Soon, winter will be winding down, and homeowners will start planning — and prepping for — a variety of outdoor projects for spring. From cleaning, repairing or replacing decks, to creating raised beds for veggies and flowers, now is the time to start gearing up for those spring projects.
Cleaning up
Start with spring cleaning existing structures. Take a weekend to clean decks, gazebos and pergolas of dirt, debris, mold and mildew. For structures made of naturally durable western red cedar, a broom, garden sprayer and hose, plus a little bleach are all you need.
Sweep winter debris such as twigs and leaves from decks, taking care to pvc suction hose pipeclean between planks on horizontal surfaces. This facilitates airflow and drainage, and can help prevent a buildup of moisture when spring showers arrive. Next, use a garden sprayer to apply a-mild oxygen bleach solution to kill mold and mildew. Be sure to leave the bleach solution on the wood surface for approximately 30 minutes, and then rinse with water. Never use a pressure washer as it can damage the wood.
Maintenance and repair
Carefully inspect outdoor structures for wear and tear. While western red cedar contains natural preservatives that make the wood durable, all outdoor structures require annual care, fuel hoseincluding those made of pressure-treated lumber or composites.
Check planks, beams and boards for cracking, warping or rough spots and repair accordingly. Replace damaged wood, and be sure to examine hardware to ensure it’s working properly and free of rust.If you’ve always dreamed about lounging on a lovely deck on a summer afternoon, or savoring a spring morning beneath the shade of a decorative pergola, now’s the time to start planning the project.
A great deck is the showpiece of an inspired backyard, and spring is a prime time to add one. To ensure your deck affords you the most value and enjoyment, consider using an online deck planner to help you envision your deck before you begin building.
2014年4月14日 星期一
Are there dangerous chemicals in my garden hose?
Every now and then I read something that reminds me of the ubquitous and far-reaching dangers in the world around me. It seems like I can't even enjoy the simplest things in life these days without being reminded that everything is trying to kill me. Case in point for me this week came on Grist, when a reader asked Umbra about the dangers of garden hoses. Is your Minneapolis concrete garden path a highway to hell?
Garden hoses? I thought to myself. What could be wrong with garden hoses?As it turns out, potentially a great deal, because plastic hoses could leach chemicals into the water -- that same water you're using on your organic fruits and vegetables that you might not be bothering to wash because you think you know what's on them. And, of course, that same water that's trickling into the soil for your plants to take up, allowing chemicals to concentrate in their stems, leaves, and fruits.
The leaching per watering session may not be much, but it builds up over time. And while the health risk might be lower than some other risks around you, it's by no means nonexistent, which means it's worth ameliorating it if you can. Reducing risks can help you stay that much safer in the world around you, and while you shouldn't live in constant fear, prudent caution is a good trait to have.
Many hoses include pthalates and other softeners to prevent kinking and make them more comfortable to use. In addition, some are treated with antimicrobial products like triclosan to prevent the growth of mold and mildew, a common problem with garden houses. All of these chemicals are linked to human health problems, and they aren't the kind of thing you want spilling out all over your food, especially if you have children, who are particularly vulnerable to food-borne chemicals.
Looking out at the bright shiny garden hose coiled neatly against my house, I'm almost tempted to go on a mission throughout the neighborhood, ripping hoses out at the roots and saving my neighbors from themselves. You see, it's not just that plastic hoses contain health risks: the standing water that sits in them, according to Umbra, has been revealed to have lead and other chemicals, leached out from the plumbing in hose bibs and other equipment.
Garden hoses? I thought to myself. What could be wrong with garden hoses?As it turns out, potentially a great deal, because plastic hoses could leach chemicals into the water -- that same water you're using on your organic fruits and vegetables that you might not be bothering to wash because you think you know what's on them. And, of course, that same water that's trickling into the soil for your plants to take up, allowing chemicals to concentrate in their stems, leaves, and fruits.
The leaching per watering session may not be much, but it builds up over time. And while the health risk might be lower than some other risks around you, it's by no means nonexistent, which means it's worth ameliorating it if you can. Reducing risks can help you stay that much safer in the world around you, and while you shouldn't live in constant fear, prudent caution is a good trait to have.
