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Effective Preparation Resources to Ace Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals Certification Exam in One Go Using Practice Tests

Sam Allcock
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Effective Preparation Resources to Ace Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals Certification Exam in One Go Using Practice Tests

Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals is a foundational-level credential that is designed to validate the candidates’ expertise in Cloud services and how these services are offered with Microsoft Certbolt Azure. If you’re looking to take up the job roles related to Cloud-based services and solutions, this certification is a good starting point. It also serves as a foundation for pursuing other Azure role-based and specialty certificates.  In this article, we are going to discuss the best preparation materials that will help you obtain your Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals badge at the first attempt.

The Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals certification evaluates the candidates’ knowledge of Cloud concepts, Azure pricing and supports, Azure services, Azure security, and privacy. Their general understanding of technology concepts, ExamSnap Microsoft 98-349 such as networking concepts, storage, application support, compute, and application development, will also be measured. To obtain this credential, the students must clear the Microsoft AZ-900 exam. It’s important to note that there’s no prerequisite for taking this prerequisite test. You are not required to have any specific technical experience. All you need to do is make sure that you have a grasp of the main domains before taking the exam.

As the Microsoft AZ-900 exam is intended for the novices in the field, it should not pose big problems for you. Author: Amir L However, you still need to study for the test so you can pass it on your first try. Let’s look at the top resources that you can use to prepare for your certification exam.

  • Training Courses

With the instructor-led courses, you will have an opportunity to learn from the seasoned experts in the industry and ask questions whenever you encounter difficulties in comprehension of a particular exam concept. MD-100 Check out the Microsoft website to find out more details of the official training courses.

  • Learning Paths

Microsoft offers some free self-study learning paths to help the candidates boost their performance in the certification exam. You’ll find links to these resources on the official webpage. You should invest some time in going through these learning paths to develop your competence in the domains of the test.

  • Video Tutorials

If you’re looking for free study materials for your test, YouTube is a great platform to explore. You’ll find various video tutorials that explain the topics of the exam in detail. When using this site, you should be careful about the instructors you follow. Read the comment section to know what other candidates are saying about the tutors. Jerry I This will let you know if these videos are credible and worth your time.

  • Practice Tests and Exam Dumps

You need to understand the kinds of questions that will appear in the Microsoft AZ-900 test. The best way to get familiar with the question formats is to review exam dumps. These materials contain the real questions provided by the former students. Practice tests, in their turn, will help you check your current level of knowledge and improve your time management skills.

Conclusion

With proper preparation, your exam for the Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals credential will be a piece of cake. ExamTopics Braindumps Download You can increase your chances of success in Microsoft AZ-900 by combining different training options mentioned in this article. Start your preparation beforehand to have sufficient time to cover all the topic areas of the test and your badge will be in your pocket!

Done Brothers Pocket £200 Million On William Hill Shares

Sam Allcock
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Done Brothers Pocket £200 Million On William Hill Shares

Fred, and Peter Done, co-founders and owners of Betfred, have been operating in the gambling sector for over 50 years now, and remain hungry to grow their business despite their estimated joint fortune of £1.2 billion. The brothers come from humble beginnings in post-WW2 Salford, sharing a room with two siblings in a poor neighbourhood, and they helped their father operate his gambling business before off-course was legalised following the Betting and Gaming Act 1960.

Their calculated risk-taking over the decades – starting with a successful bet on England winning the World Cup in 1966 that helped capitalise the Betfred business has led to a portfolio of over 1,300 betting shops in the United Kingdom and Ireland, a vibrant on-line gambling platform , a US sports betting exchange introduced last year after legalisation of gambling in the States in 2018, together with a clutch of other profitable businesses.

