American Express - don't leave home without it

When you think of American Express, people immediately identify the company as a financial services business, namely the distribution of charge and credit cards - the company reach extends far beyond the traditional credit business.

I began with some basic research and found the company was founded as an express mail business in 1850 by Henry Wells and William Fargo, the founders of Wells Fargo bank that was incorporated in 1854. As a non-American, I was aware of the Wells Fargo brand but didn't really know much about the bank apart from the fact that it was a pretty big deal. I think of DHL Express and TNT Express as logistics business and Amex as purely a financial business.

Interestingly, the financial services arm began in 1882 with the introduction of the travelers cheque after dissatisfaction with the traditional letter of credit created difficulty in obtaining local currency for international travelers. American Express entered the charge card business in 1958 following the success of Diners Club and then entered the credit card business in 1987.

What I am tending to find is Amex isn't the first company to enter a business, but when it does, the business becomes a serious competitor. Amex still hasn't conquered the Visa and Mastercard market share yet, but I'm guessing they will build market share at the expense of these two credit card providers.

A business like Diner's Club suffers an identity crisis based on its history as a restaurant charge card, patrons wrongly associate the card with purely a restaurant charge card competing against Visa and Mastercard credit cards and the Amex charge card.

As a competing charge card, American Express displays better advertising, a name now associated with finance and a strong branding. American Express does not suffer from such an identity crisis despite its logistics history and name.

In Australia, the American Express isn't as readily accepted as one might think due to the excessive fees for vendors charged by the company. Plenty of times I have been told I will be charged an extra fee for Amex, around the 2% mark but if I use Visa or Mastercard - the transaction interchange fee is lower and usually won't be passed on to consumers.

American Express charges an annual fee to issue the card, this can be very high as opposed to competing cards, then comes the merchant fees - the benefits to consumers better be pretty good to justify such costs to the consumer.

If Amex was to lower fees to build both market share among consumers and gain stronger acceptance with vendors, I am guessing they will soon displace Mastercard and seriously challenge Visa as the dominant credit card.

Is this the end of Chrome?

I read on The Wall Street Journal that Google was intending to merge Chrome into Android and I was more than a little concerned, I'm very disappointed. I had become accustomed to Chrome; I don't really use my tab much except when on holiday and I don't own a smartphone, so I would prefer if they didn't mess with an excellent operating system. 

According to The Wall Street Journal article, Google will now merge its Chrome operating system built for personal computers into the Android mobile operating platform. Furthermore, the article hinted there would be a significant change to Chromebooks - that can't be good. I got stuck with that dog of an operating system Windows 8 that was built for mobile devices on my notebook computer - I don't want to see a repeat of that episode.

Shopping for my World Vision sponsor child

I hate shopping, all men hate shopping so when I needed to go out and purchase a gift for a 17 year old youth, I was suitably perplexed - what do I get him?

As Michael is my World Vision sponsored child, I wanted to make sure my gift is educational in line with the values and philosophies of World Vision. After some searching, I decided on a tablet, this way he can use the tablet for school work and social activities.

Sure, I know he is going to use it for playing games, chatting and generally messing around. In a days time it was going to be his so he was free to add apps as he wished. My only apprehension was that he spent all his time playing games and generally jerking around instead of furthering his education - I guess I will find out.

At the store, they didn't want to load the Facebook and Skype apps, I said why not, it is his now - he can do as he likes. He tells me he wants to go onto vocational school to study refrigeration and air-conditioning so I hope he is able to utilise the tablet in his studies to build himself a job and career - I am pretty excited for him.

Not a hot August night but a hot November night

It has been a long time since Neil Diamond released Hot August Night in 1972; this hasn't concerned me, no matter his age, we knew we were off to see a very good show. So, a much older Neil Diamond was to play at Sandalford Winery in Perth's Swan Valley after the temps hit over 37C on a Saturday - this was going to be a hot November night.

We got there late, it wasn't without dramas and fights, we were there now and it was time to go. The picnic basket was cracked open and a warm bottle of Sandalford's chardonnay was sipped - they knew the volumes to be catered, there is no absolutely excuse for that.

Just before the show started, a dark cloud floated over as the sun was setting, the lightening show lit up the sky right on dusk. We guessed we were going to get wet, so that was the price of entry - it never eventuated though. The downpour came after the show finished and we were on our way home, we were walking down a line of traffic and a window opened and two ponchos were offered and gratefully accepted.

