Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Whether youre looking for a keyboard with every feature under the sun, ergonomics to cure wrist pain or something to use for work and play theres a keyboard for everyone

The keyboard of a computing setup is one of the essential components. It is the primary input method for every word you type, but millions of us just use whichever one is lying around or the one thats built into the base of the laptop we could afford.

More thought can and should be put into which keyboard youre using because theres a dizzying range of options. If you dont want to be bent over your laptop as you work from home, then you can elevate it to head height and attach an external keyboard.

If you use a desktop computer already you may think that the keyboard you have is perfectly adequate. But how fast can you type on it, and do you get wrist pain after a long working day? Does it have a number pad and media controls? Do the wires annoy you?

Well be the first to admit that there are far too many keyboards out there but there really is one for everyone and were firm believers that most people wont appreciate how much positive difference a change in keyboard can make to your comfort and productivity.

Here are our picks of the five best keyboards you can buy to improve your work, play, and comfort.

Buy it via Amazon or the Logitech website.

$229.95 / NZ$249.99

It aint cheap but its one of the best wireless keyboards available right now. The design of the keys means they have a decent amount of travel and a satisfying feedback. Each key also has a spherical indent to match your fingertips. Bear in mind its quite flat, and theres no tilt adjustment.

The unit is incredibly solid with its metal frame and its comfortable to type at for hours despite not having an ergonomic shape. We love the proximity sensor that lights the keys up when your hands approach them, and the board can be used with Windows or Mac thanks to its flexible key layout and labelling.

But its the software trickery thats the secret trick of the MX Keys. When paired with the MX Master 3 mouse, you can astoundingly move the cursor from a PC to a Mac. It works very well, and you can even click and drag items from one OS to another.

Buy it via Amazon or the Microsoft Store.

$99.95 / NZ$109.95

This Microsoft ergonomic wired keyboard will help with wrist pain in a design that could offset injury but might disrupt your typing flow at first as you relearn the spacing. The split keyboard is at a good angle and distance, and after a bit of relearning you should be typing up to speed.

The included palm rest is a god send combined with your newly tilted wrists you should hopefully experience less wrist fatigue after typing all day. Its tilt adjustable and despite not being a mechanical keyboard offers a great combination of key travel and comfort in a board thats not too loud.

Its USB-A so if you have a modern laptop with fewer ports you might need to buy a USB-C adapter. There are also handy Windows shortcut keys for Office, emojis and even screen grab tools. You can customise these keys and features with Microsofts Mouse and Keyboard Center app.

If youre strapped for cash then the incredibly good value Microsoft Wired Keyboard 600 is only thirty bucks but lacks the ergonomic design.

Buy it via Amazon or Apple.

$149 / NZ$149

If youre a Mac user and still have an older keyboard or you want to connect your MacBook up to a monitor, then Apple offers its wireless Magic Keyboard if you want to keep things first-party. Its a divisive keyboard, but we like it for its sleek design, simplicity, and good typing feel.

Its divisive because the travel of the keys a long way from the satisfying thunk of a mechanical keyboard but if you prefer low travel and dont mind a clicky sound then youll be able to get up to a decent typing speed. It has all the media and macOS control keys you get on a Mac, charges via the included Lightning cable and lasts at least a month of use on a charge when used wirelessly, if not more.

A longer version with a numeric keypad costs an additional $30 but we prefer the smaller version for its compact design and the ability to chuck it in unnoticed in a bag if you hot desk.

Buy it via Amazon or Mwave.

$249 / NZ$289

Things can get intimidating and complicated if youre after a mechanical keyboard, so put simply: the best mechanical keyboard weve used is the Corsair K70 MK2. If you dont mind the gaming aesthetic, or indeed are after a keyboard for work and play, then this is the one wed recommend. Its low 29mm profile is excellent when combined with the included detachable palm rest.

Paired with the choice of quieter Cherry MX Silent keys (others are available so check before you buy), the K70 has a lovely feel to it with long travel but relatively muted feedback for a mechanical. If you hate hyping on clicky keys with low travel and like to feel each word as you type, then its a great fit.

After hours its also a gaming keyboard with included different texture keys and highly customisable RGB lighting, plus two USB-A plugs for input and passthrough. Youre paying a premium for all those extras though. If you want to pay less, then you can shop around for something else that uses the Cherry MX Silent keys.

A much cheaper alternative is Kogans Full RGB mechanical keyboard with a choice of three switch types.

Buy it via the Razer Store or Amazon.

