http:// 2013-04-30T06:36:57Z 2013-04-30T06:36:57Z professional-perth-photographer-warns-don-t-trust-your-cherished-memories-to-an-amateur

Perth, WA, April 30, 2013 - In a recent blog post on his website, Perth photographer Geoff Fisher gave a long, detailed answer to a frequently asked question: “Why should I hire a professional photographer?” Fisher, who has been the owner of Fisher Photography for the past 35 years, holds “Master Photographer” status, awarded by the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP). In addition, he has won a Gold Award, and many Silver Awards, and has been named AIPP Western Australian Portrait Photographer of the Year. In the post, Fisher explained some of the pitfalls of hiring an amateur photographer, and described some of the factors that differentiate professional photographers from amateurs. Since the advent of digital cameras, amateur photographers have had access to much better equipment than they used to. Unfortunately, this has inspired many amateur photographers to buy the most expensive camera at their local department store, take a few pictures, and offer their services to friends and acquaintances as photographers. While some of the more expensive digital cameras on the market do, indeed, take great pictures, they are still, by nature, point and click devices. The amateur photographer simply points the camera, waits for it to focus, and snaps a picture. While this can produce the occasional good picture, professionals view the default settings on any camera to be a starting point: not a finishing point. Professional photographers use equipment that is far more expensive and elaborate than the cameras at the local department store. Professional photographers use their own lighting. Their studios are designed to allow for perfect lighting, and their cameras allow for more adjustments. Professionals pay close attention to variables such as angles, exposure time, distance, and different lenses. Professionals undergo extensive training, and then add experience to that training. Fisher, for example, has personally trained everyone in his studio, regardless of their past experience. Professional photographers leave nothing to chance. Their protocols ensure that there’ll be no surprises, such as cameras without batteries, or lights that don’t work. Amateur photographers, even those who mean well, are simply lacking in the equipment and experience to provide a product on the level of a professional photographer. Fisher believes that the risks are too high and the rewards are too low for anyone who needs professional photos to trust them to anyone but a professional photographer. According to Fisher, “Your photographs are extremely important. While amateurs are certainly capable of taking decent photos, they cannot come close to producing the kind of quality your professional photographer can. Professional photographers have years of training and experience, and they have access to equipment that outclasses anything an amateur can buy.” Fisher continued, “We have been taking professional photographs for over 35 years. We have seen every situation, and have taken photographs for all kinds of people. All of this experience has taught us how to consistently uncover the best of anyone’s inner qualities, and allow them to come to the surface to be photographed. When those photographs are taken under controlled conditions with professional equipment, they always turn out perfect.” Fisher concluded, “Professionals have the best training, the best equipment, and the most experience. If you want professional results, hire a professional photographer.”Fisher receives a lot of testimonials; a recent one comes from CJ Halvorson, who is Vice President of Strategic Accounts in Asia, Pacific, and Japan for a major IT Company: “Hi, Geoff: Love the photo and getting great reviews already.” Fisher Photography provides professional photography in Perth and the surrounding area. They offer many services, including portrait photography, family photography, and corporate photography to their Perth area clients. For more information, call (08) 9381 2233 or visit their website: http://fisherphotography.com.au/

2013-04-17T01:57:24Z record-breaking-flight-helps-greyhound-plight

Tim Howes, who took his first flight at age 13 years old, is reaching for the skies to break a new Australian aviation record. Tim plans to set a new Australian record for the number take-off and landings completed in a single day – all in the name of helping greyhounds. He will attempt to beat the current record of 102 take offs and landings aiming for 120. He’ll complete the feat in an open cockpit ultra-light aircraft called a Drifter near Lismore, on May 4, 2013. As well as breaking records, Tim also hopes to raise awareness of the plight of greyhounds and how great they are as pets. As a proud owner of a greyhound adopted from ‘Friends of the Hound’, raising awareness about these dogs is close to Tim’s heart. Friends of the Hound Inc. is a non-profit, volunteer based group that aims is to raise awareness and educate the public about greyhound welfare and the breed’s suitability as family pets and companions.  Money raised from the event will help Friends of the Hound to continue its work to save the lives of greyhounds. “It is a record that I have wanted to crack for some time now. I also wanted some way of letting people know about this cause. So this was a perfect opportunity to do both”, explained Tim. “Greyhounds are gentle, friendly and really affectionate. They are quiet, great with kids and other animals, and surprisingly lazy,” Tim said. Lisa White, President of Friends of the Hound said, “There are widespread misconceptions about the breed and with Tim’s help we can promote greyhounds as pets and change the perception of them as ‘just a racing dog’.” Tim hopes to achieve this record and raise funds for Friends of the Hound with help of friends and sponsors. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information and sponsorship opportunities go to fly.friendsofthehound.org.au.

