Colocation is a type of internet server hosting. With Colocation, companies buy rack space in a Data Centre and store their own server equipment there. These Data Centre’s are facilities purpose built for this purpose. It is a way for companies running there own servers, but not having to have them on the site of their own business. Multiple customers are located at these Data Centre’s, but each own their own rack space and server’s. There are both advantages and disadvantages to Colocation, compared with hosting your own server on site, or just basic web hosting.
Bandwidth is cheaper in a Colocation Centre than it would be if you hosted your own Server. As bandwidth is shared between many servers, the cost is reduced. This also has the advantage of there being extra bandwidth should it be necessary. Unlike managed hosting, with Colocation you own your server and therefore have control over it, and can upgrade if you want to. There are large power and mechanical systems, and due to this website speeds can be much quicker. Having your server based away from your own site means that your internal networks are freed up and can be used for other purposes. As colocation centres specialise in this area there are superior backup protection in case of any problems. If the is a power failure, for example, there is unlikely to be the same issues as there would be if you were hosting your own server. This means websites can continue to run. Colocation can be beneficial to small business, who want some of the features of a large IT department without the high costs. Most centres have the facility for customers to pay extra to have their server managed and maintained. Servers are kept in a safe environment at Colocation Centres. There is security, and servers are kept in a fire safe and temperature controlled environment.
As with most things, Colocation has disadvantages as well as advantages. It may be cheaper than hosting your own server, but it is more expensive than basic web hosting. Therefore if web hosting is all that is required, then that is the best option. There is an initial cost involved as you have to pay for both the rack space at the data centre and the server itself. Once you have outlaid these initial costs, you still need to pay for bandwidth, usually on a monthly basis. This cost will vary depending on the amount of bandwidth that has been used. If a particularly large amount of data has been transferred during the month, then you could have quite a large increase in costs that month. Of course, this can also work the other way, with the cost being less than expected. As the prices fluctuate month on month you don’t have the security of knowing the exact amount you will be spending. Unlike Managed Hosting, you also have to pay whenever your server equipment needs updating. One of the benefits of having your server located at your own site is that it is there with you, whenever you need it. This is not the case with Colocation, and you will need to travel to the Data Centre when you need to perform any tasks. Unless you pay someone else to do it for you, you have to maintain your own server equipment, much like hosting you own server, but unlike managed hosting.
There are many things to take into consideration when deciding whether or not Colocation is best for your business. You need to take costs, practicalities and the amount of control you have into consideration. Colocation can be a very good alternative to web hosting or managed hosting, depending on your own individual needs.
Andrew Marshall ©
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Using the right Keywords
Using the right Keywords is crucial to any website. If you use the wrong keywords you may get few visitors, if any, or if you do, they might not be the right visitors. It is therefore very important that you know which keywords you want to use before you begin you SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). Your keywords are the terms that your potential visitors will use to find your website. Therefore using the keywords that give a clear idea of what you site is about is crucial.
First of all you need to make sure you know which keywords are searched for in relation to a site like yours. You don’t want to pick keywords that nobody searches for, or else you’ll end up getting little traffic. There are several tools that you can use to find out roughly the number of search there are for different terms. These include Google’s tool at adwords.google.com and wordtracker.com. You shouldn’t try to second guess which terms people use; just because you would use a particular term doesn’t mean that other will. It is not just about finding terms that generate a lot of searches; you need to make sure they are terms used by people who are looking for the service you are offering. In other words you need the right type of visitors. If you run a web design agency, you want visitors who are looking for a website to be designed for them. If they don’t want a website then they are of no good to you. You need to make sure the keywords you choose describe your services.
The most common searches are not always the best though. A very competitive term that many Internet users search for will be difficult to rank highly for. A less competitive term, which is still searched for in decent number, could be much more useful. It is better to get 20% of 1 million visitors, than 1% of 10 million.
Long tail keywords can be very useful. Long tail keywords are terms of more the two words. Research shows that those using long tail keywords are more likely to purchase something. They are looking for something specific, because it is something specific they are looking to buy. For example if someone types into Google ‘Ford Couga’, they are probably searching for this model of car because they are looking to purchase one. Therefore long tail keywords that match you services, but are searched for, could be of use.
Keywords relating to geographical location are something else that could be useful. People often search for services within their local area. This of course is dependant on what type of service you offer. When people search for restaurants for example, they are probably looking for a restaurant in a certain area. Therefore optimising for the term ‘Indian Restaurant Salisbury’ would be more beneficial than simply ‘Indian Restaurant’.
There are many things to take into consideration when choosing your keywords. You need to research your keywords very carefully, making sure the terms you choose are searched for, and could bring you the type of visitors you want.
