Archive for June, 2011

IPL verses Laser Hair Removal

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011

When constrasting laser hair removal to Intense Pulsed Light hair removal there are a few features to judge such as the effectiveness or results, experience and qualifications required and the target chromophore within the skin.

The wavelength of light used determines how deeply the light or laser energy penetrates into the skin therefore affecting whatever structures lie in that particular layer. IPL or Intense Pulsed Light, as it is multiple wavelengths is superior for treating multiple skin conditions such as pigmentation, capillaries and sun damage which lie in a similar superficial zone within the skin. A hair removal laser (such as the Alexandrite) and its single or targeted wavelength is more suited to the melanin contained within the base of the hair follicle, effectively killing the cells designed for growing another hair.

Licensed laser operators are required to hold a certificate qualification which represents a theoretical exam in addition to a minimum number of hours logged utilizing the laser hair removal technology. IPL on the other hand requires no such qualification and many can in fact be purchased quite cheaply leading to a large number of unqualified operators using the technology in an unskilled manner. This can lead to permanent side effects such as burning, scarring and discolouration in the skin.

Laser is often less painful than IPL, doesn’t require messy ultrasound gels and generally requires much less treatment to achieve the desired hair removal result. IPL can sometimes have larger spot sizes than laser but often lasers have a faster repetition rate which allows a higher number pulses to be fired in a shorter time frame.

This equates to shorter treatment times.
Both laser and intense pulsed light have their place within the cosmetics industry but when it comes to permanent hair reduction, laser hair removal is the gold standard, especially when taking into account the safety and effectiveness of the technology.

Looking for IPL Photorejuvenation Brisbane QLD or laser hair removal Brisbane QLD, Contact Image by Laser today. Image by Laser also provides IPL Hair Removal Brisbane QLD

Sphere: Related Content

Prince Charles – The Prince of Wales

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

Charles Philip Arthur George, the first son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was born at Buckingham Palace on 14th November 1948. A proclamation was posted on the Palace railings just before midnight, announcing that Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth had been safely delivered of a son. On 15th December, he was christened at Buckingham Palace, by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Geoffrey Fisher.

The Prince’s mother was proclaimed Queen Elizabeth II when she was 25, as her father, King George VI, died aged 56 on 6th February 1952. On the Queen’s accession to the throne, Prince Charles – as the Sovereign’s eldest son – became Heir Apparent, at the age of 3. The Prince, as Heir to The Throne, was entitled: The Duke of Cornwall under a charter of King Edward III in 1337; and, in the Scottish peerage, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland. The Prince was four at his mother’s Coronation, in Westminster Abbey on 2nd June 1953. Many people who watched the Coronation will have memories of him seated between his widowed grandmother, henceforth known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and his aunt, Princess Margaret.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh agreed that the Prince would go to school rather than be tutored privately at the Palace, and so the Prince began at Hill House School in West London on 7th November 1956. After ten months, the young Prince became a boarder at Cheam School, a preparatory school in Berkshire. In 1958 while The Prince was at Cheam, The Queen created him The Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester. The Prince was nine-years-old.

In April 1962 Prince Charles started his first term at Gordonstoun, a school near Elgin in Eastern Scotland which The Duke of Edinburgh had also attended. He later spent two terms in 1966 as an exchange student at Timbertop, a remote outpost of the Geelong Church of England Grammar School in Melbourne, Australia. Upon his return to Gordonstoun for his last year, the Prince of Wales was appointed school guardian (head boy). The Prince, who had already passed six O Levels, also took A Levels and was awarded a grade B in history and a C in French, together with a distinction in an optional special history paper in July 1967. The Prince went to Cambridge University in 1967 to read archaeology and anthropology at Trinity College. He made a change to history for the second part of his degree, and in 1970 was awarded a 2:2 degree.

Charles was invested as Prince of Wales by The Queen on 1st July 1969 in a colourful ceremony at Caernarfon Castle. Before the investiture the Prince had spent a term at the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth, learning to speak Welsh. On 11th February 1970, His Royal Highness took his seat in the House of Lords.

