Stop Messin About

The gambling industry is massive and is still expanding at a rapid rate each year. This especially applies to the sports betting part of the industry which has exploded with the growth of the Internet.

Today there are so many companies competing to get your custom that is it now a given that you will be offered a free bet to sign up with a particular company. Free bets are a great way to attract customers as everyone loves something free. Every bookmaker and sportsbook must offer a free bet now otherwise they will be at a major disadvantage in the market.

A lot of people bring up questions about the terms and conditions of the free bets that bookmakers offer. However it is important that they protect themselves as they are giving away huge amounts of their revenue for nothing. When the free bet phenomenon first started, they were very easy to claim. Usually you could just sign up and receive free money. However people, now often referred to as bonus hunters took advantage of this and just signed up to as many bookmakers as they could so that they could claim the free money. This had a big financial impact on the bookmakers as they had a huge number of these low value players who weren’t really interested in playing again after the free bet was claimed.

Nowadays free bets are a little harder to claim. They are still very fair though, and they are aimed at customers who want to bet. A common condition for a free bet is that you place a bet of equal amount before receiving the free money. There is nothing untoward about this. A genuine customer would be making a bet and risking money anyway even if there wasn’t a free bet available. Another common condition in order to claim the free bet is that there are minimum odds that first bet must be made on. This too is pretty fair as the odds are usually set low anyway. It’s just to stop bonus hunters betting on something is 99% guaranteed to happen so they don’t lose their stake when claiming the free bet. That said however, there are still several bookmakers that don’t require a minimum odds on your first bet.

The betting industry is highly regulated and every company is thoroughly checked out before beginning operations. Each bookmaker also requires a licence to run. There is no way any of these companies would get away with anything unethical for long. All free bets are fully explained on each bookmaker’s terms and conditions page. There may be some things that customers might think are unfair, but these are only there to protect the company, and like explained in this article, the conditions shouldn’t really affect any genuine punter that joins with intention of being a long-term customer.

Tags: Free bets, Online Gambling

An Advertising Feature

Perhaps you’re the couple who get restless after 40 minutes on your sun-loungers, or you feel uncomfortable in the more conventional luxury resorts. Honeymoons in Borneo offer an unconventional spin on tropical pampered luxury. A combination of discreet, beautiful resorts around the coast, & a jaw-dropping, mega-diverse rainforest interior, Borneo lets you relax in authentic luxury… whenever you’re not scrambling through the jungle, seeking some of the most spectacular wildlife on Earth:

Bay Cat

This reddish brown feline, tinted with black markings & golden brown fur on its underside, lives exclusively on Borneo. The same size as a large domestic cat, the Bay Cat may seem unremarkable from a distance – but once you take in its long tail, small rounded ears, & beautifully feral face, you instinctively understand that you’re witnessing something extraordinary. The rarest & most elusive feline in the world, a living Bay Cat wasn’t photographed until 1998, despite being discovered in 1855.

Pygmy Elephant

The smallest elephant species in the world (males rarely exceed 2.5m in height) resides only in Borneo’s North East. Its small size evolved – scientists theorise – to let the elephant flourish in dense forest habitat. The elephants also have unusually long tails, & the males have perfectly straight tusks, but perhaps their strangest feature is their tameness. Pygmy Elephants show a remarkable tolerance of humans, even in fairly close quarters. You can regularly observe them from boats in the bays of the Lower Kinabatangan River.

Hornbills

You’ve every chance of spotting one or all of the eight Hornbill bird species anywhere along the Kinabatangan River. Wrinkled, Wreathed, Rhinoceros, Black, White-Crowned, Helmeted, Oriental Pied, & Bushy-Crested Hornbills each have unique features & colouring, but – as the name suggests – they all possess a pronounced curved beak. Its evolution led to a distinctive feeding habit; the Hornbill’s tongue didn’t grow with its long bill, so the bird must toss back its head to swallow any food.

