Out of frustration, I decided to spend some time writing this article in the hope that it might reach people and help them avoid becoming victims of cyber‑crime. I’m going to highlight cyber criminals’ techniques based on what has happened to me over the last few months. I thought I was cyber‑security savvy, but you’d be surprised at the tricks criminals can use to disguise themselves as electronic wolves in sheep’s clothing. Let’s start with some figures from the British Government’s National Cyber Security Centre: ‘As of December 2025, the number of reports stands at more than 49.8M. This has resulted in 240k scams removed across 426k URLs.’
I started being targeted in December 2025 by mystery phone calls. For the first couple of times, I received a call from an Edinburgh code number. I’d answer, there would be a brief silence, then the call would be cut by the caller. Not long after, I’d get a call from a Glasgow prefix, the same silence and no message. Another came from a Manchester prefix, then another from a London prefix. What concerned me was that if this was a scammer, surely they would want to get me into conversation in order to attempt to extort money from me. Was it possibly a stalker? What the caller was able to obtain without saying anything was confirmation that I would be awake at that time. Perhaps background noise could be noted, allowing the caller to build up some kind of ‘profile’. What I observed was that the caller tended to ring at the same time, usually (but not always) around 11am in the morning or about 5pm in the evening – never late at night or very early. To me this suggested the caller also had a routine, perhaps even a day job. On one occasion I blocked an incoming call from Manchester ending in 1783. The next day I received another call from Manchester, and the phone number was identical except the final digits ended in 1784. At that point I knew something suspicious was going on. These criminals use what are known in the trade as ‘sock puppets’ – fake or disposable identities created to disguise their real ones. A sock puppet can be a fake phone number attached to your phone through an app. You can also use an app to create a one‑time‑only email address which a criminal can use once, then discard, leaving the address to be recycled for someone else waiting in the queue. The scammer may have realised I was on to them, so they decided to send me an email, and this is where I let my guard down. I received the following email:
Thinking this was a genuine new client enquiry, I suspected nothing and replied asking what they wanted. I received a response.
From the second email I realised that the surname was spelled slightly differently and that the emails came from different addresses. My guess is that they were using more sock puppets. The content of the message was so badly written that either the scammer had not properly thought through how to continue the fraud, or they were demonstrating that although I had blocked their calls, they could still reach me in other ways. The English quite clearly showed that the sender was no Charles Dickens. Both scam emails were forwarded to the British Government’s phishing department in the hope they might be able to prevent this cyber criminal from targeting the elderly or vulnerable. Around the same time, I tried to do some trade on a popular freelancing site for creatives. I placed some adverts and very quickly received enquiries, which was surprising as my ads had only been live for a day. I was savvy enough to notice that instead of asking whether I’d be interested in doing some work, they asked me to click on a link so that I could ‘review’ their ‘proposals’. Such a Trojan technique could have opened my laptop to a whole soup of malware and viruses. I received three of these cyber traps. They were reported to the site administrators, who blocked the senders for me. It’s easy to become worried or anxious about the cyber criminals out there, but you can find many resources online to help you protect your data, your bank account and your life. As for me, I simply take criminal actions against me and convert them into free content. If you have received any suspicious emails, or if you have been a victim of fraud in the UK, you can contact: http://www.reportfraud.police.uk Tel: 0300 123 2040 Send your suspicious emails to: report@phishing.gov.uk
Happy New year all! I am very pleased to announce releasing my next publication! Women at War is an inspirational book by local Kinross-shire author Andrew Burnett. I wanted to publish this book as the women in this story were a personal inspiration to me. This book started out as a video project. Andrew took his camera and recorded all these women on tape to preserve their stories so that what they did and their names would not be lost in time. I owe these women for what they did, fighting for their country so that we can enjoy the freedom we have today in Great Britain. Andrew donated this footage to the Burntisland Museum of Communication in Fife so that visitors can watch the interviews and listen to these women tell their stories. We decided to bring out their stories in book format too,as another avenue of preserving their life experiences.
I personally was inspired by this manuscript as to me, these women demonstrated 3 virtues that a human needs to live a balanced life – they had a sense of meaning, purpose and connection. They were fighting for their country and this was the motivation. These women were happy and living life to the full. In a recent conversation, Andrew mentioned that one of the German Prisoners of war had said that living and working in Britain was the best time of his life. So today’s generation can take a leaf out of this book. With Anxiety, stress, depression at pandemic levels, people who read this book may be inspired to find their path, find that sense of spiritual connection, searching for their purpose and meaning. If you don’t know where to turn, first find the inspiration, and you’ll find this book on Amazon.
