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Community newspaper Issue 15, April 2011
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Issue 15
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www.aroundpointcook.com Issue 15
AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOW 2011
The 2011 Australian International Airshow made a lot of aviation lovers very happy this year, myself included!
With weather that you could only dream about, I found myself negotiating the impressive crowds to get from one exhibit to another as a the roar of the planes overhead drew my attention time and time again.
While I will let the photos do most of the talking, the atmosphere this year was electric.
The show had the usual collection of aerobatic sports aircraft and novelty planes were plentiful, however a notable exhibit this year was the B1 Bomber.
What an outstanding bit of technology that is. When you stand under it you really feel the power of this aircraft. Swing wing allows speed that is beyond most peoples comprehension and the technology is top shelf.
I must comment that it was amusing to see this aircraft (among others) guarded by police officers and their respective cars, this security including a guard and an attack dog.
As I made my way around you can understand my surprise when I saw that they were in fact providing tours to people up into the cockpit of this outstanding machine.
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The Around Point Cook Community Newspaper is distributed in Point Cook.
continued page 3
Issue 15Page 2
EDITORS COLUMN
PUDDLING WITH THE PUBLISHER
Well there have been some exciting and positive changes in the last few months with the Around Point Cook community newspaper.
Bill has been getting some help from Will in so far as checking quality of printing. Some set up changes have been made so that there is less confusion for Bill when he does the printing. The days of having incorrect pages printed are now in the past (I do truly hope). I must stress the paper you see is printed by Bill who is 85. And until someone sponsors the paper (at least $2500) per month to get it professionally printed, well he is going to continue to print it as it is. The layout is no longer done by myself but I have offered to stick around and organise as much content as I can and interesting local articles.
Bill has been very instrumental in a lot of community successes and both this paper and
the Around Altona are examples of just one way in which he likes to encourage community conversation and activity. Bill is very inspirational and is an excellent role model for a sound contributor to the community.
Bill is just 1 example of someone who contributes to the community. I would love the opportunity to talk about others locally who contribute to the local community in the Point Cook area. If you would like me to mention someone please drop me an email with the relevant information and the contact details of the person to which you refer. This is a good opportunity to bring recognition to someone you think deserves it.
Have a fantastic month!RegardsDaniel
On Saturday 19th March I visited the Hobsons Bay Mens Shed Classic Car and Bike Show at Apex Park in Altona, a pert of the Altona Beach Festival on a most pleasant sunny day
Although I was aware of the groundwork in the development of this, the first Annual event planned by the Mens Shed group, it was nor possible to imagine the huge volume of support demonstrated by car enthusiast members of the community – it was positively overwhelming with over 180 entries, all competing for prizes in 13 categories generously provided and presented by the Bendigo Bank, who judged the entries, a very difficult job due to the excellence of the work done to restore these magnificent entries from days gone by.
It was really a motoring history lesson in the development of the motor car with entries from 1920 through to band new models provided by a supporting sponsor, Werribee Motors – an amazing array.
The range of exhibits from the stable of local, John Link of Link Pumps was also a delight demonstrating the elegance of a bygone era and the craft of a skilled restoration artisan.
Among the bikes on show examples of the painstaking work in modifying the machines made eyes boggle together with great delight in being able to inspect a 1927 genuine BSA motorcycle
ridden to the event by the very proud owner who had to spend most of the day answering endless questions from an admiring crowd.
Congratulations to the team responsible for organising such a great event could become part of the annual festival.
Issue 15 Page 3
Now if you happened to be one of those people you would be in for some serious entertainment (I was not going to enter that queue on this occasion as tempting as it was), but it does bode the question… why all the security and attack dogs? In any event I am wrapped that they got it here for us to enjoy.
A wonderful day out!
Congratulations to the organisers on a wonderful local event.
from front page
A WORD FROM OUR PRIME MINISTERTHE HON JULIA GILLARD MP
A new and important exhibition has opened at Point Cook’s Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Museum, and features some of Australia’s most iconic aircraft, including the first Australian-retained F-111G aircraft.