Andrew Marshall ©
First of all you need to make sure you know which keywords are searched for in relation to a site like yours. You don’t want to pick keywords that nobody searches for, or else you’ll end up getting little traffic. There are several tools that you can use to find out roughly the number of search there are for different terms. These include Google’s tool at adwords.google.com and wordtracker.com. You shouldn’t try to second guess which terms people use; just because you would use a particular term doesn’t mean that other will. It is not just about finding terms that generate a lot of searches; you need to make sure they are terms used by people who are looking for the service you are offering. In other words you need the right type of visitors. If you run a web design agency, you want visitors who are looking for a website to be designed for them. If they don’t want a website then they are of no good to you. You need to make sure the keywords you choose describe your services.
The most common searches are not always the best though. A very competitive term that many Internet users search for will be difficult to rank highly for. A less competitive term, which is still searched for in decent number, could be much more useful. It is better to get 20% of 1 million visitors, than 1% of 10 million.
Long tail keywords can be very useful. Long tail keywords are terms of more the two words. Research shows that those using long tail keywords are more likely to purchase something. They are looking for something specific, because it is something specific they are looking to buy. For example if someone types into Google ‘Ford Couga’, they are probably searching for this model of car because they are looking to purchase one. Therefore long tail keywords that match you services, but are searched for, could be of use.
Keywords relating to geographical location are something else that could be useful. People often search for services within their local area. This of course is dependant on what type of service you offer. When people search for restaurants for example, they are probably looking for a restaurant in a certain area. Therefore optimising for the term ‘Indian Restaurant Salisbury’ would be more beneficial than simply ‘Indian Restaurant’.
There are many things to take into consideration when choosing your keywords. You need to research your keywords very carefully, making sure the terms you choose are searched for, and could bring you the type of visitors you want.
Andrew Marshall ©
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Why Beaty Therapy Courses are Important
We often hear the term ‘Mickey Mouse’ course branded around when discussions about higher education take place. Certain types of courses seem to have got this tag as people don’t seem to think they are relevant, and think students are only studying them to mess around, or for something to do before going into a career. Beauty Therapy courses are one of the courses that are often spoke about in this way. This is unfair on these courses though, as well as the people studying them. Gone are the days when a Maths or Science degree was what everyone wanted to do, although relatively few jobs directly relate to them. Sure Maths and/or Science are relevant in some ways to almost every job, but a degree in the area isn’t usually necessary. There is nothing wrong with courses, such as Beauty Therapy, that directly relate to an area of employment.
Beauty Therapy courses give students relevant and practical knowledge of different techniques that can then be used to treat clients. As well as learning the theory behind what they are doing, they perform the treatments, which is a very useful learning experience. Courses such as this are beneficial to clients as well. When they are treated by someone with the relevant qualifications, they feel confident that they are being seen by someone who has the skills to do the job successfully.
As with many practical subjects, there are many different types of Beauty Therapy Courses. These include college courses, part-time courses and short, intensive courses. Among the many part-time courses available is the VTCT NVQ Level 2 course at Warwickshire College. This course comprimises of a one-year full-time, part theory and part practical course. As well as learning about Beauty Therapy itself, students also learn about other areas, such as I.T. and communication that will be helpful if working in a beauty salon. Part-time courses are a popular alternative. The one at Derby College, for example, works on just 3 hours a week. This is obviously over a longer period of time, but suites people who are in full-time work or have other commitments.
As well as the traditional College courses, a relatively new way for courses to be organised is for students to take a shorter, more intense course. The Beauty Therapy Course with Open Beauty Learning is an example of this. At Open Beauty Learning, each individual module is taken separately. These usually run over two intensive days. Therefore students can study only one module if they choose, or the modules they feel are necessary to acquire the skills they are looking for. Students can gradually complete all the modules at their own pace to work towards a VTCT NVQ award if they choose to do so.
All these courses teach students many practical areas of Beauty Therapy, and prepare them for employment within this sector. They can develop the skills necessary to work in a beauty therapy salon, health spa, hotel, cruise liner, or start their own business. Therefore a course like this being described as worthless is not accurate, as it is preparing students for employment.
Andrew Marshall ©
Beauty Therapy courses give students relevant and practical knowledge of different techniques that can then be used to treat clients. As well as learning the theory behind what they are doing, they perform the treatments, which is a very useful learning experience. Courses such as this are beneficial to clients as well. When they are treated by someone with the relevant qualifications, they feel confident that they are being seen by someone who has the skills to do the job successfully.
As with many practical subjects, there are many different types of Beauty Therapy Courses. These include college courses, part-time courses and short, intensive courses. Among the many part-time courses available is the VTCT NVQ Level 2 course at Warwickshire College. This course comprimises of a one-year full-time, part theory and part practical course. As well as learning about Beauty Therapy itself, students also learn about other areas, such as I.T. and communication that will be helpful if working in a beauty salon. Part-time courses are a popular alternative. The one at Derby College, for example, works on just 3 hours a week. This is obviously over a longer period of time, but suites people who are in full-time work or have other commitments.
