Protect Our Environment

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5 Tips For Choosing The Right Electric Guitar

5 Tips For Choosing The Right Electric Guitar

A. Wielder - Riff TV.com

Purchasing an electric guitar is very exciting and fun. The process can be made more efficient by following several basic guidelines and using several tips provided below. A. Wielder provides these tips and information as a courtesy of Riff TV.com. Riff

TV.com is an online guitarist community dedicated to providing beginner guitarists with free tools, information and video training. We understand that getting started on the electric guitar can be challenging. Riff TV.com provides resources and totally free access to guitar videos and more. Visit the site today for a free membership.

Are you new to guitars and ready to make your first electric guitar purchase? Are you a seasoned player who owns several guitars and you find yourself adding to your guitar collection? No matter which category you find yourself in, getting the most from your
instrument purchase is very important. It is also important to understand the types of electric guitars available.

The choices include:

1. Solid Body Electric Guitars

2. Hollow Body Electric Guitars

3. Semi Hollow Body Electric Guitars

4. Acoustic/Electric Guitars

5. Pedal Steel Guitars

6. Hawaiian Style Lap Guitars

Guitars, and particularly electric guitars are not created equal. There are many brands of electric guitars to choose from. Making the right choice when purchasing a guitar will depend on some basic factors, including:

1. Evaluate your particular situation.

2. Determine the specific application for using the guitar.

For example, if you are a beginner, there is little reason to consider investing several thousands of dollars into a pro level guitar such as a custom Les Paul or a Paul Reed Smith. Another example regarding a specific application would be if you are a traveling musician. Traveling guitarists may want to consider a slightly less expensive guitar to take on the road while saving their finest
instrument for a studio environment. Regardless of your situation or the application, the bottom line is there are several factors to consider. Understanding your position as a potential guitar buyer will help you make the right decision and ensure that you make an informed purchase.

Here are 5 tips to help you in choosing the right electric guitar.

Tip 1. Evaluate your level of commitment to the instrument and the art of music.

Before you choose your electric guitar be sure you understand the level of commitment that you are prepared to invest into the instrument. Electric guitars can be expensive and understanding the level of dedication you plan to invest in the instrument should play a vital role in choosing your guitar.

Tip 2. Identify your particular application for the instrument.

If you are a beginner and just learning to play the instrument, your application will be quite different from an intermediate or advanced guitarist who is adding to their collection. Determine your particular situation and application for the guitar you will purchase. Consider whether or not you will be keeping the instrument at home or frequently traveling with it. For example, if you plan to keep the instrument at home for recreational use, you may want to consider including a less expensive case for the guitar. Road cases can be costly and will not be necessary if you do not travel with the guitar.

Tip 3. Identify your budget and include patience regarding your guitar purchase.

Many aspiring guitarists have wandered into the local music store only to be overwhelmed by the vast choices and different price ranges of guitars. As with any purchase, pre-planning and understanding your budget is critical. Prices for electric guitars range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. If you are serious about playing the guitar, selecting your instrument
will be one of the most important decisions you make. Be sure to take ample time during this stage of the process. Patience is more than a virtue when selecting your guitar.

Tip 4. Consult a professional to get tips on guitar quality and performance.

It is a good idea to take the time to visit several musical instrument dealers in your area. Retail guitar shops will be more than happy to help you understand what to look for when buying an electric guitar. Get several opinions if you are new to guitars. Most guitar outlets will have seasoned players on staff who will be happy to impart their experience and wisdom. Ask questions. Find out what you need to consider when selecting an electric guitar. Getting several opinions in this area will shed light on the overall picture and will be very beneficial information when it comes time to buy.

Tip 5. Include additional items and training resources to help you get started playing the guitar.

Once you have made the right guitar purchase, be sure to have additional items on hand that will be vital to the process of learning. You will need an extra set of guitar strings, some extra picks, a tuner and a stand for your guitar. It is also very important to purchase some beginner books that include chord charts, guitar tab and chord progression exercises. You can also find free guitar lesson videos on the web at Riff TV.com. Riff TV.com is an online guitarist community that provides free membership,

free guitar lesson videos, chord progression exercises, scale exercises, scale charts, basic key/chord overviews and more. If you are a beginner guitarist and need free resources, training guides and tools, Riff TV.com is available and can be your virtual classroom. Be sure to stop by today and sign-up for a free membership.