According to WhichBookie the Done brothers are now poised to pocket just under £200 million, following the recently agreed £2.9 billion sale of their William Hill rivals to US entertainment giant, Caesars Entertainment Inc. Fred, 77-years old, and Peter Done, 73-years old, had cannily invested in William Hills shares over the past two years and increased their stake at least three times in 2020, doubling their shareholding to 6% since March. The brothers showed immense confidence in the gambling sector, despite the severe commercial hit of the coronavirus pandemic on Betfred and its rivals, and scented an opportunity to make a big bundle of cash as investor businesses circled William Hill as potential suitors.

Apollo Global Management Inc. and Caesars were both in the running but the William Hill Board accepted the Caesars’ offer, in part driven by the existing commercial relationship between the two companies – the two companies have a joint venture whereby William Hill’s sports betting applications and odds feature on US cable channel ESPN. Indeed Caesars already own 20% of William Hill’s US operation, which has exclusive rights to use the Caesar’s brand, and the impetus for the bid is Hill’s US bookmaking business, operated from 170 retail sites in 13 states. Naturally, the interest shown by both Apollo and Caesars caused the share price to soar, with a 600% rise since March, and the Done brothers have made a killing as a result.

But this may not be the end of the matter for the Done family as Caesars has made it clear that William Hill’s 1,400 UK betting shops are surplus to requirements, saying that their aim is to “seek suitable partners or owners”. Betfred has now expressed interest in the shops, keen to complete a successful purchase to double its retail business. However, it is believed that William Hill’s CEO Ulrik Bengtsson may be planning a buy-out of the UK operations and a number of private equity companies are also considering their options.

The UK gambling sector has had a bumpy ride in recent years with increased pressure from Parliament and the Gambling Commission to protect vulnerable gamblers. Fred Done was critical of the Government’s decision in 2018 to limit the maximum wager on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOTBs) in betting shops, from £100 to £2. However, canny operators in the sector – and we include Betfred in this category – have continued to deliver profits and the Done brothers were able to reward themselves with dividends of £10.2 million after reporting operating profits of nearly £75 million for the year ended September 2019.

In fact, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates that Fred and Peter Done have enjoyed some £100 million of dividends from their business holdings in the past five years. The sale of William Hill will boost the brothers’ fortunes considerably and provide extra work for the family office set up in 2019 with the aim of establishing their own investment firm. The brothers rarely comment on their business dealings but a couple of years ago Fred Done did say “I’m in many businesses now, but bookmaking is still my first love. Fixing the odds, I enjoy it.” Mr Done’s passion transmutes into tangible business rewards and we congratulate him and his brother, Peter, on their success.

3 Essential Benefits Of Data Centre Lifecycle Management

ABC Staff
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3 Essential Benefits Of Data Centre Lifecycle Management

One of the significant challenges that most data centre experts face is optimizing the performance of data center equipment and curbing the system’s downtime. 

The sheer complexity of the data center that includes servers, power, and cooling equipment, can be hard to manage by the professional who often loses track of the equipment that eventually malfunctions. When this happens, it usually ends in the loss of business. 

However, it is possible to avoid this by using the power of data center life cycle management tools and principles. A skilled expert in data center products and services will help the owners maintain their facilities and keep their business functioning at a reasonable cost. 

Here are three critical reasons why you must consider investing in data center lifecycle management. 

1. Digitization Of Business Operations

All kinds of organizations – small, medium, and large, rely on digital operations these days. Doing so helps IT professionals to take advantage of the digitized data for a competitive edge in the marketplace. 

Considering the high stakes for the IT times, the team leaders often spend a considerable amount of time to choose a strategic data center lifecycle management vendor to ensure that they get the best bouquet of technologies such as cloud computing, software-defined data centers, as well as IoT. 

Life cycle management vendors are also responsible for developing an effective lifecycle management strategy that helps them preserve and manage their data at all times. 

2. Keeps Costs In Control

A data center lifecycle management service provider will provide space in the cloud environment to support data scalability. However, the lifecycle management strategy understands the importance of data moving through various stages of its lifecycle. 

For instance, once it reaches a stage when it is no longer useful for the production environment, it can be moved to a relatively cheaper storage option. You can work closely with your strategic partner to build and execute a data lifecycle plan for your organization.

