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Promotions Agency Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Call Centre Staff - Telemarketing - Customer Service
The most common frequently asked questions (FAQs) asked by candidates and companies can be found on this page.
- Job Seekers FAQ
- Recruitment Agencies Services
- Temping Agency Services
- Current Contractors or Temp Employees FAQ
If your questions are not covered here or they are more specific, please do not hesitate to call Staffing us today. Our specialist executive search team will be glad to provide you with the right answer!
Job Seekers FAQ
What does a recruitment agency do?
Recruitment Agencies operate on behalf of their clients the companies. Staff Agencies are external service providers who source candidates for employers to employ directly. Recruitment Agencies also frequently offer temporary or contract staffing services where they on-hire (or 'on-sell') candidates, whom the recruitment agency employs, to their clients.
What should I expect from a recruitment company if I am short-listed for a role?
The recruitment starts with the submission of your resume. From there you can expect from a recruitment consultant if your skills and experience best match with a vacancy being recruited for. If you aren't judged to be the most suitable candidate your resume will be retained in their candidate talent database to be matched with future employment opportunities. The Recruiter will then strive to meet you before presenting your application to their client. Through the client's interview process you'll be supported by the recruitment agency with meeting preparation, continued communication, constructive feedback and salary negotiation advice.
As a candidate, do I have to pay for the services of a recruitment agency?
No the service is FREE! Almost all staff agencies are paid by either hirers or on some occasions the government to help unemployed candidates find work. Employment Agencies such as Staffing benefit that you register for work with them, as it makes it much easier to source fantastic talent on behalf of their clients who pay them for their service. Registering with recruitment companies is FREE and even if you are offered a role it is the clients of the recruitment company who pays a fee for their services.
What can I do to improve my resume?
At Staffing we offer you a Rapid Resume Builder as a FREE tool to generate a resume that you can then easily edit and update. Also once you have Registered For Work you will be setup with a FREE CareerController profile containing the education and credentials, attitude towards change and continual learning and personality compatibility we have extracted from your resume. You can easily update this profile and also output your profile as a resume with hundred of modern designs. Be mindful that we can only search on information with is accurate and up to date so please ensure you regularly log into CareerController to update your profile, even if you are working, so that we can match with current and future vacancies.
Why should I work with a staffing agency?
Working with staffing agencies is just one of many ways of maximizing your chances of securing a new role. Recruitment Companies often act as the 'middle-man' identifying and connecting you with the needs of hirers. Around 20% - 50% of jobs are advertised by recruitment agencies so it is likely you will apply for a job advertised by recruitment companies on behalf of their clients. You should also register on multiple staff agency websites by uploading your resume as recruitment companies will usually search their own database for candidates before advertising roles, whether they be permanent, temp or contract positions.
What is the difference between a recruitment agency and employment agency?
The distinction between recruitment agencies and employment agencies was historically based on recruitment agencies only offering hiring services where they would source candidates on behalf of hirers who would then employ the candidates directly. In turn, employment agencies would offer temporary staff or contract staffing services where they would employ the candidate and then on-hire (or on-sell) the candidate to organisations, charging a margin on top of the salary and direct employment costs. Most recruiters operate both services so the distinction is no longer as relevant as it may have been in the past.
What happens after you have applied for a job through a recruitment company?
Recruitment consultants typically manage multiple jobs at once. Candidates resumes are reviewed and short-listed, selected candidates are interviewed by the recruiter and those candidates whom the recruiter believes are suitable for the role will then have their resumes forwarded on to the clients. If the client chooses to interview the candidate this will then be arranged via the recruitment consultant. Often there is testing and assessments, plus sometimes multiple rounds of interviews, before reference checking is conducted by the staffing agency prior to an offer of employment being presented to the successful candidate. This process can sometime occur quickly, however on average takes between 4 - 6 weeks to take place. It is not usually after a candidate has accepted a role, and in some cases actually starts working, that employment agencies will then notify other applicants that they were unsuccessful in their application. Often no notifications are made, with all applicants made aware at the outset of the process that only successful applicants will be contacted by the recruitment agency. Don't despair as you can always call staffing agencies to ask them about the status of your application and your resume is also usually kept on file in case another role that better suits your skills and background becomes available. You may also be added to a mailing list where you will receive notification about future roles that you can apply for.
Why register with Staffing?
With Staffing you will be partnering with a call centre staff specialist. We understand the employment market and specific problems of our clients. When you register with Staffing you gain access to FREE CareerController tools to assist you manage your career. You will not only become a candidate for more than 20,000 jobs advertised on Staffing every year, but also be matched with and be able to apply for millions of jobs sourced via our affiliate network.
The easiest way to register with Staffing is to clicking Find Work. You can also apply for jobs that we list on our website. Make sure you have updated your resume before starting the register for work process.
Recruitment Agencies Services
How much do staffing agencies charge?
Other than executive search where an upfront retainer usually charged, recruitment agencies typically don't charge any upfront fees unless they source a fantastic candidate who starts working for their clients. Recruitment Agencies typically charge for permanent recruitment a placement fee of between 10% and 29% of the annual salary package of the candidate. For temporary staffing services the margin varies significantly based on such factors as the volume of work, length of the role, candidate salary rate and whether there is a preferred supplier agreement (PSA) in place, and with an average per hour margin of $12 to $45 per hour after direct employment costs. When calculating temp or contract margins a temping agency typically take into consideration such factors as:
- How many staff does the client require?
- What is the duration of assignment? (if not Permanent)
- What is the potential for repeat business?
- Will we be added to the Preferred Supplier List (PSL)? Will a Preferred Supplier Agreement (PSA) be put in place?
Contact Staffing today to speak to a Consultant about your business' hiring needs. Alternatively click on Find Staff or complete a Contact Us enquiry.
What services do a staffing agency offer?
Staffing Agencies typically offer a large range of services to their clients, including:
- Executive Search or Headhunting – Executive search services involve the payment of a retainer and success-based placement fee for identifying and recruiting highly qualified candidates for senior-level and executive roles often from a particular industry.
- Permanent Recruitment – Staff Agencies offer permanent recruitment services where they pre-screen candidates based on your particular skill, experience and background staffing requirements, who if successful in their interview, will be employed directly by the client. Fees for such service for Staffing are 10% of the agreed annual salary package which comes with a 3-month replacement guarantee.
- Fixed Term Recruitment – Recruitment Agencies offer fixed term recruitment services where we will pre-screen and supply suitable candidates who will become your employee for a fixed period of time. Staffing fees are based on 10% of the first year's remuneration package which is applied pro-rata for the contract period up to a maximum of 12 months, with a minimum placement fee of $4,000 payable.
- Contract Staff – Staffing Agencies provide contract recruitment services where they will supply pre-screened candidates who are registered as independent contractors and usually engaged on a day rate. Staff Agency fees are based upon a percentage of the day rate that varies according to the period of the contract and agreed day rate.
- Temp Staff – Employers with employment agency needs enter into an agreement with a temp agency to fill jobs with appropriately competent staff. A temping agency, also known as a temporary staff agency or temp staffing and recruitment agency, finds and retains expert worker to send out on short or long-term assignments.
- Preferred Supplier Agreement (PSA) Recruitment Services – Recruiting Services are provided to a operation on a pre-agreed fee schedule based on a the recruitment agency receiving a large volume of work on an exclusive or semi-exclusive basis.
Do you recruitment agencies offer replacement guarantees if things don't work out?
Absolutely! We do expect candidates we have sourced to be very well matched to the roles. Staffing does however guarantee to provide you with an alternative candidate for the same position if the original candidate departs or is dismissed within 3 months. In our experience 3 months provides plenty of time for a candidate to settle nicely into the role. In our experience it's unusual for carefully recruited and well matched candidate to leave a position. Perhaps our clients' high retention rate is because we spend so much time carefully matching candidate achievements, aspirations, motivation, personality and experience to your needs in order to source you the perfect candidate.
How is Staffing different to other recruitment agencies?
