lifestyle trend: 2012

Friday, July 20, 2012

Watch styles and your Personaility

As usual yesterday's subscriber special sold in mere minutes. That is the norm for subscriber specials these days, but what was interesting was that the gentleman who bought the watch told us that he did so because one of the lines in the newsletter description perfectly described the person he was buying the watch for.

'This is perfect watch for the lady who doesn't want to their watch shout out, yet still wants to enjoy a quality watch'

That got us thinking about watches, style and personality. They say 'that clothes maketh the man', but many people don't always have the option to really make a statement about our personality through our clothes on a daily basis, especially those who wear a uniform, a suit in the office or those comfortable weekend clothes. That means that for many of us our watch probably speaks more about our true selves than any other part of our clothing.

Here is a quick ride though a few personality styles which you might not agree with, and as usual feel free to tell us if you feel that we are way wrong. So without further ado, put on those sunglasses... lets start with....

*** Bling!!!!

For those who's personality is larger than life, and certainly louder than the dress code at work! These watches often sparkle like their owners by utilising diamonds and pearl dials. They stand out from the crowd, catch the light and everyone's attention.

Whilst the allure of diamonds is universal and totally understood, the beauty of Mother of Pearl is that blends with many skin tones and helps to highlight the effects of both diamonds and gold. Blending diamonds with pearl produces a watch that is perfect when dressed up for dinner, and yet also not at all out of place when dressed down for a day out in the sun.

The Omega is pure bling with a serious diamond count surrounding its pearl dial, itself with diamonds on the markers, WOW! The Breitling might appear less obviously overt, yet that deep misty dial with conversely laid subdials really catches the light better than any photo could ever do justice, come in and see it!

Be the talk of the town with these watches!

Code: K2939

Breitling Chronomat Acier Limited Series Ref. A13352

Breitling Chronomat Acier Limited Series Ref. A13352J1/B692. Serial number: 631324. Limited edition number: 076/400. Case diameter: 41mm. Stainless steel case and bracelet. Blue mother of pearl dial. Sapphire crystal glass. Automatic movement. Water resistant to 100m. Comes as a complete set with original box and certificates.

Overall condition: very fine, 9.8/10

This Breitling Chronomat is number 76 out of 400 manufactured. With its stunning blue mother of pearl shell dial, you cannot go wrong with this special Breitling watch.

Breitling Chronomat Acier Limited Series Ref. A13352

AUD 3,941

GST

INCLUDED

Code: K1922

Omega Seamaster Diamond Dial and Bezel

Omega Seamaster Diamond Dial and Bezel Aqua Terra. Large Size Co-Axial watch. Full diamond bezel and diamond Mother-Of-Pearl dial. Sea-through case back. Water resistant to 150m.

Case diameter: 36.5mm. Serial Number: 81912755.

Overall condition: 9.9/10, extra fine. Will suit a new watch buyer.

The last known recommended retail price was AUD 13,075. Our price is AUD 6,899.

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra - Large Size

AUD 6,899

GST INCLUDED

*** Classic and Subtle

Whilst subtle and classic are really two slightly different things, we grouped them together in our little office survey as often the more classically styled watches were favoured by those who don't want to make a fuss or shout about their choice of watch, like the Omega from the subscribers special yesterday.

These watches suit buyers that want to enjoy a quality watch but don't want anyone to feel they are showing off. They offer clean styling and time reading is simple and clear. These are watches that your colleagues would have to look closely to realise what they were, but of course you would have them half hidden under a shift cuff anyway, its just who you are...

The clean and classic Omega watches are obviously subtle, but the solid gold Rolex is so nicely toned down by the use of a leather strap that it's subtle as well as being a true classic.

Shussh! don't shout about these watches....

Code: K2262

Omega De Ville Ref. 4813.40.01

Omega De Ville Ref. 4813.40.01. Serial number 84534762. Case size: 39mm. Stainless steel case with original Omega black leather strap. Grey dial with Co-Axial Chronometer. Comes as full set, with box and papers.

Overall condition: Very Good 9.6/10

With Omega shifting their prices ever upwards in recent years, this watch is amazing value for money as it not only features a classy look and expensive feel, but also one of Omega's flagship Co-Axial movements.

