The Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews has promised to give Victorian police all of the resources and prosecuting power necessary to tackle the growing rate of youth crime in the state. This promise is to address the ‘African gangs’ issue that had put a spotlight on organised crime in Melbourne.
After taking a week off, Mr Andrews returned to work stating that Melbourne was above all a safe city but that there was no place for criminal behaviour.
He said that he would not excuse people who claimed that circumstances such as poverty were a reasonable explanation for committing crime. Mr Andrews said that Melbourne had seen a number of “nasty incidents” and that his government had a determined, “steely resolve” to ensure that offenders felt the “full force” of Australian law.
Mr Andrews stated that he supported the creation of a database on national gangs that would help to identify and curb criminal behaviour by youths. He also said he supported new measures to engage with African communities to prevent youth crime.
These comments by Mr Andrews come after suggestions by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton that he was a soft touch and failed to give police the powers necessary to combat youth crime.
Mr Andrews responded to comments by Peter Dutton that Melbourne residents were too afraid to go out to restaurants at night for fear of being victimised by African youth gangs. He said that he thought Mr Dutton’s words were “designed to get a rise out of people” and suggested that the Home Affairs Minister must not spend much time in Melbourne.
Ms O’Dwyer added that she thought Mr Andrews needed to “stop being a menace to Victoria” and “start being premier”.
Mr Andrews suggested that much of the language being used in the current discussion about African gangs was supporting racist attitudes. He said that he thought it was “dangerous” that people were taking the actions of criminals who happened to be African and used them to make a broad conclusion about African immigrants.
Several South Sudanese Melbourne residents have revealed to the media that they feel they are being treated differently following scrutiny of African youths related to crime. Many have said they fear for their safety in a society they believe sees them as criminals.
Many Australians have thrown their support behind the African communities of Melbourne, using the hashtag #Africangangs alongside images of Africans graduating and doing other positive things within society.
Many parents find that their teenager isn’t 100% happy in school. In this day and age, education is a lot harder than it used to be and is a lot more stressful.
As well as having to please teachers that all have different teaching styles, students must learn to work side by side with their classmates while still keeping up their grades to appease their parents.
Mix this in with things like bullying, hormones kicking in and home problems, and you can end up with one stressed out teenager. While many parents feel at a loss with what to do when their teen is struggling, the good news is that there are ways to support them.
Occupation therapy for teenagers (OT) is a profession that helps support people in their occupation (meaning their daily activities). For adults, this may be their workplace and/or university, whereas for young adults this is usually high-school and their first job.
Occupation therapy for teenagers is a great way to support children when they are heading into adulthood and can help with some common concerns heard from parents.
Such concerns are usually about concentration levels in school, reading and writing skills, interpersonal skills, physical activity levels, routines, personal care and misbehaving. All of these worries are quite common and are things that can be improved with some therapy.
Occupation therapy for teenagers is the perfect way to teach teens new skills as well as show them what their strengths and weaknesses are. Tools can be taught on how to handle emotions as well as how to best get along with people of all different personalities and background.
These skills can help a child when they are needing to do a class presentation, or are needing to participate in a sports activity. Whatever the concern, there are certainly tools that can be implemented in a safe environment that all teenagers can benefit from.
How to help improve focusing skills
One of the most common concerns that parents have about their children is that they cannot focus. With the rise of technology and smartphones, this has become a huge problem that affects many with their schooling.
Unfortunately, it can be misunderstood that students do not want to learn when they are not paying attention when in fact it is more about how they see and hear information, as well as their anxieties about how they are supposed to process that information.
Photo: Riala, Pixabay
OT is able to address any feelings about schooling and can assess any attention blocks while implementing new and healthier skills. Every person has a different learning style, so it is important to tap into that and to work with it.
OT can also help a young adult understand what the classroom routines are as well as strategies on how to cope with different teaching styles and posture ideas to help them sit still. All of these skills are vital to having a pleasant and rewarding high-school experience.
How to help with misbehaving and anti-social behaviours
Often misbehaving and anti-social behaviour is due to not understanding social cues. Through OT someone can be taught how to understand facial expressions and body language.
They can be taught how to engage in conversation and how to deal with conflict should it arise. It can help to explain to a teen what the teacher needs and wants from them during a class and the benefits that this can bring.
It is important to understand their feelings about school in general and it is often found that teens act out when they are not understanding the curriculum. Embarrassment, frustration, and shame can commonly be masked with misbehaving.
This can also be addressed by focusing on the child’s learning skills and handwriting and speaking can be developed. It is surprising how many teenagers have gotten through most of their school careers without knowing how to properly hold a pen or how to discriminate between certain letters.
Teaching these basic strategies are a great way to help someone feel more confident in the classroom and will encourage them to engage and participate more.
In summary, when a student is struggling in school this isn’t a need for a complete panic. These are absolutely things that can be done to nurture and encourage. The skills learned as a young adult as so vital as they are carried on into the later years.
This can help when it comes time to leave school, find a job, start a family, travel and much more. While teens need to feel independent and trusted, it is also imperative to support them in such crucial years of their life. Occupation therapy is a great way to do this, and many students have experienced profound benefits from this vocation
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been granted Ecuadorian citizenship in part of an effort to help him leave the country’s embassy in London. He has been in a state of asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy for over 5 years.
The decision was made mere hours after a request for Assange to be given diplomatic status was refused by the British government. Such a status would have meant Assange could leave the embassy while being immune from arrest by British police.
In 2017 the Ecuadorian president had criticised Assange and the South American nation’s Foreign Minister, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, said she was hoping to deliver a solution to the dilemma of continuing to grant the controversial figure asylum.
Espinosa told the press that Ecuador was “currently exploring other solutions” in its negotiations with the United Kingdom and other bodies in order to achieve a “just, final and dignified solution”.
The British government continued its hard-line stance against Assange, with a Foreign Office spokesperson saying that the only solution was for Assange to “face justice”. Barry Pollack, Assange’s United States lawyer, did not make any comment.
Assange was granted asylum by Ecuador in 2012 and has lived in the Knightsbridge, London embassy ever since. Assange started his asylum in order to avoid extradition to Sweden to answer questions about a case of sexual molestation.
Despite the fact Swedish authorities have since dropped their questioning the British police have said that if Assange should leave the embassy he would be arrested for a breach of bail conditions.
Assange robustly denied the allegations of sexual molestation in Sweden and has said that, if extradited, he would be handed over by Sweden to the United Sates. Assange fears that his involvement with WikiLeaks, the biggest leak of classified US military documents in history, would have him facing imprisonment or even death at the hands of the United States.
Espinosa said that there were “well-founded fears” about the potential for Assange to be killed if he left the embassy and could therefore not ethically deny him asylum. She however did not provide an explanation of how Assange’s new citizenship would help him escape the embassy.
The new president of Ecuador, Lenin Moreno, who was elected in May last year has not been friendly towards Assange. He stated that while Assange could stay in the embassy he referred to him as a “hacker” and warned him not to interfere with Ecuador’s allies.
For many people around the world Assange is a heroic figure for risking his freedom and life in openly exposing classified documents that revealed a sinister insight into US foreign policy. Others have labelled Assange as cyber-terrorist who has compromised the security of Western nations like the US.
Are you constantly sitting on the bench and playing in the reserves squad? Spending game after game on the bench and getting 10 – 15 minutes on the pitch can be very frustrating when you’re trying to make the starting first team and it can make playing sport uninteresting.
You feel as if you’re never going to be given a chance and at times you hope the team doesn’t do so well so the coach will make a change. It’s an awful feeling to hope that your teammates don’t succeed so you can finally get your chance.
It can be hard to accept that you just need to be patient and wait for your turn because you will definitely get a chance at some point; it then becomes about what you do with that chance.
But what do you do if your coach is very resistant to playing you? What can you do if you feel like your efforts are not being noticed? Well before you decide to leave the club there are two things you can definitely do!
Talk with your coach and ask them how you can improve
Before or after training, ask your coach for 15 minutes of their time for a conversation about their opinion on how you can improve. This will do two things – it will show them that you’re committed and that you highly value their opinion.
The great benefit to this is that you are indirectly flattering them as a coach by complimenting their opinion, they will feel good about themselves. They will also see you as a player who is dedicated and ambitious with your goal of becoming a better player.
When they see you as a player who wants to improve, they will do everything they can to help you. After this one simple conversation, you can dramatically increase your chances of being selected or being given a better opportunity.
Analyse your coaches’ playing style and think about the value you can add
Every coach has their own way of playing and either rightly or wrongly, they believe it’s the best way to play. The players they select to play in their starting XI are the players that they think will best fit into the system.
Even if you disagree with the system, if you want to make it into the starting team then you need to find a way to fit into this system. You also need to think about the value that you can add to the team and how this fits the style of play.
What about your playing style adds value to the team? What can you do differently or better than the players who are currently starting? You need to find your own point of difference that makes you stand out from the other players your coach has got to choose from.
This is about looking at it from your coaches’ point of view. When you observe it from their perspective, it’s much easier to understand why you may not be getting picked. Once you’ve got this mindset, you can begin to put a plan in place on how you can distinguish yourself from the pack.