Point Cook is the birth place of the RAAF, which in March is celebrating its 90th year of service.
The Museum provides visitors with a very real portrayal of the history of the RAAF, highlighting the significance of the air force in the strategic defence of the nation.
The permanent “Strike Aircraft” display includes part of a Lincoln bomber tailplane, a Canberra bomber, an F-4E Phantom and the renowned F-111G, along with other memorabilia.
The exhibition highlights some of the key developments in the RAAF’s strike capability, showing how Australia’s aeroplanes have
changed from single-role to multi-role aircraft.
The planning and construction of the exhibition has been completed by the technical and curatorial team under the guidance of the Museum Director David Gardner. I encourage all to see it.
The RAAF Museum is open from Tuesday to Friday 10am to 3pm and Weekends 10am to 5pm.
RegardsJulia GillardMember for Lalor
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JILL HENNESSY MPAROUND POINT COOK APRIL
Under the previous Brumby State Government, the Suzanne Cory High School, one of four select-entry high schools in Melbourne and the first select-entry high school to be located in Melbourne’s western suburbs was conceived and built.
I was happy to hear the Suzanne Cory High School opened for classes in Werribee this year with more than 3000 students applying for a place. This number of applications is a good illustration to the local educational need.
If you would like to find out more information about this school, or if you would like to apply for a position, please visit the school’s website: www.suzannecoryhs.vic.edu.au or call them directly on 0457 146 467.
The rapid population growth in the West is placing pressure on local schools to cap enrolments. Local schools have been experiencing large surges in enrolments, and parents are concerned about their children gaining admission to local schools.
With the Baillieu State Government’s new plans to cut $338 million from the education budget over four years, local public schools are feeling the pressure. I have been lobbying the Baillieu State Government to commit funds to build the schools that Labor promised to implement prior to the 2010 State Election. These two new schools are critical in ensuring that the educational needs of children in growth areas of Point Cook and Truganina are met in to the future.
Another subject which has a large impact on the lives of those in our community is cancer. People living
in Melbourne’s western suburbs are over represented in cancer statistics.
February was Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and I hosted an afternoon tea to raise funds for research in to the disease. The guest speaker, Beverley Read, spoke about her battle with ovarian cancer and educated women in attendance about the symptoms. The afternoon was rewarding and very informative for women in the community.
Ovarian cancer is a terrible disease. Cells in one or both ovaries start to grow abnormally and develop into cancer. It is incredibly important that every woman knows the symptoms of ovarian cancer. Women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer often report experiencing one or more of four types of symptoms:
•Unexplained abdominal or pelvic pain•Increased abdominal size or persistent abdominal bloating•Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly•Needing to urinate often or urgently or a change in bowel habits
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms you should see your doctor to gauge whether further investigation is required.
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I attended another important local fundraising event recently, also in support of the battle against cancer, Relay for Life.
Relay for Life is not only a fundraising activity for the Cancer Council, it is also a celebration of those who are cancer survivors and provides an opportunity to remember those lost to cancer. It is an opportunity to fight back.
Further information on how you can avoid cancer, research cancer, find support services and offer help, can be found at: www.cancervic.org.au
Thank you for taking the time to have a read of my column this month, if there is anything I can assist you with please do not hesitate to contact my electorate office on (03) 9395 0221.
Regards,Jill Hennessy MPMember for the Altona District
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COMPETITIVE BUSINESS FUND OPEN FOR ALL WESTERN SUBURBS
BUSINESSES
Small businesses are eligible to apply for a grant under the second round of the Victorian Government’s Competitive Business Fund (CBF).
The CBF provides two streams of assistance on a co-contribution basis:
Enterprise – up to $250,000 for a project involving one company, to be matched by a minimum of $3 for every $1 granted; and
Supply Chain – up to $500,000 for a collaborative project involving multiple companies, to be matched by a minimum of $2 for every $1 granted.
