Duty free limits for tobacca/cigarettes reduces from 1st September 2012

Whilst I’m not a smoker, one of the benefits of travelling overseas for smokers is the bargain priced duty free cigarettes when you return.

As from the 1^st of September 2012, the duty free limit/allowance for those aged 18 years or over is being reduced from 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of cigars or tobacco, to 50 cigarettes or 50 grams of cigars or tobacco products.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au

 

Free electricity device by embertec disappointing consumers

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I've noticed a couple of people who recently had installed a free power saving device. Shortly after they removed it. Had they paid for the unit with their own money they would have asked for a refund.

But it was free, so what does it matter.

The problem is the government is wasting our money because we all end paying for these devices which cost us much more in taxes than if we bought it ourselves.

People's greed is wasting our taxes. A free item which saves power is too good to pass up. The government should provide a refund line so people can return these devices and get our taxes back.

Next time you look at your ever increasing electricity bill you'll realise that free device has cost you much more than you expected. Grants for insulation, grants for solar installations and grants for these power saving devices come at a price and the price is our increasing electricity bills.

If people only took the time to review devices and paid for them out of their own money, they'd have a device which works.

Who else has one of these devices they got for free and have since removed? Let others know of your experience.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require help with your computer.
No problem too small.

Halls for Hire to cost more in Manningham

I recently read an article indicating Manningham council will make hiring security mandatory when hiring a hall.

Manningham Council chief executive Lydia Wilson said the council had liaised with Doncaster police to change the policies of its Party Safe program to make hiring security mandatory on council-owned property.

If you’re considering hiring a council owned hall for your next event you should enquire about, or at least make an allowance for hiring security.

When I checked the Manningham site for the halls they hire I noticed it didn’t cover the community owned facilities where functions are regularly held and young people attend.

It is a pity there are gate crashers in the area and my own experience verifies young people turning up to a party uninvited.

When looking at hiring a council owned hall compared to having a function at commercial premises make sure you take into account costs such as security as council owned halls. Commercial premises I’ve checked out make no mention of security and often already have security in place.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require computer support.
Providing support in Doncaster, Templestowe, Eltham and surrounding areas.

Alert: Islam exposed, Islam the religion of terror

I received a couple of emails sent to different emails addresses with the subject “Islam exposed, Islam the religion of terror”. The emails are spam sent to market a book on Amazon. Amazon has no obvious link on their site to report spam marketing their products. I consider that to be very poor on the part of Amazon.

Should you receive spam marketing products I highly recommend you delete them. By responding you are only encouraging unethical businesses practices making it harder for legitimate businesses, others and ultimately yourself.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au

 

MyAnswers: Windows XP loops from start-up list to Windows XP screen. Error c0000218.

The following MyAnswers solution 2235 is now available:

After the computer was inadvertently turned off at the switch, Windows XP now displays a start-up list of options in text. No matter what is selected the Windows XP splash screen will display and then it loops back to the start-up list.

Click here to obtain the solution.

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

ATO Tax Calculator to calculate income tax for 2012-2013

I find in discussions a lot of people would like to know the tax on their income. It is not possible for me to provide tax related advice as you need to be a qualified tax professional to provide tax related advice. As a computer consultant however I’m able to use the information provided by the tax office on their web site and create a calculator others can use.

As well as a calculator for the 2012-2013 tax year, I’ve also written a calculator for the 2011-2012 tax year which recently ended. A link is provided to the prior year on the Tax Calculator.

Tax Calculator 2012-2013 ... Read More

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with your computer problems.
No problem too small.

MyAnswers: Dropbox (Drop Box) folder appeared in Gallery on Android tablet.

The following MyAnswers solution 2233 is now available:

Dropbox (Drop Box) album appeared in Gallery on Android tablet which I can't delete. I've never installed Dropbox on the tablet. Where did the album come from?

Click here to obtain the solution.

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

MyAnswers: Outlook 2003 has a message "unknown error" and has stopped working.

