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Plantation shutters and blinds, Sydney

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A casual glance can confuse blinds and plantation shutters. Both have horizontal slates, both can control the amount of light and air. But blinds consist or just the horizontal slats, plantation shutters have a door-like frame to contain the slates. As such, plantation shutters give a little bit more flexibility.

Blinds do have the advantage when it comes to compactness; pull the string and the horizontal slats stack together into a small space. Modern metal blinds are even more compact than their earlier wooden counterparts. This is compact and the simplicity of the mechanism means malfunctions are unlikely.
Shutters also operate on a simple mechanism that rarely goes wrong. The frame is a simple door on hinges that folds to one side. This presumes some wall space, but little else. When first popular many generations ago these types of shutters were external, so any space they took up was outside the house; they were in no way intrusive to the people inside. Later, when used with glass windows, they became popular as indoor fixtures. Adjustments to the angle of the wooden slats allowed light and air to be easily controlled

Both shutters and blinds can have their horizontal slats on a motorized control. This is more than a gimmick. Strings are a safety hazard with young children who can easily choke. Motorized controls avoid these problems, and allow one to stand away from the window and observe the effect of opening and closing the shutters.

Plantation shutters can be used as something between a window and doorway on a balcony. One effective design for this is café shutters, which have a top and lower door that open separately. Each can have horizontal slats, but often the lower door is solid wood.

For blinds, plantations shutters or security doors talk to Sydney blinds.

Cleaning Throughout History

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  • 5000 B.C. Babylonians, amongst the first to live in cities, discovered that unclean water caused health problems. Fresh water was made a priority.
  • 3000 B.C. Indus Valley civilization has some form of sewerage system, using drains in the street and obtaining clean water from wells.
  • 400 B.C. Hippocrates, the ancient Greek father of Medicine, realized that cleaning could prevent wounds and skin injuries from being infected. Amongst other things Hippocrates saw that diseases were natural in origin, not spiritual curses. They also had natural measures that could be taken to treat them.
    Romans had running water in aqueducts, decent sewage systems and were fond of regular bathing. They also collected urine for washing purposes. Urine turns into ammonia, so this actually worked well for some applications.
  • DARK AGES A lot of the ideas about hygiene were lost, and sanitation was poor; inevitable there was a horrible increase in disease and mortality. This may have varied greatly with social class. Soap existed in many European countries from the 6th century, but did not reach England till after the 11th.
  • 19th century Borax, a precursor to and ingredient of many detergents is used. Soluble in water this proved better than soap and hot water.

    Books on housekeeping, such as Beetons Book of Household Management and Housekeeping in Old Virginia prove popular. They combined cooking guides and recipes with house cleaning methods. Over time these types of publications separated into the modern cookbook and household hint publications.

    Clothes were cleaned by beating the dust out of them, and then treating with a stiff brush. There was a distinction between outer-clothing and under-clothing, which kept the outer-clothing from touching the skin. This at lease kept the outer-clothing in good condition. Like modern suit jackets outer clothing did not need frequent washing. The familiar image of clothes being boiled in a pot, scrubbed on a washboard and put through a wringer seems to have only applied to the under-clothing.

    Porcelain and China was cleaned with Fuller’s Earth, a mildly abrasive powder. This was actually good for absorbing grease and oil, and it is still used today as a facial treatment.

    Carpets were actually rugs, and were cleaned by beating them with rods. Ink spots were removes with a lemon, oil stains with hot white bread! Carpets were often made reversible (ingrain carpets, at least) sometimes with reversed patterns on opposing sides. Carpets could be turned over if one side was worn, or if summer and winter required a lighter or darker look.

    Some advice books recommended tea leaves or freshly cut grass for cleaning carpets, this was supposed to remove dust. These tended to produce stains of their own. Some liquid methods were used for spot stains. There was debate whether a carpet lasted longer if cleaned infrequently or more regularly. The dirt left from infrequent cleaning was though to wear away the carpet (there is some truth to this); the cleaning process itself was also thought to cause carpet wear. Modern techniques, which cause very little wear, now strongly favour more frequent cleaning.

