The world of Harry Potter houses

Almost everyone has heard of the Harry Potter books written by JK Rowling and even if you haven’t read them yourself you have probably seen the films or have children that enjoy the delights of the adventures of Ron, Hermione and Harry.

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As happens in most schools, muggle or wizard based, each of the students across each year and placed into a specific house where their achievements both in academic fields and sports along with any misdemeanours either earn or cost them points. In Hogwarts these four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. On their first day at the school the year one and any new students are all placed into their houses during a ceremony, using what is known as the sorting the hat. The hat is placed on the student’s head and then announces which house it thinks the student would be best placed in.

The houses are also forms of accommodation, similar to the ones Student Accommodation Gloucester company http://studentaccommodationgloucester.co.uk/ but minus all of the magic and intrigue. Each of the houses has its own dedicated dormitory as well as a common room. It is in this location that the students will relax of an evening with their friends and enjoy some much-needed leisure time as well as providing a private study space. Each house also has its own dedicated table in the great hall that the students will sit at for their meals and other special occasions. Interestingly these tables are made up of one long table for each house with a long bench situated on either side for the students to sit on.

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Another common element for each house is that they have their own dedicated Quidditch team which is usually made up of the best broom flying students in the house. Early on Harry becomes the youngest seeker to join the Quidditch team. Much like any team sports, Quidditch forms a part of the Inter-House Quidditch Cup which sees the houses compete against one another, with the biggest rivalry being between Gryffindor and Slytherin.

Each house is given a teacher as its head and also a house ghost. Here is the breakdown for each house:

Gryffindor – Teacher is Minerva McGonagall and the house ghost is Sir Nicholas de Mimsy or “Nearly Headless Nick” as he is more affectionately known.

Hufflepuff – Teacher is Pomona Sprout and the house ghost is the Fat Friar.

Ravenclaw – Teacher is Filius Flitwick and their house ghost is the Grey Lady.

Slytherin – Teacher is Severus Snape and their house is the Bloody Baron.

Why the Right Office Lighting Is Vital

We spend about a third of our lives at work, so it’s important that the working environment facilitates a productive workplace. Lighting is an important factor: dim lighting may cause drowsiness (logical when you think we are programmed to sleep when it gets dark). It may have other effects too.

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Problems

Aside from the obvious – that being that lighting is essential for health and safety reasons, so we can see where things are and not trip over – lighting has an impact on health and productivity.

There are some obvious problems with poor lighting: headaches, eye strain and even musculoskeletal problems because people sit in awkward positions so they can see when the lighting is poor. If you are in doubt about what to do, consider contacting one the many office fit out companies around for advice about ways to improve lighting.

It’s not just insufficient lighting that is the problem. Harsh lights and glare cause their own set of problems; fluorescent lights can cause eye strain. And let’s not even talk about those annoying flickering lights. Visit Mobius at work for more information on office fit outs and further information.

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Keep It Natural

Wherever possible, use natural light. It has been proven that humans unconsciously look for natural light. It helps prevent depression, helps people be more productive and reduces eye strain. Something else rarely considered is the age of your employees. According to the Dementia Services Development Centre, older employees need more light to see properly than their younger counterparts.

What Else?

  • Consider the positioning of monitors and lights so you can reduce glare. If all else fails, provide anti-glare screens.
    • Enable dimmer switches so that lighting can be dimmed to a suitable level. Remember that what is suitable for one person may not be suitable for the next. You may have to consider providing anti-glare glasses or glasses with tinted lenses to some employees.
    • Computer screens should face away from windows (for security as well as lighting).
    • Ensure you have adjustable blinds.
    • LED lights are useful if they are close to where employees work – they don’t generate heat and don’t give off UV radiation.When in doubt, take advice from the experts. It is so easy to make lighting adjustments, and it could improve your productivity.

The benefits and dangers of protein shakes that maybe you did not know

Today we bring you a post in which we will talk about the famous protein shakes, a very common and widely used fashion among high-level athletes, both amateurs and professionals. But are these shakes good for everyone? Do they work if I want to increase muscle mass? What if I want to lose weight? We will try to clear all your doubts about these successful products, we will dispel some of the myths that they drag, and we will explain the dangers that you can face if you consume them. You will have all this information throughout the post. Are you going to miss it? Stay with us and read on!

Find the best time to eat sugar not to hurt the body anymore

Surely you have felt several times that need to eat sugar. To enjoy a dessert or to fall into the temptation of a chocolate, you have to know the best time to eat sugar. To clarify doubts and mysteries, today I am going to talk about sugar in the diet and at what times it is better to fall into the sin of cravings. And is that according to the World Health Organization, there is a recommended percentage to eat sugar, but a maximum of 10% of calories from this delight, as they are known as empty calories, because they do not contribute more than fast energy.