As well as the traditional College courses, a relatively new way for courses to be organised is for students to take a shorter, more intense course. The Beauty Therapy Course with Open Beauty Learning is an example of this. At Open Beauty Learning, each individual module is taken separately. These usually run over two intensive days. Therefore students can study only one module if they choose, or the modules they feel are necessary to acquire the skills they are looking for. Students can gradually complete all the modules at their own pace to work towards a VTCT NVQ award if they choose to do so.
All these courses teach students many practical areas of Beauty Therapy, and prepare them for employment within this sector. They can develop the skills necessary to work in a beauty therapy salon, health spa, hotel, cruise liner, or start their own business. Therefore a course like this being described as worthless is not accurate, as it is preparing students for employment.
Andrew Marshall ©
Friday, April 24, 2009
Importance of SEO
Search Engine Optimisation, or SEO, is a very important aspect of the Internet that is often not taken into consideration. SEO is the optimisation of web pages so they appear high in the search engine (e.g. Google, Yahoo, MSN) rankings. The search engines will not automatically find you unless SEO has been performed on your site.
A lot of businesses put much consideration into a new website without ever thinking about Search Engine Optimisation. They often spend a lot of money on getting their website developed and end up with a nice website that they hope will generate a lot of revenue. Many of them don’t think about marketing their website though. They don’t even take SEO into consideration. If a website is not optimised for the search engines then all the time, money and effort that has gone into designing the site could go to waste.
Online there are millions of competitors from all over the world. In comparison a High Street shop only has a few competitors. The advantage of the High Street is that potential customers are only going to pass a few shops, and even fewer that are direct competition that sell similar products. The Internet, though, has the advantage that your businesses can be reached from anywhere in the world. This is one of the reasons why SEO is so important. Little or no optimisation means that your site will appear nowhere compared to the millions of competitors. Good optimisation however, can put your site towards the top of the search engine results, and therefore people searching from all over the globe can find you and use your products or services. You won’t sell anything if people can’t find you, but if they can you could be sitting on a gold mine.
One of the first things most people think about when starting a new businesses is marketing. They realise that without marketing there businesses will not be visible to the public. However, people often do not think the same way when it comes to a website. SEO is a type of marketing, and it is necessary if you want you website to be visible. There are of course other ways of marketing a website, but SEO is the most effective. Relatively few people type a website’s address directly into their browser, even if they know which company they are searching for. They will usually enter into a search engine the company name or a term related to it. And of course most people are looking for a product or service, or information and do not have a particular website in mind. Therefore it is important to be found for search terms that are related to your business.
In a way SEO can be likened to paying rent for a shop in the High Street. To get the best position in the High Street you need to pay more rent, and your web pages need to be optimised to be in the best positions in the search engines.
Andrew Marshall ©
A lot of businesses put much consideration into a new website without ever thinking about Search Engine Optimisation. They often spend a lot of money on getting their website developed and end up with a nice website that they hope will generate a lot of revenue. Many of them don’t think about marketing their website though. They don’t even take SEO into consideration. If a website is not optimised for the search engines then all the time, money and effort that has gone into designing the site could go to waste.
Online there are millions of competitors from all over the world. In comparison a High Street shop only has a few competitors. The advantage of the High Street is that potential customers are only going to pass a few shops, and even fewer that are direct competition that sell similar products. The Internet, though, has the advantage that your businesses can be reached from anywhere in the world. This is one of the reasons why SEO is so important. Little or no optimisation means that your site will appear nowhere compared to the millions of competitors. Good optimisation however, can put your site towards the top of the search engine results, and therefore people searching from all over the globe can find you and use your products or services. You won’t sell anything if people can’t find you, but if they can you could be sitting on a gold mine.
One of the first things most people think about when starting a new businesses is marketing. They realise that without marketing there businesses will not be visible to the public. However, people often do not think the same way when it comes to a website. SEO is a type of marketing, and it is necessary if you want you website to be visible. There are of course other ways of marketing a website, but SEO is the most effective. Relatively few people type a website’s address directly into their browser, even if they know which company they are searching for. They will usually enter into a search engine the company name or a term related to it. And of course most people are looking for a product or service, or information and do not have a particular website in mind. Therefore it is important to be found for search terms that are related to your business.
In a way SEO can be likened to paying rent for a shop in the High Street. To get the best position in the High Street you need to pay more rent, and your web pages need to be optimised to be in the best positions in the search engines.
