by nick
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
I have spent my christmas and new year holidays in Noosa, a great place to relax, with my wife and brother.
We went to the cinema at Noosa Junction, eating out in child-friendly Noosa cafes and restaurants, riding our bikes along the foreshore of the Noosa river (it's amazing how far small people will ride when there's a playground
at one end and an ice cream shop at the other!) and trying out the
kids' new boogie boards at Main beach
Main Beach, behind Hastings Street,
is a godsend if you have kids or aren't keen on big surf. The beach is
very sheltered and has nice gentle waves - perfectly matched to my
boogie boarding ability.
We stayed at the nice accommodation which was booked through Noosa accommodation booking engine from visitnoosa.com.au, has great selection of accommodation in Noosa.
The gentle waves also make Main Beach a great place to learn to surf. There is a surf school
halfway down the beach that is run by former world champion Merrick
Davis and caters for all levels, including complete beginners and kids
from seven years old.
I went out for a lesson with them a while ago and had so much fun, I
keep meaning to go back and do the three-day course that is supposed to
put you at a level where you can grab a board and venture out on your
own. I probably need the exercise after the Christmas scoffing season
and if nothing else it ought to be good for a few laughs.
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by nick
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
I spent last night trying to figure out how we are going to fit a small
mountain of Xmas presents into two suitcases - and where on earth we
are supposed to put our clothes!
I would love to be spending Christmas in Noosa but it is our turn to travel this year, so while thousands of people are flying into town, we will be flying out.
It's not too late to spend Christmas in Noosa (think seafood, swimming, sunshine) if you want to escape. Noosa accommodation is always heavily booked over the Christmas period but I'm hearing there are still a few rooms here and there.
Noosa accommodation,
a booking engine, might have last minute availability for you, or take
a look at the video below to see the range of accommodation on offer,
from backpacking to five-star.
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by nick
Thursday, December 18, 2008
EurocarsMazda makes a point why biofuel is a renewable fuel source that reduces pollution. A common biofuel is Biodiesel.
This post covers fuel requirements and restrictions of Mazda diesel engines in relation to biofuel. Your Mazda will operate efficiently on diesel fuel with specification EN590 or the equivalent.
While diesel fuel with 5% or less biofuel concentration can be used
and won’t affect engine and fuel system performance, anything more then
5% concentration could be damaging to the engine.
You should take extra care and responsibility to ensure the fuel does not contain more than this amount.
What can happen if I use diesel fuel with more than 5% biofuel?
- Never use fuel other than specification EN590 or the equivalent for
your vehicle. Use of petrol or paraffin in diesel engines will result
in engine damage
- Never use fuel with a concentration of more than 5% biofuel in your
vehicle. Use of such fuel could cause poor engine performance or
serious engine damage
- Never add fuel system additives for cleaning engines. These may
cause damage to the various components of the fuel system such as
injectors and fuel injector pumps
Important points
- In some cases, if a diesel fuel is marked as “biofuel” or
“containing biofuel”, this could indicate that it contains more than 5%
concentration of biofuel
- Mazda does not recommend such products and owners and drivers of
diesel vehicles have the responsibility to ensure any product under
consideration for use contains 5% or less biofuel before use.
- Be extra careful when selecting your fuel, as any fuel system and
engine related issues arising from using fuel with more than 5% biofuel
won’t be covered by your warranty.
Related Posts
6 tips to minimis Fuel Consumption in your Mazda
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by nick
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Corporate travel management companies keep their corporate travel clients abreast of major security alerts and advisories as they are issued by the Federal Government, providing advice and assistance to corporate travel clients intending to visit countries for business or leisure where alerts have been issued.
Alerts can be issued for a number of reasons, including security and health. The most recent advisories related to security involve the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Spain, Thailand and Somalia. Health advisories have been issued for countries such as Vanuatu, where a series of dengue fever outbreaks have been recently recorded.
Part of business travel management is keeping corporate travel clients updated on major new alerts.
