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CPGs Lean on OEMs During the Pandemic
From equipment startups to training to more automation, manufacturers are asking machine builders to adopt new technology and service roles in difficult times.
Stephanie Neil
In October, PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies held a virtual Annual Meeting that covered topics ranging from an economic update to cybersecurity vigilance. In addition, this year a customer panel discussion featured engineers from three CPG manufacturers: Wilken Benjamin, principal packaging equipment engineer at Rich Products Corp., John Giles, manager of Ada engineering at Amway, and Joe Zembas, senior manager, reliability engineering at J.M. Smucker Company. During an hour-long conversation they discussed COVID-19 issues, equipment updates, training, safety, security, and more with OEM editor-in-chief Stephanie Neil.
Stephanie Neil: How would you describe your business condition right now? Business as usual, controlled chaos, out of the box problem solving?
Joe Zembas: All of your statements are very true. Here at J.M. Smucker Company we are predominantly a retail company, but we do have a good portion of our business in the food service channel as well. When everyone shut down restaurants several months ago it definitely hurt our food service segment, but meanwhile, everyone was filling their pantry and eating at home more. There were a lot of PB&Js being made. And we had to fill shelves that had been stripped. Back in March, if you were to go to the grocery store, half of the shelves were empty. Plants were taxed with making more than what they were previously making. We saw a significant rachet up in the need to get product out, keep shelves full, and keep people and pets fed. And, as our corporate environment had gone to working virtually, it had thrown caveats into the way we get work accomplished. So it was controlled chaos, business as usual, it was everything.
John Giles: I agree with lot of points Joe made, particular with the controlled chaos, but not so much with the business as usual. There was a lot of out of box problem solving for us and defining a new normal. I hear the comments that we'll return to normal and all will go back to the way it was, but I don't think that's the case. We'll define a new normal and I see our company doing that [for example, figuring] out who needs to be in the office is a big issue for us. We are still in phase two of restricting the people who can come on campus. We are able to do more jobs remotely than we ever thought possible. The difficulty we are facing is understanding how well is that job performance going with people working remotely and what are we getting out of it. That is still yet to be determined, particularly in the groups I'm in. But we are extremely busy with projects and don't see any let up in that in the future either.
The hourly production workers are extremely busy [because] with the products vanishing off of the shelves there is a high demand to produce….So a big focus for us is working with those hourly people. It is a little more straight-forward with COVID guidelines, but to keep up with the latest and greatest is our biggest challenge there.
Wilken Benjamin: There is some controlled chaos, obviously, but a lot of business as usual. When we started looking at the scenarios in March it was absolutely chaos. But as the business has turned and the environment has changed, it is getting back to business as usual in a sense. Just like John said, we are still trying to figure out the corporate thing—who is coming to work, who is not. Right now there are more corporate folks at home, but the business is figuring out that business can get done being at home.
Stephanie Neil: You have to have people in the plant and on the packing line and you have to keep them safe and productive. Has that been a difficult problem to solve? And is that something that you have to solve or corporate has to solve?
Wilken Benjamin: It is on a plant to plant basis and the guideline are driven by the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] in terms of what things you need to do at the plant level to keep people safe, and it is really about keeping people separated and understanding how we can still drive productivity. We found in some cases our lines work more efficiently because people are working independently and are not as distracted as they would have been with someone working with them side-by-side. It's an interesting dynamic in that aspect. But I think we've done a good job of keeping them safe. Now it's more of challenge trying to meet the demands of the business.
Stephanie Neil: How do you manage people coming into the plant, such as a service technician coming in to work on a machine? Have you reevaluated how you manage the process and the people?
Joe Zembas: Yes, if you go back to March there was no guideline. We had to be agile and fluid about how we were doing it. We put checklists together following CDC guidelines and we've continued to adapt that system. We cut back as much as possible on external visits and instituted checklists before people come on site, like thermal monitoring of individuals when they come on sight. And we've also looked at what kind of systems we need to put in place to help that be effective. Before, when a tractor trailer showed up with a load of packing materials, a lot of papers would go back and forth and there were interactions that had to go on. We've moved a lot of that to now being paperless by leveraging the technology out there that is available. We are working through touchless invoicing and transactions with truck drivers... and put an extra level of safety in place for the truckers and the people on site who are interacting with them.
Stephanie Neil: A recent PMMI business indicator poll asked members what their biggest obstacle was as of late and they focused on supply chain as a disruptions. Are you having the same experience?
Wilken Benjamin: I'm an equipment engineer so I'm generally focused on the end product, but I do hear on work team meetings where supply chain is an issue in getting raw materials. The biggest thing for me is equipment OEMs and lead times being extended when it came down to steel and trying to cut in different equipment. We've had some issues where lead times that would normally be in the neighborhood of 16 to 18 weeks would now be 32 weeks.
Stephanie Neil: What does it do to the organization when you have extended lead times?
Wilken Benjamin: We are doing a lot of equipment replacements and we are focused on cost savings, so it delays those savings. Is it effecting the business? Can we still run? We do, just not as efficiently [as we would] with the new technology.
Joe Zembas: The most blatant example is in our pet food side of the business. With 35% of U.S. meat processing plants shut down, our ability to get meat byproducts for pet food was significantly impacted. To Wil's point on steel, our wet can business was looking for more cans for wet pet food and a good portion of steel comes out of China and there were places shut down in China. So yes, it ripples across the supply chain for everything from product ingredients to raw materials and packaging materials.
John Giles: In the early phases, in the March and April timeframe, was when it hit Amway the hardest. That was true for most companies as a lot of things were locked down and the company was trying to figure out how to work. We went through a lull, struggling with incoming raw materials and the teams did a great job working through those issues or changing production to match what we had on hand. Today it's not really a big issue for us. For the most part we are moving forward and I'm not seeing significant delays now.
Stephanie Neil: The PMMI business indicator poll also asked "How's business?" The response was that quotes and proposal activity has gone up since March. It is surprising to me that people are looking for new machines. Why is this happening?
Joe Zembas: In essence, we all had a business plan and things we had committed to. Obsolete pieces of equipment needed to be updated and there were new product launches that needed to hit the market. Once we got through the initial tidal wave of chaos in March and April we still have a 30 years old tray packer sitting out there that I can't buy spare parts for any longer. I still need to get that quote, get the project funded, and get it underway, so that is part of the normal business we've had to continue. I think it's just we had business we planned to do this year and we tried to find our way around everything else to keep moving the ball down the field.
Stephanie Neil: Wil, why is your company buying new equipment?
Wilken Benjamin: Real simple. Labor. As we bounced into the COVID environment one thing we saw is that when people were afraid to come to work, we still had to fill orders. It became evident that the things we were working on for five years down the road, we would have to pull those things in and start automating more processes. As a team we've been pushing forward in high-level automation opportunities that we were going to delay. But when we started looking at overall profitability and taking a hit for three months, we looked at what we needed to automate.
Stephanie Neil: John, are you looking for new types of equipment or turning to more automation?
John Giles: Labor is a huge part for us and automation ties into that. We had a plan for an automation spend and where to spend that capital. Other than the little blip where things slowed down in March and April, it's still full steam ahead and following the original guide for capital projects. We also have a large sector of the nutrition industry and we've seen explosive growth with nutrition products, especially immunity defense products. That accelerated some of the things we were doing internally to pull up plans to bring up additional lines and support that growing segment of the business.
Stephanie Neil: So are there new kinds of products coming into the organization?
John Giles: A big one for us is CBD products, those are new products for Amway and they've actually been doing very well. It goes into the whole nutrition side and well-being and supporting people's health. There are plans in place to continue with additional products and new SKUs. The big issue we look at is how to bring those to market quicker. What can we do internally to accelerate, whether it's equipment, plant capabilities, buy outs, or whatever, to get that stuff into the market sooner rather than later.
Stephanie Neil: How can your machine builder partners help? Is there room for them at the table?
John Giles: Yes. We partner with our typical suppliers and we are looking for new suppliers at the same time. In today's market we definitly rely on that partnership and it's everything from going through all of the options and things you can get on the machine and equipment to make sure it will suit the products we'll make with it, and it will fit into our environment and do what we need it to do. That's a big part up front and as we get to the build process. But when we get to design and FAT (factory acceptance test), where we normally have boots on the ground to inspect and look at things, that is where we rely on close relationships with our suppliers or OEMs to make sure they get the equipment we want. For the most part all of the OEMs we've worked with have done a very good job and are quick to react and are flexible to work with us to try to resolve issues and work through problems. We have strong OEMs supporting us and willing to do more than they would have in the past and that is a mutual benefit to everyone.
Joe Zembas: I think there is definite openness on the OEM side to doing virtual FATs, they've incorporated it, applied whatever technology is needed in their facility and the thing we've seen is the culmination of relationships we've built between some of our key OEMs. There's a certain comfort in going to the shop and seeing [the equipment] run, even if it's for 10 minutes. Certainly, when you walk away from that you lose that comfort, but if you deal with a vendor that you have a long established relationship with, and you know they'll make things right in the end, and you know they build good quality equipment, etc., it's a lot easier to cut that PO without ever showing up in the shop and putting feet on the ground. So it has reinforced the need for those strong relationships with OEMs and key suppliers.
Stephanie Neil: Wil, you talk about automation projects. How are OEMs working with you as you try to figure out your next step?
Wilken Benjamin: Everyone I'm working with are trusted OEMs. Right now we are focused on true relationship building and collaboration because the trust is there on the projects we've been working on. But we were talking to procurement a week ago because they are pushing us to give others an opportunity. We are pushing back and saying that right now is not the time. We have a solid relationship with enough OEMs that we don't need the push back, we need to partner and problem solve together. Especially in this time where travel is limited. I can't hop across the country from site to site. I have to depend on my OEMs to do that for me because they are able to in many cases. So partnerships and collaborating long before now has been so beneficial to the direction we are going in.
Stephanie Neil: If this is the time for OEMs to come up with new business models and new services, what would you ask them for?
Wilken Benjamin: We all as CPGs want as much aftermarket support as we can receive—and get it as free as possible. With that said, one of the things we are looking at is that we need to keep our equipment running, yet we don't want anyone in our facility because of COVID, so we've been digging into technology to figure out how we can have that support. We've been checking out [Microsoft] HoloLens and we are receiving a lot of good feedback from everyone in our facilities. So we've been sending the HoloLens around to some of the different problems we're having, whether it's R&D projects or purchasing equipment for FATs or collaborating plant to plant. [PTC's Vuforia] Chalk is another project we've put out there. Some OEMs came to me with Chalk and we said we would like to test it out. It was interesting because it was pre-COVID that we were saying it's a neat app and we need to try it out, not knowing it was something we'd really need. But there is a lot of technology out there and a lot of people are just trying to figure this space out.
Joe Zembas: Training has always been difficult. The more we can do virtually, the more dynamic we can make it and it will address the need to not have the OEM in our site for a week to do extensive training for individuals. And given that every school in America is dealing with how to teach remotely…I think that five to 10 years from now you won't get a vendor onsite to do training. That will be a thing of the past. As we continue to move forward there will be more virtual, more visual, the little 30-second video clips. We'll see continued movement in that direction. Things like the pandemic will accelerate that movement.
Stephanie Neil: Last year at the PMMI Annual Meeting there was a lot of discussion about cybersecurity. But I haven't heard any of you talk about cybersecurity. Is it still an issue?
Wilken Benjamin: Oh, yeah, it's definitely an issue…we are just trying to figure ways around it using iPhones and doing anything we can, especially with startups. We've had three startups since this pandemic. We start talking about all the devices to try, and IT still pushes back. So cybersecurity is still top of mind, and I shouldn't say we are trying to get around it, we are being creative.
Joe Zembas: The things we've talked about relative to YouTube videos , etc., are much different than opening up our platform to allow someone to log into a machine to work on our equipment. Cybersecurity is still a large concern for all of us.
John Giles: It is really about being creative and coming up with different solutions. It comes down to who you are partnering with. We are seeing a lot more cooperation because of the pandemic and we realize we need to do things and open things up, but cybersecurity will never drop into the back seat, we are just becoming more creative about learning how to deal with it.
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Originally Posted by Peyto
Because we are as a population more cautious than Americans in almost all regards, and the pandemic has highlighted that difference. "Peace, order, and good government," vs. "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," y'know?
I would add that our percentage of people with one dose is now the same, but we have not dished out nearly as many total doses per capita. I agree with you that the risk is minimal but if you're a cautious federal government spooked by variants and the unknowns you're going to wait until September, especially when your voters agree with you.
i think they trust in god cuz its written on all their money, they also in money
i think they trust in god cuz its written all their money, also in money
Americans trust in god and Canadians trust in aquatic birds. Both are loony!
While summit is wrong about the nuts and bolts of it, BC really did ask people not to travel outside of their health regions.
but it's not that different from what happened in the us when the good people of moab and bishop said please don't come here because there are limited health services.
in general canada has fewer hospital beds and the difference is more pronounced away from cities.
Yeah, I know. I used to be a medevac pilot in BC.
You know what guys, some of us are american and some of us are Canadian (or Canadien), but we are all Maggots. So i called the border and you can all come up here. Just tell them the password. Check your pm for the password and enjoy revy guys. (except for buttah, he can fuck right off)
http://www.nfb.ca/film/loon_dreaming/
we all grew up hearing the call of the loon on CBC ch2
Canadians can fly into the US for any reason, but Americans cannot fly into Canada (unless essential purpose).
Dont come here for cheap goods then anymore then, fuckers.
Doc can't figure it out he calls for medevac and the patient is in the big city at VGH or childrens hospital pretty quick
I knew a guy who flew medi-vac in the arctic out of Calgary, i think he might have said Ken Borak air, said he had landed at almost every strip up there which is a fucking huge area
I thought this thread was for Americans butthurt they can't come to Canada, not the other way around?
As soon as I don't have to quarantine upon return I will most certainly take advantage of your open borders, but not because its saves me any cash.
LHutz Esq
deal.
Had to google that. Man, they check a lot of 80s boxes. Mullets, headbands, trench coats... dude even breaks out the sax for a solo - and is somehow now wearing glasses?! I guess he's reading the sheet music, lol.
They remind me of a less good Larry Gowan (if such a thing is possible)
I picked up black eyes in the shape of a cowboy boot after getting stomped on by a Gowan roadie in the 80's. Bit of a strange animal and after a night of heavy drinking he didnt realize my connections charcoal textured black hash was indeed the shit. Later he had a price to pay. Fun times, no rona to be had them daze
Because we are as a population more cautious than Americans in almost all regards
I think it depends on which issue and as XXX says, whether there is money to be made. For instance, salmon farming, and the potential long term effects on wild salmon populations; USA-cautious, Canada-not cautious.
We gots the costco here eh
In any case I'm pretty sure those people will find a way to spend a bunch of $ they can't really afford to buy a bunch of shit they don't really need which will all end up in the 2 car garage that you can't actuly fit a car in enymore
Originally Posted by ml242
Not overwhelming the healthcare system is the number one goal of public health measures in a pandemic because the downstream effects are huge.
Yet there is a HUGE difference in asking "keep to your home area" a year ago vs now.
A year ago there was a huge amount of unknowns about the illness/transmission/treatment, huge supply/PPE shortages, a general lack of healthcare system capability to handle COVID (eg air filtration, trained staff), very limited testing ability, and no vaccine.
Much of that was addressed by last summer. Mountain destination/desert recreation areas did just fine last summer and winter in terms of healthcare capacity.
What has Canada been doing for the last year to improve their healthcare capabilities?
Canadians who post on TGR don't care about coming to the US. They have better skiing and biking there. But cut off old farts ability to go to Arizona and Florida and there will be riots in the street.
My parents are retired in San Miguel de Allende and there are a shit ton of Canadians retired there with them. Lo De Marcos, north of Sayulita, is basically a BC town.
Except for the riots. Those are reserved for hockey games that went the wrong way.
or the right way
Social media has cured the Vangroovy hockey riots, something the mouth breathing losers who stormed the Capitol building have just figured out
I spent a lot of time in the OR this year, IME I can afford the HC in Canada, its not that bad
whereas y'all get to chose the HC you can't afford
also life expectancy is much lower for a country with so much HC
I think I saw that episode of TPB ...j/k
Article today corroborates the one posted by AD suggesting the US is going to allow Canadians to freely travel to the US by land on June 22 for any reason. Still no official word yet. It appears to be a power move by Biden for force Trudeau to negotiate on bilaterally lifting some restrictions.
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/...251723818.html
Longtime Liberal MP Wayne Easter, who chairs the House of Commons finance committee, told POLITICO on Thursday that the Trudeau government must lay out a border reopening plan — and soon.
"As you get into July 1, Canada Day, and July 4, Independence Day, then those target dates are real pressure points for wanting to be normalized," Easter, who co-chairs the Canada–U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group, said in an interview. "The heat's on, and I think we absolutely must have a plan."
Easter said the political squeeze from the U.S. has been stronger in large part because in Canada public health officials and the media have contributed to a greater "fear factor" around the pandemic.
"We've done a pretty good job of creating fear on the Canadian side," he said, noting he understands the goal was to get people to stay home. "If you were ever to watch [the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation] for a 16-hour period, you'd be depressed."
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/0...-border-491285
Travel restrictions have worked for this small ski town. Bit of a spike in cases and restrictions shut it down a few times. Plus pow a plenty, no lines, solo chairs and now friendly people on buffed, deadfall free trails. I say more restrictions!! It was like a private bike park last year
waxman
"We've done a pretty good job of creating fear on the Canadian side," he said, noting he understands the goal was to get people to stay home. "If you were ever to watch [the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation] for a 16-hour period, you'd be depressed"
1.Wayne Easter is an idiot.
B. No one can watch the CBC for an hour let alone 16.
I spent a lot of time in the OR this year, IME I can afford the HC in Canada, its ok
buttahflake
Don't worry about, I'll never spend a cent in your shitty country.
Fuck Canaduh
Today is the day you get to learn how little power a backbench government MP actually has in a parliamentary democracy, especially the Canadian variation. The PMs office has been and always will be the final arbiter on this issue.
Originally Posted by buttahflake
We got rid of pennies, so we'll take your loonie instead.
Is a lonnie slang for fat kawk in canaduh?
you looking for a new Canadian boyfriend there butafake?
I learned on South Park that canaduhians have wicked small dinks
and that got you all excited?
love or hate Trudeau there is nobody else in the wings who would be king, the conservative party is way too far right to form a government and I don't Canadians are ready to vote for Jagmeet
I don't know the numbers of Canadians who are traveling south, but the quarantine requirements mean that as you say, its mostly snowbirds and the wealthy.
I disagree with your take on there being a double standard though - if the US wants to put quarantine requirements on those entering they're welcome to and the Canadian government certainly wouldn't protest. They'd probably love that as it would reduce the amount of Canadians traveling abroad (there is still a blanket travel advisory).
There are 1500-2000 healthcare workers who live in Ontario and commute to Michigan every day. And that's just one spot. And if you had to pick a group more likely to come in contact with a virus...
This is why the "ClOsE tHe BoRdErZ jUsTiN" attack ads and blame game don't work. You can't just stop flights from x country with a variant and expect it to do anything, it'll just spread to other countries and come in that way. And you also can't just stop Canadians returning home from other countries - something something constitution.
Just crank out the vaccines, keep things low-key so our communist healthcare system can stay afloat, and eventually we'll get there. We're not far off, it feels like.
Main difference between CAN/USA is that if you get sick in the USA some private company makes money. If you get sick in Canada, the government loses money. At least, that's what it looks like from my igloo. Seems other countries are following the same protocols as Canada, and the USA is the outlier. I am 100% open to being totally misinformed, though.
Butterflakes own people don't like him, if he had served din Vietnam he would have been shot by his own troops
aah comon' guys i was just making a bad joke at buttah's expense. he's not that bad.
apparently he's obsessed with our small canadian cocks though
yeah yer right ^^as canadians it would be customary at this point to say we are sorry
I'm sorry butterflake is an asshole
It is a bit curious how he hates Canada so much. Maybe he just wants to be different. I mean who else actually dislikes Canada?
DougW
there was alot online during new NAFTA but that was then , anyway...
cat in january
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDGkQiwh_qg

