Internet use is increasing all the time. There are now thought to be over 150 million website on the World Wide Web. The number of Internet users is now almost a quarter of earth’s population; around one and a half billion of a total population of 6.7 billion (approx) use the Internet. Inevitably this means that the amount of search engine usage is also increasing. It is the prime tool used by people looking for a website. If someone doesn’t know a website address or exactly what they are looking for, they will use a search engine.
Statistics show that a massive 99% of internet users use search engines – that’s over 1.4 billion people worldwide. 33% of these use search engines on a daily basis. Over half of search engine users use one search engine exclusively, with just over 30% interchanging between different search engines. Between 10 and 15% use different search engines for different purposes; for example one for websites and another for images. The overall numbers using search engines have increased dramatically over the last couple of years. There was a 38% increase between April 2008 and April 2009.
Google dominates the search engine world. Between 60 and 70% of searches are performed using Google, with Yahoo and Bing currently the second and third most popular. Bing is Microsoft’s new search engine, and is gaining in popularity. The recent merger between Microsoft and Yahoo means that between them their market share has shot up, but Google still lies out in front. This merger does mean they could be more of a threat though.
Search Engines can have many uses. Traditionally they were mainly used to find information on the World Wide Web. There are now many other purposes for search engine’s though. With many business having online stores an increasing number of people are purchasing products online. Holiday bookings and price comparison are two other popular online activities than can start with a search. 75% of people now search online for products before buying. This may be to find information on a product, compare prices, or actually purchase something. Price comparison sites are becoming more widely used all the time. 62% of people wanting information on local activities now search online and 45% of those looking for flight and hotels use search engines for at least part of the process.
One area that has increased with regard to the search engines in recent times is video search, which has doubled. 90% of those aged between 16 and 19 are shown to look for videos online on a regular basis. This number decreases for higher age groups, but is still around half for people over the age of fifty-five. You Tube’s success has got a lot to do with this, and they are now one of the world’s best know internet brands.
As the Internet continues to grow, so will people’s reliance on search engines. It is an ever increasing part of our daily lives, and the upward trend is expected to continue.
Andrew Marshall ©
SEO London
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
PPC and Technology
Pay Per Click is becoming increasingly popular. More and more businesses are using PPC instead of other types of advertising. This is expected to double over the next five years and PPC is likely to become more complex as it becomes more competitive. This could make technology more essential to running a successful PPC campaign. Effective PPC management can be aided by technology along with humans.
Technology isn’t useful for everything; there are things that people do better. Humans are typically better at coming up with a strategy and analysing data. There are tools that can be used to assist humans in these areas though. The correlation of results can be extremely time consuming for a person to do. Therefore technology can be very useful in this area, therefore giving people more time to analyse the stats that have been collected and moving things forward from there. Technology allows people to focus what is really useful and really needs doing.
Keyword Research is an area that is crucial, and there are a number of tools that can help in this area. They will suggest keywords around the generic terms that a human enters, and give results as to how often these terms are searched for. This gives people ideas that they may not have thought of otherwise. These tools should not be used to make a decision though, as the term it suggests may not be relevant to the specific site. Therefore the correlation between humans and technology is important. SEO Heat Mapping tools look at how using PPC and optimising a site is likely to effect results. For example, it will tell you how much your traffic is likely to increase by if you move up a place in the SERPS or if you get to the top of the rankings. AD Copy is something that is better performed by humans. The thing that tools can be useful for is automatically stopping the campaign if a product is sold out so therefore not available. They can also help you experiment but their suggestions shouldn’t be used without thought.
Andrew Marshall ©
SEO London
Technology isn’t useful for everything; there are things that people do better. Humans are typically better at coming up with a strategy and analysing data. There are tools that can be used to assist humans in these areas though. The correlation of results can be extremely time consuming for a person to do. Therefore technology can be very useful in this area, therefore giving people more time to analyse the stats that have been collected and moving things forward from there. Technology allows people to focus what is really useful and really needs doing.
Keyword Research is an area that is crucial, and there are a number of tools that can help in this area. They will suggest keywords around the generic terms that a human enters, and give results as to how often these terms are searched for. This gives people ideas that they may not have thought of otherwise. These tools should not be used to make a decision though, as the term it suggests may not be relevant to the specific site. Therefore the correlation between humans and technology is important. SEO Heat Mapping tools look at how using PPC and optimising a site is likely to effect results. For example, it will tell you how much your traffic is likely to increase by if you move up a place in the SERPS or if you get to the top of the rankings. AD Copy is something that is better performed by humans. The thing that tools can be useful for is automatically stopping the campaign if a product is sold out so therefore not available. They can also help you experiment but their suggestions shouldn’t be used without thought.
Andrew Marshall ©
SEO London
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
An Overview of Managed Hosting
After the design and development of a website has been completed, for it to appear on the Internet it needs to be hosted. There are thousands of web hosting companies out there with numerous packages available. One of these is Managed Hosting. Managed Hosting basically means the hosting of your site is managed by the hosting company. It will include technical support and is designed for those who don’t want to or don’t have the expertise to take control of the hosting themselves.
There are many different variants of Managed Hosting, from partly managed to fully managed. There is no industry standard as to what exactly constitutes Managed Hosting, so what is included and what is not depends on the exact package you purchase. With a Managed Hosting account your website is hosted on a dedicated server. This means it has its own server and is not shared with any other sites. It is more than just dedicated hosting though, as it also included a variety of other services and support. Your site will usually be constantly monitored by the provider. This will mean they are able to prevent major problems, and correct any issues that appear.
There are generally three main types of managed hosting; fully managed, standard managed, and under self-managed. Fully managed means that all your hosting is in the hands of the hosting company. This is for those who don’t want to worry about the hosting of their site at all. This leaves the client free to worry about other things. It also means you won’t have to worry about employing anyone to work on this aspect of your business. Standard management does not include the same level of support, but still includes a fair amount of support. Administering, updating and monitoring are all taken care of, and depending on the package certain other things are likely to be included. Some IT staff will be necessary to handle certain aspect of the hosting, although a vast knowledge will probably not be necessary. Under self-management is the most basic type of managed hosting. Some updating and monitoring will be included, but the amount of technical support will be limited. Some expertise will be necessary with this option.
Managed hosting is not the best option if you want complete control over your website. Access to make changes to your site will be limited. This means you will have to contact the host so they can make any changes for you. The upkeep of the site and hosting is the responsibility of the service provider. It is most useful for sites that receive a large number of visitors and need close to 100 per cent uptime. With managed hosting, your hosting should be in safe hand, and any problems should be minimal. The hosting should be of a professional standard, secure and reliable.
