Different Materials used for Shutters

Window shutters are a great alternative for your window coverings. They are durable and elegant and offer adjustability not found with other types of window coverings. They were traditionally used in the Mediterranean countries, such as Greece, Italy and Spain, but are now used much more widely, especially in Europe and North America.

Wooden shutters are the most common type of shutters but they are made from a variety of different woods as well as other materials. Below are some of the materials used for the manufacture of window shutters.

Hardwood

Hardwood is a solid wood material. It is sturdy and therefore strong and durable. Hardwood is often used in furniture due to its quality. It is a plain material; nothing fancy but it does the job. If you choose hardwood for your shutters you get good value for money.

Premium Hardwood

Premium hardwood has more style than regular hardwood. It is a straight-grained wood and the quality is again top-notch, with it being amongst the most resistant to warping.

Larchwood

Larchwood has a nice, distinctive grain pattern, giving shutters made from it a fresh and modern look. It is a hard wearing wood and therefore very durable.

Cedarwood

Cedarwood is a straight grained wood with a distinctive grain. Its natural colour is a reddish brown. It is perfect for interior shutters in the home as it gives off a warm ambience with an elegant look. It is a good quality of wood and resistant to decay.

Craftwood

This is an MDF wood and therefore a low priced option. It is another durable material suitable for the manufacture of interior shutters. It has a smooth finish but doesn’t have as much character as other woods.

Perma Wood

Perma wood has a timber core with a synthetic outer surface. The strong core ensures build quality with the outer material resulting in durability, while keeping the cost down.

Vinyl

Vinyl shutters are generally the cheapest type of window shutters. They are, though, not of as high quality and damage and warp more easily. They give a traditional look and require little maintenance.

Faux Wood

Faux wood is made with a synthetic material. It is cheaper than genuine wood but is not considered as elegant. It is durable, though.

Aluminium

Generally used for security rather than look, aluminium shutters are sturdy and strong, and cannot be easily broken through. They are often used on doors as well as windows, and utilised by shops and other businesses rather than for homes.

Iron

Iron shutters can also be used for security, but not exclusively. They are not to everyone’s taste, and where used in homes are used on the exterior rather than the interior. They give a certain traditional look.

There are many choices of material for window shutters. Some form of wood is generally used for interior shutters, though there are many woods available. They all have their own distinctive style and suit different types of shutters. Some are stronger and more durable, whereas others are more elegant.

Andrew Marshall ©

Advantages and Disadvantages of Wi-Fi Hotspots

There has been a large increase is Wi-Fi hotspots over the last few years. These allow people to access the internet using laptops or other devises when they are away from their home or office. There are a number of advantages to being able to connect to the internet via Wi-Fi hotspots but there are also some disadvantages.

The main benefit is that people can access the internet from a variety of different locations. Most of the time they are not that far from somewhere they can obtain internet access, so if they need to catch up with their emails, for example, they can. Café’s, airports and on trains are amongst the places that tend to have Wi-Fi hotspots. This means those who regularly travel during the working day can use the internet for work while on the train, making them more productive and meaning they won’t have to catch up at another time. Wi-Fi means that if you need to do something online and have your laptop with you, you might be able to find a Wi-Fi hotspot and can therefore access the internet.

There has been a growth in ways of accessing the internet. People are using other devices apart from traditional computers and laptops, with mobile phones and smart phones the most common of these. People, these days, want access to their emails and the internet as easily as they can check their voicemail, and Wi-Fi is extensively used for this.

Some businesses have used Wi-Fi as a marketing tool, giving customers free internet access. These include Starbucks and McDonalds. Customers being able to access the internet while drinking their Coffee or having a meal has become one of their selling points.

While many benefit from being able to gain Wi-Fi internet access, especially when it is free, there are also some disadvantages. Access can be limited and coverage intermittent. It is not always as simple and reliable as accessing the internet from home. There are also security issues. Accessing the web from a Wi-Fi hotspot is not always secure, which could be an issue if you are dealing with sensitive information such as bank details and important passwords or working over a business network. Some criminals have seen Wi-Fi as an opportunity to hack into personal information others are dealing with. This is a lot easier when people are using Wi-Fi hotspots and this behaviour is more difficult to track as the guilty party is using the same network as many other users.

While security can be a major issue with Wi-Fi, there are things that can be done to reduce the risk. All business networks should have security measures in place, with a VPN being the best option. A VPN is a virtual private network which uses encryption so data cannot be easily intercepted. For other users, individual devices can have a VPN installed to prevent private information from being hacked into. They can also use WPA/WEP encryption. This will encode data transmitted between your computer and the wireless router. This will mean data travelling between your computer and the internet is encrypted so hackers cannot interpret it.

Andrew Marshall ©

VPN Provider

Interesting Ways of Creating Energy

Energy is generally generated by creating motion to drive a turbine. This is often done by creating heat which produces stream that drives the turbine, with 80% of the world’S energy created in something approaching this method. Nuclear power is one example of this.

We are constantly trying to come up with new ways of creating energy. The actual production of energy can be done fairly easily; it is just that you need to create enough to drive everything we need. There are some interesting ways of creating energy and below are some of these, some of which have been put into practice and some of which haven’t.

Kite Powered Car

A kit powered car has been produced, although it is more of a light-weight buggy than a car in the conventional sense. It is guided by the kite, rather than its engine being powered by it. This poses the question of whether you can create engine power through a kite-like device. Could the wind blowing through a kite flying above a car create energy that is harnessed into the car’s engine?

Power from Tornados and Hurricanes

Tornados and Hurricanes are obviously very powerful. They could, in theory, create enough energy to power a town, at least for a little while. How exactly this would be done is not clear, and if a tornado or hurricane is sweeping through your town using it as an energy source is the least of your worries.

Waterfalls

Water falling onto a turbine, or something controlling the turbine, can create energy. If you’ve been to the Science Museum in London you may have seen a contraption where visitors can create a small waterfall that powers a television. While this may not produce a massive amount of power, imaging what Niagara Falls could do. It could create a fair bit of energy, possibly enough to power a town, but it isn’t going to solve the world’s problems. Why not, though, use it to power the surrounding area if possible.

Spinach

Spinach is best known for increasing Popeye’s strength, but it has also been used to power a house… kind of. It is actually a house powered by solar energy but the way the system was designed means the house had to be covered in a solid-state photosynthetic solar cell based skin, which is derived from spinach. It is really a matter of spinach assisting with solar power rather than creating the power itself.

Exercise

It is possible to create energy from people exercising if it can be harnessed in the right way. If you watch television while exercising on an exercise bike then the television could, in theory, be powered by the bike. Imagine if you could harness power in this way from the Olympics, could you power the whole of London for a few weeks? Well, maybe not, but it’s a nice idea.

Generating power is actually fairly easy. Generating power for everything we need is not. If power can be harnessed in the right way there is no end to the amount of power that could be created.

Andrew Marshall ©

Energy Law

Is Now a Bad Time to Invest?

As most people are aware, the economy is currently not at its strongest. Does that mean it is a bad time to invest in stocks and shares? The stock markets don’t exactly appear to be getting stronger, and some are predicting gloom and doom for some time yet. This prompts the question of whether it is too risky to invest at this time.

There are a lot of ifs and buts as to whether it is worth investing or not. If you are not spending money, then what else are you going to do with it? Are you just going to leave it in a regular bank account? With the current low interest rates it won’t do much in the bank, with inflation rising quicker than your money will. Even once interest rates do rise, you would need a lot in the bank to see any real difference. Therefore, for growth, something needs to be done with it.

If you don’t want to take risks but do want your money to grow, then investing in a cash ISA might be wise. It doesn’t have the potential growth of a stocks and shares ISA, but there are no risks. Some may think of this as a sensible and more secure way of savings right now as you will not be losing anything, and could later switch into a stocks and shares ISA once things look better and significant gains seem more likely.

Some people will already be investing but might be wondering whether or not they should carry on. This is particularly likely if the value of their investments have already fallen. If this is the case with you, you might want to cut your losses but at the same time won’t want to sell any shares at a low point, losing what you put in. This could be a tough decision; losing money is never good but you may not want to risk losing more than you already have.

You might be thinking, is now the perfect time to invest? Some stocks could be at or near their low point and will increase again. And there is nothing better than buying low ahead of a rise in value, and later selling at a much higher price. For some stocks now is likely to be a low point. If you can find the right investments, looking for stocks at their low point could be a good investment strategy. If timed right it could indeed be the perfect time to invest but it is hard to predict when the low point is, and getting it wrong could mean losing all that you put in. At some point the stock markets will improve but getting the timing right is risky.

So overall, is now a bad time to invest? Well, it depends on the investment. It is a time when certain investment will be very poor choices but you could also time things just before they rise again. The sensible thing to do is seek some expert legal advice to help you decide when the right time is to invest in a particular investment product.