Learning to play the electric guitar is fun and exciting. There are few things in life that will provide the relaxation and feeling of accomplishment you can experience by becoming proficient with guitar chords, guitar tabs and guitar chord progressions. Applying the knowledge you gain from the right learning resources to your favorite style of music is very rewarding. Carefully select your electric guitar. Use your practice time wisely by taking advantage of great guitar resources such as Riff TV.com. Be sure to practice to develop skill, musical knowledge and basic music theory concepts. Apply what you learn on a daily basis and you will be amazed at the progress you will make with your new electric guitar.

About The Author  A. Wielder is a host and instructor at Riff TV.com. He is a guitarist and a guitar enthusiast. He is also a studio musician and producer. A. Wielder has produced several CD's and radio programs featuring his original music.

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Environmentally Friendly Ways of Reusing and Recycling Paper, Books and Mags

As consumers demand the need for more paper, whether it's for newspapers, plain paper or books, we continue to cut down vast numbers of really old trees. It will take numerous years to see this turned over. Reusing and recycling paper is really important nowadays.

All paper, including books and magazines, are virtually wholly biodegradable, meaning they don't clog landfills for many years and will merely degrade into nothing. The fact that there is a need for more paper makes it appear daft not to recycle as much as we possibly can. That is why we should reuse and recycle.

The traditional means of recycling paper is by making use of recycling facilities. You will observe that where you dwell, there are opportunities to recycle, including in numerous cases your local grocery store. You may notice that your local area has different bins so you can sort your paper for recycling. So that the paper can be usable once again, the recycling process should be put in place. This saves the trees and makes for a healthy environment. Paper recycling is not always straightforward and can be made challenging by the stapling of books and mags. Magnets may be utilized to handle the problems of metal and recycling companies are constantly try to find ways to better the process.

Mags and books can be reused, it is only a matter of using our imagination. Those old books and magazines are a fantastic learning resource for your kids and they will have the chance to give them to other people in the future. An old book will be of use to somebody else and it is not hard for us give it this way.

There are always places like libraries that are happy to take your old books from you. Some libraries will take donations of old books and even magazines, providing they are in good condition. The library and the public will be more glad since they will have more reading choices. So instead of merely tossing a book or leaving it to collect dust, think about giving it to a library.

Books can also be sold instead of given away either locally or online. EBay and Amazon are popular places online where you can try selling your old books.

To sum it up, paper is being utilized more and more but fewer trees. Beasts use trees as a natural home ground and they are essential for the wellbeing of the environment. There are plenty of choices for us to recycle paper and to ensure that books and magazines are reused instead of thrown away.

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Global Warming: 1884-2012

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Knowing The Different Risks Of Chemical Mixing

Chemicals can either be useful or dangerous. This is why safety precautions are employed in all chemical laboratories and these stringent measures are only appropriate to avoid life-threatening mistakes. Generally, substances are harmless under the appropriate conditions. When we speak of appropriate conditions we are considering the proper storage, right temperature and pressure in the storage area, and the handling. While handling and storage of chemicals should be done with care, the observance of precautions when mixing different substances is even more compelling. Watch all the household chemicals, for instance, and you will understand that all these items come in solutions and mixtures of two or more ingredients. Mixtures and solutions are also quite important in many industrial sectors from agricultural chemical processing to chemical reagent preparations. In many processes calling for chemical mixing, mixing chemicals should be done in the most controlled procedures, often requiring sophisticated instruments and safety gears or protective suits.



There are many chemicals that are extremely hazardous. Mixing two or more substances can result to one of several types of reactions, all of which have one common feature and this is the production of new substances or new mixtures. Many useful chemicals have been manufactured through mixing of different chemicals. Various effects can happen when mixing substances though. These include precipitation of a new substance, evolution of heat, absorption of heat, and evolution of gas (if one of the products is a gaseous substance). Of course, change in the color of the mixture is an apparent indication of a reaction happening. The matter with combination of two or more substances is that toxic chemicals or gases may be the products of the formerly inert substances. In other cases, some chemicals could react vigorously with the production of enormous heat, which in uncontrolled instances can set nearby objects on fire. One of the most hazardous effects of crude mixing of certain substances is that a rapid evolution of toxic fumes may result. Doing such procedure without proper gears and instruments could expose one to hazardous substance.