Andrew Marshall ©
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Web Design - Think about the Visitor
A website has become an integral part in the running of businesses of all types and sizes. A good website, though, must be visitor friendly. If the visitor cannot understand what the site is trying to say, and cannot navigate around the site, then it is not able to serve its purpose. Before designing a website you need to know your audience and what they will be looking for.
The average internet user looks at a website for 10 seconds before deciding whether to read on or leave. That means that your website needs to attract the visitor’s attention very quickly. It can’t be too bland. The general design and colour scheme can be very important in the success or lack of success of a website. The design needs to be easy on the eye so it is not difficult to read. An attractive design can attract the visitor and cause them to stay and read on.
Clarity can be one of the most important factors. If the site, and more specifically the text, is not clear then the visitor will soon give up and leave. How often have you looked at a website, seen a messy design and text you can’t easily read, and left right away to look elsewhere. It doesn’t matter how many visitors view you website if they all leave within the first 10 seconds, and visit a competitor instead. Lots of banner ads that get in the way of what the visitor is trying to find is something that will loose you visitors. People don’t want to navigate around adverts and scroll past them to reach what they are looking for. Another thing that can frustrate visitors is big files, such as videos, that take a long time to load but will not benefit them. If you want videos on the site, it might be best if the visitor needs to click the play button to view them rather than them playing automatically. This will cause the page to load quicker, and is less likely to cause the visitor to loose patience and leave.
It is important that your website clearly presents the information on the site. If it is an information site, then the text needs to be easy to read so visitors can quickly find the information they want. If you provide a service it needs to be clear what service you offer. Concise text is always something you should look for. All the text on the site must be easy to read and understand. Links also need to be clear, and take visitors where they want to go. There is nothing more frustrating when viewing a website than clicking on a link that seems like it is going somewhere where it isn’t.
The most important factor before designing a new website is that you know who your audience will be. If you know the audience then you can make sure that you give them what they want. When designing you site you need to always keep your audience in mind.
Andrew Marshall ©
The average internet user looks at a website for 10 seconds before deciding whether to read on or leave. That means that your website needs to attract the visitor’s attention very quickly. It can’t be too bland. The general design and colour scheme can be very important in the success or lack of success of a website. The design needs to be easy on the eye so it is not difficult to read. An attractive design can attract the visitor and cause them to stay and read on.
Clarity can be one of the most important factors. If the site, and more specifically the text, is not clear then the visitor will soon give up and leave. How often have you looked at a website, seen a messy design and text you can’t easily read, and left right away to look elsewhere. It doesn’t matter how many visitors view you website if they all leave within the first 10 seconds, and visit a competitor instead. Lots of banner ads that get in the way of what the visitor is trying to find is something that will loose you visitors. People don’t want to navigate around adverts and scroll past them to reach what they are looking for. Another thing that can frustrate visitors is big files, such as videos, that take a long time to load but will not benefit them. If you want videos on the site, it might be best if the visitor needs to click the play button to view them rather than them playing automatically. This will cause the page to load quicker, and is less likely to cause the visitor to loose patience and leave.
It is important that your website clearly presents the information on the site. If it is an information site, then the text needs to be easy to read so visitors can quickly find the information they want. If you provide a service it needs to be clear what service you offer. Concise text is always something you should look for. All the text on the site must be easy to read and understand. Links also need to be clear, and take visitors where they want to go. There is nothing more frustrating when viewing a website than clicking on a link that seems like it is going somewhere where it isn’t.
The most important factor before designing a new website is that you know who your audience will be. If you know the audience then you can make sure that you give them what they want. When designing you site you need to always keep your audience in mind.
Andrew Marshall ©
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
What is a Child Trust Fund
Since 1st September 2002, all new parents have received a £250 voucher to invest on behalf of their child, called a Child Trust Fund (CTF). When the child turns 18 he or she can then do with the investment as they please.
The Child Trust Fund was bought in to give young adults a start in life. If invested wisely the original sum can build up fairly significantly. Parent who earn less than £15, 575 a year; receive an extra £250, doubling the amount they can invest on behalf of their child. Parents can add to the amount to a sum of up to £1,200 each year.
There are three ways that this money can be invested. The first is in a Savings Account. The advantage of this is that the value cannot be reduced. When he/she turns 18 the child receives the invested amount plus the interest in has gained. The downside of this option is that although interested is guaranteed, it is not going to increase dramatically, and the increase could be less than inflation. Investing the Child Trust Fund in company shares could be the most profitable, but is also the riskiest option. If the companies in question do well the amount could increase significantly, but there is the possibility that the shares could go down. A stake holder account is the third and final option. Like shares, the fund is invested in company shares. However there are certain government rules that make them less risky, but also less profitable if things go well. It is spread around different shares, which again makes the risk smaller. With a stake holder account the money starts to be moved into small risk investments once the child is 13.