We are consistently ranked in the top 5 recruitment companies in {{Country}} for our service excellence, hiring processes and talent matching capability. Feedback from regular surveys of our clients and candidates is that our consistant delivery of service excellence stems from our focus on:
- Apply smarter staffing solutions that optimise employer and jobseekers outcomes
- Exceed customer expectations and add value at every interaction
- Quality, service and value will not be compromised
- Services expectations will be communicated, mutually agreed and continuously surpassed
- Innovation - I will embrace continuous learning. I will strive to continuously think outside the square.
- Excellence - I will strive to surpass the expectations of my colleagues and customers.
- Respect - I will treat all people with dignity and respect.
- Passion - I will aim to impact my passion onto my colleagues and clients.li>
- Teamwork - I will aim to build team work through sharing knowledge, valuing the insights of others and building on others ideas.
- Commitment - I will continuously demonstrate my commitment to myself, the company and the wider community to be the best I can be.
Contact Staffing to speak to a Consultant about your business' hiring needs.
What are the qualities of a great recruiter?
Recruitment consultants, also known recruiters and resourcers (who just focus on candidates), are typically outgoing, sociable, organized, good communicators and motivated. They may specialize in permanent recruitment, temporary staffing, executive search ("head hunting"), specific role types (e.g. IT, engineering, accounting, change management, etc.) or be generalists running a "360 degree desk" (managing the sourcing of clients and candidates, recruiting process and achievement of budget gargets) with end-to-end responsibility. To be a successful recruitment consultant there are few top qualities that differentiate average recruitment consultants from great recruiters.
- Extrovert & Confident – There's a reason that the industry tends to attract extroverts. Working as a recruiter involves a lot of interacting with people, whether it be on the phone or face-to-face. The industry tends to attract extroverts with a social confidence to engage with people at any level.
- Great Communication Skills – Recruiters are constantly on the phone, sending emails, writing job ads or providing feedback on position descriptions and employment contracts. They spend from the start of the day to the end of the day (and often in the evenings and weekends) communicating with clients and candidates in order to get the perfect match.
- Approachable & Good Listener – Recruiters need to be approachable and create long lasting genuine relationships. Candidates and even clients need to feel confident in expressing their personal opinions, reservations and concerns with someone whom they trust and who they feel is actively listening to them. A great recruiter's ability to gain a deep insight into both the employer and candidate that really distinguishes them apart. This is essential in order to create a long-term relationship which ideally created with both employers and candidates (including those who were ultimately unsuccessful).
- Sales & Target Driven – Recruitment consultants must firstly sell their service to the employer and then they must sell the job to the candidate. As with any sales, both parties need to benefit from the process or they won't proceed. The recruitment industry is very competitive with most recruiters employed on a base salary with commission or bonuses comprising a large percentage of their on-target earnings. If they are not achieving the results they won't survive!
- Multi-Tasker & Super Organised – Recruiters need to work on a number of jobs at the same time, often with short-lead times. To be successful a good recruiter will need to juggle multiple tasks and projects simultaneously. Priories can be easily changed by clients requiring someone to start tomorrow or a candidate not showing up to their first day, so they must also be good at managing their time effectively under pressure.
- Patience – Things don't always go to plan with dealing with people. Whether it is a candidate withdrawal, client changing their minds or leaving 20 messages without getting through to anyone, recruiters need to be flexible and patient. Typically, they are very conscience so it is also a personal challenge if they feel like candidates (and very occasionally clients) whom they trust to do the right thing let them down. It doesn't happen very often but can be particularly frustrating when their reputation is at stake!
Staffing is always after fantastic Recruitment Consultants. If you believe you have the above qualities and are already (or might become) a fantastic recruitment consultant visit our Career Contact Us Form and include a link to your LinkedIn profile.
What sectors or industries do staffing agencies operate in?
Each year recruitment agencies place hundreds of thousands of professional candidates into permanent and contract roles across a broad range of industries and job categories. These include:
- Accountancy & Finance
- Architecture
- Banking & Financial institutions
- Construction
- Digital Technology
- Engineering
- Executive Search
- Healthcare
- Legal
- Marketing
- Mining
- Office Support
- Oil & Gas
- Property
- Sales
- Supply Chain & Logistics
No matter what service you are seeking, give Staffing a call today so we can discuss your organisation's needs.
How does Staffing source the best call centre staff candidates?
After more than 12 years, Staffing has earned an Australia wide reputation from candidates for supporting their careers and matching them with roles from some of the largest, and also smallest, employers. With between 200 and 500 new registrations on our CallCenter.com.au website every week, Staffing has a talent database of more 159,000 candidates looking to maximise their career success. Candidates are given FREE access to CareerController where they can manage job applications, see roles that match their requirements and update their profile with the latest motivation, achievements and experience. We also have access to an affiliate network and jobs boards that provides us with access to millions of capable telemarketing, customer service or call centre staff candidates, whether your business requires part-time, staffing agencies or recruitment companies staffing services. Call us today to discuss your enterprise's needs to discover why Staffing has a reputation for service excellence as one of the top 4 staff agencies in Australia.
What happens when I contact a recruitment company?
Normally you will be asked about your company, your enterprise's needs and your contact details. Role specific questions will also be asked regarding the preferred start date of the role, salary range, skills and experience requirements, working hours, interview preferences and the location. Usually the placement fee will be confirmed or hourly rate quoted on the phone for you to make a decision. This will also be confirmed via email along with a copy of the recruitment company terms of business (TOB) outlining the conditions of their services. There is no obligation to use their services at this stage, whereby the onus is on the staff agency to source fantastic candidates that meet your recruitment needs in order for them to be paid. Based upon your agreement to proceed with hiring a candidate or hiring temp staff, you we will be allocate the Staffing Consultant who will become your point of contact thereafter. If you have multiple roles, a primary Staffing Consultant will be appointed by Staffing who will liaise with other specialist consultants within the employment agency. Call Staffing today to outline your organisation's needs and find out more about how our services can assist you.
Temping Agency Services
Can temp work benefit my career?
Every temp assignment adds to your skills and demonstrates your ability to quickly adapt to new and varying working conditions and even industries. Ensure you regularly update your resume and online CareerController profile, including denoting that it was a 'Contract' role and listing your skills and achievements. If you excel as a temp you will also often find yourself being offered permanent roles by our clients. Often Staffing Consultant also find themselves as Referees to other employers and even agencies.
How long does a temporary job last?
Short-term temp positions might last 1 day or up to 3 weeks. When the role continues longer than about 8 weeks, a temp staffing and recruitment agency would typically consider the role long term with an increased chance that it may lead to the candidate being offered a permanent role with the client (temp-to-perm).
How long does it take to hire a temp?
Typically for temp roles the notice period from hirers to a temping agency would typically 2 to 7 days. For some roles such as reception, nursing, laborers and teachers where a staff member is sick, organisations will often call a temporary staff agency on the day that they require someone. For contract and more senior role typically organisations would provide 14 to 30 days' notice in order to secure sufficiently expert and talented staff.
Why do organisations hire temporary employees?
Temporary Staff Agency can quickly provide your organisation with enthusiastic staff. Some common reasons organisations hire temps are: employee annual leave or sickness, maternity or disability leave, staff sudden departure, unexpected or temporary demands, special projects, seasonal or peak periods or general employee shortages.
How does a temp staffing and recruitment agency work?
Employers with employment agency needs enter into an agreement with a temp agency to fill jobs with appropriately competent staff. A temping agency, also known as a temporary staff agency or temp staffing and recruitment agency, finds and retains expert worker to send out on short or long-term assignments.
How much money does a temp agency take?
The margin varies according to the temp pay rate and also the length and type of assignment. Often the client is aware of the margin and understands the premium they are paying for the temp staffing service. For example, if a temp worker may be paid $30 per hour, the client for which they are working may actually be paying $40 per hour to the temp staffing and recruitment agency for their employment agency services. Of the $10 differece, around 30% to 50% is likely to be attributed to direct employment costs (e.g. superannuation, payroll taxes and Workcover insurance) leaving around $5 per hour margin for the temporary staff agency.
How do temping agencies make their money?
Temporary Staff Agency make their money in different ways. They take a percentage of the recruitment or contact salary. They also charge a placement fee to their clients of between 13% and 21% of the annual salary for any roles that go from temp-to-perm.
What is temp to perm?