$169.95 / NZ$179.95

Another mechanical alternative is this work-focused wired keyboard from Razer so doesnt have RGB lighting. It is suitable for gaming, but in a subtler, smaller, and cheaper package than the Corsair.

Its Razer Orange switches good if you prefer a louder, clackier sound but it comes with O-ring for you to individually dampen key sound if you want though taking each key off with a tool and adding a ring is a bit of a chore.

We found we could get up to a decent speed on the BlackWidow and its a particularly good looking keyboard though it has quite a high profile so you may need to get a wrist rest.

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Tags keyboardErgonomic keyboards

Read more:
The best keyboards: Ergonomic and productive home office options - PC World

Lockdown has been hard for rodents whose fortunes are tied to those of humans. When restaurants closed, and city streets and back alleys emptied of people and their waste, rats lost a plentiful supply of food. So they followed us home, foraging and breeding in our gardens, drains and household voids. They became more brazen and aggressive. And, when that wasnt enough, they began to eat each other.

Cannibal rats are among the grimmest consequences of the upending of urban life. In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have warned of unusual or aggressive behaviour in rats, including the eating of rat pups.

This probably shouldnt come as a surprise, given that cannibalism is common among mammals in extremis. Mothers will eat their young in the hope of one day being able to reproduce again, says Steve Belmain, a professor of ecology at the Natural Resources Institute in Kent, and the UKs leading rat academic. If theres not enough food to take care of herself, she wont kill herself looking after them.

Bill Lane-Petter, a pre-eminent postwar rodent expert and lab rat specialist, observed in 1968 that malnutrition in rodents can produce a perversion in the dam, or mother. This will lead her, as well as other adult or growing animals in the cage, to devour carcasses, and even to attack and kill the young in order to eat them.

Even more horrifyingly to human ears, cannibalism, Lane-Petter went on, may develop as a vice. Whisker-eating in mice is not uncommon; it can go on to ear- or toe-chewing, and, from there to total cannibalism.

Cannibalism aside, Britains pest control firms have reported a surge in demand. Rentokil has noted an almost 80% increase in visits to its website compared with this time last year. The company said the warm winter kept rat populations high, adding to the pressure on the animals. Meanwhile, our homes are offering richer pickings because we are eating in and gardening more.

Weve noticed more activity around compost bins, as people in lockdown are composting far more, says Paul Bates of Cleankill, a Croydon firm whose domestic rat call-outs are up 20% compared with last year. With daily replenishment and no limit on consumption, an unsecured vegetable waste bin is a Pizza Hut salad buffet for a rat.

Bates says rats have become bolder in attempting to enter our homes, competing with the mice that are our more common housemates. Rats crawl up drains and gnaw through plastic piping. They can swim into toilet bowls. Demand is high for rat flaps spiked one-way gates for waste pipes that stop rats coming in while letting, well, stuff flow out.

Customers have all commented on how much braver and more brazen the rats have become, says Nick Woodroffe of Peak Pest Control in Derbyshire, where homebound rats are missing the detritus of tourism in Bakewell and Buxton.

Mike Flynn, the boss of Alpha Pest Control in Stoke-on-Trent, remembers a recent call to a house where the father had seen a rat going from the upstairs landing into a toddlers bedroom. Hed searched the room for the animals hiding place without success. We arrived and did probably the same search, but no one had thought to look in the cot, Flynn says. I remember picking up the pillow and being just as horrified as the rat that stared back at me. A chase ensued and a decisive blow to the head.

Belmain is receiving dozens of emails from homeowners with rat problems. Some have cats that are catching more rats as the urban food chain shifts. Flynn says cats often seen as free pest control dont always help. Rats love catflaps. And cats that enjoy catching and toying with rats can give them a lift indoors, where those with non-lethal injuries can recover to make a new home. Flynn recommends flaps unlocked by smart cat collars that are also equipped with bells to scare off would-be prey.

The feeding of any animals in gardens, including foxes and birds, is an invitation to rodent intruders. Decking creates a lovely home for garden rats, while chicken coops are rat Disneyland. Flynn, who used to advise the government on infestations in food stockpiles, was once called out to a commercial chicken house containing 16,000 free-range birds. There were more than 3,000 rats living in it, gorging on guano.

Cleankill was recently called out to a garage where a motor home was being stored. Rats were swarming in the engine compartment and eating the fabric that covered the seats in which they had nested. The firm was able to evict the squatters before they moved on to the house.