He puts on a pretty good show, the price of entry was extravagant but the cost was negligible at the end of the day considering the quality of the show. His dance moves were a little lame, but what do you expect at age 74? There was nothing wrong with either the lyrics, singing or the melody. My major complaint is the tickets stated the concert was from 7.30 - 10.00 with times subject to change without notice, so you could imagine my nonchalance when he started at 8.00 and finished at 9.30 - all in all, a pretty expensive one and a half hours.

Ross Taylor puts on a batting masterclass

Following on with the run-fest on the flat WACA pitch, New Zealand's Ross Taylor brings up a double century late on day 3 chasing down Australia's 9/559, still around 100 behind Australia's first innings total with 5 wickets in hand. By stumps on Day 3, New Zealand trailed by 49 runs at 6/510 with Taylor not out on 235 and poised to run down Warner's 253 early on day 4.

Taylor had a wide array of shots against an Australian bowling group lacking penetration. In all fairness, Mitchell Starc had a couple of catches put down as he cracked the 160 kph club. Taylor's driving was excellent going straight down the ground on multiple occasions, his cut shot was pretty good too. He becomes just the first Kiwi to crack a double century against Australia. He put on a batting masterclass, that's for sure.

David Warner scores big time at the WACA

We had to laugh late on day one of the second test against New Zealand at the WACA, that is the Western Australian Cricket Association ground in East Perth. 

After the new ball was taken after the mandatory 80 overs, both David Warner and Usman Khawaja were set and seeing the ball well with a century and a double century already on the scoreboard. Trent Bould is handed the new ball with Khawaja taking a single giving the strike to Warner, showing no respect for the new ball drives the ball to the boundary, takes two runs on the third ball and smashes the ball straight back past the bowler and into the fence. 

New Zealand demand a new ball after just four deliveries as they feel the ball has lost shape, we are falling over laughing and even the umpires have a smile on their face. Regardless, they succumb to New Zealand's demands and the ball is changes to everyone's amusement. Delivery 5, Warner drives the next new ball down the ground, yep, it is clearly the ball with the last ball of the over going for a single - that's 16 runs off the new ball over. 

The next over, New Zealand ask for another ball change, the umpires are openly laughing and just tell them to get on with it. Australian are in a dominant position at 1/381 and a run rate of 4.64, closing in on a 400 run day - this is just a great day against the hapless New Zealand cricket team. A breakthrough late in the day, Khawaja is caught by Latham off Bracewell's bowling for 121, Steve Smith is exposed for a couple of overs late in the day and Warner finishes the day not out on 244 with the Australian total at 2/416.

We stand united with France

The latest terrorist attacks in Paris have underscored the danger posed by the porous borders of the European Union. A leading European economic powerhouse, France has been so accommodating to people following the Islamic religion.

For all their tolerance, their freedom and the humanity that the French people offered - the French nation is targeted by religious Islamic zealots intent on destroying democracy. While the immediate aftermath no terror group had come forward, this cowardly attack showed all the hallmarks of Islamic terrorism.

Apologists calling Islam the religion of peace are repeating pathetic and hollow words. The deeds of Islamic extremists living not in the middle east but in the safety of the cities, towns and villages of tolerant western nations threaten the safety of all inhabitants of these nations.

Anybody questioning the virtues of Islamic immigration are immediately dubbed Islamphobia despite all evidence to the contrary. Described as "an attack on all of humanity and the universal values we share" by US president Barack Obama, this is indeed an attack on freedom and humanity. We are all French today, we support France and we stand united with the French people.

Woolworths - Everyday Rewards

So Woolworths, the supermarket giant with 872 stores and a workforce exceeding 110,000 people across Australia is rebranding. Founded in 1924, Woolworths is the largest retailing business operating in Australia with grocery, fuel, liquor, fuel, hotels & entertainment, home improvement and general merchandise - this is a serious retailing business. Woolworths Ltd, despite sharing a name with the British Woolworths Group, FW Woolworth Company of the United States or Woolworth Holdings of South Africa, no affiliations is undertaken with international retail stores.  

The Everyday Rewards program was the reason many of us shopped at Woolworths; now with the revamp of the program, the Everyday Rewards program will be taking on a new set of rewards. Woolworths feels confident retailing rival Coles will not run take on the program after their tie in to the Eithad Airlines program was announced.

