Our Fleet Insurance Specialists will find you the best policy to suit your company's needs no matter the size or type of fleet you operate.
We have relationships with leading fleet insurers including non-standard markets for: taxi fleet insurance, private hire chauffeur fleet insurance policies and HGV haulage fleets.
Who needs Motor Fleet Insurance?
If your company relies on having several cars, vans or light goods vehicles on the road than you should be eligible for a cost effective Fleet policy.
It's essential that you ensure your drivers and your vehicles are fully covered in the event of an accident.
At Plan Insurance Brokers, we know how important your vehicles and your business are to you. Our ethos is to keep our clients businesses motoring. We do that by offering expert advice both whilst arranging your policy and in the event of any claims. Motor Insurance claims can be costly, as well as time consuming will do all we can to remove the pain.
Fleet cover is essential for your business. Let Plan Insurance Brokers find you greater value but arranging quality cover at market leading premiums.
To discuss your insurance requirements further, contact one of our professional advisers now on 0800 542 2742 or request a Call Back.
What does a Fleet policy Cover?
At Plan Insurance Brokers, we take the time to get to know our clients' businesses and therefore their insurance requirements.
We can tailor a policy to suit your needs so you have the peace of mind that you have the exact cover you require in place. You will also only be paying for cover that you do need.
We can have you covered for just about every eventuality. If you carry goods for customers and they get damaged in an accident, you could be held accountable for their loss of business. We can provide cover for that.
We will insure you're protected against damages done to your vehicles both in transit and when kept on your premises.
Other benefits also include only having one renewal date to remember and only one set of policy documents.
Call our team now on 0800 542 2742 for a range of Commercial Fleet quotes and you could be on cover in minutes.
How many vehicles do I have to have to qualify for a Fleet Insurance policy?
If you have 3 or more vehicles then you are eligible for a Motor Fleet Insurance policy. They do not have to be 3 of the same type of vehicle, so even if you have 2 vans and 1 lorry, you will be able to ensure them all under a Commercial Fleet Insurance Policy.
Why compare Motor Fleet cover with Plan Insurance Brokers?
Plan Insurance Brokers has over 25 years experience in the insurance industry with a specialism in Commercial Vehicle Insurance. We are an independent company that is dedicated to finding the right insurance policy that is tailored to our customers needs.
Our highly trained staff are available to talk to online, email and via the phone from our UK offices and will keep you informed every step of the way from taking out your policy, renewing it and even managing your claim should you need to make one.
We aim to understand our customers business as well as we do our own ensuring that you have the right cover for your needs.
Call a member of our team today on 0800 542 2742 or request a Call Back for a range of personalised business Insurance quotes.
Are you looking for Mini Fleet Insurance?
Who needs Mini Fleet cover?
If you manage or own between 3 and 12 vehicles, whether cars or light goods vehicles then Small Business Fleet policy can be a cost effective way of insuring all of your vehicles.
Mini Fleet cover can be taken out by a families or businesses, provided that they have a number of vehicles that all need covering.
At Plan Insurance Brokers we understand the importance of your work vehicles and if they are involved in accident or require repairs taking them off the road, then your company could not be performing at full capacity. We also understand that insurance isn't something that drives profitability in your business.
But having a policy organised through Plan Insurance Brokers means its easy to swap vehicles on and off cover, any driver is included as standard and hired and loaned vehicles can be included on the fleet policy.
In short, we make the administration easy. To find out more, contact one of our commercial vehicle specialists now on 0800 542 2742 or request a Call Back to discuss your Mini Fleet Van Insurance further.
What does a Small Fleet policy cover?
Only One renewal date to remember.
Only one policy document to keep safe.
Flexibility allowing any driver access to any vehicle for which they are qualified to drive – meaning that you can handle an unexpected absence from an employee by getting another member of staff to drive instead – without any headaches.
Suitable for both commercial and family fleets.
You may have a number of sales executives out on the road in saloons and want to ensure they are all adequately covered bearing in mind the significant annual mileage that they are likely to cover on a business basis.
You could run a small fleet of local, national or even international delivery vans and wagons. If you have a fleet which includes vehicles over 3.5 tons, we can advise you, but you may need a special HGV insurance policy.
It could be a combination of a range of vehicle types and drivers. Any combination of Cars, Vans, Lorries, Taxis, Haulage / Goods Vehicle, or Courier vehicles can be included.
What cover should a Mini Fleet policy provide?
However at Plan Insurance Brokers, we know that every business is different, and therefore every businesses insurance requirements are different.
We can tailor a cover suit your needs and make sure that you are covered adequately. Call a member of our team now on 0800 542 2742 or request a Call Back.
Why compare Mini Fleet Insurance with Plan Insurance Brokers?
Comparing any type of insurance before buying makes good commercial sense. But when it comes to potentially complex and technical considerations as may be found when buying cover for a small fleet of vehicles , it pays to have a professional insurance broker on your side.
We'll do the comparisons for you, ensuring a like for like comparison is made and that the levels of cover and endorsements being applied make sense for you.
With over 25 years of Insurance Industry experience, a specialism in Commercial Vehicle Insurance and a strong focus on staff training, Plan Insurance Brokers is the broker to handle your Mini Fleet Vehicle Insurance needs.
Being an Independent Broker allows us to focus on our customers and ensure that we know them and their business as well as they do allowing us to tailor a policy to your specific needs. Not only does this give you the peace of mind that you are covered for every eventuality, but you are not paying for unnecessary cover.
Our highly trained staff are available to talk to online or from our UK based call centre and will keep you involved through every step of your insurance policy with us from taking out the policy to renewing it.
We will even manage you claim should you need to make one.
Call Plan Insurance Brokers today on 0800 542 2742 or request a Call Back to speak to one of our professional and friendly staff and discuss your Mini Fleet quotation requirements.
Are you looking for Taxi Fleet Insurance?
Who needs Taxi Fleet Cover?
If you own, run or manage a taxi business with two or more cars that are being used to carry paying passengers then it could be that you would benefit from a dedicated Taxi Fleet policy.
Any Taxi Fleet Business relies on its vehicles and drivers being on the road, not in the garage. Beyond the cost of being a vehicle down, if you run a taxi fleet business, you have your reputation to consider.
Clients that buy a policy through Plan Insurance Brokers get great value policies, but also the peace of mind that comes from knowing that our main objective, should the worst happen, is to ensure your drivers and passengers are taken care of and your vehicles are back on the road as fast as possible.
A single, flexible policy covering a multitude of vehicles and all your drivers.
This makes planning your driver and vehicle rotors simple through the week, because every vehicle can be driven by all drivers.
Only a single insurance document to file, only the one renewal date to remember.
When you're busy on the day to day aspects of running your business, it can be tough to keep tabs on the bureaucracy. But it's vital that you do so. Cutting down on paperwork and filing is always good!