Hungry rats are more likely to be aggressive. In 2016, a councillor in Cork said an elderly man had told him he had been bitten on the backside by a rat while using his loo after local flooding. I would advise homeowners to keep their toilet seats down when not in use, and to watch their posteriors, Noel Collins told the citys Evening Echo.

Flynn was once called out to a museum on a routine visit, where he learned that the night security guard had taken to feeding rats. He got them to come closer and closer to his office using bits of his dinner, Flynn recalls. He managed to entice one inside. It promptly attacked him and bit him. He needed hospital treatment for his wound.

Belmain fell into the rat field by accident. He was an insect guy before work in rural areas in developing countries left him fascinated by the scale of rodent infestations, rat behaviour and the relationship between humans and rats. You have to be part natural scientist and part anthropologist to understand rats, he says.

Rats are basically just squirrels with bald tails. One gets all the nice stuff; the other is vilified

Rat research was much bigger after the second world war, during a quest for an effective poison. Rats have evolved to be wary of unfamiliar food, and had learned to stop eating poisons that made them immediately ill before they received a lethal dose. Scientists then discovered that anticoagulants worked better because they took days to thin the blood, causing internal organs to haemorrhage. Hapless rats would come back for more.

Warfarin-based rat poison, the development of which gave rise to treatment for blood clots and strokes in humans, remains the standard for councils and pest controllers. Part of Belmains work, mainly still in developing countries, is now to consider the less desirable effects of poisoning on the food chain, including in birds of prey.

He also researches the bubonic plague and the age-old role of rats as disease carriers. Were taught to be fearful of them; its ingrained in our culture, he says. Its perhaps no surprise that reports of marauding, bottom-biting cannibal rats strike fear into the heart during a global health crisis. The first sign of a pandemic in Albert Camus 1947 novel La Peste (The Plague), sales of which have been healthy in lockdown, is a swarming of rats from the sewers.

Yet other rodents can do more damage in the home. Grey squirrels, which are often found in loft space, can chomp through wires and insulation, and contaminate water tanks. And yes, theyll also eat each other if they need to. Rats are just squirrels with bald tails, says Paul Gowland of Cobra North East, a pest control company in Sunderland. One gets all the nice stuff; the other is vilified.

Rats can breed at an astonishing rate when times become less lean. They can conceive as soon as they give birth, and then deliver the next litter while still weaning the first. Young rats start to reproduce after two or three months. The population has declined in the past few months but as soon as the restaurants reopen, I think theyll find their old habitats again, Belmain says. Theyll get back to normal, probably, before we do.

Excerpt from:
Summer of the cannibal rats! Hungry, aggressive, highly fertile and coming to our homes - The Guardian

The Little Book of Bonsai: An Easy Guide to Caring for Your Bonsai Tree by Jonas Dupuich ($14.99, Ten Speed Press): The book is small in size, but it is packed with fascinating and practical information about these unique trees, which are attracting attention among beginner gardeners searching for alternatives to small-scale succulents as well as ways to bring a sense of tranquility to their homes, inside and out.

The award-winning bonsai experts passion for the ancient but evolving living art form is clear from the first page as he tells his story of becoming hooked and wanting to help readers keep their trees healthy and beautiful.

Dupuich describes the development and distinctions of bonsai, and how styles are based on the character of the trunk, roots and branches of a variety of different species.

The chapter on how to nurture bonsai is very clearly written with information about critical elements of care watering, fertilizing and controlling pests.

The largest portion of the guide covers tools and techniques. Dupuich details methods for pruning, wiring and styling, the elements to sculpt small, wild pines, junipers and other familiar trees into artistic, natural forms.

Excellent photographs by David Fenton complement the prose throughout the 112-page, hardcover book and help the reader comprehend the complicated process of caring for intricate, miniature representations of nature.

The last chapter provides the bonsai enthusiast with starting points that can help you deepen your understanding of bonsai, build your skills or get help with your trees, writes Dupuich, who founded the informative Bonsai Tonight website. He ends with suggestions for viewing bonsai around the world as well as further reading and other resources to fulfill your passion.

-- Sally Peterson

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The Little Book of Bonsai: Peaceful plants that are better than succulents - oregonlive.com

If anyone knows about buying and selling houses, its Bob Fraser.

As senior partner with Aberdein Considine, hes dealt with thousands of homes of all shapes and sizes over the years he puts it at a ballpark figure of 20,000.

But theres one property on the market which hes keeping a closer-than-usual eye on Number 74 Hamilton Place in Aberdeen.