Many hoses include pthalates and other softeners to prevent kinking and make them more comfortable to use. In addition, some are treated with antimicrobial products like triclosan to prevent the growth of mold and mildew, a common problem with garden houses. All of these chemicals are linked to human health problems, and they aren't the kind of thing you want spilling out all over your food, especially if you have children, who are particularly vulnerable to food-borne chemicals.
Looking out at the bright shiny garden hose coiled neatly against my house, I'm almost tempted to go on a mission throughout the neighborhood, ripping hoses out at the roots and saving my neighbors from themselves. You see, it's not just that plastic hoses contain health risks: the standing water that sits in them, according to Umbra, has been revealed to have lead and other chemicals, leached out from the plumbing in hose bibs and other equipment.
2014年4月8日 星期二
Toyota LandCruiser brake recall 13,800 vehicles affected locally
Approximately 13,800 Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series models have been recalled in Australia due to a braking system fault that could result in a brake fluid leak.
Affecting current ABS-equipped Toyota LandCruiser VDJ7# models built between May 2012 and March 2014 in single- and China Fuel and Oil hosess manufacturersdouble-cab chassis, wagon or troop carrier guises, the recall relates to a flexible brake hose bracket located on the vehicles’ front differential.
According to the official recall notice published on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s product safety recalls website, under certain conditions the brake hose bracket may fracture around the securing bolt and break, potentially resulting in a brake fluid leak.
“If the defect occurs, braking effectiveness is reduced, increasing the risk of a collision,” the notice says.
Toyota Australia said the possibility exists “if the vehicle is driven frequently at high speeds on corrugated roads”.
Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series - Troop Carrier and Cab Chassis.“In the worst case, the brake pedal stroke may increase and reduce braking effectiveness, resulting in longer vehicle stopping distances.”
The local division of the Japanese car maker confirmed there have been 27 reports of the fault locally, as well as one “low-speed accident”,China Chemical hosess manufacturers though no injuries have been reported.
Owners of the affected vehicles will be notified by mail to organise the replacement of the defective brake hose bracket, along with two brake hoses, at no cost to customers. The fix is estimated to take less than an hour to complete.
The recall affects approximately 22,000 vehicles globally, including cars in the Middle East, South Africa and Middle and South America.
Affecting current ABS-equipped Toyota LandCruiser VDJ7# models built between May 2012 and March 2014 in single- and China Fuel and Oil hosess manufacturersdouble-cab chassis, wagon or troop carrier guises, the recall relates to a flexible brake hose bracket located on the vehicles’ front differential.
According to the official recall notice published on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s product safety recalls website, under certain conditions the brake hose bracket may fracture around the securing bolt and break, potentially resulting in a brake fluid leak.
“If the defect occurs, braking effectiveness is reduced, increasing the risk of a collision,” the notice says.
Toyota Australia said the possibility exists “if the vehicle is driven frequently at high speeds on corrugated roads”.
Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series - Troop Carrier and Cab Chassis.“In the worst case, the brake pedal stroke may increase and reduce braking effectiveness, resulting in longer vehicle stopping distances.”
The local division of the Japanese car maker confirmed there have been 27 reports of the fault locally, as well as one “low-speed accident”,China Chemical hosess manufacturers though no injuries have been reported.
Owners of the affected vehicles will be notified by mail to organise the replacement of the defective brake hose bracket, along with two brake hoses, at no cost to customers. The fix is estimated to take less than an hour to complete.
The recall affects approximately 22,000 vehicles globally, including cars in the Middle East, South Africa and Middle and South America.
More Power, No Problems
Ready to slay some dust bunnies this Spring cleaning? Tired of cat hair ruining your carpets, or sick of trying to clear out the cobwebs in your attic mostly by waving your hands around? Is your vacuum too heavy or loud, or are you constrained to using it within a few feet of an outlet? We’ve got an apartment dwellers dream, a compact, lightweight, extendable and portable vacuum cleaner from the company that reinvigorated the category.