If the parents do not use the voucher within one year of their child’s birth, the money is invested in a stake holder account by the government. This means the choice is taken out of the hands of the parents. Even if this is how the parents would choose to invest the Child Trust Fund, there is still the disadvantage that they have lost a years worth of investment.
As well as the obvious benefit of giving an 18 year old a sum of money to start their adult life with, according to the government there are other advantages. They say it gets children into the habit of saving, teaches them the benefits of saving, and helps them understand person finance.
There is no doubt that this government scheme is helpful to young adults, as it gives them a financial head start. Even the original £250 would be helpful, but once that has been invested, especially if wisely and with a bit of luck, it could be a big boost to an 18 year old.
Andrew Marshall ©
Child Trust Fund
The Child Trust Fund was bought in to give young adults a start in life. If invested wisely the original sum can build up fairly significantly. Parent who earn less than £15, 575 a year; receive an extra £250, doubling the amount they can invest on behalf of their child. Parents can add to the amount to a sum of up to £1,200 each year.
There are three ways that this money can be invested. The first is in a Savings Account. The advantage of this is that the value cannot be reduced. When he/she turns 18 the child receives the invested amount plus the interest in has gained. The downside of this option is that although interested is guaranteed, it is not going to increase dramatically, and the increase could be less than inflation. Investing the Child Trust Fund in company shares could be the most profitable, but is also the riskiest option. If the companies in question do well the amount could increase significantly, but there is the possibility that the shares could go down. A stake holder account is the third and final option. Like shares, the fund is invested in company shares. However there are certain government rules that make them less risky, but also less profitable if things go well. It is spread around different shares, which again makes the risk smaller. With a stake holder account the money starts to be moved into small risk investments once the child is 13.
If the parents do not use the voucher within one year of their child’s birth, the money is invested in a stake holder account by the government. This means the choice is taken out of the hands of the parents. Even if this is how the parents would choose to invest the Child Trust Fund, there is still the disadvantage that they have lost a years worth of investment.
As well as the obvious benefit of giving an 18 year old a sum of money to start their adult life with, according to the government there are other advantages. They say it gets children into the habit of saving, teaches them the benefits of saving, and helps them understand person finance.
There is no doubt that this government scheme is helpful to young adults, as it gives them a financial head start. Even the original £250 would be helpful, but once that has been invested, especially if wisely and with a bit of luck, it could be a big boost to an 18 year old.
Andrew Marshall ©
Child Trust Fund
Investing in a Recession
As we all know we are currently in recession. How bad it will be and how long it will last is the subject of much debate. At it will be no surprise to hear that this means there are less and less people making investments. However, just because there is a recession does not mean it is necessarily a bad time to invest. It all depends on your personal situation and how you invest. There certainly are advantages to investing in a recession.
When there is recession shares drop, and some become extremely low. But this can work out to the investor’s advantage. Investing when shares are low obviously means that you are paying less for your shares. Therefore once they rise again, which hopefully one day they will, you stand to make a big profit. Of course this all depends on making the right decision. You don’t want to invest in a business that is going to collapse. Investing in a recession is all about timing. Time it right and you could buy shares at their lowest, just before the go up again, and watch them rocket.
There are certain shares that will always rise, whether there is a recession or not. They may not rise as quickly as normal, but they will still rise. Of course knowing which shares these are is the tricky part. For example, the British supermarket, Tesco, has just announced record annual profits of £3.13 billion. That is not just a record for them, but for any British company. So anyone who had Tesco share, even in a recession, has benefited, and anyone who sold them because of the recession is probably regretting it. A recession gets rid of inadequate businesses. This means that the cream rises to the top. So investing in the right business is crucial. There are businesses that people need during a recession, and these are areas to look into if you are looking to invest.
Many new businesses are also started during a recession. Some people see an opportunity for something that will prosper in touch financial times. There are also many people who loose their jobs in a recession and then start their own business. Just because someone has been made redundant does not mean that they don’t know what they are doing, and many new business that come out of a recession become very successful. Investing in a new business, where shares start off low, is another area that could be worth looking in to.
When investing it is always important to be careful. This is even more the case in a recession. It is a good idea not to take too bigger risk, and leave plenty of money aside. It is also important to seek advice when investing, especially if you are new to the game.
Andrew Marshall ©
When there is recession shares drop, and some become extremely low. But this can work out to the investor’s advantage. Investing when shares are low obviously means that you are paying less for your shares. Therefore once they rise again, which hopefully one day they will, you stand to make a big profit. Of course this all depends on making the right decision. You don’t want to invest in a business that is going to collapse. Investing in a recession is all about timing. Time it right and you could buy shares at their lowest, just before the go up again, and watch them rocket.