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Minister for Inner Cities and Zongo Development, Boniface Abubakar Saddique, has hinted that inhabitants of Zongos and inner cities will start benefiting from the Zongo Development Fund by July 2018, after it has set up its secretariat.
According to him, the Ministry has difficulty with office accommodation for its secretariat, but is hopeful that, office accommodation together with the appointment of a board for the Fund would be ready by July for the execution of projects under the Fund.
Boniface Saddique disclosed this to Citi News in Bolgatanga during a baseline assessment of Zongo communities in the Upper East Region.
Mr. Saddique said after the baseline assessment of all Zongos in the country, a consultant will be sanctioned to develop the needs assessment of the communities for implementation.
He stressed that his ministry was bent on improving the living standards of the Zongos through social development and economic empowerment, education, health and infrastructure and sanitation initiatives.
The Ministry will also focus on heritage preservation, security and crime control.
The Minister indicated that although the Zongo Development Fund has a seed capital of $50m, they expect development partners like the World Bank, UNDP, EU and the private sector to contribute towards the development of the Zongos.
Under the Development Fund, the Zongo communities will have dilapidated schools rehabilitated, with scholarship packages for students.
They will be provided with toilet facilities, construction of CHPS compounds and water facilities particularly in areas with water problems.
The region is benefiting from the construction of an Astroturf football field in Bolgatanga under the ministry.


