#blinds and shutters near me blinds and shutters newcastle blinds and shutters blinds and shutters sydney

[homeawnings]

The Essentials Of Home Window Coverings And Also Treatments

Having difficulty making a decision which blinds and shutters to use? With such vast choices of options ranging from material, fabric, shade, size, and also equipment it can get rather frustrating and confusing to determine which curtain is best for your area. There are four basic components to take into consideration when choosing home window therapies: personal privacy, light control, function, and also design.

Personal privacy is most likely the primary reason any one of us purchase blinds and shutters near me to begin with. Its objective is, naturally, to cover the home window. There are a variety of home window therapies that are ideal for personal privacy. These consist of shades or blinds as well as non-sheer curtains and also draperies. Each home window treatment is available in a range of styles and textiles such as fabric, roller, or mobile tones, which normally use complete home window protection. Blinds such as miniature blinds, wood blinds, and also shutters likewise provide an almost exclusive environment.

Light control is likewise vital when selecting home window therapies. There are 2 things to think about when considering light control. Initially, is maintaining the glare down when somebody is sleeping throughout the day or watching TELEVISION near an intense home window. Second, is obstructing UV rays from bright sunshine, as they will often tend to fade textiles, home furnishings, and art work in your house. Home window coverings to help with light control include power outage, thermal, or shielded curtains, steel or timber blinds, all-natural blinds such as bamboo and also matchstick, and also mobile shades in non-sheer textiles.

Without the component of function, home window therapies are useless. When purchasing window therapies, make certain to take into consideration the window hardware, fit, positioning, and safety and security. There are several solutions to any kind of window therapy issue. For example, some window therapies such as valances, cornices, as well as non-closing drape side panels are designed to be stationary. To bring even more design as well as feature to these stationary treatments, add under treatments such as sheers, blinds, or tones. When installing blinds in a house with children, there is a new breakaway and also security window cable choice to prevent choking and also strangulation. You can additionally place the cords on hooks called cleats to avoid the cords from remaining in injury's way.

Ultimately, window therapies can be made use of to include shade, structure, and pattern to your space. Curtains and also draperies have options in pole styles with tab tops, tie tops, many sorts of pleats, grommets, rod pockets (big or little), or ordinary rings. Frames are hung at the top of the window and are made in many styles as well as forms. They can be utilized alone for a basic appearance or can be made use of over a rate, panel, or a tough home window treatment. Valances can be gathered, pleated, swagged, formal, informal, shoelace, or level. There are additionally a range of tones as well as blinds that can add style to your area. For instance, material tones are discovered in Roman design, pleated, balloon, level panels, or in sheers of working with fabrics. Metal mini blinds offer options weight and dimension, specialty surfaces, and also hundreds of colors. Timber blinds come in a variety of shades, finishes, and also dimensions. Mobile tones, likewise called pleated as well as honeycomb shades, have a tidy look as well as be available in both sheer and non-sheer products. All-natural blinds are likewise called matchstick or bamboo blinds, but are readily available currently in matchsticks, tailored slats, and also various other options that have an all-natural fabric-like appearance.

Whatever your choice for window therapies, you make certain to locate many choices to meet your residence's needs for personal privacy, light control, feature, and also style.

[somar78]

The Ford RS200 – The Fastest Accelerating Road Car In The World (For 12 Years)

This article was written by Nathan Duff, the founder of Retromotive Magazine and a contributor to a number of magazines including Top Gear, CAR, Wheels, and MOTOR.

Andrei Shinkarenko likes things that are rare, different and unique. He’s refreshingly left of centre and unashamedly so. I had that impression even before we meet, as I park my car next to ‘Rex’, the dinosaur in his front yard. “Might be Rexona.” He quips as we greet. “We’re not that friendly yet.”

Andrei, or Andy, is an engineer. “We’re a different breed,” he explains. “We think differently – genetically, we are created, were not just taught to be engineers. Russians have a long history of engineering. We don’t invent new stuff, we perfect old stuff.”