The following MyAnswers solution 2232 is now available:

Outlook 2003 is not working. There is a message "unknown error". I haven't received emails for a number of days.

Click here to obtain the solution.

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

MyAnswers: Adobe Flash Player Update Service 11.3.r300 has encountered a problem

The following MyAnswers solution 2231 is now available:

In Windows XP I get the message Adobe Flash Player Update Service 11.3.r300 has encountered a problem and needs to close.

Click here to obtain the solution.

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

Alert: Westpac Share your best savings tip & you could win $1000!

I noticed an email this morning and felt it was a very clever but insidious scam likely to trick Westpac users. Should you receive such an email you should delete it immediately.

The Enter Now link takes you to a domain with a cz country code (Czechoslovakia) which obviously means this email is a scam.

I highly recommend that people not register their email address with their financial institutions. That way all emails from scammers targeted at users of financial institutions are known to be a scamming attempt.

The link in the email takes you to a page which is set up to look like the Westpac home page, where you can enter your customer ID and password. Don’t be tricked. This is a scam.

Kelvin Eldridge

www.OnlineConnections.com.au

Shark Tank Seafood Templestowe Menu

Welcome to George and his team at Shark Tank Seafood of Templestowe. You can find Shark Tank Seafood on the Templestowe page www.JustLocal.com.au/3106. Click on the Shark Tank Seafood logo to display their menu.

Menus of local takeaway businesses are very handy but the menus I have are either out of date or I can’t find them when I want to. By having the menus online it is much easier when I want takeaway for family or friends. I can look up the menus, phone in the order and by the time I pick the order up it is ready. If the business is busy they’ll let me know an approximate time the order will be ready and that can save a lot of time.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require computer support and
live in Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham or the surrounding area.

 

Alert: DHL Express Tracking Notification ID 1WWY5218N40839

This morning I’m receiving quite a number of DHL Express Tracking Notifications which I suspect are malware. A check with the anti-virus program doesn’t reveal it is malware, but it is an executable file inside a zip file, typical of malware. Often new malware is not detected by anti-virus programs as updates to malware programs can take up to 48 hours after new malware is found.

One client I attended once had infected their computer with serious malware which was extremely difficult to remove. They had used a parcel service and when they received the fake email from what they thought was the parcel service, opened the email without thinking.

Don’t be tempted to open links from emails you receive. If you’ve used a parcel service you will more than likely have a link in the original confirmation email or a reference you can enter on the web site. Go to the web site and enter the reference.

If you receive a DHL Express Tracking notification, or in fact any notification, treat it will extreme care.

 

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you’ve infected your computer, require assistance
and live in the Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham or surrounding area in Melbourne, Australia.

Buzz Insurance to close

I received an email from Buzz Insurance letting its customers know it will no longer take on new insurance policies. I often receive scams and let users know about the scams, but in this case this is legitimate. A pity because their policy was great value.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au

 

MyAnswers: Windows 8 Release Preview "Your PC's CPU isn't compatible with Windows 8".

The following MyAnswers solution 2230 is now available:

Windows 8 upgrade for possibly tens of millions of Windows XP users may be a waste of money.

Click here to obtain the solution.

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

Alert: PayPal - Please, update your personal information!/Your account access has been limited

Every couple of days now I receive phishing attempts aimed at PayPal users. In each case checking the link within the email shows if you click on the link you won’t go to a PayPal site.

The text of the link shown to the users appears to be a PayPal site, but by hovering over the link in Outlook the actual site address is shown and it isn’t a PayPal site. Some email clients won’t show you the actual address and for some web based email clients, you need to enable the Status bar on your browser where the actual address is displayed. In the iPhone, if you press and hold on a link the address is shown along with options on what to do next.

In all cases you shouldn’t click on the link. The site may be one of the sites which aim to trick you into filling in a form and provide your details. More recently, just by clicking on a link, the link could take you to a site and infect your computer using one of the many exposures in software on your computer.