The Dyson DC59 Animal Cordless Vacuum is certainly not your average model. When we last checked in with Dyson and their DC23 canister vac, we were impressed by the sheer power, as well as the space-age looks. The DC59 takes the same great industrial design and shrinks it, offering power comparable to a corded vacuum in a svelte battery-powered body. The last handheld model we saw was their DC31, and the latest update improves in every way on the predecessors. And it comes with a mini motorized tool, turning a hand vacuum into a flexible do-it-all wonder.
For starters, the low profile brush head slides under your couch, sofa, or other furniture easily. The battery life on older models was only about 15 minutes, and the DC59 just about doubles that, probably thanks to the change from lithium ion chemistry to new nickel manganese cobalt. Of course, the weight is also about doubled- but you’ll still barely notice it at under five pounds.
Plus, it’s well balanced enough that even your average teenager gal will be able to extend the hose and clean the ceilings without feeling likely to fall over. The 28 airwatts of power- and we love that measurement- put by the ‘Cyclone’ technology is enough to handle even carpets and do a quick job on floors. It’s still loud, but not that bad, and comparable to most others in this class.
As you might guess from the Animal in the name, this little guy does a solid job on working with pets and their fur and dander. We tried it out to attempt to clear some rugs, blankets, and surfaces from the hair that inevitably gets everywhere- and only needed to take one pass, with everything looking fresh and clean moments later.
The Dyson DC59 Animal Cordless Vacuum is certainly not your average model. When we last checked in with Dyson and their DC23 canister vac, we were impressed by the sheer power, as well as the space-age looks. The DC59 takes the same great industrial design and shrinks it, offering power comparable to a corded vacuum in a svelte battery-powered body. The last handheld model we saw was their DC31, and the latest update improves in every way on the predecessors. And it comes with a mini motorized tool, turning a hand vacuum into a flexible do-it-all wonder.
For starters, the low profile brush head slides under your couch, sofa, or other furniture easily. The battery life on older models was only about 15 minutes, and the DC59 just about doubles that, probably thanks to the change from lithium ion chemistry to new nickel manganese cobalt. Of course, the weight is also about doubled- but you’ll still barely notice it at under five pounds.
Plus, it’s well balanced enough that even your average teenager gal will be able to extend the hose and clean the ceilings without feeling likely to fall over. The 28 airwatts of power- and we love that measurement- put by the ‘Cyclone’ technology is enough to handle even carpets and do a quick job on floors. It’s still loud, but not that bad, and comparable to most others in this class.
As you might guess from the Animal in the name, this little guy does a solid job on working with pets and their fur and dander. We tried it out to attempt to clear some rugs, blankets, and surfaces from the hair that inevitably gets everywhere- and only needed to take one pass, with everything looking fresh and clean moments later.
2014年3月31日 星期一
Leif Kopperud's story
Out of the navy and enrolled at Alaska Methodist University now APU, 21 year old Leif Kopperud worked on his truck at his dad’s shop in downtown Palmer that fateful, sunny Good Friday. “We wanted to go party,” said Kopperud unabashedly. As the earth began to shake, he watched a trucker try to fill his gas tank, with one hand on the hose and the other on his truck. “What the heck is going on? he wondered.
“It was long!” exclaimed Kopperud. The Inside Story of the Crazy on I watched the snow slide on Pioneer Peak.”Accessories He saw water slopping out of the Palmer water tower as it swayed from side to side. Then everything went absolutely quiet. The power went out. He headed down to the Glass Bar to get some beer; the place was a mess. The liquor had crashed from the shelves and spilled all over. Fortunately the beer cooler was intact. He picked out a couple of cases, but the cash register didn’t work, because it was electric. He visited Koslosky’s grocery. The place was a mess with foodstuffs all over the aisles. Kopperud said, laughingly, that locals reported seeing the town drunk drive straight as an arrow for the first time.
He picked up the power welder from the shop and went to Palmer City Hall to help. “I was probably more curious than helpful,composite hose which was always true for me,” admits Kopperud. Over the next couple days other damage became apparent. The rocker plates on the Knick Bridge had actually hopped around during the quake and flipped over. An 8” crack and drop on one section made the bridge impassable without some mechanism to span the gap. A huge hole appeared by Echo Lake.
