Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Clever feeding and bedding kit is helping livestock farmers shave hours off their daily routine.

Weve picked out some of the best ones from the many entries to our 2020 Inventions Competition

Check out the videos for some of the entries below too.

See also:Workshop tips: How to make the perfect MIG weld

David Boyd built a slick swing-down frame to ensure trouble-free calf feeding.

The first of two moving sections involves a box-section frame that can hold six buckets.

This pivots down to put the buckets in their feeding position and carries shields between each calf to prevent the greediest members of the group pilfering from their neighbours.

The second moving part is the headlock, which prevents fast-drinking calves from bothering slowcoaches.

It means Mr Boyd can get on with other jobs while the calves are feeding, safe in the knowledge that each one has sunk its allotted amount.

He can also quickly identify sick animals if they have gone off their milk.

Pneumonia was proving a problem for Nick Eccles hutch-housed calves, so he decided to assemble a circulation system that would maintain a fresh breeze through the accommodation, no matter the weather.

This, he hoped, would reduce issues on windless days when the hutches have a habit of getting stuffy, exacerbating infections.

The starting point was a solar fan, typically used to ventilate caravans, that was sourced from China for a meagre 25.

It was neatly grafted into the roof of the hutch, drawing stagnant air out and encouraging a fresh flow through the entrance. It also has a battery to keep it spinning on still days.

We have seen several cubicle brush attachments over the years of our Inventions Competition, but few look as polished as Andy Dymonds so-called Xtra Arm.

The first iteration was assembled from scrap found on his farm at Colyton, Devon. However, after fine-tuning the design, he is hoping it will appeal to other dairy farmers looking at ways to improve bed cleanliness and reduce instances of mastitis.

Its attached to the front of a tractor a two-wheel-drive New Holland, in Mr Dymonds case via a mounting plate that can be adapted to suit different models.

A locking pin at the top of the main frame holds the brush in its upright position when out of work. The pin can also have a rope attachment, allowing it to be pulled free without leaving the tractor seat.

Power is provided by a single spool, and brush speed is altered by adjusting a flow restrictor in the hydraulic line. A non-return valve means the brush will only spin one way, so it remains static as the hydraulic ram retracts into its upright, locked position.

Custom spacers allow the brushs working height to be adjusted as the bristles wear and there are three grease points for maintenance.

To take a little of the hassle out of handling sheep spread over a large area, David Devine from County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, built a neat mobile race to tow behind his ATV.

His multi-use design incorporates a foot-bath and weighing crate and has the option of three-way shedding. It can also carry 10 x 1.8m and 10 x 1.2m hurdles on board.

He says the setup is particularly handy in the summer, when ewes and lambs are running together in small groups. It means he can send all the animals through the foot-bath and quickly single out the heaviest lambs.

A simple strap and winder allows him to raise the rear of the crate, making it quick to remove and refit the wheels.

The entire frame was built in Mr Devines farm workshop and the only components he bought in were the plastic foot-bath and the Salter clock.

Once the frame was completed, he had it galvanised, before fitting a chequer plate floor and 6mm stock board on the sides.

It took a few months to put together and cost about 1,500.

Eighteen-year-old Molly Robson built a feed hopper to slot in the back of a John Deere Gator, reducing the sheep feeding workload for her grandparents.

The container is strapped onto hooks on the UTVs rear deck, so can easily be taken out and put back in using a telehandler. Feed is emptied through a sliding shutter on the side.

Being 6ft 8in tall comes with its own unique set of challenges, especially when bending over to trim cows feet.

This issue has prompted lofty Ayrshire farmer Nigel Rowney to modify his 35-year-old Wopa cow crush to lift each one of the 600-strong herd 800mm off the floor to save breaking his back.

The crush is powered from the mains and runs a hydraulic power pack. There are four rams on each corner from various front-end loaders the farm has owned over the years Massey Ferguson and David Brown units are on two of the corners.

The animal walks on and Mr Rowney raises it via a little hand control button, trims the feet and then lets it down again. He reckons his design has saved thousands on anything brand new.

This year we can officially claim that the Farmers Weekly Farm Inventions Competition has gone global, with our first entry from Tasmania, Australia.

Dairy farmer Rob Frampton milks 400 cows and to put an end to having to pick up and manhandle heavy calves, he came up with a trailer that lowers to the ground using an electric winch.

The so-called Kaleeya Calf Carrier has a clever, but simple, design where the wheels are attached to a U-shaped frame that only has two permanent attachment points at the rear of the trailer body.

During transport, the front of this is clamped to the drawbar, giving the trailer a normal ride height.

But for loading, the clamp is released and the winch is wound out, allowing the front of the U-shaped bar to rise and the rear of the trailer to drop slowly to the ground.

Mr Frampton has also fitted one-way gates so he doesnt have to fiddle around with latches and he opted for a mesh floor, which gives plenty of grip and makes it easy to keep clean.

He says the trailer is also handy for fencing work, as makes it easy to load heavy rolls of wire. Mr Frampton put the trailer together in his shed and had it galvanised to make it last longer.

To avoid using tractors and trailers to block openings when moving cattle, Keith Maxwell built a set of cattle guide gates to help funnel the animals to their destination.

