Graphic Design covers a wide range of areas. It covers the Internet, brochures, leaflets, branding, and all sorts of advertising. Below are some graphic design principles.
EVERYTHING SHOULD BE RELEVANT
Everything on the page should have some relevance. If an item is not necessary to put across your message then it does not need to be there. The fewer items there are the more there is for the audience to make sense of, so they are more likely to focus on what is there. A few relevant items will work much more affectively than a large number of irrelevant items.
DESIGN REPETITIVENESS
There should be a consistency throughout design materials. This is more relevant for media with many pages, such as websites, brochures and leaflets. If design is similar throughout then it gives a campaign a theme and therefore helps the audience connect. If a campaign has a website, print advertisements and a brochure then they should have similar design features so the public see the connection. This is all part of successful branding. The more the audience sees the same message and design the more likely it is to be at the forefront of their mind.
PROXIMITY OF RELEVENT ITEMS
Items that are related should be place close to one another, while items that are not should be separated. This allows the audience to see the relationship between items and get an idea of their relevance towards each other. This is something that plays on the subconscious mind of the viewer. If they see items together they subconsciously think of them as being important to each other.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Simplicity is key. You cannot afford to overwork the view as they will get bored. You need to catch people’s attention by being simplistic but convincing. You don’t have long to get your audience involved; you need to get their attention quickly as they may not have time to read and take in a complex graphic. You shouldn’t overdo the detail.
TEXT
Text needs to be easy to read. To use the example of a poster, the viewer doesn’t want to stand in front of the poster intensively focussing to read the text. (S)he needs to be able to read it quickly and easily. The text should be fairly consistent throughout, although larger text for important parts of the message can make it stand out.
LANGUAGE
You should use similar language throughout. Don’t’ talk in the present and then in the past as though it is the same thing. Another thing you should avoid where possible is referring to things in the first, second and third person at different times. Speaking to the audience means using language they will understand, and not language you would use within your industry. The language will depend on who your audience is; professional language might be relevant in the business world.
PLAY ON EXPECTATIONS
If people expect something to be associated with a certain design, use this to your advantage. For example, people expect red to signify danger, to if you are trying to use the thought of danger in your campaign, you should use red.
Andrew Marshall ©
Graphic Design London
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Investing in Stock and there Advantages and Disadvantages
There are a number of different types of investment available to today’s investor. One of these is buying into a company by purchasing stocks or shares.
When you buy stocks in a company you are essentially buying part of the company. You will receive a certain number of shares, depending on how many you have bought. The amount of profit or loss a company make will then affect the worth of your shares. The share value can go up or down, and you can sell at any time. So if you sell when shares are higher than when you bought them you will make a profit, while if they are lower you will make a loss.
There are many reasons why someone will make investments. Some would just like to make a little extra money by buying a few shares in a company they hope will grow, or continue to grow. Others though, look to make a significant amount and spread their investment around many investment opportunities, worth large amounts. This is obviously more risky. Some people invest as part of their retirement plans.
There are investors who really look at their investment as more of a project. This may be the case if they are investing in a company they are genuinely interested in or believe has a future. They may purchase a number of shares to try and have a say in the business.
That is one of the advantages or owning stock in a company. You have a part to play in decision making by having a vote on important issues. Normally when certain decisions are being made each person who owns shares will have a vote, with each share meaning a vote. Therefore someone who owns fifteen shares will have fifteen votes. A high percentage of shares, and therefore votes, will mean you can have a significant say in the direction the business takes. If you own 80% of a company’s shares then you have more say than everyone else put together. Having this amount of shares means you can really be part of the business.
Another major advantage in stock investment is that it typically out-performs other types of investment.
There is a risk with stocks, though, as shares can go down as well as up. Returns are never guaranteed. There are times when the value of a companies shares fall dramatically in a short space of time. It is therefore important to get out at the right time. If you envisage a fall it is best to sell while you can for a good price. The best time to sell your shares is when they are at their peak. If there has recently been a significant rise in the share price, you then have to decide whether to sell and make a good profit, or risk keeping hold of them and hoping the rise continues. This could mean massive returns, but could also mean they fall and your shares loose all of their value.
Investing in stocks is often all about timing. Buying shares just before they have a significant rise can bring an excellent return, but buying them just before a dramatic fall will have the opposite effect. The challenge is knowing the right time to buy and the right time to sell.
Andrew Marshall ©
Investment Trusts
When you buy stocks in a company you are essentially buying part of the company. You will receive a certain number of shares, depending on how many you have bought. The amount of profit or loss a company make will then affect the worth of your shares. The share value can go up or down, and you can sell at any time. So if you sell when shares are higher than when you bought them you will make a profit, while if they are lower you will make a loss.
There are many reasons why someone will make investments. Some would just like to make a little extra money by buying a few shares in a company they hope will grow, or continue to grow. Others though, look to make a significant amount and spread their investment around many investment opportunities, worth large amounts. This is obviously more risky. Some people invest as part of their retirement plans.
There are investors who really look at their investment as more of a project. This may be the case if they are investing in a company they are genuinely interested in or believe has a future. They may purchase a number of shares to try and have a say in the business.
That is one of the advantages or owning stock in a company. You have a part to play in decision making by having a vote on important issues. Normally when certain decisions are being made each person who owns shares will have a vote, with each share meaning a vote. Therefore someone who owns fifteen shares will have fifteen votes. A high percentage of shares, and therefore votes, will mean you can have a significant say in the direction the business takes. If you own 80% of a company’s shares then you have more say than everyone else put together. Having this amount of shares means you can really be part of the business.
Another major advantage in stock investment is that it typically out-performs other types of investment.
There is a risk with stocks, though, as shares can go down as well as up. Returns are never guaranteed. There are times when the value of a companies shares fall dramatically in a short space of time. It is therefore important to get out at the right time. If you envisage a fall it is best to sell while you can for a good price. The best time to sell your shares is when they are at their peak. If there has recently been a significant rise in the share price, you then have to decide whether to sell and make a good profit, or risk keeping hold of them and hoping the rise continues. This could mean massive returns, but could also mean they fall and your shares loose all of their value.
Investing in stocks is often all about timing. Buying shares just before they have a significant rise can bring an excellent return, but buying them just before a dramatic fall will have the opposite effect. The challenge is knowing the right time to buy and the right time to sell.
Andrew Marshall ©
Investment Trusts
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Why Charities must prove they are genuine
By law any charity has to fit certain specification to prove that they are a genuine charitable organisation. Although some would not agree with who should be considered a charity and who should not, there are important reasons why only genuine charities should be given charity status. It is crucial that bogus charities are not allowed to be given the status and kudos of genuine ones.
There are a number of criteria that those wishing to receive charity status need to meet. The most obvious is that they must show they have a charitable purpose. They must fit within one of several categories of charity that include the following: -
• Promoting the Relief of Poverty
• Promoting Human Rights
• Promoting Animal Welfare
• An Educational Organisation
• Promotion of / Education about Religion
• Health Services
• Involved in Art, Heritage or Science
These organisations must also be able to show they are working for the public benefit. If they are unable to do this they will not be deemed a charity, even if they have a charitable purpose. If they are not working in the public interest (in the UK or internationally) then they are not considered to be achieving something important enough to be given charity status.
One important reason why charities need to reach the criteria is that they are more likely to receive donations if they are a registered charity. Due to the rise in bogus charities more and more people are double checking charities are registered as such before they give donations. It is therefore crucial non-charities are unable to get away with claiming they are one. Charities with small incomes do not have to prove their charitable existence but many are choosing to do so for this very reason; that they are more likely to receive support from the public.
Other reasons why it is important for charities to prove they are genuine is because there are tax benefits and they can receive legal aid
Tax breaks mean that charities are able to put more of their income towards the causes they exists to help or promote. It is though, important non charitable organisations are not able to benefit from this same assistance. If organisations that should be paying the full amount of tax are not doing so the general public are affected. Less people and organisations paying the normal rate of tax, means that the average person will have to pay more to compensate, or there is less available for the government to spend on public services.