Fantastic value Co-Axial Omega, don't let it get away!

Omega De Ville Ref. 4813.40.01

AUD 2,699

GST INCLUDED

Code: K2923

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Quartz black dial

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Quartz black dial Serial number: 90837490. Case diameter: 39.5mm. Stainless steel case and bracelet. Sapphire crystal glass. Black dial with luminescent hands and hour markers. Quartz movement with date. Traveller's function (independent hour hand adjustment). Water resistant to 150m. COmes with insurance valuation.

Overall condition: Very fine, 9.9/10

A sensible everyday Omega which will equally match your suit or your jeans. This quartz movement Aqua Terra is perfect for those who are always on the go. It also comes with a traveller's function for quick adjustment when shuffling between different timezones.

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Quartz black dial

AUD 2,399

GST INCLUDED

Code: K2577

1978. Rolex Oyster Datejust Ref. 1625

1978. Rolex Oyster Datejust Ref. 1625. Serial number: 5418274. Case diameter: 35mm. 18k solid yellow gold case on a brown leather strap with original Rolex buckle. Automatic movement with date function. Completely overhauled. Comes with original Rolex box and insurance valuation.

Overall condition: 9/10

1978. Rolex Oyster Datejust Ref. 1625

AUD 7,999

GST INCLUDED

*** Contemporary

When looking for a dressy watch that breaks away from the norm, it can be tough to locate something that is different enough from the crowd that you can be safe in the knowledge that you've got something that you wont see when you look around in a business meeting anytime soon. The people who are attracted to these watches tend to be those that don't want to toe the party line and while they wont often speak about it, they make their choices seriously with quality and style in mind.

Step away from the usual Rolex and Omega crowd and lets talk Cartier. Superb quality and watches that whilst contemporary in design are also subtle as well as classics. Hard to go wrong of course

Be different...

Code: K1579

Gent's Cartier Roadster Automatic Stainless Steel watch

Gent's Cartier Roadster Automatic watch. Reference 1579, Serial 501430LX. Stainless steel case and bracelet. Case dimension 34x43mm. Comes with valuation for insurance purposes. Overall condition: 9/10.

Australia Retail Price is AUD 8,200.

Gent's Cartier Roadster Automatic Stainless Steel watch

AUD 4,999

GST INCLUDED

Code: K2534

Gents' Cartier Santos 100 XL size

Brand New Gents' Cartier Santos 100 XL size. Serial number: 679533RX. Case size: 40mm x 40mm. Solid stainless steel case fitted on an original Cartier black alligator strap. Original Cartier deployment clasp. Silvered opaline dial, black roman numerals. Automatic movement. Water resistance up to 100m. Come as a full set with box, certificate, booklet and CD-rom.

Overall condition: Brand new, UNWORN 10/10.

Australian RRP is $7,200

Gents' Cartier Santos 100 XL size

AUD 6,325

GST INCLUDED

*** Techno Cool

While few will admit it, they are gadget freaks who will buy the latest technology no matter what it is; ipod, iphone, ipad... and they would probably queue to buy an iwatch if one came on the market, even if it wasn't actually of the quality they would usually favour in a timepiece. Then there are others who make use of technology in their jobs, and like to have a watch that has extra functions. Plenty of people use a stopwatch to time various things at work, and many Pilots enjoy having a watches with extra time zones and other slide rule functions and we should not forget that NASA flight qualified the Speedmaster and it helped save the Apollo 13 astronauts when their computer failed.

The Breitling Chronospace with dual time module is a technological tour de force and will keep any techno junkie happy for ages, and the Tudor provides a simple and easy to use mechanical stopwatch function yet in a more classic style. For those who just like technology but don't have the need, both will of course time your boiled eggs and toast to perfection!

Far better than another iwatch rumour...

Code: K2941

Breitling Chronospace Ref. A56012.1

Breitling Chronospace Ref. A56012.1. Serial number: 6132. Case diameter: 42mm. Stainless steel case and bracelet. Sapphire crystal top. Blue dial with digital and analogue displays. Quartz movement with date, alarm, chronograph and dual timezone functions. Water resistant to 100m. Comes with original Breitling box. Comes with insurance valuation.

