NSW doctor smitten by love, fell victim to dating con couple - lost love and fortune more than 3.3 million AUD

"A fool and his money are soon to be parted" hold truth. So is "love is blind".

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/swindlers-turned-doctor-into-a-3m-fool-for-love-20111130-1o770.html

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/nsw-doctor-fooled-into-giving-3m-to-match-making-service-for-love-that-was-a-lie/story-e6frg6nf-1226210907328

We've been hearing immediate outcry against "pretty woman" who has disappeared. Her identity is not bona fide, creating obstacles to further police investigation. She could also be a victim of flesh slavery trade, if not a partner in crime, taking the crumbs of what the Mladenis couple had profited illegally.

In this connection, should not the pimps / matchmaker / dating agency bear the brunt of the liability, being the mastermind and main beneficiaries of the money siphoned from Dr Wallman's account?

It is not unheard of for Australian ladies who are eyeing a good match to seek help from matchmaking service providers. How do you tell whether one is genuine or fake?

At the minimum, we ought to be wary of beautiful women with an agenda and their handlers whatever their nationality.

We would remember that two Swedish women have trapped Wikileak maverick Julian Assange under rape accusations.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8864604/Julian-Assange-rape-accusations-timeline.html

Even the most intelligent, capable and seasoned professional could be prey of conmen once their weakness is exposed for exploitation.

Malaysian Chinese Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurant in West Ryde

There are few vegetarian restaurants that cater to diners with special needs. Some of my friends who are vegetarian either by birth, for health, religious or animal loving reasons, have to make special requests when dining at non-vegetarian restaurants and yet not know if their instructions are strictly followed.

This well-known Malaysian Chinese vegetarian restaurant at West Ryde is very popular among locals who may want to try something other than establishments in the CBD (inner city or Chatswood vicinity).

All time favourite that is not listed on the menu is the kungpo spicy sichuan "chicken" with cashew nut and vegetables. The items on the menu are mostly non-spicy and you'd have to ask the owner or waiter about this dish if you prefer something more fiery and exciting. The soy meat fillets are well marinated, fried and them coated with spicy dried chilli oil and sauces. Roast cashews and baby corn are added for balance and crunchiness.

spicy kungpo (palace treasure?) chicken

mock duck made of dense gluten wrapped in soy skin stewed

with taro (yam) and mushrooms

The following is my favourite - "fish" made of layered soy wrapped in seaweed, crisp fried and tasty.

Pan fried fish cutlet in dark sauce

Coral Mushroom with green vegetables

Don't expect vegetarian cuisine to be a lot less expensive because of the effort of moulding them into the right texture and flavours that make mock meat looks and tastes real.

I have not tried the yum cha offerings of dim sum yet. But I heard it's really good.

Mothers returning to workforce face challenges - difficult to change mindset of recruiters and employers

I know this to be true and pervasive despite living in what many call a progressive society. The phenomenon is widespread and is not limited to private sector where who is know is key to getting a job, it is also practised in the public sector despite having layers of selection criteria and assessment processes. Talk to graduates and mid-level lateral and vertical transferors to discover that these stories unsurprisingly tally.

How many women power in the labour force will be wasted or under-utilised if such archaic attitudes persist among recruiters and employers?

I have learned that the value in work experience accumulated more than five years ago depreciates drastically even if they are more relevant and useful because recent experience will carry more weight in the recruitment assessment process.

We can't change people's mindset overnight but there are ways to try to get around it. However, there is only so much one could polish up the presentation. Women got to vote only in the last century. Hope it won't take a few generations for a change to a fairer system.

Competition is keen out there and mothers or family carers trying to rejoin the workforce are needlessly disadvantaged. Not to discourage those who fall in this category, there are other obstacles to overcome even after the best efforts have been made to reorganise your resume with the help of consultants.

Some of the "fears" cited by recruiters are uncalled for, or may even be excuses, or irrational attitudes that they themselves can't give a convincing explanation. If head-hunters could offer three times the pay some mother returning to the workforce could do equally well, and yet they are likely to opt for the talent searched than what is within reach.

It is a long shot. But let's hope that recruiters will be more compassionate and level-headed after reading this article. It is frustrating for the job seeker, something which recruiters will not care to understand as business goes on as usual.

Rather than chasing various elusive human rights issues, it is high time activists try to help people next door, in your street, and closer to home. It goes without saying (that's an assumption) that economists and sociologists would have their radar up by now.