I'm pleased to show you my 2019 Succulent Watercolors Calendar! It features a dozen new, vibrant watercolors based on my favorite photos of succulent plants.
Last year I was so busy with the launch of the second edition of Designing with Succulents, I didn't pursue my watercolor hobby. This year happily I found time.
I try to do a calendar every year because I tend not to get around to things—even things I enjoy—without a deadline and people waiting. It's highly motivating that some of you requested a 2019 succulent watercolors calendar for yourselves and to give as gifts.
My calendars and other succulent-themed gift items are available from Succulent Chic, my online Zazzle store. Never pay full price at Zazzle. They charge too much! I use them because their production values are high and there's no overhead, leaving me free to paint and design. Zazzle keeps 90% of the sales price.
Zazzle doesn't make it easy to pass along discounts, but here's a 15%-off code you can use through Jan. 31, 2019. Copy-and-paste it when you order: UQEYOJQKDMCOXQJQPRTP. But first see if they're offering an even better discount (which they often do).
Historically, Zazzle has discounted calendars 50% on Veterans Day and 60% on Black Friday, so I usually wait until then to buy them. FYI, Zazzle will mail them directly to the recipients for you.
So, what's new for '19?
All my 2019 Succulent Watercolors Calendar paintings are based on my own photos, except Miss December. I based the agave-in-snow watercolor on a photo by Portland's amazing Karina Aldridge (Instagram @sacredelements) with her permission.
Go to "Debra's Art Supplies" for the watercolor paints, paper and brushes I prefer.
In "Paint a Succulent Watercolor the Easy Way" I trace the image onto watercolor paper, mask certain areas, apply washes, paint one leaf at a time by dropping in dabs of color, then scrub out highlights when the paint is dry.
Is there really an easy way to paint watercolors? Yes, if you go straight to painting and don't spend time laboriously drawing the image first. I learned the technique described here from San Diego watercolor artist Diane Palley McDonald.
Select a photo that inspires you.
Print the photo on 8-1/2 by 11 paper.
Put the photo on a light table or against a sunny window, and tape a piece of watercolor paper over it.
Using a pencil, lightly trace the photo's main lines onto the watercolor paper.
Tape the edges of the watercolor paper to a thick rectangle of cardboard.
This technique is a bit like painting a coloring book page. The worst that can happen is you'll have to start over, but the hard part of any painting is the drawing, so you can skip that part. I sometimes do two or three paintings of a subject before I'm satisfied.
Here's why I prefer watercolors to any other art medium, except possibly photography: When you dilute watercolor paint with liquid light (clear water), you can create an image that's translucent. Because the white of the paper shines through, the result suggests a sunlit moment.
Go to "Debra's Art Supplies" to find out which watercolor paints and brushes I prefer.
Also enjoy this YouTube video in which I share my painting method.
See more paintings from past succulent watercolor calendars still available on Zazzle. Many are are on my Succulent Watercolors Pinterest page as well.
— "Thanks to their intriguing forms and ease of care, succulents are replacing African violets as the plants of choice for indoor gardens," said Debra Lee Baldwin, author of "Designing With Succulents" (Timber Press, revised second edition).
Any of those might be a launching point for an article, but perhaps the most useful is the empty-bottle idea. I use plastic bottles to make large pots lighter before I add potting soil. It makes pots easier to carry, cuts down on the amount of soil needed, and is better for shallow-rooted succulents. Before I plant any tall or large pot, I half-fill it with… [continue reading].
*The Associated Press is a US-based news agency headquartered in NYC. The article appeared in the Washington Post and other media.


