Tuesday 27 April 2010

I'm voting Labour!

Labour have been good to me and I will be voting for them. There has been no recession in my house, infact the last couple of years have been the best and I am now finacially secure. How and why? Because I don't buy things with money I haven't got. If I want something I can't afford, I save! Yes SAVE.. It might mean I have to wait some time but I can assure you when I do buy it I bloody look after it. Rather than getting credit, paying twice as much, and still paying for something that has had its day. Credit crunch, my arse! Finally money management is being taught in schools. About time!

Mr Cameron living in dark ages

I have just been listening to David Cameron and I am convinced to NOT vote for him. Not that I was ever thinking about it. He seems to be living in the dark ages and I am sure I would not benefit from them being in power.

I have been a single parent all my life but only since Labour came into power I have managed to get off benefit and into work, something I tried and couldn't do when the Conservatives were in. I managed to get a degree and now work for myself. I am happy to pay taxes and don't mind the fact that I am heading for the higher tax bracket.

Mr Cameron talked about marriage being a good instituition! What a load of crap. Marriage was invented when life expectancy was only 40 - no wonder divorce stats have gone up. We now live to 100 if we are lucky. Marriage is an old fashioned concept and needs to be brought in this era. I have nothing against marriage, if its what you want to do then good, but why should single people be penalised?

Wake up Cameron, you will never get into power!

Incidently I know a couple of conservative councellors and they only became one for the money they get - something stupid like 17K a year and they only have to turn up for one meeting a week.

Friday 23 April 2010

Slow down!

My family and freinds have been telling me to slow down for ages. I never really believed I was over doing it. Well last week I thought I had a mini heart attack. Turns out to be a collapsed lung! I straight away thought it must be due to me smoking. One doctor said it could be smoking but more likely to be from over excertion. They said its common in tall people and athletes. But another Doctor said its common in non smokers and stopping smoking will not stop it happening again! Great! Even so smoking is bad and I need a good excuse to give up so have been to quit clinic.

Also I am going to slow down, I work all day and rarely take breaks! Well next week I am having 15 mins in morning, 15 in afternoon and an hour for lunch! Got to look after myself I guess. Shame it takes something scarey and not so nice to push us into action.

Watch this space, I hope to post as a non smoker very soon. D day is Monday next!

Tuesday 6 April 2010

Audio Visuals – The Future

We all think immediately of our lounge televisions, when we hear the expression “audio visuals”. We are completely right to do so, but there is far more to audio visuals then most people realise.

We are all familiar with CCTV, and whether we like it or not, it is here to stay. Lots of crimes have been solved thanks to CCTV, and we are told we are the most photographed people in Europe. Local transport now carries CCTV in addition to local retailers and street cameras.

Audio visuals are frequently used in galleries and museums, making the visit much more interesting and informative for tourists. Hospitals and doctors surgeries have been using them for some years now. Pop stars would be lost without audio visuals, whether they are performing out in the open, or in a large theatre. Imagine ones disappointment when spending a great deal of money on tickets, to find your pop heroes looking like ants, and barely able to hear them, let alone see them.

Over the past decade or so, the most popular and increased usage of audio visuals, is in business. Managers find it invaluable when training and updating their staff, they also use it to promote their business. Schools, Colleges and Universities use audio visual as an educational tool, finding students respond more eagerly to “watching telly”.

We all know how the drink, driving laws, and the no-smoking law has affected the trade in public houses, and publicans have found that by installing a mammoth plasma screen television, locals can enjoy a drink while watching their favourite sports programme. Many landlords say that it has been the saviour for their business.

These are just a few ways audio visuals have become part of our daily lives, and it is obvious that in the future it will play an even bigger part.

Working in the audio visual sector, will mean there will be no shortage of work, whether in manufacturing, engineering or sales. Anyone who finds themselves in a position to train, or re-train, would be well advised to consider this. Those already trained, will find the work they are suited to through specialised audio visual agencies.

Working in audio visuals, is working for the future. As we become more and more technical, so our need for specialised engineers will increase. Who knows what our inventors will come up with next. Will it be circular and revolving screens? Or maybe 3-D will grace itself in our own lounges. Whatever the future holds, if you have the skills required to work in audio visuals, then you will play a big part in it.

Live-Recruitment are a specialist recruitment agency offer Events Jobs and AV jobs in the Live events industry.

Maybe it`s because I`m a Londoner

“Maybe it`s because I`m a Londoner, that I love London town….” Well actually I am not a Londoner, but I do love London town. My happiest memories as a child was my parents arranging a day trip to London.

Having three sisters, we all had different interests, and there was always arguments as to where we should visit. My parents were interested in our education, so we inevitably ended up walking our feet off round the Houses of Parliament, or Buckingham Palace. My favourite, was the trip down the Thames, and stopping off at the Tower of London, seeing all the Crown Jewels. I found it almost impossible to believe how much they were worth. On another trip, we visited the Planetarium and Madam Tussauds - I particularly liked the Chamber of Horrors!

As I grew up, I used to save as much from my wages as I could, so I could blow it all on a shopping trip to Oxford Street, knowing full well that I would be far ahead in fashion then my friends at home. Later, I really got into the theatre, and saw many memorable shows, and my favourite pop stars.

I eventually married a Londoner, who knew the city like the back of his hand. We lived just over eighty miles from London, and my husband took great pleasure in taking me “home” and showing me his old haunting grounds. He pointed out all the changes, especially round the docks. He was proud to have worked on the Post Office Tower, which was much talked about for a long time. Being a Heating and Air Conditioning Engineer, he worked in some of the most amazing buildings.

