The Inverse Motte and Bailey Castle The traditional Motte and Bailey castle is basically just a hill of earth (the motte) and a wooden castle surrounded by a timber wall around the castle (the bailey). The weakness of this design is that invaders can literally just run up the hill. And additionally, the bailey is the highest point on the landscape and therefore a tempting target to anyone who is looking for a target. My suggestion as an alternative idea is what I call, the inverse Motte and Bailey. The motte is a ring around the bailey, with a sharp vertical edge on the outside wall with large stones to support the motte. The inside edge of the motte should taper gently down so the defenders could easily run up the hill to defend the walls. The bailey, instead of being the focus of the whole setup, disappears in the Inverse Motte and Bailey. Whereas the original Motte and Bailey was designed to be a tenth century stronghold for a warlord who intended it to command respect. Large doors invite attack.
Scientists use sound waves to lift and move objects, make cup of joe mid-air Levitating objects with sound waves isn't anything new, but a team from Switzerland has taken it to the next level by rotating and moving objects as they float. In fact, the researchers were able to manipulate a number of objects mid-air, including water droplets, inserting DNA into cells and mixing up a little instant coffee. If you're wondering how intense sound waves need to be to get things moving (at this level, at least) then 160 decibels is the starting point. If that sounds ear-splittingly loud, that's because it is. But, by using frequencies typically out of the human audible range (24 kHz), no ears were at risk. Comments
Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management: www.mrsbeeton.com – Cookery, Recipies & Household Management Earth sheltering Earth sheltering is the architectural practice of using earth against building walls for external thermal mass, to reduce heat loss, and to easily maintain a steady indoor air temperature. Earth sheltering has become relatively more popular in modern times, especially among environmentalists and advocates of passive solar and sustainable architecture. However, the practice has been around for nearly as long as humans have been constructing their own shelters. Definition[edit] The expression earth-sheltering is a generic term, with the general meaning: building design in which soil plays an integral part. A building can be described as earth-sheltered if its external envelope is in contact with a thermally significant volume of soil or substrate (where “thermally significant” means making a functional contribution to the thermal effectiveness of the building in question.) There may be said to be three forms of earth-sheltered building: earth-coveredearth-bundedsubterranean Background[edit]
How to Make Nutella Brownies: 8 Steps Edit Article Edited by Ally, Adelaide, Teresa, Maluniu and 9 others Brownies are a classic favorite treat of many chocolate lovers, as is Nutella which has recently become popular. What if you could have them both, combined in to one? Now, you can! Nutella brownies are a new dessert that is easy to create, and will leave you and your guests begging for me! Ad Steps 1Gather your materials and ingredients. 8Finished. Tips Greasing your pan is a must, or it will be extremely difficult for you to cut and remove the brownies from the pan when it is time to serve.You can add half a cup of chocolate chips or coconut to the mixture, if desired.Make sure your hands and kitchen area are clean before beginning to bake.Have cooking experience. Warnings Do not eat raw batter.If using additional ingredients, beware of allergies.Do not over bake or under bake.
The Permaculture Concept (1989 The word permaculture, coined by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren during the 1970s, is a portmanteau of permanent agriculture as well as permanent culture. Through a series of publications, Mollison, Holmgren and their associates documented an approach to designing human settlements, in particular the development of perennial agricultural systems that mimic the structure and interrelationship found in natural ecologies. Permaculture design principles extend from the position that "The only ethical decision is to take responsibility for our own existence and that of our children" (Mollison, 1990). While originating as an agro-ecological design theory, permaculture has developed a large international following of individuals who have received training through intensive two week long 'permaculture design courses'.
Crediton Hamlets, Elston Barton - geograph.org.uk - 213974 Destined to Destroy Ourselves: Amazing Artifacts and Alternate History When one thinks about the ancient world, the visions that often come to mind are of antiquated people, doing antiquated things, with antiquated contraptions. Building the pyramids with ropes and crude wooden pulleys, or sucking back fumes from a hole in ground in order to consult an oracle. These things seem laughably quaint to us with our computer programmed machines and Science™. But what if our ancestors had actually progressed along further than we might think? Why would anyone begin to believe such a thing? Artifacts. Roman Dodecahedrons These artifacts have been discovered all over, with locations ranging from Italy, to Wales, and even Germany. Spiral metal from 20,000 years ago In Russia, along the Narada river, were found small, spiral metal artifacts that are extremely modern in manufacturing processes and in machined accuracy. Maps of the world The Williams Connector Ancient History Revised? Final thoughts
Cristate and Monster Succulents Succulents (including cacti) are among the best of all the plants to collect and grow in pots and in the garden and are certainly among my favorite plants. As if there weren't enough awesome, cool and bizarre succulents in cultivation to keep one fascinated and obsessed for a few lifetimes, these amazing plants also have their mutant forms- the crested and monstrose plants. Crested or monstrose mutations are not unique to succulents, but they certainly seem to be much more common in these plants than they are in most other flowering plants and conifers. What happens when a plant mutates like this? All plants have a growth center (or growth centers depending on how many branches, leaves, flowers etc. they have). This Sempervivum was one of hundreds I have struggled to grow in the garden over the years (most are pretty wimpy in this climate). Here are two Aeonium arboreum 'Atropurpureum' crests. These two cacti are NOT crested, though many think these are crested plants. Yes and no. l
More Permanent Shelters - The Red Cedar Volunteer Resource Traditional Examples of Permanent Shelters There is a great deal that can be learned from the traditional building techniques of the past, a combination of what was available in the location applied to the conditions of the location over centuries produced structures uniquely suited to the land and history and culture that incorporated them. The Wikipedia Category: Vernacular Architecture Hebridean Black House The Hebridean House is a traditional house once common in Scotland and now only found where it originated in the Hebridean islands, although modern reinterpretations have cropped up after 1993. Additional Sources and Resources for Hebridean Black Houses Red Cedar Project Notes: The sod roof and the double rock walls are both solid ideas that the Red Cedar Project could incorporate into the design of the living quarters and possible the mess hall of the camp. Devon Cob House Red Cedar Project Notes: International Examples of Cob Design The Japanese Minka House Misc. and Unsorted Materials
Inkless Metal Pen Vat19, self-proclaimed “purveyors of curiously awesome products,” has released a pen that has dispensed with ink and writes with a metal alloy tip, boasting that it lasts a lifetime. As one writes with the pen, it leaves behind a trail of tiny metal “deposits,” which look similar to a pencil in color, but cannot be erased, cannot be smudged, can write upside-down and can even write underwater. The pen never goes dull, though if one desires a sharper tip, they can simply refine the point with sandpaper.The pen reportedly has trace amounts of lead, which was taken out of pencils due to its dangerous nature, but as the site’s FAQ states: Yes, lead is dangerous if you eat copious amounts of it. Note that some Wired commenters report that the pen’s writing is a little too light for their liking. The product is also accompanied by a humorous video, seen below. The pen sells from the Vat19 site for $27.95.