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Home Business People Who Became Successful After Rejection – Monday Inspiration
People Who Became Successful After Rejection – Monday Inspiration
We all face rejection at some point in our lives or the other. That is part of life. In fact, surveys now say that most of the rejection happens on a Monday, when people are the most stressed of the week and layoffs take place after the weekend. The struggle is real. While some people can't cope with the pressure, there are others who took rejection in their stride, overcame the impossible and proved to be lights in a dark generation. They weren't "lucky" and most of them in fact had the odds against them. Here are the people who became successful after rejection. This is your Monday Inspiration. Have a trailblazing week ahead!
Hershey's
Is there any person in this world who hasn't tasted a Hershey chocolate and not fallen in love? From their cute kisses to their chocolate coma-inducing bars, this company is at the top of their game. But founder Milton Hershey wouldn't say the same about his own life. He worked at a local candy factory before trying to make it on his own and failed twice. Instead of giving the sweet dream up entirely, he joined the family business – farming, and perfected the art of milk chocolate and decades later, his name is synonymous with happiness!
You may not recognize the name Theodore Giesel, but when it comes to Dr. Seuss, we connect it to the best memories from childhood – Cat In The Hat, Horton Hears A Who, The Lorax, Green Eggs And Ham and so many more delightful rhymes. He was a struggling writer who tried to find the right story (how many of us writers go through this grind), and was rejected a gut-wrenching 27 times by publishers who called his work "pure rubbish". Then one day he runs into an acquaintance who is into publishing works for children. He gives old Giesel a chance, and the author finally hits that sweet spot. The rest, as they say, is literary history.
When someone calls you Einstein, you relate it to genius. But the maverick scientist wasn't the smartest pea in the pod when he was young. He didn't speak until he was 4 years old and teachers called him "lazy" because of the way he behaved and the numerous abstract questions he would ask. Yet, he became a game changer in the world of science, delving into the Law of Relativity, which many claim to know and few actually understand. Some believe he may have even suffered from dyslexia, but hey, he believed in himself and never faltered from what he was sure of in his head.
We all remember the beloved President of the United States who was against slavery and who always wanted to do the right thing, even at the cost of mental exhaustion. Early and married life were not easy for Abe, and he witnessed plenty of deaths in his lifetime, including his mother, sister, sons and then finally when he was assassinated. Though the youth of his time were made for hard labour, Lincoln focused his mental efforts and concentrated on reading and educating himself, becoming a lawyer and joining politics. When it comes to beating the odds, even Barack Obama looks up to the man for inspiration.
Stephen King's, The Shining
Want a good spook? Read Stephen King. A good author is someone who can tell a story; a great one is someone who can take you completely in with the tale. King is the latter, of course. His early writing life was a struggling one and he was rejected a total of 30 times by publishers. But he kept at it, thanks to his wife, who encouraged him to write even after he threw his work in the trash. Now, he has sold over 350 million copies of his horror stories and so many of his works have been turned into motion pictures, including The Shining.
Women in the United States and world over who were from the 90s can vouch for their feminine freedom thanks to the one and only Oprah Winfrey, host of The Oprah Show. Her life began as the child of a slave, a young girl who went through sexual abuse for most of her adolescent life. After losing a child at 14, she was mostly a free-spirited girl who had one gift – she believed in herself and that there was going to be a greater ending to a sordid beginning. Today, she single-handedly built an empire, helped millions of people resurrect their lives and is worth nearly $3 billion. As she simply puts it, Wowza!
law of relativity
sucessful
theodore giesel
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Time for the pond netting to come down?
It is a no win question, when to take down the netting over the pond. This year has been one of the easiest and best years of pond coverage. The pond looks pretty good, is pretty clear, and I think it is ready to face the winter.
I am thinking yes. Despite what we say, in many ways we northerners or Midwesterners have a perverse liking for the change in seasons. I love the way the snow cleans up the driveways and sidewalks, removing some stains that have been there for a long time. I like the way that much of the leftover vegetation is composted by the weather.
I often think that a cold snap is a way of killing off germs. I doubt that this is the case. I guess I can dream.
I can also dream that the current régime be taken down. What with Flynn lying to the FBI and all, perhaps my thoughts that this happened to be an illegal election might come to some sort of fruition and the nightmare that is devastating our country might come to an end.
My fantasy is that the progress that we have made that was repealed by the current régime will be turned around and that instead, we will come to our senses and move forward, not backward.
Anyway, the day is beautiful and although near freezing when I walked Stewart, it was nice. The sun is shining.
All of the grandkids are healthy. That is good and given the recent months, a huge gift. The oldest son and I are still dealing with the lingering cold and I am truly ready to be done with it.
This entry was posted in Life in general, Politics, Pond and koi, Thoughts and philosophy, Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.


Anyone 13 years old and older interested in refereeing games in the Port Moody Lacrosse Association should contact our Head Referee ( headreferee@portmoodylacrosse.org) or Referee Allocator ( refallocator@portmoodlylacrosse.org).
BCLA is running Box Lacrosse Officials Clinics for Levels Entry, 1 and 2 throughout the pre-season and regular season. For dates and locations, click here. If you are interested in attending a clinic, please contact either our Head Referee (headreferee@portmoodylacrosse.org) or Referee Allocator (refallocator@portmoodylacrosse.org).
The Joint Officials Coaches Abuse Panel (JOCAP) was created to put an end to the copious amount of verbal abuse that coaches, players, parents and fans inflict on the officials in our game and is comprised of twelve members – six from the BC Lacrosse Officials Association (BCLOA) and six from the BC Lacrosse Coaches Association (BCLCA). JOCAP's mandate, as directed by both the BC Lacrosse Officials and Coaches Technical Support Groups during the 2015 Joint Special Session, is for both the officials and coaches sectors to work together to identify why there is so much abuse and to find solutions to this ongoing issue. Strong recommendations have been made to the Directorates for suspensions to help eliminate the abuse. For more information on JOCAP and to view instruction to officials for 2016, click here.


This is a basic image of the human ear. It loosely shows some of the various curves, depressions, etc. one might have in their ear.
This Hearing icon is a responsive icon. This means that it's optimized for four resolutions, from tiny 16x16 until highly detailed 80x80. The style comes from the latest Microsoft Office, which makes it perfect for any Windows applications, in particular, those with ribbon toolbar control. Unlike other icon packs that have merely hundreds of icons, this monster icon pack contains 15,800 icons, all in the same style and quality.
In addition to the ear a "Not listen" icon would be great with an ear that is crossed with a single line.