When we finished going down the nostalgic route, we made our visits more purposeful, and used to plan our days carefully. As the children got older, and money wasn`t so tight, we would treat ourselves to an overnight stay in one of London`s budget Hotels. They are usually nice and central, very good value for money, and offered excellent service.

I have lost count of the number of times we have made trips to London, but I still have a long list of places I want to see. It is lucky for me that my husband knows his way round. However, as I get older, I like to take my time a bit more, so we now treat ourselves to two or three nights in a hotel, ensuring we get the very best out of our trip.

People often ask me if I am a Londoner, as I seem to know so much about it, and just say no I “just love London town…”
For great Budget London Hotel or Hotels near Olympia London check out Kensington West.

Creating A Countryside Atmosphere

People who have traveled to the French countryside have noticed the vineyards, fields of lavender, and the gorgeous sunshine that they bathe in. This sunny feeling can also be had in your own home with a little French Country decor. Rusts, purples, golds, and varying hues of these colors are common in this type of decor. Wallpapers with murals of scenes from the countryside are popular in sitting rooms, creating a warm and inviting feeling for guests.

Furniture of rusted metal, or pieces that have the appearance of being rusty, provide excellent accents in a room filled with similar light fixtures. Besides mural wallpapers, textured walls that are left fairly rough add a sort of outdoorsy feel to the room.

It's almost like sitting in the sunny courtyard in France, sipping wine and soaking up the feeling of warmth from the sun. The wood along the bottom of these walls is best when rough stained and combined with large beams going across the ceiling. You don't have to spend a lot of money to redo your entire home to get these beams either. They can easily be added to an existing ceiling and made to look like extremely old and heavy beams, while actually being very new and light pieces of wood.

Natural stone floors are common country decor in France, but aren't the type of flooring that many people already have in their homes. If actual stone flooring isn't possible, there are sheets of laminate that look exactly like stone tiles.

Each tile on the laminate sheet is a different shade of gray, creating a very 3D effect. They are so real looking that people often reach down to touch them. This effect is achieved because of the photographic applique that is placed on top of a piece of resin. The applique is then coated in a clear substance to protect it. These sheet are extremely durable and provide a completely different feel to the atmosphere of a room. This is perfect for French decor.

Using gorgeous wool or cotton rugs to cover portions of the floor add to the overall effect. Placing a few chairs with woven seats will add even more to the room. The ultimate piece to creating a room that is truly in the style of country decor in France would be a stone hearth. These are common in French country homes and are not only used for heating, but also for cooking. There is generally a beam placed over the top where copper pots and ladles are hung from nails or hooks placed in it.

Other items typically found in French country decor include large tables that have a low-gloss to them and chairs with carved detailing. Motifs with grapes, olives, sunflowers, or roosters are often seen in many homes along the countryside.

Furniture with upholstery fabric that has a cream, yellow, or white background and a motif in the center of a contrasting color is very popular decor. Seeing as it is the countryside, all of this elegance is made complete by lots and lots of flowers throughout the entire home.

Boutique Provencal offer a beautiful range of Living Room Accessories and French Style Home Accessories.

Thursday 1 April 2010

How Bucket Elevators Can Improve Your Factory's Efficiency

No matter what line of business you are in, efficiency and productivity should always be near the top of your mind. With the recession slow to release its grip, more firms are now seeing less orders and a decrease in turnover. If your company has a factory or premises in which a lot of raw materials need to be shifted around, then the solution would be to choose one of the latest designs in bucket elevators.

No matter what material you produce or trade in, be it grain or building materials, the right bucket elevator would help reduce your reliance on manpower. Any dry free flowing material can be effectively and hygienically transported from one area to another with minimal effort. Time savings can be had almost instantly. The time it would take for a team of workers to manually shift the material from A to B can be a real drain on resources and productivity.

Modern bucket elevators are incredibly versatile equipment. Today they can be utilized in a wide selection of environments, both indoors and out. They actual buckets are moved though a chain pulley or conveyor belt system that is enclosed to ensure maximum safety. As the rules governing health and safety in the workplace become more rigid every year, you can be certain that with a new elevator bucket system you will be up to date with the latest laws.

You can get hold of a bucket elevator in almost any size, shape, or design to suit your requirements. Perhaps you only have a short distance to cover from your factory's loading bay to the processing plant, with a bucket elevator you will be guaranteed that the material reaches its destination in the quickest time as possible and with no contamination.

A modern design would be able to carry material up at a ninety degree angle. This is perfect for those premises which have factories with many floors.

Before making a decision it is wise to consult a specialist engineer or technician who can give you expert advice. They would need to visit your business to consider various factors such as access, power, and the elements. Today there are a number of firms who can install bucket elevators and conveyor belts; try to do as much research as possible before deciding on which firm to hire.

Maintenance is an important factor. The company that install the elevator should regular visit to ensure that there are no faults developing with the equipment. As long as they are maintained adequately, a bucket elevator can provide decades of service with no serious problems.

If you are after the cheapest possible options then search for second hand and reconditioned elevators. As more factories are closing their gates every week it is possible to get hold of modern but used equipment for less than half the original price. If this is a path you are to go down then you will need to be certain that there is no damage with the buckets and other components.

For more information on Conveyor Systems and Bucket Elevators please visit Gough & Co (Engineering) Ltd.