Handy online brochures

If you prefer to choose your holidays the old fashioned way - by browsing travel brochures - I came across this handy little site... 

The travel agent that comes to you! Choose your brochures, click the button and voila! Free brochures delivered to your home. There’s no catch, nothing to pay or join and your details remain private.

http://www.travelbrochures.com.au

Handy online tools

I just came across this article by Dr Charles Orton-Jones with a list of handy modern tools for the online and mobile environment, to help make working a lot easier. All the applications are suitable for individuals, small firms and companies all the way through to large multinationals.

Convert your smartphone into a wi-fi hot spot, install a theft-recovery program on your devices,  encrypt your data and more. There's a few I didn't know about and will definitely be trying. Most listed items are free.

http://www.hotfrog.com.au/sbh/guides/essential-tools-for-working-from-home.aspx?m=4cf94744-bf10-40e8-a611-672ad01441f8

Must Get Free Apps

Remember swap cards? Anyone? Marbles? Oh – never mind.

Just checking in with a quick roundup of my favourite FREE APPS. 

Triple J Unearthed. Excellent search functionality, graphics plus ability to rate your fave songs! C’mon! Get this one and support local Aussie artists.

Words With Friends, Free version. Purchase to remove adds. Play a scrabble type game with friends or randoms, message function, shake to reorder tiles. 

The Weather Channel app. Add or remove cities, expected high and lows, current temps, 6 day forecast. Find out if it’s as hot you feel it is! 

Talking Tom, Free version. Convert your speech to this cute animated cat, then save video to phone, or email or MMS to friends or upload to your Facebook page for a video message with a difference. 

Footy Lite, Slattery Group. Full version is available, but I find the lite version has just about everything I need to get through the AFL season, including live scores.

Disclaimer; If you are hooked up with Optus 3G, you may only be able to use some of these apps over a home network (snigger, snigger, dig, dig).

No 'Poo

Did you know? There is a NO 'POO REVOLUTION?

I didn't. But I gotta tell ya - I'm gonna give it a go!

I'm not going to reinvent the wheel here. There are plenty of websites and blogs you can easily find out there going on and on about how to do it with various methods without me adding one more. 

Just letting you know it's out there...

I've long been aware of the harsh chemicals contained in shampoo (yes! shampoo! what did you think I meant by no 'poo?) but what's a girl to do? Don't want stringy, grotty, Nimbin style hair, you gotta use shampoo. Right?

Apparently not! Yes, there is a period when you first go 'no 'poo' that your hair stabilises while it gets used to the lack of chemical stripping time and again. Your hair produces an oversupply of sebum (natural oils), expecting to have it stripped away by the next wash, and your hair can go a little oily. This period varies from person to person, method to method (generally 2-8 weeks).

But after that, it's just soft, shiny, no-frizz, clean and happy hair, according to 99% of feedback I have read.

So I'm giving it a go.

Go ahead. Look up no 'poo on the internet, and you too will see pages and pages and pages of convertees extolling the virtues of no 'poo, saying their hair has never been in better condition.

I'll let you know how I go - it's a hot and stinky summer up here in flood-ravaged Queensland, so I'm very brave.

Rachel xx

UPDATE MAY 2011

Well, it has been over three months now, and I can say I am very happy with the no 'poo method to date.

I started by replacing shampoo with a bicarb wash, followed by smaller and smaller quantities of conditioner. Finally I moved to Apple Cider Vinegar for rinsing, which replaced the conditioner. It makes my hair soft, non-frizzy, and as long as I rinse well I have no vinegar smell.

I have long thick hair, so this was not an easy transition for me, but I have my method tweaked now, and don't think I will look back. I have no sign of the eczema that often creeped into my scalp, nor any offending dandruff. My curls have even come back.

I wonder what my hairdresser will say? I'm sure he'll laugh at me. We'll find out soon.

LOOK IT UP!!! NO POO
Here's a good one to get you started
http://1greengeneration.elementsintime.com/?p=365

Rachel xx

Mobile Spam

Did you know? When you receive annoying text messages to your inbox from companies and people you don't know, you can report it. You know the ones, trying to entice you to naughty websites, or to email someone to collect your million dollar prize, or your invite you to spend money at their facility for Chinese New Year. The list of scams and unlawful advertising is endless.

You can help prevent the spread of mobile spam in Australia. First of all, never resond to an SMS from a person or company you don't know. 

Report the unlawful SMS by simply forwarding to the ACMA dedicated number 0429 999 888 and it will be added to ACMA’s database (normal sms charges apply). ACMA is the Australian Communications and Media Authority, a statutory body within the federal government responsible for the regulation of telecommunications.

You can report any commercial SMS messages you receive that is unwanted or unsolicited. At this stage, capacity to report MMS is not available.

Once you have submitted an SMS message, you will receive an acknowledgement SMS with a reference number that you can use in case you want to follow up with ACMA about your report.

According to ACMA, tracking down mobile spammers is a fair bit easier than their email counterparts, so it’s definitely worth helping out.

Anti-Spam Team 1300 855 180

www.acma.gov.au