If these features sound appealing and you have more than two vehicles to cover that are used for transporting paying customers, then getting Taxi Fleet quotes from us could be for you!
Contact a member of our specialist team on 0800 542 2743 now or request a Call Back to see how Plan Insurance Brokers can find a solution to your insurance needs.
What will a Taxi Fleet policy cover?
Cover for a fleet of 2 or more vehicles.
No Claims Bonus starting from 1 year.
Unlimited Windscreen replacement or repair.
24 hour Roadside Assistance in the UK mainland.
Should a member of the public have an accident in your vehicle or at your work place.
A legal requirement by UK, even if your staff are part time volunteers.
Up to £50 000 of legal cover.
If you are involved in an accident, then Taxi Fleet cover can be the difference between getting back in your vehicle tomorrow and picking up passengers or being off the road completely.
Motor claims can not only be costly but also take time – could you afford to pay out for legal fees, possibly compensation and other day to day expenses without being able to work?
The likely answer is no, so contact Plan to get a range of Taxi Fleet Quotes. Call us on 0800 542 2743 or request a Call Back.
Why compare Taxi Fleet Quotes with Plan Insurance Brokers?
At Plan Insurance Brokers, we take the time to know customers and their businesses as well as they do. That means that we fully understand what type and level of cover you need and can provide the best policy to suit.
You are taking on new drivers or have a flexible workforce through the year.
Drivers rack up (or lose) points on their licenses.
Vehicles are modified or replaced.
You have a range of vehicle types to consider (for example mini buses as well as standard cars).
This attention to detail, and access to the correct insurance markets means that you are only paying for cover that you need and not paying for cover that you don't.
With over 25 years of experience and a strong focus on staff training, our team is able to give you the best service and advice.
We keep our customers involved every step of the way from beginning to renewal. We will even manage your claim should you need to make one. We are available to contact both via email and on the phone from our UK offices.
Contact us now on 0800 542 2743 or request a Call Back to get a range of fully comprehensive Taxi Fleet Quotes with Plan Insurance Brokers.
How much does Fleet Insurance cost and how can I lower my premiums?
Whilst some accidents can't be avoided, there are ways to reduce the risk of them happening.
Vetting of drivers – It's important to do a full background check of your drivers as routine before hiring them. You can do this by getting a copy of the driver's license from the DVLA to ensure that the license produced has not been tampered with and that the information contained on it is up to date and correct. You should also contact the driver's previous insurer to check their accident history on both a business and private policy.
Driver training and awareness – It is important to send your drivers on training days regularly so they are aware of the dangers of driving and general safety on the roads.
It is important to report any accidents to your insurer as soon as possible, no matter how small or insignificant they seem. The longer the delay, the greater the potential cost . Costs can start mounting from the day of the accident and only by reporting the incident to your insurer immediately can they take control of the claim and potential costs can be avoided.
A typical example would be that one of your drivers hit another vehicle in the rear. They fail to report the accident until they receive a letter holding them responsible. They thought the incident was so small as to not be bothered. The accident is reported to the insurer 30 days after the event, only as a result of the driver receiving a letter from solicitors acting for the other party.
So what impact has this delay had on the cost to your insurer*?
Should the vehicle repair costs of say £1,000, be recovered by solicitors acting for the third party, they will receive an additional 20% on their costs based on the value of the amount recovered. This could be avoided, by payment being made direct to the third party by your insurer, something they can't do if they are not aware of the accident.
Paid direct to TP or TP insurer without need for Solicitors.
If this were to happen multiple times a year on our company's policy, the costs would soon mount up.
Working in partnership with your broker and insurer can make a significant impact on the cost of your Fleet Car Insurance.
For your personalised range of Fleet Insurance quotes, call Plan Insurance Brokers on 0800 542 2742 or click Call Me Now and someone will return your call as soon as possible.
I have 5 vehicles but they are mine not my company's can I get a Fleet Insurance policy?
Vehicles must be registered in the name of the company or a partner or director of the company. This means that even if the vehicles are in your name but are used for business activities you will be able to insure them all under a Fleet Insurance policy.
If they are for domestic and social use then you will need a different policy. You will also not be able to insure the vehicles belonging to employees under this policy.
Call our team of experts now on 0800 542 2742 to discuss your options further.
What will a Fleet Insurance cover me to use my vehicles for?
If you are unsure about what type of activities are covered under a Business Motor Fleet Insurance Policy or would like a range of bespoke quotes for your company, call our team on 0800 542 2742 to discuss your options with our experts.
If you can drive it legally on the road then we can insure it . We can insure non road worthy commercial vehicles as well such as fork lifts.
If you have specialist vehicles in need of a policy then don't hesitate to contact our Commercial Vehicle Insurance Broker specialists to get the right policy for your company.
Will I get a no claims bonus on a Fleet Insurance policy?
No, you will not get a no claims bonus (NCB) however you will receive a confirmed fleet claims experience report. A good fleet claims experience report will guarantee that you get the best policy premiums much like a NCB. Calculating the cost of a fleet insurance policy is more complex as it is dependant on various factors such as the area you're based in, the type of vehicles you have and how well your policy has performed over a number of years.
What are the consequences if I decide to move away from a Fleet Insurance policy?
Most private car insurers will honour a NCB for 2 to 3 so if you change back from a Fleet Car Insurance policy within that time your NCB will still be valid (as long as you are still claim free).
Can I have a combination of Insurance covers like third party only (TPO) and comprehensive on a Fleet Insurance policy?
Yes. You can specify which vehicles you want to have on different levels of cover as well as who can drive them and for what they are used for.
If you have any more questions about your Fleet Insurance needs then call our team of experts on 0800 542 2742.
With over 25 years of experience arrange Commercial Fleet Insurance, Plan Insurance Brokers are dedicated to finding the right policy for you and can tailor a policy to suit your exact needs. Request a Call Back here and a member of our team will return your call as soon as possible.


Chairman Cummings and Senators Harris, Hassan, and Murray question the Trump Administration's review of a rule that would restrict women's access to care and institute a domestic gag rule on health care providers.
Washington, D.C.—Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Senator Patty Murray, the Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Senator Kamala Harris, and Senator Maggie Hassan sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney and Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) Administrator Neomi Rao raising concerns with the Trump Administration's process for setting new restrictions on eligibility for Title X funds and implementing a new gag rule that would interfere with providers' ability to inform patients about their full range of reproductive care options.
"We have serious concerns about the regulatory review process of the Title X gag rule, which was submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for final review on February 7, 2019. In particular, we are concerned that OIRA may soon approve the final rule for publication without ensuring that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has conducted a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of the rule's potential economic and health impacts. We have reason to believe that the final rule, if implemented, would undermine the federal Title X family planning program and threaten access to family planning services for millions of low-income women across the United States," the Members wrote.