2013-04-02T07:20:50Z innovative-agency-evocative-management-launches-in-australia

INNOVATIVE AGENCY, EVOCATIVE MANAGEMENTLAUNCHES IN AUSTRALIAJust when you thought formal qualifications were all you needed to achieve in your chosen industry, the launch of a home-grown innovative agency dares you to evoke, engage, excite, expose and excel!Evocative Management Australia represents and supports dynamic talents in media, design, entertainment and the like!The creative director and founder of Evocative Management Australia (Braeden Rhys) is pleased to announce that soon talents in media, design, entertainment and the like who have achieved and developed in a way that is said to be unconventional; will have the opportunity to excel within this innovative agency. At just twenty-one; Braeden Rhys (creative director and founder), has a genuine passion for the creative arts industry as an award winning vocalist performer and a theatrical entertainer, combined with an educated vivacious talent in marketing, advertising, public relations and small business development. “It is important to realise that education and training is invaluable and sometimes you can obtain a lot of formal qualifications, but neglect the opportunities that present themselves to develop and acquire an outstanding portfolio of work. Evocative Management Australia provides the perfect platform for individuals who do not boast a formal qualification but have dynamic portfolios of work, a passion for their industry and a wholehearted commitment.”Based online, Evocative Management Australia integrates social media in order to recruit across the nation; open to industry insiders to personal referrals and direct applications through the website. Evocative Management Australia anticipates an eclectic collection of independents with a flair for media, design, entertainment and the like. The purpose of the agency is to provide a platform where evoking excellence and engaging with the world is achieved by and for the creative industry; with hundreds of applications flooding in daily backed by impressive portfolios of work for the opportunity to excel.“Truly impressed and overwhelmed with the quality of applicants approaching Evocative Management Australia, I know that the talent listed will evoke, engage, excite, expose and excel. The innovative approach of the agency thrives on customised personal attention from engaging independents with their respective industry by means of private networking events, right through to exposing their talents through digital and print media, taking advantage of their very own creative flair.”Evocative Management Australia is now recruiting for dynamic talents, do you dare to evoke?For more information and details on how you can apply please contact:Braeden Rhys (Creative Director/Founder)p 1300 642 285w www.EvocativeManagement.com.au e sales@EvocativeManagement.com.au

2013-03-05T05:48:00Z sydney-film-festival-celebrates-its-60th-anniversary-5-16-june-2013

