May 19, 2014

Tiny home UK – £2500

Apaulafallowshome quiet corner of a farm near Birmingham has become a workplace for a busy mum-of-two.

Just 20 yards from her house is Paula Fallows’ office, inside what looks like a beach hut.

It took about three days for her and her husband to build it.

“It’s really good because it’s totally separate from the house,” she says. “You can go in there, work away and shut the door at the end of it. You don’t cross that line of having your work in your house.

“But you don’t have very far to go, it’s just across from the house, literally a 20 yard walk. For people who do work from home, the cost savings are enormous and the commuting time as well.”

Paula put the hut on wheels to avoid planning permission problems – and to make the most of the sun.

She designed the chassis and recycled other parts, including the wheels to cut expenses, with the finished hut costing £2,600.…

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Satellite Panic Buttons – Boon or Bane?

Spot satellite emergency signalling devices have saved 3000 lives to date – but are they an essential piece of kit for the outward bound, or a darned nuisance that is unleashing a bunch of idiots into the most unspoiled and peaceful places on the planet, especially in Canada.

The company that makes them proudly announces that SPOT products have been used to initiate 3,000 rescues around the world since the technology’s launch in 2007. “With over 200,000 units in service, SPOT is now averaging a rescue a day; approximately one-third (829) of all worldwide rescues to date have taken place in Canada,” the company announced.

SPOT says it delivers affordable and reliable satellite-based connectivity and real-time GPS tracking, completely independent of cellular coverage. But its prices are absurdly high.…

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