Top Gear is one BBC’s most successful programmes of all time. I consistently draw record crow when it is screened, even the repeats attract record audience. The success of Top Gear is not just a UK phenomenon but a world wide one. As a matter of fact, according to Guinness World Records, It’s the most widely watched factual TV programme in the world.
Top Gear success can be attribute to may factors which includes its controversial lead presenter Jeremy Clarkson, the fact that there is hardly any other TV Programmes in the word dedicated to petrol heads with the kind of budget Top Gear seem to have to play about with. The success of of the programme is making an even bigger star out of the tree presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and Captain slow, James May.

Of all the presenters Jeremy Clarkson is the most popular, his fame even extends into Iran where BBC itself is not that popular but Top Gear and Jeremy Clarkson are. There was a very interesting article about how much Iranian love for Jeremy Clarkson and the show, excerpt from the article:

When Mozaffar Shafeie, an Iranian actor living in London, was in Kurdistan a few weeks ago a whisper went round the party he was attending.

They looked sceptical, until he declaimed loudly, “Emshab!” – Farsi for “Tonight!”, the word with which Clarkson, the show’s outspoken and politically incorrect lead presenter, frequently opens the programme (usually followed by a long pause).

You can read the full article here: bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22020822

Investment in Forex Market

In order to achieve a success at Forex market, you must be aware of the rules of financial trading, as well as know who takes part in this type of trading. Also, you have to know the structure of the currency market. Any Forex player has to understand on which factors the currency rates are dependant. Now Forex investors refer to key participants of this market.

When you invest your money funds in some capital issues in hope to receive additional income, this kind of activity refers to an investment. Some experts think that Forex itself is also an investment. The market participants make money on Forex. So they reap profits from their trading activities. Usually, the aim of the market investors is to purchase corporate and government approved securities at Forex market. There is a variety of the investors on the currency market, such as investment and pension funds and insurance companies. As a rule, the potential Forex market investors diversify their assets. In this case the essence of diversification is to use the local investments on the deposits of the investors.

If a certain investment fund is a reliable one, it always has a desire to invest money funds in some socially important facilities or projects. This improves people’s life. In turn people respect such investors and trust them. The reputation of such investment funds is perfect. It’s a complicated task to decide in which sphere it’s necessary to invest money. There are numerous examples when the investors who just begin their activities on Forex market suffer substantial losses. This happens because of the number of reasons, such as the absence of experience and reputation, the desire to earn a lot of money immediately. In this situation the risk to go into bankruptcy is very high. Finally, these investors go out the market.

It should be noted that a Forex broker also refers to the investors, because he makes the investments into the trading operations of the customers at Forex market.

If you strive to become one of the investors at Forex market, your primary task is to learn the sphere, in which you want to carry out your business. Also, it’s very important to take care of your reputation. In this case your Forex online (learn more about it) investments will be successful and you will get a high return on them.

A living document: You should view your business plan as a living document, a tool you use to run your business more effectively. Without having a regularly updated business plan, which accurately describes your business, its market, goals, development strategy and cash flow predictions, you risk drifting from one week to the next, never knowing where you’re heading.
Your business probably won’t grow as quickly as it could or in the way it should. In short, you won’t be in control of your destiny. And because a business plan can help you recognize and avoid problems long before they become serious, ultimately you risk failure.
A business plan might not contain all of the answers – but it should at least ask all of the questions. The document should serve as a detailed roadmap for the next year or so, something that will stop you making bad decisions – and hopefully enable you to make some wise ones. 

Key business plan contents: Business plans include an executive summary, which appears at the beginning of the document and condenses key facts. If it lacks credibility, people won’t read on. A business plan should also describe your business’s history, its competences, key products/services, goals, market and management. The document must also clearly explain your objectives and business-development strategy (how you plan to achieve your goals).
No matter how good your words or the story you tell, as any experienced adviser or entrepreneur will tell you, a business plan’s most important aspect is its financial information. If your figures don’t stack up, the plan, you and your business will lack credibility. Forecasts should include cash flow predictions for the next 12 months or more. Monthly sales forecasts and costs need detailing, to prove there’s sufficient working capital (or that you realize you’ll need to arrange additional finance).
All assumptions should be explained, with worst- and best-case scenarios considered. List any risks and explain your methods for dealing with ‘unexpected’ problems (a SWOT analysis is ideal for this).