Andrew Marshall ©
Managed Hosting
There are many different variants of Managed Hosting, from partly managed to fully managed. There is no industry standard as to what exactly constitutes Managed Hosting, so what is included and what is not depends on the exact package you purchase. With a Managed Hosting account your website is hosted on a dedicated server. This means it has its own server and is not shared with any other sites. It is more than just dedicated hosting though, as it also included a variety of other services and support. Your site will usually be constantly monitored by the provider. This will mean they are able to prevent major problems, and correct any issues that appear.
There are generally three main types of managed hosting; fully managed, standard managed, and under self-managed. Fully managed means that all your hosting is in the hands of the hosting company. This is for those who don’t want to worry about the hosting of their site at all. This leaves the client free to worry about other things. It also means you won’t have to worry about employing anyone to work on this aspect of your business. Standard management does not include the same level of support, but still includes a fair amount of support. Administering, updating and monitoring are all taken care of, and depending on the package certain other things are likely to be included. Some IT staff will be necessary to handle certain aspect of the hosting, although a vast knowledge will probably not be necessary. Under self-management is the most basic type of managed hosting. Some updating and monitoring will be included, but the amount of technical support will be limited. Some expertise will be necessary with this option.
Managed hosting is not the best option if you want complete control over your website. Access to make changes to your site will be limited. This means you will have to contact the host so they can make any changes for you. The upkeep of the site and hosting is the responsibility of the service provider. It is most useful for sites that receive a large number of visitors and need close to 100 per cent uptime. With managed hosting, your hosting should be in safe hand, and any problems should be minimal. The hosting should be of a professional standard, secure and reliable.
Andrew Marshall ©
Managed Hosting
Monday, July 27, 2009
Russia set to ban VoIP
Russia could be about to introduce legislation that limits or even bans the use of VoIP technology. Members of the government along with Russia’s prime business lobby, the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, are looking to introduce the measure to prevent Russian telecommunications companies from going out of businesses. They are concerned that local landline and mobile companies such as TransTeleComs and MegaFon will struggle to compete with foreign VoIP competitors. VoIP offers big savings, and is becoming increasing popular, with 40% of all calls expected to be via VoIP by 2012.
This isn’t the first talk of measures being brought in to slow down the inevitable increase in VoIP. In Germany, Deutsch Telekom tried to prevent the use of Skype over the T-Mobile network’s platform. They were, however, unsuccessful in this attempt.
Although helping local telecommunications companies seems to be Russia’s main issue with VoIP, there are also thought to be concern regarding security. The government are apparently worried that VoIP can’t be wiretapped like landline telephone’s and have expressed concern that it could be a risk to national security. In France, VoIP usage has been banned in certain institution, such as some research laboratories and Universities on the grounds of security.
This issue brings up a few questions about fair competition. On one side is it right that international companies can come along with their product or service and put local businesses out of business? Some may argue it is the responsibility of governments to protect local businesses where possible. If this is the case then there is an issue of when governments should intercept and when they should not.
On the other hand it could be argued that it should be up to companies to provide a better service, either in terms of the quality or price, than the competition and therefore come out on top with the governments help.
It looks as though this legislation in Russia is set to go ahead soon. Customers are likely to be unhappy as this means that they will not benefit from the cost savings. The good news for customers elsewhere and for VoIP providers is that other nations are unlikely to follow Russia’s lead.
Andrew Marshall ©
Business VoIP
VoIP Provider
This isn’t the first talk of measures being brought in to slow down the inevitable increase in VoIP. In Germany, Deutsch Telekom tried to prevent the use of Skype over the T-Mobile network’s platform. They were, however, unsuccessful in this attempt.
Although helping local telecommunications companies seems to be Russia’s main issue with VoIP, there are also thought to be concern regarding security. The government are apparently worried that VoIP can’t be wiretapped like landline telephone’s and have expressed concern that it could be a risk to national security. In France, VoIP usage has been banned in certain institution, such as some research laboratories and Universities on the grounds of security.
This issue brings up a few questions about fair competition. On one side is it right that international companies can come along with their product or service and put local businesses out of business? Some may argue it is the responsibility of governments to protect local businesses where possible. If this is the case then there is an issue of when governments should intercept and when they should not.
On the other hand it could be argued that it should be up to companies to provide a better service, either in terms of the quality or price, than the competition and therefore come out on top with the governments help.
It looks as though this legislation in Russia is set to go ahead soon. Customers are likely to be unhappy as this means that they will not benefit from the cost savings. The good news for customers elsewhere and for VoIP providers is that other nations are unlikely to follow Russia’s lead.
Andrew Marshall ©
Business VoIP
VoIP Provider
Friday, July 24, 2009
Advantages and Disadvantages of VoIP
VoIP is becoming more and more popular as an alternative to regular telephones. There are numerous advantages and disadvantages, some of which are outlined here.
ADVANTAGES
CHEAP CALLS
With VoIP calls are much cheaper than with regular telephones. The technology is cheaper for the provider, and these savings are passed on to the customer. This is especially the case with long distance calls, where huge savings can be made.
UNLIMITED CALLS FOR THE SAME PRICE
With almost all providers, there are packages available that include unlimited calls for a flat monthly fee. This also means that you know exactly how much you will be spending, making it easier to budget. This is particularly useful for businesses who make a lot of calls, or those who regularly make calls long distance.
GOOD ONLINE SUPPORT
There tends to be good online support with VoIP. This means it is quick to troubleshoot any problems. There are usually tutorials online that will help you if you have problems connecting.
PORTABLE
VoIP is much more portable than a landline. With a landline you have to be in the exact location of your home or business. But with VoIP you can log into your account from anywhere in the world. As long as you have internet access you are able to use the services. This is particularly useful if you are constantly on the move with your job.
DISADVANTAGES
ECHO
An echo is fairly common with VoIP. Although the quality is rapidly improving it is still not perfect. There is no doubt that the quality is still preferable with regular telephones.
RELIABILTY
Reliability can be a problem. The quality can be variable. It is not uncommon for you to be cut off unexpectedly.
RELIANT ON INTERNET CONNECTION
As VoIP runs along your Internet connection, you are reliant on this connection. If the internet regularly cuts out then any calls you are making will be likewise. A poor quality internet connection will mean a poor quality VoIP connection.
CAN’T BE TRACKED IN AN EMERGENCY
If you call an emergency number with a landline, your call can be tracked so you can be easily found. However, this is not the case with VoIP.