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Tag Archives: totally bound
Sensory Limits Is The Totally Bound Editor's Choice
The Sensory Limits BDSM anthology is now available as an early download from Totally Bound, and it's been picked as this week's Editor's Choice by the team at TB headquarters. So what makes this antho special? Well, contains six fabulous stories that all explore the role of sensation play in BDSM sex, so expect the use of everything from ice (as featured in my contribution the collection, Cruise Control) to hot wax, and submissives who crave the touch of a master who knows how to make their bodies sing…
As well as Cruise Control, the anthology features stories by Ashe Barker, Wendi Zwaduk, Tori Carson, Zoe Mullins and Fara Allegro. You can find out more, and read an extract from the book, here. Hopefully it'll make you want to choose Sensory Limits, too.
Tagged ashe barker, BDSM romance, cruise control, fara allegro, sensory limits, tori carson, totally bound, wendi zwaduk, zoe mullins
July 10, 2017 by elizabethcoldwell
Cover Reveal: Cruise Control
Remember a few weeks ago when I had a collection of random pictures that were connected to my then-current WIP? Well, that story will be part of Totally Bound's forthcoming Sensory Limits BDSM sensation play anthology. Cruise Control tells what happens when a couple decide to play out their kinky Dom/sub fantasies while on a cruise holiday, and here's the very lovely cover for the story.
More details on the story, and the anthology as a whole, to come…
Tagged BDSM erotica, cover reveal, cruise control, totally bound
Totally Bound Is Ten!
Yep, in what feels like the blink of an eye, the Totally Entwined group has reached the grand old age of ten, and to mark the anniversary, there's a whopping 25 per cent off just about everything in the Totally Bound and Pride Publishing bookstores. Take a moment to recall all the fun and exciting things you've done in the past decade, and if one of those isn't reading as many ebooks as you'd like, you can rectify that and stock up with titles from some of the best writers in the business. But you'll need to hurry, as the sale ends tonight.
Click on the top book cover (possibly my favourite of my Totally Bound covers) to go to the TB bookstore and the bottom (ditto for my Pride Publishing books) to go to the Pride bookstore. Oh, I love a good anniversary…
Tagged anniversary sale, pride publishing, totally bound
You Never Forget Your First Time – Guest Post By Lisabet Sarai
When the lovely Lisabet Sarai announced she was bringing out a new and expanded version of her classic BDSM novel set in Thailand, Raw Silk, I was intrigued. It's a while since I reviewed the original version for Forum, but I hadn't realised quite how long until – oh, but I'll let Lisabet explain for herself…
I published my first erotic novel in 1999. I've had many releases since then, but Raw Silk holds a special place in my heart. I was so innocent when I penned this story. I'd never read any romance, and relatively little erotica. I knew nothing at all about the publishing world. All I had were my own fantasies and memories, which I burned to share. Although the book was not in any sense autobiographical, it drew heavily on my personal experience. It has always been one of my most popular works, partly, I think, because readers sense the emotional authenticity of the tale. Kate's sexual journey mirrors my own, not in detail, but in spirit.
Now Totally Bound has given me the chance to revisit that book, revising and expanding it for re-release. It has been a thrill to follow Kate once more through the twists and turns of her adventures in Bangkok. Meanwhile, I'm delighted to have the chance to apply the accumulated knowledge from sixteen years of writing to polish the prose, making the tale shine even more brightly.
Excerpt: Gregory turned to Noi. "Help her get ready. I promised her that no one would know who she was."
"Kate, put yourself in Noi's hands. She's an expert." He bent down to whisper in her ear. "Remember, I will be watching." She felt a hard pinch on her bottom. "Break a leg," he said in a jocular tone, then was gone.
Noi took Kate by the hand. "Sit here," she ordered, "and take off your shirt." Kate stripped off the T-shirt. She was bare-breasted beneath, but the women around her did not give her a second glance. She sat at the dressing table that Noi indicated, looking at herself in the mirror.
She was flushed. Her green eyes seemed darker than usual, and sparkled with suppressed excitement. The few freckles on her pert nose seemed especially prominent. She looked pretty, alert, and very Irish.
Meanwhile, her nipples were red and rigid, perched high on her full breasts. Touch me, they almost screamed. Pinch me, suck me.
As if reading her thoughts, Noi caught her left nipple between a thumb and forefinger, and gave a little twist. Kate gasped. "You will be very popular," observed the mamasan dryly. Kate couldn't help blushing.
Noi began to apply makeup. Kate watched, fascinated, as her ruddy skin became pale, her freckles disappeared, her eyebrows darkened and arched, her eyes became shallow and almond-shaped. In a short time, she was looking at an Asian beauty, perhaps half-Thai, half-American, with moist, full lips and curly red hair.
"My hair…" she protested. Noi reached behind her and produced a wig of straight, black locks. She gathered Kate's own ringlets into a tight ponytail then fitted the wig.
The transformation was complete. Black bangs cut across her forehead. Black tresses decorated her shoulders. She looked nineteen instead of twenty-eight. And, most assuredly, Thai.
The other girls gathered around. "Oh, madam, you look so beautiful." Kate couldn't help but smile, surrounded as she was by gorgeous female faces and forms.
"Here is your costume," said Noi. "Gregory selected it especially for you."
Kate grew a little paler. Was she really expected to wear this, in public? She looked at Noi in silent entreaty, but the mamasan just grinned. "Get dressed," she said. "The dancing will start in just a few minutes."
A corset of black vinyl, laced up the front, which cinched her waist and left her breasts bare. The briefest of G-strings, a tiny vinyl triangle that barely hid her bush plus a thong that settled deep in the crevice between her buttocks. Thigh-high vinyl boots with four-inch heels. And, finally, the leather collar she had last worn while Gregory had taken her from behind.
Fully attired, she checked herself in the mirror once more. A stranger stared back, a sultry Asian temptress. The body was more voluptuous than was typical for a Thai, full breasts and thighs that belied the woman's youthful face. Her red-painted lips were half-open, luscious and inviting. Her skin shone already with a light sheen of sweat. Kate raised her arms above her head and swiveled her hips, as she had seen the other dancers do. The figure in the mirror moved gracefully, languidly, every motion beckoning the viewer to watch, touch, taste, possess her.
"Here is your number." Noi handed her a plastic chip with a pin on the back. Kate had noticed all the girls wearing them. Apparently they served as a simple accounting mechanism, for tallying the tips the girls received whenever a customer bought them a drink. She smiled wryly, noting that Gregory had assigned her the number sixty-nine.
Blurb: When software engineer Kate O'Neill leaves her lover David to take a job in Thailand, she becomes sexually involved with two very different men—a handsome and debauched member of the Thai aristocracy, and the charismatic proprietor of a sex bar.
Each touches her in a different way, each teaches her different things about her body and her heart.
Then David comes to Bangkok, and Kate realizes that, finally, she must choose one of the three men who all desire her.
Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of M/M and F/F sex, sex with multiple partners, scenes of mixed ménage, scenes of dubious consent and forced cunnilingus, voyeurism, exhibitionism, sex in public places, pegging as well as the use of inanimate objects during sex scenes.
Review Quotes: "This is by far one of the best erotic novels that I have read and it fully deserves every one of the five ribbons I am giving it! But it does make me wonder what the characters could do with them." ~ Maree Schuler, Romance Junkies (Five Ribbons).
"[Kate's] character grows and she comes to realize her inner needs along with her deep sexual desires. Lisabet Sarai has a flair for sexy, sensuous romance with an edgy feel. I cannot wait to read more by this talented author." ~ Dawnie, Fallen Angels Reviews (Five Angels).
"The Bangkok setting is fascinating and adds to the overall feeling of opulent sensuality. Lisabet Sarai deftly shows the country without ever letting the descriptions take over the story. Good BDSM novels are voyages of self-discovery, and Raw Silk is a journey you'll enjoy taking." ~ Kathleen Bradean, Erotica Revealed
"…this is one SIZZLING read (the ending was incredible) and should not be put on the back burner of your 'to read list." ~ Alyssa, Amazon review (Five stars)
Buy Links (Ebook and Print)
Amazon US/Amazon UK/Barnes & Noble/Totally Bound/All Romance/
Find the book on Goodreads
Until March 8th, Raw Silk is available for only 99c!
Tagged BDSM erotic romance, guest post, lisabet sarai, raw silk, totally bound
…to everyone who voted for Wild After Dark in the Love Romances Cafe awards. Up against some stiff competition in the anthologies and box sets category, the book received an honourable mention. Congratulations to the authors of the winning anthology, Dreamspinner Press's Tales of the Curious Cookbook, and to all the other winners and nominees across the various categories.
Tagged love romances cafe awards, totally bound, wild after dark
November 27, 2015 by elizabethcoldwell
Sneak Peek: Mr December
Christmas is drawing ever closer, but what if December was your least favourite time of the year? That's how Nicki, the heroine of my new seasonal novella, Mr December, feels. Memories of a bad break-up, and an assignment to photograph arrogant but very sexy model Bryce in a remote house on the Cornish coast, do nothing to lift her spirits. But when circumstances conspire to leave the two of them stranded over the holidays, will they be able to deny the attraction they feel for each other?
Here's an extract:
Bryce lay on his front on the bed I'd set up in my studio, cupping the point of his chin in one hand. With the other hand, he held a sprig of mistletoe over his head. He'd parted his lips slightly, as if inviting a kiss. The expression in his eyes clearly said 'come and get me'.
I clicked away with my camera, concentrating only on getting the perfect shot. It wasn't easy, not when the tension between Bryce and me had been building since the moment he'd walked into the studio. Electricity seemed to crackle in the air, hard to ignore, like lightning on a fine summer's day.
"Hey, Nicki, put that thing down and come over here," Bryce drawled. He waved the mistletoe in a clear effort to distract me from my task.
I should tell him to cut it out. We had work to do. But this was the last scenario on my list for the afternoon, and in truth I already had more than enough pictures to send to the photo agency. I had Bryce Anderson naked in front of me, giving me an obvious come-on. Weaker women would have already succumbed to his advances.
I set the camera down, then approached the bed.
"That's it, sweetheart." Bryce smiled. "You know what they say about all work and no play…"
He took my fingers in his free hand. Lust rippled through me at the contact. Try as I might, I couldn't remain immune to his charms.
Bryce gazed at me, his brown eyes dark with desire. Our lips were inches apart. We hovered on the verge of a kiss, and still I held back from committing fully to the moment. He wasn't so bashful. He pressed his mouth to mine, using his tongue to feather my lips open.
As the kiss grew more intense, Bryce tossed the mistletoe aside. I breathed in the scent of him, expensive cologne mixed with clean male sweat. My eyes were screwed shut and I clung tight around Bryce's neck, not sure what would happen if I let go.
If you want to find out what happens next, Mr December is available from December 8th from Totally Bound.
Tagged mr december, seasonal romance, totally bound
August 24, 2015 by elizabethcoldwell
Reveal Your Dreamy Destination And Win E-books!
Totally Bound want to learn what you look for in your holiday romance reading, and you can win a bundle of e-books by letting them know. Do you like your stories hot and spicy or sweet and sensual? What are your favourite relationships to read about? Do you want a tried and tested formula or storylines that give you something new and different? Make your opinions known by filling in a short survey, and you'll be put into a prize draw to win some cracking Totally Bound titles. Click on the image below to go straight to the survey, and good luck in the draw.
Tagged dreamy destinations, prize draw, survey, totally bound


Join us for our Open Day on this residential development of 30 park homes which neighbours a marina, where you can watch the boats and yachts sail by whilst enjoying a glass of wine on the terrace of the Waters Edge Restaurant.
Have a chat with the residents who have already made the move to their new lifestyle! Learn more about our Part Exchange Scheme have an informal browse round the luxurious show homes!
Please be aware that all Birch's Parks are gated so an appointment is essential if you are intending to visit on an alternative day.