Funding can be used for investments that increase a company’s or supply chain’s productivity and competitiveness, including:
• purchase/upgrades of plant and equipment or technology• upgrades to existing infrastructure• improvement/enhancement of capabilities or skills adoption of new processes• development of an innovative product, process or market that will generate broader benefits to the community• mergers and acquisitions that will create sustainable, growth-oriented entities• collaborative projects among multiple businesses that facilitate greater business growth, and• demonstration projects where knowledge is shared across industry which leads to significant productivity improvement.
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COMMUNITYCOURSES
CERAMICS AT POINT COOK
Hosted by Jamieson Way Community Centre, lead by experienced French artist
Nicole Buffet.
Pieces on display at the centre, all levels, starting March 21st.
For enrolments and information
contact Jamieson Way on 93953777
SEWING TIPS AND TRICKS AT POINT COOK
Hosted by Jamieson Way Community Centre,
lead by sewing master Joan Grieve.
Beginners and experienced, starting in April,
day and night options.
For enrolments and information
contact Jamieson Way on 93953777
The online application form, guidelines, information about reporting requirements and case studies of successful projects already supported by the program are available from www.business.vic.gov.au/cbfund or by calling Business Victoria on 13 22 15.
Applications close at 5pm AEST on Friday 8 April.
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BLUEBIRD SAILING
I am a Bluebird sailor. I enjoy sailing in one design class races where skippers and crew are competing against each other in similar design boats. I used to race in much larger yachts with bigger crews. I was introduced to class racing over six years ago and was part of a 5 person crew, myself being the only woman and the lightest on board. The owner/skipper of the 26ft. S80 yacht upgraded to a much larger 11m Sydney 38 design yacht in 2006, and my role in the crew of nine changed from “strings” in the cockpit to “sewer rat” below decks, with radio control and spinnaker sail packer as specified tasks, keeping trailing halyards free of sail bags in the cabin below and general “gofor” during the race, running up the companionway steps to sit on the rail and “hike out” to balance the boat going upwind.
One requirement in Sydney 38 class racing is that the combined crew weight is restricted to 750kg. All crew were on weight loss programs: I dropped from 67kg to 59kg for the short ocean racing regatta off Sydney harbour heads. If the total weight for nine crew was over the limit we would have raced a man short with one crew left on the marina.
I became a Bluebird sailor by chance. I’d dropped out of the Sydney 38 crew. I didn’t have the stamina for long distance ocean racing so they went to Hobart without me. My friend Julie was contacted by a ex dinghy sailor from Hobsons Bay yacht club, who had just purchased a 22ft Bluebird and was looking for crew. Julie invited me along as the third person on board.
Our first outing with David on his Bluebird was a bit hair-raising. We had a gusty 15-20kt breeze blowing. Julie had opted to do the foredeck duties but David was still learning to tell his crew when he was planning to “tack” ie change direction and Julie had three near-misses of going overboard. Talk to any ‘foredeckie’ and find out how many times they’ve landed in the drink! I was happy working the trim on the mainsheet and jib/genoa sheets in the cockpit and tinkering with the ‘keyboard’ as I had years before on the S80.
After three years as crew I’m still in the cockpit trimming sheets, calling information on other Bluebirds in the fleet, packing spinnaker sails, sitting on the rail an extra kilo or two heavier, and helping to balance the boat as David steers us toward the finish line. Next month I will write about my introduction to ‘foredeck’ duties on a Bluebird and man overboard retrievals while sailing on bigger boats.
Sailor Ann
More about Bluebird sailing
go to the website:
www.bluebirdsailing.org.au
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NEW CHURCH FOR THEPOINT COOK COMMUNITY
Sunday April 3rd, 5pm, a new Church for the Point Cook community will be launching its first service at “The Brook on Sneydes”.