Sold new in 2004.

Overall Condition: 9.9/10

Get two watches for the price of one! Features a second watch positioned on the bracelet. Enables watch wearer to see the time while his hand is on a steering wheel or cockpit controls, or set it to a second time zone. Highly functional and stylish watch.

Breitling Chronospace Ref. A56012.1

AUD 2,999

GST INCLUDED

Code: K1867

Tudor Chronotime Prince Date Chronograph Ref. 79260 Gents watch

Tudor Chronotime Prince Date Chronograph Ref. 79260 Gents watch. The serial number is H207914. The watch has a Stainless Steel case on a Stainless Steel Jubilee bracelet with a fold clasp. It comes with a Tachymeter function and Sapphire glass. The case diameter is 40mm. The watch has and automatic self-winding movement. Its dial is white with three sub dial and date function.

Tudor watches have become more popular today than they ever have been. So grab this beautiful model while you can! It's been worn a few times only.

The watch was manufactured in 2000 by Rolex, Switzerland.

Overall condition: as good as brand new, 9.9/10.

Tudor Chronotime Prince Date Chronograph Ref. 79260 Gents watch

AUD 3,799

GST INCLUDED

81 Speedo Lights

at 9:05 PM

I bought an 81 a few months ago and have made a lot of fixes but now it's running fine for the most part so I'm here with a few of the minor issues I'm having.

The main thing is I need a little help finding a few parts. For some reason I can't seem to find a replacement neutral light. I assumed it would be the same as the other speedo lights but it looks to be different and can't find where to order one. I was also wanting to replace the plastic part that goes underneath the metal handlebars. This is he part you feed the screws through to hold the headlight in place. Mine is broken in a few places and is on the verge of crumbling into pieces.

Then there's the notorious electric start. For a while it randomly start after I had been riding for a while and turned it off briefly. Then I replaced the neutral switch and everything seemed to be fine for a few days. Now the e start will only work immediately after I put in a freshly charged battery... and I do mean fresh. After only a few hours it won't work again until I recharge the battery. This is really just me being picky at the moment but I'd love to have this little luxury.

Also, The high-beam indicator light will not come one. Pretty sure it's a connection issue because after I replaced the bulb it was one for a whole 30 seconds but after I put everything back together it wouldn't come on. I've taken it apart again but can't seem to find the problem. Don't know if anyone else has had a similar problem.

You likely will want one of my starter module kits to fix the starter problem. Do some tests and let me know if you need one.

Is anyone still out there

at 6:23 PM

Point taken that one or both parties to a LDR tends to massage the truth, but there is something to be said about having a bit of faith after all not all relationships near or far end in disaster. Most of the qualitites observed in a LDR exist regardless of the distance.

I have been in a LDR for 2 years, yes it has not been easy, that said I would not trade my relationship for anything, nor am I interested in being involved with anyone other than my SO. We have growm immensly, communicate through every challenge and have come out stronger and more in love than before. Have faith and believe, there is someone out there for you. Love involves taking a risk that you might be hurt, the question is whether your relationship is worth the risk or not.

I was in a LDR for over year but gave up when it bacame clear that I could not cope with the information vacuum created by my secretive better half. My confidence level had dropped low because I felt that I wasnt being given full information about her relationships in the local environment. I later took a decision to join her so as to get a better understanding of the situation and decide the way forward. . On arrival I found that she had developed a very close relationship with someone else although I have not yet establsihed how deep. She wont give up this relationship even if she stands to lose everything if it gets out of hand.

I have sadly learnt that LDRs largely thrive on lies and half truths as often one party is not as committed as the other. No wonder many break up. I'm still here :) Marc & I broke up almost 3 years ago, we are still friends, still in love, but I just couldn't do the LDR thing any longer :(

How are you?

http://www.youtube.com/user/clickbeautynbrainz

We could have hired an actor, but we are not

at 6:13 AM

We could have hired an actor, but we are not in the movie business.