There is only a certain amount of legal aid that is put aside for charities to use. Therefore it is important only genuine charities are able to receive these funds. If non-charities are getting this aid then there is less to be split amongst the charities who need it.
Andrew Marshall ©
Charity Law Solicitors
There are a number of criteria that those wishing to receive charity status need to meet. The most obvious is that they must show they have a charitable purpose. They must fit within one of several categories of charity that include the following: -
• Promoting the Relief of Poverty
• Promoting Human Rights
• Promoting Animal Welfare
• An Educational Organisation
• Promotion of / Education about Religion
• Health Services
• Involved in Art, Heritage or Science
These organisations must also be able to show they are working for the public benefit. If they are unable to do this they will not be deemed a charity, even if they have a charitable purpose. If they are not working in the public interest (in the UK or internationally) then they are not considered to be achieving something important enough to be given charity status.
One important reason why charities need to reach the criteria is that they are more likely to receive donations if they are a registered charity. Due to the rise in bogus charities more and more people are double checking charities are registered as such before they give donations. It is therefore crucial non-charities are unable to get away with claiming they are one. Charities with small incomes do not have to prove their charitable existence but many are choosing to do so for this very reason; that they are more likely to receive support from the public.
Other reasons why it is important for charities to prove they are genuine is because there are tax benefits and they can receive legal aid
Tax breaks mean that charities are able to put more of their income towards the causes they exists to help or promote. It is though, important non charitable organisations are not able to benefit from this same assistance. If organisations that should be paying the full amount of tax are not doing so the general public are affected. Less people and organisations paying the normal rate of tax, means that the average person will have to pay more to compensate, or there is less available for the government to spend on public services.
There is only a certain amount of legal aid that is put aside for charities to use. Therefore it is important only genuine charities are able to receive these funds. If non-charities are getting this aid then there is less to be split amongst the charities who need it.
Andrew Marshall ©
Charity Law Solicitors
Monday, October 26, 2009
Types of Solicitor
There are many different types of solicitors operating in the legal world. Here is a short synopsis of the roles of 10 areas of solicitor practise.
FAMILY / DIVORCE
It is always a good idea to use a divorce solicitor when going through a divorce, to make sure you get what you deserve. If you ex spouse has a solicitor and you don’t, you may have a significant disadvantage. This is still the case if you will not be going to court and are trying to come to an agreement with your former partner. Your solicitor will advice you of your rights and double check everything.
A Divorce Lawyer is almost essential if you will be going to court; whether it comes to splitting property, finances or anything else. When it comes to children a solicitors could help you get custody or sufficient visiting rights. They may also help if you should be receiving child maintenance from the other parent.
COMMERCIAL
Commercial, or corporate lawyers, work within the business sphere. They deal with a whole host of areas that a business may be involved in. This could be a dispute between two businesses or a business and another organisation or individual. Any legal documentation, including contracts, will be dealt with.
EMPLOYMENT
Employment could also come under a commercial lawyer, or it could be dealt with a specialist. This area of law often refers to disputes between an employer and employee. If someone doesn’t believe they are being given their employee rights or are being treated unfairly they may seek an employment solicitor’s advice. This may include a claim of unfair dismissal.
A business may also use an employment solicitor when sorting out compensation packages when someone is being made redundant, and to make sure everything is being dealt with in the right way if they are terminating an employee’s contract.
CRIMINAL
Criminal Solicitors are used by those accused of committing a crime. If contesting the accusation a lawyer will gather evidence to try to prove the innocence of their client. Lawyers are important in giving the accused a fair trial, and making sure someone is not wrongly convicted. Those who admit guilt may still want legal assistance; to try to get the best, or least worst, possible punishment.
The state will also use a criminal solicitor in the case of a court case. Their lawyers’ job is to prove that the defendant is guilty.
WILLS AND PROBATE
Wills and probate is the legal term used for anything involving wills. A lawyer can be consulted when writing a will to make sure things are legally in place so it will be honoured when the person in question dies. Once the person has died a solicitor will be used to make sure the will is executed as the deceased wished. Friends or family of the deceased will used a lawyer if they would like to contest the will.
PROPERTY
Property, or conveyancing solicitors, are required when someone is wishing to purchase a home or other property. They are necessary to deal with any legal issues involved. Their roles include taking care of stamp duty, looking into land registry issues and reviewing contracts. If a mortgage is being taken out by their client they liaise with the lender to make sure everything is in order. Fees are usually dependant on the price of the property being purchased, and are normally in the region of half a per cent of the properties value.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Intellectual property refers not to property as in a building, but property as a result of creation. This will include trademarks and copyright. Anything that is created by someone will come under this. If something you have created has been unlawfully used or copied by somebody else then you might consult an intellectual property lawyer.
TAX
There are lawyers who specialise in tax disputes. If someone either believes they are paying too much tax or has been accused of avoiding tax, a solicitor can help. Like in criminal law, the state may also use a lawyer, if they believe someone has been withholding tax.
INJURY
If you have an accident and believe you deserve compensation then an injury solicitor can help. First of all you will be able to seek advice as to whether your case is worth pursuing. If you accident is due to negligence of another party you solicitor will help you receive the necessary compensation. Such examples could be if you have had a slip or fall, an accident in a dangerous area that had not been clearly marked, or an accident in a public building where health and safety rules have been broken.
IMMIGRATION
Immigration solicitors are used in the case of somebody trying to move into the country from overseas. They can help with any legal issues and paperwork. This could include those seeking asylum, applications to become a citizen, and sorting out work permits.
Andrew Marshall ©
Solicitors London
Divorce Lawyer London
FAMILY / DIVORCE
It is always a good idea to use a divorce solicitor when going through a divorce, to make sure you get what you deserve. If you ex spouse has a solicitor and you don’t, you may have a significant disadvantage. This is still the case if you will not be going to court and are trying to come to an agreement with your former partner. Your solicitor will advice you of your rights and double check everything.
A Divorce Lawyer is almost essential if you will be going to court; whether it comes to splitting property, finances or anything else. When it comes to children a solicitors could help you get custody or sufficient visiting rights. They may also help if you should be receiving child maintenance from the other parent.
COMMERCIAL
Commercial, or corporate lawyers, work within the business sphere. They deal with a whole host of areas that a business may be involved in. This could be a dispute between two businesses or a business and another organisation or individual. Any legal documentation, including contracts, will be dealt with.
EMPLOYMENT
Employment could also come under a commercial lawyer, or it could be dealt with a specialist. This area of law often refers to disputes between an employer and employee. If someone doesn’t believe they are being given their employee rights or are being treated unfairly they may seek an employment solicitor’s advice. This may include a claim of unfair dismissal.
A business may also use an employment solicitor when sorting out compensation packages when someone is being made redundant, and to make sure everything is being dealt with in the right way if they are terminating an employee’s contract.
CRIMINAL
Criminal Solicitors are used by those accused of committing a crime. If contesting the accusation a lawyer will gather evidence to try to prove the innocence of their client. Lawyers are important in giving the accused a fair trial, and making sure someone is not wrongly convicted. Those who admit guilt may still want legal assistance; to try to get the best, or least worst, possible punishment.
The state will also use a criminal solicitor in the case of a court case. Their lawyers’ job is to prove that the defendant is guilty.
WILLS AND PROBATE
Wills and probate is the legal term used for anything involving wills. A lawyer can be consulted when writing a will to make sure things are legally in place so it will be honoured when the person in question dies. Once the person has died a solicitor will be used to make sure the will is executed as the deceased wished. Friends or family of the deceased will used a lawyer if they would like to contest the will.
