Statista (the online statistics, market and business intelligence portal) proffers that global e-commerce sales signal potential growth from $2.8 trillion in 2018 to $4.5 trillion in 2021. Not small change by any pocket! Australia, with a population of 24 million, is perched tenth on a global list of countries experiencing a surge in online retail.
This hike is not necessarily fueled by consumer numbers, but
rather, a strong economy and infrastructure. “The data is unequivocal, Australians can’t get enough of shopping
online…With nearly 9.5 million Australians or 46.8% purchasing online in an
average four-week period and the rapid growth over recent years, and this is a
retail revolution.” – Australia Post
The Asia-Pacific region has cultivated a boom over the past
decade with no signs of abating. As an Australian e-commerce entrepreneur or
business, it is timely to recognize the importance of not only good but great Online Copywriting Service
and the impact it can have on your ROI. It’s time to secure your piece of the
online retail pie.
Do you need to increase conversions? Of course, you do! Reduce bounce rates and shopping cart abandonment? Absolutely! If your competitors are circling page one of Google and your languishing in the lowlands of page four of five, it’s time to invest in effective, SEO optimized copywriting.
Copywriting 101
Search engine algorithms are dynamic and
altering. E-commerce Copy Writing Services is the process of crafting
content that aligns itself with search demands, using SEO product descriptions
and best practices, keywords and intent. Many businesses exclude the need for
‘quality’ copywriting in this brief, however, the reader experience is
paramount. Write to your audience and conversion is an organic result.
Every product description, brand piece or site blog is marketing your
brand and establishing your point of difference in a field flush with vendors
and products like yours.
Establishing Your Brand
Your site design is on-point. Images dynamic and mobile optimization
secured. All these elements are factors in isolation without premium
copywriting to inform the user experience.
An experienced e-commerce copywriter will craft the
foundation of your brand, give voice to the personality and tone of your
business and profile your products and services in a unique way. Copywriting
in the e-commerce arena is your USP. Here’s how.
High-Quality Content Equates to a High-Quality Brand
Digital marketing is innately ambitious, marketers,
particularly in the e-commerce sector, understand that quality trumps quantity
particularly when it comes to copywriting. The character of your content
directly impacts your SEO efforts and your bottom line. Inferior copy will
ensure your customers associate inferior quality with your brand.
In a landscape where Google reviews can adversely affect
your reputation, quality content is as essential to your site as the product
themselves. “Create content that
teaches. You can’t give up. You need to be consistently awesome.”- Neil Patel
Define with Keywords
Do you know what long-tail keywords or phrases offer the
most value to your products and brand? While keyword inclusion should never
affect the integrity of the copy, it is vital for search engine optimization.
Google and other engines will rank your e-commerce site based on the traffic
driven to your website, traffic that is driven via keywords and phrases your
audience are using to find products and services. Strategic keyword placement
is e-commerce Online
Copywriting Service.
Avoid Content Duplication Penalties
Unfortunately, many e-commerce and online retailers use
repurposed content, perhaps from the originating brand’s site or other
retailers. This practice does a great disservice to your site and will attract
the wrath of Google, often resulting in penalties. Even though search engines
may use different algorithms for ranking, you can be sure they all penalize
websites that feature duplicated content.
Great copywriting offers original, authentic and one-of-a-kind content, don’t be tempted by a quick cut and paste. Duplicate content can create issues for search engine algorithms, such as:
Not
knowing which version(s) to rank for the query result
Which
version to include/exclude from their indices
Directing
link metrics (authority, anchor text, link equity and trust) to one page, or
divide between multiple versions
The Lure of the Word
The competition between bricks-and-mortar and online stores
is fierce, many e-commerce websites (https://www.bigcommerce.com/blog/best-ecommerce-website-design/)
will give greater deference to the visual content. Recreating the visual
elements of a product may offer a real-time experience, however, words
ultimately will fill the shopping cart. Words convert visitors into customers
by providing solutions-based information that lists features and benefits,
compelling visitors to buy – a great copywriter understands this.
Be the Solution
According to Internet Live Stats Live Map, there are over 5.5 billion Google searches per day or 63,000 search queries per second. Scouring the internet, visitors are researching, shopping, connecting and seeking solutions. Be the answer. Provide the solution. Ensure your website is bursting with optimized copywriting that showcases your services and products in a way that demands attention. Offering comprehensive information will see visitors evaluating your site as a reliable resource, becoming evangelists with every shopping cart filled. Visitors may view your site as authoritative even.
Pressure testing specifications imposed by verification body
standards include the following parameters:
Test Pressure
Hold Period
Allowable Pressure loss (over the hold Period)
Thorough pressure testing specifications will also include:
Min Test Pressure
Max Test Pressure
Improving Trend [True/False]
To aid in testing, Test Pressure and Hold Period can be
combined into a rate of change (ROC). For example, where the Hold Period =
10min and the Allowable Pressure Loss = 30psi, the Average Allowable ROC =
3psi/min. That is, if the average rate of Pressure Calculator change during the
10min Hold Period =< 3psi/min, then the hold and allowable loss component of
the test specification will have been achieved.
