Author: Miles

Glass louvres for a Parisian cultural reference.

If you were around in the 1990s, the chances are you’ll have kept in mind Baz Luhrmann’s long running hit titled Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen). The song split audiences: there were those who loved its pop philosophical content and positivity, while others hated its patronisingly didactic nature. But whatever our criticism of this song, rarely did we think, well, it’s one thing for us as individuals to wear sunscreen but what about the buildings we all work in? The fact is that buildings need sun protection too if their employees are to stay comfortable. External louvres for buildings are an entirely different kettle of fish. Commonly known in varieties such as brise soleil and glass louvres, they protect buildings’ external shells as well as the things and people inside them.

Brise soleil perform their function by shading the outward façade of a building in a stylish and streamlined fashion in keeping with the rest of the existing building. Often modern in their design, they are brilliantly well-suited to public art galleries outdoors. In fact, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park gallery is one example of a building that makes use of a brise soleil to excellent effect. The shade is designed and positioned in a way that it works with the changing light and temperature according to the season. In summer, much of the large exterior window of the gallery will be kept in shade at noon. In wintry times, on the other hand, when the light is weaker and the temperature colder, only the top section of this window will be cast in darkness. A possible added feature (not so desirable in an art gallery but rather more so in a corporate space such as a lobby or reception room) with a brise soleil consists of a special design feature that allows special patterns of light into the room. If you’re the manager of a building that’s been specially built for a particular company, you might plan on trying to tailor the pattern of light to the company’s needs: why not reproduce the corporate logo or make a new design suggestive of their brand values?

Glass louvres and external louvres are a little different from brise soleil, meanwhile. glass louvres can practically function as independent edifices; think of the famous glass pyramid in the courtyard of the Paris gallery known as the Louvre. One difference is that in Paris, the pyramid actually links to the central part of the building and is visible when you look skywards from a position underground.

Please visit http://www.maplesunscreening.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

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Community broadband providing improved business opportunities

Having good access to the internet has become nearly as essential to daily life as having a functioning heating system or constant water supply. Obviously, the latter have an impact on our actual potential to survive but when it comes to leading a healthy existence as responsible and curious people, the internet provides a fundamental service too. So many things are made more difficult if you are not online: from checking your bank balance and paying bills, to the more pleasurable social matters of keeping in touch with friends and family. This is why it is quite scandalous that, prior to the launch of community broadband projects concerned with improving ICT infrastructure, whole swathes of the nation were being deprived of technological wealth that should have been available to all from the start. It is little surprise that the areas worst affected were the regions: rural Britain is used by now to being low down on the list of priorities in comparison with London and other large cities. Happily though, the companies behind next generation access initiatives are making sure that broadband services are becoming more evenly distributed. Finally, we can look forward to a Britain that is both linked up internally as well as a Britain allowing its inhabitants to reach out to resources worldwide.

The narrowing of the gap between those able to obtain a good internet service and those who cannot is especially important in our present climate of austerity. While long-term contracts in established enterprises are proving difficult to secure for the young and mature alike, there is an ever growing possibility for individuals and small groups of people to be proactive and launch projects on their own initiative online. With the appropriate skills, a small idea can grow into something great once it has secured an online presence and appropriate audience. This is because the world wide web functions in a cross-border way: ideas, products and information are disseminated in a totally different way here than do documents and other physical entities reliant upon national and international postal systems or fax.

So, if you suspect that the area you inhabit is still being badly served in terms of internet provision, it is worthwhile contacting your local authority to ask when you can expect a positive improvement. ICT infrastructure does take time to improve but increased pressure will increase the speed with which next generation access is delivered. It’s time to fight for your community’s access to community broadband.

Please visit http://www.broadbandvantage.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.broadbandvantage.co.uk/

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Join a kickboxing club to remain safe and get fit

There’s always far too much to do, and it’s often the case that exercise is the thing that gets pushed to the end of the list. When you can kill two birds with one stone, it’s always a godsend. Kickboxing offers just this: the chance to keep fit, have fun, and learn self-defence all at the same time. And with kickboxing London classes for all ages, you can take the kids along too. Go to a kickboxing club for a work-out that makes you safe, strong and fit.

Classes are on offer for all ages and abilities. This means that there’s no restrictions. You can go with a friend or partner, or take your children along to a kids’ class at the same time that you join in an adult class. It’s a great extra-curricular option for children, teaching them self-discipline and reinforcing positive behaviour. Whatever your working hours, whether you’re a professional or a student, there will be a class to match your needs and ability. Classes range from beginner to intermediate to senior, and almost all classes – unless you choose otherwise – are non-contact.  Whether you’re an amateur or a pro, there’s not need to feel intimidated.