Doing so will help you choose from a wide array of technology solutions to minimize the costs, right from storage to archiving. 

3. Enhances Security

A data breach can devastate a company’s reputation. It is not only expensive but also causes long-term damage to the company’s reputation as well as credibility. With the digitization of data, security has become complicated in today’s business environments because most organizations prefer to use in-house solutions and off-house cloud services to store and back-up their data. 

Additionally, cybercriminals that have the potential to cause harm to your operations have become adept at sensing the gaps in your data protection mechanisms. 

As more and more organizations come onboard cloud services as well as other models of data archiving and storage, they must work closely with their clients to secure their prized data assets. This is where a data lifecycle management strategy steps in. It incorporates data protection as its core competency. 

As the data moves to various other places, choosing a single vendor to protect and preserve your data offers a greater security level than trying to do this yourself. This is especially true if you use public cloud environments where you become more susceptible to external attacks. Thus, it is recommended that you work with a single data lifecycle management organization that can help you mitigate these risks. 

Choosing The Right Data Centre Electrical Partner

When choosing an electrical partner for your data centre, be sure to work with providers who have the experience and the infrastructure to support your data center needs. They should have not only protection and storage capabilities but also the option to provide customized solutions to clients as per their requirements. Let experts help you maintain your data centre effectively for achieving substantial growth and returns!

The Best Fertility Apps to Boost Your Chances of Conceiving

Claire James
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The Best Fertility Apps to Boost Your Chances of Conceiving

In 2019, the UK birth rate was 11.488 births per 1,000 people — a 0.48% decline from the previous year. One of the lowest levels since fertility was recorded in 1938, while the highest peak of fertility was recorded in 1947. Since then, this has dropped by 45.9%. Although this might appear that as a society, we’re becoming less fertile, in actual fact many of us are living longer and consequently having children later. With traditional family roles changing and women choosing to focus on their careers before starting a family, the fertility rate naturally falls. For example, in 2019, the average age of first-time mothers was around the ages of 30 to 34 years old, whereas in 1970, it was 21 years old.

However, with that, brings the risk of women having a reduced chance of being able to conceive at an older age, with many taking health supplements to improve chances of conceiving such as coenzyme Q10. Women naturally become less fertile as they age, with the fertility rate typically starting to decline in their late 20s to early 30s.

Back in the day, before contraception, natural family planning — also known as fertility awareness — was a way for couples to avoid pregnancy by having sex when the woman was at her least fertile in her cycle. But this method can also be used to our advantage. We have an app for everything these days, and that now includes baby making. If you’re hoping to fall pregnant, here, we take a look at the best fertility apps to help you conceive. Fertility apps have never been more fertile!

Clue

App store rating: 4.7 stars*
Price: free with in-app purchases

As well as being a period tracker for those keeping tabs on their menstrual cycle, Clue not only tells you your most fertile days, but helps you make sense of your cycle patterns, fertility, and menstrual health. With help from science and logging your data, Clue helps you to get an in depth understanding about your body and personal patterns, tracking factors such as period pains, skin, hair, and sleep. There’s an ovulation calculator and predictions on how fertile you are.

Flo Period & Pregnancy Tracker

App store rating: 4.7 stars*
Price: free with in-app purchases

A simple and effective period and ovulation cracker, Flo uses artificial intelligence to provide accurate fertility predictions. With the ability to log over 70 symptoms, you can also enjoy a plethora of expert articles that are adapted to become informed on your lifestyle. You can even discuss intimate topics with other users to create a network of support among women across the world.

Natural Cycles

App store rating: 4.7 stars*
Price: free with in-app purchases

Garnering a lot of media attention, Natural Cycles was created by a couple looking for an effective method of contraception and created the app. Now, it is used by thousands as a means of pregnancy planning — with two options, ‘prevent’, and ‘plan’. Were you aware that your temperature is linked to your menstrual cycle? By analysing your basal body temperature on a morning over a period of time, this app gives a clear and simple indication of your fertility with algorithms.

