youtube

From the Tubes

I am adding a new category to my blog aptly titled “down the tubes” to reflect my current employment and financial status, and the fact I have been wiling away far too much time on YouTube lately.

I find YouTube pretty additictive by virtue of the fact it suggests videos based on searches, and you can just “discover” more and more stuff.

Here are a couple of semi virals I thought caught my eye.

The first is titled “FedEx Guy Throwing My Monitor”, the title says it all, now, there is a guy that deserves to lose his job!

http://youtu.be/ywimV38m_X4

The next is some guy running a chanel called “FPS Russia”, calling himself a “professional Russian” and doing some whacky stuff with… firearms!

Apparently he is not really Russian but some guy milking YouTube for free paintball guns etc, but I still find the guy entertaining, I dont get why people think YouTube has to be “real” any more than they would expect the TV or any other media form to be, anyway, here is the professional Russian… have nice day!

creditcards

A Few Debt Problems

A little while back I lost my job, like a lot of other people at the moment. It was not long until Christmas, I had a couple of montsh pay owed to me and a small amount of savings, but once that was gone I knew I was going to be in trouble.

I believe the biggest mistake you can make is trying to avoid the people you owe money to.  Some people think that if they don’t respond then the problem will go away and be forgotten about.  This cannot be further from the truth, the reality is that it escalates in the background. Credit companies have a process they follow to recover money owed to them, you are in the sausage machine and there is no escape!

You can however negotiate with your creditors.  The challenge is doing it.  It can be humiliating and some of the creditors can be difficult. Also, in most cases they won’t talk to you unless you’ve missed payments.  That means your credit is going in the toilet. In my case that is particularly worrying as I have for the past couple of years kept debt repayment costs down by using promotional 0% interest rates on credit cards, moving debt from one 0% card to another. Now I am faced with a situation where some of these cards will start charging high interest as the promotional rate has expired, and I will struggle to get approved for new 0% cards in the future, I am unemployed and a liability!

I had seen this coming and took out new cards with 22 months interest free before I lost my job. Although I knew I was at risk of redundency I was still technically employed and was able to make more transfers before the final curtain fell, which gives me a little more time… as long as I keep up repayments!

The caveat with these cards is that if you default, you have to pay the full rate of interest thereafter.

It really is the case that the worse your debt problems the MORE you have to pay, pretty perverse really, though I guess in the credit industry its all about risk, the more of a risk you are the more you have to pay.

So, I decided I should start finding out what my options were, I started notifying my creditors and how it turned out.

As soon as I lost my job I knew I wasn’t going to have much time before I started missing payments.  Of course I dealt with the most critical debts first, like home and auto. I also made my first calls to the credit card companies.

I called all the credit companies and asked them to work with me. Not a single one was willing to negotiate until I missed payments. This really made life miserable.  I was looking for work at the same time.  I let them know I was looking for a job and that as soon as I was back on my feet I could start paying the payments you were previously paying.  I just wanted a few months without penalties until I got a job.

I asked the ones I am still paying interest to if they will stop the interest from accruing for a few months, but no one would give.  So I basically had to accept the fact that I was going to have to stop making payments to get these people to listen.

My other problem was my phone company.  I absolutely had to keep my mobile phone service.  I didn’t even have a landline anymore and all my communications where done with a mobile phone. I was able to switch to a cheaper plan, so that helped out there.

Even though I didn’t make any headway with the creditors, I at least knew where I stood. It really is a depressing chore and not everyone will do this. The next step was to start missing payments.  I dreaded the calls coming in from debt collectors. I had heard horror stories and just wanted to get on with life.

There is no worse feeling than being afraid to answer your phone when it rings or your door when someone knocks or lying awake at night wondering if a tow truck will take your car away because you haven’t been able to make the payments on it.

So not havng been able to make headway with my “direct” negotiations I decided to try a couple of debt agencies. Now these are not exactly the “good guys” either, because they charge for their serivices which have to be paid for somewhere along the line, however, I figured if they could succeed in taking some of the pressure off (where I had failed) it was worth a shot.

As it turned out this was a very good decision. Up to this point I had only been trying to stop things escalating. I had not really looked into “debt solutions” as it were. I was trying to get interest frozen, trying to keep my 0% rates from going up to 20% and juggling various payments with depleting funds. After checking a debt advice site I found out about the possibility of getting a debt relief order which allow you get debt written off, provided you meet all the requirements.

