Renoholics Anonymous

I found this story by AAP on news.com.au about handyman tools used in a service station robbery and wanted to share it with you. What is our society coming to when good old tools of the trade are being abused in such a manner? Tell me if you know of similar abuses of renovation tools – feel free to send in any stories involving robberies and worse – I’d like to hear them all.

Here is my rewrite of the story:

Tools of the trade have been used to raid two service stations in Sydney’s inner west. Six men threatened the attendant with a hammer and wrench before one man punched the victim in the face.

The men then stole cash and cigarettes before fleeing in two blue and silver Nissan Skylines, one of which was later found burnt out at Drummoyne. The same men are believed to be responsible for a similar hold-up at a service station at nearby Ashfield a short time later where cash and cigarettes were also stolen.

Anyone who has information on either hold-up is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Source: AAP and news.com.au

The Federal Government’s climate change guru Ross Garnaut has issued a warning that climate change was a “diabolical” policy problem, in his draft report on the issue. What could play out over decades, should be actioned over the next few years, he said at the launch of the 600-page report in Canberra today.

Prof Garnaut said climate change was the hardest policy problem in living memory.

“Without early and strong action, some time before 2020 we will realise we have indelibly surrendered to forces that have moved beyond our control,” he said. Climate change presents a new kind of challenge. It is uncertain in its form and extent, rather than drawn in clear lines. It is insidious, rather than directly confrontational. It is long term, rather than immediate in both its impacts and its remedies.”

Prof Garnaut said the increases in concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere over the past two centuries, especially in the last half century, generated the climate change now being experienced.

So what can us regular punters do and how will it affect us - or hit us in the hip pocket for that matter?

Read the FAQ section on news.com.au

Source: AAP

Although the current real estate market has seen better days, it’s not all doom and gloom for properties that are getting a makeover as nearly 50 per cent of homeowners are staying put and renovating, according to an Archicentre survey.

The survey, which revealed 49.1 per cent would stay put and renovate; 29.6 per cent would delay buying a home; while 21.3 per cent would continue to buy a home, shows renovating is rife.

Renovation specialist, Paul Eslick of the Reno Kings, said he thought homeowners were renovating to make their properties more attractive in the tight market, according to news.com.au.

“I definitely think we’ll see people doing more renovations,’’ he said.

“Money is going to be harder to get (from buyers), but I think what’s going to happen is we’re going to see a lot of savvy investors picking up some really good, cheap buys and doing them up.’’

Archicentre is the building advisory service for the Australian Institute of Architects

It’s an Aussie icon. Found in most backyards across the country for the past 60 years the Hills Hoist may have just had its US visa stamped.

After trying to break into the market eight years ago, Australia’s favourite clothesline is on the edge of giving the good old clothes dryer (which is as American as apple pie) a run for its money.

The humble clothes line was once considered only to be used by white trash – but environmental fears (caused by the manic use of 88 million-plus clothes dryers in US households) is piquing the country’s interest in our Aussie backyard staple. Many homeowners were banned from hanging their washing outside because it apparently devalues property and doesn’t look good.

Rising energy costs also have Americans looking to other options. Some citizens have gone as far as forming a “right-to-dry” movement, with homeowners campaigning for their right to hang washing (hilarious I know).

And some iconic Australians are toeing the line. Expats including Olivia Newton-John, Dannii Minogue and Kimberley Joseph, are helping to promote the Hills Hoist to the United States market, where distribution started last month.

The response from US consumers has already been strong, according to a Hills Industries’ executive, Barry Sharpe.
“It’s at the toe-in-the-water stage, but we’re paddling hard,” he told The Age.
“All the major retailers had very low interest.
“They considered it a summer-only product, and they thought that nobody in their right minds would dry clothes outdoors if they could afford to run a tumble dryer. “The right-to-dry movement has been very active in the past few years, but more so now that global warming issues started to become part of the mainstream consciousness.
“Most people realise that clothes dryers are not particularly energy efficient.”