Qantas, an iconic brand was linked to the Woolworths Everyday Rewards program; by shopping at Woolworths you could generate frequent flyer points under the Qantas frequent flyer program. For many of us, the links to Qantas was the only reason we shopped at Woolworths. What they fail to account for is many of the nation's supermarkets have both Coles and Woolworths supermarkets. Without the tie in to the Qantas frequent flyer program anymore - there is no longer a need for me to shop at Woolworths or Big W stores. 

Diving & Snorkeling Guide to Bali

The Indonesian islands have much to offer the travelling diver; as the best known island in the archipelago. Bali has solid infrastructure, a choice from luxury 5-star hotels all the way through to backpacker accommodation, a vibrant restaurant scene and a choice of well-equipped dive operations all over the island. Needless to say, as a major international destination; the island is well served with international flights from South-East Asia and further afield.

The Diving & Snorkeling Guide to Bali by Tim Rock and Simon Pridmore informs the reader of Bali's aquatic realm from world renowned sites to less well-known sites; this guide is an essential reference to get the most from a Bali dive trip.

Knights & Dames abolished once again

The worst decision of the Abbott government has now been repealed, the new Turnbull government has ditched knights and dames from the honours list in a modern Australian society - yay.

Whilst not a pressing issue, the knighthoods originally removed from the honours list by the Whitlam government in 1975 only to be reinstated by the Fraser government just a year later. The newly elected Hawke government axed the honours in 1983 only to see Abbott without cabinet consultation reintroduce knighthoods once again. I hope this was the last reincarnation of an outdated status that has no place in a modern progressive society.

Diving with hire equipment

Most of us learn to dive with hire equipment, we don't want to make such a large and expensive purchase as we are learning - that is entirely reasonable. As an instructor, I used to leave my personal equipment at home at times and use the store hire equipment so I had a taste of what the learners are experiencing. This was usually a lousy experience for me; a poorly fitting wetsuit, leaky mask, ill-fitting BCD, cheap fins and a poorly breathing regulator reminded me of the stress new divers experience.

I do not subscribe to the notion that it is easier to sell equipment to divers if they are faced with the prospect of lousy equipment for their entry level diver course. This is poor marketing, a variation of the good cop/bad cop routine that the average person sees straight through.

So what are the options for a slick dive operation? Not only does selling off hire equipment at the end of the season make good financial sense, it makes good marketing sense. The benefits include learner divers having the opportunity to purchase good quality second hand equipment, the dive centre rotates hire equipment annually maintaining the latest range of equipment they actually retail and equipment failure opportunities significantly reduce.

After the third season, hire equipment has no resale value so you are left with old equipment with no monetary value, increased maintenance costs, increased failure rates and a marketing disaster. Why learn to dive from a facility that pays such scant regard to dive equipment? What does this say about their dive operation? How can you charge premium prices for services, how do you justify your fees? If the equipment looks like this, is the instruction of similar value.

Now I understand a new dive centre does not have the capital for big investments, the alternatives are much worse however; old equipment and a poor reputation. The risk management protocols for rotating hire equipment; namely the regulator and buoyancy jacket carry a high degree of risk and need to be in exemplary condition. Likewise, people do not like to wear old, faded or ripped wetsuits and a number of dive operations I have worked at offer exactly that.

Bombay Sapphire - summer is coming

Summer is coming, the days are warming up, already even now in October, the weather for a gin and tonic in the afternoon is close. My choice of G&T is Bombay Sapphire, this unique London Dry Gin is definitely my favourite gin.

During the cold winter months, a trip from Perth to South East Asia is a relatively easy proposition and my choice of locations is the Philippines. After a day of diving, a G&T on the beach whilst completing my assignments or readings is an afternoon well spent knowing full well the weather back in Perth is cold and miserable - cheers.

Technical malfunction or an act of terrorism?

The Metrojet aviation disaster left 224 Russians dead; this is indeed a tragedy of epic proportions that is not just limited to the Russian nation - this a tragic loss of human life that transcends political and national boundaries. 

There is the Islamic State's insistence that the commercial airliner was shot down by their surface to air missile. As the airliner reported mechanical problems prior to the loss of the aircraft - this claim seems unlikely. However, the gloating of Islamic State of actually holding the technology and capability to shoot down a commercial airliner is unthinkable. Whilst the Islamic State is a master of propaganda, their proficiency in the manipulation of social media is disturbing. 

What we do know is Russian president Vladimir Putin must act decisively, will he order a transparent investigation similar to the one that he obstructed in the case of MH17? Or will indecisiveness allow the Islamic State to build a pseudo case of capability adding to the conspiracy theories perpetuated by the Islamic State?