Andrew Marshall ©

Benefits of Academy Schools

Academies were introduced by the Labour government in 2000 in a bid to improve failing schools. The current government has encouraged more schools to apply for academy conversion and they have simplified the process of becoming an academy.

Academies are essentially independent schools that are state funded. Money that would go to local authorities to pay for the running of schools goes directly from central government to the academies themselves and they can spend this as they like.

The real benefit that an academy has is the freedom that they have compared with regular, state controlled schools. There are many areas where they can make their own decisions. Because they are outside the direct control of local authorities they have more say in how they operate.

If an academy wishes it can specialise in a certain area. For example, if an academy wants to specialise in sport, science, technology or IT, then they can. This has prompted many to start religion based academies. Although they can specialise wherever they wish they still have to teach English, Maths and Science. They can, therefore, put more resources towards their specialist subjects, with children spending more time on this.

Academies can choose their own curriculum to a large extent. Apart from having to teach English, Maths and Science they can essentially teach whatever subjects they like. They can teach additional subject that other schools do not and don’t have to teach all subjects that others do. Regular schools have their curriculum dictated to them much more than academies.

Individual academies have a choice of how to spend their money. They have a choice of what to pay teachers; they can put more of their budget towards teachers’ pay in an attempt to attract the best teachers if they wish. If there are certain things they feel are necessary, they can spend money on it. Regular schools do not have the same freedoms in this regard.

Academies can also raise money in other ways on top of the money given by central government. They get the same per child as local authorities get to put towards an individual school, but can raise additional funds if they wish. They can, for example, be sponsored by individuals or businesses. Some think this is a negative as a business’s needs becomes a priority instead of children’s education. However, it can mean children are better prepared for the working world. Businesses working with academies can encourage teaching that will genuinely help students once they get into the workplace, in turn improving children’s career prospects. And the main benefit of being able to raise additional funds is that larger budgets enable them to be more effective.

Another choice academies have is choosing their own term dates. They can alter them compared to the regular school calendar and structure the school day to suit them.

In some ways academies are a little like public schools in the state school sector. They are independent in many ways but cannot charge for entrance. Academies offer more choice for parents. Their children can go to a school they believe fits their needs. And more academies means more differences between schools and therefore more choice.

Andrew Marshall ©

An Introduction to Intellectual Property Law

What is Intellectual Property Law? Often referred to as IP Law, intellectual property law refers to the ownership of creations, for example ownership of music, artwork, literature, inventions, designs and ideas. These works are the intellectual property of the creator, meaning they own their creation.

Why is this important? It is important because if IP Law didn’t exist they could be used by others, possibly to make money from someone else’s work. It could have financial value so it is only right that the creator is the owner. This means they have to give permission for someone else to use their idea or creation, and are entitled to a percentage of any profit made. Intellectual property law ensures that an idea or creation is protected where necessary.

Businesses and Brands

Amongst the things that come under Intellectual Property Law is a brand or business idea. Simply thinking of an idea means you own that idea, and if someone else steals it they are breaking the law and are likely to have to compensate the creator. That said, it must be proved this has been stolen. The lines can be blurred but, essentially, if you come up with an idea someone else can’t use it without your permission. Company logos and branding is also under the ownership of the creator, much like artwork.

Music

If the lyrics, notes or chords of music are written down or recorded then it is officially the copyright of the creator, so they own the rights to it. It can then only be used by others with their permission. This is true whether someone else records it or it is played on the radio, for example. When it is played on the radio the radio station must pay a fee to the copyright owner. If someone else records it a percentage of the sale must go to the copyright owner. This is even the case if someone performs it live and earns money from this.

Artwork

When someone creates a piece of art, whether it is a drawing, painting, sculpture or photograph, then they are the intellectual property owner. It can therefore not be copied (whether redone or another copy made) without the permission of the creator. Payments must also be made where money is made from this. Museum shops often sell posters or postcards of the artwork on display in their museum. Some of the money made from this, though, must go to the copyright owners.

Literature

When someone writes a novel or a poem it is their intellectual property. Again, there must be permission and payment where someone publishes this. Usually publishing rights are sold to one publisher. They will then be able to sell it, whereas other cannot. Copyright does run out seventy years after the creator’s death though. Charles Dickens novels, for example, can now be published by anyone and sold without permission or payments given to his estate.

Intellectual property law covers many areas. The above are just some of the most obvious examples. Essentially, any ideas or creations are the intellectual property of the creator and they own the copyright to their work.

Andrew Marshall ©

Brief Summary of Hampshire’s Biggest Towns and Cities

Hampshire is a county in the South of England that covers approximately 1,400 square miles. The county town is the historic cathedral city of Winchester. Hampshire contains the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth as well as the New Forest National Park. Famous people have included Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and Isambard Kingdom Brunel. This is a brief look at the five largest towns and cities in Hampshire; Southampton, Portsmouth, Basingstoke, Gosport and Waterlooville, as well as Winchester.

Southampton

Southampton is Hampshire’s largest city. Much of its character comes from the city walls which were built to protect it after an attack by France in 1338. Around half of these walls still exist to this day. Southampton Port has played an important part in its history and industries, and was key in both world wars. In 1912 the Titanic sailed from Southampton to begin its fateful maiden voyage. Regular ferries still depart from Southampton to the Isle of Wight. Cross channel ferries no longer leave from Southampton but many Cruise ships do, in particular those going to the Mediterranean. It is also the largest freight port on the south coast of England. Southampton has good transport links that includes an airport with domestic and European flights.

Portsmouth

Portsmouth has a population of a little over 200,000, and settlements began before Roman Times. Like Southampton, the port has played an important role in its history. It is the world’s oldest dry dock and a major naval base with it having the headquarters of the Royal Navy and the Royal Marine Commandos. It is also a commercial port. A modern addition to Portsmouth is the Spinnaker Tower which was finally completed in 2005 after many years of delays. It is a 170 metre high tower that dominates the skyline and also goes by the name of the Millennium Tower. Designed to look like a sail to reflect the city’s marine connections it includes an observation deck with 360 degree views and a glass floor.

Basingstoke

Basingstoke is a market town that was greatly expanded in the 1960’s when it became a London overspill town. It has good transport links to London with a fast train service and the M3 motorway, with Basingstoke’s junction 50 miles from the capital. Settlements go back to the Iron Age. The town was targeted in world war two, with bomb damage that included St Michael’s Church in the town centre. These days Basingstoke is home to the headquarters of several large businesses. The town centre has recently been largely rebuilt, with the Festival Place shopping centre a major new addition.

Gosport

Gosport is on the south coast on a peninsular, with Portsmouth on the opposite side. Some think of Gosport as an extension of Portsmouth but it is a town in its own right. It used to be a major naval and military town but declined in the late 1900’s. It held the last specialist military hospital in the UK until its closure in 2007. The first recorded settlements in what is now Gosport were in Anglo Saxon times. Famous people include singer Joe Jackson, actor Keith Allen and former athlete Roger Black.

Waterlooville

The name Waterlooville comes from a pub that used to be in the centre of the town; the Heroes of Waterloo. It was so named because on its first day of opening it was visited by returning soldiers from the Battle of Waterloo. Many of the soldiers settled there. A pub of the same name still exists, though in a different location.

Winchester

Despite not being one of the largest cities in Hampshire in population, Winchester is one of its best known places and is the county town. It is a cathedral city with one of the most famous cathedrals in Britain, and one of the largest in the world. The cathedral was built in 1079. Settlements go back to the Iron Age and Winchester became a capital of England in 686, one of several. It became the main capital city in 827 and remained so until after the Norman Conquest. A fire in 1141 accentuated what was already a decline in the city’s importance. Winchester is now a popular city due to its history and character. Jane Austen died in the city in 1817 and is buried in the cathedral.

Andrew Marshall ©

What is a Trojan and how do I get rid of one?

A Trojan Horse is effectively a type of computer virus that works by imitating something that users might want or find useful, such as music download software or even anti-virus software. This is to encourage computer users to download the Trojan, unknown to them. The user is therefore downloading this piece of malicious software themselves that goes on to attack their computer. These Trojan’s will then infect the computer and allow the Trojan’s creator to benefit. Typically, Trojan’s allow hackers access to your computer; they are able to control your computer from their own meaning they can steal secure information it stores. If you store sensitive information on your computer, such as bank account details and important passwords, then they may be able to gain access to these.

So, if you establish or suspect your computer has been infected with a Trojan, how can you remove it?

There is software that can do this for you. If you have antivirus software (which you should always have installed on your computer) then you can try deleting the Trojan using this. Run a scan, and if the Trojan is detected is should give you an option to delete it. It may appear in a list of suspicious items. Where this is the case, select all the items you feel may be unsafe and delete them using the options available to you.