The sets weigh about 150kg and have three gates in, with a single span measuring 3.9m long by 1.4m high.

These are self-standing, thanks to some big feet at the base, but Mr Maxwell admits they work better when slightly staggered for extra stability.

Based in East Lothian, Mr Maxwell has made six sets in total and all are galvanised before use. Helpfully, he can shift them around on the front of the telehandler and each set can be pinned to a neighbour to make some long runs.

The metal needed to build a set costs about 100 and then a further 90 for the galvanising. Mr Maxwell tends to make the gates in his spare time and reckons it takes less than four hours to manufacture a full set.

Wanting to spend less time bedding cow pens without spending vast sums on an extra tractor, Cumbrian farmer Ian Cleasby has mounted a sand spreading box on top of his cubicle scraper to combine the two jobs.

The Scrapenser holds enough sand to bed more than 100 cubicles and is the right width to be loaded by a skid-steer loader bucket.

Under the sand is a hydraulically driven toothed belt to propel the sand into the cubicles, and the belts speed can be adjusted via a control panel.

A clever hinged design brings the contents at the back of the box onto the belt at the front to make sure all the sand is spread.

Cows can then return to their cubicles quicker and it can be run on any tractor with a two-way spool valve with the belt able to discharge from both sides.

Mr Cleasby is starting to sell these commercially after the first idea way back in 2003. The retail price is 3,900.

Raking sand in cow cubicles was a two-hour job each day for Richard and David Pike while looking after their 350-strong herd in Gillingham, Dorset.

Then they had the idea popped to convert the old Terex dumper that was sat in the yard without a job into a cubicle leveller. They removed the body and attached a full-width cubicle rake to the front.

It works from the same hydraulic feeds as before, with the arm cobbled together from an old McConnel hedgecutter.

Once the farmers had realised it was a bit of a game changer, they treated the setup to some new bushes and beefed up the design a little. It took a few days to build and saves hours of raking a day and .

James Small was having issues with cattle turning around when waiting to go into the crush. After realising there was nothing on the market to suit his need for a self-adjusting cattle squeeze, he set about designing and building his own.

The self-adjusting side squeeze can accommodate any size of animal consecutively without the need for manual adjustment.

The sides are set narrow and as an animal walks in, the boarded sides move and apply only light pressure on the animal.

Once the cow walks through, the squeeze returns to its original size, ready for the next animal. The springs that apply the pressure are from Mr Smalls defunct childrens trampoline, and the whole build cost about 300, labour included.

He says it works with four-month-old calves, right up to the biggest bulls on the farm, set within the Mendip Hills, Somerset. Since it was built, he hasnt had any of the 250-strong herd attempt to turn around and Mr Small says it helps to keep them calmer before going in the crush.

In a bid to speed up the chopping of beet going into cattle and sheep feed, Oliver Uffold, who farms near Craven Arms, Shropshire, created an electric pulping machine.

The starting point for the build was an old GHL chaff cutter, which he cut up and spilt the chopping rotor in half. He then remounted the two halves with the blades meshing and rigged up the driveline so they rotate toward one another.

This means the beet can be tipped into the top of the machine with a wheelbarrow, before being finely chopped and falling through a hole he cut in the bottom.

Power is provided by an electric motor that sits in place of the old petrol engine, and drive is sent to the first rotor via a belt.

Drive to the second rotor comes from a sprocket at the opposing end of the first rotor and the chain passes over an idler gear to reverse the drive to the second one.

Finishing touches included fitting a remote greasing bank for the bearings and installing weld mesh guards to protect all moving parts.

An integrated ramp was also fashioned out of an old set of twisted John Deere combine steps, making it easier to bowl the wheelbarrow up to the hopper.

According to Mr Uffold, the machine is significantly faster than the Bamfords Root Pulper they used to use and the finer chop makes it easier to mix in with concentrate cattle and sheep feed.

Regular inventor Marcus Tucker came up with a portable sheep foot-bath to speed up the treatment due to their spread-out locations around the village of Talaton, Devon.

He is a strong believer that sheep should have regular foot-baths, so he made a 2.4m race to accommodate the bath he already owned.

A no-spill wooden cover was added so it can be transported without spillages and, when the sheep dont need foot treatment, the cover can be walked on. It raises the animals up by 250mm to an ideal height for drenching.

There is a small race section that has a guillotine gate on the exit and a swing gate on the entrance. Handily, the whole unit can be picked up by pallet forks and taken to wherever it is needed and there is space for a couple of 25-litre drums inside.

It took a couple of days to knock up and cost about 600, including labour. The whole frame was made out of hollow steel box section and has been galvanised to protect it.

Dairy farmer Philip Davies has developed his own automatic flood wash system to keep shed passages, the parlour and outside collecting yards clean for his 220-cow herd.

He first developed the system for his milking parlour 19 years ago, but the latest iteration has added automated functions to eliminate operator input.

The setup centres on an 18,000-litre tank, which he mounted on 3m-high stilts in the shed. A 12cm Mono water pump brims it with recycled water until it is tripped by a level sensor.