Ovia

App store rating: 4.7
Price: Free

Using algorithms, fertility research, and your personal data, Ovia tracks your cycle and predicts your most fertile days with a fertility window and fertility score, suggesting days which are best for you to try and conceive. By tracking your basal body temperature, cervical fluid, cervical position, medications, and other personal data such as diet and exercise, you’ll get real-time health alerts based on your symptoms and cycle insights. You also get access to free expert articles on the topic of fertility and reproductive health, as well as access to a community to ask anonymous questions.

If you’re planning on starting a family, consider naturally tracking your days which will have the highest chances. If you’re concerned about your fertility, then please seek medical advice from your GP.

*As of April 2020

Tips to Keep Your Immune System Healthy?

Claire James
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Tips to Keep Your Immune System Healthy?

The current worldwide crisis over Covid-19 has had many of us searching for ways to keep healthy.  We’re all taking the recommended advice about washing our hands regularly and thoroughly, self-isolating, and avoiding touching our faces.  But is there anything we can be doing to help our bodies fight off viruses and flu? Here, we’ll discuss tips to help your immune system – an intricate and complex network with numerous components – explaining why it could be a good idea to integrate these easy steps into your routine.

The workings of the immune system…

When our bodies come into contact with a new germ, firstly it has to bypass numerous barriers and defences such as mucus and microbes.  When these disease-causing germs, called antigens, enter the body, the immune system is alerted of an attack and white blood cells (the cells of the immune system) produce antibodies that bind with these harmful cells — antibodies have a specific binding site that can only match up with each individual cell. Our immune system is incredibly smart, and when an antibody has been created to fight off a disease, it will be remembered for life, quickening our body’s response and providing immunity. However, our immune system also has some blind spots, where they might not recognise certain antigens, or those that have evolved sneaky evasion strategies.

If you get the flu vaccine and are exposed to the flu afterwards, your body will recognise and immediately fight it off. However, as the flu virus mutates every year, you need a vaccine every year. The same goes for the common cold — ever wondered why you catch it a few times a year and don’t become immune?

This concept is what drove the UK’s initial herd immunity strategy, where enough people would get mildly ill to become immune and the outbreak will fizzle out on its own. So, that brings us to the next section — what can we do to help our immune system stay healthy and improve its ability to help the body recover?

Is diet important?

Don’t ever underestimate the effect that a healthy diet has on your body and immune system. Self-isolating and staying indoors often leads to boredom, and boredom often leads to eating. We know that it can be easy slipping into an unhealthy comfort food diet, especially when there’s nothing else to do, but this won’t be doing any good for your immune system.

Eat more fruit and veg — trick those sugar cravings by switching out a chocolate bar for a clementine or satsuma. Nutritionists advise to eat five different coloured fruits and vegetables to get all the nutrients you need. These can be dried, frozen, and canned. A diverse diet helps your gut flora, which has a symbiotic relationship with our health, such as fibre, yoghurt, and fermented foods.

Proteins are good too, which doesn’t have to be a joint of beef or a roast chicken. Cheap tins of beans and legumes are available and can provide big portions. Plus, they keep longer, so you’d need to venture out to the shops a lot less.

Could a supplement help?

Evidence suggests that there are vitamins and supplements that reduce the chances of contracting a respiratory virus by 42 per cent and reduce the time a person is ill from a respiratory virus, which is what Covid-19 causes.

Scientific research has found that a health supplement like vitamin D3 regulates the immune system and adapts immune responses, supporting healthy immune function against disease. A randomised trial found that vitamin D supplementation reduced the contraction of influenza A, and low levels of vitamin D are correlated with frequently catching colds and flu.

Similarly, vitamin C is great for your immune system. An essential micronutrient, it is a strong antioxidant that contributes to immune defence and supports barrier functions against germs. Remember — don’t take health supplements as a replacement to eating well. You’ve got to do both for it to be effective and to stay healthy.