As well as screening around 150 films across 12 days and nights; a series of red carpet galas, talks and forums; and soon-to-be-announced international guests; Sydney Film Festival 2013 will present an extended program of free events at the ‘Sydney Film Festival Hub’ at Lower Town Hall, even more screenings at the heritage-listed State Theatre and Event Cinemas George Street and return to the opulent Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace on the city’s North Shore after a near 30-year absence. To mark this historic 60th year of the Festival’s history, Sydney Film Festival will launch a comprehensive interactive eBook on 27 March. This free, living resource will be packed with original research, criticism and essays about the history of SFF and its role in the development of local art and culture, and gives users the ability to learn more about this prestigious Australian festival. For more information visit www.sff.org.au from 27 March. From 5-16 June, Sydney Film Festival will showcase the best in cinema from across Australia and around the world, including features, documentaries, short films, retrospectives, restorations, animation and more. The Sydney Film Festival programming team gathers an amazing selection from film festivals around the world, including Cannes, Sundance, Toronto and the Berlinale, then brings them home to add to our finest local productions, creating a packed program of more than 250 screenings for patrons to choose from. Travelling way beyond the mainstream, there really will be something for all tastes and interests to select from, with many ways for patrons to map their own Festival adventure from a single ticket to a full subscription and all points between. A sneak preview of the 2013 program will be announced on 3 April and the full program will be revealed on 8 May. This year marks Sydney Film Festival’s second year with Festival Director Nashen Moodley at the helm. Moodley’s impressive career includes roles as Manager/Head of Programming at South Africa’s Durban International Film Festival (2001–2011) and Director of Asia and Africa programs for Dubai International Film Festival (2005–current) as well as curating Tehran’s first South African Film Festival (2006). ABOUT SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL Sydney Film Festival screens feature films, documentaries, short films and animations across the city at the State Theatre, Event Cinemas George Street, Dendy Opera Quays, the Art Gallery of NSW and the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace. The Festival is a major event on the New South Wales cultural calendar and is one of the world’s longest-running film festivals. For more information visit www.sff.org.au Sydney Film Festival also presents twelve films that vie for the ‘Official Competition’; a highly respected international honour that awards a $60,000.00 cash prize based on the decision of a jury of international and Australian filmmakers and industry professionals. Previous Sydney Film Festival Official Competition winners include: Alps (2012), A Separation (2011) – which went on to win an Academy Award®, Heartbeats (2010), Bronson (2009) and Hunger (2008). The 60th Sydney Film Festival is supported by the NSW Government through Arts NSW, the Federal Government through Screen Australia, and the City of Sydney. The Festival’s Strategic partner is the NSW Government through Destination NSW. What: Sydney Film Festival When: 5-16 June, 2013 Tickets & Info: 1300 733 733 www.sff.org.au MEDIA ENQUIRIES Amber Forrest-Bisley Director Cardinal Spin E: amber@cardinalspin.com.au P: 02 8065 7363 M: 0405 363 817 Matt Fraser Communications Advisor Cardinal Spin E: matt@cardinalspin.com.au M: 0401 326 007

2012-09-26T02:43:00Z forbidden-fruits-queer-folk-festival-brisbane-pride-festival-2012-1

MEDIA RELEASE26th September 2012 Forbidden Fruits Queer Folk Festival, Brisbane Pride Festival 2012 The first ever Queer Folk Festival in the southern hemisphere wraps up Brisbane Pride Festival 2012. The Forbidden Fruits Queer Folk Festival is an inaugural event this September and is the only all-inclusive event of its kind. A Brisbane based collective, made up of active members and veterans of the queer community have come together to create this multi-faceted festival. The four-day event will run from the 28th September to the 1st October at a lakeside location in Coominya, one hour west of Brisbane City. The long weekend will showcase an array of South East Queensland’s bands, DJs and performers, as well as special guest artists from across the country. The festival will also play host to family-friendly activities, open mics and discussion forums to encourage, celebrate and bring solidarity to a far-reaching and diverse community. Brisbane Pride Festival highlights the active and accepting community South East Queenslanders are able to experience and participate in. The creators of The Forbidden Fruits Queer Folk Festival, wanted to keep the momentum of all this positive action moving forward and thus set about creating an all-inclusive event that would be queer-friendly, family-friendly and welcoming to all.A founding member of Angel Heart, the collective charged with producing Forbidden Fruits, had this to say when asked what inspired her to put on the festival: “It’s always been a dream of mine to create something as meaningful as this. A moment in time where we can celebrate all aspects of what being a real person is. People don’t just fit into little pigeonholes or categories; I’m a woman, I’m queer, I’m a humanitarian, I’m an equal rights advocate, I have Indigenous heritage, and I’m a lesbian. But I’m also a person, with friends and family and people who love me and I love back. I think the fact that we’re all a combination of so many things is what makes us all unique, and that’s what this festival is all about.” Another host of the event will be Tricky BoomBang, noted drag king, winner of the 6th annual kings ball of 2009 and star of his very own Wicked Camper Van. Tricky will be hosting the SpeakEasy Salon which will be showcasing Burlesque Performances, midnight movies and open mic sessions for anyone has something to share. The main stage will have live music throughout the day and special evening shows. Saturday night is dedicated to the Glow Ball and Sunday, the Fire Ball. Both evenings are outdoor dance events with live performances and BYO alcohol. The ticket price includes camping but there are also a limited number of cabins available to book and a special deal with Wicked Campers for those attending the festival. Further information about the acts, performances and ticket outlets can be found at Forbidden Fruits Folk Festival Events Page. –ends- Contact information 0468 961 317 lgbtqldfolkfestivale@facebook.com

