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You are here: Home / 2009 / Archives for August 2009

Archives for August 2009

Aberdeen: The Silver City And Places To Visit

by The Shopping Maniac






Aberdeen is the third largest city in Scotland, in relation to the size of the city’s population. Aberdeen’s buildings, since the mid 18th century, have been made using local grey granite and the city is well known for its sandy coastline. This has led to the city being nicknamed the Silver City with the Golden Sands and also the Granite City. However in recent years the city has added the nicknames of the Oil Capital of Europe or the Energy Capital of Europe due to the discovery of oil in the North Sea. The city of Aberdeen has benefitted greatly from the oil industry and the support industries. Today Aberdeen is thoroughly modern and immensely vibrant with a lively nighlife.

Aberdeen hotels are often booked by business visitors but also by many other types of people eager to take advantage of the many tourist attractions Aberdeen has to offer. Below you will find details of three; Satrosphere Science Centre, Duthie Park Winter Gardens and Aberdeen Maritime Museum:

Aberdeen Maritime Museum

The Maritime Museum in Aberdeen is found close to the harbor, at the legendary Shiprow. There are astounding views of the harbour from the museum. The Maritime Museum resides in quite a few buildings, including a former church and one of the oldest residences in Aberdeen. The museum has exhibits that cover everything relating to the seagoing environment, from fishing boats to the oil industry. Basically, the museum conveys the  story of the city’s long relationship with the sea. Some of the collections contain ship plans, photographs, models and paintings from the most major of Aberdeen’s shipbuilders.

Duthie Park Winter Gardens

Lady Elizabeth Duthie of Ruthrieston,in 1881, gifted 44 acres of land, to the council. The land for the park was purchased, as a lasting memorial to her brother and uncle. In 1899, the gardens were ready, and were opened to the public. However, in 1969 disaster struck and the greenhouses had to be knocked down and rebuilt. This was due to horrendous storm damgage. Today, one of Scotland’s favourite garden attractions are the David Welch Winter Gardens at Duthie Park, and also the largest indoor gardens in the whole of Europe. Each greenhouse has an important collection such as, the Temperate House, Japanese Garden, Fern House, Victorian House, Tropical House and Corridor of Perfumes.

Satrosphere Science Centre

In Aberdeen, the Satrosphere Science Center was one of the first science and discovery centers in Scotland. This hands-on, interactive science center, has over fifty exhibits and live science demonstrations, and opened to the public in 1988. Even though the center is aimed at primary age children, the appeal of the exhibits is universal. The center is located in the old tram sheds, near to the beach, on Constitution Street. The aim is to inspire teenagers to become scientist’s, as interest in science courses in universities, is in decline. One of the favorite exhibits at the center is the famous giant soap bubble, where each child can be encircled in a magic bubble.

There are many other visitor attractions in and about Aberdeen which are well worth visiting and the 3 above were chosen randomly. If you are planning to visit Aberdeen, Scotland then you will find numerous quality hotels in Aberdeen, or various other types of accommodation, available to book online.






With Energy Price Rises Why It Is important To Understand Solar Power Costs

by The Shopping Maniac

The news is filled with discussions of current and future energy problems.  Finding renewable sources of energy is important, and the publicity has made solar panels and power more available to the consumer.  However, there are solar power costs that come with the systems.  It is an environmentally friendly source of power that can be used in all inhabited areas.It is also a completely renewable source of energy, for as long as the sunlight remains an active source of light.  Because of that, the costs are limited compared with the benefits, and are reducing all the time.

There are two basic types of solar energy that can be used by consumers — passive solar heating and passive solar energy.  Passive solar heating is a great alternative for heating water and homes.  The sun’s energy is used directly as heat instead of being converted to other energy types.  Passive solar energy is a more complicated system of solar power that converts the heat into the exact power requirements of the site.  There may be more solar power costs associated with this type of solar power.

The Costs of Solar Power Explained

The costs of a solar power system are very surprising to many consumers.  Even with government rebates, initial investment can be high.  There are costs associated with installing a system as well as purchasing all the necessary equipment.  The most expensive equipment to be purchased is generally a solar power generator.  This generator is what converts the rays collected by solar panels into energy that is usable by your home.  While technological developments are lowering solar power costs, at present are still high.

