text:
We never lose sight of how our legal advice affects real families.
Premarital & Post Marital Agreements
Property During Marriage
Community and Separate Property Overview
Commingled Assets
Equity Benefits and Retirement Assets
Divorce and Property Division
Property Settlement Agreements
Spousal & Child Support
Go to…HomePractice Areas-Divorce-Premarital & Post Marital Agreements-Child Custody & Visitation-Domestic Violence-Property During Marriage--Community and Separate Property Overview---Commingled Assets---Equity Benefits and Retirement Assets--Divorce and Property Division---Property Settlement Agreements-Spousal & Child SupportFAQsAbout UsContact UsClients' PageBlog
Coronavirus And Custody Orders
You are here: Home » Blog » Coronavirus And Custody Orders
Many parents are naturally concerned about the effect of the recent Shelter in Place orders in the San Francisco Bay Area counties on visitation exchanges required by their custody orders. The answer is nobody knows for sure, and so far there is no guidance from the available information regarding the Shelter in Place orders.
Although, custody orders remain in effect until modified, as a practical matter it may not matter because many California courts are either shut down temporarily or are only considering requests for emergency orders. It is unlikely that a court would consider a missed visitation an emergency in most circumstances. You can check the current status of your local court at https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/court-emergency-orders-6794321 or the local court's website.
In reviewing the recently released Shelter in Place order for my local county I did note a provision authorizing travel pursuant to a court order. This is probably sufficient to authorize travel for a visitation exchange but does not address refusing to travel because of concerns about the child exposing or being in situations where the child is exposed to the Covid virus going to the exchange or after the exchange. In any event, it is not clear whether a County public safety order supersedes the court's custody orders or will be interpreted to allow travel for purposes of visitation exchanges.
Although, custody orders remain in effect until modified, as a practical matter it may not matter because many California courts are either shut down temporarily or are only considering requests for emergency orders. It is unlikely that a court would consider a missed visitation an emergency in most circumstances.
This means that for the time being, whatever decision is made by the parent who currently has a child in their care will be controlling pending further developments. That being said, the custodial parent should be able to support his or her decision with facts that show the decision is in the child's best interest. Although it is unlikely that a parent would be held in contempt for good-faith decisions made in response to a public emergency, you have to expect some aggrieved parents will try.
A few recommendations:
• Try to work out an agreement with the other parent and document that agreement.
• Given how rapidly changes are coming in the battle against Covid infections, decisions should be made on custodial exchanges on an exchange by exchange basis for the time being. What makes sense this week, may not make sense next week.
• If possible, arrange for telephone and/or video conferencing through FaceTime, Skype or other video conferencing programs and apps.
Custody Orders
Divorce Issues
Understanding Property Division Before Marriage & During Divorce
The Divorce Filing Process
What You Should Know About Prenuptial Agreements
Pre-Marital Agreements Are Not Just For The Rich Anymore
Spousal and Child Support
© 2020 DiMaria & Cone Family Law Attorneys


For many people, travelling is a luxury. It's the pleasure of seeing new sights and trying new food. In my case, it's the sensation of entering one of the numerous shops in London on a yearly basis and spending most of my income in one purchase. Every year we make it a point to visit new sights and try new things, but what really captured my attention in my most recent visit is the noticeable growth in cultural diversity of its residents when compared to the previous year. What is it that makes us want to flee to another country? Is it always a case of desire, or is the economic situation of a country so bad that the only means of survival is to leave your family behind and move to a more stable one?
I arrive at Gatwick airport and make my way to airport security. Behind the desk, a friendly- looking man awaited. He checked my passport and welcomed me to this great city with an accent that wasn't exactly British, possibly Arabic? On the train, a woman with what sounded like an Indian accent asked me for my ticket, checked it and moved on to the next set of passengers. As I emerged from the station, I could hear conversations between people occurring with a language far different than the English that I expected. It is safe to say that throughout my journey from the airport to the hotel, I did not talk to one individual with a clear British accent. Upon entering the hotel, a young woman welcomes us with a warm smile.
"Good afternoon", she said in a clear Italian accent, "I'm Mona, how can I help you this evening?" A response in her language on our part led to a sigh of relief on hers and a cheerful switch to Italian. The inevitable small talk led to my mother's usual patriotic speech given to each foreigner we encounter about visiting our country because it's so wonderful and picturesque. Her response was a reason why she couldn't say the same about hers.
"Italy is finished and anyone who wants to make a living has to leave the country. I have a son to care for and being a single mother I have to hire a nanny," she said with half a smile. She expressed her dismay about having to leave her relatives behind and continued on to say that "although the pay isn't great, it's much more than I would've got in Italy. My son is surely better off here and he's the biggest reason why I'm doing this. I have much less to gain than he does," Mona concluded before showing us to our rooms.
On my third day, a pang of hunger but lack of funds led me to the nearest fast food joint in sight. I go in and am immediately greeted by a very sympathetic smile. Name tag: Savvas; doesn't sound British. He asks me the number of my party with a very non- British accent- mine isn't either so upon response he enquires where I'm from and I reciprocate; he's from Cyprus.
"I love Cyprus, but the number of opportunities here are too good to pass up." He continued on to tell us that he is currently studying to become an IT engineer. Savvas pointed out that while the schools there are adequate, a degree from a British school would provide him with a better pay. Working in a fast food restaurant is a far cry from any computing work, but that doesn't dampen his spirits. "I don't mind it since I'm here with my girlfriend. She's currently doing her PHD and contributing to a study that aims to find a cure for diabetes", he proudly stated as he distributed our plates.
"I've been here for five years and plan to spend at least two more. I've saved enough to go back to Cyprus but she's here doing something for the community. Taking her away from that would be selfish on my part".
His love for travel, he says, "is what truly helped me make this life-changing decision. My life would be very different if I had not left Cyprus." Savvas and his girlfriend travel around 5 times a year. "I like the place but it's not a place I see myself spending the rest of my life or more importantly, raise a family in; it's too busy. Maybe I'll visit Malta next" Savvas said, and with that my mother's face lit up and she began reciting once more her patriotic speech about our magnificent country.


Add the root certificates for all trusted users to a server truststore file.
Create or edit the locked.properties file in SSL gateway configuration folder on the View Connection Server or security server host.
If you configured smart card authentication for a View Connection Server instance, configure smart card authentication settings in View Administrator. You do not need to configure smart card authentication settings for a security server. Settings that are configured on a View Connection Server instance are also applied to a paired security server.