The Members pointed to troubling irregularities in the regulatory review process conducted by OIRA, including the unusually short review process for the draft rule and the reported denial of stakeholder meeting requests. They also called out the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for disregarding considerable health-related costs associated with the rule and failing to conduct a comprehensive regulatory impact analysis.
The Members requested that OIRA return the rule to HHS so that it could conduct a comprehensive regulatory impact analysis and provide additional opportunity for public comment.
We have serious concerns about the regulatory review process of the Title X gag rule, which was submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for final review on February 7, 2019. In particular, we are concerned that OIRA may soon approve the final rule for publication without ensuring that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has conducted a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of the rule's potential economic and health impacts.
We have reason to believe that the final rule, if implemented, would undermine the federal Title X family planning program and threaten access to family planning services for millions of low-income women across the United States.
The regulatory review process for this rule has been unconventional and nontransparent. Last May, OIRA accepted the draft rule with no advanced public notice. The proposed rule did not appear on either the Fall 2017 or Spring 2018 Regulatory Agenda, and—contrary to Executive Order 13563—there appeared to be no early outreach to stakeholders who would be impacted by the rule. The average review period is 45 days, but this draft rule moved through OIRA in less than two weeks. During this time—contrary to Executive Order 12866—OIRA reportedly denied stakeholder meeting requests and completed review of the proposed rule in just one week.
Despite the troubling irregularities in the regulatory review process, the Trump Administration rejected numerous requests to extend the proposed rule's comment period to allow impacted stakeholders the opportunity to provide meaningful feedback. Even within this comment period, numerous major medical associations, 15 governors, 200 Members of Congress, more than 20 state and local health departments, and more than 500,000 members of the public submitted comments opposing the rule on constitutional, legal, ethical, and policy grounds.
The Department failed to provide an adequate cost-benefit analysis in explanation of the proposed Title X revisions, omitting indirect transaction and health costs, and the distributional effects of these costs, thereby misrepresenting the true impacts of the rule to the public.
Any communications, excluding public comments, between officials at the Office of Management and Budget, OIRA, HHS, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or the Department of Justice with outside entities concerning the proposed or final Title X rules .
The House Committee on Oversight and Reform is the principal oversight committee of the House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate "any matter" at "any time" under House Rule X.
An attachment to this letter provides additional instructions for responding to this request. If you have any questions regarding this request, please contact Oversight Committee staff at (202) 225-5051 or Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee staff at (202) 224-0767.
 Department of Health and Human Services, Compliance With Statutory Program Integrity Requirements, 83 Fed. Reg. 25502 (June 1, 2018) (proposed rule) (online at www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/06/01/2018-11673/compliance-with-statutory-program-integrity-requirements).
 Kaiser Family Foundation, Proposed Changes to Title X: Implications for Women and Family Planning Providers (Nov. 2018) (online at http://files.kff.org/attachment/Issue-Brief-Proposed-Changes-to-Title-X-Implications-for-Women-and-Family-Planning-Providers).
 Exec. Order No. 13563, 76 Fed. Reg. 3821 (Jan. 21, 2011) (online at www.reginfo.gov/public/jsp/Utilities/EO_13563.pdf).
 Exec. Order No. 12866, 58 Fed. Reg. 51735 (Oct. 4, 1993) (online at www.reginfo.gov/public/jsp/Utilities/EO_12866.pdf).
 Letter from Senator Margaret Wood Hassan and Senator Kamala D. Harris to Alex M. Azar, Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, and Neomi Rao, Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (July 27, 2018) (online at www.hassan.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/180726.HassanHarris_Letter_AzarRao_TitleX.pdf); Letter from Democratic Members of the Maryland Congressional Delegation to Alex M. Azar, Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, and Neomi Rao, Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (July 27, 2018) (online at https://cummings.house.gov/sites/cummings.house.gov/files/07-27-2018.%20EEC%20and%20Maryland%20Delegation%20to%20Azar%20Rao%20re%20Title%20X%20gag%20rule%20proposed%20by%20HHS.pdf); Letter from Ranking Member Patty Murray, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, to Alex M. Azar, Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services (Aug. 27, 2018) (online at www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2018_08_27_HHS%20Title%20X%20final.pdf).
 eRulemaking Program Management Office, Compliance with Statutory Program Integrity Requirements (HHS-OS-2018-0008) (online at www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=HHS-OS-2018-0008) (accessed Feb. 14, 2019).
 Exec. Order No. 12866, 58 Fed. Reg. 51735 (Oct. 4, 1993) (online at www.reginfo.gov/public/jsp/Utilities/EO_12866.pdf); Office of Management and Budget, Circular A-4 (Sept. 17, 2003) (online at www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/circulars/A4/a-4.pdf).
 Letter from Jack Lienke, Iliana Paul, and Jason A. Schwartz, Institute for Policy Integrity at New York University School of Law, to Office of Population Affairs, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (July 31, 2018) (online at www.regulations.gov/document?D=HHS-OS-2018-0008-192646).
 Letter from Georges C. Benjamin, Executive Director, American Public Health Association, to Alex M. Azar, Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, Valerie Huber, Senior Policy Advisor and Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human Services, and Diane Foley, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs, Office of Population Affairs, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human Services (July 30, 2018) (online at www.apha.org/-/media/files/pdf/advocacy/testimonyandcomments/180730_title_x_comments.ashx?la=en&hash=2807BECDCCE68F75F79F96EF2B2DEA53A240FFFE); Letter from Dana Singiser, Vice President of Public Policy and Government Relations, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, to Alex M. Azar, Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, Valerie Huber, Senior Policy Advisor and Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human Services (July 31, 2018) (online at www.regulations.gov/document?D=HHS-OS-2018-0008-198841).
 Letter from James L. Madara, MD, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President, American Medical Association, to Alex M. Azar, Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services (July 31, 2018) (online at https://searchlf.ama-assn.org/undefined/documentDownload?uri=%2Funstructured%2Fbinary%2Fletter%2FLETTERS%2F2018-7-31-Letter-to-Azar-re-Title-X-Comments.pdf).