At his own request, the Prince had received flying instruction from the RAF during his second year at Cambridge. On 8th March 1971, the Prince flew himself to the Royal Air Force (RAF) Cranwell in Lincolnshire, to train as a jet pilot. In September 1971 after the passing out parade at Cranwell, the Prince embarked on a naval career, following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and both his great-grandfathers. The six-week course at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, was followed by service on the guided missile destroyer HMS Norfolk and two frigates. The Prince qualified as a helicopter pilot in 1974 before joining 845 Naval Air Squadron, which operated from the Commando carrier HMS Hermes. On 9th February 1976, The Prince took command of the coastal minehunter HMS Bronington for his last nine months in the Navy.

On 29th July 1981, The Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in St Paul’s Cathedral, who then became HRH The Princess of Wales. The Princess was born on 1st July 1961, at Park House on the Queen’s estate at Sandringham, Norfolk. She lived there until the death in 1975 of her grandfather, the 7th Earl, when the family moved to live at the Spencer family seat at Althorp House in Northamptonshire. Lady Diana’s father, then Viscount Althorp and later the eighth Earl Spencer, had been an equerry to both George VI and his wife. Diana’s maternal grandmother, Ruth, Lady Fermoy, was a close friend and lady-in-waiting to The Queen Mother.

The Prince and Princess of Wales had two sons: Prince William, born on 21st June 1982; and Prince Harry, born on 15th September 1984. From the time of their marriage, the Prince and Princess of Wales travelled on overseas tours and carried out numberous engagements together in the UK. However, on 9th December 1992, the Prime Minister, John Major, announced to the House of Commons that the Prince and Princess of Wales were to separate. The marriage was dissolved on 28th August, 1996, however, the Princess was still considered a member of the Royal Family. She continued to live at Kensington Palace and to generously carry out public work for a number of charities.

When the Princess was killed in a car crash in Paris on 31st August 1997, The Prince of Wales flew to Paris with her two sisters to bring her body back to London. On the day of the funeral, the Prince of Wales accompanied their sons, aged 15 and 12 at the time, as they walked behind her coffin from The Mall to Westminster Abbey. With them were The Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer. Prince Charles requested that the media respect his sons’ privacy, and to allow them to lead a normal school life. In the following years, Princes William and Harry, who are second and third in line to the throne, accompanied their father on a limited number of official engagements in the UK and abroad.

On 9th April 2005, the Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker-Bowles were married in a civil ceremony at the Guildhall, Windsor. After the wedding, Camilla became known as HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were joined by around 800 guests at a Service of Prayer and Dedication at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. The Service was followed by a reception at Windsor Castle hosted by Her Majesty The Queen. It is intended that the Duchess of Cornwall will have the title HRH The Princess Consort when Prince Charles accedes to the throne.

The Duchess supports the Prince in his work. Through the years, Charles developed a wide range of interests which are today reflected in ‘The Prince’s Charities’, a group of twenty not-for-profit organisations of which The Prince is President. Eighteen of the 20 charities were begun personally by the Prince. This group is the largest multi-cause charitable enterprise in the UK, raising over £130 million annually. The organisations are active across a broad range of areas including opportunity and enterprise, education, health, architecture, and responsible business and the natural environment. These interests are also reflected in the list of more than 400 organisations of which he has since become Patron or President of.

If you’re looking for Prince Charles hospital accommodation, Holy Spirt Accommodation or accommodation Chermside, consider Ideal Apartments Chermside, Brisbane.

Sphere: Related Content

Totara LMS

Monday, June 20th, 2011

Totara is a version of Moodle, the planet’s most prominent learning management scheme, arranged precisely to satisfy the requirements of workplace learning and development. Totara is 100% open source software, durable, trusted and scalable with all the features you’d want in a company learning solution. Transform your organisation’s learning proficiency with Totara.

