Never Trust User Ratings

By Paula is QuiteCurious On March 22, 2009 In Curiosities, Photography, Reviews With 10 Comments Permanent Link to Never Trust User RatingsPermalink


(Banner image from 47st Photo)

The problem with being a photo enthusiast is that it’s hard to get the equipment you need. There aren’t that many large camera stores, and if there are, they usually don’t carry a wide selection, or they markup the prices significantly (and photo equipment is in my opinion, already unaffordable). So that leaves just one option – online shopping.

And with online stores carrying identical products at competitive prices, it’s hard to know who to purchase from, so the easiest thing to turn to for reference are unbiased, user reviews and ratings.

Well, never trust user ratings. Here’s why.

Continue Reading →

Curiosity #4: Restaurant.com

By Paula is QuiteCurious On February 19, 2009 In Curiosities With 6 Comments Permanent Link to Curiosity #4: Restaurant.comPermalink

Anyone who knows me knows two things – I love food, and I love to be be frugal about it. Solution? www.restaurant.com. It’s basically a website that encourages diners to try out local restaurants using their gift certificates. You can get a $25 gift certificate for $10, a $50 for $15, and so on. If you want to be extra thrifty like me, get one around a holiday – you just enter a discount code when you check out and your total gets knocked down 60% or 70%.

The only catch is you need to order a minimum amount of food, a 18% tip is not included, etc…but you still save some money in the end. Just check out the before and after receipts from my last dining experience (top). I just bought a $25 gift certificate for $3 using a holiday promotion, which I’m going to use at a local French restaurant. Woo hoo!

See all my curiosities »

4-wheeling

By Paula is QuiteCurious On February 18, 2009 In Curiosities With No Comments Permanent Link to 4-wheelingPermalink

mud-bad.JPG Nope, this is not a truck rally, dirt road in the middle of Georgia, or neglected pig sty. This is my driveway. And as much fun as it would be to go up and down it in a 4×4, my little Honda complains every time it gets stuck in a ditch and starts sinking…and sinking…

mud-from_front.JPG There’s something really cool about having a dirt road lead up to my little cottage (both are unusual for this area). But no, not in winter. There’s nothing charming about the squish-squish-sink-squish-squish way I make it to the front door, nor is there anything fun about tripping over rocks and falling headfirst into mud, like I did last week. Ouch.

Newer Entries →