The five levels of travel advisories are:
‘be alert to your own security’;
‘exercise caution and monitor developments that might affect your safety’;
‘exercise a high degree of caution’;
‘reconsider your need to travel’ and
‘advised not to travel’.
by nick
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
The age-old debate of whether it is best to buy a new car versus a pre-loved vehicle will never be settled, as it always comes down to personal choice based on customers’ individual budgets and perspectives.
Sydney Mazda dealer sells a fantastic high-quality range of new Mazdas and used Mazdas and its large staff is happy to assist customers with questions regarding which option is best for them.
Benefits of buying a New Mazda
It is being able to take advantage of Mazda’s ongoing array of new technologies and features included in new Mazda models. With green factors and petrol prices increasingly important in Mazda customers’ minds, Mazda is proudly at the forefront of environmentally-friendly manufacturing and advances in fuel economy.
Some new car buyers also enjoy the reassurance of buying a new Mazda with no history, and they enjoy a choice in colours and Mazda accessories, with an extensive range of paint protectors and the like.
Benefits of buying Used Mazda
Of course, it is the cost saving. Used Mazda buyers can enjoy the zoom-zoom’s lifestyle for a lower price, safe in the knowledge that Mazda’s are of such high quality that they can easily survive several owners in their lifetime and will always perform well.
by nick
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
When it comes to advice on Personal insurance, Business Insurances and Superannuation, James Harman & Associates are the insurance specialists that more individual and business owners are turning to.
They want to give you some tips and traps you need to be aware regarding legal advice.
- Changing jobs, moving home, re-financing or birth of a child are some common Trigger events that should prompt you to review your insurance cover
- Make sure that the ownership of the policies will give you the best solution for Premium tax deductibility and help minimise tax on benefits. The major Beneficiaries of these strategies are self employed, company directors, DIY super Fund members and breadwinners who make contributions on behalf of low income spouse.
- Income protection policies that have an agreed value, guarantee the monthly benefit you apply for as long as you have disclosed your correct earnings and it doesn't exceed 75% of your taxable income. (some fringe benefits can also be included)
- There are also income protection indemnity policies which are cheaper to purchase but they only cover you for 75% of your taxable income at time of claim. If you are self employed or a company director and your income is reduced in the year you have a claim, your insurance payout could be less than you expect.
- When you are applying for insurance cover, make sure you complete the health declaration and income details In the proposal. This will help reduce the chances of non-disclosure because of a misunderstanding when completing the proposal between you and the adviser.
- Don't confuse taxable earnings and gross turnover if your self employed. For income protection you can only Insure your gross personal exertion income after the deduction of business expenses. If you have fixed expenses such as leases, rates, loan interest etc you should consider a business expense policy.
- You need to be aware there are two types of insurance premium structures. The most common is Stepped premiums which increases in cost each year with age. Stepped premiums might start off as relatively inexpensive but later in life at the time you most need insurance you might not be able to afford the premiums. At the right age you should give serious consideration to level premiums as they can be more cost effective over time and allow you to budget for a consistent premium.
- Having your insurance policies with one company can save on policy fees and could entitle you to a multi policy discount that can be as high as 15%
- Assignment of a personally owned insurance policy into a DIY super fund is not allowed, This 'in specie' transfer could render your fund 'non complying'
- If you are considering insurance as part of a business succession plan, you will need the services of an accountant to determine a business valuation, a lawyer to complete the necessary agreements and a competent insurance adviser to provide the funding mechanism.
Features, benefits and price of insurance have gone through considerable change in recent years .There Are also tax and legislative changes that make a regular insurance review even more important Contact us to see how you could benefit from an obligation free review.
The information in this section is of general comment only, and is not intended as advice on any particular Matter .Readers should not act or rely on any information contained or implied without seeking professional Advice in regard to their particular circumstances.