Totara is open source, therefore, there are zero software license fees, which makes it an affordable answer. It’s attainable for a yearly subscription fee that covers patches, updates and new versions plus related costs for expert services which can include Consultancy, Hosting, Training, and Support.

In addition to all the great functionality in Moodle, Totara can provide the following:

Competency Structures and Learning Paths: Add in your ability structure, and link to roles and learning objects to create learner paths.

Individual Development Plans: Managers and staff can create individual learning outlines together and review their progress.

Team Management: Managers may review progress of learning staff and allocate more learning.

Classroom Management: Develop and maintain classroom events, allowing users to book courses directly.

Dashboard: Fast overview reports are ideal for management information reporting.

Reporting: Specific reporting by ability, specific course or staff member, plus an inbuilt custom report builder.

Call My Learning Space on 1300 GET LMS (438 567). We specialise in learning management systems: Moodle, Totara, Mahara LMS. Our expert services include consultancy, hosting, training, and support for business.

Sphere: Related Content

Interior Design and the Importance of Colour

Friday, June 17th, 2011

We live surrounded by colour, and varying shades and light. And each colour influences our mood; each colour has meaning and intertwines with our minds. Nothing is random in this world. Have you noticed that there are days that you just need to wear black, and then there are those days you must add colour to your outfit and spice it up by wearing a purple shirt, a turquoise tie, or a mysterious dark red evening dress. You may choose the colours for your wardrobe based on your feelings and change them as often as you like, but you can’t change colours within a room as easily. When you start decorating a room, it is essential that you choose the right colours.

Interior designers use a colour wheel to enable them to choose colours and tones that match. There are active colours (such as red, yellow and orange), passive colours (blue, green and purple) and neutral colours (white, black, gray, beige and brown), and it is important that you know how each of these colour groups may affect the mood in a room. For instance, hot colours tend to stand out; neutrals, as the name suggests, don’t excite the senses, and passive colors can calm people.

You can find a way to balance the tones, aiming to create the mood you are seeking. If you are decorating for a room full of energy, use orange; for passion, red is the answer. If you want people to chill, use shades of blue. Now we’ll discuss what each colour means, as colours do not have the same meaning all over the world.

Red is, commonly, the colour of passionate love, for example a red rose, a red box of chocolates on Valentines Day, or the classic red heart, but in South Africa red represents mourning. Red is also the most common colour found in national flags. That is because in ancient times flags were usually used on the battlefield and red gave the signal for battle and the willingness to shed blood. Red also means good luck in China, where it is used as a wedding colour. If you like red, then creating an interior decoration with a Chinese theme is a perfect choice.

Green is the colour of tranquility. It is found everywhere in the natural world, and it reinvigorates and inspires. In ancient times green was the colour of honour and victory. In Ireland, green symbolises good luck.

Blue is a common colour used in interior decoration, as it relaxes and refreshes, and results in a feeling of safety. If you choose blue for your home, you can’t go wrong, but blue is a cool colour, so balance it by accenting with orange or yellow.

Purple is considered a royal color. In ancient times purple dyes were extremely rare. Purple is also the colour of inspiration, so if you are an artist, a room with purple accents will stimulate your mind. As purple is thought to help kids develop imagination, it is often used to decorate childrens rooms.

Yellow and orange -need we say that they are the warm colours! They are associated with the sun and tropical fruits. Both have a positive impact, however, take care how they are used in decorating, as both stand out and can tend to dominate the room.

Black and white are neutral. Both have symbolised mourning in different cultures, but then almost every colour has represented mourning: red for South Africans, blue for Iranians, purple for women in Thailand, yellow for Egyptians, white for Chinese and Japanese, black for Europeans and Americans. However, black and white are each very fashionable colours, white symbolising purity, kindness, peace and loyalty, and, although you should not paint your walls black, you could choose to use black as a feature on a wall or panel, or use black items to give your interior a feeling of opulence and strength.