PROPERTY
Property, or conveyancing solicitors, are required when someone is wishing to purchase a home or other property. They are necessary to deal with any legal issues involved. Their roles include taking care of stamp duty, looking into land registry issues and reviewing contracts. If a mortgage is being taken out by their client they liaise with the lender to make sure everything is in order. Fees are usually dependant on the price of the property being purchased, and are normally in the region of half a per cent of the properties value.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Intellectual property refers not to property as in a building, but property as a result of creation. This will include trademarks and copyright. Anything that is created by someone will come under this. If something you have created has been unlawfully used or copied by somebody else then you might consult an intellectual property lawyer.
TAX
There are lawyers who specialise in tax disputes. If someone either believes they are paying too much tax or has been accused of avoiding tax, a solicitor can help. Like in criminal law, the state may also use a lawyer, if they believe someone has been withholding tax.
INJURY
If you have an accident and believe you deserve compensation then an injury solicitor can help. First of all you will be able to seek advice as to whether your case is worth pursuing. If you accident is due to negligence of another party you solicitor will help you receive the necessary compensation. Such examples could be if you have had a slip or fall, an accident in a dangerous area that had not been clearly marked, or an accident in a public building where health and safety rules have been broken.
IMMIGRATION
Immigration solicitors are used in the case of somebody trying to move into the country from overseas. They can help with any legal issues and paperwork. This could include those seeking asylum, applications to become a citizen, and sorting out work permits.
Andrew Marshall ©
Solicitors London
Divorce Lawyer London
Friday, October 23, 2009
What do you get with Managed Hosting?
Managed Hosting is a type of web hosting, whereby the service provider manages the hosting needs for the customer. This is ideal for those who require complex hosting solutions but do not want to, or don’t have the expertise to, manage it themselves. It is most widely used within business. So, what exactly do you get for your money.
You can expect your website to be hosted on a dedicated server, meaning it will not be shared with other sites. All hosting equipment and hardware will be of high quality. If you wish to, you should be able to have a choice of operating system.
If your hosting is fully managed uptime should be high; at around 99% or more. You are paying for a quality service so any less than this is not really acceptable. There shouldn’t be many problems with the hosting in general, and any issues should be quickly resolved by the service provider. There should be plenty of bandwidth available, although this will depend on the package you choose. With Managed Hosting the overall hosting service should be of a high quality.
Administration is a task that a lot of people would rather not do, and this is often taken care of. Again, this is dependant on the provider and package you choose. This will mean there is even less to worry about.
You shouldn’t have to think about your website’s hosting too much as it is the hands of the experts. The support should be of a high level, which is something many people believe to be the most important part of web hosting and a major advantage of managed hosting. You site will usually be monitored twenty-four hours a day, meaning any issues are spotted and fixed in a timely manner.
There is plenty of technical support and assistance on hand with Managed Hosting. The hosting companies’ employees are experts so have the relevant skills and experience to deal with your hosting. Their expert assistance is especially useful if you are a novice and don’t fully understand web hosting yourself. This is why a lot of people and businesses choose Managed Hosting.
There is plenty of choice as to the package you go with. There are plenty of options available – from fully managed to hosting where only certain aspects are managed. It is important to choose a package that suite your needs and prices vary depending on the package.
Not all companies offer the same services. Different companies define managed hosting differently. Some only managed some areas of you site but still call their service managed hosting, while others offer a fully managed service. It is important to know what service you will be getting before you purchase your managed hosting package.
Andrew Marshall ©
Managed Hosting
You can expect your website to be hosted on a dedicated server, meaning it will not be shared with other sites. All hosting equipment and hardware will be of high quality. If you wish to, you should be able to have a choice of operating system.
If your hosting is fully managed uptime should be high; at around 99% or more. You are paying for a quality service so any less than this is not really acceptable. There shouldn’t be many problems with the hosting in general, and any issues should be quickly resolved by the service provider. There should be plenty of bandwidth available, although this will depend on the package you choose. With Managed Hosting the overall hosting service should be of a high quality.
Administration is a task that a lot of people would rather not do, and this is often taken care of. Again, this is dependant on the provider and package you choose. This will mean there is even less to worry about.
You shouldn’t have to think about your website’s hosting too much as it is the hands of the experts. The support should be of a high level, which is something many people believe to be the most important part of web hosting and a major advantage of managed hosting. You site will usually be monitored twenty-four hours a day, meaning any issues are spotted and fixed in a timely manner.
There is plenty of technical support and assistance on hand with Managed Hosting. The hosting companies’ employees are experts so have the relevant skills and experience to deal with your hosting. Their expert assistance is especially useful if you are a novice and don’t fully understand web hosting yourself. This is why a lot of people and businesses choose Managed Hosting.
There is plenty of choice as to the package you go with. There are plenty of options available – from fully managed to hosting where only certain aspects are managed. It is important to choose a package that suite your needs and prices vary depending on the package.
Not all companies offer the same services. Different companies define managed hosting differently. Some only managed some areas of you site but still call their service managed hosting, while others offer a fully managed service. It is important to know what service you will be getting before you purchase your managed hosting package.
Andrew Marshall ©
Managed Hosting
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
A look at safety regulations
These days there are many safety checks on everything we come across. From our workplaces to town centres and any equipment we use, everything is rigorously tested to make sure it is safe for its purpose. Hear we look at some areas where health and safety has an impact.
CAR SAFETY
Car safety has improved dramatically over the last few decades. When the automobile was first used there were no regulations and the industry was still relatively unregulated until half way through the last century. Seat beats have been the most important development in car safety and have been given credit for saving thousands of lives. Car manufacturers started introducing seat belts in the late 1950’s with Volvo the first to do so. They were made compulsory in the front of cars in 1983 but not in the back until 1991. More recently air bags have been introduced by manufacturers. These are not compulsory but almost all new cars now have them installed.
Cars have to go through rigorous safety check to qualify as road worthy, which includes crash tests. Safety records are also used as a marketing tool by manufacturers, with those with the best records selling cars off the back of this. Cars are specifically designed to be as safe as possible. As well as checks before they are put on the road, cars also have to go through an MOT (specific to the UK). This is a group of tests carried out three years after a car is first used, and then every year thereafter. These test decide whether a car is deemed safe for use on the road.
PAT TESTING
PAT Testing stands for Portable Appliance Testing and is the regulatory test that must legally be carried out regularly on portable appliances. A PAT test will give and pass or fail result that will tell the users whether or not it is safe for use. PAT Testing is required for any portable appliances that are in public use. This includes any appliances (including fridges and ovens) that are supplied as part of a rented property, any equipment used in schools or the workplace, and anything that is used by or around the general public.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS
All public buildings are now subject to health and safety checks and regulations. They have to abide by certain rules to make sure the public are kept as safe as possible. Fire prevention methods need to be in operation and there must be sufficient fire escapes that are clearly marked. Any potential dangers, such as slippery floors, also need to marked. Other public areas also have regulations they must abide by.
WORKPLACES
Strict health and safety rules apply to all places of work. They are subject to many of the same health and safety regulations as public buildings. Regulations have been put in place to protect staff, and if applicable, customers. Employees need to be trained correctly so they are able to use any dangerous equipment correctly. Accidents also need to be recorded and reviewed to make sure a similar incident does not occur again if avoidable. Rules vary depending on the industry.
RESTAURANT & OTHER EATERIES
There are strict regulations for restaurants and eateries with regard to hygiene. For example, staff have to wash their hand regularly. Depending on the establishment and the job role specific clothing may have to be worn and other clothing may be banned. Employees with long hair who work in the kitchen must wear a hair net or have their hair tied back. Restaurants are subject to regular inspections and there can be on-the-spot inspections by health and safety officers.
HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL CENTRES
Not surprisingly there are many regulations around medical care. It is important that decease is not spread amongst patients so there are many rules to prevent this. Visitors and staff are asked to rub their hands with alcohol to sterilise them. Everything possible needs to be done to keep the risk of spreading infection to a minimum.