The benefits of kickboxing are many. Not only does it keep you fit in body, but is beneficial for your mental and spiritual well-being. This is thanks to the really sociable nature of this sport. Working in a group is also fantastic for confidence building, and once you’ve picked up a few skills, your confidence will grow and grow.

Physically, this is a work-out that will motivate you and get you fitter more swiftly than a trip to the gym. This is aerobic exercise that improves speed, co-ordination and flexibility. It’s vital to be alert to your combatant’s next move, and to find your limitations and move beyond them.

This involves the self-defence element of kickboxing. Why not, as you’re active and fighting-fit already, be able to transfer these skills to your everyday life, if need be? This is another way in which kickboxing can increase your confidence. Walking down dark streets need not be such a intimidating prospect. Kickboxing teaches you how to defend yourself in real-life situations, and to deflect threats and violence effectively. Practising these skills in an interactive classroom creates invaluable life skills.

Once you’ve honed your skills, there’s the option of sparring classes, and technical theory lesson, which include the fascinating history of kickboxing. Women are increasingly looking to kickboxing clubs to assert their independence on the streets. Fit more into your life: sign up for kickboxing London today.

Please visit http://www.zendokickboxing.com/ for further information about this topic.

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Bacs software offers functionality, efficiency and safety

When we hear discussion of business we regularly think in especially narrow terms of people working in tidy office set-ups, wearing tidy clothes and making a tidy profit. But we you think just a little longer about what the term business actually designates we soon realise that the category is much wider than that and can include everything from law firms to travelling circuses and more. But while it’s important to think in terms of diversity, it is also vital to think what all businesses have in common: namely a need to make and receive payments of some type as part of a steady cash flow that will hopefully keep an activity afloat for as long as required. This may sound obvious but keeping on top of one’s accounts often proves tricky for even the simplest of organisations. So that’s where bacs software comes in: allowing you to streamline your income and your outgoings, bacs is perfect for making regular automated payments to loyal customers. Originally standing for Bankers Automated Clearing Services, bacs payments can be used by anyone in need of a reliable service.

If you’ve decided against making automatic online exchanges your habitual method of payment you need to know that the alternative is up to scratch. And there are several decent reasons for finding such an alternative. One would be the inefficiency of logging into an online account every single time you need to process a payment: just consider how long that would take to do once you have a body of freelance employees on your books, all in need of payment at around the same time. Another reason to streamline your payments using bacs software could be a need to avoid human error.

Indeed, it’s crucial to consider that as a business you have just as much responsibility towards your employees as you do towards your customers. So using bacs payments for your staff is a very good idea. In our current climate of recession we need to remember that an overdue payment can result in an employee being out of pocket. And this is something businesses absolutely need to prevent since your staff may see late or incomplete payment as disrespectful of their hard work. Bacs and bacs software can therefore galvanise your company’s strength from within. These great payment technologies can simultaneously afford you time and peace of mind enough to look outwards and upwards to ways of improving your business.

Please visit http://www.bottomline.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.bottomline.co.uk/

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Coach hire London can provide a bespoke range of services

What better way to travel than with a luxury coach hire service? Take the stress out of road travel by going to a experienced provider of coach hire london. Whatever your needs – whether you want executive or minibus hire – this is the way to take the hard work out of travel.
If you’re trying to ship a large group of people from one place to another, for a wedding, party, or group trip, then a luxury coach service will get the mission done. Not only that, but your guests will travel in luxury and style, thanks to on board facilities from drinks machines and air conditioning to TV screens and sound systems.

For smaller parties, minibus hire means you don’t have to travel in several vehicles and appoint a number of drivers. This is particularly convenient if your destination is a social event – that way no one has the excuse of not drinking because “I’m the driver”! What’s more, it’s a very sociable way to travel.

Other perks of travelling by quality coach include the windows – you really can see more higher up! – and the opportunity to stretch out and watch a film – that’s something you could never do in a car. And when travelling abroad, unlike air transport, a coach service will take you from door to door, obviating the hassle of transport links by rail, bus, or taxi from the airport. Even more ideally, if you are taking a touring holiday, perhaps as an orchestra or band, going with a coach service will mean you have hands-on transport throughout your trip.

A good coach hire service will be trustworthy, and you can rest assured that you are in the safest of hands. With maintenance staff on duty for twenty-four hours in case anything is an issue, and drivers holding CPCs (Certificates of Professional Competence), you’ll be able to be stress-free. For further peace of mind, drivers are often given an in-depth CRB check, as well as being trained at in-house facilities. Reassuringly, risk assessments are carried out to ensure safety in all operational activities.
As for the coaches, look for a policy of ongoing investment in vehicles. A constantly modernised fleet and an experienced luxury coach hire company will offer a slick service. For coach hire london, there will be a broad range of coaches to suit all demands, whether this is regular hire, a one-off service, minibus hire, a French day trip, or two week tour. Take a break; take a luxury coach journey.