Music night at The Green Kinross raises £1k for Charity
On Sunday 21 December, an audience at The Green Hotel enjoyed an uplifting charity evening of dance and song. Headlining the event for the 3rd consecutive year, was local artist Rachel White and Friends. All technical crew, performers and helpers volunteered, including community award winner Beth Gibson and her mum Angela, who organised the raffle and prizes. I was invited along to shoot some publicity photography and this was my 2nd CHAS music night event.
The night opened with a variety of youth dance routines provided by Becky Webb of Dance Connect, followed by songs and duets from guest singers Sarah Innes and Danielle Logan. Rachel and her band — Austen Brunton on drums, Luke Mcdonald on keys and Luke Walker on guitar — delivered melodic, beautifully engaging ballads. Rachel also performed Greener, a reflection on the importance of following your own path in life rather than feeling pressured into the expected norms of getting married, settling down and raising a family. Rachel has performed for CBBC and BBC Scotland, and her new single Man Overboard is due for release in January 2026. It was a spectacular night all round, raising a total of £500 for CHAS and £500 for Scottish Action for Mental Health — well done everyone!
What does this really mean? Simply put, in business your connections reflect your influence – and often determine how far your products or services will reach. That includes our customers. When they buy from us and have a great experience, they become part of our network too, recommending us to friends, family and colleagues. After a few months away from the business networking scene – and after finally walking away from a toxic day job – I decided it was time to refresh my business plan and commit to getting back out there. Today I attended my first networking event in months: the GrowBiz Entrepreneurs Meet-Up in the Perthshire town of Auchterarder. I’ve been supported by GrowBiz since 2019 and have always loved their events. They’re friendly, relaxed and genuinely welcoming. There’s always complimentary food and drinks, and at some of the more spectacular evening events we’ve even been treated to three-course buffets – all at no charge. So yes, I was excited. I woke up with a feeling I hadn’t had in a long time: looking forward to the day ahead instead of dreading it. No longer a slave to the day job, I was actually excited about heading north for a morning of connection and opportunity. I’d done my prep: • Planned my route on Google Maps • Checked where the EV charging stations were • Looked up the parking options • Packed my book portfolio • And tucked in my brand new business cards I was ready to roll. What I’d forgotten was just how challenging Scottish winter driving can be. The first problem hit quickly: my screen wash nozzles had frozen. As the windscreen started to get coated in road salt, my despair grew just as fast. I pulled the spray lever – nothing. The wipers simply smeared the salt across the glass, dramatically reducing visibility on a country road where stopping wasn’t really an option. I eventually pulled over at the first junction and had to make my first strategic decision of the day. I still had 35 minutes to get to the event, but my battery level was just over 50%, giving me around 50 miles of range. My options: • Turn back home, grab a bottle of water to clear the windscreen – using more battery and almost certainly arriving late. • Give up, go home and cancel – and then sit with regret for the rest of the day. • Carry on, trusting that at the Crook of Devon petrol station I could pick up water en route. I chose to carry on. As I drove through the remote Glendevon hills, range anxiety began to creep in. At 50% battery, my Mini had about 50 miles of range, and I wasn’t entirely sure I’d have enough to get back home. Images of being stranded on the roadside for hours waiting for recovery started to float through my mind. I knew there was a charging station in Auchterarder – but would it be free? Would it be working? I kept going regardless. What was really happening, of course, was an inner resistance to change. When we move from the security of employment into the unknown, the mind will often do everything it can to pull us back to the familiar – even if that familiar is painful. Pain and frustration with a salary can feel safer than freedom and possibility without one. This is something I’ve often heard Jay Hastings of Serious About Success coaching services talk about – and there I was, living it in real time. By the time I reached the main road into Auchterarder, my battery was down to 30%. That’s when I hit the next obstacle: the road was closed. The sign cheerfully announced it would be closed for the next 32 weeks. Despair made another appearance. One of the workmen directed me back onto the motorway to follow the diversion signs. Once again, my windscreen had quickly became coated in road salt, so stopping again, I used some Highland Spring water to wash it down. With magical life force of its own, the bottle cap flew off, disappeared under the car, and for a moment I just stood there thinking, Really? I was wearing my good trousers and didn’t exactly