, Courier, monospace"><b>66.0.<font color="#ff0000">4</font></b></font><br />
<br />
5) Launch <i>Firefox</i> to see all your beloved add-ons restored to their former glory.<br />
<br />
The above instructions, namely details about Mozilla repository, taken from <a href="https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-install-uninstall-and-update-firefox-on-ubuntu-18-04-bionic-beaver-linux" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-81355460423637808602018-07-12T12:53:00.000+10:002018-07-12T12:53:44.951+10:00Shopping with Amazon AustraliaIn short: Depending on what product you're after, it's not all bad.<br />
<br />
I've compared a couple of items (ok, just 6), and even within that tiny sample, the results range from "that's ok" to "are you fucking kidding me":<br />
<br />
<table border=0 cellpadding=5> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<th nowrap rowspan=2 valign="top">Description</th>
<th nowrap colspan=3 valign="top">Amazon USA</th>
<th nowrap colspan=3 valign="top">Amazon Australia</th>
<th nowrap rowspan=2 valign="top">Harvey<br>Norman</th>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<th nowrap>USD</th>
<th nowrap>AUD</th>
<th nowrap>AUD inc GST</th>
<th nowrap>AUD</th>
<th nowrap>Diff AUD</th>
<th nowrap>Diff %</th>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#F5F5F5">
<td nowrap>Seagate Backup Plus 4TB<br>Portable External Hard Drive USB 3.0</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZTRXFBA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
" target="_blank">USD 100</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZTRXFBA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
" target="_blank">AUD 136</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top">AUD 150</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Seagate-Backup-Portable-External-STDR4000100/dp/B00ZTRXFBA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1530831029&sr=8-1&keywords=seagate+backup+plus+4tb
" target="_blank">AUD 149</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top">- AUD 1</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top">- 0.67 % %</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.harveynorman.com.au/seagate-4tb-backup-plus-portable-hard-drive.html
" target="_blank">AUD 219</a></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<td nowrap>AmazonBasics External Hard Disk case</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F5CKWBA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
" target="_blank">USD 7</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F5CKWBA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
" target="_blank">AUD 9</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top">AUD 10</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/AmazonBasics-External-Hard-Drive-Case/dp/B00F5CKWBA/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1530831403&sr=1-1&keywords=AmazonBasics+External+Hard+Drive+Case
" target="_blank">AUD 12</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top">+ AUD 2</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top">+ 20.00 % %</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.harveynorman.com.au/western-digital-my-passport-portable-hard-drive-pouch-black.html
" target="_blank">AUD 14</a> <sup>1</sup></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#F5F5F5">
<td nowrap>Sanddisk UltraFit USB drive 16 GB</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077Y149DL/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
" target="_blank">USD 8</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077Y149DL/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
" target="_blank">AUD 11</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top">AUD 13</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/SanDisk-16GB-Ultra-Flash-Drive/dp/B077Y149DL/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1530832430&sr=1-1&keywords=SanDisk+16GB+Ultra+Fit
" target="_blank">AUD 9</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top">- AUD 4</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top">- 30.77 %</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.harveynorman.com.au/sandisk-ultra-fit-16gb-usb-3-0-flash-drive.html
" target="_blank">AUD 12</a> <sup>1</sup></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<td nowrap>Mpow Car phone mount</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D7286S1/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
" target="_blank">USD 16</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D7286S1/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
" target="_blank">AUD 22</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top">AUD 25</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Universal-Holder-Dashboard-Windshield-Mobile/dp/B07D7286S1/ref=sr_1_cc_5?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1530832676&sr=1-5-catcorr&keywords=mpow+car+phone+mount
" target="_blank">AUD 57</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><font color="red">+ AUD 32</font></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><font color="red">+ 128.00 %</font></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.harveynorman.com.au/cygnett-dash-view-vice-phone-mount.html
" target="_blank">AUD 24</a> <sup>1</sup></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#F5F5F5">
<td nowrap>Filter B&W Neutral density<br>3.0 MRC 110M 77mm</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/77mm-Neutral-Density-3-0-1000X-Filter/dp/B00485ZJB8/ref=sr_1_1?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1530832876&sr=8-1&keywords=110m+77mm&dpID=41Nk2m6ZKiL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
" target="_blank">USD 100</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/77mm-Neutral-Density-3-0-1000X-Filter/dp/B00485ZJB8/ref=sr_1_1?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1530832876&sr=8-1&keywords=110m+77mm&dpID=41Nk2m6ZKiL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
" target="_blank">AUD 136</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top">AUD 150</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/77mm-Neutral-Density-3-0-1000X-Filter/dp/B00485ZJB8/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1530832982&sr=8-1&keywords=B%26W+B%2BW+77mm+ND+Neutral+Density+3.0-1000X+MRC+110M
" target="_blank">AUD 323</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><font color="red">+ AUD 173</font></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><font color="red">+ 115.33 %</font></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<td nowrap>Buyee media player</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Buyee-Portable-Outputs-Auto-play-Loop-play/dp/B00JA8I0NW/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1530833131&sr=1-3&keywords=Portable+Media+Player%2C+Buyee+Full+1080P+HD&dpID=51y0VkzCXYL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
" target="_blank">USD 35</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Buyee-Portable-Outputs-Auto-play-Loop-play/dp/B00JA8I0NW/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1530833131&sr=1-3&keywords=Portable+Media+Player%2C+Buyee+Full+1080P+HD&dpID=51y0VkzCXYL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
" target="_blank">AUD 46</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top">AUD 53</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top"><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Portable-Buyee-Outputs-Auto-Play-Loop-Play/dp/B077P9CKX9/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1530141752&sr=8-2&keywords=usb+media+player+hdmi
" target="_blank">AUD 43</a></td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top">- AUD 10</td>
<td nowrap align="right" valign="top">- 18.87 %</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
</table><br><sup>1</sup> Comparable product<br />
<br />
Note 1: For convenience, all prices have been rounded: Amazon US <b>up</b> to the next full dollar, Amazon AUS <b>down</b> to the full dollar.<br />
<br />
Note 2: I've ignored <b>shipping</b>; for low-price items that are only slightly cheaper in the US, this might reverse the result.<br />
<br />
Also, Amazon Australia still only features approx 60 million products, compared to 570 million items on Amazon US; so it's still a matter of luck to even find what you're after on the local site.<br />
<br />
So there you have it. It's not as bad as I expected, but there are still a few instances of blatant rip-offs for Australian buyers; especially now that Amazon US is no longer available to us.<br />
Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-86636179939211060852018-07-03T12:40:00.002+10:002018-07-03T12:42:15.249+10:00The Grey Headed Flying FoxThe internet tells me the Grey Headed Flying Fox is one of the largest bats in Australia (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey-headed_flying_fox" target="_blank">Wikipeida</a>, that old beacon of accuracy, even claims it's the biggest).<br />
<br />
And as it turns out, there's a rather large colony at <a href="https://www.parrapark.com.au/about-us/160-years/stories-of-parramatta-park/going-batty-at-parra-park/" target="_blank">Parramatta Park</a>. So, here are a couple of pictures:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fyubYR5IrRUT3Vz5tbaTBygGBeIp3gV4Br3x783vZQPtZeIscorQX4ccAxGynIuie45SFF_lstUMrrxsl3A-SHzcjD2l3DS_5NCQrRHVLirWK817MlcowdL_Lf9nEbWGXsy1xeREFg-gX0uS6gTaKJe-wAzooVKJBVxlmO295ey3upVCGXVkquAbySyxZpwa0d1lr9yGkbATy5Jb2QhF_jeYp34brOoPET37rD1Ggk_1tXHn5RUpymtQDfJh0O4Bj-r9NOfzE1Jy0Fcrjkw__xq1J8C7RC8YGu3EpkVnWu0msvN0oHVyj1bj8ATFYNCWRIm7ucxKoeM-SqqxCXgRYho81XT246ZKJixpZzFUgisqSY8JAa78PxaqYg0kTkMkCNeoZY2ds9LNU_EBFX-ml4vHTGUmoYMgdWFAWQAe7zqVHrCLsR2jQZGTsMnAnce_W83fRBwUTs_xzuP5orPzZuaQX61nZfoH45bPSeg3_CDB8A3iY8Zaavi5wSpECmi7wts9zqLiu7G04l74vu1FlGYaRVgm2mrZsB6eyZLO5X82j5dzEAT1hPh27TWrg5DRpvhhT7rULQIFnlpUh0Zm8t8JmdyWLYuOYcnboP8=w1070-h647-no" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fyubYR5IrRUT3Vz5tbaTBygGBeIp3gV4Br3x783vZQPtZeIscorQX4ccAxGynIuie45SFF_lstUMrrxsl3A-SHzcjD2l3DS_5NCQrRHVLirWK817MlcowdL_Lf9nEbWGXsy1xeREFg-gX0uS6gTaKJe-wAzooVKJBVxlmO295ey3upVCGXVkquAbySyxZpwa0d1lr9yGkbATy5Jb2QhF_jeYp34brOoPET37rD1Ggk_1tXHn5RUpymtQDfJh0O4Bj-r9NOfzE1Jy0Fcrjkw__xq1J8C7RC8YGu3EpkVnWu0msvN0oHVyj1bj8ATFYNCWRIm7ucxKoeM-SqqxCXgRYho81XT246ZKJixpZzFUgisqSY8JAa78PxaqYg0kTkMkCNeoZY2ds9LNU_EBFX-ml4vHTGUmoYMgdWFAWQAe7zqVHrCLsR2jQZGTsMnAnce_W83fRBwUTs_xzuP5orPzZuaQX61nZfoH45bPSeg3_CDB8A3iY8Zaavi5wSpECmi7wts9zqLiu7G04l74vu1FlGYaRVgm2mrZsB6eyZLO5X82j5dzEAT1hPh27TWrg5DRpvhhT7rULQIFnlpUh0Zm8t8JmdyWLYuOYcnboP8=w1070-h647-no" width="700" alt="DESCRIPTION"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cMxPKTUK7mESlE_QRyUQExqG2hMVF3brmzijG78fHTGww89mYo8hdMHH3SI1FVD2NqUXR7MJjU49NSQMMn79QinF_Ytm8jUwnbpLUbZXU6Iug7lMDL0rrXiFXRZ8Xfn7SovUAqk1jAKdnQfAit6w8-RWvbPrQo2yeQvD_va1mGaMmuOhckahvRn2HlmwE5nz-x6OS8BRl8z8fur9oje8kiGLLt7jmwlFlGRoTOdO5xQQni8p3tup_ZtQr7GHJRT8CfMxoUi2xG3puuu7AkCLgYZ4IbT1psJUvsY8-ew905fsxsXjlbwdktEXJDL5UAPcK3EokzhLbyq_nbe9ZTiamhtUxVQrOC8wHLqyWH3e4lF2LkkVFnygk5IJkMSRjAwbr9vKs_rZ_GOBP3IxzWJiNkPNnZGz1dRZJ9uUbA2D_S8dWUJV2DzSyIQLfeVxJSnCARktU1KSAz6Eqw66Dz9K3ucarOq3lJyLkOQsWSKqVBQ0hNPQth6PsL7ZM2aiYkJjGyR3FJHzfYG3xqZnSnFVUyx0Im7x0_gMzuH28Ocs1_gB6a8BJttLXeqhqM08sPmSdtaz_sVyed3kmwJV1HlLBuQFdtq08_SeljmVkVE=w1053-h647-no" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cMxPKTUK7mESlE_QRyUQExqG2hMVF3brmzijG78fHTGww89mYo8hdMHH3SI1FVD2NqUXR7MJjU49NSQMMn79QinF_Ytm8jUwnbpLUbZXU6Iug7lMDL0rrXiFXRZ8Xfn7SovUAqk1jAKdnQfAit6w8-RWvbPrQo2yeQvD_va1mGaMmuOhckahvRn2HlmwE5nz-x6OS8BRl8z8fur9oje8kiGLLt7jmwlFlGRoTOdO5xQQni8p3tup_ZtQr7GHJRT8CfMxoUi2xG3puuu7AkCLgYZ4IbT1psJUvsY8-ew905fsxsXjlbwdktEXJDL5UAPcK3EokzhLbyq_nbe9ZTiamhtUxVQrOC8wHLqyWH3e4lF2LkkVFnygk5IJkMSRjAwbr9vKs_rZ_GOBP3IxzWJiNkPNnZGz1dRZJ9uUbA2D_S8dWUJV2DzSyIQLfeVxJSnCARktU1KSAz6Eqw66Dz9K3ucarOq3lJyLkOQsWSKqVBQ0hNPQth6PsL7ZM2aiYkJjGyR3FJHzfYG3xqZnSnFVUyx0Im7x0_gMzuH28Ocs1_gB6a8BJttLXeqhqM08sPmSdtaz_sVyed3kmwJV1HlLBuQFdtq08_SeljmVkVE=w1053-h647-no" width="700" alt="DESCRIPTION"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GmtlxQPrP21tJ_wjXBvMCeXv70PBB74udzg-K4wwKVAf-N-U5Pf69OsvqaBCNqVWblPuiCMayBQY0mRtCDAuy_Xwd40gerviNQiosuONm5WmYTnnAx-Epzry6VoxnkTlX1WzHvjU1hHb9-9TIzUI6P5UTUak35eDlazgKoBdIVpUa1-glgv-vs0pjlg_Kp312PqoLl3wCXeETgQQccDvItDVAKcgulK_KhaoM66Salcg8TkegZqIBmH9GQZPRI8cDbteTkJ2iJzvtHk7J9ob7HQmpt0rnnHv84DtpxaveU0eBWTNeCsf7stSP34-EVtW-jfrjozzadbZXocXgGXEdIvpVkW2_gQVLQ4AW-4Lqd17bOEcKjbv7kkXt3KqWPFxcBmntOWw7L93mtem_TiuAnlYsj8Oc8mqxOm0Pi9HrNJuw086ECBJMISU8gPlfX2y7-R0u2slKrxNHxCcX13nF-LmPnzEZYBdQelGqXOMNAKyLmaLJicnpLC7wG5EdsMtnkiTYQL_zhxmvJese8eM0ED8sHTtxOwXgMeP5V50TKovifZcVNA3Ffb3h3q0uCeOronflelj0f9VTw5zQQ9BGTMrfsq-z3qp0QuWeho=w860-h647-no" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GmtlxQPrP21tJ_wjXBvMCeXv70PBB74udzg-K4wwKVAf-N-U5Pf69OsvqaBCNqVWblPuiCMayBQY0mRtCDAuy_Xwd40gerviNQiosuONm5WmYTnnAx-Epzry6VoxnkTlX1WzHvjU1hHb9-9TIzUI6P5UTUak35eDlazgKoBdIVpUa1-glgv-vs0pjlg_Kp312PqoLl3wCXeETgQQccDvItDVAKcgulK_KhaoM66Salcg8TkegZqIBmH9GQZPRI8cDbteTkJ2iJzvtHk7J9ob7HQmpt0rnnHv84DtpxaveU0eBWTNeCsf7stSP34-EVtW-jfrjozzadbZXocXgGXEdIvpVkW2_gQVLQ4AW-4Lqd17bOEcKjbv7kkXt3KqWPFxcBmntOWw7L93mtem_TiuAnlYsj8Oc8mqxOm0Pi9HrNJuw086ECBJMISU8gPlfX2y7-R0u2slKrxNHxCcX13nF-LmPnzEZYBdQelGqXOMNAKyLmaLJicnpLC7wG5EdsMtnkiTYQL_zhxmvJese8eM0ED8sHTtxOwXgMeP5V50TKovifZcVNA3Ffb3h3q0uCeOronflelj0f9VTw5zQQ9BGTMrfsq-z3qp0QuWeho=w860-h647-no" width="700" alt="DESCRIPTION"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/SQJ6IgM1DrmEhGhMpKQkCUTFpo7STMvqZs9qaPPI37Q88VdqwbmCDoOoWw3tuRdKXjNDZ5BxFJkShphC6t_AMP4J6ZHTq6jGXLSixXaRazPvtT5V9YqcpNDBhHgg0UF9WbvsZ4b750514exEoIDDykcg7BbZ8wSRvRMrNorPLIkA_o2IyE80igGYPyw0hvDl-ydrrvE4I3j4H85UMWXAywJr_5iVRhkW_EU1PcGPH_5Gl_JZSo7dmdBlkCx1E3TbdL2s18S43Aehs571dG9x5ocLn5XRDf3LMCfLQ7OXudaXVAhGr98Joc1oTRXo6cye1LeHqaIfCL8wOy7EDe_J1JtbcjmjueoHrbiZNAnHR6beX-2zNnppAYmsijgOQPOHoQ8Eiin_bBLCKa6HJCXrrv1nzkCs2t9akdv1csqpkHM4c2wTAOSF66VX6NqabD0e4hWOXJhQcgTiDYCTiFLa6r_tMaAiyGYhBaabU1eHj7rOQ-3LTF0ieaslBjem_uH0mepl5a1bxqPbmXege4G1IgqgeU920lyMdyDRI6SNA3YI27sFmqOt2y5Lke_jygXWtfyeMj3HbP8gwvccWQ0uQiKWF7OpWs4D6sNjvl0=w935-h589-no" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/SQJ6IgM1DrmEhGhMpKQkCUTFpo7STMvqZs9qaPPI37Q88VdqwbmCDoOoWw3tuRdKXjNDZ5BxFJkShphC6t_AMP4J6ZHTq6jGXLSixXaRazPvtT5V9YqcpNDBhHgg0UF9WbvsZ4b750514exEoIDDykcg7BbZ8wSRvRMrNorPLIkA_o2IyE80igGYPyw0hvDl-ydrrvE4I3j4H85UMWXAywJr_5iVRhkW_EU1PcGPH_5Gl_JZSo7dmdBlkCx1E3TbdL2s18S43Aehs571dG9x5ocLn5XRDf3LMCfLQ7OXudaXVAhGr98Joc1oTRXo6cye1LeHqaIfCL8wOy7EDe_J1JtbcjmjueoHrbiZNAnHR6beX-2zNnppAYmsijgOQPOHoQ8Eiin_bBLCKa6HJCXrrv1nzkCs2t9akdv1csqpkHM4c2wTAOSF66VX6NqabD0e4hWOXJhQcgTiDYCTiFLa6r_tMaAiyGYhBaabU1eHj7rOQ-3LTF0ieaslBjem_uH0mepl5a1bxqPbmXege4G1IgqgeU920lyMdyDRI6SNA3YI27sFmqOt2y5Lke_jygXWtfyeMj3HbP8gwvccWQ0uQiKWF7OpWs4D6sNjvl0=w935-h589-no" width="700" alt="DESCRIPTION"></a><br />
Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com01C Fleet St, North Parramatta NSW 2151, Australia-33.805610879310436 150.99939623150635-33.819303379310433 150.97021373150636 -33.791918379310438 151.02857873150634tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-73707250999164613312018-03-09T10:37:00.000+11:002018-03-09T10:37:39.677+11:00Return And EarnI've finally had the chance to try the NSW Government's <a href="http://returnandearn.org.au/" target="_blank">"Return And Earn"</a> scheme that imposes a $ 0.10 deposit on some drink containers that can then be reclaimed by returning said containers to a "Collection Point". Specifically, I wanted to try the "Reverse Vending machines.<br />
<br />
Now that I've done that, I have several questions:<br />
<br />
- Why are there so few "Reverse Vending Machines"?<br />
<br />
- Why are "Reverse Vending Machines" not located in high traffic areas, in locations that would be convenient for large numbers of potential users? As an example; there's not a single machine to be found in the entire city of Parramatta, a major hub in the Sydney metro area and home to some 25,000 people, featuring a large Westfield shopping centre that would make just one of many excellent choices for those machines<br />
<br />
- Why are there no machines along major roads, where commuters could conveniently return their empties on their way to / from work?<br />
<br />
- Why have the machines only one slot for non-glass containers, causing long lines (in my test 22 minutes) even in off-peak hours?<br />
<br />
- When will the scanners be upgraded so that the machines no longer reject containers with microscopic dents or invisible scratches in the bar code?<br />
<br />
- Whose brilliant idea was it to make actually receiving the refund for successfully returned containers as difficult as possible? Does the Government honestly think that either<br />
-- Installing a buggy app that has received overwhelmingly scathing reviews (<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tomra.digital.mytomra" target="_blank">Android</a>, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/mytomra/id1303242160?mt=8" target="_blank">Apple</a>), setting up a profile, and then sharing ones PayPal details with the Government<br />
-- Take the printed receipt / voucher to the one designated store listed on the voucher and stand in line again to finally receive the cash refund<br />
are acceptable or even convenient?<br />
<br />
- Related to previous item: When will the machine be upgraded to directly dispense cash refunds?<br />
<br />
- Is the person in charge of implementing the <i>Return And Earn</i> scheme still working in his role? If so, how do I apply for a job in that department; I quite like the idea of a pressure-free work environment where competence is irrelevant and even complete and utter failure results in no consequences whatsoever.<br />
Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-83579052747272526412017-08-15T12:14:00.000+10:002017-08-15T12:14:27.692+10:00Driving the "improved" M4On the occasion of the return of road tolls to Sydney's M4 motorway, here's a video showing a journey along the "upgraded" section from Parramatta to Homebush (and onwards to Concord) and back, on a random weekday the week before the reintroduction of the tolls.<br />
<br />
A couple of thoughts:<br />
<br />
Before the "upgrade", with frequent lane merges, such as 4 lanes being reduced to 3 at the Church St, Parramatta exit, then 3 reduced to 2 at the James Ruse Dr exit (eastbound), the speed limit was 90 kph. Now with 4 lanes in each direction for most of the "upgraded" section, and therefore less potentially dangerous spots, the max speed limit has been <b>lowered</b> to <b>80</b> kph. So while the elimination of a few bottlenecks may reduce travel time in peak out traffic to some extent; paying the exorbitant toll on, say, a lazy Sunday afternoon, will <b>not</b> save you any time, regardless of what the WestConnex crooks and their NSW government accomplices keep telling us – quite the contrary.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, that 80 kph limit is exactly the same that applied during the construction phase of the upgrade. We must therefore conclude that 4 wide, straight, unobstructed lanes are no safer than 2 narrow, often winding, lanes in a roadworks zone with its turning trucks and all the other hazards that come with, well, roadworks.<br />
<br />
That said, I'm not all that sure the "upgrade" improves traffic flow all that much anyway. Even in light traffic (weekday around 3 pm), the actual speed frequently drops below even the low speed limit of 80 kph. Below is the speed chart from my westbound journey (includes section from Concord to Homebush, which at the time still was a roadworks zone).<br />
<br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1s4X4P_SdJs/WZJHDJfSOfI/AAAAAAAAAgk/6VRpd2971tA3zVK6TW9qjthnPZglTq8EgCLcBGAs/s1600/2017-08-10_14_52_%252B10_00_Concord_Westmead_Speed_Small_Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="507" height="270" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1s4X4P_SdJs/WZJHDJfSOfI/AAAAAAAAAgk/6VRpd2971tA3zVK6TW9qjthnPZglTq8EgCLcBGAs/s320/2017-08-10_14_52_%252B10_00_Concord_Westmead_Speed_Small_Edit.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
Then, there's the blatant lie of what the "upgrade" actually includes. According to <a href="https://www.westconnex.com.au/projects/m4-widening" target="_blank">WestConnex</a>, the <i>M4 Widening</i> project delivers<br />
<br />
"<b>Widening the existing M4 Motorway from Parramatta to Homebush from three to four lanes in each direction</b>"<br />
<br />
To, me, and presumably to many other, apparently misinformed, readers, this implies 4 lanes <b>all the way</b>. Sadly, but not surprisingly, this isn't so. At the <a href="https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/-33.8427072,151.0440078/-33.842832,151.0439971/@-33.8427562,151.043584,17z?hl=en" target="_blank">Silverwater Rd exit</a>, lane 1 (the leftmost lane) becomes the exit lane, leaving the actual freeway reduced to 3 lanes. Granted, the 4th lane returns after the exit, in the form of the non-merging on ramp from Silverwater road; but it only takes common sense to realize that any reduction of lanes, no matter for how short a distance, will always cause congestion in heavy traffic. After all, the elimination of exactly those lkinds of bottlenecks was supposed to be the point of this expensive project.<br />
<br />
To sum up; As of August 15, 2017, you get to pay <b>AUD 4.56</b> each way (with future regular increases already legislated), to drive, even in perfect condition an light traffic, slower than before the "upgrade", on a road that doesn't actually deliver the key promise of the project ("4 lanes each way from Parra to Homebush").<br />
<br />
After this experience, some questions remain: <br />
- Is the NSW Government merely incompetent, or outright corrupt?<br />
- Does the NSW Government have employees that are specifically tasked with finding ways to stuff up Government projects?<br />
