I count the recent acquisition of a solar powered watch the best buy of the month (if not the year or decade).
Solar powered watches have come a long way since its invention in the 1970s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar-powered_watch
Solar watches are the rave and have probably overtaken the previous wave of kinetic watches which are gernally a little bulkier.
http://www.seiko.com.au/technology
The specifications promise that exposure to light for 30 minutes would enable the watch to run accurately for the next six months. Incredible technological advances for the benefit of consumers!
Furthermore, the design comes with an additional spring lock clasp to ensure that the watch does not detach and fall off accidentlly.
What about aesthetics? No worries. Most of these watches come in stylish, slim and light shells.
The price range varies between a couple of hundred to thousands. One need not pay an arm and a leg to purchase a reliable mid-range brand watch which is functional and visually appealing.
http://www.watchreport.com/
* P.S. : this blogger is not promoting any particular brand of watches and does not stand to benefit by doing so. Links to various websites are provided merely to substantiate and provide further information for netizens. There is no intention of favouring certain companies over the others. Shop wisely.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Sydney Airport Going to the Dogs?
Many who have travelled by air could testify that that Sydney Airport provides the worst "service" (if they even understand what the word means). How is it possible that a first world thriving city cannot match other air hubs, and can't deliver what some developed countries could cobble together with limited means.
The fate of air travellers to and out of Sydney was literally nailed when the pro-rich and short-sighted Howard government "privatised" air services. The solely profit-driven Macquarie group that has won the windfall lease does not care about the inconveniences from delays and poor processing that tired passengers must endure. Tourists will be put off. Locals do not feel welcome home.
Problems have been identified and feedbacked to the relevant authorities. However, no solution is in sight because there is no will power to provide remedies especially if it cuts into monetary returns for the wealthy company that runs Sydney Airport. Such is the pathetic state of our transportation system. Pity us poor travellers.
Quote :
" SYDNEY AIRPORT earns more money per passenger and provides worse service than any airport in the country, the consumer watchdog has found.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's annual airport monitoring report typically features criticism of service at Sydney. But yesterday's report was particularly harsh and went close to suggesting the airport was abusing its monopoly.
According to the commission's figures, Sydney Airport made more than $14 a passenger in the 2009-10 financial year. That was an 8 per cent increase on the previous year and comfortably the highest margin in the country.
But the airport also recorded the worst ranking on the commission measure of service quality, which takes into account the views of passengers, airlines, and the customs and quarantine officers that work there.
The commission chairman, Graeme Samuel, said Sydney Airport stood out compared to other airports that had responded to concerns about service quality.
''The airport's monopoly position, the airlines' ongoing dissatisfaction with the service they receive, as well as increasing prices and profits over time, all point to Sydney Airport earning monopoly profits from the services it provides to airlines,'' the report said.
The heaviest criticism of Sydney Airport was for the services it provided to airlines. The availability of check-in counters was poor, particularly in peak periods. The standards of baggage facilities, parking and runway control were also poor.
''The issues that the airlines are concerned about … the broad report on those is that they are not good enough,'' Mr Samuel told the Herald.
Sydney Airport also has the most expensive short-term car parking in the country. The charge for four hours of parking - $52 - easily clears the price at Melbourne ($36), Brisbane ($22), Adelaide ($14) and Perth ($9.80).
The airport made $95 million from parking last financial year, against $27 million in costs. At $68 million, the margin Sydney Airport skims from car parking ranks second only to Melbourne.
Sydney Airport, owned by MAP Airports Group, had attempted to pre-empt the commission's findings by commissioning its own analysis questioning the methodology of the regulator.
In particular, Sydney Airport is critical of the commission for not disclosing how many airlines participated in its survey.
But Mr Samuel dismissed the concerns, saying that the commission was delivering simple price monitoring work and not conducting academic analysis.
''If I was Sydney Airport, where year after year after year … this has been going on for five years … they are being ranked the poorest in terms of quality of service, rather than ask a couple of academics what they think, frankly I'd be asking the customers,'' he said.
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/watchdog-lets-fly-over-airport-standards-20110207-1ak90.html
The fate of air travellers to and out of Sydney was literally nailed when the pro-rich and short-sighted Howard government "privatised" air services. The solely profit-driven Macquarie group that has won the windfall lease does not care about the inconveniences from delays and poor processing that tired passengers must endure. Tourists will be put off. Locals do not feel welcome home.
Problems have been identified and feedbacked to the relevant authorities. However, no solution is in sight because there is no will power to provide remedies especially if it cuts into monetary returns for the wealthy company that runs Sydney Airport. Such is the pathetic state of our transportation system. Pity us poor travellers.
Quote :
" SYDNEY AIRPORT earns more money per passenger and provides worse service than any airport in the country, the consumer watchdog has found.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's annual airport monitoring report typically features criticism of service at Sydney. But yesterday's report was particularly harsh and went close to suggesting the airport was abusing its monopoly.
According to the commission's figures, Sydney Airport made more than $14 a passenger in the 2009-10 financial year. That was an 8 per cent increase on the previous year and comfortably the highest margin in the country.
But the airport also recorded the worst ranking on the commission measure of service quality, which takes into account the views of passengers, airlines, and the customs and quarantine officers that work there.
The commission chairman, Graeme Samuel, said Sydney Airport stood out compared to other airports that had responded to concerns about service quality.
''The airport's monopoly position, the airlines' ongoing dissatisfaction with the service they receive, as well as increasing prices and profits over time, all point to Sydney Airport earning monopoly profits from the services it provides to airlines,'' the report said.
The heaviest criticism of Sydney Airport was for the services it provided to airlines. The availability of check-in counters was poor, particularly in peak periods. The standards of baggage facilities, parking and runway control were also poor.
''The issues that the airlines are concerned about … the broad report on those is that they are not good enough,'' Mr Samuel told the Herald.
Sydney Airport also has the most expensive short-term car parking in the country. The charge for four hours of parking - $52 - easily clears the price at Melbourne ($36), Brisbane ($22), Adelaide ($14) and Perth ($9.80).
The airport made $95 million from parking last financial year, against $27 million in costs. At $68 million, the margin Sydney Airport skims from car parking ranks second only to Melbourne.
Sydney Airport, owned by MAP Airports Group, had attempted to pre-empt the commission's findings by commissioning its own analysis questioning the methodology of the regulator.
In particular, Sydney Airport is critical of the commission for not disclosing how many airlines participated in its survey.
But Mr Samuel dismissed the concerns, saying that the commission was delivering simple price monitoring work and not conducting academic analysis.
''If I was Sydney Airport, where year after year after year … this has been going on for five years … they are being ranked the poorest in terms of quality of service, rather than ask a couple of academics what they think, frankly I'd be asking the customers,'' he said.
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/watchdog-lets-fly-over-airport-standards-20110207-1ak90.html
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