Notice: MelbourneIT - .estate available for the first time. Register today.

I received an email from MelbourneIT today letting me know the top level domain .estate was available. Of course this creates an urgency that you don't want to miss out as someone else might get it first and camp on you. Yes you've paid for a stack for domains already to protect yourself and now there's more.

First do shop around. A quick check showed me I could get the domain for $10 less elsewhere and frankly, the MelbourneIT group and their systems have given me so much grief over the years I just couldn't recommend them. Pity. I did in the past but wouldn't now.

Secondly, step back for a moment. This is one of a number of top level domains that have been released. Reportedly there's over a thousand to come. To me this is more like extortion from the domain businesses (not MelbourneIT but those releasing the domains who make this possible) and I guess they know it. I look forward to the day when and if this domain crap comes to an end by some very clever and creative entrepreneur. It is a stupid situation that we have to purchase multiple domain names to protect our branding and then out of left field, someone adds a single hyphen so all your efforts are for nought. Yes, you can sue, but good luck with that. We all know the winner there.

So do think it through before you rush in. But of course you have to make a quick decision and then stick with it. At least you know you can shop around and if you do need to purchase dozens of domains, getting a better price could save a lot of money.

Kelvin Eldridge 
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for IT support.

Alert: PayPal - You sent a payment of $29.88 AUD to ilovebargainx - Receipt for Your Payment to AU-AdCommerce-EOM@ebay.xxx

I've received a number of fake emails which states I've made purchases to a business in Queensland. They are fake of course but since I've receive a couple today I thought I'd warn others. Never trust any links you receive in an email purporting to be from PayPal. I've never found an email to contain information that isn't already on my account. To me PayPal just doesn't work that way, so these emails are always fake.

The trick used here is that most of the links in the email are real, but the link to cancel the payment is fake and that's the one the scammers want you to click on.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for IT support.

Simpson refrigerator model STM5200WA-R*3 light globe Philips 40W XE6 replacement experience with Save On Spares Pty Ltd

I like to shop local if I can, but sometimes I wonder if the world is conspiring to stop me. The light in my Simpson refrigerator blew. Removing it was easy. I then did a search for a Philips 40W XE6 globe but found nothing. The globe is a blue colour so I felt I needed a particular globe to suit the fridge.

I then searched for Simpson and found a company called Save On Spares in Ringwood. Well if that's where I have to go to get this particular globe I thought, then that's where I have to go. I arrived an asked for a replacement globe and the said they were no longer blue and handed me the replacement. Wait a second. That's a standard globe I can buy at Bunnings. Are you sure it is the right one I asked. This is for a oven hood and I need one for a refrigerator. Yes, that's the right one. I knew I'd been dudded. The price was $9.50.

I decided later when I was going past Bunnings and check the price of the same globe. Yes the replacement globe at Bunnings was just $3.78. So much for saving on spares I thought. I'll find it hard to trust that company again.

For those who are in the same situation as me, the replacement globe I was provided with was a Philips 40W E14 240W T25L CL CH. It is a clear globe and on the box it is marked for a cooker hood.

I am disappointed that companies like Bunnings (or anyone that I could find on the internet) don't provide a chart for replacement parts. Instead of travelling 40 kilometres I could have travelled around 10 km.

I hope this helps someone else from being a mug like me.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au

Are online survey sites scams?

For a period of four weeks I decided to participate in 18 survey sites, measure the time involved and the rate per hour. I'm not talking about online survey sites that may only be a scam, but legitimate sites which for the most part, enable you to participate in online surveys and generate some income.

At the end of the testing I'd made around to $160. However that was done at an average rate of a around over $4.50 an hour. To me this reminds me of the days of past where people would site at home packaging products for large companies to eek out an existence.

The problem is the surveys are often for large well known Australian brand companies and these companies are simply using people and getting away with paying a pittance. Come on, no one should be working in Australia for $4.50 an hour.

You'll find convincing arguments like: you're helping companies with your opinion; I enjoy the social aspect of the group; you're not doing this to earn an income; it helps to get a little bonus every now and then; it's tax free; and the list goes on. The bottom line is this is research to help businesses make more money. You are contributing to their bottom line just as you would if you worked for them.

The minimum wage in Australia is $17 per hour. Given the overhead of going to work, clothing, food, transport, travel to and from work, unpaid breaks and other costs, working from home doesn't have to pay as much, but paying around $4.50 an hour to me isn't appropriate.

At least you now know. If $4.50 an hour appeals to you then go for it. But now you don't have to put in the many hours I did to complete this research.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for IT support.

Alert: You have received a file via Google Drive for documents

This morning I received a couple of emails with the subject 'You have received a file via Google Drive for documents'. I don't recall seeing this type of scam email message before. The email contains a link which does not take you to a Google site. If you check the link (don't click on it) you'll see where the link would take you. In my case the link is to a domain ending in .co.za. This is a scam to get you to log into Google docs and in the process you end up providing your email address and password.

