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Post Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 4:26 am 
 

Austin499 wrote:Just wondering if anyone uses " snipe software " to place bids on ebay and how that has worked out for you.  It sure does suck losing auctions by mere pennies in the last seconds.


Nope..
I'm getting use to the heart pounding when an auction nears its end, course I'm doing less and less buying.
Another reason I hate bidding early is the Ebay emails every day, don't know why I hate them, but I do. I usually bookmark auctions or use the 'watch this auction' feature on Ebay.

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Post Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 6:44 am 
 

Austin499 wrote:Just wondering if anyone uses " snipe software " to place bids on ebay and how that has worked out for you.  It sure does suck losing auctions by mere pennies in the last seconds.


I prefer whenever possible to manually snipe (ditto to the heart pounding  :) ).  But I do use Bidnip for when I can't be online.  It is not bad at all - no probs so far (although there are some others you could check out).


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Post Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 6:57 am 
 

I use Bidnip...once you start using it you may never want to manually snipe and auction again. I resisted using it until the last few months as I thought it took some of the sport out of the hunt. In the end if all the other hunters are using it you just have to break down and use it to level the playing field  :cry:


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Post Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 7:08 am 
 

Marlith wrote:I use Bidnip...once you start using it you may never want to manually snipe and auction again. I resisted using it until the last few months as I thought it took some of the sport out of the hunt. In the end if all the other hunters are using it you just have to break down and use it to level the playing field  :cry:


well in the end, sniping just means you sometimes dont have to sit down til a ridiculous hour to bid :)

either way, you should always have your max bid planned out (unless you have a moment of madness, like i often do) and then it dont really matter as you will either pay what you were prepared to pay or you will end up still looking (as we most often do) :D

its still all good fun and i just think sniping takes a little of the fun away imo.

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Post Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 11:41 am 
 

Sniping does take away the drama of watching an auction end and sweating out the last few seconds.

However, it has a few benefits:

1)  Keeps prices low. (People outbidding each other with five days to go....why?  Bidding wars serve the seller, not the buyers.)

2)  Keeps you from spending too much.  (Set what you are willing to pay and walk away with a clear conscience.)

3)  Snipes can be retracted if you change your mind. (The last time I didn't snipe a much better auction appeared the next day.)

4)  Sniping has a drama all its own.  (You figure what others will do.  You worry that someone will "out" your target on the Acaeum.  You consider whether or not Mishrah is lurking with his own snipe.  You watch as the newbs carry on their pathetic bidding wars.  You picture their smiles of joy with seconds to go...then...KAPOW!  Mishrah snipes you down.  Oh well, another one will come along and it's all just fun and games anyway.  Losing an auction costs nothing.)

   Then again, at least one major collecter (the collector, actually) on the Acaeum pursues an anaconda strategy.  He places an early, low-to-middle bid on just about everything and counts upon volume and attrition to build his collection.

    It's all just paper.

Mark   8)


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Post Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 11:44 am 
 

By the way:

http://www.auctionsniper.com

You get the first several winning bids for free.

You pay a small fee (usually 25 cents) for winning snipes.

You only pay for winners.

They keep records for you and have options for planning multiple bids.

You get free updates on your auctions...which can be good and bad.

Mark   8)


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Post Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 8:34 pm 
 

BTW, any Dallas Mavs fans here?  I know their 26 years with no championship doesn't begin to touch teams like the Cubbies (or even the Rangers for that matter) but it's been a pretty awesome month around here in the Dallas area watching Dirk and the boys go almost all the way.  Tried to call in for tickets to the finals, just so I could turn around and sell them. Nice to know two seats to Game One are equal to an ST1 and Woodgrain, which is why I would have scalped those suckers should I have gotten through.... :D

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Post Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:18 pm 
 

Badmike wrote:BTW, any Dallas Mavs fans here?  I know their 26 years with no championship doesn't begin to touch teams like the Cubbies (or even the Rangers for that matter) but it's been a pretty awesome month around here in the Dallas area watching Dirk and the boys go almost all the way.  Tried to call in for tickets to the finals, just so I could turn around and sell them. Nice to know two seats to Game One are equal to an ST1 and Woodgrain, which is why I would have scalped those suckers should I have gotten through.... :D

Mike B.


I'm thinking they take the Heat in 6 games just like they did the Suns.  It's nice to see some defense along with that high-powered offense.

You mention the Rangers and the Cubs....my dream World Series would have been the Cubs and the Red Sox but now that the Sox have already beaten their "curse" my new dream series would be the Cubs and the Rangers...with the Cubs winning in extra innings in game 7 (of course  :wink: ).  Putting a pretty good spanking on the Asstrolls right now.  Maybe after their dismal May they can put something together and actually make a run at it.

  

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Post Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 2:17 am 
 

Only eight weeks to the Hall of Fame Game.   :evil:


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Post Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 3:19 am 
 

this is what always makes me laugh. they call it world series. ummm hardly is it? whys it not called united states series, or american continent series?

always wondered about that :)

from memory the last american dream-team didnt win olympic gold did they? so hardly world champions....

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Post Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 4:26 am 
 

Speaking of "world," has anybody heard of this soccer tournament they're having in Germany? It's supposed to be some sort of big deal, apparently.

World Cup

I don't know much about it, other than Brazil wins all the time and England doesn't. Oh, and something about a "hand of God" back in 1986 ... I don't know, it looked like a legal goal to me.

I take the typical American view of soccer being "22 foreigners in shorts." Unless we beat the Czechs on the 12th ... then I will be on board, baby! :)

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Post Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 5:07 am 
 

Xaxaxe wrote:Speaking of "world," has anybody heard of this soccer tournament they're having in Germany? It's supposed to be some sort of big deal, apparently.