  • 1934 Almost modern carpet cleaning methods arrive. Soap jelly was prepared in a bowl, subjected to an egg beater till it had the consistence of cream or lather. Carpets were washed with this soap jelly in small sections at a time, the suds being removed first with a damp cloth, then with clean water.

Office, strata and home cleaning benefit greatly from the cleaning advancements made in the last few generations. Call Sydney’s AAA cleaning for the latest home and carpet cleaning techniques.

What Asian grocery ingredients have added to our palate

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asian-grocery

Oriental supermarkets have countless products popular with Asian customers that many westerners skip over. A little knowledge can show us how we might make great use of them, or how we have already been using them without noticing. Online Asian shopping retailers have far more products than we could list here.

SOY SAUCE: Useful if you want to replace salt, but also for so many other things. Soy offsets and enhances so many other things, it works with almost any savoury dish and even combines well with some sweet ingredients- try looking up Honey and soy on the net and find all sorts of ideas for chicken and beef.

FISH SAUCE: Perhaps this should be plural as there are several types of fish sauce, but they are all a combination of fish, herbs and fermentation. The fermentation process varies the taste from mildly fishy to savoury/nutty. The type of fish, or a combination thereof, also provides countless variations. Fish sauce can be used as a great cocktail dip, is an essential ingredient in Koran Kimchi. Many sops and casseroles contain fish sauce.

RICE WINE: So very different to western wine made with grapes it should probably be given a different category and name, yet it make distinctive sauces and marinades in the same way that western wine does.

GINGER: already part of western culture for centuries ginger did originate in southern China. One of the few things on this page that is sometimes eaten in isolation Ginger is also an additive to many condiments, curries, desserts, pastries, cookies, soft drinks … the list goes on. It is reportedly great for circulation, the immune system, nausea and has countless other health benefits.

NOODLES: Largely considered a fast food in western cultures, rather like packet soup, noodles are seen differently in Japan, where there are literally museums dedicated to their history. The numerous types of noodles in Japan are too many to list, but ingredients, with various flavours, include acorn, mung beans, buckwheat, sweet potato, arrowroot, kelp (seaweed), tubers, mugwort, green tea, tofu, soy, tapioca and of course, rice.
Gluten intolerant individuals can find several types of Asian noodles that will suit their diet, though this does not apply to every type of noodle.

TEA: So long integrated into the western diet that we forget where tea originally came from. Those only familiar with the black tea that comes in bags are in for a discovery. The many varieties of tea include green, yellow, white, oolong and Pu-erh tea, each of which must be made at a different temperature. There are websites and magazine articles dedicated to the best ways to prepare each type of tea. There are as many types of tea as there are types of bread; some teas are as different to black tea as white bread is different to croissants.

The Significance of Regular Eye Care

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In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it’s easy to underestimate the importance of maintaining optimal eye health. Just as some may overlook dental care, neglecting regular eye check-ups can have consequences for our overall well-being. Whether it’s the allure of screen time or the belief that vision is stable, the truth is that investing a little time in regular optometrist visits can prevent potential issues and ensure a clear and comfortable vision for years to come.

Beyond Routine Vision Checks

While it’s common to associate optometry with getting a new eyeglass prescription, regular eye check-ups go beyond just assessing vision clarity. Routine visits to the optometrist, ideally at least once a year, can detect early signs of various eye conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataracts. These conditions, if left untreated, can lead to vision impairment and even permanent vision loss. Early detection is key to preserving eye health and addressing issues before they escalate.

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Digital Eye Strain and Modern Lifestyles

In today’s digital age, where screens dominate our daily activities, the prevalence of digital eye strain has increased. Prolonged screen time can contribute to issues like dry eyes, eye fatigue, and discomfort. Regular optometric check-ups help address these concerns, allowing for adjustments in prescription or the incorporation of specialized lenses to alleviate digital eye strain symptoms.