POWER CUT
If there is a power cut you won’t be able to use the service. This is not the case with a regular landline, as that is connected to the phone line. So if your computer cuts out you will not be able to make any calls.
Andrew Marshall ©
Business VoIP
Business VoIP Provider
ADVANTAGES
CHEAP CALLS
With VoIP calls are much cheaper than with regular telephones. The technology is cheaper for the provider, and these savings are passed on to the customer. This is especially the case with long distance calls, where huge savings can be made.
UNLIMITED CALLS FOR THE SAME PRICE
With almost all providers, there are packages available that include unlimited calls for a flat monthly fee. This also means that you know exactly how much you will be spending, making it easier to budget. This is particularly useful for businesses who make a lot of calls, or those who regularly make calls long distance.
GOOD ONLINE SUPPORT
There tends to be good online support with VoIP. This means it is quick to troubleshoot any problems. There are usually tutorials online that will help you if you have problems connecting.
PORTABLE
VoIP is much more portable than a landline. With a landline you have to be in the exact location of your home or business. But with VoIP you can log into your account from anywhere in the world. As long as you have internet access you are able to use the services. This is particularly useful if you are constantly on the move with your job.
DISADVANTAGES
ECHO
An echo is fairly common with VoIP. Although the quality is rapidly improving it is still not perfect. There is no doubt that the quality is still preferable with regular telephones.
RELIABILTY
Reliability can be a problem. The quality can be variable. It is not uncommon for you to be cut off unexpectedly.
RELIANT ON INTERNET CONNECTION
As VoIP runs along your Internet connection, you are reliant on this connection. If the internet regularly cuts out then any calls you are making will be likewise. A poor quality internet connection will mean a poor quality VoIP connection.
CAN’T BE TRACKED IN AN EMERGENCY
If you call an emergency number with a landline, your call can be tracked so you can be easily found. However, this is not the case with VoIP.
POWER CUT
If there is a power cut you won’t be able to use the service. This is not the case with a regular landline, as that is connected to the phone line. So if your computer cuts out you will not be able to make any calls.
Andrew Marshall ©
Business VoIP
Business VoIP Provider
Why choose Colocation?
Colocation is a type of web hosting, where you store you server at a Data (or Colocation) Centre. The server is owned by the customer but they then hire rack space where they store the server.
In terms of price Colocation is cheaper than hosting your own server, but more expensive than basic hosting. Therefore whether it should be considered a cheap option or not should come down to the specifications you require. If you want control of your server, and have the skills necessary to perform tasks on the server, then Colocation is a cheaper option than fully hosting the server yourself. The control you can have over your server is one of the main factors why many go for Colocation. You can customise the server exactly how you want and upgrade it as you please. This gives you a high amount of flexibility, as anything you want to do, you can.
The condition where the server will be stored is favourable to hosting. The area where it is stored is specifically designed for the purpose. This may be something that you would be unable to replicate if hosting at your own premises, or it may be too expensive to. The temperature, for example, is controlled so it suits hosting. There is also plenty of backup should there be a problem, such as a power cut. Flexibility is higher than hosting the server yourself, as there is a high amount of bandwidth. If you need more bandwidth therefore, it is easily obtainable. Due to the facilities at Colocation Centre’s there will invariably be a fast and powerful service.
If you are hosting your own server but move premises, the entire server will have to move with you. This could cause problems such as downtime. This doesn’t need to be an issue with Colocation though, as the server can remain in the same place. Most Colocation Centre’s have some assistance on hand. This can be useful if you want to control your own server but are not one hundred per cent certain that you have all the skills necessary. Package are often available that include a certain amount of support.
As you can see, there are many positives to Colocation. Whether or not it is the best option for you all depends on your situation. If you are only after basic hosting, then it is not the best choice, but if you have more requirement and own your own server it may be easy, cheaper, and more convenient that hosting the server yourself.
Andrew Marshall ©
Colocation
In terms of price Colocation is cheaper than hosting your own server, but more expensive than basic hosting. Therefore whether it should be considered a cheap option or not should come down to the specifications you require. If you want control of your server, and have the skills necessary to perform tasks on the server, then Colocation is a cheaper option than fully hosting the server yourself. The control you can have over your server is one of the main factors why many go for Colocation. You can customise the server exactly how you want and upgrade it as you please. This gives you a high amount of flexibility, as anything you want to do, you can.
The condition where the server will be stored is favourable to hosting. The area where it is stored is specifically designed for the purpose. This may be something that you would be unable to replicate if hosting at your own premises, or it may be too expensive to. The temperature, for example, is controlled so it suits hosting. There is also plenty of backup should there be a problem, such as a power cut. Flexibility is higher than hosting the server yourself, as there is a high amount of bandwidth. If you need more bandwidth therefore, it is easily obtainable. Due to the facilities at Colocation Centre’s there will invariably be a fast and powerful service.
If you are hosting your own server but move premises, the entire server will have to move with you. This could cause problems such as downtime. This doesn’t need to be an issue with Colocation though, as the server can remain in the same place. Most Colocation Centre’s have some assistance on hand. This can be useful if you want to control your own server but are not one hundred per cent certain that you have all the skills necessary. Package are often available that include a certain amount of support.
As you can see, there are many positives to Colocation. Whether or not it is the best option for you all depends on your situation. If you are only after basic hosting, then it is not the best choice, but if you have more requirement and own your own server it may be easy, cheaper, and more convenient that hosting the server yourself.
Andrew Marshall ©
Colocation
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Portable Appliance Testers
Portable Appliance Testing is the testing of electrical equipment used to make sure it is safe for use. It is often referred to as PAT Testing. PAT Testing is a legal requirement for any qualifying appliances that are used in public areas, including places of work. Portable appliance testing can either be performed by experts, and many companies offer expert testers, or it can be done by business in-house. You do not have to be qualified to perform your testing, although some training is recommended.
Portable Appliance Testers are the instruments that are used to test portable appliances. There are a number of different types of testers available from the most basic ones that don’t require expertise to more advanced alternatives.
Pass/Fail tester are the most basic portable appliance testers on the market. The result they produce is simply either pass or fail, and they are the cheapest option. They do not give any other information other than this simple result. They are mainly aimed at those without expertise in PAT testing; mainly business performing their own in-house testing. You don’t have to be highly skilled to use a Pass/Fail tester.
More advanced testers that give much more information are available though. Their use requires a higher skills level and it is recommended that they are used by those who are sufficiently qualified. As well as telling the user if the product has passed or failed, advances testers give more specific readings. These included earth continuity resistance, a fuse test and lead polarity.
As well as being different level of testers, there are also different ways that they run; namely battery powered, mains powered, and computerised testers.