Thats because for the last 16 years, he and his wife Annie have called this elegant A-listed, semi-detached property, home

With their daughter Rebecca now living in Spain, and about to give birth to their first grandson, theyve decided the time is right to downsize and let another family experience life in this substantial home, built around 1885.

When your job is dealing with dozens of properties on a daily basis, there has to be something special about a house which makes you want to buy it yourself

So what was it about this one that made Bob and Annie put in an offer for it?

Hamilton Place is in three different sections and Ive always liked the middle section, said Bob, 60.

My parents used to stay about 500 yards away from here so Ive known this area since my school days.

As a street I think it is a lovely example of, and one of the nicest granite streets in Aberdeen.

Aberdeen is often referred to as The Granite City thanks to the sparkling granite extracted from Rubislaw Quarry and the beautiful granite buildings and private houses built by superbly skilled craftsmen.

Number 74 was designed by architects Pirie & Clyne, who were commissioned by John Morgan who was the pre-eminent granite builder of the era to build the house, said Bob.

It has a spectacular frontage in pink and grey granite while the double-height semi-circular bow windows make it look as elegant and stylish today as it as they would have done in the Victorian era.

When we bought it it needed a little TLC and upgrading, but what we didnt want to do was change any of the traditional features which we really liked, just add some more modern comforts.

Sympathetically resorted and in mint condition throughout, the house, which is on the market at offers over 665,000, is elegant and stylish, with large bright rooms tastefully decorated with quality fabrics and soft furnishings to make it a warm and welcoming space.

Its packed with original features such as the mosaic floor tiles and stained glass door in the entrance hall.

While the stained glass in the hall is original, we commissioned a local lady to make matching stained glass panels for the door into the kitchen and for the bathroom upstairs, said Bob.

Theres a sweeping wooden staircase, ornate plasterwork and cornicing, gorgeous fireplaces, and spacious, bright rooms and at the heart of the house, a superb kitchen.

We both like to cook and entertain and have had some great times here over the years, said Bob.

The large dining kitchen has a bespoke Clive Christian-style units including a matching oak island, marble worktops and oak hanging pan/utensil rack, while Miele appliances ensure those who like to entertain have everything they need to hand.

The six-burner free-standing Wolf range may be included by separate negotiation.

The spacious dining room, decorated in a deep, vibrant shade of red is ideal for casual and formal dining.

It overlooks the rear garden and has an open coal fire with traditional surround one can imagine how perfect this would be at Christmas time!

Off the kitchen theres a comfortable family/ garden/TV room with a bespoke built in home cinema wall unit in oak with burred oak doors and wiring for surround sound.

During lockdown the house came into its own the home cinema has been great, while the walled garden and patio areas have been perfect places to spend some time, said Bob.

Moving upstairs, theres a mezzanine level with a guest bedroom and a family bathroom beautifully tiled with Italian ceramic tiles and a three piece suite in white with separate shower cubicle.

Accommodation on the first floor includes an elegant master bedroom with a beautiful semi-circular bow window enjoying open views to the south and a bespoke hand painted fitted wardrobe with matching bedside cabinets.

Adjacent to this is a luxurious master shower room with bespoke oak units and marble worktops and a four-piece white suite and a further bedroom, currently used as a study.

On the second floor theres a south-facing double bedroom enjoying panoramic views to the south over the city; a large bathroom with three-piece white suite and a box room with attic window.

Outside, the front garden is fully enclosed by dwarf granite walls and traditional railings and full of lovely roses bushes.

The back garden is a peaceful haven ideal for youngters and pets.

It has two paved terraces, ideal for al fresco dinning,while a glazed summer house ensures year round use.

To the side theres a single garage, while attached to the gable is a storage area, wine cellar and a separate cellar housing the modern central heating boiler and water tank.

It really has been a lovely home and I think one of the things Ill miss most abut it is the location, said Bob.

Its a beautiful street when the cherry blossom is out in the Spring, while the location means I can walk to work in the city, but its also no distance by car to the new by-pass.

So for them, its time to say goodbye to the house theyve loved for so many years and hello to house number 20,001, a revamped 70s-style bungalow theyve bought near Torphins.

Contact: Aberdein Considine onhttps://www.acandco.comor 01224 589589.

See the rest here:
VIDEO: Take a virtual tour around this 665000 A-listed Aberdeen house - Press and Journal

Issued on: 29/06/2020 - 22:46

Guwahati (India) (AFP)

More than a million people have been affected by flooding in northeastern India, where the death toll over the past week rose to 13, authorities said on Monday.