- Should the company building delivering the M4 "upgrade" (and charging motorists exorbitant tolls for it), <a href="http://www.sydneymotorway.com.au/" target="_blank">Sydney Motorway Corporation</a>, be classified as a criminal organization?<br />
<br />
<center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MdjeiWRUI4U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
</center>Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-65215432070838167492017-05-04T11:58:00.004+10:002017-05-08T11:13:28.613+10:00How to renew your NSW drivers license in 4 short weeksHow to renew your standard NSW drivers lincense in 8 easy steps over the course of only 4 weeks, with only 4 trips to <a href="https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/" target="_blank">Service NSW</a>:<br />
<br />
Before we start, be reminded that in early 2016 (I think), the RMS (formerly RTA) <a href="http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/licence/centralised-photocard-printing.html" target="_blank">centralized the production photo id cards</a> such as drivers licenses. This is a “more efficient way to do business” and allows us customers to “complete our transaction faster”. So keep in mind that the process outlined below is actually an <b>improvement</b> compared to the olden days when the friendly customer service person would just print your license and hand it to you on the spot.<br />
<br />
1)<br />
Fail to renew your license online, because no email address is linked to your account, and adding an email address cannot be done online.<br />
<br />
2)<br />
Attend a <a href="https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/service-centre" target="_blank">Service NSW branch</a> of your choice, for instance Parramatta. When asked, no, instructed, by the bossy receptionist to renew your license online, be quick to point out that you've tried and failed, otherwise she <b>will</b> shove you out the door before you get a word in edgewise.<br />
<br />
3)<br />
At this point, bossy receptionist transforms into helpful assistant and updates your account. She will <b>not</b>, however, conduct any further checks regarding your eligibility to renew online, instead reverting to bossy receptionist and once again rush you out the door.<br />
<br />
4)<br />
Successfully start process to renew license online. Suppress urge to obliterate your computer when told by the web site that you're not eligible, because the system has determined that an eyesight test is necessary.<br />
<br />
5)<br />
Print and complete <a href="http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/about/forms/45071506-licence-renewal-application.pdf" target="_blank">paper form</a>, return to <i>Service NSW</i> branch again, have renewal application processed, including eyesight test and new photo. Pay AUD 178.00 for the privilege, a modest increase of just over <b>13 %</b> since the last renewal five years ago. Enjoy the 50 % discount for having a good driving record.<br />
<br />
6)<br />
Because the RTA, sorry, RMS, sorry, <i>Service NSW</i> <a href="http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/licence/centralised-photocard-printing.html" target="_blank">centralized the actual printing of licenses etc</a>, receive a temporary license in the form of a convenient paper document (size DIN A5), which you will be required to carry when driving until your “proper” license arrives by mail (in “about 2 weeks’ time”).<br />
<br />
7)<br />
After three weeks, return to <i>Service NSW</i> branch for <b>the fourth time</b> because your license hasn’t arrived yet. Complete <a href="http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/maritime/registration/application-replacement-products.pdf" target="_blank">another form</a>, take another ticket, then by pure chance once again enjoy the friendly service of Diane. Have your photo taken again, receive another temporary license, and learn that Diane is not only blessed with a cheerful personality, but also complete and utter indifference to customer service. Do not expect her to even attempt to find out why your license hasn’t been mailed, or take any steps to ensure this won’t happen again; Diane won’t even try to hide the fact that she doesn’t give a shit.<br />
<br />
8)<br />
After another week, receive your license by mail. Do not take this for granted, there is no telling how many times you will hear Diane say “It just didn’t get mailed” before this last step actually happens.<br />
<br />
So there you have it; couldn’t be any easier or more convenient, really. My only request to the RMS would be: <b>Don’t make any more “improvements” to your services, please!</b>Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0Parramatta NSW 2150, Australia-33.8166223204774 151.00147578042606-33.8182713204774 150.99895428042606 -33.8149733204774 151.00399728042606tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-37482035262849608402016-09-19T11:44:00.000+10:002016-09-19T11:44:21.530+10:00Update: Taxis Combined nightmareWell, while <a href="https://www.taxiscombined.com.au/" target="_blank">Taxis Combined</a> clearly isn't even trying to provide a decent service, they do at least respond to feedback. This is their reply, sent via a series of Twitter messages:<br />
<br />
<font face="Courier New,
Courier, monospace" color="#0000ff">Thanks, Frank. We will pass this on to our Driver Services Team who will address with the Driver in accordance with our codes of conduct. While we are not permitted to discuss exactly what occurs with the Driver during this process, we can advise that action taken will depend on the Driver's past feedback & driving history. Action can include counselling, additional training & cancellation of the Driver's affiliation w/ Taxis Combined. This incident will also be recorded on their permanent record. Please accept our apologies for your experience. It by no means meets the standards we expect from affiliated Drivers. If you could DM your preferred postal address, we would like to send you a Cabcharge voucher to both apologise & thank you for providing this feedback. - Cass</font><br />
<br />
For the record, they have in the meantime mailed that <i>Cabcharge</i> voucher (AUD 20) referred to in the above response.<br />
<br />
The rest of it, namely the part about "possible action" to be taken against the driver does come across as fluffy and meaningless; or to put it more bluntly, outright bullshit. The fact that this driver was on the road at all clearly indicates that <i>Taxis Combined</i> tolerate that kind of performance. I have no doubt there must have been previous complaints about this guy (people very rarely turn from decent human being into nausea-inducing pig overnight), yet <i>Taxis Combined</i> obviously didn't see a problem with keeping him driving for them.<br />
<br />
Adding to that the fact that while this was by far the worst experience with this taxi company, every single previous ride with them was, awful (<b>all</b> of their cabs I've been in were filthy, and every single one of their drivers was either rude, lazy (no help with luggage), incompetent with directions, downright dangerous in their driving (n most cases a combination of several of these); I can say with certainty that my resolve to never use <i>Taxis combined</i> again has not changed.<br />
<br />
Avoiding them is of course easiest when booking a cab; just call someone else … anyone else.<br />
<br />
But also keep in mind that at <b>taxi ranks</b>, you are under <b><font color="#ff0000">no obligation</font> to take the first cab in line</b>; and at places like airports etc, you <b>don't have to take the cab the hi-vis-wearing wrangler directs you to</b>.<br />
<br />
For the record; yes I do have a preferred taxi operator in Sydney; and <b>no</b> I won't name them; I don't want this whole episode to be perceived as an endorsement or promo-stunt for any one particular provider. I also am not affiliated in any way with any commercial, private, or public transport providers of any kind.<br />
Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-74614583964785978312016-09-04T15:26:00.001+10:002016-09-04T15:26:46.634+10:00Taxis Combined – another trip from hellI'm the first to admit my own mistakes, and just accepting whatever cab the taxi wrangler at Sydney airport directs me to definitely qualifies.<br />
<br />
On Wednesday, August 31, 2016, just before 8pm, the next available cab in the queue at the international terminal of Sydney airport happened to be <b><a href="https://www.taxiscombined.com.au/" target="_blank">Taxis Combined</a></b> taxi <b># 2203</b>. I had bad trips with these guys in the past, but this one beat them all.<br />
<br />
The actual driving brought no surprises; quite a few heart-stopping lane changes, a nearly missed turn; nothing you wouldn't expect from any taxi in Sydney.<br />
<br />
The driver, however, was another story. Constantly sneezing and coughing, he soon explained that he had, in his words, "a cold, or maybe the flu". For the entire trip, he continued to rub his nose and wipe his face. And just in case that wasn't gross enough, he not only constantly chewed on his chewing gum in an extremely vomit – inducing manner, but also used those same hands that would later handle my luggage (again) and potentially touch my credit card to extensively play with said chewing gum.<br />
<br />
We can only hope guys like this, and indeed companies like <a href="https://www.taxiscombined.com.au/" target="_blank">Taxis Combined</a> who manage to provide consistently appalling service, will be put out of business by competition like <a href="https://www.uber.com/cities/sydney/" target="_blank">Uber</a> sooner than later.<br />
<br />
Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-1211295745710992752016-03-09T11:50:00.000+11:002016-03-11T09:50:22.510+11:00Sydney by night - againI better post this, so nobody can say I've gone a full year without putting up anything. And to get back into it, I might as well pick up where I left off.<br />
<br />
These nighttime shots were taken from Mrs Macquaries Chair (Sydney).<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5G81fz5Qc8k/VtoLBVcwHcI/AAAAAAAAB8s/D2UpndBHdPA/s800-Ic42/Sydney_6161_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5G81fz5Qc8k/VtoLBVcwHcI/AAAAAAAAB8s/D2UpndBHdPA/s800-Ic42/Sydney_6161_Small.jpg" width="700" alt="Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge"></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZDX1hzLhExw/VtoLBXqW9II/AAAAAAAAB8s/q9cC5W_vmfI/s800-Ic42/Sydney_6165_6168_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZDX1hzLhExw/VtoLBXqW9II/AAAAAAAAB8s/q9cC5W_vmfI/s800-Ic42/Sydney_6165_6168_Small.jpg" width="700" alt="Sydney Opera House"></a><br />
Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0Sydney NSW, Australia-33.85979637055 151.22174263000488-33.86309287055 151.21670013000488 -33.85649987055 151.22678513000488tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-41476544721425505892015-04-04T14:00:00.000+11:002015-04-07T09:55:13.790+10:00Sydney by night - part 2And because it was so much fun, some more nighttime shots, this time of the Opera House and the Harbor Bridge.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7PYN3EnLVY8/VRi7G981rQI/AAAAAAAAByc/JI5Fs9_RCQc/s800/Syd_5657_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7PYN3EnLVY8/VRi7G981rQI/AAAAAAAAByc/JI5Fs9_RCQc/s800/Syd_5657_Small.jpg" width="600" alt="Opera House"></a><br />
The Sydney Opera House at dusk<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yMK4r0tRVFo/VRi7gKXiiyI/AAAAAAAABzk/cAP8z1OE0qg/s144/Syd_5686_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yMK4r0tRVFo/VRi7gKXiiyI/AAAAAAAABzk/cAP8z1OE0qg/s144/Syd_5686_Small.jpg" width="600" alt="Opera House by night"></a><br />
The Sydney Opera House by night<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6n-84_FoDlo/VRi7lT83B_I/AAAAAAAABz0/zod9aWQi5Uo/s800/Syd_5697_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6n-84_FoDlo/VRi7lT83B_I/AAAAAAAABz0/zod9aWQi5Uo/s800/Syd_5697_Small.jpg" width="600" alt="Sydney Harbor bridge"></a><br />
Wide angle shot of the Sydney Harbor Bridge<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-blbKNEHGbD0/VRi8HvUkGoI/AAAAAAAAB0M/mnaZmSVCuL0/s800/Syd_5698_Crop_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-blbKNEHGbD0/VRi8HvUkGoI/AAAAAAAAB0M/mnaZmSVCuL0/s800/Syd_5698_Crop_Small.jpg" width="600" alt="Sydney Harbor bridge"></a><br />
The Sydney Harbor Bridge<br />
Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-30548749266378977192015-04-02T13:01:00.003+11:002015-04-02T13:02:24.873+11:00Sydney by night - part 1Some dusk and nighttime shots of Sydney, more specifically the city, taken from across the harbor<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hZajUJwn5No/VRi7E9rPJ9I/AAAAAAAAByU/dkU5TJgW9k8/s800/Syd_4712_4722_Panorama_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hZajUJwn5No/VRi7E9rPJ9I/AAAAAAAAByU/dkU5TJgW9k8/s800/Syd_4712_4722_Panorama_Small.jpg" width="800" alt="Panorama"></a><br />
Sydney harbor just before sunset (panorama image composed of 11 photos; panorama generated by <a href="http://hugin.sourceforge.net/" target="_blank">Hugin</a>).<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SkRwlpONQw0/VRi7JPOqmUI/AAAAAAAAByk/nsvtVUVk2eo/s800/Syd_5659_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SkRwlpONQw0/VRi7JPOqmUI/AAAAAAAAByk/nsvtVUVk2eo/s800/Syd_5659_Small.jpg" width="600" alt="Sydney"></a><br />
The skyline of Sydney at dusk (with some inevitable light streaks from passing ferries)<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-U6OpgJQRcJA/VRi7X0yGgYI/AAAAAAAABzM/4a_wtBbGP9g/s800/Syd_5678_5681_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-U6OpgJQRcJA/VRi7X0yGgYI/AAAAAAAABzM/4a_wtBbGP9g/s800/Syd_5678_5681_Small.jpg" width="600" alt="Sydney"></a><br />
The skyline of Sydney by night<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2kSzPP8xJSc/VRi8IujQL7I/AAAAAAAAB0U/jGH2lxbeZ0w/s800/Syd_5701_5702_5703_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2kSzPP8xJSc/VRi8IujQL7I/AAAAAAAAB0U/jGH2lxbeZ0w/s800/Syd_5701_5702_5703_Small.jpg" width="600" alt="Sydney"></a><br />
Another image of the city and harbor by night, but with much more colorful reflections on the water<br />
Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-81751673323857768822015-02-03T15:04:00.000+11:002015-02-03T15:04:33.686+11:00Conquering the hills of Sydney HarborApparently, Sydney Harbor either is riddled with hills hidden under those deceptively flat waters, or I must have slept thru a series of massive, Hollywood – worthy breakers on my recent ferry trip. What's more, even though the harbor runs directly into the ocean, it seems to be between 16 and 47 meters (52 to 154 feet) above sea level. I really must go check out that waterfall between North Head and South Head.<br />
<br />
Also, even though this particular trip started upstream, the ferry seems to have traveled <b>uphill</b>, starting at 17 meters (56 feet) above sea level, and finishing at 23 meters (75 feet).<br />
<br />
Conclusion: I'm not sure I can really trust the GPS module of my Nexus 5.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Rtqv6dNh8JU/VMhDyLhD0NI/AAAAAAAABuM/EY--jlYLXgU/s800/Ferry_2015-01-26%252012_26%2520%252B1100_Elevation.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Rtqv6dNh8JU/VMhDyLhD0NI/AAAAAAAABuM/EY--jlYLXgU/s800/Ferry_2015-01-26%252012_26%2520%252B1100_Elevation.jpg" width="800" alt="Elevation profile"></a><br />
<i>Elevation profile from GPS log of ferry trip, as recorded on my Nexus 5. Recording started and ended on ferry, no on-shore traveling</i>Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-56657474179585831812015-02-01T15:59:00.000+11:002015-02-01T15:59:13.698+11:00Sydney Harbor - High above the seaSydney Harbor … now <b>34 meters above sea level</b>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-A0Fd3VRdTlk/VMhFDW4vcwI/AAAAAAAABus/o-EH26Kka0Y/s800/Ferry_Navi_Harbor_Q080.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-A0Fd3VRdTlk/VMhFDW4vcwI/AAAAAAAABus/o-EH26Kka0Y/s800/Ferry_Navi_Harbor_Q080.jpg" width="600" alt="GPS Screenshot"></a><br />
Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-64635472162816126642015-01-29T11:21:00.000+11:002018-07-03T12:43:06.087+10:00Parramatta Centenary squareFrom the <i>Better late than never</i> desk: A couple of photos from Parramatta's Centenary Square (formerly known as Church Street Mall), taken around Christmas.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zBLDqD48pGw/VKs8p7_DZ8I/AAAAAAAABrI/xpLny92Yyp0/s800/Parra_4667_4669_4671_Q080.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zBLDqD48pGw/VKs8p7_DZ8I/AAAAAAAABrI/xpLny92Yyp0/s800/Parra_4667_4669_4671_Q080.jpg" width="600" alt="Town Hall"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-GZY4bChhE60/VKs8_c4crqI/AAAAAAAABrQ/cTtvqay-SwM/s800/Parra_4684_4690_HDR_Mantiuk08_Q080.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-GZY4bChhE60/VKs8_c4crqI/AAAAAAAABrQ/cTtvqay-SwM/s800/Parra_4684_4690_HDR_Mantiuk08_Q080.jpg" width="600" alt="Town Hall"></a><br />
Another attempt at HDR<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bzPNLWn-sOo/VKs7fi-ZQBI/AAAAAAAABqg/Fu4MNidzjEU/s800/Parra_4659_4662_BW_Q080.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bzPNLWn-sOo/VKs7fi-ZQBI/AAAAAAAABqg/Fu4MNidzjEU/s800/Parra_4659_4662_BW_Q080.jpg" width="600" alt="Xmas tree"></a><br />
For the artsy fartsy inclined: Colorful Xmas tree in an otherwise b/w Centenary Square<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Iv0joqd7jkk/VKs9F1gcGGI/AAAAAAAABrY/u5Uj6nxUaiA/s800/Parra_4673_4683_Panorama_Hugin_Q080.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Iv0joqd7jkk/VKs9F1gcGGI/AAAAAAAABrY/u5Uj6nxUaiA/s800/Parra_4673_4683_Panorama_Hugin_Q080.jpg" width="600" alt="Centenary Square"></a><br />
Panorama image created from 10 individual photos, stitched together with the help of <a href="http://hugin.sourceforge.net/" target="_blank">Hugin</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-87443095620647421942014-11-12T11:41:00.000+11:002014-11-12T11:41:56.293+11:00Adios TelstraAfter recently discussing <a href="http://bit.ly/1wMMu3P" target="_blank">my first impression of the Optus experience</a>, it's only fair to also share the final moments of my relationship with Telstra.<br />
<br />
As mentioned <a href="http://bit.ly/1uJbw4W" target="_blank">before</a>, the Telstra account becomes inactive the moment you transfer your phone number to another carrier. Once this happens, your online Telstra profile will only say "<b>No active account for this profile</b>", with no option to access pending bills, usage data, or any other details.<br />
<br />
Unlike the Optus Life Chat, which is prominently advertised and even (annoyingly) pops up whenever you linger on any given Optus web page for a while, the Telstra chat thingy is well hidden. It takes a fair bit of navigating thru the <i>Support</i> pages before you eventually arrive at a <i>Contact Us</i> page that actually lets you pick the <i>Life Chat</i> feature.<br />
<br />
The one positive thing about the Optus chat was that in all instances, I was connected to a consultant almost instantly. Not so here; the Telstra chat window informs me that I'm currently number <b>24</b> in the queue. Definitely not a promising start.<br />
<br />
It takes approximately 15 minutes to make it to the front of the queue; then, I'm greeted by Joan (and yes, I <i>almost</i> did reply "Watson, is that you?"). Joan quickly sends me a link to their <a href="https://www.my.telstra.com.au/myaccount/paybill#empty" target="_blank">Pay a bill</a> page, where you apparently can make payments even after your Telstra account has been deactivated. After I inquire about access to the actual bill details, Joan offers to send a copy of the bill to my email address.<br />
<br />
I submit the payment while I'm still online with Joan (just in case it doesn't work; this is Telstra, after all). But I need not worry, the payment actually goes thru quite smoothly; it seems they at least have the parts needed to take our money running well.<br />
<br />
The actual support chat took about 5 minutes; plus the 15 minutes I waited in the queue.<br />
<br />
So, this time, the support staff turned out to be the best performing part of the system. <br />
<br />
Suggestion to Telstra: When an inactive account still has a balance that's not zero, include a link to that <i>Pay a bill</i> page on the online account landing page.<br />
<br />
And now I'm done. Hasta la vista, Telstra.<br />
Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-10163084866459707022014-11-11T12:16:00.000+11:002014-11-11T12:16:11.961+11:00The Optus experience - summaryAs regular readers might have picked up, I've switched my mobile phone to <a href="http://www.optus.com.au/shop/mobile/prepaid/plans#daily" target="_blank">Optus Prepaid</a>. It's been a somewhat bumpy ride with cunningly hidden information, well-meaning but mostly clueless customer service staff, and the inevitable spam. If you have the time to read it all, please do:<br />
<br />
<ul><li><a href="http://bit.ly/1Enf2mE" target="_blank">Part 1: Research</a><br />
<br />
</li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/1uJbw4W" target="_blank">Part 2: Signing up</a><br />
<br />
</li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/1xbfaVt" target="_blank">Part 3: First steps</a><br />
<br />
</li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/1suhHUa" target="_blank">Part 4: The spam</a><br />
</li>
</ul><br />
To sum up:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>What</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.optus.com.au/shop/mobile/prepaid/plans#daily" target="_blank">Optus My Prepaid daily</a><br />