After the refrigerator, dryers are the biggest household electricity user in the US. There were an estimated 88 million dryers in 2005, which consume annually about 1079 kilowatt hours of energy for each household, emitting 1008 kilograms of carbon dioxide.
Hills Industries is also exploring European and UK sales for the hoist.

Source: The Age

The space shuttle Discovery has carried out some important missions in its lifetime – launching the Hubble Space Telescope and the return to space after the Columbia disaster – but in its 24-year flying history the craft’s latest mission could also be its most critical.

Discovery is making one of the most expensive plumbing house calls in history with its payload of a pump to fix the International Space Station‘s toilet, which has been out of action for nearly two weeks.

There is only one toilet in the space station, so nerves must be getting pretty frayed by this stage. According to Channel 7, the only other working toilet is in the escape module, and failing that, the astronauts would have to don ‘nappies’.

Two Russian astronauts have been charged with the task of fixing the high-tech Russian throne once the vital piece of equipment arrives – they have already apparently gone through a few dodgy pumps – so let’s hope this one does the job.

The tiny toilet pump has overshadowed the delivery of Japan’s $1 billion scientific space lab, named Kibo (Japanese for hope), which is as big as a school bus and is the second of three modules to be taken to the station.

Space shuttle Discovery flew its first mission on August 30, 1984 and is due for decommissioning in 2010.

Well,

all those who work with me and those who frequent this site know I am quite the Jamie Durie fan (the photo is proof), but it appears he has offended Prince Phillip after Jamie was crowned as winning designer at the Chelsea Flower Show in the UK last week.

Prince Phillip was checking out the winning Aussie garden and, according to The Daily Telegraph, said: “I do like your tree fern.” Jamie apparently corrected the Prince: “Actually it’s not a tree fern, It’s a member of the cycad family. It’s a Macrozamia moorei.”

The 86-year-old royal promptly walked away grumbling: “I didn’t want a bloody lecture.” (or something like that - there are a few quotes on the grapevine)

So has our gorgeous gardening guru gone to far? Or was he just trying to be helpful and informative?

Needless to say, I think the latter… let me know what you think.

Cheers,
Angela

Australian gardening guru Jamie Durie has taken out the golden crown at the Chelsea Flower Show with his inaugural design effort for the prestigious London event.
Durie designed the winning entry for Fleming’s Nurseries, which has won three out of its last five entries.
He describes the flower show as the most prestigious in his industry and it was the first time an entry was 100 per cent Australian.
Durie says his inspiration came from Australians and their unique take on life and cultural heritage.
“It was really about young Australia and our outward passionate nature,” he told realestate.com.au before leaving for the UK last month. strong>MORE

Interest rate rises mean the time is ripe to renovate your existing home. Renovations can be expensive though, so have you ever thought about buying second-hand materials to cut costs and help save the planet at the same time. And don’t forget, everything you throw away when renovating adds to landfill, so consider donating your old wares to a recycling centre.

It has been reported that renovators could save up to 30 per cent off the cost of a renovation through buying second-hand materials. Popular choices include recycled timber, doors and window frames.

But how easy is it to find these recycling centres? And who can be bothered when it’s so much easier to walk into a store and buy something new. Will it really make that much of a difference to our environment – or do you think it’s a case of every little bit helps?

Hi there, I thought it might be time to introduce myself as the new lifestyle writer for realestate.com.au. Having come from a newspaper and magazine background I am relishing the online experience. My expertise is mainly in garden and landscape writing but the shift to include lifestyle writing is fantastic.

Why don’t you share some of your little known gardening tips with us? It might be something that has been passed down through the generations or an interesting tid-bit you’ve stumbled upon yourself.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Until later
Jecca Blake

We have a kitchen special on our site this month because as we know the kitchen is the hub of activity in most households - but the kitchen is also rumoured to be a great place to find a saucy dish!

How many of you out there think of the kitchen as the spicy hub of the home? Does the kitchen bench hold fond memories of saucy dishes for you?

Tell us about your secret herbs and spices!

Cheers,
Angela