If you are unable to remove the Trojan using the antivirus software, you can delete it manually if you have a windows computer. First, click on the Start icon in the bottom, left-hand corner of your screen and click on this. A menu will appear, click on ‘Control Panel’ on the right-hand side of this menu. In the next box that appears click ‘Programs’. Underneath Programs and Features in the following box click ‘Uninstall a Program’. This will bring up a list of all programs installed on your computer. Here, select the program you wish to delete (the Trojan) and then click ‘Uninstall’, which is above the list of programs. This will uninstall the Trojan virus. Make sure you do not uninstall any programs that you wish to keep.

In an ideal world your computer won’t get infected by a Trojan to begin with. Although you can never 100% guarantee this won’t happen, there are things you can avoid to limit the chances. The first one may seem obvious; don’t visit websites you are suspicious of, and especially, don’t download anything you are unsure of. You should also avoid opening links in emails you are uncertain of, including those claiming to be from banks or government organisations, such as tax authorities. These are two of the most common ways that people contract viruses, including Trojan’s.

Does antivirus software prevent your computer from being infected by a Trojan Horse? Yes, it should, but it is not guaranteed. If a Trojan is more advanced that the antivirus software designed to stop it, then you might still get infected. You are, though, much less likely to get infected if you have antivirus software installed, and you should always make sure you are protected and that it performs regular scans.

Andrew Marshall ©

Future Generations expected to be Less Well Off than their Parents

Over the course of the last few generations each generation has had more disposable income, relatively speaking, than the last. This trend could soon change though. Those currently in their 30’s and 40’s are expected to follow this pattern and be better off than their parents, but their children are, on average, expected to be less well off.

According to a PWC study, those born in 1993 will be 25% poorer when they retire than those born in 1963.

Those born in 1963 were able to buy a home earlier, at the age of 29 on average, and benefited from rapid increases in the value of their homes. They had no student debt and many are likely to be able to retire early.

Those born in 1993 are likely to have a higher real income but they are also likely to spend more. The PWC study states that it is expected they will be able to buy their first home by the age of 35 on average. This could be higher, though, as the average is already more than that now. Many of those born in 1993 will have student loans to pay off. They will also live longer so their retirement pot must last longer.

So why is the trend of each generation turning? The wealth gap between each generation is already narrowing in relative terms. Pensions and property could be two key factors.

Pensions are getting worse. Fewer people are paying into a pension fund at all, and this problem is increasing with people living longer. So while bigger pension pots are needed, pension contributions are actually going down. This is already a problem for some who have retired and will likely get worse in the future unless something is done to revert this.

Property has risen sharply in the last few decades. With each generation benefiting more, each generation has become wealthier than the last. It has been easier to obtain a mortgage than it is likely to be in the future. Many house prices have now got to a stage where they have become unaffordable to many young people so getting on the housing ladder is become harder. Increases are also likely to be less in the future so future generations may make less on the property market.

A current issue is that wages are not rising comparably to inflation. So things are costing more relative to what people are earning.

Each generation since world war two has been wealthier than the previous, but this difference is becoming less. The tide is turning and those born now are likely to be less well off as adults than their parents.

Can parents help protect their children from what could be a decline in living standard? The answer is yes, if parents have disposable income they could save it on behalf of their children. The best way to protect against inflation could be to invest it, for example in a Junior ISA. The Junior ISA is the new savings scheme for children, whereby parents can make investments on behalf of their children where gains will not be taxed.

Andrew Marshall ©

Pros and Cons of doing your Christmas Shopping Online

Online shopping is becoming more and more popular and the numbers shopping online looks set to reach new height this Christmas. According to The Telegraph, Brits are expected to spend more than 350 million hours shopping online in the build-up to Christmas, a 15% increase on 2010. What are the pros and cons of doing your Christmas shopping online?

One benefit is that you don’t have to go out into town for your Christmas shopping. If doing all of your shopping online there is no need to travel to town or an out of town shopping centre on a cold winters day. It can all be done from the warmth of your own home and you don’t have to race around as part of the large Christmas crowds.

There are sometimes online offers to be found that are not available in the shops. With the increase in online shopping, retailers are targeting this customer base with enticing offers.

If you are shopping on the internet you have a choice of an endless number of retailers. If your favourite retailer doesn’t have a physical store then you would normally have to go somewhere else, but it doesn’t matter where they are if you are buying through their website. You might even be able to buy from retailers based abroad.

Christmas shopping can be stressful; rushing around at the last minute trying to find presents for everyone. Shopping online can take away the stress and make it a lot more relaxing.

While shopping through the internet has its positive side, there are also some negative points.

For one, you can’t see what you are buying prior to making a purchase. This means you won’t find defects that you might if visiting the shops. It is, therefore, more likely you will have the hassle of having to return items.

There can also be extra charges when shopping online, especially delivery charges. In some cases this can make online shopping a more expensive experience.

One of the main fears of shopping on the internet is online shopping safety. For example, it is possible your bank account details could be stolen or your computer could be infected with a virus.

So looking at the pros and cons, should you do your Christmas shopping online?

A large part of it comes down to personal preference. Some people love going into town for their shopping, while others hate it. But, is it safe? The reality is that despite all the stories we hear, in the majority of cases internet shopping is safe. Internet safety needs to be considered, but if the right precautions are taken then it shouldn’t be a problem. It is wise to only use websites that you know you can trust. There are two other key things to look out for; make sure there is a lock symbol in the address box of any webpages that ask for payment details and make sure the web address beings with ‘https’ instead of the usual ‘http’. You may be wondering if you can return items bought online. A misconception is that you cannot, but you have the same legal rights as if you were buying from a physical store. If in doubt, check the terms and conditions on the website or call the company.

Andrew Marshall ©

Should Cohabitation Law Change?

More couples than even are living together without getting married, whether never planning to get married or living together for a while prior to marriage. There are more than four million cohabiting couples in the UK now, with nearly half of children being born outside of marriage.

While a couple living together may not be a problem, it can become problematic if they separate. It can be confusing for people as they may not know exactly where they stand. For example, what happens if they own a home together or have children? Many have the wrong idea of family law in these cases, while others don’t consider it when they first move in together. After all, to some, simply living in a house with another person may not seem that bigger deal even if they are a couple. Some assume that cohabiting couples have the same legal rights as a married couple, with the idea of common law marriage, where couples who have lived together long term automatically have the same rights as married couples. This is not the case; the idea of common law marriage in the UK is a myth.

The problem at the moment is that people don’t really know where they stand, and many who think they know have the wrong idea. This issue has recently been in the news with the case of Ms Jones and Mr Kernott, who were an unmarried couple living together with their children. They separated and Mr Kernott moved out of the home with Ms Jones and the children continuing to live there, with Ms Jones paying the mortgage. Once the children had grown up Mr Kernott made a claim for the home, assuming he would be entitled to 50%. After many lengthy court battles the Supreme Court has awarded Ms Jones 90% and Mr Kernott just 10%. This could be a significant case in terms of determining entitlements of separating cohabiting couples.

Many legal experts have argued that with so many cohabiting couples the law needs to be changed and simplified. But how? There are many opinions as to what the law should be regarding separating unmarried couple who have lived together. Below are some of these arguments.

It should be balanced to reflect the assets that each person brought into the relationship.

This would be simple in many cases, as if one person owned the home the couple lived in, they would retain ownership after. Where both work, it would mean each keeping their own earnings. The problem would come where circumstances are different when they separate to when they moved in together. For example, if they have children and one parent gives up work to look after the children, then it would be unfair for this parent to be left with nothing. There is also the fact that just because one person owns the home doesn’t mean that that person is paying the mortgage. At the same time splitting the mortgage payments could be conceived as being the same as splitting rent on a rented property. The thing with this argument is that it should simplify things where the circumstances are straightforward but it would not work where it is more complicated and things have changed over time.

It should work just as it does with a marriage

In some ways this would be the easiest way for things to work, effectively bringing into law common law marriage. This would mean both halves of a couple would know exactly where they stand prior to moving in together and changes in circumstances would be taken into consideration during a separation. The reality, though, is that some couples when first living together have not got married for a reason; they do not want to be treated as a married couple. They might not be really for that sort of commitment, either emotionally or in terms of sharing assets in the same way a married couple does. Would it be right for a couple to live together only for a few months and then to have to split assets upon separation? And it could be argued that if you want to be treated as though you are married, then you should get married.

A couple should be able to make a legally binding agreement prior to living together

This could make things simpler. The couple could have a family law solicitor draw up a written agreement that states what would happen, and how assets would be divided if they were to separate. This would mean both know where they stand, and if they were to separate things would be fairly simple to sort out. However, changes in circumstances could prove problematic. For example they may have been splitting mortgage payments when they first lived together, but one person may have then been made unemployed and therefore hasn’t contributed to the mortgage. It may not be considered fair, therefore, that this agreement would still stand.

Family law can be complicated, and can be even more so where cohabiting couples are concerned. There have been calls for a change in the law, and it seems as though this would be a sensible step considering the number of cohabiting couples these days. However, it is difficult to establish how exactly it should be changed, considering the differing circumstances of different couples and how they could change over time.

