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In today's economic climate, who will help you protect your company and your clients from the devastating impact of fraud? Fraud can creep into your business in a number of ways. You may find you need an objective expert to deter potential problems, investigate allegations or provide resolution. A Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) offers anti-fraud knowledge and skills you need to: * Investigate allegations against one of your employees * Recommend strong anti-fraud internal controls * Conduct interviews related to sensitive issues * Provide assistance with financial dispute resolution * Resolve irregularities discovered during your company's audit * Provide expert testimony on financial and investigative matters A Unique Set of Skills Fraud Examiners have a unique set of skills that are not found in any other discipline; they combine knowledge of complex financial transactions with an understanding of law, criminology, investigation and how to resolve allegations of fraud. CFEs work in a variety of disciplines including accounting, auditing, fraud investigation and security, as well as in different industry segments including government, healthcare, financial services, manufacturing and retail distribution. CFEs are knowledgeable in four areas critical to the fight against fraud: * Fraudulent Financial Transactions * Criminology & Ethics * Legal Elements of Fraud * Fraud Investigation Reduce Fraud Risks and Costs Heightened fraud awareness, combined with new laws and regulations, has increased the already growing demand in the workforce for professionals who are highly skilled at deterring, detecting and investigating fraud.

In today's economic climate, who will help you protect your company and your clients from the devastating impact of fraud? Fraud can creep into your business in a number of ways. You may find you need an objective expert to deter potential problems, investigate allegations or provide resolution. A Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) offers anti-fraud knowledge and skills you need to: * Investigate allegations against one of your employees * Recommend strong anti-fraud internal controls * Conduct interviews related to sensitive issues * Provide assistance with financial dispute resolution * Resolve irregularities discovered during your company's audit * Provide expert testimony on financial and investigative matters A Unique Set of Skills Fraud Examiners have a unique set of skills that are not found in any other discipline; they combine knowledge of complex financial transactions with an understanding of law, criminology, investigation and how to resolve allegations of fraud.

springhill groups Springhill Group Counselling believes it is significant that each of us needs to understand what counselling and psychotherapy is about and what they should anticipate from the procedure of therapy. Nurturing knowledge among community is a significant purpose for every organization. This website has been aims to help people find out more about counselling Psychotherapists are starting to become more alert on the reality of how dangerous the double-edged nature of their profession is. Being effective in addressing client concerns is only but a part of the job - keeping your head is just as important. Just like how a clean broom can get all dirty and messed up through continuously doing its work of cleaning the floor, so can the therapist get vulnerable to difficult feelings by dealing with clients. Psychotherapists are indoctrinated early on that they need to be emotionally stable to cope with the challenges of the profession. And oftentimes, it's that very thing that can make a therapist struggle. It's as if they are not allowed to feel emotions like boredom and exhaustion. They were taught that having struggles with work as a psychotherapist are all because of your own personal issues or mere lack of experience. Unfortunately, issues that are not addressed properly can eventually lead to burnout.You can be effective in your job but still feel stressed, frustrated or self-doubt. Most therapists are aware that work issues tend to affect personal relationships. Exhausting someone's emotional capacity in such a line of work can result in him having none left for interacting with family members. They are not alert to the fact that, being also a human, they have personal feelings towards their career that can come to the surface. And in fear of being labeled unprofessional, they refuse to recognize those emotion and just continue going through their daily routine. To add to their burden, they cannot

Free Alzheimer's Training Available in all 50 States to Support Family Caregivers Alzheimer's disease is a fatal, progressive and degenerative disease that destroys brain cells. It is the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer's disease is not a normal part of aging. Symptoms include having difficulty remembering things, making decisions and performing everyday activities. These changes can affect the way a person feels and acts. There is currently no way to stop the disease, but research is improving the way provide care and will continue to search for a cure. Americans fear developing Alzheimer's disease more than any other major life-threatening disease, including cancer, stroke, heart disease and diabetes according to OMAHA, Neb. - November 13, 2012 - Home Instead Senior Care®, the world's leading provider of home care services for seniors, announced new survey results. More than 1,200 Americans was designed to gain perspective on the most pressing concerns associated with Alzheimer's, including diagnosis and the difficulties of caring for a loved one with the disease, according to the survey of Marist Institute for Public Opinion . According to Jeff Huber, president and chief operating officer of Home Instead, Inc. "The survey confirmed what our franchise owners had been hearing from their clients and their families - the majority of Americans feel unprepared to care for a loved one diagnosed with Alzheimer's. The need for support and education for these families is critical." Additional survey highlights include: o Nearly two-thirds of Americans (63 percent) have had a personal experience with someone with Alzheimer's and/or a serious memory loss problem. o 61 percent of Americans feel unprepared to care for a loved one diagnosed with the disease. o If diagnosed with the disease, Americans most fear the inability to care for oneself, and burdening others (68 percent); followed by losing memory of life and lov

