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Search filters applied: environment, premier and cabinet, transport AND 2014, 2011, 2006 AND fraud, risk .
Actions for WestConnex: Assurance to the Government
WestConnex: Assurance to the Government
This audit assesses the assurance provided to the NSW Government for the initial stages of the WestConnex project. The audit examined the WestConnex project from concept development to the pre-tender phase for Stage 1A – M4 (Parramatta to Homebush Bay). It did not examine the merit of the project or whether it represented value-for-money. This audit found a number of shortcomings with the governance of the WestConnex project during its early stages and
Actions for Volume Eleven 2014 Focusing on Planning and Environment
Volume Eleven 2014 Focusing on Planning and Environment
The quality of financial reporting in the planning and environment cluster continues to improve with fewer reported misstatements over the last two years. The financial statements of all agencies within this cluster received unqualified audit opinions, except for one small agency where the audit is incomplete. Many cluster agencies' actual revenues, expenses, assets and liabilities varied from budget by more than five per cent, suggesting financial manag
Actions for Volume Seven 2014 Focusing on Transport
Volume Seven 2014 Focusing on Transport
All agencies in transport cluster received unqualified audit opinions for the year ended 30 June 2014. The quality of financial reporting continues to improve with the number of misstatements identified during audits falling for the fifth year in a row.
Actions for Volume Six 2014 focusing on Premier and Cabinet
Volume Six 2014 focusing on Premier and Cabinet
All agencies in the NSW Premier and Cabinet cluster received unqualified audit opinions for the year ended 30 June 2014. Overall financial reporting has improved. Agencies submitted their financial statements earlier than last year and for the third year in a row there has been a reduction in the number of misstatements identified during audits.
Actions for Volume Five 2014 Focusing on Electricity and Water
Volume Five 2014 Focusing on Electricity and Water
In 2013-14, the NSW Government electricity businesses generated $9 billion in revenue ($9.6 billion during 2012-13) and achieved a combined net profit after tax of $1.5 billion ($1.6 billion). The combined profit after tax for NSW Distributors was $1.2 billion in 2013-14 down from $1.3 billion in 2012-13. The Distributors' revenues decreased by $205 million to $6.8 billion in 2013-14, largely due to lower consumption by customers associated with milder w
Actions for Managing Contaminated Sites
Managing Contaminated Sites
NSW Government agencies with large landholdings need to better manage their contaminated sites. When contaminated sites are reported to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) there are long delays in assessing the extent of contamination. The EPA also lacks the management controls to ensure that all significantly contaminated sites are actively monitored and key milestones for remediation are met. Parliamentary reference - Report number #245 -
Actions for Regional Road Funding - Block Grant and REPAIR Programs
Regional Road Funding - Block Grant and REPAIR Programs
In 2013–14, Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) provided over $170 million to local councils through the Block Grant and REPAIR programs to spend on Regional Roads. Regional Roads are the link between State Roads and Local Roads. Parliamentary reference - Report number #241 - released 8 May 2014
Actions for Volume One 2014 - Areas of focus from 2013
Volume One 2014 - Areas of focus from 2013
Today the Auditor-General of New South Wales, Grant Hehir, released his Volume One Report to Parliament for 2014. The observations included in this report are designed to inform readers of common findings from the 2013 financial and performance audits so agencies and audit committees can use them to identify issues that may be relevant to their organisations.
Actions for Volume Eight 2011 Focus on Transport and Ports
Volume Eight 2011 Focus on Transport and Ports
The report includes comments on financial audits of government agencies in the Transport and Ports sectors. The audit of corporations' financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2011 resulted in unmodified audit opinions within the Independent Auditor's Reports. A key recommendation from the report is that Sydney Ports Corporation should continue working with other government authorities and industry stakeholders to improve the effectiveness of prog
Actions for Solar Bonus Scheme
Solar Bonus Scheme
A NSW Auditor General's Report has found that the NSW Government and its agencies grossly underestimated the cost and number of people that would install systems under the Solar Bonus Scheme. By October 2010, the estimated cost of the Scheme, if it continued the way it was going, would have reached $3.988 billion. More than ten times the original estimate of $362 million. In response to the increased cost, the gross tariff for new applicants was reduced


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- Why is Cyber Security important to the aviation industry?
The global aviation system's safety and security are vulnerable to attacks on its information and data systems. Nowadays hackers, cybercriminals, "hacktivists" and terrorists are focused on malicious intent, theft of information, profit and disruption.
As one of the most complex and integrated systems of information and communications technology (ITC) in the world, the global aviation system is a potential target for a big cyber-attack or an attack on its elements. Possible impacts of a cyber-attack range from endangering the safety of an aircraft to affecting operational reliability, financial health, and business continuity.
With the modern and fast integration of new technologies, the aviation industry is becoming more and more interconnected and dependent on systems. As technologies speedily evolve however, the threats can do too. Without the appropriate cybersecurity measures to address this growing threat, civil aviation will be at risk.
- What are the adopted decisions made by the aviation groups involved in governance?
Each nation state should, in accordance with the risk assessment carried out by its relevant national authorities, ensure that measures are developed in order to protect critical information and communications technology systems used for civil aviation purposes from interference that may jeopardize the safety of air travel.
- What are the greatest cybersecurity challenges for the aviation industry?
- Compliance testing must ensure all the system components, both independently and as complete systems, are safe from compromise.
- Critical systems should be tested by external and independent companies that have demonstrated expertise in cybersecurity
- Any company working in the aviation industry should raise awareness among their employees regarding the importance of cyber threats. It is critical to promote a proactive cyber security culture in accordance with recommendations from certified aviation authorities.
- Every aviation related company should identify any cybersecurity vulnerabilities and implement measures to remediate them.
- Implement stronger cyber security internal policies within the company.
- Why is real-time connectivity on airplanes increasing the opportunities for a cyber-attack?
Increases in communication between people and devices in the aviation sector, the rise of computing performance, and the proliferation of software systems, are mandating a more thorough, actionable-intelligence (data) based approach to addressing cyber threats.
More pervasive use of computer-based systems –sophisticated air navigation systems, on-board aircraft control and communication systems, airport ground systems including flight information and security screening, day-to-day data management systems – are increasing the risks throughout the Aviation Industry.
At the same time, industry-agnostic cyber threats (computer viruses, malicious attacks, etc. ) continue to affect us all.
With the increasing number of travelers, the creation of new modern airports, the introduction of more complex aircraft, plus advances in aviation-based IT, entertainment and computer-based systems, these risks are compounding exponentially.
- What measures are airlines taking to prevent, detect and react to cyber threats?
Key elements of attack prevention include:
1. The board of directors play a critical role
2. Institute proactive Cyber Security awareness training that includes current and perspective of global threats and prevention best practices
3. Debating, socialising then formalising industry standards
4. Mitigating risks from supply chain, parts, and third-party vendors
1. Predictive monitoring networks and IT systems
2. Protecting customer and operational data
3. Mitigating insider threats
1. Notify customers, regulators and other stakeholders as soon as a breach has been identified
2. Collect forensic data to address unresolved security shortcomings
3. Limit damage caused by potential future security breaches
4. Leverage state-of-the-art prevention methods like UEBA