Pastors Phil and Tracy Shand are moving from the east of Melbourne to start this new church in Point Cook because they see the need for a Christian community that provides for the spiritual and social needs of this rapidly growing area of Melbourne.
“In 1996 Point Cook had less than 500 residents, today the figure is well over 30,000, presenting a need for new churches to be established.” Phil explains. “A church can provide a sense of
community and care for newly arrived residents and migrants.”
Their goal is to one day have a permanent facility to house the Church, but for now they will be relying on hired facilities.
Lightpoint Church will be launching at the newly constructed “Brook on Sneydes” and then meeting every Sunday at 5pm in the Point Cook Community Learning Centre.
For more information please contact Phil on 0425 722 868 or visit www.lightpointchurch.com.
THE GARAGE SALE TRAIL
So what’s a Garage Sale Trail? We’d like to start advertising local garage sales in the format of a route for those interested in such happenings to follow together with stories of what priceless goodies readers may have found on a previous trail. To do this successfully we would have to have your info by the 15th of the month prior to the date of your garage sale to make sure you get coverage of your event. We find that the paper usually has maximum distribution by the 15th of each month and is usually up on the Web during the first week. The service is free. $20 will ensure your copy is in BOLD text to make it stand out and to tell readers you have supported us in this project.RegardsBill McPherson
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Professional Private Services Available
Basic - AdvancedDance Classes All Styles All AgesExecutive and Personal Assistant (Need Help Organizing Your Life)
Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint and VBANutrition (Allergies Specialist)
Weight ManagementDe - Stress Classes Every Tuesday & Thursday
6 - 6:30pm & 7 - 7:30pmProfessional DJ Service
(Corporate Events, Weddings, MC & Partys) Product PromotionFood of the Gods
Unsweetened 99% (Cocoa) Dark Courveture 1kilo
The Cocoa Bean is the RICHEST of Nature’s Food Group on the planet
Current Medical Doctors today suggest it to their Cancer Patients and is great for Weight LoseDelicious treats can be healthy: raw unprocessed and
unsweetened dark chocolate is so healthy in fact that it contains more antioxidants than green tea and red wine
Contact Jeanette 0401 676 562Email www.jeanette.net.au
Meditation is not only a means to quiet the mind for peace and relaxation, it is also a means for healing.
It has been proven that the power of the mind has a capacity to heal the body. Many books and testimonials have been written about this body /mind connection. Once the body is relaxed visualisation and guided imagery can be used to help the body with its healing process. Visualisation and guided imagery techniques are often taught by professionals to their clients for healing and pain relief.
Meditation in the form of guided imagery and visualisation can also be used for overcoming depression and anxiety, for self healing, for compassion and loving kindness, for improving relationships and inner child work, relaxation and pain management.
Some different forms of meditation you may like to further research are:
• Breathing techniques
• Guided Imagery
• Mindfulness Meditation
• Mantra
• Meditations for Spiritual Growth.
• Transcendental Meditation
The key to reaping the benefits of meditation is to learn it, and do it.
It helps to create a space in your home dedicated to your practice. A room or corner with a comfy chair or cushions, a candle all creates the ambience which helps to remind you to stop and meditate. Make a commitment to yourself to do this for yourself. As the saying goes “you’re worth it”. Joining a meditation class can be a valuable experience as then you have the guidance of a professional.
Meditation is a vital key to balance and wellness.
If you are interested in meditation please contact me.
Rose Farrugia
from Peaceful Solutions
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MEDITATION (part 3)
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CARTRIDGE WORLDShop 11 Harrington Square, Maidstone StreetAltona VIC 3018 Ph:93985200 Fax:93985211
WWW.CARTRIDGEWORLD.COM.AU
NEW AND REFILLED INK AND LASER CARTRIDGES
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TO ADVERTISE IN AROUND POINT
COOKOR
AROUND ALTONA
COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
Contact the sales team
WillSales Manager
M: 0449 834 359 E: [email protected]
LouiseSales Manager
M: 0403 191 084
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Issue 15 Page 17
PROMOTING THE SERVICES AT POINT COOK TOWN CENTRE
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PYCNOSORUS GLOBOSUS
(Syn. CRASPEDIA GLOBOSA)
DRUMSTICKS
Yellow is the dominant flower colour in the Australian bush, especially during winter and early spring when the wattles are in full, glorious bloom. Drumsticks (Pycnosorus globosus), which flower from mid-October to December, carry the colour yellow into spring and early summer, doing their very best to promote this cheerful, uplifting, sunny colour in indigenous gardens.