'Temp-to-perm' is an industry terms for recruitment assignments that start as temporary, but could lead to being permanently employment by our client. We often offer this type of role. A company will us to find a candidate to fill a role temporarily, with an eye to possibly making them permanent if they are suitable. Often your salary expectations would be communicated to the client by your Staffing Consultant at the outset of the assignment. There is never any guarantee that that a recruitment role will go temp-to-perm and as a temp you are not obliged to accept a direct employment offer if one is made.
Current Contractors or Temp Employees FAQ
What happens if I am offered a role as a temp?
You will have already been interviewed by Staffing and also usually our client so you should already be aware of the hourly salary, location of the role and other details. In some cases where a role needs to be filled at short notice, a Staffing Recruitment Consultant will provide this information over the phone and then follow-up with an email. Please confirm your acceptance of the role via email. If you have not worked for Staffing you will receive a separate email inviting you to setup your bank, super, tax and personal details in our time-sheet payroll portal. Please ensure you do carefully do this, as you will thereafter be completing a weekly online time-sheet and paid on a fortnightly basis on every second Friday.
How long do temp assignments normally last?
You will normally be told by your Staffing Recruitment Consultant advance of accepting the assignment how long the assignment is expected to last. We sometimes have 1-day assignments (e.g. assist with reception due to illness), 7 – 14 days (e.g. replace someone annual leave or during busy times), 3 – 6 week assignments (e.g. backup whilst our client employs someone, extended annual leave coverage, special projects) through to 2 – 11 month roles such as maternity leave contracts. Often the exact length of an assignment is not known by our clients and they will advise you whilst you are undertaking an assignment. We will ALWAYS try and provide you with as much notice as possible of when an assignment will end, ideally providing you with a new role or contract immediately thereafter. There are no guarantees however of the length of an assignment with our clients having the right to end the assignment at any stage (as long as they advise us the day prior or pay a minimum of 4-hours on a particular day) based on their own changing needs and your performance. It is not unusual for us to put a great temp or contactor into a 3-week role and 3-months later a full-time is being offered!
Will I be interviewed for a temp or contact role?
The type and number of interviews varies for different assignments. You will always be interviewed by a Staffing Recruitment Consultant, who may undertake a preliminary screening prior to a more in-depth interview regarding your experience, skills, personality, motivation and general suitability for a specific role. Clients may elect to start you immediately on our advice (particularly for urgent short-term assignments) or undertake a phone interview. For medium to longer term assignments, you would normally attend 1 or 2 rounds of onsite face-to-face interviews with our clients, followed by reference checks.
What happens on Day 1 of a temp assignment?
You should plan your route ensure you arrive at least 15 min early. Be well researched about the company (including reviewing their website), well briefed by your Staffing Recruitment Consultant and ensure you are calm and confident when arrive on Day 1. For most temp or contract roles you have already been selected because you already have the personality, motivation, skills and experience to undertake the role. You are therefore expected to get up and running very quickly, demonstrating straight away that you are motivated, hard-working, proactive and conscience. Our clients do not want someone who needs to be 'task-managed' or who is asking obvious questions about tasks that have already been explained. Our client needs to feel like they couldn't survive without you after a few hours. This not only ensures your temp role will continue, but also maximizes your chances of securing additional work from Staffing or even the chance of being offered a full-time role, if you interested, working directly for our client.
How much will I get paid?
The hourly rate is based on an agreed charge out rate with our client. Staffing will pay your salary, Superannuation, State Payroll Tax and Workcover and then make a small margin. This is agreed with your Staffing Consultant in advance of you accepting an assignment – including you having the right to specific your hourly salary and annual salary expectations (should there be an opportunity to switch to working directly for our client) - and generally doesn't change unless the nature of the role changes or the assignment stretches over 9-months. If you believe the role you agreed to had changed please let us know. Your Staffing Consultant will be happy to look at rate increases if they are justified and we can secure agreement from our client. Remember your hourly rate is highly confidential (a condition of your employment) - as such you should only discuss it with your Staffing Consultant.
Will I get training as a temp?
You have normally been selected as you already possess the skills, personality, experience and motivation required to undertake the role. Our clients typically expect you to get up and running very quickly, particularly for short-term assignments or roles that don't require much job specific systems or procured training. Even if you are a call centre staff expert, we understand that every organization has its own systems and processes. If there is no formal training program available, ask if there is a manual you can read, whether you can 'shadow' someone already undertaking the role or who is the best person to ask questions of. Not only do you want to feel comfortable and confident in your role as quickly as possible, but it is in your best interests to make yourself indispensable to your supervisor and our client as fast as you can!
How is my super contribution paid?
You can nominate any approved super fund when you setup your Staffing Payroll Profile. We will make superannuation contributions to your nominated super fund every 3-months. If you have not nominated a super fund you will be setup with a super account with our default super fund SunSuper who you can call directly on 13 11 84. You will receive information from SunSuper once your accounts is setup following their receipt of a super contribution from Staffing on your behalf.
How do I manage my time-sheet as a temp or contractor?
You can update and 'Save' time-sheet every day, however only after you have finished working for a week (with Sunday being the last day) should you 'Submit' your time-sheet. Your time-sheet will then be sent automatically via email to your 'Approver' (usually your boss) to review and either 'Approve' or 'Reject.' Assuming the time-sheet is approved you will then be paid by Staffing on a fortnightly basis every second Friday. If the time-sheet is 'Rejected' you will be provided with a reason and have the opportunity to resubmit it. If you accidentally submit the time-sheet then please call Staffing today and we can reset the time-sheet for you.
How often do temps or contractors get paid?
You will be paid by Staffing every second Friday. This means you are paid on the Friday for work completed both the week prior and 2 weeks prior. You are effectively been paid 1 or 2 weeks in arrears based on your time-sheet been approved by your supervisor. You will receive a pay slip with monies transferred out of Staffing's bank account Friday AM and transferred into your account over the course of the Friday (usually early in the morning with most banks).
What if I am sick?
Call, email or SMS your Staffing Consultant by 8am so that they can inform the client and if necessary, find a replacement. If you have been working long-term in a Temp or Contract role is also advisable to let your supervisor know directly via email, SMS or a call. Remember sick leave is not paid.
Can I look for permanent work while I am temping?
Absolutely. Make sure your Staffing Consultant understands your needs, as we may be able to place you into a permanent position or even negotiate a temp-to-perm opportunity with the temp role you are currently working in.
What if I don't like the temp assignment?
Call your Staffing Consultant to discuss your concerns. Whether it be your supervisor, colleagues, the work or location, they are in the best position to sort any problems - no matter how trivial it may seem! On some occasions this may be a confidential conversation you are after. In some cases it is simply easier for your Staffing Consultant to raise a matter or concern on your behalf directly your supervisor (our client).
What happens if I have a payroll question?
Firstly you can update and self-manage your own payroll profile. If you need to update your tax status, bank account details or super fund then please login into your Staffing Payroll Profile. If you have any concerns about your time-sheet approval please contact your Staffing Consultant. For issues with payment summaries, pay slips or the support of incorrect pay information please call Staffing and ask to be transferred to the Finance & Payroll Office. You can also submit any queries or concerns in the Payroll Contact Us Form and we will respond as quickly as possible. If you have any concerns or questions about your superannuation please contact your preferred fund directly. If you do not have a fund then please visit SunSuper or call 13 11 84.
Do I have to wear a suit every time?
If in doubt, yes! Your Staffing Consultant should tell you what the working environment is like. It is better to be more formally dressed, until you are better informed and can see the general level of presentation of your colleagues.
Can I use my mobile phone?
Of course, but not on the client's time! Make sure you get a voice mail facility set up, then you can turn the phone off. Listen to your messages during breaks! Receiving or making personal calls should be kept to emergencies only (e.g. call regarding sick children at school or childcare), having ideally notified your supervisor in advance and left your phone on silence or Do Not Disturb.
What should I do if I have any safety concerns or I injure myself whilst working?