subset: commoncrawl


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with eating disorders are preoccupied with food and/or their weight and body
shape, and are usually highly dissatisfied with their body and appearance. The
majority of eating disorders involve low self-esteem, shame and secrecy.
Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder are the major eating
disorders. In addition, there are many people, who do not neatly fit into any of
these groups and instead have a mixture of symptoms. People with anorexia live
at a low body weight, beyond the point of slimness and in an endless pursuit of
thinness by restricting what they eat and sometimes compulsively
over-exercising. In contrast, people with bulimia have intense cravings for
food, secretively overeat and then purge to prevent weight gain (by vomiting or
use of laxatives, for example). People with binge eating disorder experience
distressing episodes of overeating accompanied by a feeling of loss of control,
but do not engage in any reversing behaviours. Binge eating disorder often leads
to obesity.
left untreated, an eating disorder will begin to dominate an individual's life.
People with eating disorders may find it difficult to concentrate and function
in education and work, they no longer enjoy leisure activities and social
engagements, and often isolate themselves from friends and family. Their eating
disorder becomes their one and only priority, a full time occupation.
Individuals may be difficult to live with because of their distress, extreme
behaviours and marked fluctuations in mood.
with eating disorders can die as a result of the physical health problems
caused by starvation or extreme weight loss behaviours. A quarter of people
with eating disorders go on to develop a chronic illness. There are higher
death rates among people with anorexia than among people with other psychiatric
illnesses as a result of either the physical complications or suicide. The risk
of death for someone with anorexia is three times higher than someone with
depression, schizophrenia or alcoholism.
Anyone can develop an eating disorder, regardless of their age, sex or cultural background. Young women are most likely to develop an eating disorder, particularly those aged 15 to 25 but older women and men of all ages also get eating disorders.
Children as young as seven can develop anorexia, and there is a greater proportion of boys in this younger age group. Adolescent boys with anorexia tend to over-exercise rather than restrict their food.
has shown that the desire to eat, and the feelings of being hungry and
satisfied, are affected by a complex interplay of physiological, psychological
and social factors. At times of stress and illness, it is normal for this
delicate mechanism to be disrupted, leading to short-term loss or gain of
appetite that returns to normal when the stress or illness has passed.
Similarly, it is quite normal to alter your intake of food voluntarily for a
limited period of time in order to lose or gain weight. Sometimes, however,
food and eating assume an abnormal significance in people's lives, and rather
than eat in response to hunger or appetite, individuals use food and eating to
help them cope with painful or uncomfortable thoughts and feelings, or with
stressful situations.
disorders are complex illnesses with no single cause. Psychological,
interpersonal, socio-cultural and biological factors all seem to play a role,
and the research of the Eating Disorders Research Group at the Institute of Psychiatry
aims to understand more about the different factors and how they interact.
Visit the research pages
on this website to find out more about recent results and current projects.
person is more likely to develop an eating disorder if they have low
self-esteem, a tendency to be a perfectionist, or are either shy, anxious and overcontrolled
or rash and impulsive in their nature. Other psychological factors are
depression, boredom or loneliness. A significant proportion of people with
eating disorders suffer obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders and/or have
obsessive compulsive personality traits, usually dating back to childhood.
These traits are found across the whole spectrum of eating disorders, but there
is evidence that people with anorexia have higher levels of childhood rigidity
and perfectionism than those with bulimia.
has shown that an individual's genetic make up may have an impact on whether
they develop an eating disorder. While genetic factors may play a part in
predisposing a person to developing and/or maintaining an eating disorder,
these are primarily mental illnesses with a psychological basis and serious
consequences, which can continue for many years if left unchecked.
with eating disorders may find life messy, inconsistent, frightening and
erratic and their eating disorder helps them to cope with life's problems, to
feel more in control, and to avoid issues or emotions that are too painful to
face. Anorexia makes someone feel emotionally numb, while bulimia is sometimes
considered to be a way of getting rid of excess emotions. Either way, an eating
disorder can help an individual deal with low self-esteem, problematic family
relationships, growing up, the death of someone special, academic pressure,
relationships with friends or partners, difficulties at work, school or
university, a lack of self-confidence, social insecurities, sexual and
emotional abuse. Some individuals may have had a harrowing, disruptive and
traumatic period in their life, whereas others can think of no trigger for the
development of their illness.
has shown that someone is more likely to develop an eating disorder if they
have been brought up in an environment where food and eating, weight or body
shape have assumed a disproportionate significance, or if they have been
ridiculed because of their size or weight. Someone is more likely to develop an
eating disorder if they have been brought up in an over-protective or
over-controlling environment, where independence has not been encouraged and
where they have not been encouraged to think for themselves. Other risk factors
include a difficulty expressing feelings and emotions; family disharmony and
troubled interpersonal relationships; a history of sexual and/or physical
abuse; unrealistic family expectations for achievement; and a tendency to
comply with other people's demands.
are socio-cultural factors in the development of eating disorders which include
cultural pressures that place high value on thinness and obtaining the
'perfect' body; cultural norms that emphasise physical appearance rather than
inner strengths and qualities; and persistent and pervasive media messages
encouraging dieting.
is also examining potential biological factors. It has been found that some
people with eating disorders have imbalances in certain brain chemicals that
control hunger, appetite and digestion. Serotonin, for example, is a chemical
in the brain that affects appetite and mood. The number of receptors for this
chemical varies in the brains of different individuals. This may predispose
some people to have a higher sensitivity to life stress and to be calmed by
eating. Others may have too much serotonin and be less anxious when they are
not eating. Some people – 5% of those who are obese – have abnormal levels of
melanocortin receptors in the brain. This means they are overly sensitive to
appetites cues and are predisposed to overeat or binge.
appetite and eating is governed by two systems in the brain, a homeostatic set
of mechanisms which make us feel hungry
and full in response to our body's needs, and a hedonic mechanism that makes us
desire food and feel pleasure when eating. The hormone leptin controls the
homeostatic set of mechanisms. If prolonged and serious dieting results in
weight loss, the amount of leptin secreted will be reduced.
the hedonic system, the 'wanting' of food
is moderated by homeostatic factors and is shaped by our previous
experiences of food. The hedonic system is part of the brain responsible for
choices about behaviour, made on the basis of reward and pleasure to be gained.
someone fasts for a long time and essential nutrients such as protein are
omitted from their diet, an intense urge to eat occurs as a result of our
homeostatic system, wired to ensure our survival. This urge is caused by the
action of two control mechanisms, one prompted by the composition of our
bodies, in particular fat tissue (slow-acting tonic system) and the other by
the gut (rapid phasic system).
after a period of food restriction, people are exposed to highly palatable
food, they over eat in response to that urge and the tendency to over consume
or binge when exposed to these foods remains for several months afterwards.
Underpinning these longer term changes in the brain is an imbalance in the
chemical transmitters involved in the hedonic system.
think that dieting interspersed with intermittent consumption of snacks and
other highly palatable food might lead to permanent changes in the hedonic
mechanism of eating.
deprivation can result in damage to bones, osteoporosis and fertility problems.
Food deprivation and purging can result in an increased risk of cardiovascular
disease, intestinal problems and kidney damage.The brain too is affected by
starvation: it can lead to long term changes in metabolic and physiological
processes, and changes in thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
of the physical problems are reversed with weight gain, or if weight control
practices stop. So, it is probable that the reproductive system will return to
normal if there is full recovery from anorexia, though it may take longer than
normal to conceive, and in some cases it may be necessary to have hormonal
treatment. It may take a long time for bones to regain their strength and
thickness. Recovery may be incomplete, however, and some sites may be repaired
before others. If the bones remain thin, the risk of fracture is increased. If
bones in the spinal column are crushed, the spinal curvature and subsequent
loss of height are irreversible: this may lead to chronic pain.
after recovery from an eating disorder, intestinal problems may remain.
Heartburn and stomach ulcers are more common. The bowel can become 'irritable'
with frequent diarrhoea or severe constipation. Weight control measures such as
vomiting and the frequent use of laxatives alter salt and water balance and can
lead to permanent kidney damage. As the kidneys have a lot of reserve function,
this may not become apparent unless they are put under further stress.
anorexia strikes before all stages of puberty have been completed, and if
treatment and recovery is delayed, there may be an irreversible failure to
achieve growth in stature, to achieve peak bone density and to achieve
secondary sexual development.
Recovery from an eating disorder is not easy, not short and not painless: it is a slow, long and arduous struggle full of emotional turmoil. Breaking free of an eating disorder may be the toughest challenge of an individual's life and they need support and guidance.
Treatment involves establishing a regular and balanced eating pattern and exploring, addressing and resolving underlying emotional problems. There is a range of treatment approaches to help an individual better understand and process emotions, and new forms of treatment are constantly being developed and tested as our understanding of the different factors involved and causes increases.
We know from our research studies that early treatment is a crucial component of a full recovery, but this depends on the recognition of an eating disorder. The last person to acknowledge they have a problem will be the individual who has the eating disorder: the nature of their illness swears them to secrecy and silence. It is therefore the job of friends, family members, colleagues and health professionals to help them take the first step to recovery, to know what eating disorders are, to spot the symptoms and know how to access treatment. Between one third and one half of people who recover from eating disorders may have residual problems.
Very little research has been done in the area of prevention, although studies are being carried out to look at risk factors that might predispose a person to developing an eating disorder, and whether we can develop interventions to alter these risks. Other studies have focused on early recognition of the signs and symptoms of eating disorders to nip these in the bud before the illness becomes entrenched.
While eating disorders most commonly appear in adolescence or early adulthood, the seeds are sown much earlier. While it is impossible, at the moment, to alter genetic make up or to single-handedly tackle society's emphasis on appearance, weight and shape, it might be helpful to encourage young people to critically appraise the messages given out by advertising and the media, and to develop their own non-competitive values of personal achievement in different spheres of life. By helping a child to develop good self-esteem, good social and coping skills, to have a realistic understanding of boundaries, both personal and external, and to encourage independence, it is possible that parents, teachers and other carers might go a long way to prevent the later development of an eating disorder. It might also help if children are encouraged to eat a balanced diet, eat regularly and not skip meals or replace them with high fat, high sugar snacks or fast foods, and if eating is seen as a time to be with others, to talk and to be sociable.
© 2020 King's College London | Strand | London WC2R 2LS | England | United Kingdom | Tel +44 (0)20 7836 5454