text:
Unidades de Investigação e Desenvolvimento
CFE - Centre for Functional Ecology
I&D CFE - Artigos em Revistas Internacionais
Title: Invasive and non-invasive congeners show similar trait shifts between their same native and non-native ranges
Authors: García, Yedra
Callaway, Ragan M
Diaconu, Alecu
Montesinos, Daniel
Serial title, monograph or event: PLOS ONE
Abstract: Differences in morphological or ecological traits expressed by exotic species between their native and non-native ranges are often interpreted as evidence for adaptation to new conditions in the non-native ranges. In turn this adaptation is often hypothesized to contribute to the successful invasion of these species. There is good evidence for rapid evolution by many exotic invasives, but the extent to which these evolutionary changes actually drive invasiveness is unclear. One approach to resolving the relationship between adaptive responses and successful invasion is to compare traits between populations from the native and non-native ranges for both exotic invaders and congeners that are exotic but not invasive. We compared a suite of morphological traits that are commonly tested in the literature in the context of invasion for three very closely related species of Centaurea, all of which are sympatric in the same native and non-native ranges in Europe and North America. Of these, C. solstitialis is highly invasive whereas C. calcitrapa and C. sulphurea are not. For all three species, plants from non-native populations showed similar shifts in key traits that have been identified in other studies as important putative adaptive responses to post-introduction invasion. For example, for all three species plants from populations in non-native ranges were (i) larger and (ii) produced seeds that germinated at higher rates. In fact, the non-invasive C. calcitrapa showed the strongest trait shift between ranges. Centaurea solstitialis was the only species for which plants from the non-native range increased allocation to defensive spines, and allocated proportionally less resources to reproduction, patterns contrary to what would be predicted by theory and other empirical studies to enhance invasion. Our results suggest caution when interpreting the commonly observed increase in size and reproductive capacity as factors that cause exotics to become invaders.
Rights: openAccess
Appears in Collections: I&D CFE - Artigos em Revistas Internacionais
Garciaetal2013InvasiveandNonInvasiveTraitShiftsPLOSONE.pdf 391.66 kB Adobe PDF View/Open
SCOPUSTM
WEB OF SCIENCETM
checked on Jan 16, 2020

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


rfkey ($69), from Macally (www.macally.com): The rfkey wireless keyboard comes with easy-to-use software, but it's prone to interference with its companion mouse. Plus the keyboard and mouse require separate base stations (March 2004).
Wireless Keyboard ($69), from Apple Computer (www.apple.com): This wireless keyboard had the longest effective range of the models we tested, mainly because it uses Bluetooth. Another plus is its conveniently small footprint ( March 2004 ).
Cordless MX Duo ($100), from Logitech (www.logitech.com): Logitech's wireless keyboard-mouse combo has a long-range mouse and a keyboard with nice programmable keys and a good media-key setup ( March 2004 ).
Wireless Optical Desktop ($135), from Kensington (www.kensington.com): Kensington's mouse-and-keyboard combo has highly programmable features and a good effective range. The batteries charge via USB ( March 2004 ).
Wireless Optical Desktop ($85), from Microsoft (www.microsoft.com): Microsoft's keyboard-and-mouse package has the best wireless mouse, thanks to its software, horizontal scrolling, and integration with the keyboard. The keyboard has good application-specific settings ( March 2004 ).
Bluetooth Wireless Optical Mouse ($89), from Belkin (www.belkin.com): Although this wireless mouse has a long range, we don't recommend it. One of its buttons doesn't work on the Mac, and there are a few other firmware-related glitches ( March 2004 ).
CintiqPartner ($200), from Wacom (www.wacom.com): This 6-by-8-inch tablet works with the same tablet pen as the Cintiq, which means you can use the tablet and Cintiq at the same time without having to switch pointing devices. For $200, this tablet is a minimal investment compared with the two grand you've already dropped for a Cintiq (November 2003).
iceCAD ($49), from Macally (www.macally.com): At 4 by 4.5 inches, the iceCAD is probably the tiniest pressure-sensitive graphics tablet you'll ever see. The small size makes it a great convenience for travel, but it's also slightly uncomfortable to use ( January 2004 ).
rfmouse ($49), from Macally (www.macally.com): This wireless mouse comes with easy-to-use software and programmable buttons, but it requires a separate base station, so you'll need two if you also use a wireless keyboard ( March 2004 ).
ShuttleXpress ($60), from Contour Design (www.contourdesign.com): This compact, useful controller follows neatly in the footsteps of the ShuttlePro. It offers solid construction, stylish design, and customizable features. The only downside is that its programmable buttons can't be labeled ( August 2003 ).
WingMan Cordless RumblePad ($50), from Logitech (www.logitech.com): If the convenience of a wireless game pad and future support for force feedback appeal to you, the WingMan hits a home run ( July 2003 ).
Wireless Mouse ($69), from Apple Computer (www.apple.com): One of the first Bluetooth input devices to hit the market, Apple's Wireless Mouse has a useful tension switch to let you adjust how hard you have to press for a click to register. Also nice is the on-off switch that covers the optical sensor when it's off ( March 2004 ).
iCurve ($40), from Griffin Technology (www.griffin technology.com): The iCurve is a Lucite PowerBook stand with small rubber feet that keep it from sliding around. It might not seem like much, but you'll find yourself missing the stylish stand when you work without it ( June 2003 ).
PodSleevz ($20), from RadTech (www.radtech.us): PodSleevz are thin (less than 1mm thick) microfiber covers that fit your iPod like a glove. They are tough but soft, and they come in a variety of colors ( December 2003 ).


So this was a little frustrating. When you just cant get that upgrade to work, it may not be your fault. I went through 4 upgrade images before I got one that would work. I kept getting the error message below, and man was this frustrating. This cost me a lot of time trying to figure out what was going on. But, it definitely was bad images that I downloaded from Cisco. If you run into this, dont necessarily think its you. It may be the image.


I am Dr. Ravikumara N R from Bangalore, Karnataka, India. I did my doctoral in Nanomedicine (Nano Drug Delivery) for cancer therapy. Presenty, I have published 5 articles in peer reviewed international journals. Looking for postdoc usa/europe/australia.
Below are my published articles list.
Ravikumara NR, Nagaraj TS, Hiremat Shobharani R, Gargi Raina. Madhusudhan B., Preparation and Evaluation of Nimesulide-loaded Ethylcellulose and Methylcellulose Nanoparticles and Microparticles for Oral Delivery. Journal of Biomaterial Application 24 (1), pp 47-64, 2009 (IF 2.24).
Neralakere Ramanna Ravikumara and Basavaraj Madhusudhan., Chitosan Nanoparticles for Tamoxifen Delivery and Cytotoxicity to MCF-7 and Vero cells. Pure and Applied Chemistry, Vol. 83, No. 11, pp. 2027–2040, 2011 (IF 2.12).
NR Ravikumara and B Madhusudhan. Evaluation of Anticancer Efficacy of Daidzein Loaded Poly (D, L) Lactic acid nanoparticles. Manuscript submitted to the Journal of Bionanoscience, Vol. 5, pp1–8, 2012.
Ravikumara NR, Tiyaboonchai W and Madhusudhan B., Fabrication and Characterization of Genistein Encapsulated Poly (D, L) Lactic acid Nanoparticles for Pharmaceutical Application. Manuscript submitted in the Current Nanoscience Vol. 9(2), pp293-302, 2013 (IF 2.0).