Andrew Marshall ©

The Housing Markets Impact on the Rental Market

The circumstances are not at their best for buying property at the moment, something that has led to an increase in the numbers renting. The housing market has stagnated in the last few years, which is in stark contrast to the boom that preceded it. House and flat prices had previously rocketed and fast rises in value were almost thought of as a guarantee. Despite higher prices many were able to buy with mortgages easy to come by, with many providers even offering 100% mortgages.

The story of the economy and its impact on housing in the last three or four years has been well documented but, in short, it has made it a lot harder for people, and in particular first time buyers, to obtain a mortgage. A significantly higher deposit is now required to purchase a home.

The problem for those wishing to buy a home has been confounded by the fact that while prices have fallen, in most cases they haven’t fallen significantly. Home owners have been reluctant to sell for less than they bought for, and this along with it being harder to buy, has meant a lack of movement in the housing market. This has made buying a home less affordable.

The problems in the market for buying homes has led to a more flourishing rental market. More have been looking to rent a flat or house, something that has many benefits, some of which are outlined below.

Renting doesn’t carry the same commitment that buying a home does. If circumstances change, for example a change of job, then you can move quickly with a month or two notice. It is also a lot easier to find another place to rent as you don’t have to spend months trying to sell and find another property.

The most obvious benefit of renting is that it tends to be cheaper. In particular, you don’t need the same sort of deposit. A deposit for a rented flat is likely to be a few hundred pounds, not several thousand as it is for buying a home. This can mean renters have more disposable income or can live in a bigger or nicer place.

If things go wrong in a bought home, then it is the home owner’s responsibility to either fix it or pay for someone to do it for them. If renting, this is the responsibility of the landlord.

Being harder to buy a home has inevitable meant more people are renting. This has had a positive impact on buy-to-let mortgages. People are seeing the demand for rental properties and looking to buy for the purpose of renting the property out. The flourishing rental market has been a good opportunity for some to become private landlords. Although prices haven’t dropped as much as some expected, they have gone down so places are available for less. This has further assisted private landlords. They can collect rent to pay for the majority of the mortgage and wait for the value to increase before selling for a profit in the future.

For many renting has become a must recently, while for others it has become the sensible option to avoid having an unaffordable or risky mortgage. In some cases it is a choice, either because it is easier for practical reasons such as relocation or less responsibility, or because you can get more for your money.

Andrew Marshall ©

The Advantages of Blinds and Interior Shutters

Blinds and interior shutters are two different types of window coverings. They have their similarities but in others ways are very different. Blinds are the cheaper option but shutters are generally considered more elegant and aesthetically pleasing. Each have their own advantages as well as some benefits that are common to both blinds and shutters.

The Advantages of Blinds

As already mentioned, blinds are cheaper than shutters. Depending on the type required, blinds can be an option for those looking for a low cost window covering. Due to the cost, replacing them is inexpensive. They are also simple to install; anyone with basic DIY skills can buy some blinds and put them up themselves. Maintaining blinds is easy.

Due to the advantages they have they are often used in offices. This is partly due to the low cost and the easy maintenance. They fit in a professional office atmosphere better than curtains do. One of the reasons is the adjustability they offer as they can be adjusted to block sunlight without staff having to sit in a dark room during the day.

There are many options with blinds. You can almost always find some that suit the interior of any building, with them coming in many colours and many materials. They are available in wood, plastic and other fabrics.

The Advantages of Interior Shutters

For many, the look of interior shutters is what makes them special. They are considered elegant and are customisable. Most window shutter providers will design and manufacture shutters specifically to a customer’s requirements, so you have a real choice in how your shutters look. This gives more options than with the off-the-shelf options that are more common with blinds and curtains.

So there are aesthetic advantages of shutters, but also many practical benefits. They can help home owners save on energy. They are very study due to being made with good quality, thick wood, which when closed keeps the heat in. They are also extremely long lasting, more so than any other window covering. They often come with a lifetime guarantee so there is no need to worry about needing to have them replaced at a later date.

Both blinds and shutters have individual benefits, but there are also advantages that apply to both. Both are adjustable, allowing for the optimum amount of light and air to be let into the room. By having blinds or shutters closed with the slats/louvres open it allows for privacy while not completely blocking out sunlight. With curtains you would have to choose between one or the other. In the summer this adjustability means that a room can be kept cool, with the window being open with the blinds/shutters closed but the slats/louvres open. A final advantage is that both are very easy to clean. When curtains need cleaning they need to be taken down and machine or hand washed, then left to dry before they can be hung up again. When cleaning blinds or shutters they simply need to be wiped down with a damp cloth.

Andrew Marshall ©

The Different Benefits of Dedicated Hosting and Shared Hosting

Dedicated hosting and shared hosting are very different things. With dedicated hosting you hire your own web server dedicated to just your websites. With shared hosting a server is shared between a number of the hosting company’s customers and split into portions. If you choose this option you only hire part of the server, which is then used to host your website. There are benefits to both of these types of hosting, with some of the key ones outlined below.

BENEFITS OF DEDICATED HOSTING

Resources

If you choose dedicated hosting you will have more extensive resources provided for your site. This includes more disk space and more bandwidth. As you are not sharing with others there is more disk space, meaning more options in terms of website content. The extra dedicated bandwidth will enable your site to cope with more traffic.

Security

Having your own server is more secure than sharing it with others. There are no other websites that will interfere with yours. With shared hosting there is the danger of other websites on the server being hacked, and this can impact your site. This is not an issue if you have your own server.

Reliability

Having your own server is more reliable. There are no other websites sharing the server that can impact the quality of your hosting. This avoids the problem of issues with other sites impacting yours and means the bandwidth use of others won’t have a negative impact on the performance of your website.

More Choice

In many areas there is more choice with dedicated hosting. This includes operating systems and hardware. Shared hosting is more restricted and is more like paying for a specific plan than dedicated hosting is. This means much more flexibility.


BENEFITS OF SHARED HOSTING

Cost

Cost is the most obvious benefit of shared hosting. As you only use a portion of a server you only pay for a portion of the server. This can lead to significant savings. With the increasing number of websites on the world wide web and the amount of people who use shared hosting, it has made it a very competitive market. This has further driven down the cost as providers fight for your business.

Maintenance

If you opt for shared hosting, the hosting company will maintain the server. This means there is one less thing for you to worry about, and if updates or fixes are required you won’t have to pay extra for it.

Customer Support

Customer support is generally pretty good with shared hosting. Good hosting companies will provide quality support for both dedicated and shared hosting customers, so despite paying less you can expect a good quality service.

Control

While there is not as much control as with dedicated hosting, you will still have a good amount of control. Using your control panel you will be able to manage your website and certain aspects of the hosting.

Simplicity

Shared hosting is more basic, but also simpler from the customers point of view. It is simple to set up and simple to maintain.

With both dedicated and shared hosting there are a number of advantages. All in all, having your own server does mean better quality hosting but there are also benefits of shared hosting, in particular the cost.

Andrew Marshall ©

Why is the Chinese Economy Growing?

The Chinese economy is growing and it seems inevitable that it will soon overtake the United States as the world’s biggest. There are many reasons for China’s rise, from economic reform to changes in society and more integration with the rest of the world. So what are the main reasons for the vast growth in China’s economy?

The start of the rising trend can be traced back to over thirty years ago and economic reform in 1978. This was two years after the death of Mao Zedong and China was the world’s tenth biggest economy at the time. Most assets had been state controlled prior to this when the government decided to encourage more individual enterprise and private business. Growth immediately increased by 50%, from 6% to 9%, and this increased further in future years. This growth has continued ever since.

China’s population has something to do with its economic growth. With a population higher than any other country on earth it means a ready-made workforce is available. With so many people there is the opportunity for vast economic growth that countries with a small population would be unable to achieve. All things being equal China should have the biggest economy.

So, what is the main contributor to China’s growth? The most obvious is the rise in the stocks of capital assets. The increase in the productivity of workers is just as important though. According to IMF research, more than 42% of the country’s growth between 1979 and 1994 was purely due to the increase in the productivity of workers. Technological development has also played an important role. As with other Asian countries, China has a strong technology industry which has boomed in recent times. Improved technology has also played a part in making business more productive.

Society as a whole has been changing in China. It has been gradually moving away from traditional farming towards more people working in large cities over the past three decades. Many have moved to work in the country’s two largest cities Beijing and Shanghai, with the latter becoming a real business hub. Many new cities have also sprung up, though. This has all meant a less rural and more urban culture throughout much of China. This has encouraged more commercial business with more people available to work in the cities meaning continued growth in business. There has been a change in the attitudes of the Chinese people, especially young Chinese. They have become more business focussed and the aspirations of people have generally shifted.