Pycnosorus globosus, which is native to Australia and New Zealand, has stout linear, silvery-white hairy foliage arranged in a loose tussock at the base of the plant. Each plant may produce several flower heads that consist of many tiny yellow flowers clustered in a tight terminal globe and held atop a tall stem that can reach as much as 120cm in height. It is the flower heads on their long, strong stalks that give rise to the common name of Drumsticks. In the wild, P. globosus is rare in the Melbourne area, having being found only on a few sites in Altona and Melton.
Drumsticks can be planted in full to part sun in most well-drained soils and will tolerate heat and dryness. As cut flowers, they last well in water and are popular in native floral arrangements.
The Basaltica WaterWise Garden is a showcase garden whose design reflects Western Plains landscape features, utilises indigenous plants to showcase horticultural attributes, utilises local materials in construction, demonstrates the versatility of natural stone, minimises maintenance, minimises water usage and provides year round access.
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Members of the public are welcome to visit the Basaltica WaterWise Garden and the Helene Wild Botanic Art Gallery during office hours, but we would appreciate your making an appointment by telephoning Ross or Anna at the Habitat Trust on 9290-1704. Larger groups may negotiate visiting times at weekends. If necessary, please leave your contact details and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
When you come to look at our garden, be aware that it is on the premises of the CRT Group (a transport company) at Gate 3, 21-43 Barnes Road, Altona North (Melway Map 54, J.4). We are in an industrial area, so don’t think you are lost when you turn into Barnes Road.
Helene Wild
Resident Artist Habitat Trust
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Are We There Yet?
LAUGH OUT LOUD
Man
Man is a woman’s best friend.
He will reassure her when she feels insecure and comfort her after a
bad day.
He will inspire her to do things she never thought she could do;
to live without fear and forget regret.
He will enable her to express her deepest emotions
and give in to her most intimate desires.
He will make sure she always feels that she’s the most beautiful woman in the room and will enable her to be confident, sexy, seductive, and
invincible.
No wait...... sorry....... I’m thinking of wine.
It’s wine that does all that..
Sorry.
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Page 22 Issue 15
Hi all,Welcome once again to another thrilling installment of Whats happening at the Hobsons Bay mens shed!Well, after another month of frenetic action in preparation for the car show at Apex Park, we finally pulled off a fantastic public event! Saturday the 19th saw over 160 entrants of all varieties show up to a beautiful sunny day and an amazing community atmosphere. Our car Torque team, headed up by the incredibly committed Graham Weightman, provided a day of great companionship for automotive enthusiasts and their families, and attracted over a thousand people through the gate! Our sponsors, The Bendigo Bank, Hobsons Bay City Council, IGA Laverton and Werribee Nissan provided generous financial assistance , and on behalf of The Shed, thank you.At the end of the day, the event was testament to the amazing cooperative spirit we foster here at the Mens Shed, that we as a regular bunch of men can do whatever we set our minds to, and achieve great success.The woodwork shop has begun a new phase of its service provision to those members of our community, who are less physically or intellectually able. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are now set aside to run groups for special needs people from places like David House and Mambourin. Anyone interested in helping out or have any one who would like to participate, please contact me on 0430092316. As per usual, the rest of the week is dedicated to the usual suspects!Speaking of usual suspects, the boat is coming along well, and now is beginning to resemble an ark instead of a fully eaten cooked chicken. I cannot tell you what a beautiful piece of work it is, with each deck timber screwed, caulked and dowelled in place, the curve over the top of the deck reminding me of a sheer distant horizon every time I look at it. I can understand how and why this project has taken over two years so far, it really is an expression of love..At this point, I would like to cease the ramble for a moment to pay respect to one of the boys who has been the spine of this project, Ron, who lost his wife last weekend. Although not unexpected after a long illness, I have no doubt that her loss will be hard felt by Ron and his family. On behalf of everyone at the Hobsons Bay Mens Shed, I offer our deepest and most sincere condolences to Ron and his family, and offer all the love and assistance we can give to a man who has made more than his fair share of contribution to our community and the Mens Shed Movement.The computer boys are still smashing along with the beginners classes. It is nice to watch people who had an almost non existent ability to use computers, walk away at the end of term, confident in their ability to access the internet, email and entertaining games on their home computers.