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Q: CurlUrlInvalidException : Facebook Real time update I was trying to implementing facebook real time update. It looks like i was able to subscribe.
  `$param = array(
            'access_token' => $user_access_token,
            'object' => 'user',
            'fields' => 'name',
            'callback_url' =>'http://127.0.0.1/storm/callback.php',
            'verify_token' => 'XYZ',
            'active' => true
            );
  $subs = $facebook->api('/'.$app_id.'/subscriptions', 'POST', $param);

`
I get this error:
{"message":"http:\/\/127.0.0.1\/storm\/callback.php?hub.mode=subscribe&hub.challenge=1229793076&hub.verify_token=XYZ is an internal url, but this is an external request.","type":"CurlUrlInvalidException"}}
Does this have anything to do with me testing it locally??
How can i fix this? Please let me know.

A: You need to use your real ip address in 'callback_url'

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


No, but if you have purchased Applian's software for Windows, you are entitled to a 50% discount on our Mac software. Just enter your email address on this page to see the offers that are available to you. Make sure to use the same email address that you've used to purchase Applian products in the past.


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Heart North and Mid Wales  is a regional radio station owned by Communicorp UK and operated by Global Radio as part of the Heart network. It broadcasts to North and Mid Wales from studios in Gwersyllt, near Wrexham.

Heart North and Mid Wales launched at 6am on Tuesday 6 May 2014, replacing the former Heart North West and Wales station. The rebrand coincided with the relaunch of Heart South Wales - meaning a fully separate North and Mid Wales licence, effectively restoring a regional service to South and West Wales.

History
In December 2008, GMG Media was awarded an FM licence to launch a new Real Radio station serving North and Mid Wales. Initially, the company pledged to produce separate local programming and news bulletins for the region in addition to off-peak pan-Wales output. Following an agreed format change request, the existing service covering south and west Wales was instead expanded to form a national service with no opt-outs. Real Radio Wales began broadcasting to the area at 8am on Tuesday 4 January 2011.

On 6 February 2014, Global Radio reached an agreement to sell the Northern licence for Real Radio Wales and seven other stations across the UK to Communicorp. The adjoining South and West Wales licence remains under Global's ownership. Under OFCOM rules, the sale required the then all-Wales station to be split into two with separate Heart stations launched under separate owners.

The new Heart North and Mid Wales station launched at 6am on Tuesday 6 May 2014. The move coincided with the rebrand and relaunch of Heart's North West and Wales and Cymru stations as part of the Capital network. The Heart and Capital stations share facilities at Global's studios in Gwersyllt, near Wrexham.

In February 2019, following OFCOM's decision to relax local content obligations from commercial radio, Global announced it would replace Heart North and Mid Wales' local breakfast and weekend shows with networked programming from London.

As of 3 June 2019, the station's local output consists of a three-hour Drivetime show on weekdays, alongside local news bulletins, traffic updates and advertising.

Analogue (FM)

Digital (DAB)

On air date March 2013

Programming
All networked programming originates from Global's London headquarters, including Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden.

Regional programming is produced and broadcast from the Wrexham studios from 4-7pm on weekdays, presented by Oli Kemp and Lois Cernyw.

News
Global's Cardiff Bay and Wrexham newsrooms broadcast hourly regional news bulletins from 6am-7pm on weekdays and 6am-12pm at weekends with headlines on the half hour during weekday breakfast and drivetime shows.

National news updates air hourly from Global's London headquarters at all other times.

References

External links

Communicorp
North Wales
Radio stations established in 2011
Heart North Wales

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Singapore Airlines Flight SQ1384 connects San Francisco, United States to Washington, United States, taking off from San Francisco International Airport SFO and landing at Washington Dulles International Airport IAD.
The flight distance is 3883 km / 2413 miles and the average flight speed is 821 km/h / 510 mph. In the last 30 days, the average delay of the flight was 73 minutes and the flight was on-time 50% of the times. The average flight time is 4 hours and 43 minutes.
This Singapore Airlines flight can also be referenced as SIA1384, SQ 1384, SIA 1384.
SQ1384 Flight Delay Compensation up to 600€!