Your first priority is your personal safety so please remove yourself from danger – making sure you notify emergency services if necessary! Generally, if you are on assignment you should immediately notify your supervisor so that they can remedy the situation as quickly as possible. You should thereafter discuss the matter with your Staffing Consultant. Our priority is your safety so at no stage would we expect your personal safety, health or wellbeing to be at risk. If you believe you have not been effectively inducted, trained or supported on any matter to do with health or safety please also discuss your concerns with your supervisor and thereafter with your Staffing Consultant. Also, if you believe you lack the skills, qualification or experience to undertake your assignment in a safe manner it is also your responsibility to notify your supervisor and Staffing Consultant immediately! Staffing will ensure that, where relevant: The host employer provides a safe working environment supported with correct health and safety processes and training
- We will conduct a site-specific risk assessment
- You will receive specific information relating to the job
- You are provided by the host employer site specific induction
- You will receive a phone call from your Staffing Consultants on your first day with the host employer to ensure you are both happy in the role but also feel your personal safety and wellbeing is not jeopardized or at risk
- You will receive regular contact from your Staffing Consultant throughout the duration or your placement
- You will have the means to report any safety issue or injury to Staffing
Can I get time off?
Unless arranged in advance with your Staffing Consultant of you accepting a temp assignment, we would not expect you to need time off in short-term assignments (i.e. less than 3 weeks). If you are attending interviews for permanent jobs, they should be made outside of normal business hours where possible. Otherwise, always check with your Staffing Consultant first (not the client) no matter how little time off is needed so that we can liaise with our client.
What if I miss the timesheet deadline?
You should have submitted your time-sheet by 5pm on the Sunday each week you have worked. If you have missed your timesheet deadline please call your "&AE7&" Consultant immediately! Remember no approved timesheet no pay!


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How Can I Get Back on My Weight-Loss Plan?
I'm 15, 5' 8", and weigh about 200 pounds. I have been overweight for most of my life. I started a plan to lose weight in January and slowly started getting into it. I have always wanted to be like my friends when I go to the beach with them and be able to look good. I want to be at about 145 by next summer since I know I won't make it this summer. I don't play sports, but I do have a treadmill at home that I walk on every week. I used to walk every day but I have stopped dieting and exercising for some strange reason and just don't feel like it. Please help me!
– Sasha*
You started out with the right approach — a plan to lose weight gradually. Congratulate yourself on that because too many people have unrealistic expectations of losing weight fast and they end up disappointed.
Managing expectations is a key part of weight loss. It's tempting to compare ourselves with friends, but that can leave us feeling frustrated and discouraged — not a good way to be in control. Instead of focusing on how friends look or the number on your scale, take a look at behaviors you can change that will lead to eating less and exercising more. If you exercise and eat better, the weight loss will follow and you'll feel healthier.
For example, eliminate sugary drinks and drink water or low-fat milk instead. Cut back on extras with your meals (like mayonnaise, salad dressing, or butter), reduce the size of your portions, and eat more fruit and veggies. Schedule your meals and snacks and eat only at those times.
Exercise should be a daily habit too. Have you thought about why you stopped using the treadmill? Maybe it was too boring doing the same thing every day. Try walking outside with a friend or family member and save the treadmill for rainy days. Take an exercise class like pilates or yoga. Mix things up a little, and be sure to include aerobic activity, some strength training, and flexibility exercises.
Make exercise something that fits into your schedule every day. If you can't exercise in large chunks, shorter activity breaks can accomplish the same thing. Just make sure it all adds up to at least 60 minutes each day. Write it all down in an exercise log to help you keep track.
Slow and steady is the best approach for keeping weight off, but it can be hard to stay motivated when weight comes off slowly. Writing down your plan can help. Make a list of things you can do (like no sugary drinks) and look at it every day. Make the items on your list your accomplishments, not pounds lost.
When you stick to your plan, give yourself a small reward. But if you slip up, forgive yourself — it's only natural. Then get right back to the plan. You can do it! If you keep going with the small changes long enough, they should become new habits that fit into your life easily.
*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995-2024 KidsHealth ® All rights reserved. Images provided by iStock, Getty Images, Corbis, Veer, Science Photo Library, Science Source Images, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Update at 5:58 p.m. ET. Lawsuit Dismissed:
A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Lance Armstrong that sought to stop a USADA hearing into accusations of doping. The AP reports:
"U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks ruled just hours later. He criticized Armstrong's attorneys for filing an 80-page complaint the judge says seems more intended to whip up public opinion for his case than focus on the legal argument.
"Sparks, however, did not decide on the merits of Armstrong's case and said he can refile his lawsuit."
That is perhaps best boiled down by Andrew Cohen, a legal analyst for 60 Minutes. Cohen tweeted:
"Judge in Lance Armstrong case dimissses complaint (without prejudice) because it's too long, 'a bitter polemic' and 'mostly unnecessary.'"
Our Original Post Continues:
Lance Armstrong has asked a federal court for an injunction against the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which has formally charged Armstrong of taking performance enhancing drugs.
The Washington Post reports that in an 80-page complaint filed in Austin, Armstrong "alleges that USADA and CEO Travis Tygart don't have the jurisdiction to attempt to charge him with being a central player in a massive sports doping conspiracy, yet have done so while violating his constitutional rights, breaking the organization's own rules and possibly breaking federal laws."
When the USADA charged Armstrong, they said he had 10 days to decide whether he would fight the charges or accept guilt and be stripped of his seven Tour de France titles.
In the complaint (.doc), Armstrong asks the federal court to put that deadline on hold while it weighs the merits of his lawsuit.
Over the weekend, The New York Times reported that the USADA had lined up several of Armstrong's former teammates to testify against him. Among them is George Hincapie, Levi Leipheimer, Christian Vande Velde and David Zabriskie.
Hincapie rode with Armstrong for all his seven Tour de France wins so would be a critical witness. Some of Armstrong's other teammates have made comments in the past. Tyler Hamilton gave an interview to 60 Minutes last year in which he made doping allegations. Hamilton said he saw EPO, a performance enhancing drug that stimulates the production of red blood cells, in Armstrong's refrigerator and "saw him inject it more than one time."
USA Today reports that Armstrong said the USADA process is unfair and called the process a "kangaroo court." The paper also talked to Tygart, of the USADA. They report:
"Tygart said Armstrong's lawsuit is 'aimed at concealing the truth' and predicted a judge will rule in the agency's favor.
"'USADA was built by athletes on the principles of fairness and integrity,' he said in a statement received by USA TODAY Sports. 'We are confident the courts will continue to uphold the established rules which provide full constitutional due process and are designed to protect the rights of clean athletes and the integrity of sport.'"
"USADA, created in 2000 and recognized by Congress as the official anti-doping agency for Olympic sports in the United States, formally charged Armstrong in June with taking performance-enhancing drugs and participating in a vast doping conspiracy on his Tour de France winning teams, some of which were sponsored by the U.S. Postal Service."
Correction at 2:04 p.m. ET. An earlier version of this post said George Hincapie gave an interview to 60 Minutes. It was in fact, Tyler Hamilton, another of Armstrong's teammates who gave that interview.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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(Watch this space for my comments once I read the paper).
Analysis of associated STR diversity profiles revealed that among the R1a1a*(xM458) chromosomes the highest diversity is observed among populations of the Indus Valley yielding coalescent times above 14 KYA (thousands of years ago), whereas the R1a1a* diversity declines toward Europe where its maximum diversity and coalescent times of 11.2 KYA are observed in Poland, Slovakia and Crete.
European Journal of Human Genetics doi:10.1038/ejhg.2009.194
Separating the post-Glacial coancestry of European and Asian Y chromosomes within haplogroup R1a
Peter A Underhill et al.
Human Y-chromosome haplogroup structure is largely circumscribed by continental boundaries. One notable exception to this general pattern is the young haplogroup R1a that exhibits post-Glacial coalescent times and relates the paternal ancestry of more than 10% of men in a wide geographic area extending from South Asia to Central East Europe and South Siberia. Its origin and dispersal patterns are poorly understood as no marker has yet been described that would distinguish European R1a chromosomes from Asian. Here we present frequency and haplotype diversity estimates for more than 2000 R1a chromosomes assessed for several newly discovered SNP markers that introduce the onset of informative R1a subdivisions by geography. Marker M434 has a low frequency and a late origin in West Asia bearing witness to recent gene flow over the Arabian Sea. Conversely, marker M458 has a significant frequency in Europe, exceeding 30% in its core area in Eastern Europe and comprising up to 70% of all M17 chromosomes present there. The diversity and frequency profiles of M458 suggest its origin during the early Holocene and a subsequent expansion likely related to a number of prehistoric cultural developments in the region. Its primary frequency and diversity distribution correlates well with some of the major Central and East European river basins where settled farming was established before its spread further eastward. Importantly, the virtual absence of M458 chromosomes outside Europe speaks against substantial patrilineal gene flow from East Europe to Asia, including to India, at least since the mid-Holocene.