Please visit http://www.goldenboy.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

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Getting school uniforms from one good all-round supplier is helpful

looking for specialist school clothes can be a time-consuming task. school uniforms, even once you find them, are often costly. Locating a dependable London school supplier can save you both time and money.

This specialist supplier should be able to offer a diverse range of uniforms tailored to separate school uniform policies. Well-made uniforms of good-quality material keep your child warm and comfortable. In the UK, the school uniform requirements are often specific and exacting – and getting it wrong can land your child, and you, as their parent, in trouble! Don’t forget to get the fitting right – suppliers will most likely be able to advise on this.

Suppliers often can offer not only uniforms, but sportswear and equipment from leading brands. This is another necessary part of any school uniform, of course, and good quality, sturdy sportswear gives good value for money and keeps your child safe whilst playing sport. As well as sportswear, a well-stocked supplier can offer uniforms for clubs such as Brownies and Cubs, and specialist kit for extra-curricular activities such as ballet. These are not the sort of clothes easily obtainable in high-street stores, unless they are specialist – but a good schoolwear supplier often stocks these kit.

Outlets that stock other vital parts of the ‘going back to school’ kit, for example stationary, are bound to make things even simpler for you. Rather than fumbling through lots of different shops with children in tow, schoolwear suppliers often unite all these items in one shop. The convenience of finding a supplier offering all of these essential back to school products can easily be overcome by potential expense, which can drive parents to search through ill-fitting second-hand uniforms. However just because school uniforms are new does not mean they have to be expensive – and an organised and welcoming supplier will make sure you are not paying more than you need to.

As a final bonus, a reliable supplier will often be able to offer a school delivery service, so you don’t even have to make an additional journey to pick up your shopping. Overall, using a good London schoolwear supplier is going to profit you in more ways than one. Getting hold of school uniforms is an annual task, but can be made cheaper and easier if you find a supplier that stocks not only school clothes, but sportswear, extra-curricular activities costume, and useful extras. Look out for organised, reliable, well-priced uniform suppliers – they are out there!

Please visit http://www.uniform4kids.com/ for further information about this topic.

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Powerpoint design to really give you the edge

So many people working in sales bemoan the tedious meetings they have had to put up with at the office. They lament the length of time they have had to sit through ideas repeated, regurgitated and served up unattractively on a screen. Powerpoint presentations are often mentioned in such complaints, as if an innocent piece of software might be acting alone on a mission to induce severe ennui. But this is not the case, or at least simply accusing powerpoint design does not get to the essential element of what people are complaining about. Only when Powerpoint is abused does it generate boredom. It is important to state, therefore, that good, exciting, even inspiring sales presentations can be created using Powerpoint – it is a tool for our hands and minds to do with what they will.

Evidently, it is not straight-away obvious how to embark upon changing a working lifetime’s accumulation of bad habits. Old habits die hard, as the saying goes. This is why there are companies out there with a direct aim to help ease the bad Powerpoint design users out of their old ways and into illuminating new ones. These will know how desperately people in business need their sales presentations and Powerpoint presentations to work to their full capabilities. And their results are quite striking to say the least – in some instances these companies might improve their clients’ sales success by up to 35%.

It wouldn’t be worth just automatically enlisting the aid of specialists though. Indeed, people working in sales will hardly need telling that they should take a while to consider how their particular company might benefit from assistance in optimising their sales presentations skills. No company is the same, and it is the very idea of uniqueness that can really be promoted via the medium of Powerpoint presentations in order to convince others round to a given company’s perspective. The notion of underscoring difference to achieve maximum success is surely evidenced in the clients of Powerpoint presentation service providers – those who have come top of the class in good powerpoint design practice are as diverse as Colgate-Palmolive and Santander.

Please visit http://www.eyefulpresentations.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

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Document processing is a good step to a paperless office

Document management software organises your files on your IT network. So far, so good. But the excellent thing about them is that they don’t just organise your electronic files – Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, Powerpoint files and so on. They also house your physical documents, or at least, an electronic copy of them. This e-version is made by document processing software, which turns a paper document into one that can be stored on a computer. That might be as straightforward as a pdf that represents a scan of the sheet or sheets of paper in question, but depending on the software you buy it can be considerably more sophisticated. Optical character recognition (OCR) allows documents – even handwritten documents in some cases – to be scanned and turned into computer files. That means that everything that hits your in-tray – whether through the postbox or email inbox – can be treated the same way. The same is true of invoices which, thanks to invoice processing, may be paid at the same time regardless of whether they were electronic or paper in nature.

All of this can have a big impact on the efficiency of your company. The advantages of a paperless office are obvious. Having documents on your computer system means that anyone can use them at any time, if that’s what you need, rather than running the risk of an important letter or invoice getting hidden under a pile of paper on someone’s desk. It saves money and is better for the environment in terms of the amount of paper you’re using – concerns that should interest most businesses thanks to rising energy and resources prices, and environmental guidelines.