Over recent times China has opened itself up more to the rest of the world. This has led to more foreign investment in China and Chinese companies have benefitted from working with businesses from the rest of the world.

There are many reasons for China’s economic growth. At the time of the economic reform in 1978, China had the world’s tenth biggest economy. Today it has the second largest and it seems almost certain that it will overtake the United State soon.

Andrew Marshall ©

Preventing Health and Safety Problems in the Workplace

Health and safety is a much debated subject these days and something employers need to be aware of. Businesses are responsible for the health and safety of their employees; they need to make sure their employees are able to work in a safe environment and offer any help that they will need to ensure this is the case. Below are some of the typical workplace injuries and how employers can prevent them from happening to their staff.

Back Problems through Lifting

Back problems are one of the most common injuries that happen in the workplace. One way these happen is due to lifting. You need to make sure your employees lift in the correct manor by using their legs to bend rather than bend their back. You could be responsible if you have not trained your staff properly and they suffer injuries. You should not ask or allow employees to lift unreasonably heavy things. You should encourage them to refuse lifting something they believe to be too heavy and never force them to lift something against their will.

Tripping and Slipping

People can trip up and fall for all sorts of reasons, but you need to make sure you do not cause someone to fall and injure themselves. If something is spilt make sure it is cleared up, if the floor is slippery make sure there are warning signs. You also need to be careful of loose carpet or wires running across the floor that people could trip over.

Electrical Safety

Technology, and in particular computers, is used a lot in business today. This makes electrical safety more important than ever. Any equipment you supply to employees must be safe for use. It should also be tested regularly, with PAT testing a good way of doing this.

Repetitive Strain Injury

Repetitive strain injury, or RSI, is an injury caused by someone repeatedly performing the same action. The most common of these is when someone is typing on a computer all day, every day, but it can also happen in other areas of work. Employers should encourage (or enforce) regular breaks or try to vary someone’s job so they are not constantly doing one thing. If someone does begin to suffer pain it might be wise to find them something else to do for a while.

Injury from Sitting

Even sitting in the wrong way can cause injury, with many developing problems from having the incorrect posture while sitting at a desk. You should make employees aware of how they should be sitting. They should sit back in the chair with a straight back. If sitting at a computer monitor the top of the screen should be in line with their eyes. The right type of chair is also important, and they should be adjustable so they can be altered to suit each person’s body and height.

Eye Problems while at a Computer

This is another modern day hazard. The best way to limit the chances of working on a computer having a negative impact on someone’s eyesight is for them to have regular beaks away from the screen, for example five minutes every hour. The correct lighting should also be used in offices.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is wrist problems from typing on a computer. This is caused when the keyboard is above where the wrists are resting on the desk. The solution is to provide wrist rests to employees.

Falls from Height

Falls can occur in a vast array of different working environments. Any time that someone is working from height their safety needs to be maintained as much as possible. Where relevant ladders and scaffolding should be secure. When someone is working from great height they should be held in place by a harness.

There are a few important things to remember when it comes to health and safety at work. Employees need to be kept as safe as possible. If there is equipment that can help ensure their safety it should be supplied by the employer. Training is also important; employees should be made aware of how to perform their job as safely as possible.

Andrew Marshall ©

Host your own server, use a hosting company, or colocation?

When hosting a website there are many different options. You can host your own server or host it with a web hosting company. There is also the option of colocation, where you have your own server but hire rack space at a data centre where it is hosted. This article looks at the advantages and disadvantages of hosting your own server, hosting through a hosting company, and colocation.

Hosting Your Own Server

The main advantage of hosting your own server is that you have control over your hosting. You make all the decisions regarding the server and operating systems used. Because you are in control you don’t have to worry about any mistakes from a hosting company impacting your website. You also don’t need to be concerned with any problems that might be caused by other websites sharing the server. All hosting resources, including bandwidth and disk space, are entirely dedicated to your server and your website.

While you are in control, you will also have to resolve any problems that arise. This could be a problem if you don’t have the relevant expertise to deal with these issues. You will need to closely monitor your server if you are in charge of it to make sure you spot any issues quickly. Another disadvantage is that you will have to pay for any required software or hardware updates. Overall, hosting your own server can be expensive.

Hosting With a Hosting Company

One of the benefits of using a hosting company is that instead of you being in charge, the experts employed by the hosting company monitor and take care of your hosting. This is particularly advantageous to those without their own technical expertise. Because resources are being shared between all of the hosting company’s customers, the cost is reduced. Professional web hosting companies regularly update their servers and infrastructure and, unlike when hosting your own site, this is factored into your hosting costs so it will not cost you extra.

The problems can come if you don’t choose a good quality provide. If the hosting company makes mistakes, your website could suffer. The other downside is that other websites sharing a server with your site could potentially have a negative impact.

Colocation

Colocation goes somewhere in between the two options above. You have your own server but co-locate it at a data centre by hiring rack space. The positive is that you have some of the same control as with hosting your own server. You choose the server and can make decisions regarding it. Colocation is cheaper than hosting it yourself, though, as you are sharing the infrastructure costs with other customers. Although you are responsible for the maintenance of the server, you are not responsible for the maintenance of the infrastructure. Security is of a good standard and there are other benefits such as temperature control you may not have when hosting your own server.

Even though you have a significant amount of control, you don’t have as much as with hosting it yourself. Another disadvantage is that the colocation centre’s resources are shared between customers so there will be some limits. In the majority of cases colocation is more expensive than hosting with a hosting company.

Andrew Marshall ©

The Advantages of Different Types of Investments

Do you have some money to invest? If so, you may be wondering what to invest in. This article takes a look at some of the advantages of different types of investments.

Investment Trusts

An investment trust is essentially a company that invests the funds of its shareholders in the shares of other companies. An investment trust is a standalone company that individual investors can buy shares in. The trust then invests in other companies on their shareholders behalf. The main advantage is that investors are using the expertise of the fund managers. They are experienced investors and are therefore in a position to make wise choices on behalf of their shareholders. This also saves on time; you don’t need to spend time analysing the markets and choosing where to invest your money as someone else is doing that for you. Trust managers are independent advisors and are therefore acting in your interests. Investment trusts also enable those with limited funds to invest where they might not otherwise be able to. This is because their investments are pooled together with those from others.

ISA’s

An ISA is a tax efficient way of saving. Investors are able to invest up to £10,670 a year in an ISA, with no tax paid on any interest gained or on capital gains. There are two types of ISA; cash ISA’s and stocks and shares ISA’s. Investors can either have one cash ISA, one stocks and shares ISA, or one of each. The maximum that can be invested in total per year is £10,670, with a maximum of half of this being able to be invested in a cash ISA. It is possible to invest the total allowance into a stocks and shares ISA.

The obvious advantage is the tax benefits, but there are also individual benefits of each type of ISA. One of the advantages of a stocks and shares ISA is that the allowance is higher. The potential of a stocks and shares ISA is more significant than a cash ISA. Because it is invested in the stocks and shares of companies it is more likely to lead to significant returns over time, and in the majority of cases will be a better long term investment than a cash ISA. The advantage of a cash ISA is that while the potential returns may not be as high, your money is safer. If investing in an ISA you have to decide whether to go for the safe option or the one with the more potential.

Investing in Something Tangible

Investing in something tangible is another possibility. You could invest in real estate. The market is not great at the moment with some prices having fallen. This could mean an opportunity though, as you might be able to get something cheaper than it was at the height of the property market. This could make real estate a good long-term investment.

Gold is something that many have championed as a good investment recently. It can be a safe haven in an economic downturn, as it is something that is always in demand. Gold prices have risen in the last couple of years and many predict this trend will continue.

There are many other things that could be a possible good investment. Wine, for example, has become a more popular investment in recent times. Vintage wines improve and grow in value over time so is something that can be taken advantage of. Anything that is likely to grow in value over time is a good investment as is anything that will always be in demand.

Andrew Marshall ©

A History of Bathing in Britain

Public bathing in Britain can be retraced to the 1600’s and Roman times, when it first became a popular pastime. Prior to arriving in Britain the Roman’s had already discovered bathing as a leisure activity. Roman manors had their own small private bath houses, which were separate buildings to the main manor, containing baths. They also had public baths, though, which were for the use of the general public. These included hot and cold rooms and extra services such as food, wine, and exercise and personal training. It was a major social activity and one of the few places where different classes mixed and were treated equally. The Romans took this idea with them when they came to Britain, most famously to Bath in Somerset.

Sea bathing in Britain goes back to the eighteenth century. People started to believe that bathing in sea water had health benefits, including curing disease, and started going to the sea to bathe in the 1700’s. It was very different to now though, in particular in terms of the swimwear worn. Women’s swimwear consisted of bathing gowns and men’s swimwear of long swimsuits. For both genders most of the body was covered. Women even used bathing machines to ensure no unnecessary flesh was shown. Bathing machines were wagon type vehicles that were taken out to sea and women would change in them and step straight into the water. This meant they wouldn’t show their bare ankles and lower legs while walking from the beach into the sea. These were in common use until the 1890’s and were still used as stationary changing rooms beyond this time.

