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HelpMeSis.com.au is a brand new website that acts as a portal featuring the very best Australian online shopping sites and information websites. The comprehensive and well-researched website has been two years in the making and saves women valuable time and frustration by only showing the best and most relevant websites in each of the many categories.
After 2 years of meticulous research and web development, HelpMeSis.com.au was officially launched in Sydney on 1 January 2010. This comprehensive website acts as a useful portal for busy Australian women, showing them the very best Australian online shopping sites and information websites.
The extensive and informative guide to Australia’s best and most relevant websites was created to help time-poor women find quality products, information and services quickly and easily. Its launch was the culmination of two years of labour by former high school teacher Veronica Ryan.
“Over the past few years, I have visited and revisited many thousands of Australian websites and have hand picked hundreds of the very best to be included in the HelpMeSis website,” said Ms Ryan. “I have chosen these websites for their overall quality, integrity and security and their usefulness and relevance to Australian women,” she said.
The website listings and reviews have been organised into logical categories. Along with a logo, name, link to the site and description of products and services, Ms Ryan has also included practical details such as each company’s ABN and shipping information for shopping websites.
“To have all this information available on one website means women no longer need to visit dozens of individual websites first to find out exactly what they offer and whether they provide online shopping and Australia-wide shipping. They can compare all of this on the HelpMeSis website and only visit the most relevant website, saving them a great deal of time,” said Ms Ryan.
The manual selection process for included websites, together with the navigational simplicity of the portal, its sheer comprehensiveness, detailed information and overall relevance to Australian women, sets HelpMeSis apart from other online directories.
In addition to Australian shopping websites, the HelpMeSis portal also includes a number of themed information sections. A ‘Green Guide’ offers a great deal of information about green products and services and links to quality businesses that sell natural Australian organic products. The ‘Useful Information’ section provides answers to many common queries Australian women have. A complete ‘Parenting’ and baby shopping section gives links to Australian stores specialising in quality parenting & baby products and to sites offering expert information and advice for parents.
Other noteworthy sections on the HelpMeSis website include a ‘Health and Fitness’ section and a ‘Leisure’ section, which offers links to websites providing What’s On information for all Australian capital cities and the Gold Coast. The site further features a blog spot and people can sign up to receive an informative monthly HelpMeSis newsletter.
Men needn’t feel left out either, as Ms Ryan has also launched a ‘brother’ site, aptly named HelpMeBro.com.au where men can shop online at the best Australian online shopping sites. This guys-only site has many of the features of the women’s site but has been styled for men and doesn’t include any of the ‘girly’ content.
To find out more, please visit the HelpMeSis and HelpMeBro websites.
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Some people have a different perspective on sharemarket slumps. They see the low stock prices as a chance to invest in a good deal.
During times of market volatility, it is our natural instinct to guard our assets and distance ourselves from risk. While this reaction is unsurprising, it can also mean missing out on profitable opportunities created during volatile times.
Warren Buffet, one of the world’s most successful professional investors, believes market downturns from another viewpoint, saying “Look at market swings as your friend rather than your foe; profit from folly rather than participate in it.”
Generally when we see a cheaper price for something we want we rush in for a good deal, however it can be quite the opposite with stocks. Why is it that we treat stocks that have dropped in price with fear? Share prices of a company can fall for a multitude of factors.
Lately we have seen the stock prices of a number of good companies with sound balance sheets be negatively affected due to a rush to sell as a result of the economic crisis.
Despite the difficult share trading environment, professional investors are constantly reviewing the market for buying opportunities. Many fund managers are searching to find shares in healthy companies with strong balance sheets and returns. For example Australian companies such as household names like David Jones have delivered strong profits after tax and dividends in 2008. However during 2008, David Jones’ share price fell by more than 30%.
Identifying opportunities
Not all companies will be affected by the global economic crisis in the same way. Some industries are more susceptible to the business cycle than others.
Companies who deal in of basic goods and services continue on almost unchanged, for example we all need to eat - so supermarkets aren’t as affected as much as tourism, motor vehicle sales or luxury goods.
Australia’s population growth is at a 20 year peak and growing at 1.7% per annum. Australia’s growing population provides increasing demand for goods and services as people need food, housing, cars, etc. Unlike many overseas countries, Australia benefits from two key factors: a high population growth rate and a high demand for accommodation.
Population growth is nearly twice that of the US while Germany has negative population growth. In the US there is an over-supply of housing while Australia suffers from a lack of supply. The combination of limited housing and a rising population will create growing demand for housing which will support further building and provide opportunities for the construction industry.
The value of companies
Many people view businesses with falling share prices with fear, but we need to take a look under the hood of these firms to determine why. Have they borrowed heavily?
What industry are they in? Are they competitive against their peers? Only by answering these questions, can we know if their share value has fallen for valid reasons or if the company is indeed on sale.