Get the most out of your business plan: Things change in business – which is why you must update your business plan regularly if you’re to maximize its value.
Financial data is most likely to change, as real sales and costs become apparent. Inputting actual figures into your business plan enables you to adjust your forecasts and run your business on a much better informed basis.
Looking at your business plan regularly also allows you to remind yourself of your goals and to judge how well your business is performing. Then you can make changes intended to improve your chances of success.

Interior design

Don’t have the funds for fancy wallpaper? Post-its can help!

You may need a couple of packs and a spare hour or two, but if you’re after a feature wall which makes a great impact the humble Post-it can be of service.

If you’re not a fan of block colour then you can also draw a design on random Post-it’s to give your wall a tiled effect.

Dress yourself
In the summer of 2012, a Canadian student created her prom dress from algebra homework and Post-it notes. It took her 4 months to create and despite her peers arriving in the usual ball gown attire, she felt like the belle of the ball!

If you’re going to try this at home makes sure you check the weather forecast first – you’ll look great in the sunshine but any downpours could cause your clobber to disintegrate. Best check the wind speed too as not only will a slight breeze blow up your skirt, it may blow it off.

Original prankster

This is a student classic which has been done again and again, but it always teaches the victim to lock their door! This prank generally involves a group of students applying multiple packs of Post-it notes to completely cover their housemate’s bedroom, computer, wardrobe, curtains, etc. Similar stunts have been pulled using foil and cling-film but the Post-it is often the most popular choice. Check out the video evidence of this 7000 post-it prank in practice.

A new ‘do

Fancy a new look without the hassle of visiting the hairdressers? The characters of Green Wing were recently spotted bearing the Post-it look during episode 4 and now you can emulate it at home using your own pack of yellow (‘blonde’) notes. Fancying a slice of colour? Invest in a pack of neon notes from stationary giant, Viking Direct, which will surely add a bit of brightness to your life.

Art

It isn’t often that CNN report on art, but they did when it was created using Post-it notes! A 19 year old student from Washington, USA created a mosaic of Ray Charles using 7 shades of Post-its over 3 months. The simple, yet effective mural was 10ft tall and has certainly set the standard if you decide to try this one on a rainy day!

Cash Advances

A PayDay Loan, for someone not familiar with the term, is a small loan until your next payday. Depending on whether you are paid bi-weekly or monthly, the loan is typically of short duration of between 2-4 weeks only.

There is a very large industry of PayDay loan providers who offer loans of a few hundred to over a thousand pounds to cover a temporary shortfall in funds and to tide someone over until they next get paid. Other types of loans are often suitable when one has immediate needs or wishes to repay the loan only a few weeks after borrowing the money.

How Suitable is a Personal Loan?

Personal loans are typically provided for specific items like the purchase of a new car, home improvements or a luxury holiday. The duration of a personal loan is most often 1-5 years and so is not appropriate for a short-term loan. It is also usually not possible to request a loan for a relatively small sum like five hundred to one thousand pounds and ideally one would not want to borrow such a small sum over a period of years. Personal loans are simply not designed to cover short-term financial difficulties.

What is the Attitude Towards PayDay Loans?
PayDay loans have a questionable reputation because the rates charged are far higher than for a long-term personal loan. However, one needs to look at this on balance.

When a bank charges a twenty pound fee for going overdrawn for 2 days, and tells you that this was the unauthorised overdraft fee and that it is in the small print, few people think of calculating what the equivalent percentage interest rate would be. But really they should! If they did, they would discover the equivalent rate from a high street bank was often in the thousands of percent per annum for these bank fees.

This is similar to the rates charged indirectly with pawn brokers that temporarily take possession of your goods in exchange for an agreed amount, but to have the items returned, an agreed payment must be made plus a sizeable percentage increase (their profit) within a given time, otherwise the pawn broker keeps the item exchanged, and later sells it.