In work, a double-acting pneumatic cylinder powered by the parlours compressed air system and engaged by a 24V DC solenoid valve opens butterfly valves on a pair of 35cm pipes.

The plumbing system is gravity fed, so when the valves are opened, a tsunami runs through the two 60m-long walkways. The same system also produces a strong enough flow to clear the 12m-wide collecting yard.

Complete automation comes by way of a timer-based control. It has two settings the first determines the times between washes and the second dictates how long the valves are open for (typically 30secs).

Mr Davies says the system produces a far cleaner finish than a scraper tractor and its a massive time saver, too.

In all, it cost roughly 6,000 to assemble one-third of which went on the pump.

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Video: Time-saving feeding and bedding kit inventions - FarmersWeekly

Graphene is 200 times stronger than steel and harder than diamond. Its also flexible and transparent. Graphene is also the best heat and electricity conductor. As can be expected, the research community is very excited about this wonder material, and the business world follows suit

The Economist magazine published an article in 2017 about the new commodity that was fuelling a lucrative fast growing industry. It predicted the possible need of antitrust regulator stepping in to control the monopolising the said commodity, similar to US government intervention to restrain Rockefeller familys Standard Oil Company in 1800s. Since this publication by the magazine, the topic has generated much discussion and Data is new Oil became the common catchphrase in conferences, public speeches and magazine columnists.

The basis of The Economist argument was the massive wealth created by data companies during the last decade surpassing the wealth of rich oil companies. There were six energy giants in the 2016 list of top 10 companies in terms of market capitalisation. They were Exxon Mobil (US), Gazprom (Russia), Royal Dutch Shell (The Netherlands), British Petroliam (UK) and Petro China (China). But none of them were in the 2019 list. They were all replaced by digital new kids from US and China whose primary assets are digital intellectual property and data. Seven digital companies, namely Apple (US), Microsoft (US) , Amazon (US), Google (its parent company Alphabet/US), Facebook (US), Tencent (China), Alibaba (China) were occupying the slots and none of the oil companies made it to the top 10 list of 2019.

Replacement for oil

However, with the rise of electric vehicles and the decline of internal combustion engine for transportation, a question arises whether The Economist magazine got it right. By 2025, the electric battery will become the new oil barrel as the world drives to electrify its vehicles. Then a question arises whether the new oil is data or graphene?

It is a fact that fortunes of data is yet to unfold. Raw fossil fuel in the era of kerosene oil did not become the wonder commodity until the internal combustion engine was invented resulting the proliferation of mass land, sea and air transportation. Similarly data will create its augmented wealth when companies develop the real art of monetising the data for business use.

While data companies continue to create wealth, the electric vehicles era will create new wealthy nations and companies. And these new wealthy nations will be the countries rich in natural resources which would be used to fuel electric vehicles.

Growth of electric vehicles

Electric vehicle enthusiasts believe that the era of the internal combustion engine is over. That means era of oil is reaching the end of its life cycle similar to coal automation cycle ended in mid of nineteenth century. The winning electric technology will be the one that allows power units to store energy when the wind blows and the sun shines, while being able to release energy that can respond to the swings in demand. The only widespread and reliable technology at the moment is the lithium-ion battery which is being widely used from the thinnest smartphone to the heaviest electric bus.

The lithium-ion technology has been around for a decade and its mass production and use have made it significantly cheaper over time. It does, however, have its shortcomings, one of which is its inability to store energy for long periods.

On a global scale, electric vehicle sales have a recorded 63% year on year growth in 2018. Figures in 2019 that are yet to be released would be even impressive. Not only electric cars but an electric air craft which can fly more than 500km have already been tested successfully. More electric vehicles on the roads will not only mean cleaner air, but better health and longer life-expectancy.

Cobalt and batteries arms race

Cobalt is used to create the lithium-ion batteries required for electric vehicles and energy storage. The mineral is used to produce lithium-ion batteries used to power electric cars, laptops and smartphones. Critical to the construction of batteries, it has emerged as central to some of the industries set to determine the future. Roughly 10Kg of cobalt is needed to make an electric car.

The vast majority of the planets cobalt is located within the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where a plethora of interested parties are engaged in a frantic contest for control over mining operations. DRC produces 60% of the worlds supply of cobalt. In 2009, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had an estimated $24 trillion in untapped mineral deposits, including the worlds largest reserves of Coltan and significant quantities of the worlds cobalt. The United States Geological Survey estimates that the DRC has one million tons of lithium resources.

Mineral looting in DRC

After Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundis successful 1998 invasion of Eastern and South-eastern DRC in the second Congo war (1998-2003), mass scale looting took root, according to the United Nations. While initial invasion tactics were still being worked out, military commanders were already making business deals with foreign companies for Congos vast mineral reserves.

Between September 1998 and August 1999, stockpiles of minerals were illegally confiscated from Congolese businesses, piled onto trucks, and sold as exports from the confiscating countries. An American mineral field executive allowed rebels to use his private Lear jet in return for a $1 billion mining deal (source: Wikipedia).

The Western mining companies rush to acquire coltan-rich land in the rebel territory of the DRC was a classic continuation of the pattern of exploitation for gold and diamond in late 18th and early 19th centuries.