Once we know the Average Allowable ROC, we apply it to a
test by sampling a short duration of pressure x time data and multiply it out
to display it as psi/min, then compare that to the specified Average Allowable
ROC.
Pressure Test Result Prediction with Average Allowable
Rate of change
The DARTT Recorder samples data over a few seconds, removing
motion induced pressure noise (vessel or rig heave causing water hammer) and
displaying psi/min.
So why is using the ROC of such significance?
Pressure Testing Services Perth
1) You cannot pass a pressure test until you have met the
Average Allowable ROC
2) Typically, the ROC will be met well before the end of a
pressure test Hold Period.
Note: The image below shows the pressure line turn from blue
to green as the pressure tests ROC meets or exceeds the Average Allowable ROC
for the pressure test specification. You can see approximately 1.5 min in to
the 5 min hold period, the DARTT Recorder is showing an inevitable pass.
Save Time Pressure Testing with a DARTT Recorder
The ROC User Interface, combined with the DARTT Recorders
other test health functions, such as “Trend” and “Prediction”, can save a lot
of time when Pressure Testing Services Perth.
They also make trouble-shooting leaks significantly faster and more definitive.
ROC displayed during a test can tell the operator not to
“bump” pressure when the ROC has been met and the predicted end test pressure
will not be below the minimum test pressure.
Alternatively, if you have not met the ROC, and the test is
not showing an “Improving Trend”, then the test is not going to pass as things
stand. Most likely caused by a leak somewhere in the system that needs
rectifying, so prolonging the hold period is wasting time.
Test with confidence
ROC, Trend and Prediction functions give an unprecedented
level of confidence in the results during the test. Having a pressure-testing
tool that can provide an objective pass/fail based on the given criteria
removes the second-guessing and allows the focus to be on the next step, not
whether the last step was correct.
Further Application of the DARTT Recorder ROC Pressure
Test Assessment
Consider running Riser for a BOP or Intervention System. It is desirable to confirm each Riser connection before running the next. Usually once the BOP/Intervention system has been landed and latched, a final pressure test re-tests all previously tested connections.
Save a lot of time without reducing quality by pressure
testing these and similar connections until the Average Allowable ROC has been
met. Very little (if arguably any) assurance is gained by holding such a
pressure test beyond this goal.
The nuances of personal protection and the specialist options available to High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI’s), VIPs and Celebrities are never ‘one size fits all’. With each client, the situation and threat level will vary, as will their requirements and appetite. When it comes to security there are a myriad of options available, often (and hopefully) with multiple, complementary components working together in harmony. One weapon in the personal protection armory is Protective Surveillance. This article attempts to provide a comprehensive overview of a service that has multiple benefits, quite a few limitations, and several misrepresentations.
What is Protective Surveillance?
Protective surveillance is the creation of a covert security team around an individual or group, forming a protective bubble around the client in a covert manner. The Protective Surveillance Team (PST) watches those that may be watching the client. The primary role of a PST is working to control spaces and areas that would be used by hostile surveillance and potential imminent threats. Their objective is to pro-actively identify hostiles and threats (achieved through counter surveillance, behavioral analysis, and risk assessment). The other role of a PST (that runs concurrently) is to be able to react as a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) if required in extremis.
Why Utilize Protective Surveillance?
Hostiles normally use some form of pre-attack surveillance – whether rudimentary or professional. This may be short-term surveillance e.g. perpetrated by an individual opportunistic criminal looking for the best time to strike, or a high-level, multi-person surveillance team on a high-value target for hostile intent e.g. kidnap or murder. The PST will also be set-back from the Close Protection Team (CPT) and will likely have more of an over-arching perspective, able to dynamically risk assess without being caught ’in the weeds’.
Why Do Hostile Gangs/Terrorists Undertake Surveillance?
Hostile individuals or groups need to gather intelligence on their target. To increase the chances of a successful attack it is useful to know the comings and goings of a target, their habits, and routines. What security they have, its strengths and weaknesses. What are the opportunities and threats? A hostile surveillance team will be trying to answer all these things and more. It is with this information that they can formulate a plan to attack their target more effectively and with a greater chance of success.
One example of hostiles undertaking pre-attack surveillance is the kidnap of Anneli-Marie in Germany, 2015. The kidnappers told police after being caught that they followed her for weeks, gaining information. Eventually, when the time was right they struck. Anneli-Marie was walking the family dog around the estate near her house when they attacked, dragged her into the car trunk and zip tied her. This incident, unfortunately, ended badly after the kidnappers panicked when they thought she saw their faces. They killed her, and still tried to obtain the ransom.
Protective Surveillance Teams – A pro-active resource
Identifying threats early is vital to ensure time to react. If one has time to react then the chances of a favorable outcome are increased dramatically. Any aggressive force normally has the advantage of surprise. The attack occurs on their terms. Very few aggressors will attack if they don’t feel they have the upper hand, they do so at a time of their choosing, and probably after extensive planning and preparation.
