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How to use my various sites?
Posted on September 5th, 2007 by GregPC.
Categories: Uncategorized, Books.
I have so many places to write that sometimes deciding what to write where results in my not writing as much as I’d like or knowing what should appear where. My main blog, Over the River, has long been my quasi professional outlet, my various humor blogs (written under different names and without links) have become popular and are growing. Earlier this year we launched a blog at work and that has created some confusion for me with OTR. And what about this one?
When I was brewing more often it was a good place to track each session. But the summer has been long and hot and I haven’t brewed in a few months. I think I’ll continue to write about brewing here and will pick up the pace on that as soon as I do (hopefully this weekend). The other think I’ve been planning on using this one for is books. Aside from beer, they’re on of my other favorite things and I read a lot.
So far this summer, I’ve read three books (well, more than that, but I can only think of three off the top of my head): The Lord or the Rings, Into the Land of Bones and The Accidental Time Machine. Now I’m reading River Town which I want to finish this week if possible. Sitting here in the office at the end of the day isn’t the time of place to go into these books but it was a time for giving some thought to this site. Perhaps tonight I will write more.
video
Posted on May 11th, 2007 by GregPC.
Categories: Uncategorized.
Video
eBay and Dirty Bidding
Posted on January 29th, 2007 by GregPC.
Categories: Uncategorized.
As someone who fell victim to shill bidding on eBay, I was happy to see this issue getting the attention that it deserves. This past Sunday’s Times of London ran a story that detailed how sellers fix prices.
In my case, eBay recognized that shill bidding had occurred; but they essentially did nothing about it. I wasn’t able to recoup any of my loss (more than $300 I am embarrassed to admit); and nor was the seller punished in any meaningful way (he was back selling only a few weeks after I’d been told that he would be sanctioned).
People talk about the great community tools that exist on eBay and about the buyer and seller rating systems; but the fact of the matter is that these tools are easily jobbed and don’t really tell you anything about the person with whom you are dealing.
I recently was looking for a digital SLR and decided to bypass eBay all together opting for Craig’s List instead. The buyer and I met and he had also gone off eBay. Too much fraud and too many buyers trying to play games. He said, and I agree, that he wanted to sell to local people that he could meet with in person.
It all comes back to the issues of identity and transparency. When those things don’t exist - or can be easily manipulated - communities aren’t going to succeed. eBay managed to create a community; but over time they have allowed it to by hijacked by unscrupulous buyers and sellers.
Until eBay finds a way to clean up this mess (and why should they since inflated prices only means more revenue for them), more and more people are going to find alternative ways to buy and sell online; and that’s probably a good thing.
Technorati Tags: eBay, shill bigging, fraud, Craig’s List, identity, transparency
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Reorganization
Posted on January 10th, 2007 by GregPC.
Categories: Uncategorized.
For the new year I’ve decided to clean up and reorganize my blog. I’ve created a new home for Over the River and moved my tech and media stuff over there (some of it is here too) and am keeping pevco for general stuff.
Technorati Tags: pevco, over the river
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The effortless friendships of technology - part 2
Posted on November 8th, 2006 by GregPC.
Categories: Uncategorized.
This morning I looked in a book of poetry my parents gave me for my 12th birthday for the slip of paper with my pen pal’s name and address. I found it without a problem, there where it has sat securely for a quarter century.
When I got to work I corrected the spelling of her name in my last entry and then I looked for her online. It didn’t take long to find a few Carina Karlssons. One of them was my age and looked vaguely familiar (I convinced myself). A little more work and I had her email address.
I sent her a note today to find out if she was my childhood pen pal. If she it, it will be something to be able to catch up after so many years.
Technorati Tags: pen pals, Carina Karlsson
Burned on eBay
Posted on October 27th, 2006 by GregPC.
Categories: Uncategorized.
I’ve decided to spare everyone the details of my stupidity with eBay. For those that are interested, I’ve moved everything (including the “wholesale list” I received) to a separate page.
Technorati Tags: eBay, PayPal, showbidding, scam