Companies that do substance mixing or chemical filling should ensure that the stringent procedures are followed to avoid fatal accidents from happening. A single mistake can risk the life of many. The education of workers is imperative. Everyone working in the area should understand the sheer danger of chemicals and the products upon mixing. The following of standard procedure is a basic necessity in any chemical labs. Safety apparatuses should be at hand. Protective suits must be worn if necessary and if chemicals that are to be handled are corrosive and toxic. Ventilation is a basic thing.



It is also imperative that industrial workers who are often exposed to certain chemicals know which chemicals to watch out for. Some of them may not exactly understand what the exposure could mean. Furthermore, some do not understand the basics in mixing certain substances safely. Of course, there is no need to remind the chemists and the chemical engineers, but they, too, should realize the repercussions of complacency.



As a general rule, anybody should not attempt to mix two or more unknown chemicals. Also avoid mixing household chemicals if you are unsure about the resulting products. There are certain chemicals at home that could generate dangerous gases when combined. For instance, bleach and ammonia may produce toxic chlorine and other irritating fumes that could render you unconscious. Even mixing some compounds with water should be done with precaution. For instance, mixing water and strong acids and alkaline can produce enormous quantities of heat.



If you are purchasing chemicals, always ask the dealer about the properties of the substances. Also inquire about the proper handling and storage as well as the possible hazards. This information may not come with the chemical packaging, chemical packing, or chemical specifications.



Jo is a writer for 'ReAgent' (http://www.toll-manufacturers.co.uk), an established UK stationed chemical firm offering bespoke manufacturing assistance which involves chemical deformulation and formulation, chemical packaging, chemical mixing, toll filling and toll blending, plus a complete variety of specialist toll manufacturing. If your corporation is searching for high quality chemical products in bespoke pack sizes and customized containers that conform to your specific requirements then have a look at ReAgent Chemicals.

How to start a Taxi Company

How to start up a taxi company

Setting up and running your own taxi or private hire firm is by no means simple as there are regional differences and management styles are very different in different parts of the UK.

2005-2006, the private hire and taxi industry was worth approx £2.6 billion. Over 500,000 drivers in the UK. Taxi use has steadily increased over the last 20 years - 32 per cent of the public use a taxi every month, compared to just 16 per cent in the mid-1980s.

What's the difference between taxis and private hire vehicles?

Although both serve the same purpose (to transport paying customers to their destination, help with their luggage etc.), taxis and private hire vehicles have significant differences.

Hackneys
Hackney Carriage taxis (black cabs) are able to pick up people off the street (flag down) without a prior booking. Mostly found in urban areas, black cabs are highly regulated, with fares controlled by local councils and numbers restricted by many local authorities.

Drivers of black cabs are essentially self-employed and have to go through rigorous checks and tests before they are awarded their license. Some Hackney Carriage operators form co-operatives and drive saloons and MPV's, However most Hackney drivers prefer the traditional London style MetroCab or TX1 and TX2 Vehicles made by LTI.

Private Hire
Private hire vehicles, or minicabs, have to have a prior booking when picking up passengers.

Minicab owners will be prosecuted if they are found touting their business or behaving like a Hackney or Taxi.

Most private hire drivers are self-employed owner drivers and pay a minicab company a circuit fee for taking the bookings and scheduling the work. The minicab operator charges for the call centre and in most instances they will probably rent the radios end even provide data terminals or PDA dispatch systems if they have computerised booking and dispatch software.

If you want to be self-employed and make profit on your own without having to pay minicab circuit fees, become a licensed black cab driver and go it alone. Some black cab owners form co-operatives where they team up with other drivers to increase profits and run operations much like a small business. Computer Cabs in London, was built around a small fleet of black cabs. They now boast a fleet of over 3,500 taxis, taking 10-20,000 bookings a day. They also have one of the most advanced computer booking and dispatch and data systems in the City, they can process credit cards and track their vehicles by GPS.

It is possible to mix fleets, Hackney Carriages can cover private hire bookings if the street hires are quiet. It is however illegal for the Private hire vehicles to stop if a member of the public attempts to solicit them.

Rules and regulations

There are over 400 council licensing authorities in the UK and as there is no central body the regulations for each council will vary according to their particular management style. There are however basic regulations that are common to all authorities..

Private hire car regulations

Minicabs have suffered a bad reputation in the past due to the previously unregulated nature of their work. Rogue drivers would pick up stray passengers and charge them extortionate prices or worse. It is estimated that at least one woman a week is raped in illegal minicabs in London alone, a shocking statistic which blights the good name of the industry.