Battery powered testers are quick and easy to use. As they do not need to be connected to a mains and they are the most portable option. They are useful if you are testing many appliances in different places.
Mains powered testers tend to be used in places such as office (including IT equipment), hotels, schools and factories. With these labels can usually be printed out that say whether the item has passed or failed, with a date stamp detailing when it needs to be tested again.
Computerised testers are useful if you want to store the data detailing the testing results. They can be connected to a PC or laptop, so data can be easily stored and analysed.
Andrew Marshall ©
Portable Appliance Testing
Portable Appliance Testers are the instruments that are used to test portable appliances. There are a number of different types of testers available from the most basic ones that don’t require expertise to more advanced alternatives.
Pass/Fail tester are the most basic portable appliance testers on the market. The result they produce is simply either pass or fail, and they are the cheapest option. They do not give any other information other than this simple result. They are mainly aimed at those without expertise in PAT testing; mainly business performing their own in-house testing. You don’t have to be highly skilled to use a Pass/Fail tester.
More advanced testers that give much more information are available though. Their use requires a higher skills level and it is recommended that they are used by those who are sufficiently qualified. As well as telling the user if the product has passed or failed, advances testers give more specific readings. These included earth continuity resistance, a fuse test and lead polarity.
As well as being different level of testers, there are also different ways that they run; namely battery powered, mains powered, and computerised testers.
Battery powered testers are quick and easy to use. As they do not need to be connected to a mains and they are the most portable option. They are useful if you are testing many appliances in different places.
Mains powered testers tend to be used in places such as office (including IT equipment), hotels, schools and factories. With these labels can usually be printed out that say whether the item has passed or failed, with a date stamp detailing when it needs to be tested again.
Computerised testers are useful if you want to store the data detailing the testing results. They can be connected to a PC or laptop, so data can be easily stored and analysed.
Andrew Marshall ©
Portable Appliance Testing
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
The relationship between a recession and crime
The UK, and much of the world is currently in recession. Crime is generally considered to rise during tough financial times, but in which ways and why?
As we know, unemployment increases dramatically during a recession. Businesses struggling or going under cause a spate of redundancies, meaning a large increase in unemployment. This inevitably leads to more cases of depression, which can lead to higher crime. The most obvious cases are drugs and alcohol. People suffering from depression often turn to drugs and alcohol for refuge. Increase in drug taking (a crime itself) leads to more drug related crime. Drug dealing will become more rife if demand is higher, and crime’s such as theft may be committed to feed drug habits. It is also more likely that people will commit crimes, such as those involving violence, if they are intoxicated by drugs or alcohol.
A recession leads to more debt. If people spiral into debt they are liable to become more desperate. This particularly increases crimes such as theft. People are more likely to steal so they can pay off their debts. They may also turn to other illegal ways to make money if they feel that there are no legitimate ways of earning.
Violence is another area that can increase during a recession. People are more liable to get angry when times are tough, and therefore are more likely to turn violent. People may be angry with their employer who has made them redundant, or the government because they don’t feel that they are being helped sufficiently, meaning they are generally more disgruntled with the world. People may also become more hostile towards each other. In particular those who are struggling may be angry towards those who are not. There has been a recent example of this in Ireland, where there were instances of violence towards some Romanian immigrants. The reason for this was attributed to some being angry that the immigrants had taken “their” jobs, although they were jobs local people hadn’t applied for at the time of the vacancies.
Family break ups are sometimes more likely to occur during a recession. Debt can cause stress within the family and lead to marriages breaking up. The break up of parents can have an effect on children. Although they mostly focus on those from low income one parent families, (usually where only one parent is financially responsible) statistics show that children from single parent families are 75% more likely to become a drug addict. They also show these children are 70% more likely to finish school without any qualifications. This is significant as a high percentage of crime is shown to be committed by those with a poor education.
There are many different aspects of a recession that can result in an increase in crime. Some are in obvious ways, such as theft to pay off debts, while others are less so involving a chain of events that may cause crime.
Andrew Marshall ©
Criminal Solicitors London
As we know, unemployment increases dramatically during a recession. Businesses struggling or going under cause a spate of redundancies, meaning a large increase in unemployment. This inevitably leads to more cases of depression, which can lead to higher crime. The most obvious cases are drugs and alcohol. People suffering from depression often turn to drugs and alcohol for refuge. Increase in drug taking (a crime itself) leads to more drug related crime. Drug dealing will become more rife if demand is higher, and crime’s such as theft may be committed to feed drug habits. It is also more likely that people will commit crimes, such as those involving violence, if they are intoxicated by drugs or alcohol.
A recession leads to more debt. If people spiral into debt they are liable to become more desperate. This particularly increases crimes such as theft. People are more likely to steal so they can pay off their debts. They may also turn to other illegal ways to make money if they feel that there are no legitimate ways of earning.
Violence is another area that can increase during a recession. People are more liable to get angry when times are tough, and therefore are more likely to turn violent. People may be angry with their employer who has made them redundant, or the government because they don’t feel that they are being helped sufficiently, meaning they are generally more disgruntled with the world. People may also become more hostile towards each other. In particular those who are struggling may be angry towards those who are not. There has been a recent example of this in Ireland, where there were instances of violence towards some Romanian immigrants. The reason for this was attributed to some being angry that the immigrants had taken “their” jobs, although they were jobs local people hadn’t applied for at the time of the vacancies.
Family break ups are sometimes more likely to occur during a recession. Debt can cause stress within the family and lead to marriages breaking up. The break up of parents can have an effect on children. Although they mostly focus on those from low income one parent families, (usually where only one parent is financially responsible) statistics show that children from single parent families are 75% more likely to become a drug addict. They also show these children are 70% more likely to finish school without any qualifications. This is significant as a high percentage of crime is shown to be committed by those with a poor education.
There are many different aspects of a recession that can result in an increase in crime. Some are in obvious ways, such as theft to pay off debts, while others are less so involving a chain of events that may cause crime.
Andrew Marshall ©
Criminal Solicitors London
Monday, July 20, 2009
Safe Investments – Savings Accounts and Bonds
In financial terms, times are currently tough for many. During the current recession many have lost their jobs and are struggling. This has led to less people investing, for fear of loosing even more. And with the fluctuating stock markets it may not be considered the best time for high risk investments. So the question is, what safe investment opportunities are there?