Beach resorts originally began to appear in the 1700’s in places such as Blackpool, Southend, Scarborough, Bournemouth and Weymouth. It was the extension of the railways in the 1800’s that increased its popularity and access to the masses. It meant that a much higher proportion of the population had access to the seaside, for example Londoners could visit Brighton. This lead to an explosion of seaside resorts throughout Britain. This was before the time of air travel so few people could travel abroad for holidays, and visiting the sea became the most popular holiday activity for the people of Britain by the early 1900’s. It was seen as a holiday for the working class. Whole towns grew or expanded due to this, with places such as Blackpool and Brighton two good examples. Piers were built and resorts began to have amusement parks, donkey rides and Punch and Judy shows amongst other things. Hotels, Guest Houses and restaurants took over much of Britain’s seaside landscape as beach holidays became big business, as they still are to this day.

Sea bathing has changed a lot since it first became popular and so has the swimwear. Gradually swimsuits that almost covered the entire body have developed into swimming shorts and bikinis as it has become more socially acceptable to show more of the body.

Bathing has changed significantly since the Romans first introduced it to Britain. Back then sea bathing was almost inconceivable but went on to become a key part of summertime culture.

Andrew Marshall ©

Designer Swimwear for Men

The Basics of Jury Service

For a criminal law case to be heard in court a jury is necessary. A jury consists of twelve or fifteen jurors. These jurors are members of the general public who sit in on the court case, analyse the evidence, and decide upon a verdict.

Jury service is a civic duty, and if chosen people must attend except for in exceptional circumstances when they can apply to be excused. In some cases those chosen for jury service can ask for it to be delayed if the timing is particularly inconvenient for work, health or personal reasons. In these situations they will have to do their jury service within the next year. In most circumstances, though, jurors have to attend jury service as instructed and are fined £1,000 if they do not.

People are chosen for jury service randomly. The majority of people aged between 18 and 65 are eligible to be called up. Typically, jury service lasts for ten working days, although this can last longer for lengthy court cases, usually serious criminal trials. The two week period can include more than one trial but there are also times when it will not include any. This is dependent on the nature of the cases and any changes in the situations of cases that are due to take place. Trials can be dropped, for example where a suspect pleads guilty at the last minute or the judge decides there is not enough evidence to hear the case.

It is a legal requirement for employers to grant employees time off when they have been selected for jury service. This will be extra paid time off to ensure employees don’t lose their holiday entitlement and don’t lose out financially. For very long cases, for example where they may last for a year, employers must be consulted and may be able to prevent an employee being away for this length of time.

While on jury service, people are part of a large pool of potential jurors. For a particular case, the required number of jurors are chosen randomly. Solicitors on either side of the case can object to a particular juror serving on the trial but must have a genuine reason for this. Should both sides object it is likely that juror will not be on the trial. If only one side objects the judge decides whether or not the reason given is likely to affect the juror’s decision making. If someone is likely to be biased towards one side or another then they will be deemed an inappropriate juror. For obvious reasons, someone involved in the case in some way or someone who knows someone involved will not sit on the jury.

Jurors are banned from talking about a case while it is taking place. This includes talking to a spouse about it. The only people it can be discussed with are the other jurors and this can only take place in the jury room. Once a case is over it can be discussed unless the judge has explicitly banned it.

After a trial has been completed, the jury must discuss the case and decide upon a verdict. In criminal trials there are three possible verdicts; guilty, not guilty and not proven. For a guilty verdict to pass at least eight jurors must agree.

Andrew Marshall ©

An Introduction and History of Children in Need

Children in Need has become a national institution, and the charity raises millions of pounds for children’s charities every year. The main part of the fundraising drive is through an evening long BBC television broadcast one night a year.

The history of Children in Need goes back to 1980, although there had been charity broadcasts of one sort or another prior to this on both BBC radio and television. The first Children in Need broadcast was presented by Terry Wogan, Sue Lawley and Esther Rantzen. Terry Wogan still presents part of the annual television broadcast to this day. In its first year, £1 million was raised.

Although Children in Need was originally established to raise money for children’s charities, it is now a charity in its own right. It has been a registered charity in England and Wales since 1988 and more recently in Scotland.

The television show typically consists of a variety of entertainment pieces and documentary footage. The entertainment slots include things such as live musical performances, comedy, and specials from other television shows. Sometimes this includes two shows being married together, for example Top Gear meets Ashes to Ashes in 2010. The last few years have featured news readers performing something on stage. The documentaries throughout the evening inform viewers of some of the causes the charity helps as well as showing why this assistance is needed.

Since raising £1 million in its first year, the amount raised has increased massively. The charity has expanded and become better known and now has a real place in the nation’s hearts. The amount raised has risen almost continuously, and in 2010 was a record breaking £40 million.

The balk of the money raised over the years has come through public donations, with much of this coming during the television broadcast. These days, though, there are many other fundraising events throughout the country that also make money on behalf of the charity. Some of these are directly through the BBC, including Children in Need specials of other BBC programmes, while others are set up by other organisations and individuals wishing to do their bit.

The official mascot of Children in Need is Pudsey Bear. He is named after the town of Pudsey, where his creator, Joanna Ball, is from. Created in 1983, he first appeared on the television broadcast in 1985. Back then he was a brown bear, but was changed to the famous yellow with a bandage over his right eye for the 1986 fundraiser.

Pudsey wasn’t the only trend to begin in 1985; the other was an official song, with all proceeds from its sales going to the charity. The first song was by Clanned, followed by Suzi Quatro with Bronski Brown and other artists in 1986, and then Paul McCartney another two years later. Others to have performed the official song have included S Club 7, Will Young, Girls Aloud and the Spice Girls.

Children in Need has become a real part of British culture over the years. The show attracts millions of viewers every year and people throughout the country take part in fundraising events and donate to the charity.

Andrew Marshall ©

The Specialism of Private Healthcare

One of the main positives of private healthcare is that it is easier to get specialist care specific to the health issues a particular patient is suffering from. There are obviously specialists in the NHS for certain key areas, such as cancer, however private healthcare can offer specialist care where it may not be possible on the NHS, which has to cover all bases and provide for everyone within their budget.

On the NHS someone will initially have to visit their GP, even if they have a good idea of what the problem is. GP’s cover everything and may not have much experience with this particular issue. If using private healthcare services a patient can, if they wish, go straight to a specialist who focuses on this area alone. Dealing with a specialist right from the start can be very beneficial. A patient might be referred to a specialist on the NHS but this will be through their GP.

Some private health clinics specialise in one area and one area only, for example mental health or pregnancy, so the entire clinic is dedicated to this alone. This can be advantageous to patients. They are dealing with practitioners who have a large amount of expertise in this area and they may be able to offer all kinds of services and extra’s that might not be available elsewhere.

Specialist doctors can improve the service for patients. The first reason is an obvious one; they have a particular experience and expertise in dealing with the exact problems a patient is suffering from. They can, therefore, be better placed to help as they know this area inside out. It is also possible to receive very specific help rather than just within the same illness or condition. For example, rather than just seeing a cancer specialist, there may be specialists for different types of cancer, and then dietary experts and fitness experts who can advice patients on the lifestyle that is most likely to get them through their illness and prevent it from returning.

Unfortunately, the NHS has to be limited to some extent. It has to serve everyone and there are limited financial resources available to them. Extra services can be available privately that aren’t available on the NHS. One example is pregnancy services. There is, of course, good quality pregnancy care on the NHS, but if going private, other services such as extra pregnancy tests are available. This is not a criticism of the NHS, but it is simply impossible for it to offer absolutely every service, so it has to prioritise. With private healthcare there are a wider range of services.

Are private doctors better than NHS doctors? The answer is that it is not the doctors that are better, but they are in a position to be able to specialise and offer more specialist services. They have more time to dedicate themselves to a particular specialism and more time to dedicate themselves to individual patients. This means they can offer a more personal touch and patients have more choice in how they are treated.

Andrew Marshall (c)

Things to do in Southampton

Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire. It has a rich history which has included playing an important part in both world wars. The city’s population is around 240,000. Here are some of the things that might be of interest to visitors.

If you’re looking for history why not take a walk around the city walls. It was built for protection after an attack by France in 1338 to close the city in and prevent the likelihood of further attacks. Much of the walls still exist as do some of the towers and gates, including the famous Bargate, which almost serves as an entrance to the main shopping area. Some of what is England’s second longest stretch of medieval wall can be walked on. The walls are a great way of finding your way around the city.

If art is your thing the Southampton City Art Gallery should be of interest. The gallery is free to enter and has a variety of interesting exhibitions. Another museum is the Southampton Maritime Museum, which is naturally located on the docks. Amongst other things the museum includes items relating to the world famous Titanic.

