Whether you love the open road or hate driving, there are a lot of roads in the UK! The following are some fascinating facts about the vast network of motorways and roads in this country:

The chap who discovered tarmac was Edward Hooley. In 1901, Hooley saw the smooth outer surface of a metal and on asking what had caused it, was told about a tar barrel that had spilled. The following year, he patented a method of heating the tar, adding slag and stones into the substance, that resulted in the creation of asphalt and tarmac that we see so much of today. For Tarmac Bristol, visit a site like https://www.thornburysurfacing.co.uk/

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The longest toll road in the UK is the M6 and it runs from Catthorpe in the county of Leicestershire all the way up to the border with Scotland – an impressive 236 miles long.

The first toll road that opened in the UK is the M6 Preston Bypass, which lasted for 8 miles and opened in 1958.

Stuck in rush hour every day? Consider the poor London drivers who must sit in traffic jams for an average of 101 hours each year. The rest of the UK suffers just 30 hours a year. For those who work as a driver, this figure would be significantly higher.

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Are you a believer in the paranormal? You should consider a trip up the M6 on October 31 as it is thought to be among the most haunted of UK roads! There are a very high number of reported sightings of ghostly goings on on this stretch of highway, from the Roman army to a crazy lady on the roadside.

When you set up a business, buy a home or a car you will come across the need for specific insurance related to the items that you have purchased or the work that you conduct. This is particularly true when you work in industries where your decisions and advice cna have an impact on the individual’s career success, health and overall wellbeing.

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Medical Indemnity Insurance is one such specialist insurance and relates to malpractice in any medical profession. This means that any accidents and mistakes that are made as a result of negligence by the professions will be covered and compensation will be paid to the individual that has made the claim.

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Accidents and mistakes happen in any profession and medicine is no different. As human beings all we can do is take our training and knowledge and work to the best of our abilities. Doctors and medical professionals always want to do what is best for their clients. Medical Indemnity Insurance covers those eventualities where things do not perhaps go the way they had planned. It is important to make sure that you discuss your insurance requirements with a reputable, knowledgeable company who can help build your insurance package as necessary.

Decluttering is definitely a huge task that needs to be undertaken, especially if you are about to move. If you want to get the maximum from your new home, it is imperative that you perform some groundwork before you actually pack your stuff.  It is for this reason that you need to look at things from each and every angle before you start the process of how to declutter your home before moving.

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Make a note of the items that you already have in your home and sort them out accordingly. This way, you will be able to save yourself from having to buy anything new and save yourself from having to burn a hole in your pocket. Next, think about the things that you wish to sell off and the items that you want to give away to others. You can simply contact family members or friends who may want some of the things that you don’t need any more and they will be glad to help you sort through them.

There is no point in packing things for the move that you will never use. Make life a little easier for your Removal Company Norwich. Find one at a site like Arrowpak, one of the leading Removal Company Norwich

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Another thing that you can do before you actually start the process of how to declutter your home before moving is to decide which rooms of your home that you would like to be cleared out. Some of the rooms that you can get rid of include the basement, the attic, the garage, the cupboards and the linen closet.

 

It is not easy to choose between the fitted and unfitted kitchen. Both have their pros and cons. It completely depends upon your liking and the space you have specified for the kitchen. Space and budget are also important factors for choosing a kitchen for you.

The fitted kitchen was introduced in 1950. Since then they have become increasingly popular and liked by almost every person. In a fitted kitchen, all the components of the kitchen are fixed wall-to-wall. Nothing is moveable in the kitchen room. Everything has a specific place.

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The cabinets, counter, and furniture are settled and cannot be moved. It reflects the style and personality of the house owner. The fitted kitchen has more storage space. Many options are available regarding the variety of appliances in the kitchen. Different designs are available for the same appliances. However, it can cause some problems if you change the place of any component of the kitchen. Fitted kitchens are more expensive as compared to unfitted kitchens. For Fitted Kitchens Norwich, visit a site like Grays Fitted Furniture, suppliers of Fitted Kitchens Norwich.

Unfitted kitchens also have their benefits. The mobility of kitchen components and furniture attracts people as they can change the setting of the kitchen at any time. They can move the furniture according to their current situation. These are more versatile and adjustable. All the components are moveable. You can change the setting of the kitchen as you want.

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Your taste, needs, and liking are the main factors upon which the selection of fitted and unfitted kitchens depends.

Flat design does not have anything to do with furnishing apartments; it is actually the latest thinking when it comes to building websites. A few years ago, designers were keen to lure visitors with animations and flashy graphics, but these often proved annoying, especially to those on slow connections, and a trend toward simpler, cleaner design has now taken hold.