The most obvious safe investment is to open a Savings Account at a bank. As many are currently unwilling to “invest” as such, this is a way of keeping your money safe while earning a little interest. It may only be a little but it is better than not earning anything at all. The big advantage of a savings account is that your money is safe. In the current financial situation, you may be asking, what if my bank goes under? Will I then loose all my money? The answer to that is no, unless you have over £35,000 in the account. Up to that amount is guaranteed by the government, so it will not be lost. A Savings Account will not make you a lot. It is somewhere to keep you money where you will not make a killing, but don’t risk loosing it either.
Bonds are another low risk investment option. Again, like anything, low risk equals low reward. The reward (and risk) is potentially higher than a Saving Account though. When you purchase a bond, you are essentially lending it to the company who you bought it from. They are then obliged to pay you a specified amount of interest. They can use the money you have given them (the bond) to finance long-term investments. Bonds have a specific time to run, called maturity. This means you agree not to withdraw the bond until after this period it over. Because it is a long term loan as such, it means the company has more freedom to do with it as they please. This means they will pay you more interest as a reward for allowing them to do this. The longer the maturity period, the more profitable the bond should prove to be. The risk with bonds are that interest rates may rise, with the bond interest rising to a lesser level. This will mean that the bond will be less in real terms. Because you are receiving a set amount of interest (e.g. 3%) it means that you will be loosing out should interest rates rise above this amount.
Andrew Marshall ©
Investment Trusts
The most obvious safe investment is to open a Savings Account at a bank. As many are currently unwilling to “invest” as such, this is a way of keeping your money safe while earning a little interest. It may only be a little but it is better than not earning anything at all. The big advantage of a savings account is that your money is safe. In the current financial situation, you may be asking, what if my bank goes under? Will I then loose all my money? The answer to that is no, unless you have over £35,000 in the account. Up to that amount is guaranteed by the government, so it will not be lost. A Savings Account will not make you a lot. It is somewhere to keep you money where you will not make a killing, but don’t risk loosing it either.
Bonds are another low risk investment option. Again, like anything, low risk equals low reward. The reward (and risk) is potentially higher than a Saving Account though. When you purchase a bond, you are essentially lending it to the company who you bought it from. They are then obliged to pay you a specified amount of interest. They can use the money you have given them (the bond) to finance long-term investments. Bonds have a specific time to run, called maturity. This means you agree not to withdraw the bond until after this period it over. Because it is a long term loan as such, it means the company has more freedom to do with it as they please. This means they will pay you more interest as a reward for allowing them to do this. The longer the maturity period, the more profitable the bond should prove to be. The risk with bonds are that interest rates may rise, with the bond interest rising to a lesser level. This will mean that the bond will be less in real terms. Because you are receiving a set amount of interest (e.g. 3%) it means that you will be loosing out should interest rates rise above this amount.
Andrew Marshall ©
Investment Trusts
Friday, July 17, 2009
Bing – the new search engine from Microsoft
Bing is the new search engine from Microsoft, who is aiming to rival Google as the recognised search engine. Bing believes there is plenty of improvement that can be made in search. At the moment only around 25% of searches are successful, so there is room for improvement there. If Bing can return more accurate search results then they could have an advantage of Google, Yahoo, and others.
Bing has some nice features that differentiate it from the other search engines. Once a term is searched for it offers refined search terms down the left hand side of the page. For example if someone search for Times, the results that appear at the top of the page are World Time Server, a Wikipedia page about time, and Time Magazine’s site. In addition on the left hand side of the page are a list of options, including Train Times, Radio Times, Time Online (the Times newspaper site), and World Time. This allows the visitor to refine their search so it is more specific to what they are looking for. Once they refine their search they have further options within this new search. So if World Time is clicked on, option such as World Time Zones, World Time Difference and World Time Server appear. In some ways this serves a similar role to Google Suggest, where options appear under the search box as you are typing a term into Google. The advantage Bing’s version has is that it goes deeper than just the original search. Research shows that it can take a long time to find what you are searching for, and this is one way that Bing is attempting to make that long search shorter. Users want relevance from their search results and help with complex searches, and to a certain extent this feature helps.
Something that Bing considers important is having a more locally focussed search engine. They aim to make the US version much different from the UK version and the other territories. For example if someone is searching for Victoria in the UK version, they are unlikely to want returns about Victoria in the mid West of America, Canada or Australia. The UK version will therefore return results referring to Victoria in London or Queen Victoria.
Another feature in Bing is that you can hover the mouse cursor just to the right of the results, and a blurb about the site appears. This consists of some text that describes what is in the site. This can save the visitor time as there is no need to go into sites that doesn’t offer what you are interested in.
Something that Bing is attempting to develop is a Fair Price Predictor for flights. This will tell users if a particular flight is likely to go up or down in price. This will aid the user, as they can then wait to book if it is predicted that the price will decrease, or book immediately if it is predicted to rise. Microsoft claims that this will be 80% accurate.
So can Bing rival Google? The product is much improved compared with some of Microsoft’s other attempt at a search engine, but Google has become synonymous with search so will be very difficult to compete with.
SEO London
Bing has some nice features that differentiate it from the other search engines. Once a term is searched for it offers refined search terms down the left hand side of the page. For example if someone search for Times, the results that appear at the top of the page are World Time Server, a Wikipedia page about time, and Time Magazine’s site. In addition on the left hand side of the page are a list of options, including Train Times, Radio Times, Time Online (the Times newspaper site), and World Time. This allows the visitor to refine their search so it is more specific to what they are looking for. Once they refine their search they have further options within this new search. So if World Time is clicked on, option such as World Time Zones, World Time Difference and World Time Server appear. In some ways this serves a similar role to Google Suggest, where options appear under the search box as you are typing a term into Google. The advantage Bing’s version has is that it goes deeper than just the original search. Research shows that it can take a long time to find what you are searching for, and this is one way that Bing is attempting to make that long search shorter. Users want relevance from their search results and help with complex searches, and to a certain extent this feature helps.
Something that Bing considers important is having a more locally focussed search engine. They aim to make the US version much different from the UK version and the other territories. For example if someone is searching for Victoria in the UK version, they are unlikely to want returns about Victoria in the mid West of America, Canada or Australia. The UK version will therefore return results referring to Victoria in London or Queen Victoria.
Another feature in Bing is that you can hover the mouse cursor just to the right of the results, and a blurb about the site appears. This consists of some text that describes what is in the site. This can save the visitor time as there is no need to go into sites that doesn’t offer what you are interested in.
Something that Bing is attempting to develop is a Fair Price Predictor for flights. This will tell users if a particular flight is likely to go up or down in price. This will aid the user, as they can then wait to book if it is predicted that the price will decrease, or book immediately if it is predicted to rise. Microsoft claims that this will be 80% accurate.