Both of these methods will greatly increase your chances of getting picked into the starting team. However, at the end of the day it will always come back to your performance on the pitch.
Work hard, train harder than everyone else and eventually you will be able to make the most of your opportunity. When your opportunity does come, make sure you don’t panic and blow it!
Ever changing trends and technologies not only keeps everyone on edge but also keeps the excitement high. The kind of passion any trend gathers awesome and web design is no different.
Ever since web design has made an appearance, it has only been exploring new avenues and possibilities and with new inventions in 2018, the success rate will only continue to rise at even faster pace.
The change is now
The newness and uniqueness that web design has managed to pull is incredible in its own way and along with new edgy developments, only a superior-quality websites are now expected. All that web design has in store for its users is the most recent, absolute and skillful evolution it may ever witness.
Various web design companies and agencies are almost at work and started experimented with these newly found developments to bring the best in their client’s websites and hence business.
2018 will leave a memorable mark
As anticipated and expected, 2018 is going to bring the most rebellious wave of change that will shake the web design world in a positive manner. Voice interface and virtual reality, just to name a few that raise the standards of excellence to the next level.
The clients may only look forward to simple, nice and perfect websites and what is least expected is a disappointment as the newness is winning the hearts already.
Web design trends
Here are some of the developments and hot trends that web designers are eagerly looking forward to:
1. Dynamic and self-explanatory logos and graphics
This is one of the new trends that is catching up at a really fast pace and spreading like wildfire. Simple looking logos and graphics have a magical mechanism beneath. And this mechanism gets active on a simple scroll.
Moving the cursor over the images, the information it reflects says it all about the brand and its products or services. This is indeed the most creative and innovative yet productive tool.
2. Virtual reality made a mark
Videos have already made their mark on websites; however what is exciting about them one will witness in 2018 is the intractability it will furnish with.
Videos indeed have the everlasting effect on its viewers as it will give them an opportunity to meet the real thinkers behind their much loved and accepted product or service.
With the new feature of 360 modelling, mapping and coverage, the realness it will bring is unimaginable. Although it will be an expensive affair however, to begin the experiment roll, various software are available to create the 360 magic on a smaller scale.
3. Flat designs are in
Gone are the days when the computer was the only designated space to check out some websites. The current era is extremely technology based and driven that users have begun to check out these websites on their mobile devices.
However, what slightly hindered the entire mobile-website experience were the designs and the time it takes to download. Thus, looking at the current struggle, 2018 promises to bring sleeker, cleaner and flatter designs.
This will not only cut down the chaos of too much information also the will take less time to download. Hence, making it a win-win situation with the bang on information with less time consumption.
4. Fonts may make it or break it
Along with beautiful and graphically driven images and pictures, what is breaking all trends is the uniqueness fonts are attracting. Indeed every font style has a dedicated role to play.
Using the most appropriate font will not only convey the information but also will do that with equal effectiveness and impact. On understanding its importance, businesses have to get their personalised fonts and writing styles exclusively designed for them.
These special fonts and colour used have hidden messages stored in them hence if put forth well can be highly fruitful and impressive.
5. Security features are safer
Ever since internet has come into existence, along with extensive and boundless possibilities it has brought it, it has attracted evil eyes as well. An evil eye that only aims at harming the user and benefits themselves in some of the other ways.
Despite various safety measures, hackers used to enter the website and ended it up making a destructive and irrevocable harm to the reputation of the client as well.
However, not anymore as various authoritative online players have come forward to put an end to it. Hence have begun to spread a word of caution on other websites informing them about the possible, hidden threats they are exposed to.
A hospital spokesperson has confirmed that actress Jessica Falkholt remains in a critical condition following the horrific Boxing Day car crash that killed her parents and sister.
The 29 year old Home and Away star found fame as Hope Morrison in the long-running soap that has created the opportunity for her to be a part of her first feature film, a supernatural thriller, Harmony.
On Friday morning she had her life support machine turned off, the day after the funeral of her two parents and sister. This comes more than two weeks after the crash on the New South Wales south coast.
Both of Falkholt’s parents, Lars, 69, and Vivian, 60, tragically died at the scene as the car blew up in flames not long after emergency services arrived. Her younger sister Annabelle, 21, was pulled from the wreckage but tragically died in hospital on December 29 following severe injuries. All 3 family members were farewelled at a funeral on January 10.
The crash occurred on the Princes Highway near Ulladulla at approximately 10:45am on December 26 when a 4WD crossed onto the wrong side of the road colliding heavily with the Falkholt’s car. The driver of the 4WD, Craig Anthony Whitall, 51, also died at the scene.
According to The Daily telegraph, Mr Whitall was a serial traffic offender with over 60 cases to his name. He had even previously served jail time, including for driving without a licence. The man was supposedly on his way from a methadone clinic in Nowra when the crash occurred.
At the Falkholt’s funeral, many were keen to pay tribute to the family highlighting the love they had for each other and for others. One woman even cited the irony of the tragedy to occur saying that Lars Falkholt was “such a careful driver”.
Vivian Falkholt’s younger brother, Paul Ponticello, said that they could take a small bit of comfort in knowing that they will all be together.
Annabelle Falkholt’s best friend, Brittany Macchetta said that Annabelle had a strong passion for travel, Harry Potter and the arts even quoting a line from Harry Potter in her speech, “The ones who love us never really leave us, you can always find them in here (the heart)”, highlighting her love for her best friend.
Jessica Falkholt’s first feature film, Harmony, is set to be released later this year. She was also due to star in a new crime thriller for Channel 9, Bite Club, in the coming months.
A construction worker from Eagleby has survived a frightful encounter with a venomous brown snake that found its way into the driver compartment of his Ute. The worker was lucky to escape as he discovered the eastern brown snake slithering across his arm on Tuesday while he drove to work.
The worker quickly pulled over to the bank of Mount Cotton Road in Mount Cotton when he reported feeling a scaled reptilian moving over his arm. The driver fled the car as the snake retreated behind the front seats.
The shocked construction worker called Stewart Lalor, a Brisbane snake catcher from Wynnum, who quickly proceeded to the site. Despite pulling apart the car Mr Lalor was unable to find the snake.
Mr Lalor said that they “checked everywhere” but were unable to find the snake which he suspected was trying to escape the heat and found its way inside the car. He went on to say that he thought the snake might have been a young red-bellied black snake.
Being convinced the snake had left the car, the driver continued on his way to work. When he arrived at the construction site he re-encountered the snake under his dashboard.
When Mr Lalor arrived at the construction site he was able to identify the snake as an eastern brown snake which is one of the most venomous kinds in the world. The snake had managed to get inside via a tiny space around the side of the handbrake.
Photo: @elitesnakecatchingbrisbane/ Facebook
The snake had made its way into the car through an open window but Mr Lalor said that it’s intentions were not hostile, wanting to “avoid conflict” any way it could.
Footage has made its way onto social media showing the moment that Mr Lalor successfully removed the snake from the car. After an hour-long struggle to get a hold of the snake Mr Lalor was able to grip the snake and reach around the car’s footwell with his hook.
Mr Lalor’s assistant is seen to move the passenger seat back to create more room, anticipating the moment of capture. Mr Lalor then hooks the snake with his catching hook and removes it from the car.
While his assistant gathered a bag to place the snake in Mr Lalor held the reptile up for a photo. The snake is then placed in a purple bag and the threat of danger is removed.
Photo: @elitesnakecatchingbrisbane/ Facebook
After all parties made a sigh of relief the snake was then safely released into the bushland.
Consultants in the Information Technology (IT) industry can be a tremendous asset to your organisation. Yet this is only on the proviso that they happen to be sourced correctly.
Plenty of enterprises from all domains will leave IT either to an unqualified internal employee or quickly take on a specialist who is not catered to the specific demands of your business.
There are all manner of reasons why a company would want an IT specialist to contribute to the operation. Their knowledge can add value, innovate something new, fill a gap in the staff or promote a change to a more progressive direction.
Whatever the rationale, there are fundamental points that should be considered before signing off on a new consultant.
Quality communicator
Just how does this IT specialist plan on communicating with you? How often will this occur and in what manner will they present the information to you?
They might happen to be one of the most brilliant minds on the planet, but if they cannot articulate clearly how they have identified, negotiated and solved your IT problems, then the business will not be able to identify future concerns.
This also takes a degree of personable skills and depending on your circumstance, an ability to work well within a team environment.
Industry standing and reputation
Every single one of these IT candidates should come courtesy with an extensive portfolio that illustrates exactly why they are perfect for the role.
Firms like Red Hat Consulting, IPP Consulting, Synapse IT Consultants and Hybrid Cloud Solutions are just the tip of the iceberg for domestic companies in this industry, all coming equipped with qualified specialists.
However, it is best to take the time and examine how they solved issues with past projects and whether or not they have the tools to meet your needs.
Knowledge of your circumstances
Speaking of which, it is paramount that the IT consultant does not enter your business cold turkey. They should already have undertaken enough research to understand what is required by the owner or department head.