text:
← Fame Day: Vasili Arkhipov
Re: Where I Try To Explain Red Dawn →
Where I Try to Explain Red Dawn
Posted on November 23, 2012 by Evan | 5 Comments
I've begun seeing trailers on TV, and apparently it hit theatres two days ago, so I figure now's as good a time to talk about Red Dawn as any.
For those of you who don't know, Red Dawn is a remake of the 1984 film of the same name. In the original the United States is invaded by both the Soviet Union and its Cuban allies. A group of plucky high schoolers bands together to form a guerrilla fighting force, named the Wolverines after their high school mascot.
In remaking the film the studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), realized that they needed to modernize the invaders in light of the current political climate, and chose China. Keep in mind that in the original film that country was apparently America's only ally, with the following exchange taking place:
"…Well, who is on our side?"
"Six hundred million screaming Chinamen."
"Last I heard, there were a billion screaming Chinamen."
"There were."
Production was going smoothly until the summer of 2010 when the Global Times, a Chinese state-run newspaper, got a hold of leaked excerpts of the script. This prompted such headlines as "U.S. reshoots Cold War movie to demonize China" and "American movie plants hostile seeds against China." In early 2011 the LA Times reported that the film's villains were changed from Chinese to North Korean to "[maintain] access to the Asian superpower's lucrative box office."
North Koreans: There may be a lot of them, but they're not watching our movies!
In that same article one of the producers is quoted as saying: "We were initially very reluctant to make any changes, but after careful consideration we constructed a way to make a scarier, smarter and more dangerous 'Red Dawn' that we believe improves the movie."
No reshoots were done, and a reported less than $1 million was spent on changing the opening sequence that sets up the film, re-editing two scenes, and digitally editing the Chinese symbols in the film to Korean. The villainous General Lo was changed to Captain Cho. Oh, and all of the lines in Mandarin were dubbed over to Korean.
Gordon and I were talking about this a few days ago, and one of the biggest problems with the film is that the original that it's based on was a result of its era. Back in the day people were afraid of the USSR, and were legitimately terrified of being invaded. Today? The United States are a military super power and have almost 200,000 troops stationed in other countries.
The fact that producer Trip Vinson said that the change made the film "scarier, smarter, and more dangerous" is completely nonsensical. How would North Korea ever invade the US? Furthermore, why would they? The saddest thing about this premise is that it's not even original. The video game Homefront takes place in a world where North Korea invades the US after taking control of all of South East Asia:
What's most ridiculous, and what helps tie in my tirade against Homefront in with this post on Red Dawn, is that the enemy was again originally supposed to be China.
I'm getting way off-track, and I apologize. My point was that the film in and of itself doesn't make a lick of sense. The other issue I have is that in addition to this all of the footage of Chinese forces was considered to be interchangeable with that of Korean ones. Ironically, the actor chosen to portray General Lo is Korean, and his casting is now racially accurate. I could write a full other post about how Hollywood views actors' abilities to portray almost any race, so I'll save that for later.
In summary, Red Dawn used to have Chinese invaders, which is, while extremely improbable, still more likely than the North Koreans they changed them to. Money is the issue at the heart of this problem, since it's what prompted the change and what ultimately makes all the decisions when it comes to the entertainment industry. All of that aside, the film still treats minorities in a horrible fashion, which you can read at Racebending.com's review of Red Dawn.
Here's a trailer for the movie, where you can watch Thor, Josh sans Drake, and Peeta fend off an Asian invasion; I'm going to go lie down:
This entry was posted in America, Asia, bizarreness, Economy, film, race, video games and tagged audience, box office, Captain Cho, casting, Charlie Sheen, China, Chinese, film, General Lo, Global Times, Hollywood, Homefront, invaders, invasion, Josh, Korean, Mandarin, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, MGM, Military, military forces, money, North Korean, Peeta, race, racism, Red Dawn, remake, Soviet Union, Thor, troops, USA, USSR, video games, Wolverines. Bookmark the permalink.
5 responses to "Where I Try to Explain Red Dawn"
ben | November 24, 2012 at 7:55 am | Reply
I can see how it will be a story that's compelling to movie-going audiences, because it puts the US in a novel situation and creates the opportunity to shoot guns, blow things up and not feel guilty about being patriotic. But its being a remake kind of ruins the "novelty" of it.
The whole premise is no longer fueled by the fear we have of foreign powers–it's only a dodgy premise fueled by nostalgia. And a foolish premise, too. You definitely don't want to just go around saying that the world's biggest buyer/seller of good with YOUR economy is willy-nilly invading it. It's foolish it's impractical.
So now I have to dig up a copy of the original ^^.
Pingback: Re: Where I Try To Explain Red Dawn |
Chris | November 24, 2012 at 6:07 pm | Reply
Just decided I should probably read this and had some thoughts.
I have never seen the original Red Dawn, though it's long been on my list of "must watch at some point, looks silly" movies. Having lived in the former USSR I figure I could really get into this kind of over the top movies about fighting them, just like I really get into Goldeneye. But movies like the original Red Dawn, many of the James Bond movies, and so many other movies made sense in the context of the cold war. Today we've moved away from a cold war with the Russians and moved into a perceived "War on Terror" with "Arabs" and "Muslims." I disgustingly overuse quotation marks because I think the whole "War on Terror" idea is racist and stupid, but that's beside the point.
I think aside from the whole money issue, which is definitely a huge, if not the primary issue, media is also looking for a new bad guy. Giving someone a Russian accent isn't as appropriate an indicator of being a bad guy as it used to be, and making somebody Arab is already what everybody else is doing. In order to have a fresh bad guy we need a new cold war. I think that what may be happening is people are seeing China as a major economic competitor and N. Korea as a major "we're crazy, nukes huzzah!", and both being communist Asian countries just lump them together and say "Commie Asia is the new Commie Russia! New cold war villain for the win!"
Just my thoughts on that. Also, Homefront…I'm just so embarrassed that exists. I'm glad you mentioned that, because it was the first thing I thought of.
Pingback: The Horror, The Horror |
Pingback: How Marvel Ruined The Movies | Culture War Reporters

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: How can I get data from only one table in Firebase Realtime Database I have a big problem that I need to address quickly.
I have my firebase realtime database structured this way:
Picture:

My question is simple:
How can I only retrieve the friendIds as a list without the inner data i.e firendsStatus, lastMessage, lastTimestamp...
My current response is like this: {friendsArray: {'34uibjerktbbt854uigefg' : {'lastMessage' : 'ajskdkjasd',...}, {'574uibsd784546ktbbt854uigefg' : {'lastMessage' : 'weurhisdf', ...} and so on}}
I want it to be like this: {friendsArray: ['34uibjerktbbt854uigefg', '34uibjerktbbt854uigefg', '34uibjerktbbt854uigefg', and so on]}
Is there any way to achieve this because if I observe the whole data it gets pretty big and slow?
Thank You

A: Thats unfortunately not how realtime database works it always fetches all of the data below as well, you can use cloud firestore instead or re-design your realtime database so the nodes are not tested you can create separate nodes that only contains the data you need to fetch

