Ordering and buying things online, I do it all the time and never really have issues in doing so.... That was until I decided to place an order for a phone online via the Telstra shop website.  Warning, this is a bit of a rant, though it would be interesting to hear of any other similar experiences.  It really shouldn't be that difficult.

My Telstra HTC Desire online Purchase Experience

Last week I bought a phone online, payed the $70 and nominated the Chirnside Park store to pick it up. Received email saying it would be available within 2 days.

I got there last Thursday after and was told they can't find my order no. After being shocked that you could actually order a mobile online. After an hour they tracked it down and said they are couriering it from Hawthorn and should be there later in the day.

Went back Friday night, got the phone and went home only to find no sim card and still not linked to my existing account, I should have just got it sent to my house, only issue is I always miss courier.

Went back to the Chirnside Telsta shop store Saturday and asked for the simpack I should have received with my order, after waiting an hour and watching some rather abusive Telstra reps serve people I finally saw someone who said "We are a private Telstra Shop, can't help you" I mean What the Hell???

I showed them my online receipt and said I was picking up the phone from here as I am not usually home work hours but was pretty much told to go away until I told them you already gave me the phone yesterday.....

They then demanded the phone back – something I already paid for online and then threatened me with the POLICE after I said I need to get personal data off the phone which needed to be done on the PC.
It appears they did not have my phone and were trying to just sign me up themselves, but stuffed something up on the way.

I negotiated with the Chirnside Park store to re order the phone this Monday and when they receive the order, they will add the phone I currently have to the plan and keep the new one.

I get an email today saying my order has been cancelled due to technical difficulties.

So in 2 weeks I have no Telstra plan though have a new Desire phone and have been threated by some Telstra reps and the complaints department does nothing.

I have been having issues with most Telstra departments in general, its like they are all part of a separate entity. I have contacted the Complaints department on numerous occasions and they have just hand passed me on to some one else.

If the Government wanted to Split Telstra as a singular entitiy they have done an excellent job.

/rant

Well it has been 7 days now without a traditional analogue cigarette and I am feeling fantastic.  I first bought a Joye 501 e-cig starter kit a few months ago and slowly reduced my cigarette intake over the coarse of 2 months and finally removed tobacco from my system just before the recent Australian Cig Tax hike.

If you are a smoker, seriously try these devices.  Along with the natural chemicals in tobacco created from combustion (burning of the cig) there are almost 600 man made artificial additives in them approved by our very own government.

In Australia, tobacco is not actually classified as a food or a drug and so there are no standards or controls on what may be used or left on tobacco, including agricultural chemicals and additives.

I have been smoking tobacco for a long time and during the last 2 years I have tried on numerous occasions to stop smoking or even cut down my daily intake.  I tried the patches which did nothing for me, the gum which made me nauseous and going Cold Turkey.  The problem is that Cigarettes hook people in different ways, for me it is probably the routine and the hit of dense smoke in my mouth.  Being a fan of the internet in general I remember last year reading about the electronic cigarette, I initially discounted due to the seemingly absurd nature of the device.  The e-cig (popular term) is supposed to be able to deliver a realistic smoking experience for a long time smoker – Does it actually deliver?

Even before I tried an e-cigarette I was extremely skeptical and no doubt if you are reading this, you’re also wondering “how close to a real fag is it?”

Smokers enjoy their cigarettes. If you smoke then you know what I’m talking about. For many smokers it is a love hate relationship. You know it’s bad for you but you enjoy the sensation and the actual ritual of smoking. That’s why nicotine delivery alternatives like gum and the patch don’t cut it… they don’t simulate the actual smoking experience.

This is where the e-cigarette comes in. It claims to replicate a real smoking experience but without the same health risks and other drawbacks of smoking tobacco. And you know what? It does a pretty good job. It may not be exactly the same but the similarities are great enough to satisfy most smokers.

The parts of a common electronic cig:

A. LED light cover
B. battery (also houses circuitry)
C. atomizer (heating element)
D. cartridge (mouthpiece).

When I first read about electric smoking I thought it was more a novelty than an actual healthier replacement to traditional cigs. Replacing your smoking addiction with a  battery powered cigarette sounds ridiculous.  It wasn’t until a week ago that I finally decided to try these E-Cigs myself.