When investing, many fund managers seek firms with high and maintainable returns, strong balance sheets and ongoing cash flow. These companies are more likely to outlive the volatility storm and may give you a greater return when the market moves into the next phase of recovery and
beyond.
Before you consider changing your investment, you should consult a professional. Having a financial adviser and a long-term financial plan can give you confidence to manage the effects of market cycles. With the right advice you can ensure your investments are structured to your risk profile and time horizon, giving you the certainty of knowing you’re doing what’s right for you. This article brought to you by a Brisbane business consultant who offers sales training courses and a web site designer brisbane. Distribution by seo packages. BS1004
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The Lithuanian city of Vilnius exudes southern charm under the northern sun. Positioned in the natural amphitheatre of the surrounding Lithuanian hills, Vilnilus has much to offer visitors besotted with classical buildings.
Vilnius, which can look back on a thousand years of Lithuanian history, can boast one of the largest historical town centres in Eastern Europe. Among its almost 1,500 buildings are representatives of nearly every European architectural style and historical period. Vilnius has wonderful examples of architecture from the Gothic, Renaissance, baroque, neoclassical and Jugendstil periods, all of which are located within easy sauntering distance of the town centre. The uniqueness of the Old City of Vilnius led to its inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994.
Heathens and Christians
After most of Europe had adopted Christianity and prayed to a single Christian God, the population of Vilnius continued to pray to their pantheon of heathen deities. For centuries, it mattered little. Founded in the eleventh century as a walled fortress at the convergence of the Vilnia and Neris Rivers, the city has always been well protected from invaders.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t until Vilnius became the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania under Prince Gediminas in 1323 that other nations took an interest in its economic potential. The German confederation, Poland and the Russian czar all cast their envious eyes on Vilnius, each wanting a piece of its wealth and prosperity. Merchants, businessmen and priests arrived in droves, and with them came Christian missionaries. Soon afterward, most Lithuanians finally became Christian.
The Jesuits in Vilnius
As a result, unlike many of the other cities in the Baltic region, Vilnius became an eastern outpost of the Roman Catholic Church, and a multitude of glorious baroque churches and buildings greets visitors today. In the wake of the Reformation, a period of industrious building activity was begun under the support of the Jesuit order.
Jesuit activities were also at the heart of Vilnius’ intellectual revival, as the first Jesuit University was founded in 1579. Today, the University Quarter is recognized as a one of a kind architectural ensemble. Its buildings were inspired primarily by the styles of the early Italian baroque. Its courtyards, the church of St. John the Baptist, the clock tower, the observatory and the library are unparalleled anti City of churches. Vilnius lost its political significance following the union of Lithuania with Poland in 1569.
From this point onwards, rulers and occupying forces came and went. The city suffered greatly, again and again bowing to the will of more powerful nations. The construction of churches, however, continued unabated and Vilnius became known as “the Rome of the East”, a city noted for its abundance of churches and cloisters. Rapid growth continued to attract craftsmen, artists and labourers to the city, and by the beginning of the nineteenth century, Vilnius was the third most populous city in eastern Europe: only Moscow and St. Petersburg were larger.
Vilnius today
After fifty years of occupation by the USSR, Lithuania gained its independence in 1990, and Vilnius was announced the capital of the modern, democratic state. Lithuanians are busy restoring their city today, in full recognition of the weight of history.
More than buildings need to be restored; the very identity of Vilnius needs to be remade as well. As the Lithuanian government proudly proclaims, “here we are not only repairing the facades, but also the foundations”. The president of Lithuania resides in a residence near the towers of the university, in the midst of the lively Old City. An office and business quarter has recently been established nearby, on the opposite bank of the Neris River. Vilnius, already a growing tourist destination, has set its sight on once again becoming the economic centre of the Baltic.
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![nocensorship[1]](http://tangalooma-villas.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/nocensorship1.gif)
Senator Stephen Conroy
Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
Level 4, 4 Treasury Place
Melbourne Vic 3002
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Dear Minister Conroy,
I have never written to a government minister before, but I have serious concerns about the Rudd Government’s mandatory Internet filtering plan. Given the importance your Government has attached to modernising Australia’s broadband network, pursuing a policy that can only slow down and increase the costs of home and business internet access seems misguided at best, and pandering to right-wing Christian minorities at worst.
Australian governments have never been very good at communications policy. Examples include: pay TV infrastructure, the privitisation of Telecom, digital television implementation, and the development of a national broadband network that doesn’t include the nation’s biggest carrier.
Now we have another ill-conceived and expensive communications policy debacle with the clean-feed mandate.
Australian households are diverse, and most do not have young children, so mandating a one-size-fits-all clean feed approach will not serve the public or business well. I don’t think it is the Government’s role to decide what’s appropriate for me or my children, and neither do most Australians.
