Too many women leave management of the family finances to their husbands. As a result, when the couple separate, the woman often does not know how to access funds, how much money or assets they hold or if she has adequate superannuation, if any. Whilst no one plans to get divorced, with the Australian divorce rate currently standing at 40%, it is wise for woman to play a role in managing the family finances.
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After enduring fifteen years of abject poverty and misery Patricia Milner finally left her alcoholic husband and rented a ramshackle cottage with her two children and a Jackdaw named Jackie. Jackie, a small black crow, had fallen down their chimney and simply couldn’t be left behind.
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By Nick Radge
Hard cover available now.
Kindle version available now.
Nick Radge stopped following the pack many years ago. As a futures trader, stock trader, futures broker, stock broker and fund manager, Nick learnt to recognise what the pack were doing and how they react to financial information. He also realised that it made no sense.
Are you one of the pack? Here’s a test:
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Barbara Gettinby has been compiling cryptic crosswords for more than 20 years.
Frustrated when compilers would not reveal how they arrived at their answers, she decided to compile crosswords herself. Thus Finnegan’s Cryptic Crosswords was born. Finnegan’s Cryptic Crosswords solver was the first cryptic crossword book to contain all solutions fully explained. Barbara released 10 volumes in magazine format throughout newsagents in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
In 2005 Barbara released two books entitled Cryptics Made Easy, a blue and a purple edition (now out of print).
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Barbara Gettinby, author of Cryptic Crossword Secrets: Where Every Answer is Fully Explained has put together a free e-book to help you learn how to do cryptic crosswords. From double-leadings to back-flips, ommissions to jumbled letters, cryptic crosswords use all manner of tricks to trip you up, but with Barbara’s help you will be on your way to deciphering cryptic clues in no time.
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On 3rd May 2011 I attended An Introduction to Australian Book Publishing course hosted by Australian Publishers Association and presented by Richard Smart.
The course was comprehensive covering the creation of a book from conception to editing, production to publicity and sales. There were 10 topics, each presented by a specialist from the big publishing houses.
So, what did I learn? Well, I learnt that I fair knowledge when it comes to the creation of books. I was the only attendee from a small publishing company. Most were employed by the big publishing houses and their roles were specialised, e.g. Production Assistant, Assistant Editor, sales and marketing. As a result they often knew their roles very well, but not that of the rest of the staff or the importants of each role in the book creation process. On the other hand, I had been involved in the entire process. I had:
~ Chosen a manuscriptFresh off the press.
~ Edited the manuscript, working directly with the author
~ Outsourced proofreading of the manuscript
~ Typeset and layout of text
~ Purchase of ISBN and barcode
~ Cover design (outsourcing my ideas to a graphic designer for creation)
~ PDF creation for submission to printer
~ Liasing with the printer
~ Liasing with Australian Book Group for distribution
~ Publicity
~ Sales and Marketing
I am not extraordinary. This is the role of the small publisher. We provide a different role and service to the big publishers. As a result we release (a lot) less books but each book is a joy and nothing beats the thrill of hosting a book launch or seeing your book/s on the shelf in a book store.
Trish Radge
Radge Publishing
Budget Travel Secrets – SE Asia
What Tour Operators Don’t Want You to Know
By Des Gettinby
Recipe for budget travel
Take:
6 kilos of clothes
1 small onboard size backpack
$25 a day
Return air ticket
Add a good mate
Mix with a healthy dose of humour
Bake for 4 months in SE Asia
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Des Gettinby outlines the places he and his wife, Barb, travelled on their journey through SouthEast Asia. Des wrote about his adventures in his humorous travelogue, Budget Travel Secrets – SE Asia
Bangkok You must have an onward ticket before you enter Thailand. Thirty day visas are issued at no charge on arrival. Extensions are available or just cross a border and reenter Thailand to get another thirty day visa.
Most popular areas for budget travellers to stay in Bangkok are either Siam Square (close to the Sky Rail) or the even less expensive Banglamphu (Khao San Road), which is further out of the city centre.
Bargaining should be done with goodwill so that neither party feels put upon. Use smiles and good humour. But beware: the business of bargaining can be brutal!
Adventurers will gauge their own comfort level of balanced, fair barter. A street seller starts at, let’s say, $20. I say ‘No, too much.’ (Often I don’t even want it!)
They say ‘OK, $15.’
I say, ‘It’s quite cute but it’s too much.’ (I still don’t want it.)
‘OK. How much you give?’
I say something stupid like ‘$5’.
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By Des Gettinby
1. Buy a good quality travel Guide Book . Everything you need to know in one compact book. Find a bed, a feed, a train, plane or bus – it’s all there
2. Be brave. Book your flights and go. Budget travelling can be easily achieved. Apart from your return air ticket, all tour bookings, sightseeing, accommodation and ongoing transport can be easily and less expensively organised when you arrive at your destination. Keep your eye out for discount air fares.
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