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Final exams are at the end of most school semesters, including medical school. So this post is dedicated to the medical students who are hunkered down right now in their study bunkers, preparing for the worst.
At the end of the second year of medical school is the USMLE-1 (United States Medical Licensing Boards, Part 1- the name is misleading, several countries use it). This covers every subject from the first 2 years of medical school: Anatomy, Biochemistry, Pathology, Pharmacology, Microbiology, Neuroanatomy, Physiology, Histology, and a few others. 2 years of learning, all in 1 awful test. When I took it the test consisted of 4 sessions spread out over 2 days. Each session had 200 questions, and 3 hours to answer them.
At my school, if you failed the test, you had to take it again. If you failed it twice, your medical career was over (though you still owed your student loans back).
It was the Summer of 1991.
I don't remember the specific dates. But basically, between the time med school ended for the Summer, and the dreaded test, was roughly 1 month. You had 30 days to re-study everything that had taken you 2 years to learn to that point. And pretty much your chances of a career in medicine depended on how you did.
So it was stressful. And, to this day, I still feel for all of you who are out there studying for it now. Any classmate, resident, or attending who tells you they weren't scared is lying.
Within hours of the semester ending, my class had gone into hiding.
I stopped shaving, to save time. My roommate, Enzyme, disconnected our TV, moved it across the room, and piled furniture in front of it.
My days consisted of me getting up at 7:30 and showering. I'd either stay at my apartment desk or walk over to campus to find an empty classroom to study in. I'd put in my trusty earplugs and the world around me ceased to exist.
Around noon I'd go back to my apartment for a PBJ, then go study again. At 5 I'd go back to my place for a sandwich, or ramen soup, or Rice-a-Roni. I'd sit out on my balcony and eat, for 15 minutes of relaxation. Or I'd read a book with dinner (Enzyme and I were both reading a single copy of "The Price of Admiralty" by John Keegan. It sat on our kitchen table for the month, and we'd have different eating times so we could share it). I never spent more than 30 minutes on a break. After dinner I'd go back to my desk, or campus. I'd study until around 3 a.m., then go home to sleep for a few hours.
I called my parents a few times. My daily outfit consisted of gym shorts (the short kind, from the 80's), T-shirt, sneakers, and the growing beard. Days blended together. There were no differences between weekends and weekdays. People I encountered were superfluous to my existence. I saw my classmates a few times, and we exchanged glassy-eyed nods as we passed.
I shaved a night or two before the test. I studied until around 11:30 p.m. on the eve of the test, re-reviewing a few last points.
It was weird, like I was living alone on another planet for 30 days. I have no idea what happened in the news that month. I was out-of-touch with everything but my books.
If there's one thing I came out of medical school with, it was this: The realization that there was absolutely, positively, no way you were EVER going to get everything read, studied, and reviewed that you needed to before the test.
And, somehow, when the test was over and the dust had settled, you'd done it. And you'd have no idea how. I still don't.
Good luck, everybody.


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Mancos went on a roller coaster ride last Tuesday evening.
The Lady Bluejays started fast and went up, then came down. Mancos went back up, but came back down. In the end, Mancos stayed down.
In a back-and-forth cross state girls basketball game, it was the Lady Bluejays losing at home to the Shiprock Northwest Lady Falcons, 58-55.
"Our girls played really hard. I was proud of their effort," first-year Lady Bluejays coach Josh Kitchen said. "I think it came down to, we missed some shots that we probably can make in the future. But give the other team some credit. They were down and they fought back. I think they caught us off guard."
Mancos (1-2) came out firing on all cylinders and built a 10-0 lead. It wasn't until Chelsea Smiley's free throw when Shiprock Northwest (3-1) got on the board.
It was all Lady Bluejays in the first quarter, as the Lady Falcons from New Mexico trailed 20-7 after one.
However, the second quarter belonged to the visitors.
The Lady Falcons caught fire and soared on a 9-0 run to open the second frame and cut the Mancos lead to 20-16.
Lady Bluejay senior Alaena Romero-Keller's put back momentarily thwarted the Lady Falcons run, making the score 22-16.
But Northwest kept coming.
Alicia Roe's 3-pointer made it 22-21 before Danika Evensen's layup put Mancos ahead 24-21. That would be the Lady Bluejays' last field goal of the half.
The Lady Falcons ended the second quarter on an 8-1 run and led 29-25 at the half in front of a shocked home crowd.
"Our girls recovered at halftime, and we came back and gave them a game," Kitchen said. "I just reminded the girls of what we've done in practice and how hard we've worked, and that we deserve this as much as the other team. The girls took that to heart and they realize we certainly have just as much of a right to win as anybody else."
To start the third quarter, Emily Funmaker and Brandi Bundy scored on Mancos' first two possessions to tie the game at 29 apiece.
Northwest answered with two 3s from Merylda Barbone, and a steal and layup by Jaslyn Begay. The Lady Falcons led 37-29 and it was the Lady Bluejays' turn to rally.
Funmaker drove baseline for two and assisted Kayla Goff the next trip down to bring Mancos within 37-33. Consecutive buckets by Romero-Keller and a Whitney Gustafson fast-break lay in gave the Lady Bluejays the lead back at 39-38 going into the fourth quarter.
Back-and-forth the teams would go down the stretch.
Unfortunately, it was the Lady Falcons that made their free throws toward the end to escape with a huge 3-point road victory.
"The ball tips one way or another, the game probably ends a little differently," Kitchen said. "The girls played hard and I was really happy with that. It's a growing experience, and it's something we can look back on and get better from."
Mancos had a week off to prepare for its next home game.
"I'll encourage them to work hard and increase the defense," Kitchen said. "We'll really contest those balls when they (opponents) try to make those entrance passes. When the turnovers come, that's when we get some easy points, which is always the goal."
The Lady Bluejays hosted Monticello (Utah) on Tuesday.
Results weren't available at press time.
[email protected].


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I now had some leftover chipotle lime shrimp I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them! I had been wanting to try making tostadas for a while and I thought that some chipotle lime shrimp tostadas would hit the spot. A tostada is essentially a fried or toasted tortilla that is filled with goodies. Mexican cuisine is one of my favorites and one of the things that I really like about it is the fact that there are so many different ways to rearrange the same ingredients into different packages so that you can have something new and interesting each time while still enjoying your favorite flavours. In the case of tostadas it seems like the natural progression; you start with freshly made tortillas and use them for tacos or burritos then when they are a bit older you use them in enchiladas or casseroles and then when they are just about completely stale you can fry them up in some oil and they become something new and wonderful again. I made sure to make extra chipotle lime shrimp and where I enjoyed them in tacos the first night I fried up the old tortillas and made chipotle lime shrimp tostadas the second night.
Once you have the basics down for your tostadas you can pretty much fill them with anything that you want. A good place to start is with your favorite tacos fillings such as lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, cheese, sour cream, avocado, etc. I wanted to keep my tostadas nice and light so I went with lettuce, freshly made pico de gallo , black beans and avocado for the tostadas filling. It turned out to be pretty easy to fry up your own tortillas and the plain freshly made 'toasted' tortillas were great! They were nice and crispy and somehow fresh with a slight sweetness from the corn. (I think that I am going to have to make my own tortilla chips next time instead of buying them from the store.) The tostadas were as easy as throwing them together once you had all of the ingredients on hand. These chipotle lime shrimp tostadas were nice and light and fresh and good! What a great way to breath new life into old tortillas! The chipotle lime shrimp worked really well in the tostadas and I am looking forward to experimenting with tostadas and 'toasted' tortillas more in the future!