Flooding is an annual phenomenon in India's northeast, claiming hundreds of lives each year.

"The flood situation is grim in Assam. More than a million people have been hit by this year's" rising waters, Assam Disaster Management Authority's state project coordinator, Pankaj Chakravarty, told AFP.

The state was first hit in mid-May when pre-monsoon rains arrived, causing floods that killed 11 people. Another 20 died in landslides caused by days of incessant downpours.

The floodwaters receded after a few weeks, only to rise again on June 22 at the start of the annual monsoon season.

Almost 29,000 people, mostly in rural regions, have been evacuated from their homes and brought to relief camps, officials said.

About 70 percent of Assam's World Heritage-listed Kaziranga National Park -- home to two-thirds of the world's remaining one-horned rhinos -- was submerged by the floods.

Park director P. Sivakumar said three hog deer died when they were hit by vehicles while trying to escape the inundation.

"With the water level rising, the animals are rushing to higher areas. Many of these animals cross the highway," Sivakumar told AFP.

The monsoon is crucial to replenishing water supplies in South Asia, but also causes widespread death and destruction across the region each year.

2020 AFP

Read the original here:
More than a million hit by India monsoon floods - RFI

Sometimes, these 2 supercar brands dial things up a notch by creating special edition cars made available to only the privileged clientele.

Ferrari and Lamborghini are two Italian rivals that are locked in an eternal battle for dominance in the world of supercars and hypercars. In fact, the Lamborghini company was formed as a result of a feud between Ferruccio Lamborghini and Enzo Ferrari.

Over the years, both companies have delighted the car world with a series of incredible machines that seamlessly combine engine performance and handling. On occasion, they dial things up a notch with the creation of special edition cars that are made available to only a few privileged clientele. We focus on that here and showcase some of the best wonders-on-wheels to have emerged from these Italian powerhouses.

The J50 was a surprise announcement by Ferrari in December 2016. The car was designed to celebrate the 50th year of Ferrari business in the Japanese market. It is based on the 488 Spider but the 3.9-liter V8 has been jacked up by 20 hp to a total of 681 hp. Its exterior styling is much more aggressive too with pronounced lines and an extended rear bumper that helps with high-speed handling and stability. Only 10 units were made and Ferrari allowed each lucky customer to customize each one according to personal taste.

Lamborghini is not into the business of building one-offs however, they may relax the rules for the right customerand the right price of course. This mental SC18 Alston is proof of that; a car rumored to have cost the owner over $7 million. It is the first one-off from the companys motorsport division and is based on the Aventador SVJ platform The SC18 Alston but has more power though, with the V12 engine tuned to produce 800 hp. It also has an extreme aero package designed to help glue the car to the roads at high speeds.

The SA Aperta was unveiled to the public at the 2010 Paris Motor Show and only 80 examples were built to preserve its exclusivity. All 80 units were sold before production had even commenced. It is essentially a convertible 599 GTB but with certain additions that make it more potent; like the 661-hp V12 engine and the super-responsive gearbox from the bonkers 599 GTO. The SA Aperta needs just over 3 seconds to get to 60 mph and the needle will keep climbing until it maxes out at 202 mph really impressive for a convertible.

The Gallardo is one of Lamborghinis most successful models and over 14,000 units were built in a 10-year production run. There were a few special editions runs included in that number; with the Valentino Balboni Edition arguably the among the best Gallardo variants. This 550 hp baby Lambo was specially created in honor of the famous Lamborghini Test driver, Valentino Balboni, who spent almost 4 decades with the company. The Gallardo Balboni Edition was limited to a run of 250 units and cost over $10,000 more than the regular model.

As the name implies, the Centenario was created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ferruccio Lamborghini, the company founder. 40 units of the car were built 20 coupes and 20 roadsters with each one costing almost $2 million. The cars V12 engine produces 759 hp and 509 pound-feet of torque. The car does feature a few prominent styling elements like the massive air intakes along the sides of the car and the gigantic rear diffuser with vertical fins that seem to extend downwards, right from the engine bay.

This otherworldly Lamborghini creation is not for everybody. First, only 20 units were built at a cost well north of $2million. As if that was not exclusive enough, this insane car is not road-legal and can only be used on the tracks. There is no denying its capabilities though; needing only 2.5 seconds to get to 60 mph before a blistering run to its top speed of about 186 mph. The car is little more than a carbon-fiber tub and engine to save weight which works to its advantage when its out on the tracks defying nature.