We could have engaged a scriptwriter to ensure we asked 'all the important questions', but we are not an advertising agency. Naming names would have been more dramatic, but as watchmakers we are trained fix problems, not to make them worse.

Yes, it could perhaps have been more exciting, faster, eye-catching and entertaining. Instead we decided to do the only thing we could: -to turn the other cheek and tell it as it is :

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaJvmQtoVjs

Please watch, support and share.

Thank you.

Can't tolerate the coldness of FOCC

at 6:06 AM

I just found out from the internet about Dr. Budwig's protocol.� My Dad has cancer in the lung and has spread to bone and lymph.� I made FOCC for him but he found it a bit cold to eat as the flaxoil and cottage cheese are both kept in the fridge.� I put it on bread for him and this morning, he put it in the microwave to heat up.� What would be the best thing to do? because once it's made up, it's supposed to be consumed right away, so the whole thing is still a bit cold. Although we are right into summer but it seems that my dad can't tolerate food cold or luke warm.� He wants them hot.

BP is very different from the Chinese diet.� Personally I am very happy to cure the cancer with real food instead of drug and I adapt very well.�Just feel that my quality of life is not affected by the illness.

But the raw vegetable and cold FOCC may not be easily accepted by the older generation.� Unfortunately FOCC cannot be eaten hot, FO will go rancid in heat and microwave is never recommended.� May be your dad can have a different mind set to consider FOCC as medicine which does not suit his taste but will help�in his health.�That way he might be able to�take it against his liking.�Try mix more fresh juice and let him drink like the bitter Chinese medicine. When you don't like some food, quickly drink it up is always easier and more bearable.

Is Some Homophobia Self-Phobia?

at 5:26 PM

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You Decide!

Miami Beach Winter Party; March 3, 2012

Stoked?

Is Some Homophobia Self-Phobia?

ScienceDaily (Apr. 6, 2012) -- Homophobia is more pronounced in individuals with an unacknowledged attraction to the same sex and who grew up with authoritarian parents who forbade such desires, a series of psychology studies demonstrates.

The study is the first to document the role that both parenting and sexual orientation play in the formation of intense and visceral fear of homosexuals, including self-reported homophobic attitudes, discriminatory bias, implicit hostility towards gays, and endorsement of anti-gay policies. Conducted by a team from the University of Rochester, the University of Essex, England, and the University of California in Santa Barbara, the research will be published the April issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

"Individuals who identify as straight but in psychological tests show a strong attraction to the same sex may be threatened by gays and lesbians because homosexuals remind them of similar tendencies within themselves," explains Netta Weinstein, a lecturer at the University of Essex and the study's lead author.

"In many cases these are people who are at war with themselves and they are turning this internal conflict outward," adds co-author Richard Ryan, professor of psychology at the University of Rochester who helped direct the research.

The paper includes four separate experiments, conducted in the United States and Germany, with each study involving an average of 160 college students. The findings provide new empirical evidence to support the psychoanalytic theory that the fear, anxiety, and aversion that some seemingly heterosexual people hold toward gays and lesbians can grow out of their own repressed same-sex desires, Ryan says. The results also support the more modern self-determination theory, developed by Ryan and Edward Deci at the University of Rochester, which links controlling parenting to poorer self-acceptance and difficulty valuing oneself unconditionally.

The findings may help to explain the personal dynamics behind some bullying and hate crimes directed at gays and lesbians, the authors argue. Media coverage of gay-related hate crimes suggests that attackers often perceive some level of threat from homosexuals. People in denial about their sexual orientation may lash out because gay targets threaten and bring this internal conflict to the forefront, the authors write.

The research also sheds light on high profile cases in which anti-gay public figures are caught engaging in same-sex sexual acts. The authors cite such examples as Ted Haggard, the evangelical preacher who opposed gay marriage but was exposed in a gay sex scandal in 2006, and Glenn Murphy, Jr., former chairman of the Young Republican National Federation and vocal opponent of gay marriage, who was accused of sexually assaulting a 22-year-old man in 2007, as potentially reflecting this dynamic.