I received my 501 startup kit with great enthusiasm, Gadget freaks will love these things and it wasn’t long before I tried my first puff.

The sensation of the vapor is incredibly similar to real cigarette smoke. The vapor has a warmth to it and it feels like real smoke when you inhale. You also get that immediate nicotine sensation which is very satisfying.

The taste is very similar to tobacco but it isn’t exactly the same.  The vapor is a bit smoother and cleaner tasting and after a few hours I actually preferred the sensation over regular smokes.  My first purchase  included some other flavors like Pepsi, Whiskey, Coffee and vanilla and Double Mint – I must admit, Double Mint is fantastic with a morning coffee.

When you blow out the vapor you see a cloud that looks exactly like smoke but without the lingering smell. As a matter of fact the vapor is nearly odorless and the cloud (which is just vaporized water and nicotine) quickly disappears without a trace. The fact that the breath, hands, hair and clothes don’t stink is a huge plus!  I was having the Double Mint near my sister who commented that it smelt like breath freshener.

I terms of pricing, if you are a pack a day smoker expect to save over $300 a month if you make the conversion to electronic cigarettes – even more in various regions as a pack of cigarettes in Australia is now over $11.  A single nicotine cartridge for most brands of electronic cigarettes is around 25c to $2.00 and is the equivalent of about 30+ cigarettes.

Cigarette smoking is bad, we have all seen the adds and media propaganda, but at least now there is a healthier and more cost efficient alternative.  My positive Electronic cigarette experience motivated me to create this E-Cig post and create a blog here and I hope my experience helps you decide if this is something that may benefit you or someone you love.  Coming from a hardcore Ex analog ciggie smoker, I can honestly recommend giving the electronic cigarette a try… you may find yourself throwing out the tobacco cigs only after a few days – It really does work!

Yesterday I received my Eastmall Riva, so I haven't had much time with the device but so far I am actually quite impressed.   Considering the price in comparison to other Ego models, the EM Riva Kit would make a great impact for anyone wanting to give up traditional tobacco smoking and has struggled using the old 501 ecig brands.

The EM Riva is Eastmalls version of the ever popular EGo with similar but slightly improved specs, most notably the battery which has been going for 8 hours of normal use so far:

Riva Specs

M-Riva is a specially made product for Eastmall .

• No issues with the manual button .
• Better battery quality
• The shape for Riva is better looking than similiar ones.
• You saved at least $18 from any other sellers

Starter kit includes:

• 2 pcs of 510 atomizer
• 2 pcs of 750mah battery
• 1 pc fast charger (only takes 2 and a half hours to fully charge the batts) plus Wall charger
• 10 pcs blank cart
• 1 pc cone

Eastmall will give 6 months on warranty for the RiVa kit and 3 months on the battery.

Compared to my HG 501's the quality of the Riva is substantially better, it doesn't feel cheap at all.
Thank god it doesn't have the LED at the end – just the button glows blue making stealth vaping a whole lot easier.  It also stands upright with no issue because of the flat tip.

I couldn't calculate charge time as the two batteries only took 10 minutes to charge indicating they were pre-charged at the factory though I will post more thoughts on this device after some more use.

Obligatory Box Shot

Front of the Riva Box, it is magnetic.

Inside the Riva Box, nicely packed!

All the contents of the EM-Riva with bonus Large Atty

The Riva Blue Led Button

The EM Riva assembled

Time to get our submissions in for a potential R18+ ratings system on a media format now more popular than Movies.  Submissions to the Aussie Government are invited by close of business 28 February 2010. Submissions received after the due date may not be considered.

In Order to make a submission, you need to answer this question:

Should the Australian National Classification Scheme include an R 18+ classification category for computer games?

Submit and download all the relevant documents here.

The submission template contains multiple choice questions as well as a 250 word comment section, not really enough words allowed to thoroughly discuss the issue yet it is better than nothing.

The Commonwealth Government has released a discussion paper which briefly summarises the key arguments for and against an R 18+ classification for computer games.  Censorship Ministers have considered the issue of an adult classification for computer games on several occasions.  However, they have not undertaken public consultation on this issue.

