Amplify’d from wanderlustandlipstick.com

Things To Do In Sydney With Children

What do you think folks? This is the Wondermap for my upcoming trip to Sydney. The pink icons are the Sydney attractions we’re currently planning to visit. If you follow the link, you can enter your suggestions for places to visit and things to do. I can associate blog posts, photos and vidoes with locations on the map. I’m very grateful for my friends at Travellious for allowing me to be an alpha-tester for this application.

There are many, many things to do in Sydney – with or without children. I’ll be traveling on my own with my boys and we’ll be spending most of our time with my sister and her three-month-old so as I’ve been planning this trip, I’m assuming that long sightseeing days will really be out of the question – and that’s OK, those are the trade-offs you make when you travel with children.

So, with that in mind, here’s everything on my “Sydney attractions must see” list. If there’s something you think we should try to include, please do leave a comment.

Sydney Beaches Spending time at the beach is top of my list because being outdoors is a great way to knock jet-lag on the head and, well, because it’s Sydney. There are many good ones to choose from: Manly Beach, Bondi Beach (well, duh!), Watsons Bay – although this is partically an excuse to eat at Doyles, Freshwater Beach and the family-friendly Dee Why Beach.

Sydney City Attractions We’ll be trying to spend at least a couple of days doing ‘city sightseeing’ visiting the Opera House (the 1-hour tour), the Australia Museum, the Botanical Gardens (yes, Victorian as it is, I love walking around Botanical Gardens) but I suspect we may end up spending even more time at the Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool that day. The Aquarium, the Taronga Zoo and the Powerhouse Museum are also on our list – although at this stage I know we’ve got way too much on our list and my money is on my geek-boys ditching the nature stuff and indulging their inner geeks at the Cyberworlds exhibit at the Powerhouse. Read more at wanderlustandlipstick.com

 

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Water Damage Repairs

Call 404-721-1632 in Georgia and 904-701-3711 in Florida now to speak to a technician about the water damage repairs you need. We are available on an emergency basis and promise to be there within 60 minutes.

water. Your carpet, furnishings, building materials, and documents must be handled quickly and carefully so that they can be repaired and not replaced. Trust our certified technicians and techniques to help you recover from a water emergency at your home or business. Call 404-721-1632 in Georgia and 904-701-3711 in Florida now to speak to a technician about the water damage repairs you need. We are available on an emergency basis and promise to be there within 60 minutes. A water emergency can be caused by many things, such as from a sprinkler system malfunction at an office or retail store; it can be a broken pipe or sewer main at a house; firemen dousing a blaze near you may have had to spray your property; or you may have suffered natural flooding from too much rainfall or tropical weather. Each creates a need for different kinds of water damage repairs: Flood cleanup – removing silt, debris, mud and unsalvageable belongings Disinfecting – using antibacterial and antimicrobial solutions to stop mold and fungus Deodorizing – it can be the odor of smoky water from a fire, a sewage accident or the funk of a flood Contents cleaning – everything needs to be washed, dried, bleached or sanitizer treated Carpet cleaning – we can save carpet and save your home or business from deadly mold Document restoration – we are able to save irreplaceable records by taking quick action Dehumidifying – getting water out of the air fast helps everything else dry Pressure washing – it is not only interiors that need water damage repairs. Exterior walls, walks, drives and vehicles and boats need muck and mire washed off We handle packing up and putting back. We are also here to handle one of the big jobs that must be accomplished before and after water damage repairs take place: our teams will pack up contents, and then put them back, removing another headache from the long, stressful recovery from a water emergency. Dehumidification is one of the top water damage repairs: We use flood restoration dehumidifiers to draw moisture out of the air. The short term benefit is that it speeds drying. The long term impact is significant. Rapid dehumidification prevents porous surfaces from absorbing the moist, humid air that hangs around after a water accident. Without it, things like drywall that may never have been touched by flooding can become a breeding ground for mold and rot. We expertly handle wood furniture. You may want that beloved piece dry quickly, but slow drying is essential to wood. If the furniture was submerged when we recovered it, we clean away mud and dirt inside and out. But good wood must never sit in the sun to dry. It will warp. Circulating air is the key to these kinds of water damage repairs. It is best to place it in a ventilation area, or to create an air circulation storage area, and let the wood dry over several days. Document restoration generally involves professionally freezing the paper quickly – blast freezing. This heads off puckering, swelling, ink smearing and blocking. Once frozen, the damage stops. Then, the process of freeze drying takes the water out before it returns to a liquid state. Freeze drying is the state of the art technique for document salvage. Read more at www.advanceddryingtech.com

 

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NFL mock draft: Panthers go for QB Cam N

Amplify’d from aol.sportingnews.com

NFL mock draft: Panthers go for QB Cam Newton at No. 1

With the 2011 NFL draft now just 23 days away, the top of the draft still is up for debate. Perhaps no team in the top five is sure which direction to go.

There continues to be great debate amongst general manager Marty Hurney, new coach Ron Rivera and all the Carolina Panthers assistant coaches and personnel men about what to do with the No. 1-overall pick.