fancy crawling under the car. Fortunately, the cap was just within reach. Small win. The motorway sign said “Auchterarder 4 miles”. At 30% battery I knew I had at least 20 miles of range – enough to breathe a little easier. Hope started to replace the despair. When I finally arrived at the public car park, I was already five minutes late for the event. The first few charging stations I tried were either occupied or not working. Despair, again. Then I saw one last charging station with a green to go light on, I raced to get the parking bay and plugged in. Relief washed over me as the car began to charge. A bonus: the car park itself was full, but thanks to having an EV, I got a space at the charger. Sometimes the future does have perks. Now I was ready to network – only 30 minutes late. Aytoun Hall was just across the street from the charging point. I headed in and was welcomed by a friendly group of fellow entrepreneurs. Within minutes I’d introduced myself, started chatting, and begun learning about their businesses and stories. I was especially grateful for the tea and biscuits after such a stressful journey – and reassured knowing the car would be fully charged for a relaxed drive home. I met: • Mark, who has started his own whisky distillery • Gill, a Respite Carer • Angie, a Brand and Marketing freelancer We agreed on a few important things: • It’s good to get out of the house and network. • Hot-desking or working away from home can be refreshing, even if staying at home is cheaper. • Human contact matters – especially when you can build genuine relationships and potential collaborations. As the conversations flowed, all my earlier travel stress started to dissolve. It was replaced by a feeling of wholeness – a deep sense that I was exactly where I was meant to be, doing the work I’m meant to do, with the people I’m meant to meet. Freelancing in media and books gives my life a sense of meaning and purpose that the day job never did. You don’t get paid for networking, at least not directly. But it is one of the most powerful ways to market yourself and your business. Once people get to know you, like you and trust you, they’ll share your details with potential customers. They’ll remember you when someone says, “Do you know anyone who…?” Your network really does become your net worth. I drove home with a renewed sense of achievement – a feeling I hadn’t experienced in months. The stress of the morning had transformed into connection and momentum. I’m already looking forward to my next GrowBiz Christmas lunch event. Is that really “working”? Of course it is. Because building relationships, showing up and being seen is at the heart of any successful business – and your network will always be a big part of your net worth.
I’m delighted to announce the release of my latest book, Stalkers. A year in the making, the manuscript could not be completed until my final court hearing concluded. Further delays during formatting meant I missed my planned Halloween launch — fitting, as the story itself culminates on Halloween, Kinross-shire. I chose to prioritize this project over my 30,000-word book on the mind, recognizing the urgent need to make this resource available to victims of stalking as soon as possible. Stalkers is a concise, focused work — a low-content book in structure but one born from necessity and purpose. Stalking is a relatively new criminal offence and, disturbingly, one that continues to rise.
The crime was brought into legislation in Scotland, Great Britain, and across Europe largely thanks to the tireless efforts of Dr Ann Moulds CBE, herself a survivor of stalking and the founder of Action Against Stalking — the only dedicated charity I know that exists solely to support victims. When people think of stalking, they often imagine the stereotype: a woman pursued by an obsessed man — perhaps a rejected lover or estranged partner. The reality, however, is far broader. Men can be stalked by women, men by men, and women by women. In my own experience — being stalked by another man, and knowing a woman stalked by another woman — neither of us found justice in the courtroom. I wrote this book initially as a therapeutic exercise to help process trauma. Research shows that writing stimulates brain activity through hand–eye coordination, reducing stress and supporting healing. But beyond personal recovery, my deeper motivation was to help others — to give current and future victims hope. There is light at the end of the tunnel, and there are steps you can take to protect yourself. Some alarming facts: • 11.8% of men and women in Scotland have experienced stalking. • Across the UK, an estimated 1.6 million stalking cases are reported annually. • 1 in 11 men in the UK will experience stalking in their lifetime. • 25% of stalking victims report suicidal thoughts. • In 76% of femicide cases, the victim had previously been stalked by the perpetrator. • Victims typically report their stalker only after 100 incidents. • Action Against Stalking receives around 50 new cases each month at the time of writing. If you know someone who may be a victim of stalking or feels powerless against it, please share this pocket-sized book with them. It could quite literally save a life.