Nonetheless, PayDay loans get a bad rap because their interest rates are clearly stated, whereas excessive bank loan fees and pawn broker costs are shown only as a fee, and not percentage terms. This helps to mask the true costs of these services.

There is a certain stigma associated with taking out a PayDay loan. However, it really comes down to what a person’s need is and whether a PayDay loan is the most suitable way to resolve that need.

Pros of PayDay Loans
Fast loan approval. As long as the appropriate documents (like ID and recent payslips) are provided, the PayDay loan can be completed in half an hour or less.

Privacy. Usually your employer is not contacted to confirm your employment, the paperwork is simple and the deal is kept private.

No credit check.
No collateral needed.

Cons of PayDay Loans

Equivalent interest rates can run as high as over 1,000% per annum.
Tough contracts. The contractual terms benefit the lender and do little to protect the borrower.
Short-term solution to financial difficulties.
Collection of past due repayment may be performed in a heavy handed manner which can be a concern for some people.

Home Improvement Projects

Work around the house and home improvement projects can be a costly undertaking, particularly if your home hasn’t seen enough upkeep or care as it is. If you’re just moving into a new place where the previous owners haven’t been able to make important repairs or installations, or if it’s a place that you’ve had for a while but you’ve been too busy to do to required work, then things may have piled up. The longer you wait to do certain projects, the more complicated and expensive they are to accomplish. The sooner you get started on fixing things up and making the needed repairs, the sooner you can have your home in a state that is safe and livable. There’s just one problem that most people face, and that is the problem of finances.

When you need money but you also need finances, it can be quite a dilemma. On the one hand, there are always things that seem important and priority for you to spend money on, but on the other hand home improvement projects cannot wait. While you need that new jacket or pair of shoes, you also need to repair your leaky sink or faulty electric socket. A cash advance can help you to resolve the dilemma and accomplish both things at once. Once you get your next paycheck you can repay the money and start saving for your next important project.

To get a cash advance, all you have to do is find an online lender that you can work with. You’d be surprised at just how many lenders there are online that you can find with just a quick web search and the click of a link. If you take a look, you might find ten or twenty lenders who offer service in your area for a reasonable price, and within just a few seconds of searching.

Cash advances are offered to anyone who is employed, at least 18 years old, and has a valid bank account the lender can work with. As long as you have an internet connection to access the lender’s website and you fulfill all the other requirements, you should have no problem getting the advance you need. Most lenders guarantee their loans to be approved within 24 hours as long as there are no problems with the application submitted. Best of all, these services are open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, because they are accessible online by anyone who connects.

Saving for Your Retirement

Although retirement is meant to be the best time in a person’s life, the truth of the matter is that not so many people really enjoy their retirement moment. Although it is a special time when you have all the time you need to do everything you have ever wanted in life, lack of money can frustrate your dreams. In fact, with the cost of living in UK increasing at a rapid rate nowadays, lack of a regular income can mean a hard life during your retirement age. In fact, most of the retirees who never saved for their retirement have no option rather than living by the help of government funds and grants meant for the retired. It is needless to say that such funds are limited and only meant for mere sustenance and upkeep.

Saving for your retirement is a fundamental step that assures you of the kind of life you would wish for after you have retired. First, common savings can serve you better during retirement period as saving accounts usually pay interest on money deposited in them. Additional amounts still fetch some interest meaning that by the time you retire, you will have your initial deposit and accumulated interest with you. There are some financial institutions such as banks in UK that offer specialized saving accounts that help with planning for retirement. Such saving plans offer high interest provided the account holder satisfies all the implied deposit conditions.

Another option of saving for your retirement is certificates of deposit. Purchase of these certificates help in setting funds aside for retirement and just like saving accounts, they earn interest as well during the maturity period. So when collecting the certificate, your money will have built up to guarantee a secure future. While some of these certificates last for many years, others are meant for short term financial gains which are also a great way to plan for your retirement.