In 2014, the F60 America was launched as part of Ferraris 60th-anniversarycelebrations. They only produced 10 units; with a price tag of $2.5million slapped on each one. That mattered little though as all 10 examples were snapped up by eager customers shortly after the car was announced. The F60 is based on the F12 Berlinetta however in the F60, you get to enjoy the roar of the naturally aspirated V12 without restrictions as it is a proper convertible. It is the ultimate in an open-top driving experience that only a precious few get to experience.

Related:15 Facts About Pierre Bardinon And His Crazy Ferrari Collection

The Aventador SVJ is the last hoorah for Lamborghinis iconic naturally aspirated non-hybrid V12 engined cars. The company has made sure it will be a memorable exit indeed with the introduction of the exclusive SVJ63. The 63 is a reference to the year the company was formed and can be applied to the car in a variety of custom decals. This beast will hit 60 mph in less than 3 seconds before maxing out at a 217 mph top speed. There will be 63 units of the coupe and roadster versions and yes, they have all been sold out.

Related:15 Rarest And Most Exclusive Lambos Ever Made

This special one-off Ferrari is based on one of the best naturally aspirated V8 supercars the 458 Speciale. It was designed on request by Ferrari Special Projects division for a wealthy British businessman who also happens to be a Prancing Horse fan. The engine remains unchanged from the 458 Speciale but a lot of design work went into the 458 MM to make it even more aerodynamically stable. You can immediately spot new additions like the air scoop on the flanks and the addition of a spoiler at the rear.

This is one car that may be out of reach even if you can afford the insane $2.6 million price tag. The FXX K Evo is an invite-only, track-only car thats only offered to members of the Ferrari Corse Clienti Programme. You also have to commit to a number of requirements before you are allowed ownership privileges. First, the FXX K Evo can be no garage queen and has to actually be actively driven. The car will also remain with Ferrari for the first few years of ownership while they study its technology that may be a part of mainstream production cars in the future.

Next:These One-Offs Were Made On Special Request

Next The 10 Worst Modifications You Can Make To Your Motorcycle

A simple bloke with a not-so-simple car obsession!

Read the rest here:
Here Are The Greatest Special Edition Cars From Ferrari And Lamborghini - HotCars

From the architect:

This project involved the restoration and modification of an historically significant single storey Victorian era Italianate villa in inner Melbourne.

The brief was to combine the historic original building with a new addition to create a home for contemporary living.

The original house remains largely intact to retain historical value whilst the new additions provide an opportunity to add contemporary amenity commonly lacking in Victorian era houses; including providing new spaces which are well oriented, naturally lit & ventilated and meaningfully connected to outdoor space.

This project offered a range of opportunities to engage with tradition in different ways including the faithful restoration of traditional features, the reinterpretation of existing architectural ideas such as the iron columns of the traditional veranda and the introduction of new discordant ones like the use of Perspex to amplify the characteristics of the original house and provide a new way of seeing the old.

The building functions as dwelling and display for the owners contemporary art collection. Consideration of the house as both gallery and home were considered during the design stages and influenced decisions such as window placement, and the play of natural and artificial light. Spaces are designed to accommodate a wide variety of sculpture, hanging wall art, video and light installations inserted into the everyday domestic setting of kitchen, pantry and powder room.

The clients were also keen to adapt and reuse steel framed windows reclaimed from a previous project.

The extension is legible as distinct works while being sympathetic in scale to the original house. The new built form is understated when viewed from the street. The new north facing two-level extension has been located to the rear behind a brick garage and pool area partly over clad in black Perspex which mirrors the lush garden and the detailed Victorian faade in the distinctive large setback on approach to the front door.

New works are contemporary in appearance and reference a more industrial take on traditional Victorian era materials such as recycled brick and steel

The existing house was carefully restored and upgraded to include new artificial lighting, heating, mechanical ventilation and increased thermal performance.

More robust interventions to the original house included demolition of some internal walls in order to better connect spaces. Detail design components include the adaptive reuse of steel window frames and recycled bricks used in the new addition. The transition between old and new is expressed with a glazed atrium framed in steelwork and glass.

Steelwork extends outside to form a colonnade facing the pool area and references Victorian iron detailing including clustered iron columns to the original front veranda.

This has been a collaborative process with valuable input from all disciplines. Landscape design plays a central role in the design with most rooms enjoying direct access to the outdoors. The landscape varies as the house progresses in formality from public to private.

The landscape reinterprets traditional details including the tessellated motifs of the front veranda tiling.