"We laugh at or make fun of such blatant hypocrisy, but in a real way, these people may often themselves be victims of repression and experience exaggerated feelings of threat," says Ryan. "Homophobia is not a laughing matter. It can sometimes have tragic consequences," Ryan says, pointing to cases such as the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard or the 2011 shooting of Larry King.

To explore participants' explicit and implicit sexual attraction, the researchers measured the discrepancies between what people say about their sexual orientation and how they react during a split-second timed task. Students were shown words and pictures on a computer screen and asked to put these in "gay" or "straight" categories. Before each of the 50 trials, participants were subliminally primed with either the word "me" or "others" flashed on the screen for 35 milliseconds. They were then shown the words "gay," "straight," "homosexual," and "heterosexual" as well as pictures of straight and gay couples, and the computer tracked precisely their response times. A faster association of "me" with "gay" and a slower association of "me" with "straight" indicated an implicit gay orientation.

A second experiment, in which subjects were free to browse same-sex or opposite-sex photos, provided an additional measure of implicit sexual attraction.

Through a series of questionnaires, participants also reported on the type of parenting they experienced growing up, from authoritarian to democratic. Students were asked to agree or disagree with statements like: "I felt controlled and pressured in certain ways," and "I felt free to be who I am." For gauging the level of homophobia in a household, subjects responded to items like: "It would be upsetting for my mom to find out she was alone with a lesbian" or "My dad avoids gay men whenever possible."

Finally, the researcher measured participants' level of homophobia -- both overt, as expressed in questionnaires on social policy and beliefs, and implicit, as revealed in word-completion tasks. In the latter, students wrote down the first three words that came to mind, for example for the prompt "k i _ _." The study tracked the increase in the amount of aggressive words elicited after subliminally priming subjects with the word "gay" for 35 milliseconds.

Across all the studies, participants with supportive and accepting parents were more in touch with their implicit sexual orientation, while participants from authoritarian homes revealed the most discrepancy between explicit and implicit attraction.

"In a predominately heterosexual society, 'know thyself' can be a challenge for many gay individuals. But in controlling and homophobic homes, embracing a minority sexual orientation can be terrifying," explains Weinstein. These individuals risk losing the love and approval of their parents if they admit to same sex attractions, so many people deny or repress that part of themselves, she said.

In addition, participants who reported themselves to be more heterosexual than their performance on the reaction time task indicated were most likely to react with hostility to gay others, the studies showed. That incongruence between implicit and explicit measures of sexual orientation predicted a variety of homophobic behaviors, including self-reported anti-gay attitudes, implicit hostility towards gays, endorsement of anti-gay policies, and discriminatory bias such as the assignment of harsher punishments for homosexuals, the authors conclude.

"This study shows that if you are feeling that kind of visceral reaction to an out-group, ask yourself, 'Why?'" says Ryan. "Those intense emotions should serve as a call to self-reflection."

The study had several limitations, the authors write. All participants were college students, so it may be helpful in future research to test these effects in younger adolescents still living at home and in older adults who have had more time to establish lives independent of their parents and to look at attitudes as they change over time.

Every gay and lesbian person who has been lucky enough to survive the turmoil of growing up is a survivor. Survivors always have an obligation to those who will face the same challenges."

Cade with newly rebuilt carbs won't quite start...

at 7:17 AM

Ok - having spent my entire Sunday (it's now 9:30 pm my time) fiddling with everything I can think of that might make a difference - I've made zero progress. Let me go back and address suggestions/ideas so far:

Gas is fresh - less than a week old - purged the tank completely.
Shot carb cleaner into each carb numerous times - engine runs beautifully for all of about 2-3 seconds then dies.
Tried with carb box (air filter) on/off, etc - no difference. If I put my hand over 3 of the 4 carb mouths (hand's not big enough for all four), it will run until I pull my hand off. (P.S. - getting the air filter box back on properly is a real bitch - if anyone has some pointers on making it easier, I'm all ears)...
Carbs are getting plenty of fresh fuel - I pulled the fuel line off where it attaches to the carbs and ran about a quart of fuel through it just to make sure (thanks Tracy) that no old gas from the line/filter were to blame.
Exhaust is fine (thanks Timbone) - had just replaced the exchange box (took the box from my "parts" Cade for now until I can source a new one from Tracy) - front pipes, rear (down) pipes, exhaust pipes, exchange box - all fittings are tight, pipes are 100%.
Intake manifolds were inspected when I rebuilt the carbs - all fine there too. Replaced the o-rings (as part of Tracy's rebuild kit), put in the new hex bolts, all good there.
Main jets are fine (assume that's what you meant, Timbone?). Pilot jets are also in good shape - I replaced two of the four when I rebuilt the carbs - the remaining original two looked to be in good condition.