Sun Bear

At 4 feet tall, the Sun Bear is the world’s smallest bear. Severely threatened by loss of habitat, capture, enslavement & poaching, this little known bear is primarily nocturnal, spending its nights feasting on plants & animals. In 2008, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre was established in Sabah (Eastern Borneo), giving the creatures a chance to grow their dwindling population of 10,000. The centre has undertaken excellent work since its inception & is your best chance to see the Sun Bears for yourself.

Bornean Rhino

The Sumatran Rhinoceros is the smallest rhino, although, weighing up to 1000kg, it should not be considered a featherweight by any measure. Sadly, its horn highly valued in traditional medicine, the Sumatran Rhino has been pushed onto the critically endangered list by poachers, with some experts estimating as few as 40 animals remaining in the wild. The Lok Kawi Wildlife Park is a good place to seek them – feel immensely privileged if you spot one.

The Orangutan

Exemplifying Borneo’s obscurely beautiful & tragically endangered wildlife, the island’s Orangutan population has suffered greatly, due to the loss of its habitat to palm oil & timber plantations. Thanks to many successful projects that publicised the species’ plight, Orangutans are now fighting extinction, but they’re still threatened. Witness them in conservation projects that protect their habitat & supplement their diet with offerings of fruit & water.

Jonny Good is a writer & martial arts professional who loves scaring himself with shark encounters & travelling with his friends & family.

Tags: Borneo, Wildlife Holidays

An Advertising Feature

So you find yourself in London for just 24 hours in-between flights – how are you going to make sure that you get the most out of your time in one of the world’s most exciting cities? Here is our guide to how to cram as much as possible into your time in London before jetting off to your next destination.

Begin the day early with a stroll around Hyde Park, wander past the Serpentine and pay a visit to the Princess Diana Memorial. Stroll down past Hyde Park Corner and through Green Park on to Buckingham Palace.

After taking the obligatory tourist snap with the iconic guards at the Palace continue your walking tour of the cities green spaces with a stroll through St James’s Park and down to Trafalgar Square. Take in Nelson’s Column and battle the other tourists to climb up onto the imposing marble lions that guard the column.

Maybe refresh with a coffee and a snack and then head down Whitehall, past the impressive government buildings to see Downing Street which Prime Minister, David Cameron, calls home. Only a few more metres down the road you will come across the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey – some of the capitals most famous and beautiful buildings.

Just across the river is the London Eye. Yes, it is basically a giant ferris wheel but at 443 foot, each 30-minute ‘flight’ provides you with wonderful, uninterrupted views of the city.

Every visit to London should involve a stroll along the South Bank on the River Thames. It’s a great opportunity for some people watching and there are lots of street performers wowing crowds, book stalls to peruse and places to grab a bite to eat or a drink. Eventually you will stumble upon the imposing disused power station that has been converted into the Tate Modern, one of London’s most popular museums with locals and tourists alike.

When you can drag yourself away from the modern art, continue your walk along the South Bank taking in St Paul’s Cathedral on the other side of the river and on to Borough Market. This farmers market is a foodie heaven and after all your walking, you will deserve to treat yourself. Sample the cheese, bread, pestos and pastries on offer and wash it down with some traditional English cider.

By now, you will no doubt be weary from all the walking so it’s time to hop on a tube to Liverpool Street. From here you can wander through the stalls and trendy shops of Spitalfields Market on to Brick Lane where if you can fit it in, you can enjoy one of the best Indian curries in London. No doubt you will be exhausted but if you can manage it, the area around Brick Lane and Shoreditch High Street provides lots of great options for late night watering holes.

Your 24 hours in London will be tiring but it will also leave you wanting more. Be sure to visit again soon.

Tags: London

T shirt printing is becoming cheaper and more accessible to the home users every year. From iron on transfers to websites that offer an online t shirt printing service.

It’s not just t shirts that can be printed on hoodies, vests and jackets can all have some sort print applied.

Having a larger order will of course lead to cheaper print prices on line or via an external company as the clothing is bought in a larger bulk.

Some online t shirt printing companies will offer reasonable prices on smaller runs as they may specialise in end of run clothing.