2012-09-10T01:04:55Z beyondblue-chairman-jeff-kennett-disappointed-acl-rejects-his-offer-to-speak-at-conference-3

beyondblue Chairman, The Hon. Jeff Kennett says he is not surprised that Mr Jim Wallace, the Managing Director of the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) has rejected his offer to speak at the ACL’s national conference in October, following the Prime Minister’s cancellation of her scheduled speech.Prime Minister Gillard withdrew from the conference last week following comments made by Mr Wallace comparing the deleterious health outcomes of smoking with those of gay marriage.Mr Kennett said: “It’s really disappointing that the ACL has declined my offer to speak at their conference. I would have thought they would have been keen to hear a different point of view, one which I believe is held by the majority of Australians – and that is, that discrimination is simply unacceptable.“It is hard to believe that people who call themselves Christians would support an approach that so overtly causes harm to so many people.“I urge Jim Wallace and the ACL to reconsider their position. STOP the discrimination, THINK about how comments you make could cause real distress and harm, and RESPECT people who are different from you,” he said.beyondblue research shows that, discrimination is a major contributing factor to depression and anxiety, and risk of suicide. Gay, lesbian, bi, trans and intersex (GLBTI) people in particular, face widespread discrimination which contributes to much higher rates of anxiety and depression than the general population.GLBTI people are at least two to three times more likely to experience depression and anxiety than the broader population and are at greater risk of suicide and self-harm. Almost half hide their sexuality or gender identity in a range of situations fearing violence or discrimination – with young people aged 16 to 24 years more likely to do so than any other age group.Last week, beyondblue together withMovember, launched a $1.5 million national antidiscrimination and stigma-reduction campaign which includes cinema ads, TV, print and outdoor ads, and personal video stories from GLBTI people who have experienced depression and anxiety as a result of discrimination. The ads and videos can also be seen on beyondblue’s Facebook and Youtube pages and at www.beyondblue.org.au and www.lefthand.org.auThe ads focus on the outdated practice of past generations which forced children who were born left-handed to use their right hand, as this was deemed to be ‘correct’.Mr Kennett said: “Now it seems ludicrous that adults tried to make left-handed children conform to what they considered was the ‘right way’ of doing things. This campaign draws a parallel and makes us question if some people in our community aren’t doing exactly the same thing to people whose sexuality or gender identification is different. Is it all right to be left-handed? Of course. Is it all right to be gay or lesbian? Of course.”Mr Kennett is overseas. For further comment, beyondblue CEO Ms Kate Carnell AO is available. Contact: Julie Foster 0409 433 501 

2012-02-25T09:20:57Z free-ripple-massage-for-every-federal-labor-politician

Sometimes life can be stressful.Work can get on top of you, people can disagree with you and colleagues can attack you.You spend your day crunching numbers, phone clutched under your neck and jokes made at your expense.And at the end of the day you come home feeling drained and under pressure.Massage is one of the best ways to counteract stress, releasing endorphins and dopamine into the body to relax and help the body rejuvenate.Over the past couple of days we have noticed quite a few angry and anxious federal Labor politicians, so would like to offer each of them a free massage fromRipple Massage.“AtRipplewe like to make people happy, and it looks like the most unhappy group of people in Australia at the moment is the federal Labor party," said Alison Shaw, owner of Ripple Massage, "so we would like to help."“We realise they are a bit busy at the moment, but sometimes it's important to take time out to look after yourself.""To book in for their free massage they just need to give us a call on 0438 567 906.”Ripple is available in the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay and Tamborine Mountain regions. Also Melbourne, Yarra Valley and Mornington, Geelong, all Sydney and Tasmania. Full details are at www.ripplemassage.com.au or by calling Alison on 0438 567 906.Editors please note: Hi resolution pictures are available by emailingalison@ripplemassage.com.auAlison Shaw - Ripple MassageTwitter:www.twitter.com/ripplealiP 0434 991 879alison@ripplemassage.com.auFacebook :www.facebook.com/ripplemassageWebsite :www.ripplemassage.com.au-ENDS-