It might have to do with specifics with a hospitality enterprise or an accounting firm that has their own mode of operation. This consultant should be geared to tackle any challenge thrown there way without any surprises in store.
Clear KPIs
The Key Performance Indicators (KPI) are a mode of ensuring that standards, practices and objectives are maintained from the start of the project to conclusion. It is easy to lose track of a consultant who was brought onboard in one phase before losing focus on their progress.
There should be scheduled reporting periods where the methodology is laid out clearly for both parties to analyse performance. Complete transparency has to be bought into because a hidden agenda won’t provide a satisfactory outcome.
References and work history
If the standing and reputation appears to be on the money, then it is worthwhile investing some time and energy into their references, history and accreditation.
Every consultant should arrive to the job or job interview with certification that matches their resume of work, demonstrating that they are up to date with modern guidelines and industry expectations.
It also helps their individual cause if they illustrate to being a member of an accredited community of IT consultants. This could be the PCSL IT Consulting Institute or The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes.
This will inform your enterprise is that the specialist is not in the role just for the short-term boost to their own finances, but are wanting to establish a long-term commitment to the field of Information Technology.
Zac Avery is the leading home loan broker for Brisbane based finance firm, Blue Fox Finance. He is an expert in his field and has personally assisted countless individuals and families in their property dreams.
He understands that Australians want to be able to own a home, but in the current climate this dream is becoming increasingly difficult to reach.
Avery helps his clients every step of the way to ensure they find the best loan possible, which is most suited to the individual’s situation. He is proud to have helped so many people reach the milestone of owning their own home.
As well as this, he is always keeping up to date with the latest changes in the industry to ensure he is always on the top of his game and helps to push the business to be one of the leading mortgage brokers.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you ended up choosing the finance industry.
After finishing school, I spent almost 4 years studying at The University of Queensland, this time was split between studying a Bachelor of Software Engineering and a Bachelor of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering.
After leaving University, I still had no idea what I wanted to do as a career only that Engineering wasn’t for me. The next step in my journey came about when I was offered a shot as a Real Estate Agent with Coronis Real Estate.
I first did an unpaid trial with Coronis for a week, which in hindsight was the worst work week I’ve yet experienced – it was 12 hours every day and to succeed meant to book an appointment with a new house seller every day, which is basically an impossible feat.
After my trial with Coronis, I went on to work as a full time Real Estate Agent with Elders Real Estate for a little under a year, until one day, my sister’s Mortgage Broker in Gladstone gave me a call unexpectedly asking if I’d be interested in a position as a Mortgage Broker in his business.
I spent over 2 years working as a Broker and learning all about the finance industry, completing my relevant studies whilst working.
Why did you start your own business?
Starting my own business was always something I knew I would one-day do, even if I expected it to be a little later in life. After leaving Gladstone and moving to Brisbane to continue as a Mortgage Broker, starting my own business was always an option from day one.
Whilst exploring my options: how I would do it, creating a business plan, which aggregator I would use etc., I also talked to various Mortgage Broker firms in Brisbane about potential employment.
There were many opportunities, but they all offered me the same basic deal: “You get a low retainer, you’re expected to source most of your own leads, and we expect a cut of your commissions”. Nothing I was offered made sense to me as an alternative to starting my own business, so I continued with the plan and opened shop in early 2017.
What would you say is the biggest thing you learnt while setting up your business?
It’s a lot of work, and things never go as you expect. The setup of a business is a lot of work, but after the initial setup is when everything starts to get difficult.
After everything is in place and you’ve been officially trading for a month or two, this is when you need to start getting regular enquiries and clients – which is the hardest part. Getting new clients is a very difficult and ongoing task, and is much more difficult than I anticipated.
The second major thing I learnt is the mental shift that occurs when working for yourself: I’ve had a lot of jobs in other people’s businesses and working long hours, weekends, and public holidays was something I would only ever do begrudgingly.
Since working for myself I not only work the longer hours, but I’m happy to do it knowing that it benefits me and my business significantly.
Have there been many changes recently to the industry that impact the way you do business?
Compliance requirements for credit licensees are getting stricter all the time. Personal loans and car loans have become a much more difficult task since the introduction of various compliance requirements and documents: I now need to meet every client face-to-face and prepare various additional, time-consuming documents.
This makes the whole process much less appealing for clients, and essentially reduces my target audience to Brisbane only. The Australian Government has also undergone a large crackdown on investment lending over the last 12 – 24 months.
The new restrictions make it both harder and more expensive to get investment loans, further reducing my potential client base.
What piece of advice would you give to someone looking to start their own business?
Overprepare and under-expect. Have a plan and a budget, and be sure to stick to it; however, when making the budget, prepare for the worst and have a backup plan. You also need to mentally prepare yourself for 70+ hour work weeks if you really want to succeed, and this comes at the cost of seeing friends and loved ones.
Talking to your partner and family before undertaking entrepreneurship is highly recommended; you’re going to need support and they need to understand that you are likely to be somewhat absent for the first 12 – 24 months.
How do you differentiate yourself and the business in this highly competitive industry?
Technology is my advantage. I have a background in software and web development and have used this as the backbone of my marketing strategy. Approximately 90% of my clients come through Google or another online source.
When starting my business, I knew I was getting into a competitive market, but I also saw an opportunity: the majority of the Mortgage Broking industry is owned and ran by an older generation, who are more inclined towards traditional marketing strategies such as radio, TV and billboards.
I bypass a large portion of the market by going online, by having a fast and high-converting website and ensuring I’m in a prominent spot on Google for anyone looking for Finance or Mortgage Broking services.
What has been the biggest thing you have had to overcome when starting your own business?
Initial cashflow was the major problem. I started my own business with a lot of cash at hand, expecting it to go much further than it did. Whilst I got enquiries in the early stages, they were very minimal for the first 6+ months, and even then, I wouldn’t get paid for 2 – 3 months after the initial enquiry.
My solution was Uber – when I started running low on funds, I would drive from 5am – 9am, work on Blue Fox Finance until 5pm, then set off to drive Uber around until 10pm again almost every day.
Is there anything about your business that you would change if you could start over?
There is nothing I would change about the business in its current state; however I would have changed the way I got here. To help with cashflow, I would’ve either: got a job and saved more before starting, or worked a part-time job on weekends from day one (or both).
I would still have stuck with the digital marketing strategy; however, I would have gone about it in a different way. An example is my website (which is my main lead generator): I’ve recently re-made my website which has given increases in traffic, user experience and conversions.
Doing this on day one would have had a compounding effect which would have helped the business grow much quicker. All-in-all, I’m happy with my business, and although the road has been tough so far, I’m really glad I did it.
Zac Avery is here to help his clients every step of the way and to ensure they fully understand the process of obtaining a loan, any fees involved – so there are no surprises down the track. The personalised service from Avery and the team at Blue Box Finance has made them a stand out as mortgage brokers in Brisbane.
Stepping into the Family Court can be a trying experience. Nerves are high, the stakes are high and for someone who has never spent time in a courtroom, it can be incredibly daunting. The Family Court of Australia assists people in resolving complex family disputes with their specialist judges and staff. Some examples of disputes are child support matters, custody matters and other disputes to do with separation and divorce. Many people gain their idea of Family Court from movies, and this is often an inaccurate depiction. In order to be best prepared, there are some simple but important things to be aware of. This article will explore these things, and hopefully provide a little knowledge that offers some peace of mind.
Find a great representative
In order to be best aware of individual rights and responsibilities, it is best to find a great solicitor to help. Many who do not seek legal advice or support end up walking in blind, and begin the process on the back foot. A lawyer is extremely experienced in the courtroom and can guide clients on exactly what is going to happen. This knowledge can be extremely powerful as it leaves a client feeling prepared, confident and calm under what can be extremely stressful times. For those who are struggling financially, legal aid can be implemented to act as a representative and can often garner good results.
Dress formally
While it is not a necessity to dress formally, it is encouraged to do so. The court is an extremely serious place to be, and for a client to acknowledge this importance, it is beset to dress accordingly. Many who choose to wear everyday clothes can send out the wrong message, and not make the best impression with the judges. For those who do not wish to wear a suit, dressing as neatly as possible is also appropriate. Wearing thongs, shorts, singlets or no shoes is highly discouraged. It is important to be aware of how to dress before stepping into Family Court.
Find a babysitter
Many are not aware that it is discouraged to bring children into the courtroom. As it is a quiet place that needs everyone’s undivided attention, the less distractions the better. Unless otherwise stated, it is beneficial to organise a babysitter in advance. Alternatively, a child could be left with a trusted friend or family member. For those who have no-one to leave their children with, they can discuss their options with their lawyer or with the court ahead of time.
Arrive early
It is absolutely vital to arrive at least thirty minutes before the scheduled start time. While it is possible that a case won’t be called at the scheduled time, it can sometimes occur, and it is important to not be late or miss the calling. For first-timers, the process can be overwhelming so arriving early can help counteract surprises that pop up e.g. not knowing where to go or who to talk to. Arriving early can also give a chance to go over notes with the solicitor and to mentally prepare for the process ahead.
