tent-sandwich.jpg

Tips for Novice Campers

Posted by & filed under .

If you are planning to camp in a tent, try and make sure it is the most suitable one for the job. Being new to camping, you may not want to buy a tent before you are certain that it is the right leisure pursuit for you. If renting or borrowing a tent think about how many campers it will need to accommodate? Is it too small or too big?

Remember to pack a groundsheet slightly smaller than the tent’s footprint. The groundsheet is placed under the tent to protect it. A simple tarpaulin will work just as well if you do not have a proper groundsheet.

A doormat, to clean off muddy footwear at the entrance to your tent, is invaluable. You will be amazed at how much dirt and dust tents attract.

Good lighting is very important. Aim to pack a powerful hand torch and also a headlight torch, which can be worn, strapped to your head; these are very useful if you need to have both hands free. A lantern, which disperses a wider spread of light, is also recommended.

Never leave food outside; pack edible foodstuffs away tightly in containers in order to prevent wildlife from getting at them. Dispose of rubbish bags at the communal campsite bins before you turn in for the night.

It is a very good idea to have a practice run setting up your tent before you go. Gather your camping team together so that you can all become confident at erecting the tent. Remember to pack essential kit, such as a mallet for driving in tent pegs. Aim to turn up at the campsite before nightfall, as it can be very difficult putting up a tent in the dark.

Make sure you are comfortable at night. It is important that you get a good night’s sleep so that you make the most of your camping experience. A good quality, warm sleeping bag will ensure you sleep soundly and comfortably. Single and double sleeping bags are available, as are smaller sizes for children.

books-stack.jpg

Resources for University Degree in English Literature

Posted by & filed under .

The one thing that any student working for a degree level course in English Literature needs to be prepared to do is to read. That may sound obvious, but the reading requirements for studying at degree level go far beyond the list of set texts and necessitate one reading a range of other works within a given genre or period of writing in order to understand the set text within its context. English Literature students also need to achieve a clear understanding of the somewhat weighty key writings and concepts of the field of literary criticism.

Basic Resources

English literature students will inevitably find that they need to have their own copy of the key books on their set texts list in order to be able to read, reread and annotate them. Books need not be bought new, however. Most universities have systems that allow undergraduates to buy second-hand from graduates. Also, the internet gives one access to millions of second-hand bargains at one’s fingertips.
Secondary sources, such textbooks and academic journals, one may only need to use when researching specific themes. Students should, therefore, make sure that they are familiar with the resources that are available in their university library.

Utilising Technology

As with most other courses, English Literature students will need to have access to their own laptop or tablet computer to use in the lecture room, library and at home. It is vital, of course, to back up all key work externally. Many students also find it convenient to have an e-book reader so that they have easy access to hundreds of books.
Via their university, students will have access to a huge, worldwide range of on-line resources that allow one to view relevant academic papers and journals.

Networking

Finally, one should not forget the invaluable support that is available through one’s fellow students. The importance of being able to share ideas, debate and offer and receive support can never be underestimated.

Picture courtesy of Emily Carin

double-jacket.jpg

How to Wear a Double-Breasted Jacket

Posted by & filed under , .

A double-breasted jacket is a jacket that has wide, overlapping front flaps with two columns of buttons, one on each side. These jackets were very much in demand some years ago, although their popularity has waned over the last few years. However, 2011 started to see their resurgence, such as on the catwalk at Lanvin, and many top fashion brands such as Ralph Lauren continue to offer them season after season. There are clear reasons for this; the jacket is generally smarter than a single-breasted one, offering an interesting option for the man who wants a classic and elegant look.

Stylistically, always look for a jacket with six buttons, three on each side, with an additional closure button to prevent unappealing flapping. This configuration generally suits medium to tall men. Men of all statures can wear the style, although shorter men may need to have the jacket tailored to fit. All wearers benefit from having the jacket tailored to their waists, providing a sleek silhouette that accentuates the shoulders and flatters the waistline.

A classic double-breasted suit jacket will have peaked lapels which serve to further accentuate the shoulders and to balance the material at the front of the jacket. A dark navy blue makes for a versatile jacket which can be worn with a number of shirt and tie combinations. Light colours can look incongruous, as a double-breasted jacket is rarely worn in the summer, but some fashion labels are now offering lighter-weight versions.

