Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

31-year-old Kirsty Armstrong was a size 28 and weighed 20 stone Slimmed down so she wouldn't be overweight in brother's wedding photos Mother of five lost half her body weight and now wears size 10-12 clothes

By Martha Cliff for MailOnline

Published: 06:14 EST, 1 December 2014 | Updated: 07:22 EST, 1 December 2014

Kirsty, 31, decided that she needed to lose weight after her brother announced his engagement

A mother of five who dreaded the thought of attending her brother's wedding because of her size has lost 10 stone ahead of his big day.

Kirsty Armstrong, from Houghton-le-Spring, County Durham, dropped half her body weight slimming from 20 stone and a size 28 to 9st 6lbs and a size 10-12 in time for the big day.

The 31-year-old had struggled with her size for years but finally found the inspiration to shed the pounds when she found out her brother was tying the knot - swapping takeaways and junk food for fresh fruit and vegetables.

Kirsty said her inspiration behind her weight loss was the thought of being overweight in the wedding photos.

She said:'My brother was getting married in July and I wanted to lose weight for his wedding.

'I never had the confidence but I would try to eat healthy and it wouldn't ever really work.'

Read the original here:
Slimming World's 20st mother sheds HALF her body weight to look good at her brother's wedding

TULSA, Oklahoma - Despite the cold weather, hundreds came out to celebrate the first twinkle of Christmas lights across downtown at the "Ready, Set, GLOW" event.

Four downtown Tulsa areas participated in a progressive lighting ceremony. We were lucky enough at News On 6 to have the biggest leg of the event right on our doorstep, where it seemed like the majority of people gathered to kick things off.

The freezing winds were gusting all night, but people seemed to be hanging in there. And of course, it wouldn't be the holiday season without some frigid weather.

And the holiday season in Tulsa is officially underway.

This is our second year to come out here, and we are super excited to come back and we hope to make it a holiday tradition here, Erin Roberts said.

11/30/2014 Related Story: Downtown Tulsa Lights Up With 'Ready, Set, GLOW'

Families from across the area braved the cold to watch Guthrie Green, John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park, Winterfest and The Deco District all light up Tulsa.

Tulsa mayor Dewey Bartlett, News On 6 anchor Terry Hood and chief meteorologist Travis Meyer hosted the celebration at Glow on the Green, one of the four events that drew in hundreds of people.

It's something, the mayor says gives him pride.

Isn't it amazing? It really is, Bartlett said. I mean, families walking around, everyone bundled up smiles on their faces, everybody's happy, saying Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, and all the great greetings we express at this time of year, so it's a terrific time in Tulsa it really is."

See more here:
'Ready, Set, GLOW' Sheds Festive Light On Tulsa

If you're shopping for a media-streaming box for your living room, you should include a Chromebox on your list of contenders in addition to the usual suspects (Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, et al).

A Chromebox is a small desktop computer that runs Google's Chrome operating system, and you can use one to access virtually any streaming video service available on the web. They're considerably more flexible than those sub-$100 set-top boxes, but they can't do as much as a Windows-based media PC. On the other hand, they're free from security and update hassles and they're a whole lot cheaper. You can usually find models from HP and Asuson sale for less than their $180 list prices.

Chromeboxes practically beg to have their HDMI ports connected to televisions, so I asked Asus to loan me one for testing. (The company sent a much pricier Intel Core i3 model, but the cheaper Celeron-based Chromeboxes should suffice for basic media streaming.) The Chromebox quickly became a powerful tool in my media-streaming arsenal, going places that other set-top boxes can't. But it took some work to whip it into TV-friendly shape. Here's what I did.

Setting up a Chromebox is easy if you already have a Google account and use the Chrome browser on other devices. Just plug in your username and password, and the Chromebox syncs all your bookmarks and apps automatically. You could even use another computer to assemble a list of bookmarked streaming sites.

After setup, I ran into a problem that I'd fully expected: My Sharp TV was cropping out the edges of the desktop, so I could barely see the row of icons on the bottom of the screen. A lot of TVs do this for any device you plug in, but most set-top boxes and consoles build an alignment tool into the setup process. Fortunately, Chrome OS hides a similar TV alignment tool under Settings > Device > Display settings, letting me shrink the screen down to size.

Scaling the Chromebox's resolution back to 720 was a necessary sacrifice to make icons and menu options legible.

After aligning the display, the layout still needed improvement. Looking at my 40-inch TV from about 12 feet away, all the screen elementsfrom the the icons and the address bar to the actual Web pageslookedpuny. That's because the OS is primarily designed for desktop, not living-room, use. So I went back to the settings menu to consider my options.

Chrome includes two simple ways to scale web content: You can change the size of text alone, or you can set a higher default zoom level so everything looks larger. But these settings don't affect the size of the icons in apps, bookmarks, or the address bar, all of which was too small for my liking.

The only solution was a compromise: I went into the display settings menu, and reduced the screen resolution to 720p. This increased the size of icons and the address bar, and allowed me to keep page zoom at 100 percent at the expense of video quality. I also increased font size to Very Large and enabled Show large mouse cursor in the accessibility settings.