So can Bing rival Google? The product is much improved compared with some of Microsoft’s other attempt at a search engine, but Google has become synonymous with search so will be very difficult to compete with.
SEO London
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
History of Savile Row
Savile Row is a street in the Mayfair area of London famous for its tradition for men’s bespoke suites. Many believe that the term bespoke came from the tailors based in Savile Row. It apparently came from suits that were said to “be spoken” for by a customer. In other words the suit is being made specifically for that customer. Many well known men are known to have had a bespoke suit designed by a Savile Row tailors, including Winston Churchill, Muhammad Ali, and Nelson and Napoleon. As well as being known for its tailors, Savile Row is also famous due to The Beatles. Their own record label, Apple, has their Headquarters in Savile Row, and the roof of that building is where the Fab Four played together for the final time in 1969.
Savile Row was created in 1695 as part of the development of the Burlington Estate, which was owned by the Earl of Burlington. Prior to this it had been the gardens of Burlington House. Originally the street was called Savile Street, and was named after the Earl’s wife, Dorothy Savile. The building work is thought to have begun around 1731 and to have been completed in 1735. Numbers 1 and 2 were the first to be developed. Once these has been completed identical terraced houses were built on the east side of Savile Street, with the west side left undeveloped. This side was kept for gardens, and this is where the term Savile Row came from, as it was a row of houses on one side of the street. Savile Row became its official name in 1810. The west side was later built on. The area was originally used to house military officers and their families.
The first tailors appeared on Savile Row, or Savile Street as it was known at the time, in 1785. The tailoring industry took off in the early 1800’s and by 1803 there were a number of tailors in Savile Row. Henry Poole was credited for being the founder of Savile Row as a tailoring area in 1846, after he opened a second entrance to his Father’s tailors on Savile Row, but in reality this was after many tailors had opened for business there. The number of bespoke tailors continued to rise throughout the 1800’s and the early part of the twentieth century.
The buildings in Savile Row have been much developed since the original buildings were constructed. Only eight of the original houses survive to this day. The area is still known worldwide for its tailors, although the number of tailors have decreased over recent times. Big chains of clothing stores being able to sell suits and other clothing products for much less has contributed to their being less independent tailors in general, but rising rent in the area has been blamed for much of the demise. Mayfair is one of the most expensive areas for real estate in London, and due to its fame, Savile Row has become particularly susceptible to high rent. Some of the tailors previously in Savile Row have gone out of business and disappeared, while others have moved elsewhere. The number of tailors in Savile Row is now below twenty, but it is still considered the place to buy a bespoke suite.
Andrew Marshall ©
Saville Row
Savile Row was created in 1695 as part of the development of the Burlington Estate, which was owned by the Earl of Burlington. Prior to this it had been the gardens of Burlington House. Originally the street was called Savile Street, and was named after the Earl’s wife, Dorothy Savile. The building work is thought to have begun around 1731 and to have been completed in 1735. Numbers 1 and 2 were the first to be developed. Once these has been completed identical terraced houses were built on the east side of Savile Street, with the west side left undeveloped. This side was kept for gardens, and this is where the term Savile Row came from, as it was a row of houses on one side of the street. Savile Row became its official name in 1810. The west side was later built on. The area was originally used to house military officers and their families.
The first tailors appeared on Savile Row, or Savile Street as it was known at the time, in 1785. The tailoring industry took off in the early 1800’s and by 1803 there were a number of tailors in Savile Row. Henry Poole was credited for being the founder of Savile Row as a tailoring area in 1846, after he opened a second entrance to his Father’s tailors on Savile Row, but in reality this was after many tailors had opened for business there. The number of bespoke tailors continued to rise throughout the 1800’s and the early part of the twentieth century.
The buildings in Savile Row have been much developed since the original buildings were constructed. Only eight of the original houses survive to this day. The area is still known worldwide for its tailors, although the number of tailors have decreased over recent times. Big chains of clothing stores being able to sell suits and other clothing products for much less has contributed to their being less independent tailors in general, but rising rent in the area has been blamed for much of the demise. Mayfair is one of the most expensive areas for real estate in London, and due to its fame, Savile Row has become particularly susceptible to high rent. Some of the tailors previously in Savile Row have gone out of business and disappeared, while others have moved elsewhere. The number of tailors in Savile Row is now below twenty, but it is still considered the place to buy a bespoke suite.
Andrew Marshall ©
Saville Row
Friday, July 10, 2009
Strange laws around the world
There are many strange laws still in operation around the world. Most are no longer enforced, but technically you could be prosecuted if you break the following laws.
IN THE UNITED STATES
• In Ohio it is illegal to get a fish drunk.
• If you are in a plane over Alaska you can’t look at a Moose.
• In Tennessee, it is illegal to drive if you are asleep.
• In Alabama it is illegal to drive while blindfolded.
• In New York, it is illegal to drive a car if you are blind.
• In Missouri, a permit is required if a man wants to shave.
• In Virginia, chickens must lay their eggs between 8am and 4pm.
• In Indiana, it is illegal to dress Barbie in Ken’s clothes.
• In Kentucky it is illegal to paint your lawn red. Any other colour is fine.
• In Florida unmarried women can be jailed if they parachute on a Sunday.
• In Miami, it is illegal to imitate an animal.
• In Los Angeles, it is illegal to tell a customer you are really an actor.
• In Kentucky, you must bath at least once a year.
• In North Carolina it is illegal for dogs and cats to fight.
• In Philadelphia you can’t put pretzels in bags.
• Corruption is illegal in Virginia, except for politicians, who are allowed to be as corrupt as they like.
• In Pennsylvania, it is illegal to put a dollar on a string and pull it away when someone tries to pick it up.
IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
• It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament.
• A pregnant woman can legally urinate anywhere she wants, including if she requests, in a policeman’s hat.
• A bed may not be hung out of a window.
• It is illegal to eat mince pies on 25th December.
• Damaging grass is illegal.
• In York it is legal to murder a Scotsman within its ancient city walls but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow.
• In Liverpool, it is illegal for saleswomen to be topless, but only in tropical fish stores.
• In London, taxis are required to carry a bale of hay and a sack of oats.
IN THE REST OF THE WORLD
• In Australia, it is illegal to roam the streets wearing black clothes, felt shoes and black shoe polish on your face as these items are the tools of a cat burglar.
• In Toronto in Canada, it is illegal to drive a street car on a Sunday if you have been eating garlic.
• In France it is illegal to name a pig Napoleon
• In Israel, it is illegal to pick your nose on a Sunday.