Exercise

To be immunologically fit, you must be physically fit. Exercises keeps your blood flow mobilising, which is home to your white blood cells. The NHS advises that adults should do around 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise, such as hiking, gardening, and cycling. For older people who are more vulnerable to Covid-19, any exercise possible is better than nothing. Don’t strain yourself and don’t meet with others — take a breather from staying at home and have a walk by yourself or do some gardening outside.

Not only is exercise good for our bodies, but good for our mind too. It’s well established that exercise reduces stress, which helps your immune system in tip top condition.

So, there we have some tips on how to keep your immune system healthy during the outbreak of coronavirus. Understanding why these factors are important is key to integrating them into your lifestyle.

8 Simple Rules: Integrating Eco-Friendly Business Travel

Claire James
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8 Simple Rules: Integrating Eco-Friendly Business Travel

Travel restrictions have been relaxed and we’re able to travel to different countries after several months of lockdown and a motionless economy. According to National Geographic, daily CO2 emissions fell 17 per cent below last year’s levels during lockdown. While it is positive for the environment, the concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere increased to 418 parts per million, equating to the highest ever recorded level.

It has never been more important for us to evaluate our carbon footprint, particularly in business. The BBC reported that aviation contributes to roughly two per cent of the world’s carbon emissions, with passenger numbers predicted to double to 8.2 billion in 2037. In 2018, there were eight million business trips taken from the UK — taking a long haul flight generates more carbon emissions than the average person does in a year. With other sectors of the economy working towards a greener way of life, aviation’s negative contribution is set to rise.

The fall in CO2 emissions exhibit how we can make changes when humanity work towards a common goal. So here, we’ll take a look at how to keep your business trip eco-friendly, looking at alternative ways to travel or developments in technology that allow businesses to work remotely.

1.      Do you need to travel?

The majority of us have probably had Zoom and Skype calls over lockdown. Technology has become incredibly useful in allowing us to connect with people all over the world, and these digital tools have revolutionised the working world, facilitating virtual meetings. The pandemic has put remote working software to the test, with offices split and a vast majority of workers working from home — Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Skype for Business have been on the forefront of remote working.

Communication technologies are allowing employees to be more productive and efficient. Large amounts of time and money can be saved by choosing to switch to virtual meetings rather than flying for several hours across the world. Relationships can be maintained internally and externally without needing everyone in the same room.

2.      Alternative options

If it is essential that you travel, consider your mode of transport. For example, do you really need to fly? If it’s possible to take a train or bus instead of a plane, you should consider it. Travelling by train releases around seven times less emissions than a plane does in the same route. Although this might not be feasible for cross-country trips, it’s certainly more efficient and sustainable than regional or national flights. Eco passenger is a handy tool to compare the energy consumption and CO2 emissions when travelling with different transport.

Did you know that travelling by train is almost always greener than a plane? For example, a journey from London to Madrid would release 43kg of CO2 per passenger by train and 118kg by plane.

3.      Sacrifices

In the event that other modes of transport aren’t possible, and you must take a flight, fly economy class. According to the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), carbon emissions are three times higher per passenger per kilometre travelled for business class and four times higher for first class. This is due to the fact that there’s more space per seat, with each person accounting for a larger amount of the pollution of the plane.

4.      To fly or not to fly direct

Although many different variables contribute, such as strength of wind and number of passengers on board, planes use significantly more fuel when taking off and landing. On a four-hour flight, the surge of engine power used to elevate the plane to the appropriate cruising altitude can account for anywhere between 10 and 20 per cent of total fuel consumption. Simply, direct flights are more efficient, although may be less economical, because you’re only taking off once rather than twice or more.

5.      Travelling light

The lighter you travel, the less fuel needed to transport it. Although it’s unlikely that you’ll be packing a 138-litre suitcase for a several day business trip, be sensible with what you take with you.