The 10 films that Disney wants to destroy again in 2019

Disney has always been on the lips of all fans of the seventh art, but after the company’s maneuvers that took place last 2018, which served to seize much of the American television and film industry – in addition to including a considerable number of very juicy licenses to exploit in different projects, things have reached a new level, and can begin to talk about a kind of global domination plan that transcends any popularity index.

What is the story of the sofa?

Whatever it is to you – a couch, a settee or a sofa – it will undoubtedly be one of your most-loved pieces of furniture. Where did the story begin for the sofa though? Do you know the history of this piece of furniture that we rely on every day? The story of the sofa is longer than you might think.

During the mid-20th century, a journalist suggested that those who call it a sofa were upper class and the terms settee and couch were used by those form the lower classes. There is no real evidence that this remains the case and it doesn’t really matter what you call this wonderful piece of furniture that sees so much of family life that it is practically a member of the family.

The words we use to describe this form of seating come from different languages and have slightly differing meanings. The word sofa derives from the Arabic word ‘soffah’ meaning a raised section of floor with cushions and rugs. The word couch has its origins in the French language with ‘coucher’ meaning to lie down. Settee comes from the verb ‘to settle’ and implies that one should settle down and get comfortable.

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Nobody really knows for certain when sofas were first made, who might have invented the idea or where the first sofas were used. What we do know is that this style of seating has been around for many thousands of years. In the distant past, they were synonymous with wealth and stature, as the rich were the only ones who could ever afford to relax in such luxury.

Sometime during the industrial revolution of the 1800s, manufacturing such seating became easier and more accessible. Sofas became cheaper to produce and as such, started to appear in the homes of the middle classes. What we recognise today as the living room settee was being to take shape during the industrial revolution. This gave birth to a whole new industry and manufacturers were keen to develop new ways of improving comfort. For example, springs were added to sofas in 1850, making them instantly more comfortable.

It would still take almost another century for the sofa to become a necessity in most homes. The 20th century saw the true rise of the sofa for the common man, when almost every household would recline of an evening and initially listen to the wireless, then later watch the television. The mid-20th century saw huge leaps forward in innovation in design and production, giving us many iconic pieces of furniture such as the Florence Knoll Sofa for example. Get your replica Florence Knoll Sofa from Pash Classics.

The huge variety of sofas today is amazing when you consider that they used to be the preserve of the rich and famous. They come in all shapes, sizes, materials and colours. Then there are all the variations on the traditional sofa, such as the futon, the sofa bed, the chaise lounges and the day bed.

The elements needed for a fire to exist

Fire is both something that we depend on in order to heat our homes and to cook our food, as well as being something that we need to protect ourselves from. Having a fire breakout at home or in the workplace is most people’s worst nightmare. Fire spreads incredibly quickly and it is due to this and many other reasons that it is important that businesses have training and advice from Fire Safety Consultancy Bristol companies in order to identify any particular risk areas and to put in place procedures that should be followed in the event of a fire.

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Fire is possible as a result of something that is known as the combustion triangle or the fire triangle. This is something that is taught to children in their science lessons at school. Understanding this triangle not only helps you to understand how fires occur but can also help you to eliminate one.

The triangle essentially shows the chemical reaction that needs to take place in order for a fire to be created. There are three elements that need to be present, a fuel source, heat and oxygen. These all need to exist in order for the fire to light and equally by removing one of these elements you can extinguish a fire. By taking each element in turn it is possible to understand the existence of fire in more detail and this knowledge has then been used to develop fire safety products and is used alongside more in depth knowledge and training to support the fire service.

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Fuel – this is essentially an y material that will burn and can include items such as paper, wood, coal, charcoal and any other flammable or combustible material. These materials will all have different burn rates and temperatures due to their make-up and natural moisture content.

Heat – Heat is what causes the materials to ignite. Any combustible material will release what is known as flammable vapours and when heat is present these will combust. It is the heat that maintenance the presence of the fire and causes it to spread. The heat effectively removes the moisture from the fuel source as it pre-heats the fuel and the air that surrounds it.

Oxygen – All fires need oxygen to be present in order to stay lit. When oxygen is removed from the air surrounding a fire it will die out very quickly. It has been noted that fires only need air hat is made up of 16% oxygen in order to remain alight. This is the oxidising part of the chemical reaction that takes place.

As already mentioned, in order to put a fire out one of the above elements needs to be removed. When heat is removed the fire will cool down and go out, when fuel is removed the fire will smoulder before going out and finally when oxygen is removed the fire will effectively suffocate.