Other items:

spark plugs are clean and set to .65mm
pilot screws were set at 1 1/4 turns upon rebuild
I have NOT performed a fuel-level inspection as per page 6-25 of the service manual - if you think I should, I'll figure out a way to do so.

Not sure what else to check at this point. Without any other flashes of brilliance, I'll probably remove the carbs again, check tolerances and re-fit.

If this were my first Cade carb rebuilt attempt, I might have given up by now (not really, I'm a persistent SOB), but this is my third Cade rebuild and the first two were a breeze - both fired up as soon as the newly rebuilt carbs were installed. Puzzled and bemused am I.

Are you trying to run it with the choke on?? Are the cables pulling the plungers fully?

Try it with the choke off. If it runs then you didn't do a good job of cleaning the enricher jets. They are integral to the carb body and must be cleaned with a really small wire if plugged (like an individual wire off some throttle cable.

I've tried with choke on full, totally off and every conceivable position in between. Cables seem to be pulling fully on both sides.

I used a wire in every tiny orifice throughout the cleaning process, but who know - perhaps something got clogged somehow?

After I clean them with a wire I also blow brake cleaner through them to make sure it shoots out where it's suppose to.

I am no expert on the cades but it sure sounds to me like your air fuel mixture is off. This is a classic sighn of to much air. Is there a chance that some where in the assembly process of the intake or carb base that it is drawing a vacume leak??? That would be my logical next step. And I say this because you said all is fine untill you remove your hand and the choke is functioning properly.

satisfy many of your members

at 7:32 PM

THIS IS NOT SPAM. I have nothing to do with the two sites I am about to mention except that I am a customer. I get nothing from the sites for posting this ... in fact, the owner of the sites is unaware I am posting. I want to recommend these sites, though, because they are by 100 MILES the best sites for one particular hair interest I have, which I believe others in here share.

If you love 60's style wet sets ... especially the kind I am kind of gaga over, the wet set on enormous so called "magnetic" rollers, the ONLY sites for you are Hairteen and Caribehair. To be clear, they have videos of lots of hair related things relevant to this site, but to me it is their jumbo roller wet set videos which are so very special. Just go to the sites and browse ... you will see what I mean.

And as an added bonus, the person who runs the site, whose name is Julia, is a very nice and helpful person, who responds very quickly and professionally to email inquiries, comments, etc.

Again to be clear, the site itself is totally free, but the videos are for sale. To me they are inexpensive (in the $12-15 dollar range per video), but each video is absolutely full length ... it is usually delivered in downloadable sections, maybe 5-6 sections per video, and usually at least two of the sections are totally devoted to the COMPLETE coverage of the set. It is magnificent. Very high quality. Totally satisfying. Do note: you generally do hear all the chit chat in the salon (the videos are done in a working salon, not a studio) but it is entirely in Spanish. I would love to know what the ladies are saying, but the visual treat of just watching is amazing in itself ... and of course you can always imagine the audio to be saying whatever fits your fetish !!!

Again, I hope everyone will believe me, because it is true: I am not associated with nor do I benefit in ANY way from these sites or this post. I just am so happy and satisfied with their product, which is unique in quality and very rare in content, that I just want to share this with other big roller set fans.

I think you can see my email in this post, so feel free to contact me if you have any comments or questions. And to the moderator here, if this post violates your rules, I understand, but I hope you would find some way to let your members know of these sites because they are truly and fairly providing a product that I know will delight and "satisfy" many of your members.

I'm a huge fan of Hairteen and Caribehair. Both are outstanding sources for hairstyling videos.