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/as-senior-citizens-savour-care-homes/137658/ With increasing neglect by family and friends, coupled with the pressure of making ends meet, a growing number of elderly people are resorting to care homes to spend their final days on earth. Chiemelie Ezeobi writes The woman in the picture now lives at the Regina Mundi Home for the Elderly in Mushin, a Lagos community. She was abandoned by her family. "Isolation, discrimination, neglect and poverty are forcing elderly people to live a dismal life in care homes across the country," says Olubunmi Owosho, a social psychologist. At Regina Mundi Home for the Elderly, some of the people at the home were abandoned by their families in their old ages while some actually arrived there with the help of their family members who could no longer cope with caring for their needs. "It is important to make the elderly feel that they are still very relevant to the society. Some of them have worked for years and have contributed their quota to the society but were abandoned in their old age," says Anthonia Adebowale, a reverend sister. "Some have children whom we have to practically force to come and see them while others have irreconcilable differences with their relatives. "The elderly are often seen as the reservoirs of knowledge and the voice of wisdom whose fountain of experience are often needed to steer the ship of life. With the blessing of old age often comes the maturity to handle issues and therefore deserve to be supported and made happy and comfortable in the twilight of their ages," she explained. Reports suggest that there is evidence that the traditional practice of caring for parents began to erode under harsh economic conditions in urban areas across the country. For instance, there is absence of a social security system and only a minute percentage of the population older than 60 receives pensions before death. Analysts say, rapid urbanisation has displaced the

Home for the aged is a general term for a facility that cares for elderly people. It is not a question of where but a question of how. How is home for the aged can do good for our elderly? In a fast phase world like ours, finding time for fun and leisure is hard and finding time for family is harder. Sometimes we are left with no choice. We are forced to leave our elderly family members in a nursing home or more popular as home for the aged. There is always two sides in a story, leaving elderly family member in a caring home has advantages and disadvantages. Number of senior citizens suddenly seemed to multiply since 1950's. In 1900 the average life expectancy was forty-five, by 1950 the average life span was almost seventy years; the population has doubled but the number of people65 and over had quadrupled to become 8% of the total. In 1950's more and more population of "retirees" are supposed to get their pensions. Due to this case, extended families are seemed to be an obligation, where elderly had to stay with their sons, daughters or grandchildren. People then began wondering how to accommodate this burden. They started taking about nursing homes, retirement houses, or apartments where they can leave their elderly. Golden years are supposed to have a positive connotation but now the phrase developed into a different meaning. Instead of the "golden years" being now, I a one's old age golden refers to the good old days. Studies showed that people in developed countries are not only living longer, but also remain healthy for much of their lives, unlike in less developed countries, where the elderly tend to be plagued with serious illnesses. Causing them to live longer which means government has to support them because they are already retirees. In order to support them, one must work and working means no one to take care of the elderly. Elderly has a special healthcare although facilities like home for the aged are design