What’s happening @ Mens Shed
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It really does open up a whole new world of communication. Well worth the $55.00 course fee!On another computer note, the tech boys are running low on donated computer stocks to refurbish and redistribute to those in our community who cannot afford to buy them new. If you or anyone you know have pentium4 or faster computers to consider donating, please do. You may ask, isn’t any old computer going to do the job? Actually no, for most internet and computing applications today, the computer has to be of a minimum speed to handle the software. So for the sake of the people who receive them, we try and distribute the fastest and up to date computers we can.Fridays are a big day down here at the shed, being either bbq or spit day. It is a wonderful sight to witness men from all different walks of life ( and in some cases totally opposite social backgrounds) sitting together, sharing a meal, a joke and a cool drink. I have to admit, that more often than not the joke is on me if I attend too regularly! I feel genuinely privileged to be amongst such a fine group of genuinely nice people, even if I have to bear the brunt of their jest!!As per usual, membership is steadily increasing week by week. If you have passed the shed, and most of you would have at some stage recently and thought about coming in for a look but have not acted on the urge, then get onto it! The least we can do is offer you a coffee and a tour.Hopefully our signage will be finished soon, as one of our newest members, Milan is a qualified and very competent signwriter. Should you need signwriting at a very competitive rate contact me and I will refer your details to Milan.Well, I have no more news to report as yet, so please stay posted for the next verbose and interesting installment from theHobsons Bay Mens Shed. Til next time,
Yours in serviceDaniel Kuiper
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* * * * * * *
<<Pourquoi ris-tu?>> dit le squire au garcon;
<<Toi si pauvre qui t’habilles en haillons?>>
<<Pourquoi pas?>> il replique, <<rien de specifique;
<<Je viens de me bagner la-bas dans la crique.
<<Le soleil brille et les oiseaux chantent,
<<Le Seigneur m’adore et je suis vivant !
<<Je suis tres pauvre et j’ai l’air miteux,
<<Mais ca n’est pas raison pour etre grincheux.>>
Un Garcon Heureux
Check the english version on page 27Eric was an old man emuWho would roam the western plains,Where spinifex grows, trees are few,And it seldom if ever rains. One day while searching for something to eat,Thinking a grub or two would be a treat,He spotted Kyle, a big red kangaroo;Eric stepped up and said, “How do you do?” Now young Kyle was a very fine athleteWho at no time had known defeat.Though he’d never raced an emu,This bird could not fly; this he knew. The two took each other’s measure;Thought Kyle, “To beat this bird would be a pleasure”.“I’m feeling bored”, said Kyle, “What about you?”Said Eric, “Now you mention it, I’m bored too.” “Like a race”, said Kyle, “to that tree yonder?”“You are on!” said Eric; he did not ponder.“Make it interesting; I’ll bet you a pound;“I think I can run you into the ground.”