Finally, invoice processing allows you to treat suppliers and customers the same. There can be a ‘digital divide’ between those who send invoices by email or electronically, and those who send them in by letter. Those who do the latter can find themselves forgotten while someone in the accounts department gets around to dealing with their invoice (perhaps making out a cheque as well…). That can be bad for business. All in all, then, document processing has many advantages and can make a significant difference to the way your company is run – including your relationships with clients and suppliers, which for many is where it really counts. A good document management system can bridge the gap between a paper-based and paper-less office, enabling your staff to do their jobs better and lifting your bottom line.

Please visit http://www.bottomline.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

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Cash Genie: payday and quick loans

Cash Genie is a company that offers small loans to borrowers who need a bit of extra money to get through unexpected expenses. The idea behind them is that, when life throws you a curve ball, you have somewhere to try to find the money to get through it. What they don’t do is offer long-term loan facilities; that’s the place of other organisations and, in any case, they are not the best option for this – their rates are designed for the short-term market, which means that they would be too expensive if you tried rolling the loan over for several months or years, as you’d expect a normal loan from a bank to do.

Cash Genie generally offers amounts of between £75 and £750 for a period of just one month. The cost for this is 30 percent – meaning that if you borrow £100, you would repay £130 a month later. Naturally, if you kept borrowing, this would snowball – the APR or annualised rate of interest on this basis would be 2339 percent. But the point is precisely not to keep borrowing: it’s to borrow once, when there are no other opportunities to find the money elsewhere, to get you out of trouble – and hopefully stay out of it. One comparison for looking at the interest rate is staying at a hotel. You might pay £50 or £100 for a night away somewhere, and not think too much of it (assuming the hotel was of reasonable quality). And it’s intended to be just that: a night, or a short time away. But if you think of it in annualised terms, the same stay would set you back up to £36,500 – obviously more than most people are willing to spend! In the same way, cash loans are supposed to be for a short period of time.

If you need to borrow money at short notice and can’t find it anywhere else, Cash Genie may be able to help. You’ll need to be over 18, own a debit card and earn at least £500 per month. The typical customer is in work but experiencing cash-flow problems; it makes sense for both parties that the borrower will be able to repay the money at the end of the month, since if not the company loses the money and the customer runs into further problems. Of course, you shouldn’t take on any kind of loan without careful thought first. One way of looking at it is, will the cost of not taking out the loan (in penalties, fines or lost services/earnings) be greater than the cost of the interest?

Please visit http://www.cashgenie.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.cashgenie.co.uk/

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Suggestions for dealing with the stresses of social worker jobs

In recent years, social work jobs have become rather less popular as a career choice for school leavers, as a few high profile cases have drawn attention to the negative side of social services jobs.  Most notably, in the case of the tragic death of the infant known as Baby P, the social work team was landed by national newspapers with a significant amount of the blame for the events that lead to the child’s death.  However, the recent decision of the Sun newspaper to apologise unreservedly and pay undisclosed compensation to the social worker involved in the tragedy may give some hope to those who are worried about the effect of the press’s representation of the case on anybody considering social worker jobs.

Sylvia Henry, who was a social worker in Haringey, London for 23 years, was accused in articles published in the Sun of having been ‘grossly negligent’ in her handling of the Baby P case, and it was stated that  she was ‘thereby to blame for his appalling abuse and death’.  The newspaper had also alleged that Henry had shown no remorse for her failings, and had ducked responsibility for the child’s death.  The litigation disputed a series of articles published in the newspaper over four months from November 2008, which also stated that Henry was lazy and had often shown disregard for the safety of children.  As anybody who is employed within social services jobs tends to be motivated by a strong concern for the welfare of the children under their care, these allegations were surely extremely upsetting for Sylvia Henry.

The Sun also ran a ‘Justice for Baby P’ campaign, which named Henry and called for certain Harringey social services staff to be made redundant and barred from any future work with children.  The newspaper gathered 1.6 million signatures for its petition, which was taken to Downing Street.  After court proceedings between Henry and the newspaper, a spokesperson said that the Sun ‘unreservedly accepts that there is no justification for any of the allegations’, adding that she was not to blame in any way for anything done by the local services that may have contributed to baby Peter’s terrible abuse and death. Moreover, they accepted that she had done her very best for Peter, even making efforts to have him placed in foster care.

Many people with an interest in social work jobs have seen this decision as a positive move in terms of the tendency of the media to conduct witch-hunts against those in social services jobs in high profile cases such as this.  When a tragedy occurs, there is surely enough misery and heartbreak already, without having to drag those in social worker jobs through a professional and personal trial by the media.

Please visit http://www.socialworkandcarejobs.com/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.socialworkandcarejobs.com/

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