Andrew Marshall ©
PAT Testing
CAR SAFETY
Car safety has improved dramatically over the last few decades. When the automobile was first used there were no regulations and the industry was still relatively unregulated until half way through the last century. Seat beats have been the most important development in car safety and have been given credit for saving thousands of lives. Car manufacturers started introducing seat belts in the late 1950’s with Volvo the first to do so. They were made compulsory in the front of cars in 1983 but not in the back until 1991. More recently air bags have been introduced by manufacturers. These are not compulsory but almost all new cars now have them installed.
Cars have to go through rigorous safety check to qualify as road worthy, which includes crash tests. Safety records are also used as a marketing tool by manufacturers, with those with the best records selling cars off the back of this. Cars are specifically designed to be as safe as possible. As well as checks before they are put on the road, cars also have to go through an MOT (specific to the UK). This is a group of tests carried out three years after a car is first used, and then every year thereafter. These test decide whether a car is deemed safe for use on the road.
PAT TESTING
PAT Testing stands for Portable Appliance Testing and is the regulatory test that must legally be carried out regularly on portable appliances. A PAT test will give and pass or fail result that will tell the users whether or not it is safe for use. PAT Testing is required for any portable appliances that are in public use. This includes any appliances (including fridges and ovens) that are supplied as part of a rented property, any equipment used in schools or the workplace, and anything that is used by or around the general public.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS
All public buildings are now subject to health and safety checks and regulations. They have to abide by certain rules to make sure the public are kept as safe as possible. Fire prevention methods need to be in operation and there must be sufficient fire escapes that are clearly marked. Any potential dangers, such as slippery floors, also need to marked. Other public areas also have regulations they must abide by.
WORKPLACES
Strict health and safety rules apply to all places of work. They are subject to many of the same health and safety regulations as public buildings. Regulations have been put in place to protect staff, and if applicable, customers. Employees need to be trained correctly so they are able to use any dangerous equipment correctly. Accidents also need to be recorded and reviewed to make sure a similar incident does not occur again if avoidable. Rules vary depending on the industry.
RESTAURANT & OTHER EATERIES
There are strict regulations for restaurants and eateries with regard to hygiene. For example, staff have to wash their hand regularly. Depending on the establishment and the job role specific clothing may have to be worn and other clothing may be banned. Employees with long hair who work in the kitchen must wear a hair net or have their hair tied back. Restaurants are subject to regular inspections and there can be on-the-spot inspections by health and safety officers.
HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL CENTRES
Not surprisingly there are many regulations around medical care. It is important that decease is not spread amongst patients so there are many rules to prevent this. Visitors and staff are asked to rub their hands with alcohol to sterilise them. Everything possible needs to be done to keep the risk of spreading infection to a minimum.
Andrew Marshall ©
PAT Testing
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Why Choose VoIP for Business
VoIP is becoming an increasingly popular choice for communication as an alternative to the telephone. Some however are still reluctant to switch to a VoIP service as they think that the quality is not that of a regular telephone. This isn’t necessarily the case though, and there are many advantages. This is even more the case when it comes to Business VoIP, especially for businesses that make a large number of calls.
As many people are aware VoIP offers cost savings when compared with landline telephones, and especially mobile telephones. Businesses can save a very significant amount. This is even more the case for businesses that make many long distance calls – this is where the real savings can be made. The premium put on long distance (especially international); calls by telephone providers are not a reality with VoIP. This is because VoIP works via a broadband connection so it is less expensive for the provider and therefore the customer. Many packages are just a flat monthly free for a set, or even an unlimited, number of hours. Therefore making a high number of calls could mean significant savings in comparison with using a regular telephone.
This is why call centres often choose to use this technology. They can base their call centres in countries where labour is cheap and use VoIP so they can call internationally at a reduced rate. Some would say the quality of these calls is sometime poor, but this is due to the broadband connection and not simply the fact that a VoIP provider is being used. A better quality broadband connection would result in better quality VoIP.
Maintenance costs are also often lower. In is inexpensive to set up, especially if simply installed onto a computer. VoIP phones, which are similar to telephones in terms of the user experience and look, are more complicated by still relatively cheap. If you already have a broadband connection, which the majority of businesses now do, then there is no need for an extra phone line to be installed. If you move premises there are no high costs involved.
The call quality of VoIP is traditionally poor and has this reputation. It is seen by many as the main disadvantage. This, however, is no longer necessarily the case. Contrary to popular belief a VoIP service can be of just as higher quality as a normal phone service. As mentioned above, it is dependant on the broadband connection. Poor broadband will mean poor VoIP, but a good quality broadband service will mean a good quality VoIP service.
Unlike landline telephones, VoIP can be portable. With VoIP phones this is not the case, but if installed on a laptop, then as long as you have a broadband connection you will be able to use it. If using wireless the quality will depend on the quality of the internet connection.
All the services that are available with a telephone provider are also available with VoIP. Conference calling is easy to perform and other services such as answer phones and forwarding systems are available. Depending on the VoIP provider and the package you choose, you can get fully integrated business systems and extension for different members of staff.
Andrew Marshall ©
Business VoIP
VoIP provider
As many people are aware VoIP offers cost savings when compared with landline telephones, and especially mobile telephones. Businesses can save a very significant amount. This is even more the case for businesses that make many long distance calls – this is where the real savings can be made. The premium put on long distance (especially international); calls by telephone providers are not a reality with VoIP. This is because VoIP works via a broadband connection so it is less expensive for the provider and therefore the customer. Many packages are just a flat monthly free for a set, or even an unlimited, number of hours. Therefore making a high number of calls could mean significant savings in comparison with using a regular telephone.
This is why call centres often choose to use this technology. They can base their call centres in countries where labour is cheap and use VoIP so they can call internationally at a reduced rate. Some would say the quality of these calls is sometime poor, but this is due to the broadband connection and not simply the fact that a VoIP provider is being used. A better quality broadband connection would result in better quality VoIP.
Maintenance costs are also often lower. In is inexpensive to set up, especially if simply installed onto a computer. VoIP phones, which are similar to telephones in terms of the user experience and look, are more complicated by still relatively cheap. If you already have a broadband connection, which the majority of businesses now do, then there is no need for an extra phone line to be installed. If you move premises there are no high costs involved.
The call quality of VoIP is traditionally poor and has this reputation. It is seen by many as the main disadvantage. This, however, is no longer necessarily the case. Contrary to popular belief a VoIP service can be of just as higher quality as a normal phone service. As mentioned above, it is dependant on the broadband connection. Poor broadband will mean poor VoIP, but a good quality broadband service will mean a good quality VoIP service.
Unlike landline telephones, VoIP can be portable. With VoIP phones this is not the case, but if installed on a laptop, then as long as you have a broadband connection you will be able to use it. If using wireless the quality will depend on the quality of the internet connection.
All the services that are available with a telephone provider are also available with VoIP. Conference calling is easy to perform and other services such as answer phones and forwarding systems are available. Depending on the VoIP provider and the package you choose, you can get fully integrated business systems and extension for different members of staff.
Andrew Marshall ©
Business VoIP
VoIP provider
Monday, October 19, 2009
Colocation Centre’s – An Overview
Colocation is a type of web hosting service, where clients store their server’s at a Colocation Centre, which is a type of Data Centre. It is becoming more popular all the time as a preferred form of hosting.
A Colocation Centre works by providing rack space for clients to rent. The clients’ server will then be placed into this rack space which they have rented from the Colocation Centre. It is the rack space that is hired, not the server itself. The server and other equipment is owned by the client. It is in their control and they perform maintenance and other tasks and are responsible for the server’s up-keep.