6.      Selecting airlines

Now, the notion of an eco-friendly airline might sound highly contradictory, but there are airlines which are more environmentally friendly than others that you could choose to fly with to reduce your carbon footprint. The average fuel consumption per passenger is below four litres per 100km, however some companies are making effort to improve their fuel consumption and efficiency to meet internal targets set within the industry.

These eco-friendly targets can be a range of goals. They may include upgrading to a greener fleet with newer aircrafts (older aircraft use more kerosene, a combustible hydrocarbon liquid derived from petroleum) and using more environmentally friendly materials. You can also carry out additional research by finding which aircraft you’ll be flying on and which models are more fuel efficient. For example, Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 are leading the way in terms of fuel efficiency. If you want to go the extra mile, you can research CO2 emissions for your flight with Matrix Airfare Search by comparing similar airlines and routes to find the most eco-friendly route and airline for you.

7.      Carbon offsetting

You can book a flight with an airline which offsets carbon emissions. The rise of ‘flygskam’, which when translated from Swedish means ‘flight shame’, has put pressure on airlines to offer travellers the option to offset the carbon emissions of their flights. This is a process which involves calculating the emissions of a journey and then purchasing credits from projects which focus on preventing or removing the equivalent amount of pollutants somewhere else. For example, many carbon offsetting programs include planting trees to help absorb carbon dioxide to remove it from the atmosphere, a key part in tackling climate change.

According to Gold Standard, the offsetting watchdog, the amount of investment from those hoping to cancel their carbon impact on the planet has risen fourfold over recent years.

The amount of transport you take over a year will likely equate for most of your carbon footprint, a figure even higher for those on business trips. Seriously consider these steps to help us work towards a green society.

Tracerco secures first baseline subsea inspection project for a new pipelay development

Claire James
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Tracerco secures first baseline subsea inspection project for a new pipelay development

Tracerco, part of Johnson Matthey Plc, has recently been awarded a deep-water subsea inspection project to assess the integrity of a new pipelay in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM).

As a method of ensuring maximum value and profitability, whilst safeguarding operational personnel and the environment, the operator will deploy DiscoveryTM, Tracerco’s Subsea CT Scanner, to obtain critical baseline integrity data on the new pipeline system.

Via the use of corrosion modelling, multiple inspection locations will be identified by the operator along the pipe. DiscoveryTM will then be deployed to scan each pre-defined inspection area to obtain critical baseline data and identify and characterise any potential metal loss anomalies, defects or general wall loss. By obtaining this accurate integrity data on areas of future potential concern, the operator will ensure they have the data needed to be confident going forward, that the condition of their pipeline system meets all safety and regulatory requirements, whilst ensuring that maximum production is achieved.

After the initial inspection campaign, DiscoveryTM will be deployed annually to reinspect the new pipeline system to measure corrosion growth rates and identify any potential integrity concerns.

DiscoveryTM, was deemed the most suitable technological solution for the inspection campaign, as it can provide real time data on a variety of integrity issues including pipeline corrosion, pitting and wall thinning, without interrupting production. DiscoveryTM inspections are also non-intrusive, meaning the risk of damage to the pipeline is minimised as there is no requirement to remove any protective coating – regardless of thickness and material.

To learn more about how you can obtain accurate wall thickness measurements, eliminate costly downtime and keep production targets on track during a subsea pipeline inspection campaign, visit tracerco.com/services/subsea/ or email tracerco@tracerco.com  

Tracerco, part of Johnson Matthey plc, is a global oil and gas service company providing local support through an extensive range of bases and offices worldwide. With approximately 400 people with 30 different nationalities, Tracerco aims to provide its customers with global coverage, with a local service culture.

Tracerco supplies a wide range of innovative technologies to measure and characterise process conditions and diagnose operational problems across the petroleum industry ranging from reservoir through to refining. Tracerco’s specialist technologies are used to increase production, reduce operating costs and optimise shutdown programmes. For further information visit Tracerco

Flogas Reveals Gloucester as UK’s Most Private City

Claire James
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Flogas Reveals Gloucester as UK’s Most Private City

It’s been a tough year … so far!  If you’re looking for solace, a chance to get away from it all, a secluded getaway to leave your 2020 woes behind – then look no further!