Chipotle Lime Shrimp Tostadas
- 8 small corn tortillas (day old)
- oil for frying
- 1 pound chipotle lime shrimp
- 4 cups romaine lettuce (shredded)
- 2 cups pico de gallo
- 2 cups black beans
- 2 avocados (diced)
- Either fry the tortillas in oil until crispy or brush them with oil and bake them in a preheated 350F/180C oven until golden brown and crispy.
- Assemble the tostadas by placing the other ingredients on top of the fried tortillas along with your favourite taco style toppings such as cheese, sour cream, salsa, etc.
Butternut Squash and Chorizo Tostadas
Ahi Tuna Tostadas
Chipotle Lime Grilled Shrimp and Corn Guacamole Mini Tostadas
Huevos Rancheros
Bean Sprout Kimchi Ahi Tuna Tostadas
Chipotle Lime Shrimp and Guacamole Dip with Tomatoes and Charred Corn
Chorizo and Potato Tostadas with Fried Eggs


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By Shelly Han,
Policy Advisor
Turkmenistan is an emerging energy powerhouse. It is home to several of the world's largest gas fields, with proven reserves of two trillion cubic meters, ranking fifth among all world gas producers. It recently opened new pipelines to Iran and China, which significantly changes the political dynamic of gas exports since Turkmenistan was previously dependent upon gas pipelines through Russia. Despite the growth of oil and gas exports, the political environment in Turkmenistan remains repressive, and the country has yet to emerge from the years of self-imposed isolation it entered during the presidency of Saparmyrat Niyazov.
At a conference May 3-4, 2010, sponsored by Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Government of Turkmenistan entitled "Strengthening regional cooperation in Central Asia for promoting stable and reliable energy within Eurasia," Helsinki Commission staff had the opportunity to discuss developments in regional energy issues and meet with experts in Ashgabat to learn more about how the United States and the OSCE can advance energy security and human rights goals there.
As the cleanest fossil fuel, natural gas is taking on a bigger role as a potential source to transition the world away from more carbon-intensive oil consumption in order to meet climate change goals. That places Turkmenistan in a good position to capitalize on their abundant natural resources. Most observers, however, agree that in order to do that Turkmenistan must act quickly to find and lock-in markets since the advent of new shale gas into the market significantly changes the dynamics of how natural gas markets in the United States and Western Europe will be supplied.
One industry panelist noted that there will be a shortfall in gas supply by 2015, signaling the need to get multiple pipelines up and running in the near future. He stated that the balance between supply and demand means that the highly politicized competition between Nord Stream, Southstream and Nabucco should be stopped—because, in fact, all of these pipelines are needed to supply the marketplace.
If reserve estimates are to be believed, then Turkmenistan has the gas to be the key player in bringing increased gas supplies to Europe. Gas could get to Europe through the existing Russia pipeline or through the proposed Nabucco pipeline which would cross the Caspian Sea and go through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey.
Whether or not Turkmenistan can or will participate in Nabucco depends on whether it can develop a legal framework for the transit of Turkmen gas across the Caspian Sea to join up with Nabucco in Azerbaijan. Stalled discussions on delimitation of the Caspian mean that the construction of a pipeline across the Caspian will not happen soon.
Even as logistical issues pose a significant hurdle for Nabucco, the political hurdles for Europe are just as daunting. There is no single European gas market, so even though demand will grow for Europe overall, Europe itself has not been able to construct a framework in which it can negotiate for gas supply as a single market. With each country trying to set up its own arrangements, they do not achieve the efficiency of scale or the demand needed to drive the large infrastructure investments needed to bring more gas to Europe. In contrast, China was able to build a pipeline from Turkmenistan to China (more than 1,000 miles in length) in just two years.
The conference attracted a number of high-level speakers from Europe and Central Asia and fostered a more direct dialogue than OSCE conferences past on economic and political problems that are prohibiting a pipeline link with Europe through the Caspian. The event also provided a significant opportunity for discussion of regional energy security in a country that is often outside the multilateral dialogue framework.
The OSCE has issued several statements recognizing the need to tackle corruption in the extractive industries as a means to create more stable markets and achieve greater energy security and respect for human rights through good governance in resource rich countries.
Therefore, it was disappointing that during the two-day event the U.S. delegation was the only one to raise the issue of corruption in the oil and gas sector—corruption that is endemic not only in Turkmenistan, but throughout the OSCE region.
For example, in Turkmenistan, there have been numerous credible reports of the lack of transparency in how the government is receiving and spending the billions of dollars it earns from exporting oil and gas. Recently, Turkmenistan announced it had established a new stabilization fund for a portion of its oil and gas revenues. Often these funds are used by resource-rich countries to not only hedge against currency fluctuations, but to also invest for the future of the country by ensuring the funds are wisely spent on projects that benefit the citizens as a whole.
Helsinki Commission staff requested to meet with the stabilization fund managers to learn how Turkmenistan planned to use its fund, but the request was denied by the Turkmenistan government. Questions remain about how the government is spending its significant gas wealth. The proliferation of white-marble high rises and the ever-multiplying size and number of ornate fountains built in the middle of the desert and the lack of basic water and electricity in much of the countryside seemed to provide some concerning answers.


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Esmont National Bank, Esmont (8003) National Currency Paper Money
The Esmont National Bank, Esmont charter number 8003 in Esmont, Virginia in Albemarle county was granted a charter in 1905. The bank issued 9 types of notes as shown below. The bank names on the notes below are not the same but the design is appropriate. This is decent bank that is not rare but also not common, If you have a note please contact me at +1 (914) 439-3666Virginia ranks as the 31st state for rarity in nationals.This bank only issued notes under one title.
We are always buying! Call or send pictures of your old money today. +1 (914) 439-3666


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Written by SatoshisAngels
Published by read.cash
On August 5th 2020, Satoshi's Angels hosted an AMA for CoinEx on "How BCH and Avalanche Are Bringing Financial Freedom to 6 Billion People" on a Chinese platform Bihu. During the 100-minute event, Haipo Yang of ViaBTC and CoinEx, and Emin Gun Sirer of AVA Labs shared their in-depth views on such topics as different consensus mechanisms, community governance, IPFS, Defi. And Haipo explained why he wants to fork BCH. This is the full text.
You can check out the full AMA here (mostly in Chinese with some English translation).
Cindy Wang (Satoshi's Angels): There are news saying that you are to fork BCH. Is it a marketing makeover? Are you serious about it?
Haipo Yang: It's definitely not a marketing makeover. But the details are not decided yet.
Over the past three years, the BCH community has gone through multiple discussions from reducing block time, changing mining algorithms, adding smart contracts, etc. But none of these disputes have been well settled.
BCH is a big failure in terms of governance. A lack of good governance has made it fall in disorder. It is too decentralized to make progress.
You may know that the first BCH block was mined by ViaBTC. And we gave a lot of support to it indeed. But we didn't dominate the fork. The Chinese community in particular thought I had a lot of influence, but it was not true.
I think the whole community is very dissatisfied with Bitcoin ABC, but it is difficult to replace them or change the status quo. So I am thinking of creating a new branch of BCH. The idea is still in early stage. I welcome anyone interested to participate and discuss it with me.
Wang: Professor Emin, what's your attitude to fork? Do you think it's a good timing to fork BCH?
Emin Gun Sirer: I am a big fan of BCH. It adheres to the original vision of Satoshi Nakamoto. I like the technical roadmap of BCH. But just like what Haipo mentioned, BCH lacks a good governance mechanism. There are always something that can cause BCH community to divide itself.
But I think it's not enough to just have a good governance mechanism. There are many good proposals in the community but failed to be adopted in the end. I think BCH needs social leadership to encourage discussion when there are new proposals.
Wang: We are all curious to know How Avalanche got its name?
I know that Avalanche doesn't mean well in Chinese. But in English, it's a very powerful word. Avalanche represents a series of algorithms piling together like a mountain. When decisions slowly form, the ball (nodes in the network) on top of the mountain starts going down the hill on one side, and it gets bigger and bigger, and like an avalanche and it becomes unstoppable, making the transaction final.
Wang: Prof. Emin, I know that you are a big blocker. Have you ever considered implementing Avalanche based on BCH? Why create another chain?
