Monthly Archives: April 2013

Advice on finding a wooden worktop for you

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There is hardly any doubt that having a wooden worktop or breakfast bar is going to add some charm or sophistication to any kitchen style. Whether you have a modern or traditional kitchen, there will be a style that will suit your taste and lifestyle. There are tons of available options out there for you, including bamboo, zebrano, iroko, and walnut. Each of these styles have their own special characteristics and features and are available in varying lengths, thickness, and width for a tailor fit into your kitchen.

There are premium oak worktops that come in everything from light and cool beige hues to rich honey colors. This type is pretty adaptable to any kitchen style or unit you may have. Another premium worktop is the walnut kind that can be had in brown or black. Walnut worktops are considered exotic-looking and quite exclusive that adds a magnificent finishing touch to cutting-edge, modern, or designer-made kitchen.

Bamboo we know is technically a grass instead of wood but it makes for great worktop material and is quite eco-friendly piece. It is also pretty affordable and can take quite a beating. Iroko, meanwhile, is a hardwood tree located in Africa. You may know it by the name of African Teak. It turns into a rich brown color over time but is initially yellow in hue. Lastly, zebrano, as its name suggests, features stripes much like a zebra’s in terms of its coloration. It works well as a worktop or breakfast bar with its distinct look. It can easily fit in or be made to stand out in your kitchen.

If you intend to install the wooden worktop on your own, you have to make sure it is pre-oiled or you would need to do that before installation. It is possible to order a pre-oiled worktop but you just have to make sure that your wooden worktop is oiled well before you put it in (do not forget about the edges). Having a well-oiled worktop guarantees that it will be spill-resistant, can withstand wear and tear, and look great for a longer period of time. Maintenance of a wooden worktop would have you oiling it every three months or so to keep it in top condition.

There are different ways you can spruce up your wooden worktop even more. You can try having it professionally cut and modelled, have hot rods installed, and getting butt joints and drainage grooves put in as well.

Insights and opinions on Pre-Pack Administration in the UK

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For the unversed, pre-pack administration is a method that sells a struggling business on the day the company is being placed into administration. This process has been introduced to help a company preserve both its business and employees. The company purchasing the distressed business will help its customers seamlessly transition their business with the buyer and hopefully guarantee a healthier future. Pre-packing a company also means it will retain employees from the old company, which won’t put any further strain on the economy since employees won’t be claiming for notice pay, redundancy, holiday pay, and arrears of pay. Pre-packing also guarantees that assets won’t be sold for a lower forced or fire sale but will go for a higher “in-situ” value.

Pre-pack criticisms

Administrations like this are not without its share of detractors. Some people are concerned that this process of acquiring a business’ assets might have the buyers ignoring the liabilities, such as HMRC, trade creditors, as well as pension liabilities. On the surface this might look to be the case. If the asset valuation isn’t accepted by the purchasing party, then marketing costs for extended time periods will be reduced significantly for creditors, which would then leave acceptance of the lower offer. This deal would seem to be questionable for creditors because in a lot of cases the ones buying the company are the same directors of the previous business. One way they safeguard this is by having insolvency practitioners needing to justify the purchase with SIP 16, a written notice to creditors of the company about the sale strategies he employed. It is important to note, though, that assets of a company are worth what a company or individual is willing to pay for. It then follows that in recession the price is lower than it was a year ago or so.

But are directors abusing this, you ask? Administrators, once they are appointed, are required to conduct investigations of the company and its directors. They can question transactions that could’ve been undervalued when sold, preferential payments, granting of a floating charge in the span of a year, or credit transactions they deem to be extortionate. Aside from that, the liquidator can conduct their own investigation too if it is seen that liquidation was used by a company to get out of administration. These investigations will be sent to the Department of Business Innovation and Skills and an offending director could be made to pay or be disqualified from his post for up to 15 years.

Criticisms aside, the government hasn’t made any move on changing pre-pack administration regulations because it is seen as a quick way to rescue a business and helps maximize creditors’ returns.

Few Tips in Choosing Funeral Urns

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As more and more people choose cremation the selection of urns is all the time increasing.  There are new selections coming to the market every single day.

An easy way to start your search is with the process of elimination.  You can simply cross off the options that won’t work for your loved one.  Shopping online has made the task a little easier.  The urns are divided onto separate pages to allow you to more easily find the one that is right for your situation.

There are urns that can be used for two people called a companion urn.  These can either be large capacity so you would be inside the same container or two urns adjoined. These urns are about 400 cubic inches which is the approximate weight of two adult individuals.

If the urn is for a baby or child there is a whole different style of urn for these.  There are sections that will specialize in baby or children designs.  You will find an urn that would be appropriate for the age group you need.