When the Old Glenn reopened, Kopperud drove into Anchorage to help. He joined the Civil Defense team and worked at the 13-story McKay building, packing people’s belongings down the long flights of stairs, making trip after trip. “The totalness of it all was overwhelming,” reflected Kopperud. “When it comes to nature, you can’t change the channel.” He recalled the destruction of 4th Avenue and the serious state of JCPenny.
“It was a different place and time then. We were barely a state, still a territory really. We were cut off. No one came to our rescue. We needed to deal with this on our own.” And then Kopperud noted, “The people were amazing.
“It was long!” exclaimed Kopperud. The Inside Story of the Crazy on I watched the snow slide on Pioneer Peak.”Accessories He saw water slopping out of the Palmer water tower as it swayed from side to side. Then everything went absolutely quiet. The power went out. He headed down to the Glass Bar to get some beer; the place was a mess. The liquor had crashed from the shelves and spilled all over. Fortunately the beer cooler was intact. He picked out a couple of cases, but the cash register didn’t work, because it was electric. He visited Koslosky’s grocery. The place was a mess with foodstuffs all over the aisles. Kopperud said, laughingly, that locals reported seeing the town drunk drive straight as an arrow for the first time.
He picked up the power welder from the shop and went to Palmer City Hall to help. “I was probably more curious than helpful,composite hose which was always true for me,” admits Kopperud. Over the next couple days other damage became apparent. The rocker plates on the Knick Bridge had actually hopped around during the quake and flipped over. An 8” crack and drop on one section made the bridge impassable without some mechanism to span the gap. A huge hole appeared by Echo Lake.
When the Old Glenn reopened, Kopperud drove into Anchorage to help. He joined the Civil Defense team and worked at the 13-story McKay building, packing people’s belongings down the long flights of stairs, making trip after trip. “The totalness of it all was overwhelming,” reflected Kopperud. “When it comes to nature, you can’t change the channel.” He recalled the destruction of 4th Avenue and the serious state of JCPenny.
“It was a different place and time then. We were barely a state, still a territory really. We were cut off. No one came to our rescue. We needed to deal with this on our own.” And then Kopperud noted, “The people were amazing.
The Inside Story of the Crazy Rocket Research at Jet Propulsion Labs
Everybody knows the cowboy reputation associated with early astronauts, the test-pilot swagger immortalized by Apollo 13 and The Right Stuff. But the rockets that took those astronauts to space were built by a group with an equally cinematic image: the nearly-unhinged, completely unfettered mad scientists at Jet Propulsion Laboratories. Mika McKinnon brings us a fascinating look at the madcap, explosion-obsessed minds that helped get man into space—and presided over some monumental explosions in the process.
Everyone loves a gorgeous rocket launch, but the story of getting from the first sputtering attempts to the modern day marvels is completely unreal. The Jet Propulsion Laboratories took it up a notch, giving mad scientists their epic reputation.
In the late 1930s, a group of Caltech graduate students were booted off campus after blowing up part of! their building during a rocket test gone awry. Unwilling to give up on the joy of semi-controlled explosions, the students and a few of their friends headed into the San Gabriel Mountains. They picked a deserted gully — Arroyo Seco — and got testing. This was about when their classmates starting calling the gathering the Suicide Club.
Frank Malina studied aerodynamics at Caltech. Jack Parons was a high school drop-out and a self-taught chemist. Ed Forman was an excellent mechanic. Their first round of testing in October 1936 was less-than-successful: the last test of the day, they accidentally lit their oxygen line on fire. The line whipped around, a snaking hose of fire that somehow didn't kill anyone. Undeterred, they kept trying. By November, their tests worked.
When the Suicide Club failed to live up to their name and blew neither themselves nor anyone else to pieces, Caltech professor Theodore von Karman had a little faith and found them a spot back on campus. But the keys had a price: for access to their sweet new space, the Rocket Boys had to learn the math to back up their fancy rockets.
Everyone loves a gorgeous rocket launch, but the story of getting from the first sputtering attempts to the modern day marvels is completely unreal. The Jet Propulsion Laboratories took it up a notch, giving mad scientists their epic reputation.