Fortunately I qualify as most of the debt I am struggling with is unsecured, mostly credit cards as previously mentioned, and my car. I am resigned to the fact the car will go back, but at least it will be on my terms in a manner of speaking. Not a bump in the night, I will be able to arrange a time to return it, and will not lose out on the price differential between what I owe and what the car is now worth.

I ended up calling the people from that website and went through it all with them, and they were very helpful. I am not sure I would recommend them over any other such company, I think they are all sharks to be honest, but they were professional and did help me.

So, with luck I will be able to wipe off a good portion of this debt after 12 months. In the mean time I am going to be left pretty much penniless, they dont allow you much to live on in the mean time. The creditors naturally want as much of the owed money back as possible, I have to evidence my income (read benefits) and expendature on utilities, food etc. My phone remains an open point but worst case I can get a pay as you go phone for incoming calls and use the phones at the employment centre for outgoing calls for job enquiries.

Its been a pretty bad time all in all, I am still in a fix and my problems are by no means over, but at least I now know there is a way out and that in time I will be able to put all this behind me.

Of course, you never know, I may be able to find work in the mean time in which case I will be able to repay my cards and keep my car!

I just hope no one finds my blog cand comes after the new video camear I got for Christmas! I dont see anything wrong in keeping that to be honest, it was a present, not bought at my creditors expense… :D

everio

Tips for Buying a Video Camera

Ok for Christmas I got a new video camera, or rather, I got the money to buy one in the post Christmas Sales :) I have wanted a replacement for my old camera for a while now as it is bulky, has little storage and the battery life deteriated to the point of uselesness! There’s no better way to capture memories than to record and watch events of the past unfold again at the simple click of a button. With reports flowing fast and thick everyday on new video cameras across a wide range of prices, it’s natural to get overwhelmed by technical jargon and get confused about which one to buy…. so I thought I would add a few pointers for anyone facing the same dilema… which one to buy!

When choosing your video camera you want to consider all your options, review the features and pros and cons of each camera.  Then you can make an informed decision and pick the one that suits you the best.

Here are some vital pointers that will help narrow down your choices:

1. Purpose: Make sure you are clear about how you are going to use your video camera.  Is your focus going to be capturing moments in everyday life, at family gatherings and outings, or are you planning to use it to film specific events like sports, wildlife or major events. Your requirements and intention help to eliminate certain cameras because they may lack a feature or specification.

2. Features/ Specifications: Once you are clear about the purpose, decide on what features and specifications you should look for in the video camera. If you are a casual shooter, a model from the consumer camcorder category would do. If you business relies on professional quality video then you need to zero in on a device from the professional camcorder category.

3.  Size:  Be clear about the portability aspect of your video camera. These days the emphasis seems to be on compact form factors, but you need to decide if you are looking for a full-featured device or something that fits in your pocket like a cell phone. This aspect will also have a bearing on the functions, specifications and picture quality.  Pocket size camera lenses will be predictably inferior to the full-sized version and video quality will be affected too. Make sure you are comfortable with the grip of the camera and placement of membrane switches. While the look of the camera can be a huge influence, ensure you go for a sturdy and well-constructed device.

4. Budget: Once you know how you intend to use your video camera, it will also give you a fair idea about how much you would be expected to invest. For casual recording, you will find a range of cameras that will be affordably priced, but if you plan to shoot some serious videos, then you will need more sophisticated device. Set a budget accordingly to narrow down on to a specific set of models that meet your usage as well as budget needs. Then, go through the product specifications of each camera in your short list.

5. Core features: It is very important to check out the core features of any video camera and figure out which features would make sense for you and which features you could do without.  During your research of video camera models, consider aspects like resolution, optical zoom, image stabilization, scenes and photo features, including performance in poor light. Check out if the camera features an HDMI output.  An HDMI output allows you to connect it to a digital TV or DVD recorder. Also important is the expected battery life.

6. Compatibility: You are almost done.  The final thing to decide would be whether your video recorder is PC or MAC compatible lest you get stuck with a video in your camera, which can’t be downloaded to your computer.

7. Last, but definitely not the least, check out if any of the models in your list come with bundled accessories or software that could come in handy. While this should not be the decider, there is no harm if your product comes with a few add-ons.

Nokia-Lumia-800

Can the Lumia 800 Bring Nokia Back From the Brink?

A few years back Nokia ruled the GSM Waves with its range of high quality, usable, reliable and asthetically pleasing handsets. If you are able to remember the likes of the 8210 it was a revolution in terms of both function and style, and of course size, I dont think there has been such a small phone produced since that time.