Mithila B.S Ravikumara N.R and Madhusudhan B., Preparation, characterization and toxicity evaluation of monodisperse oxytetracycline-loaded poly (hydoxyethylmethacrylate) nanoparticles for oral therapy submitted to Journal of Bionanoscience Vol. 7, pp1–12, 2013.
Ravikumara NR and Madhusudhan B., Phytoestrogen (Daidzein) Loaded PLA nanoparticle preparation process, optimization method for encapsulation. Manuscript submitted in the Journal of Nanotechnology in Engineering and Medicine ( Accepted ) .
i am doing my master degree in materials science and nanotechonology,where is the best place to do phd in nanotechonology?
I am looking for Post doctoral position. I have worked in nanotechnology for human health care like bone replacement and tooth. I have transferred on know to technology to one pharma cuticles industry.
I am writing to inquire about the availability of postdoc position.
I would like to introduce myself as Tej Singh, completed my PhD from National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur. The title of my thesis is "Tribo-performance evaluation of fiber reinforced and nano filled composite friction materials". The research results were published in various international journals and data was also presented in both international and national conferences. At present I aspire to gain more practical scientific knowledge and acquire more technical skill, in the field of nanotechnology. I herewith enclosed my brief Curriculum Vitae. I look forward to hearing a kind reply from you at your earliest convenience.
i am looking for PhD positon in nnotechnology in USA, Canda or Australia. I have completed my master. My research work topic was " fabrication and biological application of ferromagnetic nanoparticles"
I Will be completing my B.tech in Nanotechnology in 2014. I wish to apply for a PhD scholarship directly after my B.Tech. Please suggest. I am highly motivated for research and have completed projects at IIT Madras, IIT Guwahati, IIITM Gwalior.
I am looking for postdoc position in condensed matter physics at nanoscale. I have explored electronic and optical properties of nanostructures in the framework of density functional theory using CASTEP. I have publications in Journal of Applied Physics, Computational Materials Science, The European Physical Journal B, etc.
I have finished my Ph.D. in Nanoscience . The title of my thesis is Analysis of size-dependent properties of Quantum dots. I am looking for a postdoctoral position in this field.Please help me out .


text:
E3 2019 Information Page
E3 News 2019
E3 2019 Screens
E3 2019 Trailers
E3 2019 Hands On and Previews
Retro Wrap-Up
eShop Reviews
PlayStation Reviews
Xbox Reviews
Anime of the Past
Crowdfunding Spotlight
Jeff's Musings
Operation Rainfall Origins
Smashing Saturdays
About oprainfall
Contact Us / Tips
AGDQ 2020 INTERVIEW: World 9 Gaming
3 Microsoft Exclusives Deserving an Xbox Series X Revival
Steve's Favorite Games of 2019
E3 Info Page
E3 2015: Hands On: Corpse Party: Blood Drive
Buy VenusBlood Frontier on JAST USA
We are proudly a Play-Asia Partner
SUPPORT OPRAINFALL BY TURNING OFF ADBLOCK
Ads support the website by covering server and domain costs. We're just a group of gamers here, like you, doing what we love to do: playing video games and bringing y'all niche goodness. So, if you like what we do and want to help us out, make an exception by turning off AdBlock for our website. In return, we promise to keep intrusive ads, such as pop-ups, off oprainfall. Thanks, everyone!
By Benny Carrillo / June 23rd, 2015
Time to go back to Heavenly Host Elementary one final time.
While I've heard of Corpse Party, I sadly cannot say I've ever played the previous two games of the series, save for a few minutes of the first one. So upon picking the Vita to play Copse Party: Blood Drive I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I had a lot of questions, and thankfully the rep from XSEED Games was able to provide me quite a few answers. First off a little backstory, though I promise no spoilers for those of you like me who haven't played these games yet. This is the third chapter in the series and will apparently serve as the conclusion of the story arc. The game takes place after the events of the second game, Corpse Party: Book of Shadows, and recaps the events of the true ending for that game. As such, if you haven't played the previous titles you will have parts of the story spoiled for you. Also I've been informed that the story of this game will be focusing more on resolutions and wrapping up the story than the psychological horror that Corpse Party is known for, so this game is meant more for fans of the series looking for answers rather than newcomers to the "party." Does that mean the game isn't creepy though? Does it lack the tension that a survival horror game should bring? Well, let's start with the basic mechanics.
The D-pad and the left control stick will both move your character. Triangle will access your system menu, Circle functions as your action button and X is used to cancel selections and run. However I should note that the Circle and X buttons will be swapped around upon final release to match the standard for US games. As this was an early build of the game the button layout was still one of the things that hadn't been changed at this point. The other important mechanic to be aware of is your flashlight. The flashlight will be both your saving grace, and possibly your biggest worry depending on how you want to play the game. The flashlight can be turned on and off by pressing the L button and is aimed with the Right Control stick. Its purpose is very simple, to illuminate the many traps and hazards that liter the halls of Heavenly Host Elementary. Simply put, the flashlight could be one of the biggest sources of difficulty as it can run out of power, and if it does you're in the dark and running into traps you won't see. In fact this proved to be such a difficulty spike that MAGES. later patched the game to include an option for infinite batteries that can be turned on or off at will by pressing the Select button. This means that if you want to make the game harder and increase the tension you can play with the ability off, but if you would rather just explore and enjoy the experience then you can leave it on and have one less worry in a game where everything, and I do mean everything, wants you dead.
Oppressive atmosphere: check; Wandering around in solitude: check; Red grotesque blobs of flesh: double check.
As I mentioned the school itself is full of various traps. Shards of broken glass, weak floorboards, and tripwires liter the school. While the glass can somewhat be seen in the dark as well as the weak floorboards, the tripwires will prove to be one of the biggest dangers. These things can only be seen by shining your flashlight upon them. Thankfully, once you've seen them you only need to walk up close to one and press the action button to disarm it. The traps aren't the only thing to worry about, however. There's two other very dangerous hazards in the school. First off there are these red, fleshy, pulsating blobs all about the school. Some of them are harmless and just there to add to the creepy atmosphere, while others can harm you by running into them. As for which does which I couldn't tell even with the flashlight. The other danger are these shadows that will pursue you. These are relentless in their pursuit and should not be taken lightly at all. I've been told that while in previous games they may get stuck on furniture or obstacles, in this game they've gotten much smarter and can't be shaken easily, and I can confirm that fact myself.