“I put myself through Uni working as mechanical engineer.” Andy was fortunate enough to land a job with Ifield Engineering. “R.J. Ifield was a God.” He explains. “112 patents – among other things, the hydromantic slipper bearing; it’s the most import thing in hydraulics…. ever.” He goes on to mention a number of other inventions and innovations. He explains them in such detail that, unfortunately, the scope is a little lost on my humble intellect.

“I love things that are rare. If you’re going to do it, make it worthwhile.”

That’s the thing with Andy, if he takes an interest in something he is in, balls deep. (It’s a pun; it’ll make sense soon.)

“I started my own engineering business in ‘88 and the planets kind of lined up for me. In ‘94 the RTA decided to make the engineering signatory system the code of practice.”

In simple terms, you needed someone like Andy to sign off on your vehicle mods in order to make them legal. He was a very busy man after that

“There were only 4 of us in Newcastle, so it was busy. Especially when the kids would take their cars down to Nobby’s Beach and the cops would block off the road. 50 cars would get defected and need to be certified by an engineer. I easily would have done 3000 vehicles over 20 years doing that.”

These days, Andy is on the cusp of retirement and is itching to spend more time tinkering on projects like converting his swing car to be fully electric. Ever heard of a swing bike? Same principal, but in a car. Andy loved the concept of the bike and once he had mastered riding it, thought “Hmm how can I make this better?” Long story short, Andy now has swing car. He engineered the whole system into a Rickman Ranger that he does skids around his front lawn with.

Along with his mind bending engineering projects, he has 30 odd cars in his collection that need some miles put on the clock. Like the Ex Stirling Moss 904 Porsche GTS Carrera, the last of the road registered Le Mans cars. An Electron – a Hyundai Getz-based electric vehicle briefly produced by the Australian company, Blade Electric, but killed off due to government-introduced ESC requirements that the company couldn’t meet.

At the moment, he owns and operates a squash court. “It takes a lot of my time up. I’ve been playing squash since the mid 70’s.”

Andy’s no slouch either. He competed in the Pan Pacific Masters games in 2016 and won a silver and bronze. There was a 10-year hiatus from squash when he decided he wanted to be a power lifter. “I made the world team and came 8th in the world.”

Throughout all his achievements though, cars have remained a constant for him.

“I had worked really hard and I thought it was time to buy a supercar. I used the money I had made from my first business.” (Andy had developed a special type of Diesel Injector and sold the business to a large consortium.)

“I bought a Lamborghini Espada which was a real heart breaker. Ugh,” he sighs, “Lamborghini quality, it’s just not there. If you take it for a run, you gotta call the tow truck. I had a few problems with it and decided to park it up in the shed.” That was 23 years ago.

“There are special cars out there on the planet – the RS200 is one of them. “It was a blank sheet of paper for them to engineer the perfect rally car. That aspect appealed to me straight away. They didn’t have to build a road car – just build what is right.”

“An aluminium honeycombed section with an inbuilt roll cage that you can’t even see! Fibreglass ends and steel structures to hold the engine and diff was ahead of its time.” He says excitedly.

The RS200 was developed so that Ford could join the hugely popular Group B rally category. The Escort was no match for the Audi Quattro or Lancia Delta so they needed something truly special to get noticed on the world stage.

“I first seen the RS200 along with the Audi Quattro and Lancias on an old documentary called ‘Too Fast To Race’. It was right at the end of that era that the RS 200 came in.”

Ford invested over 10 million pounds in producing the RS200, which, considering it wasn’t going to recoup anywhere near that amount for knock on sales from the car, is testament to the times of the Killer Bs.

The RS200 was a very complex, technologically advanced four-wheel drive car. Power came from a mid-mounted, 1.8 litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged Cosworth BDS engine with a roof-mounted intercooler.

To aid weight distribution, the transmission was mounted at the front of the car. This required the power from the engine to go up to the front wheels first and then, be run back again to the rear.

The body was designed by Ghia and the chassis was designed by former Formula One designer Tony Southgate. The RS200’s was assembled at the Reliant Plant (yes, those funny 3-wheel cars) because of their experience with assembling fibreglass bodied cars.