US lost the cobalt race

On the cobalt front, China controls seven of the largest DRC mines. Over the past decade, China has systematically set about creating and securing global supply lines in strategic raw materials, including securing its own forward supplies of key raw materials and battery-ready high-grade chemicals for its electric vehicle sector, at the expense of the rest of the world.

Emergence of the wonder material: Graphene

Early In 2004, Konstantin Novoselov and Andre Geim, two physicists at the University of Manchester discovered graphene. At just the width of an atom, graphene is the thinnest material known to humans, and also the strongest. Graphene is 200 times stronger than steel and harder than diamond. Its also flexible and transparent. Graphene is also the best heat and electricity conductor. As expected, the research community is very excited about this wonder material, and the business world follows suit.

Graphene for electric cars and mobile phones

Many experts predict that graphene will become a key raw material in electric vehicle batteries for the next decade. Both synthetic graphite and natural graphite, in the form of the intermediate product spherical graphite, are graphite products used in the anodes of lithium-ion batteries.

In a remarkable local development, Ceylon Graphene Technologies (CGT), a joint-venture between Sri Lanka Institute of Nano Technology (SLINTECH) and LOLC group recently announced about its plan to produce the worlds first graphene applied lead acid battery. Huawei has been tipped to release a smartphone with graphene-assisted batteries in the near future. The batteries are said to be able to charge fully in a matter of minutes and have an increased battery capacity and life.

The commercialisation of graphene is just in its infancy, but already dozens of new companies have been established to develop graphene based material, graphene production processes and other related activities. Several large and public companies (such as Samsung, Intel, Nokia, IBM and Sony) are involved in heavy graphene research. These companies may be on the forefront of graphene research, especially in high-end fields such as electronics and photonics.

Graphene in Sri Lanka

Like many other worlds bests, such as Ceylon Blue Sapphire, Ceylon Tea and Ceylon Cinnamon, Sri Lankas graphite is known to be one of the purest form of graphite on the planet with around 98% purity. It is sad to note that over a century, Sri Lanka has been exporting purest graphite in its raw form.

The Government recently 2020 announced the decision by the cabinet of ministers to approve a project for Kahatagaha Graphite Mine to develop value added graphite based products through private sector investments.

This is a great step for taking the country forward to prosperity through the wonder material graphite and its electric car powering era. Graphite mines were nationalised in the 70s by the United Front Government and Sri Lanka has the rights for the remaining graphite reserves which will be worth than oil in the era of electrics cars. However, out of our nationalised mines of Bogala, Kahatagaha and Kolongaha, Bogala graphite mine has been acquired by a foreign company.

That is an indication that the Graphene Rush had already begun in Sri Lanka more than a decade ago, as the German company GraphitKropfmuhl AG bought 90% ownership of Bogala graphite mine as way back as in 2005. It exports raw Ceylon graphite at a price less than $ 3 per kilogram and sell value added graphite in Germany at an estimated value of $ 2,000 per kilogram if not more.

Sri Lanka gearing up for the graphene era

The Mahinda Rajapaksa Government formed the Sri Lanka Institute of Nano Technology in 2012 as Public Private Partnership (PPP) which has been playing a pioneering role in graphene research, value addition and commercialisation in the country. Sri Lanka Institute of Nano Technology has private sector shareholders LOLC, Brandix, Dialog, Hayleys, Loadstar, Lankem Ceylon, and MAS Holdings. The first graphene and advanced material company in Sri Lanka, Ceylon Graphene Technologies was established in June 2018.

Gold deposits in Sri Lanka

In the meantime Professor Athula Senaratne, a renowned geologist and the former Vice Chancellor of University of Peradeniya recently announced the discovery of gold reserves in the Seruwila area.

How the West become rich

It is no secret how the West became rich and prosperous. In addition to many other reasons such as the innovations and inventions during the last three industrial revolutions, looting the rest of the world was one big factor. They conquered countries rich of natural assets to rob the wealth through military invasions and various conspiracies.

The West became rich and the countries which were the victims continue to be poor and people are imposed with engineered conflicts one after another as part of the continuous looting strategy.

The table shows the wealth worth billions of sterling pounds looted from only one goldmine in Witwatersrand, South Africa by the British during the Gold Rush within the very first decade of 20th century.

Right step forward

On the 27 last month the Government announced that it does not intend to sign the MCC agreement. The writer sees this as the right step towards safeguarding the precious natural resources of the country. Sri Lanka is rich of the purest form of graphite in the world and in a recent announcement, renowned geologist and academic Professor Athula Senaratne disclosed that Sri Lanka possesses a vast quantity of gold deposits. Land liberalisation under MCC would have weakened the control over sovereign land under which vast deposits of precious mineral deposits worth billions of dollars are lying underneath our sovereign land.

On 6 February Cabinet Spokesmen Minister Bandula Gunawardena and Ramesh Pathirana announced the decision by the Cabinet to approve a project for Kahatagaha Graphite Mine to develop value added Graphite based products through private sector investments. This is a great step for taking the country forward to prosperity during the wonder material graphene powered electric car era. It is said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a technocrat backed by professional advisors has well understood tech priorities to deliver his vision for prosperity.

