Arctic 的个人资料my space照片日志列表更多 ![]() | 帮助 |
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5月5日 网上摄影及摄像器材购买陷阱及注意事项
由于加拿大市场的选择面太窄且价格高昂,最近老狼对摄影及照相器材的网上购物(从US)做了一个粗浅的RESEARCH,觉得有些东西有必要在与像我一样想从网上购买的朋友分享。 1. 确定合理价位:相信大家的银子都不是白捡来的,所以无论是想入门的新手还是中了毒想更进一步陷入的老手,一旦锁定目标以后,下一步关心的便是价格了。那么如何确定欲购产品(机身,镜头,附件等等)的合理价格呢?大家的首选目标可能便是eBay。的确,eBay在确是一个好地方,无论崭新的还是二手的,你可以几乎能找到任何你想要东东的参考价格范围。对于比较贵重的东西南北,在Ebay了解行情可以,但我并不建议在Ebay上购买,原因:陷阱多多。 当今世界,商品是大流通的格局已经形成,同一地区,同一产品的价格不会差得太多,对数码相机产品,不同商家的价格一般很少超过6%的,商家的市场策略主要还是靠提高服务质量,建立高信任度的用户群来实现的。但如果发现某个商家的价格低得太离谱就得小心了. 对于相机及配件,网上评价最高的商家主要有这么几家: B&H Photo, Amazon, Adorama,Street Photo ,us1photo 其中以 Adorama的价格明显偏高,B&H Photo价格适中,口碑不错,但服务太度一般。us1photo 是一家不错的商家,多数产品价格与B&H Photo不相上下,不时有促销价时,要比B&H Photo更便宜,同时你可以在优惠价格的基础上再打折。 2. 如果在EBAY上能找到自己想要的,且价格看起来很是诱人的商家后,千万别忘记了到http://www.resellerratings.com 输入你选中的商家,去查查该商家的信誉及用户反馈,总的用户反馈评分值(Overall Customer Satisfaction Rating) 低于7分的商家大家就得小心了。有的评分很低的商家,也可能会有一些很特别的评价,如“xxx is the best sales person I have met”,“yyy is the best eBay seller”极尽溢美之词,而无具体实例,那十有八九是有些客户上当受骗,费尽周折为了得到调到换本来有缺陷的产品而受商家要挟而不得已而为之的违心之语。老狼的建议是:Facts Speak Louder Than Words,多看事实少听空话。看看北美网站上多如牛毛的投诉就知道本狼并非杞人忧天了。
3. 对于从美国网上购买的国外用户,确定明码标出的价格并不困难,困难的是要清楚隐藏价格。而这些价格信息都以不明显的小字在注意事项中或简或略地注出,主要指包括: a. 快递公司的特别处理费:以UPS为例,除进口DUTY及SALES TAX以外,许多从Ebay 购物的加拿大国外用户还要额外付出高达相当于购买产品价格50%的Custom Broker’s fee,而这个项目是不会在网站上标出的,直到UPS的帐单寄到你府上。好多上当的用户为此叫苦不迭,有些拒付的,UPS就雇佣追债公司来骚扰你,直到你把那RIDICULOUS 欠费补上。 b. 关税:摄像摄影器材,从美国到加拿大是duty free的,别的地区不清楚,但有的快递公司(FEDEX, UPS )竟然也以替海关征收的名义从不知情的用户身上收取。 c. 产品保险费:几乎所有eBay 商家在确定订单时都会要求,但在“注意事项”中又不注明具体数量,当你打电话确认才告诉你,而且高达产品价格的10到20%。 d. 所谓的升级及优惠计划:当你要购买时,不少Ebay卖家都极力推销所谓的优惠计划。狮子大张口,三年到五年不等,如果你手中米多,且想一用好几年,则可以考虑,否则无此必要。 4.老狼的建议: § 便宜的东东,如果价格的确引人,可以冒点风险从不知名的卖家购买,即使出了问题,也不至少捶胸顿足。 § 对于动辄花掉你几千刀的东东,为便宜一点而从不知名的商家购买,一旦有问题出现,刚会让你麻不胜烦。所以老狼认为,既然花钱是为了拍出赏心悦目的好片子,为了省一点点而找上麻烦不太值得,所以贵重件还是从业界口碑好的公司购买省心。 § 对于国际性的购买,最好让商家投送到商家所在城市的朋友手里,如果没有就寄到商家所在国的朋友手里,再让朋友以礼品的名义转寄,这样一来可省可能的关税及销售税,二来还可以选择中意的快递公司。 § 加拿大从美国购买的朋友,千万别选UPS,而要选USPS(US POST OFFICE),这样可免除被UPS 以brokerage fee之忧。 4月13日 再次出猎周四拿到由野生动物保护办公室的Tag,周五擦枪备弹,意欲周六出击,结果因周末之夜过于疯狂,痛饮三场(都赶上国内的幸福日子了,呵呵),同伴周六长睡不起,我也是次日醒后头重脚轻,无奈推到今天。
在Arctic 狩猎,乃因纽特人的自古之生存之道,然于外来者,绝对是奢侈烧钱之举。每每有求奇探险的美国阔佬,一侍狩猎季节(春秋两季)便到极地来,动辄以五六千元之花费,租车请人(本地猎户,用于导猎)或Caribou 或 Muskox 而归。如果是猎北极熊,一个TAG就得五千,加之其它费用,平均成本是两万多,能不能猎到,就全凭运气了。老狼我到此工作,住满两年就可以享受因纽特人的待遇,无需什么特批了,但因刚满一年,只能托人,从本地HTO(Hunters and Trapers Orgnization)得一特许证,再到野生动物保证办公室买Tag。从托熟人办私事这一点讲,国内国外无大区别,唯一的区别可能是,国内得见高(酒桌)见亮(票子),国外只需要一点点Lip service就行。扯远了,还是来言归正传吧。
当天与朋友两人分乘两辆Ski-doo,我的车后还挂了一个雪橇,吃过午饭出发了, 雪原无垠,四顾苍茫。尽管晴天,但仍疾风呼啸。车开得不快,30-40 km,为在是边走边搜寻猎物,大约走了两个多少时,出城近百公里,忽然眼前一亮,一片纯白的世界尽头出现两个小黑点,遂急驰近之,好家伙,原来是两头muskox,估计体重都在300 kg 以上,不算太费劲就找到猎物了。
这家伙一见我们到来,立马狂奔起来。这个不怕,Ski-doo 油门一加,风驰电掣,很快便将猎物包抄截住。两家伙自持身高力大,见我们靠近,停下对视,一副傲然之态。但我们绝不能靠得太近(约200 m),否则会冲过来。动物王国里,muskox 颇具绅士风度,如果遇上北极熊或北极狼,成年公牛便会形成一圈,将牝牛及幼犊围住。来犯者如果再靠近一些,成年公牛便会出阵迎敌。五年前一英国摄影师便是因离得太近而受muskox 攻击而身亡。说话之间,遂拨枪上弹,瞄准胸部心脏部位想一枪而毕其役。不料弹稍走偏,只中其肩。两家伙接着狂奔起来,伤者终究肩部已中弹,但仍瘸步而跑,我们只能再次两面夹击使其却步。待其停顿,于伤者头部再发一弹,顿时鲜血自嘴角涌出,虽难再行,但其身仍不倒,约十分钟后,才轰然倒地。虽口吐露鲜血,但一息尚存间,露目圆睁,其生命力之顽强可见一斑。另外一头则是寸步不离,似要同生共死一般。由于只有一头的Tag,我不能打两头,同行的朋友因没有tag,不能打猎,所以我们用Ski-doo使劲打扰想使其离开,但收效甚微,看到此处,我对这种貌似史前化石级的动物,除了对其抗寒能力赞叹之外,此时又心生敬意。我们不忍继续对他们HARASS,不得已决定走开看看。
过了约一刻苦钟,等我们在背风处小休后返回时,才发现卧地的伤者生命已逝,另一头生者也已悄然离开了。于是拍照留念之后开始狩猎中最艰巨的剥皮工作。Muskox 能耐零下70-80度的超寒气温,全凭其特殊的皮毛结构:又粗又长的毛发下面是一层又密又厚的绒毛。这种细绒保温性能是普通羊毛的十倍,售价达每镑300美元左右。拿来的小刀在其坚韧厚重的皮子面前跟本用力不从心,折腾半晌,仍不得其果,看看天色已晚,怕城里的朋友担心,只能用Ski-doo拖上雪橇,踏上归途。
经过了另两个小时的狂奔,傍晚前时候终于返回城里。找到我的因纽特朋友,借了两把好刀,三人协力,用了近两个小时,在天黑前才完成了剥皮及卸块工作。至此应该说这次打猎工作已经完成了吧?答案是肯定的。但几大块连骨带肉至今还在室外的天然冰柜中保存着,要吃还难免一番刀斧之功,而这个就不急了,反正离融化还早着呢。
