More than 400 local business leaders packed a Lexington Center ballroom last Tuesday to hear lectures encouraging entrepreneurship in Kentucky from two of the state's most successful entrepreneurs.

Jim Host, the founder of Host Communications and now chief executive of iHigh.com, and Pearse Lyons, founder and president of Alltech, told their personal stories, talked about why Kentucky needs more entrepreneurs and offered their personal tips for success.

I know how much business people love lists of success tips, so I will share those later. First, though, I want to discuss why, beyond their obvious success, Host and Lyons are worth your attention.

Both are classic, hard-charging entrepreneurs. They are keen observers of business and society. Not only do they embrace change, they try to anticipate and drive it. They know that people always want better ways to satisfy their needs and desires, and in that space are great business opportunities. They know how to make things happen.

Host is a home-grown success story. He moved to Ashland as a boy and has spent most of his life in Kentucky, including serving in state government and running unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor early in his career.

Host created world-class companies in travel, sports marketing and communications. Now he is trying to create the future of television. Host never felt he needed to move elsewhere to succeed. More importantly, he never allowed his vision to be limited by Kentucky's cultural aversion to change.

Most recently, Host led the effort to build Louisville's KFC Yum Center arena, despite being a blue-bleeding University of Kentucky alumnus and fan. Working in Louisville underscored for him the foolishness of allowing intrastate rivalries to obstruct progress.

Host, 74, has become an evangelist for Louisville-Lexington cooperation. He was founding chairman of the Bluegrass Economic Advancement Movement, a new effort led by both cities' mayors to bring more advanced-manufacturing jobs to Kentucky.

Lyons' story is different. Born, reared and educated in Ireland, he came to Kentucky in 1974 because he thought it was a great place to start a business.

Alltech began with the idea of developing and making all-natural animal nutrition supplements. Now, the company's goal is no less than figuring out how to feed the world using natural ingredients and breakthrough technology, not to mention making good beer and whiskey on the side. Privately held Alltech now has 3,000 employees in 128 countries, including more than 500 in Kentucky.

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Tom Eblen: Jim Host, Pearse Lyons want to encourage more entrepreneurs in Kentucky

"It is the Governments view that where an individual has the requisite level of control to direct the activities of the organisation and they are engaged at a senior level (through an intermediary) then that individual should be taxed as an employee" says the consultation document.

The consultation document suggests a change in law so that where an organisation engages a controlling person through an intermediary, such as a personal service company, the engaging organisation will be required to deduct the income tax and national insurance at source, as they would for their employees.

It is proposed that 'controlling person' will be defined as "someone who is able to shape the direction of the organisation having authority or responsibility for directing or controlling the major activities of the engaging organisation during the year". The consultation document goes on to say that this would be "someone who has managerial control over a significant proportion of the organisations employees and/or control over a significant proportion of the budget of the organisation."

Chris Thomas, a tax law expert at Pinsent Masons (the law firm behind Out-Law), commented that the legislation is perhaps unsurprising in the context of the recent furore over off payroll remuneration in the public sector. However, it will nonetheless be unwelcome news for many corporates who have, until now, been able to offer the benefits of gross payment without taking on any risk themselves.

Thomas added that the Governments thinking on the issue did not appear very well developed and that the consultation left a lot of questions unanswered. The key will be how exactly they define who is a controlling person, he said. At the moment, the description is rather vague and it is likely to cause problems for businesses in determining who exactly is caught. Also it is not clear whether it will actually hit the intended targets. For example, non-executive directors are presumably in the Governments sights, but it is by no means clear that they would be able to shape the direction of the organisation. We will also need to see how the regime applies where a controlling person is supplying separate consultancy services although one would hope that this should not be affected

Rules currently exist, commonly known as IR35, to prevent tax avoidance using personal service companies. The IR35 rules apply where the relationship between the end client and the worker would be one of employment if it was not for the interposition of an intermediary, such as a personal service company.

A worker caught by the IR35 rules can take out of the personal service company as salary the money earned from that contract and pay tax and National Insurance on those salary payments in the normal way. However, to the extent that the worker does not choose to pay the money out as a salary, at the end of the year, the personal service company is required to calculate a deemed payment on which employee national insurance contributions and income tax are due and a deemed employer national insurance payment.

The Government considers that IR35 is not sufficient to solve for the senior workers the new rules are aimed at.. "When IR35 was introduced 10 years ago it was comparatively unusual for controlling persons of an engaging organisation to be working through a PSC [personal service company]. In the last few years anecdotal evidence suggests that it has become an increasingly common practice in both the private and public sectors." states the document.

It explains that because the IR35 legislation places the obligation on the personal service company to operate income tax and national insurance "this means that even where the appropriate tax and National Insurance for the circumstances of the case is being paid, that is not going to be clear and transparent to the engaging organisation."

The Government believes that, "because of their role in an organisation, controlling persons should be required to meet their income tax and National Insurance obligations in a way which is transparent to their engager. This is not currently possible where they work through a PSC" states the consultation document.