What to Wear With a Double-breasted Jacket

A double-breasted jacket should be matched with pleated trousers with a cuff as otherwise the outfit risks appearing top-heavy. A wide-collared shirt will help balance the look or else the shirt and tie have a tendency to disappear between the wide flaps of the jacket. Steer clear of narrow ties, which will be swallowed completely. Suit trousers, chinos or even smart jeans complement the look, depending on the occasion, be it a business meeting or pre-dinner drinks.

Remember to keep the jacket done up when wearing it, as, unlike a single-breasted jacket, double-breasted ones will look untidy and floppy if left unbuttoned.

Union-flag.jpg

Visitors face Jubilee price hikes

Posted by & filed under .

If you’re looking to visit the Capital over the Jubilee bank holiday weekend then you will probably be caught out with price rises for accommodation, with many places increase their prices for the national celebrations. A study by the Santander banking group suggests that prices are an average of 54 per cent higher based on a family of four during the Jubilee period than four nights in May.

Although many places will be booked up for the Jubilee celebrations there are still places at London bed and breakfast establishments, just remember to keep an eye out on prices and ask for any deals.

Santander also found that some establishments were upping their costs by 223 per cent; luxury accommodation also saw a rise of 81 per cent. Normally price rises don’t tend to come up until closer to the summer holidays and obviously this year there are quite a lot of increases in the cost of accommodation in the capital thanks to the London 2012 Olympics.

Some of the charges which have been increased for the Jubilee weekend are greater than they were last year for the Royal Wedding when increases were reported to be up to 113 per cent and an average price hike of 26 per cent.

The Jubilee price hike hasn’t just effect London though; other cities are taking advantage of people looking to enjoy the extra days of work by taking a city break with accommodation prices in cities such as Edinburgh and Manchester also experiencing price hikes.

Picture courtesy of a.drian

FB-paint.jpg

How much paint do you need?

Posted by & filed under .

Before starting to paint a wall or a room, you need to work out how much paint you will need, to ensure that if you need more than one tin, you get tins from the same batch.

Firstly, you need to know how much wall you need to cover. At its simplest, this just requires measuring the height and the width of the wall to be painted, and multiplying them together to get the area. For example, a wall of 2 metres high and 3 metres wide covers an area of 6 square metres.

Of course, if the wall has doors or windows in it, you need to measure those too and take their area off the area to be painted. You might want to allow for a little extra, for touching up afterwards and for keeping for small touch-ups in the future.

Once you have a measurement for the area you need to cover, the amount of paint you will need should be easy to work out. It does depend on the type of paint you want to use though. If you want to use emulsion paint, then a litre of paint should cover around 12 square metres, so divide your final area by 12 to figure out how many litre tins you need for one coat. If you want to do more than one coat, you will need more paint, of course. One or two coats are usually plenty. However, if you are covering a dark colour with a lighter one you may need to do more.

For gloss paint, estimate that a one litre tin will cover around 11 square metres. Different manufacturers will have different recommendations for coverage levels though, so it’s important to read the instructions on the side of the tin when you work out how much paint you will need.

Picture courtesy of tienvijitien

Garden-office.jpg

What size garden office do I need?

Posted by & filed under .

The size of your garden office depends on what you intend to use it for. General office furnishings such as a desk, filing cabinets and office chairs will not demand enormous dimensions. However, if you want to invite clients to your office, hold meetings or make presentations, you don’t want to feel cramped and should opt for the biggest office you can practically afford or achieve.

Are the wooden garden offices going to be a treatment room? Therapies such as massage, aromatherapy or reflexology, for example, are best carried out in a relaxing environment with adequate space. Will clients need somewhere to change? Will you want to offer refreshments or toilet facilities? There are lots of questions to consider.

Give the impression of more space by choosing furnishings on a small scale. Garden offices with plenty of light will feel more spacious and a pale colour scheme will reinforce this too.

For heating, choose a space-saving option such as an underfloor system. Sliding or bi-fold doors are another good space-saving trick that give the impression of opening up interiors.

Skis.jpg

Cheap Ski Holidays

Posted by & filed under .

The trick to finding cheap ski deals is to distinguish between the essentials and the desirables. By being selective and astute, the smart holidaymaker can make considerable savings. 