One of the main benefits of storing a server at a Colocation
Centre is that it is cost effective when compared to renting you own server. As the Colocation Centre has several clients they are able to drive the cost down. Another advantage is that certain other things (such as the environment the server is kept in and security) are taken care of so the client doesn’t have to worry about it. The client knows that the server is being kept in a safe place and they to not need to be concerned with providing security themselves.
Measures are put in place to make the servers as secure as possible. Protection against natural disasters and fire is provided, with the server areas being secure and fire proof. Close circuit television (CCTV) is usually provided and there are normally security guards on duty meaning the areas is protected against intruders. If clients were hosting their own server they would need to provide this themselves and this would involve extra costs.
All the necessary power that is required is provided by the Colocation Centre. It may be priced at a set amount per month for power and bandwidth usage up to a certain point. If a client requires extra in a particular month it will usually be provided automatically and they will be billed at the end of the month. This means downtime is less likely to be an issue. Using less that the expected amount of power or bandwidth will mean a reduced bill. There is normally power backup as well. There are generators that can be used in case there is a power failure or a similar problem.
The Colocation Centre’s environment is designed and managed to be the optimum for web hosting. Air conditioning is used to keep the air at the right temperature – usually between 20 and 25C.
At some Colocation Centre’s assistance is available, while at others it is not. This can be an advantage as the Colocation Centre’s employees will have high expertise, something that is especially useful if the client does not have advanced knowledge themselves. This may be part of the package with assistance included in the original price, or it may be an optional extra that can be purchased when required.
Colocation is for those who want control and their server but do not want to host it themselves. It has the advantages of the right environment and protection that hosting it at the clients premises would not provide, while still meaning they can maintain control, something they would not be able to do if it was being completely managed by the hosting company.
Andrew Marshall ©
Colocation
A Colocation Centre works by providing rack space for clients to rent. The clients’ server will then be placed into this rack space which they have rented from the Colocation Centre. It is the rack space that is hired, not the server itself. The server and other equipment is owned by the client. It is in their control and they perform maintenance and other tasks and are responsible for the server’s up-keep.
One of the main benefits of storing a server at a Colocation
Centre is that it is cost effective when compared to renting you own server. As the Colocation Centre has several clients they are able to drive the cost down. Another advantage is that certain other things (such as the environment the server is kept in and security) are taken care of so the client doesn’t have to worry about it. The client knows that the server is being kept in a safe place and they to not need to be concerned with providing security themselves.
Measures are put in place to make the servers as secure as possible. Protection against natural disasters and fire is provided, with the server areas being secure and fire proof. Close circuit television (CCTV) is usually provided and there are normally security guards on duty meaning the areas is protected against intruders. If clients were hosting their own server they would need to provide this themselves and this would involve extra costs.
All the necessary power that is required is provided by the Colocation Centre. It may be priced at a set amount per month for power and bandwidth usage up to a certain point. If a client requires extra in a particular month it will usually be provided automatically and they will be billed at the end of the month. This means downtime is less likely to be an issue. Using less that the expected amount of power or bandwidth will mean a reduced bill. There is normally power backup as well. There are generators that can be used in case there is a power failure or a similar problem.
The Colocation Centre’s environment is designed and managed to be the optimum for web hosting. Air conditioning is used to keep the air at the right temperature – usually between 20 and 25C.
At some Colocation Centre’s assistance is available, while at others it is not. This can be an advantage as the Colocation Centre’s employees will have high expertise, something that is especially useful if the client does not have advanced knowledge themselves. This may be part of the package with assistance included in the original price, or it may be an optional extra that can be purchased when required.
Colocation is for those who want control and their server but do not want to host it themselves. It has the advantages of the right environment and protection that hosting it at the clients premises would not provide, while still meaning they can maintain control, something they would not be able to do if it was being completely managed by the hosting company.
Andrew Marshall ©
Colocation
Friday, October 16, 2009
Famous London Streets
SAVILE ROW
Savile Row is famous for its men’s tailoring, in particular men’s suits. In fact, Savile Row is credited for the invention of the term bespoke, as suits were often described to “be spoken for” or “be-spoked” for. The street has often been referred to as the golden mile of tailoring.
Savile Row was first developed in 1695 as part of the Burlington Estate. It had been part of the gardens of Burlington House previous to this. Originally it was named Savile Street. Houses were built on one side of the street, with gardens on the other side and was therefore nicknamed Savile Row, with a row of houses on one side. The name was officially changed in 1810.
Tailors started to play a big part in the area around this time. The first tailors appear on the street in 1785, and over the next fifty years the trend continued. This is what made the area famous. Many Savile Row Tailors have gone out of business or moved elsewhere within London, but plenty still remain and it is still the place many men go for their tailoring.
FLEET STREET
Fleet Street is synonymous with the British Press. The street runs from the east end of the Strand through to Farringdon Street.
In the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century the trend for printers and publishers moving into the area began. Later, and more famously, newspapers started to move their offices to Fleet Street. The first daily newspaper to do this was the Daily Courant in the early 1700’s. By the 20th century a large majority of London and National newspapers had their headquarters in the area.
This is no longer the case though, as many of the papers moved out of Fleet Street from the 1980’s. All of the main newspapers have now left and it is now more associated with law practices.
Despite the area no longer being the home of the newspapers, it is still known for this. Fleet Street is still often a collective name meaning the newspapers. If somebody says that “Fleet Street has been saying…..”, it means that this is being said by the newspapers.
HARLEY STREET
Harley Street is world famous for its medical practices. Prior to the 18th century it only consisted of a few houses and was part of the village of Marylebone; not yet part of the City of London. As London grew in the 1700’s century Marylebone became part of London. It was developed into a larger residential area between 1715 and 1720. Around a century later doctors started setting up home in the area, with a number of them setting up practices from their homes. As this trend continued the area became well known in this regard.
Over the 150 years that followed a large number of medical practitioners moved to Harley Street, with one and a half thousand believed to be in the street and its surrounding areas buy the middle of the twentieth century. It had the largest concentration of medical expertise on earth. Today there are still a number of medical practices in the street across a broad range of areas of expertise.
OXFORD STREET
Oxford Street is world famous for its shopping. It is London’s main shopping area, and is the busiest shopping street in Europe. It used to be part of the main road from London to Oxford, hence the name Oxford Street.
The street runs for one and a half miles and is full of shops, with a few restaurants and café’s. It has many major department stores and to be a major player in retail in the UK it is almost considered a must that you have a store in Oxford Street. Most of the best known shops have their main store here, with some having two or three. Oxford Street is known for how busy it can be, especially prior to Christmas and in the post-Christmas sales.
REGENTS STREET
Regent Street is another main London shopping street. In runs north from Piccadilly Circus to Oxford Street. It is not as busy as Oxford Street and is different in its appearance with its grand buildings.
Regents Street was one of London’s first planned developments and built in the early 1800’s. Building was completed in 1825 and every building on the street is listed. It is considered more elegant than Oxford Street, and is famous for its Christmas lights.
Andrew Marshall ©
Harley Street Consulting Rooms
Savile Row Tailors
Savile Row is famous for its men’s tailoring, in particular men’s suits. In fact, Savile Row is credited for the invention of the term bespoke, as suits were often described to “be spoken for” or “be-spoked” for. The street has often been referred to as the golden mile of tailoring.
Savile Row was first developed in 1695 as part of the Burlington Estate. It had been part of the gardens of Burlington House previous to this. Originally it was named Savile Street. Houses were built on one side of the street, with gardens on the other side and was therefore nicknamed Savile Row, with a row of houses on one side. The name was officially changed in 1810.
Tailors started to play a big part in the area around this time. The first tailors appear on the street in 1785, and over the next fifty years the trend continued. This is what made the area famous. Many Savile Row Tailors have gone out of business or moved elsewhere within London, but plenty still remain and it is still the place many men go for their tailoring.
FLEET STREET
Fleet Street is synonymous with the British Press. The street runs from the east end of the Strand through to Farringdon Street.