View post:
The Italianate brilliance of Sister Tatlow's house - Architecture and Design

MARYVILLE, Tenn., June 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Clayton, a national home builder of site-built and off-site built homes, is excited to launch Find Land, a search engine tool to help home buyers find property listed for sale where off-site built homes could potentially be placed.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8481359-clayton-find-land-search-engine-tool/

The new, digital experience taps into the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and allows future buyers to search by zip code for available lots on a regional map, while also displaying additional information, such as if a property is zoned for manufactured off-site built homes.* Users can filter land for sale by preferred distance from the chosen zip code and price range, while discovering photos, additional property details and real estate agent contact information.

As the need for affordable housing becomes more crucial, Clayton is committed to continuously providing innovative housing solutions for its customers. More and more off-site built homes are being permanently attached to land with features like garages and porches, so Clayton naturally integrated the step to find land into its digital home shopping experience.

"In a time when our customers may understandably prefer to shop digitally as they search for the perfect new home and property, innovative website tools like Find Land help make this possible," said Pat Egan, VP of Clayton Corporate Marketing. "Clayton remains committed to improving our customer experience by transforming the journey to find the perfect home for families who are seeking an affordable, quality housing solution. We know finding the ideal location to place a forever home is just as important as finding the dream floor plan."

Find Land assists many home buyers, including those purchasing CrossMod homes**, the newest class of manufactured housing, which incorporates features that are more similar to traditional site-built homes. These beautiful homes are designed to be permanently affixed to land and have the potential to increase in value over time. Clayton's CrossMod home features include a permanent foundation, enhanced cabinets, drywall interiors, energy efficient standards and features, an elevated roof pitch and a covered porch, garage or carport.

Find Land assists future home buyers by conveniently integrating the property buying process and the off-site built home shopping experience. Discover more about the process, browse homes and Find Land to start the journey tomaking a dream home a reality.

*Properties without this label may still be zoned for off-site built homes. Work with a real estate agent to learn more

**CrossModis a trademark of the Manufactured Housing Institute.

AboutClaytonFounded in 1956, Clayton is committed to opening doors to a better life and building happyness through homeownership. As a diverse builder committed to quality and durability, Clayton offers traditional site-built homes and off-site built housing including modular homes, manufactured homes, CrossMod homes, tiny homes, college dormitories, military barracks and apartments. All Clayton Built homes are proudly designed, engineered and assembled in America. In 2019, Clayton built 51,964 homes across the country. Clayton is a Berkshire Hathaway company. For more information, visit claytonhomes.com.

Media Contact:Caitlyn Crosbymedia@claytonhomes.com

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We touch our faces for many reasons: to groom, to gesture, to scratch. The act can even be soothing in times of stress.But in the midst of a pandemic, such an ordinary habit can quickly turn fatal -- with our hands transferring germs from contaminated surfaces to our eyes, ears, noses or mouths.That's what inspired 15-year-old Max Melia from the United Kingdom to invent Vybpro, a watch that can help stop people from subconsciously touching their faces and possibly contracting the coronavirus."Watching this pandemic unfold on the news, it was clear the devastating effect it was having on people's lives across the world," Max told CNN. "However it wasn't until I saw the severity of the virus first-hand, when both my parents contracted COVID-19, that I truly appreciated just what we were dealing with."The watch works by recognizing gestures that are associated with hand movements towards the face. Combining unique technology and algorithms to differentiate between predicted face touchings and other hand movements, the watch vibrates every time a wearer's hand gets close to the face. Max recommends people to wear one watch on each wrist to monitor the movements of both hands.Max and his mother, Natalie Melia, first came up with the idea in 2018 when the family was discussing ways to prevent the cold and flu. But when the coronavirus pandemic began affecting people worldwide, the rising death toll inspired Max to get to work."I knew that this was the only time I had to try and make a difference and so I've had to be really committed, using my time away from school in lockdown wisely. I'm proud of where we are but I know that to get over the final hurdle it will take even more guts."Using concept work and research that his father, Richard Melia, gathered earlier in the year, Max collaborated with a product designer who was quickly able to produce a working prototype and a cosmetic prototype of the final version of the device.The rechargeable watch features a silicon waterproof band and sealed pod design to allow for water resistance, including sweat, rain and hand washing.Related video: Study finds face masks prevented thousands of COVID-19 casesMax has launched a $74,000 crowdfunding campaign to finalize the development and get the watch into production and finally take it to market. So far, he has raised $17,000. Donors can choose to pledge with no reward, pre-order watches for themselves or donate watches to nursing home staff.All profits made from early sales will go towards providing free watches to vulnerable people and front line workers, such as those in nursing homes and health care workers with the National Health Service (NHS)."I believe that this device can make a real difference in the fight against coronavirus and so I'm determined to do all that I can to bring it to market," Max said. "I really hope that the general public can see the potential and are inspired to get behind the campaign to fund the next stage of the development."VybPro is designed and manufactured in the UK and will retail from around $111, for a pair of wristbands. If the team hits their funding target, it could be on people's wrists by September 2020.