<ul><li>Prepaid semi-flat rate plan based on daily usage. The first outgoing standard national call, SMS, MMS, or data use triggers the basic daily rate of $ 1.00. After 30 mins of talk, or 40 MB of data, that daily rate automatically jumps to $ 1.50, giving you unlimited talk, and another 40 MB of data (SMS / MMS are unlimited with the intial $ 1.00).<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Once the extra 40 MB are also used up, increments of $ 0.50 / 50 MB are added, up to a total of $ 5.00 for the day. After that, you can obtain additional data blocks at $ 2.00 / 200 MB and $ 5.00 / 500 MB, but you must actively purchase them, they're not automatically added, so you keep in control of just how much you spend.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Non – standard items like international messaging, international calls, etc, are charged by the item.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>If you use a lot of data, you might wanna look at <a href="http://www.optus.com.au/shop/mobile/prepaid/plans#daily-plus" target="_blank">My Prepaid Daily <b>Plus</b></a>, where the initial flat rate of $ 2.00 gives you 500 MB (as well as unlimited standard national calls), and another $ 2.00 adds an extra 524 MB, leaving you with 1 GB for $ 4.00, plus all the national voice calls, SMS, and MMS you want.<br />
</li>
</ul><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Good</b></span><br />
<ul><li>The plan itself seems to suit my particular usage pattern; days with no use whatsoever (yes, that happens) won't cost me anything, the daily cost for standard national stuff (talk, messages, a little data) seems acceptable, international rates seem surprisingly reasonable, and roaming, although expensive, is available if necessary.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>The web site is easy to use, most (but not all) information can be found without too much trouble, support (although not always helpful) is easily available via the prominent <i>Live Chat</i> feature.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Sales assistant at the Parramatta store is friendly efficient, and at least to some degree, seems to know what she's doing<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Once set up, the service works as expected<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Online account provides a good overview of the account status, credit, usage, as well as easy access to account settings and extras<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Account status info via basic text message (that therefore works on even the oldest of phones) provides comprehensive summary of current usage, credit, and remaining talk / data<br />
</li>
</ul><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Bad</b></span><br />
<ul><li>Roaming rates are obscenely expensive<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Although the plan boasts a 6 months expiry of credit, it turns out that in order to keep the service active, the account must actually be recharged at least 30 days before credit expires<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Some information is more difficult to find than necessary. Some relevant parts are not directly linked from the <a href="http://www.optus.com.au/shop/mobile/prepaid/plans#daily" target="_blank">product page</a><br />
<br />
</li>
<li>After the plan has been set up and activated, the online account to actually manage your plan must be set up separately<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Online account does not show data usage<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>No mention of, or reference to, the settings required for MMS. You have to find your own way to the page where you can request these settings to be sent to your phone. Go to <a href="http://www.optus.com.au/shop/support" "_target">Support</a>, search for <b>MMS settings</b>. That brings up (at least at the time I'm writing this) the <a href="http://www.optus.com.au/shop/support/answer?question=mms%20settings" target="_blank">APNS & technical settings</a>. This page lists all the settings you could ever want, and also provides a link to the <a href="http://optus.wdsglobal.com/phonefirst" target="_blank">online tool</a> where you can select the make and model of your phone and have the settings you're after sent to your device. As a side note; the <i>settings</i> page warns, under the details for streaming, that videos and TV can use large amounts of data, and advises to "monitor your usage thru <i>My Account</i> - where, as stated above, the MB usage <i>is not listed</i>!<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Usage details not available as <i>csv</i> file (print (to any printer, including PDF) is available)<br />
</li>
</ul><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The downright ugly</b></span><br />
The extent of complete and utter incompetence and indifference you're likely to encounter both face to face (Merrylands shop, I'm talking about you) and via the <i>Live Chat</i> support channel is something to behold. Be prepared that perfectly ordinary questions that one would expect to be part of those people's everyday work are probably going to be met with an absolute inability to even point you in the right direction. If you ever need to explain the term "<b>Stunned Mullet</b> to someone, just take them to an Optus store, ask the staff a simple question, and observe.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The end</b></span><br />
So there you have it. A product that's appealing enough to lure me away from Telstra; a relatively smooth transition; some extremely useless customer service staff spoiling the, well, customer experience somewhat; and some serious doubts about Optus' hiring policies.Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-60286923972097214162014-11-10T13:21:00.001+11:002014-11-10T13:21:36.553+11:00The Optus experience - Part 4: The spamIt must be said that Optus is very considerate and doesn't just ignore new customers the moment they walk out of the store. In somewhat regular intervals, you get exciting text messages about the fascinating possibilities of your Optus mobile plan, and of course offers for extras you simply can't refuse – or so they think.<br />
<br />
There is an <i>unsubscribe</i> option, which, after you ticked all the categories you don't want to be bothered with, cheerfully confirms that it will "take <b>no more than 5 days</b> to process the request".<br />
<br />
It is disappointing that Optus not only chooses the <i>Opt Out</i> approach but then allows itself to keep bothering you with their spam for up to 5 days after you've actually gone thru the trouble to, well, opt out. The decent, non-dodgy way to go would surely be to spare the "valued customer" all those unrequested messages and provide an <i>Opt <b>In</b></i> option for those who actually want them.<br />
<br />
<center><table border=0 width=80%><tr><td align="left" width=50%><a href="http://bit.ly/1xbfaVt">Previous: <b>First steps</b></a></td>
<td align="right"></td></tr>
</table></center>Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-42427914793968642682014-11-09T11:00:00.000+11:002014-11-12T11:41:27.553+11:00The Optus experience – Part 3: First stepsSo, with my new <a href="http://www.optus.com.au/shop/mobile/prepaid/plans#daily" target="_blank">Optus prepaid SIM</a> active, I should be good to go. And sure enough, a series of Optus system messages arrive, some just to remind me what I've just bought (hey, a customer with poor memory is still a customer), some with actual information like voice mail PIN, etc.<br />
<br />
Signal strength is good. I do notice that with Optus, the phone does <b>not</b> display the cell tower information, even when the relevant option in the phone is turned on.<br />
<br />
Sending a text message (to an international number) works like a charm. Sending an MMS … not so much. I vaguely remember that when I got a new phone, Telstra had to send phone-specific settings to my device to make it work. At first glance, I can't find an "obvious" hint on the Optus website how to set this up, but since I have stuff to do and places to go, this needs to wait for now.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In-store support</span><br />
So far, things haven't gone too badly, and so when I come across another Optus store (this time in Merrylands), I decide to try my luck. As before, a friendly sales chick quickly inquires how she can help me, but then, it's all downhill from there. I explain the issue to her, and the look on her face, one of utter perplexity and incomprehension, is something to behold. She couldn't have been more stumped if I'd asked her to fix <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-01/20141101-sam01-galacticcrash/5859544" target="_blank">Richie Branson's Virgin Galactic space vehicle</a>. Except, unlike fixing experimental space ships, knowing stuff about mobile phones, especially when it comes to Optus – specific details, is (supposedly) part of her job. Once life returns to her blank stare, she plays around with the phone's settings while mumbling something about "internet settings must be on" (for MMS? Huh?). Meanwhile her very obvious "I can't be bothered to even pretend to give a shit" attitude only completes the picture of absolute, unmitigated incompetence. Eventually, she gives up, handing me the number of the Optus helpline.<br />
<br />
In any case, I later find what looks like an answer to the issue in the <a href="http://www.optus.com.au/shop/support/answer?question=Setup%20Internet%20On%20Your%20Mobile%20Device&answerId=1389&typeId=3" target="_blank">Optus support section</a> (after a bit of searching around). Under <b>Setup via internet</b>, you will find a link to the <a href="http://optus.wdsglobal.com/phonefirst" target="_blank">online tool</a>, where you can pick your phone (make and model), and then can select the service you need the settings for (to set up multiple services, repeat as required). After completing the online form, my PIN is displayed, and after a couple of seconds, my phone receives a system text message. Press "Save", enter the PIN, and the phone is set up for the selected service (MMS, internet, WAP, etc).<br />
<br />
Subsequently, sending my test MMS (to international number) works without a glitch.<br />
<br />
While my phone is now set up as required, the question remains: How can Optus frontline staff possibly <i>not</i> know basic stuff like "<i>your phone needs MMS settings sent by us, let me help you do that?</i>"<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Mobile data</span><br />
Once the Optus config settings for internet access have been sent to the phone, said internet access works well. Speed isn't too impressive; but this is Australia, and given that even our broadband performance is usually listed under in the <i>jokes</i> section of overseas (and domestic) tech mags, this doesn't come as a surprise.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Account admin</span><br />
To manage your account online, you first have to, well, set up your online account. Contrary to my (perhaps unrealistic) expectations, this <b>does not</b> happen automatically when the friendly Optus store assistant sets up your mobile account.<br />