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Our Approach – Our comprehensive, secure and integrated approach to your business technology.
IT Packages
CompleteIT Support – All-inclusive IT support solution.
RemoteIT Support – An office-less IT support solution.
StarterIT Support – Guaranteed support when you need it.
Hosted Environments
Antivirus and Antimalware
Dark Web Scans
RMM Software
2FA Solutions
Cyber Security Compliance
NIST Assessments
Network Policies
CISOaaS
Introducing Marketing by Domain, specializing in website design and secure hosting backed by our expertise in cybersecurity, and offering cutting-edge digital marketing services.
Small & Midsize Businesses
Human Resource Departments
Resources & Tools for COVID-19
Are You Encrypting Your Baltimore Law Firm's Emails?
by dcsdemo | Aug 7, 2019 | Stay Up-To-Date With The Top IT News From Tier One Technology Partners
Encryption Services For Law Firms
Email encryption protects the contents of your emails from outsiders. When an email is encrypted, it's no longer readable until it's unlocked and decrypted.
How Does Email Encryption Work?
All email addresses have a pair of keys associated with them. The keys are used to encrypt and decrypt emails. The public key is stored on a key server and is tied to your name and email address. Anyone can access it. A second key is your private key. This isn't shared with others and is only known by you.
Email encryption utilizes public-key cryptography. When you send an email, it's encrypted by the computer using the public key. This turns the email into complex, indecipherable, scrambled content that's difficult to crack. Only someone with the proper corresponding private key can decrypt the email and read it.
How Can I Encrypt All Of My Emails?
Because it's difficult for most to encrypt their emails, law firms and other businesses rely on their IT providers to provide this through an automatic encryption service.
This way, they don't need to worry if their employees use email encryption. It's automatically managed. The emails are set up to flow through a gateway appliance that's configured to the firm's security policies.
Email encryption services are popular with law firms because they send and receive so much confidential information:
It prevents outsiders from intercepting any incoming or outgoing emails that are transmitted between servers.
The content of the email itself is encrypted, so, even if an email is intercepted it still can't be read without a private key.
Emails in storage are encrypted to prevent hackers from gaining access to their contents.
Why Is An Email Encryption So Important For Law Firms?
Emails that aren't encrypted are vulnerable to attackers looking to steal legal, proprietary or financial information. They are looking for Social Security Numbers, login credentials and bank account numbers to sell on the Dark Web. If they obtain your login credentials, they can take control of your email, document or financial accounts, or your company network.
Unless your emails are encrypted, hackers also have access to the attachments you send in emails, including private case/matter information. Email encryption also helps you verify the authenticity of a sender of a message. You and your employees will know if you're being spoofed by a hacker who is trying to impersonate someone you know.
Isn't Transport Layer Security (TLS) Enough?
TLS does provide a secure channel for data transmission and ensures that all content, emails, and attachments are encrypted during transit. This is referred to as Data-in-Motion Security.
But because TLS doesn't provide security for data at rest (in storage), archived emails aren't encrypted and are exposed to hackers. And sometimes, the TLS connections are terminated before the emails arrive at their final destination. There's no way to guarantee that TLS alone ensures email security.
This is why you should consider using an email encryption service.
What Are Email Encryption Services?
In the past, email encryption services were cumbersome to use. Both the sender and recipient had to exchange encryption keys before sending and receiving emails to one another. As a result, people didn't want to take the time to do this, and employees simply ignored the firm's policies. This led to breaches in security where sensitive and confidential data was exposed.
Today we have simple and secure email encryption services that are cloud-based. Key management is automatic without any added overhead for either the users or administrators.
The first time a recipient receives an email, a unique key is generated. Emails (including attachments) are encrypted using the recipient's key.
How Do You Use An Email Encryption Service?
After the process of encryption is complete, a separate notification email containing a link to log into a secure message center is sent to the recipient. It's accessed via a web browser using HTTPS (certified for security).
After the recipient logs in, their encrypted email messages are sent to them for viewing. At this point they can reply to the emails or download them for archiving on their computer, knowing that they are still encrypted and will be secure.
Where Are The Encryption Keys Stored?
The encryption keys are stored securely in a central location. And key management is automatic without any additional work for your employees.
These state-of-the-art data centers ensure the physical security of everything while strict access control ensures that only authorized personnel have access to the message center.
For additional security, the data centers and the keys used to encrypt the data are stored in separate areas.
Where Can We Find Email Encryption Services In Baltimore?
Tier One Technology Partners provides Email Encryption Services. Our cloud-based approach to email encryption ensures the security of your emails and attachments. It utilizes an Advanced Encryption Service with a 256-bit cipher, commonly known as AES-256.
Our Email Encryption Service provides cloud-based outbound email encryption, with multiple policies that allow administrators to specify precisely which outbound emails to encrypt. Emails that match the policies can then be sent securely (via TLS) to our message center.
For more information about our Email Encryption Services and how your law firm will benefit from them, contact Tier One Technology Partners in Owings Mills, Maryland.
If you found this article helpful, visit our Blog to learn more.
Copyright © 1998 - Tier One Technology Partners Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Terms & Conditions | Private Policy


text:
Q: Jquery Animation on div, remove after that I create several divs with the id error_count dynamically. After the animation below i want them to be removed again.
The current problem is, that some divs that are created later than others, disappear earlier than they should.
var timer = [];
$("#"+error_count).fadeIn().delay(1500).fadeOut();
timer[error_count] = setTimeout(function(){
    $("#"+error_count).remove();
}, 2000);

A: The second parameter in the fadeOut() (and fadeIn(), for that matter) method is a callback; a function to call when the fade out has finished:
$("#"+error_count).fadeIn().delay(1500).fadeOut(200, function(){
    $(this).remove();
});

A: Put a callback on the fadeOut method that will delete the element after the fadeOut completes.
$("#" + error_count).fadeIn().delay(1500).fadeOut(400, function(){
    $(this).remove();
});

A: Try this:
$.when (
    $("#"+error_count).fadeIn().delay(1500).fadeOut();
).done (
    $("#"+error_count).remove();
);


Meadow High School - Shoebox Appeal - Still collecting !
Shoebox Appeal - Still collecting !
We are still collecting for our Shoebox Appeal! If you have any small toys, stationary or gifts that you could donate for the appeal, it would be really appreciated. We are also collecting empty shoeboxes to fill. Many thanks for your support so far.
The shoeboxes will be sent to three special schools in Grenada, by next Christmas. We want to collect enough shoeboxes for each pupil to receive one each.
Here is the graphic again to remind you what you can and cannot include in a shoebox.
Why are we collecting presents to go in shoeboxes ?
Meadow High School has a long history of supporting three special schools in Grenada.
Mr Macdonald, our previous Headteacher, visited Grenada on several occasions as a guest of the Charity "The Jason Roberts Foundation" and as an advisor to the Grenadian Government about how they can improve their special educational provision.
In 2013, we did a similar collection, and shipped out shoeboxes full of goodies to the children in the three special needs schools (see pictures below). The children were absolutely delighted to receive their shoebox full of exicting gifts.
Here are some of the shoeboxes piled up in Log 7, waiting to be shipped to Grenada.


The Department of Justice is planning to release new clemency guidelines for consideration, a move that could make thousands more prisoners eligible for a reduction in sentences by President Obama.
"The White House has indicated it wants to consider additional clemency applications to restore a degree of justice, fairness and proportionality for deserving individuals who do not pose a threat to public safety," Attorney General Eric Holder said in a video message released Monday.
As USA Today notes, the DOJ is working toward a larger goal of reducing the incredibly overcrowded federal prison system, with many offenders serving excessively long sentences for nonviolent crimes involving drugs like cocaine.
Holder explained that as the expected clemency actions roll in once the reforms are adopted, the Justice Department is prepared to meet prisoners' needs by assigning "potentially dozens" of department lawyers to review the requests.
"As a society, we pay much too high a price whenever our system fails to deliver the just outcomes necessary to deter and punish crime, to keep us safe, and to ensure that those who have paid their debts have a chance to become productive citizens," Holder added in the video. "Our expanded clemency-application process will aid in this effort."
Supporters for the changes in sentences, especially those involving drug offenders, cheered the decision, USA Today reports.
"This would be a positive step toward righting the wrongs of our broken criminal-justice system," Drug Policy Alliance spokesman Anthony Papa told the news site. "With half a million people still behind bars on nonviolent drug charges, clearly thousands are deserving of a second chance. Congress should act immediately to reduce the draconian federal mandatory-minimum sentences that condemn thousands to decades behind bars for nonviolent drug offenses."


COME! Meet and mingle with other students and ABPsi professionals. STUDENTS ARE WELCOME AT ALL MnABPsi meetings and functions. PLEASE COME! We would LOVE to meet you. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A MEMBER TO ATTEND!
ABPsi encourages the support and involvement of students in the organization. Toward that end, in 1993 the organization established a Student Circle division.
Today, the ABPsi Student Circle boasts a membership of several hundred students, located on college campuses nationwide.
Students enjoy all the benefits of regular professional membership with the exception of listing in the Referral Directory. Members of the Student Circle have access to scholarship opportunities, leadership development, professional networks, student support, mentorship, scholarly writing opportunities, The Psych Discourse News Journal, The Journal of Black Psychology, and much more! Visit the Student Circle section of the ABPsi website to learn more.
Students play a prominent part in ABPsi conventions, volunteering en masse to fill many vital support roles. as well as making presentations with their professional mentors and discussion their work in poster sessions.
Graduate Student – $55.00 Individuals who are currently enrolled at the graduate level in the area of Psychology (Not eligible for Psychologist Listing Referral Program).
Undergraduate Student – $35.00 Individuals who are currently enrolled at the undergraduate level in the area of Psychology (Not eligible for Psychologist Listing Referral Program).
*Students must include a copy of a CURRENT Student ID verifying enrollment. *As a student you will be a member of the Student Circle. Be sure to visit the Student Circle section of ABPsi's website to receive current information about Student Circle activities. If you need help with dues please contact MnABPsi to enquire about possible assistance.
We will continue to post updates of their progress here.
Also: Click HERE to download a membership application or to sign up online! Also, check out the Student Resources and Recommended Reading tabs on the Metropolitan Atlanta ABPsi Chapter website!