Quote :

"Mothers trying to re-enter the workplace need to combat backward attitudes" - by Jim Bright (Prof of career education and development at ACU)

Sophie is concerned that her time out of the workforce raising a family may be counting against her at interviews.

It beggars belief that women still contend with neanderthal thinking. It is crazy that Sophie's extensive relevant experience is being ignored and that is so much emphasis is being placed on the past three years.

Taken on face value, though, the issue is best addressed by Sophie altering how she presents her work history rather than relying on educating the recruiters.

Until we reach a time when recruiters are legally obliged to provide detailed written reasons for rejections, there will always be a temptation to discriminate between candidates on non-job-relevant grounds.

Sophie should try reorganising her work history to emphasise her current skills, knowledge and abilities by placing some key competency statements at the beginning of her resume before the work history.

... recruiters' attitudes to interstate candidates vary depending on the seniority of the role. Some recruiters may incorrectly infer that an interstate candidate is somehow not serious about the role, or is desperate.

For some jobs, recruiters may be concerned that they will be hit with relocation expenses or interview expenses, or may take the view that an interstate candidate poses a greater risk due to the possibility that they might not settle in their new state.

Sophie's best bet is not to get angry and vexed about this ingrained problem; rather, she needs to get past the annoyance to anticipate and neutralise concerns and questions in the recruiters' mind.

Extracts from "My Career" section of Sydney Morning Herald (26-27 Nov 2011) - not available online at the time of this blog's publication.

Why eat kangaroo, emu, rabbit, crocodile, camel, deer, horse, elephant - not Aussie culture but get used to wild meat

For someone who is a professed foodie, having game meat a few days in a row in the outback could prove excessive even for the most adventurous.

Rabbit meat is by far the most acceptable unconventional meat for the dinner table. Foremost, bunnies were propagating too rapidly and caused severe damages and costs to farmers. Moreover, rabbit is quite well known in French and European cuisine. Putting rabbit in stew or pie helps to mask indications of its origins.

Kangaroo meat, though, available in certain Australian fine dining and speciality stores, has not gained a wide following. Greens recommend eating more roo meat, and less beef, to safe the environment. Moreover, kangaroo meat is lean and therefore healthier than most red meats. Though it was eaten during drought and famine in the days of the early settlement, kangaroo has not gained widespread popularity despite the industry's attempt to market it aggressively in recent years.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/eat-a-roo-save-the-world/story-e6frf7l6-1111114612144

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/food-for-thought-why-skippy-should-be-our-steak-of-choice-20110708-1h5l6.html

Crocodile meat tastes like a blend between fish and chicken. Like roo, croc meat is touted for health benefits. Croc will be a boost to Australian exports as there is high demand by Chinese restaurants. Interestingly, croc meat is said to be a cure for asthma in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). We should keep some for Australian asthma sufferers and East Asian tourists visiting the outback.

Recipes for cooking crocodile meat :

http://www.australiancrocodile.com.au/images/Recipesandtipsforcookingcrocodilemeat_.pdf

Emu is available wild or from the farms. It looks and tastes more like beef with a tinge of gamey feel though it is a bird. It is regarded as exotic meat by US, Swiss and Asian consumers who took the bite of advertising on its low fat content and high standards of preparation.

http://www.nria.org.au/NewAnimalIndustries/Emus.aspx

Venison is more palatable although I hear protests from bambi lovers. Deer farms in Western Australia and Victoria are doing a roaring trade serving up venison teriyaki on hot plate to curious visitors and tourists as well as exporting them overseas.

http://www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/established-rural-industries/deer/program-overview/program-overview_home.cfm

My only aversion is for camel meat. Why would anyone want to eat a feral animal that Arabs don't particularly like except special use of the hump for emergencies, and the Jews are forbidden to eat camel meat according to the Torah. Do not believe those who tell you to be adventurous and try camel burgers. Don't be tempted or you'll regret. It's very pungent to the state of revulsion.

A less common meat is the horse. I know it may sound alien or even cruel to most Australians, there is apparently a small market officially legalised since last year. It has been a popular item on the menu in France which has created some controversy over animal rights in the US.

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/horses-for-courses-as-diners-eye-off-equine-entrees-20100708-101ws.html

In case some who fuss over the cute dumbo jumbo, I must warn that in some parts of Asia, it is acceptable to use elephant meat as substitute for domesticated farm animals for making sausages to increase profit margin.