If you’re looking for a colour consultant in Brisbane, contact Creating with Colour. This Brisbane paint colour consultant will help you choose a colour scheme to match your mood, style and the building’s personality.

Sphere: Related Content

Sydney and Local Sights

Tuesday, June 7th, 2011

Sydney, Australia is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and its citizens have voted it as one of the Top Ten best places to live for several years now. The city was planned carefully and has numerous spectacular man-made structures, and superb natural wonders.

Sydney is well designed regarding transport, with a good railway system, buses, taxis, trams (inner city), monorail, and an extensive ferry system. The city also has one of the most vibrant and varied night-life of the world. The Darling Harbour area is not only a beautiful sight at night but also provides a pleasurable experience for all palates, with Italian, Indian, Chinese, Continental, Mongolian and many other restaurants available. Sydney is also lined up with several pubs and some of the oldest bars and pubs in the world.

Apart from offering the usual attractions such as a zoo, aquarium, botanical gardens and museums, Sydney also boasts the well-known Opera House, Harbour Bridge and the AMP Tower. The city in itself has numerous attractions and could consume close to three-five days to experience.

Apart from the City attractions you may want to visit various places around Sydney. Here is a list of the Top Ten places to visit close to Sydney. All are equally beautiful and a must visit.

1. Akuna Bay
A very beautiful and secluded bay situated only 38 kms north of the Sydney central business district. You can hire a house boat and float around for days around the bay or head into the pacific. If you don’t have sea-legs, there are camping sites near the bay where you are able to stay, or you can Rent A Home. Akuna Bay sits in the Kuring-gai Chase National Park and can be accessed by the marina on the bay or by Liberator General San Martin Road.

The waterways in and around picturesque Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park are a leisure seeker’s delight. Amongst a labyrinth of river valleys and headlands, wide estuaries and sheltered coves, the pretty Akuna Bay is a busy agglomeration of marine vessels and their enthusiastic skippers. Luxury yachts, houseboats and family cruisers come and go all day. And if owning a boat is just a dream, you can hire one for only a few hours, or a weekend (a boating licence may be required, depending on the size}. There are also boat repair, cleaning and detailing services aplenty. And if you’re hoping to catch the fish of the year, you can purchase a fishing licence, bait and ice. And, of course, there are a number of excellent restaurants in the locality.

2. Batemans Bay
Are you a fishing nut? This is the best place in Australia for a fishing holiday. There are plenty of things for everyone to do in Batemans Bay, so you can all be happy while the fisher has ‘me time’ fishing! The 27-hole Catalina Country Club has one of the best courses on the South Coast. From watercolour artists and rock fishermen to sandcastle builders, there’s something for everyone both in Batemans Bay and along its sublime stretch of coast. For example you can experience the following:
* Take a cruise along the Clyde River from Batemans Bay as far as Nelligen, 11 km up-river. Or hire a houseboat and stay overnight.
* Drive south from Batemans Bay along Beach Road, which winds past a string of quaint coves and beaches.
* Drop a line off the rock wall and hook a bream.
* Explore Murramarang National Park, with its friendly eastern grey kangaroos.
* Savour Clyde River oysters fresh from the estuary.
* Browse the local art and craft galleries.
* Walk along the Durras Discovery Trail.
* The George Bass Marathon, held each January in even-numbered years, is the world’s toughest surfboat race. After a colourful send-off from Batemans Bay, crews row 170 km south to Eden.
* Birdland Animal Park, which has a fantastic collection of Australian native birds, an animal nursery, duck ponds, waterfalls as well as rides on the Birdsville Express train through 3 hectares of parkland.
* Browsing in the local art and craft galleries.

3. Bondi to Coogee Walk
The Bondi to Coogee Walk is not just a walking trail -it may be one of the best walks of your life! The trail follows through coastal paths and cliffs -a combination of beaches, parks and spectacular views. This walk was was developed around the 1930’s and is one of the recreational gems of Sydney’s eastern suburbs. It includes Bondi, Tamarama, Bronte and Coogee beaches and a medium gradient clifftop path from Bondi to Tamarama, with occasional seats and a number of staircases. The beachside parks provide picnic shelters, coin-operated barbecues, play areas, kiosks, toilets and changerooms. The total length is 6 km and you should allow about 2 hours.