The assassination of Denis N. Voronenkov in March 2017, a
former Russian lawmaker who was killed in Kiev in a widely publicized killing,
identifies what happens when Media Security does not have time to react. Denis
Voronenkov, who’d been a Communist member of Russia’s lower legislative house
before he left, was fatally shot outside a hotel in broad daylight. The
assassin walked up behind the target and his personal security, then shot
Voronenkov, after which a gunfight ensued and both Assassin and security were
shot, and the VIP left dead.
There is an increased chance that a PST would have
identified the threat early, communicated with the CPT and been able to
pre-empt the attack, or intercept.
Protective Surveillance is NOT Close Protection
A normal CPT will have a multitude of tasks and duties to perform that require their undiluted attention. Their focus must when moving with the client, be on the there and now, able to react at a seconds notice to the immediate threat. They provide the necessary ‘close’ protection.
Although a CPT will likely carry out anti-surveillance, taking actions to determine whether they may be under surveillance, a CPT cannot be protective surveillance, and a CPT cannot carry out counter-surveillance. It is the author’s opinion that effective hostile surveillance detection on high-level adversaries can only be undertaken as an entirely covert separate entity. To have complete separation to the CPT and be no way linked over time or by proxy minimizes the chance of being compromised – this is key to successful Counter-Surveillance.
What is the Difference Between Counter-Surveillance and
Protective Surveillance
Counter-surveillance is when a third party is utilized to identify whether an individual or group is the target/subject of surveillance. A dedicated counter-surveillance team utilizes multiple methods both physical and technical to determine covertly whether someone is under surveillance. This terminology is often horrendously misused within the industry from commercial ‘experts’ causing extensive confusion. Please click here to learn more about Hostile Surveillance Detection.
A protective surveillance team carries out counter-surveillance as one of its main roles but also has an underlying objective to protect the client from all threats, unlike a counter-surveillance team that remains covert and disseminates intelligence; a PST is in position, and trained to react to threats if necessary, and to break cover in the interests of client safety if required.
Why does the CPT not just carry out Anti-Surveillance?
Accurately and efficiently identifying surveillance comes down to a large number of variable factors, the core ones being; the skill of the surveillance team and the skill of the anti/counter surveillance operators. It is very easy to look, but actually quite hard to see. Meaning: Many so-called surveillance ‘experts’ know the theory, but few have quality experience e.g. counter-terrorism, counter-espionage at a Government level, and/or extensive commercial experience.
Many close protection officers and self-titled hostile surveillance experts have only done at most a week or two of surveillance training or only commercial operations. The majority, have never been operational against surveillance aware, government level targets in challenging and dynamic environments. In most cases this is just not enough to have a comprehensive ability to identify organized surveillance teams. A trained surveillance team should be able to identify anti-surveillance being carried out by a CPT, and avoid it. Likewise, poorly implemented counter-surveillance is easily identifiable. This is compounded even further if the people carrying out the anti or counter-surveillance do not know what they are looking for and when – leading to a false sense of security.
How Can Hostiles Identify and Avoid Good
Counter-Surveillance?
If done correctly, effective counter-surveillance is extremely hard to identify and nearly impossible to avoid. If a professional counter-surveillance team carries out the role, the hostile surveillance team will never know they have been identified. This is what the PST does, they undertake counter-surveillance in a dynamic role, but ready to function in other roles including as a QRF.
Protective Surveillance is NOT Low-Profile Protection
Low-profile protection is not to be confused with Protective Surveillance, low profile is not covert, low profile is not counter-surveillance. There are multiple uses and reasons for the application of low profile security, but the key objective of this article is the description of Protective Surveillance. A PST, to be effective, must remain covert and separate from the close protection detail.
What Are the Objectives of a Protective Surveillance Team
The PST’s main objective is to remain covert at all times, working constantly to covertly identify hostile surveillance and any other potential threats to the principal. By conducting Counter-Surveillance there is an increased chance of identifying hostiles in attack-planning stages, or identifying pre-attack indicators of hostiles. If such hostiles are identified there are normally (but not limited to) three follow up options:
Inform the close protection team of a potential threat so that the Team Leader can make an informed decision e.g. the removal of the client to a safe environment, but without highlighting that a threat has been identified.
Aim to follow the hostile surveillance team to gather intelligence on them (conduct surveillance on that hostile surveillance team – sometimes incorrectly referred to as Counter-surveillance), obtain intelligence, positive identifications etc. so that the necessary authorities can deal with and extinguish the threat.
If the threat is perceived as being imminent the PST can either disrupt, defend, pre-emptively attack, or supplement.
When Should Protective Surveillance Be Utilized?
Protective surveillance is best suited to individuals, families, or groups at high risk of kidnap or attack. It is, due to the covert requirements, a resource-intensive role. To source experienced operators and have them working in a protective surveillance role requires significant investment. Sometimes a blend of close protection, low profile protection, and hostile surveillance detection may be commensurate with risk, or better suited to budget.