Vaporizers are devices specially manufactured to extract the active ingredients of legal herbs and turn them into vapour for the consumption of the user. The process involved is called vaporization. Cannabis and tobacco, including a number of tobacco derivatives, are among the various herbs that are used with vaporizers. Vaporizers range in price from as low as £15 to as much as £400. A good mid range vaporizer is the iolite vaporizer.

The Ubie herbal vaporizer is known as the smallest and cheapest vaporizer. The Ubie utilises the process of direct hot air diffusion to rapidly release herbal aromas and automatically regulate temperature in order to get rid of flavours without burning. The resulting smoke has a superior aroma and exquisite flavour without the foul smelling, badly tasting wood smoke. Priced at only £15 a piece, the Ubie herbal vaporizer simply works with a lighter, is portable and is made of finest quality Pyrex glass. It also heats up instantly, is easy to use and provides perfectly excellent smoke flavour.
Another type of the cheap vaporizers is the Dome vaporizer. Priced at a mere £35, this standard glass dome style vaporizer can be used with legal herbs or essential oils. Some companies even offer occasional free grinders and herbal smoke samples when you purchase one.

The Vapir Oxygen Mini Vaporizer is also another cheap vaporizer sold at only £65. It is pen-sized, portable, and features a blow through product function. It is also the cheapest vaporizer with digital controls.

Another cheap vaporizer model is the Globe Herbal Vaporizer. It is not only cheap but can also be easily maintained as only the metal bowl and whip need cleaning after you use it. The Globe Herbal Vaporizer works using conduction heating technology when it vaporizes your herbal highs. Priced at £35 a piece, the Globe Herbal Vaporizer is also small, light and portable.

Other cheap vaporizers include the Digital Herbal Vaporizer (£50), Conduction Heating Herbal Vaporizer (£30), Tower Vaporizer (£35) and Herb Vaporizer (£45).

While free bets may look positive on the surface, they carry with them a number of dangers which can put customers at great risk.

The majority of free bets are well intentioned and work in a very professional and systematic way. However, there are many others where you should study the small print hard before you proceed.

Many betting companies will tempt customers in with offers of free bets, which will often be for huge sums of money. However, they will not explain important terms you will need to look at in order to qualify for this money.

This will often involve you having to place a bet of this same amount on a single event. You will then not receive your money straight away, which can leave you broke for a number of days.

Regardless of the nature of free bets, there is always the danger of becoming addicted to gambling. Responsible gambling groups actively campaign against free bets, which they say cause many to plunge their own money into the industry.

It is also very easy to sign up for multiple accounts with different bookmaking companies. They will all require you to release specific personal details in order to qualify for free cash. These details can be traded around and lead you into getting spammed by email or regular mail offers, which are sent to your main address of residence. Although you may check a box for privacy, it will not always be adhered to.

With property prices in the centre of Manchester being so high, many first time buyers have run into difficulties getting on to that all important property ladder. Renting is now more popular than ever as people save up for their deposit. However, renting also has its downsides so here’s some advice to make it go more smoothly.

• When looking for flats to let you need to think about the price of the property per month and also factor in all utility bills, food and any other luxuries such as digital television, furniture etc. Get a budget and stick rigidly to it otherwise you may find yourself in trouble. When you writing your budget you also need to include any deposits or bonds you may have to pay up front. The deposit is usually around 2 months’ rent and is usually refundable should you move out at a later date. Remember that you might have to pay a credit search fee before your application is taken on.
• The location of your first flat in Manchester is important and the location will certainly affect the price of the flat that you are looking to rent. If you want to be in the city Centre then you can expect to pay a high amount for any flats for rent. You may also be looking for good transport links, nightlife and also very low crime rates and these are all central factors to the price and quality of your first rental. Check out the local guides in estate agents and on the internet to the different areas.
• When you’re going to view your first flat in Manchester take someone objective with you who will be able to give you a second opinion. Also, look for major structural problems like damp and if any work is needed then make it go into the contract that you want the work doing before you actually move in.
• Always check the small print in any contract that you sign – how long your tenancy is for, how much notice is needed and what bills you’re expected to pay.
• Write an inventory when you move into your first Manchester flat, showing exactly what was in it when you took it over and if you see any damage or any repairs needed take photographs with the dates on them and keep them safe. This will support your claim should the landlord try and say you were responsible for the damages.
• Make sure you know all the laws and the rules where your first flat is concerned; you need to know what the letting agents are capable of doing under law and what you should be expecting from them.