When the draft process began, we thought the Panthers would play it safe and pick the top defensive lineman instead of a boom-or-bust quarterback. In the last couple weeks, it seems as if Panthers officials are more than willing to roll the dice on the ultra talented Cam Newton.

No one doubts Newton’s physical talent. Perhaps the Panthers have become so enticed with his potential that they are willing to bet on him becoming the first-ever run-option college quarterback to become a good NFL player. Alex Smith and Vince Young have failed, and second-year QB Tim Tebow has done nothing to think he'll succeed over the long term.

Despite much speculation that new Broncos executive John Elway will take a QB at No. 2, we think it's a bluff. Elway most likely would prefer to trade down a few spots, pick up some extra picks and still land his primary target — Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley, a more explosive and disruptive force than the steadier Marcell Dareus of Alabama. Read more at aol.sportingnews.com

 

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Atlanta, GA 404-721-1632 Jacksonville, FL 904-701-3711

Lead Paint Abatement

Lead paint abatement ends the threat of lead poisoning in homes, businesses, schools and care facilities. Our certified technicians safely eliminate the most common source of lead poisoning – breathing in the dust created as lead based paint deteriorates and peels. Lead paint was used in an estimated 38 million residential buildings and in even more facilities until it was banned in 1978. The National Lead Information Center (NLIC) recommends you hire certified lead-based paint professionals to handle removal to ensure that dangerous dust and fumes do not circulate as the work is done. Read more at www.advanceddryingtech.com

 

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Sewer Backup

Sewer backup

s a leading cause of water damage in any kind of property throughout Florida and Georgia. While a broken pipe is something you will often hear or read about regarding sewage water flooding, a backed up line can be equally devastating, occurring when there is an inadequate plumbing design or installation. It happens when new lines are attached to old systems, when old systems begin to break down, or an all new plumbing has proven insufficient. No matter how plumbing systems have failed you, raw sewage floating in areas of your home where it was not intended is a job for the area’s top professionals. Call us now if you are suffering a sewer backup! In Florida, we are at 904-701-3711 for a free estimate. And in Georgia, reach us here – 404-721-1632. You may still be a bit puzzled by the sewer backup that has put your property at serious risk. There may be numerous reasons behind your property’s internal flooding, such as blockage of various solid materials, the flooding of local sewers, a basement flood, structural failures and even an interfering tree root. Whether or not you know the exact cause yet, it is important to call us as soon as possible; dealing with raw sewage in your building compounds the already complicated problem of uninvited water that begins to eat away at your possessions and materials from the very beginning. Parasites, viruses and bacteria – all with an attitude against the health of you, your family, your employees, your customers – whoever visits your property must not be exposed to this cauldron of potential infection and disease from sewer backup. That is what is floating around in your property if sewage has bubbled up from the depths of the ground. There is a reason why raw sewage is kept away from people underground until it is treated at an industrial facility, because it is simply dangerous and will eventually cause illnesses. The following is what can happen when exposed to water from a nasty sewer backup: Pathogenic organisms (germs) … There are several forms a pathogen may take, including viral, bacterial, fungal as well as various parasitic forms. Yes, it is as bad as it sounds. Seek immediate help and do not expose yourself to the risky brew of sewage water. Vomiting/poisoning … What often cause food poisoning are bacteria caused by feces. If any of these bacteria finds its way into your body’s cavities, you could be laid up for at least a week or two, motivated only by the need to vomit, diarrhea as well as aimless attempts to avoid nausea. You may need to visit a hospital. Rashes and other fungal skin infections … Simply by exposing any part of your skin to this water can lead to a skin rash, as well as underneath finger nails and yeast infections. Those problems are just the beginning of what may potentially affect your health in a sewer backup. We are the technical experts that have all the training, experience and equipment that will get to your property in no time, pump out this toxic material, sanitize all affected areas, dry them, salvage the salvageable and haul off what is permanently destroyed. We ensure your property remains dry and dehumidified, and we complete the job by making necessary repairs and renovations. Read more at www.advanceddryingtech.com

 