Upon being pursued your only option is to move as quickly as you can to try and shake your pursuer and find a cabinet to hide in. However, you have limited stamina and if you run for too long you'll find yourself slowing down until you're out of breath and a sitting duck. If you do make it to a cabinet though you can slip inside and try to wait out your pursuer. Inside the cabinet you'll see rings of pulsating light emanate from the center of the screen, much like a radar. The color of the rings indicate how safe you are, with blue meaning something is in the area, and moving through green, yellow, to red depending on how close an enemy is. Seeing red however also means that your pursuer knows where you are and will pull you out of the cabinet. This means you need to put some distance between you and the shadows before jumping into a cabinet or else. There is one saving grace, though, which are talismans. Find one of these and you'll instantly defeat a pursuer, however the talisman will be consumed and you'll be vulnerable once again. While I wasn't able to see it myself, I was told that losing all your health isn't the only way to die. You also have another stat called "darkening" which functions as sort of a sanity meter. As this stat goes up you'll start to notice the screen start to become more staticky. If you reach full darkening you'll fall over dead; just another thing to keep an eye on. So, how does this all come together? Well I played a section of the game taking place in Chapter four of the story to find out.
My playthrough put me in control of Ayumi as she wandered around the school. I was given no direction or goal and was just free to explore. I quickly found myself walking into shards of glass and falling into the floorboards, but quickly began to adjust to the traps… until I quickly found myself under pursuit from one of the shadows. As I mentioned these guys are relentless and will not give up the chase unless you can successfully hide from them, which I was unable to do. In fact the radar in the cabinet at one point showed two shadows that were in the area, one I was trying to lose but couldn't and one that hadn't noticed me yet. Try as I might I soon found myself dead and reloaded the save file that placed my back at the start of the demo. My second attempt didn't go much better as I found myself once again running into traps as I futilely tried to escape from a pair of shadows. With a second death under my belt I decided to stop torturing poor Ayumi and end my playthrough there. So now that I played the game, how did it perform on a technical level?
These things seriously want to give you a hug, too bad it's one that's gonna kill ya.
This isn't the most graphically impressive game out there and on the TV screen it didn't look especially pleasing. In addition, the frame-rate isn't locked at 30fps and will dip on occasion. As such if you play this on a PlayStation TV to share with friends or to experience it on the big screen, it won't impress you. However, on the Vita itself the gameplay looks smoother and passable considering this isn't a fast paced action game. XSEED Games is aware of the frame-rate issues and has asked the developer if they can make some tweaks, though there's no guarantee that will occur. On the plus side, the lighting from the flashlight looks rather impressive and it does make a difference during gameplay. Sound wise though this game is certainly creepy. While I couldn't hear every sound due to noise on the hall floor, I was able to get close enough to the Vita to hear many of the sound effects, which I also heard from the TV as it rolled it's demo footage. More times than not the noises from the TV would freak me out and cause me to panic as I wandered around the school. As for the controls, they work just as they should, nothing felt sluggish or unresponsive. Lengthwise the game will have eleven chapters along with eight extra chapters to play through and will feature other areas to roam through than Heavenly Host Elementary School. All in all I've been told it'll take about 20+ hours to fully complete this one. So with all this taken into account, what's my personal thoughts?
I have some mixed feelings about this one. While the mechanics of the game feel solid, the graphics and game engine could use some work and these deficiencies will be noticeable on a PlayStation TV, which is a minor gripe, but important for those who want to share the experience with a roommate or friend. While I can't compare how the atmosphere has changed since the last two games, I can certainly say I felt more than a bit creeped out and oppressed as I wandered the halls of the elementary school. If you're a fan of the series and searching for answers in this world, which is in 3D for the first time, you'll probably find this enjoyable. Newcomers to the franchise though may wish to start with the other two games beforehand though, to see if ready for to attend this party of the dead when it releases this Fall. If you're curious about how we felt about them, take a look at our review for both Corpse Party and Corpse Party: Book of Shadows which can be found here.
About Benny Carrillo
A gamer since the days of the NES, this professional otaku adores Mega Man, Super Robot Wars, Yuri, Visual Novels, the Slice of Life anime genre, and of course Hyperdimension Neptunia. His mission on oprainfall is to help deliver the news straight to you.
View all posts by Benny Carrillo
AnimeShinbun
5pb.Corpse PartyCorpse Party: Blood DriveE3E3 2015magesOperation Rainfalloprainfall @ E3 2015PlayStation TVPlayStation VitaXSEED Games
Previous Post:E3 2015 Impressions: Super Dungeon Bros; Teamwork for the Win
Next Post:Steins; Gate 0 gets a set release date
"It's Dangerous To Go Alone Take This... link"Khan Shadid


Provides data from the GetPageCompleted event.
Provides data from the GetReportParametersCompleted event.
Provides data from the ListAvailableReportsCompleted event.
Provides data from the ListRenderingExtensionsCompleted event.
Provides data from the RenderAndCacheCompleted event.
Provides data from the RenderCompleted event.
The proxy to the Telerik Report Service.
The Telerik Report Service interface.


I hope everyone enjoyed their 2007 and rang in 2008 in style. I know I did. In fact, I spent this New Year's Eve doing exactly what I had been hoping to do: attempting to take over the world!
Never being one for loud dance halls, unruly house parties, or freezing cold sloppy street celebrations, my perfect New Year's Eve was realized when Jan and I invited Ed and Basia over to our place for a quiet evening of laughing children, creative cocktails, fine dining, and the 2008 Risk World Championship. It was heaven.
Natalie and Emily started the festivities by bouncing around the house and filling the night air with delightful laughter. They got on like a house on fire! We all thought that Natalie, thanks in part to her watching over Emily like a little sister, seemed much more like an 8 year old than the 3 year old she really is. They soon tired themselves out and were swiftly put to bed, allowing the adults to break open the liquor cabinet.
With the help of an old friend, I mixed up some killer concoctions while we all snarfed down the obligatory olive cocktail mix, Pringles, and fuet while Jan prepared her patented Seafood Ragu. In a spur of the moment decision, Jan declared rum to be her official drink for 2008 so I whipped up some wicked Bahama Mamas to set the mood. We ravenously made short work of Jan's delicious dinner even though Basia initially balked at the standard Zamrycki portions. I swiftly moved our guests on to Mudslides (thanks, Phil), while I poured myself a Terry.
We had just enough time to set up the Risk board and review the rules for the uninitiated before midnight drew near enough that we hurriedly doled out the grapes and poured the champagne. Please don't tell any Catalan friends that we opted out of the Cava this year. I don't think they'd understand that I had a bottle of Piper-Heidsieck lying around and it was too good to pass up. Anyway, we downed the grapes with every stroke of the midnight hour and washed them down while watching a typical Spanish New Year's TV celebration (sexist, vacant, and generally trying too hard). The TV went off and the soldiers occupied their territories.
This was easily the high point for me of the entire evening. I have been massively addicted to Risk recently and I was getting tired of playing by myself against the computer. I needed a worthy competitor. I was happy to see Basia doing some quality trash talking so I knew there would be some decent competition. I captured all of South America from the very beginning and quietly laughed at my pathetic opponents as my position only got better from there. A stubborn Alaska was all that stood between me and North America when, out of nowhere, Jan declared her missions completed and everyone's jaws hit the floor. I felt utterly cheated but I shook her hand anyway and we all crowned her the 2008 Risk World Champion. Grrr.