Protective Surveillance for High-Risk
For a high-risk client, it is imperative a security team is pro-active and not reactive. Too many times history has shown that systems are put into operation too late. When it comes to high-risk clients, protective surveillance must only be used in conjunction with a close protection team. The two teams though separate, are symbiotic. They work hand in hand towards the shared goal of keeping the client safe and secure. A PST on its own would likely be able to identify certain threats at an early stage and act accordingly. However, they would rarely be close enough to protect the client from an impromptu attack, or act as a last line of defense. They are also not an overt presence that acts as a visual deterrent to potential threats. This is why the two teams work perfectly together, each with a different scope of work, yet entirely interlinked.
Let us look at a real-life scenario, highlighting where
protective surveillance could have fitted perfectly in conjunction with close
protection to help engineer a very different outcome.
Media Security
Protective Surveillance – Case Study
A Colombian former interior minister Fernando Londono in Bogota was attacked during a vehicle convoy. His two-car convoy were held at a set of lights (one free lane to its left, two free lanes to its right) A bus then joined the left lane followed by cars to the left and right. Then a man crosses the street approximately 20 meters behind the cars carrying a large object. He circles around the bus and approaches Fernando Londono’s car attaching a limpet mine to the left front side. Within 30 seconds the mine explodes leaving two dead and 48 injured. Fernando Londono was very fortunate to survive; his level 5-armored car played a significant part in this. Some of his security detail were not so lucky.
It seems highly likely that the attackers in this instance would have had to have put Londono under prior surveillance to establish his routes, what car he traveled in, what security he had with him, did he have a pattern of life? Where best to carry out the attack and how to escape (the attacker ran down an alley to a waiting motorcycle).
A multitude of questions would need to have been answered to carry out such an attack. Protective surveillance would have most likely identified hostile observations and highlighted the imminent attack planning. Further, a PST follows the client at distance to observe the surroundings. There is a good chance that the team would have spotted a car following the client and more so an individual carrying a large suspicious object purposefully walking towards the client’s vehicle. As mentioned earlier identifying threats early is vital to allow time to react.
To further delve into this case study, Londono survived and was removed from the vehicle (via the trunk) injured and dazed within 30 seconds. His surviving close protection officers did a great job of extracting him through the crowd. What if there had been a second wave attack though? Let us imagine that the attackers had mounted a small arms assault post-explosion.
There is a good chance the surviving officers would have been overpowered due to their trauma and the focus on removing the principal. A PST also acts as a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) and would have been able to move in and work to protect the immediate vicinity, and help counter any secondary or tertiary attack. Thus, a PST can provide the necessary cover and support so the CPOs could withdraw to the protective surveillance’s vehicles and extract the client. This is obviously in an ideal world, and hindsight is a wonderful thing, but the principle is valid.
A QRF does exactly as its namesake; it is a force (in this case a PST) able to react quickly in case of emergency. The covert nature of the team would be disregarded at times of extremis to act as a suitable support team. Whether this be as an assault team, a medical support team, or an extraction team. The fact that they would be covert right to the last moment provides an extra level of surprise and advantage to the protection detail.
A Focused Tool
Protective surveillance is a specific and focused tool in the provision of security to an individual or group. In the case of High-Risk protection, it is ideally suited to work hand in hand with a close protection team. Their symbiosis allows for a greater level of protection to be in place and most importantly allows TIME TO REACT. For a PST to be effective it requires operators skilled and experienced in surveillance and counter-surveillance, as well as preferably Close Quarter Battle (CQB) and dynamic Hostage Rescue. Able to remain covert at all times whilst being in the right place at the right time to identify threats, and then react accordingly. This is why ex-Special Forces (UKSF and Tier1 US SF) and former Government level operators are perfectly suited to PSTs.
Covert Protection – Unknown to the Protectee/s
Protective Surveillance can be used without the client knowing they are being protected. This is often used in cases of children that may be at risk from abduction or kidnap but do not know the risk for whatever the reason, or the guardians require a greater degree of peace of mind. High net worth individuals and celebrities for example, may have close protection teams but their children do not, and have no appetite to do so. Yet the risk still exists. Kidnaps and abduction are a significant risk for these individuals as was identified in the Anneli-Marie case in Germany.
There are multiple limitations to this form of protection. As discussed prior, there would be no ‘bodyguard’ or person/s close to the protected at all times. Although not providing the level of protection that a CPT does, a PST can mold to this requirement of covert protection, allowing a parent to have peace of mind that their children are being observed, and overseen by a security team.
Point to Note: With reference children, a PST can be supplemented by a Close Personal Protection Officer Male or Female that operates in a Nanny, or Child Minder role (overtly responsible for safety and welfare of the child) but covertly they are trained CPOs, medics and in constant covert communication with the PST.
Protective Surveillance – Client Not Wanting Overt
Security and Willing To Accept The Limitations
Whilst protection may be required, overt bodyguards or close protection teams may not suit the client. Certain clientele desire covert protection, not wanting the attention gained from having an overt team in close vicinity at all times, yet wanting the confidence that someone is watching over them, and working to protect them. Just like earlier there are multiple limitations to this form of ‘protection’ as no person is close to the client at all times. But, if done well a PST can adapt and constantly work to control the areas around the client, be in the best position possible, at the right times, undercover. This method is often expensive, more suited to short-term, set-itineraries, but can be achieved.