GROUP OF SPRINGHILL SOUTH KOREA - 26TH APRIL 2012 - CLUBCALL - Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter was delighted with the capture of Wallabies star Dean Mumm who has penned a two-year deal at the club. The south west outfit announced the signing on Monday, with the 28-year-old set to move to the English top flight from New South Wales Waratahs after the conclusion of the current Super 15 season. The 27-year-old made his Waratahs' debut back in 2004 and has won more than 30 caps for the Australia national side. He can also operate at flanker but prefers to do his work in the boiler room, and Baxter feels he has everything required to be a massive part of the club's future over the next couple of seasons. "He's a very good signing for us and a very good player," he told reporters. "He is a back five forward coming into his physical prime. "We've looked at lot at him and we believe he has got a lot of ingredients that we want him to bring to the club." Exeter finished eight in their debut season in the Premiership but are currently fifth in the standings this season with just one regular-season game to go. Victory over Northampton at the weekend would have guaranteed them a play-off berth but the 18-15 defeat means they must now win at Saracens to have any chance of making the top four. Despite the disappointment, Baxter feels that it is testament to how far the club has come that top players now want to come and ply their trade in Devon. "Personally, I think it's a great credit to what the players have achieved this season, and where we are as a club right now, that a guy of that standing wants to come and play his rugby here in Exeter," he added. In Betfair you can either make a back bet (bet on who's going to win) or place a lay bet (bet against something happening). Betfair matches people on either side of the bet with the odds they agree. Simple. Use this £25 free bet and give it a try. Here are some betting tips from Betfair's tipsters: Read more

DOCSTOC ON GROUP OF SPRINGHILL SOUTH KOREA - Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter was delighted with the capture of Wallabies star Dean Mumm who has penned a two-year deal at the club. The south west outfit announced the signing on Monday, with the 28-year-old set to move to the English top flight from New South Wales Waratahs after the conclusion of the current Super 15 season. The 27-year-old made his Waratahs' debut back in 2004 and has won more than 30 caps for the Australia national side. He can also operate at flanker but prefers to do his work in the boiler room, and Baxter feels he has everything required to be a massive part of the club's future over the next couple of seasons. "He's a very good signing for us and a very good player," he told reporters. "He is a back five forward coming into his physical prime. "We've looked at lot at him and we believe he has got a lot of ingredients that we want him to bring to the club." Exeter finished eight in their debut season in the Premiership but are currently fifth in the standings this season with just one regular-season game to go. Victory over Northampton at the weekend would have guaranteed them a play-off berth but the 18-15 defeat means they must now win at Saracens to have any chance of making the top four. Despite the disappointment, Baxter feels that it is testament to how far the club has come that top players now want to come and ply their trade in Devon. "Personally, I think it's a great credit to what the players have achieved this season, and where we are as a club right now, that a guy of that standing wants to come and play his rugby here in Exeter," he added. In Betfair you can either make a back bet (bet on who's going to win) or place a lay bet (bet against something happening). Betfair matches people on either side of the bet with the odds they agree. Simple. Use this £25 free bet and give it a try. Here are some betting tips from Betfair's tipsters: Read more about Rugby Union.

SLIDEBOOM (GROUP OF SPRINGHILL SOUTH KOREA) - Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter was delighted with the capture of Wallabies star Dean Mumm who has penned a two-year deal at the club. The south west outfit announced the signing on Monday, with the 28-year-old set to move to the English top flight from New South Wales Waratahs after the conclusion of the current Super 15 season. The 27-year-old made his Waratahs' debut back in 2004 and has won more than 30 caps for the Australia national side. He can also operate at flanker but prefers to do his work in the boiler room, and Baxter feels he has everything required to be a massive part of the club's future over the next couple of seasons. "He's a very good signing for us and a very good player," he told reporters. "He is a back five forward coming into his physical prime. "We've looked at lot at him and we believe he has got a lot of ingredients that we want him to bring to the club." Exeter finished eight in their debut season in the Premiership but are currently fifth in the standings this season with just one regular-season game to go. Victory over Northampton at the weekend would have guaranteed them a play-off berth but the 18-15 defeat means they must now win at Saracens to have any chance of making the top four. Despite the disappointment, Baxter feels that it is testament to how far the club has come that top players now want to come and ply their trade in Devon. "Personally, I think it's a great credit to what the players have achieved this season, and where we are as a club right now, that a guy of that standing wants to come and play his rugby here in Exeter," he added. In Betfair you can either make a back bet (bet on who's going to win) or place a lay bet (bet against something happening). Betfair matches people on either side of the bet with the odds they agree. Simple. Use this £25 free bet and give it a try. Here are some betting tips from Betfair's tipsters: Read more about Rugby Union.