Since the West Quay Shopping Centre was build, Southampton has had the area’s best shopping. It was opened in 2000 and covers 800,000 square feet. It is located right in the centre of the city.

For sports fans, watching Southampton Football Club might excite you. They are currently in the Championship, the second division in English football, and play their home games at St. Mary’s Stadium which was completed in 2001. The England football team played one match at the stadium while Wembley Stadium was being rebuilt. The Rose Bowl Cricket Ground is the other main sporting ground in Southampton, and Hampshire regularly play there.

For those who enjoy the outdoor life, there are many parks within a short walking distance of the city centre. These include Andrews Park, Watts Park, Palmerston Park, Houndwell Park and Hoglands Park.

If you want to venture outside Southampton, the New Forest is nearby. This is a large area of 150 square miles of forest and heathland. This is heaven for walkers and cyclists, and millions visit the New Forest every year.

There is lots to do in Southampton. If you want some more information about the city, below are some interesting fact about Southampton.

The Pilgrim Fathers originally wanted to use Southampton to depart for the United States, or the New World as it was then known. In the end they had to depart from Plymouth due to problems when attempting to depart from Southampton.

On 10th April 1912 the Titanic left Southampton for its ill-fated maiden (and only) voyage to New York.

Southampton is home of the Spitfire Aircraft that was instrumental during World War 2, and in particular in the Battle of Britain. Over 20,000 were built in the city between 1936 and the end of the War.

The Cenotaph War Memorial in London was modelled on a similar structure in Southampton.

The railway tunnel that runs underneath the city into its main train station was initially a tunnel for a canal that was never built.

Isaac Watts was born in Southampton.

Jane Austen lived in the city for three years in the early 1800’s.

In 1955 it was the first town in Great Britain to sample Fish Fingers.

Andrew Marshall (c)

Solicitors Southampton
Solicitors Bournemouth

Types of Milk Packaging

Milk packaging can be very varied and the types of packaging have increased over time. The aim of packaging is both practical and commercial, which means there is much for packaging suppliers to think about. It must carry the milk and keep it fresh, while keeping the cost down and marketing the product. Glass bottles, cardboard cartons and plastic bottles are all used as milk packaging. There are three main types of milk in the UK, skimmed milk (low fat), full fat milk, and semi-skimmed, which is in between skimmed and full fat. Packaging needs to tell customers which type of milk a particular bottle or carton is.

Glass Bottles

Glass bottles are the traditional milk packaging. They originally had necks that started relatively low on the bottle, although these have now developed to they are narrower and shorter. The lettering appears directly on the bottle. This was originally built into the bottles during manufacturing, but were then started to be painted on directly. This was due to painting the lettering being cheaper while also allowing for stronger marketing. The main advantage of using glass bottles for the packaging of milk is the cost; it is generally cheaper. These days they are most commonly used where milk is delivered directly to people’s homes. The colour of bottle lids signifies the type of milk. With glass bottles, a blue and silver lid is skimmed milk, red and silver is semi-skimmed and silver is whole milk.

Milk Cartons

Cardboard milk cartons came along later than glass bottles, with the main benefit being marketing. It is easier to get more information onto packaging as it is essentially one large label. The entire carton can be printed on if necessary. This gives marketers more licence; they can basically do what they want. Glass bottles can only carry the brand and the type of milk, whereas cartons can carry all sorts of information. They can include graphics (further branding than just the brand name) and nutritional information, for example.

Plastic Bottles

Plastic bottles have been used more and more in recent years. They have some of the advantages of both glass bottles and cartons. They are cheaper than cartons but can carry more branding on them and be more colourful than glass bottles. Another advantage is that this type of packaging can be easily manufactured into a variety of sizes. With plastic bottles skimmed milk is usually signified by red, semi-skimmed by green and full fat milk by blue.
Milk packaging is something that has developed a lot over the last 130 years from when glass bottles were first manufacturer in the last 1800’s. Marketing has become more important and this has meant going away from glass bottles to some extent and heading towards cartons and plastic bottles. There are also many different types of milk these days. As well as full fat, skimmed and semi-skimmed milk, there is now also organic milk and other variants available. Milk manufacturers also want to carry more information.

Andrew Marshall (c)

Examples of how Businesses can use Technology

Technology is changing all the time and businesses are always adapting. There are numerous ways that businesses can utilise technology to their benefit. This article looks at some of the common ways that businesses use technology to increase productivity and profitability.

Video Conferencing

Many businesses use video conferencing to hold meetings between employees and with customers. This allows them to hold meetings with those involved being in different locations, therefore limiting the need for travel. This saves on travel costs and travel time, which increases productivity and profitability.

VoIP

Business VoIP has become more popular over the last five years. Using VoIP instead of telephones can save businesses money with calls often cheaper. For those who make a lot of calls, especially international calls, this can make a big difference.

The Internet for Research

The internet is the technology that has changed the world the most over the last decade and few businesses have failed to utilise it in one way or another. There are many ways that the internet can be used by businesses, and one of these is for research. Any business where research is important, and that is most businesses, can use the internet for this. It may not help with all research but the internet can be used for much of it. For some, being able to use the internet for research can save a massive amount of time compared to having to use other avenues.

Business Websites

The most obvious way that businesses use the internet is by having their own website, something that most businesses do these days. They can be used as a shop window to show off what they can do, therefore working as a marketing tool. This can increase the geographical reach of the business; depending on the sector it can open it up to the whole world. Business websites can also be used as a tool for customers to interact with, which can enhance customer satisfaction.

Online Stores

Businesses who sell products now often sell them online as well as in their shops. This can open them up to people who don’t live near their shops, possibly placing them above their competition.

Word Processing

Almost all businesses require word processing. This is one of the oldest ways in which businesses have used computers. Using computers for this is much more productive than the old fashioned alternative of pen and paper, and it is something that most now take for granted. Some industries, such as the newspaper and magazine industries, have completely changed due to the invention and advancements of computers.

Email

Email is now the main form of communication used within business, both internally and with customers. It allows for instant communications so decisions can be made quicker which increases productivity.

Design

Any industry where design is important uses computers these days. Computers and computer software have massively changed the way design of all types work. This is now usually completely done with computers, whereas it used to be done completely on paper.

Mobile Phones and Laptops

Mobile phones, laptops, and other mobile devices have enabled people to work on the go, for example on the train. This makes it easier to move between different offices where necessary and work in different locations without it having a major impact on productivity.

Andrew Marshall (c)

Recommendations of the Family Law Justice Review

The Family Law Justice Review has been carried out by David Norgrove, with recommendations to the government on ways to improve family law, in particular with regards to children.

Key Recommendations

In his now published review, David Norgrove has said that where children’s futures are concerned cases should take no longer than six months. If this were the case it would mean a lot of cases being sorted out much quicker than they currently are.

Another key point is that families (and parents) should be enabled to, and assisted in, making their own decisions when a family breaks up. The objective here is for the courts to only be used when absolutely necessary, rather than just being a matter of course, as it currently is some of the time.

A third key recommendation is to overhaul the family justice system so that agencies and professionals work together in the hope of improving services for everyone.

What the Review Found

The review found that the current system is under huge strain, with the number of cases rising all the time. Cases are taking too long, which means the whole system gets clogged up with delays having a negative impact on children and their parents. It currently takes, on average, over a year for the outcome of a case where a child’s future is being decided. This leads to children not knowing where they will live and there are currently around 200,000 children waiting for their futures to be decided.

The main aim of any changes would be for family law to be more effective and more efficient. Norgrove recommends that delays should be reduced so the processes quickens up, especially where children are concerned.

Reducing the Need for Court

When the courts have to be used in family law cases it generally takes a lot longer and can cause stress for all those involved. The review has stated that this could often be avoided. Parents should be given more information and educated more so they don’t have to turn to the courts. There have already been moves planned to increase the use of mediation, where couples can discuss their situation and come up with an amicable solution that is good (or as good as possible) for everyone. Separating couples may soon be required to enter into mediation except for where abuse has taken place. The key, according to the review, is that the courts should only be used as a last resort.

Other Recommendations

Something that has been established as key is that agencies and professionals work together. It has also been recommended that more cases are heard by specialist family law judges to increase understanding and consistency. The court structure should also be simplified so that it is easier for people to deal with. And all in all, the system should be more child focussed.

Criticisms

The recommendations have been criticised in some quarters for not suggesting changes so that Father’s have, by default, equal rights to the custody of children. This has lead to newspaper stories claiming that it has ruled against Fathers having equal rights. This perspective is not accurate though, as this part of the law would not change should Norgrove’s suggestions be followed.

The key, according to Norgrove, is that the whole legal process in family law cases should be simplified and sped up to make it easier for everyone. Mediation should become more important with courts only used when absolutely necessary. The priority should be on parents agreeing on child care arrangements between themselves wherever possible.