Tags: Advice on renting property, Renting in Manchester

It’s pretty obvious that times are hard here in the UK. Even as the economy stumbles out of recession, growth is likely to be weak throughout 2010 and unemployment is still going to creep upwards.

Of course, there’s lots of industries which will carry on thriving even throughout this period. Supermarkets continue to rack up big profit rises and ecommerce is still booming. But what if your own industry is getting battered? If the dole queue is looking like a reality for you – and many long-established businesses are still going to the wall – then it might be time to think about looking abroad for work.

If you do so, then one option is to look at jobs in the Middle East. This might seem like a very daunting prospect if your knowledge of the region is confined to news bulletins, but it won’t have escaped your attention that the region is actually a very forward-looking, dynamic business environment right now.

What’s more, the countries of the UAE in particular are seeking the kind of technical expertise that we in Britain have in abundance. Whether it’s banking jobs in the Gulf, financial or computing jobs, white-collar experience and knowledge is a great asset in the region.

Most companies will offer relatively short term contracts from 6 – 18 months, so even if you just want to flee the coop while the storm blows over at home then it’s probably a good time to think about it.

First things first, learning to ski is not like getting on a bike if you have never ridden one before, although like cycle riding, there is a technique and it requires balance and in the beginning concentration. Before you do anything you have to choose the right ski resort because there are some ski areas that are not beginner friendly and finding yourself in one of these would only put you off what is a fantastic and thoroughly enjoyable sport, followed by après ski which is an experience in itself. So when you’re booking your skiing holidays you really need to tell your travel agent everything about your skiing ability.

There are some resorts that are both friendly to the beginner as well as being challenging for the experienced skier. La Plagne comes to mind as this modern French ski resort has a fine choice for new skiers with over 200 km of wide pistes and a large number of reputable ski schools. It offers many safe ski runs with gentle wide slopes and is known for its excellent tuition for children. Novice skiers have always made for Andorra which has an abundance of nursery slopes and long gentle blue and green runs to the village. With some of the cheapest prices in Europe and fantastic après ski it is s good choice for the beginner.

One of the newer ski resorts that is now being offered by ski holiday specialists is the Bulgarian resort of Boverets, which although it has a restricted number of runs it is ideal for the new skier. The ski school is known to be excellent it has a friendly, informal ambience, skiing in Borovets is a pleasurable experience. The resort is ideal for families and is a great place if a group of new skiers want to learn to ski.

The most important thing for a beginner is to enrol with a ski school when arriving at the ski resort. A ski school is essential for those who have not skied before and there is hardly a person who having taken ski lessons for the week away are not skiing adequately by the end of the week and looking forward to another ski holiday. Your ski holiday specialist will arrange for your lessons and it can be part of a package which will include the lift pass as well.

Millions of people spend their hard earned money taking holidays across the world and cruises offer some of the most luxurious options available.

They allow people from different backgrounds and cultures to explore beautiful and often remote parts of the world in a relaxed manner that almost guarantees the perfect holiday experience. Popular cruise destinations include the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, which both have wonderful weather, wildlife, history and culture.

Cruises enable travellers to visit a number of countries without having to move from one hotel to another, which is one of the things that make them so popular. They are also becoming more affordable every day and this is extremely important, given the current economic climate.

This is one of the very few forms of holiday that allows the customer to have both an on and off shore experience. Modern cruise ships are equipped with the state of the art technology and entertainment that makes for a first class travel experience. The price you pay includes pretty much everything necessary to ensure complete peace of mind. This means you can enjoy your holiday without having to worry about those niggling little extras that you often have to pay for on package holidays.

Cruising offers a unique experience and can appeal to the single traveller, couples or entire families. There is something for everyone and regardless of the destination; it is guaranteed that you will not be disappointed. This is a healthy ad popular industry with a variety of cruise operators offering good value for money packages.