Submissions are being sought on whether the Australian National Classification Scheme should include an R 18+ classification category for computer games.  Submissions can be made by downloading and completing the submission template.  Submissions may also be mailed or faxed.  The discussion paper and submission template contain the contact details for making a submission.

I am usually a pretty mellowed blogger, not much gets me fired up.  This post will be short and sweet and to the point, but I will follow it up on my housedad blog in more detail (and less swearing) as it affects everyone.

The point of this post?

Artificial Sweeteners are deadly

I don't often swear a great deal, but the exploitive companies allowing this sort of bullshit to be propagated into our society can go fuck themselves.

With our oldest son, the wife and I had noticed considerable  random behavioural issues which seemed to be directly related to what my son was eating and drinking, this was about 4 months ago.

From his diet we have eliminated artificial colours, preservatives and most of the commonly known dodgy additives from his diet.

The changes in his behaviour since the switch have been incredible.  He changed from a demanding, tantrum powered and extremely unfocused little boy into a clever, imaginative and the most loving kid you have ever met.

He has always liked cordial in the past but we could never brand that didn't have any of the bad additives until recently.  SPC have relaunched their fruit juice and cordial range with a healthy preservative free focus.  Their cordial still has preservatives in it but the cordial concentrate seemingly was OK.  If only we had read the label a bit better.

When we go shopping, both the Wife and I have learnt what additive codes should not be purchased, we both failed to understand the word SUCRALOSE on the bottle.

A few drinks from this cordial - I am talking 2 and a half glasses over the course of a day, turned my son into a Hell spawn demon.  After going to the toilet constantly over the course of today and a few hours after the last drink, my poor sons reaction was like someone coming down off ecstasy.  He was screaming and crying uncontrollably, unable to focus and telling us to "leave him alone" - almost having some sort breakdown, He is only 3 years old for christs sake.

Whilst writing this he has been tossing and turning in bed and waking up crying numerous times.

I just do not understand how these sort of known mind altering and PROVEN cancer causing artificial additives can be allowed in our food.

The Australian Government promotes these additives in our food as a way of stopping overweight kids.  What happened to research and a bit of god damned exercise?

Some Research:

Sucralose or Chlorinated sugar

description from Sweetpoison.com

Splenda, also known as sucralose, is an artificial sweetener, which is a chlorinated sucrose derivative. Facts about this artificial chemical are as follows:

Pre-approval research showed that sucralose caused shrunken thymus glands (up to 40% shrinkage) and enlarged liver and kidneys.

A possible problem with caecal enlargement and renal mineralization has been seen in post approval animal research.

Sucralose Breaks Down

Despite the manufacturer's mis-statements, sucralose does break down into small amounts of 1,6-dichlorofructose, a chemical which has not been adequtely tested in humans. More importantly, sucralose must break down in the digestive system. If it didn't break down and react at all (as the manufacturer claims), it would not chemically-react on the tongue to provide a sweet taste. The truth is that sucralose does break down to some extent in the digestive system.

Independent, Long-Term Human Research

None. Manufacturer's "100's of studies" (some of which show hazards) were clearly inadequate and do not demonstrate safety in long-term use.

Chlorinated Pesticides

The manufacturer claims that the chlorine added to sucralose is similar to the chlorine atom in the salt (NaCl) molecule. That is not the case. Sucralose may be more like ingesting tiny amounts of chlorinated pesticides, but we will never know without long-term, independent human research.

Conclusion

While it is unlikely that sucralose is as toxic as the poisoning people are experiencing from Monsanato's aspartame, it is clear from the hazards seen in pre-approval research and from its chemical structure that years or decades of use may contribute to serious chronic immunological or neurological disorders.

It is very important that people who have any interest in their health

stay aware from the highly toxic sweetener aspartame and other questionable sweeteners such as sucralose (Splenda), and acesulfame-k (Sunette, Sweet & Safe, Sweet One). Please see the extensive resources for sweeteners on the Healthier Sweetener Resource List.

Aspartame Nutrasweet, Equal

Commonly found in Coke brands like Diet Coke and Sprite Zero, Cordial concentrates - pretty much any diet food on the market. Well our market as it has been banned numerous places overseas and a lot of schools in the UK. It is even worse than Sucralose.