2012-02-22T01:31:15Z chocolate-with-no-calories-this-easter

While bringing lashings of chocolate into the home is thought by most to be quite a dangerous temptation, mobile day spa Ripple has introduced a decadent Chocolate Massage that leaves the calories at the door. More information is atwww.ripplemassage.com.auThe massage uses warmed chocolate oil from head to toe to melt away stress and relax muscles, providing the ultimate in decadence without the guilty afterthought.Ripple Managing Director, Alison Shaw, travels the world to bring back rare styles of massage and beauty techniques that are not found anywhere else in Australia. Ms Shaw said she was inspired to create the chocolate massage after discovering the technique in a small day spa in Barcelona, Spain.“Although I couldn’t speak Spanish, and the therapists could not speak English, I recognised one of the words on their menu that is universally recognized by all women…chocolate!” said Ms Shaw.“It was such a divine experience that I decided to adapt the technique used that day in Barcelona to provide our clients in Australia with a truly decadent massage experience, infused with the rich sense of chocolate,” she continued.The 2hr Chocolate package for $195 includes:• Full body aromatherapy massage with warmed chocolate• Foot reflexology massage• Peppermint and lime scented foot soak and foot scrub• Organic green clay and cucumber cleansing face mask, hot steamed towels, nourishing moisturiser• Gift box of chocolates to nibble on during your massage, handmade chocolate soap and handmade chocolate candle• Full body exfoliation to polish your skin with walnut, tangerine and lime scrubRipple provides a unique mobile day spa service to women, men and couples throughout the Gold Coast, Mt Tamborine, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay, Melbourne, Yarra Valley, Great Ocean Road, Mornington Peninsula and Geelong regions. Also all Sydney, ACT and Tasmania.For more information on Ripple or to make a booking please phone 0438 567 906 or visit the websitewww.ripplemassage.com.au-Ends-We welcome journalists trying out the chocolate massage, please contact us for details. High res pictures available.Alison Shaw - 0434 991 879alison@ripplemassage.com.auwww.ripplemassage.com.auTwitter :www.twitter.com/ripplealiFacebook :www.facebook.com/ripplemassage

2012-02-13T07:40:00Z aphrodisiacs-do-they-work

Can certain foods really improve how you performance in the bedroom and increase sexual desire?With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, the health site www.itsmyhealth.com.au researched the literature aboutjust what it is in these so called ‘aphrodisiacs’ that makes things a notch friskier in the bedroom. The word aphrodisiac comes to us from Aphrodite, goddess of sexuality and romantic love.Historically, almost any edible thing has been – at some point in time – considered to be an aphrodisiac, and that raises the obvious question – what foods out there are in fact proven aphrodisiacs? Here we’ve reviewed some of the most commonly known aphrodisiacs – from chocolate to Spanish fly, do they really work as promised? What are the supporting “clinically” studies? And probably most importantly - is it safe?The full report can be seen at http://www.itsmyhealth.com.au/healthy-living/general-health/aphrodisiacs---do-they-work--pt1.