Eat beforehand
There is no food, drink or chewing gum allowed inside the courtroom so it is important to eat beforehand. On top of consuming food and drink beforehand, it is wise to use the facilities before entering as well. For those that have medical issues where they may need food or regular toilet visits, need to discuss this with their lawyer, or with the court well before the day.
Be silent in the courtroom
All mobile phones and devices must be turned off beforehand, as it is a silent and professional arena. Things like chewing, chatting, laughing or any other noises are frowned upon, so it is important to be aware of this. Some clients are advised to take a simple stress ball into the courtroom in order to distract themselves while they wait. Others practice deep breathing techniques to remain calm.
In conclusion, there are some important things to be aware of before stepping into the family court. You might ask your family lawyer for more information, however, it is important to first find a great representative that will explain all the rights and responsibilities that a client has. As court is a formal setting it is beneficial to dress accordingly. Unless otherwise stated, children are not encouraged to attend court, so it is wise to find a babysitter ahead of time. Arriving early is crucial, as well as eating beforehand due to no food or drink allowed in the courtroom. All mobile devices must be turned off when entering the room as silence is encouraged. Knowing these simple things can help a family court experience be as stress-free and pleasant as can possibly be.
If your career is based in the domain of sales, then you will not need any convincing over the cut-throat nature of the business. Those that get emotionally invested in the industry tend to fail while the professionals who access the right kind of short cuts manage to get a leg up on the competition.
This is where the adage ‘work smarter, not harder’ really does present itself. Through applying your skillset to a series of software tools that are completely free to use, your enterprise can be taking steps in the right direction.
From prospectors to scheduling and managing an array of marketing materials, there is means of simplifying your day-to-day efforts with the assistance of some programs that are freely accessible.
So examine these platforms carefully and take advantage of what they have to offer.
Hootsuite
Social media integration will be one of those buzz phrases that sales executives will mention from time to time and if you want to develop a plan that works for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, then Hootsuite is the tool for you.
It allows beginners and experts alike to schedule their content, track the progress of likes and expressions, and sync it all into one hub.
Social media accounts merely act as an extension of the business to open up more modes of communication with consumers, so keeping track of those incoming messages and promotions can be less stressful and more efficient on the company clock.
FindThat.Email
Procuring a database full of emails can be a laborious exercise that takes one individual sales staff days, weeks or even months on end to craft successfully.
To issue something of a short cut to that process, FindThat.Email can deliver on searched emails for an approximate success rate of over 90% according to Ahrefs.
With over 100 million verified emails on their system, this tool can be utilised courtesy of a Google Chrome extension.
CharlieApp
In between your commute to and from work, grabbing lunch, prospecting and attending 6 various meetings with department heads, it can be easy to overlook the need to research a client when an encounter approaches.
Should you require an on-the-spot summary of a prospect’s profile without having the time to undertake that research yourself, then CharlieApp can fill the breach.
By tapping into Google Calendar, this tool extracts important data about a company to give you a greater understanding for their personnel, history and mode of operation.
Rapportive
This neat little application manages to make you come off as an incredibly knowledgeable, thoughtful and considerate individual.
Rather than only communicating to an email contact based on their name, in your capacity in sales, you can see their LinkeIn bio, social media profile, photo, email history between yourselves and geography.
Rapportive operates to transition a cold contact to a warmer one, giving you more access to their standing and habits.
Boomerang
Experienced sales staff understand the need not only to curate emails that are optimised to a campaign or message, but send them out at the right time. There is no point issuing a promotion to your consumer base when it is sent out at 3.30pm on a Friday.
Boomerang helps schedule your Gmail output with archiving and reminders that manages your communication. While there is a $4.99 per month plan attached with additional functions, the free plan on Boomerang still gives users a credit of 10 messages.
That way the big email campaign effort can be sent out at 9am on a Tuesday for all the retailers and business owners to see it when they are fresh and responsive, even if you forgot from the previous week. Pretty neat.
Domain Authority (otherwise known as DA) is a search engine ranking score created by a company called Moz. Moz is a Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) consulting company that began in 2004 with the mission to help clients with their websites.
This score will forecast how well a site will rank on search engine result pages. Some people refer to a search engine result pages as SERPs. The scoring is ranked on a scale from one to one hundred with the highest score meaning the greatest ability to rank in search results.
This is tallied by looking at a few different aspects of a site. Linking root domains and the number of total links are both evaluated, as well as in-house evaluation methods called MozRank and MozTrust.
All of this is put into a single score, the Domain Authority score. This is then used to discover the ranking strength of a site, and it can be used to compare different websites to one another.
This is an extremely powerful tool as it can be used to discover how relevant search engine companies such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing are deeming that website. This in turn, will uncover how many visitors that site is likely to get and as well as how many sales, newsletter subscribers, and clients will be gained.
Furthermore, Google now uses Domain Authority to help determine their rankings. This article will further explore the ins and out of DA as well as the benefits that can be experienced when increasing it.
How to know what is a good score and what is a bad score?
Moz has created a free Google Chrome-extension called MozBar, which will allow people to view their DA score. When a page is first created, it begins at 0. Large companies that have a high amount of links will be close to 100.
Photo: Screenshot/Moz.com
Smaller businesses may only have a few links (even though they are good quality) and so will have a lower result. Because of the differences in sites, it is important to not ever compare one score to another.
It is more a comparative tool that can be used to assess individual growth. For example, if someone is implementing a range of optimisation techniques and their DA has not grown, then those techniques may not be working.
Alternatively, if someone hires a professional digital marketing company, they will want to make sure that the methods they are using are increasing their levels. This is why it makes such a great tool as it really gives business owners an insight into the health of their web pages, as well as to the health of their online marketing campaigns.
What can be done to improve DA?
The only way that it can be influenced is by improving SEO. MozRank and MozTrust are mainly influenced by the number of good quality links that are shared elsewhere on the internet.
A great way to increase links is through guest blogging. This involves sharing a post on another relevant website. For example, a health coach may create a blog to be shared on a nutrition page. Here you find a list of high quality websites which accept guest posts.
That page will also include links that will lead readers back to creators’ site. It is a great option for both parties as posting regular content is also an optimisation method because Google is more likely to show a site that is up-to-date. It is also a great way to build a business connection.
The more connections that are made, the more likely it is that word of mouth will build, and more guest blogging opportunities will arise. Another great way to improve a link profile is by creating amazing content that will encourage people to share onto their social media accounts.
Furthermore, individuals can share their own pages on their social media platforms. This is why many successful businesses focus on a wide variety of social media accounts rather than just one. This means using a mixture of Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Tumbler and more.
Of course, keeping up with all of these platforms can be time-consuming so this is when many people to decide to hire an online digital marketing agency to help share their links across all of their platforms.
Hiring a professional digital agency is also a great idea because oversharing can be seen as spam, so it is important to get advice on how, when and where to share without overdoing it. You need to be careful when looking for SEO experts as many of them give false promises.
What can be done when a DA is going down instead of up?
Photo by Daniel Páscoa, Unsplash
Sometimes when people are attempting to get their levels to rise, they actually end up going down. There are a few reasons why this can happen. A common mistake that is made is that people share their page to places that do not contribute to Google rankings.
For example, search engines do not look at the amount a page has been shared to social media. They only take notice when something is shared to social media that then leads to other online activities such as more visitors and increased clicks.
This is one of the many reasons why links need to not only be good quality, but they need to be shared in places where they are likely to be seen by interactive or interested users.
Another reason why scores may not have risen is that it can take a few cycles for a score to change. These cycles are known as index update cycles and it may take several of them for new page shares to be included.
Furthermore, some of the larger websites have an astronomical amount of links shared. This can skew the scale and lead to a change in a DA. For this reason, among other reasons, those who have lower scores are more likely to experience fluctuation.
What are the some of the benefits of having a higher score?
One of the many great benefits of having a higher Domain Authority is that there will be an increase in traffic. The more something is seen, the more likely it is to be clicked on.
When a page is presented well and has suitable click funnels, it is able to direct visitors to where they need to go. This is usually to a newsletter opt-in or other online advertising methods, a sales page or to a services page.
When there is plenty of healthy traffic, these numbers can be used to collaborate with other businesses. When a company sees that there is a high number of visitors they are more likely to offer sponsored post deals, affiliate deals, ads as well as other collaborations.
Individuals are more likely to be invited to speaking events or to participate in podcasts and YouTube videos. Basically, a higher number means more legitimacy in the eyes of not only Google but also other businesses.
What are some other ways to increase Domain Authority?
As well as the method already discussed such as guest blogging and link building, there are plenty of other strategies out there that can be implemented. One simple way that is often overlooked is choosing a good domain name.
It is important to pick something that stands out but that also lets people know what the business is about. It also needs to be easy to spell and easy to remember so visitors will have no troubles returning.
Easy and relevant domain names are also more likely to be shared and will invoke a sense of trust. Many people like to brainstorm with a digital marketing agency before choosing their domain name, so thorough research can be conducted beforehand.
Another thing that many forget to think about is font. Sometimes first-time designers can get wrapped up in trying to stand out from the crowd and end up using crazy fonts that are quite hard to read.