As Britons opt for a staycation over trips abroad this year, energy supplier Flogas has revealed Gloucester to be the Escapists’ Paradise you didn’t know you needed.

Flogas has compiled the UK’s most private holiday spots by analysing reviews of 60 British cities to award them a ‘privacy’ rating. They explored the number of publicly owned CCTV cameras in each area, its population, how connected and accessible the area is, and which city the terms ‘secluded’ and ‘hidden’ were most frequently used on TripAdvisor.

After allocating an overall score out of 100, Gloucester came out on top, owing to its great combination of social privacy (100), and accessibility (97.9).

Mark Whittaker, General Manager – Consumer, at Flogas, said: “Taking a break from our day-to -day routine is something we all crave, but even when we manage weekend trips, how often can we truly switch off? With our Escapists’ Paradise data set, you can now explore some of our island’s most treasured and secluded spots to have the perfect staycation.

“It seems that the South West has the answers, with Gloucester and Salisbury ranking first and second, while the rural city of Hereford completes the top three.”

It will come as no surprise to see London at the wrong end of the charts with a score of 40 overall. A bustling population, high levels of CCTV, and social privacy score of just 63.2 means your private break might not be all that private.

The Welsh coastal city of St David’s had the least CCTV cameras of the cities analysed, with Preston (99.2) and Cardiff (98.3) offering the best social privacy behind Gloucester on 100.

Ely in Cambridgeshire was deemed the least connected city, warranting a score of 91.6.

For more information visit Flogas

4 Upcoming Events to Add Some Excitement to Q4 2020

Sam Allcock
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4 Upcoming Events to Add Some Excitement to Q4 2020

Let’s face it — for the overwhelming majority of people, 2020 hasn’t been the greatest year on record. From the coronavirus pandemic and its effects on everyday life to the related financial fallout, 2020 has been packed with twists and turns, most of which haven’t been positive.

Despite this, the horizon isn’t looking so bad, with economies slowly recovering and life — for many — starting to return to closer to normal. 

During the fourth quarter of 2020, there are several events to look forward to. We’ve listed the key dates and periods below, along with some extra information to help you make the most of the final three months of the year.

Halloween

While 2020’s Halloween is likely to be a more subdued event than most years, it’s still a major event with something to offer for people of all ages. 

Historically, Halloween has never been as significant an event in the UK as it has been in other countries such as the United States. However, it’s grown massively over the past few decades, particularly as a fun night out.

Although local restrictions are predicted to affect trick-or-treating and other Halloween events, many people are still preparing for an exciting evening by preparing their costumes and taking advantage of Halloween deals.

Black Friday

Another US event that’s travelled across the Atlantic, Black Friday is a post-Thanksgiving date that’s long been synonymous with massive discounts for retail shoppers and equally massive crowds in many shopping districts.

While social distancing regulations are likely to affect crowds this year — something that’s very much for the better — Black Friday is still very much a date to look forward to.

Although 2020 hasn’t been the best year for retail, many businesses are hoping to generate a new level of excitement on Black Friday to make up for lost opportunities throughout the earlier three quarters of the year.

From consumer electronics to fashion, food and more, expect to see lots of great Black Friday deals pop up as we approach the 27th of November. 

Christmas

In difficult times, family matters most, and there’s no better time to connect with family members and be thankful for the people closest to you than Christmas. 

Like Halloween, the restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus are very likely to affect Christmas celebrations in at least some form, although experts believe there most likely won’t be severe restrictions on Christmas shopping unless another full lockdown takes place. 

Restrictions on social gatherings could also mean that this year’s Christmas celebrations are a smaller affair than in previous years.

Despite this, most people are motivated to make the most of this year’s biggest and best known holiday, with Christmas deals to enjoy, meals to plan and gift-opening to enjoy with close family members. 