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On January 26th, 2016, Caltech and the Institute for Quantum Information and Matter invited the public to a celebration of Feynman's Quantum Legacy. Here are some highlights from that night!
Bongo drumming by Richard Feynman and Ralph Leighton.
Produced in association with Caltech Academic Media Technologies. ©2016 California Institute of Technology


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CIOs Redefining Role to Fuel Integration, Innovation
With strong, top-down support, CIOs can continue to evolve their role toward monetizing IT assets and encouraging companywide innovation, says Pat Gelsinger, CEO of VMware, Inc.
I meet with CIOs every week—hundreds each year—to learn about their journeys and to support them as they pursue their goals. The roles these individuals play in their companies are evolving rapidly. Though some remain stuck in a "keep the lights on and stick to the budget" mindset, many now embrace the role of service provider, building and supporting burgeoning portfolios of IT services. Still others are emerging as strategists and decision-makers—a logical step for individuals who, after all, know more about technology than anyone else on the CEO's staff. Increasingly, these forward-thinking CIOs are applying their business and technology acumen to monetize IT assets, drive innovation, and create value throughout the enterprise.
CIOs are adopting a variety of tactics to expand and redefine their roles. We're seeing some establish distinct teams within IT dedicated solely to innovating, while others collaborate with internal line-of-business experts within the confines of existing IT infrastructure to create business value. Notably, we've also seen companies set up entirely new organizational frameworks in which emerging technology-based leadership roles, such as the chief digital officer, report to and collaborate with the CIO who, in turn, assumes the role of strategist and integrator.
What's driving this evolution? Simply put, disruptive technologies. Mobile, cloud, analytics, and a host of other solutions are enabling radical changes in the way companies develop and market new products and services. Today, the Internet and cloud can offer startups the infrastructure they need to create new applications and potentially reach billions of customers—all at a low cost.
Moreover, the ability to innovate rapidly and affordably is not the exclusive purview of tech startups. Most companies with traditional business models probably already have a few radical developers on staff—they're the ones who made the system break down over the weekend by "trying something out." When organized into small entrepreneurial teams and given sufficient guidance, CIO sponsorship, and a few cloud-based development tools, these creative individuals can focus their energies on projects that deliver highly disruptive value.
VMware adopted this approach with the development of EVO:RAIL™, VMware's first hyperconverged infrastructure appliance and a building block for the scalable, software-defined data center, which provides the infrastructure needed to support a variety of IT environments. To create this product, we put together a small team of developers with a highly creative team leader at the helm. We also provided strong, top-down support throughout the project. The results were, by any definition, a success: Nine months after the first line of code was written, we took EVO:RAIL to market.
Clearly, rapid-fire development will not work with every project, yet there is a noticeable shift underway toward the deployment of more agile development techniques. Likewise, companies are increasingly using application program interfaces to drive new revenue streams. Others are taking steps to modernize their cores to fuel the development of new services and offerings. Their efforts are driven largely by the need to keep pace with innovative competitors. At VMware, we are working to enhance the user experience.
Having become accustomed to the intuitive experiences they enjoy with smartphones and tablets, our customers expect us to provide comparable interfaces and experiences. To meet this expectation, we are taking a markedly different approach to development and design, one that emphasizes both art and technology. Our CIO has assembled development teams comprising artists who intuit the experiences and capabilities users want, and hardcore technologists who translate the artists' designs into interfaces, customer platforms, and other user experience systems. These two groups bring different skill sets to the task at hand, but each is equally critical to our success.
As CIOs redefine and grow their roles to meet the rapidly evolving demands of business and technology, unorthodox approaches with top-down support will help fuel the innovation companies need to succeed in the new competitive landscape.
—by Pat Gelsinger, CEO, VMware, Inc.
Related Content
"The CIO as Chief Integration Officer"
"Tech Trends 2015: An Overview"
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Faculty and staff are eligible for email delivery of voice mail messages. For those who have subscribed to email delivery of voice mail messages, a copy of the message will be delivered to your email inbox and a separate copy will be stored in your voice mailbox.
Deleting the message from email will not delete it from your voice mailbox. You will still need to go into the system via the telephone interface, hear the beginning of the message and press 3 to delete, just as you normally would. Your voice mailbox has a limited capacity for storage (usually 30 messages). Once you have reached the limit, you will not be able to receive new messages via voice mail or email; therefore, it is important to use the telephone interface to delete messages periodically from your voice mailbox.
There is an option for you to receive messages only via email, i.e., no copy will be delivered to your voice mailbox. If you choose this option, you will not be able to access your messages via the telephone interface and you will not see a Message Waiting lamp when a new message is received. Also, if you are unable to access email, you will not be able to retrieve your voice mail messages. Please contact email@example.com if you wish to set up this option.
To set up email delivery of your voice mail messages:
Step 1:
From your internet browser, enter: http://nowmsg.bu.edu/ if you are not on campus you will need to first connect to the BU VPN.
This will bring you to the BU Web Login screen. Enter your BU login name and Kerberos password and click on Log In.
This will bring you to the Boston University Voicemail subscriber portal page.
Step 2:
Enter your 7-digit mailbox account number. This is usually your BU telephone number entered with no dash (for example 3532097). If you have a sub-mailbox enter using format 3532097xN (the final "N" being your sub-mailbox number. For example, if you are sub-mailbox 3, enter 3532097×3).
Enter your numeric passcode. This is the same passcode you use from your telephone keypad when retrieving your messages.
This will bring you to the subscriber options page.
Step 3:
Name: You may enter your first and last name and it will display as part of the information presented in the email message of voice mails left by you to other subscribers. An entry in the Last name field is required.
Email address: To edit this field you must click on Change. This will open a new window.
Enter the email address where your messages are to be delivered. Click Save and it will return you to the Account Settings screen, Pending verification will display under the email field. Your email delivery will not be activated until you receive the confirmation email and click on the link in the body of the confirmation which will return you to the Account options screen. At this point, you will now begin receiving your messages in your email inbox as well as on your telephone and you can click Sign Out or continue to edit account options.
You will be presented with other options on your Account settings screen based on your Class of Service. For a description of each option, hover the cursor over the text and an information box will display to the right on your screen.
Click Sign Out when you are done making changes to your account.


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We are enabling British businesses to raise funds from a global audience of investors. Crowd2Fund has opened its platform to investors in 163 different countries to create accounts and invest in UK SMEs.
All investors undergo compliance and security checks, such as anti money laundering, fraud and sanctions. We take photo ID of any investors looking to invest more than £2000. Investors can make investments, receive repayments and withdraw funds via iBan to most countries in the world.
All opportunities listed on the platform undergo our rigorous risk and due diligence checks to ensure that investors get repaid. Opportunities often have a global audience of customers and fans, so our international feature allows said fans to invest. You can learn more about our risk procedures here and about our due diligence here.
Crowd2Fund is directly regulated by the globally respected UK Financial Conduct Authority. All clients' funds are held securely by our client funds manager, who have been granted a Pan-European financial licence.
International payments
Two ways to pay in
Debt Card
Crowd2Fund allows investors to make payments using either a debt card or iBan transfer. If a user wishes to withdraw funds, then they are able to do so by using iBan. The funds will be sent to their local bank account.
Repayments from loans are held by our 3rd party client funds manager until the funds are withdrawn.
International tax
International investors are required to pay tax as per their home jurisdiction; Crowd2Fund are not liable for an individual's tax. Tax obligations also depend on the personal circumstances of an investor. Investors should also check with HM Revenue and Customs to ensure that they are not liable to pay UK tax. Investors should check with an accountant to understand the tax requirements before making an investment.
Currently there are no UK tax benefits, such as EIS, SEIS and IFISAS, available for non-UK based individuals.
International rewards
In certain circumstances, some rewards will not be made available to international investors. For example, sending gifts abroad, should a resident country impose any post restrictions. Perks and rewards offered by UK Businesses remain the same as UK resident investors.
Should a reward not be available to an international investor, then the reward will generally not be shown on the campaign page once the user is logged in.
Join Crowd2Fund's global investor Community
If you have any further questions about investing from outside the UK, then please do not hesitate to contact us.