On the 10 February 2020 Ceylon Graphene Technologies (CGT), a joint-venture between the Sri Lanka Institute of Nano Technology (SLINTECH) and LOLC group announced its plan to produce the worlds first graphene applied lead acid battery. This will be done with the commissioning of CGTs latest plant to convert locally mined raw graphite to worlds purest Ceylon graphene.

These developments signal that country is in the right path to leverage precious natural assets to realise its development objectives. Sri Lanka should be smart enough to manage geo-political complexities and not to be another victim nation destroyed due its own valuable natural assets.

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Is graphene the new oil? - ft.lk

The New Orleans Police Department has released photos of porch priracy throughout Uptown. Contact the Second District, 504-658-6020, with any information on the suspects below.

3200 block of Upperline (via NOPD)

NOPD officers are searching for a suspect a package theft in the 3200 block of Upperline Street.

On Feb. 21 around 2 p.m., the pictured man reportedly stole the victims package from the front porch of her residence.

He may be driving a 2007 silver Chrysler PT Cruiser, bearing Louisiana license plate 593CHV.

3600 block of Octavia Street (via NOPD)

The NOPD is also seeking assistance from the public to identify and locate the pictured subject who is wanted in connection with a package theft that occurred in the 3600 block of Octavia Street.

On Feb. 20 between 4:51 p.m. and 5:20 p.m., the pictured individual walked onto the victims front porch, stole two packages and fled the scene.

3200 block of Upperline Street (via NOPD)

Two subjects were involved in a theft incident that occurred on Feb. 20.

The pictured man and woman were captured on security cameras walking on the front porch of a home in the 3200 block of Upperline Street, and seen stealing packages.

2400 block of State Street (via NOPD)

Another package theft occurred on Feb. 19.

At about 6:30 p.m., the pictured man was seen on video surveillance walking onto the front porch of the victims residence in the 2400 block of State Street and stealing a package from the porch.

4500 block of South Tonti Street (via NOPD)

The NOPD also is seeking to locate and identify a suspect in the investigation of a package theft that occurred on Feb. 14.

At about 4:10 p.m., the above woman was seen walking onto the front porch of the victims residence in the 4500 block of South Tonti Street and taking a package containing two 810 picture frames and a pack of footie socks. The suspect then fled the scene on foot.

Anyone with information regarding identity and whereabouts of any of the above suspects is asked to contact Second District detectives at 504-658-6020. Citizens with information that can help solve a crime are asked to call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.

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Suspects sought in thefts from Uptown porches - UptownMessenger.com

Citing a shift to its brewing operations and ongoing construction on Market Street, Bills Front Porch has closed its doors. Its owners plan to convert the space into a taproom and event space. (Port City Daily photo/Mark Darrough)

WILMINGTON After a nearly four-year run on Market Street, Bills Front Porch has announced it will close and convert the building into a full-time taproom and event space for the companys growing brewing operations.

The brewpup part of a Bills campus that includes Captn Bills Backyard Grill, a large sand volleyball court complex, and a new brewing production facility announced the decision Tuesday morning on its Facebook page. A new taproom is expected to open inside the building on March 17.

Bills is a family-run business, owned by John Musser and his daughter Brookes Musser, whose husband Donnie Stone helps run the brewerys operations with head brewer Jim Deaton.

The decision was based on two years of construction on Market Street that hurt customers ability to reach the location, a shift towards beer production, and a desire to condense business operations.

We made this decision based on multiple factors, according to the Facebook announcement. One reason is due to the opening of our production facility and continuing to shift our focus to the beer side of the business. We also took a hit with the road construction that took place on Market Street. During the three-and-a-half years we were open, two of those years our customers had to work really hard to get into our parking lot to come eat with us, which over time took its toll.

The decision was also made to condense the companys operations to spend more time with a growing family, according to the post.

The building is now planned to be converted to a full-time taproom and event space called Bills Brewing Co. Taproom. Taproom customers will be able to order food from Captn Bills next door, which will now offer Bills famous fried chicken, tater tot skillets, the Pub-Fil-a and other favorites from the original Bills Front Porch menu, or they can bring their own food.

The new taproom will be open Tuesday-Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m., Friday from 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Mussers also plan to host special events in the taproom, including beer dinners with local vendors, pop-up food nights, and weekly specials and events.

They also announced that Bills Food Truck will continue to serve the Wilmington area.

We thank you all for the support youve shown us and continue to show us and we hope to see you on March 17th as we open the doors to Bills Brewing Co. Taproom, according to the post.

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Bill's Front Porch closes, will re-open as taproom to support growing brewery - Port City Daily

"Perfection is the killer of business," says the physical therapist coach.

March4, 20207 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

In this series called Member Showcase, we publish interviews with members of The Oracles. This interview is with Aaron LeBauer, PT, DPT, and owner and CEO of LeBauer Consulting, LLC, business education for physical therapists. It was condensed by The Oracles.

What was a defining moment early in your life?

Aaron LeBauer: I attended Duke University to go to medical school like my father, grandfather, and uncles. But when I sat down with my first night of chemistry homework, I was paralyzed. I stared at the first question, fighting the urge to quit for hours.