Once everything was set up, the first thing I did was visit Hulu.com. While most set-top boxes require an $8 per month Hulu Plus subscription to watch full episodes, Hulu's desktop website includes full episodes of many recent TV shows for free. For Hulu subscribers, this alone could justify the price of a Chromebox. You could ditch your subscription and have the hardware pay for itself after a couple of years.

See the article here:
How to turn a Chromebox into a video-streaming workhorse

Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. It is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock.[1] Foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering, but instead is in planes perpendicular to the direction of metamorphic compression.[1]

A very strong foliation is called "slaty cleavage".[1] It is caused by strong compression causing fine grained clay flakes to regrow in planes perpendicular to the compression.[1] When expertly "cut" by striking parallel to the foliation, with a specialized tool in the quarry, many slates will form smooth flat sheets of stone which have long been used for roofing and floor tiles and other purposes.[1] Slate is frequently grey in color, especially when seen, en masse, covering roofs. However, slate occurs in a variety of colors even from a single locality; for example, slate from North Wales can be found in many shades of grey, from pale to dark, and may also be purple, green or cyan. Slate is not to be confused with shale, from which it may be formed, or schist.

The word "slate" is also used for certain types of object made from slate rock. It may mean a single roofing tile made of slate, or a writing slate. This was traditionally a small smooth piece of the rock, often framed in wood, used with chalk as a notepad or noticeboard, and especially for recording charges in pubs and inns. The phrases "clean slate" and "blank slate" come from this usage.

Before the mid-19th century, the terms slate, shale and schist were not sharply distinguished.[2] In the context of underground coal mining in the United States, the term slate was commonly used to refer to shale well into the 20th century.[3] For example, roof slate referred to shale above a coal seam, and draw slate referred to shale that fell from the mine roof as the coal was removed.[4]

Slate is mainly composed of the minerals quartz and muscovite or illite, often along with biotite, chlorite, hematite, and pyrite and, less frequently apatite, graphite, kaolinite, magnetite, tourmaline, or zircon as well as feldspar. Occasionally, as in the purple slates of North Wales, ferrous reduction spheres form around iron nuclei, leaving a light green spotted texture. These spheres are sometimes deformed by a subsequent applied stress field to ovoids, which appear as ellipses when viewed on a cleavage plane of the specimen.

Slate can be made into roofing slates, which are installed by a slater. And, are a type of roof shingle, or more specifically a type of roof tile. Slate has two lines of breakability cleavage and grain which make it possible to split the stone into thin sheets. When broken, slate retains a natural appearance while remaining relatively flat and easy to stack. A "slate boom" occurred in Europe from the 1870s until the first world war allowed by the use of the steam engine in manufacturing slate tiles and improvements in the road and waterway transportation systems.[5]

Slate is particularly suitable as a roofing material as it has an extremely low water absorption index of less than 0.4%, making the material waterproof. In fact, this natural slate, which requires only minimal processing, has the lowest embodied energy of all the roofing materials. Natural slate is used by building professionals as a result of its beauty and durability. Slate is incredibly durable and can last several hundred years, often with little or no maintenance. Its low water absorption makes it very resistant to frost damage and breakage due to freezing. Natural slate is also fire resistant and energy efficient.[6]

Slate roof tiles are usually fixed either with nails, or with hooks as is common with Spanish slate. In the UK, fixing is typically with double nails onto timber battens (England and Wales) or nailed directly onto timber sarking boards (Scotland and Northern Ireland). Nails were traditionally of copper, although there are modern alloy and stainless steel alternatives. Both these methods, if used properly, provide a long-lasting weathertight roof with a lifespan of around 80100 years.

Some mainland European slate suppliers suggest that using hook fixing means that:[7]

The metal hooks are, however, visible and may be unsuitable for historic properties.

Original post:
Slate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

50Mtrs x 1Mtr Roll Breathable Roofing Felt - Permavent Eco Price: 24.00 (ExcludingVAT at 20%)

Quantity:

50Mtr x 1Mtr Roll of Breathable Roofing Felt - Manufactured by Permavent Breather membrane suitable for:- All forms of commercial and domestic construction roofing underlay For use with all types of roof coverings timber frame House Wrap Vertical or concealed applications

Vapour Permeability - 1960 g/m2 /24h Vapour Resistance - 0.11 MNs/g-1 Watertightness - >5270mm/h2o Density - 90g/m2 Thickness - 0.6mm UV Resistance - 3 Month Click Here for more info

Quantity:

50Mtr x 1Mtr Roll of Breathable Roofing Felt - Manufactured by Permavent Breather membrane suitable for:- All forms of commercial and domestic construction roofing underlay For use with all types of roof coverings timber frame House Wrap Vertical or concealed applications

The Permavent Eco does not rot, it's resistant to mould & pests and it corresponds with health standards Click Here for more info

Quantity:

Roll of 150mm x 5Mtr Easy-Lead Replacement Manufactured by CROMAR

Fed up of theives stealing your leadwork? then this is the product for you. 20 Years+ Life expectancy Easy to Install Extremely Lightweight Click Here for more info

Continued here:
Roofing Products - Building Plastics Direct

NIAGARA FALLS Construction of a new $22 million to $25 million Doubletree by Hilton hotel on Buffalo Avenue is expected to start by the end of next month.