Mark is a risk management specialist whose experience stems
from his previous career as a Covert Operational Officer with the British
Government. Since leaving HMG he has developed ETS Risk Management into one of
the leading security companies for individuals, organizations, and corporates
requiring a range of boutique
protective services including protective surveillance.
The environmentally conscious are sweeping the nation, and the trend has now surfaced in hygiene products. There are many people who are now switching to organic deodorant. This is because there are many benefits to using this product, both for people and for the environment. At https://verdan.com/?lang=en, we help you make smart buying decisions.
How organic deodorant benefits people
Organic deodorant is great for people who have sensitive skin or sensitivity to various hygiene products. Because they are organic with nothing added, these products are safe and comfortable to use by those who are allergic or sensitive. However, these products are also great for the everyday person without skin sensitivity as well.
Deodorant works by eliminating the bacteria that cause odor. Sweat itself is odorless. It is the bacteria that cause the smell to occur. Most common deodorants use a variety of chemicals that act as anti-microbial agents, killing the bacteria that causes odor. Antiperspirants use chemicals such as aluminum to stop sweat from occurring and minimizing the wetness that allows the bacteria to grow. The chemicals in your deodorant can actually lead to skin irritation. In addition, it has been found that prolonged and frequent exposure of aluminum to the body can cause health problems. Antiperspirants also clog pores, which can cause other skin issues.
Organic deodorant has none of these problems, and works much the same way as traditional deodorant, in that it contains anti-microbial agents that kill bacteria thereby reducing odor under the arms. However, the agents used in organic products are not chemically based, but are all natural. This means that you do not have any risk of clogged pores, or chemicals interacting with your body to create sensitive skin.
Most people don’t think about the effect that their hygiene products have on the environment. They think that these products are just used on the body, so they don’t effect the environment at all. In fact, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Anything you use on your body eventually winds up in the ground. How? Because when you take a shower, it is all washed down the drain. This is one reason why organic deodorant is better for the environment.
Environmentally conscious people will also enjoy this deodorant because if it is thrown away, it is biodegradable. However, this benefit may or may not be significant depending on what the deodorant is stored in. Watch containers closely to make sure that the container itself is also biodegradable so that you have this net benefit for the environment.
Overall, one person using deodorant is not going to effect the environment very much. But when you consider the number of people washing chemicals down the drain, the effects become mind boggling. The only way to save our planet for future generations is to take heed to warnings about what we are putting into the earth. Once you switch, you will be happy that you did. You will reap the benefits of not having chemicals on your body, and you will know you are doing something for the environment. One way you can help in this endeavor is to use organic products, which you can typically buy online or in shops that offer natural, organic products.
Are you searching for quality, cheap
forklift training in the Queensland to make your career journey smooth? Do you
want qualified onsite forklift trainers to make your employees professionally
trained and licenced for a safe workplace?
Barclay Thomas Training is the most
recognised name when it comes to training and forklift licence in the Queensland.
We are fully flexible to the requirements of various industries and offer comprehensive
training. It includes introducing every component of a forklift, updating the
latest protocols for safety in the workplace, educating you on the various
risks associated with a busy workplace, and much more.
Quality And Safety Never Compromised
At Barclay Thomas Training, we never
compromise on the quality of training that has a direct influence on workplace
safety. We will give you forklift
training Queensland
at your workplace according to your convenient hours.
Our instructors will take you
through various stages of training and give you the opportunity to operate
forklifts under the supervision of a licenced forklift operator. The 27-40
hours training will help you to get excellent exposure to all the areas of
forklift operations. We will train you in all the types of forklifts available
at your workplace.
Forklift Training Queensland
Expert Trainers, Qualified Training
We are a premier destination for
forklift course in the Queensland with more than ten years of training
expertise as a government certified institute. Our qualified trainers have
several years of experience in forklift operations as well as training. It
helps our trainers to provide custom training based on your workplace
requirements.
We offer training and assessment as
well as refresher training for various industries. Our training program is on
par with the industrial
requirements.
Hassle-Free Training And Licencing Experience
At Barclay Thomas Training, we offer
a hassle-free training and licencing experience. We keep the communication as
the key to our service and will work with you to ensure that your workplace is
compliant per the new laws for onsite forklift training.
We offer onsite training at your
workplace on Wednesday, Thursday, or Saturday, and we are fully flexible to
your hours. However, training after 6pm comes with applicable surcharges. While
we do not issue the licence, we will provide you with all the documentation for
submitting the licence application to WHSQ.
While we help you to get
the licence as early as possible, we are also the preferred choice for
getting cheap forklift licence training for various Queensland businesses.
Pickup trucks are amazing machines. They are built to transport you just about
anywhere. They are quite adept on paved roads, yet they are also well-equipped
for dirt trails. If you are going to own a truck, you may as well take it off
the road from time to time.