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I have often stated my reservations about the growth of technology and where it's taking us, while also understanding the benefits it can offer. And like most people I have come to an uneasy truce with it, from smart phones to pads to online shopping.
But it pays to remember that while the whizzes might be whizzier and the bangs bangier, technology remains a human product and subject to human weaknesses.
One of those weaknesses is that when technology fails, or you fail to operate it correctly, you are helpless. And that's where tech support comes in.
Or not.
In the good old days, if your phone didn't work you called Ma Bell. Bad wire outside the home, bad wire inside, bad telephone, you only had to call one number, and Ma Bell solved the problem, whatever it was. And when you called, you got a human being.
But in today's relentless quest to maximize corporate profits, companies believe it's too costly to let you talk to actual people, no matter how little they are paying them.
Instead, they drive you into self-help forums where customers with similar problems are supposed to help each other. We used to call that the blind leading the blind, but today it's called technical support. If you are lucky enough to find a telephone number, you are usually unlucky enough to be connected to a computerized checklist that never includes your specific problem.
In using Skype recently I kept getting an onscreen message that I was offline, but I couldn't figure out how to get online. Clicking on tech support, I was directed to a forum where many other saps had the same problem, but no one had a solution.
After 10 frustrating minutes of clicking links, I stumbled on a support chatline. It connected me to what purported to be a human (it gave a female name), but which gave responses that seemed suspiciously robotic.
Anyway, I gave her, or it, a succinct summary of the problem. Ten minutes later, after a lot of stuff I didn't understand, she, or it, asked to take remote control of my computer. I watched as the cursor danced across the screen as she, or it, made a practice call, and my very problem cropped up: an onscreen message said you are offline. Just as I was about to type Aha! in the chat box, the cursor whipped to an obscure little symbol that opened a box that allowed you to select online or offline, and proceeded on with the call. She, or it, apparently was totally unaware that the answer had been revealed.
I quickly typed in the chat box that I had spotted the solution, thanked her, or it, and ended the chat. As it turned out, the solution was simple and easy, and could have been explained to me verbally, or via chat, in about 30 seconds by a reasonably competent human, at least one who spoke English as a first language.
While I eventually decided that my chat partner was human, of undetermined national origin, I suspect she had been hired for as little as the company could get away with, and provided with the minimum training possible to create a minimally competent support tech.
I would call somebody to complain, but I don't have the time, much less the skill, to figure out how to do that.


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£169.00 £189.00
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Day Trip. Ipoh.
The trip was short, less than 5 hours in Ipoh, and we were out. We were there for Ayam Brand. During lunch, I walked about the area where we were at, Jalan Sambanthan, kind of historic. I was mistaken as Korean and then Japanese during the walk about. The owners of the shops were happy to see me. Perhaps I was holding a camera. I spoke to some, but some I did not. I spoken to the kids of the homes participated in Ayam Brand campaign, asked about whether I could take pictures of them, they agreed. All pictures taken on LEICA, with manual mode.
Team work makes perfect.
Ayam Brand, famed for its wide range of healthy and convenient, preservative-free canned products is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a nationwide initiative themed, 'We Care, We Are Family'. The anniversary celebration coincides with the 10th consecutive Ayam Brand™ Charity Campaign. This year's charity campaign will reach 60 charity homes in 11 locations across Malaysia and Brunei, providing 324,000 healthy meals for charity. The team was in Ipoh for its Perak's CSR edition as well as a junior chef competition yesterday. In Perak, the recipients include Pusat Jagaan Anak-anak Yatim dan Miskin Nurul Iman, Pertubuhan Baitul Aini Ipoh, Praise Emmanuel Children's Home, Jawatankuasa Pusat Jagaan Praise Ipoh, Vision Home Ipoh…
'Cerahi Kehidupan Bersama TOP & MYDIN' CSR Campaign Exceeds Target
The 'Cerahi Kehidupan Bersama TOP & MYDIN' Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme exceeded its target of collecting RM40,000 in funds to provide 400 underprivileged children from 18 charity homes nationwide with a complete school kit of uniform, shoes, socks and bag. The additional amount of more than RM 10,000 in funds was used to provide school kits to 40 children from two more charity homes bringing the total number to 440 children from 20 charity homes.
M Boutique M Hits M Misses
Decided to give ourselves a treat with staying in Ipoh for a night, after spending 2 nights in Georgetown. While looking for another home stay in Ipoh, which I could not find anything as great as Spices Residence in Georgetown, kind of sad, we settled for M Boutique. Read reviews from friends on FB that it has great decor and ID, with great services, so we decided to give it a shot. Talking about the location.
Start The Kids Earlier, So They Could Cook
We have the opportunity working on Ayam Brand Healthy Meals campaign for 2012 again. A wonderful experience not just working with aboutcom team in coming out with the ideas, concept and also the fun of implementing the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative for client. Just completed the third leg media launch yesterday in Ipoh, for the Perak state recipients. Besides working with the recipients, we also developed a closed friendship with some of them, which we still keep in touch with some of them.
From Ipoh with Love
Yesterday was the sixth leg for Ayam Brand's Nationwide Community Care Campaign, took place in The Salvation Army Boys Home in Tambun, Ipoh. The home located not too far after the highway exit of Tambun, is a very nice and comfortable area. The home is blessed with the wind blows all the time. Besides that, we have mountains to admire. It was also fun to meet Ayam Brand's local team in Ipoh. So fast, it has been a year.
The End & New Beginning
V. Sivakumar, (now) former Speaker of the Perak state legislative assembly caught my attention when I first saw him in the Chinese media – with his radiant smile, white teeth and youthful skin textual on his face. Could be the water in Ipoh, as many people from Ipoh would have said that to me. Including very well known Ipoh bean sprout chicken in Bandar Baru Seri Petaling once was told me that the glass noodle and bean sprout are produced and watered by river in Ipoh. He did not tell me exactly which part of Ipoh, but I could have confirmed that as my late grandfather lived in this famously peaceful town…
When WORSE is yet to come
Based on the current economic environment, many things are uncertain – people lose their jobs or career, family broken, major recession etc, then we read this news – political situation in Perak. Worse is yet to come?