We touch our faces for many reasons: to groom, to gesture, to scratch. The act can even be soothing in times of stress.

But in the midst of a pandemic, such an ordinary habit can quickly turn fatal -- with our hands transferring germs from contaminated surfaces to our eyes, ears, noses or mouths.

That's what inspired 15-year-old Max Melia from the United Kingdom to invent Vybpro, a watch that can help stop people from subconsciously touching their faces and possibly contracting the coronavirus.

"Watching this pandemic unfold on the news, it was clear the devastating effect it was having on people's lives across the world," Max told CNN. "However it wasn't until I saw the severity of the virus first-hand, when both my parents contracted COVID-19, that I truly appreciated just what we were dealing with."

The watch works by recognizing gestures that are associated with hand movements towards the face. Combining unique technology and algorithms to differentiate between predicted face touchings and other hand movements, the watch vibrates every time a wearer's hand gets close to the face. Max recommends people to wear one watch on each wrist to monitor the movements of both hands.

Max and his mother, Natalie Melia, first came up with the idea in 2018 when the family was discussing ways to prevent the cold and flu. But when the coronavirus pandemic began affecting people worldwide, the rising death toll inspired Max to get to work.

"I knew that this was the only time I had to try and make a difference and so I've had to be really committed, using my time away from school in lockdown wisely. I'm proud of where we are but I know that to get over the final hurdle it will take even more guts."

Using concept work and research that his father, Richard Melia, gathered earlier in the year, Max collaborated with a product designer who was quickly able to produce a working prototype and a cosmetic prototype of the final version of the device.

The rechargeable watch features a silicon waterproof band and sealed pod design to allow for water resistance, including sweat, rain and hand washing.

Related video: Study finds face masks prevented thousands of COVID-19 cases

Max has launched a $74,000 crowdfunding campaign to finalize the development and get the watch into production and finally take it to market. So far, he has raised $17,000. Donors can choose to pledge with no reward, pre-order watches for themselves or donate watches to nursing home staff.

All profits made from early sales will go towards providing free watches to vulnerable people and front line workers, such as those in nursing homes and health care workers with the National Health Service (NHS).

"I believe that this device can make a real difference in the fight against coronavirus and so I'm determined to do all that I can to bring it to market," Max said. "I really hope that the general public can see the potential and are inspired to get behind the campaign to fund the next stage of the development."

VybPro is designed and manufactured in the UK and will retail from around $111, for a pair of wristbands. If the team hits their funding target, it could be on people's wrists by September 2020.

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Teen invents watch that warns you about touching your face so you don't catch coronavirus - WXII The Triad

The Rotary Club of Cannock is part of a district wide project which is providing social distancing packs to charity outlets.

In April this year when the country started to feel the affects of Covid-19, Rotary District 1210 applied to their own charity Rotary Foundation for a disaster response grant in order to provide support to the NHS, healthcare workers, refuges and food banks across the district.

With the aid of the disaster response grant Rotary clubs are supplying social distancing equipment, made up of sneeze screens, hand sanitising stations floor graphics and information posters to more than 60 local outlets.

Rotary has also made donations to womans refuges and food banks across the district.

Also at the start of the pandemic in April Rotary clubs from across Staffordshire, Shropshire and West Midlands plus individual Rotarians, friends and local companies raised over 15,000 which has enabled some 12,000 full face visors to be manufactured and donated to care hospitals, care homes, medical centres and schools across the local area.

The Rotary Club of Cannock has played a key part in coordinating these projects has recently donated a social distancing pack the Stafford and Cannock League of Hospital Friends, who operate the friends cafe at Cannock Chase Hospital.

The clubs President Elect Chris Young helped the staff set up the equipment and the cafe is now providing a take-out service for staff and visitors at the hospital.

For more information regarding Rotary and the work they do supporting the local community and international projects visit cannockrotary.co.uk or email secretary@cannockrotary.co.uk

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Charities benefit from extra support from The Rotary Club - expressandstar.com