Children’s Eye Health

Ensuring the well-being of our children includes prioritizing their eye health. Children may not always express vision issues, and therefore, regular eye check-ups with an optometrist are crucial for early detection of conditions like nearsightedness or astigmatism. Early intervention can significantly impact a child’s academic performance and overall development.

Customised Vision Solutions

Optometrists Sydney CBD not only provide accurate prescriptions for eyeglasses or contact lenses but also offer personalized advice on eye care and potential lifestyle adjustments. From recommending protective eyewear for specific activities to advising on nutritional choices that benefit eye health, optometrists play a pivotal role in providing comprehensive and individualized vision solutions.

Regular optometric check-ups are an investment in maintaining clear, comfortable vision and overall eye health. Beyond addressing visual acuity, optometrists Sydney contribute to the early detection of eye conditions, prevention of digital eye strain, and personalized solutions for individuals of all ages. Taking the time for routine eye care is a small yet impactful step toward a future with optimal vision and a clearer outlook on life.

Sydney Airport Shuttle

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When travelling interstate or internationally, getting to the airport can just be another thing that adds to the stress. If travelling for a long time, driving to the airport and leaving the car there until you return can be costly… Carpooling with friends can be an option, but what if their car is too small (or your luggage is too big?).

Sydney Airport Shuttle services seem to be THE way to go… Companies that provide these services such as PlanB shuttle have a door to door, 12 Seater Mini Bus service which is much cheaper than a regular taxi; PlanB shuttle has a fixed rate and is usually prepaid before using the service whereas taxi fares take into account tolls and traffic.

These services are normally family friendly, with attachable baby seats which is an important safety requirement when commuting on the road.

A good question to think about when there is door-to-door… wouldn’t there be a heavy reliance on punctuality on all customers, traffic and the shuttle? Airport Shuttle Services deal with this simply by delegating the pick-up times way ahead of the departure times (The general rule is to be at the airport 3 hours before departure)

Ultimately when travelling, people want to make the journey hassle free, safe, cheaper, reliable and timely. It is all about choosing the right options that will make your trip a more pleasant one.

457 Visa in this financial Year

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From the 1st of July 2015 the following has altered for the 457 visa:

The skilled Occupations List (SOL) has had the following categories removed:

  • Urban and regional Planner 232611
  • Dental specialist 252311
  • Dentist 252312

These occupations do remain on the consolidated Sponsored Occupations List (CSOL), and as such they remain valid options for state or employer sponsorship.

The following occupations have been added to the SOL:

  • Panel beater 324111
  • Cabinetmaker 394111

The accounting occupation has remained on the SOL, but the number of places has been reduced by over 50%. There are only 2,525 places for the 2016 year, and they look to have been filled.

Nursing has had a slight reduction, but this is unimportant as the number of places is far from being filled. Nursing has 14,872 places for the 2016 year, with less than 20% presently being accommodated.

Strangely the Primary school teacher 241213 occupation has been removed from the CSOL list, meaning it is no longer eligible for state or employer sponsored visas. It remains on the SOL, however, indicating that teachers are still needed in some areas.

If you feel your situation has changed, talk to Hope immigration lawyers, Sydney.

Brake Pads, Sydney

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Why replace brake pads?

Obviously the most common reason for getting new brake pads is to replace older, worn pads. This is simply part of the ongoing cost of maintaining a car. Worn brake pads affect the performance of your vehicle; accidents are far more costly than regular maintenance. When a car goes from worn old brake pads to new pads the difference in performance is quite noticeable, often to the point that the driver has to get used to how the car handles/ replacing the pads more often reduces this change.