text:
Australasian award for Waikato physicist
Dr Howell Round: Recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM).
Hi-tech equipment in hospitals has to be in top working order all of the time and must be used correctly and safely. It's the job of medical physicists to make sure this happens.
They're a rare breed, but one of them, Dr Howell Round – a senior lecturer in Waikato University's Faculty of Science and Engineering - has been acknowledged for the work he's done in training people working in this specialist field, and for his work with the profession's representative body.
Dr Round has been presented with a Distinguished Service Award by the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM). ACPSEM used to be an amateur organisation run by volunteers. Their first real office was the old morgue at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital, but these days ACPESM owns premises in Sydney, employs eight staff, has a turnover of millions and continues to expand – thanks in a large part to Dr Round.
"About nine years ago I started developing a system called TEAP for the education, training and accreditation of medical physicists in clinical practice for Australasia. I wasn't far into the project when I found out that a colleague, Dr John Drew, was doing the same thing in Australia. We worked blindingly fast and in a little more than six months had a programme up and running."
The programme rolled out in New Zealand in 2003 at Canterbury University and in Australia the following year. Six universities are now accredited to do the initial training – mostly for physicists who oversee the installation and safe operation of machines used for treating cancer (radiation oncology), as well as in nuclear medicine and radiology. Many hospitals are now accredited to provide the clinical training part of TEAP.
"Australia has, and continues to pour a lot of money into the project," says Dr Round. "There's evidence that we're moving into a cancer epidemic – because cures have been found for many of the diseases that used to kill us - and Australia is working to set up more treatment centres in remoter areas. They'll need staff to work in the centres and that's where ACPSEM comes in."
Dr Round joined ACPSEM's executive in 2004 just before the College started to experience substantial growth. He served as vice-president, president and past president until 2009. He continues to sit on some of the College committees and carries out research for the organisation.
Every three years he tracks down every clinical medical physicist position in Australia and New Zealand to find out how many there are and what they're doing. This is then used to work out how many each country needs going into the future.
"What we've achieved is exciting and rewarding – we know what we do matters to a lot of people. The International Atomic Energy Agency has adopted our programme, and most recently I've been working in the Asia Oceania region."
He's taken on the role of chairperson of the Professional Development Committee of the Asia Oceania Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics.
"We're working with countries as diverse as Iran and Japan, and that brings with it all sorts of different cultural issues. We have to develop programmes that ensure safe and appropriate operations that cover staffing levels, continuing professional development, and certification and licensing of medical physicists. It's not a field where you can make mistakes. Safe and correct practice is highly important for the sake of patient safety."
Australasian award for Waikato physicist is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.


Then it comes naturally to take a pause….
You have captured the feelings too well !!!
faith in change...well said Harshad!
It is challenging when the pendulum swings in that direction and hard to imagine its swinging back.


Traffic Sensitization programme organised by F.Y.B.Tech Dept and students section in cooperation with lonikand police station on 21.12.2018, along Pune-A'nagar highway.
The volunteers of NSS Department, GHRCEM has organized product selling promotion program The orphanage women and students creates handicrafts that are sold at the college for their economical support.
NSS student of Raisoni Group of Institutions (RGI), Pune Campus has conducted the Corporate Social Responsibility activity on 14th july 2014,at satav high School .total 52 NSS student participated in activity.
As a social corporate responsibility, the NSS students GHRCEM have organized a visit to an Orphanage at "Investment In Man Trust"- Phulgaon, Tah: Havali" on 12th September 2015.
Raisoni Group of Institutions (RGI), Pune Campus has conducted the Corporate Social Responsibility activity on 11th December, 2014 at Shri Mukh Badhir Vidyalaya (Ashram) School.
One Day Free Health Check-up Seminar was organized by RGI In association with Pune Surgical Institute and Vasan Eye Care on 31-8-2014.
Non teaching staff of Pune campus had taken initiative and successfully completed the same. Total 513 people have taken a benefit.
Note Books distribution to Students of Z.P. Primary School, Wagholi, Pune. Total 620× 3 notebook set =1860 Note books distributed.


The Shorter Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra is one of the two Indian Mahayana sutras that describe Sukhavati, the pure land of Amitābha. This text is highly influential in East Asian Buddhism, including China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. This text is revered by the Jōdo Shinshū, one of Japan's largest Buddhist congregations.
The Shorter Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra was translated from Sanskrit into Classical Chinese by Tripiṭaka master Kumārajīva in 402, but may have existed in India as early as the year 100 in a Prakrit.
The bulk of the Shorter Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra, considerably shorter than other Pure Land sutras, consists of a discourse which Gautama Buddha gave at Jetavana in Śrāvastī to his disciple Śāriputra. The talk concerned the wondrous adornments that await the righteous in the western pure land of Sukhāvatī as well as the beings that reside there, including the buddha Amitābha. The text also describes what one must do to be reborn there.
^ Thích 2003, pp. 11-12.


Unwanted, adverse reactions to fish or seafood can be caused by toxic reactions (that will occur in everyone eating that food), non allergic hypersensitivity reactions (intolerances) or true food allergy (see food allergy).
Food allergy can range from mild reactions to severe, life threatening (anaphylactic) reactions and can occur even with tiny doses.
The immune system of people with food allergy produces allergy antibodies (lgE) which cause the release of histamine and other harmful substances when the food is eaten.
Fish and seafood are an important part of the human diet around the world. Many people are trying to eat healthier and are reducing the meat they eat and eating fish instead.
In Southern Africa there are over 2 000 different species of fish.
If you are allergic to fish, you are not necessarily allergic to all seafood.
Crustaceans: prawns, shrimp, rock lobster (crayfish).
Molluscs: mussels, oysters, squid, calamari and octopus.
If you are allergic to crustaceans, you are not necessarily allergic to molluscs, and vice versa.
People with fish / seafood allergy do not have "iodine allergy"!
What are the symptoms of fish / seafood allergy?
How common is seafood allergy?
Seafood / fish allergy is more common in adults than children. Children with fish / seafood allergy are less likely to outgrow their allergy than children with milk or egg allergy.
Sometimes it can be difficult to work out whether a person has had allergy to fish or another non-allergic reaction e.g. caused by fish poisoning.
Scromboid Fish Poisoning occurs when people eat spoiled fish, when fish is not kept cool enough or spends some time out of a fridge. Fish that have brown meat are often involved such as yellowtail, tuna and mackerel. Symptoms look similar to an allergy … flushing, sweating, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and hives occurring within 1-2 hours after eating the fish.
Ciguatera Fish Poisoning occurs when people eat reef fish in tropical and subtropical waters, such as found north of the Natal Coast. Symptoms include tingling of the hands and feet, low heart rate and drop of blood pressure.
Allergic reactions have been described in people eating fish contaminated with a small parasitic worm called Anisakis. These allergy-like symptoms are mostly reported after eating raw or undercooked fish, and are caused by an allergy to the parasite which is in the flesh of the fish. It is easily diagnosed by a simple blood test. In South Africa, Snoek is most commonly contaminated with Anisakis.
How is fish allergy diagnosed?
The first step is for the doctor to hear all the details about what was eaten and exactly what reactions occurred. This will help indicate whether the reaction was an allergy or a toxic reaction.
For suspected allergies, blood test and/or skin prick tests can be done to show the presence of the IgE antibodies. If these tests are negative an immediate type allergy is almost always ruled out. A "positive" result supports, but does not prove an immediate type food allergy, unless the values are very high.
Skin prick tests are done by placing a few drops of specially manufactured fish extract on the skin and making a prick through the droplet (see "Skin prick testing").
In cases which are uncertain, the allergist may recommend a supervised food challenge to test for fish allergy. This entails giving initially tiny, then increasing amounts of fish to the person in a controlled setting (see "Oral food challenge tests").
The allergy doctor should decide on whether a person with allergy is at risk to have a severe reaction. People with previous severe reactions or at risk of severe reactions should carry injectable adrenaline with them at all time, preferably in the form of an auto-injector.
Fish allergic individuals should wear a Medic alert or similar bracelet, especially if they have a severe allergy or also have asthma.
Will the fish allergy be outgrown?
A fish challenge is a supervised procedure in which increasing doses of fish will be fed to the patient under close observation to check for reactions. Such a fish challenge is used to decide if tolerance has developed and if that the person is no longer allergic to fish (see oral food challenges).