I have taken a break and gone vegetarian for a day.

Dental Implant - be prepared for post-surgery pain and slow recovery - options of alternative procedures?

Contemplating dental implant? It's certainly superior to crown and dentures but the experience can vary from individual and surgeons.

A fair proportion of patients go through some degree of pain but each case is different. If you know of some people who have undergone stages of implant procedure, each has a different story.

Those straightforward cases would have an easier time but this does not preclude the full list and courses of post-surgery effects that patients have to undergo if theirs require extensive root canal and other related treatments. It also depends on the general health and bone density of the patient.

Closing your eyes during the entire procedure will help to ease your tense nerves.

These videos will give you a better idea of what dental implant encompasses.

Digging, drilling, hammering, stitching, etc. Be forewarned : it is not for the faint-hearted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGkuuAUs7kk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO_IBtaH8P8

This should not discourage patients from getting implants if that is the best remedy for medical or cosmetic reasons and better quality of life. It might even save you from losing bone mass and more teeth in a row.

Days 1 to 2 : Physical - swelling inside the mouth, around the lips, distortion of facial features from the cheekbone to the chin. A scary experience for one who has thin lips.

Pain could be eased and numbed with strong painkillers once the anaesthetics wear off.

Normally, anti-biotics (one or two courses) are prescribed depending on the severity of the infection and patient's medical condition.

Bleeding can exacerbate if you rinse or spit so do not strain your the muscles. Cold water is good for the initial post-operation period. Icepack is only good for external soothing but you don't have to suck on ice cubes.

Bursting seams around lips, dark shadows and jaundiced appearance

Days 3 - 8 :

Wobbly teeth can be frightful but it's part of recovery from infection. Get the dentist to check and offer reassurances that it will not lead to more serious problems.

The temporary yellowing of skin may be a sign of heightened production of white blood cells to deal with infection. If it persists, check with medical professionals to ensure that it is not the result of contraindication from medication or a sign of jaundice or other ailments.

Blue Black Bruises on both sides of the face, above and below the mouth and

more pronounced at the veins and arteries

Feeling less pain but discomfort persists from residue swelling, stitches and new implant.

Baby teething numbing gel may help to relieve the uneasy feeling and residue dispersed pain.

On the road to recovery? If that's what the doctor says.

Now waiting for more reviews to determine how long the wait will be for the next procedure to put in the new tooth facade.

Surprisingly, many general dental practitioners in Australian suburbs do not offer implant services. There are only a handful in the CBD areas who do. Crowns are more common but may not be suitable or viable for certain cases.

I'm guessing that implants are more complex and come with a lot more complications and complaints from patients. Not worth the money?

If you have a health fund cover, it should help to pay for 20 per cent of the total bill of a few thousand dollars in total taking into account the number of visits for review in addition to various stages of the implant procedure.

Is pain inevitable to have dental implant done?

Minimally invasive "flapless technique" that are apparently less painful as it does not require cutting and takes a shorter time to recover are available but cost a lot more than the conventional method.

http://www.longislandimplants.com/patient/surgery.html

Will the patient be in time for Christmas feasting? If possible, cut down on sweets and meat. Whatever it takes, one should stay positive and be determined to get better.

Photos copyright and privacy : not for sharing and circulation unless permission is granted by originator

Wearing an Invisible Suit gets poor sales service

I must have been wearing my invisible suit for almost 20 minutes without knowing it myself.

Service staff at the store without queue and numbering system passed me by several times.

My conspicuous appearance (at least what I thought) and attempts to alert someone for 15 minutes proved futile.

Even a lady who just came up and stood at the corner was noticed. And there wasn't even a long line of people.

I am a regular customer except dressing a bit more casual that day. Or perhaps it was just another bad haired day for me - quite literally, using a different shampoo and getting up on the wrong side of the bed. I'm speculating what other possible reasons that could have made the sales staff think I wasn't a serious customer that day.

Was I wearing an invisible suit without realising it? It only works on others standing opposite or next to you. The magic only lasts for several minutes, enough to test your patience and endurance.

Finally one bloke who finished serving a customer who stood next to me but went on to do other stuff and talk to co-workers than to help out at the service counter decided to take notice of my existence and asked if I needed help. Of course, I had been waiting for a long while.