2012-02-06T07:14:16Z ex-young-diva-emily-williams-releases-solo-album

Press ReleaseWith Platinum selling hits, sell-out shows in Australia’s premier dance clubs and a voice that leaves any crowd begging for more it’s hard to believe that Emily Williams only stepped into the limelight to become a household name in 2005’s Australian Idol!From huge success as part of the ’Young Divas’ to massive solo singles ’Spellbound,’ ’You’re Mine’ and the Red Cross charity single ’Never Alone’ Emily has proved that she is a true talent, a club diva, a musical genius and a true Australian treasure!Deciding to release an album was a big step for Emily, ‘I wanted the sound to be true to me, no cover tracks, just real songs written by me for the dance floor and from the heart’. After working with some amazing international talent Emily has crafted the eagerly awaited ‘Uncovered’.‘I decided on the title 'Uncovered' as I feel that this is the first time Australia & New Zealand has seen me totally raw. I'm not with the band and I'm nothiding behind anything it's just me, up front and personal and I love it!'Uncovered is released 10th February 2012 and will coincide with a national tour commencing with an apperance on C7's 'The Morning Show' (9th Feb) and a special performance at the Sydney Entertainment Centre for the Kings Game (10th Feb)!Press KitClick on this download link to get the full press kit ..https://www.yousendit.com/download/T2dmUWVqMGNVVGxqQTlVagContactFor interviews (in person or phone) and a full press kit contact Stage Addiction - 0730365218 / pr@stageaddictiononline.comwww.emilywilliams.net

2012-02-02T09:21:03Z emily-williams-ex-young-diva-amp-idol-royalty-releases-album

Press ReleaseWith Platinum selling hits, sell-out shows in Australia’s premier dance clubs and a voice that leaves any crowd begging for more it’s hard to believe that Emily Williams only stepped into the limelight to become a household name in 2005’s Australian Idol! From huge success as part of the ’Young Divas’ to massive solo singles ’Spellbound,’ ’You’re Mine’ and the Red Cross charity single ’Never Alone’ Emily has proved that she is a true talent, a club diva, a musical genius and a true Australian treasure! Deciding to release an album was a big step for Emily, ‘I wanted the sound to be true to me, no cover tracks, just real songs written by me for the dance floor and from the heart’. After working with some amazing international talent Emily has crafted the eagerly awaited ‘Uncovered’. ‘I decided on the title 'Uncovered' as I feel that this is the first time Australia & New Zealand has seen me totally raw. I'm not with the band and I'm nothiding behind anything it's just me, up front and personal and I love it!'Uncovered is released 10th February 2012 and will coincide with a national tour commencing with an apperance on C7's 'The Morning Show' (9th Feb) and a special performance at the Sydney Entertainment Centre for the Kings Game (10th Feb)!ContactFor interviews (in person or phone) and a full press kit contact Stage Addiction - 0730365218 / pr@stageaddictiononline.comwww.emilywilliams.net

2012-01-30T03:49:51Z valentines-day-couples-massage-from-ripple

Media Release Ripple Couples Massage for Valentines Day Ripple is looking after those in love this Valentines Day with their launch of couples massage day spa packages. More information is at Valentines Day couples massage The Valentines Day spa packages include many relaxing treatments like massage, exfoliation, facials and gifts. Ripple Managing Director, Alison Shaw, was inspired by her own Valentine’s Day experience to create packages for this special day. “I loved the roses he brought,” said Ms Shaw, “and I really loved dinner, but what made me feel so relaxed was that he booked us into spa treatments where we had our massages at the same time. Just a perfect way to relax before we headed out for dinner.” “It was such a divine experience that I decided to introduce it to Ripple as a mobile service, where we can come to our clients, treat them to a relaxing massage, and afterwards they can curl up and enjoy the after effects without having to travel anywhere.” Ripple’s two hour couples Valentines Spa Package for $195 includes: • Full body aromatherapy massage with warmed chocolate • Foot reflexology massage • Peppermint and lime scented foot soak and foot scrub • Organic green clay and cucumber cleansing face mask, hot steamed towels, nourishing moisturiser • Gift of chocolates to nibble on during your massage • Full body exfoliation to polish your skin with walnut, tangerine and lime scrub For more information on Ripple or to make a booking please phone 0438 567 906 or visit the website www.ripplemassage.com.au -Ends- High res pictures available, and open to famils Alison Shaw - 0434 991 879 alison@ripplemassage.com.au www.ripplemassage.com.au Twitter: www.twitter.com/rippleali Facebook: www.facebook.com/ripplemassage

2012-01-19T06:45:20Z brandcrowd-targets-1-25b-goldmine-of-unused-portfolios-offers-top-designers-5-000