There are certain shares that will always rise, whether there is a recession or not. They may not rise as quickly as normal, but they will still rise. Of course knowing which shares these are is the tricky part. For example, the British supermarket, Tesco, has just announced record annual profits of £3.13 billion. That is not just a record for them, but for any British company. So anyone who had Tesco share, even in a recession, has benefited, and anyone who sold them because of the recession is probably regretting it. A recession gets rid of inadequate businesses. This means that the cream rises to the top. So investing in the right business is crucial. There are businesses that people need during a recession, and these are areas to look into if you are looking to invest.
Many new businesses are also started during a recession. Some people see an opportunity for something that will prosper in touch financial times. There are also many people who loose their jobs in a recession and then start their own business. Just because someone has been made redundant does not mean that they don’t know what they are doing, and many new business that come out of a recession become very successful. Investing in a new business, where shares start off low, is another area that could be worth looking in to.
When investing it is always important to be careful. This is even more the case in a recession. It is a good idea not to take too bigger risk, and leave plenty of money aside. It is also important to seek advice when investing, especially if you are new to the game.
Andrew Marshall ©
Investing in a Recession
As we all know we are currently in recession. How bad it will be and how long it will last is the subject of much debate. At it will be no surprise to hear that this means there are less and less people making investments. However, just because there is a recession does not mean it is necessarily a bad time to invest. It all depends on your personal situation and how you invest. There certainly are advantages to investing in a recession.
When there is recession shares drop, and some become extremely low. But this can work out to the investor’s advantage. Investing when shares are low obviously means that you are paying less for your shares. Therefore once they rise again, which hopefully one day they will, you stand to make a big profit. Of course this all depends on making the right decision. You don’t want to invest in a business that is going to collapse. Investing in a recession is all about timing. Time it right and you could buy shares at their lowest, just before the go up again, and watch them rocket.
There are certain shares that will always rise, whether there is a recession or not. They may not rise as quickly as normal, but they will still rise. Of course knowing which shares these are is the tricky part. For example, the British supermarket, Tesco, has just announced record annual profits of £3.13 billion. That is not just a record for them, but for any British company. So anyone who had Tesco share, even in a recession, has benefited, and anyone who sold them because of the recession is probably regretting it. A recession gets rid of inadequate businesses. This means that the cream rises to the top. So investing in the right business is crucial. There are businesses that people need during a recession, and these are areas to look into if you are looking to invest.
Many new businesses are also started during a recession. Some people see an opportunity for something that will prosper in touch financial times. There are also many people who loose their jobs in a recession and then start their own business. Just because someone has been made redundant does not mean that they don’t know what they are doing, and many new business that come out of a recession become very successful. Investing in a new business, where shares start off low, is another area that could be worth looking in to.
When investing it is always important to be careful. This is even more the case in a recession. It is a good idea not to take too bigger risk, and leave plenty of money aside. It is also important to seek advice when investing, especially if you are new to the game.
Andrew Marshall ©
Investment Trusts
When there is recession shares drop, and some become extremely low. But this can work out to the investor’s advantage. Investing when shares are low obviously means that you are paying less for your shares. Therefore once they rise again, which hopefully one day they will, you stand to make a big profit. Of course this all depends on making the right decision. You don’t want to invest in a business that is going to collapse. Investing in a recession is all about timing. Time it right and you could buy shares at their lowest, just before the go up again, and watch them rocket.
There are certain shares that will always rise, whether there is a recession or not. They may not rise as quickly as normal, but they will still rise. Of course knowing which shares these are is the tricky part. For example, the British supermarket, Tesco, has just announced record annual profits of £3.13 billion. That is not just a record for them, but for any British company. So anyone who had Tesco share, even in a recession, has benefited, and anyone who sold them because of the recession is probably regretting it. A recession gets rid of inadequate businesses. This means that the cream rises to the top. So investing in the right business is crucial. There are businesses that people need during a recession, and these are areas to look into if you are looking to invest.
Many new businesses are also started during a recession. Some people see an opportunity for something that will prosper in touch financial times. There are also many people who loose their jobs in a recession and then start their own business. Just because someone has been made redundant does not mean that they don’t know what they are doing, and many new business that come out of a recession become very successful. Investing in a new business, where shares start off low, is another area that could be worth looking in to.
When investing it is always important to be careful. This is even more the case in a recession. It is a good idea not to take too bigger risk, and leave plenty of money aside. It is also important to seek advice when investing, especially if you are new to the game.
Andrew Marshall ©
Investment Trusts
Monday, April 20, 2009
PAT Testing - How often appliances should be tested
PAT testing is the legal requirements as to how portable appliances need to be tested. However the requirement are very broad and it is not always obvious what must be tested, and how often they must be tested.
All appliances used in public areas such as schools, hospitals, shops and hotels must be PAT tested. As must appliances used by anyone who has employees working for them (e.g. IT equipment in offices), and anyone who hires or supplies portable appliances. This includes any appliances that come with rented accommodation.