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Senior individuals using personal service companies to have income tax and national insurance deducted at source, the ...

Times photo by Rebecca Blanchard Students show each of the board members what they learned using their iPods.

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The Boyertown Area School District board members were given a personal lesson by students last Tuesday at the Board of Directors meeting. Students, with iPods in hand, sat down alongside board members to explain what they have learned about this new technology.

To coincide with the personal explanations, two students presented a presentation about the iTouch to the audience.

During the first public comment period, one person came forward to address the fact that no other administrators have agreed to a pay freeze aside from superintendent Dr. Dion E. Betts.

The contract between the school district and Dr. Betts has been amended since the meeting held on May 8.

A new agreement has been made regarding Act 93 employees. This agreement will replace the current compensation plan, and states that the group will not receive salary increases for the 2012-2013 school year.

Many board members expressed their gratitude towards the groups willingness.

This was the first group that came to us about a freeze, stated board President Gwendolyn Semmens.

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Boyertown board get lesson in technology from students

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLRWqs-XSZ8

28-05-2012 06:49 For the first time K-12 educators from across all sectors and at all career levels will have a dynamic community platform that enables them to connect, learn, collaborate and create. A FREE professional learning resource that empowers NSW educators with the ICT skills they need to lead the future of learning. PLANE is free to all NSW educators and will be available from June 30th 2012. This project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations through the ICT Innovation Fund. PLANE is managed by a consortium comprising of NSW DEC, AIS, CEC, and CDE. Connect with us: @planejourney

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Online ICT Professional Learning for Educators - Video

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28-05-2012 07:00 This is a sample of our online teaching system . To know more please click And contact

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Online chinese learning Sample - Video

NEW YORK (Reuters) - As an active 77 year old, Edith Wilma Connor enjoys doing step aerobics with her great-granddaughter. But pumping iron is the real passion of the oldest female competitive bodybuilder.

"When I'm getting ready for competition, I go as heavy as I can," said Connor, who was awarded the title by Guinness World Records. "To me it's fun to add another 25 pounds (11.3 kilograms) and do it."

Connor, who is based in Denver, Colorado, is a late bloomer who began to pursue fitness in her 60s, to counterbalance the sedentary work the data entry company she owned with her husband demanded.

"It was something I could do by myself, for myself," Connor explained. "It was a tension releaser. I sit at a computer all day, so it was one way for me to take it out on the weights instead of the employees."

On her 65th birthday she entered her first competition, the Grand Masters in Las Vegas, and won first place.

"At that point, I was hooked," said Connor who went on to become a certified personal trainer specializing in the mature body.

Her day starts with an aerobic or other warm up exercise followed by weight training. Typically for bodybuilders, all body parts are not trained during each session.

She works out at least three times a week and does not diet, preferring to follow the nutritional guidelines she developed over time for her body type.

"I allow myself a few pounds, until my clothes don't fit right, then it's got to come off," Connor said. "It's a mindset."

She lost her husband of 57 years two weeks after her last competition, in 2011.

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Oldest female bodybuilder loves pumping iron

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KCb3myeKD4

26-05-2012 18:57 This video was uploaded from an Android phone.

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Cobi excercise... - Video

BANGKOK Chaos is part of Bangkok's charm. But the savvy traveler quickly learns how to navigate Bangkok's legendary traffic jams and discover its soul, a mix of urban jungle and Buddhist serenity where shopping and eating are national pastimes.

Despite the weak dollar, Bangkok remains one of the best deals in Asia. Some of the world's tastiest street food sells for as little as 25 baht (80 cents) a plate. Beat traffic by zipping down side streets in a tuk-tuk or cruising up the Chao Praya on public express boats for stunning views of the city's premier attractions both for about a dollar. Other favorite outings are free:

LUMPINI PARK: An oasis of tropical gardens and paved jogging paths in the middle of the city. Beat the heat by avoiding the park in midday. There are early morning tai chi classes and after work aerobics classes. You can rent paddle boats, take the kids to one of Bangkok's best outdoor playgrounds or marvel at the massive monitor lizards in the lake.

CHATUCHAK MARKET: Browsing is free at the largest outdoor market in Thailand, and it's a sight to see whether or not you take something home. Chatuchak's thousands of stalls are divided into sections that include antiques, home dcor, clothing and food. You can find everything from Buddha statues and Thai handicrafts to handmade jewelry and the occasional endangered species in the live animal section. For upscale, air-conditioned window shopping, head to shopping malls Siam Paragon, Emporium or Central World.

TEMPLE HOPPING: Catch some karma at Bangkok's many Buddhist temples, known in Thai as "wats." Some of the most popular, Wat Po and Wat Arun, ask foreigners to pay a minimal entrance fee but hundreds of others are free, including the impressive Temple of the Golden Mount, also known as Wat Saket. A temple compound's shaded walkways and quiet corners are a perfect place to escape the sensory overload on Bangkok's busy streets.