Ed went in to our bedroom to check on Natalie and we never saw him again. Jan brought her laptop and a few episodes of Seinfeld into the guest room and crashed. Basia and I trolled YouTube for a little while, but we, too, were no match for the dopiness brought on by good food and alcohol. We all went to bed and slept soundly through the first night of the new year. Except for Emily who woke up quite often. And Jan who tended to her. And Natalie who was woken by Emily.
Here's hoping 2008 is even more wonderful than 2007 – if that's possible.
I am so god awful at Risk and my friends (who are pretty good) have no patience to teach me the strategies.
However, it is a fun game.


We are currently searching for an accomplished General Manager with a "high drive for results" to lead the Crowne Plaza Semarang team. Subject to the business needs, the successful candidate must be fluent in Chinese (verbal and written to a business level).
Featuring 268 well appointed rooms, the Crowne Plaza Semarang is conveniently located in the bustling downtown business district, located nearby government offices, regional corporate offices and major banks. The hotel offers a range of food and beverage options to our guest including; Gris all-day dining, Connexions lobby lounge, Crystal Palace Chinese restaurant and In-room Dining.
As the General Manager, you will work with the owner as a partner and manage day-to-day operations of the hotel by leading, empowering and building on the strengths of the management team to ensure all functions are operating effectively so guests are offered a product which is reliable, consistent and aligned to the Crowne Plaza brand. You will establish clear performance goals for employees, provide regular feedback and facilitate the development of high potential individuals to build a strong talent pipeline.
Acting as a Brand Ambassador, you will place the brand at the center of all communications, marketing initiatives and actions. You will use the Crowne Plaza brand promise and guiding principles, market knowledge and social media, and work with the Sales and Marketing team to provide a clear strategy while challenging them to think of ways to beat the competition. You will also balance short-term actions and decision with the longer-term impact on the business to drive revenue, future profitability and maximum return on investment for your owner's equity.
If this sounds like the perfect move for you, apply online now! Get in touch and tell us how you could bring your passion and individual skills to IHG.


text:
Vistara Announces Growing Customer Adoption for Cloud Operations Solution
More than 1,100 Enterprises are Now Using Vistara's SaaS Platform to Enable a Service Approach to IT Operations and Cloud Infrastructure
San Jose, Calif
Vistara announced today that its Vistara IT Operations Platform (ITOP) solution is now the cloud operations solution of choice for more than 1,100 companies. Valued by customers for its ease of use and rich functionality, Vistara ITOP enables faster adoption of cloud-based solutions and hybrid IT environments by integrating the remote management of on-premise clouds, virtual private clouds, public clouds and IT tools.
"The Vistara platform is one of the core components of our company's Cloud Management as a Service (CMaaS) offering," said Ron Dupler, CEO of GreenPages Technology Solutions, a $130 million national IT consulting and integration organization headquartered in Kittery, Maine. "It provides unparalleled visibility into, and control of, physical, virtual and cloud resources through a single pane of glass—crucial for organizations to effectively manage modern hybrid cloud environments."
Offering an intuitive interface and single pane of glass dashboard, Vistara ITOP has proven its ability to simplify IT automation and performance reporting, saving companies operational expenses and technical resources. It also seamlessly integrates with leading cloud hosting services, hardware devices, virtualized solutions, applications and operating systems, making it ideal for blended IT environments.
Vistara ITOP lets administrators view and manage their entire distributed IT infrastructure within a single user interface, making it perfect for enterprises with multiple branch offices, remote service providers, and distributed data centers. It is the only broad solution of its kind to be offered as a comprehensive SaaS solution, meaning Vistara ITOP automatically updates and manages itself so IT professionals can focus on developing and delivering applications instead of managing them.
"Enterprises today need to innovate quickly and leverage massively distributed human and cloud infrastructure resources. They need to ensure rapid time to resolution regardless of where a problem occurs," says Varma Kunaparaju, Chief Technology Officer of Vistara. "Modern IT organizations have to do things differently to maintain technical and business advantage, and a SaaS approach to comprehensive IT services in hybrid environments helps them do this."
Gartner Inc. forecasts that cloud IT operations management will have a compound average growth rate of 41.3% from 2011-2016.[1] A recent Gartner report authored by Thomas Bittman further confirms the growing market demand stating, "Client interest in building the capability to leverage external cloud services interoperably with a private and/or on-premises cloud (in a hybrid mode) is growing.[2] "
"The global marketplace is seeing the tip of the iceberg when it comes to demand for an interoperable cloud management solution that can remotely and accurately manage everything from the core to the edge of the network," concludes Kunaparaju.
See Vistara ITOP at Booths 209 and 208 at VMware Partner Exchange in Las Vegas from February 25-28, 2013.
[1] Ed Anderson, et al. "Forecast Overview: Public Cloud Services, Worldwide, 2011-2016, 4Q12 Update." Gartner, Inc. February 2013.
[2] Bittman, Thomas J. "Top Five Trends for Private Cloud Computing." Gartner Inc. 14 February 2012.
About Vistara
Vistara is the leading provider of SaaS-based cloud operations software. It unifies islands of infrastructure, clouds, and the people who support them into a single manageable IT operation. Its flagship product, Vistara ITOP, is a world-class cloud operations solution that federates the remote management of on-premise clouds, virtual private clouds and public clouds. Used by more than 1100 companies, Vistara ITOP enables IT professionals to view and manage their entire distributed IT infrastructure from within a single pane of glass and enables a service provider approach to IT operations.
kevin@tgprllc.com


text:
Top travel boss 'confident' Med hotspots will be open for UK holidaymakers when schools break up
A top travel boss has told Sky News he is "confident" Britons will be allowed to holiday abroad again from 17 May – while most of the Mediterranean hotspots "will be open" when schools break up for summer.
Under prime minister Boris Johnson's roadmap for lifting lockdown restrictions, international travel without one of the current exemptions – which exclude holidays – won't be allowed any earlier than 17 May.
The government has yet to confirm when exactly Britons will be able to freely travel abroad again, although ministers have set out plans for a "traffic light" system to be used this summer to categorise different destinations.
The four stages of England's lockdown lifting
Under the proposals there would be different travel restrictions applied to each category of country – "green", "amber", or "red" – which would be determined depending on their perceived COVID risk.
Alan French, Thomas Cook chief executive, backed the plans and told Sky News such a traffic light system "works well".
But he joined growing calls for ministers to provide more details on which countries would be in each category, and what COVID testing Britons would need to undergo when holidaying abroad.
"The travel industry is mobilising itself," he said.
"But of course we don't actually know what destinations we'll be able to travel to on 17 May.