Andrew Marshall (c)

The False Perception of Health and Safety

There have been many interesting, and extreme, health and safety stories doing the rounds over the last few years. There have been over the top health and safety rules and regulations, and businesses and other organisations making strange decisions due to being frightened of health and safety. Often this has lead to people being scared of doing perfectly legitimate things in case they face the consequences should something go wrong.

Below are some examples of things that have been banned for health and safety reasons:

In several schools children have been banned from playing conkers or told to wear protective goggles. This, apparently, is because it has the potential to cause injury, especially eye injuries.

Some clock winders have been banned from climbing church towers due to the danger of them falling.

In some cases children have been banned from playing on monkey bars at playgrounds, including at school playgrounds.

There have been some bans on children’s sack races. Presumably this is because they could get trapped in the sack.

The hill at Wimbledon was at one stage closed this year. Why? Because it was raining.

There have been many stories of situations where people and organisation have been frightened of health and safety, under the misconception that they could get sued should something go wrong. The most publicised example has been where shop owners have been afraid of clearing away snow outside their shops as they could be sued if someone slips on the ice that is left. At some schools children have not been allowed outside when there has been snow, or even in some cases when it has just been raining. This is due to the fear that parents might sue should this result in injury. The reality of these situations, though, is that they could not be sued. If someone attempted to take legal action they would fail. Accidents do happen and there is not always someone to blame.

Looking at the funny side, there have been some over-the-top and unnecessary warnings on things, especially food. Some examples are below:

On hot food: contents may be hot
On a packet of peanuts: may contain nuts
On meat: not suitable for vegetarians
On a pack of carrots: Ingredients – carrots
On a box of ice cream: may be cold
On a packet of peanuts: instructions – open packet, eat peanuts

There is a funny side to some of the health and safety stories above but it has become problematic. The truth is that many so-called health and safety precautions are way over the top and completely unnecessary. People don’t need to be told that peanuts contain nuts and that ice cream is cold. Organisations, from shops to schools, are often frightened of being sued for things that they could not possible be sued for.

Health and safety has often been criticised, but health and safety itself is not the problem – it is the perception of health and safety that is the real issue. People have a distorted view of how it works. The reality is that health and safety laws are not as strict as many believe them to be.

Health and safety is important – if done in the right way. There are genuinely potentially dangerous situations that have to be protected against and laws that are necessary. So they are important but the perception, and over cautiousness, has got out of hand due to people being unnecessarily frightened of the law.

Andrew Marshall (c)

Should Child Trust Funds and Junior ISA’s be Combined?

The Junior ISA (JISA) has been introduced to replace the Child Trust Fund (CTF), which was scrapped by the current government. It is possible to open an account under the name of any child who wasn’t entitled to the child trust fund, whether they were born before the child trust fund was introduced or after it was scrapped.

Those with a CTF are not able to have a junior ISA account opened for them but investments can still be paid into their CTF. In theory this means their child trust fund will continue to act as it was intended to but without the investment that used to be paid by the government once a child turned seven.

It remains to be seen what will happen with the child trust fund now that the junior ISA scheme has begun. Many fear that interest rates will not be as good with a child trust fund as with junior ISA’s. Some believe that providers will choose to focus on the junior ISA where they can generate new customers, rather than the CTF where they cannot.

There is one way that the child trust fund will be changing to keep pace with the junior ISA and that is in its limit. The maximum yearly investment that could be made with the CFT was £1,200, but with a JISA this has been increased to £3,600. Parents whose children have a child trust fund will now also be able to invest up to £3,600 a year. With both products this will increase with inflation.

Many have the opinion that families should be able to transfer a child trust fund into a junior ISA. This would mean that whatever interest rates do, the situation would be the same for children with each plan. Some have claimed that with keeping the CTF and JISA separate, it means that those with a child trust fund are being punished as the interest rates might not be so favourable. It is not the fault of children or their parents if they do not get the same rates; it would simply be because of the timing of their birth.

Child trust fund accounts being transferred into junior ISA’s would be fairly simple. It would not cost a lot and could make things easier for everyone. It could be argued that it would be better for investment companies as it is easier to keep everything together than to keep child trust fund accounts open even though it is no longer being offered as a new product. If interest rates do differ combining the two products would also be better for children with a child trust fund.

In a way it doesn’t seem to make sense to keep child trust funds and junior ISA’s separate. It would be simple to combine them and prevent the possibility of differing interest rates. This would stop some children being left with an old investment product that is no longer the focus of investment companies who had originally offered them.

Andrew Marshall (c)

Methods and Dangers of Identity Theft

Identity theft is an increasing concern for many, and something that has become even more prevalent over the last few years due to the internet. There are many ways that someone who has stolen your identity can use it against you. This article contains some examples of how people can be caused problems by others stealing their identity.

The most common cases of identity theft are where credit cards or credit card details are stolen. This has become more commonplace due to the internet. With so many people now making purchases online it gives an extra opportunity to criminals wishing to obtain the details of innocent people’s credit cards. This has the obvious problem of someone being able to use somebody else’s credit card to buy things and withdraw cash, while the credit card owner can get left with the bill. The problem with your details being stolen rather than the physical credit card being stolen is that you are likely to notice soon after your card has gone. If the details are stolen, for example during an online transaction, then you may not realise for a while, while someone else is spending your money.

Some have taken out mortgages and other loans using a stolen identity. Someone who would not otherwise be able to get a loan may use the details of someone in a stronger financial position. This can cause the person who is being imitated being charged for repayments and interest on a loan they haven’t taken out. One the other hand, the lender can lose out having already paid out the amount of the loan, although this can often be reclaimed.

It is not just individuals who can be victims of stolen credit cards and credit card details, but businesses as well. If a business accepts a stolen credit card from someone buying goods or services from them then it may mean lost income, as the money might be reclaimed by the credit card company.

Identity theft is not just about money though, people can use others’ identity in other ways. One example is to use someone else’s passport. This can enable wanted criminals to travel to another country, or illegal immigrant to enter a country by what appears to be legal means.

People have had their driving licence used by somebody else. This has led to people driving illegally. It can also mean someone being fined for speeding when, in fact, they haven’t committed the offence.

Another instance of identity crime has been where people have managed to tell the postal services that someone has moved, re-directing mail to their own address. This means receiving their mail, which can have disastrous consequences. This can mean receiving mail that enables them to use their identity for wrongful means.

The above is not by any means an exhaustive list of potential identity theft crimes. There are many other ways that people’s identities can be used for wrongful means. The danger of identity theft means that everyone has to be careful to make sure they limit the chances of their identity being stolen.

Andrew Marshall (c)

A Brief Introduction to Melksham

Melksham is the fifth largest town in the county of Wiltshire in South-West England. It is on the banks of the River Avon and has good access to Bath, Swindon and Salisbury, as well as the M4 motorway. Junction 17 of the M4 is only 10 miles away. Bath is 13 miles from the town with Bristol 36 miles away. The population of Melksham stands at around 23,000.

Melksham was originally developed at a ford across the River Avon, and the name derives from the word ‘meolc’, which meant milk and ham in old English. In the Doomsday Book the town was described as having “8 mills, 130 acres of water meadows and 8 leagues of pasture in length and breadth”. At the time of the Norman Conquest Melksham was a Royal Estate after the Prioress and Nuns of Amesbury surrendered their Melksham estates to the King.

In the nineteenth century a Spa was developed in Melksham. The Melksham Spa Company was formed in 1815 by a group of wealthy men who had made their money from the textile industry, which was by this time in decline. They were looking for another project and believed a Spa was a good money making opportunity. The Spa idea was thought about after a failed attempt to find coal uncovered two springs. Six large three story lodge buildings were built that included a pump room and private baths, both hot and cold. Unfortunately for its founders, the Spa did not prove as successful as they believed it would, partly due to the Roman Baths in the nearby city of Bath. The buildings, however, still exist today. The area to the south of the town is now known as The Spa. There was a plan for a similar area on the north side that was never developed.

The biggest employer in Melksham these days is Avon Rubber, a tyre producer that employs over 300 people. Knorr-Bremse, a designer and manufacturer of railway braking systems, also employs a significant number of people. Several manufacturing industries have existed in the area due to the easy access to the M4.

In recent times there has been a development of the town centre. The town includes facilities such as banks, cafe’s, food shops, chemists, a post office, a library, a police station and a fire station. There is also a railway station which is on the Wessex main line connected to Chippenham and Trowbridge. Only two trains in each direction, though, stop in Melksham each day. There are nine primary schools in Melksham but only one secondary school. Sports facilities in the town include a gym, swimming pool and sports centre. There are also many pubs, several of which have live music.

One of the highlights of the year in Melksham is the annual Party in the Park, which takes place in July. It consists of a fair with rides, a fireworks display, and a stage with live music and dance. As part of the festival there is also a carnival parade that travels through the town.

Andrew Marshall (c)