Brand New Interior Finishes Available!
White Quartz Countertops, Gray Subway Tile Backsplash, White Shaker Cabinets, and Whirlpool Stainless Steel Appliances!
Come home to the best Chula Vista apartments at Camden Sierra at Otay Ranch, just outside sunny San Diego. Our exclusive suburban apartment community, located within the pedestrian-friendly planned neighborhood of Otay Ranch, has spacious one, two and three bedroom apartment floor plans available for you to choose from. And, our large, three bedroom townhomes with attached garages are all you need to entertain or even work from home.
Camden Sierra at Otay Ranch offers newly renovated interiors with Whirlpool stainless steel appliances, wood-style flooring in kitchen and bathrooms, brand new white quartz countertops, white shaker cabinets, and gray subway tile backsplash. Our open-concept floor plans have ample cooking space, large walk-in closets, plus washers and dryers in every apartment home, as well as private patios.
Say goodbye to your gym membership. Camden Sierra at Otay Ranch offers a 24-hour fitness center with full cardio and free weights for your entire workout needs. Having friends over? Head to the resort-style pool for a day of fun and grill outside at our outdoor grilling stations. Have pets? No worries! Camden Sierra at Otay Ranch is a pet-friendly apartment community with several pet stations throughout for your convenience. We even have an onsite playground for the kiddos to have fun after walking home from the nearby schools!
Located in a beautifully designed suburb near San Diego, Camden Sierra at Otay Ranch apartments are only a few miles from shopping and entertainment. Check out Otay Ranch Town Center, where you can shop, dine, hang out with family or friends and unwind after a long week. Camden Sierra at Otay Ranch is minutes away from parks complete with hiking and biking trails. Located only an 8 mile drive to Sea World and 9 miles to the San Diego Zoo, you will be glad you chose Camden Sierra at Otay Ranch as your new home. Plus, Camden Sierra at Otay Ranch is conveniently located near the 805 FWY, which means your daily commute is that much easier.
The good life is waiting for you. Come home to Camden Sierra at Otay Ranch.
At Camden, your pets are family too! We welcome cats and dogs, up to two pets per apartment home. Call us with any pet-related questions! We currently allow large dogs on the first floor only.
Please see management for pet approval.
Get the perfect spot! We have ample open parking for our residents, up to two per apartment home, and visitors on a first-come, first-served basis.
Attached garages are included with select apartment homes. Detached garages are available to rent for $90 per month.


Rental vacancy is pretty low at the moment, and that can lead to some desperation when it comes to finding a place to lay down our weary heads. My brother sleeps in a lounge room which, until recently, still had the last tenant's stuff piled in the corner. I used to live in an apartment with holes in the roof and downstairs neighbours that did continuously shifty deals and paid for our electricity as they wouldn't allow us to check the property metre. Which was great in winter, as no one had to worry too much about the heating. Except that it constantly escaped through the holes in the ceilings.
It might seem like renting a run-down place might be a cheaper option. Chances are, however, you'll find yourself staying out late at night to avoid the rats in the ceiling or wasting money trying to repair things yourself because your landlord refuses. Far easier to move somewhere that is comfortable and well-maintained. Here's how to pick it.
When I first started renting, my mum came with me to check out the place. She asked about powerpoints, I ignored her. For the next six months, I had extension cords running everywhere and a power board that blew every time I used the kettle and a lamp. Bring someone with you when inspecting a property, they can give you a good idea of the things you might miss, and talk to the real estate agent while you actually have a look at the place. It's also important in order to have a witness. If the real estate agent promises something will be fixed, you have a witness to confirm the offer if they don't come through.
If you have lots of tools that need to be stored, you're going to need a shed or a garage. You're going to need powerpoints, heating that doesn't pump gas back into the room, doors that close properly. It's easy to think it won't bother you, but give it a couple of months, and you'll be frustrated. When inspecting, make your own list on conditions and discuss which you would expect to be repaired by the landlord. If they can't give you that promise, then can you live with the issue for the next year or so?
I tend to disappear quickly whenever a place is being inspected, but if the tenant is around, it's a great idea to have a chat to them. What are the little issues (and every place has them) and can they be fixed? Does the landlord tend to respond quickly to complaints, or does it take 50 phone calls and a threat of a Tenancy Agency discussion? You want your place to be liveable and the relationship with real estate agent and landlord to be effective, and previous tenants can give you the best idea of that.
You've walked around, you've had a quick talk to the tenants and you like the place. Before committing to anything, take 5 minutes to sit down and get a feel for it. Go back to whatever issues you might have noticed and have a second look. Preferably you'll be spending a fair bit of time, and maybe a couple of years, in rental so it has to be both comfortable and functional.
After the first couple of inspections, you'll realise it's a tough world and you need to be prepared when inspecting a place. If you've fallen in love with a place, be prepared to move quickly. Grab an application off an agent and fill it out then. If you've got your references, checks and income information, you'll be able to submit the application immediately to the agent.