"We don't know exactly what the testing regimes that are going to be necessary to be put in place. And we're not sure how people will be able to re-enter the country from each of those corridors.
"So there's a lot of questions that do need to be answered before we get to the very exciting position of being able to go on holiday."
PM 'not given up' on foreign holidays this summer
However, Mr French was buoyant about the prospects of international travel resuming in full from 17 May – as he pointed to the success of the UK's vaccine rollout and how the UK's lockdown easing has progressed so far.
"I'm confident that we will see travel opening up on 17 May – it was predicated on a number of things happening, most of which have happened," he added.
"The exact mechanism of freeing that up, I think, remains to be seen and I would expect the government to be able to move quite quickly to be able to tell us how we will be able to unlock.
"And particularly how we'll get aviation back running as quickly as possible and help the airports deal with the processes around people returning."
Mr French revealed he has booked a holiday to Croatia himself, adding: "I'm pretty confident by the time certainly that the school holidays return, most of the popular destinations in the Med will be open."
The proposals for reopening the travel sector were included in a report by the government's Global Travel Taskforce published earlier this month.
Subscribe to the All Out Politics podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Under the plans, quarantine-free travel would be allowed to "green" countries, while 10-day isolation periods would be required for those returning from "amber" destinations, and a 10-day quarantine period in a hotel would be mandated for those coming back from "red" countries.
Those travelling to "green" or "low-risk" countries would have to provide a PCR test on or before day two of their arrival back into the UK – with further tests required for those travelling back from "amber" or "moderate-risk" countries, as well as "red" or "high-risk" destinations.
Last week, a committee of MPs demanded more detail on the government's travel plans by the end of this month.
They warned – under the current proposals – £500 could be added to the cost of a family of four travelling to the safest parts of the globe where the vaccine roll-out is comparable to the UK.


Ecallantide is an injected medicine that is given to treat sudden hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks. This prescription drug works by blocking the activity of a certain chemical that causes your veins to leak fluid and cause pain and swelling. Headaches, nausea, and reactions at the injection site are possible side effects.
Ecallantide (Kalbitor®) is a prescription medication approved for the treatment of sudden hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks. HAE is a rare, hereditary disease of the immune system that causes sudden swelling in certain parts of the body, such as the face, hands, feet, abdomen (stomach), and larynx (throat). This medication is given by injection and is administered just under the skin (subcutaneously).
As with any medicine, ecallantide can cause side effects. However, not everyone who uses the drug will experience side effects. Most people tolerate it quite well.
Kalbitor [package insert]. Burlington, MA: Dyax Corp.;2012 February.
Gold Standard, Inc. Kalbitor. Clinical Pharmacology [database online]. Available at: http://www.clinicalpharmacology.com. Accessed: October 29, 2012.
What Is Ecallantide Used For?


Are you ready to start a business? Before you dive (or dive again if this isn't your first rodeo) into the entrepreneurial world, make sure you're prepared for the realities of business ownership. There are many things to consider when you're trying to decide if you should become a business owner. Here are just a couple of biggies!
Do you know how much money you'll need to get started or how much money you'll need to make each month in order to pay your bills and support yourself and your family?
Do you know how much time it will take to make everything work and start generating a profit?
1. Why do you want to own your own business?
What's your goal? If you're starting a business simply because your current boss is driving you crazy or you're bored with your current job, then you might want to rethink your career direction before you invest everything into starting a business.
If you aren't passionate about entrepreneurship, you won't be able to handle the ups and downs inherent to it. Owning your own business doesn't magically solve your career woes.
2. Do you have any business education or experience running a business?
Owning and running a business requires some knowledge. You need to understand things like cash flow, budgets, supply and demand, marketing, sales, taxes, laws, and even human resources! If you don't know how to run a business, you need to start educating yourself or get the right people to help you (see #10).
For example, do you know which is the best structure for your business entity—sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company or s-corp? This is an extremely important decision that will affect you and your business for years to come. If you don't know the answer, then you need to get help.
No one else will pick up the pieces if you take a day off or just don't feel like completing a specific project one day. As a business owner, you need to be 100% self-motivated or things will fall apart.
4. Do you have some money to pay the bills?
It takes time to earn enough money as a business owner to be able to support yourself and your family. Make sure you have at least six months of income in savings before you quit your day job (a full year of savings is better) or secure the right funding to start your business in the best way possible. Not all business funding options are created equal!
5. Can you comfortably wear multiple hats and take on many roles?
Business owners often have to do it all, particularly in the early days when they can't afford to hire employees. You need to be knowledgeable in numerous areas and be able to multitask so you can switch from one role to another at a moment's notice.
Nothing is certain in business ownership, so you need to leave any perfectionist tendencies behind you when you become an entrepreneur. Things will change, and you need to be flexible enough to adapt quickly. If you can't, then business ownership won't be rewarding for you. Instead, it will be a constant battle against the way you like to do things.
7. Does bootstrapping get you excited or worried?
When you start a business, there are many expenses. You need to buy supplies and equipment. You might have to purchase inventory or pay for an office or storefront. You'll need to pay for phone lines, internet access, a website, merchant processing, and more. At the same time, you need to invest in marketing to get the word out about your new business and start making sales.
You'll need to find creative ways to cut costs and maximize returns on the investments you do make. If operating a lean business and creatively bootstrapping to drive growth isn't appealing to you, then the reality of business ownership might not appeal to you either.
8. Are you ready to invest in your business?
To start a business that has a chance to succeed, you need to be willing to invest time and money into making it happen. For example, it might seem easy to skip investing in things like legal advice, intellectual property protection, insurance, and tax advice, but by skipping these fundamental steps, you could end up in trouble and paying a lot more money to fix your mistakes later.
If you're not willing to spend some money to start your business the right way, then you just might see it crumble later.
As a business owner, you need to sell a lot. You have to sell yourself to investors if you need to secure funding. You have to sell yourself to employees to entice the best talent to work for you. You also have to sell your products and services.
If you can't sell, start educating yourself or find someone to help you who can sell. After all, if you don't sell anything, your business won't make any money.
10. Are you all in?
You must be 100% committed to building a successful business or your chances of failure skyrocket. No one else will ever have the same level of commitment to your business that you will have.
As a business owner, you're no longer just an employee with just a job. Instead, your business is a critical part of your life and you have to be all in. That means your business needs to be your main focus. It can't be your hobby or your side gig that you do in addition to your full time job.
When you start a business you need support. I'm not just talking about manpower. Yes, you need employees to help you get the work done and people to provide business knowledge that you might not have yourself, but you also need emotional support.
Owning a business is stressful, frustrating, exciting, scary, and even heartbreaking. You need emotional support to help you get through the good times and the bad times. The most successful entrepreneurs understand that they can't do it alone.