When I first laid eyes on the Eovolt Afternoon,
I was struck by its unique charm. Its chunky Z-frame, solid build, and delightful desert sand color immediately caught my attention. But as they say, looks can be deceiving. This wasn’t just a bike with style—it was a marvel of practicality and performance, tailored for both urban adventures and rural escapes. Purchased from Winstanley’s Bikes in Wigan, England, this French-made folding e-bike has been a revelation in my cycling journey.
Built for Dual-Purpose Riding the Eovolt Afternoon is marketed as a dual-purpose bike, and it’s not hard to see why. Its wider-than-usual thick tires make it adept at handling both smooth city streets and uneven paths. Whether it’s cobbled roads, forest trails, or leafy bike paths, with its 20 inch full sized tires, the Eovolt Afternoon rises to the challenge with ease. The manual highlights its suitability for urban and mild off-road use, but I’ve found it excels even in rural terrains, like the rolling hilly back roads of Perthshire. The bike’s sturdy frame and wide tires provide excellent stability and traction on uneven paths, while the Shimano gears ensure a smooth ride up steep inclines.
Design: A Mini-Tank on Two Wheels
The bike’s solid Z-frame design exudes strength and reliability. The closest comparison I can make is to a little two-wheeled tank, or perhaps driving a Mini Cooper. It’s compact, sturdy, and charmingly robust. And then there’s the Transformer-like ability to fold down to a quarter of its size in under 10 seconds. This feature is a game-changer for me: I can fit two folded Eovolt Afternoons into my Mini without needing a bike rack. This portability makes the bike ideal for commuters needing compact storage or travellers looking to explore new places without the hassle of a bulky setup.
Battery and Performance
A key feature of any e-bike is the battery, and Eovolt has nailed it with this design. The battery, cleverly integrated into the seat post, can be removed for indoor charging or safekeeping. With a range of 50 miles and a full recharge time of approximately six hours, the battery provides consistent power for my weekly rides. Importantly, its secure connection ensures that power isn’t disrupted on bumpy roads—a significant improvement over other e-bikes I’ve owned.
The Shimano 7-speed gears are another standout feature, offering the versatility needed to tackle steep hills and rougher terrains. This gearing, combined with the bike’s power assist levels, ensures smooth and efficient rides, even in challenging conditions.
Practical Features
The Eovolt Afternoon comes with thoughtful additions that make it ideal for both commuting and leisure rides. Its solid metal mudguards and sturdy pannier rack enhance its utility, allowing me to carry shopping bags or even pack for a weekend tour, and the anti-puncture tires offer anxiety-free biking adventures.
Accessories
Like my Garmin Radar, Garmin Explore GPS, and Rock Bros soft top box with fold-away panniers further enhance the bike’s practicality.
Despite weighing over 20 kilos, the bike’s robust build feels like a worthwhile trade-off for its durability and versatility. For flat terrain, I’ve found keeping the power assist at the lowest setting works just fine.
Cons to Consider
No bike is perfect, and the Eovolt Afternoon has its drawbacks. The paintwork is prone to flaking, particularly around the nuts securing the side stand. The lack of suspension might be a concern for some, though the thick tires absorb most shocks effectively. The single front LED light and small power assist buttons—which require removing winter gloves to operate—are minor inconveniences.
Finally, while it’s not a Smart bike (there’s no accompanying app), I’ve come to appreciate this simplicity. It means fewer chances of tech failures interrupting a ride.
Value for Money
Priced at £1,800 from Winstanley’s Bikes (with an option to upgrade to Shimano brakes and Schwalbe tires for an additional £400), the Eovolt Afternoon offers excellent value. Its build quality, versatility, and features rival those of more expensive e-bikes.
Opening Up a New World
This e-bike has transformed my cycling experience. Whether commuting to the next village, boarding the Edinburgh city trams, or exploring Scottish Highlands like Loch Katrine or Loch Rannoch, the Eovolt Afternoon has proven to be a reliable companion. It also excels when peddling through historic sites like Culross’s medieval salt mines, adding a sense of adventure to every ride. It’s also introduced me to a thriving social scene of e-biking enthusiasts, opening doors to new friendships and shared adventures.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re a London city cyclist or a rural e biker, the Eovolt Afternoon is a bike that delivers on its promises. Its practicality, solid construction, and versatility make it a worthy investment for anyone seeking a folding e-bike. While not without its flaws, its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. For me, it’s been the most ultra-practical bike I’ve ever owned, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me next.