Find out how the ATO works with and for individuals.
We support taxpayers' choice to either self-prepare or use a registered tax agent. The majority of individuals use tax agents and we provide a range of products and services to support them.
providing tools and services that make it easy to comply.
We have an extensive program to assist individuals, particularly those who are new to the system, to understand their obligations.
We provide services through shopfronts and pop-up tax time booths in community centres. These face-to-face services help with general enquiries and the transition to digital services.
We help low-income earners prepare and lodge their tax return. ATO volunteers offer this free service through our face-to-face Tax Help program, assisting people to create myGov accounts, link to the ATO and lodge tax returns.
In 2018, we celebrated 30 years of Tax Help with over 800 trained and accredited Tax Help volunteers in over 600 centres to help individuals in metropolitan, rural and regional areas to lodge their tax return.
We also hosted 35 pop-up shops in major shopping centres, community hubs and even a metro train station to provide face-to-face advice and on-the-spot demonstrations on getting their tax returns right.
Community speakers present to new arrivals, refugees, youth, international students and culturally and linguistically diverse audiences (CALD) to help them understand and engage with tax and super.
In some areas, Tax Help is available in languages other than English. We also have specialist centres to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
We support people who have recently moved to Australia. We work with support organisations to ensure that new Australians understand the importance of our tax and super system. We do this by developing information tailored to new Australians, such as multi-language videos, that build their confidence, knowledge and capabilities around tax and super.
We are committed to providing all young Australians with an understanding of taxation and superannuation that allows them to confidently participate in the workforce.
We have an active Schools program which is currently available for students in Years 7–12. We are currently working on a program for primary school students.
We also assist taxpayers in regional and remote areas, who can access ATO services through Department of Human Services (DHS) shopfronts, agents and kiosks.
We also visit some regional locations as part of our pop-up kiosk program.
We recognise that a small proportion of the population do not have digital access either due to lack of available internet services, low levels of digital literacy, language, geographical or cultural barriers.
We provide options and support services including support packs, paper and printed forms, and telephone assistance.
Recently, the Commonwealth Government has allocated $1 million to set up 10 tax clinics under a trial program to support unrepresented individual and small business taxpayers by providing general taxation advice to help with their tax obligations.
To make it easier for individuals to understand how the law applies to them, we provide easy-to-understand guidance material and tools on our website.
Around 80% of individuals claim deductions in their tax return. A range of information and tools, including occupation-specific guides, are available on our website to help with deductions.
We also provide tools and calculators to assist taxpayers with more complex calculations. Many of the tools are integrated with our online services.
In 2018, we officially launched ATO CommunityExternal Link to enable taxpayers to lead the conversation and share their experiences. ATO Community has reduced over 45,000 calls to ATO and allowed us to address real concerns in real time.
Our Tax Time Toolkit features help and advice products using simplified, plain language. The products cover various areas of lodging an individual tax return, including claiming work-related expenses, self-education expenses, rental deductions, and income. They have been downloaded over 200,000 times on ato.gov.au and over 150,000 times from our online ordering system (pods).
claiming work-related expenses, rental property and other deductions.
We have an active media strategy which includes television, radio, print and online channels. Through these we provide valuable information and tips about how to get your tax right, what to avoid, and our focus areas.
view a history of communications from us.
In 2018, 3.8 million Australians lodged their tax return online using myTax.
MyTax has a number of integrated calculators to help you complete your return with confidence.
We provide a web chat service so those who need additional assistance to lodge their return can chat with one of our client officers. During the 2018 tax time period, we chatted to over 349,000 taxpayers.
We use pre-lodgment prompts, such as myTax messages and letters, to encourage people to accurately report information in their returns and lodge on time.
The ATO app has been downloaded more than 1.8 million times.
tax withheld calculator – allows employers and employees to check how much tax is required.
Between 1 July 2018 and 31 October 2018, over 10.3 million individual income tax returns were lodged. In addition, we generally issue most returns within seven days of lodgment to ensure taxpayers promptly receive their refunds.
match taxpayers with their lost super.
MyTax returns are partially pre-filled with details from payment summaries and other sources such as health funds, banks, employers, government agencies and more. This helps us to make returns more accurate, quicker and easier to complete.
Around 94% of the income reported can be pre-filled in returns, helping to make sure their returns are correct. In 2018, we have pre-filled over 80 million pieces of data with the use of our data and analytics technology.
'nudge' users to correctly report income.
claiming the correct offsets and exemptions.
This tax time, we used third-party data to remind people to correctly calculate and report capital gains and losses on the sale of shares and units.
We use analytical models to identify those who may be making errors or displaying high-risk behaviour. If we see this, we contact the individual, or their agent, to help them get things right.
We use data to reunite people with their lost or unclaimed super.
Over 2.9 million searches for lost super were made in 2016–17. As a result of the searches, almost 548,000 super accounts were consolidated, worth $2.8 billion.
In recent financial years (July 2014 – December 2018), 2.46 million super accounts worth $13 billion have been consolidated and transferred as a result of reforms implemented by us and the super industry.
In April 2018 we contacted 100,000 people to help find the owners of this unclaimed super. As of 30 June 2018, we held 5.36 million unclaimed super money accounts valued at $3.93 billion. We also held over 338,000 super holding accounts (SHA) worth $118.5 million.
In October 2018 almost 47,000 super accounts worth $358 million were consolidated – an increase of $43 million compared with October 2017 (when $315 million worth of accounts were consolidated).
divulge personal or financial information.
375 people paid scammers a reported total $2.3 million.
We review every report made by members of the community and we work with other authorities to take action to disrupt the scammers.
Our best defence against the scammers is to educate the public. We regularly publicise scam warnings and media releases to help ensure the community is aware of the latest tactics being used by scammers.
Anyone who thinks they may have been scammed should call our dedicated scams line on 1800 008 540.
We seek to engage with taxpayers early to help them manage debt. Reviews by the Inspector-General of Taxation and the Australian National Audit Office found that our processes are consistent with best practices and we continue to evolve and refine our approach in line with the recommendations of these reviews.
The best way to deal with a debt, even if it can't be paid straight away, is to contact us early so we can help.
In 2017–18, 65.7% of all individual's tax liabilities (by value) were paid on time and we negotiated 226,000 payment plans, which resulted in $1.4 billion of tax revenue.
For the minority that don't deal with their tax debt, we take action to prevent them gaining an unfair financial advantage.
people who owe an individual money from the sale of real estate, such as purchasers, real estate agents and solicitors.
During 2017–18 we used garnishee powers in about 1.1% of all individual and business debt cases.
We may use legal recovery in relation to a debt, exercising the same rights available to any other creditor. If the taxpayer chooses to engage with us regarding a debt, we will work with the taxpayer to cooperatively resolve issues.
We understand the stress associated with garnishee notices and legal actions taken to recover outstanding debts. In 2018, an independent and external entity reviewed all 2018 insolvency cases; they found that our debt collection practices are appropriate and do not directly lead taxpayers to bankruptcy. Our current practices do not seek to bankrupt taxpayers if it is clear that the debt can be paid in a reasonable time.
An independent, external review of our 2018 insolvency cases found our collection practices do not prematurely lead to viable taxpayers being bankrupted.
Of all bankruptcies in Australia in 2017–18, we initiated 2.8%, down from 3.9% in 2016–17.
When individuals experience serious hardship, we may be able to release them from paying some or all of their tax bill when certain criteria are met.
In 2017–18 we granted full or partial release in 2,174 cases.
Tax and super disputes continue to be a relatively small, but important part of administering the tax and super systems.
102 (0.0004%) cases proceeded to decision by court/tribunal.
Our client focused approach to resolve disputes as early and fairly as possible has seen a 60% reduction in Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) applications against our decisions over the last five years.
We aim to resolve disputes as early as possible and only litigate cases where the outcome would clarify the law or where it is important to send a strong message on non-compliant tax behaviour.
Since 2016–17 there has been a 30% reduction in the average time it takes to resolve a dispute.
We have a number of alternative dispute resolution services to help resolve disputes, including free in-house facilitation and Dispute Assist.
In 2017–18, we received almost 250 referrals for in-house facilitation from individuals and small business taxpayers, almost twice as many as the previous year. Nearly all of our free in-house facilitations in 2017–18 were able to partially or fully resolve the dispute.
Dispute Assist is a new, free service supporting unrepresented individuals and small businesses, where significant personal circumstances have contributed to their dispute with us. The service provides an independent, experienced disputes guide, who provides support and assistance through the process.
Improvements in technology and data, and our ability to scan every return, means we can more easily identify incorrect claims.
We have increased our investment in help and education to assist taxpayers to understand their tax obligations. We are able to review every return and expect to contact more than one million taxpayers, directly or through their agents, this year.
non-lodgment of returns, focusing on those failing to lodge, including those due a refund.
omission of income, particularly where wages are paid in cash.
The over-claiming of these deductions were the main drivers for the 2014–15 estimated $8.7 billion income tax gap for individuals not in business.
We are improving our processes to make it easier for small businesses to get things right and to ensure a fair and consistent approach to the way we administer penalties. Our Penalty Relief Initiative provides penalty relief to eligible individuals and entities with a turnover of less than $10 million that have made an error. In its first six months from 1 July 2018, penalty relief reduced false or misleading statement penalties for failure to take reasonable care on individuals by 82.9%.
We help individuals understand their tax and super obligations by providing information about deductions and our available services.


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When Zbig Brzezinski Almost Became Iran's Foreign Minister
by Trita Parsi2 years agono comment
My PhD committee advisor and National Security Advisor Zbig Brzezinski dies at 89. Without a doubt, one of the sharpest minds of the past century, an absolute giant.
I will never forget how he grilled me during my dissertation defense. Whenever I started to gain some ground against him, he changed the subject and started a new line of questioning.
But without a doubt, the most memorable conversation I had with him was over lunch a few years ago when he suddenly asked me: "Did you know that I almost became the foreign minister of Iran?"
Zbig Brzezinski and Trita Parsi. Source: NIAC
Stunned, I could only muster a "Sorry, could you repeat that?"
And then he told me the story. As a child in Warsaw, Poland, his father was often on travel. A diplomat for the Polish government, the father spent months away on missions. During those missions, Zbig's mom had developed a liking for the Iranian Ambassador to Warsaw. The passion was mutual. Zbig noted that the house started to be filled with Iranian artifacts and rugs, gifts that the ambassador had given to Zbig's mom.
Later, Zbig found out that the Iranian Ambassador had asked his mom to marry him. "I will take you to Tehran and we can put Zbig in the Swiss Boarding that Prince Mohammad Reza (later, the Shah of Iran) attends. They will grow up together and the Prince can make him his foreign minister later when he becomes Shah," the Ambassador half-promised.
But Zbig's mom rejected the proposal, pointing out that divorce in Catholic Poland was not tolerated. The Iranian ambassador insisted, however, and even suggested that if her current husband posed a problem, he could "arrange for him to be taken care of." At that point, Zbig's mom cut off all contact with the Iranian ambassador and never saw him again.
And with that, Zbig's chances of becoming Foreign Minister in Iran went down the drain.
Years later, while serving as President Jimmy Carter's National Security Advisor, he was having dinner with the Shah and Farah at the White House. The conversation was stale, and to lighten the mood, Zbig turned to Farah and asked: "Did you know that I almost became your husband's Foreign Minister?"
Her reaction was similar to mine – stunned. Zbig retold the story to Farah, who was all ears. Needless to say, the mood lightened.
Upon returning to Tehran, Farah decided to investigate the matter. She identified the ambassador in question and checked the story with him.
Three weeks later, Zbig gets a letter from a gentleman in Iran. "Dear almost-brother," the opening line of the letter said. It was from the son of the then-Iranian ambassador to Warsaw – the gentleman in love with Zbig's mother. The son explained that Farah had contacted his father who had confirmed Zbig's account – with the exception "of a few details." You can guess what those details were.
We will never know if Zbig would have become the Shah's Foreign Minister or not. But we do know that whether we agree with his polices or not, he was one of the sharpest strategic thinkers and players of the past century.
Washington sure could use his guidance today.
Trita Parsi
2010 Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order Recipient. Leads largest Iranian-American grassroots org, National Iranian American Council. Author of A Single Roll of the Dice.
Why Is The Iranian Government Opening The World's Biggest Bookstore?
قراردادهای جدید نفتی ایران: اضافه کردن دلال ها
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Mechanistic and asymmetric investigations of the Au-catalysed cross-coupling between aryldiazonium salts and arylboronic acids using (P,N) gold complexes.
Effects of a low-shrinkage methacrylate monomer and monoacylphosphine oxide photoinitiator on curing efficiency and mechanical properties of experimental resin-based composites.
Degree of conversion of resin-based materials cured with dual-peak or single-peak LED light-curing units.
Antioxidant potential of Rumex vesicarius L.: in vitro approach.
Optimizing the concentration of 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyldiphenylphosphine oxide initiator in composite resins in relation to monomer conversion.
Ceramide inhibits Kv currents and contributes to TP-receptor-induced vasoconstriction in rat and human pulmonary arteries.
Surface functionalization of ZrO2 nanocrystallites for the integration into acrylate nanocomposite films.