From splendaexposed.com

The dangers of aspartame are now widely known, but the risks of using Splenda are not documented – until now. Splenda may not penetrate the blood brain barrier as aspartame does, hence entering the brain and creating neurotoxin havoc at the brain center, but Splenda CAN adversely affect the body in several ways because it IS a chemical substance and not natural sugar.

Has the FDA repeated the aspartame approval process for sucralose, allowing a product with proven carcinogens to flood our food supply?  Only time will tell, as it has with aspartame. Yet at the cost of human lives.  Read more here

Sweeteners to avoid

Refined sugar (sucrose)

Corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup

Sucralose (Splenda)

Aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal)

Saccharine (Sweet 'N Low)

I will detail the lifestyle change regarding "clean" food and our family on Housedad.org in the next few weeks.   In the meantime the failsafe guide chart we have been following can be found here: www.fedup.com.au

COLOURS

102,104,107,110,122,123,124,127,128,

129,132,133,142,151,155

natural colour 160b (annatto)

PRESERVATIVES

Sorbates                     200-203

Benzoates                  210-213

Sulphites                    220-228

Nitrates, nitrites          249-252

Propionates                280-283

SYNTHETIC ANTIOXIDANTS

Gallates                     310-312

TBHQ, BHA, BHT        319-321

FLAVOUR ENHANCERS

Glutamates incl MSG 620-625

Ribonucleotides          627, 631, 635

Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein (HVP)

ARTIFICIAL FLAVOURS

No numbers since they are trade secrets

CIGS could cost more than $20 for a packet of 30 and come in plain wrapping if radical proposals now under consideration by the federal government are accepted.

The government is considering a cigarette tax hike and a ban on all remaining tobacco advertising and sponsorship in response to its yet-to-be-released Preventative Health Taskforce report.

What the hell is the Preventative Health Taskforce and what are their priorities?

It seems targeting smokers is a sure fire way to bring in the dollars under the guise of better health.  Most smokers are of working age and earn enough to pay the excess tax and can put up with various price hikes.

Anti-smoking organisations such as the Public Health Association, the Cancer Council and the National Heart Foundation have backed the plan but fail to target the more fundamental issues present.  What about the hundreds of proven dangerous additives available in our food today - this is a simple example of dodgy $$ fuelled prioritising.

Artificial colours and flavours are allowed in my kids food in Australia - stuff that has been banned in the UK due to known health issues.

The government needs to get its priorities right and stop treating Australians like idiots.

I posted this on Ozsource a few weeks ago and it is amazing how many people in Australia have no idea on the implications of Cleenfeed and how far along it has progressed.

What is Cleenfeed?

Clean-feed is the Australian government’s $70 million national Internet content filtering scheme, which will impose blanket filtering for all web connections at the Internet Service Provider (ISP) level.  There are two lists, a ‘child’ safe list which filters both illegal content and hardcore pornography and a second which users can ‘opt-out’ to which only filters unwanted content.

Senator Stephen Conroy, the Government Senator responsible for this project has stated that they will also be looking into the possibility of filtering other content that may be illegal in Australia. Which would for example include: euthanasia, abortion, drug-use, etc.

Email, Peer to Peer, Instant messaging, newsgroups and any other custom application protocols are on the ACMA report as things that the Government is also planning to apply the ISP-Level filtering to.

iiNet and Optus have applied to participate in the ISP Level filtering trial, however have maintained they are doing so to prove the inability of the system.

The ACMA Closed Environment Testing of ISP−Level Internet Content Filters which can be viewed here shows the degree of degradation introduced by a filter averages at about 30% loss and can hit up to 70% reduction in performance.

Existing technologies such as open proxy’s can bypass this cleenfeed filter though this would add an additional performance hit to the users already reduced internet connection.

Cleenfeed Roundup

Protest

The rallies, organised by members from activist groups including the Electronic Freedom Project and Digital Liberty Coalition (DLC), saw hundreds gather at Sydney’s Town Hall, Brisbane Square, Melbourne’s State Library, Adelaide Parliament House, Perth’s Stirling Gardens and at Tasmania’s Parliament Lawns to voice their opposition to the scheme.  Source

http://keepingthebastardshonest.net/...heparticipant/

This was released just before the rallies:
Digital Liberty Coalition press release. A PDF

Bloggers cry "foul" as web censor ring tightens

Dr Blacklist or: How I learned to stop worrying and love the filter

__________________

Sources

• ISP level Content Trial report
• Nocleenfeed
• Whirlpool wiki
• OCAU Wiki
• Minister Conroy on: Promoting a civil and confident society online
• Ozsource thread.