Proof of their cars complexity is stuck to the inside of the windscreen with its strict ‘Cold Start Procedure’. This states: “It is essential not to exceed 1500 rpm for the first 30 seconds after starting. Do not drive with the oil pressure above 6 bar. Allow water temperature to reach normal before using maximum power. Failure to observe correct procedure may result in expensive engine damage.”

“The first one I found was at a museum in LA. They wanted 200k and it wasn’t even going.” The RS200 in question had apparently been parked up without fluids for 25 years, everything had seized – not good.

Andy discovered one in New Zealand owned by the Hoffman Ford dealership. They had found it in a barn in America with only 900 miles on the clock.

“I’ve only done 70-80 miles since I got it.” Admits Andy. “I got very nervous driving it around, not because it was too quick, I just don’t want anybody hitting me in their clapped out Gemini,” he laughs. “But all that has passed now and I’m comfortable driving it anywhere.”

“The first time I took it out, it felt like a dog – like it had major clutch shutter.” Andy spent a good deal of time researching how to fix the issue before a member of the RS200 club suggested an odd fix. ‘It’s nothing to do with the clutch, it’s the spark plugs.’

“I changed the plugs and 100% better. But everything is so, so tight. People blame the car – it kind of feels like the handbrake is on at low speed, you really need to drive that thing.”

It’s not just Andy, Chris Harris rates it as the “Easiest car to stall I’ve ever driven.”

“The RS200 is quick – record breaking quick. It held the record for the fastest accelerating production car for 12 years – that’s against Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini.”

The record Andy refers to was accomplished by Stig Blomqvist in an EVO RS200 for a Guinness World run. He set a 0-60mph time of 3.07 seconds. The record stood for 12 years.

The EVO’s were developed a year or so after the RS 200 debuted for the 1986 season. While they had some success, it was clear some upgrades were needed in order to really dominate the category. 24 of the original RS200’s were re-purposed which included an upgrade from the 1.8 BDT engine to 2.1 BDT-E engine capable of anywhere between 600 to 800 horsepower.

The plan was to run in the 1987 season of group B, but due to some horrendous accidents and fatalities the category was killed before they could be used.

It was a crazy time for rally and unfortunately, watching back over some of the footage from that era, it was only going to be a matter of time until there was a fatality.

Scenes of drivers leaping over blind crests, parting the sea of spectators like Moses, hands flying out trying to tag a 500hp monster as it scuttled past were common place. It looks like the automotive equivalent of the ‘Running of the bulls.’

Marc Surer, a Swiss Formula One driver, crashed a RS200 against a tree during the 1986 Hessen-Rallye in Germany, killing his co-driver, Michel Wyder instantly.

During the second leg of the 1986 Corsica Rally, Henri Toivonen’s Lancia Delta S4 went off the side of the road and plummeted down a ravine. It crashed on its roof exploding on impact. Toivonen and his co-driver, Sergio Cresto were killed instantly. The fire was so intense that the Delta S4 was unidentifiable.

In an interview just before the crash he stated; ‘After 4 hours of driving – it’s hard to keep up with the speed. So, with a modern car like this, it’s just impossible to race here. It’s physically exhausting and the brains can’t keep up with it anymore.’

At the Rally de Portugal, a RS200 was involved in one of the most horrific accidents in WRC history and the catalyst for the end of the era.

3 spectators were killed and 31 others injured when Joaquim Santos came over a crest to be greeted by spectators on the road. Trying to stop, he lost control and plunged into the crowd.

The accident set off a series of events, which lead to the FIA abolishing Group B after the 1986 season.

The RS200 EVO went on to have a second life as an absolute monster in Rally Cross. Ken Block, Ford fan and master of the skid, has recently acquired the Ford factory RS200 EVO and it’s rumoured to be part of Gymkhana 10.

Even though homologation rules stated that 200 needed to be built to be eligible for the category, it’s documented that only 146 cars were ever fully constructed and sold, with the remainder being broken down for spares.