Different brake pads for your car

You may notice more than one option in the brake pads catalogue for your model of car. It is quite possible that your model of car sees different conditions depending on where and how it is driven, or that different counties have different expectations for braking performance. European manufacturers often emphasis very smooth and solid performance with brakes. Unfortunately this type of pad wears very quickly, giving both a reduced operational life and a problem with accumulating dust (from the wearing pad) in the vehicle’s mechanism. Replacing these brake pads can be a smart move. Brake pads designed for long term use in general driving can provide comparable performance to the pads that came with the car, only with longer service and far less dust problems. Talk to brake pads suppliers about different options for your car’s brakes.

Issues with Pads

Some older brakes used asbestos, which has now been linked to serious health concerns. This is no longer much of an issue as these older style pads have long since been replaced. Unless a car has been sitting in a garage for several decades it is unlikely to have asbestos components.

Rumours circulate on the internet that brakes contain mercury and aluminium, and that this is a hazard. Aluminium is used in some brake mechanisms, but this has never been considered dangerous. Mercury does not appear to have ever been used in brake pads. Confusion many be due to the fact that there is a brake manufacturing company named Mercury.

Brake materials

Metal Pads are used almost exclusively for racing vehicles. They do endure continual use, but they quickly wear the car’s rotors.

Non-metallic pads are popular with European cars. They are gentle but wear quickly and produce dust.

Semi-metallic pads are popular. They last longer than non-metallic pads and only cause moderate mechanical wear. They do require more force than noon-metallic systems.

Ceramic Brake pads are quiet and a good compromise between durability and performance. They are less able to dissipate heat, however, so warping can occur when surrounding materials and the ceramic pads reach different temperatures.

Availability

Due to the popularity of refitting more suitable brake pads many services centres buy replacements for European brake pads wholesale, allowing a relatively inexpensive upgrade for a vehicle’s system. It is unnecessary to use faster wearing or sports brake pads on Sydney roads. Popular ceramic, metal or part-metal pads provide dependable long term braking performance

Thanks to Icer Brakes Oceania for the blog post. To find a brake pad for your vehicle, feel free to visit Icer Oceania.

Things to do in Sydney

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You can spend a day just walking the sights. Sydney is a large city if you include the outer suburbs, and there is a lot to see out there. But the CBD can be browsed in a day’s travel. You can start at Circular Quay and see The Rocks, the Opera House, and the Harbour Bridge. The Botanic gardens are near hare, and worth a fair amount of time. You can walk from here or catch a train to Town Hall station and see the Queen Victoria Building for some shopping. From here it’s only a short walk to Darling Harbour.

Sydney habour

A first day walk is a good way to gather information about the specifics; you find the museums and attractions that you want to spend some time at latter. Some of the better known are:

  • The world’s largest Imax theatre
  • The Sydney Aquarium
  • Wildlife Zoo
  • Madam Tussards Wax works
  • The Maritime Museum
  • The Powerhouse Museum
  • Centrepoint Tower
  • Bondi Beach
  • The Opera House, both the events inside and the building itself.

An alternative to walking Sydney is to take a Harbour cruise. The guide will point out many sights, and you can chase up the ones that interest you the most. Else, you can use the Red Explorer Bus.

Tours can often be arranged through the same company that does airport transfers. A day tour of Sydney can focus on shopping, where the shuttle can carry your accumulated souvenirs, or on historic sights, a trip to the theatre; if you have time you can leave Sydney for the day and go on a wine tour. The Sydney airport shuttles often run multiple services for tourists and locals.

IELTS

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There are several tests used to assess an immigrants English language skills. IELTS is the most common one used in Australia. It has four components: speaking, listening, reading and writing. Unlike TOEFL, which tests some of these areas in combination, the IELTS test does not use computer assessment; it is all either handwritten or spoken directly to an assessor.