Some manufacturers of taxi booking and dispatch systems have features such as Text back www.textback.me.uk which ensures that just prior to the private hire vehicle arriving the passenger is informed by SMS the vehicle registration, description and driver name. These essential passenger personal safety features are likely to make you more popular with the female clients.

In 1998 The Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act, handed the responsibility of regulation of minicabs and private hire to the Public Carriage Office, which until then only looked after black cab licensing.

Minicab and private hire firms must now hold a private hire operator license before they can accept bookings - your company will not be able to trade without one. In order to get a license, you will have to prove that you are 'a fit and proper person'. Any criminal convictions, bankruptcy or breach of health and safety rules will count against you.

You should also prove you hold any relevant radio licensing or insurance documents and you must diligently ensure that your drivers vehicles and documents are in order. Some software packages will provide a comprehensive record of all friver and vehicle documentation and automatically lock drivers out if the documents have expired. For further information look at the Diplomat Navigator product on the website at the bottom of this article.


Your home address can be your operating centre, a licensing officer may be sent to inspect the premises.

An application fee which runs for five years will be charged by the local authority.

Private hire cars are not required to have meters but may choose to install them. If they are installed they will have to prove they are compliant when the vehicle attends its regular road safety check 3 times a year, there is no restriction as to what a minicab or private hire operator can charge.

Except for exceptional circumstances the vehicles must be less than 5 years old. Drivers must have held a full EU driving license for 12 months, pass a medical and make a declaration in relation to any criminal convictions. In some areas, drivers have to pass a 'knowledge' test, similar to black cab licensees, in order to operate.

Hackney carriage (black cab) regulations
If you are planning to go it alone in a black cab, you need to meet certain requirements. To get your license, you need to be 21 or over, have a full EU driving license for at least 12 months and be able to drive a taxi competently. you will need to prove that you are a 'fit and proper person', and you will be checked by the criminal records bureau .(minor crimes may not automatically disqualify you.) and will require a full medical, A 'knowledge' test may also be required.

London's black cab laws are slightly more complex. You need to decide to apply for a 'green badge' (which allows you to operate in central London) or a 'yellow badge' (which allows you operate in the suburbs.)

The Public Carriage Office allows two years for applicants to pass their central London knowledge test, and six months to pass the suburbs knowledge test.

Training
There is currently no compulsory training programme, although in 2000 the Intermediate Certificate in License Education for Taxi and Private Hire was introduced to provide a nationally recognised qualification for drivers.

To get involved with a training programme, contact the Private Hire, Hackney Carriage and Chauffeur Training Organisation on 0191 296 0814.

Useful contacts

The National Private Hire Association represent over 400 private hire firms. To find out what they can do for you, call them on 0161 280 2800

If you are thinking of becoming a taxi driver, you should firstly contact your local council to find out their particular fees. The Licensed Taxi Drivers Association will also be able to help you out - you can contact them by calling 0207 286 1046.


Startup costs
As with much to do with the taxi industry, where you live and what sector you are working in (black cab or private hire) greatly affects the costs involved in setting up your own firm. You should contact your council to get exact figures, although there are some solid estimates that you can work from.

Hackney Carriage costs
From last year, the Disability act requires black cabs have to include wheelchair access and induction loops for the hard of hearing, although the timetable for compliance with the new regulations has been put back pending an announcement by the government.

Nevertheless, it could cost you several thousand pounds to modify second hand black cabs to keep up with the new rules. Brand new cabs currently cost £25,000 for a manual, £27,000 for an automatic.

Taximeters are obligatory for Hackney Carriages and cost around £150-£300, although it is possible to rent them out on a monthly or yearly basis. For further information contact Diplomat on the link at the bottom of the article.

As well as the cost of a license, drivers also have to pay for an additional driving test and area knowledge test - again, these costs vary according to the licensing body. The outlay doesn't stop there - a medical examination will cost you between £60 to £80.

Private hire costs
As with Hackney Carriages, the costs of getting your private hire fleet on the road will vary depending on which licensing authority you are dealing with. You will need to pay for operator, driver and vehicle licenses before you can get your Certificate of Compliance from the council, which allows you to start taking bookings.

A private hire operator's license costs anything between £250-£300, while a license for your vehicle will range from £75 to £300. A license for your drivers will cost between £25 to £200.