You should delete emails like this. As always do not click on links in emails you receive without first thoroughly checking out the underlying link destination. Even emails that appear to be from friends may be from scammers.

Kelvin Eldridge 
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for IT support.

Shark Tank Seafood Templestowe menu is available online.

You can now find Shark Tank Seafood on the JustLocal postcode page www.JustLocal.com.au/3106 or go direct to the menu page at http://www.justlocal.com.au/clients/shark-tank-seafood-templestowe/.

Please let George at Shark Tank Seafood know you found their menu on JustLocal. Most small businesses waste a consider amount of money advertising and need your help to let them know which advertising works and which advertising doesn't. We can see JustLocal is working through our logs, but the best way to let George know his advertising is working is to let him know when you pick up your order. Let George know that Kelvin at JustLocal sent you.

JustLocal provides low cost local advertising designed to help build a stronger local community by strengthening local business, whether those businesses are located at shopfronts in the major shopping areas, or run from a spare room at home. The more people that can work locally the better off we all are.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au/3106

It appears people who lend cars for a wedding are receiving quite concerning letters from the SA government.

It appears the government in South Australia has moved into accusing people first rather than checking facts and then taking appropriate action. If you received a demanding letter from the government after lending your car to a friend for a wedding, I reckon you'd be worried too. I know in my younger years we'd help each other out. We couldn't all afford new cars so helping a mate on their special day was considered something you could do to help them and didn't cost anything but a bit of time.

People who lend cars for weddings may face jail... read more. 

I understand the government wants to crack down on people who are making money by providing services which may be illegal and thus put people into a legal and or dangerous situation, but to accuse first without any factual basisI don't think is an acceptable approach in Australia.

Kelvin Eldridge 
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for IT support.

I read that 80% of the Australian insurance market is with two groups, IAG and Suncorp. Here is a list of their brands.

I decided out of interest to make a note of the insurance brands which are part of the two big insurance groups in Australia. For many the range of brands creates confusion. At least knowing which brand belongs to which company may make things clearer.

Keep in mind when you walk into a bank and see an insurance brochure on the counter, or are offered insurance, check out the brochure and you'll often find one of the two main groups is often the company behind the insurance.

IAG insurance group brands

NRMA Insurance
SGIO (in Western Australia)
SGIC (in South Australia)
CGU
Swann Insurance
NZI
State and AMI (New Zealand)
Safety and NZI (Thailand)
AAA Assurance (Vietnam)
RACV (via a distribution and underwriting relationship with RACV Limited)

Suncorp group brands

Suncorp Insurance
AAMI
GIO
Apia
Vero
Shannons
Just Car Insurance
Insure MyRide
Bingle.com.au
Terri Scheer
CIL Caravan and MV Insurance
Resilium
AA Insurance
Asteron Life
Suncorp
Guardian Advice
AA Life
Suncorp Bank

Insurance brands which are not part of these two groups are.

Coles
Woolworths
Real
Hollard
Budget
Youi
Progressive

I hope others find use in this information.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au

Alert: FoxNews - BREAKING NEWS: Single Mom Makes $96,144/Yr

If you receive any emails regarding single mom making money they're a scam. Just delete them. I received quite a few to various email addresses this morning and thought I'd warn others due to the volume of emails I've received. Don't click on the links. I haven't checked the links for these emails, but I'd be pretty sure the outcome won't be good.

Kelvin Eldridge 
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for IT support.

Where can I check the registration status of my car in Victoria?

As from the 1st of January 2014 VicRoads have discontinued registration labels for light vehicles including passenger cars. This is a concern because it means there is no longer and quick and easy visual way to check when your registration is due.

I can see a lot of people getting fined for not having a registered car. If you think this won't happen, I once didn't get a registration renewal from VicRoads and had no idea I was driving an unregistered car. Letters do go missing so if it happened to me, it could happen to you. Luckily I was not pulled up and was also not in an accident. The first I knew the car was not registered is when I rang to complain I hadn't received a renewal notice.

As usual the government puts the onus on you and not their systems. That's a great cop out for them but doesn't help you if you're caught with an unregistered car, or worse, you are in an accident and your insurance won't pay because your car is not registered.

Keep in mind if you want to check when your car registration is due, VicRoads does provide an online tool to enable you to check. You can find the tool at vre.vicroads.vic.gov.au.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au

A beautiful sunset over Port Phillip Bay on Sunday

As we left the beach on Sunday night we looked back to the beauty of the sun setting over the bay.

Melbourne has the loveliest beaches and with a couple of sweltering days, the water is just about right too.

<<< photo missing >>>

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