<br />
Once the account is set up, the friendly <b>Login</b> button on the Optus homepage takes you straight to the <a href="https://www.optus.com.au/customercentre/myaccountlogin" target="_blank">Login screen</a> (whoda thunk?)<br />
<br />
The account dashboard gives a good overview of your activities, as well as quick access to settings, options, extras, etc. It also displays the remaining credit, and of course provides a button to recharge your account.<br />
<br />
It is noteworthy that under the convenient <b>Your spend today</b> heading, only the applicable daily level, triggered by outgoing national calls, outgoing national SMS / MMS, or mobile data use, is listed. Items that are charged separately, such as international calls, international messaging, etc, are listed under the <b>Usage details</b> tab. The <i>remaining credit</i> displayed in the summary still takes those separate items into account, though.<br />
<br />
The <b>usage details</b> page faithfully lists all activities, both actual use and "technical" events like "<i>Update service</i>" (I'm sure that means something) etc. There's also not as much detail as there could be. All user activities come with a <b>Duration</b>, which for SMS / MMS etc always shows <i>00:00:00</i>. More concerning, though, is the fact that this <i>Duration</i> info also extends to <i>mobile data</i> items, and not only does it show <i>00:00:00</i> instead of the actual duration of the network connection, it also takes up perfectly good space where useful information, such as usage (MB) could be displayed.<br />
<br />
The data usage information is indeed nowhere to be found. With low expectations, I try the <i>Live Chat</i> again. Kat, the friendly customer service person listens to my query, then asks me to click on various items. Yes, clicking the item in the usage list does expand the row, but that doesn't reveal the MB usage either. It also becomes clear that the customer service chick isn't looking at the actual screen; if she was, there would be no need for her extensive <i>Please click [something], let's see what happens</i> approach. Eventually, she informs me that the usage "used to be displayed, but has been removed, as IT is working on an upgrade of this page". Of course, upgrades in progress do require the removal of features from the current version! I'm sure there's a universe somewhere where that makes sense.<br />
<br />
Kat then offers me to look up the requested information for me, and comes back with how many MB I used during my test the day before. Helpful, but considering that the entire chat has taken about 25 minutes, not really a feasible alternative on a regular basis.<br />
<br />
Still on the <b>usage details</b>, another missing feature is downloading the usage data as a cvs file. I must admit that while the Telstra service and products were bad enough to eventually drive me to Optus, their detailed <i>cvs</i> files have been a great help in analyzing my usage pattern.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Account tracking via SMS</span><br />
When you're away from the interweb and want to quickly check your spending and usage via a good old text message, you can do that, too. There's a range of requests you can text to <b>9999</b>, but perhaps the most comprehensive option is <b>1</b> (yes, just text the number <b>1</b> to <b>9999</b>). Within seconds, you receive a text informing you of your current flat rate level, remaining data quota, remaining talk time, etc. That also means that while your online account won't show your data usage, you <i>can</i> track it via these text messages. You just have to do it on the day, as <i>9999</i> provides the current status for the day, no history data.<br />
<br />
<center><table border=0 width=80%><tr><td align="left" width=50%><a href="http://bit.ly/1uJbw4W">Previous: <b>Signing up</b></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="http://bit.ly/1suhHUa">Next: <b>The spam</b></a></td></tr>
</table></center>Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-41576771901487362292014-11-08T11:00:00.000+11:002014-11-10T13:16:09.732+11:00The Optus experience – Part 2: Signing upSo, after studying the prices and conditions of the services I'm likely to use most, and after comparing my mobile usage of the past 12 months between my existing plan and this <a href="http://www.optus.com.au/shop/mobile/prepaid/plans#daily" target="_blank">Optus Prepaid Daily</a> plan, I decide to give said Optus plan a go.<br />
<br />
There's of course a convenient <b>Buy Now</b> button on the website; but I decide to go old school and do it at the physical shop. That way, I get my SIM straight away, as opposed to sometime between now and the next <i>Melbourne Cup</i>; someone in the store might even be able to clarify the stuff I couldn't find any information about, like the finer points of roaming etc; and the Optus staff can probably do the transfer of my existing phone number from Telstra, too.<br />
<br />
So, off to the Optus store in Parramatta, where a sales chick is actually able to clarify some questions regarding roaming (sending MMS from overseas is $ 1.00 per message; roaming can't be disabled, mobile data roaming can't be disabled (must disable <i>mobile data</i> in phone)). However, I later find out that not all her very convincingly presented information is correct; once you have an active account, you actually <i>can</i> disable roaming via the web in the <i>Settings</i> section.<br />
<br />
In any case, the actual sign-up process is quick and painless. The friendly shop assistant sets up my account, transfers my number from Telstra in the process, takes my money, and hands me the SIM. Then, she cheerfully informs me that my shiny new Optus SIM will be activated "within 4 hours". Since the old account (in my case Telstra) goes dead pretty much the moment the number is being transferred, this potentially leaves you with a communications black hole for a couple of hours. Definitely something to consider when planning the move from one carrier to another.<br />
<br />
In my case, my phone gets an Optus signal after approximately 2 hours. My next post will outline how things go from there.<br />
<br />
<center><table border=0 width=80%><tr><td align="left" width=50%><a href="http://bit.ly/1Enf2mE">Previous: <b>Research</b></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="http://bit.ly/1xbfaVt">Next: <b>First steps</b></a></td></tr>
</table></center>Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-8785499889451053222014-11-07T14:08:00.002+11:002014-11-10T13:24:06.057+11:00The Optus experience - Part 1: ResearchI've been looking into the <a href="http://www.optus.com.au/shop/mobile/prepaid/plans#daily" target="_blank">Optus Prepaid Daily"</a> mobile plan. As a <i>very</i> light user, this plan, with a 6 months expiry on credit (as opposed to 30 days with most other plans) and overall reasonable rates, seems to be the right product for me.<br />
<br />
Navigating around the <i>Optus</i> website is mostly straight forward; you'll find the product you're after fairly quickly. The basic information regarding voice calls, messaging, and data use <b>within Australia</b> is clearly spelled out. Other items, such as international rates, are listed "somewhere else".<br />
<br />
<i>International <b>call</b> rates</i> are <a href="http://www.optus.com.au/shop/mobile/prepaid/International-Call-Rates" target="_blank">easy enough to find</a>. <i>International <b>messaging</b> (SMS / MMS)</i>, however, is a different story. No price, no hint as where to find it, not even a link along the lines of "click here for more prices".<br />
<br />
With <b>roaming</b>, it's a similar story. It starts out promising enough, with a "see our prepaid roaming rates" link on the product page taking you directly to the, well, <a href="http://www.optus.com.au/shop/mobilephones/international-roaming/prepaid-rates" target="_blank">roaming page</a>. That's as straight forward as it can be, I give you that (ok, listing the link under the heading <i><b>Low</b> roaming rates</i> constitutes a blatant lie, but that's a different story).<br />
<br />
On the roaming page, you pick the relevant country, and a pop-up window gives you all the rates – well, sort of. The price for <b>MMS to AU number</b> is listed as <i>Standard national MMS rate for your plan</i>. Huh? Under the prepaid plan in question, I get unlimited (national) MMS (and SMS) messages once the daily $ 1.00 has been triggered. Does that mean I can send unlimited MMS to Australian numbers for $ 1.00 per day while I'm overseas? Considering that <i><b>SMS</b> to AU number</i> is listed at $ 0.50 per message, I find that highly unlikely.<br />
<br />
At this stage, I naively decide to give the <b>Optus live chat</b> feature that's so heavily promoted thruout the site a go. Blake, the friendly Optus Sales Consultant, responds quickly, but it's all downhill from there (I should have been warned when he introduced himself as a "consultant"). I put the question regarding SMS / MMS to international numbers to him, and he says he'll be "right with me". What follows are a series of "Thank you for waiting. I'll be right with you" messages (presumably automated), and then … Blake is gone! Disconnected. <br />
<br />
Back on the product site, at the very bottom, is the infamous small print. Well, some of it. And among that small print, a link to the <a href="http://www.optus.com.au/shop/cis" target="_blank">Critical Information Summary"</a> (CIS) indicates that all might not be lost after all. The link takes you to the <i>CIS</i> library, rather than to the document that actually applies to the product, and you'll have to find your own way to the document (PDF) that applies to the product of your choice.<br />
<br />
Once you have found the relevant <i>CIS</i>, you are rewarded with most of the information you've been looking for. It's all listed right there; non-standard call rates (directory, video calls, premium messages, etc), and <b>International Messaging rates</b>.<br />
<br />
The <i>CIS</i> seems to be a pretty comprehensive source of information. It's mind-boggling that it doesn't occur to an <b>Optus sales rep</b> to at least look it up and see if it might answer the questions of the customer they're "helping".<br />
<br />
On a side note, the <i>CIS</i> also states that while your credit on the <i>Prepaid Daily</i> plan expires after 6 months, you must recharge at least <b>30 days before expiry</b> in order to keep the service active. That's not mentioned anywhere on the shiny product page, where the (supposedly) low rates and the long expiration period are advertised. Sneaky bastards!<br />
<br />
Despite all this, I decide to go ahead. <a href="http://bit.ly/1uJbw4W" target="_blank">Read about actually signing up here</a>.<br />
Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-35537927929258142892014-10-29T11:48:00.000+11:002016-09-04T15:27:54.888+10:00Taking photos in ParramattaJust a heads up to those who consider taking a few photos of the fancy water feature on <a href="http://www.parracity.nsw.gov.au/your_council/council/lord_mayor/centenary_square" target="_blank">Parramatta's all-new Centenary Square</a> (aka Church Street Mall):<br />
<br />
If there's just <i>one</i> kid, fully dressed, frolicking among the water fountains (say, to cool off on a hot day), some over-protective asshole <b>will</b> call the cops, the boys in blue <b>will</b> come down on you like a ton of bricks, they <b>will</b> take your details, and they <b>will</b> bully you into deleting <b>all</b> the photos you have taken.<br />
<br />
To keep all the hysteric, super-PC, hyper-concerned douchebags happy, here's a nighttime photo of said water feature. No kids <i>anywhere</i>, and a shutter speed of 2 minutes has made sure no moving objects, such as persons, remain visible.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NZfbi5juFgE/VDhu1grEo4I/AAAAAAAABfU/7HljGsyEgPg/s800/Parra_4549_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NZfbi5juFgE/VDhu1grEo4I/AAAAAAAABfU/7HljGsyEgPg/s800/Parra_4549_Small.jpg" width="800" alt="Centenary Square"></a><br />
<br />
Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-477632095846909502014-08-25T12:08:00.000+10:002014-08-25T12:08:45.844+10:00Rhine FallsAt just 23 meters (75 feet), the Rhine Falls are by no means the highest waterfalls. The Swiss Alps alone feature numerous falls that are much higher and, for that matter, probably look more impressive. Still, thanks to a flow rate ranging from 250,000 liters / second (winter) to 600,000 liters / second (summer), these falls are regarded as the "biggest" in Europe.<br />
<br />
And that makes them worthy of a couple of photos:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8h0wuYc5_ws/U_lwaPH1iMI/AAAAAAAABOY/dvCKPXCOGWA/s800/RF_4336_4337_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8h0wuYc5_ws/U_lwaPH1iMI/AAAAAAAABOY/dvCKPXCOGWA/s800/RF_4336_4337_Small.jpg" width="700" alt="Rhine Falls"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uy8_1RGZ0Lo/U_lwaHHdn_I/AAAAAAAABOU/gJHtm9RYlCI/s800/RF_4354_4357_HDR_Mantiuk06_DetailFactor_10_P_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uy8_1RGZ0Lo/U_lwaHHdn_I/AAAAAAAABOU/gJHtm9RYlCI/s800/RF_4354_4357_HDR_Mantiuk06_DetailFactor_10_P_Small.jpg" width="700" alt="Rhine Falls"></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">HDR image by <a href="http://qtpfsgui.sourceforge.net/" target="_blank">Luminance</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--EvD-FtII6Q/U_lwdmPphLI/AAAAAAAABOg/r_jM2leiN4I/s800/RF_4345_4353_Hugin_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--EvD-FtII6Q/U_lwdmPphLI/AAAAAAAABOg/r_jM2leiN4I/s800/RF_4345_4353_Hugin_Small.jpg" width="800" alt="Rhine Falls"></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Panorama image by <a href="http://hugin.sourceforge.net/" target="_blank">Hugin</a></span><br />
<br />
For visitor information, please check out the <a href="" target="_blank">Rhine Falls official website</a>.Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-10548823181886094232014-07-01T16:38:00.001+10:002014-07-01T16:38:54.896+10:00Parramatta WinterlightOnce again, Parramatta is putting on the <a href="http://www.discoverparramatta.com/events/festivals/winterlight" target="_blank">Winterlight Festival</a>. Due to extensive construction work currently in progress in Church Street Mall, the event has been moved to Price Albert Park, and therefore has to do without the impressive backdrop of the illuminated Town Hall building (check out photos from last year <a href="http://columbodownunder.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/parramatta-winterlight.html" target="_blank">here</a>).<br />
<br />
Still, the light installation above the ice rink is quite impressive:<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BvsJMG25kLk/U7DPy_mPh7I/AAAAAAAABLM/dVu2HJajWH0/s800/Winterlight_3900_3902_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BvsJMG25kLk/U7DPy_mPh7I/AAAAAAAABLM/dVu2HJajWH0/s800/Winterlight_3900_3902_Small.jpg" width="800" alt="Ice rink"></a><br />
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There's also a winter bar, a couple (well, three) food stalls, and a giant snow ball for the kids to climb inside. Apart from the ice rink, the event mainly features activities and workshops for kids.<br />
<br />
Warm lights around the food stalls add to the cozy atmosphere<br />
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-V66pmSbY8Ew/U7DP1dTn6NI/AAAAAAAABLg/H_9B9lnsJoU/s800/Winterlight_3937_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-V66pmSbY8Ew/U7DP1dTn6NI/AAAAAAAABLg/H_9B9lnsJoU/s800/Winterlight_3937_Small.jpg" width="800" alt="Winterlight 2014"></a><br />
<br />
At the <b>German hut</b>, you can get some authentic bratwurst for a mere $ 8.<br />
<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DPGPLrxVQZY/U7DPzreNGOI/AAAAAAAABLY/k3Qh7fjQShU/s800/Winterlight_3925_3927_3929_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DPGPLrxVQZY/U7DPzreNGOI/AAAAAAAABLY/k3Qh7fjQShU/s800/Winterlight_3925_3927_3929_Small.jpg" width="800" alt="Winterlight 2014"></a><br />
<br />
Another food stall<br />
<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-tfAoB1zZ65Y/U7DPzs0RCyI/AAAAAAAABLU/pxFuDM-48co/s800/Winterlight_3932_3933_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-tfAoB1zZ65Y/U7DPzs0RCyI/AAAAAAAABLU/pxFuDM-48co/s800/Winterlight_3932_3933_Small.jpg" width="800" alt="Winterlight 2014"></a><br />
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Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-72193893319809408432014-06-22T16:24:00.000+10:002014-06-22T16:24:27.429+10:00Bob's Barbershop<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1H3hLKZaV1w/U6N3uaL0lVI/AAAAAAAABJI/Hkb60y5BNl0/s800/BobTheBarber_3872_3873_3874_3876_Process_Crop2_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1H3hLKZaV1w/U6N3uaL0lVI/AAAAAAAABJI/Hkb60y5BNl0/s800/BobTheBarber_3872_3873_3874_3876_Process_Crop2_Small.jpg" width="800" alt="Bob's sign"></a><br />
<br />
<table border=0 spacing=10%><tr><td valign="top"><br />
<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-bEa0dwfbtmE/U5e6Ah_-CTI/AAAAAAAABHg/u0NSd069pnc/s800/BobTheBarber_3825_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-bEa0dwfbtmE/U5e6Ah_-CTI/AAAAAAAABHg/u0NSd069pnc/s800/BobTheBarber_3825_Small.jpg" width="500" alt="Barbershop parking only"></a><br />
</td>
<td valign="top"><br />
Bob is what you might call an old school barber. He has been in the business for 52 years, starting as an apprentice, then getting his license (back then, you needed one), before taking over the business and buying all the equipment for the grand sum of $ 40.<br />
</td></tr>
</table><br />
There's no big menu of options to choose from; Bob's range of services consists of precisely 2 (two) products: Haircut and beard trim. And you won't be charged extra to have your hair cut by the "<i>Senior Art Director</i>"; once you're sitting in that single, 100-year-old barber chair, it is always Bob The Barber who gets to work, because, well, there is just him. And when he's done, that antique cash register will take your money (the whole $ 14.50) even during a power blackout.<br />
<br />
In 1980, Bob moved his business in Parramatta from Church Street to Victoria Road, opposite Prince Alfred Park. There, he has been the last shop still operating for at least 5 years now.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UCcGjiM3Sz8/U5e6DeqKFpI/AAAAAAAABIA/f8it1d2fA04/s800/BobTheBarber_3844_3853_Hugin_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UCcGjiM3Sz8/U5e6DeqKFpI/AAAAAAAABIA/f8it1d2fA04/s800/BobTheBarber_3844_3853_Hugin_Small.jpg" width="800" alt="Bob's barbershop"></a><br />
<br />
<table border=0 spacing=10%><tr><td valign="top"><br />
At the end of June, Bob will close his door for the last time; the block of shops is due to be demolished so that McDonalds, who owns the site and the building, can extend their car park. <br />
<br />
This development has brought Bob to the attention of the <a href="http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/parramatta/bob-the-barber-is-set-to-close-his-parramatta-shop-after-52-years-of-trading/story-fngr8huy-1226869840681" target="_blank">local newspaper</a>, and even the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCt79xMbzbo" target="_blank">TV news found room for a brief segment</a> on this classic, local business.<br />
</td>
<td valign="top"><br />
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Wesf4zNPqYg/U6ZwT2qbkRI/AAAAAAAABKo/YAh5-9tic_g/s800/BobTheBarber_3882_3883_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Wesf4zNPqYg/U6ZwT2qbkRI/AAAAAAAABKo/YAh5-9tic_g/s800/BobTheBarber_3882_3883_Small.jpg" width="500" alt="Bob's barbershop"></a><br />
</td></tr>
</table><br />
Fortunately, things have changed slightly since these news items were produced; as it turns out, Bob is <b><font color="red">not</font> retiring</b>, at least not completely. Instead, Bob is moving his business to <b><a href="https://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=321+concord+road,+concord+west&aq=&sll=-33.815126,151.008299&sspn=0.041361,0.04961&vpsrc=0&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=321+Concord+Rd,+Concord+West+New+South+Wales+2138&t=m&z=16" target="_blank">321 Concord Road, Concord West</a></b>, where he will set up shop in / near his wife's antiques store.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, I've decided to immortalize Bob's old place with a couple of photos before the bulldozers show up:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_UHw2Z5zoBA/U5e6CeHhj5I/AAAAAAAABH4/AO6-SW6YAb0/s800/BobTheBarber_3833_Hugin_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_UHw2Z5zoBA/U5e6CeHhj5I/AAAAAAAABH4/AO6-SW6YAb0/s800/BobTheBarber_3833_Hugin_Small.jpg" width="800" alt="Bob's barbershop"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_UHw2Z5zoBA/U5e6CeHhj5I/AAAAAAAABH4/AO6-SW6YAb0/s800/BobTheBarber_3833_Hugin_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_UHw2Z5zoBA/U5e6CeHhj5I/AAAAAAAABH4/AO6-SW6YAb0/s800/BobTheBarber_3833_Hugin_Small.jpg" width="800" alt="Bob's barbershop"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-uaSElio5Ag4/U6N3zzI_z2I/AAAAAAAABJg/7w76PYngChs/s800/BobTheBarber_3884_3885_3887_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-uaSElio5Ag4/U6N3zzI_z2I/AAAAAAAABJg/7w76PYngChs/s800/BobTheBarber_3884_3885_3887_Small.jpg" width="800" alt="Bob's barbershop"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-bOk2IguZvpI/U5e6B6OrSeI/AAAAAAAABH0/hJXRod5lMGg/s800/BobTheBarber_3832_Crop_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-bOk2IguZvpI/U5e6B6OrSeI/AAAAAAAABH0/hJXRod5lMGg/s800/BobTheBarber_3832_Crop_Small.jpg" width="800" alt="Bob's barbershop"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HLgcpZ4sB8Y/U5e6AH-GU3I/AAAAAAAABHc/vV-qU3YuelQ/s800/BobTheBarber_3811_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HLgcpZ4sB8Y/U5e6AH-GU3I/AAAAAAAABHc/vV-qU3YuelQ/s800/BobTheBarber_3811_Small.jpg" width="800" alt="Bob's barbershop"></a><br />
Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0Parramatta NSW, Australia-33.808291582046166 151.00478040944824-33.811590082046166 150.99973790944824 -33.804993082046167 151.00982290944825tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6253157329693790552.post-82806538148401201652014-05-07T14:44:00.000+10:002014-05-07T14:44:39.877+10:00Fixing wide-angle distortions with Hugin<b>Note</b>: <a href="http://hugin.sourceforge.net/" target="_blank">Hugin</a> is a free <b>cross-platform</b> image processing tool, so this may be of interest to you even if you're using Windows or Mac.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://hugin.sourceforge.net/" target="_blank">Hugin</a> is best known as a great tool to create panorama images from multiple photos; after all, the full title of the software product is <b>Hugin – Panorama photo stitcher</b>. <br />
<br />
Another, not so widely known use of the same application is correcting distortions of wide-angle photos. When shooting with a wide-angle lens, you invariably end up with vertical lines leaning back, leaning to the side, or even "falling in" on the observer. While this <b>keystone effect</b> can enhance the impact of an photograph and is sometimes consciously included in the composition of an image for artistic effect, it often simply distracts the viewer, when you simply want to show a building or a city street "as is" and are using a wide-angle lens purely for practical purposes.<br />
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There's an extensive tutorial on the subject on the <a href="http://hugin.sourceforge.net/tutorials/architectural/en.shtml" target="_blank">Hugin website</a>, on which I've based my tests and the following notes.<br />
<br />
The process of correcting those "falling" vertical lines essentially includes 2 basic steps:<br />
1) Define lines that are supposed to be perpendicular<br />
2) Distort the image so that these defined lines actually become perpendicular<br />
<br />
Let's do this with this image:<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Tnn5lp5iIuk/U1sNHoWNrlI/AAAAAAAAAe0/qC5zwxgzOdo/s640/H_Parra_7242_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Tnn5lp5iIuk/U1sNHoWNrlI/AAAAAAAAAe0/qC5zwxgzOdo/s640/H_Parra_7242_Small.jpg" width="600" alt="Original wide angle photo"></a><br />
<br />
1) <b>Load the image into Hugin</b>, just as you would load any sequence of photos to create a panorama image.<br />
<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lofhgUfULTQ/U1sImK00VXI/AAAAAAAAAcU/RioW4BsBz38/s640/Hugin_01_AddImage.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lofhgUfULTQ/U1sImK00VXI/AAAAAAAAAcU/RioW4BsBz38/s640/Hugin_01_AddImage.jpg" width="600" alt="Add image"></a><br />
<br />
2) <b>Set the control points</b>. This is where you spend most of your time, this is the step that takes some real, manual work. <br />
<br />
Make sure that <b>Auto add</b> is set. To start with, make sure <b>Zoom</b> is set to <b>fit to window</b> (you may need to temporarily change this to <i>100 %</i> in order to get the exact positioning of some control points perfectly right).<br />
<br />
To set the control points, pick a vertical feature in the left copy of the image and set a control point at one end. Then, set the corresponding control point at the other end of that vertical feature in the right copy of the image. <br />
<br />
Ideally, you define your vertical features spread over the whole image, from left to right, and both in the top and the bottom section. This will allow Hugin to correctly calculate the correct distortion for the whole image; if you only define vertical lines in the left half of the image, Hugin has no way of knowing that there are also vertical lines in the right half, leaning in a different direction.<br />
<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-jkZEIK_oBuk/U1sIoO_orPI/AAAAAAAAAcg/bqWUj2TK4mE/s640/Hugin_02_ControlPoints.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-jkZEIK_oBuk/U1sIoO_orPI/AAAAAAAAAcg/bqWUj2TK4mE/s640/Hugin_02_ControlPoints.jpg" width="600" alt="Set control points"></a><br />
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3) Click the <b>Optimize</b> button<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QrolxbZsa30/U1sIguUZ8aI/AAAAAAAAAcE/AmyWCnnhlbM/s800/Hugin_03_Go_ReOptimize.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QrolxbZsa30/U1sIguUZ8aI/AAAAAAAAAcE/AmyWCnnhlbM/s800/Hugin_03_Go_ReOptimize.jpg" width="433" alt="Optimize"></a><br />
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This will, well, optimize your control points. When done, <b>apply</b> the result of the optimization process:<br />
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Y35-26A92EQ/U1sIlKipqOI/AAAAAAAAAcM/lPvDlENJgfU/s800/Hugin_04_OptimizeResult.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Y35-26A92EQ/U1sIlKipqOI/AAAAAAAAAcM/lPvDlENJgfU/s800/Hugin_04_OptimizeResult.jpg" width="360" alt="Optimize completed"></a><br />
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4) Open the <b>Fast preview</b> window:<br />
<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Ad0yHrc9xA0/U1sIoP5eENI/AAAAAAAAAck/w_N3J7QnVjE/s800/Hugin_05_Go_FastPreview.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Ad0yHrc9xA0/U1sIoP5eENI/AAAAAAAAAck/w_N3J7QnVjE/s800/Hugin_05_Go_FastPreview.jpg" width="423" alt="Open Quick Preview"></a><br />
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5) In the <b>Projection</b> tab, set projection type to <b>Rectilinear</b>.<br />
<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-J1Jths3bmSU/U1sItLy2zfI/AAAAAAAAAcs/kyKPsS0TG5c/s640/Hugin_07_ProjectionRectilinear_Highlight.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-J1Jths3bmSU/U1sItLy2zfI/AAAAAAAAAcs/kyKPsS0TG5c/s640/Hugin_07_ProjectionRectilinear_Highlight.jpg" width="600" alt="Projection"></a><br />
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6) In the <b>Crop</b> tab, drag the boundaries to adjust the crop area.<br />
<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-MbVzd8Gucyo/U1sIu_mnFLI/AAAAAAAAAc0/GcJ8P5nlyJM/s640/Hugin_08_Crop_Highlight.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-MbVzd8Gucyo/U1sIu_mnFLI/AAAAAAAAAc0/GcJ8P5nlyJM/s640/Hugin_08_Crop_Highlight.jpg" width="600" alt="Crop"></a><br />
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7) <b>Create the corrected image</b>. Since <i>Hugin</i>'s primary function is to stitch multiple photos together to create panorama images, the final step of the process is called <b>Stitch</b> even though with only 1 image, you don't actually have anything to stitch together.<br />
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With that in mind, switch to the <b>Stitch</b> tab, make sure that <b>Projection</b> is set to <b>Rectilinear</b>, and click the <b>Stitch</b> button to let Hugin do its magic.<br />
<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ZUtiGLpqdO0/U1sIxZvnH2I/AAAAAAAAAdE/bizvxYW01r0/s640/Hugin_10_Stitch_Highlight.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ZUtiGLpqdO0/U1sIxZvnH2I/AAAAAAAAAdE/bizvxYW01r0/s640/Hugin_10_Stitch_Highlight.jpg" width="600" alt="Stitcher"></a><br />
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<b>There you have it</b>; one wide-angle picture with perfectly perpendicular vertical lines:<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4PrSJzcuJO4/U1sNFX1C5PI/AAAAAAAAAek/hpmp74XiaVE/s640/H_Parra_7242_Hugin_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4PrSJzcuJO4/U1sNFX1C5PI/AAAAAAAAAek/hpmp74XiaVE/s640/H_Parra_7242_Hugin_Small.jpg" width="600" alt="Modified by Hugin"></a><br />
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Below are some more examples;<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-T0kWB6xnM9U/U1sNAsLVMgI/AAAAAAAAAeA/4TfyQOUR3S0/s640/H_L_0405_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-T0kWB6xnM9U/U1sNAsLVMgI/AAAAAAAAAeA/4TfyQOUR3S0/s640/H_L_0405_Small.jpg" width="400" alt="Original wide angle photo"></a> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vwb_SUEww0s/U1sM-M03yqI/AAAAAAAAAdo/KCgdeyJG0bE/s640/H_L_0405_Hugin_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vwb_SUEww0s/U1sM-M03yqI/AAAAAAAAAdo/KCgdeyJG0bE/s640/H_L_0405_Hugin_Small.jpg" width="400" alt="Modified by Hugin"></a><br />
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<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ORvYPfd8sn0/U1sNBoyywAI/AAAAAAAAAeM/B3Jnn_PjpGg/s640/H_L_0439_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ORvYPfd8sn0/U1sNBoyywAI/AAAAAAAAAeM/B3Jnn_PjpGg/s640/H_L_0439_Small.jpg" width="400" alt="Original wide angle photo"></a> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ya92t9gQe-I/U1sNA_fAZxI/AAAAAAAAAeE/cPUNxY_bxcI/s640/H_L_0439_Hugin_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ya92t9gQe-I/U1sNA_fAZxI/AAAAAAAAAeE/cPUNxY_bxcI/s640/H_L_0439_Hugin_Small.jpg" width="400" alt="Modified by Hugin"></a><br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AFMt3ADHh-A/U1sNEhXdghI/AAAAAAAAAec/xOTlriaeJ6Y/s640/H_L_0456_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AFMt3ADHh-A/U1sNEhXdghI/AAAAAAAAAec/xOTlriaeJ6Y/s640/H_L_0456_Small.jpg" width="400" alt="Original wide angle photo"></a> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kloZ4oCbaxc/U1sNEEoz6OI/AAAAAAAAAeU/2ZI8ZX47uyc/s640/H_L_0456_Hugin_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kloZ4oCbaxc/U1sNEEoz6OI/AAAAAAAAAeU/2ZI8ZX47uyc/s640/H_L_0456_Hugin_Small.jpg" width="400" alt="Modified by Hugin"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0pFW-mMwDq0/U1sM-WouuaI/AAAAAAAAAd0/nxM2tbWSV0M/s640/H_ChartersTowers_9342_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0pFW-mMwDq0/U1sM-WouuaI/AAAAAAAAAd0/nxM2tbWSV0M/s640/H_ChartersTowers_9342_Small.jpg" width="400" alt="Original wide angle photo"></a> <a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EUvEuRtpcxY/U1sM-BO9TqI/AAAAAAAAAdw/h0t-QPbVxOk/s640/H_ChartersTowers_9342_Hugin_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EUvEuRtpcxY/U1sM-BO9TqI/AAAAAAAAAdw/h0t-QPbVxOk/s640/H_ChartersTowers_9342_Hugin_Small.jpg" width="400" alt="Modified by Hugin"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-rskHwJdK8BY/U1sNLprmVJI/AAAAAAAAAfM/ebrLf_Q4Z5E/s640/H_TH_0425_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-rskHwJdK8BY/U1sNLprmVJI/AAAAAAAAAfM/ebrLf_Q4Z5E/s640/H_TH_0425_Small.jpg" width="400" alt="Original wide angle photo"></a><br />
<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-AwVrMkyEhvM/U1sNLqtCm-I/AAAAAAAAAfI/P5U2sF8eOHg/s640/H_TH_0425_Hugin_Small.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-AwVrMkyEhvM/U1sNLqtCm-I/AAAAAAAAAfI/P5U2sF8eOHg/s640/H_TH_0425_Hugin_Small.jpg" width="400" alt="Modified by Hugin"></a><br />
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Columbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022536754199996029noreply@blogger.com0