In the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century the trend for printers and publishers moving into the area began. Later, and more famously, newspapers started to move their offices to Fleet Street. The first daily newspaper to do this was the Daily Courant in the early 1700’s. By the 20th century a large majority of London and National newspapers had their headquarters in the area.
This is no longer the case though, as many of the papers moved out of Fleet Street from the 1980’s. All of the main newspapers have now left and it is now more associated with law practices.
Despite the area no longer being the home of the newspapers, it is still known for this. Fleet Street is still often a collective name meaning the newspapers. If somebody says that “Fleet Street has been saying…..”, it means that this is being said by the newspapers.
HARLEY STREET
Harley Street is world famous for its medical practices. Prior to the 18th century it only consisted of a few houses and was part of the village of Marylebone; not yet part of the City of London. As London grew in the 1700’s century Marylebone became part of London. It was developed into a larger residential area between 1715 and 1720. Around a century later doctors started setting up home in the area, with a number of them setting up practices from their homes. As this trend continued the area became well known in this regard.
Over the 150 years that followed a large number of medical practitioners moved to Harley Street, with one and a half thousand believed to be in the street and its surrounding areas buy the middle of the twentieth century. It had the largest concentration of medical expertise on earth. Today there are still a number of medical practices in the street across a broad range of areas of expertise.
OXFORD STREET
Oxford Street is world famous for its shopping. It is London’s main shopping area, and is the busiest shopping street in Europe. It used to be part of the main road from London to Oxford, hence the name Oxford Street.
The street runs for one and a half miles and is full of shops, with a few restaurants and café’s. It has many major department stores and to be a major player in retail in the UK it is almost considered a must that you have a store in Oxford Street. Most of the best known shops have their main store here, with some having two or three. Oxford Street is known for how busy it can be, especially prior to Christmas and in the post-Christmas sales.
REGENTS STREET
Regent Street is another main London shopping street. In runs north from Piccadilly Circus to Oxford Street. It is not as busy as Oxford Street and is different in its appearance with its grand buildings.
Regents Street was one of London’s first planned developments and built in the early 1800’s. Building was completed in 1825 and every building on the street is listed. It is considered more elegant than Oxford Street, and is famous for its Christmas lights.
Andrew Marshall ©
Harley Street Consulting Rooms
Savile Row Tailors
Thursday, October 15, 2009
World Crime and Murder Trends
Murder Rates (per 1 million people)
1st Columbia 618
2nd South Africa 496
3rd Jamaica 324
5th Russia 202
24th United States 43
30th Finland 28
40th France 17
60th Japan 5
Crime Rates (per 1 million people)
1st Dominica 114,000
2nd New Zealand 106,000
3rd Finland 102,000
4th Denmark 93,000
5th Child 88,000
6th United Kingdom 86,000
8th United States 80,000
10th South Africa 77,000
31st Russia 21,000
37th Jamaica 14,000
59th India 1,000
Columbia is the world leader in murder rates, with 618 murders for every million people. It is significantly high than South Africa, which is second. Jamaica and Venezuela are the next two with Russia the highest European country with 202 murders for every million. The number of murders in the United States has fallen to 43 per million, but figures for Eastern Europe has generally risen.
In many cases the trends differ for crime rates in general. Dominica has the most recorded crime followed by New Zealand, Finland, Denmark, Chile and the United Kingdom.
Although Columbia has the highest murder rate it is not in the top 60 of general crime rates. This is similar with South Africa and Jamaica. These countries have a high amount of drug related crime (although often not reported and therefore not recorded); something that can often lead to disputes and therefore murder. A large proportion of crime in these countries could be attributed to this.
Murder rates are significantly higher in Eastern Europe than Western Europe. Over the last twenty years there has been much political unrest in Eastern Europe, and this is something that can cause crime.
Some countries have high crime rates that would surprise many. Countries that traditionally have had low crime, such as Finland, Denmark and Japan now have higher crime.
Western Europe generally has a low murder rate but a much higher general crime rate. One of the reasons for this could be that a higher percentage of crime is reported. There are also more laws relating to ‘lesser’ offenses. Speeding and littering, for example, are not illegal in many other areas of the world and it is therefore easier to break the law. Research generally shows that areas of wealth have less crime, and this could be another factor. In some ways New Zealand is similar to this. They have a high crime rate, but low murder rate, with a large proportion of crimes being minor ones.
The United States murder rate has fallen significantly, but overall crime remains relatively high, much like Western Europe. Murder is still more common though, with the fact that guns are legal and easily obtainable likely to be a contributing factor. Violent crime has been reduced though, and this is partly due to greater effort being made by the authorities. New York is a good example of this, with crime rates, and especially violent crime having fallen by a large margin over the last ten to fifteen years.
Crime rates are extremely low in India and China. Some would argue that these areas have high morals and therefore lower crime. You could also argue though, that there are more severe punishments for crime, and therefore it is less worth the risk.
Andrew Marshall ©
Criminal Solicitors London
Statistics from www.nationmaster.com
1st Columbia 618
2nd South Africa 496
3rd Jamaica 324
5th Russia 202
24th United States 43
30th Finland 28
40th France 17
60th Japan 5
Crime Rates (per 1 million people)
1st Dominica 114,000
2nd New Zealand 106,000
3rd Finland 102,000
4th Denmark 93,000
5th Child 88,000
6th United Kingdom 86,000
8th United States 80,000
10th South Africa 77,000
31st Russia 21,000
37th Jamaica 14,000
59th India 1,000
Columbia is the world leader in murder rates, with 618 murders for every million people. It is significantly high than South Africa, which is second. Jamaica and Venezuela are the next two with Russia the highest European country with 202 murders for every million. The number of murders in the United States has fallen to 43 per million, but figures for Eastern Europe has generally risen.
In many cases the trends differ for crime rates in general. Dominica has the most recorded crime followed by New Zealand, Finland, Denmark, Chile and the United Kingdom.
Although Columbia has the highest murder rate it is not in the top 60 of general crime rates. This is similar with South Africa and Jamaica. These countries have a high amount of drug related crime (although often not reported and therefore not recorded); something that can often lead to disputes and therefore murder. A large proportion of crime in these countries could be attributed to this.
Murder rates are significantly higher in Eastern Europe than Western Europe. Over the last twenty years there has been much political unrest in Eastern Europe, and this is something that can cause crime.
Some countries have high crime rates that would surprise many. Countries that traditionally have had low crime, such as Finland, Denmark and Japan now have higher crime.
Western Europe generally has a low murder rate but a much higher general crime rate. One of the reasons for this could be that a higher percentage of crime is reported. There are also more laws relating to ‘lesser’ offenses. Speeding and littering, for example, are not illegal in many other areas of the world and it is therefore easier to break the law. Research generally shows that areas of wealth have less crime, and this could be another factor. In some ways New Zealand is similar to this. They have a high crime rate, but low murder rate, with a large proportion of crimes being minor ones.
The United States murder rate has fallen significantly, but overall crime remains relatively high, much like Western Europe. Murder is still more common though, with the fact that guns are legal and easily obtainable likely to be a contributing factor. Violent crime has been reduced though, and this is partly due to greater effort being made by the authorities. New York is a good example of this, with crime rates, and especially violent crime having fallen by a large margin over the last ten to fifteen years.
Crime rates are extremely low in India and China. Some would argue that these areas have high morals and therefore lower crime. You could also argue though, that there are more severe punishments for crime, and therefore it is less worth the risk.
Andrew Marshall ©
Criminal Solicitors London
Statistics from www.nationmaster.com
Friday, October 9, 2009
World Divorce Rates and Trends
Divorce is rising all around the world. There are, however, some places where it is still fairly rare. Generally divorce has become more acceptable but there are trends as to which countries it is more common in. Some geographical areas seem to have higher divorce rates than others while different lifestyles seem to have their impact as well.