FLOWER MARKET: Bangkok's largest flower market, Pak Klong Talat, is open 24 hours but it's busiest just after 2 a.m. when traders unload their fresh-cut blossoms in bulk. It's a kaleidoscope of colors with an incredible selection of orchids at jaw-droppingly cheap prices. The market is just south of Wat Pho and not far from the Grand Palace in the historical section of old Bangkok.

PATPONG: For a walk on Bangkok's wild side, take an evening stroll along Patpong Road. It offers the incongruous mix of go-go bars and evening shopping. A thriving night market selling T-shirts, pirated DVDs and other souvenirs runs through the red-light district and spills onto the adjacent Silom Road, which is packed with street food vendors, restaurants and bars.

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Bangkok: 5 free things to do

I'm inverted in separate leg stretch at Yoga 101, pulling on my heels, reaching the crown of my head to my yoga mat, when a huge drop of sweat falls from my stomach into my eye. Or was it from my thigh? I can't really tell because my entire body is dripping with sweat. My arms. My legs. My chin. My eyelids.

At this moment, I'm not looking very pretty. But I'm feeling pretty tough. Sweating through 90 minutes of stretching, pulling, bending, flexing and cardiovascular activity has made me a new woman and turned numerous other Tri-Staters into hot yoga converts. Hot yoga is yoga practiced in a hot room with high humidity.

"Hot yoga is very challenging," said Mick Conati, 42, from Evansville. "I've lost close to 40 (now it's up to 60) pounds since I started practicing regularly and next week I expect to get off my blood pressure medicine."

Photo by Jason Clark, 2012 Jason Clark

photos by JASON CLARK / COURIER & PRESS Below: Tara Logel of Henderson, Ky., watches herself in the mirror as she participates with others in a hot yoga class led by instructor Nicole Tibbs at Yoga 101 in Evansville Wednesday.

Photo by Jason Clark, 2012 Jason Clark

Right: Mick Conati participates in a hot yoga class led by instructor Nicole Tibbs at Yoga 101. Conati has lost about 60 pounds since he started practicing in the classes regularly.

Photo by Jason Clark, 2012 Jason Clark

Hot yoga participants follow instructor Nicole Tibbs. More Tri-Staters are taking up the practice of yoga in a hot, humid room.

Conati said he's dabbled with hot yoga off and on for the past couple of years, but a few months ago began practicing about five times a week. Coupled with a diet that includes no preservatives or prepared foods, the results have been great.

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Hot for Bikram yoga

Even the French baguettes got into it assuming the up dog position as a flash mob of 20 yogis struck the farmers market at Wooster Square.

Peg Oliveira leads the new non-profit 108 Monkeys (explanation to follow) that seeks to make yogas gospel of mindfulness more accessible to kids in the schools and other under-stress populations, including shoppers deeply focused on their errands.

At 12:40 p.m. Saturday, Oliveira gave the yoga troops these orders from a staging area near the Christopher Columbus statue in Wooster Square Park: Do stand up, stand down, then break into your personal positions: warrior one, warrior two. When I go into the tree pose, all follow. At the ringing of the bell, come to mountain.

In the crowded single aisle of the market, shopping co-existed nicely even with this dramatic dancers move, and the shoppers shopped on.

However, when Oliveira began a chant of seven deep oms, which she characterized as the sound of the universe, the yoga mobsters picked it up and the sound grew into a quiet crescendo. From Chapel Street to Wooster the commercial air in the market appeared to shift. Attention was being paid.

The yoga routine, which lasted no more than four minutes, culminated in all the participants bowing deeply and saying namaste, whose meaning is I share my inner light with your inner light, according to OIiveira.

For years Oliveira provided yoga classes for kids often in after-school programs, for which there was not opportunity for sustained follow-up. Suddenly staff at the after-school program and parents wanted it [too], she said.

So she founded 108 Monkeys. The number embraces infinity and nothingness, Buddha described the chattering mind as a monkey. The organization seeks to spread the word and increase the opportunity for people to participate in yoga. Its not a studio but an outreach vehicle for existing studios like Fresh Yoga, Balanced Yoga, and the many others in town reach more people and people who may not be able to pay fees. Next year a prime focus of 108 Monkeys is going to be the schools, especially at-risk kids.

At its core, the ability to engage in a violent act is a disconnect to your own feelings and to others. If you understand we are all connected and your act comes back, then you would have the empathy that would not allow you to act violently against another, she said.

Eight city yoga studios were represented in the flash mob. Through 108 Monkeys, they will be offering free yoga every Saturday night at College Woods Park in East Rock and 6 p.m. and every Friday at noon a the Hill farmers market. Click here for the groups activities that includes this fall bringing yoga to the New Haven Boys and Girls Club, The Connecticut Mental Health Center, and the Clifford Beers Clinic.

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Yoga Monkeys Strike