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The concept of flat design is not a new one. The term dates back to the 1950s thanks to the modernist art movement and the adoption of simple typography. The idea goes back even further; you can see elements of flat design in places like the London tube map designed in the 1930s. The launch of Windows 8 ,with its “Metro” interface made up of a series of customisable tiles, was one of the first examples of this flat design trend in computing, and many software and web developers have since adopted a similar approach.

Simple and clear

In a flat design, design features like shading of characters and animation of graphics are seen as unnecessary. Instead, the design relies on bright, contrasting colours in solid blocks and simple illustrations to make things stand out and catch the user’s eye.

A flat design can make it easier for users to grasp the purpose of a page quickly and to find the links or buttons they need to click to complete a task or make a purchase. In many ways, this goes back to the very roots of good design practice. It’s about how well something works for the user rather than what it looks like. Of course, with help from a Maidstone Web Design company, you should be able to have a site that works well and looks good, too.

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Successful flat design

Today’s internet offers many good examples of flat design, particularly when it comes to mobile sites and apps. Using solid colours for the buttons that you need to complete actions makes them stand out from illustrations.

Similarly, the typography used needs to be simple, with sans serif fonts and key messages kept as short as possible. This can work well even with a more muted colour palette. The key is to draw attention to the elements that the user is seeking.

After the euphoria of passing your exams and getting your grades is over the chilly knowledge, or rather excitement, of the fact you are going to university will kick in. For the vast majority of you this is the first time away from home. Even if you live locally to the Uni you want you still might choose to move in with other students to get a bit of independence. Whatever University you decide to go to, be it Stirling, Aberystwyth, East Anglia or even Cheltenham Student accommodation is there for you.

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There are lots of things to consider when you are looking at where to live. The first year is generally covered by halls of residence. Everything is pretty much provided for you with a desk, bed and bathroom provided. After that first year you are expected to make your own arrangements. You might have to go out into the world of the private landlord.

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When you do, there are bills to pay like utilities and council tax. Don’t forget you will need a TV licence. It can be tricky to make that Student loan last that long so you will possibly need to get a job as well. Getting the grades is really just the start of it.

 

If you’ve never heard of Portland cement, you may be surprised to learn that it is one of the most important ingredients ever produced by man, created and patented by Joseph Aspdin in 1824.

Aspdin heated lime cement powder mixed with clay in a furnace, and then ground the clinker that was left into a powder. He named the substance “Portland cement” because of similarities it had with Portland rock, a kind of rock excavated on the Isle of Portland in England.

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Aspdin’s cement business continues today with Aspdin’s son William at the helm. To this day, Portland cement remains the most commonly used cement throughout the world. For your cement needs, consider Ready Mix Concrete Derby at a site like Best Mix, suppliers of Ready Mix Concrete Derby.

Cement is usually produced by two processes – wet and dry

The dry process is basically the same as the wet, except that in the wet, water is mixed in with the raw materials before being placed into the kiln. Although there is little difference in efficiency between the two processes, the wet process has the disadvantage of CO2 emissions and fuel consumption to evaporate the water. Most of the manufacturing processes where cement is produced is done using the preferred dry process.

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Crushing and Grinding: The raw materials such as limestone and clay, which are obtained from the mine are then crushed into fine powder form.

Raw materials are crushed and mixed in the right proportions to form what is called “raw food” or “kiln feed”. Next, the clinker is formed – a new substance emerged that comes from the kiln known as ‘clinker’.

Nobody, whether homeowner or business wants to deal with a damaged septic tank or overflow. Out of sight and out of mind is the best way to describe how a septic tank should be. However, if you experience a nasty smell or toilets don’t function like they used to, you could well have an issue.

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As another part of your home, septic tanks require regular maintenance to keep them working effectively. If they are not maintained properly, the following warning signs may present themselves:

Gurgling noise coming from the plumbing system

Water and sewage from the drains, sinks and toilets back up into the property

Stench around the septic tank and drain field

Damp spots or standing water near the septic tank

Bright green, full grass growing around the septic tank area even in summer

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What problem is most common?

Lack of maintenance

It is important that your septic tank is pumped and emptied regularly. Some of the tanks need to be emptied once a year. A professional company can pump, empty and clean up your tank and perform essential maintenance and repair. For Septic Tank Emptying Bromsgrove, visit a site like BSA Environmental, a provider of Septic Tank Emptying Bromsgrove.

Land movement

A slight movement of the ground around the septic tank can put a huge amount of pressure on the tank, potentially leading to fractures and cracks in the walls. Which can lead to two problems:

The septic tanks can back up and must be emptied more often.

If groundwater enters the septic tank through the cracks, the tank will no longer be able to separate liquid from solid waste effectively.