Although it is a clear guideline that portable appliances must be tested, it is not clear how often. There are no guidelines what so ever as to the regularity of these tests. This means that the law is not being broken if something has not been tested for several years, but it could still be a health and safety issue. If it has not been tested for a long period of time, then it is very possible that it is no longer as safe as it was when tested. Therefore it would make much more sense if there were specific regulations as to the regularity of PAT testing. This could vary depending on the type of appliance and the risk associated with them.
The IEE (Institute of Electrical Engineers) has drawn up a list of guideline as to how often they think appliances in certain environments should be tested. They say that construction sites should be tested every three months, industrial sites and equipment used by the public every 6 or 12 months, schools every 12 or 48 months, and hotels, offices and shops every 6, 12 or 24 month. They suggest the exact regularity (for example where 12 or 48 months) should depend on the exact equipment. They say that it is most important that stationary equipment is testing regularly, followed by IT equipment, moveable equipment, portable equipment, and finally hand-held equipment.
These IEE guideline, though, are just guidelines. There are no regulations, and perhaps something similar to their guidelines should become the legal regulation. In 2007 a fire caused a hospital’s intensive care unit to be closed for several days due to an electrical fault. This is the type of incident that could be prevented if there were stricter regulations regarding PAT testing
PAT testing is very important in testing the safety of portable appliances, and should be carried out regularly to avoid potential safety issues. Therefore there should be tighter regulations, rather than just leaving it up to each individual person or company to decide how often to carry out these tests.
The current set of regulations leave it too much up to the individual person or people responsible, and if they don’t interpret the regulations in the right way, they may not be legally doing anything wrong, but they could still have problematic, or in extreme cases fatal consequences.
Andrew Marshall ©
All appliances used in public areas such as schools, hospitals, shops and hotels must be PAT tested. As must appliances used by anyone who has employees working for them (e.g. IT equipment in offices), and anyone who hires or supplies portable appliances. This includes any appliances that come with rented accommodation.
Although it is a clear guideline that portable appliances must be tested, it is not clear how often. There are no guidelines what so ever as to the regularity of these tests. This means that the law is not being broken if something has not been tested for several years, but it could still be a health and safety issue. If it has not been tested for a long period of time, then it is very possible that it is no longer as safe as it was when tested. Therefore it would make much more sense if there were specific regulations as to the regularity of PAT testing. This could vary depending on the type of appliance and the risk associated with them.
The IEE (Institute of Electrical Engineers) has drawn up a list of guideline as to how often they think appliances in certain environments should be tested. They say that construction sites should be tested every three months, industrial sites and equipment used by the public every 6 or 12 months, schools every 12 or 48 months, and hotels, offices and shops every 6, 12 or 24 month. They suggest the exact regularity (for example where 12 or 48 months) should depend on the exact equipment. They say that it is most important that stationary equipment is testing regularly, followed by IT equipment, moveable equipment, portable equipment, and finally hand-held equipment.
These IEE guideline, though, are just guidelines. There are no regulations, and perhaps something similar to their guidelines should become the legal regulation. In 2007 a fire caused a hospital’s intensive care unit to be closed for several days due to an electrical fault. This is the type of incident that could be prevented if there were stricter regulations regarding PAT testing
PAT testing is very important in testing the safety of portable appliances, and should be carried out regularly to avoid potential safety issues. Therefore there should be tighter regulations, rather than just leaving it up to each individual person or company to decide how often to carry out these tests.
The current set of regulations leave it too much up to the individual person or people responsible, and if they don’t interpret the regulations in the right way, they may not be legally doing anything wrong, but they could still have problematic, or in extreme cases fatal consequences.
Andrew Marshall ©
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Family Law relating to Children
Family Law regarding children varies massively depending on the parent’s relationship. When parents separate, their involvement with their children could be hugely different depending on whether they were married or not. Parents who were married will both usually have significant contact with a child, whereas the Father’s rights are much diminished if they were not. The law treats married and unmarried Father’s very differently.
When a married couple with children divorce, they are both legally entitled to full involvement in their child’s life and in decisions affecting their upbringing. The absent parent has an automatic right to know where their child is living and to see them on a regular basis. He/she will have a legal right to certain information such as school and medical reports. These factors are designed to benefit the child, meaning they have the advantages of being with both parents.
If separated parents were not married, then the Mother has automatic parental responsibility. This means that the Father’s rights are not the same as married Father’s. He cannot prevent his child from taking their Mother’s surname, even if he/she previously had his surname. The Father is also unable to take his child abroad on holiday, and has no say in the child’s religion or school. If fact he could have no say in the child’s life what so ever. He doesn’t even have an automatic right to look after his child if the child’s Mother dies. Unmarried Father’s are treated similarly to step-father’s even though the are the biological Father.