In the late 1930s, a group of Caltech graduate students were booted off campus after blowing up part of! their building during a rocket test gone awry. Unwilling to give up on the joy of semi-controlled explosions, the students and a few of their friends headed into the San Gabriel Mountains. They picked a deserted gully — Arroyo Seco — and got testing. This was about when their classmates starting calling the gathering the Suicide Club.
Frank Malina studied aerodynamics at Caltech. Jack Parons was a high school drop-out and a self-taught chemist. Ed Forman was an excellent mechanic. Their first round of testing in October 1936 was less-than-successful: the last test of the day, they accidentally lit their oxygen line on fire. The line whipped around, a snaking hose of fire that somehow didn't kill anyone. Undeterred, they kept trying. By November, their tests worked.
When the Suicide Club failed to live up to their name and blew neither themselves nor anyone else to pieces, Caltech professor Theodore von Karman had a little faith and found them a spot back on campus. But the keys had a price: for access to their sweet new space, the Rocket Boys had to learn the math to back up their fancy rockets.
2014年3月25日 星期二
How to transform your Subaru WRX into a sports car for under $15K
“Our method means the shut in line can be left in-situ and we can enter using existing facilities, reducing risk for operators. We can also attach monitoring devices and retrieve and analyse debris to provide assurance on operational success. Mature offshore basins such as the North Sea and West Africa are key markets for this and we are calling on UK operators to partner on the bespoke development of the technology to really push its boundaries and address the main issues they are facing.”
The technology can be adapted for several applications. In the UK, integrity of flexible risers is becoming a more prominent issue and inspection tools can be added to the system to address that challenge. Flexi-Coil Extended Reach can also be used for decommissioning to clean flowlines in-situ for safe abandonment as fuel hose a cost effective and environmentally positive solution.
The Flexi-Coil Extended Reach system comprises a blow-out preventer stack, thruster system and lightweight composite hose reel. With capacity to clear sand and wax plugs, there is a unique mechanism to deploy the water through the outer annulus of the hose and return through the inner hose. The operation is managed by skilled Paradigm engineers.Imagine turning your 2002-2007 Subaru WRX that’s sitting in your garage into a screaming two-seat sports car for under $15K. That’s what Factory Five Racing has done for Subaru WRX performance enthusiasts. You can take your Subaru WRX and transform it into a mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive, chemical hose suppliers 1,800 pound, Subaru WRX powered two-seat sports car. And you can build it in your own garage.
Factory Five Racing provides the chassis, frame, suspension, and body, and you provide the 2002-2007 Subaru WRX or normally aspirated Impreza donor car. If you have a Subaru WRX, you have whatever you need to build the 818 in your garage. The 818 uses composite body panels that are gel coated and don’t have any body seams so there is absolutely no panting required.
The technology can be adapted for several applications. In the UK, integrity of flexible risers is becoming a more prominent issue and inspection tools can be added to the system to address that challenge. Flexi-Coil Extended Reach can also be used for decommissioning to clean flowlines in-situ for safe abandonment as fuel hose a cost effective and environmentally positive solution.
The Flexi-Coil Extended Reach system comprises a blow-out preventer stack, thruster system and lightweight composite hose reel. With capacity to clear sand and wax plugs, there is a unique mechanism to deploy the water through the outer annulus of the hose and return through the inner hose. The operation is managed by skilled Paradigm engineers.Imagine turning your 2002-2007 Subaru WRX that’s sitting in your garage into a screaming two-seat sports car for under $15K. That’s what Factory Five Racing has done for Subaru WRX performance enthusiasts. You can take your Subaru WRX and transform it into a mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive, chemical hose suppliers 1,800 pound, Subaru WRX powered two-seat sports car. And you can build it in your own garage.
Factory Five Racing provides the chassis, frame, suspension, and body, and you provide the 2002-2007 Subaru WRX or normally aspirated Impreza donor car. If you have a Subaru WRX, you have whatever you need to build the 818 in your garage. The 818 uses composite body panels that are gel coated and don’t have any body seams so there is absolutely no panting required.
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