Finally, I broke down into tears, realizing that I didnt have the desire or commitment to become a physician. I didnt want to spend four hours on homework each night for the foreseeable future I wanted a life too. From that day forward, I knew that I was on a different path to help people. Theres more to life than studying in the library all day.

Share an interesting fact about yourself that not many people would know.

Aaron LeBauer:I lived in Israel for a year after college before moving across the country to San Francisco with my best friend. For six weeks, I slept on the porch couch that belonged to a friend of a friend until we found an apartment. It was during an El Nio, so it rained on me almost every night.

For about a year, I barely got by working as a temp and in restaurants, until I started dreaming about racing bicycles as I had in college. So, I became a bike messenger and loved every minute, even though I was making half of what my classmates earned in their management and banking jobs. I eventually focused on amateur racing full time and spent a summer racing in Europe alongside future Tour de France riders.

What was your biggest challenge starting in business? How did you overcome it?

Aaron LeBauer:I worked as a massage therapist for six years before earning my doctor of physical therapy degree. After seeing 43 patients in one day, I knew that I couldnt treat patients effectively with the insurance model. So, I opened my physical therapy clinic to treat patients as unique individuals, without influence from insurance companies, even though that meant we didnt accept insurance.

Other therapists said that this wouldnt work, and on top of that, we opened during the 2009 recession. But I believed that if people spent $85 on a massage, they would pay at least that much for physical therapy. I knew that patients needed my help, but they didnt realize that physical therapy was the solution. I learned to market directly to patients instead of physicians by adapting strategies from other industries.

How did your business get started?

Aaron LeBauer:I started my coaching and consulting business to help other physical therapists build clinics like mine. One day, I told my wife, Andra, I just gave so-and-so all the details about how I started my practice and they didnt even say thank you. She gave me the best advice: Dont give anything for free when you expect something in return.

The next day, another business owner insisted on paying me for my advice. That same day, I wrote down my consulting rates, created my blog, and started sharing answers to common questions I received. Within a month, I was invited to speak at a major physical therapy conference. Thats when I knew I had hit on something special.

Whats your favorite quote?

Aaron LeBauer:My favorite quote is by the great hockey player, Wayne Gretzky: You miss 100% of the shots you dont take. After I briefly consider my options, I just shoot. If you dont take a chance, youre never going to score.

I work with highly educated entrepreneurs who have been taught that if youre going to do something, it has to be perfect but perfection is the killer of business. If you listen to your fear of imperfection and failure, youll never even put the ball in play. You can only make an impact by taking the shot.

Whats the biggest common leadership mistake?

Aaron LeBauer:There is no better way to make someone feel small and unimportant than micromanaging their every move and decision. I hated being told what to do and when, which kept me from excelling as an employee.

Ive found that the best way to lead is by empowering employees to make decisions and show up with solutions. If you micromanage, theyre only going to come to you with problems, which takes away your time and energy from growing your business.

How do you evaluate a good business deal?

Aaron LeBauer:By watching the market and researching. I need to truly understand the product, as well as the value and day-to-day results it delivers. I also must be willing to walk away, because as soon as I turn to walk away, the deal gets better. But if I approach it thinking, I must have this, Im a passenger on the emotional roller coaster and not in the drivers seat.

How do you prevent burnout?

Aaron LeBauer:By focusing on what I do best and enjoy most. I try to spend my days focused on what I would do for free. If something irritates me, gets tedious or boring, or creates anxiety, I delegate it to someone who enjoys it. If I can focus 70% to 80% of my time on what fills me up and lights my fire, burnout doesnt have a chance.

What are you working on right now?

Aaron LeBauer:Im growing my clinic and coaching business to help 25,000 people locally and 100 million worldwide to avoid unnecessary surgery. I can only treat so many patients myself, so Im helping other physical therapists build successful businesses.

Im also redefining retirement by doing what I love from anywhere I want and creating more time for my family and kids, who are 8 and 10 years old. Last year, I spent 81 days out of the office with them. This year, I hope to at least match that.

What do you want to be known for, or what do you want your legacy to be?

Aaron LeBauer:I want to be known as an amazing, present husband and father who worked relentlessly to save people from unnecessary surgery. I want to change the culture of the health and wellness industry in the U.S. and help people understand that they need to see their physical therapist first when they are injured or in pain to help them see their bodies as strong, competent, and capable, not harmful, threatening, or broken down.

Follow Aaron LeBauer on Instagram or visit his website.

The words and opinions expressed in this interview are those of the interviewee alone. What worked for them may not work for everyone. Any claims in this article have not been independently verified.

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How Aaron LeBauer Went From Sleeping on a Porch in the Rain to Changing the Healthcare Industry - Entrepreneur

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NEPTUNE CITY - Animal control officers rescued eight dogs, some of them puppies, who were left outside infilthy conditions in the freezing coldearly Saturday morning, officials said.

After midnight on Saturday the law enforcement division of the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals responded to a call originally made to the Neptune City Police Department about excessive barking in an apartment complex, the Monmouth County SPCA said in a statement.