Still, there is a wide range of variety of investment plans tailored for retirement which you could also take advantage of. These investment plans are either employer or private sponsored and the money can even be invested in the stock exchange market and then collected at the time of retirement. However, since the stock market is known to be very risky and volatile, the investment stock selected should be carefully chosen to avoid loosing your savings. Pension plans are also another alternative although these are less favored in UK compared to investment plans. In this arrangement, the employee contributes to the plan during employment period and the employer also pays a matching amount of money into the plan as well. This is more or less like a savings account where the employee accesses the funds upon retirement.

There are also other options for saving for your retirements which you can explore till you find the most appropriate one. All of these options keeps you a step ahead and ensures that neither you nor your loved will undergo through financial difficulties when you will no longer be able to work. With a sound retirement plan, you don’t have to rely on the government, family members or friends to sustain yourself.

The Smart Tourist’s Guide to Greece

The Smart Tourist’s Guide to Greece – An insider’s look on Greek tourism and the vibrant culture behind it by Theodore Koukouvitis

Through the pages of “The Smart Tourist’s Guide to Greece”, author Theodore Koukouvitis takes us off the spoon-fed tourist circuit and into the real heart of Greek culture which most tourists never experience. Millions visit Greece each year and never get to realize the amazing depths of this country thanks to the canned nature of modern tourism; this book aims to set things right.
If you are looking for a tourist guide to tell you where to find the cheapest hotels and biggest gyros portions then this book is not for you. The Smart Tourist’s Guide to Greece complements rather than competes with “mainstream” guide books and aims to give tourist’s an insider’s view of what’s really going on here.
Wars, treachery and scandals have shaped Greece but so have bravery, ingenuity and democracy. Scratching beneath the surface we find a reality which may be more brutal than most “mainstream” tourist guides and tourist providers would ever admit but at the same time it far richer and more genuine than any canned tourist attraction in Greece. Koukouvitis writes as a tourist from a local’s perspective and as a local from a tourist’s perspective, giving readers a unique insight on what is really the deal with Greece.
Koukouvitis leaves no stone unturned and scrutinizes every aspect that makes up modern tourism in Greece. This is a hard-hitting book that handles issues other guides wouldn’t dare explore such as prostitution, police brutality, the ruinous financial legacy of the 2004 Olympics (and their unforeseen benefits), homosexuality and the effects of the economic crisis on tourism.
Despite the serious nature of the book, everything is handled with a healthy dose of humor and a refreshing twist that sheds light to tough issues such as racial and national misconceptions among tourists and locals, in funny, yet totally serious tones.

It’s simple, if you want to know more about the real Greece today and how to spot the countless hidden treasures that lie off the beaten tourist path, then you cannot afford to pass on this book.

You can buy Smart Tourist’s Guide to Greece here.

Asbestos Compensation Claims

As aforementioned, mesothelioma is a cancer that forms in the lining of the lungs. This type of lung cancer kills 1,800 Brits each year. Such figures may seem insignificant to the 12,000 that die from breast cancer for example, or the even larger numbers that fall fatal to non-melanoma. However, when one considers the fact that mesothelioma’s causes are considerably scarcer than other forms of cancer, the numbers of Brits that die each year from the disease speak a different story.

Causes of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos, a type of fibres that are very harmful to the lungs when breathed in. Its deadliness is such that it is the single greatest cause of work related deaths in the United Kingdom and there are therefore noticeably high amounts of asbestos compensation claims made by workers each year.

It can be found in a number of places, which include textured coatings, insulating boards, cements, and on boilers. In general, most of the places and situations in which one could contract mesothelioma are in construction sites and buildings where exposure to asbestos is likely.

Therefore, in proportion to the number of the population that work in such conditions, the number of Brits that die each year of Mesothelioma is high.

Doing All You Can to Avoid Mesothelioma

Those working with a dangerous level of exposure to asbestos ought to of course be aware of what should be done to avoid mesothelioma or any other asbestos related illness for that matter.

Refrain from often using power tools that create a lot of dust and wear a suitable face mask if doing so. This will go some way to reducing the levels of asbestos exposure, as will ensuring your hands are washed both before breaks and at the end of your day. You should also be constantly cleaning while you’re working, through hovering and sweeping up dust and debris on a regular basis.

Those whose jobs involve high levels of asbestos exposure ought to steer clear from smoking regularly.