India and Sri Lanka are the two countries that have the lowest divorce rates, around one and one and a half per cent respectively. In this part of Asia divorce is still very rare, although it is more common in South East Asia. In India, for example, arranged marriage is still fairly prominent although not as common as it once was. Divorce is not deemed as acceptable as it is in other cultures and therefore many either make a concerted effort to work through relationship problem or remain in unhappy marriages. This is much less common in parts of Europe and North America. There are two ways of looking at this. It might be considered a positive that people do not get divorced as soon as any problems occur in a marriage, something that is considered by many to be a negative of the American family law system, where it can be very easy to obtain a divorce should you wish to. However it could also be considered a negative if people remain in unhappy marriages just because they feel that it is wrong to divorce.
No European countries have anywhere near the same low divorce rates. The lowest divorce rates in Europe are Macedonia and Bosnia with five per cent, nearly five times more than India. Much of the rest of Europe have much higher rates than this. There is a similar trend in North America. Sweden and the United States have the highest divorce rates, both with nearly fifty-five per cent of marriages ending this way. Northern Europe, especially Scandinavia, have particularly high rates. As mentioned above Sweden has the worlds highest, with Finland, Denmark and Norway all at over forty per cent. Other European countries such a Luxembourg, Belgium, Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany and France also have a high rate of divorce.
Although many of the statistics in Europe are high the Mediterranean countries do not follow this trend, with Italy, Spain and Greece having less divorces than most of the continent. This could be due to their lifestyles. Much of their culture revolves around the family, with large families often spending a large amount of time together. Due the importance put of family values, divorce may not seem as much of an option to those in these countries.
Andrew Marshall ©
Divorce Lawyer London
Divorce Solicitors London
India and Sri Lanka are the two countries that have the lowest divorce rates, around one and one and a half per cent respectively. In this part of Asia divorce is still very rare, although it is more common in South East Asia. In India, for example, arranged marriage is still fairly prominent although not as common as it once was. Divorce is not deemed as acceptable as it is in other cultures and therefore many either make a concerted effort to work through relationship problem or remain in unhappy marriages. This is much less common in parts of Europe and North America. There are two ways of looking at this. It might be considered a positive that people do not get divorced as soon as any problems occur in a marriage, something that is considered by many to be a negative of the American family law system, where it can be very easy to obtain a divorce should you wish to. However it could also be considered a negative if people remain in unhappy marriages just because they feel that it is wrong to divorce.
No European countries have anywhere near the same low divorce rates. The lowest divorce rates in Europe are Macedonia and Bosnia with five per cent, nearly five times more than India. Much of the rest of Europe have much higher rates than this. There is a similar trend in North America. Sweden and the United States have the highest divorce rates, both with nearly fifty-five per cent of marriages ending this way. Northern Europe, especially Scandinavia, have particularly high rates. As mentioned above Sweden has the worlds highest, with Finland, Denmark and Norway all at over forty per cent. Other European countries such a Luxembourg, Belgium, Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany and France also have a high rate of divorce.
Although many of the statistics in Europe are high the Mediterranean countries do not follow this trend, with Italy, Spain and Greece having less divorces than most of the continent. This could be due to their lifestyles. Much of their culture revolves around the family, with large families often spending a large amount of time together. Due the importance put of family values, divorce may not seem as much of an option to those in these countries.
Andrew Marshall ©
Divorce Lawyer London
Divorce Solicitors London
Thursday, October 8, 2009
China commits to environmental targets
At the UN climate summit in New York in September China for the first time made a commitment to reduce the negative effect that their increased manufacturing is having on the environment. As yet they haven’t revealed any specific detail as to how they will do this, but President Hu Jintao said he will be setting targets for a reduction in their emissions increase. He has said that China will be aiming for 15 per cent of their energy to come from renewable sources by the year 2020, and that they are planning to plant 40 million hectares of trees to replace those that have been cut down.
There has been a dramatic increase in manufacturing in China over the last few years. The manufacturing industry, and economy in general, is growing faster than any other country on earth. Most experts say they are almost defiantly going to overtake the United States as both the world’s biggest manufacturer and the biggest economy. They have the largest population so it would come as no surprise.
With their increasing manufacturing the impact it is having on the environment is significant. This increase in pollution is inevitable but they have been criticised for taking no steps to keep this to an acceptable level. Their have been a number of environmental problems in the country, such as fuel spillages. Coal is a particular problem; China is using 200 million tons a year with up to 60 per cent of it reportedly being ‘dirty coal’. This has lead to around 30 per cent of China being subjected to acid rain. There are a lot of problems in China due to pollution, with the city of Linfen often being described as the most polluted city on the globe. Many of China cities are regularly covered with a visible blanket of smog. Despite this, when compared to their populations, China is still less of a pollutant than the United States.
There have been signs over the last few years that China is taking green issues more seriously. They now look like they are keen to co-operate with other nations to do what they can to limit the problems of climate change. There have been some positive signs but there is still a long way to go if they, and others, are going to achieve what environmentalists are looking for.
With their current growth, it would be unrealistic to expect China’s emissions to decrease, after all many nations in the West have gone through similar increases in growth, and therefore pollution, in the past. They have said they want to reduce the increasing pollution, which is the first sign that a lot of people have been looking for. They have even hinted that it may be better for their country if economic growth slowed slightly, therefore helping the environment. For China to make a serious effort on climate change wholesale changes will have to be made in regards to how their industries are run, and to their way of thinking. But at least they seem to be taking a step in the right direction.
Andrew Marshall ©
Wholesale Manufacturers China
There has been a dramatic increase in manufacturing in China over the last few years. The manufacturing industry, and economy in general, is growing faster than any other country on earth. Most experts say they are almost defiantly going to overtake the United States as both the world’s biggest manufacturer and the biggest economy. They have the largest population so it would come as no surprise.
With their increasing manufacturing the impact it is having on the environment is significant. This increase in pollution is inevitable but they have been criticised for taking no steps to keep this to an acceptable level. Their have been a number of environmental problems in the country, such as fuel spillages. Coal is a particular problem; China is using 200 million tons a year with up to 60 per cent of it reportedly being ‘dirty coal’. This has lead to around 30 per cent of China being subjected to acid rain. There are a lot of problems in China due to pollution, with the city of Linfen often being described as the most polluted city on the globe. Many of China cities are regularly covered with a visible blanket of smog. Despite this, when compared to their populations, China is still less of a pollutant than the United States.
There have been signs over the last few years that China is taking green issues more seriously. They now look like they are keen to co-operate with other nations to do what they can to limit the problems of climate change. There have been some positive signs but there is still a long way to go if they, and others, are going to achieve what environmentalists are looking for.
With their current growth, it would be unrealistic to expect China’s emissions to decrease, after all many nations in the West have gone through similar increases in growth, and therefore pollution, in the past. They have said they want to reduce the increasing pollution, which is the first sign that a lot of people have been looking for. They have even hinted that it may be better for their country if economic growth slowed slightly, therefore helping the environment. For China to make a serious effort on climate change wholesale changes will have to be made in regards to how their industries are run, and to their way of thinking. But at least they seem to be taking a step in the right direction.
Andrew Marshall ©
Wholesale Manufacturers China
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Child Trust Fund Policy – The different between the 3 parties
The Conservative Party have been setting out their policies for the 2010 general election at their party conference in Manchester. Top of the British political agenda currently is finding ways of reducing the amount of public debt. Amongst the Party’s plans for doing this is to cut the Child Trust Fund by two thirds. This means that all three main political parties now have different opinions as to the future of the scheme.
The Child Trust Fund has been in existence since 2002 when it was brought in to encourage parents to save for their children. Parents of each new born child since 2002 has been given a £250 child trust fund voucher to invest on behalf of their child. They can put this voucher in a variety of saving schemes which their child will receive upon their eighteenth birthday. Family and friends can add to the fund up to the value of £1200 per year, with the government giving parents another £250 voucher on behalf of their child when (s)he turns seven.