Insurance
You must be insured, Cars, drivers and third parties (i.e. passengers) must be insured, with special private hire insurance available to minicab firms. It is also worth getting your operating centre (if it is not your house) and any equipment (radios, GPS, PDA's and computer booking and dispatch systems etc.) insured too.

 

Premises
This can be any building you like as long as it conforms to Health and safety and has all the appropriate licenses for equipment.

If you are going to be operating a VHF two way radio system try to choose a site that is on high ground so as to maximize your transmission coverage area. Some companies will provide you with computer coverage predictions before you even talk to the potential landlords. For more details on this service please contact Diplomat.co.uk

Your operating centre should be easily accessible to customers who wish to walk in and make bookings, rather than call.

What equipment is needed?
Modern cab companies have state-of-the-art radio equipment, this often integrates with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) so the vehicles can be tracked on the booking and dispatch computers using the bespoke dispatch software to co-ordinate the jobs and vehicles. Another useful feature is to have full data so that the job details are transmitted in digital form to the cars and can appear on pocket PC's mounted in the cars or simply texted to the drivers phone. This enables a few operators in the office to control a large number of cars and it also prevents confusion when people may be of different nationalities and have widely changing accents. Once the vehicles have Pocket PCs fitted then the drivers can also choose to have in vehicle navigation systems such as Tom Tom and destinator.

Radio licensing
Almost all private hire firms have some sort of radio communication, ranging from simple hand held mobile devices to complex computerised systems that are able to track and interact with drivers. Before you consider your options, however, you must get a proper license from Ofcom

The licence costs between £5 and £10 per car per year depending on the size of the fleet.

You can contact the RLA by calling 020 7211 0211 or by clicking on www.radio.gov.uk

Radio equipment
Small operators may wish to dispense with the cost of any two way radio equipment and just use mobile phones.

It is however far more cost effective in the long run to use two way radio as unlike a mobile phone contract there is no monthly line charge associated with such systems

Make sure you get the right equipment for the area you cover. VHF is good for long range communication and is best over long straight lines. Be sure to purchase radios that are data compatible as many radios being offered at bargain prices are not. For further information on data compatibility phone Diplomat on 01256 381656

To take the next step up to cover a wider area, you would need to lease a line on one of your area's telephone masts. Space on these transmitters is owned by companies such as NTL and Crown Castle, who then lease out space to local operators.

New technology

With new technology you can track your cars using specialized software that knows the destination address and automatically places the car in the rank when they are clear. In addition to this GPS can be used to accurately pinpoint a car and jobs can be sent digitally to onboard computers or even text messages to mobile phones..

Previously high tech software and GPS systems have been out of the price range for most start-up minicab firms, but now there are firms that specialize in startup packages such as Diplomat which offer a single seat of their software complete with National street data for less than £1.00 a day. This package can then integrate with SMS dispatch or full vehicle data systems complete with GPS for under £300.00 per vehicle.

Once your fleet is fitted with a data system you can talk to them in the conventional way and send them text details about pick ups and so on. The drivers have five or six standard responses that they can send back to you, ranging from 'Picked up and on our way' to 'Help! I'm being attacked!' or please call me I need to talk to you.

Making a profit
Getting the right equipment and licenses doesn't provide a guarantee that your private hire firm will be successful - your whole enterprise can survive or fail due to public perception, so it's essential that you get this right.

It is important that 'word of mouth' is on your side. Carding (putting business cards through letterboxes) is also very important. Research shows that most customers make their judgment on a minicab or private hire firm after just one journey.

Even if you are operating just two cars from out of a cramped spare bedroom in your house, if your drivers make a good impression, you could see a loyal customer base build up, thus enabling you to take on more drivers and vehicles.

Factors such as turning up promptly, treating the customer with courtesy and having a competitive pricing policy is vital in building up repeat customers so invest in booking and dispatch software and always be polite and courteous on the telephone.


A good way to attract customers is to offer new features such as online internet bookings and text bookings, this appeals greatly to the younger generation as they can book entirely by SMS, modern booking and dispatch software will instantly translate the text to a job and bypass the telephonist all together.
Please contact www.diplomat.co.uk for further information.

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Common accidents in the workplace

Accidents are part of life and seeing as we spend a big chunk of our life in the work place, it seems obvious that a fair few will happen there. But certain types of accidents are more likely to happen in certain environments, for example burning yourself if you work with hazardous substances.
There is no way to stop accidents from happening in the work place completely, but it is a duty of your employer to make sure these risks are at a low level. During this article we will attempt to highlight some of the more common types of accidents.