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Wet Basement

A wet basement poses a significant threat to the rest of your property. Of course, if you have invested in this in-ground space of your home or business, then you are probably actively seeking action to remediate the area. You do not need to have a finished basement to know that this is space to keep protected – basements are very useful. However, many property owners are just not in tune with this room, storing many of their valuables there and then focusing on other property aspects. Whether you use this space frequently or not, it is a piece of your property demanding attention. Take action on your wet basement now! We offer a free estimate in Florida at 904-701-3711 or in Georgia at 404-721-1632. A wet basement has many causes and may run the spectrum from mild to severe. You obviously would take note of a severe case that could involve flooding. Such causes are often natural, such as the significant rise in water level from bodies of water or an extremely heavy downpour from storms that our part of the country frequently experiences. Other major causes of significant basement water include broken pipes, sewage drain backup, an insufficiently-graded yard, a broken window, a brimming window well or a broken water heater. There are also more subtle causes and effects of a wet basement, including groundwater that comes in as seepage, which may frequently come through cracks in a foundation. Soil moisture often works its way into basements in ways it cannot in surface-level rooms, due to the pressure of soil. The innate ground pressure from soil often makes seepage a greater liability, with the pressure acting as a conduit for water to work its way inside. Rainwater that is not drained far enough away from your walls, or from a rising water table, often finds its way into basements because of this pressure. The problem with the slow increase of moisture content rather than the sudden storm of a major flood is that property owners often do not notice the problem very quickly, especially if their basement is not frequently visited. Sometimes it may simply be high humidity raising the moisture content in this room to unsafe levels. Mildew and mold are problems involved with a wet basement with which no homeowner should flirt. Both forms of growth can quickly spread throughout your property, eventually eating away your materials, creating unpleasant odors and creating health hazards from allergic reactions to infections and dizziness. Once mold and mildew become established in your home or business, they are extraordinarily difficult to get rid of. We are a company featuring industrial-strength equipment and proficient know-how to either prevent this growth from happening in the first place, or to remediate your property once it has. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to drain your flooded wet basement, and we will get to your place within the hour. Members of our fleet will arrive with the strongest pumps and vacuums to jettison the invading water, and we have highly effective air scrubbers to treat the air in your home or business, restoring an environment of breathability that all occupants would expect. After all, there is no more fundamental necessity to life than having air that is safe to breath. For all concerns, we are ready to serve you. Read more at www.advanceddryingtech.com

 

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Carpet Water Damage

Carpet water damage must be taken seriously for at least two important reasons. First, indoor carpeting is an investment, and if we can restore it you avoid replacement costs. Second, within a day or at the most 48 hours, even clean water can grow mold and bacteria that are a serious health hazard. The carpet and padding sop up water like a towel, and it must be professionally removed – in a timely manner. Call us quickly when you suffer carpet water damage. The number is 404-721-1632 in Georgia and 904-701-3711 in Florida. You will get a technician on the line to help you. Floods, broken pipes and fire sprinklers take a toll on carpeting in homes and businesses. Our professional technicians armed with the newest equipment can take steps to clean carpet water damage and then recondition and restore existing carpet. The length of time carpets have been under water is a primary consideration. The damage to the backing gets worse the longer the carpet sits in water. Carpet fibers are held together with polyurethane backing which water destroys. This makes our professional water extraction essential. We will use powerful pumps and custom designed water extracting machines to get carpeting out from under standing water. After water extraction high speed fans are pointed at the surface of the carpet, to speed drying. Since the padding under carpet must be dried, too, we separate the pad from the carpet so that drying air reaches the carpet water damage on the underside, too. At the same time we must employ commercial grade dehumidifiers to get moisture out of the air quickly. Excess indoor humidity slows drying and encourages microbes. Carpets generally need microbe-killing treatment to ward off mold and mildew. Your carpet will be treated – fogged and sprayed -- with an anti-microbial to inhibit the growth and spread of mold and mildew. This must happen with 72 hours of carpet water damage occurring because mildew starts feeding off of the organic matter in the carpet and mold starts germinating. Steam cleaning will also eliminate bad odors in carpet that had been very wet. There are also enzymes that can be fogged that work at the molecular level to break up odor causers. Mold gradually destroys whatever material it grows on. It is an allergen, and irritant and harmful to the respiratory system. As further evidence of the hazard mold presents, if our crews have to engage in mold removal due to carpet water damage that cannot be reversed; they wear personal protective equipment including gloves, a respirator, and goggles. If mold is more serious, they may add disposable overalls for additional safety. An entire home or business space with moldy carpet may put crews in disposable full body clothing, head gear, foot coverings, and a respirator that covers the entire face and has a special filter. They use a HEPA air filter to entrap mold spores circulating with the air. Replacing padding and cleaning carpets with hot water extraction equipment (steam cleaning) is often the final step in repairing carpet water damage. Padding that was immersed or was soaked for long periods of time will likely warp and clot and cannot be smoothed enough when the carpet is set down again. We may not be able to save the padding, but we have years of experience salvaging carpeting. Read more at www.advanceddryingtech.com

 

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Getting Rid Of Mold

Getting rid of mold can be safe and effective – when handled by our certified technicians – or if you do it yourself and do it poorly it will make the problem worse. Mold spores are so dangerous, so microscopic, and so easily circulated by air that removal must be handled by our specially trained and equipped teams.

From time to time you hear someone ask, “What’s the big deal about mold? It smells a little musty and looks a little ugly. Why not wash it off once in a while? Isn’t it natural, like penicillin?” Unlike penicillin, mold cures nothing and causes a host of illnesses when spores are inhaled. It can turn any workplace into a “sick building”. That musty odor is an indicator that you have a concentration of airborne spores “A little ugly” black or green slime is constantly reproducing and spurting spores into the air you breathe. It also eats away at building materials. Getting rid of mold should be a priority. If you “wash it off once in a while” all you do is spread the contaminants. You’ll just make the growth spot even bigger. “What’s the big deal?” It is a toxic substance; a biohazard. Read more at www.advanceddryingtech.com

 

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