Like China, Australia, will become a laughing stock and seen as a technically clumsy and naive cyber-nanny-state. Don’t be naïve Minister, seek counsel from people outside of Canberra who know what they are talking about. Ask yourself why no other western democratic country has a similar scheme.
Given the amount of Internet content available, the Government will never be able to classify it all and filters will always result in an unacceptable level of over-blocking. Did you know that for $3 per month it’s possible to use an overseas proxy server that completely bypasses all local ISP filtering? The introduction of a clean-fee will just educate people as to what’s available and encourage the use of such technology by many people, including terrorists and pedophiles. Ask the national security agencies what they think of such technology.
I feel that the time and money could be spent in better ways both to protect children and improve Australia’s digital infrastructure. Australian parents need better education about the risks their children face online. Trying to rid the Internet of adult content is futile, and can only distract from that mission. Stupid promises can be broken … break this one.
I can’t wait until the next election,
Name and address supplied
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Many small businesses spend far too much time on debt collection rather than their core business. Over the last 2-3 months I’ve noticed an increasing lag in payment cycles.
If you are in any sort of operation that uses small businesses as service providers or product suppliers it’s well worth your while to pay your bills on time and completely ignore to some “clever” accountants mantra of not paying until the second reminder. Guess what? People are human and they will pay back and pay forward. One way or the other you will pay in the end for screwing around your suppliers.
Here’s why:
1. If you pay on time you will get much better service. I know with my clients, the one’s who pay on time or early get the best service, day or night 365 days per year. These are A-Class clients. They pay on time or early, don’t bitch about the price, and as a result get excellent service and great value for money. They respect me, and I respect them. We both win.
2. If you don’t pay on time you reputation is on the line. Small business owners love to gossip. They slag off any customers who pay late. And with the Internet so freely available, your reputation can become crap overnight with one blog post. This leads into …
3. If you don’t pay on time, you can end up paying a premium. The current cost of money is about 1.5% per month. If your payment reputation is shite, than expect to pay at least 10-15 % more than if it were good or unknown. In some cases bad payers can be locked out of they supply chain completely and have to spend enormous amounts of time to find a new supplier.
With existing suppliers, if you screw them around, they will either add 10% to their next quote, or refer you to a lower-class competitor - hoping to send them broke because you don’t pay when due.
4. If you pay on time your staff don’t get harassed by debt collectors from your supplier’s accounts departments. This is a big source of staff burn-out. If you pay on time your staff won’t have to make up excuses for late payment and may actually start to enjoy their jobs.
In summary, if you want good service, good products, happier staff and ongoing loyalty, pay on time or before time and ignore your accountant’s advice.
What do you think? Why do you like early payment or not?
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The turmoil in the international stock markets is having a tragic impact on the retirement plans of many retired Australians.
For example, during September 2008, it was estimated by Super Ratings, a company that tracks the performance of super funds, that Australian super funds lost as much as 6% of their value. During the past year they lost 12% of their value.
The reason for the massive decline is the current superannuation rules which effectively place the Australian superannuation system in a virtual stock market strait jacket.
Over the years, The Investors Club has argued strongly that Australians should have greater flexibility in using their superannuation to invest directly in property and also to help pay off their mortgages.
This stock market strait jacket has been highlighted by a recent report from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) that tracked the performance of superannuation funds in Australia during the period 1997 to 2006.
Super woes highlighted
The report showed that the ten-year average annual return for super funds with assets more than $100 million was around 6.7% before they imposed fees and charges.
During the same period, figures produced by the Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) show that the annual average returns (taking into account capital growth and weekly rents), for a three-bedroom residential home in the major capital cities varied from 11.2% to 16.8%.
The heavy investment in the stock market by super funds is underlined by the APRA report which showed that during 2006 nearly 60% of investments were in Australian or international shares.
The current superannuation rules virtually prohibit the use of superannuation for residential real estate and goes against the basic investment tenant of not putting all of your eggs in one basket.
By allowing Australians to use their super contributions to pay off their mortgage, this would encourage additional super contributions. For example, someone has to earn $150 and pay $50 tax before paying $100 off their mortgage.
It would also allow more first home buyers to enter the housing market at a time when Australia is recognised as having among the most expensive real estate in the developed world and the worst housing shortage.
Interestingly, financial advisers and stockbrokers are the prime beneficiaries of this share market splurge and it is no coincidence that they are major contributors to both political party’s election funds.
It is now time that ordinary Australians were given a greater say in where their superannuation is invested and this should include the option of investing in residential real estate which is a proven long-term investment to create wealth.
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Further information available from :
Kevin Young - The Investors Club Kevin Young - The Investors Club Kevin Young - The Investors Club Kevin Young - The Investors Club Kevin Young - The Investors Club
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