I do take comfort that another store I went to was well organised, the sales processing was orderly and the staff efficient and friendly despite the crowd and long queue.

It's not really a Not a scam? Becoming a spammer, hacker, scammer yourself - easy home income despicable and brain dead

Modern man and women gradually drift and deviate from moral norms and compromise on integrity in order to survive materially and get ahead the easy way.

You don't have to a computer whiz to see through the ploy to enslave desperate working mums to spam others' websites. It's bordering on illegality, spamming and making a nuisance of yourselves if you fall for it.

Many websites have installed anti-spam protection or manually remove nonsensical posts of links to the advertiser. It is an unproductive deployment of labour both on the part of the spammer and the anti-spam worker.

It's easy money working from home, but not something one could be proud of earning.

Such sneaky schemes would not go on forever without being detected or redressed. Harsher retaliation may result in reduction of income by spamming others' websites with links.

It is not a type of skill that will help to develop one's career. Imagine putting this on your resume! Get a real job that helps you to grow even if it pays less.

A sample of laid back income churning scheme :

http://web-news-weekly.com/aus-biz/

People are fed up of the scams out there and now is the time people can take advantage of making money from home, or anywhere in the world'

Working online has been a financial windfall for Melissa, who struggled for months to find a decent job but kept hitting dead ends. "I lost my job shortly after the recession hit, I needed reliable income, I was not interested in the "get rich quick" scams you see all over the internet. Those are all pyramid scams or stuff where you have to sell to your friends and family. I just needed a legitimate way to earn a living for me and my family. The best part of working online is that I am always home with the kids, I save a lot of money.

"Follow the instructions at Home Income Cash System and set up your account. Then they will give you the website links to post. Start posting those links. Everything gets tracked.

Networking and Insider employment the best way to clinch a job has become an acceptable part of life - get into social networking early

In Australia, networking accounts for more than half to three quarters of successful employment. The hard fact is that most job vacancies are not advertised.

The first move is usually to get recommendations from internal staff, inter-departments and associates. The assumption is that this is the best chance of getting potential candidates who are competent and reliable and able to work within the team and company culture than to draw on hundreds of applicants and respondents to advertisements which are expensive and added business cost.

This is the same in most developed countries where networking has become an important extra-curricula activity, perhaps even more crucial than sports and community services, though these in itself are stepping stones to widen social network.

Source of New Job

	2010	2009	2008
Networking	41%	45%	41%
Internet Job Board	25%	19%	19%
Agency/Search firm	11%	9%	11%
Direct Approach	8%	8%	8%
Online Network (2010)	4%	na	na
Advertisement	2%	7%	7%
Other	10%	12%	14%

http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2011/06/07/networking-is-still-the-best-way-to-find-a-job-survey-says/

The rate of success in getting an interview and finally a job offer through seek.com.au is sadly very low and disappointing.

Call it incest, nepotism or cronyism but that's the way things are.

Welcome to the real world! For the moment, no one has the clout to fix or change the system.

Start networking early in life and the returns are invaluable.

Hackers have become more sophisticated - making email and internet activities safer

One of my friends who is educated and cautious, as a matter of fact, a member of the security industry, has had her email hacked and important data stolen. It sends a chill down the spine of people who know her well.

When one's email password has been hacked, it becomes viral. All the contacts will become potential victims if they are not careful.

There are a few simple precautionary habits one could adopt to avoid losses are very simple.

Use a strong password that is difficult to break such as alphanumeric and symbols/signs included.

Do not click on strange web links especially within an email unless you fully trust the sender and have explored that site before. Never give away your password.

Never disclose your password on the computer. Old fashioned, hand written and locked away are the safer bet.

Do not store important bank data or disclose to anyone online. Your bank will never ask for your password verification in an email link. This is most likely a trap, so don't fall for it.

Make sure you are on the genuine website and not a copy / imitation. Look for 'https' and the little lock as indications of secure websites. Hackers have become sophisticated and are able to produce a window very similar to your email service provider. It is always safer to type in the website address to ensure you are visiting the safe site and not fake ones. Scrutinise carefully. When in doubt, contact the real Mckoy.

Be extra cautious when using a public computer. Clear all cookies before leaving to ensure that your information is not cache or stored to be viewed or exploited by the next user.

The internet is a wonderful invention but like all good things, there are flaws that crooks could utilise to trick innocent people.