Powered by Android 7.0 and the Snapdragon 820 SoC, the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S3, successor of the Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 (Q4 2015), features an impressive HDR-ready screen that delivers HDR video streaming, which will be provided by Samsung's content partners (not yet announced). Samsung claims it is the first tablet with HDR (High Dynamic Range) support for display.
Editor's note: the demo video below showcases the Tab S3 keyboard, S-Pen, HDR Amoled display and quad speaker audio – we had to remove the clip during the HDR demo due to copyrights, we left the audio to show that we saw the movie and the HDR image quality. We hope to shoot another demo soon with a clip free of copyrights.
The Galaxy Tab S3 is a long overdue upgrade of the now old Galaxy Tab S2 9.7", introduced in Sept. 2015, The Snapdragon 820 processor with 4GB RAM replaces the Exynos 5433 with 3GB RAM, while the display resolution remains the same at 2048×1536 (QXGA) for the 9.7" size.
The new display supports HDR video, the front camera offers 5 Megapixel resolution and the rear 13 Megapixel, a nice update from 2.1 Megapixel and 8 Megapixel respectively. Besides HDR support and the processor upgrade, the major difference with the previous model is the addition of the S-Pen and the detachable keyboard (although you could by optional keyboard accessories for the Tab S2).
With the new Galaxy Tab S3, Samsung delivers the same design language found in the Galaxy S7 and the (defunct) Galaxy Note 7, in the form of a high-quality glass back cover encased in a full metal frame. A hair thicker than its predecessor, at 6 mm, the Galaxy Tab S3 provides very good performance in an elegant and sleek glass body, and it fits nicely in a foldable keyboard cover that has been thoughtfully designed by Samsung.
The star feature of the new Android tablet is the HDR-ready 9.7" 2048×1536 Super AMOLED QXGA display, which lives up to our expectations. During the briefing, we watched video clips from a western movie with high contrast scenes, and the image quality was quite impressive. The blacks were very deep, while we could see the fine details in the shadows. The color range in the bright areas of the screen was well rendered. We need to set up a side by side test to really measure how much of the level of quality comes from the HDR-ready display, however, the first impression was pretty convincing.
We measured the display's brightness at 680 NITs, which is quite high in general, and high enough to be certified as HDR, at least for mobiles. Television's standards may be different, although your eyes are much closer to the tablet as well, so it's not an Apples to Apples comparison anyway. The brightness will ensure an excellent display performance in bright light conditions, that's an advantage that anyone working outdoors from time to time will appreciate.
The main issue with HDR is to find content. Both Netflix and Hulu have said that they would support HDR streaming, although it's not always clear if/when an HDR stream is underway, and which content has been filmed in HDR. The same is true for video-games and we haven't heard of HDR games on Android yet. In any case, HDR is coming, but we can't say that it is a "must-have" today.
Learn more: What is HDR?
Learn more: LCD vs. OLED/AMOLED – which is best?
With the Tab S3, Samsung is on a mission to deliver the best entertainment experience on an Android tablet, so, to make the audio be on par with the image quality for the video playback experience, the Korean manufacturer added four speakers around the display panel, tuned by AKG. The quad-speaker system features auto-rotate capabilities that detects the display landscape or portrait position and optimize the sound accordingly.
We tried watching a couple of movies, and we found the sound to be very good, or even excellent. The volume was loud and adequate enough for a good action movie in a relatively quiet room. The voices were clear, and the effects were loud and great at the same time. We also enabled the "surround" option in the settings, and it adds some 3D-ness to the soundtrack, but your mileage will vary depending on your content.
Knowing that people who play hard, work hard as well, Samsung paid particular attention to the detachable pogo keyboard, and despite the small form factor, it features a 17.25 mm pitch key which is quite good, knowing that the recommended distance in a full keyboard is between 18 and 19 mm. Similar to the keyboard of the new Galaxy Book Windows 10 tablets, the Galaxy Tab S3 keyboard's offers a travel depth of 1.5mm.
"THE KEYBOARD WORKS BEAUTIFULLY"This keyboard is one of the best keyboard options for a tablet this size. One of the big advantage of Samsung's keyboard is the physical connector (it's a magnetic contact) which means that there is no lag, no pairing and no battery. And that makes a world of difference. The reason why I don't use keyboards with my 9.7″ iPad is because they are big, not so good, heavy and thick. Samsung solves this in one fell swoop just like Microsoft did it with the Surface Pro 3. The keyboard works beautifully and is comfortable.
Now, you have the look at the comfort from a relative perspective. Of course, it's not going to be as comfy as a 13″ keyword. However, it is the best 9.7-inch tablet keyboard we've tried so far. If you are not familiar with this kind of design, it is important to understand that it almost requires to be used on a flat surface. Of course you can try using on your lap, but if you do, it is not as stable as a clamshell device and can be knocked towards the back easily. This is not inherent to this particular keyboard, but to this kind of design, to various degrees.
Leveraging the success of the S-pen in previous tablets and smartphones, Samsung included the new version of the S-Pen in the Galaxy Tab S3, the 4096 level of sensitivity enables a drawing experience close to the pen-to-paper feel. For those familiar with the Air Command menu found in other devices, such as the Galaxy Note 7, they will be happy to access a number of actions just by hovering above the menu icon the screen: Create a note, View all Notes, Smart Select, Screen Write, Translate and Magnify.
In the video demo below, you can see the demo of some of the S-Pen features, including Off Screen Memo that allows users to take notes on the display when it is off. The second one is Smart Select, a popular option that lets people create animated GIFs by selecting part of existing videos.
Since the Galaxy Tab S3 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820. It does have a very good performance level for an Android device. Obviously, if would get an "excellent" rating if it had the latest Snapdragon 835 chip, but the reality is that Snapdragon 835 is still scarcely available, as we explained in the context of why the new LG G6 uses a Snapdragon 82x chip.
Unlike phones, Android tablets have traditionally rarely featured the latest and greatest processor. This comes from the view (backed by data) that tablets are often very fancy media players, and used for relatively basic tasks. Since the Galaxy Tab S3 is geared towards work and productivity, Samsung has selected the strongest hardware platform that was available in volume.
The benchmarks show that the Galaxy Tab S3 has very good performance, even if it doesn't beat a competitor such as the iPad Pro 9.7. Apple has always had excellent processor and graphics performance with its Axx hardware. In the real world, the two are close enough to be within the same class of product.
Snapdragon 820 is perfectly capable of running complex 3D games as well, if needed. It is also really good at things such as video compression. In general, this is simply the second-best platform on Android, second only to Snapdragon 835, which is present in the Galaxy S8 handset.
According to Samsung, the 30.4 Wh battery (6000 mAh) last for up to 10 hours (probably of continuous video playback). As we do not know the exact conditions of the battery test, we cannot make any assumptions. In general, we recommend users to look at battery capacity as the best proxy for battery life.
Every user has a specific usage pattern, and conditions for high-power elements such as display and wireless networking hardware can vary enourmously, thus influencing real-world battery life. It's fair to look at OEM claims for battery life can be seen as a sort of "best case scenario" most of the time.
The 6000 mAh battery capacity of the Galaxy Tab S3 is very respectable, but nor particularely impressive. For instance, the iPad Pro 9.7 has 8610 mAh and there are many high-capacity tablets out there. However, the lesser battery capacity enables the excellent industrial design of the Tab S3.
If you are using it on long-haul 15-hrs flights, capacity could be something to think about. But for day to day usage at work for basic productivity, it's not a real problem. I have used it to attend media briefinds and take audio-notes (recording + text), and it worked very well.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 comes in black and silver, and the covers will be available in black, white, and green. The base price of the Galaxy Tab S3 is $599, so the budget competes directly with the iPad Pro 9.7, which is also a very good tablet.
If you look at this from a pure hardware standpoint, the data shows that the iPad Pro 9.7 has a slight advantage in its base configuration. It is a little faster in synthetic benchmarks, and has better performance/price and battery/price numbers. That much is clear. We tend to like the the look and feel of the Galaxy Tab S3 + keyboard combo better than the iPad 9.7 equivalent. Both are very good products, but it will come down to things like this as well.
More importantly, the difference is the platform. If you like iOS, it's difficult to imagine a situation where the design differences would make you switch. If you already have an Android tablet, then the Galaxy Tab S3 is probably better or much better depending where you come from. Each Operating System (OS) has pro and cons, and you will have to decide which one works best for you.
Pros: high quality high definition 9.7" AMOLED HDR-ready display for higher quality video playback experience, new S-Pen and well-designed physical keyboard in a light and thin package.
Cons: entertainment machine that cannot be used as a PC replacement except for people who do not need compute intensive applications. It looks like users will have to wait to get HDR videos from content partners.
Bottom line: the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is an impressive Android tablet that gets all the high-end features you need to perform most of work and play tasks while on the go.
While the hybrid PC tablet market has recently expanded again, the mobile tablet market is a shrinking and manufacturers have to really innovate to convince consumers to dedicate several hundred dollars to buy a new device in that category.
"IN THE ANDROID UNIVERSE THIS IS THE BEST 9.7-INCH TABLET"With the Galaxy Tab S3 9.7", Samsung lives up to the challenge, and the Korean manufacturer delivers innovative and effective new features, including the impressive QXGA AMOLED display with high-quality HDR video streaming and top-notch audio, an updated S-Pen with an enhanced drawing experience, and state-of-the-art slim detachable keyboard.
In the Android universe this is the best 9.7″ tablet if you take into account the primary elements: design, display, system performance and productivity. If you are willing to look outside of Android, then the iPad Pro 9.7 is a formidable competitor worth looking at as well.
Filed in Reviews >Tablets. Read more about Android and Samsung Reviews.