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I've been so busy over the last 2 weeks with work. Now this is a good thing (especially considering my finances at the best of times), but when you are on your laptop to the exclusion of everything else for pretty much all of your waking time – this can soon turn into something not so good.
This is what I actually did on my busiest day:
- Woke up (can't remember time – too busy to check clock)
- Turned the laptop on
- Checked mails
- Replied to two very important ones
- Rushed to the bathroom to brush teeth and freshen up
- Got dressed into clothes I wore the day before (didn't brush hair, just tied it in a knot and didn't bother to look in a mirror)
- Back on laptop
- Other half brings me a cup of tea – 20 mins later its still there – full. However it is accompanied with two cigarette butts in the ashtray next to cup.
- In oblivion on laptop until stomach starts to object at around 1pm. Send other half for some sausage buns. Eat one – give the rest to dog.
- In oblivion on laptop until 5pm (I did have bottle of water next me and the omni-present cigarettes OBVIOUSLY). Go for very short walk. Only make it as far as the wine stores and cigarette shop (kade). Buy 3 small Lion lager cans and cigs
- Return to laptop – promise to myself that I will at least leave the room and watch the sunset over Bentota River at 6pm.
- 7pm – broke my promise to watch sunset but having a beer.
- In oblivion on laptop until 11pm when other half forces me to eat some egg hoppers. Eat them. Look at laptop and go a bit cross-eyed and nauseous. Give up and crash out before my head hits the pillow.
This is scary shit actually – any of you that work for yourselves should read this informative article from linguagreca.com .
Note: the following is not written by me but by Catherine Christaki (@LinguaGreca) AND René Seidel
Studies have shown that freelancers are more likely to be affected by burnout than permanent employees. The reasons for this are manifold. What is particularly conducive to the development of this condition is a lack of work-life balance, which is one of the main reasons for the permanent state of exhaustion. Combined with fear (the fear of losing customers or contracts for example), negative emotions and a lack of opportunities to unwind, it means that freelancers are highly exposed to burnout.
While burnout is generally described as a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion, there are various symptoms to look out for and a comprehensive list of possible symptoms will be presented later on. The causes are usually excessive and prolonged stress, but here again the list of causes is rather extensive. This article will point out possible causes, symptoms and, ultimately, point out how to prevent burnout if you notice any of these signs on you.
As pointed out above, the general cause of burnout is a high-level stress over a long period of time. People start to feel overwhelmed and unable to meet constant demands of their work life. The motivation and interest that lead them to take on a certain role will diminish over time as the stress continues. If the gap in this conflict of roles between their ideal and their actual life becomes too big the emotional disappointment rises considerably.
This exact discrepancy is the basis for burnout. In general, the root of burnout can be found in your personal life, your social life and they can be of organisational-psychological nature, meaning they concern your work life. As this article is intended for freelancers, I am going to focus on the work-related reasons and will only touch briefly on the other causes.
Causes for burnout in personal life:
- Abnormal ambitions (meaning abnormal addiction to success in particular with people whose self-esteem is mainly based on their professional performances)
- Perfectionism (setting goals to high and having trouble making compromises)
Causes for burnout in social life:
- Problems with family or friends
- Loneliness or a weak social environment
- Collapse of familial and social bonds, causing growing anonymity and impersonality
- Unclear life planning (caused by unsecure market situation) making people uncertain about their life
- The growing complexity of processes in modern life leads to stress and a loss of autonomy, because we are dependent on machines and specialists which may not always be available
- Being pressed into particular roles causing you to only be able to manage and define certain sections of your life, which is often overstraining
Organisational-psychological causes and causes in work life:
- High workload / chaotic, high-pressure environment
- Conflictual role (not being able to pick your clients, dealing with difficult clients)
- Work seen as a source of satisfaction and therefore ever higher expectations are put on it
- Feeling like you have little or no control over your work
- Lack of recognition or reward for good work
- Monotonous or unchallenging work
- No clearly defined goals or success criteria
- Experiencing indifference when talking to colleagues (or receiving no advice/support)
- Having to do time-consuming administrative work
- Being unable to handle clients satisfactorily because of a lack of time or organisational causes
Characteristic features of burnout generally include physical and emotional exhaustion. Also, prolonged physical and mental performance and lack of motivation are among burnout symptoms. Al less known symptom is not being able to relax and missing the ability to recover from work. Symptoms can be divided into different phases and differ between the early stage of this condition and the actual burnout. When burnout is established, the symptoms can be further divided into physical, emotional, and behavioural symptoms.
Early stage:
- increased commitment for certain goals
- non-stop working towards relaxation or recovery periods
- work becomes main purpose in life
- feeling indispensible and perfect, thus reducing the value of colleagues and making yourself unpopular
- hyperactivity
- not paying attention to one's own needs
- suppressing failures
- restricting social contacts in certain areas, e.g. clients
- neglecting partner and friends
- chronic tiredness and exhaustion
- sleep disorder
- states of anxiety
- lack of concentration
- seeking distraction and comfort in addictive drugs
Actual burnout:
Physical symptoms:
- changes in appetite and/or sleeping habits (sleep disorder)
- frequent headaches
- back pain and muscle aches
- loss of appetite
- weakened immune system
- feeling sick a lot
- feeling tired and drained most of the time
Emotional symptoms:
- lethargy
- unpunctuality
- fear of rejection and conflicts
- (erratic) mood swings
- decreased sense of satisfaction and accomplishment
- cynical and negative outlook on life
- loss of motivation
- sense of failure and self-doubt
- feeling helpless, trapped, and defeated
- loss of motivation
- detachment – feeling alone in the world
Behavioural symptoms:
- addiction to the internet, e-mails, or telephone, etc.
- food, alcohol or drug abuse to cope
- taking out frustration on others
- procrastinating, taking more time to get things done
- isolation from others
- skipping work, coming in late and leaving early
- withdrawing from responsibilities
Individual prevention:
There are certain steps you can take when you start notice early signs of burnout in your everyday life. Most importantly you have to give yourself enough time to regenerate and relax. Look for compensation methods that help you relax, such as sport, music, or other hobbies you might have. If you are religious, prayer or meditation might be suitable to help you relax. The main point is to redirect your attention away from the stress areas through mental or physical activity. Direct your attention instead on your mental, emotional, and physical needs.
It is very important to identify sources of stress at your workplace and defuse them. As the causes for burnout are to be found mostly in your work life, a key point is to maintain or develop the necessary distance between your work and private life. You should try and consider your work life from new perspectives and get rid of unrealistic or inappropriate ideas. You also have to try and correct ill-suited processes to give yourself more room – develop a more realistic time and work management that will lead to a better working experience for you. If none of the aforementioned methods are successful, even changing the workplace can be considered, if necessary.
In the end, the causes for burnout very much depend on the individual and are very diverse. The way out of burnout and prevention methods are equally diverse and differ a lot. The most important thing to keep in mind when trying to prevent or find a way out of burnout is to create some space for your own needs and pay attention to your emotions and body and take them seriously.
As freelancers we are constantly worried about getting enough jobs to earn money and not losing important clients; furthermore, we also have very limited means of sharing experiences with colleagues. This, combined with the constant pressure of time and results, makes us particularly prone to burnout. Moreover, having to perform tasks that are difficult to manage or meaningless and no receiving any appreciation from co-workers may fuel burnout.
While most regular workers can start to relax and leave work behind them as soon as they head home, freelancers mostly already work from home and the end of their work day is often just going into the next room. Irregular breaks, unnecessary long working hours and a lack of separation between your private and work life are further causes for burnout. All this can quickly add up, without the person actually noticing, and lead to burnout.
Try to notice the early signs of burnout in yourself and take measures against them. Look for a healthy balance between your work and private life. Taking regular breaks, sticking to fixed office hours and learning to say no are probably the best pieces of advice to avoid burnout.
I'm taking a couple of days off this weekend. Meet some friends, go down South, write some postcards to family (which have been on my desk for 4+ weeks), get sunburnt (weather permitting), try and finish my book, do very little, have a beer or twenty and chill. I've told some of my clients this and they praised me for my commitment and honesty. We're only human after all.


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Matters to Us
1. Download and read one of the two documents above about our Fundraising Guidelines.
2. Complete our "Fundraising Enquiry" Form by CLICKING HERE to download, print and send to us. Once we receive your enquiry form, we will check it over and contact you to confirm you have our endorsement for your fundraising efforts. We are so appreciative of all our fundraisers over the years, and we couldn't do what we do without them!
Thank you for considering fundraising for our worthy cause. People fundraise for us in many different ways, some hold raffles, or special events. Some might donate a percentage of the profits of one of your popular products. Fundraising for Aussie Helpers must be in cash and you are NOT permitted to create any official or unofficial social media accounts (like a Facebook Page) OR website addresses using the words "Aussie Helpers" or indicating on those sites that your cause is for Aussie Helpers without getting prior "written" approval from us to do so.
For a general overview of our Fundraising guidelines then CLICK HERE to download and read our Fundraising Brochure now. Most fundraisers only need this document.
If you want our detailed legal Fundraising Matters document then CLICK HERE to download and read now.
We would love to hear from you after you have downloaded and read one of the above two documents. If you still have questions, or need more information and help, just call us at our office during business hours and we will do everything possible to assist you.


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15 August 2012
It's time to launch the autumn and winter fashion collections in stores across the UK, and Fiore has taken a look at the latest trends for the latter part of 2012. We've outlined some of the wardrobe must-haves and big fashion influences for the season.
This winter's principal primary colour continues to be cobalt blue which was a big theme this summer, and we love this Catherine Malandrino jump suit as worn by Sanna Lathan. Another huge trend for this season will be bold prints featuring flora and fauna. Some favourites include the extensive Ted Baker collection while animal prints, and in particular, Kenzo's tiger print jumper, are predicted to be huge sellers.
Prints are very much 'in', and that includes printed trousers and blazers, from casual to formal. We think this ensemble from Chictopia.com demonstrates a great early autumn look, and would be accessorised perfectly with Fiore's large 'Amber' zip top tote bag by Ochre Blue.
With cobalt blue and blazers in mind, we found this idea for a smart, yet practical day at the office at mindfulmum.co.uk Perfect work wear! We think it would be best accessorised with Fiore's 'Asia' bag by Ochre Blue, or perhaps the 'Betty' large tote bag by Tula.
The leather biker jacket is a wardrobe essential that has been popular even through the summer, and it's not going anywhere this winter either. The great thing about the leather jacket is that it's just a timeless classic. Whether it's studded, zipped, coloured, distressed, cropped or glittering, biker jackets may have periods of hibernation on the fashion scene, but they always come back to us, and the best thing is that it looks as great with jeans or a short skirt as it does with a jumpsuit or even shorts. Who better to show us how it's done than Kate Moss...
The military look too, has been with us for a while, and winter sees a resurgence of military influenced jackets and shirts. We particularly like this Militaria Corset from the fabulous Spanish corset maker and fashion house, Bibian Blue.
Check out too, this dramatic full length military coat, in this season's gorgeous cobalt blue.
We hope that's given you some wardrobe ideas for autumn, and don't forget Fiore has a great range of handbags to complement any outfit.
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Following a surge in the number of items received in September, our prediction for volume in October was that the trend would continue with Christmas on the horizon and Autumn often a favoured period by charities.
That prediction proved correct with the weekly average receipt being 10 items, boosting the year to date average to 9.7, but it was achieved in a slightly surprising manner.
Royal Mail D2D delivered just four items in the month spread over three weeks, just 10% of the total volume.
Free newspapers produced a very similar result where the two titles we receive each week contributed just six items, again spread over three weeks, 15% of the total.
Which left our local, solus or shared market with a whopping 30 items – 75% market share!
These scores obviously had an effect on the year to date averages.
Our local market has been for most of the year, double the volume of Royal Mail door to door and free newspapers combined and that lead stretched slightly.
53.4% of all items received by us this year have come from local solus/shared drops, 23.8% via free newspapers, with Royal Mail D2D now bringing up the rear with 22.8%.
November could well be another interesting month and already in the first week, the above trend has been maintained, but more of that next month.
Retail still dominates the overall market with 40.6% market share (with local retailers the largest part of that percentage, delivered via solus/shared drops), followed by general local business promotional activity with 20.9% share and again very much the largest part of that is solus/shared drops.
Direct response occupies third spot with 16% market share, but turning the tables on their heads, Royal Mail D2D has the largest share with 47.5%, but very closely followed by free newspapers with 42.4%.
Nothing wildly exciting in terms of creativity in October, but again we were left a little baffled by Hillary's door drop planning which saw one of our free newspaper titles carry the same leaflet twice in three weeks AND in one of those weeks, Royal Mail also distributed a different version of the leaflet?
We really don't believe that can have a positive effect on response levels or ROI!
And once again, are local businesses cutting corners on shared drops to save money?
Two shared drops we received consisted of competing items, one mix being a local Turkish restaurant, alongside an Indian restaurant, with the set completed by a pizza takeaway?
A week after, a kebab leaflet alongside another Turkish leaflet shared space on our doormat with a Slimming World leaflet (!), but we have made that point before!
Judging by our own workload we would expect November to be a busy month as well, but we will update you on that in December.