SCRBID DOCS - [GROUP OF SPRINGHILL SOUTH KOREA] -Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter was delighted with the capture of Wallabies star Dean Mumm who has penned a two-year deal at the club. The south west outfit announced the signing on Monday, with the 28-year-old set to move to the English top flight from New South Wales Waratahs after the conclusion of the current Super 15 season. The 27-year-old made his Waratahs' debut back in 2004 and has won more than 30 caps for the Australia national side. He can also operate at flanker but prefers to do his work in the boiler room, and Baxter feels he has everything required to be a massive part of the club's future over the next couple of seasons. "He's a very good signing for us and a very good player," he told reporters. "He is a back five forward coming into his physical prime. "We've looked at lot at him and we believe he has got a lot of ingredients that we want him to bring to the club." Exeter finished eight in their debut season in the Premiership but are currently fifth in the standings this season with just one regular-season game to go. Victory over Northampton at the weekend would have guaranteed them a play-off berth but the 18-15 defeat means they must now win at Saracens to have any chance of making the top four. Despite the disappointment, Baxter feels that it is testament to how far the club has come that top players now want to come and ply their trade in Devon. "Personally, I think it's a great credit to what the players have achieved this season, and where we are as a club right now, that a guy of that standing wants to come and play his rugby here in Exeter," he added. In Betfair you can either make a back bet (bet on who's going to win) or place a lay bet (bet against something happening). Betfair matches people on either side of the bet with the odds they agree. Simple. Use this £25 free bet and give it a try. Here are some betting tips from Betfair's tipsters: Read more about Rugby Un

(Group of Springhill South Korea) - 26th April 2012 - Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter was delighted with the capture of Wallabies star Dean Mumm who has penned a two-year deal at the club. The south west outfit announced the signing on Monday, with the 28-year-old set to move to the English top flight from New South Wales Waratahs after the conclusion of the current Super 15 season. The 27-year-old made his Waratahs' debut back in 2004 and has won more than 30 caps for the Australia national side. He can also operate at flanker but prefers to do his work in the boiler room, and Baxter feels he has everything required to be a massive part of the club's future over the next couple of seasons. "He's a very good signing for us and a very good player," he told reporters. "He is a back five forward coming into his physical prime. "We've looked at lot at him and we believe he has got a lot of ingredients that we want him to bring to the club." Exeter finished eight in their debut season in the Premiership but are currently fifth in the standings this season with just one regular-season game to go. Victory over Northampton at the weekend would have guaranteed them a play-off berth but the 18-15 defeat means they must now win at Saracens to have any chance of making the top four. Despite the disappointment, Baxter feels that it is testament to how far the club has come that top players now want to come and ply their trade in Devon. "Personally, I think it's a great credit to what the players have achieved this season, and where we are as a club right now, that a guy of that standing wants to come and play his rugby here in Exeter," he added. In Betfair you can either make a back bet (bet on who's going to win) or place a lay bet (bet against something happening). Betfair matches people on either side of the bet with the odds they agree. Simple. Use this £25 free bet and give it a try. Here are some betting tips from Betfair's tipsters: Read more about Rug

China And The Dual Use Scam:South Korea Group of Springhill April 26, 2012: The United States is openly accusing China of supplying North Korea's missile program with components and technology. This may have something to do with intense effort to recover components of the failed North Korean rocket launch on April 13th. The debris of the rocket fell into shallow water off the west coast of South Korea. Russian, Chinese, and American ships, and perhaps submarines, also joined the search. South Korea called off its search on the 17th but the U.S. appeared to be continuing. The water where the debris fell is no deeper than 100 meters (310 feet), making it easy to search for and recover parts of the rocket. If some of those recovered components can be identified as Chinese there could be problems. .continue reading South Korea Group of Springhill : Omaha Time Capsule: Church hit by explosion What happened in the Midlands on this day? Here's a sampling from the World-Herald archives. ST. PETER'S CHURCH HIT BY EXPLOSION March 31, 1936: Dozens of windows were shattered in surrounding buildings and a number of persons were knocked off their feet by a terrific blast in the boiler room of St. Peter church. Firemen think gas accumulated in the flue, ignited and exploded. No damage was done to the furnace and boiler. Carl Schrattenberger, engineer, who was firing the boiler at the time, escaped without injury. He was hurled 15 feet. Persons in the vicinity said a huge cloud of smoke rolled out of the chimney. The force of the blast was felt up to six blocks..continue reading China's Export Machine Goes High-End 1. Chinas Export Machine Goes High-End 2. From its sprawling manufacturing base deep in China'ssouthwestern Hunan province, some 100 kilometers fromwhere Mao was born, construction-machinery maker SanyGroup plans to take on the world. While workers in blueoveralls and yellow hard hats crawl over huge mobilehydraulic cranes and cement mixer t