New Year’s Eve

After a year that can best be described as stressful, many people are looking forward to seeing off 2020 on December 31st and welcoming in the next year.

As with other major public celebrations, New Year’s Eve is likely to be scaled back for 2020 due to the restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of the pandemic. However, many people have still planned their own small-scale, regulations-compliant celebrations. 

Others are taking advantage of smaller crowds in public areas to plan short trips to enjoy parts of the country that are usually crowded over the Christmas and New Year period. 
Although New Years-specific discounts are rare, discount codes are often available in the days and weeks leading up to New Year’s Eve, allowing people to plan ahead and pick up essentials for the coming year.

The Animals and Paying the Price for Human Fly-Tipping

Sam Allcock
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The Animals and Paying the Price for Human Fly-Tipping

Fly-tipping is despised for its vandalism, uncleanliness, and misconduct. But the damages to the environment and wildlife are equally abhorrent. We’re no stranger to images of animals entangled in our waste, with birds wrapped in plastic bags or hedgehogs stuck in beer rings. But the harm of fly-tipping to wildlife is profuse beyond the collaring of small rodents.

In fact, the damages of fly-tipping are numerous. Illegally discarded waste can present many hazards for animals, including sharp objects physically wounding animals and an increased risk of infection from fly-tipped food that can carry bacteria and viruses. These damages should not be just of concern due to their cruel nature, but also because of their consequential effect on our lives.

Something in the water

Fly-tipping can have damaging effects on wildlife in most aspects of their life. Not only does it condemn natural habitats and introduce animals to a dangerous diet of waste food, but it can also poison vital waterways with plastic and chemical pollution.

The erosion of plastic waste in rivers and oceans creates microplastics. Microplastics are small fragments of plastic that pollute the environment. They can be made intentionally small or have been worn to a smaller size after being littered.

If these microplastics are consumed by animals it can have numerable undesirable effects. In some species, it may block their digestive tract, which can lead to starvation. In others, chemicals from the plastic may transfuse into their bloodstream and cause clotting and neurological damage. These pollutants can also be transferred to humans when animals are eaten. One study suggests that humans can consume between 39,000 and 52,000 microplastic particles a year through their lifestyle and diet. With traces of chemicals such as chlorine and lead found in these particles, over time, the consequences of this pollution may be toxic.

A littering pandemic

Diseases can be carried through food. With nearly two-thirds of fly tipping incidents involving household waste, food is likely to be abundant in littering episodes. The dumping of food has consequences for wildlife – it attracts rodents, affects their diets, and can make them susceptible to disease.

This last point is particularly important, especially in the current climate and with the spread of COVID-19. Fly-tipping has been identified as a contributor to this virus. Wasted coffee cups, animals that act as carriers for the virus, and virus particles may be found on a fly-tipping site. Animals may contract diseases from burrowing in waste and licking or eating discarded waste. These diseases have the potential to be passed onto household pets and humans.

Sarah Gilbert, a vaccine professor from Oxford University, expects zoonotic-based infections to increase with our degrading lifestyles. The coronavirus pandemic has only helped to emphasise this point. She believes, “Because of the way things have been going in the world, it’s more likely we’ll have zoonotic infections causing outbreaks in the future.”.

Not only do we have a responsibility to keep our environments safe and clean for other people, but we also owe it to animals and wildlife to continue their natural lives without the obstructions of damaged habitat, changed diets, and an increased risk of disease. Fly-tipping can easily be avoided by hiring waste removal from a trusted source. The consequences of fly-tipping are particularly alarming when considering the transferability of pollution and diseases from animals to humans.

Sources

https://www.mcsuk.org/clean-seas/microplastics
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fly-tipping-in-england
https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/environment/2019/06/you-eat-thousands-bits-plastic-every-year
https://inews.co.uk/news/science/litter-fly-tipping-spread-covid-19-544885
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-covid-19-disease-zoonotic-oxford-vaccine-professor-latest-a9694846.html
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