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Publication Date
Publication Details
Pesut, B., Hooper, B., Sawatzky, R., Robinson, C. A, Bottorff, J. L & Dalhuisen, M. (2013). Program assessment framework for a rural palliative supportive service. Palliative Care: Research and Treatment,7(1), 7-17. New Zealand: Libertas Academica Ltd. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.4137/PCRT.S11908
Although there are a number of quality frameworks available for evaluating palliative services, it is necessary to adapt these frameworks to models of care designed for the rural context. The purpose of this paper was to describe the development of a program assessment framework for evaluating a rural palliative supportive service as part of a community-based research project designed to enhance the quality of care for patients and families living with life-limiting chronic illness. A review of key documents from electronic databases and grey literature resulted in the identification of general principles for high-quality palliative care in rural contexts. These principles were then adapted to provide an assessment framework for the evaluation of the rural palliative supportive service. This framework was evaluated and refined using a community-based advisory committee guiding the development of the service. The resulting program assessment framework includes 48 criteria organized under seven themes: embedded within community; palliative care is timely, comprehensive, and continuous; access to palliative care education and experts; effective teamwork and communication; family partnerships; policies and services that support rural capacity and values; and systematic approach for measuring and improving outcomes of care. It is important to identify essential elements for assessing the quality of services designed to improve rural palliative care, taking into account the strengths of rural communities and addressing common challenges. The program assessment framework has potential to increase the likelihood of desired outcomes in palliative care provisions in rural settings and requires further validation.
Document Type
Open Access Journal Article
Access Rights
Open Access
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 License


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Here is a small, but useful trick that can help you. when you want to change order of elements on the page on mobile devices. Of course, it may be used for any other purposes.
First of all, you have to specify a container:
Secondly, define inner elements with appropriate classes:
First of all, you have to specify a container:

Secondly, define inner elements with appropriate classes:

DIV #1

DIV #2<>
As you can see the default order is following: DIV #1 and then DIV #2 But how can we change this order on mobile devices? It's simple. Add for each element class for order and define its as following:

DIV #1

DIV #2<>
Now in mobile the order of elements will be following: DIV #2 and then DIV #1


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Deer lures (scents) have become one of the most popular methods of attracting white-tailed deer. But what can you expect and how do you use them?
From early to late November the majority of the does should be in estrus, and the bucks should be cruising, chasing and breeding does, which causes scraping and rubbing to tail off.
By early November scraping by whitetail bucks may have already peaked. From early to late November the majority of the does should be in estrus, and the bucks should be cruising, chasing and breeding does, which causes scraping and rubbing to tail off. But, the bucks may still be scraping and checking scrapes near nighttime food sources, and in travel...
Rattling is most effective in areas with high buck to doe ratios. It is also effective in areas with high numbers of dominant bucks; in areas with limited habitat, such as urban areas; in the marginal habitat of prairie river bottoms; and on property managed for trophy quality.
Bucks respond to rattling out of curiosity and dominance; they want to find out which bucks are fighting, and if there is an estrus doe with them. Rattle near areas bucks regularly use; buck feeding/sparring areas, buck bedrooms, doe feeding and staging areas...
September Pre-Rut/Rubbing Phase and Transition Phase
All of the deer are bulking up for the rut and winter; feeding on alfalfa, clover, green forbes, ripening soybeans and corn in some areas, and mast (acorns, beechnuts). Put out mineral licks and deer attractants in areas where you want deer to come to during the hunting season. Early in the month the bucks should be shedding velvet, and creating rubs and scrapes near late summer nighttime food sources. They may be still traveling together, and may begin sparring at this time.
Reading whitetail deer trails helps you determine which areas the deer are using and when they are using them. Determining when the deer use particular areas is the key to knowing where to setup during the hunting season.
In a comprehensive three year study by researchers from the University of Georgia and Texas A&M-Kingsville, deer responded in 65 percent of 171 rattling sessions. In 73 percent of the responses bucks came to loud, long rattling. Loud, long rattling worked best in the pre-rut; loud, short rattling worked best during the peak rut; long quiet rattling worked best in post rut, when slightly more mature (3.5+ year old) bucks responded.
Welcome to the Whitetails.com's Antler Rattling Hunting Tips. Select the tip you want, and enjoy the knowledge.
* Beating around the bush
* Collecting shed antlers
* Don't rattle too much
* Fixing those rattling antlers
* Late season rattling
* Rattling in many deer
Beating around the bush If hunting on the ground, when rattling, try to hit and rake your antlers against bushes and tree limbs and you can break tree limbs. You can use the base of your antler to simulate stomping and pawing the ground. This will give off a natural sound of two deer fighting. Sent In By: Paul HarrisLocation: Blackshear, GA
Set up your own shed antler collection site. Go to your favorite deer feeding area and drive heavy wooden stakes into the ground in the form of a "V". Cover the wooden stakes with chicken wire. Pour corn or other deer feed in the corner of the "V". Chances are a shedding bucks antlers will get tangled in the chicken wire and stay there for you to collect.
Sent In By: C.J. Benton
Location: Clayton, NC
Don't rattle too much Deer only push each other around for short periods of time, so don't rattle too long or you could spook the deer. When a deer approaches, begin tapping the antlers lighter almost teasing the deer. Sent In By: Steven AngleLocation: Mercersburg, PA
Have a set of deer antlers and you want to try antler ratting? First, remove the antlers from the scull or scull cap. Cut off the brow tines, if it has them. Then drill a small hole near the base of the antlers. Take a small rope, run it through the holes and tie at both ends to make a neck loop. If you don't want to drill holes, leave the flare at the base of the antlers and use a slip type note around the antler bases. Be sure to sand any sharp points or edges. Before your go into the field, spray your antlers and rope with a scent...
Late season rattling After the post rut is over and January sets in deer, especially bucks begin to become less territorial. Trying to rattle is out of the question right? I think not. Next time your stumped in your late hunting season, get one of your buddies to go out with you and place him or her 30 to 40 yards down wind of you. Once you are both in...
Whitetails 2010
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By Gary G. Kohls, MD – April 10, 2019
Sociopathic, For-profit Corporations Own Healthcare in America
Ever since my fellow classmates and I took the Hippocratic Oath when we graduated from the University of Minnesota medical school in 1968, most of us (now retired for a decade or more) tried to fulfill our duties as physician-healers while also trying to not harm our patients in the process.
But times have changed since the Reagan years, when legislation was passed (in 1986) that made it illegal for parents whose children were killed or wounded by vaccines to sue the guilty pharmaceutical corporations (or the physicians or clinics that ordered the injections of the toxic substances, which the US Supreme Court later acknowledged were "inherently unsafe"). (Read about the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 at: https://www.nvic.org/injury…/nvic-position-on-1986-childhood-vaccine-injury-act.as…)
The crass, for-profit multi-national pharmaceutical corporations that have taken over medicine during the second half of my medical career have made it difficult for ethical physicians (and nurses) to honor their Hippocratic Oaths and to do the healing that they were trained to perform.
The interference by healthcare-related corporate powers in the practice of ethical and compassionate care is likely a major reason for the high rate of physician suicides and the fact that more and more physicians are wanting to quit the practice of medicine.
This column is also another attempts at explaining why the infant mortality rate among American infants is the highest in the world (among the 24 most economically-advanced nations) while American infants are also the most over-vaccinated in the world! (Please study the CDC's-recommended chart of childhood vaccines in the archived version of this column.) What other interpretation could logically be applied to that reality? More


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Advisors simply have more choices today.
As a result, you may only be getting a shot at 50% of the plan opportunities that come across an advisor's desk.
Better marketing strategies, or "visibility strategies" as we like to call them, are helping many TPAs stay top-of-mind with advisors between face-to-face meetings.
TPAs who implement these strategies are being asked to bid on more opportunities.
Andy currently works with TPAs with annual revenues of $750K - $9.2M.
With a solid record and road tested approaches, Andy helps TPAs get a shot at more opportunities to present their services and win the business.
Andy Hudson
[email protected]
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Tell us where you are located and what's the best way to reach you and we'll be in touch quickly.