You can also get keepsake urns that can be used if the ashes are going to be shared among friends or family.  You may also want one of these if you are going to spread most of the ashes, but keep a small portion.  These little urns hold just a tiny amount and can be made to match a full size urn.  They can also be made in heart shapes or other pleasant shapes.

The selection for an adult individual is where the most choices will be.  You will want to decide what material the primary construction should be first. Some of these options are marble, wood, metal, plastic, ceramic, glass, or even biodegradable materials. There isn’t really a way to say which is most popular.  This is because there are so many different types of people that are being memorialized.

There are also special interest urns like angels, sports, religious symbols, etc.  These special urns sometimes are a perfect fit to memorialize someone.  There are found very traditional urns as well and that should be considered.

This will be a very hard and important as well.  You want to make the choice that you think that your friend or family member would most want.  It may be hard to overcome the sadness of the situation, but try to take your time and select the perfect urn for your situation.

What are the common types of kitchen worktops to choose from

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Looking to overhaul your kitchen or just want to inject new life into the heart (or should we say belly?) of your home, then one of the things you are most likely considering is changing your worktop. There a couple of different types to choose from and to help you make the right choice to suit your taste, we have provided a guide for you about what you’d get from each type and the positives and negatives of owning one.

Wood

With wood, you are given a wide range of styles to choose from. It is impossible that you can’t find one to suit your taste. And you also get a unique piece of wood, no matter what you go for. Price varies from cheap to expensive when it comes to wood worktops and things like size, species, wood grade, thickness, and sometimes finish can determine the price you will have to pay. If you like doing things yourself, it can be easily fitted or you can take those made by suppliers that have already been cut to a template style and size. Wood can be easily cleaned, too.

The downside for it is that wood requires constant care. If you look after it properly, you won’t run into any problems, but if you don’t then you can wear it out rather easily. You also shouldn’t turn your wood worktop as a chopping board or place hot pots and pans on it if you don’t want to wreck the finish.

Laminate

One of the more common worktops, laminate isn’t just budget-friendly; it is also easy to clean and to fit and comes in a wide variety of finishes and styles. If you want the look of fake granite or fake wood, you can achieve that with laminate.

But laminate’s durability is questionable, particularly the cheaper ones. You can get more mileage out of the higher quality ones but those on the cheaper side will look worn out pretty easily with its edges suffering from constant penetration of moisture.

Granite

While this has been initially linked to designer kitchens owned by rich and famous individuals, granite worktops have recently become more affordable and accessible for normal folk like you and me. Granite’s attractive to those who want to go for the unique factor since no two pieces of it are identical. As a natural product, it could be sourced from various locations, which means it would look different and feature unique characteristics. It has become a desired option by a lot of people because it is also quite durable, easy to clean, and is heat-resistant.

However, as affordable as it may have gotten, it is still on the more expensive side. It can also be harmed by acidic-based spills, such as fruit juice and red wine. And it’s not for your handyman. Plus, it is on the heavy side. You will need to have your units reinforced before putting a granite top on it.

There are other types of worktops you can work with—such as resin, polished cement, slate, and glass— but these are less  common options so it would be better to do your research before opting for one of these. Make sure they are durable, can be easily maintained or at least won’t be troublesome to maintain, can be cleaned easily, are heat- and water-resistant, and needs minimal repair.

Easy Fishing Tips for you to follow

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Fishing is a great way to pass time. This popular hobby is considered a fun way to relax by many. If you want to make the most of your next fishing expedition, here are a few tips we hope can help you get a great catch.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a novice or already a pro when it comes to fishing, you have to remember to always carry the proper gear. Think about what types of lures and live bait you will take with you in line with what kind of fish you want to catch. You must know what works best in every fishing situation you will find yourself in.

If you pick worms as your bait, you must remember to securely thread it to the hook and make sure to use a small fishing hook. If you properly thread the worm to your hook, fish will more likely eat it.

Another tip for those using earthworms is to make these things look bigger by fattening them the night before your trip. This will trick the fishes into believing your bait is bigger than it is. You can do this by lining a flat container with newspapers and placing worms in it. Afterwards, place it in the fridge overnight. The extra humidity and cooler temperature inside the refrigerator will plump up your worms a bit.

Now if you intend to use lures, you should know about the different kind of lures available and work with them based on the type of fish you want to catch. People will tend to use a favorite to catch fish and use this in different conditions but this shouldn’t be how you go about fishing. You can increase your chances of getting a great catch if you take the time out to learn about the different lure types and what works for one condition or another.

You may also want to consider using a spinnerbait if you’re done with using earthworms. These lures work well in shady areas or in other parts where visibility is hazy. Spinnerbaits usually attract bass but they can also work on crappies.

