You probably still hear stories from your grandmothers about their day-to-day lives being taken up by going to the river to wash all their clothes, sitting there scrubbing from morning to night.  And you’re probably so glad you never had to live during those times.  But think about how much further we could go?  Imagine your grandchildren feeling sorry for you that your washing machine was pretty much working all day and it took the better part of an afternoon for your clothes to clean?  

Save Time, Energy and Water

It seems that this is happening even sooner than we anticipated.  Highly reputable manufacturer Russell Hobbs has just developed a machine which boasts it can clean laundry in as little as 12 minutes and a ton less water than standard 90 minute cycles.  As well, a staggering 212,415 gallons of water will be saved over a lifetime!  That is enough to fill nearly 17 swimming pools!

How Does Russell Hobbs Do It?

So the question being asked is, how on earth is this manufacturer doing it?  Well, apparently there are now two jet nozzles which are being used to spray water and detergent.  Our machines have always traditionally used only one.  But don’t expect to get off lightly when you make the purchase, the cheapest one being £247, but think how much money you will get to save long-term, as well as time?

Any Disadvantages?

Well, everything comes with a side issue.  Sometimes the 12-minute cycle won’t quite get all your stains out if they are really strong.  Ultimately a good “old-fashioned soak” is what will really get rid of mega-stains.  But this is just the first model and who knows how many improvements will be made in the future?  It’s probably worth holding off for a while and waiting to see what Russell Hobbs’ competitors come up with in the near future.  You’ve waited this long and spent enough time on your laundry; what’s another few months with the thought of mega-time, water and money being saved in the future?

It’s official; Skype is now a word. Well, truth be told, official or not, we’ve all pretty much been using Skype for the longest time. But it’s nice to know it is now to be approved by the Oxford English Dictionary. Indeed, Charles Aver (Oxford University Press spokesperson) commented, “we are pleased to welcome to the OED these words English speakers have embraced.” People always talk about ‘skyping’ so it was deemed timely to finally include this in the dictionary.

Apple To Get More than a Passing Mention?

Who knows? This may be the sign of things to come. Considering there is so much talk about iThis and iThat these days, it could be that Steve Jobs’ products could soon get an entry into the OED too. The iPad 2 has literally flown off the shelves to such an extent that there is now a 5 week wait to get this new tablet. If that’s the case, surely it deserves a place of pride in the dictionary? Stay tuned.

Yesterday, March 15^th, three Justin Bieber wax figures were unveiled- one in New York, one in London and one in Amsterdam. The teenage heartthrob visited the Madame Tussauds museum in London himself, although his presence was kept on the down low in order to protect the museum from becoming too chaotic.

The Biebs posed beside his model, which is dressed in a red-and-black checkered shirt and black jeans, and said “It’s pretty incredible to see… It looks awesome, thanks very much. “ Later, he joked “As you can see, you know, I’m at least six feet taller than this guy.”

The spokeswoman for the museum Liz Edwards said that it was inevitable for the real pop star to grow during the eight months that the model was being created. His hair, of course, has also changed since then.

“So we really wanted to make sure we made a ‘moment in time’ figure,” she explained. “But it’s the hair that everyone is paying the biggest attention to. So I’d say it’s the hair that’s been the biggest challenge.”

Bieber attended the event with his mother Pattie, and was greeted by a select group of fans. His hotel in Liverpool, on the other hand, has been so swamped by the Bieber-fevered that police have been forced to shut down the area.

According to USA Today, it seems no one is giving out all that much information about the forthcoming nuptials of Prince William of Wales to (Catherine) Kate Middleton.  We’ve not even had a picture of the lady’s dress!  Critics have wondered if it is this lack of knowledge that is making the Brits go even more nuts to find out what’s going on, but it’s unlikely, given the major interest that took place all those moons ago when the Prince’s mother wed his father (although let’s please ask for more of a fairytale end to this marriage).  

Brand on Royal Weddings

Emily Brand probably knew that this would be the case.  She wrote a book – perfectly timed to hit stores on March 22 – entitled Royal Weddings and argued that “interest seems to be stronger, partly because this is the marriage of the future king and partly because it is [seen as] a genuine and remarkably ‘ordinary’ romance.”  This could well be what is sparking interest; all those helpless romantics who saw how Kate did it; and that they could do it too; meet a boy, fall in love and get married, but it sure could help if he’s loaded with money and all those who know him call him Prince.

Shopaholic Sophie Kinsella Comments

According to author of the Shopaholic series Sophie Kinsella (she just added another one to the series, ‘Mini Shopaholic’), it’s only a matter of time until everyone is going crazy for the wedding.  There is already talk about street parties and Kinsella’s theory is that there will probably me mass excitement but “quite last minute.”

Whether interest peaks or not, and whether we find out details of the dress before the big day or it remains a secret, let’s just make sure the energies we are putting out there are feel good ones and that our main priorities are for William and Kate – two young people in love – will live happily ever after.  Because after all, that’s all anyone really wants at the end of the day; prince or pauper.

What is Atlantis?

The lost city of Atlantis is an issue that historians have debated for many years. Mentions of its existence can be traced as far back as the time of the philosopher Plato and his text Timaeus. According to his writings, Atlantis was a ringed city (or possibly, continent), well known for its bravery, that was destroyed and buried by a tsunami. In today’s world, most people pass Atlantis off as just another myth…

…But Maybe They’re Wrong

Professor Richard Freund of the University of Hartford and his research team have recently made a discovery that may alter the picture dramatically. Last night’s National Geographic show presented their latest findings. Utilizing radar technology, digital imaging and mapping as well as satellites, the team located the traces of a sunken city off the coast of Northern Spain. The credibility of the discovery is strengthened by the unearthing of several “memorial cities,” believed to be built by Atlantis survivors following the destruction of their home.

While the findings leave room for much speculation, the researchers’ discovery is certainly fascinating. Perhaps further studies will uncover more information and add some color to the history of Northern Spain.