Cursive fonts can also be harder to read on mobile phones and tablets. Opting for simpler and easy to read fonts such as Arial or Times New Roman is a very simple way to optimise on-page content.
Similarly, it is important to think about font size as well. Many designers suggest the size 16 as it can be easily read on computers and mobile devices alike. Another great increasing method is to ensure that a site’s speed is up to scratch.
This can be achieved by not clunking it up with too many images and videos or by regularly checking the speed of a page with online tools such as the PageSpeed tool by Google.
At the end of the day, there are many different increasing techniques that can be used, but it is always a great idea to chat with a professional before implementing them.
What are Mozrank and MozTrust?
As mentioned previously in this article, Mozrank and MozTrust are both used in conjunction with other things to help calculate DA. While many people have heard of these things, they do not actually know what they are. MozRank is the metric used to determine the strength of a site’s external links.
It evaluates not only the number of these links but the quality of them. This means that it is better to have less good-quality ones versus heaps of low-quality ones. This is measured on a scale of 0-10 with 10 being the highest. The average number for MozRank is 3.
Similarly, MozTrust is used to establish link quality by assessing how many trusted websites have shared them. Examples of trusted sites are .edu and .gov.
So, working hard to share to these trusted options is a great way to increase MozTrust levels and so the overall Domain Authority. Once again, this is measured from 0-10 with higher meaning more trust.
Is it possible to increase levels without the help of a professional?
The truth is everything in the world can be done without a professional. But it is important to ask how good the quality of work is going to be. Any regular person could build a house, but it doesn’t mean that the house will be very good or will withstand the test of time.
It is the same with SEO and DA. Time can be spent researching different techniques and methods, but that time isn’t going to pair up against the time a digital agency has spent using these techniques.
The SEO and marketing professionals literally spend hours per day researching and trialling methods and have usually been doing this for many years. A lot of people who work for themselves also find themselves getting stretched too thin.
This is because they are not willing to delegate. While, of course, it can take a lot of trust to hand jobs over to someone else, it can often have astronomical benefits in the longs run. Many expert agencies also have several different packages as they understand that not every company is the same.
Larger companies may need large amount of work completed whereas smaller ones may only need a little bit of help. But it is important to understand that no matter the size of an organisation, SEO is still one of the most important things to focus on.
For those who are absolutely determined to do everything themselves, they have the option to seek the support of a skilled worker who can at least teach them some basics. This way, spam methods can be avoided, and visibility is still increased.
There have been many things discussed in this article but there are still other things to consider. There are many methods that need to be avoided such as keyword stuffing or posting unoriginal content.
It is always better to only include keywords a few times and to use original photos and infographics. Again, things to be avoided can be discussed with a digital agency. At the end of the day, content is key and all of these techniques cannot work without regular and original content.
This can be done by blogging regularly, by staying up-to-date with social media and by having regular brain storming sessions to come up with new and fresh content. Once this is done regularly, website owners can then begin to look at increasing their DA and SEO to experience the benefits of a wider audience.
From futuristic chassis designs to high-tech interior features, cars are simply becoming “smarter” each day. Back in the day, a car with MP3 audio was considered a luxury, while we couldn’t even imagine having a touch screen featured on the dashboard.
Thankfully, car technology developed to the point where we can drive safer and even rely more to our vehicles. And, that’s exactly what Nissan is working on.
The company is trying to develop a system to help drivers maneuver safer by using brain wave technology. The idea is to develop a device which will track brain waves in order to help drivers react faster during evasive maneuvers and make driving safer.
Nissan suggests that a car will actually learn from the driver
The company has revealed it’s newest program called Brain-To-Vehicle (B2V) which is a part of Nissan Intelligent Mobility and focuses on faster driving reactions.
This technology will help the car determine if the driver is about to perform an evasive move like braking or swerving while potentially speeding up those maneuvers.
This latest breakthrough relays on the measurement of neurons firing in the brain, which could predict driver’s actions while detecting and removing driver’s discomfort.
Nissan’s device will catch signs from driver’s brain, which indicate that the driver will make a movement – an action like accelerating or turning the steering wheel.
The technology will be able to assist the driver and perform that action more quickly, which can significantly improve driver’s reaction time and maintain safe driving.
The new driver assistance technology will also be able to detect driver’s discomfort and evaluate it. By discovering these potential hazards, artificial intelligence will be able to take control and change the driving configuration and style, when in auto mode.
There is still a lot more to be done
Although Nissan’s representatives are hoping that the Brain-To-Vehicle’s practical application will come within the next five to ten years, finalising this type of technology might take longer.
This concept is based on EEG, also known as electroencephalography method, which requires a headset with electrodes on a person’s scalp, in order to measure brain patterns.
However, EEG headsets were used in the past in video gaming, prosthetic limb development and even in Renault’s experiment where they actually tried to control a car.
In addition, Jaguar was testing the similar system back in 2015, while some researchers were exploring similar theories in 2011. Even though these previous attempts weren’t successful and there were many cases where EEG method failed, Nissan strongly believes that their approach is going in the right direction.
In the recent press release, Nissan’s representatives explained that even though a driver will wear a headset of electrodes, this won’t be a distraction.
Nissan’s Brain-To-Vehicle technology won’t be a distraction for drivers
Nissan’s new advertisement. Video: Nissan/ YouTube
In the video shown by the car giant, a driver is seen wearing the latest device, which was described as easy to wear and lightweight, although it is equipped with high-performing sensors.
There are still a lot of questions that need to be answered, but one thing is sure – Nissan is definitely moving towards brain-assisted vehicles.
The company even helped in the creation process of a brain-assisted vehicle – Cybathalon, which was done in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.
Although this was created for competition purpose, enabling people with disabilities to compete, they still had a chance to use and test EEG based driver assistance technology.
The Coalition government is being pushed by real estate agents to create a ‘property services’ role in the cabinet ministry. The aim is to draw the multi-billion dollar property and property development industry under more direct government supervision.
The proposal, issued in a submission from REIA (Real Estate Institute of Australia), has been heavily scrutinised by critics who cited there was not a clear benefit for Australians.
This scheme would create a new position at the federal or even state level that would manage all policy issues surrounding property. This would include issues of taxation, law, property affordability and the supervision of real estate agents.
In the current Australian law, real estate agents are governed by fair trading legislation. Other issues relating to property are spread out amongst different arms of the government.
Malcolm Gunning, the REIA president, said to the media that bringing policy relating to property under one umbrella would be “better” for Australians. He went on to say that it was important not to look at property issues “in isolation” but to keep policy collected in one place.
Mr Gunning stated that property and real estate should be given the “importance and administration” that it needs.
The submission made by REIA acknowledged that property was one of the biggest sectors in Australia’s economy and was a significant driver for economic growth following the end of the mining boom.
The submission said that the property sector would remain a “major source of employment and investment” for several decades.
Professor at the UTS Institute of Public Policy and Governance, Alan Morris, was doubtful about who the dedicated minister for property would be serving. He suggested that a property minister would potentially only serve the interests of the real estate industry and not necessarily the best interests of Australians.
Despite his doubts, Morris admitted that there was room for a housing minister in the Australian government, citing that countries like the UK, USA and New Zealand had housing or urban development positions.
Morris said that it was a “real failing of government” that the issues of housing affordability in Australia have not been properly addressed.
Gunning proposed that the REIA submission provided a solution that would fill the gap in government and that there had been discussions with National Shelter, an advocacy group for Australian housing.
The executive officer for National Shelter, Adrian Pisarski confirmed that there had been talks with REIA and that they had agreed that there needed to be some form of housing minister.
Australia has not had a federal portfolio for housing since 2013 when the position was merged with the Department of Social Services.
Grant Gamble is the director of training at G Com Solutions Limited, a UK company that provides training in Microsoft Power BI and other IT systems. The company runs classes in Power BI at their training centre in Peterborough, as well as sending trainers out to run courses on location for clients.
They offer classes for all levels of Power BI users, from introductions to the software to advanced and even administration courses. They can also help people to get Power BI certification.
Grant, how did you get involved in IT training?
I’ve been involved in IT for about 25 years, in various consultancy, training and development roles. Most of my work in that time has been client driven. When clients have requirements, you fill them. When they have problems, they expect you to solve them. And they look to you to explain how stuff works. So, informal training was part of my role for a long time before I eventually became trained as a trainer and began running formal, classroom training sessions. This was about 15 years ago.
Why are Power BI courses so useful?
Power BI training is useful because it’s such a multi-layered product, with a lot of moving parts. It’s true that Power BI lives up to its billing and delivers true self-service BI. And most people can dive in and put together a few basic reports without any training. But, if everyone in an organization continues in this vein, they run the risk of creating a Power BI tenant which is chaotic and suffers from gross inefficiencies and duplication of effort. Getting key personnel trained on Power BI ensures that your organization can get the most out of the product.
Can everyone benefit from your Power BI courses?