One of the dogs rescued from freezing and deplorable conditions outside a Neptune City apartment Feb. 29.(Photo: From Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)

Officers found eight dogs"stuffed together in small crates, and living outside on a freezing cold porch with only a plastic tarp to protect them fromthe elements," according to the statement.

The dogs were living in their own urine and feces and didn't have access to food, water or any source of heat, the SPCA said. Temperatures fell below freezing early Saturday and the dogs were trembling from the cold at the time they were rescued, officials said.

Animal control officers gave the dogs water and food at the scene, which they "drank and ate ravenously," according to the statement. The pooches were brought to the SPCA shelter in Eatontown and were given blankets and a warm place to sleep.

A medical assessment found that the dogs all had intestinal parasites, overgrown nails, skin sores and some had ear and skin infections.One adult dog was covered in scars and wounds, the SPCA said.

SPCA: Adoptions, vet clinic open again after flu quarantine

MORE: Dogs from quake-riddled Puerto Rico seek New Jersey homes

The statement did not say whether anyone had been charged in connection with the rescue, although officials did say the matter will be resolved "in court." The SPCA did not immediately return a request for more information.

The rescued dogs will remain in the Eatontown shelter until the case is resolved, but may eventually be eligible for adoption, officials said. The Monmouth SPCA launched a fundraising campaignMonday to care for the dogs.

New Jersey 101.5 shared news about a recent bill introduced into the NJ State Assembly that would allow abused dogs and cats the right to an attorney. Asbury Park Press

Looking for the trusted place to find the best home service providers? Find local pros.

Andrew Goudsward covers crime and breaking news. Contact him at agoudsward@gannettnj.com; 732-897-4555 or@AGoudsward on Twitter.

Read or Share this story: https://www.app.com/story/news/crime/2020/03/02/neptune-city-dog-rescue-eight-dogs-rescued-freezing-porch/4934869002/

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Eight dogs some of them puppies rescued from freezing porch in Neptune City - Asbury Park Press

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. (WCJB) -- A porch pirate was arrested in Gainesville Sunday after deputies said someone recognized him from footage released on social media.

According to the arrest report, Ryan Lindemann, 24, was seen at the Oakmont neighborhood on Saturday stealing packages.

A Ring doorbell video showed a man wearing a Pentatonix shirt and pulling up in front of a house and taking packages.

ASO was called to a Publix on Sunday after someone recognized Lindemann wearing the same clothes. A deputy approached Lindemann and showed him the ring doorbell footage. Lindemann said, well, there's no denying that's me."

Deputies searched his car and found the stolen packages. He also admitted to stealing multiple packages before and selling them to make money after he dropped out of college.

Lindemann was charged with burglary and larceny. He was booked at the Alachua County Jail with bond set at $12,000.

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"Well, there's no denying that's me." Porch pirate confesses to crime caught on camera - WCJB

Update: This story has been updated to include a statement from the Chi Psi president.

Three people have been charged in connection with an incident in which skinned bodies and heads of multiple animals were found on the front porch of the Chi Psi fraternity house in February, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department said in an email.

Two men, one 19 and one 20, were charged with criminal trespass and improperly disposing of an animal carcass, said ACCPD Sgt. Joe Geiger in an email. A third 19-year-old was charged with improperly disposing of an animal carcass.

The two men with both charges were booked into Athens-Clarke County Jail the night of Feb. 26, according to jail records. Both were released after 1 a.m. the following day.

The three were not charged with animal cruelty because the animals left on the doorstep of the Milledge Avenue fraternity house were legally hunted and harvested, said ACCPD Lt. John Radford in an email.

On Feb. 7, a fraternity member walked out of the house to find the body of a skinned coyote, three skinned heads believed to be of raccoons, two dead rats, several raccoon feet and other entrails.

The responding police officer also found several pairs of bloody latex gloves, according to the original police report. Animal control officers took photographs of the scene and collected the carcasses and latex gloves for further investigation.

Im glad the matter is being resolved, and I hope that UGA Greek Life and our chapter are able to move on and learn from this incident, Drew Marshall, president of the UGA chapter of Chi Psi, said.

In response to the crime, Chi Psi will donate a portion of its April philanthropy event to the Athens Area Humane Society.

Hopefully the matter is resolved and we wont have to deal with anything like this again, Marshall said.

This was not the first time animal remains were left at the Chi Psi house a deer carcass was placed on the porch in September 2019, according to the February police report.

Members of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity were suspected in that incident, the report said.

A police report was never created for that incident, said Marshall. The fraternity was told there wasnt much police could do about the incident, and that the fraternity had to deal with the situations themselves.

This is an ongoing story. Check back at redandblack.com and follow @redandblack on Twitter for updates.

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3 charged in connection with animal carcasses left on UGA frat house porch - Red and Black

Tucked inside the 100-year-old Beacon Building, the Angi D Wildt Gallery, is a very special space.

Im a gallery geek who doesnt mind saying the Wildt Gallery reminds me of those great venues that popped up in century old buildings in lower Manhattan in the 1980s, SoHos golden years. Freed from the restraints of the stuffy Upper East Side, the new downtown galleries possessed a spirit of raw energy and sometimes a walk on the wild side.