Get the Timing Right

Booking a ski holiday at a resort before Christmas will ensure that prices are low. From Christmas until mid-January is one of the most popular and expensive periods, as are the Easter holidays. Cheap ski deals are more likely to be found after the middle of January, and after the Easter holidays, although it is always worth checking that the chosen resort has adequate levels of snow.

When to Pre-Book

For novice skiers, pre-booked packages can save money. Some resorts charge about £100 for lessons for a week, lift tickets and renting equipment whilst others will charge more than £400 for the same package.

Last Minute Accommodation Deals

Is a particular hotel an essential or a desirable? If it is essential, book early and look for an early booking discount. If it is desirable, and especially if the requirement is simply a decent double room, late deals may be the answer.

Size Isn’t Everything

Remember that alongside all the popular destinations, there are smaller resorts, which may be equally attractive and provide good, inexpensive facilities such as money-saving lift tickets costing up to 50% less than those at the larger ski areas. In the smaller places, other costs will also be less, saving yet more.

Is a hotel essential at all? There are French apartments that cost around £100 per person. Drivers will find that these are just as accessible as the more expensive hotels, notably in the smaller resorts.

Picture courtesy of AndersLjungberg

graduation-scroll.jpg

Studying for a Degree

Posted by & filed under .

Studying for a degree is a hard process but it is very rewarding when the final result has been achieved and all the hard work has paid off. Degrees take a huge amount of studying and dedication and are one of the hardest challenges a student can undertake, which is why there are websites specially made to help people studying for degrees. The help is available in many different ways that will enhance and improve their final result. This also ensures that students feel supported during their studies and have less stress to cope with in the knowledge that there is help at hand!

Example essays at university level are a good help to students who are preparing to write for their university degrees. They contain a wealth of information that will help to teach the students but will also be a guide on how to compose a well written and commanding piece which will contain the kind of intellectual and informative content that teachers and examiners are looking for.

Proofreading and editing services are also a great help towards producing a good final result, as this will ensure that the student achieves good marks not only for their knowledge on the subject but also that they will not be let down through a lack of good written English skills.

Overall the whole stress of studying for a degree can be lessened by the tutorials, professional and qualified help, and the tips that are on offer on the internet for university students.

Poker-2.jpg

Poker History

Posted by & filed under .

Poker has a long and colourful history, and is believed to date back over a thousand years to China in 939 CE, where the Emperor Mu-tsung played a game of ‘domino cards’.

Historians have noted that versions of the modern game of poker have appeared in Persia, France and Spain. The French called their game Poque, which is where the contemporary term poker is thought to have originated. The Spanish game of Primero involved a high degree of bluff, a feature of the modern game where gamblers try to mislead their opponents as to the strength of their hand.

When the French arrived in Canada, and also, further south, when a group of French-Canadian settlers founded the US state of Louisiana, they brought Poque with them and it is believed that this is how the game spread throughout the United States. The game rapidly gained popularity on the Mississippi gambling boats, where it supplanted the game of three-card monte as it was seen to be more honest. This was despite the fact that, at this time, poker was known as ‘the cheating game.’ Poker rapidly proliferated throughout the American West, and documentaries and historical commentaries all note the popularity of poker in the saloons from the 1870s onwards.

The modern game has expanded to include variations, which include Texas hold’em. However, the basics remain the same – gambling on a hand of cards and also being prepared to bluff opponents should the hand not be as strong as the player might wish.

Picture courtesy of maorix

Storz-Bicle.jpg

Storz & Bickel Plenty

Posted by & filed under .

If you are looking for the latest in a volcano vaporiser solid valve or easy valve, look no further. Storz & Bickel have created the Plenty vaporizer. This hand-held vaporiser has been designed with a high-yield vaporisation system through a helix heat exchanger. This heat exchange system also ensures efficient air heating. Combined with its stainless steel cooling coil, this vaporising system is certain to provide you with an aromatic, pleasant smoking experience. 

Enjoy its fully functional and adjustable temperature setting that can be set by each user from about 130°C to 202°C (266°F to 395°F). To see when the correct temperature has been reached, simply look at the built-in analogue thermometer. The temperature shown is the temperature inside the filling chamber. This device has been made to ensure optimum purity, effect and flavour.

This handy device is also equipped with a few safety features that include a temperature fuse, bi-metallic regulator and an automatic off-switch. This product has been tested for first-class manufacturing and design, and ensures excellent functionality and quality.