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Our Bodies, Their Politics
The last few months have made abundantly clear what women must do: Rid America's capitols of misogynists.
Marilyn Katz April 16, 2012
The first "women's group" that I was involved in was not born out of feminist theory or organized by intellectual women on campus. Rather it was in 1966 in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood, and its members were poor African-American moms on welfare and thirtysomething (looking 50) Appalachian women, newly arrived from Kentucky and West Virginia.
In the first half of 2011, close to 1,000 measures related to reproductive health and rights were introduced into state legislatures.
Not much older than me, many of the women in the group provided physical testament to the possible effects of multiple childbirths while young and poor. The work of the group ranged from food co-ops to welfare reform, from rent strikes to learning to read. The impetus for the group, however, was a clear-eyed view that welfare was a "women's issue," and the need – among the Appalachian women in particular – for protection and camaraderie in the face of their husbands' explosive anger upon learning that "their" women were seeking information about birth control from government VISTA volunteers. Back then the outraged cry from men was not about "religious freedom," but about male prerogative and the duties of women.
I have been reminded of those meetings in recent months by the series of controversies surrounding the contraception mandate in the federal healthcare reform law – from the exclusion of Sandra Fluke's testimony at congressional hearings (GOP Rep. Joe Walsh said the birth control debate is "not about women") to Rush Limbaugh's virulent rant (and limp apology), to the barely audible denouncements of his statement by the Republican presidential candidates.
Contrary to the posturing of politicians and bishops alike, religious freedom is not the core issue. Consider, for example, the Catholic hospitals, schools and universities that have, for many years and with little fuss, provided insurance that covers birth control in the states that require them to do so.
The reality is, as it was 40 years ago in Uptown, that the debate about birth control is firstly and fundamentally about women – their rights and their lives. From Biblical times on, women – who bear the brunt as well as the joy of childbearing – have struggled to curtail unwanted pregnancies, often resorting to extreme measures in the face of possible death or the poverty that another child might bring.
More than 500,000 women die around the world each year from pregnancy-related causes, according to the World Health Organization. A majority of those deaths occur in developing countries, but only a century ago American women faced similar fates. It was not until the 20th century that pregnancy-related death rates in the United States declined – a result of modern medicine, better sanitation and the advent of modern female contraception. According to a 2011 study, more than 99 percent of "sexually experienced" American women, including 98 percent of such Catholic women, use or have used non-natural (i.e., not abstinence or the "rhythm method") birth control.
In the past year, as elected Tea Partiers have aligned themselves with religious fundamentalists, Republicans in the House have introduced eight anti-choice bills, each of which received the support of the same 225 GOP representatives. In the first half of 2011, close to 1,000 measures related to reproductive health and rights – from those curtailing contraception to those mandating transvaginal ultrasounds – were introduced into state legislatures. Of the 28 states controlled by Republicans, 26 have passed laws that limit women's reproductive choices. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 55 percent of American women of reproductive age lived in states characterized as "hostile" to abortion in 2011 – up from 31 percent in 2000.
The danger is to women, but among us also lies the remedy. Perhaps we owe a debt of gratitude to the Limbaughs of the world – they have brought to public view and hopefully to public attention the attack on women's reproductive health and rights that has been steadily building over the past years. And while it would be uplifting to get Limbaugh off the air, the real task is ridding our nation's legislative bodies of misogynists. Women fought for and won a great deal in the last century. It's time to say on the Web, in the streets, and of most importance and effect, in the ballot box: We're not going back.
Marilyn Katz is a writer, consultant, public policy communications strategist and long-time political activist. She is president of MK Communications, a partner in Democracy Partners and a founder and co-chair of the newly formed Chicago Women Take Action.
More articles by Marilyn Katz
The "Me Too" Movement and the Rights of the Accused
Have the men and women accused of sexual harassment lost their right to a fair hearing?
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To Impeach or Not To Impeach? That Is Not the Question.
The problems with the GOP are far greater than any one figurehead.
Intelligentsia Against Intelligence
Foreclosure Crisis Built on Racial Injustice
The recession has resulted from, and contributed to, America's racial divide.
Seth Wessler
The Trouble With Obama's Cairo Speech


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PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS AND THE MAKING OF KOREAN STUDIES IN THE UNITED STATES
Browse archives for June 30, 2020
From 1966 through 1981 the Peace Corps sent more than two thousand volunteers to South Korea, to teach English and provide healthcare. A small yet significant number of them returned to the United States and entered academia, forming the core of a second wave of Korean studies scholars. How did their experiences in an impoverished nation still recovering from war influence their intellectual orientation and choice of study — and Korean studies itself?
In this volume, Peace Corps Volunteers and the Making of Korean Studies in the United States, former Volunteers who became scholars of the anthropology, history, and literature of Korea reflect on their experiences during the period of military dictatorship, on gender issues, and on how random assignments led to lifelong passion for the country. Two scholars who were not volunteers assess how Peace Corps service affected the development of Korean studies in the United States.
Co-editor Seung-kyung Kim is Korea Foundation Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures and director of the Institute for Korean Studies at Indiana University.
Co-editor Michael Robinson (South Korea 1969–71) taught at the University of Southern California and Indiana University.
Kathleen Stephens, the former US ambassador to the Republic of Korea and herself a former Volunteer in Korea (1975–77), contributed an afterword.
The other contributors are Don Baker, Edward J. Baker, Donald N. Clark (South Korea 1968-70), Carter J. Eckert, Bruce Fulton, Laurel Kendall (South Korea 1978-80), Linda Lewis, Okpyo Moon, Edward J. Shultz, Clark W. Sorensen, and Kathleen Stephens.
edited by Seung-kyung Kim and Michael Robinson
University of Washington Press, Center for Korea Studies Publication
$45.00 (paperback): $95.00 (hardback) — both can be preordered


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Murder Uncovered After School Shooting
August 30, 2006 / 10:08 PM / AP
A teenager questioned in a shooting at a high school Wednesday confessed to killing his father and has been charged with murder, authorities said.
Alvaro Rafael Castillo, 19, of Hillsborough told deputies after he was taken into custody at Orange High School that he killed Rafael Huezo Castillo, the Orange County sheriff said.
Deputies who forced their way into the family's home found the body of the father, who had been shot to death, Sheriff Lindy Pendergrass said.
It was not immediately known when the father died.
A former student drove into the school's parking lot at midday and fired a gun at the building, spokeswoman Anne D'Annunzio said. A girl was grazed on the shoulder, and a boy was struck by shattered glass, she said.
Castillo has not been charged in the school shooting.
The injured girl was treated at a hospital and released, D'Annunzio said.
"It was very superficial," D'Annunzio said. "I saw her before she was transported, and she was laughing and talking."
Ninth-grader Philip Mitchell said he was outside when the shooting started about 1 p.m.
"There was a bunch of smoke and they started shooting," said Mitchell, who ran back inside the building.
Denning Best, another high school freshman, was in the cafeteria.
"I saw people running away and all the teachers were telling us it was a lockdown," she said. "It was a little bit freaky."
Students were temporarily barred from leaving both the high school and nearby C.W. Stanford Middle School for their safety, D'Annunzio said.
Buses took students from the campus to a church, where their parents waited to collect them.
A window at the school was shot out, but D'Annunzio did not know if the shattered glass caused the boy's minor injuries.
Hillsborough is in the Raleigh-Durham area of north-central North Carolina.
First published on August 30, 2006 / 10:08 PM
© 2006 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Fired Florida COVID data scientist arrested: "Censored by the state"