Agatha Christie’s ‘And then there were none‘ is one of her most successful and  widely read novels, being one of the best selling books of all time, and one that has had a wide range of both film and TV adaptations. 10 Little Indians, which was shown over Christmas on the fabulous Talking Pictures channel, was a 1960’s adaptation that received mixed reviews at the time, but is definitely worth a reevaluation due to some good casting and an ingenious setting.

‘And then there are none’ is the story of 10 strangers, invited to stay as guests of a Mr  U N Owen, and then being killed, one by one, by an invisible killer who is dishing out his own brand of justice for crimes that each victim has committed, but has not been punished for by law. In this swinging sixties version, directed by George Pollock, the action is transferred to an Alpine Ski resort, to a stunning mansion that can only be reached by a ski lift, with the ski lift also leading to some spectacular death scenes.

The cast has some great star names and attractions, including James Bond golden girl Shirley Eaton as Ann Clyde, employed as a secretary for the mysterious Mr Owen, Stanley Holloway as the detective William Blore, Wilfred Hyde White as the judge Edward Seton and Dennis Price as the doctor Edward Armstrong. Early 1960’s pop star Fabian as a small but showy roll as the entertainer Mike Raven, who is allowed to perform a jazzed up version of the ‘Ten little Indians’ nursery rhyme at the piano before he is poisoned by a cocktail.

The glamour is provided by both Shirley Eaton and Sophia Loren lookalike Daliah Lavi. I like the way Shirley (as Ann) wears lots of white clothing, to signify innocence of the crime she is accused of, while Daliah as actress Ilona Bergen, is clearly guilty (another guest actually corroborates this) and wears lots of gothic, very glamorous black.

Whilst I think there have been better, more claustrophobic versions of ‘And then there were none’ (my own favourite is the TV adaptation set at Burgh Island which offers a stunning, Art Deco setting that suits the book perfectly), this is still well worth checking out. Look out for a future showing at Talking Pictures.

Many people who have full-time jobs find that they still do not earn enough money to comfortably cover all their costs. Some may find it difficult to work full-time due to other commitments, and this can also mean that they are short on cash on a regular basis.

One solution is to think of a side-hustle that you can do from home to bring in some extra cash. There are all sorts of possibilities you can consider, from joining a cam site to offering specialist services online. There are many different jobs you can do from home during hours that fit in with your schedule. This makes it easy to earn much-needed extra cash with a lucrative side-hustle.

The Types of Online Services You Can Offer

There are lots of different services that you can offer online, and your options will depend on your skills, interests, and capabilities. You don’t necessarily need special qualifications to offer some of these services, although it can help with some of them. So, let’s take a look at some of the services you can offer online if you are looking for a way to earn extra cash on a regular basis:

Set Up an Online Store

One of the things you can do as a side-hustle is to set up your own online store. This is easier to do these days because there are so many platforms that you can use such as eBay and Etsy. Of course, you should also set up your own website to promote your brand and create another revenue path in addition to online platforms.

All you need to do is identify a gap in the market, invest in some initial stock, and market your new business, which you can also do online. This can be a very lucrative little venture that has the scope to grow and become a full-time venture eventually.

Offer Content Writing Services

Another thing you could consider is offering online writing services online, which is something that many businesses are interested in these days. Our move into the digital age means that a lot of businesses are now looking for remote writers to create articles, marketing content, press releases, guides, blog posts, and much more.

You do not necessarily need to have specialist qualifications for this, but you do need a flair for writing, great research skills, and an eye for detail. You can do the work during hours that suit you, which makes it a very flexible option. In addition, you can earn very good money regularly as an online content writer.

Provide Digital Marketing Solutions

These days, digital marketing has become a vital part of overall marketing strategies for businesses of all sizes. If you are great with platforms such as social media, and you are motivated and good with tech, digital marketing could be the ideal side-hustle for you.

It is advisable to do a course so that you are up to date with the latest techniques and trends, and this will help you to secure more clients. You can make exceptionally good money from offering this type of service, and you can help businesses to reach new audiences and boost their success levels.

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Create Websites

Another service that has become vital in today’s digital era is website creation, and this is something else that businesses are always in need of. While you do not necessarily need specialist qualifications for this, you do need to have the skills, knowledge, and right tools to create websites for clients. You also need some artistic flair and a good eye for details so that you can create professional, slick, eye-catching websites.

Like the other options, this is something that can be done from your home office working flexible hours to suit your needs. It can also be an excellent way to earn a lot of extra cash, as some businesses pay big money for the perfect website. You could even bring a writer onboard so that you can provide websites that are already populated with content.

Find the Ideal Side-Hustle for You

These are just some of the many options you can consider if you want a side-hustle that can bring in extra money every month. For those who cannot go out and get a second job, these online services provide a great and very convenient alternative. Thanks to the power of modern technology, you can now offer all sorts of services remotely, making it much easier to find the ideal money-making solution.

Of course, you should also remember that if you achieve success – and if you wish to – you can turn your money-spinning side-hustle into a full-time job eventually. So, you could end up with your own little business while enjoying the benefits of being your own boss.

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Diamond grading is a highly specialized skill requiring both human knowledge and experience, and technological assistance in the form of finely calibrated equipment. Diamond grading usually cannot be done using only human vision, even in the hands of an avowed expert. As an absolute minimum magnification to the power of 10 is required, and ideally grading should take place under laboratory conditions with access to, as mentioned above, specialist equipment.

But whether you are in a jeweler’s workshop or in a high quality lab, such as those operated by diamond grading authorities, AGS or GIA, there are strict and specific criteria that must be considered when grading the diamonds. They begin with four Cs which must be followed in the right order. Let us take a look.

The First Cut

A diamond’s cut is vital in showcasing the stone at its best. It will either show off the (nearly) perfect interior of the stone, or disguise its flaws; adding value (in the case of a round brilliant design), conserving as much stone as possible for a beautiful, budget friend result (as in a princess cut) or making the best of an awkward shape (for example, flat shallow stones fit nicely into an emerald cut). The cut is the first point considered when a stone is being graded because the cut is responsible for the brilliance and scintillation thrown out by the stone.

Colour Considerations

A ‘pure’ diamond should be completely colourless – invisible when placed in a glass of water, say – and even the slightest hint of colour can make a dramatic difference to the price of the stone. In general, diamonds are valued lower the more colour to be perceived in the stone – until you get right to the other end of the scale: Z and beyond, at which point the stone’s obvious colouration can begin to add value back in as the grading moves into the fancy and vivid fancy hues.

Here’s to Clarity

Clarity, when used in reference to diamonds, means the internal integrity of the stone. To put it another way, a diamond’s main value is due to the stone’s unique light reflecting and refracting qualities. Just as the cut is designed to show the stone off to its best, the clarity allows the stone to bounce light around inside it, allowing it to escape through the top of the stone, or the table – this is what makes diamonds seem to shine with their own inner light, sparkling and bouncing a scatter of rainbow light around them like an aura. If the clarity of the stone is obstructed – by a flaw or fracture in the stone – then the light display will be skewed or disrupted too. And, this, obviously, is undesirable in a diamond.

How Many Carats?

The final consideration is the size of the stone. Diamonds are slightly odd in that a small, nearly perfect stone can be worth a lot more than a flawed stone of five times its size, even though those flaws cannot be seen with the human eye, and sometimes not even unless the stone is in a beautifully lit laboratory, under stringent conditions. For this reason, the carat weight of the stone is almost an afterthought – when it comes to diamond grading, size really does not matter!