IELTS is run in two streams, an academic and general, with a combined global total of 2 million people sitting it each year. Both streams are designed for language use as it would be encountered by the individual, either as a student or under general employment. Over 9000 international institutions recognise the test as part of their entrance requirements,

The four components of the test are assessed and recorded separately on a scale of 1 to 9, 9 being the highest grade. A minimum of grade of 6 is expected in each component for any individual seeking to immigrate to Australia via the general IELTS test. Potential university or other tertiary students are expected to take the academic strand of the course, and often expected to achieve a 7 or better in each category. Requirements vary largely on the individual course student wish to undertake, and also the institution itself. Most journalism and language orientated courses require an 8.5 or better in every category. Non-language university courses still require acceptable English levels for admission.

It is not unusual for professional practices in Australia to have language requirements above the minimum level needed to immigration. In some cases the language requirement for studying and qualifying in a particular files is not as high as the English language level required to later practice in that same field. Student may need to re-take the IELTS test after graduation in order to demonstrate an acceptable improvement in their language ability.

Tutoring is often necessary for success in the IELTS test, particularity for potential university applicants and graduates who need to improve their rankings. Individuals who learn the language later in life, acquire it as a second language, or who learnt informally, often require some formal instruction for a more comprehensive understanding. This can be of particular use of the written skills lag behind the spoken skills. Students often benefit from instruction that shows the more formal approach needed for written English abilities, and shows where the two aspects of the language differ.

Global Language Academy’s IELTS courses are designed to give a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the English language with 10 hours of class preparation. Like the IELTS test itself the classes are designed for practical use. Undertaking the classes is often a wise move financially as the improved test result outweighs the possibility of failing and being forced to retake the test.

Dental care, Sydney

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Why Clean Teeth

dental-careIn the hustle and bustle of daily life, it’s all too common to overlook the significance of maintaining good dental health. The allure of the lingering taste from a delicious meal often prevails over the strong flavor of toothpaste. Some may claim a lack of time for proper oral care, but dedicating a few minutes each day to brushing one’s teeth can prevent a host of dental issues and the discomfort associated with extensive dental procedures in the future. A study once revealed that successful individuals were those who prioritized short-term inconvenience over long-term problems—a principle that holds true for oral health.

Beyond the Home Routine

While regular brushing and flossing are vital components of oral care, they are not exhaustive solutions. Routine dental check-ups every six months are essential for early detection, preventing irreversible damage to teeth and gums, and averting costly and uncomfortable treatments later on. Dental problems such as tooth decay may manifest with pain or noticeable changes, prompting immediate attention. However, conditions like gingivitis may not exhibit obvious symptoms initially, underscoring the importance of regular dental check-ups.

Biannual dental cleanings, recommended by professionals, go beyond the removal of plaque, tartar, and bacteria. They also contribute to smoother teeth surfaces through polishing, reducing the likelihood of bacterial adherence and aiding in maintaining oral cleanliness.

The Role of Nutrition

Grandparents often imparted timeless wisdom about the significance of healthy eating, and when it comes to dental health, their advice remains relevant. A diet rich in vegetables, dairy products, apples, and other nutritious foods can significantly impact one’s oral well-being. Green tea has also shown positive effects on teeth and breath.

On the flip side, sticky and acidic foods pose risks to dental health. While sugary sodas are known culprits, even seemingly healthy options like orange juice, consumed regularly, can be detrimental. The frequency of consumption often outweighs the quantity, making it crucial to monitor the regularity of intake.

Additionally, sugar-free chewing gum can be beneficial for teeth, promoting saliva production and aiding in oral hygiene. However, it’s essential to be mindful of the potential health issues associated with artificial sweeteners found in such gums. Maintaining good oral health extends beyond the daily brushing routine. Regular dental check-ups at the Dentist Strathfield, coupled with a balanced diet and mindful choices in food consumption, contribute to a lifetime of healthy smiles. For any concerns related to dentists Sydney, Dental Focus, based in Sydney, stands ready to address and resolve any issues, ensuring optimal oral health for individuals in the bustling city and beyond.