Update 08/6/10

Restored original post.

Update 14/1/10

The notes from the recent community meeting are available from the Lilydale Quarry Unimin Community website which can be found HERE. The overburden dump has started to expand and the sprinkler system used to suppress the dust appears to be failing as evident in the following pictures.

Update 02/1/10 original Dec 13th 2007

I have been living in the Lilydale Lakeview region, (Victoria, Australia) for a while now with my wife and son and our biggest concern at the moment is the never ending battle with typical hay fever like symptoms.

The obvious cause of the problem is the incredible amount of dust in this estate and surrounding areas, all of which seem to originate the Lilydale quarry.

The whole family suffers varying degrees of watery eyes, sneezing and now itchy skin and is starting to become more than a nuisance. My Son seems to have a constant cold and is very susceptible to related infections.  Update: He recently had his tonsils and adenoids removed because of sleep apnea due to enlarged tonsils and now we find out there is a direct correlation between Crystalline Silica, hydrated lime and abnormal respiratory illness.

My Son grew up in this area and I really hope his enlarged Adenoids and Tonsils were not a result of the Dust - It scares me to be honest as we have now removed his only defense to it.  The effect this environmental issue is having on our babies, sons and daughters needs to be addressed.  The effects on Adult males are known in regards to Crystalline Silica, but new research on infants and developing adolescents is disturbing to say the least.

After a trip interstate, all our Hey fever Like symptoms vanished which led me to some quick googling and local research.

According to Unimin, Dust is collected in dust gauges around the site boundary and is analysed to determine if environmental emissions are within acceptable limits, but what if you are a resident in direct line of site of the Quarry?

When we first moved into our house the Quarry was not even visible, but due to the aptly called overburden, the Quarry is also now an eye sore. Pictures speak a thousand words in this regard, the following images were all roughly taken from the same spot.

Quarry Pictures from the Lakeview side of the Estate.

Unimin has setup a community based website here: http://www.uniminccc.org.au/

The Unimin Community Consultative Committee, or CCC, has been established as a forum where the local community can be informed of current and future plans for the quarry and plant.

The CCC web site contains information such as meeting minutes, presentations and agendas, photographs, details on future meetings or events and some background data on Unimin and its products.

Lilydale Quarry is owned by the Victorian subsidiary of of US based Unimin, Unimin Lime.

Lilydale quarry products:

The MSDS sheets regarding Lilydale Quarry raw products go a long way in explaining our current health issues and it will be interesting how many others are affected in this area.

Of Note, is the fact Limil is classified as hazardous according to the criteria of NOHSC (Worksafe Australia).

I know the quarry was located here long before any housing estates were established but surely any health and environmental impact upon humans would have been researched fully prior to any sort of development?

Yarra Ranges Shire Public Amenity Local Law 2001

The Yarra Ranges Shire has also been ignorant in upholding it own laws in regards to the 2001 Public Amenity Local Law.

The objectives of this Local Law are to:

• Promote a physical and social environment free from hazards to health, in which the residents of and visitors to the municipal district can enjoy a quality of life that meets the general expectations of the community;
• Protect and promote access, safety and amenity within the municipal district;
• Regulate and control activities within the municipal district that may be dangerous, unsafe or detrimental to the environment or to the quality of life of persons residing in or visiting the municipal district;
• Provide for the peace, order and good government of the municipal district.

Quote: Unsightly Land and Land kept in a Dangerous Manner

For the purpose of Clause 8 of the Local Law, land or premises visible from an adjoining land or road shall be deemed:

• a) Unsightly if there is present on the land or premises a substantial amount of rubbish, building materials, excavation materials, derelict car bodies & vehicles, vehicle parts, tyres or disused fittings or equipment.
• b) Detrimental to the amenity of the area in which it is located if: the land is unsightly; there is on the land any building or structure which is incomplete and impacts on the visual amenity of the area; and
• c) Dangerous if: by reasons of the manner in which the property is maintained or goods are stored on it poses any risk to the public.