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For limited time, you are able to grab a complimentary copy of the novel, the whole thing and enjoy the read.
When Elle packed her bags and left home with her child in tow, she was determined to live life with memories of her late husband, alone. As the once prominent wedding photographer re-kindles her business, it's partially to keep herself far too busy for stupid little thing like love. By chance, when she meets a potentially special client it's with sweaty palms and skipping beat that may have nothing to with a broken AC and above 30°C heat.
Taking on Mr Stewart as a client may not be strictly business, but will Elle battle all odds, a snobbish matriarch, and a woman hell bent on letting her know that Dean is off-limits unscathed? After all, falling in love with a client is not an option despite Dean's attempt at every turn to steal what's left of her healing heart.
Promotion ends 3rd December.
On Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Charming-Mr-Stewart-Eva-Acharya-ebook/dp/B06VV2HGDW


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Today is a travel day so this will be a quick blog post. It's my last day in Atlanta for the ACSM Health & Fitness Summit. Lucky for me, I started my day with a group cardiovascular exercise session. A three-mile fun run in Grant Park, to be exact. Which brings me to the topic of this post:
What's so great about cardiovascular exercise?
Definition: Cardiovascular exercise (or aerobic exercise) is exercise that makes your heart go faster and that you do for a while.
In other words, it's not sprinting. It's jogging or running, or it's biking or rowing, or Zumba, spinning, fast hiking, whatever floats your boat. The key thing is you're doing it for a while, and your heart rate stays higher than usual while you're doing it. Also, your brain is basically resetting itself to the Happy setting, no matter what craziness has happened in your day to that point.
So I ran a race this morning with a group. Cardiovascular exercise. Done before 7 a.m.
And yes, waking up for the race at 5:15 a.m. was okay.
It was a great time – a little hotter and more humid than I'm used to this time of year in Seattle, but okay. Shorts weather. I like that. I ran my three miles with two busloads of conference attendees (many of whom are college students or recent graduates – which hits rule #1 of my secrets for staying young: hang out with people who are younger than you are). We ran through boot camp groups and walking groups and bunches of people who were out there before the sun came up. Because when you're doing cardio, it is just so much more fun when you're doing it with other people.
So here are my top three things to know about cardio:
1. Why do it? It's one of two ways to actually increase your metabolism (i.e. the amount of energy your body burns each day in order to get through daily activities). By definition, making your heart beat faster burns more calories.
[If you're wondering, the other way to increase metabolism is to build muscle through strength training, because muscle requires more energy to function than fat.]
2. Why do it, Part 2: It strengthens your entire cardiovascular system, makes your body more efficient, and even upgrades some of your body's parts – like capillaries and even arteries. Some endurance athletes have far wider arteries than most folks. One presenter at the ACSM conference this week told us about marathoner Clarence DeMar's inch-wide arteries. His quote: "Who cares what your cholesterol level is when your arteries are an inch wide?"
3. Getting out with a group makes it extra fun. I would not have run 3 miles this morning in Grant Park without a group. With the group, it just became fun, so I did it. Try that sometime. A fun run, a fun 5K walk, a bike event, a swim, or whatever gets you going. And if you're just the solo type no matter what, try volunteering for one of these events. Trust me – it will inspire you.
One last photo from Atlanta:
There you go. Have a happy Friday – see you next week from Seattle.
Recent #every48 workouts: Thursday – a 45-minute spin class at the ACSM Health & Fitness Summit at noon, and about 15 minutes of lifting and stretching in the late afternoon. Friday – a 3-mile run in Grant Park with Summit attendees.


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What is Product Marketing?
Written by Elizabeth Brigham // Also shared on Startups.co.
Product marketing is NOT product management.
Product marketing is NOT growth hacking.
Product marketing is NOT inbound marketing, or demand gen, or content marketing.
Product marketing is the strategy, science and art of bringing a product to market.
Product marketers function as CEO's of their products, product lines, or entire product portfolios. We are responsible for (feel free to steal this for your job description writing):
- Operating with extreme empathy for our target audience(s);
- Understanding the pain points and problems of our target buyers and users;
- Partnering with product management and engineering to develop products and solutions that acutely address those issues;
- Developing pricing that our target buyers are willing to pay and that conveys the value they will receive after a purchase;
- Designing and delivering sales enablement and materials that will lead to pipeline development and closed business;
- Knowing everything about our competitors and how to position our products/company in a unique way;
- Identifying and engaging with appropriate sales/distribution channels and marketing partners to exponentially scale reach and business growth;
- Leading cross-functional teams across integrated marketing, PR/Media, product, engineering, finance, sales, sales operations, sales enablement, HR, business development, and support to launch new products;
- Understanding every aspect of a buyer's journey and experiences with our company from awareness, to interest and consideration, to purchase, support, and ultimately advocacy;
- Cultivating relationships with customers to drive retention and advocacy, and to develop case studies and reference materials for marketing execution;
- Assisting sales teams as a subject matter expert in sales cycles;
- Partnering with sales to incorporate feedback from the frontline into product marketing strategies and initiatives;
- Partnering with product management and engineering to assess product usage and engagement patterns to develop more personalized and relevant customer retention strategies based on actual behavior;
- Reporting success and failures to company senior leadership;
- Briefing media, market analysts and investors on our product(s), go to market strategies and unique point of view on the market, our company's positioning and roadmap;
- Writing, presenting and publicly advocating for the company at events, in trade publications and press, and in the world in general;
- Leveraging data and embracing an agile mindset in every aspect of the above responsibilities to make smarter, sounder decisions to grow our product business and the overall business of the company.
- We're the kids who started lemonade stands, traded and bartered in the elementary school lunch room, and were the first to sign up to help.
- We're insatiably curious and always ask why.
- We're students of business and business models.
- We're relatively obsessed with technology. Our less tech-savvy friends generally turn to us first for "tech" help.
- Our parents have no idea what we do for a living.
- We eventually want to start our own companies, we just haven't figured out the perfect idea yet.
- We love to see and use data to drive our initiatives.
- We're scientists. And artists. We were either engineers or English majors. Or maybe both.
- We're generally pretty tired of marketing buzz words and wish things like "synergy" would evaporate into the ether.
- We're happiest working in a group of super scrappy, smart, ambitious and fun people who like to get sh*t done. We work hard and don't have time for a$$holes.
- We're not into short-term "growth hacking." Sure, we work in sprints, but we're in it for the long haul. We're looking to build sustainable businesses.
You're itching to get product market fit as quickly as possible because your investors are pressuring you, or you're pressuring yourself to get revenue so you can raise your Series A; you know that funding for dreams doesn't really happen anymore. But without a product marketing strategy — how exactly are you going to market? Who needs your product and how can you convince him that he does? — you're entering the Appalachian Trail without a map, or boots, or socks. All the money that you're about to spend on copywriters, or your nephew who knows a bit of HTML, or paid search or Facebook ads, you might as well light on fire. Even if you do get a response, how will you know if they're really the customers you want and can retain (e.g. drive more value to your business)?
Someone with product marketing skills is a key executive hire for your team as you think about taking anything to market. Ideally, this person is on staff BEFORE you finish building anything so you can assess the market and develop a product or service that will solve a problem that someone will actually pay for — otherwise, you have a shiny new thing, but not a business.
According to a CB Insights report that analyzed 101 essays from founders who had failed startups:
"The number-one reason for failure, cited by 42% of polled startups, is the lack of a market need for their product.
That should be self-evident. If no one wants your product, your company isn't going to succeed. But many startups build things people don't want with the irrational hope that they'll convince them otherwise."
Friends, 90% of startups fail. By following the logic above….let's say 40% or even 30% of startups fail because they didn't understand the market they were trying to enter and built a product no one wanted. Guess who could have helped them with that? Yes, a product marketer.
Now think about how much more economic value we could create for our communities by employing product marketers early in the development of our businesses. Could we keep 5, 10 or even 15% more startups in business? How many more jobs could we create? According to the latest data from the Small Business Administration, small businesses account for about 45% of total GDP in the US. If we were able to affect that by 1% we would make a significant impact in the economic health of our local communities.
So why is it so hard to find product marketers in Chicago? I know there are a bunch of you out there, maybe you just haven't had the words to describe who you are, what you do and the value you bring to organizations. I want to help. I'm starting a guild in Chicago to share war stories and help each other bring more awareness to our craft. If you're game, leave a comment here with your contact info or hit me up on my website — www.loquipartners.com.
Together we can build more successful businesses and drive real economic change in our communities — #productmarketers should be your first hire.
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retreat from Talampaya chased by the zonda wind. Well, after that and two and a half hours, we got back to Chilecito and were told the tour was re-booked for two days later, or else we'd get our money back (minus the cost of fuel).
Since we'd made no other plans, we tried to fit something in the rest of the day, a sunless Tuesday afternoon full of suspended dirt, so we visited Chirau Mita, a cactus garden on the Paimán hill beside Chilecito. You enter from the street and climb terraces planted with many species of cacti plus some non-cactus, mostly agaves (the source of tequila).
The guide told us everything we wanted to know about cacti but were afraid to ask, a bit too quickly for my taste, since I'd rather stop beside each plant and take pictures from several angles, while she continued to climb the stairs and speak of other cacti. You can see some of the best cactus pictures on a special photo-only post of my other blog.
We learned that cacti are succulent plants, which reduce the loss of water through the surface of leaves by turning leaves into spines, which has the added advantage of protecting the plant. The trunk itself turns green and takes over photosynthesis. We saw huge spherical cacti ("mother-in-law's cushions"), tiny cacti with infinitesimal flowers, tall straight cacti, cacti with helicoidally twisted trunks, and hairy cacti, with white doll-like manes that protect them from freezing (you know what happens when water contained in a barely flexible container freezes?). We also learned that cacti are exclusive of the American continent.
We returned to the hostel and saw the people mopping the sidewalks in front of shops to remove the fine reddish dirt, before opening to the public. (It was rather late in the afternoon, but siesta time is kept almost as a sacred tradition.) And that was the rest of Tuesday afternoon.
16 September 2008
Vacation report: My God, it's full of cacti!
at 10:18 AM
Labels: 2008 vacations in la rioja, cacti, nature, vacationsStumble it!
1 comment:
- Anonymous20:25
I cant believe how many cacti there are. I was in the Arizona desert last year and there were alot , but they were shaped different. Much like a pitch fork. I found a new travel site, baraaza.com. I think you might like it.ReplyDelete
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Three years ago a team from St Mary's Church in Watton set to work raising funds to restore the church's much loved organ, with a programme of lunchtime concerts, quiz nights, an auction of promises and many other events.
The organ, which dates from 1877, was altered and enlarged in 1975 but more recently expert assessments said it was in need of substantial refurbishment to enable it to be played to its full potential both now and in the future.
When the church was re-ordered in 2012, it was originally hoped that the organ would be refurbished at the same time but there was insufficient funding to do both projects.
Organist and Choir Mistress Lorraine Eldridge from St Mary's, Watton said: "When we were first faced with the challenge of raising £37,000 we knew it was a tough one to take on, but with great support from people in the church, the town, local community and from further afield it has been made possible. We greatly appreciate the many who have helped us achieve this target.
"Once restored, the organ will enhance the wide range of musical life in Watton and the surrounding area. It will also provide a vital teaching resource for both young and mature music students."
One particular fundraising initiative was the special 'Let's make history together' project, where people sponsored different parts of the organ and wrote a dedication or memory in a leather-bound book to form part of the church archive.
Grants were also gratefully received from the EDP Community Chest, the On Organ Fund, R C Snelling Charitable Trust and the Geoffrey Watling Charity.
The work, which is being carried out by W & A Boggis of Roydon near Diss, will begin in early September and it is hoped it will be completed by Christmas.