The walk contains many opportunity for swimming, with excellent beaches throughout. Always swim between the flags. Lifeguards are on duty all year at Bondi and Coogee, and from September through to April at Tamarama and Bronte. At various times of the year, a number of events happen at locations on the walk. These events include the Sculpture by the Sea, the City to Surf Fun Run, the Festival of the Winds Kite Day and the South American Festival.

4. Jenolan Caves
A vast cave system with some beautiful natural calcite and stalagmite formation that has been well kept. Located 177 km west of Sydney, Jenolan Caves aredefinitely Australia’s most spectacular limestone caves, and are part of the World Heritage Greater Blue Mountains Area.
Open to the public are nine caves with spectacular lighting, underground rivers and cave formations that amaze you.

The complex system is one of the largest underground cave systems in the world. Recently it was proclaimed the oldest open cave system in the world. In 1838, James McKeown, an escaped convict and bushranger, became the first European to enter the caves when he used them as a hideaway, and then James Whalan saw the opening to the caves in 1840, but it was his brother Charles who eventually discovered the breadth of the system. The fame of the caves spread, and early tourists took away quite a lot of the ancient limestone as mementos. The precinct was named Jenolan Caves in 1884, which in the local Aboriginal language means ‘High Mountain’. Visiting the caves in the early days was a primitive experience: candles provided the only light and visitors staying overnight had to sleep on the damp ground beneath the Grand Arch.

* If you only have time for one tour, visit the Lucas, Imperial or Chifley caves. The Lucas Cave is the longest while the one-hour Imperial Cave is the easiest.
* For an easy two-cave combination, visit Lucas Cave and then the Orient Cave. The highest and widest chambers are in the Lucas Cave while the Orient has fragile crystalline decorations.
* Carols by Candlelight at Christmas is an unforgettable event due to superb acoustics.
* Jenolan Caves Concerts Series, performed throughout the year in the Lucas Cave’s Cathedral Chamber.
* Afternoon tea at the historic Jenolan Caves House, an architectural beauty from a bygone era.
* Starting a major bushwalk on the Six Foot Track from Jenolan Caves to Katoomba.
* Stopping at lookouts along the winding road from the caves to photograph the rugged scenery.
* Getting goosebumps on a ghost tour in the caves.

5. Kangaroo Valley
Kangaroo Valley is one of Australia’s most beautiful valleys, with something to do for everyone! It has great camping sites at the river. There is wildlife aplenty and some of the best wineries. Kangaroo Valley is both pretty and dramatic -remnants of rainforest cling to the steep escarpment, while the Kangaroo River and small creeks criss-cross the valley. Here you can enjoy the ideal elements of a short break -cafés, galleries, pubs, cabin in the bush and bushwalks.

The small township of Kangaroo Valley developed beside the river and, when the beautiful sandstone Hampden Bridge was built in 1898, it opened up the valley to visitors. Hampden Bridge, now the oldest surviving suspension bridge in Australia, is supposedly the most photographed in the country.

You can:
* Explore the upper reaches of the Kangaroo River by canoe or enjoy a picnic by the clear cool water.
* Wander over the historic Hampden Bridge, past the cemetery and through the heritage-listed village.

Don’t miss:
* The Pioneer Farm Museum, based on a typical 19th century farmhouse.
* The spectacular views of the Shoalhaven River and Kangaroo Valley from Cambewarra Mountain lookout.
* A tour around one of the working fruit farms.
* Joining a kayaking or canoeing safari to Kangaroo River and Shoalhaven Gorge.
* Freshly baked bread from the Kangaroo Valley Bakehouse.