Sirer: Of course I considered that. Satoshi Nakamoto consensus is wonderful, but the proof-of-work mechanism and Nakamoto consensus base protocols have some shortcomings, such as network latency, and it is hard to scale. Avalanche, instead, is totally different, and is the new biggest breakthrough in the past 45 years. It is flexible, fast, and scalable. I'd love to implement BCH on top of avalanche in the future, to make BCH even better by making 0-conf transactions much more secure.
Wang: As an old miner, why did CoinEx Chain choose to "abandon" POW, and turn to POS mechanism?
Haipo: Both POW and POS consensus algorithms have their own advantages. POW is not just a consensus algorithm, but also a more transparent and open distribution method of digital currency. Anyone can participate in it through mining.
POW is fairer. For a POS-based network, participants must have coins. For example, you need to invest ICO projects to obtain coins. But developers can get a lot of coins almost for free. In addition, POW is more open. Anyone can participate without holding tokens. For example, as long as you have a computer and mining rigs, you can participate in mining. Openness and fairness are two great features of POW. POS is more advanced, safe and efficient.
POS is jointly maintained by the token holders, and there is no problem of 51% attacks. Those who hold tokens are more inclined to protect the network than to destroy the network for their own interests. To disrupt the network, you need to buy at least two-thirds of the token, which is very difficult to achieve. And when you actually hold so many coins, it's barely possible for you to destroy the network.
POW has the problem of 51% attack. For example, ETC just suffered the 51% attack on August 3. And the cost to do that is very low. It can be reorganized with only tens of thousands of dollars. This is also a defect of POW.
In addition, in terms of TPS and block speed, POS can achieve second-level speed and higher TPS. Therefore, CoinEx Chain chose POS because it can bring a faster transaction experience. This is very important for decentralized exchanges. Both POW and POS have their own advantages. It's a matter of personal choice. When choosing a consensus mechanism, the choice must be made according to the characteristics of the specific project.
Wang: Ethereum is switching to ETH 2.0. If they succeed, do you think it will lead the next bull market?
Sirer: If Ethereum 2.0 can be realized, it must be a huge success.
But I doubt it can be launched anytime soon considering that it has been constantly delayed. And even if it comes out, I am not so sure if it will address the core scaling problem. And the main technology in Ethereum 2.0 is sharding. Sharding technology divides the Ethereum networks into small parallel groups, but I think what will happen is everyone wants to be in the same "shard" so the sharding advantages might not be realizable in Ethereum 2.0.
Avalanche supports Ethereum's virtual machine, and Avalanche can realize 1 second level confirmation, while with sharding finalizing confirmation takes 5–6 seconds at best. Avalanche approach to make Ethereum scale is superior to Ethereum 2.0. There are many big players behind Ethereum 2.0, and I wish them success. But I believe that Avalanche will be the fastest and best Smart Contract platform in the crypto space, and it is compatible with Ethereum.
Wang: Why is Avalanche a real breakthrough?
Sirer: Avalanche is fundamentally different from previous consensus mechanisms. It's very fast with TPS surpasses 6500, which is three times that of VISA. Six confirmations can be achieved in one second. Compared with the POW mechanism of Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash, Avalanche's participation threshold is very low. It allows multiple virtual machines to be built on the Avalanche protocol.
Avalanche is not created to compete with Bitcoin or fiat currencies such as the US dollar and RMB. It's not made to compete with Ethereum, which is defined as the "world's computer". Avalanche is positioned to be an asset issuance platform to tokenize assets in the real world.
Wang: How do you rank the importance of community, development, governance, and technology to a public chain?
Sirer: These four are like the legs of a table. Every foot is very important. The table cannot stand without strong support.
A good community needs to be open to welcome developers and people. Good governance is especially important, to figure out what users need and respect their voices. Development needs to be decentralized. Avalanche has developers all over the world. And it has big companies building on top of Avalanche.
Yang: From a long-term perspective, I think governance is the most important thing, which is the same as running a company.
In the long run, technology is not important. Blockchain technology is developed based on an open source softwares that are free to the community. Community is also not the most important factor.
I think the most important thing is governance. Decentralization is more about technical. For example, Bitcoin, through a decentralized network method, ensures the openness and transparency of data assets, and the data on the chain cannot be tampered with, ensuring that the total amount of coins has a fixed upper limit.
But at the governance level, all coins are centralized at some degree. For example, BCH developers can decide to modify the protocol. In a sense, it is the same as managing a company.
Historically, the reasons for the success and failure of companies all stem from bad governance. For example, Apple succeeded based on Steve Jobs's charisma, leadership and the pursuit of user experience. When Jobs was kicked out, Apple suffered great losses. After Jobs returned, he made Apple great again.
Issues behind Bitmain is also about governance. Simply put, governance requires leaders who have a longer-term vision and are more capable of coordinating and balancing the resources and interests of all parties to lead the community.
In the blockchain world, many people focus on technology. In fact, technology is not enough to make great products. User experience is most important. Users don't care about the blockchain technology itself, but more concerned about whether it is easy to use and whether it can solve my problem.
We need to figure out how to deliver a product like Apple. The pursuit of user experience is also governance in nature. And governance itself lies in the soul of key leaders in the community.
Realize tokenization of assets in.
Wang: Speaking of asset tokenization, I would like to ask Haipo, do you think the market for assets on the chain is big?
Yang: It must be very big. We need to see which assets can be tokenized.
Assets that can be tokenized are standardized assets, sush as currencies and securities.
1. In terms of currency, Tether has issued over 10 billion U.S. dollars. Many people think that's too much. But I think this market is underestimated. The market for stablecoins in the future must be hundreds of billions or even trillions, especially after the release of Facebook's Libra. Even US dollar might be issued based on the blockchain in the future.
At present, the settlement of USD currency is through the SWIFT system. But the SWIFT system itself is only a clearing network, a messaging system, not a settlement network. It takes a long time for clearing and settlement, and it is not reliable. But both USDT and USDC can quickly realize cross-border transfers in seconds and realize asset delivery. Even sovereign currencies are likely to be issued on the blockchain. I believe RMB also has such a plan.
2. Equity and securities markets are the largest market. But they have strict requirements for market access.
Whether a stock is listed on A-shares or in the American markets, it's hard to obtain them. I believe that the blockchain can completely release the demand through decentralization. It can allow any tiny company or even a project to issue, circulate and finance a token.
There may be only tens of thousands of stocks currently traded globally. There are also tens of thousands of tokens in the crypto space. I believe that millions or more of assets will be traded and circulated in the future. This can only be realized through decentralized technology and organization.
The market for assets tokenization will be huge. And at present, the entire blockchain technology is still very primitive. Bitcoin and Ethereum only have a few or a dozen TPS, which is far from meeting market demand. This is why CoinEx is committed to building a decentralized Dex public chain.
Wang: Avalanche's paper was first published on IPFS. What do you think of IPFS?
Sirer: I personally like IPFS very much. It is a decentralized storage solution.
Yang: There is no doubt that IPFS solves the problem of decentralized storage, and can be robust in the blockchain world, and can replace HPPT services. But there are still three problems:
1. IPFS is not for ordinary users. Everybody needs BCH and BTC, but only developers need IPFS, which is a relatively niche market;
2. IPFS is more expensive than traditional storage solutions, which further reduces its practicality. In order to achieve decentralization, more copies must be stored, and more hardware devices must be consumed. In the end, these costs will be on to users.
3. There may be compliance issues. If you use IPFS to store sensitive information, such as info from WikiLeaks, it may end up threatening national security. I doubt that decentralized storage and decentralized public chains can survive under the joint pressure of global governments.
The IPFS project solves certain problems. But from the perspective of application prospects, I am pessimistic.
Wang: What do you think of Defi?
Yang: I want to talk about the concept first.
Broadly speaking, the entire blockchain industry is DeFi in nature. Blockchain is to realize the circulation of currency, equity, and asset value through decentralization.