• In Iceland, it is illegal to blow on lampposts.
• In Hong Kong, a woman can kill her husband if he has cheated on her. She must use her bare hand though. This isn’t a requirement for the man’s lover, who can be killed by any means necessary.
• In Samoa, it is illegal to forget your wife’s birthday.
• In Space, it is illegal to hear someone deliberately.
London Solicitors
IN THE UNITED STATES
• In Ohio it is illegal to get a fish drunk.
• If you are in a plane over Alaska you can’t look at a Moose.
• In Tennessee, it is illegal to drive if you are asleep.
• In Alabama it is illegal to drive while blindfolded.
• In New York, it is illegal to drive a car if you are blind.
• In Missouri, a permit is required if a man wants to shave.
• In Virginia, chickens must lay their eggs between 8am and 4pm.
• In Indiana, it is illegal to dress Barbie in Ken’s clothes.
• In Kentucky it is illegal to paint your lawn red. Any other colour is fine.
• In Florida unmarried women can be jailed if they parachute on a Sunday.
• In Miami, it is illegal to imitate an animal.
• In Los Angeles, it is illegal to tell a customer you are really an actor.
• In Kentucky, you must bath at least once a year.
• In North Carolina it is illegal for dogs and cats to fight.
• In Philadelphia you can’t put pretzels in bags.
• Corruption is illegal in Virginia, except for politicians, who are allowed to be as corrupt as they like.
• In Pennsylvania, it is illegal to put a dollar on a string and pull it away when someone tries to pick it up.
IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
• It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament.
• A pregnant woman can legally urinate anywhere she wants, including if she requests, in a policeman’s hat.
• A bed may not be hung out of a window.
• It is illegal to eat mince pies on 25th December.
• Damaging grass is illegal.
• In York it is legal to murder a Scotsman within its ancient city walls but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow.
• In Liverpool, it is illegal for saleswomen to be topless, but only in tropical fish stores.
• In London, taxis are required to carry a bale of hay and a sack of oats.
IN THE REST OF THE WORLD
• In Australia, it is illegal to roam the streets wearing black clothes, felt shoes and black shoe polish on your face as these items are the tools of a cat burglar.
• In Toronto in Canada, it is illegal to drive a street car on a Sunday if you have been eating garlic.
• In France it is illegal to name a pig Napoleon
• In Israel, it is illegal to pick your nose on a Sunday.
• In Iceland, it is illegal to blow on lampposts.
• In Hong Kong, a woman can kill her husband if he has cheated on her. She must use her bare hand though. This isn’t a requirement for the man’s lover, who can be killed by any means necessary.
• In Samoa, it is illegal to forget your wife’s birthday.
• In Space, it is illegal to hear someone deliberately.
London Solicitors
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
10 Extraordinary Divorce Settlements
There have been a number of high divorce settlements over the last couple of decades. Here are the details of 10 headline grabbing examples.
PAUL MCCARTNEY & HEATHER MILLS
One of the most high profile divorces in recent times was that of Paul McCartney and Heather Mills. Mills had demanded £125 million, but in the end was awarded a little less than a fifth of that at £24.3 million after their four year marriage. After the case was finished, the singers’ former wife launched a lengthy rant outside the courtroom about the British judicial system.
PHIL COLLINS & ORIANNE CEVEY
In August 2007 another singer, Phil Collins has also been ordered to pay £24.3 million, to his ex-wife Orianne Cevey after 6 years of marriage. This isn’t the first time the former Genesis singer and drummer has had to pay out a large divorce settlement. He has been married and divorced three times, and has had to pay a total of £40 million, almost a third of his total career earnings.
SPEPHEN SPIELBERG & AMY IRVING
Stephen Spielberg and his wife Amy Irving had a pre-nuptial agreement before their marriage in 1985. The marriage lasted only four years, but despite the agreement the film director was ordered to pay out a hefty sum. Spielberg, who has directed such film as Jaws and E.T., had to pay a little over £50 million.
MICHAEL & DIANDRA DOUGLAS
Michael and Diandra Douglas married in 1977, but twenty years later Diandra filed for divorce saying that she was fed up with his cheating ways. The divorce that followed took three years to complete, but in 2000 she received around £30 million from her ex-husband. He married Welsh actress Katherine Zeta Jones soon after.
MADONNA & GUY RICHIE
Recently the divorce of Madonna and film director husband Guy Richie has made the headlines. The divorce ended with a payout by the singer of approximately £45 million.
MICHAEL JORDAN
Neil Diamond did hold the record for the highest celebrity divorce settlement when he paid his ex-wife, Marcia Murphy, £75.5 million. This was beaten though by Michael Jordan, who paid his former wife, Juanita, £80 million. The former basketball legend’s payout included their seven acre estate and custody of the couples’ three children.
RUPERT & ANNA MURDOCH
Rupert Murdoch is one of the world richest people, who has made his fortune in the media industry, most notable as the owner of several newspaper groups. When he and his wife, Anna, first separated all seemed to be amicable. However, the Australian then made the mistake of forcing his wife off the board of the News Corp. This angered Anna Murdoch and things got messy, eventually leading to a payout of over £1 billion. 17 days after the divorce was finalised he married again, this time to one of his employees.
JOHN & BEVERLEY CHAPMAN
London stockbroker, John Chapman, divorced his wife in 2006 in a £48 million settlement. The insurance magnate, who owns global insurance company Axis, claimed that he should keep most of the money because he earned it, but the judge disagreed saying that Chapman’s attitude was old fashioned and anachronistic.
MICHAEL & MAYA POLSKY
One of the largest divorce settlements in history was that of Michael and Maya Polsky. The couple got married in 1975 in the Ukraine before emigrating to the United States a year later. In 1980 Michael Polsky started working in energy, the industry that made him a vast fortune. After 27 years of marriage, they divorced in 2003, and Maya Polsky received £120 million. The sum was originally around $3 million less but as if that wasn’t enough, the Judge increased it after learning of omitted assets. According to her lawyer, Maya was “very much satisfied with the courts decision”. Not surprising really.
ADNAN & SORAYA KHASHOGGI
The amount Maya Polsky received seems a small amount when compared to the divorce settlement between Adnan and Soraya Khashoggi. Adnan Khashoggi is a Saudi international arms dealer, who also owned hotels, banks and real estate, and at one time was worth around £2.5 million. After his divorce he was ordered to pay around £500 million.