Remember that bass are more likely to be seen at dawn or dusk or hours close to those specified times. They are usually out feeding then. If it’s an overcast day or the lake is looking quite murky, you might be able to catch a few during the day.

And always remember that you put safety first when you fish, though. Make sure your fishing spots don’t have currents or present any possibility of slipping. Take note of low hanging tree branches, fishing worms and wear a life jacket if you intend to be near the water. Just make sure you take extra precautions to keep safe.

It’s not All About SEO when looking at conversion rate

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When it comes to online marketing, search engine optimization (SEO) is seen as a key tool since most individuals use search engines to look for anything on the internet. But it must be understood that SEO’s purposes bear a difference to the purposes of a business site.

Business sites are used for a variety of purposes but mainly it is considered as a conversion tool by companies. The conversion can occur on the site instantly. If it is an e-commerce site, the visitors can buy items immediately on the website. Or it could get more people to sign up for email newsletters. If the conversion does not occur immediately in the site, the website could be used to get people to engage in another kind of action such as contacting the business or locating the business’ location to visit the place. Basically, a business site works as a sales or promotion tool for a business meant to bolster conversions. But to have this happen, marketers essentially need to get people to visit the site first.

This is where a business will need SEO, which is mainly used to drive specific and targeted traffic to a website. It is assumed that a successful SEO campaign will immediately translate to an increase in conversions. However, this doesn’t work all the time and the conversions projected aren’t what the site owners expected. This results in a battle between the site owner and the in-house team or person or even an outsourced firm in charge of SEO. It is understandable that business and site owners want to see a rate increase when it comes to conversions because this equates to an increase in the bottom line and it will justify the budget being given to improving SEO of a company. However, a professional that works on SEO can do everything in his or her ability to get the job done but they do not have control of the site nor of the interest people have over the product or service provided.

SEO can be accurately measured if an improvement in visitor numbers who find the site through organic search and keywords are utilized to locate the website. An SEO campaign needs the incorporation of new keywords into the equation. It becomes successful when people use these relevant keywords and find your site.

But when the time comes that SEO isn’t resulting in conversions, it is important to realize that SEO isn’t the problem. Businesses need to examine their sites and inspect the business model. If the site isn’t user-friendly, the best SEO efforts won’t save it. The products and services also need to be examined. It might not be priced right. SEO will help you gain traffic but it is important to improve the site and product and services as well.

A Short Comparison Between Canola and “Vegetable” Oil

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Canola… Or Vegetable oil. This darn grocery list doesn’t specify which, and the wife’s phone is off. Maybe you could get this snazzy looking sunflower seed oil. Or maybe… No, no. You’ve never heard or used any of these other oils. You need to choose between canola or vegetable.

You, however, don’t know what in the world the difference between the two is. And frankly, most of us don’t. At least, not scientifically. We should get the basics out of the way first before we look at what’s different.

Canola oil comes from the canola plant (surprising!). The canola plant was developed over a period of time back in the 1970s in Canada, being bred specifically for its oil. A fun tidbit is that canola is really just genetically modified rapeseed, but was named canola to avoid the media negativity of the word ‘rape’. Rapeseed has been consistently used throughout the ages as burning fuel for lamps or lubricant for steam engines in Europe. It has a high acidity and is not suitable for human consumption, and there was an extreme lack of demand for rapeseed after the end of World War II when lubricants were no longer a large necessity of the war effort.

So that brings us to why canola exists. Canola is the safe version of rapeseed for human consumption (as well as livestock consumption) by reducing the amount of acid inside the oil, bringing it to an enjoyable level for most animals. It provided a new use for the surplus of rapeseed in Canada and turned it from a speciality crop into something that is widely grown in several countries.

What is vegetable oil, then? This depends on the manufacturer. See, vegetable oil can be any number of oils. It can be a mixture of oils or it can actually be a specific oil but merely labelled as vegetable. In most instances, bottles of vegetable oil are actually filled with soybean oil. Be sure to look at the ingredients the next time you’re in the grocery store!

Now that we know what both canola oil and vegetable oil are, what is the difference between the two of them?

I’m afraid to say that this was a long build up for an anti-climatic ending. There isn’t much difference between the two of them except their fat contents, which canola oil wins in. When comparing tablespoons, you will find that both canola and vegetable oil have 120 calories and 14 grams of fat. You will find that both work perfectly for a deep fryer and that both are a better choice than other oils such as olive oil or safflower oil.

Canola oil wins in the health department by a very small amount, but this difference is negligible when taking into account that you will probably not be consuming very much oil and this will ultimately boil down to a preference of taste. A taste that you obviously don’t know about since you’re buying it for someone else.

Your wife should really turn her phone on. This aisle is so lonely.