text:
Rwamagana: Youth urged to embrace politics
Posted 5 July, 2022
Rwmagana DGPR Youth Committee
The youth from the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR) have urged other young people to embrace politics and strive to play their part in the governance of their country.
The call comes as some of the youth fear joining politics due to the Rwanda's tragic political history that led to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi that claimed over one million victims.
As such more youth have lost interest in politics including affiliating themselves to political parties.
"After the genocide I was afraid of affiliating to any political party because I felt it was an ideology that leads to wrongdoing," Benoit, Ndagijimana, a 37-year-old from Rwamagana district said.
Ndagijimana is now a leader of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda in Rwamagana district.
He admits he was inspired by the party leader at National Level Dr. Frank Habineza who encouraged them to be part of 'the solution' in people's welfare through political parties.
For Jacky Masozera, there should be no reason for the youth to shy away from joining politics especially being members of political parties as they are examples of politicians who played a role in national building.
She gave an example of those who liberated the country and stopped the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
"Due to the history of our country, there are young people who are afraid of politics, but they should know that apart from those bad politicians they rely on, there are those who sacrificed their lives to liberate the country and stopped the genocide who could inspire them," said Masozera.
Jeanne Mukandanga, another youth from Rwamagana district, being a member of political party helps one to express their views. She currently contributes to fighting malnutrition by planting fruits trees.
Leonard Gashugi who is the party's second Vice President urged the young people to join politics because there are no other options.
"Most of the people who participated in the liberation of our country were youth, and they have now almost grown and they are going out of politics, it is youth's race now."
"So we encourage the youth to participate in politics, because it is part of us, if you don't play politics, politics will play you. So we encourage them to contribute meaningfully in our politics, especially through the democratic process and governance, through voting and elections, respect rule of law, respect of human rights," he added.
In its effort to value youth empowerment in constructive politics, the Green Party is setting up youth and women's committees at the districts level. The party held an event on June 11, 2022, in Rwamagana district and currently, such committees have been set up in four other districts.
Source : Youth urged to embrace politics - The Source Post
Rwamagana


If you run a business, then at some point you're going to come up with the question of productivity. Your team might be doing just fine, but are they getting as much done as they possibly could? The answer is most likely no. So, what do you do about it? Cracking the whip and demanding more isn't going to be the most popular approach. Rather than forcing them to work harder, you can, instead, help them to work smarter. There's nothing that can help them do that quite like an emphasis on technology. Here are some of the ways technology could help you get a lot more done in business.
Smart business owners are starting to realize that pigeonholing every individual employee into exactly the same work methods and conditions aren't going to yield consistent results. Some people work better in different environments, using different tools.
Introducing a degree of flexibility can help you find the working lifestyle that works best for every person in your team. Technology is no longer a boundary to remote working, for instance.
Beyond offering employees the perk of being able to work in whatever environment they want, making them easier to motivate and engage, it also allows you to save the costs of what it would take to make sure they're provided for in the office. It also offers a much broader range of access to new workforce members.
Communication is a crucial part of workplace productivity. If someone has the information they need from another individual, a question that demands to answer, or a barrier to their own products that someone else could fix, being able to reach them is key. However, it's not always easy in a bigger business with lots of different teams working together.
To that end, making use of a virtual phone service makes it a lot easier to connect individuals together through an internet phone system instead of physical. It can make it much easier to connect with different departments at the touch of a button.
Virtual phone services also make it much less expensive to keep and manage an extensive network of phones all in one business. These phone systems also work remotely, so you don't have to worry about anyone working from home or managing their workload on the road is out of touch.
If you ask about the headaches of anyone working with digital technology from day-to-day, you're likely going to hear one complaint above all else. They're sick of dealing with computers that are slow, stalling, or otherwise inefficient to work with. If you implement technology in the business, you have to be prepared to deal with the issues they might throw up.
These are more than small annoyances. They are workflow interruptions that can directly result in you getting a lot less done with the day. Thorough maintenance of the hardware can play a big role. But you should also consider putting in place rules about what software gets stored on what device and how much personal storage is allowed on them.
The burden on older computers can even be alleviated some by using virtualization services to use a separate system that handles the demands of running an operating system. This can mean that the device your employee is using has much less work to do and less stress on the system.
If you're thinking about connecting devices together for the purposes of virtualizing some of your hardware demands, then you should also think about going the whole way and creating an interconnected network of devices throughout the whole workplace.
The advantages of setting up a computer network in a workplace with a large number of devices tend to way outweigh the costs. You can maintain and store all company-wide data on one server, making sure it doesn't get lost on one computer.
High-quality data cabling makes it much easier for employees to share that data, too, cutting down communication inefficiencies. Access is also flexible, tied to the account of the employee rather than the device they're using.
Employees can work in a variety of different environments within the same workplace so long as they're connected via a network.
You can start your project management work, laying out the principles of your plan in your private office. Then you can take it out to a shared space with the team and continue working on it there with them to look at it and offer feedback.
Speaking of project management, using software dedicated to it can make the team much more productive, too. Project management software makes it a lot easier for everyone to keep track of what they're supposed to be doing at what point, where their colleagues are, and any potential problems.
You can see if someone's progress is slower than it should be, meaning you can step in and offer some coaching to get them up to speed. Process mapping also allows you to identify bottlenecks in advance to see if there's any way to work around them.
We can't forget about all the little tasks that pile up throughout the day to eat away at our time, either. Managing HR data, keeping on top of reporting and organizing expenses, keeping our social media updated.
There's plenty of automation software available nowadays to help take the burden off you and your employees. You can even automate things like order-to-cash processes and invoices so that your own occasional inability to take care of those tasks won't affect your business's potential for profit.
Part of the reason you want to be more productive and efficient is so you can focus on the tasks that are actually going to make you money. What task is more important in doing just that than ensuring you're providing customers with exactly the information and level of service they need?
When you're interfacing with customers, having the right information at the right moment is crucial. You can see past issues they've had, past purchases, and any pertinent information you've thought to make a record of in the past.
To that end, customer relationship management software takes a lot of the workout, keeping records of individuals to the point that when you get an email or a phone call through a virtual network, all the pertinent information about the customers can pop up right there on the screen.
A lot of the tools above are going to help you improve the productivity of individual team members. If they can get the information they need quicker, if they can work from any environment, and automate certain processes, they will get more done.
But to make sure that your changes are actually making the impact they should be, you need to have a way of measuring changes in productivity. Key performance indicators have always played a large hand in tracking individual productivity and KPI software is now taking over that function, too, making it a lot easier to track progress towards goals and how effective your new tech implementations really are.
Of course, it's a good idea to ask individuals straight up how they feel their new tech tools and methods work, too.
We mentioned earlier how slow, stuttering and freezing computers can be a drain on time, stopping you from getting the work done that will help you make a profit. If even those small interruptions can cost the business, then how much would a complete system failure or a loss of data cost the business? It doesn't bear thinking about.
Yet it does happen. For that reason, any business that's relying on digital technology needs to have a firm policy of regular data backups, both to other physical devices as well as Cloud solutions.
Beyond that, however, your IT services provider can also help you come up with a disaster recovery plan, helping you get back on your feet as soon as possible after a widespread tech problem.
If you're implementing any new software or hardware changes in the business, then it's crucial you also spend time training your employees. You should have an integration plan in place to go with the new software. For instance, consider selecting a few tech-savvy employees to trial a new system.
Not only will they help point out any inefficiencies or conflicts. When it comes time to train, you have some experienced team members on your side to help others get to grips with the system.
Above, we've looked at how tech can improve your results as far as productivity goes. But don't forget that tech can help you meet all kinds of different goals, as well.
The right digital marketing strategy can drastically improve lead conversion and customer retention, for instance. If you're facing a problem in business, then it's always a good idea to check for available software and hardware solutions as a first step.