Andrew Marshall ©
Divorce Lawyer London
PAUL MCCARTNEY & HEATHER MILLS
One of the most high profile divorces in recent times was that of Paul McCartney and Heather Mills. Mills had demanded £125 million, but in the end was awarded a little less than a fifth of that at £24.3 million after their four year marriage. After the case was finished, the singers’ former wife launched a lengthy rant outside the courtroom about the British judicial system.
PHIL COLLINS & ORIANNE CEVEY
In August 2007 another singer, Phil Collins has also been ordered to pay £24.3 million, to his ex-wife Orianne Cevey after 6 years of marriage. This isn’t the first time the former Genesis singer and drummer has had to pay out a large divorce settlement. He has been married and divorced three times, and has had to pay a total of £40 million, almost a third of his total career earnings.
SPEPHEN SPIELBERG & AMY IRVING
Stephen Spielberg and his wife Amy Irving had a pre-nuptial agreement before their marriage in 1985. The marriage lasted only four years, but despite the agreement the film director was ordered to pay out a hefty sum. Spielberg, who has directed such film as Jaws and E.T., had to pay a little over £50 million.
MICHAEL & DIANDRA DOUGLAS
Michael and Diandra Douglas married in 1977, but twenty years later Diandra filed for divorce saying that she was fed up with his cheating ways. The divorce that followed took three years to complete, but in 2000 she received around £30 million from her ex-husband. He married Welsh actress Katherine Zeta Jones soon after.
MADONNA & GUY RICHIE
Recently the divorce of Madonna and film director husband Guy Richie has made the headlines. The divorce ended with a payout by the singer of approximately £45 million.
MICHAEL JORDAN
Neil Diamond did hold the record for the highest celebrity divorce settlement when he paid his ex-wife, Marcia Murphy, £75.5 million. This was beaten though by Michael Jordan, who paid his former wife, Juanita, £80 million. The former basketball legend’s payout included their seven acre estate and custody of the couples’ three children.
RUPERT & ANNA MURDOCH
Rupert Murdoch is one of the world richest people, who has made his fortune in the media industry, most notable as the owner of several newspaper groups. When he and his wife, Anna, first separated all seemed to be amicable. However, the Australian then made the mistake of forcing his wife off the board of the News Corp. This angered Anna Murdoch and things got messy, eventually leading to a payout of over £1 billion. 17 days after the divorce was finalised he married again, this time to one of his employees.
JOHN & BEVERLEY CHAPMAN
London stockbroker, John Chapman, divorced his wife in 2006 in a £48 million settlement. The insurance magnate, who owns global insurance company Axis, claimed that he should keep most of the money because he earned it, but the judge disagreed saying that Chapman’s attitude was old fashioned and anachronistic.
MICHAEL & MAYA POLSKY
One of the largest divorce settlements in history was that of Michael and Maya Polsky. The couple got married in 1975 in the Ukraine before emigrating to the United States a year later. In 1980 Michael Polsky started working in energy, the industry that made him a vast fortune. After 27 years of marriage, they divorced in 2003, and Maya Polsky received £120 million. The sum was originally around $3 million less but as if that wasn’t enough, the Judge increased it after learning of omitted assets. According to her lawyer, Maya was “very much satisfied with the courts decision”. Not surprising really.
ADNAN & SORAYA KHASHOGGI
The amount Maya Polsky received seems a small amount when compared to the divorce settlement between Adnan and Soraya Khashoggi. Adnan Khashoggi is a Saudi international arms dealer, who also owned hotels, banks and real estate, and at one time was worth around £2.5 million. After his divorce he was ordered to pay around £500 million.
Andrew Marshall ©
Divorce Lawyer London
Friday, July 3, 2009
The History of Shutters
The origins of shutters are thought to have come from ancient Greece. They were originally made from marble and were designed to control light, ventilation and offer protection. They were invented to protect the interior of homes in times of extreme heat, but could also be used to protect from the cold in winter and from thunderstorms. They could be closed or bolted shut, especially in the evenings. This was before glass had been invented and shutters were considered durable, long lasting and easy to maintain.
Over time shutters became more popular wider afield in the Mediterranean and within the rest of Europe. A significant development in the future of shutters was the use of wood. To begin with wooden shutters were simply solid wooden boards that could be open and shut. Eventually shutters with slats came into fruition, meaning they could be adjusted to let in the right amount of heat, light or ventilation. This would not have been possible with a material like marble, but with the lighter wooden alternative this soon became the norm. In England, the Georgians were the first to design homes that already had shutters installed when new. This idea was exported to America, in particular in the south and west. In Victorian times there was another important development with shutters. Previously shutters had always been on the inside of homes but this changed and exterior shutter became popular. The reason for this was the increase in production of wooden homes. Homes made from stone previously had deep windows meaning exterior shutters were not an option, as they could not be reached from the inside. With wooden homes this was not the case, meaning exterior shutter became very popular.
Eventually glass windows were invented. In the early days of glass, they were too expensive for most, meaning the upper class were the only ones able to afford glass windows. A common feature was for the top half of the window space to have a glass installed and the bottom half to have the traditional shutters. Eventually glass became cheaper and therefore more popular among the masses.
These days the use of shutters for practical reasons is rare. They are still widely used in some areas for decorative purposes though. Glass windows have taken over and almost all homes have them. Many still like the shutter look though, and use shutters (both interior and exterior) together with glass.
Andrew Marshall ©
Shutters
Over time shutters became more popular wider afield in the Mediterranean and within the rest of Europe. A significant development in the future of shutters was the use of wood. To begin with wooden shutters were simply solid wooden boards that could be open and shut. Eventually shutters with slats came into fruition, meaning they could be adjusted to let in the right amount of heat, light or ventilation. This would not have been possible with a material like marble, but with the lighter wooden alternative this soon became the norm. In England, the Georgians were the first to design homes that already had shutters installed when new. This idea was exported to America, in particular in the south and west. In Victorian times there was another important development with shutters. Previously shutters had always been on the inside of homes but this changed and exterior shutter became popular. The reason for this was the increase in production of wooden homes. Homes made from stone previously had deep windows meaning exterior shutters were not an option, as they could not be reached from the inside. With wooden homes this was not the case, meaning exterior shutter became very popular.
Eventually glass windows were invented. In the early days of glass, they were too expensive for most, meaning the upper class were the only ones able to afford glass windows. A common feature was for the top half of the window space to have a glass installed and the bottom half to have the traditional shutters. Eventually glass became cheaper and therefore more popular among the masses.
These days the use of shutters for practical reasons is rare. They are still widely used in some areas for decorative purposes though. Glass windows have taken over and almost all homes have them. Many still like the shutter look though, and use shutters (both interior and exterior) together with glass.
Andrew Marshall ©
Shutters
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