So in a broad sense, blockchain itself is DeFi. In a narrow sense, DeFi is a financial agreement based on smart contracts. DeFi, through smart contracts, can build applications more flexibly. For example, before we could only use Bitcoin to transfer and pay. Now with smart contracts, flexible functions such as lending, exchange, mortgage , etc. are available. The entire blockchain industry is gradually evolving under the conditions of DeFi. DeFi will definitely get greater development in the future.
Sirer: I think Defi will definitely have a huge impact. DeFi is not only an innovation in the cryptocurrency field, but also an innovation in the financial field. Wall Street companies have stagnated for years with no innovation. Avalanche fits different DeFi needs, including performance and compliance. In the future, not only will Wall Street simply adopt DeFi, but DeFi will grow into a huge market that will eventually replace the traditional financial system.
Questions from the community:
1. How does Avalanche integrate with DeFi?
Sirer: At present, all DeFi applications on Avalanche have surpassed Ethereum. What can be achieved on Ethereum can be achieved on Avalanche with better user experience. We are currently connecting with popular DeFi projects such as Compound and MakerDao to add part of or all of their functions.
At present, Avalanche is working on decentralized exchange (DEX). The current DEXs are limited by speed and performance but when they are built on top of Avalanche it will be real-time and very fast.
2. How many developers does BCH have?
Yang: I think it does not matter how many developers there are. What matters is what should be developed. I watched Jobs' video the other day, and it inspired me a lot. We are not piecing together technology to see what technology can do. It's we figure out what we want first and then we use the technology we need.
The entire blockchain community worship developers. Such as they call Vitalik "V God". It's not necessary to treat developers as wizards. Developers are programmers, and I myself is also a programmer.
ViaBTC has a development team of over 100 people, including core members from Copernicus (a dev team formerly belonged to Bitmain). Technically we are very confident to build faster, stabler, and better user experience products.


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Ever since I discovered quinoa cakes I have been dreaming up different flavour combinations for them! A quinoa cake or fritter is pretty much what it sounds like, a mixture of quinoa with a binder such as an egg and breadcrumbs that is formed into cakes or patties and then fried until crispy. One of the great things about cakes like this is that in addition to the main ingredient you can add pretty much whatever you want for flavour! I am a big fan of the spicy and smoky chipotle, sweet potato and creamy black bean combo and I am more than a little surprised that it took me this long to throw them into some quinoa cakes!
This quinoa cake recipe is pretty simple and in addition to the sweet potato, black beans, quinoa and chipotle chili powder I added some cumin, garlic, green onions and cilantro for flavour and freshness. I decided to go with raw, grated sweet potatoes, though am sure that a recipe with mashed would work as well. One problem that I did have with the recipe was that with a full can of black beans it ended up making more than the 4 servings that I normally like to target, but extra leftover quinoa cakes are certainly a lot better than leftover black beans! In keeping with the eating healthier mantra I decided to bake the quinoa cakes rather than frying them and it worked out well! The baked quinoa cakes did not have as crispy of an outside but this insides were so light, moist and fluffy and good! I will definitely be baking quinoa fritters again tin the future!
While I was contemplating the recipe I remembered that cool and creamy avocado goes amazingly well with the chipotle, sweet potato and black bean combo and I immediately knew that me favourite creamy avocado sauce would be the perfect topping for the cakes! I served the chipotle sweet potato and black bean quinoa cakes with creamy avocado sauce on a bed of sauteed swiss chard and it made for a fabulous light, healthy and tasty meal! I do have one confession, I could not stop there and I just had to top everything off with…
…a fried egg! Pretty much everything tastes better when topped with an egg!
Of course it has to have a nice runny yolk!
Finally a bite! mmm… It's so good! Don'y you just love a messy, runny egg yolk meal like this?
Chipotle Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa Cakes with Creamy Avocado Sauce
Healthy and tasty sweet potato, black bean and quinoa cakes with the smoky hint of chipotle chilies.
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained (or 1 1/2 cups cooked beans, from 1/2 cup dry)
- 2 cups sweet potato, grated
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (1/2 cup uncooked)
- 1 tablespoon chipotle chill powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon cumin, toasted and ground
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 handful cilantro, chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- creamy avocado sauce to taste (optional)
- Mash half of the beans in a large bowl, mix in the rest of the beans, sweet potato, quinoa, cumin, chill powder, salt, pepper, garlic, green onions, cilantro, egg and bread crumbs.
- Form the mixture into patties about 3/4 inch thick and place on a lightly oils baking sheet.
- Bake in a preheated 400F/200C oven until lightly golden brown on both sides, about 8-12 minutes per side.
Tip: These quinoa cakes could easily be used as patties for burgers!
Chipotle Roast Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
Quinoa Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Pesto, Goat Cheese and a Poached Egg
Smoked Salmon Asparagus Quinoa Cake Eggs Benedict
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas with Swiss Chard Pesto
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos with Swiss Chard Pesto
Pumpkin Chorizo and Black Bean Soup
Chipotle Sweet Potato and Black Bean Hash with Guacamole
Chipotle Sweet Potato Noodle Bowl


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This summary of the Gospel of John provides information about the title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the Gospel of John.
The author is the apostle John, "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (13:23 [see note there]; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7,20,24). He was prominent in the early church but is not mentioned by name in this Gospel -- which would be natural if he wrote it, but hard to explain otherwise. The author knew Jewish life well, as seen from references to popular Messianic speculations (see, e.g., 1:21 and note; 7:40-42), to the hostility between Jews and Samaritans (see 4:9 and note), and to Jewish customs, such as the duty of circumcision on the eighth day taking precedence over the prohibition of working on the Sabbath (see note on 7:22). He knew the geography of the Holy Land, locating Bethany about 15 stadia (about two miles) from Jerusalem (11:18) and mentioning Cana, a village not referred to in any earlier writing known to us (2:1 [see note there]; 21:2). The Gospel of John has many touches that appear to reflect the recollections of an eyewitness -- such as the house at Bethany being filled with the fragrance of the broken perfume jar (see 12:3 and note). Early writers such as Irenaeus and Tertullian say that John wrote this Gospel, and all other evidence agrees (see Introduction to 1 John: Author).
In general, two views of the dating of this Gospel have been advocated:
The second view has found favor because it has been felt more recently that John wrote independently of the other Gospels (see essay and chart, p. 1943). This does not contradict the statement of Clement referred to above. Also, those who hold this view point out that developed theology does not necessarily argue for a late origin. The theology of Romans (written c. 57) is every bit as developed as that in John. Further, the statement in 5:2 that there "is" (rather than "was") a pool "near the Sheep Gate" may suggest a time before 70, when Jerusalem was destroyed. Others, however, observe that John elsewhere sometimes used the present tense when speaking of the past.
John's Gospel is rather different from the other three. Whether or not he knew them (or any one of them) continues to be debated. In any event, his witness to Jesus goes its own way, highlighting matters that in the other Gospels remain implicit and underdeveloped. The literary style of this witness of Jesus is also unique among the Gospels; here focus is on the "signs" of Jesus' identity and mission and on lengthy, theologically rich discourses.
John begins with the profound announcement that Jesus is the "in the beginning" creative Word of God who had become embodied (incarnated) as a human being to be the light of life for the world. After this comes the proclamation that this Jesus is the Son of God sent from the Father to finish the Father's work in the world (see 4:34 and note). God's own glory is made visible in him ("Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father," 14:9), and what he does glorifies the Father. In him the full grace and truth of God has shown itself. Strikingly, a series of "I am" claims on Jesus' lips echoes God's naming of himself in Ex 3:14, further strengthening the link between the Father and the Son (see 6:35; 8:12; 9:5; 10:7,9,14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1,5).
Jesus' words to Nicodemus nicely summarize this Gospel's central theme: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (3:16). Although a variety of motivations for the composition of John's Gospel have been posited by interpreters (such as to supplement the other Gospels, to combat some form of heresy, to oppose the continuing followers of John the Baptist), the author himself states his main purpose clearly in 20:31: "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."
For the main emphases of the book see notes on 1:4,7,9,14,19,49; 2:4,11; 3:27; 4:34; 6:35; 13:1 -- 17:26; 13:31; 17:1-2,5; 20:31.
From the NIV Study Bible, Introductions to the Books of the Bible, John
Copyright 2002 © Zondervan. All rights reserved. Used with permission.