Power BI training can benefit anyone who plans to use the product in the workplace or to add it to their skillset while looking for work. Despite being a powerful, enterprise-level business platform, Power BI can be acquired completely free of charge. Power BI Desktop is totally free, and the Power BI Free online subscription is fine for learning the product. So, having taken a Power BI training course, it is very feasible to continue using the product and creating useful output. This may be in the workplace, or for job-seekers, it may mean putting together a portfolio of Power BI reports to show off their data visualization skills to prospective employers.
How does the training help businesses to improve their operations?
Power BI training can show businesses how to consolidate their data analysis by connecting to all their existing systems and building user-friendly reports. It’s not just database admins and IT specialists who can use Power BI. Personnel in marketing, finance and operations can build reports focusing on their area of the business. Learning Power BI’s wealth of visualization options allows users to communicate key insights to their colleagues in an impactful way. And using Power BI Mobile apps, important dashboards and reports can be shared with the entire organization.
What professions would you say most need to be proficient in this software?
The professions who will be expected to acquire the highest degree of proficiency are data specialists. This would include people with job titles like Business Intelligence Analyst, Data Scientist, Database Developer, Database Administrator, Data Engineer, Data Analytics Manager, Data Security Administrator, and so forth. And I mean by that, both people already in these roles and those who are looking for work. Then we have people whose works involves financial and business analysis; basically, anyone using Excel for data analysis needs to learn how to use Power BI. Then we have anyone in management: heads of departments, H.R. managers, project managers, sales and marketing managers; anyone who relies on timely reporting.
What other programs do you offer training in?
As well as our Microsoft Power BI training courses, G Com Solutions also provide training on Microsoft Excel BI. Our Excel Power User courses show delegates how to leverage Power Query and Power Pivot to streamline their Excel data analysis projects. We also provide training on Excel VBA programming. And naturally we also provide training on the full range of Microsoft Office programs: PowerPoint, Word, Access, Project, Visio and Outlook. And we also offer courses on Office 365 and SharePoint. As well as our Microsoft training courses, we provide training on the Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Premiere. And we also provide training on web development; covering such topics as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, WordPress and PHP.
Can the training be done online or are in person classes more effective?
As well as our tutor-led Power BI Power BI classes, G Com Solutions provide on-demand, Power BI online training courses. I think when you’re learning a program, the more channels you consume the better. Online learning, books, blog posts and YouTube videos are all useful in getting to grips with new software. However, live, classroom training is still probably the best method of learning, especially if it’s customized to suit your requirements. This is what we try to do for our clients at G Com Solutions. We discuss our client’s requirements and then tailor the classroom training to match their needs; especially if their people have existing skills in Power BI.
Thank you Grant for sharing your thoughts with us! You can follow up with Grant Gamble at https://gcomsolutions.co.uk
As much as we enjoy online shopping, buying clothes without trying them on can be risky. With brands following different size charts during the manufacturing and labeling process, we’ve all been in a situation where we had no clue which size to order.
There is nothing worse than waiting for your parcel to arrive only to realise that all you can do with your new clothes is go back to the post office and return it. Well, Amazon might just have the perfect solution for all online shoppers.
The company has apparently patented a technology for a virtual mirror. Yes, that’s right – Amazon is working on a virtual reality display mirror which will virtually place you in a virtual version of a dress or an outfit that you are looking at online.
Amazon’s magic mirror will make your online shopping more realistic
According to Amazon’s patent, this virtual mirror will use a mix of cameras, projectors, and displays to create a blended image, while being both transmissive and reflective.
The mirror will also scan your environment while identifying your face. This way, it will apparently be able to create a virtual model and determine which objects will be seen in the virtual reflection.
Using the blended reality system, the mirror would be able to add pixel layers on your moving reflection, in the real time.
While looking at the mirror, users will be able to see a reflection of illuminated objects and transmitted images from the device. In this way, transmitted images will be shown as they were a part of the reflected scene.
This virtual mirror will combine reflected and transmitted images to generate blended VR view
The best feature of Amazon’s new patent is that it can combine your reflection with an image behind the mirror. So, let’s say you are looking to buy a new swimming suit and you would like to actually see how it fits you.
This virtual mirror could actually transmit a beach image while inserting your reflection and imposing virtual swimsuit on your body.
As the mirror will use different sensors and lights, it will also feature face-tracking sensors to realistically blend combines image reflection from any angle.
Since Amazon has recently acquired a US-based company, which uses virtual reality and computer vision for creating 3D gaming avatars and clothing models, it is obvious that this online giant is seriously focusing on virtual shopping.
The company is named Body Labs and is based in New York. Their technology already includes AI and applications with the ability to virtually “try on” different clothes and see how they fit on a human body.
All of these features would definitely create one futuristic and quite a cool mirror that could potentially change the e-commerce world forever.
Are you planning to shoot a wedding soon? What are the trends which will help you get the best shot and impress your clients?
Professionally capturing each and every moment in the wedding will help to make you an efficient, admired and in-demand photographer. In order to help you get the hang of the latest trends in photography, check out a few ideas which you use to attract new clients. As a wedding photographer it is important that your shoots be taken to another level.
Black and white photography
In the past, artistic shots were taken with the help of black and white photography. Monochromatic pictures help to get a deeper perspective of the image and convey the emotion of the subjects of the image. Highlighting just one part of the image in colour, and leaving the rest black and white, has also become a trend recently.
Photo: Imtmphoto, Bigstock
This kind of picture helps to remove the focus from an individual subject and evenly distributes prominence in the scene. A retro themed wedding would be a perfect occasion to use this filter as it will enhance the original theme of the wedding.
Drone footage
Accepting new technological trends and implementing them in your wedding photography is perfect. Drones are new, trendy and can help to enhance your overall photoshoot. They are controlled with a remote, although you will need to practice first. It will enable you to get an elevated view of the scene and explore new photography angles.
In this type of photography the entire wedding scene can be captured which will enhance your photographic flexibility. In the past, owning a drone was expensive and tedious. Now they are far more readily available, and you can change the lenses and camera to get the best effect. Efficient planning of the wedding photography with your drone will help you to get some of the best photos of the event.
Location shoots
Travelling to exotic and beautiful destinations has become a trend, and many couples opt for location weddings. Interesting shots with great light compositions can be captured and hence you need to be well equipped with advanced lenses and cameras.
Smoke bombs
The main idea behind using a smoke bomb is to create a dramatic image and make the picture more appealing. Smoke bombs have been increasingly used in photographs as they will give a bit of edge to the scene.
You can use this to highlight the surroundings of the wedding to create a perfect scene and match the general importance of the wedding. Appropriate back light and bright colours for the smoke bombs will give the most attractive shots.
Underwater shots
Waterproof cameras are in the market and why not use them to help get some rare shots?
Photo: Oneinchpunch, Bigstock
Underwater pictures of couples are trending and you need to keep up with current fashions. Generally the expectations of an underwater picture will depend on the couple and their needs; however you can add to their ideas and make it a better experience. GoPro cameras will also help you get wider and better pictures for underwater shoots.
Capturing selfie shots
There are setups for selfie stations at many wedding venues for guests to take pictures of themselves and post them on social media. With the introduction of on the spot picture sharing through the setup station, this technique is in high demand.
The stations are equipped with backgrounds and fun props which can be used by the wedding guests to create a great selfie moment.
Stop motion wedding pictures and films
In this type of wedding photography you can click still pictures and manage to sequence them in the form of videos. It is extremely effective and can be used to attract new clients. These short films can be created in order share on social media and also to mail out as a fun wedding invitation. It is a very effective form of setting the right mood for the wedding.
Authentic candid shots
Candid pictures are usually the best shots a photographer can get. From happy or funny moments to emotional and tense moments, no candid shot will let your clients down. Previously, people used to carefully pose to try and get a perfect picture.
Now times have changed and candid pictures often prove to be better than the rest. Make sure that you keep a keen eye on each and every scene in the wedding. You could try leading a crew, so that different sections of the wedding are covered at the same time.
The best way to capture the perfect shots is to get out of your comfort zone and try new things. Photography is all about getting the right moment and managing to capture it.
Matt Ward, the owner of Modified Driving Solutions, a registered NDIS service provider, has personally helped countless young people aged between 7 and 18 reach important developmental milestones.
Ward and his qualified team work tirelessly to assist young individuals with a variety of physical and cognitive conditions. Ward works not only with the individual, but with the entire family to ensure the best possible path for growth.
He believes that with the right assistance, every child can reach their full potential. He wants to ensure that these children develop as much independence as possible as well as assisting them in participating in their local community.
Tell us a little bit about your story and how you ended up where you are today.
I grew up in South West Sydney with my parents and younger sister. My childhood was regular and uneventful. I was always interested in sports and played a lot of tennis and swam growing up, and at one point thought I wanted to have a career in something sports related.
After high school I studied a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, and after completing that I started work as an Occupational Therapist in mental health, home modifications and pediatrics.
I thoroughly enjoyed working in these areas and after several years as an OT, I wanted to continue to expand my knowledge and experience, so I completed the OT Driver Assessment course and became a qualified Driver Trained Occupational Therapist
Did you have much help/ support from your family and friends when starting your business?