Trips and Slips
Around a third of all workplace accidents are apparently people slipping up or tripping over things. These slips are usually due to wet conditions and the trips are due to bad housekeeping. Everyone has tripped or slipped in their lifetime and you may be thinking it isn't a big deal, but sometimes they can have quite nasty results. These injuries can be anything from bruised limbs all the way to death if the conditions are bad.
All employers should make sure flooring is safe and secure, cables are kept neat, adequate hand rails are used and most importantly wet surfaces should be clearly marked.

Manual Handling
Another third of workplace accidents are due to manual handling. This is any job activity that incorporates pushing, pulling, lifting, carrying and moving objects. The injuries as a result of these accidents affect the back, arms, tendons and other parts of the body.
To stop these accidents happening, employers should ensure that moving objects should not be over large distances, require twisting, be too heavy and should allow for rest periods.

Traffic Accidents in the Workplace
Many job environment use vehicles, and with these vehicles, comes the danger of accidents. These can be vehicles within warehouses of vehicles coming and go in vehicles. The obvious injury would be, a vehicle hitting you while moving, but they can also involve materials falling from vehicles.
To stop traffic accidents, employers should segregate vehicles and pedestrians with barriers or distance, use one way systems if possible and make sure anyone dealing with vehicles is properly trained.

Whilst these types of accidents can never be predictable, both employees and employers should help themselves to reduce the risk. Common sense can be a life saver in these situations.


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This article was written on behalf of Claims for you who deal with accident injury claim UK and no win no fee accident claims.

The Minor And Partition Under Hindu Law

The joint family system is an inseparable concomitant of the life of the Hindus as suggested by the statement that there is no escape for a Hindu from the joint family. A Hindu joint family comprises of the common ancestor and all his lineal male descendants upto any generation together with their wives or widows and unmarried daughters. Coparcenary is another term used under the Hindu Law and sometimes believed to be same in meaning and scope as the joint family. However the term coparcenary under the Mitakshara School is much narrow in scope and its membership is confined to male descendants upto four degrees, from a common male ancestor. All the coparceners have unity of possession and community of interest in the joint family property.

The term `Partition`, in common parlance is used to denote segregation of joint interests. But under Hindu law the concept of Partition is not confined to mere division of property. Infact it covers both segregation of title and division of joint family property. Vijananesvara has opined that the word `partition` renders the adjustment of diverse rights regarding the whole by distributing them in particular portions of the aggregate. It is thus clear that Vijnaneshwara’s definition of partition does not only cover the division of property into specific shares but it also includes the demarcation of the respective rights of the individuals who claim the heritage jointly.

It is not mentioned anywhere in the Mitakshara that for dismantling the joint status, an agreement between all the coparceners is required. The only thing that is required to materialize a severance is a clearly comprehensible, unambiguous and explicit indication of a member of a joint family to segregate himself from the joint family. The member should unequivocally express his intention to enjoy his share separately. In 1922, in the case of Syed versus Jorawar, the Privy Council observed that it is settled law that a severance of estate is effected by an unequivocal declaration on the part of one of the joint holders of his intention to hold his share separately, even though no actual division takes place. The desire to break apart may be expressed in a number of ways, either by conduct or by overt declaration. It may be put forth by serving a notice on the other coparceners and in such case the severance of status takes place from the date when the communication was sent and not when it was actually received. In a similar fashion, the institution of a suit for partition by a member of the joint family serves as an express declaration of his desire to separate and as a sequel to this there is a severance of status from the date of institution of such suit. In the case of Raghvamma Versus Chenchamma, the Supreme Court said that communication of intention to severe must be communicated to all interested parties. From this observation the question arises as to whether a minor is an interested party within the ambit of the above decision?

It is the uniqueness of Indian Law that it does not strike any difference between minor coparceners and major coparceners, in respect of their rights in the joint family property. The rights of both the major and minor coparceners stand identical to each other with no points of distinction at all. So it is clear beyond doubt that minor coparcener enjoys a right of partition. The status or position of a minor coparcener has to be evaluated from two wide perspectives. Under the Hindu Law a father is competent to effect a partition during his lifetime. Such a partition effected by the father shall be binding on his sons – both major and minor. Thus a father has the capacity and power not only to sever the joint family status between himself and his sons but also to effect partition between his sons inter se. This also implies that a father can separate his minor son along with himself from the other joint holders or he can also separate a minor son from the rest of the family including himself.