The Child Trust Fund is a Labour Party scheme. They believe that it helps encourage parents to save on behalf of their children, and have no intention of stopping the scheme.
Until now the Conservative Party had said they intended to leave the scheme as it is. This has changed though – quite possibly due to the current state of public finances, with the economic downturn and other factors to blame. They say the Child Trust Fund should no longer be available to well-off families and are planning on limiting it to just the poorest third of families.
Shadow Chancellor George Osborne described the scheme as a luxury saying, “Quite frankly, child trust funds have not been as successful as many like myself hoped. We should continue paying them to the poorest families who often have no savings and encourage them to use them more – but handing out new baby bonds to the rest of the country is a luxury we can no longer afford.”
He claims this move will save £300 million per year, and £1.5 billion over the course of the next parliament. As of yet the Tories have not been specific as to how exactly the Child Trust Fund will be dealt with under their leadership. It is likely that it will be based on income, possibly with families earning over £50,000 a year in total no longer being entitled to it. It is also unclear how those who already have a Child Trust Fund account will be affected. Whether or not they will be able to keep their account, and whether those under seven will still receive their second payment has not been specified.
The Liberal Democrats policy on the Child Trust Fund goes further than the Conservatives; with them saying that they would scrap the scheme completely should they win the next election. They say that the money put towards the child trust fund – currently over £400 million a year – could be better spent in other ways. They have long said that the money could be used to help children in more productive ways. Reducing class sizes and improved teacher training is at the top of their agenda when it comes to children.
Overall opinion with regards to the Child Trust Fund varies, with some thinking it is a waste of money and could be better spent in other areas, while others believe it is a good way of giving eighteen year olds a good start to their adult lives. Now the opinions of the three main political parties also differ.
Andrew Marshall ©
Child Trust Fund
The Child Trust Fund has been in existence since 2002 when it was brought in to encourage parents to save for their children. Parents of each new born child since 2002 has been given a £250 child trust fund voucher to invest on behalf of their child. They can put this voucher in a variety of saving schemes which their child will receive upon their eighteenth birthday. Family and friends can add to the fund up to the value of £1200 per year, with the government giving parents another £250 voucher on behalf of their child when (s)he turns seven.
The Child Trust Fund is a Labour Party scheme. They believe that it helps encourage parents to save on behalf of their children, and have no intention of stopping the scheme.
Until now the Conservative Party had said they intended to leave the scheme as it is. This has changed though – quite possibly due to the current state of public finances, with the economic downturn and other factors to blame. They say the Child Trust Fund should no longer be available to well-off families and are planning on limiting it to just the poorest third of families.
Shadow Chancellor George Osborne described the scheme as a luxury saying, “Quite frankly, child trust funds have not been as successful as many like myself hoped. We should continue paying them to the poorest families who often have no savings and encourage them to use them more – but handing out new baby bonds to the rest of the country is a luxury we can no longer afford.”
He claims this move will save £300 million per year, and £1.5 billion over the course of the next parliament. As of yet the Tories have not been specific as to how exactly the Child Trust Fund will be dealt with under their leadership. It is likely that it will be based on income, possibly with families earning over £50,000 a year in total no longer being entitled to it. It is also unclear how those who already have a Child Trust Fund account will be affected. Whether or not they will be able to keep their account, and whether those under seven will still receive their second payment has not been specified.
The Liberal Democrats policy on the Child Trust Fund goes further than the Conservatives; with them saying that they would scrap the scheme completely should they win the next election. They say that the money put towards the child trust fund – currently over £400 million a year – could be better spent in other ways. They have long said that the money could be used to help children in more productive ways. Reducing class sizes and improved teacher training is at the top of their agenda when it comes to children.
Overall opinion with regards to the Child Trust Fund varies, with some thinking it is a waste of money and could be better spent in other areas, while others believe it is a good way of giving eighteen year olds a good start to their adult lives. Now the opinions of the three main political parties also differ.
Andrew Marshall ©
Child Trust Fund
Friday, October 2, 2009
History of Plantation Shutters
Shutters are the original window decoration, way before curtains and blinds were invented. It is the common belief that Plantation Shutters go back to around the fifteenth century. Previous to this window spaces where just that; a space – a gap left for ventilation.
It is thought that the first type of shutters started in the fifteenth century in Greece, when the window spaces had rocks placed in the gap. The main purpose of this was to protect from wind, rain and sun. Over time these developed into marble shutters. Some of these could be slid across the window space to let in right the amount of light and air.
Wooden shutters became used once shutters were popular further afield in Europe, especially elsewhere in the Mediterranean such as Spain and Italy.
The term plantation shutters refers to wooden shutters with broad louvres, mounted in a solid frame. The term “plantation” is in relation to shutters in the United States. Shutters were brought to America when the south was colonised by the Spanish. Wooden style shutters were popular on the mansions is the cotton and sugar plantations in these areas, thereby coining the phrase “plantation shutters”.
There are several reasons why shutters were though of as being the best option, especially in the times before glass windows and curtains were used. The first is security, both against the weather and potential intruders. With just a gap in the window space it was not difficult for people to enter somebody else’s home. Before shutters there was no protection from the weather elements. Wind and rain could come into houses and the sun could also pose a problem. With shutters these are avoidable when the home owner deems necessary. With shutters it is possible to control ventilation. You can have as much or as little as you want, with shutters being able to be open or closed accordingly. The amount of light let in can also be controlled. On a hot day they can act as protection against the heat, while on a cooler day they can be closed for insulation or opened to let the suns heat in.
Although shutters first came about for the practical reasons mentioned above, they are now often used only for decorative purposes. They have in many instances been replaced. In terms of protection from the elements glass windows are now the norm, although shutters can be used to protect against extreme weather forces such as hurricanes and tornadoes. It terms of light curtains and blinds are often used, although the way that shutter louvres can be open and closed as the user likes does have its advantages. So they do still have practical use, but decoration is their main selling point.
Andrew Marshall ©
Shutters
It is thought that the first type of shutters started in the fifteenth century in Greece, when the window spaces had rocks placed in the gap. The main purpose of this was to protect from wind, rain and sun. Over time these developed into marble shutters. Some of these could be slid across the window space to let in right the amount of light and air.
Wooden shutters became used once shutters were popular further afield in Europe, especially elsewhere in the Mediterranean such as Spain and Italy.
The term plantation shutters refers to wooden shutters with broad louvres, mounted in a solid frame. The term “plantation” is in relation to shutters in the United States. Shutters were brought to America when the south was colonised by the Spanish. Wooden style shutters were popular on the mansions is the cotton and sugar plantations in these areas, thereby coining the phrase “plantation shutters”.
There are several reasons why shutters were though of as being the best option, especially in the times before glass windows and curtains were used. The first is security, both against the weather and potential intruders. With just a gap in the window space it was not difficult for people to enter somebody else’s home. Before shutters there was no protection from the weather elements. Wind and rain could come into houses and the sun could also pose a problem. With shutters these are avoidable when the home owner deems necessary. With shutters it is possible to control ventilation. You can have as much or as little as you want, with shutters being able to be open or closed accordingly. The amount of light let in can also be controlled. On a hot day they can act as protection against the heat, while on a cooler day they can be closed for insulation or opened to let the suns heat in.
Although shutters first came about for the practical reasons mentioned above, they are now often used only for decorative purposes. They have in many instances been replaced. In terms of protection from the elements glass windows are now the norm, although shutters can be used to protect against extreme weather forces such as hurricanes and tornadoes. It terms of light curtains and blinds are often used, although the way that shutter louvres can be open and closed as the user likes does have its advantages. So they do still have practical use, but decoration is their main selling point.
Andrew Marshall ©
Shutters
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