GROUP OF SPRINGHILL SOUTH KOREA - In today's economic climate, who will help you protect your company and your clients from the devastating impact of fraud? Fraud can creep into your business in a number of ways. You may find you need an objective expert to deter potential problems, investigate allegations or provide resolution. A Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) offers anti-fraud knowledge and skills you need to: * Investigate allegations against one of your employees * Recommend strong anti-fraud internal controls * Conduct interviews related to sensitive issues * Provide assistance with financial dispute resolution * Resolve irregularities discovered during your company's audit * Provide expert testimony on financial and investigative matters A Unique Set of Skills Fraud Examiners have a unique set of skills that are not found in any other discipline; they combine knowledge of complex financial transactions with an understanding of law, criminology, investigation and how to resolve allegations of fraud. CFEs work in a variety of disciplines including accounting, auditing, fraud investigation and security, as well as in different industry segments including government, healthcare, financial services, manufacturing and retail distribution. CFEs are knowledgeable in four areas critical to the fight against fraud: * Fraudulent Financial Transactions * Criminology & Ethics * Legal Elements of Fraud * Fraud Investigation Reduce Fraud Risks and Costs Heightened fraud awareness, combined with new laws and regulations, has increased the already growing demand in the workforce for professionals who are highly skilled at deterring, detecting and investigating fraud. CFEs have the ability to: * Identify and reduce opportunities for fraud * Implement effective anti-fraud controls * Continuously improve anti-fraud measures based on new risks and technologies * Educate employees to deter fraud and report wr

GROUP OF SPRINGHILL SOUTH KOREA - SLIDEBOOM PRESENTATION China And The Dual Use Scam:South Korea Group of Springhill April 26, 2012: The United States is openly accusing China of supplying North Korea's missile program with components and technology. This may have something to do with intense effort to recover components of the failed North Korean rocket launch on April 13th. The debris of the rocket fell into shallow water off the west coast of South Korea. Russian, Chinese, and American ships, and perhaps submarines, also joined the search. South Korea called off its search on the 17th but the U.S. appeared to be continuing. The water where the debris fell is no deeper than 100 meters (310 feet), making it easy to search for and recover parts of the rocket. If some of those recovered components can be identified as Chinese there could be problems. .continue reading South Korea Group of Springhill : Omaha Time Capsule: Church hit by explosion What happened in the Midlands on this day? Here's a sampling from the World-Herald archives. ST. PETER'S CHURCH HIT BY EXPLOSION March 31, 1936: Dozens of windows were shattered in surrounding buildings and a number of persons were knocked off their feet by a terrific blast in the boiler room of St. Peter church. Firemen think gas accumulated in the flue, ignited and exploded. No damage was done to the furnace and boiler. Carl Schrattenberger, engineer, who was firing the boiler at the time, escaped without injury. He was hurled 15 feet. Persons in the vicinity said a huge cloud of smoke rolled out of the chimney. The force of the blast was felt up to six blocks away...continue reading China's Export Machine Goes High-End 1. Chinas Export Machine Goes High-End 2. From its sprawling manufacturing base deep in China'ssouthwestern Hunan province, some 100 kilometers fromwhere Mao was born, construction-machinery maker SanyGroup plans to take on the world. While workers in blueoveralls and yellow hard hats crawl

Scam, Frauds and identity theft are just some of the threats encountering by the internet users. For the new users this kind of occurrence during their search or conversation on the internet can give them quite idea that these are likely important and can simply hook them up in just a single click. So, if you are one of them and or think that you have been a witness of these blue moons or just simply to be aware about and safeguard yourself, below are the lists of activities or actions that you can take in order to put a fence on your side. 1. Do not use or carry a checkbook When you are paying stuff, it suggests being it in cash or credit card. It's safer to pay your bills through your bank or credit unification online bill paying service which is usually free. 2. Buy and use a paper cutter Identity thieves actually go through homeowner's trash to acquire personal information. For you to put off these thieves objectives, feel Secure to cut any documents that have your social security number or other financial information, such as the bank account number of yours, credit card numbers and the like that can possibly give these people your personal identity. If you don't have paper cutter make use of an alternative through burning these documents completely. 3. Freeze your credit This is to hands off scammers from opening unauthorized accounts in your name or identity. Even if your state is one of the few that does not allow freeze, you can still freeze your files at some of the leading major credit bureaus out there. 4. Make a Do-not-Call List 5. Make a statement to block credit card offers 6. Always put your Social Security card in a safe place When you renew your driver's license, make sure the DMV does not use your Social Security number as your driver's license number. 7. Make use of a different email addresses 8. Use a separate email address This is when you post messages t