The RS200 was but a blip on the scene. Initially, it wasn’t terribly successful and played its part in the demise of Group B. But all things considered, it’s still an amazing piece of history worthy of its cult status.

The RS200 ticks all the boxes for Andy, but he is currently testing the waters by offering the RS200 for sale. “If it doesn’t sell, I’ll be happy, the way that car looks. Would I be proud to just have it in the shed? Absolutely.”

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Images: Nathan Duff

The post The Ford RS200 – The Fastest Accelerating Road Car In The World (For 12 Years) appeared first on Silodrome.

source https://silodrome.com/ford-rs200-group-b-rally-car/

[euroman1945-blog]

The Daily Thistle

The Daily Thistle – News From Scotland

Sunday 12th August 2018

"Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. Quite a breeze blowing this morning as Bella and I leave the house, the normal silence of the morning gone, replaced by the sounds of blinds slapping where the owner failed to tighten them, shutter rattling as the wind buffets, palm trees are rustling as their leaves are scrapping against one and other, Gulls are calling as if protesting against being woken so early, after all it is only 3.30am, but we are unperturbed by the wind and the noises of nature, so up the hill towards the old hermitage we venture… at the top we stand, Bella with her nose in the air, scenting the smells from the town below, me watching shooting stars rain down on the atmosphere above,  until finally we turn and head for the house….

HISTORIC EDINBURGH CHURCH FOR SALE - FOR SAME PRICE AS LONDON FLAT…. A stunning 19th century church in Edinburgh has gone on the market for the same price as a studio London flat. The Gothic style building offers accommodation split over three different levels for around £590,000. Sitting on the corner between London Road and Easter Road, the B-listed building is merely a mile from the centre of Edinburgh. Anyone buying the building is able to remove various fixtures and fittings contained within the land -- including a war memorial. The Church of Scotland building also boasts a Tudor style hall, a spacious sanctuary and a practical meeting hall. The building was closed after the London Road and Holyrood Abbey Parish churches joined together as part of plans to reorganise the churches in the east of Edinburgh. And the church has been the subject of a campaign from a local group called Save London Church” seeking to buy it using community right-to-buy legislation. A brochure advertising the Church of Scotland building suggests a number of different uses for the former religious building. It reads: “The Property is Category B* listed as a crèche, day nursery, day centre, educational establishment, museum or public library. “It has potential for a variety of other uses, subject to obtaining planning and listed building consents. “The Sanctuary is spacious and airy, with a balcony on three sides above. “There is also a bright and practical meeting hall which has potential to be used for a variety of purposes.” For the same price, you can get a new-build 471 sq ft studio flat in the Camden area of London.

ROXBURGHE HOTEL SET TO BE SOLD…. Roxburghe Estates has announced it will sell one of its landmark properties next month. The ownership of the 22-bedroom Roxburghe Hotel and Golf Course, based in Heiton, near Kelso, will transfer to Bespoke Hotels – the largest independent hotel group in the UK – at the end of July. The Duke of Roxburghe said: “I am delighted that we have reached agreement with Bespoke, knowing that they have exciting plans for the future and will invest significantly in the business. “We look forward seeing the Roxburghe grow in the years ahead under new ownership and achieving our long-term vision of a high-quality resort destination. “We strongly believe the Roxburghe has a secure and successful future under Bespoke Hotels’ management.” While hotel management experts ICMI will no longer be in charge at the hotel, the Duke said that the staff at the hotel and golf course will retain their jobs. In 2010, planning consent was granted for 60 holiday lodges, a new clubhouse and conversion of the existing clubhouse to a 10-bedroom dormy house, all of which stood as a key factor in Bespoke’s strong interest and decision to acquire the business.