But going off-road driving isn’t as easy or simple as it
might sound. That is, you don’t simply take your truck from the street to the
dirt without preparation and a little knowledge and know-how.
An off-road adventure can be confusing and it will certainly
be challenging, especially if you go unprepared. Even though you might not be
worried about it, there are a few tips that will help ensure you have a good
time.
Portable Tire Inflators
When you are out on the trails, you will need lower air
pressure for added traction in sand, mud and even over rocks. Even letting out
as little as 10 pounds of air pressure can give you optimal flotation for the
terrain you are driving. Of course, the amount of air you let out depends
largely on the type of terrain.
Regardless of how much air you let out of your tire inflator, you will want to fill
them back up for the drive home. If you go off-roading without taking this into
consideration, your drive home may cause tire damage. Be smart and pack a
quality 12v portable air compressor.
Vehicle Inspection
Before even taking your vehicle out of the driveway, you
should check it for general functions. Make sure you have plenty of gas, check
the oil, check the air pressure in the tires and ensure you have jumper cables,
flares, tools, and a first aid kit.
Also, it is smart if you prepare for the worst-case
scenario. For example, you might get stranded for whatever reason so you should
have enough camping provisions to last you a day or two just in case.
Observe the Trail
If given the chance, ask somebody who has knowledge plenty
of questions about the trails you plan on driving. In addition to helpful
directions, they may point out parts of the trail to avoid, places to be real
careful and places to stop and gawk at the scenery. This enables you to plan your
trip more thoroughly.
Whatever trail you happen to be driving on, take a good,
close look at it to determine possible dangers. If you spot puddles, a lot of
big rocks and holes, you can better prepare before putting the vehicle in
drive.
Make sure you proceed with caution as even the most benign
object could be potentially dangerous. For example, a mud puddle might seem
shallow and harmless enough, but it could be a whole lot deeper than you think.
Drive with care wherever you go.
If the trail you are on starts off easy enough but then gets
continually worse, you may want to seriously consider turning around and
finding another trial.
Stay in Control
For a safe trip, you need to stay in control of your vehicle
at all times. To do this effectively, you need to avoid high speeds, take
curves slowly, pass others with caution and keep focused on the road at all
times.
Unless you have done this for a while and are completely
familiar with the trail, keep your four-wheeling a daytime activity and ensure
you are done before the sun goes down.
Tell Others Your Whereabouts
Make sure at least a few people know where you will be going
and when you expect to be back. There is a good possibility that you won’t have
any cell phone reception where you are going so somebody needs to know where
you will be.
In addition, you are going to be on trails less traveled
that are rocky, holey and full of hazards, getting stranded is a calculated
possibility.
Timing is Everything
You should choose your trip wisely. If you go off-roading
after a recent rain or heavy snow, there will be mud to deal with. Wet
conditions also are cause for loose rocks and small landslides can occur.
In addition, use common sense when off-roading and use
proper trail etiquette. You don’t want to make anybody mad because you didn’t follow
the rules.
It’s not just United Airlines that has to worry about the significant negative ramifications of the improper application of security. Events also can, and do, hit the media spotlight for all the wrong reasons—including unprofessional security being aggressive or mishandling a situation.
Whether you’re planning a board of director’s meeting, a
product launch, or a customer program at the Olympics, you need an event
security team that enhances your attendees’ experience and the client’s
brand—not restricts it with prohibitive and/or unnecessarily overt protocols
and procedures.
Event security today is no longer about having uniformed officers in key locations checking credentials and being ready to react if something goes wrong. To avoid danger and manage risk today you need to have a team that can proactively identify threats and the risk of those threats to your event, your participants, and your organization. That team not only needs to be able to physically secure people and assets from serious threats such as terrorism, but also protect your organization’s reputation and brand, and mitigate the risk of litigation.
Your security team should embody these four key
considerations that will help ensure your event is both safe and successful.
1. Function as an enabling service
Event security should be about facilitating clients’
requests, staying dynamic and flexible, working to get to “yes,” and, if there
are issues, offering alternatives. The aims and objectives of the event should
be enabled by the security plan—not inhibited by it.
For example, if a social media analysis identifies a protest group as planning to target the event, instead of increasing overt security and affecting traffic flow, you should be able to implement a proactive intelligence operation that identifies members of the protest group pre-arrival, monitors their plans and the key potential troublemakers closely, and covertly manages the protesters onsite or stops them at entry points. It also could call for initiating dialogue with the protest group to help facilitate the protest in a safe, non-disruptive manner.
2. Protect people, assets, and reputation
Brand, reputation, and stakeholder perception are also key assets—not just when it comes to clients and VIPs, but also members of the public, staff, and media. The security provider will most likely be the first point of contact for guests as they arrive at the event, and their first impressions will shape their overall view of the event. A best-in-class corporate event security provider will deliver not only the operational plan to provide comprehensive security coverage, but will also have a complete understanding of the strategic intent of the client and shape the best plan to achieve it.