Satellite images have surfaced recently revealing North Korea's digging of a tunnel in what seems to be a preparation for a new nuclear test. According to reports from intelligence officials, the excavation at northeastern Punggye-ri, where previous nuclear tests were done in 2009 and 2006, is already in the final stages. What observers are anxious of is a repeat of an incident in 2009 when the country walked out from nuclear negotiations and subsequently conducted a nuclear test. This report has come just as North Korea is prepping for their missile launch that the rest of the world suspects to be a missile test in disguise. US has said on Monday that an underground nuclear test along with the rocket launch are acts that will leave North Korea more isolated. Experts say the only reason for them to dig a new tunnel on that area will be to conduct a nuclear test. Moreover, nuclear tests done consist of closing the tunnel with dirt, which is the last step before the detonation. According to an analyst from Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, DPRK is in need of a new tunnel if they are planning on a nuclear test because the 2 tunnels they used have already caved in and became contaminated with radiation after previous tests. Moreover, if the upcoming launch is already deemed as "highly provocative" by the international community, a nuclear test will be worse. South Korea and Japan has been making preparations to shoot down the rocket if it threatens their territory, claiming their right to self-defense. Apparently, the Defense Minister of South Korea has been contacted by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to discuss North Korea's plans and according to a spokesman of Pentagon, both of them regards the launch as a "serious provocation". United States, Britain and Japan have been reiterating their demand that North Korea cancel the launch, with the warning that shooting a long-range rocket violates UN resolutions and its own pro

LOS ANGELES, Iowa - The fearsome guns of the USS Iowa protected FDR from torpedo attacks and helped destroy the Japanese military in World War II. They shelled North Korea in the 1950s and patrolled the Central American coast during the Cold War. On Saturday, with the grand opening of the country's newest battleship museum in the Los Angeles community of San Pedro, the artillery that struck so much fear in America's enemies got a new role: photo op. More than 3,000 people walked up the Iowa's gangplank on its inaugural day and nearly every one seemed to want a photo with its 16-inch guns. "I want them to be part of history," said retired Marine Brian Tisdale of his two children, whom he captured posing at the gun barrels. Whether a snapshot on the Iowa deck will become as mandatory to a southern California vacation as a picture in front of the Hollywood sign remains to be seen. Officials said they were pleased with the museum's first day, especially given the breakneck pace of the project. The opening came just a month after the Iowa, one of the largest battleships ever, arrived in Los Angeles' harbor and just 10 months after the Navy selected San Pedro as the site of the museum. "It's unheard of. It usually takes about three years," said battleship enthusiast Robert Kent, who led the campaign to bring the Iowa to L.A. and now serves as director of the non-profit that runs the museum, Pacific Battleship Center. Built in 1940, the Iowa was an important part of the Navy fleet for five decades. It ferried President Franklin Roosevelt to Casablanca during World War II and later fought in the Pacific, sailing victoriously into Tokyo Harbor. The Iowa served in the Korean conflict and plied the Persian Gulf in the 1980s. Only about 15 percent of the ship is open to the public so far. Visitors are funneled down a single route that passes through a wardroom where officers ate and relaxed, around the vessel's upper decks and thr