Wildts gallery represents local artists inspired by regions natural beauty and majesty. She is pleased to announce Dave Bartholet, a self-taught watercolorist who left the Gilbert District Gallery after 15 years, has decided to sell his work in her year-old gallery at 737 Broadway. Hell be showing 10 pieces, nine of them originals, and one print. Wildt will also carry his cards.

Im really excited to have him here, Wildt said.

Wildt and Bartholet are not strangers. She became aware of his work 15 years ago while working in Cannon Beach at her first gallery position.

Dave gave me advice when I was about to open my own gallery, Wildt said. Hes always been supportive.

She described Bartholet as a Western painter. Hes prolific; he has thousands of pieces out there all over the world, Wildt said. Hes best known for his local beach scenes, Haystack Rock, wildlife. Hes versatile.

She said people like to take a piece of the coast home with them, and Bartholets work speaks to that.

Being in a gallery of this quality is truly an honor and to have it right in my home town is icing on the cake, Bartholet said. Im most grateful Angi took a chance on me and has afforded me this opportunity. I cant wait for this summer so the people from out-of-town can enjoy my artistic efforts at the Angi Wildt gallery.

Bartholet has a prominent social media presence and an enviable following. Wildt noted when Bartholet posted on his own page he was coming to her gallery, there were over 300 comments.

Hes going to put me on the map, Wildt said.

Shes featuring his work in the First Saturday Seaside Art Walk on March 7, taking place in downtown Seaside from 5 to 7 p.m.

Her show is called Reflections, and is a mixed medium show featuring artists inspired by the reflections on the Oregon Coast shores and other bodies of water.

Its a group show exhibiting the work of Dave Bartholet, Richard Burke, DC Yorksie, Ty McNeeley, Quata Cody, Christine Kende and Wildts own photography work. Michelle Lindloms mixed-media monotypes depict another kind of reflection, that of looking into the soul.

If you havent attended a First Saturday Art Walk youre missing big. Seaside Yarn and Fiber is unveiling a new collection of handmade weavings.

The Whet Spot is showcasing the art of Billy Lutz, another Seaside treasure. Lutz is a self-employed artist and sign painter who has provided for his family of five as a painter. Shine Fair Trade, SunRose Gallery, Blue Bond, Pacific Heirloom Art and Collectables, Fairweather House and Gallery, Art-in-the-Loft at Beach Books and Westport Winery are participants of the art event, as well as the Starry Night Art Hotel and Inn, Seaside Coffee House, the Seaside Antique Mall and Dough Dough Bakery.

Wildt said shes proud to be part of Seasides burgeoning gallery scene.

Theres a lot happening in Seaside, she said.

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View from the Porch: Lots happening art-wise in Seaside - Seaside Signal

ATHENS Georgia special teams coach Scott Cochran will make $550,000 annually, per a DawgNation FOIA request filed with the University of Georgia. Cochran's base salary is $325,000 and his annual supplemental income is $225,000 for a total of $550,000. Cochran's salary at Alabama last year as head strength and conditioning coach was reportedly $590,000, per AL.com. While Cochran's salary is less than what he was making at Alabama, it's a heavy increase over the $325,000 Scott Fountain made last season as UGA's special teams coach. RELATED: Alabama prep coaches discuss what Georgia can expect from Cochran Fountain left the Bulldogs' staff after the season to join departed UGA offensive line coach Sam Pittman, who is now head coach at Arkansas. GEORGIA FOOTBALL SALARIES 2020 (returning coaches salaries have not been released) Todd Monken, Offensive Coordinator $1,100,000 Matt Luke, Offensive Line Coach $900,000 Scott Cochran: Special Teams $550,000 GEORGIA FOOTBALL SALARIES 2019 James Coley: Offensive Coordinator / QB Coach $950,000 Sam Pittman: Associate Head Coach / OL Coach $900,000 Dell McGee: Run Game Coordinator / RB Coach $650,000 Cortez Hankton: Pass Game Coordinator / WR Coach $550,000 Todd Hartley: TE Coach $300,000 Dan Lanning: Defensive Coordinator / OLB Coach $750,000 Glenn Schumann: Co-Defensive Coordinator / ILB Coach $550,000 Charlton Warren: DB Coach $600,000 Tray Scott: DL Coach $470,000 Scott Fountain: Special Teams Coordinator $325,000 Georgia football salaries 2018 Mel Tucker, $1,500,000, Defensive coordinator / secondary Jim Chaney, $950,000, Offensive coordinator / tight ends James Coley, $850,000, Co-offensive coordinator / quarterbacks Sam Pittman, $825,000, Offensive line coach Dell McGee, $550,000, Running backs coach Tray Scott, $420,000, Defensive line coach Cortez Hankton, $375,000, Receivers coach Glenn Schumann, $325,000, Inside linebackers coach Dan Lanning, $325,000, Outside linebackers coach Scott Fountain, $300,000, Special teams coach The post Georgia football special teams coordinator Scott Cochran salary released appeared first on DawgNation.

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Frat brothers charged after gruesome prank in Athens - WGAU