3. Know what you are talking about
To be able to design security commensurate with
risk, your security team first has to quantify and qualify that risk. It should
know the “ground truth,” and complement it with a thorough understanding of
best practice security methodology. Intelligence gathering and risk assessments
are key. Use of training exercises and tabletop planning sessions help build
trust and common understanding.
It’s vital that your security team understands the
decision-making process and who has responsibility for key operational
decisions in the event of a serious issue or incident. Relationships matter—the
provider should have access to the range of official agencies and local law
enforcement who will have interest in the event and be involved in any response
to an incident.
4. Offer combined and collaborative planning from the
outset
The security planners should work in partnership, and be embedded with, the event planners and client stakeholders from the outset. Security plans developed in isolation or added as an afterthought will lack cohesiveness, and likely would inhibit rather than enhance the success of the event. The security team should partner with all other functions and assist and advise them to ensure that security awareness becomes an enduring thread through all planning functions and the subsequent event delivery.
Today, you need high-quality security (not the cheapest), at a level that is commensurate with your event’s risk to physical and reputational safety. The modern security team facilitates client logistics, liaises with multiple components, and pro-actively avoids danger.
Mark Deane is CEO of ETS Risk Management. His experience stems from his career as an operational officer for the British government, where he specialized in counter-terrorism and security. We have planned, managed, and implemented numerous major event security and risk-management operations ranging from Olympic corporate sponsor programs, through to large conferences around the globe.
As with
any other art or craft, it takes a long time to learn to be a good record
producer or recording engineer. But unlike a painter or musician, the producer
or engineer has to be content with his or her work going largely unappreciated
by the general public. Most people, when they listen to a record, CD or tape,
hear only the music. The techniques that were employed to record that music
raise only there merest flicker of interest.
But when you make recordings yourself, if you have what it takes to be a producer or engineer, you begin to hear all sorts of things that at first inspection seem to have nothing to do with the music itself. You hear the ambience of the recording studio that , the low 50 Hz or 60 Hz buzz of a guitar amplifier, snare wires rattling in sympathy with one of the tom toms of the kit. All of these are actually part of the music too, to the producer or engineer. It is not merely the notes that are important; everything that can be heard on the recording is an integral part of the listening experience.
It is in the nature of things
that in any field of endeavor some will achieve greatness, some will fail
miserably, and the great majority will be average. Take a look at your CD
collection and you will find that this is true for producers and engineers.
Chances are that you will be able to pick a couple of discs that, disregarding
their musical content, sound really excellent. There are almost certainly a
couple that, although you like the music, you just wish they had been better
recorded. But the majority of discs in your collection are almost bound to be
in the ‘average’ category.
What does this mean? One factor that is certain is that a few record producers like other and recording engineers are much better at their craft than the rest. Another factor is that on certain recordings studio Evergreen Stage , the interaction between the people involved – musicians, producer, engineer and studio staff – results in them all raising their game beyond their normal abilities on that one project. This theory also implies that there are a lot of people doing an everyday job turning out workmanlike but unexceptional recordings. Let’s try and improve a little on that.
Now it’s time to listen to some
music. Take out a really good
sounding album, and one that is average. Have a good listen and compare. Try to
pick out all the factors which, to your mind, distinguish the excellent from
the run of the mill. Listen really hard to the individual instruments and form
an opinion about what they sound like – bright, brassy, fat, thin… there is
almost an infinite number of adjectives that can be used to describe sounds.
But if you make an effort to put the characteristics of a sound into words, you
really have to listen precisely to that sound. Now you are training your
producer’s ear.
Whether you are moving a piano,
stove, or refrigerator, or moving your entire household, moving can be an
ordeal or it can be as easy as picking from the moving companies Edmonton has
to offer. Helping Hands Family Movers is one of the best appliance movers
Edmonton has and is always available for moving single bulky items like the
piano you just bought at an estate sale. For mini movers, Edmonton has no
better than Helping Hands Family Movers. And, for long distance moving
companies, talk to us at Helping Hands Family Movers. We can manage your move
across town or anywhere in the province of Alberta. Of the moving companies
Edmonton offers, one stands out for integrity, reliability, excellent service,
and fair prices. Choose the company with an A+ rating with the Better Business
Bureau for their track record of safeguarding client belongings and personal
information, honest business dealings, and trust in the Edmonton community.
Choose from the best moving companies Edmonton offers, Helping Hands Family
Moving. If you are getting ready for a move, here are some thoughts about what
you need and what you need to do.
Getting Ready for a Move
Before even choosing from the affordable Alberta moving
companies has, there are a few things to do that will make the whole
process go a lot smoother.
Clean House
Before any home moves, Edmonton residents
should start the process by cleaning the house. A good friend of ours retired
from military service and was moved back from Europe where he had been
stationed with NATO. The German moving company applied their usual Teutonic
thoroughness in packing up everything, including the trash under the kitchen
sink, and made sure it was delivered with everything else to his new home in
Edmonton!
The point of this little example is that you do
not want to pay for moving things that you will probably throw away next year
anyway. If they clean house before home moves Edmonton homeowners not only save
on moving expenses but arrive at their new home with a lot less clutter
weighing them down! Before looking for moving companies Edmonton homeowners
need to host a garage sale make a few trips to donate things to a local
charity.