Hindu Law establishes another fact beyond any doubt that the presence of minor coparceners does not operate as an impediment against partition by adult coparceners. A partition agreement entered into by adult coparceners, shall be binding on the minor coparceners except where such agreement is unfair or prejudicial to the interests of the minor. Where a partition agreement is detrimental to the interests of the minor coparceners, in such cases the minor can set aside such agreement on attaining majority. But this also poses great hardships for the minor, as he may have to wait for a number of years before he can exercise this option. So for example an inequitable partition is effected when minor is of 7 years. He can challenge such a partition only when he crosses the age of 18. Thus he will have to put up with injustice during all these years.

A major coparcener can effect a severance or partition at his will. But the minor coparcener cannot of his own will cause himself to be separated nor can he authorize anyone on his behalf to separate him. The only option which is available to the minor is to institute a proceeding through his next friend and thereafter the Court can pass a decree after satisfying itself of the fact that the partition in issue shall be beneficial for the interests of the minor or that such partition is necessary to shield the minor from some impending peril. Experts in the field of Hindu law have pointed out that this provision loses its relevance when examined in the context of the costs and the time which have to be borne. The next friend will have to shoulder substantial expenses till the time the minors’ interest is actually partitioned off. Above all the dilatory procedures of the Indian Courts make the task of partition all the more cumbersome. It may also be noted that in certain cases the next friend so chosen to proceed on behalf of the minor may be motivated by his own vested interests rather than the benefit of the minor. In such a case colossal damage may occur to the interests of the minor. So the questions of costs, time, credibility of the next friend etc. are worth pondering over, before we can actually say that Hindu law makes no sort of distinction between major and minor coparceners in respect of their rights in the joint family estate.

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Sexual Orientation Discrimination in Workplace: What You Need to Know

Gays and lesbians are vulnerable to harassment and discrimination because of their sexual orientation. But with the growing awareness and acceptance, the society has realized that these people should be given the equal rights just like everyone else.



Presently, there is a federal anti-discriminatory law that protects gay people and prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation in all federal institutions. However, this law does not cover gays who are working in private companies.



While the federal law is limited, many states such as California, New York, Washington, Connecticut, Oregon, Rhode Island, and New Jersey have laws that prohibit any form of discrimination against gay people working from private companies. Also, many cities and counties have outlawed discrimination based on sexual preference.



Meanwhile, some states and cities have no anti-discrimination law that protects gay workers. Still, a pragmatic employer should not allow discrimination in his office or company since he is legally liable in incidents which involve harassment, assault, invasion of privacy, wrongful termination, breach of contract, and defamation against gay workers.



According to lawyers, employers should provide training for their workers that will teach them about employment discrimination. Providing such training is practical since employers may not only avoid costly lawsuit, but also allow workers to be productive since they are free from harassment and discrimination.



To create a workplace free from abuses, discrimination, and harassment, many companies across the US have included policies which prohibit discrimination against gay workers. Such policies include penalties for the harasser or anyone who will commit discriminatory act and guidelines on the proper conduct and behavior.



Here are the other ways an employer can do to prevent sexual orientation discrimination:



1. Understand current laws. Employers should know the current laws that protect workers from marginalized sectors including gay people.



2. Make sure that employment processes (e.g. recruitment, promotion, termination, etc.) are consistent and fair.



3. If an applicant or employee reveals his/her sexual orientation, employers and supervisors should keep it confidential.



4. Communicate and ask workers if there is any discriminatory act happening in the workplace.



5. Observe if workers understand and follow the company's anti-discrimination policies.



6. Provide workers with regular training about sexual orientation laws, prevention, and policies.



7. Establish a complaint process and assign a credible supervisor who will handle cases of sexual orientation discrimination.



8. During an investigation, employers should make certain decisions that will prevent further discrimination and harassment. These include reassigning the complainant and the alleged harasser from different areas and asking the involved parties to avoid each other while the investigation is still ongoing.



9. Encourage workers to report any case of discrimination to the company's complaint process. Employers can avoid costly lawsuit if a worker reports such incident to the company instead of reporting this to a federal court.



10. Do not retaliate against workers who file sexual orientation lawsuit.





To help you deal with issues on sexual orientation discrimination in the workplace, consult with our expert employment lawyers. Visit our website and call us toll free for legal assistance.