BrandCrowd.com – the world’s largest marketplace for ready-made logos and brands – has launched a promotion to entice the world’s best logo designers to upload their unused portfolio designs to BrandCrowd. BrandCrowd estimates logo designers around the world create, in aggregate, at least 1.25 million logo designs every year that are not used by clients. At a value of $200 to $1,000 per logo, BrandCrowd estimates the combined worth of these logos to be between $250M and $1.25B. The six-week long “Upload to BrandCrowd” promotion aims to encourage leading logo designers to monetize their unused portfolio designs by joining the BrandCrowd website and uploading their to the logo marketplace. BrandCrowd is offering $5,000 in prizes to the best designers who upload a logo before the 1st of March 2012 (as well as $10 for every 10 logos uploaded). Prizes include $2,000 for the best logo, $1000 for the most logos uploaded and $10 for every 10 logos uploaded. Designers can enter upload/enter their logos for free via:www.brandcrowd.com/give-awayBrandCrowd (with over 50,000 uploaded logo designs) is already the largest ready-made logo marketplace but believes more designers are sitting on untapped goldmines. CEO of DesignCrowd (BrandCrowd’s parent company), said “BrandCrowd.com is aiming to revolutionize how logo designers sell logos. Our analysis suggests there's $1.25B of unused logos sitting in designer portfolios around the world and we want to help designers monetize this online. We believe some designers are sitting on portfolios worth $1M and we want to help them unlock the value of these assets." Prizes will be awarded to BrandCrowd members after the promotion ends on 1st March 2012. Contact Information Alec Lynch, CEO BrandCrowd/DesignCrowd Email: help@brandcrowd.com About BrandCrowd BrandCrowd (formerly Brandstack) was launched in April 2008 and is the world’s largest marketplace for ready-made brands and logo designs. BrandCrowd helps logo designers monetize their unused logo designs, brands and domains.BrandCrowd is owned by Australian crowdsourcing company DesignCrowd – which also operates DesignCrowd.com a leading marketplace for custom crowdsourced design and a sister website to BrandCrowd. In 2011, DesignCrowd received a $3M of investment from Starfish Ventures.

2012-01-18T06:45:28Z national-harmonisation-of-work-health-amp-safety-laws

The target commencement date for nationally harmonized work, health and safety laws was 1 January 2012 however, only the Commonwealth, New South Wales and Queensland have legislation in place commencing on the target date. The ACT has introduced legislation which will come into force on 29 March 2012 while Work Health and Safety legislation based on the harmonized model law has been introduced in South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory Parliaments. Despite being urged to do so by the Commonwealth Government, Victoria and Western Australia have not introduced the requisite legislation and indeed the WA Government has indicated that even if it does it will depart from the model laws in a number of significant ways including penalties, union right of entry and the reverse onus of proof. As far as New South Wales is concerned the Work Health & Safety Act 2011 came into effect on 1 January 2012 and includes the following substantial changes to the pre-existing legislation: The former virtually strict liability general duty of care to ensure health and safety has been modified to a duty to ensure the same "as far as is reasonably practicable". Workers now have a positive duty to look after the safety of themselves and others while they are at work. The personal liability of officers of corporations is now modified by a new duty of due diligence to ensure that a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) complies with the Act. Prosecutors will now bear the onus of proof rather than the other way around. Unions will no longer receive a moiety of the penalty from any successful prosecution. New concepts and definitions have been introduced covering such things as "PCBU" and "worker". Health and safety representatives may issue provisional improvement notices and order cessation of work in certain circumstances. Category 1 and 2 offences (the more serious) will be dealt with by the Supreme Court (trial by jury) or the District Court. Less serious category 3 offences will be heard in either the Local Court or the New South Wales Industrial Relations Commission. There will now be three categories of offences, the penalties for which have been increased: A Category 3 offence is any failure to comply with a health and safety duty. A Category 2 offence is a failure to comply with a health and safety duty which exposes an individual to risk of death, serious injury or illness. A Category 1 offence is a failure to comply with a health and safety duty which exposes an individual to a risk of death, serious injury or illness, and the offender is reckless as to that risk. The maximum penalty for a corporation is $3,000,000 for the most serious breach with lower but still hefty maximum penalties for lesser breaches. If your business presently complies with the stringent requirements of the old legislation, more than likely it will comply with the new legislation but to minimize legal exposure all businesses must be confident that their systems are sufficient to ensure compliance with the new legislation and regulations. Accordingly every business should now review its current safety systems to identify any exposure. About MSI Global Alliance: MSI Global Alliance (MSI) is a global association of independent legal and accounting firms in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney www.msi-anz.net.