Organize
Starting at least two months before moving,
make a list including all subscriptions, organizations, and people who should
be notified of your move. Get a change of address form from the postal service.
Make sure that your bank, insurance agent, doctor, veterinarian, friends, and
family all know when you are moving and your new address.
Cancelling and Reordering
Another list you should make will include
providers of utilities and other services such as your gas, electric, water,
internet, cable, and telephone providers. Make sure to include services such as
window cleaning, lawn care, and pest control so that you will not continue
paying for services at your soon-to-be old address.
Labeling and the Essentials Box
As the move draws near, take the time to
segregate important things that you will need right away, do not want out of
your sight, or are of such monetary or sentimental value that you want to take
them by hand to your new home. Everything that you pack before the movers show
up should be accurately labeled. Otherwise, you will spend hours on the
receiving end looking through every box for a single necessary item. An
“essentials box” should be packed and set aside before the movers arrive to
start their packing. And you need to make sure to tell the movers to put that
box where you can easily find it in your new home!
The moving companies Edmonton has will not pack
and move certain items. These include combustibles like lighter fluid,
gasoline, paint thinner or pesticides. For a short move across town, you can
take these in your car (with the windows rolled down) or make a gift of them to
your neighbor.
Selecting from the Moving Companies Edmonton
Offers
As you are organizing, getting rid of junk, and
making sure that your mail will be forwarded to your new address, you should
start thinking about the affordable moving companies Edmonton has, the long
distance moving companies Edmonton offers, or the mini movers Edmonton lists,
all depending on the nature of your move. Check around and you will find out
who does just does just local moves and who the long distance moving companies
are. Make a short list and then focus on finding someone who is available when
you need them, who will be easier to work with, who are the affordable moving
companies Edmonton has for your kind of move, and who will come out and give
you a written estimate of what the move will cost.
Helping Hands Family Movers Are Your Best Choice
At Helping Hand Family Movers we have been
moving families and businesses in the Edmonton area and throughout all of
Alberta for a decade. Our high level of service has given us a strong
reputation that brings more business to our door. If you would like references
from past customers we are happy to supply them. We have an A+ Rating from the
Better Business Bureau based on our honest dealings and integrity. Of the appliance
movers Edmonton has to offer, the long distance moving companies, and the
most affordable moving companies Edmonton boasts, we will always be your
best choice to get the job done on time, without fuss, and at a fair price.
Ontario’s Regulated Price Plan (RPP)-time-of-use electricity rates have
garnered criticism for their impact on the price of electricity in the
province. Energy savings activists believe the three-price system is too
confusing and doesn’t influence customer behaviour. Others argue that the rate
structure has not led to reductions in peak demand and has penalized some
clients, such as businesses that keep regular 9 to 5 hours.
The issue has come to the forefront in Ontario’s provincial election
campaign, with the NDP suggesting the immediate elimination of RPP-time-of-use
rates. In replacing time-of-use rates, the NDP suggests switching to a flat
charge of kilowatts per hour, which the party says would reduce the price of
electricity in Ontario by an average of 17%.
According to Ontario Energy Board data, rural Hydro One customers pay
delivery costs that are significantly higher than urban customers, the NDP
hydro report says. That is compounded by the fact that many customers paying
higher delivery costs are the same customers without access to natural gas for
heating, who are then forced to use expensive electric heat. The NDP pledges to
change the system so rural and seasonal Hydro One distribution customers pay
the same delivery costs as current Hydro One urban customers, as well as
ensuring businesses pay delivery only for the power they use.
Still, Active Business
Services are those who believe that setting peak, mid-peak and off-peak
hours for electricity use is a good idea. “Let consumers know there is a
difference between on and off peak drives behaviour to eliminate portions of
energy consumption, perhaps more so than actually shifting the load,” says
Andrew Pride, an engineer and energy management consultant, in an interview
with Canadian Property Management.
However, Adam Krehm of O’Shanter Development notes that for his company, the
largest electricity loads are at periods of peak demand. “Something like the
electricity load in the elevator is very difficult to control. If everybody
leaves to go to work around 8 a.m., you can’t shift that load,” explains Krehm.
“But what you can do, when it’s time to replace them, is install the most
energy-efficient system. That’s what we’ve been doing where we’ve had the
opportunity.”
Active Business Services’ team of expert consultants works with companies on
their energy requirements, looking for ways to maximize efficiency. Following a
thorough research process, which includes the study of a business’s historical
electricity consumption and load profile, ABS will produce an in-depth report
on a company’s energy needs, including suggestions for change.
The aim is to develop and determine the most effective purchasing strategy
that best mitigates risk to volatile market prices, particularly in Ontario,
where, at least for now, many
businesses are tied to the RPP-time-of-use system.
Author: Active Business Services
Active Business Services is an energy management firm that
has dedicated the last ten years to providing Canadian commercial and
industrial customers with natural gas and electricity supply and risk
management solutions.