If you want to go to the site, open your browser and enter the address of the site you want to go to. Don’t click on the link in the email.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Serving Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Templestowe Photographer Dean Hales Photography

I’d like to welcome Dean Hales of Dean Hales Photography to JustLocal. You can find Dean Hales Photography on the Templestowe page www.JustLocal.com.au/3106.

 

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au

MyAnswers: Migrating from Outlook Express to Outlook 2010/2007

The following MyAnswers solution 2225 is now available:

How I migrated a user's emails and contacts from Outlook Express to Outlook 2010. The same technique can be used for Outlook 2007.

Click here to obtain the solution.

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

Working out the payback on installing solar panels using Electricity Cost Calculator

If you want to work out the payback on installing solar panels, one way to get an estimate is to use the Electricity Cost Calculator.

 

Let’s say you’re going to buy a solar panel system for a notational $2,500. Using the current Peak 1 rate from Red Energy which is 24.75 c/kWh (which is the default for the calculator), you need to know the size of your system and  the number of peak sun hours for your area.

Open up the Electricity Cost Calculator using this link.

For Watts you use the wattage of your solar panel system. If you are purchasing a 1.5kW system, the watts will be 1500W. This is because the k stands for kilo which is 1,000. Multiplying 1.5 by 1,000 gives you 1500.

 

For the hours per day use the average peak sun hours per day. Whilst this varies over the year, the averages for Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane are: 4.6, 5.1 and 5.4 respectively. Since I’m in Melbourne I’d use the figure of 4.6.

 

In the section “Replacement unit payback period” for Cost enter the amount you’ll pay for the new system. Leave the Watts in this section as zero.

 

Thus entering Watts of 1500, hours per day of 4.6 and Cost of $2,500 gives us a payback of 48 months or four years.

The problem however for most people is they don’t save this much money. The trick that people weren’t aware of is when they installed their to solar system their rates changed so that they get charged more during the 16 hours of peak period and less during the 8 hours of off-peak usage. To make the calculation more complex people are also offered a rebate for the energy they put back into the grid. For those who leave the home empty during the day this is likely to give them a rebate, but for those such as the retired who are at home all day using electricity, they may find the amount they get as a rebate is much less, if at all. Keep in mind the average electricity used in a home is around 18kWhs per day. A 1.5kWh system will produce an average of around 6.9kWhs per day.

In the morning and night where electricity usage is greatest, the solar panels won’t be producing electricity, so the higher peak period charge will significantly increase the electricity bill, but this will be partially offset by the excess electricity produced during the quieter middle period of the day. I read an article that people in my local area were finding their savings averaging around $200 a year. Far less than the $623 saving shown by the Electricity Cost Calculator and since it is based on the experience of people’s actual savings, it is a good figure to use.

The Electricity Cost Calculator figure would have worked if the electricity companies didn’t switch you to the higher peak period charging rate. To get a more accurate idea you need to consider the rate you’ll be put on if you install a solar system and your pattern of usage during the day and then take into account any rebate. The payback period is more likely to be in the 8-15 years rather than the 4 year period.

There are a few ways to reduce your payback period and one is to use less energy. We’ve reduced our electricity usage to 6.5kWhs per day using some simple energy saving strategies. If you reduce your energy usage that could increase your rebate and thus reduce the payback period.

By using the Electricity Cost Calculator to determine the cost of using appliances around your home, you can work out which appliances cost you the most and thus which appliances you need to focus on to reduce your electricity bills.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au

Alert: Transfer of 1,500.00 EUR to your account in ANZ Bank

Today I noticed a large number of scam emails targeted at ANZ users. You should simply delete these emails.

The suggestion I give to clients is never click on a link in an email to go to a site you need to log on to. In addition, if it is convenient to you, have your banks remove your email address. I don't provide an email address to my bank so every email I receive I know is a scam. This has had no impact on my using bank services and if anything, it may even mean I don't get unnecessary or unwanted marketing material.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require help with your computer.
No problem too small.