I started up the business with a friend from university, and we both did the OT Driver Assessment course together. We both had previous experience running a business as Occupational Therapists in private practice.
We have set up the company in various locations all around NSW. I currently service the Sydney and Blue Mountains areas. My dad is an accountant, so he is able to operate the financial aspects of the business.
What would you say is the hardest thing about being your own boss?
I think the most difficult thing is keeping motivated all the time. As an employee, it’s easier to “slack off” or take some time off, but running my own business I feel that I need to always be productive.
It’s gone well so far, but I’m always trying to think of new ways to innovate or change things up, and that can be exhausting sometimes.
Always having to put work/ the business first, sometimes before friends, family or enjoying myself can be hard, but I believe that if I work hard now and the business becomes a success it will all be worth it.
Is there anything about your business that you would do differently, if you had the chance?
I probably would have spent more money on marketing from the start. I think when we first started we were mindful to make sure our capital funds last as long as possible, but looking back we probably could have spent more on marketing and advertising.
You don’t realise at first how expensive those Google ads are, and initially we were hesitant to spend too much money, but you definitely need to.
Were there any additional barriers in your way when trying to enter the industry you are in?
It’s not a widely known industry, and I find that most drivers don’t realise that there is this process unless they need to be assessed themselves. Even when I first told my family and friends about doing the course, most of them had no idea about it. So I think raising more awareness about this area was challenging.
It’s not a huge industry, and there were already a few established services around Sydney. We quickly realised that we needed to increase our marketing/ advertising budget, and paid more for Google ads and SEO services, and improved our website.
Out of all the things you have accomplished in your life, what are you most proud of?
Having a fairly successful business is high up there, but mostly I value most my relationships with my family and friends.
I decided to start my own business to hopefully eventually give me more financial freedom so that I can spend more time enjoying myself with my family and friends, and while I’m still working on that, I feel that I have good direction in my life.
What advice would you give someone looking to start their own business?
I’d say that you really need to do your research about not just the industry, but also all the legalities involved having a business. It’s hard work and often you feel like you never get a break.
But it’s also very rewarding and if it succeeds it will be one of the most satisfying experiences in your life. I’d also advise them that they shouldn’t skimp on marketing/ advertising – it is crucial to getting your brand out there.
How do you think your industry will change in 10 or 15 years? Do you think technology will play a major role?
Definitely, in maybe 20 years this job may be obsolete! With self-driving cars being developed, it may very well be that no one will be driving in the not-too-distant future.
But I think the technology is still a way away from being mature and viable, and I expect that when those vehicles become available they will be very expensive, making them an option to only a few people. But it definitely seems like that is the way the motor industry will eventually be going.
Matt Ward and his team of qualified specialists are here to help young people and their families every step of the way. There is no greater satisfaction then watching a child reach an important developmental milestone, and this is what the team at Modified Driving Solutions are striving for every day.
As society becomes more conscious about their eating habits and the direct correlation that has on their health, the nutrition industry is forever evolving.
With 2017 seeing a boom in topics ranging from healthy fats to plant waters, there are new trends emerging every week to question the status quo.
Yet the notion of nutrition is not just limited to food – far from it. Almost anything that falls under the banner of health, fitness, lifestyle and wellbeing will have some connection to this issue and 2018 is set to be a big year for new developments in the field.
Let us examine the top nutrition trends to watch out for this year.
Vegan alternative foods
Now that animal welfare is not just a buzzword echoed by PETA advocates, consumers are searching for food that is 100% meat-free from their diet.
Australians in particular have typed in ‘vegan’ into Google more than any other, leaving experts to conclude that vegetarians and flexitarians (occasional meat eating) are some of the biggest growth markets domestically speaking in 2018.
Cottage cheese
Gym enthusiasts and health fanatics are always after neat little hacks to boost their protein intake. Cottage cheese happens to be one of those foods that caters to this need.
The good news for consumers is that there is a plethora of brands to offer a variety in types and pricing. Run down the isles of your local supermarket and discover cottage cheeses from Philadelphia, Woolworths, Weight Watchers and Bulla among others.
These brands are wanting to transition cottage cheese away from the stale product is has been over the years and with a low sugar count and no artificial colours, it is a trendy nutritional option.
The Keto diet
The Ketogenic or Keto diet for short is all based around the concept of dropping weight as quickly and efficiently as possible. Given that nutrition plays a significant role in any alterations to weight, this philosophy places emphasis on foods that are high in protein and fat while dropping the count on carbohydrates.
The target is to place your body in a metabolic state whereby more ketones are produced in the body. Time will tell if this falls into the category of forgotten nutrition fads by 2019, but it continues to gain major traction in the health community.
Going green
Organic foods can be considered in many cases to be an expensive luxury many households cannot afford day-to-day, but there are bush foods out there that seen as a viable and natural alternative.
Lemon myrtle, Warrigal greens, wattle seeds, kakadu plants and other indigenous offerings are being rediscovered as Australians tap into their surrounding environment. Experts see the high levels of vitamin C and anti-bacterial values tying into the demands of the nutritional marketplace.
Fitbits
What cannot be considered a part-time trend that is disposable in any shape or form is the Fitbit. Consumers are now after devices that have stronger battery life, more accurate data on heart rate and distance covered, and have the ability to be waterproof while acting as a reliable watch.
Brands like Misfit, Merlin Cycles, Argos, Amazon and of course Apple are staying on the cutting edge in this field. Their technological advancements are heralded by users and experts, keeping customers on their toes to see what the next evolutionary step will be this year.
Turmeric
Herbal supplement sales have a lot to thank turmeric for. This dietary ingredient has recently become an added feature in almost every field of the nutritional industry. Given that it works to boost cognitive function and an individual’s inflammatory response, it’s any wonder turmeric has become this popular.
Bomber Thompson was an AFL star collecting three premierships during his playing career with the Essendon Bombers and a further two under his coaching at the Geelong Cats. Now, he has been caught up in a drug trafficking scandal along with three others following his arrest yesterday.
It was less than a year ago that Thompson stated in an interview that he believed that the Essendon drug saga “would end up killing” him. Sadly, for the 54 year old, it seems that the downfall from the Essendon saga has managed to spiral even further.
Following his 202 game career for the Bombers, Thompson went on to coach Geelong for a further 260 games before returning to his home club as an assistant coach under James Hird at the end of 2010 following his resignation from Geelong.
Following James Hird’s resignation as head coach in 2014 amidst the supplements saga, Thompson was named head coach and took the reins for the 2014 season. This is the time that Thompson’s career in the AFL began to change.
The supplements saga was finally concluded at the end of the 2016 season with 34 players suspended for 12 months and the club fined a total of $2 million. James Hird was suspended, Stephan Dank banned from sport for life and club manager Danny Corcoran was also suspended.
Thompson was only fined $30,000 at the time, however it has been made clear since that the saga had far greater personal impacts that it did financial. Thompson has previously said that the saga ridded him of his love for the game and destroyed his second marriage.
Thompson has made clear his feelings about the Essendon supplements saga in the past believing that he wasn’t given a chance to defend himself and has subsequently become “bitter” with the system.
It now appears that the former Geelong coach’s reputation is about to take a further hit with his home being raided by police on Friday when they suspected him to be involved in a drug trafficking scandal.
There has been clear footage shown of police entering his Port Melbourne Property early on Friday morning before arresting Thompson on Tuesday. He was released pending further inquiries.
A man identified as Thomas Windsor, 28, was determined to have been living at the property and was also arrested on Tuesday charged with drug trafficking. Two others, a 31 year-old man from Lara and 22 year-old woman from Mill Park were also charged.
Thomas Windsor is believed to have links to the Rebels bikie gang. The trafficking charges are understood to have involved a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, ecstasy and MDMA.
Police did not comment on Thompson’s involved in the drug trafficking scandal, maintaining that the arrests were part of an ongoing investigation.
Early Monday morning a fire erupted at the top floors of Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York. Three people were injured in the blaze including a responding firefighter and two others, one of which was a building worker whose injuries were described initially as serious.
Owner of the building, United States President Donald Trump, was in Washington at the time of the blaze. Trump Tower was President Trump’s main residence before he won the 2016 presidential election.
The firefighter was hospitalised but without life-threatening injuries. The two civilians were treated at the scene but were later reported to only have minor injuries according to the New York Fire Department.
The blaze was reported to the Fire Department by building mangers who were initially alerted by the secret service a few minutes before 7am. Officials reported that the electrical fire started in Trump Tower’s air conditioning and heating system.
Footage from news programs gave vision of firefighters operating on the roof of the mid-Manhattan skyscraper. Smoke was seen billowing from a corner area of the building before dissipating.
Around 80 firefighters responded to the blaze with a few remaining on the roof roughly an hour afterwards.
Roger Sakowich, the Manhattan borough commander for the FDNY said on social media that the blaze “wasn’t in the building” but that it was “on top of the building”. He described flames coming out of vents but reported that no fire or smoke was inside the building’s rooms.
Sakowich went on to say that the FDNY was able to “extinguish the fire without any problems” and that their entire response plan went smoothly.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the city’s fire marshal according to a FDNY spokesperson. They said that after the investigation is finalised the results would be publically released.