LOS ANGELES, Iowa - The fearsome guns of the USS Iowa protected FDR from torpedo attacks and helped destroy the Japanese military in World War II. They shelled North Korea in the 1950s and patrolled the Central American coast during the Cold War. On Saturday, with the grand opening of the country's newest battleship museum in the Los Angeles community of San Pedro, the artillery that struck so much fear in America's enemies got a new role: photo op. More than 3,000 people walked up the Iowa's gangplank on its inaugural day and nearly every one seemed to want a photo with its 16-inch guns. "I want them to be part of history," said retired Marine Brian Tisdale of his two children, whom he captured posing at the gun barrels. Whether a snapshot on the Iowa deck will become as mandatory to a southern California vacation as a picture in front of the Hollywood sign remains to be seen. Officials said they were pleased with the museum's first day, especially given the breakneck pace of the project. The opening came just a month after the Iowa, one of the largest battleships ever, arrived in Los Angeles' harbor and just 10 months after the Navy selected San Pedro as the site of the museum. "It's unheard of. It usually takes about three years," said battleship enthusiast Robert Kent, who led the campaign to bring the Iowa to L.A. and now serves as director of the non-profit that runs the museum, Pacific Battleship Center. Built in 1940, the Iowa was an important part of the Navy fleet for five decades. It ferried President Franklin Roosevelt to Casablanca during World War II and later fought in the Pacific, sailing victoriously into Tokyo Harbor. The Iowa served in the Korean conflict and plied the Persian Gulf in the 1980s. Only about 15 percent of the ship is open to the public so far. Visitors are funneled down a single route that passes through a wardroom where officers ate and relaxed, around the vessel's upper decks and thr

The Australian Crime Commission has estimated that 2600 Australians have lost more than $113 million due to investment fraud, in the last five years. The findings come in a new report, published yesterday, titled Serious and Organised Investment Fraud in Australia (PDF). The report was put together by Taskforce Galilee, a consortium of 19 government departments, including the Crime Commission, the Attorney-General's Department, the Australian Tax Office, the Department of Human Services and the Australian Communications and Media Authority. In addition to offers for shares in companies, the fraudsters offer green energy investments, new technology shares, lotteries and sweepstakes and foreign currency trading, among others. The report found that most of the operations targeting Australians were based overseas. Many were based in Asia, but were not run in Asia. Those who cold-called victims were generally Australia, English, Scottish, Kiwi or South African. The report stated that the fraudsters commonly used Voice-over-IP, email, phone, mobile phone or SMS to contact victims, and developed fake websites with log-ins that would displace fake balances, to keep the victim investing money in the scam. The victims tended to be male, aged over 35 years, but generally over 50. Small business owners, self-funded retirees and those who are socially isolated were common. The report said that Australian victims were found to be well-educated and computer literate. Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said in a statement that people could be strung along for months before catching on. "This is what happens. The criminal syndicate cold calls the investor, refers them to a flash website and sends them a brochure, promising strong investment returns. After taking their money, they string them along for months or even years, and then the money disappears," he said. "People's entire life savings are stolen by criminals, with the click of a mouse. This type of

LOS ANGELES, Iowa - The fearsome guns of the USS Iowa protected FDR from torpedo attacks and helped destroy the Japanese military in World War II. They shelled North Korea in the 1950s and patrolled the Central American coast during the Cold War. On Saturday, with the grand opening of the country's newest battleship museum in the Los Angeles community of San Pedro, the artillery that struck so much fear in America's enemies got a new role: photo op. More than 3,000 people walked up the Iowa's gangplank on its inaugural day and nearly every one seemed to want a photo with its 16-inch guns. "I want them to be part of history," said retired Marine Brian Tisdale of his two children, whom he captured posing at the gun barrels. Whether a snapshot on the Iowa deck will become as mandatory to a southern California vacation as a picture in front of the Hollywood sign remains to be seen. Officials said they were pleased with the museum's first day, especially given the breakneck pace of the project. The opening came just a month after the Iowa, one of the largest battleships ever, arrived in Los Angeles' harbor and just 10 months after the Navy selected San Pedro as the site of the museum. "It's unheard of. It usually takes about three years," said battleship enthusiast Robert Kent, who led the campaign to bring the Iowa to L.A. and now serves as director of the non-profit that runs the museum, Pacific Battleship Center. Built in 1940, the Iowa was an important part of the Navy fleet for five decades. It ferried President Franklin Roosevelt to Casablanca during World War II and later fought in the Pacific, sailing victoriously into Tokyo Harbor. The Iowa served in the Korean conflict and plied the Persian Gulf in the 1980s. Only about 15 percent of the ship is open to the public so far. Visitors are funneled down a single route that passes through a wardroom where officers ate and relaxed, around the vessel's upper decks and thr