There are of course exceptions to these general rules. The law regarding unmarried Father’s has changed with regards to children born since 1st December 2003. If a Father’s name appears on the birth certificate and his child was born after this date he has the same legal rights as a previously married Father. However the law for children born prior to this date remains the same.
There are exceptional circumstances where divorced Father’s are not given their normal rights. These will be cases where it is considered in the child’s best interests that their Father does not have such as active involvement, or no involvement as all. Meanwhile there are ways in which unmarried Father’s can request more involvement. The agreement of the child’s Mother is the most obvious, and most Mother’s are happy for the Father to have an active role. However, if the Mother does not agree it can be very difficult for the Father. They might then have to resort to getting a court order to force the Mother to allow access.
Many are surprised when they hear of the lack of rights that unmarried Father’s have. The good news for Father’s who will be in this position in the future is that the law has changed since December 2003. However, the difficulties to those Father’s with children born previously to this are still the same as they always have been. The reason stated for both parents being involved in their child’s future if they were previously married is that it is for the good of the child. Surely then, the same should apply to unmarried Father’.
Andrew Marshall ©
Family Law Solicitor
When a married couple with children divorce, they are both legally entitled to full involvement in their child’s life and in decisions affecting their upbringing. The absent parent has an automatic right to know where their child is living and to see them on a regular basis. He/she will have a legal right to certain information such as school and medical reports. These factors are designed to benefit the child, meaning they have the advantages of being with both parents.
If separated parents were not married, then the Mother has automatic parental responsibility. This means that the Father’s rights are not the same as married Father’s. He cannot prevent his child from taking their Mother’s surname, even if he/she previously had his surname. The Father is also unable to take his child abroad on holiday, and has no say in the child’s religion or school. If fact he could have no say in the child’s life what so ever. He doesn’t even have an automatic right to look after his child if the child’s Mother dies. Unmarried Father’s are treated similarly to step-father’s even though the are the biological Father.
There are of course exceptions to these general rules. The law regarding unmarried Father’s has changed with regards to children born since 1st December 2003. If a Father’s name appears on the birth certificate and his child was born after this date he has the same legal rights as a previously married Father. However the law for children born prior to this date remains the same.
There are exceptional circumstances where divorced Father’s are not given their normal rights. These will be cases where it is considered in the child’s best interests that their Father does not have such as active involvement, or no involvement as all. Meanwhile there are ways in which unmarried Father’s can request more involvement. The agreement of the child’s Mother is the most obvious, and most Mother’s are happy for the Father to have an active role. However, if the Mother does not agree it can be very difficult for the Father. They might then have to resort to getting a court order to force the Mother to allow access.
Many are surprised when they hear of the lack of rights that unmarried Father’s have. The good news for Father’s who will be in this position in the future is that the law has changed since December 2003. However, the difficulties to those Father’s with children born previously to this are still the same as they always have been. The reason stated for both parents being involved in their child’s future if they were previously married is that it is for the good of the child. Surely then, the same should apply to unmarried Father’.
Andrew Marshall ©
Family Law Solicitor
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Choosing the right Criminal Law Solicitor
If you have been charged with a criminal offence, no matter how major or minor, it is crucial that you find the right solicitor. This should be chosen with regards to your specific situation, and there are many things to take into consideration.
You need to make sure you do your research. You wouldn’t buy a house or car without doing some research, so don’t when choosing a solicitor either. This is a much more important decision than buying anything. You shouldn’t just use the first solicitor you find either. You need to draw up a list of several solicitors within your local area, before going through a process to narrow them down. The wrong solicitor could cause you all sorts of problems, while picking the right one could produce the outcome you are looking for.
Possibly the most important issue you need to focus on is finding a solicitor who specialises in the right area. You don’t want a divorce or personal injury solicitor. You need to make sure you have someone who specialises in criminal law and has relevant experience in this area. You can usually find a solicitor’s specialities by looking at their website. You should also search for any articles or court records relating to them. This should give you an idea of their experience as well as their reputation.
After continuing to narrow down you original list you should be left with a few criminal law solicitors you are still considering. Now you only have a few left, it is time to meet the remaining options face to face. This should give you an idea of how they can help you, as well as their professionalism. It is important that he or she is someone you can have a working relationship with.
Price can also be important. Although the solicitor who can get you the best results is priceless, it needs to be at a price you can afford. Make sure you know what each solicitor’s pricing structure is before you pick one to represent you. This is not the most important factor, but it should still be taking into consideration.
Once you have gone through a process of looking at all the options thoroughly, you should be in the position to choose the solicitor that is right for you. There are many different areas to think about, but it is a decision you must get right.
Andrew Marshall ©
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