冬天里的交通工具:雪上摩托SKi-Doo,时速可能180 km/hr,开到120 km/hr 后会不时腾空,如水上快艇,后面拖的便是雪橇。 兄弟情深:一头公牛已经中弹倒地,另一头却不肯离去,并阻止我们靠近。 顽强的动物:肩部中一弹后仍狂奔千米而不倒,头部补一弹后方倒地但怒目圆睁,令人可敬。 等到这头麝牛彻底死亡之后,另一头才很不情愿地离开给我们拍照的机会。
11月14日 Mathmatic approach to your successThis is a strictly mathematical viewpoint... it goes like this: So, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that while Hard work and Knowledge will get you close, and your Attitude will get you there, it's the Bullshit and Ass kissing that will put you over the top. "REMEMBER SOME PEOPLE ARE ALIVE SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL TO SHOOT THEM" 11月10日 The Space Shuttle and Horse AssDoes the expression, "We've always done it that way!" ring any bells? The US standard railroad gauge (distance between
10月23日 MOUSE TRAP STORY.
A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.
What food might this contain? The mouse wondered - he was devastated to is cover it was a mousetrap.
Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning:
There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!
The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr.Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. " " I cannot be bothered by it."
The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized,but said, I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray.
"Be assured you are in my prayers."
The mouse turned to the cow and said "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."
So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone.
That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.
The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught.The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever.
Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock.
To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died.
So many people came for her funeral; the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them. The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.
So, the next times you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.
We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.
EACH OF US IS A VITAL THREAD IN ANOTHER PERSON'S TAPESTRY; OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER FOR A REASON.
One of the best things to hold onto in this world is a friend!!!
Amazing Home Remedies1. If you are choking on an ice cube, don't panic. Simply pour a Cup of boiling water down your throat and presto! The blockage will be almost instantly removed. 2. Clumsy? Avoid cutting yourself while slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while you chop away. 3. Avoid arguments with the Mrs. about lifting the toilet seat by simply using the sink. 4. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use a timer. 5. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button. 6. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives, then you will be afraid to cough. 7. Have a bad toothache? Smash your thumb with a hammer and you will forget all about the toothache. 8. Sometimes, we just need to remember what the rules of life really are: You only need two tools - WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape. 9. Remember: Everyone seems normal until you get to know them. 10. Some people are like slinkies, they are not really good for anything, but… they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs. |
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