“Talk’s cheap”, said Eric, “Let’s see what you’ve got”.“Ready set go! Coming ready or not!”The appointed tree was two miles away,Which did not our hero at all dismay. Kyle bounded away; twenty yards ahead;It seemed he had left old Eric for dead.Kyle’s agility gave Eric a shock:He had not yet left his starting block. Eric was awed; couldn’t believe his eyes;Suddenly he took off; over his surprise.Though devoid of wings, he “flew” ‘cross the ground,Winning by yards, making an easy pound. Kyle, a good sport, recognized his master:He was fast, but old Eric was faster.They became pals, and stayed so forever,In any and all kinds of weather. Whenever someone told Eric he had no wings,He’d shrug and say, “That’s one of those things:“It’s true I can’t fly, nor can I bound,“But I can run a ‘roo right into the ground.”
Eric The Emu
Jack Nystrom,Monday, 25 January, 2010.
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THE POWER OF THE INTERNETIf you are running a small business in the current economy they you will need all the help you can get with you on-line marketing. You probably don’t have the ad budgets, the personnel or the time that the bigger companies have. But none of those factors really matter to search engines, and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is a great way to both level the playing field and steal market share.Here are a few tips that you can use to increase your SEO results and help you attract more interest in your website.
1. Create more contentContent is still King and search engines really love unique content. The more useful or relevant content there is on your website, the more opportunities you give searchers to find your products and services. The 1st thing you may want to look at is to turn everything associated with your site into content. As a way to get you thinking about this, here are a few ideas to help you develop “free” extra content for your site. . • Create a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) paged based of what you clients are asking.• Take the content of your broachers and create additional pages on your website, the more pages with relevant content the better.• Create 5 to 7 minutes videos explaining the benefits of your products and service.
2. Make it personalYou have a major advantage those bigger businesses: Your personal voice. By making your voice heard, you’re showcasing your authority in your marketplace, and adding trust. Buyers love hearing recommendations or reviews, and are more influenced to buy based on those recommendations or reviews rather that product feature and benefits. Consumers use search engines to research products, and other than the lowest price, they’re looking for recommendations. Give them some! If you have a catalog, make a buyer’s guide in addition to product listings. Show you’re an expert and turn your knowledge into personalised business advice. Teaching is a great way to make sales and clients like to hear from the experts.3. Optimize for local search
Odds are that your small business can take advantage of local search. 63% of consumers use search engines to research information about local companies and right now Google are assisting with this by offering local business FREE webpage, known a “Google Places”. For more information on this latest marketing opportunity checkout: http://www.Page1ofGoogle.com/
4. Improve your site’s speedSmall business sites can be notoriously slow. Site speed is usually one of the last things that small business owners care about. But now that Google has introduced speed into the ranking algorithm, it’s time to seriously start checking out how fast your site loads. But more importantly, when you improve your site’s speed, you’re also improving your customer’s experience. Don’t make users wait to buy your products! You can use tools like Web Page Analyzer and the Firefox extension Slow! to see what’s taking your pages so long to load. If you’re using a blog or shopping cart software, search for caching plugins for your software.
5. Refine internal linkingInternal links can add value to your site considerably, but many small businesses don’t understand that you have to develop a linking mindset in order to really capitalise on it. It takes extra time to research old post links and include them in your articles, but the benefits are great. Sites like Copyblogger do an excellent job of referencing older posts in their articles. Not only does this strategy help with SEO, it also adds to the user experience, giving them more. Think long and hard about your site’s linking architecture. Is your navigation schema getting to all of your content? Aside from adding sitemaps, related products and posts keep both visitors and search engines happy. Popular posts lists are also great for making sure your best content is getting seen and linked to.
6. Create content for peopleIf you’re generating content specifically for search engines, you’re missing a major chunk of your market. Humans don’t like to be bamboozled, and when they come to a page on your site that was obviously made for a search engine, they’ll leave in a hurry and never come back. Plus, only humans can link to your site. If you want to get more inbound links and retain customers, you need to write for customers.
The goal to higher search results is still to get more people to your site. After all, search engines can’t buy anything from you.