Purchasing the correct generator for your home is an important step in the process of installing a solar system.  When you are faced with the high initial price tag, remind yourself that this system will reduce or eliminate your electricity bills each month.Go through past bills to check your average energy usage before making a purchase of a solar power system.  Choosing the best quality generator will prevent you from having to supplement your solar power.  With the current trend in energy costs, this can be a very expensive mistake.  It may also reduce the resale value of your home versus having a system that covers all the electricity needs of the property.

Many areas have help, grants, and rebates for people who purchase solar systems for their homes.  By reducing the solar power costs in this way, you may make a system more affordable.  Make sure to check into and state or local offers before you purchase your system.  Installing solar panels on your property is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment.  The initial costs will be returned to you over time, as these panels will provide free electricity for years to come.Reduce your dependence on external power suppliers and create an energy-independent place for yourself.

Enjoy Authentic BBQ Flavor From a Charcoal Grill

by The Shopping Maniac

When you’re cooking on a barbecue grill, most of the food’s flavor comes from being cooked over an open flame. The heat of the grate chars the food. You can’t beat the flavor that you get from the flickers of fire that are produced from the fat dripping off the meat. If you use a charcoal BBQ grill in which you use lump charcoal or even wood, that extra barbecue taste is intensified.

It’s a little time consuming to start up a charcoal BBQ grill. You need to fetch the charcoal from wherever it’s stored. It must be measured out properly into the grill and then set aflame. It needs around 30 minutes of burning before it’s hot enough to cook over. If you plan on using the grill for a long time, you have to add fresh charcoal from time to time. And when you’re done, there’s the ashes to be disposed of.

As well, remember that with a charcoal grill, you can’t have total control over the cooking temperature. If you go for an expensive model, it has ramps which can be raised and lowered. As well, moving the coals around can help to heat up or slow down the fire.

Things move slowly with a charcoal grill. If you’re in a hurry and have no time to wait for the charcoal to heat up, then a gas grill is definitely more convenient. Many people like to come home after work and start up the grill; since a charcoal BBQ takes quite a bit of time, it’s not often the best choice for this scenario.

However, don’t forget that there’s a lot of pleasure that comes along with grilling on a charcoal BBQ. Firstly, it’s fun to play with the fire, stand around the barbecue and watch the meat being grilled just the way you like it. And there’s no doubt that food prepared on a charcoal grill is much tastier than what you’ll get from a gas grill.

In general, a charcoal grill is quite inexpensive. The only thing that you need is a constant supply of charcoal. Although the expense will add up, it’s really not much different from the propane you need to run a gas grill. As well, a charcoal BBQ is a simpler piece of equipment with fewer parts, so it’s likely to last you a long time.

Of course, it’s up to you in the end whether you go with a charcoal or gas BBQ grill. The charcoal grill can make some particularly tasty steaks. It can be a fun and pleasant activity. If you have a relaxed schedule and enjoy the charred and tangy taste of meat grilled over a charcoal flame, it might be just the thing.

How Can You Find A Cheap Dyson Cleaner

by The Shopping Maniac

What Dyson’s are known about is the suction power, high quality of cleaning, good rankings and reviews of their durability which makes them the top notch cleaners. Dyson vacuum cleaners often cost several hundreds dollars, because quality is not cheap. If the consumer knows where to look, it is quite easy for him to find a good deal on one of the discount Dyson vacuum cleaners.

Are you satisfied with using refurbished or remanufactured Dyson vacuum cleaner is the first thing you have to decide. Because the manufacturer assesses the vacuum cleaners and fixes all problems they had, it looks like a consumer is having a completely new Dyson vacuum at a discount price. And the high percentage of these vacuum cleaners has a good warranty, which tells you that they are working properly. There is no warranty or quality guarantee on a used vacuum cleaners. In case the Dyson cleaner has been damage, the buyer is stuck with that problem, just like you buy a used car when checking newspaper ads.