by nick
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Risk assessment plays an important role in each phase of a major event's planning cycle. Event's should be screened for major risks when a booking enquiry is first received to determine whether, based upon information provided by the promoter, the event presents an unacceptable risk to the venue. The event should be safe, profitable &/or consistent with the objectives of the venue. If acceptable the proposed event's operating plans should be assessed based upon its real or perceived level or risk (in terms of dollars, safety and the venue's reputation), and the history of the event at other venues.  Download pdf version of Event risk assessment & checklists Operating plans for review by the venue as supplied by the promoter might include: - Site plans
- Event operational plans
- Waste management plans
- Traffic and transport plans
- Event risk management plans
- Security risk management plans
- Safety management plans
- Job safety analysis
- Safe work method statements
A review and final approval of such plans should be based upon the venue's own assessment of risk for the event. The venue should develop range of checklists to help standardise the risk review process. Risk-based checklists should be used at each phase of the planning cycle: - Bookings - for initial event feasibility and screening
- Planning - for checking the operating plans that they cover obvious risks in an appropriate level of detail
- Construction/bump in - to audit the promoters contractors for safe work systems, appropriate qualifications and insurance certificates Event - For conducting pre-event readiness checks to ensure all is plans have been implemented appropriately and the gates can now be opened
- Post event/bump out - for dilapidation reports and event debriefs
Development and use of well-targeted risk-based checklists can help event organisers and venue managers manage the uncertainties associated with events hosted at their venue. By minimising uncertainty they maximise the chance of a great event! References Risk management consultant, reliancerisk.com.au, works with sport, entertainment, venues and events to understand risk factors and build value through the management of risk.
by nick
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Looking to save money on international roaming bills? Look no further than BackChat Mobile. Here are five top tips on how to save money on cell phone roaming when travelling. 1. Buy a local sim card before you leave home BackChat Mobile gives you one number and one sim and saves you up to 70% on your global roaming bill in over 130 countries. There are no charges for receiving calls in over 50 countries. 2. Only receive calls when mobile roaming An alternative way to save is to minimise outgoing calls and just receive them on your normal Australian global roaming sim. Ensure you switch off your voicemail as the call will bounce backwards and forwards to Australia and cost you an international roaming call to retrieve messages. With BackChat Mobile you have free incoming calls in over 50 countries. 3. Use SMS SMS is an excellent way to communicate cheaply when international roaming. Ensure you don’t have any missed incoming calls which bounce back to your Australian voicemail. 4. Do take your phone Of course if you don’t take your phone you will completely eliminate international roaming charges; but then your family, friends and clients can’t contact you and hotel phones can be horrendously expensive. 5. Buy a global sim card in Australia not overseas Buying a prepaid sim card overseas is unlikely to be the ideal solution. The difference is that BackChat Mobile focuses on low cost calls back to Australia (rather than just local calls), you have one number wherever you travel and you can top up easily.
by nick
Sunday, November 23, 2008
BCD Business Travel has earned an award nomination in the prestigious 2009 Buying Business Travel Magazine Diamond Awards in the category of Best Business Travel Management Company. The award nomination represents a significant accolade for the corporate travel management company, which operates in 90 countries across five continents with a staff of more than 12,000 dedicated corporate travel management employees. With US$12 billion in total sales, BCD business travel is the world’s third largest corporate travel management agency. In Australia, it has offices in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne servicing local clients with domestic and international corporate travel requirements. More resources How to reduce cost of your business travel Manage your Business Travel Expense
by nick
Friday, November 21, 2008
Spending my X'mas in Noosa will be awesome and I'm counting the days until Santa comes. Well, not really until Santa comes, until I get a holiday. I have been flat strap and I really need a break. Now ready for it. So I started looking for my accommodation for Noosa holiday and this official tourism Noosa website has everything you need for your Noosa holiday. There are many Noosa accommodation options available including low-rise, discreet boutique accommodation, upmarket resorts, family-friendly options, self-contained and luxury apartments, familiar hotel chains, motels, backpacker hostels or a YHA in a welcoming homestead. You can also find fantastic Noosa accommodation in nearby hinterland towns in rainforest retreats, camping spots and caravan parks, country cottages and cosy B&Bs. If you're thinking about taking a break up this way over the summer holidays, check out this new Noosa accommodation booking engine. It allows you to search all of Noosa in one hit, or narrow it down by area or type of accommodation (or both).The rates and availability are bang up to date so there's no faffing about - just choose and click. Easy peasy. If you need more information for your Noosa holiday, please visit their main website at visitnoosa.com.au
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