7. Don’t fret about getting no follow linksIt’s easy to get carried away with only trying to get incoming links without the dreaded no follow. But really, a link is still a link. If that link can bring in a potential customer, then you want it. If you’re only looking for specific types of incoming links, than odds are you’re missing lots of the low-hanging backlink fruit and worrying about the wrong things.Who knows how long the nofollow link will be around? If you’re smart, you worry about what’s most important: creating great content. You can’t control how Google ranks things in the future. Focus on things you can control, like creating a killer experience for your customers. In the end, if you focus on giving your customers and visitors’ great content, many aspects of SEO will take care of itself. Great content attracts great links, especially when you promote it and leverage social SEO channels of distribution. If it’s good for your potential customers, odds are its good for SEO too.
8. The power of Social MediaYou have probably heard all the buzz about Twitter & Facebook, well now is the time to get on board and use these free tools to attract more clients and spread the word about your business. If you don’t have accounts with Twitter or Facebook then you really need to correct that situation. Just go to http://www.Facebook.com & http://www.Twitter.com and get started. Then you need to set your Social Media marketing plan so that you get that extra traffic to your website. There are more tutorials available at http://www.Page1ofGoogle.com that will help you on your way.
Hopefully you now have some more ideas to help you grow your business by using the power of the Internet.
If you have any questions about this article of business marketing in general, drop me an email to [email protected] and I will do my best to answer it.Fred Gillen is an established Business Coach, Internet Marketer, Published Author, Public Speaker and IT Consultant. His current projects include:http://www.NirrtGrittyBusiness.com
http://www.Page1ofGoogle.com
http://www.MoreMarketingIdeas.com
http://www.HowToGetStarted.biz
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FUN
FACTS66% of home based businesses
are owned by women.
* * *
Insulating your attic reduces the amount of energy loss in most houses by up to 20%.
* * *
There are three golf balls sitting on the moon.
* * *
A cesium atom in an atomic clock beats over nine billion times a second.
Americans spend more than 5.4 billion dollars on their pets each year!
* * *
The number of possible ways of playing tA pound of potato chips costs 200 times more
than a pound of potatoes.
* * *
A man named Charles Osborne had the hiccups for 69 years!
* * *
A broken clock is always right twice a day.
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RANDOM
QUOTES
People who say they sleep like a baby usually don’t have one. ~ Leo J. Burke
* * *
There was no respect for youth when I was young, and now that I am old, there is no respect for age - I missed it coming and
going. ~ J.B. Priestly
* * *
If you kick a stone in anger, you’ll hurt your own foot. ~ Korean Proverb
* * *
Life is a shipwreck but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats. ~ Voltaire
* * *
Art is the only way to run away without leaving home. ~Twyla Tharp
* * *
I don’t believe in astrology; I’m a Sagittarius and we’re skeptical. ~ Arthur C. Clarke
* * *
If you don’t get everything you want, think of the things you don’t get that you don’t want. ~
Oscar Wilde
* * *
Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn’t. ~Erica
Jong
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Page 31
Point Cook Kids Point Cook Kids Point Cook Kids Point Cook Kids
Calling on Point Cook Schools and Parents to share photos, art, stories, writing for this page.Email your contributions to [email protected] or post to the PO Box 1145 Altona Meadows 3028
www.aroundpointcook.com Please email contributions to [email protected]
ABN: 43 604 804 338 Advertising enquiries:PO Box 1145 Altona Meadows 3028 Will: 0449 834 359Publisher - Bill: (03) 8307 8872 Louise: 0403 191 084
RATHER THAN THROW THIS PAPER OUT WHY NOT RECYCLE TO A FRIEND FOR READING
Issue 15
Help the turtle to find a way to the goal
At the Shore
crab scallop
jellyfish starfish
Not all ocean animals live in the deep sea. Many of them can be found at the shore, where the land meets the water. How many of each animal cart you find in this picture?
Please redistribute rather than discard.Page 32 Issue 15