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May 6, 2019
PITTSBURGH, PA … At the 2019 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, power management company Eaton will show how it is working with oil and gas customers to help solve productivity issues. An increasing global population and changing regulatory environment puts additional pressure on oil and gas operations to meet the world's energy needs. Eaton's industry-exclusive solutions help oil and gas customers simplify maintenance and dramatically reduce or avoid downtime, even in harsh and hazardous areas.
"We know that nearly 20 percent of refinery shutdowns are due to electrical equipment*, and Eaton is helping customers master the power capabilities they need to provide uninterrupted operations and maximized production," said Jill Nelson, director, oil and gas marketing and sales operations at Eaton.
Attendees to Eaton's booth #4838 at OTC can interact with application experts for hands-on demonstrations and see its latest electrical, hydraulic and filtration technologies helping customers reduce risk and optimize processes, including:
For more information, visit Eaton.com/OilandGas.
Eaton's electrical business is a global leader with expertise in power distribution and circuit protection; backup power protection; control and automation; lighting and security; structural solutions and wiring devices; solutions for harsh and hazardous environments; and engineering services. Eaton is positioned through its global solutions to answer today's most critical electrical power management challenges.
Eaton is a power management company with 2018 sales of $21.6 billion. We provide energy-efficient solutions that help our customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power more efficiently, safely and sustainably. Eaton is dedicated to improving the quality of life and the environment through the use of power management technologies and services. Eaton has approximately 99,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 175 countries. For more information, visit Eaton.com.
* Source: U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Assurance Daily, Hydrocarbon Publishing Company: "Refinery power failures: causes, costs and solutions"
Hilary Spittle, (440) 523-5352


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HOA-ly moly! Looks like it's embezzlement week for homeowners associations. HOAs in metro Denver and the Outer Banks of North Carolina lost a total of more than $1.5 million to a couple of crooks. In North Carolina, an HOA's property manager embezzled $860,000 in dues from the HOA to pay for personal expenses. The woman issued checks to herself and other businesses, used the HOA's credit card, and withdrew money from the HOA's bank account, apparently over a period of about five years, WRAL-5, the CBS-affiliated television station in the Raleigh area, reported on Wednesday.
In Denver, an employee of a property management company stole a total of $700,000 from several homeowners associations, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison yesterday. In November, an employee at a different property management company was arrested in a seperate case of alleged embezzlement.
That's scary stuff for homeowners who are asked to fork over hundreds of dollars a month, sometimes backed up with the threat of foreclosure. They expect the money to fund algae-free pools and landscaping for their streets and entrances, not a gambling spree at the local casino.
"That is very disconcerting," Rita Guthrie of the Rocky Mountain chapter of the Community Associations Institute told 7NEWS in Denver. "It is of great concern, I think, to anyone in (the property-management) industry."
F3 Technologies developed its community-management system, Interaction Community Systems, with extensive input from our in-house accounting expert, Stephanie Miller, who teaches accounting systems at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Interaction enhances the internal controls around cash receipts and cash disbursements for HOAs, as well as reporting. Interaction has an electronic payments feature that reduces the number of checks received and handled by people, thus eliminating opportunities for embezzlement. And Interaction makes communities' finances more transparent by allowing members easier and more immediate access to reports than they get with other management platforms.
And not just that — Interaction doubles as a social-networking site for residents and community members. They can post pictures from the cul-de-sac kickball game on a "wall" where it's visible only to their neighbors. They can put out an alert about a stray dog. They can even post links to articles about theft and embezzlement in someone else's HOA.


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Water and Sanitation Services: Rural or Urban Haiti First?
Low coverage rates for clean water and sanitation leave Haiti exposed to significant health burdens. According to the latest estimates, 72% of Haiti's population lack access to improved sanitation facilities and use either shared facilities, other improved facilities, or defecate in the open.
In urban areas, 66% of the population lacks access to improved facilities while in rural areas, 81% of the total population lacks access to improved facilities.
Between 2,000 and 4,500 people die each year from diarrheal disease. And the lack of basic water and sanitation services has contributed to the spread of waterborne diseases, including the cholera outbreak introduced by U.N. peacekeeping troops in 2010.


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Adventure time in the North Cascades! Our 12 mile hike that we planned for Larch Lake yesterday ended up being 21 miles, a 3,000 foot gain in elevation, 12 hours and only seeing Julius Lake. And it would have been longer if not for the kindness of a beautiful soul named Zeke who will be getting a thank you card and care package from the 4 of us. My best friend and her husband laughed at me when I told them we were going on a 12 mile hike, and rightfully so after playing a volleyball tournament the day before. It was about mile 6 that I couldn't feel my legs or butt anymore. And about mile 9 after 3 miles on a steep incline with one more to go that I finally started having legit pain. I'd say mile 15 was when I would have done anything to get off the mountain.
Things I learned: Do research on more than one trail hiking website. Take the Aleve the first time you say you need to, not when you finally remember at the end of the hike. Your body will put up with a lot more than you think it will. Freeze dried meals aren't that bad. And hiking poles are amazing. Today, all I can say is I made it out of bed this morning to work not feeling nearly as awful as I thought I would and managed to make some lovely pictures of fall colors.