Behavioral Lifeboat | Everyone should receive the behavioral therapy they need!
Everyone should receive the behavioral therapy they need!
Q&A – Is it a Good Idea to Encourage Your Employer to Promote Causes That Benefit Family Members with Autism?


text:
Your browser is unsupported and may have security vulnerabilities! Upgrade to a newer browser to experience this site in all it's glory.
Request quote Customer portal
Technology's Finest
Our Company might have been in business for over 157 years, but we still use the most up to date technology when it comes to our gritting service.
As technology is constantly changing, we've committed to staying up to speed and investing in the very latest technology that will improve our efficiency and assist in delivering and maintaining our high-quality service to our customers.
Over 17 years ago, we adopted GPRS vehicle tracking. Being one of the first in our industry to do so, we lead the way when it comes to innovative and forward-thinking Winter Maintenance and gritting services.
The GPRS tracking system in our vehicles allows us to monitor our service, plan our jobs efficiently and provide evidence of completed jobs. The information gathered is also available to our customers. All our customers can have access to a personalised portal login, which is through our website. Once you've logged into your account, you'll be able to view various information regarding jobs that have been completed, as well as access to real-time information and progress.
Alongside our vehicle tracking system, we also have a bespoke back-office system, which not only improves our efficiency but also provides the best possible service for our customers. We receive regular, customised Met Office weather reports, which highlights the areas that will be affected by freezing temperatures. Our system then calculates the sites that need covering in the adverse weather and schedules the routes our vehicles will take.
Our job management programme will then notify our network of over 70 UK wide depots, who will then begin preparing the right number of vehicles and staff for their routes.
Additionally, each winter maintenance operative is assigned a tablet for their vehicle. This tablet informs them of their jobs list, with all the relevant information that is needed to complete the jobs, including plans, access details and security contacts.
When it comes to our gritting services, technology is key. Our bespoke systems, tracking services and tablets allow us to complete all our jobs in the most efficient and effective way. This innovative technology, alongside our experienced teams and the high-quality, reliable service we provide, ensure it's always business as usual whatever the weather.
The UK's Leading Nationwide Gritting and Snow Clearance Company.
11 Bradford Road,
Gildersome,
LS27 7HW
Fax0113 253 1311
Sign up for latest news and information
Spreaders, Salt & Grit Bins
Clients & Experience


text:
Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as "Yas Island"
Resistance Radio – Jay Tiernan – 01.08.17
In April 1997 after only a few months of being involved in hunt sabotage and environmental activism Jay Tiernan became well known in the U.K. animal rights scene when at a demonstration against a breeder for beagle dogs for vivisection he climbed onto the roof of a building with one of those dogs (something he later went to prison for). A riot ensued and after another very violent demonstration a month later "Consort Beagle Kennels" closed down, he became heavily involved in a variety of animal liberation campaigns until summer 2000 when a fellow activist was nearly killed during a publicity stunt he'd helped organise. At that point he retired from activism, returning in the summer of 2012 to set up the campaign against the then-planned badger culls. As a spokesperson for the campaign, the bulk of his energy goes into using social media and working out creative ways to get into the mainstream media. The badger cull campaign has gone from a handful of people four years ago to now well over a hundred active people on any single night during the six week annual badger culls.
Abu DhabiAndrea LeadsomAnimal RadioAnimal rightsAnthrozoologyAssociated PressJoel ManbySeaWorldUnited Arab EmiratesYas Island


At ATMs, the PIN is being replaced by preferences. And reward points and even coffee cups.
As the number of ATMs in the U.S. nears half a million, and the demand for cash diminishes in favor of credit cards and contactless payments, the makers of money-dispensing devices are seeking alternate uses for their technologies. Increasingly, they are finding opportunities in the store.
And retailers, which are innovating brick formats to hold up against digital shopping, are ripe for it. Online (and therefore cash-free) purchases are predicted to account for 12.4% of all U.S. retail sales by 2020, according to Statista. But regardless of where the purchase is made, just 12% of shoppers prefer to use cash. So more retailers, from CVS to Walmart to Whole Foods, are adopting cash-free shopping options that rely on mobile wallets, click-and-collect and similar technologies.
In short, the retail buying process has become, for payments providers, an opportunity to add value — using ATM technology to integrate online and offline interactions for "in-line" experiences that complement sales clerks with kiosks, cash with reward points and layaways with automated lockers.
To get a sense of what to expect, look to Asia and Europe, where the adoption of mobile payment systems is far more accepted.
More than half (53%) of connected consumers in the Asian Pacific use mobile devices to pay for goods. In the UK, 41% of credit cards have contactless functionality.
And in Sweden, 59% of consumer purchases are made without cash. This may be why one Ikea store has gone completely cash free, while in China several merchants are testing staff-free stores that rely on mobile apps for payment. And in the UK, coffee mugs are replacing wallets. More on that last one soon.
The result is thousands of defunct ATMs. In the U.K. alone, nearly 4,800 ATMs closed from July 2017 to June 2018, or about 400 a month, according to Paymentsense, a merchant services provider.
To protect market share in the U.S., ATM manufacturers are exploring ways to reach consumers directly where they spend, such as with retailers. In the simplest sense, this plan can manifest in the form of small ATMs at marijuana dispensaries, where people are required to pay with cash due to the patchwork of laws across states that legalize it. More complex innovations include smart lockers, and in between are card-free ATMs that offer special services.
Diebold Nixdorf, one of the world's largest ATM makers, has developed a miniature mobile-enabled terminal, less than 10 inches wide, that can serve as an ATM, a point-of-sale terminal and a self-checkout unit. The concept connects with the participating retailer's app, so customers can build lists and plan their trips in advance. Once in store, shoppers receive location-based product recommendations and suggestions on how to navigate the store faster, while scanning the items they want using their smartphones, bypassing checkout. At the same time, the terminals allow shoppers to collect cash, deposit checks or pay bills.
The technology could incorporate additional features, such as aligning products on the list to where the shopper is in the store, while alerting her in advance if the store is out of a listed item. Likewise, the system could help retailers manage inventory by comparing active lists with available stock.
Diebold Nixdorf also develops in-store smart lockers, like those used for retail click-and-collect, that securely hold digitally purchased items until shoppers retrieve them using an app, biometrics (such as facial recognition), cash or card.
In less merchandise-heavy areas, banks are outfitting ATMs to dispense retail loyalty rewards and exploring other "handheld" technologies.
Payment Alliant International uses beacon technology to direct in-store shoppers to its nearby ATMs, where they can redeem loyalty program reward points for cash. Cardtronics, another leading ATM maker, also offers loyalty program integration, as well as coupon dispensing and full-motion video advertising for targeting by time of day and the ATM card.
U.S. shoppers may even find cups replacing their wallets, as in the case of UK's Costa Coffee, Europe's largest coffee chain. It is introducing "Clever Cups," outfitted with contactless payment chips by Barclaycard, so customers can pay with a wave of a mug. Users also can add to their credit balances and track spending. Why might this matter in the U.S.? Because Costa's parent is U.S.-based Coca-Cola.
Cash lovers shouldn't fear, however. These ATM efforts might spill out across retail in 2019, but they won't likely replace cash in the near term.
Indeed, lawmakers are trying to protect cash, or at least consumers without credit cards. The Cashless Retailers Prohibition Act, introduced in July, would make it illegal for retailers and restaurants to reject cash or charge a different price based on the payment type used.
The law is designed to do what all retailers, and ATM designers, should do as well: Design around the customer. If ATM technology replaces PINs with other features, then it should be to remove pain points, with common-sense options that align with shopper needs. And those needs often, above all, include ease.
Banks can develop the technology, but they need retailers, and shoppers, to inform it.