One more thing you can do to find your discount Dyson vacuum is to use internet. You can find various information and dicount Dysons if you search for discount Dyson vacuum cleaners on the Google. And if you take into account that a Dyson cleaner costs $400, you are actually saving $80 quite easily. Those couple of minutes you would spend in searching for a wholesale deal will definitely pay off.

Why should you buy a Dyson vacuum cleaner at first place? The Dyson vacuums are among the best yo can get because of their quality, durabilty and powerful cleaning abilities. However, as the old saying goes, “You get what you pay for.You won’t go cheaply with a superior cleaning power and quality. So why spend several hundred dollars on a Dyson vacuum cleaner when there are so many vacuums that are much cheaper?

Decorative Theme Ideas for Your Bathroom

by The Shopping Maniac

If you feel the same as countless other people who consider their bathroom as nothing more than a dazzling glare of fixtures and fittings together with tile, try rethinking how your bathroom could be. It is not that difficult, since all you want is your imagination to work out exactly the look and feel that you would prefer. Here are several design tips on small bathroom accessories that will give your bathroom that all important warm feeling in no time at all.

Bathrooms, similar to every other room in a house, should be themed since it gives the space a mood and brings your personality to your little corner of the world. It is where you can say, by choice, what is most important to you. There are hundreds of design ideas to choose from, including country, dolls, ocean life or even villas on the Mediterranean. The choice is yours, so choose the theme that you want. It is a good idea to pick a theme that matches, or at least correlates with other design styles in your house. By doing so, it will not be overly fussy, or out of tune with other areas of the house.

If your bathroom is a little on the small side, you are not out of line with a lot of other homeowners because bathrooms in older houses were quite literally carved out of small unused closets. Even if you are one of the many unfortunate folks that have inherited a smallish bathroom, you can nevertheless decorate for color. Bear in mind though, that with smaller bathrooms, less is often better. Your color scheme can be paint or wallpaper, but if the space is small, a neutral paint or wallpaper color can be used on either one wall, or as an accent on a chair rail. You can opt to paint a conventional white, and accentuate with color utilizing different decorating accessories like framed prints, shells, baskets, rug throws, and window treatments to name but a few.

Warm rusty tone of paint or wallpaper work very well with plants in the bathroom. But, select plants that like steamy warm conditions, and that can endure the different chemical substances. Some plants simply cannot take the mousse, hairspray, and perfumes that are used regularly in a bathroom. It will gum up the plants leaves and they will end up in your compost bin. If your bathroom is big enough, you can hang up plants from the ceiling, or position them on the back of the lavatory. Large garden style tubs have enough space on the rim of the tub to place small plants, and together with bath soaps and baskets, they look beautiful.

Rugs and towels play an important part when accessorizing your freshly decorated bathroom. For a feeling of sheer elegance, you will not go far wrong with hand woven or deep sumptuous throw rugs. Nevertheless, when buying the rugs, take into account the type of floor covering you are laying them on since they can present a slipping danger when placed on bathroom vinyl flooring. To prevent this, look for rugs that have either a non slip or rubber backing. Try coordinating your new rugs and toilet mat in either matching or alternate colors. When blended with a neutral backdrop, assorted textures work well to make an inviting, homey warm feeling to your bathroom.

Towel racks are another way to apply a little zing to your bathroom. Ornamental racks with colorful towels make a bathroom stand out. You can find towel racks in different tones of wood, bronze, silver or gold. Some folks paint their own wooden racks, and match their baskets and picture frames with them.

Contemporary bathroom lighting is just as important as the decoration and accessories. As a matter of fact, lighting can make or break the mood of any room. Because water and electricity do not mix very well, your initial consideration must be safety. If you have youngsters in the home, I would suggest that all lighting should be fixed and unreachable to little wet hands. That aside however, you can leave night lights on when the bathroom is not being used and if counter top space allows, a small lamp. You can then fit lamp shades that match your general theme.

Finally, take time and read a few decorating books on bathrooms. Look at their designs and see the numerous unusual ways to theme your bathroom. Use their designs for inspiration so your own creative juices will get flowing. It is okay to be uniquely you when decorating your bathroom, so go for it! You will never know what other themes take your fancy until you check them out when attempting to decorate your bathroom at home.

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