2012-01-16T23:00:10Z fear-factor-overcoming-excuses-not-to-back-up-your-information-in-the-clouds

There are so many excellent performance and flexibility reasons for using a cloud service to have all your digital information safe, secure and internet accessible instead of dwelling on the small reasons against it. The fear is security and reliability. The good news is that if you are comfortable using online banking, you will have even less to worry about using a cloud service for backup of your photos, music and digital files. Last year the US Government implemented a “cloud first” policy in which government organizations are required to look for a cloud computing solution to increase the efficiency of the federal government. Regardless of the amount of cost savings that the government stands to benefit from through utilization of cloud solutions, the policy would not have been implemented had it not been for the confidence level in the security and reliability that comes with the safeguards that are in place. But still, what if? If you look at the worst-case scenario- think about not having offsite backup of your information. Hundreds of thousands of hard drive’s crash every week, laptops are stolen, data is corrupted and human error can be a disaster when it comes to your important information that you cannot afford to lose. The first time you transition your information to the cloud can be intimidating especially if you are unaccustomed to knowingly storing your information in the cloud. Truth of the matter is, cloud-based services are not new and you’ve probably already been using it for years without knowing it under that term; Facebook, Amazon.com, eBay, Hotmail and Netflix are all “cloud based” services, where you are either storing information on their servers or using their remote application software. A simple Google search accesses billion-dollar computer networks and vast databases- a cloud-based resource. Some people out there warn against it. Of course they do. They have been making huge profits from charging clients exorbitant rates to purchase proprietary hardware that they claim is required to be able to utilize services, services that can offer the same benefit through a cloud solution without having to purchase costly hardware. The healthcare industry is particularly guilty of this and as a result, lives are at risk because the fear of security risks have been instilled in healthcare providers having a direct negative impact on getting important patient information in a timely fashion- something that plays a crucial role in providing opportunity for favorable treatment and ultimately increases the chance of success for survival in some cases. Don’t assume that having a cloud service for back up is more dangerous than not having one. Most are not and certainly everyone is entitled to use security as an excuse to stay in their comfort zones. It’s an easy excuse to not do something that could make your life a lot easier and provide endless opportunities through a simple, secure on-line back-up with access to all your important information wherever you are. Cloud providers offer technological and intellectual capabilities following stringent regulatory requirements inclusive of high levels of encryption. Rather than fearing the cloud, it’s time to leverage the countless advantages cloud computing promises to deliver. What if your concern isn’t so much losing your information but losing your mind because you are fearful of cyber-attacks and losing your valuable information that isn’t backed-up? Using a service such as iCloudDrive will give you extra mental space. Instead of having all your files in different places, now you can have instant, automatic protection with simultaneous access across all your computers and digital devices. You can manage all your content online and take less with you wherever you go. With iCloudDrive services, backup and instant access to your information is automatic, effortless and seamless helping you make the best use of time instead of killing it. Don’t fall victim to data corruption. Through intelligent cloud computing, iCloud brings value to businesses and consumers through reliable offsite remote backup offering low-cost operational efficiencies, automation and convenience. Sign-up for any iCloudDrive service or refer a friend that becomes an iCloudDrive client and receive a FREE, Unlimited Lifetime iCloudDrive Backup Account. Contact: iCloud, Inc. Tel: 817-400-6403, info@i-cloudinc.com. About iCloud Inc.Founded in 2000, iCloud Inc. offers high performing automated cost-effective cloud computing and on-demand IT solutions. Healthcare providers, government, businesses and consumers can access their information globally through a standard web browser providing the information needed to make informed decisions. iCloud is passionate about the value intelligent cloud technology excellence and innovation brings keeping information safe, secure and internet accessible. iCloud Inc. and its iCloud services are not affiliated with Apple, Inc. Visit: www.i-cloudinc.com.