World Cup

I don't know much about it, other than Brazil wins all the time and England doesn't. Oh, and something about a "hand of God" back in 1986 ... I don't know, it looked like a legal goal to me.

I take the typical American view of soccer being "22 foreigners in shorts." Unless we beat the Czechs on the 12th ... then I will be on board, baby! :)


well the yanks are on a role arent they? they beat ummm who was it....Angola, 2-1 :) wooh tough game :)

joking aside though, they seem to be playing well anyway, so no reason they cant be up for it just as much as anyone else.

oh and btw...brazil dont win all the time, not even close :)

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Post Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 6:52 am 
 

killjoy32 wrote:
Xaxaxe wrote:Speaking of "world," has anybody heard of this soccer tournament they're having in Germany? It's supposed to be some sort of big deal, apparently.

World Cup

I don't know much about it, other than Brazil wins all the time and England doesn't. Oh, and something about a "hand of God" back in 1986 ... I don't know, it looked like a legal goal to me.

I take the typical American view of soccer being "22 foreigners in shorts." Unless we beat the Czechs on the 12th ... then I will be on board, baby! :)


well the yanks are on a role arent they? they beat ummm who was it....Angola, 2-1 :) wooh tough game :)

joking aside though, they seem to be playing well anyway, so no reason they cant be up for it just as much as anyone else.

oh and btw...brazil dont win all the time, not even close :)

Al


Give us another 10 to 15 years and I am sure the tune will be much different. You have to remember we have only been taking rest of the worlds "football" serious now for 10 years or less.  Untill then anyone for a world wide tournament of American style football...I am sure we could field a team that might do ok.


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Post Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 7:19 am 
 

Marlith wrote:Give us another 10 to 15 years and I am sure the tune will be much different. You have to remember we have only been taking rest of the worlds "football" serious now for 10 years or less.  Untill then anyone for a world wide tournament of American style football...I am sure we could field a team that might do ok.


actually you know what...its funny you should mention this. while i was on the MDS the other month, i was talking to an american one evening about "american football" and the ol' superbowl thing.

we got talking and over here, i am an avid fan of rugby league (all the brits, kiwi's and aussies will know exactly what i am talking about). now to me, american football is a very similar sport to rugby league, except that you wear way more padding/protective equipment.

i would really love to see one day, a situation where two games are played, one in american football format and the other in rugby league format. i think the results would be very interesting indeed.

in the end, i like to see all countries compete in everything. THEN its a world champion situation, whatever the format. when that isnt the case, you cant really quote that and be correct in the assumption.

but hey, what do i know :D

japan and south korea showed in the last world cup, that with the right preparation, you can be in a position to compete with just about anyone.

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Post Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 1:48 pm 
 

We play football the distinctly American way...it costs lots more money...it looks cooler (nice helmets)...crunching collisions and brutality...winner takes all.   :)

Mark    8)


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Post Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 2:27 pm 
 

Marlith wrote:
killjoy32 wrote:
well the yanks are on a role arent they? they beat ummm who was it....Angola, 2-1 :) wooh tough game :)

joking aside though, they seem to be playing well anyway, so no reason they cant be up for it just as much as anyone else.

oh and btw...brazil dont win all the time, not even close :)

Al


Give us another 10 to 15 years and I am sure the tune will be much different. You have to remember we have only been taking rest of the worlds "football" serious now for 10 years or less.  Untill then anyone for a world wide tournament of American style football...I am sure we could field a team that might do ok.


         The American public will always be apathetic and disdainful towards European football (or as we call it soccer).  I had friends back int he early 80's who were predicting with all the kids going to soccer camps and playing in high schools, it would be the new popular sport of the 90's and next century.  Instead, as back then, no one really cares.  Soccer is still about the same place it was on the sports horizon of Americans, down below the Big Four (Football, Baseball, Basketball, and Hockey) and even lower in the conciousness than sports like Golf  or even the Extreme Games with the skateboarders and what not.
         The sport just never caught on here due to a variety of reasons, my theory is that any game where the score can regularly be 0-0  or 1-0 after an entire afternoon is considered a waste of time by the majority of American sports fans.   I predict with the influx of soccer-crazy foreigners here in the US, MAYBE, just maybe in a couple more generations it might rise to the popularity of say Hockey. But on the whole it's just not in the American conciousness to any extent.

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Post Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 2:49 pm 
 

Good point. However, that is exactly the reason why I never watch basketball. Games where teams score 50 times each are boring.
Football has the perfect medium. Scoring is not out-of-control, yet happens often enough for enjoyment.


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Post Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 3:11 pm 
 

Deadlord39 wrote:Good point. However, that is exactly the reason why I never watch basketball. Games where teams score 50 times each are boring.
Football has the perfect medium. Scoring is not out-of-control, yet happens often enough for enjoyment.


well its kinda the same over here. baseball, US football, hockey etc are all minor sports behind football (soccer), rugby league/rugby union, cricket and tennis and prb a smattering of other things. i guess its just how you view it from within your own cultures.

i have to say tho, when i was in california back in '94, one of my dreams was to go and watch a baseball game. so we got tickets to go see the california angels (they have changed their name now right?) and i think they were playing the totonto blue jays from memory. either way, it was a fabulous experience and sitting there watching someone hit a home run was great fun :) i think the result was like 4-1 or something but a very enjoyable time was had anyways - would love to go again and one day, i plan to go over to the US again, but this time go see the new york jets in a football game. i like the fact that it is a good family event.

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