Partial demolition of the former Fallside Hotel at 401 Buffalo Ave. is scheduled to begin in two weeks, the project architect told the city Planning Board Wednesday night.

Were going to be working all winter long, said James E. Boy, of Roberts, Shackleton & Boy, a Cheektowaga engineering and architecture firm. Construction on the project, being undertaken by Merani Hospitality LLC, will begin before demolition wraps up, Boy said.

The new hotel will include a nine-story, 84-foot tower which will overlook the Niagara River with the top two floors consisting of between 14 and 18 one-bedroom suites. The hotel, whose main entrance will be on Buffalo Avenue, will have between 193 and 195 rooms, depending on how many suites are included.

The construction work that starts before the demolition is completed will include building the towers foundation.

Most of the existing four-story building along the Robert Moses Parkway that was part of the Fallside is being demolished. The part that is being kept will be used for hotel rooms and banquet space, Boy said. The two banquet rooms, to be located on the first two floors, will be able to hold 450 and 250 people, respectively.

The hotel also will have a pool, as well as a restaurant and bar in the lobby area near the new front entrance on Buffalo Avenue. The restaurant also will have an outdoor eating area facing the river.

In terms of the inner-workings of the facility, it will have an indoor loading dock and indoor trash compactor.

In total, demolition is expected to take between two and two-and-a-half months. Construction is expected to take 18 months, with completion in March or April 2016, Boy said.

In March, project officials said demolition on the project would start as early as late April or early May of next year. On Wednesday, they said they have been dealing with regulators on asbestos issues at the site.

More here:
Construction of new Niagara Falls hotel to start in November

A Dundee plumber has become an internet sensation after a video of him being caught showing off his dance moves has been viewed over 9 MILLION TIMES.

Mark Topen, 52, who is more commonly known as Toby, is a self-employed plumber who had taken a few minutes out of his day, only to be caught by one of his colleagues dancing to a well-known Robert Miles track.

Since the video was put online on Thursday, it has been picked up by sites including The Lad Bible - where over 9 million people have seen it.

Ill admit that it was a bit embarrassing at first but I suppose that is what is funny about it and I can see that now, he said.

Its not something I would do all the time because it can be disrespectful to do it in peoples homes but this house was empty.

I definitely think that it helps that I have a character where I can get away with it.

Sometimes the job can be stressful, so its good to take the pressure off if you can.

As well as views, the video has racked up nearly a quarter of a million likes and been shared over 42,000 times on Facebook.

This newfound celebrity status is something Toby thinks is just unbelieveable.

He said: Its been amazing and I have received so many calls and texts from people telling me they have seen it online.

Link:
VIDEO: Dundee plumber caught dancing instead of working is viewed over 9 million times

Justice.

Will Lodge Monday, December 1, 2014 12:57 PM

A plumber must carried out 140 hours of unpaid work after carrying out illegal gas work at a home in Tiptree.

To send a link to this page to a friend, you must be logged in.

Ryan Ellingford, of Grove Farm Road, Tolleshunt Major, checked a boiler, cooker and pipework at a rental property in Globe Walk and issued gas safety certificates despite not being registered with the Gas Safe Register.

Ellingford, 30, carried out the work trading as R J Plumbing & Heating, and also issued a safety certificate with a false registration number, Southend Magistrates Court heard on Friday.

A prosecutor for the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) told the court a later inspection of the work found the boiler was immediately dangerous and Ellingford was given a notice banning him from doing any more gas-related work while unregistered.

Ellingford was given 140 hours of community service and ordered to pay 339 costs after admitting two breaches of gas regulations.

Speaking after the case HSE inspector Corrine Godfrey said: People can die as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning, and, by his negligence, Ryan Ellingford could have caused the illness or death of the prospective residents and neighbours of this property.

The purpose of the Gas Safe Register is to protect the public from gas work being carried out by people who have not been trained and are not competent.

See the original post here:
Essex plumber given unpaid work after certifying a dangerous boiler as safe

BUG Busters-Do IT Yourself Pest Control, termites and fleas, Sarasota, FL
http://www.superpages.com/bp/Sarasota-FL/BUG-BustersDo-IT-Yourself-Pest-Control-L0102529285.htm?lbp=1 The ultimate Do-It-Yourself store for people who hate b...

By: SuperPagesSuperVideo

Read more:
BUG Busters-Do IT Yourself Pest Control, termites and fleas, Sarasota, FL - Video

Comment se dbarrasser des rats | Rentokil BE
Dcouvrez dans cette courte vido tout ce qu #39;il faut savoir sur les rats qui envahissent votre maison et vos entrepts. Vous avez un problme de rats ? Contactez Rentokil au 0800 20 124...

By: Rentokil Pest Control

Go here to read the rest:
Comment se dbarrasser des rats | Rentokil BE - Video