6. Nelson Bay
This is a beach 223 km north of Sydney that offers some of the best adventure sports. The diving and snorkelling here is exceptional. Just east of Nelson Bay, the tiny promontory of Fly Point is an aquatic reserve with prolific marine life. Divers have another superb site just off the coast at Broughton Island, with such outstanding features as the ‘Looking Glass’, a split that runs through the middle of the island, crowded with marine life.

Nelson Bay is the main town for Port Stephens and it would be hard to find anywhere that is better equipped for aquatic pursuits – plus a great array of accommodation and dining options. On the town’s doorstep within the sheltered arms of the bay there are safe, calm beaches that are ideal for small children, while the coastal beaches just a five-minute drive away are washed by booming waves. You can also take a dolphin-watch cruise and marvel at the antics of these aquatic acrobats, or hand feed the blue gropers at the Fly Point-Halifax Park Aquatic Reserve.

The Festival of Whales in March celebrates the beginning of the annual whale migration along Australia’s east coast. The event includes art, music, displays, street entertainment and daily whale-watch cruises.

Don’t miss:
* The views from the walking trails of Tomaree National Park.
* The local oysters, fresh from the bay.
* The canoe trees at Little Nelson Beach.
* The lighthouse and buildings at Nelson Head.
* The view from Gan Gan Lookout

7. Snowy Mountains
If you are considering a skiing holiday, then this is the place to go. But take note of the snowy season in Australia (July-September). The Snowy Mountains also offer numerous attractions, from The Thredbo Bobsled, which is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face with 700 metres of luge style track as the bobsled twists and turns its way down the mountain whilst you control the speed with a brake…to many heritage bridges and walks, galleries and wine and food trails.

8. Tumut
Another gem that is very much a secret. One of the main towns in the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme, Tumut is located in the Tumut River valley. Tumut is a beautiful riverside town it is five hours drive south-west of Sydney. The best place to stay in Tumut are in wood cabins by the Tumut River. They are also close to the Snowy Mountain range and offer affordable holiday options.

Play golf at one of the areas five lakeside or mountain golf courses, where kangaroos share the greens.
You can also:
* The Tumut 3 Power Station Display Centre at Talbingo, to learn about turbine generators.
* Tucking into fresh mountain trout from the rivers around Tumut.
* A tour of the Old Butter Factory.
* Festival of the Falling Leaf in April.

9. White Sand beaches around Sydney
This is a coastal belt south of Sydney called the Shoal Haven region. These fabulous beaches have some of the whitest sand in the world. There are several beaches in this area, each unique in its own way: 7 Mile Beach, Cave Beach, Jervis Bay, Pebbly Beach, Hyams Beach and more.

10. Wollongong, Illawarra Coast
This is more like the little sister of Sydney that is equally beautiful and has so many places to see around it. From spectacular beaches and rock pools, to the quaint coastal villages and exceptional cuisine, to the impressive escarpment and range of thrilling adventure activities, to the Grand Pacific Drive which offers 140 kilometres of coast-hugging scenery, Wollongong will not disappoint.

Wollongong is gaining an international reputation for excellence in the arts. This is not surprising, as over the centuries many famous artists have been drawn to the Illawarra region for inspiration. Among Wollongong artists are Arthur Streeton, Tom Roberts, Norman Lindsay, Banjo Patterson, Brett Whiteley and Eugene Von Guerard. Wollongong City Gallery is a strong presence in the centre of the city and is one of the largest regional art galleries in Australia. Part of the cultural precinct, it is recognised as the best regional gallery in Australia for its innovative and thought-provoking exhibitions and programmes.

Wollongong is lucky to have such renowned artists in Wollongong and to add to that resident artists like John Vander celebrates 40 years in Wollongong, giving the arts community a strong and respectable reputation and a solid future.

Sydney is a large city by world city by world standards, it is reasonably safe to walk the streets at night without an escort.Sydney also has excellent public transport and infrastructure. For more details, visitwww.sydney.com.

Sphere: Related Content