BREWDOG EXPLORING OPTIONS FOR FIRST AUSTRALIAN BREWERY….  Fresh from appointing a managing director for its US arm, craft beer maker BrewDog has named its “top dog” for Australia as it eyes possible sites for its first brewery Down Under. Zarah Prior, who previously held the role of “head of people” at the Aberdeenshire-based firm before joining Australia’s Stone & Wood Brewing Co last year as head of engagement, has now returned to the company, tasked with identifying locations for its new production facility. The Ellon-headquartered brewer, which recently opened its 100,000 square foot brewery in Columbus, Ohio, and appointed Tanisha Robinson as managing director of BrewDog USA, is focusing its initial searches around the “fast-developing” areas of Brisbane in Queensland and Newcastle in New South Wales. Over the past eight years, the firm’s “Equity for Punks” crowdfunding initiative has attracted investment of more than £40 million from some 55,000 people around the world. In April, US private equity firm TSG Consumer Partners bought a stake of about 22 per cent in the business in a deal that valued it at about £1 billion. Prior, an Australian native who holds an MBA from the University of Queensland, said: “Our Australian Equity Punk community has been crying out for BrewDog to set up shop closer to home, so we are excited to finally be making that happen. “We are open to redeveloping an existing industrial site with a 2,000 to 4,000 square metre built-up facility, or alternatively a plot of land able to comfortably accommodate a new build of that size with expansion capabilities in the future.”

AXE FALLS ON LOOPALLU MUSIC FESTIVAL AFTER 13 YEARS…. One of the biggest festivals in the Highlands and Islands is to be axed after this year. Organisers of Loopallu, which has brought the likes of Paolo Nutini, Franz Ferdinand, Mumford and Sons and Twin Atlantic to Ullapool, will be staged for the last time this September. The announcement came after the event was forced to relocate from the Broomfield Holiday Park, on the banks of Loch Broom, after a dispute with its owners. The View, Glasvegas, Hunter and the Bear, Turin Brakes, The Rezillos and The Vatersay Boys will be among the acts to perform at the event's swansong, which will be staged at Ullapool harbour. Loopallu was founded by Ullapool-based promoter Rob Hicks in 2005, with the American band Hayseed Dixie helping to get the event off the groud by headlining the first two festivals. The event, championed by BBC DJs Janice Long, Mark Radcliffe and Vic Galloway, is believed to the most lucrative of the year for the local economy. However the relocation to the harbour meant the event's capacity was forced to be cut. A statement on the Loopallu Facebook page said: "With a heavy heart, we’ve decided that our 13th outing is going to be our last. There’s no time to be sad, it’s time to celebrate what has made Loopallu so special over the years. "Time to celebrate how the little event with a big heart transformed a small west coast village at the end of the season, bringing millions of pounds into the economy over the years, and not to mention the priceless friendships established. "It’s time to bring back some of our favourite acts over the years, but also introduce some new ones too; some established household names and some stars of the future. "The whole team would like to say a big thank you to all who have come over the years, your support and enthusiasm made the event what it was and what it is.

BUDGET COFFEE CHAIN EASYCOFFEE OPENS FIRST EDINBURGH STORE…. Budget coffee chain EasyCoffee is set to open its first Edinburgh outlet. The cafe chain, founded by EasyJet tycoon Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, already has £1 coffee shops in cities across England, with the Capital site set to be its first in Scotland. The shop has opened opposite the Haymarket train station. A cup of coffee or tea sells from £1 in EasyCoffee shops, with food like a ham and cheese toastie costing around £3.20. The chain has already announced plans for 200 new stores in major high street locations as it seeks to take on market leaders like Costa Coffee, Pret A Manger and Starbucks, although the locations are being kept a closely guarded secret. Announcing the Edinburgh store, CEO Nathan Lowry said: “EasyCoffee has been popping up all over and we are finally heading to Scotland. “We are just so chuffed to have found the right location with plenty of seating and free wifi, the right team and cannot wait to be a part of the neighbourhood.” He said the firm also had plans for the ‘world’s first’ Irn-Bru Freeze frozen drink to be sold from the Haymarket shop.

On that note I will say that I hope you have enjoyed the news from Scotland today,

Our look at Scotland today is by Anna Deacon who said the light was gorgeous when she took this photo of Cramond Island on Sunday.

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Sunday 12th August 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Scotland #News #Spain