After a few years of carrying out Voluntary media content, I recently was given the opportunity to create and design a website for Shieldbank Coffee Shop in Saline, Fife, Scotland. It was a totally unexpected opportunity and I grabbed the chance at once. At first I was going to build the site using WordPress (of course!) but discovered the client was already subscribing to IONOS. I very quickly realised how easy it is to create web sites with IONOS and immediately started shooting photos for content. I had a lot of food photography to shoot seeing as food and drinks are the main products being sold. I also dusted the dust off my quadcopter and was pleased to get some aerial shots. After 23 hours I had the site ready to go live and was very satisfied with the finished site. So much that I have decided to offer this service to more clients in future.
Spring is in the air and so is the birth of a new chapter in life long learning. I have just recently embarked on a certificate course in IT Support.
Previously as a customer service agent, I had been offered the opportunity to apply for a job in the IT Support department – however, this would involve having to sell up and move to London. After doing some quick sums, I realized that although my wages would increase, the cost of living would also increase to the point where I would just be working to pay my bills and have nothing left over. The negatives outweighed the positives and I decided to withdraw my application.
I didn’t foresee that in the not too distant future I could have the best of all worlds, I could find a new day job, run my Mindful Relaxation Wellbeing classes, helping my local community with a much more fulfilling variety of work, including working on my publishing business. Now to me, if all goes well, this would be my dream state of being – AND – I don’t need to move. Better to work for yourself rather than some CEO lazing in his London penthouse suite, getting paid millions to spend his day organizing meetings about having meetings.
I find that IT is one of the most challenging areas to study and work with – it requires having the ability to somehow translate computer technology into simple English so that things work. It requires spending much time researching in order to understand. IT problems causes stress and anxiety and can result in a person’s life grinding to a halt if the technology solution is not there.
I have found that this course is not easy, the learning curve for me is so steep, you could paraglide off the top of the apex. So much jargon that doesn’t mean anything to me, so many target pass marks that need to be obtained in order to gain the certificate. I was quite overwhelmed by how much information needs to be read and understood, so much so that I wanted to give up after the first night.
Taking a leaf out of my own course notes, I had to stop overthinking this, pull back, take a break from reading jargon, have a cup of tea and re-think. Then the realization came.
If I can just learn one thing from this course that will help me with computers that’s enough, my expectations will not result in disappointment. Being honest and upfront with yourself and others is the best way to go. I immediately informed my tutor of my true feelings about the course to let her know what I’d like to get from the course. I’m sure she’ll appreciate my honest communication and I’m glad I’m not quitting too soon.
For 2023 I am pleased to announce work has started on the next book. My genre is Mind Body Spirit because these are the types of books I like to read and buy.
So the next book topic will be on the subject of Mind.
Producing a 30k word book takes a long time. My initial project was going to be a Self Help book which I estimate would have taken me approximately 3 weeks to write and it would have been for sale on Amazon by now – BUT – this topic failed to pass Proof Of Concept. So I had to go back to square one and start again.
I have my new topic and having to work a day job, and volunteer and various other duties, research is going to take me much longer than anticipated. I do try to spend at least one hour each day getting some research done. Once the bulk of the research has been carried out, and if I can write 30k words or more I can then proceed to passing the manuscript to the editor for the next stage in the process.
In my opinion there are 3 types of Writer. There are writers who just love to write and do not care if the book sells. There are writers who write books purely to make money – they may not even have an interest in their book subject but they know that topic will sell. And there’s the 3rd type of writer who enjoys writing their book and wish to only write books that will sell. This is the category I think I would fall into – this time but not perhaps in future. The nice thing about being a publisher is you can organize a book by pulling in a team of researcher, ghost writer, editor and book cover designer – so you are managing a project for a book that you may even have not much interest in.
This book is as the title suggests, a workout routine for people who don’t have time to go to the Gym. It’s a routine that you can do at home, in the office or even on holiday.
The exercises which last approximately 30 minutes also includes your warm up and warm down exercises too, and there’s an extra Mind Body Spirit Bonus section included which complements your physical workout.
All you ever need to invest in is a pair of hand held weights, an exercise / yoga mat for your back techniques and that’s it!
If you’re on a budget this could be the little pocket book for you!!
When I first laid eyes on the 
Jinja Ninja Media Solutions 