The spokesperson described the operation as “quick and easy”, echoing Sakowich’s statement that the plan was carried out well.
About 26 emergency units responded to the blaze with sirens sounding. While also containing Donald Trump’s personal penthouse, the tower also contains the headquarters of the Trump Organisation including offices, stores as residencies.
One of President Trump’s sons, Eric Trump, used social media to declare that there was a minor electrical fire inside the cooling tower on the roof of the building. He went on to give a robust thankyou to the FDNY claiming that they were heroes and deserved everyone’s “sincere thanks and praise”.
It is set to be a hot week as Sydney experiences a stunning heatwave that has proved as uncomfortable as it is dangerous with Sydney’s western suburbs being the worst hit.
Sunday saw the temperature of Penrith in Sydney’s west reach 47.3 degrees Celsius, being the hottest Sydney temperature on record since 1939. Penrith was also recorded as the hottest city on the planet at the time.
Australian and English cricket teams also suffered in the heat during the Ashes tournament with temperatures reaching the 50’s on the Sydney Cricket Ground. English team captain Joe Root had to be taken to hospital for treatment of severe dehydration.
Power supplier Ausgrid stated it was going to investigate several outages across Sydney and the Central Coast with roughly 14,000 customers being affected.
The RFS (Rural Fire Service) for New South Wales is on high alert with fire bans in place for Sydney and the Hunter Valley region. Additional fire crews have been put on standby as dry winds of 40-45 kilometres p/h are predicted.
Commissioner for the RFS, Shane Fitzsimmons, announced that the fire ban was covering areas with high risk fire conditions.
Weather analysts expect a cool southerly change to bring relief to the region by this Wednesday. Andrew Haigh from the Bureau of Meteorology stated that the changing winds would carry through Sydney on Tuesday evening.
As many Australians retreated to the beaches and waterparks to escape the heat, Surf Life Saving NSW has implored beach visitors to be cautious after several rescues on the weekend. A 19-year-old woman and a 14-year-old boy had risked their lives to save a 19-year-old male from a rip on the NSW Mid North Coast at Tuncurry on Sunday evening.
The two friends managed to help the man swim to safety on shore where he was later taken to hospital and confirmed to be in a stable condition.
In another incident, two males ages 48 and 33 were sent to hospital after being rescued from unpatrolled beaches around Wollongong.
Steve Peace, the CEO of Surf Life Saving NSW, told beach goers to be extra careful when visiting the state’s beaches. He urged people to swim only in the designated areas where lifesavers could see them.
On Sunday morning a rock fisherman from Western Sydney, who did not have a life preserver, passed away after plummeting into the water at Currarong.
The sweltering hot weather across Sydney contrasts with similar extremes as the current ‘Bomb Cyclone’ snowstorm affects the eastern United States and Canada.
The highly acclaimed Australian actor Craig McLachlan has fiercely denied claims against him of sexual harassment, indecent assault, exhibitionism and the bullying of his female co-stars.
McLachlan, who is best known for his performances in Neighbours, Home & Away and The Doctor Blake Mysteries, has reportedly denied the claims against him in an email sent to Fairfax Media.
In the email McLachlan states that the accusations against him are “baseless” and possibly made up to get money or attain notoriety. The allegations were “ALL made up,” according to the email.
The 52-year-old has currently been touring with The Rocky Horror Show in Adelaide where he performed on Sunday evening. There is no performance yet scheduled for Monday.
While members of the cast believe the show will continue unhindered on Tuesday, a spokesperson from the Adelaide Festival Centre stated that they were waiting for advice from the production who would themselves issue a statement regarding the allegations.
It was reported that some of McLachlan’s female co-stars had claimed abuse by him on the 2014 tour of the Rocky Horror Show. The women have alleged they were harassed, abused or assaulted by McLachlan.
Actresses Angela Scundi, Christie Whelan Browne and Erika Heynatz made specific allegations about the star’s behaviour, stating that he had routinely crossed boundaries both during performances and off the stage. Some of the women have made formal complaints to the police.
In McLachlan’s email to the media he explained the sexually suggestive nature of the Rocky Horror Show was to blame for people potentially misinterpreting his actions as sexual misconduct. McLachlan emphasised that he had “NEVER” done anything akin to the allegations against him.
McLachlan’s email went on to remind readers that he has been in a “stable relationship” with his long term partner and that all the allegations were “simple inventions”.
The producer of the Rocky Horror Show, the Gordon Frost Organisation has produced many other hit musicals covering Annie, Wicked, The Book of Mormon and The Sound of Music to name a few.
The Gordon Frost Organisation used lawyers to respond to the allegations by stating that the accusers lacked evidence and had potentially made defamatory statements that were actionable.
Victorian police issued a statement stating that detectives from Melbourne Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation team were “investigating allegations” of the offences involving McLachlan and that it would be “inappropriate” to add any further commentary.
McLachlan joins the ranks of several men in the entertainment industry who have been accused of sexual misconduct in recent months, most notably Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein who is awaiting potential charges from American authorities.
Sam Levy owns and operates On Board IT Tech, a company that installs smart homes and security systems in Los Angeles. He specialises in adding smart home systems to new homes or homes under construction, to allow people to control their appliances and security from their smartphone or tablet.
Sam, could you tell us more about your background?
I was born in Paris, France, and at the age of 2 years old I moved to Israel with my family. Today I’m 33 years old, I love my work, and I have had an interest in IT, smart home systems, and security camera systems since 2000.
My company’s mission is to make your home or business safer and more accessible.
What are “smart” homes?
Having a Smart Home means that all electronic devices can be controlled via a hub (main hardware – Brain), all from one piece of software, so instead of going to each app for each device, we have one app that does everything for you. You can control your home from your smart phone/ tablet.
You can contact your smart home on the Internet to make sure the air condition is on, the central heating pool is on, the curtains are down, and a gas fire is roaring in the grate when you get home.
How are smart homes evolving over time?
Smart home can save you time and money by enabling the remote monitoring and management of appliances and systems, such as lighting and heating.
What are the most common installations you perform?
Our most common installations are smart home installation and security camera systems.
How can your services improve business efficiency?
You can view the business from anywhere and control your appliances and electrical outlets; you can also keep an eye on your employees to see if they are really doing their jobs.
How can intercom systems installation benefit home owners?
The addition of video to the intercom adds another safety layer to the household. Occupants can easily ascertain the identity of their visitors and detect if there is any suspicious activity occurring outdoors. You can also unlock your door/ gate and open it from your smart phone. You can also record any suspicious activity outside your home.
Thank you Sam for sharing your thoughts!
You can follow up with Sam Levy at www.onboardittech.com
This Valentine’s let’s do something which is out of the world. Exchanging gifts and roses is simple but sometimes it is a good idea to take it up another notch. The more valuable thing to give to your Valentine is time. Time becomes more expensive than stuff. It cannot beat the worldly stuff.
If you are pre-planning for Valentine’s Day, add a special romance into it by giving time to your partner. We have some useful ideas for how to spend Valentine’s with your lovely partner. For sure it is going to gear up the love spirit and to set the mood for romance.
Spend some quality time under the stars
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Couple always prefers the place where there is no noise and no one to disturb then. Sitting out on a terrace is the best suitable place for adding romance in the most magical night. How adorable!
You are spending the most romantic time with your spouse under the stars. It will recall the special memories of the life you have so far shared together. Celebrate the night under the stars with a sip of wine for the most magical night of year.
Cook together
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It is an interesting activity to involve your partner into cooking. Whether you know how to properly cook or not, cooking lessons are a fun activity to do together. You even may learn a thing or two!
Learn salsa dance together
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Salsa dance is the romantic dance form and performed with partner. You can enjoy dancing with the your spouse here. Book the date to learn the salsa dance together and get the world beyond happiness of dancing together.
Paint the wall in romantic way
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This is a great task to tackle together! You can spend quality time with each other by painting a wall in a romantic way. Colour the walls and let your imagination run wild.
There are heart shaped ready-made stickers available to remark your love into walls. A romantic wall will certainly tell how deeply you both fall in love with each other.
Arrange the second first date at same place
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It is always a good idea to look back are reflect on your special moments as a couple and see just how for you have come together. Meet the place where you meet each other for the first time or even arrange the second date at the same place you went for your first date.
Have a night at the museum
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There are so many museums open on the 14th of February for celebrating this love day. You can take a peek at the planetarium or other historical romantic places. But be sure to book your tickets in advance as there will probably be long lines and limited places available.
Go some adventure place
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You can add excitement into this celebration by adding adventurous trip for the day. If possible try to go for ice-skating, ice-hockey, sky diving and enjoy all you can in the Australian summer. If you are in Sydney, try climbing the Sydney Harbor Bridge, or jet boating through the harbor.
Plan indoor picnic
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If you want to celebrate this day in a simple manner plan an indoor picnic with your spouse. Gather picnic snacks, bottle of wine and some fresh flowers. Hangout and watch some movies together. A simple but unique idea for spending the meaningful time with lovely partner and can be do no matter the weather!