Irony in its finest form as the Yarra Ranges Shire has completely failed to act on behalf of its residents and followed its own legal guidelines.

Download The Amenity Local Law here.

Some links:

• Official Unimin / Lilydale Quarry MSDS Page
• Limestone Test results
• EPA Victoria environmental audit
• Quarry cancer study
• Lime Control list
• msds limil, quicklime or hydrated lime
• msds Calcium Carbonate
• msds Magnesium Carbonate
• msds calcium
• www.unimin.com.au

Is Limil or hydrated lime dangerous?

Repeated exposure to the dust may result in increased nasal and respiratory secretions and coughing. Inflammation of lining tissue of the respiratory system may follow repeated exposure to high levels of dust with increased risk of bronchitis and pneumonia. Pre-existing upper respiratory and lung diseases including asthma and bronchitis may be aggravated.
The product contains a proportion of respirable free crystalline silica. Long term occupational over-exposure or prolonged breathing-in (or inhalation) of crystalline silica dust at levels above the NES carries the risk of causing serious irreversible lung disease, including bronchitis, and silicosis (scarring of the lung), including acute and/or accelerated silicosis. It may also increase the risk of other irreversible and serious disorders including scleroderma (a disease affecting the skin, joints, blood vessels and internal organs) and other auto-immune disorders.
Inhalation of dust, including crystalline silica dust, is considered by medical authorities to increase the risk of lung disease due to tobacco smoking.
Crystalline silica (inhaled in the form of quartz or cristobalite from occupation sources) has been classified by The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1). However (in view of CCAA) the research on this is inconclusive and ASCC/NOHSC had not classified crystalline silica as a carcinogen.
Current research indicates there is no excess risk of lung cancer or other cancers from using these products.
Studies have shown that smoking increases the risk of bronchitis, silicosis and lung cancer in persons exposed to crystalline silica. Source 1

What is Crystalline Silica and Silica Dust?

Crystalline silica is a basic component of soil, sand, granite, and many other minerals. Quartz is the most common form of crystalline silica.
Cristobalite and tridymite are two other forms of crystalline silica. All three forms may become respirable size particles when workers chip, cut, drill, or grind objects that contain crystalline silica.

HEALTH AFFECTS OF SILICA DUST

Initial exposure to silica dust will cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat like most other dusts. However, if excessive amounts of silica dust are breathed into the lungs over a period of time, it can cause damage to the lung tissue. Other than some breathlessness during exercise, the disease can remain free of symptoms for 10-20 years after exposure.

The most common form of silicosis develops after long exposure to relatively low concentrations. Once the disease has begun, it will progress slowly but relentlessly even if the worker is removed from further exposure. There is no medical treatment for silicosis. People with silicosis are also at greater risk of developing lung cancer. In 1996 the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified crystalline silica dust as a human carcinogen.

Sources: OHSA.gov Silicosis.com UnionSafe

For Information on Toyo Ink Australia, please visit the official website.

Toyo Ink Australia

The Toyo Ink company is one of the top three printing ink manufacturers and suppliers in the world.   Toyo Ink celebrated their 100 year anniversary as an incorporated company in 2007 and today our operations expand across most countries in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, North America and Europe.

Globally, Toyo Ink employs over 6000 people and has an annual turnover exceeding US$2 billion. International management structure breaks the company into 5 regions, defined primarily by geography.

The Toyo Ink group covers 2 broadly defined business areas; a Graphic Arts and a Chemical field. These in turn are divided into 4 business segments; printing inks, graphic arts machinery and supplies, Polymer Chemicals and Chemicals and media materials.

At Toyo Ink Australia and New Zealand we concentrate on printing inks and associated consumables. Toyo Ink Aus was established in 1984 as a joint venture of local shareholders with Toyo Ink Mfg Co Ltd of Japan. In 1987 the printing ink manufacturing plant at Kilsyth, Melbourne, was opened with an initial size of 21,000 m2, and in 1992 the local shareholders relinquished all of their shares to the Toyo Ink Mfg Co Ltd.  Gravure plant closed due to unforeseen circumstances.

The main production factory and head office are located at Kilsyth, approximately 35 kms east of the Melbourne CBD and in the foothills of the beautiful Mt Dandenong. It is on this site that the Technical Centre is also located.  More.