However, times change, and Nokia soon began slipping in terms of its designs. The first sign of this was with the advent of camera phones which changed the game in terms of required screen size and resolution. Up to that point Nokias success had been based on having the best designs for “bar” style handsets, which have a small screen with the keyboard below. This seriously limited the screen size, and thus the effectiveness of the camera. Nokias attempts at flip phones (which were never their strength) flopped badly.

As time went on Nokia moved from being the premium brand ever down the scale until the bargain basement became their stock and trade. The next hammer blow was the arrival of smart phones, and more specifically the new operating systems from Apple, Google Android and to a lesser extent BlackBerry OS.

Whilst other manufacturers were steaming ahead with fullly featured “app capable” operating systems, Nokia floundered on with the out moded “symbian”. Even after Symbian went “open source” there was never really any development on that platform and it became pretty clear that, as an operating system it was dead.

That left Nokia scrambling around for an alternative, many tipped Android, however they would struggle to compete against the likes of HTC and Samsung who already had a strong product line in that area. To the rescue came Microsoft who paid Nokia to use their new Windows Mobile platform, much to the distain of ailing Nokia fans.

The result of all this, well, the first result is the excellent Nokia Lumia 800, the First smartphone from Nokia to really embrace the power of Windows Mobile. The styling of this phone is pretty whacky with its “neon” outer casing, coupled with the as yet unfamilliar windows mobile interface (which has a tile style front page). Nokia are marketing this as “easier, faster, funner”, I would add “riskier” to that list myself, though, style can quickly be altered with a quick revamp, what matters is the core handset.

Whilst Windows Mobile is not  as “cool” as Android or IOS, it has one serious advantage and that is it integrates well with Microsoft applications, notably office applications. If you have ever tried to edit word (or open office) documents on an iPhone you will know what a painful, or even impossible process that is. Not so with Windows Mobile, with exchange integration and the ability to edit office apps its a sure fire winner for business users, but quite how that fits in with neon “funner” I am not sure”!

The other attractive feature of the Nokia Lumia 800 is its low price with some great deals being offered on mobile comparison sites which come in at a fraction of the price of the latest iPhone, or even some of the higher end Android phones. Whilst this may seem to play in Nokias favour, it still means there is a waft of eau de bargain basement eminating from Nokia’s direction, and it kind of shows they do not have the confidence (yet) to step straight back into the top flight. That said, you cannot really blame them, Nokia still have to earn their stripes in the smart phone arena and it will take some time before anyone knows whether this new Microsoft partnership can get Nokia back on track.

Personally I with them well, I think the return of the “Nokia of Old” will be good for everyone, more choice, more competition, and, let us not forget just how great Nokia phones used to be!

cameron-snub

Was Cameron Right to Veto EU?

So, Mr Cameron has used his veto to leave the EU supposedly in order to save the city of London from unfair EU taxes. Cameron previously stated that “European Arteries have Hardened” but in spite of this “Leaving the EU would not be in British” interests as European leaders would make decisions that affected Britain “in our absense”.

That speech was made only a few weeks back, but now David Cameron seems to have run out of options and veto’d a proposed EU change that would have seen the formation of a “fiscal block”. Part of this change was to consolidate tax systems and impose a levy on banks. Britain having the largest financial sector in Europe stood to pick up 80% of that particular bill, but more than that could see itself continually out voted within the EU in future as 17 other countries would effectively have a “block vote”.

So, it is pretty easy to see why Cameron decided to veto this change, but where does that leave Britain on the world stage? A lot of quesitons are being asked about that now, with some suggesting that without the EU Britain wont be take seriously in Washington and will be a “Pygmy State”. Of course that assumes Britain was taken seriously before (by Washington) and that the rest of the EU manages to sort out the terrible mess it finds itself in.

There have been some amusing comments made regarding this decision with former deputy prime minister Michael Heseltine warning: ‘There’s no way you can protect interest of City by floating off into the Atlantic’, however, whilst Britain may be about to abandon a large ship in favour of a small lifeboat, but, if that large ship (the EU) does indeed go down, then the small insignificant lifeboat suddently seems a much more attractive place to be!

Another interesting note is that over 60% of the population back Camerons decision, a populate who was never asked about EU membership in the first place. It would seem that most people in Britain, whilst recognising the importance of a strong Europe were never too keen on being told what to do by them, not least because of fears of corruption and lack of accountability.

An amusing video showing the French Prime minister giving Cameron the “cold shoulder” can be seen here:

http://bcove.me/o27pwmwg

It looks like this is the beginning of a long and protracted process for Britain and the EU, and at the moment there is little telling where it will end.